ROYAL SOCIETY OF WILDLIFE TRUSTS
Latest income
£43.7m
Latest spending
£30.4m
Registered
1962
Accounts read
FY2025
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that total funds increased by £12.5m to £34.8m, driven largely by the acquisition of The Rothbury Estate. Free reserves stood at £2.4m, which the Trustees confirm falls within their stated policy target range of three to six months of core costs.
What the accounts disclose
Highest-paid employee band: £150,001 - £160,000 — above the median for charities its size (£125k)
“The number of employees whose emoluments (including taxable benefits in kind but excluding employer pension costs) exceeded £60,000, was as follows: £150,000 - £159,998” — page 33
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves policy: three to six months of establishment and non-project funded staff costs (held: £2.4m)
“The Trustees seek to maintain a level of free reserves of between three and six months establishment and non-project funded staff costs. This currently equates to £1.6m to £3.3m.”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Patience Thody (Deputy CEO) and Peter Batchelor (Hon Treasurer) are Directors of Wildlife Trusts Services Limited, a trading subsidiary.
“Patience Thody, Deputy CEO for RSWT and Peter Batchelor, Honorary Treasurer for RSWT, are also Directors of Wildlife Trusts Services Limited.”
“During the year,RSWT received a donation of £500 (2024 £NIL) from one of the Trustees.” — page 39
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: RSWT received a £500 donation from a Trustee.
“Patience Thody, Deputy CEO for RSWT and Peter Batchelor, Honorary Treasurer for RSWT, are also Directors of Wildlife Trusts Services Limited.”
“During the year,RSWT received a donation of £500 (2024 £NIL) from one of the Trustees.” — page 39
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Pension scheme deficit: £241k
“The FRS102 valuation at 31 March 2025 showed a deficit of £241,000 (2024: £180,000 surplus),after the recognition of the additional liability in the scheme relating to the disputed closure date.” — page 39
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Trading subsidiary: The Wildlife Trusts Services Limited
“The charity has one active wholly-owned trading subsidiary, The Wildlife Trusts Services Limited, which provides services on a commercial basis to The Wildlife Trusts and makes an annual gift aid donation to RSWT.”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Corporate structure
- Trading subsidiary: THE WILDLIFE TRUSTS SERVICES LIMITED Companies House 02540956
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)
Total income
£43.7m
Total spending
£30.4m
Cost of raising funds
£733k
Reserves (reported)
£2.4m
Employees
134
Register events
- Received assets from another charity (17/07/2026)
- Received assets from another charity (24/08/2022)
Trustees
- Charlie Dixon
- DUNCAN INGRAM
- David Robert Jordan
- Dr Kenny Taylor
- Dr Robert Brown
- Estelle Bailey
- Gillian Fawcett
- Ian Barry
- Julian Woolford
- Lara Burch
- NICHOLAS SIMON PARSONS
- Nanret Senok
- Rosemary Grandage
- Sarah Jane Chimbwandira
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/03/2025 | £43.7m | £30.4m |
| 31/03/2024 | £32.7m | £28.7m |
| 31/03/2023 | £26.6m | £20.2m |
| 31/03/2022 | £18.6m | £17.2m |
| 31/03/2021 | £18.1m | £18.8m |
Common questions
Is ROYAL SOCIETY OF WILDLIFE TRUSTS financially healthy?
The accounts state that total funds increased by £12.5m to £34.8m, driven largely by the acquisition of The Rothbury Estate. Free reserves stood at £2.4m, which the Trustees confirm falls within their stated policy target range of three to six months of core costs. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Saffery LLP.
What does the highest-paid employee of ROYAL SOCIETY OF WILDLIFE TRUSTS earn?
Per its FY2025 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the £150,001 - £160,000 band.
Who funds ROYAL SOCIETY OF WILDLIFE TRUSTS?
Funders whose own accounts filings name ROYAL SOCIETY OF WILDLIFE TRUSTS as a grant recipient include THE DRW FOUNDATION, THE FEDERATION OF GROUNDWORK TRUSTS, THE PENNIES FOUNDATION, JOHN ELLERMAN FOUNDATION, PROJECT GIVING BACK.
Known funders
| Funder | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| THE DRW FOUNDATION | FY2025 | £200k |
| THE FEDERATION OF GROUNDWORK TRUSTS | FY2022 | £172k |
| THE PENNIES FOUNDATION | FY2022 | £133k |
| JOHN ELLERMAN FOUNDATION | FY2023 | £100k |
| PROJECT GIVING BACK | FY2025 | £91k |
| AKO FOUNDATION | FY2024 | £91k |
| THE BENHAM CHARITABLE SETTLEMENT | FY2023 | £2k |
| King Charles III Charitable Fund | FY2024 | — |
| King Charles III Charitable Fund | FY2023 | — |
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 12/03/2026 | £5.0m | "Rothbury Estate: Northumberland’s Green Heart" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 17/09/2025 | £250k | "Rothbury Estate: for nature and the nation" |
| Postcode Lottery | 30/07/2025 | £600k | Strategic Partner Environmental Grants |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 22/05/2025 | £46k | "Developing Standardised Biodiversity Metrics and Financial Tools for Peatlands and Woodlands" |
| Postcode Lottery | 25/02/2025 | £3.0m | Regular Grant 2025 |
| Postcode Lottery | 01/12/2023 | £3.0m | Regular Grant 2024 |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 05/06/2023 | £248k | "Coronation Gardens" |
| Postcode Lottery | 07/02/2023 | £3.1m | Regular Grant 2023 |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 12/12/2022 | £25k | "Explore: The Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 14/02/2022 | £5.0m | "Nextdoor Nature" |
| Postcode Lottery | 10/02/2022 | £3.0m | Regular Grant 2022 |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 20/07/2020 | £29k | "COVID19: Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 21/07/2015 | £1.5m | "Red Squirrels United" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 06/06/2003 | £50k | "Wildlife Trusts Basking Shark Project" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 13/09/2002 | £45k | "Developing Audiences for Our Natural Heritage" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 05/02/2002 | £370k | "Volunteering and the Wildlife Trusts: Unlocking the Potential" |
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| THE CONSTANCE TRAVIS CHARITABLE TRUST | 3 | £370k |
| THE BANISTER CHARITABLE TRUST | 2 | £1.1m |
| GARFIELD WESTON FOUNDATION | 2 | £450k |
| The Brindle Foundation | 2 | £350k |
| DELVES CHARITABLE TRUST | 2 | £58k |
| THE ICTHIUS CHARITABLE TRUST | 2 | £46k |
| THE NORTHWICK TRUST | 2 | £40k |
| PEACOCK CHARITABLE TRUST | 2 | £21k |