JOHN JAMES BRISTOL FOUNDATION
The Foundation grants money, under the terms of the trust deed, as diversely as it can to benefit as many residents of the City of Bristol as possible. The primary, although not exclusive, focus areas for grants are education, health, and the elderly.
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the charity holds total funds of £98,233,270, comprising an expendable endowment of £95,516,574 and unrestricted funds of £2,716,696. Per the trustees' report, the current level of free reserves is significantly lower than the policy target due to anticipated legacy receipts and outstanding grant commitments, though the trustees have increased the annual drawdown to ensure the policy is adhered to in the next financial year.
What the accounts disclose
“The current level of reserves is therefore significantly lower than that required by the policy.” — page 10
“During the year, a Trustee, acted as an executor for the will of an estate that was left to the Foundation. The estate included some property and to avoid any conflict of interest, the Foundation attained three independent valuations and chose the Estate Agents to handle the sale. The Trustee involved was not part of this decision-making process and has since resigned from the Foundation.” — page 26
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 30/09/2025)
Trustees
- JOAN YVONNE JOHNSONchair
- ANDREW CHARLES WEBLEY
- Benjamin David James
- DAVID WILLIAM JOHNSON
- Dr JOHN MICHAEL HAWORTH
- ELIZABETH DAWN CHAMBERS
- HENRY FRANCIS HORTON ROSS
- JOHN BARRINGTON EVANS
- JULIA MAY NORTON
- Nicola Jane Parker
- PETER WAUDBY GOODWIN
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 30/09/2025 | £1.4m | £2.9m |
| 30/09/2024 | £1.3m | £2.5m |
| 30/09/2023 | £1.1m | £2.9m |
| 30/09/2022 | £1.4m | £3.3m |
| 30/09/2021 | £2.2m | £2.8m |
Common questions
Is JOHN JAMES BRISTOL FOUNDATION financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity holds total funds of £98,233,270, comprising an expendable endowment of £95,516,574 and unrestricted funds of £2,716,696. Per the trustees' report, the current level of free reserves is significantly lower than the policy target due to anticipated legacy receipts and outstanding grant commitments, though the trustees have increased the annual drawdown to ensure the policy is adhered to in the next financial year. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Crowe U.K. LLP.
Who funds JOHN JAMES BRISTOL FOUNDATION?
Funders whose own accounts filings name JOHN JAMES BRISTOL FOUNDATION as a grant recipient include UNSEEN (UK).
Known funders
| Funder | Year | Amount | Purpose (as stated by the funder) |
|---|---|---|---|
| UNSEEN (UK) | FY2025 | £68k | General |
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| THE MEDLOCK CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £48k |
| THE NISBET TRUST | 1 | £46k |
| The Patricia Routledge Foundation | 1 | £4k |
| QUARTET COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | 1 | £3k |
| SSP FOUNDATION | 1 | £2k |
| Evelyn Partners Charitable Trust | 1 | £700 |
Charities like this
- THE BROWNSWORD CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
- THE BRISTOL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION
- Bristol City Robins Foundation
- BRISTOL RUGBY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
- THE BRISTOL SPORT FOUNDATION
- ST. JOHN'S FOUNDATION EST. 1174
Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN JAMES BRISTOL FOUNDATION | £1.4m | — | 0 | below | — | no doubt |
| THE BROWNSWORD CHARITABLE FOUNDATION | £408k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| THE BRISTOL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION | £511k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| Bristol City Robins Foundation | £2.7m | — | — | unclear | — | no doubt |
| BRISTOL RUGBY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | £755k | Under £60,000 | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| THE BRISTOL SPORT FOUNDATION | £1.6m | — | 0 | within | — | no doubt |