The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006 and "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).
During this period, the Trustees report on its central activity, the Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity which took place in February 2025.
The charity's objectives are to advance public education, including public understanding of science, technology, engineering and maths, by offering accessible, creative and relevant activities to the broadest possible range of people, in particular but not exclusively by:
providing opportunities that enable people of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire to have a better understanding of how science, technology, engineering, maths and related disciplines are part of and impact on their everyday lives;
providing activities that stimulate and nurture curiosity, creativity and innovation; facilitating dialogue between scientists, researchers/experts, educators and civil society;
providing hands on, interactive and participatory science events and activities with broad and lasting impact which will encourage increased public engagement and understanding of science across the full breadth of our diverse society.
The Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity took place from 10th to 21st February 2025. This year marked our 10th year of the festival. We were delighted and proud to celebrate our 10th birthday, and officially launch the festival, alongside our partners and contributors at the new Sherwood Observatory in Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire.
Community engagement and public events
This year we had 106 public events taking place all across Nottinghamshire, our highest number ever. We produced events at 47 venues including libraries, Nottingham Cathedral, Wollaton Hall, Lakeside Arts, Green’s Windmill and community groups’ spaces across the county. 268 contributors were involved, ranging from staff and students from University of Nottingham (UoN) and Nottingham Trent University (NTU), creative and STEM based practitioners and staff from our funding partners or other local businesses. Our volunteers continued to make a valuable contribution in ensuring the events were successful and well managed.
In 2025, we had an increased focus on SEND engagement within our public events, and we were delighted to work with the Autism and Learning Disability Keyworking Service team at Nottingham City Council to develop the SEND planetarium and accessible events at Nottingham Cathedral.
We were proud to continue our Community Grants Programme, supporting local community groups to develop their own tailored events to engage their respective audiences. In 2025, we awarded Community Grants of £500.00 to Angolan Women’s Voice Association, Diversify Education and Spectrum WASP.
Engagement with schools and colleges
More schools/colleges than ever before were engaged across the festival programme, with 70 participating. The Real Science in Schools Symposium at Nottingham Council House continued to be a focal point for the engagement with schools, and this was expanded further in 2025, with an additional Symposium taking place at Mansfield Town Hall. A further highlight was a site visit by ATTFE college to Laing O’Rourke.
Following a successful pilot in 2024, we continued to offer an extra morning session at the Symposium tailored to support engagement with SEND schools. We further developed our work in this area through an expansion of the previous year’s project with NTU chemistry students. Together they formed collaborations to explore chemistry in a creative and accessible way within the school settings, and showcase their work together at the Symposium.
We continued to work in collaboration with the graphic design students at Confetti to design and create the annual magazine and festival programme. This partnership provides students with a valuable opportunity to further develop their practical skills and experience. We also again worked with the primary aged students at the Wells’ Academy; they helped advise on the magazine’s content to ensure maximum accessibility and engagement with our target age group. The 2025 edition celebrated the festival’s 10th birthday and provided fun and educational STEM themed content. 12,000 copies were distributed to schools, community groups and partners across the county. The magazine was also made available on-line via the festival website.
The whole reach of the festival increased this year with 11,000 attendees, 3400 pupils as part of the schools’ programme and all Nottingham and Nottinghamshire postcodes engaged. We were delighted that 95% of feedback responses reported that they had learnt something new, demonstrating the impact of the learning experiences enabled by the festival.
The Trustees consider their responsibilities to report the financial health of the company, and make the following observations on the year under review.
During this period, trustees of Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity underwent detailed discussions with the trustees of Ignite Futures (t/a Ignite!), the producers of the festival, to explore the potential opportunities in operating as one charity owing to the alignment in our charitable aims. Ignite! was part of the founding group for the festival and has been the key delivery partner since the festival’s inception. Trustees considered how the merging of the two organisations would be in the best interests of the festival, in terms of its sustainability, continued growth and positive impact on its beneficiaries. A robust process of discussion and due diligence was carried out, and the trustees were in unanimous agreement to proceed. Therefore, the next 2025-26 cycle of the festival will be undertaken as a programme of Ignite! with FOSAC trustees joining the board of Ignite! The delivery team remains the same. Remaining cash assets are to be donated to Ignite! and be held as a restricted fund for the purposes of the festival and used in accordance with our charitable aims.
The Trustees consider that the pre-merger accounts for the Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity show a steady financial position. Effort on the part of the Trustees and the staff team of Ignite Futures continued to result in a broad base for income to the charity involving universities, local authorities, the voluntary, public and private sectors. The Trustees note that there is little income from donations to the charity, nor from sales or earned income and that the future prospects for earned income continue to remain small. The charity is registered for gift aid, and is exempt from corporation tax.
As a charity Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity has minimal fixed costs and overheads. Each year >95% of expenditure is focused on the annual science festival through a combination of payment for Ignite! services for festival production and direct costs associated with the event. This allows for a certain amount of inherent flexibility and mitigation regarding overall financial exposure and risk for the charity.
Therefore, for this 24-25 period, Trustees agreed that the financial reserves should be set at a level which covers annual non-festival costs, plus 3 months’ of Ignite! services costs associated with the next annual festival.
Trustees have typically reviewed the policy on an annual basis. As the merger with Ignite! was confirmed at the end of this period, a further review to cover the future period has not been required.
