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

BRASS FOR AFRICA

Registered charity 1149863 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

Brass for Africa uses music and music education to empower, support and uplift disadvantaged young people and struggling communities. Operating in Uganda and Liberia

Causes: Education/training · Arts/culture/heritage/science · Economic/community Development/employment · website · Get email alerts

Latest income
£916k
Latest spending
£865k
Registered
2012
Accounts read
FY2024

Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts

The accounts state that the charity generated a surplus of £50,478 for the year ended 31 December 2024, with total income of £915,692 and expenditure of £865,214. The charity holds unrestricted reserves of £118,288, which the trustees consider sufficient to meet their policy of holding three months of funding for core programmes. While the charity remains a going concern, the trustees note that the year ahead will remain challenging due to rising costs and fundraising limitations.

Automated summary of the FY2024 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: 3 months of funding for core music programmes and teacher funding (held: £118k)
“The Trustees' reserve policy is to hold 3 months of funding for core music programmes and teacher funding, and at the year-end held sufficient reserves in line with the policy.” — page 27
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: The charity paid expenses to a relative of one trustee during the year, as part of the relatives service to the charity as a volunteer.
“The charity paid expenses to a relative of one trustee during the year, as part of the relatives service to the charity as a volunteer. These were paid on the same basis as other volunteers.” — page 41
“The charity also has an approved contract for services in place with a relative of one trustee to provide design services to the charity.” — page 41
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: The charity has an approved contract for services in place with a relative of one trustee to provide design services.
“The charity paid expenses to a relative of one trustee during the year, as part of the relatives service to the charity as a volunteer. These were paid on the same basis as other volunteers.” — page 41
“The charity also has an approved contract for services in place with a relative of one trustee to provide design services to the charity.” — page 41
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Governance: The charity reported a single incident of safeguarding to the Charities Commission in 2024, which was investigated and closed.
“In 2024, Brass for Africa reported a single incident of safeguarding to the Charities Commission. The incident was investigated and closed.”
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

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

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2024)

Total income
£916k
Total spending
£865k
Cost of raising funds
£143k
Reserves (reported)
£73k
Employees
45

Reported reserves equal ~1.0 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (98% 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: 15.6% of total income — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 4.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Liberia · Uganda

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/12/2024£916k£865k
31/12/2023£923k£870k
31/12/2022£503k£561k
31/12/2021£367k£407k
31/12/2020£568k£315k

Common questions

Is BRASS FOR AFRICA financially healthy?

Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that the charity generated a surplus of £50,478 for the year ended 31 December 2024, with total income of £915,692 and expenditure of £865,214. The charity holds unrestricted reserves of £118,288, which the trustees consider sufficient to meet their policy of holding three months of funding for core programmes. While the charity remains a going concern, the trustees note that the year ahead will remain challenging due to rising costs and fundraising limitations. Its FY2024 accounts were independently examined.

Who funds BRASS FOR AFRICA?

Funders whose own accounts filings name BRASS FOR AFRICA as a grant recipient include THE DOW CLEWER FOUNDATION, THE ORR MACKINTOSH FOUNDATION LIMITED, THE BRITFORD BRIDGE TRUST, THE VERNON ELLIS FOUNDATION, UBS UK Donor-Advised Foundation.

Known funders

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

FunderYearAmountPurpose (as stated by the funder)
THE DOW CLEWER FOUNDATIONFY2024£78kMusic & Life-Skills education
THE DOW CLEWER FOUNDATIONFY2023£75kSupport for marginalised children and young people in Sub-Saharan Africa
THE DOW CLEWER FOUNDATIONFY2022£70k
THE ORR MACKINTOSH FOUNDATION LIMITEDFY2025£15k
THE BRITFORD BRIDGE TRUSTFY2025£15kSecondary
THE ORR MACKINTOSH FOUNDATION LIMITEDFY2024£13k
THE BRITFORD BRIDGE TRUSTFY2025£10kPrimary
THE BRITFORD BRIDGE TRUSTFY2024£10kPrimary
THE VERNON ELLIS FOUNDATIONFY2022£10k
THE BRITFORD BRIDGE TRUSTFY2025£10kPrimary
THE BRITFORD BRIDGE TRUSTFY2024£10kPrimary
UBS UK Donor-Advised FoundationFY2021£0