**The Godalming Operatic Society**
## **Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements**
**for the Year Ended 31 March 2026 for The Godalming Operatic Society**
## **Contents of the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2026**
||Page|
|---|---|
|Charity Information|1|
|Trustees' Report|2-3|
|Independent Examiner’s Report|4|
|Statement of Financial Activities|5|
|Balance Sheet|6|
|Notes to the Financial Statements|7-9|
|Show Income and Expenditure|10|
|Summer Project Income and Expenditure|11|
|General Income and Expenditure|12|
|Social Committee Account|13|
**The Godalming Operatic Society**
## **Trustees and Advisors for the year ended 31st March 2026**
**PRESIDENT:** Linda Scanlon **TRUSTEES:** L Power Hon Chairman H Jennings Hon Secretary A Plummer Hon Treasurer K Bare Hon Business Manager R Arthur M Barker J Clemson (appointed 02/06/2025) C Howard S Lavender (resigned 02/06/2025) S Wing
**REGISTERED CHARITY NO:** 802888 **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER:** A J Bennewith FCA, FCPA, FFA, FFTA, FIPA, DChA, FRSA A J Bennewith & Co Upper Ground Floor 18 Farnham Road Guildford Surrey GU1 4XA **BANKERS:** Lloyds TSB Bank plc 49, High Street Godalming Surrey GU7 1AT **PRINCIPAL OFFICE:** Cherrytree Cottage Woodhouse Lane Holmbury St Mary Dorking RH5 6NN
Page 1
**The Godalming Operatic Society**
## **Trustees' Report**
## **for the year ended 31st March 2026**
The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015).
## **Reference and administrative information**
The charity is registered with the Charity Commission under charity number 802888. The trustees, executive officers, address of the charity and professional advisers are as listed on page 1.
## **Structure Governance and Management**
Godalming Operatic Society was formed in 1924 and by a Deed dated 15 May 1989, was constituted as a registered charity. Its members are comprised of those who have paid the annual subscription or who have been elected honorary members at a General Meeting. All trustees are members themselves and form the General Committee. The General Committee have absolute discretion to reject an application for membership, or to exclude an existing member.
## **Trustee meetings and conduct**
The chairman is in charge of the day to day running of the society. Decisions on day to day matters are proposed by the chairman and voted on by the trustees at trustee meetings but certain key decisions are decided by members vote at the annual general meeting or an extraordinary general meeting. The trustees consider that their combined experience is sufficient to allow them to properly conduct the charity’s affairs.
## **Appointment and recruitment of new Trustees**
All trustees including new trustees are nominated and subsequently voted into office each year at the Annual General Meeting by the members. New trustees are taught their responsibilities at regularly held trustees meetings and receive a copy of the previous year’s annual report and accounts.
## **Objects and Activities**
The charitable objectives of the Society are:
"to educate the public in the dramatic and operatic arts, to further the development of public appreciation and taste in the said arts and in particular (but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing), to promote public interest in and knowledge of the works of W S Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan".
In furtherance of the Society’s objects and for the public benefit, the Society presents a main show each year, normally at the end of February, featuring one of the works of Gilbert & Sullivan. Ticket prices are kept at a level sufficient to cover costs and concessions are offered to young people and wheelchair users.
The Trustees believe that it is important to perform the less well known G&S operas as well as the more popular ones. Thus, the aim is to make a surplus on the more popular shows to cover a likely deficit on the less popular ones.
In addition to the main Winter show, the Society normally presents one or more performances on a smaller scale in the Summer months. Sometimes, these are free to the Public or are performed for other charities and organisations.
Our members volunteer their services as performers for the public benefit without payment. Occasionally, it is necessary to employ an outside professional to fulfil a specific role.
The trustees have had due regard to the public benefit guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities to undertake.
Page 2
**The Godalming Operatic Society**
## **Trustees' Report**
## **for the Year Ended 31st March 2026**
## **Achievements and Performance**
Having just celebrated its centenary, the Society is now looking forward to the next hundred years.
We were honoured to have been asked to take our previous production of _The Yeomen of the Guard_ to the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival in Buxton in August 2025. This was well received with several nominations for awards. However, the Society had to bear many of the costs involved, resulting in an overall deficit of £4,091 for Summer activities.
