THE SEAFORD DRAMATIC SOCIETY Registered Charity Number 294769
Trustees’ Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2024
Seaford Little Theatre
Steyne Road
Seaford, East Sussex
BN25 1HA
The theatre has had a culturally and artistically fruitful year as it has continued to present four major shows with the emphasis on creating a wide repertoire, whilst keeping a close eye on the accounts. The ever-popular comedies See How They Run and Chorus of Disapproval provided lighter flavours which together with the classic A Doll’s House and the dark comedy Dinner produced a diverse range of theatre and we recorded an average attendance of 69%. These productions were all very well received locally by our audiences and in the local press reviews.
The theatre has continued to be a popular resource to many local organisations as a meeting venue and activity centre.
It is no surprise that the theatre, approaching as it is, in 2025, it’s 80[th] birthday, is a building that has year on year required large expenditure on maintenance. This reached a critical point at the beginning of 2024 when it became apparent that much of the roof was giving way to water leaks. With an estimated repair bill of £42,000 we have been able to employ local builders to address the repair project over a three-year period, thereby spreading the cost. Thus, at the beginning of the year the committee embarked on a major fund-raising project together with making a commitment to ring fencing up to £10,000 each year 2024-2026, if necessary. The fund-raising has led to our members and committee and supporters putting on at least 12 special social, musical, and general fund-raising activities. During 2024, we have made several successful applications for various grants and received donations from many local community organisations together with local authority gifts. The resulting £13,027 raised has enabled us to comfortably meet the cost in 2024 of £14,250 to fix the most urgent of needs and leaves us in a strong financial position to meet the anticipated costs of the on-going work in 2025 and 2026. This report would not be complete without giving special thanks to the generosity of our local Ukulele players, the Seaford Mayor Gift, Seaford’s Masonic lodge, The Rotary Club, the Chalk Cliff Trust and Seaford Town Council. The Theatre Trust too have committed to a grant payable during 2025. These are only a few however of the many individuals and organisations that have been putting in such efforts to support our ‘Raise the Roof’ campaign.
In 2024 the committee began the process of preparing to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. This on-going work has entailed consideration of the theatre’s constitution and its Health and Safety and its Safeguarding policies with a view to this process being completed early in 2025.
David Hallett Trustee
Margaret Kennedy Trustee
THE SEAFORD DRAMATIC SOCIETY (SEAFORD LITTLE THEATRE) STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS FOR YEAR TO 31 DECEMBER 2024
Income and Expenditure Account for the Year
| Income in pursuit of the Charities objects Donations Membership (2024) Subscriptions Productions Fundraising Activities Social Events Theatre Lettings Other Income Total Income Direct Charitable Expenditure Productions Other Expenditure Bank Charges Donations & Gifts Insurance Photocopying & Stationery Post & Phone IT Software Social Events Sundry Expenses Premises Cleaning Refuse Collection Repairs Roof Repairs - costs in year less donations received Utilities Gas & Electricity Water Non Cash Items Depreciation Charges Total Expenditure Net Surplus for the Year |
14,250 13,027 |
YE DEC 2024 YE DEC 2023 102 718 499 570 23,628 19,343 24,229 20,631 1,181 536 7,206 6,594 1,586 1,844 9,973 8,974 34,202 29,605 6,248 5,803 112 117 105 116 3,369 2,929 67 84 560 496 158 139 23 94 1,811 1,898 6,205 5,873 450 225 369 345 1,364 2,272 1,223 - 3,406 2,842 6,852 3,610 483 293 7,335 3,903 3,878 4,538 27,072 22,959 7,130 6,646 |
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THE SEAFORD DRAMATIC SOCIETY (SEAFORD LITTLE THEATRE) STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS FOR YEAR TO 31 DECEMBER 2024
Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2024
| Current Assets Cash at banks Cash in Hand Prepayments (2025 scripts and play licences, sets etc ) Inventory (wine, ices etc) Fixed Assets Freehold Property Cost Brought Forward Additions in year Depreciation - Accumulated prior years Depreciation - Current year Furniture, Fixtures & Fittings Cost Brought Forward Additions in year Depreciation - Accumulated prior years Depreciation - Current year Stage Lighting & Equipment Cost Brought Forward Additions in year Depreciation - Accumulated prior years Depreciation - Current year Creditors Friends - seats Other creditors Total Assets Less Current Liabilities Accumulated General Fund Balance brought forward Surplus for the year Balance carried forward David Hallett Trustee |
YE DEC 2024 YE DEC 2023 39,323 27,353 248 1,177 1,079 711 350 341 41,000 29,582 61,945 61,945 0 0 (26,343) (25,104) (1,239) (1,239) 34,363 35,602 80,818 79,536 0 1,282 (70,876) (68,391) (1,988) (2,485) 7,954 9,942 36,938 36,938 0 0 (33,682) (32,868) (651) (814) 2,605 3,256 (1,096) (331) (15) (370) (1,111) (701) 84,811 77,681 77,681 71,035 7,130 6,646 84,811 77,681 Margaret Kennedy Trustee |
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I have completed my examination and no material matters have come to my attention giving me cause to believe that accounting records are not kept as required by the Charities Act or the accounts do not accord with those records
S Fuller Hon. Examiner
Date