MORTAL FOOLS
1. Using arts-based techniques to provide professional training and personal development activities2. Running an ensemble youth theatre company for young people between 8 & 193. Running drama and theatre-making activities in schools 4. Offering workshops to educate children & adults in life skills and technical theatre skills5. Performing plays for the general public
Objects
For the benefit of the public particularly but not exclusively in the north of England, the Company’s Objects are, through the teaching, practice and showcasing of the arts in all their forms:(1) To help children and young people develop their skills, capacity and capabilities to enable them to participate fully in society as responsible, mature and fulfilled individuals;(2) To advance the mental health education of children, young people, their significant adults and the general public to improve mental wellbeing;(3) To promote, support and improve the social inclusion of children and young people who are socially excluded by providing them with opportunities to access activities and develop their skills and experiences in such a way that they are better able to participate more fully in society;(For the purposes of this clause ‘socially excluded’ means children and young people (up to aged 25) who are excluded from society, or parts of society (like social circles) as a result of one or more of the following factors: socio-economic circumstances; race; gender; poor educational or skills attainment; mental health; disability; bullying and harassment and ethnic origin. (4) To maintain, improve, and advance arts education of children and young people, professional artists and the general public.
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that unrestricted reserves of £209,940 exceed the trustees' minimum free reserves target of £145,000, indicating adequate financial resilience. The charity reports no material uncertainties regarding its ability to continue operating and maintains a diversified income stream despite high competition for grant funding.
What the accounts disclose
“At present, the Trustees estimate that the Unrestricted Reserves required to cover all known liabilities for a period of 3 months amounts to approximately £145,000 and that this should be the minimum Free Reserves Target held in the accounts.” — page 6
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
- Investing charity funds policy and procedures
- Paying staff
- Risk management
- Safeguarding policy and procedures
- Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
- Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
- Social media policy and procedures
- Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
- Trustee expenses policy and procedures
- Volunteer management
From the charity’s annual return (Part A, self-declared)
Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2025
- Volunteers: 1
- Government income: £147,048 — contracts £116,000 (1), grants £31,048 (6); 24% of the £620,346 total gross income on the same return
- Trustee benefits, answered Yes to: any trustee benefit; other trustee benefit
Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2024
- Volunteers: 2
- Government income: £140,220 — contracts £36,874 (2), grants £103,346 (8); 24% of the £592,789 total gross income on the same return
- Trustee benefits, answered Yes to: any trustee benefit; other trustee benefit
Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2023
- Volunteers: 4
- Government income: £29,720 — grants £29,720 (4); 7% of the £434,654 total gross income on the same return
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)
Trustees
- Richard Wisechair
- Eloise Grace Barber
- Helen Green
- Katie Louise Crawley
- Kelly Louise Martin
- Lesley Anne Jobson
- Maisie Bjork Elizabeth Saunders
- Mark Gate
- Rachel Pattinson
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/03/2025 | £620k | £656k |
| 31/03/2024 | £593k | £611k |
| 31/03/2023 | £435k | £492k |
| 31/03/2022 | £621k | £382k |
| 31/03/2021 | £486k | £405k |
Common questions
Is MORTAL FOOLS financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that unrestricted reserves of £209,940 exceed the trustees' minimum free reserves target of £145,000, indicating adequate financial resilience. The charity reports no material uncertainties regarding its ability to continue operating and maintains a diversified income stream despite high competition for grant funding. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.
Who funds MORTAL FOOLS?
Funders whose own accounts filings name MORTAL FOOLS as a grant recipient include THE BERNICIA FOUNDATION, SIR ROBERT GEFFERY'S ALMSHOUSE TRUST, THE JOICEY TRUST, THE VIRGIN MONEY FOUNDATION.
Known funders
| Funder | Year | Amount | Purpose (as stated by the funder) |
|---|---|---|---|
| THE BERNICIA FOUNDATION | FY2026 | £10k | |
| SIR ROBERT GEFFERY'S ALMSHOUSE TRUST | FY2023 | £2k | Grant funding of activities |
| THE JOICEY TRUST | FY2026 | £2k | |
| THE VIRGIN MONEY FOUNDATION | FY2021 | £500 | Community Anchors' Fund / General Grants |
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community Foundation North East | 19/03/2026 | £5k | Grant to Mortal Fools |
| Community Foundation North East | 22/01/2026 | £1k | Grant to Mortal Fools |
| Community Foundation North East | 15/01/2026 | £3k | Grant to Mortal Fools |
| Community Foundation North East | 12/06/2025 | £5k | Grant to Mortal Fools |
| Community Foundation North East | 02/04/2025 | £3k | Grant to Mortal Fools |
| Postcode Lottery | 10/02/2025 | £50k | Millionaire Street 2025 02w4 Year 1 |
| Community Foundation North East | 23/01/2025 | £1k | Grant to Mortal Fools |
| Community Foundation North East | 28/11/2024 | £5k | Grant to Mortal Fools |
| Community Foundation North East | 06/06/2024 | £2k | Grant to Mortal Fools |
| Community Foundation North East | 18/04/2024 | £3k | Grant to Mortal Fools |
| Community Foundation North East | 23/03/2023 | £2k | Grant to Mortal Fools |
| Community Foundation North East | 16/03/2023 | £10k | Grant to Mortal Fools |
| Community Foundation North East | 16/03/2023 | £5k | Grant to Mortal Fools |
| Community Foundation North East | 10/02/2023 | £3k | Grant to Mortal Fools |
| Community Foundation North East | 10/02/2023 | £10k | Grant to Mortal Fools |
| Community Foundation North East | 26/01/2023 | £1k | Grant to Mortal Fools |
| Community Foundation North East | 17/11/2022 | £5k | Grant to Mortal Fools |
| Community Foundation North East | 20/10/2022 | £5k | Grant to Mortal Fools |
| Community Foundation North East | 28/07/2022 | £3k | Grant to Mortal Fools |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 08/04/2022 | £10k | ACE Joy - a young people's project for community wellbeing |
| Community Foundation North East | 23/02/2022 | £2k | A grant to Mortal Fools |
| Community Foundation North East | 17/02/2022 | £6k | A grant to Mortal Fools |
| Community Foundation North East | 03/02/2022 | £1k | A grant to Mortal Fools |
| Community Foundation North East | 13/01/2022 | £5k | A grant to Mortal Fools |
| Community Foundation North East | 03/06/2021 | £15k | A grant to Mortal Fools |
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| THE NISBET TRUST | 1 | £580k |
| THE PRUDENCE TRUST | 1 | £289k |
| BAKER FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £267k |
| THE STEVE MORGAN FOUNDATION | 1 | £266k |
| JOHN JAMES BRISTOL FOUNDATION | 1 | £190k |
| THE NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR YOUTH MUSIC | 1 | £179k |
| THE FIDELITY UK FOUNDATION | 1 | £147k |
| BARNWOOD TRUST | 1 | £98k |
Charities like this
- FIFTY THREE TWO
- SHALLAL
- FOR CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE
- CAN'T SIT STILL
- CROYDON YOUTH THEATRE ORGANISATION
- CREATIVE YOUTH NETWORK
Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MORTAL FOOLS | £620k | — | 0 | above | — | no doubt |
| FIFTY THREE TWO | £139k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| SHALLAL | £147k | — | 0 | below | — | no doubt |
| FOR CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE | £1.5m | — | 0 | unclear | 1.0% | no doubt |
| CAN'T SIT STILL | £202k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| CROYDON YOUTH THEATRE ORGANISATION | £140k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |