FRIENDS OF WESTONBIRT ARBORETUM
Registered charity 293190 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as FOWA, THE FRIENDS OF WESTONBIRT ARBORETUM, THE FRIENDS OF WESTONBIRT ARBORETUM TRUST
The Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum operates the membership scheme for Westonbirt, the National Arboretum in Gloucestershire. It aims to further public enjoyment and knowledge of this world renowned tree collection and to secure its sustainable future through engaging and informing visitors and members and by giving financial and practical support for the management and development of the site.
Causes: Environment/conservation/heritage · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the Charity held free reserves of £430,957 at the year end, meeting its stated policy target of three months' running costs (£450,000). The filing reports a consolidated surplus of £310,208 and notes that the Charity is in a strong financial position with healthy reserves.
Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Accounts audited by Godfrey Wilson Limited. Discloses 3 of 6 completeness components.
Corporate structure
What the charity says about itself (2024)
From its own voluntary annual review / impact report — the charity’s account of its work, distinct from the statutory accounts analysed above.
The report states the charity awarded £545.5k in grants and paid £818.6k for Arboretum Access Rights, totaling £1.4m in direct support.
“During the year, the Charity awarded the arboretum £545.5k in grants and paid £818.6k for Arboretum Access Rights. This combined funding of £1.4m directly supports the site and enriches the experience of visitors.”
The charity ended the year with 39,488 members, representing a 4.2% increase year-on-year.
“We ended the year with 39,488 members; an increase of 4.2% year-on-year. This resulted in membership income of £1,713k (including Gift Aid).”
The retail subsidiary generated a profit of £44.7k, exceeding its annual target.
“The Westonbirt Shop exceeded its annual profit target, returning £44.7k to the Charity and offering a retail experience that reflects the character and quality of the arboretum.”
The charity supported specific community organizations through its Community Grant Giving Fund to help them access the site.
“During 2025 we supported The Churn Project, Imayla CiC and Bristol Carers to access the site through funded transport and catering.”
Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum (matched by registered charity number).
Company officers (Companies House)
Current officers of the charity’s own company per the Companies House register, cross-checked against the Charity Commission trustee list by name. A director not on the trustee list is usually a timing or naming difference between the two registers — check both records before drawing conclusions.
- ALLMAN, Martin Robert — director, appointed 14/05/2025on trustee list
- SKUSE, Emma Victoria — director, appointed 14/05/2025on trustee list
- HARE, Katherine Elizabeth — director, appointed 14/05/2025on trustee list
- BRYARS, Sarah Anne — director, appointed 01/05/2024on trustee list
- ISHERWOOD, Paul David — director, appointed 07/07/2022on trustee list
- FORSTER, Owen — director, appointed 07/07/2022on trustee list
- TROUPE, Sian — director, appointed 07/07/2022on trustee list
- WALKER, Rachel — director, appointed 18/04/2019on trustee list
- SMITH, Martyn Douglas — director, appointed 01/01/2018on trustee list
Official officers record.
Property (HM Land Registry)
1 registered title 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 31/12/2025)
Cost of raising funds
£713k
Reported reserves equal ~2.0 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).
Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 24.1% of total income — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 5.2%) (benchmarks).
- Bethan Whiteley
- Emma Victoria Skuse
- Jonny Loose
- Katherine Elizabeth Hare
- Martin Robert Allman
- Martyn Douglas Smith · trustee of 2 other charities
- Owen Forster
- Paul Isherwood
- Rachel Walker
- Sarah Bryars
- Sian Troupe
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: Gloucestershire
Income and spending
Common questions
Is FRIENDS OF WESTONBIRT ARBORETUM financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the Charity held free reserves of £430,957 at the year end, meeting its stated policy target of three months' running costs (£450,000). The filing reports a consolidated surplus of £310,208 and notes that the Charity is in a strong financial position with healthy reserves. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Godfrey Wilson Limited.
Who funds FRIENDS OF WESTONBIRT ARBORETUM?
Funders whose own accounts filings name FRIENDS OF WESTONBIRT ARBORETUM as a grant recipient include THE JOHN HORSEMAN TRUST, THE HDH WILLS 1965 CHARITABLE TRUST, THE MEDLOCK CHARITABLE TRUST, THE NOTGROVE TRUST, THE FINNIS SCOTT 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
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 THE FRIENDS OF OXFORD BOTANIC GARDEN & ARBORETUM.
Side by side with its peers
Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.