OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2024-03-31-accounts

REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: 03200475 (England and Wales)
REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1058130

Trustees' Report and

Unaudited Financial Statements

for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

for

Old Meeting House Trust

Hardcastle France
Chartered Accountants
30 Yorkersgate
Malton
North Yorkshire
YO17 7AW

Old Meeting House Trust

Contents of the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

Page
Trustees' Report 1 to 8
Independent Examiner's Report 9
Statement of Financial Activities 10
Balance Sheet 11 to 12
Notes to the Financial Statements 13 to 22
Detailed Statement of Financial Activities 23 to 24 
Old Meeting House Trust

Trustees' Report for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

TheTrustees,whoarealsodirectorsofthecharityforthepurposesoftheCompaniesAct2006,presenttheir report
withthefinancialstatementsofthecharityfortheyearended31March2024.TheTrusteeshaveadopted the
provisionsofAccountingandReportingbyCharities:StatementofRecommendedPracticeapplicableto charities
preparingtheiraccountsinaccordancewiththeFinancialReportingStandardapplicableintheUKandRepublic of
Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015).

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and aims

TheobjectsoftheCharityassetoutinitsMemorandumandArticlesofAssociationaretofoster,promoteand to
increaseamongstthegeneralpublictheknowledgeandappreciationofart,musicandliteratureandfor those
purposesto promote and to organiseart exhibitions,music recitals and concerts,poetry recitalsand readings, lectures
andfilmsuponartistic,musicalandliterarysubjectsandsuchotheractivitiesasarecalculatedtoassistin the
attainment of the said purposes".

TheseobjectsarepursuedthroughthedevelopmentandoperationofHelmsleyArtsCentreinHelmsley, North
Yorkshire.

Public benefit

Ouraimsandobjectivesarereviewedeachyear,takingintoaccountthesuccessofeachofouractivitiesand the
benefitstheyhavebroughttothepeopleweaimtoreach.Thereviewensuresweremainfocusedonour aims,
objectivesandactivities,andachieveourstatedpurpose.We havereferredtotheguidancecontainedinthe Charity
Commission'sgeneralguidanceonpublicbenefitwhenreviewingouraimsandobjectivesandinplanning future
activities.

ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE

Management

HelmsleyArts Centre remainsa stronginstitutionand a much-lovedhub of creativeactivityand entertainmentfor the
rural district of northern Ryedale and beyond.

ThetrusteeswishtopaytributetotheexcellentoverallmanagementandleadershipprovidedbyNatashaJones as
artisticdirectorandthemeticulousadministrationandcostcontrolexercisedbyKarenGosneyasgeneral manager
andfinanceofficer.NatashaandKarenare very well supportedby otherpart-timepaidstaffin marketing,box office,
housekeeping,technicalroles,andbyourdedicatedvolunteers-whosemultiplecontributiontothelifeofthe Arts
CentresareorganisedwithskillandpatiencebySarahBarkerasVolunteerCo-ordinator.Trusteesub-committees for
HR and finance also play their proper part in HAC's management.

Page 1

Old Meeting House Trust

Trustees' Report for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE

Events and Programming

1812 Theatre Company

The1812'sproductionforApril2023wasCiderwithRosiebyLaurieLee,adaptedbyJamesRoose-Evans. The
productionwelcomedatotalof18castmembers,4ofwhomwerenewto1812.Unfortunately,severalcases of
Covid-19inthecastmeantthatfollowingthefirsttwonightsinApril,thelattertwoperformanceswere postponed
untiltheendofMay.Despitethedisturbance,268ticketsweresoldwithanincomeof£3,213andtheprofit was
£1,508, which in light of the disruption to cast, crew and audience, was a good result.

The July productionwas a new venturefor the 1812,undertakinga musical,withlive band.Jekyll& Hydethe Musical
wasdirectedbyJulieLomaswithJohnAtkinasmusicaldirector.Theproductionincludedacastof24,including 4
seniormembersofthe1812YouthTheatre,acrewofover20and4professionalmusicians,includingtheMD. The
scale of the productionwas a big undertakingfor 1812 and with highcosts, due to musiciansand the requirement for
twotechnicianstoruntheshow,meantthatunfortunatelythecostsoutweighedtheincomeresultinginaloss of
£1,246. Anotherimpact on costs was the requirementto remove some of the auditoriumseating to allow for the band
to have space to perform,this resultedin a loss of potentialticket income. The productionwas supportedby Yorkshire
MusicFutureFund(£500)andTheGillhamCharitabletrust(£1,000)whichgeneratedafinalprofitto£254. In
evaluatingthe productionit was agreedthatbudgetsshouldbe strictlyfollowedby the Directorto ensurethat costs
never exceed incomeand aim ideally,to remainat or below50% of income.Artistically,however,the production was
a hugesuccesswitha strongcastandthe additionof live musicianselevatingthe wholeproduction.A total audience
of 478 saw the production and returned positive feedback with several requests for more musicals from 1812.

The KitchenSinkby Tom Wells was the Octoberproduction,with1812 member SarahBarkerin a debutdirector role.
Thiswasalesserknownplaybutthecastof5(includingHAC'stechnicalmanager,JamesBentley)produced an
enjoyableperformancereachinga totalaudienceof 184. Due to low productioncosts of £656 the show resultedin an
impressive profit of £1,518.

