Company Registration No: 4585197 Charity No: 1096454
THE SAINSBURY ARCHIVE
ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
31 MARCH 2025
1
THE SAINSBURY ARCHIVE (A Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity) 31 MARCH 2025
| CONTENTS | CONTENTS | PAGE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Report of the Trustees | 1 - 5 |
| 2 | Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities for the Financial Statements | 6 |
| 3 | Independent Examiner’s Report | 7 |
| 4 | Statement of Financial Activities | 8 |
| 5 | Balance Sheet | 9 |
| 6 | Notes to the Accounts | 10 |
Report and Accounts – 31 March 2025
2
(A Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity) 31 MARCH 2025
THE SAINSBURY ARCHIVE
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
Legal and Administrative
The Sainsbury Archive was formed as a company limited by guarantee on 8 November 2002 by a Memorandum of Association. The company registration number is 4585197. The company is incorporated in the United Kingdom.
The company was registered with the Charity Commission on 11 March 2003. The charity registration number is 1096454. The Charity is registered in England and Wales.
Trustees/ Directors Timothy Fallowfield (Chairman) Mark Given David Hay Francesca Perrin Alex Sainsbury Mark Sainsbury Company Secretary Timothy Fallowfield Registered 33 Holborn Office London EC1N 2HT Bankers Royal Bank of Scotland 119-121 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6RA Solicitors BDB Pitmans LLP 1 Bartholomew Close, London EC1 7BL Independent Examiner Noelia Serrano, FCA Sayer Vincent LLP, 110 Golden Lane, London EC1Y 0TG Objects and Activities The object of The Sainsbury Archive is to advance education for the public benefit by collecting, maintaining and displaying items and documents relating to the history of J Sainsbury plc and the family of John James Sainsbury. Organisation The Trustees meet regularly. Day to day maintenance of the financial records of the Charity is carried out by the Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts’ office at The Peak, 5 Wilton Road, London SW1V 1AP.
Report and Accounts – 31 March 2025
3
(A Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity) 31 MARCH 2025
THE SAINSBURY ARCHIVE
The Trustees present their report and the unaudited financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.
The reference and administrative information set out on page 2 forms part of this report. The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the memorandum and articles of association, the requirements of a directors’ report as required under company law, and the Statement of Recommended Practice - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: SORP applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS 102.
Review of the Year and Future Plans
It was a successful year for the Archive and a number of projects were progressed. The focus of this year was work to assess the uncatalogued accessions in the collection. As part of this a number of items were identified for removal from the collection and a list of cataloguing priorities was created. Work continued with the indexing of the digitised material so that records can be linked together on the website.
It was also a good year for the Archive’s outreach work, with the team carrying out a number of sessions in conjunction with the National Activity Providers Association and outreach practitioners Interference Art to evaluate the archive’s dementia pack. Furthermore, a number of other activities took place including online ‘Lunch and Learn’ sessions, in-person displays, and tours of the exhibition space.
The Archive’s web resources attract substantial numbers of visitors; the digitised JS Journal collection provides a valuable historical source, and selections from the paper, audio, film and video collection have been transferred to a digital format, both to preserve them and to make them more accessible. The online catalogue now makes it possible to access more than 100,000 catalogue descriptions and digital images from the Archive. Over the year, further material was added to the website including images from the Brian Shuel collection of images he took for the JS journal in the 1960s. This covers a number of aspects of the company’s activities, including images of the 100th anniversary celebrations and images of butter making.
Discussions are continuing with regards to moving the Archive to the new Museum of London site at Smithfield’s, which is expected to open by 2026.
As at 31st March 2025, the Archive was in the process of recruiting a new trustee to join the Board.
The above report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
Report and Accounts – 31 March 2025
4
THE SAINSBURY ARCHIVE (A Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity) 31 MARCH 2025
Charity and Public Benefit
The Trustees are aware of the Charity Governance Code, as updated in 2020, which sets out the principles and recommended practice for good governance within the sector. The trustees recognise that a commitment to meeting the charity’s public benefit is an ongoing requirement and have due regard to it. The Charity has reviewed its governance arrangements against the principles within the code and believes that it is compliant with the code whilst maintaining its need to operate its governance efficiently.
