THE BCN SOCIETY

Registered charity 1091760 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

Working Parties to maintain condition of Canal and surroundingsPublic events to introduce and educate residents and visitors to CanalsProvide speakers to organisations to cover History of CanalsJoint custody and operation of two Historic Canal Craft for public education and interest

Objects

TO ENCOURAGE THE USE, IMPROVEMENT, EXTENSION AND PRESERVATION OF THE BIRMINGHAM CANAL NAVIGATION AND ADJACENT WATERWAYS, AND ALL WORKS APPERTAINING THERETO, BY ANY MEANS, INCLUDING THE PROMOTION OF NAVIGATION, WALKING, ANGLING, MAINTENANCE, PUBLIC EDUCATION AND ALL OTHER MEANS AS MAY BE AVAILABLE FROM TIME TO TIME.

Area of benefit: NOT DEFINED

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

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a net surplus of £7,936 for the year ended 31 March 2025, driven largely by a transformational legacy of £240,641.91. Total net assets increased to £73,952, with unrestricted reserves showing a deficit of £24,812 carried forward, while restricted funds held a surplus. The trustees confirmed that accounting records were kept in accordance with the Act and no material matters were identified during the independent examination.

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

What the accounts disclose

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 4 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 policy and procedures
• Engaging external speakers at charity events policy and procedures
• Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
• Internal risk management policy and procedures
• Risk management
• Safeguarding policy and procedures
• Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
• Volunteer management

Corporate structure

• Registered company of the charity Companies House 04306537

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.

• ANSON, Michael John — director, appointed 11/11/2025on trustee list
• POWELL ANSON, Joanna — director, appointed 11/11/2025not on trustee list
• SMITH KEARY, Michael — director, appointed 11/11/2025not on trustee list
• WILD, Philip — director, appointed 11/11/2025on trustee list
• O KEEFFE, Martin John — director, appointed 17/10/2001not on trustee list

Official officers record.

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

Trustees · trustee networks

• Joanna Powell Anson
• MARTIN JOHN O'KEEFE
• Michael Anson
• Michael Smith Keary
• Philip Wild

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

Operates in: Birmingham City · Dudley · Sandwell · Solihull · Walsall · Wolverhampton

Income and spending

Common questions

Government & lottery funding

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