The Chiltern Society

Analysis

The Chiltern Society is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Chesham. It was registered in February 2001, 25 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training, arts/culture/heritage/science and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 04138448). It says it makes grants to organisations, provides human resources and provides buildings/facilities/open space.

In the financial year ending June 2025, The Chiltern Society reported income of £709k and spending of £721k, spending 102% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from June 2021 to June 2025, income grew from £434k to £709k (+63%), an average of +13% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to June 2023, when income rose by 48%. Over the whole period it spent 96% 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 Chiltern Society sits at the 94th percentile: it is larger than about 94% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 92nd percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Immediate Theatre (£708k), Keats House (£709k) and Blackburn Empire Theatre Ltd (£706k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 87%, charitable activities 9.7% and investments 3.1%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £116k. Charitable activities took 85% of spending and raising funds 13%. Reserves of £1.2m would cover about 19 months of spending at that rate. It employed 8 people.