Gainsborough's House Society

Analysis

Gainsborough's House Society is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Sudbury. It was registered in November 2016, 10 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, arts/culture/heritage/science and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 10413978). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space, provides services and sponsors or undertakes research.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Gainsborough's House Society reported income of £1.1m and spending of £1.4m, spending 125% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income fell from £3.1m to £1.1m (-65%), an average of -23% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income dropped by 46%. Over the whole period it spent 99% of the income it received.

Among 17,634 England and Wales charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, Gainsborough's House Society sits at the 95th percentile: it is larger than about 95% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 94th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Irish Cultural Centre Hammersmith Ltd (£1.1m), The Science Council (£1.1m) and Bath City Farm (£1.1m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 46%, charitable activities 30%, trading 21% and investments 3.3%. Charitable activities took 68% of spending and raising funds 30%. Reserves of £737k would cover about 6 months of spending at that rate. It employed 13 people.

Data notes from the register: The latest annual return was received after its deadline. Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.