2024/25 ANNUAL REPORT and FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS
Registered Charity No. 1126046
Trustees’ Annual Report for the financial period 01 September 2024 to 31 August 2025
Objectives and activities
Our purpose at Camden Music Trust is to facilitate participation in music activities by children and young people resident in or educated within the London Borough of Camden, and in particular to assist those who face hardship. We support young people’s music-making for the benefits this brings in itself and in their personal and wider educational development, such as resilience, team-building and self-discipline.
The Trust follows the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit. We raise funds to support activities that schools are unable to provide, and which enrich the music experience of children and young people in Camden, including:
• Bursaries to support children (including those with disabilities) whose families cannot afford music lessons and activities outside school, so that they may enjoy the same benefits as less disadvantaged peers
• Events that inspire children and encourage them to aim high, such as the biennial Camden Schools’ Music Festival at the Royal Albert Hall, concerts in major London venues, and other specially devised programmes
• Running costs of two Saturday Music Centres, 41 youth ensembles (choirs, orchestras, jazz and other music groups) and holiday courses
• Musical instruments for loan or low-cost hire to young learners.
Activities funded by the charity are delivered by Camden Music (the London Borough of Camden’s Music Service) under a grant agreement.
Achievements and performance
In the year 2024-2025 we made our largest grant yet to Camden Music, enabling a number of initiatives furthering our mission including: bursaries for promising young musicians (who do not have the wherewithal to pay for tuition), and the appointment of a mentoring tutor to help bursary students and their families make the most of their bursaries and Camden Music’s activities; maintenance of Camden Music’s instrument stock (for loan or low-cost hire), support for the Saturday Centres, holiday courses and the ensembles run by Camden Music.
Camden Music Trust believes that not only does music-making bring joy in and of itself, but it also provides socialisation, team-building and mental wellbeing. At a time when young people face many challenges, the Trust also funded a growing number of projects focussed on need and the introduction of more youngsters to music activities in Camden. These included the first Try an Instrument Day which attracted nearly 40 young people not already engaged in music-making; a collaboration with Hertfordshire Music Service to boost school attendance through music; and a research project focussing on the impact of musical engagement on young people’s development and wellbeing.
We also supported a project culminating in performance at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the Camden Schools’ Music Festival – more about this below. We were delighted that some of our donors, funders and patrons could join us at this celebration of young people’s creativity. In previous years we have hosted a reception for guests but this year, with costs rising, we chose instead to subsidise tickets for parents of performers and share our pride in their children’s achievements.
Camden Music Trust saw some changes this year: we are delighted that Kate Frood OBE has joined our illustrious group of patrons - music performers, consultants and educationalists. Kate now works in school
improvement, following her retirement as headteacher of Eleanor Palmer. She has supported Camden Music since its inception and was a trustee of Camden Music Trust from 2008 for eight years.
Three trustees have left us at the end of their period of tenure and four new trustees have come on board. Our thanks to those departing for the invaluable contribution they have made to Camden Music Trust, and welcome to our new trustees (including two who are Camden parents) who bring a range of skills and experience that will undoubtedly benefit the Trust.
We are very grateful to the trusts and foundations, businesses, individual and regular donors who support our commitment to music-making for all young people in Camden. Thank you all.
Financial review
Income for this year was £157,529 and expenditure totalled £151,027. We ended the year with free reserves of £102,054, and carry forward restricted funds of £36,000 supporting four-year bursaries, a woodwind project and subsidy for participation fees on holiday music courses.
Trustees agreed an increase in our expenditure on charitable activities to £146,000 - an increase of almost 22% on the period ending 31 August 2024.
For the purpose of managing uncertainty, in particular short-term volatility in the Charity’s income, it is the Trust’s policy to maintain free reserves that represent between 40% and 50% of the charity’s current annual expenditure on charitable activities. During the period under review the income of the Trust was greater than expected, particularly towards the end of the period, and it was not possible to apply the additional funds by increasing expenditure on charitable activities before the end of the period. As a result, as at 31 August 2025 the Trust’s free reserves exceeded 50% of its expenditure on charitable activities for the previous 12 months. The trustees expect to increase expenditure on charitable activities for the year ending 31 August 2026 in order to reduce free reserves to the level set out in the Trust’s policy.
Like all charities, we are experiencing increased competition for grants from trusts and foundations and we are fortunate to have developed donations from individuals, businesses, and private trusts. We recognise that more Camden families will be experiencing hardship and our support for Camden Music may need to increase if the children from those families are to access music-making opportunities and the benefits it can offer.
