West Somerset Railway Association

Analysis

West Somerset Railway Association is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Taunton. It was registered in November 1994, 32 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under environment and conservation. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 02968284). It says it makes grants to organisations, provides human resources and provides buildings/facilities/open space.

In the financial year ending March 2025, West Somerset Railway Association reported income of £1.4m and spending of £629k, leaving 55% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £373k to £1.4m (+276%), an average of +39% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2025, when income rose by 160%. Over the whole period it spent 59% of the income it received.

Among 4,574 England and Wales charities whose main cause is environment and conservation and that reported income, West Somerset Railway Association sits at the 95th percentile: it is larger than about 95% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 95th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Eden Rivers Trust (£1.4m), The Welsh Water Elan Trust (£1.4m) and Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (£1.4m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 76%, trading 21% and investments 2.9%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £669k. Charitable activities took 68% of spending and raising funds 22%. Grants to other organisations totalled £219k. Reserves of £2.7m would cover about 46 months of spending at that rate. It employed 3 people.