SEVEN STORIES, THE NATIONAL CENTRE FOR CHILDREN’S BOOKS LIMITED

1. SEVEN STORIES, THE NATIONAL CENTRE FOR CHILDREN’S BOOKS LIMITED 2015-11-19 → present
2. THE CENTRE FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS 2004-07-09 → 2015-11-19
3. THE CENTRE FOR THE CHILDREN'S BOOK 1996-06-07 → 2004-07-09

Values shown as filed in the company's annual accounts. — indicates the figure wasn't present under that line item in that period. About these numbers

Margins divide P&L lines by turnover. Gearing is liabilities over total assets. Current ratio is current assets over creditors falling due within one year. Interest cover is operating profit over absolute finance costs. Sector-distribution context coming next.

Accounting basis

FRS 102

Reporting scope

Consolidated group

Auditor

UNW LLP

Audit opinion

Unqualified (clean)

Going concern

Affirmed

“After making appropriate enquiries, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future.”

Group structure

1. SEVEN STORIES, THE NATIONAL CENTRE FOR CHILDREN’S BOOKS LIMITED · parent
   1. Seven Stories Trading Limited 1% · UK · Commercial activities including the bookshop, cafe and corporate events.
   2. Seven Stories, The National Centre for Children's Books Collections Trust 1% · UK · Own and protect the archive.

Significant events

• “This year saw the launch of a formal NHS partnership, placing reading for pleasure and storytelling at the heart of health and wellbeing initiatives.”
• “This year also marked the beginning of our commission from Borderlands, a creative organisation based in Teesside.”
• “The Story Station was redeveloped this year through the generous support of the Winn Group.”
• “We were honoured to receive a long-term loan of Mary Norton materials and to secure the Gerald Rose archive into the Collection, offering new opportunities for creative learning, research and public engagement.”
• “The announcement of the Lindy McKinnel and Robert Westall legacy marked a transformational moment. This gift, received 2024/25, will enable significant future work with the Westall Collection.”
• “Subsequent to the year end, Seven Stories, the National Centre of Children's Books Limited) was notified of a substantial legacy. This is provisionally estimated between £230,000 and £250,000.”
• “In June 2025, Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children's Books Collection Trust took possession of the Jill Murphy Collection on long term loan. The collection has been externally valued at £2.7million.”

Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers

Filings

6

last 12 months

Capital events

0

last 24 months

Officers appointed

0

last 12 months

Officers resigned

2

last 12 months

Direct counts from the register. No score, no rating — see the Filing timeline for the underlying events.

• Turnover

  -0.8%

  £1,244,080 → £1,234,189

• Cash

  +48.8%

  £115,033 → £171,181

• Net assets

  -0.2%

  £6,844,273 → £6,828,205

• Employees

  +15.6%

  45 → 52

• Operating profit

  +92.5%

  -£214,320 → -£16,028

• Wages

  +10.3%

  £685,780 → £756,277

Each % is (latest − prior) ÷ |prior| for the line item as filed. The comparison is only shown when the latest and prior accounts cover broadly equal-length periods — short or long stubs (typical around incorporation or a year-end change) are suppressed rather than misrepresented. Lines a company doesn't report are omitted. About these numbers