NORTHERN FELLS RURAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GROUP

Registered charity 1093814 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as NORTHERN FELLS GROUP

The Northern Fells Rural Community Development Group promotes and undertakes charitable activities of any kind for the benefit and welfare of the inhabitants, communities and organisations in the parishes of Ireby with Uldale, Boltons, Westward, Sebergham, Caldbeck, Castle Sowerby and Mungrisdale in Cumbria

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · Disability · The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · Economic/community Development/employment · website · Get email alerts

Latest income
£632k
Latest spending
£191k
Registered
2002
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a significant surplus of £441,255 for the year ended 31 March 2025, driven largely by a £475,000 legacy from the estate of Audrey Johnston. Total unrestricted reserves stood at £525,378, which the trustees consider adequate and in line with their policy, representing approximately seven months of average expenditure. The organization remains heavily dependent on grant funding, which accounted for 69% of income excluding the legacy.

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

What the accounts disclose

Largest income source: Grants (69% of income)
Excluding the legacy from the estate of the late Audrey Johnston grant funding represented 69% of this year’s income. — page 21
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves policy: seven months average expenditure (held: £525k)
At the year-end cash and investments equated to approximately seven months average expenditure. The trustees consider the Group’s reserves at the year-end to be adequate and in-line with the reserves policy. — page 22
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Property (HM Land Registry)

3 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (3 freehold); recorded price paid £198k. All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)

Total income
£632k
Total spending
£191k
Cost of raising funds
£5k
Reserves (reported)
£531k
Employees
8

Reported reserves equal ~33.4 months of spending — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Cumbria

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/03/2025£632k£191k
31/03/2024£143k£184k
31/03/2023£187k£145k
31/03/2022£149k£136k
31/03/2021£126k£132k

Common questions

Is NORTHERN FELLS RURAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GROUP financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a significant surplus of £441,255 for the year ended 31 March 2025, driven largely by a £475,000 legacy from the estate of Audrey Johnston. Total unrestricted reserves stood at £525,378, which the trustees consider adequate and in line with their policy, representing approximately seven months of average expenditure. The organization remains heavily dependent on grant funding, which accounted for 69% of income excluding the legacy. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Government & lottery funding

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

FunderDateAmountPurpose
UK government26/08/2020£11kCoronavirus Community Support Fund
The National Lottery Community Fund18/03/2020£222kVillage Action (NFG) Continuation
Northern Rock Foundation14/12/2012£20kGrant awarded to Northern Fells Rural Community Development Group (Cumbria)
Northern Rock Foundation28/05/2010£18kGrant awarded to Northern Fells Rural Community Development Group (Cumbria)
Northern Rock Foundation11/07/2006£18kGrant awarded to Northern Fells Rural Community Development Group (Cumbria)
The National Lottery Community Fund04/11/2005£4kYoung actors group
Northern Rock Foundation13/07/2004£35kGrant awarded to Northern Fells Rural Community Development Group (Cumbria)
Northern Rock Foundation09/09/2003£14kGrant awarded to Northern Fells Rural Community Development Group (Cumbria)

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.

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with HUMBER AND WOLDS RURAL COMMUNITY COUNCIL.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
NORTHERN FELLS RURAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GROUP£632k0withinno doubt
HUMBER AND WOLDS RURAL COMMUNITY COUNCIL FY2025£652k0unclearno doubt
NORTHERN HULL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LIMITED FY2024£3.4m0belowno doubt
Futureproof Cumbria FY2025£1.8m0unclearno doubt
NORTHWAY DISTRICT COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION FY2024£268k0unclearno doubt
CUMBRIA FEDERATION OF YOUNG FARMERS CLUBS - SOUTHERN DISTRICT FY2025£109k0unclearno doubt

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