The Sir Harold Hillier Gardens and Arboretum

Analysis

The Sir Harold Hillier Gardens and Arboretum is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Hampshire. It was registered in January 1978, 48 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training, 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 other charitable activities.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Sir Harold Hillier Gardens and Arboretum reported income of £3.6m and spending of £4.2m, spending 116% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £2.7m to £3.6m (+33%), an average of +7.3% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2025, when income rose by 50%. Over the whole period it spent 106% 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, The Sir Harold Hillier Gardens and Arboretum 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 Luton Cultural Services Trust (£3.6m), Crafts Council (£3.6m) and Central Park (£3.6m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 88%, investments 3.7% and donations and legacies 2.6%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £4,970. Charitable activities took 98% of spending and raising funds 0.0%. Reserves of £245k would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 76 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.