South West Lakes Trust
The Trust has charitable and trading activities, including safeguarding the environment and providing access and recreation for all abilities at its sites in Devon Cornwall and Somerset.Managing public access, education, conservation, forestry and land at 50 sites, 5,000 hectares of land with 2 million visits each year.Wheal Martyn is an independant China Clay Museum near St Austell
Activities & Mission
The Trust has charitable and trading activities, including safeguarding the environment and providing access and recreation for all abilities at its sites in Devon Cornwall and Somerset.Managing public access, education, conservation, forestry and land at 50 sites, 5,000 hectares of land with 2 million visits each year.Wheal Martyn is an independant China Clay Museum near St Austell
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
Financial Efficiency
Higher than 32% of UK Heritage charities with income £1M to £10M (sample: 344). How is this calculated?
Higher than 15% of UK Heritage charities with income £1M to £10M. How is this calculated?
Lower overhead than 12% of UK Heritage charities with income £1M to £10M. (Lower overhead is generally read as more efficient.) How is this calculated?
Latest Financial Breakdown
Income Sources
Expenditure Categories
Financial Trend
Annual Returns
As filed with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Most recent filing covers the financial year ending 2025.
| Financial Year | Income | Expenditure | Charitable Spending | Net Assets | Reserves | Staff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | £5,495,414 | £5,810,586 | £3,519,893 | £4,192,712 | £651,216 | 145 / 197 |
| 2024 | £5,434,317 | £5,637,854 | £3,429,634 | £4,507,884 | £679,764 | 153 / 283 |
| 2023 | £4,704,115 | £5,010,160 | £2,528,678 | £4,701,421 | £999,376 | 142 / 196 |
| 2022 | £5,322,049 | £4,690,123 | £2,627,320 | £4,880,303 | £500,825 | 124 / 196 |
| 2021 | £4,047,902 | £3,548,670 | £1,918,940 | £4,293,377 | £831,028 | 99 / 360 |
Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers
Frequently asked questions about South West Lakes Trust
What does South West Lakes Trust do?
The Trust has charitable and trading activities, including safeguarding the environment and providing access and recreation for all abilities at its sites in Devon Cornwall and Somerset.Managing public access, education, conservation, forestry and land at 50 sites, 5,000 hectares of land with 2 million visits each year.Wheal Martyn is an independant China Clay Museum near St Austell
How much income did South West Lakes Trust report in 2025?
South West Lakes Trust reported total income of £5.50m and reported expenditure of £5.81m for the financial year ending 2025, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.
How efficient is South West Lakes Trust?
South West Lakes Trust has a program ratio of 64.1%, meaning that share of its income goes directly to charitable activities. This is higher than 32% of UK Heritage charities with income £1M to £10M (sample of 344 charities). See our methodology for how this is calculated.
When was South West Lakes Trust registered as a charity?
South West Lakes Trust was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 22 March 2000 as charity number 1079966. It has been registered for 26 years.
Who runs South West Lakes Trust?
South West Lakes Trust is governed by a board of 8 trustees. The chair of trustees is JOHN ALBERT THOMAS LEE OBE DL. Trustees are legally responsible for the charity's governance and are listed in full on its profile.
Where does South West Lakes Trust operate?
South West Lakes Trust operates across 3 areas: Cornwall, Devon and Somerset.
Is South West Lakes Trust a registered charity?
Yes — South West Lakes Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 1079966.
Details
Roadford Lake
Broadwoodwidger
Lifton
Devon
PL16 0RL
Registry Information
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Major UK charities in the same primary sector, drawn from the curated priority cohort.
Trustees
Also governs 14 other charities
Also governs 1 other charity
Data & trust
- Register data refreshed
- 14 May 2026
- Methodology
- How metrics are calculated