**THE BEDFORDSHIRE FESTIVAL OF MUSIC, SPEECH AND DRAMA**
## **Abbreviated Financial Statements 31 March 2025**
**Registered Charity No. 1064081**
## **BEDFORDSHIRE FESTIVAL OF MUSIC SPEECH AND DRAMA**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
|**CONTENTS**|**PAGE**|
|---|---|
|Charity Information|**1**|
|Trustees Report|**2-5**|
|Independent Examiner’s Report|**6**|
|Statement of Financial Activities|**7**|
|Balance Sheet|**8**|
|Accounting Policies|**9**|
|Notes to the Financial Statements|**10-16**|
Page 1
## **BEDFORDSHIRE FESTIVAL OF MUSIC, SPEECH AND DRAMA**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **CHARITY INFORMATION**
|Trustees ( &|Julia Smith BMus(_Hons_)_(retired 4 July 2024)_|Julia Smith BMus(_Hons_)_(retired 4 July 2024)_|
|---|---|---|
|Committee|Robert Trunchion MSc FCA CTA TEP||
|Members):|Joanne Barrow_(retired 4 July 2024)_||
||Timothy Grant-Jones GRSM LRAM ARCM LTCL MTC||
||Cllr Henry Vann MA(_Cantab_) ATCL||
||William Burton BSc||
||Sally Merryweather||
||Lucy Copeman BA(_Hons_)||
||Olivia Cooper BA(_Hons_)||
||Manoj Gupta BEng(_Hons_)||
||Lucy Eggleton MA_(appointed 4 July 2024)_||
||Irina Ermakova_(appointed 4 July 2024)_||
||Neil Morgan BA_(appointed 6 January 2025)_||
||Peter Blunt_(appointed 11 February 2025)_||
|Officers:|President (_Honorary_)|Elisabeth Slack PhD DL|
||Vice Presidents (_Honorary_)|Vivienne Redford LLAM|
|||Malcolm Redford|
|||Malcolm Green GRSM LRAM ARCM|
|||Dip.RAM PGC(A)|
||Life Fellow_(Honorary)_|Malcolm Green|
|||Lady Whitbread|
|||Julia Smith BMus_(Hons)_|
|||Joanne Barrow|
|||Jonathan Keep ACII|
||Chairman|Lucy Copeman_(appointed 4 July 2024)_|
||Vice Chairman|Henry Vann_(appointed 4 July 2024)_|
||Secretary|Henry Vann|
||Treasurer|Robert Trunchion|
||Sponsorship and Friends’|Robert Trunchion|
||Secretary||
|FestivalSecretary:|Ellie Tadiello BSc (_Hons_) PGCE||
|Charity No:|1064081||
|Main Address:|76 Willington Road||
||Cople, Bedfordshire||
||MK44 3TN||
|Accountants:|MHA|Bankers: National Westminster Bank Plc|
||Chartered Accountants|81 High Street|
||The Pinnacle|Bedford|
||150 Midsummer Boulevard|MK40 1NE|
||Milton Keynes MK9 1LZ||
Page 2
## **BEDFORDSHIRE FESTIVAL OF MUSIC, SPEECH AND DRAMA TRUSTEES REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
The trustees present their Report together with the Financial Statements of the Charity for the year ended 31st March 2025.
## **OBJECTS OF THE CHARITY**
The objects of the Charity shall be to advance and encourage the study and practice of the Arts, and in particular, the Arts of Music, Speech and Drama. In the furtherance of these objects, the Charity:
1. promotes an annual Festival
2. has affiliated to the British & International Federation of Festivals for Music, Dance & Speech (the Federation).
## **GOVERNING DOCUMENT**
The Charity is governed by its constitution adopted on 26 June 1997 and amended on 24 June 1999, 26 June 2003, 24 June 2004, 21 June 2007, 14 June 2008, 20 June 2013, 3 July 2014 and 15 October 2020. It is a Charity registered with the Charity Commissioners.
