REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1183773
REGENT’S PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL CHARITABLE FUND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED
31 MARCH 2026
Regent’s Park Music Festival Charitable Fund
Trustees annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026
Contents
Page:
-
2 Reference and administrative details 3 - 5 Report of the trustees
-
6 Report of the independent examiner 7 Statement of receipts and payments 8 Statement of assets and liabilities
-
9 Notes to the financial statements
1
Regent’s Park Music Festival Charitable Fund
Reference and administrative details
| Charity name and number | Regent’s Park Music Festival Charitable Fund |
|---|---|
| Registered charity number: 1183773 | |
| Trustees | Richard Elliot (Chair) |
| Sehr Akbar | |
| Nancy Janin | |
| Tom Thomson | |
| Registered address | The Storeyard |
| The Inner Circle | |
| Regent's Park | |
| London | |
| NW1 4NR | |
| Independent examiner | Nicholas Lawrence |
| 61 Benskin Road | |
| Watford | |
| WD18 0HN | |
| Bankers | Lloyds Bank plc |
| (Piccadilly Branch) | |
| 39 Piccadilly | |
| London | |
| W1J 0AA |
2
Regent’s Park Music Festival Charitable Fund
Report of the trustees for the year ended 31 March 2026
The trustees present their report and accounts for the year ended 31 March 2026.
Objectives and activities
The Regent’s Park Music Festival is celebrating its 10[th] anniversary in 2026. Since 2016, the charity has bought music to the park – now from mid-June to mid-September, offering nearly 50 free weekend concerts on both the main bandstand and a “rustic shelter” on the Broad Walk. Since 2023, a series of ticketed events has also been offered. The festival seeks to encourage amateur and semi-professional musicians playing mostly in local bands but also bands from far away such as York and Bournemouth. There is always a particular focus on young musicians beginning their musical careers, who are paid Musicians Union rates for their performances. The festival also aims to bring the local community, and visitors, into the nature and tranquillity of the park with the opportunity to enjoy free music with family and friends with completely unhindered access, physical and financial. The ticketed series allows the festival to offer music in the park to those who appreciate other types of music than that presented on the bandstands, and to enjoy the park outside of weekend daytime hours. The ticketed events include events for children and youth and are an opportunity to employ scores of students and recent graduates of the best music colleges in London (the Royal Academy of Music being key as their location is on the edge of the park).
Structure, governance and management
The four volunteer trustees meet regularly, usually once a month, in person, by Zoom or in hybrid meetings. They are joined by five additional volunteer team members about five times a year who advise the trustees on different aspects of the festival, especially the ticketed events. Mark Elliott is the chair of the charity and Nancy Janin is treasurer. As various management tasks arise the trustees allocate them to the member with the expertise and/or time to dedicate to the issue. The trustees have frequent contact through a WhatsApp group in addition to meetings. Trustees are recruited among volunteers helping to run performances and audience goers who wish to support the festival.
Achievements and performance eve
In the April 1, 2025-March 31, 2026 fiscal year the music festival offered performances from 21 June until 21 September 2025, with two free concerts on the Holme Green bandstand every Sunday and bank holiday Monday, and one free concert (usually young jazz musicians) on the Broad Walk bandstand. On July 20, 1982, the bandstand was the scene of an IRA terrorist attack which resulted in the death of seven military bandsmen. The annual memorial service was held on July 20, 2025 with the Royal Green jackets veterans, buglers, the Waterloo Army band and the Central Band of the Royal British Legion. The Lord Mayor of Westminster and the mayor of Camden attend and lay wreaths as well as many senior military personnel.
2025 saw a major expansion of the ticketed event series, held for the first time in the large lawn on the Holme Green and entitled “The Lakeside Series”. Nine ticketed events were offered 25 July to 2 August. The festival premiered a brass band arrangement of The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace by our patron, Sir Karl Jenkins CBE in his presence. John Suchet
3
Regent’s Park Music Festival Charitable Fund
OBE interviewed Sir Karl beforehand and also contributed his deep knowledge of the Strauss family at our A Night in Vienna concert. Other ticketed events included opera, musical theatre, classical music, gospel, an introduction to opera for youth, and a return of the specially commissioned work for children (The Pied Piper and the Secret Garden).
Reviews were uniformly excellent:
The music was lovely and it was a great privilege to listen to such young talent.
The show was absolutely amazing, such a talented group of people that brought joy to the whole audience.
The singing was outstanding with a few opera favourites. The gala had a mix of many different songs from a variety of operas.
Absolutely five stars
All the singers and musicians were first class
One of the most lovely concerts I have been to and I’ve been to A LOT.”
