Harborne And Smethwick Charitable Trust
Charity 1177527
Overview
Summary
Harborne And Smethwick Charitable Trust, presented on its website as Harborne Parish Lands Charity, appears to be a long-established, place-rooted charity combining sheltered housing for older people with discretionary hardship support. Its role is distinctive because it links a stable housing asset base with flexible grants for local need, focused on Harborne, Smethwick and nearby parts of Bearwood and Quinton. This may position it as both a long-term housing provider and a local safety net, rather than a single-purpose service charity.
Operational geography
No operational geography is currently available for this organisation.
Areas of work
- Disability
- General Charitable Purposes
- The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
Who they help
- The General Public/mankind
How they help
- Makes Grants To Individuals
- Makes Grants To Organisations
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
Housing and grants form a linked local support model
The available evidence suggests the charity addresses hardship through both long-term accommodation and shorter-term financial assistance. These are complementary responses: sheltered housing may provide stability for older residents, while grants can respond to needs not resolved by housing alone.
Why it matters
This helps distinguish the organisation from charities focused solely on grant-making or housing. It may have scope to identify needs through its housing relationships and respond flexibly across a wider local population.
Show evidence
“HPLC has been providing grants and sheltered accommodation for older people.”
Source:Organisation“The charity provides safe and secure sheltered accommodation for people aged 60 years and over and financial support to persons in hardship or need.”
Source:Charity Commission
A historically defined geography appears central to its identity
The charity appears to operate through a strong connection to the former parish of Harborne rather than a broad thematic remit. Its objects allow limited help beyond the formal area in exceptional circumstances, suggesting local boundaries are meaningful but not wholly rigid.
Why it matters
Understanding this geographic logic is important for identifying potential referral partners, unmet needs, and people who may fall just outside ordinary eligibility while retaining links to the area.
Show evidence
“The charity works in Harborne, Smethwick and parts of Bearwood and Quinton.”
Source:Organisation“In exceptional circumstances trustees may grant relief to otherwise eligible persons immediately outside the area of benefit.”
Source:Charity Commission
The organisation may bridge older residents and wider hardship needs
Older people are explicitly the housing beneficiaries, while grant eligibility is framed more broadly around need, hardship and distress. This suggests the charity may connect an age-specific residential offer with a wider anti-poverty role, although the actual profile of grant recipients is unknown.
Why it matters
This potential bridging role could make the charity relevant to organisations working with multiple generations, especially where household hardship intersects with ageing, housing insecurity or caring responsibilities.
Show evidence
“The charity provides sheltered accommodation for older people living in the old parish of Harborne.”
Source:Organisation“The charity may provide grants, items, services or facilities to persons in conditions of need, hardship or distress.”
Source:Charity Commission
- The scale, eligibility criteria and typical uses of individual and organisational grants are not stated.
- There is no evidence about housing capacity, resident demographics, waiting lists or current partnerships.
- It is unclear whether Harborne And Smethwick Charitable Trust and Harborne Parish Lands Charity are legal or trading names for the same entity.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent annual reports and accounts showing grant volumes, housing units, expenditure and beneficiary reach.
- Grant policy, eligibility guidance and anonymised recipient data.
- Information on referral routes, local partnerships and resident support services.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
1. The provision of safe and secure sheltered accommodation for people aged 60 years and over in Smethwick and Harborne who wish to continue to live independently; 2. The provision of financial support to persons in conditions of hardship or need in Smethwick and Harborne.
Charity objects
FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT THE PREVENTION OR RELIEF OF POVERTY AND THE RELIEF OF THOSE IN NEED, HARDSHIP OR DISTRESS IN THE AREA OF BENEFIT, IN PARTICULAR BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY BY: (A) PROVIDING OR MANAGING HOUSING OR ACCOMODATION APPROPRIATE TO THE NEEDS OF PERSONS IN NECESSITOUS CIRCUMSTANCES WHO ARE INHABITANTS OF THE AREA OF BENEFIT; (B) PROVIDING SUPPORT TO PERSONS RESIDENT IN THE ARE OF BENEFIT WHO ARE IN CONDITIONS OF NEED HARDSHIP OR DISTRESS BY MAKING GRANTS OF MONEY OR PROVIDING OR PAYING FOR ITEMS, SERVICES OR FACILITIES CALCULATED TO REDUCE THE NEED HARDSHIP OR DISTRESS OF SUCH PERSONS. IN EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES THE TRUSTEES MAY GRANT RELIEF TO PERSONS OTHERWISE ELIGIBLE THEREFOR WHO ARE RESIDENT IMMEDIATELY OUTSIDE THE AREA OF BENEFIT BUT IN THE OPINION OF THE TRUSTEES OUGHT NEVERTHELESS FOR SUFFICIENT REASON TO BE TREATED AS IF RESIDENT THEREIN, OR WHO ARE LOCATED FOR THE TIME BEING WITHIN THAT AREA. 2. SUCH CHARITABLE PURPOSES FOR THE BENEFIT OF RESIDENTS AND FORMER RESIDENTS OF THE PROPERTIES PROVIDED OR MANAGED BY THE CHARITY AS THE TRUSTEES FROM TIME TO TIME DECIDE.