Lewes, Glynde & Beddingham Brass Band Annual Report 2024/2025
Chair’s Introduction Sarah Chalmers As Chair of Trustees, I am delighted to present the Inaugural Annual Report for Lewes, Glynde and Beddingham Brass Band. The Organisation was awarded Charitable Status on 30 August 2024.
The decision to register as a Charity was around our desire to grow our Youth Programme, BrassSparks, and ensure the Band has a future legacy. In our first few months as an established Charity we have started work to develop a Strategy, continued and grown our Youth Programme and continued to provide entertainment as a performing Brass band.
Legacy and the path to Charity Registration The origins of the band can be traced back to 1922 when Glynde and Beddingham band was formed by William Turner, the station master at Glynde. The band rehearsed in Glynde Reading Room and all the original players came from the village, or from nearby Beddingham. Mr Turner was the band’s original Musical Director. Over the years, the band attracted musicians from the surrounding towns of Eastbourne, Lewes and Brighton. To reflect the wider membership, we changed our name in 2002 to Lewes, Glynde and Beddingham Brass – or LGB Brass. At the same time, Lewes Town Council invited us to move our base to the All Saints Arts Centre in Lewes.
In 2022 we celebrated the band’s centenary with the creation of BrassSparks, a youth project aimed at securing the band’s future.
Our Musical Director Ian Stewart I have been the Musical Director of the band since 1999. During that time, we have progressed from a small village band to a thriving organisation with a strong senior band, plus three levels of youth bands.
We have been fortunate to have attracted some wonderful players to our ranks over the years. No band remains unchanged in terms of players, with family and work commitments as well as personal preferences all playing a part in decision to remain or move on. However, I am confident that the group of players we now have is one of the strongest line ups the band has ever put out. Our repertoire has expanded beyond all recognition and we have performed in many different musical styles. I am delighted that we have included so much original brass band music in our performances.
Highlights for me have included a return to the contest stage after a break of many years, winning rd the 3 Section Finals of the National Championships of Great Britain in 2013 and our promotion to the 1st Section in 2020. Becoming a charity will enable us to grow and support brilliant brass players of the future.
Impact: 2024/2025 In 2024/2025 we: > Performed to over 65,000 people through variety of booked concerts, events and public performances. > Delivered Whole Class Brass to over 200 children, where all students in a single class are taught the basics of playing a brass instrument.
> Recruited 32 children and young adults to our BrassSparks programme, with 4 routinely staying for the initial session of Senior Band to gain experience of playing with a full-size band.
Impact: 2024/2025 In 2024/2025 we:
> Ran a membership survey of Senior Band Members to gain insight into their priorities to support development of the Strategy
> Registered the Charity as eligible for Gift Aid
> Established Key Policies on Delegation of Financial Authority and a Financial Reserves Policy
Financial Information
Pre Charity Registration, the organisation’s financial year was January to December. The Trustees agreed to move the financial year to end to 31 March. The figures presented show a fifteen-month period from January 2024 to March 2025 to give transparency to our previous finances as we transition to a Charity structure.
Whilst we are under the Charity Commission Threshold for mandatory audit; we sought a review with an independent advisor. They found no areas for concern and commended the level of detail.
