The Isles of Scilly Charitable Trust was formed in July 2022 from the merger of the Edward McDonald Trust (which was founded in the 1940s) and the Pilots Widows Fund (which could trace its origins back to the 18th century) Isles of Scilly Charitable Trust comprising the Edward McDonald Fund and the Pilots Widows Fund
Statement of Purpose
Edward McDonald Fund
The charitable purposes which apply to the Edward McDonald Fund are drawn in extremely
broad terms. The trustees have identified three priorities for the Edward McDonald Fund.
1. Financial support for people in need
First and foremost, the Edward McDonald Fund provides financial support for people in need
on the islands. This support is provided:
• proactively in the form of gifts, especially at Christmastime. Lists of recipients are
compiled in consultation with health and social care professionals.
• reactively in response to applications to address particular cases of hardship. Applications to address particular cases of hardship are usually made by health and social
care professionals. If you, or someone you know, is struggling, please try to speak to a health
or social care professional in the first instance. Applications to address particular cases of hardship may be made at any time and will be
dealt with as a matter of urgency.
2. Community enrichment
The Edward McDonald Fund supports a range of on-island activities that enrich the lives of
island residents. Recent grants include:
• £500 to the St Mary’s Christmas Lights Fund;
• £250 to the Five Islands Football Club to support the Plymouth Argyle summer camp;
and
• £160 to the Isles of Scilly detachment of the Cornwall Army Cadet Force to purchase
equipment. Unless exceptional circumstances exist, the trustees will not consider applications where
commercial operators will be the principal beneficiaries.
3. Annual payments
Under the terms of its governing document, the Trust is required to make the following
annual payments (originally prescribed by Edward McDonald in his will of 1922):
• £12 to the authorities of Old Town churchyard;
• £10 towards the provision of a treat for the schoolchildren of St Mary’s; and
£500 to the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society. Unless exceptional circumstances exist, no other grants will be awarded to the Parochial
Church Council, the Five Islands Academy or the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society. Pilots Widows Fund
The Pilots Widows Fund must be used for charitable purposes associated with maritime
endeavours on the islands. In recognition of the long-standing relationship that it has with the fishing industry, the
Pilots Widows Fund will continue to make a contribution towards the cost of life-saving
equipment and the cost of training for local fishermen. This is an exception to the general
provision that trustees will not consider applications where commercial operators will be the
principal beneficiaries. General provisions
Anyone can submit an application using the Trust’s application form. Each application will be considered on its merits. This will frequently involve a consideration
of the number and range of people who are likely to benefit from a particular proposal. With respect to clubs, groups or organisations:
• grants will not usually exceed £500 in any given year;
• grants will not exceed £1,000 in any given year unless exceptional circumstances
exist; and
• evidence of spend will usually be required in the form of receipts or a written
statement confirming how the funds were used. The Trust operates on the basis of four-month application windows ending on 28/29
February, 30 June and 31 October (except for applications to address particular cases of
hardship which are dealt with as a matter of urgency). We will usually be able to provide you
with a decision no more than two weeks after the relevant deadline. For the avoidance of any doubt, support for a project one year does not mean that similar
funding will be made available for the same project next year. This statement will be reviewed on an annual basis.
