# The Dulverton Trust

The Dulverton Trust is an Endowment based in London, United Kingdom.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Endowment
- **Headquarters:** London, United Kingdom
- **Region:** Europe
- **Address:** London, United Kingdom
- **Founded:** 1949
- **Assets under management:** 141.5 (Altss estimate)
- **Website:** dulverton.org
- **LinkedIn:** https://uk.linkedin.com/company/the-dulverton-trust

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

The Dulverton Trust was established in 1949 by Sir Gilbert Alan Hamilton Wills, 1st Lord Dulverton. The original endowment derived from the W.D. & H.O. Wills tobacco fortune. Christopher Wills, grandson of the founder, serves as current chairman. The Trust makes grants to UK charities operating nationally and to UK organizations active in Kenya and Uganda. Supported areas include youth opportunity programs, general welfare services, conservation projects and heritage craft training. The foundation holds commercial properties including Loch Eil Outward Bound Centre, Guildhall Heritage and Arts Centre and 5 St James's Place in London. It also maintains art holdings such as a Stubbs self-portrait on loan to the National Portrait Gallery. The Trust belongs to the Association of Charitable Foundations and publishes grant data through 360Giving. No operational events from the last 24 months appear in available records. Family members including Michael Wills, 3rd Lord Dulverton, Robert Anthony Hamilton Wills and Laura Wills serve as trustees alongside Richard Fitzalan Howard. Governance remains within the founding family line with trustees drawn from direct descendants and one external investment professional. The structure separates grant decisions from the original tobacco operating company.

## Sectors

- Philanthropy

## People

- Christopher Wills — Chairman
- Richard Fitzalan Howard — Vice Chairman
- Michael Wills — Trustee
- Robert Anthony Hamilton Wills — Trustee
- Laura Wills — Trustee

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at The Dulverton Trust?

Christopher Wills serves as chairman. Richard Fitzalan Howard acts as vice chairman and holds the role of chairman at Stonehage Fleming Investment Management.

### Does The Dulverton Trust participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?

The Trust operates exclusively as a grant-making foundation. It does not commit to external funds or execute direct investments.

### Which sectors does The Dulverton Trust explicitly avoid?

Available records do not list excluded sectors. Grants focus on youth opportunity, welfare, conservation and heritage crafts.

### How is The Dulverton Trust related to Imperial Tobacco?

The original endowment came from the Wills family tobacco fortune that became part of Imperial Tobacco. No ongoing operational link exists.

### What is The Dulverton Trust's known posture on co-investments alongside external GPs?

The foundation does not engage in co-investments with external managers. It awards grants directly to UK charities.

## Related profiles

- [IINO LINES](https://altss.com/profile/iino-lines)
- [AlphaOne Partners](https://altss.com/profile/alphaone-partners)

---

Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/the-dulverton-trust

Maintained by Altss — https://altss.com — methodology: https://altss.com/methodology