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NICHOLAS BRANSTON FOUNDATION
Trustees’ Annual Report
For the year ended 30 September 2025
Reference and administrative details
| Charity name | Nicholas Branston Foundation |
|---|---|
| Registered charity number | 1140444 |
| Principal address | Highfelds, The Wrangle, Compton Martin, Bristol BS40 6LB |
| Trustees | Rachel Branston, Paul Branston, Katherine Woolley, Victoria Mavromoustaki, Anna Brooke, |
| Chair | Paul Branston |
| Independent examiner | Nicola Henderson |
| Bankers | Natwest |
Structure, governance and management
Governing document
The Nicholas Branston Foundation is a registered charity governed by its trust deed, dated 24 April 2010.
Appointment and induction of trustees
Trustees are appointed in accordance with the charity’s governing document. New trustees are provided with the charity’s governing document, recent accounts, key policies and information about their legal duties and responsibilities. The trustees meet as required to review the charity’s activities, finances, safeguarding arrangements and future plans.
Management and administration
The charity’s activities have historically been administered substantially by trustees and volunteers. Following the year end, the trustees reviewed the administrative workload and agreed that a paid administrator should be appointed to support the future operation of the charity. The charity will cease to operate its National Youth Percussion Orchestra activity, which is expected to operate independently under separate stewardship, while the National Youth French Horn Ensemble will remain based at Cheltenham.
Risk management
The trustees review the principal risks facing the charity and take reasonable steps to manage them. Particular attention is given to safeguarding, pastoral care, financial control, insurance, course delivery and the charity’s ability to meet its commitments. During the year, an unexpected VAT cost on school fees contributed to an operating deficit. The charity had sufficient reserves to meet the resulting shortfall.
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Objectives and activities
Charitable purposes
The charity exists to advance musical education and participation, particularly by providing high-quality residential courses and ensemble opportunities for young musicians. Its activities are designed to develop musical skill, confidence, ensemble experience and personal development in a supportive setting.
Public benefit
In planning and delivering the charity’s activities, the trustees have regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. The courses provide young musicians with access to specialist teaching, ensemble training, performance opportunities and pastoral support. The charity also owns musical instruments which may be made available to students at low cost, helping to reduce financial barriers to participation.
Activities during the year
The charity supported and delivered its annual music courses during the year. The courses ran smoothly and students were reported to have had a highly positive experience. Teaching staff were well prepared, efficient and inspirational. Pastoral support was provided by experienced adults, assisted by younger helpers who contributed both to pastoral care and teaching. This also provided the young helpers with valuable practical experience and responsibility.
Achievements and performance
Course delivery
The principal achievement of the year was the successful delivery of the charity’s music courses. The trustees were satisfied with the quality of teaching, the effectiveness of the pastoral arrangements and the overall experience provided to students.
Musical instruments
During the year the charity acquired marching drums at a cost of £3,500. At the year end, musical instruments were included in the balance sheet at £29,500, compared with £26,000 in the previous year. Following the year end, the trustees confirmed that the charity owned a French horn, a five-octave marimba and the marching drums. The trustees intend that these instruments may be loaned or rented to selected students at very low cost. Any income generated may be used to support student awards.
Promotion and recruitment
The trustees recognised the need to increase student numbers for future National Youth French Horn Ensemble courses. Short-form social media videos produced in connection with the previous year’s activities achieved substantial reach, with some Instagram content receiving up to 111,000 views. The trustees intend to build on this by carrying out further targeted marketing and recruitment.
Financial review
Results for the year
Total receipts for the year were £30,836.23. These comprised course fees of £30,269.08, a refund from Cheltenham Ladies College of £532.80 and bank interest of £34.35. Total payments were £34,965.44, producing a net cash outflow for the year of £4,129.21.
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The main expenditure was £20,184.00 for school facilities hire and £11,449.33 for teaching staff. The charity also spent £2,906.16 on marching drums, £273.00 on insurance, £103.85 on music, £39.10 on Mailchimp and £10.00 on bank charges.
Cash at bank and in hand at 30 September 2025 was £8,225.76. The balance sheet records total assets of £37,725.76, liabilities of £593.84 and net assets of £37,131.92. All funds were unrestricted. There were no restricted funds at the year end.
Explanation of the deficit
The charity incurred a deficit during the year. The trustees noted that VAT became payable on the school’s charges after course fees had already been set for parents. The additional cost could not therefore be fully recovered through course fees. The charity’s available cash reserves were sufficient to absorb the shortfall.
Reserves policy
The trustees aim to maintain unrestricted reserves at a level sufficient to meet foreseeable commitments, manage unexpected costs and protect the continuity of the charity’s courses. At 30 September 2025, unrestricted funds were £37,131.92, of which £29,500 related to musical instruments and £8,225.76 was held as cash. The trustees will continue to monitor the level of liquid reserves carefully, particularly in view of the operating deficit and planned future administrative costs.
Going concern
The trustees consider that the charity has adequate resources to continue operating for the foreseeable future. This conclusion is based on the charity’s positive net asset position, its cash reserves and the planned steps to strengthen administration, recruitment and income generation.
Plans for the future
-
Appoint a paid administrator to support the charity’s administration and reduce reliance on a small number of trustees.
-
Continue the National Youth French Horn Ensemble at Cheltenham and undertake further marketing to increase student numbers.
-
Support the NYPO activity as it moves towards independent operation.
-
Maintain strong pastoral arrangements, including the involvement and development of younger helpers.
