The board of 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).
The principal activity of the charity is to advance education in the art of music by the promotion of concerts and recitals and the study and practice of orchestral and choral music. This is in accordance with the objects contained in the Memorandum and Articles of Association, the charity's governing document. There has been no material change in the objects of the charity during the year.
The board of trustees have referred to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit when reviewing the aims and objectives of the charity and in planning future activities.
The charity aims to involve itself within the communities in which it operates, not only by virtue of giving live public musical performances, but also from time to time by developing and performing in music workshops in schools in the area.
Highlights of the year for English Pro Musica included the rescheduled summer performance of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly for Heritage Opera at Bayham Old Abbey. This event, part of the Lamberhurst Festival in Kent, had been postponed due to excessive rain in August the previous summer.
EPM was delighted to join Heritage Opera once again, under their conductor Chris Gill, for a performance of Donizetti’s Elixir of Love at Woodlands, North Somerset - a gala charity event for the Friends of Bristol Haematology & Oncology Centre. This opera was also presented in a return visit to Boston, Lincolnshire.
Our collaboration with Nottingham Trent University continued with a performance of the Magnificat by John Rutter with the University Choir, conducted by Tim Lole. Our joint ventures have however been reduced as a result of the retraction of the music centre’s activities.
In association with Jenmat Productions, English Pro Musica accompanied the Snowman Live in its annual tour. These popular events are successful in introducing young people to live music. Shows took place in Burton, Blackpool and Oxford. In a return to the Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, an additional ‘accessible’ performance was well received. Unfortunately Jenmat Productions have been unable fully to meet the orchestra’s fees this year, as reflected in the annual accounts.
A return visit to Nottingham Royal Concert Hall is planned for December 2025, when performances will also take place in Reading and Weston-super-mare.
The charity manages income from events to cover activity and governance costs. There was a loss of £3,631 during the year (2024 - surplus of £1,131), and reserves at the year end were £184 (2024 - £3,815).
Reserves Policy
The company aims to achieve a position where it will have free reserves to cover the company's expenses on a rolling six month basis.
Assessment of risks
The board of trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.
English Pro Musica is a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales (registered number 04726185), incorporated on 8 April 2003 as EPMT Ltd, which changed its name on 27 August 2003 to English Pro Musica, which at all times had been its trading style. The company was established under a Memorandum of Association which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its Articles of Association. It was registered as a charity on 19 September 2003, number 1099541, and the company's registered office is at Hartington House, Hartington Road, Chesterfield, Derbyshire. S41 0HE.
The board of 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 board of trustees manages the operation of the charity. Where there is a requirement for new trustees, these would be identified and appointed by the remaining trustees at the Annual General Meeting. The board has powers to appoint Trustees at any time. The chair of trustees is responsible for the induction of any new trustee, which involves awareness of a trustee's responsibilities, the governing document, administrative procedures, the history and culture of the charity.
None of the board of trustees has any beneficial interest in the company. All of the board of trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £10 in the event of a winding up.
This report has been prepared having taken advantage of the small companies exemption in the Companies Act 2006.
The trustees' report was approved by the Board Of Trustees.
In order to assist you to fulfil your duties under the Companies Act 2006, we have prepared for your approval the financial statements of English Pro Musica for the year ended 31 March 2025, which comprise the statement of financial activities and the related notes from the charity’s accounting records and from information and explanations you have given us.
This report is made to the charity's board of trustees, as a body, in accordance with the terms of our engagement letter dated 13 December 2024. Our work has been undertaken solely to prepare for your approval the financial statements of English Pro Musica and state those matters that we have agreed to state to the charity's board of trustees, as a body, in this report in accordance with ICAEW Technical Release 07/16 AAF. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than English Pro Musica and the charity's board of trustees as a body, for our work or for this report.
You have acknowledged on the balance sheet for the year ended 31 March 2025 your duty to ensure that the charity has kept proper accounting records and to prepare financial statements that give a true and fair view. You consider that English Pro Musica is exempt from the statutory requirement for an audit for the year, and is not required to obtain an independent examiner's report.
We have not been instructed to carry out an audit or a review of the financial statements of English Pro Musica. For this reason, we have not verified the accuracy or completeness of the accounting records or information and explanations you have given to us and we do not, therefore, express any opinion on the statutory financial statements.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
English Pro Musica is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 2 Hartington Road, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S41 0HE, United Kingdom.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance 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)” (as amended for accounting periods commencing from 1 January 2019). 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 applying FRS 102 Update Bulletin 1 not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.
The accounts are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £1.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the board of trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the board of trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the board of 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.
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.
Irrecoverable VAT is charged as an expenses against the activity for which expenditure arose.
Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs 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.
Grants and donations are accounted for when paid over, or when awarded if that award creates a binding obligation on the charity.
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand and deposits held at call with banks.
The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxationof Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects.
The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.
Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.
Debtors and creditors receivable/payable within one year
Debtors and creditors with no stated interest rate and receivable or payable within one year are recorded at transaction price. Any losses arising from impairment are recognised in expenditure.
Where applicable, members of the board of trustees have received payment for services rendered and expenses incurred in playing concert performances carried out by the company. Such payments are commensurate with payments made to performers unconnected with this charity. Apart from this, trustees did not receive any remuneration nor were refunded any expenses during the year.
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
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.
During the year the charitable company paid the following amounts to the trustees in connection with performances at events:
A Gillham - £855 (2024: £700)
G Gillham - £1,105 (2024: £1,080)
These amounts are consistent with amounts paid to other musicians for their performances.