When You Wish Upon a Star

Analysis

When You Wish Upon a Star is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Nottingham. It was registered in February 1997, 29 years ago. Its declared purposes cover the advancement of health or saving of lives and other charitable purposes, which this site groups under health and saving lives. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 03280440). It says it other charitable activities.

In the financial year ending December 2025, When You Wish Upon a Star reported income of £1.1m and spending of £1.5m, spending 140% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £1.0m to £1.1m (+3.7%), an average of +0.9% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2024, when income rose by 19%. Over the whole period it spent 113% of the income it received.

Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, When You Wish Upon a Star sits at the 90th percentile: it is larger than about 90% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 94th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Dementia Matters (£1.1m), Hastings and Rother Voluntary Association for the Blind (£1.1m) and Umbrella Derby & Derbyshire (£1.1m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 86%, trading 9.6% and investments 2.3%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £301k. Charitable activities took 55% of spending and raising funds 41%. Reserves of £931k would cover about 7 months of spending at that rate. It employed 10 people.