**The Folkestone-Hythe Operatic & Dramatic Society**
Charity registration number: 1180504
## **The Folkestone-Hythe Operatic & Dramatic Society**
- (A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)
Annual Report and Financial Statements
for the year ended December 31, 2024
## **Contents**
|Trustees Report|2|
|---|---|
|Independent Examiner’s Report|8|
|Statement of financial activities – Income and Expenditure Account|9|
|Statement of financial activities – Balance Sheet|10|
|Notes on the Financial Statements|11|
|Detailed Income and Expenditure Account|15|
1
**The Folkestone-Hythe Operatic & Dramatic Society**
## **Trustees' Report for 2024**
The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended December 31, 2024. The trustees have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) FRS 102
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Charity number**
1180504
## **Principal address**
The Tower Theatre North Road Folkestone Kent CT20 3HL
## **TRUSTEES**
The Executive Committee of the charity are its trustees for the purpose of charity law and throughout this report are collectively referred to as the trustees. The trustees serving during the year were as follows with their dates of appointment:
|Chair|Alice Hawkins (January 2022)|
|---|---|
|Vice-chair|Ben Forrest (October 2023 - September 2024)|
||Pat McNamee (September 2024)|
|Secretary|Richard Hawkins (October 2023)|
|Treasurer|Michael Manton (June 2018 - September 2024)|
||Ben Forrest (September 2024)|
|Other Members|Paul Milton (November 2022 - September 2024)|
||Marion Emptage (September 2024)|
||Chris Willcox (September 2024)|
||Pat McNamee (September 2024)|
||Kate Richmond (September 2024)|
The following assisted in running the Society in 2024 but are not trustee positions:
|Theatre Manager|John Pritchard (until February 2024)|
|---|---|
|Technical Theatre Manager|Robert White (April - September 2024)|
|Theatre Technician|Emil Jansen (from October 2024)|
|Events and Marketing Manager|Reana Herchenhan (to April 2024)|
||Michelle Hartley (from April 2024)|
|Technical Manager|Ben Laverty (until February 2024)|
|Duty & FOH Manager|Gary Ingoldby Spate|
|P&P sub-committee Chair|Julie Morrow (to November 2024)|
||Robert Emptage (from November 2024)|
|Administrator|Michelle Hartley (to April 2024)|
||Ella Riley (from April 2024)|
|Accounts Manager|Kate Richmond|
|Youth Section Chair|Florence Forrest (until August 2024)|
||Isaac Tomlin|
## **Independent examiner**
Mr Neil Hope 10 James Close Lyminge CT18 8NL
2
**The Folkestone-Hythe Operatic & Dramatic Society**
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT**
## **Governance**
On October 31[st] 2018, following agreement at the June 2018 AGM, a new FHODS was set up as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). On December 3, 2018, all assets and liabilities were transferred from the old Society to the new CIO. Its charitable status remains unaltered although the Charity Number has changed from 1001311 to 1180504.
## **Appointment of Trustees**
Any member of the society aged 18 or over is eligible to serve on the Executive Committee provided they are nominated and seconded by other members of the society, and properly elected. Members of the Executive Committee are Trustees. All members of the Executive Committee are elected at the Annual General Meeting held as near to the end of June as is practicable.
The overall responsibility for the Society lies with the Executive Committee. The Hon.Treasurer is responsible for overseeing the finances of the Society. All members are circulated with invitations to nominate trustees prior to the AGM advising them of the retiring trustees and requesting nominations for the AGM.
## **Organisation**
The trustees administer the charity. The Executive Committee meets monthly and there is a Performance and Planning Sub-Committee covering the planning and staging of plays, musical and pantomimes.
## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES**
The charitable objectives of FHODS are to educate the public in the dramatic and operatic arts and to further the development of public appreciation and taste in the said arts. The Society also aims to contribute to the quality of life of the local community and wider area by expanding their horizons through the provision of exciting, challenging and accessible productions of plays, musicals and youth performances.
The Society is very involved in the community and is dependent on voluntary help. Over the past few years, the Society has had around 110 Acting Members and 95 Friends, with a further 75 members of the Youth Section.
In shaping our objectives for the year and planning our activities, the trustees have considered the Charity Commissioners’ guidance on public benefit, including the guidance on public benefit and fee charging. The charity relies on grants and the income from charges to cover its operating costs. In setting the level of charges and concessions, the trustees give careful consideration to the accessibility of the theatre for those on low income.
FHODS was formed in 1902; we leased the Little Theatre in Sandgate in 1965, purchasing its freehold in 1973; bought the Shorncliffe Garrison Church (as it then was) in 2001; and moved into it as our permanent home in 2006 after it had been converted into the present Tower Theatre.
