Birmingham Chinatown Lions Club Charitable Trust Fund
Charity 1163679
Overview
Summary
Birmingham Chinatown Lions Club Charitable Trust Fund appears to operate chiefly as a volunteer-led charitable conduit: mobilising local fundraising and practical activity, then directing support to other charities and voluntary bodies. Its role combines neighbourhood-facing civic participation with access to the wider Lions network, allowing locally generated resources to contribute to both local, national and international needs. Decision-making is formally tied to approval by the associated Lions Club, suggesting that the trust is an accountable vehicle within a broader membership organisation rather than an independent frontline provider.
Operational geography
Coverage: International
Operational areas:
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Remaining uncertainties
- The Charity Commission records Birmingham City as an area of operation, but do not identify any Birmingham ward, recognised place, delivery venue, event location or beneficiary organisation. The available evidence therefore does not support assigning activity to a supplied Birmingham area identifier.
- The registered contact address is not confirmed evidence of an operational site. The Charity Commission states that the trust does not own or lease land or property.
- The charity reports supporting disaster and health needs worldwide through its connection to Lions Club International, but the evidence does not identify the scale, destinations or delivery mechanism of that international activity.
- The organisation's current relationship with the separately registered Birmingham Chinatown Lions Club CIO is not explained in the available records, despite shared trustees.
Additional evidence needed
- Current project, fundraising-event or grant-distribution records identifying Birmingham venues, wards, places and recipient organisations.
- A current official website, social-media update or annual report confirming where the club meets and delivers charitable activity.
- Confirmation from the organisation of whether its registered contact address is used for meetings, service delivery or correspondence only.
- Details of current donations or joint activity with local partner charities, including the places in Birmingham where those partners deliver services.
Areas of work
- Education/training
- General Charitable Purposes
Who they help
- Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies
How they help
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A locally rooted funding intermediary with a wider reach
The trust appears to turn local volunteer activity and fundraising into support for other charitable organisations, while its Lions affiliation may extend its relevance beyond Birmingham to national and global emergencies and health needs.
Why it matters
This suggests its distinctive contribution may be connecting local civic effort to causes and delivery networks at several geographic scales, rather than specialising in one local service.
Show evidence
“We are a group of volunteers who meet twice a month and conduct charitable acts within the community, fund raise through events for local and national charities and distribute accordingly.”
Source:Organisation“We also, as a local club but part of Lions Club International, support disaster and heath needs worldwide.”
Source:Organisation“Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies”
Source:Charity Commission
The trust is governed through a membership-led decision channel
Although the trustees hold and apply the funds, grants or other applications of trust assets appear to require prior approval from the Lions Club at a club meeting. This may make collective member judgement central to how charitable priorities are chosen.
Why it matters
Understanding this governance relationship helps explain where decisions are likely to be shaped: not only by trustees, but by the wider club's deliberation and local relationships.
Show evidence
“The trustees shall not apply the trust fund or any part thereof without first obtaining the approval of the Lions Club at a Lions Club meeting.”
Source:Charity Commission
Broad objects may enable responsiveness, but obscure strategic focus
The trust has unusually wide charitable discretion, covering any charitable purpose in England and Wales, alongside stated interests in general charitable purposes and education or training. This may allow it to respond to emerging opportunities, but the available evidence does not show whether it has priority themes or selection criteria.
Why it matters
Its flexibility could be a strength for partnership and rapid support; however, potential collaborators cannot yet tell which needs, communities or forms of support it is most likely to prioritise.
Show evidence
“The trustees shall hold the trust fund and its income upon trust to apply them for any purpose which is charitable according to the law of England and Wales.”
Source:Charity Commission“General Charitable Purposes, Education/training”
Source:Charity Commission
- Which charities, communities and geographic areas receive support in practice.
- Whether education and training is a substantial area of activity or only a registered classification.
- How funds are allocated between local, national and international causes.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent annual reports or grant lists showing recipients, amounts, purposes and locations.
- Information on fundraising events, partnerships, member composition and criteria used to approve support.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
We are a group of volunteers who meet twice a month and conduct charitable acts within the community, fund raise through events for local and national charities and distribute accordingly. We also, as a local club but part of Lions Club International, support disaster and heath needs worldwide.
Charity objects
THE TRUSTEES SHALL HOLD THE TRUST FUND AND ITS INCOME UPON TRUST TO APPLY THEM FOR ANY PURPOSE WHICH IS CHARITABLE ACCORDING TO THE LAW OF ENGLAND AND WALES WHETHER FOR THE BENEFIT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP OF PEOPLE OR FOR THE BENEFIT OF ANY OTHER ORGANISATION ESTABLISHED FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES, ("THE OBJECTS") PROVIDED ALWAYS THAT THE TRUSTEES SHALL NOT APPLY THE TRUST FUND OR ANY PART THEREOF WITHOUT FIRST OBTAINING THE APPROVAL OF THE LIONS CLUB AT A LIONS CLUB MEETING.