The South West Heritage Trust

Museum and curatorial services in Somerset, caring for over 3 million museum objects and operating 3 county museums.Statutory Archives and Local Studies services in Somerset and Devon, providing access to public records.Historic Environment conservation advice to local authorities and partners in Somerset. 400 acres of landscape sites managed.Heritage Education provision across all services.

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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

Devon Somerset

Financial Information

Latest Income

£8,652,683

Latest Expenditure

£8,474,068

Financial Efficiency

Program Ratio 97.1%

% of income going directly to charitable activities

Higher than 75% of UK Heritage charities with income £1M to £10M (sample: 344). How is this calculated?

Overall Efficiency 99.1%

% of expenditure going to programs (vs overhead)

Higher than 80% of UK Heritage charities with income £1M to £10M. How is this calculated?

Administrative Ratio 0.9%

Overhead (fundraising + governance) as % of total expenditure

Lower overhead than 83% 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

Donations & Legacies £129,448

Charitable Activities £7,780,301

Other Trading £709,604

Investments £33,330

Other Income £0

Expenditure Categories

Charitable Expenditure £8,401,456

Raising Funds £72,612

Governance £0

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 — The Somerset County History Trust (organisation 5055413)

Financial Year	Income	Expenditure	Charitable Spending	Net Assets	Reserves	Staff
2024	£8,652,683	£8,474,068	£8,401,456	£1,322,089	£507,104	73 / 151
2023	£4,135,856	£4,090,905	£4,022,927	£1,289,243	£517,956	73 / 239
2022	£3,648,374	£4,097,959	£4,038,940	£3,155,382	£572,170	69 / 125
2021	£3,808,565	£3,955,290	£3,933,370	-£5,715,351	£538,859	67 / 180
2020	£3,805,154	£3,845,675	£3,816,160	-£6,662,002	£526,256	71 / 158

Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers

Frequently asked questions about The South West Heritage Trust

What does The South West Heritage Trust do?

How much income did The South West Heritage Trust report in 2024?

The South West Heritage Trust reported total income of £8.65m and reported expenditure of £8.47m for the financial year ending 2024, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.

How efficient is The South West Heritage Trust?

The South West Heritage Trust has a program ratio of 97.1%, meaning that share of its income goes directly to charitable activities. This is higher than 75% of UK Heritage charities with income £1M to £10M (sample of 344 charities). See our methodology for how this is calculated.

When was The South West Heritage Trust registered as a charity?

The South West Heritage Trust was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 6 October 2014 as charity number 1158791. It has been registered for 12 years.

Who runs The South West Heritage Trust?

The South West Heritage 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 The South West Heritage Trust operate?

The South West Heritage Trust operates across 2 areas: Devon and Somerset.

Is The South West Heritage Trust a registered charity?

Yes — The South West Heritage Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 1158791.