Some of the activities supported by Camden Music Trust in 2024/25
Camden Schools’ Music Festival, April 2025, Royal Festival Hall
A highlight in Camden’s cultural calendar, this biennial showcase of young talent saw over 1,800 children and young people from Camden’s primary, secondary, and special schools captivate an audience of over 15,000 friends and family members. A livestream of the concert has attracted over 10,000 views – on a mainstream broadcast and on a British Sign Language interpreted stream.
It was a joyous evening celebrating inclusion and excellence, and a never-to-be-forgotten experience for all the young musicians involved. Along with performances by the Camden Concert Band, Camden Youth Orchestra, Camden Youth Jazz Band, and massed choirs from the borough’s schools, there were collaborations with professional musicians including a project supported by Camden Music Trust, with a grant from Reta Lila Howard Foundation.
This project was led by Sohini Alami and Oliver Weeks from the British/Bengali band Khiyo in conjunction with Showmi Das, a specialist in North Indian classical dance. Throughout the autumn and spring terms, Khiyo worked with teachers creating resources for young people to learn Shohag Chand which is frequently sung at Bangladeshi weddings while Showmi worked with secondary school students to create an accompanying contemporary dance piece inspired by Kathak and Bangladeshi folk traditions. The result was a joyous, colourful performance showcasing the multi-disciplinary nature of the arts.
The Khiyo Project, with dancing and singing by Camden schoolchildren at the Royal Albert Hall, celebrated the significant Bengali community in our multi-cultural borough
Support for individuals
Pathfinder bursaries support young people with a passion and talent for music from families who cannot cover the costs. The bursaries provide four years of support and resources comprising:
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instrumental lessons and instrument hire
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structured opportunities to play in music groups which have a vital social role
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mentoring by experienced, qualified staff
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access to support structures after the bursary ends, to age 18.
In 2024/25, thanks to grants from Reta Lila Howard Foundation and donor Jessica Hawley, we were supporting nine Pathfinders as well as shorter-term support for other young musicians.
Trust funding also assisted Camden Music to offer reduced rate instrumental teaching and instrument hire to families qualifying for Free School Meals and other benefits.
Support for groups
Opportunities for social music-making are crucial to the development of young musicians, and foster links between children who live in different parts of the borough, and in different circumstances.
Camden Music Trust funding contributes to a wide range of initiatives, including holiday courses, after-school activities and the borough’s two Saturday Music Centres which offer 41 musical groups ranging from Little Jammers early years music-making to Camden Youth Orchestra for secondary aged players of Grade 4+ level.
Camden Youth Orchestra performing at the Camden Schools’ Music Festival, April 2025
Special Educational Needs / Disabilities
Having raised funds for the pilot of group music-making for children with special educational needs / disabilities two years ago, we were very happy to continue our support for the group which is now one of Camden’s year round after-school music groups.
Renamed Voyagers , to communicate the idea of musical exploration and discovery, and that the young musicians are travelling together, collaboratively, on this journey, this year we have supported the group through grants from Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation and the Wise Music Foundation.
Camden Youth Jazz Band goes to Birmingham
We covered the travel costs of Camden Youth Jazz Band to perform at the Music for Youth National Festival at the CBSO Centre Birmingham in July. We recognise that playing in professional venues is inspiring for young musicians, developing their performance skills, responding to different spaces and audiences.
At the festival, the band performed Moanin’ (Charles Mingus) and Mueva las Huevas (Gordon Goodwin) to an enthusiastic audience and received glowing feedback from Music for Youth mentors. The mentors praised the band’s “great feel both driving and swinging” , and highlighted the “flamboyant solos” and “tight ensemble playing”. One mentor commented, “The saxophone solo was stylistically very fitting for this bluesy feel, and the trumpet contrasted well by placing notes above with a clearer tone.”
Camden Youth Orchestra
Instruments
Camden Music Trust support ensures there are well maintained instruments available for hire at a reduced rate for children and young people receiving free school meals and at no charge for those with a bursary for their instrumental lessons.
In 2024/25, we also enabled the purchase of eight Chromebook laptops with software for composition and production for students in Music Technology and Soundsmiths sessions at weekend and holiday activities.
In May, to much excitement, a complete set of steel pans arrived from Trinidad in Camden, purchased with Camden Music Trust funds derived largely from a grant by the Clothworkers’ Foundation and a donation from Phoenix Works. In order to be ready for the new arrivals, Camden Music had set up two steel pan groups (for primary and for secondary age pupils) in March playing on a wornout half set of pans.
The new pans made their first public appearance in June at an event to mark the unveiling of an English Heritage blue plaque commemorating Britain’s first Caribbean Carnival in 1959 which took place in Camden Town Hall. It was a surprise to people watching that the young musicians playing the pans had been learning for such a short time. We were delighted to have contributed to celebrating this aspect of Camden’s rich musical heritage and foresee that Camden Music’s two steel pan groups will be much in demand.
