BOOK-CYCLE Trustee Report 2024-2025 ¥4 il bOOK - Cyckn Book-cycle Charitable Trust: 1127078 7 West Street, Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom ee to sooL4o5 Etr4cLd aLI2... www.book-cycle.org Book-cycle Annual Trustee Report 2024-2025 Contents: Introduction Vision Chairman's Report. Personal Story Overseas Progress.. UK Progress Future Plans 27 31 34 Thanks 35 Figures Examiner's Report.. SOFA 35 37 38 Legal Info............... 41 Trustees: Anthony Melling, Sakeenah Feghir, Jim Atherton. Welcome Introduction Book-cycle is a UK based volunteer run charity. We seek to empower children worldwide through the provision of free books and educational resources. We also help reforest England by offering trees and information on sustainability. Book-cycle works in communities throughout the UK, establishing projects to encourage self-reliance through home food growing, community gardening and promoting wildlife through the planting of trees. We also provide seed banks and host a variety of Workshops. Books are read and Some are donaled to Book-Cy¢le Books are published and sent to High street shops Choose what lo pay for up to 3 books per day Trees are felled for paper Wfith your donatlons we furnlsh school Ilbrarles overseas Saplings grow into trees We also plant trees and give away seeds and sapllngs Book-cycle Annual Trustee Report 2024-2025 2 Vision, Aims & Objectives Vision: Our vision is a world where everyone has the necessary tools for self-determination. Book-cycle believes education is a right and should not be a privilege. Likewise, education needs to be broadened to include our place in nature and how best we might learn from that. The Advancernent of Education: To improve literacy and the love of learnin& by providing free access to books and information. The Planting of Trees: It seems only reasonable to balance our use of paper through the planting of trees. The Promotion of Perniaculture: To complete the circle of education and tree planting we hope to increase the awareness of our place within nature and how best we might use her wonderful designs. Overview Chairman's Report Book-cycle: A Journey Through Pages and Places "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page." Saint Augustine One might add to Saint Augustine's astute remark that books by their nature also allow us to travel beyond the confines of our place and circumstance. Nowhere is this more vividly illustrated than in the story and lived impact of Book-cycle. Another year has flown by. Indeed, the past 18 years have been something of a blur, studded as they were with countless projects and endeavours, often more than one major challenge emerging in any given year. Looking back, I am often reminded of Don Quixote's travels with Sancho Panza: a fitting metaphor for human striving that is flawed, noble, and at times outright ridiculous. Yet it was precisely Quixote's stubborn devotion to lofty ideals, however impractical they appeared, that lent his journey true dignity. Many of our escapades have certainly been arduous and, at first glance, seemed like folly. Chipping away at mountains of books in our old Exeter warehouse, where more than 60 buckets stood collecting rainwater between the crates. Roaming the streets of Exeter with free books to slip through people's letterboxes as part of our 'Post-Cycle' project. Countless hours driving book stock the length and breadth of the country. Vast effort poured into setting up Book-cycle shops, some destined to last only seven months before a pop-up lease expired-all in the quiet hope of eventually securing a more permanent foothold in a town. Book-cycle Annual Trustee Report 2024-2025 William Blake beautifully summed up this predicament: "If the fool would persist in his folly he would become wise." Proverbs of Hell, from The Marriage of Heaven and Hell But folly it thankfully is not. The rewards for helping shape the Book-cycle journey have been obvious and visceral. thousands of people sharing their appreciation for the facilities we offer, and beautiful tales of the impact our projects have made in individual lives and communities. Throughout the many pages of literature and poetry runs a persistent theme of travel, adventure, and the unfolding of life. One thinks of The Fool's Journey through the tarot -that often misunderstood system of archetypal symbolism- or another lifelong fascination of mine; the I Ching. The Book of Changes is one of humanity's oldest texts, built entirely on the idea that life is ceaseless movement, transformation, and becoming. Book-cycle, it seems, has often mirrored my own path: moving pillar to post, yet discovering beautiful turns along the road, filled with the warmth of new friends and unforeseen adventures. Origins I am often asked how all this began, where it started, and how Book-cycle evolved. What follows is a brief account of its inception. In my early twenties, while studying at Essex University, I encountered the lifestyle of what were then called New Age Travellers, living in old buses and trucks around Glastonbury Festival. That first year I diverted my modest Overview student grant toward buying a bus rather than paying a traditionaI landlord. Within months I was living in a 1969 Panorama Elite coach, decked out of course with bustling bookshelves and transformed into a rather beautiful living space - all accomplished on a shoestring, a good two decades before the tiny-house movement would catch the wider imagination. I later returned to Kent, where I had spent part of my teenage years, to pursue a master's at the University of Kent. When campus authorities took a dim view of the bus parked on site, a small group of friends and I began travelling around Canterbury, working on farms or seeking derelict patches of land to turn into makeshift homes, early permaculture experiments, and the first tentative shoots of Book-cycle: our improvised "library squats." Many of those sites had abandoned