Walton on Thames Charity

Walton on Thames Charity, known as Walton Charity, is an ancient local foundation with over 800 years of history rooted in the parish of Walton-on-Thames, Elmbridge, Surrey. Its enduring mission is to alleviate poverty and hardship while enhancing community wellbeing, aiming to build an Elmbridge free from poverty where all can thrive. Guided by values of respect, partnership, transparency, and maximising social impact, it blends historic legacy with modern, evidence-led strategies, including direct service delivery like the Walton & Hersham foodbank and The Bridge community hub offering affordable essentials.

The charity prioritises tackling child poverty, health inequalities, housing needs, and educational attainment, supporting low-income families, at-risk children, older residents, and key workers through project grants, core costs, capacity building, innovation pilots, and small capital items (£1,000 max). It funds schools, local charities, community groups, vocational/hardship aid for individuals, affordable housing via almshouses, green spaces, allotments, and wellbeing activities, with a focus on prevention, partnerships, and measurable outcomes informed by local research.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities, CICs (limited by guarantee), and schools/academic institutions operating exclusively in Elmbridge; small grants target organisations under £200,000 income, while larger ones go up to £5 million. Typical grants range £5,000–£25,000. Applications start with an EOI form (website or email), followed by rolling small grants (up to £10,000) or deadline-based large grants; next deadline 27 January 2025, with quarterly meetings and 6–8 week decisions. Distinctive for its hands-on anti-poverty operations, property provision, and 360Giving transparency, it excludes non-Elmbridge work and emphasises local, collaborative impact over national or unrelated causes.