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← East Anglian Traditional Music Trust

2025-03-31-accounts

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Annual Report 2025 to 31st March 2025

East Anglian Traditional Music Trust (EATMT) Red Gables Ipswich Road Stowmarket Suffolk IP14 1BE www.eatmt.org.uk T: 07495 054669 Registered Charity 1082774

Traditional

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Contents

Contents
Page
Trustees and Staff 3
Governance 4
Report from the Chair 6
Review of Activities 8
Statement on Public Benefit 12
Review of the Transactions and Financial Position 13
of the Charity
Independent Examiner’s Report i
Financial Statements ii-vii

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Trustees and Staff

East Anglian Traditional Music Trust Registered Charity No 1082774

Patrons Gloria Buckley (MBE) Lesley Dolphin Mark Murphy Katie Howson

Chair Ivan Cutting Trustees Miriam Stead Lindsay Want Eammon Andrews Rebecca Marshall Potter Christopher Holderness

Operations Manager Jannine Parry

Office Address Red Gables Ipswich Road Stowmarket Suffolk IP14 1BE

Bankers

HSBC 12 Tavern Street Ipswich Suffolk IP1 3AZ

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The Trustees submit their annual report and the independently examined financial statements for the year ended 31st March 2025.

Governance

The East Anglian Traditional Music Trust (EATMT) is an independent registered charity and has been in existence since 2000.

Charitable objectives

The charity’s main objective is to advance education in the traditional folk music of East Anglia and other areas, including folk songs, tunes, dances, customs and traditions. In order to achieve this the Trust organises workshops, classes, concerts, lectures, exhibitions, community and schools projects, carries out research and archiving work, and publishes resources.

Organisation of the Charity

The charity’s governing document is the Declaration of Trust executed on 8 June 2000. The Board of Trustees, comprising the Chair and Trustees as set out on page 3, governs it. Board members give their time to the charity on a purely voluntary basis. Whilst the success of the charity is dependent on the efforts of its members and volunteers, it is important that its work is supported by well trained and professional staff. The Operations Manager is responsible to the Board for managing the charity to implement its strategy.

Method of Appointment of Trustees

Trustees are nominated and elected in accordance with the Declaration of Trust. New Trustees are provided with relevant information and training opportunities.

Governance and Internal Control

The Trustees meet at least three times a year to review the strategy and performance and to agree the operating plans and budgets. Company and Charity Law require the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the surplus or deficit of the charity for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees have:

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The Trustees have overall responsibility for ensuring that the charity has an appropriate system of controls, financial and otherwise. They are also 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. 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 and to provide reasonable assurance that:

The systems of internal control are designed to provide reasonable, but not absolute, assurance against material misstatement or loss. They include:

The Trustees are pleased to report that the charity’s internal financial controls, in particular, conform to guidelines issued by the Charity Commission.

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Report from the Chair

EATMT has faced a difficult year of change in 24-25. The previous year, 23-24 was the first full year following the disruption of the pandemic and the completion of our Vaughan Williams Folk (VWF) project, and some internal realignments of our accommodation.

24-25 held the opportunity of a new start and we set up our first Awayday to clarify our mission, draft a three-year business plan and set out our ambitions which included a vision and set of strategic aims:

“In 2030, the East Anglian Traditional Music Trust will be maintaining engagement and participation in the music, song and dance tradition of the communities of East Anglia, through a well-planned and resourced programme of events across the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex. It will encourage transmission of these traditions and a sense of belonging through its activities, which will be delivered by its team of staff and volunteers across the region, with a focus on market towns and grassroots communities.”

Our Strategic Aims to realise this vision:

  1. Secure funding for core/development activities and projects

  2. Strengthen the board of trustees (in number, diversity and skills) and build the staff and volunteer team

  3. Continue to co-ordinate a programme of events and a pipeline of projects

  4. Strengthen the trust’s region-wide presence, particularly outside Suffolk, through on-the-ground presence and partnerships

  5. Enhance the reach and visibility of the trust through a communications plan

We set about preparing a fundraising plan and a major bid to National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) around our forthcoming 25[th] anniversary and future sustainability.

