Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 1[st] September 2023 (Period start date) to 31[st] December 2024 (Period end date)
Charity name: Orchestra for the Earth
Charity registration number: 1180771
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference |
||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | The objects of the CIO are: 1) To advance, improve, develop and maintain public education in, and appreciation of the arts, and in particular but not exclusively the art of music, by any means the trustees see fit, including through the presentation of public concerts, recitals, lectures, workshops, open rehearsals and exhibitions. 2) To advance education for the public benefit in the subjects of protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment worldwide (including conservation of the natural environment and the promotion of sustainable development) in particular by the organisation and provision of public events and lectures. 3) To further such charitable purpose or purposes as the trustees in their absolute discretion shall think fit but in particular through the making of grants and donations. |
| 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 |
OFE had another impactful year, delivering events that aligned closely with its charitable mission of combining music, education, and environmental awareness. In September 2023, OFE collaborated with composer Helen Ottaway to record Saeflod: Requiem, a work reflecting on human and environmental loss, which became part of an immersive forest installation at the Inside Out Dorset Festival. In April 2024, OFE’s children’s musical audiobook Dewi in the Deep was adapted into a live performance at the Royal Opera House’s ‘Family Sundays’ series, introducing thousands of children to themes of wildlife conservation and sustainable living. July 2024 marked a milestone for OFE’s Alpine Tour, with its debut at the prestigious Gustav Mahler Music Weeks in Toblach, Italy. The tour featured concerts, educational workshops, and a tree-planting initiative, further expanding OFE’s environmental education efforts. Performances also took place in Steinach am Brenner, Austria, bringing classical music to new audiences in unique outdoor settings. In August 2024, OFE returned to the Regent’s Park Music Festival for its second year, |
**Extended Period 1[st] Sept 2023 – 31[st] Dec 2024
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| performing two open-air concerts that celebrated urban green spaces. The festival’s closing night featured a special appearance by Sir Karl Jenkins. These projects reflect OFE’s commitment to delivering high-quality artistic experiences while promoting education, environmental activism OFE did not pursue any events in from September through December 2024. |
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|---|---|---|
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | The Trustees remain certain that OFE’s environmental activism through music provides clear and evident public benefit. OFE remains a leading ambassador for inspiring environmental engagement and education through world class musical performances, and making a real and tangible public impact in that regard. |
| Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
|---|---|---|
| SORP reference |
||
| Policy on grant making | Para 1.38 | OFE has, to date, not made any grants. |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | Not applicable |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | Musicians and John Warner are compensated in line with Musicians’ Union rates. However, it must also be acknowledged that Warner also volunteers his time (in an unremunerated capacity) in terms of administrative time and effort supporting directly the OFE’s causes and objects. |
| Other | N/A |
**Extended Period 1[st] Sept 2023 – 31[st] Dec 2024
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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 | September 2023:OFE delivered the Recording of "Saeflod: Requiem" by Helen Ottaway Part of immersive forest installation at Inside Out Dorset Festival. OFE worked with composer Helen Ottaway to record the musical material for her new composition, 'Saeflod,' which she describes as 'requiem for all our losses – human and environmental.' The recordings were combined with spoken word and live performance and the work was presented as an interactive installation in a woodland setting at Moors Valley Country Park as part of Inside Out Dorset Festival 2023. April 2024:"Dewi in the Deep" performed at Royal Opera House. The children's musical audiobook, "Dewi in the Deep", which OFE had created and recorded in collaboration with The Opera Story, was presented as a miniature children's opera as part of the Royal Opera House's 'Family Sundays' series. A production mixing a recorded soundtrack by OFE with live singers was given several performances over two weekends to a cumulative audience of several thousand children, exploring topics of wildlife, climate change, and personal responsibility for sustainable living. July 2024:For the sixth instalment of the Alpine Tour, OFE was invited for the first time to perform at the prestigious 'Gustav Mahler Music Weeks' in Toblach (Italy), home to Mahler's third and final composing hut. Working with local educators, they gave a concert in the Gustav Mahler Concert Hall as well as a day of workshops and activities for children mixing technology, music and outdoor pursuits culminating with a miniature open-air concert and tree-planting at the composing hut. It was both a significant increase in profile of OFE's concerts in Toblach and development of our education work there, which is set to continue to expand in future years. We also gave a concert for the third time in Steinach am Brenner (Austria), open air at 1400m in collaboration with the local authority there and well received by the local audience in a town that almost never sees classical concerts, let alone Mahler. |
**Extended Period 1[st] Sept 2023 – 31[st] Dec 2024
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August 2024: Regent's Park Music Festival OFE was invited back for the second year of the Regent's Park Music Festival, which we were proud to be part of founding in 2023. This year we gave two concerts in the beautiful open-air setting of the St John's Lodge Garden, celebrating urban green spaces and their importance to the wellbeing of city-dwellers. The concerts were a great success and the second, which was also the closing night of the festival, was attended by Sir Karl Jenkins, who gave a short speech at the end to offer his congratulations to the orchestra.
