The Pallant Charitable Trust
Charity Number: 265120
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Quick Stats
- Annual Giving: £109,606 (year ending April 2023)
- Success Rate: Not publicly available
- Decision Time: Not publicly available
- Grant Range: Not publicly available
- Geographic Focus: No geographic restrictions
Contact Details
Address: The Royal Chantry, Cathedral Cloisters, Canon Lane, Chichester, PO19 1PX
Email: alanjthurlow@btinternet.com
Phone: 01243 533092
Overview
The Pallant Charitable Trust was registered as a charity on 26 January 1973. With total expenditure of £109,606 in the year ending April 2023 (against income of £29,913), the trust appears to be drawing on accumulated reserves to fund its activities. The charity's sole objective is to promote mainstream church music in both choral and instrumental form. The trust operates with three trustees who receive no remuneration, and it maintains broad discretionary powers to distribute capital and income to charities or charitable purposes as determined by the trustees. The trust is based at Chichester Cathedral and has strong connections to the cathedral music community.
Funding Priorities
Grant Programmes
The trust operates a discretionary grant-making programme focused exclusively on church music. The trust deed allows trustees to pay or apply the capital and income of the trust fund to such charities or for such charitable purposes at their uncontrolled discretion. No specific grant programmes or funding tiers are publicly documented.
Priority Areas
- Mainstream church music (choral)
- Mainstream church music (instrumental)
- Arts/culture/heritage related to church music
- Education/training in church music
- Support for children and young people in church music
- Religious activities related to music
What They Don't Fund
Given the highly specialised focus on mainstream church music in choral and instrumental forms, the trust would not fund:
- Non-church music projects
- Secular music programmes
- Non-musical charitable activities

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Governance and Leadership
The trust is governed by three trustees who receive no remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.
Key Trustee:
Dr. Alan John Thurlow - Appointed as a trustee in 1999. Dr. Thurlow served as Organist and Master of the Choristers of Chichester Cathedral from 1980 to 2008. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists and the Royal School of Church Music, and received a Lambeth Doctorate from The Archbishop of Canterbury in 2005 in recognition of his service to the world of church music. Dr. Thurlow served as Chairman of the Friends of Cathedral Music from 1990 to 2002 and was appointed Vice-Chairman on his retirement as Chairman; he is currently Vice President of the Friends of Cathedral Music. He also served as President of the Cathedral Organists' Association in 1995/6.
Other Trustees:
- Mr. Christopher Smyth (appointed 2001)
- Mr. Christopher John Henville
- Mr. Alistair Macfarlane (Chair)
How to Apply to The Pallant Charitable Trust
How to Apply
This funder does not have a public application process. The trust operates through trustee discretion, with grants awarded based on the uncontrolled discretion of the trustees. The trust deed provides broad discretionary powers to the trustees to identify and support charitable purposes aligned with their objective of promoting mainstream church music.
Given the trust's base at Chichester Cathedral and the background of the trustees, particularly Dr. Thurlow's extensive involvement in cathedral and church music, the trust likely identifies grant recipients through the trustees' professional networks and knowledge of the church music sector.
Interested organisations may contact the trust via the contact details provided, but there is no formal application portal or standardised application process.
Decision Timeline
Not publicly available. Decisions are made at the discretion of the trustees.
Success Rates
Not publicly available.
Reapplication Policy
Not publicly available.
Application Success Factors
Given the specialised nature of this trust and the expertise of its trustees, the following factors are likely important:
Alignment with Mainstream Church Music: The trust's objective explicitly focuses on “mainstream church music” in both choral and instrumental forms. Projects should clearly demonstrate how they promote this specific type of music rather than experimental, contemporary, or secular music forms.
Quality and Excellence: Given Dr. Thurlow's distinguished career at Chichester Cathedral and his Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists and Royal School of Church Music, the trust likely values projects that demonstrate high musical standards and excellence in church music.
Support for Young People: The trust's classifications include “Children/young People,” suggesting an interest in nurturing the next generation of church musicians through education and training opportunities.
Sustainability: With relatively modest annual income compared to expenditure, the trust may favour projects that demonstrate long-term sustainability or that can make effective use of grant funding to achieve lasting impact.
Key Takeaways for Grant Writers
- This trust has a highly specialised focus on mainstream church music in choral and instrumental forms - applications must fit squarely within this remit
- There is no public application process; grants are made at trustee discretion, likely through professional networks in the church music community
- The trust is based at Chichester Cathedral but has no geographic restrictions on where it can fund
- With experienced church musicians as trustees, particularly Dr. Alan Thurlow's distinguished cathedral background, applications should demonstrate high musical standards
- The trust appears to be spending down reserves (£109,606 expenditure vs £29,913 income in most recent accounts), which may indicate either a finite lifespan or periodic large grants from accumulated funds
- Direct contact via the provided email and phone number may be the most appropriate way to explore potential funding opportunities
- Relationship building with the trustees, particularly through church music networks, may be important for organisations seeking support
Similar Funders
These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:
- Humphrey Richardson Taylor Charitable Trust
- Cecil And Hilda Lewis Charitable Trust
- The Bassil Shippam And Alsford Trust
- Sir Jeremiah Colman Gift Trust
- Joan Ainslie Charitable Trust
- Thomas Wilson Educational Trust
- St John's Trust, Chichester
- The Burry Charitable Trust
- Roslyn Florence Harding
- The Consuelo And Anthony Brooke Charitable Trust
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References
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