2025-04-30-accounts

EDINBURGH WOMEN’S FICTION FESTIVAL TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

PERIOD FROM 01.04.2024 TO 31.03.2025

Charity Contact Information

SCOTTISH CHARITY NUMBER: SCO052494

CHARITY'S PRINCIPAL ADDRESS: 29 Howe Street, EDINBURGH

POSTCODE: EH3 6TF

WEBSITE: https://www.edwomensficfest.co.uk

SOCIALS: Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky: @EdWomensFicFest

Page1

Charity Trustees

TRUSTEE NAME: OFFICE:

DATES ACTED: (if not full year)

Trustees, 2024

Page 2

Names of all other charity trustees during the period, if any, (for example, those who resigned partway through the financial period)

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P|
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01/04/24 to 11/22/24

TYPE OF The Edinburgh Women's Fiction Festival is a single-tier Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SC0O52494). The charitable GOVERNING trustees are all unpaid volunteers. The board consisted of three people DOCUMENT in 2023, including a Chair, Treasurer and Secretary.

TRUSTEE ee oman RECRUITMENT trustees. We were sad to lose |this year. We are AND delighted to welcome two new office bearers to take the APPOINTMENT charity towards the 2025 festival. lis a wellknown book influencer on Instagram ( ) and voracious reader and her industry connections are welcomed. ) is a Scots

language and literature scholar as well as a book blogger and[influencer.]

We are also assisted by three non-trustee volunteers. continue to work on the Festival's behalf and joins us to work on the 2025 planning. lis an MSc Publishing student at Edinburgh Napier University writing her dissertation on the risks and opportunities of marketing books on TikTok.

Page 3

Objectives and Activities

Charitable Purposes

The Edinburgh Women’s Fiction Festival was set up in 2023 to celebrate writing for, by, and about women. It is an inclusive event that welcomes everyone who finds joy in reading women’s fiction— commercial, romance, historical, literary, book club, and beyond.

Key Objectives are:

To provide a platform for women’s genre fiction – typically overlooked by other literature festivals.

To encourage, respect and celebrate all readers of women’s fiction, including romantic fiction.

To reach a broad spectrum of readers including those from socio-economic backgrounds who do not normally attend literature festivals.

To promote the mental health benefits of reading.

To create a community of writers and readers of women’s fiction in Scotland.

The festival showcases authors of genres that are often overlooked. Our aim is to give readers the opportunity to meet and hear their favourite authors. We also hope to foster a community through lively discussions, meaningful conversations, and authentic connections.

Our festival includes panels featuring popular authors, writing workshops, and an event with literary agents. Linked events included a podcast, She Reads, which interviewed many of the authors featured at the festival discussing books that influenced them. We also filmed She Writes Masterclasses for writers, which included discussing querying literary agents and sharing tips on how to write for your genre.

Summary of the main activities in relation to these objectives

In 2024 we ran the Edinburgh Women’s Fiction Festival over two days: including nine author panels, three writer workshops, and a literary agent event. We reached our target of offering our readers a wide range of women’s fiction authors with a strong focus on romantic and historical fiction. We attracted several well known authors, including and

.

We trialled Livestreaming in 2024 and will use our experience to offer professional standard

Livestreaming and recordings in 2025. We will seek sponsorship for Livestreaming but if necessary can use our accrued funds to offer recordings to a broad spectrum of readers at a low cost.

Page 4

Achievements and Performance

Summary of the main achievements of the charity

We welcomed 29 authors and chairs at the 2024 festival. We are very proud of the diversity of participants — of our 41 featured panelists and performers, 4 were authors of colour and 4 were members of the LGBTQ+ community.

We ran a voluntary feedback survey. Most of the 59 replies were complimentary but one issue that emerged was 14 of the 59 surveys mentioned problems with the venue sound quality. There were also 5 comments on comfort. As a result we have chosen a new nearby venue for the 2025 Festival. Christ Church Morningside has a newly installed integrated sound system and no vision obstructing pillars. We will look to make the seating more comfortable, by providing cushions and blankets on request, as well as providing on site refreshments for ease. Their workshop venue also offers audiovisual facilities to give a better workshop experience.

We exceeded our target of over 60% ticket sales. We sold 464 tickets in total, including 71 full festival passes. The vast majority of sales were to EH (Edinburgh) postcodes. However we attracted 50 people from elsewhere in Scotland, including 20 from the Glasgow area. In addition a few visitors travelled from England, Europe and even USA. We offered all our authors, chairs and workshop leaders a £190 fee. 3 chairs waived all/part of their fee. Our total income this year was £16,942, against an expenditure of £15,249. Our surplus of £1,693 will more than cover the liability of £1,398 for our independent examiner’s fee from Henderson Loggie LLP. Combined with the £2709 we carried forward from the 2023 Festival, we have almost £3000 to invest in the 2025 Festival after liabilities.

