THE DODDINGTON HALL CONSERVATION CHARITY

Registered charity 1114539 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

To advance the education of the public regarding conservation of artworks, heritage and natural environment at the Doddington Estate. To promote the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment on the Doddington Estate.

Objects

The trustees must apply the income of the charity in furthering the following objects (“the objects”):(a) the advancement of education, in particular:(i) of the public in relation to the physical and natural environment and heritage assets on the Doddington Estate; and(ii) of young people in connection with the environment;(b) the advancement of health and recreation of the public in the interests of social welfare, in particular by providing public access to parts of the Doddington Estate; (c) the advancement of community development in the vicinity of the Doddington Estate;(d) the advancement of the arts, culture, heritage or science for the public benefit, in particular by the conservation, protection and improvement of heritage assets on the Doddington Estate; and(e) the advancement of environmental protection or improvement for the public benefit, in particular of the natural environment on the Doddington Estate,(f) where references in this clause to “in particular” shall be construed to include “but without limitation to”.

Area of benefit: NOT DEFINED. IN PRACTICE, LINCOLN.

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: Education/training · Arts/culture/heritage/science · Environment/conservation/heritage · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£539k

Latest spending

£314k

Registered

2006

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity's unrestricted reserves are £583, which is significantly below the total funds carried forward of £229,415. The trustees report that the charity has relied upon Doddington Farms LLP for financial support rather than maintaining a formal reserves policy, and a new detailed policy is yet to be adopted.

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

What the accounts disclose

Going concern: material uncertainty disclosed

“However, the trustees note a material uncertainty exists.” — page 15

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Doddington Farms LLP paid £231,945 expenses on behalf of the charity and was repaid £80,224.

“During the year, Doddington Farms LLP paid £231,945 expenses on behalf of the charity and was repaid £80,224.” — page 18

“Doddington Farms LLP donated £64,061 (2024: £15,841) to the charity” — page 18

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Doddington Farms LLP donated £64,061 to the charity.

“During the year, Doddington Farms LLP paid £231,945 expenses on behalf of the charity and was repaid £80,224.” — page 18

“Doddington Farms LLP donated £64,061 (2024: £15,841) to the charity” — page 18

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Charity owed £163,731 to Doddington Farms LLP at year end.

“During the year, Doddington Farms LLP paid £231,945 expenses on behalf of the charity and was repaid £80,224.” — page 18

“Doddington Farms LLP donated £64,061 (2024: £15,841) to the charity” — page 18

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Charity rents land from Doddington Farms LLP for peppercorn rent.

“During the year, Doddington Farms LLP paid £231,945 expenses on behalf of the charity and was repaid £80,224.” — page 18

“Doddington Farms LLP donated £64,061 (2024: £15,841) to the charity” — page 18

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Chair of trustees is a member of Doddington Farms LLP.

“During the year, Doddington Farms LLP paid £231,945 expenses on behalf of the charity and was repaid £80,224.” — page 18

“Doddington Farms LLP donated £64,061 (2024: £15,841) to the charity” — page 18

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
Complaints policy and procedures
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures

Funders the charity credits

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

The National Lottery Heritage Fund — “The Doddington Hall Conservation Charity has been awarded initial support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for the Wilder Connections…” (source page)
Kestevens LEADER Fund — “A grant from the Kestevens LEADER Fund helped us invest in forestry equipment, allowing us to produce wood chip more efficiently. This wood …” (source page)
Smart Energy Greater Lincolnshire — “To help fund these energy-saving measures, we received a grant of £14,098 from Smart Energy Greater Lincolnshire.” (source page)

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

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

Total income

£539k

Total spending

£314k

Reserves (reported)

£0

Employees

0

Reported reserves equal ~0.0 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (87% 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

CLAIRE VICTORIA BIRCHchair
Claire Brainerd · trustee of 1 other charity
Dr Jason O'Rourke · trustee of 2 other charities
Emma Tatlow · trustee of 1 other charity
Frances Mary Powell
Lucy Lapwing

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

Operates in: Lincolnshire

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/03/2025	£539k	£314k
31/03/2024	£68k	£72k
31/03/2023	£175k	£177k
31/03/2022	£2k	£2k
31/03/2021	£0	£288

Common questions

Is THE DODDINGTON HALL CONSERVATION CHARITY financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity's unrestricted reserves are £583, which is significantly below the total funds carried forward of £229,415. The trustees report that the charity has relied upon Doddington Farms LLP for financial support rather than maintaining a formal reserves policy, and a new detailed policy is yet to be adopted. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Government & lottery funding

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

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
The Mercers' Company	27/03/2026	£99k	Grant to Doddington Hall Conservation Charity
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	08/03/2022	£2.6m	"Wilder Connections Â– unlocking DoddingtonÂ’s potential for nature and people"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	22/09/2016	£80k	"See, Sew, Save the Doddington Tapestries"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	26/03/2010	£49k	"Hands on Tapestries"

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 GODINTON CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£240k
THE KNOLL CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£230

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with THE GODINTON HOUSE PRESERVATION TRUST.

THE GODINTON HOUSE PRESERVATION TRUST income £1.3m
BURGHLEY HOUSE PRESERVATION TRUST LIMITED income £17.7m
THE GREAT DIXTER CHARITABLE TRUST income £2.6m
KEN DODD CHARITABLE FOUNDATION income £508k
HAREWOOD HOUSE TRUST LIMITED income £6.0m
THE SARGENT CHARITABLE TRUST income £682k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
THE DODDINGTON HALL CONSERVATION CHARITY	£539k	—	0	unclear	—	material uncertainty
THE GODINTON HOUSE PRESERVATION TRUST FY2025	£1.3m	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
BURGHLEY HOUSE PRESERVATION TRUST LIMITED FY2026	£17.7m	over £60,000	10	unclear	—	no doubt
THE GREAT DIXTER CHARITABLE TRUST FY2025	£2.6m	more than £60,000	1	unclear	—	no doubt
KEN DODD CHARITABLE FOUNDATION FY2025	£508k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
HAREWOOD HOUSE TRUST LIMITED FY2025	£6.0m	—	—	below	—	noted

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