## **APPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEES**
Trustees, who are all Committee Members, are elected annually by the members of the Festival attending the July Annual General Meeting. The Trustees have the power to co-opt further Trustees to fill vacancies as they arise. Co-opted Trustees serve until the following Annual General Meeting. Vacancies are filled by discussions with the Committee, other local artistic and cultural organizations and Members of the Festival.
## **TRUSTEE INDUCTION AND TRAINING**
The appropriate Charity Commission publications are made available to new Trustees. The Chairman then meets with the new Trustee to explain their legal obligations under charity and general law. Changes to charity law and other related areas are discussed at the regular Committee meetings held by the Trustees.
## **ORGANISATION**
The Trustees are responsible for the administration and management of the Charity. Regular Committee meetings, approximately 10 per year, are held to discuss the financial performance, the planning and delivery of the Annual Festival, and the development of the Festival strategically. Sub-committees are used where appropriate to undertake the detailed planning and report to the full Committee. The Committee and Sub-committees are assisted in performing their functions and duties by a part-time administrative secretary.
The Festival was humbled but delighted to receive the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS) in the Birthday Honours List of 2019. This is an accolade for all our team of dedicated volunteers and recognition that the Festival works as one large devoted whole.
## **DEVELOPMENT, ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS THIS YEAR**
We are very pleased to report that the Festival of March 2025 was again very successful. However, the Trustees continue to realize that we need to reach out further to promote the
Page 3
Festival to a wider audience. An outreach project which started last year with a view to attracting entries from schools and teachers who have not previously been involved with the Festival has continued and is bearing fruit. Further details on this and the rest of the year’s activity is contained within the Financial review below and in the “Notes and Lines” document which includes the Chair and Secretary’s reports.
We continue our analysis to ascertain areas where we should be looking to evolve the Festival. As a result, we are now looking at our syllabus and administrative systems and are in liaison with educational and other authorities to help with this. Indeed, we have started the process of replacing both our website and online administration suite to make them both more resilient and more “user friendly” as well as reducing costs. Again, more detail is contained in the accompanying “Notes and Lines”. Sustainability will be targeted within the Festival’s activities. We continue to address fundraising so as to keep entry fees as low as possible.
The Trustees have continued to ensure that the Festival, and the way it is run, meet the Charities Act 2006 requirement to satisfy the “Public Benefit Test.” The matter is regularly discussed at committee meetings and use is made of the general guidance from the Charity Commission on this matter. Given the inclusive nature of the Festival for all sections of the Bedfordshire and wider community, together with a policy of fundraising to ensure entrants’ fees and Festival admission prices are as low as possible, the Trustees conclude that the Festival satisfies the appropriate requirements.
## **FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS**
The Trustees hope to continue the expansion of the Festival and to ensure that the Festival remains relevant to the people of Bedfordshire and beyond. The Festival has adopted over many years a process of continuous appraisal and this remains at the forefront of the Committee’s agenda.
## **RISK MANAGEMENT**
The Trustees have a risk management strategy which comprises:
1. An annual review of the risks that the charity may face;
2. The establishment of systems and procedures to mitigate the risks identified;
3. The implementation of procedures designed to minimize any potential impact on the charity, should those risks materialize.
The Festival reviews annually all its policies, particularly the Safeguarding, Diversity and Data Protection Policies, as well as Trustee’s expenses (see note 11 to these Financial Statements).
This process has been enhanced during the year with the introduction of a more formalized Risk Management process so that the Committee more fully understand the risks and threats which the Festival faces and can demonstrate the actions undertaken to both reduce these threats and manage them more completely in the future. This is an ongoing process.