For 2025, we are thrilled to be partnering with Edinburgh Libraries on a free pre-festival event on 7 September, featuring a writing workshop with local commercial fiction author Angela Jackson and 2 author panels. We are looking forward to bringing the festival to Craigmillar library and hope to strengthen our connection to Edinburgh Libraries with more events in years to come.

Financial Review

Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves

We are pleased to have achieved a second year with a small surplus. These funds will fund early expenses and allow us to offer panel Livestreaming and even higher quality panels and workshops in 2025. We will expand our writer events into Friday afternoon and offer a workshop for independently published authors. In 2025 we aim to run 8 author workshops with 17 authors and 8 chairs.

* No deficit, no donated facilities or services *

Page 5

Declaration

Committee, 2025

Page 6

APPENDIX2

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||||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |Edinburgh|Women's|Fiction|Festival|$C052494| |{NC|f- |B|Receipts and|payments accounts| |a|a|ee|FY|For the period|L__Month__|[Year]|¢9|L__Month__J[__Year_]| |Section|A|Statement|of|receipts|and|payments| |Expendab| |;|Restricted|le|Permanent|Total funds|+ otal funds| |Unrestricted|endowment|current|-| |funds|funds|endowment|funds|period-|last|period| |tonearest£|fueds|tonearest|to nearest| |tonearest£|oo.|co|c|to|nearest £| |A1|Receipts| |Legacies|CT||| |Grants|sd||| |activitiesReceipts from fundraising|Lo| |Gross|trading|receipts|14,703|| 14,703 || |otherIncomethan from investmentsland|and|buildings||| |Rents fromland &|buildings|||es || |charitable|activities| |At|Sub|total]|_16,942|||16,942|| |A2|Receipts|from|asset &| |investment|sales| |investmentsA2 Sub| totall|—*|| |Total receipts|CJC| |A3|Payments| |Expenses|for fundraising|1,768|436 || |Gross trading|payments|||es |ee| |investment|management_||es || |haritable|activitie|6,137| |Grants and donations|||es || ||Governanceccosts:||||| |Audit/ independent]|a || |Legalcosts|||| |JSC}|es || |es|eS || |A3 Sub|total|___15,249|||__15,249|||6,573| |A4|Payments|relating|to| |asset|and|investment| |movements| |Purchases|offixedassets|[|| |Purchase|of investments|;ss| |A4Subtotal||=|| |Total payments|CC)|Co)|6.573| |Net receipts| |/ (payments)|ee||ES|2711|

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APPENDIX 2 . = ge :
Edinburgh Women's Fiction Festival $C052494
Section B Statement of balances
. Expendable Permanent
Unrestricted Restricted funds endowment endowment TL CUTENE Total last period
funds funds pen
to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £
B1 Cash funds Cash and bank balances at start of year 2711 2711 f |
Surplus / (deficit) shown on receipts and 1,693 1,693 2711
payments account
Cash and bank balances at end of year 2,711
(Agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
D etai lls Fund to which asset belongs Market valuation Last year
to nearest £ to nearest £
_ — —
Total
Detain Fund to which asset belongs Cost (if available) ce vailable) (it Last year
to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £
- = = =
Details Fund to which liability relates Amount due Last year
to nearest £ to nearest £
B4 Liabilities Independent examniers fee — 1,398 1,320
Total 1,398 1,320
Details Fund to which liability relates lestimate) Last year
to nearest £ to nearest £
——- — —
Total
Signed by one or two trustees Date of
on behalf of all the trustees Signature Print Name approval
ee ——
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A1- OSCR 2024825 Annual R&P Accounts updated by HL / Statement of balances 2

December 2007

APPENDIX 2 . - gs . Edinburgh Women's Fiction Festival

$C052494

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Section C Notes to the Accounts
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C1 Nature and purpose of funds (may be stated on analysis of funds worksheets) Type of activity or project supported individual / Mumber of grants £ - S—= Total C3a Trustee remuneration If no remuneration was paid during the period to any charity trustee or person connected to a trustee cross this box (otherwise complete section 3b)

Authority under which paid

C3b Trustee remuneration - details

C4a Trustee expenses If no expenses were paid to any chanity trustee during the period then cross this box (otherwise complete section 4b)

