St Faith's Trust

St Faith's Trust, founded in 1922 as a home for destitute children in Holmwood, Dorking, Surrey, by Fanny Matilda Langley, has upheld its core mission for over a century: to relieve children and young people up to age 18 experiencing need, hardship, or distress in Surrey. Guided by values of compassion, partnership, and stewardship, the trust enables positive change through grants to established charities, voluntary bodies, and statutory authorities, emphasizing collaboration over direct intervention and maintaining a narrow, enduring focus rooted in its local legacy.

It prioritizes funding for welfare, development, education, and relief initiatives addressing adversity like poverty, illness, or family breakdown, including project costs, capital projects (e.g., refurbishing hospital playrooms), and justified operational support. Beneficiaries are vulnerable children in Surrey, with grants amplifying frontline services for relief, safe environments, and improved life chances among local organizations.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities, voluntary groups, or statutory bodies based in or operating exclusively within Surrey, with a preference for small to medium-sized entities delivering direct services; no strict income thresholds apply. Unsolicited applications are welcomed via email (PDF form from website), ideally after consulting a trustee, at least three weeks before quarterly board meetings (next: 19 March 2025, then 14 May, 24 September, 26 November). Typical grants range £2,000–£35,000 (mostly £5,000–£20,000), totaling £200,000–£400,000 annually. Exclusions include direct individual funding, generalist purposes, and work outside Surrey, distinguishing it as a hyper-local, beneficiary-specific partner for Surrey's child welfare sector.