The Royal School of Needlework

Analysis

The Royal School of Needlework is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Surrey. It was registered in July 1964, 62 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 company (Companies House number 00012192). It says it provides services and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending August 2025, The Royal School of Needlework reported income of £3.0m and spending of £3.7m, spending 122% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from August 2021 to August 2025, income grew from £2.3m to £3.0m (+34%), an average of +7.6% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to August 2022, when income rose by 21%. Over the whole period it spent 108% 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 Royal School of Needlework sits at the 98th percentile: it is larger than about 98% of them. 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 World Monuments Fund Britain Limited (£3.0m), Magna Trust (£3.1m) and Pallant House Gallery (£3.0m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 61%, trading 27%, donations and legacies 7.0% and investments 4.4%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £17k. Charitable activities took 74% of spending and raising funds 25%. Reserves of £1.2m would cover about 4 months of spending at that rate. It employed 64 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.