BRITISH BRYOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Registered charity 228851 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as B B S

The Society supports and promotes the study of bryology by organising field meetings and training workshops, by publishing a journal, bulletin, and occasional publications - including a Field Guide and a Bryophyte Atlas for Britain and Ireland, highly regarded by amateurs and professionals alike. Other facilities include an informative web site to assist both experienced and new bryologists.

Objects

(A) TO PROMOTE AND ADVANCE ALL BRANCHES OF BRYOLOGY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND ESPECIALLY IN RELATION TO BRYOPHYTES OF THE BRITISH ISLES;(B)TO FACILITATE THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION AMONG BRYOLOGISTS BY ORGANISING FIELD MEETINGS, CONFERENCES, LECTURES AND EXHIBITIONS, PUBLISHING THE RESULTS OF BRYOLOGICAL STUDY AND RESEARCH, MAINTAINING A LIBRARY, AND OTHER APPROPRIATE MEANS;(C) TO PROMOTE IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE THE CONSERVATION OF BRYOPHYTES.

Area of benefit: NATIONAL.

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: Education/training · Arts/culture/heritage/science · Environment/conservation/heritage · website · Get email alerts

Registered contact address: Peterborough, East of England, England (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income

£82k

Latest spending

£70k

Registered

1966

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The British Bryological Society reports unrestricted net assets of £178,425 as of 31 December 2025, representing a decrease from the previous year's £195,457. The accounts are prepared on a receipts and payments basis, with all funds classified as unrestricted. The trustees are currently in the process of converting the charity to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).

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

What the accounts disclose

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

Engaging external speakers at charity events policy and procedures
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Investing charity funds policy and procedures
Investment
Trustee expenses policy and procedures

From the charity’s annual return (Part A, self-declared)

Answers and figures the charity gave in Part A of its annual return to the Charity Commission. They are self-declared: not verified by the Commission or by this site. Only positive answers and figures are listed; items not listed are simply not shown.

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/12/2025

Volunteers: 60
Trustee benefits, answered Yes to: any trustee benefit; payments to trustees for services to the charity

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/12/2024

Volunteers: 60
Trustee benefits, answered Yes to: any trustee benefit; payments to trustees for services to the charity

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/12/2023

Volunteers: 50

Source: this charity’s annual returns on the Charity Commission register.

Trustees · trustee networks

Andrew Bransonchair
Claire Halpin · trustee of 1 other charity
DR K J ADAMS
David Jeffrey Scott
David William Adamson · trustee of 1 other charity
Dr CHRISTOPHER David PRESTON
Dr Joanne Denyer
Dr Neil Elliot Bell · trustee of 1 other charity
Dr O L Pescott
Dr Rory Iwan Llewelyn Hodd
Dr Sarah Elizabeth Grinsted
MR N G HODGETTS
MR P G MARTIN · trustee of 1 other charity
Mary Clare Shaw
Mrs M CRITTENDEN
Philippa Jane Thompson
Sharon Lesley Pilkington
Wendy Tyler-Batt

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

Operates in: Ireland · Scotland · Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/12/2025	£82k	£70k
31/12/2024	£79k	£82k
31/12/2023	£72k	£57k
31/12/2022	£78k	£50k
31/12/2021	£70k	£71k

Common questions

Is BRITISH BRYOLOGICAL SOCIETY financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The British Bryological Society reports unrestricted net assets of £178,425 as of 31 December 2025, representing a decrease from the previous year's £195,457. The accounts are prepared on a receipts and payments basis, with all funds classified as unrestricted. The trustees are currently in the process of converting the charity to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with BRITISH SOCIETY FOR PLANT PATHOLOGY.

BRITISH SOCIETY FOR PLANT PATHOLOGY income £490k
THE BRITISH ENTOMOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY income £361k
BRITISH HYDROLOGICAL SOCIETY income £203k
THE BRITISH PHYCOLOGICAL SOCIETY income £104k
British Microcirculation and Vascular Biology Society income £27k
BRITISH CATTLE BREEDERS CLUB LIMITED income £67k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
BRITISH BRYOLOGICAL SOCIETY	£82k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
BRITISH SOCIETY FOR PLANT PATHOLOGY FY2025	£490k	—	0	above	—	no doubt
THE BRITISH ENTOMOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY FY2025	£361k	—	0	above	—	no doubt
BRITISH HYDROLOGICAL SOCIETY FY2025	£203k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
THE BRITISH PHYCOLOGICAL SOCIETY FY2025	£104k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
British Microcirculation and Vascular Biology Society FY2025	£27k	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt

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