In September, the Society started rehearsals for _Utopia, Limited,_ one of the less well known of the Gilbert & Sullivan canon. The production took place in February 2026 to great acclaim. As a result of much effort by volunteers in publicising the show, ticket sales were good with full houses for several performances. However, this was an expensive production to stage resulting in a deficit of £6,192 on the show.
We were very fortunate to receive a donation of £25,000 from the Nancy Bateman Charitable Trust. This, together with donations from Patrons of the Society, membership and show subscriptions and bank interest, resulted in a healthy overall surplus for the year of £24,346
In September, we look forward to starting rehearsals for _The Gondoliers_ , one of Gilbert & Sullivan's better known operas, which we will be performing in February 2027.
## **Financial review**
The Society had a net surplus of £24,346 for the year ended 31 March 2026. As a result of the annual surplus, year-end reserves stood at £152,888.
## **Reserves policy**
The Society has a policy of maintaining reserves at a level sufficient to cover expenditure on the following February show. Expenditure on a show can be upwards of £45,000 and the Trustees aim for ticket sales and related income on average to exceed expenditure, covering deficits on historically less popular shows with surpluses on more popular ones. The Trustees also aim to minimise costs and to optimally promote shows so as to maximise the surplus/minimise the deficit on each show. Reserves are monitored throughout the year by the Treasurer through the maintenance of bank records and the preparation of annual accounts prepared on an accruals basis. From time to time, the members agree to repeat the February show in a festival later in the year. When this happens, the reserves are reviewed to ensure that they are sufficient to cover festival costs and the cost of the subsequent February show.
Helen Jennings (Hon Secretary)
Date
Page 3
**The Godalming Operatic Society**
## **Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of The Godalming Operatic Society**
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Godalming Operatic Society (the charity) for the year ended 31 March 2026.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity 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 applicable directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
## **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 Trust 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 confirm that there are no other matters to which your attention should be drawn to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
A J Bennewith FCA, FCPA, FFA, FFTA, FIPA, DChA, FRSA Upper Ground Floor 18 Farnham Road Guildford Surrey GU1 4XA
Date: .............................................
Page 4
**The Godalming Operatic Society**
## **Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2026**
|**Notes**
**INCOMING RESOURCES**
Incoming resources from generated funds
- Activities for generating funds
3
- Investment income
3
Incoming resources from charitable activities
2
**TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES**
**RESOURCES EXPENDED**
- Costs of activities for generating funds
5
-Charitable activities
4
-Other
6
**TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED**
**NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS**
9
**RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS**
**TOTAL FUNDS BROUGHT FORWARD**
**TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD**|**2026**
**2025**
**£**
**£**
3,971
2,205
3,981
4,541
83,760
70,668
91,712
77,414
4,134
1,982
59,667
66,422
3,565
3,251
67,366
71,655
24,346
5,759
128,542
122,783
152,888
128,542
**Unrestricted funds**|**2026**
**2025**
**£**
**£**
3,971
2,205
3,981
4,541
83,760
70,668
91,712
77,414
4,134
1,982
59,667
66,422
3,565
3,251
67,366
71,655
24,346
5,759
128,542
122,783
152,888
128,542
**Unrestricted funds**|
|---|---|---|
|||77,414|
|||1,982
66,422
3,251|
|||71,655|
|||5,759|
|||122,783|
|||128,542|
## CONTINUING OPERATIONS
All income and expenditure has arisen from continuing activities.
Page 5
**The Godalming Operatic Society**
## **Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2026**
|**CURRENT ASSETS**
Stocks
Orchestral scores (bound)
Stamps held
Sundry debtors and prepayments
Short term investment
Cash at bank:
Current account (total £5,481)
Current account (General)
Current account (Social Committee ringfenced)
Savings accounts
**CREDITORS:**Amount due within one year
Creditors and accruals
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**
**NET ASSETS**
**UNRESTRICTED FUNDS**
General Fund
Total Unrestricted Funds|**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
2,400
2,400
79
238
3,534
3,508
116,336
104,441
4,569
15,695
912
1,203
25,058
1,057
152,888
128,542
0
0
152,888
128,542
152,888
128,542
152,888
128,542
152,888
128,542
**2026**
**2025**
**Unrestricted Funds**|**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
2,400
2,400
79
238
3,534
3,508
116,336
104,441
4,569
15,695
912
1,203
25,058
1,057
152,888
128,542
0
0
152,888
128,542
152,888
128,542
152,888
128,542
152,888
128,542
**2026**
**2025**
**Unrestricted Funds**|
|---|---|---|
|||128,542|
|||128,542|
|||128,542|
These accounts were approved by the Trustees
L Power
H Jennings
A Plummer
Page 6
**The Godalming Operatic Society**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st March 2026**
## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
## **Basis of preparing the financial statements**
The financial statements of the charity, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Charities Act 2011. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.
## **a) Accounting convention**
The financial statements are prepared on an accruals basis.
## **b) Incoming resources**
Income from productions is included in the period in which the relevant show takes place; investment income is included as receivable; donations and legacies are included as received, subscription income is included in the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which it relates. Tax credits receivable in respect of Gift-aid donations are included with their respective incoming resource.
## **c) Resources expended**
Resources expended are included in the Statement of Financial Activities on an accruals basis; inclusive of any VAT which cannot be recovered. Certain expenditure is directly attributable to specific activities and has been included in those cost categories. Costs associated with the production of shows are included under charitable activities. Other costs comprise those costs incurred in the running of the charity itself as an organisation.
## **d) Debtors**
Income receivable and other debtors are included at the settlement amount due. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid.
## **e) Creditors and provisions**
Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation arising from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors are recognised at their settlement amount. Provisions have been calculated at the best estimate of the settlement amount and then discounted back to present value at the reporting date.
## **f) Going concern**
At the time of approving the financial statements, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future (i.e. there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue). Thus, the Trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Page 7
## **The Godalming Operatic Society**
|**2. INCOMING RESOURCES FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES**
Annual show Income
Summer production income
Members annual subscriptions
Tax recoverable
Donations
Sundry income
**3. ACTIVITIES FOR GENERATING FUNDS**
Social Committee
Interval raffles
Investment income
Book sales
**4. CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES**
Show expenditure
Summer production expenditure
**5. COST OF ACTIVITIES FOR GENERATING FUNDS**
Social Committee|**2026**
**£**
47,247
1,537
2,085
2,246
30,645
0
83,760
**2026**
**£**
3,920
0
3,981
51
7,952
**2026**
**£**
53,439
6,228
59,667
**2026**
**£**
4,134
4,134|**2025**
**£**
50,957
8,135
2,265
2,235
6,846
230|
|---|---|---|
|||70,668|
|||**2025**
**£**
1,300
595
4,541
310|
|||6,746|
|||**2025**
**£**
56,174
10,248|
|||66,422|
|||**2025**
**£**
1,982|
|||1,982|
Page 8
**The Godalming Operatic Society**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2026**
|**6. OTHER**
Insurance
Subscriptions
Venue hire
Stationery & comms
Independent Examiner
Bank charges
Publicity
Gifts & Gratuities
Sundries
**7. INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS' REMUNERATION**
Independent Examiners' fees|**2026**
**£**
1,856
349
40
123
480
29
25
0
663
3,565
**2026**
**£**
540|**2025**
**£**
1,807
295
40
132
480
26
312
73
86|
|---|---|---|
|||3,251|
|||**2025**
**£**|
|||480|
## **8. TRUSTEES REMUNERATION AND EXPENSES**
None of the Trustees received any remuneration in the year.
Expenses totalling £3,750 (2025: £4,881) were reimbursed to seven (2025: four) of the trustees for sundry expenses during the year.
## **9. NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS**
|**9. NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS**
Net surplus/(deficit) from annual shows
Net surplus/(deficit) from summer productions
Net surplus/(deficit) on general activities
Net surplus/(deficit) on Social Committee
Brought forward funds
Carried forward funds|**2026**
**£**
(6,192)
(4,091)
34,843
(214)
24,346
128,542
152,888|**2025**
**£**
(5,217)
1,172
10,486
(682)|
|---|---|---|
|||5,759
122,783|
|||128,542|
## **10. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES**
There were no related party transactions for the year ended 31 March 2026 nor for the year ended 31 March 2025.
