The William Arthur Rudd Memorial Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £303,522 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Trustees meet twice yearly
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: United Kingdom (with select grants to Spain)

Contact Details

Email: paul.camfield@hunterslaw.com

Phone: 020 7412 0050

Address: 9 New Square, Lincoln's Inn, London, WC2A 3QN

Administered by: Hunters Law LLP

Overview

The William Arthur Rudd Memorial Trust was established in 1984 under a trust deed dated 31st December 1983. The trust operates as a grant-making charity, with trustees distributing available income to a wide range of charities in the United Kingdom and select organisations in Spain. The trust is administered by the London-based legal firm Hunters Law LLP, which specialises in charity law and philanthropic schemes. With total expenditure of £303,522 in the financial year ending December 2024 (compared to income of £205,972), the trust draws on its capital to support charitable causes. The trust operates under the trustees' absolute discretion, though they may have regard to the wishes of the original settlor as expressed in writing.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The trust does not operate formal grant programmes with defined categories or amounts. Trustees exercise absolute and uncontrolled discretion in making charitable distributions. A limited number of grants are made to a wide range of UK registered charities providing services in the UK.

Priority Areas

The trust supports general charitable purposes across the United Kingdom, with occasional grants to charities in Spain. Specific priority areas are not publicly defined, allowing trustees flexibility to support a wide range of charitable causes.

What They Don't Fund

Not publicly specified. The trust's broad charitable objects suggest few categorical restrictions, though all grants must align with general charitable purposes under UK law.

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Governance and Leadership

Current Trustees:

• Miss Alexandra Ahavni Sarkis
• Mr David Hamilton Smyth
• Mr Robert George Maples

The trust is governed by three trustees who make all grant decisions. The governing document specifies that trustees exercise their discretion independently, though they “may have regard to but shall not in any way be bound by the wishes of the settlor as expressed to them from time to time in writing.” One or more trustees receive payments or benefits from the charity for their trustee role. The trust has no employees with total benefits exceeding £60,000 and operates no trading subsidiaries.

How to Apply to The William Arthur Rudd Memorial Trust

How to Apply

Applications may be made at any time in writing to the trust's administrators at Hunters Law LLP. Contact details are provided above.

The trust operates on a trustee-discretion model, with grant decisions made by the three trustees in accordance with their absolute and uncontrolled discretion. There is no formal application portal, application form, or published application guidelines. Organisations should submit written requests for grant support to the administrators.

Decision Timeline

Trustees meet twice each year to review requests for grant support. Specific meeting dates are not published, and decision timescales will vary depending on when an application is received relative to trustee meeting schedules.

Success Rates

Not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

Not specified.

Application Success Factors

The trust's governing documents emphasise that trustees exercise “absolute and uncontrolled discretion” in their grant-making decisions. There are no publicly documented success factors, application tips, or detailed selection criteria.

Organisations hoping to receive support would need to:

• Align with general charitable purposes as recognised under UK charity law
• Be a registered charity operating primarily in the United Kingdom (or occasionally in Spain)
• Submit a written application to the trust's administrators

Without published case studies of funded projects or stated preferences, it is not possible to identify specific themes or characteristics that increase likelihood of funding beyond the general charitable purposes outlined above.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Written applications accepted: Applications may be made at any time in writing to the trust's administrators
• Twice-yearly review: Trustees meet twice each year to review grant requests
• Legal administration: The trust is administered by Hunters Law LLP, a specialist charity law firm in London
• Geographic focus: Primarily UK charities, with occasional Spanish recipients
• Discretionary model: Trustees have complete independence in grant decisions
• Limited transparency: Financial information is available through the Charity Commission, but grant recipients and selection criteria are not publicly disclosed
• No formal guidelines: There are no published application forms, guidelines, or eligibility criteria
• Modest scale: With annual distributions around £300,000, this is a small to medium-sized grant-making trust

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• Audrey Earle Charitable Trust
• The Tomlinson Family Charitable Trust
• The George Cadbury Trust (george Henry T And Laurence J Cadbury Sections)
• The Ardwick Trust
• The Haley Family Charitable Trust
• The Nesbitt-cleland Trust
• The Marcia And Andrew Brown Charitable Trust
• Jennings Charitable Trust
• The 9684 Trust
• The Mather Family Charitable Trust

References

• Charity Commission Register - The William Arthur Rudd Memorial Trust
• Cornwall Voluntary Sector Forum - The William Arthur Rudd Memorial Trust
• OpenCharities - The William Arthur Rudd Memorial Trust
• Hunters Law LLP - Charity Law Specialists
• Paul Camfield - Hunters Law LLP
• Charity Commission financial data for year ending 31 December 2024