The Governance RegisterEdition 2026 · Compiled 12th July 2026

The Merlin Trust

Registered charity 803441 Registered since 1990

Operates: Throughout England And Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland

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Board DNA

How this board is put together, from Charity Commission trustee records and Companies House - deterministic, no AI.iBoard compositionCounted from the dated Charity Commission trustee register: the current board only, past trustees excluded.

7 trustees on the board

9y median 8y
average tenure
15y
longest tenure

Trustees past 6 years

8.6y
average years in governance

First-time vs portfolio trustees

First-time (6)

Portfolio (1)

1
company-linked trustees

Sector coverage iSector coverageThe charitable fields this board's trustees govern in elsewhere, by Charity Commission classification. Excludes this charity.

Education/training 1Environment/conservation/heritage 1General Charitable Purposes 1

Commercial experience iCommercial experienceThe industries this board's members are company directors in, by Companies House SIC code. Excludes this organisation's own company.

Arts and leisure 1Education 1Other services 1

Gaps to watch

  • Several long-serving trustees could step down together

Boards that share trustees

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Related organisations iRelated organisationsTwo groups, both deterministic from public records. Related organisations share two or more trustees with this board - a real structural link, such as a subsidiary or sister charity. Connected through a shared trustee share exactly one person - a genuine connection, but not the same group. A board with no shared trustee at all may still appear here when it is active in the same charitable field.

Connected through a shared trustee

Also active in the same field

Deterministic, from public records.

Contact

Websitehttps://merlin-trust.org.uk/
Emailinfo@merlin-trust.org.uk
Phone07551867152
AddressThe Merlin Trust, c/o Head of Horticulture, Cambridge University Botanic Garden, 1 Brookside, CAMBRIDGE, CB2 1JE

Finances

£27,478 latest income

YearIncomeSpending
2021£38,118£13,210
2022£28,089£16,426
2023£30,405£19,922
2024£24,096£38,576
2025£27,478£47,812

What it does

What

Education/trainingEnvironment/conservation/heritage

Who

Children/young PeopleOther Defined Groups

How

Makes Grants To IndividualsMakes Grants To Organisations

Charitable objects

A. FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION BY PROVIDING GRANTS FOR STUDENTS TO ENDABLE THEM TO TRAVEL BOTH ABROAD AND IN THE UNITED KINGDOM TO STUDY PLANTS IN THE WILD AND IN GARDENS; OR B. FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION BY PROMOTING GENERALLY THE STUDY OF PLANTS IN THE WILD BUT NOT SO AS TO PROMOTE RESEARCH INTO OR BREEDING OF PLANTS; OR C. FOR THE BENEFIT OF SUH CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS OR THE FURTHERANCE OF SUCH CHARITABLE PURPOSES IN SUCH MANNER AS THE TRUSTEES SHALL FROM TIME TO TIME THINK FIT.

Governing document: TRUST DEED DATED 22ND JANUARY 1990

Trustees (7)

7trustees
66median age
0aged 70+

Connected charities (1)

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