WHITCHURCH SILK MILL TRUST
Whitchurch Silk Mill Trust weaves silk on Victorian machinery in the Georgian watermill of Whitchurch Silk Mill, Hampshire. The Mill is open to the public who come from across the UK and abroad. The charity educates visitors about silk, retains and develops the skills of silk weaving and restores its historic machinery.
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that unrestricted funds decreased to £160,160, which is below the stated reserves policy target of £300,000. The charity reported a net expenditure of £68,267 for the year, driven by sharply lower grant income and increased costs for machinery repairs and wages.
What the accounts disclose
“Although the charity is not currently at this level, this still remains its aim.” — page 9
“The trust employs the services of Wheeler & Co Ltd for bookkeeping and accountancy services. Mr K Wheeler is a director of said company and was a trustee until his retirement from the Board on 17 March 2025 . The amount paid in relation to these services was £7,450 (2024 - £7,550).” — page 23
“The company's investments at the balance sheet date in the share capital of companies include the following: Whitchurch Silk Mill (Trading) Limited (01968546)” — page 19
Property (HM Land Registry)
Register events
- Received assets from another charity (05/03/2020)
Trustees
- Anna Louise Hutton
- Callum Andrew Nicolson
- Councillor Chloe Ashfield
- Dan Feeney
- Dr Elizabeth Anne Hide
- Frank Kenny
- Helga Matos
- Marion Brinton
- Paul Rodney Curtin
- Penelope Anne Way
- ROBERT WILLIAM FERGIE
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/03/2025 | £272k | £346k |
| 31/03/2024 | £432k | £312k |
| 31/03/2023 | £294k | £460k |
| 31/03/2022 | £320k | £374k |
| 31/03/2021 | £410k | £278k |
Common questions
Is WHITCHURCH SILK MILL TRUST financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that unrestricted funds decreased to £160,160, which is below the stated reserves policy target of £300,000. The charity reported a net expenditure of £68,267 for the year, driven by sharply lower grant income and increased costs for machinery repairs and wages. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.
Who funds WHITCHURCH SILK MILL TRUST?
Funders whose own accounts filings name WHITCHURCH SILK MILL TRUST as a grant recipient include THE HEADLEY TRUST, THE WEAVERS' COMPANY BENEVOLENT FUND, THE GOLSONCOTT FOUNDATION, ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT MUSEUMS.
Known funders
| Funder | Year | Amount | Purpose (as stated by the funder) |
|---|---|---|---|
| THE HEADLEY TRUST | FY2024 | £10k | Cost of living award. |
| THE WEAVERS' COMPANY BENEVOLENT FUND | FY2023 | £3k | Contribution to purchase of 2 8-shaft looms, warping mills, stands, shuttles and yarns |
| THE GOLSONCOTT FOUNDATION | FY2025 | £1k | |
| ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT MUSEUMS | FY2022 | £269 | AIM conference expenses |
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postcode Lottery | 18/12/2023 | £50k | Millionaire Street 2023 12w3 |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 19/04/2023 | £168k | "Whitchurch Silk Mill: Weaving Futures" |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 10/03/2023 | £2k | Kalush - Eurovision at the Silk Mill |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 18/05/2020 | £60k | "COVID19: Whitchurch Silk Mill" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 22/09/2015 | £1.8m | "Preserving the Fabric: A Sustainable Future for Whitchurch Silk Mill" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 23/01/2006 | £5k | "With A Lottery Grant This Charity Will Employ Specialist Documentary And Architectural Historians And A Dendrochronologist To Unearth The Hi" |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 18/01/2006 | £5k | Explore heritage of mill |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 06/08/2003 | £28k | "Whitchurch Silk Mill Oral History Project" |
Funders of similar charities
Charities like this
- THE TOWN MILL TRUST LYME REGIS
- WHITCHURCH OUT OF SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
- WHITCHURCH ON THAMES PRE-SCHOOL
- MILL ARTS CENTRE TRUST
- WILTSHIRE HISTORIC CHURCHES TRUST
- THE SILK HERITAGE TRUST
Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WHITCHURCH SILK MILL TRUST | £272k | — | 0 | below | — | no doubt |
| THE TOWN MILL TRUST LYME REGIS | £244k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| WHITCHURCH OUT OF SCHOOL ASSOCIATION | £199k | — | 0 | unclear | — | noted |
| WHITCHURCH ON THAMES PRE-SCHOOL | £234k | — | 0 | unclear | — | noted |
| MILL ARTS CENTRE TRUST | £938k | — | 0 | below | — | no doubt |
| WILTSHIRE HISTORIC CHURCHES TRUST | £117k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |