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← The Heritage Alliance

2025-03-31-accounts

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The Heritage Alliance Annual Report and Financial Statements Year Ended 31 March 2025

Company registration number: 04577804 Charity registration number: 1094793

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Contents

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Reference and Administrative Details

Trustees Mr P M Aiers OBE (resigned 11/2/25) Ms K Baldwin (appointed 11/2/25) Rear Admiral RAG Clare CBE DL Mr D Eiloart Mrs D K Madhava (appointed 1/7/24) Dr C Mahal Mr S M Oates Mrs S Price (appointed 11/2/25) Mr J D Probert Ms A H Purkiss Dr I Samuel OBE Mrs C L Souter CBE (co-opted 2/5/24) Ms K Streeter Ms J Wills (resigned 11/2/25) Secretary Mrs E Glithero-West Chief Executive Mrs E Glithero-West Charity Registration Number 1094793 Company Registration Number 04577804 The charity is incorporated in England & Wales Registered Office Church of St Martin Within Ludgate Ludgate Hill London England EC4M 7DE Solicitors Bates Wells 10 Queen St Place London England EC4R 1BE Bankers CAF Bank Limited 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling Kent ME19 4JQ Independent Examiner Francis Clark LLP Lowin House Tregolls Road Truro Cornwall TR1 2NA

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Chair’s Foreword

This year has been another of significant change for the landscape within which we work. I took over as Chair from Dr Ingrid Samuel OBE in July 2024, just as a new government came into power, and a host of new MPs joined Parliament, representing a particularly important period for advocacy in the heritage sector. We focused on equipping our members with summaries of announcements, practical tools and evidence-led reports outlining the positive role heritage can play in public goods.

Prior to the election, we published our On the Brink report which examined the range of impacts for heritage organisations around the cost-of-living crisis. Our re-published Heritage Manifesto 2024 and election toolkit collated and summarised the measures that would make the most difference, and provided material

to help our members to ensure their voices were heard at the local and national level. Taking note of the new administration’s interest and investment in the Creative Industries as a growth sector, in early 2025 we refreshed and republished our 2019 insight report on heritage and the creative industries. Heritage Creates features 11 new case studies highlighting the ways in which heritage underpins creativity as a muse, host, form of creative practice and facilitator of inclusive and innovative partnerships. Our Budget submissions to the Treasury echoed these publications and set out a coherent set of sector wide fiscal and funding priorities covering the breadth of our membership. Its contents have continued to be part of the case for continuing positive support and investing in our sector.

Now, a year on from the election we remain acutely aware of the challenges the sector is facing, as well as the transformative work that is being delivered up and down the country for places and people by our member organisations. We work hard to demonstrate the immense value our sector brings to the economy, society and the environment to decision-makers across government, parliament and other sectors and to identify changes that will make a difference in a challenging financial landscape. A significant part of this is our role in representing our members on the Historic Environment Forum, in policy roundtables and events, and in collaborative activities with other sectors.

“ The Heritage Alliance is proud to be a membership organisation. We are here to support you in the great work which you are all doing to protect, support, champion and enhance our heritage

Carole Souter CBE, The Heritage Alliance AGM 2025

In 2024-2025 our team of 7 core staff held almost 184 meetings with Arms-Length Bodies, Government and parliamentarians, and we also met with our members 542 times including delivering 24 memberexclusive events and meetings. In 2024, our team produced 15 high quality and influential summaries,

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− consultation responses and policy papers, across an impressive breadth of issues from intangible − cultural heritage to industrial strategy showcasing the wide-ranging role of heritage in delivering public good. Our advocacy groups have continued to be busy this year, facilitating thinking around issues as diverse as planning, funding, environment, skills and mobile heritage. We are grateful to our members who have contributed to these and other groups grappling with important policy issues with sobering evidence and inspiring case studies of great practice.

Our Archaeology and International Special Interest Networks thrived this year, with their programmes of quarterly meetings featuring speakers, case studies and opportunities for the breadth of heritage to collaborate and exchange. Our CEO network also continued to provide a community of peer support for our sector’s leaders and we offered a wide range of expert-led offers and events to support our members’ resilience.

Sector-wide support this year also included our delivery of Carbon Literacy Training for the sector on behalf of Historic England, supporting the work of a Historic England-led AHRC project on Culture and Heritage Capital and, with Preservation Matters, we delivered Historic England-commissioned research on heritage sector recruitment patterns. During this period, we secured funding to upgrade our Heritage Funding Directory, generously supported by the Historic Houses Foundation. This has now resulted in a major upgrade to our website infrastructure in response to user feedback, creating a platform which is easier to navigate and update for both funders and those seeking to secure funding. A much-valued − − product, 25 editions of Heritage Update our free sector digest were also written in-house and made possible with generous support from the Historic Houses Foundation.

Heritage Debate 2024 was our best attended on record with a lively discussion on how our sector should be funded, and expert panellists exploring private, public and philanthropic models. This year the event was offered free-to-attend resulting in over 700 bookings. Heritage Day in March 2025 focused on the theme of ‘Heritage Creates’ and acted as a launchpad for our newest insight report, with panels and keynotes showing how heritage creates skills, enterprise, homes, opportunities and more. We were joined by an audience of sector leaders including the Heritage Minister and Shadow Heritage Minister.

We count over 200 organisations and 30 individual supporters amongst our membership, and we welcomed 30 new core and affiliate organisations in 2024. We are proud that our membership is broad and deep, and that there is a place, support and role here for the full range of organisations with a passion for heritage. We are working to broaden the voices and perspectives amongst us, including through our growing affiliate membership and also the number of individual sites, academic members, landscape organisations, and those representing a wide and diverse range of community interests in heritage.

This year we have been developing a set of values for the organisation in consultation with staff, trustees and members through our annual surveys. A values statement is an opportunity to strengthen the Heritage Alliance’s organisational identity and ethos. We will begin to work with this set of values and articulate in more depth what this means for the way that we work and what we offer in 2025-2026. To be effective, values need to be woven through all our work and will help to inform the development of our next strategy, work on which will begin this year.

We are grateful to our members, colleagues, funders and partners, including our longstanding Corporate Partners: Ecclesiastical Insurance and Bates Wells, and major funders: Historic England, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Swire Charitable Trust and the Historic Houses Foundation, for their continued engagement and support in challenging financial times. We are also grateful to those organisations who sponsored events, made donations or supported groups including the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists, Heriot Watt and the National Trust.

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I would also like to take this opportunity, on behalf of my colleagues on the Board, to thank those Trustees who stood down during the year, and those who continue, our volunteers, and in particular to recognise the tireless leadership of our CEO, Lizzie Glithero-West and all the hard working and creative team at the Alliance, as this quote from one of our members shows:

“ As a cross-sector membership organisation representing big and small sector organisations, THA is a unifying voice and force.

Respondent to THA Membership Survey, 2024

Mrs Carole Souter CBE

Image: The Heritage Alliance Board away day at Brooklands Museum, September 2025.

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Trustees’ Report

Introduction

The Trustees submit their report and the unaudited financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025. The accounts have been drawn up in accordance with the appropriate statutory regulations, the company’s governing document and Statement of Recommended Practice - Accounting and reporting by Charities (updated 2019) (‘SORP’), UK Accounting Standards and the Charities Act 2011.

Background

The Heritage Alliance (formerly Heritage Link) was incorporated on 30 October 2002 under the Companies Act 1985. The company is limited by guarantee and does not have any share capital. Every Member undertakes to contribute such an amount as may be required not exceeding £1 to the charity’s assets should it be wound up. The name-change from Heritage Link to The Heritage Alliance registered by Companies House on 19 February 2010, was confirmed by the Charity Commission on 1 April 2010.

Governance

The governing document is the Memorandum and Articles of Association and the Trustees of the charity are the directors for the purposes of company law. A revised Articles of Association was adopted by Special Resolution dated 6 December 2018.

The Heritage Alliance is a registered charity and company registered in England and Wales. It operates within guidelines approved by the Charity Commission, whereby the Trustees are the decision-making body, but they seek approval for major strategic decisions by members at the Annual General Meeting (“AGM”). Authority to conduct The Heritage Alliance’s day-to-day activities is delegated to the Chief Executive Officer, who is responsible for ensuring that the agreed strategy and policies are carried out.

The Chair is appointed by the Board. Trustees are elected by registered members of The Heritage Alliance at the AGM or co-opted during the year by the Trustees at a Board meeting subject to ratification by members at the next AGM.

In Spring 2023 we advertised for a new chair and recruited a further three new Trustees to join us in 2024-2025. We held two drop-in sessions for interested applicants in February and March 2023 which gave insight into the roles and offered the opportunity to speak to current trustees. We interviewed applicants in April 2023. Following this process, on 2 May 2024, Mrs Carole Souter CBE was co-opted as trustee and on 1 July was appointed as our new Chair. New trustee, Ms Deepika Kanthavara Madhava, was also co-opted as trustee on 1 July 2024. They were formally appointed at the AGM on 11 February 2025 alongside two further trustees, Sophia Price and Katherine Baldwin. Peter Aiers OBE and Jan Wills stepped down on this date.

At 31 March 2025, the Trustees, who are also directors, were as follows:

Ms K Baldwin, Rear Admiral RAG Clare CBE DL, Mr D Eiloart, Ms D K Madhava, Dr C Mahal, Mr S M Oates, Mrs S Price, Mr J D Probert, Ms A H Purkiss, Dr I Samuel OBE, Mrs C L Souter CBE, Ms K Streeter The Board met formally in May, July and November 2024, and February 2025.