outbuildings, and as my obsession with books was already firmly in place, I rescued worthwhile volumes from overflowing Oxfam bins in Canterbury and shelved them there, partly for ourselves, partly left for anyone who might stumble upon them later. Perhaps a few still wait in those forgotten corners. Over the following years on the road, I encountered a loose but vibrant community scattered across the country: punks, hippies, travellers, gypsies, ravers - almost all disenfranchised and marginalised, especially in the aftermath of Thatcher's Criminal Justice Act. Many were deep thinkers who had abandoned the trappings of modern capitalism to carve out more organic paths. For some this arose from sheer economic necessity; for others, myself included, it also stemmed from a recognition of the gentler life it afforded; fetching your own water, gathering and chopping wood, growing a portion of Book-cycle Annual Trustee Report 2024-2025 our own food, and taking full responsibility for your inputs and outputs. Unbeknownst to most people even now, the New Age Traveller movement played an instrumental role in shaping the UK'S music festival culture, emerging as it did from the DIY free party and rave scene of the 1990s. It was a golden era I had the privilege of witnessing firsthand. That same DIY spirit would later become the underlying ethos of Book-cycle's grassroots philosophy. The First Seeds By the time I was living in Somerset, still nomadic, though now in a different truck, I worked at tree nurseries that frequently had a glut of saplings. The surplus was so great that friends and I would often plant them in hedgerows simply to save them from the shredder. Around the same period a close friend returned from teaching English in Uganda, exasperated by the acute lack of books available for education, so much so that he had resorted to using discarded packaging as the only written English his pupils could access. Years had passed since the overflowing Oxfam bins in Canterbury, but I suspected Somerset's charity shops might face similar surpluses. If I could gather books suitable for primary-level teaching, perhaps I could send parcels to support his work. Rather than rummaging through bins, I approached managers in Wellington and Taunton and asked whether they paid to have surplus books collected. They all did at the time, so I offered instead to collect them for free every Thursday in my small Ford Transit. Overview I rented a disused milking parlour, awkward spaces many small farms no longer needed. I knew this well as I had worked on various farms and had done a spot of milking, my favourite haunt being the hop and apple harvest each autumn at Brenley in Kent. Within six months I had amassed a vast hoard of around 100,000 books. Many were unsuitable for teaching abroad, but I thought some might sell if I tried running a stall in nearby Exeter. That city would become the first home of Book-cycle, still operating today, distributing books in exchange for donations opposite the 'House That Moved, on West Street. Exeter Takes Root I initially planned only a small stall on the Exeter Quay, hoping to raise enough funds for postage to Uganda and Kenya. Drawing inspiration from the free shops of the 1960s and my own anarchist roots, I decided that books acquired essentially for free, save my time and some diesel, should be offered on a donation basis, ensuring equal access to literature regardless of financial means. The same principle applied to the saplings I grew and propagated: free to all, with donations welcomed but never required. When I actually arrived in Exeter, almost everything fell into place with exceptional speed: first a small warehouse in a boatbuilding shed on The Quay, then a very affordable lease on what remains one of the city's prettiest buildings. It became all the more distinctive for housing a rather unusual bookshop, one where the customer decides the price for every book, tree, or packet of seeds. Because so much of the early inspiration drew from DIY anarchism and permaculture principles, it felt only natural Book-cycle Annual Trustee Report 2024-2025 that the charity - formally established some months later - should be as non-hierarchical as possible.Volunteers' voices carry equal weight, with deference given only to genuine experience where it proves useful. Book-cycle has always been, and remains, run entirely by unpaid volunteers. Thus the stage was set for a harder yet infinitely more beautiful journey into literacy, tree-growing, and community-led change. A journey that, like Don Quixote's, has at times seemed both the noblest undertaking and the most ridiculous folly imaginable. Yet here we are, 18 years on, with more than 20 shops, pop-ups, warehouses, and outlets established along the way, many still thrivin& supported by an ever-growing community of dedicated volunteers, loyal supporters, and beneficiaries. I remain incredibly indebted to the many good friends who have helped along the way in creating this vibrant and growing enterprise. Without their generosity, labour, belief, and companionship, Book-cycle wouldn't have become what it is today. It has always been, at its heart, a collective effort, advanced by countless unseen hands, quiet acts of kindness, and a shared conviction that books and knowledge belong to everyone. As Blake and Cervantes both understood, bold idealism, when joined with persistent determination and imagination, truly can move mountains. Anthony Melling Chairman and Founder Personal Story From Tree to Book and Back Again To place this year's activities and achievements in context-and to offer a glimpse into the inner workings of Book-Cycle- it is necessary to share something of the journey that led us here. What follows is, in many ways, the story of a nomadic life: shaped by constant movement, often compelled by circumstance, yet guided throughout by an effort to make the most of each new situation. en_ Ji y hd,,. The