## **Sinfonia of Leeds**
**(Charity number: 1021886)**
**Trustees annual report & financial statements for the year ended**
**31st July 2025**
Charity accounts preparation & independent examination service
## **Sinfonia of Leeds**
**(Charity number: 1021886)**
|**Contents**||
|---|---|
|**Index**|**Page**|
|**Report of the trustees**|**1**|
|**Independent examiner's report**|**5**|
|**Receipts & payments accounts**|**6**|
|**Statement of assets and liabilities**|**7**|
|**Notes to the accounts**|**8**|
## **Trustees' Annual Report**
**From:** 1st August 2024 **To:** 31st July 2025 **Charity's full name** Sinfonia of Leeds **Registered Charity number** 1021886
## **Objectives and activities**
## **Summary of the purposes of the charity set out in its governing document**
The objects of the Society shall be to advance, improve, develop and maintain public education in, and appreciation of, the art and science of music in all its aspects by any means the trustees see fit, including through the presentation of public concerts and recitals
**Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts**
Presentation of four symphonic concerts during the year.
The trustees consider that they have complied with their duties to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission.
## **Achievements and performance**
**Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.**
Sinfonia of Leeds 2025-2026 season was a varied, challenging and extremely popular season with our audiences
We began the season with our opening concert in October 2024 which was presented in partnership with the Red Violin Festival led by Madeline Mitchell. Audiences delighted in the Vivaldi double concerto for two violins performed by our MD David Greed and his son Tom. The second concert paired Mozart’s exquisite Double concerto for Flute and Harp performed by Luke O’Toole and Celine Saout, both section principals of the Orchestra of Opera North, and Berlioz’s thrilling and immersive Symphonie Fantastique which was just as fun for members as it was the audience.
Before Easter we continued the celebration of soloists where Jessica Burroughs performed the Elgar Cello concerto to our third sold out audience of the season, alongside Sibelius’ much loved Symphony Number 3.
The final concert of the season had yet again a full church, and after three concerts featuring remarkable soloists, the orchestra itself was celebrated. Following the technically difficult Lutoswalski concerto for Orchestra, the orchestra closed the season with Tchaikovsky's electrifying symphony number 4.
## **Concert 1: 19 October 2024**
St Edmund's Church, Roundhay Vivaldi - Concerto for 2 Violins in A minor RV522 Bruch - Violin Concerto Dvorák - Symphony No. 7 Soloists: Madeleine Mitchell, David Greed, Tom Greed Conductors: David Greed and Anthony Kraus
## **Concert 2: 20 January 2025**
St Edmund's Church, Roundhay Lili Boulanger - D’un Matin de Printemps Mozart - Concerto for Flute and Harp Berlioz - Symphonie Fantastique Soloists: Luke O'Toole, Celine Saout Conductor: David Greed
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## **Concert 3: 5 April 2025**
St Edmund's Church, Roundhay Andrew Downes - ‘Towards a New Age’ Elgar - Cello Concerto Sibelius - Symphony No. 3 Soloist: Jessica Burroughs Conductor: Anthony Kraus
## **Concert 4: 5 July 2025**
St Edmund's Church, Roundhay Vaughan Williams - Prelude ‘The 49th Parallel’ Lutoslawski - Concerto for Orchestra Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 4 Conductors: Anthony Kraus & David Greed
## **Achievements against objectives set**
The 24/25 programme continued on the ambitious programming of the previous season, elevating the orchestra with challenging symphonic works and highlighting the orchestra’s ensemble skills with such varied styles of concertos, and the showcase of Lutowalski's Concerto for orchestra. It was clear that the considered, challenging and exciting season programme set by our music directors was enjoyed by orchestral members just as much as audiences and this was reflected in box office numbers.
## **Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set**
Our 23/24 box office target was £10 000 and we brought in £12458.26 - the first three concerts we sold 149%,128% and 125%, and the fourth reached 95% of forecast ticket sales. These large audiences proved the skill of programming exhibited by our music directors, as well as the enthusiasm of members to bring family and friends to see concerts. Overall we reached 122% of our season target of ticket sales.
The regular and committed membership base continually accounts for a third of our income, and in the 2024/2025 financial year we received £11386, which is almost the same as the previous year.
