# **London Youth Theatre Annual Report and Financial Statements**
## **November 2023 - December 2024**
## **CO-ARTISTIC DIRECTORS’ STATEMENT**
in the organisation’s work, impact and aims. Across the period we worked directly with nearly 80 young people and had an ever-growing waiting list of young people eager to get involved. London Youth Theatre (LYT) also staged four productions in this first period as a charity, meaning we brought over 600 audience members into live performance.
It’s been a year of growth for LYT, as we’ve been joined by an exceptional Board of Trustees, chaired by Matt Downie MBE, Chief Executive of Crisis. Becoming a registered charity is a huge step forward for us, as it opens numerous funding doors. Indeed, the submission of this first set of annual accounts is a key turning point as we will now be eligible for a great deal more funds. We are excited to develop our fundraising strategy over the coming year and form new partnerships.
We are incredibly grateful to some generous individuals who have enabled us to get this far: particular thanks to Barbara Broccoli, Armando Iannucci, Phyllida Lloyd CBE, Toby Marlow and George Stiles for their support. LYT also benefits from some core partnerships, supporting us to make our programme possible: our space partnership with Seven Dials Playhouse, which provides us with in-kind rehearsal space in the heart of the West End throughout the year. We are also supported by Fourth Monkey Actor Training Company, which donates space for our summer intensive project. We would like to offer our sincere thanks to both organisations for supporting London Youth Theatre in this crucial way.
Looking ahead, our attention turns largely to stabilising LYT’s fundraising prospects for the future. We are currently fundraising to bring in more expert advice and targeted work to review our fundraising strategies for both trusts and foundations as well as individual donors. We are also looking to deepen our evaluation processes. Having worked in the youth theatre sector for over a decade, we have personally witnessed the immense impact this kind of work has on the young people LYT serves and it is vital that we can communicate that to our supporters in order to continue doing what we do.
have for the charity. We are excited for a vibrant year ahead and look forward to introducing more young people to the power of live performance.
Katie Pesskin and Tom Foskett-Barnes Co-Artistic Directors of London Youth Theatre
www.londonyouththeatre.org.uk 2 Registered Charity Number: 1205546
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**
## **Charity Name:**
London Youth Theatre
## **Charity Registration Number:**
1205546
## **Registered Address:**
1A Tower Street, London, WC2H 9NP
## **Legal Status:**
Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
## **Date of Establishment:**
2 November 2023
## **Trustees (at time of report):**
- Matthew Downie MBE – Chair
- Costa Ellinas – Treasurer
- Anupum Kalia – Secretary
- Miranda Wolpert MBE
- Sophia Louw
- Joshua Willacy
- Eleanor Keel
- Sarah-Jane O'Neill
## **Key Management Personnel:**
Tom Foskett-Barnes and Katie Pesskin are the co-Artistic Directors and have so far managed the day-to-day running of the charity on a voluntary basis.
## **Independent Examiner:**
An independent examination was not required due to the charity’s size. Accounts were prepared by Lee Baker at Wenn Townsend.
This report covers the period from **2 November 2023** , the charity’s date of establishment, through to **31 December 2024** , and provides an overview of the activities, achievements, and financial performance of London Youth Theatre in its inaugural year as a charitable organisation.
www.londonyouththeatre.org.uk 4 Registered Charity Number: 1205546
## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES**
London Youth Theatre (LYT) is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), established in November 2023 to address the need for accessible arts training for young people in London. Our purpose is to advance education and personal development through participation in the performing arts—particularly for those who face barriers due to financial hardship, social exclusion, or lack of provision.
‘N’, LYT Alumna, now training at one of the UK’s top drama schools
## **Our Mission**
We believe every young person deserves the chance to discover their creative potential. LYT exists to make high-quality performing arts opportunities accessible to young people across the capital, regardless of background or financial means. Our mission is to deliver transformative theatre experiences that build confidence, creativity, and community.
We are proud to provide participants with access to professional venues and industry-standard creative experiences in the heart of London, theatre capital of the world.
## **What We Do**
LYT delivers a performance-led programme throughout the year, which includes:
- **Three full-scale theatre productions annually**
- A **structured workshop and skills series** led by industry professionals
www.londonyouththeatre.org.uk 5 Registered Charity Number: 1205546
- A **four-week summer intensive** , offering deeper creative and social engagement
- Opportunities to **work with 27 experienced, professional creatives**
- Access to **free theatre tickets** , **pastoral support** , and **further education application guidance**
- Being part of a growing **alumni network**
Sessions are held weekly, with participants forming strong, supportive peer relationships while building skills in acting, communication, collaboration, and self-expression.
