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THISTLEDOWN EDUCATION TRUST

Registered charity 1046192 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

THE PROVISION OF BUILDINGS, FACILITIES AND GRANTS FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE.

Causes: Education/training · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · Get email alerts

Latest income
£2.1m
Latest spending
£2.3m
Registered
1995
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the group reported a net deficit of £141,145 for the year ended 31 December 2025, compared to a surplus in the prior year. Despite this deficit and net current liabilities for the parent charity, the group held net current assets of £89,794 and unrestricted reserves of £4,836,533, which the trustees consider sufficient to mitigate short to medium-term risks. The trustees and auditors have confirmed that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: six months’ unrestricted expenditure (held: £4.6m)
“The charity’s policy is to maintain minimum free reserves at a level which equates to six months’ unrestricted expenditure.” — page 5
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Gift Aid from subsidiary
“£345,791 (2024: £191,705.01) was received by the Charity from the subsidiary under gift aid in the year.” — page 32
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by mca Banbury Ltd. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2025)

Total income
£2.1m
Total spending
£2.3m
Cost of raising funds
£1.9m
Reserves (reported)
£0
Employees
0

Reported reserves equal ~0.0 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Other trading activities (95% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 89.8% of total income — above the 90th percentile for charities its size (median 5.2%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Hampshire · Somerset · Wiltshire

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/12/2025£2.1m£2.3m
31/12/2024£3.4m£3.0m
31/12/2023£3.1m£3.1m
31/12/2022£2.7m£2.8m
31/12/2021£2.2m£1.5m

Common questions

Is THISTLEDOWN EDUCATION TRUST financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the group reported a net deficit of £141,145 for the year ended 31 December 2025, compared to a surplus in the prior year. Despite this deficit and net current liabilities for the parent charity, the group held net current assets of £89,794 and unrestricted reserves of £4,836,533, which the trustees consider sufficient to mitigate short to medium-term risks. The trustees and auditors have confirmed that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by mca Banbury Ltd.

Funders of similar charities

Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.

FunderSimilar charities fundedAmount to them
The Leathersellers' Foundation1£275k
THE CRUCIBLE FOUNDATION1£170k
THE 4814 TRUST1£25k
THE RAYNE FOUNDATION1£2k
THE ASTOR FOUNDATION1£1k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with THE SOUTHDOWN SCHOOL TRUST.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
THISTLEDOWN EDUCATION TRUST£2.1m—0unclear—no doubt
THE SOUTHDOWN SCHOOL TRUST FY2025£144k—0above—no doubt
AL RISALAH EDUCATION TRUST FY2025£1.5m—0unclear—no doubt
HILLSIDE EDUCATIONAL TRUST FY2025£213k—0unclear—no doubt
THE LONG LEYS EDUCATION TRUST FY2025£1.9m—0unclear—no doubt
THE HERON EDUCATIONAL TRUST FY2025£1.6m—0unclear—no doubt

Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.