C4b Trustee expenses - details

. . - . Festival expenses paid by Trustees and reimbursed during the year

Number of £ trustees 376

Transaction Balance ; ; . Nature of relationshi Nature of transaction amount (£) outstandingperiod end at C5 Transactions with trustees a ie _ Be A1- OSCR 2024&25 Annual R&P Accounts updated by HL / Notes 3 December 2007

December 2007

APPENDIX 2

$C052494

Edinburgh Women's Fiction Festival

Additional analysis (1)

Analysis of receipts and payments

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1 Donations
. Expendable Permanent
eee Restricted funds endowment endowment TIGHTEN Total last period
funds funds pe
to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £
General Donations
ee 6 es |
a 6 po
a © es |
Total
2 Grants
Unrestricted Restricted funds total current’ Total last period
to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £
Total == =
3 Gross receipts from other charitable activities
- Expendable Permanent
aes Restricted funds endowment endowment Total “— Total last period
s funds funds pen
to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £
P|
P|
P|
|
||
—
P|
P|
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4 Payments relating directly to charitable activities

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. Expendable Permanent
Unvesticted Restricted funds endowment endowment tied Total last period
funds funds
to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £
Ticketterminal fees (Stripe/ Ticket Tailor) a3
Ticket refunds [348
Church venue hire 6,1751,174 6,1751,174] [820|
Gifts and refunds | po 106
insurance 10 a)
TravelFestival andexpenses subsistance i”2877 {596Cis”|
Sundry expenses [6ee) |319] [7 |
Independent examination fee | 1,320) 1,320} [sd
Total 13,481 13,481 6,137
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A1- OSCR 2024&25 Annual R&P Accounts updated by HLAdditional notes (1)

December 2007

APPENDIX 2

$C052494

Additional analysis (2)

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5 Breakdown of unrestricted funds
Total Total
unrestricted unrestricted
funds funds last period
Receipts
Pp a |
Receipts Ye a |
Gross tradingfrom receiptsfundraising activities | 1,25014,703 | | 14,7034.250 || [1,450] 7,356|
Income from investments other than land and buildings | sd ; |
Rents from land & buildings Pp es |ee
Gross receipts from other charitable activities PS a eee
Sub total [16,942| 76,942|
Receipts from asset & investment sales
Proceeds from sale of fixed assets
Proceeds from sale of investments
Sub total
Totalreceipts eS| [ee!] |ed|
Payme
GrossExpenses for fundraising activities [436|
trading payments S| a |eee
Investment management costs ST a |
Payments relating directly to charitable activities 13,481 | 13,481 | 6,137
Grants and donations Pp a |ee
Audit/ independent examination] |Pp a | eee
Preparation of annual accounts| [=| rr |
Legalcosts| [7 a |eee
a © es |ee
ee © es |ee
Sub total [|_15,249| P 15,249 | 6,573
Payments relating to asset and investment
movements
Purchases of fixed assets
Purchase of investments
Sub total
Total payments ES |ES| [ES]
aand purpose of funds
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A1- OSCR 2024825 Annual R&P Accounts updated by HLAdditional notes (2)

December 2007

APPENDIX 2

$C052494

Edinburgh Women's Fiction Festival

Additional analysis (3)	Additional analysis (3)
6 Breakdown of restricted funds
				Total restricted	Total restricted
				funds	funds last
					period
Receipts
Gross receiptsfromothercharitableactivities Subtotal			[	LT	Po
Receiptsfrom asset &	investment sales
		Sub total
Payments
				oy
Grosstrading payments
				_
				[
pe pe Sub total
				7
Payments relating to asset and investment
movements
		Sub total
	Total	payments[VT	[VT)(DOCO)CdCO)		CO)
	Surplus/(deficit) foryear		[___-](J
a and purpose offunds

A1- OSCR 2024825 Annual R&P Accounts updated by HLAdditional notes (3)

December 2007

APPENDIX 3

’ Independent examiner s report on the accounts V2

	Independent examiner’s report on the accounts V2
Report to the trustees/members of	Charity name Edinburgh Women’s Fiction Festival
Registered charity number	SC052494
On the accounts of the	Period start date Period end date
charity for the period	Day Month Year Day Month Year 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025
Set out on pages	1-3 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner	The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) 2005 Act and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended). The charity trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1) (d) of the Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under section 44(1) (c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner’s statement	My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations. 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 seeks explanations from the 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 viewgiven bythe accounts.
Independent examiner’s statement	In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention: 1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements: • to keep accounting records in accordance with section 44(1) (a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations, and • to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations 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.
Signed:
Name:
Relevant professional
qualification(s) or body
(if any):
Address:

*Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply. If the words do apply, set out those matters which have come to your attention on the following page.

APPENDIX 3

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material problems.

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose