Wessex Museums Trust

Also known as: Wessex Museums Partnership

The major museums that tell the story of Wessex (Dorset Museum, Poole Museum, The Salisbury Museum, Swindon Museums and Wiltshire Museum) working in partnership to support the museum services, activities and facilities of accredited museums in Dorset and Wiltshire.

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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

Dorset Poole Swindon Wiltshire

Financial Information

Latest Income

£487,531

Latest Expenditure

£560,013

Financial Efficiency

Program Ratio 70.5%

% of income going directly to charitable activities

Higher than 45% of UK Heritage charities with income £100K to £1M (sample: 392). How is this calculated?

Overall Efficiency 100.0%

% of expenditure going to programs (vs overhead)

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

Administrative Ratio 1.1%

Overhead (fundraising + governance) as % of total expenditure

Lower overhead than 72% of UK Heritage 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 £546,674

Charitable Activities £0

Other Trading £0

Investments £0

Other Income £0

Expenditure Categories

Charitable Expenditure £385,404

Raising Funds £0

Governance £4,259

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 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.

Financial Year	Income	Expenditure	Charitable Spending	Net Assets	Reserves	Staff
2025	£487,531	£560,013				0 / 0
2024	£546,674	£385,404	£385,404	£183,362	£41,180	5 / 1
2023	£101,203	£136,795				0 / 2
2022	£97,625	£78,496				0 / 1
2021	£56,638	£21,772				0 / 5

Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers

Frequently asked questions about Wessex Museums Trust

What does Wessex Museums Trust do?

How much income did Wessex Museums Trust report in 2025?

Wessex Museums Trust reported total income of £488k and reported expenditure of £560k for the financial year ending 2025, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.

How efficient is Wessex Museums Trust?

Wessex Museums Trust has a program ratio of 70.5%, meaning that share of its income goes directly to charitable activities. This is higher than 45% of UK Heritage charities with income £100K to £1M (sample of 392 charities). See our methodology for how this is calculated.

When was Wessex Museums Trust registered as a charity?

Wessex Museums Trust was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 13 January 2017 as charity number 1171104. It has been registered for 9 years.

Who runs Wessex Museums Trust?

Wessex Museums Trust 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 Wessex Museums Trust operate?

Wessex Museums Trust operates across 4 areas: Dorset, Poole, Swindon and Wiltshire.

Is Wessex Museums Trust a registered charity?

Yes — Wessex Museums Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 1171104.