Bridge Trust

The Bridge Trust is a historic grant-making charity in Barnstaple, Devon, with origins tracing back over 700 years to the 1200s, when it was endowed by Sir Henry de Tracey for the town's Long Bridge and community benefit. Reconstituted as an independent charity in 1961 after bridge maintenance passed to the government, it draws income from a portfolio of four Grade II listed heritage buildings to support the people within a five-mile radius of Barnstaple Guildhall. Its mission centers on alleviating poverty, disadvantage, and enhancing community welfare through unobtrusive, locally rooted grants, managed by volunteer trustees who prioritize stewardship of historic assets alongside targeted social aid, including 'Samaritan Grants' for individuals in acute distress.

The Trust funds core running costs, capital projects, and relief for the vulnerable, such as hospices, advice services, schools, and voluntary groups serving the poor, sick, or marginalized—historically distributing nearly £600,000 from 2012-2017 to beneficiaries like North Devon Hospice and Samaritans. It favors responsive, unrestricted support over time-limited projects or innovations, focusing on grassroots needs in Barnstaple.

Eligible applicants include UK-registered charities, community groups, and individuals benefiting the defined locality; small-to-medium local organizations are preferred, with no strict income limits. Applications are unsolicited letters by post to the Chamberlain, considered on a rolling basis at monthly trustee meetings (4-8 weeks for decisions; urgent cases faster), with typical grants of £1,000-£10,000 for organizations and £100-£1,000 for individuals.

Distinctively private and non-promotional, the Trust avoids publicity, national/large charities (unless hyper-local), and out-of-area work, embodying traditional localism while aspiring to scale up grants as finances allow.