Frequently asked questions
Plain answers to the questions we hear most often.
The trustees update this page every quarter. If your question is not answered here, please write to [email protected] — a trustee will reply within three working days.
Who can apply for a grant from Arnold Relief in Need?
Any household whose primary residence is within the historic boundary of the ancient parish of Arnold, Nottinghamshire. The boundary takes in Daybrook, Killisick, Woodthorpe, Redhill, Front Street and the streets around St Mary's, and the village of Bestwood at the parish edge. If you are not sure whether your address is inside the boundary, please write to us — we will tell you plainly within a working day.
How do I make a referral?
Most referrals reach us through the parish welfare team at Gedling Borough Council, the school welfare leads at Arnold Hill and Redhill Academies, or the district nurses at Daybrook Surgery. You can also write directly to the trustees at 73 Arnot Hill Road, or email [email protected]. There is no application form to complete; a short note in your own words is the form.
How quickly are grants paid out?
The median time from referral to delivered grant in the 2025–26 Winter Doorstep round was four working days. Grants of £250 or below are taken under the standing authority of the chair plus two co-trustees; grants above £250 wait for the next quarterly trustee meeting (held in March, June, September and December).
Do I need to prove my income?
No. The trust does not ask households for proof of income, bank statements, or receipts. We trust the parish worker who points us at the case. If a household would like to send us a short note in their own words, we are always pleased to read it, but it is not required.
Will my application be confidential?
Yes. The trustees do not photograph people receiving help, do not publish a household's name without written consent, and do not share referral notes with any external body except where required by law (for instance, in the event of a safeguarding escalation to Nottinghamshire County Council). Our full privacy notice is published at /privacy/.
How can I support the trust?
The simplest way is a one-off or monthly gift via the donate page. We also welcome cheque donations, standing orders, and legacies in wills — please write to [email protected] and the honorary treasurer will send the relevant paperwork. We are equally glad of volunteer time; see the volunteer page for roles.
Do you offer Gift Aid on donations?
No. The Charity Commission record shows that the trust is not currently registered with HMRC for Gift Aid. The trustees keep this position under review. We do not display a Gift Aid declaration on the donate page, and no donor should claim Gift Aid in error.
Do you have paid staff?
No. The trust has no paid employees and has never had any. All work — including grant casework, befriending visits, Wassail packing, and the keeping of the minute book — is carried out by nine unpaid trustees and a small rota of volunteers.
Why is the trust's income so small on the Charity Commission record?
Arnold Relief in Need is the parent body of a group of linked constituent charities — the original parish funds that were brought together in 1964. The parent fund holds reserves and acts as the public face of the trust; most of the working capital sits in the linked accounts. The Charity Commission record for the parent therefore often shows a deliberately small headline income.
Can you help me if I live just outside the parish?
No, but we will try to point you to a body that can. Most neighbouring parishes — Daybrook (proper), Carlton, Calverton, Lambley, Burton Joyce — have their own small relief trusts. The resources page includes a printable list of the current contacts in each.
How are trustees appointed?
Trustees are appointed by the existing board, on the advice of the parochial church council of St Mary the Virgin, for renewable three-year terms. The board prefers to appoint trustees who have already volunteered with the trust in another capacity for at least a year. There is no application form; please write to the chair if you would like to be considered for a future vacancy.
Where are your accounts published?
Our annual return and accounts are filed each November and are publicly available on the Charity Commission register at charity-commission.gov.uk/220057. Summarised versions are available on our reports page.
Do you accept volunteers under eighteen?
Only for the Wassail Fund packing day in December, which is open to families. Most of our roles require an in-date enhanced DBS check, which is restricted to those over the age of eighteen.
How do I make a complaint about the trust?
Write to the chair of trustees at 73 Arnot Hill Road, Arnold, Nottingham, NG5 6LN. The chair will acknowledge your complaint within five working days and respond in full within twenty working days. If you remain dissatisfied you have the right to complain to the Charity Commission and, on data-protection matters, to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113.
Can my organisation become a referral partner?
Most likely, yes — if your organisation works within or close to the ancient parish of Arnold. Please use the enquiry form on the partnerships page and a trustee will write back within fifteen working days.
Is the trust on social media?
Lightly. Our Facebook and Instagram accounts are used to share quarterly dispatches and event notices. We do not post photographs of households receiving help, and we do not run paid social campaigns. The links sit in the footer of every page.