The Apsley Paper Trail

Analysis

The Apsley Paper Trail is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Hemel Hempstead. It was registered in January 2000, 26 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, arts/culture/heritage/science, environment/conservation/heritage and economic/community development/employment, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 03416760). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space, provides services and sponsors or undertakes research.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Apsley Paper Trail reported income of £722k and spending of £806k, spending 112% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income fell from £995k to £722k (-27%), an average of -7.7% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income rose by 167%. Over the whole period it spent 92% 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, The Apsley Paper Trail sits at the 94th percentile: it is larger than about 94% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 92nd percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Kinetika People (£721k), Caterham Barracks Community Trust (£722k) and Northwood House Charitable Trust Company Limited (£719k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from investments 57%, charitable activities 39% and donations and legacies 3.2%. Charitable activities took 60% of spending and raising funds 27%. Reserves of £50k would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 10 people.

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.