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← Wikimedia UK

2025-01-31-accounts

AMENDED Annual Report and Financial Statements

For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

Company Number: 06741827 Charity Registered in England and Wales Number: 1144513

Wikimedia UK Contents For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

Page
Reference and Administrative Details 1
Message from the Chair 2
Message from the Chief Executive 3
Trustee Directors’ Report 4 – 16
Independent Auditors’ Report 17 – 20
Statement of Financial Activities 21
Balance Sheet 22
Statement of Cash Flows 23
Notes to the Financial Statements 24 – 38

Wikimedia UK Reference and Administrative Details For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

Trustees (as at the date of approval of the report)

A Ashby (Treasurer)
C Ball (Chair of Community Development Committee)
A Beidas (Chair of Audit and Risk Committee)
M Cruickshank
S Fox
S Ramachandran
A Russell
A Sen
M Westin
V Wineman
Management L Crompton-Reid (Chief Executive)
Registered Office The British Library
96 Euston Road
Level 4
Room 46018
London
NW1 2DB
Bankers Unity Trust Bank plc The Co-operative Bank plc
Four Brindley Place 1 Balloon Street
Birmingham Manchester
B1 2HB M60 4EP
Auditors Albert Goodman LLP
Goodwood House
Blackbrook Park Avenue
Taunton
TA1 2PX
Legal Advisers Stone King LLP Burges Salmon LLP
13 Queen Square One Glass Wharf
Bath Bristol
BA1 2HJ BS2 0ZX

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Page 1

Wikimedia UK Message from the Chair For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

It is my pleasure to introduce Wikimedia UK’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2024/25. As Treasurer, Vice Chair of the charity, and currently interim Chair of the Board, I believe that this report offers a clear and comprehensive overview of the charity’s achievements over the past financial year, alongside a robust financial position. For a deeper dive into our projects, programmes and other charitable activities, we encourage readers to explore our digital Strategic Report, which complements the statutory accounts with case studies, programme insights, and multimedia content from the final year of our 2022–2025 strategic framework.

Thank you to my fellow trustees, who continue to devote their time and expertise to help support the work of the executive and the wider staff team. In particular, on behalf of the whole charity I would like to thank Monisha Shah, who stepped down from her role as Chair of the Board in June 2025 after serving four years. Monisha’s calm, steady guidance, strategic insights, and significant governance expertise helped to cement Wikimedia UK’s reputation as a credible, dynamic and mission-focused charity with excellent governance practices. I know she will be much missed.

We also extend our thanks to Sangeet Bhullar, who retired from the Board in January 2025 after six years as a trustee. Sangeet brought her thoughtful, reflective perspective to a wide range of issues at Wikimedia UK but was particularly valuable for her insights into our information literacy programmes, as she founded and runs a non-profit company dedicated to empowering young people, families and educators to thrive in a digitally connected world.

This is also an opportunity to note new board appointments, and formally welcome new trustees to the board. At our September 2024 AGM, Caroline Ball was re-elected for a second term, and we welcomed two new trustees: Andrew Russell, who brings expertise in public affairs, and Monica Westin, a Wikimedian with a strong background in the open knowledge sector. We’re grateful to all candidates who stood for election and look forward to working with our new colleagues.

I’m also delighted to welcome our incoming Chair, Lucy Yu, who joins the Board in September 2025 following an open and competitive recruitment process. As founder and CEO of the Centre for Net Zero, and the UK government’s Clean Energy AI Champion, Lucy brings valuable experience in organisational leadership, open data, public policy, and emerging technologies - all highly relevant to Wikimedia UK’s future direction.

Now coming up to my second year on the Board of Trustees, I continue to be impressed by the scale, diversity and innovation of the work delivered by Wikimedia UK’s staff and volunteers, in partnership with a very wide range of organisations in the education, cultural heritage and other sectors. With Wikimedians in Residence at institutions such as the University of Edinburgh, Global Systems Institute at the University of Exeter, Khalili Foundation, University of Leeds, National Institute for Health Research and the National Library of Wales, the reach and impact of the organisation is further strengthened. My sincere thanks to all volunteers, staff, Wikimedians in Residence, and partners for your support of our programme. I would also like to thank our donors and funders, without whom this work would not be possible.

Alex Ashby, Chair of the Board of Trustees

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Wikimedia UK Message from the Chief Executive For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

Welcome to Wikimedia UK’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2024/25. Looking back on our activities during the financial year, I’m very proud of everything that the charity has achieved and the impact that we have created. This is only possible because of the dedication and expertise of staff, partners, trustees, volunteers and other contributors, and I add my own thanks to this remarkable community to those of Alex Ashby, above. I would also like to thank the Wikimedia Foundation for their continued support of Wikimedia UK, not only through a multi-year grant and other project funding but as a thought partner, sounding board and ally.

I have been reminded again and again over the past year just how unique Wikimedia’s community is in its ethos, approach, and tireless commitment to open knowledge. It is also resilient; a quality that is going to prove vital over the next few years. If you are reading this Report, you probably care deeply about how information is being weaponised all over the world. The erosion of trust in information, the curtailment of privacy and free expression, and the rise of authoritarianism is the antithesis of what Wikimedia stands for as a movement. Wikimedia UK remains committed to the ideal of a world in which every single human being can freely share in the sum of all knowledge, and believes that the UK community can play an important role in realising that global vision.

This Report covers the final year of our 2022 - 2025 strategy. 2024 was therefore a year of reflection and deliberation for Wikimedia UK, as we worked together to create a new strategic framework for 2025 to 2030. Whilst the strategy remains grounded in our long term vision of a more informed, democratic and equitable society through open knowledge, it calls for a step change in our work with secondary schools. The new strategy foregrounds our role in supporting and advocating for a healthy information ecosystem, underpinned by high levels of information literacy and civic engagement, and supported by policy measures that protect rather than undermine public interest platforms and provide appropriate regulation for emerging technologies. There is also a renewed focus on the recruitment, development and engagement of contributors, including users with extended rights on the Wikimedia projects.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our outgoing Chair, Monisha Shah, for her wise counsel and support over the past four years. Warm thanks are also due to Alex Ashby—already serving as the charity’s Treasurer and Vice Chair—for stepping into the Chair role on an interim basis while we recruited Monisha’s successor. Finally, I would like to welcome Lucy Yu, who joins Wikimedia UK as our new Chair at an exciting time, as we reflect on a period of sustained growth in the charity’s income, impact and profile, and look forward to delivering our ambitious new strategy.

Lucy Crompton-Reid, Chief Executive

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Wikimedia UK Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

Wikimedia UK is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee and operates under the name of Wikimedia UK. The directors, who are also the trustees for the purpose of the charity law, present their report, together with the audited financial statements of the charitable company for the year ended 31 January 2025, which have been prepared in accordance with the current statutory requirements, its governing documents and Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP FRS 102- implemented 1 January 2019).

References and Administrative Details

Administrative information is given in a separate section at the front of these accounts .

Directors and Trustees

The directors of the Company are the Charity’s trustees for the purpose of charity law and throughout this report are collectively referred to as the Trustees.

The Trustees serving during the year and since the year-end are as follows:

None of the Trustees have any beneficial interest in the Company. All of the Trustees are members of the Company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up.

