Julia Rausing

Julia Rausing (11 February 1961 – 18 April 2024) was a British philanthropist. She co-founded the Julia and Hans Rausing Trust with her husband in 2014, which became one of the largest philanthropic funds in the UK.

Early life

Julia Helen Delves Broughton was born in 1961 to Sir Evelyn Delves Broughton and Helen Delves Broughton (née Shore). She had an older sister, Isabella Blow, a younger brother, John, and a younger sister, Lavinia. Julia and her sisters grew up at Doddington Hall in Cheshire and studied at Heathfield School.[1]

Early career

Broughton, like her sisters, was left £5000 by her father on his death. The majority of his wealth was left to his third wife. Broughton worked as a personal assistant and then as a secretary at Christie's. She became a senior director there.[1]

Broughton met Hans Rausing in the early 2000s at Christie's. She supported him after the death of his first wife and psychiatric hospitalisation, and they married at Woburn Abbey in July 2014.[1]

Philanthropic work

Rausing co-founded the Julia and Hans Rausing Trust with her husband in 2014 to support charities in the UK.[2] The Trust became one of the largest charitable grant-makers in the country.[3]

In 2019, the Rausings donated the largest donation that English Heritage had received at that point, to fund a new bridge to Tintagel Castle.[4]

Rausing led an initiative, the Charity Survival Fund, during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide £35 million to charities struggling to raise funds during lockdowns.[5][3] This was the single biggest donation to NHS Charities Together.[6]

In 2023, the Trust identified hospices at critically low funding levels and provided £8.7million to 27 at financial risk.[7]

Death and legacy

Rausing died on 18 April 2024, at the age of 63, after an extended period of living with cancer.[1]

The National Gallery has a room named for Rausing and her spouse, the Julia and Hans Rausing Room (Room 32).[8][9] A former Moravian Church in Malmesbury was renamed the Julia and Hans Rausing Building in 2018, with funding to support its use for education, heritage, culture and the arts.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Julia Rausing, art expert, philanthropist and second wife of Tetra Pak heir Hans Rausing – obituary". The Telegraph. 26 April 2024. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Philanthropist Julia Rausing dies aged 63". Bracknell News. 18 April 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  3. ^ a b Ricketts, Andy. "Co-founder of one of the UK's largest foundations dies at 63". www.thirdsector.co.uk. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  4. ^ "Tintagel Castle bridge gets £2.5m donation". BBC News. 19 February 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  5. ^ William, Helen (19 April 2024). "Philanthropist Julia Rausing dies aged 63 as Tetra Pak heir husband pays tribute". Evening Standard. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  6. ^ "Billionaire philanthropist Hans Rausing and wife Julia pledge £10 million 'lifeline' to bailout charities". Tatler. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  7. ^ May, Melanie (23 November 2023). "Rausings donate £8.7mn to 27 hospices under financial pressure". UK Fundraising. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  8. ^ "The Julia and Hans Rausing room". www.nationalgallery.org.uk. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  9. ^ "National Gallery room closed for lengthy £4m refurbishment". guernseypress.com. 11 October 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  10. ^ Singleton, Sarah (20 December 2018). "The Duchess of Cornwall visits Malmesbury to open Julia and Hans Rausing Building and join Carols by Candlelight". The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald. Retrieved 30 April 2024.