2022-03-31-accounts

Registered number: 03166037 Charity number: 1062729

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Annual report

Year ended 31 March 2022

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Contents

	Page
Reference and administrative details	1
Chairman's statement	2 - 3
Trustees' report	4 - 22
Trustees' responsibilities statement	23
Independent auditor's report to the members of New Writing North	24 - 27
Statement of financial activities	28
Balance sheet	29 - 30
Statement of cash flows	31
Notes to the financial statements	32 - 51

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Reference and administrative details Year ended 31 March 2022

Trustees	C Alexander
	Y Battle-Felton
	J Boakes (resigned 5 May 2022)
	M Cannam (resigned 4 March 2022)
	A Devine, Treasurer
	M Dobson
	J Ellis
	C Harington
	S Lloyd
	C Murphy, Vice Chair
	D O'Neil
	N Orleans-Amissah
	D Roche, Chair
	J Seager (resigned 13 April 2021)
	D Stone
	K Tserkezie
Company registered number 03166037 Charity registered number 1062729 Registered office 3 Ellison Terrace Ellison Place Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST Company secretary Fiona Melvin Chief executive officer Claire Malcolm Independent auditor UNW LLP Chartered Accountants Citygate St James' Boulevard Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4JE Bankers Lloyds 102 Grey Street Newcastle upon Tyne NE99 1SL

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Chair's introduction Year ended 31 March 2022

The chairman presents his statement for the year.

It would be too easy to note simply that New Writing North has had a remarkable year in the face of adversity, as indeed was the case in the previous twelve months. Economic and social conditions remained challenging in the ‘post-pandemic’ world but NWN’s resilience and committed team saw us growing in size, delivery, and influence. NWN had its 25th birthday in 2021 and now has a major role to play not just in the North but as an established national arts and creative industries body with a growing international reach. We were delighted that our Chief Executive, Claire Malcolm, was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2021 and the announcement of her MBE for Literature, Young People and the North East saw her feature on the cover of The Bookseller’s Northern Powerhouse Edition with an in-depth interview.

It's been a productive year for NWN. Returning to the office post-Covid has been sensitively handled and new staff have been recruited to strengthen a growing team. An Arts Council England National Lottery grant has allowed us to hire several Creative Associates to embed the community that we benefit into our creative and business planning and develop our digital delivery via online writing workshops, writing hours, book clubs, live streaming events, content capture and commissioning, building on the digital transformation that the pandemic encouraged to reach audiences across the world.

NNWN's work with young people went from strength to strength, with new initiatives such as Balance the Books introduced. The young people's programme has been shortlisted for several prizes, including the National Charity Awards. The Young Writers Impact Report 20/21 encapsulated why these projects are so important and has been well received by those who generously help fund the activities, such as the Kavli Trust who have supported our work for several years in Gateshead. In 2022, for the first time, we succeeded in attracting support from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation to help us deliver our place-based working in communities in Newcastle.

Our writer development flagship project, the Northern Writers Awards, attracts more entrants from across the wider North every year and is respected as the best vehicle for expanding inclusivity in every sense when discovering new writers for publication. On a national scale, The Gordon Burn Prize and David Cohen Prize for Literature demonstrate the deep knowledge and specialist touch that NWN have that can be trusted to both handle and develop these respected awards. NWN has extended its national reach by working with Michael Sheen on A Writing Chance, a programme to develop working class writers that culminated in a round table discussion in the House of Lords and a celebratory event in the House of Commons, along with a special edition of the New Statesman and a BBC Sounds podcast series featuring the 11 writers identified and supported by NWN.

Our work with Higher Education is growing in scope and scale, and activity with Northumbria, Newcastle, Durham, and York Universities is growing, supporting a new MA in Publishing with Hachette UK and Northumbria University alongside research, innovation, and advocacy work for widening access into the creative industries. These initiatives build on our aim to develop and retain talent in the region.

As we look forward, we will build on our previous successful work and deliver increased public access and benefit via our new strategy of Universal, Partner Places and Place-based strategy and through the proactive development of our networks, and of the planned Centre for Writing.

Our plan to create a new Centre for Writing in Newcastle to benefit both the North East and the wider North is all about the people and the community who will benefit. This transformative ‘levelling up’ project will enable people of all ages to become involved in writing, reading, and publishing both for leisure, education, and work. We are working closely with user groups, and our year-round, place-based work which is embedded in historically neglected communities close to the Centre, will result in an accessible space shaped by users. Our programming will grow across the North East region imaginatively connecting partners across sectors and geographies to increase social and civic benefits.

