---
type: Web Page
title: "Our Charities and Charitable Grants"
description: "£600k given and 9,891 volunteering hours in 2025/26: see the charities the Saddlers' Company runs, from Kitchin's Charity of 1556 to its Charitable Fund."
resource: "https://thesaddlers.org/the-saddlers/charity"
tags: [saddlers-company, charity, charitable-grants, the-saddlers]
generated: { by: process:saddlers-site-build, at: 2026-10-20T15:16:16Z }
status: stable
sources:
  - id: page
    resource: "https://thesaddlers.org/the-saddlers/charity"
    title: "Saddlers' Company Charities and Charitable Grants"
    author: "team:the-saddlers-company"
---
# Our Charities and Charitable Grants

The Saddlers' Company promotes talent through education and charity, enabling pathways to employment. It administers three charitable trusts and a charitable fund: Kitchin's Charity, the Saddlers' Company Charitable Fund, Kaye's and Labourne's Charity, and the Apprenticing Charity.[^page]

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Kitchin's Charity founded | 1556 |
| Charitable Fund formed | 1970 |
| Charitable Giving 25/26 | £600k |
| Volunteering 25/26 | 9,891 Hours |

## A Long Tradition of Charitable Activity

The Company has a long and honourable tradition of charitable activity, particularly for the interests and well-being of members of the Company and of the saddlery trade. Quarterage, paid by members at the Company's Quarter Courts, was from the earliest days used for the benefit of widows and children of members, and the Company's Poor Boxes have long been used to relieve hardship among elderly, retired and infirm saddlers.

The Company now administers three charitable trusts and a charitable fund. Kitchin's, the Saddlers' Company Charitable Fund, and Kaye's and Labourne's Charities are supervised by the Charities Committee. The Apprenticing Charity is supervised by the Trade Liaison Committee.

## Kitchin's Charity

In 1556 Robert Kitchin, a Warden of the Company, left a property, the present Roman Wall House, in the Parish of St Olave's, Hart Street, to the Company, on condition that its income maintain the Church of St Ethelburga-the-Virgin in Bishopsgate and the poor of its parish. Today, following schemes revised between 1982 and 2005, 35% of Kitchin's income is available for discretionary awards for the training and education of people under 25 in need who are or have been resident in, or attended educational establishments in, the City of London and then Greater London.

## Saddlers' Company Charitable Fund

Formed in 1970 with capital from corporate funds, the Saddlers' Company Charitable Fund is the major vehicle for the Company's charitable activities. Within it sit the R M Sturdy Trust, which mainly supports education, music and church buildings associated with the Church of England, and the Mollie Priestley Fund, established with a legacy of £200,000 in 2004, which helps members of the armed services and funds regular grants to the Army, Sea and Air Cadets.

## Kaye's and Labourne's Charity, and the Apprenticing Charity

Kaye's and Labourne's Charity traces back to a 1627 bequest from Robert Labourne, Master in 1615 and 1616, and was renamed for Mrs Grace Kaye in 1991 before the two charities merged in 2007. It relieves need, hardship or distress, prioritising Freemen of the Company and those employed in the saddlery trade.

The Apprenticing Charity began with a 1698 gift from Richard Banner, Clerk to the Company from 1671 to 1702, and today its income mainly supports the training of young saddlers.

## Charity Partners

- [City, University of London](https://www.city.ac.uk/)
- [City of London Academy Islington](http://www.colai.org.uk/)
- [Alleyn's School](https://www.alleyns.org.uk/)
- [St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace](https://stethelburgas.org/)
- [XLP](https://www.xlp.org.uk/)
- [Ebony Horse Club](https://www.ebonyhorseclub.org.uk/)
- [Beormund Primary School](https://beormundschool.co.uk/)

## Frequently asked questions

### What charities does the Saddlers' Company run?

The Company administers Kitchin's Charity (1556), the Saddlers' Company Charitable Fund (1970, including the R M Sturdy Trust and Mollie Priestley Fund), Kaye's and Labourne's Charity (merged 2007), and the Apprenticing Charity (1698). The Charities Committee supervises the first three and the Trade Liaison Committee supervises the Apprenticing Charity.

### What is Kitchin's Charity?

Kitchin's Charity was founded in 1556 by Robert Kitchin, a Warden of the Company. Today 35% of its income funds discretionary awards for the training and education of people under 25 in need.

### How can I work on your charitable aims?

The Company's charitable work is supervised by the Charities Committee, and the Apprenticing Charity by the Trade Liaison Committee. If you would like to support or take part in the Company's charitable aims, please get in touch through the Contact page.

## Related concepts

- [Founders of the Company's Charities](/pages/the-saddlers/charity/founders.md)
- [The Saddlers](/pages/the-saddlers.md)
- [Supporting the Saddlery Trade](/pages/the-saddlers/trade.md)
- [Supporting British Equestrianism](/pages/the-saddlers/equestrian.md)

[^page]: Saddlers' Company Charities and Charitable Grants, https://thesaddlers.org/the-saddlers/charity