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Make your donationAbout The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust
Berkshire Music Trust is an independent music service providing instrumental and vocal teaching in schools and music centres throughout Berkshire. We promote a comprehensive range of music activities working in close partnership with schools, colleges and community music groups. Funds are raised to support disadvantaged young people and talented young musicians.
Focus areas & reach
· What they work on and whereHow it stacks up against peers
· vs. 8 similar education in United KingdomRed flags
· All clearWhere every £1 goes
Common questions
· Auto-generated from filings + methodologyThe Berkshire Young Musicians Trust is a registered education nonprofit based in Reading, United Kingdom. It is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. It was founded in 1982 and has been operating for 44 years. Its registration number is 284555. It has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 89/100 (Strong transparency), indicating well-documented governance, financials, and contact details. The organization reports £5M in annual revenue. 10 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected. The charity has 11 community reviews with an average rating of 2.5/5. On Trustpilot, it has a rating of 2.6/5 based on 11 reviews.
The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 89/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 89 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. The charity allocates 99% of expenses to programs, which contributes positively to its score. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for education charities in United Kingdom is 89/100.
The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust is located in Reading, United Kingdom. The organization was established in 1982 and has been active for 44 years.
Based on official tax filings, The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust has £5M in annual revenue. It allocates 99% of expenses to programs and services. This is in line with the average of 98% for education charities in United Kingdom. Its revenue is significantly above the peer average of £992K. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.
The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust is classified as a Education organization, registered in United Kingdom. It operates as a Charitable Company. By size, it is categorized as a medium organization. It has £5M in annual revenue. The organization has 10 disclosed officers and directors.
No red flags have been detected for The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust. GiveRadar automatically screens charities for concerning patterns including high executive compensation, low program spending, and missing financial filings. Based on available official data, no issues have been identified.
The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 89/100 (Strong transparency) and no red flags have been detected, which suggests it is a well-documented organization. It is regulated by the Charity Commission. 99% of expenses go to programs. The peer average is 98%. You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. GiveRadar provides data for research purposes and does not endorse any organization. Always do your own due diligence.
Berkshire Music Trust is an independent music service providing instrumental and vocal teaching in schools and music centres throughout Berkshire. We promote a comprehensive range of music activities working in close partnership with schools, colleges and community music groups. Funds are raised to support disadvantaged young people and talented young musicians. The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust is classified as a education organization registered in United Kingdom. The organization was founded in 1982.
Among education charities registered in United Kingdom: The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust's GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 89/100 is in line with the peer average of 89/100. It allocates 99% of expenses to programs, in line with the peer average of 98%. Its annual revenue of £5M is well above the peer average of £992K.
The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust is a charitable company limited by guarantee, the most common incorporated form for UK charities. It is registered with both Companies House and the Charity Commission, and must file annual accounts with both regulators. Directors (who are also charity trustees) have limited liability. Its Charity Commission registration number is 284555.
You can verify The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust in several ways. First, search the Charity Commission Register at https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/ - every charity registered in England and Wales appears here with its registration number, trustees, governing document, and filed accounts. Because this is a charitable company, you can also check its filings on Companies House (https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/). Second, check whether the charity's annual return and accounts are up to date - the Commission flags charities with overdue filings. Third, look for the Fundraising Regulator badge on the charity's website, which signals voluntary compliance with the Code of Fundraising Practice.
You can donate to The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust directly through its donation page (https://www.berksmusictrust.org.uk/support-us-donate/). UK charities typically accept online card payments, direct debit, and bank transfer. Many also use platforms such as JustGiving or Charities Aid Foundation (CAF). If you are a UK taxpayer, make sure to tick the Gift Aid box: it lets the charity reclaim 25p from HMRC for every pound you give at no extra cost to you. Higher-rate taxpayers can claim back the difference between basic-rate and their marginal rate through Self Assessment. Payroll Giving (Give As You Earn) lets you donate pre-tax through your employer.
