Marketors’ Trust

The Marketors’ Trust is a charity. It was set up in 1976 by Reginald Bowden, the Founder Master of the Marketors’ Company, and other founding fathers. Its objectives have remained unchanged since its creation.

What is the purpose of the Marketors’ Trust?

The Trust historically has had four core objectives:

• The relief of any current or former Member of the Company (and their dependants) who is in ‘necessitous circumstances’.
• The education of persons connected with Marketing.
• The awarding of grants to charitable organisations connected with marketing or education.
• Any other charitable purpose, particularly connected to the City of London.

Who manages and oversees the Trust?

The Trust is governed by up to 10 Trustees, comprising the Master, Senior and Middle Wardens, the Hon Treasurer, the Chairman of the Awards Committee and five Court Assistants or other persons with relevant skills, with the Clerk acting as its Secretary. It is currently chaired by Court Assistant John Hooper CBE, who is appointed by the Court.

How is the Trust financed?

Unlike some of the ancient Livery Companies that have accumulated great wealth from legacies and endowments over many centuries, the Marketors’ Trust depends for its finances on the generosity of the Company’s current and past Members. It has declared stated reserves of £700k, which are invested to provide an annual income and capital protection. Additionally, contributions from Members generate around £37k pa.

These contributions from Members, ideally made by Direct Debit and with a Gift Aid declaration, are vital to the Trust’s ability to fulfil and expand its charitable role and we ask all Members who aren’t already donors to consider signing up.

Another increasingly important source of income for the Trust is through legacy giving. Members who are interested in leaving something to the Company in their will please contact the Chairman of the Trust, John Hooper CBE.

Who does the Trust help?

The Trust plans to distribute around £50-£60k of funds annually. This charitable giving falls into six main categories:

1. We encourage excellence in marketing education, by making awards and granting bursaries, in conjunction with some of the country’s leading business schools (e.g. Cass, Northumbria, Oxford Said, Queen Mary London, Regent’s, and Westminster), to graduate students at the cutting edge of marketing thinking.

2. We support our marketing industry and its professional bodies by funding awards in association with The Marketing Society, the CIM and the Market Research Society and making a charitable gift to the History of Advertising Trust.

3. We support the Mayoralty and the City of London Corporation by donations to the Lord Mayor’s Annual Appeal, to City and Guilds, to the Sheriffs’ & Recorder’s Fund and to the Mansion House Scholarship Fund, as well as events like Jailed & Bailed for the British Red Cross and the Big Curry Lunch for the Army Benevolent Fund.

4. We support the Company’s Armed Service affiliations, 151 Regiment, HMS St Albans and St. Dunstan’s College CCF with charitable awards and also donate to our own church, St Bride’s.

5. We support each Master with £2000 of donations to charities of his or her choice.

6. We look after our own in need, as guided by our Almoners.

The Trust has agreed a new giving initiative for 2019 to provide a grant of £15k pa to support the Museum of Brands’ (museumofbrands.com) Professional Development programme for career marketers.

In addition to the allocated budgeted giving of £50-£60k p.a. the Trust is now in a position where it also has unallocated reserves, which it hopes to distribute in coming years to causes that will positively contribute to our objectives.

None of this could happen without the generosity of Liverymen and Freemen, past and present. Charitable giving has been at the heart of City Livery Companies from their inception and as Marketors we are proud to continue this tradition. Whilst The Trust is an independent charity and donations are voluntary, it is hoped that every Freeman and Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Marketors will feel able to make a contribution to our charitable work. The accounts of the Trust are below and if you would like to contribute or increase your contribution, please contact the Chairman of the Trust, John Hooper CBE.

Marketors’ Trust Annual Report and Accounts 2017

THE MARKETORS’ TRUST – Charity registration number 272339