Finance

The Magog Trust, which is a company limited by guarantee, is also a registered charity and registered farmer. This means it has to abide by regulations applying to companies, charities and farmers.

As a charity we are exempt from income and corporation taxes and are able to reclaim Gift Aid on qualifying donations.

We are registered for VAT. This allows us to recover the VAT that we pay but we also have to account to HMRC for the VAT on car parking fees and the subscriptions which entitle Friends and Members to enjoy free parking.

How much do we receive and what does it cost?

Income

In 2025-26, the Trust benefited from nearly £50,000 in legacies and another £35,000 in respect of Section 106 monies relating to the new countryside park (Chalk Hill Down) which it has undertaken to establish.

Farming was the largest category of income but this has to be set against the expenditure incurred. For 2025-26, farming and its related grants made a surplus of £17,576.

Other forms of income were broadly in line with the previous year.

Expenditure

All costs, except those related to the management of our investments, legal fees and website, amounted to £83,356. This is indicative of what it costs to conserve the landscape and maintain it for public amenity and access.