At the same time our Administrator, Alex Bartholomew, announced her decision to retire in September, following that year’s Traditional Music Day (TMD), the Trust’s flagship annual event. Consequently, we set in motion the procedure for finding and recruiting a new CEO – though possible titles

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continued to change until the Job Pack was completed and a final title of Operations Manager decided upon. All this took most of the summer, and following a series of interviews the new post was filled by Jannine Parry, who started in December 2024 and had to get up to speed quickly planning TMD for 2025.

The year’s budget required additional funding which it was difficult to give proper resource to and it was decided to concentrate on the longterm. Overspends on TMD 2024 (or underestimates on costs involved) meant the annual budget was squeezed at both ends and a loss of £15k on the year, as shown, ensued. Whilst this has stretched our resources in the short term, the future is more secure following recent successful bids in 2025 to People’s Postcode Trust (£15k) and NLHF (£100k) which effectively returns the Trust to its April ’24 financial position and offers the opportunity to deliver its Mission Statement and Business Plan in the next two years and find the means to improve its sustainability for the future.

Ivan Cutting Chair of Trustees

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A Review of Activities

Although it has been a rocky year at times, the basic services of the Trust have continued to be delivered: Stepdance Day, work in schools, a Melodeons and More training day and concert, Folk East activities, afternoon sessions and a collaboration between the Trust and the Traditional Song Forum, all contributed to a busy and successful year across a wide range of activities.

Support for this work included

Essex Folk Association (Stepdance Day), Traditional Song Forum (TSF Conference), Acorn Instruments (Melodeons & More), and Shirley Ann Day Fund (afternoon sessions in Norfolk).

TMD particularly highlighted the Trust’s work and its engagement with the whole of the market town of Stowmarket. With additional funding from Mid Suffolk Community Development Fund for a promotion assistant, schools involvement and the new town centre programme, and from Stowmarket Town Council for Stow on Show, the full day programme brought the Town Centre alive with a dozen Morris sides of all types and concerts, talks and pub sessions around the centre. TMD has now attracted the assistance of a major folk promoter, Alan Bearman, as a volunteer Artistic Director, and is on the cusp of becoming a major cultural event on a local and national level.

The Trust’s development resources continued to prosper: the accounts show that Friends’ Membership held up, as did donations, hires and

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sales, which provided an important role in our resilience. All of this on a

tiny administrative base.

Thanks must be especially given to Alex Bartholomew, Administrator/Director, for seeing

us through this challenging year and for piloting us through the extraordinary period of 2017-24 since the retirement of our original progenitors, John and Katie Howson. Despite latterly serious health challenges, Alex steered the ship with an inexhaustible passion and enterprise that could have seen us flounder otherwise. We owe her a great deal for her work since joining as Assistant Administrator and for the nearly three decades she has been working with the Trust.

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Website and technology

“”

CFB Solutions, SDC Hosting & Support Ltd and Unicorn Designers continued to provide the technical support required. The Podcast series developed continued to be added to by its creator, Jake Lee-Savage and was responsible for the film making for our Vaughan Williams’ Folk Project.

Friends’ Scheme, Donations, Book Sales & Instrument Hire

Income from our Friends’ Scheme continues to be an important addition to the finances and we are delighted to report that renewals continue on an annual basis.

Book sales have been steady and promising over the last year – particularly Blyth Voices which is linked strongly to our Vaughan Williams’ Folk Project - and our Instrument Hire Scheme proves to be ever popular. Hire fees come to EATMT as well as a donation once that instrument is sold.

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Thanks

We are grateful for the continued regular support of our local authorities – Suffolk County Council, Mid Suffolk & Babergh District Councils and Stowmarket Town Council. We are also thankful to Mid Suffolk’s Locality Budget fund which contributed to the marketing of Traditional Music Day and to the Afternoon Sessions.

