Kentown Wizard Foundation

The Kentown Wizard Foundation, established in 2015 by UK philanthropist Kenneth Townsley with over £100 million in endowment from his travel industry fortune, is a major charitable funder dedicated to delivering positive, enduring impact on children and young adults with life-threatening conditions and serious disabilities. Its ethos emphasizes maximum impact, innovation, wise stewardship, honesty, transparency, and deep collaboration, proactively partnering with aligned UK charities through sector research rather than open calls, fostering measurable results and sustainable change.

The Foundation tightly focuses on palliative care, respite and family support, medical interventions, disability inclusion, and life-enhancing experiences for UK children, young people, and their families—exemplified by multi-million grants to Make-A-Wish UK for Disneyland wishes, Over The Wall camps, Rainbow Trust palliative programs, Whizz-Kidz empowerment initiatives, Brian House therapies, Wheelpower sports participation, and Operation Smile's Cleft Free Malawi via UK partners. It funds project delivery, core costs, capacity building, and occasional capital for catalytic growth in these areas.

Exclusively supporting established UK-registered charities (medium to large, with expertise in severe youth illness/disability; no strict income thresholds but preference for substantial organizations), it prioritizes UK-wide work with North West England/Blackpool interest, allowing some international via UK delivery. Grants range from £3,300 to £7 million, typically £100,000+ for strategic partners, awarded rolling by invitation only—no unsolicited applications, deadlines, or public processes. Distinctive for its hands-on, values-driven model eschewing transactional aid for long-term, high-impact partnerships with rigorous evaluation, it stands out in children's health/disability funding by enabling innovation and scale in profound life challenges.