## **Access and Affordability**
In line with our commitment to accessibility, **50% of places are currently offered free of charge** , and the rest are allocated through a **tiered pricing scheme based on household income** . Our long-term goal is to become a **completely free-to-access service** , and fundraising toward this vision is a core part of our development strategy.
## **Why We Exist**
Despite London’s global status as a cultural capital, too many young people are excluded from meaningful engagement with the arts due to cost, postcode, or lack of support. Cuts to arts education, local authority funding, and extracurricular provision have hit young people disproportionately hard. LYT seeks to bridge this gap.
they bring—is not a luxury but a right.
_‘A’, LYT Alumna, now studying for A-level exams_
www.londonyouththeatre.org.uk 6 Registered Charity Number: 1205546
## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE**
As a newly registered charity, 2023–2024 marked a foundational year for LYT —both in deepening our programme delivery and expanding our reach.
## **Programme Delivery and Reach**
In the period from November 2023 - December 2024, LYT:
- Worked with **80 young people** from **22 London boroughs**
- Staged **four full-scale productions** in professional venues
- Delivered a **four-week summer intensive** , free for all participants
- Reached an audience of over **600 people** , many experiencing youth theatre for the first time
- Maintained a **50/50 fee model** , ensuring cost was not a barrier to participation
## **Progression and Outcomes**
- Reported increased , and **sense of belonging**
- Accessed **mentorship from 27 creative professionals**
- Received tailored **pastoral support and higher education guidance**
- Progressed to institutions such as **RADA** and **Cambridge University**
## **Organisational Growth**
- Formalised our charity structure as a CIO in November 2023
- Strengthened our operational model, working with a dedicated board of trustees and key voluntary leads
- Laid the groundwork for long-term sustainability through fundraising strategy development
years to come.
www.londonyouththeatre.org.uk 7 Registered Charity Number: 1205546
‘Z-M’, LYT Participant
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
with a nearly balanced budget and the establishment of a modest reserve.
## **Income and Funding**
Total income for the year ending 31 December 2024 was **£47,403** . This was generated through a combination of:
- **Grants** , including **£2,000 from Shaftesbury Capital**
- **Donations** from a number of generous individual supporters
- **Subscription fees** from members on the three paid tiers
- **Ticket sales** on the four shows produced across the period
- **Theatre Tax Relief**
- **In-kind support** , including donated rehearsal and performance space from partners
We are deeply grateful to the individuals and organisations who made our programme possible this year.
In addition to monetary contributions, **Seven Dials Playhouse** provided year-round in-kind access to high-quality rehearsal space in central London, and **Fourth Monkey** offered summer project space. These core partnerships are critical to the sustainability of our programme and to keeping our costs accessible for young people.
www.londonyouththeatre.org.uk 8 Registered Charity Number: 1205546
## **Expenditure**
Total expenditure for the year was **£29,773** programme. Core areas of spend included:
- Creative team fees and freelance costs
- Venue and production costs
- Pastoral and participant support, including safeguarding and outreach
- Administrative and operational expenses
## **Reserves Policy and Position**
The trustees have agreed a reserves policy that sets a minimum level of **£1,750.00** , equivalent to approximately one month's expenditure.
As of the end of the reporting period, LYT held **£17,630** in reserves. This provides a sound basis for our future planning and fundraising efforts, while enabling us to respond flexibly to urgent needs.
## **Looking Ahead**
While we are proud of our fundraising efforts in this first year, LYT remains reliant on external fundraising to continue offering free and subsidised access to our programme. In 2025, we will prioritise:
- Growing our grant and foundation income
- Expanding our individual giving and donor engagement
- Exploring multi-year partnerships to make steps towards our goal of becoming a fully free-to-access service
well-positioned to build on the progress made in its inaugural year.
_‘M’, LYT Alumna, studying to become a neuroscientist_
www.londonyouththeatre.org.uk 9 Registered Charity Number: 1205546
## **PLANS FOR THE YEAR AHEAD**
Building on a successful launch year, LYT enters 2025 with a clear and ambitious vision: to expand our impact, deepen our support for young people, and progress toward becoming a fully free-to-access service.
## **Programme Development**
In the coming year, we aim to:
- Deliver another full cycle of **three full-scale productions**
- Expand our **workshop and masterclass offer** , including new sessions focused on writing, acting technique, and voice skills
- Create additional opportunities for participants to socialise and
- Provide **more extensive safeguarding training** equipped to tackle any incidents that arise
- Extend our **summer intensive project** to include opportunities for technical and backstage training
We will continue rehearsing at **Seven Dials Playhouse** and delivering our summer programme in partnership with **Fourth Monkey** , maximising the value of our core partnerships.
