BENCH THEATRE HAVANT'S OWN THEATRE COMPANY - SINCE 1969 BENCH THEATRE Statutory Accounts and Annual Report for the period 1 August 2023 - 31 July 2024 Contents Page Trustees. Annual Report Independent Examlnerfs Report Statement of Financial Activities Balance Sheet Notes to the Accounts website - wNw.benchtheatre.org.uk Email: treasurer@benchtheatre.org.uk Registered Charity No: 291935 IIENCH THEATRE 5]￿E I Trustees, Annual Report 1 August 2023 - 31 July 2024 Charity Namo Bench Thoatre Rggi¥tsred Nurn￿r 291935 Charfvs pdnclpal adth•s$ The $prlng. 56 East Street Havant ampshlr• POY 18S 8ank*8: Santandor. Road. Bootlè, merne￿Ide. L30 4ZY Names ol tho ¢harltytru$tses who manage th• charity Trusts8 name Offlco Ilf any) Oatsts actsd 11 not forwhgh yoar Jac uie Penrosè Chair David Penr08e Secrets Jessi Wilson Tre¥surer Twsurer To 71h Marth 2024 Andrew Ca Frcrfn 7th March z￿24 Stru¢tur•, and ManagomBnt D8s¢rlptlon ofthè charltyB status TYPB of Gtsv•mlng Documont Constitution- last re¥￿1 a￿1 agraed in SeptemtÉr 2001. Minor. aGtral m(KJrfirAlions agre8d 81 Ihe AGM on 3 September 2015. How th• ¢h•rfty l# con*titut8d A Charitab￿ soaety as dBfin9d in Ihe consiitul Trt￿o 8•l•ttk)n m•thods E￿cted to by the nthership. B¥kground InfowTnation-Ih8 object The 8wch Theatre wa5 e51ablished in February 1*9 Ilhen lit￿ the Theatre un￿nI and vrds sow after r8gi8ler8d as 8 Charitsb￿ Soclety. The object of th& Bench TtrEatre is to advan￿ Ihe edut*lh)n of the putlic by furthgriry the dramatic art8. The Bench Th8atr8 ha5 no paid mernbBrsor Pa￿ &xacuti¥8. Summary of the maln activities in r•lation to that obl•cl The Bench Theatre has a regulgr pwramme of fiv& shows each year al The Sprit¥J Artsand Horitage Cenlre. Additix)nally it may also lak8 sbowts lo Ift annual Totton Festival Df DTèma, Chith8sl&r Fringe c other festivals. Frem lime to lirne. the Bench may engaue in other initiatwe8 such as pl8￿rting compeltyon5 ar￿ fund-raising activthes such as raffles. eoslwE 5ale5 etG. All aG1M1￿5 widuci8d are in lir th the Bench's constilulion and Charitab￿ obJ"ect. PAGE 1 How our acti￿1￿5 deliver publ1¢ ben¢flt The 8￿th,5 main aclmty is to ao*ance the edurAliM ofthe public and attr8Ct mèmb8rs and a￿l￿r￿S who migbl nol Dlhtrwse have the OPFX)rtunily to experience or P￿t￿Ipate in dramaticart5. hl•vem8nts and Perfonnan¢es In Financial Ye3r 2023n024the Bench performed ihe fellowing main productions.. September 2023'."Duets" by Peter Quilter. 5 performances. November 2023= 'Love Bites" by Mark Wakernan. A programrne of one art plays. 8 perf0mlan￿. February 2024.."The Father" by Florian Zeller. 