still-thriving heart of our work, and our first true foray into bookshop-keeping, remains the Exeter shop. It occupies the Tudor building opposite the "House That Moved" the other Tudor survivor of the late-1960s Western Way bypass, which was famously transported from the demolished Westem Quarter to its current resting place opposite Book-cycle. Book-cycle Annual Trustee Report 2024-2025 10 Though positioned just beyond the city's commercial centre, the reasonable rent secured by its former tenant, Bernie, enabled the charity to gain a vital starting point. Combined with our unconventional philosophy, the shop soon attracted some of Exeter's most generous-spirited and interesting characters. Indeed, wherever Book-cycle takes root, it seems to draw out the very best of a town, among customers, supporters, and volunteers alike. -1! MATHSW Nlath Inade ea DeciTtJa slwinllths 1 It was around this time that we began sending our first parcels and barrels of books to Sub-saharan Africa, supporting emerging and struggling school libraries in Ethiopia (through the EYES project) and Tanzania. What began as a trickle soon became a steady flow: pallets, then containers of free books shipped across the world. Personal Story Some even went into war zones, most notably to Afghanistan, facilitated in part through free internal mail within the UK Arniy postal system. 11 As word spread and the shop's activity increased, Guy's boatshed on the Exeter Quay quickly filled to the rafters with overflow donations arriving both from the shop and from Somerset. Over time, we became aware of a broader pattern: the sheer volume of empty commercial properties that could be accessed by charities. Many landlords, councils included, preferred to accept temporary charitable tenants at peppercorn rent rather than incur full business rates on vacant properties. Like many grassroots charities, we learned to navigate this system, typically covering only rates and utilities. While offers of £l-per-year rent were undeniably helpful in our early growth, they came with a cost. Such arrangements provided little to no security of tenure: landlords could (and frequently did) reclaim properties at short notice, often when markets shifted or redevelopment loomed. This meant constant movement. Some sites became long-term fixtures, like Book-cycle Beech Hill and Book-cycle Orrell, while others, such as Queen Street, afforded us only a brief seven months before we were forced onward once again. Armed with this strategy, we secured a warehouse at the Old Mill Industrial Estate in Stoke Canon, a few miles outside Exeter. Dank, cavernous, and far from ideal, it nonetheless provided much-needed space for the growing mountain of books, still largely stored in the blue charity-shop bags from Wellington and Taunton. Book-cycle Annual Trustee Report 2024-2025 12 But its distance posed problems. Many volunteers did not drive, and it soon became clear that while some space was better than none, remoteness severely limited our ability to sort and process stock. 14JD. • The next branch of the Book-cycle tree grew through a volunteer: Danni, who, after spending time at the Exeter shop, felt inspired to establish a new Book-cycle in Brighton's Open Market. A small but beautiful space, shaped by her artistic flair, which also gifted Exeter a hand-painted A-board that we used for years. Around the same period, West Town Farm, an organic beef farm in Ide, agreed to host what became the first of our "Shelf-cycles": not a shop, but an unmanned space Personal Story with book-lined walls and an honesty box fixed to the shelves. Though informal, this model proved surprisingly effective. It helped distribute surplus stock, showcased our work through posters and information, and advertised the main shop on West Street. Over time, Shelf-cycles spread across Exeter to pubs like the Iron Bridge Inn, cafes such as Boston Tea Party, and many other independent venues. At its height, the network numbered around forty Shelf-cycles. While honesty bookshelves are common today, at the time the idea was unusual, even radical. 13 A significant turning point came through Anthony's mother, Joan, who ran Olivia's Fine Foods Café in Wigan, later converted into the £1 Takeaway, long before pound bakeries became commonplace. Her substantial SheIf-Cycle inspired a far more ambitious idea: could Book-cycle take on a closing council library. Just a mile north of her cafe stood Beech Hill Library, a large flat-roofed 1960s building scheduled for closure amid widespread council cuts. With the encouragement of Joan, the support of Councillor Phyll Cullen and local residents, we proposed that Book-cycle could keep the building open. And indeed since then, the doors have remained open seven days a week, from IOam4pm, nearly double the hours previously offered by the counciI. Over the years, Book-cycle Beech Hill flourished into a genuine community hub. It hosted art exhibitions, cultural events, calligraphy courses, free permaculture design courses, cinema nights, documentary screenings, fruit tree giveaways, and much more. Groups ranging from knitting circles to poetry collectives, sewing groups, and even local football podcasts found a home there. It remains active today, though like many buildings we've inherited, Book-cycle Annual Trustee Report 2024-2025 14 Yrds You DECICf rnICE5 Proceeds send kee boo to dev¢lopn8 coun&ries •1 help planÈ:Èreés I ro BOOK.CYCLE uUK.CI I. JITFIITIT 4L￿r Personal Story 15 ank ￿k.