Ardbarron Trust Limited

Ardbarron Trust Limited, established in Northern Ireland in 1985 as a private company limited by guarantee, is a family-founded charitable funder by the Agnew family—majority shareholders in the Henderson Group (SPAR supermarkets)—dedicated to relieving distress and poverty in alignment with Christian principles and Biblical compassion. With trustees from the founding family still at the helm, it embodies a stewardship-driven ethos, prioritizing faith-motivated initiatives that deliver practical, transformative social improvement, particularly for the disadvantaged, while supporting both Christian-led and aligned secular efforts across human welfare.

The Trust funds organizations addressing poverty relief, health improvement, mental wellbeing, trauma recovery, counselling training, family support, and community care, often backing innovative projects, core costs, revenue needs, and occasional capital like equipment. Grants empower high-impact delivery in deprived areas, with examples including mental health interventions for charities like Concern Cymru and faith-led advice centers, favoring compassionate, sustainable interventions that uplift lives.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities of any size or income, with no geographic base required, though primary focus is Northern Ireland alongside UK and occasional Ireland/overseas work; a Christian ethos or commitment to community care is distinctly prioritized. Unsolicited applications are not accepted—funding is invite-only via trustees' networks—with decisions on a rolling basis at regular board meetings and no deadlines. Typical grants range £5,000–£20,000 annually, flexible for project or unrestricted support, setting it apart as a discreet, scale-savvy grantmaker for effective, values-aligned poverty and distress alleviation.