About Us
Our Mission & charitable focus
Battersea United Charities is a grant-making charity in Battersea, London, whose charitable objects are:
- The advancement of education for the benefit of persons in need of financial assistance who reside in, or attend an educational establishment in, the former Metropolitan Borough of Battersea; or
- The relief of poverty of persons who are resident in the former Metropolitan Borough of Battersea, in particular but not exclusively by the payment of pensions or the provision of other financial support.
History of the charity
Battersea United Charities incorporates almost all of the small historic Parish trusts, created through the generous philanthropy of local women and men from, or closely connected to the historic parish of St Mary's Battersea, and later the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea.
Our story began in 1641, when the first of the charities was established by a bequest from Henry Smith whose will appointed income from his Kempsing and Clayhall Estate to be paid to the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the parish of Battersea.
We have been supporting people and projects in Battersea every year since then.
In 1938 these old trusts, some very small, were united under a single structure and set of Trustees, by a Scheme for the Regulation of the Battersea Charities, made by the Charity Commissioners and varied by the Minister for Education in 1961. Since 1938, some additional charities have been joined to the original charities and were governed by the same set of Trustees.
In 2018, this scheme was updated and all of the charities, trusts and funds were merged to create a single registered charity - Battersea United Charities (No. 247377) - with unified charitable objects that honoured those of the original charities.
Make a donation
Your support will enable us to expand the support we provide for people across Battersea - add a personal contribution to the philanthropy of our historic benefactors and make a difference to Battersea in the modern day.
