Durham Freemasons Charity
Analysis
Durham Freemasons Charity is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Sunderland. It was registered in March 1980, 46 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, the prevention or relief of poverty and accommodation/housing, which this site groups under poverty relief. It says it makes grants to individuals and makes grants to organisations.
In the financial year ending December 2025, Durham Freemasons Charity reported income of £517k and spending of £593k, spending 115% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income fell from £1.2m to £517k (-57%), an average of -19% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income dropped by 63%. Over the whole period it spent 88% of the income it received.
Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, Durham Freemasons Charity sits at the 87th percentile: it is larger than about 87% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 90th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Project Seventeen (£517k), Melcren Limited (£518k) and The Coldstream Guards Charity (£517k).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from investments 86% and donations and legacies 13%. Charitable activities took 63% of spending and raising funds 35%. Reserves of £10.9m would cover about 217 months of spending at that rate.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 13%
- Charitable activities 0.6%
- Investments 86%
- Other 0.0%
In the charity's own words
To assist distressed masons and their dependants and provide assistance to local charities.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| Project Seventeen | London | £517k |
| Melcren Limited | London | £518k |
| The Coldstream Guards Charity | London | £517k |
| Rivertree Trust | Huddersfield | £518k |