Windsor Lions Club Charity Trust Fund

The Windsor Lions Club Charity Trust Fund, established in 1962 as a local chapter of Lions Clubs International, is a volunteer-led organisation dedicated to serving disadvantaged individuals and communities in Windsor and surrounding areas through compassionate, practical support. Guided by the global "We Serve" motto, it emphasises community engagement, integrity, inclusivity, and tangible impact, having distributed over £3 million via fundraising events like sponsored rides and swimathons. Its mission focuses on improving lives locally by addressing hardship, promoting wellbeing, resilience, and inclusion via grants and hands-on interventions such as garden help or essential goods provision.

It funds broad needs including financial aid for vulnerable residents, schools, and grassroots charities; community projects tackling disadvantage; emergency relief; core costs; capital items like equipment; and innovative initiatives through the annual Lions' Den programme, which prioritises small local groups with prizes up to £5,000. Beneficiaries span individuals in crisis, small charities, community organisations, and academic institutions delivering practical community benefits.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities, community groups, or academic institutions based in or serving Windsor, Ascot, Datchet, Eton, Horton, Sunningdale, Sunninghill, or Wraysbury, with preference for small entities (typically under £250,000 income) over national bodies. Applications are accepted unsolicited via email on a rolling basis, reviewed by the Community Services Committee every 4-8 weeks (decisions in 4-12 weeks), often involving site visits; Lions' Den launches annually in autumn with a set deadline.

Typical grants range £500-£5,000 (average £1,500), blending funds with volunteer labour. Distinctives include personal engagement, rejection of large charities, ring-fenced public funds for service only, and a hyper-local, responsive ethos filling grassroots gaps unsuited to bigger funders.