Jack Patston Charitable Trust

The Jack Patston Charitable Trust, registered as a UK charity on 19 June 1989, is a long-established grant-making endowment focused on trustees' discretionary support for charitable purposes, with a distinctive emphasis on wildlife and environmental preservation, the advancement of religion, and the upkeep of rural church fabric primarily in Leicestershire and Cambridgeshire (extending to Rutland). Rooted in values of conservation, heritage safeguarding, and religious continuity, it sustains rural ecosystems and community spiritual hubs through flexible funding, reflecting a traditional, trustee-led ethos that prioritizes enduring local impact over broad national initiatives.

It funds wildlife protection (e.g., grants to Butterfly Conservation, Barn Owl Trust, Plant Heritage), habitat conservation, and projects maintaining or restoring rural churches, such as gates, lighting, or fabric repairs, typically supporting general charitable aims or specific capital improvements for small to medium-sized organizations serving local communities.

Eligible applicants are strictly UK-registered charities with a local focus in the specified counties; no strict income limits apply, though preference leans toward modest-sized groups without individual support. Grants are invite-only, with no open applications, published deadlines, or formal processes—trustees select and contact recipients adhoc based on alignment with priorities.

Typical awards range from £250 to £3,000 as one-off grants, excluding individuals, large infrastructure, or activities outside its rural environmental-ecclesiastical niche. This steadfast regional and thematic blend sharply differentiates it from generalist funders, making it ideal for aligned local wildlife groups or parish councils facing conservation pressures.