8•1•• Sh• Le$, GI> ar41 eass B0 Balance Sheet Ftsi tt¥2 15 moftthB atJEd 31 X125 Br•••Sp4rk• Iland• AppMI Unr•itrlcl Tot•1 Cl>er4ry b*• £2.5¥2.78 .278.45 £9.889 rJ 202W26 Ye¥ Erd l&£ £5262.80 £2.aJ7 97 £9.232.S3 Clo9 bll8rt•: tl,141.76 t10,114A2 t1?,101.T6 ACCO1 b¢4• on 31 Morch 2025 A•••t•
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Pety c4h t19.J72. Ih •x E27J.03 T¢tsi 01 •••t• t273.Q3 Accwts wceivle Tol81 w• ar• O¥A TolAI A•••t• £20.25•.12 payat Tolll w• OT £1,118.36 LGB Brass Lewes, Glynde S Beddingham Brass Band In n¢ To1* L11•0 1.1J8.36
Income Income Lewes, Glynde and Beddingham Brass Band - For the 15 months ended 31 March 2025 Restricted Funds: Account Brasssparks Stands Appeal General Fund Total Income Engagement Earnings Engagement Donations Engagement Fees Ticket Sales 386.14 0.00 1,052.87 6,450.00 3,946.50 699.32 1,439.01 6,450.0 5,074.5 1,163.71 14,127.2 0.00 1,128.00 464.39 0.00 Food and Drink Sales 0.00 Total Engagement Earnings Charitable Income 1,978.53 0.00 12.148.69 General Donations 500.(K) 0.00 1,169.58 0.00 1,669.5 1,141.7 143.9 Restn"cted Donations 1,141.76 0.00 Gift Aid 143.95 Grant Funding Total Charitable Income 7,000.00 7,500.00 0.00 50.00 7,050.0 10.005.29 1,141.76 1.363.53 Other Income Interest Income 0.00 0.00 91.58 91.5 Subs 2,150.00 2,150.00 0.00 2,127.97 2,219.55 4,277.9 4,369.5 Total Other Income 0.00 Total Income 11,628.53 1.141.76 15,731.77 28.502.0
Expenditure Expenditure Lewes, Glynde Beddinghafft Bras5 Band - For the 15 rn onths ended 31 Maich 2025 Operating Expenseg Band Manig ement Enlry Fees 121.50 0.00 163.89 285.39 0.00 0.00 67D.00 670.DO Insu rance 0.00 0.00 1,385.05 1,385.D5 Licenses 0.00 0.00 583.86 583.86 Premise& 760.16 0.00 3,574.30 4.334.46 Printing, Stationery & Consumables 33.82 0.00 245.19 279.D1 Reoislrations & Membership3 58.50 0.00 4S4.50 513.00 Soflware Subscriplions 54.41 0.00 709_66 764.D7 Totsl Operating Expen5 1,028.39 0.00 7,786.45 B,814. Staff Costs MD fee8 & Consulting Deps Training 3,780.00 0.00 86D_OO 4,640.DO 0.00 0.00 1,05&.75 11D_QO 1.058.75 740.DO 630.00 0.00 Travel & Transport Total Staff Costs 0.00 0.00 174.89 174.89 4,410.00 0.00 2,203.64 6,613. Other Costs Adverlising & Marketing Cateiing Slock 186.62 0.00 249.78 436.40 167.62 0.00 4fA%.47 636.09 Equipment Repairs & M aintenan 382.95 0.00 1,32S.35 1,709.30 Gifts & Egag ement 0.00 0.00 432.46 432.46 Music 200.15 0.00 426.65 626.50 LGB Brass Total Othei Costs 937.34 0.00 2,903.71 3,841.0 Lewes, Glynde S Beddingham Brass Band Total Expendit 6,375.73 0.00 12,893.80 19,269.53
- Reserve Policy At the Trustee Meeting on 10 September 2024 the Reserve Policy was approved. The Trustees agreed to hold one year’s running costs, where possible, throughout the year. The rationale for this is: •Our income streams are not yet fully developed.
•We want to continue to be able to run at a base organisational level should we not receive any bookings for Senior Band, our main income source.
- •We have seen rapid organisational growth and associated in the run up to becoming a Charity.
•Like many organisations, we have experienced rising costs for many essential items, such as Rent and Insurance.
- •The income and spend profile occur at different points on the year.
The Trustees will review this position in Autumn 2026.
Organisations Savills (employer rnatch funding for Brighton Halfj Bevem View 250 Donor & Partner Recognition LGB Brass ewes, Glynde & Beddingham Brass Band Individual Donors Roger Holloway David Holmes 150 40 erry Cannon Graham Peters 500 100 Miles Jenner 350 Paul Collins 300 C Pratley 50 Cash donors: Christmas events including carolling and donations made with ticket purchases Brighlon Half through JuslGiving 679.01 877.65 Grant funding Chalk Cliff Ttust (foi FY 25126) Glynde atKI Beditighani Paiish Council 5000 50
Leadership & Governance The Charity is led by the Trustee who provide oversight and governance. Sarah Chalmers – Chair of Trustees Emma Boswell Tom Elliot Simon Emberley Anthony Line Elizabeth Pearson Jane Stewart Reuben Tendler
Looking ahead to 2025/2026
As we move into out first full year as a Charitable Organisation we will: Complete our three-year Strategy and publish this Continue our BrassSparks Youth programme Seek sustainable growth and stability for the Charity