The Alister Hardy Trust is a registered charity managed by a Board of Trustees. Its object is to further the study of religious and spiritual experience started by Sir Alister Hardy FRS in 1969 [click here for further information].

The Trust seeks to address itself to objective research, communicating its findings to the public, and offering a forum for discussion for those interested in spirituality.

In seeking to undertake its objectives, The Trust welcomes accounts of spiritual/religious or transcendent experiences, and is grateful for all donations to assist it in its work.

The Trust has

A unique archive of accounts of religious experiences which are housed at the University of Wales, Lampeter.

A members’ lending library of over 2,000 volumes on areas of related interest - catalogue and postal service available

An audio and video tape library - click here for list

The Trust is committed to

Inter-disciplinary research into contemporary spirituality and religious experience.
Bringing together people who have an interest in this study.
Working with other organisations with overlapping interests.
Emphasising the importance of spirituality in education, healthcare, business and other areas.

The Trust publishes

Books and occasional papers - click here for list,
Outlines of research,
A regular newsletter, De Numine.

The Trust organises

Conferences and meetings, and offers
An MA course in religious experience, jointly with the University of Wales, Lampeter - click here for further details.

The Patrons of the Alister Hardy Trust are:

Bronwen, Viscountess Astor
His Holiness the Dalai Lama
His Eminence Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor
Professor Seyyed Hossein Nasr
The Revd. Dr. John A. Newton
His Eminence Supreme Primate, Koken Otani
Sir Jonathon Porritt
Lord Rees-Mogg
Chief Rabbi Professor Jonathan Sacks
Swami Chidanand Saraswati
The Most Revd. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury

The Trustees of the Alister Hardy Trust include:

Professor Eileen Barker
Revd. Professor Leslie Francis
John Franklin
Professor Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke
Ruth Russell-Jones (Hon Treasurer)
Professor Ursula King
Marianne Rankin (Chair of Alister Hardy Society)
Revd Professor Frank Whaling
Jane Winship
Professor Michael York

The Directors of the Alister Hardy Trust are:

Professor Paul Badham
Dr. Wendy Dossett
Professor Xinzhong Yao