By keeping administration and overheads to a minimum, the charity devotes a maximum percentage of any support received to programme delivery for public benefit.
As detailed above, Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity will continue from 2025/26 as a programme of Ignite! taking place between 9th to 20th February 2026. The ambitions for the festival continue to be as strong as ever and trustees are confident that the festival will go from strength to strength with a committed delivery team, continued partnerships and experienced trustees’ oversight on the newly combined Ignite! Board. The work of the festival will continue to prioritise underserved communities and we will collaborate with new partners and venues to reach these audiences. The Community Grants programme is also due for continuation in the next period, supporting community groups to develop their own accessible events tailored to their respective audiences.
Directors of The Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity Ltd, a company limited by Guarantee, also act as Trustees for the charity. Trustees have been recruited by an open appointment process.
All Directors/Trustees act with care, diligence and skill as required by the company and charity legislation. Until the end of this period, five meetings of the Directors were held each year including an Annual General Meeting, at which a third of the Directors were required to retire by rote, and could then be reappointed.
The Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity Board of Trustees created sub-groups which focused on particular areas of work and development. During this period, the sub-groups focused on fundraising, evaluation, visibility and equity, diversity and inclusion. Sub-groups were formed of Trustees with related interest or expertise, Ignite! staff team and members of the board that acted in an advisory capacity.
Notices and agendas of meetings were sent by the Company Secretary in advance, and Trustees considered financial reports at each meeting. The Trustees have also been responsible for ensuring that the company has had suitable and appropriate strategies and policies to ensure best practice working. These include Child Protection and Safeguarding policies, and privacy and data management. Through the contract with Ignite Futures Ltd, all staff and volunteers working with young people and vulnerable adults were required to have an Enhanced DBS check.
All activities were risk assessed for hazards to staff, volunteers and public.
The Trustees have been responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. The Trustees remain responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity, and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The above report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime as set out in Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 and in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102).
The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity Limited (the charity) for the year ended 31 March 2025.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act 2011.
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 that in any material respect:
accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 386 of the Companies Act 2006.
the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 other than any requirement that the financial statements give a true and fair view, which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
the financial statements 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 financial statements 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 financial statements to be reached.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity Limited is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Unit 5 Cobden Chambers, Pelham Street, Nottingham, NG1 2ED.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" and the Charities SORP "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)". The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities not to prepare a statement of cash flows.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
The charity ceased trading on 31 March 2025 and all assets are to be transferred to Ignite Futures Ltd (charity number 1176754, company number 05969189) trading as Ignite! post year end as detailed in note 14.
The financial statements can therefore not be prepared on the going concern basis. A break up basis has been applied, with the only asset being the bank balance. Once creditors have been paid post year end any remaining funds will be transferred to Ignite Futures Ltd as a restricted fund.
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, 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 classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
The charity is an exempt charity within the meaning of schedule 3 of the Charities Act 2011 and is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes.
Government grants
Government grants are recognised at the fair value of the asset received or receivable when there is
reasonable assurance that the grant conditions will be met and the grants will be received.
A grant that specifies performance conditions is recognised in income when the performance conditions
are met. Where a grant does not specify performance conditions it is recognised in income when the
proceeds are received or receivable. A grant received before the recognition criteria are satisfied is
recognised as a liability.
In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
Production costs
Computer costs
Printing, postage and stationery
Advertising
Consultancy
Bank charges
Insurance
Governance costs includes payments to the accountants of £900 (2024- £850) for independent examination fees.
None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or benefits from the charity during the year.
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.
Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity
This fund is to advance public education by offering accessible activities to the broadest range of participants across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Working with a range of partners including schools, local businesses, community and cultural organisations and universities, this fund aims to allow science, technology, engineering and maths to be accessible to all.
BSA- UKRI/UKSFN
2023 - UKRI/UKSFN Grant - This was awarded to facilitate a project which connected researchers to young people in Nottingham with a focus on raising awareness of how research can influence social change.
2024 - BSA UKSFN Making Connections Grant - The project connected academics from the Digital Youth Research Group with an LGBT+ youth group to explore mental health through a series of workshops involving gaming, character creation and model making.
Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics & UKSFN Grant
This fund was for a project that linked Researchers with the festival in order to support researchers to communicate their research via talks and activities to an audience of secondary school pupils.
Royal Society of Chemistry Outreach Grant
This fund was for a project that linked up undergraduate chemistry students from Nottingham Trent University and four Nottinghamshire based schools for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. Together the schools and students worked together to create and deliver tailored chemistry based activities.
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
Nottingham Festival of Science & Curiosity's trustees confirm that the company would be merged into Ignite! (who have been contracted to deliver the Festival since it began). Once the 31 March 2025 accounts are complete, there will be a final transfer of remaining funds to Ignite! to be held as a restricted fund for the purposes of Festival delivery. FOSAC has no other assets other than the cash held in the bank account. FOSAC will then close its bank account and follow the standard steps towards closure as a company and charity.
During the year the secretary for the company being Sarah Walley is also acting as secretary for Ignite Futures Limited who are responsible for the day to day management of Nottingham Festivals activities.
Prof Susan Anderson and Dr Peter Scholes are also listed as directors for both Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity Limited and Ignite Futures Limited during the year.
During the year Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity Limited paid Ignite Futures Limited £59,447(2024: £67,168) for production and management of the festival.
No remuneration or expenses have been paid to any trustees during the year (2024: £0)