2025-12-31-accounts

2025 Annual Report Including Trustees’ Report and Accounts for the year ended 31st December 2025

Dr Alice Prochaska Chair, Book Aid International

The new facilities will allow us to grow our operations and, in time, extend our reach to more readers around the world.

Welcome

The year 2025 was more challenging than most for the communities we support.

It presented challenges to our organisation too, as we completed our relocation process, but I am delighted to say that we and our partners have risen to both the global and the more local challenges. We report here on a year of significant achievements.

The withdrawal of USAID funding had serious consequences for communities across Africa and beyond, but our partners found ways to keep books moving, libraries open and readers engaged.

The 848,817 brand-new books we provided to 157 partners in 22 countries were central to those efforts — supporting progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and helping individuals and communities build a more equal future.

Several projects call for special mention. In Ghana, our expanded work with the Street Children Empowerment Foundation created school libraries that bring the chance to read to nearly 12,000 students in communities with little prior access.

In Kenya, a new partnership with Finn Church Aid will open school libraries for displaced young people in Dadaab Refugee Camp, benefiting well over 3,000 readers. And our Community Reading Awards continued to fund grassroots projects that bring books into the heart of communities – including, this year, a floating library in Malawi.

Here in the UK, we moved into a new warehouse in Swindon. The new facilities will allow us to grow our operations and, in time, extend our reach to more readers around the world.

None of this work would be possible without the generosity of our donors. We rely entirely on voluntary income and receive no government grants – so every book we provide reflects the commitment of the individuals, companies, trusts and authors who support us.

I hope you enjoy reading this year’s Annual Report, and I would like to thank you most sincerely for your support.

Warmest regards,

Dr Alice Prochaska, Chair

26th June 2026

The Trustees present their report and the audited financial statements for the year ended 31st December 2025. Reference and administrative information set out on page 38 forms part of this report. The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the Memorandum and Articles of Association and the Statement of Recommended Practice – Accounting and Reporting by Charities: SORP applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS 102. This Trustees’ Annual Report includes a directors’ report as required by company law.

Book Aid International is a charity and limited company registered in England and Wales. Charity no: 313869. Company no: 880754. Registered office: 1B Blake Mews, London TW9 3GA. www.bookaid.org

2 Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025

What we do

We share the power of books and help build a more equal future.

A book might seem like a small thing when set against the scale of inequality in the world. Yet every day we see how access to relevant books creates positive change. Books help learning flourish. They open doors. They renew hope. They build confidence.

Every year we work with our partners to provide around one million brand-new books to communities around the world. Those books reach readers in thousands of libraries, schools, universities, refugee camps, hospitals and prisons.

Most of our partners work in Africa, and we also provide books to a smaller number of partners in other regions when books are lost during crisis, or where communities face particular barriers to reading.

The books we send from the UK are donated by publishers and are carefully selected for the communities they will reach. Our partners tell us what their readers need, and we choose books in direct response to those requests.

In addition to providing books, we also work with our partners to create welcoming reading spaces in schools, libraries and communities. These projects and programmes include book donations, grants to refurbish spaces and purchase nationally published books as well as training for teachers and librarians to support children’s reading.

This report reflects our impact in 2025 and our progress towards our vision of a world where everyone has access to the books they need to enrich, improve and change their lives.

Our vision is a world where everyone has access to books that enrich, improve and change their lives.

Our mission is to give people around the world who lack access to books the opportunity to read for pleasure, study and lifelong learning.

Readers enjoying donated books in Rwanda. © INEZA Foundation

Contents

Contents
Trustees’ Annual Report	4–39	Our supporter community	24
2025 in numbers	4–5	Looking to the future	26
Strategic report	6–31	Our funders and friends	28
Access for all	7	Our partners 2025	30
Creating equitable access to books	8	Governance and management	32–39
Engaging communities with reading	10	Governance	33
Developing thriving partnerships	12	Managing our charity	34
Reading spaces that inspire and enable	14	Securing our fnancial future	36
Speaking up for reading	16	Reference and administrative details	38
Deepening our impact	18
Investment in a new home for our mission	20	Independent auditor’s report	40–43
Financial review 2025	22	Audited accounts	44–66

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Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025

2025 in numbers

In total

848,817 books provided

10.5 million readers reached

157 partners supported

Where we reached readers

2,250 Schools

52 Refugee settings

777

Public, community and mobile libraries

41 Prisons

----- Start of picture text -----
504
----- End of picture text -----

Higher and further education libraries

183 Medical settings

How we supported our partners

£57,703 grants to purchase nationally published books

24

partner facilitators upskilled

826 people trained to support reading

4 Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025

Where the books we provided went*

----- Start of picture text -----
Cameroon 35,719
Eritrea 36,505
The Gambia 24,210
Ghana 79,793
Iraq 1,090
Kenya 74,887
Lebanon 18,497
Liberia 24,043
Madagascar 9,115
Malawi 62,159
Nigeria 36,611
Occupied Palestinian
16,877
Territories
Pakistan 1,190
Rwanda 42,458
Sierra Leone 25,294
Somalia 19,198
Somaliland 25,278
Tanzania (inc. Zanzibar) 48,281
Uganda 125,483
Ukraine 15,685
Zambia 32,264
Zimbabwe 81,151
----- End of picture text -----

The types of books we provided*

Children’s and primary	475,142
Higher education, law and teacher training Adult fction and leisure reading Secondary and teenage fction Medicine and healthcare English language teaching and learning	97,742 93,715 69,425 48,811 29,720
Vocational,
technical and business	18,819
Reference	2,172
Development	242

• Includes only books provided from the UK.

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Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025

Strategic report

Our strategic report details our work in 2025, how we delivered a public benefit and how we funded our activities.

Young reader Tariro with a book she borrowed from her Zimbabwean library. © KB Mpofu / Edward Ndlovu Memorial Trust

Access for all

In 2025, we continued our work with partners across the world, working towards a future where everyone has the opportunity to read.

We supported 157 partners in 22 countries, providing a total of 848,817 books to support or establish reading spaces across schools, universities, refugee camps, prisons, hospitals and medical centres.

By collaborating with organisations of all kinds, we work to offer the widest possible range of readers the opportunity to read for pleasure, study and lifelong learning.

Creating a generation of readers

Our Generation Reader campaign aims to ensure that by 2030 10 million young people across Africa have access to the books they need to thrive in education and build the futures they want.

Through the campaign we have so far provided 470,751 brand-new books to 366 new reading spaces, trained 166 teachers and reached 3,229,913 young people – and are on track to meet our Generation Reader targets by 2030.

Books for all readers

National library services and public library networks engage large numbers of readers across entire countries. So, in 2025, we supported 13 national and public library networks – including expanding our work with state library networks across Nigeria.

As not everyone can reach their nearest public or community library, we also support NGOs, community libraries, prison libraries and other specialist partners that serve communities of readers who would otherwise lack access to books. In 2025, we provided books to 116 NGOs and communitybased organisations in 19 countries who work to share the power of books with communities.

Delivering our strategy

Our Power of Books strategy has guided our work since 2021. It is built around four goals: ensuring equitable access, engaging readers, investing in partnership and advocating for books. The rest of this report details our progress towards achieving these key aims.

We have taken the decision to extend Power of Books through 2026, giving us the opportunity to build on the strong foundations we have established and deepen our impact.

----- Start of picture text -----
The books we provide
Every book we offer to our partners is carefully Children’s
selected to meet each partner’s needs, and we provide
books of all types for readers of all ages.
Health and Further and
social care higher education
Reference Leisure reading
----- End of picture text -----

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Strategic report 7

Creating equitable access to books

Throughout 2025, our work focused on reaching communities where the barriers to reading and learning are greatest.

For people affected by conflict, displacement or poverty, access to books plays an important role in supporting learning and contributes to progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – in particular SDG 3: Good health and wellbeing and SDG 4: Quality education. So throughout 2025, we worked with our partners to ensure that access to books was as equitable as possible.

Supporting classroom learning

Access to high-quality books in schools enriches learning and helps students grow into confident learners, so we prioritise providing books to poorly resourced schools.

In 2025, 66 of the education partners who received books from us were in low-income countries. This included ongoing support for long-standing partners such as Eritrea’s Ministry of Education, as well as new partners. In The Gambia for example, we began new partnerships with NGOs, The Gambia School Services and The Unique Foundation, to expand access to books.

Our work creating school libraries also focused on schools facing marginalisation and poverty. Through our Explorer Library programme — which transforms a disused space into a thriving school library and provides training for teachers in how to make use of their new resource — we established four new libraries in Kenya and Sierra Leone, supporting a total of 1,288 students.

We also distributed 22 Discovery Book Boxes to partners in Liberia and Uganda. Each of these portable, durable boxes contains 200 carefully chosen books and a practical guide to promoting reading.

A busy Explorer Library in Sierra Leone. © Sierra Leone Library Board

In Zimbabwe, we completed the third phase of our Inspiring Readers programme, which creates school libraries in primary schools. An independent evaluation found that the programme’s goal of transforming participating schools into book-rich environments with confident teachers and learners who enjoy reading regularly was met. A total of 11,847 learners and 423 teachers benefited from the programme, and 95% of teachers surveyed agreed that Inspiring Readers boosted learners’ confidence and participation in class.

Supporting women and girls

For many women and girls, access to books in libraries and classrooms remains challenging. So in 2025, we provided 47,665 books to 19 partners whose work centres on gender equality and girls’ education. They included Girl Child Concerns, Nigeria, which works to improve access to education for girls from underresourced communities in northern Nigeria, and Act Women Foundation, Uganda, whose focus is on promoting reading among women and girls in Kasese.

Our equity goal

Achievements in 2025

We will prioritise reaching more of the people who face the greatest barriers to reading and learning.

98% 34% of books provided to low of books reached and low-middle fragile and income* conflict-affected countries countries

*As defined by the World Bank.

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 8 Strategic report

Supporting quality healthcare

Globally, many medical schools and institutions cannot afford to purchase up-to-date books, leaving students and professionals with limited access to the latest knowledge.

So in 2025 we supported 86 medical partners worldwide, providing 48,811 medical texts to 18 countries including Tanzania, Madagascar and Malawi. We also continued to prioritise providing these books to partners experiencing the greatest challenge – including the International Medical Education Trust 2000 and Al-Quds University in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Responding to crisis

When people are fleeing or living with conflict, books offer the opportunity to continue learning, and to find respite. In 2025, we provided 286,611 books to 47 partners in ten fragile and conflict affected countries. These included Ukraine, where we supported PEN Ukraine’s work restocking libraries damaged by Russia’s full-scale war, and Somalia, where we provided books to five partners.

Gorret, a midwife in Uganda, reading a donated book. © Cynthia R Matonhodz / UPMB

We also supported 25 partners in seven countries whose work focuses on people who have been displaced. In Nigeria we expanded our work with PLAN International, Christian Aid, Care Nigeria and Create That Change Development Initiative – and in Lebanon we continued to support our partners responding to the country’s displacement crisis.

In Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya we worked with Finn Church Aid Kenya, providing books and teacher training to open two new school libraries which together serve 3,612 pupils. And in Uganda’s Bidi Bidi refugee settlement, we delivered year one of our two year Reading for All project with Windle International Uganda, training 110 teachers and caregivers in library management and reading promotion and distributing 10,704 books alongside 452 solar lamps to four schools.

Ukrainian children enjoying donated books. © Bucha City

Supporting families experiencing poverty in rural Zambia

Simpact Foundation began receiving books from us in 2024. The group’s founder and director, Banja Mkwanazi, shared the impact that these books have had in schools over the past 12 months:

“I believe that books give people power to acquire knowledge, explore new horizons and the power to dream of new possibilities.

Books are the most powerful learning tools that a school could ever have. Because of the generous donations from Book Aid International, children now have access to books that are helping improve

literacy levels and improve learning outcomes. The books are also helping us support the setup of school book clubs aimed at fostering a culture of reading amongst children.

By making books freely available I believe we can improve access to quality education. This will play a role in addressing poverty, which is significantly high in the rural parts of my country.”

Image: Children enjoying books in one of the schools that the Simpact Foundation supports. © Loliwe Phiri / Simpact Foundation

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Strategic report 9

Engaging communities with reading

Last year we worked alongside our partners to engage more people in more communities with reading.

A book collection that both reflects readers’ lived experiences and opens windows to new worlds becomes an invitation to read, explore and learn.

So in 2025, we supported our partners in creating rich book collections by providing carefully selected books donated from the UK, chosen to align with each partner’s specific needs, and grants totalling £57,703 to enable a number of our partners to purchase 13,029 nationally published books – many of them in indigenous languages.

These rich and varied book collections support our partners in their work encouraging reading at the community level.

Children carrying their books home in branded Books to Go bags in Kenya. © KNLS

Encouraging reading at school and home

School libraries create opportunities to engage children and young people with reading – and that is why in 2025 we provided a total of 352,050 books to 81 partners supporting education in 18 countries. We also worked with these partners to develop school libraries that foster a love of reading.

In 2025, we expanded our African Story Box programme to ten schools across Sierra Leone, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Each box contains 100 books from the UK and 100 nationally published books chosen to encourage children to explore stories from near and far.

The programme was particularly impactful in Uganda, where together with our partners, the Ntuha Children’s Writers Illustrators Association and IBBY Uganda, we reached 4,723 students.

I love to read the story books. I even told my mother about the new books!”

Catherine, primary six student in a participating Ugandan school

Our Books to Go programme established five lending libraries in schools across three countries, and training for 43 teachers in how to encourage children to borrow books to read at home with their families.

In Ghana, we delivered Books to Go in partnership with Rainbow Trust Foundation, reaching 1,672 students. 80% of learners interviewed as part of the programme’s assessment said they read at home more than before the project began, and 100% shared books with their families more than before.

Our engagement goal

We will engage more people with reading, especially in under-served, rural and marginalised communities.

