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Word Up North Limited

Also known as: Ilkley Literature Festival Limited, The Ilkley Literature Festival

Provision of annual literature festival and associated developments and year round projects involving creative writing, reading and live literature.

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Activities & Mission

Provision of annual literature festival and associated developments and year round projects involving creative writing, reading and live literature.

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Areas of Operation

Where this charity is registered to operate, as self-declared to the Charity Commission. These are regulatory classifications, not a list of active programmes, and don't necessarily indicate fundraising activity in each location.

Financial Information

Latest Income
£558,488
Latest Expenditure
£561,275

Financial Efficiency

Program Ratio 99.4%
% of income going directly to charitable activities

Higher than 67% of UK Arts charities with income £100K to £1M (sample: 260). How is this calculated?

Overall Efficiency 98.9%
% of expenditure going to programs (vs overhead)

Higher than 63% of UK Arts charities with income £100K to £1M. How is this calculated?

Administrative Ratio 1.5%
Overhead (fundraising + governance) as % of total expenditure

Lower overhead than 71% of UK Arts charities with income £100K to £1M. (Lower overhead is generally read as more efficient.) How is this calculated?

Latest Financial Breakdown

Income Sources

Donations & Legacies £29,643
Charitable Activities £518,063
Other Trading £10,780
Investments £2
Other Income £0

Expenditure Categories

Charitable Expenditure £555,147
Raising Funds £6,128
Governance £2,036
Grants to Institutions £0
Other Expenditure £0

Financial Trend

Annual Returns

As filed with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Most recent filing covers the financial year ending 2026.

Financial YearIncomeExpenditureCharitable SpendingNet AssetsReservesStaff
2026
£558,488
£561,275£555,147£155,094£128,5175 / 79
2025
£491,579
£391,0920 / 77
2024
£359,153
£366,2510 / 66
2023
£329,355
£334,9630 / 67
2022
£294,664
£283,2850 / 111

Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers

Frequently asked questions about Word Up North Limited

What does Word Up North Limited do?

Provision of annual literature festival and associated developments and year round projects involving creative writing, reading and live literature.

How much income did Word Up North Limited report in 2026?

Word Up North Limited reported total income of £558k and reported expenditure of £561k for the financial year ending 2026, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.

How efficient is Word Up North Limited?

Word Up North Limited has a program ratio of 99.4%, meaning that share of its income goes directly to charitable activities. This is higher than 67% of UK Arts charities with income £100K to £1M (sample of 260 charities). See our methodology for how this is calculated.

When was Word Up North Limited registered as a charity?

Word Up North Limited was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 29 March 1973 as charity number 501801. It has been registered for 53 years.

Who runs Word Up North Limited?

Word Up North Limited is governed by a board of 9 trustees. The chair of trustees is Prof Francis James Finlay. Trustees are legally responsible for the charity's governance and are listed in full on its profile.

Where does Word Up North Limited operate?

Word Up North Limited operates across 5 areas, including Bradford City, Calderdale, Kirklees and 2 others. The full list is shown on its profile.

Is Word Up North Limited a registered charity?

Yes — Word Up North Limited is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 501801.

Details

Contact (address, email, phone)
Registration Date
29 March 1973
Status
Registered

Registry Information

Organisation Number
501801
Charity Number
501801

Trustees

Prof Francis James Finlay Chair
Also governs 2 other charities
Anita Ganeri
CATHY BAXANDALL
ELLEN TERESA THORPE
Kirsten Jean Bullen
Kitty Wright
Professor Gregory Radick
Robert Martin Gibson
Tahira Jabeen Sardar

Sectors & Classifications

Also Known As

  • Ilkley Literature Festival Limited
  • The Ilkley Literature Festival

Data & trust

Register data refreshed
2 November 2026
Report a data issue