Sewell Barn Theatre Trust Fund Registered Charity number 277724 Year ended 31 August 2024
Charity name The Sewell Barn Theatre Trust Fund other names the charity is known by Friends of the Sewell Barn Theatre (working name) Sewell Barn Theatre Society (working name)
Charity’s principal address
Sewell Barn Theatre Constitution Hill Norwich NR3 4BB
Website www.sewellbarn.org
Charity Trustees Mrs June Gentle Mr Stephen Gidney Mr John Holden Mr Andrew Howard Mrs Waltraud Jarrold Mr Robert Little Ms Shelagh Maple Major Jonathan Redding
Structure, Governance and Management
Governing Document
The Sewell Barn Theatre Trust Fund is constituted as an arts and music trust with the Charity Commission. under Charity number 277724. It is governed by a Trust Deed dated 26 February 1979.
Organisation Structure
The Charity Trustees are responsible for the general control and management of the charity. The Trustees have made provision for the day to day management of the Theatre and the control of finance to be carried out by a Committee, in conjunction with the Trustees. Substantial expenditure on the fabric, furniture or fittings of the Theatre is subject to prior written approval by the Trustees
Risk Management
The Trustees have assessed the risks the Charity faces and have implemented systems to mitigate these. The Trustees are satisfied that systems are in place or arrangements are in hand, to manage the risks that have been identified. In particular, insurance cover is in place and the finances are kept under regular review.
Objectives and Activities
The Charity aims to advance the education of the pupils of the Sewell Park Academy (formerly Blyth Jex School) and of the inhabitants of Norwich and surrounding area in the arts by maintaining a theatre for the exhibition of plays, cinematograph films, concerts, meetings and lectures.
The Trustees have given due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and have complied with their duties as detailed in the Charities Act 2011 with regard to public benefit. Careful consideration has been given to the accessibility of the Charity to as wide a community as possible. Reduced price admission to all plays in the regular season is offered for concessions and students are offered a further discount for one performance of each play.
Achievements and Performance - the 2023/24 season
1984 Immaculate Comic Potential Amy’s View Bette and Joan As You Like It The Memory of Water
The season began with 1984 by George Orwell, followed by Immaculate by Oliver Lansley. Comic Potential by Alan Ayckbourn came after Christmas, followed by Amy’s View by David Hare, (replacing The Clearing by Helen Edmundson), Bette and Joan by Anton Burge and then Shakespeare’s A As You Like It . The season finished with The Memory of Water by Shelagh Stephenson. We also included a short run of Barbed Wire and Teddy Bears by Karen Forbes.
An total of 90 seats were available for each performance in the main 7-show season and average attendance was an excellent 67% varying between 92.5% for 1984 and 46% for Immaculate, making the season a success both artistically and financially, and all shows exceeding the budgeted average of 45%.
Up-to-date information about the Theatre is available on the website (www.sewellbarn.org) and The Barn can be regularly followed on Facebook and Twitter.
Financial Review
We were delighted to note that attendances for the season were back to pre-Covid levels and while costs continued to rise, we were able to negotiate a new contract for considerably lower cost for utilities utilities for the costume store. The surplus of £26,000 for the year was achieved by a combination of above-budget income and below-budget costs. Ticket sales came in at £21,000 above-budget with a corresponding increase in bar sales, there was a significant increase in the amount of interest on savings, and below-budget costs on production expenses and lower maintenance costs for the costume store all contributed.
We are delighted to acknowledge a grant of £2,500 towards lighting and technical improvements, together with continued sponsorship from Norfolk Gin.
Routine technical maintenance has been undertaken as the season progressed.
Looking ahead to 2024/25, we are expecting costs to continue to rise but we have not made any further increases to ticket prices. Income may be unpredictable for the year as the cost of living continues to fluctuate. We will be closely monitoring all income and expenditure, but especially the ongoing costs of utilities for the costume store. We are budgeting to break even on the season
Bankers
Lloyds Bank plc, Gentleman’s Walk, Norwich
Independent Examiner
Crispin de Boos
The White House, Sandfield Lane, Eccles, Norwich NR16 2PB
Declaration
The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ Report above. Signed on behalf of the Charity Trustees
R Little (Chair) date 1 October 2024
SEWELL BARN THEATRE TRUST FUND
17/10/2024
Year ended 31 August 2024 STATEMENT OF INCOME & EXPENDITURE
| 2022/23 actual restricted designated unrestricted total INCOME 31,849 Production income 39,084 39,084 9,302 Bar/ices income 10,822 10,822 225 Subscriptions 579 579 15 Costume & venue hire 530 530 - Interest gross 1,298 1,298 82 Miscellaneous income 0 0 - Gift Aid 0 0 395 Grants sponsorship & donations 449 0 449 - Lighting project & FOH 2,500 2,500 6,000 legacies 0 0 - income for last year 0 0 70 income for next year 165 165 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- 47,938 TOTAL INCOME 2,500 449 52,478 55,427 EXPENDITURE restricted designated unrestricted total 3,466 Production expenses 3,260 3,260 1,774 Publicity 2,464 2,464 5,115 Bar costs 6,576 6,576 72 Royalties 688 688 8,898 Ropemaker's rent rates insurance L & H 6,914 6,914 625 Room hire 933 933 191 Post stationery copying 263 263 327 Telephone 314 314 368 Licences & memberships 405 405 60 Audit fee 60 60 2,663 Insurance - Sewell Barn 2,845 2,845 2,104 Repairs & maintenance 347 347 - H&S & training 0 0 331 Sundry 49 49 273 Equipment 0 0 1,163 1,163 123 expenses for last year 305 305 4,859 expenses for next year,royalties 2,390 2,390 385 Wardrobe upgrade 22 22 - Technical upgrades & FOH 0 0 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- 31,634 TOTAL EXPENDITURE 22 0 28,975 28,998 16,304 net income(expenditure) 2,478 449 23,503 26,429 transfers between funds 2,478 449 23,503 26,429 CASH RESOURCES restricted designated unrestricted total cash at bank 1 September 2023 1,020 9,546 57,611 68,176 CASH FUNDS to date / at 31 August 2024 (1) 68,176 Lloyds bank 3,498 9,995 5,743 19,178 - to 29/7/Lloyds deposit at 3.6% 0 - Lloyds instant saver at 1.3% 75,370 75,427 68,176 94,605 Notes (1) Funds analysis b/f received paid transfers c/f Restricted Technical purchases 0 2,500 0 0 2,500 Wardrobe sale proceeds 1,020 0 22 0 998 Designated donations general 3,546 449 0 3,995 A Giles bequest 6,000 0 0 0 6,000 unrestricted general funds 57,611 52,478 28,975 81,114 68,176 55,427 28,998 0 94,606 2023/24 |
CURRENT BUDGET |
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| DRAFT 26,700 7,000 250 100 300 100 100 150 0 0 0 0 ----------- 34,700 4,410 2,675 5,700 0 12,500 300 300 400 350 60 2,400 1,000 0 100 0 0 4,500 0 0 ----------- 34,695 |
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SEWELL BARN THEATRE TRUST Year ended 30 August 2024
Independent Examiner’s report
I report on the accounts of the Sewell Barn Theatre Trust for the year ended 30 August 2024 which are set out on the preceding pages.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Basis of the Independent Examiner’s report
My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity 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 trustees 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
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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(1) accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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(2) the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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(3) the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in conjunction with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Independent Examiner
date 8 October 2024
Crispin de Boos The White House Sandfield Lane Eccles Norwich NR16 2PB