Trustees. Annual Report for the period
Pariod start dale
Period end dale
From
Section A
Reference and administration details
Charity name
WINCHESTER POETrY FESTIVAL
Other names charlty Is known by
Registered charity number lif any)
1150997
Charity's prlnclpal address
clo Faculty of Arts
Univer51ty of Winchester
Sparkford Road. Winchesler
Postcode
5022 4NR
Names of the Charity trustees who manage the charlty
Datès actèd If nol for whole
•ar
Tru$l•• nam•
Offi¢•111 any)
Name 01 pèrson lor body) •rtill•d
loa
oinl trustee
Ifan
Winchester Poetry Festival
Jane Bryant
Rupert Nabarro
Jon Whitfield
Chair
Trustee
Trustee
Bear Shaw
Trustee
lillian Saucier
Trustee
Susmita Bhattacharya
Abanti Chakrabartv
Mukhopadhyoy
Ai51ing O'Toole
Jo Fisher
Trustee
Trustee
Appointed June 2023
Trustee
Appointed 2210112024
Appointed 2210112024
Appointed 22/0112024
Trustee
10
Jeremy Wikeley
Trustee
Names of the
trusteos for the
charity. if any, (for
example, any
custodlan trustees)
Name
Dates acted If not
for wholè year
Names and addresses of advisers Ioptlonal Information)
TAR

e of adviser
Name
Address
Treasurer
I Sue Spiers
Name of chlef executlve or names of senlor staff members (Optional Informallon)
Amy Juliet Brown IFestival Manager): Clare Pollard (Artlstlt Dlrectorl- Both freelance contracts.
Section B
Structure,
overnance and mana
ement
Descrlption of the charlty's trusts
Trust Deed
Type of governing documenl
How Ihe charity is constituted
Trust
Trustee selection methods
Elected by Trustees
Addltlonal governan¢o Issues (Optional inforniationl
Trvstees consider areas of risk at each trustee meeting via a regularly updated
risk register, considering appropriate mitigation plans and actions.
You may choose to include
additional information, where
relevant, about..
Additional governance information
policies and procedures
adopted for the induction and
trdining of Iruslees..
the charity s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the charity
works..
New trustees are provided with guidance and information to allow them to
undertake their roles effectively.
The formal business of the charity is conducted through regular trustee
meetings (generally 4 to 5 meetings per yearl.
relationship with any related
parties..
trustees Conslderation of
major risks and the System
and procedures lo manage
them.
Section C
Ob ectives and activities
l.To educate the public in the arts with particular reference to poetry.
2.To encourage the enjoyment, appleciation and practice of literature, the
beneficiarie5 being people of all ages throughout Hampshire
Summary of thè objects of Iho
charity set oul In Its
governing document
TAR

The principal activity of the charity is to organise and present a biennial festival
of poetry in Winchester, together with associated events. which also mainlain
year-round presence.
The trustees, in making decisions about the festival and associated artivrties.
have held due regard to the Charity Commission's public benofit guidaTrte when
exercising any powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant.
Summary of the maln
activltl8s undertaken for the
public benefit in relation to
these objects (include within
this sectlon the Statutory
declaration that trustees havo
had regard to the guidance
Issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit>
Addltlonal delall8 of obJoCtlv8s and activltles Ioptlonal Informatlon)
You may choose to include
further statements, where
relevant, about..
policy on granlmaking..
policy programme related
investment:
contribution made by
volunteers.
Section D
Achievements and performance
TAR

