Benevolent Fund Helps Local Good Causes

The Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund has made funding awards to a wide variety of community organisations across its rural estates who have been suffering from the after-effects of the Covid-19 pandemic over the past 12 months.

Through its partnerships with the Palatinate Lieutenancy offices and UK Community Foundations the organisation has been able to provide small-scale grants of up to £5,000 to support an immediate local need. Recipients cover a huge cross-section of community organisations, from children’s charities and activity centres to lone parent support groups, citizen’s advice centres and adult mental health services nationwide. Significant funds have also been provided in support of emergency services such as local food banks across the region and the North West Air Ambulance Service.

Commenting on this year’s awards, Interim CFO Stewart McGarrity who heads up the London Panel of the Benevolent Fund said: “It was really important for us that we were able to ring-fence a certain sum of money to provide additional support for local communities during Covid. Thanks to the Lieutenancy offices and UK Community Foundations, we were able to make more people aware of the Fund as a route for potential support and then respond to requests as quickly as possible. Many recipients have written to thank the Fund for stepping in and we are grateful to all those who have administered the awards this year.”

One organisation which successfully applied for support was an Air Training Corps in Cheshire: “The Community Foundation and Duchy of Lancaster has allowed us to seamlessly transition out of lockdown whilst allowing us to deliver the same high quality training to our cadets that the organisation is famous for. Without the grant we would not be able to afford the equipment that enabled us to take on so many additional Cadets and support our community. Thankyou!”

The Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund is available to any organisations serving the communities who live on the Duchy’s rural estates or who have some historical connection to the Duchy. Applications are made by letter and should be addressed either to the relevant Lieutenancy office or to Duchy Benevolent Fund (London Panel), 1 Lancaster Place, Strand, London WC2D 7ED.