THE DARTINGTON HALL TRUST
Registered charity 279756 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as CRAFT EDUCATION, DARTINGTON ARTS, DARTINGTON INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL, HIGH CROSS HOUSE, POLICY RESEARCH BUREAU, RESEARCH IN PRACTICE
Dartington is a place of learning and experiment. We work locally, nationally and internationally to achive change in three crucial areas: the arts, the promotion of a fairer society and the future of our planet. Working with pioneering thinkers, teachers, artists and social entrepreneurs. Dartington helps people to address some of the significant issues of our time.
Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · Arts/culture/heritage/science · Environment/conservation/heritage · Economic/community Development/employment · Other Charitable Purposes · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the Trust reported a surplus of £681k for the 18-month period ended 28 February 2025, following a significant restructuring and exit from higher education provision. While net assets are strong at £28.5m, the Trustees acknowledge a material uncertainty regarding the Trust's ability to continue as a going concern due to the risks involved in implementing its new strategy and current economic circumstances. The Trust holds unrestricted reserves of £1.0m, which is below its stated policy target of 2 to 3 months' core operating expenditure.
Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Largest income source: Charitable activities (49% of income)
“Charitable activities 6,324 48.9” — page 11
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy (held: £1.0m; policy: 2 to 3 months’ core operating expenditure)
“General funds at 28 February 2025 were £1.0m (2023: deficit of £0.8m). Net operating expenditure (excluding net trading expenditure in the subsidiary fund) was £3.9m” — page 12
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Going concern: material uncertainty disclosed
“This inevitably means that there is the existence of a material uncertainty over the Trust’s ability to continue as a going concern.”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Lord David Triesman rented a property from the charity on an arm’s length basis and paid rental and utility charges totalling £18k during the period.
“Lord David Triesman rented a property from the charity on an arm’s length basis and paid rental and utility charges totalling £18k during the period.” — page 47
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Pension scheme deficit: £524k
“The result of that assessment determined a deficit in the scheme of £524k.” — page 12
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts audited by Bishop Fleming Audit Limited. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.
In the news
Recent coverage mentioning this charity by name (automated match; headlines belong to their publishers).
Property (HM Land Registry)
38 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (36 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)
Reserves (reported)
£28.5m
Reported reserves equal ~17.4 months of spending — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 4.6 months; benchmarks).
Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (49% 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: 0.0% of total income — below the median for charities its size (3.8%) (benchmarks).
- David Julian Buchler
- David Kempton
- Georgina Allen
- James Gaisford · trustee of 1 other charity
- Syra Emily Sowe
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: Throughout England And Wales
Income and spending
Common questions
Is THE DARTINGTON HALL TRUST financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the Trust reported a surplus of £681k for the 18-month period ended 28 February 2025, following a significant restructuring and exit from higher education provision. While net assets are strong at £28.5m, the Trustees acknowledge a material uncertainty regarding the Trust's ability to continue as a going concern due to the risks involved in implementing its new strategy and current economic circumstances. The Trust holds unrestricted reserves of £1.0m, which is below its stated policy target of 2 to 3 months' core operating expenditure. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Bishop Fleming Audit Limited.
Who funds THE DARTINGTON HALL TRUST?
Funders whose own accounts filings name THE DARTINGTON HALL TRUST as a grant recipient include SCHUMACHER COLLEGE FOUNDATION, THE HOWE GREEN TRUST, THE SEGELMAN TRUST, THE AURORA TRUST, THE BEHRENS FOUNDATION.
Known funders
Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.
Government & lottery funding
Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).
Funders of similar charities
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Charities like this
Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with DARTINGTON RECREATION ASSOCIATION.
Side by side with its peers
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