Donations to The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust are eligible for Gift Aid if you are a UK income-tax or capital-gains-tax payer. Gift Aid adds 25% to your donation at no cost to you (the charity reclaims basic-rate tax from HMRC). Higher-rate and additional-rate taxpayers can also claim back the difference through Self Assessment or by adjusting their PAYE tax code. Gifts of shares, property, or land to charity are free of Capital Gains Tax and can be deducted from your income for Income Tax purposes. Legacy gifts (in your will) reduce the value of your estate for Inheritance Tax and can lower the IHT rate from 40% to 36% if you leave at least 10% to charity.
The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust is based in Reading. The Charity Commission for England and Wales (CCEW) is the primary regulator. Scotland has its own regulator (OSCR), and Northern Ireland has the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (CCNI). A charity registered with the CCEW may operate across the whole of the UK or internationally.
The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust was first registered in 1982, making it approximately 44 years old. UK charities must file an annual return with the Charity Commission to remain on the register. A long registration history generally indicates sustained operations and continuous regulatory compliance.
Verified against 5 official sources, last refreshed .
Filing history
5 years on file from Charity Commission (UK) (FY2025): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.
See 5 years of revenue, expense breakdowns, and balance sheet.
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Tax-deductibility for donors
UK donations qualify for Gift Aid. The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust is registered with the Charity Commission. Eligible UK taxpayers can boost their gift by 25% at no extra cost.
The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust is in United Kingdom, a TGE (Transnational Giving Europe) member country. Dutch donors can route gifts via Stichting Transnational Giving Europe to receive Dutch ANBI-equivalent deductibility, subject to TGE's 5% pass-through fee.
The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust is registered in United Kingdom. US donors generally cannot deduct gifts to non-US charities directly. To claim a deduction, route the gift through a US 'Friends of' fiscal sponsor or a donor-advised fund that performs equivalency determination (IRS Rev. Proc. 92-94).
Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.
Leadership
Officers & trustees (10)
Source: Public filings
Latest news
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Activity timeline
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Donor reviews (11)
2.5 / 5 average · includes imported Trustpilot
Cathy is a very patient teacher Ionia really enjoyed her music lessons. We are sad to see her give them up however she wants to do so many things and we just can’t afford all of it. I’m hoping she’ll come back to music lessons in the future.
Trustpilot
The teacher was great, very supportive and I massively improved my style and ability due to his teaching. I thoroughly enjoyed my lessons and would highly recommend BMT to other people.
Trustpilot
We have loved using BMT/Berkshire Maestroes over the years. My daughter is finishing her clarinet lessons now because we're moving out of area. We are sad to go and will miss them greatly. Caro and the whole team there have been great. Thoroughly recommend.
Trustpilot
My child have an orthodontist appointment and ABRSM exam on the same day. I have contacted the Berkshire Music Trust and want to reschedule it before a month ago. Finally, they CANNOT do anything about that because the timetable is released. I will say that I'm not a prophet, I cannot predict anything before register the piano exam. Very disappointed!
Trustpilot
My daughter started off doing violin lessons at school - initially the teacher was excellent however unfortunately he retired and a new teacher was found. All was going relatively ok (my daughter wasn't enjoying the teaching style as she said the new teacher just played on piano and expected her to play along which she struggled with), however recently she lost her violin at school (eventually found in music room). The teacher said she would ask for lessons to be paused which I was grateful for and there was one lesson the teacher cancelled in any case. However despite querying with BMT I was charged for all these lessons. Finally after locating the violin, my daughter came home to say she hadn't had a lesson - as the teacher hadn't picked her up from class. The teacher expects the primary level students to make their own way to class at the correct time. So for 20 minutes the teacher was in an empty classroom rather than fetch my daughter. Small school - all staff know where everyone else is. I've cancelled now and wholly disappointed by whole experience when initially had high hopes.
