MERRYLEGS CHARITABLE TRUST

Registered charity 1155405 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

Provision of care, attention, and sanctuary to unwanted animals, and those animals in need. Re-homing of any animal that can safetly be re-homed inline with it's individual needs.We operate in Cambridgeshire and Fenland, with our veterinary practice based in Stanground.In the future we hope to provide therapy to people in the area who it may benefit.

Objects

THE TRUSTEES SHALL HOLD THE CAPITAL AND INCOME OF THE TRUST FUND UPON TRUST TO APPLY THE INCOME, AND ALL OR SUCH PART OR PARTS OF THE CAPITAL, AT SUCH TIME OR TIMES AND IN SUCH MANNER TO, OR FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT TO RELIEVE THE SUFFERING OF ANIMALS IN NEED OF CARE AND ATTENTION AND IN PARTICULAR TO PROVIDE AN MAINTAIN AN ANIMAL SANCTUARY FOR THE RECEPTION, CARE, TREATMENT AND REHOMING OF SUCH ANIMALS

Area of benefit: NOT DEFINED

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: Animals · website · Get email alerts

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that unrestricted reserves at the year end were £874,664, a significant increase from the prior year due to the receipt of land valued at £554,000. The trustees describe the reserves as 'healthy' but note they mainly consist of land and share value, while the charity continues to rely on donations and fundraising for cashflow. The trustees are optimistic about the future and believe the charity is well placed to prosper following the completion of essential maintenance.

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

What the accounts disclose

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 4 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 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
• Paying staff
• Safeguarding policy and procedures
• Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
• Social media policy and procedures
• Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
• Trustee expenses policy and procedures
• Volunteer management

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 05/04/2025)

Reported reserves equal ~64.9 months of spending — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 0.5% of total income — below the median for charities its size (4.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

• Nicola Patersonchair
• Sarah Jane Green
• Susan Hennigan

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

Operates in: Cambridgeshire · Lincolnshire · Peterborough City

Income and spending

Common questions