Trustees Annual Report
Charity Name: Outland Opera Charity Number: 1194099 Registered Address and Principal Office : 2 York Cottages, Wynford Eagle, Dorchester, DT2 0ES
Trustees:
Martin Bowe (Treasurer) Bridget Escolme (Chairperson) Michelle Williams
Purpose of the Charity
Outland Opera’s Charitable Objects are as follows: to educate the public in operatic arts to further the development of public appreciation in the said arts through public performances in rural areas with a focus on local and regional history.
Achievements and performance
Outland Opera was founded in 2021 and has since composed three operas based on the regional history of Dorset, with composer Tom Floyd and writer Anna Rose-Prynn. A series of ‘Story Shares’ took place in the summer of 2021, during which Dorset people around the project sites were recorded telling stories about the locality. In 2022, Outland Opera had a residency at Lighthouse in Poole as part of its ‘Sanctuary’ programme and worked with Dorset Libraries on the delivery of a programme of creative workshops based around the operas. In 2023, Outland Opera produced a promenade performance ‘The Song of Home’ , building on these prior creative workshops, which took place in Abbotsbury in December. A film based on the performance was produced and screened in Dorset care homes in 2024.
Structure, governance, and management
Outland Opera is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and has a charity constitution, which was last updated in 2021. Trustees are appointed for a term of three
years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees. In selecting new trustees, the existing charity trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for effective administration of the CIO. This year, Outland Opera appointed a new Trustee, Michelle Williams, to replace outgoing trustee, Laura Canning. Outland Opera is currently seeking to appoint a Dorset-based trustee.
Financial Review
The charity covered all the costs of its activities through fundraising. The charity has no staff or significant overhead costs and its activities are linked to specific events for which it raises funds according to budgeted costs. Trustees have agreed that the charity should maintain reserves of 10% of its annual income once it has a turnover of £25,000 or above.
Public beneft statement
Outland Opera Trustees confirm that its activities are as stated in its objects and of public benefit.
Signed: Bridget Escolme Chair of Trustees
| Outland Opera | 1194099 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts andpayments accounts | CC16a | |||
| For the period from |
01/05/2024 | To | 30/04/2025 |
| Section A Receipts and payments | Section A Receipts and payments | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 6,343 2,250 - - - - - - 8,593 - - - 8,593 10,593 - - - 250 - - - - 10,843 - - - 10,843 - 2,250 - 2,459 209 |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Total funds to the nearest £ 6,343 2,250 - - - - - - 8,593 - - - 8,593 10,593 - - - 250 - - - - 10,843 - - - 10,843 - 2,250 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
|
| Donations | 6,343 | 4,028 | ||||
| Grants | 2,250 | 750 | ||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
8,593 | 4,778 | ||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
||||||
| - | ||||||
| - | - | |||||
| Sub total | - | - | ||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
||||||
| 4,778 | ||||||
| Artistic creation | 10,593 | 5,595 | ||||
| Photography | - | - | ||||
| Insurance | - | 110 | ||||
| Accommodation expenses | - | - | ||||
| Venue & equipment hire | 250 | 111 | ||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| **Sub total ** | 10,843 | 5,816 | ||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
||||||
| - | ||||||
| - | ||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | ||||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
||||||
| 5,816 | ||||||
| - 2,250 | - | - | - 2,250 | - 1,038 | ||
| - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2,459 | - | - | 2,459 | 3,497 | ||
| 209 | - | - | 209 | 2,459 |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
13/01/2026
1
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets |
Signature Details Details Bank Account Details Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 209 - - - - - 209 - OK OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - - - - Print Name R Knight Bridget Escolme |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| OK | |||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| When due (optional) |
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| Date of approval |
|||
| 05/02/26 | |||
| 05/02/26 | |||
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
13/01/2026
2