Supporting those in need

The Swinton Foundation is a charitable trust supporting charities, artists, entrepreneurs, local good causes and communities in Masham and the wider Yorkshire Dales.

Over the past 10 years, the Swinton Foundation has donated more than £80,000 in support, helping regenerate the rural environment and to provide a catalyst for enterprise and development.

By way of example, the Foundation makes an annual donation to St Mary’s Church in Masham for the upkeep of the church infrastructure and in 2023 donated £5,000 to the Mashamshire Community Office towards the purchase of the building that they currently occupy.

Local charities

Every year, the Swinton Foundation selects several local and one Yorkshire based charity to support exclusively. In previous years, these have included Masham Primary School, Grewelthorpe Primary School, Masham Sports Association, Help for Heroes rehabilitation programme and  the Archbishop of York’s Youth Trust. Support can take the form of Candlelit Carol Concerts, team building and educational events (cookery lessons, garden and parkland tours for school children for example), using the Swinton Estate’s resources.

If you are interested in being one of our nominated charities, please do not hesitate to contact us. Nominated charity applications need to be submitted by 1st January (the annual year starts 1st April) by emailing the Swinton Foundation administrator.

Sponsorship and financial grants

In addition to supporting our nominated charities, we also support individual applicants with sponsorship and financial grants for particular causes that meet our criteria. Each year, approximately £8,000 is awarded. Some of our recent beneficiaries have included Mashamshire Community Office, Disability Sports and Action Yorkshire, Local hospices and Ocean Youth Trust North.

If you are interested in applying for an individual award or other level of support, please do not hesitate to contact us. Applications for a financial award, needs to be submitted by 1st February. If you are seeking any other kind of support, please do not hesitate to contact us at any time by emailing the Swinton Foundation administrator

Swinton in the community

The Swinton Estate has supported the local community over the years in numerous ways. As well as gifting land and buildings (such as the Almshouses, Masham School, Healey Church, Fearby Village Hall and Masham Town Hall), it also leases the Market Place and playing fields at the Recreation Ground and Shooting Holme to Masham Parish Council on a rent-free basis.

The family currently or have previously been actively involved in supporting Masham Sheep Fair, Masham Steam Rally, Masham Community Office, Masham Almshouses, Masham Roadside Campaign, Burn Valley Run, Masham School and Acorns Pre-School. Support also extends to organisations further afield that include Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust, Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution and the Ocean Youth Trust North.

For more information, please contact the Swinton Foundation administrator.

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