Stoke Mandeville and Other Parishes Charity

Stoke Mandeville and Other Parishes Charity is an independent local trust serving the parishes of Stoke Mandeville, Great Missenden, and Great & Little Hampden in Buckinghamshire. Governed by volunteer trustees, it exists to alleviate hardship and enhance community well-being for local residents, especially those facing financial, social, or health disadvantages. Its mission emphasizes direct, practical support to foster inclusion, dignity, and aspiration, through responsive, hyper-local grant-giving that adapts to evolving needs while maintaining a consistent focus on vulnerability.

The charity prioritizes targeted programs including educational grants for further study fees/expenses, lifeline personal alarms for elderly or disabled residents, reimbursements for railcards (Senior, Friends & Family, Young Persons), school bags/P.E. kits/uniforms for young children, annual Christmas hardship grants for older parishioners, and pantomime tickets for local children. These initiatives address financial barriers, social isolation, safety, mobility, education access, and cultural participation, benefiting low-income families, seniors, those with mobility issues, and youth.

Eligible applicants include individuals/families and grassroots community groups resident in or serving the specified parishes; there are no religious restrictions or strict income thresholds, though support favors small-scale, hardship-focused needs. Typical grants range from £30-£500. Applications are by post (letter or tailored forms from the website, no email/online portal), with quarterly deadlines on 1 January, April, July, and October (Christmas grants by 20 November 2025); decisions follow trustee meetings.

Distinctively non-bureaucratic and evidence-led, it excludes retrospective costs, core/unrestricted funding, or non-local projects, ensuring all awards deliver immediate, tangible impact for named beneficiaries in this tightly defined area.