| REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: |
| REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: |
| Report of the Trustees and |
| Unaudited Financial Statements |
| for the Year Ended 31 December 2025 |
| for |
| Marlborough Literature Festival |
| REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: |
| REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: |
| Report of the Trustees and |
| Unaudited Financial Statements |
| for the Year Ended 31 December 2025 |
| for |
| Marlborough Literature Festival |
| Marlborough Literature Festival |
| Contents of the Financial Statements |
| for the Year Ended 31 December 2025 |
| Page |
| Report of the Trustees | 1 | to | 2 |
| Independent Examiner's Report | 3 |
| Statement of Financial Activities | 4 |
| Balance Sheet | 5 |
| Notes to the Financial Statements | 6 | to | 11 |
| Marlborough Literature Festival (Registered number: 07070372) |
| Report of the Trustees |
| for the Year Ended 31 December 2025 |
| 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 2025. 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 objectives of the company are to offer the public opportunities for the appreciation, enjoyment and understanding of Literature and the Arts including holding an annual literature festival. |
| Public benefit |
| The trustees have paid due regard to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit in deciding what activities the charity should undertake. The trustees consider that they have acted in the public benefit. |
| ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE |
| Charitable activities |
| The Charity held the 2025 Marlborough Literature Festival from 25 to 28 September. This included a full and diverse programme of ticketed events together with free author events for primary schools in Marlborough, Devizes, Pewsey and Calne, two events for St John's Academy in Marlborough, and free activities for families, with more than 1500 children and young people benefiting. Other outreach activities included supporting an author event in Erlestoke prison, and providing an author who both talked to, and sang with, attendees of the Jubilee Centre in Marlborough, a community centre for the over 60s.. Profit was generated thanks to increased income from ticket sales and a successful expansion of the Friends scheme to add higher levels of membership. |
| FINANCIAL REVIEW |
| Reserves policy |
| It is the aim of the Trustees to have reserves of at least 50% of an annual festival's anticipated costs. At 31 December 2025, reserves were £74,482 which is in excess of this policy. The Trustees recognise their good fortune in having reserves and decided it was reasonable to continue using some of them if needed but also to enable plans for future festivals and outreach activities to take place. This included the retention of their PR and administration support. |
| FUTURE PLANS |
| In the Autumn, the committee began planning for a full festival in 2026 and to include an increased outreach programme although mindful that sponsorship money may be reduced. |
| STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT |
| Governing document |
| The Marlborough Literature Festival is a company limited by guarantee as defined by the Companies Act 2006. It was constituted as a company on 9 November 2009 and is governed by a Memorandum and Articles of Association. |
| Recruitment and appointment of new trustees |
| Trustees are recruited from the local community and are appointed by the board of trustees. |
| REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS |
| Registered Company number |
| Registered Charity number |
| Marlborough Literature Festival (Registered number: 07070372) |
| Report of the Trustees |
| for the Year Ended 31 December 2025 |
| Registered office |
| Trustees |
| Company Secretary |
| Independent Examiner |
| James Gare |
| Monahans |
| Chartered Accountants |
| Hermes House |
| Fire Fly Avenue |
| Swindon |
| Wiltshire |
| SN2 2GA |
| Approved by order of the board of trustees on |
| Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of |
| Marlborough Literature Festival |
| Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Marlborough Literature Festival ('the Company') |
| I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 December 2025. |
| 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. |
| James Gare |
| Monahans |
| Chartered Accountants |
| Hermes House |
| Fire Fly Avenue |
| Swindon |
| Wiltshire |
| SN2 2GA |
| 22 July 2026 |
| Marlborough Literature Festival |
| Statement of Financial Activities |
| for the Year Ended 31 December 2025 |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| Unrestricted | Total |
| funds | funds |
| Notes | £ | £ |
| INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM |
| Donations and legacies | 3 |
| Charitable activities | 6 |
| Other trading activities | 4 |
| Investment income | 5 |
| Total |
| EXPENDITURE ON |
| Charitable activities | 7 |
| NET INCOME |
| RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS |
| Total funds brought forward |
| TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD | 66,365 |
| Marlborough Literature Festival (Registered number: 07070372) |
| Balance Sheet |
| 31 December 2025 |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| Unrestricted | Total |
| funds | funds |
| Notes | £ | £ |
| CURRENT ASSETS |
| Cash at bank |
| CREDITORS |
| Amounts falling due within one year | 13 | ( |
) | ( |
) |
| NET CURRENT ASSETS |
| TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES |
| NET ASSETS |
| FUNDS | 14 |
| Unrestricted funds | 66,365 |
| TOTAL FUNDS | 66,365 |
| The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 December 2025. |
| The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2025 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 |
| Marlborough Literature Festival |
| Notes to the Financial Statements |
| for the Year Ended 31 December 2025 |
| 1. | STATUTORY INFORMATION |
| Marlborough Literature Festival is a charitable company limited by guarantee, without share capital, incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office address, nature of the charity's operations and principal activities can be found in the Trustees' Report. |
| 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. |