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Wikimedia UK Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

Structure, governance and management

Wikimedia UK is a charitable company limited by guarantee. It was incorporated on 5th November 2008 as company number 06741827; registered as a charity in England and Wales on 3rd November 2011, and in Scotland on 22 August 2018. Wikimedia UK has a subsidiary company, Cultural Outreach Limited (company number 08548511), incorporated on 29th May 2013. The sole purpose of this subsidiary is to hold the intellectual property rights of QRpedia; a mobile web-based system which uses QR codes to deliver Wikipedia articles to users, in their preferred language.

Under its Articles of Association Wikimedia UK is governed by a Board of up to seven elected directors and up to four co-opted directors who are the trustees for charity law purposes. Terms for elected trustees are three years, with the possibility of re-election subject to a maximum continuous period of up to six years. Coopted trustees are expected to serve up to two terms of two years each; with the possibility of re-appointment subject to a maximum continuous period of six years.

The Board is committed to best practice in charitable governance. All trustees are inducted to the charity through a programme of one-to-one meetings and formal external training as necessary. Trustees are also sent a trustee induction pack that combines external advice and key internal documents. Training and development opportunities are available to serving trustees throughout their time on the board, such as attendance at relevant conferences, training in specific areas such as finance, copyright law or chairing skills, participation in Wikimedia UK’s events and conferences and ‘teach-ins’ by other trustees or members of the staff team. There are two board committees that meet quarterly—Audit and Risk, and Community Development—with a standing Governance Committee which meets as needed. All the subcommittees are governed by formal charters and have the capacity to include specialist external members with full voting rights.

Wikimedia UK encourages all who support its charitable aims and objectives, and who are willing to abide by its membership rules, to join as voting company members. Admission to company membership is by online application to the Charity, with authority for agreeing new members delegated by the board to the Chief Executive. All members of the charity are entitled to stand for the board of trustees, and elections are held at our Annual General Meeting according to the election rules inscribed in our constitution. Co-opted board members can join at any time during the year and are recruited to meet specific skills gaps.

The company has a Chapter Agreement with the Wikimedia Foundation, the public non-profit organisation that operates Wikipedia and its sister websites and owns the Wikimedia trademarks. Each party agrees to support the work of the other and agrees not to engage in activities that might negatively impact the work or reputation of the other.

The charity is managed on a day-to-day basis by the Chief Executive, with a Scheme of Delegation to facilitate fully accountable, effective and efficient management of the charity. Other key management personnel include the Director of Programmes and Evaluation, the Head of Finance and Operations and the Head of Development and Communications. Salaries for all staff are reviewed annually as part of our budget planning cycle, with benchmarking against similar roles undertaken on a regular basis and particularly upon a new appointment.

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Wikimedia UK Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

Objects and Aims

The trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in Section 17(5) of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the general guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit, including the guidance ‘Public Benefit: Running a Charity (PB2)’. The Objects of the Charity are, for the benefit of the public, to promote and support the widest possible public access to, use of and contribution to Open Content of an encyclopaedic or educational nature or of similar utility to the general public, in particular the Open Content supported and provided by Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., based in San Francisco, California, USA.

2024/25 represented the final year of Wikimedia UK’s strategic framework for 2022 - 2025, summarised below:

Our VISION is of a more informed, democratic and equitable society through open knowledge

Our MISSION is to enable people to engage with open knowledge and access reliable information in order to develop their understanding of the world, and make informed decisions about issues that affect them.

We strive to act with integrity in upholding and inspiring the following VALUES:

Wikimedia UK’s strategic themes for 2022 - 2025 are:

A number of STRATEGIC PILLARS underpin successful delivery across all areas of our work:

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Wikimedia UK Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

Charitable Activities

Wikimedia UK’s strategic framework informs all initiatives undertaken by the charity. As outlined above, our strategic themes for 2022 - 2025 are knowledge equity, information literacy, and climate and the environment, while five strategic pillars underpin all of our work and programmes.

This report shares some highlights from this programme and is combined with detailed financial statements for the year 2024 - 2025. For more case studies, videos and other evidence of our work, reach and impact you may want to view the digital-only Strategic Report.

Key Metrics achieved in 2024/25:

Strategic Theme 1: Knowledge Equity

The charity delivered a wide range of activities under the Knowledge Equity umbrella in 2024, including conferences and events such as Celtic Knot 2024—organised in partnership with Wikimedia Community Ireland, who welcomed Wikimedia’s minority languages community to Waterford—and co-created projects such as our new partnership with the Heritage Lab, a digital platform for South Asian art and culture.

We built on our previous report on barriers to engagement for smaller heritage organisations by commissioning research into Wikimedia UK’s existing outreach to minority groups. The research included recommendations on how we can reduce barriers to working with us in future, and is informing practice across the staff team. Learning from other organisations is also informing our approach, including initiatives such as re:shape at Wikimedia Deutschland, and our involvement as a community catalyst in Museum Galleries Scotland’s ‘Delivering Change’ programme.

As part of our overall evaluation framework for 2022 - 2025 we set ourselves some key questions in relation to Wikimedia UK’s three strategic themes. In early 2025, we commissioned an external evaluation consultant, Tina Puryear, to consider the extent to which we had answered these questions, and achieved our strategic aims and objectives for the three year period 2022 - 2025.

Quoting directly from Tina Puryear’s report, “Wikimedia UK has contributed to the global Wikimedia movement’s goal of achieving knowledge equity. Their contributions are twofold. First, Wikimedia UK has delivered many effective programmes that resulted in improved reliability and the creation of new information and knowledge which represent minoritised groups or content. Wikimedia UK has also grown their reputation as a thought leader, with more invitations to not just participate but to partner in advocacy and influencing initiatives relating to knowledge equity.”

Wikimedia UK, Tina goes on to say, “understands that contributing to change externally requires creating change internally. Their core values of equity, diversity and inclusion informs Wikimedia UK’s programmatic focus as well as their approach to work. Wikimedia UK proactively researches and evidences knowledge inequities and does their own reflections on decolonising and addressing systemic and systematic biases

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Wikimedia UK Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

within their organisation. They are committed to learning and embedding ethical approaches to the work, most especially when working in partnership with individuals and groups from minoritised communities, so as to not perpetuate systemic biases nor replicate the extractive approaches that are too frequently employed when there is a power imbalance between knowledge holders and knowledge gatekeepers.”

Strategic Theme 2: Information Literacy

Wikimedia UK works with educational, community and other partners to develop information literacy skills, in order to enable people to engage effectively with open knowledge content as well as other media and information. Much of this work is at the classroom level, working with course leaders and other educators to create engaging programmes for students and other participants. We also commission research and work in partnership with other organisations to advocate for the inclusion of information literacy skills in curricula, and in public policy.

