Charity registration number 1115731
Company registration number 05721140 (England and Wales)
THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
ANNUAL REPORT AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Trustees
M Peake
L Collins
D Maginn
A Halligan
S J Ingleson-Percival
H E Roberts
S Humphries
O Lomax
L Doherty
J Callow
B Hinds
A Pearce
R Kelly
Secretary
D Maginn
Charity number
1115731
Company number
05721140
Registered office
Jubilee House
51 The Crescent
Salford
Lancashire
United Kingdom
M5 4WX
Independent examiner
Azets Audit Services
Alpha House
4 Greek Street
Stockport
Cheshire
SK3 8AB
Bankers
CAF Bank
25 Kings Hill Avenue
Kings Hill
West Malling
Kent
United Kingdom
ME19 4JQ
THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
CONTENTS
Page
Trustees' report
1 - 8
Statement of Trustees' responsibilities
9
Independent examiner's report
10
Statement of financial activities
11
Balance sheet
12
Notes to the financial statements
13 - 19
THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
- 1 -

The Trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.

 

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the The Working Class Movement Library's governing document, the Companies Act 2006 and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019).

 

The aims of The Working Class Movement Library (WCML) are to exhibit and maintain a library containing a collection of English language books, periodicals, pamphlets archives and artefacts, concerned with the activities, expression and enquiries of the labour movement, its allies and its enemies, since the late 1700s.

 

1. Introduction

This year we successfully completed several important projects to improve our services including launching a new website, upgrading our collections management system and installing new Customer Relationship Management software (Beacon) to help us manage and develop our relationship with our donors and users. Despite some initial challenges we are confident that this will improve our financial resilience and sustainability in the long term.

Alongside this, we have made significant progress in our long term vision to renovate and expand our home at Jubilee House to provide a suitable home for our collection and improved access to the public.

We have continued to make progress in developing our policies, procedures and governance to make more efficient decisions and use of staff and trustee skills and resources.

The team continues to grow in confidence in understanding and delivering against our mission with more creative and ambitious approaches to audience development, engagement activities and exhibitions with a focus on our approach to working with young people. We have also made significant improvements to our space hire offer with a wider range of groups using our space and increase in income as a result.

2. Finance

For the second year running now core expenditure has considerably exceeded income.

Closing the gap has to be a very real priority for the coming year.

A casual glance at our balance sheet shows us to be in a very healthy position, which could give rise to a false sense of security. In order to avoid this steps have been taken to move away from one general fund for all monies, to ones more realistically reflecting the Library’s operational needs and future ambitions.

Four funds have been created:-

1. An Operational Fund to reflect day to day core income and expenditure and focus on the real disparity between income and expenditure.

2. A Development and Disaster Fund with monies put aside for the future development of Jubilee House and additional support for our disaster insurance cover.

3. A Contingency Fund needed as an alternative to taking out insurance cover on Library equipment and the immeasurable valuation of irreplaceable collection content.

4. A Reserve Fund to cover any shortfall in the other funds. As things stand at the moment this fund will rapidly deplete until such time as operational income matches expenditure.

5. A Restricted grant Fund, which, as the name implies, ring fences income received for specific project purposes.

THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
- 2 -

The situation has not been helped by the poor state of the national economy making it difficult for our supporters to make ends meet. This has led to a very marked reduction in donations from both trade unions and individuals, and shows that the Library cannot isolate itself from what is happening in the world outside.

In the circumstances we are grateful to Salford City Council for continuing its support despite the financial pressures it also finds itself under.

Things have been slightly eased by the receipt during the year of two bequests bringing in unexpected income of £92,000. We really appreciate supporters remembering to put something aside for the Library for when the time comes that they can no longer use it.

Counter to this though is the less than expected income from our investment account, the value of which plummeted following Trumps tariff announcements. What an immoral world of fictitious casino economics we live in.