Charity structure, governance and management
Camden Music Trust registered as a charity on 28 September 2008 and is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust. Governance is exercised by the Charity’s trustees. Our trustees bring a wide range of appropriate skills to manage the Charity; they are appointed by invitation when required to replace resigning trustees or fill gaps in skills and experience. Trustees meet five times per year augmented by working groups focusing on specific aspects of governance.
Camden Music Trust’s management, policy- and decision-making processes adhere to the Charity Commission’s guidance. In particular we have a suite of policies that are regularly reviewed and updated:
Complaints Conflicts of interest Financial management and accounting Information security Know your donor Privacy Reserves and investment Safeguarding Trustee expenses Whistleblowing
Trustees 2024/25
| Sarah Allen | Musician, music educator, folk music booking agent |
|---|---|
| Ian Baker, Secretary | Retred District Judge (Magistrates’ Courts) and Recorder, former |
| solicitor, amateur saxophonist (resigned June 2025) | |
| Esther Caplin, Chair | Artst/art historian, community organiser, urbanist |
| Shayan Roy Chowdhury | Director at Newton Venture Program (supported by Phoenix Court Works) |
| (appointed June 2025) | |
| Martn Fraenkel | Non-Executve Director, retred senior corporate executve, trustee of The |
| Academy of St Martn in the Fields, and amateur violinist (resigned June | |
| 2025) | |
| Marisa Goldesgeyme | Retred Head of Junior School Music (Independent Sector); trained as a |
| professional cellist before teaching | |
| David Lindsell | Charity trustee, company director, former partner in EY, amateur trumpeter |
| Bavaani Nanthabalan | Retred headteacher with extensive teaching experience in Camden schools; |
| also trained in South Indian classical dance and music (resigned June 2025) | |
| Stuart Poyner, Treasurer | Charity trustee, former audit partner in KPMG and experienced concert |
| atendee | |
| Clare Thompson | Professional violinist, Professor at Junior Royal Academy, tutor at Natonal |
| Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain (appointed June 2025) | |
| Dominic Tinley | Media and technology consultant, and trustee of Reach Volunteering |
| Tommaso Vallet | Professor of Economics, Imperial College London, keen fute-player |
| (appointed June 2025) | |
| Julianne Walshe | Lawyer with experience of working in the arts (appointed June 2025) |
Patrons
| Martyn Brabbins | Chief Conductor of the Malmö Symphony Orchestra |
|---|---|
| Mark Crown | Trumpeter, producer, DJ and songwriter |
| Mathew Daines | Executve Director, University of California Trust (UK) |
| Kate Frood OBE | Former Head of Eleanor Palmer School, now working in school improvement |
| Nubya Garcia | Jazz saxophonist |
| Dame Christne Gilbert | Chair, Camden Learning |
| Cllr Jenny Headlam-Wells | Former Mayor of Camden |
| John Lill CBE | Classical pianist |
| Mark Pemberton | Arts consultant, former CEO, Associaton of Britsh Orchestras |
| Louise Shackleton | Violinist, London Symphony Orchestra |
| Jon Snow | Journalist and broadcaster |
| Emily Stubbs | Director of Special Projects, Briten Pears Arts |
| Suggs | Lead singer, Madness |
| Nikki Yeoh | Jazz pianist |
Our thanks go to the Camden Music team - Gareth Gay (Head of Service), Rachel Barnes (Deputy Head of Service), Deirdre Box, Joshua Kaye, Joel Kwantreng, Marilyn Martin, Jenny Morgan, Joanne Smith; and to the peripatetic teachers and school staff throughout Camden who do so much to support children’s musicmaking. Thanks also to Camden schools, teachers, children and parents.
The Trust sends its very best wishes for the future to Rachel Barnes who left Camden this summer to return to classroom teaching, and to Marilyn Martin who recently retired after many years service with Camden Council.
Camden Music Trust Registered Charity No: 1126046 Crowndale Centre 218 Eversholt Street LONDON NW1 1BD
This Trustees’ Annual Report was approved by the Trustees on 17 November 2025 and is signed on their behalf by
Esther Caplin – Chair of Trustees
Funders, Sponsors and Donors
In the year ended 31 August 2025, Camden Music Trust benefitted from the generosity of the following trusts, companies and major individual donors:
Bleeding Heart Restaurants The Clothworkers’ Foundation Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation The Joseph Mindel Trust Jusaca Charitable Trust Phoenix Works Reta Lila Howard Foundation TIOC Foundation Wise Music Foundation
Angelica Fraenkel Martin Fraenkel Jessica Hawley Tom Schuller and many more individual donors
We are grateful for their support that has in particular enabled Camden young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to benefit from engagement in music alongside their peers.
