Durham Freemasons Charity

Registered charity 279313 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as THE DURHAM MASONIC BENEVOLENT FUND

To assist distressed masons and their dependants and provide assistance to local charities.

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · Accommodation/housing · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£524k

Latest spending

£607k

Registered

1980

Accounts read

FY2024

Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts

The accounts state that the charity generated a surplus of £56,962 for the year ended 31 December 2024, bringing total net assets to nearly £11 million. The trustees consider the level of unrestricted free reserves held to be adequate to cover the requirements prescribed in their reserves policy. The auditor confirmed that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future with no material uncertainties identified.

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

What the accounts disclose

Largest income source: Investments (80% of income)

“Investments 4 417,219” — page 18

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves policy: sufficient working capital to cover core costs for the next year (held: £402k)

“The General Purposes Committee has examined the requirement for free reserves, which are those unrestricted funds not invested in fixed assets, designated for specific purposes or otherwise committed and consider that this should be at a level to give sufficient working capital to cover core costs for the next year.” — page 10

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Trading subsidiary: Durham Benevolence Limited

“From 8 March 2025 the trustees and members of the General Purposes Committee became Directors of Durham Benevolence limited, a dormant company, which is now the sole trustee of Durham Freemasons Charity.” — page 11

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Allen Sykes Audit Limited. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2024)

Total income

£524k

Total spending

£607k

Cost of raising funds

£235k

Reserves (reported)

£10.8m

Employees

Reported reserves equal ~214.2 months of spending — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Investments (80% 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: 44.7% of total income — above the 90th percentile for charities its size (median 4.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

DURHAM BENEVOLENCE LTD

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

Operates in: Darlington · Durham · Gateshead · Hartlepool · South Tyneside · Stockton-on-tees · Sunderland

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/12/2024	£524k	£607k
31/12/2023	£534k	£370k
31/12/2022	£445k	£493k
31/12/2021	£1.2m	£773k
31/12/2020	£692k	£382k

Common questions

Is Durham Freemasons Charity financially healthy?

Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that the charity generated a surplus of £56,962 for the year ended 31 December 2024, bringing total net assets to nearly £11 million. The trustees consider the level of unrestricted free reserves held to be adequate to cover the requirements prescribed in their reserves policy. The auditor confirmed that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future with no material uncertainties identified. Its FY2024 accounts were audited by Allen Sykes Audit Limited.

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with OXFORDSHIRE MASONIC CHARITY.

OXFORDSHIRE MASONIC CHARITY income £88k
CHESHIRE FREEMASONS' CHARITY income £232k
North Wales Freemasons Charity income £148k
PROVINCE OF CAMBRIDGESHIRE MASONIC BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION income £153k
WEST RIDING MASONIC CHARITIES LIMITED income £764k
BRISTOL MASONS' CHARITY income £996k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
Durham Freemasons Charity	£524k	—	above	—	no doubt
OXFORDSHIRE MASONIC CHARITY FY2026	£88k	—	above	—	no doubt
CHESHIRE FREEMASONS' CHARITY FY2025	£232k	—	unclear	—	no doubt
North Wales Freemasons Charity FY2025	£148k	—	above	—	no doubt
PROVINCE OF CAMBRIDGESHIRE MASONIC BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION FY2025	£153k	—	unclear	—	no doubt
WEST RIDING MASONIC CHARITIES LIMITED FY2025	£764k	—	unclear	—	no doubt

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