On a more positive note due to the efforts of staff alternative sources of income are beginning to be generated and a massive increase in activity is broadening awareness of the Library and what we are about. Hopefully this will bring to the attention of a wider audience just what an important resource we have and engender a need to make sure it’s still here for future generations.

This year we made the decision to increase the cost of our annual Radical Readers membership scheme to £36 a year from £20. This better reflects the cost of administering the scheme. We had 33 new sign-ups to the scheme in 2024. We hope to increase this in 2025 now that our new CRM system and donation page on our website are in place.

3. Visitor numbers and Users

Overall visitor/users in the last calendar year were 3,008. This is a 32.6% increase from 2023-2024.

Types of users/visitor break down as follows:

WCML events*: 741

Drop-in visitors: 942

Researchers: 268

Building tours: 398

Student groups (HE): 276

Outreach events: 120

Podcast streams: 263

*includes Sounds From the Other City event, excluding this event the number is 458 and is still a 35% increase on the previous year.

Communications

We have continued to see an increase in our followers on all our social media channels and our e-newsletter.

Instagram – 8020 followers, a 46% increase on last year.

Facebook – 9,105, which is a 2.8% increase on last year.

Mailchimp (e-newsletter) – 2727, which is a 15.5% increase on last year.

BlueSky - 2,482 followers, since the start of this year. (The library disabled its X account in late 2024).

THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
- 3 -

Website users

The library’s new website launched in August 2024. The site features our new branding and an improved ‘What’s On’, online shop and ‘Who We Are’ section. There are also online exhibitions and news and blog sections. We have integrated our Beacon CRM system into the online donation form which improves the experience for users and provides a more detailed and streamlined system for library staff. Readers can now also complete an online booking form which is sent directly to the Library Assistant making the system much simpler and more effecient. Since the website launched in August 109 online Reader booking forms have been submitted.

The new website can be seen at www.wcml.org.uk

Overall, the new website has performed well. Staff are still learning how to use Google analytics and comparative data for the previous site is not available.

Space hire users

The use of the annex has massively increased in the last year, generating £9,117 in income, with the space being used by the following groups.

Greater Manchester Tenants Union

Hearing Voices Network

Left Book Club

Manchester College – Trade Union Education course

Manchester Na’amod

No Borders Manchester

Partisan Collective

Pride Library

Prometheus Magazine

Red Pepper

Salford TUC

Trans Assembly

Unite Retired Members group

Workers Music Association

4. Collections, Conservation and Environmental Monitoring

4.1 Environmental monitoring

We are now undertaking a building survey every six months to monitor any deterioration in the physical condition of the rooms housing library and archive collections. This, along with the continuing environmental monitoring, has highlighted significant issues in the room housing the GMB collection and in cellar, with collections at risk of damage.

A significant proportion of The Daily Worker bound volumes have been moved from the cellar due to mould growth on their covers. Higher than desirable humidity levels continue to be a source of concern across the building.

 

THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
- 4 -

4.2 Cataloguing

This year we have completed a database upgrade from Adlib to Axiell Collections. A significant piece of work, this system has an improved online ‘front-facing’ service for users and a more sophisticated ‘back-end’ system. The new database is working well and this year we have added the following records to our online catalogue:

Library = 814 records

Archives = 827 records

4.3 New Acquisitions

We made some exciting additions to the collection in 2024-2025 and made progress in our approach to ‘active’ collecting through public call outs for content. Some notable additions include:

Manchester and Salford Film Society – a significant additional donation of paper-based materials along with two framed photographs of delegates who attended the first conferences of the British Federation of Film Societies in 1932 and 1937.

National Clarion Cycling Club - Additional papers and memorabilia including an1924 Easter meet ribbon and letter from Brian Robinson (first Briton to finish the Tour de France and the first to win a Tour stage) to 'Harry'.

Dave Spooner collection and Big Flame material

As part of our NLHF Big Flame project, we made a public call out for ex Big Flame activists to donate their material to the library. As a result, we have received a fantastic range of additional Big Flame archive material including a banner.

