BARNSTAPLE & YEO VALLEY RAILWAY TRUST

Registered charity 1202037 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as YEO VALLEY TRUST

The Trust supports the preservation and eventual restoration of the southern section of the former L&B railway route, from Wistlandpound and Barnstaple, by financially aiding projects such as the purchase of sections of trackbed, restoration/rebuilding of historic features, and conservation management along the former railway route. The Trust works with Exmoor Associates CIC.

Objects

(1) THE PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION OF THE SOUTHERN SECTION OF THE FORMER LYNTON & BARNSTAPLE NARROW-GAUGE RAILWAY, TO INCLUDE TRACKBED, STATIONS, BRIDGES, VIADUCTS, CULVERTS, CUTTINGS, OUT BUILDINGS, ADJACENT LAND (E.G. WOODLAND) AND ANY ROLLING STOCK THAT THE TRUST MAY BUY, STORE, BORROW, OR LOAN.(2) THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION IN THE HISTORY AND OPERATION OF THE AFOREMENTIONED RAILWAY AND RAILWAYS GENERALLY BY THE PRESERVATION AND DISPLAY OF HISTORIC ARTEFACTS, RELICS AND DOCUMENTS OF THE RAILWAY OR RAILWAYS, CARRYING OUT OF RESEARCH INTO THE HISTORY AND OPERATION OF THE RAILWAY OR RAILWAYS GENERALLY, THE STUDY OF LOCAL HISTORY IN RELATION THERETO AND THE PUBLICATION OR OTHER DISSEMINATION OF THE RESULTS OF SUCH RESEARCH AND STUDY, AND BY THE PROVISION OF EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING FACILITIES FOR THOSE ENGAGED IN THE RESTORATION AND OPERATION OF THE RAILWAY OR RAILWAYS IN GENERAL.

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: Arts/culture/heritage/science · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£66k

Latest spending

£40k

Registered

2023

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity generated a net income of £25,535 for the year, resulting in total funds of £1,162,325. The trustees report that the charity is operating within its charitable objectives, with unrestricted funds increasing to £166,497. The independent examiner confirmed that no material matters came to their attention that would cause concern regarding the accounts.

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

What the accounts disclose

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

Conflicting interests
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Investing charity funds policy and procedures
Investment
Paying staff
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2024)

Total income

£916k

Total spending

£17k

Reserves (reported)

£131k

Employees

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 0.0% of total income.

Trustees · trustee networks

Anne Belsey
Bruce Ian Knights
Charles Gardner
Christopher George Duffell
David Ian Cameron
Jacqueline Wright
Michael R Buse
Peter James
Philip Heathcote

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

Operates in: Devon

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/12/2025	£66k	£40k
31/12/2024	£916k	£17k
31/12/2023	£240k	£2k

Common questions

Is BARNSTAPLE & YEO VALLEY RAILWAY TRUST financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity generated a net income of £25,535 for the year, resulting in total funds of £1,162,325. The trustees report that the charity is operating within its charitable objectives, with unrestricted funds increasing to £166,497. The independent examiner confirmed that no material matters came to their attention that would cause concern regarding the accounts. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

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 ROGER & DOUGLAS TURNER CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£68k
THE DERBYSHIRE ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST LIMITED	1	£21k
WILLIAM ADLINGTON CADBURY CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£20k
THE HILARY AWDRY CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£11k
THE GEORGE CADBURY TRUST (GEORGE HENRY T AND LAURENCE J CADBURY SECTIONS)	1	£9k
DR RADCLIFFE'S TRUST	1	£8k
THE GRIMMITT TRUST	1	£3k
THE EDWARD AND DOROTHY CADBURY TRUST	1	£3k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with SEVERN VALLEY RAILWAY CHARITABLE TRUST LIMITED.

SEVERN VALLEY RAILWAY CHARITABLE TRUST LIMITED income £1.6m
BODMIN RAILWAY HERITAGE TRUST income £105k
Wensleydale Railway Trust income £378k
THE LYNTON AND BARNSTAPLE RAILWAY TRUST income £1.9m
WEST SOMERSET RAILWAY HERITAGE TRUST LTD income £88k
WELSHPOOL AND LLANFAIR LIGHT RAILWAY PRESERVATION CO. LIMITED income £1.2m

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
BARNSTAPLE & YEO VALLEY RAILWAY TRUST	£66k	—	unclear	—	no doubt
SEVERN VALLEY RAILWAY CHARITABLE TRUST LIMITED FY2024	£1.6m	—	unclear	—	no doubt
BODMIN RAILWAY HERITAGE TRUST FY2025	£105k	—	unclear	—	noted
Wensleydale Railway Trust FY2025	£378k	—	below	—	no doubt
THE LYNTON AND BARNSTAPLE RAILWAY TRUST FY2024	£1.9m	—	above	—	no doubt
WEST SOMERSET RAILWAY HERITAGE TRUST LTD FY2025	£88k	—	unclear	—	no doubt

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