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2025-03-31-accounts

Registered number 01839042

Bedford Players Trust

Report and Accounts

31 March 2025

Bedford Players Trust Charity Information for the year ended 31 March 2025

Directors

B Jackson B Shah (resigned 31.07.24) J H Blunt J P Deaville H Forth (resigned 23.03.25) L Knapp S Carpenter (appointed 18.12.24)

Accountants

Cowley Holmes Accountants Limited 9 Goldington Road Bedford MK40 3JY

Bankers

National Westminster Bank Plc 81 High Street Bedford MK40 1NE

Registered office

The Place Theatre Bradgate Road Bedford MK40 3DE

Registered number 01839042

Charity number 290124

1

Bedford Players Trust

Report of the Trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2025

The Trustees, some of whom are also Directors, present their report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Structure, Governance and Management

The Bedford Players Trust was incorporated on 7 August 1984, as a company limited by guarantee. Its governing document is the Memorandum and Articles of Association as amended. The Board of Trustees is responsible for the strategic development of the charity and delegates day-to-day management to the Management Team. Building on the developments of 2024, the board welcomed a change in trustees, and a change in the structure of the Trustee team, moving to a yearly cycle of Chair and Vice Chair, to encourage new ideas and strategies regarding the growth of Bedford Players Trust and The Place. This fresh skillset and renewed energy will bring valuable perspectives and drive positive growth for the charity. Additional members are in the process of joining the Board, further strengthening our collective capacity and strategic leadership. The Board of Trustees meets bi-monthly, ensuring consistent oversight and strategic decision-making. To support our work, we have established sub-committees dedicated to key areas of the charity's operation, including Development, Finances, Programmes, Marketing and Strategy Planning. These sub-committees allow for focused expertise, better planning, and more effective execution of initiatives, ensuring that our activities remain impactful, sustainable, and aligned with our mission to serve the community.

Objectives and Activities

The principal objective of Bedford Players Trust is to educate the public in the arts and promote cultural appreciation by offering theatre, storytelling, and artistic opportunities for all as outlined in our governing document. We aim to achieve this by empowering and supporting people of all backgrounds, without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, race, political, or religious opinions. Through the provision of safe, inclusive, and nurturing spaces, we encourage personal growth, foster resilience, and cultivate leadership skills. Our activities are designed to address social, emotional, and practical needs within the community. We provide a range of programmes and services that inspire confidence, build connections, and support the development of a thriving, inclusive community.

This year, our efforts have included offering a broad range of theatre productions through the curation of an inclusive programme that catered to diverse tastes and interests, featuring works by both established and emerging artists. Creating opportunities for community involvement by providing facilities and support for amateur and professional artists to develop their craft, fostering a collaborative environment. Engaging young people through dedicated workshops and productions tailored to young audiences, promoting cultural appreciation from an early age, encouraging the next generation of artists and enthusiasts. Celebrating cultural diversity by hosting events and performances that highlighted the richness of different cultures, ensuring representation and inclusion in our programming. These activities reflect our ongoing commitment to public benefit, accessibility, and community development, in line with the charity's mission and values.

Activities Overview

The youth arts projects at The Place Bedford highlight a dynamic commitment to fostering creativity and inclusivity. We continued building on:

•BRAVE ‘Youth Theatre for All’: A weekly program aimed at enhancing young people's creative skills in areas such as performance, devising, design, and writing. This initiative caters to various age groups with flexible fee structures to ensure accessibility for everyone, including bursary placements for those with low or no income.

•Storytelling Sessions: Collaborative storytelling sessions held each term with Castle Newnham Primary School, allowing receptionaged children to visit the theatre and engage with the storytelling experience on stage.

•Collaboration with Deaf Access Bedfordshire: We host coffee mornings and other activities for the d/Deaf and hard of hearing community.

•Death Café: Providing a welcoming space for a global movement where individuals can gather to enjoy tea, cake, and discuss the topic of death in a safe and friendly environment.

•Charity Chats: A monthly lunchtime gathering for charity workers in Bedford, fostering connection and support among colleagues. •Q:Youth: Weekly sessions run by Q:Alliance that provide support and engaging activities for local young people. We introduced Storytelling Sessions: Collaborative storytelling sessions with Castle Newnham Primary School, one of our local primary schools and Resident Reviewers Scheme: this initiative invites young aspiring critics to attend and review performances at The Place Bedford. Participants receive free tickets, empowering them to build critical thinking and writing skills while engaging deeply with the arts community.

We piloted school holiday workshops for young creatives, catering to various age groups from 8 to 18 years offering engaging activities designed to nurture budding talents in theatre and related arts.

The Dungeons & Dragons TTRPG Club offers a vibrant space for creativity and connection through role-playing games. On Sunday mornings, the TTRPG Club welcomes participants aged 10 to 18, fostering storytelling and teamwork in an imaginative and social environment. Additionally, the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Group provides an engaging experience for individuals aged 16 and older. To ensure inclusivity, free places are available for those unable to afford the standard fees, making these sessions accessible to all.

Continuing its outreach to care homes our Timeless Tales project brings storytelling and poetry readings to vulnerable audiences, enhancing cultural accessibility.

2

Bedford Players Trust

Report of the Trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Community Support

The charity partnered with Bedford Borough Council to provide a weekly winter warm room, offering a safe space every Saturday morning alongside public coffee mornings.

We hosted Death Café; a monthly bereavement support group offering a safe and welcoming space for individuals to come together and openly discuss experiences of loss and grief. This informal gathering encourages meaningful conversations about death and dying, fostering a supportive community where participants can share stories, reflect on their emotions, and connect with others who understand their journey. By breaking the taboo around these topics, the Death Café aims to provide comfort, understanding, and a sense of solidarity to all who attend.

Cultural Engagement

We continued running Read Poets Society: A monthly poetry evening run in partnership with Swan Theatre Company at The Eagle Bookshop and as part of our commitment to celebrating and fostering local talent, we curate a revolving display of artwork in the theatre’s lobby. This initiative provides a platform for local artists to showcase their work to a broad and diverse audience. By transforming the lobby into a dynamic gallery space, we aim to enhance the cultural experience of our visitors and create opportunities for artists to gain visibility and recognition.

Our Volunteers

We have 70 volunteers whose contributions are vital in ensuring the smooth operation of our activities while helping to minimise staff costs, allowing us to allocate more resources to our core charitable objectives. Volunteers assist in various capacities, including stewarding at events and performances to ensure a welcoming and safe environment. Running the box office and bar, contributing to the efficient operation of our services. Supporting fire and safety protocols, enhancing the overall safety of our facilities. General maintenance of the building and outdoor spaces, including gardening and upkeep and leafleting and promotional activities to raise awareness of our events and programmes.

Achievements and Performance

The charitable company has continued its business of promoting theatrical projects as well as developing its cooperation and close working with other organisations in the Arts and Cultural sectors and the Third Sector.

Theatre productions have continued to grow in both frequency and attendance, reflecting the increasing vibrancy of our programme. To support this growth, our marketing team has expanded promotional efforts throughout Bedford and the surrounding areas, leveraging a variety of channels to reach a wider audience. We have strengthened relationships with community-based arts publications, which has helped amplify our reach. Additionally, we have focused on social media and other digital platforms to boost awareness and engagement across the wider community. This approach has been instrumental in growing our audience, particularly for community shows and groups, which have flourished with increased support for the theatre. As we look to the new year, we are encouraged by the community’s renewed enthusiasm and are excited to continue building connections and fostering a sense of togetherness through the arts.

This year, the charity focused on enhancing audience experiences by gathering feedback to better understand the impact of our events and identify areas for improvement. While we do not currently have a full comparison between 2024 and 2025, we recognise the value of audience insights in shaping our future activities and ensuring they remain engaging and inclusive. In 2025, we plan to introduce various methods of feedback collection, including emailing parents/guardians of youth group participants to understand their perspectives and gather suggestions for improvement. Running workshops with youth group members, encouraging creative feedback in a supportive environment. Installing QR codes throughout the theatre and meeting rooms, allowing attendees and hirers to provide feedback easily at any time. Engaging those who hire the theatre or meeting rooms, seeking their input on their experiences with our facilities and services. Collecting feedback from volunteers and staff, recognising their vital role in the charity and ensuring their voices are heard in shaping our future operations. By taking this multi-faceted approach, we aim to build a comprehensive understanding of the experiences of everyone who interacts with our organisation. This feedback will play a crucial role in improving our offerings, ensuring they remain inclusive, relevant, and impactful.

3

Bedford Players Trust

Report of the Trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Financial Review

We experienced an overall decrease in revenue and higher expenses in some areas, including an uplift in staff remuneration, resulting in a deficit. A key factor was the transition to a more expensive ticketing provider, which offers an enhanced customer experience and has already improved audience engagement. Additionally, promotional efforts to raise local awareness boosted ticket sales but did not fully offset the costs. We will closely monitor these expenses moving forward. While consistent grant support has provided essential funding stability, we recognise the need to reduce our reliance on grants and broaden our income streams to ensure long-term sustainability. Moving forward, the charity will reassess promotional spending to ensure a strong return on investment, explore more cost-effective marketing strategies, and expand other revenue streams. We are committed to developing a long-term plan to address the deficit trend, balancing growth ambitions with financial sustainability.

