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← Holgate Windmill Preservation Society

2025-03-31-accounts

COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER 05217005

HOLGATE WINDMILL

PRESERVATION SOCIETY

UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

CHARITY NUMBER 1106115

1

HOLGATE WINDMILL PRESERVATION SOCIETY

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

CONTENTS Page
Report of the Trustees 3
The Trustees
Objectives and Achievements
Activities and Performance
Financial Review
Risk Management
Plans for Future Periods
Responsibilities of the Trustees
Independent Examiner's Report 8
Statement of Financial Activities 9
Balance Sheet 10
Notes to the Financial Statements 11 - 16
Trading and Profit and Loss Account 17

2

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

THE TRUSTEES

The trustees who served the company during the period were as follows:

Jennifer Elizabeth Hartland– Chair Stephen Richard Potts – Secretary Rosemary Beatrice Hunt – Treasurer Richard Green Jennifer Margaret Hay Helen Hoult Mark Anthony William Hoult Alison Leadbetter Lesley Jane Jones Paul John Delamere

Resigned as trustees at the AGM on 26 November 2024

None

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

The Charity’s objectives are to restore, maintain and preserve the Holgate Windmill for the purpose of satisfying the cultural, historic, and educational needs of the local community and people of York.

The Society fulfils these objectives by

The Society’s accounts reflect these activities as follows:

3

ACHIEVEMENTS and PERFORMANCE

Another year, another AGM, and we find ourselves amongst a dwindling number of working windmills in the UK. Holgate continues to thrive, but we can never be complacent when we are at the mercy of so many variable factors: the weather, grain quality and supplies, the availability of volunteers, customers, visitors and the physical state of a 255 year-old mill. I think we have to remember to be grateful to the City of York Council for their trusting, laid-back attitude to our Society. Many of the mills that are struggling are under the direct ownership and management of local authorities, who are themselves struggling financially and put windmills very low down their priority lists.

Despite all that, we have been able to make some significant financial decisions, partly thanks to some very generous donations, and the fact that we are now over the crises of last year regarding insurance and electricity supply. I’ll tell you about those decisions later, as only one of them comes into the financial year dates of this report. Meanwhile, we offer many thanks to Rosy Hunt, who continues to be our faithful Treasurer.

As a miller, I’m going to go now to what I see as the heart of the windmill: making flour – ideally by wind-power, but sadly too often by electric motor. We now mill quite a variety of flours, having added rye and Oland wheat – both grown organically on the Wolds. We also try, when the wind allows, to mill wheat on the Peak Stones, which give a rather different texture to the flour, by milling the bran as finely as the rest of the grains. All these innovations are proving popular. And, we are now milling and selling very nearly as much spelt as wheat, with two wholesale outlets buying from us in bulk, as well as 1kg bags flying off the shelves on open days.

Talking of Open Days, we still haven’t resolved the knotty problem of when to open. Obviously our visitors love to see the mill in action. However, it is a small space and the more visitors the harder it is to mill. At the same time we are finding that Saturday and Bank Holiday open days are hard to staff and also sometimes attract very few visitors. We keep looking for the solution ...

The past year has also been quite challenging when it comes to acquiring grain of a suitable quality – you can’t just carry on expecting exactly the same grain from the same source year after year. Without going into details, we did have to abandon around a third of a tonne of wheat and look for a new supply.

We couldn’t use the mill the way we do without the loyal attention of our millwright, Dave Andrews, and the team who support him. We keep the mill in tip-top condition with the usual combination of regular maintenance and repair work. Just recently we had to do another scaffolding tower job and replace a length of a sail frame. After this, I decided that it would be useful to produce charts for each sail showing all the repairs that have been carried out to date. Some of them are fairly alarming, and that question hovers around: for just how long do we carry on repairing these sails? Santa came to the mill in 2024 and brought a wonderful chest of drawers, made in oak by Steve Batty, to match the unit under the stairs. It fits in beside the ‘front’ door and has drawers for all the tools we use. It’s transformed maintenance days. Then, of course, Santa came again to the mill and, despite appalling weather, children poured in with the usual mixture of excitement, anticipation and wonder at the whole experience.

Over the past year or so we, we have moved towards far more group working and decision making. It’s taking a while to establish – and the relationship with the Trustees’ committee is something which still needs working on. However, we now have very active groups of two or more, running the

4

website, social media and advertising, merchandise & sales, recruitment and support of volunteers, milling, maintenance and Health and Safety. In the pipeline are groups to organise Santa in the Mill, an events calendar and any other areas that need organising.