Our regular and loyal patrons contributed £2308 in 24/25 which was well above the budgeted £1800.
In this financial year, we have received a payment of £3423 in gift aid return,which is consistent with the forecast return on membership donations to the Sinfonia of Leeds
The Orchestra Tax Relief return received by the charity’s trading arm in the 24/25 financial year was £8930, which represents the claim processed for rehearsal fees in the 23/24 season. It is difficult to forecast this figure for the 24/25 year but it is ordinarily ~£8000 based on usual rehearsal costs for a season.
## **Financial review**
## **Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period**
At the end of the 2024/25 season, the orchestra maintained the equivalent of a year’s operating costs in the bank. This partly is due to existing factors of: catching up with gift aid and orchestra tax relief returns after covid, a small raise in membership fees and ticket prices after 12 years, but in large part due to reaching much beyond ticket sales forecast for this season.
## **Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held**
Reserves are held at the discretion of the treasurers in consultation with the whole committee and with the Sinfonia of Leeds Ltd. directors.
The orchestra has built approximately one year's operations costs in cash reserves over the previous two seasons. This is in some part due to receiving two years’ worth of returns of gift aid and orchestra tax relief in the previous financial year, but largely due to inflated audience numbers in attendance at both the 23/24 and 24/25 seasons. The committee is committed to not go beyond this reserve. The committee has been using these funds to invest back into assets (e.g. purchasing of a new suite of music stands to replace perished ones), programming (larger works with more extras, percussion, expensive music hire costs) and a sensible increase of artist fees.
In the 25/26 season the Sinfonia of Leeds began the formal recruitment process as after 37 years David Greed steps down as Music Director. This process will take a minimum of two years. The committee is prepared to make investment into travel and other subsistence of candidates and the future associate musical director, something which the orchestra has not had to consider in recent years due to the locality and agreements made with the current permanent conductors.
Looking past the 26/27 Season our continuing Music Director Tony Kraus is considering some more indulgent programming choices owing to the reserves held by the orchestra.
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## **Amount of reserves held**
## **£32,800**
## **Reasons for holding zero reserves n/a**
## **Funds materially in deficit**
None
**Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern** None
## **The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)**
There are five sources of funding detailed below
Box Office - 33% of income The 24/25 box office target was £10000 and we received £12458.
Subscriptions - 29% of income There were 72 p\aying members in 2024/25. Subscriptions totalled £11240
Patrons/Donation - 6% of income Our 28 patrons Patron donated a total of £2305.
Gift Aid - 9% of income
In this financial year, SOL received a gift aid return of £3423.
## OTR - 23% of total income
In addition to our generated funds and charitable activities return of £8930 was received on rehearsal costs of our 23/24 season as part of the Orchestra Tax Relief scheme , which is paid into out trading arm and thus reduces production costs transferred.
## **A description of the principal risks facing the charity**
## Loss of Income
The main identifiable risk is the changing cost of living and ability of audience members to attend a concert (or ideally regular concerts) of Sinfonia of Leeds
## Increasing Costs
Our venue's current fee structure is the foundation of our budget. There aren’t other venues of the size of our performance venue which are comparable in facility and cost. Likewise our ordinary rehearsal venue has been unavailable to us during 2025/2026 due to building renovation. This has forced us to the most sensible and practical alternate venue which is our performance venue which has a slightly higher rental cost.
