The Shelford Feast

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £20,000 (2024)
• Total Raised to Date: £411,000+ since 1994
• Grant Range: Estimated £200 - £2,000 per organization
• Number of Awards: Typically 30-40 organizations annually
• Geographic Focus: Great Shelford and surrounding parishes, South Cambridgeshire
• Application Deadline: September 30th annually

Contact Details

Website: www.shelfordfestival.org (redirects from www.shelfordfeast.co.uk)

Email: grants@shelfordfeast.co.uk (for grant applications)

General email: info@shelfordfeast.co.uk

Phone: 01223 842191

Overview

The Shelford Feast is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) established in 1994, reviving a medieval tradition that last occurred in 1938. Registered charity number 1190275, the organization operates through an annual week-long festival and feast held each July in Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire. Since its revival in 1994, the Feast has raised over £411,000 for local good causes. The charity is run entirely by volunteers with 4 trustees and 80 volunteers - no trustees receive any remuneration. In 2024, the organization had a total income of £176,021 and expenditure of £169,009, distributing approximately £20,000 in grants to local causes. The Feast particularly emphasizes supporting young people, the elderly, and those in need within the Great Shelford community and surrounding parishes.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Annual Grant Round

• Amount Available: Varies by year (£20,000 in 2024; £30,000 in 2019)
• Individual Awards: Estimated £200 - £2,000 per organization (based on distributing £30,000 to 38 organizations in 2019)
• Application Method: Email application form by September 30th deadline
• Distribution: Typically 30-40 local organizations receive funding annually

Priority Areas

The Shelford Feast prioritizes grants for:

• Youth organizations and projects: Particularly emphasized in their criteria
• Support for the elderly: Explicitly mentioned as a priority group
• Support for those in need: Including vulnerable populations
• Community organizations: Serving Great Shelford and surrounding parishes
• Projects with significant local impact: Where funding will make the most difference
• Organizations with no alternative funding: Financial need is a key criterion

Past beneficiaries include: Shelford Primary School, Arthur Rank Hospice, Shelford Playscape, and many other local good causes

What They Don't Fund

• Organizations outside Great Shelford and surrounding parishes
• National charities without strong local connection
• Organizations that are not charities or non-profit entities
• Projects where alternative funding is readily available

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Governance and Leadership

The Shelford Feast is governed by 4 trustees who serve on a voluntary basis. No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The organization operates with 80 volunteers who organize the week-long festival and feast each July. The charity has no paid employees earning over £60,000 and no trading subsidiaries.

The organization's charitable purposes are “to organise an annual festival and feast in the village of Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire, to raise money for charitable purposes for the benefit of the community of Great Shelford and surrounding parishes, primarily but not exclusively by the provision of grants.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

1. Download the Grant Application Form: Available in PDF or Word format from www.shelfordfestival.org/grant-applications/
2. Complete the Application: Fill in details about your organization and proposed use of funds
3. Submit by Email: Send completed form to grants@shelfordfeast.co.uk
4. Application Deadline: September 30th annually

The application process is straightforward and accessible to local charities and non-profit organizations.

Decision Timeline

• Application Deadline: September 30th
• Announcement: Grants are advertised locally and on the website in Autumn (typically October/November)
• Total Timeline: Approximately 1-2 months from deadline to announcement

Success Rates

Based on 2019 data, 38 organizations received funding from £30,000 available, suggesting a reasonably high success rate for eligible local organizations. The Feast appears to distribute grants widely rather than concentrating large amounts on a few organizations.

Reapplication Policy

Organizations can apply annually. There is no explicit restriction on reapplication, and past beneficiaries such as Shelford Primary School and Arthur Rank Hospice have received grants, suggesting that successful applicants can apply again in subsequent years.

Application Success Factors

Demonstrate Local Connection: The Shelford Feast explicitly focuses on Great Shelford and surrounding parishes. Applications must clearly demonstrate how the organization serves this local community.

Show Financial Need: The criteria specifically state “financial need, especially where there is no alternative funding.” Applications should explain why this funding is essential and what alternatives have been explored.

Focus on Priority Groups: The Feast emphasizes “helping particularly the young, the old or the needy.” Applications that serve these groups should highlight this clearly.

Maximize Impact: The criteria include “where a contribution would make most significant impact.” Explain how even a relatively modest grant will create meaningful change for beneficiaries.

Contribute to the Feast: A unique criterion is “where there is a contribution to The Feast by the organisation or its supporters.” Organizations can strengthen applications by:

• Having volunteers help at the July festival
• Contributing cakes or other items for sale
• Supporting the event in other ways
• The Feast explicitly encourages beneficiary participation in the event

Be Specific About Use of Funds: Clear, concrete plans for how grant funds will be used demonstrate readiness and increase confidence in the application.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Participate in the Feast: This is explicitly part of the criteria - have your organization's supporters volunteer, bake cakes, or contribute to the July festival to strengthen your application
• Emphasize local impact: Focus on how your work benefits Great Shelford and surrounding parishes specifically
• Target youth, elderly, or vulnerable populations: These are the stated priority groups
• Apply annually: With 30-40 organizations typically funded, success rates appear reasonable for eligible local causes
• Demonstrate financial need: Show that this grant would make a significant difference and that alternative funding is limited
• Keep amounts realistic: Individual grants appear to range from hundreds to low thousands of pounds based on the distribution pattern
• Meet the September 30th deadline: This is a fixed annual deadline with decisions made in Autumn

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities: The Shelford Feast, Charity Number 1190275, https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5162957/charity-overview
• The Shelford Festival and Feast website: www.shelfordfestival.org
• Grant Applications page: www.shelfordfestival.org/grant-applications/ (Referenced in search results, December 2024)
• Beneficiaries page: www.shelfordfeast.co.uk/beneficiaries/ (Referenced in search results, December 2024)
• Cambridge Independent: "Jason Donovan tops the bill at Shelford Festival & Feast 2025" (2024)
• Various references to 2019 grant distribution (£30,000 to 38 organizations) and 2024 grant availability (£20,000)
• Historical information noting £411,000+ raised since revival in 1994