Section D
Achievements and performance
Summary of
Ihe main
achievements
of the charity
during the
year
WINCHESTER POETR Y FESTIVAL'S rnis%iori 1% ir) 8h.Irp, c.plebrclte and chainpinn poplry nl rill kind£,'
we believe in the power of poetry tts bring us together and make a p051tive, enriching difference to
our lives. While WPF is international in outlook, our commitment to reaching under-represented
voices and those experiencing challenges is kev.
During 2024, Winchester Poetry Festival IWPFI was very active throughout the year programming
a wide range of activities and growing our reputation as an increasingly year-round organisation.
As a key highlight of our annual programme, we delivered a Poetry Day in October. Our events
this ye.2r have been focused on maintaining our commitment to accessibility, inclusion and
collaboration. These events allow us to build and Strengthen partnerships and grow and develop
our network of communities. The following is a summary of the principal activities during the year.
ointrnent of the new Ham
shire Poet 2024
2026
After a strong set of applications and working in partnership with Hampshire Cultural Trust IHCTI,
WPF selected
a5 tho new Hampshire Poet for 2024 and 2025. Damian is the
first male Hampshire Poet since 2012, and one of the few male applicants to apply for the role this
vear. He is also very active within the poetry scene locally. Damian has already visited multiple
poetry open mic nights in Hampshire, and introduced himself to cultural organisations. A5 well as
formulating his own projects (Festival of Surrealism), he islhas been engaged in a number of 2024
activities las outlined belowl.
Wlnchestef Poet Festlval •t Sound Wlnchesler Launch event., Febru
2024
Attended by over 50 people, WPF delivered a communily poetry session as part of Sound
Winchester Launch at The Arc, supporting local poet performances by Winchester Muse and
Poetry Platform in an engaging session attracting a large and dlverse audience.
Wlnchester Poet Festival at Bournemouth Wrltln
Fesilval.. A
ril 2024
WPF was delighted to be invited by Bournemouth Writing Festiv31 a city-wide literary festival
'inspiring writers to write"
to curate a full day of drop-in activities inspiring WOTdplay and
expression through poetry, taking place as part of the festival programme in April. We
programmed a rango of sessions including..
Bloodaxe Books poet land Poetry Ambassadors mentee, KAycoe Hill,
Aiysha Jahan from transnational writin8 development scheme Write 8e
ondB
ers
sliirt, Poel D!iYiiJn Kelly_ BLislior, and award winning writer and poet, Estelle Philli
Activities Included Truck Art Poetry exploring the sloganslartwork of Pakistan's jingle trucks;
poetry collage., using non.verbal prompts from naturo,. surrealism in poetry., and a Communlty
Landscape Poem for 8ournemouth from submissions collated in person and via social media.
Ham
shire Youn
Poets, com
etltlon 2024
The Hampshire Young Poet's Competition, an ongoing collaboration with Hampshire Cultural Trust
has been growing in popularity since it5 inception in 2017118, with 2024 experiencing the largest
number of entries ever1600+ poems12023: 200 entrie51. Thls years, theme, "Our World, Our
Planet" also attracted good press covera8e. Sponsored by Paris Smlth Jnd independent bookshop,
PG Wells, the latter set up a 'Poetry Writing Desk, at the shop for the duration of the competition
inspiring children to both write and submit entries via the shop. Hampshire Poet, Damian, was the
competition judge.
Mother T
ue Poet Evenin
A celebration of lan ua
es at their most beautiful.. Ma
With 3 giarbt from Winchester City Council, WPF invited Susmita 8hattacharya and Aiysha Jahan
from Writp iond Borders to facilitate a celebration of language5 and multilingualism. Our
Mother Tongue Poetry Evening bfought people from diverse cultures to share poems (their own or
others), that were written in their 'mother tongue" Languages represented from our community
were.. Portuguese, Welsh, Hindi, Maltese, Malayalam, French, Spanish, Romany, Ukrainian,
Russian, English, Urdu, Dutch, Bengali, Hausa, Japanese, Arabic and Italian. The FK)em5 created in
this session were performed to those in attendance and shared on our social media channels.
2024
TAR

