Charity no. 1183545
Annual Report and Accounts
1 November 2023 to 31 October 2024
Cumbria Opera Group Annual Accounts 2023-24 Charity number: 1183545
Trustees' Report and Annual Accounts 1st November 2023 to 31st October 2024
Contents Page Trustees' Annual Report 2-5 Independent Examiner's Report 6 Receipts and Payments Account 7-10
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Cumbria Opera Group Annual Accounts 2023-24 Charity number: 1183545
Trustees' Report and Annual Accounts 1 November 2023 to 31 October 2024
Reference and Administration Details
The Trustees present their report and the unaudited Accounts of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) for the period 1 November 2023 to 31 October 2024
CIO Name Cumbria Opera Group Charity Commission registration no. 1183545 Contact Address 7 Thorny Hills, Kendal, LA9 7AL
The Trustees
Joe Davies - Chair Lucy Britton - Managing Director Dr Roger William Allen Sula Ross Cotterell Marcia Elaine Reid Fotheringham JP DL Giles William Holden Stuart Manger Catherine Elizabeth Parry - appointed 29th February 2024
Former Trustees
Edward Peter Davies - retired 28th February 2024
Independent Examiner Anthony Farren 7 Brow Crescent, Windermere, Cumbria, LA23 2EY Bankers Virgin Money, 45 Penny St, Lancaster LA1 1UE
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Cumbria Opera Group Annual Accounts 2023-24 Charity number: 1183545
Structure, Governance and Management
Governing document
Cumbria Opera Group is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, Registered No.1183545, regulated by the Charity Commission of England and Wales. The Governing Document is the constitution dated 22nd May 2019.
Recruitment and appointment of Trustees
Under the constitution, apart from the first CIO trustees, every trustee must be appointed for a term of three years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the CIO trustees. In selecting individuals for appointment as CIO trustees, the CIO trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO. Any person retiring as a CIO trustee is eligible for reappointment.
Induction and training of Trustees
Induction and training of a new trustee will be undertaken with the guidance of the existing trustees.
Risk Management
The directors have assessed the major risks to which the CIO is exposed, in particular those related to the operations and finances of the CIO, and are satisfied that adequate systems are in place to mitigate any exposure to the major risks.
Objectives and Activities for Public Benefit
The objects of the CIO are:
To promote the advancement of the art of opera for the public benefit through:
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The promotion and presentation of high-quality opera for the benefit of the local communities in Cumbria.
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To educate young instrumentalists, singers, and actors based in or from Cumbria in the field of opera.
Achievement, Performance and Financial Review
Summary
The 2023-24 Season of the Cumbria Opera Group was built around our production of Kings, Witches, Lovers, and Souls: A Compass of Cumbria Legends. Taking place at the Penrith Playhouse at the end of August 2024, this was a new opera from local composer Jen Hartley, a weaving-together of Cumbrian folk stories. Kings, Witches, Lovers, and Souls took audiences anticlockwise around old Cumbria from west to north, pausing to uncover old tales of battles, spirits,
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Cumbria Opera Group Annual Accounts 2023-24 Charity number: 1183545
loyalty, love, betrayal, and superstition. From ruined abbeys to enchanted stone circles, watery secrets to ghostly cairns, the Opera was a folkloric tour of the magic of Eden, the Lakes, and the Dales. Kings, Witches, Lovers, and Souls featured the debut of the Cumbria Opera Youth Chorus, bringing together alumni of the Education Workshops we have produced since 2016. The Opera’s Premiere received considerable media interest, with ITV Border producing a three-minute feature of the production on its 6pm news, while the show received acclaim from publications such as Seen and Heard International and Classical Source .
In the lead-up to Kings, Witches, Lovers, and Souls , we ran Education Workshops at Levens Primary, Heron Hill Primary, Brunswick Primary, Ghyllside Primary, Stramongate Primary, and Beaconside Primary. These workshops revolved around singing: singing songs in parts, singing techniques, and singing cohesively as a group. In addition, the workshops involved elements of music theory, music history, and - in view of the mutli-lingual nature of opera - elements of language-learning. Feedback from the Education Workshops included this note from Stramongate Primary: ‘The children absolutely loved their visit from the Cumbria Opera Group. The session was really interactive with a great pace so that every child was 100% engaged. There was a great range of song styles which the children picked up easily without any need to be reading song words so all ability levels were catered for. It was a fun experience and we’d very much recommend the Cumbria Opera Group.’
Since 2021, the Cumbria Opera Group has produced an Opera Festival every other year. The next one will take place from 21st - 30th August 2025.
Thanks
The Trustees would like to thank all the artists who participated in Cumbria Opera Group events over the last year. There are simply too many people to name here, but all the many performers and creatives who made Kings, Witches, Lovers, and Souls a success are to be commended for their talent and dedication.
We would particularly like to thank everyone in the extended Cumbria Opera Group 'Family': the members of our Friends' Circles, our supporters and event attendees, and all the people involved in the organisation of Kings, Witches, Lovers, and Souls: A Compass of Cumbrian Legends.
Financial Result
The period ended 31st October 2024 was our fifth as a CIO and we ended it financially sound. Total funds are £8,955.47.
Acknowledgements
We are extremely grateful to all our funders and Friends for their ongoing financial support.
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Cumbria Opera Group Annual Accounts 2023-24 Charity number: 1183545
Fundraising
Our fundraising has so far been concentrated on applying for grants from charitable trusts and other grant providers. We also have a ‘Friends’ scheme which has generated a number of personal donations, as we begin to raise the funds for the Cumbria Opera Festival 2025.
Reserves Policy
Reserves are needed to bridge the gap between pending and receiving of resources and to cover unplanned emergency repairs and other expenditure. The trustees consider a sufficient level of reserves as of 1 November 2024 to be £8,500.
Trustees' Responsibilities
The Trustees who served the CIO during the period are as set out on page 1. Charity law requires the Trustees to prepare a Receipts and Payments Account showing the assets of the CIO at the end of the period and of the incoming and outgoing resources for the period then ended.
In preparing those Financial Statements, the Trustees are required to select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently, making judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent. The Trustees must also prepare the Financial Statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the CIO will continue its activities.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the CIO and to enable them to ensure that the Accounts comply with charity law. The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the CIO and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Independent Examiner
Anthony Farren has expressed his willingness to continue as Independent Examiner.
Signed by order of the Trustees
Joe Davies (Chair of Trustees) Approved by the Trustees on 16th December 2024
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Cumbria Opera Group Annual Accounts 2023-24 Charity number: 1183545
Independent Examiner’s Report to the Members of Cumbria Opera Group
I report on the accounts of the CIO for the year ended 31 October 2024 set out on pages 7-10.
Respective Responsibilities of the Trustees and Examiner
As the charity trustees of the CIO, 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 CIO’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed 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 which give me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
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-the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
16th December 2024
Anthony Farren 7 Brow Crescent Windermere LA23 2EY
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Cumbria Opera Group 1183545 CC16a Receipts and payments accounts For the period 1/11/23 To 31/10/24 from
Section A Receipts and payments
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Endowment funds |
Total funds | Last year | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | ||||||||||||||||
| A1 Receipts | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Ticket Sales | - | 3,006- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 3,006- | - | 17,697- | ||||||||||
| Donations: Friends' Scheme | - | 1,900- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 1,900- | - | 1,570- | ||||||||||
| Grants: Local Authorities | - | 2,500- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 2,500- | - | 7,750- | ||||||||||
| Donations: other | - | 695- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 695- | - | 959- | ||||||||||
| Gift Aid | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 369- | ||||||||||
| Easy Fundraising | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 17- | ||||||||||
| Interest | - | 1- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 1- | - | 4- | ||||||||||
| Grants: Trusts and Foundations | - | 7,500- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 7,500- | - | 25,500- | ||||||||||
| Theatre Tax Relief | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 1,925- | ||||||||||
| Other receipts | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) | - | 15,602- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 15,602- | - | 55,791- |
| A2 | Asset and investment sales | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||||
| Sub total | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | |||||||||||
| **Total receipts ** | - | 15,602- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 15,602- | - | 55,791- |
| Cumbria Opera Group | Cumbria Opera Group | Cumbria Opera Group | Cumbria Opera Group | Cumbria Opera Group | 1183545 | 1183545 | CC16a | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts and payments accounts | |||||||||
| For the period from |
1/11/23 | To | 31/10/24 | ||||||
| Section A Receipts and payments | |||||||||
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Endowment funds |
Total funds | Last year | |||||
| A3 Payments | |||||||||
| Musicians & Artists Payments | - 11,548- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 11,548- |
- 37,356- |
||||
| Accommodation | - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 8,000- |
|||||
| Instrument Hire & Servicing | - 380- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 380- |
- 1,365- |
||||
| Venue Hire | - 690- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 690- |
- 5,708- |
||||
| Lighting, Sound & Film | - 200- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 200- |
- 2,982- |
||||
| Ticket Refunds | - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 12- |
||||
| Printing & Publicity | - 652- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 652- |
- 1,652- |
||||
| Opera Set Payments | - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 4,195- |
||||
| Props & Costumes | - 20- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 20- |
- 802- |
||||
| Other Logistical Payments | - 57- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 57- |
- 1,741- |
||||
| Sub total - 13,546- A4 Asset and investment purchases |
- 13,546- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 13,546- |
- 63,813- |
||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases | |||||||||
| - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
||||||
| - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
||||||
| Sub total - -- Total payments - 13,546- Net of receipts/(payments) - 2,055- A5 Transfers between funds - -- A6 Cash funds last year end - 6,900- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
|||||
| - 13,546- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 13,546- |
- 63,813- |
|||||
| - 2,055- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 2,055- |
- 8,022- |
|||||
| - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
|||||
| - 6,900- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 6,900- |
- 14,922- |
Cumbria Opera Group 1183545 CC16a Receipts and payments accounts For the period 1/11/23 To 31/10/24 from
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total funds Last year funds funds funds Cash funds this year end 8,955 - - 8,955 6,900
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories B1 Cash funds |
Details Cash in Bank |
Unrestricted to nearest £ - 8,955- - -- |
Restricted to nearest £ - -- - -- |
Endowment to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash in Bank | - 8,955- |
- -- |
- -- |
|
| - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
||
| B2 Other monetary assets | Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details Details |
- 8,955- |
- -- |
- -- |
| OK | ||||
| Unrestricted funds to nearest £ - -- - -- - -- Fund to which asset belongs |
Restricted funds to nearest £ - -- - -- - -- Cost (optional) |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
||
| - -- |
||||
| - -- |
||||
| - -- |
||||
| Current value (optional) |
Cumbria Opera Group 1183545 CC16a Receipts and payments accounts For the period 1/11/23 To 31/10/24 from
Section A Receipts and payments
| Unrestricted funds Restricted funds |
Endowment funds |
Total funds | Last year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B3 Investment assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B5 Liabilities Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees |
- -- |
- -- |
||
| - -- |
- -- |
|||
| - -- |
- -- |
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| Current value (optional) |
||||
| - -- |
||||
| - -- |
||||
| - -- |
||||
| When due (optional) |
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| Date of approval |
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| 16th December 2024 |
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