## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period**
## **From: 1 May 2025 to 30 April 2026**
## **Charity name: The Lindow Ensemble**
## **Charity registration number: 1189479**
## **Objectives and Activities**
||SORP reference||
|---|---|---|
|Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|**(1) To advance the arts and culture for**
**the benefit of the public in Greater**
**Manchester and Cheshire and (2) to**
**advance education for the benefit of**
**current students and recent alumni of**
**the Royal Northern College of Music**
**(‘RNCM’) and other institutions of higher**
**musical education.**|
|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|**The ensemble is a string ensemble that**
**typically consists of 12 players. They**
**include full-time professionals, students**
**or recent alumni of the RNCM and**
**amateur players of a high standard. Its**
**main activities are to perform concerts**
**of chamber music and to deliver**
**educational and community projects.**
**In 2025-26 it performed three concerts,**
**one in Didsbury, Manchester, one in**
**Macclesfield and one in Manchester City**
**Centre.**|
|Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|**The trustees confirm that, in giving**
**these concerts, they have had regard to**
**the guidance issued by the Charity**
**Commission on public benefit.**|
## **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|**As stated above, in 2025-26 the**
**ensemble gave three concerts, one in**
**Didsbury, Manchester, one in**
**Macclesfield and one in Manchester City**
**Centre. In total some 250 members of**
**the public attended. All the programmes**
**included a new work by the**
**distinguished British composer, Eleanor**
**Alberga, as well as more familiar**
**repertoire. The ensemble believes that**
**thereby it has given members of the**
**public both enjoyment and a wider**
**appreciation of chamber music. Some**
**have made generous donations to**
**assist in the future development of the**
**ensemble.**
**As regards students and recent alumni**
**of the RNCM, five rehearsed for and**
**performed in the above concerts as**
**players.**
**The ensemble believes that thereby it**
**has given all five RNCM students and**
**alumni substantial assistance in the**
**transition to a musical career.**|
## **Financial Review**
|**Financial Review**|||
|---|---|---|
|Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|**As shown by its accounts, the ensemble**
**had cash funds of £4873 at the end of**
**the period. The three concerts were all**
**delivered within budget. (Almost all the**
**remaining £4873 then went towards the**
**costs of one further concert and six**
**educational workshops for primary**
**schools in Bolton. These took place in**
**June 2026, leaving £1113.14 in cash**
**funds at the date of this report.)**|
|Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|**The ensemble became a CIO in May**
**2020 and to date has no reserves policy.**
**It will review the situation as it becomes**
**more firmly established.**|
|Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|**£1113.14**|
|Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|**N/A**|
|Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|**None**|
|Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23|**The annual accounts of this and earlier**
**years show that the ensemble requires**
**an annual income of c.£15-20,000 to**
**sustain its educational and concert**
**programme at the level achieved**
**hitherto. If the ensemble is to continue**
**as a going concern, and in particular if it**
**is to deliver further educational projects,**
**it will require a regular annual income of**
**that amount. It will pursue all**
**appropriate fundraising activities to**
**achieve this.**||
|---|---|---|---|
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
|Description of charity’s
trusts:|||
|---|---|---|
|Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|**Foundation model for a Charitable**
**Incorporated Organisation, whose only**
**voting members are its charity trustees.**|
|How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|**A Charitable Incorporated Organisation**
**(‘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|**The ensemble has four trustees, three of**
**whom were first charity trustees. They**
**were appointed by personal**
**recommendation. The constitution**
**provides that, apart from first charity**
**trustees, every trustee must be**
**appointed for three years by a**
**resolution passed at a properly**
**convened meeting of charity trustees. In**
**doing so the charity trustees must have**
**regard to the skills, knowledge and**
**experience needed for the effective**
**administration of the CIO.**|
## **Reference and Administrative details**
|Charity name|**The Lindow Ensemble**|
|---|---|
|Other name the charity uses|**None**|
|Registered charity number|**1189479**|
|Charity’s principal address|**30 Broadway**
**Wilmslow**
**Cheshire**
**SK9 1NB**|
## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity**
|1
2
3
4|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee(if any)**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**John Andrew**
**Phillips**|**Chair**|||
||**Adrienne Patricia**
**Spilsbury**|**Secretary**|||
||**Joanna Ceri**
**Sambrook**|**Treasurer**|||
||**Michael Andrew**
**Sambrook**||||
Corporate trustees – names of the directors at the date the report was approved
**Director name None**
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
|**Trustee name**|**Dates acted if not for whole year**||
|---|---|---|
|**None**|||
||||
||||
||||
||||
||||
## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others**
|Description of the assets
held in this capacity|**None**|
|---|---|
|Name and objects of the
charity on whose behalf the
assets are held and how this
falls within the custodian
charity’s objects|**N/A**|
|Details of arrangements for
safe custody and
segregation of such assets
from the charity’s own
assets|**N/A**|
## **Exemptions from disclosure**
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
**N/A**
## **Other optional information**
**N/A**
## **Declarations**
**The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.**
**Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees**
**Signature(s) Full name(s)** John Andrew Phillips **Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc)** Chair **Date** 18 August 2026