BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION
The conservation of butterflies, moths and our environment
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that total net assets decreased to £11.87m from £12.83m in the prior year, driven by a net expenditure of £0.96m against income of £6.06m. The trustees confirm that unrestricted free financial reserves of £3.78m are sufficient to cover approximately six months of operating costs, meeting their stated policy target of £3.5m. Despite a challenging fundraising environment and staff reductions, the trustees and auditors confirm the charity has adequate resources to continue as a going concern.
What the accounts disclose
“Council has calculated that the amount of financial reserves it needs to hold is six months, equivalent to £3.5m” — page 20
“During the year ended 31 March 2025, the charity received subscriptions from Council members and the Senior Leadership Team totalling £578 (2024: £380).” — page 54
“During the year ended 31 March 2025, the charity received unrestricted donations from Council members and the Senior Leadership Team totalling £1,300 (2024: £788)” — page 54
“During the year ended 31 March 2025, the charity received subscriptions from Council members and the Senior Leadership Team totalling £578 (2024: £380).” — page 54
“During the year ended 31 March 2025, the charity received unrestricted donations from Council members and the Senior Leadership Team totalling £1,300 (2024: £788)” — page 54
“During the year ended 31 March 2025, the charity received subscriptions from Council members and the Senior Leadership Team totalling £578 (2024: £380).” — page 54
“During the year ended 31 March 2025, the charity received unrestricted donations from Council members and the Senior Leadership Team totalling £1,300 (2024: £788)” — page 54
“The consolidated statement of financial activities and group balance sheet consolidate the financial statements of Butterfly Conservation and its wholly owned subsidiary company, Butterfly Conservation Trading Limited” — page 35
Corporate structure
- Registered company of the charity Companies House 02206468
- Trading subsidiary: BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION TRADING LIMITED Companies House 07166835
- Turnover: £31k
- Donated/gift-aided to the charity: £13k
- Parent invoiced for employee services and asset use; Note 5 shows £13,733 (2025) / £24,426 (2024) due to parent entity other than Gift Aid.
“£13,084 of the taxable profits generated were Gift Aided to Butterfly Conservation (2024: £21,365) in accordance with a Gift Aid compliant deed of covenant.”
Company officers (Companies House)
- LEESON, Lynnette Mary on trustee list
- WATERS, Ruth Dorcas, Dr on trustee list
- ALMOND, Steve on trustee list
- HUME, Carrie Anne on trustee list
- THOMAS, Shaun Roger on trustee list
- EVANS, Catrin Jayne on trustee list
- KING, Elaine Janice, Dr on trustee list
- HARWOOD, Laurence Marius, Professor on trustee list
- SAVILLE, Simon on trustee list
- WILLIAMS, Julie Marie
Property (HM Land Registry)
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)
Register events
- Received assets from another charity (06/06/2019)
Trustees
- Carrie Anne Hume
- Catrin Jayne Evans
- Dr Elaine King
- Dr Ruth Waters
- Lynnette Leeson
- Professor Laurence Harwood
- Shaun Thomas
- Simon Saville
- Steve Almond
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/03/2025 | £6.1m | £6.9m |
| 31/03/2024 | £6.6m | £6.8m |
| 31/03/2023 | £6.2m | £5.6m |
| 31/03/2022 | £4.3m | £4.3m |
| 31/03/2021 | £4.5m | £4.3m |
Common questions
Is BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that total net assets decreased to £11.87m from £12.83m in the prior year, driven by a net expenditure of £0.96m against income of £6.06m. The trustees confirm that unrestricted free financial reserves of £3.78m are sufficient to cover approximately six months of operating costs, meeting their stated policy target of £3.5m. Despite a challenging fundraising environment and staff reductions, the trustees and auditors confirm the charity has adequate resources to continue as a going concern. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Buzzacott Audit LLP.
Who funds BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION?
Funders whose own accounts filings name BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION as a grant recipient include THE HISCOX FOUNDATION, THE DULVERTON TRUST, JOHN SWIRE 1989 CHARITABLE TRUST, KATHLEEN BERYL SLEIGH CHARITABLE TRUST, THE ORR MACKINTOSH FOUNDATION LIMITED.
