REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 1185454
ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD 2 MAY 2024 – 1 MAY 2025
1. SWAP’ra Annual Report 2 May 2024 – 1 May 2025
CONTENTS
| Legal and administrative information | 3 |
|---|---|
| Trustees’ Report | 4 |
| Programme and Activities | 7 |
| Receipts and Payments for the period 2 May 2024 – 1 May 2025 | 11 |
2. SWAP’ra Annual Report 2 May 2024 – 1 May 2025
LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
CONSTITUTION
SWAP’ra is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (no. 1185454), registered with the Charity Commission on 23 September 2019 and is governed by its constitution dated 7 May 2018.
TRUSTEES
The Trustees serving during the period covered by this Report were as follows: Sarah Holford (Chair) Catherine Carby (Treasurer) Professor Natasha Loges Mary Miller Sarah Noble
REGISTERED OFFICE
25 Greenways, Chelmsford, CM1 4EF
BANK
Metro Bank, 1 Southampton Row, London, WC1B 5HA
The Co-operative Bank plc P.O. Box 101 1 Balloon Street Manchester M60 4EP
Registered charity number 1185454
3. SWAP’ra Annual Report 2 May 2024 – 1 May 2025
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE PERIOD
2 MAY 2023 – 1 MAY 2024
This document has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Charity Commission and complies with the Charity’s governing document.
SWAP’ra is a registered charity, number 1185454. It is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation and was registered with the Charity Commission on 23 September 2019.
TRUSTEES
Trustees are appointed with regard to the skills, knowledge and experience required for the effective administration of the CIO. Apart from the first Trustees, all Trustees are appointed for a term of three years which may be renewed.
AIM AND PURPOSES
The charitable objects of SWAP’ra, as described in the constitution, are:
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1) The promotion – for the public benefit – of equality and diversity in the opera industry, and the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of gender or parenthood in particular, but not exclusively, by:
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a) Advancing education in and raising awareness to issues of equality and diversity.
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b) Promoting a culture in favour of equality and diversity throughout the opera industry
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c) Conducting or commissioning research on equality and diversity issues in opera and making the conclusions available to the public.
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d) Promoting and supporting projects to facilitate the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of gender or parenthood in opera.
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e) Supporting women and parents working in opera including by way of grants, advice, counselling, mentoring or otherwise as the trustees see fit.
4. SWAP’ra Annual Report 2 May 2024 – 1 May 2025
- 2) To further such charitable purpose or purposes as the trustees in their absolute discretion shall think fit.
BACKGROUND - WHY ARE WE HERE?
SWAP’ra is a group of artists and creative professionals who have come together to build a supportive community to effect positive change for women and parents in opera.
The aim is to be a voice for women (including trans and non-binary people) and parents of all genders in opera by:
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Celebrating professional achievements in an industry where women are under-represented in many areas;
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Advocating for working conditions that better accommodate family and parenting commitments;
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Challenging preconceptions to improve attitudes towards women and parents in the arts Providing a friendly and non-judgmental community that offers peer support together with a forum to explore practical issues;
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Developing a platform for performance and publicity;
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Responding to the impact and implications of Covid 19 both in the short and longer term especially in the context of the ongoing challenges for women and parents in opera.
The ultimate aim is to foster an environment in which women and parents are enabled to thrive professionally; the balancing of career and family/parenting commitments is actively supported by companies; and a female CEO, Music Director, Artistic Director, Conductor, Composer or Librettist is no longer noteworthy.
HOW DID WE GET HERE?
SWAP’ra had its beginnings at the end of 2017, when a group of artists active in the opera industry met to discuss how they could constructively address the challenges and barriers that women and parents working in opera continue to battle against.
This is not a new conversation for those affected by these issues. But the aim is to raise the volume and to bring these conversations to the attention of those in positions to effect positive change.
5. SWAP’ra Annual Report 2 May 2024 – 1 May 2025
The SWAP’ra Senior Management Team is made up of artists with portfolio careers including singers, directors, teachers and educators, producers, company directors, instrumentalists and arts managers. Together the team has a broad range of experience and expertise working across the UK and internationally and as such is in a strong position to act as a conduit between freelance artists and building-based arts managers.