The qualitative evaluation question we asked ourselves in relation to our second strategic theme was to what extent did Wikimedia UK build information literacy, and support the creation of an empowered civil society in the UK? Tina Puryear reflected that “Wikimedia UK embeds information literacy throughout all of its programming and influencing work, recognising its importance in further empowering new and diverse content/knowledge creators for their knowledge equity work as well as its importance in and of itself as a key element to support an equitable and democratic information ecosystem. Wikimedia UK has well established information literacy programmes for higher education/universities. There is evidence that these programmes result in improved information literacy skills and awareness for the participants. They are growing this work, expanding into secondary education and further into new organisations, institutions and community groups. A key part of this will be building on the already strong Wikimedia UK advocacy efforts to raise awareness of the importance of literacy skills. These efforts will take time but will expand the contribution Wikimedia UK makes to empowering civil society in the UK.”

Strategic Theme 3: Climate and Environment

This was a new theme for Wikimedia UK in our 2022 - 2025 strategy, in recognition of the accelerating climate crisis and Wikimedia’s critical role in providing up-to-date, accurate and unbiased information about climate change and ecological decline. Our flagship project within this programme is our ongoing partnership with the Global Systems Institute (GSI) at the University of Exeter. Launching in Autumn 2022, we are now in the third year of this residency, with millions of views of climate-related content that has been added or improved through this partnership.

The qualitative evaluation question that we posed for ourselves relating to this area of our work, was how can Wikimedia UK have the strongest impact in terms of climate and other topics of impact? In her independent evaluation of our programmes, Tina Puryear found that Wikimedia UK could have the strongest impact by “continuing their ethical and collaborative approach to knowledge holders’ co-production of open information and knowledge of climate and other topics of impact. Their current models of working in the knowledge equity and information literacy programmes are effective at increasing skills, at raising awareness and empowering underrepresented groups to create and improve content. These approaches and models also enable Wikimedia UK to be adaptive and responsive to the needs and priorities of communities and groups they work with. They’ve been able to demonstrate the power of these approaches with the Climate Residency and should be able to scale this approach going forward.”

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Wikimedia UK Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

Strategic Pillars

Our five strategic pillars underpin and support all of our work. During 2024/25 we strengthened all of these pillars, with key highlights and achievements shared below.

Equity, diversity and inclusion embedded across the organisation

Alongside the strides we are making towards knowledge equity in our programmatic work, during 2024 Wikimedia UK continued to diversify the staff team and board of trustees, explore new approaches to inclusion, and embed equity into all of our policies and practices.

A thriving national and international community

Wikimedia UK continues to innovate in its work with the volunteer community, with a number of new initiatives developed during 2024, including mini wikis, and the Sandbox Sessions (launched in 2025). Managing the Volunteer Supporters Network in partnership with Wikimedia Argentina is also an important way in which we contribute to a thriving international community, along with extensive participation in peer networks and knowledge sharing events and initiatives.

Public profile and recognition of the organisation and Wikimedia projects

Wikimedia UK’s profile within our target sectors and audiences and the wider general public continues to grow. This is achieved through a range of communications, outreach and advocacy activities, including proactive social media engagement; externally-facing publications (in 2024 this included an updated Education case studies booklet in partnership with the University of Edinburgh, and the launch of the GLAME Lab Toolkit); and contribution to thought leadership spaces, such as our contribution of an article about the Wikipedia community to the prestigious RSA Journal.

A positive legislative environment for open knowledge in the UK

The charity contributes to public policy consultations and fora on a wide range of issues that affect open knowledge and the overall health of the information ecosystem. Media and information literacy and the responsible use of AI are both key issues for us, and during the year we contributed to a number of consultations run by government departments or related bodies such as Ofcom. We remain deeply concerned about the impact of the Online Safety Act (OSA) on open access to information. Towards the end of the year were once again engaged in advocating on behalf of Wikipedia and other public interest websites, as the government’s proposed Categorisation Thresholds for the OSA were presented in Parliament.

Organisational resilience and sustainability

As evidenced by our financial statements, Wikimedia UK continues to diversify funding and grow income year on year. Taking into account gifts in Kind as well as other funding, donations and earned income, the Wikimedia Foundation’s annual grant—whilst growing at a higher rate than inflation for the past few years— now represents just a third of our overall revenue for the financial year. This is the lowest it has ever been, as a proportion of our turnover. In Autumn 2024, the Wikimedia Foundation’s Regional Funds Committee for North West Europe awarded us a three year grant covering the period 1st February 2025 to 31st January 2028. This is our first three year grant from the Foundation and will enable longer term planning and sustainability for the charity.

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Wikimedia UK Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

Volunteer and Community Support

“Wikimedia is built on inclusivity and celebrating diversity” Community Leaders Survey, 2024/25

Supporting volunteers and developing the Wikimedia UK community is at the heart of all of our work. Over the past few years we have invested in the creation of a permanent Community and Outreach Coordinator and also prioritised strategic responsibility for volunteer engagement within the responsibilities of the Programme Manager posts created in 2023. We have established a Community Development Committee as a subcommittee of the Board of Trustees and built community consultation into our strategic development as an organisation.

During 2024, Wikimedia UK held an online Community Celebration Event, with lightning talks given by members of the community and a Wikimedian of the Year awards ceremony to recognise and celebrate the work of volunteers and partners. We also focused training efforts on a CPD model of training with a range of workshops being offered (online and in-person) and held an in-person meet-up for Wikimedians in Residence in Leeds. As noted elsewhere in this Report, Wikimedia UK is leading the international Volunteer Supporters Network, in partnership with Wikimedia Argentina.

Wikimedia UK runs an annual Community Leaders survey which is sent to a targeted group of lead volunteers and Wikimedia champions within partner institutions. The survey is a key tool for us to gather feedback on how we are supporting volunteers and partners and what we could improve. In analysing the results of the most recent survey (run in February 2025) we were pleased to note that 95% of volunteers reported feeling appreciated and supported by Wikimedia UK, with 87% of staff at partner organisations feeling supported by Wikimedia UK staff. Similar to last year, 94% of respondents said they would be likely to continue engaging or volunteering with Wikimedia UK.

88% of respondents would recommend Wikimedia UK as a place to volunteer, with the remaining 12% feeling neutral. Respondents reported that the things they liked most about volunteering are; building connections and being part of a community of like-minded people, learning new things, seeing the impact of their volunteering and enthusing new editors.

Of particular note in this year’s survey were responses to a question about whether participation in Wikimedia UK activities has encouraged people to take part in other non-wiki activities, such as community organising, campaigning or other volunteer roles. Responses to this question included the following examples, which really illustrate how volunteering with Wikimedia UK can support other forms of civic engagement:

“As a result of my project I’ve been invited to write a book chapter on feminist library practices”

“I volunteer for another charity as well and find the two volunteer roles complement each other so well - tech and people!”

“As a fundraising officer for a different charity I've secured grants and founded a new charity. I don't think I would have had the skills or confidence to do this before working with WMUK”

“I have now started volunteering in political campaigns that I support”

Whilst the sample size from the survey is fairly small, it’s worth noting some of the key demographics collated. This year, more men responded (56%) and there was no representation from non-binary or trans people. The majority (two thirds) of respondents were aged between 35 - 54, with younger and older people also represented. 80% of respondents are from a White background, which is slightly lower than last year (83%). As in previous years, the vast majority (94%) of respondents have a degree or a higher qualification. This high level of education is also seen in the staff and Board of Trustees, although there are no formal education requirements for any staff, board or volunteer roles at Wikimedia UK.

