The Community and Youth
Music Library
Hornsey Library, Haringey Park, London N8 9JA Tel: 020 3602 5214 Email: cymlibrary@gmail.com
Website: www.cymlibrary.org.uk
Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 30 April 2025
Community and Youth Music Library
Company Information
Registered office and operational address: Hornsey Library, Haringey Park, London N8 9JA
Registered charity number 1138705 Registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in England and Wales
Trustees: Mr Michael Ashcroft Mr Max Barley (resigned 17.10.2024) Mr Michael Haslam (appointed 2.11.2024) Mrs Ruth Hellen Mr Jeremy Jackman Mr Jonathan Rathbone Mr Paul Whitnall (appointed 2.2.2025)
Staff:
Mrs Ceri Mann (part-time Music Librarian) plus 6 volunteers
Bankers: CAF Bank Limited 25 Kings Hill Avenue West Malling Kent ME19 4JQ
Report of the trustees
The Trustees present this report for the charity for the year ended 30th April 2025.
Structure, governance and management
The Trustees, appointed within the terms of the Foundation Constitution, form the management committee. Conversion to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation was made on 26 September 2024.
During the year we were pleased to welcome Paul Whitnall as a Trustee and Treasurer.
The day to day management of the library is undertaken by the Music Librarian working with experienced volunteers, following policies and procedures agreed by the Trustees.
Registered as a charitable incorporated organisation in England and Wales. Registered charity No. 1138705 Patrons: Diana Burrell, Jonathan Dove, Sir Mark Elder CBE, Howard Goodall CBE, Cecilia McDowall Trustees: Michael Ashcroft, Michael Haslam, Ruth Hellen, Jeremy Jackman, Jonathan Rathbone, Paul Whitnall Music Librarian : Ceri Mann
Objectives and activities
The Charity's principal object is the promotion, improvement, development and maintenance of public education in, and appreciation of, the art and science of music through the provision of a lending library of musical scores. In its current form, the library was formed by a group of patrons and directors who took over full management in 2010. CYML is a member of Making Music and of the International Association of Music Libraries (UK & Ireland Branch). CYML has a dedicated website which includes the full catalogue of printed music available. The catalogue is also included in Encore21, the IAML (UK & Irl) online national catalogue of performance sets.
Since the resumption of services following the Covid lockdowns, the demand for the library's service has continued to grow, as musical activities have returned to normal and the music lending resources of public libraries are reduced. A large proportion of our loans is made directly to groups who either visit the library or receive scores by post. Our clients range from professional, amateur and community groups to those based in schools and universities. Other loans are made in the form of inter-library loans via public library authorities throughout the UK.
Thanks to the commitment of the Music Librarian and a small number of volunteers, the quality of the overall service provided has been maintained in spite of the difficulty of finding additional regular volunteers. Obtaining funding to maintain operations has become more difficult as funding bodies have fewer resources. Many funders require either project-based bids or match funding, which we are unable to provide. We were pleased to be awarded a grant of £3000 from the Radcliffe Trust in August 2024 to be used for music by contemporary composers.
The library is staffed two days a week and emails are monitored all week. We acknowledge with grateful thanks the support we receive from our small team of highly experienced volunteers, who help ensure this full, and specialised, service is maintained. We are particularly grateful to Peter and Judy Smith, who have stepped down from their volunteer roles following exceptional service over many years.
Risk management
The Trustees regularly review the major risks to which the charity is exposed, particularly financial control and funding implications, and take action to minimise any potential impact.
Public benefit
It is widely accepted that participation in music-making contributes to the improvement of physical and mental health. As a service used almost entirely by community music-making groups, choirs and orchestras, as well as schools and colleges, the Trustees take seriously the need to provide a public benefit by ensuring our charges are reasonable, offering cost-effective solutions for those requiring sets of printed music. Co-operation with other libraries, particularly public libraries, is crucial to ensuring that music groups around the country have access to the music they need.
Financial review
The library has maintained financial stability in spite of decreased income during the Covid lockdowns. Our income from hires in 2024-25 was approximately 25% greater than 2023-24. This was helped by the resolution of IT problems at the British Library, as we were once again able to claim income from music loaned via that system. Loans of vocal sets increased by 35% over 2023-24.
Owing to Covid and staff changes, Haringey Council did not invoice the library for rent for a period, but funds were kept available and a payment plan was agreed.
Future plans
We continue to seek funds to secure our professional librarian post; we are looking at ways of modernising our loan administration linked to our catalogue; we will also be seeking funds to buy new music and ensure our existing stocks are maintained at sensible levels.
This Report and the Annual Accounts were approved by the Trustees on October 20 2025.
Jeremy Jackman, Chair
The Community and Youth Music Library
Accounts for the year 1 May 2024 to 30 April 2025
Receipts and payments
| Total funds (unrestricted) |
Last year | |
|---|---|---|
| to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | |
| Receipts | ||
| Donations / grants 3,500 |
3,500 | 494 |
| Hire & postal charges via British Library loan 7,309 |
7,309 | 4,413 |
| Hire & postal charges - direct 18,606 |
18,606 | 13,454 |
| Deposits for loans | 2,642 | |
| Interest on current account 6 |
6 | 12 |
| Interest on deposit account 606 |
606 | 427 |
| Total receipts 30,027 | 30,027 | 21,442 |
| Payments | ||
| Staffing costs 9,860 |
9,860 | 9,975 |
| Rent 11,500 |
11,5001 | 0 |
| IT / Telephone, broadband, website 530 |
530 | 405 |
| Fees, subscriptions, insurance 337 |
337 | 331 |
| Postage /Parcelforce 2,038 |
2,038 | 1,685 |
| Stationery 635 |
635 | 366 |
| Return of deposits 860 |
860 | 1,500 |
| Bank fees 61 |
61 | 64 |
| Stock purchases 3,011 |
3,011 | 1,255 |
| IT costs (now included above) 0 |
0 | 125 |
| Staff training 0 |
0 | 120 |
| Miscellaneous | 294 | 0 |
| Total payments 29,126 | 29,126 | 15,826 |
| Net of receipts/(payments) +902 | +902 | +5616 |
| Cash funds last year end 25,947 |
25,947 | 20,331 |
| Cash funds this year end 26,849 |
26,849 | 25,947 |
Cont…
1 Includes settlement of past rent arrears
Statement of assets and liabilities Categories
| Categories | Details | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| to nearest £ | |||
| Cash funds | Current account |
2,709 | |
| Deposit account |
24,140 | ||
| Total | 26,848 | ||
| Assets retained for the charity’s own use | Music scores for hire | ||
| Computers and related | |||
| equipment | |||
| Office furniture | |||
| to nearest £ | |||
| Liabilities | Unclaimed rent (1) |
0 | |
Signed on behalf of all the trustees |
…………………………………………………………………....... Date of approval…………………..…… Chairman of Trustees
(1) we are no longer showing a figure for unclaimed rent following agreed payments made to the Landlord in this financial year. We are not aware of any other liabilities
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
| Report to the trustees/ members of |
Report to the trustees/ members of |
Charity Name The Community and Youth Music Library |
|---|---|---|
| On accounts for the year | April 2025 Charity no 1138705 |
|
| ended | (if any) | |
| Set out on pages | ONE AND TWO | |
| (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets) | ||
| I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above | ||
| charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 30 April 2025 | ||
| Responsibilities and | As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the | |
| basis of report | 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 I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement 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.
Date: 28 October 2025
Signed: Name: ALAN BRIGHT Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: 22 Peridot Street
1
IER
Beckton LONDON E6 5LZ
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
NONE
2
IER