The Vera Wolstencroft Children And Animal Charitable Trust

Charity Number: 1143116

Annual Expenditure: £0.3M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £289,945 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: Grants vary significantly by project
  • Geographic Focus: Blackpool and Morecambe areas of Lancashire

Contact Details

Email: michaelm@rushtonsaccountants.com

Phone: 01772 693111

Address: Rushtons Shorrock House, 1 Faraday Court, Fulwood, Preston, PR2 9NB

Overview

The Vera Wolstencroft Children and Animal Charitable Trust was established in April 2011 as a private charitable trust. With an annual expenditure of approximately £290,000 (2024 financial year), the trust focuses on supporting charities benefiting young children, the church, and animal welfare organizations specifically within the Blackpool and Morecambe areas of Lancashire. The trust operates through trustee discretion, with six trustees who select beneficiaries based on criteria set out in the original trust deed. The trust has a particular focus on certain named charities specified in the founding documents, though it has demonstrated flexibility in supporting a range of local causes.

Funding Priorities

Priority Areas

Children and Young People

  • Special educational needs and disabilities support
  • Music and arts education
  • Family support services
  • Children's care homes
  • Youth inclusion programs

Animal Welfare

  • Animal rescue centers
  • Wildlife conservation
  • Animal sanctuaries

Religious Activities

  • Church-related charitable work

Poverty Relief

  • Support for vulnerable families and individuals in the local area

Named Beneficiary Charities

The trust deed specifically mentions the following organizations as potential beneficiaries:

  • Cat's Paw Blackpool
  • Animal Rescue at Blea Tarn Lancaster
  • RNLI (both local and national)
  • The Donkey Sanctuary
  • International League for the Protection of Horses
  • Dr Barnardo's
  • Local children's care homes
  • RSPB

Recent Grant Recipients

Blackpool Music School - £18,335.89

Funded equipment and a new trailer to enable students to provide live entertainment in the community, creating opportunities for technical skills development and public performance experience.

Blackpool Carers Centre

Funded the Zen Den sensory room, providing a calm, positive space for families to spend time together and supporting carers across Blackpool.

Park Community Academy

Contributed to funding a Variety Sunshine Coach in partnership with Rotary Club of Blackpool Palatine, enabling transportation for children with special educational needs and disabilities on educational and social outings.

Home-Start Blackpool, Fylde & Wyre

Provided funding to establish a fundraising shop, supporting the organization's mission to help families with young children.

Wise Up Workshops CIC (Morecambe) (2018)

Funded purchase of a van to transport equipment and young people for this inclusive creative program serving young people with additional needs and disabilities.

What They Don't Fund

Explicit exclusions are not publicly documented, but the trust's geographic restriction limits funding to the Blackpool and Morecambe areas of Lancashire. Organizations outside this catchment area are unlikely to be considered.

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Governance and Leadership

The trust is governed by six trustees who receive payments or benefits for providing services to the charity. The trust operates without employees. Trustees make discretionary decisions about grant allocations based on the priorities established in the 2011 trust deed.

Contact is managed through Rushtons accountants, with Michael M serving as the primary point of contact.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This trust does not operate a public application process. The trustees make grants at their discretion to charities they have identified or that align with the named beneficiaries in the trust deed dated April 1st, 2011.

Grants are awarded based on trustee decisions rather than through an open application system. The trust appears to identify worthy causes through local connections, partnerships with other funding bodies (such as Rotary clubs), and awareness of charitable activities in the Blackpool and Morecambe areas.

Getting on Their Radar

Organizations operating within the Blackpool and Morecambe areas working with children or animals may come to the trustees' attention through:

Local Presence and Partnerships

The trust has funded projects in collaboration with other local organizations like the Rotary Club of Blackpool Palatine, suggesting that partnerships with established local groups may increase visibility.

Alignment with Named Charities

Organizations with similar missions to the named beneficiaries in the trust deed (children's services, animal welfare, special needs support) appear most likely to receive consideration.

Geographic Focus

A strong local presence in Blackpool or Morecambe and demonstrable impact in these specific communities appears important, as evidenced by all documented grants going to locally-based organizations.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. The trust makes grants throughout the year based on trustee meetings and decisions.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly available, as there is no formal application process with tracked application numbers.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as there is no public application process.

Application Success Factors

Since this trust operates without a public application process, organizations cannot directly apply. However, examining the trust's grant-making patterns reveals certain characteristics of successful recipients:

Strong Local Roots

All documented grant recipients are based in or serve the Blackpool and Morecambe areas, demonstrating deep community connections and local impact.

Clear Benefit to Target Groups

Successful projects show tangible benefits to children (particularly those with special needs), families, or animals. The Blackpool Music School grant, for example, created both performance opportunities and technical skills development.

Partnership Approach

The trust has co-funded projects with other organizations (such as the Variety Sunshine Coach partnership with Rotary Club), suggesting openness to collaborative funding arrangements.

Practical, Asset-Based Projects

Several grants have funded tangible assets (vehicles, equipment, sensory rooms) that enable ongoing service delivery rather than operational costs.

Inclusion and Accessibility Focus

Multiple grants have supported organizations working with vulnerable groups, children with disabilities, carers, and those facing poverty, reflecting the trust's charitable objectives.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - this trust operates through trustee discretion and does not accept unsolicited applications
  • Geographic restriction is absolute - only organizations serving the Blackpool and Morecambe areas of Lancashire are considered
  • Named beneficiaries have priority - charities listed in the 2011 trust deed (including animal welfare organizations, children's services, and certain national charities) may have preferential consideration
  • Local partnerships matter - collaboration with established local organizations like Rotary clubs may increase visibility with trustees
  • Focus on children and animals - the trust's name and objectives clearly prioritize these two areas, with particular attention to special needs and disability support
  • Asset funding is common - several documented grants have funded vehicles, equipment, and facilities rather than general operating costs
  • Building local reputation is key - since there is no application process, being recognized as an effective local charity in your field is the most likely path to trustee consideration

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