The1812Pantomimefor2023wasCinderellabyTomWhalley,directedbyHelenaFox,stagemanagedbyErica Zarb
andchoreographedbyMichaelaEdens.Thepantoranfor10performanceswithatotalcastof45children, young
people and adults(U14's being split into two teams) and a crew of 25 people.Tickets sales increasedagain with a  total
audienceof1350andanimpressiveincomeof£18,659comparedto£17,855incomein2022..Thebudget was
carefullymonitoredandwithvolunteersupportforcostume,setandpropscoststotalled£8,529.Despitethis being
anincreaseof£1,477comparedtothepreviousyear'scoststheincreasedincomemeantastrongprofitof £10,130.
The popularityof the 1812 Pantomimecontinuesto grow with audiencesbookingwell in advance and matinees  selling
outearlyintheseason.TheteamrequiredtoproducethePantogrowsasthescaleandexpectationsincrease. We
mustensurethatwearewelcomingnewteammemberstotheproductionsidetoallowforasharingofroles and
responsibilities and to avoid losing members due to the huge commitment required.

The Februaryproductionfor 1812was ScaryBikersby JohnGodber,a two-handerwithKate CawteandJohnLister. A
populartitleandplaywrightsupportedby strongmarketingsaw strongsalesanda totalaudienceof 316 with £3,819
income.ThecostsoftheproductionwerelowandwithexcellentbudgetmanagementfromJohnLister,resulted in
just£830ofcostsandaprofitof£2,989.TheproductiondrewinnewaudienceswiththepullofGodberand the
cast/crew's marketing efforts hugely benefited the production.

30 Years Celebrations

The30yearanniversaryofthefirstperformanceatHelmsleyArtsCentrewasinMay2023andincludedavariety of
celebratoryandfundraisingeventsincluding30thAnniversaryQuiz,30thAnniversary-OnStage!,Alrighthere for
Helmsley-Areflectiononaruralbranchline,RyedaleWriters-30yearssharing,JillThomasSchoolofBallet Open
Day,30thAnniversaryHACSingers& CalderValleyVoices, TheArtofBrass- KirkbymoorsideTownBrassBand, 30th
AnniversaryFridayMorningCafe, 30th AnniversaryGrandAuctionat DuncombePark,a 30 Faces of HAC photography
project with local photographer Gareth Jenkins.

Page 2

Old Meeting House Trust

Trustees' Report for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE

1812 Youth Theatre

March2023 saw bothgroup3 and 4 of the 1812 YouthTheatreperforming.Group3 performedthree shows of Alison
Carr'sTuesday,anensembleproduction.Thegroupworkedverywelltogetherinwhatwasformanyofthem, their
firstsoloproductionwithouttheolderYTgroup.Atotalof102peoplewatchedtheproduction,majoritycast family
andfriends,withanincomeof£656.Duetotheextrarehearsalsrequiredfornewcastmembers,thecostsfor the
directing of the productions, with two YT leaders, increased to £995 resulting in a loss of £339.

Group4producedStartSwimmingbyJamesFritz,aplaywithastrongmessageaboutoccupation,revolution and
whatthefutureholdsfortoday'syouth.Thegroupexcelledthroughouttherehearsalsandproductions. Despite
relativelylow audience,due to the unknowntitle and audienceage restrictionsthe productionwas seen by 80 people
over3 showsgivinganincomeof£558.Again,duetoextrarehearsalsthecostsforthedirectingofthe productions,
with two YT leaders meant the production made a small loss of £133.

Touring Theatre

A variedprogrammeof touringtheatrewas bookedforthisyearincludingwelcomingbackoutdoortheatre company
TheThreeInchFools,whoperformedAsYouLikeItatHelmsleyWalledGardeninJune2023,toanaudienceof 228
people,generatingaticketincomeof£1,812.Withsupportfromvolunteerhoststokeepcostsdownat£688 the
resultingprofitwas £1,124,our highestprofitfor touringtheatre.Calf to Cow Theatre broughttheir productionof  The
Jabberwocky&OthernonsensetoHelmsleyWalledGardeninAugust2023.Anunknowncompanybutpopular title
sawa strongfamilyaudienceof125peopleanda ticketincomeof£1,571.As withmanyfamilytheatre productions,
after£1,140ofcoststheprofitwas£431.However,theproductiongeneratedexcellentfeedbackandthe cross
generations of audience was a very positive factor.

Jack Dean & Companybroughttheir gig theatre productionof Hero & Leanderto Helmsley Walled Garden in July  2023
and despite excellentmarketingmaterials,the age demographicfor this productionwas much lower than our average
audience,and the style of gig theatre a relativelynew conceptto many resultingin disappointingsales of 67 and ticket
income of £1,068.With a high cost of the productionat £1,800,this was a risk that unfortunatelydidn'tpay off with a
loss of £732.

UnfortunatelysalesfortouringtheatreatHACwerelowoveralldespitewellknowntitleslikeSense& Sensibility and
BloodBrothers,andavarietyoflocalandnationaltheatrecompanies.ReturningcompanyDyadProductionssaw a
positiveaudiencefigureof 135 fortheirproductionof A ChristmasCarolbutdueto the highcostof Dyad production
resulted in a very small profit of just £73.

Life and Limb puppetswelcomeda audienceof 60 for theirproductionof Dragonin October,but the high production
costs meant a loss of £739.It was hopedthe productionwoulddraw in a largeraudiencedue to the popularityof the
company but the marketing from the company was poor and this didn't help our promotions.

YorkTheatreCICNextDoorButOnebroughttheirownproduction,OperationHummingbirdtoHACinJune and
workedwiththe1812TheatreCompanyonactingworkshops.SaleswerelowbuttherelationshipbetweenHAC and
NDB1 is one we hope to build on in the future.

