The Guide Association

Analysis

The Guide Association is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in January 1961, 65 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training and recreation, which this site groups under amateur sport and recreation. It says it provides services, acts as an umbrella or resource body and other charitable activities.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Guide Association reported income of £31.6m and spending of £31.3m, spending 99% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £24.8m to £31.6m (+28%), an average of +6.3% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2023, when income rose by 17%. Over the whole period it spent 100% of the income it received.

Among 12,174 England and Wales charities whose main cause is amateur sport and recreation and that reported income, The Guide Association sits at the 100th 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 100th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Simon Gibson Charitable Trust (£29.1m), Alexandra Park and Palace (£31.8m) and Get Golfing CIO (£25.2m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 37%, trading 27%, donations and legacies 15% and investments 7.4%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £27k. Charitable activities took 75% of spending and raising funds 24%. Grants to other organisations totalled £139k. Reserves of £11.1m would cover about 4 months of spending at that rate. It employed 280 people.