| The financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis under the historical cost convention, modified to include certain items at fair value. The financial statements are prepared in sterling which is the functional currency of the charity and rounded to the nearest pound. |
| There are no significant areas of judgements or key sources of estimation uncertainty. |
| The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the Charity's ability to continue as a going concern. |
| Legal status of the Charity |
| The charity is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital. In the event of the charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the charity. |
| 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. |
| Income from government and other grants, whether ‘capital’ grants or ‘revenue’ grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred. |
| 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. |
| Irrecoverable VAT is charged against the expenditure heading for which it was incurred. |
| Tangible fixed assets |
| Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life. |
| Fixtures and fittings | - |
| Taxation |
| The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities. |
| Marlborough Literature Festival |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the Year Ended 31 December 2025 |
| 2. | ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued |
| Fund accounting |
| Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees. |
| Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes. |
| Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements. |
| Financial instruments |
| The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value. |
| Debtors |
| Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due. |
| Cash at bank and in hand |
| Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account. |
| Creditors and provisions |
| Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting 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 and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due. |
| 3. | DONATIONS AND LEGACIES |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Donations |
| 4. | OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Cafe/ bar sales | 1,179 | 790 |
| 5. | INVESTMENT INCOME |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Deposit account interest |
| Marlborough Literature Festival |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the Year Ended 31 December 2025 |
| 6. | INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| Activity | £ | £ |
| Sponsorship | Festival | 16,980 | 16,875 |
| Ticket sales | Festival | 50,227 | 46,667 |
| 7. | CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES COSTS |
| Direct |
| Costs (see | Support |
| note 8) | costs | Totals |
| £ | £ | £ |
| Festival | 79,677 | 1,795 | 81,472 |
| 8. | DIRECT COSTS OF CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Insurance | 967 | 998 |
| Brochure printing and postage | 2,733 | 3,497 |
| Marketing and photography | 6,283 | 7,133 |
| Speaker fees | 20,499 | 16,283 |
| Speaker travel and accommodation and other expenses | 5,914 | 4,163 |
| Room hire and PA systems | 15,683 | 11,739 |
| Sundries | 1,323 | 652 |
| Website and email costs | 694 | 138 |
| Front of house entertaining | 1,261 | 1,737 |
| Printing and advertising | 4,615 | 2,842 |
| Design services | 3,120 | 2,533 |
| Admin support | 10,688 | 10,216 |
| Outreach events | 5,582 | 3,391 |
| Love Books competition costs | - | 1,200 |
| Launch events | 172 | 1,354 |
| Ticket and box office costs | 143 | - |
| 79,677 | 67,876 |
| 9. | NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) |
| Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting): |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Independent examination | 1,795 | 1,740 |
| Marlborough Literature Festival |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the Year Ended 31 December 2025 |
| 10. | TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS |
| There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 December 2025 nor for the year ended 31 December 2024. |
| Trustees' expenses |
| There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 December 2025 nor for the year ended 31 December 2024. |
| 11. | COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES |
| Unrestricted |
| funds |
| £ |
| INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM |
| Donations and legacies |
| Charitable activities |
| Other trading activities |
| Investment income |
| Total |
| EXPENDITURE ON |
| Charitable activities |
| NET INCOME |
| RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS |
| Total funds brought forward |
| TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD | 66,365 |
| Marlborough Literature Festival |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the Year Ended 31 December 2025 |
| 12. | TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS |
| Fixtures |
| and |
| fittings |
| £ |
| COST |
| At 1 January 2025 and 31 December 2025 |
| DEPRECIATION |
| At 1 January 2025 and 31 December 2025 |
| NET BOOK VALUE |
| At 31 December 2025 |
| At 31 December 2024 |
| 13. | CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Accruals and deferred income |
| Included in accruals and deferred income is £6,000 of deferred income which relates to donations received in advance of the 2026 festival. |
| 14. | MOVEMENT IN FUNDS |
| Net |
| movement | At |
| At 1.1.25 | in funds | 31.12.25 |
| £ | £ | £ |
| Unrestricted funds |
| General fund | 66,365 | 8,117 | 74,482 |
| TOTAL FUNDS | 8,117 | 74,482 |
| Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows: |
| Incoming | Resources | Movement |
| resources | expended | in funds |
| £ | £ | £ |
| Unrestricted funds |
| General fund | 89,589 | (81,472 | ) | 8,117 |
| TOTAL FUNDS | ( |
) | 8,117 |
| Marlborough Literature Festival |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the Year Ended 31 December 2025 |
| 14. | MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued |
| Comparatives for movement in funds |
| Net |
| movement | At |
| At 1.1.24 | in funds | 31.12.24 |
| £ | £ | £ |
| Unrestricted funds |
| General fund | 60,524 | 5,841 | 66,365 |
| TOTAL FUNDS | 60,524 | 5,841 | 66,365 |
| Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows: |
| Incoming | Resources | Movement |
| resources | expended | in funds |
| £ | £ | £ |
| Unrestricted funds |
| General fund | 75,457 | (69,616 | ) | 5,841 |
| TOTAL FUNDS | 75,457 | (69,616 | ) | 5,841 |
| 15. | RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES |