BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF BRITAIN AND IRELAND

Registered charity 1152954 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as BSBI · also registered in Scotland as SC038675 (OSCR)

THE BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF BRITAIN AND IRELAND IS THE SUCCESSOR BODY OF THE BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF THE BRITISH ISLES (CHARITY NO 212560) AND COMMENCED ACTIVITIES ON 1 NOVEMBER 2013. ITS PURPOSE IS TO SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL BOTANISTS TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH INTO THE TAXONOMY, ECOLOGY, BIOGEOGRAPHY AND CONSERVATION OF THE BRITISH AND IRISH FLORA.

Causes: Education/training · Environment/conservation/heritage · Recreation · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£1.4m

Latest spending

£919k

Registered

2013

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity achieved a significant increase in total income to £1,372k, driven largely by legacies, resulting in an operating surplus of £493k. The trustees report that unrestricted reserves of £0.9M are above the stated minimum policy target of £0.6M, indicating a financially resilient position with adequate resources to continue operations for the next 12 months.

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

What the accounts disclose

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

“One employee earned more than an annual equivalent of £60,000 during the year (2024: nil).” — page 53

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Employees paid over £60,000: 1

“One employee earned more than an annual equivalent of £60,000 during the year (2024: nil).” — page 53

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Largest income source: Legacies (33% of income)

“The clearly visible highlight of the year is Legacies; income grew from 1% to a huge 33% of all income, amounting to £451,271” — page 24

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves policy: £0.6m (held: £871k)

“Trustees currently consider that £0.6M is the minimum acceptable level and this is periodically reviewed.” — page 36

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Mr AD Thomas, Trustee until 16 May 2024, is Honorary Vice-President of Field Studies Council (FSC). BSBI paid FSC £5,392 for accommodation, catering and meeting facilities.

“Mr AD Thomas, Trustee until 16 May 2024, is Honorary Vice-President of Field Studies Council (FSC). During the year, BSBI paid FSC £5,392 (2024: £9,995) for the provision of accommodation, catering and meeting facilities for BSBI member and other events held at FSC field centres, of which £70 was outstanding at year end (2024: £NIL).” — page 51

“Prof Pete Hollingsworth, Trustee, is Director of Science and Deputy Keeper at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE). During the year, BSBI paid RBGE £350 for costs associated with BSBI events held there (2024: £5,208).” — page 51

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Prof Pete Hollingsworth, Trustee, is Director of Science at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE). BSBI paid RBGE £350 for costs associated with events.

“Mr AD Thomas, Trustee until 16 May 2024, is Honorary Vice-President of Field Studies Council (FSC). During the year, BSBI paid FSC £5,392 (2024: £9,995) for the provision of accommodation, catering and meeting facilities for BSBI member and other events held at FSC field centres, of which £70 was outstanding at year end (2024: £NIL).” — page 51

“Prof Pete Hollingsworth, Trustee, is Director of Science and Deputy Keeper at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE). During the year, BSBI paid RBGE £350 for costs associated with BSBI events held there (2024: £5,208).” — page 51

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Expenses reimbursed to 3 trustees for out-of-pocket travel, subsistence and other costs.

“Mr AD Thomas, Trustee until 16 May 2024, is Honorary Vice-President of Field Studies Council (FSC). During the year, BSBI paid FSC £5,392 (2024: £9,995) for the provision of accommodation, catering and meeting facilities for BSBI member and other events held at FSC field centres, of which £70 was outstanding at year end (2024: £NIL).” — page 51

“Prof Pete Hollingsworth, Trustee, is Director of Science and Deputy Keeper at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE). During the year, BSBI paid RBGE £350 for costs associated with BSBI events held there (2024: £5,208).” — page 51

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by MKS LLP. Discloses 6 of 6 completeness components.

Year-over-year changes

Employees paid over £60,000: 0 (FY2024) → 1 (FY2025).

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

Corporate structure

Registered company of the charity Companies House 08553976

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (matched by registered charity number).

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.

