2025-05-31-accounts

Woodley Festival of Music & Arts

Affiliated to the British and International Federation of Festivals Registered Charity No 276812 www.woodleyfestival.org.uk President: Gillian Reid, JP Vice President: Rodney Buckland Patrons: Stella Ross, Colin Singer, Ron McAllister

Trustees’ Annual Report

For the Year Ending 31[st] May 2025

Letter of Introduction

The aim of the Woodley Festival of Music and Arts, as set out in the Constitution, is to inspire, encourage and advance education in the Performing Arts. Our committee organise, promote, and hold an annual competitive festival.

This year our Festival was held at Emmbrook School in Wokingham, The Oakwood Centre in Woodley, Bulmershe School in Woodley and Leighton Park School in Reading. Our five sections and the final gala took place over four weekends.

Structure, Governance and Management

The Woodley Festival of Music and Arts (The festival) is an unincorporated association registered with the Charity Commission in 1968 (Registered Number 276812).

The festival operates in accordance with its Constitution as revised on 27[th] June 2020. Under this constitution, the Trustees are the Officials, made up of two Co-Chairmen, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer. Management of The Festival is vested in the Committee consisting of the Officials together with other members, all being elected annually at an Annual General Meeting.

Trustees

Co-Chairman Fiona Fisher Honorary Secretary Sandra Tucker Co-Chairman Jacquie Newport Honorary Treasurer Angela Roberts

Committee Members

Chairman Pianoforte Juliet Bruce Chairman Speech & Drama Jacquie Newport Chairman Choirs Ann Peddle Chairman Vocal Helen Deeks Chairman Instrumental Claire Barker Assistant to Chair of Speech and Drama Celia Thatcher Social Media & Publicity Officer Pallavi Pawar Festival Advisor Jackie Baines

Committee members and Trustees are generally appointed from volunteers who have experience with the festival. We actively seek new volunteers. All volunteers are given training in the festival’s policies and procedures. Our committee members continue to uphold the good reputation of the festival which has been earned over many years.

Changes to the Committee

The committee is delighted to announce that Russell Fry has accepted an invitation to join us as Venue Liaison Officer. Russell will be voted on to the committee at the next AGM on June 14[th] 2025.

The committee is also delighted to announce that our Patron, Rodney Buckland has accepted the invitation to become the Vice President of the festival, and that Stella Ross-Dunn accepted the invitation to become one of our Patrons.

Beneficiaries and Public Benefit

The Committee has considered the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on the provision of public benefit. Our charity’s main beneficiaries are the performers and their support network of parents, families, and teachers. Provision is made to include the broader community.

Auditors

Neither a formal audit nor an independent examination of the accounts is required by virtue of the limited financial turnover during the year.

British and International Federation of Festivals

Our festival continues to be affiliated to BIFF (The British and International Federation of Festivals).

Bankers

Our bankers remain unchanged - CAF Bank, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ

Risk Management

The principal risks affecting the festival centre around the need to provide a safe environment for our young participants to perform, our ability to staff our events, and any financial threat to the organisation. The financial risks are addressed in our Reserves policy. We conduct a review of the risk assessment relating to all our venues.

The 2025 Festival

The committee met in September 2024 to begin the process of planning the 2025 festival.

We gratefully received the sum of £2,500 from our generous Sponsor MANNING UK. We also received the sum of £350 from Woodley Town Council.

Choral

We received 27 entries for the Choral section this year. A 50% increase on last year. We held choirs on both Saturday and Sunday.

The Adjudicator for the choral section was Simon Hayward.

Instrumental

We received 193 entries for the Instruments section. A 15% increase on last year. Our Adjudicators for this section were James Kirby and Alison Walker.

Pianoforte

We received 338 entries for the Pianoforte section. A 2% increase on last year.

Our Adjudicator for this section was Ann Martin-Davis. Ann also kindly held a Ravel Masterclass for no extra charge.

Vocal

We received 180 entries for the Vocal section. A 25% increase on last year. We held our first celebratory class – celebrating 150 years of Rodgers and Hammerstein – this was very popular and will feature again in our Syllabus.

Our Adjudicator for this section was Bryan Husband.

Speech and Drama

We received 285 entries for the Speech & Drama section. A 14% increase on last year. Our Adjudicators for this section were Rebecca Vines and Katrina Mulvihil.

The Choral Verse classes did go ahead this year and were held at Bulmershe School over two weekends.

The Adjudicators

Our Adjudicators this year were kind, encouraging and informative. They were all extremely well received.

The Finale Concert

We held our Finale Concert at Leighton Park School, for which we charged £5 per entry which included a finale programme.

Our Dignitaries included our new Patron Stella Ross-Dunn, Sponsor Ann Manning, Vice President, Rodney Buckland, President Gillian Reid and the Mayor of Wokingham Borough.

We welcomed 996 performers through the door at the Oakwood Centre and Bulmershe School, (choirs, ensembles and duets count as one entry) the largest number since 2017. We had 20 performances at the Finale including a choir, a choral verse group, a violin ensemble and several duets and trios.

Mayoral visits

We were delighted to welcome the following dignitaries to some of our many classes - The Mayor of Wokingham Borough, Councillor Adrian Mather, The Mayor of Woodley Town, Councillor Juliet Anderson and the Deputy Mayor of Woodley Town, Councillor David Bragg.

Committee Activity Summary

The Committee reviewed its budget for the coming year. Our aim was to continue to keep expenditure as low as possible whilst retaining the standard and quality that we strive to deliver. We reviewed the cost of class entry, programmes, tickets, and advertising and decided not to implement any price increase.

We endeavoured to target local schools to encourage their participation in our festival. Some primary school entered choirs and Choral Verse.

Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

Our child protection policy was reviewed this year, and all DBS forms and chaperone licences are up to date.

BOPA

We successfully applied for a BOPA licence (Body of Persons Approval) for both the Wokingham and Reading venues.

We further addressed the look of the festival, in particularly the appearance and layout of the programme and the syllabus with the aim of reducing our printing costs. Our focus next year will be to update and redesign our website – although this remains dependent on available finances.

Our Programme cover has been re-designed, and the contents arranged in a more coherent fashion.

The Committee again secured a good level of advertising for the 2024 Programme. With private Schools and a few local businesses. Our Programme also included a listing of friends of the festival. We managed to print fewer syllabi this year in line with our decision to be less wasteful.

RunMyFestival software was used again for three of our five sections. S&D and Choirs used MS Forms successfully.

At the request of the Woodley Town Council, we have had to remove all our Festival boxes from the Centre loft and store them off-site.

In agreement with the Brown family, we have created a memorial Trophy for Jenny Brown. This Trophy will be awarded each year to the Choir of the Year.

Committee Aims

We will explore another on-line entry platform for our entries.

We will seek to broaden our pool of volunteers.

We will aim to upgrade our festival banners and update and redesign our website. We will endeavour to set up a memorial trophies Denese Gray We will aim to document all Policies & Procedures necessary to our organisation. We should continue to work with the Local Authority to streamline BOPA requirements.

Financial Results

Total revenue this year was £28,789 and therefore an independent examination of the accounts will be required for this year. 46% of revenues came from entry fees which were ahead budget driven by a higher level of entrants enhanced by a below inflation price increase of 2.5%.

We continue to receive the support of our sponsor, Ann Manning of MANNINGUK, who donated £2,500, whilst we also received a grant from Woodley Town Council which helps go towards adjudicator fees and piano hire. Advertising income was in line with forecast as we had a conscious push to reach more advertisers.

On-the-door takings contributed 36% of our revenue and include admission and programme sales. This was slightly higher than forecast due to slightly higher entrant numbers driving up the audience enhanced by increased programme sales with the return of our choral verse classes who purchase additional medals. This was further enhanced by our finale concert door takings being ahead of budget.

Costs for the year totalled £25,551 which were marginally higher than forecast and largely driven by slightly higher venue costs. 27% of costs relate to venue hire with the return of choral verse and our decision to accommodate this on different days to ensure it went ahead resulting in additional venue hire, resulting in venue costs being £500 more than expected across all venues.

A further 28% of costs related to adjudicator fees which were marginally higher than forecast largely due to mix of sessions. These fees are set by BIFF and increase each year. We also pay travel and reasonable accommodation expenses for our adjudicators.

The next largest cost at £3,847 is for the hire and tuning of pianos at the event. These came in more than last year driven by the increased cost of transportation which went up by 7%, having been held flat in the previous yearat the suppliers discretion.

Other costs this year include printing (£1,870), refreshments (£1,496), federation fees including insurance (£633), and bank charges (£417) including those for using Paypal and cashless on the door payments. We had a significant cost saving on car parking assistance at the choirs venue due to being able to use more volunteers.

