REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: CE028817 (England and Wales) REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1198668
Report of the Trustees and Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
for
Barrel Organ CIO
Harris & Co Limited Chartered Accountants Marland House 13 Huddersfield Road Barnsley South Yorkshire S70 2LW
Barrel Organ CIO
Contents of the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Report of the Trustees | 1 to 3 |
| Independent Examiner's Report | 4 |
| Statement of Financial Activities | 5 |
| Balance Sheet | 6 |
| Notes to the Financial Statements | 7 to 12 |
| Detailed Statement of Financial Activities | 13 |
Barrel Organ CIO
Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Objectives, aims and future plans
The Objects of Barrel Organ CIO, as logged with the Charities Commission, are to advance the arts for the public benefit by the promotion in particular, but not exclusively, of the art of drama by providing educational performances for hard to reach audiences.
Barrel Organ is a theatre company led by collaboration. We make daring and generous work with under-represented groups across the UK. By building meaningful relationships, we support collaborators to shape a process that empowers everyone involved to take an imaginative leap and give voice to the stories they want told.
This means that we make live theatre work with & for groups of people who may not normally have easy access to the arts. It also means that we hold participation programmes to promote and offer engagement in creativity, with a view to how this engagement has a positive impact on health and wellbeing. We also offer a comprehensive Artist Development programme for under-represented artists & those beginning their careers.
Barrel Organ seeks to deliver these three strands of their work: making & sharing productions; delivering participation programmes to increase arts engagement; and offering artistic development support so that they all interconnect & support one another more closely. We seek to grow our income streams and increase our revenue so that we can more effectively support the work we do.
Significant activities
In 2024-25, the organisation continued our highly successful Youth Advisory Panel, supporting young people currently underrepresented in the arts to develop their skills, experience & confidence in arts leadership and governance. This programme included 1-2-1 mentorship, groups masterclasses & financial support. We also supported the new theatre company Three Compost Bins to work towards the creation of their first show, and learn about the process of establishing a theatre company & creating an autobiographical show. Three work-in-progress events of their show were presented throughout the year, including one hosted by Barrel Organ at NSDF.
Our Heritage Lottery-funded project Jilo began in Bradford in September, working with a group of Roma women to discuss and record their stories and ideas, working towards a public exhibition in the second half of 2025.
Town Squared: Dover began in the summer of 2024 and ran through to the end of the year, with a sharing event scheduled for later in 2025. We worked with 40+ participants over the course of the year, imagining different versions of Dover's past, present and future. In collaboration with Future Foundry, we established Dover Theatre Club as a vital and playful alternative to other local youth theatres.
We continued working with the people of Doncaster in this time period, including in the development of The View From Up Here, which was commissioned by City of Doncaster Council at Cusworth Hall, and also working with our long-term partners Doncaster Mind on the delivery of their Settle Programme, supporting Refugees and Asylum Seekers in the Doncaster area, to develop skills, confidence and language competence through creative activity.
Overall, this year, we worked in a number of places across the country - Doncaster, Bradford & Dover - to incorporate participants and audiences into the creative acts of theatre creation and place-making. We continue to deliver excellent, meaningful projects for stakeholders and participants, and build on strong relationships to see us into 2025-26.
Public benefit
The charity trustees confirm that they have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers and duties.
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Barrel Organ CIO
Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Finance Review
Although Barrel Organ remains primarily funded on a project-by-project basis, the CIO ended the year 24/25 in good financial health in cash-in-hand terms, with a substantial amount of Heritage Lottery funding remaining for the rest of the Jilo project. As in previous years, the majority of funds are restricted.
For the year ended 31 March 2025 total income was £77,536 (2024: £164,549) and total expenditure £99,020 (2024: £88,335). An in year deficit of £21,484 was reported (2024: £76,214 surplus). At 31 March 2025 closing reserves was £106,971, £93,204 was restricted reserves and £13,767 was the unrestricted reserve.
In this financial year, Barrel Organ raised £35,000 in income from grant funding to deliver projects across the country. Additionally, Barrel Organ continued a successful relationship with major funder Arts Council England, raising over £30,000, and continued a relationship with the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Barrel Organ continues to seek longer-term and more stable income streams for future years.
It remains the Board's intended policy that the reserves held will be three months of operating costs (£15,120) over the coming financial years. Closing reserves at 31 March 2025 was in excess of this target, but did include restricted funds which are allocated to future projects.
FUTURE PLANS
Early summer 2025 will be an incredibly busy time for the organisation, with NSDF in Leicester working with young artists, and the culmination of our Youth Advisory Panel, View From Up Here and Town Squared projects. We expect to reach hundreds of audience members during this time period, and hope to find ways of continuing to work with these participants into the future.
We will continue to deliver a major project; 'Jilo: An Exhibition of the Senses'. This project is a £90,000 project, funded by the Heritage Fund and sees us working with a group of women from the Roma community in Bradford, to create a visual exhibition that will educate a broad audience on Roma culture and heritage. This project will culminate in a public exhibition in Bradford later in 2025.
