The Pallant Charitable Trust
Charity Number: 265120
Stay updated on changes from The Pallant Charitable Trust and other funders
Get daily notifications about new funding opportunities, deadline changes, and programme updates from UK funders.
Quick Stats
- Annual Giving: £236,932 (2024 expenditure)
- Success Rate: Not publicly available
- Decision Time: Not publicly available
- Grant Range: Not publicly available
- Geographic Focus: East Sussex, Hampshire, Surrey, and West Sussex
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 £236,932 in the year ending April 2024 (against income of £31,417), 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 Programs
The trust operates a discretionary grant-making program 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 programs 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 specialized focus on mainstream church music in choral and instrumental forms, the trust would not fund:
- Non-church music projects
- Secular music programs
- Non-musical charitable activities
- Projects outside their geographic focus areas (East Sussex, Hampshire, Surrey, West Sussex)

Ready to write a winning application for The Pallant Charitable Trust?
Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save 10+ hours and increase your success rate.
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. Dr. Thurlow is also Vice President of the Friends of Cathedral Music and serves as a trustee for several other music-related organizations including the Organists Charitable Trust, The British Institute of Organ Studies, The On Organ Fund, and Bernstein in Chichester.
Other Trustees:
- Mr. Christopher Smyth
- Mr. Christopher John Henville
- Mr. Alistair Macfarlane (as of recent records)
Application Process and Timeline
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 organizations may contact the trust via the contact details provided, but there is no formal application portal or standardized 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 specialized 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.
Geographic Connection: The trust's areas of operation include East Sussex, Hampshire, Surrey, and West Sussex. Projects within these areas, particularly those connected to Chichester Cathedral or the Diocese of Chichester, are likely to align with the trustees' knowledge and interests.
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 favor 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 specialized 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 operates in East Sussex, Hampshire, Surrey, and West Sussex, with strong connections to Chichester Cathedral
- 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 (£236,932 expenditure vs £31,417 income in 2024), 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 organizations seeking support
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours