London English Song Festival: Trustees' Annual Report
Period start date Period end date T From 1 1 2024 o 31 12 2024
Section A Reference and administration details
Charity name
London English Song Festival
Other names charity is known by
N/A
Registered charity number (if any) 1159818 Charity's principal address 14 College Court, West Road London Postcode SW3 4NL ~~Oo~~ Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity Dates acted if not for whole Name of person (or body) entitled Trustee name Office (if any) year to appoint trustee (if any) 1 William Vann Chair 2 Matthew Kay Treasurer 3 Katie Emily Bray 4 Jonathan Langridge ~~———_———~~ Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees) Name Dates acted if not for whole year N/A ~~==~~
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of adviser Name Address N/A ~~—————~~ Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information) N/A
LESF TAR
24 th October 2025
1
Section B Structure, governance and management
Description of the charity’s trusts
Type of governing document Constitution
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(eg. trust deed, constitution)
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How the charity is constituted
CIO
- (eg. trust, association, company)
Trustee selection methods Appointed by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the (eg. appointed by, elected by) charity trustees.
Additional governance issues (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:
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policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;
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the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
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relationship with any related parties;
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trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.
Section C Objectives and activities
Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document
The objects of the CIO are to advance the education of the public in the musical arts and in particular the art of English language song in all its aspects.
Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)
(a) by organising and promoting the public performance of English song, and in particular an annual festival of English song recital in London and (b) complementary thereto or in connection therewith, by further providing for the public benefit in London and elsewhere in the United Kingdom as may be appropriate educational and vocal workshops and masterclasses and other activities to promote and encourage musical education and vocal performance.
The trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission of public benefit.
LESF TAR
24 th October 2025
2
Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)
You may choose to include N/A further statements, where relevant, about:
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policy on grantmaking;
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policy programme related investment;
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contribution made by volunteers.
Section D Achievements and performance
Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year
As noted in our 2023 TAR, 2023 and 2024 were quiet years of activity while we regroup, fundraise and plan for projects in future years, including an opportunity to help record Elgar’s choral music in 2025, a planned recording of Stanford’s oratorio Eden and our Vaughan Williams in Chelsea festival.
Our only expenses in 2024 were maintaining our online presence on the web and email and printing twelve scores of Hubert Parry’s oratorio L’Allegro ed il penseroso. The scores were used at a sing-through session with a group of professional, who generously donated their time and opinions about what the LESF should aim to record next. Stanford’s Eden is still the front-runner, and the plan is to fundraise for this throughout late 2025 unto 2026, with an aim to record and perform in Spring 2027.
Income was from a combination of regular donations and royalty payments from Chandos relating to the LESF’s previous recording projects, a useful, though small, continued source of funds.
LESF TAR
24 th October 2025
3
Section E Financial review ~~ee~~
Brief statement of the The charity manages its funds, including any project-specific restricted charity’s policy on reserves funds, with a view to achieving parity over a project's lifecycle. In light of the charity's business model and limited financial risk exposure, the trustees currently set a minimum reserves level of £nil, and will review this annually. Details of any funds materially None in deficit
Further financial review details (Optional information)
You may choose to include Fundraising is an important part of our work – by its very nature, our additional information, where educational ventures make a loss, and so the support of private relevant about: individuals and other charities is crucial.
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the charity’s principal sources of funds (including Funds raised in 2024 were all small, regular donations, mostly through any fundraising); the CAF fundraising portal, except for one private annual donation of
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• £50. These will be put towards our future projects. how expenditure has supported the key objectives As receipts in 2023 were below the £25K threshold, we did not need the
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of the charity;
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• investment policy and services of an Independent Examiner this year. objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.