Without the support of these funding pots, of our regular volunteers and our regular and loyal Friends and Supporters, the Trust would not exist. Nor would it survive without the time given by its Trustees. We are grateful to Frances Hammond who has acted as the Trust’s Independent Financial Examiner.

Thanks also go to our landlord “Mid Suffolk Voluntary Organisation Forum” at Red Gables who continue to work alongside us and other local voluntary organisations in the “hub”.

We continue to be affiliated with the English Folk Dance and Song Society and are pleased to have collaborated further with a number of additional organisations over the year including the Stow Cultural Group, EFDSS Folk Educators’ Group, Burwell Bash, the Traditional Song Forum, Bungay Folk Festival, FolkEast and the Vaughan Williams Society as well as with local businesses including local auction house, Bishop & Miller.

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TSuffolkwe County Council

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Statement on Public Benefit

The objectives and review of achievements and performance sections of this report clearly set out the activities which EATMT undertakes for public benefit. The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in Section 4 of the Charities Act 2006 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Commission in determining the activities undertaken by the Charity.

Reserves Policy

In the light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the threat posed to small charities, the Trustees replaced their old Reserves Policy at their AGM on 8th October 2020 with the following:

  1. The General Reserve should be built up to a level which would finance a reasonable period in which to run down the organisation’s operations in the event of a major loss of income. In the current circumstances the Trustees believe this reserve should be £15k, which would allow the Charity to operate at a basic level for a year.

  2. There should also be a Development Reserve to allow future activities to be resourced or provide matching resources for potential grant applications. This should be at least £10k

  3. Restricted Reserves will be consequent upon funding for projects lasting more than one year.

  4. That the level of all Reserves should be reviewed in line with this policy on an annual basis.

Review date: Policy Reviewed October 2024. Next review due October 2025.

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Review of the transac�ons and financial posi�on of the charity.

recommenda�ons of the Statement of Recommended Prac�ce for Charity Accounts. There have been no changes to accoun�ng policies.

Results for the period

for the year ended 31[st] March 2025 of £14,618 (31[st] March 2024 £2,792 deficit) with total reserves at 31[st] March 2025 of £14,291.

Financial posi�on at balance sheet date

sa�sfactory.

Instruments

The Trustees are pleased to report that legacies of instruments con�nue to be le� to the Trust either for hire or for sale to augment the Trust’s income. The accounts reflect solely the income from instruments sold that have been received from the legacy and a conserva�ve value on other legacy material. As and when this material and other donated instruments are sold the income will be recognised within the accounts.

members and volunteers. However, there is no significant degree of dependence on any single member or small group of members in respect of voluntary effort for financial contribu�ons.

Poli�cal contribu�ons

The charity made no poli�cal contribu�ons during the year.

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Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of the East Anglian Traditional Music Trust

Accounts for the Year ended 31 March 2025

The accounts are set out on pages ii - vii below.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Act and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

Basis of independent examiner’s statement

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 disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the 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 material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that in any material respect:

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.

Frances Hammond FCCA Chartered Certified Accountant Freshfields St Mary’s Road Creeting St Mary Ipswich IP6 8LZ 13[th] January 2026

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East Anglian Traditional Music Trust

