2025-07-31-accounts - Firebird Theatre

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FIREBIRD THEATRE

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

31 JULY 2025

Company Registration Number 05728116 Charity Number 1115658

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FIREBIRD THEATRE

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

CONTENTS	PAGE
Reference and administrative details of the charity and its
advisors	1
Trustees’ annual report	2 to 5
Independent Examiners report	6
Statement of financial activities (including income and
expenditure account)	7
Balance sheet	8
Notes to the financial statements	9 to 14

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FIREBIRD THEATRE

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

Status

Firebird Theatre is a company limited by guarantee governed by its Memorandum & Articles of Association (registration number 05728116) and granted charitable status by the Charity Commission under number 1115658.

Trustees

The directors of the charitable company (“the charity”) are its trustees for the purposes of the charity law and throughout this report are collectively referred to as the trustees.

The Trustees who served during the year and since the year end were as follows:

Mel Scaffold Chair Jo Cuthbert Antigoni Messaritaki Treasurer Sabrina Sallis Tina Kelly appointed 31 March 2025 Daniel Bryan appointed 31 March 2025

Company secretary

Christina May Secretary

Registered Office

195-197 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 2SB

Independent Examiners

Joanne Trowbridge MAAT Bristol Community Accountants CIC, The Park, Daventry Road, Knowle, Bristol BS4 1DQ

Bankers

Lloyds TSB, 15 High Street, Westbury on Trym, Bristol, BS9 3DA

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FIREBIRD THEATRE

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

The Trustees present their report and the unaudited financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 July 2025.

Reference and administrative information set out on page 2 forms part of this report. The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).

Structure, Governance and Management

The Directors

The Board of Directors, who are Trustees for the purpose of charity law, who served during the year and up to the date of this report are set out on page 1.

The trustees are elected by members of Firebird Theatre at a full members meeting.

Risk review

The Trustees have examined the major risks to which the charity is exposed and systems have been established to manage those risks. These procedures will be periodically reviewed to ensure that they still meet the needs of the charity.

Objectives and activities

Objects of the Charity

To advance education for the public benefit by the promotion of the arts, in particular, but not exclusively, the art of drama.

Summary of main objectives in relation to the above objects

To be an independent theatre company of disabled actors
To perform plays
To show our work to as many people as possible
To link up with other actors, theatre companies, theatres and new audiences
To develop and become more professional
To work together
To become more well known
To support and involve other disabled people in our work, especially children and young people.

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FIREBIRD THEATRE

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

Review of the activities and main achievements

August 2024 marked the start of a transformative year for Firebird. Following taster sessions for new members in July and August, we were delighted to welcome 5 new members – Maya, Jake, Lucy, Mol and Liam - to the Firebird Company. They were the first members to join Firebird in 8 years and it has been very exciting to work with them.

“I wish that everyone could see what we do at Firebird and how inclusive and special it is. So then they could do it in their work” - new Firebird member.

From September to December we focused on building our ensemble – sharing The Firebird Way with our new members, and learning from them too.

We had regular weekly rehearsals together, and extended our sessions to include 1-hour company meetings where Producer Amanda facilitated training, discussion and decision-making each week about things like the art we want to make, who to work with, and what we want to tell people through our social media.

In January, following training, Firebird was engaged to design and deliver the inaugural SW Learning Disability Arts Network meeting. Members delivered an impressive mix of creative workshops and activities. We're now discussing further workshop delivery with multiple organisations.

Members decided the most important thing for their leadership development was to have Member Trustees again. Following accessible Easy Read training, we held elections and in March, 2 members, Dan and Tina, joined the board for the first time in a decade. It’s already changing how we work - all papers are now presented in Easy Read as standard, and our Member Trustees represent the company at every meeting.

Our wonderful facilitator Carlotta left to make art abroad, but we were very happy to welcome Steph Kempson who is working with us to direct The Tempest. She is quickly becoming part of the company.

All of this built up to our Bristol Old Vic takeover – a week of Learning Disabled-led activity in the venue we are happy to call our home. Our launch event re-established our presence in BOV and the theatre industry.

We launched 'The Story of Firebird' installation charting our radical history using pictures and stories from our past shows.

We did 2 work-in-progress performances of our new show The Tempest. The first performance was specifically for Learning Disabled audiences, with over 80 people with LDs from groups including Potter's Den, Props, Camphill Village Trust, and Open Storytellers.

Our post-show Q&A enabled other people with Learning Disabilities to speak up, sharing their empowering feedback.

"It felt like a community space together - Firebird were spread into the theatre cafe and foyer so it felt like their home - it helped me feel safe." - LD audience member

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FIREBIRD THEATRE

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

In other news, we sadly said goodbye to founding member Marilyn, who died in August 2025. Tina and Dan represented the company at Marilyn’s funeral (with Amanda and Jo), and shared what Marilyn meant to the company. She was really loved.