5 performances. April 2024..'Abi8ail'5 Parv, b¥ Mike LeEh. 8 performan￿5. July 2024.."Wnalion by George Bemard Shaw. 8 perfomiance. In addition The Bench Theatre supported the Chithester Fringe in June 2024 with a performance of'Face the Music, byjacquie Penfose. An intended performanceof 'Goodbye' by Mark Wakeman at theTotton Drarna Festival in March 2024 had ro be can￿lled due to illne55. The Bench continued to receive loyal support from its mernber53nd its'Friendsof the Bench.. Flnanclal Revlew Brktf statorn•nt of thg pollcy on r•8efVO8 The BenÈhTheatre's w4icy Is to mainiaiTrsufficieDt reservesto lund 12 month'sof thEatre rental whilst ￿taInIn6 sufliceTrt working capital fordaytts diy opeotlDn. This 15 in the evEnt that all production5 aTe cancelled and no tKket sales revenue received las ￿entlY happened dufi*l8 thèCOVID pandemic lorkdownl. The r(>ntTarl. with TheSprin8 Arts artd Hpritage Centie. co¥er5rhethire of rehearsal space and theatre hire forthe charlty's S main yearlv prod￿tIOnS4Th￿ ¢osts£1£1211yLra5 of 315t JU￿ 2024. The Bench Theatre's reserve, inthe charity'StWO 5avingsaccount5. tot•lled £L7 974 as of 315tJuly 2024.This ￿ much smallerthan beforethe pandemicdue to losses from pr￿UttI0￿$hUtd0wTh$ and a Substovent slowretuFn ¢f aL¥l￿nCes. However. in the Lgst year. the balance sheet hassiabilised. It isihe aim of ihe Trusteesto maintain the reserve at a sufficient levelfrom8rowin8 aLbd￿nCeS and thè Control of tlckÈt prlc*s3nd wodurtion *xpèn5eg. Dots11s of anyfunds materlally in do￿¢11 141L Pdn¢lpal Fundlng Sourc4s The principal funding 50urce5 for the Bench ire membership subscrSptlons. tl¢ket sales, pro8ramme sales, donations 3nd, frorn time to time. fund raisin8 actiwties. Plans for futuro p8rSods ThÈ Bench plan5to continue to pursue its chafltable obiea. retain and expand its membership. Fnends and audiences, and ref￿sh It5 proF￿le In the Hovant area and beyond. all within the context of r(scontrart with The Spring (see above). PAGE 2 Ind•pend8nt Examiner ForthÈfir5t time this year. the charity's income 15 rnore than É25,1)￿. so an Independent examination ha5 been sought. Note that the Bench Theltre's rrustees have obtained Independent examination of the accounts sn previousvears, though not mandatory. for the purposes of 80(xl governance. Th• trustees declare that they have approved the tru8t8es' report above. Slgnod on behalf of tho charlty'5 trustees Andrew Caple, Tr8asur8r David Penrose, Seeretary Date Inde endent Examlners to the Oenth Theatre Re eres nslbllMtsof tht Trustees and the tknmlmer The charty'5trustees are respan5ibleforthe preparationof the acccunts. The charity'5 trustees cOn￿der that an audit is not required for this year under5ection 144121 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. Ba$ls of thls re It Is my responsibilityto.. examine the a£counts under settion 145 of the 2011 Aci., followthe procedures13id down in the general Direction5 gNen by the Charity Commission under sertion 14515llbl of the 2011 Act., and state whether particular matters have come to rny attentlDn My examination was carried oui in accordance with the Eeneral Directionsgiven by the Charitycommission. An examination includes i rewew of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparSson of the ￿COunt5 presented with those records. Italso includes consideration of any unusual Items or disclosure5 in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as tru#ees Con￿rning 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 presenta'tiue and fair view, 3nd the repc*rt is limited t(>those matter5 set out in the statement below. Ind rldeni examln*s statement In ionnection with my examination. no matter ha5 corlle to my attention.. 