THE CHALICE WELL TRUST
The Chalice Well and Gardens, maintained as a living sanctuary for contemplation and healing are open to visitors every day of the year. The Trust provides an annual programme of spiritual music, community gatherings and educational retreats to people of all faiths and spiritual paths. The Trust offers an annual subscription to supporters, retreat accommodation and a meeting room.
Latest income
£1.1m
Latest spending
£1.3m
Registered
2012
Accounts read
FY2025
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The charity reported a net expenditure of £181,914 for the year, reversing a previous surplus, driven by increased employment costs and legal fees. Despite this deficit, the organization maintains unrestricted reserves of £937,511, which fall within the trustees' stated policy target range of £850,000 to £1,250,000. The accounts were prepared on a going concern basis with no material uncertainties identified.
What the accounts disclose
Reserves policy: between £850,000 and £1,250,000 (held: £938k)
“These four reserve elements total target reserves of between £850,000 and £1,250,000 and current reserves are within this desired range.” — page 7
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Payments to trustees: Sophie Knock received £1,200 for training services; Tom Bree received £Nil for event services. Payments also flowed to Chalice Well Bookshop Limited for goods/services from Trustees Sophie Knock (£1,699), Lynne Sedgemoor (£378), Tom Bree (£Nil), and Marion Van Eupen (£150), plus Key Management Personnel Steve Hawkins (£412).
“Trustee payments for services Sophie Knock (Trustee) provided professional training services directly to the Trust totalling £1,200 (2024: £800). Tom Bree (Trustee) provided professional event related services directly to the Trust totalling £Nil (2024: £625). Chalice Well Bookshop Limited Payments made to Trustees and Key Management Personnel of The Chalice Well Trust for goods and services provided to the subsidiary at an arms-length basis: Sophie Knock (Trustee of The Chalice Well Trust and Director of Chalice Well Bookshop Limited) - Essences £1,699 (2024: £3,042) Lynne Sedgemoor (Trustee of The Chalice Well Trust and Director of Chalice Well Bookshop Limited) - Books £378 (2024: £64) Tom Bree (Trustee of The Chalice Well Trust) - Books ENil (2024: £1,377) Steve Hawkins (Key management personnel) - Woodturning products £412 (2024: £636) Marion Van Eupen (Trustee of The Chalice Well Trust and Director of Chalice Well Bookshop Limited) - Books £150 (2024: ENil)”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Trustee payment for services
“Sophie Knock (Trustee) provided professional training services directly to the Trust totalling £1,200 (2024: £800). Tom Bree (Trustee) provided professional event related services directly to the Trust totalling £Nil (2024: £625).” — page 38
“Sophie Knock (Trustee of The Chalice Well Trust and Director of Chalice Well Bookshop Limited) - Essences £1,699 (2024: £3,042) Lynne Sedgemoor (Trustee of The Chalice Well Trust and Director of Chalice Well Bookshop Limited) - Books £378 (2024: £64) Tom Bree (Trustee of The Chalice Well Trust) - Books ENil (2024: £1,377) Steve Hawkins (Key management personnel) - Woodturning products £412 (2024: £636) Marion Van Eupen (Trustee of The Chalice Well Trust and Director of Chalice Well Bookshop Limited) - Books £150 (2024: ENil)” — page 38
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Trustee payments to subsidiary
“Sophie Knock (Trustee) provided professional training services directly to the Trust totalling £1,200 (2024: £800). Tom Bree (Trustee) provided professional event related services directly to the Trust totalling £Nil (2024: £625).” — page 38
“Sophie Knock (Trustee of The Chalice Well Trust and Director of Chalice Well Bookshop Limited) - Essences £1,699 (2024: £3,042) Lynne Sedgemoor (Trustee of The Chalice Well Trust and Director of Chalice Well Bookshop Limited) - Books £378 (2024: £64) Tom Bree (Trustee of The Chalice Well Trust) - Books ENil (2024: £1,377) Steve Hawkins (Key management personnel) - Woodturning products £412 (2024: £636) Marion Van Eupen (Trustee of The Chalice Well Trust and Director of Chalice Well Bookshop Limited) - Books £150 (2024: ENil)” — page 38
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Governance: Qualified opinion due to inability to verify inventory
“We were not appointed as auditor of the group until after 31 March 2025 and thus did not observe the counting of physical inventories at the end of the year. We were unable to satisfy ourselves by alternative means concerning the inventory quantities held at 31 March 2025 and 2024 which are included in the balance sheet at £69,200 (2024: £69,200) by using other audit procedures.” — page 18
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Trading subsidiary: Chalice Well Bookshop Limited
“The Chalice Well Trust has a wholly owned subsidiary; Chalice Well Bookshop Limited, which undertakes trading activities and passes it’s profits to the Trust by means of contributions to overhead expenses and Gift Aid.” — page 14
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)
Total income
£1.1m
Total spending
£1.3m
Cost of raising funds
£488k
Reserves (reported)
£1.1m
Employees
30
Register events
- Received assets from another charity (08/01/2026)
Trustees
- Alison Scobie
- Jacqueline Wright
- James Frances Lunney
- John Henry Capper
- Marion van Eupen
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/03/2025 | £1.1m | £1.3m |
| 31/03/2024 | £830k | £613k |
| 31/03/2023 | £529k | £452k |
| 31/03/2022 | £489k | £466k |
| 31/03/2021 | £278k | £387k |
Common questions
Is THE CHALICE WELL TRUST financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The charity reported a net expenditure of £181,914 for the year, reversing a previous surplus, driven by increased employment costs and legal fees. Despite this deficit, the organization maintains unrestricted reserves of £937,511, which fall within the trustees' stated policy target range of £850,000 to £1,250,000. The accounts were prepared on a going concern basis with no material uncertainties identified. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Burton Sweet Limited.
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Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE CHALICE WELL TRUST | £1.1m | — | 0 | within | — | no doubt |
| COMMUNITY OF THE ORDER OF DISCALCED CARMELITES | £945k | — | 0 | above | — | no doubt |
| CULHAM CHAPEL TRUST | £356k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF OADBY | £187k | — | 0 | above | — | no doubt |
| THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF WELWYN AND WOOLMER GREEN | £251k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF BATH, WESTON, ALL SAINTS | £1.2m | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |