Southport Spotlights Musical Theatre Society
Affiliated to National Operatic & Dramatic Association
Financial Statement and Report for the year 1[st] September 2024– 31[st] August 2025
Registered Charity No:
502783
Governing Instrument
Articles of Association established 1952 and revised September 2011
Management Committee and Trustees
The Management committee of Southport Spotlights Musical Theatre Society (the Charity) is its trustees for the purpose of charity law throughout the report are collectively referred to as trustees.
Elizabeth M. Allwright President Andrew Steel Chairman Hannah Munro Vice Chairman Cheryl Hornby Secretary Tanya Steel Treasurer Hilary Thomson Chairman (SONG)
Andrea Claire (Technical Advisor), Denise Marsters (Greenbank Liaison), Jim Donaldson, Elaine Cox (Membership Secretary & Show Licencing), Tom Hornby. Chloe Merone (Social Media), Phil Hunter, Jacqui Lewis (co-opted August 2025)
Bankers
CAF Bank Ltd 25 Kings Hill West Malling Kent. ME19 4JQ
Solicitors
to be confirmed
Independent Examiner Mrs. Karen R Phillips 32 Rectory Road Churchtown Southport Merseyside. PR9 7PU Contact Address Mrs. Tanya S Steel 134 Balmoral Drive Southport Merseyside. PR9 8PY
Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31[st] August 2025
The legal and administrative information provided with these accounts comply with current statutory requirements and articles of association and the Statement of Recommended Practice – Accounting and Reporting by Charities. The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payment basis.
Trustees’ interests
No trustee has any personal interest in any assets of the charity.
Objects of the charity
The Southport Spotlights Musical Theatre Society seeks to educate the public in the dramatic and operatic arts, to further the development and public appreciation of said arts and to assist and further such charitable institutions and charitable purposes as the management committee shall, from time to time determine.
To promote plays, drama, comedies, operas, operettas and other dramatic and operatic works of educational value.
To purchase, acquire and obtain interests in the copyright of, or the right to, perform or show any such dramatic or operatic works.
To encourage and involve young people of different age groups to play a complementary part.
Management structure
The management committee meets monthly to administer the charity and can co-opt no more than four additional members. All officers and members of the management committee shall retire each year and shall be eligible for re-election at the Annual General Meeting.
The management committee can also appoint sub-committees where necessary, with specific terms of reference for their work. Within Southport Spotlights Musical Theatre Society the following sub-committees exist:
Southport Operatic New Generation Organising productions and social events (SONG) for members aged between ten and eighteen years old.
SSMTS Social Committee Organising social events for SSMTS members.
Review of the activities of the charity
The trustees present the report and accounts for the year ended 31[st] August 2025
Shows
There were two shows performed by the senior section, “Evita” in February and “Beauty & the Beast” in July. These were both very well received and a number of Full Houses were achieved for both of these productions. This resulted in “Evita ” making a profit of £8,448.00 with “Beauty & the Beast” achieving a profit of £5,986.00.
SONG staged just one production this year “Everybody’s Talking about Jamie”. This was an excellent production but failed to draw the kind of audience numbers previous productions have seen, this resulted in a loss being made of £5,681.00.
Senior Section
Membership has increased significantly in the last financial year. Membership is normally paid dependant on whether a person is in a show or not (apart from a few loyal members). Two productions went ahead this year, both of them very popular with our performing members, resulting in an increased membership uptake. Membership and other income such as donations gave the senior society an overall income of £4,229.58. Shows to be performed in the coming year are “Chess” in February 2026 and “The Great British Bake Off – The Musical” in July 2026.
A deposit of £500.00 had been paid for “Chess” in this financial year.
Junior Section
SONG members pay subs weekly and these amounted to £5,828.00 in the last year.
The cost of the rehearsal rooms amounted to £2,350.00. SONG members continue to pay weekly subscriptions (as noted above) unlike the senior society who pay an annual fee.
The next production for SONG will be “Fame” which will be performed at the Cambridge Theatre in October 2025.
Social Events
The senior section was able to hold several social events in the last year including a very successful quiz night, treasure hunt, Fun Fiesta Night and 2 after-show parties. The Social Committee raised £825.00 for the society.
Investment
£5,000.00 is currently invested in National Savings Income Bonds.
Summary
The Society, both junior and senior sections, is well known for producing excellent shows. Audiences were excellent for both the senior shows but were disappointingly low for the show performed by the junior section. This is a complete turnaround to last year when the
junior shows proved to be more popular over those of the senior section. This is an indication of how difficult it remains to choose shows that will attract audiences whilst still being the kind of shows we wish to produce as a society.
It is certainly heart warming to see audiences returning to our local theatres however we cannot become complacent. It has been a hard financial year for the society as a whole and although profits were made it remains more important than ever that we continue to support all live theatre whether it be our own society or not, on stage or off. Financial constraints are still a concern. General expenditure still exceeds general income and without the support of both the public and society members another disappointing financial year in the future is more than a possibility.
Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities.
Law applicable to charities in England and Wales require the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the charities financial activities during the year and of its financial position at the end of the year.
In preparing financial statements the Trustees are required to:
Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently
Make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent
State whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements
Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charity will continue in operation
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy the financial position of the Charity and which enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charity Act 1991. 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.
Independent Examiner
A resolution was proposed and accepted at the Annual General Meeting in November 2020 that Mrs. Karen Phillips is retained as the Independent Examiner to the Charity for the ensuing year.
By order of the trustees,
Chairman Honorary Treasurer Andrew J Steel Tanya S Steel
Date: 15th September 2025
Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Southport Spotlights Musical Theatre Society
I report on the accounts of the District for the year ended 31[st] August 2025 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet and related notes.
Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. They consider that an audit is not required for this year (under Section 43 (2) of the Charities Act 1993 (the Act 1993) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
Examine the accounts (under Section 43 (3) (a) of the 1993 Act)
To follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners (under section 43 (7) (b) of the 1993 Act) and
To state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of Independent Examiner’s Report.
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. 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 you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given in the accounts.
Independent Examiner’s statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
-
1 which gives me reasonable cause to believe that any material respect the requirements
-
a) to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 41 of the Act and
-
b) to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 1993 Act.
-
Have not been met: or
-
2 to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Name Mrs K R Phillips Address 32 Rectory Road
Southport Merseyside PR9 7PU
Date: 12 November 2025 K R Phillips
Southport Spotlights Musical Theatre Society Receipts & Payments Account Summary for the year ended 31st August 2025
| Income SSMTS Income from shows Income from social activities Other Income Sub Total SONG Income from shows Income from social activities Other Income Sub Total Total Income Expenditure SSMTS Cost of shows Cost of social activities Cost of overheads Sub Total SONG Cost of shows Cost of social activities Cost of overheads Sub Total Total Expenditure Net receipts / (payments) for the year. |
2025 2024 76,093 30,142 3,906 2,165 6,077 5,131 |
