Celia Blakey Charitable Trust

The Celia Blakey Charitable Trust, established in 1971 by philanthropist Celia Sainsbury (later Blakey) and registered in 1972, is a discretionary grant-making charity governed by trustees Celia Blakey and Judith Susan Portrait. Its core mission promotes social welfare, relieves hardship among vulnerable groups—particularly children, older people, and disabled individuals—and advances educational and artistic opportunities, alongside limited support for medical and scientific education. Rooted in personal donor ethos, the Trust emphasizes practical, tangible benefits over academic research, funding a broad array of UK charities with direct community impact, including arts outreach, elderly welfare projects, and disability support, often prioritizing initiatives in Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire.

It supports time-limited projects delivering social benefits, such as community welfare programs, arts education for disadvantaged groups, and hardship relief, evidenced by grants to organizations like the Royal Opera House and local health/welfare charities. Eligible applicants are exclusively UK-registered charities (England and Wales focus) operating small- to medium-sized, with no strict income limits but a preference for those without large turnovers; individuals, non-charities, profit-making entities, or religious/political activities are ineligible.

Applications are accepted unsolicited via written letter (outlining project, budget, and charity number) on a rolling basis, with no fixed deadlines or forms—trustee meetings occur ad hoc, typically 2-3 times yearly, so apply months ahead. Typical grants range from £1,000 to £10,000, most commonly £2,000-£5,000, for project-specific costs only. Exclusions include major capital projects, core costs, salaries, research equipment, or statutory replacements. Distinctively, it offers modest, one-off funding with rigorous monitoring (receipts required), favoring low-profile, practical aid over programmatic or high-profile efforts, ideal for charities seeking targeted boosts aligned with vulnerable group welfare and cultural access.