SWAP’ra launched in the summer of 2018 with a spectacular Gala at Holland Park, hosted by Fiona Shaw and showcasing the talents, both on and off-stage, of 150 female directors, instrumentalists, conductors, singers, stage managers, composers, librettists and project managers. Named by Fiona Maddocks in The Guardian as one of the best classical music events of 2018, the Gala struck a significant chord for many. The response to the launch, and the funds raised (over £15,000) enabled SWAP’ra to submit its application to the Charity Commission soon after, and, as noted above, the organisation was registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (1185454) in September 2019.
WHAT DO WE WANT THE FUTURE TO LOOK LIKE?
Our vision is that women are evenly represented in all job roles within the opera industry.
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➔ Younger artists at the beginning of their careers don't feel they have to choose between professional success and parenthood.
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➔ Artists of all genders aren't afraid for their careers when they move between life stages (such as pregnancy, adoption, IVF, menopause, ageing) but have the support they need to consider their options.
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➔ There is a widespread culture of respect and support for women and parents within the industry, as a result of the correction of unconscious biases.
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➔ It is normal for those in the industry to experience working conditions that accommodate family life.
To achieve this vision, our programme focuses around three key pillars of activity:
Performance | Mentoring & Peer Support | Advocacy & Research
6. SWAP’ra Annual Report 2 May 2024 – 1 May 2025
PROGRAMME AND ACTIVITIES 2024/25
SWAP’ra RETREAT - Mentoring & Peer Support
This financial year saw the development of a new project partnership with Britten Pears Arts and the delivery of our second SWAP’ra Retreat. The SWAP’ra Retreat 2025 was a development of our inaugural retreat at Glyndebourne in 2023. It is a fully funded, intensive residential career development opportunity for eight singing mothers with children under 4 years old. It took place over 5 days (3rd-7th March) at Snape Maltings in Suffolk.
The Retreat is a key delivery mechanism for SWAP’ra’s objective to provide mentoring and peer support to women and parents in opera. Through sustained access to experienced industry professionals, structured one-to-one guidance, and facilitated peer exchange, participants receive both formal mentoring and the opportunity to build enduring peer support networks that extend beyond the residential period.
During the five-day programme, postnatal singers received:
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Performance psychology coaching (both one-on-one and group sessions)
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Group and one-to-one pilates with a focus on post-natal core strength rehabilitation
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One-on-one vocal coaching
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Group masterclasses led by expert vocal and acting coaches
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Vocal massage and vocal health workshop
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Professional video recordings of two new audition arias
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Discussions and network-building with parents with similar lived experiences
Outcomes includes:
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Professional skill development
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Increased physical and emotional wellbeing
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Renewed confidence - feeling able to promote themselves for professional opportunities
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Peer networks - a friendly, safe and non-judgmental community
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Otherwise unaffordable digital publicity and promotion resources, essential to artists today
Facilitators for 2025 were:
7. SWAP’ra Annual Report 2 May 2024 – 1 May 2025
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Olivia Fuchs - Stage Director
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Gillian Ramm - Voice Teacher and Vocal Health Coach
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Hannah Sandison - Performance Psychology Consultant
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Kate Valentine - Vocal Massage and Health Therapist
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Denni Sayers - pilates instructor and movement director
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Frances Hills - pianist and vocal coach
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Alice Turner - pianist and vocal coach
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Jan Capinski - videographer
In response to feedback gathered from participants in 2023, we decided to extend the course from four to five days to ensure longer gaps between scheduled activities. This also enabled us to offer an additional two places for 2025, increasing the total number of participants from six to eight.
BPA was an ideal partner for this project. The organisation has been holding residential courses for composers for several years so have robust but flexible systems and resources in place to support the SWAP’ra Retreat. In addition to providing the spaces we need to deliver each activity, BPA provided accommodation and catering for facilitators and participants as support-in-kind, as well as a budget for facilitator fee contribution, participants’ travel expenses, and a contribution to childcare costs for those who need it. SWAP’ra and BPA are keen to collaborate further and are already in discussions about future Retreats at Snape Maltings.
