REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: 04625088 (England and Wales)

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1095978

TRUSTEES' REPORT AND

UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

FOR

THE PEASMARSH CHAMBER MUSIC

FESTIVAL TRUST

Page

Trustees' Report

1

to

5

Independent Examiner's Report

6

Statement of Financial Activities

7

Balance Sheet

8

Notes to the Financial Statements

9

to

15

The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2024. 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 2019).

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and aims

The charitable company's objects are to promote, improve, develop and maintain education in the appreciation and knowledge of the art and science of music. The Peasmarsh Chamber Music Festival Trust supports an annual summer chamber music festival in and around Peasmarsh, East Sussex, co-directed by Anthony Marwood and Richard Lester as well as educational projects, and fundraising activities during the year. The festival includes several public performances, in different venues, enabling the festival to reach a wide audience for the concerts and delivering significant benefit to the public through this work.

The Company's ability to support the Peasmarsh Chamber Music Festival has been enhanced by successful fundraising campaigns in each of the past few years, which have included building up a circle of around 150 friends and patrons who support the festival, as well as attracting some support from local companies and charitable trusts, as well as Rother District Council and Sussex Community Foundation.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

The Directors were delighted to present a Festival of live concerts in June 2024. We presented concerts in our principal concert venues of the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Peasmarsh and St Mary's Church in Rye.

Artistic activity

The 2024 Festival sought to build on the success of the 25th festival presented in Peasmarsh in 2023 (which included the early festivals presented under the original name of the Florestan Festival at Peasmarsh). The 2024 Festival took place over four days, 27 to 30 June 2024, with education workshops taking place in five local schools during the previous weeks.

The festival comprised 9 concerts, seven held at the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Peasmarsh, East Sussex, and two at St Mary's Church, Rye. We were delighted to continue our education partnerships with Winchelsea, Icklesham, Rye, Peasmarsh and Beckley Primary Schools.

In addition to Anthony Marwood (violin) and Richard Lester (cello) the artists performing at the Festival were:

Alasdair Beatson, piano

Chaeyoung Park, piano

Eivind Ringstad, viola

Pablo Hernán Benedí, violin

The Barbican Quartet

Britten Sinfonia

It is a central aim of the Company to invite artists of the highest standard to the festival each year, which was achieved through these internationally acclaimed guest performers. Additionally, the Festival always supports young professional musicians, giving them performance opportunities to develop their careers as professional musicians. In 2024, the award-winning Barbican Quartet were at the Festival and, in addition to performing a number of works during the Festival, also worked with children participating in our education programme.

The Festival aims to include a combination of traditional and less familiar repertoire each year. In 2024 our public performances included works by composers ranging from Haydn and Beethoven, to Mendelssohn and Schumann and Silvestrov and Ligeti.

Education projects

As in 2023, the Company continued to work with five partner schools in 2024, Rye Primary, St. Thomas' Winchelsea, Icklesham Primary, Beckley Church of England Primary School and Peasmarsh Church of England Primary School. The project consisted of workshops in each school led by experienced Education Project Leader Sam Glazer, accompanied by members of the Barbican Quartet. The participating children were brought together into a large-scale culmination concert in St. Mary's Church in Rye. An audience of around 250 teachers, parents and festival supporters attended this concert, which was very well received by all who attended.

We are very grateful for the support we received from Rother District Council and the Little Cheyne Court Wind Farm Ltd., operated by Innogy Renewables UK Limited and co-ordinated by Sussex Community Foundation, the Kowitz Family Foundation, Arts Society High Weald and the Rudi Martinus van Dijk Foundation to fund our education work.

Principal Achievements, and their financial impact

The principal achievements of The Peasmarsh Chamber Music Festival Trust during 2024 were as follows:

- Presentation of nine high quality public concerts, delivering significant public benefit to the members of the audience through their attendance at the Festival. A number of these concerts were well sold, and we were able to increase attendance relative to 2023.

- A number of new supporters were invited to support the Charity in 2024, building on the success of fundraising initiatives in prior years, and two Spring concerts in April 2024

- Education workshops were held at Rye, Winchelsea, Icklesham, Beckley and Peasmarsh Primary Schools marking a significant broadening of our education programme and creation of new partnerships

- Our education culmination concert in St Mary's Rye brought all five schools together for the second time, building on the success of the previous year. This concert format was very well received by all five schools.

- As in 2021 and 2022, we were extremely fortunate to receive an increase in reserves thanks to receipt of £11,818 being the residual amount from a legacy previously notified.

- In March 2024 the Company launched a new website with the ability for patrons both to buy tickets and make donations online. Through this new website, we have expanded our network of connections, and this has resulted in a number of new audience members attending the Festival in 2024, and several new Friends and Patrons.