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Objectives and Activities

The objectives of the charity as set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association are:

1. For the benefit of the public:

2. The advancement of education of the public:

The Trustees of The Heritage Alliance confirm that the purposes of the organisation are recognised as Charitable pursuant to the Charities Act 2011 and have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit in planning the charity’s activities. The Trustees believe that there are clear and identifiable public benefits arising from the pursuit of The Heritage Alliance’s aims and objectives, and that its activities benefit the organisations it works with and supports and the wider general public.

Strategy 2021-2026

Our Vision

Our vision is for a society in which England’s historic environment and wider cultural heritage is valued, supported and able to enrich everyone’s lives. We believe this can be achieved through the sympathetic, sustainable and imaginative stewardship of the past around us by a vibrant, independent heritage sector that is fit for the future.

Our Mission

We harness the skills, strengths and talents of our broad and diverse membership, partners and the wider sector to:

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Image: The Heritage Alliance’s four strategic pillars, from our 2021-2026 Strategy.

As set out in our Strategy, The Heritage Alliance is working to realise our shared sector vision and ensure the sector continues to re-emerge from the Covid-19 crisis, inspired and equipped to be better than ever before. We are focusing our efforts on four interrelated strategic objectives: advocacy ; communicating and connecting ; building sustainability and resilience ; and developing insight . The full strategy, developed during 2020 and published on 9 March 2022, can be found here: https://www.theheritagealliance.org.uk/about/our-strategy.

The organisation will shortly begin work on mapping out a new strategy to commence during 2026.

Membership

The Heritage Alliance membership ranges from national bodies to specialist charities and community organisations, across the breadth of the sector, from museums, conservation and archaeology to science and construction.

Core Membership is primarily open to charitable and not-for-profit organisations that are within or involved with the heritage sector and benefitting from our diverse networks and advocacy work championing the independent heritage sector.

Affiliate Membership is designed primarily for commercial organisations interested in tapping into the Alliance’s extensive networks and insights and offering their expertise to the Alliance’s core membership.

Whilst only organisations can be members of the Heritage Alliance, the Individual Supporter Patronage Scheme enables individuals to be part of the Heritage Alliance network and support its activities.

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Members’ Activities:

Heritage Alliance Members benefit from several groups, networks and events as well as communications exclusively available to them.

Advocacy Groups:

Working Groups:

The Heritage Alliance’s Advocacy and Working Groups track relevant parliamentary business, including the progress of Parliamentary bills, debates, questions and EDMs, making representation as appropriate.

Image: Members Events and Networks.

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They support the development of policy and legislation by providing written and oral evidence to Select Committee inquiries and Government consultations. Group membership is only available to Heritage Alliance core members whilst affiliate members can request to join individual meetings as a means of sharing their expertise across the sector.

Special Interest Groups:

Special Interest Networks aim to build communities and knowledge-sharing amongst Alliance members with shared heritage interests. Regular network meetings provide a dedicated space for sharing expertise, resources, and mutual support, and they allow the Heritage Alliance to stay updated on the latest developments in these specialist areas.

Other Members’ Events:

Image: ‘Connection and Identity’, a Peter Walker installation at the Painted Hall of the Old Royal Naval College (Heritage Alliance member).

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Image: The choir of Winchester Cathedral, member of Association of English Cathedrals (Heritage Alliance member).

The Historic Religious Building Alliance (HRBA) is a distinct non-legal entity with its own membership, housed within and overseen by the Heritage Alliance, bringing together those working for a secure future for historic religious buildings. Further reporting on the activities of the HRBA may be found at www.hrballiance.org.uk/.

The Historic Religious Buildings Alliance held 5 meetings for its members, 3 via Zoom and 2 in person over 2024-25.

Across the year, HRBA members have heard presentations about Church of Scotland’s current buildings strategy, the American organisation ‘Partners for Sacred Places, the House of Good research and aligned initiatives from the National Churches Trust, an evaluation about a pilot to install an accommodation pod in an Herefordshire church, the Heritage at Risk Register and places of worship, the Catholics and Baptists talking about closing buildings as well as from a volunteer project manager and the experience overseeing a £1m plus repairs project in a north London church.

The September 2024 meeting was opened to all HRBA e-newsletter subscribers as well as members and was attended by over 230 and when attendees heard from Anne Jenkins, Executive Director, Business Delivery, The National Lottery Heritage Fund about the new support being offered to places of worship.

In June 2024, HRBA held its successful one day conference, the Big Update, at St James the Less, Pimlico. Over 100 attendees heard from a range of speakers including Dr Simon Thurley Chair of NLHF, Richard Halsey reviewing 50 years of state and lottery grants for places of worship and looking towards options for the future, and Lizzie Glithero-West, Chief Executive of THA commenting on the current and developing political environment for heritage. There were also presentations celebrating 50 years of Church Recorders, the Chief Executive of Making Music talking about the importance of places of worship

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as venues for those who make music as well as updates on conservation projects and new initiatives to support places of worship.

Thanks to the tireless work of HRBA’s Chair, Trevor Cooper, actively supported by The Heritage Alliance, the Church of England and others, legislation clarifying the right of town and parish councils to support churches received Royal Assent in December 2024.

Throughout the year, HRBA has spent much time campaigning for the continuation of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme (LPWGS) and especially after the 22nd January announcement that the LPWGS was going to be extended for one year from March 2025. In February 2025, HRBA submitted detailed responses to the DCMS Select Committee Inquiry into Protecting Built Heritage as well as to the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review. The former resulted in HRBA being asked to sit on a Select Committee Panel in July 2025 alongside the Church of England.

Image: A spitfire replica by the great west doors of St Paul’s Cathedral (Heritage Alliance member) to mark the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain.

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Communications Activities

Heritage Update – our fortnightly newsletter, supported by the Historic Houses Foundation, providing key sector and government news, events and jobs for the heritage sector.

Exclusive members’ mailing list – providing in-depth insights into the policy landscape from the Heritage Alliance CEO.

Website – platform giving free access to our publications, briefings, event content, news and jobs as well as providing key information about the Heritage Alliance.

The Alliance website supports project websites and online resources for the sector, including:

Heritage Funding Directory : Heritage funding sources available (co-managed with Architectural Heritage Fund and funded by the Historic Houses Foundation);

Social media – providing insights to the sector, sharing government news, and sharing member news on Twitter/X, Bluesky and LinkedIn.

The Heritage Alliance also retains information and resources from previous projects on its website as a − − reference point for the sector these include Heritage Digital Digital Skills resources, Rebuilding − Heritage COVID specific support resources, and the Digital Heritage Hub, a National Lottery Heritage Fund-funded directory of resources (managed by Arts Marketing Association) for which we led the ‘Finding, sharing and creating digital content’ section.

Ongoing Sector Support Projects

The Heritage Alliance works in partnership to inspire, lead and build the capabilities of our members and the wider sector to be more sustainable and resilient. Major support programmes this year included:

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The year in numbers - Achievements and Performance 2024-25

16 oom ADVOCACY GROUP MEETINGS CONVENED {__| 8 POLICY DOCUMENTS OR SUMMARIES PUBLISHED

38%+

15 184 se MEETINGS WITH CONSULTATION GOVERNMENT RESPONSES DELIVERED AND ALBs {| 61 25 ‘ALL MEMBER’ HERITAGE COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE SENT

25 HERITAGE UPDATE NEWSLETTERS PUBLISHED

HERITAGE UPDATE’S OPEN RATE, ABOVE THE INDUSTRY STANDARDS

38k

FOLLOWERS ACROSS OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS

542 MEETINGS HELD WITH HERITAGE ALLIANCE MEMBERS AND SECTOR

15 ORGANISATIONS 268 NEW CORE AND AFFILIATE MEMBERS JOINED, AND TRAINING 209 TOTAL MEMBERS REACHED BY YEAR-END 85%

PEOPLE COMPLETED CARBON LITERACY TRAINING 85% TURNOUT RATE

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Strategic Pillar Highlight Achievements

1. Advocacy

Champion the needs and aspirations of the independent sector

Post-Election Leadership

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Strategic Policy Engagement

Legislative and Policy Influence

Cross-Sector Collaboration

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2. Communicating and connecting

Maintain high quality information resources and broker networking

Flagship Events Success

Digital Innovation and Reach

Publication and Resources

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Member Engagement Excellence

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3. Sustainability and Resilience

Support sector and organisational resilience and capability building

Major Programme Delivery

Strategic Development

Financial and Organisational Strength

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Infrastructure and Systerms

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4.Insight

Develop evidence-based insights to lead innovation and enhance advocacy.

Sector Intelligence Reports

Data-Driven Advocacy

Thought Leadership

Knowledge Exchange

Volunteer Effort Secured

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Activity and Report 2024-25

1. Advocacy

We will champion the needs and aspirations of the independent sector, persuading others, both private and public organisations, to support our specific policy objectives for the benefit of the sector and society at large.

The 12 months from April 2024 to March 2025 marked a turbulent period of political change. Our advocacy work demonstrated both strategic foresight and tactical agility, ensuring the sector’s voice was heard clearly across the political spectrum, representing issues from across the sector, whilst also building foundations for sustained influence under the new administration.

Election Engagement and Sector Coordination

The 2024 General Election presented both challenge and opportunities for heritage advocacy. Our proactive approach began well before the campaign period, with the timely refresh of our Heritage Manifesto across 2023 and 2024 providing a unified policy framework that resonated across the sector. This document proved invaluable not only for our own advocacy efforts but also for other heritage organisations seeking coherent messaging. The National Trust, Creative UK, and NCVO directly cited our manifesto in developing their own election materials, demonstrating our role in setting the sector’s agenda.

“ Can I take this opportunity to thank you for being such a tireless advocate and champion for us all, and especially for bringing archaeology into the wider heritage fold. Your support and determination has been a game changer. Member Feedback 2024

Our comprehensive advocacy toolkit equipped heritage organisations of all sizes with template letters, engagement strategies, and key messaging points. This resource enabled coordinated sector-wide advocacy efforts, enabling heritage organisations across England to provide consistent, well-informed communications about heritage priorities to their local MPs. The toolkit’s effectiveness was evidenced through strong engagement rates, with our post-election analysis mailout achieving a remarkable 73% open rate compared to our usual (significantly above industry standard) 38% average.

The election period also highlighted our unique position as sector convenor, as we facilitated weekly coordination meetings with key advocacy-focused heritage organisations. These sessions ensured unified messaging and anticipated actions for a smooth policy handover between administrations, with our ‘in flight’ list of joint advocacy priorities proving particularly valuable during the transition period.

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Image: Heritage Day 2025 featuring Shadow Heritage Minister Lord Stephen Parkinson, Liberal Democrat DCMS Lords Spokesperson Baroness Jane Bonham Carter, THA Deputy Chair Dr Ingrid Samuel OBE, Historic England’s Chief Executive Duncan Wilson, THA Chief Executive Lizzie Glithero-West, and Chair of the Heritage Alliance Carole Souter CBE.

Strategic Policy Engagement and Legislative Influence

The new Labour Government’s ambitious agenda required immediate and sustained engagement across multiple policy areas. Our early establishment of relationships with the incoming administration proved crucial, with our meeting with Heritage Minister Sir Chris Bryant MP representing one of the first formal sector engagements post-election. This access enabled us to articulate how heritage contributes directly to all five of the Government’s key missions, from economic growth to environmental sustainability.

Our response to the Government’s planning reforms showed the value of proactive advocacy coordination. The establishment of our Planning Bills Working Group February 2025 brought together expertise from across the heritage spectrum, enabling rapid, informed responses to emerging legislation. This mechanism proved its worth when our Second Reading briefing for the Planning and Infrastructure Bill eventually resulted in an MP tabling an amendment directly based on our recommendations

Throughout the year, we submitted 15 consultation responses covering diverse policy areas ranging from planning reform to skills development. Through our On the Brink research into Cost-of Living impacts we were able to collate case studies, sector-wide data and up-to-date statistics to present a comprehensive state-of-the-nation report on the financial health of our sector. Our Treasury submission ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review combined insights from our advocacy groups with evidence from our On the Brink research, providing decision-makers with compelling, evidence-based − arguments for heritage investment. The rapid turnaround of our King’s Speech analysis published − within 24 hours reinforced our reputation as the sector’s go-to source for political intelligence and strategic analysis.

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Image: The Heritage Manifesto 2024 (cover page).

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Our engagement extended beyond traditional policy channels. The high-profile panel on regeneration and placemaking in the Creative UK Pavilion at Labour Party Conference, featuring our CEO alongside representatives from Art Fund and Crafts Council, positioned heritage prominently within discussions about the creative economy and community development. This platform enabled us to showcase heritage’s role in addressing the Government’s priorities whilst building crucial relationships with ministerial teams and special advisers across the three days.

Cross-Sector Collaboration and Thematic Expertise

Our advocacy groups continued to serve as vital mechanisms for both policy development and sector engagement, with attendance significantly increasing through the introduction of expert speakers and government representatives. The participation of DCMS and DBT officials in our International Special Interest Group and Funding and Investment Advocacy Group indicated the growing recognition of these forums as invaluable spaces for policy consultation and development.

The Skills, Education and Engagement Advocacy Group’s focused session on youth engagement shared good practice and looked at how we can collectively tackle sector-wide challenges. Featuring presentations from Historic Houses, Historic England, and Heritage Open Days, this session brought together diverse approaches to engaging young people with heritage, from co-production methodologies to innovative programme design. The insights shared directly supported broader public policy priorities around diversity and inclusion whilst ensuring heritage remains relevant to future generations.

Our international work gained further prominence during the year, with government attendance at our International Special Interest Group meetings reflecting the increasing importance of heritage in soft power discussions. The group’s exploration of UK-India cultural relations, supported by DCMS presentations, positioned heritage organisations as valuable contributors to international diplomacy and trade discussions.

The Spatial Planning Advocacy Group’s dedicated meeting on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework was an example of our ability to engage with complex, intersectoral policy challenges. Our Skills, Education and Engagement Advocacy Group’s Youth Engagement Special served as a first-of-its kind skills share session for our larger organisational members to share best practice techniques with smaller heritage sites looking to improve their work with younger audiences. Meanwhile our Funding and Investment Advocacy Group heard insights from new Local Government Association Research on the funding crisis facing council culture funding to inform our Budget response, and from Historic England on their ongoing Culture and Heritage Capital project .

The year’s advocacy achievements demonstrate the Heritage Alliance’s unique position as both convener and champion for the independent heritage sector. Through strategic engagement, collaborative expertise, and sustained relationship-building, we have made sure that heritage considerations are embedded across government policy development whilst empowering our members to become effective advocates in their own right.

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2. Communicating and Connecting

We will maintain and develop high quality information resources on policy, good practice and research. We will broker networking and collaboration within and beyond the sector to catalyse new ways of working, support shared learning and skills/career development; and promote the importance and value of the sector.

The Heritage Alliance continued to demonstrate its unique position as both information hub and champion for the independent heritage sector in England. Through our flagship events, innovative digital engagement, and timely publications, we connected thousands of heritage professionals whilst amplifying sector voices to decision-makers and the wider public.

Flagship Events: Bringing the Sector Together

Heritage Debate 2024: Balancing the Books represented a significant milestone in our events programme, becoming our most successful virtual event to date in terms of both audience engagement and income generation. The decision to offer the event completely free marked a strategic shift towards maximising accessibility and sector reach. This approach proved highly effective, with record registration numbers reaching 728 tickets booked by November. The debate’s focus on sector financing arrived at a critical moment, as organisations grappled with ongoing economic pressures and uncertain funding landscapes. Audiences voted for what they saw to be the ideal mix of public, private, and philanthropic funding. Private funding emerged on par with public funding - showing a desire from the sector to diversify and commercialise their income streams.

The collaborative approach to the event, working with the Historic Environment Forum team to gather and publish twelve sector funding case studies, provided lasting value beyond the live event. These practical examples of innovative funding approaches continue to serve as inspiration and guidance for organisations seeking to diversify income streams. The comprehensive resources developed for and − − during the debate including recordings, case studies, and guidance materials (see more here: www.theheritagealliance.org.uk/heritage-debate-2024) ensured ongoing access for those unable to attend live, extending the event’s impact across the sector.

Image: Audience response word cloud created during Heritage Debate 2024.

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Heritage Day 2025 was our first non-hybrid Heritage Day since COVID-19, and the in-person nature of − the event proved to be hugely popular with all available tickets sold out. Held at the historic Tower of London, the event’s theme of “Heritage Creates” to coincide with the launch of the Alliance’s new Heritage Creates report, offered a unifying framework to demonstrate heritage’s contribution to creativity, enterprise, skills, communities, and policy solutions. Our Heritage Creates report showed how heritage underpins the success of the creative industries. Post-event feedback showed the day’s impact, with 90% of attendees reporting they would apply discussions from the event in their professional context and over 80% identifying valuable connections made.

The day successfully balanced high-level policy content with practical insights. Baroness Twycross, now Heritage Minister, delivered a positive address to the sector which also marked her first opportunity to address heritage leaders. The inclusion of representatives from across the political spectrum- with a panel on heritage-led policymaking featuring Conservative shadow minister Lord Parkinson and Liberal Democrat shadow Baroness Bonham Carter alongside Historic England’s Chief Executive Duncan Wilson − OBE and HEF Task Group Chair Dr Ingrid Samuel OBE demonstrated our cross-party engagement and ensured the sector heard directly from decision-makers about heritage’s place in public policy solutions.

“ Heritage is creativity and creativity needs heritage... Just one of the many inspirational takeaways from yesterday’s brilliant Heritage Day 2025 at the stunning Tower of London. Collaboration was definitely the key word, and I look forward to following up on conversations

Sarah Holloway, Heritage Open Days

The integration of the Ecclesiastical Heritage Heroes Awards into the day’s programme, provided an inspiring celebration of volunteer contributions. The moving video showcasing all shortlisted entries reinforced the vital role of volunteers in sustaining the heritage sector. Social media engagement reflected the event’s success, with 106 posts from attendees across LinkedIn, Twitter, BlueSky, and Facebook amplifying key messages and insights from the day.

“ I was thrilled to learn I had won Ecclesiastical’s 2024 Lifetime Heritage Hero Award, award, as I view it as a tribute to my organisation. The Heritage Alliance, of which we are proud members, encourages appreciation and development of heritage in all its facets. Heritage plays a vital role in national life, preserving our sense of history and heritage sites, while increasing our knowledge of life, art and architecture in the past and its influence on the future.

Valerie Bello, Heritage Hero Winner and Community Volunteer of B’nai B’rith UK

Image: Valerie Bello delivers a speech after receiving the Ecclesiastical’s 2024 Lifetime Heritage Hero Award.

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Digital Innovation and Sector Engagement

Heritage Update maintained its position as the sector’s flagship information resource, with our fortnightly newsletter achieving an impressive 38% open rate-significantly above the 21% industry standard for professional newsletters. This consistent engagement from 6,566 direct subscribers, and over 16,000 indirect recipients, demonstrates the newsletter’s continued relevance and quality. Sponsored by Historic Houses Foundation, Heritage Update successfully balanced policy analysis, sector news, funding opportunities, and member achievements whilst maintaining accessibility for organisations of all sizes.

The newsletter’s effectiveness in driving sector-wide action was particularly evident during the election period and subsequent government transition. Our post-election briefings were some of our most popular publications of the year and equipped members with timely intelligence about the new administration’s priorities and potential implications for heritage. The quick turnaround of analysis of the − − King’s Speech published within 24 hours reinforced our reputation as the sector’s primary source for political analysis and strategic insight.

