West Hackney Parochial Charity

Charity Number: 208941

Annual Expenditure: £0.2M
Geographic Focus: Hackney

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Income: £151,872 (year ending 31 March 2024)
  • Annual Expenditure: £207,553 (year ending 31 March 2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Quarterly meetings (4 times per year) for projects; bi-monthly for individuals
  • Individual Grant Limit: Up to £500
  • Project Grant Range: Not specified - assessed on case-by-case basis
  • Geographic Focus: Ecclesiastical parish of West Hackney (follows ancient parish boundaries)

Contact Details

Website: www.hackneyparochialcharities.org.uk

Email: hackney@thetrustpartnership.com

Phone: 020 3397 7805 or 01285 841900

Administration: The Trust Partnership Ltd provides clerking and administration services

Overview

West Hackney Parochial Charity (Charity Number 208941) is a Hackney-based charity with a remarkable history dating back to 1603, when Thomas Heron left the first legacy in the year Queen Elizabeth I died. The charity resulted from the amalgamation of 32 ancient individual charities, all originally established to benefit residents of the ecclesiastical parish of West Hackney. Today, the charity continues this centuries-old mission with 11 trustees led by Reverend Niall Weir as Chair. The charity's dual objectives focus on advancing the lives of persons under 25 who need financial assistance, and relieving those experiencing need, hardship or distress within its area of benefit. The Trust Partnership Ltd manages the charity's day-to-day administration.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Individual Grants: Up to £500 per application

  • Rolling basis with consideration bi-monthly between trustee meetings
  • Must apply through third-party supporting agency (social worker, church, etc.)
  • Covers specific items with guideline prices: beds (£120 single/£150 double), washing machines (£200), sofas (£200)

Project Grants for Organizations: No specified upper limit

  • Quarterly consideration at trustee meetings
  • Four application deadlines annually
  • Trustees may award full requested amount or proportional grant

Strategic Grants: For larger initiatives aligned with priority areas

  • Annual deadline in October

Current Priority Areas

The trustees' current priorities include:

  • Relief of food poverty
  • Support for warm spaces
  • Support for organisations helping to alleviate fuel poverty
  • Young people
  • Older people
  • Social isolation
  • Socially isolated elderly (strategic priority)
  • Individuals and families with no recourse to public funds (strategic priority)
  • Advice and support organisations (strategic priority)
  • Support services to young people (strategic priority)

Eligible Organizations

  • Schools, colleges, youth groups
  • Pensioner groups
  • Religious groups
  • Other charities
  • Community support groups
  • Nursing organisations

Examples of organizations previously funded by Hackney Parochial Charities (including WHPC) include: Solace Women's Aid, St Mungo's, Family Action, East End Citizens Advice Bureau, Hackney Church, Claudia Jones Organisation, Beersheba Living Well, Hackney Quest, and Re-engage.

What They Don't Fund

For Organizations:

  • General appeals or donation requests without using official application forms
  • Local authorities or statutory responsibilities
  • Educational institutions (schools, colleges, universities)
  • Non-direct service organizations (umbrella/grant-making groups)
  • Hospice operating costs (except specific projects)
  • Feasibility studies and professional training
  • Non-charitable entities (commercial companies)
  • International travel, passports, visas
  • Family holidays (with limited project exceptions)
  • Heritage projects lacking educational value
  • Environmental conservation initiatives
  • Social research and advocacy/lobbying work
  • Website development-focused projects
  • IT equipment for organizations
  • Any debt obligations
  • Living expenses, rent, utility bills
  • Retrospective grants

For Individuals:

  • Postgraduate degrees (Masters/PhD level)
  • Anything covered by regular state financial support
  • More than 2 individual applications per 5-year period

Geographic Restrictions:

Applications from organizations or individuals outside the West Hackney benefit area are not eligible. The charity follows ancient parish boundaries rather than the entire Metropolitan Borough of Hackney. A postcode checker and map are available on the website.

