Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust

The Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust, established in 1951 via the will of Eleanor, Dowager Countess Peel, is a UK-based endowment charity rooted in her vision to alleviate hardship through medicine, medical research, elderly care, and support for individuals facing adversity—such as disability, homelessness, mental health issues, or disasters—particularly in North West England. Guided by compassion, targeted intervention, and responsible stewardship, the Trust prioritises small to medium-sized charities where funding delivers tangible impact, favouring capital projects, research advancements, and revenue support for transformational needs over general core costs.

It funds initiatives addressing specific conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, prostate cancer, and macular degeneration; elderly residential homes and carer programmes; and hardship relief via hospices, ex-service groups, mental health services, and homelessness charities. Distinct programmes include the Sir Robert Boyd Fellowship (up to £330,000 over three years for medical research in North West England) and Travelling Fellowships (up to £30,000), alongside general and medical grants benefiting UK-wide projects with a strong North West focus (Lancashire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside).

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities (no income thresholds, but preference for smaller entities providing financials like audited accounts); government-controlled or children-focused organisations are excluded. Applications via online forms are accepted rolling (no preliminary enquiry), reviewed quarterly for general grants (March/June/Sept/Dec) or biannually for medical; fellowships have deadlines (e.g., Sir Robert Boyd: 1 Nov 2024). Typical grants range £5,000–£25,000 (larger exceptional), with decisions in 2–4 months. This locality-driven, adult-vulnerable specialist distinguishes it for health and hardship funders in the North West.