Year ended 31 March 2025

Income and Expenditure

Statement of Financial Activities

Note
INCOMING RESOURCES
2.1
Grant income
SCC Event Grants
Project Grants
MSDC TMD Grants
MSDC Stow on Show Project Grant
MSDC Resiliance Grant
MSDC Grant
MSDC Locality Budget
Alfred Williams Trust TMD Grant
Grant income
Events Income
Ticket Sales
Sundry Event Income
Hire Fees
Events Income
Other Income
Donations and Legacies
Friends Income
Merchandise
Sale of instruments & record collection
received from legacy
Other Income
Bank Interest
Other Income
TOTAL INCOME
RESOURCES EXPENDED
2.2
Staff Costs
3
Accommodation and Office Costs
3
Event Costs
3
Other Costs
3
TOTAL RESOURCES
EXPENDED
SURPLUS/(DEFICIT)
Reserves B/F
Balance carried forward		 2025
Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
£
£
£
0
0
1,215
1,215
3,650
3,650
9,800
9,800
0
0
2,000
2,000
500
500
0
0
17,165
0
17,165
2,022
2,022
909
909
1,553
1,553
4,484
0
4,484
1,063
1,063
2,735
2,735
2,651
2,651
335
335
0
0
99
99
6,883
0
6,883
28,532
0
28,532
14,323
14,323
7,985
7,985
8,406
8,406
12,436
12,436
43,150
0
43,150
(14,618)
0
(14,618)
21,132
7,777
28,909
6,514
7,777
14,291		 2024
£
1,250
42,425
3,000
0
4,810
2,000
0
2,000
55,485
6,233
1,237
1,758
9,228
5,012
2,765
1,463
2,590
0
90
11,920
76,633
15,344
8,307
11,609
44,165
79,425
(2,792)
31,701
28,909

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East Anglian Traditional Music Trust

Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2025

Note
FIXED ASSETS
2.3
Computers/Equipment
Office Equipment
Instruments Melodeons
Dep'n Computers/Equipment
Dep'n Office Equipment
TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS
DEBTORS
Sundry Debtors & Prepayments
Bank and Cash
Current Account
Deposit Account
Petty Cash
Paypal
Cash at bank and in hand
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Creditors
Income received in advance
Credit Card Account
CURRENT LIABILITIES
NET CURRENT ASSETS
FUNDS
Unrestricted Funds
Restricted Funds
6		 31 March
2025
11,167
734
6,334
(11,167)
(734)
6,334
50
50
4,089
5,277
61
78
9,505
(1,192)
0
(406)
(1,598)
7,957
14,291
6,514
7,777
14,291		 31 March
2024
11,167
734
6,334
(11,167)
(734)
6,334
3,000
3,000
15,121
5,178
61
124
20,484
(113)
(500)
(296)
(909)
22,575
28,909
21,132
7,777
28,909

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East Anglian Traditional Music Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements

Year ended 31 March 2025

Note 1.1 Basis of accounting

These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts.

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with:

the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014

The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.

Note 2.1 Income

Recognition of income

These are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) when:

Ofsetting

There has been no offsetting of assets and liabilities, or income and expenses, unless required or

permitted by the FRS 102 SORP or FRS 102.

Grants and donations

Grants and donations are only included in the SOFA when the general income recognition criteria are met.

Legacies

Legacies are included in the SOFA when receipt is probable, that is, when there has been a grant of probate, the executors have established that there are sufficient assets in the estate and any conditions attached to the legacy are either within the control of the charity or have been met.

Tax reclaims on donations and gifts

Gift Aid receivable is included in income when there is a valid declaration from the donor. Any Gift Aid amount recovered on a donation is considered to be part of that gift and is treated as an addition to the same fund as the initial donation unless the donor or the terms of the appeal have specified otherwise.

Volunteer

help

The value of any voluntary help received is not included in the accounts but is described in the trustee's annual report.

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Income from interest

This is included in the accounts when receipt is probable, and the amount receivable can be measured reliably.

Income from membership

subscriptions

Membership subscriptions received in the nature of a gift are recognised in Donations and Legacies.

Note 2.2 Expenditure and liabilities

Liability recognition

Liabilities are recognised where it is more likely than not that there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources and the amount of the obligation can be measured with reasonable certainty.

Depreciation

Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write down the cost or initial valuation of other assets on a straight line basis over the expected useful life to their estimated residual value.

The depreciation rates in use are as follows: Computers and equipment - 1 year Office equipment - 1 year The stock of melodeons retain their value and are not therefore depreciated. Assets with a purchase price of less than £100 are written off in the year of purchase.

