The Robert Fleming Hannay Memorial Charity

Quick Stats

• Charity Number: 1086811
• Annual Income: £56,437 (year ending April 2025)
• Annual Expenditure: £190,848 (year ending April 2025)
• Decision Frequency: Trustees meet twice per year
• Geographic Focus: England and Wales, with some Scotland operations
• Application Method: No public application process - unsolicited applications not accepted

Contact Details

Address: C/O RFT Management Services Limited, 14 Buckingham Street, London, WC2N 6DF

Phone: 0203 696 6721

Email: charities@rftrustee.com

Charity Commission: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regId=1086811

Overview

The Robert Fleming Hannay Memorial Charity was established on 30 May 2001 as a memorial trust. The charity operates as a traditional family trust with annual expenditure of £190,848 (year ending April 2025) against income of £56,437, indicating it draws on capital reserves to maintain its grant-making activities. The trust is managed by RFT Management Services Limited, a professional trustee service that also manages other related family trusts including The Kathleen Hannay Memorial Charity. The charity supports a broad range of charitable causes at the trustees' absolute discretion, with confirmed support to cultural organizations such as the Philharmonia Orchestra. Due to financial constraints on income, the charity explicitly states that unsolicited applications can no longer be considered, meaning grants are made to organizations already known to the trustees or identified through their networks.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The charity does not operate formal grant programs or publish grant ranges. Grants are made on a discretionary basis by trustees who meet twice annually. While some organizations may receive support on a recurring basis, no donations are promised or guaranteed year-to-year.

Priority Areas

The charity's objects allow support for institutions and purposes charitable under English and Welsh law. Documented areas of activity include:

• Arts, Culture, Heritage and Science: Confirmed supporter of the Philharmonia Orchestra
• Education and Training
• Advancement of Health or Saving Lives
• Prevention or Relief of Poverty
• Religious Activities
• Environment, Conservation and Heritage
• Human Rights, Religious or Racial Harmony, Equality and Diversity
• Other Charitable Purposes

The charity makes grants to other charities and voluntary bodies rather than individuals.

What They Don't Fund

The charity does not accept unsolicited applications and therefore will not consider approaches from organizations outside their existing network. As stated explicitly in their Charity Commission filings: “Due to constraints on income, unsolicited applications can no longer be considered.”

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The charity is governed by three trustees:

1. Geoffrey Adrian Richards - Appointed 8 May 2012. Also serves as a trustee of The Amaryllis Fleming Foundation, demonstrating connections to the broader Fleming charitable network.

1. Christian Alison Kathleen Ward - Appointed 8 May 2012. Also serves as a trustee of The Kathleen Hannay Memorial Charity, indicating the family connection between the memorial charities.

1. Fiona Elizabeth Hannay - Family member serving as trustee, maintaining the memorial nature of the trust.

No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The trust is administered professionally by RFT Management Services Limited, which provides trustee and administrative services for several family charitable trusts.

Trust Structure

The charity operates as a trust established under English law with trustees holding funds “for the support of such institutions and purposes as are charitable according to the law of England and Wales, in such manner and proportions as the trustees think fit at their absolute discretion.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This charity does not have a public application process. As explicitly stated in their Charity Commission filings: “Due to constraints on income, unsolicited applications can no longer be considered.”

Grants are made at the trustees' absolute discretion to organizations they identify or already support. The charity appears to operate on the basis of:

• Trustee-identified causes and organizations
• Recurring support to select organizations (though not guaranteed)
• Invitation-only consideration for new beneficiaries

Organizations seeking support cannot submit unsolicited applications and should not approach the charity directly for funding.

Decision Timeline

Trustees meet twice per year to consider and approve grants. The specific months of trustee meetings are not publicly disclosed. Grants are made on a discretionary basis during these meetings, with decisions made by the three trustees present.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the charity does not accept applications. Organizations that have previously received support may continue to receive grants at the trustees' discretion, although the charity explicitly states that “some donations may be made to the same charities each year, none are promised or guaranteed.”

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process: This charity explicitly does not accept unsolicited applications and organizations should not approach them for funding.

• Discretionary trust operation: The charity operates as a traditional family memorial trust where trustees identify beneficiaries rather than responding to applications.

• Limited annual income: With annual income around £50,000 and expenditure exceeding income significantly, the trust is operating from capital reserves with clear financial constraints.

• Recurring relationships: While the charity may support some organizations repeatedly, no grants are guaranteed or promised, and all decisions remain at trustees' absolute discretion.

• Broad charitable scope: The trust's objectives allow support across a very wide range of charitable purposes, but decisions are made privately by trustees rather than through competitive application processes.

• Professional administration: The charity is administered by RFT Management Services Limited, which manages several related family trusts, suggesting a coordinated approach to the Fleming family's charitable giving.

• Cultural sector support: Documented support for organizations like the Philharmonia Orchestra indicates interest in arts and culture, though this should not be interpreted as a specific funding priority.

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Kathleen Hannay Memorial Charity
• MARISTOW CHARITY
• The Behrens Foundation
• The Costa Family Charitable Trust
• RJM CHARITY TRUST
• THE JAMES FREDERICK AND ETHEL ANNE MEASURES CHARITY
• The James Knott Family Foundation
• David and Julia Hunter Charitable Trust
• The Wyfold Charitable Trust
• The Patrick Rowland Foundation

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities, “THE ROBERT FLEMING HANNAY MEMORIAL CHARITY - 1086811,” https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regId=1086811&subId=0 (accessed 28 January 2026)

• Charity Commission Full Print Record, “THE ROBERT FLEMING HANNAY MEMORIAL CHARITY,” https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/3976262/full-print (accessed 28 January 2026)

• Charity Commission Trustees Information, https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/about-the-register-of-charities/-/charity-details/3976262/trustees (accessed 28 January 2026)

• Philharmonia Orchestra, “Thank you to our supporters,” https://philharmonia.co.uk/join-support/supporter-credits/ (accessed 28 January 2026)

• Giving is Great, “THE ROBERT FLEMING HANNAY MEMORIAL CHARITY | Charity Factsheet,” https://givingisgreat.org/charity-factsheet/?regNo=1086811 (accessed 28 January 2026)