CISWO - The Coal Mining Charity

Who we are

CISWO is a national charity working across the UK. Since 1995, we’ve been working to improve lives and reduce disadvantage in coal mining communities. Our services make a real difference to people’s lives.

We have offices based in Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Wales and Scotland.

Personal Welfare

Individual support for former mineworkers and their dependent families most in need is provided through our personal welfare service. We deliver practical and emotional support, benefits advice, advice around coping with ill-health and immobility and enable access to financial grants through CISWO or other agencies and charities. Our service is confidential and free of charge.

Support for other Mining Charities

We help more than 200 independent mining charities across the UK to continue delivering essential recreational and social facilities in local communities with guidance, governance support and advice on funding.

Social Inclusion

With the loss of facilities and erosion of social opportunities, our activities can provide a vital lifeline for those experiencing social isolation and loneliness in former mining communities. We provide a range of opportunities and activities including our social day centre in Pontefract, and access to other organisations and societies.

Protecting Recreation

As custodian of one of the largest recreational land portfolios in the UK, be it football, rugby and cricket pitches or open recreation grounds, we seek to maintain local facilities in former mining communities for ongoing use by the local population.

Support for Higher Education

Supporting access to higher education has been a long-standing priority for CISWO. We provide grants for former mineworkers and their dependent children from low income families for the purposes of supporting them in their university education, subject to eligibility.