We consider that our policies and procedures remain comprehensive and relevant to the needs of the Festival. With regard to the sensitivity of our data, we have consulted with the Federation and other bodies and are satisfied that this policy and our related procedures lead to greater protection than is the standard in this sector. This was particularly important in 2025 as the nature of cyber threats continue to evolve. More positively, we still offer online classes as these help the development of important cultural and life skills for the digital world. However, the Committee will work to ensure this policy and the related security is enhanced as necessary as new threats arise.
Page 4
A key element in the management of financial risk is the setting of a Reserves Policy and its regular review by the Trustees. The Committee are again heavily investing in the IT infrastructure during the year, helped by an amazing bequest received from the estate of Gareth Woodfine, a long standing champion of the Festival.
## **TRUSTEES**
The trustees who served the charity during the year are stated on page 1 of these Financial Statements.
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
The Accounts show a profit for the year after a small profit for the previous year with losses in 2022 and 2023. With the cost-of-living crisis, inflation, and the uncertain economic situation, particularly within the Arts and educational sectors, the Committee are not surprised that entries from Free Schools, Academies and other state sector schools remain restricted but the outreach project is beginning to help numbers from that sector recover. Unfortunately, changes within the private school sector have led to a slight reduction to numbers entering so that the overall number of entrants is relatively similar to 2024. The Festival introduced a discount to entry fees for any entrant receiving free school meals in 2023. Whilst we need to promote this further, about 60 entrants took advantage of this discount during the year. This is all part of a long-term plan for the Festival to increase entry numbers with entry fees increases being kept as low as possible by fund raising which also helps with compliance with the Public Benefit Test.
Despite our costs rising due to both inflation and the higher levels of activities, and without increasing our prices or entry fees, the Festival is delighted to report this small profit of £6,347 (2024 £867). However, the Festival would not be able to operate in its current form without the support of its Friends, large and small. This support remains vital today given the current climate. We are extremely grateful to every one of our Friends.
## **RESERVES POLICY**
Since 2009, due to the responsibilities arising from the employment of an administrative secretary, the Trustees have felt that the Festival should carry sufficient reserves to run a Festival cycle without access to additional funding. The Trustees decided in 2019 to try to ensure that the Festival operates with about 18 months of operating funds as they are aware that the Festival needs, in the long term, to adopt a business model which reduces its dependence upon donations. Price increases to entrants and admissions were initially implemented but additional fundraising has now been undertaken to freeze entry prices again. Indeed, it may also be that a high level of reserves is counterproductive to fund raising. Accordingly, the Trustees have now adopted a position on reserves like that adopted in 2009 of one year’s reserves, and will endeavour to meet this figure as soon as possible without jeopardizing future growth. The cash position and level of reserves are therefore being discussed regularly at Trustee meetings.
The Committee are aware that inflationary pressures will erode the value of cash reserves but consider that market volatility precludes investment elsewhere at this stage.
## **STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES**
The Trustees are required by law to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the financial activities of the charity and of its financial position at
Page 5
the end of that year. In preparing those financial statements the trustees are required to:
- (a) select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
- (b) make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- (c) state whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
- (d) prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to assume that the charity will continue in operation.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the Financial Statements comply with the Charities Act 1993. 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.
The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in Section 4 of the Charities Act 2006 to have due regard to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit.
Signed on behalf of the Trustees
Lucy Copeman, Chairman Date Howbury Hall Bedford MK41 0JB
Page 6
## **BEDFORDSHIRE FESTIVAL OF MUSIC, SPEECH AND DRAMA**
## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of The Festival**
I report on the Accounts of the Charity for the year ended 31 March 2025, which are set out on pages 1 to 16.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
As the charity's trustees, 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 Trust’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.
## **Basis of independent examiner’s report**
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 disclosures 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 I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
## **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 which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
- the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
- the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
- the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 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.
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.
