Rhodri Davies

A timeline of modern British philanthropy

by Rhodri Davies

In this fascinating article, Rhodri Davies takes you through a brief but insightful history of British giving.

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About the author

Rhodri Davies is a well-known commentator on philanthropy and civil society issues. He is the founder and Director of the think tank Why Philanthropy Matters and the host of the Philanthropisms podcast. He is also a Pears Research Fellow in the Centre for Philanthropy at the University of Kent, and Philanthropy Expert in Residence at the Pears Foundation.

Rhodri is the author of two books: What is Philanthropy For? (2023) and Public Good by Private Means: how philanthropy shapes Britain (2016). He was formerly Head of Policy at Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), where he also set up the in-house think tank ‘Giving Thought’.