THE THAMES FESTIVAL TRUST

Registered charity 1074794 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as THAMES FESTIVAL TRUST, THE MAYOR'S THAMES FESTIVAL, THE THAMES FESTIVAL

Thames Festival Trust's focus is on engaging a wide public in art, heritage, education, environmental and well-being programmes that reveal our rivers' rich natural environment, share their unique history, protect their sustainability, and celebrate the diverse connections they make for us with the wider world.

Objects

(A) TO ADVANCE EDUCATION IN MUSIC AND ARTS(B) TO PROMOTE THE CONSERVATION AND PUBLIC APPRECIATION OF THE RIVER THAMES ITS TRIBUTARIES AND ADJOINING AREAS

Area of benefit: GREATER LONDON

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: Education/training · Arts/culture/heritage/science · Environment/conservation/heritage · website · Get email alerts

Registered contact address: Westminster, London, England (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income

£452k

Latest spending

£612k

Registered

1999

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the Trust ended 2025 with a net deficit of £159,736, covered by unrestricted and restricted reserves. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves stood at £336,899, which exceeds the stated policy target of four months of operational costs plus redundancy liabilities (£119,911). The Trust confirms it has sufficient confirmed funding for 2026 to maintain activities and meet obligations.

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

What the accounts disclose

Highest-paid employee band: £60,001 - £70,000 — in the top quarter for charities its size (median £60k)

“Remuneration for one employee fell in the band £60,000 to £70,000 for the year (2024: one in the band £60,000 to £70,000).” — page 27

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Employees paid over £60,000: 1

“Remuneration for one employee fell in the band £60,000 to £70,000 for the year (2024: one in the band £60,000 to £70,000).” — page 27

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves policy: four months of operational costs plus redundancy liabilities (reserves figure: £337k)

“The Trust’s reserves policy aims to maintain reserves equal to four months of operational costs plus redundancy liabilities, and expenses incurred in the event of winding-up the Trust (currently £119,911).”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 6 of 6 completeness components.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
Complaints handling
Complaints policy and procedures
Conflicting interests
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Social media policy and procedures
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures
Volunteer management

From the charity’s annual return (Part A, self-declared)

Answers and figures the charity gave in Part A of its annual return to the Charity Commission. They are self-declared: not verified by the Commission or by this site. Only positive answers and figures are listed; items not listed are simply not shown.

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/12/2025

Volunteers: 12
Government income: £31,050 — grants £31,050 (2); 7% of the £452,266 total gross income on the same return
Employees paid over £60,000: 1 (£60,001–£70,000: 1)

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/12/2024

Volunteers: 12
Government income: £30,800 — contracts £30,800 (3); 6% of the £482,064 total gross income on the same return
Employees paid over £60,000: 1 (£60,001–£70,000: 1)

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/12/2023

Volunteers: 18
Government income: £21,880 — grants £21,880 (2); 4% of the £604,981 total gross income on the same return
Employees paid over £60,000: 1 (£60,001–£70,000: 1)

Source: this charity’s annual returns on the Charity Commission register.

Corporate structure

Registered company of the charity Companies House 03577462

Funders the charity credits

Named as funders/supporters on the charity’s own website (the charity’s claim, distinct from accounts-verified grants).

Port of London — “Our Funders Port of London” (source page)

Company officers (Companies House)

Current officers of the charity’s own company per the Companies House register, cross-checked against the Charity Commission trustee list by name. A director not on the trustee list is usually a timing or naming difference between the two registers — check both records before drawing conclusions.

MATHESON, Ishbel — director, appointed 08/09/2025on trustee list
BEAUMONT-THOMAS, Rosie Emma Jo — director, appointed 08/09/2025on trustee list
KEHAL, Raj Barinder — director, appointed 01/03/2024on trustee list
DAWE, Sandra — director, appointed 12/09/2023on trustee list
SANDARS, Kate — director, appointed 23/01/2023on trustee list
GAVIEIRO BESTEIRO, Angel — director, appointed 23/01/2023not on trustee list
WARRINGTON, Stephen — director, appointed 08/04/2014on trustee list
COOKE, Andrew John — director, appointed 08/04/2014on trustee list
STEPHENS, Peter Cranston — director, appointed 09/07/2013not on trustee list
STANOJLOVIC, Olga — director, appointed 09/02/2012on trustee list
FAJEMIROKUN, Henry Olufemi, Dr — director, appointed 03/12/2008on trustee list
EVANS, Adrian — secretary, appointed 06/06/2023

Official officers record.

