The Lyons Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: ~£257,398 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not publicly documented
• Grant Range: Not publicly specified
• Geographic Focus: England

Contact Details

• Address: Yew Tree Farm, Crouchley Lane, Lymm, Cheshire WA13 0TH
• Phone: 07812921244
• Email: lyonstrust2020@gmail.com
• Website: None

Overview

The Lyons Trust is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) registered in England on 25 February 2020. The trust is a small family foundation established by the Lyons family based in Lymm, Cheshire. In its most recent financial year (ending August 2024), the trust had income of £24,070 and expenditure of £257,398, indicating significant use of accumulated reserves for grant-making.

The trust's charitable objects are broadly defined to advance such exclusively charitable purposes as the trustees see fit, with particular focus on: advancing education, preventing or relieving poverty, and relieving those in need because of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage. The trust makes grants to both individuals and organisations throughout England.

The charity is categorised under Special Educational Needs within Education & Training, suggesting this may be a particular area of interest for the trustees. The trust is not recognised by HMRC for Gift Aid and has no trading subsidiaries.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Lyons Trust makes grants under three broad categories:

• Education Advancement: Grants to advance education, with particular categorisation under Special Educational Needs
• Poverty Relief: Grants to prevent or relieve poverty
• Welfare Support: Grants to relieve those in need because of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage

Specific grant amounts and program structures are not publicly documented.

Priority Areas

• Special educational needs
• Education advancement
• Poverty prevention and relief
• Support for vulnerable groups (youth, elderly, those with ill-health or disability)

What They Don't Fund

No specific exclusions are documented. The trustees have broad discretion to support any charitable purpose they see fit.

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Governance and Leadership

The trust is governed by four trustees, none of whom receive remuneration or benefits:

| Name | Role | Appointed |

|------|------|-----------|

| Caroline Lyons | Chair | 14 May 2020 |

| Fergus Lyons | Trustee | 14 May 2020 |

| Daniel O'Brien | Trustee | 14 May 2020 |

| Declan Lyons | Trustee | 19 June 2023 |

The Lyons family appears to be the primary driving force behind the trust, with Caroline Lyons serving as Chair and family members Fergus and Declan Lyons also serving as trustees.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Lyons Trust does not maintain a website or publish application guidelines. Grants are made at the absolute discretion of the trustees.

For those wishing to enquire about potential support, direct contact via the email or phone number provided is the only documented avenue:

• Email: lyonstrust2020@gmail.com
• Phone: 07812921244

Decision Timeline

Not publicly documented. As a small family foundation with only four trustees, decisions are likely made on an ad-hoc basis rather than through formal grant rounds.

Success Rates

Not publicly available. The trust does not publish information about the volume of applications received or success rates.

Reapplication Policy

Not documented.

Application Success Factors

Given the nature of this trust as a small family foundation without a public application process, the following factors are likely to be relevant:

• Alignment with trustee interests: With trustees having discretion to support causes they see fit, alignment with their personal interests and values is likely important
• Special educational needs focus: The charity's categorisation suggests this may be a priority area
• Geographic relevance: While grants can be made throughout England, the trustees' base in Cheshire may mean local connections are beneficial
• Direct beneficiary impact: Small trusts often prefer to see direct, tangible impact from their grants
• Personal connection: As with many family trusts without public application processes, grants may primarily go to organisations known to the trustees

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process exists - grants are made at trustee discretion
• The trust has significant grant-making capacity with expenditure of over £250,000 in 2024
• Focus areas include education (particularly special educational needs), poverty relief, and welfare support
• This is a small family trust with four trustees based in Lymm, Cheshire
• Direct contact via email (lyonstrust2020@gmail.com) or phone is the only documented approach avenue
• The trust was only established in 2020, so it is relatively new
• High expenditure relative to income suggests the trust is actively deploying its assets for charitable purposes

References

• THE LYONS TRUST - Charity Commission Register (Full Print) -
• THE LYONS TRUST - Charity Overview -
• The Lyons Trust - Charity Choice Directory -