Penarth Operatic and Dramatic Society
Penarth Operatic and Dramatic Society
Annual Report
For the year ended 30 June 2025
Registered Charity Number: 1059300
Penarth Operatic and Dramatic Society
Annual Report
For the year ended 30 June 2025
Contents
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Trustees, officers and advisor soneosssccus scnasncoeanconacsereaee ses cneaeeceeaseaenseasecerssesses sssesseserer 1
Chairman’s report sussnesenssnsoscsnsovsasesasatensseeses sseasesesassnossasauasensnssscerscevescacens 2-3
Report of the trustees sassussenssesssscnsoesecsuasaucnesensussesecssevsessevensaseseneessuasessersesoceaes 4-5
Independent examiner's rEPOrt — ..s.crscssssseseccssesneronsnncensencensssonesvesceseecenscevessessesevssensenserses 6
Statement of financial activities — ..........s.csssesssscssssssssacsscesanscssonsnssesserssesontesseeesssssecusonseees 7
Balance sheet cov sessovasesessensansessonaeons pes sessessanseacas season sencesseeessacseneseneeses 8
Notes to the accounts sos stvassansanecencanceneessoscnsacssesentaussuccrsseaceesacacssesuesasecaseaueraee 9-13
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Penarth Operatic and Dramatic Society
Trustees
Mrs Mary Gardner Mr Bob Tucker Mrs Wendy Huxtable-McTurk Mrs Deborah Apollonio Mrs Melissa Rabaiotti
Executive Officers
Chairman Mary Gardner Vice Chairman Kim Herniman
Secretary Deborah Apollonio Treasurer Bob Tucker Executive Committee Members
Head of Musicals
Ceri Wheatley
Assistant to Head of Musicals Elinor Brunker
Head of Drama
Assistant to Head of Drama
Head of PODyS
Assistant Treasurer
Nigel Crick
Melissa Rabaiotti
Lauren Jenkins
Sue Owen
Marketing Officer
Publicity Officer
Ticket Secretary
Rebecca McVicar
Peter Knowles
Fiona Porter Smith
Membership & Patrons Secretary Wendy Huxtable-McTurk Front of House Manager Alexandra Jenkins
Social Secretary
Wardrobe Secretary
Head of Design
Head of Music
Emma Dennett
Andy Bradshaw
Alex Wilson (co-opted by committee)
Louise Jenkins
Bankers
HSBC Bank Plc
1 Herbert Terrace
Stanwell Road
Penarth
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Penarth Operatic and Dramatic Society Chairman’s report for the year ended 30 June 2025
When| presented my Annual Report last year PODS was in the middle of the immense achievement of reaching and celebrating its Centenary — one hundred years of providing cultural entertainment within our local community. Now those celebrations are at an end and what an exciting, busy and brilliant 100" Birthday we had.
Early last August we continued the initial celebrations of 2024 with our first ever open-air production, Under Milk Wood, held in the Kymin grounds and co-directed by Ruth Glynn and Alex Wilson. The weather was kind, we sold out, and it was a triumph. At the end of August we put on an outstanding Centenary Exhibition at the Pier Pavilion. A magnificent time-line of PODS history over 100 years which had been collated and put together by Peter Knowles and displayed with photographs around all the wall space together with large, hanging, publicity frames. This was accompanied by excellent costume displays courtesy of Andy Bradshaw and prized memorabilia of award traphies and commendations. PODS long history was on display, a remarkable exhibition, highly praised and filmed by Wales T.V. and went out on the early evening news.
In September, again at the Pier Pavilion, the adult section was joined by PODyS as we presented a Centenary Gala Concert which wasa sell out for its four performances. Produced by Kim Herniman with Dave Thompson, the M.D., it received high and fulsome praise for PODS ensemble singing with its emotional journey of songs from many of the Society's great musicals together with an interesting, verbal, historical, context. In October we continued our year with the emotional drama, Steel Magnolias, directed by Sally Mathias, another superb production. The grand finale to our Centenary year came in December with our panto, Sleeping Beauty and the Kingdom of Dreams, especially written and directed by Andy Bradshaw to celebrate PODS Centenary. This provided a spectacular and triumphant end to our 100" Birthday with an amazing seat take-up of 1,800, the best ever in our twenty-six year panto history.