When established, the Centre for Writing will transform our long-term business model to make us more sustainable through increased and diversified revenue. So far Newcastle City Council, the North of Tyne Combined Authority, Northumbria University, and the Architectural Heritage Fund have invested in the

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Chair's introduction (continued) Year ended 31 March 2022

development of the plan, demonstrating its value to the city and region. The global publisher Hachette have established a Newcastle office with us to support our ambitions, and Faber and Faber has announced that the Faber Academy will come to Newcastle with the help of NWN in 2023, demonstrating that our plans bring value and opportunity across sectors.

The future is exciting for New Writing North, for its beneficiaries and partners, and for the city and region it calls home. Against a backdrop of probable recession and a severe cost of living crisis, it is not without its challenges and there is an enormous amount of work to be done to realise our vision. However, the list of positive associations and advocates is growing, and we thank all our supporters for their backing. New Writing North and its trustees have a strong sense of duty and a determination to deliver successfully for the good of all.

David Roche, Chair Date: 7 December 2022

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report Year ended 31 March 2022

The trustees present their annual report together with the audited financial statements of the company for the year 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022. The annual report serves the purposes of both a trustees' report and a directors' report under company law. The trustees confirm that the annual report and financial statements of the charitable company comply with the current statutory requirements, the requirements of the charitable company's governing document and the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) (effective 1 January 2019).

Since the company qualifies as small under section 382 of the Companies Act 2006, the strategic report required of medium and large companies under the Companies Act 2006 (Strategic Report and Directors' Report) Regulations 2013 has been omitted.

Objectives and activities

NWN leads the development of new writing and creative reading in the North of England through programmes and activities that support individuals and communities to engage with creative reading and writing both professionally and for pleasure and wellbeing. We help good writing find local, regional, national and international audiences. Our alumni and networks include award-winning writers, Oscar-nominated screenwriters, and many people who have gone on to build successful careers in the creative industries.

Our annual programme includes the management of major literary prizes and awards, open-access and targeted talent development programmes, the production of festivals and events, international and translation projects, our substantial and wide-ranging young writer’s programme, writing for wellbeing activities and the commissioning of new writing.

Vision

We believe that literature is a powerful tool for social change and that it can have a positive influence on many areas of society, supporting wellbeing and bringing people together through shared experiences and dialogue. We aim to be a beacon for literature in the North and to make the region a centre of excellence for writing.

Mission

Our mission is to find and enable talented writers from all backgrounds and to raise the voices of those whose lived experiences and creative ideas are not yet heard in the mainstream. We use reading and writing to bring people together to deepen mutual understanding and to encourage the positive contribution that engagement with literature can have on individual wellbeing.

Values

We are relationship builders. Whether working one-to-one with a writer or in partnership with a large institution, relationships are our greatest asset. We pride ourselves on being good partners. We take a human-centred approach and work with everyone in a way that meets their individual needs.

We are a learning organisation. We like learning new things, both as individuals and as a team. We’ll learn from our experiences, listen, respond, and adapt. We will be candid with each other and our partners and be courageous in holding each other to account to improve what we do.

Our creativity and leadership go together. We are creatively restless and energised by new ideas and are not afraid to strike ahead of the pack. We see ourselves as creatives and leaders, and we encourage all those that work with us to feel the same. We work transparently and fairly, building trust and delivering on our promises. We recognise that to achieve our mission we may need to take risks, be pre-disposed to action and, if necessary be confident to disrupt the systems that have perpetuated inequality.

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2022

Objectives and activities (continued)

Strategic approach

From our base in Newcastle upon Tyne we connect writers and organisations to each other across the North and nationally and internationally.

A new business plan created in 2021 refreshed our Theory of Change, mission, values and creative ambitions and we have built on this in 2022 by developing a new tiered delivery strategy for our work which prioritises new ways of working and a geographically focussed approach to developing work in areas of higher need.

The new strategy will see us work in the following ways:

UNIVERSAL OFFERS: Open access training, talent and awards programmes, digital content and advice and guidance and young writer’s activity, benefitting and open to everyone in the North. This will ensure that most of our output is free to access and open to all.

OUR PARTNER PLACES: We have identified priority places where we will deepen existing and build new relationships, helping to build capacity and skills and invest in and deliver regular developmental activity (these areas are but are not limited to: Rotherham, Blackpool, Cumbria, Tees Valley, Sunderland, South Shields, East Riding/Hull, Wigan and Bradford).

PLACE-BASED: Deeply embedded long-term projects such as festivals, young people’s programmes, community residencies and the Centre for Writing which require direct and detailed delivery and which focus investment and developments in the North East (Gateshead, Newcastle, Durham, Northumberland, North and South Tyneside).

Wrapped around this new approach is a strategy to grow and strengthen networks across our work with writers, libraries, organisations, broadcasters, researchers, and the publishing industry to ‘power up’ what can be achieved in the North and to give people broader access to opportunities wherever they live. Some networks we will run directly, others we will support by adding value and empowering others.