3
**The Folkestone-Hythe Operatic & Dramatic Society**
## **PRODUCTIONS IN 2024**
There was a full calendar of FHODS productions in 2024. The table shows FHODS productions during 2024 at the Tower Theatre with their audiences and ticket revenue.
|**SHOW**|**PERFORMANCES**|**AUDIENCE**|**TICKET REVENUE**|
|---|---|---|---|
|**A Murder is Announced**|4|972|£15,384|
|**Into the Woods**|3|517|£4,901|
|**Hobson’s Choice**|4|377|£6,122|
|**6 Dance lessons in 6 Weeks**|3|183|£1,704|
|**Beauty & The Beast**|8|1467|£21,756|
|**Sister Act**|7|1113|£20,268|
|**Railway Children**|6|879|£11,734|
|**Aladdin Panto**|22|5187|£79,411|
|**TOTAL**|**57**|**10695**|**£161,280**|
Total FHODS ticket revenue of £161,280 was a -2% decrease on 2023’s £164,948.
In addition to these FHODS productions, the theatre was used for an additional 51 performances from outside hires, for concerts, theatre, musicals, dance and youth productions. These outside hires had a total audience of 7597, a 20% decrease on 2023. This does not include other private hire for parties, film screenings etc.
Therefore, in summary, there were 108 performances in the theatre, playing to a total audience of 18292. This compares to a total audience of 19,133 across 111 performances in 2023.
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
## **2024 comparative**
## **Income**
FHODS ticket sales of 10,695 was our best year since moving into the Tower Theatre and a +1.5% increase compared to 2023. However, the -2% decrease in revenue was primarily due to a ticket price restriction on Beauty and the Beast of £15. Total ticket sales revenue dropped by -3% to £227,729.
Trading and Charitable Activities saw a minor dip to £332,339 from £332,846. Whilst the Bar and Refreshments brought in £87,705 (up from £78,373 in 2023), the Theatre and Foyer Letting was down by -£4.8k and production income decreased slightly by -£1.8k.
Bar and refreshment profits increased to £50,453 from £40,283 in 2023. With bar expenditure remaining relatively flat , this resulted in a 58% margin on bar sales in 2024, up from 51% in 2023, and nearly reaching our target of 60-65%.
We only received £750 in grants last year, a significant drop from £1,540 in 2023 and £27,074 received in 2022, reflecting the ongoing challenge of generating income from this area.
The rental income from BFBS and Jumping Jacks Nursery contributed £10,028. This also includes their contributions to our energy costs.
4
## **The Folkestone-Hythe Operatic & Dramatic Society**
In all, our income for the year remained solid, though largely flat overall, at £341,147 which was only £298 more than the previous year.
## **Expenditure**
Total expenditure rose by £20,264 (or 6%) to £359,682 in 2024, up from £339,418 in 2023.
The main increase in expenditure came from lighting and heating costs (which rose by +£4.5K), building repairs and maintenance (up +£2.8K) and depreciation (up +£11K), which rose due to the acquisition of new equipment, which cost £43.7K. We also spent £3.7K on professional services in 2024, which had been absent in 2023.
Wages in 2024 reduced to £95,619, a small decrease of -£576. There was no expense on casual bar staff in 2024. We expect, at current staffing levels, the 2025 wages to be in the order of £75k.
There was also an expense of £27,539 of irrecoverable VAT which we were obliged to make during the year.
## **Financial Overview**
2024 ended with a deficit of -£18,535, compared to a +£1,431 surplus in 2023.
On our Balance Sheet, fixed assets increased to £627,541 (from £602,681) due to our capital investment on new equipment. Cash at the bank fell sharply to £75,765 from £127,661, a drop of over 40% as we increased our loans to cover the arrears of irrecoverable VAT the previous year.
Current liabilities halved, but long-term debt grew to £200,029 (from £160,550). This is mainly due to a new £50K loan that was approved by the Executive Committee and acquired in May 2024 in order to cover the arrears of irrecoverable VAT from previous years..
We remain, as ever, balanced on a financial knife edge and cash flow remains a concern although the gradual arrival of a sizeable legacy in 2025 helps ease our short/medium financial position. We however must continue to publicise and support all of the shows that are staged at the Tower Theatre, improving our yield management and filling the theatre as much as possible.
## **Reserves Policy**
The trustees are committed to establishing the level of reserves (that is those funds that are freely available) the Society ought to have. Reserves will provide the financial safety net which we need but have never achieved.
Due to a requirement to invest in one-off technical expenses and infrastructure investment in 2025, we do not feel confident in significantly increasing our reserves in 2025, but from 2026 onwards we will target a net movement in funds over three to four years.
