Charity no. 1184284
Music for Miniatures Receipts and Payments Accounts 31 August 2025
Music for Miniatures
Reference and administrative details
| For theyear ended 31 | August 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Charity number | 1184284 | |
| Registered office and | 1 Tomarton Road | |
| operational address | Marshfield | |
| Chippenham | ||
| SN14 8NN | ||
| Trustees | The trustees who served during the year and up to the date of this report | |
| were as follows: | ||
| Ben Hargreaves | ||
| Martyn Harries | ||
| Adele Haysom MBE | Resigned 24 February 2025 | |
| Charlotte Hum | ||
| Gillian Jones MBE | ||
| Katharine Jordan | ||
| Bankers | NatWest Bank | |
| 62 Fore Street | ||
| Bath | ||
| BA14 8EX | ||
| Independent | Godfrey Wilson Limited | |
| examiners | Chartered accountants and statutory auditors | |
| 5th Floor Mariner House | ||
| 62 Prince Street | ||
| Bristol | ||
| BS1 4QD |
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Music for Miniatures
Report of the trustees
For the year ended 31 August 2025
Reference and administrative information set out on page 1 forms part of this report. The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements and the constitution.
Structure, governance and management
Music for Miniatures Charitable Incorporated Organisation is governed by a constitution. The CIO is overseen by a board of 5 trustees. The trustees for the period covered in this report are Martyn Harries, Ben Hargreaves, Adele Haysom MBE (resigned February 2025), Charlotte Hum, Gill Jones MBE and Katharine Jordan. The board of trustees has the power to appoint new or additional trustees and to remove any trustee, provided the number of trustees does not fall below a minimum of three.
Music for Miniatures has policies in place for Equal Opportunities and Safeguarding of Children.
Objectives and activities
The object of the CIO is to advance the education of children and young people in the art and science of music in all its aspects by the provision of interactive and pedagogical performances, recitals and concerts.
Music for Miniatures provides opportunities for children aged 0-11 and their families to experience professional classical musicians performing in their community.
Our baby-friendly concerts support child development, benefit parent’s wellbeing and bring communities together. Our work in schools allows us to enrich the lives of children, plant a seed of inspiration and spark a curiosity and passion for the arts.
Overview of our performances
Our performances provide significant benefits to various groups within the community:
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Children: Live classical music positively impacts cognitive development, sensory stimulation, emotional expression, language skills, relaxation, bonding, and fosters an appreciation for the arts;
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Parents: Our concerts enhance parental well-being, offering enjoyment and relaxation, as well as creating memorable bonding experiences with their children;
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Community: We expand the range and quality of cultural activities available locally, bringing people together in their communities; and
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Schools: Our interactive, educational, and inspiring performances enrich the musical life of schools, benefiting both teachers and students.
Our work falls into two key strands
1. Baby-friendly concerts: Our baby-friendly concerts cater to children aged 0-4 and their families, creating a supportive and relaxed environment for experiencing professional performances. Some of our concerts are ticketed and some are on a Pay What You Decide basis.
Our concerts take place in 27 different locations across Bristol, Bath, Wiltshire, Somerset, and Gloucestershire They provide an atmosphere where young children can engage with music naturally, without the usual constraints of formal concerts.
Our skilled professional musicians specialise in creating immersive and interactive musical experiences. They engage even the youngest audience members, fostering early appreciation for classical music.
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Music for Miniatures
Report of the trustees
For the year ended 31 August 2025
2. School performances: Our professional musicians perform in schools throughout the UK, enriching the musical experience for students and inspiring them to pursue their own musical interests. Our shows combine music, storytelling, and visual elements to create multi-sensory experiences. These shows make classical music more accessible and engaging for young audiences, fostering a lifelong appreciation for the arts.
We bring professional musicians directly into schools with interactive, engaging performances that make live music accessible for all ages. Our performances are designed to delight and inspire whole-school audiences, from Early Years to Key Stage.
Our shows include:
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MUSICIAN! - a hilarious and interactive musical adventure for your school where woodwind meets brass, with a playful twist that will have everyone laughing and learning;
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Bubble Bach - sublime live music by Bach combined with jaw-dropping bubble arts and sculptures; and
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Paddington’s First Concert and The Owl & The Pussycat.
In 24/25 we visited 60 different schools across our region, including 4 Special Schools and performed to over 9,100 school children. We developed a close relationship with Wiltshire Music Connect to reach many primary schools across Wiltshire. The Radcliffe Trust has funded our work in special schools and Bath Festivals has funded work in some schools across Bath and North East Somerset.
Delivering public benefit
Our activities deliver public benefit by providing children and families with the opportunity to experience high-quality live music. We conduct concerts in public spaces and schools, ensuring that children can engage with music and gain knowledge and inspiration. Many of our performances operate on a "Pay What You Decide" basis, enhancing inclusivity and accessibility for all.
The trustees have carefully considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit in reviewing our aims, objectives, and future planning.
Achievements and performances (September 2024 – August 2025)
We are dedicated to making live classical music inclusive and accessible for everyone. This year, we delivered 179 live performances, reaching nearly 14,500 attendees.
This year has been a busy and exciting one for Music for Miniatures. We began with funding from Wiltshire Music Connect to produce and tour a brand-new show for primary schools, MUSICIAN!, pitting woodwind against brass in an interactive and lively show. Our hugely popular Bubble Bach show also continued touring to schools throughout the year.
Our first performances in libraries were for Gloucestershire libraries where we turned to literature, performing Paddington’s First Concert and The Owl & The Pussycat at three libraries across the county, and also at Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford on Avon.
At Christmas we launched our first Family Sing-A-Long, an event where families came together to sing festive favourites with a live band. Hugely popular, it was one of our best events of the year and is already selling strongly for the coming season.