-
Make the charity’s instruments available to students at low cost and use any resulting income to support student awards.
-
Review course pricing and financial planning so that VAT and other venue-related costs are fully reflected before fees are set.
Trustees’ responsibilities
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom accounting practice. The trustees are required 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 its incoming resources and application of resources for that period.
In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently, observe the methods and principles of the applicable charities accounting framework, make
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judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent, and prepare the financial statements on a 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, safeguarding the charity’s assets and taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Approval
This report was approved by the trustees on 27 July 2026 and signed on their behalf by:
Paul Branston Chair of Trustees
Date: ______
NICHOLAS BRANSTON FOUNDATION - 2025
| Statement of Financial Activities | Statement of Financial Activities | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For the Year ended 30th September 2025 |
||||||
| Year ended 30th September 2025 |
Year ended 30th September 2024 |
|||||
| Current Ac. Balance brought forward 30th Sept |
£9,531.64 | 18962.68 | ||||
| Reserve Ac. Balance brought forward 30th Sept |
£2,823.33 | £2,782.49 | ||||
| Total Cash reserves brought forward 30th Sept |
£12,354.97 | 21745.17 | ||||
| RECEIPTS | ||||||
| Donations | £5,680.00 | |||||
| Course Fees | £30,269.08 | £27,577.00 | ||||
| CLC refund | 532.80 | 1200 | ||||
| Interest (reserve account) | 34.35 | 40.84 | ||||
| Total receipts | £30,836.23 | £34,497.84 | ||||
| PAYMENTS | ||||||
| Teaching staf | £11,449.33 | £11,176.74 | ||||
| Music | £103.85 | £123.90 | ||||
| School facilities hire | £20,184.00 | £12,204.00 | ||||
| Concert venue hire | £0.00 | £100.00 | ||||
| Insurance | £273.00 | £273.00 | ||||
| Mailchimp | £39.10 | |||||
| Bank charges | £10.00 | £10.40 | ||||
| Instruments purchase (marching drums) |
£2,906.16 | £20,000.00 | ||||
| Total payments | £34,965.44 | £43,888.04 | ||||
| Net movement in period | -£4,129.21 | -£9,390.20 | ||||
| Current Ac. 30th Sept end of year | £5,368.08 | £9,531.64 | ||||
| Reserve Ac. 30th Sept end of year | £2,857.68 | £2,823.33 | ||||
| Total Cash reserves 30th Sept | £8,225.76 | £12,354.97 | ||||
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Nicholas Branston Foundation - Balance Sheet 2025
| Balance Sheet | 2025 (£) | 2024 (£) | ||
| ASSETS | ||||
| Cash at bank and in hand |
£8,225.76 | £12,294.69 | ||
| Debtors | £0.00 | £0.00 | ||
| Musical instruments (fxed assets) |
£29,500.00 | £26,000.00 | ||
| Total Assets | £37,725.76 | £38,294.69 | ||
| LIABILITIES | ||||
| Creditors due within one year |
£593.84 | £0.00 | ||
| Creditors due after more than one year |
£0.00 | £0.00 | ||
| Total Liabilities | £593.84 | £0.00 | ||
| NET ASSETS | £37,131.92 | £38,294.69 | ||
| FUNDS | ||||
| Unrestricted Funds |
£37,131.92 | £38,294.69 | ||
| Restricted Funds | £0.00 | £0.00 | ||
| Total Charity Funds |
£37,131.92 | £38,294.69 | ||
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Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of The
Nicholas Branston Foundation
I report on the accounts of the charlty lor the year erKled 30 Sepiember 2025.
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparatn of the accounts. The charity's trustees
consider Ihat an audit is rot requlred for this SEar (under sectton 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011)
and that an Ind8perKlent examlnalbn Is needed.
It is ry restx>nsiblllty to."
examine accounts under sectbn 145 of the Charttles Act 2011.
follow Ihe procedures lakl dovm In the gera1 Dlractlor6 glv8n by the CharKy Commlsslon
uNler secllon 145(5){b) ot the Charllles Act 2011, and
stste pathular matters have come to my attenth)n.
Bas18 of Independent examlner's statsment
My examlnallon was carrted out In accordance wlth the general Dlrecttons glven by the Charlty
Commlsslon. An examlnatlon Indudes a revlew ol acnI1ng records kepi by the charlty and a
comparlson of th8 accrlunts presented wllh tPK)se records. It also IludeS conslderlng any unLk8ual
Items or dLsclosures In aw)unts and seeklng explanatlork8 from th8 trustees at>out such
matters.
The procedures undertaken do rM)I provkle all the evhjence that QUId be requlred In an audlt and
consequently no oplnlon Is gtven as to wIther COUnts present a Inje and falr vvr and the
r8POrt Is Ilmlted to those matters set wl beh)w.
Indepondent examlner's ststement
In connectton wlth My examlnatlon, no matters have wrre to my attentlon:
wh*h glve me reason8 cause to bellev81hat, In any malerfal resped. the requlrements:
to keep acuntIrrfJ records In tK¢ordance sedbn 130 of the Charffjes Acl
2011. arKI
to prepare accounts whlch accord wlih the 8Kcountlng records and comply wlth
accountlng requlrements of Charldes Act 2011,.
have not tjeen met; or
to whkh, In my ¢)plnlon. atterrtlon shoukl be drawn in order lo onable a proper
underslandlry of Ihe accounts to be reacf£d.
29.2(
Address . &. -p. Ti-.rt.