Company number: 2811035 Charity Number: 1020584
## Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
Report and financial statements For the year ended 31[st ] March 2025
## Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
## Reference and administrative information
## for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **Company number** 2811035 **Charity number** 1020584
## **Registered office and operational address**
Winsford Library, High Street, Winsford, Cheshire, CW7 2AS
**Trading Name** Cheshire Dance
**Trustees** Trustees, who are also directors under company law, who served during the year and up to the date of this report were as follows:
Holly Aston Co-Chair Peter Mearns Co-Chair Rosalyn Thomas Treasurer Victoria Barratt Bettina Carpi (resigned 8[th ] June 2025) Tamar Dixon (resigned 8[th ] July 2024) Janet Halloran Tony Malone (resigned 18[th ] September 2024) Kerry Ogden Gillian Whitworth (resigned 15 April 2024) Jacob Wye
**Secretary** Adam Holloway **Key management** Adam Holloway
## **personnel**
**Bankers** Barclays Bank PLC 21 Dingle Walk, Winsford, Cheshire, CW7 1AG **Independent** Christy Lau FCCA CTA DChA, Slade & Cooper Limited **examiner** Beehive Mill, Jersey Street, Ancoats, M4 6JG
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## Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
## Trustees’ annual report
## for the year ended 31 March 2025
The trustees present their report and the unaudited financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025. Included within the trustees’ report is the directors’ report as required by company law.
Reference and administrative information set out on page 1 forms part of this report. The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the memorandum and articles of association and the Statement of Recommended Practice - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: SORP applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS 102.
## **Welcome from the Co-Chairs**
Welcome to our Annual Report 2024/25!
For nearly 50 years, Cheshire Dance has stood as a beacon in the region, blending artistic excellence with deep community engagement. We remain dedicated to nurturing the next generation of talent and working with and for our inspiring local communities.
Every year, we enable more than 30,000 dance experiences through free or subsidised events, workshops and opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to express and develop their creativity and grow through dance. In 2024/25, one of our _**Now Northwich**_ festival years, engagement rose to over 56,000, in another very productive year, which gives testament to the scale of reach of our work.
In the current socio-economic climate, mental health crisis and a society that feels increasingly politically polarised, our work has felt even more urgent and necessary than ever in bringing communities together. This report is full of positive stories of our artists and participants across Cheshire and the North West, their many achievements and the impact of Cheshire Dance programmes.
This year has also seen the launch of _**NEXUS**_ , delivered in partnership with the Westminster Foundation. This amazing targeted 5-year programme drives creative and life outcomes for young people, supporting their personal and professional growth.
Elsewhere, our programme remains as vibrant, vital and diverse as ever. In 2024/25, highlights included the _**Collective Enquiry**_ symposium, the _**Wanna Dance?**_ Programme and film premiere, the _**Talent Development North**_ Programme with _**Associate Artists Ben Wilson and Jack Evans**_ , as well as the _**Now Northwich**_ festival _._ This year Cheshire Dance commissioned four new works by North West based dance artists and companies for the Now Northwich festival, with coverage of the event on the day from _**BBC North West Tonight**_ . More on these projects, as well as our _**Cheshire West Borough Programme**_ , can be found in this report.
Through the outcomes of our consultation work we have fostered renewed working relationships with **dance venues and producing companies in the North West** , forming a new working group to identify commissioning and CPD opportunities, so desperately needed by dance artists based in the region.
We are delighted that this year has marked several new appointments to the Cheshire Dance team, and we welcome the energy and expertise they bring, alongside Adam and the existing staff. As ever, we offer our heartfelt thanks to all our staff, artists, trustees, volunteers, participants and funders, without whom our work would not be possible.
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Our recent board and staff away day started to focus on plans for the charity’s upcoming 50[th ] anniversary in 2027. Looking ahead, we feel excited by plans to engage with our alumni to mark this significant milestone. We feel immensely proud as Cheshire Dance’s national profile grows, as we continue to strengthen our impact and reach and build our reputation for best practice in driving access to dance for our communities.
Holly Aston and Peter Mearns
Co-Chairs of the Board of Trustees
**Cheshire Dance CREATE. LEARN. EXPERIENCE.**
www.cheshiredance.org/about
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## **Objectives and activities**
The association is established to promote, maintain, improve and advance the education of the public in the arts and in particular the study, performance, knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the art of dance in all its manifestations.
The trustees review the aims, objectives, and activities of the charity each year. This report looks at what the charity has achieved and the outcomes of its work during the reporting period. The trustees report the success of each key activity and the benefits the charity has brought to the groups that it is set up to support. The review also helps the trustees ensure the charity's aims, objectives and activities remained focused on its stated purposes.
The trustees have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity's aims and objectives and in planning its future activities. In particular, the trustees consider how planned activities will contribute to the aims and objectives that have been set.
The charity's main activities and those who benefit from its programme are described below. All its charitable activities focus on Dance and are undertaken to further Cheshire Dance’s charitable purposes for the public benefit.
Cheshire Dance is very well recognised in providing public benefit through the advancement of education in dance, related arts activity, community development and health promotion. We do this in several ways, including :-
- Delivering dance classes in civic spaces engaging a wide spectrum of the community
- Delivering dance both in and out of school, further and higher education settings
- Delivering structured physical activity through movement and dance connected to health settings
- Employing and supporting independent artists
- Delivering Continuing Professional Development with artists and other professionals
- Engaging the public in works of art, both as audience and as participants
Some activities promote more mainstream engagement whilst the majority of our activity is targeted proactively at specific communities and groups who face inequalities of opportunity. We work regularly on an outreach basis ensuring that as many people as possible can engage locally to where they live, particularly in areas of low engagement.
Opportunities vary in type and target group and range from regular classes to short intensive projects, from individual sessions and performances to full day/week activities and large-scale festival events. Dates and times are also adaptable to increase our inclusivity and relevance - daytimes, evening, weekends through term time and school holidays. Our flexibility to programme in this way is a strength and ensures that more people over a much wider geography and demographic have the opportunity to experience dance than would otherwise be the case.
We find ways to connect, move and dance together through all our participation sessions, supporting people's physical and mental wellbeing. We have evidence that high-quality, creatively rich content is key to the success of our organisation in extending our reach and in supporting the independent sector. Increasingly, Cheshire Dance offers a strong digital presence offering online dance sessions, film, photography, news and b/vlogs with an ever-growing take up enabling us to extend our reach to a younger audience and those whose mobility is restricted.
Cheshire Dance continues to focus on its core mission to enable all ages, abilities and disabilities access to dance experiences and the chance to benefit from their transformative power. Our strengths lie in
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addressing the systemic barriers that exist in accessing dance through inequality of opportunity and health as well as (for some) extreme financial pressures in this current economic climate.
We work to meet societal challenges head on and advocate for the lesser-heard voices in the community. We champion diverse aesthetics across many different dance styles and drive place-based partnerships spanning culture, voluntary, public and private sectors.
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## **Achievements and performance**
## **Highlights of the Year 2024-2025**
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## **Company Highlights 2024/25**
In 2024/25 Cheshire Dance has continued to grow and deepen our impact and influence within specialist areas of practice, artist development and cultural sector change.
- **North West dance development:** this year saw the culmination of the **Dance Consortia North West Research Programme** and the commissioning and delivery of a significant **consultation programme** focused on long-term sector development in the NW. Outcomes of these programmes are informing the development of collaborative artist development initiatives via the **NW Dance Venues Group** .
- **NEXUS – a five-year partnership with The Westminster Foundation** : October 2024 saw the start of an exciting, £0.5m 5 year targeted programme of work with children and young people in Chester and surrounding areas. This initiative aims to drive creative and life outcomes for young people and support their personal and professional growth.
- **Artist Development:** Artists remain key to all of our work – they champion and deliver the high quality artistic practice that underpins the transformative impact of dance on individuals, communities and society. 2024/25 has seen **growth in our freelance artist pool** with local dance artists joined by cross-art form Guest Artists resulting in work with high production values and growing visibility. We have fore-fronted care in all our interactions with artists, supporting our artistic community through work, bursaries, bespoke artist development and a host of specialist CPD opportunities as well as performance platforms like **Now Northwich** which are vital for sustaining artists’ careers and **talent retention** in the region.
- **Strengthening team capacity and governance** : in 2024/25 our core team developed with the recruitment of a **Digital Marketing Officer** , a **General Manager** and a **Nexus Programme Manager** . This was complemented by specialist freelance expertise in fundraising, producing and evaluation ensuring Cheshire Dance is best positioned to lead its growing programme and partnerships with confidence and quality.
- **Growing National Profile** : 2024/45 has seen a growing national profile for Cheshire Dance’s specialist practices, particularly related to our work with people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) through the **Wanna Dance?** Programme.
- _“I so appreciate the effort Cheshire Dance, as an organisation, makes to bring these absolutely exemplary networking events into fruition.”_ **North West based Freelance Dance Artist**
- _"It was a great day and the workshop was held by the organisation with great care, empathy and compassion.”_ **North West based Freelance Dance Artist**
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## **Artistic Programme Highlights 2024/25**
Amongst a rich and varied programme in 2024/25, highlights included the **Collective Enquiry** symposium, the **Wanna Dance?** Programme and film premiere, the **NEXUS** programme, the **Talent Development North** Programme with **Associate Artists Ben Wilson and Jack Evans** , as well as the _**Now Northwich**_ festival _**.**_
Meanwhile, each week our **Cheshire West Programme** sees around 20 regular dance sessions taking place in community centres, schools, adult day centres and retirement villages, reaching people of all ages and abilities, supporting our vision to ensure everyone can access the transformative power of dance.
**North West Dance Development:** Over the past 9 years Cheshire Dance has championed dance sector development in the Northwest through leading initiatives such as **Dance Consortia North West (DCNW), The Research Programme** and **NW Dance Venues group** . Highlights of this work in 2024/25 include:
- 2024 saw the completion of the **Dance Consortia North West Research Programme** which commissioned 17 artists to re-imagine dance in the North West by researching, creating and delivering new work. A repository of the Research Programme outputs can be seen here.
- **Collective Inquiry** , a two-day dance symposium, invited the North West dance sector to explore the findings from the Research Programme. Bringing together the North West dance sector, the event created the space to connect, listen, learn and contribute to some fruitful conversations about dance in the region. 17 North West freelance artists were paid bursaries to attend alongside an additional 19 artists who were paid to present, contribute or perform at the event. Read the Collective Inquiry Brochure here for background on the 17 projects and the common themes found across the research.
- **NW Dance Sector Consultation and ‘Dance Plan’** – dance sector development in the North West reached a critical moment in 2024. Consultants Dr. Helen Palmer and Ian Tabbron were commissioned by Cheshire Dance on behalf of Dance Consortia North West to undertake a detailed review of the dance sector in the North West with the aim to provide a route forward for the future direction of North West dance with the support of the dance sector.
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Funded by Arts Council England, extensive research was completed with over 100 individual artists and companies interviewed and group sessions undertaken with venues, and subregionally, in group sessions with artists, plus other input from many stakeholders. The Consultants used the evidence gleaned from this, plus focused desk research, and ACE supplied data, in shaping the analysis and objectives.
- The outcome, not yet a plan, but a blueprint for collaboration focused on four strategic priorities: `o` Partnerships and Platforms
- Creating dance development opportunities and commissioning
- Artist self-care and CPD
- Advocacy, marketing and communications
We will also use this as a starting point to explore ways of diversifying our income streams and deliver on this work with a long term outlook.
_**Wanna Dance?**_ is a pioneering initiative that is breaking new ground in providing artistic opportunities for individuals with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities and is gaining recognition in national dance and care sectors.
Image: Wanna Dance| Film still by Sam Ryley
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- **Wanna Dance?** is about creating dancing opportunities with people with **Profound Intellectual & Multiple Disabilities (PIMD)** . Led by dance artists, **Ruth Spencer** and **Jane McLean** (Cheshire Dance Creative Director) the project asks IF participants would like to dance and if so, how that dance might be? Practice in this field opens a myriad of questions, many ethically charged concerning inclusion, access, consent and ownership in relation to methods, policy and practice.
People with PIMD are non-verbal, sensory specialists with idiosyncratic communication styles and, as dancers, we have much to learn from them on sensory being, intention and communication. Wanna Dance? explores this and seeks to create care environments that are sensitive to lived body experience.
Through 1:1 co-created movement sessions, this project is founded upon a commitment to involve people with PIMD in decisions about their engagement in dance, providing opportunities for their preferences to impact upon their experience.
- **Partnerships and Funding** : In 2024-25 the project has been supported by multiple funding streams, including **The Peoples’ Postcode Lottery** , **Marjory Boddy Trust** , **Anne Duchess of Westminster Trust** , **Vivo Care Choices** , **National Lottery Awards for All** , **Sport England’s Movement Fund** , the **Baily Thomas Charitable Trust** and **Schroder Charity Trust** . These crucial funds allow the project to run across various locations, including **Chester's Canal Street, Lightfoot Lodge** and the **Coronation Centre in Ellesmere Port** .
- **Programme Reach** : In 2024/25 the project engaged intensively with **22 dancers with Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities (PIMD)** and over **30 staff** , delivering **286 one-to-one sessions** . The sessions are designed to be co-created with considerable attention paid to ethical practice, ensuring participants have a say in how they wish to engage with dance.
- _**‘When we meet… 5 dances’ film:**_ Following on from the **Wanna Dance? Film** (2023) 2024/25 saw the creation of a new film. _**‘When we meet… 5 dances’**_ is a powerful short dance film created by **Sam Ryley** at the end of the second year of Wanna Dance? Artist-in Residencies in 2024.
Set to an original, emotionally rich score by composer **Gary Lloyd** , the film features **Johnny, Vicky, Dylan, Leon** and **Beth** in duets with dance artists, Ruth and Jane, creating collaborative choreography rooted in empathy, attentiveness, and embodied communication. Through shared presence, eye contact, gesture, breath and pause, the film invites the audience to witness personalities revealed, showing that trust, respect, and choice can be powerfully conveyed without words. This is not performance imposed, but dance emerging from mutual understanding. Each frame honours the dignity and creativity of people too often spoken for rather than listened to. The film challenges assumptions about communication. It also challenges assumptions of what dance can be.
The film was premiered at Theatre Porto in February 2025 and has since been shared at online events and as part of ‘Kaleidoscope: Perspectives’ at Storyhouse in Chester.
_"The film shows what can happen when movement, embedded in sound can become the topic, the conversation. How foolishly restrained we can be in our typical interactions - so rigid, so un-embracing of vitality. Be unapologetic and proud in this dancing conversation. The film also shows how the word “sensory” means so much more than a passive recipient of another’s objects… to engage in senses means temptation, exploration, anticipation, attention… to be absolutely sensual in its core meaning. To be in_
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_the senses can be delicate and mighty. Breathtaking.”_ Sheridan Forster – International PIMD Communication Expert
- **Presentations and Recognition** : In addition to the residencies, in 2024/25 Wanna Dance? has:
- Run two Dance and PMLD Practice Sharing Network Meetings with special guest speakers **Sheridan Forster** (creator of the Hanging Out Programme) and Matthew Rawcliffe.
- Contributed to national research event “Insights, Inspire, Impact for and with people with Profound Disabilities” at University of Southampton led by PIMD expert researcher **Joanna Grace.**
- Presented at: **University of Lancashire’s ‘Choreographies of Care’** symposium, **University of Chester’s ‘Crossing Borders’** event, **People’s Dancing’s National Inclusive Dance Network** meeting and **Wales Wide Training Partnership** .
- Been invited to contribute to Victoria Navin’s book ' _Sensory Spaces: An A-Z of Immersive and Creative Environments to Support Sensory Integration'_ (to be published by Routledge).
- Been shortlisted for a Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance ‘Collective Power’ award
- Delivered a one Day ‘ **Introduction to Dance and PIMD** ’ CPD for dance artists - attended by artists from across the North West and beyond.
- Hosted a collaboration with **Northern Chamber Orchestra** which saw seven individuals with PIMD dancing in one-to-one sessions with live music from a String Quartet at **Storyhouse**
- - A Wanna Dance? photography exhibition at **Lightfoot Lodge’s Arts and Music Festival** which shared images from the programme and an opportunity to dance and play music with one of the dancers with PIMD.
- We are now in planning mode with **People Dancing** on a collaboration to share Wanna Dance? nationally.
- **Future Plans** : The project will continue in 2025/26 with new funders **D'Oyly Cart, Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel, Medicash and Brian Wilson Charitable Trust** plus a **new residency in Winsford** funded by a grant from the **Morrisons Foundation.**
| Reasons to be Cheerful performance at Theatre Porto
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**Dance and Young People Programmes:** Cheshire Dance is committed to integrating dance across the community, throughout the healthcare system and into education through partnerships with schools and colleges, health and care organisations, the public and voluntary sectors and with other like-minded cultural organisations.
- **NEXUS**
From 2024-2029 **The Westminster Foundation** is supporting Cheshire Dance’s work with young people in and around Chester, Ellesmere Port and surrounding villages. The Nexus Programme focuses on developing dance opportunities with and for children and young people who face barriers to accessing mainstream arts and cultural activities due to experiences relating to poor mental health, neurodiversity, learning disability, social circumstances, financial circumstances.
The programme began in October 2024 and is led by **Emma Thomas as the new Nexus Programme Manager** . Highlights so far include:
- The **REWIND project** in Blacon with **Theatre in the Quarter** came to its spectacular conclusion at the end of March 2025 with a show called ‘The Outside World’. An average of 35 students from 4 Primary Schools met weekly to create an original piece of musical theatre, together with Blacon High School dance students. They performed six times across two days – at the four Blacon primary schools and public performances at **Dee Point Primary** and at **Storyhouse** – total audience numbers were over 1000!
- We delivered four **dance and wellbeing workshops for Blacon High School** including one all boys workshop. These, and other workshops and consultations with young people in the area, have informed the development of the ‘Anonymous’ youth project which will begin in 2026, and are helping to shape the direction of the NEXUS programme.
- **Reasons to be Cheerful with Theatre Porto** – in 2025 we collaborated with **Theatre Porto** and students from **Cheshire College South** on the creation of a new work. Taster sessions were run in Cheshire College South and West in Ellesmere Port and then, following workshops with local primary students to gather ideas, the college students created a devised show in one week and did 5 performances over the following week – performing to around 500 people in total! The show featured the voices and writing of KS2 children from four local primary schools, whose words form the soundtrack to the performance. It was an exploration of emotions and emotional resilience from a child-centred perspective and a celebration of learning and creativity.
- **Ancora House Dance Programme** , supporting young people through creativity and dance in both resident and transitional NHS educational settings. Delivered in partnership with the **Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Trust** . Artists **Josie Hepplewhite** , **Felicity Goodman** and **Kathryn Kirk** have run short projects in the Ancora Hospital School whilst **Rachel Gittins** has been facilitating 1:1 sessions in Ancora House School Frodsham – supporting young people to re-engage in education and group dance activities.
- **Step into Capoeira Home Education sessions** have run weekly at **Theatre Porto,** and consultation with young people and their families has identified a desire to delve deeper into the culture of capoeira and Brazil, as well as a need for dedicated activities for home educated teenagers – both of which we will be developing with **Theatre Porto** in 2025.
- - **DS Dance** sessions in Chester ran weekly involving young people with Downs Syndrome, supported by a partnership with **Downs Syndrome Cheshire**
- **Dance in Education Programmes** : Cheshire Dance has a strong practice in dance in education and continued to work with a variety of schools and partners delivering workshops, projects and curriculum focused dance activity in primary, SEN and secondary schools across the borough – as well as part of **Edsential** residentials in Tattenall and Conwy Centre.
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- **The Spotlight Project** is a cross-sector initiative that is critical in addressing mental health challenges and providing creative outlets for young people in Winsford.
## **Watch the uplifting 3-minute short film here: https://bit.ly/SpotlightCheshireDance**
**The Spotlight Project** continues to be as important as ever for young people in Winsford and develops in response to the young people and their emerging needs.
- Referral pathways are developing, with young people joining the session through recommendations from social workers, Youth Fed and mental health practitioners at Winsford Academy. However, the social prescribing and referral pathways in Winsford remain challenging – something other providers are also experiencing.
- The **‘What’s Next’ leadership and development** strand of the project has been integral in 2024/25 with a group of 5 young people engaging in bespoke training to develop their facilitation and project management skills – they aspire to run sessions for younger children in Winsford. The **‘What’s Next’** programme has also included **one-to-one mentoring** sessions which have been transformational for some individuals. One member is now regularly volunteering with Cheshire Dance at sessions for older adults in Winsford.
- Opportunities to share their work publicly have been important for the Spotlight dancers who, in 2024/25 have performed at **Now Northwich** , **Cheshire Voluntary Arts Awards** and **Winsford Arts Trail** .
**Recognition:** The Spotlight Project won:
- The **Highly Commended Award** at **Cheshire Community Foundation’s President Awards for ‘Improving mental health and wellbeing’**
- A **‘Special Award’ in recognition of outstanding partnership practice** at the **Cheshire West Voluntary Arts awards** .
- They were also nominated for a **Winsford Oscars Award** .
_“We are all noticing such a difference in her confidence_ ....... _It's a credit to the work you’re doing here.”_ Parent of a Spotlight Project Participant
**Funding and Future** : _**The Spotlight Project**_ is currently funded until April 2026 thanks to a local grant and a **Million Hours fund** grant via **Winsford Youth and Community Forum** .
