Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children's Books

Analysis

Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children's Books is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Newcastle Upon Tyne. It was registered in July 1996, 30 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 03209411). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides services.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children's Books reported income of £1.6m and spending of £1.6m, spending 101% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income fell from £1.9m to £1.6m (-14%), an average of -3.6% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2024, when income dropped by 39%. Over the whole period it spent 86% of the income it received.

Among 17,634 England and Wales charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children's Books sits at the 96th percentile: it is larger than about 96% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 95th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Bishopsgate Foundation (£1.6m), Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Limited (£1.6m) and INTBAU Ltd (£1.6m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 57%, donations and legacies 21% and trading 20%. Charitable activities took 81% of spending and raising funds 17%. Reserves of £63k would cover about 0 months of spending at that rate. It employed 52 people.