The Watford Festival of Music, Speech and Drama

Registered charity 284994 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as WATFORD FESTIVAL OF MUSIC SPEECH & DRAMA, WATFORD MUSIC FESTIVAL, Watford Music Festival

The promotion of the education of the public in the arts with regard to music, speech and drama. The provision of an opportunity,mainly for young people,to take part and benefit from entering classes on a competitive basis with professional adjudication and to perform at concerts and finales before a public audience.

Objects

(I) TO ADVANCE, PROMOTE, AND ENCOURAGE GENERALLY, AND BY MEANS OF THE COMPETITION FESTIVAL MOVEMENT IN PARTICULAR, THE STUDY AND PRACTICE OF THE ARTS OF MUSIC, DANCING, ELOCUTION, LITERATURE AND ACTING IN ALL THEIR BRANCHES. (II) TO BE AFFILIATED TO THE BRITISH FEDERATION OF MUSIC FESTIVALS AND TO CARRY OUT AS FAR AS POSSIBLE THE OBJECTS OF TE SAID FEDERATION. (III) TO DO ALL SUCH OTHER LAWFUL THINGS AS ARE INCIDENTAL OR CONDUCIVE TO THE ATTAINMENT OF THE ABOVE OBJECTS.

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

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the Festival reported a surplus of £7,299 for the year ended 30 June 2025, with total income of £46,885 and total expenditure of £39,585. The trustees consider the level of unrestricted reserves, equal to approximately one year's expenditure, to be appropriate and sufficient. The financial structure review describes the state of financial affairs as satisfactory.

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 5 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.

• Complaints handling
• Financial reserves policy and procedures
• Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
• Safeguarding policy and procedures
• Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
• Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
• Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
• Trustee expenses policy and procedures
• Volunteer management

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

Trustees · trustee networks

• Jennifer M Hillchair
• Anthea Spensley · trustee of 1 other charity
• Riyazi Muzammil

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

Operates in: Harrow · Hertfordshire

Income and spending

Common questions