2024-07-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 01.08.2023 Period start date to 31.07.2024 Period end date

Charity name: Whittington Music Festival

Charity registration number: 1168989

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	To promote public apprecia/on of, and educa/on in, classical music in and around Whi7ngton, Oswestry by organising chamber music fes/vals
Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	Para 1.17 and 1.19	Our mission is to provide world class performances of chamber music at affordable prices and to encourage young people and the general public to par/cipate. The trustees are aware of the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and take it into account when making decisions that may affect the accessibility of its ac/vi/es to the public at large (e.g. /cket prices, transport, access for the disabled). Anyone aged 25 or less is en/tled to free /ckets thanks to a scheme sponsored by The Cava/na Trust. Our venue has excellent acous/cs and sight- lines, par/cularly suited to chamber music presented in an informal and inclusive way. Our ar/s/c director selects young award-winning stars from a group she coaches and mentors. The residency during the fes/val offers them important professional development opportuni/es, including the opportunity to perform with eminent colleagues. Since its incep/on in May 2012 the fes/val has gained a reputa/on for excellence and audience numbers con/nue to increase. Outreach ac/vi/es include workshops for schoolchildren and students with physical and learning disabili/es, and masterclasses with fes/val musicians for talented teenage soloists.

Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	The trustees are aware of the SORP guidance and have ensured the public beneft of the Trust’s ac/vity.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

	SORP reference
Policy on grant making	Para 1.38
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	The fes/val programme is decided by the Ar/s/c Director, Sophia Rahman, who also recruits the ar/sts, and receives a fee for her services. Otherwise, the charity is run en/rely on a voluntary basis. The trustees are responsible for all execu/ve ac/on involved in planning, publicising, funding and managing the fes/val. We are fortunate to have in addi/on a substan/al number of volunteers who are willing to perform a wide range of tasks before and during the fes/val.
Other

Achievements and Performance

SORP reference

Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	Audience numbers were higher this year, as were the numbers of subscribers and donors, suggesting that we have come through a transition period following the pandemic and the change of Artistic Director. Audience feedback was enthusiastic about both the programming and the standard of performance, and the outreach concerts had a profound effect on students with special educational needs and disabilities and primary school pupils Local musical talent was nurtured in free workshops and masterclasses leading to performances in a Saturday afternoon Family concert.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41
Other

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	This has been our most successful year fnancially. We received several grants from other chari/es as well as from Arts Council England. The magnifcent generosity of our supporters con/nued this year; Income from the Friends’ Scheme contributed a record 28% of income and /cket sales 22%. The Trust holds no fxed assets and all funds are held in a
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	~~t b~~ ~~k~~ ~~t~~ The Reserves Policy states that we need reserves to cover an/cipated expenditure coming due aWer the delivery of the fes/val (The Project Reserve) as well as commitment to expenditure for the following year’s fes/val which has to be made before knowing what our income will be, (The Friends’ Reserve), typically about 25% of the expected total budget.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	£9,980.88
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	We can already say that we will be able to pay our artists in 2025, but because we depend on grants for at least 30% of our income, there is always uncertainly

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The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47	Ticket income, supporters’ dona/ons and subscrip/ons, GiW Aid and grants from other chari/es.
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46	The dire state of the economy; the current policy of Arts Council England which is hos/le to both classical music and to our having funds in reserve; we need to recruit a trustee willing to take over either the chair or the administrator role in June 2025.
Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s
~~t~~ ~~t~~ Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	Cons/tu/on – registered 1 September 2016 amended 20/10/17
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	CIO
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more	Para 1.25	AWer an ini/al induc/on and period of mutual evalua/on, appointment of new trustees is voted on at an ordinary mee/ng. New trustees are given a copy of the CIO cons/tu/on and are made aware of the aims of the Charity.
~~trustees~~

Additional information (optional)

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Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51
Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	Whi7ngton Music Fes/val
Other name the charity uses
Registered charity number	1168989

	Charity’s principal address Ashfeld, Bronygarth, Oswestry, Shropshire SY10 7LY

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any)
	Dr Judy Greaves	Chair	05.04.2024 to present
	MrsMaria Hollis
	Mrs Helen Hughes
	Mrs Patricia Lowe		08.12.2023 to present
	Mrs Debi Lumley-Edwards
	Mrs Ursula Neil	Fundraiser	13.06.2024 to present
	Mrs Pam Parish	Administrator
	Mrs Rachel Picaway	Treasurer

Corporate trustees – names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets held in this capacity

Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects

Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of Name Address adviser

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional ~~information)~~

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

Other optional information

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees Signature(s)

Full name(s) Marion Judith Greaves

Position (eg Chair Secretary, Chair, etc)

Date 4.12.2024

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND ANO WALES Whttungton Muslc Fesllval Recei tsand ments accounts CC16a For the period 1.82023 To 317.2024 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted funds Restricted funds End0¥4ment funds Total fun(Is Last y￿r A1 Recel 12 11864 1,WO 2.890 14,122 21050 8u51r￿S s 0ofta¢ions Trkd and p Grnnts receivad Adverti￿9 ¥)¢om Gfft akl daimed Fund r8i8in concert 13041 5,610 700 4.398 741 11A00 3,300 or AR) 48A76 10100 49.234 an 46h76 10,600 Sfj,976 MusKlans fees cngts Venue renth Bar ¢OSta Trans￿￿)￿ I￿* Calarino Insvrnr PrintsThJ and putl¢ty Benk ch8ry08 Sub$cnpkns Accxjmmodatron Hire cl in61rumerrt8 Sund(kns Aeeouniant honOr￿M J3.623 33.623 36,057 2.OOQ 302 13OB 2A18 302 1,2QU 2.418 79 224 2,137 109 775 791 2A07 2A07 B1 360 2257 360 Sub totsl 44.7J4 41784 A4 Asset and Investment Sub total 44,754 44754 44.559 Net of rnceipts/{payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last y•ar end Cash funds this year end 1.722 10.$00 7,$00 7,SOO 12.222 4,67 12.477 21.699 3l199 £675 CCXX R1 ac£ounts ISS) 11103r2025

Section B Ststement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unre5trictad funds Categories Restricted funds to n••r•8t £ Endowmènt funds to noarnst£ Details B1 Cash funds B8nk 21.699 10,600 Total cash funds 21.699 10.800 a*sll Unrestrlctod funds Restrfctad funds to n•thst£ Endowment funds to nuro•t£ Details B2 Othor monètary a88ets Fund 10 ¥thkh Dotalls ¢o•t lopthnall nal Detalls ¢o•tlopilon•ll Cuiy•nt nlu• on•1 B4 A880ts retalned for the charlty'8 olmn use to whkh Amount IWh•Tr du• Detalls B5 Liabilities SMJned by one or ts¥o Irustees on behalf of all lh& tru$tetrs Si9nature Prfnt Name D81e of roval GCKX R2 a(tounts Iss) 11103r2025

CHARITY COMMISSION Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examlnerfs Report Report to the trustees Wh￿Ir￿￿ Music festival On accounts for the year 31 July 2024 ended Charity no 1168989 (If any) S•t out on pages I report to the truees on my examinabon of accounts of the above chanty (Tr Trust") for the year ended T As the chartys trustees. you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance wrth the requwements of the Chantses Aci 2011 (Ihe Act") R•8ponslbllltle• and basls ol report I report in respect of my examination of the Tntst's accounts camed out under se(XK)n 145 of the 2011 Act and in Car￿ng out my examination, I have foll0v￿ all the applicable DIrect￿nS given by the Chanty Commission urKler secon 14515}(b) of the Ad. Independent examlnorfs Statement I have crynpleted my examination l ¢onfimi thai no material matter3 have C4)me to my attenb'on in Gonnection ￿ryth the examination (other than that disclosed below ") ¥thich gives me cause to bel*ve thai In, any maten81 the accountirwj records ￿re not kept in accordance with sects'on 130 of the Chanties Act: or the accounts not accord the accounting records., or the accounts dKI not comply wth th8 applicable requirements conceming the form and content of accounts set out in the Charrties (Accounts arKI Reports) RegulatK)ns 2008 other than any requirement thai the accounts give a true arKI fair, view which is not a matter conskdered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come auoss no other matters in connecti¢)n with tr￿ examinabon to which attentjon shoukl be drawn in this report in order to enable a yoper understandiThJ of the accounts to be reac1￿1. . Please delete the words in the braGkels rfthey not 8PPty. sig1￿d. Dat•: J>£ Mthael 111￿M John Davie Relevant profey/Jional MD (Cantab) qualificationls) or body ,. (If any): IER Oct 2018

Address: l The Holl￿. West Fetton SY114JU Section B Disclosure he eX￿nine[ needs to htsf,;￿hI mateiial matters of concern (see CC32. Independent examinabon of chanty accounts.. directions and guKlance for examiners). Glvff here brfef detalls of any items that the examiner wishes to dlsclose IER ort 2018