Restricted funds

Restricted funds are to be used for specific purposes as laid down by the donor.

Expenditure which meets these criteria is charged to the fund together with a fair allocation of support costs.

Unrestricted funds

Unrestricted funds are donations and other incoming resources receivable or generated for the objects of the Trust.

Creditors

The charity has creditors which are measured at settlement amounts less any trade discounts.

Basic financial instruments

The charity accounts for basic financial instruments on initial recognition as per paragraph 10.7 FRS 102 SORP.

Subsequent measurement is as per paragraphs 11.17 to 11.19, FRS 102 SORP.

Note 2.3 Assets

Tangible fixed assets for use by charity

These are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year, and cost at least £100. They are valued at cost.

The depreciation rates and methods used are disclosed in note 2.2.

Debtors

Debtors (including trade debtors and loans receivable) are measured on initial recognition at settlement amount

after any trade discounts or amount advanced by the charity. Subsequently, they are measured at the cash or other consideration expected to be received.

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Note 3 Analysis of resources expended

Analysis Unrestricted
£		 Restricted
£		 2025
£		 2024
£
Staff costs
Salaries & Subcontractors 14,233 14,233 15,138
Travel/Subsistence 0 0 206
Staff training 90 90 0
Total 14,323 0 14,323 15,344

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Unrestricted Restricted 2025 2024
Analysis £ £ £ £
Accommodation and
Office costs
Property expenses 5,228 5,228 5,569
Telephone 279 279 483
Postage 668 668 951
Insurance 964 964 859
Other office 172 172 0
Computer services 674 674 445
Total 7,985 0 7,985 8,307
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Unrestricted Restricted 2025 2024
Analysis £ £ £ £
Event costs
Promotional Costs 1,724 1,724 1,110
Artists' Fees 2,547 2,547 5,672
Venue Fees 1,665 1,665 2,160
Supplies and Parts 1,002 1,002 1,264
Sundry Events 1,468 1,468 1,123
Project management 0 0 280
Total 8,406 0 8,406 11,609
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Unrestricted Restricted 2025 2024
Analysis £ £ £ £
Other costs
Subscriptions 625 625 376
Bank Charges 110 110 118
Sundry Costs 883 883 386
Depreciation 0 0 0
Instrument repairs 200 200 130
Project Costs 9,551 9,551 42,655
Equipment 1,067 1,067 0
Gordon Ruddock Bursaries 0 0 500
Total 12,436 0 12,436 44,165
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Note 4

4.1 Trustee expenses

Number of trustees who were paid expenses
Nature of the expenses
Total amount paid
4.2 Fees for examination or audit of the accounts
Independent examiner's or auditor's fees
Other fees (for example: advice, consultancy, accountancy
services) paid to the independent examiner or
auditor		 2025
2024
£
£		 2025
2024
£
£
0
0
Travel/subsistence
0 0
2025
£		 2024
£
None None
220 190

Note 5 Staff Costs

5.1 Gross wages, salaries and subcontractors
Employer's National Insurance costs
Pension costs
Total staff
costs		 2025
2024
£
£
13,373
14,191
0
0
860
947
14,233
15,138

5.2 The average number of employees in the year was 1

Note 6 Movement in Restricted Funds

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At the start Incoming Resources Balance at
of the Year Resources Expended Year end
£ £ £ £
Melodeons 5,601 5,601
Publication Fund 2,176 2,176
Total Funds 7,777 0 0 7,777
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Note 7 Purpose of Restricted Funds

Melodeons

Funds provided for the purchase of instruments for loan/hire to assist those interested in learning to play.

Publication Fund

Funds specifically provided for the publication of material arising from the Trust's work and research.

Note 8 Transactions with Related Parties

Name of trustee or related party
There were no payments to trustees or related parties		 2025
£		 2024
£
0 0