Charity Accounts Intelreading the accounts so you don’t have to

WILLOUGHBRIDGE GARDEN TRUST

Registered charity 522695 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as DOROTHY CLIVE GARDEN

TO MAINTAIN, ENHANCE AND FURTHER DEVELOP A GARDEN INSPIRED BY THE MEMORY OF THE LATE DOROTHY CLIVE TO BE USED FOR THE ENJOYMENT AND BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC. TO PROMOTE AND SUPPORT HORTICULTURAL EDUCATION FOR THE CONTINUING BENEFIT OF BOTH STUDENTS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

Causes: Environment/conservation/heritage · website · Get email alerts

Latest income
£602k
Latest spending
£623k
Registered
1965
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity made a net loss of £20,984 before investment gains, with total income of £602,247 and total expenditure of £623,231. Per the trustees' report, free reserves amounted to approximately £386,000, held to help the Trust operate at an approximate break-even position.

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: £386k; policy: sufficient to cover anticipated capital expenditure requirements and improvements to the collection of plants, shrubs and trees, to provide sufficient working capital to finance the charity’s operations during the winter months when the garden is closed for three days each week and to generate investment income and gains to help improve the sustainability of the garden)
“Free reserves amounted to approximately £386,000 on 31 December 2025 (2024: approximately £481,000). These are held as an income generation fund with the objective of realising a sufficient return of capital and income to enable the Trust to operate at an approximate break-even position.” — page 10
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Willoughbridge Garden Trust (matched by registered charity number).

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook · instagram

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2025)

Total income
£602k
Total spending
£623k
Cost of raising funds
£322k
Reserves (reported)
£386k
Employees
17

Reported reserves equal ~7.4 months of spending — above the median for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Other trading activities (55% 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: 53.4% of total income — above the 90th percentile for charities its size (median 4.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Cheshire East · Cheshire West & Chester · Shropshire · Staffordshire

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/12/2025£602k£623k
31/12/2024£621k£547k
31/12/2023£498k£501k
31/12/2022£442k£463k
31/12/2021£545k£409k

Common questions

Is WILLOUGHBRIDGE GARDEN TRUST financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity made a net loss of £20,984 before investment gains, with total income of £602,247 and total expenditure of £623,231. Per the trustees' report, free reserves amounted to approximately £386,000, held to help the Trust operate at an approximate break-even position. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Government & lottery funding

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

FunderDateAmountPurpose
The National Lottery Community Fund28/10/2025£17kEnhancing Biodiversity and Learning for All at the Dorothy Clive Garden
The National Lottery Heritage Fund29/06/2020£33k"COVID19: The Willoughbridge Garden Trust"
The National Lottery Community Fund23/01/2020£950Halloween Light spectacular
The National Lottery Community Fund15/02/2019£5kReplace and upgrade aged IT equipment
The National Lottery Heritage Fund11/09/2018£50k"Improved heritage awareness and inclusivity"
The National Lottery Community Fund13/08/2014£10kThe Winter Woodland Garden
The National Lottery Community Fund20/09/2012£10kThe 'Edible Woodland' for Education
The National Lottery Community Fund23/09/2010£9kToddlers Outdoor Garden and Play Area