**Collaboration and Support** : _**The Spotlight Project**_ is delivered in partnership with **Winsford Youth and Community Forum** , **Winsford NHS Care Community** , **Youth Fed** , and **Mind Body Balance Academy** . These collaborations help provide a holistic approach to supporting young people through dance.
**Talent Development North:** is a peer-to-peer programme of enquiry with organisations and artists working collaboratively to identify, develop and embed working practices that enable **professional Learning Disabled and Autistic dance artists** to create and make great art, changing perceptions and inspiring others. Funded through an NPO uplift to **TIN Arts** , the partners are **TIN Arts, Yorkshire Dance** and Cheshire Dance.
- In 2024/25 we have been working with two **Associate Artists** – **Ben Wilson** and **Jack Evans** .
- **Ben Wilson** , an artist with Down’s Syndrome, had his second year working with Cheshire Dance - he has created a new work – ‘ _Step Ahead_ ’. The piece explores friendships, relationships and Ben’s view of the world as an artist with Downs Syndrome, with an ensemble cast of four dancers. This
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work was co-commissioned by Cheshire Dance for **Now Northwich** and **TIN Arts** for **IncludFEST** in Durham in September. It was also performed at Storyhouse as part of ‘ **Kaleidoscopes: Perspectives** ’ and at **Topsy Turvey** – **Theatre Porto’s** family festival.
- **Jack Evans** – an autistic dance artist, began the programme in January 2025. We have supported Jack to make a new work on the topic of ‘masking’ (putting on a front or ‘mask’ to seem neurotypical) and the challenges this creates. Jack received a **digital commission** from **Cinewindow** to work with digital artists to explore the digital possibilities of his movement with movement tracking and visual AI art. He also created a new live work – _‘Life behind the Mask’_ . This was performed at **TIN Arts’ ‘Best Foot Forward’** event and **Kaleidoscope: Persepctives** at **Storyhouse** .
- **Future:** Jack and Ben will continue to work with Cheshire Dance as Associate Artists in 2025/26, thanks to continued funding via **TIN Arts** .
Mask’ at Best Foot Forward
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**Now Northwich** : took place on Saturday 3[rd ] May 2025. The day was a huge success attracting large audiences.
## Highlights from the festival included:
- **BBC North West Tonight** featured the festival on their evening broadcast on 3[rd ] May 2025, you can see the section here: https://youtu.be/6K-AKe9ooxU
- **UNITY by Gorilla Circus** featuring a Northwich Community Cast was the first static showstopper at a Now Northwich festival and was the first time that a community dance cast had been integrated into the show – a highlight for audiences and all the company members involved – professional dancers, acrobats and non-professionals. Over 1800 audience members watched the show on festival day.
- Cheshire Dance **commissioned four new works by North West based dance artists/companies** for the festival:
- **Bettina Carpi** – UNITY Community Cast
- **Ben Wilson Dance Company** – Step Ahead
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- **Matthew Rawcliffe** – The Garden, The Styx and The Underworld – specifically for audience with profound and multiple learning disabilities
- **Global Grooves** – Carnival
This brings the total Now Northwich commissions since 2022 to eight – all North West based dance artists/companies.
- The festival programme focused on highlighting **North West based dance artists and companies** with all but Gorilla Circus being based in the North West – this shows Cheshire Dance’s commitment to supporting the North West Dance sector, investing in artists and platforming high quality work.
_Image: Matthew Rawcliffe’s ‘The Garden, The Styx and The Underworld’ Now Northwich 2025 | Photo by Joel Chester Fildes_
**Creative Health:** We continue to work in partnership to develop Creative Health opportunities and programmes across Cheshire.
- **Creative Health Placement with University of Chester Nursing students:** For the third year we were invited to run dance taster days for first year nursing students as part of their Creative Health placement – **Bettina Carpi** and **Jody Morgan** worked with all the nursing students across the university’s three campuses.
- **University of Chester Medical school placements at Dance to Health:** 30 first year medical students attended Dance to Health sessions in Crewe with **Bettina Carpi** to support their understanding of health prevention in the community.
- **Hazelmere session:** we have been developing a dance session for older adults living with long term health conditions **–** in partnership with **Winsford NHS Care Community** and **Hazelmere Extra Care village.** Thanks to a **Cheshire West Voluntary Action** grant this session will continue into 2025/26.
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## **Artist and Creative Development:** In 2024/25, we supported 162 freelance artists through
professional development training, networks and events plus 31 one-to-one artist surgeries, free access to our studio space as well as bursaries to support financial access to training.
- The **Inquiring Bodies** series of full-day creative sharing continued, this year with **Lisa Dowler** and again hosted by the **University of Chester** .
_“I so appreciate the effort Cheshire Dance, as an organisation, makes to bring these absolutely exemplary networking events into fruition.”_
_"It was a great day and the workshop was held by the organisation with great care, empathy and compassion.”_
_“It brings together artists and practitioners from the wide regions of the NW, of different ages and stages of their careers. This makes for really interesting shared practice and dialogue.”_
_“I have had wonderful_
_experiences with you and the ways and space you held for us, which influences will carry on in my career.”_
_“It's great that the event is free and funded because the economic climate greatly impacts artists who are often on low income.”_
- **Dance and PIMD:**
Independent Artist, **Ruth Spencer** and Cheshire Dance’s Creative Director, **Jane McLean,** brought together a number of **National Dance**
**and PMLD Practice Sharing**
**Network** meetings as part of the **Wanna Dance?**
programme, sharing practice
with other artists and inviting guest speakers and internationally renowned specialists from the Care sector.
They also facilitated an **‘Introduction to Dance and PIMD’** CPD day and a bespoke dance and PIMD CPD for **Matthew Rawcliffe Dance Company**
- **Safeguarding:** Our unique **‘Safeguarding in Dance’** training remains essential and popular in the sector – this year we facilitated one open training for freelance artists and another commissioned by Dance Collective CIC (North Wales).
- All our artist development work complements our **regional North West** efforts which have opened up new opportunities for commissioning artists, further CPD, multiple networking gathering as well as a significant long term strategic consultation, planning and resourcing project (See NW Development section).
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## **Staffing**
Cheshire Dance’s success is founded on its people. We run our own CPD programme and consider best practice on a daily basis with dance artists and other sector professionals – health and care, education, regeneration and place-making. We are a long-standing co-creator with groups, communities and partner organisations and we strive to ensure that our work remains connected to our stakeholders and is relevant to their needs and aspirations.
Cheshire Dance for the period of 2024-2025 employed:
- **Staff:** 3 full time staff and 3 part time staff, equating to 5.3 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) employees.
- **Freelance Staff** : Cheshire Dance worked with numerous freelance staff throughout the year. 52 artists were engaged through specific initiatives, including Wanna Dance?, Nexus and The Spotlight Project and through the regular classes programme. We also sustained freelance relationships with a Now Northwich Festival Producer, specialist Fundraiser and a Marcoms specialist.
And engaged:
- **Volunteers** : Volunteers played an important role, especially in key events like the Now Northwich festival which involved 15 volunteers.
These figures reflect the active involvement of a broad community supporting Cheshire Dance's programmes and activities in 2024/2025.
18
Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
## Trustees’ annual report
for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **Beneficiaries of our services**
Cheshire Dance delivers/promotes dance engagement pro-actively amongst specifically targeted groups: People with Protected Characteristics, including
- Age - Early Years, Young People, Older Adults
- Disability - Physical and Learning Disabled People as well as those with Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities
- Race - Black and Global Majority people
- Gender - girls/women, boys/men specific as well as mixed groups
- Sexual orientation / gender reassignment – LGBTQIA+
- And less so amongst groups identified by religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity.
