The CO Research Trust was set up in 2005 as a registered charity, and was first known as the CORGI Trust. All profits from the commercial side of the CORGI business were donated to the Trust. The purpose of the CORGI Trust was to help improve gas safety.
Gas Safe Register replaced CORGI as the gas registration body in Great Britain and Isle of Man on 1 April 2009, and Northern Ireland and Guernsey on 1 April 2010. At this point, the Trust became known as the Gas Safety Trust. CORGI Services Limited continued to donate its profits to the Gas Safety Trust, and continues to do so today.
The Gas Safety Trust became the UK’s leading gas safety research charity, with the key objectives of improving gas and fossil fuel safety. The focus of the Trust was funding research and data collection relating to carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.
The Gas Safety Trust provided grant funding, advice and support to organisations or individuals to carry out research and evidence gathering relating to CO safety.
Since 2017, the Trust has also brought together the UK’s leading industry, scientific, and clinical experts at the workshop series. This has sought to encourage conversation and collaboration around key areas relating to CO exposure.
In 2021 the Trust announced that it will be known as The CO Research Trust. The new name and branding provides a more accurate reflection of the work carried out by the charity. The CO Research Trust continues to focus on funding research projects relating to CO safety.
To date, the Trust has invested almost £3 million in research projects and is committed to investing a further £1.5 million in the next five years.