We’ve moved our meetings out of the mill and into The Holgate (when they can accommodate us). This means that we can all sit round a proper table in the warm and it has, I hope, improved our ability to communicate. Clearly this is going to have to be revisited given the number of darts matches hosted at the Holgate. At this point I want to acknowledge the relentlessly dedicated work Steve Potts has done as Secretary over the past number of years.

Since the end of the financial year we are reporting, a number of exciting things have happened. The best free advertising ever came in the form of the BBC Countryfile programme, aired on 10th August.

We have put in an order with Steve Batty for new shop shelves and fittings, which should be with us before too long, and the cap, fantail and window frames have all been painted. This was not just cosmetic – it was becoming necessary to clean away green algae from the cap before it started to rot the cedar panelling. It also gave Dave an opportunity to go up in the cherry-picker and inspect the more inaccessible bits of the shear frame. In the better weather, volunteers turned out to paint the railings and the internal hand-rails.

Finally, I am saying good bye. I promised to step down as Chair after no more than two years. I have also decided to leave the Trustees and take a complete sabbatical of at the very least six months from all things windmill related. Much of the work I do is very physical and exhausting; much of it is mentally demanding and stressful. I need a break and a change of activities, so I’m going to retire - again. I shall always love the windmill and its people, and I wish it and them the very best of luck. With new energy and ideas, may they all continue to thrive.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

The Society’s accounts for 2024-2025 report no restricted funds.

Gross income from flour sales rose from £7,903 to £9,253, while merchandise sales dropped from £5,371 to £4,726. Income from visitor entry rose from £6,454 to £8,775. Membership income increased, from £2,640 to £3,200.

All Gift Aid was claimed for the year and we received £1,265.

Maintenance expenditure included £3,900 for a new tool storage chest of drawers, and this cost is being depreciated over 10 years.

There was a substantial anonymous donation to Mill funds of £25,259 – so overall there was an inyear surplus of £31,604, and the balance of funds stood at £94,054 (£89,734 excluding stock).

The Society’s cash funds are kept in a current, a deposit and two longer-term accounts. At the financial year end about £37.7k was in Charities Aid Foundation Bank current and deposit accounts, £22k in the longer-term interest-bearing account with Shawbrook and £25k (a legacy) with United Trust. Interest over the year was £1,180.

5

RISK MANAGEMENT

The financial position of the Society remains secure. The mill is in a sound condition and well maintained. The Trustees are confident that the costs of even a major breakdown of machinery or equipment can be met from accumulated funds. Ownership of the building remains with City of York Council who insure the property, the cost of insurance being recharged to the Society.

The Society has robust Health and Safety policies in place, and they are continually reviewed in the light of accumulated experience of operating the mill and receiving visitors to it. The improved volunteer training system continues to reflect this gathered experience. Grain for milling is purchased from certified suppliers and arrangements for storing, milling and bagging are maintained at approved hygiene standards.

Apart from regular maintenance the mill and the Society are run entirely on a voluntary basis by the Trustees and others. The Trustees identify as the greatest risks to the Society’s continued operation a possible dwindling of support among members and volunteers or lack of candidates to fill Trustee positions as they fall vacant.

PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS

We will continue to develop the Sub-Groups to manage all of the operational elements of the mill, our flour production, media, merchandise and maintaining the mill itself. These will allow more volunteers to become involved in the running of the mill and reduce the workload on any one person. The Sub-Groups will report directly to the main committee.

Refreshing the mill logo and branding is continuing and will be seen in new merchandise, flour bag labels, and across our media output. The redesigned Mill News has already been issued.

We will be changing our opening hours in 2026 to better reflect demand and volunteer availability and look to turn the sails and mill if possible on Saturday morning as well as the usual milling days. This is tied in to attracting further volunteers and to give more people the experience of a working mill. To support this change we will consider expanding the milling team with additional lead millers.

We will continue to look at the grain that we mill to ensure that as much of this as possible is locally sourced and ensure that we have regular supplies in spite of difficult market conditions.

Maintenance of the mill continues with the repainting of the cap and fantail in late 2025 and the next year will see the planned replacement of the fantail guardrails and frames, together with new shop fittings and a new tablet-based till system.

6

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TRUSTEES

The Trustees confirm that the Annual Report and financial statements of the charity comply with the current statutory requirements, the requirements of the charity’s governing document and the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP), 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 2015).

Registered Office: Signed by order of the trustees
Robison House. Robison House.
Faas
© -——.
Lang Road
Bishopthorpe Stephen Potts
York YO23 2QJ. Company Secretary

7

HOLGATE WINDMILL PRESERVATION SOCIETY

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES/MEMBERS OF THE HOLGATE WINDMILL PRESERVATION SOCIETY

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025 set out on pages 9 to 16.

RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF TRUSTEES AND INDEPENDENT EXAMINER

The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year (under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011(the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:

BASIS OF INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S STATEMENT

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view' and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S STATEMENT

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention

M Brooks

Independent examiner

40 Moss Green Lane Brayton Selby YO8 9EN

8

HOLGATE WINDMILL PRESERVATION SOCIETY

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCORPORATING THE INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Note
Incoming resources
Incoming Resources from generating
funds:
Voluntary income
Visits, subscriptions
& donations, Gift Aid
2
Activities for generating funds
Flour & merchandise sales
3
Investment income
4
Total Incoming resources
Resources expended
Costs of generating funds:
Fundraising trading costs
Costs of goods sold & other costs
5
Other fundraising costs
6
Charitable activities
7
Governance costs (inc Depreciation)
8
Total resources expended
Net incoming/(outgoing) resources for
the year
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward		 Unrestricted Restricted
Total
Total
Funds
Funds
Funds
Funds
2025
2025
2024

£
£
41,454
-
41,454
12,734
13,979
-
13,979
13,274
1,180
-
1,180
254
56,613
-
56,613
26,262
(9,772)
-
(9,772)
(10,103)
(2,400)
-
(2,400)
(3,906)
(11,203)
-
(11,203)
(13,679)
(1,634)
-
(1,634)
(7,606)
-
(25,009)
-
(25,009)
(35,294)
31,604
-
31,604
(9,032)
62,450
62,450
71,482
94,054
-
94,054
62,450

The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses in the year and therefore a statement of total recognised gains and losses has not been prepared. All of the above amounts relate to continuing activities.

9

HOLGATE WINDMILL PRESERVATION SOCIETY

BALANCE SHEET 31 MARCH 2025

Fixed assets
Tangible assets
10
Current assets
Stock
11
Debtors & prepayments
12
Cash at bank
Cash in hand
Creditors: amounts falling due
within one year
13
Net current assets
Total assets less current liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling due
after one year
Net assets
Funds
Restricted income funds
14
Unrestricted income funds
15		 2025
£
4,320
636
85,048
115
90,119
(170)		 2025
£
4,320
636
85,048
115
90,119
(170)
4,105
89,949
94,054
-
94,054
-
94,054
94,054		 2024
£
4,826
1,250
56,444
115
62,635
(605)		 2024
£
4,826
1,250
56,444
115
62,635
(605)		 420
62,030
62,450
-
62,450
-
62,450
62,450

For the financial year in question the company was entitled to exemption under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. No members have required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question 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. These financial statements were approved by the members of the committee on the 18th November 2025 and are signed on their behalf by:

J. HARTLAND, Chair COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER 05217005

10

HOLGATE WINDMILL PRESERVATION SOCIETY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Accounting

These financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant notes to these accounts. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on July 2014 and Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and Charities Act 2011.

Fixed Assets

All fixed assets are initially recorded at cost.

Depreciation

Depreciation is calculated so as to write off the cost of an asset, less its estimated residual value, over the useful economic life of that asset as follows:

ul economic life of that asset as follows:
Plant and Machinery 25% reducing balance
Fixtures and Fittings 10% reducing balance

Donations

Voluntary income is received by way of both grants and subscriptions and donations and is included in full on the statement of financial activities when receivable.

Resources expended

Resources expended are recognised in the period in which they are incurred.

11

2. VOLUNTARY INCOME

VOLUNTARY INCOME
Visits
Subscriptions
Donations & Grants
Gift Aid		 Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Total
Funds
Funds
Funds
Funds
2025
2024
£
£
8,775
-
8,775
6,454
3,200
-
3,200
2,640
28,214
-
28,214
2,547
1,265
-
1,265
1,093
41,454
-
41,454
12,734

3. INCOMING RESOURCES FROM ACTIVITIES FOR GENERATING FUNDS

Sales
Flour sales
Merchandise sales
INVESTMENT INCOME
Bank interest
Designated
Undesignated		 Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Total
Funds
Funds
Funds
Funds
2025
2024
£
£
9,253
-
9,253
7,903
4,726
-
4,726
5,371
13,979
-
13,979
13,274
Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Total
Funds
Funds
Funds
Funds
2025
2024
£
£
1,081
-
1,081
153
99
-
99
101
1,180
-
1,180
254