This meant that for the full year we had an excess of receipts over payments of £3,237 with the over performance to budget driven by receipts. This has allowed us to build up our reserves and gives us scope to invest in digital programmes over the coming year.

Reserves and Reserves Policy

For most of the year, the Festival is almost financially inactive. So, our reserves are effectively the funds in the bank at the end of the financial year. In line with definitions from the Charities Commission, we do not have any designated funds this year as none of our remaining funds are assigned to any specific purpose. Therefore, we wish our reserves to be Unrestricted and available for any purpose the committee deems fit, not least to cover any unexpected expenditure, or loss of income.

Every year the Treasurer produces a draft budget which is reviewed and agreed at our committee meeting in September at the start of our planning process. During the annual budgeting cycle, quotes are obtained for major cost items wherever possible. Where it is too soon to be able to get quotes, we allow for inflation using the published CPI rate.

Our income largely depends on the level of entries which we budget for based on previous years runrates allowing for any known changes in circumstances. Entry income is calculated based on average entry fee per section allowing for any fee increases. Likewise door takings are forecast based on prior year’s run-rates allowing for any changes in entry policy.

Budgeting gives the basis for informed AGM decisions regarding which fees (if any) to increase or decrease, look for cost efficiencies and whatever other steps are necessary to maintain a firm financial footing. As part of this process, from 2019 onwards, the reserves policy will also be reviewed annually, and the appropriate level of reserves will be considered.

99% of Festival income comes from 3 sources, mostly in a 3-month period:

• 40% - entry & accompanist’ fees - mostly paid in January / February

• 40% - takings ‘on the door’ for tickets & programmes – in March

• 20% - sponsorship & advertising income – in January to May

However, we have to commit to 80% of our expenditure months in advance, and are irrevocably committed to the vast majority of it more than 1 month in advance:

• 30% for Federation membership, insurance, adjudicators and professional fees

• 28% for venues

• 15% for piano hire & tuning

• 7% for professional printing

So, if we had to cancel at short notice, in most cases, we’d still have to pay for venues, adjudicators, pianos & printing. Consequently, we need significant financial reserves to ensure that one catastrophic year does not cause the Festival to become insolvent – ensuring that we can pay any debts, and continue the following year. The Festival pays for insurance policies which include public & employee liability, and theft (of cash), but do not cover the financial consequences of event cancellation.

Because the Festival is held in March, there is significant risk that parts of it could be cancelled at short notice due to adverse weather conditions – snow, ice or flood. It’s also a time for seasonal illness that may befall staff/volunteers.

We regularly evaluate the financial impact of several disaster scenarios. The one with the worst impact would be loss of sponsorship & grant, halving of advertising income, and all 3 weekends of the Festival being cancelled at short notice. This would draw around £12,300 from reserves, assuming that we did not refund any entry fees (contractually, we do not have to refund, but there is a recognisable risk that some committee members may feel obliged to do so in specific circumstances). We have therefore concluded that we should endeavour to start each financial year with unrestricted reserves of not less than £12,000, but also that we manage our finances such that these reserves do not exceed £16,000.

The balance of £22,865 to be carried over to the 2025/26 financial year represents all the Festival’s unrestricted funds. We aim to manage this level as we wish to develop our online presence, investigate the impact of a potential loss of schools from our Speech and Drama section and continue

to monitor price increases. If for any reason the Festival embarks on a major project in future that requires significant financing, then the relevant funds would be designated to that project.

Vote of Thanks

We wish to thank our President (Gillian Reid) and Vice President (Rodney Buckland) for their support. We also thank our Patrons Stella Ross, who volunteered at the Festival, Ron McAllister and Colin Singer.

We wish to thank Ann Manning of MANNING UK who generously sponsored our Festival for the 20[th] year and we were delighted to play host to Ann Manning and one of our Vice President Rodney Buckland who both attended many of the classes on all three weekends as well as the Finale.

The Committee would also like to thank Woodley Town Council for awarding us a grant of £350.

We thank all our committee members for their hard work, time, and enthusiasm. We also thank our Officers who help us with marketing, advertising, and social media assistance. We are very grateful to our many volunteers and car park stewards who helped make the 2025 Festival a success.

The contribution of the those given above is immense and very much appreciated. They make this festival the friendly and nurturing event that it is, and undeniably this festival could not go ahead without them – they are so very much appreciated, and we hope that they can support us again in 2026 as we look forward to our next Festival.

