SOUTH MANCHESTER AOS

Registered charity 1162025 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as SMAOS

The objects for which the Society is established are :(a) to educate and entertain the public in the dramatic and operatic arts; (b) to further the development of public appreciation and taste in the said arts; and(c) to undertake such other activities which are incidental or complimentary to the above objects together with any other charitable activity.

Objects

1) THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE DRAMATIC AND OPERATIC ARTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC APPRECIATION AND TASTE IN THE SAID ARTS AND TO EDUCATE AND ENTERTAIN THE PUBLIC; AND2) TO MAKE SUCH GRANTS AND DONATIONS TO SUCH CHARITIES OR CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS AS THE COMMITTEE SHALL THINK FIT

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

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

Registered contact address: Manchester, North West, England (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income

£54k

Latest spending

£66k

Registered

2015

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The charity reported a loss of £11,788 for the year ended 31 December 2025, primarily due to a dip in ticket sales across its musical productions. Despite this deficit, the charity's unrestricted reserves stood at £66,351, which is significantly above its stated policy target of maintaining between £15,000 and £19,000. The trustees are actively seeking alternative funding and venue solutions to reduce ongoing costs after failing to secure a community asset transfer from Manchester Council.

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

What the accounts disclose

Largest income source: Charitable Activities (70% of income)

“Charitable Activities 37,946” — page 6

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves policy: between £15,000 and £19,000 (reserves figure: £66k)

“It is the policy of the charity to maintain unrestricted funds, which are free reserves of the charity, at a level between £15,000 and £19,000 being the approximate costs to produce a show.” — page 3

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Trustees received reimbursement for travel expenses which was donated back to the society under Gift Aid.

“The Trustees received a payment of £3,331 (2024 - £3,261) to reimburse travel expenses which was donated back to the society under Gift Aid” — page 9

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 4 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.

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
Investment
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

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: 71
Trustee benefits, answered Yes to: any trustee benefit; other trustee benefit

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

Volunteers: 77

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

Volunteers: 76

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

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

Trustees · trustee networks

Kevin Proctorchair
ANDREW JOHN MCNICHOLAS
Alex Re
Clare Bronwyn Cooper-Marshall
Faye McGoldison
Holly Ireland
Jessica Power
Kallum Edwards
Philippa Shellard-Ross
Sarah Gallagher
Thomas Farnworth

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

Operates in: Manchester City

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/12/2025	£54k	£66k
31/12/2024	£55k	£60k
31/12/2023	£51k	£61k
31/12/2022	£93k	£56k
31/12/2021	£23k	£20k

Common questions

Is SOUTH MANCHESTER AOS financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The charity reported a loss of £11,788 for the year ended 31 December 2025, primarily due to a dip in ticket sales across its musical productions. Despite this deficit, the charity's unrestricted reserves stood at £66,351, which is significantly above its stated policy target of maintaining between £15,000 and £19,000. The trustees are actively seeking alternative funding and venue solutions to reduce ongoing costs after failing to secure a community asset transfer from Manchester Council. 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.

Funder	Similar charities funded	Amount to them
THE SIR JOHN RITBLAT FAMILY FOUNDATION	1	£5k
CHARITY OF ROBERT PHILLIPS	1	£800

Charities like this

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

SOUTHAMPTON OPERATIC SOCIETY income £36k
HATTON MUSICAL THEATRE SOCIETY income £45k
SOLIHULL THEATRE COMPANY LIMITED income £42k
MONMOUTH MUSIC THEATRE income £18k
SOUTH LONDON THEATRE CENTRE LIMITED income £183k
MUSIC AND THEATRE FOR ALL income £101k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
SOUTH MANCHESTER AOS	£54k	—	—	above	—	no doubt
SOUTHAMPTON OPERATIC SOCIETY FY2025	£36k	—	0	unclear	—	noted
HATTON MUSICAL THEATRE SOCIETY FY2025	£45k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
SOLIHULL THEATRE COMPANY LIMITED FY2025	£42k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
MONMOUTH MUSIC THEATRE FY2024	£18k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
SOUTH LONDON THEATRE CENTRE LIMITED FY2025	£183k	—	0	below	—	no doubt

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