|---|---|
| 86,076 37,438 26,621 56,276 0 0 4,793 7,674 |
|
| 31,414 63,950 |
|
| 117,490 101,388 58,960 30,757 2,443 2,499 10,513 9,162 |
|
| 71,916 42,418 30,620 52,492 0 251 6,479 9,354 |
|
| 37,099 62,097 |
|
| 109,015 104,515 |
|
| 8,475 -3,127 |
Statement of Assets and Liabilities at 31st August 2024
Monetary Assets
| Income Bonds (SSMTS) | 5,000 | 5,000 |
|---|---|---|
| SSMTS | ||
| CAF Accounts | 26,428 | 12,268 |
| SONG | ||
| CAF Accounts | 19,933 | 25,617 |
| 51,361 | 42,885 | |
| Assets retained for the charity's own use. | ||
| Depreciated by 33% | ||
| Coomber Audio System | 8 | 12 |
| Refreshments Stock | 0 | 150 |
| 4 x Adjustable Tables | 13 | 20 |
| 2 x Bar Stool | 3 | 5 |
| Keyboard | 13 | 20 |
| PA Systm & Mic (New) | 200 | |
| 237 | 207 | |
| Petty Cash | 191 | 0 |
| Liabilities | Nil | Nil |
| Total Net Assets | 51,789 | **43,092 ** |
Southport Spotlights Musical Theatre Society/SONG Receipts & Payments Account
| Income Ticket Sales Programmes Adverts/Sponsorship Miscellaneous Total Income Expenditure Staging Wardrobe Music Publicity Theatre Production Royalties/Dep Miscellaneous Total Expenditure Show Balance |
Misc. Evita B&TB Total 34,975.00 31,200.00 66,175.00 658.00 758.00 1,416.00 440.00 640.00 1,080.00 1,611.00 5,810.63 7,421.63 0.00 37,684.00 38,408.63 76,092.63 9,550.56 10,764.92 20,315.48 2,264.29 3,071.35 5,335.64 4,688.46 4,605.79 9,294.25 1,152.89 863.56 2,016.45 3,102.84 3,084.00 6,186.84 250.00 1,200.00 1,450.00 6,445.22 7,657.06 14,102.28 16.60 242.85 259.45 0.00 27,470.86 31,489.53 58,960.39 0.00 10,213.14 6,919.10 17,132.24 |
Misc. Evita B&TB Total 34,975.00 31,200.00 66,175.00 658.00 758.00 1,416.00 440.00 640.00 1,080.00 1,611.00 5,810.63 7,421.63 0.00 37,684.00 38,408.63 76,092.63 9,550.56 10,764.92 20,315.48 2,264.29 3,071.35 5,335.64 4,688.46 4,605.79 9,294.25 1,152.89 863.56 2,016.45 3,102.84 3,084.00 6,186.84 250.00 1,200.00 1,450.00 6,445.22 7,657.06 14,102.28 16.60 242.85 259.45 0.00 27,470.86 31,489.53 58,960.39 0.00 10,213.14 6,919.10 17,132.24 |
Misc. Evita B&TB Total 34,975.00 31,200.00 66,175.00 658.00 758.00 1,416.00 440.00 640.00 1,080.00 1,611.00 5,810.63 7,421.63 0.00 37,684.00 38,408.63 76,092.63 9,550.56 10,764.92 20,315.48 2,264.29 3,071.35 5,335.64 4,688.46 4,605.79 9,294.25 1,152.89 863.56 2,016.45 3,102.84 3,084.00 6,186.84 250.00 1,200.00 1,450.00 6,445.22 7,657.06 14,102.28 16.60 242.85 259.45 0.00 27,470.86 31,489.53 58,960.39 0.00 10,213.14 6,919.10 17,132.24 |
Misc. ETAJ Fame (Oct 25) Total 19,030.00 19,030.00 670.00 670.00 440.00 170.00 610.00 93.00 4,588.00 1,630.00 6,311.00 93.00 24,728.00 1,800.00 26,621.00 10,443.54 10,443.54 1,219.28 1,219.28 3,520.00 3,520.00 644.48 180.25 824.73 9,721.37 9,721.37 1,500.00 1,500.00 3,195.07 3,195.07 196.13 196.13 0.00 30,439.87 180.25 30,620.12 93.00-5,711.87 1,619.75-3,999.12 |
Misc. ETAJ Fame (Oct 25) Total 19,030.00 19,030.00 670.00 670.00 440.00 170.00 610.00 93.00 4,588.00 1,630.00 6,311.00 93.00 24,728.00 1,800.00 26,621.00 10,443.54 10,443.54 1,219.28 1,219.28 3,520.00 3,520.00 644.48 180.25 824.73 9,721.37 9,721.37 1,500.00 1,500.00 3,195.07 3,195.07 196.13 196.13 0.00 30,439.87 180.25 30,620.12 93.00-5,711.87 1,619.75-3,999.12 |
Misc. ETAJ Fame (Oct 25) Total 19,030.00 19,030.00 670.00 670.00 440.00 170.00 610.00 93.00 4,588.00 1,630.00 6,311.00 93.00 24,728.00 1,800.00 26,621.00 10,443.54 10,443.54 1,219.28 1,219.28 3,520.00 3,520.00 644.48 180.25 824.73 9,721.37 9,721.37 1,500.00 1,500.00 3,195.07 3,195.07 196.13 196.13 0.00 30,439.87 180.25 30,620.12 93.00-5,711.87 1,619.75-3,999.12 |
Misc. ETAJ Fame (Oct 25) Total 19,030.00 19,030.00 670.00 670.00 440.00 170.00 610.00 93.00 4,588.00 1,630.00 6,311.00 93.00 24,728.00 1,800.00 26,621.00 10,443.54 10,443.54 1,219.28 1,219.28 3,520.00 3,520.00 644.48 180.25 824.73 9,721.37 9,721.37 1,500.00 1,500.00 3,195.07 3,195.07 196.13 196.13 0.00 30,439.87 180.25 30,620.12 93.00-5,711.87 1,619.75-3,999.12 |
