The Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust

The Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust is a UK grant making charity controlled by one branch of the wealthy Wolfson family. The charity was created by a Trust Deed dated 14 July 1960 and was registered as a UK charity on 8 January 1965. As at 8 July 2010 the trustees were Thatcher's former Chief of Staff David Wolfson, his two sons Simon and Andrew, and Sara Leven. The Trust's original founder, Charles Wolfson, was David Wolfson's father and the brother of Isaac Wolfson who was chairman of Great Universal Stores and co-founder of the separate Wolfson Foundation.

Funding

The Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust provided a total of £45,000 to Civitas between 2006 and 2008.. The Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust provided £75,000 to Policy Exchange in 2007 and £143,666 in 2008. The Trust’s donations are not declared in its 2009 or 2010 accounts.

The Trust paid £75,000 to Policy Exchange in 2011 and £601,000 in 2012. In 2013, Policy Exchange refunded £63,040. These payments were recorded as related party transactions because Lord Wolfson of Apsley Guise was a Policy Exchange trustee.

The trust has funded other right-wing think-tanks including Civitas, the Social Affairs Unit, the Institute of Economic Affairs and the Adam Smith Research Trust and has also funded pro-Israel groups like the Israel-Diaspora Trust and the Anglo-Israel Association.

In 2003 the Guardian newspaper reported:

The Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust made payments of £220,000 in 2000-01, and £230,000 the previous year, to a firm of solicitors of which trustee John Franks was a consultant. Lord Wolfson of Sunningdale, another trustee, said that Franks did not receive any remuneration for the work done on behalf of the charity and that the work of the law firm was costed against other firms. "We discussed this recently with the charity commission, as part of one of their random visits, and they were satisfied that this was an arm's-length transaction," said Wolfson.

Grant recipients of the Charles Wolson Charitable Trust in £ sterling
	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
Medical research & facilities
Action on Hearing Loss														57,732
Alzheimer's Society	60,677
Acquired Aphasia Trust			5,000
Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust				500,000
Anna Freud National Centre														250,000
Arthritis Research UK															50,400
Asthma UK		25,000	50,000
Barts and the London Charity														375,000	375,000
Barts Cancer Centre of Excellence	54,400
Bath Institute of Medical Engineering				25,000
Beds and Northants Multiple Sclerosis Centre		3,700
British Diabetic Association			500
British Dyslexics		1,000	5,000
British Friends of Arad Medical Centre		10,000
British Friends of the Hebrew University															50,000
British Heart Foundation			1,000	2,000
British Stammering Society		1,000
Cancer Research UK			200	500
Cardiac Risk in the Young														59,861
Chai Cancer Care			2,500	3,000												83,100	75,000
Connect (Aphasia)		50,000
CORE				60,001
Cornwall Air Ambulance																50,000
Cure Parkinsons Trust	100,000	100,000		200,000
Cystic Fibrosis Trust				1,000
Diabetes UK		1,000												100,000	100,000	100,000
DIPEx				5,000
Evalina Childrens Hospital	50,000
Fight for Sight														64,928	54,124
Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths		5,000
Fund for Addenbrrokes	176,722	150,000
Hadassah UK				150,810
Heart Cells Foundation				300,000
Heartline Association			1,000	1,000
Hemi Help		2,000	2,000	2,000
High Blood Pressure Foundation	26,000
Hospital of St. John & St. Elizabeth				500
Imperial College London															250,000
Institute for Complementary Medicine	67,282	141,470	84,055	166,916
Institute of Orthopaedics			1,450
Jewish Association for the Mentally Ill															50,000
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation														87,899	88,097
Kings College London	77,000	270,000		52,108										82,666		62,334
King Edward VII's Hospital			5,000
Lee Smith Research Foundation		5,000	22,500
Leukaemia Research Fund			10,000
Manchester Foundation Trust															150,000	150,000
Marie Curie Cancer Care			1,000
Meningitis UK														60,000	60,000
Meningitis Now Foundation																60,000
MERU				2,000
MIND			500
MS Society														204,024
Multiple Sclerosis Resource Centre			2,000
Noahs Ark	7,500	7,500		5,000										150,000
Osteopathic Centre for Children		5,000
Oxford Foundation for Theoretical Neuro-Science				100,000
Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Charitable Fund		5,000
Parkinsons Disease Society				50,000
Progressive Supranuclear Palsy	47,721
Prostate Cancer Research Centre			10,000
P.S.P. Association				47,000
Royal Botanical Gardens Kew				30,000
Royal Marsden Cancer Campaign				50,000
Royal Marsden Cancer Charity																	875,000
Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust														875,000	875,000	875,000
Samantha Dickson Research Trust	44,521
Sir George Pinker Appeal				30,000
Special Care Baby Unit Fund Raising Society				1,000
Speech Language & Hearing Centre		10,000	5,000	10,000
Spinal Research			50,000
St Andrew's Group of Hospitals	50,000
St Marks Hospital Foundation			500											157,500
Tavistock Trust for Aphasia			5,000	5,000
Tsad Kadima		5,000
University College London														58,234	176,726	100,000	71,588
University of Edinburgh															100,000
University of Exeter															60,000	201,685
University of Oxford - pharmacology	70,000	28,368
University of Oxford - (Prof. Aziz)				189,873
University of Oxford - surgery		71,846	87,196
Weizmann UK														171,666
William Harvey Research Foundation				500
Education
Angela Ruskin University			19,910
Anglia Polytechnic University		18,000
Avondale Extra		1,000		2,000
Backup Trust				48,814
BEFORE Trust			25,000
Brasenose College		35,000
British Council														133,333
British Friends of Bar Ilan University		75,000		8,000
British Friends of the Ariel Institute			35,000	61,794
Broughton Jewish Primary School														100,000
Camden Arts Centre														50,000
Central Synagogue																168,122
CER			10,000
Chicken Shed Theatre Trust		5,000	1,000	2,000
Chief Rabbinate Charitable Trust															280,000
Clifton College		2,000
Dyson Perrins Museum Trust			5,000	3,000
Ellen Tinkham PTFA				25,000
ETGAR - re: London School of Economics															50,000
Federation of Synagogues		750	3,750	2,000
FSET Politeia			10,000
Hasmonean Primary School			33,112													180,000
Hertsmere Jewish High School Trust	1,000,000
Highbury Grove School			47,419	65,395
Holocaust Educational Trust		25,000	25,000												50,000
Huntingdon Foundation		250,000		125,000
Immanuel College			1,000	10,000
Imperial College																250,000
Institute for Policy Research		30,000	5,000	75,000
Institute of Economic Affairs														50,000	50,000	50,000
Jewish Interactive														75,000	75,000	75,000
Jewish Learning Exchange		10,000		15,000											125,000	50,000
Jewish Music Institute		500	6,000
Jews Free School		2,750	2,000											262,000	262,000
Jewish Schools Network																	50,000
JFS Charitable Trust				2,000
Kisharon														89,392
London Jewish Cultural Centre	15,000	15,000	15,000	15,000
London School of Hygiene & Trop																125,000
London School of Jewish Studies														100,000	100,000		100,000
Mandelbaum Trust		15,000
Music in Secondary Schools Trust														350,000	350,000	350,000	350,000
Noam Primary School																200,000
North West London Hewish Day School		5,000
Norwood																400,000	200,000
Oxford Centre for Hebrew Studies	1,000
Partnership for Jewish Schools															103,350	75,000
Plumpton College				10,000
Policy Exchange														385,454
Priors Court Foundation				10,000
Radley Foundation														50,000
Rosh Pinah Jewish Primary School		20,000
Roundhouse Trust		50,000		1,000
School Aid		15,000