Trustpilot
Extremely unfair policies. I tryed to withdraw with more than half a month notice, it is not enough for them, now (November 2024) I am checking more than a month before the end of the term and they still want to charge 50% of the fee for the futre term (Spring term) that I do not want my child to attend. I have informed them in written on 12 August 2024 that I will have as last term the Autumn term and do not want to continue any further with them, now they are trying to charge me for the Spring term again. (at the time of writing it is 11 Nov 2024)
Trustpilot
Don't take your child there, unless you can read minds and know that your child will want to study an instrument for the rest of their lives! Very disappointed. As you would expect, to receive emails asking if you would like to continue next term. No, they are making money from hard working parents. I did contact customer services and they wanted to charge me £100 just because my daughter told me that she doesn't want to do piano lessons anymore at the end of the term. Now I have to make my daughter to take lessons for another term, even if she doesn't want to anymore and surely she will hate it in the future, just so I won't get fined. That's the way to make money from parents!
Trustpilot
Very transactional customer service from Berkshire Music Trust. My daughter booked a violin course provided by Berkshire Music Trust through daughter's primary school extracurricular activities provisions. I have never had the chance to speak with a customer service team until I withdraw the lesson due to daughter leaving school. I have been asked to pay half a term late notice fee with a lengthy T&Cs explained, or alternatively my daughter can continue with them for another term to avoid late notice fee, even if I have told them my daughter is leaving and will not be physically in that school any more. This is all because I ticked a T&Cs box when I agree to pay the fee through their provision. I sent the cancellation of notice to the violin teachers in end June / early July for cancelling lessons starting from early / mid September. They requested me to send notification on 1st June based on T&Cs, and they do not accept cancellation notification sent to the teacher. They also require me to send withdrawn notification in written. This is the very first time I receive request of late notice fee from a school extracurricular provision - It has been smooth and flexible so far with other classes offered by daughter's primary school, but not this one.
Trustpilot
I rate the lessons and teacher as good. But try to leave BMT ?….. omg how many times have I filled in their forms to leave? My son has reached 16 and on to further education and do I find it easy to leave this organisation?? No. Warning ⚠️ don’t join. They will use T&C’s to tie you up while ignoring all attempts to complete forms to leave. Meaning you can’t leave. They want lots of over pays to survive. How can this group survive like this in an age of review systems. Also when I was happy in the system, often teachers would leave and my child was without a teacher but still i have to pay. They just ignore ALL discussions on such subjects. Done… I’m done with BMT and will go anywhere else but this place.
Trustpilot
Poor music education with lessons being deferred a lot more than completed. My child was completing a Piano grade every year, but after joining BMT he hasn't been prepd for a test even after 18 months. There's lack of continuity with changing teachers and the teachers keep calling in sick but the fees never stop, with a promise to make up for lost lessons. As far as I can see the damage has already been done.I have to see how bad leaving is going to be now.
Trustpilot
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Sources and verification
Refreshed
- Registration and legal identity
- Charity Commission for England and Wales - Register of Charities
- Financial filings
- Charity Commission annual returns - Fiscal year 2025 most recent on file.
- Officers and trustees
- Charity Commission for England and Wales - Register of Charities - 10 disclosed in the public registry.
- Donor reviews (external)
- Trustpilot consumer reviews
- Community reviews (verified email)
- GiveRadar Community Reviews - 11 verified review(s) on file.
Data freshness
What we don't know
Honest gaps - our score reflects transparency, not impact
Methodology
GiveRadar combines public registry filings, ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, Charity Navigator, GuideStar, and news archives into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.
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Quick facts about The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust
- What is The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust?
- The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust is a education charitable company based in Reading, United Kingdom. Berkshire Music Trust is an independent music service providing instrumental and vocal teaching in schools and music centres throughout Berkshire. We promote a comprehensive range of music activities working in close partnership with schools, colleges and community music groups. Funds are raised to support disadvantaged young people and talented young musicians.
- When was The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust founded?
- The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust was founded in 1982.
- Where is The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust located?
- Headquartered in Reading, United Kingdom.
- What is The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust's annual budget?
- Annual revenue for fiscal year 2025 is approximately £1M-£10M. 99% of expenses go to program services.
- Is The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust trustworthy?
- The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 89 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
- What is The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust's registration number?
- Registration: 284555 (United Kingdom).
- What is The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust's website?
- https://www.berksmusictrust.org.uk
- Are donations to The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust tax-deductible?
- Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United Kingdom under local rules. US donors should check whether the charity has an equivalency-determination letter or a US-based fiscal sponsor before claiming a deduction.