Ex Big Flame activist and founder of the Global Labour Institute, Dave Spooner, deposited his lifetime collection of material, over 12 boxes. His collection is a fascinating overview of the career of an activist starting out in Big Flame in the 1970s who went on to dedicate his life to the labour movement.

We have also collected and deposited 14 oral history interviews with ex Big Flame activists including Lynne Segal (Beyond the Fragments), Max Farrar and Norma (Troops Out Movement).

Collections Development Group

The Collections Development Group has continued to meet quarterly to assist library staff in our approach to collecting material against the aims of our updated Collections Policy. For the first time we have worked with group members to host an event to encourage contemporary collecting around casual workers and delivery driving which resulted in new material about these campaigns.

Potential new acquisitions:

We have started conversations with the owners of two potentially large acquisitions:

John and Alice Smethurst Collection -. The John Smethurst collection is a large and varied collection of books and memorabila. John and Alice Smethurst had

longstanding links to WCML as an ex trustees and friends of the library’s founders. The collection is currently housed in their home and the Library Manager and Librarian will visit in May 2025 to assess the material.

The Global Labour Institute Library – this large collection of books, around 5-6,000 was collected by the Global Labour Institute over a decades and relates to the international trade union movement. The collection currently sits with Unite, but the GLI have expressed a strong desire for it to be housed somewhere accessible. There may be opportunities to use this a lever for financial support from Unite.

4.4 Conservation

We successfully applied for a conservation grant from the Association of Independent Museums to fund a conservator to review the condition and storage of our banner collection. The report, due in April 2025 will allow us to apply for further funding to improve our approach to banner storage.

THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
- 5 -

5. Projects & Partnerships

After building links with a range of community, cultural and higher education partners last year and success in a number of grant applications, this year we have been busy delivering against a variety of engagement and research projects with strategic importance.

National Lottery Heritage Fund – Big Flame: Community Organising Then and Now

Our flagship project this financial year has been our National Lottery funded youth engagement project, Big Flame: Community Organising Then and Now. The funding has allowed us to hire a Project Coordinator and Project Researcher on fixed term contracts.

We have recruited 10 young people who are attending engagement session every other Saturday at the library. They have taken part in a fantastic variety of activities including archival research, activist panels, oral history training, exhibition design training, trips to other archives and exhibitions and social trips to Sheffield and Liverpool.

The resulting exhibition, Keep the Flame Burning will open in July 2025 and the creative public events programme will run throughout the summer.

We are keen to embed the learning and skills we have developed during the project into our strategic approach to working with young people. The young people will also be offered opportunities to continue to engage with the library and one of the group has already requested that they complete a 32 week university placement with us. We are exploring options to fund a continued Youth Coordinator post with the Paul Hamlyn foundation and the Arts Council England.

The project also resulted in an academic paper exploring the origins and impact of the Big Flame group which was presented at the Historical Materialism conference in London in November 2024 and will be published in a pamphlet that will accompany the exhibition.

“I wanted to reiterate just how much I value the opportunity to have worked with yourselves on this project. The process of creating the content, learning about Big Flame and the work you deliver at WCML was incredibly inspiring, and spoke to so many elements of my lived experiences and passions. It’s been equally wonderful seeing snippets on socials as the project has progressed. Sending lots of love and well wishes your way!"

Ella Fragley – Designer on the Big Flame project

 

AHRC Royal Holloway University, London – Inclusive Histories project

We are a delivery partner in this project managed by Royal Holloway University and funded by AHRC. This £1.5 million project has funded a part time Research Associate at WCML who is researching the links between our collection and the GCSE AQA History Curriculum for te module Power and the People with a focus on teaching inclusive and diverse histories.

The project, which includes CPD activities with school teachers to encourage archive use and 30 funded community researcher bursaries is being delivered with other archive partners at Peoples History Museum, Glasgow Women’s Library, Bishopsgate Institute and the Black Cultural archives and will result in classroom learning resources.