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Wikimedia UK Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

Against a national average of around 23%, a third of community leaders are disabled; although this is a lower proportion than last year’s respondents. We asked an additional question this year specifically about neurodiversity, with 60% of respondents saying they were not neurodivergent, 20% were not sure and 7% responded positively.

Based on the feedback from the survey, we will continue to explore how to increase representation of community leaders from marginalised communities, and develop our understanding of how best to support people with physical and mental health conditions. We will also continue to offer a range of training and volunteering opportunities that cater for more experienced volunteers as well as newer members of our community.

Future plans

2024/25 was the final year of our three year strategy for 2022 - 2025. I’m very proud of what we achieved during the whole three year period, not just the last financial year. As highlighted earlier in this Report, we commissioned an external evaluation consultant, Tina Puryear, to look at what we had achieved between 1st February 2022 and 31st January 2025 and the extent to which we had met our strategic objectives. Tina’s work was invaluable in highlighting the progress we are making towards our long term outcomes, as well as helping us to think about future approaches to monitoring and evaluation.

During 2024, we spent considerable time developing our new strategic framework. Through extensive staff, board and community discussions—including analysing the external landscape at a national and international level, and making a set of assumptions about how things will unfold in the next few years—we agreed to focus on the following strategic aims from 2025 to 2030:

Strategic Aim 1: Hold equity, diversity and inclusion at the heart of the organisation and our charitable activities, increasing the involvement and representation of the global majority and other minoritised groups and subjects.

Strategic Aim 2: Develop and diversify the UK community of contributors, volunteers and community leaders; recruiting new editors, celebrating and amplifying the work of longstanding contributors, and supporting effective project governance.

Strategic Aim 3: Increase free, verified and open access to knowledge and information about the climate crisis and other important topics, by delivering impactful projects with relevant partners, and advocating for the release of content.

Strategic Aim 4: Support the public’s ability to make informed decisions about critical issues by developing information literacy skills, promoting digital citizenship, advocating for the responsible use of AI, and campaigning for public policy measures that support and sustain a healthy information ecosystem.

Strategic Aim 5: Make a significant contribution to the overall Wikimedia ecosystem and the delivery of the Wikimedia 2030 strategy through international support, collaboration, leadership and innovation.

Strategic Aim 6: Elevate Wikimedia UK's influence and impact by communicating its work to a wide range of audiences; building visibility and profile and demonstrating thought leadership through our media activities, campaigns, research, publications and speaking engagements.

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Wikimedia UK Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

Many of our objectives and planned activities for the first year of the strategy build on past successes and established relationships. However the strategy for 2025 - 2030 is also predicated on a step change in our work in secondary schools, reflecting a long standing ambition for the Board of Trustees and the executive at Wikimedia UK. The strategy also includes a stronger focus on Topics for Impact, incorporating our existing work in climate information as well as other priority areas for sharing knowledge, such as health, human rights and democracy.

This evolution of our strategic priorities necessitated a review of our organisation in late 2024, with a staff restructure in 2025 to ensure that we are well placed to deliver on our ambitious new strategy. While change is never easy, these decisions have been made to strengthen the charity for the future. We are entering this new strategic period with clarity of purpose, a renewed focus on our core values, and an inspiring set of goals that reflect the scale of the challenges, and opportunities, ahead.

Fundraising

A third (34%) of Wikimedia UK’s funding comes from an unrestricted grant from the Wikimedia Foundation. The majority of the remainder of our cash income is raised through individual donations; either by direct debit, or through platforms such as Revolut and Benevity. These kinds of donations represent a significant and growing proportion of our income. Occasionally, we receive substantial legacy gifts from the estates of our late supporters. We also record gifts in kind, the majority of which are related to our institutional partners’ expenditure on Wikimedians in Residence.

Our annual unrestricted grant from the Wikimedia Foundation in 2024/25 was £442,000. This was the second year of a two year grant secured for 2023 - 2025. Our income from small donations (any gift under £1,000) was £246,989, exceeding our budget of £237,000 by 4%. We also received £10,000 in major donor income (individual donations of £1,000 or more) although this was below our £25,000 target. We secured £33,791 in Gift Aid claims, which was just 3.4% shy of our £35,000 target.

Wikimedia UK received three legacy gifts in 2024/25 and the total income from those was £237,622. This includes a substantial legacy from the Salmon estate, a figure which is estimated at £167,337 and which needs to be recognised in the Statutory Accounts for 2024/25 although the legacy has not yet been received by the charity. The Trustees have approved that this generous donation will be put into a designated fund to deliver increased activities over the next few years that support our strategy and growth.

Early in the 2024/25 financial year, we faced some challenges transitioning to our new CRM system, stemming from erratic integration of systems and modules and general poor support from our provider. Some of the CRM issues have since been resolved and the team has also managed to develop some workarounds for key activities.

We commissioned Fireside Fundraising, an external consultancy that specialises in developing organisational storytelling for charities to help us:

The sector-wide challenge of shrinking Trusts and Foundations grant funding due to overwhelming demand and funders regularly changing their priorities was a major obstacle to success for us in 2024/25. To mitigate these challenges, the fundraising team continues to work towards sharpening our cases for support, tightening collaboration with Programmes and the wider team and exploring alternative funding sources.

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Wikimedia UK Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

We introduced Corporate Partnerships as a new strand to diversify our income streams. To equip the team appropriately and bolster our internal capacity in this area, we engaged Fireside consultants again. This resulted in some tailored Corporate Partnership workshops which involved senior management and trustees. An internal policy was developed from this and approved by the Board. Our fundraising team is now in the early stages of implementing the new strategy.

Our first Google Ads campaign launched on 6 January 2025, leveraging the Google Ads grant facility that we secured in Q3 of 2024/25. Since launch, Google search is now the top source of traffic to key landing pages on our website in line with our strategic goal of attracting new audiences. These activities contributed to the significant boost in our online donations in Q4 and follow up campaigns will aim to convert more new visitors into donors.

We engaged the family of a deceased following confirmation of a gift to Wikimedia UK in January 2025. They kindly granted us permission to publish a tribute and message of thanks which was published on our website. To strengthen our strategy and encourage more future giving in this area, we have updated our online legacy giving content and partnered with Farewill, one of the largest will writing companies in the U.K.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to every individual and organisation who donated to Wikimedia UK or supported our programmes through grants, enabling us to extend the reach of our work and supporting the wider impact of Wikimedia UK's work. Particular mention goes to the Wikimedia Foundation, National Lottery Heritage Fund, and the Meliore Foundation.

Wikimedia UK is registered with the Fundraising Regulator - the independent regulator of charitable fundraising in England, Wales and Northern Ireland - and is fully compliant with that scheme. No third parties (such as freelance fundraisers or commercial participators) undertake fundraising on Wikimedia UK’s behalf. As in previous years, the charity received no complaints about our fundraising activities during the 2024/25 financial year.

Finances and Risk

In December 2023, the board of trustees agreed to a breakeven annual budget for 2024/25. Total income for the year came to £1,269,305, compared to £1,095,569 the previous year, with a large surplus of £239,959 generated following a generous legacy donation at the end of the financial year. Of the total income, unrestricted income of £995,291 was 32.7% higher than the previous year (2024: Unrestricted: £750,135), as most income streams improved.

