THOMAS POCKLINGTON TRUST

Registered charity 1113729 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as THE GIFT OF THOMAS POCKLINGTON, THOMAS POCKLINGTON TRUST LIMITED

To provide support for people with sight loss and to develop increased knowledge and understanding of the prevention, alleviation and cure of sight loss

Causes: Education/training · The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · Disability · Accommodation/housing · Economic/community Development/employment · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · website · Get email alerts

Latest income
£6.6m
Latest spending
£7.7m
Registered
2006
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity generated a net deficit of £3.7m for the year ended 31 March 2025, primarily due to a £2.7m actuarial loss on its defined benefit pension scheme. Despite this deficit, the charity held £11.1m in unrestricted funds, which the trustees monitor against identified risks and anticipated needs. The trustees confirmed adequate resources for the foreseeable future, supported by detailed cash flow projections and agreed budgets.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: maintained to provide funds to offset any unexpected events... and to provide for major planned events (held: £11.1m)
“Our unrestricted reserves are maintained to provide funds to offset any unexpected events which may arise, including volatility in the transfers from the permanent endowment due to changes in the London property market, and to provide for major planned events including new developments and research.” — page 19
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Trustee Raj Mehta is Chair of UK National Eye Health Survey and Middlesex Association for the Blind; Trust paid grants to both.
“Raj Mehta, a Trustee of Thomas Pocklington Trust, is also the Chair of the steering committee of UK National Eye Health Survey and the Chair of Middlesex Association for the Blind. The Trust paid grants to UK National Eye Health Survey and Middlesex Association for the Blind during the year.” — page 59
“Raj Mehta is also a Non executive director of Evenbreak. The Trust used Evenbreak as a supplier during the year.” — page 59
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Trustee Raj Mehta is Non-executive director of Evenbreak; Trust used Evenbreak as a supplier.
“Raj Mehta, a Trustee of Thomas Pocklington Trust, is also the Chair of the steering committee of UK National Eye Health Survey and the Chair of Middlesex Association for the Blind. The Trust paid grants to UK National Eye Health Survey and Middlesex Association for the Blind during the year.” — page 59
“Raj Mehta is also a Non executive director of Evenbreak. The Trust used Evenbreak as a supplier during the year.” — page 59
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Trustee Louise Robertshaw is Director of Sense; Trust paid a grant to Sense.
“Raj Mehta, a Trustee of Thomas Pocklington Trust, is also the Chair of the steering committee of UK National Eye Health Survey and the Chair of Middlesex Association for the Blind. The Trust paid grants to UK National Eye Health Survey and Middlesex Association for the Blind during the year.” — page 59
“Raj Mehta is also a Non executive director of Evenbreak. The Trust used Evenbreak as a supplier during the year.” — page 59
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Pension scheme deficit: £997k
“The recent actuarial valuation of the scheme showed assets of £5.517m, liabilities of £6.514m and a deficit of £0.977m. The deficit is provided for in the accounts.” — page 54
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Forvis Mazars LLP. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

Corporate structure

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Thomas Pocklington Trust (matched by registered charity number).

Company officers (Companies House)

Current officers of the charity’s own company per the Companies House register, cross-checked against the Charity Commission trustee list by name. A director not on the trustee list is usually a timing or naming difference between the two registers — check both records before drawing conclusions.

Official officers record.

Property (HM Land Registry)

52 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (50 freehold); recorded price paid £438k. All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.

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

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

Total income
£6.6m
Total spending
£7.7m
Cost of raising funds
£2.1m
Reserves (reported)
£11.1m
Employees
79

Reported reserves equal ~17.4 months of spending — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Investments (86% 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: 31.2% of total income — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 5.2%) (benchmarks).

Register events

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Throughout England

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/03/2025£6.6m£7.7m
31/03/2024£6.2m£6.6m
31/03/2023£5.8m£6.9m
31/03/2022£5.2m£6.5m
31/03/2021£5.2m£6.5m

Common questions

Is THOMAS POCKLINGTON TRUST financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity generated a net deficit of £3.7m for the year ended 31 March 2025, primarily due to a £2.7m actuarial loss on its defined benefit pension scheme. Despite this deficit, the charity held £11.1m in unrestricted funds, which the trustees monitor against identified risks and anticipated needs. The trustees confirmed adequate resources for the foreseeable future, supported by detailed cash flow projections and agreed budgets. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Forvis Mazars LLP.

Who funds THOMAS POCKLINGTON TRUST?

Funders whose own accounts filings name THOMAS POCKLINGTON TRUST as a grant recipient include THE ROYAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF BLIND PEOPLE, THE POWELL FAMILY FOUNDATION.

Known funders

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

FunderYearAmountPurpose (as stated by the funder)
THE ROYAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF BLIND PEOPLEFY2025£159kInternship placements – 2 grants payable
THE ROYAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF BLIND PEOPLEFY2024£150kInternship placements – 1 grant payable
THE POWELL FAMILY FOUNDATIONFY2025£50k

Government & lottery funding

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

FunderDateAmountPurpose
Sport England19/12/2017£5kInclusive Dance Development Programme
The National Lottery Community Fund12/01/2011£302kThe V.I.P. Project

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 The Trust Foundation.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
THOMAS POCKLINGTON TRUST£6.6m——above—no doubt
The Trust Foundation FY2024£3.0m—0above—no doubt
Sight Support West of England FY2025£978k£60,001 - £70,0001above—no doubt
INFOCUS CHARITY FY2025£10.6m——unclear—no doubt
THE TRUST FOR WELSH ARCHAEOLOGY FY2025£3.5m——below—no doubt
THE THOMAS WALL TRUST FY2025£211k—0above—no doubt

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