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THE DISTILLERS' CHARITY

Registered charity 1193683 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

The activity of The Distillers Charity is to make a difference to young people, including those within the distilled spirits trade, helping them reach their full potential, improve their life chances and make a positive contribution to their communities

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · Disability · The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · Economic/community Development/employment · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · Get email alerts

Latest income
£539k
Latest spending
£1.6m
Registered
2021
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that unrestricted reserves of £1,464,685 exceed the trustees' stated policy target of £1 million. The charity reported a net decrease in funds of £1,047,942 for the year, primarily due to the biennial nature of its main fundraising auction, which did not occur in this financial period.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: £1 million (held: £1.5m)
“trustees have agreed that the organisation aims to maintain a level of unrestricted reserves of £1 million.”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: The charity’s subsidiary is obliged to donate 100% of the Hammer Price (price paid before Buyers Premium) from the Distillers ‘One of One’ auctions to the charity, with 90% of this being restricted to the Youth Action Fund. The total donation for 2025 is £0 unrestricted with £0 restricted (2024: £1,786,582 with £1,601,100 restricted), of which £0 (2024: £740,720) remains outstanding at the balance sheet date.
“The charity’s subsidiary is obliged to donate 100% of the Hammer Price (price paid before Buyers Premium) from the Distillers ‘One of One’ auctions to the charity, with 90% of this being restricted to the Youth Action Fund. The total donation for 2025 is £0 unrestricted with £0 restricted (2024: £1,786,582 with £1,601,100 restricted), of which £0 (2024: £740,720) remains outstanding at the balance sheet date.” — page 22
“As detailed in the trustees report, the Worshipful Company of Distillers appoints the majority of the trustees of the Charity, and is also the corporate trustee of the old Distillers' Charity. The old Distillers Charity donated £9,513 (2024: £16,251) to the Charity during the year.” — page 22
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: As detailed in the trustees report, the Worshipful Company of Distillers appoints the majority of the trustees of the Charity, and is also the corporate trustee of the old Distillers' Charity. The old Distillers Charity donated £9,513 (2024: £16,251) to the Charity during the year.
“The charity’s subsidiary is obliged to donate 100% of the Hammer Price (price paid before Buyers Premium) from the Distillers ‘One of One’ auctions to the charity, with 90% of this being restricted to the Youth Action Fund. The total donation for 2025 is £0 unrestricted with £0 restricted (2024: £1,786,582 with £1,601,100 restricted), of which £0 (2024: £740,720) remains outstanding at the balance sheet date.” — page 22
“As detailed in the trustees report, the Worshipful Company of Distillers appoints the majority of the trustees of the Charity, and is also the corporate trustee of the old Distillers' Charity. The old Distillers Charity donated £9,513 (2024: £16,251) to the Charity during the year.” — page 22
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: During 2025 the Charity and its subsidiary paid the Worshipful Company of Distillers £9,428 management and administrative services and £1,995 for the Scottish Court & Livery Dinner in addition to items recharged at cost
“The charity’s subsidiary is obliged to donate 100% of the Hammer Price (price paid before Buyers Premium) from the Distillers ‘One of One’ auctions to the charity, with 90% of this being restricted to the Youth Action Fund. The total donation for 2025 is £0 unrestricted with £0 restricted (2024: £1,786,582 with £1,601,100 restricted), of which £0 (2024: £740,720) remains outstanding at the balance sheet date.” — page 22
“As detailed in the trustees report, the Worshipful Company of Distillers appoints the majority of the trustees of the Charity, and is also the corporate trustee of the old Distillers' Charity. The old Distillers Charity donated £9,513 (2024: £16,251) to the Charity during the year.” — page 22
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Trading subsidiary: The Distillers' Ventures Limited
“The Charity has a wholly owned trading subsidiary, The Distillers' Ventures Limited (DVL), the purpose of which is to raise funds for the Charity.” — page 3
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Begbies. Discloses 3 of 6 completeness components.

Corporate structure

THE DISTILLERS' VENTURES LIMITED — per its own Companies House accounts
  • The company has a £75,000 working capital facility from The Distillers Charity of which had yet to be drawn at the balance sheet date.

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 30/09/2025)

Total income
£539k
Total spending
£1.6m
Cost of raising funds
£259k
Reserves (reported)
£1.5m
Employees
0

Reported reserves equal ~10.9 months of spending — above the median for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (42% 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: 48.0% of total income — above the 90th percentile for charities its size (median 4.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Northern Ireland · Scotland · Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
30/09/2025£539k£1.6m
30/09/2024£2.4m£1.5m
30/09/2023£1.3m£1.5m
30/09/2022£3.2m£893k
30/09/2021£0£22k

Common questions

Is THE DISTILLERS' CHARITY financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that unrestricted reserves of £1,464,685 exceed the trustees' stated policy target of £1 million. The charity reported a net decrease in funds of £1,047,942 for the year, primarily due to the biennial nature of its main fundraising auction, which did not occur in this financial period. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Begbies.

Government & lottery funding

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

FunderDateAmountPurpose
William Grant Foundation14/06/2023£300kYouth Action Fund 2024-2025

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.

FunderSimilar charities fundedAmount to them
THE INNHOLDERS' CHARITABLE FOUNDATION2£122k
THE WILLIAM ALLEN YOUNG CHARITABLE TRUST2£9k
INSTITUTE OF ALCOHOL STUDIES1£441k
THE VINTNERS' FOUNDATION1£135k
Academie du Vin Foundation1£45k
The William Brake Foundation1£43k
THE GUNTER CHARITABLE TRUST1£4k
CORAM LIFE EDUCATION1£1k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with THE LICENSED TRADE CHARITY.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
THE DISTILLERS' CHARITY£539k——unclear—no doubt
THE LICENSED TRADE CHARITY FY2024£29.8m——unclear—no doubt
THE VINTNERS' FOUNDATION FY2025£466k—0unclear—no doubt
SHAKESPEARE TEMPERANCE TRUST CIO FY2025£109k—0unclear—no doubt
THE BREWERS' COMPANY GENERAL CHARITABLE TRUST FY2025£203k—0unclear—no doubt
THE DRINKS TRUST FY2024£1.0m——above—no doubt

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