Chartered Accountant
Page 7
## **BEDFORDSHIRE FESTIVAL OF MUSIC, SPEECH AND DRAMA STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
|**Note**
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**£**
**Restricted/**
**Designated**
**Funds**
**£**
**INCOMING RESOURCES**
Contributions from Friends
2,282
250
Merchandise Sales
150
-
Entrants’ Fees
15,816
-
Admissions
7,406
-
Programme Sales
2,635
-
Friends from Organisations
8
14,750
-
Advertising
2,650
-
Activities to generate funds:
-
-
Bequest/Donations
17
5,000
-
Investment income
207
-
Deposit account income
336
-
**Total incoming resources**
51,232
250
**RESOURCES EXPENDED**
Direct charitable expenditure:
Running the Festival
1
31,579
250
Management and administration
2
13,306
-
**Total resources expended**
44,885
250
**Net Incoming/(Outgoing) Resources**
**before transfers**
6,347
-
Transfer between funds
9
-
-
**Net Incoming/(Outgoing) Resources for**
**the Year**
6,347
-
**Other recognised Gains and Losses**
Revaluation of investment
78
-
**Net movement in funds**
6,425
-
Balance brought forward at 1 April 2024
-
Unrestricted
31,963
5
Restricted
-
-
**Balance carried forward at 31 March 2025**
£38,388
5|**Total**
**2025**
**£**
2,532
150
15,816
7,406
2,635
14,750
2,650
-
5,000
207
336
51,482
31,829
13,306
45,135
6,347
-
6,347
78
6,425
31,968
-
£38,393|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
2,996
170
16,738
7,530
2,520
12,750
1,700
-
68
187
267|
|---|---|---|
|||44,926
31,034
12,988|
|||44,022
904
-
904
(37)|
|||867
31,101
-|
|||£31,968|
The notes on pages 10 to 16 form part of the financial statements
Page 8
## **BEDFORDSHIRE FESTIVAL OF MUSIC, SPEECH AND DRAMA**
## **BALANCE SHEET AT 31 MARCH 2025**
|**Notes**
**FIXED ASSETS**
Tangible assets
3
Investments
4
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Debtors
Prepayment
Cash at bank
- current account
- on deposit
**CURRENT LIABILITIES**
Creditors
Current Account
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**
**NET ASSETS**
**FUNDS**
Unrestricted
Accumulated unrestricted fund
6
Restricted
Prize fund
7
Woodfine Lousada Fund
9
McKeown Prize Fund
Elaine Bonas Prize Fund
Designated Funds
Melville Prize Fund
12
Total funds
Approved by the Trustees:
Date:|**2025**
**£**
**£**
62
3,681
12,784
-
12,749
31,721
57,254
12,621
-
44,633
£48,376
38,388
5
9,319
-
650
14
£48,376|**2024**
**£**
**£**
211
3,603
20,338
-
3,040
31,281
54,659
15,736
-
38,923
£42,737
31,963
5
9,715
40
750
264
£42,737|**2024**
**£**
**£**
211
3,603
20,338
-
3,040
31,281
54,659
15,736
-
38,923
£42,737
31,963
5
9,715
40
750
264
£42,737|
|---|---|---|---|
||||£42,737|
||||31,963
5
9,715
40
750
264
£42,737|
|||||
The notes on pages 10 to 16 form part of the financial statements
Page 9
## **BEDFORDSHIRE FESTIVAL OF MUSIC, SPEECH AND DRAMA ACCOUNTING POLICIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
1. The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities (2[nd] Edition) preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), initially issued on 16 July 2014 and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011 and UK Generally Accepted Practice as it applies from 1 January 2022.
The Trustees believe that the Charity remains a going concern. They have reviewed the Guidance issued by the Charities SORP Committee on 23 March 2020 regarding the implications of Covid 19. They have also reviewed the Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for the charity sector issued by The Charity Commission and consider that the Festival is applying all relevant guidance in its affairs.
2. Depreciation has been provided at appropriate rates on the Festival’s computer and related equipment over their expected useful lives. Software acquired separately from hardware is written off in the year of purchase.
