The Rugby Group Benevolent Fund Limited

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £268,956 (final year expenditure)
• Total Grants Given: Over £17 million in 70 years
• Grant Range: £20,000 - £452,000 (based on documented examples)
• Geographic Focus: Communities near former Rugby Cement plants (Rugby, Southam, Barrington, South Ferriby, Rochester, Chinnor, Kensworth, Lewes, Tilbury)
• Application Method: No public application process (trustee discretion)
• Status: CLOSED - Fund ceased operations December 2025

Contact Details

Address: Cemex UK, Cemex House, Binley Business Park, Harry Weston Road, Coventry, England

Phone: 01788 517000

Email: info@rugbygroupbenevolentfund.org.uk

Website: www.rugbygroupbenevolentfund.org.uk

For enquiries: Ian Southcott, UK Community Affairs Manager, CEMEX House, Rugby

Note: Contact details provided for historical reference only. The fund is no longer operational.

Overview

Established in 1955, The Rugby Group Benevolent Fund Limited (charity number 265669) was originally created to support employees, former employees, and their dependants of Rugby Cement. Over its 70-year history, it expanded its mission to include charitable causes in communities close to cement plants once operated by the company. The Fund provided over £17 million in grants and donations to charities, organisations, and company pensioners before closing at the end of December 2025. Following CEMEX UK's acquisition of the Rugby Group in 2005, the Fund retained its independence and was managed by a board of trustees comprising current and former employees. Between 2010-2014, the Fund distributed approximately £1.5 million to community, charitable, and sporting projects. The Fund operated throughout England and Wales, with a particular focus on communities around former or existing cement plants and quarries.

Funding Priorities

Dual Beneficiary Groups

The Fund served two distinct groups:

1. Individual Beneficiaries: Employees, former employees, and their dependants of Rugby Cement who were in need
2. Community Organisations: Charitable causes in communities near former cement plants

Priority Areas

• General charitable purposes
• Education and training
• Advancement of health or saving of lives
• Disability support
• Prevention or relief of poverty
• Children and young people
• Elderly people
• Other charities and voluntary bodies

Geographic Focus

Projects provided public benefit in areas around former or existing cement plants and quarries, specifically:

• Rugby, Warwickshire
• Southam, Warwickshire
• Barrington, Cambridgeshire
• South Ferriby, North Lincolnshire
• Rochester, Kent
• Chinnor, Oxfordshire
• Kensworth, Bedfordshire
• Lewes, Sussex
• Tilbury, Essex

Examples of Grants Awarded

• Friends of St Cross (Rugby): £100,000 to establish a new “Health on the High Street” facility providing improved access to maternity, gynaecology, children's, and diabetes outpatient services
• The Myton Hospices: £50,000 to support the Myton Hub initiative
• East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH): Over £500,000 total, including an initial £452,000 donation in 2001-02 that funded the first designated UK education and training centre for children's hospices
• South Ferriby Village Hall: £80,000 for complete refurbishment of the hall originally constructed in 1910
• The Bradby Club: £20,000 over two years to employ a youth worker for a substance misuse project

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Governance and Leadership

The Fund was governed by 8 trustees, none of whom received remuneration. The board comprised employees and former employees of Rugby Cement and CEMEX UK.

Key Personnel

• Graeme Fuller: Chair of the Fund (joined as trustee in 2000, became chairman in 2006)
• John Brooks: Trustee (started with Rugby Cement in 1977)
• David Holton: Trustee (joined Rugby Cement as a junior accounting assistant in 1970, took voluntary redundancy in 2004)
• Ian Southcott: Trustee and UK Community Affairs Manager for CEMEX UK (joined the board in 2006 following CEMEX's acquisition of the Rugby Group in 2005)

Ian Southcott's role at CEMEX involved "establishing and maintaining positive links and relationships with a wide variety of stakeholder and community groups that have an interest in or are impacted by the company's operations."

How to Apply to The Rugby Group Benevolent Fund Limited

Historical Application Process

This funder did not have a public application process. The Fund operated through trustee discretion, with grants awarded based on the trustees' knowledge of needs within their beneficiary communities and employee base. The trustees, being current and former employees of Rugby Cement/CEMEX UK, identified projects and individuals in need through their community connections and knowledge of the areas served.

