THE DREAM FACTORY

Registered charity 1123662 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

To relieve the suffering of children and young people aged from 3 years to 25 years, living in the UK, with life limiting or terminal illnesses and/or severe disabilities, by granting wishes and dreams in order to bring happiness and joy, for example: toys and games, meeting a famous person, trip or party.

Causes: Other Charitable Purposes · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£174k

Latest spending

£243k

Registered

2008

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a net deficit of £68,429 for the year, resulting in a decrease in unrestricted free reserves to £134,777. The trustees note that while reserves are currently in excess of their objective, they recognize that future donation levels are uncertain and not limitless.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: twelve months of reserves (held: £135k)

“The object is to maintain at least twelve months of reserves.” — page 7

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Going concern: noted by the trustees or auditor

“Our overriding concern is to remain a going concern which directly links to our revenue raising capacity.” — page 4

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Payments to trustees: Trustees received remuneration amounting to £46,909 (2024 - £41,183) in the current year for their role as an employee.

“Trustees received remuneration amounting to £46,909 (2024 - £41,183) in the current year for their role as an employee.” — page 19

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Trustees' remuneration and expenses

“During the year the charity incurred expenditure of £47,919 (2024: £46,415) which represents remuneration, benefits in kind and reimbursement of expenses to Trustees as per note 9.” — page 23

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — The Dream Factory (matched by registered charity number).

Funders the charity credits

Named as funders/supporters on the charity’s own website (the charity’s claim, distinct from accounts-verified grants).

Hamleys — “Thanks to the incredible team at Hamleys in London, we were able to make Anne’s dream come true.” (source page)
Charlotte Tilbury — “Her dream was to have a VIP Charlotte Tilbury experience” (source page)
Medigold — “Debbie who works for Medigold nominated The Dream Factory for their Community Impact Programme and donated £250” (source page)
SEE Contracts — “Since January 2008, the Chairman of SEE Contracts has supported Avril Mills and The Dream Factory by donating offices and a car.” (source page)

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook · instagram

Trustees · trustee networks

Mitchell Goldiechair
AVRIL MILLS BEM
Annabel Lawrenson
Joshua Mills
LYNDA JOYCE CLARKE
Linda Diane Reilly
Thomas Burton

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Northern Ireland · Scotland · Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/03/2025	£174k	£243k
31/03/2024	£225k	£245k
31/03/2023	£180k	£181k
31/03/2022	£189k	£141k
31/03/2021	£102k	£107k

Common questions

Is THE DREAM FACTORY financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net deficit of £68,429 for the year, resulting in a decrease in unrestricted free reserves to £134,777. The trustees note that while reserves are currently in excess of their objective, they recognize that future donation levels are uncertain and not limitless. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Who funds THE DREAM FACTORY?

Funders whose own accounts filings name THE DREAM FACTORY as a grant recipient include THE JOSEPH AND LILIAN SULLY FOUNDATION.

Known funders

Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
THE JOSEPH AND LILIAN SULLY FOUNDATION	FY2025	£10k

Funders of similar charities

Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.

Funder	Similar charities funded	Amount to them
THE SIR JAMES ROLL CHARITABLE TRUST	2	£6k
SSP FOUNDATION	2	£3k
THE THALES CHARITABLE TRUST	1	—
THE KENTOWN WIZARD FOUNDATION	1	£8.3m
HOLLYHOCK CHARITABLE FOUNDATION	1	£399k
THE HINDUJA FOUNDATION	1	£293k
THE MANOUKIAN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION	1	£151k
THE IAN & NATALIE LIVINGSTONE CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£40k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with DREAMFLIGHT.

DREAMFLIGHT income £1.4m
DREAMS COME TRUE CHARITY income £1.3m
PROMISE DREAMS income £237k
MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION UK income £11.9m
DREAM MAKERS income £129k
THE GENIES WISH CHARITY income £324k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
THE DREAM FACTORY	£174k	—	0	above	—	noted
DREAMFLIGHT FY2025	£1.4m	—	0	within	—	no doubt
DREAMS COME TRUE CHARITY FY2025	£1.3m	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
PROMISE DREAMS FY2024	£237k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION UK FY2025	£11.9m	—	—	unclear	46.0%	no doubt
DREAM MAKERS FY2025	£129k	—	0	above	—	no doubt

Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.