Side by Side																50,000
Tikun														150,000	15,000	225,000	75,000
United Synagogue	100,000		5,000												53,920
Whitefield School														65,000	52,000
Yavneh College Trust				500,000											207,000
Yeshuas Chaim Synagogue														50,000	50,000
Yesodey Hatorah Trust	100,000
Welfare
Abbeyfield				2,000
Action for Kids				5,000
Adam Smith Research Trust				12,000
Aguda Israel Organisation of GB			4,750	2,500
AISH Hatorah	150,000	150,000	150,000	75,000
Ajex Charitable Trust				500
Amber Foundation				1,000
Anglo-Israel Association			5,000
Aspire			500	2,500
Beis Yisroel Organisation				1,000
Beit Halochem														100,000	149,000	150,000	100,000
Bowles Rocks Trust				2,000
Breakaway			7,500
British Council																	133,334
British Friends of the Jaffa Institute		5,000	1,000
British WIZO			1,000
Brondesbury Park Synagogue														750,000	750,000
Business Opprtunities		250
Camp Simcha														50,000
Central School of Ballet			500
Central Synagogue General Charities Fund		10,000	10,000	12,000
Centre for Jewish Christian Relations			5,000
Chai Cancer Care														77,500	75,000
Changing Faces		1,000	1,000
Chelsea Pensioners Appeal			500,000
Children's Charity		75,000
Chief Rabbinate Trust																	140,000
Civitas		10,000	20,000	25,000
Colfe's Charitable Trust			2,000
Community Security Trust	50,000	60,000	60,000	70,000										100,000	200,000		200,000
Conference of European Rabbis		300
Cornwall Community Foundation				4,000
Council for a Beautiful Israel			5,000	5,000
Council for Christians and Jews		45,000		40,000
Cricket Foundation			1,000
Cued Speech Association UK				10,000
Dalaid																75000	75,000
Dame Vera Lynn Trust	10,000
Dogs for the Disabled			500
Duke of York Sports Foundation			10,000
Dunkirk Little Ships Restoration Trust			1,000
Eastside Young Leaders Academy			5,000
Edward Elgar Foundation				2,000
Elephant Family			1,000
Emunah				500
Fair Havens Hospice				750
Falkand Islands Memorial Chapel				10,000
Family Links				1,000
Fenely Family			2,000	2,000
Foundation and Friends of Royal Botanic Garedens Kew	41,000	41,000	41,000
Friends of Beit Issie Shapiro			10,000	10,000
Friends of Bnei Akiva		5,000	25,000	30,000
Friends of General Orphans Home for Girls - Jerusalem			4,750	2,500
Gurkha Welfare Trust				2,000
Hampstead Theatre			5,000	5,000
Hannah Levy House			5,000
HCPT The Pilgrimage Trust				500
Headway		1,500
Hillel Foundation		2,000
Home Farm Trust		2,000	4,000	2,000
Hospital Kosher Meals Service		1,000	500	1,000
Hunt & Almshouse Charity	45,000
I. Rescue		5,000	5,000	5,000
Impakt Aid	20,000
Imperial War Museum															100,000
Institute for Policy Research																50000	50,000
Institute of Economic Affairs		10,000	10,000	20,000
International Tiger Moth Charitable Trust				1,000
Israel Diaspora Trust			2,000	2,000
Jerusalem Foundation				5,000
Jewish Association for the Mentally Ill				500
Jewish Blind Society		55,000
Jewish Book Council				1,000
Jewish Care		350,000	350,000	350,000										413,000	405,000	400,000	400,000
Jewish Child's Day		500
Jewish Leadership Council														50,000	50,000	50,000	50,000
Jewish Marriage Council			1,000	500
Jewish Museum		50,000
JFS																	500,000
JNF Givol				25,000
Kisharon																	50,000
Lanaido UK				10,000
Level 2 Youth Project			1,000	1,000
Lifeline for the Old				5,000
Listening Books			5,000	5,000
London Zoo		10,000
Lord Lieutenants Fund for Youth in Cornwall			1,000
Lords Taverners			500
Maccabi GB		1,000	1,500
Magen David Adom		2,000
Maggs Day Centre				1,000
Mentor		10,000
Mudchute			2,000
National Childrens Orchestra of GB			1,000
National Missing Persons Helpline	67,000
National Youth Theatre of GB			500
Natural History Museum		1,000
Next Charitable Trust	100,000
Nightingale House Home for Aged Jews			150,000	150,000										100,000			100,000
North London Hospice	5,000	5,000	7,500	7,000
Norwood			10,000	10,000										102,000
Ohel Sarah		2,500	2,500	2,500
Outside Foundation															150,000
Outward Bound Trust			250
Padstow Sea Cadets		2,000
Peace Insight			1,000
Perdiswell Young Peoples Leisure Clubs			3,000	3,000
Policy Exchange			75,000	143,666												100000	100,000
Primary Club			500
Queen Alexandra Hospital Home				5,000
Racing Welfare		1,000		5,000
Rainbow Trust			5,000
Remap			2,000
Richard House Children's Hospice			250
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust				49,000
Royal College of Music			2,000
RNLI		250
Safe Hounds			5,000
Shabaton Choir			5,000	2,000
Social Affairs Unit		10,000	10,000
SSAFA Forces Help Central Office		250	1,000	1,000
St. Elizabeth's Centre		5,000
St. Raphael's		1,000
Street Action																75000	75,000
Tikun				75,000
3C's Charity			500
Trinity College Holiday Scheme			2,000
United Jewish Israel Appeal (UJIA)														67,500
United Trusts		30,000	30,000	30,000
University Chaplaincy Board			1,000	1,000
Victory Services Club				10,000
Westminster Children's Society		10,000
Wheel Power			1,000
Wooden Spoon Society			500
World Jewish Relief	100,000	2,000	1,000	2,000
Yeshuas Chaim Synagogue																50000	50,000
Zoological Society of London				25,000
ZSV Trust		500	500
Other
Benevolent Aid Fund	250,750	89,500
Blond McIndoe Research				49,300
B'nai Brith Hillel Foundation (Bournemouth)			6,052
B'nai Brith Hillel Foundation (Leicester)			93,333
Charlie Waller Memorial Trust				50,000
Children's Trust				50,000
Jewish Educational Fund		304,000
Kings College Hospital				50,000
Child Bereavement Trust	21,125	21,460	21,984	24,125
Beth Jacobs School		25,000
Magen David Adom UK			100,000
Rentals foregone on charitably let properties
B'nai Brith Hillel	142,928	149,000	118,964
Family Welfare Association	18,750	21,000	22,000	22,000
Torah Teminah Primary School	17,500
Yakar Education Foundation	10,068

People

Trustees

• Simon Wolfson
• Sara Levene
• Andrew Wolfson
• David Wolfson

Contact

Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust

8/10 Hallam Street

London, W1W 6NS