The Caron Keating Foundation was established by a charitable trust deed on 3 October 2004 in memory of the broadcaster and TV presenter Caron Keating (1962-2004) who passed away after a 7 year battle with cancer, on 13 April 2004. The family of Caron established a Foundation in her name with the aim of helping many different cancer charities across the UK, not just breast cancer charities, as Caron had wanted to reach out to other cancer sufferers and families. The Foundation has two trustees, Caron’s mother, the TV and radio presenter, Gloria Hunniford, and Caron’s husband, Michael Keating. The Foundation’s medical consultant is the GP, presenter and writer, Dr Hilary Jones.

The Foundation’s aim is to assist all forms of cancer charities across the UK. Over the last 17 years its grants have achieved a wide geographical spread. This is a planned approach by the Foundation, designed to reach as many parts of the UK as possible.

The Foundation’s objectives are to:

o Promote research into the causes and treatment of cancer (in particular breast cancer).
o Protect and preserve the health of cancer patients by offering financial support to other cancer charities, complimentary health practitioners, support groups working with cancer patients and to such other groups or persons supporting those suffering from cancer (in particular breast cancer).
o Relieve those persons with cancer (in particular but not exclusively those suffering from breast cancer), their families and carers, and
o Support the dependents of cancer patients or those that have lost their life to cancer (in particular breast cancer).

Grants are nominally available for up to £25,000, although the vast majority of the Foundation’s awards are for between £2,000 and £5,000. UK registered charities with an annual income of under £1 million may apply. There is no specific requirement for matched funding.

A list of previous grant recipients is available on the Foundation’s website.

Grants can be used for such things as (please note that this is not an exclusive list):

o Complementary therapies to help with pain control.
o Different types of hospice care, both at home and in the Hospice itself.
o Drivers to take cancer patients to and from treatment centres.
o Equipment to aid cancer detection.
o Providing counselling services, including bereavement counselling, and
o Providing specialist beds and chairs to give physical relief.

Please note that funding is not available for large building projects

The Foundation doesn’t have an application form. Applications, which should be made in writing, should include the following:

o A copy of the applying organisation’s most recent audited accounts.
o Any copies of pamphlets or publicity materials circulated by the applying organisation.
o The amount of funding sought from the Foundation, and
o What any grant awarded will be used for.

Applications may be made at any time and are reviewed annually by the Foundation. Further information about the Foundation and its work is available on its website.