Our social media presence navigated significant platform challenges during the year. Following the US election and subsequent exodus of members and users from Twitter/X, we became early adopters of BlueSky, quickly establishing a presence whilst also maintaining our existing channels. Despite broader platform instability, our combined reach across nearly 38,000 followers enabled us to amplify member achievements, share sector news, and drive engagement with our campaigns. The Heritage Debate and Heritage Heroes campaigns proved particularly successful, with strong organic reach and engagement demonstrating the sector’s appetite for positive, collaborative content.

The introduction of a regular Members Event email provided enhanced communication channels for our growing membership, complementing our established fortnightly CEO’s member emails. This additional touchpoint enabled more targeted communication about networking opportunities, sector developments, and practical support offerings, strengthening the connection between the Alliance and our diverse membership base.

Publications and Strategic Resources

May 2024 saw the publication of On the Brink , our state-of-the-nation report collating 18 months of evidence on the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on our sector. Featuring case studies from the breadth of heritage alongside recent evidence on the value heritage contributes to the economy and society, the report provides a snapshot of the state of heritage in 2024 and sets out a powerful case for investment in our sector. The findings of this report were shared widely in sector trade press and at cross-sector events including WhatNext Culture, the Joint Committee of National Amenity Societies and the Historic Environment Forum. The evidence also fed into our 2024 Budget Representation and was shared widely with parliamentarians.

The launch of our Heritage Creates report at Heritage Day 2025 represented another significant step forward in delivering our advocacy and insight strategy for 2024-2025. This refreshed report, building on our 2019 research, highlighted the symbiotic relationship between heritage and the creative industries through compelling new case studies and updated evidence. From The Piece Hall in Halifax hosting world-class music events to filming at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, this report provides tangible examples of how heritage underpins creative sector success. The new Heritage Minister’s − − detailed engagement with the report sending specific questions about featured case studies indicated its effectiveness in reaching and influencing key decision-makers.

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Images: Covers of our two signature reports published in 2024-25: On the Brink (left) and Heritage Creates (right).

Our Heritage Manifesto continued to serve as an essential advocacy tool throughout the year. The spring 2024 refresh incorporated latest data from Historic England’s Heritage Counts and updated findings from our Cost-of-Living research, ensuring the document remained current and evidence-based. This wider adoption validated our approach to creating accessible, practical advocacy resources that serve the entire sector.

Throughout the year, our communications work successfully balanced multiple objectives: keeping the sector informed, amplifying member achievements, influencing decision-makers, and attracting new − organisations to our membership. The strength of engagement across all channels from Heritage − Update’s consistently high open rates to sold-out events and strong social media reach demonstrates that our communications continue to meet the sector’s needs whilst adapting to a rapidly changing political and digital landscape.

In 2024 we undertook a comprehensive consultation process to develop a formal values framework. This initiative engaged key stakeholders including staff members, trustees, and organisational members through focus groups and surveys. The resulting values statement (to be published in 2025) serves to reflect our institutional identity and guiding principles. Throughout the next financial year we aim to operationalise these values and develop guidance on their application to working practices. They will provide a foundational framework for the development of our next strategic plan for 2027-2032.

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3. Sustainability and Resilience

Building on our insights into the sector’s distinctive needs we will work in partnership with others to inspire and grow the capabilities of our members, the wider sector and the Heritage Alliance itself to be more sustainable and resilient.

The Heritage Alliance also demonstrated its commitment to building sector and organisational resilience through strategic programme delivery, evidence-based capability development, and continued investment in our own infrastructure. Our work this year positioned both the wider heritage sector and the Alliance itself to navigate ongoing challenges whilst seizing emerging opportunities.

Major Programme Delivery

The successful renewal of our Historic Environment Forum (HEF) hosting contract for a further three years represented a significant achievement, securing stability for this important sector coordination mechanism until 2028. The HEF’s work during 2024-25 focused heavily on developing the second iteration of the Heritage Sector Resilience Plan, a major undertaking involving extensive consultation across the sector. Through a series of focus groups engaging 43 participants, the HEF team gathered detailed insights on sector priorities across the plan’s cornerstones: skills, climate change, diversity and inclusion, governance, and policy embedding. The resulting plan, due for launch in early 2025-26, provides a coordinated roadmap for collaborative action across the historic environment sector.

The HEF’s engagement activities continued to provide valuable sector intelligence and knowledge exchange. The publication of 29 sector resilience interviews across themes including skills, climate change, EDI, governance, and policy created accessible resources for organisations seeking to learn from peers. The Net Zero Projects Audit research report, developed in partnership with the Green Skills in Heritage Task Group, provided practical tools and resources to support heritage organisations navigating the net zero landscape. The successful delivery of the Historic Environment Overview 2023/24, coordinating submissions from across the sector, reinforced HEF’s role as an authoritative source for sector-wide intelligence.

Carbon Literacy Training concluded successfully with all 268 participants completing the programme by December 2024. The program was devised by Historic England and delivered by the Alliance and the impressive 85% turnout rate across all sessions demonstrated strong sector engagement and the recognised value of this training initiative. By creating a shared language and approach to sustainability challenges, the programme fostered collaboration across diverse heritage organisations from major institutions to small volunteer-run sites. The success of the programme led to follow-on opportunities, including a commission from National Trust for Scotland to deliver training using in-house trained staff.

The Heritage Funding Directory, supported by the Historic Houses Foundation and run in partnership with the Architectural Heritage Fund, entered an exciting new phase with the appointment of UX design agency PixelFridge to deliver a comprehensive platform refresh. Following detailed user research involving current users, potential users, and funders, the design process focused on significantly improving accessibility and usability. The completion of the international funding entries integration into the main directory expanded the resource’s scope, making previously separate international opportunities readily searchable alongside domestic funding sources. This integration removes barriers for organisations seeking to diversify income through international partnerships and grants. The refreshed platform, scheduled for launch in mid-2025, will provide a modernised, accessible resource supporting financial sustainability across the heritage sector.

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Strategic Development and Capability Building

The development of our first comprehensive Capability-Building Strategy represented a watershed moment in the Alliance’s sector support work. Following extensive research including a sector-wide survey reaching 136 non-member respondents, focus groups with skills suppliers, and engagement through the Historic Environment Forum, we created an evidence-based roadmap for our sector support activities over the next five years. This strategic approach ensures future programmes will be precisely targeted to address pressing resilience issues whilst removing barriers to participation identified through our consultation process.

The strategy’s development process itself was an example of the Alliance’s unique convening power and sector insight. By systematically mapping current and emerging challenges, skills needs, and support gaps, we positioned ourselves to move from reactive, funding-led programme development to proactive, strategically-planned interventions. The strategy will inform not only our own work but also our contributions to the Heritage Sector Resilience Plan, particularly around workforce and organisational resilience priorities.

Our expert-led sessions programme underwent successful renewal during the year, with refreshed formats driving significantly increased attendance and positive member feedback. Sessions on commercial licensing, video content creation, and policy analysis provided practical, immediately applicable skills to heritage professionals. The HR clinic, offered in partnership with legal firm Bates Wells, provided valuable direct support to organisations navigating employment challenges.

“ …I was extremely grateful to the Heritage Alliance Members’ benefit of half an hour’s consultation with sponsors Bates Wells back in the summer, which gave me an idiot’s guide to the process buried in parliamentary website pages. Heritage Alliance Member

Member networking continued to thrive through multiple channels. Our CEO peer support groups maintained strong regular attendance, providing leaders of smaller heritage organisations with confidential spaces to share challenges and advice. The International and Archaeology special interest groups both continued to attract strong engagement, with the International group’s government speakers reflecting its growing profile as a valuable forum for connection, information and insight. The successful pilot of an in-person Spatial Planning Advocacy Group meeting at Letchworth Garden City marked an appetite for more place-based learning and deeper member connections.

Image: The Chelsea Physic Garden, London (Heritage Alliance member).

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Image: The Middleport Pottery in Stoke-on-Trent during Heritage Open Days (Heritage Alliance member).

Financial and Organisational Strength

The year delivered exceptional financial results in membership income. New member revenue of £23,000 exceeded our target of £18,000, with growth driven by larger organisations joining across target areas including landscape, crafts, and academic institutions. The recruitment of substantial organisations such as South Downs National Park Authority, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, and Heritage Crafts Association indicated the Alliance’s expanding reach across the breadth of heritage practice. Membership − levels rose over the year too, finishing on a total of 209 members an increase of 9 on the 23-24 total.

Our public events programme delivered additional annual income to help drive the Alliance’s sector support and strategic growth, matching the previous year’s performance despite compressed preparation timelines due to staff transitions. The combined Heritage Day and Heritage Debate events further demonstrated our efforts to diversify our income streams, and generated additional vital revenue to support our core activities. This consistency in events income, even whilst adapting formats and testing new approaches, shows both the strength of demand for the role we play in bringing the sector together, as well as the team’s effectiveness in delivery of our events programme.

Our focus on diversification of revenue streams continued with several successes on essential grant income. Our Historic England core grant was renewed in recognition of the Alliance’s value and impact. Whilst initial grant confirmation covered only one year due to the Comprehensive Spending Review

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209
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Image: Core membership composition.

timeline, Historic England acknowledged the value and support we provide for the sector. Additional grants from Historic Houses Foundation for the Heritage Funding Directory refresh and renewal of directory maintenance funding strengthened our financial position whilst enabling enhanced sector support.

The successful submission of our National Lottery Heritage Fund Resilience Grant expression of interest, progressing to full application stage, offers long-term potential for significant investment in strengthening our communications and connections functions. This application reflected strategic thinking about the Alliance’s own development needs, focusing on infrastructure improvement, team coaching, and piloting new engagement approaches. The results of the project bid are expected in summer 2025.