The Sainsbury Archive, which is open without charge, is visited not only by the public generally but also by students, teachers and other academic researchers interested in Britain’s food retailing heritage. The Archive, as referred to elsewhere in the Trustees’ Report, provides an invaluable insight and educational resource into the way in which retailing and shopping habits have changed since the mid-19th century, as well as providing valuable information on the nation’s eating habits over that period, and to that extent it is unique. Not only can the Archive be visited, but there is on-line access to the Archive catalogue, the JS Journal collection and an extensive website. Access to the website can be found at www.sainsburyarchive.org.uk.
Risk Assessment
The Trustees have examined the major strategic, business and operational risks to which the Charity may be exposed, and systems are in place adequate to meet such potential risks as the Trustees have identified. The Trustees continue to be vigilant and to keep processes under review.
The Trustees identified the willingness of funders to continue their support to constitute a significant risk. This is mitigated by ongoing review of financial forecasts and the confirmation of support by the key donors over several years.
A further significant risk is the physical risks to the materials in the Archive (from fire, theft etc) which is mitigated by housing the Archive in the Museum of London, with reliance on the Museum’s infrastructure and procedures. Representatives of the Museum of London attend trustee meetings to address any concerns which may arise in this area.
Reserves and going concern
Reserves are held to facilitate the smooth running of the Archive, and the Trustees aim to maintain a level that, with known income flows, will sufficiently cover current and future expenditure. The Trustees review the reserves policy annually and are satisfied that this policy will continue to enable the Archive to meet its obligations as they fall due. At the end of the year, free reserves totalled £247,082 (2024: £235,532).
There are no material uncertainties about the Archive's ability to continue as a going concern.
Report and Accounts – 31 March 2025
5
(A Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity) 31 MARCH 2025
THE SAINSBURY ARCHIVE
Financial Review
The net surplus for the year was £11,550 (2024: £3,423) which, when added to the brought forward reserves of £235,532, resulted in a surplus on unrestricted reserves of £247,082 at 31 March 2025.
Grants received in the year comprised £108,760 (2024: £104,948) from J Sainsbury plc and £180,000 (2024: £180,000) from the Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts. Details of individual entities are listed in Note 4.
Appointment and Training of Trustees
Article 27 of the Articles of Association sets out the minimum (three) and maximum (currently eight) number of Trustees and the nomination of Trustee provisions. Article 38 of the Articles of Association states that the Trustees may appoint a person who is willing to be a Trustee, either to fill a vacancy or as an additional Trustee, provided that the appointment does not cause the number of Trustees to exceed any number fixed in accordance with the Articles as the maximum number of Trustees. Training is given to new Trustees as necessary.
Report and Accounts – 31 March 2025
6
THE SAINSBURY ARCHIVE (A Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity) 31 MARCH 2025
STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Trustees (who are also Directors of The Sainsbury Archive for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
-
Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently
-
Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP
-
Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent
-
State whether applicable UK Accounting Standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements
-
Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company 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 charitable company 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 in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
Approved by the Board on 14 October 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
Timothy Fallowfield Chairman
Report and Accounts – 31 March 2025
7
(A Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity) 31 MARCH 2025
THE SAINSBURY ARCHIVE
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE SAINSBURY ARCHIVE
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Sainsbury Archive for the year ended 31 March 2025.
This report is made solely to the trustees as a body, in accordance with the Charities Act 2011. My examination has been undertaken so that I might state to the trustees those matters I am required to state to them in an independent examiner's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the trustees as a body, for my examination, for this report, or for the opinions I have formed.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the Company, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’). Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company 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 charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’) and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
Independent examiner’s statement
Since the Company’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 the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
-
Accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act: or
-
The accounts do not accord with those records; or
-
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
-
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.
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.