## Other specifically targeted groups:
- Artists
- People on low incomes and/or living in disadvantaged areas
- Excluded young people
- Young people choosing dance as a formal training route into the profession
- People with health concerns: Cheshire Dance is becoming increasingly recognised as a specialist in Dance and Health.
Cheshire Dance delivers continuing professional development in dance and addresses issues of inequality of opportunity. Together, these not only advance knowledge of the artform, facilitation and dance development but also the effects of physical activity on the body and the duty of care to participants and practitioners. People who engage in Cheshire Dance’s continuing professional development activity include:
- Artists
- Teachers in both formal and informal educational settings
- Care, health and youth workers and early years practitioners
- • Students and young people
Cheshire Dance seeks to engage the public in works of art as audiences. Particular target groups include:
- People who become audience members following their engagements through wider programmes of participation and continuing professional development.
- Families, friends, colleagues and communities connected to the groups we work with.
- People with an interest in dance and the arts targeted through social media, print and by working in partnership with other organisations.
19
Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
## Trustees’ annual report
## for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **Financial review**
The financial results for the year are set out in the attached financial statements. The overall position was a surplus of £137,916 (2024: £11,890 deficit).
The total surplus for the year, comprised a surplus on restricted funds of £75,477 (2024: £11,668 deficit) and a surplus on unrestricted funds of £62,439 (2024: £222 deficit).
## _**Raising funds**_
Total income for the year was £636,560 (2024: £338,806). Unrestricted grants from Arts Council England and Cheshire West & Chester Council totalled £129,437, the same as prior year. Restricted grant funding increased to £409,170 from £158,534 in the prior year. Further detail on income is provided in notes 3, 4 and 10 in the accounts.
## _**Assets**_
Total funds at March 2025 were £307,250 (2024: £169,334). Of this £166,096 related to funds restricted in nature (2024: £90,619) and £88,933 related to designated funds (2024: £26,357), which have been set aside by the Board of Trustees for the purposes detailed below:
- £81,259 designated to cover committed core costs, including fundraising and support staff costs.
- £7,674 designated to cover future depreciation costs for agreed asset purchases.
- The overall cash in bank position was £272,737 (2024: £187,471)
## **Reserves policy**
The Board aims to maintain an appropriate level of unrestricted funds to support Cheshire Dance’s work and its programme of activities.
The Charity’s reserves policy protects the continuity of its work and provides appropriate cover against the risks to which it is exposed. The reserves policy considers the following risk factors:
- Risks associated with income, including funding and sponsorship, being different or lower from that budgeted.
- Risks associated with expenditure, being different or higher from that budgeted.
- Planned activity level having identified potential threats and opportunities.
- The charity’s contractual commitments.
- The potential costs associated with having to wind down the organisation in an emergency situation.
Reserves may also be used to fund new opportunities which arise that may further the organisation’s charitable objectives and strategic aims.
## _**Target Free Reserve**_
At its October 2024 meeting, the Board agreed a target reserve of £52,000 comprising £42,000 held in respect of winding down costs and a further £10,000 held in respect of specific risks, to be maintained over the following 12-month period. As of 31st March 2025, Cheshire Dance held £52,221 of unrestricted, undesignated reserves, which was in line with the target reserve level set by the policy.
Subsequently, at its September 2025 meeting, the Board reviewed the policy and increased the target reserve to £55,000 to reflect updated assessments, comprising £45,000 held in respect of winding down costs and a further £10,000 held in respect of specific risks.
20
## Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
## Trustees’ annual report
## for the year ended 31 March 2025
## _**Review of Reserves Policy**_
The reserves policy will be reviewed on an annual basis by the Finance Committee and recommended to the Board for any changes or updates.
The level of free reserves held will be monitored by the Finance Committee on a quarterly basis. A risk log is also monitored quarterly by the Board.
Where current reserves are below the target level of free reserves outlined in the policy, then action should be taken to replenish reserves over the appropriate time period aligned to the business strategy.
## **Plans for the future**
Cheshire Dance’s business model is resilient, and it remains a going concern. It delivers outstanding return on investment for both its core funding partners and will continue to do so. These partners include:
**Arts Council England** through a National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) agreement and **Cheshire West and Chester Council** through a core Grant Funding agreement. The whole team and Board are immensely grateful for this ongoing support. It is a sign of strong partnership that both core funders additionally invest in Cheshire Dance through specific projects and programmes.
**Support from new funding sources** : This year, significant new investment came in the form of unrestricted funds from the Garfield Weston Foundation to support as well as restricted funds from several other trusts and foundations. Together, these funds add value to public sector investment, many of which have recognised Cheshire Dance’s work for the first time.
**Maintaining financial accessibility** : Cheshire Dance is committed to keeping public-facing programmes affordable, ensuring that financial barriers do not prevent community participation in the arts and artists engaging in Continuing Professional Development.
**Risk-aware, policy-led** : Our financial strategy is both risk-aware and coherent, with policies and practices that ensure sustainability and resilience.
**Shifting the dial for artists** : The North West is rich in creative talent, yet much of it remains underutilised. Cheshire Dance, with many partners are working to change this, providing more opportunities for artists to engage in meaningful work.
**A caring culture** : At the heart of all we do is a commitment to a caring culture - this applies to our artists, staff, volunteers, Board and all our participants, audiences, partner organisations and other stakeholders.
Looking ahead, Cheshire Dance will continue to expand its reach through the Westminster Foundation supported **NEXUS** programme, developing our engagement with local schools and communities of young people and progressing new referral and social prescribing partnerships.
We aim to focus on broadening our national profile and deepen our community impact through our innovative projects _**Wanna Dance?**_ and _**The Spotlight Project**_ .
_**Wanna Dance?**_ will continue with expanded residencies, additional short films and sustaining the National PIMD Dance Network. This work is currently funded until October 2026, including an expansion to include a centre in Winsford alongside those in Chester and Ellesmere Port.
21
Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
## Trustees’ annual report
## for the year ended 31 March 2025
_**The Spotlight Project**_ has secured funding, ensuring its continuation until April 2026, for regular sessions and support for young participants, aiming for long-term impact in Winsford.
## **Future Collaborations and New Models**
Strategic North West wide dance development is a priority for Cheshire Dance and has been since 2018 when it first gained support for sector development from **Arts Council England** .
In Autumn 2024, the two-year Research Programme culminated and set of resources and case studies were published, sharing learnings and outcomes with the sector including via an in-person event in October.
Following a sector-wide consultation in 2024 that sought to uncover the realities of the dance ecology amidst a cost of living crisis post-pandemic, Cheshire Dance is now developing plans with new partners, particularly with some of the larger cultural institutions in the region and is seeking backing to turn these plans into action.
Additionally Cheshire Dance tested a new **North West Outdoor Dance Platform** model as part of its Now Northwich festival, again aimed at elevating regional talent, developing audiences for dance and increasing community engagement.
## **Structure, governance and management**
The organisation is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated in 1993 and registered as a charity in 1983.
The company was established under a memorandum of association which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its articles of association.
Members of the charity guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 to the assets of the charity in the event of winding up. The trustees have no beneficial interest in the charity.
All trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no benefits from the charity. Any expenses reclaimed from the charity are set out in note 9 to the accounts.
## **Board Recruitment Process**
Cheshire Dance attracts Board members from across the public, private, dance, cultural, voluntary and education sectors. We aim to attract a broad range of applicants from different professional and cultural backgrounds, going further than simply reflecting the stakeholders and geographic areas we currently serve. Roles are advertised openly, and we reach out to different communities through the networks connected to our increasingly diverse programme.
Following Expressions of Interest received, a Board and Team member meet informally with candidates so both parties can assess compatibility. By agreement candidates are then invited to meet the Board/Team through observing a Board meeting. In preparation candidates can access meeting papers and a comprehensive Board Induction pack. Again, by agreement, after the meeting, candidates join the Board formally and continue the induction process.
## **Related parties and relationships with other organisations**
The trustees maintain an accurate Register of Interests covering both trustees and staff. Where conflicts of interest arise in decision-making, specific interests are noted and interested parties step out of the
22
Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
## Trustees’ annual report
## for the year ended 31 March 2025
decision-making process. The trustees recognise the importance of including practicing artists in its number.
## **Remuneration policy for key management personnel**
Trustees maintain knowledge of competitive salary levels in the sector. It assesses all staff salaries each year and implements appropriate rises as part of its overall responsibility for financial control and longterm resilience.
## **Risk management**
The Board reviews major risks on a quarterly basis and All Relevant Organisational Risks on an annual basis, or more frequently as circumstances dictate. Options for Mitigating Action are reviewed at the Trigger point and agreed and implemented as appropriate. The Risk Log includes any ongoing adaptation and recovery relating to risks associated with the current Cost of Living Crisis as well as broader risks relating to the economy and the climate crisis.
## **Funds held as custodian trustee on behalf of others**
Funds held on behalf of Dance Consortia North West were in an overspend position of £4,334 as at 31 March 2025. This arose due to restricted project expenditure being incurred ahead of receiving the corresponding funding.
23
## Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
## Trustees’ annual report
## for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **Statement of responsibilities of the trustees**
The trustees (who are also directors of Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees’ annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently
- Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP
- Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent
- State whether applicable UK Accounting Standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements
- Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime of the Companies Act 2006.
The trustees’ annual report has been approved by the trustees on 02/12/2025 and signed on their behalf by
**Holly Aston, Co-Chair**
_Holly Aston_ Holly Aston (Dec 2, 2025 17:38:27 GMT)
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Peter Mearns, Co-Chair
Peter Mearns (Dec 2, 2025 15:27:19 GMT)
**----- End of picture text -----**
02/12/2025
**----- Start of picture text -----**
02/12/2025
**----- End of picture text -----**
24
## Independent examiner’s report
## to the trustees of
## Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
I report on the accounts of the company for the year ended 31 March 2025 which are set out on pages 26 to 41.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity trustees of the company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).
Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your company’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
Since the company’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, which is one of the listed bodies.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Christy Lau FCCA CTA DChA Slade & Cooper Ltd, Chartered Certified Accountants Beehive Mill, Jersey Street, Manchester M4 6JG
Date
25
## Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
## Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure account) for the year ended 31 March 2025
|Note
Unrestricted
funds
£
**Income from:**
Charitableactivities
3
222,723
Investments
4
4,667
**Total income**
**227,390**
**Expenditure on:**
Charitable activities
5
164,951
**Total expenditure**
**164,951**
**Net income/(expenditure) for the**
**year**
7
**62,439 **
Transfer between funds
**Net movement in funds for the year**
**62,439**
**Reconciliation of funds**
Total funds brought forward
78,715
**Total funds carried forward**
**141,154**|Restricted
funds
£
409,170
**409,170**
333,693
**333,693**
**75,477 **
**75,477**
90,619
**166,096**|Total funds
2025
£
631,893
4,667
**636,560**
498,644
**498,644**
**137,916 **
**137,916**
169,334
**307,250**|Total funds
2024
£
336,829
1,977|
|---|---|---|---|
||||**338,806**|
||||350,696|
||||**350,696**|
||||**(11,890)**|
||||**(11,890)**
181,224|
||||**169,334**|
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
A full comparative SOFA is available on the last page of the financial statements.
26
## Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited Company number 2811035
## Balance sheet as at 31 March 2025
||Note|2025||||2024||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||£||£|£||£|
|**Fixed assets**||||||||
|Tangible assets|12|||3,674|||2,848|
|**Total fixed assets**||||**3,674 **|||**2,848**|
|**Current assets**||||||||
|Debtors|13|71,977|||17,158|||
|Cash at bank and in hand|14|272,737|||187,471|||
|**Total current assets**||**344,714**|||**204,629**|||
|**Liabilities**||||||||
|Creditors: amounts falling||||||||
|due in less than one year|15|(41,138)|||(38,143)|||
|**Net current assets**||||**303,576**|||**166,486**|
|**Total assets less current liabilities **||||307,250|||169,334|
|**Net assets**||||**307,250**|||**169,334**|
|**The funds of the charity:**||||||||
|Restricted income funds|16|||166,096|||90,619|
|Unrestricted income funds|17|||141,154|||78,715|
|**Total charity funds**||||**307,250**|||**169,334**|
For the year in question, the company was entitled to exemption from an audit under section 477 of the Comoanies Act 2006 relatina to small comoanies.
Directors' responsibiIities:
- The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006,
- The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.
These accounts are prepared in accordance with the special provisions of part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies and in accordance with FRS102 SORP, and constitute the annual accounts required by the Companies Act 2006 and are for circulation to members of the company.
The notes on pages 29 to 41 form part of these accounts.
Approved by the trustees on 02/12/2025 and siqned on their behalf by:
Holly Aston, Co-Chair
Peter Mearns (Dec 2, 2025 15:27:19 GMT) Peter Mearns, Co-Chair
27
## Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
## Statement of Cash Flows
## for the year ending 31 March 2025
||Note|2025|2024|
|---|---|---|---|
|||£|£|
|**Cash provided by/(used in) operating activities**|19|**83,599**|**(14,841)**|
|Cash flows from investing activities:||||
|Dividends, interest, and rents from investments||4,667|1,977|
|Purchase of tangible fixed assets||(3,000)||
|**Cash provided by/(used in) investing activities**||**1,667**|**1,977**|
|Increase/(decrease) in cash and cash||||
|equivalents in the year||85,266|(12,864)|
|Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year||187,471|200,335|
|**Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year**||**272,737**|**187,471**|
28
Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **1 Accounting policies**
The principal accounting policies adopted, judgments and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows:
## **a Basis of preparation**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), second edition - October 2019 (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006 and UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.
## **b Preparation of the accounts on a going concern basis**
The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern.
The trustees have made no key judgments which have a significant effect on the accounts.
The trustees do not consider that there are any sources of estimation uncertainty at the reporting date that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amount of assets and liabilities within the next reportinq period.
## **c Income**
Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the item(s) of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.
Income from government and other grants, whether 'capital' grants or 'revenue' grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred.
Income received in advance of a provision of a specified service is deferred until the criteria for income recognition are met.
29
Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 (continued)
## **d Donated services and facilities**
Donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item, any conditions associated with the donated item have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the item is probable and that economic benefit can be measured reliably. In accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), general volunteer time is not recognised; refer to the trustees' annual report for more information about their contribution.
