Bernard Sunley Foundation

Registered charity 1109099 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as THE BERNARD SUNLEY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

THE AIM OF THE FOUNDATION IS TO GRANT AID TO CHARITIES SEEKING TO RAISE THE QUALITY OF LIFE, PARTICULARY FOR THOSE WHO ARE YOUNG, DISADVANTAGED, DEPRIVED, DISABLED OR ELDERLY. GRANTS ARE USUALLY CONFINED TO THE UNITED KINGDOM. THE TRUSTEES HAVE A PREFERENCE FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, NOT RUNNING COSTS.

Causes: Education/training · The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · Disability · The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · Amateur Sport · Environment/conservation/heritage · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£3.0m

Latest spending

£5.8m

Registered

2005

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that unrestricted reserves stood at £167.7 million, a decrease from £172.4 million the previous year, driven by a net investment loss of £1.9 million and charitable expenditure of £5.0 million. The Trustees report no material uncertainties regarding the charity's ability to continue as a going concern. The charity does not have a specific reserves policy, stating the whole portfolio could act as a reserve.

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

What the accounts disclose

Highest-paid employee band: £100,001 - £110,000 — in the top quarter for charities its size (median £70k)

“One employee was in receipt of an annual salary between £100,001 and £110,000” — page 51

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Employees paid over £60,000: 1

“One employee was in receipt of an annual salary between £100,001 and £110,000” — page 51

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Largest income source: Investments (95% of income)

“Income from: Investments (a) 3,032”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Dr Brian W Martin sits on the advisory panel of the Barwood Regional Property Growth Fund IV and is a Trustee of Sunley Orford Retirement Homes, of which the Foundation is the residual beneficiary.

“Dr Brian W Martin, Chairman of the Foundation’s Finance Committee and Trustee, sits on the advisory panel of the Barwood Regional Property Growth Fund IV. He is a Trustee of Sunley Orford Retirement Homes. The Foundation is the residual beneficiary of this charity.” — page 53

“Mr Richard Tice, a member of the Foundation’s Finance Committee, sits on the advisory panel of the Barwood Urban Industrial Income Fund.” — page 53

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Mr Richard Tice sits on the advisory panel of the Barwood Urban Industrial Income Fund.

“Dr Brian W Martin, Chairman of the Foundation’s Finance Committee and Trustee, sits on the advisory panel of the Barwood Regional Property Growth Fund IV. He is a Trustee of Sunley Orford Retirement Homes. The Foundation is the residual beneficiary of this charity.” — page 53

“Mr Richard Tice, a member of the Foundation’s Finance Committee, sits on the advisory panel of the Barwood Urban Industrial Income Fund.” — page 53

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Azets. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Year-over-year changes

Top pay band moved from £90,001 - £100,000 (FY2024) to £100,001 - £110,000 (FY2025).

Comparing this charity’s FY2024 and FY2025 accounts as analysed by this site.

Funders the charity credits

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

Bernard Sunley Foundation — “Every year the Foundation funds hundreds of capital projects, both large and small.” (source page)

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

Total income

£3.0m

Total spending

£5.8m

Cost of raising funds

£785k

Reserves (reported)

£167.7m

Employees

3

Per its annual return, largest income source: Investments (100% 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: 25.9% of total income — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 5.2%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

ANABEL KNIGHTchair
BELLA SUNLEY MBE
Dr BRIAN WARDLEY MARTIN BSC HONS
INIGO PATERNINA
Lucy Pauline Alexandra Evans
WILLIAM TICE FRCS

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

Operates in: Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/03/2025	£3.0m	£5.8m
31/03/2024	£3.0m	£5.6m
31/03/2023	£2.6m	£5.4m
31/03/2022	£2.7m	£5.3m
31/03/2021	£2.6m	£4.5m

Common questions

Is Bernard Sunley Foundation financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that unrestricted reserves stood at £167.7 million, a decrease from £172.4 million the previous year, driven by a net investment loss of £1.9 million and charitable expenditure of £5.0 million. The Trustees report no material uncertainties regarding the charity's ability to continue as a going concern. The charity does not have a specific reserves policy, stating the whole portfolio could act as a reserve. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Azets.

What does the highest-paid employee of Bernard Sunley Foundation earn?

Per its FY2025 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the £100,001 - £110,000 band, and 1 employees earned over £60,000.

Who funds Bernard Sunley Foundation?

Funders whose own accounts filings name Bernard Sunley Foundation as a grant recipient include THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MICHAEL AND ST GEORGE, FULWELL, THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST PETER AND ST LEONARD, HORBURY WITH ST JOHN, HORBURY BRIDGE, THE TIM HENMAN FOUNDATION.

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MICHAEL AND ST GEORGE, FULWELL	FY2022	£10k	Support of the Regenerate building project
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST PETER AND ST LEONARD, HORBURY WITH ST JOHN, HORBURY BRIDGE	FY2023	£4k	Renewing the heating at St John’s
THE TIM HENMAN FOUNDATION	FY2025	£3k	Donations from corporations and trusts

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 BAND TRUST	1	£520k
EVERY YOUTH	1	£219k
THE OVO CHARITABLE FOUNDATION	1	£191k
Community Foundation for Staffordshire and Shropshire	1	£110k
QUORN BAPTIST CHURCH	1	£100k
THE EARL OF NORTHAMPTON'S CHARITY	1	£66k
THE PA FOUNDATION	1	£57k
THE PERMIRA FOUNDATION	1	£53k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with SUNNY DAYS CHILDRENS FUND.

SUNNY DAYS CHILDRENS FUND income £463k
THE SUNSET CHARITABLE TRUST income £148k
THE HUBB FOUNDATION income £1.7m
THE BENJAMIN FOUNDATION income £8.7m
THE BROWNLEE FOUNDATION income £296k
THE HOBSON CHARITY LIMITED income £1.8m

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
Bernard Sunley Foundation	£3.0m	£100,001 - £110,000	1	unclear	—	no doubt
SUNNY DAYS CHILDRENS FUND FY2025	£463k	—	0	unclear	—	noted
THE SUNSET CHARITABLE TRUST FY2024	£148k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
THE HUBB FOUNDATION FY2024	£1.7m	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
THE BENJAMIN FOUNDATION FY2025	£8.7m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
THE BROWNLEE FOUNDATION FY2024	£296k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt

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