The Ernest Hecht Charitable Foundation is now permanently closed.
About Ernest Hecht
Ernest Hecht was Managing Director and owner of Souvenir Press Ltd, one of the few remaining independently owned major publishing houses in Britain. He was also a legendary figure in the UK publishing industry and was awarded the first lifetime achievement award at the British Book Awards in 2001. He died in 2018, after 67 years of successfully leading the field in independent publishing.
Ernest was honoured by the Queen in her birthday honours list 2015 by being appointed to the Order of the British Empire – O.B.E – for services to publishing and charity.
Further information on Ernest Hecht and his legacy can be found here. Various tributes were made to him on his death, including obituaries in The Guardian and New Statesman.
Continuing Ernest Hecht’s extraordinary legacy, his beloved Souvenir Press, now owned by Profile Books, continues to provide an eclectic programme. This includes five Nobel Prize-winners (two for literature), that nestle alongside pioneering books on rock ‘n’ roll, football, and disability; often by writers with alternative viewpoints who challenge conventional wisdom.
About the Foundation
The Foundation’s primary objective was to support the work of UK registered charities by awarding grants that benefitted the disadvantaged and promoted the advancement of the arts and education. These wide-ranging interests continued to be reflected in the Trustees’ charitable decisions until all funds were expended.
It awarded grants that made a difference in a particular field, especially for the vulnerable, the young, and the elderly. In its lifetime, the Foundation was extremely proud to have donated in excess of £10 million.
Trustees
The Trustees who continued the Ernest Hecht Charitable Foundation, following his death in 2018, were Ben Barkow CBE, Barb Jungr and Robert Ward.