Clergy Support Trust is governed by a Royal Charter, granted by King Charles II in 1678. The original name being the 'Charity for Releefe of the Poor Widdowes and Children of Clergymen'.
Through combining with other charities (our history) and responding to the needs of the time, our work has expanded from financial support to include health needs.
Our current charitable objects (updated November 2017), are:
...assistance to beneficiaries, whether directly or indirectly, in such manner as and by such means as the Court of Assistants [Trustees] from time to time in their absolute discretion think fit for the relief or prevention of poverty or hardship or for the relief of illness and the promotion of health, whether physical or mental.
Our “Beneficiaries” are members of clergy and ordinands, as well as their spouses or civil partners, former spouses or civil partners, children and dependants. We also support the widow(er)s of clergy and ordinands, as well as their children and dependents.
- “children” includes adopted children, step-children and persons treated as the children of a marriage or civil partnership
- “clergy” and “members of the clergy” means bishops, priests and deacons
- “ordinands” means people who are training for ordination