Page 9
**The Godalming Operatic Society**
## **Income and Expenditure from Annual Shows for the Year Ended 31st March 2026**
|**INCOME**
Ticket sales
Show subscriptions
Programme sales
Programme advertising
DVD & VS sales
**EXPENDITURE**
Costumes and wardrobe
Scenery and props
Lighting
Venue Hire
Stage Director
Musical Director
Accompanist
Orchestra
Publicity
Programme printing
Communications
Ticket commission
Video recording
Music stand hire
Bank charges
Piano hire and tuning
Gifts & gratuities
Scores
Catering
Sundries
**SURPLUS / (DEFICIT)**|**Utopia**
**2026**
**£**
41,879
2,175
2,079
1,050
64
47,247
4,858
4,327
564
13,204
2,500
3,000
2,380
13,825
3,342
515
96
2,599
900
408
62
80
0
560
149
70
53,439
(6,192)|**Yeomen**
**2025**
**£**
44,976
2,940
2,341
700
0|
|---|---|---|
|||50,957|
|||2,958
6,004
1,481
14,973
3,350
2,850
2,405
15,625
1,554
634
76
2,394
960
386
81
80
44
70
183
66|
|||56,174|
|||(5,217)|
This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements
Page 10
**The Godalming Operatic Society**
## **Income and Expenditure from Summer Productions**
## **for the Year Ended 31st March 2026**
|**INCOME**
Ticket sales
Programme sales
Programme advertising
Show Subs
Raffle
DVD sales
Donations
**EXPENDITURE**
Orchestra
Venue Hire
Scenery & Props
Costumes & Wardrobe
Stage Director
Musical Director
Accompanist
Programme printing
Score Hire /printing
Catering
Bank Charges
Publicity
Stationery/comms
Sundries
DVD Purchase
Ticket commission
Gifts / gratuities
**SURPLUS / (DEFICIT)**|**2026**
**£**
0
0
0
1020
0
517
600
2,137
975
600
96
987
750
900
1,085
0
0
0
6
0
3
250
544
0
32
6,228
(4,091)|**2025**
**£**
6,087
363
250
1,435
595
0
2,690|
|---|---|---|
|||11,420|
|||2950
2,193
336
0
0
1410
1,605
258
488
10
26
454
104
0
0
399
15|
|||10,248|
|||1,172|
This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements
Page 11
**The Godalming Operatic Society**
## **General Income and Expenditure Account for the Year Ended 31st March 2026**
|**INCOME**
Members annual subscriptions
Patrons annual subscriptions
Donations
Interest received
Tax recoverable
Book sales
Sundry income
**EXPENDITURE**
Insurance
Subscriptions
Stationery & comms
Publicity
Venue hire
Scenery & props
Bank charges
Independent Examiner
Gifts & gratuities
Sundries
**SURPLUS / (DEFICIT)**|**2026**
**£**
2,085
4,919
25,126
3,981
2,246
51
0
38,408
1,856
349
123
25
40
298
29
480
0
365
3,565
34,843|**2025**
**£**
2,265
3,860
296
4,541
2,235
310
230|
|---|---|---|
|||13,737|
|||1,807
295
132
312
40
0
26
480
73
86|
|||3,251|
|||10,486|
This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements
Page 12
**The Godalming Operatic Society**
## **Social Committee Account for the Year Ended 31st March 2026**
|**INCOME**
Event income
Centenary dinner income
Sundry income
**EXPENDITURE**
Centenary dinner costs
Venue hire
Performer's fee
Bank Charges
Social event catering
Rehearsal and show catering
Gifts & gratuities
Sundry expenditure
**SURPLUS / (DEFICIT)**|**2026**
**£**
1,022
2,898
0
3,920
2785
578
0
10
265
341
145
10
4,134
(214)|**2025**
**£**
1,171
0
129|
|---|---|---|
|||1,300|
|||0
515
360
2
513
307
138
147|
|||1,982|
|||(682)|
This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements
Page 13