Then, a page was turned as we entered into our second century with another show-stopper, ‘Allo, Allo 2 — The Camembert Caper in March 2025, directed by Alex Wilson, a great success both artistically and financially with an 845 seat take-up. This was followed by another brilliant success in May with the magical and humorous, Shrek, the Musical, directed by Fiona PorterSmith, which attracted a 1,260 ticket-take. This was one of the most hardest and technically difficult show to stage for an amateur group but it was pulled off beautifully by all involved in the production.
More recently and after many years, the Drama Section once again took part in the Glamorgan Drama League’s One Act Play Festival in April with the comedy, A Husband For Breakfast, directed by Jon Barnes. This ultimately made it to the top three best one-acts in the Wales Finals with Penni Carr being awarded the Bea Wells Memorial Trophy for ‘Best Individual Performance’.
Then in June our youth section PODyS put on the show, High School Musical, at the Paget Rooms, their second full-scale musical to date, which received a well-deserved and lovely review from our NODA representative. They also held a most enjoyable PODyS Got Talent evening this March. This is their third year of existence and it is amazing what they have achieved in such a short time and a big ‘Thank You’ must go to the PODyS team of tutors, Ceri Wheatley, Chloe Welsh, Helen Taylor and headed by Lauren Jenkins, with Kim Herniman having an overview and safeguarding role.
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Penarth Operatic and Dramatic Society Chairman’s report for the year ended 30 June 2025 (Continued)
We now have an excellent Dingle scenery team of design and construction with Alex Wilson, Martin Dennett, Andy Bradshaw and Bob Tucker, together with a coterie of helpers, who have provided excellent, functional sets for all of our productions. Together with the back-stage crew, it is no exaggeration to say that, they are just as important to a production as those on the stage, for without them we could not put on a show. The Dingle facilities have been re-arranged and Andy Bradshaw has excelled himself also on the costume front and has transformed the new costume store. Our friends from Concept Players are still renting a lock-up at the Dingle.
Committee Meetings have been held on a monthly basis and | am full of immeasurable gratefulness and express a sincere thanks to them for all the hard work and commitment which each Committee Member puts into the running of the Society and for the support which they give to each other and to me. Also, I’d like to thank Lauren Jenkins for organising the excellent 100 year celebration T-Shirts she had made by Fiona Brunker. Committee keeps PODS ticking over and provides a base of continuity, particularly as quite a number of member nowadays are peripatetic and involved with other societies.
The highlight of the PODS social-side was the Oscars Dinner Night in October which was held at the Pier Pavilion in celebration of our 100" Birthday; a ritual curry night now takes place on the Friday night of a show week; there was a ten-pin bowling night over in the bay; a Christmas Party for the PODyS and after-show celebration ‘dos’. Other major social events were the Glamorgan Drama League’s ‘Glammie’ Awards and NODA Awards evenings. We know that our shows are well received and highly praised by our audiences but with a plethora of Nominations and the bevy of Awards from our peers which follow, reinforces the high artistic quality of our productions and we can take much pride in this.
At the Glammie awards, held at the Barry Memorial Hall, Shakespeare In Love won ‘Best Presentation of a Play’; The Producers won ‘Best Presentation of a Musical’ and ‘Best Overall Musical Production’; Fiona Porter-Smith won ‘Best Director of a Musical’ for The Producers. Sally Mathias won ‘Best Director of a Play’ for Stee! Magnolias; the Moderator’s Award went to Penni Carr for her performances in Stee! Magnolias and Under Milk Wood, and young Austin Beasely from PODyS won ‘Best Performer Aged 13 or Under for his role in Shakespeare In Love. Then there was the N.O.D.A. Awards evening, held at the Celtic Manor Conference Centre, when Stee! Magnolias re-inforced its success with the NODA award for ‘Best Production’, and Penni Carr again winning an award for her ‘Outstanding Performance’ as M’Lynn. Plus, Josh Ogle won the NODA Regional (Wales & Ireland) award for his role as the famous bard in Shakespeare in Love. We also won the award for Best Poster for Stee! Magnolias, which brings me to the excellent programmes for our shows prepared by Peter Knowles and Becky McVicar.
