Boat Building Academy Limited
Analysis
Boat Building Academy Limited is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Lyme Regis. It was registered in January 2020, 6 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes and education/training, which this site groups under education and training. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 04789584). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides advocacy/advice/information.
In the financial year ending August 2025, Boat Building Academy Limited reported income of £1.3m and spending of £1.1m, spending 88% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from August 2021 to August 2025, income grew from £716k to £1.3m (+75%), an average of +15% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to August 2024, when income rose by 38%. Over the whole period it spent 94% of the income it received.
Among 21,402 England and Wales charities whose main cause is education and training and that reported income, Boat Building Academy Limited sits at the 94th percentile: it is larger than about 94% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 95th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Wilmslow Preparatory School Trust Limited (£1.2m), Manchester Young Lives Ltd (£1.3m) and C P S Preston Ltd (£1.2m).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from trading 77%, charitable activities 12% and donations and legacies 10%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £100k. Charitable activities took 67% of spending and raising funds 31%. Reserves of £366k would cover about 4 months of spending at that rate. It employed 12 people.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 2.2%
- Legacies 8.0%
- Charitable activities 12%
- Trading 77%
- Investments 0.7%
In the charity's own words
The Boat Building Academy (BBA) delivers training in a range of skills that encompass woodworking and furniture making to boatbuilding and marine related activities. Courses last from a few days to just under a year and there is some accommodation on site, almost on the beach in Lyme Regis, Dorset. As a charity we can assist some deserving men and women who could not otherwise afford the fees.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| Wilmslow Preparatory School Trust Limited | Cheshire | £1.2m |
| Manchester Young Lives Ltd | Manchester | £1.3m |
| C P S Preston Ltd | Preston | £1.2m |
| World Book Day Limited | London | £1.3m |