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | The trustees of the OFE consider the activities during the period1st September 2023 to 31st December 2024to be wholly fulfilling of the objectives of OFE, as set out in the constitution. |
|---|---|---|
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | The trustees of the OFE consider the activities of the period1st September 2023 to 31st December 2024to be wholly fulfilling of the objectives of OFE, as set out in the constitution. |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 | Not applicable – OFE holds no investments at present. |
| Other | Not applicable |
Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial Para 1.21 OFE formally extended its period of reporting to position at the end of the 31[st] December (from 31[st] August) with the period Charities Commission to align with the calendar year. The trustees are pleased to report healthy finances at the close of December 2024 (please
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| refer to accounts below for full detail). Net assets for 2023/24 ended£22,598.59.OFE trustees are proud of the charity’s events and alignment of charitable capital to our objects, and look forward to continue scaling in a similar vein against the charity’s aims and objects. The trustees would like to give special credit to John Warner, Artistic Director, for his high-impact role directly raising funds and spear-heading events which have themselves brought in substantial charitable capital. |
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|---|---|---|
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | The successes of OFE’s charitable activities during the period from1st September 2023 to 31st December 2024have led to a continued strengthening of OFE’s working capital to pursue OFE’s charitable objects. As such it is the view of the trustees that the reserves policy should remain £5,000 (an estimate figure benchmarked against expected outlay for musicians’ fees for a small chamber orchestra concert). Reserves will be regularly reviewed to ensure an appropriate proportional balance between maintaining emergency reserves and deploying charitable capital to further OFE’s charitable objects. Interest bearing savings accounts are being explored to potentially secure a better rate of interest on our charitable capital. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | Not applicable – it is the view of the trustees that holding reserves is a critical part of OFE’s financial security and planning. |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | Not applicable – OFE is pleased to report no deficit across the accounts. |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 | Not applicable – OFE looks forward to continuing its charitable endeavours in line with its objects long into the future. |
**Extended Period 1[st] Sept 2023 – 31[st] Dec 2024
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Financials
Profit & Loss
| Profit& Loss | 2019/20(£) | 2020/21(£) | 2021/22(£) | 2022/23(£) | 2023/24(£)** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Income | |||||
| Donations | 623.03 | 8,229.90 | 3,452.34 | 1,318.92 | 7,975.63 |
| Tickets | (30.00) | 80.89 | - | 6,839.86 | 3,092.02 |
| Gift Aid | 353.97 | 1,197.95 | 124.27 | 176.76 | 384.09 |
| OTR | - | 3,682.60 | - | 6,640.15* | - |
| Events | 5,750.00 | 56,782.07 | 28,068.40 | 10,487.96 | 20,508.88 |
| Total Income | 6,697.00 | 69,973.41 | 31,645.01 | 25,463.65 | 31,960.62 |
| Expenses | |||||
| Artists | (5,135.00) | (45,646.81) | (26,929.59) | (4,548.77) | (34,256.26) |
| Equipment | (165.00) | (50.00) | (485.00) | (94.00) | (422.75) |
| Travel | - | (4,746.45) | (5,749.16) | (237.79) | (4,643.49) |
| Venue | - | - | - | (1,002.00) | - |
| Loan | - | - | - | - | |
| Insurance | (137.00) | (493.12) | (923.92) | (481.12) | (855.96) |
| Performance Rights | 108.17 | - | - | - | - |
| Medical | - | (1,491.00) | - | - | |
| Rehearsals | - | (252.00) | (271.00) | (252.00) | (711.00) |
| Marketing | (145.50) | (145.50) | (145.50) | (1,738.79) | (657.20) |
| Music Hire | - | (31.72) | (954.47) | (222.40) | - |
| Operations | (66.00) | ||||
| Total Expenses | (5,474.33) | (52,856.60) | (35,458.64) | (8,576.87) | (41,612.66) |
| Profit / (Loss) | 1,222.67 | 17,116.81 | (3,813.63) | 16,886.78 | (9,652.04) |
*For two fiscal years
Balance Sheet
| Balance Sheet | 2019/20 (£) | 2020/21 (£) | 2021/22 (£) | 2022/23 (£) | 2023/24 (£)** | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assets | ||||||
| Bank | ||||||
| Lloyds Bank | 9,301.37 | 17,712.53 | 14,876.11 | 31,718.31 | 21,785.88 | |
| Wise (excl. EUR) | 0.09 | 605.91 | 1.89 | 1.89 | ||
| PayPal | 319.07 | 352.29 | - | 44.58 | ||
| Stripe | - | - | - | - | 364.50 | |
| Cash in hand | ||||||
| Cash | 549.24 | 507.41 | 486.51 | 485.85 | 448.21 | |
| Current assets | ||||||
| OTR (forecast) | - | 1,637.18 | 3,217.19 | 986.68 | - | |
| Receivables | 3,414.00 | 5,631.58 | 6,623.75 | - | ||
| Total Assets | 10,169.77 | 24,229.32 | 24,213.28 | 39,861.06 | 22,598.59 | |
| Liabilities | ||||||
| Payables | - | - | - | 11,906.19 | - | |
| Total Liabilities | - | - | - | 11,906.19 | - | |
| Net Assets / (Liabilities) |
10,169.77 | 24,229.32 | 24,213.28 | 27,954.87 | 22,598.59 |
**Extended Period 1[st] Sept 2023 – 31[st] Dec 2024
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Examiner’s unqualified report (for a non-company charity preparing receipts and payments accounts) with a gross income of £250,000 or less in the relevant financial year
Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Orchestra for the Earth (1180771)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Orchestra for the Earth (1180771) for the year 1[st] September 2023 (Period start date) to 31[st] December 2024 (Period end date)
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the Trust 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 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:
-
accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
-
the accounts do not accord with those records.