111 which 8ive5 me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respectthe requirements,. - to keep accounting ￿cOrdS in accordance with sertion 130 of the 2011 Art." and - to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and complywith the accountin8 requirementsof the 2011 Act have not been met." or 121 ro which, in my oplnlon. attentlon should be drawn in order to enèble 3 proper understandin8 of the accounts to be reached. Independent Examiner l Monks Hill. We5tboume, Wesr Su55ex POIO 85X Date.. PAGE Y Bench Theatre Statement of Financial Activities For the Year Ended 31 July 2024 BENCII THEATRE Income & Expendllur8 Account For The Ygar Ended Notes 2024 2024 2023 2023 NON PRODUCTION INCOME Interest Subscription5 Merchandise Sales Donation5 Scripts Sub4otal £704.11 £5.455.27 £400.15 £690.72 £0.00 £234.C £4,256.56 £115.00 £558.14 £0.00 £7,450.25 £5,163.76 PRODUCTION INCOME Ticket Receipts (less leesl P￿raMMe Sa18S Sub-totsl £21,463.20 £1,290.79 £14.453.98 £1,349.53 £22.753.99 £15.803￿1 TOTAL INCOME £30 204.24 £20 96727 NON PRODUCTION EXPENDITURE Various Admin Governance Costs Equipment & Staging Icompany SMI Touring Rent Metnbership Admin MBcellan80U5 Sub4otal 10 £0.00 £89.42 £604.27 £13T.10 £0.00 1 £19,828.32 £70.00 £0.00 £531.28 £127.40 £28.00 £19.828.32 £19.60 £180.00 12 13 14 16 £20.712.60 £2O.T29.11 PRODUCTION EXPENDITURE Perfomianc8 Rights Programmes Sets Props Costumes Banner5 FIy8rs and Postèrs Spring Brochure Photos Sub-total 17 18 19 19 19 20 £2,761.15 £21.46 £213.02 £7.99 £0.00 £200.00 £461.61 £soo.00 £26.19 £1.230.00 £91.96 £28.17 £1 $2.99 £175.00 £468.39 £250.00 £o.(x> £4,191.42 £2,453.18 TOTAL EXPENDITURE £24.904.02 £23.18227 EXCESS OF INCOME OVER EXPENDITURE £5,300.22 -£2.215.IXI PAGE 4 BENCH THEATRE HAVANT C OWN THEATRE COMPAPIV 51KE 1969 8ench Theatre Balance Sheet as at 31 July 2024 2024 2024 Rtrstrithd Unre51ricted Fund5 Fund5 2024 2023 2W23 F￿d Funds Noles Flx•d A￿01* The charity ha8 no flxed assets 27 £o.o) £o.(M) £0.00 £0.00 urr•ntA$80ts Current Attount Sawros Account COIF chanI￿S Dep05il Fund Cash In Hand Tolal Currnnt As¥ets 22 22 22 22 £Q.LKI £10,803.05 £o.(Kl £4.834.03 £o.(KJ £13.340.06 £5.00 £O.(M) £28.782.14 £28,TB2.14 £LI.00 £6.206.94 £O.W £4.589.50 £O.CKJ £12.880.48 £o.Th) £5.00 £tJh81.W2 t21481.92 Llablllile Cfediiors ProVk5￿￿ for Liabilities Tolal UoblllVo8 23 24 £0. £o.LX) £9.914.16 £O.(M) £9.914.16 £O.C¥J £9.914.16 £O.C•) £10,014.16 £10.014.11 £9 914.16 NET CURRENT ASSETS 25 £0.00 £18.867.98 £18.867.98 £0.00 £13,467.76 £t3.467.78 TOTAL FUNDS £18,867.98 PAGE 5 The3((D￿nts hayeboen préparedWlh•hlS￿1￿(4K￿jffl￿￿A￿IOn The￿[￿ts￿￿1￿￿C(rrdln¢oYJ1￿3￿I￿￿ea()D £2*19 2J ft•d £1O0W £0 31RtJ GEn￿￿lIU￿8 ÉU3B1.W £3lliO4.24 W4m £2 4 V241N.02 tsOSWI.14 Ytllr2DT3f24 PA¢E7