Churches Conservation Trust
Analysis
Churches Conservation Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Northampton. It was registered in June 1969, 57 years ago. Its declared purposes cover arts/culture/heritage/science and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space, provides services and acts as an umbrella or resource body.
In the financial year ending March 2025, Churches Conservation Trust reported income of £12.0m and spending of £12.1m, spending 100% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £11.1m to £12.0m (+8.4%), an average of +2.0% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2024, when income rose by 23%. 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, Churches Conservation Trust sits at the 99th percentile: it is one of the largest 1% in its cause. 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 Arts Educational Schools (£12.0m), Epping Forest (£12.4m) and The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (£11.9m).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 83%, donations and legacies 9.6% and trading 6.8%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £427k. Charitable activities took 88% of spending and raising funds 12%. Grants to other organisations totalled £305k. Reserves of £1.0m would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 79 people.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 6.0%
- Legacies 3.6%
- Charitable activities 83%
- Trading 6.8%
- Investments 0.7%
In the charity's own words
The CCT is registered as a charity (number 258612) . Its governing document is the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011. Its main object is the preservation, in the interests of the nation and of the Church of England, of redundant churches and parts of churches of historic and archaeological interest or architectural quality vested in the Trust, together with their contents.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| The Arts Educational Schools | London | £12.0m |
| Epping Forest | London | £12.4m |
| The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust | Fordingbridge | £11.9m |
| Booktrust | Leeds | £12.4m |