Wear Rivers Trust

Analysis

Wear Rivers Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Durham. It was registered in November 2002, 24 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under environment and conservation. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 04260195). It says it provides human resources and provides buildings/facilities/open space.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Wear Rivers Trust reported income of £832k and spending of £839k, spending 101% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £328k to £832k (+154%), an average of +26% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2025, when income rose by 44%. Over the whole period it spent 107% of the income it received.

Among 4,574 England and Wales charities whose main cause is environment and conservation and that reported income, Wear Rivers Trust sits at the 93rd percentile: it is larger than about 93% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 93rd percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Wildlife and Countryside Link (£831k), Colchester and North East Essex Building Preservation Trust (£839k) and The Garden Classroom (£831k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 99% and donations and legacies 1.2%. Charitable activities took 100% of spending and raising funds 0.0%. Reserves of £51k would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 21 people.

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.