The Soho House Founda�on
THE SOHO HOUSE FOUNDATION
ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS
2024
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The Soho House Founda�on
Table of Content
| Table of Content ......................................................................................................................... 2 |
|---|
| Reference and Administra�ve Informa�on ................................................................................ 4 |
| The Soho House Founda�on Report of the Board of Trustees for the Year ended 31 |
| December 2024 .......................................................................................................................... 5 |
| Charity Informa�on ................................................................................................................ 5 |
| Purposes and Aims ................................................................................................................. 5 |
| How our work delivers our aims ............................................................................................ 5 |
| How our work delivers public beneft .................................................................................... 5 |
| Our Achievements .................................................................................................................. 5 |
| Geographical regions covered by the grant programme: ...................................................... 6 |
| Applica�on Screening Process................................................................................................ 6 |
| Soho House Founda�on 2024 Global Grant Awards .............................................................. 7 |
| Disaster Relief ......................................................................................................................... 8 |
| Structure, Governance and Management ................................................................................. 9 |
| Governing Document ............................................................................................................. 9 |
| Appointment of Trustees ........................................................................................................ 9 |
| Trustee Induc�on and Training ............................................................................................... 9 |
| Organisa�on ......................................................................................................................... 10 |
| Statement of responsibili�es of the Trustees ...................................................................... 10 |
| During the repor�ng period the Trustees ............................................................................ 11 |
| Financial Review ................................................................................................................... 11 |
| Reserves policy ..................................................................................................................... 11 |
| Plans for future periods – 2025 Grant Programme .............................................................. 12 |
| Examiner’s report to the Trustees of The Soho House Founda�on ......................................... 13 |
| Statement of Financial Ac�vi�es (incorpora�ng an income and expenditure account) ......... 14 |
| The Soho House Founda�on Balance Sheet ............................................................................ 15 |
| Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ending 31 December 2024 ........................... 16 |
| 1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES ................................................................................................ 16 |
| 2. ANALYSIS OF TOTAL EXPENDITURE 2024 ..................................................................... 17 |
| 3. DEBTORS ....................................................................................................................... 17 |
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The Soho House Foundation
The Soho House Founda�on
Reference and Administrative Information
The Soho House Founda�on is a Charitable Incorporated Organisa�on and governed by its cons�tu�on.
Registered name of the Charity: The Soho House Founda�on Charity Number (England and Wales) 1199179 Registered Office and opera�onal address 180 Strand, London WC2R 1EA
| Board of Trustees Nick Jones (Chair) Louise McCabe Michael Penrose Markus Anderson Vanessa Xuereb Haseena Farid Kimani Roquemore |
Date of appointment 26 May 2022 26 May 2022 26 May 2022 26 May 2022 26 May 2022 26 May 2022 26 May 2022 |
Date of re�rement September 2024 |
Term For life 3 years 3 years 4 years 4 years 3 years |
|---|---|---|---|
Advisors :
Bankers HSBC UK Bank plc, Reading Solicitors Wrigley’s Solicitors LLP, 3rd Floor, 3 Wellington Place, Leeds, LS1 4AP
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The Soho House Founda�on
The Soho House Foundation Report of the Board of Trustees for the Year ended 31 December 2024
of The Soho House Founda�on (‘The Charity’) for the year ended 31 December 2024.
Charity Informa�on
The organisa�on is a Charitable Incorporated Organisa�on (CIO -Founda�on) registered 1 June 2022.
Purposes and Aims
We believe that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. The crea�ve industries today don’t accurately represent our society. Underrepresented groups in the crea�ve economy based on ethnicity or socio-economic background face barriers to succeed.
The Soho House Founda�on exists to provide resources to fund and empower crea�ve young people and ar�sts from underrepresented and lower socioeconomic backgrounds. We aim to unlock talent, confidence and skills through educa�on and training, providing opportuni�es for those who have previously experienced barriers in accessing careers in the arts.
How our work delivers our aims
The Soho House Founda�on’s approach is to provide funding to carefully selected third party chari�es aligned with its mission via an annual grant programme. The grant programme is available to chari�es providing services to crea�ve young people in 4 geographical territories, focussing on local communi�es where Soho House Limited has a presence. The grant programme is open to charitable organisa�ons working in the UK, Europe, the Americas and Asia.
The Soho House Founda�on commits to working only with carefully selected registered charitable organisa�ons to deliver programmes to support socially or economically disadvantaged young people. We also make provision for suppor�ng disaster relief from �me to �me. Our charitable purposes therefore come under the categories of general charitable purposes, but also educa�on and training, children and young people.