3. Income is recognised as it is earned rather than as it is received.
4. The investments have been shown at market value.
5. Social Investments have been shown at the best estimate of market value.
6. Merchandise and other items held for sale are written off as acquired.
Page 10
**BEDFORDSHIRE FESTIVAL OF MUSIC, SPEECH AND DRAMA NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## 1. **Direct Charitable Expenditure**
|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**£**
Running the festival
Prize Winner Payments
820
Printing and Stationery
3,521
Insurance
380
Adjudicator Costs
8,981
Accompanists Fees (Note 11)
2,185
Tuning and Hire of Pianos
1,614
Merchandise Costs
-
Hire of Halls
11,341
Cups, Medals etc (Note 10)
1,444
Boards, signs, adverts
323
Festival Reception etc
970
£31,579|**Restricted/**
**Designated fund**
**Prize**
**Fund**
**£**
250
250|**2025**
**Total**
**£**
1,070
3,521
380
8,981
2,185
1,614
-
11,341
1,444
323
970
£31,829|**2024**
**Total**
**£**
775
3,274
840
9,286
2,160
1,630
-
9,566
1,707
292
1,504
£27,992|
|---|---|---|---|
## 2. **Management and Administration Expenses**
|Accountancy
Affiliation and Conference Fees
Honoraria and salaries (Note 14)
Office and Secretarial Expenses
Post and Telephone
Software written off (Note 11)
Sundries and General (Note 15)
Depreciation|**2025**
**£**
300
494
10,263
86
344
1,455
215
149
£13,306|**2024**
**£**
300
439
9,956
468
229
1,369
78
149
£12,988|
|---|---|---|
Page 11
## **BEDFORDSHIRE FESTIVAL OF MUSIC, SPEECH AND DRAMA NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## 3. **Fixed Assets**
|Computer Equipment & Banner
Stands:
Cost at 1 April 2024
Additions
Disposals
Cost at 31 March 2025
Depreciation at 1 April 2024
Disposals
Charge for year
At 31 March 2025
Net Book Value at 31 March 2025|**2025**
**£**
4,629
-
-
4,629
4,418
-
149
4,567
62|**2024**
**£**
4,629
-
-|
|---|---|---|
|||4,629|
|||4,120
-
149|
|||4,418|
|||211|
## 4. **Investments**
|Common
Investment
Fund
(Charibond)
Equities
Investment
Fund
(Charifund)
£
£
Capital Fund
Market value at 1 April 2024
1,128
2,475
Additions
Disposals
Net unrealized investment
Gains/(losses)
(28)
106
Market value at 31 March 2025
£1,100
£2,581|**2025**
**Total**
£
3,603
78
£3,681|**2024**
**Total**
£
3,640
(250)|
|---|---|---|
|||£3,640|
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## **BEDFORDSHIRE FESTIVAL OF MUSIC, SPEECH AND DRAMA NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## 5. **Memorial Fund**
|P Chance
F Crisp
Humberstone
Mrs S Chapman
Balance at 31 March 2025|407
300
200
500|
|---|---|
||£1,407|
## 6. **Unrestricted Funds**
|Balance at 1 April 2024
Transfer from/to accumulated
fund
Revaluation of investments
Balance at 31 March 2025
**Restricted General Prize Funds**
Balance from 1 April 2024
Transfer from accumulated fund
Balance at 31 March 2025|**2025**
**£**
31,963
6,347
78
£38,388
**2025**
**£**
5
-
£5||**2024**
**£**
31,096
904
(37)|
|---|---|---|---|
||||£31,963|
||||**2024**
**£**
5
-|
||||£5|
## 7. **Restricted General Prize Funds**
## **8. Friends**
The terms of one of the donations received requires the Festival to disclose that £2,000 was received from the Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation’s Panacea Fund in the year to 31 March 2016 (nil subsequently). This was towards the costs of the Celebration event held at the King’s House, more fully described in the Trustees’ Report in previous years’ accounts. The Festival will be applying for a grant to help fund this event in 2025.