- The Company commissioned its first new work using the legacy funds previously received, a work for string quartet and electric guitar by celebrated American composer Steven Mackey, to be premiered in 2025.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Financial Review

The income of the company is generally derived from ticket sales for public concert performances as well as donations from grant-giving companies and support from individuals. The Company is particularly grateful to Friends and Patrons, and other individual donors for their commitment to the Peasmarsh Chamber Music Festival. During 2024, the Charity was delighted to welcome back a number of Friends and Patrons, whose support is invaluable. At 31 December 2024 the Charity's reserves stood at £133,087, including £91,739 in the designated fund, initially created following the receipt of a number of bequests.

During 2024 the Friends and Patrons of the Peasmarsh Chamber Music Festival donated £49,925 (2023: £47,295) to support the festival. The company also benefited from additional gift aid of £8,872 (2023: £7,582). The company secured grants totalling £6,250 in 2024 (2023: £5,000).

The total income of the company from all sources was £122,630 (2023: £96,777). Income from ticket sales increased to £34,751 from £31,591. At the end of the period the company had £133,087 (2023: £142,085) in unrestricted funds and £0 (2023 £0) in restricted funds, the restricted funds secured for education having been spent on education work during each year.

Reserves Policy

The aim of the Trustees has been to retain sufficient reserves to cover approximately six months of operating expenses. In order to achieve this, the Company generally raises funds to cover the costs of the Peasmarsh Chamber Music Festival not covered from ticket sales through attracting donations from Friends and Patrons as well as donations from grant-giving trusts, with the aim of generating a small contribution to reserves where possible. This also enables the Company to invest in more significant artistic projects from time to time while creating increased financial resilience for the Company. Thanks to the receipt of two significant legacies during the past few years, the level of reserves currently exceed the agreed minimum level. The trustees believe that the level of general reserves is both sufficient to meet these aims, and to provide some financial support in continuing uncertain times.

Legacy Funds

The trustees are mindful of increasing interest rates, and as such since 2023 the Charity has invested £109,772 in an interest-bearing fixed term deposit account; interest accrued prior to the year end has been reinvested. This amount represents the total of legacy funds received in 2021 and 2022 as well as in 2024. As at 31 December 2024, the balance remaining in the designated fund was £91,739; the funds used to date have been spent on developing a new brand and website for the Company, and the Composer's commissioning fee for the new work by Steven Mackey. Additional legacy funds will be spent in 2025.

FUTURE PLANS

The Company continues to develop interesting artistic projects. In January 2025, our first new commission by Steven Mackey received its world premiere at London's Wigmore Hall. In May 2025 recording sessions took place for two out of three CDs that will be commissioned using our legacies, the third will take place later in 2025.

In June 2025, the Peasmarsh Chamber Music Festival was able to take place as in past years, with a very successful four days of concerts. Capacity was increased in both Peasmarsh and Rye churches. Nine live concerts were held across four days, including a large scale education performance in St Mary's Church in Rye which brought performers together from around 150 participants in six partner schools (a new partner school having been added in 2025).

Our partner schools all undertook workshops in May and June 2025, and all six partner schools have indicated their enthusiasm for a continuing involvement in the Charity's educational programme in future years.

It is hoped that two concerts will be held in France in November 2025, with the aim of raising some funds for the Festival.

It is intended that in future years the company will again support a four day festival of chamber music, at which Anthony Marwood and Richard Lester will perform and invite other leading musicians to join them in presenting an eclectic programme of classical music.

The trustees are very grateful to all those supporters who have donated to the Company during 2024. The receipt of significant legacies in 2021, 2022 and 2024 has enabled the Charity to make some ambitious plans for the future. The Trustees have allocated these legacy funds into a designated fund to support specific projects as distinct from funding ongoing operational costs.

It is intended that the legacy funds are used to commission two further new works for chamber ensemble in partnership with selected venues in the UK and further afield to be premiered in 2027 and 2028. These commissions will ensure both an enduring musical legacy be created with these funds and, through these partnerships, that additional public benefit be derived through sharing these newly commissioned works with a wider audience than attends the Festival. It is hoped that these works might be recorded such that they might also be made available more widely through digital platforms. Discussions are ongoing with composers Mark Simpson and Ana Sokolovic in respect of these two commissions and with the Wigmore Hall, which has offered the Charity two further dates on which to perform these new works.

In addition, some of these legacy funds will be used to create three new recordings, each featuring the Company's Artistic Directors. These recordings will be shared on public platforms in order to maximise the reach of these works.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The Peasmarsh Chamber Music Festival Trust is a company limited by guarantee, without share capital, incorporated on 24 December 2002 as the Florestan Trust and registered as a charity on 14 February 2003. At an EGM on 26 March 2012 its trustees passed a special resolution to change its name to The Peasmarsh Chamber Music Festival Trust, and it was incorporated as such on 12 April 2012.