Music

Themusicprogrammeforthisyearwasincreasedagainfollowingstrongsalesinthepreviousyear.We welcomed
backpopularartistslikeSnakeDavis,TheTannahillWeavers,TheBudapestCafeOrchestra,RemiHarrisandMarie Ni
Chathasaig& Chris Newman,and welcomedmany new artistsincludingAlligatorGumbo,Ben Beattie,Strictly Smokin'
BigBandandAlchemyLive.TworecognisablenamesKikiDeeandChrisDiffordelevatedthequalityofthe music
programmeandKiki'sgiginJuneraisedaprofitof£822.HavingfourgigsfromSnakeDavisinthisperiod boosted
saleswithanaverageaudienceof132andprofitof£755perperformance.Ourhighestprofitcamefrom The
TannahillWeaverswho withrelativelylow costsandgoodsales produceda profitof £1,071.Tributeandcover bands
remainpopularbringinginnewaudiencesfromfurtherafield.ManofTheWorld;GaryStewart'sPaulSimon, Strictly
Smokin Big Band, Alchemy Live all sold well and made a good profit.

Page 3

Old Meeting House Trust

Trustees' Report for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE

Large bandspopularityseems to be increasingat HAC and consequently,we'll continueto programmemore and build
ourmusicaudiencesandreputationas a gigvenueinNorthYorkshire.Overall,audiencefigurerosefroman average
of 72 in the previousyear to an averageof 96 withticketssales increasingfrom 1443 over 20 events to 2406 over 25
events.Thisproducedanincomeof£38,972andaprofitof£9,178incomparisonto£22,897and£3,292in the
previous year. An excellent result for our music programme.

TheClassicalmusicprogrammethisyearwasagainofexceptionalstandardwithcellistRafaelWallfischand pianist
PiersLanedrawinganaudienceof82fortheirconcertinOctober.Lesserknowngroup,TrioArisonto,soldjust 39
ticketsfortheirconcertinSeptemberbutasyoungerclassicalmusiciansit'simportantforHACtoofferthem the
platformtoperformandtoincreaseouryoungerclassicalaudience.Wewelcomedbacktheeverpopular York
GuildhallOrchestrainNovemberwithaconcertasatributetoJeanKershaw:theconcertsoldoutand further
cementedourrelationshipwiththe YGO. Due to the highcosts of classicalmusic programming,ourmaximum seating
capacityand for the calibreof artistswe welcome, the totalcosts outweighedthe income resultingin a loss of  £2,271.
However,ourprivatesponsorsfortheclassicalprogrammemorethancoveredthisloss,ensuringthatwe can
continue to welcome high quality national and international classical musicians to HAC.

Comedy & Talks

ForthecomedyprogrammethisyearwewelcomedbackAlfieMoore,JoCaulfieldandJustinMoorhouse,aswell as
welcomingnewtoHACcomedianTomStade.Allsold100ticketsormorewithprofitsbetween£554-£744.A good
result for comedy compared to the previous year.

FortalksthisyearwewelcomedHenryBlofeldwhoagainsawagoodaudienceandourhighestprofitforatalk of
£876.WealsowelcomedbackDavidHarperwhosoldonly34ticketsandseemstohavelostpopularity, and
photographerSeanTuckerforatalkonhisbookTheMeaningintheMaking,salesonlyreached38despitehis huge
onlinefollowingbutitwasbeneficialtowelcomehimtoHACasalocalcreativewithaninternational following.
AlongsidecomedyandtalkswealsowelcomepoetHenryNormaltoHACwithhisshowCollectedPoemand Other
Landfill. The show had excellent feedback from the audience of 69 and made a profit of 342.

Talks,Comedy,SpokenwordandPoetryaudienceaverageincreasedfrom39 to 76 thisyearwithan income increase
of over £7,200 and profit increase of £3,488 compared to the previous year for the same number of events (10).

Workshops

A slight reductionin workshopprogrammingfrom 14 to 11 (includingHAC singers and Harminis)actuallyimproved the
averageaudiencefigureandsawanincreaseinincomewithrelativelysimilarcostsasthepreviousyear,resulting in
an increase in profit from £815 to £1,385.

Thevarietyofworkshopsprogrammedofferedsinging,writing,craft,arts,dramaandearlyyearsmusicfor our
audiences with the children's art workshops being very popular.

Cinema

Atotalof42filmswereshownthisyearwith2,278ticketssoldandaprofitof£5,328.Theprevious year,
unfortunatelytheaverageaudiencenumberreducedfrom64to53resultinginlowerincomeandprofit. Cinema
programminghasbeenincrediblydifficultwiththeimpactofCovid-19ontheindustry,thewriters'strikeand often
verylimitedtitlesavailableinourtimeframeofaffordabilitybeforetheyarereleasedtohomescreening services.
Netflix,Disney+,AmazonPrimeandotherathomescreeningservicesarecompetitionforourcinemaaudience who
canpayaslittleas£1.99toscreenafilmfromhomewhichweareshowingatHACatasimilartime.Wescreen six
weeksaftertheUKreleasedatetomaketheguaranteeandpercentagewearechargedaffordablebutthiswill be
reviewed for future programming.

Page 4

Old Meeting House Trust

Trustees' Report

for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE

Screenings and Live Screenings

ScreeningtitlesonofferfromNationalTheatrewereslightlyreducedthisyearbutoverallouraverage audience
numberincreasedveryslightly.Unfortunately,ticketssaleswerelowerresultinginlowerincomeandprofit. With
screeningswe are heavilyrelianton the actorsand directorsappealingto our audiencesand just one production with
a popularactorcan hugelyincreaseticketsales.Followingthe cancellationof the BolshoiBalletscreeningswe  trialled
ascreeningofGisellefromtheDutchNationalBallet.Thescreeningsold50ticketsandmadeamodestprofitof just
over £300, expanding our programme to include dance.