Our Achievements
In 2024 the charity made dona�ons of £100,000 to carefully selected partner charities in the United Kingdom, United States of America, Istanbul, and Hong Kong. Our 2024 worldwide grant programme was aimed at increasing access to the arts and crea�ve industries for people who face economic or other barriers to inclusion.
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The Soho House Founda�on
core, along with a proven track record in programme delivery.
Applicant organisa�ons were assessed on criteria including:
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Their ability to provide transforma�ve opportuni�es for young crea�ves
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The way the programme will address inequality of opportunity
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The geographical loca�on of the programme
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The inclusivity of their organisa�on
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Their track record in delivering impac�ul programmes.
We prefer to support programmes run by smaller organisa�ons, located in communi�es close to the point of programme delivery. We do not insist on being the sole funder of a project, where partnership with other organisa�ons enables more impac�ul work that benefits young crea�ves.
Our primary focus is on young people from school age to 27 years old. We will also fund projects that support crea�ves of any age who have previously faced social or economic barriers to inclusion and missed opportuni�es to progress.
Geographical regions covered by the grant programme:
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Americas: Atlanta, Aus�n, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Miami, Nashville, New York, San Francisco, São Paulo, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Toronto, Washington DC, New Orleans.
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Asia: Bangkok, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Singapore.
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Europe/Middle East: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Copenhagen, Dublin, Istanbul, Lisbon, Milan, Mykonos, Paris, Rome, Stockholm, Tel Aviv, Zurich.
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UK: Brighton, London, Manchester, Oxfordshire, Somerset
For the 2024 Global Grant Programme, there were 4 grants of £25,000 available, one for each of the regions outlined above.
Applica�on Screening Process
We follow a robust grant assessment process. We aim to avoid burdening organisa�ons with a complex applica�on process before checking their eligibility and legal standing. We therefore ask for a short ini�al expression of interest to confirm the organisa�on’s eligibility. At this point we review key governance policies and the organisa�ons’ governing documents as part of our due diligence. Eligible groups are then be invited to complete a more detailed applica�on form describing the impact our grant funding would make for the young crea�ves their organisa�on supports.
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The Soho House Founda�on
Soho House Founda�on 2024 Global Grant Awards
The following four organisa�ons were recipients of our Global Grant Scheme in 2024. These organisa�ons will report back to The Soho House Founda�on (TSHF) by September 2025, so full impact data was not available at �me of publica�on. However, we include below some interim feedback from the funded groups:
Diverse City Studio, Hong Kong, Asia £25,000
The mission of Diverse City Studio is to empower Thai students and disadvantaged local students in Kowloon City through a theatrical adapta�on of popular local film “Time S�ll Turns the Pages” ( 年少日記 ). The programme is designed to foster self-expression, empathy, and problem-solving skills among par�cipants. By delving into the diverse perspec�ves on teenage challenges and addressing the sensi�ve issue of teenage suicide, the ini�a�ve seeks to ins�l posi�vity and resilience in students, offering a pla�orm for crea�ve explora�on and meaningful dialogue.
best selves in the Cantonese language, bond with fellow schoolmates, and most importantly, be seen by the wider community.”
P:ear, Portland, United States £25,000
P:ear has built a compassionate community dedicated to suppor�ng Portland’s homeless and transi�onal youth aged 15 to 25. It provides cri�cal services that go far beyond basic needs, empowering young people to foster self-confidence and gain new, prac�cal skills across three core programmes: educa�on, art and wilderness recrea�on. The funding enables P:ear Arts to host ten BIPOC- Ar�sts-In-Residence (AIR) and provide 250 youth with opportuni�es to explore their crea�ve prac�ce and share their work with the public. Through this project young people experience the power of art as a tool for self-care and poli�cal, social, and professional agency.
“We are incredibly grateful for The Soho House Founda�on’s support, which brings strength and energy to our BIPOC Ar�st in Residence Program and youth-led art shows at p:ear. This grant allows us to provide young ar�sts with the tools, space and encouragement they need to let their crea�vity shine.”
Prison Radio Associa�on, London, United Kingdom £25,000
Prison Radio Associa�on, based in London, delivers a programme that hopes to empower crea�ves from one of the most marginalised demographics in our society - those with experience of the criminal jus�ce system - offering further professional development opportuni�es and pathways into paid employment in the crea�ve sector. From September to January, our grant funding enabled the Prison Radio Associa�on to invite three prison leavers to be part of the talent development programme, following their release from HMP Brixton. All three of these individuals worked during their sentence; producing and
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The Soho House Founda�on
presen�ng audio programmes for Na�onal Prison Radio. As part of the programme, each individual on the trainee scheme also had the opportunity to spend four days with the BBC. The charity wants to prove to prison leavers that being a successful crea�ve is a viable life choice; offering a crea�ve, empowering alterna�ve to custody.
“The grant from The Soho House Founda�on has allowed us to work with really talented prison leavers. One of these people we were able to support onto the pres�gious Where It Begins scheme with BBC 1Xtra and he has now been offered a contract at the BBC working as a producer; an unbelievable achievement considering he was only released from prison this �me last year.”
Refugees and Asylum Seekers Assistance and Solidarity Associa�on,
Istanbul, Europe £25,000
Established in Istanbul, Refugees and Asylum Seekers Assistance and Solidarity Associa�on (RASAS), is dedicated to aiding both host and refugee communi�es without discrimina�on, striving to meet their needs across various sectors. Recognising the power of art and crea�vity as essen�al rights, RASAS hosts art workshops for vulnerable individuals.
The project funded by Soho House Founda�on aims to prevent refugee women and young girls, who are increasingly exposed to discriminatory discourses and a�tudes, isolated from both the host community and each other, and many of whom need psychosocial support, from experiencing iden�ty problems and being disconnected from society due to language barriers and care responsibili�es. In line with the purpose, RASAS reported that women strengthened their bonds with each other every week in the warm environment of the pain�ng workshops. They shared each other's stories, supported each other through the pain�ngs they made, and became acquainted with the healing and developing aspect of art.
but they created a nice environment for our children here. Our children became friends. A�er a long �me, I felt like a valuable woman. Fortunately, such an opportunity was provided for us. The difference between the first drawing I drew, and the last one will surprise me and those around me.”
Disaster Relief
In line with our charitable purpose, three dona�ons were made to aid disaster relief during the period via established chari�es.
Hurricane Beryl
In late June through to early July 2024, the Caribbean, the Yucatan Peninsula, and the Gulf Coast of the United States were impacted by a category 5 major hurricane. St Vincent and the Grenadines, where Soho Beach House Canouan is located, and other nearby regions like Grenada, were especially impacted, with over 90% of buildings and infrastructure destroyed.
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The Soho House Founda�on
To support emergency relief there, The Founda�on donated to two chari�es, as well as alloca�ng a small budget to respond to applica�ons from local chari�es. Dona�ons applica�ons could be made un�l December 31, 2024, via the proposal form in the appendix, however no applica�ons were received, and the funds remain available for future projects.
The dona�ons to support this natural disaster event are listed below:
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Direct Relief £21,557
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Interna�onal Federa�on of Red Cross and Red Crescent Socie�es £43,541
Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil foods
In April 2024, the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul experienced rainfall three �mes higher than average for the �me of year. Located near Soho House Sao Paulo, the flooding impacted around 1.9 million people. The Founda�on donated the following in support of the natural disaster event:
- Interna�onal Federa�on of Red Cross and Red Crescent Socie�es £10,278
Structure, Governance and Management
Governing Document
The Soho House Founda�on is a charitable incorporated organisa�on (CIO – Founda�on) registered with the charity commission and governed by its Cons�tu�on.
Appointment of Trustees
individuals for appointment, the Charity has regard for the skills, knowledge and experience
During the year, the Board accepted the resigna�on and acknowledges the service of Kimani Roquemore, whose trusteeship was linked to their posi�on at Soho House Limited. The Board has reviewed its current composi�on and, at this �me, does not intend to appoint an addi�onal trustee, as this aligns with the desired balance between corporate and external trustees.
Trustee Induc�on and Training
7 trustees were appointed in June 2022 as part of the incorpora�on of the Charity and there are currently 6 Trustees. The Trustee board includes individuals who are experienced in charity trusteeship. On appointment, Trustees were invited to a�end charity trustee training regarding their legal obliga�ons, and received wri�en guidance on public benefit, legal responsibili�es, and charitable purpose, as well as a copy of the CIO’s Cons�tu�on. Trustee mee�ngs provide an opportunity to update Trustees on any new or addi�onal guidance relevant to their governance of the Charity.