How Organisations Engaged with the Fund

Ian Southcott, as CEMEX UK's Community Affairs Manager and a trustee of the Fund, served as a key contact point. His role specifically involved establishing and maintaining relationships with community groups impacted by CEMEX operations. Organisations in the eligible geographic areas (communities near former or existing cement plants) benefited from:

• Contacting Ian Southcott directly at CEMEX House, Rugby, to discuss community needs and projects in eligible locations
• Demonstrating alignment with the Fund's dual mission of supporting former employees and community causes near cement plant locations
• Highlighting public benefit within the specific communities served (Rugby, Southam, Barrington, South Ferriby, Rochester, Chinnor, Kensworth, Lewes, Tilbury)

Application Success Factors

While the Fund did not accept unsolicited applications, successful grant recipients typically demonstrated:

1. Geographic Alignment: Projects providing clear public benefit in communities around former or existing Rugby Cement plants and quarries
2. Scale and Impact: The Fund showed capacity for significant grants, ranging from £20,000 to over £450,000, suggesting they favoured projects with substantial community impact
3. Healthcare and Social Welfare Focus: Major grants supported healthcare facilities (Friends of St Cross, Myton Hospices, EACH) and community infrastructure (South Ferriby Village Hall)
4. Long-term Relationships: The Fund maintained long-term support for organisations like EACH (over £500,000 total), suggesting they valued ongoing relationships with proven organisations
5. Multi-year Support: Examples like The Bradby Club (£20,000 over two years) demonstrated willingness to provide sustained funding
6. Community Infrastructure: Willingness to fund capital projects and refurbishments that provided lasting community benefit

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Fund is now closed: The Rugby Group Benevolent Fund ceased operations on 31 December 2025 after 70 years of community support
• No public application process: This Fund operated through trustee discretion rather than open applications - organisations could not submit unsolicited proposals
• Geographic specificity was crucial: Organisations had to serve communities near former Rugby Cement plants (Rugby, Southam, Barrington, South Ferriby, Rochester, Chinnor, Kensworth, Lewes, Tilbury)
• Significant grant capacity: With grants ranging from £20,000 to £452,000, this Fund could support major projects when trustees identified appropriate causes
• Contact was Ian Southcott: As UK Community Affairs Manager and trustee, he was the designated contact for community groups and stakeholder engagement
• Healthcare and community infrastructure favoured: Grants showed strong support for healthcare facilities, hospices, and community buildings
• 70-year track record: Over £17 million distributed demonstrated sustained commitment and substantial resources
• CEMEX connection: While independent, the Fund was supported by CEMEX UK, and trustees included current/former employees with deep community knowledge

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• Barnard Kenneth Hufton Charity
• The Elizabeth And Prince Zaiger Trust
• The Brickability Group Foundation
• The Desmond Foundation
• The Tobacco Pipe Makers And Tobacco Trade Benevolent Fund
• The Churchill Foundation
• The Geoff & Fiona Squire Foundation
• The Liz And Terry Bramall Foundation
• The Inman Charity
• The Paul Strank Charitable Trust

References

• Charity Commission Register: “THE RUGBY GROUP BENEVOLENT FUND LIMITED - 265669” (https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/265669/full-print) -
• CEMEX UK: “Rugby Group Benevolent Fund” (https://www.cemex.co.uk/rugby-group-benevolent-fund.aspx) -
• CEMEX UK Press Release: “Rugby Group Benevolent Fund £100,000 Donation” (https://www.cemex.co.uk/w/press-release-rugby-group-benevolent-fund-100-000-pound-donation) -
• CEMEX UK Press Release: “Rugby Group Benevolent Fund Announces Closure After 70 Years of Community Support” (https://www.cemex.co.uk/w/rugby-group-benevolent-fund-announces-closure-after-70-years-of-community-support) -
• Warwickshire World: "£100,000 donation will help launch Rugby's new 'health on the High Street' facility" (https://www.warwickshireworld.com/business/ps100000-donation-will-help-launch-rugbys-new-health-on-the-high-street-facility-5356714) -
• Rugby Group Benevolent Fund official website: www.rugbygroupbenevolentfund.org.uk (pages include About, Projects, Trustees) -