Swansea Canal Society

The charity runs regular work parties to maintain and restore the canal in conjunction with Canal and River Trust, and a small canoe hire operation for local groups and families.We also liaise with local government and other relevant bodies.

Email Charity

Activities & Mission

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.

Local Authority

City Of Swansea Neath Port Talbot

Financial Information

Latest Income

£749,442

Latest Expenditure

£1,018,386

Financial Efficiency

Program Ratio 134.8%

% of income going directly to charitable activities

Higher than 95% of UK Beneficiary group charities with income £100K to £1M (sample: 3459). How is this calculated?

Overall Efficiency 99.2%

% of expenditure going to programs (vs overhead)

Higher than 55% of UK Beneficiary group charities with income £100K to £1M. How is this calculated?

Administrative Ratio 0.8%

Overhead (fundraising + governance) as % of total expenditure

Lower overhead than 64% 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 £654,401

Charitable Activities £7,816

Other Trading £3,921

Investments £2,305

Other Income £80,999

Expenditure Categories

Charitable Expenditure £1,010,206

Raising Funds £2,421

Governance £6,114

Grants to Institutions £0

Other Expenditure £5,759

Financial Trend

Annual Returns

As filed with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Most recent filing covers the financial year ending 2025.

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 2016 — Swansea Canal Society (organisation 3999951)

Financial Year	Income	Expenditure	Charitable Spending	Net Assets	Reserves	Staff
2025	£749,442	£1,018,386	£1,010,206	£342,524	£0	0 / 30
2024	£745,196	£396,040	£338,783	£611,468	£0	0 / 15
2023	£111,377	£178,254				0 / 20
2022	£188,410	£39,457				0 / 50
2021	£97,954	£6,289				0 / 13

Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers

Frequently asked questions about Swansea Canal Society

What does Swansea Canal Society do?

How much income did Swansea Canal Society report in 2025?

Swansea Canal Society reported total income of £749k and reported expenditure of £1.02m for the financial year ending 2025, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.

How efficient is Swansea Canal Society?

Swansea Canal Society has a program ratio of 134.8%, meaning that share of its income goes directly to charitable activities. This is higher than 95% of UK Beneficiary group charities with income £100K to £1M (sample of 3459 charities). See our methodology for how this is calculated.

When was Swansea Canal Society registered as a charity?

Swansea Canal Society was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 24 August 2016 as charity number 1168894. It has been registered for 10 years.

Who runs Swansea Canal Society?

Swansea Canal Society is governed by a board of 8 trustees. The chair of trustees is Gordon David Walker. Trustees are legally responsible for the charity's governance and are listed in full on its profile.

Where does Swansea Canal Society operate?

Swansea Canal Society operates across 2 areas: City Of Swansea and Neath Port Talbot.

Is Swansea Canal Society a registered charity?

Yes — Swansea Canal Society is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 1168894.