Reserves Policy

Firebird Theatre trustees are aware that it is prudent to have unrestricted funds available to cover basic running costs and are working towards this. Currently, the trustees try to ensure a balance of approx. £5,000 – 10,000 unrestricted funds at the end of each accounting year and at present this stands at £5,000. This reserve is to safeguard a continuation of activity whilst further funding is sought for core or project costs.

Plans for future periods

Following the Firebird x BOV Takeover, autumn 2025 focuses on building on the relationships we built, and the new ideas and ways of working we are trying out.

Plans for 2025-26 include:

Trips to London and other places to grow our knowledge of theatre, relationships as a company, and confidence travelling together.
The Tempest Production – we have secured two weeks at Bristol Old Vic in Summer 2026 to premiere the full production of our new show. We are developing relationships with other venues like Shakespeare North and the Globe to share our work with other audiences.
Delivering workshops for companies like Potters’ Den to share how we work, build their skills and confidence, and grow our Learning Disabled community.

We'll continue invite-only LD performances to ensure the community takes up space, with us, in prestigious arts venues.

The longer-term plan is still to work with the University of Bristol’s Theatre Collection who will partner us to fully catalogue and store the archive so it can be accessed by the public.

The Trustees have complied with their duty under Section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission.

Trustees’ responsibilities in relation to the financial statements

The trustees are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

The trustees are required to prepare financial statements for each financial year in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). The financial statements are required by law to give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of its incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

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TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements, and
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.

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 Companies Act 2006. 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 are also responsible for the contents of the trustees' report, and the statutory responsibility of the Independent Examiner in relation to the trustees' report is limited to examining the report and ensuring that, on the face of the report, there are no material inconsistencies with the figures disclosed in the financial statements.

The company has taken advantage of the small companies’ exemption in preparing the report above.

The trustees declare they have approved the trustees’ report (including directors’ report) above. Approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:

……………………………………………. 16/3/2026 Mel Scaffold – Chair of trustees Date ………………………………………

Registered office:

195-197 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 2SB

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INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

I report on the accounts of the charitable company for the year ended 31[st] July 2025 which are set out on pages 7-14.

Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Independent Examiner

As the charity’s trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
the accounts do not accord with those records; or
the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities [applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)].

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

16/3/2026 Joanne Trowbridge MAAT ……………………………………………. Date ………………………

Bristol Community Accountants CIC The Park, Daventry Road, Knowle, Bristol, BS4 1DQ

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STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (Including Income and Expenditure Account)

YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

Unrestricted Funds £ 949 2,016	Restricted Funds £ 42,745 -	Total Funds 2025 £ 43,694 2,016	Total Funds 2024 £ 15,354 -
2,965	42,745	45,710	15,354
- -	30,070 129	30,070 129	13,686 680
-	30,199	30,199	14,366
2,965 (2,849)	12,546 2,849	15,511 -	988 -
116 10,481	15,395 3,095	15,511 13,576	988 12,588
10,597	18,490	29,087	13,576

All of the activities of the charity are classed as continuing

The notes on pages 9 to 14 form part of these financial statements

As required by paragraph 4.67 of the SORP, the brought forward and carried forward funds above have been agreed to the Balance Sheet.

** See note 16 for full comparative for 2024

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BALANCE SHEET

YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

Note Current assets Cash at bank and in hand Total current assets Creditors : Amounts falling due within one year 13 *Total net assets or liabilities* The Funds of the Charity Restricted funds 14 Unrestricted funds 14	2025 £ 29,835	2024 £ 15,822
	29,835 (748)	15,822 (2,246)
	29,087	13,576
	18,490 10,597	3,095 10,481
	29,087	13,576

The directors are satisfied that the company is entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

Directors' responsibilities:

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to small companies subject to the small companies' regime and in accordance with FRS102 SORP.

16/3/2026

These financial statements were approved by the trustees on ……….............…………. and are signed on their behalf by:

………………………………. Mel Scaffold

………………………………. Antigoni Messaritaki

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

1 Basis of Preparation

a) 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 financial statements 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) effective on 1 January 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and with the Charities Act 2011.

b) The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.
c) The charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.

2 Accounting Policies

a) Income from donations is included in income when these are receivable, except as follows:

i) When donors specify that donations given to the charity must be used in future accounting periods, the income is deferred until those periods.

ii) When donors impose conditions which have to be fulfilled before the charity becomes entitled to use such income, the income is deferred until the pre-condition have been met.

b) Expenditure is recognised in the period in which they are incurred. Expenditure includes attributable VAT which cannot be recovered.
c) Most expenditure is directly attributable to specific activities, and have been included in those cost categories. Support cost have been allocated 100% towards the charitable activities of the charity.
d) Rentals applicable to operating lease agreements where substantially all of the benefits and risks of ownership remain with the lessor are charged against profits on a straight-line basis over the period of the lease.
e) Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objects at the discretion of the trustees.
f) Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.
g) The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently recognised at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

Income and Endowments from:

3 Donations and Legacies

Unrestricted Funds £ 949 -	Restricted Funds £ - 42,745	Total Funds 2025 £ 949 42,745	Total Funds 2024 £ 5,854 9,500
949	42,745	43,694	15,354
Unrestricted Funds £ 5,854 -	Restricted Funds £ - 9,500	Total Funds 2024 £ 5,854 9,500
5,854	9,500	15,354

The charitable company receives government grants. The total value of such grants in the period ending 31 July 2025 was £NIL (2024:£4,500). There are no unfulfilled conditions or contingencies attaching to these grants in the year ended 31 July 2025.

