THE ARVON FOUNDATION
Registered charity 306694 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as THE ARVON FOUNDATION LIMITED
We run a year-round programme of creative writing courses at three rural writing houses and also online, offering expert tuition from established writers in all forms of published writing to people from all backgrounds and experience. We run mentoring and other creative writing projects and a grant scheme to enable open access to our courses, and provide dedicated facilities for writers' retreats.
Causes: Education/training · Arts/culture/heritage/science · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts
The accounts state that total income increased by approximately 25% to £3,261,172, driven largely by a 70% rise in donations and grants, while total expenditure decreased slightly to £2,269,394. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted free reserves fell to £65,300, which is below the charity's stated policy target of 3-4 months of expenditure, although the trustees note that reserves were reflated to approximately £340,000 in February 2025 following the sale of surplus property.
Automated summary of the FY2024 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Largest income source: Creative writing courses and retreats (59% of income)
“Income from fees paid for creative writing courses, masterclasses, tutorials and retreats decreased in 2024 – from £1,388,837 in 2023 down to £1,226,768” — page 18
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves policy: three to four months of total expenditure from unrestricted funds (held: £65k)
“The Trustees have previously set a target range for free reserves of 3-4 months of total expenditure from unrestricted funds. This is equivalent to a range of approximately £515,000 to £685,000 based on 2024 expenditure levels.” — page 20
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Donations from related parties
“Aggregate donations from related parties (including trustees, members of the Leadership Team and their respective close family members) during the year were £5,638 (2023: £4,035), including Gift Aid claims outstanding at the year end of £160 (2023: £807). Of total donations of £5,798 from related parties, £50 was included in restricted income funds.” — page 40
“In July 2024 Arvon received a payment of £2,150 from Climate Spring CIC, co-founded by Arvon trustee Joshua Cockcroft, who also serves as Climate Spring's Director of Research and Impact.” — page 40
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Payment from Climate Spring CIC
“Aggregate donations from related parties (including trustees, members of the Leadership Team and their respective close family members) during the year were £5,638 (2023: £4,035), including Gift Aid claims outstanding at the year end of £160 (2023: £807). Of total donations of £5,798 from related parties, £50 was included in restricted income funds.” — page 40
“In July 2024 Arvon received a payment of £2,150 from Climate Spring CIC, co-founded by Arvon trustee Joshua Cockcroft, who also serves as Climate Spring's Director of Research and Impact.” — page 40
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts audited by Sayer Vincent LLP. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.
Leadership, per the charity’s website
- Richard Haseldine — Chief Financial Officer (source)
- Andrew Kidd — Chief Executive (source)
- Natasha Carlish — Deputy Chief Executive (source)
- Helen Meller — Director (source)
- Jo King — Director (source)
- Mary Morris — Artistic Director (source)
- Rosie Scott — Director of Engagement (source)
- Dean Stigwood — Development Director (source)
Listed on the charity’s own website when we last crawled it; roles may have changed. Pay-band disclosures above are anonymous statutory disclosures and are not attributed to any named individual.
Property (HM Land Registry)
4 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (4 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 31/12/2024)
Cost of raising funds
£173k
Reported reserves equal ~0.3 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).
Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (59% 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: 5.3% of total income — above the median for charities its size (5.2%) (benchmarks).
Register events
- Received assets from another charity (23/04/2024) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
- Received assets from another charity (16/05/2023) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
- Patricia Clare Cumperchair
- Anna Williams · trustee of 1 other charity
- Dr Maria Evans
- Jack Redfern
- Joshua Adam Eremo Cockcroft
- Kim Evans · trustee of 1 other charity
- MATTHEW COX · trustee of 1 other charity
- Martha Sprackland
- Nabeela Rasul
- Niharika Jain
- Rachel Cleverly
- Rebecca Joanne Thompson
- Robert Drummer
- Sarah Georgina Harwood
- Susan Helen Bowers · trustee of 1 other charity
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: Calderdale · Devon · Shropshire · Throughout London
Income and spending
Common questions
Is THE ARVON FOUNDATION financially healthy?
Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that total income increased by approximately 25% to £3,261,172, driven largely by a 70% rise in donations and grants, while total expenditure decreased slightly to £2,269,394. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted free reserves fell to £65,300, which is below the charity's stated policy target of 3-4 months of expenditure, although the trustees note that reserves were reflated to approximately £340,000 in February 2025 following the sale of surplus property. Its FY2024 accounts were audited by Sayer Vincent LLP.
Who funds THE ARVON FOUNDATION?
Funders whose own accounts filings name THE ARVON FOUNDATION as a grant recipient include THE FOYLE FOUNDATION, THE JOHN R. MURRAY CHARITABLE TRUST, THE T. S. ELIOT FOUNDATION, WE ARE UNLIMITED ARTS, THE JOHN THAW 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.
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Side by side with its peers
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