The company was established under a Memorandum of Association, which sets out the objects and

powers of the charitable company and is governed by its Articles of Association. At the 2014 AGM, the Members approved a Special Resolution to adopt revised Articles of Association reflecting recent changes in Company and Charity law.

Recruitment and appointment of new trustees

Members may elect or re-elect Trustees by ordinary resolution at the AGM and the Board may co-opt Trustees between AGMs.

Organisational structure

The Company is managed and administered on a day-to-day basis by its General Manager. The General Manager confers regularly with the artistic directors and reports regularly to the Chairman of the Trustees. The Board of Trustees meets every few months to review the activities of the company and to consider more closely the financial and managerial status.

Induction and training of new trustees

In 2011/12 the Trust introduced an induction process and induction packs for new Trustees, which is led by the Chair and the General Manager.

Risk management

The trustees have a duty to identify and review the risks to which the charity is exposed and to ensure appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error. The trustees consider the detailed operations of the company and the associated risks at their regular trustees' meetings. A detailed risk assessment is carried out each June ahead of the annual Festival.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Registered Company number

04625088 (England and Wales)

Registered Charity number

1095978

Registered office

Landgate Chambers

Rye

East Sussex

TN31 7LJ

Trustees

D Brierwood

G Dunning KC (Chair from 17 September 2024)

V Dyer

R Jennings

P Millett

D A Rowland

S Mortimore KC (Chair until 17 September 2024), retired 17 September 2024

J Sebline

Independent Examiner

Gibbons Mannington & Phipps LLP

Chartered Accountants

82 High Street

Tenterden

Kent

TN30 6JG

Principal Staff

A Rowe

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 26 September 2025 and signed on its behalf by:

G Dunning - Trustee

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of The Peasmarsh Chamber Music Festival Trust ('the Company')

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 December 2024.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity's accounts as carried out under Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

1.	accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by Section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

2.	the accounts do not accord with those records; or

3.	the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of Section 396 of the 2006 Act 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; or

4.

the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)).

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Mr David Ashby

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants

Gibbons Mannington & Phipps LLP

Chartered Accountants

82 High Street

Tenterden

Kent

TN30 6JG

30 September 2025

2024

2023

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

Total

funds

fund

funds

funds

Notes

£

£

£

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Donations and legacies

3

65,125

6,250

71,375

53,316

Charitable activities

5

Peasmarsh Festival Ticket sales

34,751

-

34,751

31,591

Programmes and advertising

3,880

-

3,880

2,757

Gift Aid

8,872

-

8,872

7,582

Investment income

4

3,752

-

3,752

1,531

Total

116,380

6,250

122,630

96,777

EXPENDITURE ON

Charitable activities

6

Programmes and advertising

10,287

-

10,287

9,482

Concerts & Education programmes

110,862

6,621

117,483

92,052

Other

3,858

-

3,858

2,283

Total

125,007

6,621

131,628

103,817

NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

(8,627

)

(371

)

(8,998

)

(7,040

)

Transfers between funds

13

(371

)

371

-

-

Net movement in funds

(8,998

)

-

(8,998

)

(7,040

)

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

142,085

-

142,085

149,125

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

133,087

-

133,087

142,085

2024

2023

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

Total

funds

fund

funds

funds

Notes

£

£

£

£

CURRENT ASSETS

Debtors

11

2,583

-

2,583

9,769

Cash at bank and in hand

140,700

-

140,700

144,297

143,283

-

143,283

154,066

CREDITORS

Amounts falling due within one year

12

(10,196

)

-

(10,196

)

(11,981

)

NET CURRENT ASSETS

133,087

-

133,087

142,085

TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES

133,087

-

133,087

142,085

NET ASSETS

133,087

-

133,087

142,085

FUNDS

13

Unrestricted funds

133,087

142,085

TOTAL FUNDS

133,087

142,085

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 December 2024.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for

(a)	ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and

(b)

preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies regime.

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 26 September 2025 and were signed on its behalf by:

G Dunning - Trustee

1.	STATUTORY INFORMATION

Peasmarsh Chamber Music Festival Trust is an incorporated charity, limited by guarantee, registered in England & Wales. The charity's registered number and registered office address can be found in the Report of the Trustees.

2.	ACCOUNTING POLICIES

BASIS OF PREPARING THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The financial statements of the charitable company, 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 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

INCOME

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably. Any incoming resources received in an accounting period that relate exclusively to future years are deferred on the balance sheet.

EXPENDITURE

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

ALLOCATION AND APPORTIONMENT OF COSTS

Direct activity costs comprise those costs that contribute directly to an activity and are allocated to the relevant activity.