The sharp rise in promotional and publicity costs reflects a strategic focus on audience engagement, which significantly boosted ticket sales, though not enough to offset the costs incurred.

Additionally, the Trustees have taken the decision to review staff remuneration in light of the rise of the cost of living and therefore there has a been a further, albeit justified, impact on our reserves.

Looking ahead to 2026 we wil be implementing a budgeting and forecasting system based on a 2025 figures with the approrpiate uplifts for expected growth within our key revenue streams of Venue, Perfomances, Bar and BRAVE. We have implemented Oracke NetSuite to help facilitate this using their Social Impact licensing, itself reducing the cost of our current accounting system.

Our Pricing Policy

The charity's pricing policy reflects our commitment to ensuring that everyone in the community, regardless of their financial means, can participate in our activities and attend theatre productions. While we do not offer traditional concessions or discounted rates, we ensure that all ticket prices remain under £20. In addition, we provide "pay what you can" options for selected performances to make events accessible to as many people as possible. We also offer discounted rates to BRAVE students as part of our efforts to encourage youth engagement and participation in the arts. By continuing to adopt a policy of affordability, we aim to minimise financial barriers, ensuring that as few people as is practical are excluded due to price.

In carrying out these objectives, the Trustees have complied with their duty under Section 4 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission's published general and relevant sub-sector guidance concerning the Public Benefit requirement. In particular, we have adhered to supplementary public benefit guidance on fee charging to ensure our pricing policy aligns with our charitable purpose.

The Trustees have also reviewed and increased Bar prices for 2025 in line with RPI and cost of living increases.

Financial Overview & Reserve Policy

The long-term policy of the Trustees is to strengthen the charity’s reserves and work towards a self-funded model. This strategy includes maximising the use of underutilised meeting rooms and office space to generate sustainable income, reducing the charity’s previous heavy reliance on external funding to remain operational.

Investment Policy

Funds are held in the charity’s main bank account. The Trustees ensure prudent financial management to support future activities.

Plans for Future Periods

The charity is committed to building on its achievements and evolving to meet the needs of the community. As part of this, we will be revisiting our five-year strategic plan to ensure it reflects our priorities for the future. Key areas of focus will include:

1.Youth and young adult engagement: Expanding our outreach to include targeted programmes and activities for young adults, building on our success with youth initiatives to foster creativity, skills development, and cultural participation.

•Increasing income generated from meeting room and office hires.

•Exploring the potential for expanding our exterior spaces to accommodate additional activities or services.

•Undertaking a comprehensive review of other potential revenue streams to diversify and secure long-term financial stability. These priorities will guide our efforts in the coming years, ensuring we remain responsive to community needs and capable of delivering meaningful opportunities for engagement, growth, and creativity.

4

Bedford Players Trust

Report of the Trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Risk Management

The Trustees conducted regular risk assessments to identify and mitigate financial and operational risks, ensuring the charity's stability and effective operation. Particular attention was given to:

•Financial risks, including maintaining sufficient reserves, managing cash flow, and reducing reliance on external funding by exploring sustainable income streams such as meeting room and office hire.

•Operational risks, such as the impact of underutilised facilities, health and safety compliance for events and activities, and maintaining the necessary staffing and volunteer support to deliver our programmes effectively.

•Community engagement risks, addressing barriers to participation to ensure accessibility and inclusivity in all our initiatives. By proactively managing these risks, the Trustees aim to safeguard the charity’s long-term viability and its ability to deliver its objectives.

Trustee Composition

The following Trustees, some of whom are directors, served throughout the year and up to the date of this report (unless otherwise stated):

----- Start of picture text -----
Dates acted if not Resignation if
Trustee Name Office (if any)
for whole year applicable
Brenton Jackson
Julie Blunt Chair
Tina Wiseman 1st August 2024
Bipinchandra Shah 31st July 2024
Lee Knapp
Deborah Maggs
Justin Deaville
Hazera Forth 23rd March 2025
Stacy Carpenter Vice Chair 1st July 2024
----- End of picture text -----

Trustee Appointments and Responsibilities

Trustees acknowledge their legal responsibilities for ensuring compliance with the Companies Act 2006, maintaining accurate financial records, and preparing true and fair accounts. None of the trustees received remuneration or other benefits from their work with the charity. Any connection between a trustee or senior manager of the charity with a production company, contracted actor, performer or exhibitor must be disclosed to the full board of trustees in the same way as any other contractual relationship with a related party. The Trustees continued to address board diversity and skill gaps through a recruitment drive, aiming to maintain the size of the board capacity to 8-9 members for the coming Financial Year.

