THE NORTH OF ENGLAND ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Registered charity 306077 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as ACT FOR WILDLIFE, CHESTER ZOO

Latest income
£63.1m
Latest spending
£60.9m
Registered
1967
Accounts read
FY2024

Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts

The accounts state that total income grew by 10% to £63.1m, while total expenditure increased to £60.9m, resulting in a net surplus for the year. The charity maintains a minimum free cash reserve of £4.4m and holds £5.1m in total cash reserves, supported by significant undrawn borrowing facilities to ensure financial resilience. The trustees confirm that the organization has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future.

What the accounts disclose

Accounts audited by Grant Thornton UK LLP.

Funders the charity credits

Named as funders/supporters on the charity’s own website (the charity’s claim, distinct from accounts-verified grants).

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

Total income
£63.1m
Total spending
£60.9m
Cost of raising funds
£34.4m
Reserves (reported)
£4.4m
Employees
664

Reported reserves equal ~0.9 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 4.6 months; benchmarks).

Trustees

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

Operates in: Cheshire West & Chester

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/12/2024£63.1m£60.9m
31/12/2023£57.4m£57.7m
31/12/2022£50.7m£49.2m
31/12/2021£45.2m£44.3m
31/12/2020£36.1m£36.0m

Common questions

Is THE NORTH OF ENGLAND ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY financially healthy?

The accounts state that total income grew by 10% to £63.1m, while total expenditure increased to £60.9m, resulting in a net surplus for the year. The charity maintains a minimum free cash reserve of £4.4m and holds £5.1m in total cash reserves, supported by significant undrawn borrowing facilities to ensure financial resilience. The trustees confirm that the organization has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Its FY2024 accounts were audited by Grant Thornton UK LLP.

Who funds THE NORTH OF ENGLAND ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY?

Funders whose own accounts filings name THE NORTH OF ENGLAND ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY as a grant recipient include THE WESTMINSTER FOUNDATION, LORD LEVERHULME'S CHARITABLE TRUST, Boodles Charitable Trust, MARJORIE COOTE ANIMAL CHARITY TRUST, THE EQUILIBRIUM 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).

FunderDateAmountPurpose
The National Lottery Heritage Fund08/03/2023£4.4m"Networks For Nature: empowering communities to connect with nature recovery across Northwest Cheshire"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund07/01/2016£70k"Wildlife Champions - Connecting people and local wildlife to Chester Zoo"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund25/05/2010£269k"Biodiversity Trainees"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund28/07/2008£50k"Count Me In!"

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 COLCHESTER ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY.