Relief of Sickness
For two decades, we have contributed to the work of charities whose dedication and expertise bring tangible, transformative support to patients and families every single day.
Between 2005 and 2025, we awarded 825 grants totalling £6.9 million to 375 charities across the UK.
Direct service delivery is demanding, essential work. It requires deep community understanding, sustained commitment, and the confidence and expertise to meet people at their point of greatest need.
Throughout this funding programme, we supported charities delivering focused, specialist services that make an immediate difference in their communities - work spanning the themes outlined below.
Our funding has predominantly supported organisations with annual incomes of £20 million or less. In practice, the majority of grants went to small and medium-sized charities - largely local or regional organisations directly serving their communities.
The scale and diversity of this work means no summary can do it justice. The themes outlined below and the examples highlighted in this section have been chosen as representatives of their fields - illustrating the breadth and depth of charitable impact we have been privileged to support.
2005-25
825
Grants awarded
£6.9m
Awarded to charitable organisations
375
Organisations supported
Theme: Supporting patients and their families
Projects supported under this theme range from clear, accessible health information to direct support for patients and families.
Many of our grants have enabled charities to produce high-quality printed and digital information, run helplines and host specialist patient conferences, working alongside our Health Education programme to raise awareness of particular conditions among healthcare professionals.
Under this theme we have also supported charities to deliver specialist clinical care and tailored services, as well as counselling and wider emotional and practical support, for people affected by both common and rare conditions, and for those who care for them.
You can read about some of our charity partners by clicking the button below.
Theme: Living with life-limiting illness
Under this theme we have supported charities that help adults with progressive, untreatable conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, MND, spina bifida, and other neurodegenerative conditions.
In most cases, maintaining mobility for as long as possible is one of the key focuses for disease management. This helps independence of movement as well as pain management, which, in turn, have a positive effect on the individual’s mental health.
We have also contributed to charities that help children with cerebral palsy, genetic disorders, and neurological conditions, recognising that early intervention and tailored support can significantly shape outcomes across their lifespan.
You can read about some of our charity partners by clicking the button below.
Theme: Rehabilitation after life-changing injuries
Under this theme we have supported charities that help adults and children with rehabilitation and reablement after life-changing injuries such as acquired brain injury, spinal cord injury, and loss of limbs.
In particular, we have supported the provision of specialist physical therapies including physiotherapy and hydrotherapy, occupational therapies, cognitive rehabilitation, and speech and language therapy.
We have also funded home adaptations, peer support services, counselling and emotional wellbeing support, independence-focused advisory services, and community reintegration programmes that enable individuals to regain independence and build fulfilling lives following their injuries.
Theme: Disability
Under this theme we have supported charities that help adults and children living with physical disabilities, especially children living with congenital conditions.
In particular, we have supported the provision of specialist physical therapies such as physiotherapy and hydrotherapy, speech and language therapy, and sensory integration support.
We have funded mobility equipment including powered and manual wheelchairs for under-fives, as well as holistic developmental assessment and therapy programmes. We have also contributed to charities providing practical everyday family support, including dedicated Family Support Workers who offer emotional and practical assistance.
Additionally, we have supported charities helping people living with sight loss with practical guidance, rehabilitation advisory services, and psychological support for children and families.
Theme: Air ambulances
We have supported air ambulance charities across the UK, funding essential equipment, staffing, consumables, and specialist training programmes that enhance clinical excellence and knowledge sharing. We have also invested in community initiatives that promote life-saving skills, including CPR training and public defibrillator awareness.
In response to growing demand from air ambulance services, we have had to refine our focus to direct support towards charities operating in South West England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. This targeted approach enables us to maintain meaningful investment in these critical emergency services whilst working within our available resources.
Theme: Hospital charities
The Foundation has supported hospital charities, notably those based in Bristol, funding transformational projects including capital refurbishment, the establishment of a dedicated paediatric clinical research facility, and the acquisition of advanced neurosurgical equipment such as robotic microscopy systems. We have also funded selective initiatives elsewhere, primarily supporting the recruitment of highly specialised clinical staff in emerging service areas.
Given sustained demand across all our programmes, we have decided to focus on charities that support patients through direct healthcare provision. We no longer contribute to hospital charities, but you can read about some of the projects we supported through the link below.
Theme: Mental Health
The Foundation has supported mental health projects from its inception, funding services addressing general wellbeing, parental mental health, suicide prevention, substance addiction recovery, trauma and abuse survivors, and bereavement support—including specialist services for bereaved parents. We have championed digital innovation in crisis support, residential treatment for complex trauma, integrated abuse and addiction services, sexual violence support, and peer-led perinatal mental health programmes.
We have also supported charities providing specialist mental health and trauma support to children and young people recovering from childhood sexual abuse, as well as those navigating multiple concurrent challenges including domestic abuse, parental addiction, and parental mental illness. Additionally, we have funded services supporting children and young people through childhood bereavement, recognising the distinct needs of this vulnerable population during grief.
Post-pandemic, demand has increased substantially across all mental health service areas. To sustain meaningful impact within our available resources, we have established a dedicated Mental Health funding programme with clearly defined priorities.
What we have learnt and how this funding programme has evolved
The breadth of the Relief of Sickness programme has given us the flexibility to support a wide range of causes and to work with charities of all sizes, from small local organisations to national bodies.
Through targeted grants for specific projects, we have deepened our understanding of the foundations of effective service delivery in the health charity sector and have seen many strong examples of strategic focus, organisational efficiency, and good practice.
Over time, the programme has developed to reflect a broad spectrum of healthcare delivery, supporting different groups of both children and adults, alongside a growing number of mental health charities in recent years.
Our latest review of funding priorities showed significant overlap between the Relief of Sickness and Health Education programmes, with most applicants eligible under both. As a result, we have brought these programmes together and will now support work through two new strands, with clearly defined priorities, but more flexible funding: Physical Health and Mental Health.
