The Spear Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Registered Charity Number: 1041568
• Annual Income: £91,333 (2024)
• Annual Expenditure: £2,061,262 (2024)
• Typical Grant: £5,000
• Grant Range: Up to £8,000 (most grants)
• Geographic Focus: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland
• Application Method: Rolling, postal applications only

Contact Details

Postal Address:

Mrs Hazel Spear

The Spear Charitable Trust

Roughground House

Beggarmans Lane

Old Hall Green

Ware

Hertfordshire

SG11 1HB

Phone: 01992 300333

Note: The trust does not have a website or email address. All applications and enquiries must be made by post.

Overview

The Spear Charitable Trust was established as the charitable arm of J.W. Spear and Sons plc, the games manufacturer best known as the UK publisher of Scrabble. The company was founded in Germany in 1879, established UK operations in Enfield in 1932, and was eventually acquired by Mattel in 1994. The charitable trust continues to operate independently, supporting general charitable purposes with a particular focus on assisting current or former employees of J.W. Spear and Sons plc and their families.

The trust operates as a traditional grant-making foundation, supporting UK voluntary and community organizations across a broad range of charitable causes including education and training, health, overseas aid, arts, culture, heritage, science, animal welfare, and environmental conservation. While most individual grants are modest (typically £5,000 or less, with most under £8,000), the trust's significant 2024 expenditure of over £2 million suggests it may make larger or one-off grants at trustee discretion. The trust maintains a low-profile, traditional approach to grant-making with no digital presence, requiring all communication through postal mail.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The trust operates a single grant program with funding decisions made at the discretion of the two trustees. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year.

• General Charitable Grants: Typically £5,000 | Most grants under £8,000 | No set minimum or maximum
• Application method: Postal application only, rolling basis

Priority Areas

The trust supports a wide range of charitable activities including:

• Education and training
• Health and saving lives
• Overseas aid and famine relief
• Arts, culture, heritage, and science
• Animal welfare
• Environment, conservation, and heritage

Priority Beneficiaries:

• Children and young people
• Elderly people
• Current or former employees of J.W. Spear and Sons plc and their families
• Other charities and voluntary bodies

The trust makes grants to both organizations and individuals.

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not published, though the trust's focus is on UK-registered voluntary and community organizations undertaking charitable projects.

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Governance and Leadership

The trust is governed by two trustees:

Richard Michael Horwood

• Appointed: 06 January 2022
• Also serves as trustee of 6 other charities including Hertfordshire Convalescent Trust and The Margery Maplethorpe Trust

Nigel Gooch

• Trustee
• Also serves as trustee of The News of the World N A T S O P A Relief Fund

According to Charity Commission records, one or more trustees receive payments or benefits for services to the charity, though no trustees receive remuneration simply for their role as trustee. The trust has no employees earning over £60,000 and operates without trading subsidiaries.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Spear Charitable Trust accepts applications on a rolling basis throughout the year. There is no online application system, website, or email contact.

To apply, organizations must contact the trust by post at:

Mrs Hazel Spear

The Spear Charitable Trust

Roughground House

Beggarmans Lane

Old Hall Green

Ware

Hertfordshire

SG11 1HB

Phone enquiries: 01992 300333

Applications can be made at any time, and there is no specified match funding requirement. Given the trust's traditional approach, applicants should send a formal written application by post outlining their organization, project details, budget, and how it aligns with the trust's charitable purposes.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not published. As the trust operates on a rolling basis with just two trustees making discretionary decisions, applicants should expect decision times to vary depending on when applications are reviewed.

Success Rates

Success rate data is not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

The trust does not publish specific guidance on reapplication policies or waiting periods for unsuccessful applicants.

Application Success Factors

Given the limited public information available from this traditional, low-profile trust, specific guidance on what makes applications successful is not documented. However, applicants should consider the following:

Alignment with heritage: The trust originated as the charitable arm of J.W. Spear and Sons, the games manufacturer. While they support a broad range of causes, they maintain a particular interest in supporting former employees and their families.

Realistic funding requests: With most grants under £8,000 and typical grants around £5,000, applications should be scaled appropriately. The trust appears to favor smaller to medium-sized grants rather than major funding commitments.

UK focus: The trust supports voluntary and community organizations throughout the UK (England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland).

Traditional communication: Given the trust's preference for postal communication and lack of digital presence, formal, well-written postal applications are essential.

Broad charitable remit: The trust supports a wide variety of causes across education, health, overseas aid, arts, environment, and animal welfare, suggesting trustees may be interested in diverse projects rather than a narrow specialist focus.

Connection to former employees: Organizations with connections to J.W. Spear and Sons plc or its former employees may receive preferential consideration given the trust's stated purposes.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Traditional approach required: This trust has no website or email. All applications must be made by formal postal letter to Mrs Hazel Spear in Hertfordshire.

• Modest grant size: Plan applications for £5,000 or less, as most grants fall below £8,000. The trust favors smaller community projects over major funding commitments.

• Rolling applications: You can apply at any time throughout the year - there are no fixed deadlines or application windows.

• Broad charitable remit: The trust supports a very wide range of causes, from education and health to arts and environmental conservation, making it accessible to many types of organization.

• Heritage matters: While they fund general charitable projects, the trust maintains a specific interest in supporting current or former J.W. Spear and Sons employees and their families. Highlight any connections to the company's heritage if relevant.

• Discretionary decision-making: With just two trustees making all funding decisions, applications will be assessed individually based on merit and alignment with the trust's charitable purposes.

• Be patient: Without published decision timelines and a traditional postal application process, decision times may be longer than digital grant-makers. Budget for this in your planning.

References

• Charity Commission Register, The Spear Charitable Trust (1041568): https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regId=1041568&subId=0

• Charity Commission Trustees Register, The Spear Charitable Trust: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/1041568/trustees

• Making Music, “Spear Charitable Trust” funding opportunity: https://www.makingmusic.org.uk/funding-opportunity/spear-charitable-trust

• Bath and North East Somerset Council, “The Spear Charitable Trust” funding directory: https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/node/88378

• Wikipedia, "J. W. Spear & Sons,": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._W._Spear_&_Sons

• Graces Guide, “J. W. Spear and Sons” company history: https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/J._W._Spear_and_Sons