Anonymous participant feedback included the following:
‘What the SWAP'ra retreat offers to parents is essential. Without their support, I wouldn't have been able to recognise or even articulate how much help I needed. The impact on my life, on the lives of others and (as a result) on the industry as a whole cannot be underestimated. What an invaluable resource that deserves to be cherished and celebrated.’
‘This retreat was a turning point for me in my career post-parenthood. It came at a time when PTSD related performance anxiety had reached an all time high (something that I had never experienced pre-children!) and it nurtured me in ways I couldn't have anticipated... I came away with renewed self-belief, a new support group of fellow singing parents with shared experiences, and a rediscovered passion for singing. I'll be forever grateful to SWAP'ra for offering me this invaluable opportunity and support when I needed it the most.’
8. SWAP’ra Annual Report 2 May 2024 – 1 May 2025
PERFORMANCE PSYCHOLOGY - Mentoring & Peer Support
As part of the SWAP'ra team, Hannah Sandison combines her experience as a singer with her expertise as a performance psychology consultant to support artists through one-to-one coaching. Her work looks at issues including career stagnation, performance anxiety, and motivation paralysis. To champion accessibility, Hannah offers two monthly pro-bono sessions to women referred by SWAP'ra, providing professional guidance to those who might otherwise be unable to access it.
This provision directly advances our charitable objective of offering mentoring and peer support by creating structured, confidential space for reflection and professional development, particularly at moments of vulnerability or transition. In addition to the individual benefit for participants, insights from this work inform our wider understanding of the pressures facing women and parents in opera, enabling us to strengthen our peer networks and ensure that our mentoring activity remains responsive, relevant, and rooted in lived experience.
PRESS AND COMMUNICATIONS - Advocacy
Press interviews and podcast appearances have continued to play an important role in advancing our advocacy objectives. By contributing to features in sector publications (Classical Music Magazine) and participating in industry-focused podcasts (National Opera Studio), we have been able to raise awareness of the structural barriers facing women and parents in opera, highlight lived experiences, and promote practical recommendations for change. These platforms enable us to reach artistic leaders, administrators, policymakers, and practitioners across the opera sector, strengthening our voice within industry debates and positioning SWAP’ra as a constructive, solutions-focused advocate for equity, transparency, and sustainable working practices.
9. SWAP’ra Annual Report 2 May 2024 – 1 May 2025
FINANCIAL REVIEW
The period of this report covers the period 2 May 2024 – 1 May 2025. Accounts are prepared on a cash basis.
The charity’s opening balance of £4,013 comprised £3,541 unrestricted and £472 restricted funds. Income in this financial year comprised £738 unrestricted funds and £22,594 restricted to costs associated with the SWAP’ra Retreat (March 2025). Total expenditure was £17,524, £150 of which was spent on office expenses from unrestricted funds. Total remaining funds at year end are £9,821, £5,692 of which are restricted.
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS
These accounts have been prepared on a cash basis, under the receipts and payments method, and are presented on the Charity Commission template. Receipts and payments accounts contain a summary of money received and spent during the period and a list of assets and liabilities at the end of the period.
RESERVES POLICY
The Trustees’ policy is to hold surplus unrestricted funds as reserves to safeguard the Charity’s ongoing financial sustainability and to provide support for future projects.