4. INVESTMENT INCOME

12

5. FUNDRAISING TRADING COSTS

FUNDRAISING TRADING COSTS
Operating costs:
Grain cost of sales
Milling & visitor
expenses
Milling utilities
Merchandise cost of sales
Packaging costs		 Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Total
Funds
Funds
Funds
Funds
2025
2024
£
£
3,988
-
3,988
2,839
1,775
-
1,775
1,097
925
925
1,140
2,579
-
2,579
4,059
505
-
505
968
9,772
-
9,772
10,103

6. OTHER FUNDRAISING COSTS

Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
Funds Funds Funds Funds
2025 2024
£ £
Advertising & publicity 845 845 1,699
Fundraising expenses 89 89 754
Member communications 1,280 1,280 1,244
Volunteer expenses 186 186 209
2,400 2,400 3,906
CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
Funds Funds Funds Funds
2025 2024
£ £
Security & maintenance 4,218 - 4,218 5,717
Insurance 6,809 6,809 7,922
Skills/knowledge 176 - 176 -
Community involvement - - - -
11,203 - 11,203 13,679

7. CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

13

8. GOVERNANCE COSTS

GOVERNANCE COSTS
Utilities
Admin/Fees
Bank Charges
Depreciation		 Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Total
Funds
Funds
Funds
Funds
2025
2024
£
£
1,044
-
1,044
7,236
34
-
34
13
341
-
341
308
215
-
215
-
1,634
-
1,634
7,557

9. TRUSTEE EXPENSES

TRUSTEE EXPENSES
Number of Trustees who were paid expenses
Nature of expenses: Reimbursement of expenditure on
printing & stationery, postage, publicity, merchandise,
fees, maintenance & operating costs, equipment
purchases
. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS
Cost:
At 1 April 2024
Additions
At 31 March 2025
Depreciation:
At 1 April 2023
Charge during the year
At 31 March 2024
Net book value:
At 31 March 2024
At 31 March 2025		 2025
7
£		 2024

6
£
1,880
1,595
Plant &
Machinery
£
8,772
3,900
12,672
8,352
215
8,567
420
4,105

10. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

14

11. STOCK

. STOCK
Grain
Merchandise
. DEBTORS AND PREPAYMENTS
Debtors
Prepayments
. CREDITORS: Amounts falling due within one year
Trade creditors
Accrued expenses		 2025
2024
£
£
1,053
1,155
3,267
3,672
4,320
4,826
2025
2024
£
£
-
-
636
1,250
636
1,250
2025
2024
£
£
-
-
170
605
-
-
170
605

12. DEBTORS AND PREPAYMENTS

13. CREDITORS: Amounts falling due within one year

14. RESTRICTED INCOME FUNDS

. RESTRICTED INCOME FUNDS
Balance at 31 March 2024
Outgoing resources
Balance at 31 March 2025		 £
-
-
-

15

15. UNRESTRICTED INCOME FUNDS

. UNRESTRICTED INCOME FUNDS
Balance at 31 March 2024
Incoming resources
Outgoing resources
Balance at 31 March 2025
Unrestricted funds analysed as follows:
Designated contingencies fund
Interest on designated fund
Undesignated funds		 £
62,450
56,613
119,063
(25,009)
94,054
11,806
1,081
12,886
81,168
94,054

16. COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE

The company, being limited by guarantee, has no share capital. Every member is liable to contribute a sum not exceeding £1 in the event of the company being wound up whilst still a member or within one year thereafter.

The following pages do not form part of the statutory financial statements

16

HOLGATE WINDMILL PRESERVATION SOCIETY DETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

ETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL
OR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024		 ACTIVITIES
INCOME:
Subscriptions
Visits
Flour Sales
Merchandise
Visits/Members/Sales Total
Donations received
Gift Aid received
Interest Received
TOTAL INCOME RECEIVED
EXPENSES:
Cost of Grain Milled
Milling & Visitor Expenses
Merchandise Cost of Sales
Packaging Costs
Fundraising Expenses
Maintenance/Security
Insurance
Utilities
Advertising & Promotion
Member Communications
Skills & Knowledge
Volunteer Expenses
Community Involvement
Administration & Fees
Bank Charges
Depreciation
TOTAL EXPENDITURE
NET SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) FOR
THE YEAR		 2025
3,200

8,775

9,253

4,726

25,954


28,214

1,265

1,180

56,613

3,988

1,775

2,579

505

89

4,218

6,809

1,969

845

1,280

176

186

-
34

341

215

25,009
31,604		 2024

2,640

6,454

7,903

5,371

22,368

2,547

1,093

254

26,262
2,839
1,097
4,059
968
754
5,717
7,922
8,376
1,699
1,244
40
209
-
13
308
49
35,294
(9,032)
22,368
2,547
1,093
254
26,262
35,294
(9,032)

17