Trustees Report 2007

Although the income of the Foundation fluctuates due to the variations in dividends from its investments and the unpredictable amount accruing from old contract royalties the Foundation was able to spend nearly £300,000 in grants in 2007. £222,645 of this total went to individual playwrights. The qualification for individual applicants is the professional production of at least one full-length play for adults. In 2007 90 playwrights shared the total. Organisational grants were also made most of which were for less than £10,000 each.

The Trustees meet several times a year to discuss policy and applications are considered both at meetings and between them. Executive decisions are made by Laurence Harbottle with advice from available Trustees and arrangements exist to allow for urgent decisions about grants up to £2,000.

The Trustees are unpaid although occasional reimbursement of minor expenses is made.

The Charity has investments in gilt-edged and other stocks amounting to over £5 million. This value of course varies according to stock exchange indices.

Two new Trustees were added this year in place of Baroness McIntosh who resigned due to her other commitments. The present Trustees are shown on the next page