Classes/Groups

Harminismusic group continuedto providemusic sessions for parentsand early years age childrenon Friday mornings
duringterm time with participantnumbersbeing between 90-100% capacityacross the year. HAC Choir,rebranded as
HAC Singersnow has a steadynumberof participantsunderthe leadershipof Jessa Liversidgeand the group averages
at19membersperterm.OurRyedaleWritersand1812TheatreCompanycontinuetomeetthroughoutthe year
alongside classes of ballet, yoga, creative connections - art sessions, Zumba and Pilates.

Ryedale District Council

TheRyedaleDistrictCouncileconomycommission2023/2024commissionwelcomedfournewYoungArtsLeaders to
HACwhoarestillworkingtowardscompletingtheirGoldArtsAwardsandhassofarseentwoofthe participants
directing their own productions at HAC and another participant working with a local photographer.

Page 5

Old Meeting House Trust

Trustees' Report for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Financial Review

2023-24wasarelativelysatisfactoryyearfortheTrustintradingterms.Althoughthenetresultshownin the
Statementof FinancialActivitieswas a loss of £20,934,this was less than the non-cashdepreciationchargeof £21,506
-therebyindicatingabreakevenyearincashterms,whichisasignificantachievementforacharitable enterprise
whosetradingincomeistightlyconstrainedbothbylimitedresourcesandasmallandscatteredrural catchment
population.

This net resultis alsoa substantialimprovementon the £57,489loss in 2022-23.Underlyingit were largeincreases in
liveperformanceticketsales(£124,908vs£93,700),bartakings(£30,516vs£22,817)andhireincome(£19,197 vs
£15,403).

Takentogether,thesefiguresindicateareturntopre-pandemiclevelsofactivity(orbetter)inthelifeofthe Arts
Centre.Wenotehoweverthatcinemaandlivescreenings,previouslyfruitfulcashgenerators,havebecome a
diminishingsourceofrevenue(£23,423vs£24,982,thedowntrendcontinuingintothenewfinancialyear) as
commented upon above.

Thecostsoftheliveperformanceprogrammealsorose(£119,347vs £96,061)butthenetcontributionfromthe live
programmewaspositive.Despitehigherinflation,overheadcostsfor2023-24remainedwellundercontrol,with a
small reduction in 'salaries and subcontractors' (£87,051 vs £90,907).

Oursmallmanagementandstaffteamdoexcellentworkinprogramming,marketingandmaintenanceofthe Arts
Centre.Thegoodtradingresultfortheyearisatributetotheirdedicatedefforts.Ourartisticdirector constantly
reviewsthebalanceof programmecontent,theuseof socialmediaandothermarketingchannels,andtheterms on
whichwecontractwithperformers,withaviewtomaximisingincomewhilemaintaininganattractiveand varied
artistic profile

Fundraising-whichisorshouldbelargelyatrusteeresponsibility-wasaweakerelementofour financial
performancethisyear(£73,219vs £85,467).A healthierannualfundraisingtotal,matchingthelongtermaverage for
OMHT, would be £90-100,000,and it will never be the case that we are able to survive withoutcontinuous fundraising
effortsto fill the gap betweentradingincomeand totaloperatingcosts.We receive annualsupportfrom a number of
locallyconnectedprivatecharitabletrustsandgenerouspersonalbenefactors,butwehavenotreceived significant
new publicfundingfor general purposesin this period and our lack of resourcesfor time-consuminggrant applications
is a matter of concern.

Turningtothebalancesheet,trusteesarealsoacutelyawareofthediminutionofourinvestments(£22,841 vs
£30,903)whichstandat a very reducedlevel comparedto earlieryearswhenwe heldinvestmentsof £75,000-plus as
aninnerreserveagainstthepossibilityofclosureorextendedbusinessinterruption.Thiserosionreflects recent
capital expenditures (chiefly the auditorium and technical refurbishment) and the net loss for 2022-23.

Furtherwithdrawalsfromtheinvestmentaccountpostthebalancesheetdatemeanwenoweffectivelyhave no
reserves, which is not a healthypositionfor a small charityand which imposes for the time being very strict disciplines
in managementof cash. We are however aware of a legacy,currentlyawaitinggrant of probate,which we hope will  in
due course provide a transformative benefaction.

Overall,OMHTregisteredanencouragingtradingperformancein2023-24combinedwithstrongcostcontrol but
offsetbyweakerfundraising.Wehaveshort-termbutmanageablecashflowconcernsfortheremainderof calendar
2024. But the Arts Centre is busy on all frontsand, with the legacy mentionedabove in prospect,we remain confident
for the future.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governance

The Charity is a charitable trust which operates under the terms of its Memorandum and Articles of Association.

Page 6

Old Meeting House Trust

Trustees' Report for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Appointment of Trustees

TheTrustees(exceptthosenominatedbyNorthYorkshireCouncilandHelmsleyTownCouncil)areappointedat the
annualgeneralmeetingforafixedperiodofthreeyearsbynominationbyavotingmemberorrecommendation by
theexistingTrustees,followedbyavoteofagreementbyallvotingmemberspresent.Trusteesmayservea second
three-yeartermifdulyre-appointedattheannualgeneralmeeting,andafurthertermorterms,likewiseif duly
re-appointed,if theircontributionto the work and governanceof the Charityis consideredby theirfellowTrustees to
be exceptional.

The Trustees are the directors of the company.

Organisation

ThegoverningbodyoftheTrustistheBoardofTrustees.Itisresponsibleforensuringthattheobjectivesof the
CharityareeffectivelyachievedintheactivitiesoftheHelmsleyArtsCentre.ForthatpurposetheBoardemploys an
ArtisticDirectortoberesponsibletoitformanagingtheoperation,activitiesanddevelopmentoftheCentreand to
lead a team responsibleto her of part-timepaidand volunteeradministrative,marketing,technicaland programming
staff.Thisteamissupportedbyalargebodyofvolunteers.TheFriendsofHelmsleyArtsCentreareloyal supporters
who pay an annual subscription.