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

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2023)

Total income

£605k

Total spending

£456k

Cost of raising funds

£84k

Reserves (reported)

£669k

Employees

Reported reserves equal ~17.6 months of spending — above the median for charities its size (median 7.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (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: 13.8% of total income — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 3.2%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

Stephen Warringtonchair · trustee of 1 other charity
Andrew John Cooke
Angel Gavieiro Besteiro
Dr HENRY FAJEMIROKUN · trustee of 1 other charity
Ishbel Matheson
Kate Sandars
OLGA STANOJLOVIC · trustee of 1 other charity
Pete Stephens
Raj Barinder Kehal
Rosie Emma Jo Beaumont-Thomas
Sandra Dawe

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

Operates in: Throughout England

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/12/2025	£452k	£612k
31/12/2024	£482k	£516k
31/12/2023	£605k	£456k
31/12/2022	£728k	£561k
31/12/2021	£471k	£504k

Common questions

Is THE THAMES FESTIVAL TRUST financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the Trust ended 2025 with a net deficit of £159,736, covered by unrestricted and restricted reserves. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves stood at £336,899, which exceeds the stated policy target of four months of operational costs plus redundancy liabilities (£119,911). The Trust confirms it has sufficient confirmed funding for 2026 to maintain activities and meet obligations. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

What does the highest-paid employee of THE THAMES FESTIVAL TRUST earn?

Per its FY2025 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the £60,001 - £70,000 band, and 1 employees earned over £60,000.

Who funds THE THAMES FESTIVAL TRUST?

Funders whose own accounts filings name THE THAMES FESTIVAL TRUST as a grant recipient include TRINITY BUOY WHARF TRUST.

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
TRINITY BUOY WHARF TRUST	FY2024	£41k
THE VINEHILL TRUST	FY2025	Unverified read£25k	Music
TRINITY BUOY WHARF TRUST	FY2022	£10k
TRINITY BUOY WHARF TRUST	FY2021	£2k

Grants marked “Unverified read” were flagged by automated checks as possibly misread from the funder’s filed accounts. They are listed, but left out of the totals, counts and funder relationships this site computes.

Government & lottery funding

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

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	15/04/2026	£129k	"Our Global London"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	15/01/2025	£124k	"Lost and Found: 19th century maritime Deptford interpreted through mudlark finds."
London Borough of Hounslow	03/08/2023	£500	Grant to Thames Festival Trust
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	07/06/2023	£100k	"Places of Change: Lodging houses & other spaces in London's Royal Docks, 1855 - 1948"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	11/05/2022	£10k	"A Voyage Through Time: Harland & Wolff in the Royal Docks"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	09/02/2022	£96k	"London's Lost Village"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	05/03/2020	£99k	"The Islanders: the industrial and community heritage of Silvertown and North Woolwich"
Greater London Authority	28/06/2019	£50k	Thames Festival Trust
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	02/05/2019	£72k	"Foragers of the Foreshore, a history of mudlarking on the River Thames"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	06/12/2018	£87k	"The Barking Stink - the industrial heritage of the River Roding"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	07/03/2018	£84k	"The Waterman's Race and The Right to Row"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	10/05/2017	£10k	"Back to the River"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	11/01/2017	£80k	"London's Boatyards"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	14/01/2016	£77k	"Life Afloat"
Greater London Authority	10/08/2015	£50k	Grant to Thames Festival Trust
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	13/06/2006	£50k	"You Never Step in the Same River Twice"

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 FIDELITY UK FOUNDATION	1	£384k
THE ROTHSCHILD FOUNDATION	1	£150k
JOHN ELLERMAN FOUNDATION	1	£120k
THE WOODLAND TRUST	1	£85k
KUSUMA TRUST UK	1	£74k
UBS UK Donor-Advised Foundation	1	£36k
THE ADRIAN SWIRE CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£25k
THE CHRISTOPHER LAING FOUNDATION	1	£20k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with THAMES RIVERS TRUST.

THAMES RIVERS TRUST income £135k
RIVER THAME CONSERVATION TRUST income £600k
RIVER THAMES SOCIETY income £49k
THE RIVERS TRUST income £10.5m
THE HENLEY FESTIVAL TRUST income £4.6m
THAMES EXPLORER TRUST income £265k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
THE THAMES FESTIVAL TRUST	£452k	£60,001 - £70,000	1	unclear	—	no doubt
THAMES RIVERS TRUST FY2026	£135k	—	—	below	—	no doubt
RIVER THAME CONSERVATION TRUST FY2025	£600k	—	—	above	—	no doubt
RIVER THAMES SOCIETY FY2025	£49k	—	0	within	—	no doubt
THE RIVERS TRUST FY2025	£10.5m	—	—	above	—	no doubt
THE HENLEY FESTIVAL TRUST FY2025	£4.6m	£100,001 - £110,000	—	within	—	no doubt

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