On receipt, donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.
## **e Interest receivable**
Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the Bank.
## **f Fund accounting**
Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of charity.
Designated funds are unrestricted funds of the charity which the trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose.
Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particular areas of the charity's work or for specific projects being undertaken by the charity.
## **g Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT**
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.
## **h Tangible fixed assets**
Individual fixed assets costing £400 or more are capitalised at cost and are depreciated over their estimated useful economic lives on a straight line basis as follows:
Equipment 25%
```
30
```
Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 (continued)
## **Debtors**
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.
## **j Cash at bank and in hand**
Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
## **k Creditors and provisions**
Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.
## **Financial instruments**
The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
## **m Pensions**
Employees of the charity are entitled to join a defined contribution scheme. The charity's contribution is restricted to the contributions disclosed in note 8. There were outstanding contributions at the vear end of £782 (2024: £660).
## **2 Legal status of the charity**
The charity is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales and has no share capital. In the event of the charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to fl per member of the charity. The registered office address is disclosed on page 1.
```
31
```
Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 (continued)
## **3 Income from charitable activities**
|Grants and Contracts
Arts Council England
Baily Thomas
Barons Quay
Cheshire West & Chester Council
Garfield Weston
National Lottery Community Fund
Northwich BID
Northwich Town Council
Schroder
Sport England
Westminster Foundation
Without Walls
Earned income
Other income
Total
**_Previous Reporting Period_**
_Grants and Contracts_
_Active Cheshire_
_Anne Duchess of Westminster_
_Arts Council England_
_Cheshire West_&_Chester_
_Cheshire West Voluntary Action_
_Marjory Body Charitable Trust_
_Northwich BID_
_Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire_
_Postcode Lottery_
_Earned income_
_Other income_
**_Total_**|Unrestricted
£
89,831
39,606
30,000
62,691
595
222,723
_Unrestricted_
£
_89,831 _
_39,606 _
_48,122 _
_736 _
_178,295_|Restricted
£
36,000
3,000
5,000
45,925
17,520
89,331
4,000
4,000
10,920
97,193
9,669
85,612
1,000
409,170
_Restricted_
£
_3,000_
_5,000 _
_40,600 _
_3,175 _
_3,000 _
_5,000 _
_43,332 _
_4,980 _
_13,840 _
_35,212 _
_1,395 _
_158,534_|Total 2025
£
125,831
3,000
5,000
85,531
30,000
17,520
89,331
4,000
4,000
10,920
97,193
9,669
148,303
1,595|
|---|---|---|---|
||||631,893|
||||_Total 2024_
£
_3,000_
_5,000_
_130,431_
_42,781_
_3,000_
_5,000_
_43,332_
_4,980_
_13,840_
_83,334_
_2,131_|
||||_336,829_|
```
32
```
Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 (continued)
## **4 Investment income**
All of the charity's investment income arises from money held in interest bearing deposit accounts. All investment income is unrestricted.
## **5 Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities**
|Salaries
Other Staff Costs/Contracted Staff
Other Core Costs/Resources & Venue/Office
Marketing
Capital Projects/Depreciation
Other/Insurance
Governance costs
_(see_note 6)
Restricted expenditure
Unrestricted expenditure
**Analysis of governance and support costs**
Basis of
apportionment
Accountancy services
Governance
**_Previous reporting period_**
_Basis of_
_apportionment_
_Accountancy services_
_Governance_|Support
£
_Support_
£|Total 2025
£
157,963
298,096
21,217
12,969
2,174
2,857
3,368
498,644
2025
£
333,693
164,951
498,644
Governance
£
3,368
_Governance_
£
_3,183 _|Total 2024
£
167,026
146,309
23,353
7,248
1,425
2,152
3,183|
|---|---|---|---|
||||350,696|
||||2024
£
174,452
176,244|
||||350,696|
||||Total 2025
£
3,368|
||||_Total 2024_
£
_3,183_|
**6 Analysis of governance and support costs**
```
33
```
Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 (continued)
## **7 Net income/(expenditure} for the year**
|This is stated after charging/(crediting):|2025|2024|
|---|---|---|
||£|£|
|Depreciation|2,174|1,425|
|Independent examiner's remuneration -|||
|Independent examination|595|565|
|Accountancy|1,300|1,250|
|Payroll|533|370|
|Grant audit|416|300|
## **8 Staff costs**
Staff costs during the year were as follows:
|Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Pension costs
**Allocated as follows:**
Charitableactivities|2025
£
146,110
8,468
3,385
157,963
157,963
157,963|2024
£
154,075
9,358
3,593|
|---|---|---|
|||167,026|
|||167,026|
|||167,026|
No employees have employee benefits in excess of £60,000 (2024: Nil).
The average number of staff employed during the period was 5 (2024: 6). The average full time equivalent number of staff employed during the period was 5.3 (2024: 5.2).
The key management personnel of the charity comprise the trustees and the Chief Executive Officer. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel of the charity were £50,050 (2024: £42,802).
```
34
```
Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 (continued)
## **9 Trustee remuneration and expenses, and related party transactions**
One (2024: two) trustee claimed reimbursed travel expenses totalling £266 during the year (2024: £510).
One trustee (2024: one) received fees as an artist supplying services to the charity, as permitted by the charity's governing document:
|mitted by the charity's governing|document:||
|---|---|---|
||2025|2024|
||£|£|
|Bettina Carpi|29,504|19,309|
Ruth Spencer, partner of Adam Holloway, executive Director, was engaged as a freelance artist by the charity and received fees of 13,585 during the year (2024: £9,675).
Apart from the above transactions, no trustee or other person related to the charity had any personal interest in any contract or transaction entered into by the charity, including guarantees, during the year (2024: nil).
## **10 Government grants**
The government grants recognised in the accounts were as follows:
|Arts Council England
Cheshire West & Chester Council
Northwich Town Council
Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire|2025
£
125,831
85,531
4,000
215,362|2024
£
130,431
42,781
4,980|
|---|---|---|
|||178,192|
The are no unfulfilled conditions and contingencies attaching to the grants.
```
35
```
Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 (continued)
## **11 Corporation tax**
1 ne cnarny 1s exempt rrom tax on income ana gains ra111ng w1min Lnapter _j or 1-'art 11 or me Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects. No tax charges have arisen in the charity.
