Word Up North Limited

Registered charity 501801 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as ILKLEY LITERATURE FESTIVAL LIMITED, THE ILKLEY LITERATURE FESTIVAL

Provision of annual literature festival and associated developments and year round projects involving creative writing, reading and live literature.

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

Latest income

£492k

Latest spending

£391k

Registered

1973

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 were subject to an independent examination rather than a full audit. The independent examiner confirmed that no material matters came to their attention that would cause them to believe the accounts were not prepared in accordance with applicable regulations or the Statement of Recommended Practice.

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 3 of 6 completeness components.

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Word Up North Ltd (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).

Arts Council England — “We are proud to be a registered charity and an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation (NPO).” (source page)

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

Trustees · trustee networks

Prof Francis James Finlaychair · trustee of 2 other charities
Anita Ganeri
CATHY BAXANDALL
ELLEN TERESA THORPE
Kitty Wright
Professor Gregory Radick
Robert Martin Gibson
Tahira Jabeen Sardar

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

Operates in: Bradford City · Calderdale · Kirklees · Leeds City · North Yorkshire

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/03/2025	£492k	£391k
31/03/2024	£359k	£366k
31/03/2023	£329k	£335k
31/03/2022	£295k	£283k
31/03/2021	£228k	£227k

Common questions

Is Word Up North Limited financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 were subject to an independent examination rather than a full audit. The independent examiner confirmed that no material matters came to their attention that would cause them to believe the accounts were not prepared in accordance with applicable regulations or the Statement of Recommended Practice. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Who funds Word Up North Limited?

Funders whose own accounts filings name Word Up North Limited as a grant recipient include THE LIZ AND TERRY BRAMALL FOUNDATION.

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
THE LIZ AND TERRY BRAMALL FOUNDATION	FY2022	£10k
THE LIZ AND TERRY BRAMALL FOUNDATION	FY2025	£5k

Government & lottery funding

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

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
UK government	13/10/2022	£140k	National Portfolio Organisations
UK government	13/12/2021	£140k	National Portfolio Organisations