Section D
Achievements and performance
"We don'l olwoy5 understand language5, but we con feel Ihe pos5ion ond open feelings of poetry.
especially in the mother tongue. We (Ire oll different, but creativity, the desire to learn new things
ond ot the some time the preservotion (7nd desire to shore our culture ond identity con build
bridges, not borders." (Workshop partlClPGntJ.
Winchester Poet Prize 2024
With spon50r5hip from Pari5 Smith, WPF launched it5 international 2024 Winchester Poetry Priie
in April, with
Irhey/theml as jud8e. The first prize is £IOOO, with those coming second
and third winning £SOO and £250 respectively. 2024 saw a total of 1956 entries including entrie5
from 38 countries outside of UK linc Zambia, Iran, Romania, Pakistan, Finland, New Zealandl
There were 315 entrie.s from Hampshire-ba5èd poets- 16.2% of total entries (similar % to last
year). This Was an increase oil both 2023 and 2022. This year wa5 the first Kathryn Bevis Prize'lsee
below) Iformally Hampshire Prize) with an expanded prize offering courtesy of The Writing School
Online.
I" Prize Oliver Carmichael 'You Ask About My First Kiss,
2nd Prize - Adele Evershed 'Hard Labour,
3rd Prize - Jordan Hamel 'How To Drive Drunk In A Flaming Paddock,
Kathryn Bevis Prize Jenny McRobert 'Oslo lune 2022,
l(athryn Bevls Prlze: Our friend, poet, and supporter Kathryn 8evis died in May 2024. 2024 was
the first year with our new Kathryn Bevis Prize which replaced the prize formerly known as the
Hampshire Priielspecifically for a poet based and living in Hampshire). It offers the winnin8
Hamp5hire-based poet an enhanced prize offering with year-long tuition sponsored by The Writin8
School and a cash prize of £150 sponsored by Ollie Goldsmith IKathryn's husbandl. This
sponsorship will run for 3 years subject to annual review. WPF will enhance this prize further bv
introducing opportunities for the winner to read at Poetry Platform (Railway Innl as a guest poet.
and also to be part of the Winchester's Poets event at Winchester Poetry Festival 2025.
Au
ust: ci,.
.)y('r Adil,I Poet Com
tltlon on Unl 101 radlo statlon
Radio host, Abanti Chakrabarty Mukhopadhyay (also a WPF Trusteel, ran a poetry competition for
listeners of the globally popular Chayor Adda programme on Bengali Radio Station Unity 101. The
winners were announced on air on 1st sept and were invited to read their poem as part of WPF
Poetry Day 2024. It was judged by the Hampshire Poet. Going forward, this competition will be
annual 50 we can grow the relationship between WPF and Unity 101 listener5.
em
Netw
rks
nnec
ns at Herlt
The Heritage Open Days 2024 theme was "routes. networks. connections" We delivered a
H3mpshire.Poet curated event on
exploring this theme. Oamian Kelly-
Basher identified poets from Hampshire poetry groups, to read poems on a vintage bus and a
circular bus route.
October.. Winch ster Poet Da
t Th ARC.. S
urda
After 2023,5 Successful biennial festival, we held the smaller
..*r Doptrv nH:, which took
place on Sat 5th October 2024. Thi5 year's event included BSL interpretation and the livestreamin8
of the popular Winchester Poetry Prize ceremony. All events were low cost, free, or by donation.
Rèther than a 'headline' event at the end of the event, each event throughout the day had a
notable 'guest poet,. This one-day poetry event included..
Local poets curated by Artfulscribe-hosted Write A Note poetry group Itheme 'home'l'
Chayer Adda competition winners, announcement and reading-
a poetry workshop with Susmita BhattBcharya,'
guest poets (Akila Richards and Adriana Lordl and poetry drop-in activities curated and
provided bv
lorganisation fostering. supporting and prornoting poet5 of
colourl,.
TAR

Section D
Achievements and performance
WiiTrchesrer Poetry Prize and K.athryn Bevis Prize ceremony IBSL interpreted and livestreamed)
including launch of the Winchester Poetry Prize Anthology 2024
Hampshire Young Poets celebration and
a Poets Of Colour social taking place at the Cabinet Rooms
Universi
Ofwinchester
Uow
artnershi
reement refreshed and renewed
WPF was delighted to announce the signinB of a renewe(J partnership agreement with the Llow at
a reception held in July 2024, attended by trustees ond friends of Winchester Poetry Festival and
hosted by Vice Chancellor of the Unlversity, Professor Sarah Greer. This is a 3-year agreement
with an annual review. WPF has agreed to provide collabofative opportunities for students plus 50
x free student entries Imax 3 per student) to Winchester Poetry Prize, 10 x free student place5 at
selected WPF performance events. The Uow will provide £IOOO per year, plus use of the
University address, Post room, free use of meeting rooms, and other artistic programme
collaborations. This partnership is now we15-established and enables us to reach a large and
important local community of young people, offering them signlficant opportunities to gain new
skills and en8a8e in cultural activities.
FINALLY A NOTE FROM CHAIR JANE BRYANT
As always, Winchester Poetry Festival is eminently grateful to its funders, sponsors, supporters,
Friends and Volunteers. We very much value our relationship with you all indeed, we could not
manage without you all and your vital support, skills, and enthusiasm.
Particular thanks 80 to our wonderful Artistic Director, Clare Pollard, and our Festival Manager,
Amy Juliet Brown. Together, you make everything happen seamlessly and enable WPF to put on a
varied annual programme of activity including reaching those experiencin8 challenges in their lives.
We continue to be grateful to the Univer51ty ot Winchester for it5 Partnership support and to
Winchester City Council and to Paris Smith. We were also particularly delighted to have been
successful with our application to Arts Council England for a grant towards our year-round
programme of work in 2025 as well as to a number of smaller grant making trusts, and we are
looking forward to delivering our plans across the coming year with confidence.
As ever, my fellow Trustees and our volunteer Treasurer and Minutes Secretary have been
generous with their wisdom, insight, support and guidance over the last year. and l am deeply
grateful to them.
I now look forward to working with you all over the coming period as we deliver our vision and
plan5 for 2025 with equality and inclusion at its heart- and taking u5 into 2026 and beyond,
Jane Bryant
Chair - Winchester Poetry Festlval
April 2024
Section E
Financial review
TAR