There is no doubt that PODS is thriving as it enters into its second century with an 80 figure membership, a high artistic reputation for its productions due to members’ passionate commitment, hard work and first-class talents both on-stage and off-stage, together with a safety net of financial security. On top of this is the great satisfaction that PODS has contributed immensely to the richness and cultural well-being of our local community as we continue to present the very best of amateur theatre. This was acknowledged by the Penarth Town Council when on the last night of ‘Allo, ‘Allo 2, The Camember Caper, after the curtain came down, the Town Mayor, Gwenda Roberts, presented to me on stage in front of the audience, a framed formal Address which paid tribute ‘to the immense contribution over 100 years by PODS to the cultural activities of Penarth’. To sum up, PODS is a long established theatre company witha first-class reputation. We, its present members, have been part of, and are now, the guardians of this great legacy, attained by all those hundreds of members down through the decades, and | know it is in secure hands as | come to the end of my tenure as Chairman. All is well with the PODS!
Finally, on a personal note, it’s been a great honour to have been PODS first woman Chairman and President and | thank you all for allowing me sucha privilege.
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MChair Gardner MM faclost>
15/7/2025 ooee
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3
Penarth Operatic and Dramatic Society
Report of the trustees For year ended 30 June 2025
The Trustees present their annual report and the independently reviewed accounts for the year ended 30 June 2025.
The information with respect to Trustees, officers and advisors, set out on page 1 forms part of this report. The financial statements comply with the Charity’s constitution, applicable Accounting Standards and the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP (FRS 102) as amended by Update Bulletin 1) “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” and the Charities Act 2011.
Structure, governance and management
Penarth Operatic and Dramatic Society (“the Charity”) is governed by its constitution dated September 1996 and registered with the Charity Commission under charity number 1059300.
The governance of the Charity is delegated to the Executive Committee as detailed in its constitution, which cansists of individuals elected by fully paid up members. The current Executive Committee has four officers (of which three are Trustees) and twelve members (of which two are Trustees).
The trustees, except where otherwise disclosed, are listed on page 1. The initial Trustees were appointed from the Committee, and the current Trustees were volunteer members.
In the light of Corporate Governance guidance contained within the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice FRS 102, the Executive Committee is continuing its review of the major strategic business and operational risks to which the Charity is exposed.
Currently no key risk have been identified. However, in terms of the Charity's ongoing stage performances, minor risks continue to relate to the shortages of supporting personnel for stage management, set building and other non-performing activities, and directors for both dramas and musicals. The Charity reviews ticket prices annually in light of escalating costs, in particular in respect of performance venues, hired in light and sound support services, musical directors, licences and royalties specific to musicals. The Charity seeks to avoid any increases to membership and stage fees and seeks to operate in such a way as to balance the net contributions from certain performances against losses from others, and efforts continue to be made to address these risks.
Objectives and activities
The primary objective of the Charity, as stated in its governing document, is to educate the public in the dramatic and operatic arts, by way of staging plays, musicals and pantomimes for the local community.
Achievements and performances
4
Penarth Operative and Dramatic Society
Report of the trustees continued
For year ended 30 June 2025
Financial review and reserves
The statement of financial activities for the year is set out on page8 of the accounts. A summary of the financial results and the work of the charity are set out below.
The charity’s income increased from £80,641 in 2023-24 to £131,416. It generated a profit of £6,787 in the year (2023-24 profit of £2,481).
The charity's policy on restricted funds is to separately record donation, grants and other sources of fundraising where restrictions are imposed that are narrower than the Charity’s overall objectives. As at 30 June 2025 the Charity had no restricted funds.
The Trustees are continuing to attempt to maximise the unrestricted funds of the charity to further its primary objective. The Trustees feel that they would be able to continue the current activities of the charity for the foreseeable future givena significant increase in the income. With the charity facing an environment of increasing competition and costs, the Trustees have adopted the financial strategy of minimising non-essential indirect spending in order to invest more expenditure on productions. At the same time, there continues to be a major focus on maximising ‘front of house’ income generation, which has been very successful. These strategies, combined with the enhancement of financial planning by the regular preparation and monitoring of detailed budgets, have all contributed to a rise in the surplus. The Trustees therefore feel that the level of reserves is adequate, but are continuing to consider ways in which additional unrestricted funds can be generated.
Trustees’ responsibilities
The Trustees are required by charity law to prepare accounts for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and its surplus or deficit as at the end of the financial year.
