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2025-04-01-accounts

APRIL 2024 – APRIL 2025

ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS

THE PHILOSOPHERS’ YARD CHARITY NO. 1204617

CONTENTS PAGE

Executive Summary 2
Delivery of charitable objects 3
Events 5
Education 9
Accounts and financial statement 10
Aims for the 2025-26 Financial Year 11
Annexes
A. Annual Receipt and Payment Accounts 13

www.thephilosophersyard.com

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This report presents a summary of the activities and developments of The Philosophers’ Yard during the 2024–25 financial year — a year marked by remarkable growth, deepened impact, and strategic evolution.

In this period of transformation, The Philosophers’ Yard experienced significant expansion across its core offerings. The number of events nearly tripled, rising from six in 2023–24 to sixteen in 2024–25. Attendance surged from approximately 200 to nearly 600 individuals, reflecting a growing appetite for thoughtful dialogue and an inclusive community for philosophical engagement. In parallel, the organisation expanded its internal capacity by welcoming new trustees, volunteers, and interns.

Amid this growth, the charity has remained steadfast in its commitment to the values and behaviours that define The Philosophers’ Yard — fostering depth, openness, and inclusivity in every encounter. Attendee feedback continues to highlight the richness of conversation, the diversity of voices represented, and the unique inclusion of creative practices as key strengths of our events.

In 2024–25, we introduced monthly Philosophy Meetups to complement our bi-monthly Main Events, providing more regular opportunities for community connection. The year also saw the development of a suite of educational resources — including a Philosophy of Disability workshop , an ethics game, and the Philosophical Practices course — all set for launch in early 2025–26.

Our activities during this period were primarily supported by a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund, awarded in early 2024. As this funding is due to conclude in late 2025, securing and diversifying income streams will be a central focus in the year ahead.

As The Philosophers’ Yard enters a new chapter in its organisational journey, trustees and team members have been actively revisiting and refining the charity’s theory of change. A new draft has been developed and, in 2025–26, embedding this framework into our practices, policies, marketing and communications, and methods for monitoring and evaluation, will be a strategic priority.

This is a pivotal moment in the charity’s evolution — one that will shape its long-term trajectory. Trustees remain committed to ensuring that The Philosophers’ Yard is equipped with the strategic vision, operational resilience, and financial sustainability necessary to fulfil its growing ambitions.

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DELIVERY OF CHARITABLE OBJECTS

The Philosophers’ Yard was established as a charity in September 2024. No updates were made to The Philosophers’ Yard’s charitable objects or constitution during 2024-25. Its charitable objects are to advance the education of the public in general on matters of philosophy, including the inner lives of human beings, societal norms and structures, and existence and metaphysics.

It has fulfilled these objects in the 2024-25 financial year through events held in Birmingham, UK and online.

In the 2024-25 financial year, The Philosophers’ Yard organised six Main Events, eight Philosophy Meetups and two Collaboration Events.

Further information on the definition and level of engagement with these events is provided in the next section.

Above: Social media designs for a selection of events.

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The Public Benefit

The Philosophers’ Yard aims to maximise benefit to the public by making activities accessible:

Trustees and Delivery Team

In 2024-25, The Philosophers’ Yard added one new trustee to the cohort of four trustees whom have all continued in post. The newly appointed trustee is Dr Laura D’Olimpio, Associate Professor of Philosophy of Education and College of Social Sciences Director of Postgraduate Research at University of Birmingham. Laura brings a wealth of experience in public philosophy and is co-founding editor of the Journal of Philosophy in Schools and a regular contributor to public philosophy outlets.

The remainder of the delivery team is comprised of:

The Philosophers’ Yard currently has no employees.

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EVENTS

The Philosophers’ Yard hosts three main types of events, each designed to foster thoughtful dialogue, community, and engagement with big ideas.

Main Events take place every two months and offer attendees access to rich philosophical insights from a diverse range of speakers and practitioners. These sessions revolve around a central topic, democratically chosen by participants, and feature experts such as university researchers, faith leaders, charity workers, think tank directors, and politicians. Each event opens with a form of creative expression—live music, spoken word, or meditation—and concludes with breakout discussions, providing space for meaningful conversation in small groups.

Philosophy Meetups are held monthly and offer a more informal setting for members to connect and converse (see image to the right). Focused on topics like Human Connection , Inner Peace , or Creativity , these gatherings begin with icebreaker questions and are followed by a short talk from a community member or guest speaker. The emphasis is on open dialogue and building community through shared curiosity.

Collaboration Events occur occasionally in partnership with other organisations, extending The Philosophers’ Yard’s mission to new audiences. Notable recent examples include a session on Creativity at the 4 The Arts Festival organised by Empower Poetry (November 2024), and a co-hosted discussion with Birmingham Race Impact Group on building an anti-racist Birmingham for the UN Day for Anti-Racism (March 2024 – see event flyer to the right).