AHRC Manchester Metropolitan University – Collaborative PhD – Solidarity!

The library is hosting a collaborative PhD in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) and funded by the AHRC. The Library Manager is supervising the PhD student alongside a Senior Lecturer in Sociology at MMU. The PhD will aim to understand young people’s perceptions of class through their engagement with archive materials at the Working Class Movement Library.

THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
- 6 -

We have continued to build strategic relationships with:

 

We are members of:

We work alongside these partners to increase our impact and capacity, reach new audiences and to apply for grant funding and contribute to research into class and heritage.

6. Exhibitions and Events

6.1 Temporary Exhibitions

We have decorated and improved the layout of our temporary exhibition space to improve the visitor experience and curated two exhibitions in the last financial year.

Exhibition: International Solidarity posters

This exhibition featured posters from the library collection relating to international solidarity movements. The exhibition included an anti-apartheid poster designed by Keith Haring, a 1968 Atelier Populaire poster, and an anti-war poster designed by Peter Kennard, 1983. You can see the online version of this exhibition here Online Exhibition - Working Class Movement Library

Exhibition: The Collectors, the Cameraman, the Poets and the Pits: Miners’ Strike 40th Anniversary exhibition

To mark the 40th anniversary of the 1984-1985 Miners’ Strike we opened an exhibition featuring material from the library’s Miners’ Strike collection including posters, t-shirts, ceramics and badges. The collection was supported by photographs from photojournalist, John Harris, who was behind the lines during the strike, and poetry, mostly written by women, about their experiences during the strike. The exhibition is proving very popular and we have received very positive feedback,

“Quote from visitor book here”.

6.3 Events

This year has seen improvements in our approach to planning the library’s events programme. The library team have been working closely with the trustee members of the Audience, Engagement and Collections group to develop a strategic approach to event planning that focuses on creative activities, partnership working and diverse speakers and topics. In January 2025 we delivered our first trade union education course and in March our first book sale, both of which were very successful. We have been successful in attracting new audiences to the library through our events programme, with 59% of event attendees not visiting the library previously. We have seen particular success in events which make connections between past movements and contemporary organizing and issues, including LGBTQ+ and disability activism, international solidarity and casualized working, or those that are linked to anniversaries such as the Miners’ Strike.

In November 2024 we held our annual fundraising event, Radical Readings. We altered the format to feature music and performance and increased both ticket sales and the amount raised.

"Thank you to the Working Class Movement Library or organising a brilliant event. It provided a fascinating insignt into archival research and digital scanning"

- Kamea Aylward

THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
- 7 -

7. Volunteers and Placements

7.1 Volunteers

Volunteers have contributed 1685.5 hours in total in 2024, although this is a decrease from 2199 in 2023 we have lost a couple older volunteers to ill health and our new recruits tend to be younger and therefore usually contribute less hours as they balance volunteering with studying and work. The average age of new volunteers is 23. Several of our new volunteers have contributed to our National Lottery Awards for All community gardening project, Roots of Resistance.

This year we have developed and delivered new volunteer policies and confidentiality agreements alongside a new volunteer handbook and induction programme.

7.2 Placement Students

We have hosted four placement students in the last year with students from the University of Manchester, University of Salford, University of Central Lancashire and Didsbury Sixth Form.

The placement students have engaged in a variety of tasks including digitization, oral history transcription, research, podcasting and assisting in the retrieval of archives for readers.

Two of the four placement students have continued to engage with the library beyond their placement as volunteers.

8. Building and Transformation project

The Library Manager and Trustees have made significant progress in our relationship with the library’s landlord’s Salford City Council. The council commissioned a building survey to address our concerns about the safety and suitability of Jubilee House. The survey raised concerns which are now being addressed by the Council with an agreed schedule of work.

The Library Manager and Chair of Trustees attend bi-monthly meetings with Council representatives to monitor progress and to negotiate the extension of the library’s lease beyond 2030.

