About us
Who we are
Bernard Lewis understood what it meant to begin with very little. His grandfather came to Britain as part of a Jewish family fleeing persecution. It took 70 years for the family to move beyond living week to week. Then, through the opportunities Britain offered and his own sheer determination and hard work, Bernard and his brother were able to build a successful business. He believed that success brought both responsibility and opportunity: a responsibility to help those whom life had denied opportunity, and an opportunity to offer a helping hand.
Bernard died in February 2026, 18 days after his 100th birthday. His children and grandchildren continue to manage and grow the family charitable trust, as he intended.
Bernard Lewis opened his first shop on London’s Holloway Road in 1948. Over the following decades the retail business morphed into different brands many of which helped to shape the British high street for generations.
Whilst retail has been at the heart of what Bernard created, the family has gone on to develop the businesses beyond retail to include property, hotels and investment. These businesses provide the funds for the family’s philanthropy.
After many years of giving, the Bernard Lewis Family Charitable Trust (BLFCT) became an independent charity in 2008. In the subsequent years the Trust has granted many millions of pounds to a wide variety of charities. The intention is to continue to do so for many more years to come.
Key metrics - a 5 year picture
Overview of the last 5 years, from the start of the Covid 19 pandemic to the end of 2024.
£16m
Granted and pledged
69%
Grants provided on an unrestricted basis
93%
Funding supported UK-based activity
92
Organisations supported
48%
Organisations with multi-year grants supported