BRESSINGHAM STEAM PRESERVATION COMPANY LIMITED
Registered charity 266374 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as BRESSINGHAM STEAM MUSEUM TRUST, BRESSINGHAM STEAM MUSEUM TRUST AND GARDENS
The conservation and restoration of exhibits relating to Britain's steam heritage and the presentation of these exhibits for the education and enjoyment of the general public.
Causes: Education/training · Environment/conservation/heritage · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the charity reported a net deficit of £59,280 for the year ended 28 February 2025, resulting in total funds decreasing to £2,805,187. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves of £2,785,955 are maintained well above the stated policy target of three months' expenditure, with cash reserves held at £150,000. The trustees confirm the entity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future with no material uncertainties.
Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Largest income source: Admissions (79% of income)
“Of the income for the year £816,102 was generated by the “gate receipts”” — page 5
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves policy: three months of unrestricted expenditure (held: £2.8m)
“The policy of the Trustees is to maintain sufficient free reserves to ensure it can withstand unexpected fluctuations in income and expenditure. Cash reserves are currently maintained at £150k which is in line with three months expenditure without cash income.” — page 5
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Audit opinion: qualified
“In the prior year we were not appointed as auditors of the group or of the parent charitable company until after the 29 February 2024 and thus did not observe the counting of physical stocks valued at £77,932 at 29 February 2024.” — page 8
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Loan due to Trustee
“At the year end, £10,000 (2024: £10,000) was due to C R Leah, a Trustee of the Company. This amount is included within creditors due within one year as other loans.” — page 40
“Total donations from Trustees amounted to £30 (2024: £nil).” — page 40
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Donations from Trustees
“At the year end, £10,000 (2024: £10,000) was due to C R Leah, a Trustee of the Company. This amount is included within creditors due within one year as other loans.” — page 40
“Total donations from Trustees amounted to £30 (2024: £nil).” — page 40
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts audited by PEM Audit Limited. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.
Property (HM Land Registry)
2 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (0 freehold). All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook · instagram
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 28/02/2025)
Cost of raising funds
£81k
Reported reserves equal ~2.1 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).
Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (79% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.
Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 7.8% of total income — above the median for charities its size (5.2%) (benchmarks).
Register events
- Received assets from another charity (05/02/2024) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
- Received assets from another charity (23/06/2020) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
- CHRISTOPHER RICHARD LEAHchair · trustee of 1 other charity
- Alex William Gardner-Collis
- CAROL ANN BUSTARD
- JOHN WILSON
- Julia Veronica Phillips
- PATRICIA ANN MEADE
- Robert Wesley Ellis
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: Norfolk
Income and spending
Common questions
Is BRESSINGHAM STEAM PRESERVATION COMPANY LIMITED financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net deficit of £59,280 for the year ended 28 February 2025, resulting in total funds decreasing to £2,805,187. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves of £2,785,955 are maintained well above the stated policy target of three months' expenditure, with cash reserves held at £150,000. The trustees confirm the entity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future with no material uncertainties. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by PEM Audit Limited.
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.
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Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with CHINNOR AND PRINCES RISBOROUGH RAILWAY ASSOCIATION LIMITED.
Side by side with its peers
Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.