## **REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1174819**
**REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **THE MARGATE BOOKIE**
**THE MARGATE BOOKIE**
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## **CONTENTS OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
||Page|
|---|---|
|Report of the Trustees|3|
|Statement of Financial Position|21|
|Statement of Financial Activities|22|
|Notes to the Financial Statements|23|
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## **THE MARGATE BOOKIE**
## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
The trustees, who also founders of the charity for the purpose of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31st December 2025. The trustees have adopted the provisions of the Charities SORP 2019 (FRS 102), effective from 1 January 2019.
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**
## **Registered Charity Number**
1174819
## **Registered Office**
55 George V Avenue, Westbrook, Margate, Kent, CT9 5RH
## **Trustees since 1 January 2025 to date**
Richard Skinner (Chair) Vanessa King Anna Patton Barney Harsent
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT**
The charity is controlled by a governing document, its constitution.
## **Recruitment and appointment of new trustees**
As and when a new trustee is required, either due to vacancy or to fulfil a new specific need, individuals with the relevant skills are identified and approached. If a trustee is deemed appropriate and willing to make the required commitment then they are proposed to the committee by the chair.
## **Induction and training of new trustees**
New trustees are fully briefed on the charity's activities and procedures. Each trustee is given an induction pack which sets out their responsibilities as a trustee.
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## **Organisational structure**
The trustees meet six months to receive reports from the Director of the Margate Bookie, Mr Andreas Loizou. Based on these reports the trustees make decisions by majority vote and delegate their execution to either employees or trustees, as appropriate. Management of the charity is under the chairship of Richard Skinner.
## **Related parties**
There were no related party transactions
## **Risk Management**
The trustees have a duty to identify and review the risks to which the charity is exposed and to ensure appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error. This is carried out on an ongoing basis during the year and the trustees are satisfied the systems in place are sufficient to mitigate exposure to major risks.
## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES**
The Margate Bookie exists to advance education and arts and culture for the public benefit by promoting and providing opportunities for the appreciation, understanding and enjoyment of literature, in particular through the promotion and running of an annual literary festival in Margate.
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## **ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE**
## **Children’s Programme 2025**
The festival’s children’s programme at this year’s Margate Bookie was an overwhelming success. Eight Kent and national children’s authors and illustrators gave free or low-cost creative literary-based workshops across the weekend at Turner Contemporary. Sessions incorporated writing, craft, music and science, with events suitable to children aged 3-12.
## _**Main Programme events included:**_
A Natural History of Bums with the Crab Museum (age 5-10)
Funny poem writing with AF Harrold (Age 8+)
Dinosaur That Pooped Draw-A-Long with Garry Parsons (Ages 3-7)
Pablo and Splash with Sheena Dempsey (Age 6+)
Nursery rhymes draw-a-long with Ben Coppin (Age 3+)
Lockett & Wilde’s Dreadfully Haunting Mysteries with Lucy Strange and Pam Smy (Age 8+)
Wolf and the City with Rachel Tilda Wolf (Age 3-8)
Mysteries, Magic and the Art of Potion Creation with Tamara Macfarlane (Age 6-11)
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_**Badge competition**_
This year we launched a badge design competition for primary school students. Working directly with Cliftonville PS, Northdown PS, Drapers Mill Academy and Garlinge PS, we issued 1,900 badge design templates, which were either completed in school or at home. The winning design became this year’s badge, and the top four entries all won a free weekend pass to the festival and book bundles. The winner, Tabitha, 10, from Garlinge PS had her photo taken with the Mayor of Margate and the Mayor’s Consort.
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## _**Story Time Sessions**_
As an outreach initiative aiming to encourage reading for fun and in an effort to reach new audiences, Margate Bookie held free, drop-in reading sessions for parents and children aged 0-5. Held at the Northdown Road Family Hub, each morning session had an author-led story time, for three authors, it was their first author event. Attendance was low, with three children and care-givers across four sessions. However, Margate Bookie established a relationship with the Family Hub, which we would like to build on, and created opportunities for four local authors.
“It was fun and creative and it was really artsy. I think they have something for all ages, and it was just great to see everyone getting involved, no one was left out sitting on their own, it was all just fun fun fun.” - girl, aged 10.
“Thanks again for having me at the Bookie. Always a pleasure.”
‘”I had a great time and I think the talk went really well. Would be very happy to do more.”
“The Margate Bookie was brilliant! So well organised and so many wonderful kids. I absolutely loved being a part of it and doing an event (my first for a festival!)”
“Congratulations on the festival. Everything I saw to do with it looked fantastic.”
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## **Schools Day 2025 sponsored by Thanet Rotary**
Schools Days ran two sessions for students at King Ethelbert in Birchington and Royal Harbour in Ramsgate.
