The Ormiston Trust

The Ormiston Trust is a UK-based charitable trust established to empower children, young people, and their families through education, community support, and social innovation. Registered with the Charity Commission under number 1164358, the Trust is known for its focus on enabling life chances and providing resources, grants, and partnership support to organisations that work towards improving youth outcomes.

History and Mission

Founded in memory of Fiona Ormiston Murray, who tragically died in a car accident in 1969, the Ormiston Trust has evolved into a significant grant-making trust in England. Its mission centers on creating a future where all young people have the tools and support to lead fulfilling lives and positively impact their communities and society at large. Over more than four decades, the Trust has provided added value support and funding to a range of projects and institutions that align with these goals.

Core Activities and Partnerships

The Ormiston Trust works predominantly through partnerships and sponsorships with various educational and charitable organisations. Key areas of involvement include:

• Funding and support for projects that benefit children and families nationwide.

• Sponsorship of three major Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) that collectively educate over 40,000 young people:

  • Ormiston Academies Trust
  • Gateway Learning Community Trust
  • Birmingham Ormiston Academies Group

• Support for Ormiston Families, a charity focusing on family resilience and child wellbeing, particularly in the East of England. Ormiston Families delivers programmes addressing issues such as the impact of parental imprisonment, maternal support, and mental health services for children.

Youth Social Action

One of the Trust’s flagship initiatives over recent years has been a youth social action programme. This initiative encourages young people to unite around social causes, developing skills, resilience, and wellbeing as they lead change on issues they care about. The Trust adopts a youth-led approach, believing that young people are powerful agents of change when properly supported.

Values and Vision

The Ormiston Trust upholds four core values that guide its work: commitment to children and families, partnership, innovation, and impact. Its vision is to ensure young people are not underestimated and are equipped to make a positive difference, ensuring broad societal benefits through education and social empowerment.

Related Organisations Founded or Supported by the Trust

• Ormiston Academies Trust (OAT): One of England's largest non-profit MATs, providing education to over 35,000 pupils across more than 40 schools. OAT is committed to delivering excellent learning opportunities and addressing educational challenges in diverse communities.

• Gateway Learning Community (GLC): A MAT focused on fostering active citizenship within diverse and equitable communities.

• Birmingham Ormiston Academies Group (BOAG): Offers specialised education pathways in performing arts and digital technologies, working closely with industry partners.

• Ormiston Families: A charity delivering targeted family support programmes, including prison visitor centres and mental health services for young people.

Together, these organisations embody the Ormiston Trust’s broad approach to improving life chances through education, community engagement, and family support.

The Ormiston Trust continues to operate as an engaged grant-making charity, collaborating with schools, charities, and other partners to maximise its impact and uphold its legacy of service to children and young people across the United Kingdom.[1][2][3][4][5]

[1] https://ormistontrust.org [2] https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regId=1164358&subId=0 [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ormiston_Trust [4] https://ormistonacademiestrust.co.uk [5] https://ormistontrust.org/founded-organisations/