We will begin work on a new show, incorporating learnings and questions from years working with participants across the country. The project will reestablish Barrel Organ as a maker of high-quality theatre, helping us to reconnect with industry partners, engage with current and past participants in a really meaningful, creative way and - crucially - to start reaching broader public audiences once again.
2025-26 will mark a period of change and opportunity for Barrel Organ, continuing our excellent participatory work and reaching an even wider audience with brand-new work.
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Governing document
The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Company number
CE028817 (England and Wales)
Registered Charity number
1198668
Registered office
44 Club Garden Road Sheffield South Yorkshire S11 8BU
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Barrel Organ CIO
Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
Trustees Mr J O R Perkins Ms K E Wasserberg Ms E Maqeda Ms E Rose
Independent Examiner
Harris & Co Limited Chartered Accountants Marland House 13 Huddersfield Road Barnsley South Yorkshire S70 2LW
FUNDS HELD AS CUSTODIAN FOR OTHERS
The charity does not hold any funds as custodian trustee for other persons or organisations. Approved by order of the board of trustees on 28 January 2026 and signed on its behalf by:
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Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Barrel Organ CIO
Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Barrel Organ CIO ('the charity')
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the Trust 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 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
Your attention is to drawn to the fact that the charity has prepared the accounts (financial statements) in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) in preference to the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice issued on 1 April 2005 which is referred to in the extant regulations but has since been withdrawn.
We understand that this has been done in order for the accounts to provide a true and fair view in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting Practice effective for reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2019.
In connection with my examination, no other matter except that referred to in the previous paragraph has come to my attention which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by Section 130 of the 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 applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 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.
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.
Ian Bragger FCA
Harris & Co Limited Chartered Accountants Marland House 13 Huddersfield Road Barnsley South Yorkshire S70 2LW
Date: 28 January 2026
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Barrel Organ CIO
Statement of Financial Activities
for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
| Unrestricted funds Notes £ INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM Donations and legacies 2 6,058 Charitable activities 4 Charitable activities 2,962 Other trading activities 3 6,424 Total 15,444 EXPENDITURE ON Charitable activities 5 Charitable activities 27,122 NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) (11,678) RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS Total funds brought forward 25,445 TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD 13,767 |
Restricted fund £ 1 62,091 - 62,092 71,898 (9,806) 103,010 93,204 |
2025 Total funds £ 6,059 65,053 6,424 77,536 99,020 (21,484) 128,455 106,971 |
2024 Total funds £ 473 163,126 950 164,549 88,335 76,214 52,241 128,455 |
|---|---|---|---|
The notes form part of these financial statements
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Barrel Organ CIO
| Balance Sheet 31 March 2025 Notes CURRENT ASSETS Debtors 10 Cash at bank CREDITORS Amounts falling due within one year 11 NET CURRENT ASSETS TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES NET ASSETS FUNDS 13 Unrestricted funds Restricted funds TOTAL FUNDS |
2025 £ 52,942 61,122 114,064 (7,093) 106,971 106,971 106,971 13,767 93,204 106,971 |
2024 £ 53,192 80,634 133,826 (5,371) 128,455 128,455 128,455 25,445 103,010 128,455 |
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The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 28 January 2026 and were signed on its behalf by:
The notes form part of these financial statements
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Barrel Organ CIO
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of preparing the financial statements
The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis under the historical cost convention.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) effective from 2019 and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011 and UK Generally Accepted Practice as it applies from 1 January 2019.
The financial statements have been prepared to give a true and fair view and have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a true and fair view. This departure has involved following Account and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standards applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014 rather than the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1 April 2005 which has since been withdrawn.
Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty
No significant judgements or estimates have had to be made by the trustees in preparing these financial statements other than as described in the following accounting policies.
Income
All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.
Grants are included in the Statement of financial activities on a receivable basis. The balance of income received for specific purposes but not expended during the period is shown in the relevant funds on the Balance sheet. Where income is received in advance of entitlement of receipt, its recognition is deferred and included in creditors as deferred income. Where entitlement occurs before income is received, the income is accrued.
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid relating to prior years at the balance sheet date.
Expenditure
Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
Taxation
The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.
Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.
Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.
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Barrel Organ CIO
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
| 2. DONATIONS AND LEGACIES Gifts Donations 3. OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES Commission 4. INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES Activity Grants Charitable activities Grants received, included in the above, are as follows: Other grants 5. CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES COSTS Direct Costs (see note 6) £ Charitable activities 97,502 6. DIRECT COSTS OF CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES Staff costs Insurance Postage and stationery Advertising Sundries Freelance fees Access Fees Equipment Costs Venue Hire Travel Costs Accommodation IT Costs Staff Training Meals & Hospitality Workshop Fees Participant Fees |
2025 £ - 6,059 6,059 2025 £ 6,424 2025 £ 65,053 2025 £ 65,053 Support costs £ 1,518 2025 £ 59,997 405 245 1,964 14 12,690 8,996 124 960 6,170 462 244 400 631 - 4,200 97,502 |
2024 £ (1) 474 473 2024 £ 950 2024 £ 163,126 2024 £ 163,126 Totals £ 99,020 2024 £ 59,095 137 198 1,349 - 14,288 1,170 119 1,149 5,013 1,836 463 - 934 87 - 85,838 |
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Barrel Organ CIO
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
7. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS
One trustee, Ms E Maqeda. received payment of £280 for assisting the facilitation of a workshop during the year ended 31 March 2025. The payment was made in line with charities constitution document and in line with sections 185 to 188 of the Charities Act 2011. There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 March 2024.
Trustees' expenses
One trustee received travel expenses of £37 during the year ended 31 March 2025. There were no trustees expenses for the year ended 31 March 2024.
| 8. COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES Unrestricted funds £ INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM Donations and legacies 473 Charitable activities Charitable activities 37,786 Other trading activities 950 Total 39,209 EXPENDITURE ON Charitable activities Charitable activities 66,005 NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) (26,796) RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS Total funds brought forward 52,241 TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD 25,445 |
Restricted fund £ - 125,340 - 125,340 22,330 103,010 - 103,010 |
Total funds £ 473 163,126 950 164,549 88,335 76,214 52,241 128,455 |
|---|---|---|
9. INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REMUNERATION
The trustees have decided an independent examination should be undertaken and not an audit. The charges for the independent examination during the year was £1,225 (2024: £1,188).
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Barrel Organ CIO
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
| 10. DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR Prepayments and accrued income 11. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR Trade creditors Accruals and deferred income There is no deferred income at the year end. 12. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS Unrestricted Restricted funds fund £ £ Current assets 20,860 93,204 Current liabilities (7,093) - 13,767 93,204 13. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS At 1/4/24 £ Unrestricted funds General fund 25,445 Restricted funds Restricted Funds 103,010 TOTAL FUNDS 128,455 Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows: Incoming resources £ Unrestricted funds General fund 15,444 Restricted funds Restricted Funds 62,092 TOTAL FUNDS 77,536 |
2025 2024 £ £ 52,942 53,192 2025 2024 £ £ 6,093 3,163 1,000 2,208 7,093 5,371 2025 2024 Total Total funds funds £ £ 114,064 133,826 (7,093) (5,371) 106,971 128,455 Net movement At in funds 31/3/25 £ £ (11,678) 13,767 (9,806) 93,204 (21,484) 106,971 Resources Movement expended in funds £ £ (27,122) (11,678) (71,898) (9,806) (99,020) (21,484) |
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Barrel Organ CIO
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
13. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued
Comparatives for movement in funds
| At 1/4/23 £ Unrestricted funds General fund 52,241 Restricted funds Restricted Funds - TOTAL FUNDS 52,241 Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows: Incoming resources £ Unrestricted funds General fund 39,209 Restricted funds Restricted Funds 125,340 TOTAL FUNDS 164,549 A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined position is as At 1/4/23 £ Unrestricted funds General fund 52,241 Restricted funds Restricted Funds - TOTAL FUNDS 52,241 |
Net movement At in funds 31/3/24 £ £ (26,796) 25,445 103,010 103,010 76,214 128,455 Resources Movement expended in funds £ £ (66,005) (26,796) (22,330) 103,010 (88,335) 76,214 follows: Net movement At in funds 31/3/25 £ £ (38,474) 13,767 93,204 93,204 54,730 106,971 |
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Barrel Organ CIO
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
13. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued
A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
| Incoming | Resources | Movement | |
|---|---|---|---|
| resources | expended | in funds | |
| £ | £ | £ | |
| Unrestricted funds | |||
| General fund | 54,653 | (93,127) | (38,474) |
| Restricted funds | |||
| Restricted Funds | 187,432 | (94,228) | 93,204 |
| TOTAL FUNDS | 242,085 | (187,355) | 54,730 |
Restricted income has come from a number of grant providers such as Arts Council England and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the projects covered by the restricted grants are commented on in the Significant Activities section of the Trustees Report.
14. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES
There were no related party transactions for the year ended 31 March 2025.
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Barrel Organ CIO
Detailed Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
| INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS Donations and legacies Gifts Donations Other trading activities Commission Charitable activities Grants Total incoming resources EXPENDITURE Charitable activities Wages Insurance Postage and stationery Advertising Sundries Freelance fees Access Fees Equipment Costs Venue Hire Travel Costs Accommodation IT Costs Staff Training Meals & Hospitality Workshop Fees Participant Fees Support costs Finance Bank charges Governance costs Accountancy and legal fees Total resources expended Net (expenditure)/income |
2025 £ - 6,059 6,059 6,424 65,053 77,536 59,997 405 245 1,964 14 12,690 8,996 124 960 6,170 462 244 400 631 - 4,200 97,502 104 1,414 99,020 (21,484) |
2024 £ (1) 474 473 950 163,126 164,549 59,095 137 198 1,349 - 14,288 1,170 119 1,149 5,013 1,836 463 - 934 87 - 85,838 108 2,389 88,335 76,214 |
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This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements
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