Somerset Wildlife Trust

Analysis

Somerset Wildlife Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Taunton. It was registered in December 1964, 62 years ago. Its declared purposes cover environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under environment and conservation. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00818162). It says it provides human resources, provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides services.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Somerset Wildlife Trust reported income of £5.3m and spending of £5.8m, spending 108% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £3.8m to £5.3m (+40%), an average of +8.8% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income rose by 59%. Over the whole period it spent 82% of the income it received.

Among 4,574 England and Wales charities whose main cause is environment and conservation and that reported income, Somerset Wildlife Trust sits at the 98th percentile: it is larger than about 98% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 98th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Transitionzero (£5.3m), The National Memorial Arboretum Company Limited (£5.4m) and Noah's Ark Zoo Farm (£5.3m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 45%, donations and legacies 40%, trading 13% and investments 2.4%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £538k. Charitable activities took 66% of spending and raising funds 27%. Reserves of £1.8m would cover about 4 months of spending at that rate. It employed 93 people.