Marsh Christian Trust

Marsh Christian Trust is a national charity in the United Kingdom, based in London. It was founded in 1981 and is a registered charity under English law.^[1]

The trust specialises in providing small annual grants to charities to pay for running costs and in running a range of award schemes, the Marsh Awards, intended to reward the work of volunteers and charity workers. The Marsh Christian Trust also makes hundreds of grants each year to individual Charities working across all fields of charitable activities.

The Marsh Awards are a group of over 90 awards given annually by the Marsh Christian Trust, in partnership with around 40 different organisations. The number of awards in the trust's portfolio continues to grow, and awards are given in the areas of conservation, science, the arts, heritage, literature, social welfare and volunteering. The Marsh Christian Trust was established by Brian Marsh, the current Chairman, in 1981.

The trust's founder was appointed an OBE for services to business and charity in the 2005 New Year Honours.

The Marsh Christian Trust changed its public facing name to the Marsh Charitable Trust on 1st September 2021, to reflect the inclusive policies it has always followed.

Awards[]

What are the awards for?[]

Through the Marsh Awards, the trust seeks to recognise those who do what they do out of love, not for money.

The people who the Marsh Awards seek to honour are:

• Those who work or volunteer with those in need, from the elderly to asylum seekers.
• Those who dedicate their lives to the future conservation of the planet.
• Those who create and make art and culture accessible to everyone.
• Those who work to maintain and restore our natural and built heritage.

Why and how are the awards be created?[]

The awards are the creation of Brian Marsh, Chairman of the Marsh Christian Trust, who wanted to support areas such as conservation and volunteering but wished to identify a way of ensuring a modest sum of money made an impact. The Marsh Awards created that vehicle and have since then allowed the trust to recognise these unsung heroes across a wide professional and charitable spectrum, from the fields of conservation and heritage to social welfare and the arts. The awards programme works alongside a number of key partner organisations, including the Zoological Society of London, the Heritage Craft Association, Barnardo's and the Refugee Council. These partners recommend a shortlist of worthy award winners, but the final decision lies with a judging panel, ensuring complete independence and giving real value to the winners in terms of the recognition earned.

Social welfare awards[]

This category of awards recognises individuals and groups who through their volunteering, fundraising and general ongoing support have improved the quality of many people's lives across the UK. The winners of these awards have worked with children, campaigned for human rights and supported carers, refugees, victims of human trafficking and many others.

The partner organisations in this category are:

• Barnardo's: one of the UK's leading children's charities, working to transform the lives of vulnerable children.
• Human Trafficking Foundation: works to provide a collective voice for the many charities and agencies operating to combat human trafficking.
• Mind: one of the UK's leading charities working to improve the lives of people with experience of mental health problems.
• Prisoners Advice and Care Trust (PACT): a national charity that provides support to prisoners, people with convictions, and their families.
• Re-engage: dedicated to tackling loneliness and social isolation amongst older people through face-to-face contact.
• Refugee Council: one of the leading charities in the UK working directly with refugees and supporting them to rebuild their lives.
• St Mungo's: a housing association aiming to end homelessness and help people rebuild their lives.
• We Are With You: supports adults, children, young adults and older people make positive behavioural changes to change their lives for the better, particularly through recovery from addiction.
• Wilton Park: an international forum for strategic discussion, initiating discussions on issues of international security, prosperity and justice.

Conservation and ecology awards[]

This group of awards recognises individuals, groups and young people for their volunteering, academic study and lifetime contributions to the conservation of the planet. Their activities tend to range from local conservation, collecting data and recording wildlife to ways of managing climate change, community based international conservation projects and the protection of genetic biodiversity.

