The Jean Sainsbury Animal Welfare Trust (JSAWT) supports charities that rescue, rehabilitate, release and rehome animals.

From the windswept coasts of Northern Scotland – via numerous towns and cities across the UK – to the slopes of the Himalayas, JSAWT gives grants to an enormous range of animal welfare charities. By giving to smaller organisations our relatively modest grants can have a significant impact on the lives of animals and the people who care for them.

Since being founded in 1982 by Mrs Jean Sainsbury – no relation to the supermarket family – JSAWT has given just over £12,000,000 to almost a 1000 charities.

Originally, the focus was on charities working in the UK, but with a legacy bequeathed by Mr Joseph Shuman in memory of his wife Joyce, support expanded to UK registered charities working overseas. If you would like to make a donation to the Jean Sainsbury Animal Welfare Trust, or are thinking about leaving a gift in your will, please click here for further information.

There are three application deadlines each year, open to  charities registered in the UK. Our News page demonstrates the diversity and enormous reach of the organisations supported. Here are some recent grant recipients:

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Woodlands Award update

November 15, 2023/

JSAWT Chair of Trustees Mark Spurdens visited Woodlands Animal Sanctuary to present the 40th Anniversary Award plaque and giant cheque.…

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2023 was an exceptional year as JSAWT celebrated it’s 40th Anniversary.

To celebrate 40 years of giving, as well as our regular awards,  additional awards were made to long standing partner charities. JSAWT donated a total of £925,500 which was distributed across the charities we supported as follows:

The Jean Sainsbury Animal Welfare Trust has seven Trustees including two practising veterinary surgeons, one of whom is a partner in a mixed small animal, farm animal and equine practice and the other specialises in birds and wildlife.

The objectives of JSAWT are to donate to UK registered charities whose purposes encompass one or more of the following:

  • to benefit or protect animals
  • to relieve animals from suffering
  • to conserve wild life
  • to encourage the understanding of animals

JSAWT invites applications for funding, which are then reviewed against specific criteria, as set by the Trustees in accordance with the objectives of the Trust. Find out more about our application process here: Applications

Registered charity no. 326358