NORTHFIELD ARTS FORUM
Advance arts, heritage and culture education for the public in Northfield, Birmingham and surrounding areas by offering community activities and events, including classes, courses, exhibitions, performances and workshops in pottery, horticulture, dance, poetry, textiles, singing, painting, sculpture, scripted performance and creative writing.
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the charity held unrestricted free reserves of £5,696, which the Trustees consider to be below their policy target of three months of unrestricted operating expenditure. Per the trustees' report, the charity is operating in a challenging financial environment with replacement funding not yet fully secured, leading to the termination of the Artistic Director’s contract and a reliance on volunteer leadership to manage cash flow pressures.
What the accounts disclose
“Total income for the year amounted to £261,350 which included grants (£240,785), donations (£19,125) and room hire (£1,440).”
“At the year end, the charity held unrestricted free reserves of £5,696, equivalent to approximately four months of unrestricted expenditure. The Trustees consider this level of reserves to be below the target level established within the reserves policy.” — page 6
“The Trustees are aware that the charity is currently operating in a challenging financial environment due to the ending of a number of grant funding streams and the fact that replacement funding has not yet been fully secured.” — page 6
“Abbie Meacham, who was a Trustee at the time of the transactions, received payments totalling £1,030 for freelance project delivery and event support work undertaken on behalf of the charity. The arrangement was discussed and approved by the Board of Trustees, excluding the interested Trustee, on 13 March 2023. The Trustees considered the payments to be reasonable and in the best interests of the charity.” — page 21
“Leila Williams, Chair of the charity, received a payment of £500 in respect of the design and development of the charity’s website. The arrangement was approved by the remaining Trustees at a Board meeting held on 27 September 2025 on the basis that the work was considered necessary and the cost represented reasonable value to the charity. The charity also incurs an ongoing annual website hosting cost of £60 payable to Leila Williams” — page 21
“Abbie Meacham, who was a Trustee at the time of the transactions, received payments totalling £1,030 for freelance project delivery and event support work undertaken on behalf of the charity. The arrangement was discussed and approved by the Board of Trustees, excluding the interested Trustee, on 13 March 2023. The Trustees considered the payments to be reasonable and in the best interests of the charity.” — page 21
“Leila Williams, Chair of the charity, received a payment of £500 in respect of the design and development of the charity’s website. The arrangement was approved by the remaining Trustees at a Board meeting held on 27 September 2025 on the basis that the work was considered necessary and the cost represented reasonable value to the charity. The charity also incurs an ongoing annual website hosting cost of £60 payable to Leila Williams” — page 21
Trustees
- CHRISTINE SPOONER
- Deniece Gabriel
- Johnathan Stephen-Smith
- LEILA WILLIAMS
- Lachlan Thomas Telford Smith
- Portland Jones
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/03/2025 | £261k | £224k |
Common questions
Is NORTHFIELD ARTS FORUM financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity held unrestricted free reserves of £5,696, which the Trustees consider to be below their policy target of three months of unrestricted operating expenditure. Per the trustees' report, the charity is operating in a challenging financial environment with replacement funding not yet fully secured, leading to the termination of the Artistic Director’s contract and a reliance on volunteer leadership to manage cash flow pressures. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport England | 18/03/2020 | £8k | Make, Move, Play |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 12/06/2018 | £10k | "Suffragettes - 100 years on" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 30/08/2017 | £40k | "Crossing Bridges" |