BEAVER TRUST
Registered charity 1185451 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as NATURAL TRUST
Beaver Trust educates, informs and enthuses people about the benefits of wetlands created by beavers. We operate across the UK and overseas in informal alliance with those who aims are aligned with ours. We use the beaver as an example of how multiple benefits to our planet can result from working alongside and in harmony with nature and wildlife.
Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · Arts/culture/heritage/science · Animals · Environment/conservation/heritage · 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 £133,267 for the year, resulting in a decrease in total net assets from £511,029 to £377,762. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves of £375,762 remain sufficient to cover approximately 4.7 months of operating costs, which is within the stated policy target of 3-6 months. The charity has secured income of £312,500 for the year ahead and maintains a cash position of £359,490.
Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Reserves policy: 3 - 6 months (held: £376k)
“The charity’s reserves policy is to hold general reserves that will fulfil operating expenditure for a period of 3 - 6 months.” — page 7
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Donation from John Ellerman Foundation
“In the year, a donation of £40,000 (2024: £30,000) was received from John Ellerman Foundation, which has a trustee in common with Beaver Trust.” — page 27
“A donation of £250 was received from Artemis (2024: £nil), which also has a trustee in common with Beaver Trust.”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Donation from Artemis
“In the year, a donation of £40,000 (2024: £30,000) was received from John Ellerman Foundation, which has a trustee in common with Beaver Trust.” — page 27
“A donation of £250 was received from Artemis (2024: £nil), which also has a trustee in common with Beaver Trust.”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.
Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Beaver Trust (matched by registered charity number).
Funders the charity credits
Named as funders/supporters on the charity’s own website (the charity’s claim, distinct from accounts-verified grants).
- The European Nature Trust — ““It’s been a wonderful journey over the years to work with and support Beaver Trust – a formidable powerhouse of a charity, at the forefront…” (source page)
Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook · instagram
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)
Cost of raising funds
£73k
Reported reserves equal ~4.2 months of spending — below the median for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).
Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (73% 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: 7.7% of total income — above the median for charities its size (4.9%) (benchmarks).
- Anna Gilchrist
- James Bliss
- James Byrne
- KEITH SHEPHERD
- Katharine Barke · trustee of 1 other charity
- Martyn Vitty
- Richard Allan
- Victoria Patty Heffer
- Zara Reid
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: Northern Ireland · Scotland · Throughout England
Income and spending
Common questions
Is BEAVER TRUST financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net expenditure deficit of £133,267 for the year, resulting in a decrease in total net assets from £511,029 to £377,762. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves of £375,762 remain sufficient to cover approximately 4.7 months of operating costs, which is within the stated policy target of 3-6 months. The charity has secured income of £312,500 for the year ahead and maintains a cash position of £359,490. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.
Who funds BEAVER TRUST?
Funders whose own accounts filings name BEAVER TRUST as a grant recipient include JOHN ELLERMAN FOUNDATION, THE AIM FOUNDATION, THE BANISTER CHARITABLE TRUST, JOHN SWIRE 1989 CHARITABLE TRUST, ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION FUND.
Known funders
Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.
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 BEAVER COMMUNITY TRUST LTD.
Side by side with its peers
Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.