The Lhr Charitable Foundation

Quick Stats

• Charity Number: 1193336
• Registered: 1 February 2021
• Legal Structure: CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organization) - Foundation
• Annual Income: £65,982 (year ending 31 Jan 2025)
• Annual Expenditure: £134,957 (year ending 31 Jan 2025)
• Number of Trustees: 5
• Geographic Focus: England and Wales (UK registered charity)
• Application Process: No public application process - trustee discretion

Contact Details

Correspondence Address:

COSEC Charities Team

Browne Jacobson LLP

Mowbray House

Castle Meadow Road

Nottingham

NG2 1BJ

Phone: 0370 270 6000

Email: Cosec_charities_post@brownejacobson.com

Note: Administrative contact only - managed by law firm Browne Jacobson LLP

Overview

THE LHR CHARITABLE FOUNDATION is a private family foundation established on 1 February 2021 as a Charitable Incorporated Organization (CIO). The foundation operates as a grant-making charity that supports other registered charities across various charitable purposes. With an annual expenditure of approximately £135,000 (significantly exceeding its annual income, suggesting spending from capital or reserves), the foundation makes grants at the absolute discretion of its trustees.

The foundation was established by Harry Ralph Ross and Laura Ann Ross (the “LHR” initials likely derive from their names: Harry, Laura, Ross), with professional trustee support from Emma Mary Gaudern, a specialist solicitor in trusts and deputyship. The foundation's governing document grants the trustees exceptionally broad powers to support any exclusively charitable purpose they deem appropriate.

This is a discretionary grant-making trust without a public application process. Grants are awarded based on trustee decisions rather than through open applications.

Funding Priorities

Grant-Making Approach

The foundation operates under the widest possible charitable objects: “Such purposes as shall be exclusively charitable as the charity trustees in their absolute discretion from time to time think fit.”

This means the trustees have complete discretion to:

• Support any registered charity
• Fund any charitable purpose recognized under UK charity law
• Change focus areas over time as they see fit

What They Fund

Given the broad discretionary nature of the foundation and limited public information about specific grants awarded, the foundation can theoretically support:

• Any registered UK charity
• Any exclusively charitable purpose
• Multiple charitable sectors simultaneously

Note: Without published annual reports or accounts detailing specific grants awarded, the foundation's actual funding preferences remain private.

Grant Amounts

• Recent Financial Activity: Expenditure of £134,957 in the year ending 31 January 2025
• Income: £65,982 in the same period
• Indication: The foundation is actively grant-making, spending down reserves or capital beyond annual income

Specific grant sizes and numbers of grants awarded are not publicly available.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Harry Ralph Ross - Chair

Appointed: 1 February 2021 (founding trustee)

Harry Ross is one of the founding trustees and serves as Chair of the foundation. He has been involved with various community and arts organizations.

Laura Ann Ross - Trustee

Appointed: 1 February 2021 (founding trustee)

Laura Ross is a founding trustee alongside Harry Ross, and the foundation's name likely derives from their names.

Emma Mary Gaudern - Trustee

Appointed: 1 February 2021 (founding trustee)

Emma Gaudern is CEO and co-founder of EMG Solicitors, a specialist firm in Durham. She is a highly experienced professional trustee and Court of Protection Deputy, acting as trustee for approximately 30 trusts and managing well in excess of £200 million for clients. She has over 20 years' experience in law, specializing in trusts, wills, probate, and acting on behalf of incapacitated individuals. Her expertise brings professional governance to the foundation.

Rebecca Enderby Smith - Trustee

Appointed: 2 October 2023

Rebecca Enderby Smith joined the board in 2023, bringing additional governance capacity.

Sarah Jane Collins - Trustee

Appointed: 2 October 2023

Sarah Jane Collins joined the board in 2023 alongside Rebecca Enderby Smith.

Administrative Support

The foundation's administrative functions are handled by Browne Jacobson LLP, a national UK law firm with offices across England and Wales. Their COSEC (Company Secretary) Charities Team provides professional charity administration services.

Key Governance Features:

• No trustees receive remuneration or payments from the charity
• No trading subsidiaries
• No employees earning over £60,000
• Professional administration through established law firm

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

IMPORTANT: This foundation does not have a public application process.