￿Y 4111th1,-HlllIMr_ Book-cycle Annual Trustee Report 2024-2025 16 it carries ongoing challenges, including subsidence that must be addressed to ensure its future. While Beech Hill relieved some pressure on Stoke Canon, we continued to expand into nearby units, briefly exploring the idea of an online shop for more collectible books. For a time, this also served as our office. Much as the first guerrilla-planted fruit trees around Exeter eventually blossomed, so too did another volunteer take flight. Angela, inspired by our ethos, cycled from Exeter to Rome alongside Kiwi Craig. Once there, she and friends established Book-cycle Italia as an Italian volunteer association. Situated in Il Grande Cocomero, just a stone's throw from the Colosseurn, Book-cycle Italia began distributing books throughout Rome and supporting literacy projects internationally, from refugee camps in Algeria to schools in the Philippines and across Italy. After several years, activities, Book-cycle Italia outgrew its initial home to find a beautiful space of its own in the Tor Pignattara district, helped in part by some of the UK volunteers. The Water Lane Era By now, nearly five years had passed. Exeter was well established; the northern branch was growing. Then came the opportunity to return to Exeter Quay in a much larger way: a vast, dilapidated former metalworks turned plastics factory on Water Lane, recently vacated and difficult to rent commercially. Draughty and far from ideal for books, it nonetheless offered something invaluable: space, and easier access for our shop volunteers. Personal Story The Book-cycle warehouse on Water Lane would go on to become the central hub of the charity for the next twelve years. Its sheer size made it uniquely adaptable, supporting a wide range of projects and activities, not least the sorting and shipping of hundreds of thousands of free books to beneficiaries across the world. 17 "Warehouse Wednesdays" became a fixture, with volunteers gathering to wade through the ever-shifting tides of donations. Some of those donations even arrived courtesy of one of our most beloved volunteers; a pony named Obama. Alongside his constant companion Simon, who had invented an ingenious chariot system enabling wheelchair users to traverse all kinds of terrain, Obama would occasionally be persuaded to swap passengers for books donated by local primary schools. The cavernous space itself hosted countless art exhibitions, theatre performances, graffiti jams, music events, workshops, and even served as the practice ground for Britain's top trials bike rider, Andrei Burton. The Northern Expansion Amidst these developments came another call from the North. A closed library in the Wigan borough had been offered on peppercorn rent, in the hope that the local community might find a way to keep it alive. With momentum building in Wigan and the building itself in far better condition than many we had occupied before, volunteers from both the South and the North came together to prepare the space. Among them was our now-resident artist, Doodledubz, who brought colour to the walls and helped build the shelving required for the next stage of the Book-cycle journey. Book-cycle Annual Trustee Report 2024-2025 18 Much like Book-cycle Beech Hill, the newly established Book-cycle Orrell quickly gathered a committed and enthusiastic group of volunteers. In time, it became an essential local presence, offering a depth and variety of stock that often surpassed that of the main council libraries. This is largely because our stock grows organically from the genuine interests of the local population, flowing daily through our doors, rather than being determined by a centralised purchasing budget. Whether the country could ever reduce the £673 million annual library budget by converting libraries to Book-cycles remains an open question. That same year also saw the closure of the BBC Research Library. Due to refurbishments at Broadcasting House and Egton House, the entire collection required a new home. A few emails and several articulated lorries later, the North gained a warehouse of its own. Personal Story The late Lord Smith, then leader of Wigan Council, helped secure a temporary space on Richard Street, where the BBC donation was painstakingly sorted, as always, book by book. 19 .r Gathering Pace Momentum was now unmistakable and continues to build even today. While the northern branches settled deeper into their roles as community hubs, the South welcomed two new beautiful additions to the Book-cycle family: Book-cycle Glastonbury and Bertie the Bus. Book-cycle Glastonbury emerged following Danni's move from Brighton. The Open Market shop there had closed, but she soon brought the spirit of Book-cycle to the town Book-cycle Annual Trustee Report 2024-2025 20 by setting up at the Buddleia Café, not far from the Tor. Though short-lived, it once again demonstrated the potential of Book-cycle wherever it appears. Bertie the Bus belonged to Sophie, a long-time friend and former traveller who had settled with her family in the Blackdown Hills. Having acquired an open-top Daimler Fleetline double-decker, she envisioned a mobile Book-cycle below with a bijou cafe above, carrying our ethos and methods across festivals and communities throughout the UK. BOOK Yc Ill - J 1.4>. No sooner had the Exeter warehouse settled than movement resumed in the North. Richard Street gave way to Ridyard Street, a former housing office in the heart of Personal Story the Worsley Hall council estate in Wigan. Once again, the space was cheap, awkward, and far from ideal, with books stacked to the ceilings in nearly every room. Yet the surrounding area, despite visible deprivation, proved welcoming and supportive. Ridyard Street served as our northern warehouse for the next five years, with shipping containers loaded directly from its front doors, no doubt an unusual sight for a residential area. 21 High Street Experiments As we adjusted to this new rhythm, another opportunity arose in one of Exetef s busiest shopping areas: Queen Street. Adjacent to the High Street and the main thoroughfare between the city centre and the university, the Guildhall Shopping Centre was undergoing refurbishment and offered us a unit with frontage onto Queen Street. This became Book-cycle's first real experiment with high footfall. The shop was fitted with beautiful oak bookshelves donated from a private library