Expenditure directly to artists this year was £378,352, demonstrating our value to that part of the ecology and a key part of our eco-system. We support the freelancers that work for us with fair pay and training and our work to support writers during Covid was recognised as exemplary.

During the pandemic we digitally transformed our work and built our delivery capabilities and skills and now regularly deliver events, commissions, and content (video, audio, learning) as a core element of our work. We are currently developing a new website which will overhaul our digital presence and the content that we can offer.

Strategies for achieving objectives

We are recognised as leaders in our field nationally for the ambition and innovation that is demonstrated by projects such as our Climate Writer in Residence, the Northern Writers’ Awards, our work with young people and communities and A Writing Chance, all initiatives that pioneer new ways of developing talent and impact and which draw support from individual sponsors, media companies and a range of private and public supporters.

We have become well-known for our work supporting and advocating for writers from low socio- economic and working-class backgrounds. Through the Common People: Breaking the Class Ceiling in Publishing, report (2020) and the A Writing Chance project (2021), we are involved in national advocacy and work within the publishing and arts sector and with All Parliamentary Groups and other stakeholders as we look to improve opportunities for writers.

Our embedded partnership work with young people, schools and communities supports innovative practice and new ways of working and is underpinned by ethnographic research which demonstrates the high impact

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

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Objectives and activities (continued)

outcomes for individuals and communities that are achieved. The depth and duration of our place-based work with young people and communities sets us apart in scale of ambition from many of our peers and our significant fundraising achievements demonstrate the value that others see in our work.

We are building a reputation for high-quality international project management and support for translation work. This area of our work has grown over the past three years, and last year saw a continuation of our work with Arabic translators from across the world and with a new project with literary partners in Uganda. With partners we also established a new Translator in Residence with Durham University.

The development of our new Centre for Writing will demonstrate how a literature organisation can scale up to be an effective lever for investment to create a nationally significant centre for the arts, business, and education in Newcastle upon Tyne. This new development draws on our years of experience and partnership development and will be the way that NWN steps up to the next stage of our development, playing a broader and more public role in our city and region and, through this, creating new ways of thinking about what literature and writing can do for a place.

Activities undertaken to achieve objectives

The following projects and initiatives give a snapshot of the variety of our output and the impact our work this year:

WRITING THE CLIMATE

We believe that culture has a profound and powerful role to play in helping people transition to a low-carbon economy. We aspire to centre NWN at the heart of creative climate thinking and to play a central role in initiating debate, learning, and commissioning in this area. In September 2019 NWN declared a Climate Emergency and as part of our organisational response to this created the post of Climate Writer in Residence with Linda France with the support of Newcastle University. Linda has been running well-attended writing and reading workshops digitally and in real life and publishing writing on this topic. In 2021 she produced a collaborative digital poem Murmurations, which over 300 people contributed to, and which has been viewed over 14,500 times on You Tube. To respond creatively to COP26 we worked with Linda and Sonderbug productions to produce In Our Element, an audio series which featured writers, scientists and activists considering our response to the crisis. The series was supported by Arts Council England and the Content Development Fund and was broadcast across the UK on independent radio stations, reaching circa 100,000 listeners before becoming a podcast.

A WRITING CHANCE WITH MICHAEL SHEEN

In partnership with the actor and advocate Michael Sheen, the Daily Mirror and New Statesman we produced A Writing Chance, a UK-wide writing development programme for 11 underrepresented writers from working-class backgrounds which resulted in a special edition of the New Statesman edited by Michael which explored class identity, and a 10-part BBC podcast series, From the Margins to the Mainstream with Michael Sheen, which was recorded live at the Welsh College of Drama and Music at an event attended by 250 people and broadcast in the UK and US/Canada. One of our participants, Tom Ward, has just signed a six-figure book deal and research shows a high impact on the confidence and career development of all participants. In March 2021 we held advocacy and celebratory events in the House of Lords and House of Commons attended by DCMS, MPs and Lords/VIPs to raise awareness of the project and the needs of working-class writers. We are now planning the future of the project with Michael, Northumbria University and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Our work and associated research and advocacy for historically excluded voices continues to speak to a national audience and have significant impact.

BALANCE THE BOOKS

This project platformed new books by underrepresented voices and helped young people to find books that they identify with and to discover new perspectives. We worked with a panel of diverse adult readers Lisette Auton, Jake Hope, Chris Moore and Okey Nzelu to select a shortlist of books that was then read by 50 young people over the summer holidays who then selected the final 20 books for the promotion. We then installed a Balance

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Objectives and activities (continued)

the Books bookshelf in each of our partner schools with books, accompanying resources and book club activities to support reading for pleasure. Publicised more widely the project has received great acclaim and inspired more schools to engage. We are currently building on the project to engage more schools and to increase the range of partners involved for future iterations of the project.