The Trustees confirm that suitable accounting policies have been used and applied consistently, and reasonable and prudent judgements and estimates have been made in the preparation of the accounts ended 30 June 2025. The Trustees also confirm that applicable accounting standards have been followed and that the accounts have been prepared on the going concern basis.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the accounts comply with the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
For and on behalf of the Trustees
Deborah Appolonio
Secretary
5
Penarth Operatic and Dramatic Society
Independent examiner’s report to the Trustees of Penarth Operatic and Dramatic Society
| report on the accounts of the trust for the year ended 30 June 2025, which are set out on pages 8 to 14.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
tt is my responsibility to:
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e Examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
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© To follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
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¢ To state whether particular matters have come to my attention
Basis of independent examiner’s report
My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosure in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
independent examiner's statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
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(1) Which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
- e to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and e to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act; have not been met; or
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(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
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HRAWE Sz
Cardiff House Cardiff Road
Vale of Glamorgan
CF63 2AW
6
Penarth Operatic and Dramatic Society
Statement of Financial activities for the year ended 30 June 2025
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|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|2025|2024|
|Note|£|£|
|Incoming resources|
|Incoming resources from generated funds|
|Voluntary income|3|6,715|8,762|
|Activities|for generating|funds|3|12,853|8,295|
|Investment|income|-|-|
|Incoming resources from|charitable|
|Activities|3|111,848|63,584|
|Totalincomingresourcesss=~—<“‘ié~séaAASSS~“‘C‘“OMSCO”™~=“‘#C“#CNCNSCNCOC#C;;#|
|Resources expended|
|Costs of generating funds|
|Fundraising costs|10,558|5,574|
|Investment management costs|-|-|
|Charitable|activities|4|113,296|72,028|
|Governance|costs|4|774|558|
|Other resources expended|-|-|
|Totalresourcesexpended ss=~=<“‘t;iséss~~~é«sSSSC“‘CON#O#UNOOO|
|Netincomingresourcess=~“—~sss~s~s~~s~s~s~s~s—s~SSC“‘“‘OS™C(O#BLSOOOOUUUUOUUUUUUOOO!|
|Other recognised|gains/|(losses)|
|Gain|on|revaluation|of fixed|assets|5|-|-|
|Net movement|in funds|6,787|2,481|
|Reconciliation|of funds|
|Total funds brought forward|244,661|242,180|
|Totalfundscarriedforward|=|sst=~<“téséss~s~s~sSNSC“(‘(‘ia OC|
|All|income|is|unrestricted.|
|All|incoming resources and|resources expended|are derived|from|continuing|activities.|
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Penarth Operatic and Dramatic Society
Balance sheet
as at 30 June 2025
| as at 30 June30 JuneJune 2025 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2024 | ||
| Note | £ | £ | |
| Fixed assets | |||
| Tangible assets | 6 | 200,000 | 200,000 |
| Currentassets | |||
| Stocks | - | - | |
| Debtors | 7 | 6,278 | 5,952 |
| Cash atbankand inhand | 47,346 | 42,781 | |
| Totalcurrent assets | 53,624 | 48,733 | |
| Creditors:Amounts fallingduewithinoneyear | 8 | (2175) | (4073) |
| Netcurrentassets | 51,449 | 44,660 | |
| Netassetss~=“ss“‘“sS”””~«SCASC“‘C#C”#CUUOS™S~‘#O“ONSN#CN”N®N#N#NC#C;*# | |||
| Fundsofthecharity | |||
| Unrestricted funds | |||
| Accumulatedfund | 9 | 77,057 | 70,269 |
| Revaluation reserve | 9 | 174,392 | 174,392 |
| Totalfunds ss=~—“=‘tsé”””~”~C~«SAAVSC“‘C‘(#“NO(#OCMOWOSO™~*~“‘#OSNSN#CN#N#CN#C(C(C(C(; |
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The accounts on pages 8 to 14 were approved by the Trustees on 15.07.2025
“4h
ce rar
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Treasurer & Trustee
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Penarth Operatic and Dramatic Society
Notes to the accounts For the year ended 30 June 2025
1 Basis of preparation
Basis of accounting
These accounts have been prepared on the basis of historic cost in accordance with ‘Accounting and Reporting by Charities — Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP (FRS 102) as amended by Update Bulletin 1)’, with Accounting Standards and with the Charities Act 2011.
2 Accounting policies
Incoming resources
Recognition of incoming resources
These are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when:
-
e the charity becomes entitled to the resources;
-
e the trustees are virtually certain they will receive the resources; e the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability.
Incoming resources with related expenditure
Where incoming resources have related expenditure (as with fundraising income), the incoming resources and related expenditure are reported gross in the SoFA.
Grants and Donations
Grants and donations are only included in the SoFA when the Charity unconditional entitlement to the resources.
