Bernard Lewis Family Charitable Trust

The Bernard Lewis Family Charitable Trust, established in 2008 by Bernard Lewis, founder of the River Island fashion brand, is an independent UK-registered family charity governed by Lewis family members. Its mission emphasizes deep, sustained impact through trust-based philanthropy, prioritizing long-term organizational resilience and unrestricted support over short-term projects. Rooted in familial values of social conscience and business-derived generosity, the Trust commits over £6 million annually to empower impactful charities via multi-year grants, fostering systemic change for vulnerable groups.

It funds a broad array of causes, including health (disability, cancer, epilepsy, mental health), children's and youth services, Jewish community and heritage, education, hospices, anti-poverty, refugee and humanitarian aid, social justice, community integration, and anti-racism efforts. Beneficiaries include children, people with physical/learning disabilities, refugees, marginalized communities, and those in health or family crises, with examples like Place2Be, Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity, Jewish Care, MIND, and British Red Cross. While geographically focused on England and Wales (93% of recent funding), it occasionally supports international heritage or humanitarian work.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities, preferably well-established medium-to-large organizations with proven resilience and strategic capacity; no strict income thresholds apply, but smaller or unproven entities are less likely. Unsolicited applications are not accepted—grants are awarded proactively via trustee discretion, personal networks, and Board-level relationships on a rolling basis with no deadlines or public process. Typical grants range from £5,000 to £1 million (most £10,000–£250,000), predominantly unrestricted (69%) and multi-year (nearly 50%), excluding competitive bids, short-term projects, or outside donations. This discreet, relationship-driven approach distinguishes it for charities with strong track records and connections seeking transformative core funding.