in Sussex and transported to Devon by another of Anthony's friends, Lidl Ben. Although the shop lasted only seven months, it proved a turning point in our understanding of what Book-cycle could achieve financially when placed in the right location. The shelves were later stored at Water Lane, only to come into their own again eleven years later in the North. The experience gave us valuable insight into turnover, bills, volunteer recruitment, and sustainability, lessons that would directly inform the creation of Book-cycle Wigan. Book-cycle Annual Trustee Report 2024-2025 22 At the time, The Galleries Shopping Centre in Wigan was still relatively busy. Built in the late 1980s and opened by Princess Diana, it had once been a thriving retail destination. But like so many high streets, it was in gradual decline due to competition from retail parks and newer centres such as the nearby Grand Arcade. The Galleries was to become home to Book-cycle Wigan for the next 4 years before its eventual demolition. Located at Hope Street beside Morrisons, it quickly became a favourite destination. Unbeknownst to us, however, the centre was already earmarked for redevelopment. Before this became clear, we had relocated the northern warehouse once again from Ridyard Street, itself due for conversion into flats to the largely vacant upper floors of The Galleries, hoping an online shop might flourish from a central, accessible location. That plan also proved short-lived. The much-loved Hope Street shop was also forced to relocate, this time into the nearby indoor market. Though a far cry from the footfall of the shopping centre, the modest unit at the market's edge nonetheless preserved what mattered most: a loyal community of customers and volunteers, and the continued presence of a vital cultural resource in the heart of Wigan. Book-cycle Leigh Leigh, though administratively part of Wigan, remains fiercely distinct in the eyes of its residents. As one door closed, another opened. Stock from The Galleries was palletised once again and relocated to Leigh, where centre manager Karen offered Book-cycle a large unit near the car park entrance. The arrangement offset business rates for the centre while allowing the charity to establish itself in a new town. Personal Story Shortly afterwards, Exeter's beloved but deteriorating Water Lane warehouse was marked for demolition. Twelve years, worth of accumulated books, tools, furniture, and fixtures had to be packed rapidly and shipped north. Almost improbably, the former B&M supermarket unit in Leigh proved large enough to absorb it all: approximately 400,000 books from Exeter alongside the remaining 70,000 from Wigan. 23 Although the premises offered no security of tenure, it provided an affordable base from which to continue. A total of 270 pallets were fitted upstairs at Spinning Gate by the narrowest of margins, with the remainder filling the lower floors. For a time, the space functioned as one of the largest second-hand bookshops in the UK: over 5.5 kilometres of shelving, rivalIed only by institutions such as Baggins Book Bazaar in Rochester and Barter Books in Alnwick. With Book-cycle Leigh operational, attention returned to Book-cycle Wigan. After several quiet years in a corner of the indoor market, it had become a diminished presence. A timely call from Louise, a trustee at Rebuild with Hope, a charity supporting ex-offenders through training and skills development, offered a solution. They were repurposing the former Debenhams unit in Wigan's Grand Arcade into a community-focused shopping space and invited Book-cycle to join. Though shared, the premises proved far busier than the market and beneficial to both organisations, with customers crossing naturally between them. Meanwhile, Book-cycle Leigh was thriving when the inevitable request to vacate arrived: a dental practice had Book-cycle Annual Trustee Report 2024-2025 24 BOOK-CYCLE 4J ¢knevbitypyfptuptoStwbprday ILBERfJA(K POP GOES rtIQPE .14Ir lI￿oULD PASS BY •FREE80￿ Personal Story secured the unit. This triggered a hiatus of nearly a year. Most stock was transferred into the nearby empty Argos building for storage, with additional volumes moved to Wigan and housed within the Rebuild with Hope site. Just over a year later, another opportunity emerged. 25 BOOK-CY ' wh•ttowhr4 T F. Poundland, responding to changes on the high street, had acquired the former Wilko building and was relocating its Leigh branch. The timing was critical: temporary storage arrangements in both Leigh and Wigan had been exhausted. Though the building presented challenges, it allowed Book-cycle to return to Leigh in its largest space to date. For the first time, all stock could be housed on a single floor, enabling volunteers to work fully immersed among the books. It also became the charity's first shop directly on a high street, situated, somewhat improbably, next to McDonald's. Book-cycle Annual Trustee Report 2024-2025 This phase marked the final attempt to operate independently in vast premises that were expensive to heat and maintain. From this point onward, collaboration with larger charities would shape the organisation's approach wherever possible. Although the lease was limited to eighteen months, it provided essential breathing space while future options were explored locally, and in cities including Manchester, Bath, and Bristol. Ultimately, with a committed volunteer base and strong local support, remaining in Leigh proved the most viable course. 