## **Financial Policy and Procedures Document**
The FHODS Financial Policy and Procedures Document was approved by the trustees last year. The main aims of this document are to:
- Ensures all staff and volunteers are aware of their obligations in relation to financial transactions within the business
- Help our staff and volunteers to make consistent and reliable decisions
- Give each employee and society member a clear understanding as to what we expect and allow
All staff and volunteers involved with financial transactions in the business have read this document and have confirmed this in writing.
5
**The Folkestone-Hythe Operatic & Dramatic Society**
## **PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS**
The Trustees consider,owing to the sizeable legacy arriving in2025, that the charity continues to be a viable going concern.
A full schedule of FHODS productions for 2025 has been approved by the Executive and Performance & Planning committees. Ticket sales for 2025 have not yet been as successful as 2024, but we remain hopeful that these will pick up in the second half of the year.
6
**The Folkestone-Hythe Operatic & Dramatic Society**
## **Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities**
The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees' report and the financial statements in accordance with the United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice) and applicable law and regulations.
The law applicable to charities requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the applicable Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations, and the provisions of the constitution. The trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Approved by order of the board of trustees on ..20th August 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
............................................. Ben Forrest, Acting Chair
7
**The Folkestone-Hythe Operatic & Dramatic Society**
## **Independent examiner’s report to the trustees**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Folkestone-Hythe Operatic & Dramatic Society (the Society) for the year ended 31 December 2024.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity trustees of the Society you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
Having satisfied myself that the accounts are not required to be audited, I report in respect of my examination of the Society’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 examiner’s statement**
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Society as required by section 130 of the Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the 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.
Name: Neil Hope Address: 10 James Close, Lyminge, Folkestone, Kent. CT18 8NL
......................................
Date: .............................
8
**The Folkestone-Hythe Operatic & Dramatic Society**
## **Statement of Financial Activities for the year to December 31st 2024**
|**Note**
**Income and Endowments from:**
Donations, grants and interest
2
Charitable and trading activities
3
**Total income**
**Expenditure on:**
Raising funds
4
Charitable activities
5
Other expenditure
6
**Total expenditure**
**Net movement in funds**|**31/12/2024**
**£**
8,808
332,339
**341,147**
132,871
87,235
139,576
**359,682**
**-18,535**|**31/12/2023**
**£**
8,003
332,846|
|---|---|---|
|||**340,849**|
|||134,295
81,962
123,161|
|||**339,418**|
||||
|||**1,431**|
9
**The Folkestone-Hythe Operatic & Dramatic Society**
## **Balance Sheet as at December 31st 2024**
|**Note**
**Fixed assets**
Tangible assets
9
**Current assets**
Stocks
10
Debtors
11
Cash at bank and in hand
12
**Creditors: Amounts falling due**
**within one year**
13
**Net current assets**
**Total net assets**
**Creditors: Amounts falling due**
14
**after more than one year**
**Net assets**
**Funds of the charity:**
Unrestricted funds brought forward
Prior year Adjustment
Profit for the year
**Total unrestricted funds at year end**
15|**31/12/2024**
**£**
**627,541**
4,423
6,619
75,765
**86,807**
**54,595**
32,212
**659,753**
**200,028**
**459,723**
478,259
0
-18,536
**459,723**|**31/12/2023**
**£**
**602,681**|
|---|---|---|
|||4,938
10,181
127,661|
|||**142,780**
**106,652**|
|||36,128|
|||**638,809**|
|||**160,550**|
|||**478,259**|
|||486,629
-9,801
1,431|
|||**478,259**|
Approved by the trustees on .20th August 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
............................................. Grahame Ward, Treasurer
10
**The Folkestone-Hythe Operatic & Dramatic Society**
## **Notes to the financial statements for the years to December 31[st] 2024**
## **1. Charity Status**
The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, incorporated in England & Wales, and consequently does not have share capital.
**year to 31/12/2024 year to 31/12/2023**
## **2. Income from Donations, Legacies & Bank Interest**
|Donations
Grants
Bank Interest
**3. Income from trading & charitable activities**
**Trading Income**
Sales of goods
Property Rental
Other trading income
**Charitable Income**
Theatrical events income
Membership Subscriptions
**4. Expenditure on raising funds**
Cost of Goods Sold
Staff Salaries*|6,653
5,484
750
1,540
1,405
979|
|---|---|
||**8,808**
**8,003**|
||87,705
78,373
10,028
14,010
770
617
227,729
234,756
6,107
5,090|
||**332,339**
**332,846**|
||37,252
38,100
95,619
96,195|
||**132,871**
**134,295**|
*No employee received more than £40,000 in the year
11
**The Folkestone-Hythe Operatic & Dramatic Society**
## **5. Expenditure on charitable activities**
|Production Costs
Box Office fees
Bank Interest
Bank charges
Insurance|64,114
62,571
7,132
6,806
7,865
5,609
1,082
764
7,042
6,212|
|---|---|
||**87,235**
**81,962**|
## **6. Other expenditure**
|Staff training
Depreciation
Heat & light
Building repairs, maintenance and cleaning
Irrecoverable VAT
Other resources expended|250
850
18,843
7,917
25,142
20,558
47,168
44,361
27,539
24,038
20,634
25,437|
|---|---|
||**139,576**
**123,161**|
## **7. Trustees remuneration and expense**
No trustees received benefits from the charity during the year. The husband of one of the trustees received £1,500 during the year for Musical Director services.
