A trust has been launched in memory of the late philanthropist Julia Rausing, which will donate £100m to UK charities working in arts and heritage, health and welfare and education in its first year. 

Julia Rausing, who set up the Julia and Hans Rausing Trust with her husband in 2014, died in April at the age of 63 after an extended illness.

The Julia Rausing Trust, which is a sister organisation to the couple’s existing organisation, has been launched by Hans Rausing in memory of his wife.

The trust will distribute £100m in grants in its first year to causes that were important and meaningful to Rausing, including the arts and culture, health and welfare and education sectors.

As part of the first round of donations, £50m has already been given to charities and organisations, including a £10m grant to the Royal Opera House for major upgrades to its staging and lighting to improve the environment for artists and the audience.

This grant follows a £12.5m donation that Rausing made in 2023 as a principal sponsor, which is being received over a five-year period.

The trust has made a £5m grant to The National Gallery to fund refurbishment to its mews connecting the Sainsbury Wing and the Wilkins building and the creation of new seminar rooms and an artist studio.

It has also donated £1m to Gloucester Cathedral to fund repairs and refurbishment of its organ.

The trust said that all three of these organisations were important to Rausing and were previously supported by her philanthropy through the Julia and Hans Rausing Trust. 

The new trust’s remaining funds will be distributed to charities and organisations working in the arts and culture, health and welfare and education sectors, which will be selected through an internal process. These further grants will be announced in due course.

Hans Rausing said: “The Julia Rausing Trust is a fitting legacy to Julia’s philanthropic vision and has been established to support causes that were close to her heart. Julia’s love for the arts was self-evident. 

“She enjoyed a highly successful career in the arts and subsequently brought her expertise to supporting galleries and museums that benefit millions every year.”

He said: “I hope that the Julia Rausing Trust will bring awareness to her generosity, demonstrate the important work philanthropy does, and support causes and organisations which are the backbone of our society.”