The Willie And Mabel Morris Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: Approximately £179,000 (2023-24 expenditure)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not specified
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: England
• Registered Charity Number: 280554

Contact Details

Address: 41 Field Lane, Letchworth Garden City, SG6 3LD

Phone: 01462 851897

Website: No public website

Email: Not publicly available

Overview

The Willie and Mabel Morris Charitable Trust was registered on 28 July 1980 and operates as a traditional grant-making trust throughout England. The trust manages a portfolio of stock exchange investments and cash holdings which generate income for charitable distributions. In the financial year ending 5 April 2024, the trust had total income of £155,603 and made charitable expenditure of £179,416. The trust's mission focuses on making donations to other registered charities for general charitable purposes, with a particular emphasis on supporting organizations active in specific medical areas: cancer, heart disease, neurological diseases (including spasticity), and arthritis/rheumatism. The trust operates with minimal administrative overhead, with all five trustees serving without remuneration or benefits, ensuring maximum funds reach beneficiary charities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The trust operates a single grant-making program focused on medical charities. Specific grant amounts and ranges are not publicly disclosed. The trust distributes funds to registered UK charities working in their priority medical areas.

Application Method: No public application process (trustee discretion)

Priority Areas

Medical Focus:

• Cancer research and care
• Heart disease and cardiovascular conditions
• Neurological diseases (including spasticity and related conditions)
• Arthritis and rheumatism

General Charitable Purposes: The trust may also support other general charitable causes at the trustees' discretion, though the emphasis remains on the medical areas specified in the governing document.

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the trust's focus on medical charities suggests:

• Non-medical charitable activities (unless exceptional circumstances)
• Individuals (grants are made to registered charities only)
• Non-registered organizations
• Activities outside England

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The trust is governed by five trustees (as of 2024-25):

1. Joshua Turner - Appointed 19 August 2025
2. Phoebe Susan Lindsay Tether - Appointed 26 March 2015
3. Verity Anne Lindsay Tether - Appointed 20 December 2011
4. Angela Michelle Tether
5. Suzanne Jane Marriott

Trustee Experience

Suzanne Jane Marriott brings extensive philanthropic governance experience, serving as trustee for multiple significant grant-making trusts including:

• The Billmeir Charitable Trust
• The Baily Thomas Charitable Fund
• The Rix-Thompson-Rothenberg Foundation
• The Lutyens Trust
• The Sir Denis Mahon Foundation
• Gainsborough's House Society
• The Athena Art Foundation

The presence of multiple Tether family members suggests this is a family trust, maintaining the philanthropic legacy of Willie and Mabel Morris.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Willie and Mabel Morris Charitable Trust operates through trustee discretion rather than an open application system. There is no website, application portal, or published application guidelines. The trust does not solicit applications from charities seeking funding.

Grants are awarded based on the trustees' own research and identification of suitable beneficiary organizations working in their priority medical areas. This operational approach is common among smaller family trusts with limited administrative resources.

Decision Timeline

No public information available regarding decision timelines or grant cycles.

Success Rates

Unknown

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the trust does not have a public application process.

Application Success Factors

Given the trust's closed application process, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, charities working in the trust's priority areas might consider:

Alignment with Core Priorities: Organizations must work directly in one of the trust's specified medical areas (cancer, heart disease, neurological diseases, arthritis/rheumatism) to be considered for support.

Registered Charity Status: The trust specifically makes grants to other registered charities, so organizations must be registered with the Charity Commission.

England-Based Activities: The trust's geographic focus is England, suggesting beneficiary charities should primarily operate within this territory.

Effective Use of Funds: With no administrative overhead and all trustees serving without payment, the trust appears to prioritize efficient use of charitable resources - a characteristic they likely seek in beneficiary organizations.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process exists
• Highly focused giving - the trust has clear priorities in medical charitable work (cancer, heart disease, neurological diseases, arthritis)
• Trustee-driven grant-making - trustees proactively identify beneficiaries rather than responding to applications
• Family trust character - the presence of multiple family members as trustees suggests continuity of the founders' vision
• Modest but consistent giving - annual expenditure of approximately £180,000 distributed to medical charities
• Experienced governance - trustee Suzanne Marriott's involvement with multiple major grant-making trusts suggests professional philanthropic management
• England focus - geographic scope limited to England

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• THE J F BRIGNALL CHARITABLE TRUST
• The Albert Van Den Bergh Charitable Trust
• The Charles Littlewood Hill Trust
• THE WILLIAM ALLEN YOUNG CHARITABLE TRUST
• The Balney Charitable Trust
• THE DROMINTEE TRUST
• CECIL AND HILDA LEWIS CHARITABLE TRUST
• The Elaine and Angus Lloyd Charitable Trust
• BEDFORDSHIRE CHARITABLE TRUST LIMITED
• MOLE CHARITABLE TRUST

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities. “THE WILLIE AND MABEL MORRIS CHARITABLE TRUST - Charity 280554.” https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=280554&subid=0

• Charity Commission Register of Charities. “Trustees, THE WILLIE AND MABEL MORRIS CHARITABLE TRUST - 280554.” https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/280554/trustees

• OpenCharities. “THE WILLIE AND MABEL MORRIS CHARITABLE TRUST.” http://opencharities.org/charities/280554

• Giving is Great. “THE WILLIE AND MABEL MORRIS CHARITABLE TRUST | Charity Factsheet.” https://givingisgreat.org/database/charity-factsheet/?regNo=280554