OVO

Registered charity 1159409 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

to promote and advance the education of the public in the arts, in particular the performing arts.

Objects

1. TO PROMOTE AND ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC IN THE ARTS AND IN PARTICULAR THE PERFORMING ARTS.2. TO PROVIDE OR ASSIST IN THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES IN THE INTERESTS OF SOCIAL WELFARE FOR RECREATION OR OTHER LEISURE TIME OCCUPATION OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NEED OF SUCH FACILITIES BY REASON OF THEIR YOUTH, AGE, ECONOMIC OR SOCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OR FOR THE PUBLIC AT LARGE WITH THE OBJECT OF IMPROVING THEIR CONDITIONS OF LIFE.

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

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

Registered contact address: St Albans, East of England, England (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income
£689k
Latest spending
£617k
Registered
2014
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity achieved a surplus of £71,905 for the year, resulting in total net assets of £63,453. However, unrestricted funds are in a deficit of £44,005, while restricted funds stand at £107,458. The trustees confirm the charity has adequate resources to continue as a going concern for at least 12 months.

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

What the accounts disclose

Fundraising cost ratio: 30000.0% of fundraised income, as disclosed
“The Board aims to hold reserves equal to three months' operating costs in the charity's bank account, in unrestricted funds, as a contingency for normal operating purposes.” — page 5
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy
“The Board aims to hold reserves equal to three months' operating costs in the charity's bank account, in unrestricted funds, as a contingency for normal operating purposes.” — page 5
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

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

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

From the charity’s annual return (Part A, self-declared)

Answers and figures the charity gave in Part A of its annual return to the Charity Commission. They are self-declared: not verified by the Commission or by this site. Only positive answers and figures are listed; items not listed are simply not shown.

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/12/2025

  • Volunteers: 36
  • Government income: £30,540 — grants £30,540 (1); 4% of the £688,770 total gross income on the same return

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/12/2024

  • Volunteers: 30
  • Trustee benefits, answered Yes to: any trustee benefit; payments to trustees for services to the charity

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/12/2023

  • Volunteers: 30
  • Government income: £65,488 — grants £65,488 (1); 9% of the £757,580 total gross income on the same return
  • Trustee benefits, answered Yes to: any trustee benefit; payments to trustees for services to the charity

Source: this charity’s annual returns on the Charity Commission register.

Annual return filing dates (Charity Commission record)

Of its last 5 annual returns with a recorded received date, 1 was received after the due date: year ending 31/12/2024 (received 22/12/2025, 52 days after the 31/10/2025 due date).

Due and received dates as recorded in the Commission’s annual-return data; the data does not say whether an extension was agreed. Source: this charity’s annual returns on the Charity Commission register.

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

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2025)

Total income
£689k
Total spending
£617k
Reserves (reported)
£0
Employees
0

Reported reserves equal ~0.0 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 (56% 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: 0.0% of total income — below the median for charities its size (4.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Hertfordshire

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/12/2025£689k£617k
31/12/2024£373k£363k
31/12/2023£758k£752k
31/12/2022£542k£502k
31/03/2022£542k£502k

Common questions

Is OVO financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity achieved a surplus of £71,905 for the year, resulting in total net assets of £63,453. However, unrestricted funds are in a deficit of £44,005, while restricted funds stand at £107,458. The trustees confirm the charity has adequate resources to continue as a going concern for at least 12 months. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

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.

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with THE WEYMOUTH OPERATIC SOCIETY.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
OVO£689k—0below30000.0%no doubt
THE WEYMOUTH OPERATIC SOCIETY FY2025£87k—0unclear—no doubt
OVATION MUSIC FY2025£46k—0unclear—no doubt
VAMOS THEATRE CIO FY2025£402k—0unclear—no doubt
ACTIVATE PERFORMING ARTS FY2025£642k—0above—no doubt
DEVON ARTS IN SCHOOLS INITIATIVE FY2025£179k—0above—no doubt

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