The Cleary Blackfriars Trust

Analysis

The Cleary Blackfriars Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Canterbury. It was registered in July 1987, 39 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, arts/culture/heritage/science and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable trust. It says it makes grants to individuals and provides buildings/facilities/open space.

In the financial year ending August 2025, The Cleary Blackfriars Trust reported income of £43k and spending of £18k, leaving 58% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from August 2021 to August 2025, income grew from £29k to £43k (+48%), an average of +10% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to August 2023, when income rose by 22%. Over the whole period it spent 39% 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 Cleary Blackfriars Trust sits at the 66th percentile: it is larger than about 66% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 58th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Dinas Powys Library and Activity Centre (£43k), The Stannington Brass Band (£43k) and Madley Park Hall Trust (£43k).