The Big Cat Sanctuary Ltd

Registered charity 1104420 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as The Big Cat Sanctuary, WHF, WILDLIFE HERITAGE FOUNDATION LTD

The Big Cat Sanctuary houses a diverse and genetically valuable collection of felids. TBCS is an active member of many European Breeding Programmes.The Sanctuary raises funds through photographic workshops, experiences, annual open days and events.Funds raised at TBCS are invested back into the Sanctuary for the welfare of our cats and used as contributions to our conservation work in the UK

Causes: Education/training · Animals · Environment/conservation/heritage · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£3.6m

Latest spending

£3.2m

Registered

2004

Accounts read

FY2024

Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts

The accounts state that the charity generated a surplus of £394,244 for the year ended 31 December 2024, with total income rising to £3,646,058. The charity holds total reserves of £5,083,611, which exceeds the trustees' stated policy target of approximately £1,600,000 (equivalent to six months of general expenditure). The organization is debt-free and the auditors confirmed no material uncertainties regarding its ability to continue as a going concern.

Automated summary of the FY2024 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: six months general expenditure, about £1,600,000 (held: £3.7m)

“At 31 December 2024, the trustees consider it appropriate to hold free reserves equivalent to six months general expenditure, about £1,600,000” — page 5

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Rent and premises expenses paid to Parkside Leisure Limited, a company where two trustees are directors.

“During the year, £41,000 (2023: £41,000) was paid to Parkside Leisure Limited for rent of the site. Other expenses totalling £109,851 (2023: £86,763) were charged by Parkside Leisure Limited for other premises expenses). The charity received donations from Parkside Leisure Ltd of £1,600 (2023: £1,500)” — page 31

“During the year, £8,602 (2023: £36,765) was invoiced by Paradise Wildlife Park Ltd for various costs. At 31 December 2024, the charitable company owed Paradise Wildlife Park Ltd nil (2023: nil).” — page 31

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Costs invoiced by Paradise Wildlife Park Ltd, a company where trustee Lynn Whitnall is a director.

“During the year, £41,000 (2023: £41,000) was paid to Parkside Leisure Limited for rent of the site. Other expenses totalling £109,851 (2023: £86,763) were charged by Parkside Leisure Limited for other premises expenses). The charity received donations from Parkside Leisure Ltd of £1,600 (2023: £1,500)” — page 31

“During the year, £8,602 (2023: £36,765) was invoiced by Paradise Wildlife Park Ltd for various costs. At 31 December 2024, the charitable company owed Paradise Wildlife Park Ltd nil (2023: nil).” — page 31

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Trading subsidiary: The Big Cat Sanctuary Experiences Ltd

“The charitable company has a wholly owned subsidiary, The Big Cat Sanctuary Experiences Ltd, incorporated on 24 April 2015 and through which the trading element of the Foundation is conducted.” — page 7

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Brindley Millen Limited. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — The Big Cat Sanctuary (matched by registered charity number).

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2024)

Total income

£3.6m

Total spending

£3.2m

Cost of raising funds

£117k

Reserves (reported)

£5.1m

Employees

Reported reserves equal ~18.8 months of spending — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (65% 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: 3.2% of total income — below the median for charities its size (5.2%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

Matt Bradychair
Brian Kane
Cameron Whitnall
Gary Batters
Jane Warden
LYNN KATHLEEN WHITNALL
Sir Eric Peacock
Stephen Winterburn
Tyler Whitnall

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

Operates in: Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/12/2024	£3.6m	£3.2m
31/12/2023	£2.9m	£3.0m
31/12/2022	£4.2m	£3.5m
31/12/2021	£3.7m	£2.6m
31/12/2020	£2.2m	£2.1m

Common questions

Is The Big Cat Sanctuary Ltd financially healthy?

Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that the charity generated a surplus of £394,244 for the year ended 31 December 2024, with total income rising to £3,646,058. The charity holds total reserves of £5,083,611, which exceeds the trustees' stated policy target of approximately £1,600,000 (equivalent to six months of general expenditure). The organization is debt-free and the auditors confirmed no material uncertainties regarding its ability to continue as a going concern. Its FY2024 accounts were audited by Brindley Millen Limited.

Who funds The Big Cat Sanctuary Ltd?

Funders whose own accounts filings name The Big Cat Sanctuary Ltd as a grant recipient include THE BERYL EVETTS AND ROBERT LUFF ANIMAL WELFARE TRUST LIMITED, THE W H SMITH GROUP CHARITABLE TRUST, THE GOOD LUCK CHARITABLE TRUST, FRANK BRAKE CHARITABLE TRUST, JOHN SWIRE 1989 CHARITABLE TRUST.

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount
THE BERYL EVETTS AND ROBERT LUFF ANIMAL WELFARE TRUST LIMITED	FY2025	£12k
THE W H SMITH GROUP CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£8k
THE BERYL EVETTS AND ROBERT LUFF ANIMAL WELFARE TRUST LIMITED	FY2023	£5k
THE GOOD LUCK CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2025	£5k
FRANK BRAKE CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£5k
JOHN SWIRE 1989 CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£3k
THE W H SMITH GROUP CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£0

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with BRISTOL AND WALES CAT RESCUE.

BRISTOL AND WALES CAT RESCUE income £157k
THE COLCHESTER AND DISTRICT CAT RESCUE AND HOMING SOCIETY income £312k
PANTHERA WILDLIFE TRUST LIMITED income £803k
THE LORD WHISKY SANCTUARY FUND income £1.8m
THE BLACKPOOL CAT TRUST income £134k
SHROPSHIRE CAT RESCUE income £384k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
The Big Cat Sanctuary Ltd	£3.6m	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
BRISTOL AND WALES CAT RESCUE FY2025	£157k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
THE COLCHESTER AND DISTRICT CAT RESCUE AND HOMING SOCIETY FY2024	£312k	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
PANTHERA WILDLIFE TRUST LIMITED FY2024	£803k	—	4	above	—	no doubt
THE LORD WHISKY SANCTUARY FUND FY2024	£1.8m	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
THE BLACKPOOL CAT TRUST FY2025	£134k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt

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