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Music for Miniatures
Report of the trustees
For the year ended 31 August 2025
One of our biggest achievements was launching Tutti, our monthly giving scheme, allowing supporters to contribute regularly so we can invest in growth and continue to reach more children and families with our outstanding live music. We hope this will continue to expand and help to cement our future.
Music for Miniatures champions inclusivity, ensuring live classical music is accessible to EVERYONE. Our innovative Pay What You Decide concerts focus on areas facing economic challenges. Our performances reached communities across 9 areas of high deprivation – Twerton (Bath), Keynsham, Radstock, Trowbridge, Melksham, Chippenham, Hartcliffe (Bristol), Southmead (Bristol) and Barton Hill (Bristol), with multiple visits throughout the year. The initiative received an enthusiastic response, drawing sizeable and appreciative crowds. Notably, these concerts introduced 60% of attendees to their first live classical music experience, broadening cultural horizons in these communities.
In 25/26 we will be expanding these concerts to include communities in South Gloucestershire.
Organisational development
The charity has continued to expand this year, increasing the hours of the Director, continuing to provide admin assistance, a freelance fundraiser and being in a stronger position to make strategic decisions about the next few years.
We continue to rely on ticket sales, donations and income from grant-making organisations to fund our work.
We strive to reduce our carbon footprint by using only local professional musicians and by taking our concerts out of the city centre to more communities where audiences can access our events by foot, bicycle or bus.
Financial review
This year saw further growth of the charity, with success from school performances income increasing by 87%. Donations have been maximised this year through the Big Give match funding campaign and successful launch of Tutti monthly giving scheme, resulting in a 41% increase.
During the year the trustees amended the reserves policy to holding £2.5k of unrestricted reserves, which roughly equates to one month of core costs.
The charity is carrying forward nearly £4.3k of restricted reserves into the next financial year, along with £4.2k of unrestricted reserves. This meets the updated reserves policy.
A note from the Chair
The Trustees are very proud of the fabulously varied musical experiences that Music for Miniatures offers to families and school children. Yet again this year has seen us reach more people than ever, with a richly diverse offering of instruments and music, a significant achievement in this time when everyone’s budgets are stretched.
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Music for Miniatures
Report of the trustees
For the year ended 31 August 2025
The financing of these concerts continues to be a challenge, and it is only thanks to our audiences and supporters that we can continue to expand and reach wider communities. Our (anonymous) data gathered this year shows we are reaching so many families who have never experienced live musical performances, we are thrilled to introduce the very young to the exciting experience of standing next to a performer and to see their reactions. Our Pay What You Decide initiative has reached many more with a 50% increase in the number of these events. Our aim is for ALL families to have access to the experience with no financial barriers.
We are looking forward to another exciting year to come, with more concerts reaching more people and more children inspired. This is only possible with funding, and we are very, VERY grateful to those institutions who help us, partner with us and share our vision.
The Trustees continue to be in awe of our Artistic Director, Julie Payne – a creative whirlwind of ideas and enthusiasm, she is committed to bringing the excitement of live music to young families in an accessible and inclusive form.
Independent examiners
Godfrey Wilson Limited were re-appointed as independent examiners to the charity during the year and have expressed their willingness to continue in that capacity.
Approved by the trustees on 29 October 2025 and signed on their behalf by
Martyn Harries
Martyn Harries - Chair of Trustees
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Independent examiner's report
To the trustees of
Music for Miniatures
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Music for Miniatures (the charity) for the year ended 31 August 2025, which are set out on pages 7 and 8.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
As the trustees of the charity 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 charity’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 charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or (2) 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.
Jennifer Dickinson
Date: 29 October 2025 Jennifer Dickinson ACA Member of the ICAEW For and on behalf of: Godfrey Wilson Limited Chartered accountants and statutory auditors 5th Floor Mariner House 62 Prince Street Bristol BS1 4QD
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Music for Miniatures
Receipts and payments account
For the year ended 31 August 2025
| Receipts Grants Sales Donations Total receipts Payments Performance fees Salaries Administration Venue hire Advertising & marketing Audit & accountancy fees Travel Transaction fees Prop's and costumes General expenses Web hosting Stewarding Pensions costs Insurance Employers National Insurance Rehearsal fees Total payments Net receipts / (payments) Cash funds at the start of the period Cash funds at the end of the period |
Restricted Unrestricted £ £ 19,782 4,230 - 41,610 - 9,769 19,782 55,609 11,855 32,060 4,045 10,141 2,763 6,928 2,257 2,795 1,188 2,978 - 1,516 191 478 - 595 - 473 124 310 103 259 240 60 53 134 38 95 25 63 - - 22,882 58,885 (3,100) (3,276) 7,356 7,481 4,256 4,205 |
Total £ 24,012 41,610 9,769 75,391 43,915 14,186 9,691 5,052 4,166 1,516 669 595 473 434 362 300 187 133 88 - 81,767 (6,376) 14,837 8,461 2025 |
Total £ 25,572 39,309 6,918 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 71,799 | |||
| 31,130 9,234 7,450 5,471 1,191 1,516 621 1,937 491 157 280 - 86 131 - 360 |
|||
| 60,055 | |||
| 11,744 3,093 |
|||
| 14,837 |
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Music for Miniatures
Statement of assets and liabilities
As at 31 August 2025
| As at 31 August 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cash funds Cash at bank and in hand Total cash funds Cash funds Restricted funds Unrestricted funds General funds Total cash funds |
2025 £ 8,461 8,461 4,256 4,205 8,461 |
2024 £ 14,837 |
| 14,837 | ||
| 7,356 7,481 |
||
| 14,837 |
Approved by the trustees on 29 October 2025 and signed on their behalf by
Martyn Harries
Martyn Harries - Chair of Trustees
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