## **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**|
|---|---|
||**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|
||5|
|||
**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:
- (1) accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
- (2) the accounts do not accord with those records; or
- (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