The Trust recognises that people’s health is irrevocably linked to healthy environments and communities, and access to healthy foods. As such, the Williamson Trust takes a One Health approach to its donation making strategy, integrating health, the environment and food under the Healthy Planet Healthy People vision. Through ethical partnering with individuals, organisations and communities we aim to bring this vision to life, delivering real change for individuals, by acting both locally and nationally. Through its vision the Trust hopes to enhance the quality and longevity of human life, by helping to mitigate the ongoing degradation of nature, the environment and our food system.

The Williamson Trust is a charitable trust, established in 1987 by William Salt (1925 – 2020) after the death of his mother. The Trust promotes education, health and wellbeing through making donations to appropriate organisations and individuals. In 2020 the Trustees refreshed the vision for the Trust. The new Healthy Planet Healthy People vision encapsulates William Salt’s aim for the Trust to enable quality of life and longevity, while reframing it in the present-day context of the ongoing global degradation of nature, the environment and our food system.

The Trust is endowed with funds from various sources including major contributions from Independent Property Holding (now dissolved), and the estate of the late William Salt. The Trust makes charitable donations using income from the endowment.

William Salt in the Navy during the 2nd World War, and later as a successful entrepreneur, based in Manchester and London.

Legacy funded projects (1987 – 2020)

• Manchester University (Medical Genomics) – £130,010
• Salford Royal (Back Pain Centre) – £156,000
• St Andrews Health Centre (heart disease) – £3,484
• St Bartholomew’s Hospital (Therapeutic Stem Cells) – £449,687
• Christie Hospital (Prostate Cancer) – £332,288

The Williamson Trust works across the UK, with a growing focus in Scotland and Wales. To maximise our impact the Trust works with individuals, communities, and both local and national organisations. 

The Williamson Trust partners with the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) (https://rse.org.uk/). The RSE is Scotland’s National Academy established in 1783 for the advancement of learning and useful knowledge, framed today as Knowledge Made Useful.

The Williamson Trust partners with the Learned Society of Wales (https://www.learnedsociety.wales/). Learned Society of Wales was set up in 2010 to recognise and represents excellence and promote scholarship and research, wherever it is found in Wales while appreciating the national and global dimension.

Healthy Planet, Healthy People: Catalyst Award

Healthy Planet, Healthy People: Catalyst Awards are designed to support community-led projects in Scotland. Funding will be provided to support new and existing projects that promote the health of individuals through fostering healthy environments and communities, and enabling access to healthy foods. The Williamson Trust is looking to award pilot-scale projects led by community-based individuals or organisations, who would each receive an award amount of up to £5,000 to conduct a project for up to 12 months.

The Catalyst Awards are funded by the Williamson Trust and developed and delivered in partnership with the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE).

Further information and how to apply can be found on the RSE website https://rse.org.uk/award/healthy-planet-healthy-people-catalyst-award/

Healthy Planet, Healthy People: Change Award

Healthy Planet, Healthy People: Change Award are designed to support community-led projects in Scotland. Funding will be provided to support groups that have previously received funding from the Healthy Planet, Healthy People Catalyst Awards scheme. A key consideration is ensuring that Change Award funding builds upon but remains distinct from the initial Catalyst Award funding, supporting projects that have evolved beyond their original scope. New but related projects will also be considered. Change Award funding will prioritise projects demonstrating a measurable impact and the potential for sustainable outcomes. Projects must promote the health of individuals through fostering healthy environments or communities, or enabling access to healthy foods. The Williamson Trust is looking to fund projects led by community-based individuals or organisations, who would receive an award amount of either £25,000 or £75,000 depending on the scale of the project to conduct a project for up to 24 months.

The Change Awards are funded by the Williamson Trust and developed and delivered in partnership with the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE).

Further information and how to apply can be found on the RSE website https://rse.org.uk/award/healthy-planet-healthy-people-catalyst-award/

Trusted Voices: Evidence-based knowledge for Wales’ Grants

 In an age of disinformation, the Williamson Trust wants to fund researchers and knowledge-producers to create and communicate innovative, engaging, and trustworthy content to reach audiences in Wales (and beyond). The content must be based on existing reliable research and evidence, and contribute to the Williamson Trust’s Healthy Planet, Healthy People vision through fostering healthy environments or communities, or enabling access to healthy foods.

The Trusted Voices grants are funded by the Williamson Trust and developed and delivered in partnership with the Learned Society of Wales (LSW).

Further information and how to apply can be found on the LSW website https://williamsontrust.org.uk/trusted-voices-evidence-based-knowledge-for-wales-grants-2025-2026/