Fiona Fisher and Jacquie Newport Co-chairs

The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ Report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:

Name Position

Date

Distribution List:

{after the committee meeting}

• All members of the committee, President and Vice President, Sponsor and Patrons (3 copies)

Woodley Festival of Music & Arts

Registered Charity No 276812 http://www.woodleyfestival.org.uk/ President: Gillian Reid, JP Vice President: Rodney Buckland Patrons: Stella Ross, Colin Singer, Ron McAllister

ACTUAL RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS SUMMARY 2024-25

20-May-25

BALANCES Current Reserves Total	BALANCES Current Reserves Total	BALANCES Current Reserves Total
Bank Balance 31 May 2024 £19,627.62	£0.00	£19,627.62
Total Receipts £28,618.04 £170.49 £28,788.53 Total Payments (£25,551.44) (£25,551.44) Receipts over Payments £3,066.60 £170.49 £3,237.09 Movement to Reserves Account (£14,000.00) £14,000.00 £0.00
Bank Balance 31 May 2025 £8,694.22	£14,170.49	£22,864.71

Affiliated to the British and International Federation of Festivals for Music, Dance, and Speech

RECEIPTS

Donations & Sponsorship Local Council Grants Total Grants & Sponsorship	£2,500.00 £350.00 £2,850.00
Programme and Syllabus Advertising Total Advertising	£2,100.00 £2,100.00
Entry Fees - Piano Entry Fees - Choral Entry Fees - Vocal Entry Fees - Instrumental Entry Fees - S&D Entry Fees Accompanist's Fees - Vocal Accompanists' Fees Total Entry and Accompanist's Fees	£4,029.30 £797.50 £2,106.90 £2,690.30 £3,225.41 £12,849.41 £396.00 £396.00 £13,245.41
Admission Programme Season ticket Donation Medals Other Total On the Door Takings	£7,904.00 £1,410.50 £850.00 £19.40 £156.00 £57.00 £10,396.90
Bank Interest Misc. Receipts (medals) Gift Aid Receipts Total Miscellaneous	£196.22 £0.00 £0.00 £196.22
Total Receipts 2022/23	£28,788.53
PAYMENTS
Federation - Fees, insurance etc Adjudicator - Piano Adjudicator - Vocal Adjudicator - Choral Adjudicator - Instrumental Adjudicator - S&D Total Adjudicators Total Accompanists First Aid Cover Total Refreshments Performing Rights Fees Total Expenditure on Professionals	£633.00 £1,451.40 £1,313.92 £613.70 £1,418.55 £2,357.65 £7,155.22 £396.00 £0.00 £1,496.45 £0.00 £9,680.67
Total RunMyFestival Running Costs	£292.69
Venue Hire - Oakwood Venue Hire - Addnl. Woodley venue Venue Hire - Choirs Days Venue Hire - Choral Verse Venue Hire - Finale Total Hall Hire	£4,979.45 £0.00 £894.20 £375.00 £690.00 £6,938.65
Piano Hire etc Piano Tuning Total Piano Hire and Tuning	£3,132.45 £715.00 £3,847.45
Total Printing	£1,870.00
Medals Trophies Prizes Total Awards	£614.94 £85.00 £0.00 £699.94
Signage, banners, posters, photo displays etc Digital Expenses Total Publicity	£406.10 £255.47 £661.57
Postage Equipment Stationery Total Administration	£42.19 £188.10 £440.70 £670.99
Miscellaneous Admin Car Parking Assistance Testing of payment methods Bank charges (fee, cash/ cheque transactions) Gifts Total Miscellaneous	£216.81 £141.90 £0.00 £417.92 £112.85 £889.48
Total Payments 2022/23	£25,551.44

Independent examiner's report on the Woodley Festival 2025

Independent examiner's report on the Woodley Festival 2025	Independent examiner's report on the Woodley Festival 2025	Independent examiner's report on the Woodley Festival 2025	Independent examiner's report on the Woodley Festival 2025
On accounts for the year ended	31stMay 2025
Set out on page	1
Responsibilities of the examiner	It is my responsibility to: • examine the accounts • to state whether particular matters have come to my attention
Basis of independent examiner’s statement	An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the school and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the school concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner's statement	In connection with my examination, no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: • accounting records were not properly kept, or • the accounts do not accord with the accounting records I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed:	J Cope	Date:	04 08 2025
Name:	Jacqueline Cope
Relevant professional qualification	Cipfa Diploma in Public Audit
Address:	9, MossyVale, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 7RX

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