The Purey Cust Trust Cio

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: Approximately £100,000
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Up to 3 months
• Grant Range: Not specified minimum - £15,000 maximum
• Geographic Focus: City of York and surrounding areas

Contact Details

Website: www.pureycusttrust.org

Email: pureycusttrust@btinternet.com

Phone: 01904 619740

Contact for Queries: Applicants unsure about eligibility are encouraged to contact the Trust before applying.

Overview

The Purey Cust Trust was established in 1950, with roots dating back to 1914 when Canon Purey-Cust founded the Purey Cust Nursing Home in York. Following the introduction of the NHS in 1948, the Trust evolved from providing direct healthcare services to grant-making, using investment income to support health and wellbeing projects. In 2014, the Trust became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), registered as charity number 1159079. The Trust spends approximately £100,000 annually on local initiatives, focusing on preventing, treating, or alleviating illness, injury, and disability among residents in and around York. All eight trustees live or work in York and serve without remuneration, bringing diverse expertise from healthcare, business, legal, and media sectors to maximize the Trust's charitable impact.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Main Grants Programme: £15,000 maximum per grant (rolling basis)

• One-off grants are standard
• Multi-year funding considered: £15,000 (Year 1), reducing to 75% (Year 2) and 50% (Year 3)
• Available to charities and charitable organisations working in York
• Online application form or downloadable Word document submission

Individual Support Grants: Via third-party referrers only

• Applications must be submitted by social workers, health professionals, or housing providers
• Urgent cases up to £500 may be considered between trustee meetings
• Trust does not make direct payments to individuals or suppliers

Priority Areas

Core Focus:

• Physical and mental health and wellbeing
• Preventing, treating, or alleviating illness, injury, and disability
• Health-related conditions and disorders
• Limited funding for health-related training and education

Preferred Funding Categories:

• Equipment purchase for health projects
• Health-related services delivery
• Professional health education
• Therapy for physical or mental health
• Activity or self-help groups
• Capacity building for health organizations

Organizational Preferences:

• Local York-based organizations addressing real community needs
• Organizations with strong volunteer support
• Projects demonstrating clear public benefit

What They Don't Fund

Excluded Organizations:

• National or regional charities unless they can demonstrate strong evidence of delivery specifically in York
• Community Interest Companies (CICs) except in exceptional circumstances

Excluded Purposes:

• Grants not directly related to health and wellbeing
• Direct salary funding (unless for capacity building or organizations with strong volunteer bases)
• Projects outside York and surrounding areas

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Governance and Leadership

Board Structure: 8 Trustees (all unpaid volunteers living or working in York)

Chairman: Mr Mike Green - Chairman of GEM Group of Companies, with charitable fundraising experience including work with the Merchant Adventurers 1988 Trust Charity. Completed a 3-month voluntary charity mission in Uganda.

Medical Trustees:

• Dr David Heseltine - Consultant Physician at York Hospital since 1991, specializing in Medicine for the Elderly
• Dr John Hamilton - Retired NHS GP with 30 years' experience in York, background in anaesthetics and mental health
• Dr Michael Purey Cust - Retired Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist with experience in London, York, and Derby
• Mrs Marcella Sykes - Registered General and Mental Health Nurse with 34 years' experience, currently works with TEWV NHS Trust focusing on young people with autism and learning disabilities

Professional Trustees:

• Mrs Antonia Moore - Solicitor with over 20 years' experience at Wrigleys LLP
• Mrs Geraldine Casswell - Retired Consultant Clinical Psychologist (NHS until 2013)
• Mr Phil Bodmer - Senior TV Reporter for BBC Look North with over 35 years in broadcasting

Trust Secretary: Mrs Kathryn Hodges

The Trustees' key responsibility is to maximize the impact of the Trust in delivering its charitable objectives, supported by policies for complaints handling, conflict of interests, investment, and risk management.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Application Methods:

1. Complete online application form at www.pureycusttrust.org
2. Download Word document application form and submit via email or post

Application Requirements:

• Organization details and legal status
• Description of grant proposal and public benefit
• Total expenditure breakdown
• Grant amount requested
• Supporting documents (estimates, annual reports, financial statements)
• Confirmation of legal requirements and information accuracy

