The Conservation Volunteers

Analysis

The Conservation Volunteers is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in South Yorkshire. It was registered in May 1970, 56 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training, environment/conservation/heritage and economic/community development/employment, which this site groups under environment and conservation. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00976410). It says it makes grants to organisations, provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides services.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Conservation Volunteers reported income of £10.1m and spending of £10.4m, spending 102% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £7.4m to £10.1m (+37%), an average of +8.3% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income rose by 27%. Over the whole period it spent 102% of the income it received.

Among 4,574 England and Wales charities whose main cause is environment and conservation and that reported income, The Conservation Volunteers 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 Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust (£9.9m), The Rivers Trust (£10.5m) and Albertine Rift Conservation Society (£9.8m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 96% and donations and legacies 2.1%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £85k. Charitable activities took 96% of spending and raising funds 3.5%. Reserves of £104k would cover about 0 months of spending at that rate. It employed 224 people.

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.