CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY PORTSMOUTH
The objects are (a) to advance the Christian religion in accordance with the faith and practice of the Church of England, in particular by furthering the mission of the Church of England; (b) to care for and conserve the fabric and structure of the Cathedral Church building; (c) to advance any other charitable purposes which are ancillary to the furtherance of the above purposes
Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts
The accounts state that the Cathedral made a surplus of £273,133 in 2024, but this was driven by one-off legacies of £60,401, as the underlying operating deficit was £243,860. The trustees report that ordinary income does not yet exceed expenditure, creating a structural financial challenge that requires increased ongoing income to achieve long-term sustainability.
What the accounts disclose
“One member of staff was paid emoluments of more than £60,000 (2023: none).” — page 41
“One member of staff was paid emoluments of more than £60,000 (2023: none).” — page 41
“given that the designated fund holds in excess of £1,277,572 in readily realisable investments, Chapter is content that any liabilities that can reasonably be forecast, over the foreseeable future, can be met as they arise.”
“Planned giving donations of £7,812 (2023 £10,783) and other donations of £5,165 (2023-£6,325) were received from related parties during the year.” — page 41
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2025)
Trustees
- The Very Reverend Dr Anthony William Nicholas Strephon Canechair
- Canon Dr Joanna Mary Magdalen Spreadbury
- David William King
- MARK SIMON EMERTON
- Marcelle Elizabeth de Sousa MBE
- Pippa Tangye Eleanor Bostock
- Professor Bryn Cleaver Hughes
- RONALD BARTON RABBETTS
- Santosh Philip Mathew
- THE REVD CANON HARRIET ANNA NEALE-STEVENS
- The Revd Canon Nicholas Robert Ralph
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/12/2025 | £1.3m | £1.6m |
| 31/12/2024 | £1.7m | £1.4m |
Common questions
Is CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY PORTSMOUTH financially healthy?
Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that the Cathedral made a surplus of £273,133 in 2024, but this was driven by one-off legacies of £60,401, as the underlying operating deficit was £243,860. The trustees report that ordinary income does not yet exceed expenditure, creating a structural financial challenge that requires increased ongoing income to achieve long-term sustainability. Its FY2024 accounts were audited by Lewis Brownlee (Chichester) Limited.
What does the highest-paid employee of CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY PORTSMOUTH earn?
Per its FY2024 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the more than £60,000 band, and 1 employees earned over £60,000.
Who funds CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY PORTSMOUTH?
Funders whose own accounts filings name CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY PORTSMOUTH as a grant recipient include CATHEDRAL MUSIC TRUST, THE OUSELEY CHURCH MUSIC TRUST.
Shared trustees with funders
- DR JO SPREADBURY — trustee here and at THE OUSELEY CHURCH MUSIC TRUST
Known funders
| Funder | Year | Amount | Purpose (as stated by the funder) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CATHEDRAL MUSIC TRUST | FY2022 | £15k | Financial support for cathedral music |
| THE OUSELEY CHURCH MUSIC TRUST | FY2023 | £2k | Fees |
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 07/08/2024 | £118k | "The Heritage of Portsmouth Cathedral's Centenary" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 18/04/2012 | £91k | "Repair to the medieval roofs of Portsmouth Cathedral" |
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| THE PILLING TRUST FUND | 2 | £14k |
| DUCHY OF LANCASTER BENEVOLENT FUND | 2 | £12k |
| HYMNS ANCIENT AND MODERN LIMITED | 2 | £1k |
| LEICESTER CATHEDRAL CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £3.5m |
| THE LEICESTER DIOCESAN BOARD OF FINANCE | 1 | £374k |
| KEN DODD CHARITABLE FOUNDATION | 1 | £300k |
| THE JULIA RAUSING TRUST | 1 | £300k |
| THE KIRBY LAING FOUNDATION | 1 | £100k |
Charities like this
- THE CORPORATION OF THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF CHRIST IN LIVERPOOL
- THE CATHEDRAL AND COLLEGIATE CHURCH OF SAINT SAVIOUR AND SAINT MARY OVERIE, SOUTHWARK
- CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST MARY THE VIRGIN, ST PETER AND ST CEDD, CHELMSFORD
- THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST MARTIN, LEICESTER
- YORK MINSTER
- THE CATHEDRAL AND COLLEGIATE CHURCH OF ST MARY, ST DENYS AND ST GEORGE IN MANCHESTER
Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY PORTSMOUTH | £1.3m | more than £60,000 | 1 | below | — | no doubt |
| THE CORPORATION OF THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF CHRIST IN LIVERPOOL | £4.5m | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| THE CATHEDRAL AND COLLEGIATE CHURCH OF SAINT SAVIOUR AND SAINT MARY OVERIE, SOUTHWARK | £3.3m | unclear | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST MARY THE VIRGIN, ST PETER AND ST CEDD, CHELMSFORD | £1.3m | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST MARTIN, LEICESTER | £4.4m | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| YORK MINSTER | £18.3m | £90,001 - £100,000 | 1 | below | 69.8% | no doubt |