THE LIVING PAINTINGS TRUST

Registered charity 1049103 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as FEEL HAPPY, LIVING PAINTINGS, LPT

We publish unique Touch to See books which enable blind and partially sighted people, young and old, to explore and enjoy the world of pictures. Our purpose is to relieve the social and educational isolation that they suffer throughout their lives. These unique books are available throughout Britain and Ireland to all visually impaired people completely free from our postal library service.

Causes: Education/training · Disability · Arts/culture/heritage/science · Recreation · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£685k

Latest spending

£603k

Registered

1995

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity achieved an operating surplus of £81,895 for the year ended 31 May 2025, resulting in total unrestricted reserves of £602,756. Per the trustees' report, the General Cash Reserve of £278,106 meets the stated policy target of six months' unrestricted expenditure, which was calculated at £274,626. The charity reports no material uncertainties regarding its ability to continue as a going concern.

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

What the accounts disclose

Highest-paid employee band: £80,001 - £90,000 — in the top quarter for charities its size (median £60k)

“In the band £80,001 – £90,000 1”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Employees paid over £60,000: 1

“In the band £80,001 – £90,000 1”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Largest income source: Trusts and Foundations (48% of income)

“Trusts and Foundations £607,265”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Payments to trustees: Trustee Louis Moorhouse received £2,240 for freelance sound editing services.

“During the year one trustee, Louis Moorhouse, received remuneration of £2,240 (2024: £0) for freelance sound editing work.” — page 50

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Trustee David Hall's spouse received £5,000 for contracted research services.

“During the year, the charity paid £5,000 to the spouse of a Trustee, David Hall, for contracted services to conduct research into the lives of blind and visually impaired children aged 0-4 years.” — page 55

“During the year one trustee, Louis Moorhouse, received remuneration of £2,240 (2024: £0) for freelance sound editing work.” — page 50

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Trustee Louis Moorhouse received £2,240 for freelance sound editing.

“During the year, the charity paid £5,000 to the spouse of a Trustee, David Hall, for contracted services to conduct research into the lives of blind and visually impaired children aged 0-4 years.” — page 55

“During the year one trustee, Louis Moorhouse, received remuneration of £2,240 (2024: £0) for freelance sound editing work.” — page 50

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Trustee parents donated £120.

“During the year, the charity paid £5,000 to the spouse of a Trustee, David Hall, for contracted services to conduct research into the lives of blind and visually impaired children aged 0-4 years.” — page 55

“During the year one trustee, Louis Moorhouse, received remuneration of £2,240 (2024: £0) for freelance sound editing work.” — page 50

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Gravita Audit Oxford LLP. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Living Paintings (matched by registered charity number).

Property (HM Land Registry)

2 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (0 freehold). All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook · instagram

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/05/2025)

Total income

£685k

Total spending

£603k

Cost of raising funds

£100k

Reserves (reported)

£278k

Employees

13

Reported reserves equal ~5.5 months of spending — above the median for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 14.6% of total income — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 4.9%) (benchmarks).

Register events

Received assets from another charity (02/03/2023) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (12/07/2022) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.

Trustees · trustee networks

Catherine Baileychair
Claire Short Mrs
David Robert Hall
Ellie Natasha Radburn
Jane Elizabeth Burgess
LOUIS MOORHOUSE
Paramjit Kaur Jetha
Shalin Malde

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

Operates in: Ireland · Scotland · Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/05/2025	£685k	£603k
31/05/2024	£476k	£522k
31/05/2023	£664k	£549k
31/05/2022	£491k	£441k
31/05/2021	£515k	£396k

Common questions

Is THE LIVING PAINTINGS TRUST financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity achieved an operating surplus of £81,895 for the year ended 31 May 2025, resulting in total unrestricted reserves of £602,756. Per the trustees' report, the General Cash Reserve of £278,106 meets the stated policy target of six months' unrestricted expenditure, which was calculated at £274,626. The charity reports no material uncertainties regarding its ability to continue as a going concern. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Gravita Audit Oxford LLP.

What does the highest-paid employee of THE LIVING PAINTINGS TRUST earn?

Per its FY2025 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the £80,001 - £90,000 band, and 1 employees earned over £60,000.

Who funds THE LIVING PAINTINGS TRUST?

Funders whose own accounts filings name THE LIVING PAINTINGS TRUST as a grant recipient include THE ANTON JURGENS CHARITABLE TRUST, VINCHEL FOUNDATION, THE HEADLEY TRUST, THE BATCHWORTH TRUST, REES JEFFREYS ROAD FUND.

