THE BRITISH LIBRARY COLLECTIONS TRUST

Registered charity 1180073 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

The objects of the Charity are to advance the nation's intellectual heritage and to educate the public through the provision of support and assistance in relation to the development, management, promotion and use of the British Library's Collections and such other exclusively charitable activities of the British Library as the charity trustees in their absolute discretion may determine.

Causes: Education/training · Arts/culture/heritage/science · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · Get email alerts

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that unrestricted reserves increased significantly to £1,974,911, supported by a large grant from the Friends of the British Library and investment gains. The trustees confirm the charity is a going concern with adequate resources for the foreseeable future, and no staff were employed during the year.

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

What the accounts disclose

Accounts audited by Affinia Limited. Discloses 3 of 6 completeness components.

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2025)

Reported reserves equal ~146.4 months of spending — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (98% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 0.0% of total income — below the median for charities its size (5.2%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

• Cordelia Elizabeth Rogerson
• Dame Marina Sarah Warner · trustee of 1 other charity
• Dr Christopher John Wright OBE · trustee of 2 other charities
• Dr Geoffrey Richard West · trustee of 1 other charity
• Professor Kathryn Sutherland · trustee of 1 other charity
• Rev NORMAN KEITH STEPHENSON · trustee of 1 other charity
• Stephanie Kenna Ms. · trustee of 2 other charities

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

Operates in: Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Common questions

Shared trustees with funders

Register facts shown side by side: a person serves as trustee of both this charity and a funder whose accounts record grants to it. Shared trusteeship is lawful and common; well-run charities manage it through declared-interest procedures.

• Dame Marina Sarah Warner — trustee here and at THE FRIENDS OF THE BRITISH LIBRARY
• Dr Christopher John Wright OBE — trustee here and at THE FRIENDS OF THE BRITISH LIBRARY
• Dr Geoffrey Richard West — trustee here and at THE FRIENDS OF THE BRITISH LIBRARY
• Rev NORMAN KEITH STEPHENSON — trustee here and at THE FRIENDS OF THE BRITISH LIBRARY
• Stephanie Kenna Ms. — trustee here and at THE FRIENDS OF THE BRITISH LIBRARY

Known funders

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