William Leech Foundation Limited - The Foundation Trust

The William Leech Foundation Limited - The Foundation Trust, incorporated in 1960 and registered as a UK charity in 1964, stewards endowment funds from North East England philanthropist Sir William Leech to exclusively support five longstanding Christian charities: The British and Foreign Bible Society, The Salvation Army, The Church Missionary Society for Africa and the East, The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, and The Methodist Missionary Society. Rooted in Leech's vision of faith-inspired philanthropy, the Trust emphasises stewardship, partnership, and ethical responsibility to amplify these organisations' impact through general charitable purposes, religious activities, education, poverty alleviation, wellbeing, and community enrichment, all underpinned by Christian principles. Its approach prioritises long-term financial stability and strategic support for direct services and infrastructure, fostering sustainable social and spiritual transformation primarily in the UK, with international reach via beneficiaries.

Funding targets core, unrestricted, or programme support for these pre-designated charities' ongoing work, including Christian publishing, theological education, ethical research, and social welfare projects addressing disadvantage, hardship, and educational barriers.

Eligibility is strictly limited to these five large, established UK-registered Christian charities; no unsolicited applications are accepted from other entities, regardless of size, income, or location. Grants, often in six-figure amounts totalling over £1 million annually, are awarded at trustees' discretion during an annual cycle, with no public deadlines, processes, or competitive rounds.

Distinctively closed to external applicants, the Trust excludes grassroots groups, non-Christian causes, project-specific or capital funding beyond its beneficiaries, and any non-faith-based initiatives, setting it apart as a legacy-driven enabler of proven Christian missions with deep North East ties.