2024/25 Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Misc. Evita B&TB |
Total | Misc. ETAJ Fame (Oct 25) |
Total | |||||
| 34,975.00 31,200.00 658.00 758.00 440.00 640.00 1,611.00 5,810.63 |
31,200.00 | 66,175.00 1,416.00 1,080.00 7,421.63 |
93.00 | 19,030.00 670.00 440.00 4,588.00 |
170.00 1,630.00 |
19,030.00 670.00 610.00 6,311.00 |
85,205.00 2,086.00 1,690.00 13,732.63 |
|
640.00 5,810.63 |
||||||||
| 0.00 37,684.00 38,408.63 9,550.56 10,764.92 2,264.29 3,071.35 4,688.46 4,605.79 1,152.89 863.56 3,102.84 3,084.00 250.00 1,200.00 6,445.22 7,657.06 16.60 242.85 |
76,092.63 20,315.48 5,335.64 9,294.25 2,016.45 6,186.84 1,450.00 14,102.28 259.45 |
93.00 24,728.00 1,800.00 10,443.54 1,219.28 3,520.00 644.48 180.25 9,721.37 1,500.00 3,195.07 196.13 |
26,621.00 10,443.54 1,219.28 3,520.00 824.73 9,721.37 1,500.00 3,195.07 196.13 |
102,713.63 30,759.02 6,554.92 12,814.25 2,841.18 15,908.21 2,950.00 17,297.35 455.58 |
||||
| 0.00 27,470.86 31,489.53 | 58,960.39 | 0.00 30,439.87 180.25 |
30,620.12 | 89,580.51 | ||||
| 0.00 10,213.14 6,919.10 |
17,132.24 | 93.00-5,711.87 1,619.75-3,999.12 |
13,133.12 |
| Income Membership Bank Interest Gift Aid / Donations Miscellaneous Expenditure |
Overheads | Overheads |
|---|---|---|
| 1,735.00 535.52 689.69 62.04 78.46 1,269.37 597.27 1,109.83 |
1,735.00 535.52 830.19 2,976.47 |
|
| 4,229.58 659.31 1,188.29 |
6,077.18 |
| 504.64 2,195.29 384.66 689.00 958.95 61.00 |
162.89 748.00 4,219.00 |
1,735.00 698.41 1,578.19 7,195.47 |
|
| 1,193.64 3,154.24 445.66 |
4,793.54 |
10,870.72 |
| Fixed Costs | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wardrobe Room | 0.00 | 0.00 | |||||||||
| Refreshment/Raffles | 113.43 | 113.43 | 113.43 | ||||||||
| Insurance | 535.86 | 0.00 |
0.00 |
535.86 |
535.00 | 535.00 | 1,070.86 | ||||
| Rehearsal Rooms | 1,722.00 | 1,814.00 |
3,536.00 |
1,500.00 | 850.00 |
2,350.00 |
5,886.00 | ||||
| Variable Costs | |||||||||||
| Administration | 516.68 | 5.39 | 522.07 |
60.00 | 60.00 | 582.07 | |||||
| Donations | 150.00 | 150.00 |
150.00 | ||||||||
| Show Deposits | 1,000.00 | 1,000.00 | 120.00 | 82.93 |
202.93 | 1,202.93 | |||||
| Miscellaneous | 3,411.52 | 388.54 |
855.53 |
4,655.59 |
1,332.11 | 1,178.82 |
820.00 |
3,330.93 |
7,986.52 | ||
| 5,577.49 | 2,110.54 |
2,824.92 |
10,512.95 | 2,047.11 | 2,761.75 |
1,670.00 |
6,478.86 |
16,991.81 | |||
| - | |||||||||||
| Overhead Balance | 1,347.91 | -1,451.23 | **-1,636.63 ** | -4,435.77 | -853.47 | 392.49 | **-1,224.34 ** |
-1,685.32 | -6,121.09 | ||
| Social Activities | Social Activities | ||||||||||
| Income | |||||||||||
| Members :Social | 209.10 | 2,300.00 |
314.88 |
2,823.98 |
0.00 | 2,823.98 | |||||
| After Show Parties | 160.00 | 165.00 |
325.00 |
0.00 | 325.00 | ||||||
| Miscellaneous | 362.00 | 257.00 |
138.00 |
757.00 |
0.00 | 757.00 | |||||
| 571.10 | 2,717.00 |
617.88 |
3,905.98 |
0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
3,905.98 | ||||
| Expenditure | |||||||||||
| Members: Social | 15.00 | 1,815.99 |
14.88 |
1,845.87 |
0.00 | 14.88 | |||||
| After Show Parties | 153.50 | 152.50 |
306.00 |
0.00 | 306.00 | ||||||
| Miscellaneous | 264.00 | 26.99 |
290.99 | 0.00 | 290.99 | ||||||
| 279.00 | 1,996.48 |
167.38 |
2,442.86 |
0.00 | 0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
2,442.86 | |||
| Social Balance | 292.10 | 720.52 |
450.50 |
1,463.12 |
0.00 | 0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
1,463.12 | ||
| - | |||||||||||
| Total Balance | **1,055.84 ** | 9,482.43 | 5,732.97 | 14,159.59 | **-760.47 ** | **-5,319.38 ** | 395.41 | -5,684.44 | 8,475.15 |