THE LAND RESTORATION TRUST

Registered charity 1138337 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as THE LAND TRUST · also registered in Scotland as SC043833 (OSCR)

The Land Trust manages public open spaces on behalf of and with local communities. We are a dynamic, commercially focussed organisation whose financial strength enables us to benefit both communities and businesses across the country by providing cost effective, sustainable and secure management solutions for green open spaces.

Causes: Education/training · The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · Amateur Sport · Environment/conservation/heritage · Economic/community Development/employment · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£10.3m

Latest spending

£11.0m

Registered

2010

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the Trust reported a net incoming resource deficit of £0.8m for the year ended 31 March 2025, driven by a fall in site funding and investment losses. However, the Trust maintains a strong balance sheet with total net assets of £219.6m, of which £3.0m is held in unrestricted General Funds. The Trustees consider there are no material uncertainties regarding the Trust's ability to continue as a going concern.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: minimum level of General Funds calculated at £2.0 million (held: £3.0m)

“The Board adopted a Reserves Policy in 2016/17, as a result of which the minimum level of General Funds for 2024/25 has been calculated at £2.0 million.” — page 13

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: The Trust used the services of Groundwork for site maintenance activities at a cost of £747,041.

“During the year the Trust used the services of Groundwork for site maintenance activities at a cost of £747,041 (2023/24: £764,452). At the year-end, the creditor balance for Groundwork was £nil (2023/24: Enil). The Trust also recognised £nil of income from Groundwork (2023/24: Enil).” — page 51

“During the year the Trust used the services of Wildlife Trusts for site maintenance activities at a cost of £528,164 (2023/24 £613,673). At the year-end, the creditor balance for the Wildlife Trust was £58,286 (2023/24: £32,193).” — page 51

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: The Trust used the services of Wildlife Trusts for site maintenance activities at a cost of £528,164.

“During the year the Trust used the services of Groundwork for site maintenance activities at a cost of £747,041 (2023/24: £764,452). At the year-end, the creditor balance for Groundwork was £nil (2023/24: Enil). The Trust also recognised £nil of income from Groundwork (2023/24: Enil).” — page 51

“During the year the Trust used the services of Wildlife Trusts for site maintenance activities at a cost of £528,164 (2023/24 £613,673). At the year-end, the creditor balance for the Wildlife Trust was £58,286 (2023/24: £32,193).” — page 51

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: The Trust used the services of National Trust for site maintenance activities at a cost of £59,356.

“During the year the Trust used the services of Groundwork for site maintenance activities at a cost of £747,041 (2023/24: £764,452). At the year-end, the creditor balance for Groundwork was £nil (2023/24: Enil). The Trust also recognised £nil of income from Groundwork (2023/24: Enil).” — page 51

“During the year the Trust used the services of Wildlife Trusts for site maintenance activities at a cost of £528,164 (2023/24 £613,673). At the year-end, the creditor balance for the Wildlife Trust was £58,286 (2023/24: £32,193).” — page 51

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: The Trust used the services of the Woodland Trust for site maintenance activities at a cost of £7,668.

“During the year the Trust used the services of Groundwork for site maintenance activities at a cost of £747,041 (2023/24: £764,452). At the year-end, the creditor balance for Groundwork was £nil (2023/24: Enil). The Trust also recognised £nil of income from Groundwork (2023/24: Enil).” — page 51

“During the year the Trust used the services of Wildlife Trusts for site maintenance activities at a cost of £528,164 (2023/24 £613,673). At the year-end, the creditor balance for the Wildlife Trust was £58,286 (2023/24: £32,193).” — page 51

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Trading subsidiary: Land Trust Residential Services Limited, Beaulieu Estate Management Limited

“The Land Trust Group has two trading subsidiaries, Land Trust Residential Services Limited and Beaulieu Estate Management Limited (these are 100% directly owned by The Land Restoration Trust Services Limited) which carry out the management of Service Charge Sites.” — page 11

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Saffery LLP. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — The Land Trust (matched by registered charity number).

