The Rugby Group Benevolent Fund Limited

Charity Number: 265669

Annual Expenditure: £0.3M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £268,956 (2024 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)

Contact Details

Address: Cemex House, Binley Business Park, 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

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 has expanded its mission to include charitable causes in communities close to cement plants once operated by the company. The Fund has provided over £17 million in grants and donations to charities, organizations, and company pensioners. Following CEMEX UK's acquisition of the Rugby Group in 2005, the Fund retains its independence and is managed by a board of trustees comprising current and former employees. Between 2010-2014 alone, the Fund distributed approximately £1.5 million to community, charitable, and sporting projects. The Fund operates 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 serves two distinct groups:

  1. Individual Beneficiaries: Employees, former employees, and their dependants of Rugby Cement who are in need
  2. Community Organizations: 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 must provide 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 Recent Grants

  • 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 in 2022
  • 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 is governed by 8 trustees, none of whom receive remuneration. The board comprises 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 involves "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."

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Fund operates 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, identify projects and individuals in need through their community connections and knowledge of the areas served.

Getting on Their Radar

Ian Southcott, as CEMEX UK's Community Affairs Manager and a trustee of the Fund, serves as a key contact point. His role specifically involves establishing and maintaining relationships with community groups impacted by CEMEX operations. Organizations in the eligible geographic areas (communities near former or existing cement plants) may benefit 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 does not accept unsolicited applications, successful grant recipients have 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 has shown capacity for significant grants, ranging from £20,000 to over £450,000, suggesting they favor projects with substantial community impact
  3. Healthcare and Social Welfare Focus: Recent major grants have supported healthcare facilities (Friends of St Cross, Myton Hospices, EACH) and community infrastructure (South Ferriby Village Hall)
  4. Long-term Relationships: The Fund has maintained long-term support for organizations like EACH (over £500,000 total), suggesting they value ongoing relationships with proven organizations
  5. Multi-year Support: Examples like The Bradby Club (£20,000 over two years) demonstrate willingness to provide sustained funding
  6. Community Infrastructure: Willingness to fund capital projects and refurbishments that provide lasting community benefit

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process: This Fund operates through trustee discretion rather than open applications - organizations cannot submit unsolicited proposals
  • Geographic specificity is crucial: Your organization must 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 can support major projects when trustees identify appropriate causes
  • Contact Ian Southcott: As UK Community Affairs Manager and trustee, he is the designated contact for community groups and stakeholder engagement
  • Healthcare and community infrastructure favored: Recent grants show strong support for healthcare facilities, hospices, and community buildings
  • 70-year track record: Over £17 million distributed demonstrates sustained commitment and substantial resources
  • CEMEX connection: While independent, the Fund is supported by CEMEX UK, and trustees include current/former employees with deep community knowledge

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