Unofficial UK Film Societies

watch with an audience, on a big screen, movies not otherwise shown in your area.

Click the picture to explore our interactive map with hundreds of societies and community cinemas.
Zoom in - right down to street level - find a society and click on the marker for information about it.

On the right: enjoy this charming one-minute movie:

Concern for Filmsocs that are Registered Charities

Membership subscriptions that don't qualify for Gift Aid - Personal use of charity services or facilities

An extract from HMRC website www.hmrc.gov.uk/charities/gift_aid/rules/memb-subscript.htm:

Any membership subscription that gives the member rights to personal use of your charity's services or facilities would not be treated as a gift, but as a payment for those services and so would not qualify for Gift Aid, for example using the equipment of a charitable sports centre.

Personal use includes:

• providing coaching or tuition to individuals, whether alone or in a group
• allowing members the free or discounted use of facilities that were not available on similar terms to non-members, for example use of a swimming pool or golf course
• allowing members of a charitable film society to view films free or at a reduced admission charge

The loss of the Gift Aid sum may have a significant impact on some clubs.

Jim Dempster, BFFS Treasurer, comments: "In brief, the HMRC position is not new. We did some work on this in 2009/10 and this was the ruling at that time. I’m struggling to recall all of the details some 4 years later, but the ruling excluded film screenings as opposed to museum, heritage or theatre subscriptions as these latter organisations have artefacts which need ongoing maintenance and can be considered to need conservation. In a word, they own objects considered to have artistic merit. Once a film is screened, it is returned to the hirer and the screening organisation has no further responsibility for it. I’m not saying I agree with argument, but that was the reasoning. Two of our members (Wimbledon and Southampton) put up lots of counter arguments but lost, both the arguments and the heart to continue. If they had been successful then we would have publicised the outcome. We also looked at trying to get gift-aid on the subscription to BFFS, but lost on that one too. If any film society/community cinema has successfully claimed gift aid on subscriptions and/or intends to appeal the ruling, could they please email the bffs office with full details of their status and the circumstances: info@bffs.org.uk and we can try to use this as evidence of a precedent to get them to change their position to the benefit of everyone?"

Coming Soon

21 & 22 September - the 7th National Conference for Community Cinemas and the 2013 Film Society of the Year Awards at the Institut Francais and BFI Southbank, London.

Results

21 Apr South West Group Spring Viewing Day and AGM at Radstock - results.

Worth noting:

• Film Notes Ipswich F/S offers a set on CD-ROM. See their website for details (click on "Film Notes").

• Publicity pictures. Try www.image.net  most images are 0.6 to 2 MB so take some time to download.

• Reviews - check  www.bbc.co.uk/collective says Paul Schilling of SW Group. Of particular interest when you start considering next year bookings is www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/lff .
• List your society on www.clubbz.com - a hub for enquiries about all sorts of clubs and activity groups in the UK.
• Consider occasional shows that are autistic-friendly read more.
• Make Movies - Check out IAC Online for ideas and advice. Under 19? Try Firstlight.
• Special events - a collection of performers, films and presentations for a really unusual extra film event.
• ARKive - Creating a lasting audio-visual record of life on Earth.
• The Jack Stevenson Archive of 16/35mm prints for adventurous societies. Details.
• Music for silent movies ... I am a professional classical pianist but can turn my hand to all styes of music. I like to improvise for any type of film subject. I had outstanding reviews at South Hill Park in Bracknell. Fee very reasonable but depends on the size of the venue. I will travel anywhere but am based in the South in the New Forest. A film synopsis is all I need as I do not need to have seen the film before. Contact Jillian on JMusicmaestro@aol.com
• Choose DVD Rental is an online DVD rental comparison site, to help you get the best deal.
• The official organisation for UK film societies is: BFFS Central Office, Unit 320, The Workstation, 15 Paternoster Row, Sheffield S1 2BX  tel: 0114 2210314 email: info@bffs.org.uk website: www.bffs.org.uk

Contact us about changes or any other film society topic: webmaster@filmsocs.org.uk