THE LIONEL WIGRAM MEMORIAL TRUST –

A limited number of revenue grants, usually for between £100 and £500, are available for UK charities providing services for blind, deaf and disabled people in the UK.
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o Application deadline: none – applications may be made at any time using the online application form available on the Trust’s website.
o Funder: The Lionel Wigram Memorial Trust (founded 1988. Charity number 800533. Total charitable expenditure for the year ended 5 April 2023: £53,883).
o Who can apply: smaller UK charities with an annual income of less than £500,000.
o Key words: Disability, Blindness, Deafness, Illness, United Kingdom.
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The Lionel Wigram Memorial Trust is a family grant-making Trust with its offices in London. The Trust was founded in 1988 in memory of Lionel Wigram, who was killed in action aged 36 in 1944. The Trust’s website provides an interesting account of Lionel Wigram’s military career.

Although nominally the Trust can award grants of up to £3,000, in actuality the vast majority of awards are revenue grants for between £100 and £500 (with no matched funding requirement). The Trust especially supports UK chanties in the coping with illness and disabilities sector, and they also provide funds to support a wide range of community projects for the benefit of the disadvantaged. Grants, which can cover core running costs, are made to UK charities that meet the following criteria:

o Provide services for blind, deaf and disabled people in the United Kingdom.
o Small charities with an income of less than £500,000. However, the Trust occasionally supports  special projects provided by larger charities.
o Are volunteer-led. The Trust particularly likes new ideas such as music in hospitals, or Wheelyboats, which enables people in wheelchairs to go fishing, and
o That are personally known to the directors of the Trust (don’t let this put you off submitting an application, however!).

During the year ended 5 April 2023, the Trust’s annual accounts (see page 1) state that it awarded 13 grants totalling £1,716 (2022: 12 grants totalling just £216). Most of the Trust’s annual expenditure is put towards its investment management costs.

The Trust lists one grant recipient on page 7 of its annual accounts. This is the Dalgamo Trust, a Community Centre that serves the North Kensington area of London. Details of other previously funded applicants is provided on the Trust’s website.

Funding is not available for:

o Building projects.
o Charities providing a service outside the UK.
o Charities who do not have at least a 3-year record.
o Individuals, or
o Medical Research.

Applications may be made at any time using the online application form available on the Trust’s website, where further information about the Trust is also available.

The Trust normally reviews applications each December.