The Baronets Trust

President
Sir Ranulph Fiennes Bt OBE
Chairman
Sir Brian Barttelot Bt OBE DL
Trustees
Sir Michael Bunbury Bt KCVO DL
Sir James Pickthorn Bt
Sir James Scott Bt (SCB/BT Liaison Member)

In 1985 a group of Baronets launched a charity exclusive to members of the Baronetage. The intention was to provide an opportunity to Baronets to make a meaningful contribution to society. The opportunity to give collegially has struck a chord with an increasing number of Baronets and continues to do so today.

Initially grants were made to organisations and institutions for expenditure on capital items, e.g. buildings and equipment in the medical field primarily for the diagnosis and treatment of sick, disabled and disadvantaged children. Examples were: the Children’s Trust at Tadworth, Surrey, The Children’s Unit at Edinburgh Hospital and the Children’s Liver Unit at Birmingham Hospital. Grants have also been made to Harefield Hospital, the Treloar Trust to provide equipment to enable children with severe speech impediment to communicate and the Radcliffe Children’s hospital, Oxford, to provide a HI LO bath and hoist (known as the Baronets Bath).

More recently grants have been made to the Rockinghorse Appeal, Brighton, providing a protected outdoor play area, which Consultants use to assess the treatment needs of patients in a less formal atmosphere than a Consulting Room; to the Sea Shell Trust, Manchester, to provide mobile hoists to allow the lifting of disabled children, in wheel chairs, onto their stage, thus allowing them to take part in drama presentations, from which they were previously excluded; to Stubber’s Adventure Centre, Upminster, Essex to provide a specially designed sailing boat and sets of protective clothing to be used by disabled and disadvantaged children and their carers, from the London area, to receive sailing tuition, thus enhancing their self esteem.

In April 2010 the Trustees launched an initiative at a reception at 2 Temple Place to encourage Baronets to support the Trust by providing a legacy to the Trust in their Will. The reception was fully funded by specific donations from regular donors, the Bulldog Trust, and a corporate donor. Those who attended were very supportive of the idea but, of course, tangible results will only be known over time.

In April 2011 the Trustees decided to shift their focus from the support of institutions and made a £5000 p.a. grant, to be repeated for five years, to SSAFA (Soldiers, Sailors and Air Force Association) towards the cost of respite holidays for the sick/disabled  and/or disadvantage children of service personnel – who may  themselves be disabled, thereby providing respite to the parents and siblings. To this end, a special appeal was made to all SCB members. The resulting donations and interest generated have been particularly gratifying to the Trustees.  As a result, in 2012, a specialised holiday was provided by SSAFA Forces Help for disabled children and children with additional needs from Service families. Twenty one children were able to take part.  The holidays for children with additional needs and disabilities provided life enhancing opportunities for all the young people and volunteers involved, whilst enabling the rest of the family to have a well deserved break from the rigors of meeting the needs of their most dependent member. SSAFA also ran a further holiday for Siblings and Young Carers, which 25 children attended. The latter holiday provided respite to a group of very deserving Service children whose everyday lives are occupied with accommodating the needs and demands of a brother or sister who has a significant disability or additional need, or in supporting the care of an adult who has complex needs. This year SSAFA incorporated sessions which encouraged the children to open up and discuss their feelings about their family situation and how these holidays are of benefit.  SSAFA is currently collating the feedback.

Below is a table demonstrating how many children from each holiday were from Army, Navy or Air Force families.

Owing to  the continued support from those donating to the Trust, our Service community can count on us to provide the help they need. We are there to lend a helping hand to everyone, young or old.

Until such time as growth returns to financial markets, the Trustees do not wish to dip into the trust’s Capital, so must depend on interest and further donations to continue to make grants. They invite Baronets, who do not already do so, to support the work of their Trust. While one-off donations are gratefully received, and acknowledged, it is hoped that donors will feel able to sign a Bankers’ Order for an annual contribution. A signed Gift Aid Declaration enhances any donation by 25% at no cost to the donor but is available only if the donor pays UK Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax, at least of the amount the Trust will claim in the tax year.

Revised Gift Aid Certificate

Revised Bankers’ Order

The Secretary to the Trustees is:

R B Snow Esq ISO
3 Eastcroft Road, West Ewell, Epsom, Surrey KT19 9TX

Tel: 020-8393-6620 Fax: 020-8393-8845