The Chess Trust

Analysis

The Chess Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Worcestershire. It was registered in March 2015, 11 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, amateur sport and recreation, which this site groups under amateur sport and recreation. Legally it is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO). It says it makes grants to individuals and makes grants to organisations.

In the financial year ending August 2025, The Chess Trust reported income of £27k and spending of £105k, spending 385% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from August 2021 to August 2025, income grew from £12k to £27k (+135%), an average of +24% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to August 2022, when income rose by 1529%. Over the whole period it spent 146% of the income it received.

Among 12,174 England and Wales charities whose main cause is amateur sport and recreation and that reported income, The Chess Trust sits at the 60th percentile: it is larger than about 60% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 51st percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Forest Row Sports Ground Association (£27k), St Joseph's RC Icknield Luton Scout Group (£27k) and Beckwithshaw Village Hall (£27k).

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.