Known funders

Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
THE ANTON JURGENS CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£118k
VINCHEL FOUNDATION	FY2023	£92k
THE HEADLEY TRUST	FY2025	£75k	Towards the provision of Touch to See books to blind and visually impaired children.
THE BATCHWORTH TRUST	FY2024	£38k
REES JEFFREYS ROAD FUND	FY2025	£28k	Machines that go Vroom Part 3
THE UNDERWOOD TRUST	FY2023	£25k	Not specified in note 3, listed under Medicine and Health
THE EDWARD GOSTLING FOUNDATION	FY2025	£25k	Grant
THE UNDERWOOD TRUST	FY2025	£25k
THE UNDERWOOD TRUST	FY2026	£25k	Medicine and Health
THE TOMPKINS FOUNDATION	FY2023	£25k
THE BAND TRUST	FY2022	£20k	Specific grantee
Fight for Sight	FY2025	£20k	Social change grant
THE PRIMARY CLUB	FY2025	£16k
THE WILL CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£15k
THE BATCHWORTH TRUST	FY2023	£15k
THE PATRICK & HELENA FROST FOUNDATION	FY2024	£15k
THE HEADLEY TRUST	FY2022	£15k	Health and Social Welfare Covid-19 Revenue Support grants.
THE PATRICK & HELENA FROST FOUNDATION	FY2025	£15k
THE WILL CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2025	£10k	Care of the Blind, Prevention of, or Cure of Blindness
THE EDWARD GOSTLING FOUNDATION	FY2022	£10k
THE PATRICK & HELENA FROST FOUNDATION	FY2022	£10k
THE EDWARD GOSTLING FOUNDATION	FY2022	£10k
THE JOHN COATES CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2025	£10k
PILKINGTON CHARITIES FUND	FY2025	£10k
THE PATRICK & HELENA FROST FOUNDATION	FY2023	£10k
THE VALENTINE CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£10k
THOMAS POCKLINGTON TRUST	FY2022	£10k	Targeted funding programme
THE CLARE MILNE TRUST	FY2024	£10k
THE WILL CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£9k	Blind Care
THE VALENTINE CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2025	£8k
THE WILL CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£7k	Blind Care
THE VALENTINE CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£6k
THE BARBARA WARD CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION	FY2024	£5k
THE BARBARA WARD CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION	FY2022	£5k
THE HELEN HAMLYN TRUST	FY2022	£5k
THE NORTON FOUNDATION	FY2023	£5k	Grants to institutions
THE LAWSON TRUST CIO	FY2025	£5k
THE WO STREET CHARITABLE FOUNDATION	FY2022	£5k
THE CLARE MILNE TRUST	FY2022	£5k
THE SIMON GIBSON CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£5k
THE ALICE ELLEN COOPER-DEAN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION	FY2023	£5k
PILKINGTON CHARITIES FUND	FY2024	£5k
THE BARBARA WARD CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION	FY2023	£5k
THE LAWSON TRUST CIO	FY2024	£5k	Other grants
THE VALENTINE CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£5k
THE LANCASHIRE FOUNDATION	FY2021	£4k
THE ULVERSCROFT FOUNDATION	FY2023	£4k
SANDRA CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£4k
THE OGDEN TRUST	FY2023	£4k	Grants to institutions
THE EDWARD AND DOROTHY CADBURY TRUST	FY2024	£4k	Education and Training

Government & lottery funding

Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
The National Lottery Community Fund	11/04/2025	£20k	Free postal library service for blind children in Wales
Somerset Community Foundation	19/11/2024	£2k	Core costs of providing books and learning resources to blind or visually impaired children across Somerset
Community Foundation North East	27/06/2024	£2k	Grant to The Living Paintings Trust
The National Lottery Community Fund	26/01/2024	£20k	Free postal library service for blind and partially sighted children
The National Lottery Community Fund	21/10/2022	£10k	Free postal library of Touch to See books for blind and partially sighted people
Somerset Community Foundation	10/10/2022	£2k	Providing 'Touch to See' books to blind and partially sighted children in Somerset via a free postal library
Community Foundation North East	22/09/2022	£2k	Grant to The Living Paintings Trust
Postcode Lottery	26/04/2022	£23k	Staff salary: to meet growing demand for our charitable activity.
The National Lottery Community Fund	13/08/2021	£10k	Living Paintings Touch to See Books for blind and partially sighted people
The Mercers' Company	06/12/2018	£23k	Grant to Living Paintings Trust
Somerset Community Foundation	26/09/2017	£450	Touch to See Book Clubs
Somerset Community Foundation	10/05/2016	£200	Event sponsorship
Northern Rock Foundation	01/08/2001	£6k	Grant awarded to The Living Paintings Trust (North East)

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.

Funder	Similar charities funded	Amount to them
The Teesside Charity	1	£45k
THE STERLING CHARITY	1	£34k
Vivensa Foundation	1	£11k
THE INMAN CHARITY	1	£5k
BIRKDALE TRUST FOR HEARING IMPAIRED LTD	1	£3k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with INFOCUS CHARITY.

INFOCUS CHARITY income £10.6m
THE PARTIALLY SIGHTED SOCIETY income £410k
WARRINGTON VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE income £142k
The MFPA Fund For The Training Of Disabled Children In The Arts income £308k
Sight Support West of England income £978k
BLIND CHILDREN UK income £328k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
THE LIVING PAINTINGS TRUST	£685k	£80,001 - £90,000	1	unclear	—	no doubt
INFOCUS CHARITY FY2025	£10.6m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
THE PARTIALLY SIGHTED SOCIETY FY2025	£410k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
WARRINGTON VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE FY2025	£142k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
The MFPA Fund For The Training Of Disabled Children In The Arts FY2026	£308k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
Sight Support West of England FY2025	£978k	£60,001 - £70,000	1	above	—	no doubt

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