YORKSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
YAS supports and promotes Farming and the Countryside. Best known for organising the Great Yorkshire Show. This is a showcase for the best of agriculture and the countryside.The YAS also undertakes many other charitable activities:-Over 40 education events are held each year.
Objects
TO SUPPORT AND PROMOTE AGRICULTURE, RURAL AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES THROUGHOUT THE NORTH OF ENGLAND INCLUDING CHAMPIONING THE ROLE OF FARMERS AS PROVIDERS OF HIGH QUALITY PRODUCE AND ENCOURAGING CONSUMERS TO CHOOSE HEALTHY AND LOCAL PRODUCE; TO ADVANCE AND ENCOURAGE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND GREATER UNDERSTANDING AND EMPATHY WITH FARMING AND THE COUNTRYSIDE AMONGST THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND PARTICULARLY CHILDREN; TO ADVANCE AND ENCOURAGE THE PROTECTION AND SUSTAINABILITY OF THE ENVIRONMENT; TO HOLD IN PURSUANCE OF ITS MAIN OBJECTIVES AN ANNUAL AGRICULTURAL SHOW; FOR SUCH CHARITABLE PURPOSES AS THE TRUSTEES IN THEIR ABSOLUTE DISCRETION SEE FIT.
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that unrestricted charitable expenditure was £587k, resulting in a net deficit of £202k for unrestricted activities, though total balance sheet funds increased by £729k to £35,909k due to investment revaluation gains. The Trustees confirm the Society remains in a strong financial position with adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future.
What the accounts disclose
“The Trustees believe the current level of reserves is satisfactory. The Society is in a strong financial position, but the COVID pandemic underlined the necessity for having solid financial foundations in place.” — page 18
“Mrs R Coates, Show Director and Trustee received an Honorarium of £12,000 (2024: £8,000).” — page 48
“P Russell, a Trustee, is CEO of Russells (Kirkbymoorside) Ltd who had a trade stand at the Great Yorkshire Show at a cost of £4,324 (2024: £4,292), payable to YAS (Enterprises) Limited.” — page 48
“R Copley, a Trustee until May 2025, is a director of Farmer Copleys Farm Shop Ltd from whom the Society purchased goods to the value of £525 (2024: £2,529).” — page 48
“P Russell, a Trustee, is CEO of Russells (Kirkbymoorside) Ltd who had a trade stand at the Great Yorkshire Show at a cost of £4,324 (2024: £4,292), payable to YAS (Enterprises) Limited.” — page 48
“R Copley, a Trustee until May 2025, is a director of Farmer Copleys Farm Shop Ltd from whom the Society purchased goods to the value of £525 (2024: £2,529).” — page 48
“P Russell, a Trustee, is CEO of Russells (Kirkbymoorside) Ltd who had a trade stand at the Great Yorkshire Show at a cost of £4,324 (2024: £4,292), payable to YAS (Enterprises) Limited.” — page 48
“R Copley, a Trustee until May 2025, is a director of Farmer Copleys Farm Shop Ltd from whom the Society purchased goods to the value of £525 (2024: £2,529).” — page 48
Policies the charity declares
- Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
- Campaigns and political activity policy and procedures
- Complaints handling
- Complaints policy and procedures
- Conflicting interests
- Engaging external speakers at charity events policy and procedures
- Financial reserves policy and procedures
- Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
- Internal risk management policy and procedures
- Investing charity funds policy and procedures
- Investment
- Paying staff
- Risk management
- Safeguarding policy and procedures
- Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
- Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
- Social media policy and procedures
- Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
- Trustee expenses policy and procedures
- Volunteer management
From the charity’s annual return (Part A, self-declared)
Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/12/2025
- Volunteers: 400
- Employees paid over £60,000: 7 (£60,001–£70,000: 2; £70,001–£80,000: 2; £80,001–£90,000: 1; £90,001–£100,000: 1; £140,001–£150,000: 1)
- Trustee benefits, answered Yes to: any trustee benefit; payments to trustees for services to the charity; other trustee benefit
- Has a trading subsidiary
Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/12/2024
- Volunteers: 400
- Employees paid over £60,000: 4 (£60,001–£70,000: 2; £70,001–£80,000: 1; £140,001–£150,000: 1)
- Trustee benefits, answered Yes to: any trustee benefit; payments to trustees for services to the charity
- Has a trading subsidiary
Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/12/2023
- Volunteers: 360
- Government income: £61,000 — contracts £61,000 (35); under 1% of the £13,377,377 total gross income on the same return
- Employees paid over £60,000: 3 (£70,001–£80,000: 1; £80,001–£90,000: 1; £120,001–£130,000: 1)
- Has a trading subsidiary
In the news
- Yorkshire Agricultural Society CEO Steps Down
- Yorkshire Agricultural Society chief executive steps down due to health issues
- Yorkshire Agricultural Society chief executive Allister Nixon steps down
- Yorkshire Agricultural Society chief steps down after four years due to ill health
- Springtime Live is axed as Yorkshire Agricultural Society switches its focus
- Tributes paid to former Yorkshire Agricultural Society president
- Tributes to former president of Yorkshire Agricultural Society
- New chair appointed to drive forward Yorkshire Agricultural Society
Property (HM Land Registry)
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2025)
Trustees
- Timothy Paul Russellchair
- David Scrymgeour Green
- JAMES MAWER COOPER
- John Lawrence North
- Julia Faith Grace
- Michael Robert Smith
- Peter Charles Molyneux
- RICHARD WILLIAM RUSBY
- Rachel Coates
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/12/2025 | £12.8m | £13.1m |
| 31/12/2024 | £13.5m | £13.4m |
| 31/12/2023 | £13.4m | £13.0m |
| 31/12/2022 | £11.8m | £11.2m |
| 31/12/2021 | £10.4m | £9.0m |
Common questions
Is YORKSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that unrestricted charitable expenditure was £587k, resulting in a net deficit of £202k for unrestricted activities, though total balance sheet funds increased by £729k to £35,909k due to investment revaluation gains. The Trustees confirm the Society remains in a strong financial position with adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Azets Audit Services Limited.
Who funds YORKSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY?
Funders whose own accounts filings name YORKSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY as a grant recipient include THE WHELER FOUNDATION.
Known funders
| Funder | Year | Amount | Purpose (as stated by the funder) |
|---|---|---|---|
| THE WHELER FOUNDATION | FY2023 | £3k | |
| THE WHELER FOUNDATION | FY2022 | £3k |
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK government | 04/07/2024 | £472 | Forage for CH4nge |
| UK government | 12/05/2022 | £5k | Produce a farmers guide on cover crops species selection, establishment, and termination |
Charities like this
- THE AYLSHAM AGRICULTURAL SHOW ASSOCIATION LIMITED
- SYKEHOUSE SHOW SOCIETY
- THE BRECKNOCKSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
- ASHOVER AGRICULTURAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY
- CHESHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY CIO
- ECCLESHALL SHOW SOCIETY
Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YORKSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY | £12.8m | — | — | unclear | — | no doubt |
| THE AYLSHAM AGRICULTURAL SHOW ASSOCIATION LIMITED | £365k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| SYKEHOUSE SHOW SOCIETY | £30k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| THE BRECKNOCKSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY | £139k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| ASHOVER AGRICULTURAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY | £165k | — | 0 | above | — | no doubt |
| CHESHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY CIO | £1.2m | — | 0 | above | — | no doubt |