THE ISLAND PROJECT

Registered charity 1119034 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

To provide an education for children with autism through the introduction of effective communications systems enabling them to access any area of the national curriculum; to provide assistance and support for the family and friends of children with autism and enabling them to participate in the wider community. To allow independence through communication for children and adults with autism

Causes: Education/training · Disability · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£1.5m

Latest spending

£1.8m

Registered

2007

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a net expenditure deficit of £278,533 for the year ended 31 May 2025, funded from brought-forward reserves. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves stood at £185,772, which is below the stated policy target of three to six months' expenditure. The auditors confirmed that the use of the going concern basis of accounting was appropriate with no material uncertainties identified.

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

What the accounts disclose

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

“The number of employees whose employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs) exceeded £60,000 was: 2025 3 £60,001 - £70,000 1” — page 22

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Employees paid over £60,000: 3

“The number of employees whose employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs) exceeded £60,000 was: 2025 3 £60,001 - £70,000 1” — page 22

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Largest income source: School fees (77% of income)

“Income from charitable activities (School fees) showed positive growth, increasing to £1,191,827 from £1,003,664 in 2024.”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy (held: £186k; policy: three and six month’s expenditure)

“The trustees continue to aim for the charity to be in a position where it can ensure that that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised.” — page 5

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Michael Dufty Partnership Limited. Discloses 6 of 6 completeness components.

Year-over-year changes

Employees paid over £60,000: 0 (FY2024) → 3 (FY2025).

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

Corporate structure

Registered company of the charity Companies House 05924196

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.

BROWNING, Connie Frances — director, appointed 19/05/2025on trustee list
FIRTH, Lucy Jane — director, appointed 10/11/2017on trustee list
WALTERS-HUTTON, Jacqueline Anne — director, appointed 28/06/2017not on trustee list
GALLAGHER, Sarah Diane — secretary, appointed 26/03/2018

Official officers record.

Property (HM Land Registry)

2 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (0 freehold). All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.

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

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/05/2025)

Total income

£1.5m

Total spending

£1.8m

Reserves (reported)

£225k

Employees

Reported reserves equal ~1.5 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (77% 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 (5.2%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

JACQUI WALTERS-HUTTONchair
Connie Frances Browning
Lucy Firth

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

Operates in: Birmingham City · Coventry City · Dudley · Leicestershire · Sandwell · Solihull · Walsall · Warwickshire · Wolverhampton

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/05/2025	£1.5m	£1.8m
31/05/2024	£1.9m	£1.7m
31/05/2023	£1.7m	£1.5m
31/05/2022	£1.3m	£1.3m
31/05/2021	£1.2m	£1.2m

Common questions

Is THE ISLAND PROJECT financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net expenditure deficit of £278,533 for the year ended 31 May 2025, funded from brought-forward reserves. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves stood at £185,772, which is below the stated policy target of three to six months' expenditure. The auditors confirmed that the use of the going concern basis of accounting was appropriate with no material uncertainties identified. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Michael Dufty Partnership Limited.

What does the highest-paid employee of THE ISLAND PROJECT earn?

Per its FY2025 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the £60,001 - £70,000 band, and 3 employees earned over £60,000.

Who funds THE ISLAND PROJECT?

Funders whose own accounts filings name THE ISLAND PROJECT as a grant recipient include The Squire Patton Boggs Charitable Trust.

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
The Squire Patton Boggs Charitable Trust	FY2022	£200	Education/Training

Government & lottery funding

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

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
Sport England	23/05/2018	£9k	The Island Project Gets Active
The National Lottery Community Fund	12/08/2015	£10k	Farm 2 Fork

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
SIR HALLEY STEWART TRUST	1	£45k
TWO RIDINGS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION	1	£32k
THE WILL CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£30k
TALBOT VILLAGE TRUST	1	£25k
THE SHERLING CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£20k
THE ALICE ELLEN COOPER-DEAN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION	1	£18k
LORD BARNBY'S FOUNDATION	1	£6k
THE CARMELA & RONNIE PIGNATELLI FOUNDATION	1	£5k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with LEEDS AUTISM SERVICES.

LEEDS AUTISM SERVICES income £2.1m
FAMILIES FOR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS AND DIGNITY income £1.4m
THE TRANSFORMING AUTISM PROJECT income £201k
AUTISM PLUS LIMITED income £13.3m
Autism Unlimited Limited income £15.6m
AVON AUTISTIC FOUNDATION LIMITED income £1.4m

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
THE ISLAND PROJECT	£1.5m	£60,001 - £70,000	3	below	—	no doubt
LEEDS AUTISM SERVICES FY2025	£2.1m	—	0	unclear	—	noted
FAMILIES FOR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS AND DIGNITY FY2025	£1.4m	—	0	above	—	no doubt
THE TRANSFORMING AUTISM PROJECT FY2026	£201k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
AUTISM PLUS LIMITED FY2025	£13.3m	—	—	below	0.0%	no doubt
Autism Unlimited Limited FY2025	£15.6m	—	—	within	51.5%	no doubt

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