Known funders
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 20/08/2025 | £222k | "Glasgow Wild Spaces" |
| Community Foundation North East | 22/05/2025 | £9k | Grant to Butterfly Conservation |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 11/10/2024 | £183k | "#Grow – Growing Butterfly Conservation’s Youth Workforce" |
| UK government | 01/04/2024 | £23k | GCA AME RPA DELINKED PAYMENTS |
| UK government | 01/04/2024 | £24k | GCA DEL RPA COUNTRYSIDE STEWARDSHIP FACILITATION FUND |
| UK government | 27/02/2024 | £33k | #NNF3 Wales Marsh Fritillary Recovery Partnership |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 04/09/2023 | £138k | "Bristol & Weston Wild Spaces – Transforming Habitat for People & Pollinators in Schools" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 17/07/2023 | £62k | "#Innovate: Butterfly Conservation Test Phase Project" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 12/12/2022 | £24k | "Explore: Butterfly Conservation" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 27/09/2022 | £80k | "Perth and Stirling Wild Spaces" |
| UK government | 30/03/2022 | £45k | CRESI:Butterfly Conservation |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 31/07/2019 | £74k | "Helping Hands for Butterflies" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 29/05/2019 | £10k | "Saving the Northern Brown Argus in the Scottish Borders" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 21/03/2019 | £62k | "Limestone Lepidoptera" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 20/03/2019 | £94k | "Saving the Wood White butterfly in the South East" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 13/03/2019 | £10k | "Conserving the Duke of Burgundy and the Marsh Fritillary in Wiltshire" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 20/11/2018 | £10k | "Small Blue butterfly wildflower bank creation at St JulianÂ’s Meadow, Greenwood Park, Chiswell Green" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 11/09/2018 | £472k | "Big City Butterflies: Discovering London's Butterflies and Moths" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 12/06/2018 | £10k | "Returning the Chalk Hill Blue to Warwickshire" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 29/05/2018 | £10k | "Duke of Burgundy Stepping Stones" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 28/05/2018 | £57k | "Munching Caterpillars Scotland" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 28/02/2018 | £250k | "KentÂ’s Magnificent Moths" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 22/08/2017 | £75k | "Woodland Wings: Conserving the rare butterflies and moths of the East Midlands" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 17/07/2017 | £10k | "Wild in Winchester: Getting Winchester's Children Out on the Downs" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 08/02/2017 | £68k | "The Blues and Browns of Polden Hills: Saving two of the UKÂ’s most threatened butterflies" |
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| CHK Foundation | 2 | £40k |
| CECIL PILKINGTON CHARITABLE TRUST | 2 | £19k |
| THE SIMON GIBSON CHARITABLE TRUST | 2 | £6k |
| THE EUREKA CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £531k |
| PROJECT GIVING BACK | 1 | £324k |
| AURUM KALEIDOSCOPE FOUNDATION | 1 | £200k |
| THE FIDELITY UK FOUNDATION | 1 | £146k |
| THE PERIVOLI FOUNDATION | 1 | £102k |
Charities like this
- BRITISH DRAGONFLY SOCIETY
- BUTTERFLIES PRE-SCHOOL DIDCOT CIO
- BUMBLEBEE CONSERVATION TRUST
- ROYAL ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON
- BUGLIFE THE INVERTEBRATE CONSERVATION TRUST
- CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL UK
Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION | £6.1m | — | — | unclear | — | no doubt |
| BRITISH DRAGONFLY SOCIETY | £183k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| BUTTERFLIES PRE-SCHOOL DIDCOT CIO | £170k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| BUMBLEBEE CONSERVATION TRUST | £2.5m | £60,000 or more | 1 | below | — | no doubt |
| ROYAL ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON | £1.5m | — | — | above | — | no doubt |
| BUGLIFE THE INVERTEBRATE CONSERVATION TRUST | £3.4m | — | — | within | 6.3% | no doubt |