## **12 Fixed assets: tangible assets**
|**Cost**
At1April2024
Additions
Disposals
At31March2025
**Depreciation**
At1April2024
Charge for the year
Disposals
At31March2025
**Net book value**
At31March2025
At31March2024|Computer
equipment
23,716
3,000
26,716
20,868
2,174
23,042
3,674
2,848|Other
equipment
£
17,460
17,460
17,460
17,460|Total
£
41,176
3,000|
|---|---|---|---|
||||44,176|
||||38,328
2,174|
||||40,502|
||||3,674|
||||2,848|
```
36
```
## Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
## Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 (continued)
## **13 Debtors**
|Fees receivable
Other debtors
Prepayments and accrued income
**14**
**Cash at bank and in hand**
Cash at bank and on hand
**15 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year **
Trade creditors
Other creditors and accruals
Deferred income
Taxation and social security costs|2025
£
57,739
491
13,747
71,977
2025
£
272,737
272,737
2025
£
30,063
3,217
4,595
3,263
41,138|2024
£
14,706
287
2,165|
|---|---|---|
|||17,158|
|||2024
£
187,471|
|||187,471|
|||2024
£
19,670
15,966
2,507|
|||38,143|
```
37
```
Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
## Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 (continued)
## **16 Analysis of movements in restricted funds**
|Training
Community
Training
Professional
Total
**_Previous reporting_**
**_period_**
_Training_
_Community_
_Training_
_Professional_|Balance at
1 April
2024
£
48,725
41,894
90,619
_Balance at_
_1 April_
_2023_
£
69,628
_32,659_
_102,287_
**Description,**|Income
Expenditure
Transfers
£
£
£
330,797
(233,360)
78,373
(100,333)
409,170
(333,693)
_Income_
£
_Expenditure_
£
_Transfers_
£
_88,018 _
_(108,921) _
_70,516 _
_(65,531) _
_4,250 _
_158,534_
_(174,452)_
_4,250_
**nature and purposes of the fund**|Balance at
31 March
2025
£
146,162
19,934|
|---|---|---|---|
||||166,096|
||||_Balance at_
_31 March_
_2024_
£
_48,725_
_41,894_|
|_Total_
**Name of**
**restricted fund**|||_90,619_|
|||||
Training Community This represents funds to deliver inclusion projects mainly relating to an artist in residence programme with funds mainly derived from Peoples' Postcode Lottery and Vivo Care Choices and a young peoples' mental health programme with funds mainly derived from the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire.
Training Professional This represents funds to deliver Professional work, mainly relating to funds held for Dance Consortia North West mainly derived from Arts Council England and funds carried forward to support programming costs for the next Now Northwich festival.
```
38
```
Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 (continued)
## **17 Analysis of movement in unrestricted funds**
|**Current reporting**
**period**
General fund
Designated fund
Designated fund 2
Designated fund 3
**_Previous reporting_**
**_period_**
_General fund_
_Designated fund_
_Designated fund 3_|52,358
20,509
5,848
78,715
_Balance_
_at 1 April_
_2023_
£
_51,155 _
_23,509 _
_4,273 _
_78,937_
tsaIance
at 1 April
2024
£|227,390
227,390
_Income_
£
_180,272 _
_180,272_
Income
£|(162,777)
(2,174)
(164,951)
_Expenditure _
£
_(174,819) _
_(1,425) _
_(176,244)_
Expenditure
£|(64,750)
28,750
32,000
4,000
_Transfers_
£
_(4,250) _
_(3,000) _
_3,000 _
_(4,250)_
Transfers
£|52,221
49,259
32,000
7,674
As at 31
March 2025
£|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||141,154|
||||||_As at 31_
_March_
_2024_
£
_52,358_
_20,509_
_5,848_|
||||||_78,715_|
## **Name of**
## **unrestricted fund Description, nature and purposes of the fund**
General fund
The free reserves after allowing for all designated funds
Designated fund Designated to cover committed core costs, including fundraising and support staff costs.
Designated fund 2 Designatd to cover Cheshire Dance 50th birthday and legacy costs.
Designated fund 3 Designated to cover future depreciation costs and agreed asset purchases in line with Note lh for assets purchased.
```
39
```
Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 (continued)
## **18 Analysis of net assets between funds**
|Tangible fixed assets
Net current assets/(liabilities)
Total
**_Previous Reporting Period_**
_Tangible fixed assets_
_Net current assets/(/iabilities)_
_Total_|General
fund
£
52,221
52,221
_General_
_fund_
£
_49,510 _
_49,510_|Designated
funds
£
3,674
85,259
88,933
_Designated_
_funds_
£
_2,848 _
_26,357 _
_26,357_|Restricted
funds
£
166,096
166,096
_Restricted_
_funds_
£
_90,619 _
_90,619_|Total
£
3,674
303,576|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||307,250|
|||||_Total_
£
_2,848_
_166,486_|
|||||_169,334_|
## **19 Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash flow from operating activities**
|**Net income/(expenditure) for the year**
**Adjustments for:**
Depreciation charge
Dividends, interest and rents from investments
Decrease/(increase) in debtors
Increase/(decrease) in creditors
**Net cash provided by/(used in) operating**|2025
£
137,916
2,174
(4,667)
(54,819)
2,995
83,599|2024
£
(11,890)
1,425
(1,977)
9,570
(11,969)|
|---|---|---|
|||(14,841)|
```
40
```
Cheshire Dance Workshop Limited
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 (continued)
## **20 Prior year Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure account)**
|Unrestricted
funds
f
**Income from:**
Charitable activities:
178,295
Investments
1,977
**Total income**
**180,272**
**Expenditure on:**
Charitable activities:
176,244
**Total expenditure**
**176,244**
**Net income/(expenditure) for the'f**
**4,028**
Transfer between funds
(4,250)
**Net movement in funds for the**
**year**
**(222) **
**Reconciliation of funds**
Total funds brought forward
78,937
**Total funds carried forward**
**78,715**|Restricted
funds
f
158,534
**158,534**
174,452
**174,452**
**(15,918)**
4,250
**(11,668) **
102,287
**90,619**|Total funds
2024
f
336,829
1,977
**338,806**
350,696
**350,696**
**(11,890)**
**(11,890) **
181,224
**169,334**|Total funds
2023
f
347,101
530|
|---|---|---|---|
||||**347,631**|
||||330,171|
||||**330,171**|
||||**17,460**|
||||**17,460**
163,764|
||||**181,224**|
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
41
2025-12-02
## C042 final accounts 2025
Final Audit Report
Created: 2025-12-02 By: Cheshire Dance (people@cheshiredance.org) Status: Signed Transaction ID: CBJCHBCAABAAb270Jpmds3i8nnlNO7RNbuUYZDRQoa9x
## "C042 final accounts 2025" History
- Document created by Cheshire Dance (people@cheshiredance.org)
2025-12-02 - 1:34:25 PM GMT
- RB Document emailed to Holly Ashton (holly.a.aston@gmail.com) for signature 2025-12-02 - 1:34:38 PM GMT
- RB Document emailed to Peter Mearns (peter.mearns@live.co.uk) for signature 2025-12-02 - 1:34:38 PM GMT
- RB Document emailed to Cheshire Dance (people@cheshiredance.org) for approval 2025-12-02 - 1:34:38 PM GMT
- Email viewed by Cheshire Dance (people@cheshiredance.org) 2025-12-02 - 1:35:21 PM GMT
- Oe Document approved by Cheshire Dance (people@cheshiredance.org) Approval Date: 2025-12-02 - 1:35:37 PM GMT - Time Source: server
- Email viewed by Peter Mearns (peter.mearns@live.co.uk) 2025-12-02 - 3:25:12 PM GMT
- Oe Document e-signed by Peter Mearns (peter.mearns@live.co.uk) Signature Date: 2025-12-02 - 3:27:19 PM GMT - Time Source: server
- Email viewed by Holly Ashton (holly.a.aston@gmail.com) 2025-12-02 - 5:37:31 PM GMT
- Oe Signer Holly Ashton (holly.a.aston@gmail.com) entered name at signing as Holly Aston 2025-12-02 - 5:38:25 PM GMT
- Oe Document e-signed by Holly Aston (holly.a.aston@gmail.com) Signature Date: 2025-12-02 - 5:38:27 PM GMT - Time Source: server
Agreement completed.
2025-12-02- 5.'38=27 PM GMT
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