The Council have also commissioned an architectural consultant, Thread, to develop architectural plans for the long term re-furnishment and development of the library’s existing building and potential extension. The WCML trustees are now using this report to apply for additional grant funding to commission further exploration and building surveys and to inform an expression of interest to the National Lottery Fund for a capital project from 2026.

9. Governance

From January 24 the board has refreshed its working groups and streamlined them into 4 groups, Finance, Audit & Risk Group, Transformation Strategy Group, Fundraising & Stakeholder Group and Audience Engagement & Collections Group. These groups have been working on strategic action plans for delivery over the next year. It is hoped that these groups will move the board towards strategic rather than operational activity, which it has had to adopt in the past when staffing was lower. New processes and policies are being adopted to support staff in carrying out their roles.

10. Conclusions

Overall, despite challenges, this year has seen many improvements in approach and delivery at the library with green shoots of hope in relation to our engagement with the community, increased users and position in the cultural sector in Salford and beyond. The staff team has worked incredibly hard to deliver multiple projects and embed new processes. There is a continued commitment from Salford Council to support the library, but the maintenance and repair of Jubilee house remains the largest obstacle we need to work through in the coming year.

THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
- 8 -

11. Financial Review

 

It is the policy of The Working Class Movement Library that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month’s expenditure. The Trustees considers that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue The Working Class Movement Library’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. This level of reserves has been maintained throughout the year.

 

The Trustees has assessed the major risks to which The Working Class Movement Library is exposed, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.

Structure, governance and management

 

The charity is governed by its Memorandum and articles of Association adopted in February 2006.

The board of trustees is responsible for the overall governance of the charity.

The Trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:

R G Futter
(Resigned 10 November 2024)
M Peake
L Collins
D Maginn
A Halligan
R Kelly
(Resigned 1 May 2024)
S J Ingleson-Percival
H E Roberts
S Humphries
C Henry
(Resigned 6 July 2024)
O Lomax
L Doherty
J Callow
J Farrar
(Resigned 17 February 2025)
B Hinds
A Pearce
E Macphee
(Resigned 6 July 2024)
R Kelly

The Trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.

D Maginn
Trustee
23 December 2025
THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES  
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
- 9 -

The Trustees, who are also the directors of The Working Class Movement Library for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

 

Company Law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of The Working Class Movement Library and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.

 

In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

 

- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

 

- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;

 

- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

 

- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and

 

- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that The Working Class Movement Library will continue in operation.

 

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of The Working Class Movement Library and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of The Working Class Movement Library and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT
TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
- 10 -

I report to the Trustees on my examination of the financial statements of The Working Class Movement Library (the The Working Class Movement Library) for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the Trustees of the The Working Class Movement Library (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (the 2006 Act).

Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the The Working Class Movement Library are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the The Working Class Movement Library’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

1

accounting records were not kept in respect of the The Working Class Movement Library as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

2

the financial statements do not accord with those records; or

3

the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

4

the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.

Jonathan Ward - FCA
Azets Audit Services
Alpha House
4 Greek Street
Stockport
Cheshire
SK3 8AB
Dated: 23 December 2025
THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
- 11 -
Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
funds
funds
funds
funds
2025
2025
2025
2024
2024
2024
Notes
£
£
£
£
£
£
Income from:
Donations and legacies
3
171,218
-
171,218
121,875
72,919
194,794
Charitable activities
4
33,306
-
33,306
20,784
-
20,784
Total income
204,524
-
204,524
142,659
72,919
215,578
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
5
240,302
41,522
281,824
220,406
-
220,406
Net gains/(losses) on investments
9
9,776
-
9,776
34,561
-
34,561
Net movement in funds
(26,002)
(41,522)
(67,524)
(43,186)
72,919
29,733
Fund balances at 1 April 2024
828,137
72,919
901,056
871,323
-
871,323
Fund balances at 31 March 2025
802,135
31,397
833,532
828,137
72,919
901,056

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.

