THE HARPUR TRUST

Charity overview
Activities - how the charity spends its money
A local foundation that uses the legacy of Sir William Harpur, the founder in 1566, to benefit the inhabitants of the Borough of Bedford through the promotion of education; the relief of poverty, sickness and distress; and the provision of recreational facilities with a social welfare purpose.
Income and expenditure
Data for financial year ending 30 June 2024
Total income:
£75,469,000
Donations and legacies | £360.00k | |
Charitable activities | £70.59m | |
Other trading activities | £195.00k | |
Investments | £3.95m | |
Other | £368.00k |
Total expenditure:
£73,994,000
Raising funds | £904.00k | |
Charitable activities | £73.09m | |
Other | £0 |
£12,739,000 investments gains (losses)
Total income includes £22,000 from 1 government grant(s)
Charitable expenditure
Charitable expenditure with investment gains
Charitable expenditure
Some charities generate all, or a substantial part, of their income from investments which may have been donated to the charity as endowment or set aside by the charity from its own resources in the past. Such investments usually take the form of stocks and shares but may include other assets, such as property, that are capable of generating income and/or capital growth.
In managing their spending and investments charities need to strike a balance between the needs of future and current beneficiaries. They also need to take account of spending commitments that may stretch over a number of future years. To do this, charities will normally adopt an investment strategy designed to generate both income and capital growth. To maximise returns trustees may commit to investment strategies for several years.
Investments can experience large swings in value so trustees may, in a particular year, decide to realise and spend part of their charity’s capital or to invest part of its income.
By clicking the investment gains checkbox the charitable spending bar is adjusted to take account of capital growth as well as income. This shows the balance the charity is striking, between spending on current beneficiaries and retaining resources for future beneficiaries.
Raising funds and other expenditure | £904.00k | |
Charitable expenditure | £73.09m | |
Retained for future use | £1.48m |
Raising funds and other expenditure | £904.00k | |
Charitable expenditure | £73.09m | |
Retained for future use | £14.21m |
People

1185 Employee(s)
17 Trustee(s)
45 Volunteer(s)
Employees with total benefits over £60,000
Number of employees | |
---|---|
£60k to £70k | 44 |
£70k to £80k | 10 |
£80k to £90k | 6 |
£90k to £100k | 5 |
£100k to £110k | 2 |
£110k to £120k | 3 |
£120k to £130k | 2 |
£150k to £200k | 2 |
£200k to £250k | 1 |
Fundraising
Trading
Trustee payments
What, who, how, where
- Education/training
- The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
- Recreation
- Children/young People
- Elderly/old People
- Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies
- Makes Grants To Individuals
- Makes Grants To Organisations
- Provides Services
- Bedford
Governance
- 30 April 1963: Standard registration
- Bedford Giving (Working name)
- PILGRIMS PRE-PREPARATORY SCHOOL (Working name)
- HARPUR PRE-PREPARATORY SCHOOLS LTD (Previous name)
- Ofsted (Office For Standards In Education)
- Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
- Campaigns and political activity policy and procedures
- Complaints handling
- Complaints policy and procedures
- Conflicting interests
- Financial reserves policy and procedures
- Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
- Internal risk management policy and procedures
- Investing charity funds policy and procedures
- Investment
- Paying staff
- Risk management
- Safeguarding policy and procedures
- Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
- Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
- Social media policy and procedures
- Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
- Trustee expenses policy and procedures
- Volunteer management
Trustees
Trustees are the people responsible for controlling the work, management and administration of the charity on behalf of its beneficiaries. Generally trustees are treasurer, chair, board member etc. The trustees are responsible for keeping this list up to date and can do this by updating their details as they happen through the online service
17 Trustee(s)
Name | Role | Date of appointment | Other trusteeships | Reporting status of other trusteeships | ||||
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RHIAN CASTELL | Chair | 23 January 2014 |
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Andrew Gregory Simon Davies | Trustee | 10 July 2024 |
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David Stewart Pye | Trustee | 10 July 2024 |
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Stephen William Dance | Trustee | 10 July 2024 |
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Victoria Ann Espley | Trustee | 10 July 2024 |
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Kelly Anne Young | Trustee | 10 July 2024 |
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Sebastian Reger | Trustee | 25 April 2024 |
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James Edward Rolton | Trustee | 25 April 2024 |
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Tanaka Chiimba | Trustee | 25 April 2024 |
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Amandeep Singh Rehlon | Trustee | 25 April 2024 |
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Richard Wilson Mr | Trustee | 22 September 2022 |
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MARK TAYLOR | Trustee | 21 January 2016 |
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RICHARD GEORGE RATCLIFFE | Trustee | 24 September 2015 |
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LINBERT SPENCER | Trustee | 07 May 2014 |
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HUGH MURRAY STEWART | Trustee | 20 July 2012 |
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PROFESSOR STEPHEN MAYSON | Trustee | 20 July 2012 |
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WILLIAM ANDREW JUSTIN PHILLIMORE | Trustee | 20 July 2012 |
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Financial history
Financial period end date
Income / Expenditure | 30/06/2020 | 30/06/2021 | 30/06/2022 | 30/06/2023 | 30/06/2024 | ||
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Total gross income | £53.87m | £55.14m | £60.69m | £68.63m | £75.47m | |
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Total expenditure | £55.15m | £54.90m | £60.07m | £67.75m | £73.99m | |
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Income from government contracts | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
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Income from government grants | £1.17m | £1.00m | £19.00k | £34.00k | £22.00k | |
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Income - Donations and legacies | £2.21m | £1.30m | £242.00k | £500.00k | £360.00k | |
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Income - Other trading activities | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £195.00k | |
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Income - Charitable activities | £49.17m | £51.26m | £58.06m | £63.87m | £70.59m | |
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Income - Endowments | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | |
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Income - Investment | £2.43m | £2.53m | £1.84m | £3.78m | £3.95m | |
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Income - Other | £62.00k | £60.00k | £548.00k | £479.00k | £368.00k | |
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Income - Legacies | £840.00k | £0 | £40.00k | £0 | £0 | |
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Expenditure - Charitable activities | £54.75m | £54.65m | £59.36m | £67.02m | £73.09m | |
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Expenditure - Raising funds | £398.00k | £242.00k | £707.00k | £733.00k | £904.00k | |
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Expenditure - Governance | £447.00k | £446.00k | £567.00k | £561.00k | £651.00k | |
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Expenditure - Grants institution | £1.06m | £1.46m | £1.21m | £1.22m | £1.23m | |
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Expenditure - Investment management | £353.00k | £192.00k | £674.00k | £721.00k | £647.00k | |
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Expenditure - Other | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 |
Assets and liabilities
Definitions for assets and liabilities
These are assets, other than investments, which are held for more than 12 months and used to run and administer the charity such as buildings, offices, exhibits and fixtures and fittings.
Long term InvestmentsInvestments are assets held by the charity with the sole aim of generating income which will be used for their charitable purposes such as deposit accounts, shares, rental property and unit trusts.
Investment assets are re-valued every year and included in the balance sheet at their current market value.
Long term investments are held for more than 12 months.
These are assets held generally for less than 12 months such as cash and bank balances, debtors, investments to be sold within the coming year and trading stock.
Defined benefit pension scheme asset or liabilityThis is a surplus or deficit in any defined benefit pension scheme operated and represents a potential long-term asset or liability.
Total liabilitiesThese are all the amounts owed by the charity at the balance sheet date to third parties such as bills due but not yet paid, bank overdrafts and loans and mortgages.