## **Accessibility and Inclusion**
A key strategic goal is to be able to increase the proportion of free places we offer, moving toward our vision of becoming a completely free-to-access service. In 2025, we will:
- Endeavour to increase our fundraising capacity
- Research new outreach strategies to engage underrepresented groups across London
- Develop better systems to track and evaluate the socio-economic diversity of our participants
**----- Start of picture text -----**
“Everyone had different talents and different things they brought to the show and I feel like
we all came together to create an amazing thing. It’s just been an amazing experience.”
‘Z’, LYT Participant
**----- End of picture text -----**
www.londonyouththeatre.org.uk 10 Registered Charity Number: 1205546
## **Fundraising and Financial Growth**
To ensure our long-term sustainability and growth, we will:
- Pursue new grants and funding partnerships, with a focus on trusts and foundations
- Expand our individual giving programme, developing our relationship building and network database
-
## **Organisational Development**
As a young charity, we are focused on building strong governance and operational capacity. Key plans include:
- Developing a with input from trustees, staff, alumni, and participants
- Investing in core infrastructure, including evaluation tools and fundraising strategies
- Working towards paying management personnel for their contributions to programme coordination as well as individual productions, subject to funding
www.londonyouththeatre.org.uk 11 Registered Charity Number: 1205546
## **STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES**
accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards.
for each financial year that give a true and fair view of the charity’s financial activities during the year and of its financial position at the end of the year. In preparing these statements, the trustees are required to:
- Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently
- Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent
- State whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements
- that the charity will continue in operation
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose, with reasonable accuracy at any time, the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008, and the constitution of the charity.
They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
This report was approved by the trustees on 30th May 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
Matthew Downie MBE
Chair of Trustees
www.londonyouththeatre.org.uk 12 Registered Charity Number: 1205546
## **Statement of Financial Activities**
## **for the Period Ended 31 December 2024**
www.londonyouththeatre.org.uk 13 Registered Charity Number: 1205546
**2024**
|**Note**|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Designated**
**Funds**
**Total**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|---|---|
|||
|||
|**Income and endowments from:**||
|||
|Voluntary income - donations
**2**
Charitable activities
**3**|24,047
-
-
24,047
23,356
-
-
23,356|
|||
|**Total income and endowments**|47,403
-
-
47,403|
|||
|**Expenditure on:**||
|||
|Activities for raising Funds
**4**
Charitable activities
**5**|658
-
-
658
29,115
-
-
29,115|
|||
|**Total expenditure**|29,773
-
-
29,773|
|||
|**Net income / (expenditure)**|17,630
-
-
17,630|
|||
|**Transfers**|-
-
-
-|
|||
|**Net movement in funds**
**9**|17,630
-
-
17,630|
|||
|**Reconciliation of funds:**||
|||
|Total funds brought forward
**9**|-
-
-
-|
|||
|**Total funds carried forward**|17,630
-
-
17,630|
www.londonyouththeatre.org.uk 14 Registered Charity Number: 1205546
## **Balance Sheet**
## **At 31st December 2024**
||**2024**
**£**|
|---|---|
|**Note**||
|**Current assets**
Debtors
**7**
Cash at bank and in hand||
||12,342
5,288|
||17,630|
|||
|**Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**
**8**
**Net assets**|-|
||17,630|
|||
|**Charity Funds**
Unrestricted funds
**9**
Designated funds
**9**
Restricted funds
**9**
**Total charity funds**
**9**||
||17,630
-
-|
||17,630|
Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
No members have required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.
The directors acknowledge their responsibility for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and for the preparation of accounts.
Signed on behalf of the board of trustees
## **Matthew Downie MBE**
## **Chair of Trustees**
www.londonyouththeatre.org.uk 15 Registered Charity Number: 1205546
##
## **Period ended 31st December 2024**
## **1**
## **(a) General information and basis of preparation**
London Youth Theatre is a Registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation in the United Kingdom. In the event of the charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the charity. The address of the registered office is given in the charity information on page 4 of these financial statements. The nature of the charity’s operations and principal activities are the provision of theatre education services.
been prepared in accordance with the _Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice_ (SORP) applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the _Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland_ (FRS 102), issued in October 2019. The financial statements also comply with the requirements of the _Charities Act 2011_ , the _Companies Act 2006_ , and UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (UK GAAP). The financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis under the historical cost convention.
below. These policies have been consistently applied to all years presented unless otherwise stated.