Achievements in 2025

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2,065 12
school libraries partners
established or supported
supported outside
Africa
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Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 10 Strategic report

Getting communities reading

When books are at the heart of communities, they enable learners to thrive and help more people begin to build the future they want. So we supply books to many partners who run community and mobile libraries and work with our partners to ensure public libraries are as inviting as possible, particularly for children.

In Zanzibar, the Library Services Board used donated books for outreach programmes which deliver books to hospitals, orphanages, villages and community centres. In Ghana, EduSpots distributed 5,000 books to 50 community libraries where volunteers run educational clubs.

In Uganda, The Community Libraries Association of Uganda distributed books to 15 community libraries, and in Pakistan one of our newest partners, Alif Laila, used their book donation to support a new mobile library.

Children engaging with reading in Liberia. © WeCare

In 2025, we also expanded our long-running Children’s Corner programme, which creates welcoming children’s reading spaces within public libraries by providing new books, librarian training and refurbishment grants. Two new Children’s Corners opened in Zimbabwe, in Masvingo and Kwekwe towns.

Funding community reading

Our Community Reading Awards programme provides grants to our partners to support the establishment of community reading spaces. In 2025, we were delighted to supply 14 grants of £1,700 each to 12 winners.

These included the Education for Footballers project with the Nania Soccer Academy in Ghana, which aims to improve reading skills and support the education of young footballers, and a Floating Library for Mvunguti with the Mvunguti Community Group in Malawi, which will deliver books by boat to a shoreline community in Monkey Bay, Mangochi.

Children in Pakistan enjoying donated books. © Alif Laila

Inclusive libraries in Tanzania

In Tanzania, just 5% of primary school-aged children with disabilities are currently in school. That’s why we’re working with Child Support Tanzania to deliver our Quality School Libraries for All project.

We’ve provided more than 9,000 carefully selected books to three schools, training for teachers and a grant to ensure libraries are fully accessible. So far 2,900 children have benefited from the project – 400 of whom have disabilities – and engagement with the books has been immediate:

The learners look very happy when interacting with the books.

Even those with intellectual impairment enjoy having the books as they often crowd the headteacher’s office and demand for the library to be open so that they can get the books. Children love the books. Faces of children with hearing impairment glow when they are allowed to use the books.”

– Stephano C. Haule, Headteacher, Itiji Primary School

“The donated books are 100% relevant. Even young ones like them.

Image: A child reading in a renovated library. © Child Support Tanzania

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Strategic report 11

Developing thriving partnerships

In 2025 we supported a wide range of partners, helping them expand and deepen their work sharing the power of books.

Our partners are best placed to encourage the communities they serve to engage with books for enjoyment, education and lifelong learning. By helping them expand their work, we can drive lasting change.

In 2025, we collaborated with 157 partners — providing books, funding and capacity-strengthening support to help them promote reading in communities across the world. This included providing 53,339 books to 12 partners outside Africa, reaching readers in Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Ukraine.

Supporting new and existing partners

In 2025, we began working with three new partners. These include the Alif Laila Book Bus Society in Pakistan, whose mobile libraries and community reading hubs bring books to children who would otherwise have few opportunities to read. The books we provided were distributed across community libraries, rural reading hubs and mobile libraries, benefiting over 8,000 children.

The arrival of these books has transformed our reading spaces.

Bright covers and engaging stories have sparked excitement in every corner, from bustling city classrooms to remote village libraries. Children eagerly explore stories of courage, curiosity and friendship, often reading aloud to one another under trees, in courtyards and on the Book Bus steps.”

Skyline NGO processing their first donation of books. © Skyline NGO

In Madagascar, we began working with Skyline NGO to support four libraries across three regions. 9,050 books were distributed, benefiting an estimated 300,000 readers, including 186,500 students who now have improved access to English language materials. In libraries which received these donated books, daily visitor numbers increased by 483%, with 320 books borrowed each week on average.

We also increased book donations to our partners in Malawi, Somaliland, Kenya and Nigeria in 2025. These books have helped our partners expand their work.

In Malawi, for example, the national library service used donated books to improve reading engagement in schools, establish community libraries, set up reading clubs and improve book collections in its network of public libraries.

Amna Kazmi, CEO Alif Laila Book Bus Society

Our partnership goal

We will develop dynamic partnerships with organisations that share our vision of creating more equitable access to books.

Achievements in 2025

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24 3
partner facilitators new partnerships
upskilled
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Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 12 Strategic report

Developing librarianship skills

Whenever we work with a project partner to establish a reading space, we accompany it with training for staff and volunteers covering topics such as selecting books for different readers, establishing welcoming reading spaces, running engaging reading activities and embedding regular reading time in the school timetable.

In total, 826 people were trained across our programmes in 2025, including teachers, librarians, volunteers and caregivers. We directly trained 85 teachers and librarians and invested in training a further 20 partner facilitators who, in turn, trained 717 people — extending our reach and multiplying impact. Facilitators trained in previous years also continued to train others, upskilling a further four facilitators.

Partners taking part in an online book provision workshop.

In Zanzibar, we delivered a Training of Trainers refresher course to 20 librarians, equipping them to support their peers and strengthen reading cultures in their schools. Participants reported increased confidence in managing school libraries and creating inclusive, child-friendly reading environments.

Investing in partners’ capacity building

Peer learning between partners continued to grow in 2025. 44 individuals from nine partner organisations attended one or more knowledge-sharing sessions through our Community of Practice — a space for partners to share experiences, exchange ideas and collaborate on solutions which grew from our Partner Development Programme .

In 2025 we also provided training to our partners to help them make the most of the books they receive. 63 individuals from 39 organisations across 11 countries attended one or more of our book provision partner workshops. Sessions covered collection development, reading space design, engaging reading activities and resource mobilisation.

Training taking place in Malawi. © Malawi National Library Service

Enabling change in The Gambia

In 2025, we supported The Unique Foundation’s ambition to establish 30 classroom libraries across ten Gambian primary schools. In total, we provided 7,314 UK-donated books, funded the purchase of 1,722 nationally published titles and provided formal library training to 30 teachers covering library management, curriculum integration and how to encourage a reading culture.

The Unique Foundation also selected participating schools in consultation with the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, building ties with education providers.

By the end of the project, 17,482 learners had benefited from the programme, and a further two schools received book donations through a new partnership with the Gambian Teachers’ Union.

This project shows how, when our projects support partner priorities, they can help partners reach more readers and build networks to amplify impact.

“This classroom library is very important because it has helped improve our children’s reading levels. For a child to succeed academically, they must first learn how to read – without that, understanding becomes difficult. I want to sincerely thank the classroom library team.”

Head Teacher of Gunjur Lower Basic School, a school benefiting from the programme

Books arrive at a participating school in the Gambia. © The Unique Foundation

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Strategic report 13

Our work in focus:

Reading spaces that inspire and enable

Providing books is at the heart of what we do – but books alone are only part of the story. We also work with our partners to deliver projects which create welcoming reading spaces and equip the people who run them to encourage reading.

The aim of our projects is to increase children’s use of books and their enjoyment of reading.

We do this by working with our partners to bring an idea for engaging children to life through a combination of donated books from the UK, a grant to purchase nationally published books, support to refurbish library spaces and training for teachers and librarians in how to support reading. We also always work to equip and support key stakeholders, including librarians, teachers, volunteers and carers, to promote reading effectively.

In 2025 we worked with our partners to create a total of 387 new reading spaces which directly supported 79,059 readers.

The funding for our project work comes primarily from trusts and foundations and corporate organisations who choose to support us, and through part of our generous annual grant from Postcode Lottery.

The three projects highlighted in this section show how this process drives engagement with books, even where the barriers to reading and learning are at their highest, and the sustainable change that we can make when we work with our partners.

A new reading space for children in Cameroon

Kumba I Council Library sits in the south-west region of Cameroon, one of the areas most severely affected by separatist conflict which began in 2016. The region has experienced sustained insecurity, school closures and long periods when the library could not welcome readers.

In 2024, our partner in Cameroon, EISERVI, approached us about re-opening the Kumba Children’s Corner . While security was still a concern, EISERVI felt it was safe to pursue the project with a more flexible implementation schedule to allow for delays should the security situation deteriorate.

As a result of this flexible approach, together we were able to supply 3,072 UK-donated books and 582 nationally published titles to the library, train librarians in how to support children’s reading and refurbish the space.

What was once a dilapidated corner of a library is now a bright, welcoming environment where children, parents and teachers actively want to be. Community members describe it as a safe haven for reading and creativity, with one commenting:

The books have created endless impacts in the lives of my children.

Their vocabulary and reading skills have increased. They now spend weekends in the library. I am so happy and lack words to express myself.”

– Parent in Kumba

Enjoying reading in a new Children’s Corner. © EISERVI

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 14 Strategic report

Collaborating for a culture of reading in Liberia

Grand Cape Mount County, Liberia, is still grappling with the legacy of civil war and public health crises. Many schools lack functional libraries, teachers have limited tools to support reading development and learners have few opportunities to engage with books outside the classroom.

In response The Liberia Institute for the Promotion of Academic Excellence (LIPACE) developed a programme called the Promoting a Culture of Reading (PROCURE) project across four public schools.

We were delighted to support the PROCURE project in 2025 with a donation of 9,300 books from the UK, grants to purchase 405 nationally published storybooks and refurbish library spaces, and training for teachers and volunteer librarians.

As a result, schools were able to establish reading clubs, creating structured opportunities for learners to read together and borrow books.

The project’s benefits reached well beyond school walls, with parents commenting on how their children now bring books home to read to families.

LIPACE also engaged County and District Education Officers to validate and support its work in schools, creating a strong sense of community ownership – essential for sustaining the positive change beyond the life of the project.

In total, PROCURE directly impacted on 1,300 learners and indirectly benefited over 3,500 community members while strengthening LIPACE’s existing relationships with schools and communities – illustrating how one project can have a long-term impact.

A teacher with his new school library. © LIPACE

Addressing structural barriers to literacy in Ghana

The Street Children Empowerment Foundation (SCEF) is one of our long-standing partners, and our joint Reading Is Basic (RIB) project grew directly from SCEF’s desire to do more for children in poorly resourced schools.

Baseline assessments had revealed deep structural constraints: over half of the schools had no library space, almost all teachers lacked library management training, and books – where they existed – were often locked away and inaccessible. RIB aimed to address these issues by establishing libraries in some of Accra’s most under-resourced schools.

In 2025, the project reached 22 new schools, serving 11,866 pupils and 311 teachers. All 22 schools now have established libraries equipped with quality, age-appropriate books and evidence gathered during project evaluations suggests improvements in students’ confidence, vocabulary development and engagement with learning as a result.

The arrival of books was described by learners and teachers as a moment of pride.

Before this project, our children thought books were only for examinations.

Now they see books as companions – something they can sit with and explore.”

Headteacher in an RIB school

SCEF has used the project as an opportunity to build a coalition of decision-makers who are committed to addressing the structural challenges this project identified – illustrating once again how project interventions can be a catalyst which enables partners to push for long-term change.

Children sharing their views on the Reading Is Basic project © SCEF

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Strategic report 15

Speaking up for reading

Throughout 2025 we worked to raise awareness of the importance of books through our own activities and by supporting partners’ work.

Too often, the impact of being without access to books goes unrecognised. So we work with our partners to shine a light on why books matter and what is at stake for communities where reading opportunities are limited.

Supporting reading promotion

Through our Reading Promotion campaign, we supported 15 partners across 15 countries to run and publicise reading events on International Literacy Day, providing each with a grant to fund activities and marketing support.

Many partners used the opportunity to hold events that brought books to life and drew readers of all ages into their libraries. In total, these events directly engaged 7,679 readers and generated 35 pieces of press coverage, raising awareness of the importance of libraries far beyond the events themselves.

Reading Promotion in rural Zimbabwe. © Edward Ndlovu Memorial Trust

For example, the Sierra Leone Library Board’s programme culminated in the Rainy Season Reading Awards, where children who had taken part in reading activities during the school holidays were recognised and awarded prizes. The day featured spelling relays, guessing games, drama, poetry readings, short presentations, singing and storytelling, all of which brought energy and imagination to the library space.

In Rwanda, the Ineza Foundation combined their Reading Promotion grant with an additional donation to extend the reach of their International Literacy Day celebrations. Events took place across two sites and featured traditional dance, songs exploring the value of reading and an awards ceremony recognising winners from holiday reading and writing competitions.

Sharing reader and partner stories

Sharing readers’ stories on our website, on social media and in the press raises awareness of the importance of books and inspires UK audiences to support readers worldwide. In 2025, we published 12 new reader stories on our website and shared those stories with our audience of over 30,000 email subscribers and social media followers. To increase our reach we also set up a new presence on Bluesky and generated 233 pieces of press coverage.

We are committed to giving partners a platform to share their own perspectives on the power of books. So in 2025, we introduced a dedicated space on our website for partner voices where partners will be invited to submit long-format pieces on the topics which are important to them.

Our advocacy goal

We will be advocates for the transformational power of books.

Achievements in 2025

12 reader stories published

7,679 people attended Reading Promotion events

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 16 Strategic report

Engaging with readers in the UK

Throughout 2025, we continued to draw on our event partnerships and public platforms to raise awareness of the need for books around the world.

At the Hay Festival in May, we organised a sold-out event titled ‘Why the world today needs more books’, at the Writers at Work Hub. The panel brought together our Vice Chair, Zainab Umar, with authors Sita Brahmachari and Xiaolu Guo for a conversation about why access to books matters now more than ever.

We were also delighted to join the Festival’s reception with the British Council at Hay Castle, and to attend the Nairobi LitFest Book Bunk launch event.

Our Vice Chair, Umar Zainab, at the Hay Festival. © Sam Hardwick/Hay Festival

We continued our long-standing relationship with the Cliveden Literary Festival, held in October, where we were honoured to join a reception with our Patron, Her Majesty The Queen. Our Chief Executive was also invited to serve as a judge for The Queen’s Reading Room Medal, which celebrates individuals who have championed reading, books and literature in communities across the UK.