Expenditure on fundraising decreased to £53,814 (2024: £69,491), and charitable spend on projects was £975,532 (2024: £1,060,935). Restricted income from charitable activities and charitable expenditure on projects included £169,690 (2024: £167,340) of gifts-in-kind.

Wikimedia UK ended the financial year 2024/25 with a significant surplus of £256,316 on unrestricted funds (2024: £1,287), of which £166,071 was moved to a Designated Fund. The additional income raised during the year, particularly the Legacy income received at the end of the financial year—which substantially exceeded the budget—contributed significantly to this surplus which has strengthened our unrestricted reserves by £90,245. There was some additional spend in the £14,900 Designated Fund, with plans to spend the remainder of this during 2025/26. Total reserves, including unrestricted, designated and restricted, increased from £405,567 to £645,526 due to the increase in unrestricted reserves.

The approved budget for 2025/26 has projected expenditure of £1,074,771 and forecast income of £1,038,130. The difference between these figures represents estimated restricted funds brought forward, which we are anticipating spending down fully during the year as well as a £10k predicted deficit in unrestricted spending, which the team fully intends to reduce over the year.

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Wikimedia UK Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

Reserves

A level of general reserves is required to buffer the charity from financial risks. These could include a delay on the receipt of a grant; the loss of assets through fraud; or reduced income from donations. Reserves are also held in case a significant financial risk materialises, and the trustees take the difficult decision to close parts or all of the operations of the charity (which could involve quite significant costs relating to staff and other contractual obligations).

Our Reserves Policy is based on a risk-based methodology. It states that the annual calculation of a target range of unrestricted reserves is based on an analysis of the potential financial risks facing the organisation and the losses or costs that would occur if the risk that would cause the greatest draw on our reserves materialised. The reserves target is the higher figure of 1) the risks based methodology - plus an additional four weeks of operating costs (recognising the likelihood of a short time lag between a risk materialising and the charity being able to make and enact decisions in response), or 2) four to six months of operating costs.

At the start of 2025, we agreed to base our reserves on four to six months of operating costs, given our limited liabilities. This is a range of £260,000 to £390,000. Our free reserves (excluding fixed assets and designated funds) at 1[st] February 2025, are £438,157

Risk Management

The risk register is maintained by the Chief Executive with an owner allocated to each risk. All risks are reviewed by the Senior Management Team on a quarterly basis, with an assessment of the perceived likelihood of the risk materialising along with the possible reputational and financial impact. An updated register is shared and discussed with the Audit and Risk Committee at every quarterly meeting, with key risks also discussed by the whole board on a regular basis.

At the start of the 2024/25 financial year, the most serious risks facing Wikimedia UK were:

These risks were discussed in detail by ARC and the full board, with separate discussions taking place with Wikimedia Foundation staff to explore mitigation. At the time of writing, the first of these risks is perceived to have diminished; while the second is being actively challenged through the UK courts by the Wikimedia Foundation.

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Wikimedia UK Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

At the start of 2023/24, the most significant risk related to the Online Safety Act. This has been actively managed throughout the year, with more detail on our actions relating to this new legislation within the body of this report.

Small Company

This Report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions relating to small companies within Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.

Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities

The trustees (who are also directors of Wikimedia UK for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report (incorporating the directors’ report) and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102: The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (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 income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for maintaining proper accounting records which 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.

In so far as the Trustees are aware:

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.

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Page 15

Wikimedia UK Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

Signed on behalf of the Board, as approved on 26 September 2025.

A Beidas – Chair of Audit and Risk Committee

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Page 16

Wikimedia UK Independent Auditors' Report to the Trustees and Members For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Wikimedia UK (the 'charitable company') for the year ended 31 January 2025, which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities (including an Income and Expenditure Account), Balance Sheet, Statement of Cash Flows and Notes to the Financial Statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice, including Financial Reporting Standard 102: The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustee’s use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least 12 months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the Trustee Directors’ Report, other than the financial statements and our auditors’ report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

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Wikimedia UK Independent Auditors' Report to the Trustees and Members For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

Opinion on other matter prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

In the light of our knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Directors' Report included within the Trustees’ Report.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities set out on pages 15, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:

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Wikimedia UK Independent Auditors' Report to the Trustees and Members For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

The extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities including fraud

Our approach to identifying and assessing the risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, was as follows:

We assessed the susceptibility of the company’s financial statements to material misstatement, including obtaining an understanding of how fraud might occur, by:

To address the risk of fraud through management bias and override of controls, we:

In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, we designed procedures which included, but were not limited to:

There are inherent limitations in our audit procedures described above. The more removed that laws and regulations are from financial transactions, the less likely it is that we would become aware of noncompliance. Auditing standards also limit the audit procedures required to identify non-compliance with laws and regulations to enquiry of the directors and other management and the inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any.

Material misstatements that arise due to fraud can be harder to detect than those that arise from error as they may involve deliberate concealment or collusion.

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Wikimedia UK Independent Auditors' Report to the Trustees and Members For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council's website at www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members and trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body and the charitable company’s trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Michelle Ferris BSc (Hons) FCA DChA (Senior Statutory Auditor) For and on behalf of Albert Goodman LLP, Statutory Auditor Goodwood House Blackbrook Park Avenue Taunton TA1 2PX

Date: 1 October 2025

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Page 20

Wikimedia UK Statement of Financial Activities (including an Income and Expenditure account) For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

==> picture [546 x 447] intentionally omitted <==

----- Start of picture text -----
Unre- Unre- Re-
stricted Re-stricted Total 2025 stricted stricted Total 2024
Notes £ £ £ £ £ £
Income:
Grants 2 442,000 104,324 546,324 410,000 178,094 588,094
Donations and legacies 3 528,443 - 528,443 310,183 - 310,183
Charitable activities 4 - 169,690 169,690 - 167,340 167,340
Investments 5 14,784 - 14,784 1,579 - 1,579
Other 6 10,064 - 10,064 28,373 - 28,373
Total income 995,291 274,014 1,269,305 750,135 345,434 1,095,569
Expenditure:
Raising funds 7 53,814 - 53,814 29,491 40,000 69,491
Charitable activities 8 687,267 288,265 975,532 735,402 325,533 1,060,935
Total expenditure 741,081 288,265 1,029,346 764,893 365,533 1,130,426
Net income /
(expenditure) for the year 254,210 (14,251) 239,959 (14,758) (20,099) (34,857)
Transfers between funds 17 2,106 (2,106) - 16,045 (16,045) -
Net movement in
funds for the year 256,316 (16,357) 239,959 1,287 (36,144) (34,857)
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward 373,816 31,751 405,567 372,529 67,895 440,424
Total funds carried forward 630,132 15,394 645,526 373,816 31,751 405,567
----- End of picture text -----

The results for the year derive from continuing activities and there are no gains or losses other than those shown above.

The statement of financial activities incorporates the income and expenditure account.

