WORCESTER Live has released its annual report, with the comment that the year has been a difficult one financially for the charitable trust.

But the trust is in the mood to celebrate a year of remarkable achievement, when it comes to the arts.

Chris Jaeger, MBE, chief executive of Worcester Live said: “The strength of Worcester Live is, as with all successful companies, the people who make a deliver the product.

“We have a brilliant team of professional staff, both full and part time, an engaged and active multi-skilled Board of Directors and more than 150 volunteers who are at the very heart of everything we do. As always, there are good reasons for optimism about the future.”

But what about those difficulties?

Mr Jaeger said: “There have been, as always, unexpected maintenance costs, including the lift and the organ at Huntingdon Hall; and some asbestos and wiring problems at The Swan Theatre, as well as the constant need to improve our marketing and keep up with technological advances.

“This result has been a loss this trading year, but that will be offset by the Bransford Trust generously increasing its funding.”

Mr Jaeger added: “One of the current challenges is that we are negotiating four different new leases : Huntingdon Hall with the Crown Estate; Henry Sandon Hall, with the Bransford Trust, and The Swan Theatre and Queen Elizabeth House with the City Council.”

But what about the year’s success stories?

The report praises Worcester Rep for “a terrific year”, including Charley’s Aunt in the Commandery and King John in the Cathedral.

There is also special praise for Swan Youth Theatre’s production of As You Like It, and also for the Worcester Festival, which in 2017 hosted nearly 500 events and attracted more than 200,000 people, over seventeen days.

The report states: “The Festival really does make Worcester buzz. It is a genuine people’s festival.”

The report, just out, covers the period September 2016 to August 2016.