Finance Score: 2

Governance Score: 2

Support Score: 7

Liabilities <10%: +3
Excess reserves: -4
Fundraising costs low: +3

Dynamic board: +3
Mainly male board: -1

Large volunteers +5
Grant maker support: +2

Overall GiG Score: 11

THE COTSWOLD CANALS TRUST

1. To promote for the benefit of the community the reopening of the Cotswold Canals.2. To promote the restoration of the two waterways to give a balance between the needs of navigation, development, recreation, heritage, landscape conservation, wildlife and natural habitats.3. To promote the use of all the towpath as the Thames and Severn Way.

Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

This charity has been very successful in attracting volunteers relative to its size
The charity has received backing from a grant maker
This charity has a robust balance sheet
There have been no material income shortfalls in recent years
Fundraising costs are unusually low relative to funds raised
The Board appears to be dynamic in terms of composition

Regulatory & Governance issues to consider:

One or more trustees receive benefits from the charity
The Board is predominantly male

Financial issues to consider:

This charity has substantial assets and unrestricted reserves of £1,470,242 available, equivalent to 43 months of spending and so may not be able to utilise additional funding
Income has been volatile recently and was substantially in excess of spending in the latest year

Financial Data ?

Income & Spending ?

Sources of Income ?

Y/E	Income £k	Spending £k	Surplus/ Deficit	Fundraising Cost £k	Total Funds £k	Unrestricted Funds £k	Mths Rsrvs	Staff	Volun- teers
31/03/23	£837	£407	£430	£23	£1,929	£1,470	43.3	5	941
31/03/22	£1,202	£506	£696	£20	£1,500	£1,164	27.6	4	891
31/03/21	£710	£3,137	£-2,427	£16	£803	£532	2	5	940
31/03/20	£4,627	£2,157	£2,471	£89	£3,648	£878	4.9	6	681
31/03/19	£576	£353	£223	£94	£793	£386	13.1	4	695
31/03/18	£387	£400	£-13	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/17	£329	£278	£51	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/16	£485	£321	£164	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/15	£317	£425	£-108	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/14	£405	£491	£-87	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/13	£423	£331	£93	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/12	£300	£469	£-169	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/11	£322	£451	£-129	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/10	£337	£188	£149	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/09	£352	£313	£39	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/08	£180	£146	£35	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/07	£152	£103	£49	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/06	£257	£347	£-90	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/05	£300	£325	£-25	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/04	£238	£83	£155	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0

Show more rows -->

Show financials table -->

Download accounts

Financial Ratios

Fundraising Costs/Relevant Income: 3.1%
Fundraising Costs/Total Spending: 5.7%
Highest pay band: Less than £60,000
Liabilities/Assets: 1%
Liabilities/Income: 2%
Unrestricted Funds/Total Funds: 76%
Reserves/Spending: 43.3 months
Net Current Assets/Spending: 49 months
Quick Ratio: 85

Asset Split ?

Established: 49 years

https://www.cotswoldcanals.org.uk

mail@cotswoldcanals.org

01453752568

Charity Commission for England and Wales

Listed activities

Economic/Community Development/Employment
Environment/Conservation/Heritage
Recreation

GiG Classification

Museums, parks, historical sites

How it operates

Provides advocacy/advice/information
Provides human resources

Where it operates

Gloucestershire, Wiltshire,

Who it helps

The General Public/Mankind

Who works here?

5 employees
941 volunteers

Who's supporting them? ?

Donations from Grant Makers ?

We have details on the following significant donations. Multi-year donations are allocated to the years for which they are earmarked.

Specific Donations

Amount	When Months	To be used for
Garfield Weston Foundation - Major Grants award
£200,000	30/10/2020	Stroudwater Navigation Connected
Quartet Community Foundation - Grant to Cotswold Canals Trust
£2,500	10/12/2019	Towards the purchase of heavy duty lifting and tractor vehicle for help with canal digging, restoration, lock building and bridge construction.
Garfield Weston Foundation - Main Grants award
£7,500	23/05/2018	Wheelchair Accessible Trip Boat

Data sourced from Donors via 360 Giving

How is it governed?

Trustees (12)

Current Trustees appointed

Gender Split

Age Range of Trustees: 51-76

AIMEE MALCOLM Appointed: 2022, Occupation: Enterprise Manager

DAVID GEOFFREY HIGGS Appointed: 2021, Occupation: Retired

DAVID HAGG (Chair) Appointed: 2024, Occupation: Retired

DOUGLAS JOHN LOOMAN Appointed: 2023, Occupation: Retired

JAMES TRUMPER Appointed: 2024, Occupation: Chartered Accountant

ALAN JONES Appointed: 2015, Occupation: Retired Mechanical Engineer

JOHN ALLAN Appointed: 2013, Occupation: Retired

JOHN NEWTON Appointed: 2015, Occupation: Retired Company Director

REGINALD JOHN GREGORY Appointed: 2018, Occupation: Retired

STEPHEN JOHN PICKOVER Appointed: 2010, Occupation: Construction Buyer

MATTHEW DUNCAN LEE Appointed: 2018, Occupation: Chartered Accountant, Other trusteeship: DENMAN CHARITABLE TRUST,

NICHOLAS ROWSON Appointed: 2020, Occupation: Landscape Architect, Other trusteeship: STROUD VALLEYS CANAL COMPANY,

Legal constitution

Charitable company registered in England & Wales on 23/07/1975, number: 269721
Registered at Companies House on 16/04/1975, number: 01207787

Gift Aid

Registered with HMRC for Gift Aid

Policies in force

Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
Complaints policy and procedures
Conflicting interests
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Investing charity funds policy and procedures
Paying staff
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
Volunteer management

Filing Record

20 returns made; all on time

Recent reorganisation events:

Asset transfer in from JR AND SA BROOKS CHARITABLE TRUST on 14/09/2020

Main office

Office 2
Bell House
Wallbridge
Stroud
GL5 3JS

Objectives

THE OBJECTS FOR WHICH THE TRUST IS ESTABLISHED ARE:(A) THE PRESERVATION, MAINTENANCE IN GOOD ORDER AND IMPROVEMENT OF CANALS, NAVIGABLE RIVERS AND INLAND WATERWAYS (HEREINAFTER CALLED “NAVIGATIONS”) FOR THE USE OF THE PUBLIC.(B) TO PROMOTE THE USE OF THE NAVIGATIONS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC. (C) TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC IN THE HISTORY, USE OF AND WILDLIFE ASSOCIATED WITH THE NAVIGATIONS.(D) TO PROVIDE RECREATIONAL AND LEISURE TIME ACTIVITIES ON THE NAVIGATION (& CONNECTED WATERWAYS AND TOWPATHS) IN THE INTERESTS OF SOCIAL WELFARE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NEED, FOR EXAMPLE BY REASON OF THEIR YOUTH, AGE, INFIRMITY OR DISABILITY, POVERTY OR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES WITH A VIEW TO IMPROVING THE CONDITIONS OF LIFE OF SUCH PERSONS.(E) TO FURTHER FOR PUBLIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT, THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE NATURAL FEATURES AND WILDLIFE HABITATS OF THE NAVIGATIONS LANDSCAPE.(F) TO FURTHER ANY PURPOSE WHICH IS EXCLUSIVELY CHARITABLE UNDER THE LAW OF ENGLAND AND WALES CONNECTED WITH THE NAVIGATIONS.?

Defined Area of Benefit:

NOT DEFINED

Data Sources