Support costs comprise those costs that are necessary to deliver any activity but in themselves do not produce or deliver an activity.

Support costs are allocated to each direct activity based on direct costs for each activity as a proportion of total direct activity costs.

Governance costs are those costs incurred to meet statutory and constitutional requirements.

All costs are allocated against the fund to which they relate. Costs that cannot be identified to specific funds are allocated across funds using appropriate apportionment methods based on the funds use of the relevant service or resource.

TAXATION

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

RESTRICTED FUNDS

These represent income received that is subject to specific restrictions for use determined by the donor which are narrower than the charitable company's general objects.

GENERAL FUNDS

These represent all other funds held for the general purpose of the charitable company.

3.	DONATIONS AND LEGACIES

2024

2023

£

£

Gifts and donations

9,632

6,021

Legacies

11,818

-

Friends and Patrons of Peasmarsh Festival

49,925

47,295

71,375

53,316

4.	INVESTMENT INCOME

2024

2023

£

£

Deposit account interest

3,752

1,531

5.	INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

2024

2023

Peasmarsh

Festival

Programmes

Ticket

and

Total

Total

sales

advertising

Gift Aid

activities

activities

£

£

£

£

£

Peasmarsh Festival Ticket sales

34,751

-

-

34,751

31,591

Programmes and advertising

-

3,880

-

3,880

2,757

Gift Aid

-

-

8,872

8,872

7,582

34,751

3,880

8,872

47,503

41,930

6.	CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES COSTS

Direct

Costs

£

Programmes and advertising

10,287

Concerts & Education programmes

117,483

127,770

7.	SUPPORT COSTS

Governance

Other

costs

Totals

£

£

£

Other resources expended

1,130

2,728

3,858

Support costs, included in the above, are as follows:

2024

2023

Other

resources

Total

expended

activities

£

£

Insurance

696

653

Post, stationery and office supplies

434

158

Bank charges

769

263

Sundries

273

13

Accountancy

1,686

1,196

3,858

2,283

8.	TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 December 2024 nor for the year ended 31 December 2023.

TRUSTEES' EXPENSES

There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 December 2024 nor for the year ended 31 December 2023.

9.	STAFF COSTS

There were no employees or staff costs for the year ended 31 December 2024 nor for the year ended 31 December 2023.

10.	COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

funds

fund

funds

£

£

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Donations and legacies

48,316

5,000

53,316

Charitable activities

Peasmarsh Festival Ticket sales

31,591

-

31,591

Programmes and advertising

2,757

-

2,757

Gift Aid

7,582

-

7,582

Investment income

1,531

-

1,531

Total

91,777

5,000

96,777

EXPENDITURE ON

Charitable activities

Programmes and advertising

9,482

-

9,482

Concerts & Education programmes

84,633

7,419

92,052

Other

2,283

-

2,283

Total

96,398

7,419

103,817

NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

(4,621

)

(2,419

)

(7,040

)

Transfers between funds

(2,419

)

2,419

-

Net movement in funds

(7,040

)

-

(7,040

)

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

149,125

-

149,125

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

142,085

-

142,085

11.	DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

2024

2023

£

£

Trade debtors

2,503

9,564

Prepayments

80

205

2,583

9,769

12.	CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

2024

2023

£

£

Trade creditors

2,930

2,551

Deferred income

5,850

8,350

Accruals

1,416

1,080

10,196

11,981

13.	MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

Net

Transfers

movement

between

At

At 1/1/24

in funds

funds

31/12/24

£

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

42,600

(881

)

(371

)

41,348

Designated funds

99,485

(7,746

)

-

91,739

142,085

(8,627

)

(371

)

133,087

Restricted funds

Restricted Funds

-

(371

)

371

-

TOTAL FUNDS

142,085

(8,998

)

-

133,087

Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

104,342

(105,223

)

(881

)

Designated funds

12,038

(19,784

)

(7,746

)

116,380

(125,007

)

(8,627

)

Restricted funds

Restricted Funds

6,250

(6,621

)

(371

)

TOTAL FUNDS

122,630

(131,628

)

(8,998

)

Comparatives for movement in funds

Net

Transfers

movement

between

At

At 1/1/23

in funds

funds

31/12/23

£

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

51,171

(6,152

)

(2,419

)

42,600

Designated funds

97,954

1,531

-

99,485

149,125

(4,621

)

(2,419

)

142,085

Restricted funds

Restricted Funds

-

(2,419

)

2,419

-

TOTAL FUNDS

149,125

(7,040

)

-

142,085

Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

90,246

(96,398

)

(6,152

)

Designated funds

1,531

-

1,531

91,777

(96,398

)

(4,621

)

Restricted funds

Restricted Funds

5,000

(7,419

)

(2,419

)

TOTAL FUNDS

96,777

(103,817

)

(7,040

)