We were registered as a charity in 2022 to fulfil the wishes of our benefactor, Bernie O’Neil, who died the previous year. She left the bulk of her estate to be used for charitable purposes dear to her heart.
Our hope is to bring about lasting improvement to the lives of those who have been disadvantaged due to cultural prejudice and exploitation, particularly in Africa and the Indian sub-continent. We will do this by working with UK registered charities who establish deep links with the local communities in which they serve.
The trustees either had a close friendship with Bernie or are young people experienced in our priority funding areas and committed to our long-term mission.
Our history
The Beatrice Gilmore Charitable Trust is the legacy from the Will of Bernie O’Neill and is named in honour of her mother, Beatrice Gilmore. Hailing from Coleraine in Northern Ireland, Bernie’s parents met as teenagers and fell in love. Beatrice was from a Catholic family; Bernie’s father the son of a local doctor from a staunch Protestant family. Their families forbade the match and they eloped to Ireland.
As unskilled teenagers in the 1930s, Bernie’s parents faced much economic hardship. Not finding work in Ireland, they came to England but none of their extended families supported them. This struggle took its toll on her parents; Bernie quickly became the breadwinner and ‘parent’ of the family.
After spending her early life in Australia, Bernie and her family returned to the UK. Desperately needing to find accommodation on their return, Bernie bought a condemned house in Hackney in London with a sitting tenant for a nominal sum; the house was due to be demolished for a road widening scheme. After some time, the tenant left and the road widening scheme was cancelled. Overnight, the house became valuable and Bernie discovered she had quite the knack for property speculation! By the time of her death, she owned five London flats and had just sold another property in Norfolk.
Bernie never married or drew close to her wider family. She remained a devoted Catholic with a particular dedication to Our Lady. She believed deeply in the importance of charity and contributed generously throughout her lifetime. Bernie was passionate about charitable causes that helped the most disadvantaged. It was her wish that, after her death, her estate be used for the furthering of charitable causes that helped those most vulnerable in society.
The Trust was set up in 2022 using the proceeds from her estate. It’s aim is to provide funding for projects that were close to Bernie’s heart. The current trustees come from a range of backgrounds and beliefs. What characterised Bernie’s approach to life was a drive to use what she had to improve the lives of those in most need and it is with this spirit that we search for innovative projects that can make real, impactful (and measurable) change to those most marginalised in society.
Vision, mission and values
Vision: To bring about lasting improvement to the lives of those who have been disadvantaged arising from cultural prejudice and exploitation.
Mission: To work with charities who establish deep links at all levels in the local communities in which they serve.
Values: We are guided by the following values:
- Equality: All individuals are valued equally. It is unacceptable that an individual should be denigrated for any perceived failing arising from their prescribed status within their community or of that community within society.
- Equity: In order to adjust imbalances some people require more support and resources to gain equal advantage.
- Inclusivity: The lives of individuals will improve only if they are included and valued within the communities in which they live.
- Transparency: There must be honest communication in defining the issues we face and about our successes and our failures in attempting to resolve them.