Independent examiner's report
To the trustees of
Camden Music Trust
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Camden Music Trust (‘the Trust’) for the year ended 31 August 2025.
Responsibilities and basis of the report
As the charity trustees of Camden Music 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 that give me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity 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.
Caroline Sharp FCA, DChA
Date: 17 November 2025
55 Canberra Road LONDON SE7 8PF
CAMDEN MUSIC TRUST
(Registered Charity No: 1126046)
| RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT For the 12 Month Period Ended 31 August 2025 Note Donations and legacies received 1 Interest received Total receipts Payments for charitable activities 2 Independent Examination Advertising and Marketing Other payments Total payments Excess of receipts over payments Total cash funds brought forward Total cash funds carried forward |
Total Total 12 months 17 months ended ended Unrestricted Restricted 31-Aug-25 31-Aug-24 £ £ £ £ 106,153 47,637 153,790 178,878 3,739 - 3,739 1,416 109,892 47,637 157,529 180,294 95,363 50,637 146,000 120,000 700 - 700 650 2,710 - 2,710 4,758 1,617 - 1,617 2,280 100,390 50,637 151,027 127,688 9,502 (3,000) 6,502 52,606 92,552 39,000 131,552 78,946 102,054 36,000 138,054 131,552 |
|---|---|
CAMDEN MUSIC TRUST
(Registered Charity No: 1126046)
| STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES At 31 August 2025 Note Assets: Cash at bank 3 |
Total 31-Aug Unrestricted Restricted 2025 £ £ £ 102,054 36,000 138,054 |
Total 31-Aug 2024 £ 131,552 |
|---|---|---|
| Liabilities Independent Examination |
31-Aug 2025 £ £ £ 700 - 700 |
31-Aug 2023 £ 700 |
| Approved by the Trustees on 17 November 2025 and signed on their behalf | ||
| Esther Caplin Chair |
Stuart Poyner Treasurer |
Date: 17 November 2025
CAMDEN MUSIC TRUST
(Registered Charity No: 1126046)
Notes to the accounts for the 12 month period ended 31 August 2025
Basis of preparation
The accounts consist of a receipts and payments account and a statement of assets and liabilities, as permitted by section 133 of the Charities Act 2011.
| Note 1 Donations and legacies Trusts and Corporations Individuals HMRC - Gift Aid Note 2 Payments for charitable activities Bursaries Instruments - purchase Instruments - maintenance and repair Saturday Centres, Ensembles and School Holiday Programmes Special Educational Needs project Commissions Camden Schools' Music Festival, Royal Albert Hall Activities supporting work with disadvantaged children Camden Youth Jazz Band Birmingham performance Royal Albert Hall ticket subsidy Bridge Ensembles and Singing Strategy |
Total Total 12 months 17 months ended ended Unrestricted Restricted 31-Aug-25 31-Aug-24 £ £ £ £ 67,378 42,837 110,215 114,500 35,970 4,800 40,770 57,280 2,805 - 2,805 7,098 106,153 47,637 153,790 178,878 Total Total 12 months 17 months ended ended Unrestricted Restricted 31-Aug-25 31-Aug-24 £ £ £ £ 6,000 11,300 17,300 12,566 6,688 16,300 22,988 18,500 6,000 - 6,000 - 56,175 - 56,175 77,434 - 6,537 6,537 9,000 - 1,500 1,500 1,000 - 15,000 15,000 - 14,500 - 14,500 - 2,000 - 2,000 - 4,000 - 4,000 - - - - 1,500 95,363 50,637 146,000 120,000 |
|---|---|
| Note 3 Restricted funds Bursaries: Steel pans: Woodwind project: Commissions: Bangladeshi song & dance at Royal Albert Hall 2025: Holiday music courses - reduced fees Unrestricted funds TOTAL Cash funds Movement in funds Voyagers – Special Educational Needs / Disabilities group: |
Reta Lila Howard Foundation Individuals Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation Wise Music Foundation Phoenix Court Clothworkers Individuals Marchus Trust Reta Lila Howard Foundation Reta Lila Howard Foundation Total restricted funds |
Opening Closing Balance Movement Movement Balance 01-Sep-24 In Out 31-Aug-25 £ £ £ £ 22,500 - (10,000) 12,500 1,300 (1,300) - - 5,000 (5,000) - - 1,537 (1,537) - - 7,500 (7,500) - - 8,800 (8,800) - - 3,500 - 3,500 1,500 - (1,500) - 15,000 - (15,000) - - 20,000 - 20,000 39,000 47,637 (50,637) 36,000 92,552 109,892 (100,390) 102,054 131,552 157,529 (151,027) 138,054 |
|---|---|---|