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British Exploring Society

Also known as: British Schools Exploring Society, Bses, Bses Expeditions

British Exploring Society is an educational charity. We inspire young people from all backgrounds to unlock their potential through exploration on demanding and scientific expeditions, helping them and society better understand the world around us.

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Activities & Mission

British Exploring Society is an educational charity. We inspire young people from all backgrounds to unlock their potential through exploration on demanding and scientific expeditions, helping them and society better understand the world around us.

Areas of Operation

Where this charity is registered to operate, as self-declared to the Charity Commission. These are regulatory classifications, not a list of active programmes, and don't necessarily indicate fundraising activity in each location.

Financial Information

Latest Income
£903,661
Latest Expenditure
£1,173,985

Financial Efficiency

Program Ratio 110.1%
% of income going directly to charitable activities

Higher than 87% of UK Beneficiary group charities with income £100K to £1M (sample: 3459). How is this calculated?

Overall Efficiency 84.8%
% of expenditure going to programs (vs overhead)

Higher than 19% of UK Beneficiary group charities with income £100K to £1M. How is this calculated?

Administrative Ratio 21.7%
Overhead (fundraising + governance) as % of total expenditure

Lower overhead than 10% of UK Beneficiary group charities with income £100K to £1M. (Lower overhead is generally read as more efficient.) How is this calculated?

Latest Financial Breakdown

Income Sources

Donations & Legacies £764,403
Charitable Activities £127,838
Other Trading £0
Investments £10,967
Other Income £453

Expenditure Categories

Charitable Expenditure £995,295
Raising Funds £178,690
Governance £75,594
Grants to Institutions £0
Other Expenditure £0

Financial Trend

Annual Returns

As filed with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Most recent filing covers the financial year ending 2024.

Financial YearIncomeExpenditureCharitable SpendingNet AssetsReservesStaff
2024
£903,661
£1,173,985£995,295£293,057£151,68519 / 46
2023
£1,615,677
£1,828,694£1,828,694£563,382£125,85218 / 72
2022
£1,571,104
£1,622,872£1,622,872£776,399£229,45618 / 98
2021
£1,255,362
£1,176,344£1,168,713£828,167£255,45718 / 110
2020
£1,276,453
£904,881£899,201£749,149£374,85517 / 51

Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers

Frequently asked questions about British Exploring Society

What does British Exploring Society do?

British Exploring Society is an educational charity. We inspire young people from all backgrounds to unlock their potential through exploration on demanding and scientific expeditions, helping them and society better understand the world around us.

How much income did British Exploring Society report in 2024?

British Exploring Society reported total income of £904k and reported expenditure of £1.17m for the financial year ending 2024, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.

How efficient is British Exploring Society?

British Exploring Society has a program ratio of 110.1%, meaning that share of its income goes directly to charitable activities. This is higher than 87% of UK Beneficiary group charities with income £100K to £1M (sample of 3459 charities). See our methodology for how this is calculated.

When was British Exploring Society registered as a charity?

British Exploring Society was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 5 December 1989 as charity number 802196. It has been registered for 37 years.

Who runs British Exploring Society?

British Exploring Society is governed by a board of 7 trustees. Trustees are legally responsible for the charity's governance and are listed in full on its profile.

Where does British Exploring Society operate?

British Exploring Society operates across 2 areas: Scotland and England And Wales.

Is British Exploring Society a registered charity?

Yes — British Exploring Society is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 802196.

Details

Address
British Exploring Society
c/o Royal Geographical Society
1 Kensington Gore
LONDON
SW72AR
Registration Date
5 December 1989
Status
Registered

Registry Information

Organisation Number
802196
Charity Number
802196

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Trustees

Carolyn Young
James Hopkinson
James Smith
Mark Christopher Fawcett
Rahul Nath Moodgal
Sarah Greasley
Timothy Mark Passingham

Sectors & Classifications

Also Known As

  • British Schools Exploring Society
  • Bses
  • Bses Expeditions
  • Bses

Data & trust

Register data refreshed
14 May 2026
Report a data issue