THE BRITISH SHAKESPEARE ASSOCIATION

Registered charity 1123867 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

3. The Charity's objects (the Objects) are to educate, promote, and foster a better understanding of Shakespeare and his works in a manner consistent with an educational charity limited by guarantee; and benefiting those individuals, members, charities, or institutions with an educational purpose toward the study of Shakespeare in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Objects

THE CHARITY'S OBJECTS ( THE OBJECTS) ARE TO EDUCATE, PROMOTE, AND FOSTER A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF SHAKESPEARE AND HIS WORKS IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH AN EDUCATIONAL CHARITY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE; AND BENEFITING THOSE INDIVIDUALS, MEMBERS, CHARITIES, OR INSTITUTIONS WITH AN EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE TOWARD THE STUDY OF SHAKESPEARE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND.

Area of benefit: UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND

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 · website · Get email alerts

Registered contact address: Stratford-on-Avon, West Midlands, England (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income

£31k

Latest spending

£24k

Registered

2008

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The charity reported a net surplus of £6,994 for the year, increasing its unrestricted funds to £20,701. The trustees consider reserves to be sufficient and above their policy target of three to six months' expenditure, with no material uncertainties regarding going concern. The organization operates with no permanent staff and relies on trustee governance.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: between three and six month’s expenditure (held: £21k)

“It is the policy of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month’s expenditure.” — page 4

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Ex Officio Trustees from related organisations (Shakespeare Institute, Journal of the British Shakespeare Association, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust) have transactions carried out at arm's length.

“The Shakespeare Institute, the Journal of the British Shakespeare Association and the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust have Ex Officio Trustees on the board with transactions carried out at arm’s length.” — page 6

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 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 handling
Complaints policy and procedures
Conflicting interests
Engaging external speakers at charity events policy and procedures
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Investing charity funds policy and procedures
Risk management
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Social media policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures

Corporate structure

Registered company of the charity Companies House 06446230

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.

CHIBA, Jessica Keiko, Dr — director, appointed 08/11/2025on trustee list
SMITH, Andrea Michaela, Dr — director, appointed 14/09/2023on trustee list
TURNER-MCMULLAN, Cj — director, appointed 14/09/2023on trustee list
THOM, Alexander Douglas, Dr — director, appointed 14/09/2023on trustee list
RUTTER, Thomas Oliver, Dr — director, appointed 19/01/2023on trustee list
MCGIVERN, Karen, Dr — director, appointed 19/11/2022on trustee list
GREATLEY-HIRSCH, Brett Daniel, Dr — director, appointed 19/11/2022on trustee list
LIVINGSTON JONES, Oliver Edward, Dr — director, appointed 19/11/2022not on trustee list
HIPKISS, Katherine, Dr — director, appointed 15/05/2022on trustee list
BUCKLEY, Thea, Dr — director, appointed 21/11/2020on trustee list
HEIJES, Cornelis Pieter Albert, Dr — director, appointed 01/10/2019on trustee list
SHMYGOL, Maria, Dr — director, appointed 07/09/2019on trustee list
PÉREZ DÍEZ, José Alberto, Dr — director, appointed 10/09/2016not on trustee list
EDMONDSON, Paul Matthew — director, appointed 01/01/2013on trustee list

Official officers record.

Trustees · trustee networks

Dr Jose Alberto Perez Diezchair · trustee of 1 other charity
Dr Alexander Douglas Thom
Dr Andrea Michaela Smith
Dr CJ Turner-McMullan
Dr Cornelis Pieter Albert Heijes
Dr Jessica Keiko Chiba
Dr Karen McGivern
Dr Katherine Joan Edith Hipkiss
Dr Maria Shmygol · trustee of 1 other charity
Dr Oliver Edward Livingston Jones
Dr Thea Buckley
Dr Thomas Oliver Rutter
PROFESSOR DEBORAH JAYNE CARTMELL · trustee of 1 other charity
Professor Brett Daniel Greatley-Hirsch
Rev Dr Paul Matthew Francis Edmondson · trustee of 1 other charity

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

Operates in: Northern Ireland · Scotland · Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/12/2025	£31k	£24k
31/12/2024	£22k	£24k
31/12/2023	£51k	£39k
31/12/2022	£5k	£5k
31/12/2021	£5k	£8k

Common questions

Is THE BRITISH SHAKESPEARE ASSOCIATION financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The charity reported a net surplus of £6,994 for the year, increasing its unrestricted funds to £20,701. The trustees consider reserves to be sufficient and above their policy target of three to six months' expenditure, with no material uncertainties regarding going concern. The organization operates with no permanent staff and relies on trustee governance. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

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 THOMPSON FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST	2	£1.4m
CHAPMAN CHARITABLE TRUST	2	£3k
THE FRIENDS OF THE BRITISH LIBRARY	1	£1.9m
JOHN LYON'S CHARITY	1	£428k
GARFIELD WESTON FOUNDATION	1	£300k
THE FOYLE FOUNDATION	1	£200k
CHARITY OF SIR RICHARD WHITTINGTON	1	£110k
WELLINGTON MANAGEMENT UK FOUNDATION	1	£47k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with THE PRIMARY SHAKESPEARE COMPANY.

THE PRIMARY SHAKESPEARE COMPANY income £522k
THE SHAKESPEARE GLOBE TRUST income £31.5m
THE SHAKESPEAREAN AUTHORSHIP TRUST income £29k
STAMFORD SHAKESPEARE COMPANY income £788k
GUILDFORD SHAKESPEARE COMPANY TRUST LTD income £843k
THE BRITISH LIBRARY COLLECTIONS TRUST income £1.7m

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
THE BRITISH SHAKESPEARE ASSOCIATION	£31k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
THE PRIMARY SHAKESPEARE COMPANY FY2025	£522k	—	0	above	—	no doubt
THE SHAKESPEARE GLOBE TRUST FY2025	£31.5m	—	—	below	—	no doubt
THE SHAKESPEAREAN AUTHORSHIP TRUST FY2025	£29k	—	0	above	—	no doubt
STAMFORD SHAKESPEARE COMPANY FY2025	£788k	—	0	above	—	no doubt
GUILDFORD SHAKESPEARE COMPANY TRUST LTD FY2025	£843k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt

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