John Hemingway Charitable Trust

The John Hemingway Charitable Trust, established in March 1991, is a grant-making trust dedicated to philanthropic support for a wide array of charitable causes across England and Wales. Managed by a small group of individual and corporate trustees, it emphasizes prudent asset management and flexible, trustee-driven decision-making, balancing one-off gifts with medium- to long-term commitments to select charities and bursaries for individuals. Without a named founder or rigid strategic plans, the trust's ethos prioritizes public benefit, regulatory compliance, and sustained impact through diversified investments that enable perpetual grantmaking, distributing over £100,000 annually.

It funds broad general charitable purposes, including education and training, disability support, overseas aid and famine relief, religious activities, arts, culture, heritage and science, and amateur sport. Beneficiaries encompass children and young people, people with disabilities, other charities/voluntary bodies, and the general public, with flexible support for projects, core costs, and hardship relief via discretionary grants identified by trustees rather than applicant-driven processes.

Eligible applicants are strictly UK-registered charities (and select individuals) operating in England and Wales, with no income thresholds, size restrictions, or regional preferences within those areas; unsolicited applications are not accepted. Grants are awarded at trustee discretion through rolling meetings year-round, with no formal process, deadlines, published guidance, or typical per-grant ranges disclosed—decisions favor appeals of significant trustee interest.

Distinctively trustee-led with no thematic exclusions or religious restrictions, the trust differentiates through its adaptable generalism, repeated support for a core group of recipients, and aversion to competitive rounds, suiting charities demonstrating clear public benefit in its expansive sectors via personal, invitation-based approaches.