The previously separate RVW Trust and the Vaughan Williams Charitable Trust have announced the merger of the two charities into the Vaughan Williams Foundation. Announced last night at the 150th birthday celebrations for composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, the trustees of both existing charities affirmed that the new Foundation will honour Vaughan Williams’s commitment to supporting composers of today.

Launching with a new website, the Vaughan Williams Foundation has made available some of its unique resources, including transcripts of RVW’s letters to friends and musicians, as well as an extensive catalogue of RVW compositions. In addition, photos from the collection of the composer’s wife, Ursula Vaughan Williams’, are available to view.

• Visit the Vaughan Williams Foundation’s new website

Prior to this union, both Trusts played a significant role in the UK’s musical landscape over many years, supporting UK music making and composers with combined grants averaging £300,000 pa. Grant beneficiaries have included festivals, orchestras, ensembles, opera companies, composers, individual performers and record companies. VWCT has funded the production of many new editions and recordings of the RVW scores as well as focusing on research and resources, including the digitisation of the letters.

Speaking at the launch, Chair of the new Foundation, Sally Groves MBE said: 'Ralph Vaughan Williams was the most quietly generous of men, with an unquenchable interest in all music. We are delighted that the Vaughan Williams Foundation will allow his generosity of spirit to continue and will benefit composers and performers well beyond the life of his musical copyrights.'