HASTINGS PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
We deliver concerts (orchestral, choral, ensemble, chamber choir), recitals (wind, string & piano quintets, quartets and trios, vocal solo and duets), and opera performances and community projects, as well as free workshops and masterclasses for school children, a free children's choir and concerts and free open-air family concerts and pop-up public concerts in Hastings and the surrounding towns.
Objects
THE OBJECT OF THE CIO IS:TO ADVANCE EDUCATION IN THE ART OF CLASSICAL MUSIC FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT IN HASTINGS AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS IN PARTICULAR BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY BY PROVIDING AND ASSISTING IN THE PROVISION OF PUBLIC ORCHESTRAL CONCERTS, PERFORMANCES AND RECITALS AND BY SUCH OTHER WAYS AS THE TRUSTEES SHALL DETERMINE FROM TIME TO TIME.
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the charity ended the year with a net deficit of £12,923, reducing its unrestricted reserves to £20,240. The trustees confirm the charity remains a going concern with adequate resources for the foreseeable future.
What the accounts disclose
“During the year two trustees were paid for the provision of services to the charity, Marcio da Silva was paid a total of £23,051 for his administrative role of CEO/Artistic director and Helen May da Silva was paid £15,368 for her role as General manager.” — page 13
“Marcio da Silva was paid a total of £23,051 for his administrative role of CEO/Artistic director and Helen May da Silva was paid £15,368 for her role as General manager.”
“Marcio da Silva was paid a total of £23,051 for his administrative role of CEO/Artistic director and Helen May da Silva was paid £15,368 for her role as General manager.”
“Marcio da Silva was paid a total of £23,051 for his administrative role of CEO/Artistic director and Helen May da Silva was paid £15,368 for her role as General manager.”
“Marcio da Silva was paid a total of £23,051 for his administrative role of CEO/Artistic director and Helen May da Silva was paid £15,368 for her role as General manager.”
Policies the charity declares
- Complaints handling
- Conflicting interests
- Financial reserves policy and procedures
- Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
- Internal risk management policy and procedures
- Paying staff
- Risk management
- Safeguarding policy and procedures
- Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
- Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
- Trustee conflicts of interest 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 31/08/2025
- Volunteers: 15
- 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 31/08/2024
- Volunteers: 20
- 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 31/08/2023
- Volunteers: 20
- Government income: £50,250 — grants £50,250 (2); 31% of the £162,535 total gross income on the same return
- Trustee benefits, answered Yes to: any trustee benefit; payments to trustees for services to the charity
Trustees
- Brenden Laurence O'Sullivan
- Helen May da Silva
- Hugh Philpott
- John Read
- Laetitia Yhap
- Marcio Tadeu Lemos Paes Goncalves da Silva
- Megan Skinner
- Tom Hoffman MBE
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/08/2025 | £147k | £160k |
| 31/08/2024 | £158k | £129k |
| 31/08/2023 | £163k | £180k |
| 31/08/2022 | £199k | £186k |
| 31/08/2021 | £72k | £78k |
Common questions
Is HASTINGS PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity ended the year with a net deficit of £12,923, reducing its unrestricted reserves to £20,240. The trustees confirm the charity remains a going concern with adequate resources for the foreseeable future. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.
Who funds HASTINGS PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA?
Funders whose own accounts filings name HASTINGS PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA as a grant recipient include THE MARCHUS TRUST.
Known funders
| Funder | Year | Amount | Purpose (as stated by the funder) |
|---|---|---|---|
| THE MARCHUS TRUST | FY2023 | £3k |
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 14/01/2022 | £7k | HPO Songbirds |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 05/03/2021 | £3k | Children's Choir |
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| THE RANK FOUNDATION LIMITED | 1 | £100k |
| THE HOBSON CHARITY LIMITED | 1 | £20k |
| THE ISABEL BLACKMAN FOUNDATION | 1 | £6k |
| GOWLING WLG (UK) CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £2k |
| THE SAINTBURY TRUST | 1 | £1k |
| The Caledonia Investments Charitable Foundation | 1 | £1k |
Charities like this
- HASTINGS PHILHARMONIC CHOIR
- HASTINGS INTERNATIONAL PIANO
- CHESTERFIELD PHILHARMONIC CHOIR
- HATFIELD PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
- HUNTINGDONSHIRE PHILHARMONIC
- SOUTHAMPTON PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY
Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HASTINGS PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA | £147k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| HASTINGS PHILHARMONIC CHOIR | £46k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| HASTINGS INTERNATIONAL PIANO | £256k | — | 0 | below | — | no doubt |
| CHESTERFIELD PHILHARMONIC CHOIR | £35k | £6,875 | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| HATFIELD PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA | £45k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| HUNTINGDONSHIRE PHILHARMONIC | £43k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |