Counties
Analysis
Counties is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Westbury. It was registered in August 1972, 54 years ago. Its declared purposes cover religious activities, which this site groups under religion. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 01041761). It says it makes grants to individuals, provides human resources and provides services.
In the financial year ending September 2025, Counties reported income of £1.2m and spending of £1.2m, spending 95% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from September 2021 to September 2025, income grew from £920k to £1.2m (+35%), an average of +7.8% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to September 2023, when income rose by 97%. Over the whole period it spent 95% of the income it received.
Among 20,496 England and Wales charities whose main cause is religion and that reported income, Counties sits at the 97th percentile: it is larger than about 97% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 95th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Methodist Church - Chester and Stoke-On-Trent District (£1.2m), Downside Abbey General Trust (£1.3m) and Friends of Winchester Cathedral (£1.2m).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 99%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £109k. Charitable activities took 94% of spending and raising funds 3.3%. Reserves of £582k would cover about 6 months of spending at that rate. It employed 11 people.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 90%
- Legacies 8.8%
- Charitable activities 0.1%
- Investments 0.9%
In the charity's own words
COUNTIES seeks to communicate the Christian faith in a culturally relevant way, across England and Wales, and encourage churches in mission through Evangelists, Exhibitions & other resources. It actively supports self-employed Evangelists, who are involved in a wide range of initiatives including local churches, schools, universities, prisons, markets, agricultural shows and door-to-door contacts.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| The Methodist Church - Chester and Stoke-On-Trent District | Nantwich | £1.2m |
| Downside Abbey General Trust | Radstock | £1.3m |
| Friends of Winchester Cathedral | Hampshire | £1.2m |
| Soas Students' Union | London | £1.3m |