The Friends of Wells Cathedral

Analysis

The Friends of Wells Cathedral is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Somerset. It was registered in September 1962, 64 years ago. Its declared purposes cover religious activities and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under religion. It says it makes grants to organisations.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Friends of Wells Cathedral reported income of £818k and spending of £2.3m, spending 280% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £278k to £818k (+194%), an average of +31% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2024, when income rose by 245%. Over the whole period it spent 111% of the income it received.

Among 20,496 England and Wales charities whose main cause is religion and that reported income, The Friends of Wells Cathedral sits at the 96th percentile: it is larger than about 96% 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 The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St Mary Le Strand with St Clement Danes (£815k), Schreiber Charitable Trust (£820k) and The Blackgate Trust (£813k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 93%, investments 5.9% and charitable activities 1.3%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £240k. Charitable activities took 98% of spending and raising funds 1.7%. Grants to other organisations totalled £225k. It employed 1 people.