Registered Charity Number 1196015
BITTERSUITE EXPERIENCES CIO (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION)
REPORT AND ACCOUNTS For the year ending 31 March 2025
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BITTERSUITE EXPERIENCES CIO (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 TRUSTEES’ REPORT
As the Board of Trustees, we present our report and financial statements for the year to 31 March 2025.
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
Registered Charity Number 1196015 Registered Office 34 Strathleven Road, London SW2 5LA Independent Examiner Pete O’Hara FCA, Chartered Accountant, 26 La Sagesse, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 3AF
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Governing Documents
BitterSuite Experiences CIO was established as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) on 1 October 2021. As a CIO it is governed by its constitution and Articles of Association.
Structure and Governance/ Board of Trustees
The charity currently has a board of four non-executive Trustees.
The Trustees of BitterSuite Experiences CIO during the year and to the date of signing this report were as follows:
Joshua McNorton (Chair) Ash Patel Stephanie Tyrrell Fleur Ker-Reid (aka Fleur Chaffe) Resigned 12 August 2025
Recruitment and Appointment of Board of Trustees
A recruitment campaign to increase and diversify the Board was undertaken during the year. This followed a process to identify knowledge and skills gaps within the current Board and the development of a new Trustee Recruitment Policy.
Trustee Induction and Training
Trustees are provided with a range of resources to support their understanding of BitterSuite Experiences’ activities and outlining Trustee duties and responsibilities.
Management
Day-to-day operation of the charity is delegated to Stephanie Singer, Creative Director and CEO and supported by Eleni Kyriacou, Interim Executive Producer.
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BITTERSUITE EXPERIENCES CIO (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
TRUSTEES’ REPORT
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Charitable Purpose, Aims & Objectives
The principal object of the charity is "to advance the arts for the public benefit by the promotion in particular, but not exclusively, of the arts of music and drama".
Vision & Mission
We want a world where people are given new meaningful experiences and reasons to be together, to congregate and experience something which is fundamentally about being alive. We imagine a world which is driven by a celebration of curiosity, connection and joy.
BitterSuite’s mission is to transform the experience of music and how we listen. We are pushing the boundaries of conventional theatre and music, experimenting and discovering what is possible with sensory art, working with the widest possible groups of people to deliver unique concerts, events and participation programmes. We want to grow towards being a diverse company producing multi-disciplinary media that targets and excites the senses.
Our Programme
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Multi-sensory concerts and experiences
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Participation programmes
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BitterSuite Lab
Multi-Sensory Concerts
BitterSuite Experiences are committed to transforming the experience of live music. We want our audiences to feel the music in a way like never before. Stimulating the senses of touch, taste, smell, hearing and all the others to build transformative experiences allowing audiences to hear the music through the body.
Our concerts are composed & choreographed carefully and intentionally so that every stimulation is designed to enhance the way you are listening to and understanding the emotional meaning of the music. The result is an imaginative, musical journey where for the time you are with us you live and breathe the music.
Participation Programmes
Sensorial work has a profound and positive impact on wellbeing and mental health. Our workshops apply, introduce and explore the senses and our intention is to heighten our participants awareness of what and how we feel, and how this can be applied to music and creativity. Our workshops build empathy skills and pro-social skills.
In addition to one-off workshops we also co-create sensory immersive experiences with participants. Our workshop participants include general public engagement to specific and tailored outreach targeting groups with sensory and behavioural needs with a particular focus on SEN, SEND, Deaf and blind groups, and hyperactivity.
BitterSuite Lab
The Lab is our space for experimentation and collaboration. Within the Lab we deliver brand activations, consultancy, facilitation for R&D, idea generation and more. In the Lab we are motivated by the question… What can the senses offer to a process? In this space it's sensorially focused and doesn't tie explicitly to sound or music.
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BITTERSUITE EXPERIENCES CIO (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
TRUSTEES’ REPORT
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (CONTINUED)
Public Benefit
The Trustees understand and have discussed the implications of the provisions of the Charities Act 2006, which requires all charities to be able to demonstrate that they are established for public benefit and have had due regard to the public benefit guidance issued by the Charity Commission.
The Trustees believe that the charity meets both of the key principles.
- Principle 1 There must be an identifiable benefit, or benefits
The benefits from our work are increased wellbeing for individuals of all ages and backgrounds.
