THE OTTER TRUST

Registered charity 263103 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as THE OTTER AND WILDERNESS TRUST

education of the public in conservation of the natural environment, with an emphasis on research and scientific study, particularly of otters.

Causes: Animals · Environment/conservation/heritage · website · Get email alerts

Latest income
£114k
Latest spending
£163k
Registered
1971
Accounts read
FY2024

Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts

The accounts state that the charity incurred a deficit of £49,022 for the year, reducing total unrestricted reserves from £708,703 to £659,681. Free reserves dropped significantly to £31,857, which the trustees note is below the level required to maintain properties for a sufficient period, though they confirm adequate resources for going concern.

Automated summary of the FY2024 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Largest income source: Donations and legacies (41% of income)
Income for the year was £114,411 (2023: £143,617). Of this, £46,813 was from donations and legacies — page 7
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves policy: sufficiently maintain the two Otter Trust properties for a sufficient period (held: £32k)
A reserves policy exists to sufficiently maintain the two Otter Trust properties for a sufficient period. — page 7
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Payments to trustees: Ben Potterton received £35,000 remuneration and £863 pension contributions for onsite support services.
During the year, Ben Potterton was paid remuneration from an employment with the Charity for his services in providing onsite support. — page 22
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

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

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Brazil · France · Guinea-bissau · Senegal · Sri Lanka · The Gambia · Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/12/2024£114k£163k
31/12/2023£144k£264k
31/12/2022£145k£235k
31/12/2021£162k£200k
31/12/2020£98k£211k

Common questions

Is THE OTTER TRUST financially healthy?

Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that the charity incurred a deficit of £49,022 for the year, reducing total unrestricted reserves from £708,703 to £659,681. Free reserves dropped significantly to £31,857, which the trustees note is below the level required to maintain properties for a sufficient period, though they confirm adequate resources for going concern. Its FY2024 accounts were independently examined.

Government & lottery funding

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

FunderDateAmountPurpose
UK government17/08/2023£27kSuffolk Lungwort Recovery Program
UK government17/08/2023£18kSuffolk Lungwort Recovery Program
The National Lottery Heritage Fund08/07/1996£86k"North Pennines Reserve - Vale House Farm"

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 UK WILD OTTER TRUST.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
THE OTTER TRUST£114k0unclearno doubt
UK WILD OTTER TRUST FY2024£101k0below84.0%no doubt
Ocean Conservation Trust Limited FY2025£7.5mabove27.0%no doubt
THE LANCASHIRE WILDLIFE TRUST FY2025£9.2m£80,001 - £90,000unclearno doubt
EARTH TRUST FY2024£1.5munclearno doubt
OTTERSPOOL ANIMAL HAVEN FY2025£166k0unclearno doubt

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