Page 13
**BEDFORDSHIRE FESTIVAL OF MUSIC, SPEECH AND DRAMA NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## 9. **Restricted Prize Funds**
Messrs Gareth Woodfine and Charles Lousada made a gift to the Festival of £5,000 in September 2009, to be used to fund the Woodfine Lousada Prizes for the outstanding Musical and Speech and Drama Performances at the Gala Concert. In 2015, a further £2,000 was gifted, £7,000 was gifted in 2021 and £1,000 in 2022. A further gift of £1,500 was received in March 2023. These generous gifts will ensure that these important prizes can continue for the foreseeable future.
|Balance at 1 April 2024
Further Gift in year
Investment Income
Prizes awarded
Balance at 31 March 2025|**2025**
**£**
9,715
-
104
9,819
500
£9,319|**2024**
**£**
9,031
-
147|
|---|---|---|
|||10,215|
|||500|
|||£9,715|
In the Year to 31 March 2015, Professor and Mrs P McKeown donated £400 to be used for woodwind prizes over a ten year period. As there was just one entrant in the Year to 31 March 2023, the McKeowns agreed to a transfer to general funds of any surpluses for that year.
|Balance at 1 April 2023
Investment Income
Transfer to general funds/
Prizes Awarded
Balance at 31 March 2024|**2025**
**£**
40
-
40
40
£-|**2024**
**£**
80
-|
|---|---|---|
|||80|
|||40|
|||£40|
During the Year to 31 March 2020, Messrs Henry and William Vann donated £1,000 to be used for the most promising young singer, in memory of their mother, Elaine Bonas.
|Balance at 1 April 2024
Prizes awarded
Balance at 31 March 2025|**2025**
**£**
750
100
£650|**2024**
**£**
850
100|
|---|---|---|
|||750|
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**BEDFORDSHIRE FESTIVAL OF MUSIC, SPEECH AND DRAMA NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## 10. **Presentation Cups**
The value of the presentation cups is not recorded in the Financial Statements. They were valued by a professional jeweller in March 1997 at a value of £49,014. In 2014, the Committee undertook a sample revaluation of cups to ascertain whether the insurance cover was sufficient. This indicated that the value of the Festival’s cups and trophies was then in the region of £107,000. The Committee is aware of its responsibilities for the protection of such a valuable and important part of the cultural history of the County. The Committee currently insure the cups when they are in our possession for over £150,000.
Many of the older cups are on permanent loan from Bedford Borough Council. So, in accordance with the Festival’s policy, the value of these cups is not recognised within the Financial Statements.
During the year to 31 March 2023, two cups were lost when in the possession of their winners. Recoveries of the estimated values were made from these winners of £1,100. Appropriate replacements are being purchased when suitable cups can be located. Therefore, included in Note 1 for 2024 in the cost of cups of £1,707, are cups costing £636.
Generally, additional cups purchased during the year are not deemed to have a lasting value and have been treated as an expense.
## **11. Trustee Expenses and Payments**
A payment was made to Mr. Grant-Jones, in accordance with Clause 3 of the Festival’s Constitution, for services provided as an accompanist, of £1,045 (£900 2024). The payment was approved by the Committee at their meeting in May 2025 after the Festival, which was not attended by Mr. Grant Jones and his interest in this payment was recorded.
A payment was made to Mrs Olivia Cooper, in accordance with Clause 3 of the Festival’s Constitution, for services provided as an accompanist, of £570 (£630 2024). The payment was approved by the Committee at their meeting in May 2025 after the Festival and her interest in this payment was recorded.
Payments were made to the Smith Consultancy, in accordance with Clause 3 of the Festival’s Constitution, for services provided for software consultancy and programming costs totalling £350 (£168 2024). The Smith Consultancy is a partnership in which Mrs J Smith is a partner. A detailed quote was obtained and was accepted by the Committee at a quorate meeting where Mrs Smith did not attend. The quotes were compared with market rates to ensure the Festival complied with Charity Law. The Festival is grateful to the Smith Partnership for making these supplies available at such a competitive price.
