Guidelines for Charity Giving

The Charity Committee of the Barbers’ Company controls all four funds detailed above but on its own disposes the income of the first three only. Subject to any conditions laid down in the relevant trust deeds, the Company’s general policy is to apply income from these three for the following purposes:

AMALGAMATED: Pensions and allied disbursements
GENERAL: Educational grants and all general donations
HAYMARKET: Grants of an educational nature only

By using the appropriate fund we have a wide choice, and these guidelines are drawn up to clarify our thinking and to help the Clerk. To this end we have established the following criteria:

1. In each case we consider the extent to which a donation by us would reduce unmet need. Furthermore, the Committee tries to ascertain that those seeking financial help have exhausted all statutory benefit agencies and other better endowed charities before considering appeals, i.e., the Company is a ‘last resort’ charity.
2. The payment of pensions to impoverished members of the medical profession and the barbers’ trade, and their families, has from the beginning had first call on our charitable resources. This remains so today.
3. We try to allocate money in a way that ensures the Barbers’ Company gets full recognition and which reflects credit on the Company.
4. We look kindly on projects in the City of London, especially those connected with education.
5. We try to accommodate the wishes of the Master during their year of office. Any contribution to the charity of his choice is usually modest.
6. We consider seriously appeals put to us by members of the Court and Livery.
7. When considering assistance with secondary education we aim to help those who have fallen on hard times unexpectedly, rather than supporting pupils from the beginning of their courses of study.
8. We support medical education extensively but not medical research, which is too expensive.
9. We avoid giving money to other charities, particularly large and well endowed charities, for them to spend as they think fit, e.g., the household names specialising in seeking cures for cancer or AIDS.
10. We avoid expensive projects where our contribution would be relatively insignificant. We might consider a contribution to a specific part of such a project, e.g., a piece of equipment.