WEST OF ENGLAND RURAL NETWORK
Registered charity 1146165 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as WERN
As a specialist rural organisation we work with communities, businesses, social enterprises, groups and individuals to support and encourage community-led action. We are experienced in areas such as broadband, access to services, transport, affordable housing, fuel poverty, energy generation, village halls & community assets, health & social care, funding advice and community led planning.
Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · Economic/community Development/employment · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the charity reported a net expenditure deficit of £50,480 for the year ended 31 March 2025, largely attributed to advance funding recognition rules. Despite this deficit, unrestricted reserves stood at £101,799, which the trustees note is very close to their stated policy target of three months' expenditure. The trustees confirmed the charity remains financially sound and able 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: three months expenditure (held: £102k)
“The Trustees regularly consider the reserves held by the charity and have set a target of holding at least three months expenditure in reserve.” — page 5
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.
Funders the charity credits
Named as funders/supporters on the charity’s own website (the charity’s claim, distinct from accounts-verified grants).
Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)
Reported reserves equal ~2.1 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 (91% 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: 1.4% of total income — below the median for charities its size (4.9%) (benchmarks).
- Annemieke Miranda Waite
- Edith Whittingham
- Jane Wildblood · trustee of 2 other charities
- Julian Marc Ellacott
- Laura Penny
- Matthew Riddle
- SAMANTHA ROSS
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: Bath And North East Somerset · Bristol City · North Somerset · South Gloucestershire
Income and spending
Common questions
Is WEST OF ENGLAND RURAL NETWORK financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net expenditure deficit of £50,480 for the year ended 31 March 2025, largely attributed to advance funding recognition rules. Despite this deficit, unrestricted reserves stood at £101,799, which the trustees note is very close to their stated policy target of three months' expenditure. The trustees confirmed the charity remains financially sound and able to continue as a going concern. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.
Government & lottery funding
Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).
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 SUSSEX RURAL COMMUNITY COUNCIL.
Side by side with its peers
Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.