While less frequent, these collaborations are a vital part of encouraging public engagement with pressing societal questions.

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Attendance Data and Evaluation

The number of participants at Philosophers’ Yard events is 797 (an increase in more than 600 from April 2024). Although the level of interest in each event may vary - due to the popularity of the chosen topic - the overall trend of attendance at Main Events and Meetups is positive.

Attendance at Main Events

*Collaboration Event

Attendance at Meetups

*Collaboration Event

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The Philosophers’ Yard continues to have an incredibly diverse set of attendees. In the charts below, demographic data for the city of Birmingham, where available, is provided in the inner circle (source, census 2021), with data from attendees of Philosophers’ Yard events in the outer circle.

Note: As under 18s cannot attend Philosophers’ Yard events, census ‘age’ data for Birmingham has been adjusted to only include data for eligible individuals.

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The Philosophers’ Yard mailing list has almost 500 registered users who receive a quarterly newsletter on Philosophers’ Yard activities and early information on upcoming events. There has been significant growth among all key platforms of engagement (see chart below):

----- Start of picture text -----
Number of followers on key engagement platforms
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
Mailing list Instagram LinkedIn Eventbrite WhatsApp YouTube
community
23-24 24-25
----- End of picture text -----

The Philosophers’ Yard remains committed to learning. Evaluation activities are included at all events to determine those aspects of delivery that are working well or could be improved.

Generally, attendees enjoy:

Attendees have stated that they would like:

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EDUCATION

Throughout 2024–25, The Philosophers’ Yard has continued to expand and refine its educational offerings. These initiatives are designed to bring philosophical thinking into diverse settings— such as workplaces, schools, and community organisations—making philosophy both accessible and practically relevant. At the heart of these efforts is a commitment to delivering transformative educational experiences that combine rigorous teaching with experiential learning.

Two core programmes have been the focus of development during this period:

Philosophical Practices : Scheduled to launch in May 2025, Philosophical Practices is a fourpart course that introduces a transformative approach to philosophy, one that fosters intellectual curiosity alongside personal development. The course engages participants in a range of reflective and thought-provoking practices aimed at cultivating philosophical skills, deepening selfawareness, and enriching everyday life. Designed to support both individual growth and collective inquiry, the course promotes a more thoughtful and connected way of engaging with ideas and with others.

Disability Advocacy Workshops : These inperson workshop offers an accessible and applied introduction to key philosophical concepts related to disability. Using real-world examples, the programme equips participants — particularly within workplaces,

schools, and faith-based organisations — to create safer, more inclusive environments for disabled individuals. The workshop blends conceptual clarity with practical relevance, encouraging critical reflection on accessibility and advocacy.

As both initiatives remain in early stages of implementation, a more comprehensive progress update will be included in next year’s annual report.

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ACCOUNTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT

A summary financial statement for the 24-25 financial year is provided below. The full set of annual receipt and payment accounts is provided at Annex A.

INCOME

INCOME
Grants 7,850i
Fundraising / donations 4
Event ticket sales 442ii
Sponsorship -
Corporate sales - Education -
In-kind support 3000iii
Total 11,296
PAYMENTS
Events (Main events) 4,344iv
Events (Meetups) 778
Marketing and Communications 616v
Education 67
Overheads / operations 58
In-kind support 3000
Total 8,863
VARIANCE 2,433

Notes:

I The Philosophers’ Yard was awarded a grant of £7,850 by the National Lottery Community Fund to support the delivery of activity from April 2024 to August 2025. This amount is an estimation of the in-kind value (as set out by the university) and is not included in the receipts and payment account.

ii We employ a flexible ticketing model for all events, with the option for attendees to select a free ticket or a ticket with a customisable amount.

iii The Philosophers’ Yard was accepted onto the University of Birmingham’s B-Experienced Internship programme and was granted two interns (fully funded through the university).

iv The main costs in delivering events are speakers and contributors fees and expenses, venue hire, the design of marketing collateral, the cost of the event photographer and videographer, and refreshments.

v Outside of events, there are general marketing and communications costs, which include the hosting and development of the website and the marketing of The Philosophers’ Yard.