4 Charitable activities

Services	Unrestricted Funds £ 2,016	Restricted Funds £ -	Total Funds 2025 £ 2,016	Total Funds 2024 £ -
	2,016	-	2,016	-

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

Expenditure on:

5 Charitable activities

Unrestricted Funds £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -	Restricted Funds £ 21,994 - - - 1,000 1,895 863 1,226 539 - 308 1,450 - 352 443	Total Funds 2025 £ 21,994 - - - 1,000 1,895 863 1,226 539 - 308 1,450 - 352 443	Total Funds 2024 £ 9,225 300 500 450 - 1,277 - 240 272 162 231 673 181 - 175
-	30,070	30,070	13,686
Unrestricted Funds £ 181 3,625 300 500 - 272 162 231 673 1,037 125 175	Restricted Funds £ - 5,600 - - 450 - - - - 240 115 -	Total Funds 2024 £ 181 9,225 300 500 450 272 162 231 673 1,277 240 175
7,281	6,405	13,686

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

6 Other

Independent Examiners Fee Other prior year - all unrestricted Net incoming resources for the year This is stated after charging: Independent Examiners' fees	Unrestricted Funds £ -	Restricted Funds £ 129	Total Funds 2025 £ 129	Total Funds 2024 £ 680
	-	129	129	680
			2025 £ 129	2024 £ 680

7 Net incoming resources for the year

8 Taxation

The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects.

9 Company limited by guarantee

The company is limited by guarantee and as such has no issued share capital. In the event of the company being wound up the liability of the members is limited to £1 each.

10 Related Party Transactions

During the financial year, Sabrina Sallis was appointed as a trustee during the financial year and is related to Isabelle Sallis, who was contracted to provide pastoral support as a sessional leader. During the year, Isabelle Sallis invoiced the charity £5,733 (2024: £3,000). Other than disclosed, there were no other related party transactions (2024:£nil)

11 Trustee expenses

The charity trustees were not paid or received any other benefits from employment with the charity in the year (2024: £nil). Two trustees were reimbursed expenses incurred on behalf of the charity during the year £703 (2024: £503). No charity trustees received payment for professional or other services supplied to the charity (2024: £500).

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

12 Staff costs and employee numbers

The charity had no employees during the year ended 31 July 2025 or the previous year. All creative and administrative labour required to carry out the charity's activities was provided by self-employed freelance contractors.

Average number of persons employed 13 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Trade Creditors Accruals: Independent Examiners Fee 14 Movement in funds At 01-Aug 2024 £ Restricted funds Bristol City Council - Originators Fund 1,400 Quartet Express Grant 1,695 National Lottery Community Fund - Arts Council England - Barchester Health Care - 3,095 Unrestricted funds General funds 10,481 10,481 Total funds 13,576	Incoming resources £ - - 19,700 22,235 810	2025 £	2024 £	At 31-Jul 2025 £ - - 7,524 10,882 84
		Nil	Nil
		2025 £ - 748	2024 £ 1,000 1,246
		748	2,246
		Outgoing resources £ (3,496) (2,448) (12,176) (11,353) (726)	Transfers £ 2,096 753 - - -
3,095	42,745	(30,199)	2,849	18,490
10,481	2,965	-	(2,849)	10,597
10,481	2,965	-	(2,849)	10,597

13,576	45,710	(30,199)	-	29,087

Transfer of funds

Tranfer of funds from general funds to restricted funds are to support project overspend during the year.

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

Purpose of restricted funds

Bristol City Council - Originators Fund

An accessible multimedia installation and live event at Arnolfini celebrating the history of Firebird Theatre and its role in disability arts, alongside organisational development and member recruitment to ensure the future of this trailblazing company.

Quartet Express Grant National Lottery Community Fund Arts Council England Barchester Health Care

Increasing access to the arts for learning disabled people in Bristol. Firebird - Firing Up Project The Ensemble Project The Ensemble Project

15 Analysis of net assets between funds

Fixed Assets Cash at Bank and In Hand Other Net Current Assets/Liabilities)	General Funds £ - 11,345 (748)	Restricted Funds £ - 18,490 -	Total Funds £ - 29,835 (748)
	10,597	18,490	29,087

16 Analysis of Charitable Funds - Previous Year (as required by paragraph 4.2. of the SORP)

Unrestricted Funds £ 5,854 -	Restricted Funds £ 9,500 -	Total Funds 2024 £ 15,354 -
5,854	9,500	15,354
7,281 680	6,405 -	13,686 680
7,961	6,405	14,366
(2,107) 12,588	3,095 -	988 12,588
10,481	3,095	13,576

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