## **Structure, governance and management**
## **Description of the charity's trusts**
**Type of governing document** Constitution **How the charity is constituted** Trust
**Trustee selection methods including** Volunteers who are elected by the orchestra membership at AGM **details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees**
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## **Reference and administration details**
**Charity's full name** Sinfonia of Leeds **Other names the charity is known by** n/a **Charity’s principal address** C/O The Treasurer 86 Franklin Road Harrogate North Yorkshire HG1 5EN
## **Names of the trustees who manage the charity**
|**Trustee name**|Office (if any)|Dates acted if not for whole
year|Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if
any)|
|---|---|---|---|
|EMMA BARNETT
Treasurer
Chair
ADRIAN STYGALL
LESLIE BROADHEAD
VALERIE STYGALL
Secretary
ALISON GILCHRIST||||
## **Names and addresses of advisers**
|**Names and addresses**|**of advisers**||
|---|---|---|
|**Type of adviser**|**Name**|**Address**|
|**Independent**
**Examiner**
Karen Wood
ACMA,CGMA
2 Galligap Lane, Osbaldwick
York, YO10 3NR
**Bankers**
Outsource Accountancy Services & Independent Examinations|||
**Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members**
## **Declaration**
**The trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees Annual Report and Accounts**
## **Signed on behalf of the charity's trustees**
**Signature Full Name** Emma Anne Barnett **Position** Treasurer **Date**
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**Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Sinfonia of Leeds**
I report on the accounts of: **Sinfonia of Leeds** for the year ended: **31st July 2025**
which are set out on pages 6 to 9.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the Charity's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
- 1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
- 2 the accounts do not accord with those records
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
**Karen Wood (ACMA)** Outsource independent examination service 2 Galligap Lane Osbaldwick York YO10 3NR
14/05/2026
**Date:**
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## **Sinfonia of Leeds**
(Charity number: 1021886)
|**Receipts &payments accounts for theyear ended:**
**31st July 2025**|**Receipts &payments accounts for theyear ended:**
**31st July 2025**|**Receipts &payments accounts for theyear ended:**
**31st July 2025**|**Receipts &payments accounts for theyear ended:**
**31st July 2025**||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Total receipts**
**Receipts**
Donations & fundraising
Ticket sales
Gift aid
Patrons
Bank interest
**Transfers between funds**
**Balance brought forward**
**Balance carried forward**
**Net of receipts/(payments)**
**Total payments**
**Payments**
Work to repair stage
Membership
Concert costs to Ltd trading arm
Bank charges & Sum Up fees|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**£**
1,340
11,391
12,554
3,423
2,305
66
**31,079**
11,500
161
200
**11,861**
**19,218**
**-**
**13,582**
**32,800**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**£**
-
-
-
-
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**2025**
**Total**
**funds**
**£**
1,340
11,391
12,554
3,423
2,305
66
**31,079**
11,500
161
200
**11,861**
**19,218**
**-**
**13,582**
**32,800**|**2024**
**Total**
**funds**
**£**
750
10,739
11,104
8,791
1,545
49|
|||||**32,978**|
|||||28,000
103
-|
|||||**28,103**|
|||||**4,875**
**-**
**8,707**|
|||||**13,582**|
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## **Sinfonia of Leeds**
(Charity number: 1021886)
|**Statement of assets and liabilities at:**||**31st July 2025**|**31st July 2025**||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Current bank account
CAF Gold
**Assets**
**Cash at bank and in hand**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**£**
31,803
997
**32,800**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**£**
**-**|**2025**
**Total**
**funds**
**£**
31,803
997
**32,800**|**2024**
**Total**
**funds**
**£**
12,607
975|
|||||**13,582**|
## **Investment Assets**
Sinfonia of Leeds is the sole shareholder of Sinfonia of Leeds Ltd (Company number 10991964, which operates as its wholly owned trading subsidiary. The subsidiary undertakes the orchestral production activities and claims Orchestral Tax Relief
|**Liabilities**
Independent examination fee|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**£**
380
**380**|**Restricted**
**Funds**
**£**
-
**-**|**2025**
**Total**
**Funds**
**£**
380
**380**|**2024**
**Total**
**Funds**
**£**
-|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||**-**|
7
**Sinfonia of Leeds (Charity number 1021886 )**
**Notes to the accounts for the year ended:**
**31st July 2025**
## **1. Basis of accounts**
The Trustees have taken advantage of section 144 (2) of the Charities Act 2011 and prepared the accounts on a receipts and payments basis.
Comparative figures to the prior year have been restated to reflect that the transactions of Sinfonia of Leeds Ltd should not be included in these figures. The effect of this restatement is to decrease the income by £17,720 and decrease the expenditure by £3,468 . The net impact on funds is a reduction in cash assets of £20,278
## **Approval of accounts for the year ended:**
**31st July 2025**
The report and accounts were approved by the Trustees
**Signed for and on behalf of the trustees**
**Date**
**Print name**
**Position (e.g. Chair etc)**
8