SOLENT SKY LTD

Registered charity 262995 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as AERONAUTICA AT SOUTHAMPTON LTD, SOLENT SKY, THE R J MITCHELL MEMORIAL MUSEUM LIMITED

Museum Heritage Amenity

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · Arts/culture/heritage/science · Environment/conservation/heritage · website · Get email alerts

Latest income
£202k
Latest spending
£262k
Registered
1971
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a net expenditure of £59,995 for the year, reducing unrestricted funds from £408,177 to £348,182. The trustees maintain that reserves of approximately three to six months of total expenditure are sufficient to meet the charity's needs. The filing confirms the charity is operating on a going concern basis with adequate resources for the foreseeable future.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: three to six months of total expenditure (held: £348k)
The trustees are satisfied that the level of reserves maintained by the Charity, of approximately three to six months of total expenditure, are sufficient to meet its needs. — page 5
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Payments to Retroplan Ltd, a management company engaged for the day to day management of the museum. Mr A Jones is a shareholder and Mrs K Jones is a director and shareholder of Retroplan Ltd.
Payments of £45,960 (2024: £45,960) were made to Retroplan Ltd, a management company engaged for the day to day management of the museum. Mr A Jones is a shareholder and Mrs K Jones is a director and shareholder of Retroplan Ltd. — page 19
Mr A Jones provides workshop accommodation, container storage and open storage for Solent Sky museums reserve collection. The service is provided at £7,200 per year as a gesture at an amount which the Trustees believe is well below the commercial rate. — page 19
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Mr A Jones provides workshop accommodation, container storage and open storage for Solent Sky museums reserve collection at £7,200 per year.
Payments of £45,960 (2024: £45,960) were made to Retroplan Ltd, a management company engaged for the day to day management of the museum. Mr A Jones is a shareholder and Mrs K Jones is a director and shareholder of Retroplan Ltd. — page 19
Mr A Jones provides workshop accommodation, container storage and open storage for Solent Sky museums reserve collection. The service is provided at £7,200 per year as a gesture at an amount which the Trustees believe is well below the commercial rate. — page 19
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

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

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Southampton City

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/05/2025£202k£262k
31/05/2024£298k£282k
31/05/2023£224k£227k
31/05/2022£296k£205k
31/05/2021£288k£201k

Common questions

Is SOLENT SKY LTD financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net expenditure of £59,995 for the year, reducing unrestricted funds from £408,177 to £348,182. The trustees maintain that reserves of approximately three to six months of total expenditure are sufficient to meet the charity's needs. The filing confirms the charity is operating on a going concern basis with adequate resources for the foreseeable future. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Government & lottery funding

Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).

FunderDateAmountPurpose
The National Lottery Heritage Fund01/06/2020£16k"COVID19 Solent Sky Ltd"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund05/02/2020£74k"Blackout: How Southampton Residents Built the Spitfire During Britain's Darkest Hour"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund08/08/2018£10k"Pioneers, Heroes and Eccentrics: Southampton's Great War in the Air"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund13/09/2016£65k"The Romance of the Flying Boat"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund17/05/2011£50k"Air, Sea & Speed"