At the London Book Fair, we joined publishers and industry colleagues to celebrate the power of books, meeting with supporters and friends throughout the week and hosting a reception for key supporters.

On social media we launched a new series of videos, inviting author friends and high-profile supporters to share their belief in the power of books and encourage wider action in support of reading worldwide. Participants so far include Peter James, Priscilla Morris and Fee Mak.

The more people around the world can read good books, the better the world will be.

I think Book Aid International does an incredible job in spreading reading – and I think reading is something that is so important.”

Bestselling author Peter James in his Power of Books video

Engaging children and decision-makers in Malawi

In 2025, our long-standing partner the Malawi National Library Service’s (MNLS) Reading Promotion event brought together children, teachers, community leaders and government representatives to celebrate the importance of reading.

Over 2,300 children and 120 adults attended – among them the Chief Education Officer from the Ministry of Education. The event drew significant media coverage from Times 360 Malawi, who interviewed the Acting National Librarian, extending its reach, and local booksellers supported the event by donating prizes.

The impact extended beyond the event itself. Across the participating schools, interest in developing or expanding library provision grew markedly. The wider community, too, responded: residents asked MNLS to run further events in the area, and more families

began visiting the library to enrol their children.

“The event was well patronised with people from all walks of life. Perception of the importance of reading has really changed, and most of the attending schools are requesting the development of a library at their schools.

The community has asked us to carry out more such events in their community, and some have even requested us to consider having a community library in the area.”

– Bonney Sangole, Deputy National Librarian, MNLS

A Reading Promotion event in Malawi. © MNLS

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Strategic report 17

Our work in focus:

Deepening our impact

In 2025, we furthered our understanding of the difference our work makes, publishing an impact report focusing on eight key lessons which will inform how we work with partners moving forward.

Our process

Working with INTRAC, consultants specialising in monitoring, evaluation and learning for international development organisations, we developed an impact framework aligned to our four strategic goals – equity, engagement, partnership and advocacy – with key performance indicators for each.

Quantitative data was collected against each goal, including the number of books donated, libraries supported, partner staff trained and people who gained access to books. Alongside this, we used impact stories gathered from our partners to capture the richness and complexity of the changes that books bring about. This approach links verified stories of change to the long-term outcomes described in our strategy and theory of change.

How we gathered our data

The goal of our impact measurement work is to be accountable to the people and organisations we work with, to support learning across our organisation and with partners and to be open and transparent about the quality of our work so that we can continue to improve.

All partners who received a donation during the reporting period were asked to complete a partner report form collecting statistics on where they had distributed books. Quantitative data was also gathered through project training reports, monitoring reports and final evaluation reports.

Our impact story process involved a systematic approach to gathering, selecting, verifying and analysing stories to produce a credible set of cases representing the kinds of changes our work brings about.

Challenges we encountered included a small story sample size, challenges around verifying interviews and variability in partner capacity to provide detailed stories. These limitations do not undermine the value of the findings, but they do shape how we interpret them and inform the refinements we are making to the process going forward.

Building on what we have learned

These eight lessons represent a foundation for how we will continue to develop our work. We are building these key learnings into our approach to working with partners moving forward and using them to strengthen project design, sharpen our support and ensure that the books we provide create the most meaningful and lasting impact possible.

A young reader in Cameroon. © Sylvie Njobati / EISERVI

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Strategic report

18

Eight key lessons

Through our impact measurement process, we identified eight impact statements which describe the different ways our work has led to positive outcomes.

1. Book donations create opportunities to grow innovative education provision and support learners

Where lives are affected by poverty and inequality and people are excluded from the opportunity to read, the provision of relevant books can improve the education experience of learners through innovative, partner-led programmes.

2. Book donations allow education to continue when conflict disrupts school

Where people are forced to flee, book donations to education partners offer a chance to provide quality education, contributing to improved wellbeing and providing hope for the future.

3. Large quantities of books can increase and transform reading engagement

A large donation of books can act as a substantial boost to partners keen to revive or activate reading, particularly where there is a limited reading culture or where books have been lost and need to be replaced.

4. Brand-new spaces to read and learn attract community members of all ages

Environments that are freshly painted, secure, well-ventilated, furnished well and distinct from a classroom have been shown to encourage reading for pleasure, especially amongst children.

5. Small book donations can provide significant support to learners

The most needed books, even in small quantities, can make a substantial difference to those who rely on them for their studies, leading to greater enthusiasm for learning.

6. Up-to-date books improve teaching as well as learning

Supplementary fiction and non-fiction titles can introduce subjects and topics in the classroom and provide targeted support for learners and teachers alike.

7. New knowledge strengthens partner capacity, increasing agency

Where a programme of learning support is designed by partners and delivered in ways they find effective, their capacity to run projects and promote reading is strengthened for the long term.

8. New skills lead to improved projects and organisational management, and better outcomes for readers.

When partner capacity is strengthened, the benefits are felt across organisations and by the readers they serve.

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Strategic report 19

Investment in a new home for our mission

In 2025, we completed a major organisational project: purchasing a purpose-built warehouse outside London, following the strategic sale of our long-standing office and warehouse property in Camberwell, South London.

This move, approved by the Trustees in 2022, was driven by the need to address the serious space constraints and significant logistical challenges that had intensified as our charitable activities grew.

The Camberwell office and warehouse was sold in October 2024 and leased back to us for a further 18-month period while a suitable new property was identified. In February 2025 we completed on the purchase of a purpose-built warehouse on an industrial estate in Swindon, Wiltshire, and also began the search for modest office premises in London for our desk-based teams.

Funding the move

The relocation was funded through the proceeds of the Camberwell sale and by designated funds, generous restricted gifts and legacies, reflecting careful financial planning and stewardship in the years preceding the relocation.

The Camberwell property, which was purchased with a bequest in 1987, was sold to a local developer for £2,491,320. The Swindon warehouse – two conjoined purpose-built and recently renovated structures – was purchased for £2,250,000, covered by the proceeds of the sale of the Camberwell site.

The cost of refurbishment and fit out of the new warehouse space, including demolition of offices, installation of racking, lighting, heating, health and safety and mechanical handling equipment, amounted to £852,000 from a total budget of £894,000 from the sale and from funds set aside from reserves and restricted gifts. The balance was carried forward to fund the office move.

The new warehouse

Our new warehouse in Swindon is a purpose-built distribution and logistics hub of roughly 15,300 sq ft, more than twice the capacity of our former Camberwell site, allowing us to handle larger volumes of donated books and expand our global reach.

The facility is fitted with pallet racking and shelving to organise and store stacks of books efficiently, and modern mechanical handling equipment, such as very narrow aisle trucks and pallet trucks that help staff and volunteers receive, sort, stack, pick and pack books for shipment to partners.

This setup should help improve operational flow and make it possible to eventually increase annual book distribution, streamline logistics and reduce the need to turn down book offers because of space constraints.

Our Swindon warehouse

Pallet racking and shelving at our new warehouse

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 20 Looking to the future

Recruitment and stock transfer

The relocation led to the departure of our whole operations team — several of whom had dedicated many years to the charity — all of whom left with redundancy terms.

We recruited an entire new team of warehouse operatives, led by Operations Manager Oliver Lee, in July 2025 and after a period of training they began the work of uploading all our stock into our warehouse – 402,002 books all generously donated by UK publishers and held in stock in London and offsite.

We sent no stock to our partners during this period of transition, from mid-August to October.

Launch and first shipment

The first shipment to leave the new warehouse was to Ukraine, in October 2025. This was quickly followed by consignments bound for Uganda, Kenya, The Gambia and Zimbabwe. By the end of 2025 we had dispatched 139,223 books from the new warehouse.

Although some small challenges were experienced with the transfer of our operating systems and a very different workflow from Camberwell, overall the process was very smooth and no significant issues arose. The new team worked efficiently and energetically to ensure that our revised targets for the year were met.

Visitors

The warehouse received a number of visitors soon after opening in 2025, including Councillor Jim Robbins, Leader of Swindon Borough Council, who visited the warehouse to meet the team and see the facility in action, and actor Neil Pearson. Partners from Ghana and aspiring partners from Sudan also visited the warehouse in the last quarter of the year.

What will the relocation enable?

The new facility, which was in full operation by October 2025, has significantly increased our capacity to receive, store, select, pack and send books, enabling us to support a growing number of partners worldwide.

Our ambition is ultimately to send two million books a year to our partners. This investment in the new warehouse ensures that we are well-positioned for sustainable growth, enabling us to increase our donations, deepen our impact and continue to share the power of books worldwide.

Stock at our Swindon warehouse

The first shipment to Ukraine being loaded

Former Chief Executive, Ghana Library Authority (GhLA) and International Advisory Board Member Hayford Siaw with Alison Tweed visiting the new Swindon warehouse

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Looking to the future 21

Financial review 2025

At Book Aid International all of our income is voluntary – we receive no government grants.

Income

In 2025, our total income was £11,585,915. This included £3,086,345 in cash and £8,499,570 in the value of books donated by publishers.

The value of the books donated to us in 2025 was 44% lower than in 2024 due to a combination of closures to facilitate the warehouse move in 2025 and a lower level of donations of high-value legal texts.

Cash income in 2025 increased by £289,786 compared to 2024. This increase was primarily because we were notified of a high number of pledges during the year, with over £518,702 of pledged income not received by 2025 year end.

Of the 2025 cash income, £2,763,028 was unrestricted. This is an increase from £2,461,553 in 2024, reflecting generous legacy donations pledges totalling £398,847. Unrestricted funds across other income streams were similar or slightly lower than in 2024.

We received restricted income of £323,327 in 2025, compared to £335,006 in 2024. These amounts are broadly similar and reflect income raised to complete our project programme and send books to specific locations. We also received two gifts totalling £55,000 in 2025 which were restricted to our relocation project.

----- Start of picture text -----
Breakdown of
cash income
Individuals
£1,895,529
Total
income
Cash
£11,585,915 income
£3,086,345
Trusts
£988,024
Corporate
£115,697
Value of
donated books Other
£8,499,570 £87,095
----- End of picture text -----

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Strategic report

22

Expenditure

Our total expenditure in 2025 was £13,640,415, of which £3,174,053 was cash expenditure and £10,466,362 was the value of the books we provided around the world. The £3,174,053 in cash expenditure for 2025 marks an increase from £2,652,423 in 2024.

This rise is primarily due to additional budgeted expenditure associated with refurbishing and fitting out the new warehouse.

Our unrestricted expenditure in 2025 was £2,867,081, a significant increase from the £2,300,287 in unrestricted expenditure in 2024. This increase as previously alluded to was due largely to the additional budgeted spend on the new warehouse and office.

Conversely, restricted expenditure in 2025 amounted to £306,972, a decrease of £45,164 from the £352,136 in 2024.

----- Start of picture text -----
Breakdown
of cash
expenditure
Book
provision
£2,063,952
Total
Cash expenditure
expenditure
£3,174,053
£13,640,415
Raising funds
£868,136
Restricted
Books out £241,965 projects and
£10,466,362 training
----- End of picture text -----

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025

Strategic report 23

Our supporter community

Everything we do depends on the generosity of others. As a charity that receives no government funding, we rely entirely on voluntary donations to reach readers around the world.

From the publishers who donate the books we provide around the world to the individuals who donate £6 a month, from the trusts who fund our programmes to the volunteers who pack our books – the breadth and depth of support we receive is truly extraordinary.

We are grateful to be part of such a wonderful global community of book lovers.

Our publisher partners

65 publishers donated 1,030,395 books to us worth £17,596,159 in 2025. Our book donors include many of the world’s largest and most prominent publishers, some of whom donated more than 50,000 books in the year.

We are also supported by a range of independent publishers who donate smaller volumes of more specialist titles – books that are highly valued by the readers and institutions they reach.

We are especially grateful for the substantial support we received from Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, Bonnier Books, Cambridge University Press & Assessment, CGP Coordination Group, Elsevier USA, Gale – A Cengage Company, Hachette UK, Macmillan, Oxford University Press and Walker Books Ltd.

Our trust and corporate partners

The support we receive from trusts and corporate partners is particularly important to ensuring that we can get books to where they are needed most.

In 2025, 28 trusts and 22 companies who share our belief in the power of books chose to support our work. Their generosity makes it possible for us to reach readers across Africa and beyond.

We would like to thank in particular our long-standing trust partners, Domlal Foundation, Postcode Lottery Education Trust, The Beit Trust and The Bernard Sunley Foundation, and corporate supporters, Bloomsbury Publishing, Cambridge University Press & Assessment, RELX and 2PointZero.

2025 marked our 10th year of support from Postcode Lottery. Over a decade, players have contributed a total of £6,250,000 to our work, and we extend our warmest thanks for this continued generosity.

Leaving a lasting legacy

In 2025 we received £350,561 from supporters who chose to remember us in their Wills. Gifts of this kind make a profound difference and reflect a belief in books that we are honoured to share.

In the past year alone, we’ve donated over 68,000 books to Book Aid International, both directly and through our relationship with Gardners Books.

By donating Penguin titles, we ensure books and the opportunities they can unlock reach people who need them the most.”

Amanda Boaky, Social Impact Executive, Penguin Random House

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Strategic report

24

To everyone who plays Postcode Lottery, I want to say thank you.

Thank you for playing, thank you for supporting so many extraordinary good causes and thank you for helping Book Aid International share the power of books with millions of people around the world.”

Actor Neil Pearson

Donations from book lovers

8,660 individuals chose to support our work in 2025, with every £2 donated helping us to send another brand-new book. We are sincerely grateful to each and every book lover who chooses to share their love of books with readers around the world by donating to our cause.

We are also deeply thankful to those who are part of our Reverse Book Club – a community of supporters whose regular giving provides a reliable foundation for our work throughout the year. Their commitment means we can plan with confidence and reach more readers consistently. If you are not already part of our community then we would love you to join us and help share the power of books with readers worldwide.

