The Old Meeting House Trust

Analysis

The Old Meeting House Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in York. It was registered in September 1996, 30 years ago. Its declared purposes cover arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 03200475). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides services.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Old Meeting House Trust reported income of £2.2m and spending of £341k, leaving 84% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £204k to £2.2m (+972%), an average of +81% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2025, when income rose by 616%. Over the whole period it spent 45% 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 Old Meeting House Trust sits at the 97th percentile: it is larger than about 97% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 96th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Marina Theatre Trust (£2.2m), The Sharpham Trust (£2.2m) and Saffron Music Trust (£2.2m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 90% and charitable activities 9.3%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £1.9m. Charitable activities took 92% of spending and raising funds 4.2%. Reserves of £1.7m would cover about 58 months of spending at that rate. It employed 7 people.