THE LHR CHARITABLE FOUNDATION operates as a private discretionary trust. Grants are awarded at the absolute discretion of the trustees, who identify and select charitable beneficiaries through their own research, networks, and judgment.

The foundation:

• Does not accept unsolicited applications
• Does not have an application form or portal
• Does not publish funding guidelines beyond the broad charitable objects
• Does not advertise grant opportunities

How Grants Are Awarded

The trustees exercise their discretion to:

1. Identify charitable causes and organizations aligned with their interests
2. Conduct due diligence on potential beneficiary charities
3. Determine appropriate grant amounts
4. Award grants directly to registered charities

This model is common among private family foundations, where the founding donors retain full control over grant-making decisions.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - no public application process.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process.

Application Success Factors

This section is not applicable as THE LHR CHARITABLE FOUNDATION does not accept public applications.

For context: Success in securing funding from discretionary private foundations typically depends on:

• Personal connections to trustees or their networks
• Being discovered through the trustees' own research
• Working in areas of known interest to the founding donors
• Having an established reputation in your sector
• Professional introduction through mutual contacts

However, there is no documented pathway for organizations to proactively seek funding from this foundation.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. No Public Application Process: This is a private discretionary foundation. Do not waste time attempting to apply - they do not accept unsolicited applications.

1. Broad Charitable Objects: The trustees can legally fund any charitable purpose, giving them maximum flexibility. However, their actual funding preferences are not publicly documented.

1. Active Grant-Making: With expenditure significantly exceeding income (£134,957 vs £65,982), the foundation is actively making grants and spending from reserves or capital.

1. Professional Governance: The presence of Emma Gaudern, an experienced professional trustee, suggests strong governance and due diligence processes.

1. Private Family Foundation Model: The LHR initials likely represent Harry, Laura, and Ross (the founding trustees), indicating this is a personal philanthropic vehicle for the Ross family.

1. No Public Reporting of Grants: Unlike larger foundations, there is no publicly available list of grants awarded, making it impossible to identify funding patterns or preferences.

1. Realistic Expectations: Unless you have a personal connection to the trustees, this foundation should not be included in your grant prospecting list.

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The James Knott Family Foundation
• The Pack Foundation
• The Freddie Green and Family Charitable Foundation
• The Patrick Rowland Foundation
• THE KENNETH & SUSAN GREEN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
• The Behrens Foundation
• The Aurelia Foundation
• The Michael and Ilse Katz Foundation
• Delves Charitable Trust
• Wright Family Foundation

References

• UK Charity Commission Register of Charities. (2025). THE LHR CHARITABLE FOUNDATION - Charity overview. Retrieved January 28, 2026, from https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5173800/charity-overview

• UK Charity Commission Register of Charities. (2025). THE LHR CHARITABLE FOUNDATION - Contact information. Retrieved January 28, 2026, from https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5173800/contact-information

• UK Charity Commission Register of Charities. (2025). THE LHR CHARITABLE FOUNDATION - Trustees. Retrieved January 28, 2026, from https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5173800/trustees

• UK Charity Commission Register of Charities. (2025). THE LHR CHARITABLE FOUNDATION - Governing document. Retrieved January 28, 2026, from https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5173800/governing-document

• UK Charity Commission Register of Charities. (2025). THE LHR CHARITABLE FOUNDATION - Accounts and annual returns. Retrieved January 28, 2026, from https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5173800/accounts-and-annual-returns

• EMG Solicitors. (n.d.). Emma Gaudern - EMG Solicitors. Retrieved January 28, 2026, from https://emgsolicitors.com/team/emma-gaudern/

• Chambers and Partners. (n.d.). Emma Gaudern, UK | Chambers Profiles. Retrieved January 28, 2026, from https://chambers.com/lawyer/emma-gaudern-uk-1:25477580

• Legal 500. (n.d.). Emma Gaudern > EMG Solicitors. Retrieved January 28, 2026, from https://www.legal500.com/firms/4171-emg-solicitors/r-england/lawyers/305792-emma-gaudern