Girdlers' Company Charitable Trust

The Girdlers' Company Charitable Trust, the grant-making arm of the historic Worshipful Company of Girdlers—a medieval London livery company with deep philanthropic roots—focuses on improving quality of life for those disadvantaged by poverty, disability, or ill health; advancing education and training for excellence; and preserving community fabric. Guided by values of service, stewardship, and tangible impact, it prioritizes long-term partnerships with smaller charities, as reaffirmed in its 2017 strategic review, allocating over £700,000 annually, with about half to 30 Principal Charities for visible, lasting change.

It funds initiatives in mental health, carers' wellbeing, employability, literacy, and offender rehabilitation, supporting beneficiaries like people with disabilities, disadvantaged youth, carers, prisoners, and those facing health or educational inequalities. Examples include grants to the Back Up Trust for youth disability, The Children's Literacy Charity, and programs for mental health, prisoner resettlement, and carer support, emphasizing community-based projects, sometimes core costs or capital, with a focus on measurable outcomes.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities (CIOs, CASC) with incomes below £1 million, primarily operating in England—especially London, Peckham, and Hammersmith—though historic ties extend to New Zealand communities; larger national charities are excluded. Currently closed to unsolicited applications, it favors existing partners via Benefactions Committee review (biannual when open: mid-January/June), with typical one-off grants £1,000–£30,000 and multi-year support £5,000–£30,000 for select allies. Distinctive for its livery governance, rejection of impersonal funding, and insistence on close, evaluable relationships ensuring strategic, community-deep impact.