Dickinson Family Charitable Trust

The Dickinson Family Charitable Trust, established by trust deed on 13 March 1998, is a discretionary grant-making trust managed by a small board of four invited trustees, with professional advisors handling investments and administration. Its core mission centers on stewarding funds for public benefit, with a principal focus on the fabric—repairs, restoration, and maintenance—of the Cathedral Church of St Andrew in Wells and All Saints Church in Kingweston, while allowing trustees absolute discretion for other charitable purposes, particularly in religious heritage and ecclesiastical conservation. This conservative, stewardship-led approach emphasizes careful asset management, trustee-led decisions, and a faith-oriented heritage emphasis, distinguishing it through flexibility rather than rigid priorities.

The trust primarily funds capital projects for historic church buildings, such as fabric maintenance on cathedrals and parish churches, with a strong historic tilt toward Somerset sites but potential for other English locations. It supports established ecclesiastical bodies or charities demonstrating clear alignment with church conservation needs, prioritizing Christian-only initiatives that resonate with trustees' interests.

Eligible applicants must be UK-registered charities based in the UK (primarily England), typically well-established institutions managing significant heritage assets rather than small grassroots groups; no income thresholds are specified, but a pre-existing relationship or direct trustee approach is essential, as unsolicited applications are not accepted. Grants range from £2,000 to £15,000, awarded adhoc at unpublicized trustee meetings with no deadlines or formal processes—success hinges on compelling cases for heritage preservation.

Distinctively, the trust excludes unrestricted core costs, non-built heritage, people-focused programs, and non-Christian causes, focusing instead on trustee-selected beneficiaries without public grant rounds or thematic reassessments, making personal networks key for alignment.