Signed:
Name: Noelia Serrano, FCA Address: Sayer Vincent LLP, 110 Golden Lane, London, EC1Y 0TG Date: 5 December 2025
Report and Accounts – 31 March 2025
8
(A Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity) 31 MARCH 2025
THE SAINSBURY ARCHIVE
Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 March 2025
| Notes Income: Grants receivable 4 Interest and other income Total income Expenditure: Expenditure on charitable activities 5 Total expenditure Net income and net movements in funds for the year Reconciliation of funds Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward |
Unrestricted Funds 2025 £ 288,760 4,983 293,743 282,193 282,193 11,550 235,532 247,082 |
Unrestricted |
|---|---|---|
| Funds | ||
| 2024 | ||
| £ | ||
| 284,948 | ||
| 3,735 | ||
| 288,683 | ||
| 285,260 | ||
| 285,260 | ||
| 3,423 | ||
| 232,109 | ||
| 235,532 |
The statement of fianacial activities includes all gains and lossess recognised in the year.
All income and expenditure derives from continuing activities.
All income in the current and prior year was unrestricted.
Report and Accounts – 31 March 2025
9
(A Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity) 31 MARCH 2025
THE SAINSBURY ARCHIVE
COMPANY NUMBER 4585197
BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2025
| FIXED ASSETS CURRENT ASSETS Cash at bank and in hand Total Current Assets LIABILITIES Creditors -amounts falling due within 1 year Net Current Assets NET ASSETS The funds of the charity: Unrestricted income funds TOTAL CHARITY FUNDS |
Notes 7 |
2025 £ - 389,996 389,996 (142,914) 247,082 247,082 247,082 247,082 |
2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| £ | |||
| - | |||
| 383,400 | |||
| 383,400 (147,868) |
|||
| 235,532 | |||
| 235,532 | |||
| 235,532 | |||
| 235,532 |
The opinion of the Trustees is that the company is entitled to the exemptions conferred by Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
The Trustees acknowledge the following responsibilities:
(i) The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476
(ii) The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts
Approved by the Trustees on 14 October 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
Timothy Fallowfield
Chairman
The notes on pages 10 to 15 form part of these accounts.
Report and Accounts – 31 March 2025
10
THE SAINSBURY ARCHIVE (A Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity) 31 MARCH 2025
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
1. Statutory
The charity is a company limited by guarantee (registered number 04585197), which is incorporated and domiciled in the UK, and is a public benefit entity. The address of the registered office is 33 Holborn, London, EC1N 2HT.
2. Accounting Policies
The principal accounting policies adopted, judgments and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows:
a) Basis of preparation
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), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006 and UK Generally Accepted Practice.
The Sainsbury Archive meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.
In the view of the Trustees, there are no material uncertainties casting doubt on the going concern of the charity.
Having assessed the Trust's financial position and plans for the foreseeable future, the Trustees are satisfied that it remains appropriate to prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis.
b) Income recognition
Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and that the amount can be measured reliably.
c) Expenditure on charitable activities
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. The Trustees consider that the collection, maintenance and display of items and documents relating to the history of J Sainsbury plc and its trading activities is the Charity’s sole charitable activity.
Report and Accounts – 31 March 2025
11
THE SAINSBURY ARCHIVE
(A Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity) 31 MARCH 2025
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
(continued)
d) Depreciation/fixed assets
Depreciation costs are allocated to activities on the basis of the use of the related assets in those activities. Assets are reviewed for impairment if circumstances indicate their carrying value may exceed their net realisable value and value in use. Major components are treated as a separate asset where they have significantly different patterns of consumption of economic benefits and are depreciated separately over its useful life.
Fixed assets comprise computer equipment and are depreciated over 3 years. Assets are capitalised where the purchase price exceeds £2,500.
e) Financial Instruments
The charity has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind
that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective instrument method. Financial assets held at amortised cost comprise cash at bank and in hand. Financial liabilities held at amortised cost comprise accruals. At the balance sheet date, the charity held financial liabilities at amortised cost of £142,914 (2024: £147,868).
f) Cash and cash equivalents
Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
g) Creditors
Creditors are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.
Report and Accounts – 31 March 2025
12
THE SAINSBURY ARCHIVE
(A Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity) 31 MARCH 2025
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
(continued)
h) Heritage assets
The Charity has collected assets related to the history of J Sainsbury plc and its trading activities, which are being displayed at the Museum of London. Articles held by the Archive include examples of historical packaging, signage, photographs, customer magazines and other physical examples of the day-to-day activities of the running of Sainsbury stores and its interaction with the public. Other examples also include first hand accounts of the experiences of staff members, customer magazines and marketing material.
