Joyce Wilkinson Charitable Trust

The Trust supports charitable activities that benefit older adults, children and young people, and that maintain or improve village facilities. Its broader purposes include support for people with disabilities, education and training, health promotion, poverty relief, housing, amateur sports, and community or economic development. Grants are directed at grassroots initiatives and local organisations working in these areas. Geographically, the Trust focuses on the former Cumberland area, with a strong preference for groups in or close to the parishes of Rosley and Westward. This means applicants rooted in these rural communities are most likely to align with the Trust's intentions, though other parts of Cumbria may also be considered.

Local charities, voluntary groups and community organisations can apply. The Trust looks for groups with a base in or close to the parishes of Rosley and Westward, and who are working for the benefit of older people, children or young people. Applicants should be pursuing charitable purposes that fit the Trust's broad objects. Individuals are not funded. There is no restriction on religious context, but groups promoting religious doctrine would not be supported. The Trust welcomes applications from both registered charities and informal community groups, as long as the work is charitable and locally rooted.

The Trust does not usually fund computers, expeditions, outings or photocopiers. It also excludes individuals, non-charitable sports or arts organisations, and the promotion of religious doctrine. These exclusions reflect a preference for supporting core charitable activities rather than equipment or one-off trips, and for staying within charitable purposes.

The Trust welcomes unsolicited applications from eligible groups. It operates as a local grant-maker, channelling support to charitable activities that align with its stated priorities. Its funding style is shaped by a hyper-local focus on the parishes of Rosley and Westward, and it values organisations embedded in these communities.