- Principle 2 Benefit must be to the public, or a section of the public
Each element of our work is able to provide benefit to the public in general.
Reserves Policy
The Trustees have reviewed the charity's needs for reserves in line with the guidance issued by the Charity Commission.
The Trustees aim to firstly hold a level of unrestricted Reserves which enables the charity to have sufficient financial resources to meet various liabilities which would crystallise if BitterSuite Experiences’ funding were to be withdrawn and/or it were unable to continue operating.
At present, the Trustees estimate that the Unrestricted Reserves required for such purposes amount to approximately £9,000.
If possible, the Trustees then aspire to retain an additional allowance of £10,000 to enable the charity to respond flexibly to issues or appropriate initiatives which might be identified outside of its annual budgeting process.
The required level of Reserves is therefore in the range of £9,000 to £19,000
BitterSuite Experiences currently has total Unrestricted Reserves of £6,686 at 31 March 2025. Free Reserves, defined as Unrestricted Funds minus any Designated Funds minus the value of Tangible Fixed Assets are £6,686.
The charity intends through its financial management and budgeting processes to reach its aspirational level of Reserves over the next 3 years to hold sufficient to cover its liabilities and to enable it to continue to respond flexibly.
The Reserves Policy is re-visited by the Board annually in the light of progress against budget and is updated at the time of drafting the annual accounts.
Investment Policy
The charity has the power under the Memorandum and Articles of Association to make any investment which the Trustees see fit.
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BITTERSUITE EXPERIENCES CIO (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 TRUSTEES’ REPORT
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (CONTINUED)
Risk Management
The Trustees of the charity regularly review the major governance, operational and financial risks which the charity faces as part of its annual business planning process and confirm that systems have been established to mitigate these risks.
BitterSuite Experiences has a risk management strategy in place that comprises:
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an annual review of the strategic risks the charity may face via the business plan
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the establishment of systems and procedures to mitigate identified risks
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the implementation of procedures designed to minimise any potential impact on the charity should those risks materialise.
The Trustees are satisfied that appropriate financial systems and controls are in place, together with appropriate employment policies and practices.
The Trustees consider the key risks facing the charity at this time and the mitigating actions taken to be as follows.
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The lack of Unrestricted Funds which, if not addressed, threatens the solvency and viability of the charity – fundraising and budgeting for 2025/26 has been focussed upon addressing this as a priority
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Shortage of resources, both financial and human - grants are applied for to establish a more robust organisation, supporting additional salaried positions
The Trustees also manage the general financial risks by ensuring that:
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prudent budgets are set for each financial year
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the charity maintains a low cost-base
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BITTERSUITE EXPERIENCES CIO (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 TRUSTEES’ REPORT
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
Summary of the Charity’s Main Achievements During the Year
Despite working without core funding , with limited staff capacity and continued instability across the cultural sector, BitterSuite:
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Delivered substantial progress across FEEL , Violet , the Sensation Method , and the BitterSuite Lab .
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Created a new show, ‘Visionaries’, in collaboration with Vache Baroque
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Strengthened its organisational narrative, business plan and staffing visions , preparing for future core funding routes.
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Researched and tested diverse income models , including membership, partnerships, trusts/foundations and feasibility for a future NPO bid.
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Cultivated early-stage partnership pathways with English National Opera , Haringey Borough of Culture , WOW Foundation , and Manchester International Festival .
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Developed a comprehensive funding strategy , supported by freelance bid writers, in response to the challenging subsidy climate.
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Expanded thinking around the Sensory Alliance and how to better support disabled and neurodivergent collaborators.
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Reviewed and strengthened communications, supported by consultant Jan Hillman, including early website redesign and evaluation insights.
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Increased the organisation’s international profile through representation at LEAP Festival, Saudi Arabia , balancing this opportunity against limited organisational capacity.