All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

The statement of financial activities also complies with the requirements for an income and expenditure account under the Companies Act 2006.
THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
BALANCE SHEET
AS AT
31 MARCH 2025
31 March 2025
- 12 -
2025
2024
Notes
£
£
£
£
Fixed assets
Tangible assets
11
32,601
34,879
Current assets
Debtors
13
9,581
10,809
Investments
14
720,677
670,999
Cash at bank and in hand
75,734
186,169
805,992
867,977
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
15
(5,061)
(1,800)
Net current assets
800,931
866,177
Total assets less current liabilities
833,532
901,056
Income funds
Restricted funds
16
31,397
72,919
Unrestricted funds
802,135
828,137
833,532
901,056

The company is entitled to the exemption from the audit requirement contained in section 477 of the Companies Act 2006, for the year ended 31 March 2025.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

The financial statements were approved by the Trustees on 23 December 2025
S J Ingleson-Percival
Trustee
Company registration number 05721140
THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
NOTES TO THE  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
- 13 -
1
Accounting policies
Charity information

The Working Class Movement Library is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Jubilee House, 51 The Crescent, Salford, Lancashire, M5 4WX, United Kingdom.

1.1
Accounting convention

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with The Working Class Movement Library's governing document, the Companies Act 2006 and “Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)” (as amended for accounting periods commencing from 1 January 2016). The Working Class Movement Library is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.

 

The Working Class Movement Library has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities applying FRS 102 Update Bulletin 1 not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.

The accounts are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of The Working Class Movement Library. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

1.2
Going concern

At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future.

1.3
Charitable funds

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.

Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.

Designated funds relate to expenditure that the trustees have committed to spending in future periods.

1.4
Incoming resources

Income is recognised when The Working Class Movement Library is legally entitled to it after any performance conditions have been met, the amounts can be measured reliably, and it is probable that income will be received.

Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once The Working Class Movement Library has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.

Legacies are recognised on receipt or otherwise if The Working Class Movement Library has been notified of an impending distribution, the amount is known, and receipt is expected. If the amount is not known, the legacy is treated as a contingent asset.

1.5
Resources expended

Income and expenses are included in the financial statements as they become receivable or due.

 

Expenses include VAT where applicable as the company cannot reclaim it.

THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
NOTES TO THE  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
1
Accounting policies
(Continued)
- 14 -
1.6
Tangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.

Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:

Leasehold improvements
Depreciation will begin when extension complete
Computers
20% straight Line

The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities.

1.7
Impairment of fixed assets

At each reporting end date, the The Working Class Movement Library reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).

1.8
Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.

1.9
Financial instruments

The Working Class Movement Library has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.

 

Financial instruments are recognised in The Working Class Movement Library's balance sheet when The Working Class Movement Library becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

 

Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

Basic financial assets

Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.

THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
NOTES TO THE  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
1
Accounting policies
(Continued)
- 15 -
Basic financial liabilities

Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.

 

Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.

 

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Derecognition of financial liabilities

Financial liabilities are derecognised when The Working Class Movement Library’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.

1.10
Employee benefits

The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.

 

Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when The Working Class Movement Library is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.

2
Critical accounting estimates and judgements

In the application of The Working Class Movement Library’s accounting policies, the Trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

 

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

 

There are no critical accounting estimates or judgements.

3
Donations and legacies
Unrestricted
Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
funds
funds
funds
2025
2024
2024
2024
£
£
£
£
Donations and gifts
146,218
96,875
-
96,875

Grant Income

25,000
25,000
72,919
97,919
171,218
121,875
72,919
194,794
THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
NOTES TO THE  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
- 16 -
4
Charitable activities

Charitable Income

Charitable Income

2025
2024
£
£

Interest Received

11,130
6,089
Space Hire
8,610
4,225
Shop sales
5,849
4,649
Ancillary trading income
104
575
Charitable rental income
6,173
4,308
Other income
1,440
938
33,306
20,784
5
Charitable activities

