Shannon Trust

Also known as: The Shannon Trust

Delivering a peer-led Reading Plan where prisoners who can read teach prisoners who cannot in prisons across England, Wales & Northern Ireland.

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Activities & Mission

Delivering a peer-led Reading Plan where prisoners who can read teach prisoners who cannot in prisons across England, Wales & Northern Ireland.

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.

Country

Northern Ireland Scotland

Region

England And Wales

Financial Information

Latest Income

£3,580,596

Latest Expenditure

£3,525,639

Financial Efficiency

Program Ratio 94.6%

% of income going directly to charitable activities

Higher than 53% of UK Crime and Justice charities with income £1M to £10M (sample: 109). How is this calculated?

Overall Efficiency 96.0%

% of expenditure going to programs (vs overhead)

Higher than 44% of UK Crime and Justice charities with income £1M to £10M. How is this calculated?

Administrative Ratio 4.3%

Overhead (fundraising + governance) as % of total expenditure

Lower overhead than 43% of UK Crime and Justice charities with income £1M to £10M. (Lower overhead is generally read as more efficient.) How is this calculated?

Latest Financial Breakdown

Income Sources

Donations & Legacies £1,246,215

Charitable Activities £2,313,479

Other Trading £0

Investments £20,794

Other Income £108

Expenditure Categories

Charitable Expenditure £3,386,039

Raising Funds £139,600

Governance £11,237

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.

One or more years show a significant change in income (over ±100%) compared with the prior year. This usually reflects a merger, transfer of activities, restated accounts, or a one-off legacy — not necessarily a real change in operating scale. See the methodology for context.

The Commission record shows this related event on the register:

Asset transfer in in 2022 — One to One Maths (organisation 5061870)

Financial Year	Income	Expenditure	Charitable Spending	Net Assets	Reserves	Staff
2024	£3,580,596	£3,525,639	£3,386,039	£862,326	£640,773	88 / 119
2023	£2,468,002	£2,248,852	£2,142,988	£807,369	£592,558	48 / 202
2022	£1,110,478	£1,118,728	£1,014,208	£588,219	£443,768	19 / 156
2021	£789,717	£755,709	£682,645	£596,469	£595,112	11 / 150
2020	£813,452	£657,609	£607,037	£562,461	£518,730	10 / 150

Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers

Frequently asked questions about Shannon Trust

What does Shannon Trust do?

Delivering a peer-led Reading Plan where prisoners who can read teach prisoners who cannot in prisons across England, Wales & Northern Ireland.

How much income did Shannon Trust report in 2024?

Shannon Trust reported total income of £3.58m and reported expenditure of £3.53m for the financial year ending 2024, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.

How efficient is Shannon Trust?

Shannon Trust has a program ratio of 94.6%, meaning that share of its income goes directly to charitable activities. This is higher than 53% of UK Crime and Justice charities with income £1M to £10M (sample of 109 charities). See our methodology for how this is calculated.

When was Shannon Trust registered as a charity?

Shannon Trust was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 14 December 2006 as charity number 1117249. It has been registered for 20 years.

Who runs Shannon Trust?

Shannon Trust is governed by a board of 13 trustees. Trustees are legally responsible for the charity's governance and are listed in full on its profile.

Where does Shannon Trust operate?

Shannon Trust operates across 3 areas: Northern Ireland, Scotland and England And Wales.

Is Shannon Trust a registered charity?

Yes — Shannon Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 1117249.