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Page 21

Balance Sheet As at 31 January 2025

Wikimedia UK - Company Registration Number: 06741827

Notes
Fixed assets
Tangible fixed assets
13
Investments
14
Current assets
Debtors
15
Cash at bank and in hand
Investments
14a
Liabilities:
Creditors falling due within one year
16
Net current assets
Total net assets
The funds of the charity:
Restricted funds
17
Unrestricted funds
17
Designated funds
17
Total charity funds		 2025
2024
£
£
11,003
6,981
1
1
11,004
6,982
204,577
23,793
505,358
911,075
437,373
-
1,147,308
934,868
(512,786)
(536,283)
634,522
398,585
645,526
405,567
15,394
31,751
449,161
358,916
180,971
14,900
645,526
405,567

The financial statements have been prepared and delivered in accordance with the special provisions relating to small companies within Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

Approved by the Board of Directors for issue on 25 September 2025 and signed on their behalf by:

A Beidas Chair of Audit and Risk Committee

A Ashby Treasurer and Vice-Chair

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Page 22

Wikimedia UK Statement of Cash Flows For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

Notes
Cash flows from operating activities
Net movements in funds for the year
Depreciation and amortisation
13
Finance income
5
Working capital adjustments
(Increase)/decrease in debtors
15
Increase/(decrease) in creditors
16
Net cash flow from operations
Cash flows from investing activities
Interest received
5
Purchase of fixed assets
13
Purchase of investments
14
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of
the reporting period
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the
reporting period
Cash & Cash equivalents reconciliation:
Cash at bank
Total cash & cash equivalents at the end of the
reporting period		 £
239,959
2,789
(14,784)
227,964
(180,784)
(23,497)
23,683
14,784
(6,811)
(437,374)
(429,400)
-
(405,717)
911,075
505,358
505,358
505,358
Total 2025		 £
(34,857)
1,136
(1,579)
(35,300)
61,612
69,766
96,078
1,579
(2,269)
-
(690)
-
95,388
815,687
911,075
911,075
911,075
Total 2024

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Page 23

Wikimedia UK Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

1 Accounting Policies

1.1 General information and basis of accounting

Wikimedia UK is a company limited by guarantee incorporated in the United Kingdom under the Companies Act. Each member of the charity undertakes to contribute a maximum of £1 to the charity’s assets if it should be wound up while they are a member or within one year after they cease to be a member. The address of the registered office is given on page 1. The nature of the charity’s operations and its principal activities are set out in the Trustee Directors’ Report on pages 2 – 16.

The financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis and in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)- (Charities SORP (FRS 102)) and the Companies Act 2006.

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

These accounts are amended, they replace the original accounts as filed, they are the statutory accounts for the charity and are prepared as they were at the date of the original accounts.

1.2 Income

Income from donations is recognised in the accounts when receivable and the amount can be reliably measured.

Income from grants is accounted for when unconditionally due and reasonable assurance can be gained that it will be received. Income from charitable activities is recognised when either unconditionally due or when the service is completed depending on the nature of funding. Where funds are received in advance, for a specified period, these funds are deferred and recognised in the period to which they relate.

Income from investments is recognised in the accounts when receivable.

1.3 Expenditure

Resources expended are accounted for on the accruals basis and are inclusive of Value Added Tax. Liabilities are recognised in the accounting period to which they relate.

1.4 Allocation of staff costs to projects and apportionment of governance and support costs

Staff costs attributable to project-work as direct costs and staff costs, other overheads apportionable as support costs and governance costs, have been allocated to the expenditure headings in the Statement of Financial Activities as follows:

Staff time spent on carrying out each project's activity, or on fundraising, has been determined from returns by staff for each month and evaluated at the individual's total salary cost to calculate the actual cost of direct staff time spent for each activity.

Governance and support costs have been apportioned pro rata to total direct costs per activity.

1.5 Volunteers

The trustees gratefully acknowledge the significant contribution made by volunteers who gave freely of their time and expertise.

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Page 24

Wikimedia UK Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

1.6 Fixed assets

Fixed assets are valued at cost or valuation less depreciation. Individual items or sets of related items costing over £500 are capitalised. Depreciation is calculated to write off the cost of fixed assets, less their residual value, over their estimated useful lives at the following rates:

Furniture – 33.33% straight line Computer Equipment – 33.33% straight line Leasehold improvements – 33.33% straight line

1.7 Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due and prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid. Debtors relating to accrued income are recognised when unconditionally due and reasonable assurance can be gained they will be received.

Where funds are due but have not yet been received, they are accrued in debtors and recognised in the period to which they relate.

Cash at bank and in hand comprise cash on hand and call deposits, and other short-term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to a known amount of cash and are subject to an insignificant risk of change in value.

1.9 Creditors

Creditors and provisions 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 and provisions are recognised at their settlement amount.

Where grants are received in advance, for a specified period, these funds are deferred and recognised in the period to which they relate.

1.10 Taxation

The charity is a registered charity and is therefore not liable to corporation tax on its charitable activities to the extent that income and gains are applied to charitable purposes.

1.11 Pension contributions

The charity provides a defined contributions pension scheme for its employees and contributions payable for the year are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities.

1.12 Investments

The Charity's wholly owned subsidiary company, Cultural Outreach Limited, is the holder of intellectual property rights donated for the work of the Charity. As the company is dormant and its assets are immaterial to the group, consolidated accounts have not been prepared.

1.13 Grants awarded

Grants awarded by the Charity are recognised in full as expenditure on charitable activities in the Statement of Financial Activities in the period in which a binding commitment arises.

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Wikimedia UK Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

1.14 Fund accounting

General funds are unrestricted funds receivable or generated for the objects of the charity without further specified purpose and are available as general funds. Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the directors for particular purposes.

Restricted funds are to be used for specific purposes as laid down by the donor. Expenditure which meets this criterion is charged to the fund, together with a fair allocation of management and support costs.

1.15 Operating leases

Rentals payable under operating leases were charged to the Statement of Financial Activities as incurred over the term of the lease.

1.16 Financial instruments

The charity only holds basic financial instruments as defined in FRS 102. The financial assets and liabilities of the charity and their measurements are as follows:

Financial assets – trade and other debtors are basic financial instruments and are debt instruments measured at amortised cost. Prepayments are not financial instruments.

Cash at bank – is classified as a basic financial instrument and is measured at face value.

Financial liabilities – trade creditors, accruals, other creditors and bank loans are financial instruments, and are measured at amortised cost. Taxation and social security are not included in the financial instruments disclosure definition. Deferred income is not seemed to be a financial liability, as the cash settlement has already taken place and there is an obligation to deliver services rather than cash or another financial instrument.

1.17 Gifts in kind

Tangible gifts-in-kind are recognised at their fair value.

(b) Donated services or facilities

Donated services or facilities are recognised at their estimated value to the charity where the value is quantifiable and measurable. The valuation basis is the price the charity estimates it would pay in the open market for a service or facility of equivalent utility.

(c) Wikimedians in Residence

Where either:

(i) a grant is made under an agreement in respect of a Wikimedian in Residence and the host organisation contributes towards the cost, or

(ii) a grant has been made for our benefit by another grant maker direct to that host institution a gift-in-kind is recognised equal in value to the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to secure the residency. These are accounted as restricted entries in the accounts.

1.18 Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgement

In preparing financial statements it is necessary to make certain judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts recognised in the financial statements. There are no estimates or judgments that have a material effect on amounts recognised in the financial statements.

