The Michael Bishop Foundation was established in 1987 by its founder Michael Bishop, (now Lord Glendonbrook). As majority owner of the bmi British Midland airline group since leading a management buy out in the 1970’s, he built the group into a major force at London Heathrow, as well as creating several regional businesses and a low cost operation. He was knighted in 1991 and was made a life peer in 2011 as Baron Glendonbrook of Bowdon. Since selling his majority shareholding in the airline to Lufthansa in 2009 he has regularly gifted significant funds to the Foundation and it currently has investments totalling approximately £50m.
Since 1987 the Foundation has donated over £38m to more than 100 charities in the United Kingdom and in Australia through the Glendonbrook Foundation. We now regularly donate between £3 to £4m each year to a wide variety of charitable causes selected by the Trustees principally in the five focus areas.
Some examples of organisations and projects we have recently funded include:
Margaret Thatcher Scholarship Trust
We have provided multi-year funding to assist promising students to benefit from education at Somerville College, Oxford regardless of their personal circumstances.
English Heritage
In 2022 we agreed to provide £1m over a four year period for the conservation of four of the country’s most historic sites at Dover Castle, Hardwick Old Hall, Brodsworth Hall and North Leigh Roman Villa.
Iris Prize
Baker Dearing Educational Trust
In 2026, we provided funding for the Baker Dearing Educational Trust to strengthen initiatives that deliver technical education opportunities for young people. This includes an award for student employability and a new model of delivering high-quality technical education within secondary schools. The funding is also being used in a bursary for students to develop their skills and employability through aviation and aviation engineering.
Shelter – My Health Matters
Launched in 2024, My health Matters tackles health inequalities faced by people experiencing homelessness by improving access to healthcare. Delivered from the Manchester Hub in partnership with The Michael Bishop Foundation, its peer‑led approach builds trust, removes barriers, and helps people move towards stability.
The Trustees
Lord Glendonbrook CBE
Grahame Elliott CBE
Martin Ritchie
Tim Bye
Jo Furlong (Treasurer)
Jonathan Elliott