W G Edwards Charitable Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £125,000-£136,000
• Decision Time: Quarterly meetings (6-12 weeks from deadline)
• Grant Range: £1,000 - £5,000
• Average Grant: £2,200
• Geographic Focus: UK-wide

Contact Details

Website: www.wgedwardscharitablefoundation.org.uk

Email: wgedwardscharity@icloud.com

Phone: 0191 2843612

Overview

The W G Edwards Charitable Foundation was established in 1985 following the death of William George Edwards (1908-1984), a chartered surveyor who built up a property investment company. With annual expenditure of approximately £136,000, this small independent grant-making charity focuses exclusively on improving the wellbeing of people over 65 in the UK. The foundation takes a practical approach, funding both capital projects (refurbishment and equipment) and innovative schemes that help older people live active lives. Priority is given to charities working in areas of deprivation and those with a focus on arts and wellbeing. The foundation is governed by four volunteer trustees who meet quarterly to review applications.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Main Grant Program: £1,000 - £5,000 (average £2,200)
• Quarterly application deadlines: 10 March, 10 June, 10 September, 10 December
• Decisions at trustee meetings: January, April, July, October
• Payment within 6-8 weeks of meeting

Priority Areas

Health and Welfare:

• Refurbishment of care housing and building projects
• Equipment and furniture for care facilities
• Memory care initiatives

Community and Innovation:

• Exercise classes and fitness initiatives for over-65s
• Lunch clubs and social activities
• Horticultural therapy and gardening projects
• Arts projects including musical therapy and theatre groups
• Technology projects to reduce isolation
• Day trips and crafternoon sessions

Priority Given To:

• Charities in areas of deprivation
• Arts and wellbeing focused projects
• Innovative schemes for active aging

What They Don't Fund

• Running costs or staff salaries
• Non-registered charities
• Previous grant recipients (5-year exclusion)
• Projects where less than 80% of beneficiaries are over 65
• Charities with annual turnover over £100,000
• Charities registered for less than 2 years

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

• Professor Wendy Savage MBBCh MSc HonDSc FRCOG (appointed 1985)
• Mr William John Mackie (appointed 2013)
• Ms Lucy Polling (appointed 2017)
• Ms Sara Seymour-Savage (appointed 2017)

Trustees meet quarterly and serve without remuneration. All funding decisions are made at trustee discretion.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Submit applications via email to wgedwardscharity@icloud.com during application windows.

Requirements:

• Maximum 4 pages (Word or PDF)
• Include: charity objectives, project details, beneficiary information, exact budget, bank details
• Must demonstrate 80% of beneficiaries are over 65

Decision Timeline

• Submit by quarterly deadline (10th March/June/September/December)
• Trustees review at quarterly meeting (4-8 weeks after deadline)
• Notification following meeting
• Payment within 6-8 weeks if successful

Total timeline: 2-4 months from submission to payment

Success Rates

Approximately 50-100 organizations receive grants annually. Total application numbers not disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

• Unsuccessful applicants: Can reapply in future quarters
• Successful recipients: 5-year waiting period before reapplying
• No feedback provided on unsuccessful applications

Application Success Factors

Key success factors based on foundation priorities:

• Clearly specify number of beneficiaries over 65
• Align with deprivation or arts/wellbeing priorities
• Focus on capital or innovative projects (not running costs)
• Keep within typical £1,000-£3,000 range
• Maximum 4 pages with all required information
• Established charity (2+ years registration)
• Examples of previously funded: Shapeshifter Productions (participatory music), Crafternoons project (creative activities)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Focus on deprivation and arts/wellbeing - Explicitly stated priorities
• Be specific about numbers - Exact beneficiary counts and costs required
• Capital or innovation only - No salary/running costs
• Keep it concise - 4-page maximum strictly enforced
• No feedback available - Ensure comprehensive first submission
• Strategic timing - Only 4 annual deadlines with 50-100 successful applications
• Five-year rule - Make requests substantial enough to justify long exclusion period

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• THE BALLINGER CHARITABLE TRUST
• THE TRUEMARK TRUST
• Hays Travel Foundation
• The Marsh Charitable Trust
• Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Charity
• The Royal Victoria Trust for the Blind
• THE 1989 WILLAN CHARITABLE TRUST
• The Hadrian Trust
• The D'Oyly Carte Charitable Trust
• Community Foundation Serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland

References

• https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?subid=0&regid=293312
• Accessed: March 2026

• https://wgedwardscharitablefoundation.org.uk/
• Application guidance and eligibility pages
• Accessed: March 2026

• https://funding.scot/funds/a0Rb000000FT4vCEAT/the-wg-edwards-charitable-foundation
• Accessed: March 2026

• https://supportstaffordshire.org.uk/w-g-edwards-charitable-foundation/
• Accessed: March 2026

• https://cornwallvsf.org/supporting/funding/the-w-g-edwards-charitable-foundation/
• Accessed: March 2026