Investment income
This is included in the accounts when receivable.
Expenditure and liabilities
Liability recognition
Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the Charity to pay out resources.
Governance Costs
These include costs of the preparation and examination of statutory accounts, the costs of trustee meetings and cost of any legal advice to trustees on governance or constitutional matters.
9
Penarth Operatic and Dramatic Society
Notes to the accounts continued For the year ended 30 June 2025
Assets
Tangible fixed assets for use by charity
Freehold land and buildings are included at valuation. A revaluation is carried out at least once every five years by a suitably qualified person. Any other assets are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year, and cost at least £2,000. They are valued at cost or if gifted at the value to the Charity on receipt.
Stocks
Stocks are valued at the lower of costs and net realisable value.
Funds
Fund Accounting
The accumulated funds are restricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the Charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.
3 Analysis of incoming resources
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Voluntaryincome | ||
| Donations | - | - |
| Membership fees | 5,555 | 7,126 |
| Taxreclaimed undergiftaid | 1,160 | 1,636 |
| SS”~“é‘“SC“‘“CO”SNNCNC;~# | ||
| Activitiesforgeneration funds | ||
| Rental income | 1320 | 1320 |
| Otherincome | 453 | 479 |
| FundraisingIncome | 11,080 | 6,496 |
| Co ”*~<““SSS |
||
| Incoming resourcesforcharitableactivities | ||
| Grossincomefrom productions | 111,848 | 63,584 |
| a S”*~<‘_ |
ASS | |
| 10 |
Penarth Operatic and Dramatic Society
Notes to the accounts continued For the year ended 30 June 2025
4 Analysts of resources expended
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Sn | ||
| Charitable activities | ||
| Costofproductions | 103,938 | 63,693 |
| FundraisingCosts | 10,558 | 5,574 |
| Otheroperatingcosts | 9,358 | 8,335 |
| 123,854 | 77,602 | |
| Governance costs | ||
| Legaland professional | 480 | 360 |
| Trustees’ insurance | 294 | 198 |
| 1038 | 558 |
5 Details of certain items of expenditure
None of the trustees were paid any remuneration or expenses by the charity during the year (2024-E£Nil). Independent examiner’s fees for reporting on the accounts were incurred during the year totalling £480 (2024-£360).
6 Tangible fixed assets
| Freehold | Land | |
|---|---|---|
| and buildings | ||
| £ | ||
| Valuation | ||
| At iJuly2024 | 200,000 | |
| Additions | - | |
| At 30June 2025 | 200,000 | |
| Depreciation | ||
| At 1July2024 | - | |
| Charge fortheYear | - | |
| At30June2025 | - |
Net Book Value
At 30 June 2025 200,000
At 1 July 2024 200,000
i1
Penarth Operatic and Dramatic Society
Notes to the accounts continued For the year ended 30 June 2025
| 7 Debtors |
||
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Amounts fallingduewithinoneyear | ||
| Debtors | 4,536 | 1,686 |
| Paid in respectoffutureshows | 850 | 3,378 |
| Prepaid Expenses | 892 | 888 |
| > | ||
| 8 Creditors:amountsfallingduewithinoneyear |
||
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Amounts fallingduewithinoneyear | ||
| Deferred Income | 414 | 3,688 |
| Prizedrawsubscriptions paid in advance | - | 24 |
| Unclaimed ticket refunds | - | - |
| Accrued Expenses | 1761 | 360 |
| OS”~=“‘CRODSC”””*~<“‘“COSCSCSC”™! |
12
Penarth Operatic and Dramatic Society
Notes to the accounts continued For the year ended 30 June 2025
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||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|9|Funds|
|At 1 July|Gains/|At 30 June|
|2024|Incoming|Outgoing|Losses|2025|
|£|£|£|£|£|
|Unrestricted funds|
|Accumulated|fund|70,269|131,416|(124,628)|6,788|77,057|
|Revaluation|reserve|174,392|-|-|-|174,392|
|Total Funds|244,661|131,416|(124,628)|6,788|251,449|
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10 Other information
At 30 June 2025, the Charity:
-
e does not have any material commitments not provided for in the accounts;
-
e has not given any guarantees to third parties that could be called upon at the year-end;
-
© has not granted any loans that are outstanding at the year end and are secured on any assets;
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e has not granted any loans that are outstanding at the year end to any institution or company connected with the Charity;
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@ not made any ex-gratia payments during the year; and
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e has no related party transaction in the year to report.
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