Phoebe Wortley-Talbot Charitable Trust

The Phoebe Wortley-Talbot Charitable Trust perpetuates the legacy of its founder, born in 1926, through grantmaking that advances public benefit in alignment with her profound connection to Dartmoor landscapes and rural heritage. Core values emphasize environmental stewardship, wildlife conservation, community well-being, intergenerational engagement, and tangible outcomes in health, heritage preservation, and animal welfare. Their philosophy prioritizes flexible support for established charities delivering education, conservation, and health interventions, believing sustainable change arises from projects nurturing rural ecosystems, volunteer-led conservation, and community-rooted heritage activities that foster belonging and resilience.

They fund environmental conservation including volunteer training, long-term volunteering, habitat protection, and wildlife stewardship for Dartmoor ecosystems and South West biodiversity; heritage preservation through contemporary arts projects, cultural documentation, and landscape safeguarding; animal welfare initiatives such as equine care and rehabilitation; health advancement via cancer support services addressing complex health needs; elderly care combating social isolation through befriending schemes like Men in Sheds and community day activities; children and young people programs featuring educational farm experiences, outdoor learning, and rural skills development promoting confidence, environmental awareness, and intergenerational connections. Supported interventions encompass community-led conservation, therapeutic outdoor activities, peer volunteer networks, creative arts therapy for heritage engagement, preventative health outreach, and holistic rural wellbeing services that build resilience, prevent isolation, and sustain natural and cultural assets for vulnerable rural populations.

They exclude funding for individuals, favoring registered charities with proven public benefit delivery, and avoid duplicative or non-project-specific appeals. Distinctive priorities center on rural communities tied to Dartmoor and South West heritage, wildlife habitats, isolated elderly residents, children accessing nature-based education, and volunteer-driven stewardship; unique in founder-inspired focus on landscape conservation, equine welfare, and flexible support for grassroots environmental and heritage projects blending community engagement, education, and intergenerational rural wellbeing.