2023-12-31-accounts

Shoreham Wordfest 2023 Annual Report

Two festivals were held during the year. The annual Celebrating Shakespeare weekend took place on Friday 21 and Saturday 22 April and the autumn Wordfest took place from 30 September to 15 October.

Both festivals were very successful with good audience numbers, both covered their costs and the autumn Wordfest generated a profit of around £10,000. The full accounts are attached along with the details of the two festivals.

Audience feedback for both festivals was very positive with events regularly achieving 5 and 4 star ratings. Critical comments are welcomed as useful feedback but previous complaints such as sound and seating have been remedied. Feedback often includes suggestions for future programming which is always welcome.

The Celebrating Shakespeare team, led by Libby Longhurst with Dave Sutton, Janet Pressley and Sherron Baker, have developed a good formula for the weekend festival. This year’s four events were well attended with highlights being the performance of Midsummer Night’s Eve by Bowler Crab company and the free concert of music, songs and play extracts in St. Mary de Haura Church.

The autumn Wordfest increased both ticket sales and book sales this year, with the early release of tickets for the main events yielding an enthusiastic response. There was a balance of local creative events alongside high-profile speakers and performers – Lemn Sissay being a particular highlight along with the second Fatal Shore crime festival, featuring Richard Osman among other best-selling authors.

As always there is a whole team effort underpinning both festivals which are organised and run entirely by a dedicated team of volunteers. Performers and speakers are mostly paid of course as is Akhil Padmajan our website manager and ticket administrator. The design for the autumn festival publicity was produced by Stephanie Young at Say Design, who also organised the social media campaign. Felicity Knight is fundamental to the efficient operation of the organisation as volunteer coordinator and generating funding through business sponsorship which covers the cost of the festival brochure. Marian Gerrett is the financial administrator who monitors income and expenditure, organises payments and the annual accounts. We are grateful to Neville Pressley who acts as our Independent Financial Examiner.

Details of events and the annual accounts are attached along with charts showing the postcode locations of our customers which indicate a widening geographical spread. In summary this has been a very good year for Shoreham Wordfest with two popular festivals which are in keeping with the educational and cultural objects of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation.

Rosalind Turner, Shoreham Wordfest Programme Director, 6/8/24

registered charity 1163258 www.shorehamwordfest.com

Annual Accounts 2023

Balance B/F 1 Jan 2023	26,558
Total Income	53,474
Total Expenditure	43,131
Balance C/F 31 Dec 2023	37,001

Represented by

Income

Autumn Tickets	Autumn Tickets	38,976.43
Book sales		6,268.89
Brochure Ads		3,710.00
Shakespeare		3,109.27	,
ADC		1,000.00
Other		410.00
Total		53,474.59

Expenditure

Expenditure	Expenditure
Autumn Artists		18,762.11
Autumn Expenses		12,297.80
City Books		5,015.11
Shakespeare		2,929.17
General Overheads		4,127.08
Total		43,131.27

Creditor 2023

Marlipins 200.00

Debtor 2023

Shoreham Society Heritage 214.63

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trustees <"h/o rf & kih/Y Sr Trl PIcsf26EIL

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On accounts for the year ended Charity no (if any). 1/132ff Set out on pages 0-4 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trust") for the year ended Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity's trustees, 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 IThe charity's gross income exceeded £25 O and l am qualified to examiner's statement undertake the exaimination by bein ualified member of [insert name of applicable listed body]]. Delete If not applicable. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (ot4￿t disel6s8&b) 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 tle 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. Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply. Signed: Date: i)2 Name: ne44L Relevant professional IER Oct 2018