Catholic charity, The Charles Plater Trust (CPT) announced 31 new charity partnerships on Tuesday 24 June, awarding grants totalling £451, 202 during its annual Awards Celebration held at the Cornerstone Centre, and Metropolitan Cathedral Church of St David, in Cardiff. The event, hosted by CPT trustees, including Bishop Richard Moth, saw 20 large grants and 11 small grants awarded to a range of innovative charities working to build social justice in England and Wales.
CPT has awarded more than £4.5 million to 170 UK charities to date. Bishop Moth, in explaining the funding allocations this year said: “With the election of a new missionary focused Pope committed to a renewal of Catholic Social Teaching, we felt inspired as trustees to be outward focused. We wanted to reach out far and wide. To find partners passionate about standing in solidarity with the poor in the UK today, to help heal the deep divisions that exist in our society.”
Philippa Gitlin, chair of CPT’s Grant Making Committee added: “The trustees were impressed with the very high quality of applications we received. Among them, we have been able to fund six innovative applied social research projects to find new policy solutions. Whether this is piloting a neuroinclusive prison regime on a single wing in two prisons, HMP Belmarsh and HMP Isis to improve rehabilitation, or collecting evidence to amplify care leavers’ voices in shaping services, we are determined to
make a positive difference for the common good.”
Bristol based charity, One25 was awarded a large grant of over £20,000 to support women who are street sex-working in Bristol. A representative from the charity said: “The women we work with experience severe and multiple disadvantages with 94% experiencing chronic mental ill-health. This grant will help fund our Mental Health Caseworker over the next two years to ensure that women receive the support that they urgently need.”
The Prison Radio Association was also awarded a large grant of £20,000 and said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to work alongside the Charles Plater Trust for the next two years. With their support, we will be able to continue using the power of radio to offer hope and opportunity to marginalised women housed at HMPYOI Styal. Through the provision of training, mentoring and practical experience in radio production and presenting, we will support women to make the most of their time inside while building pathways into better, brighter futures on release.”
For the first time, an award was also given to The Tablet, to set up a “Charles Plater Trust Internship” under the lay leadership funding priority. Amanda Davison-Young, CEO of The Tablet Publishing Company said: “Funding a Tablet intern means investing in the next generation of thoughtful, ethical journalism—rooted in Catholic Social Teaching and dedicated to informing, inspiring, and serving the common good.”
