National Children's Orchestras of Great Britain

Analysis

National Children's Orchestras of Great Britain is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Bristol. It was registered in March 1990, 36 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 02471385). It says it other charitable activities.

In the financial year ending December 2025, National Children's Orchestras of Great Britain reported income of £1.7m and spending of £1.7m, spending 101% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £742k to £1.7m (+125%), an average of +22% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income rose by 78%. Over the whole period it spent 94% 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, National Children's Orchestras of Great Britain sits at the 97th percentile: it is larger than about 96% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 96th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Chalke History Trust (£1.7m), Merton Music Foundation (£1.7m) and Frome Cheese & Grain Limited (£1.7m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 50%, donations and legacies 28% and investments 2.1%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £1,045. Charitable activities took 90% of spending and raising funds 7.2%. Reserves of £700k would cover about 5 months of spending at that rate. It employed 15 people.