Trustee Recruitment and Induction

The trustees confirm that they have had regard to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit when planning and delivering the charity’s activities. New trustees participate in a comprehensive orientation program to familiarise them with their legal obligations under charity and company law. This programme includes:

•An introduction to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit, ensuring they understand how it applies to the charity’s activities.

•A review of the charity’s governing document, constitution, and decision-making processes.

•Detailed briefings on the charity’s business plan, operational objectives, and performance review mechanisms.

•Opportunities to meet key staff members and gain insights into day-to-day operations.

•Encouragement to attend external training sessions and seminars to enhance their knowledge and effectiveness in their role. This induction process ensures trustees are well-equipped to uphold their legal and ethical responsibilities, align the charity’s activities with its objectives, and maximise public benefit.

5

Bedford Players Trust Report of the Trustees (continued)

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities

The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the Trustees have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law the Trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the surplus or deficit of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charity's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Small Charitable Company provisions

This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

Approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by

S Carpenter Director Date:

6

Bedford Players Trust

Accountants' report to the Trustees on the unaudited accounts of Bedford Players Trust

I report on the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025, which are set out on pages 8 to 13.

Respective responsibilities of Trustees and examiner

The Charity's Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements. The charity's Trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under the section 144 (2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

This report, including my statement, has been prepared for and only for the charity's Trustees as a body. My work has been undertaken so that I might state to the charity's Trustees those matters I am required to state to them in an independent examiner's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity's Trustees as a body for my examination work, for this report, or for the statements I have made.

Basis of independent examiner's report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the 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 financial statements presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements and seeking explanations from you as Trustees concerning any such matter. 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 financial statements 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 matter has come to my attention:

have not been met or

Barry Cowley FCA, CTA Cowley Holmes Accountants Limited 9 Goldington Road Bedford MK40 3JY

Date:

7

Bedford Players Trust

Statement of financial activities

(incorporating income and expenditure account) for the year ended 31 March 2025

Notes
Incoming resources
Activities in furtherance of
the charity's objectives:
Rental income
Grants
Other
Ticket sales
Total incoming resources
Resources expended
Fundraising and publicity
Direct charitable expenditure:
Theatre expenditure
Promotions
Wages and salaries
2
Governance costs
3
Total resources expended
Movement in total funds for the year
Transfer between funds
Fund balances brought forward
at 1 April
Fund balance carried forward
at 31 March
7,8		 Unrestricted
General
Restricted
Fund
Fund
£
£
48,620
-
-
6,558
81,333
7,500
102,836
-
232,789
14,058
16,833
-
109,689
7,685
74,896
-
42,029
-
243,447
7,685
840
-
244,287
7,685
(11,498)
6,373
13,173
(13,173)
(28,646)
13,173
(26,971)
6,373		 Total
2025
£
48,620
6,558
88,833
102,836
246,847
16,833
117,374
74,896
42,029
251,132
840
251,972
(5,125)
-
(15,473)
(20,598)		 Total
2024
£
42,156
78,338
70,781
94,719
285,994
34,421
186,660
74,258
18,995
314,334
720
315,054
(29,060)
-
13,587
(15,473)

The notes on pages 10 to 13 form part of these financial statements.

All operations of the charitable company are continuing operations.

8

Bedford Players Trust Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2025

Notes
Fixed assets
Tangible assets
4
Current assets
Stocks
Debtors
5
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors: amounts falling due
within one year
6
Net current liabilities
Total assets less current
liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling due
after one year
8
Net liabilities
Represented by:
Unrestricted funds
General fund
Restricted funds		 2025
£
17,941
1,749
5,574
10,828
18,151
(27,374)
(9,223)
8,718
(29,316)
(20,598)
(26,971)
6,373
(20,598)		 2024
£
23,782
1,340
11,923
263
13,526
(14,931)
(1,405)
22,377
(37,850)
(15,473)
(28,646)
13,173
(15,473)

The notes on pages 10 to 13 form part of these financial statements.

For the year ended 31 March 2025 the charitable company was entitled to exemption under section 477(2) of the Companies Act 2006 ("the Act") and members have not required the company to obtain an audit for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of the Act. The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for ensuring that the company keeps accounting records which comply with section 386 of the Act and for preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company as at 31 March 2025 and of its result for the year then ended in accordance with the requirements of sections 393, 394 and 395 of the Act and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to the financial statements so far as applicable to the charitable company.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime.

