Wicksteed Charitable Trust

Analysis

Wicksteed Charitable Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Northants. It was registered in May 2011, 15 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, amateur sport, environment/conservation/heritage and recreation, which this site groups under amateur sport and recreation. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 07394789). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides services.

In the financial year ending February 2025, Wicksteed Charitable Trust reported income of £4.4m and spending of £4.7m, spending 107% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from February 2021 to February 2025, income grew from £1.6m to £4.4m (+172%), an average of +28% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to February 2022, when income rose by 244%. Over the whole period it spent 90% of the income it received.

Among 12,174 England and Wales charities whose main cause is amateur sport and recreation and that reported income, Wicksteed Charitable Trust sits at the 99th percentile: it is one of the largest 1% in its cause. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 98th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Mountain Training Trust (£4.3m), Coventry University Students' Union Limited (£4.4m) and University of the Arts London Students' Union (£4.1m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from trading 93% and donations and legacies 6.6%. Charitable activities took 19% of spending and raising funds 81%. Reserves of £698k would cover about 2 months of spending at that rate. It employed 137 people.