CUMBRIA THEATRE TRUST
Registered charity 516673 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as CUMBERLAND YOUTH THEATRE, NEW DIRECTIONS, THEATRE BY THE LAKE
Provision of a year-round theatre and performing arts resource for the communities of, and visitors to, Cumbria.Activities include productions and performances created in-house and by others for public consumption, programmes of participatory activity and workshop activity focussed on professional artistic development.
Causes: Education/training · Arts/culture/heritage/science · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the charity realized a surplus on unrestricted funds of £392,729 for the year ended 31 March 2025. The Trustees have concluded that a minimum level of undesignated free reserves of £500,000 is satisfactory, and the actual undesignated free reserves at year-end were £636,303. The Trustees are confident that the charity can be sustained in its current form provided Arts Council England continues with current arrangements and given the held reserves balance.
Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Largest income source: Arts Council England (20% of income)
“After ticket sales, the most substantial part (20%) of CTT’s funding comes from Arts Council England (ACE).” — page 14
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves policy: £500,000 (held: £636k)
“After the review, the Trustees have concluded that in the coming year a minimum level of undesignated free reserves of £500,000 would be satisfactory.” — page 16
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Grant from Keswick Town Council
“A grant of £2,000 (2024: £2,000) was received from Keswick Town Council towards our education and participation work in Keswick and the surrounding area.” — page 43
“The group received £157,376 (2024; £10,000) in grants from Cumberland Council during the year.” — page 43
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Grant from Cumberland Council
“A grant of £2,000 (2024: £2,000) was received from Keswick Town Council towards our education and participation work in Keswick and the surrounding area.” — page 43
“The group received £157,376 (2024; £10,000) in grants from Cumberland Council during the year.” — page 43
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Donations from trustees
“A grant of £2,000 (2024: £2,000) was received from Keswick Town Council towards our education and participation work in Keswick and the surrounding area.” — page 43
“The group received £157,376 (2024; £10,000) in grants from Cumberland Council during the year.” — page 43
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts audited by Azets Audit Services. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.
In the news
Recent coverage mentioning this charity by name (automated match; headlines belong to their publishers).
Funders the charity credits
Named as funders/supporters on the charity’s own website (the charity’s claim, distinct from accounts-verified grants).
- Arts Council England — “Funders
Arts Council England” (source page)
- Keswick Town Council — “Funders
Arts Council England
Keswick Town Council” (source page)
- Cumberland County Council — “Funders
Arts Council England
Keswick Town Council
Cumberland County Council” (source page)
Property (HM Land Registry)
6 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (0 freehold); recorded price paid £80k. All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook · instagram
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)
Cost of raising funds
£84k
Reported reserves equal ~2.0 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).
Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 2.1% of total income — below the median for charities its size (5.2%) (benchmarks).
- Samuel Albertichair
- Angus Martin Leitch
- Jenna Louise OMELTSCHENKO
- Karen Estelle Seward
- Marie Elaine Whitehead
- Melina Chantea Quayera Elaine Barnett
- Neil Andrew MacDonald · trustee of 4 other charities
- Thomas Richard Speight · trustee of 1 other charity
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: Cumbria
Income and spending
Common questions
Is CUMBRIA THEATRE TRUST financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity realized a surplus on unrestricted funds of £392,729 for the year ended 31 March 2025. The Trustees have concluded that a minimum level of undesignated free reserves of £500,000 is satisfactory, and the actual undesignated free reserves at year-end were £636,303. The Trustees are confident that the charity can be sustained in its current form provided Arts Council England continues with current arrangements and given the held reserves balance. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Azets Audit Services.
Who funds CUMBRIA THEATRE TRUST?
Funders whose own accounts filings name CUMBRIA THEATRE TRUST as a grant recipient include THE JOSEPH AND LILIAN SULLY FOUNDATION, THE EDGAR E LAWLEY FOUNDATION, THE HADFIELD CHARITABLE TRUST.
Known funders
Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.
Government & lottery funding
Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).
Funders of similar charities
Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.
Charities like this
Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with CORBY CUBE THEATRE TRUST.
Side by side with its peers
Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.