## **8. Taxation**
The Society is a registered charity and is not subject to corporation tax, apart from on interest received. None was payable last year.
12
**The Folkestone-Hythe Operatic & Dramatic Society**
## **9. Tangible fixed assets**
|Cost at December 31 2023
Additions
Cost at December 31 2024
Depreciation at December 31 2023
Charge for the year
Depreciation at December 31 2024
Net book value at December 31 2024|**Freehold**
**land and**
**buildings**
**Fixtures**
**and**
**equipment**
**Total**
598,534
31,668
630,202
43,703
43,703|
|---|---|
||598,534
75,371
673,905|
||-
27,521
27,521
-
18,843
18,843|
||-
46,364
46,364|
|||
||598,534
29,007
627,541|
Capitalized items are those over £100 in value. The Trustees’ policy is that fixtures and equipment are depreciated at 25% on a straight line basis.
Freehold land and buildings are not depreciated since, in the opinion of the Trustees, their value on the open market exceeds their net book value.
**year to 31/12/2024 year to 31/12/2023**
## **10. Stock**
|Bar stocks
**11. Debtors and prepayments**
Debtors
Prepayments
Other trading income
**12. Cash and bank**
Cash on hand
Cash at bank|4,423
4,938|
|---|---|
||6,619
10,181
0
-|
||6,619
10,181|
||770
786
74,995
126,875|
||**75,765**
**127,661**|
13
**The Folkestone-Hythe Operatic & Dramatic Society**
## **13. Creditors - amounts falling due within one year**
|Trade creditors
Other creditors
Accruals
Bank loans
**14. Creditors: amounts falling due after one year**
Bank loans
**15. Unrestricted funds**
Balance brought forward
Prior Year Adj irrecoverable VAT
Incoming resources
Resources expended
Balance carried forward
**16. Analysis of net assets**
Tangible fixed assets
Current assets
Less current liabilities
Less liabilities over one year|10,127
6,509
7,009
22,518
27,959
69,867
9,500
7,758|
|---|---|
||**54,595**
**106,652**|
|||
||200,029
160,550|
||478,259
486,629
0
-9,801
341,147
340,849
-359,682
-339,418|
||**459,724**
**478,259**|
||627,541
602,681
86,807
142,780
-54,595
-106,652
-200,029
-160,550|
||**459,724**
**478,259**|
14
**The Folkestone-Hythe Operatic & Dramatic Society**
## **Detailed Statement of Financial Activities for the year to December 31[st] 2024**
|**INCOME**
**Donations, grants, legacies & interest**
Gifts & donations
Grants - other agencies
Bank interest received
**Other trading activities**
Bar and refreshment sales
Income from productions
Theatre and foyer letting
Subscriptions
Rental income
Booking fees
Sundry income
**Total income**
**EXPENDITURE**
**Raising funds**
Bar purchases
Wages and salaries
**Charitable activities**
Production costs
Box office fees
Insurance
Accountancy fees (see other expenditure)
Bank charges
Bank interest payable|**2024**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
6,653
5,484
750
1,540
1,405
979|
|---|---|
||8,808
8,003|
||87,705
78,373
165,365
167,200
56,353
61,164
6,107
5,090
10,028
14,010
6,006
6,392
775
617|
||332,339
332,846|
||**341,147**
**340,849**|
||37,252
38,100
95,619
96,195|
||132,871
134,295|
||64,114
62,571
7,132
6,742
7,042
6,212
0
64
1,082
764
7,865
5,609|
||87,235
81,962|
15
## **The Folkestone-Hythe Operatic & Dramatic Society**
|**Other expenditure**
Staff training & recruitment
Light, heat and power
Repairs and maintenance
Telephone
Computer software and maintenance costs
Printing, postage and stationery
Sundry expenses
Cleaning
Professional fees
Irrecoverable VAT
Credit card charges
Depreciation of equipment
**Total expenditure**
**Net Income**|**2024**
**2023**
1,496
850
25,142
20,558
35,983
44,361
852
814
4,044
3,609
3,027
2,614
1,222
1,177
11,185
10,130
3,689
0
27,539
24,038
6,554
7,093
18,843
7,917|
|---|---|
||139,576
123,161|
||**359,682**
**339,418**
**-18,535**
**1,431**|
16