(Written reviews submitted by concert goers via Audience Club)
Total attendance at the free concerts is estimated at 26,000 (we use a clicker system to count at the beginning, middle and end of the concerts as some people come and go). Attendance at the ticketed events totalled 1174. Over 1200 musicians were employed.
Bringing together musicians and a wide mix of public to enjoy the healing power of music and nature right in the centre of London is of great benefit for the community. Moreover, it can have lasting impact by allowing musicians to grow through performances before large crowds and to help them make a living from their talent and education. It can encourage locals to discover the beauty of the park that is free to them and offers many opportunities for enriching experiences, not only through the music festival. a splendid recital by former
recital by former
Financial review
Receipts for the year totalled £137,878 (2025: £94,381) and payments totalled £139,231 (2025: £96,114), leading to a reduction of £1,353 in cash brought forward. The large increases in receipts and in payments are completely due to the longer and larger ticketed event series. The free bandstand concerts costs were right on budget and the expenses fully covered by our sponsorship. However, glowing reviews aside, the Lakeside Series ticketed events put an enormous financial strain on the charity. With expenses of £107,372 (performers, supporting technicians and equipment) and ticket sales of only £33,447 our generous sponsorship donations, council support and private gifts, were more than depleted and trustees had to increase planned financial support and lend the charity the funds to stay solvent. This trial by fire has had the positive result of forcing the leadership to reflect on the mission of the music festival and how to fulfil it at a smaller scale without compromising our commitment to providing paid employment to musicians, particularly those at the beginning of their careers.
4
Regent’s Park Music Festival Charitable Fund
At this writing, July 2026, the festival’s ticketed events this season (Music in the Secret Garden) have just ended, and in contrast to last year, the charity has covered costs, rebuilt reserves and has obtained committed funding for the next two years. All concerts were sold out with waiting lists and audiences very complimentary. Not only has the ship been righted, it seems set on a course that will bring great music to even more people in the coming years.
Signed on behalf of the trustees by:
…………………. …………………. Date: Date:
5
Regent’s Park Music Festival Charitable Fund
Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Regent’s Park Music Festival Charitable Fund
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2026, which are set out on pages 7 to 9.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
As the charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts: you consider that the audit requirement of section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2014 (the Act) does not apply and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
-
examine the accounts (under section 145 of the Act);
-
to follow the procedures specified in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners under section 145(5)(b) of the Act and;
-
to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner’s report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
Independent examiner’s statement
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) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements
-
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Act; and
-
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Act;
have not been met; or
- (2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached
04/08/2026
Nicholas Lawrence, ACA
61 Benskin Road Watford WD18 0HN
6
Regent’s Park Music Festival Charitable Fund
Statement of receipts and payments for the year ended 31 March 2026
| Receipts Donations Sponsors Ticket sales Loan from Trustees Other receipts Total receipts Payments Bands Lakeside Series performers Lakeside Series equipment Fundraising event costs Administration costs Equipment Bandstand mangement system Printing Insurance Advertising Miscellaneous Total payments Net of receipts / (payments) Cash funds brought forward Cash funds carried forward |
Total All unrestricted 2026 £ 24,240 69,263 33,447 10,000 928 137,878 14,250 103,490 3,882 5,625 4,862 872 3,069 1,229 333 1,619 - 139,231 (1,353) 9,734 8,381 |
Total All unrestricted 2025 £ 7,875 62,150 24,356 - - |
|---|---|---|
| 94,381 14,735 68,421 2,704 - 2,708 1,096 1,649 - 259 2,354 2,288 |
||
| 96,114 | ||
| (1,833) | ||
| 11,567 9,734 |
7
Regent’s Park Music Festival Charitable Fund
Statement of assets and liabilities as at 31 March 2026
| 2026 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Fixed assets | ||
| Equipment | 194 | 104 |
| Current assets | ||
| Cash at bank and in hand | 8,381 | 9,630 |
| ----------------- | ----------------- | |
| Total current assets | 8,576 | 9,734 |
| ----------------- | ----------------- | |
| Liabilities | ||
| Loan from Trustees | 10,000 | - |
| Total net assets | (1,424) | 9,734 |
| ----------------- | ----------------- | |
| Funds of the charity | ||
| Unrestricted funds | (1,424) | 9,734 |
| ----------------- | ----------------- | |
| Total funds of the charity | (1,424) | 9,734 |
| ----------------- | ----------------- |
8
Regent’s Park Music Festival Charitable Fund
Notes to the Accounts
1. Related party transactions
During the year four trustees made donations totalling £26,000 without restriction. Two trustees also made loans to the Charity of £5,000 each. No interest is payable on these loans and there is no fixed repayment date.
9