Trustee induction and training

NewTrusteesareinvitedtoobservebusinessconductedatameetingandareissuedwithdetailsregarding the
Charity'spolicies,constitutionandprocedures,andthedutiesandresponsibilitiesof Trustees.Further improvements
to trustee induction and training are currently being implemented.

Risk management

The Trusteesrecognisethateffectiveriskmanagementis essentialforgoodgovernanceandtheycontinually monitor
theexposuretomajorrisksbypersonalinvolvementintherunningoftheTrust,bothfinanciallyandpractically. The
majorriskstowhichtheCharityisexposedhavebeenidentifiedandsystemsestablishedtomitigatethose risks.
Trusteesare acutelyawareof the financialriskshighlightedaboveandof the continuingneed for fundraisingto close
the gap between trading income and running costs.

Atthetimeofpreparingthisreport(August2024)Trusteeshaveembarkeduponanoverallreviewofthe charity's
policiesand procedures,in particulara Risk ManagementPolicy with related Risk Register. It is intendedto include risk
and a review of the Risk register as an agenda item at the beginning of board meetings.

A Health and Safety Review is completed annually by Lighthouse, a specialist company.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Registered Company number
03200475 (England and Wales)

Registered Charity number

1058130

Registered office

Helmsley Arts Centre
Meeting House Court
Helmsley
York
North Yorkshire
YO62 5DW

Page 7

Old Meeting House Trust

Trustees' Report for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

Trustees

S Arnold
N Butcher
J B Duncombe
J R Lane
M V Weyer
H Sheard (resigned 30.11.23)
H Linley (resigned 30.11.23)
C G H Belsom
G Garbutt
J Gardner (resigned 29.5.24)
N Andrews (appointed 1.4.24)
A Gilbert (appointed 1.4.24)

Company Secretary

W J Sheridan

Independent Examiner

Hardcastle France
Chartered Accountants
30 Yorkersgate
Malton
North Yorkshire
YO17 7AW

Advisors

Advisors
Accountants: Hardcastle France
Chartered Accountants
30 Yorkersgate
Malton YO17 7AW
Bankers: Barclays Bank Plc
41 Market Place
Pickering
YO18 7AE
Solicitors: Rollits
Forsyth House
Alpha Court, Monks Cross Drive
Huntington
York YO32 9WN

CONCLUSION

All in all, we are pleasedto have adjustedonce more so effectivelyto the increasingeconomicpressuresthat beset  us
andhavethusbeenabletomaintainandevenincreasethewiderangeandhighstandardoftheactivities we
promote.

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 5 September 2024 and signed on its behalf by:

G Garbutt - Trustee

Page 8

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of
Old Meeting House Trust

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Old Meeting House Trust ('the Company')

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 March 2024.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity'strusteesof the Company(andalsoits directorsfor the purposesof companylaw)youare responsible
for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').

Having satisfiedmyself that the accountsof the Companyare not requiredto be auditedunder Part 16 of the 2006  Act
andareeligibleforindependentexamination,Ireportinrespectofmyexaminationofyourcharity'saccounts as
carriedoutunderSection145oftheCharitiesAct2011('the2011Act').IncarryingoutmyexaminationI have
followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

Since yourcharity'sgross incomeexceeded£250,000yourexaminermust be a member of a listedbody.I can confirm
thatI am qualifiedto undertakethe examinationbecauseI am a member of the Instituteof CharteredAccountants in
England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.

Ihavecompletedmyexamination.Iconfirmthatnomattershavecometomyattentioninconnectionwith the
examination giving me cause to believe:

1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by Section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of Section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)). 

Ihavenoconcernsandhavecomeacrossnoothermattersinconnectionwiththeexaminationtowhich attention
should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Laura Dawson ACA CTA FMAAT

Hardcastle France
Chartered Accountants
30 Yorkersgate
Malton
North Yorkshire
YO17 7AW

6 September 2024

Page 9

Old Meeting House Trust

Statement of Financial Activities

for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

Unrestricted
funds
Notes
£
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM
Donations and legacies
60,053
Charitable activities
Other
-
Live performance ticket sales
124,908
Cinema/live screening ticket sales
23,423
Subscriptions
13,738
Bar takings
30,516
Cafe takings
5,308
Rent and room hire
19,197
Exhibition commission
2,720
Sundry income
326
Other trading activities
2
11,332
Investment income
3
778
Total
292,299
EXPENDITURE ON
Fundraising, publicity and marketing
14,028
Charitable activities
Cost of live performances events
104,219
Cost of cinema/live screening events
17,451
Bar expenses
15,349
Cafe expenses
1,860
Other
147,346
Total
300,253
Net gains/(losses) on investments
1,938
NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)
(6,016)
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total funds brought forward
117,954
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD
111,938		 Restricted
funds
£
13,166
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
13,166
-
13,166
-
-
-
14,918
28,084
-
(14,918)
358,143
343,225		 2024
Total
funds
£
73,219
-
124,908
23,423
13,738
30,516
5,308
19,197
2,720
326
11,332
778
305,465
14,028
117,385
17,451
15,349
1,860
162,264
328,337
1,938
(20,934)
476,097
455,163		 2023
Total
funds
£
85,467
250
93,700
24,982
14,395
22,817
5,373
15,403
911
218
3,354
1,499
268,369
19,782
93,611
17,299
12,730
2,395
176,595
322,412
(3,446)
(57,489)
533,586
476,097		 
The notes form part of these financial statements

