WILDLIFE AND COUNTRYSIDE LINK

Registered charity 1107460 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as LINK

Wildlife and Countryside Link (Link) brings together environmental voluntary organisations in the UK united by their common interest in the conservation and enjoyment of the natural and historic environment. Our aim is to maximise the efficiency and effectiveness of the voluntary sector by facilitating collaboration.

Causes: Environment/conservation/heritage · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£909k

Latest spending

£843k

Registered

2005

Accounts read

FY2024

Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts

The accounts state that total income for the year ended 31 December 2024 was £909,221, resulting in a net surplus of £65,815. Free reserves amounted to £787,325, which the trustees note represents 12.04 months of total 2024 expenditure, exceeding their policy target of six months. The charity operates on a going concern basis with no material uncertainties disclosed.

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

What the accounts disclose

Highest-paid employee band: £70,001 - £80,000 — in the top quarter for charities its size (median £60k)

“One employee received remuneration of between £70,000 and £80,000 in the year (exclusive of employer pensions and employer National Insurance contributions).” — page 26

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves policy: six months operating expenditure, over a rolling period of three years (held: £787k)

“Link’s Reserve policy is to maintain free reserves of six months operating expenditure, over a rolling period of three years.” — page 13

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Payments to trustees: Nadia Shaikh received £3,860 in consultancy fees.

“Consultancy fees were paid to Nadia Shaikh of £3,860 during the year (2023 £3,020) in respect of helping to run the PSN & Raven's working group.” — page 26

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Consultancy fees paid to trustee Nadia Shaikh

“Consultancy fees were paid to Nadia Shaikh of £3,860 during the year (2023 £3,020) in respect of helping to run the PSN & Raven's working group.” — page 26

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

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

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

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

Total income

£909k

Total spending

£843k

Reserves (reported)

£787k

Employees

Reported reserves equal ~11.2 months of spending — above the median for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (54% 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: 0.0% of total income — below the median for charities its size (4.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

Rebecca Susan Speightchair
Adam Christopher Royle
Allison Claire Ogden-Newton
Dominic Dyer
Dr James Vincent Cooper
Jason Reeves
Matthew Ray Courtney Browne

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	£909k	£843k
31/12/2023	£738k	£604k
31/12/2022	£590k	£542k
31/12/2021	£675k	£471k
31/12/2020	£483k	£344k

Common questions

Is WILDLIFE AND COUNTRYSIDE LINK financially healthy?

Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that total income for the year ended 31 December 2024 was £909,221, resulting in a net surplus of £65,815. Free reserves amounted to £787,325, which the trustees note represents 12.04 months of total 2024 expenditure, exceeding their policy target of six months. The charity operates on a going concern basis with no material uncertainties disclosed. Its FY2024 accounts were independently examined.

What does the highest-paid employee of WILDLIFE AND COUNTRYSIDE LINK earn?

Per its FY2024 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the £70,001 - £80,000 band.

Who funds WILDLIFE AND COUNTRYSIDE LINK?

Funders whose own accounts filings name WILDLIFE AND COUNTRYSIDE LINK as a grant recipient include JOHN ELLERMAN FOUNDATION, THE SAVITRI WANEY CHARITABLE TRUST.

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
JOHN ELLERMAN FOUNDATION	FY2022	£150k	Towards core costs, galvanising the environment movement behind strong, shared policy ideas to influence UK law and policy.
THE SAVITRI WANEY CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£10k	Grants to institutions
JOHN ELLERMAN FOUNDATION	FY2023	£3k	Contribution towards the costs of Wildlife and Countryside Link’s work to improve diversity in the conservation and environmental sectors, with matchfunding pro

Government & lottery funding

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

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, UK Branch	18/03/2021	£42k	Wildlife and Countryside Link
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, UK Branch	18/05/2020	£54k	Wildlife and Countryside Link
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, UK Branch	21/03/2019	£75k	Wildlife and Countryside Link
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, UK Branch	23/03/2017	£30k	Wildlife and Countryside Link
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, UK Branch	06/11/2014	£30k	Wildlife and Countryside Link
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	22/10/2013	£10k	"Shaping Wildlife and Countryside LinkÂ’s future to maximise effectiveness and ensure long term viability"