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Wikimedia UK Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

2. Grants

==> picture [548 x 290] intentionally omitted <==

----- Start of picture text -----
Unres- Res- Unres- Res-
2025 2024
tricted tricted tricted tricted
funds funds Total funds funds Total
£ £ £ £ £ £
Wikimedia Foundation 2023/24 - - - 410,000 - 410,000
Wikimedia Foundation 2024/25 442,000 - 442,000 - - -
Wikimedia Foundation -
- -
project grants 3,935 3,935 42,001 42,001
- - - -
Wikimedia Community Ireland 18,113 18,113
- - - -
University of Exeter 18,772 18,772
National Lottery Heritage
- - - -
Fund - Digital Fund 43,947 43,947
National Lottery Heritage
Fund - Innovation Fund - - - - 24,755 24,755
Meliore Foundation - 63,504 63,504 - 31,504 31,504
- - - -
European Climate Fund 31,387 31,387
Culham St. Gabriel's Trust - - - - 4,500 4,500
442,000 104,324 546,324 410,000 178,094 588,094
----- End of picture text -----

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Page 27

Wikimedia UK Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

3. Income from donations and legacies

==> picture [550 x 188] intentionally omitted <==

----- Start of picture text -----
Unre- Re- Unre- Re-
stricted stricted 2025 stricted stricted 2024
funds funds Total funds funds Total
£ £ £ £ £ £
- -
Major gifts 10,000 10,000 9,500 9,500
Other donations 247,030 - 247,030 235,055 - 235,055
- -
Legacies 237,622 237,622 5,000 5,000
- -
Gift aid - current year 33,791 33,791 18,392 18,392
Gift aid - back claim - - - 42,236 - 42,236
- -
528,443 528,443 310,183 310,183
----- End of picture text -----

Where grants are received in advance, for a specified period, these funds are deferred in creditors and recognised in the period to which they relate. Where funds are due but have not yet been received, they are accrued in debtors and recognised in the period to which they relate.

4. Income from charitable activities

Unre-
stricted
funds
£
Gifts in kind
Wikimedian in Residence host costs:
National Library of Wales
-
Edinburgh University
-
Khalili Collections
-
Leeds University
-
British Library
-
National Institute for Health
Research
-
National Trust
-
-		 Re-
stricted
funds
£
62,054
49,598
16,250
1,375
-
37,080
3,333
169,690		 2025
Total
£
62,054
49,598
16,250
1,375
-
37,080
3,333
169,690		 Unre-
stricted
funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 Re-
stricted
2024
funds
Total
£
£
53,298
53,298
48,244
48,244
15,000
15,000
-
-
1,783
1,783
32,348
32,348
16,667
16,667
167,340
167,340

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Page 28

Wikimedia UK Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

5. Investment income

Bank interest Unre-
stricted
funds
£
14,784
14,784		 Re-
stricted
funds
£
-
-		 2025
Total
£
14,784		 Unre-
stricted
funds
£
1,579		 Re-
stricted
2024
funds
Total
£
£
-
1,579
-
1,579
14,784 1,579

6. Other income

Training and consultancy
Miscellaneous		 funds
£
7,364
2,700
10,064		 funds
£
-
-
-		 Total
£
7,364
2,700
10,064		 funds
£
26,873
1,500
28,373		 funds
Total
£
£
-
26,873
-
1,500
-
28,373

7. Expenditure on raising funds

Costs of fundraising
Direct costs - staff		 stricted
funds
£
13,140
40,674
53,814		 stricted
funds
£
-
-
-		 2025
Total
£
13,140
40,674
53,814		 stricted
funds
£
29,491
-
29,491		 stricted
2024
funds
Total
£
£
-
29,491
40,000
40,000
40,000
69,491

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Page 29

Wikimedia UK Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

8. Expenditure on charitable activities

Projects:
Volunteer and community support
Partnership programmes -
core spend
NLHF - Connected Heritage
NLHF - Innovation Fund
ECF
Climate residency
Partnership programmes GIK
External Relations and Advocacy
International Working
Admin:
Staff - other costs
Premises
IT & Telephony
Office Costs
Governance
Audit & Accountancy
Membership
Professional fees
Staff costs		 Unre-
stricted
funds
£
7,801
17,823
-
-
-
-
-
9,125
7,075
41,824
17,364
25,584
43,605
4,823
3,347
14,408
-
18,471
127,602
517,841
687,267		 Re-
stricted
funds
£
5,910
8,830
-
-
-
12,460
169,690
-
-
196,890
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
91,375
288,265		 2025
Total
£
13,711
26,653
-
-
-
12,460
169,690
9,125
7,075
238,714
17,364
25,584
43,605
4,823
3,347
14,408
-
18,471
127,602
609,216
975,532		 Unre-
stricted
funds
£
12,315
16,805
-
-
-
-
-
26,186
3,766
59,072
16,858
33,851
42,676
6,557
16,748
14,096
486
19,535
150,807
525,523
735,402		 Re-
stricted
2024
funds
Total
£
£
88
12,403
21,181
37,986
9,797
9,797
15,947
15,947
15,249
15,249
-
-
167,340
167,340
-
26,186
-
3,766
229,602
288,674
-
16,858
-
33,851
-
42,676
-
6,557
-
16,748
-
14,096
-
486
-
19,535
-
150,807
95,931
621,454
325,533
1,060,935
196,890
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
91,375
288,265

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Wikimedia UK Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

9. Analysis of programmes direct costs

The following gifts in kind expenditure, grants made and other costs were incurred by the charity in respect of Wikimedians in residence and other partnerships in the year.

==> picture [548 x 243] intentionally omitted <==

----- Start of picture text -----
Unre- Re- Unre- Re-
stricted stricted 2025 stricted stricted 2024
funds funds Total funds funds Total
£ £ £ £ £ £
- -
National Library of Wales 62,054 62,054 53,298 53,298
- -
Edinburgh University 49,598 49,598 48,244 48,244
Khalili Collections - 16,250 16,250 - 15,000 15,000
- - - -
British Library 1,783 1,783
National Institute for Health
Research - 37,080 37,080 - 32,348 32,348
- - - -
Leeds university 1,375 1,375
National Trust - 3,333 3,333 - 16,667
-
- -
169,690 169,690 167,340 167,340
----- End of picture text -----

10. Financial commitments

At 31 January 2025 the charity was committed to making the following payments under noncancellable operating leases:

Operating lease which expire:
Within one year
Within two and five years
More than five years		 Land &
buildings
Other
£
£
10,023
-
-
-
-
-
10,023
-
2025		 Land &
buildings
Other
£
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2024

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Wikimedia UK Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

11. Employees and employment costs

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----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
£ £
Staff costs during the year were:
Wages and salaries 559,884 571,914
Social security costs 59,762 54,743
Other pension costs 30,244 34,796
649,890 661,453
Number of employees
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
2025 2024
Full time 9 10
Part time 5 6
14 16
----- End of picture text -----

The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The pension cost charge for the year represents contributions payable by the charity to the scheme and amounted to £30,244 (2024 - £34,796).

One employee earned between £90,000 - £100,000 during the year excluding pension contributions (2024: one employee earned between £90,000 - £100,000 excluding employer pension contributions).