Page 10

Old Meeting House Trust

Balance Sheet

31 March 2024

Unrestricted
funds
Notes
£
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible assets
9
94,021
CURRENT ASSETS
Stocks
10
2,050
Debtors
11
4,242
Investments
12
22,841
Cash at bank and in hand
17,550
46,683
CREDITORS
Amounts falling due within one year
13
(28,766)
NET CURRENT ASSETS
17,917
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES
111,938
NET ASSETS
111,938
FUNDS
15
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds
TOTAL FUNDS		 Restricted
funds
£
343,225
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
343,225
343,225		 2024
Total
funds
£
437,246
2,050
4,242
22,841
17,550
46,683
(28,766)
17,917
455,163
455,163
111,938
343,225
455,163		 2023
Total
funds
£
453,452
2,450
3,180
30,903
18,257
54,790
(32,145)
22,645
476,097
476,097
117,954
358,143
476,097		 
The charitablecompanyis entitledto exemptionfrom audit under Section477 of the CompaniesAct 2006 for the year
ended 31 March 2024.

Themembershavenotrequiredthecompanytoobtainanauditofitsfinancialstatementsfortheyear ended
31 March 2024 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for

The notes form part of these financial statements

continued...

Page 11

Old Meeting House Trust

Balance Sheet - continued

31 March 2024

Thesefinancialstatementshavebeenpreparedinaccordancewiththeprovisionsapplicabletocharitable companies
subject to the small companies regime.

The financialstatementswere approvedbytheBoardof Trusteesandauthorisedforissueon5 September2024 and
were signed on its behalf by:

G Garbutt - Trustee

The notes form part of these financial statements

Page 12

Old Meeting House Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financialstatementsof the charitablecompany,whichis a publicbenefitentityunderFRS 102,have been
preparedinaccordancewiththeCharitiesSORP(FRS102)'AccountingandReportingbyCharities: Statement
ofRecommendedPracticeapplicabletocharitiespreparingtheiraccountsinaccordancewiththe Financial
ReportingStandardapplicablein the UK and Republicof Ireland(FRS 102) (effective1 January2019)', Financial
ReportingStandard102 'The FinancialReportingStandardapplicablein the UK and Republicof Ireland'and the
Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

Income

All incomeis recognisedin the Statementof FinancialActivitiesoncethe charityhasentitlementto the funds,
it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Expenditure

Liabilitiesarerecognisedasexpenditureassoonasthereisalegalorconstructiveobligationcommitting the
charitytothatexpenditure,itisprobablethatatransferofeconomicbenefitswillberequiredin settlement
andtheamountof theobligationcanbe measuredreliably.Expenditureis accountedforonanaccruals basis
andhas been classifiedunderheadingsthataggregateall costrelatedto the category.Wherecostscannot be
directlyattributedtoparticularheadingstheyhavebeenallocatedtoactivitiesonabasisconsistentwith the
use of resources.

Tangible fixed assets

Depreciationis providedat the followingannualrates in orderto write off each asset over its estimated useful
life.

Improvements to property- 2% on cost
Plant and machinery-   25% on cost and 10% on cost

Stocks

Stocks are valued at the lower of cost or net realisablevalue, after making due allowancefor obsoleteand  slow
moving items.

Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restrictedfundscanonlybeusedforparticularrestrictedpurposeswithintheobjectsofthe charity.
Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

Designated funds represent unrestricted funds raised and set aside by the Trustees for specific purposes.

Furtherexplanationofthenatureandpurposeofeachfundisincludedinthenotestothe financial
statements.

continued...

Page 13

Old Meeting House Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued

for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

2. OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES

Fundraising
100 Club lottery
3.
INVESTMENT INCOME
Deposit account interest
4.
NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)
Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting):
Depreciation - owned assets		 2024
£
9,184
2,148
11,332
2024
£
778
2024
£
21,506		 2023
£
1,233
2,121
3,354
2023
£
1,499
2023
£
27,510

5. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

Therewerenotrustees'remunerationorotherbenefitsfortheyearended31March2024norforthe year
ended 31 March 2023.

Trustees' expenses

Trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 March 2024 totalled £nil (2023: £nil).

6. STAFF COSTS

The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:
Management and administration
Box office
Artistic director		 2024
3
2
1
6		 2023
3
3
1
7 
No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000.

continued...

Page 14

Old Meeting House Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

7. COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

Unrestricted
funds
£
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM
Donations and legacies
74,517
Charitable activities
Other
250
Live performance ticket sales
93,700
Cinema/live screening ticket sales
24,982
Subscriptions
14,395
Bar takings
22,817
Cafe takings
5,373
Rent and room hire
15,403
Exhibition commission
911
Sundry income
218
Other trading activities
3,354
Investment income
1,499
Total
257,419
EXPENDITURE ON
Fundraising, publicity and marketing
19,782
Charitable activities
Cost of live performances events
82,661
Cost of cinema/live screening events
17,299
Bar expenses
12,730
Cafe expenses
2,395
Other
161,677
Total
296,544
Net gains/(losses) on investments
(3,446)
NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)
(42,571)
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total funds brought forward
160,525
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD
117,954		 Restricted
funds
£
10,950
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
10,950
-
10,950
-
-
-
14,918
25,868
-
(14,918)
373,061
358,143		 Total
funds
£
85,467
250
93,700
24,982
14,395
22,817
5,373
15,403
911
218
3,354
1,499
268,369
19,782
93,611
17,299
12,730
2,395
176,595
322,412
(3,446)
(57,489)
533,586
476,097		 
continued...

Page 15

Old Meeting House Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued

for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

8. INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REMUNERATION

The Independent Examiner's fee for the year was £4,005 (2023: £3,815).

9. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

Improvements
to
property
£
COST
At 1 April 2023
613,042
Additions
-
At 31 March 2024
613,042
DEPRECIATION
At 1 April 2023
254,752
Charge for year
12,261
At 31 March 2024
267,013
NET BOOK VALUE
At 31 March 2024
346,029
At 31 March 2023
358,290
10.
STOCKS
Stocks
11.
DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
Trade debtors
12.
CURRENT ASSET INVESTMENTS
Unlisted investments		 Plant and
machinery
£
310,787
5,300
316,087
215,625
9,245
224,870
91,217
95,162
2024
£
2,050
2024
£
4,242
2024
£
22,841		 Totals
£
923,829
5,300		 Totals
£
923,829
5,300
929,129
470,377
21,506
491,883
437,246
453,452
2023
£
2,450
2023
£
3,180
2023
£
30,903		 2023
£
2,450
2023
£
3,180		 
InvestmentsarestatedatmarketvalueattheBalanceSheetdateandarerepresentedbyCOIF Charities
Investment Fund income units.

continued...

Page 16

Old Meeting House Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued

for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

13. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
Hire purchase (see note 14)
Trade creditors		 2024
£
-
28,766
28,766		 2023
£
150
31,995
32,145

14. LEASING AGREEMENTS

Minimum lease payments fall due as follows:
Net obligations repayable:
Within one year
MOVEMENT IN FUNDS
Unrestricted funds
General fund
Designated 1812 reserve
Restricted funds
Refurbishment programme
Auditorium project
Studio Bar
Light Up 1812 Match Funded Project
TOTAL FUNDS		 At 1.4.23
£
27,699
90,255
117,954
341,096
16,080
90
877
358,143
476,097		 Hire purchase contracts
2024
2023
£
£
-
150
Net
movement
At
in funds
31.3.24
£
£
(12,196)
15,503
6,180
96,435
(6,016)
111,938
(11,871)
329,225
(2,080)
14,000
(90)
-
(877)
-
(14,918)
343,225
(20,934)
455,163		 Hire purchase contracts
2024
2023
£
£
-
150
Net
movement
At
in funds
31.3.24
£
£
(12,196)
15,503
6,180
96,435
(6,016)
111,938
(11,871)
329,225
(2,080)
14,000
(90)
-
(877)
-
(14,918)
343,225
(20,934)
455,163
111,938
329,225
14,000
-
-
343,225
455,163

15. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

continued...

Page 17

Old Meeting House Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued

for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

15. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
Unrestricted funds
General fund
Designated 1812 reserve
Restricted funds
Refurbishment programme
RDC creative commission
Auditorium project
Studio Bar
Classical music events
Light Up 1812 Match Funded Project
Co-Op Community Fund
RDC Young Arts Leaders
Yorkshire Music Future Fund
The Gillham Charitable Trust
NYCC Helmsley Arts Collective
NYCC Creative Connections
TOTAL FUNDS		 Incoming
resources
£
273,993
18,306
292,299
-
1,208
-
-
4,200
-
521
3,720
500
1,000
1,000
1,017
13,166
305,465		 Resources
expended
£
(288,127)
(12,126)
(300,253)
(11,871)
(1,208)
(2,080)
(90)
(4,200)
(877)
(521)
(3,720)
(500)
(1,000)
(1,000)
(1,017)
(28,084)
(328,337)		 Gains and
Movement
losses
in funds
£
£
1,938
(12,196)
-
6,180
1,938
(6,016)
-
(11,871)
-
-
-
(2,080)
-
(90)
-
-
-
(877)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
(14,918)
1,938
(20,934)		 
continued...

Page 18

Old Meeting House Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued

for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

15. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

Comparatives for movement in funds

Unrestricted funds
General fund
Designated 1812 reserve
Designated financial reserve from Morley
bequest
Restricted funds
Refurbishment programme
Auditorium project
Studio Bar
Light Up 1812 Match Funded Project
TOTAL FUNDS		 At 1.4.22
£
44,979
80,546
35,000
160,525
352,967
18,160
180
1,754
373,061
533,586		 Net
movement
in funds
£
(52,280)
9,709
-
(42,571)
(11,871)
(2,080)
(90)
(877)
(14,918)
(57,489)		 Transfers
between
funds
£
35,000
-
(35,000)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 At
31.3.23
£
27,699
90,255
-
117,954
341,096
16,080
90
877
358,143
476,097 
Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
Unrestricted funds
General fund
Designated 1812 reserve
Restricted funds
Refurbishment programme
RDC creative commission
Auditorium project
Studio Bar
Classical music events
Light Up 1812 Match Funded Project
Co-Op Community Fund
RDC Young Arts Leaders
TOTAL FUNDS		 Incoming
resources
£
241,483
15,936
257,419
-
676
-
-
6,610
3,434
208
22
10,950
268,369		 Resources
expended
£
(290,317)
(6,227)
(296,544)
(11,871)
(676)
(2,080)
(90)
(6,610)
(4,311)
(208)
(22)
(25,868)
(322,412)		 Gains and
Movement
losses
in funds
£
£
(3,446)
(52,280)
-
9,709
(3,446)
(42,571)
-
(11,871)
-
-
-
(2,080)
-
(90)
-
-
-
(877)
-
-
-
-
-
(14,918)
(3,446)
(57,489)		 
continued...

Page 19

Old Meeting House Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued

for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

15. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined position is as follows:
Unrestricted funds
General fund
Designated 1812 reserve
Designated financial reserve from Morley
bequest
Restricted funds
Refurbishment programme
Auditorium project
Studio Bar
Light Up 1812 Match Funded Project
TOTAL FUNDS		 At 1.4.22
£
44,979
80,546
35,000
160,525
352,967
18,160
180
1,754
373,061
533,586		 Net
movement
in funds
£
(64,476)
15,889
-
(48,587)
(23,742)
(4,160)
(180)
(1,754)
(29,836)
(78,423)		 Transfers
between
funds
£
35,000
-
(35,000)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 At
31.3.24
£
15,503
96,435
-
111,938
329,225
14,000
-
-
343,225
455,163 
continued...