26 Anticipating another relocation, attention turned further along Bradshawgate, where a unit offering the prospect of a longer tenancy became available. After a brief interim stay made possible by the kind loan of the now-empty Fazakerley's furniture shop, Book-cycle Leigh finally had the chance to begin to put down real roots. We hope this will be our permanent home: Heron House, opposite the ever-busy Home Bargains. Meanwhile, the remaining bulk of the collection made its journey back to Devon, where it now resides at our warehouse in Ide, a modern building which, though still lofty, no longer requires rows of buckets to catch rainwater between the sorting tabIes. Overseas Progress Overseas Progress 27 Book-cycle Italia continued to thrive this year, bringing books, learning, and community engagement to a wide range of audiences across Italy. Over 150kg of books were donated through the Libri e Letture Vagabond Sicilia partnership, while Book-cycle Italia volunteers welcomed visits from numerous local schools, introducing young readers to the joys of literature and sustainable sharing. Community projects such as Villa Berta's tree planting and Shelf-cycle, along with the Shelf-cycle at Sangalli Park, helped combine environmental action with accessible book distribution. ¥./, V.),1 ia&L',.. A**.. I Book-cycle Italia also maintained a strong presence at charity market stalls, including Liberi Nantes, Libretto Market, and Pietralata Market, fostering local connections and supporting charitable projects. Media engagement expanded with a featured segment on Radiol Rai, and literary and artistic initiatives such as the Silent Book Club, Book-cycle Annual Trustee Report 2024-2025 28 ¥ ki,. Overseas Progress Fotogrammi photo and theatre workshops, and cinema school workshops brought books, storytelling, and creativity to new audiences. Together, these activities demonstrate Book-cycle Italia's ongoing commitment to education, community cohesion, and the sustainable sharing of knowledge. 29 I'JK. II INillTIl Iill;I MaJic/'"" inaaica Oro&a dl Betlemme 'linlale ".Chrt8lmas', o* I L GIUBILEO Our long-standing relationship with Evans and Lilly at the Center for Youth in Sustainable Development continued to grow this year, with nearly 70,000 books shipped in two containers and several pallets to Nigeria. What began over a decade ago has evolved into a substantial and well-established project, with The Book Bank now serving as a central hub for distribution across Lagos and beyond. From there, books have reached schools in communities such as Makoko, a poor but resilient waterside settlement, widely regarded as one of the world's largest floating communities and often referred to as the "Venice of Africa." Book-cycle Annual Trustee Report 2024-2025 30 Our partnership with Devon Development Education was renewed over the summer following contact from Sue Errington. Established in 2001, DDE'S Food for Thought programme links schools in Devon, Plymouth and Cornwall with rural schools in Uganda, focusing on organic food growing alongside phonics-based reading support. The programme began with four schools in Uganda and four in Devon. It has since grown to more than 60 schools in Uganda, reaching over 40,000 pupils. While participation in the UK has declined as schools face increasing pressures, the impact overseas continues to expand. Our previous collaboration with DDE took place in 2013, when more than 50kg of books were donated to support the project. This year marked a considerable step forward: over 600 books were collected from our Exeter shop by Sue and Godfrey ahead of their planned autumn shipment to Uganda. Godfrey Kisakye, the project's coordinator in the Mubende District and a farmer trainer, visited schools across Devon and Cornwall, spoke at education conferences, and also gave talks on rural schooling at the Exeter Respect Festival during his visit in June. Looking ahead, plans are already forming to build on this renewed partnership, including increasing the volume of books donated to support the outstanding work DDE continues to deliver in rural Uganda. UK Progress UK Progress 31 A significant step forward for the charity this year was the introduction of card payment facilities across our bookshops and events. This development has made it easier for supporters to purchase books and engage with Book-cycle's work, removing barriers for those who no longer carry cash. The decision reflected wider changes in spending habits following the Covid pandemic, as card and contactless payments have become the norm. Introducing this payment option has not only improved the customer experience but has also strengthened the charity's ability to operate efficiently, increase income, and remain accessible and relevant within an evolving retail landscape. Despite periods of change behind the scenes, Book-cycle's established pattern of fundraising and community events continued to flourish throughout the year. Book-cycle Annual Trustee Report 2024-2025 32 IAULAL Delivered With E, OPEN I... 11.,IMIrfI,I,. I'ii UK Progress 33 Our Spring, Summer and Christmas Fayres drew strong attendance across our northern outlets, proving ever-more popuIar as the years roll on. Among these, Santa's Grotto remained a much-loved highlight, attracting many families and reinforcing Book-cycle's place within the community. Together, these events increased visibility and engagement, introducing new audiences to the charity while strengthening relationships with long-standing supporters. 11 Jirriiaiiit:- Alongside our larger events, the year was punctuated by our regular Fore Street monthly stalls and our continued presence at key annual events, including the Exeter Respect Festival, Wigan Diggers, Festival and the Exeter Seed Swap. These occasions remain central to nurturing partnerships and advancing shared values of community cohesion, equality and the sustainable sharing of resources. This continued programme has helped embed Book-cycle more deeply within local networks, creating strong foundations for future collaboration and community-led activity, and was made possible by the energy and commitment of more than 120 volunteers in the Book-cycle collective. Book-cycle Annual Trustee Report 2024-2025 34Future Plans Each year we identify areas for improvement across the charity. Some are addressed in retrospect; others recur year after year, not through lack of intent