Northern Aldborough Festival
(Charity Number 1107488)
Report of the Trustees
Year Ended 31 October 2023
The trustees are pleased to present their annual report together with the receipts and payments accounts for the year ended 31 October 2023. The trustees who held office during the period are as follows:
Trustees: Sir A Lawson-Tancred M C Simpson Mrs J Graham Mrs C Nickols R Ogden N Brown A Kitchingman Mrs S Hollins
The CIO’s registered office: The Festival Office Aldborough Manor Boroughbridge YO51 9EP
CHAIR'S REPORT
The 2023 Festival offered an eclectic mix of classical, jazz and pop repertoire along with spoken word. Following the in-house production of Handel's Theodora in 2022, in order to reduce costs the Festival mounted a double bill of Haydn comic operas presented by an external opera company. A new development, largely funded by a longstanding supporter of the Festival, was the inaugural New Voices Singing Competition, which boasted a panel of judges including Dame Felicity Lott, conductor Christian Curnyn and Song specialist Joseph Middleton. It garnered significant attention in the press and uncovered a superb young winning mezzo-soprano. It is to be an annual event, with funding of the £5000 first prize guaranteed for 5 years. Among the wonderful artists to perform in 2023 were up-and-coming young trumpeter Matilda Lloyd with her ensemble, Korean pianist Sunwook Kim, a winner of the Leeds International Piano Competition, The Tim Kliphuis Sextet in a jazz-infused reworking of Bach and The Armonico Consort. Our speaker was historian Lucy Worsley.
I should like to thank my fellow trustees, friends of the Northern Aldborough Festival and our sponsors and volunteers who help to make an increasingly well-known festival a memorable experience.
Sir A Lawson-Tancred
Chair
OUR PURPOSES AND ACTIVITIES
The purposes of the charity are the advancement of the education of the public in the arts of music, drama, dance and the visual arts, the development of public appreciation of the arts by the provision
of suitable artistic events within an annual festival particularly involving performances by young musicians in the early stages of their professional careers and to further the social and cultural welfare of the community within the surrounding area.
In shaping our objectives for the year and planning our activities, the trustees have considered the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit, including the guidance "public benefit: running a charity (PB2)". The festival relies on donations and sponsorship to cover its operating costs. Affordability and access to our programme are important to us and is reflected in our pricing policy.
The strategy used to achieve the CIO's aims and objectives is to present a broad range of musical and other artistic events within an annual festival, aimed at bringing the arts to the local community within North Yorkshire and further afield.
The concerts and stage performances
The programme achieves a mix of the arts to suit a range of public tastes with an emphasis on maintaining a popular programme which underpins the viability of the festival and to reach out to a new generation of potential visitors to the festival and the arts.
Our volunteers
The CIO relies on local voluntary help and we wish to thank our friends for their loyal support and service.
Achievements and performance
The annual festival in 2023 included a wide-ranging series of concerts, musical and other artistic events with an emphasis on public participation and providing an opportunity to showcase the abilities of young musicians.
Financial review
During the financial year, the CIO made a small deficit but had sufficient resources brought forward to manage. The principal funding sources of income were ticket sales of £51,718 (a 21% rise on the previous year’s performance) and donations and sponsorship including Gift Aid refunds of £44,872. The support of our donors and sponsors continues to be essential to maintaining such a varied programme of music and other creative arts. Not all the performances are self-supporting and the performing arts rely on mixed funding to ensure a vibrant and varied programme.
Our pricing policy
Our pricing policy reflects the costs of performances reduced by the income from sponsorship to maintain prices as low as possible for each performance so as to enable all, whatever their means, to attend performances. Full price tickets vary between £10 and £45, with a typical average price of c. £25 with discounts for children. Additional discounts are made on an ad hoc basis to ensure a fuller house where relevant to encourage wider participation and new supporters.
Investment powers and policy
The trustees, having regard to the liquidity requirements of operating the festival, have kept available funds in an interest-bearing deposit account.
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Reserves policy and going concern
The trustees are of the opinion that the level of reserves held is sufficient to enable the CIO to continue its current activities. The trustees will continue to review the reserves to ensure that the CIO is able to meet its financial obligations. The trustees are of the view that the CIO is a going concern. Cash reserves at 31 October 2023 were £58,836.
Plans for future festivals
The CIO's plans for the future are to continue to provide an annual festival of the arts for the education of the public of all ages and backgrounds. We continue to strengthen our links with our sponsors and supporters of The Friends of the Northern Aldborough Festival. We also seek to establish, or revive and renew partnerships with other arts organisations in the region.
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Governing document & Trustees
The charity converted from a company limited by guarantee to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) on the 13[th] July 2022. It is registered with the Charity Commission. In the event of the CIO being wound up, members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £10 each.
Appointment of trustees
Three trustees are elected annually by the members of the charitable incorporated organisation attending the Annual General Meeting and serve for a period of three years. When considering the appointment of new trustees, they have regard to the requirement for any specialist skills needed.
