The Murray Bequest

Analysis

The Murray Bequest is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Oxfordshire. It was registered in July 1994, 32 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable trust. It says it makes grants to individuals and makes grants to organisations.

In the financial year ending May 2025, The Murray Bequest reported income of £23k and spending of £28k, spending 120% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from May 2021 to May 2025, income grew from £18k to £23k (+25%), an average of +5.8% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to May 2022, when income dropped by 40%. Over the whole period it spent 130% of the income it received.

Among 17,634 England and Wales charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, The Murray Bequest sits at the 53rd percentile: it is larger than about 53% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 47th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Gower Chorale (£23k), Godalming Performing Arts Festival (£23k) and Church Lands (£23k).

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.