Charity Accounts Intelreading the accounts so you don’t have to

THE BRISTOL ENSEMBLE LTD

Registered charity 1075201 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as THE EMERALD ENSEMBLE LIMITED

To advance education by the establishment, operation, promotion and support of a chamber orchestra, and smaller groupings of musicians, of the highest professional standard, and by the provision of concerts, recitals and performances of classical music in Bristol, Glocestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire and elsewhere.

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

Latest income
£713k
Latest spending
£719k
Registered
1999
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that total incoming resources were £712,885, resulting in a net expenditure of £6,529 and total funds of £72,667. The trustees confirm there are no material uncertainties regarding the charity's ability to continue. The charity is classified as a small company and is entitled to exemption from audit.

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

What the accounts disclose

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

Corporate structure

Funders the charity credits

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

Company officers (Companies House)

Current officers of the charity’s own company per the Companies House register, cross-checked against the Charity Commission trustee list by name. A director not on the trustee list is usually a timing or naming difference between the two registers — check both records before drawing conclusions.

Official officers record.

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

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/08/2025)

Total income
£713k
Total spending
£719k
Cost of raising funds
£15k
Reserves (reported)
£50k
Employees
1

Reported reserves equal ~0.8 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (77% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 2.1% of total income — below the median for charities its size (4.9%) (benchmarks).

Register events

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Bristol City · North Somerset · South Gloucestershire · Wiltshire

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/08/2025£713k£719k
31/08/2024£644k£662k
31/08/2023£490k£484k
31/08/2022£370k£356k
31/08/2021£162k£149k

Common questions

Is THE BRISTOL ENSEMBLE LTD financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that total incoming resources were £712,885, resulting in a net expenditure of £6,529 and total funds of £72,667. The trustees confirm there are no material uncertainties regarding the charity's ability to continue. The charity is classified as a small company and is entitled to exemption from audit. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Who funds THE BRISTOL ENSEMBLE LTD?

Funders whose own accounts filings name THE BRISTOL ENSEMBLE LTD as a grant recipient include THE VAN NESTE FOUNDATION, THE NISBET TRUST, SPIELMAN CHARITABLE TRUST, KATHLEEN BERYL SLEIGH CHARITABLE TRUST, THE SCOPS ARTS TRUST.

Known funders

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

FunderYearAmountPurpose (as stated by the funder)
THE VAN NESTE FOUNDATIONFY2022£15kintroducing classical music to deprived kids in Bristol
THE NISBET TRUSTFY2024£11k
SPIELMAN CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2024£10k
THE NISBET TRUSTFY2023£10k
THE NISBET TRUSTFY2022£10k
SPIELMAN CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2025£10k
THE NISBET TRUSTFY2021£9k
KATHLEEN BERYL SLEIGH CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2025£5k
SPIELMAN CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£5k
THE SCOPS ARTS TRUSTFY2021£5kMusic Education & Engagement (children)
THE MERCHANT VENTURERS CHARITYFY2023£5kUnrestricted Fund Grant
THE ANTON JURGENS CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£4k
THE SCOPS ARTS TRUSTFY2023£4kMusic Education & Engagement (children)
THE SCOPS ARTS TRUSTFY2022£3kGrants awarded and paid during the period
THE ANTON JURGENS CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2024£3k
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS FOUNDATIONFY2024£3kPublic Performance
THE DAVID FAMILY FOUNDATIONFY2023£2k
THE AUSTIN AND HOPE PILKINGTON TRUSTFY2025£1kGrant Round 1 ~ £1,000

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.

FunderSimilar charities fundedAmount to them
JOHN JAMES BRISTOL FOUNDATION2£162k
THE 29TH MAY 1961 CHARITY2£72k
THE MARCHUS TRUST2£8k
THE DE BRYE CHARITABLE TRUST2£5k
L G HARRIS TRUST1—
PURPOSEFUL VENTURES1£250k
THE STEVEN BLOCH IMAGE OF DISABILITY CHARITABLE TRUST1£181k
THE FOYLE FOUNDATION1£150k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with BRISTOL CHORAL SOCIETY.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
THE BRISTOL ENSEMBLE LTD£713k—0unclear—no doubt
BRISTOL CHORAL SOCIETY FY2025£162k—0below—no doubt
BRISTOL MUSIC TRUST FY2025£14.4m——below—no doubt
BRISTOL NATURAL HISTORY CONSORTIUM FY2024£451k—0unclear—no doubt
THE BRISTOL CHILDREN'S HELP SOCIETY FY2024£280k—0unclear—no doubt
BRIGHTON EARLY MUSIC FESTIVAL LIMITED FY2025£217k—0unclear—no doubt

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