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AIMS FOR THE 2025-26 FINANCIAL YEAR

Review of aims for the 2024-25 Financial Year

The 2023-24 annual report set out the following three aims:

Aim Target(s) Status Detail
Ensure the continued
delivery of high-quality
events that provide a
platform for a host of
diverse, knowledgeable
speakers to audiences with
the big questions of our
time		 • Six events in the next 12
months
• Explore an approach for
partnering with a location
outside of Birmingham		 Fully
met		 Sixteen events were
delivered in 24-25 with
the successful launch of
Philosophy Meetups as
our chosen form of
expansion
Facilitate interactions
between a diverse audience
that can exchange a variety
of viewpoints and
perspectives		 • Female-male ratio within
20% of each other
• At least 50% of our
audience is from an
ethnic minority
background		 Fully
met		 52% of attendees are
women and 45% are
men. Attendance from
people from ‘ethnic
minority’ backgrounds is
64%
Developing educational
tools and guidance for
corporate organisations,
community groups and
schools to engage with
these ideas in a variety of
settings		 • Develop and pilot an
approach for the
educational arm of The
Philosophers’ Yard
• Engage at least five
different organisations
with tailored activities		 Partially
met		 Progress has been made
in developing the
educational offer and
Philosophical Practices
course but the launch of
these activities will now
be carried forward into
2025-26

Aims for the 2025-26 Financial Year

The key aims of The Philosophers’ Yard for the 2025-26 financial year are to:

Embed a Clear Theory of Change: Integrate the organisation’s theory of change across all practices, policies, communications, and monitoring and evaluation frameworks.

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By the end of 2025-26, the theory of change and associated performance indicators will have been approved by trustees and required updates would have been made to the website, policies and evaluation forms.

Pilot and Refine Educational Offerings: Launch and assess new educational initiatives— including the Philosophical Practices course — using participant feedback to enhance content and delivery.

By the end of 2025-26, the Philosophical Practices course will have launched (with at least 12 participants) and workshops or other educational activities will have been delivered to at least five organisations.

Strengthen Financial Sustainability : Secure additional income through grants and fundraising, while adopting a long-term, sustainable approach to funding and programme delivery.

By the end of 2025-26, The Philosophers’ Yard will have secured at least one additional grant and total income raised through grants, sales, and fundraising will be in excess of £10,000. Income from educational activities will be our second highest form of income, followed by ticket sales.

Declaration

This annual report has been reviewed and approved by the charity trustees and signed on behalf of the trustees by the Chair.

Daniel Stone Chair of Trustees

Date of approval: 25 June 2025

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ANNEX A: ANNUAL RECEIPT AND PAYMENT ACCOUNTS

The Philosophers' Yard The Philosophers' Yard The Philosophers' Yard No. 1204617 No. 1204617
Receipts and payments accounts
For the period from 01-Apr-24 To 01-Apr-25
Restricte
d funds
to the
nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 Endowme
nt funds
to the
nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Section A Receipts and payments
A1 Receipts Unrestricted funds
to the nearest £
7,850
4
429
13
-
-
-
-
8,296
-
-
8,296
4,344
778
616
67
58
-
Grants 7,850
Fundraising / Donations 4
Event ticket sales (Main
events)		 429
Event ticket sales
(Meetups)		 13
Sponsorship -
Corporate sales -
-
-
Sub total(Gross income
for AR)		 8,296
A2 Asset and investment
sales, (see table).		 -
Sub total -
Total receipts
A3 Payments
Events (Main events) 4,344 - - 4,344
Events (Meetups) 778 - - 778
Marketing &
Communications		 616 - - 616
Education 67 - - 67
Overheads / operations 58 - - 58
- - - -

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- - - - -
Sub total
5,863 - - 5,863 1,822
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total
- - - - -
Total payments 5,863 - - 5,863 1,822
Net of
receipts/(payments) 2,433 - - 2,433 -
A5 Transfers between
funds - - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year
end 65 - - 65 -
Cash funds this year end
2,498 - - 2,498 -

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricte Restricte Endowme
d funds d funds nt funds
Categories Details
to nearest to to nearest
£ nearest £ £
B1 Cash funds
- - -
- - -
- - -
Total cash funds
- - -
(agree balances with receipts and Agreement
payments account(s)) Error OK OK
Unrestricte Restricte Endowme
d funds d funds nt funds
to nearest to to nearest
Details £ nearest £ £
B2 Other monetary
assets - - -
- - -
- - -
- - -
- - -
- - -
----- End of picture text -----

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B3 Investment assets
B4 Assets retained for
the charity’s own use
B5 Liabilities
Signed by one or two
trustees on behalf of all the
trustees		 Details
Details
Details
Signature		 Fund to
which
asset
belongs
Cost
(optional
)
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to
which
asset
belongs
Cost
(optional
)
-
-
-
Fund to
which
liability
relates
Amount
due
(optional
)
-
-
-
Print Name
Iola Jones
Daniel Stone		 Current
value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Current
value
(optional)
-
-
-
When due
(optional)
Date of
approval
14/04/2025
14/04/2025

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