The partner organisations in this category are:

• Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI): the world authority on botanic gardens and plant conservation and the only global organisation devoted to conserving the world's plant diversity.
• British Ecological Society: promotes the science of ecology through research, publications and conferences and uses the findings of research to educate the public and to influence policy.
• British Entomological and Natural History Society (BENHS): promotes advancement of research in entomology with an increasing emphasis on the conservation of fauna and flora and the protection of wildlife through the world.
• British Trust for Ornithology (BTO): works to investigate, promote and protect primarily birds, but also other wildlife, by monitoring change in their populations and behaviours.
• Butterfly Conservation: a leading voice in working to stop the decline of butterflies and moths in the UK to maintain a world full of butterflies for future generations to enjoy.
• Canal and River Trust: cares for waterways in England and Wales and promotes their importance for local communities, our heritage and the environment.
• Fauna and Flora International (FFI): works in partnership with numerous smaller organisations all over the world facilitating and initiating sustainable biodiversity.
• Kent Wildlife Trust: the leading conservation organisation covering the whole of Kent and Medway, dedicated to protecting wildlife and wild habitats for everyone to enjoy.
• The Marjan Centre for the Study of Conflict and Conservation: seeks to protect the planet's biodiversity by understanding the relationship between conflict and conservation.
• Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST): works to conserve Britain's native livestock heritage.
• Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew (RBGK): a leader in plant science and conservation.
• Royal Horticultural Society (RHS): the UK's leading gardening charity.
• The Wildlife Trusts: help to reduce the decline of nature by protecting the UK's natural and wild places, through work in both marine and terrestrial environments.
• Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT): the UK's leading voice in Wetland Conservation since 1946.
• Zoological Society of London (ZSL): works to promote and ensure the worldwide conservation of animals.

Arts and culture awards[]

This group of awards recognises individuals and groups for their efforts in the protection, promotion and appreciation of art and culture throughout society. The award winners are volunteers and professionals conducting a range of activities, from working in education in museums and galleries and helping to keep them open to the public, to artists creating new pieces of art and conservationists protecting existing ones.

The partner organisations in this category are:

• Arts Society: a leading arts education charity with a global network of 385 local Societies which bring people together through shared curiosity for the arts.
• British Medal Art Society (BAMS): an organisation that brings together artists, historians, collectors and dealers in its appreciation and preservation of the medal as a traditional form of art.
• Engage: the lead advocacy and training network for gallery education, bringing communities together through opportunities to learn and benefit from art.
• The British Museum: a leader in the museum world, dedicated to human history, art and culture.
• The Museum of London: tells the story of London with the help of hundreds of volunteers who contribute their time, skills and interests in various ways.
• Public Statue and Sculpture Association (PSSA): aims to heighten public appreciation of Britain's public sculptures and fountains, and to contribute to their preservation, protection, and promotion.
• The Royal Opera House (ROH): an opera house and a major performing arts venue.

Heritage and community[]

This group of awards recognises individuals and groups for their efforts in building and protecting local communities and local national heritage. The winners of these awards are volunteers, historians, historical scientists, and crafts people who work to protect the UK's national heritage and build and uphold local communities and social networks.

The partner organisations in this category are:

• The Churches Conservation Trust (CCT): works to put historic English churches back at the heart of the community by conserving their past and regenerating the buildings for the future.
• Council for British Archaeology (CBA): an educational charity working throughout the UK to promote and involve people in archaeology.
• Heritage Crafts Association: the UK's leading organisation fighting against the loss of the nation's traditional crafts.
• Institute for Historic Building Conservation (IHBC): the principal professional body for building conservation practitioners and historic environment specialists.
• National Churches Trust: dedicated to promoting and supporting church buildings of historic, architectural and community value.
• National Historic Ships UK (NHS-UK): the official voice for historic vessels in the UK, helping to manage the upkeep and keep a record of all the historic vessels in the UK.
• Natural History Museum: a world-class visitor attraction and a leading science research centre.
• Royal Museums Greenwich: is home to the Royal Observatory, the iconic historic sailing ship Cutty Sark, the National Maritime Museum and the Queen's House art gallery.
• The Royal Anthropological Institute (RAI): the world's longest-established scholarly association dedicated to the furtherance of anthropology.

Full information on the winners of the awards and the work they have done can be found on the Marsh Christian Trust website.

References[]

External links[]

• Marsh Christian Trust
• information on the winners of the awards on the Marsh Christian Trust site