The Friends of Ely Cathedral CIO

Analysis

The Friends of Ely Cathedral CIO is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Cambridgeshire. It was registered in July 2014, 12 years ago. Its declared purposes cover environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under environment and conservation. Legally it is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO). It says it makes grants to organisations.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Friends of Ely Cathedral CIO reported income of £941k and spending of £180k, leaving 81% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £399k to £941k (+136%), an average of +24% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2025, when income rose by 910%. Over the whole period it spent 115% of the income it received.

Among 4,574 England and Wales charities whose main cause is environment and conservation and that reported income, The Friends of Ely Cathedral CIO 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 Cambridgeshire Acre (£936k), Painswick Rococo Garden Trust (£947k) and The Wild Trout Trust Limited (£934k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 95%, investments 3.3% and charitable activities 1.9%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £854k. Charitable activities took 94% of spending and raising funds 4.0%. Grants to other organisations totalled £129k. Reserves of £1.2m would cover about 81 months of spending at that rate. It employed 1 people.