FRIENDS OF THE SOUTH DOWNS

Registered charity 230329 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as SOCIETY OF SUSSEX DOWNSMEN, SOCIETY OF SUSSEX DOWNSMEN LIMITED, SOUTH DOWNS SOCIETY

The object for which the Society is established is the preservation of the beauty and amenities of the South Downs for the public benefit. The Society works through its many volunteers and skilled professional staff, guided by its trustees who are elected by the membership, to achieve its objectives.

Objects

THE CONSERVATION AND ENHANCEMENT FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT OF THE BEAUTY AND AMENITIES OF THE SOUTH DOWNS IN AND WITHIN THE VICINITY OF THE SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK

Area of benefit: IN AND WITHIN THE VICINITY OF THE SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK

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

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Environment/conservation/heritage · website · Get email alerts

Registered contact address: Horsham, South East, England (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income

£156k

Latest spending

£200k

Registered

1963

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that total unrestricted funds stood at £927,841 at the year end, representing an overall increase of £8,873 from the previous year. Although charitable expenditure exceeded income by £43,428, this was offset by gains on investment assets of £52,301. The trustees maintain funds at a level to support activities and projects consistent with their objectives.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: a level to provide income to support activities which would not otherwise be affordable and to fund projects which are consistent with its objectives (reserves figure: £928k)

“The Friends maintains its funds at a level to provide income to support activities which would not otherwise be affordable and to fund projects which are consistent with its objectives.” — page 6

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Tony Whitbread, a trustee, is also a trustee of Western Sussex Rivers Trust, to which the charity donated £5,000 for a citizen science project, and President of Sussex Wildlife Trust, to which the charity has donated £14,790 for a project at Ebernoe.

“Tony Whitbread, a trustee, is also a trustee of Western Sussex Rivers Trust, to which the charity donated £5,000 for a citizen science project, and President of Sussex Wildlife Trust, to which the charity has donated £14,790 for a project at Ebernoe.” — page 17

“Paul Gilchrist, a trustee, is employed by Brighton University, to which the charity has donated £1,000 for an academic prize.” — page 17

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Paul Gilchrist, a trustee, is employed by Brighton University, to which the charity has donated £1,000 for an academic prize.

“Tony Whitbread, a trustee, is also a trustee of Western Sussex Rivers Trust, to which the charity donated £5,000 for a citizen science project, and President of Sussex Wildlife Trust, to which the charity has donated £14,790 for a project at Ebernoe.” — page 17

“Paul Gilchrist, a trustee, is employed by Brighton University, to which the charity has donated £1,000 for an academic prize.” — page 17

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: A trustee donated £2,000 anonymously to the charity in 2025.

“Tony Whitbread, a trustee, is also a trustee of Western Sussex Rivers Trust, to which the charity donated £5,000 for a citizen science project, and President of Sussex Wildlife Trust, to which the charity has donated £14,790 for a project at Ebernoe.” — page 17

“Paul Gilchrist, a trustee, is employed by Brighton University, to which the charity has donated £1,000 for an academic prize.” — page 17

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 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.

Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
Complaints policy and procedures
Conflicting interests
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Investing charity funds policy and procedures
Investment
Paying staff
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Social media policy and procedures
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures
Volunteer management

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: 158

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

Volunteers: 58

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

Volunteers: 45

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

Corporate structure

Registered company of the charity Companies House 00319437

Company officers (Companies House)

Current officers of the charity’s own company per the Companies House register, cross-checked against the Charity Commission trustee list by name. A director not on the trustee list is usually a timing or naming difference between the two registers — check both records before drawing conclusions.

TAYLOR, David Anthony — director, appointed 15/10/2025on trustee list
LACEY-GUTSELL, Henrietta — director, appointed 13/01/2025on trustee list
WHITBREAD, Anthony Michael, Dr — director, appointed 13/01/2025on trustee list
GILCHRIST, Paul Martin — director, appointed 08/04/2024on trustee list
SMALL, Martin John — director, appointed 14/11/2022on trustee list
GOODY, Janet Helen — director, appointed 12/07/2022on trustee list
GREEN, David Gordon — director, appointed 23/07/2019on trustee list
LOVETT, Andrew Francis — director, appointed 11/05/2013on trustee list

Official officers record.

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): instagram

Trustees · trustee networks

ANDREW FRANCES LOVETT
David Anthony Taylor
David Gordon Green
Dr ANTHONY MALCOLM WHITBREAD · trustee of 1 other charity
Henrietta Lacey-Gutsell · trustee of 1 other charity
Janet Goody
Martin Small
Paul Martin Gilchrist

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

Operates in: East Sussex · Hampshire · West Sussex

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/12/2025	£156k	£200k
31/12/2024	£192k	£161k
31/12/2023	£142k	£170k
31/12/2022	£229k	£81k
31/12/2021	£108k	£125k

Common questions

Is FRIENDS OF THE SOUTH DOWNS financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that total unrestricted funds stood at £927,841 at the year end, representing an overall increase of £8,873 from the previous year. Although charitable expenditure exceeded income by £43,428, this was offset by gains on investment assets of £52,301. The trustees maintain funds at a level to support activities and projects consistent with their objectives. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Who funds FRIENDS OF THE SOUTH DOWNS?

Funders whose own accounts filings name FRIENDS OF THE SOUTH DOWNS as a grant recipient include THE SIR JOHN RITBLAT FAMILY FOUNDATION.

Known funders

Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.

Funder	Year	Amount
THE SIR JOHN RITBLAT FAMILY FOUNDATION	FY2025	£25k
THE SIR JOHN RITBLAT FAMILY FOUNDATION	FY2024	£5k
THE SIR JOHN RITBLAT FAMILY FOUNDATION	FY2022	£35
THE SIR JOHN RITBLAT FAMILY FOUNDATION	FY2023	amount not stated

Government & lottery funding

Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	07/08/2024	£71k	"Hampshire Schools South Downs Heritage"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	10/11/2021	£60k	"A Picture of the South Downs: Past and Present (schools outreach)"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	05/09/2019	£49k	"South Downs Schools Living History Project"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	24/09/2014	£51k	"The Secret Shore - the songs and folklore of the Sussex coast"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	30/03/2011	£50k	"Songs of the South Downs"

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.

Funder	Similar charities funded	Amount to them
THE NINEVEH CHARITABLE TRUST	2	£9k
THE BANISTER CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£372k
M J CAMP CHARITABLE FOUNDATION	1	£244k
THE GERALD MICKLEM CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£67k
THE SHANLY FOUNDATION	1	£20k
THE SUSSEX COMMUNITY FOUNDATION	1	£13k
FONTHILL FOUNDATION	1	£8k
THE F GLENISTER WOODGER TRUST CIO	1	£6k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK TRUST.

SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK TRUST income £2.3m
SOUTHFIELD SCHOOL FRIENDS ASSOCIATION income £25k
FRIENDS OF SOUTHWOLD LIBRARY income £46k
FRIEND IN DEED income £89k
FRIENDS OF ROWNTREE PARK income £45k
SUNDOWNS income £27k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
FRIENDS OF THE SOUTH DOWNS	£156k	—	above	—	no doubt
SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK TRUST FY2025	£2.3m	—	unclear	—	no doubt
SOUTHFIELD SCHOOL FRIENDS ASSOCIATION FY2025	£25k	—	unclear	—	no doubt
FRIENDS OF SOUTHWOLD LIBRARY FY2026	£46k	—	above	—	no doubt
FRIEND IN DEED FY2025	£89k	—	below	—	no doubt
FRIENDS OF ROWNTREE PARK FY2025	£45k	—	unclear	—	noted

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