Special Considerations for CICs:

• Only supported in exceptional circumstances
• Additional requirements: number of directors, remuneration details, employee numbers, detailed income/expenditure breakdown

For Individual Beneficiaries:

• Must be submitted by third-party referrer (social worker, health professional, housing provider)
• Referrer agrees to receive and administrate grant expenditure
• No direct applications from individuals accepted

Decision Timeline

Review Process: Up to 3 months from submission to decision

Urgent Cases: Applications for individual support up to £500 may be considered between trustee meetings

Notification: All applications are acknowledged upon receipt, and all applicants are notified of trustees' decisions

Key Advice: “Apply early and in advance of the commencement of your project”

Success Rates

Success rates and application statistics are not publicly disclosed by the Trust.

Reapplication Policy

The Trust does not publish a specific reapplication policy for unsuccessful applications. Applicants are encouraged to contact the Trust directly for guidance on reapplying.

Application Success Factors

Strong Local Connection: The Trust prioritizes organizations demonstrating clear delivery in York. National or regional charities must provide strong evidence of York-specific impact. All trustees live or work in York and understand local needs intimately.

Clear Health Link: Applications must clearly demonstrate how the project prevents, treats, or alleviates illness, injury, disability, or promotes mental and physical wellbeing. The Trust's medical trustees bring extensive NHS and healthcare expertise to assessment.

Evidence of Need: Organizations should demonstrate they are addressing real community needs in York. The Trust has funded diverse projects from therapy services (Survive, Cruse Bereavement Support) to practical support (The Hygiene Bank) and community activities (Conservation Volunteers, York Early Music Foundation).

Volunteer Engagement: The Trust shows preference for organizations with strong volunteer support, reflecting the Trust's own volunteer-led governance model. Home-Start York's 2023 grant supported work with 57 volunteers serving 165 families.

Multi-Year Potential: While one-off grants are standard, organizations should note the Trust considers multi-year funding with a structured reduction (100% Year 1, 75% Year 2, 50% Year 3). Survive secured three-year funding totaling £25,754 in 2022.

Equipment and Capacity Building: The Trust particularly supports equipment purchases and capacity building for health projects, not just direct service delivery.

Realistic Budgeting: With a maximum grant of £15,000 and annual giving around £100,000, the Trust typically supports multiple smaller organizations rather than making a few large grants.

Complete Documentation: Applications require supporting documents including estimates, annual reports, and financial statements. Incomplete applications may delay the decision process.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Geographic specificity is critical - demonstrate deep engagement with York communities, not just service delivery in the area
• Health connection must be explicit - even activity groups and capacity building projects need clear health and wellbeing outcomes
• Leverage the medical expertise - trustees include active and retired NHS professionals who understand healthcare challenges in York
• Consider multi-year applications - if building long-term capacity, the structured reduction model (100%, 75%, 50%) may provide better sustainability than single grants
• Individual support requires intermediaries - never apply directly for individuals; always work through professional referrers like social workers or health professionals
• Apply early - the Trust explicitly advises applying in advance of project commencement, with decisions taking up to 3 months
• Contact for clarity - the Trust encourages applicants to get in touch if unsure about eligibility, suggesting openness to dialogue

References

1. The Purey Cust Trust official website - Homepage: https://pureycusttrust.org/
2. The Purey Cust Trust - About the Trust: https://pureycusttrust.org/about-us/about-the-trust/
3. The Purey Cust Trust - Our History: https://pureycusttrust.org/about-us/our-history/
4. The Purey Cust Trust - Our Trustees: https://pureycusttrust.org/about-us/our-trustees/
5. The Purey Cust Trust - Guidelines & How to Apply: https://pureycusttrust.org/grants/guidelines-apply/
6. The Purey Cust Trust - Applications for Organisations: https://pureycusttrust.org/grants/applications-organisations/
7. The Purey Cust Trust - Our Projects: https://pureycusttrust.org/our-projects/
8. Charity Commission Register - THE PUREY CUST TRUST CIO (1159079): https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1159079&subid=0
9. Survive - “Survive secures three-year funding from The Purey Cust Trust”: https://www.survive-northyorks.org.uk/2023/02/15/survive-secures-three-year-funding-from-the-purey-cust-trust/