Infrastructure and Systems Modernisation

Significant progress was made in professionalising the Alliance’s operational infrastructure laid foundations for sustainable growth.

The successful migration to a new IT service provider marked the culmination of careful procurement and planning. The transition proceeded smoothly, maintaining business continuity whilst modernising our technical infrastructure. Related improvements to office connectivity, with new broadband cabling installed, resolved longstanding operational challenges.

− The recruitment of new team members across multiple roles including new trustees appointed at the February AGM, a new policy manager, policy officer, membership and events coordinator, and office manager - reflected the Alliance’s growing profile as an attractive workplace. Most significantly, our new Chair Carole Souter CBE formally joined the organisation in July 2024, succeeding our Acting Chair Dr Ingrid Samuel OBE who led the Alliance through an interim period. Our inclusive recruitment practices, including accessible information sessions for trustee candidates and skills-based selection processes, helped us to attract diverse, high-calibre candidates.

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4.Insight

We will develop and use our high quality, evidence-based insights into the sector and its value, impact, needs and aspirations, to lead innovation, enhance our advocacy and communications, and to support the sustainability, resilience and vibrancy of the sector.

The Heritage Alliance’s insight work provided intelligence that informed policy development, strengthened advocacy effectiveness, and equipped heritage organisations with the evidence and analysis needed to navigate a period of significant political and economic change. Our research, publications, and analysis demonstrated the power of combining rigorous evidence-gathering with accessible communication to drive sector understanding and influence decision-making.

Sector Intelligence and Research

The publication of On the Brink: Heritage in the Cost of Living Crisis , in May 2024 marked the culmination of 18 months of sustained research into the impact of economic pressures on heritage organisations. Following our earlier Cost-of-Living Data Desk work (October 2022-June 2023 supported by Historic England) and the third phase of Rebuilding Heritage, this comprehensive report brought together quantitative data, qualitative insights, and compelling case studies to illustrate the multifaceted challenges facing the sector.

Duncan Wilson OBE, CEO, Historic England

The report’s impact extended far beyond documentation of challenges. The report’s thematic approach − − covering funding pressures, energy costs, workforce challenges, and visitor income volatility provided accessible entry points for different audiences, from funders to policymakers to heritage practitioners. Case studies ranging from English Heritage’s partnership with food banks to innovative earned income models showed both sector vulnerability as well as remarkable ingenuity and resilience.

Our Heritage Creates 2025 report, launched at Heritage Day in March, provided fresh evidence of heritage’s symbiotic relationship with the creative industries. Building on our 2019 research, the refreshed report featured fifteen new case studies gathered from members, demonstrating partnerships across film, music, fashion, gaming, and cultural education. The report’s impact was immediate and tangible: the new Heritage Minister sent detailed questions about specific case studies, whilst Creative UK engaged with the research to strengthen heritage representation in their advocacy with the Creative Industries taskforce. The report successfully positioned heritage not as a passive backdrop for creative work but as an active contributor generating inspiration, skills, settings, and economic value.

Historic England-commissioned research on heritage sector recruitment patterns, conducted in partnership with Preservation Matters, provided valuable intelligence on workforce pipeline challenges. Analysing recruitment trends across conservation, archaeology, and heritage management roles during

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Image: Stourbridge, managed by the Canal & River Trust (Heritage Alliance member).

2023, the research identified critical issues around terminology standardisation, recruitment marketing effectiveness, and support for emerging professionals. Presentations to the Historic Environment Skills Forum in November stimulated productive discussion about sector-wide action, with professional bodies and Historic England considering recommendations for improved practice.

Our two major surveys during 2024-25 gathered insight into sector needs and perceptions. The Member Survey, gathering 99 responses, revealed that 50% of members now identified our crosssector representation as our primary unique selling point-a significant increase from 40% the previous year. This finding validated our strategic focus on unified sector advocacy during a period of political uncertainty. The Sector Support Survey, reaching 136 respondents from both members and nonmembers, provided further evidence for our Capability-Building Strategy development, mapping current challenges, skills gaps, and barriers to accessing support across the broader heritage landscape.

Data-Driven Advocacy

Our ability to provide rapid, authoritative analysis of political developments proved invaluable throughout the election period and subsequent government transition. The comprehensive manifesto analysis, delivered to members immediately upon publication of each party’s document, enabled heritage organisations to understand potential implications for heritage across the political spectrum.

Our King’s Speech analysis, published within 24 hours of the state opening of Parliament, exemplified our commitment to responsive insight provision. By quickly identifying heritage-relevant elements within

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new legislative programmes and translating complex policy language into practical implications, we empowered members to engage effectively with emerging opportunities and challenges. Similar rapid analysis of the Spring Statement helped organisations to quickly identify any fiscal implications and potential opportunities arising from government economic policy.

Our Budget work was a good example of the virtuous circle between insight gathering and advocacy delivery. The Autumn Budget briefing, informed by real-time feedback from members about their priorities and concerns, was delivered to multiple sector forums including the Historic Environment Forum, Joint Committee of National Amenity Societies, and through a dedicated member session. This multi-channel approach ensured our analysis reached diverse audiences whilst reinforcing consistent messages about heritage sector needs. The subsequent engagement of sector views fed directly into our Treasury submission ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review, providing decision-makers with current, credible evidence about sector challenges and investment priorities.

The integration of our Cost-of-Living research findings into advocacy materials throughout the year demonstrated effective knowledge translation. Statistics and case studies from On the Brink strengthened consultation responses, informed Budget representations, and provided compelling − evidence for ministerial meetings. This iterative approach gathering intelligence, publishing accessible − analysis, deploying insights in advocacy, and gathering further feedback created a continuous improvement cycle enhancing both our research and influence.

Image: The drawing room at Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire, a member of Historic Houses (Heritage Alliance Member).

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Leading the sector in new approaches and ways of thinking

Our Heritage Debate 2024, focussed on the topic of “Balancing the Books: How should the Heritage Sector be funded?”. This was extremely popular, and indicated the need within the sector to address and highlight critical issues. A decision to make the event free, and accessible to all, also made sure that a wide variety of organisations were able to engage and participate in this important discussion.

The coordination of twelve sector funding case studies with the Historic Environment Forum team provided lasting value extending beyond the live event. These practical examples - covering approaches from social investment and community equity to innovative earned income models - offered inspiration and guidance for organisations seeking to diversify funding sources.

Our professional presentation of the Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24 marked another step in enhancing how we communicate organisational performance and impact. By investing in design quality and accessibility, we transformed a compliance requirement into an engagement opportunity, making our work and achievements more visible to current and prospective members, funders, and partners.

Knowledge Exchange and Sector Support

Our policy briefing sessions evolved significantly during the year, with the “Election 101” and post-election sessions proving effective formats for translating complex political developments into accessible analysis. The post-election session proved to be very useful to the sector, and demonstrated the value of Alliance staff providing direct insight and analysis.

The “Policy Unpacked” series, initiated during the latter part of the year, created a regular mechanism for helping members understand budget announcements, legislative changes, and policy developments. The Autumn Budget session, delivered just days after the Chancellor’s statement, enabled rapid sector response and provided a time-saving analysis for our members. This responsiveness - combining speed with analytical depth - distinguished our offering from general political commentary or sector-agnostic analysis.

Public speeches and presentations across the year amplified our insights to diverse audiences. From the Museums and Heritage Show and HRBA’s Big Update to specific briefings for members our team shared intelligence and analysis across sector forums.

Image: The Heritage Alliance team exhibiting at the Museums + Heritage show

Image: Our Communications Manager at a Parliamentary reception in the House of Lords.

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Image: The Creative Campus at Chiswick House and Gardens, managed in partnership with English Heritage (Heritage Alliance member).

Our contributions to the Historic Environment Forum, Creative UK’s Trade Body Network, Whatnext Culture, and various government stakeholder groups foregrounded Alliance insights into collaborative sector activity and policy development. Regular participation in these forums, combined with our own research and member engagement, reinforced our understanding of both sector coordination as well as what emerging needs were coming out of the sector.

Throughout the year, our insight work demonstrated that effective research and analysis requires both − rigorous methodology and accessible communication. By combining these elements gathering robust evidence, translating findings into clear messaging, deploying insights strategically in advocacy, and − sharing knowledge widely across the sector we strengthened the heritage sector’s collective capacity to articulate its value, navigate challenges, and seize opportunities for positive change.

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Financial Review

The Statement of Financial Activities on page 27 shows total income for the organisation of £504,721, of which £190,155 was restricted income and £314,566 was unrestricted.

Unrestricted income was overall £26,476 higher than the previous year, including increases in membership subscription revenue of £30,949 as a result of member growth as well as membership price increases to address the relatively high inflationary environment, increased event income £4,870 (net of a reclassification of some general sponsorship income as event income, as it was in fact eventspecific sponsorship) offset by a drop off in advertising income and reduction in service (sector consultancy) work.

Restricted income was £75,300 lower than the previous year, predominantly due to the completion of the Rebuilding Heritage project, offset by increased project activity around some smaller projects (‘Cultural & Heritage Capital’, ‘Carbon Literacy’ and ‘Heritage Sector Recruitment Analysis’), as well as an increase in funding for HEF. Project income by its very nature is uneven and unpredictable, depending upon the project funding bid and award cycles set by project commissioners, so volatility of this kind is not unusual in this area. We are starting to see the commencement of a fresh cycle with The Heritage Alliance being awarded a new three-year hosting contract for HEF, commencing 1 April 2025, as well as a major award of project funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. These awards will be reflected in restricted income over the 2025-2028 period. The organisation is set up in such a way that the consequences of any marked drop off in project activity, which impact via a loss of core management fees charged out to projects, is tolerable without putting the core organisation at risk of failure.

Unrestricted costs decreased by an immaterial £733, largely attributable to inflationary pressures as experienced in the wider economy, largely offset by strong control of expenditure delivering individually modest but cumulatively significant savings on multiple General and Admin cost lines.