Authors Kathryn Clarke and Broadstairs-based Felicity Epps held creative writing sessions with around 30 students in each.
The sessions were a success, with students engaged throughout the events.
Both authors were debut authors and their Schools Day presentation was their first author talk, with Margate Bookie facilitating this new professional opportunity for them both.
Schools Day was sponsored by Thanet Rotary and held at Turner Contemporary, October 10, 2025
## _**Felicity Epps**_
Felicity Epps published her debut novel for young adults, A Grave Inheritance, in July this year - the first in a supernatural murder mystery series called the Society of Free Spirits published by Hachette.
## _**Kathryn Clark**_
In Kathryn’s session, students thought about the questions raised by her debut novel Things I Learned While I Was Dead. Considerations included the ethics of medical science, the
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consequences of our choices, and the place of consent in healthcare.
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## **Volunteering at Margate Bookie**
This year Margate Bookie created 92 volunteering opportunities, which 38 volunteers filled. Most were general event roles, however one volunteer, an amateur photographer documented the Big Weekend. We also created four social engagements for volunteers.
12.5% of volunteers said it was their first time volunteering. 37% of volunteers said that it was their first time volunteering at the festival and 63% of volunteers said they were returning festivals. 100% of responding volunteers said they would volunteer with Margate Bookie again.
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Two volunteers were under 18 and were volunteering as part of a family group. One volunteers brought his children to help due to a child minding issue, while another’s children (8 and 10) returned to help out for their second year in the Children’s Programme in roles they created themselves and saw them create marketing for the Bookie badge, partake in events, help on the children’s bookshop and support authors.
The volunteer programme is open to all, however the initial 2024 recruitment drive focused on bringing people at risk of loneliness together. This ethos still runs through the volunteer pool, with social opportunities woven into the festival.
Close to all volunteers are either writers professionally or as a hobby, and Margate Bookie creates opportunities for volunteers to engage in every event for free.
“Really enjoyable as always, lovely to see some old faces and meet new people. It’s especially nice to help out with an event that really values its volunteers.”
- “I really enjoyed the whole week!”
“As a seasoned volunteer of many years, volunteering at the Bookie festival is one of the best experiences I’ve had.”
“What a joy and treat this whole week has been! Roll on Bookie 26!”
- “I had a lot of fun volunteering this year, so thank you for letting me be part of it! It was also the first time I'd photographed an event like that, I learnt a lot, and I'm really grateful for you
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giving me the opportunity to help take the photos. It has helped my photography personal development so thank you.”
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## **Write Up Weekend 2025**
8 sessions with 11 guest speakers and writers
## _**Feedback**_
”Loved it :-)”
“Was really pleased it was in a workshop format. Was so interesting, and feel that could easily have had another hour (or two!) so that would be a recommendation / feedback for future events as it was so helpful hearing Tamara’s journey and insight. The volunteers supporting the event were amazing and thank you so much for their support, making you feel so welcome and for the tea!”
“This event was brilliant. So insightful and helpful. Really inspiring. Tamara was so warm, welcoming and inclusive. Met some lovely people too. Thanks team Bookie!”
“Loved smaller discursive format, tea and biccies a nice touch. Great panel here.”
“Loved smaller discursive format, tea and biccies a nice touch. Great panel here.”
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## **Margate Bookie LitFest 2025**
Margate Bookie was a nine-day festival running from October 4-12 at Turner Contemporary, The Margate School, Northdown Family Hub and The Shakespeare.
## _**The Big Weekend**_
Margate Walking Tour
The Secrets of Successful Friendships with the School of Life
Women by the Sea - Xiaolu Guo and Jacqueline Crooks
Lone Wolf - Adam Weymouth
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Jay Rayner with Sophie Haydock
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Raymond Antrobus & Victoria Adukwei Bulley
David Whitehouse in conversation with Lisa Owens
Killer Stories crime fiction panel featuring Paul Rutters. GD Wright, LV Matthews and Naomi Williams
## _**Margate Week**_
Margate Week is the festival’s Thanet-focused programme celebrating the local writing community. Held over six days, the programme was a mix of small round table talks and workshops and larger panels and events. Attendance was high, with many sessions close to sold out.
The programme included poetry, music, panels, queer stories, film, community stories, zine making and writing as therapy.
Highlights included the Local Writers Showcase, a curation of 12 Thanet-based writers. For some featured writers it was their first time presenting work live.
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The literary pub quiz sold out and was a great way to engage a wide range of people with books, while two volunteers held round table events, which developed their writing practice.
The Local Writers Showcase
Poetry Slam
Strange Tourist presents Building Stories, featuring composer Hughie Gavin, theatre maker Katie McGarry, choreographer Sidonie Carey-Green and academic and place-maker Sé Nomayo
Queer Women's Voices with Rosie Wilby. Roxy Bourdillon and Nicola Dinan.
Bee’s Bookshare
The Perpetual Paradox of the Parochial Pun - Chris Plato
Writing as Resting, Writing to Feel Better - Sarah Bowman - sold out
Apothecaries prescription workshop - Alexandra Le Rossignol
Bookie’s Literary Pub Quiz - sold out
- 5 Minute Business Friends Podcasts
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## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
During the year the charity made a small surplus and at the year-end had positive unrestricted funds.
## **Reserves Policy**
The reserves policy of the trustees is to keep a modest positive cash balance and to facilitate low risk literary events that break even. All of the funds are unrestricted.
## **ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES**
Mr Richard Skinner, Chair, February 1 2026
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## **THE MARGATE BOOKIE**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
|**Balance Sheet**|**Notes**|
**2025**|**2024**|
|---|---|---|---|
|||**£**|**£**|
|**CURRENT ASSETS**||||
|Cash at bank||||
|Barclays : Current Account||285|1,898|
|Paypal||493|681|
|Receivables||2,972|0|
|Prepayments||0|0|
|||3,750|2,579|
|**CREDITORS**||||
|Accruals||819|1,008|
|**NET CURRENT ASSETS**||2,931|1,571|
|**NET ASSETS**||**2,931**|**1,571**|
|GENERAL FUND|4|||
|Balance Brought Forward||1,571|2,360|
|Surplus for the Year||1,360|-789|
|**NET CURRENT ASSETS**||**2,931**|**1,571**|
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## **THE MARGATE BOOKIE**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (including Income and Expenditure Account) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
|**INCOMING RESOURCES**|**Notes**|**Notes**|**2025**|**2024**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||||**£**|**£**|
|**General Income**|||||
|Grants||2|38,723|38,723
49,532|
|Tickets|||3,707|3,707
4,343|
|Book Sales|||4,497|4,497
11,980|
|Other Income|||726|726
808|
|Total Income|||47,653|47,653
66,663|
|**Expenditure**|||||
|Artistic Costs||3|21,450|21,450
39,096|
|Overheads|||3,260|3,260
3,891|
|Marketing and Audience Development|||6,728|6,728
6,719|
|Developing Your Organisation|||14,855|14,855
17,745|
|Total Expenditure|||46,293|46,293
67,451|
|Surplus/(Deficit) for the year|||1,360|1,360
-789|
## **ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES**
Mr Richard Skinner, Chair, February 1 2026
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## **THE MARGATE BOOKIE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
The financial statements of the charity, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP revised in October 2019, (FRS 102) ‘Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the financial reporting standards applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)’, section 1A ‘Small Entities of Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic in Ireland’. The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention.
## **Incoming Resources**
All incoming resources are included on the Income and Expenditure Account when the trust is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.
## **Resources expended**
Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
## **Basis of Preparation**
The accounts have been prepared on the accruals basis as the charity's income exceeds £25,000.
## **Fund Accounting**
All of the funds are unrestricted. Unrestricted funds can be used in the accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees. Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements as appropriate from year to year.
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## **2. GENERAL INCOME**
|**2. GENERAL INCOME**|||
|---|---|---|
||**2025**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|
|Grants|38,723|
49,532|
|Tickets|3,707|
4,343|
|Book Sales|4,497|
11,980|
|Other Income|726|
808|
|Total Income|47,653|
66,663|
|**3. EXPENDITURE ON CHARITABLE**|**ACTIVITIES**||
||**2025**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|
|Artistic Costs|21,450|
39,096|
|Overheads|3,260|
3,891|
|Marketing and Audience Development|6,728|
6,719|
|Developing Your Organisation|14,855|
17,745|
|Total Expenditure|46,293|
67,451|
## **4. TRUSTEES’ REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS**
There were no trustees’ remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 December 2025.
## **Trustees’ expenses**
There were no trustees’ expenses paid for the year ended 31 December 2025.
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## **5. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|At 1/1/25|Net Movement|Transfers|At 31/12/25|
|in Funds|between Funds|
|£|£|£|£|
|Unrestricted Funds|
|General Fund|1,571|1,360|0|2,931|
|Restricted Funds|0|0|0|0|
|TOTAL FUNDS|1,571|1,360|0|2,931|
|Net movements in the funds included above are as follows:|
|Incoming|Resources|Movement|
|Resources|Expended|in Funds|
|£|£|£|
|Unrestricted Funds|
|General Fund|47,653|46,293|1,360|
|Restricted Funds|0|0|0|
|TOTAL FUNDS|47,653|46,293|1,360|
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **6. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS**
There are no related party transactions in this year
## **7. STATUTORY INFORMATION**
The Margate Bookie is an unincorporated charity, registered in England and Wales, with charity number 1174819. The charity’s registered offices is 55 George 5th Avenue, Westbrook, Margate, Kent, CT9 5RH
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