In the 2 years since the Fund was established, 15 fantastic charities and individuals have been carefully chosen to be the beneficiaries of grants.

FY 2007/8
Amnesty International,  Fine Cell Work,  MayDay Trust (3 year commitment),  Shelter,  Surrey Care Trust,  Surrey Crimestoppers,  Vision Aid Overseas,  The Pitstop.

FY 2008/9
Guildford Action,  Only Connect,  St. Giles Trust,  Voice,  Simon Williams (individual grant),  Watts Gallery,  Ann Rimmer

Our flagship grant for 2007/8 was to Fine Cell Work, a charity teaching needlework to prison inmates and selling their products, to overhaul its website to make it more commercially effective. We have made two flagship grants for 2008/9: to Only Connect to finance the production of a series of short films, directed by ex-offenders and starring young people at risk of crime; and to the Watts Gallery to fund a new Artist in Residence scheme at HMP Send.

“The Michael Varah Memorial Fund’s donation towards Fine Cell Work’s website is giving us the chance to be really creative in driving and extending our message about the difficulties of our current prison system and the huge potential of offenders – it is this kind of visionary grant-making that is needed!”
Katy Emck, Director – Fine Cell Work

If you know of a charity or project that fits within our objectives and should be considered for a grant in 2009/10, check out our How to apply page.