THE OPPENHEIM-JOHN DOWNES MEMORIAL TRUST

Registered charity 278844 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

The maintenance of a scheme of awards to deserving artists, writers, craftsmen and musicians of anykind who by reason of their poverty are unable to pursue effectively their vocation as such. Beneficiaries must be over 30 years of age and be born within Great Britain, Northern Ireland, The Channel Islands or the Isle of Man and must be British Citizens.

Objects

TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A SCHEME OF AWARDS (OPPENHEIM-JOHN DOWNES MEMORIAL AWARDS) TO DESERVING ARTISTS OF ANY KIND, WHETHER WRITERS, PAINTERS, SCULPTORS, MUSICIANS, DANCERS, ACTORS, CRAFTSMEN, INVENTORS OR ARTISTS OF ANY COMPARABLE NATURE OR DESCRIPTION BEING UNABLE EFFECTIVELY TO PURSUE THEIR VOCATION AS SUCH ARTISTS BY REASON OF THEIR POVERTY AND BEING OVER THIRTY YEARS OF AGE AND BEING BRITISH SUBJECTS BORN WITHIN GREAT BRITAIN, NORTHERN IRELAND, THE CHANNEL ISLANDS OR THE ISLE OF MAN.

Area of benefit: NOT DEFINED

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

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that unrestricted reserves decreased to £17,401 from £27,309 in the prior year, driven by a net expenditure on charitable activities that exceeded investment income. The trustees consider this reserve level reasonable and note that the charity is not dependent on donations, relying instead on investment income to fund grants and administration.

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

What the accounts disclose

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.

• 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
• Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures

Trustees · trustee networks

• ANTONY GILES GOSTWICKchair · trustee of 1 other charity
• Alexandra Ahavni Sarkis · trustee of 2 other charities
• Mary-Alice Stack
• Peter James Illingworth
• Ranbir Kaur Jhutty

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

Operates in: Scotland · Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Common questions