And finally we would like to thank the many supporters who fundraise on our behalf – through bake sales, sponsored walks, readathons and so much more. These efforts make a vital contribution and help us share the power of books with readers worldwide.

Volunteers

In 2025, we said a heartfelt farewell to a number of volunteers who had joined us in our Camberwell warehouse week in and week out over many years. Their dedication has helped millions of people worldwide access books, and we are deeply grateful for everything they have given. We look forward to once again welcoming individual volunteers in our new Swindon warehouse in due course.

Volunteer teams from many of our corporate partners continued to play a vital role in helping us prepare thousands of books for dispatch. Their efforts advance our mission and strengthen the connection between our supporters and the readers we serve.

Friends and supporters

Our high-profile friends and supporters are essential to raising our profile and encouraging others to share the power of books. Whether sharing content on social media, speaking on stage, providing quotes to the press or simply telling their audiences why books matter, their involvement helps us reach people we could not reach alone.

In 2025, we were particularly grateful to author Sita Brahmachari for her warm support at the Hay Festival, bringing her insight and passion for literature to our sold-out event.

Book Aid International’s act of nimbly creating a space for books and reading amid some of the most challenging circumstances can be a hope-light.

For those who say the book is redundant in our modern age I argue the exact opposite – the book is more precious now than ever.”

Award-winning author, Sita Brahmachari

We also owe a special thank you to June Sarpong, who joined us at a supporter dinner, and to bestselling crime writer Peter James, who gave us a wonderful and unexpected moment of visibility by mentioning Book Aid International in his latest novel – introducing our work to his many thousands of readers around the world.

*Rounded to nearest pound

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Strategic report 25

Looking to the future

We know that in years ahead the need for books will only grow – and we are determined to meet it.

Alison Tweed Chief Executive, Book Aid International

In this report, we have set out our key achievements and challenges in 2025, noting the progress we have made towards our strategic goals of equity, engagement, partnership and advocacy. We have also described the steps we have taken to strengthen our operational capacity through the relocation of our warehouse to a larger site, and how these changes will in the future actively support our work towards our vision of a world in which everyone has access to books that enrich and transform lives.

In the years ahead we will work to share the power of books with more communities worldwide.

Returning to scale

A key priority for 2026 will be to return to higher levels of book donation following the operational hiatus in 2025, while identifying opportunities to increase donations further in line with partner demand, capacity and with the funds available to support our work. We aim to send more than 1.2 million carefully selected books to our long-term partners in 2026, all the while ensuring that each donation meets the specific needs of the communities we serve.

In addition to maintaining our established partnerships, in 2026 we will reach out to new partners in countries affected by conflict or crisis, including Sudan and regions impacted by natural disasters such as Jamaica, hit by Hurricane Melissa in October 2025. By responding to urgent needs while supporting long-term development, we ensure access to books is sustained in challenging circumstances.

Continuing our core work

Our ongoing activities in 2026 in support of our equity goal will prioritise partners working in lowincome and disadvantaged communities, particularly those supporting girls, women and refugees. We will continue our schools engagement programme through the Books to Go , Discovery Book Box and Explorer Library projects, as well as supporting community library initiatives such as the Community Reading Awards .

We will also expand early years reading programmes, work with national publishers and strengthen partnerships through training and our now wellestablished Community of Practice . Advocacy and awareness-raising will continue through Reading Promotion campaigns and impact reporting aligned with our Power of Books strategy.

Children in Malawi reading books in their new Discovery Book Box after Cyclone Freddy destroyed their school library © MNLS

Our ongoing activities in 2026 in support of our equity goal will prioritise partners working in low-income and disadvantaged communities, particularly those supporting girls, women and refugees.

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 26 Strategic report

In 2026, we will focus on growing our individual giving programme, and particularly our regular supporter base, to provide a reliable income stream to fund ongoing programmes and future growth.

Preparing for the next strategic period

Anticipating the impact of the warehouse relocation on our organisational capacity, our Trustees decided in late 2024 to extend the Power of Books strategy by one year, to the end of 2026. This additional year will allow us to fully realise the objectives of the current strategy while preparing for the next strategic period, 2027–2030.

Our future strategy will build on our core mission of improving access to books while making the most of the increased operational capacity our new warehouse provides. It will emphasise partner-led programme development and delivery, ensuring that organisations on the ground have a strong role in shaping how resources meet community needs.

The new strategy will also reflect the findings of a 2025 project to review our activities through the lens of decolonisation, and will aim to enhance partner agency and increase collaboration.

Securing our future

Alongside our charitable and strategic planning, ensuring the financial sustainability of our charity remains a priority. In 2026, we will focus on growing our individual giving programme, and particularly our regular supporter base, to provide a reliable income stream to fund ongoing programmes and future growth.

From a governance perspective, we will recruit a number of new Trustees with expertise or lived experience in the countries where we work, and will continue to strengthen our International Advisory Board.

Meeting the challenges ahead

Operating in environments affected by conflict, economic hardship, natural disaster and climate change brings inevitable operational and human resource challenges, which we monitor closely. With ongoing conflict in Europe and the Middle East, we remain vigilant on all risks while staying committed to supporting our partners in the vital work they do, whatever the challenges.

As we enter the final year of our extended strategy and prepare for the next phase of our development, we remain dedicated to ensuring that Book Aid International continues to deliver meaningful, lasting public benefit: for all partners who lack access to books for their programmes, and for the many readers whose lives are enriched, improved and changed through reading.

Alison Tweed

Chief Executive, Book Aid International

We will consolidate our operational improvements in logistics and strengthen our internal systems through the introduction of a partner relationship management database and by exploring the opportunities and risks associated with artificial intelligence.

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Strategic report 27

Our funders and friends

We would like to thank the following supporters in particular, as well as those who wish to remain anonymous. We continue to be thankful to the Ranfurly family, who founded the charity and still support us today.

Our book donors and corporate partners

2PointZero

Adrian Tchaikovsky

Africa Educational Trust

Agency for the Legal Deposit Libraries BCS Chartered Institute for IT

BEBC

BlackRock Bloomsbury Publishing Plc Bonnier Books Book Trust Bounce Sales & Marketing Boydell and Brewer Brilliant Publications British Library British Medical Association British Museum CABI Cambridge University Press & Assessment Canongate Books Cengage Learning Central Books Coordination Group Publications Ltd (CGP) Channel View Publications Cinnamon Press Class Professional Publishing

D2L

Echo Point Edward Elgar Publishing Elsevier UK Elsevier USA Everyman’s Library Four M Publications Full Fabric Gardners Goldsboro Books Hachette UK

Haese Mathematics HarperCollins Publishers Ltd Head of Zeus Heywood Hill International Institute for Strategic Studies Jacaranda Books

Letterbox Library

Macmillan Magnum Distribution Mallory International Ltd Michael O’Mara Books Multilingual Matters National Library of Wales News UK Nosy Crow Out of the Ark Music

Outland AS

Oxford University Press Pearson Education Ltd Penguin Random House PG Online Publishers Phaidon Press Pottermore Publishing Profile Books Publishers Association Publishers’ Licensing Services RELX Reverie Puzzles RNIB

Sage Publications Ltd Scholastic Ltd Search Press Taylor and Francis UK Taylor and Francis US The Society of Authors Troubadour Publishing Ltd Turnaround Publisher Services Usborne Publishing Ltd Walker Books Ltd Watkins Publishing White and Case LLP Wiley Women’s Prize Trust

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 28 Looking to the future

Our trust supporters

Beatrice Laing Trust

Bryan Guinness Charitable Trust Domlal Foundation

Mr & Mrs F E F Newman Charitable Trust

Peacock Charitable Trust

The 29th of May 1961 Charitable Trust

The Beit Trust

The Bernard Sunley Foundation The Earlswood Charitable Trust The Fulmer Charitable Trust

The Giving Force Foundation The Hyne Trust Postcode Lottery

The Tony and Audrey Watson Charitable Trust

The Veronica Awdry Charitable Trust

The Ancaster Trust

The Hillier Trust

The R L Charitable Trust The E Alec Colman Charitable Fund Limited

Janus Henderson Foundation

Guernsey Overseas Aid and Development Commission

Talem Foundation

Dorfred Charitable Trust

The Eddie Dinshaw Foundation

Wolfson Foundation Kilpatrick Fraser Charitable Trust

D R Fine Charitable Trust

Arthur Stevens Charitable Trust O’Sullivan Family Charitable Trust The Law Society Charity

Our volunteers, ambassadors and individual supporters

Patricia Mirlees and Rory Wilson Brian Greenwood Caroline Burton Charly Nobbs Chris Thackray Chris Wormell Eleanor and David Holloway Elif Shafak

Elizabeth Johnson (nee Mujawamaliya) Fee Mak Heidi Mulvey Jane Jewell

John Bason June Sarpong Lady Daphne Sulston Mariella Frostrup NBO LitFest Neil Pearson Oxford and Cambridge Club

Peter James Priscilla Morris Rose Heatley Sandra Taekema and Peter van Tiggelen Sir Mark and Lady Judy

Moody-Stuart

Sir Michael Palin

Stephanie and Roderick Thirkell-White

Stephen and Lucia Bough

The Estate of Brian Wildsmith

The Hay Festival

The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition

The Queen’s Reading Room The Schofield Family

Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Looking to the future 29

Our partners 2025

Below is a full list of our partners to whom we sent books directly in 2025. We thank them all for their hard work.

Cameroon

Community Vision Group Education Information Services International

Eritrea

Ministry of Education

The Gambia

ActionAid Binti International Building Futures in Gambia Casa Gambia Gambia National Library Service Gambia School Support PEN Gambia SOS Children’s Villages The Africare Initiative

The Association of NonGovernmental Organisations The Child and Environment Development Association of Gambia

The Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children Unique Foundation

Ghana

Action Through Enterprise

Biblionef

Community Action Ghana

Community Children’s Library Project International

Corps Africa Ghana Fafali Organisation Ghana Library Authority Humanitas Leaders Girls Foundation

Lions Club International

Projects Abroad Ghana (Action Child Cancer Africa)

Rainbow Trust Foundation

Sabre School for Life Street Children Empowerment Foundation The Olinga Foundation

University of Health and Allied Sciences

Iraq

Sinjar Academy

Kenya

Amref Health Africa Book Bunk Dignitas FAFA Medical College Finn Church Aid Hands On Art Workshops I Choose Life – Africa Kenya Connect Kenya Medical Training College

Kenya National Library Service Knowledge Empowering Youth Trust Mathare Youth Sports Association State Department of Correctional Services

The MAA Trust

Windle Trust Dadaab Refugee Camp Windle Trust Kakuma Refugee Camp

Lebanon

Assabil Association Beirut Arab University

Lebanese Board on Books for Young People

Room to Read Tuyoor Al Amal

Liberia

Street Child Liberia University of Liberia We Care

Madagascar

Skyline NGO

Malawi

Civil Society Education Coalition College of Medicine, University of Malawi

Krizevac Project

Luwawa Centre for Environmental Education

Malawi College of Health Sciences Malawi Leaders of Learning Malawi National Library Service Mzuzu University

St John of God College of Medicine Voluntary Service Overseas

Nigeria

Bauchi State Library Board

Care Nigeria

Christian Aid Nigeria Create That Change Development Initiative

Federal University Lokoja

Federal Capital Territory Educational Resource Centre (Abuja)

Kano State Library Board

National Library of Nigeria National Open University of Nigeria Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria PLAN International Nigeria Plateau State University Street Child University of Abuja

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025

30 Looking to the future

Pakistan

Alif Laila Book Bus Society

Occupied Palestinian Territories

Al-Quds University

International Medical Education Trust 2000

Tamer Institute for Community Education

Rwanda

Girls’ Dignity for Nation iDebate Rwanda Ineza Foundation Kigali Public Library University of Global Health Equity Uyisenga Ni Imanzi Voluntary Service Overseas Rwanda

Sierra Leone

African Hospital Libraries PEN Sierra Leone Save the Needy Sierra Leone Book Trust Sierra Leone Library Board Street Child

University of Sierra Leone – Institute of Public Administration and Management

We Yone Child Foundation

Somalia

Eva Organisation for Women Finn Church Aid Iftiin Education Kaalmo Relief and Development SOS Children’s Villages

Somaliland

Edna Adan University Hospital Siilaanyo National Library

Tanzania

Abdulrahman Al-Sumait University Education Gauge for Growth Kairuki University New Chapter Development for Youth

State University of Zanzibar Tanzania Library Services Board Tanzania Young Eco Protection Tanzanian Training Centre for International Health Zanzibar Library Services

Uganda

African Revival All Saints University Lango Finn Church Aid

Fortportal International Nursing School Jango International Jesuit Refugee Services Justice Defenders Kyambogo University National Library of Uganda Norwegian Refugee Council Pangea Educational Development Planning 4 Tomorrow Read for Life Refugee Innovation Centre SOS Children’s Villages Street Child Tusome Africa Uganda Community Libraries Association Uganda Prison Service Uganda Protestant Medical Bureau

Voluntary Service Overseas Windle Trust Women’s Relief Aid

Ukraine

Bucha City Council PEN Ukraine

Zambia

Banani International School Katuba Literacy and Outreach Centre

Lions Club of Mukumba University of Zambia Zambia Library Service

Zimbabwe

Bulawayo Book Distribution Committee

Edward Ndlovu Memorial Trust Harare Distribution Committee Ministry of Education MTC Educate a Girl Inc. Voluntary Service Overseas Zambezi Schoolbook Project Zimkids

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Looking to the future 31

Governance and management

This section details how our charity was governed and managed in 2025.

Shelving books in a community library in rural Malawi. © Thoko Chikondi / MNLS

Governance

We are a company limited by guarantee, governed by our Memorandum and Articles of Association.

