For more than 50 years the Englefield Charitable Trust has supported a range of charities and good causes in and around Berkshire, which include education, the arts, social welfare, health, conservation and the armed forces. It is an independent body, with its own board of Trustees. It receives more than 650 requests for help every year and the Trustees must make the difficult decision of selecting which projects to support.
History
The Englefield Charitable Trust was established in 1968 by Sir William Benyon. Having inherited the Englefield Estate from a late cousin, Sir William had the idea of setting up a charitable trust very early on.
An initial payment was made into the Trust’s account and four Trustees appointed. Several pockets of land on the Estate, which were considered to have developmental potential, were given to the Charitable Trust and, over subsequent years, four of these were sold and formed the basis of the current fund.
Sir William remained chairman of the Trust until his death in 2014. He took an active and personal interest in its affairs, as much involved with strategic investment decisions as with the shortlisting of applicants for the biannual meetings.
The Trust’s giving has always reflected Sir William’s broad philanthropic outlook. He loved churches and church halls and helped to build and restore them for communities across Berkshire. As a naval man he supported the armed forces at every opportunity. He saw the potential in and understood the importance of youth groups such as the Scouts and Guides, and he loved the land and conservation, history and heritage.
The family has maintained a strong interest in the Trust, which is now chaired by Sir William’s daughter, Catherine Haig.
Grant applications
Guidance on how to apply for a grant is available here.
The Englefield Charitable Trust is listed as a funder on The Good Exchange website and most local grants are made through this portal. The Good Exchange is a good way of directing giving from your supporters as there are opportunities to obtain match funding.
For further information please email charity@englefield.co.uk.
The Englefield Charitable Trust is registered charity number 258123.
About Us
We are a long established, family-owned business managing a diverse range of land and property interests. We take pride in our heritage, including the contribution we make to the local economy, the environment and local communities.
The Estate
The Englefield Estate manages 14,000 acres of mainly rural land and property in West Berkshire. We are hands on in the management of our farming, forestry and property interests and take a long-term view of good stewardship, investment and building strong local relationships.
Community
The Englefield Estate has never operated in isolation. We are acutely aware of the importance of being good neighbours and playing an active role in matters that affect the community.