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The Soho House Founda�on
Organisa�on
The Charity has no employees. The Trustees administer the charity and usually meet quarterly. To facilitate effec�ve opera�ons and the day to day running of The Soho House Founda�on, the Trustees have delegated authority, within the terms of delega�on approved by Trustees, to the Soho House Limited House Founda�ons (CSR) team (Soho House Limited, UK Company 03288116), and to the Soho House Limited finance team who provide regular management accounts. These delegated powers include managing the Charity by implemen�ng the policy and strategy and expenditure within the budget approved by Trustees and providing advice to the Trustees in rela�on to such policy, strategy, and budget. The Trustee Board includes independent trustees as well as employees of Soho House Limited. The Trustees ensure that appropriate financial and opera�ng controls are in place to ensure that the Charity’s purpose is followed by se�ng authority levels for opera�ng expenditure and funding grants.
Statement of responsibili�es of the Trustees
statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the charity’s financial ac�vi�es during the period and of its financial posi�on at the end of the period. In preparing financial statements giving a true and fair view, the Trustees should follow best prac�ce and:
Select suitable accoun�ng policies and then apply them consistently.
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Observe the methods and principles in the Chari�es SORP.
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Make judgements and es�mates that are reasonable and prudent.
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State whether applicable UK Accoun�ng Standards and statements of recommended prac�ce have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained
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presume that the charity will con�nue in opera�on.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accoun�ng records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any �me the financial posi�on of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Chari�es Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and group and hence for taking reasonable steps for the preven�on and detec�on of fraud and other irregulari�es.
The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial informa�on included on the Charity’s webpages. Legisla�on in the United Kingdom governing the prepara�on and dissemina�on of financial statements may differ from legisla�on in other jurisdic�ons.
The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the informa�on included in this report and on The Soho House Founda�on web pages.
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The Soho House Founda�on
During the repor�ng period the Trustees
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Reviewed our Grant Assessment process and made some minor changes to guidance in order to improve clarity for applicants.
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Carried out a robust assessment and due diligence process for screening interna�onal grant funding applica�ons
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Reviewed and selected the successful organisa�ons for grant funding
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Agreed that funds in response to disaster relief would be made via the Red Cross/Red Crescent interna�onal aid charity and Direct Relief.
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Developed a Memorandum of Understanding between The Soho House Founda�on and Soho House UK Limited.
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Established a Finance, Risk and Governance Commi�ee and a Fundraising Commi�ee, along with associated terms of reference.
Financial Review
received from Soho House Limited totalling £140,490. This dona�on ensured that The Soho House Founda�on had sufficient funds to support the annual Global Grant Programme and to provide for occasional disaster relief dona�ons agreed by Trustees in line with its charitable purpose. Dona�ons were also received from Grind and Co Limited totalling £10,000. The total dona�on income for charitable ac�vi�es in 2024 totalled £150,490.
In 2024, four chari�es were selected for the Global Grant Programme, and in addi�on, Trustees agreed to make three dona�ons related to disaster relief. At the year end, a balance of £29,913 was carried forward. These funds are unrestricted and available to support the charity's ac�vi�es in 2025.
Reserves policy
Reserves are that part of a charity’s unrestricted funds that is freely available to spend on any of the charity’s purposes. The Soho House Founda�on recognises its responsibility to:
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Provide a level of working capital that protects the con�nuity of our core work
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Ensure that commitments made to grant recipients can be met
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Provide a level of funding for unexpected opportuni�es
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Provide cover for risks such as unforeseen expenditure or unan�cipated loss of income.
The Board of Trustees reviews the above criteria on an annual basis with reference to The Soho House Founda�on’s strategy and Annual Plan and determines the target level of free reserves to meet these responsibili�es.
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The Soho House Founda�on
costs, purchase or replacement of major assets.
No reserve was held during 2024 in rela�on to overheads. Soho House Limited provides ongoing pro-bono administra�ve and accoun�ng support to the Founda�on, as well as office space.
Plans for future periods – 2025 Grant Programme
Global Grant Programme in 2025. The Soho House Founda�on will therefore offer a 2025 Grant Programme (launched in February 2025), with the same criteria and grant assessment process developed in 2023.
Approved by all Trustees on 9 October 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
Louise McCabe
Trustee
The Soho House Founda�on
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The Soho House Founda�on
Examiner’s report to the Trustees of The Soho House Foundation
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2024, which are set out on pages 14 to 17.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
As the charity’s trustees you are responsible for the prepara�on of the accounts: you consider that the audit requirement of sec�on 144(2) of the Chari�es Act 2014 (the Act) does not apply and that an independent examina�on is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
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examine the accounts (under sec�on 145 of the Act);
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Commissioners under sec�on 145(5)(b) of the Act and;
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to state whether par�cular ma�ers have come to my a�en�on.