Our purpose, as set out in our Articles of Association, is to advance education and literacy by:

• establishing, providing and carrying on the service of procuring and distributing reading and information material regardless of medium to developing and other countries in need for educational purposes

• distributing consignments of such material to public and community libraries, universities, colleges, schools, hospitals, youth and children’s centres and other charitable institutions according to local needs and priorities

• promoting or supporting any training or other activity which is designed to enhance the use of books, reading and other information material in developing countries

The Articles were adopted by a resolution of the Board at a General Meeting on 15th November 2022.

The Board has considered the legislative and regulatory requirements for disclosing how its charitable objectives have provided benefit to the public and has complied with the duty set out in Section 17 of the Charities Act 2011.

The strategic report on pages 6 to 31 outlines how our achievements during 2025 have benefited the public, either directly or indirectly.

Our Board of Trustees

The members of the charitable company are also the members of the Board, which consists of between five and 12 members. New members with specialist relevant skills and experience are appointed from time to time and their appointment is ratified at a meeting of the Board. Members serve a three-year term, renewable for up to two further terms by re-election.

Our Trustees bring a range of experience from both the corporate and the not-for-profit sectors and individual members contribute expertise from publishing, finance, fundraising, librarianship, administration and international development.

The Board meets quarterly and reviews strategy, finances and the organisation’s charitable activities and approves matters reserved for the Board. These include issues relating to strategy and management, structure of the charity, financial controls, internal controls and risk management, contracts, communication, Board membership, remuneration, delegation of authority, corporate governance, policies and any other matters of importance for the charity.

Two committees formed by the Board meet and report back regularly to the Trustees. The Finance and Audit Committee meets three times a year to review internal controls, the risk register, going-concern assumptions and the annual accounts, budgets and audit findings, and is chaired by the Honorary Treasurer. The Nominations and Remuneration Committee meets annually to approve salary recommendations and other human resources matters, and is chaired by the Chair of the Board of Trustees.

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Structure, governance and management 33

Managing our charity

We are committed to managing our charity to maximise the positive impact we create.

Managing our staff

Our Senior Management Team (SMT) consists of the Chief Executive and Heads of Programmes, Fundraising, Finance, Communications, Operations and Resources. This team communicates regularly with the Board.

Salaries for the SMT are reviewed biennially, along with those of other staff, and approved by the Nominations and Remuneration Committee. One member of staff receives a salary of between £90,000 and £100,000, one member of staff is paid between £70,000 and £80,000, and three members of staff are paid between £60,000 and £70,000.

In 2025, we employed an average of 28 members of staff who are divided into five teams: operations, fundraising, communications, programmes and management. Two staff members of the programmes team were based in Nairobi, Kenya. We began the year with an operations team of 12 based in Camberwell. When we moved our warehouse to Swindon all of these staff were made redundant. We then hired a new operations team in Swindon which comprises of an Operations Manager and six additional members of staff.

Equipping and supporting our staff

Our training policy aims to ensure that staff are equipped to carry out their jobs safely and to a high standard. In 2025 we spent £4,158 on individual training courses, £3,068 of which was on safety training associated with the new Swindon warehouse.

In 2025 we updated Family Leave and Neonatal Care policies to reflect legislative changes, and we reviewed our Organisation Sick Pay Scheme to strengthen reporting process. The scheme is now defined as a discretionary benefit within new contracts. We also updated our Data policies to include a new paragraph under the ‘Third Parties’ section, providing guidance on the use of AI tools.

Our Anti-Sexual Harassment, Harassment and Bullying policy, Child Safeguarding policy, and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy were reviewed by the Board with no changes made, and the Board approved the implementation of a renewed Health and Safety policy for the Swindon site.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We believe that equality of opportunity is socially, ethically and morally imperative.

We are committed to equality of opportunity and to working in a way and following practices which are inclusive and free from unfair and unlawful discrimination.

We recognise the importance and strength of a diverse workforce and we seek out diverse opinions and lived experiences to better navigate the world in which we work.

We uphold an inclusive culture, where staff are encouraged to be themselves at work and staff at every level are included in decision-making, problemsolving and growth within the charity.

Our values underpin our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion:

• Respect. We listen to everyone’s views, and learn from each other

• Empathy. We care about people as individuals, and what they bring to our community

• Accountability. We are open and transparent, and take responsibility for our actions

• Dedication. We work together to get things done and are driven to do more

We monitor the policy continually to assess how it is working in practice, and review it annually. In 2024, the policy was reviewed with no changes.

In 2024 we undertook a thorough inclusive recruitment audit to make sure we follow best practice and important processes to ensure fair and equitable recruitment.

Managing our carbon footprint

In 2025, we continued to assess our carbon footprint in line with guidance from the Carbon Footprint.

This year we had a temporary pause in operations while we moved warehouses, which contributed to a reduction in emissions across shipping and logistics.

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025

34 Structure, governance and management

Flight-related emissions fell alongside a reduction in overall travel during the transition period and electricity emissions remained at zero, with operations continuing to be powered by renewable energy.

Commute emissions remained broadly similar overall, although patterns shifted during the year with an increase in car-based commuting following the relocation.

Overall, 2025 shows a continued reduction in our operational carbon footprint, driven by decreased travel, lower shipping activity during the transition and ongoing use of renewable electricity. We continue to review how we work and travel, and the suppliers we use, to minimise our environmental impact.

Assessing and managing risk

We maintain a proactive approach to risk management through regular reviews of our strategic and operational risk registers, ensuring that key risks are closely monitored and addressed by both the SMT and the Board.

In 2025, the overall risk profile remained broadly consistent with the previous year. Aside from updates reflecting risks associated with organisational relocation, there were no significant changes to the underlying risk landscape.

Operationally, we continue to manage the complexities arising from our revised structure, including the management of two sites and associated financial and logistical considerations. These factors are being actively managed to ensure affordability and efficiency of operations.

The external environment remains dynamic, with risk levels subject to change in response to international developments, general economic conditions and emerging technologies.

SMT continues to review and update the risk register regularly to ensure it reflects current conditions and emerging threats.

The Board also reviewed risks, particularly relating to perceived skills sets gaps in the current membership, resolving to address this risk in 2026 through the recruitment of new members.

The Board also conducted its annual review of internal controls during the year. No significant issues were identified, and the existing framework was considered appropriate and effective in supporting the organisation’s risk management and governance arrangements.

The most significant risk identified relates to reliance on larger major donors, particularly the risk of reduction in or loss of income from Postcode Lottery, which continues to be closely stewarded and for which contingency planning is in place.

Other principal risks include: the external operating environment, particularly in the context of current regional conflicts and their ensuing economic impact; the challenges of income sustainability and growth; the indirect impact on the charity of reduced institutional funding on the sector; the risk of staff turnover and associated loss of organisational knowledge; travel risks as activity resumes following a reduction in travel during 2025, particularly in the context of operating in higher-risk jurisdictions, and the potential impact of external events beyond the organisation’s control.

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Structure, governance and management 35

Securing our financial future

We are committed to outstanding management of our fundraising and finances to safeguard our ability to support readers in the years ahead.

In 2025, our actual funds raised totalled £3,018,667, exceeding our original budget of £2,720,553.

Key fundraising activities in 2025

We continued to run our fundraising campaign, Generation Reader , which inspired a number of gifts from individual supporters and trusts. By the end of 2025, we were delighted to have raised over £1.3 million for the campaign.

In 2025, we were pleased to continue our relationships with a number of corporate partners, including Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, who made a very generous unrestricted gift of £50,000. Our ongoing partnership with Cambridge University Press & Assessment also remained valuable, as we completed another Books to Go project in Kenya with their support. Overall corporate income reduced slightly, reflecting the absence of significant new gifts and the non-repetition of some one-off contributions and relationships from previous years.

We continued to steward relationships with many of our long-standing trust and foundation supporters, who are especially important in enabling us to deliver a range of projects. Our annual gift from The Beit Trust for book provision in southern Africa, alongside our incredibly valuable long-term partnership with Postcode Lottery, remains critical in helping us deliver our work and expand our reach.

Legacy income increased significantly in 2025, with a high number of gifts and pledges recognised during the year. These unrestricted donations allow us to invest in the future of the organisation and to deliver more of our work.

We also delivered two high-performing fundraising appeals to our existing donor base — The Magic of Books and Precious Deliveries — which together raised over £100,000 during 2025.

Fundraising practice and partnerships

We are committed to maintaining the highest standards in our fundraising in line with our Supporter Promise, which is displayed in the footer of every page on our website: bookaid.org.

In 2025, we remained registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office and the Fundraising Regulator. We adhere to the standards of both organisations and in 2025 updated our practice in response to updates to The Fundraising Regulator’s code.

We also maintained our Treating Donors Fairly policy, which identifies groups of individuals who may be vulnerable and defines our approach to treating these individuals with respect and care.

We continued to place our donors at the centre of our fundraising programmes in 2025, offering flexibility in how they heard from us in line with GDPR regulations.

There were no reported data breaches in 2025.

We did not receive any complaints about our fundraising last year. Four donors unsubscribed from our communications through the Fundraising Preference Service.

The commercial participators with which we exchanged supporter data included print management (Intygra, Fretwell Print and Direct Mail, Yeomans), email marketing (MailChimp and Chimpegration), payment processing (including iraiser, Access Paysuite, PayPal, Stripe, and Just Giving), database software (Blackbaud), Gift Aid claims (HMRC), Christmas card fulfilment (Impress Publishing) and IT support (Wanstor, Headstart IT Solutions).

Each of these organisations has a privacy policy, which is available on its website, and we maintain a data processing agreement with each, as required by GDPR regulations.

Donor acquisition activity continued through unaddressed media inserts in publications and through advertising on Meta platforms.

The full return on investment from these campaigns is not realised within the year of activity, but over time, based on the lifetime value of each new donor, many of whom continue their support for years.

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 36 Strategic report

Gifts in kind

In 2025, 99.88% (2024 – 99%) of the books we sent were donated as gifts in kind by the publishing industry. The following table expresses the value of the books we received, retained and supplied in 2025 compared with preceding years:

----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024 2023
Book stock £ £ £
GIH book stock
8,254,136 7,169,755 5,467,706
at start of year
Books received
8,499,570 19,307,702 19,235,755
in year
Books sent
-10,466,362 -18,223,321 -17,533,706
in year
GIH book stock 6,287,343 8,254,135 7,169,755
----- End of picture text -----

Pension liability

We are part of The Pensions Trust (TPT) scheme, a multi-employer scheme that provides benefits to some 521 non-associated participating employers.

The scheme is a defined benefit scheme subject to the funding legislation outlined in the Pensions Act 2004 which came into force on 30th December 2005. The provision in respect of the deficit repayment plan is £16,152 (2024: £21,831) and this has been recognised in the accounts as required by FRS 102. See note 16 on page 59 for more information.

In 2025 we bought our freehold warehouse and leasehold offices, paid for by the sale of our warehouse in 2024, restricted donations for this purpose and funds designated for this purpose over the previous few years. Fitting out and refurbishing our new distribution centre used a significant portion of designated funds, reducing them from £3,450,000 at the end of 2024 to £740,000 by the end of 2025.

----- Start of picture text -----
31-Dec-25 31-Dec-24
Reserves £ £
Total unrestricted reserves 10,811,921 12,336,062
Less donated books reserve -6,287,343 -8,254,136
Less unrestricted net fixed assets -2,784,662 -37,987
Less designated -740,000 -3,450,000
Free reserves 999,916 593,940
Restricted reserves 151,643 676,273
----- End of picture text -----

Restricted reserves for ongoing projects and restricted activities at the yearend is £151,643 compared to £676,273 in 2024, after the utilisation of £579,500 restricted funding received in prior years for the purchase, fit-out and relocation of operations to a new distribution centre.

For more information on our finances, including our full audited accounts, see pages 44 to 66.

Reserves policy and actuals

We maintain sufficient unrestricted cash reserves to ensure that we can deliver our planned commitments in the event of unforeseen financial challenges. The minimum level of reserves we must hold is agreed by our Board of Trustees and monitored regularly.

In 2025, the minimum level of free reserves was confirmed by the Board at £600,000. We ended 2025 with £999,916 in free reserves, due to legacy pledges totalling £518,702 which have been included in the 2026-27 budgets.

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025

Strategic report 37

Reference and administrative details

Patrons and officials

Patron Her Majesty The Queen

Vice Patron Lord Boateng

President

Nigel Newton CBE

Address and registered office

1B Blake Mews, London TW9 3GA

Charity number

313869 (England and Wales)

Company number 880754 (England and Wales)

Solicitor

Broadfield Law, One Bartholomew Close, London EC1A 7BL

Auditors

Sayer Vincent LLP 110 Golden Lane London EC1Y 0TG

Vice President Professor Kingo Mchombu

Trustees

Chair Dr Alice Prochaska

Vice Chair

Zainab Umar

Honorary Treasurer Alexandra Jones

Board members

Alan Hurcombe Dr Anne Makena Dhivya O’Connor Lee Newman Michelle Okwudiafor Susan Hutton

International Advisory Board

Chair Lord Boateng

Members

Alli Mcharazo Andrew Nyenty Antonetta Madziva Cleopatra Muma

Elizabeth Johnson (nee Mujawamaliya) Hayford Siaw Helena Asamoah-Hassan Joyce Ampofo Justin Kiyimba Lawrence Njagi Shereen Kriedieh Victoria Okojie

Senior management

Chief Executive Alison Tweed

Head of Programmes

Samantha Sokoya

Head of Operations Brian Martin until September 2025

Head of Communications

Emma Taylor

Head of Finance

Ade Soremekun

Head of Fundraising Laura Smith

Head of Resources Rebekah Deboo

Company Secretary

Rebekah Deboo

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Structure, governance and management

38

Directors and members

The directors and members of the company are the Board members named on the preceding page.