Section F Other optional information ~~ee~~
Section G Declaration ~~ee~~ The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s)
Full name(s) William Vann Matthew Kay ~~ee~~ Position (eg Secretary, Chair, Chair Treasurer etc) ~~ee ee~~ Date 24th October 2025 24th October 2025 ~~ee~~
LESF TAR
24 th October 2025
4
London English Song Festival Charitable Incorporated Organisation
1159818
CC16a
Receipts and payments accounts For the period Period start date Period end date To from 01-Jan-24 31-Dec-24 ~~ee ee ee ee~~
| Section A Receipts and payments ~~Se~~ |
Section A Receipts and payments ~~Se~~ |
Section A Receipts and payments ~~Se~~ |
Section A Receipts and payments ~~Se~~ |
Section A Receipts and payments ~~Se~~ |
Section A Receipts and payments ~~Se~~ |
Section A Receipts and payments ~~Se~~ |
Section A Receipts and payments ~~Se~~ |
Section A Receipts and payments ~~Se~~ |
Section A Receipts and payments ~~Se~~ |
Section A Receipts and payments ~~Se~~ |
Section A Receipts and payments ~~Se~~ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Endowment funds |
Total funds | Last year | |||||||
| to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | |||||||
| A1 Receipts | |||||||||||
| Loan advances | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Donations | 701 | - | - | 701 | 701 | 1,303 | |||||
| Gift Aid | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Grants | - | - | - | - | - | 1,451 | |||||
| Royalties | 368 | - | - | 368 | 368 | 1,063 | |||||
| Ticket sales | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
AR) | 1,069 | - | - | 1,069 | 1,069 | 3,817 | ||||
| ~~A2 Asset and investment sales,~~ (see table). - Sub total - Total receipts 1,069 ~~SS~~ ~~ |
~~ | - - - ~~SS~~ ~~ee ~~ |
- - - ~~ |
~~ | - - 1,069 ~~a~~ |
||||||
| A3 Payments | |||||||||||
| Administration fees | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Loan repayments | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Marketing- advisory& booking | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Marketing- leaflets & flyering | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Marketing- online | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Marketing- other | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Marketing-print | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Onlinepresence(email & website) | 107 | - | - | 107 | 107 | 86 | |||||
| Production costs -performers | - | - | - | - | - | 659 | |||||
| Production costs -programme | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Production costs - other | - | - | - | - | - | 697 | |||||
| Production costs - reception | - | - | - | - | - | 532 | |||||
| Production costs - sheet music | 85 | - | - | 85 | 85 | - | |||||
| Production costs - staging | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Production costs - venue hire | - | - | - | - | - | 1,031 | |||||
| **Sub total ** | 191 | - | - | 191 | 191 | 3,006 |
The prior year (2023) was a year of moderate activity including the follow-up premiere of Prometheus Unbound at Royal Hospital Chelsea, with the majority of this project having been completed in 2022. Restricted funds related to Prometheus Unbound were entirely expended during 2023 though the charity maintained liquidity as a result of some original unrestricted donations having made good the difference to our expenditure.
2024 has been a year of rest and discovery for future project ideas, supported by very modest spend on sheet music and the maintenance of our online presence. Cash has been mildly positive since some donations to support the charity's long-term work have continued, alongside royalties for the Prometheus Unbound disc (albeit at a lower level than for 2023).
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) - - - - - Sub total - - - - - ~~SS~~ |
A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) - - - - - Sub total - - - - - ~~SS~~ |
A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) - - - - - Sub total - - - - - ~~SS~~ |
A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) - - - - - Sub total - - - - - ~~SS~~ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total payments 191 - - ~~ |
~~ ~~ |
~~ ~~ |
~~ |
| Net of receipts/(payments) 877 - - A5 Transfers between funds - - A6 Cash funds last year end 1,360 - - Cash funds this year end 2,237 - - 2,237 ~~=== >=~~ |
877 811 - - 1,360 549 - 2,237 1,360 ~~>=~~ |
||
| check zero cross add | - |
1
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
26/02/2021
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period ~~a~~
| Unrestricted Restricted Endowment |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Categories | Details | funds funds funds |
|
| to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £ |
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| B1 Cash funds | 2,237 - - 2,237 - - Bank account Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments ~~EEE~~ |
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| account(s)) | OK OK OK |
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| Unrestricted Restricted Endowment |
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| funds funds funds |
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| Details | to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £ |
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| B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets |
38 - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) Current value (optional) n/a - - Details Gift aid claims eligible but not yet made None ~~ |
~~ ~~ |
~~ ~~8~~ ~~eg~~ |
| B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use |
Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) Current value (optional) n/a - - Details None ~~Po~~ |
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| Fund to which Amount due When due |
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| B5 Liabilities | ~~liability relates~~ ~~(optional)~~ ~~(optional)~~ Details None ~~Po~~ |
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| Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees |
Signature | Date of approval Print Name |
|
| 15-Oct-25 Matthew Kay |
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| 15-Oct-25 William Vann |
2
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
26/02/2021