Trustee induction and training
New trustees undergo training on their legal obligations under charity law and the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit, the board and decision-making processes and recent financial performance of the CIO. Trustees undergo training to facilitate the undertaking of their role.
Organisation
The board of trustees administers the CIO and meet most months of the year. The trustees appoint an Artistic Director, currently Robert Ogden, and an Administrator to manage the day to day operations of the charity. The administrator attends board meetings but has no voting rights.
Related parties and co-operation with other organisations
The Artistic Director received a fee of £8,000 from his work for the CIO and his family company sponsored one performance in the festival. There are no related third parties and no other related party transactions have been reported.
The CIO has informal links with other local artistic providers.
Pay policy for senior staff
The trustees consider the board, who are the CIO's trustees, including the Artistic Director and the Administrator comprise the key management personnel of the CIO in charge of directing, controlling,
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running and operating the charity on a day to day basis. All trustees give their time freely other than the Artistic Director as referred to above.
RISK MANAGEMENT
The trustees have a risk management strategy that comprises an annual review of the principal risks and uncertainties that the charity faces and the establishment and implementation of procedures designed to minimise or manage any potential impact on the charity should those risks materialise. This work has identified that maintaining longer-term financial sustainability is the major financial risk for the charity which has led to the development of a strategic plan to allow for the diversification of funding. Internal control risks are minimised by the implementation of procedures for the authorisation of all transactions and projects. Procedures are in place to ensure compliance with health and safety of consultants, volunteers and visitors. These procedures are reviewed annually to ensure that they continue to meet the needs of the CIO.
TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES STATEMENT
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
The law applicable to charities in England & Wales requires 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 incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP 2019;
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed;
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
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 financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. 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.
STATEMENT AS TO DISCLOSURE TO OUR INDEPENDENT EXAMINER
In so far as the trustees are aware at the time of approving our trustees' annual report:
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there is no relevant information, being information needed by the independent examiner in connection with their preparing their report, of which the CIO’s independent examiner is unaware, and
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the trustees, having made enquiries of fellow trustees and the CIO's independent examiner that they ought to have individually taken, have each taken all steps that he/she is obliged to take as a trustee in order to make themselves aware of any relevant information and to establish that the independent examiner is aware of that information.
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BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES:
Sir A Lawson-Tancred - Chair Date: 30 August 2024
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Charity Name
No (if any)
Northern Aldborough Festival
CC16a
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Receipts and payments accounts
For the period Period start date Period end date To from 11/1/2022 10/31/2023
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment funds funds funds
Total funds Last year
| A1 Receipts Ticket Sales 51,718 PrimaryConcert Sponsorship 18,000 SecondaryConcert Sponsorship 21,500 Opera Sponsorship 500 Donations General 4,121 Miscellaneous Income 130 Program Sales 977 Program Advertising 875 Gift Aid 751 Friends Subscriptions 3,623 Friends Event Income 3,020 Other income 617 105,832 - - Sub total - Total receipts 105,832 A3 Payments Performers 44,059 VenueHire 435 PianoHire 2,700 PianoTune 180 Flowers 139 PerformerSubsistence/Accomodation 754 Joinery 2,578 Technical Requirements (lighting, sound) 2,491 Toilets 450 Marquee 1,468 Last NightCosts 10,121 Sponsor Hospitality 1,939 FriendsEventCosts 2,013 Marketing (Printadvertising) 2,495 Marketing (other) 2,790 Brochure (Design&Print) 2,115 Brochure (Postage) 2,895 Programme 2,120 Directors Salary 8,000 Administrator 12,200 MarketingAdministrator 6,000 Festival Volunteers 1,560 FestivalStaffSubsistence 148 General Printing 249 General Postage 33 Insurance 129 PRS 563 Subscriptions 515 Licence Fees 63 Miscellaneous Expenses 372 Card Payment Charges 1,960 Computer&ITCosts 533 BankCharges andInterest - 410 FriendsBankCharges 156 Suspense - 107 to the nearest £ Sub total(Gross income for AR) A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