Headline Figures:
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Total participants engaged: 20
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Freelance creatives employed: 20
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% female-identifying: 90%
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% queer-identifying: 80%
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% with caring responsibilities: 50%
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% disabled/neurodivergent: 80%
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New partnerships formed: 6
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Creative outputs:
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New productions developed: 3
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Work-in-progress sharings/demos: 10
1. CREATIVE PROGRAMME
VISIONARIES
Visionaries invited audiences into a deeply immersive reinterpretation of Handel and Milton’s L’Allegro, il Penseroso… Part I , staged at the historic estate of The Vache. Rather than relying on sight, the performance engaged all the other senses—sound, touch, taste, smell and movement— guided by expert multisensory practitioners. Over a 45-minute blindfolded experience, guests were led through a rich sensory world: live singers and period instrumentation were paired with carefully designed sensory atmospheres, heightened installations, and bespoke accessibility support to ensure inclusivity. The project was co-created with visually impaired artists and local residents, underlining a commitment to accessibility and collective authorship. The work also celebrated the legacy of vision-impaired creators: both Milton and Handel continued to compose even after losing their sight. As part of its outreach, Visionaries included a special adapted workshop-performance for deafblind young people with their families and carers — combining music, tactile storytelling, and sensory engagement. The project also won recognition in 2024 when it was awarded Best Collaboration by Bucks Culture.
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BITTERSUITE EXPERIENCES CIO (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 TRUSTEES’ REPORT
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (CONTINUED)
Summary of the Charity’s Main Achievements During the Year (Cont.)
FEEL (formerly Bodies Tilted)
BitterSuite’s newest work, inspired by the sell-out show, Bodies Tilted at the Southbank Centre, Meltdown Festival, 2023. Looking more at the profound and positive impact on the brain and body of witnessing others be cared for.
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Secured R&D support from Oxford University / Schwarzman Centre.
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Advanced exploratory commissioning conversations with Southbank Centre , Roundhouse , Broadwick Live , SXSW and WOW Festival .
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Delivered targeted demos and pitches to test the work and build future touring/licensing potential.
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Sought legal guidance through pro-bono legal support and lead advisor Olivia Nimmo , ensuring clarity around IP and future licensing despite limited organisational resources.
VIOLET
A new rave opera co-created with survivors of sexual violence.
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Completed the full 90-minute score , sound design and mix of all 26 tracks, including creation and recording of a survivor choir .
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Developed a multi-year fundraising strategy and progressed conversations with commissioners and cultural partners, including English National Opera , Haringey Borough of Culture , WOW Foundation , and Manchester International Festival .
Sensation Method & BitterSuite Lab
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Updated the Sensation Method to strengthen participation, well-being and community engagement across future programmes.
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Developed the BitterSuite Lab concept: a new strand creating inclusive sensory products and experiences for festivals and large-scale live music.
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Submitted a major Innovate UK application (with BitterSuite subcontracted), reflecting the organisation’s move toward diversification in a strained arts funding landscape.
2. ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Narrative, Strategy & Positioning
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Undertook a major refresh of the organisation’s identity, narrative and messaging to support clarity in fundraising and partnerships.
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Published the strategic plan and drafted KPIs
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Reframed communications, particularly the website, to emphasise public benefit, impact, and sector relevance , ensuring the charity remains competitive in a challenging environment.
Fundraising & Income Development
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Worked with freelance fundraisers to improve efficiency and reduce pressure on artistic staff.
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Submitted major bids, including Innovate UK , ACE (core + Lab + Violet outreach) , and multiple smaller trusts and foundations.
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BITTERSUITE EXPERIENCES CIO (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 TRUSTEES’ REPORT
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (CONTINUED)
Summary of the Charity’s Main Achievements During the Year (Cont.)
3. GOVERNANCE, ENVIRONMENT & FUTURE PLANNING
During the year, the Board focused on strengthening governance and long-term planning in the context of working without core funding. Trustees aimed to prioritise the company's journey towards being a leading disabled-led company with emphasis placed on generating new work, concepts and support to hold the Sensory Alliance.
We also explored and directed energy towards FEEL as the organisation’s main touring and licensing project, deferred major fundraising campaigns such as the Anchor Fund until capacity increases, and began recruiting new trustees with expertise in accessibility, fundraising, legal and commercial partnerships.
Work also began on preparing for a future NPO application , including refining the narrative, publicbenefit case and strategic framework, while recognising that limited staff capacity slows progress. The Board continued to develop its culture of inclusion, exploring lived-experience leadership and advisory structures, and engaged with national conversations around disability and access.
Throughout, BitterSuite adapted its plans to navigate rising costs, increased competition for funding and the growing need to evidence impact across the charity sector.