Property (HM Land Registry)

132 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (104 freehold). All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.

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

Total income

£10.3m

Total spending

£11.0m

Cost of raising funds

£688k

Reserves (reported)

£33.8m

Employees

53

Reported reserves equal ~36.8 months of spending — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 4.6 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Investments (76% 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: 6.7% of total income — above the median for charities its size (3.8%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

Anthony Bickmore · trustee of 2 other charities
Dr Louise Brooke-Smith
Janet Dugdale · trustee of 1 other charity
Jonathan Irvine
Michael Jonathan Read Bishop
Patrick Anthony Richards Aylmer
Rachel Althea Rodney Hatfield
Sandra Kelly
Sarah Ingrid Chare
Simon Andrew Rutman
Susan Zena Ward
Tom Knox Wright

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

Operates in: Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/03/2025	£10.3m	£11.0m
31/03/2024	£17.7m	£10.4m
31/03/2023	£11.0m	£9.2m
31/03/2022	£22.7m	£9.1m
31/03/2021	£10.4m	£7.2m

Common questions

Is THE LAND RESTORATION TRUST financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the Trust reported a net incoming resource deficit of £0.8m for the year ended 31 March 2025, driven by a fall in site funding and investment losses. However, the Trust maintains a strong balance sheet with total net assets of £219.6m, of which £3.0m is held in unrestricted General Funds. The Trustees consider there are no material uncertainties regarding the Trust's ability to continue as a going concern. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Saffery LLP.

Who funds THE LAND RESTORATION TRUST?

Funders whose own accounts filings name THE LAND RESTORATION TRUST as a grant recipient include DENISE COATES FOUNDATION, ROYAL SOCIETY OF WILDLIFE TRUSTS.

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
DENISE COATES FOUNDATION	FY2024	£698k	Continue support with Green Angels training courses at Hassall Green Nature Reserve site and develop more in-depth community engagement activities over a five y
ROYAL SOCIETY OF WILDLIFE TRUSTS	FY2024	£0	Biffa Award Grants

Government & lottery funding

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

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
Greater London Authority	30/01/2023	£35k	Rewilding for Reptiles
The National Lottery Community Fund	23/11/2018	£10k	Green Angels; Countess of Chester Country Park
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	16/03/2017	£482k	"Discovering Bromborough 3: Interpreting the Past"
The National Lottery Community Fund	14/01/2013	£10k	Parks for People - Research Services BIG001-0039

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 JOHN COATES CHARITABLE TRUST	3	£24k
THE BANISTER CHARITABLE TRUST	2	£845k
THE OAKDALE TRUST	2	£3k
THE JOHN R. MURRAY CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£1.1m
GARFIELD WESTON FOUNDATION	1	£250k
KUSUMA TRUST UK	1	£200k
THE LINDER FOUNDATION	1	£130k
FINHUMF	1	£96k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with THE SOIL ASSOCIATION LAND TRUST.

THE SOIL ASSOCIATION LAND TRUST income £639k
BANKSIDE OPEN SPACES TRUST income £1.3m
THE LANDMARK TRUST income £20.2m
LONDON HISTORIC PARKS AND GARDENS TRUST income £269k
THE EAST LOOE TOWN TRUST income £569k
VALE LANDSCAPE HERITAGE TRUST income £351k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
THE LAND RESTORATION TRUST	£10.3m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
THE SOIL ASSOCIATION LAND TRUST FY2025	£639k	—	0	below	—	no doubt
BANKSIDE OPEN SPACES TRUST FY2025	£1.3m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
THE LANDMARK TRUST FY2024	£20.2m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
LONDON HISTORIC PARKS AND GARDENS TRUST FY2024	£269k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
THE EAST LOOE TOWN TRUST FY2024	£569k	—	0	below	—	no doubt

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