10. SWAP’ra Annual Report 2 May 2024 – 1 May 2025
Docusign Envelope ID: 7B0A5205-D8B0-4381-8451-ADEA20AF263C
| SWAP'ra (Supporting Women and Parents in Opera) | SWAP'ra (Supporting Women and Parents in Opera) | SWAP'ra (Supporting Women and Parents in Opera) | SWAP'ra (Supporting Women and Parents in Opera) | SWAP'ra (Supporting Women and Parents in Opera) | SWAP'ra (Supporting Women and Parents in Opera) | SWAP'ra (Supporting Women and Parents in Opera) | SWAP'ra (Supporting Women and Parents in Opera) | SWAP'ra (Supporting Women and Parents in Opera) | 1185454 | 1185454 | 1185454 | 1185454 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts and payments accounts | CC16a | |||||||||||||||||||
| For the period from |
2 May 24 | To | 1 May 25 | |||||||||||||||||
| Section A Receipts and payments | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Unrestricted | Restricted funds | Endowment | Total funds | Last year | ||||||||||||||||
| to the nearest | £ | to | the nearest £ | to the | nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | |||||||||||||
| A1 Receipts | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Donations from individuals | - | 623- | - | 6,494- | - | 7,117- | - | -- | ||||||||||||
| Donations from Trusts & Foundations | - | 10,500- | - | 10,500- | - | -- | ||||||||||||||
| Income from project partners | - | 5,600- | - | 5,600- | - | -- | ||||||||||||||
| GiftAid | - | 114- | - | 114- | - | -- | ||||||||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | |||||||||||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | |||||||||||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | |||||||||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) | - | 738- | - | 22,594- | - | -- | - | 23,332- | - | -- |
| A2 Asset and investment sales, | ||||||||||||||||||||
| (see table). | ||||||||||||||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | |||||||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | |||||||||||
| Sub total | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||
| **Total receipts ** | - | 738- | - | 22,594- | - | -- | - | 23,332- | - | -- | ||||||||||
| A3 Payments | ||||||||||||||||||||
| SWAP'ra Retreat fees | - | 13,577- | - | 13,577- | - | 2,550- | ||||||||||||||
| Communications | - | 198- | - | 198- | - | 436- | ||||||||||||||
| Insurance | - | 225- | - | 225- | - | 193- | ||||||||||||||
| Other | - | 35- | - | 35- | - | 35- | ||||||||||||||
| Offfice expenses | - | 115- | - | 115- | - | -- | ||||||||||||||
| Travel, accommodation (SWAP'ra Retreat) | - | 3,374- | - | 3,374- | - | -- | ||||||||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | |||||||||||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | |||||||||||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | |||||||||||||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | 150- | - | 17,374- | - | -- | - | 17,524- | - | 3,214- |
| A3 Payments | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SWAP'ra Retreat fees | - | 13,577- | - | 13,577- | - | 2,550- | |||||||||||||||
| Communications | - | 198- | - | 198- | - | 436- | |||||||||||||||
| Insurance | - | 225- | - | 225- | - | 193- | |||||||||||||||
| Other | - | 35- | - | 35- | - | 35- | |||||||||||||||
| Offfice expenses | - | 115- | - | 115- | - | -- | |||||||||||||||
| Travel, accommodation (SWAP'ra | Retreat) | - | 3,374- | - | 3,374- | - | -- | ||||||||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||||||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | 150- | - | 17,374- | - | -- | - | 17,524- | - | 3,214- | |||||||||||
| A4 Asset and investment | |||||||||||||||||||||
| purchases, (see table) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | |||||||||||||
| **Total payments ** | - | 150- | - | 17,374- | - | -- | - | 17,524- | - | 3,214- | |||||||||||
| **Net of receipts/(payments) ** | - | 588- | - | 5,220- | - | -- | - | 5,808- | - | 3,214- | |||||||||||
| A5 Transfers between funds | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | |||||||||||
| A6 Cash funds last year end | - | 3,541- | - | 472- | - | -- | - | 4,013- | - | 7,227- | |||||||||||
| Cash funds this | **year end ** | - | 4,129- | - | 5,692- | - | -- | - | 9,821- | - | 4,013- | ||||||||||
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Unrestricted | Restricted funds | Endowment | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Categories | Details | funds | funds | ||||||||||||
| to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | |||||||||||||
| B1 | Cash funds | Metro bank | - | 84- | - | 2,702- | - | -- | |||||||
| Co-Op bank | - | 3,018- | - | 1,835- | - | -- | |||||||||
| PayPal | - | 1,027- | - | 1,156- | - | -- | |||||||||
| Total cash funds | - | 4,129- | - | 5,692- | - | -- | |||||||||
| (agree balances with receipts and payments account (s)) |
OK | OK | OK | ||||||||||||
| Unrestricted | Restricted funds | Endowment | |||||||||||||
| funds | funds | ||||||||||||||
| Details | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | ||||||||||||
| B2 | Other monetary assets | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
2/10/2026
1
Docusign Envelope ID: 7B0A5205-D8B0-4381-8451-ADEA20AF263C
| 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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| Details | When due (optional) |
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| Date of approval | ||||
| Sarah Holford | 10 February 2 | |||
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
2/10/2026
2