# **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 e*ass B￿0
Balance Sheet
Ftsi tt¥2 15 moftthB at*JEd 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
Clo￿9 bll8rt•:
tl,141.76
t10,114A2
t1?,101.T6
ACCO￿￿1 b￿￿¢4• on 31 Morch 2025
A•••t•
#cc￿111
Pety c4*h
t19.J72.
Ih •*x*
E27J.03
T¢tsi 0￿1 *•••t•
t273.Q3
Accwts wceiv￿le
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* L￿￿1￿1•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 Expen￿5
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 & E￿gag 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