A1 Receipts Ticket Sales 51,718 PrimaryConcert Sponsorship 18,000 SecondaryConcert Sponsorship 21,500 Opera Sponsorship 500 Donations General 4,121 Miscellaneous Income 130 Program Sales 977 Program Advertising 875 Gift Aid 751 Friends Subscriptions 3,623 Friends Event Income 3,020 Other income 617 105,832 - - Sub total - Total receipts 105,832 A3 Payments Performers 44,059 VenueHire 435 PianoHire 2,700 PianoTune 180 Flowers 139 PerformerSubsistence/Accomodation 754 Joinery 2,578 Technical Requirements (lighting, sound) 2,491 Toilets 450 Marquee 1,468 Last NightCosts 10,121 Sponsor Hospitality 1,939 FriendsEventCosts 2,013 Marketing (Printadvertising) 2,495 Marketing (other) 2,790 Brochure (Design&Print) 2,115 Brochure (Postage) 2,895 Programme 2,120 Directors Salary 8,000 Administrator 12,200 MarketingAdministrator 6,000 Festival Volunteers 1,560 FestivalStaffSubsistence 148 General Printing 249 General Postage 33 Insurance 129 PRS 563 Subscriptions 515 Licence Fees 63 Miscellaneous Expenses 372 Card Payment Charges 1,960 Computer&ITCosts 533 BankCharges andInterest - 410 FriendsBankCharges 156 Suspense - 107 to the nearest £ Sub total(Gross income for AR) A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
to the nearest £ 51,718 18,000 21,500 500 4,121 130 977 875 751 3,623 3,020 617 105,832 - - - 105,832 44,059 435 2,700 180 139 754 2,578 2,491 450 1,468 10,121 1,939 - 2,013 2,495 2,790 2,115 2,895 2,120 8,000 12,200 6,000 1,560 148 249 33 129 563 515 63 372 1,960 533 - 410 156 - 107 |
to the nearest £ |
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Performers |
44,059 | - | - | 44,059 | - |
| VenueHire | 435 | - | - | 435 | - |
| PianoHire | 2,700 | - | - | 2,700 | - |
| PianoTune | 180 | - | - | 180 | - |
| Flowers | 139 | - | - | 139 | - |
| PerformerSubsistence/Accomodation | 754 | - | - | 754 | - |
| Joinery | 2,578 | - | - | 2,578 | - |
| Technical Requirements (lighting, sound) | 2,491 | - | - | 2,491 | - |
| Toilets | 450 | - | - | 450 | - |
| Marquee | 1,468 | - | - | 1,468 | - |
| Last NightCosts | 10,121 | - | - | 10,121 | - |
| Sponsor Hospitality | 1,939 | - | - | 1,939 | - |
| - | - | - | |||
| FriendsEventCosts | 2,013 | - | - | 2,013 | |
| Marketing (Printadvertising) | 2,495 | - | - | 2,495 | |
| Marketing (other) | 2,790 | - | - | 2,790 | |
| Brochure (Design&Print) | 2,115 | - | - | 2,115 | |
| Brochure (Postage) | 2,895 | - | - | 2,895 | |
| Programme | 2,120 | - | - | 2,120 | |
| Directors Salary | 8,000 | - | - | 8,000 | |
| Administrator | 12,200 | - | - | 12,200 | |
| MarketingAdministrator | 6,000 | - | - | 6,000 | |
| Festival Volunteers | 1,560 | - | - | 1,560 | |
| FestivalStaffSubsistence | 148 | - | - | 148 | |
| General Printing | 249 | - | - | 249 | |
| General Postage | 33 | - | - | 33 | |
| Insurance | 129 | - | - | 129 | |
| PRS | 563 | - | - | 563 | |
| Subscriptions | 515 | - | - | 515 | |
| Licence Fees | 63 | - | - | 63 | |
| Miscellaneous Expenses | 372 | - | - | 372 | |
| Card Payment Charges | 1,960 | - | - | 1,960 | |
| Computer&ITCosts | 533 | - | - | 533 | |
| BankCharges andInterest | - 410 | - | - | - 410 | - |
| FriendsBankCharges | 156 | - | - | 156 | - |
| Suspense | - 107 | - | - | - 107 | - |
| **Sub total ** | 113,703 | - | - | 113,703 | - | ||||
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| A4 Asset and investment | |||||||||
| purchases, (see table) | |||||||||
| - | - | - | - | ||||||
| - | - | - | - | ||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| **Total payments ** | 113,703 | - | - | 113,703 | - | ||||
| **Net of receipts/(payments) ** | - 7,872 | - | - | - 7,872 | - | ||||
| A5 Transfers between funds | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| A6 Cash funds last year end | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| **Cash funds this year end ** | - 7,872 | - | - | - 7,872 | - |
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets B5 Liabilities B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees |
Details Debtors Control Account Friends Bank Account Petty Cash CAF Gold CAF Current CAF Friends Details Details Details Office equipment and IT - Cost Fixtures and fittings - Cost Details Trade Creditors Accruals Signature Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Fixtures and fittings - Accumulated ~~Depreciation~~ |
to nearest £ to nearest £ 125 - 1,418 - 211 - 30,488 - 6,790 - 17,804 - 56,836 - Agreement Error OK to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - Cost (optional) 238 25,740 - 19,434 - - - 3,375 2,340 - - - Print Name Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) |
to nearest £ Endowment funds |
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| When due (optional) |
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| Date of approval |
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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF
Northern Aldborough Festival (Charity Number 1107488)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Northern Aldborough Festival (the “Trust”) for the year ended 31 October 2023.
This report is made solely to the charity's trustees, as a body, in accordance with Section 154 of the Charities Act 2011. My independent examination work has been undertaken so that I might state to the charity's trustees those matters I am required to state to them in an Independent Examiner's Report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Trust and the charity's trustees as a body, for my independent examination work, for this report, or for the opinions I have formed.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the 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.
Independent examiner’s statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
A V Humphreys, ACMA 3 Nunnington Crescent, Harrogate, North Yorkshire
23 August 2024