New East Lothian charity to bring historic trust funds back into community use
The Revitalising Trusts Project was part of a cross-party taskforce that has helped pave the way for 29 legacy funds, worth approximately £1.39 million, to come together to help tackle poverty and inequality across the area.
Plans to modernise the way in which historic trust funds are used to support and involve local communities have been approved by East Lothian councillors.
A report considered at Tuesday’s full meeting of East Lothian Council recommended the creation of East Lothian Benefactors SCIO (Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation) to bring together and revitalise dozens of legacy funds, many of which date back decades and remain underused.
The proposal, developed through the work of a cross-sector advisory task force, was supported by councillors and represents a significant step towards unlocking trust funding, ensuring it can better support communities across East Lothian today.
For centuries, individuals with strong ties to East Lothian have left money in their wills to support those less fortunate. One such benefactor, David Gourlay, left a legacy in 1801 to support the “industrious deserving poor and elderly.” Others, having found success further afield, looked back to their home county and chose to give something back.
However, many of these funds are governed by outdated conditions or fragmented structures, limiting their impact in addressing modern challenges such as poverty and inequality.
In early 2026, a task force bringing together councillors, council officers, volunteers, and third sector organisations was convened to tackle this issue. Supported by organisations including VCEL and Foundation Scotland, the group worked collaboratively over several months to develop a clear and practical way forward.
Their conclusion was to recommend the creation of a single, modern charitable structure would provide the most effective way to unlock the full potential of these funds.
The proposed SCIO model aims to simplify administration, improve transparency, and allow funds to be used in ways that better reflect today’s community needs—while remaining faithful to the original intentions of donors.
The new organisation will also aim to act as an umbrella charity, bringing together many of the existing trusts and making them more accessible to communities.
Initially, around 29 trusts, valued at approximately £1.39 million, are expected to transfer into the SCIO, with further funds reviewed in phases. Some trusts, particularly those linked to property or requiring complex legal changes, will remain with East Lothian Council for now.
Importantly, existing arrangements for accessing funds will continue during the transition, ensuring continuity for current beneficiaries.
Looking ahead, the new SCIO will aim not only to distribute funding more effectively but also to generate wider impact – supporting projects that can help people move out of poverty permanently and attract additional external funding into the county.
A key ambition of the initiative is to place communities at the centre of decision-making. While the SCIO will initially be overseen by a mix of council officers and task force representatives, there are plans to bring in community trustees over time.
Engagement with local groups will begin as soon as the organisation is established, ensuring that funding supports the frontline work already taking place across East Lothian. The hope is that the organisation’s funding will not only allow new projects to develop but will also provide seed funding for other grant application. In this way, the generosity of former residents of East Lothian can be used to attract even more money into the county.
“We were delighted to become involved with this initiative. We are working to get millions of pounds of community benefits into East Lothian and wanted to show how the public and voluntary sectors can be effective and responsive by working together as a team, using volunteer resources where possible.”
The task force brought together a wide range of experience, including community representatives such as Hilary Smith of North Berwick, who highlighted the importance of community involvement based on best practice from other funding models.
“This new advisory task force made up of dedicated community volunteers, ELC Officers, local ward Councillors, VCEL and Foundation Scotland, chaired by Eamon John Head of Communities, has over the last few months dealt with all the challenges they have encountered to find a clear route that will bring these bequeathed legacies together into what we expect will be a new registered charitable organisation. It’s a credit to everyone involved that we have worked so effectively as a team. We will ensure that these funds remain faithful to their initial intention of alleviating poverty and inequalities, working vigorously for the benefit and wellbeing of all within the county of East Lothian.”
“The creation of East Lothian Benefactors SCIO marks the beginning of a longer-term transformation in how charitable funds are used to support communities. It will maximise the impact of funds which are in place thanks to East Lothian’s long history of generosity. By modernising governance and simplifying structures, the new approach aims to ensure that funds entrusted to benefit local people can be used more effectively, fairly, and transparently. I would like to thank and pay tribute to task force members for their hard work and input and grateful to the interim trustees who will supervise the re-organisation of the funds.”
Foundation Scotland has already unlocked millions of pounds of dormant funds and historic legacies for public benefit across Scotland.
“It can be a long and complex process to mobilise and revitalise dormant funds back into public use, so I’m delighted I’ve been able to offer assistance and to help advise East Lothian Council with this project. We have an experienced and committed Taskforce who have worked hard to get us to this stage, and who are motivated to support the development of what will be an innovative, community-led fund, helping tackle poverty across the county.”
The next stage will reportedly involve formally establishing the SCIO which will be registered with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR).
While some funds may take longer to transfer, the creation of the new organisation marks a significant milestone. The task force will continue to guide the process, with further phases including a full review of all trusts and the development of long-term governance arrangements.
The full report is available on the council website.
Visit the project information webpage for more information on the Revitalising Trusts Project.