Financial Review
The outturn for the year is an unrestricted surplus of £2,087 (2024: Surplus of £4,385), leaving Unrestricted Funds at 31 March 2025 of £6,686 (2024: £4,529).
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BITTERSUITE EXPERIENCES CIO (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 TRUSTEES’ REPORT
FUTURE PLANS
Looking ahead, we plan to:
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Expand networks of diverse performers and creatives , supporting collaborative creation and knowledge-sharing.
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Look to diversifying sources of income and income generation, including earned income and philanthropy
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Progress the Violet production through partnership with English National Opera, Manchester International Festival and Haringey Borough of Culture& WOW
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Develop the BitterSuite Lab concept as an income-generating strand
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Strengthen governance through the recruitment of trustees with lived experience of disability
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Continue building towards NPO eligibility
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Develop the Sensory Alliance steering group
Our key goal for the future is to create a culture around our work which best facilitates the work we want to produce, better serves and defines the community.
BitterSuite is working towards a focused and sustainable next phase centred on redefining the concert experience through multi-sensory collaboration, accessibility and health-centred impact. Building on a decade of innovation, we aim to develop and tour a work as a flagship programme, accompanied by a suite of workshops, research partnerships and accessible concert models that can be shared with venues, festivals and communities across the UK and Europe. This work is grounded in creative intimacy while opening pathways for scale, enabling us to package our methods, deepen partnerships with organisations like RBO and the Crossmodal Lab, Oxford University, and strengthen the financial and structural foundations needed for long-term resilience.
Alongside this artistic focus, we are working to streamline our scope, strengthen our organisational structure and build the investment and fundraising capacity required to support growth. This includes developing clear governance, protecting our processes, transitioning Violet into its new production home, and establishing diversified income streams through consultancy, services and individual giving.
Our aim is to create a stable, mission-aligned platform from which our work can reach wider, more diverse audiences; support a broader network of performers and collaborators; and contribute meaningfully to the fields of accessibility, creative health and multi-sensory performance.
With key funding bids planned for the new year—including Arts Council and the immersive grant—the next quarter will determine whether we can continue to develop our business plan and fundraising strategy. If unsuccessful in this round of applications, the board will assess strategic next steps, including potentially freezing the accounts or moving towards company closure.
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BITTERSUITE EXPERIENCES CIO (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
TRUSTEES’ REPORT
STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES
The Trustees are responsible for managing the business of the charity and may exercise all the powers of the charity unless restricted by the Charities Act or the constitution of the charity.
The Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements for each financial year which show a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity as at the balance sheet date and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including income and expenditure, for the financial year.
In preparation of the financial statements the Trustees should follow best practice and:
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Select suitable accounting policies and apply them.
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Make judgements and exercises that are reasonable and prudent.
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Prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to assume that the charity will continue on that basis.
The Trustees are responsible for maintaining proper accounting records, which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity.
The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
DECLARATIONS
This report has been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities (issued in March 2005 by the Charities Commission England and Wales).
This report was approved by the Board of Trustees on 17 December 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
Joshua McNorton Trustee/Chair
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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS ON THE UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS OF BITTERSUITE EXPERIENCES CIO FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
I hereby report to the Trustees/Members of BitterSuite Experiences CIO (Charity Registration Number 1186728) on the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 set out on pages 11 to 17.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity’s Trustees (and also its directors for the purposes of company law), you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).
Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.
Independent Examiner’s Statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
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the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods or principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102)).
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.
Pete O’Hara, FCA, Chartered Accountant
Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales
26 La Sagesse, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 3AF
17 December 2025
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BITTERSUITE EXPERIENCES CIO (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES PERIOD TO 31 MARCH 2025
| Note Income Income from Grants, Donations & Legacies 2 Income from Charitable Activities 3 Other Income 4 Total Income Expenditure Expenditure on Charitable Activities 5 Total Expenditure Net Income/(Expenditure) 6 Balance brought forward Balance carried forward at 31 March |
Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total 2025 Total 2024 £ £ £ £ - 2,500 2,500 36,025 22,511 - 22,511 33,006 4,213 - 4,213 - |
|---|---|
| 26,724 2,500 29,224 69,031 24,637 17,805 42,442 58,360 |
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| 24,637 17,805 42,442 58,360 |
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| 2,087 (15,305) (13,218) 10,671 4,529 16,445 20,974 10,303 |
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| £6,616 £1,140 £7,756 £20,974 |
The notes on pages 13 to 17 form part of the financial statements.