Statement of responsibilities of the Trustees

The Trustees (who are also directors for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report, including the strategic report and the financial statements, in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently

• observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP

• make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent

• state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements

In so far as the Trustees are aware:

• there is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company’s auditor is unaware

• the Trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditor is aware of that information

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.

Members of the charity guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 to the assets of the charity in the event of winding up. The total number of such guarantees at 31st December 2024 was £8 (2023: £8). The Trustees are members of the charity but this entitles them only to voting rights. The Trustees have no beneficial interest in the charity.

Auditor

Sayer Vincent LLP was reappointed as the charitable company’s auditor in 2021.

The Trustees’ Annual Report, which includes the strategic report, has been approved by the Trustees on 18th June 2026 and signed on their behalf by

• prepare the financial statements on the goingconcern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Dr Alice Prochaska Alexandra Jones Chair Honorary Treasurer Book Aid International Book Aid International

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Structure, governance and management 39

Independent auditor’s report

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Independent auditor’s report

40

Independent auditor’s report to the members of Book Aid International

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Book Aid International (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 31st December 2025, which comprise the statement of financial activities, balance sheet, statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 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:

• Give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company’s affairs as at 31st December 2025 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure for the year then ended

• Have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice

• Have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006

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 Trustees’ 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 Book Aid International’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 Trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the Trustees’ Annual Report , including the strategic report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The Trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the Annual Report. 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. 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 course of 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 this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. 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.

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Independent auditor’s report 41

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

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

• the information given in the Trustee’s Annual Report, including the strategic report, for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

• the Trustee’s Annual Report , including the strategic report, has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of the 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 Trustee’s Annual Report including the strategic report. We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

• adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

• the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

• certain disclosures of Trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or

• we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

Responsibilities of Trustees

As explained more fully in the statement of Trustees’ responsibilities set out in the Trustee’s Annual Report , 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 noncompliance 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 are set out below.

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 42 Independent auditor’s report

Capability of the audit in detecting irregularities

In identifying and assessing risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, our procedures included the following:

• We enquired of management and the Finance and Audit Committee, which included obtaining and reviewing supporting documentation, concerning the charity’s policies and procedures relating to:

• identifying, evaluating, and complying with laws and regulations and whether they were aware of any instances of non-compliance;

• detecting and responding to the risks of fraud and whether they have knowledge of any actual, suspected, or alleged fraud;

• the internal controls established to mitigate risks related to fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations.

• We inspected the minutes of meetings of those charged with governance.

• We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework that the charity operates in, focusing on those laws and regulations that had a material effect on the financial statements or that had a fundamental effect on the operations of the charity from our professional and sector experience.

• We communicated applicable laws and regulations throughout the audit team and remained alert to any indications of non-compliance throughout the audit.

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.

A further description of our responsibilities is available 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 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, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

• We reviewed any reports made to regulators.

• We reviewed the financial statement disclosures and tested these to supporting documentation to assess compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

• We performed analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships that may indicate risks of material misstatement due to fraud.

• In addressing the risk of fraud through management override of controls, we tested the appropriateness of journal entries and other adjustments, assessed whether the judgements made in making accounting estimates are indicative of a potential bias and tested significant transactions that are unusual or those outside the normal course of business.

Judith Miller (Senior statutory auditor)

1 July 2026

for and on behalf of

Sayer Vincent LLP Statutory Auditor 110 Golden Lane London EC1Y 0TL

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Independent auditor’s report 43

Audited accounts BookAid International Annual Report, 31st Deiember 2025 Audited 3CCOLlTrts

Statement of financial activities (incorporating income and expenditure account)

For the year ended 31st December 2025

----- Start of picture text -----
Value of 2025 2024
Unrestricted donated books Restricted Total Total
Note £ £ £ £ £
Income from:
Donations and legacies 2a 2,695,340 323,327 3,018,667 2,746,834
Value of donated books received 8,499,570 8,499,570 19,307,702
Other trading activities 4 10,699 10,699 10,552
Investments 56,979 56,979 39,173
Total income 2,763,018 8,499,570 323,327 11,585,915 22,104,261
Expenditure on:
Raising funds 862,437 5,699 868,136 841,829
Charitable activities:
Book provision 2,004,644 59,308 2,063,952 1,470,683
Value of donated books sent 3a 10,466,362 10,466,362 18,223,321
Restricted projects and
241,965 241,965 339,911
training
Total expenditure 5a 2,867,081 10,466,362 306,972 13,640,415 20,875,744
Net income / (expenditure) for
7 (104,063) (1,966,792) 16,355 (2,054,500) 1,228,517
the year
Net income / (expenditure)
before other recognised gains (104,063) (1,966,792) 16,355 (2,054,500) 1,228,517
and losses
Transfer between funds 540,985 (540,985)
(Loss)/gain on sale of fixed assets (852) (852) 215,599
(Loss)/gain on pension scheme 6,581 6,581 (20,699)
Net movement in funds 442,651 (1,966,792) (524,630) (2,048,771) 1,423,417
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward 4,081,926 8,254,136 676,273 13,012,335 11,588,918
Total funds carried forward 19a 4,524,577 6,287,344 151,643 10,963,564 13,012,335
----- End of picture text -----

All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above. Movements in funds are disclosed in Note 19a to the financial statements.

The notes on pages 48 to 66 form part of these financial statements.

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Audited accounts 45

Balance sheet

As at 31st December 2025

Company number 880754

----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted Restricted 2025 2024
Note £ £ £ £
Fixed assets:
Tangible assets 11 2,784,662 2,784,662 37,987
2,784,662 2,784,662 37,987
Current assets:
Stock – donated books 12 6,287,343 6,287,343 8,254,136
Debtors 13 614,769 119,855 734,624 315,508
Investments 14 311,458 311,458 404,026
Cash at bank and in hand 14 972,949 48,005 1,020,954 4,171,804
8,186,519 167,860 8,354,379 13,145,474
Liabilities:
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 15 (143,108) (16,217) (159,325) (149,295)
Net current assets / (liabilities) 8,043,411 151,643 8,195,054 12,996,179
Net assets excluding pension asset / (liability) 10,828,073 151,643 10,979,716 13,034,166
Defined benefit pension scheme asset / (liability) 16 (16,152) (16,152) (21,831)
Total net assets / (liabilities) 10,811,921 151,643 10,963,564 13,012,335
The funds of the charity: 19a
Restricted income funds 151,643 151,643 676,273
Unrestricted income funds:
Fixed assets 2,784,662 2,784,662 37,986
Revaluation reserve 2,095,200
Free reserves 1u 999,916 999,916 593,940
Designated funds 740,000 740,000 3,450,000
Total charity funds without stock 4,524,578 151,643 4,676,221 4,758,199
Value of donated books 6,287,343 6,287,343 8,254,136
Total unrestricted funds 10,811,921 10,811,921 12,336,062
Total charity funds 10,811,921 151,643 10,963,564 13,012,335
----- End of picture text -----

Approved by the Trustees on 26th June 2026 and signed on their behalf by:

Dr Alice Prochaska, Chair of the Board of Trustees

The notes on pages 48 to 66 form part of these financial statements.

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 46 Audited accounts

Statement of cash flows

For the year ended 31st December 2025

----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
Note £ £ £ £
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (expenditure) for the reporting period
(2,054,500) 1,228,517
(as per the statement of financial activities)
Depreciation charges 117,639 47,097
Gains/(losses) on pension scheme 16 6,581 (20,699)
Dividends, interest and rent from investments (56,979) (39,173)
Loss on sale of fixed assets (852)
Decrease/(increase) in stocks 1,966,793 (1,084,380)
(Increase)/decrease in debtors (419,116) (10,365)
(Decrease)/increase in creditors 10,030 (26,748)
Increase/(decrease) in pension provisions (5,679) 7,875
Net cash provided by / (used in) operating
(436,083) 102,124
activities
Cash flows from investing activities:
Dividends, interest and rents from investments 56,979 39,173
Sale of fixed assets 1,852 2,491,320
Purchase of fixed assets (2,866,166) (2,247)
Net cash provided by / (used in)
(2,807,335) 2,528,246
investing activities
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year (3,243,418) 2,630,370
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the
4,575,830 1,945,460
year
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year 14 1,332,412 4,575,830
----- End of picture text -----

The notes on pages 48 to 66 form part of these financial statements.

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Audited accounts 47

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31st December 2025

1 Accounting policies

a) Statutory information

Book Aid International is a charitable company limited by guarantee and is incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office address is 1B Blake Mews, London TW9 3GA.

b) Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) – (Charities SORP FRS 102), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy or note.

c) Public benefit entity

The charitable company meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.

d) Going concern

The Trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

Key judgements that the charitable company has made which have a significant effect on the accounts include the valuation of donated books as explained below.

The Trustees have reviewed the activities of the charity in light of the ongoing economic uncertainties and have adjusted estimations for uncertainty at the reporting date that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next reporting period. It is the view of the Trustees that the charity will continue to be a going concern for the current year up to and including 2026.

e) Income

Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and that the amount can be measured reliably.

Income from grants, whether ‘capital’ grants or ‘revenue’ grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred.

Income from legacies, entitlement is taken as the earlier of the date on which either: the charity is aware that probate has been granted, the estate has been finalised and notification has been made by the executor(s) to the charity that a distribution will be made, or when a distribution is received from the estate. Receipt of a legacy, in whole or in part, is only considered probable when the amount can be measured reliably and the charity has been notified of the executor’s intention to make a distribution.

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 48 Audited accounts

f) Donated books

Donated books are valued at fair value on receipt. This is determined using Nielsen Bookscan for identifying published prices and then applying a 30% discount from the full RRP to allow for the estimated market discount for third-party commercial buyers. This discount rate is reviewed by an independent expert on an annual basis. Where at year end books could not be opened and scanned into stock, an estimate of the value of these books is made in relation to the type and class of books remaining unopened.

Books held are recognised as expenditure at the point they are dispatched from the Book Aid International warehouse. Books in transit at the year end are accounted for as expensed as it is deemed highly probable that they will reach their intended beneficiaries in good condition. Any material damage or loss of stock would be adjusted in the accounts in the following year. There was no damage or loss of stock in transit at year end 31st December 2025 to be reflected in these accounts.

Donated books held at year end are measured at their fair value using the same measure as explained above. Provision is made where necessary for obsolete, slow-moving and defective stock. Where books are not able to be opened and booked into stock by the finalisation of the accounts, the value of these is estimated using averaged price per class of book based on books received and recognised in the accounts.

g) Interest receivable

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank.

h) Fund accounting

Restricted funds are to be used for specific purposes as laid down by the donor. Expenditure which meets these criteria is charged to the fund.

Unrestricted funds are donations and other incoming resources received or generated for the charitable purposes.

Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the Trustees for particular purposes.

i) Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified under the following activity headings:

• Costs of raising funds relate to the costs incurred by the charitable company in inducing third parties to make voluntary contributions to it, as well as the cost of any activities with a fundraising purpose.

• Expenditure on charitable activities includes the costs of book provision and restricted projects and training undertaken to further the purposes of the charity and their associated support costs.

• Other expenditure represents those items not falling into any other heading.

Irrecoverable VAT is charged against book provision.

j) Grants payable

Grants payable are made to third parties in furtherance of the charity’s objects. Single or multiyear grants are accounted for when either the recipient has a reasonable expectation that they will receive a grant and the Trustees have agreed to pay the grant without condition, or the recipient has a reasonable expectation that they will receive a grant and that any condition attaching to the grant is outside of the control of the charity.

Provisions for grants are made when the intention to make a grant has been communicated to the recipient but there is uncertainty about either the timing of the grant or the amount of grant payable.

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Audited accounts 49

k) Allocation of support costs

Resources expended are allocated to the particular activity where the cost relates directly to that activity. However, the cost of overall direction and administration of each activity, comprising the salary and overhead costs of the central function, is apportioned based on staff time and book delivery attributable to each activity. This year funding given that would normally be treated as restricted activity has been given as unrestricted, hence the increase in the book provision apportionment and the decrease in the restricted activity apportionment below.

----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
Raising funds 24% 28%
Book provision 70% 62%
Restricted projects and training 6% 10%
----- End of picture text -----

Governance costs are the costs associated with the governance arrangements of the charity. These costs are associated with constitutional and statutory requirements and include any costs associated with the strategic management of the charity’s activities.

l) Operating leases

Rental charges are charged on a straight line basis over the term of the lease.

m) Tangible fixed assets

Items of equipment are capitalised where the purchase price exceeds £1,000. Depreciation costs are allocated to activities on the basis of the use of the related assets in those activities. Assets are reviewed for impairment if circumstances indicate their carrying value may exceed their net realisable value and value in use.

Where fixed assets have been revalued, any excess between the revalued amount and the historic cost of the asset will be shown as a revaluation reserve in the balance sheet.

Depreciation is provided on a straight line basis at rates calculated to write down the cost of each asset to its estimated residual value over its expected useful life. The depreciation rates in use are as follows:

----- Start of picture text -----
Building 50 years 2% per annum on costs
Fixtures and office equipment 4 years 25% per annum on costs
Plant and machinery 10 years 10% per annum on costs
----- End of picture text -----

n) Stocks

Donated books held at year end are valued as explained in policy (f) above. Purchased books are measured at the lower of cost and net realisable value.

o) Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.

p) Short-term deposit investments

Short-term deposits includes cash balances that are invested in accounts with a maturity date of between 3 and 12 months and long-term deposits are deposits with maturity over 12 months.

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 50 Audited accounts

q) Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short-term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

r) Creditors and provisions

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 normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

s) Financial instruments

The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

t) Pensions

The charity contributes to a pension scheme administered by The Pensions Trust, an independent company. The pension cost charge indicated in note 8 represents the contributions payable to the fund for the year, and note 16 gives details of the movements during the year of the agreed deficit repayment plan liability, which has been included as a liability under the requirements of FRS102.

u) Free reserves

The minimum level of free reserves confirmed by the Board of Trustees for 2025 was set at £600,000.