Governance costs are £4,991, predominantly comprising accountancy and examination costs, as well as reimbursed travel and accommodation expenses of trustees in connection with attendance at meetings. Project contributions to overheads labelled as transfers between funds (which relate to the management and support services provided by THA to projects from the Core team) were £40,792 compared to £67,919 in 2023/24, notwithstanding the growth in project activity in this year compared to the previous year, explained more fully above. This is due to a historic correction having been processed in 2023/24 covering the HEF project across the preceding six years artificially inflating the 2023/24 figure.

The net surplus for the year on unrestricted funds was £857, marginally up from £775 the previous year. It is expected that the volume of externally funded projects delivered in 2025/26 will show an increase compared to 2024/25 owing to the previously referenced award of the National Lottery project and the fresh HEF three-year hosting agreement being secured. A budget has been adopted for 2025/26 showing a range of results between £20.7k surplus to a £21.6k loss - this range is a product of generating two budgets, one (the weaker one) reflecting only 100% secured income, and the second reflecting income with an award likelihood of greater than 60%. In practice, historically, the organisation has always come in very much closer to the latter than the former, as projects and grants are often secured after the budget has been set. Even in the worst-case outcome, the organisation would still comfortably meet its Reserves Policy requirements.

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Image: Traction engine demonstration at Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire, a member of Historic Houses (Heritage Alliance Member).

Pay and remuneration are considered by a standing committee of the Board, which considers general pay round policies, as well as changes in headcount, fractionality and terms and conditions. The principal factors guiding the committee’s considerations around these matters are the CPIH index as at February each year alongside overall affordability assessments.

Trustees recognise that the financial sustainability of the organisation is an ongoing challenge and are continuing to implement more sophisticated reporting and planning measures to ensure that we are best able to plan effectively and to ensure that medium term income and expenditure is appropriately calibrated.

Trustee Training

Trustees receive induction and training to support effective governance and compliance. All new trustees are invited to attend an online induction session addressing mission and objectives, advocacy delivery, membership offering and strategy, communications strategy and financial framework including income model, cost base, distinction between restricted and unrestricted reserves, annual budgeting and Reserves Policy.

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Image: A performance at the Piece Hall in Halifax (Heritage Alliance member).

Future plans

Our current key strategic pillars are:

  1. Advocacy - Champion the needs and aspirations of the independent sector, persuading others, both private and public organisations, to support our specific policy objectives for the benefit of the sector and society at large.

  2. Communicating and Connecting - Maintain and develop high quality information resources on policy, good practice and research. Broker networking and collaboration within and beyond the sector to catalyse new ways of working, support shared learning and skills/career development; and promote the importance and value of the sector.

  3. Sustainability and Resilience - sectoral - Building on our insights into the sector’s distinctive needs we will work in partnership with others to inspire and grow the capabilities of our members, the wider sector Sustainability and Resilience - internal - The Heritage Alliance itself to be more sustainable and resilient.

  4. Insights - Develop and use our high quality, evidence-based insights into the sector and its value, impact, needs and aspirations, to lead innovation, enhance our advocacy and communications, and to support the sustainability, resilience and vibrancy of the sector.

In connection with the delivery of our strategic pillars, the trustees expect to continue providing advocacy services for the sector, including surveying members on priorities and concerns and acting as a twodirectional conduit around the impact of government policy proposals.

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We will enhance our membership offer by providing guidance on parliamentary communications, policy analysis, and hosting workshops and events with both online and strong in person content. Since the end of the financial year 24-25, we have been fortunate to have been awarded a resilience grant by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which will help support our strategic work both internally and externally, into 2027.

Financially, the organisation has delivered modest surpluses for the past seven years and, based on internal modelling, expects to continue balancing its budget over the next two years. Operational resilience remains a priority - we have strengthened our cyber security framework through a range of defensive measures, including enhanced testing and staff training, and we plan to implement improvements to our accounting and CRM systems over the next 18 months to ensure smooth integration between them. Our financial controls and planning continue to strengthen, and we believe we are building a resilient financial framework commensurate with our size.

Reserve Policy

Free reserves represent the total reserves available to the charity less those whose uses are restricted to specific purposes. The Charity’s policy is to hold nine months’ worth of core costs as reserves being deemed sufficient to enable the Alliance to meet its charitable and operational commitments in the event of a significant shortfall in income or the occurrence of significant operational risk. At the balance sheet date, free reserves totalled £338,739, being 109% of nine months’ estimated core expenditure for 2025/26 of £310,952.

Investments

The only investments held by the organisation are in the form of an interest-bearing deposit account. Cash balances in excess of current operating requirements mainly represent the holding of free reserves and are invested solely within the Charities Aid Foundation Gold deposit account to ensure their availability at short notice and to minimise any risk of depletion of capital value. The investment policy is reviewed by the Board from time to time to ensure a satisfactory return is achieved balanced against investment risk, with the organisation committed to a very low risk strategy.

Fundraising

The Heritage Alliance operates as a business-to-business organisation. Aside from institutional grant applications, its fundraising is primarily directed at current and potential member organisations and corporate partners, to generate membership subscriptions and sponsorship. Other fees are raised for event attendance and for advertising job vacancies. There are a small number of individual supporters, who typically decide to make a donation after attending a Heritage Alliance event. The Heritage Alliance does not actively seek out individual supporters for donations. No complaints have been received about any aspect of the Heritage Alliance’s fundraising.

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Statement of trustees’ responsibilities

The trustees (who are also the directors of The Heritage Alliance for the purposes 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), including FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland”.

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under company law the trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the parent charitable company and the group and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, of the charitable group for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that can disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the parent charitable company and the group 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 parent charitable company and the group and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

The annual report was approved by the trustees of the charity on .................... and signed on its behalf by: 16 December 2025

[Souter] |[Cavole] Signed by:

Mrs Carole Souter CBE

Trustee

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Independent Examiner’s Report to the trustees of The Heritage Alliance (‘the Group’)

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the consolidated accounts of the Group comprising The Heritage Alliance and its subsidiary undertakings for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the trustees of the group and also its directors for the purposes of company law you are responsible for the preparation of the consolidated accounts of The Heritage Alliance in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of The Heritage Alliance 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 consolidated accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

An independent examination does not involve gathering all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently does not cover all the matters that an auditor considers in giving their opinion on the accounts. The planning and conduct of an audit goes beyond the limited assurance that an independent examination can provide. Consequently I express no opinion as to whether the consolidated accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and my report is limited to those specific matters set out in the independent examiner’s statement.

Independent examiner’s statement

Since the Group’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.

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:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of The Heritage Alliance as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. the accounts 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

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  1. the accounts 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 accounts to be reached.

...................................... (Darn0039A2760827488... by:

Darren Perry BA (Hons) ACA DchA

Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales

Lowin House

Tregolls Road Truro

Cornwall TR1 2NA 16 December 2025 Date:.............................

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Docusign Envelope ID: 7FB01712-58BD-4AB1-BAB4-FDDF9EC52F69

Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities

Year Ended 31 March 2025

(Including Consolidated Income and Expenditure Account and Statement of Total Recognised Gains and Losses)

Note Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
Total
£
£
2025
£
Income and Endowments from:
Donations and legacies
3		 5,025
13
5,038
Charitable activities
4		 300,866
190,142
491,008
Investment income
5		 8,675
-
8,675
Total income 314,566
190,155
504,721
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
6		 (354,501)
(139,147)
(493,648)
Total expenditure (354,501)
(139,147)
(493,648)
Net (expenditure)/income (39,935)
51,008
11,073
Transfers between funds 40,792
(40,792)
-
Net movement in funds 857
10,216
11,073
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward 337,882
37,973
375,855
Total funds carried forward
15		 338,739
48,189
386,928

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The notes on pages 50 to 63 form an integral part of these financial statements

Docusign Envelope ID: 7FB01712-58BD-4AB1-BAB4-FDDF9EC52F69

Year Ended 31 March 2025

(Including Consolidated Income and Expenditure Account and Statement of Total Recognised Gains and Losses)

For comparative purposes

Note Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
Total
£
£
2024
£
Income and Endowments from:
Donations and legacies
3		 5,025
-
5,025
Charitable activities
4		 274,557
265,455
540,012
Investment income
5		 8,508
-
8,508
Total income 288,090
265,455
553,545
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
6		 (355,234)
(192,212)
(547,446)
Total expenditure (355,234)
(192,212)
(547,446)
Net (expenditure)/income (67,144)
73,243
6,099
Transfers between funds 67,919
(67,919)
-
Net movement in funds 775
5,324
6,099
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward 337,107
32,649
369,756
Total funds carried forward
15		 337,882
37,973
375,855

All of the group's activities derive from continuing operations during the above two periods.

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The notes on pages 50 to 63 form an integral part of these financial statements

Docusign Envelope ID: 7FB01712-58BD-4AB1-BAB4-FDDF9EC52F69

Consolidated Balance Sheet

31 March 2025

Note 2025 2024
£ £
Current assets
Debtors 12 82,154 40,413
Cash at bank and in hand 411,717 471,198
493,871 511,611
Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year 13 (106,943) (135,756)
Net assets 386,928 375,855
Funds of the group:
Restricted income funds
Restricted funds 48,189 37,973
Unrestricted income funds
Unrestricted funds 338,739 337,882
Total funds 15 386,928 375,855

The financial statements on pages 45 to 63 were approved by the trustees, and authorised for issue on 16 December 2025.................... and signed on their behalf by:

......................................... (Cal78E111FE077347C... by: Mrs C L Souter CBE Trustee

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The notes on pages 5 3 0 to 6 6 3 form an integral part of these financial statements

Docusign Envelope ID: 7FB01712-58BD-4AB1-BAB4-FDDF9EC52F69

Balance Sheet

31 March 2025

Note 2025 2024
£ £
Fixed assets
Investments 1 1
Current assets
Debtors 12 82,154 40,412
Cash at bank and in hand 411,717 471,198
493,871 511,610
Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year 13 (106,943) (135,756)
Net current assets 386,928 375,854
Net assets 386,929 375,855
Funds of the charity:
Restricted income funds
Restricted funds 48,189 37,973
Unrestricted income funds
Unrestricted funds 338,740 337,882
Total funds 15 386,929 375,855

For the year ending 31 March 2025 the company was entitled to exemption under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. The members have not required the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006. The directors acknowledge their responsibility for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and for the preparation of accounts. These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime. The company has taken the exemption in section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 and has not presented its individual Statement of Financial Activities. The company's net movement in funds for the financial year was £11,073 (2024 - £6,099).