Charitable Expenditure

Charitable Expenditure

2025
2024
£
£
Staff costs
138,128
123,849
Depreciation and impairment
4,770
4,450

Travel & Subsistence

330
383

Other Expenses

55,131
43,780

Other Project Expenditure

41,522
-

Building Refurbishment

39,449
45,477

Insurance

94
667
279,424
218,606
Independent examiners fees
2,400
1,800
281,824
220,406
Analysis by fund
Unrestricted funds
240,302
220,406
Restricted funds
41,522
-
281,824
220,406
THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
NOTES TO THE  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
- 17 -
6
Support costs
Support costs
Governance costs
2025
2024
£
£
£
£
Audit fees
-
2,400
2,400
1,800
-
2,400
2,400
1,800
Analysed between
Charitable activities
-
2,400
2,400
1,800

Governance costs includes payments to the auditors of £2,400 (2024- £1,800) for audit fees.

7
Trustees

None of the Trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or benefits from The Working Class Movement Library during the year.

8
Employees

The average monthly number of employees during the year was:

2025
2024
Number
Number
6
4
Employment costs
2025
2024
£
£
Wages, salaries and associated costs
138,128
123,849
There were no employees whose annual remuneration was more than £60,000.
9
Net gains/(losses) on investments
Unrestricted
Unrestricted
funds
funds
2025
2024
£
£
Revaluation of investments
9,776
34,561
THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
NOTES TO THE  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
- 18 -
10
Taxation

The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxationof Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects.

11
Tangible fixed assets
Leasehold improvements
Computers
Total
£
£
£
Cost
At 1 April 2024
19,320
22,252
41,572
Additions
-
2,493
2,493
At 31 March 2025
19,320
24,745
44,065
Depreciation and impairment
At 1 April 2024
-
6,694
6,694
Depreciation charged in the year
-
4,770
4,770
At 31 March 2025
-
11,464
11,464
Carrying amount
At 31 March 2025
19,320
13,281
32,601
At 31 March 2024
19,320
15,559
34,879

 

12
Financial instruments
2025
2024
£
£
Carrying amount of financial assets
Instruments measured at fair value through profit or loss
720,677
670,999
13
Debtors
2025
2024
Amounts falling due within one year:
£
£
Prepayments and accrued income
9,581
10,809
14
Current asset investments
2025
2024
£
£
Unlisted investments
720,677
670,999
THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY
NOTES TO THE  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
- 19 -
15
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
2025
2024
£
£
Other taxation and social security
2,661
-
Accruals and deferred income
2,400
1,800
5,061
1,800
16
Restricted funds
The income funds of the charity include restricted funds comprising the following unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust for specific purposes:
Balance at
1 April 2023
Incoming resources
Resources expended
Balance at
1 April 2024
Incoming resources
Resources expended
Balance at
31 March 2025
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
Lipman-Miliband Trust
-
3,000
-
3,000
-
-
3,000
National Lottery Heritage Fund
-
49,924
-
49,924
-
(35,234)
14,690
Awards for All
-
19,995
-
19,995
-
(6,288)
13,707
-
72,919
-
72,919
-
(41,522)
31,397

Lipman-Miliband Trust - funding for education projects.

 

National Lottery Heritage Fund - funding for the Big Flame Project focused on engaging young individuals and local working-class activists in exploring, researching, and enhancing accessibility to our Big Flame archive.

 

Awards for All - funding to support a gardening project.

 

17
Analysis of net assets between funds

Restricted

Restricted funds
Total

Restricted

Restricted funds
Total
2025
2025
2025
2024
2024
2024
£
£
£
£
£
£
Fund balances at 31 March 2025 are represented by:
Tangible assets
32,601
-
32,601
34,879
-
34,879
Current assets/(liabilities)
769,534
31,397
800,931
793,258
72,919
866,177
802,135
31,397
833,532
828,137
72,919
901,056
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