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Governance and Leadership

Chair: Reverend Niall Weir

Vice Chair: Irfan Malik

Trustees (12 total): Brian Innis, Kathryn Johnson, Fiona Fieber, Reverend Justin Gau, Emma Plouviez, Councillor Frank Baffour, Councillor Gilbert Smyth, Josh Cardale, Polly Mann, Christian Adams

Administrator: The Trust Partnership Ltd (clerking and administration services managed by Peter Gee and Daja)

Key Contact: Benjamin Janes, founder of The Trust Partnership, serves as Clerk to the Trustees of Hackney Joint Estate Charity and the parochial charities it supports.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Individual Applications:

  • Must be submitted through a third-party supporting agency (social worker, church, community organization)
  • Provide proof of address via utility bills
  • Use the Individual Application Form available on the website
  • Can be submitted at any time (no set deadlines)

Project Applications:

  • Complete the Project Application Form available on the website
  • For Strategic Grants: use the same form but state “strategic application” in the text
  • Demonstrate alignment with grant-making priorities
  • Include detailed project budget
  • Attach latest annual report and accounts

Required Documentation for Project Applications:

  • Two independent referee letters on organizational letterhead
  • Referees must be totally independent (not relatives or partners)
  • Suitable referees include prominent local community members, other charities, or local councillors
  • Latest annual report and accounts
  • Detailed project budget

Submission:

Applications can be submitted at any time and will be presented to the next nearest meeting.

Decision Timeline

Individual Applications:

  • Considered by trustees bi-monthly, in-between quarterly meetings
  • No set deadlines - rolling consideration

Project Applications (2026 Deadlines):

  • 11th January 2026
  • 20th April 2026
  • 16th August 2026
  • 11th October 2026

Strategic Applications (2026 Deadline):

  • 11th October 2026

Meeting Schedule:

Trustees meet quarterly (four times per year) to review project applications.

Success Rates

Success rate statistics are not publicly available. The trustees may award the full amount requested or a proportional grant based on available funds and alignment with priorities. Applications may also be referred to sister charities (Hackney Parochial Charities or South Hackney Parochial Charity) if they fall outside West Hackney's benefit area.

Reapplication Policy

For individual applications, there is a restriction of no more than 2 applications per 5-year period. Reapplication policies for organizational grants are not specified in available documentation.

Application Success Factors

Geographic Eligibility is Critical:

West Hackney Parochial Charity follows ancient parish boundaries, not the modern borough boundaries. Excluded areas include Woodberry Down, Brownswood, western Stamford Hill West, Clissold, western Stoke Newington, Haggerston, and Hoxton/Shoreditch wards. Use the postcode checker on their website before applying.

Alignment with Current Priorities:

Applications should explicitly demonstrate how they address the trustees' stated priorities: food poverty, warm spaces, fuel poverty support, young people, older people, and social isolation.

Quality of References:

Project applications require endorsement from two independent referees who know your organization's work. These should be prominent community figures, other charities, or local councillors - choose referees who can speak credibly about your impact.

Complete Documentation:

Ensure you submit all required materials: the application form, annual reports, detailed project budgets, and at least one professional reference letter on headed paper.

No Retrospective Funding:

The charity cannot fund work already completed. Ensure your project timeline shows future activity.

Use Official Forms:

The charity explicitly states they cannot fund “general appeals or letters requesting donations” - you must use their official application forms.

Post-Award Responsibilities:

Successful applicants must complete evaluation forms and acknowledge the charity in publicity materials. Demonstrating you understand these requirements shows professionalism.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Geographic specificity matters: Verify eligibility using the postcode checker before investing time in an application - the ancient parish boundaries are narrower than the modern borough
  • Third-party endorsement required for individuals: Individual applicants cannot apply directly; they must work through a supporting agency like a social worker or church
  • Quality over quantity on references: Choose independent referees who can speak credibly about your organization's work and impact in the community
  • Demonstrate current priority alignment: Explicitly connect your project to the trustees' stated priorities (food poverty, warm spaces, fuel poverty, young people, older people, social isolation)
  • Budget precision is important: Include detailed project budgets showing how funds will be used - the trustees may award partial grants
  • No retrospective funding: Ensure your project timeline shows future activity only
  • Four opportunities per year: With quarterly meetings, plan ahead to meet the nearest deadline for your project's timeline

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References