The Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust

Analysis

The Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Kent. It was registered in July 1985, 41 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under environment and conservation. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 01804108). It says it provides services.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust reported income of £9.8m and spending of £9.5m, spending 98% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £5.9m to £9.8m (+65%), an average of +13% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income rose by 44%. Over the whole period it spent 100% of the income it received.

Among 4,574 England and Wales charities whose main cause is environment and conservation and that reported income, The Chatham Historic Dockyard 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 Forest Peoples Programme (£9.6m), Albertine Rift Conservation Society (£9.8m) and The Cremation Society of Great Britain (£9.5m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 66%, trading 21% and donations and legacies 13%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £400. Charitable activities took 78% of spending and raising funds 22%. Reserves of £1.1m would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 150 people.