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by:

S Carpenter

Director

Date:

9

Bedford Players Trust Notes to the Accounts

for the year ended 31 March 2025

1 Accounting policies

When donors specify that grants are for particular purposes, this income is shown as a restricted fund.

Short term debtors are measured at transaction price (which is usually the invoice price), less any impairment losses for bad and doubtful debts.

Short term creditors are measured at transaction price (which is usually the invoice price).

Rental income represents monies received in respect of third parties' use of The Place.

Fixtures and fittings have been capitalised at cost and are depreciated on straight line basis at a rate of 25% per annum.

10

Bedford Players Trust Notes to the Accounts

for the year ended 31 March 2025

2 Resources expended

Fundraising and publicity:
Marketing and promotion
Direct charitable expenditure:
Utilities
Depreciation
Repairs and maintenance
Other theatre expenditure
Other charitable expenditure:
Bank charges
Insurance
Sundries
Arts co-ordinator
Promotions
Wages and salaries
Training
Total charitable expenditure
Governance costs
Total resources expended
3
Governance costs
Independent examiner's fees		 General
fund
£
16,833
15,126
5,841
3,341
78,167
102,475
4,018
2,827
5,252
0
74,896
37,146
0
124,139
243,447
840
244,287		 Restricted
£
-
-
-
7,685
-
7,685
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
7,685
-
7,685		 2025 Total
£
16,833
15,126
5,841
11,026
78,167
110,160
4,018
2,827
5,252
-
74,896
37,146
-
124,139
251,132
840
251,972
2025
£
840		 2024 Total
£
34,421
14,475
5,983
4,005
140,152
164,615
3,931
1,922
4,019
12,096
74,258
18,995
77
115,298
314,334
720
315,054
2024
£
720

11

Bedford Players Trust Notes to the Accounts

for the year ended 31 March 2025

4 Fixed assets

£
Cost
As at 1 April 2024
142,408
Additions
-
As at 31 March 2025
142,408
Depreciation
As at 1 April 2024
118,844
Charge for the year
5,696
As at 31 March 2025
124,540
Net book value
As at 31 March 2025
17,868
As at 31 March 2024
23,564
5
Debtors
Trade debtors
6
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Bank loans and overdrafts
Trade creditors
Other creditors and accruals
Loans
Leasehold
building
improvements		 Fixtures
and fittings
£
20,530
-
20,530
20,312
145
20,457
73
218
2025
£
5,574
2025
£
6,757
1,203
19,414
-
27,374		 Total
£
162,938
-
162,938
139,156
5,841
144,997
17,941
23,782
2024
£
11,923
2024
£
530
7,337
7,064
-
14,931

12

Bedford Players Trust Notes to the Accounts

for the year ended 31 March 2025

7 Movement in funds

Unrestricted general fund
Rental income
Other income
Ticket sales
Leasehold improvements and
other net assets held by fund
Restricted funds		 Balance as
at 1 April
2024
£
-
-
-
(28,646)
13,173
(15,473)		 Incoming
resources
Resources
expended
Transfers
£
£
£
48,620
(48,620)
-
81,333
(81,333)
-
102,836
(102,836)
-
-
(11,498)
13,173
14,058
(7,685)
(13,173)
246,847
(251,972)
-
-
Movement for the year		 Balance as
at 31 March
2025
£
-
-
-
(26,971)
6,373
(20,598)

All funds received in relation to the main activity of the Charity are held in the unrestricted general fund.

The restricted fund receipts relate to grant monies received in connection with upgrading of the building.

8
Net assets held by funds
Unrestricted and restricted fund		 Fixed
Assets
£
17,941		 Debtors
£
5,574		 Stock
£
1,749		 Cash
£
10,828		 Creditors
£
(56,690)		 Total
£
(20,598)

Creditors include bank loans falling due after one year of £29,316 (2024: £37,850).

9 Trustees' remuneration

No Trustees received any remuneration or reimbursement of expenses in the year.

10 Related party transactions

Some of the Trustees of Bedford Players Trust were also Trustees of Bedford Theatre Trust Ltd for part of the year. During the year the Trust received a £Nil (2024: £3,000) grant from Bedford Theatre Trust Ltd. At the year end Bedford Theatre Trust Ltd owed the Trust £Nil (2024: £Nil). None of the Trustees are Trustees of Bedford Theatre Trust Ltd at the year end date.

11 Taxation

The company is exempt from corporation tax due to its charitable status.

12 Financial commitments and contingent liabilities

There were no financial commitments or contingent liabilities at the year end.

13