Devon Wildlife Trust

Analysis

Devon Wildlife Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Devon. It was registered in January 1963, 63 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under environment and conservation. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00733321). It says it provides human resources, provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Devon Wildlife Trust reported income of £7.5m and spending of £7.4m, spending 99% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £5.5m to £7.5m (+37%), an average of +8.1% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2025, when income rose by 24%. Over the whole period it spent 94% of the income it received.

Among 4,574 England and Wales charities whose main cause is environment and conservation and that reported income, Devon Wildlife Trust sits at the 99th percentile: it is larger than about 98% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 99th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Surrey Wildlife Trust Limited (£7.5m), Vale of Rheidol Railway Limited (£7.6m) and Dorset Wildlife Trust (£7.3m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 54%, donations and legacies 38% and trading 6.4%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £847k. Charitable activities took 86% of spending and raising funds 13%. Reserves of £1.4m would cover about 2 months of spending at that rate. It employed 109 people.