Charitable Activities – Overview
The Society of Merchant Venturers is involved in many charitable activities across Bristol, including:
- Helping to educate over 2,000 children in Bristol through their schools: Merchants’ Academy, Colston’s School and Colston’s Girls’ School
- Helping towards the care of over 1000 older people in eight residential homes across the greater Bristol area
The Merchants meet regularly to review current activities and plans for the future across youth, education, care for older people and other issues in support of the greater Bristol area.
Applying For A Grant
Please use the following links to download a Charity Committee grant application form and a guide for applicants:
When completed, email to enquiries@merchantventurers.com
| Education | The Merchant Venturers are committed to helping deliver and develop the provision of high quality educational provision in Bristol. Read more... |
| Care For Older People | Through some of the trusts which it administers, the Merchant Venturers has been closely involved in the care of older people in Bristol for more than 350 years, initially as Trustee of the Merchants' Almshouses in King Street and Colston's Almshouses on St. Michael's Hill. Read more... |
| Youth | The Society of Merchant Venturers’ Youth Committee meets at least biannually to deliberate on ways in which the Society can offer support to young people in Bristol. Current areas of support include those associated with enterprise, youth in transition and disadvantaged youth. Read more... |
| Trusts | Since 1708 when Edward Colston appointed the Merchant Venturers to manage the Colston's Hospital Foundation a number of other trusts both large and small have come to be managed by the Merchants, the largest being the St Monica Endowment Trust, whose funds currently are in excess of £170 million. Read more... |
| Clifton & Durdham Downs | The Merchant Venturers dedicated 220 acres of Clifton Down to the citizens of Bristol in perpetuity and the Corporation of Bristol did likewise with the adjoining Durdham Down. The land is administered by the Downs Committee on which both the Merchant Venturers and the City Council are equally represented. Read more... |
| Edmonds and Coles Scholarships | Read more... |