Chillag Family Charitable Trust

The Chillag Family Charitable Trust, established in 2011 by the Chillag family under a 2010 trust deed with Laurence Chillag as lead trustee, is a lean, private family grant-maker that donates its entire annual income—primarily from family-held share dividends—to UK-registered charities. Governed by four family trustees who volunteer their time without staff or operational costs, its mission emphasizes direct, trustee-led giving to maximize impact on acute disadvantage, social vulnerability, and unmet human needs both domestically and internationally. Rooted in family values, it operates with flexibility, efficiency, and personal judgement, retaining no funds year-to-year.

The trust prioritizes humanitarian aid in underdeveloped countries, refugee support, homelessness services, disability and carer assistance, child welfare, poverty alleviation, health inequalities, human rights, mental health, food insecurity, and access to education or basic needs. Recent grantees include Freedom from Torture, Women’s Aid Federation of England, Mind, FareShare UK, WaterAid, Christina Noble Children’s Foundation, and organizations aiding Holocaust survivors or disabled people, funding both UK-wide (England, Scotland) and global initiatives for charities serving the general public or humanity.

Eligible applicants are solely UK-registered charities and voluntary bodies of any size, with no income thresholds, geographic restrictions, or religious limits—though unsolicited applications are not accepted. Trustees proactively select recipients via annual meetings, awarding unrestricted grants for projects, core costs, or emergency relief, typically £5,000–£50,000, with no public deadlines, forms, or rounds.

Distinctive for its family-driven, invitation-only model eschewing infrastructure for pure grant-making, the trust avoids funding individuals, non-charities, or misaligned causes, favoring proven organizations addressing fundamental vulnerabilities through direct, sustainable support.