WORTHING THEATRES & MUSEUM
Worthing Theatres and Museum promotes arts and heritage, cultural events, the advancement of education and social inclusion in Worthing . The four venues we run are the Connaught Theatre and Studio, Pavilion Theatre, Assembly Hall and Worthing Museum and Art Gallery.
Objects
1. THE PROMOTION OF ARTS, PARTICULARLY BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY, BY PROMOTING AND FACILITATING ACCESS TO PERFORMANCES OF THEATRE AND DRAMATIC ARTS, AND OTHER CULTURAL ACTIVITIES.2. THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION, PARTICULARLY BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY, IN RELATION TO THEATRE, DRAMATIC ARTS AND THE PRESERVATION OF IMPORTANT HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF DECORATIVE ARTS AND CLOTHING WITHIN A MUSEUM.3. TO PROMOTE SOCIAL INCLUSION THROUGH THEATRE AND DRAMATIC ARTS, AND OTHER CULTURAL ACTIVITIES BY PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM BECOMING SOCIALLY EXCLUDED, RELIEVING THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SOCIALLY EXCLUDED AND ASSISTING THEM TO INTEGRATE INTO SOCIETY.FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS CLAUSE 'SOCIALLY EXCLUDED' MEANS BEING EXCLUDED FROM SOCIETY, OR PARTS OF SOCIETY, AS A RESULT OF ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING FACTORS:UNEMPLOYMENT, FINANCIAL HARDSHIP; YOUTH OR OLD AGE; ILL HEALTH (PHYSICAL OR MENTAL); DISCRIMINATION ON THE GROUNDS OF SEX, RACE, DISABILITY, ETHNIC ORIGIN, RELIGION, BELIEF, CREED, SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER RE-ASSIGNMENT; POOR EDUCATION OR SKILLS ATTAINMENT.4. TO PROVIDE OR ASSIST IN THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES AND CULTURAL EVENTS IN THE INTERESTS OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND TO ADVANCE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND ENGAGEMENT WITH ARTS AND CULTURE FOR RECREATION OR OTHER LEISURE TIME OCCUPATION BY INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NEED OF SUCH FACILITIES BY REASON OF YOUTH, AGE, INFIRMITY, OR DISABILITY, FINANCIAL HARDSHIP OR SOCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES WITH THE OBJECT OF IMPROVING THEIR CONDITIONS OF LIFE.
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the charity finished the year with a small operating surplus of £8,790 and holds £2.0 million in cash, though unrestricted free reserves are low at £135,000. The trustees note that costs have escalated and local authority funding is under pressure, but they maintain a going concern basis with adequate resources for the foreseeable future.
What the accounts disclose
“One employee received remuneration in the band £80,000 - £89,999 during the year” — page 50
“Combining these with our accumulated free reserves of £135k leads to a total of £432k, which is a significant amount towards our uncommitted reserves target of £750k” — page 23
“A trustee of the Charity, Mike Pailthorpe, hired rooms from the charity during the year. The total amounts paid to the Trading Subsidiary were £3,847 + VAT” — page 60
“Commercial activities that do not directly further the charitable objectives are carried out by our Trading Subsidiary Company (Worthing Theatres & Museum (Trading) Limited, company number: 12296105)” — page 29
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
- 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: 70
- Government income: £1,457,992 — contracts £1,400,261 (1), grants £57,731 (6); 25% of the £5,769,208 total gross income on the same return
- Employees paid over £60,000: 2 (£70,001–£80,000: 1; £80,001–£90,000: 1)
- Has a trading subsidiary
Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2024
- Volunteers: 82
- Government income: £1,432,010 — contracts £1,423,730 (1), grants £8,280 (4); 28% of the £5,131,054 total gross income on the same return
- Employees paid over £60,000: 2 (£60,001–£70,000: 1; £80,001–£90,000: 1)
- Has a trading subsidiary
Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2023
- Volunteers: 104
- Government income: £1,469,263 — contracts £1,466,290 (1), grants £2,973 (2); 31% of the £4,728,543 total gross income on the same return
- Employees paid over £60,000: 2 (£60,001–£70,000: 1; £80,001–£90,000: 1)
- Has a trading subsidiary
In the news
- New chief executive for Worthing Theatres & Museum
- Worthing Theatres & Museum strengthens its board of trustees
- Here’s how Worthing Theatres & Museum trust was impacted by pandemic
Property (HM Land Registry)
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)
Trustees
- James Peter Turnbullchair
- ANDREAS SPARSIS
- Cepta Kelly
- David Christopher Stewart Clark
- Helen Persson Swain
- Jane Sylvia Lodge
- Louise Burgess
- Michael Desmond Pailthorpe
- Michelle Kirk
- Rebecca Louise Wakeford
- Samuel Alexander Fisher
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/03/2025 | £5.8m | £5.8m |
| 31/03/2024 | £5.1m | £5.1m |
| 31/03/2023 | £4.7m | £4.9m |
| 31/03/2022 | £4.3m | £4.0m |
| 31/03/2021 | £2.8m | £2.4m |
Common questions
Is WORTHING THEATRES & MUSEUM financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity finished the year with a small operating surplus of £8,790 and holds £2.0 million in cash, though unrestricted free reserves are low at £135,000. The trustees note that costs have escalated and local authority funding is under pressure, but they maintain a going concern basis with adequate resources for the foreseeable future. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by HaysMac LLP.
What does the highest-paid employee of WORTHING THEATRES & MUSEUM earn?
Per its FY2025 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the £80,000 - £89,999 band.
Who funds WORTHING THEATRES & MUSEUM?
Funders whose own accounts filings name WORTHING THEATRES & MUSEUM as a grant recipient include THE LAWSON TRUST CIO, THE IDLEWILD TRUST.
Known funders
| Funder | Year | Amount | Purpose (as stated by the funder) |
|---|---|---|---|
| THE LAWSON TRUST CIO | FY2024 | £5k | Other grants |
| THE IDLEWILD TRUST | FY2023 | £5k | |
| THE LAWSON TRUST CIO | FY2025 | £5k |
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 05/03/2025 | £34k | "Threads of Change: Towards a Sustainable Future" |
| UK government | 22/10/2021 | £98k | Culture Recovery Fund: Continuity Support |
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| THE J P MARLAND CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £5k |
| THE GUNTER CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £3k |
| BAKER FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £1k |
| THE HADFIELD CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £1k |
| EARL OF CHICHESTER'S CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £500 |
Charities like this
- WORTHING MUSICAL THEATRE COMPANY
- CULTURE WARRINGTON
- WOMENS PLAYHOUSE TRUST
- WILTSHIRE CREATIVE
- WIGTON THEATRE CLUB
- WOKINGHAM THEATRE
Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WORTHING THEATRES & MUSEUM | £5.8m | £80,000 - £89,999 | — | below | — | no doubt |
| WORTHING MUSICAL THEATRE COMPANY | £106k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| CULTURE WARRINGTON | £4.5m | — | — | unclear | — | no doubt |
| WOMENS PLAYHOUSE TRUST | £119k | — | — | unclear | — | no doubt |
| WILTSHIRE CREATIVE | £7.1m | £70,001 - £80,000 | — | below | — | no doubt |
| WIGTON THEATRE CLUB | £73k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |