HENSHAWS SOCIETY FOR BLIND PEOPLE
Registered charity 221888 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as HENSHAW'S SOCIETY FOR BLIND PEOPLE, HENSHAW'S SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND, HENSHAW'S SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND INCORPORATING THE MANCHESTER AND SALFORD BLIND AID SOCIETY
We deliver practical, caring and imaginative services, including specialist housing and support, residential care, education, training, community outreach services and leisure activities, working with visually impaired people and people with other disabilities and their friends, families and colleagues. We also work to raise awareness of visual impairment amongst the wider community.
Causes: Education/training · Disability · Accommodation/housing · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the charity reported a net deficit of £148,000 for the year, driven by an operational deficit in its education services and investment losses. However, cash reserves increased significantly to £1,475,000 due to strategic disinvestment, and the trustees confirm adequate resources to continue operations.
Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy (held: £600k; policy: £2 million)
“As at 31 August 2025 under the Charity Commission’s guidance, the free reserves are calculated at £0.6 million (2024: £0.3m). The Trustee Board acknowledges the current gap between its intended level of £2m and actual of £0.6m.” — page 27
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts audited by Menzies LLP. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.
Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Henshaws (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).
- Redrow — “A Specialist college in Harrogate has received a £2,000 donation from housebuilder Redrow to purchase ‘life changing’ technology.” (source page)
Public-sector contracts awarded
From the official Contracts Finder and Find a Tender notices (supplier matched by exact registered name). Contract income is distinct from grants.
CQC provider record: Henshaws Society for Blind People — Registered, 17 registered locations, 2 regulated activities, last inspected 05/03/2020.charity number confirmed by CQC CQC record
Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook · instagram
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/08/2025)
Cost of raising funds
£551k
Reported reserves equal ~0.6 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 4.6 months; benchmarks).
Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 4.8% of total income — above the median for charities its size (3.8%) (benchmarks).
Care Quality Commission ratings
CQC inspection ratings for services run by a provider matching this charity’s name (matched by name; verify provider identity on CQC’s site).
- Henshaws Specialist College: Good (03/03/2020) · CQC record
Register events
- Received assets from another charity (12/11/2024) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
- Received assets from another charity (23/09/2020) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
- Received assets from another charity (13/09/2019) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
- Received assets from another charity (08/09/2016) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
- Received assets from another charity (06/01/2016) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
- Henshaws Society for Blind People Trustee Limited
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: Throughout England
Income and spending
Common questions
Is HENSHAWS SOCIETY FOR BLIND PEOPLE financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net deficit of £148,000 for the year, driven by an operational deficit in its education services and investment losses. However, cash reserves increased significantly to £1,475,000 due to strategic disinvestment, and the trustees confirm adequate resources to continue operations. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Menzies LLP.
Who funds HENSHAWS SOCIETY FOR BLIND PEOPLE?
Funders whose own accounts filings name HENSHAWS SOCIETY FOR BLIND PEOPLE as a grant recipient include THE MICHAEL BISHOP FOUNDATION, Fight for Sight, THOMAS POCKLINGTON TRUST, THE BEATRICE LAING TRUST, THE BOOTH CHARITIES.
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 THE HUNTINGDONSHIRE SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND.
Side by side with its peers
Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.