The Alan Woodfield Charitable Trust
Charity 1139145
Overview
Summary
The Alan Woodfield Charitable Trust appears to be a flexible grant-making funder rather than a delivery organisation. Its stated focus on artistic, cultural and educational activity gives it a recognisable civic role, while its broader power to support other charitable purposes suggests that trustees retain substantial discretion to respond to opportunities beyond a narrow programme. The Trust may therefore function as a small but adaptable source of support across the voluntary and cultural ecosystem.
Operational geography
Coverage: Regional
Operational areas:
- City Centre
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
City Centre
Confidence: medium
Direct evidence shows that the Trust is acknowledged by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) as a trusts-and-foundations supporter, while CBSO identifies its base as being in Birmingham City Centre. This reasonably indicates that the Trust's grant-making reaches a City Centre-based cultural organisation, but the public evidence does not identify the grant amount, date, purpose or whether it funded activity specifically located there.
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, 'Thank you' page
CBSO lists The Alan Woodfield Charitable Trust among the trusts and foundations it thanks for support. - City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, 'Hire the CBSO Centre' page
CBSO states that its CBSO Centre is located in Birmingham City Centre and is home to the orchestra.
Remaining uncertainties
- The Charity Commission records Birmingham City among the places where the Trust operates, but does not identify Birmingham recipients, grant-funded projects, dates or wards.
- The Trust is a grant-maker rather than a service-delivery charity. Its public record does not evidence any directly operated Birmingham service or physical site.
- CBSO's public acknowledgement supports an operational connection with City Centre cultural activity, but does not establish the scale, recency or precise geographical use of the Trust's support.
- Although Birmingham Royal Ballet also publicly thanks the Trust and has a Birmingham base, the available evidence is insufficient to determine whether that support is current or to assign a further Birmingham area with confidence.
- The registered address is in Malvern, and the Charity Commission states that the Trust owns or leases no land or property; it should not be treated as a Birmingham operational site.
Additional evidence needed
- A current grant list or trustees' report identifying grant recipients, award dates, amounts and project locations.
- Confirmation from the Trust or named recipients of which Birmingham projects or venues received support in the latest financial year ending 5 April 2025 or subsequently.
- Evidence distinguishing ongoing support from historic donor acknowledgements on partner websites.
Areas of work
- Arts/culture/heritage/science
- General Charitable Purposes
Who they help
- Children/young People
- Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies
- The General Public/mankind
How they help
- Makes Grants To Organisations
- Other Charitable Activities
- Provides Other Finance
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A funder with both focus and discretion
The Trust appears to combine a defined interest in arts, culture and education with unusually broad discretion to make donations for other charitable purposes. This may allow it to support priority areas while responding flexibly to emerging local or organisational needs.
Why it matters
This helps distinguish the Trust from a tightly restricted thematic funder. Potential partners may need to understand both its stated priorities and the scope for trustees to recognise opportunities that do not fit neatly within them.
Show evidence
“The Trust supports artistic, cultural and educational charitable activities by providing grants.”
Source:Charity Commission“The trustees may make donations to support other charitable purposes at their absolute discretion.”
Source:Charity Commission
Its influence is likely exercised through other organisations
The available evidence suggests that the Trust creates impact indirectly, chiefly by resourcing charities and voluntary bodies rather than through its own services or programmes.
Why it matters
Understanding this intermediary role shifts attention toward the organisations it funds, the gaps it can help address, and the relationships it may enable across the civic sector.
Show evidence
“The charity makes grants to organisations and provides other finance.”
Source:Charity Commission“Other charities or voluntary bodies are among the groups the charity helps.”
Source:Charity Commission
A potential bridge between cultural and wider charitable activity
Because arts, culture and education sit alongside general charitable purposes, the Trust may be positioned to support projects that connect cultural participation with wider community benefit, including work involving young people.
Why it matters
This suggests a potentially broader role than funding arts activity alone: the Trust may be relevant where cultural organisations and general-purpose charities have complementary strengths.
Show evidence
“The charity's activities include supporting artistic, cultural and educational work through grants and donations.”
Source:Charity Commission“The charity helps children and young people, other charities or voluntary bodies, and the general public.”
Source:Charity Commission
- There is no evidence about grant size, frequency, geography or application process.
- It is unclear which types of organisations or activities have received support in practice.
- No information shows whether the Trust prioritises particular communities, needs or outcomes.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent annual reports, accounts and grant recipient lists.
- Trustee reports or funding guidelines explaining decision criteria and geographic scope.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
Supporting artistic, cultural and educational work by the provision of grants and donations.
Charity objects
THE PURPOSES OF THE ALAN WOODFIELD CHARITABLE TRUST IS TO SUPPORT ARTISTIC, CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES BY PROVIDING GRANTS AND TO MAKE DONATIONS TO SUPPORT OTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSES AT THE ABSOLUTE DISCRETION OF THE TRUSTEES.