There are no recognised gains and losses during the year other than as shown above
All the activities for the year are continuing activities.
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BITTERSUITE EXPERIENCES CIO (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION/BALANCE SHEET At 31 MARCH 2025
| Notes Fixed Assets Tangible Fixed Assets Current Assets Debtors 8 Cash at Bank and In Hand Creditors: Amounts Falling Due Within 1 Year 9 Net Current Assets Total Net Assets Represented By: Unrestricted Funds 10, 11 Restricted Funds 10, 11 |
2025 £ 2024 £ - - - 3,000 8,656 25,562 |
|---|---|
| 8,656 28,562 (900) (7,588) |
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| 7,756 20,974 |
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| £7,756 £20,974 |
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| 6,616 4,529 1,140 16,445 |
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| £7,756 £20,974 |
The notes on pages 13 to 17 form part of the financial statements.
The financial statements were approved by the Board, and authorised for issue, on 17 December 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
Joshua McNorton Trustee and Chair
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BITTERSUITE EXPERIENCES CIO (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS At 31 MARCH 2025
1. Accounting Policies
Charity Information
BitterSuite Experiences CIO is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. The registered office is 34 Strathleven Road, London SW2 5LA.
The charity is a public benefit entity.
Basis of Accounting
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with applicable United Kingdom accounting standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 – 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland' ('FRS 102'), and with the Statement of Recommended Practice (Charities SORP FRS 102) "Accounting and Reporting by Charities" and the Charities Act 2011.
The financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis, modified to include certain financial instruments at fair value.
Advantage has been taken of the provisions in the SORP for Charities, applying FRS 102 Update Bulletin 1 not to prepare a statement of cashflows.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity.
Income
All income, including grant income, is included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA), net of VAT, when the charity is legally entitled to it after any performance conditions have been met, the amounts can be measured reliably, and it is probable that income will be received.
Such income is only deferred when the donor or funder has specified that the grant or donation can only be used in future accounting years or where the donor or funder has imposed conditions which must be met before the charity has unconditional entitlement.
Turnover is measured at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable and represents amounts receivable for services provided in the normal course of business, net of discounts, VAT and other sales-related taxes.
Income from Investments
Interest receivable on fixed interest securities and bank deposits is included on an accruals basis.
Expenditure
All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and is recognised when a liability is incurred.
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Costs of Raising Funds are those costs of seeking potential funders and applying for funding.
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● Charitable activities include expenditure associated with the provision of grant funding, research, advocacy and the direct provision of creative learning-related activities. This includes both the direct costs and support costs relating to these activities.
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BITTERSUITE EXPERIENCES CIO (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS At 31 MARCH 2025
1. Accounting Policies (Cont.)
Expenditure (Cont.)
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Support or Indirect costs are those costs incurred in support of the charitable objectives. These have been allocated to the resources expended on a consistent basis that fairly reflects the true use of those resources within the organisation, such as allocating staff costs by time spent and other costs by their usage.
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Governance costs are those incurred in the governance of the charity and its assets and are primarily associated with constitutional and statutory requirements.
Irrecoverable VAT
All resources expended are classified under activity headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Irrecoverable VAT is charged against the category of resources expended for which it was incurred.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
Fund Accounting
The charity has a number of restricted income funds to account for situations in which a funder requires that a grant must be spent on a particular purpose or where funds have been raised for a specific purpose. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in Note 13 to the financial statements.
All other funds are considered Unrestricted Funds and are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.
Taxation
BitterSuite Experiences CIO is a registered charity and, as such, is not liable to taxation on its income in the current year.
Financial Instruments
The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instrument Issues’ of FRS102 to all its financial instruments.
The charity only has financial assets and liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value.
Going Concern
The Trustees are aware of the risks inherent in the charity’s current position of having negative Unrestricted Funds.
The Trustees have therefore considered and approved a business model and budget through which the charity is seeking to develop new grant funding and income streams to support its planned activities in 2025/25 and beyond.
Consequently, the Trustees believe that it is appropriate for the financial statements to be drawn up on a going concern basis.
