We are looking for around three trustees to join our board in 2026. We are specifically looking to strengthen the board’s skills and understanding of projects in Africa and the Indian subcontinent that address issues facing the most marginalised in their society. In addition, we would welcome a trustee with finance skills to take over some of the duties currently undertaken by the Chair.
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. The Trust was set up in 2022 using the proceeds from Bernie’s estate, which are treated as an expendable endowment from which we make annual grants of between £80k to £100k. There is more information about the history of the trust here.
Early in 2026 we agreed a Theory of Change that guides our approach to the award of grants. The maximum annual grant we award is £15,000 so, with our limited income stream, we can award at most three or four grants each half year. We are mindful of the limited resources smaller charities have and are trying to be as clear as possible about the projects the trustees are interested in supporting through our grant guidelines and eligibility questionnaire. Applicants complete an online application form to be submitted around two months before a trustee meeting. The Administrator and the Chair then create a shortlist of around six to eight projects to be taken to the board. Each shortlisted project is then assigned to two trustees who undertake due diligence work on the application. One of these trustees presents it to the Board who collectively decide the grants to be awarded.
Our meetings are held in London and we have two meetings a year, usually in April and November. Each trustee has around four applications to review and the time commitment is approximately ten hours every six months.
Our Chair is an accountant and presently covers all the finance administration. He is looking to retire in a few years, and the board is looking for a trustee with finance skills who, over time, will take over those duties. We have a paid Administrator who is the contact point for the charity, liaises with potential applicants and grantees, maintains our online presence and provides support for the trustees as required.
We are committed to participatory practice as the optimal way to bring about sustainable change for our beneficiaries and will provide support to any new trustee to gain a good understanding of its theory and operation in practice.
Joining our Board
As a Trustee you will be part of the trustee team that:
- Sets our direction and purpose;
- Ensures we are well run financially and operating in line with our purpose and the law;
- Connects us to the UK based charities we fund to ensure effective work is done to make a positive impact for the beneficiaries we support;
- Supports the Administrator who manages the charity; and
- Promotes and always acts in the best interest of our charity
We are looking for people who:
- Are passionate about our cause and willing to champion our work;
- Believe in and act in accordance with our values;
- Take the Trustee role seriously and will show commitment, responsibility and integrity;
- Are able to offer constructive challenge and think strategically;
- Will share their knowledge, experience and expertise to support our development.
Trustees are involved in all aspects of our work, and we strive to ensure our board collectively holds skills, knowledge and experience of grant making, financial and risk management, communications, charity law and governance as well as a knowledge of and interest in our work amongst the most marginalised in Africa and the Indian subcontinent.
In addition, we want our board to reflect the communities we work with and to have a range of different voices within it. We know that diverse groups of people make better decisions. We are therefore particularly keen to hear from people with a variety of educational backgrounds and experiences, people from Black and Asian communities and LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities.
Please do visit our website for further information and see our latest Annual Report and Accounts.
If you are interested in joining us, please send a copy of your CV to admin@beatricegilmoretrust.org.uk. The closing date is 31st July 2026.