Bumblebee Conservation Trust

Analysis

Bumblebee Conservation Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in July 2006, 20 years ago. Its declared purposes cover animals and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under animals. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 05618710). It says it provides advocacy/advice/information and sponsors or undertakes research.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Bumblebee Conservation Trust reported income of £2.5m and spending of £2.6m, spending 104% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £1.9m to £2.5m (+31%), an average of +7.0% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2024, when income rose by 25%. Over the whole period it spent 97% of the income it received.

Among 2,161 England and Wales charities whose main cause is animals and that reported income, Bumblebee Conservation Trust sits at the 96th percentile: it is larger than about 96% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 97th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary CIO (£2.5m), Retraining of Race Horses (£2.5m) and RSPCA Devon Branch (£2.4m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 97% and charitable activities 1.9%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £486k. Charitable activities took 89% of spending and raising funds 10%. Reserves of £1.4m would cover about 6 months of spending at that rate. It employed 61 people.