2a Donations (current year)

----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
£ £ £ £
Charitable trusts and NGOs 783,576 204,448 988,024 1,136,441
Companies 48,785 66,912 115,697 187,708
Community sources 19,027 390 19,417 20,129
Individuals 1,843,952 51,577 1,895,529 1,402,555
Total donations 2,695,340 323,327 3,018,667 2,746,833
----- End of picture text -----

2b Donations (prior year)

----- Start of picture text -----
2024
Unrestricted Restricted Total
£ £ £
Charitable trusts and NGOs 945,950 190,491 1,136,441
Companies 101,201 86,507 187,708
Community sources 19,839 290 20,129
Individuals 1,344,838 57,717 1,402,555
Total donations 2,411,828 335,005 2,746,833
----- End of picture text -----

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Audited accounts 51

3a Gifts in kind (current year)

The table below shows the discounted value of the 835,788 donated books distributed to partner organisations in 2025 (2024: 1,344,059). The process of valuation is described in note (1f) and the total adjusted value of books distributed in 2025 was £10,466,362 (2024: £18,223,321).

----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2025
Total number Total £
Children and primary 475,142 2,614,676
Development 242 11,930
English language skills 29,720 450,246
Fiction (adult) 55,672 546,482
Higher education 42,522 1,395,898
Law 8,707 685,494
Leisure reading 38,043 452,147
Medicine and healthcare 48,811 1,930,457
Professional 12,665 560,327
Reference 2,172 38,532
Secondary 59,914 871,948
Teacher training 46,513 691,511
Teenage fiction 9,511 59,845
Vocational/technical 6,154 156,869
835,788 10,466,362
Stock adjustments
Total expenditure of donated books sent 835,788 10,466,362
----- End of picture text -----

3b Gifts in kind (previous year)

----- Start of picture text -----
2024 2024
Total number Total £
Children and primary 548,423 3,484,841
Development 2,938 66,630
English language skills 75,923 1,008,039
Fiction (adult) 90,867 761,389
Higher education 72,080 3,302,373
Law 2,871 147,651
Leisure reading 86,625 871,494
Medicine and healthcare 99,678 5,616,377
Professional 19,442 606,627
Reference 4,797 43,983
Secondary 132,094 1,236,610
Teacher training 49,364 793,642
Teenage fiction 19,369 133,074
Vocational/technical 6,593 150,591
1,211,064 18,223,321
Stock adjustments 132,995
Total expenditure of donated books sent 1,344,059 18,223,321
----- End of picture text -----

Stock adjustments relate to adjustments in book ‘sets’, values and location of individual books.

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Audited accounts

52

4 Income from other trading activities

----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
£ £ £ £
UK book and card sales 10,669 10,669 10,350
Other 202
Total donations 10,669 10,669 10,552
----- End of picture text -----

All trading income received in 2025 and 2024 was unrestricted.

5a Analysis of expenditure (current year)

----- Start of picture text -----
Charitable activities
Value of Restricted
Raising Book donated projects Govern- Support 2025 2024
funds provision books sent and training ance costs costs Total Total
£ £ £ £ £ £ £ £
Staff costs (note 8) 274,610 652,131 128,813 230,072 110,567 1,396,193 1,336,094
Other staff costs 76,220 181,004 35,753 63,858 30,689 387,524 110,418
Travel and workshop costs 2,197 17,960 6,154 26,311 35,204
Book purchase 18,725
Value of donated books 10,466,362 10,466,362 18,223,321
Overseas project partners
125,706 125,706 251,412 306,120
(note 6)
Shipping and book
166,004 166,004 203,417
disposal
Fundraising, PR and design 249,152 34,020 11,340 294,512 320,526
Professional fees
174,646 174,646 31,136
and irrecoverable VAT
Other direct costs 6,218 6,218 5,541
Other project and training
12,382 4,128 16,510 23,626
costs
Governance costs 19,151 19,151 21,700
Support costs 435,572 435,572 239,915
602,179 1,197,849 10,466,362 311,894 300,148 761,983 13,640,415 20,875,744
Governance costs 71,937 211,232 16,979 (300,148)
Support costs 182,624 536,253 43,106 (761,983)
Total expenditure 2025 856,740 1,945,334 10,466,362 371,979 13,640,415
Total expenditure 2024 841,829 1,470,683 18,223,321 339,911 20,875,744
----- End of picture text -----

Of the total expenditure in 2025, £13,333,443 (2024: £20,875,744) was unrestricted and £306,972 was restricted (2024: £352,136)

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Audited accounts 53

5b Analysis of expenditure (prior year)

----- Start of picture text -----
Charitable activities
Value of Restricted
Raising Book donated projects Governance Support
funds provision books sent and training costs costs 2024
£ £ £ £ £ £ £
Staff costs (note 8) 280,298 609,632 106,078 167,966 172,121 1,336,094
Other staff costs 31,975 27,547 12,101 19,161 19,635 110,418
Travel and workshop costs 2,176 23,011 10,017 35,204
Book purchase 11,235 7,490 18,725
Value of donated books 18,223,321 18,223,321
Overseas project partners
210,196 95,924 306,120
(note 6)
Shipping and book disposal 203,417 203,417
Fundraising, PR and design 278,512 33,611 8,403 320,526
Professional fees and
31,136 31,136
irrecoverable VAT
Other direct costs 5,541 5,541
Other project and training
14,176 9,450 23,626
costs
Governance costs 21,700 21,700
Support costs 239,915 239,915
592,961 929,408 18,223,321 249,463 208,827 671,764 20,875,744
Governance costs 59,018 128,360 21,449 (208,827)
Support costs 189,850 412,915 68,999 (671,764)
Total expenditure 2024 841,829 1,470,683 18,223,321 339,911 20,875,744
----- End of picture text -----

6 Grant payments to project partners

----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
Partners £ £
AfriKids - 2,016
ASSABIL Lebanon - 650
Book Bunk - 1,500
-
Bookrite Marketing Ltd 1,785
-
Child Support Tanzania 20,503
CODE Ethiopia 650 650
-
Consultus Publishing Services 1,146
Edward Ndlovu Memorial Trust 30,848 11,587
EISERVI Education Info Services Int'l 9,826 8,126
EKTTS 1,700 -
FIN Church Aid 10,567 -
Gambia National Library Authority 45 650
----- End of picture text -----

Table continued....

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 54 Audited accounts

----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
Partners £ £
Ghana Library Authority 1,400 6,426
Grace Rwanda Society 11,750 1,122
Gramsol Publishing 2,834 2,993
I Choose Life Africa 11,572 -
IBBY Lebanon 2,306 14,205
IBBY Zimbabwe 3,922 -
Kenya National Library Services 16,590 25,396
Lifetime Consulting - 523
LIPACE - 19,015
Malawi National Library Service 19,429 30,648
Mathare Youth Sports Association 5,964 1,700
-
National Library of Uganda 2,350
Ntuha Children’s Writers Illustrators Association - 7,530
PEN Malawi - 7,530
PEN Ukraine - 7,525
PEN Sierra Leone 3,788 -
Rainbow Trust Foundation 17,498 8,000
READ Bhutan 650 -
Save The Needy 6,665 6,464
Sierra Leone Book Trust 4,153 5,925
Sierra Leone Library Board 650 8,275
Solar Aid UK 7,396 7,212
Squirrel Book Centre & Publishers Ltd. 5,827 5,827
Street Children Empmnt Foundation 20,033 25,690
Tanzania Library Services Board 650 6,391
-
Unique Foundation 15,000
-
Uganda Community Library Assc 9,092
We Care Liberia 3,289 6,606
Windle International Uganda 25,896 28,978
Zaccheus Memorial Libraries 650 650
Zambia Library Services 2,340 1,442
Zanzibar Library Services Board 13,430 4,050
Grants to other Institutions - 36
At the end of the year 251,411 306,121
----- End of picture text -----

Grants sent in 2025 are more in line with previous years. The decrease from 2024 as a result of better than expected fundraising performance in 2024 which allowed us to release unrestricted funds to support increased activity in that year.

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Audited accounts 55

7 Net income / (expenditure) for the year

This is stated after charging / (crediting):

----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
£ £
Depreciation (see note 11) 117,640 47,097
Interest payable 3,326 3,591
Operating lease rentals:
Property
Other 10,917 4,142
Auditors’ remuneration (excluding VAT):
Audit 17,000 15,600
Other services 1,500
Foreign exchange (gains) or losses 50 149
----- End of picture text -----

8 Analysis of staff costs, Trustee remuneration and expenses, and the cost of key management personnel

Staff costs were as follows:

----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
£ £
Salaries and wages 1,125,058 1,097,821
Employer's NI contributions 136,965 103,982
Pension contributions 63,871 64,191
Overseas staff costs 70,299 70,100
1,396,193 1,336,094
2025 2024
(no.) (no.)
Average head count 27.9 28.0
Full-time equivalent 28.0 25.9
Number of staff whose emoluments were between £60,000 and £70,000 3 5
Number of staff whose emoluments were between £70,000 and £80,000 1 0
Number of staff whose emoluments were between £80,000 and £90,000 0 1
Number of staff whose emoluments were between £90,000 and £100,000 1 0
----- End of picture text -----

The total employee benefits received by key management personnel were £590,545 (2024: £505,574).

Redundancy payments were made to warehouse staff in Camberwell as we completed the move to the Swindon distribution centre in 2025, these payments totalled £46,538.

Trustees received no remuneration during the year (2024: £nil). No Trustees received any payments for professional services during the year (2024: £nil).

There were £244 worth of expenses reimbursed to Trustees in 2025 for the charity’s business (2024: £379).

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 56 Audited accounts

9 Related party transactions

Aggregate donations from related parties were £2,644 (2024: £3,587).

Paula Lee Clarke Newman is a Trustee of Book Aid International and also an employee of Harper Collins Publishers. This Trustee-related organisation donated the following to Book Aid International during the year.

----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
Value of 2025 Value of 2024
books Cash books Cash
donated donated donated donated
Trustee-related organisations £ £ £ £
Harper Collins Publishers 154,057 150,875
Hachette Group 1,377,344
154,057 1,528,219
----- End of picture text -----

In 2025 consultancy services continued to be provided by Mr Charly Nobbs, a former Trustee who resigned in June 2024. This specialist services started in July 2024. To date, £25,725 has been paid to Mr Nobbs for these services. This consultancy arrangement has been properly ratified and approved by the Board.

10 Taxation

The charitable company is exempt from corporation tax as all its income is deemed charitable and is applied for charitable purposes.

11 Tangible fixed assets

----- Start of picture text -----
Fixtures
Freehold Leasehold Plant and and office 2025
property property machinery equipment Total
£ £ £ £ £
Cost or valuation
At the start of the year 41,607 112,049 153,656
Gain on revaluation
Additions in year 1,930,832 550,000 280,241 105,093 2,866,166
Disposals in year (3,178) (71,703) (74,881)
At the end of the year 1,930,832 550,000 318,670 145,439 2,944,941
Depreciation
At the start of the year 16,878 98,792 115,669
Charge for the year 38,617 11,000 31,663 36,360 117,640
Eliminated on disposal (1,907) (71,123) (73,030)
At the end of the year 38,617 11,000 46,634 64,029 160,279
Net book value
At the end of the year 1,892,215 539,000 272,036 81,410 2,784,662
At the start of the year 24,729 13,257 37,987
----- End of picture text -----

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Audited accounts 57

During February 2025 Book Aid International purchased a freehold warehouse in Swindon for £1,875,000 plus VAT, in addition to capitalised renovation costs of £55,832. Later in the year, during December 2025, Book Aid International also purchased a 100-year leasehold Office space in Kew for £550,000 plus VAT, to replace the Office and Warehouse in Camberwell, which was sold in November 2024 for £2,491,320.

As part of the terms of the sale in 2024, Book Aid International retained the right to use the property for a peppercorn cost for a period of up to 18 months and did so throughout 2025. The charity moved out of the property in 2026. However, as the risks and rewards of ownership have substantially moved to the new owner, the property has not been retained on the balance sheet as a sale and leaseback arrangement. The value of the rent-free period of use is not considered material and therefore have not been accounted for within the sales price.

The valuation of the land element of the freehold property in Swindon has not been considered separately. This does not materially impact the depreciation charge in 2025.

All of the above assets are used for charitable purposes.

12 Stock

	2025 £	2024 £
Donated books	6,287,343	8,254,135

At year end there are unopened pallets of books stored in our warehouses. We endeavour to open as many of these as possible by the time the accounts are finalised. The value of any unopened pallets is estimated by using the average value of pallets for that class of book received and opened in the year. Included in the closing stock value of £6,287,343 are 15 pallets of books (2024: 437) which could not be opened and booked into stock at year end, these have been estimated using an averaged price per class of book and are valued at £166,165 (2024: £6,047,803). The reduction in unopened stock at this year end is due to the purchase of the bigger warehouse resulting in stock now being kept at one site with more efficient processes.

13 Debtors

----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
£ £
Trade debtors 6,210 11,620
Other debtors and prepayments 184,334 71,845
Gift Aid recoverable 25,378 37,838
Accrued income 518,702 194,205
734,624 315,508
----- End of picture text -----

All of the charity’s financial instruments, both assets and liabilities, are measured at amortised cost.

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 58 Audited accounts

14 Bank and investments

----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
£ £
Cash and bank 1,020,954 4,171,804
Short-term investments 311,458 404,026
Total cash and investments 1,332,412 4,575,830
----- End of picture text -----

Short-term investments are funds invested in 12-month fixed-term deposit accounts.

2025 cash balances have dropped as the 2024 cash balances were inflated by receipt from the sale of the Camberwell property and fundraising receipts for the move, these have now been reinvested in 2025 to buy the new distribution centre in Swindon and offices in Kew.

