THE INTERNATIONAL ORGAN FESTIVAL SOCIETY LIMITED

Registered charity 1006151 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as INTERNATIONAL ORGAN FESTIVAL AT ST ALBANS

Running an International Pipe Organ Competition and Festival every other year.

Causes: Education/training · Arts/culture/heritage/science · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£365k

Latest spending

£360k

Registered

1991

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity achieved a modest surplus of £4,748 for the year ended 30 September 2025, bringing total funds to £39,236. The trustees report that the organization is dependent on continued donor support and faces challenges from rising costs and economic turbulence, though they remain satisfied that adequate resources exist to continue operations for the foreseeable future.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: four months of normal net running costs and the net cost of a major Festival (held: £30k)

“The Directors consider that the aim of the Society should be to create reserves sufficient to fund the normal net running costs of the Society for a period of four months and the net cost of a major Festival. At the year-end there is a surplus of £30,286 on the General Fund, resulting in an overall balance sheet of £39,236 in respect of total funds.” — page 4

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Going concern: noted by the trustees or auditor

“the directors acknowledge that they are dependent on the continued support of the society’s many donors and that the potential shortfall in donations and potential restrictions on future Festival income, due to the turbulent economy, demonstrates the need to obtain additional new sources of funding”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Payments to trustees: Remuneration of £43,000 paid to Xdiem Limited, a company controlled by the Artistic Director.

“Consultancy Fees of £43,000 (2024: £43,000) have been paid to Xdiem Limited, a company controlled by the Artistic Director. No remuneration was paid to the other Directors of the Board.” — page 11

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Funders the charity credits

Named as funders/supporters on the charity’s own website (the charity’s claim, distinct from accounts-verified grants).

The Alan Brentnall Charitable Trust — “The Alan Brentnall Charitable Trust” (source page)
The Champniss Foundation — “The Champniss Foundation” (source page)
Eric Thompson Charitable Trust for Organists — “Eric Thompson Charitable Trust for Organists” (source page)
Gretna Charitable Trust — “Gretna Charitable Trust” (source page)
Sir Henry Angest Foundation — “Sir Henry Angest Foundation” (source page)
The Kirby Laing Foundation — “The Kirby Laing Foundation” (source page)
The Williams Church Music Trust — “The Williams Church Music Trust” (source page)

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook · instagram

Trustees · trustee networks

Prof. Christopher Barry Woodchair · trustee of 1 other charity
COLIN CHARLES HAMLING
DAVID MICHAEL TITTERINGTON
Heather Frances Smith
Jonathan Nicolas Penny
Michael John Hurford · trustee of 1 other charity
Robert George Dixon

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Hertfordshire

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
30/09/2025	£365k	£360k
30/09/2024	£109k	£104k
30/09/2023	£321k	£337k
30/09/2022	£171k	£160k
30/09/2021	£213k	£223k

Common questions

Is THE INTERNATIONAL ORGAN FESTIVAL SOCIETY LIMITED financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity achieved a modest surplus of £4,748 for the year ended 30 September 2025, bringing total funds to £39,236. The trustees report that the organization is dependent on continued donor support and faces challenges from rising costs and economic turbulence, though they remain satisfied that adequate resources exist to continue operations for the foreseeable future. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Who funds THE INTERNATIONAL ORGAN FESTIVAL SOCIETY LIMITED?

Funders whose own accounts filings name THE INTERNATIONAL ORGAN FESTIVAL SOCIETY LIMITED as a grant recipient include THE ALAN BRENTNALL CHARITABLE TRUST, THE SALISBURY POOL CHARITY COMPRISING THE FIRST MOIETY ESTABLISHED BY CLAUSE 2 OF THE DEED OF DECLARATION DATED 23RD MARCH 1976.

Known funders

Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
THE ALAN BRENTNALL CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£15k
THE SALISBURY POOL CHARITY COMPRISING THE FIRST MOIETY ESTABLISHED BY CLAUSE 2 OF THE DEED OF DECLARATION DATED 23RD MARCH 1976	FY2022	£7k	Social welfare
THE SALISBURY POOL CHARITY COMPRISING THE FIRST MOIETY ESTABLISHED BY CLAUSE 2 OF THE DEED OF DECLARATION DATED 23RD MARCH 1976	FY2023	£250	Social welfare

Funders of similar charities

Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.

Funder	Similar charities funded	Amount to them
THE LORD FARINGDON CHARITABLE TRUST	2	£28k
THE MARCHUS TRUST	2	£10k
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS FOUNDATION	2	£4k
Laidlaw Opera Trust	1	£458k
THE FOYLE FOUNDATION	1	£98k
THE LINBURY TRUST	1	£50k
THE JOHN BOOTH CHARITABLE FOUNDATION	1	£25k
THE BAND TRUST	1	£25k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with LONDON CONTEMPORARY MUSIC FESTIVAL.

LONDON CONTEMPORARY MUSIC FESTIVAL income £156k
THE LLANGOLLEN INTERNATIONAL MUSICAL EISTEDDFOD LIMITED income £1.5m
ROYAL CHORAL SOCIETY LIMITED income £285k
INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FOUNDATION & FESTIVALS income £231k
THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF EXPORT & INTERNATIONAL TRADE income £16.1m
THE GRANGE FESTIVAL income £4.0m

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
THE INTERNATIONAL ORGAN FESTIVAL SOCIETY LIMITED	£365k	—	0	unclear	—	noted
LONDON CONTEMPORARY MUSIC FESTIVAL FY2025	£156k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
THE LLANGOLLEN INTERNATIONAL MUSICAL EISTEDDFOD LIMITED FY2025	£1.5m	Under £60,000	0	below	—	no doubt
ROYAL CHORAL SOCIETY LIMITED FY2025	£285k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FOUNDATION & FESTIVALS FY2024	£231k	—	0	below	—	no doubt
THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF EXPORT & INTERNATIONAL TRADE FY2024	£16.1m	£240,001 - £250,000	—	above	—	no doubt

Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.