Asset / Liability | 30/06/2020 | 30/06/2021 | 30/06/2022 | 30/06/2023 | 30/06/2024 | ||
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Own use assets | £70.95m | £82.82m | £81.12m | £79.74m | £58.08m | |
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Long-term investments | £109.67m | £128.94m | £119.39m | £126.32m | £163.56m | |
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Other assets | £17.84m | £20.37m | £25.32m | £25.83m | £29.51m | |
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Defined benefit pension scheme asset or liability | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | |
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Total liabilities | £14.91m | £15.96m | £16.44m | £17.17m | £22.37m |
Accounts and annual returns
Title | Reporting year | Date received | Received | Download |
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Annual return | 30 June 2024 | 11 April 2025 | On Time | |
Accounts and TAR | 30 June 2024 | 11 April 2025 | On Time | Download Open in new window |
Annual return | 30 June 2023 | 26 April 2024 | On Time | |
Accounts and TAR | 30 June 2023 | 26 April 2024 | On Time | Download Open in new window |
Annual return | 30 June 2022 | 07 June 2023 | 38 days late | |
Accounts and TAR | 30 June 2022 | 07 June 2023 | 38 days late | Download Open in new window |
Annual return | 30 June 2021 | 29 April 2022 | On Time | |
Accounts and TAR | 30 June 2021 | 29 April 2022 | On Time | Download Open in new window |
Annual return | 30 June 2020 | 28 May 2021 | 28 days late | |
Accounts and TAR | 30 June 2020 | 28 May 2021 | 28 days late | Download Open in new window |
Governing document
It is not the full text of the charity's governing document.
MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES INCORPORATED 27/11/1997 NOW ARTICLES ADOPTED BY SPECIAL RESOLUTION DATED 30/09/2011 AS REGISTERED AT COMPANIES HOUSE ON 02/11/2011 AS AMENDED BY CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION ON CHANGE OF NAME DATED 25/05/2012 as amended on 01 Jun 2018
Charitable objects
1. THE PROMOTION OF EDUCATION 2. THE RELIEF OF PERSONS RESIDENT IN THE AREA OF BENEFIT WHO ARE SICK OR IN NEED, HARDSHIP OR DISTRESS; AND 3 THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES IN THE AREA OF BENEFIT FOR RECREATION OR OTHER LEISURE-TIME OCCUPATION FOR INHABITANTS IN THE INTERESTS OF SOCIAL WELFARE WITH THE OBJECT OF IMPROVING THEIR CONDITIONS FOR LIFE; PROVIDED THAT IN CARRYING OUT THE OBJECT AT ARTICLE 4.3 ABOVE, THE CHARITY MUST GIVE PREFERENCE TO THOSE INHABITANTS WHO ARE YOUNG OR IN NEED, HARDSHIP OR DISTRESS.
Area of benefit
TOWN OF BEDFORD AND THE NEIGHBOURHOOD.
Linked charities
- BEDFORD HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING FUND
- BEDFORD HIGH SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT TRUST
- BEDFORD SCHOOL BOARDING HOUSE TRUST
- BEDFORD SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT FUND
- BEDFORD SCHOOL RESTORATION TRUST
- BEDFORD SCHOOL-PROGRESS APPEAL
- ERIC ROBINSON PRIZE
- FULLER MATHEMATICAL PRIZE
- HENRY PERRY PRIZE
- INSKIP CROFT GEOGRAPHY PRIZES
- J M ELGAR BEQUEST
- LEWIS SABRE AWARD
- PARENTS ASSOCIATED CAREERS FUND
- RANDALL COTTAGE HOMES
- THE HARPUR FOUNDATION
- TRUESAND LIMITED
- W H STEWARDSON FOR MUSEUM
- W H STEWARDSON MUSIC PRIZE
- 30 April 1963 : Standard registration
Contact information
- Address:
-
The Harpur Trust
Princeton Court
The Pilgrim Centre
Brickhill Drive
BEDFORD
MK41 7PZ
- Phone:
- 01234369500
- Email:
- info@harpurtrust.org.uk
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