EDWARDS, Susan Jane Oliver — director, appointed 21/11/2024on trustee list
LACK, Andrew John, Dr — director, appointed 21/11/2024on trustee list
TAINTON, Kathleen Nicola Jayne — director, appointed 19/01/2024on trustee list
ALLANACH, Richard John — director, appointed 06/01/2024on trustee list
DINES, Trevor, Dr — director, appointed 16/11/2023on trustee list
LONG, Maria, Dr — director, appointed 21/03/2023on trustee list
HOLLINGSWORTH, Peter, Prof — director, appointed 17/11/2022not on trustee list
O'KANE, Barry — director, appointed 17/11/2022on trustee list
JONES, Kylie Nicole — director, appointed 19/11/2021on trustee list
CROUCH, Helena Jane, Dr — director, appointed 22/06/2021on trustee list
DEAN, Mary, Dr — director, appointed 21/11/2020on trustee list
KNAPP, Sandra, Dr — director, appointed 25/11/2017on trustee list

Official officers record.

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

Total income

£1.4m

Total spending

£919k

Cost of raising funds

£135k

Reserves (reported)

£1.4m

Employees

16

Reported reserves equal ~18.9 months of spending — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 9.8% of total income — above the median for charities its size (5.2%) (benchmarks).

Register events

Received assets from another charity (15/12/2014) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.

Trustees · trustee networks

Barry O'Kane
Dr ANDREW JOHN LACK · trustee of 1 other charity
Dr Helena Jane Crouch · trustee of 1 other charity
Dr Maria Long
Dr Mary Dean
Dr Sandra Knapp
Kathleen Nicola Jayne Tainton
Kylie Nicole Jones
Prof Peter Hollingsworth FRSE
Richard John Allanach
Susan Jane Oliver Edwards
Susan Jane Oliver Edwards
TREVOR DINES

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

Operates in: Guernsey · Ireland · Isle Of Man · Jersey · Northern Ireland · Scotland · Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/03/2025	£1.4m	£919k
31/03/2024	£818k	£697k
31/03/2023	£538k	£622k
31/03/2022	£459k	£501k
31/03/2021	£396k	£422k

Common questions

Is BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF BRITAIN AND IRELAND financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity achieved a significant increase in total income to £1,372k, driven largely by legacies, resulting in an operating surplus of £493k. The trustees report that unrestricted reserves of £0.9M are above the stated minimum policy target of £0.6M, indicating a financially resilient position with adequate resources to continue operations for the next 12 months. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by MKS LLP.

What does the highest-paid employee of BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF BRITAIN AND IRELAND earn?

Per its FY2025 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the more than £60,000 band, and 1 employees earned over £60,000.

Who funds BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF BRITAIN AND IRELAND?

Funders whose own accounts filings name BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF BRITAIN AND IRELAND as a grant recipient include THE BRITFORD BRIDGE TRUST, CHAPMAN CHARITABLE TRUST.

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
THE BRITFORD BRIDGE TRUST	FY2025	£15k	Primary
THE BRITFORD BRIDGE TRUST	FY2024	£10k	Primary
CHAPMAN CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£2k

Government & lottery funding

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

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
UK government	05/03/2024	£40k	#NNF3 Priority Plants on SSSIs in Wales
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	17/08/2020	£9k	"COVID19: BSBI"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	04/10/2018	£60k	"BSBI - Sowing the seeds for a sustainable future"

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with BRITISH LICHEN SOCIETY.

BRITISH LICHEN SOCIETY income £144k
THE BRITISH ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY income £6.3m
THE BRITISH GRASSLAND SOCIETY income £150k
BRITISH CACTUS AND SUCCULENT SOCIETY income £138k
ASSOCIATION OF FRIENDS OF BRISTOL UNIVERSITY BOTANIC GARDEN income £116k
THE BRITISH PHYCOLOGICAL SOCIETY income £104k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF BRITAIN AND IRELAND	£1.4m	more than £60,000	1	above	—	no doubt
BRITISH LICHEN SOCIETY FY2025	£144k	—	0	above	—	no doubt
THE BRITISH ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY FY2025	£6.3m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
THE BRITISH GRASSLAND SOCIETY FY2024	£150k	—	0	above	—	no doubt
BRITISH CACTUS AND SUCCULENT SOCIETY FY2025	£138k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
ASSOCIATION OF FRIENDS OF BRISTOL UNIVERSITY BOTANIC GARDEN FY2025	£116k	—	0	above	—	no doubt

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