Sylvanus Lysons Charity

The Sylvanus Lysons Charity, endowed through a 1731 legacy from Gloucester landowner Sylvanus Lysons to aid poor widows of clergy and Hempsted parish ministry, has evolved to sustain Church of England mission across the Diocese of Gloucester. Rooted in Christian compassion, its values emphasize active local mission, hope, healing, and community transformation through faith-based initiatives aligned with diocesan vision. It drives funding by enabling innovative, seed-supported church projects addressing disadvantage and exclusion, prioritizing partnership with Anglican parishes, capacity building for ministry, and grassroots Christian responses that foster social inclusion and spiritual renewal via community empowerment and collaborative outreach.

It supports parish-based mission and outreach tackling poverty and social vulnerability, youth work and children’s programs including after-school clubs, mentoring, and skills development for disadvantaged young people aged 5-25 facing barriers to engagement, initiatives for disabled young people and adults with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, or complex needs through inclusive community activities, therapeutic outreach, and peer support groups, local church-led community development addressing isolation, family support, and carer needs among urban and rural congregations, and professional development for clergy and licensed ministers via study grants enhancing ministry skills in counselling, trauma-informed care, and community-led interventions. These activities promote preventative early intervention, holistic person-centred approaches, and evidence-based faith-integrated solutions creating lasting social impact, spiritual growth, and resilience for vulnerable families, children, youth, and isolated adults leveraging the church's trusted presence.

Exclusions focus on church building repairs, fabric maintenance, or capital works, directing resources solely to mission, social impact, and capacity-building. Distinctive for its historic Anglican philanthropy and exclusive Diocese of Gloucester emphasis on urban-rural church communities, it prioritizes Christian charities and parishes delivering collaborative, innovative responses to contemporary challenges like youth exclusion, disability inclusion, poverty alleviation, and clergy wellbeing, valuing faith-driven, community-rooted organizations with lived experience in social mission over infrastructure.