Braintree United Charities

Registered Charity No. 212131

Helping the people of Braintree, Essex in the UK since 1899.

Who Are We?

Braintree United Charities (“BUC”) was formed in 1899 by the amalgamation of seventeen smaller charities, the oldest of which was founded before 1558. Today BUC has an annual income of about £4000 to £5000. Its Charity Registration Number is 212131.

BUC is administered by Trustees who are all local people, including the Vicar of Braintree and representatives of Braintree District Council. The Trustees normally meet twice a year to consider applications, but urgent requests can be dealt with at other times.

What Do We Do?

Braintree United Charities helps organisations and people in Braintree, within a very specific geographical area, by providing modest grants.

What Geographical Area Do We Cover?

Our permitted ‘area of benefit’ does not include the whole of Braintree District, or even the whole of Braintree, but only the southern half of the town. Historically, this is the area within the Parishes of St Michael’s and St Paul’s Braintree.

In general terms, our Northern boundary runs along Rayne Road and Coggeshall Road and our southern boundary is the A120 bypass. There are a few exceptions: Please contact us if you need precise information.

Where an institution (e.g. a school or day centre) or activity is within our area, we can make a grant even if some (but not all) of the individuals who will benefit live outside it, and similarly if an organisation outside our area serves a significant number of people who live within it.

The Area Covered by Braintree United Charities is Outlined in Red:

A Map Showing Braintree United Charities Geographical Area Coverage

What Sort of Grants Do We Make?

Basically, we are looking to help local organisations and individuals with grants of up to a few hundred pounds. Some of our income is specifically reserved for educational purposes.

Here are examples of some of our recent grants:

• Computers for a centre for adults with learning difficulties
• A respite day for carers working with needy families
• Braintree Food Bank, for running costs
• A youth centre for teenagers in need of support
• Payment towards a work training course
• A primary school, to refurbish their library
• Subsidies for children to go on school trips
• Christmas grants to people of limited means
• Assistance with Funeral Costs will be considered

Because of our modest size and local focus, we are unlikely to be able to respond to requests for contributions to major projects, or ones which have only an incidental connection with Braintree.