Charity, along with Education and Fellowship, is one of the fundamental principles of the Worshipful Company of Butchers. Indeed, the Livery Companies of the City of London are renowned for making charitable contributions to organisations supporting individuals less fortunate than ourselves.
Revenue is derived from the General Charity administered by the Company and allocated in line with our agreed strategy. Two main beneficiaries, currently Teach First and Farms For City Children, are funded on a three year cycle with a number of minor awards are also made during any given year.
The strategy includes a commitment for Liverymen to try to engage with the individual charity to seek to enhance the financial contribution with hands on business advice and introductions along with other forms of support.
Feedback suggests that this element of commitment is very much welcomed by the charities.
Policy and Criteria
The Policy of the Worshipful Company of Butchers (WCB) is to support selected charities with awards using the investment income generated in each financial year (after governance costs). Due to the limited income generated the Policy is that two (but no more than 3) charities are beneficiaries of Major Awards and a number of Minor Awards should also be made.
MAJOR AWARD POLICY AND SELECTION CRITERIA FOR WORSHIPFUL COMPANY GENERAL CHARITIES APPLICATIONS
For the period 1 January 2026- 31 December 2029
Major Award applications should be submitted in writing to:
Assistant Mark Winston,
Chair of The General Charities Committee
Butchers’ Hall, 87 Bartholomew Close,
London, EC1A 7EB
The application should include details of the charity, the name of the Liveryman that is supporting the application and information about how the funding would be utilised.
Major Award 2026-29 Application Deadline:
Midday on Friday 15 August 2025
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to make a short presentation in late September 2025.
The awards will be assessed by the WCB General Charities Committee following the criteria and their recommendations are subject to approval by the Trustees.
Essential Criteria - Major Awards
The following criteria are guidelines for the General Charity Committee when considering the beneficiaries of Awards. It is suggested that 3-4 essential criteria need to be met before consideration to support a particular charity is agreed.
- The nomination should be supported by a Liveryman of the Butchers' Company, who would remain a liaison between WCB and the Charity, throughout the application process and remain actively engaged in the event of a successful selection.
- WCB wish to provide support to a charity where it can make a real difference.
- WCB should have a demonstrable relationship with the charity eg WCB providing practical engagement as well as financial support but it is recognised that the work of some Charities may preclude this.
- A limited number of charities to be supported with meaningful sums which could be in the region of £20,000 per annum.
- Annual donations are linked to investment income generated(1). Support should be provided for a period of at least 3 years (2).
- The Charity should provide accreditation of WCB that enhances the profile of WCB.
- The administrative expenses of the charity should be reviewed and considered reasonable in the context of the scope and size of the charity.
Essential Criteria - Minor Awards
- Minor Awards will be made to a limited number of good causes with which the WCB is linked and represented.
- Minor Awards will be reviewed annually but can be expected to be repetitive due to the nature of the “good cause”. In that respect the Charity Committee will receive guidance from the Clerk.
- Minor Awards are as much a commitment as Major Awards and must be considered simultaneously against the funds available for distribution.
- Minor charities, such as hospices, do not necessarily require to have a national footprint.
1 In times of plenty donations can be increased or additional charities can be selected. In reduced times commitments may have to be reduced. Available funds are agreed at the start of the financial year and must be periodically reviewed in each financial year before additional commitments are made. It is therefore preferable not to identify maximum commitments at the beginning of each year.
2 The number of extension years will need to be considered on a case by case basis.
How can charities apply to the WCB for donations and support?