The Panacea Charitable Trust

Overview

The Panacea Charitable Trust is a UK-registered charity, formerly known as the Panacea Society. Registered with the Charity Commission in 1926 under the number 227530, it transformed into its current form in 2012 to mark the end of the Panacea Society as a religious community.

Objectives

The Panacea Charitable Trust has two primary objectives:

1. Educational and Dissemination Activities:

   • Supports academic research, seminars, conferences, and their outputs.
   • Operates a museum on the site of the former community, maintaining its collection.
   • Manages an archive of books, manuscripts, and papers, making them available.
   • Engages in activities to educate the public about the Christian religion, with a focus on the history, beliefs, and practices of the Panacea Society and similar groups.

2. Community Support:

   • Provides grants for the relief of poverty and sickness, advancing education generally, with primary focus on Bedford and surrounding areas.

Activities and Scope

The trust is involved in various grant-making activities in several fields, including:

• General Charitable Purposes
• Education/Training
• Health Advancement or Life Saving
• Disability Support
• Poverty Relief
• Arts/Culture/Heritage/Science
• Environment/Conservation/Heritage
• Other Charitable Purposes

It helps a wide range of beneficiaries, including children, young people, elderly individuals, those with disabilities, other charities, and the general public. The charity operates by making grants to organizations, providing facilities, offering advocacy/advice/information, sponsoring research, and acting as an umbrella/resource body.

Organizational Structure

The Panacea Charitable Trust is supported by a team of 13 employees, 6 trustees, and 12 volunteers. This structure enables the effective management of its activities and the maintenance of its charitable status.

History

The Panacea Society was initially set up with a business-like structure in 1926 to ensure long-term management of its substantial funds. By the late 20th century, it had accumulated significant reserves from member contributions, property rentals, and investments. However, to maintain its charitable status, the organization modernized its objectives and administration, culminating in the establishment of The Panacea Charitable Trust in 2012. This transition marked the end of the Panacea Society as a religious community and included the opening of The Panacea Museum to commemorate its history.

[1] http://panaceatrust.org/about [2] http://panaceatrust.org [3] https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/227530 [4] https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/227530/what-who-how-where [5] http://panaceamuseum.org/about/history