Thornbirch Limited

Thornbirch Limited is a discreet, family-governed charitable company established on 10 December 1986 and registered with the Charity Commission (reg. 292991). Led by longstanding trustees from the Englander family—Mr E Englander (Chair since 1985), Mr J S Englander (since 1985), and Mrs B Englander (since 1995)—it focuses on furthering any purposes recognised as charitable under English law, both in the UK and abroad. This generalist mission emphasises responsible stewardship, with robust policies on financial controls, risk management, safeguarding, and compliance, distributing all income (recently over £800,000 annually) directly as grants without property ownership or public-facing activities.

As a near-total generalist, Thornbirch funds a broad spectrum of charitable causes without thematic priorities, beneficiary restrictions, or specified programmes—supporting projects, core costs, or other activities that meet legal charitable tests. There are no preferences for particular issues, groups, geographies, or intervention types, though recent grants primarily go to organisations in England and Wales.

Eligible entities are UK-registered charities of any size, with no income thresholds, geographic base requirements, or special criteria beyond charitable status. It does not accept unsolicited applications; all grants are awarded at trustees' sole discretion, with no public process, forms, deadlines, or meeting schedules. Individual grant amounts are unpublished, but total annual expenditure hovers around £800,000.

Distinctively private and consistent over decades, Thornbirch stands apart from themed or strategic funders by its complete discretion, lack of published priorities or recipient lists, and unwavering commitment to legal charitable purposes—ideal for established charities unlikely to initiate contact but aligned with broad philanthropy. It excludes non-charitable activities and public grant-seeking.