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BITTERSUITE EXPERIENCES CIO (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS At 31 MARCH 2025
2. Income from Grants, Donations & Legacies
| Grant Income Arts Council England - FEEL PRS Foundation – Violet Disruption Donations General Donations |
Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds 2025 2024 £ £ £ £ - - - 30,000 - 2,500 2,500 - |
|---|---|
| - 2,500 2,500 30,000 - - - 6,025 |
|
| £- £2,500 £2,500 £36,025 |
Of the 2024 total of £36,025, £6,025 related to Unrestricted Funds and £30,000 to Restricted Funds.
3. Income from Charitable Activities
| Earned Income - Fees | Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds 2025 2024 £ £ £ £ 22,511 - 22,511 33,006 |
|---|---|
| £22,511 £- £22,511 £33,006 |
The 2024 total of £33,006 related wholly to Unrestricted Funds.
4. Other Income
| Theatre Tax Relief Other Income |
Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds 2025 2024 £ £ £ £ 3,909 - 3,909 - 304 - 304 - |
|---|---|
| £4,213 £- £4,213 £- |
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BITTERSUITE EXPERIENCES CIO (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS At 31 MARCH 2025
5. Expenditure on Charitable Activities
| Direct Costs Project Costs Support Costs Management Fees Other Overhead Costs Governance Costs Independent Examination Other Accountancy Fees |
Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds 2025 2024 £ £ £ £ 20,614 17,805 38,419 57,020 2,563 - 2,563 - 200 - 200 440 900 - 900 900 360 - 360 - |
|---|---|
| £24,637 £17,805 £42,442 £58,360 |
Of the 2024 total of £58,360, £34,646 related to Unrestricted Funds and £23,714 to Restricted Funds.
6. Net Income/(Expenditure)
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting): | ||
| Independent Examiner - Examination Fees | 900 | 900 |
| Independent Examiner – Other Services | 360 | - |
7.
Staff Costs
The charity employed no staff in the year (2024: None).
No remuneration was paid to or waived by Trustees/Directors in the year (2024: £Nil).
No expenses were reimbursed to Trustees in respect of their attendance at meetings of the charity (2024: £Nil).
8. Debtors
| Debtors | |
|---|---|
| Trade Debtors Prepayments Accrued Income |
2025 2024 £ £ - - - - - 3,000 |
| £- £3,000 |
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BITTERSUITE EXPERIENCES CIO (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS At 31 MARCH 2025
9. Creditors - Amounts Falling Due Within One Year
| 9. Creditors - Amounts Falling Due Within One Year |
One Year | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 2024 £ £ Trade Creditors - 6,688 Accruals 900 900 £900 £7,588 10. Analysis of Net Assets between Funds Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds 2025 2024 £ £ £ £ Fixed Assets - - - - Debtors - - - 3,000 Cash at Bank and In Hand 7,516 1,140 8,656 25,562 Creditors – Due Within 1 Year (900) - (900) (7,588) £6,616 £1,140 £7,756 £20,974 11. Analysis of Charitable Funds Fund at 1 April 2024 £ Income for Year £ Expenditure for Year £ Fund at 31 March 2025 £ Unrestricted General Fund 4,529 26,724 (24,637) £6,616 Restricted Funds Arts Council England - FEEL 16,445 - (16,445) - PRS Foundation – Violet Disruption - 2,500 (1,360) 1,140 Total Restricted Funds 16,445 2,500 (17,805) 1,140 Total Funds £20,974 £29,224 £(42,442) £7,756 Name of Restricted Fund Description, Nature & Purpose of the Restricted Fund Arts Council England – FEEL Towards the costs of the FEEL project PRS Foundation – Violet Disruption Towards the costs of music and the production of an album relating to the Violet Disruption project |
Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds £ £ - - - - 7,516 1,140 (900) - |
2025 2024 £ £ - 6,688 900 900 |
| £900 £7,588 2025 2024 £ £ - - - 3,000 8,656 25,562 (900) (7,588) |
12. Related Party Transactions
Details of transactions with Trustees are disclosed in Note 7.
There were no other transactions in the year with related parties, such as are required to be disclosed (2024: None).
13. Financial Commitments
No material financial commitments have been made in respect of future financial years (2024: None)
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