The net movement in funds of the charity is the same as the group.

The financial statements on pages 45 to 63 were approved by the trustees, and authorised for issue on 16 December 2025.................... and signed on their behalf by:

......................................... (Cal78E111FE077347C... by: Mrs C L Souter CBE Trustee

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The notes on pages 50 to 63 form an integral part of these financial statements

Docusign Envelope ID: 7FB01712-58BD-4AB1-BAB4-FDDF9EC52F69

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows

Year Ended 31 March 2025

Note 2025
2024
£
£
11,073
6,099
(41,741)
(10,124)
(28,427)
30,603
(386)
(17,879)
(59,481)
8,699
(59,481)
8,699
471,198
462,499
411,717
471,198
Cash flows from operating activities
Net cash income
Working capital adjustments
Increase in debtors
12
(Decrease)/increase in creditors
13
Decrease in deferred income
Net cash flows from operating activities
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at 1 April
Cash and cash equivalents at 31 March

All of the cash flows are derived from continuing operations during the above two periods.

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The notes on pages 50 to 63 form an integral part of these financial statements

Docusign Envelope ID: 7FB01712-58BD-4AB1-BAB4-FDDF9EC52F69

Notes to the Financial Statements

Year Ended 31 March 2025

1 Charity status

The charity is limited by guarantee, incorporated in England & Wales, and consequently does not have share capital. Each of the members is liable to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 towards the assets of the charity in the event of liquidation.

The address of its registered office is:

Church of St Martin Within Ludgate Ludgate Hill London England EC4M 7DE

2 Accounting policies

Summary of significant accounting policies and key accounting estimates

The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented, unless otherwise stated.

Statement of compliance

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with 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) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)). They also comply with the Companies Act 2006 and Charities Act 2011.

Basis of preparation

The Heritage Alliance meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes.

Going concern

The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the group's ability to continue as a going concern nor any significant areas of uncertainty that affect the carrying value of assets held by the group. The recent financial performance and position has been discussed in the Trustees' Report. The accounts are prepared on the going concern basis.

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Judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty

In the application of the charity's accounting policies, which are described in this note, management is required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and underlying assumptions are based on historically known factors and experience. Therefore management do not perceive there to be any critical areas of judgement or key sources of estimation uncertainty in the formulation of the financial statements.

Any estimates and underlying assumptions used by management such as depreciation rates are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Any revision deemed to be required to any accounting estimates would be recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects only that period or in the period of the revision and future periods if the revision affects both current and future periods.

Income and endowments

All income (except membership fees) is recognised once the charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of the income receivable can be measured reliably.

Deferred income

Deferred income represents amounts received for future periods and is released to incoming resources in the period for which, it has been received. Such income is only deferred when:

Investment income

Bank interest is accounted for on a receivable basis, as are grants from funders.

Charitable activities

Subscriptions are based on a calendar year and are accounted for on a receivable basis. Therefore three quarters of the income received from these subscriptions has been deferred until the 2025/26 financial year.

Expenditure

All expenditure directly relating to the objectives of the charity is included in Charitable Activities. Support costs represent expenditure incurred in the management of the charity's activities. Expenditure which cannot be allocated directly is apportioned on the basis of staff time.

Charitable activities

Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.

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Support costs

Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Governance costs

Governance costs relate to the direct costs associated with the constitutional and statutory requirements of the Alliance and include the costs of the independent examination and other constitutional related costs.

Taxation

The charity is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.

Fixed asset investments

At year end the charity owned all of the issued ordinary share capital, consisting of 1 ordinary shares of £1 each, of the Heritage Alliance Trading Limited, a company registered in the UK, whose purpose was the delivery of the Discovering Places project and which has now become dormant.

Stock

Stock is valued at the lower of cost and estimated selling price less costs to complete and sell, after due regard for obsolete and slow-moving stocks.

Fund structure

Unrestricted funds comprise the general funds of the charity. General funds are available for use at the Trustees' discretion in furtherance of the general objectives of the Charity and have not been designated for other purposes.

Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by the donors or which have been raised by the charity for particular purposes. The purpose of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

Pensions and other post-retirement obligations

The Charity contributes to the personal pension arrangements for certain employees. Any cost of providing pensions for employees is charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the year in which the contributions are paid.

All employer contributions are made into Defined Contribution schemes. The Heritage Alliance has no involvement in, or liabilities towards, any Defined Benefit scheme.

Financial instruments

Classification

The charity holds the following financial instruments:

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All financial instruments are classified as basic.

Recognition and measurement

The charity has chosen to apply the recognition and measurement principles in FRS102.

Financial instruments are recognised when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument and derecognised when in the case of assets, the contractual rights to cash flows from the assets expire or substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership are transferred to another party, or in the case of liabilities, when the charity's obligations are discharged, expire or are cancelled.

Such instruments are initially measured at transaction price, including transaction costs, and are subsequently carried at the undiscounted amount of the cash or other consideration expected to be paid or received, after taking account of impairment adjustments.

3 Income from donations and legacies

Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
Total		 Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
Total
General
funds
2025
£
£
£
Donations and legacies
Donations from individuals 5,025
13
5,038
5,025
13
5,038
Unrestricted
funds
Total
General
2024
£
£
Donations and legacies
Donations from individuals 5,025
5,025
5,025
5,025

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Docusign Envelope ID: 7FB01712-58BD-4AB1-BAB4-FDDF9EC52F69

4 Income from charitable activities

Unrestricted
general funds
Restricted funds
Total
£
£
2025
£
Grants 90,243
177,896
268,139
Subscriptions 128,204
5,454
133,658
Services -
2,406
2,406
Advertising income 2,105
-
2,105
Sponsorship 20,950
-
20,950
Income from events 59,364
4,386
63,750
300,866
190,142
491,008
Unrestricted
general funds
Restricted funds
Total
£
£
2024
£
Grants 91,311
258,174
349,485
Subscriptions 97,255
3,749
101,004
Services 4,221
-
4,221
Advertising income 6,325
-
6,325
Sponsorship 43,800
190
43,990
Income from events 31,645
3,342
34,987
274,557
265,455
540,012

5 Investment income

Unrestricted
funds
Total
General
2025
£
£
Other investment income 8,675
8,675
8,675
8,675
Unrestricted
funds
Total
General
2024
£
£
Other investment income 8,508
8,508
8,508
8,508

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Docusign Envelope ID: 7FB01712-58BD-4AB1-BAB4-FDDF9EC52F69

6 Expenditure on charitable activities

Unrestricted
general funds
Restricted
Total
Total
£
£
2025
2024
£
£
244,915
124,170
369,085
350,169
-
14,977
14,977
92,136
104,595
-
104,595
100,798
4,991
-
4,991
4,343
354,501
139,147
493,648
547,446
Activity
undertaken
directly
Activity support
costs
2025
2024
£
£
£
£
384,062
109,586
493,648
547,446
Salaries and National Insurance
Project expenses
Support costs
Governance costs
Heritage projects

Included within the expenditure analysed above, there are also governance costs of £4,991 (2024 - £4,343). See note 7 for further details.

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Docusign Envelope ID: 7FB01712-58BD-4AB1-BAB4-FDDF9EC52F69

7 Analysis of governance and support costs

Charitable activities expenditure

Unrestricted
general funds
Total
Total
£
2025
2024
£
£
27,222
27,222
15,930
23,056
23,056
23,040
81
81
2,322
789
789
691
657
657
742
1,910
1,910
2,089
1,405
1,405
2,005
19,611
19,611
16,295
17,442
17,442
24,725
828
828
802
414
414
457
11,180
11,18
11,700
4,991
4,991
4,343
109,586
109,586
105,141
Salaries and National Insurance
Rent, rates and services
Professional fees
Printing, postage and stationery
Telephone
Travel and subsistence
Insurance
Other expenses
Subscriptions to external bodies
AGM, national and regional events
Bank charges
Computer expenses
Governance costs

Governance costs

Unrestricted
general funds
Total
Total
£
2025
2024
£
£
1,250
1,250
1,000
3,500
3,500
3,343
241
241
-
4,991
4,991
4,343
Independent examiner fees
Examination of the financial statements
Other fees paid to examiners
Trustees remuneration and expenses

The above includes the fee for the subsidiary company Heritage Alliance Trading Limited.

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Docusign Envelope ID: 7FB01712-58BD-4AB1-BAB4-FDDF9EC52F69

8 Trustees' remuneration and expenses

4 trustees received reimbursements of travel and subsistence expenses in the current year totalling £241 (2024 - £448).

No trustees, nor any persons connected with them, have received any remuneration from the group during the year.

9 Staff costs

The aggregate payroll costs were as follows:

2025
2024
£
£
346,258
319,715
29,513
24,344
20,536
17,790
396,307
361,849
Staff costs during the year were:
Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Pension costs

The monthly average number of persons (including senior management team) employed by the group during the year expressed as average headcount was as follows:

2025
2024
No.
No.
10
11
Full and part time employees

10 (2024 - 11) of the above employees participated in the Defined Contribution Pension Schemes.

