Groundwork East
Analysis
Groundwork East is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Hertfordshire. It was registered in December 1985, 41 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, amateur sport, environment/conservation/heritage and economic/community development/employment, which this site groups under amateur sport and recreation. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 01944186). It says it provides services.
In the financial year ending March 2026, Groundwork East reported income of £2.3m and spending of £2.4m, spending 104% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2022 to March 2026, income fell from £2.4m to £2.3m (-6.1%), an average of -1.6% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income rose by 20%. Over the whole period it spent 97% of the income it received.
Among 12,174 England and Wales charities whose main cause is amateur sport and recreation and that reported income, Groundwork East 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 97th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include North Yorkshire Sport Ltd (£2.3m), The British Sports Trust (£2.3m) and Ls-Ten Limited (£2.3m).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 98% and donations and legacies 1.6%. Charitable activities took 100% of spending and raising funds 0.0%. Reserves of £492k would cover about 2 months of spending at that rate. It employed 50 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.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 1.6%
- Charitable activities 98%
- Investments 0.2%
- Other 0.1%
In the charity's own words
Groundwork is an environmental charity that works alongside the whole community to transform places and livesBuilding of sustainable communities through joint environmental action.Environmental Regeneration throughout Hertfordshire, Luton and Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, Suffolk, Essex, Norfolk and surrounding areas.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| North Yorkshire Sport Ltd | Harrogate | £2.3m |
| The British Sports Trust | Milton Keynes | £2.3m |
| Ls-Ten Limited | Leeds | £2.3m |
| Reading FC Community Trust | Reading | £2.4m |