No remuneration was paid to any directors during the year (2024 – none).

The charity reimbursed trustee expenses totalling £929 to three trustees during the year in respect of travel, accommodation, subsistence and conferences (2024 - £761 to three trustees).

The key management personnel of the charity comprise of the trustees, the Chief Executive Officer, the Head of Finance and Operations, the Director of Programmes and Evaluation and the Head of Development & Communications. The total cost of employee benefits of the key management personnel was £291,964 (2024: £291,621).

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Wikimedia UK Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

12. Net incoming resources/operating surplus

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----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
£ £
This is stated after charging:
Depreciation 2,789 1,136
Operating leases- property rent 9,323 26,119
Auditors' remuneration- Audit fee 10,680 10,200
Auditors' remuneration- Accountancy & other 3,728 3,360
----- End of picture text -----

13. Tangible fixed assets

==> picture [523 x 280] intentionally omitted <==

----- Start of picture text -----
Furniture Leasehold
Computer and improve-
Equipment Fittings ments Total
£ £ £ £
Cost
At 1 February 2024 29,221 4,409 4,762 38,392
Additions 5,566 1,245 - 6,811
At 31 January 2025 34,787 5,654 4,762 45,203
Depreciation
At 1 February 2024 22,561 4,088 4,762 31,411
Charge for the year 2,443 346 - 2,789
At 31 January 2025 25,004 4,434 4,762 34,200
Net book value
At 31 January 2024 6,660 321 - 6,981
-
At 31 January 2025 9,783 1,220 11,003
----- End of picture text -----

14. Investments

Wikimedia UK holds 100% of the share capital and 100% of the voting rights of Cultural Outreach Limited (company number 08548511) which was incorporated on 29 May 2013. The company has been dormant since incorporation.

The profit for the year for the company was £nil (2024: £nil) and the balance sheet total was £1 (2024: £1).

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Wikimedia UK Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

14a. Investments

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----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
£ £
-
Fixed rate cash held on deposit 437,373
Split as:
-
Current asset investment (due < 1 year) 437,373
-
437,373
Investments are split in the statutory accounts based on maturity.
----- End of picture text -----

15. Debtors

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----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
£ £
Other debtors 27,815 4,783
Prepayments 9,426 12,122
Accrued income 167,336 6,888
204,577 23,793
----- End of picture text -----

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Wikimedia UK Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

16. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year

16.
Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year
Trade creditors
Accruals
Deferred income
Social security
Other creditors
Pension contributions
Reconciliation of deferred income
Opening balance
Received during the year
Released during the year
Closing balance		 2025
£
8,724
13,864
463,660
14,555
8,597
3,386
512,786
442,000
463,660
(442,000)
463,660		 2024
£
64,404
13,390
442,000
14,286
1,747
456
536,283
410,000
442,000
(410,000)
442,000

Where grants are received in advance, for a specified period, these funds are deferred and recognised in the period to which they relate.

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Wikimedia UK Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

17. Funds – current year

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----- Start of picture text -----
Balance at Balance at
1 February Income Expenditure Transfers 31 January
2024 2025
£ £ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
General fund 358,916 827,955 (739,816) 2,106 449,161
Designated funds:
- -
Project funding 14,900 (1,265) 13,635
- - -
D Salmon legacy 167,336 167,336
Total unrestricted funds 373,816 995,291 (741,081) 2,106 630,132
Restricted funds
Wikimedia Foundation - SMK 2,250 3,935 (6,185) - -
Wikimedia Foundation - VSN 14,829 - (14,829) - -
- - -
University of Exeter 18,772 (18,772)
- - -
Wikimedia Community Ireland 18,113 (18,113)
Meliore Foundation 14,672 63,504 (60,676) (2,106) 15,394
Gifts in kind - 169,690 (169,690) -
Total restricted funds 31,751 274,014 (288,265) (2,106) 15,394
Total funds 405,567 1,269,305 (1,029,346) - 645,526
----- End of picture text -----

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Wikimedia UK Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

17. Funds – prior year

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----- Start of picture text -----
Balance at Balance at
1 February Income Expenditure Transfers 31 January
2023 2024
£ £ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
General fund 352,529 750,135 (759,793) 16,045 358,916
Designated funds:
- -
Project funding 20,000 (5,100) 14,900
Total unrestricted funds 372,529 750,135 (764,893) 16,045 373,816
Restricted funds
Wikimedia Foundation - -
- - -
Fundraising 40,000 (40,000)
Wikimedia Foundation - -
Wikimania 2,551 - (2,551) -
Wikimedia Foundation - -
Celtic Knot 80 - (80) - -
Wikimedia Foundation - SMK - 19,959 (15,750) (1,959) 2,250
Wikimedia Foundation - VSN - 22,042 (5,154) (2,059) 14,829
-
National Lottery Heritage
-
Fund - Digital 10,253 43,947 (46,891) (7,309)
-
National Lottery Heritage
Fund - Innovation - 24,755 (21,787) (2,968) -
- -
European Climate Fund 14,961 31,387 (46,348)
Culham St. Gabriel's Trust 50 4,500 (2,800) (1,750) -
Meliore Foundation - 31,504 (16,832) - 14,672
Gifts in kind - 167,340 (167,340)
Total restricted funds 67,895 345,434 (365,533) (16,045) 31,751
Total funds 440,424 1,095,569 (1,130,426) - 405,567
----- End of picture text -----

Unrestricted Funds

General funds are available for use at the trustees’ discretion in furtherance of the objective of the charity

Designated funds:

Project funding was created by the trustees to support programmes and activities that have not otherwise been funded.

D Salmon legacy was created by the trustees to receive the proceeds of an unrestricted legacy that will be used for future projects.

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Wikimedia UK Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 January 2025

Restricted funds

Restricted income funds are those donated for use in a particular area or specific purposes, the use of which is restricted to that area or purpose. The material restricted funds are as follows:

Wikimedia Foundation – Fundraising capacity building Wikimedia Foundation – Wikimania Conference Wikimedia Foundation – Celtic Knot Conference National Lottery Heritage Fund – Digital Skills Training European Climate Foundation – Climate & Environment Wikimedian-in-Residence Culham St. Gabriel’s Trust – Researching Cultural Bias on Wikipedia National Lottery Heritage Fund – Heritage Innovation Fund Pilot Initiative Meliore Foundation – Climate & Environment Wikimedian-in-Residence

Wikimedia Foundation – Changemakers Toolkit with Sheila McKechnie Foundation Wikimedia Foundation – Volunteer Supporters Network University of Exeter – Partnership Programme Wikimedia Community Ireland – Celtic Knot conference

18. Analysis of net assets between funds

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----- Start of picture text -----
Unre- Re- Unre- Re-
stricted stricted 2025 stricted stricted 2024
funds funds Total funds funds Total
£ £ £ £ £ £
- -
Tangible fixed assets 11,003 11,003 6,981 6,981
Investments 1 - 1 1 - 1
Current assets 1,131,914 15,394 1,147,308 903,117 31,751 934,868
Current liabilities (512,786) - (512,786) (536,283) - (536,283)
630,132 15,394 645,526 373,816 31,751 405,567
----- End of picture text -----

19. Related party transactions

There were no related party transactions during the year (2024 - none).

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Page 38