Finance Score: -4

Governance Score: 8

Support Score: 9

Low unrestricted reserves: -2
Multiple Deficits: -2

12+ Trustees: -1
Good trustee age range: +3
Dynamic board: +3
Gender balanced board: +3

Grant maker support: +9

Overall GiG Score: 13

COLCHESTER MERCURY THEATRE LIMITED

Our primary object is to formulate and prepare schemes for and take all necessary steps for the advancement of education and the improvement of public taste through the medium of arts, and in particular the arts of drama, dancing, singing and music.

Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

Spending has increased over the last 3 years relative to the previous period
A significant proportion of recent income was derived from major grant makers including the Government
The Board appears to be well diversified in terms of age and gender and dynamic in terms of composition

Regulatory & Governance issues to consider:

There are 15 trustees whereas the Charities Commission recommends a maximum of 12

Financial issues to consider:

Unrestricted reserves appear to be dangerously low at the latest year end
On several occasions in recent years income has been less than spending

Financial Data ?

Income & Spending ?

Sources of Income ?

Y/E	Income £k	Spending £k	Surplus/ Deficit	Fundraising Cost £k	Total Funds £k	Unrestricted Funds £k	Mths Rsrvs	Staff	Volun- teers
31/03/23	£4,910	£5,289	£-379	£611	£1,271	£1,186	2.7	95	0
31/03/22	£3,771	£4,175	£-405	£450	£1,281	£1,164	3.3	68	0
31/03/21	£2,050	£1,714	£335	£31	£1,462	£1,104	7.7	34	0
31/03/20	£3,465	£3,536	£-71	£167	£1,126	£737	2.5	53	5
31/03/19	£3,911	£3,913	£-1	£175	£1,198	£547	1.7	68	6
31/03/18	£3,659	£3,713	£-54	£276	£1,199	£583	1.9	72	0
31/03/17	£3,721	£3,841	£-121	£280	£1,138	£558	1.7	74	0
31/03/16	£4,277	£3,825	£452	£308	£1,110	£585	1.8	70	0
31/03/15	£3,469	£3,507	£-37	£228	£659	£592	2	60	0
31/03/14	£3,107	£3,457	£-350	£167	£696	£650	2.3	60	0
31/03/13	£2,647	£2,756	£-110	£320	£1,046	£1,021	4.4	60	0
31/03/12	£2,881	£2,569	£313	£56	£831	£806	3.8	60	0
31/03/11	£2,832	£2,732	£100	£308	£519	£494	2.2	65	0
31/03/10	£2,770	£2,787	£-16	£286	£419	£416	1.8	67	0
31/03/09	£3,068	£3,033	£35	£311	£435	£435	1.7	75	0
31/03/08	£2,756	£2,671	£84	£290	£400	£399	1.8	75	0
31/03/07	£2,710	£2,737	£-28	£281	£315	£275	1.2	72	0
31/03/06	£3,008	£2,832	£177	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/05	£2,673	£2,708	£-35	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/04	£2,790	£2,604	£185	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0

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Financial Ratios

Fundraising Costs/Relevant Income: 14.6%
Fundraising Costs/Total Spending: 11.6%
Senior Staff Costs/Total Spending: 1%
Highest pay band: £60,000-£70,000
Liabilities/Assets: 52%
Liabilities/Income: 28%
Unrestricted Funds/Total Funds: 93%
Reserves/Spending: 2.7 months
Net Current Assets/Spending: 2 months
Quick Ratio: 0.9

Asset Split ?

Established: 60 years
(76 years as a company)

www.mercurytheatre.co.uk

info@mercurytheatre.co.uk

01206577006

Charity Commission for England and Wales

Tweets

Listed activities

Arts/Culture/Heritage/Science

GiG Classification

Performing and visual arts

How it operates

Provides buildings/facilities/open space

Where it operates

Essex, Suffolk,

Who it helps

Children/Young People
Elderly/Old People
Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies
People With Disabilities
The General Public/Mankind

Who works here?

95 employees

Who's supporting them? ?

Donations from Grant Makers ?

We have details on the following significant donations. Multi-year donations are allocated to the years for which they are earmarked.

Major supporters in last 5 years

DCMS	£1,291,682
Wolfson Foundation	£169,800
Garfield Weston Foundation	£100,598
Essex Community Foundation	£10,475