but because operational demands have repeatedly taken precedence, as outlined in the Personal Story. While this necessity has led to valuable outcomes, such as permaculture courses at Beech Hill, fruit tree giveaways, and art exhibitions, it has also meant that several larger, longer-term ambitions have remained on hold. Progress on these projects depends less on ideas than on capacity. Strengthening the charity through additional trustees and specialist advisors is therefore a central priority. With broader support in place, Book-cycle will be better positioned to tackle more ambitious initiatives, including improved website automation, a more consistent social media presence, and the development of an online antiquarian bookshop. These areas represent significant opportunities, but can only be pursued once the appropriate expertise and sustained volunteer or team-based support is secured. Thanks Thanks 35 We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the extraordinary team of volunteers whose commitment, resilience and generosity of spirit continue to sustain Book-cycle. Their willingness to sort, shift, shelve and share books, often through periods of uncertainty and change, has ensured that the charity not only endures but grows. We are equally grateful to our loyal customers and donors, whose ongoing support, encouragement and belief in our mission make our work possible and meaningful. We also wish to thank our partners, supporters and fellow charities who have worked alongside us over the years, offering collaboration, space, expertise and trust. From local community organisations to national and international partners, these relationships have strengthened Book-cycle's reach and impact. We look ahead with optimism to the year to come, confident in the strength of the community that surrounds Book-cycle. Figures The year's figures saw a marked increase in revenue for the charity, attributed to the implementation of card payment processing facilities at all of our shops, along with many events utilising the hardware. The financial year closed with an increased income of £55,638. Book-cycle Annual Trustee Report 2024-2025 36 The change in expenditure this year, particularly in the categories of transport and premises, which saw an increase of £12,917 and £15,047 respectively compared to the previous year, is directly linked to the relocation of Book-cycle branches in the north, namely Book-cycle Leigh on Bradshawgate, along with our Wigan branch to shared space offered by Rebuild with Hope. Given the current economic climate, it is now evermore prudent for the charity to shore up its resources and take stock of its assets and liabilities. With that in mind, a deep-dive into the long-standing running costs and upkeep of rented buildings will be vital on a premises-by-premises case, ensuring the charity as a whole can plan for long-term efficiency and efficacy. Income: £161,353 Expenditure: £119,873 £767 7 £1,413 £1,917 £4,146 £6,106 Book-cytle Expenditure '24 -'25 £11,981 £72,918 •Premises 60.91• Q OtheT Is% Transport 173% ￿F￿￿or¢I$llty 1.2% •O¥tised$ 10.0% IIAdMln Q.6% qIE44ipmert s.i% frees llP¥bli¢ity 3SI. UKPToJ￿ts Og. 15% Vol*rtéers 0% £20,694 99p in every pound is spent on our charitable activities www.book-cycle.org ## **Independent examiner's report to the trustees of the BOOKCYCLE** I report on the accounts of the Trust for the year ended 31[st] March 2025, which are set out on pages 1 to 3. 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(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to: - examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act; - to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and - to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. 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 no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view' and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention: (1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements: to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met; or (2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Name: Alan G Kehoe Relevant professional qualification or body: Accountant Address: 36 Gillibrand Street, Chorley, Lancs, PR7 2BZ Date: 28th January 2026 ## **Book-Cycle** ## **Receipts & Payments Account Year Ending 31 March 2025** |£
Other
Transport
20,694
Publicity
4,146
Equipment
6,106
Premises
72,948
Fundraising
1,413
Overseas
11,981
Trees
-
Add. UK Projects
-
Volunteers
-
Admin
767
Other
1,817
Net income for the year
Cash & Bank balances 1 April 2024
Transfer Loans Between Branches (memo only)
**Donatons**
**Gross Receipts**
**Less Expenses**
**Cash & Bank balances 31 March 2025**|£|£
152,598
8,755| |---|---|---| ||20,694
4,146
6,106
72,948
1,413
11,981
-
-
-
767
1,817|161,353
119,873| |||| |||41,480
242,125| |||**283,605**| ## **Statement of Assets & Liabilities Year Ending 31 March 2025** |Cash and bank balances 31 March 2025
Balance at start of period
Transfer Loans Between Branches (memo on
Net income for the year
**Current Assets**
**Capital Account**
**Net Assets**|£|£| |---|---|---| ||283,605|| ||ly)|283,605| |||| |||283,605| |||242,125
41,480| |||**283,605**| ## **Notes to the Accounts** ||**Receipts**| |---|---| |**Donatons**|Receipts from Book-Cycle outlets, ‘Shelf-Cycles’, fundraising events & private donatons| |**Other Income**|Bank interest, book recycling, online book sales, refunds, storage fees and funding grants| ## **Payments** ||**Payments**| |---|---| |**Transport**|Vehicle purchase, tax, insurance, fuel, maintenance, parking fees / fnes and volunteer travel| |**Publicity**|Website, printng (posters / leafets etc), online ads, signage, BC clothing| |**Equipment**|Shop sundries, statonery, cleaning supplies, DIY equipment (tools, paint, hardware etc), IT &| ||Comms equipment plus volunteer meetngs| |**Premises**|Rent & insurances, business rates & service charges, utlites, broadband & telephone,| ||maintenance, Gifgaf, TRASH, fre safety checks & certfcates| |**Fundraising**|Event fees & equipment, signs, printng and online ads for events| |**Overseas**|Shipping fees, customs costs, courier fees and packaging| |**Trees**|Saplings and plantng equipment, delivery costs| |**Additonal UK**|| |**Projects**|| |**Volunteers**|Courses, training and certfcates| |**Admin**|Trustee meetngs, public & employer's liability insurances & fees, postage plus legal fees| |**Other**|Waste / recycling charges, bank charges| |**Restricted**|Grants / specifc project money| |**Funds**|| |**Unrestricted**|| |**Funds**|| Legal Information Charity Name: Registered Charity Number: Registered Address of Charity: Named Trustees: Book-cycle 1127078 7 West St, Exeter, Devon. EX1 1BB Mr. Anthony Melling Ms. Sakeenah Feghir Mr. James Atherton Governance and Structure. Constitution: Trust Deed dated 17th day of September 2008 Appointment of Trustees: (1) There shall be at least three Trustees. Every future trustee shall be appointed by a resolution of the trustees passed at a special meeting called under clause K. {2) In selecting persons to be appointed as trustees, the trustees shall take into account the benefits of appointing a person who is able by virtue of his or her personal or professional qualifications to make a contribution to the pursuit of the objects or the management of the Charity. {3) When any new trustee is appointed the trustees shall ensure that any land belonging to the Charity which is not vested or about to be vested in the Official Custodial for Charities or in a custodian trustee and all other property of the Charity which is not vested or about to be vested in the Official Custodian of Charities, a custodian trustee or a nominee is effectively vested in the persons who are the trustees following such appointment. (4) If for any reason trustees cannot be appointed in accordance with the forgoing positions the statutory power of appointing new or additional trustees shall be exercisable. Eligibility for Trustee: (1) No person shall be appointed as trustee- (a) unless he or she has attained the age of 18 years. or (b) in circumstances such that, had he or she already been a trustee, he or she would have been disqualified from office under the provisions of the following clause. (2) No person shall be entitled to act as a trustee whether on a first or on any subsequent entry into office until after signing in the minute book of the trustees a declaration of acceptance and willingness to act in the trusts of the Charity Determination of Trusteeship: A trustee shall cease to hold Offi￿ if he or she., {1) is disqualified from acting as a trustee by virtue of section 45 of the Charities Act 1992 (or any statutory re-enactment or modification of that provision)., (2) becomes incapable by reason of mental disorder, illness or injury of managing and administering his or her own affairs; (3) is absent without the permission of the trustees from all their meetings held within a period of six months and the trustees resolve that his or her office be vacated- {4) notifies to the trustees a wish to resign (but only if at least trustees will remain in office when the noti￿ of resignation is to take effect). Vacancies: If a vacancy occurs the trustees shall note the fact in their minute book at their next meeting. Any eligible trustee may be re-appointed. So long as there shall be fewer than two trustees none of the powers or discretions hereby or by law vested in the trustees shall be exercisable except for the purpose of appointing a new trustee or trustees. Powers & Restrictions of Trustees. Powers: In furtherance of the objects but not otherwise the trustees may exercise any of the following powers.. (i) to raise funds and invite and receive contributions. (li) to buy, take on lease or in exchange, hire or otherwise acquire any property necessary for the achievement of the objects and to maintain and equip it for use., (iii) subject to any consents required by law to sell, lease or otheNise dispose of all or any part of the propety comprised in the trust fund., (iv) to co-operate with other charities, voluntary bodies and statutory authorities operating in furtherance of the objects of similar charitable purposes and to exchange information and advi￿ with them. (v} to establish or support any charitable trusts, associations or institutions formed for the objects or any of them. (vi) to appoint and constitute such advisory committees as the trustees may think fit., (viii) to employ such staff (who shall not be trustees} as are necessary for the proper pursuit of the objects and to make all reasonable and ne￿SSary provision for the payment of pensions and superannuation to staff and their dependants- (ix) to set aside income as a reserve against future expenditure, but only in accordance with the written policy about reserves. {x} to delegate to any one or more of the trustees the transaction of any business or the performance of any act required to be transacted or performed in the execution of the trusts of the Charity and which is within the professional or business competence of such trustee or trustees,. Provided that the trustees shall exercise reasonable supervision over any trustee or trustees acting on their behalf under this provision and shall ensure that all their acts and proceeding are fully and promptly reported to them., (xi) to do all such other lawful things as are necessary for the achievement of the objects. The Trustees May Not: Buy goods or services from the charity. Sell goods or services or any interest in land or propety to the charity. Charge the whole or any part of the assets belonging to the Charity as security for repayment of money borrowed on behalf of the Charity. Borrow money on behalf of the Charity. Be employed by or receive any remuneration from the Charity except for reasonable expenses incurred when acting on behalf of the Charity. Lend money to the Charity.