Basis of independent examiner’s report
My examina�on was carried out in accordance with the General Direc�ons given by the Charity Commissioners. An examina�on includes a review of the accoun�ng records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes considera�on of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explana�ons from you as trustees concerning any such ma�ers. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
Independent examiner’s statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
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(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements
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to keep accoun�ng records in accordance with sec�on 130 of the Act; and
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to prepare accounts which accord with the accoun�ng records and comply with the accoun�ng requirements of the Act;
have not been met; or
- (2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
……………………………..
13/10/2025
Nicholas Lawrence, ACA
61 Benskin Road, Wa�ord, WD18 0HN
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Statement of Financial Activities (incorporating an income and expenditure account)
| ccount) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Unrestricted | |||
| Notes | 2024 | 2023 | ||
| Income from | £ | £ | ||
| Dona�ons | 150,490 | 271,130 | ||
| Donated Services - Time from SHUK Staf & | 17,980 | 12,685 | ||
| Consultants | ||||
| Total income | 168,470 | 283,815 | ||
| Expenditure on | ||||
| Charitable ac�vi�es | 2 | 175,376 | 220,126 | |
| Charity Support | 2 | 19,184 | 12,685 | |
| Total Expenditure | 194,560 | 232,811 | ||
| Net income and movement in funds | (26,090) | 51,004 | ||
| Total funds brought forward | 56,004 | 5,000 | ||
| Total funds carried forward | 29,914 | 56,004 |
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The Soho House Founda�on
The Soho House Foundation Balance Sheet
| Notes | As at | As at | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Dec 2024 | 31 Dec 2023 | ||
| £ | £ | ||
| Current Assets | |||
| Debtors | 3 | - | 2,158 |
| Cash at bank and in hand | 29,914 | 53,846 | |
| Net Current Assets | 29,914 | 56,004 | |
| Net Assets | 29,914 | 56,004 | |
| Funds | |||
| Unrestricted funds | 29,914 | 56,004 | |
| Total Charity Funds | 29,914 | 56,004 |
The notes on pages 16-17 form part of these accounts.
Approved by the Trustees on 9 October 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
Louise McCabe
Trustee
The Soho House Founda�on
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The Soho House Founda�on
Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ending 31 December 2024
1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Accoun�ng conven�on
by Chari�es: Statement of Recommended Prac�ce applicable to chari�es preparing their financial statements in accordance with the Financial Repor�ng Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effec�ve 1 January 2019) - (Chari�es SORP (FRS 102)).
Incoming resources
All incoming resources are included on the Statement of Financial Ac�vi�es when the charity is legally en�tled to the income and the amount can be quan�fied with reasonable accuracy.
Resources expended
that aggregate all costs related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly a�ributed to par�cular headings they have been allocated to ac�vi�es on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
Donated services
service provided has passed to the charity and the value of the service can be measured reliably. The value of the gi� to the charity has been measured using the cost of the service to the donor.
An equivalent amount is recognised as an expense under the appropriate heading in the statement of financial ac�vi�es when the benefit of the service is u�lised immediately.
Taxa�on
The charity is exempt from tax on its charitable ac�vi�es.
Fund accoun�ng
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objec�ves at the discre�on of the trustees.
Restricted funds can only be used for par�cular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restric�ons arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for par�cular restricted purposes. The charity has not received and does not hold restricted funds.
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2. ANALYSIS OF TOTAL EXPENDITURE 2024
| Grant funding of ac�vi�es to ins�tu�ons £ Empowering young people and ar�sts from underrepresented and lower socioeconomic backgrounds 100,000 Disaster relief 75,376 Total 175,376 ANALYSIS OF TOTAL EXPENDITURE 2023 Grant funding of ac�vi�es to ins�tu�ons £ Empowering young people and ar�sts from underrepresented and lower socioeconomic backgrounds 200,000 Disaster relief 20,000 Total 220,000 3. DEBTORS Other debtors Total |
Grant funding of ac�vi�es to ins�tu�ons £ Empowering young people and ar�sts from underrepresented and lower socioeconomic backgrounds 100,000 Disaster relief 75,376 Total 175,376 ANALYSIS OF TOTAL EXPENDITURE 2023 Grant funding of ac�vi�es to ins�tu�ons £ Empowering young people and ar�sts from underrepresented and lower socioeconomic backgrounds 200,000 Disaster relief 20,000 Total 220,000 3. DEBTORS Other debtors Total |
Support costs £ 19,129 46 19,175 Support costs £ 11,653 1,158 12,811 2024 £ - - |
Total £ 119,129 75,422 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 194,551 Total £ 211,653 21,158 |
||||
| 220,000 | 232,811 2023 £ 2,158 |
|||
| 2,158 |
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