Specific Donations

Amount	When Months	To be used for
Wolfson Foundation - Grant to Colchester Mercury Theatre
£49,800	07/12/2022	Installation of battery storage units for solar panels
National Lottery Community Fund - Mercury Together Global
£9,725	16/09/2022	The funding will be used to run a range of activities including the development of a choir and therapeutic games and drama exercises for refugees asylum seekers and migrants. The project aims to ....more The funding will be used to run a range of activities including the development of a choir and therapeutic games and drama exercises for refugees asylum seekers and migrants. The project aims to welcome and support them through positive activities break down barriers reduce isolation and improve the well-being.
Essex Community Foundation - Grant to Colchester Mercury Theatre
£8,975	11/08/2022	towards an intergenerational global choir and creative meet-ups project to help support refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in Colchester
Essex Community Foundation - Grant to Colchester Mercury Theatre
£500	20/04/2022	towards producing and presenting a performing arts programme for a large and diverse Essex audience
DCMS - Culture Recovery Fund: Continuity Support
£125,000	22/10/2021	To support cultural organisations who have received funding from the Culture Recovery Fund: Grants programme, in the first or second rounds, and can clearly demonstrate the financial need for further ....more To support cultural organisations who have received funding from the Culture Recovery Fund: Grants programme, in the first or second rounds, and can clearly demonstrate the financial need for further funding in order to be able to operate on a viable and sustainable basis by 31 March 2022.
Essex Community Foundation - Grant to Colchester Mercury Theatre
£500	15/03/2021	towards producing and presenting a performing arts programme for a large and diverse Essex audience
Garfield Weston Foundation - WCF award - COVID19 response
£100,598	12/02/2021	Weston Culture Fund
Wolfson Foundation - Grant to Colchester Mercury Theatre
£120,000	09/12/2020	WF Covid-19 Support Fund
Essex Community Foundation - Grant to Colchester Mercury Theatre
£500	03/04/2020	Towards producing and presenting a performing arts programme for a large and diverse Essex audience
DCMS - NPO Bid
£791,682	01/04/2020	We are the national development agency for creativity and culture. We have set out our strategic vision in Lets Create that by 2030 we want England to be a country in which the creativity of each of ....more We are the national development agency for creativity and culture. We have set out our strategic vision in Lets Create that by 2030 we want England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish and where everyone of us has access to a remarkable range of high quality cultural experiences. We invest public money from Government and The National Lottery to help support the sector and to deliver this vision.
DCMS - CMT - Culture Recovery application
£250,000	01/04/2020	To support Arts and Culture throughout England
DCMS - CRF round 2 - April to June 2021
£125,000	01/04/2020	To support Arts and Culture throughout England
DCMS - NPO Bid
£777,378	01/04/2019	£1.6bn invested in the key arts and culture infrastrucure organisations in England for a 4 year period
Sport England - Dance Studio
£40,000	24/07/2018 17	Funding under Sport England's Community Asset Fund funding programme for a Capital project titled Dance Studio. This project lists its main activity as Multi Sports
DCMS - ALB-Sport England-Dance Studio
£40,000	24/07/2018	Funding under Sport England's Community Asset Fund funding programme for a Capital project titled 'Dance Studio'. This project lists its main activity as Multi Sports. This funding has contributed ....more Funding under Sport England's Community Asset Fund funding programme for a Capital project titled 'Dance Studio'. This project lists its main activity as Multi Sports. This funding has contributed towards a Fitness Facility - Fitness Facility (Indoor)
DCMS - NPO Bid
£777,378	01/04/2018	To promote Arts & Culture throughout the UK
DCMS - NPO Bid
£194,345	01/04/2018	To support NPO Bid
Wolfson Foundation - Grant to Colchester Mercury Theatre
£25,000	16/06/2017	Refurbishment
National Lottery Heritage Fund - Grant to Colchester Mercury Theatre Ltd
£80,000	21/07/2016	Mercury Voices

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Data sourced from Donors via 360 Giving

How is it governed?

Trustees (15)

Current Trustees appointed

Gender Split

Age Range of Trustees: 31-73

DOMINIC COLLINS Appointed: 2021, Occupation: Corporate Director

HELENA OXLEY Appointed: 2022, Occupation: Solicitor

LORNA FOX O'MAHONY Appointed: 2021

MARIANNE HAHN Appointed: 2021, Occupation: Strategic Communications Consultant

MARK HOULT-ALLEN Appointed: 2021, Occupation: Director

MATTHEW BRINDLEY Appointed: 2023, Occupation: Managing Editor

OLIVER BROWN Appointed: 2022, Occupation: General Manager

PETER FREMLIN Appointed: 2023, Occupation: Freelance

ANITA THORNBERRY Appointed: 2017, Occupation: Chief Executive

LINDA ANN BARTON Appointed: 2014, Occupation: Local Government Officer

MATTHEW LINLEY Appointed: 2018, Occupation: Freelance Theatre Producer

ROB WEST (Chair) Appointed: 2015, Occupation: Programme Director

RODNEY APPLEYARD Appointed: 2023, Occupation: Development Manager, Other trusteeship: THE TUSKAR TRUST,

JULIA STEPHEN Appointed: 2023, Occupation: Social Interviewer, Other trusteeship: COLCHESTER ARTS CENTRE,

SEAN PLUMMER Appointed: 2019, Occupation: Freelance, Other trusteeship: STEPPING STONES PLAY AND LEARN GROUP (COLCHESTER),

Legal constitution

Charitable company registered in England & Wales on 03/01/1964, number: 232387
Registered at Companies House on 21/08/1947, number: 00441035

Gift Aid

Registered with HMRC for Gift Aid

Policies in force

Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
Complaints handling
Complaints policy and procedures
Conflicting interests
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
Paying staff
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Social media policy and procedures
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures
Volunteer management

Filing Record

20 returns made; all on time

Main office

MERCURY THEATRE CO
MERCURY THEATRE
BALKERNE GATE
COLCHESTER
CO1 1PT

Objectives

THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF PUBLIC TASTE THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF THE ARTS AND IN PARTICULAR THE ARTS OF DRAMA, DANCING, SINGING AND MUSIC.

Defined Area of Benefit:

COLCHESTER AND ELSEWHERE

Data Sources