Section E
Financial review
The trustees have agreed to hold a minimum reserve of £IO,C(10. The primary purpose of the
reserve is to mitigate the risk of unforeseen shortfalls in income and to allocate a specific amount
in the event of closure. Trustee approval 15 required before any expenditure may be made from
the reserve account.
Brief
statement of
the charity's
policy on
reserves
Trustees have agreed that the anticipated surplus on the 2024 account. beyond those items
specified above, represents funds which will be ringfenced and carried forward to support the
festival and its work in 2025 and 2026.
Detalls of any
funds
materially In
deficlt
Further financial review detalls (Optional informatlon)
the charity's principal sources of funds (including any fundraising).,
how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charrty"
investment policy and ol¥'ectives including any ethiGaS investment policy adopted.
You may
choose to
include
additional
infomiation,
where relevant
about".
Section F
Other optional information
Section G
Declaration
Th8 trustees d¢Glar¢ that tli$y havo approvod thg trustees, r8port abova.
Signed on behalf of the charlty's tru8tsos
Signature(s)
Full namels)
Position (eg Secretary, Chair,
etc)
Jane V
rstseg ryant
Chair
Date
TAR

CHARITY COMMISSION
FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
Independent examiner's
report on the accounts
Section A
Independent Examiner's Report
Report to the trusteesl
members of
Winchester Poetry Festival
On accounts for the year
ended
Charlty no
(If any)
31" December 2024
1150997
Set out on pages
1-2 below
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above
charity ("the Trust") for the year ended 3111212024.
Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation
basis of report 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 the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission
under section 145151(b) of the Act.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have
corne to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me
cause to believe that in. any material respect..
accountiiig records were nol kept in accordance with section 130 of
the Act or
the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
Independent
examiner's statement
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection
with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable
proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed:
Date:
1 July 2025
Name:
F J Wilde
Relevant professlonal
qualifi¢ation(s) or body
(if any).,
FCCA DChA
Address:
4 Marigold Drive
Bisley, Surrey
GU24 9SF

Wlnch•5ter Pwtry F•sfjv*l
1150997
Receipts and payments accounts
Ca6a
For th• p•ilod from
0110112024
3ts1ty024
Emdowm•nt
Un¥•#rlrt•d Funth Aostrlrt•d Fundi
tstho nEiTe#t£
t¢the tteare#t£
Totsl Funds
to the nearest £
iartY•
tothe ncJrc2t£
Al R•¢•lpfs
iLI,Jt
IV,166
27,038
Gtantg
27.038
2.475
4.650
4,650
1,?65
3.7JO
L415
rrlends Scheme
Personal CLTrntiiburions/¢ther
Grft Ai
1,269
1,463
1,463
Sub Total IGFOU Incorrb• fw ARI
19,183
35.188
54.671
AlA￿ts and Inv•stm•nt ul•¥
Sub Tot•1
T•tsi P•c•lpts
19.483
35,188
54.671
AJ p>￿•n￿
Art￿15 fec
6.850.C
11.625.IX
15.498
?￿?94
1.148 (N)
69n.(N)
158.CM)
18,713
69(J
155
Profes5ioDal fee5
538
Pay Pal rhai8p5
FTieiids scliemes
459.
472
L162
2.rJ4
Vcnup & Lquipmeiit hire
Poetiy Pilie
b¥2.
81
5,138
5.148.
Sub Totyl
A4 AM•t •hd I*￿￿1•nt9urChW1
Tot*1
Total Paym•nts
9,602
25.167
34,769
Net 11 Receipt%1lpaymenisI
A5 TT•Trsf•rs b￿l￿*￿Tr fLinth
A6 Cdsh funds last year end
I'.a5h FiinrtS th14 year end
9M81
10,021
IIL
39.B83
39.382
29,148

Unrestrirted
Futhds
toth• n••t••t£
E￿o0w￿￿nt
Funds
toth• n•ar•rtÉ
Detsl
A•st¥irt•d Funds
t• th• tt•4r•rt£
HSBC
Pay Pal
59,284
59,284
B3 Inve5tmenrAsset5
U4 As&ot5 rctainodfoi thè Lharity'5
u$e
85 Ilabllltles
Slined ty one or two tiustees on
beha￿ of all rhe tfusiees
Ddie of ayproyal