It should be noted that all the Trustees were reimbursed for expenses that they incurred on behalf of the Festival. All were reimbursed in accordance with the comprehensive expenses policy adopted by the Festival.
Page 15
## **BEDFORDSHIRE FESTIVAL OF MUSIC, SPEECH AND DRAMA NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
As the Festival falls below the thresholds outlined in the SORP, a full analysis of these reimbursements is not given as the further information is not considered material to the accounts.
## **12. Melville Legacy – Designated Funds**
During the year to 31 March 2015, the Festival received a legacy from the estate of Mrs. Shelagh Melville who, with her husband, the late Reverend Melville, was a long term friend and supporter of the Festival. The legacy was £5,566. It comprised of £21 of income and £5,545 of capital. After discussions with the family, the Committee decided that this generous legacy should be used to both help fund systems upgrades, and to set up a prize fund for the most promising entrant in the Festival across all disciplines up to year 9, of £250 for use in further tuition fees. As the Will did not stipulate to what use the funds should be put, the Committee consider that these funds are not restricted in category.
|Balance at 1 April 2024
Investment Income
Prizes awarded
Balance at 31 March 2025|**2025**
**£**
264
-
264
250
£14|**2024**
**£**
507
-|
|---|---|---|
|||514|
|||250|
|||£264|
## **13. Social Investment**
The Festival continued its commitment to assisting the Bedfordshire Orchestral Society in holding and running the concert grand piano via the Bedford Piano Trust, to hold on behalf of the people of Bedfordshire and for usage during the Festival. No payments were made other than a payment for the use of the Piano during the Festival, nor does the Festival guarantee or otherwise underwrite the activities of the Piano Trust. The funds transferred to set up the Piano Trust were written off in the year of payment and are not expected to have any investment value.
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**BEDFORDSHIRE FESTIVAL OF MUSIC, SPEECH AND DRAMA NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **14. Wages and Social Security**
During the year, the Festival employed one part time workers (one in 2024) and no full time employees. Generally, the Festival will employ only one part time worker, but the Festival Secretary left during the year to 2023 and there was a period of shadowing of their role by the new Festival Secretary. No employees were paid more than £60,000.
|Emoluments to 31 March 2025
Social Security Costs to 31 March 2025
Total Remuneration for 2025
Total for 2024
|10,263
Nil
£10,263|10,263
Nil
£10,263|
|---|---|---|
||
|
£9,956|
## **15. Sundries**
This year, £215 (£78 2024) was included in sundries. The figure for 2025 represents the costs of committee members attending relevant child protection and other safeguarding training.
## **16. Centenary Book**
To mark the Centenary in 2021, a commemorative book was commissioned, giving insight into the events and performances that have shaped the Festival’s 100-year history. ‘Notes and Lines: 100 years of the Bedfordshire Festival of Music, Speech & Drama’ has been written by local writer and Festival historian Jean Duivenvoorden, who has collected and curated fascinating articles and accounts from the Festival’s archives.
The Committee are very grateful to Mrs Duivenvoorden who has agreed to donate all the proceeds to the Festival.
500 copies of the book have been printed at a cost of £4,146. A generous donation of £2,500 was received to defray these costs. Total sales were none this year and £70 in 2024 in (£816 (including the £250 at the Centenary Concert in 2023). The balance of costs totalling £921 was written off in 2023. These will allow future sales to contribute to net reserves of future years.
## **17. Legacy**
The Festival received a legacy of £5,000 (nil 2024) from the estate of Gareth Woodfine. There was no stipulation in the will regarding how the Festival should use this extremely generous bequest. Wishing to use it to achieve lasting effect, the trustees decided to use this to replace and update our operating system and website. This is an ongoing project.