The Archive also holds documents related to the operations of Sainsbury plc, including historical corporate information, finances, distribution networks and branch files. A full list of the categories under which articles are classified can be found at
www.sainsburyarchive.org.uk/catalogue/explore.No cost is associated with the collection and the cost of valuing items is considered to be onerous. The assets are considered to be of historical interest but have no realisable value, and the Archive has no intention at any time in the future to sell the collection. Therefore, no value is reflected in the Charity's balance sheet.
i) Income Tax
The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or Section 252 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects.
j) Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty
In the application of the charity's accounting policies, which are described above, Trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and underlying assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods if the revision affects the current and future periods.
In the view of the Trustees, no assumptions concerning the future or estimation uncertainty affecting assets and liabilities at the balance sheet date are likely to result in a material adjustment to their carrying amounts in the next financial year.
Report and Accounts – 31 March 2025
13
(A Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity)
THE SAINSBURY ARCHIVE
31 MARCH 2025
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
(continued)
3. Legal Status
-
a) The company is limited by guarantee and has no share capital.
-
b) The members undertake to contribute not more than £10 each if required in the event of a winding up of the company.
-
c) The company is registered under the Charities Act 2011 and is incorporated in England and Wales.
4. Grants Receivable
During the year, the Charity received grants from the following organisations:
| J Sainsbury plc The Alan and Babette Sainsbury Charitable Fund The Aurora Trust (previously The Ashden Trust) The Gatsby Charitable Foundation The Glass-House Trust The Headley Trust The Indigo Trust The JJ Charitable Trust The Linbury Trust The Mark Leonard Trust The Staples Trust The Tedworth Charitable Trust The Three Guineas Trust The True Colours Trust The Woodward Charitable Trust |
2025 2024 |
|---|---|
| £ £ 108,760 104,948 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 50,000 50,000 5,000 5,000 25,000 25,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 50,000 50,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 |
|
| 288,760 284,948 |
Report and Accounts – 31 March 2025
14
THE SAINSBURY ARCHIVE (A Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity) 31 MARCH 2025
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
(continued)
5. Analysis of Expenditure on Charitable Activities
| . Analysis of Expenditure on Charitable Activities | |
|---|---|
| Direct costs Archive running costs New project costs Support and governance costs Independent examination fee Sundry expenses |
2025 2024 |
| £ £ 233,053 238,171 45,449 43,665 3,600 3,420 91 4 |
|
| 282,193 285,260 |
Independent examiner's remuneration for the year is £3,600 including VAT.
The Charity employed no staff in the year (2024: nil)
No Trustees received remuneration, and one trustee was reimbursed expenses during the year for £88 (2024: nil).
6. Tangible Fixed Assets
| Cost At 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 Depreciation At 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 Net Book Value at 31 March 2025 Net Book Value at 31 March 2024 |
Archive Computer Material Equipment Total |
|---|---|
| £ £ £ 25 7,785 7,810 |
|
| 25 7,785 7,810 |
|
| - - - |
|
| - - - |
Report and Accounts – 31 March 2025
15
THE SAINSBURY ARCHIVE
(A Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity) 31 MARCH 2025
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
(continued)
7. Creditors
| Creditors | |
|---|---|
| Accruals Independent examination fee Other creditors |
2025 2024 |
| ~~£~~ ~~£~~ 139,311 144,448 3,600 3,420 3 - |
|
| 142,914 147,868 |
8. Commitments
The Charity has a legal agreement with the Museum of London Docklands to loan them the material of the Archive until 31 March 2026.
9. Related Party Transactions
Two of the Trustee/Directors are also Trustees of the Glass-House Trust, the JJ Charitable Trust and the Mark Leonard Trust.
One trustee was reimbursed expenses during the year for £88 (2024: nil).
Amounts included in Grants Receivable for the year includes amounts from the organisations named above, as itemised in Note 4 to the accounts.
Report and Accounts – 31 March 2025