Liverpool Irish Festival
The principal activity of the Charity is to celebrate the links between Liverpool and Ireland via the development of a permanent, annual event to highlight the significance of Irish traditions, music, literature, theatre and art in defining Liverpool's culture and status as a great European city.
Objects
THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC IN THE ARTS OF MUSIC, DRAMA, LITERATURE AND THE PLASTIC ARTS, IN PARTICULAR BUT WITHOUT LIMITATION TO THE GENERALITY THEREOF THOSE ARTS ORIGINATING OR DEVELOPED IN THE ISLAND OF IRELAND
Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts
The accounts state that the charity reported a net deficit of £36,277 for the year, resulting in a significant depletion of unrestricted reserves from £17,451 to £537. The trustees acknowledge that reserves are below their stated policy target of covering 3-6 months of operational costs due to higher-than-anticipated PAYE costs and the absence of arts programme funding. Despite these financial pressures, the trustees remain satisfied that the charity can continue as a going concern based on future funding forecasts.
What the accounts disclose
“the Festival seeks to maintain unrestricted reserves at a level that covers 3-6 months of operational costs”
“The charitable activities are entirely dependent on continuing grant aid and voluntary donations as well as trading revenues. As a consequence, the going concern basis is dependent on the future flow of these uncertain funding streams.” — page 19
Policies the charity declares
- Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
- Complaints handling
- Complaints policy and procedures
- Conflicting interests
- Financial reserves policy and procedures
- Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
- Internal risk management policy and procedures
- Risk management
- Safeguarding policy and procedures
- Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
- Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
- Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
- Trustee expenses policy and procedures
- Volunteer management
Trustees
- Dr ANN HOSKINSchair
- Clare McGrath
- Gerard Martin Diver
- JOHN ANDRE CHANDLER
- Martin James Bond
- Mary Josephine Hickman
- Oliver Jordan Hall
- Patsy Anne Connor
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/12/2025 | £141k | £134k |
| 31/12/2024 | £132k | £168k |
| 31/12/2023 | £108k | £112k |
| 31/12/2022 | £107k | £128k |
| 31/12/2021 | £118k | £100k |
Common questions
Is Liverpool Irish Festival financially healthy?
Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net deficit of £36,277 for the year, resulting in a significant depletion of unrestricted reserves from £17,451 to £537. The trustees acknowledge that reserves are below their stated policy target of covering 3-6 months of operational costs due to higher-than-anticipated PAYE costs and the absence of arts programme funding. Despite these financial pressures, the trustees remain satisfied that the charity can continue as a going concern based on future funding forecasts. Its FY2024 accounts were independently examined.
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 10/07/2025 | £57k | "Resolve" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 06/09/2023 | £100k | "Revealing the Liverpool Irish Famine Trail" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 27/04/2021 | £46k | "Revitalising Liverpool's Irish Famine Trail" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 25/01/2011 | £50k | "Discovering the Liverpool Irish" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 30/09/2009 | £7k | "Quilts and Arpilleras that Speak Out" |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 25/08/2006 | £5k | 2006 Liverpool Irish Festival |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 22/09/2005 | £5k | Liverpool Irish Festival 2005 |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 18/09/2003 | £5k | "The Group Will Create A Irish Festival And Develop It Into An Annual Multiple Event To Celebrate The City'S Considerable Irish Heritage. The" |
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| THE IRELAND FUND OF GREAT BRITAIN | 2 | £115k |
| PAUL HAMLYN FOUNDATION | 1 | £230k |
| DRAPERS CHARITABLE FUND | 1 | £150k |
| NATIONAL ART COLLECTIONS FUND | 1 | £25k |
| THE T. S. ELIOT FOUNDATION | 1 | £10k |
| THE AMPERSAND FOUNDATION | 1 | £10k |
| THE HENRY MOORE FOUNDATION | 1 | £10k |
| THE HEMBY CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £7k |
Charities like this
- LIVERPOOL IRISH CENTRE
- THE LLANGOLLEN INTERNATIONAL MUSICAL EISTEDDFOD LIMITED
- IRISH CULTURAL CENTRE HAMMERSMITH LTD
- LIVERPOOL BIENNIAL OF CONTEMPORARY ART LIMITED
- THE HONOURABLE THE IRISH SOCIETY
- IRISH YOUTH FOUNDATION (UK) LIMITED
Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool Irish Festival | £141k | — | — | unclear | — | noted |
| LIVERPOOL IRISH CENTRE | £374k | — | 0 | below | — | noted |
| THE LLANGOLLEN INTERNATIONAL MUSICAL EISTEDDFOD LIMITED | £1.5m | Under £60,000 | 0 | below | — | no doubt |
| IRISH CULTURAL CENTRE HAMMERSMITH LTD | £1.1m | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| LIVERPOOL BIENNIAL OF CONTEMPORARY ART LIMITED | £1.5m | — | — | above | — | no doubt |
| THE HONOURABLE THE IRISH SOCIETY | £611k | — | 0 | below | — | no doubt |