Durham Wildlife Trust

Analysis

Durham Wildlife Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Tyne and Wear. It was registered in June 1972, 54 years ago. Its declared purposes cover environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under environment and conservation. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 01019263). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space, provides advocacy/advice/information and sponsors or undertakes research.

In the financial year ending March 2026, Durham Wildlife Trust reported income of £2.8m and spending of £2.7m, spending 98% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2022 to March 2026, income fell from £3.1m to £2.8m (-11%), an average of -2.9% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income rose by 121%. Over the whole period it spent 59% of the income it received.

Among 4,574 England and Wales charities whose main cause is environment and conservation and that reported income, Durham Wildlife Trust sits at the 97th percentile: it is larger than about 97% 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 The British Institute of International and Comparative Law (£2.7m), The Tree Council (£2.8m) and The Built Environment Trust (£2.7m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 68%, donations and legacies 21%, trading 8.7% and investments 1.9%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £149. Charitable activities took 86% of spending and raising funds 13%. Grants to other organisations totalled £9,280. Reserves of £738k would cover about 3 months of spending at that rate. It employed 43 people.