Building Resilience

through tailored internal audit and consulting services

Decorative: Ribbon shape

Ashby Associates are the chosen internal auditors for performing arts, cultural and charity organisations.

how we can help

Our team brings decades of experience in delivering quality consulting and assurance services.
 Since 2009 Ashby Associates has helped organisations manage risk, strengthen governance, and ultimately thrive in a complex world.

SOME OF OUR FANTASTIC CLIENTS

Royal Ballet & Opera

•

Royal Shakespeare Company

•

Breast Cancer Now

•

Museum of the Home

•

Royal Ballet & Opera • Royal Shakespeare Company • Breast Cancer Now • Museum of the Home •

Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre

•

Norwich Theatre Royal

•

Sadlers Wells

•

Glyndebourne Opera

•

Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre • Norwich Theatre Royal • Sadlers Wells • Glyndebourne Opera •

How We Can Help

We provide a range of services catering for organisations with differing needs — from single assignments to providing an outsourced internal audit function, all at competitive fee levels.

  • One-off audits or consultancy projects

    One-off audits or consultancy projects

    Deep dives into specific areas of risk, governance, or operations.  

    one-off
  • Complete outsourced internal audit function

    Complete outsourced internal audit function

    Delivering your internal audit programme (typically 2–4 audits a year) with wrap around services such as reporting to Audit Committees and designing an annual plan of audits aligned to your risk profile.

    complete audit
  • Set-up and advisory support

    Set-up and advisory support

    Helping organisations establish their first audit function or strengthen existing internal audit arrangements. 

    support
  • Part-time Head of Internal Audit

    Part-time Head of Internal Audit

    We mentor internal staff and provide leadership, direction, and quality assurance for your audit function.

    part-time
  • One-off consultancy review meeting Charity Governance Code requirements

    Board Effectiveness Review

    An external, impartial assessment of board effectiveness— providing balanced insight, clear recommendations, and support for improvement.

    review
Two women sitting across from each other at a white table, having a conversation. One woman has long red hair and is wearing a dark blazer, while the other has shoulder-length brown hair and is wearing a dark blue blouse. They each have a mug, and there is an open notebook, a closed black laptop, and a pen on the table.
Decorative: Ribbon shape

WE BRING

Technical Rigour
& Sector Insight

Our team have decades of experience delivering projects within their field, combining technical rigour with sector insight to provide assurance and advice that’s pragmatic, practical and genuinely valuable — making Ashby Associates the ideal partner to help your organisation.

more about us
  • Specialist 
Focus

    Specialist 
Focus

    As sector experts we understand your context and challenges

  • Qualified, 
Experienced Team

    QUALIFIED, EXPERIENCED TEAM

    No trainees — only senior practitioners.

  • A bespoke 
approach

    A BESPOKE APPROACH

    We tailor our methodology and reporting to your needs, so you get the most from our services.

  • Proportionate 
& Practical Recommendations

    PROPORTIONATE & PRACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS

    Aligned to your resources & developed with our sector knowledge.

  • Outline of a hand holding a coin with a dollar sign above it.

    COMPETITIVE FEES

    Our fee levels are very competitive due to our low overhead operating model - pay less than you have previously for similar services.

EXPLORE OUR CASE STUDIES

  • Helping a major UK orchestra modernise its board and build stronger, more open relationships

    Helping a major UK orchestra modernise its board and build stronger, more open relationships

    A major UK orchestra commissioned an external review of its Board’s effectiveness, as required by the Charity Governance Code. The Board had long-standing working practices that were proving difficult to modernise due to internal resistance.

    read case study
  • Young woman sitting on a bench in an art gallery, looking at paintings on the wall.

    Delivering insight and value through a fully outsourced internal audit function

    A major UK cultural institution sought greater value from its internal audit function. Having worked with a large professional services firm for many years, trustees felt reports focused too heavily on low-level findings and standard recommendations.

    read case study

WHAT DO CLIENTS SAY ABOUT US?

We’re proud to work with many fantastic organisations. Here’s what some of them say about working with us.  

  • "As Breast Cancer Now has grown in size and scale, we wanted to setup our first internal audit function. We asked Claire to act as our Head of Internal Audit and mentor one of staff who is training to be an internal auditor. This has resulted in a first-rate, cost-effective internal audit service which is highly valued by our trustees and senior management. Areas of risk have been identified and mitigated helping us increase the resilience of our charity. Claire has also provided a supportive coaching environment helping our staff member develop first rate audit skills."

    Chay Champness, Chief Operating Officer, Breast Cancer Now

  • "Ashby Associates reports really add value and get to the heart of any issues. They provide clarity and a roadmap to improvement. Their wide-ranging experience gives a solid grounding for identifying realistic steps to make our controls better. The team are also approachable, friendly and wise. We very much enjoy working with them."

    Britannia Morton, Executive Director and Co-Chief Executive, Sadlers Wells

  • "We have only been working with Claire for a short time, but her experience in the sector has already made our change to Ashby Associates worthwhile. Her approach is not about ticking boxes to produce a report, but to provide real insights and recommendations for improvements and to take a holistic overview to our programme of risk assurance. Claire’s experience and approach has enabled her to quickly establish her credibility with the Audit & Risk Committee and we appreciate her as an advisor."

    Caroline Britton, Royal Ballet & Opera trustee and Chair of Audit & Risk Committee

  • "The service that Ashby Associates provide to the Museum of the Home is a perfect match - a deep understanding of the cultural sector, and a pragmatic and proportionate approach that is appropriate to our scale. Our internal audit function is now closely aligned to our needs, risk register and the requirements of our stakeholders and staff. Claire has quickly made herself indispensable for the Executive and trustees - as a trusted partner."

    Frank Penter, Deputy Director, Museum of the Home