15 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
£ £
Trade creditors 75,071 75,118
Staff tax and social security 46,698 40,276
Other creditors and accruals 37,556 33,901
159,325 149,295
----- End of picture text -----

16 Pension scheme

The company participates in the scheme, a multi-employer scheme which provides benefits to some 521 non-associated participating employers. The scheme is a defined benefit scheme in the UK. It is not possible for the company to obtain sufficient information to enable it to account for the scheme as a defined benefit scheme. Therefore it accounts for the scheme as a defined contribution scheme.

The scheme is subject to the funding legislation outlined in the Pensions Act 2004, which came into force on 30th December 2005. This, together with documents issued by the Pensions Regulator and Technical Actuarial Standards issued by the Financial Reporting Council, set out the framework for funding defined benefit occupational pension schemes in the UK.

The scheme is classified as a ‘last-man standing arrangement’. Therefore the company is potentially liable for other participating employers’ obligations if those employers are unable to meet their share of the scheme deficit following withdrawal from the scheme. Participating employers are legally required to meet their share of the scheme deficit on an annuity purchase basis on withdrawal from the scheme.

A full actuarial valuation for the scheme was carried out at 30th September 2023. This valuation showed assets of £514.9m, liabilities of £531m and a deficit of £16.1m.

To eliminate this funding shortfall, the Trustee has asked the participating employers to pay additional contributions to the scheme as follows:

From 1st April 2025 to 31st March 2028: £2,100,000 per annum (payable monthly).

Unless a concession has been agreed with the Trustee, the term to 31st January 2028 applies.

Note that the scheme’s previous valuation was carried out with an effective date of 30th September 2020. This valuation showed assets of £800.3m, liabilities of £831.9m and a deficit of

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Audited accounts 59

£31.6m. To eliminate this funding shortfall, the Trustee has asked the participating employers to pay additional contributions to the scheme as follows:

Deficit contribution

From 1st April 2022 to 31st January 2025: £3,312,000 per annum payable monthly.

The recovery plan contributions are allocated to each participating employer in line with their estimated share of the Series 1 and Series 2 scheme liabilities.

Where the scheme is in deficit and where the company has agreed to a deficit funding arrangement the company recognises a liability for this obligation. The amount recognised is the net present value of the deficit reduction contributions payable under the agreement that relates to the deficit. The present value is calculated using the discount rate detailed in these disclosures. The unwinding of the discount rate is recognised as a finance cost.

----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
£'000 £'000
Present value of provision 16 22
Reconciliation of opening and closing provisions:
Provision at start of period 22 14
Unwinding of discount factor (interest expense) 1 -
Deficit contribution paid (7) (13)
Post-year-end adjustment 21
Provision at end of period 16 22
Income and expenditure impact
Interest expense 1
Remeasurements – changes in assumptions
Remeasurements – amendments to contribution schedule 21
Contributions paid in respect of future service
Costs recognised on SoFA
----- End of picture text -----

This includes defined contribution schemes and future service contributions (i.e. Excluding any deficit reduction payments) to defined benefit schemes which are treated as defined contribution schemes.

----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
% per annum % per annum
Assumptions:
Rate of discount 31st December 4.05 4.9
----- End of picture text -----

The discount rates shown above are the equivalent single discount rates which, when used to discount the future recovery plan contributions due, would give the same results as using a full AA corporate bond yield curve to discount the same recovery plan contributions.

The estimated contingent liability for the charity as at September 2025 in the event of withdrawal for the Growth Plan was £74,050 (less the £16,152 provided above). There is no intention at present to cease participation or to wind up the Growth Plan.

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 60 Audited accounts

17 Detailed comparatives for the statement of financial activities (prior year – 2024)

----- Start of picture text -----
Value of 2024
Unrestricted donated books Restricted Total
£ £ £ £
Income from:
Donations and legacies 2,411,828 335,006 2,746,834
Value of donated books received 19,307,702 19,307,702
Other trading activities 10,552 10,552
Investments 39,173 39,173
Total income 2,461,553 19,307,702 335,006 22,104,261
Expenditure on:
Raising funds 840,364 1,465 841,829
Charitable activities:
Book provision 1,459,923 10,760 1,470,683
Value of donated books sent 18,223,321 18,223,321
Restricted projects and training 339,911 339,911
Total expenditure 2,300,287 18,223,321 352,136 20,875,744
Net income / (expenditure) for the year 161,266 1,084,381 (17,130) 1,228,517
Net income / (expenditure) before other recognised
161,266 1,084,381 (17,130) 1,228,517
gains and losses
Transfer between funds (22,890) 22,890 -
-
Gains on revaluation of fixed assets 215,599 215,599
-
Loss on pension scheme (20,699) (20,699)
Net movement in funds 333,276 1,084,381 5,760 1,423,417
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward 3,748,650 7,169,755 670,513 11,588,918
Total funds carried forward 4,081,926 8,254,136 676,273 13,012,335
----- End of picture text -----

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Audited accounts 61

18 Detailed comparatives for the balance sheet (prior year – 2024)

----- Start of picture text -----
2024
Unrestricted Restricted Total
£ £ £
Fixed assets:
Tangible assets 37,987 37,987
37,987 37,987
Current assets:
Stock – donated books 8,254,136 - 8,254,136
Debtors 192,258 123,250 315,508
Investments 404,026 - 404,026
Cash at bank and in hand 3,618,781 553,023 4,171,804
12,469,201 676,273 13,145,474
Liabilities:
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year (149,295) (149,295)
Net current assets / (liabilities) 12,319,906 676,273 12,996,179
Net assets excluding pension asset / (liability) 12,357,893 676,273 13,034,166
Defined benefit pension scheme asset / (liability) (21,831) (21,831)
Total net assets / (liabilities) 12,336,062 676,273 13,012,335
The funds of the charity:
Restricted income funds 676,273 676,273
Unrestricted income funds:
Fixed assets 37,986 263,359
Revaluation reserve
Free reserves 593,940 593,940
Designated funds 3,450,000 3,450,000
Total charity funds without stock 4,081,926 676,273 4,758,199
Value of donated books 8,254,136 8,254,136
Total unrestricted funds 12,336,062 12,336,062
Total charity funds 12,336,062 676,273 13,012,335
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Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 62 Audited accounts

19a Movements in funds (current year)

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At 1st Income and Expenditure At 31st Dec
January 2025 gains and losses Transfers 2025
£ £ £ £ £
Restricted funds:
- -
Inspiring Readers Projects 14,406 (11,903) (2,503)
- - - - -
Impact Assessment Project
-
BP (SAF BEIT) Malawi/Zambia/Zimbabwe 85,095 85,000 (79,437) 90,658
Children’s Corner Projects 164 25,219 (12,620) - 12,763
Classroom Libraries Gambia 8,250 - - (8,250) -
- -
Dadaab School Libraries Kenya 24,619 (22,567) 2,052
Discovery Book Box Projects 2,409 8,100 (9,097) 2,188 3,600
Explorer Library Projects (3,117) 45,000 (42,111) 528 300
HP PEN Ukraine 175 - (175) - -
- -
I Choose Reading Kenya 27,009 (11,604) 15,405
- -
Reading for All Bulawayo Zimbabwe 6,169 (1,663) 4,506
- - -
Reading for All Liberia 8,000 8,000
Books To Go Projects 2,091 38,632 (31,835) (2,188) 6,700
Africa & Other Book Provision 42,054 45,469 (73,604) (6,260) 7,659
Children's Book Provision - 110 (110) - -
Law Book Provision - 5,000 (5,000) - -
Medical/Health Book Provision 246 5,000 (5,246) - -
- - -
Distribution Centre Project 524,500 (524,500)
Total restricted funds 676,273 323,327 (306,972) (540,985) 151,643
Unrestricted funds:
Fixed asset reserve 37,987 - 2,746,675 2,784,662
Revaluation reserve - - - - -
Stock reserve 8,254,136 8,499,570 (10,466,363) - 6,287,343
Free reserves 593,939 2,768,747 (2,867,081) 504,310 999,916
- -
Designated reserves 3,450,000 (2,710,000) 740,000
Total unrestricted funds 12,336,062 11,268,317 (13,333,444) 540,985 10,811,920
Total funds per balance sheet 13,012,335 11,591,644 (13,640,416) 10,963,563
Pension reserve 21,831 (5,679) 16,152
Total funds adding back pension fund 13,034,166 11,591,644 (13,640,416) (5,679) 10,979,715
Total unrestricted funds (less stock) 4,081,926 2,768,747 (2,867,081) 540,985 4,524,577
Total funds including pension fund (less stock) 4,103,757 2,768,747 (2,867,081) 535,306 4,540,729
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Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Audited accounts 63

2025 transfers between funds

There were net transfers of £540,985 from restricted to unrestricted funds in 2025:

Purpose of Distribution centre project value of £524.5k Transferred from restricted funds

In 2023, the Unwin Trust, which was closing down its fund, gifted £500,000 to the charity along with other donations from other funders in 2024 totalling £24,500 given to facilitate our move to more suitable premises. The entirety of these funds were released to Unrestricted funds on the purchase of the new properties in 2025.

• Any transfers are treated within parameters allowed by funders, and any external excess funding transferred to other projects or unrestricted funds will always be agreed with funders.

Other transfers between funds:

There were other net transfers of £16,485 from restricted to unrestricted funds in 2025

• Any transfers are treated within parameters allowed by funders, and any external excess funding transferred to other projects or unrestricted funds will always be agreed with funders. There are occasional transfers to restricted funds from unrestricted funds in order to start or complete projects, which can be returned to unrestricted funds once restricted funds received or as a result of any underspends.

Free reserves

The total free reserves value of £999,916 includes £398,847 pledged legacy income which is reasonably expected to be received in future years and has been included in our future year budgets, this means that the actual earned free reserves balance is £601,069.

Purposes of designated funds

The total designated funds of £740,000 can be broken down as follows:

• At the December 2025 Board meeting Trustees approved a total designation of £600,000. This is allocated as follows:

• ›› £250,000 for investment in developing fundraising opportunities

• ›› £200,000 to increase our programmes activities

• ›› £150,000 for potential unexpected costs related to our relocation to the new warehouse.

• At the March 2026 Board meeting, the Board instructed a further £140,000 designation for potential investment in operational efficiencies over the next two years.

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 64 Audited accounts

19b Movements in funds (prior year – 2024)

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At 1st Income and Expenditure At 31st Dec
January 2024 gains and losses Transfers 2024
£ £ £ £ £
Restricted funds:
Inspiring Readers Projects 13,953 80 (11,830) 12,203 14,406
Impact Assessment Project 682 (682)
Malawi/Zambia/Zimbabwe – BP (SAF BEIT) 85,144 85,000 (85,049) 85,095
Children’s Corner Projects 9,971 (9,807) 164
Classroom Libraries GAM2024 8,250 8,250
Discovery Book Box Projects 4,000 (1,591) 2,409
Explorer Library Projects (2,229) 51,089 (58,516) 6,539 (3,117)
HP PEN UKR2024 30,625 (30,450) 175
UGA02 – Reading for All Kyangwali 5,164 (1,643) (3,521)
RWD2023 – Reading around the Reserve 2,177 (1,802) (375)
COMM KNOWLEDGE UGA01 11,210 (9,906) (1,304)
Books To Go Projects 14,210 14,811 (26,930) 2,091
Library Procure Proj2023 29,432 600 (39,380) 9,348
Luveve Library ZIM2023 5,079 (5,079)
PDP Online Training 3,191 91 (3,282)
Africa Story Box Projects
Africa & Other Book Provision 2,500 92,672 (53,118) 42,054
Children's Book Provision 821 (821)
Law Book Provision
Medical/Health Book Provision 12,495 (12,249) 246
Distribution Centre Project 500,000 24,500 524,500
Total restricted funds 670,513 335,005 (352,135) 22,890 676,273
Unrestricted funds:
Fixed asset reserve 263,359 (225,372) 37,987
Revaluation reserve 2,095,200 (2,095,200)
Stock reserve 7,169,755 19,307,702 (18,223,321) 8,254,136
Free reserves 540,091 4,793,653 (4,437,487) (302,318) 593,939
Designated reserves 850,000 2,600,000 3,450,000
Total unrestricted funds 10,918,405 24,101,355 (22,660,808) (22,890) 12,336,062
Total funds per balance sheet 11,588,918 24,436,360 (23,012,943) 13,012,335
Pension reserve 13,956 7,875 21,831
Total funds adding back pension fund 11,602,874 24,436,360 (23,012,943) 7,875 13,034,166
Total unrestricted funds (less stock) 3,748,650 4,793,653 (4,437,487) (22,890) 4,081,926
Total funds including pension fund (less stock) 3,762,606 4,793,653 (4,437,487) (15,015) 4,103,757
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Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 Audited accounts 65

Unrestricted income funds are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the charity’s objectives. Unrestricted funds include designated funds, fixed assets and revaluation reserves representing the excess of the net book value of the property at acquisition. The remainder of the unrestricted funds are the charity’s free reserves.

Restricted income funds are subject to specific restrictions imposed by donors or by the purpose of an appeal. Details of all restricted funds held are in note 19a above.

20 Operating lease commitments

The charity’s total future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases is as follows for each of the following periods:

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Equipment
2025 2024
£ £
Less than one year 22,319 6,685
One to five years 63,611 6,608
85,930 13,293
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This increase has resulted from the entering of new leases related to our new properties, and the review of existing leases.

22 Legal status of the charity

The charity is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital. The liability of each of the members in the event of winding up is limited to £1.

Book Aid International Annual Report, 31st December 2025 66 Audited accounts

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Having these books
has really been a
blessing. I know that
it will change things
in the classroom.
Cynthia, teacher, Zimbabwe
----- End of picture text -----

Zimbabwean teacher Cynthia teaching with a donated book. © KB Mpofu / Edward Ndlovu Memorial Trust

bookaid.org

Book Aid International is a charity and limited company registered in England and Wales. Charity no: 313869. Company no: 880754. Registered office: 1B Blake Mews, London TW9 3GA © Book Aid International.