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.
Signed:
Name: Ju-Vern See
Relevant professional qualification or membership of professional bodies (if any):
Address: 176 Tunnel Avenue London SE10 0PL
Date: 15 Sep 2025
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Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 | The CIO’s principal sources of funds include box- office sales (in-person and online), private donations, trust grants, local authority funding, and hire fees (where the orchestra is hired for events that align with the CIO’s core objects). Any funds raised over this period have either gone directly into event costs, assigned to future events, or contributed to continuing to build the CIO’s reserves. As a CIO, Orchestra for the Earth (OFE) holds a business (charity) bank account with Lloyds Bank and one secondary bank account with Wise for overseas transactions as they occur, to ensure more economically prudent FX rates and fees. OFE also holds PayPal and Stripe accounts for processing some donations. OFE maintains a cash box for in-person box office needs (e.g. supplying change etc.). This includes GBP and other foreign currencies. |
|---|---|---|
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | CIO funds are not invested at this time, and given the short term needs of the CIO’s funds no plans are made to invest any of the CIO’s funds. |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | • Reputational risks – the trustees continue to pro-actively manage the optics of the OFE’s environmental charitable objects in context of its need to travel to take up opportunities that benefit OFE’s causes. OFE will prioritize environmentally conscious travel. • Financial Risk – trustees remain fully confident in OFE’s diligent financial management; the keeping of capital reserves (£5000 – justified above) reflects this. • Single person dependency risk – whilst the board of trustees does not predict any changes in John Warner’s high impact role as artistic director, the trustees will remain in close contact with Warner on his priorities for OFE • Legal risks – and accordingly OFE retains Trustee liability insurance and Public Liability insurance. • Operational risks – day to day operations and end to end administration is headed by J. Warner – and whilst trustees have full faith in Warner’s abilities and deliveries to date, the board continues to remain close to Warner to ensure kept well abreast of activities, developments across OFE’s operations. • Cyber security risks; OFE, in common with all organisations of any scale, faces such risks. The board will be actively working through fit for purpose cyber risks mitigations. |
| Other | N/A |
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Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | Constitution |
| 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 trustees |
Para 1.25 | • Future potential trustees will be appointed and elected by the board. |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees |
Para 1.51 | Individual interviews and meetings, plus a formal vote precedes any appointment to OFE’s board. OFE also runs probationary periods for new trustees to ensure a good fit on both sides. |
|---|---|---|
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | OFE is governed by the board of trustees with close engagement with John Warner, Artistic Director, who handles day-to-day operations, events, fund raising. The trustees and Warner continue to partner well together, and are together assessing whether in due course additional help and support would be a valuable thing to augment OFE’s scalability in day to day operations, along with any extra trustee appointments to augment further board expertise. |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | The trustees partner closely with the Founder and Artistic Director, John Warner, in all aspects of the charity’s administration and aims/goals. It is the trustees’ unanimous view that Warner continues to be the best person for the job given his expertise, commitment and personal alignment to the CIO’s objects. |
| Other | N/A |
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Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Orchestra for the Earth |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | OFE |
| Registered charity number | 1180771 |
| Charity’s principal address | Perrotts Hill Farm North Leigh Witney Oxfordshire OX29 6PT |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alycia Jewes | Chair | N/A | ||
| Ben Kimberley | Trustee | N/A | ||
| Benjamin Cartlidge | Trustee | N/A | ||
| Phoebe Potter | Trustee | N/A | ||
| Ben Moxham | Trustee | N/A | ||
| Andrew Hochhauser KC | Trustee | N/A |
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 |
Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects |
Not applicable |
| Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets |
Not applicable |
Additional information (optional)
**Extended Period 1[st] Sept 2023 – 31[st] Dec 2024
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Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of adviser Name Address
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
John Warner (Founder & Artistic Director)
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
----- Start of picture text -----
Signature(s)
Full name(s) Ben G.J. Kimberley
Position (eg Secretary,
Trustee
Chair, etc)
Date
15th September, 2025
----- End of picture text -----
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