THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF CHRIST AND THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY IN THE DIOCESE OF CHESTER
Registered charity 1203715 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as CHESTER CATHEDRAL
Cathedral
Causes: Religious Activities · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the charity achieved a very small surplus of 0.3% of turnover, with total income of just under £4.9m against expenditure of almost £4.85m. The trustees report that the Cathedral is in a stable financial position to begin 2026, though they note that generating sufficient surplus to maintain historic fabric in the long term remains a challenge.
Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Reserves policy: three months of employment costs, six months of other core fixed costs, and maximum identified emergency costs (target £1,000,000) (held: £974k)
“It is our policy to hold sufficient cash reserves to cover the greater of: employment costs for a minimum of three months, other core fixed costs for a minimum of six months, and the maximum identified level of emergency costs (which is reviewed annually). For 2026 this figure remains £1,000,000.” — page 10
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: The Dean’s spouse is employed as an Educational Officer within the Cathedral.
“The Dean’s spouse is employed as an Educational Officer within the Cathedral.” — page 51
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Trading subsidiary: Chester Cathedral Enterprises Limited
“The Cathedral owns 100% of the share capital of Chester Cathedral Enterprises Limited, a company registered in England (registered company number 01382905).” — page 51
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts audited by HaysMac LLP. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.
Corporate structure
CHESTER CATHEDRAL ENTERPRISES LIMITED — per its own Companies House accounts
- Turnover: £2.2m
- Profit before tax: £736k
- Donated/gift-aided to the charity: £736k
- Amounts owed to group undertakings: £263,235 (2025) and £258,014 (2024)
“Gift Aid Payment ; (735,509) . (257,812)”
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2025)
Cost of raising funds
£2.4m
Reported reserves equal ~2.3 months of spending — below the median for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).
Per its annual return, largest income source: Other trading activities (46% 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: 49.8% of total income — above the 90th percentile for charities its size (median 5.2%) (benchmarks).
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: Cheshire West & Chester
Income and spending
Common questions
Is THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF CHRIST AND THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY IN THE DIOCESE OF CHESTER financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity achieved a very small surplus of 0.3% of turnover, with total income of just under £4.9m against expenditure of almost £4.85m. The trustees report that the Cathedral is in a stable financial position to begin 2026, though they note that generating sufficient surplus to maintain historic fabric in the long term remains a challenge. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by HaysMac LLP.
Who funds THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF CHRIST AND THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY IN THE DIOCESE OF CHESTER?
Funders whose own accounts filings name THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF CHRIST AND THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY IN THE DIOCESE OF CHESTER as a grant recipient include THE JULIA RAUSING TRUST, LORD LEVERHULME'S CHARITABLE TRUST, CATHEDRAL MUSIC TRUST, THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF CHURCH HULME, THE URSULA KEYES TRUST.
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
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Side by side with its peers
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