## **(b) Funds**
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.
## **(c) Income recognition**
All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when the charity is legally entitled to the income after any performance conditions have been met, the amount can be measured reliably and it is probable that the income will be received. Fee income is included on an accruals basis with fees received in advance included in deferred income.
## **(d) Expenditure recognition**
aggregate all costs related to the category. Expenditure is recognised where there is a legal or constructive obligation to make payments to third parties, it is probable that the settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
www.londonyouththeatre.org.uk 16 Registered Charity Number: 1205546
## **(e) Support costs allocation**
Support costs are those that assist the work of the charity but do not directly represent charitable activities and include office costs, governance costs, and administrative payroll costs. As all costs are deemed to directly relate to charitable activities, support costs have not been disclosed separately.
## **(f) Debtors and creditors receivable / payable within one year**
Debtors and creditors with no stated interest rate and receivable or payable within one year are recorded at transaction price.
## **(g) Tax**
The charity is an exempt charity within the meaning of schedule 3 of the Charities Act 2011 and is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Certain charitable activities are eligible for Theatre Tax Relief – this is shown as income in the year in which it is earned.
## **(h) Going concern**
material uncertainties exist. The trustees have considered the level of funds held and the expected level of income and expenditure for 12 months from authorising these financial statements. The budgeted income and expenditure is sufficient with the level of reserves for the charity to be able to continue as a going concern.
## **2 Voluntary income**
|**2**
**Voluntary income**|||
|---|---|---|
|||**2024**
**£**
20,335
3,712|
||||
|Donations
Gift Aid|||
||||
||||
|||24,047|
|**3**
**Income from charitable activities**|||
|||**2024**
**£**
13,444
1,282
8,630|
||||
|Membership Fees
Ticket Sales
TTR Income|||
||||
||||
||||
|||23,356|
www.londonyouththeatre.org.uk 17 Registered Charity Number: 1205546
|**4**
**Activities for raising funds**||
|---|---|
||**2024**
**£**
658|
|||
|Fundraising costs||
|||
||658|
|||
|**5**
**Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities**||
||**2024**
**£**
17,020
3,275
1,390
5,537
573
10
349
243
331
285
102|
|||
|Creative fees
Other show costs
Workshop fees
RAD fees
Computer software
Printing, Postage and Stationery
Training
Travel and subsistence
General expenses
Advertising
Insurance||
|||
||29,115|
Please note, support costs are all deemed to directly relate to charitable activities and as such have been included above.
All costs are unrestricted.
www.londonyouththeatre.org.uk 18 Registered Charity Number: 1205546
## **6 Analysis of staff costs, trustee remuneration and expenses, and cost of key management personnel**
||**2024**
**£**
-
-
-|
|---|---|
|||
|Salaries and wages
Social security costs
Pension costs||
||-|
proportion to the related staffing costs incurred and are wholly charged to unrestricted funds.
neither were they reimbursed expenses during the year. No charity trustee received payment for professional or other services supplied to the charity.
## **Staff numbers**
No staff were employed during the year.
The key management personnel of the charity, the Trust, comprise the trustees (who are not paid) and the co-artistic directors who are also not paid.
## **7 Debtors**
|**7**
**Debtors**||
|---|---|
||**2024**
**£**
3,712
8,630|
|||
|Gift Aid Debtor
Theatre Tax Relief Debtor||
||12,342|
## **8 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**
||**2024**
**£**
-|
|---|---|
|||
|Accruals and deferred income||
||-|
www.londonyouththeatre.org.uk 19 Registered Charity Number: 1205546
## **9 Fund reconciliation**
|**Fund reconciliation**||
|---|---|
||**Opening**
**balance**
**Income**
**Expenditure**
**Transfers**
**Closing**
**Balance**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|||
|||
|General Unrestricted
Designated Funds
Restricted Funds|-
47,403
(29,773)
-
17,630
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|
||-
47,403
(29,773)
-
17,630|
|||
|||
|**Net assets by fund**||
||**General**
**Unrestricted**
**Designated**
**Reserves**
**Restricted**
**Reserves**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|||
|||
|Debtors
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors: amounts falling due
within one year|12,342
-
-
12,342
5,288
-
-
5,288
-
-
-
-|
||17,630
-
-
17,630|
## **10 Net assets by fund**
www.londonyouththeatre.org.uk 20 Registered Charity Number: 1205546