Walk Wheel Cycle Trust

Registered charity 326550 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as NATIONAL CYCLE NETWORK, SUSTRANS, SUSTRANS LIMITED · also registered in Scotland as SC039263 (OSCR)

We make it possible for everyone to walk, wheel and cycle. Because it changes everything. Our health. Our wellbeing. Our world.

Causes: The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · Environment/conservation/heritage · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£110.7m

Latest spending

£113.6m

Registered

1984

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a deficit of £3M for the year ended 31 March 2025, driven by an imbalance between its cost base and available income, which necessitated a 20% organizational restructure. Per the trustees' report, closing general reserves of £7.3M are below the stated target range of £8M to £10M, though the board has since lowered the target for the following year to £5.5M–£7.5M to reflect current risks.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy (held: £7.3m; policy: £8M to £10M)

“our closing general reserves of £7.3M are therefore below the target range.”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Sustrans charged Railway Paths Limited £35K for estate management services; Railway Paths Limited charged Sustrans £113K for bridge and estate management services.

“During the year Sustrans charged Railway Paths Limited £35K (2024: £121K), for estate management services. Railway Paths Limited charged Sustrans £113K (2024: £60K) for bridge and estate management services.” — page 64

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Governance: Fundraising Regulator found Sustrans in breach of two rules in the Code of Fundraising Practice regarding Meta fundraising adverts.

“The Fundraising Regulator found Sustrans in breach of two rules in the Code of Fundraising Practice.” — page 30

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Crowe UK LLP. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

Year-over-year changes

Reserves position vs the charity's own policy moved from "above" (FY2024) to "below" (FY2025).

Comparing this charity’s FY2024 and FY2025 accounts as analysed by this site.

In the news

Recent coverage mentioning this charity by name (automated match; headlines belong to their publishers).

ArtRoots Funding for the National Cycle Network in England walkwheelcycletrust.org.uk · 13/07/2026
ArtRoots Funding for the National Cycle Network in Scotland walkwheelcycletrust.org.uk · 16/06/2026
Walk Wheel Cycle Trust appoints new Chief Executive to lead bold new strategy walkwheelcycletrust.org.uk · 10/06/2026
Community-led National Cycle Network Improvement Fund is now open walkwheelcycletrust.org.uk · 05/06/2026
Brice moves from Walk Wheel Cycle Trust to SLR transportxtra.com · 07/05/2026
2026 Scotland election: Walk Wheel Cycle Trust’s manifesto walkwheelcycletrust.org.uk · 17/02/2026
Love Your Network –support for community groups on the National Cycle Network in England walkwheelcycletrust.org.uk · 11/02/2026
Walk Wheel Cycle Trust chief steps down after decade leading active travel charity walkwheelcycletrust.org.uk · 29/01/2026

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Walk Wheel Cycle Trust (matched by registered charity number).

Public-sector contracts awarded

From the official Contracts Finder and Find a Tender notices (supplier matched by exact registered name). Contract income is distinct from grants.

Buyer	Contract	Awarded	Value
Cambridgeshire County Council	26069 Active Travel Promotion in Schools for Cambridgeshire County Council	01/09/2026	£288k
Staffordshire County Council	Transport Consultancy	14/05/2026	£175k
Worcestershire County Council	Local Cycling Walking and Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) for North Worcestershire	19/03/2026	£75k
Cornwall Council	Rame and Torpoint Local Cycle and Walking Infrastructure Plan	31/07/2025	£44k
Stirling Council	Thriving Communities Framework	—	—
City & County of Swansea	Environmental Partnership Framework	—	—

Property (HM Land Registry)

441 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (268 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 (68,980 likes) · instagram (23K followers)

Advertised salaries (public job ads)

Roles this charity has advertised on CharityJob, matched on the exact employer name. A different source from the statutory pay bands above: these are asking salaries for vacancies, not what anyone was paid.

Urban Designer — £ 33,265 per annum (pro rata for part time) · Bristol (Hybrid) · posted 2 weeks ago (seen 21/08/2026)
Engineer — £ 33,265 per annum (pro rata for part time) plus a market supplement of £1412 per annum. · Bristol (On-site) · posted 2 weeks ago (seen 21/08/2026)
Project Officer – Active Journeys · Hybrid work in Wales
Project Officer – Active Journeys · Hybrid work in Wales

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)

Total income

£110.7m

Total spending

£113.6m

Cost of raising funds

£2.6m

Reserves (reported)

£7.4m

Employees

620

Reported reserves equal ~0.8 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 2.7 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (94% 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: 2.3% of total income — below the median for charities its size (2.9%) (benchmarks).

Register events

Received assets from another charity (13/11/2014) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.

Trustees · trustee networks

Moray Macdonaldchair
Alistair Gibbons
Benita Mehra
Carol-Ann Boyter
Christopher Allchin
Elliot Shaw
Mohammed Ibrahim Ali · trustee of 1 other charity
Nicola Wood
Priyanka Khurana
Rhona Marsland
Susan Crighton
Tessa Dwyer
Zahir Nayani

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

Operates in: Ireland · Northern Ireland · Scotland · Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/03/2025	£110.7m	£113.6m
31/03/2024	£146.4m	£144.7m
31/03/2023	£112.5m	£109.7m
31/03/2022	£114.7m	£114.8m
31/03/2021	£66.9m	£66.3m

Common questions

Is Walk Wheel Cycle Trust financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a deficit of £3M for the year ended 31 March 2025, driven by an imbalance between its cost base and available income, which necessitated a 20% organizational restructure. Per the trustees' report, closing general reserves of £7.3M are below the stated target range of £8M to £10M, though the board has since lowered the target for the following year to £5.5M–£7.5M to reflect current risks. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Crowe UK LLP.

