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CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL TRUST FUND

Registered charity 1112590 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL DEVELOPMENT LIMITED, CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL DEVELOPMENT TRUST, THE CANTERBURY GIFT

The Trust supports the priorities of Canterbury Cathedral, and raises awareness of the site and its significance, its heritage value and its activities. The charity raises funds to: conserve the building and its collections; enhance access and interpretation; develop the site as a centre for learning; promote the choral music tradition; and create sustainable opportunities for craftsmen and women.

Causes: Education/training · Religious Activities · Arts/culture/heritage/science · Environment/conservation/heritage · Economic/community Development/employment · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · website · Get email alerts

Latest income
£430k
Latest spending
£710k
Registered
2005
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The charity reported total net assets of £6.57m, with unrestricted general funds of £0.21m. The trustees state that their policy of retaining 6 to 12 months' operating costs as general funds has been achieved based on anticipated future expenditure. The charity is not actively fundraising and relies on existing funds and investment income to support the Cathedral.

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

What the accounts disclose

Largest income source: Legacies (51% of income)
“Legacies of £0.207m (2024: £0.016m) were received or notified in the year, making up 50.6% of the total income for the year.” — page 5
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves policy: three months of unrestricted expenditure (held: £210k)
“The Trustees have a policy of retaining a minimum of 6 to 12 months’ operating costs as general funds.”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: The charity pays a charge of £9,000 including VAT to cover administration services provided by Chapter to the Charity (2024: £6,000).
“The Charity pays a charge of £9,000 including VAT to cover administration services provided by Chapter to the Charity (2024: £6,000). The Chapter met sundry costs of £34 (2024: £2,073) which have been recharged to the charity.” — page 27
“The charity paid or committed grants of £0.67m to the Cathedral to support on going projects including the West Front project and the provision of music (2024: £1.027m).” — page 3
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Grants paid to the Chapter of Canterbury.
“The Charity pays a charge of £9,000 including VAT to cover administration services provided by Chapter to the Charity (2024: £6,000). The Chapter met sundry costs of £34 (2024: £2,073) which have been recharged to the charity.” — page 27
“The charity paid or committed grants of £0.67m to the Cathedral to support on going projects including the West Front project and the provision of music (2024: £1.027m).” — page 3
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Buzzacott Audit LLP. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Canterbury Cathedral Trust (matched by registered charity number).

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

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2023)

Total income
£681k
Total spending
£959k
Cost of raising funds
£159k
Reserves (reported)
£230k
Employees
2

Reported reserves equal ~2.9 months of spending — below the median for charities its size (median 7.0 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 23.3% of total income — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 2.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Kent

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/03/2025£430k£710k
31/03/2024£497k£1.1m
31/03/2023£681k£959k
31/03/2022£866k£879k
31/03/2021£1.2m£2.0m

Common questions

Is CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL TRUST FUND financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The charity reported total net assets of £6.57m, with unrestricted general funds of £0.21m. The trustees state that their policy of retaining 6 to 12 months' operating costs as general funds has been achieved based on anticipated future expenditure. The charity is not actively fundraising and relies on existing funds and investment income to support the Cathedral. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Buzzacott Audit LLP.

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.

FunderSimilar charities fundedAmount to them
THE JULIA RAUSING TRUST1£475k
THE CHRISTOPHER AND HENRY OLDFIELD TRUST1£128k
THE HEADLEY TRUST1£50k
THE A M CHARITABLE TRUST1£32k
THE MERCHANT VENTURERS CHARITY1£20k
BRISTOL CATHEDRAL TRUST1£19k
JOHN SWIRE 1989 CHARITABLE TRUST1£14k
The Patricia Routledge Foundation1£8k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with CHICHESTER CATHEDRAL RESTORATION AND DEVELOPMENT TRUST CIO.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL TRUST FUND£430k—0unclear—no doubt
CHICHESTER CATHEDRAL RESTORATION AND DEVELOPMENT TRUST CIO FY2025£1.4m—0unclear—no doubt
THE ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL TRUST FY2025£166k—0unclear—no doubt
DURHAM CATHEDRAL CHOIR ASSOCIATION FY2024£283k—0above—no doubt
LINCOLN CATHEDRAL MUSIC FUND FY2025£111k—0above—no doubt
BRISTOL CATHEDRAL FY2024£1.9m——unclear—no doubt

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