No employee received emoluments of more than £60,000 during the year.

The number of employees whose emoluments fell within the following bands was:

2024
No.
1
Full and part time employees

The total employee benefits of the key management personnel of the group were £187,975 (2024 - £80,685).

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Docusign Envelope ID: 7FB01712-58BD-4AB1-BAB4-FDDF9EC52F69

10 Taxation

The group is a registered charity and is therefore exempt from taxation.

11 Fixed asset investments

Charity

Shares in group undertakings and participating interests

Subsidiary
undertakings
Total
£
£
Cost
At 1 April 2024 1
1
At 31 March 2025 1
1
Net book value
At 31 March 2025 1
1

Details of undertakings

Details of the investments in which the charity holds 20% or more of the nominal value of any class of share capital are as follows:

Undertaking Country of
incorporation		 Holding Proportion of voting rights
and shares held		 Proportion of voting rights
and shares held		 Principal
activity
2025 2024
Subsidiary undertakings
Heritage Alliance
Trading Limited		 England and
Wales		 Ordinary shares 100% 100% Dormant company

The address of its registered office is: St Martin Ludgate, Ludgate Hill, London, England, EC4M 7DE.

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Docusign Envelope ID: 7FB01712-58BD-4AB1-BAB4-FDDF9EC52F69

12 Debtors

Group
Charity
2025
2024
2025
2024
£
£
£
£
Trade debtors 58,479
30,994
58,479
30,994
Prepayments 14,537
6,765
14,537
6,765
Other debtors 9,138
2,654
9,137
2,653
82,154
40,413
82,153
40,412

13 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

Group
Charity
2025
2024
2025
2024
£
£
£
£
Trade creditors 7,459
23,096
7,459
23,096
Other creditors 2,072
15,450
2,072
15,450
Accruals 21,283
20,695
21,283
20,695
Deferred income 76,129
76,515
76,129
76,515
106,943
135,756
106,943
135,756

Deferred income

Group 2025
£
(76,515)
76,129
76,515
76,129
2025
£
(76,515)
76,129
76,515
76,129
Deferred income at 1 April 2024
Resources deferred in the period
Amounts released from previous periods
Deferred income at 31 March 2025
Charity
Deferred income at 1 April 2024
Resources deferred in the period
Amounts released from previous periods
Deferred income at 31 March 2025

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Docusign Envelope ID: 7FB01712-58BD-4AB1-BAB4-FDDF9EC52F69

14 Commitments

Group

Other financial commitments

The group and charity has an operating lease commitment.

The total amount of commitment not provided in the financial statements was £31,167 (2024 - £31,167).

15 Funds

Group and Charity

Balance at 1
April 2024		 Incoming
resources		 Incoming
Resources
expended		 Transfers Balance at 31
March 2025		 Balance at 31
£ £ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
Unrestricted funds
General
General
Charity and group
Charity and group		 337,882
337,882		 314,566
314,566		 (354,501)
(354,501)		 40,792
40,792		 338,739
338,739
Restricted funds
Restricted funds
C & HC
C&HC		 -
-		 5,143
5,143		 -
-		 (5,143)
(5,143)		 -
-
Carbon Literacy
Carbon Literacy		 3,04
3,040		 11,797
11,797		 (6,868)
(6,868)		 (75)
(75)		 7,894
7,894
Heritage Funding Directory Project
Heritage Funding Directory Project		 -
-		 6,563
6,563		 (5,563)
(5,563)		 (1,000)
(1,000)		 -
-
Historic Religious Buildings Alliance
Historic Religious Buildings Alliance		 17,923
17,923		 9,853
9.853		 (5,616)
(5,616)		 (3,303)
(3,303)		 18,857
18,857
HEF Capacity Building
HEF Capacity Building		 16,009
16,009		 142,36
142,360		 (111,614)
(111,614)		 (26,318)
(26,318)		 20,437
20,437
HE Recruitment
HE Recruitment		 -
-		 14,439
14,439		 (9,486)
(9,486)		 (4,953)
(4,953)		 -
-
Rebuilding
Rebuilding		 1,001
1,001		 -
-		 -
-		 -
-		 1,001
1,001
Total restricted funds
Total restricted funds		 37,973
37,973		 190,155
190,155		 (139,147)
(139,147)		 (40,792)
(40,792)		 48,189
48,189
Total funds
Totalfunds		 375,855
375,855		 504,721
504,721		 (493,648)
(493,648)		 -
-		 386,928
386,928

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Balance at 1
April 2023		 Incoming
resources		 Incoming
Resources
expended		 Transfers Balance at 31
March 2024		 Balance at 31
March 2024
£ £ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
Unrestricted funds
General
General
Charity and group
Charity and group		 337,107
337,107		 288,09
288,090		 (355,234)
(355,234)		 67,919
67,919		 337,882
337,882
Restricted funds
Restricted funds
Carbon Literacy
Carbon Literacy		 -
-		 5,203
5,203		 (2,163)
(2,163)		 -
-		 3,040
3,040
Cost Of Living
CostOf Living		 (6,064)
(6,064)		 16,010
16,010		 (2,573)
(2,573)		 (7,373)
(7,373)		 -
-
Heritage Funding Directory Project
Heritage Funding Directory Project		 2,145
2,145		 2,800
2,800		 (835)
(835)		 (4,110)
(4,110)		 -
-
Historic Religious Buildings Alliance
Historic Religious Buildings Alliance		 18,344
18,344		 7,023
7,023		 (4,141)
(4,141)		 (3,303)
(3,303)		 17,923
17,923
HEF Capacity Building
HEF Capacity Building		 6,454
6,454		 130,499
130,499		 (95,197)
(95,197)		 (25,747)
(25,747)		 16,009
16,009
Innovation
Innovation		 11,814
11,814		 12,493
12,493		 (17,969)
(17,969)		 (6,338)
(6,338)		 -
-
Other
Other		 31
31		 56
56		 -
-		 (87)
(87)		 -
-
Rebuilding
Rebuilding		 (75)
(75)		 91,371
91,371		 (69,334)
(69,334)		 (20,961)
(20,961)		 1,001
1,001
Total restricted funds
Total restricted funds		 32,649
32,649		 265,455
265,455		 (192,212)
(192,212)		 (67,919)
(67,919)		 37,973
37,973
Total funds
Totalfunds		 369,756
369,756		 553,545
553,545		 (547,446)
(547,446)		 -
-		 375,855
375,855

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The specific purposes for which the funds are to be applied are as follows:

  1. C & HC, as part of the wider DCMS Culture and Heritage Capital programme, we are consulting on a Historic England-led a project to develop a new classification framework of arts, culture and heritage. This project is seeking to develop a framework and taxonomy to better articulate the benefits arts, culture and heritage deliver to society. The Heritage Alliance is advising Historic England on the communications and engagement elements of this project, helping them to share and involve the wider sector with the project through our channels.

  2. Carbon Literacy Literacy is a newly awarded project supporting Historic England to market and deliver (including all management and administration activity) carbon literacy training to staff and organisations across the heritage sector.

  3. Heritage Funding Directory project consists of the ongoing maintenance of a free online directory of sources for heritage funds is supported by a generous grant of £2,800 p.a. from the Historic Houses Foundation.

  4. The Historic Religious Buildings Alliance, is a dedicated voluntary organisation housed within the wider Heritage Alliance. It is an interfaith and cross denominational forum which has functioned on an entirely voluntary basis since April 2011. Membership fees were introduced in 2013 to enable the Group to meet various costs such as its annual meeting, direct administration costs and management charges from The Heritage Alliance.

  5. HEF Capacity Building is a forum funded by Historic England and managed by The Heritage Alliance. It brings together senior members of staff from public and non-government bodies to work collaboratively on strategic matters for the historic environment sector in England.

  6. HE Recruitment Sector, Recruitment Analysis was a research project commissioned by Historic England on behalf of the Historic Environment Skills Forum to investigate sector recruitment, analyse the number and type of heritage roles recruited for, and classify the range of knowledge, skills and experience required for those roles.

  7. Rebuilding Heritage was a sector support project (2020-2023) funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund which offered targeted support to help heritage organisations to respond to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Cost-of-Living Crisis. It provided 1:1 support, training and resources on a range of related topics supporting organisational resilience.

  8. Cost-of-Living was a 9-month evidence desk (2022-2023) funded by Historic England to gather insights into how the crisis has affected the sector.

  9. Innovation refers to a 6-month program funded by a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of their new ‘Innovation: Explore’ fund. This grant enabled The Heritage Alliance to investigate the challenges and opportunities in accessing resources and improve wayfinding of non-heritage resources for heritage organisations.

Transfers from restricted to unrestricted funds represent an agreed percentage contribution from the funds towards general charity overheads as per grant agreements.

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Docusign Envelope ID: 7FB01712-58BD-4AB1-BAB4-FDDF9EC52F69

16 Analysis of net assets between funds

Group

Unrestricted Total funds at
funds Restricted 31 March
General funds 2025
£ £ £
Current assets 445,682 48,189 493,871
Current liabilities (106,943) - (106,943)
Total net assets 338,739 48,189 386,928
Unrestricted Total funds at
funds Restricted 31 March
General funds 2024
£ £ £
Current assets 434,757 76,854 511,611
Current liabilities (96,875) (38,881) (135,756)
Total net assets 337,882 37,973 375,855

17 Related party transactions

Group and Charity

At the year end a trade debtor balance of £50 was due to the charity by a trustee on normal commercial terms. This balance was fully paid post year end.

There were no other related party transactions in the year.

18 Control

The ultimate controlling party is the Trustees.

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Docusign Envelope ID: 7FB01712-58BD-4AB1-BAB4-FDDF9EC52F69