THE NATIONAL LIFE STORY COLLECTION

Charity number: 327571
Charity reporting is up to date (on time)

Charity overview

Activities - how the charity spends its money

The charity was established in 1987 to 'record first-hand experiences of as wide a cross-section of present-day society as possible'. Its key focus and expertise has been oral history fieldwork and for thirty years it has initiated a series of innovative interviewing programmes.

Income and expenditure

Data for financial year ending 31 December 2024

Total income: £299,026
Total expenditure: £318,793

People

12 Trustee(s)

Employees with total benefits over £60,000

No employees have total benefits over £60k for this charity

Fundraising

No information available

Trading

This charity does not have any trading subsidiaries.

Trustee payments

One or more trustees receive payments or benefits from the charity for providing services to the charity.

What, who, how, where

What the charity does:
  • Education/training
  • Arts/culture/heritage/science
  • Environment/conservation/heritage
Who the charity helps:
  • Children/young People
  • Elderly/old People
  • Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies
  • The General Public/mankind
How the charity helps:
  • Provides Advocacy/advice/information
  • Sponsors Or Undertakes Research
  • Acts As An Umbrella Or Resource Body
Where the charity operates:
  • Throughout England And Wales
  • Northern Ireland
  • Scotland

Governance

Registration history:
  • 30 September 1987: Standard registration
Organisation type:
Charitable company
Other names:
  • NATIONAL LIFE STORIES NLS (Working name)
Company number:
02172518 Open in new window
Gift aid:
Recognised by HMRC for gift aid
Other regulators:
No information available
Policies:
  • Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
  • Complaints handling
  • Complaints policy and procedures
  • Conflicting interests
  • Financial reserves policy and procedures
  • Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
  • Internal risk management policy and procedures
  • Investing charity funds policy and procedures
  • Investment
  • Paying staff
  • Risk management
  • Safeguarding policy and procedures
  • Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
  • Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
  • Social media policy and procedures
  • Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
  • Trustee expenses policy and procedures
  • Volunteer management
Land and property:
This charity does not own and/or lease land or property

Trustees

Trustees are the people responsible for controlling the work, management and administration of the charity on behalf of its beneficiaries. Generally trustees are treasurer, chair, board member etc. The trustees are responsible for keeping this list up to date and can do this by updating their details as they happen through the online service

12 Trustee(s)

Name Role Date of appointment Other trusteeships Reporting status of other trusteeships
DAME JENNY ABRAMSKY DBE Chair 14 May 2015
CANAL & RIVER TRUST
Received: On time
Professor Fareda Banda Trustee 07 December 2021
AFRICA 95
Received: On time
Mary Stewart Trustee 20 September 2021
THE ORAL HISTORY SOCIETY
Received: On time
Professor Nelarine Estella Cornelius Trustee 20 September 2021
None on record
Dr Janet Constance Topp Fargion Trustee 16 July 2020
None on record
Dr Andrew David Flinn Trustee 06 June 2019
None on record
Prof Jon Agar Trustee 25 May 2017
None on record
Amanda Game Trustee 25 May 2017
None on record
Bill Knight Trustee 15 August 2011
None on record
PROFESSOR PAUL RICHARD THOMPSON Trustee
None on record
Dr ROB PERKS Trustee
None on record
BOB BOAS Trustee
HATFIELD HOUSE CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL
Received: On time
THE FIDELIO CHARITABLE TRUST
Received: On time
AMSCORDI LIMITED
Received: On time
THE NICHOLAS BOAS CHARITABLE TRUST
Received: On time

Financial history

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Financial period end date

Income / Expenditure 31/12/2020 31/12/2021 31/12/2022 31/12/2023 31/12/2024
Total gross income £231.36k £163.81k £274.99k £288.65k £299.03k
Total expenditure £218.70k £221.92k £253.31k £347.38k £318.79k
Income from government contracts N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Income from government grants N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Accounts and annual returns

This table shows the charity's record of submitting annual returns, accounts and trustees' annual report (TAR) for the last five financial periods.
Title Reporting year Date received Received Download
Annual return 31 December 2024 11 July 2025 On time
Accounts and TAR 31 December 2024 11 July 2025 On time Download Open in new window
Annual return 31 December 2023 24 July 2024 On time
Accounts and TAR 31 December 2023 24 July 2024 On time Download Open in new window
Annual return 31 December 2022 25 July 2023 On time
Accounts and TAR 31 December 2022 25 July 2023 On time Download Open in new window
Annual return 31 December 2021 26 July 2022 On time
Accounts and TAR 31 December 2021 26 July 2022 On time Download Open in new window
Annual return 31 December 2020 29 October 2021 On time
Accounts and TAR 31 December 2020 29 October 2021 On time Download Open in new window
Submit annual return Open in new window

Governing document

Details of the type of governing document the charity has and when it was established.
It is not the full text of the charity's governing document.

MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED ON THE 21 SEPTEMBER 1987

Charitable objects

TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC BY THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDON OF A NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY IN SOUND CONSISTING OF A NATIONAL COLLECTION OF AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL AND OTHER LIFE STORY RECORDS.

Area of benefit

The area the charity can operate in, as set out in its governing document.

NOT DEFINED

Contact information

Address:
BRITISH LIBRARY
96 EUSTON ROAD
LONDON
NW1 2DB
Phone:
02074127404
Email:
nls@bl.uk
Website:

www.bl.uk/nls Open in new window