Henley Rugby Charitable Trust

Henley Rugby Charitable Trust, established in April 2020 as a UK-registered charity (reg. 1192498), is a community-driven funder dedicated to promoting amateur rugby and associated sports in Henley-on-Thames and the Thames Valley. Guided by voluntary trustees including Chair John Louth, it embodies values of inclusion, youth development, community benefit, and equal opportunity, with a distinctive trustee-led approach rooted in close ties to the local rugby community, particularly Henley Rugby Football Club. The Trust stewards donations to maximize public benefit, focusing on grassroots participation without paid staff or remuneration.

It funds projects that reduce barriers to amateur rugby and sports for youth, especially state school pupils and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Priorities include grants for junior training (boys’ and girls’), facility enhancements, state school outreach, equipment, and financial hardship support for young athletes. Beneficiaries encompass local amateur clubs, grassroots organizations, state schools, and individuals, emphasizing measurable impacts on physical activity, social cohesion, and inclusion across men’s, women’s, boys’, and girls’ rugby.

Eligible entities are UK-registered charities, community groups, academic institutions (e.g., schools), and small local organizations with limited resources, strictly operating in Henley-on-Thames or Thames Valley; no income thresholds apply, but preference favors grassroots scale. Unsolicited applications are not accepted—funding is discretionary, ad hoc, and directed via existing partners and trustee-identified needs, with no open processes, deadlines, or forms. Typical grants range from several hundred to £10,000 for project, capital, or hardship relief, excluding unrestricted/core funding, non-local initiatives, or activities beyond amateur youth sports. This hyper-local, rugby-centric focus sets it apart as a responsive, community-embedded sports enabler.