Who funds Walk Wheel Cycle Trust?

Funders whose own accounts filings name Walk Wheel Cycle Trust as a grant recipient include THE ROAD SAFETY TRUST, MOTABILITY, THE INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS, THE LONDON MARATHON CHARITABLE TRUST LIMITED, REES JEFFREYS ROAD FUND.

Known funders

Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
THE ROAD SAFETY TRUST	FY2023	£284k
MOTABILITY	FY2023	£100k	Grants to Organisations
THE INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS	FY2024	£50k	The Impact of colourful surfaces at informal road crossings for Vulnerable Users.
THE LONDON MARATHON CHARITABLE TRUST LIMITED	FY2023	£30k	Facility expansion
REES JEFFREYS ROAD FUND	FY2022	£25k	Stepping off the road to nowhere (Vision and Validate method)
THE LONDON MARATHON CHARITABLE TRUST LIMITED	FY2024	£18k	Facility expansion
PEACOCK CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£5k
PEACOCK CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£5k
THE MILLBY FOUNDATION	FY2022	£5k
The William Brake Foundation	FY2022	£5k
FRAZER TRUST	FY2022	£2k
FRAZER TRUST	FY2024	£2k	Leisure activities, animals and wildlife
FRAZER TRUST	FY2025	£2k	Leisure activities, animals and wildlife
CHAPMAN CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£2k
FRAZER TRUST	FY2023	£2k	Children
MOTABILITY	FY2025	£2k	User Research Grant
THE GUNTER CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£703
THE PARTNERSHIP FOUNDATION	FY2023	£500
THE DANDY CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2025	£500
THE DANDY CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£400
THE DANDY CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£360
THE DANDY CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£100
THE MILLENNIUM OAK TRUST	FY2024	—

Government & lottery funding

Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
City Bridge Foundation	09/02/2025	£51k	Grant to Walk Wheel Cycle Trust [Formerly known as Sustrans]
UK government	21/06/2024	£4.9m	Sustrans National Cycle Network Improvement Programme
Sport England	26/04/2024	£400k	AE: Demonstrator projects
Sport England	06/02/2024	£8k	Essential bike storage for people seeking asylum
City Bridge Foundation	07/03/2023	£100k	Grant to Walk Wheel Cycle Trust [Formerly known as Sustrans]
UK government	15/08/2022	£3.6m	Sustrans - Supporting HE Walking & Cycling
Sport England	13/07/2022	£165k	COVID-19 Together Fund
UK government	01/04/2022	£82k	CYCLE RAIL 22-25 multi year grant
Sport England	08/03/2022	£21k	Sustainability Planning
London Borough of Hounslow	02/03/2021	£16k	Grant to Sustrans
Sport England	09/11/2020	£43k	COVID-19 Innovative Solution
Greater London Authority	01/05/2019	£1k	Grant to Sustrans
Greater London Authority	31/01/2018	£15k	Grant to Sustrans
Sport England	02/11/2017	£140k	Opportunity Fund
The National Lottery Community Fund	25/11/2015	£8k	Walking and Cycling for Health, Stockton-on-Tees
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	23/09/2015	£40k	"Rediscovering Bennerley Viaduct"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	23/09/2014	£909k	"Tracks of the Ironmasters (Ironmasters)"
The National Lottery Community Fund	25/05/2011	£299k	Sustrans Cymru Volunteer Champions - Expansion and Development
The National Lottery Community Fund	22/05/2008	£189k	Bike it - Walk it
Northern Rock Foundation	13/03/2007	£100k	Grant awarded to Sustrans Limited (Northumberland)
The National Lottery Community Fund	23/11/2006	£10k	Active Travel Portfolio
The National Lottery Community Fund	24/08/2006	£500k	Connect2 (people.places..pride..)
Northern Rock Foundation	14/03/2006	£100k	Grant awarded to Sustrans Limited (Cumbria)
Northern Rock Foundation	03/12/2002	£92k	Grant awarded to Sustrans (Northumberland)
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	27/04/2001	£246k	"Sluggan Bridge, Restoration"

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.

Funder	Similar charities funded	Amount to them
PRISM THE GIFT FUND	1	£100k
GRANGE FARM CENTRE	1	£72k
THE MERCERS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION	1	£59k
The A and J Charitable Trust	1	£54k
The Greaves & Withey Foundation	1	£47k
THE ADRIAN SWIRE CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£30k
BRUCE WAKE CHARITY	1	£30k
The Caledonia Investments Charitable Foundation	1	£26k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with WHEELS FOR WELLBEING.

WHEELS FOR WELLBEING income £456k
THE WHEELYBOAT TRUST income £209k
WHEELY TOTS income £271k
CYCLISTS' TOURING CLUB income £11.9m
THE BIKEABILITY TRUST income £21.8m
CHARITY OF CHARLES CLEMENT WALKER (COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE WALKER TRUST) income £150k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
Walk Wheel Cycle Trust	£110.7m	—	—	below	—	no doubt
WHEELS FOR WELLBEING FY2025	£456k	—	0	above	—	no doubt
THE WHEELYBOAT TRUST FY2025	£209k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
WHEELY TOTS FY2025	£271k	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
CYCLISTS' TOURING CLUB FY2025	£11.9m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
THE BIKEABILITY TRUST FY2025	£21.8m	—	—	above	—	no doubt

Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.