Sir John Fisher Foundation

The Sir John Fisher Foundation is a charitable trust established in 1980 by Sir John and Lady Maria Fisher. Its objective is to distribute its income to charitable causes, and it supports charitable activity in the Barrow-in-Furness area and surrounding towns and villages. Grants are for a maximum of 12 months, with a maximum request of £20,000, and application deadlines each year are 1st March and 1st September. Sir John Fisher was Chairman of James Fisher & Sons plc, the Barrow-in-Furness based shipping and marine services company, and gave a substantial proportion of his shares in that company to the Foundation.

The Sir John Fisher Foundation was established in 1980 by Sir John and Lady Maria Fisher. Sir John Fisher was the Chairman of James Fisher & Sons plc, the Barrow-in-Furness based Shipping and Marine Services Company, which was founded by his grandfather in 1847 and is described as one of the world's oldest shipping companies. In 1939, on the outbreak of the Second World War, Sir John was called to the Ministry of War Transport as Director of the Coasting and Short Sea Trade Division; he played a large role in the evacuation of Dunkirk and in the planning of the landings in Normandy on D Day, and in 1941 he received a knighthood for his work at the Ministry. Lady Maria Fisher was a famous pre-war opera singer (Maria Elsner); they met in 1942 at a party given by their mutual friends Sir Charles and Lady Craven (of Vickers Shipyard), and Maria was the great niece of Sir Charles Halle, who founded the Halle Orchestra in Manchester. Sir John gave a substantial proportion of his shares in James Fisher and Sons plc to The Foundation so it could strive to continue that charitable tradition.

A grant-making charitable trust focused on serving needs and growing ambitions in Barrow-in-Furness and the surrounding area.

1. 1Sir John Fisher Foundation – Charitable Trustsirjohnfisherfoundation.org.uk
2. 2History – Sir John Fisher Foundationsirjohnfisherfoundation.org.uk
3. 3Our Funding – Sir John Fisher Foundationsirjohnfisherfoundation.org.uk
4. 4Sir John Fisher Foundationwikidata.org