Page 20

Old Meeting House Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued

for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

15. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

A currentyear12monthsandprioryear12monthscombinednetmovementinfunds,includedinthe above
are as follows:
Unrestricted funds
General fund
Designated 1812 reserve
Restricted funds
Refurbishment programme
RDC creative commission
Auditorium project
Studio Bar
Classical music events
Light Up 1812 Match Funded Project
Co-Op Community Fund
RDC Young Arts Leaders
Yorkshire Music Future Fund
The Gillham Charitable Trust
NYCC Helmsley Arts Collective
NYCC Creative Connections
TOTAL FUNDS		 Incoming
resources
£
515,476
34,242
549,718
-
1,884
-
-
10,810
3,434
729
3,742
500
1,000
1,000
1,017
24,116
573,834		 Resources
expended
£
(578,444)
(18,353)
(596,797)
(23,742)
(1,884)
(4,160)
(180)
(10,810)
(5,188)
(729)
(3,742)
(500)
(1,000)
(1,000)
(1,017)
(53,952)
(650,749)		 Gains and
Movement
losses
in funds
£
£
(1,508)
(64,476)
-
15,889
(1,508)
(48,587)
-
(23,742)
-
-
-
(4,160)
-
(180)
-
-
-
(1,754)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
(29,836)
(1,508)
(78,423)

Restricted funds

The purpose of the restricted funds are as follows;

Refurbishment programme

ThisfundrelatestospecificgrantsanddonationsusedtorefurbishtheOldMeetingHouse,themajor grant
beinga lotterygrantin1995/96of £275,000.Thebalancewillfundfuturedepreciationof the refurbishments
which were originally purchased by this fund.

Piano fund

Thisfundrelatestospecificgrantsanddonationsusedtopurchasea SteinwayA piano.Thebalancewill fund
future depreciation of the piano.

Fire fund

Thisfundrelatestodonationsusedtocoverfiredamagecosts.Thebalancewillfundfuturedepreciation of
fixed assets purchased by the fire appeal fund and future fire damage costs.

Auditorium Project

Thisfundrelatestograntsusedfortheauditoriumproject.Thebalancewillfundfuturedepreciationof fixed
assets purchased by the grant.

Studio Bar

continued...

Page 21

Old Meeting House Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued

for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

15. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

Thisfundrelatestodonationsforthestudiobarrefurbishment.Thebalancewillfundfuturedepreciation of
fixed assets purchased by the donation.

Anonymous Classical Music Events

This donation was received to pay towards the cost of classical music event.

Light Up 1812 Match Funded Project

This fund relates to grantsreceived for the LightUp 1812 project. The balancewill fund futuredepreciation of
fixed assets purchased by the grant.

RDC Young Art Leaders

This donation was received to pay towards costs of the 'Young Art Leaders' project.

Co-Op Community Fund

This donation was received to pay towards costs of the Youth Theatre.

NYCC

Two grantswere receivedtowards2023/24.The firstwas to be usedfor the 'HelmsleyArts Collective'and the
second for 'Creative Connections'.

The Gillham Charitable Trust and Yorkshire Music Future Fund

These donations were received to pay towards the cost of the Jekyll and Hyde performance.

16. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES

The following donations were made by Trustees to the charity during the year:
Helen Sheard £5,428
Jake Duncombe Helmsley Estate £1,000
John Lane £17
Rhys Jones £200
Jean Sheridan £474
Martin Vander Weyer £11,500

17. ULTIMATE CONTROLLING PARTY

Due to the diverse nature of the membership, no one member has control over the company.

Page 22

Old Meeting House Trust

Detailed Statement of Financial Activities

for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS
Donations and legacies
Donations
Grants
Other trading activities
Fundraising
100 Club lottery
Investment income
Deposit account interest
Charitable activities
Live performance ticket sales
Cinema/live screening ticket sales
Subscriptions
Rent and room hire
Bar
Cafe
Exhibition commission
Sundry income
Total incoming resources
EXPENDITURE
Other trading activities
Publicity and marketing
Charitable activities
Bar
Cafe
Live performance events
Cinema/live screening events
Other
Accountancy
Carried forward		 2024
£
58,253
14,966
73,219
9,184
2,148
11,332
778
124,908
23,423
13,738
19,197
30,516
5,308
2,720
326
220,136
305,465
14,028
13,387
1,860
119,347
17,451
152,045
4,005
4,005		 2023
£
78,127
7,340
85,467
1,233
2,121
3,354
1,499
93,700
24,982
14,395
15,403
22,817
5,373
911
468
178,049
268,369
19,782
11,068
1,607
96,061
17,299
126,035
3,815
3,815		 
This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements

Page 23

Old Meeting House Trust

Detailed Statement of Financial Activities

for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

Other
Brought forward
Professional fees
Depreciation
Repairs and maintenance
Salaries and subcontractors
Pensions
Insurance
Telephone and postage
Rent,rates and water
Heat and light
Sundry expenses
Credit card charges
Total resources expended
Net expenditure before gains and losses
Recognised gains and losses
Increase/(decrease) in fixed asset investments
values
Net expenditure		 2024
£
4,005
1,619
21,506
12,277
87,051
1,555
4,320
3,771
992
10,559
6,750
7,859
162,264
328,337
(22,872)
1,938
(20,934)		 2023
£
3,815
1,536
27,511
9,945
90,907
1,507
4,437
4,094
6,728
10,503
8,756
6,856
176,595
322,412
(54,043)
(3,446)
(57,489)		 
This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements

Page 24