YOUNG WRITERS

Our well-established young writers programme was shortlisted in the National Charity Awards in 2021. We deliver free, weekly Young Writer’s Groups and associated summer holiday activity for 11–18-year-olds in seven locations in Newcastle, Sunderland, North and South Shields, Northumberland, and digitally support 150 young people to engage with professional writers, to co-create, build skills, share work and produce publications and events.

Our year-round Young Writer’s City schools programme is delivered in Newcastle, Gateshead and Durham enabling 1,250 young people a year to engage in creative projects and providing numerous opportunities for progression including a Talent Investment Fund for young people who show creative promise and an alumni group of 18-25-year old’s who focus on developing creative careers.

CREATIVE COMMUNITIES

For us, working in an embedded way in schools and communities drives the development of talent in people of all ages. This enables positive personal change and experiences for individuals and often opens new leisure, educational and employment opportunities for them, whilst allowing us to support the most talented to explore writing and working in the sector as a career. This year we have been working to build relationships and help develop cultural activity on the Newbiggin Hall Estate and in the Inner West of Newcastle, Bensham and Beacon Lough Estate in Gateshead and Chester-le-Street in County Durham.

We take a relational approach to working with people and communities and our Creative Producers work with people to slowly build up trust which helps to address barriers to engagement as well as identifying programmes that participants want to co-create. Our focus is on supporting people to express their own narratives and to build confidence and agency. In this context we work closely with the third sector, health services and local authorities, so that our work is part of a cross sectoral package of support for the area and through which we can help to address needs such as health literacy and wellbeing.

DURHAM BOOK FESTIVAL

The 2021 Durham Book Festival which took place from the 9th - 17th October, was a hybrid event which featured an online only digital weekend of events followed by a programme of live events at the Gala Theatre. Events from the Gala Theatre, including the Gordon Burn Prize were also live streamed. Speakers including Richard Osman, Pat Barker, C Pam Zhang, Tawseef Khan, Leila Slimani, Ed Balls, Denise Mina and Val McDermid appeared digitally and live. A highlight of the festival programme is our new commissions. An audience highlight this year was the commissioned film from disabled artist Lisette Auton who has produced an award-winning trilogy of poetic films about disability culture for the festival. The festival has commissioned and worked with disabled writers and performers for several years, and we have developed strong networks in this area which we continue to build.

“I wanted to thank you for your support and belief in the Disability and The Politics of Visibility series and The UnSung at Durham Book Festival this year. All involved were delighted and boosted by our inclusion. I hope you had good reactions to the work. Thank you so much for the space and for ensuring a range of disabled voices were heard. Massive congratulations on an incredible festival” . Vici Wreford-Sinnott, Artistic Director, Little Cog.

Our Big Read project saw 3,000 specially produced copies of Lemn Sissay’s memoir, My Name is Why, a moving examination of racism and the care system distributed for free to readers through community centres, libraries and social projects in County Durham. 350 people attended an event with Lemn to celebrate the Big Read at the Gala Theatre. Through our Little Read project we worked with family groups, nurseries, community centres and primary schools to gift 1,000 copies of the astronomy themed picture book Look Up! By Nathan

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Objectives and activities (continued)

Bryon and Dapo Adeola alongside author activities and events which animated the book to promote the joys and benefits of reading together. Covid was still active in October and audiences for live festival events were lower than anticipated with 1,300 people attending live and 1,700 watching digital events down from 10,000 for our free digital festival in 2020. We were grateful for £44,000 of Public Health funding via Durham County to support the festival’s transition back to safe live events and for our hybrid digital programme.

DAVID COHEN PRIZE FOR LITERATURE

The judging panel for the David Cohen Prize for Literature, 2021 was chaired by Hermione Lee with judges Peter Kemp, Maura Dooley, Susheila Nasta and Reeta Chakrabarti. The £40,000 prize was awarded to Colm Tóibín at a special event at RIBA in London on 13th December and was also live streamed and made into a highlights film for You Tube. Lord Neil Mendoza, who oversaw the governments Cultural Recovery programme gave an introductory speech at the event about the arts post-Covid and the importance of reading. The event was featured on ITV News at Ten and interviews and pieces about Colm featured in most of the broadsheets and on radio. The £10,000 Clarissa Luard Award which is awarded to a new writer of the winner’s choosing was awarded to the Irish poet Padraig Regan on the same evening.

GORDON BURN PRIZE 2021

The judging panel for the Gordon Burn Prize 2021 was chaired by Denise Mina with judges Derek Owusu, Irenosen Okojie and Sian Cain. The shortlist for the prize consisted of books by Hanif Abdurraquib, Jenni Fagan, Tabitha Lasley, Salena Godden, Doireann Ni Ghriofa and Sam Byers. The winner, A Little Devil in America by the US author Hanif Abdurraquib was announced at the Durham Book Festival on 14th October at a live and hybrid digital event at the Gala Theatre. The event featured a new commissioned story film by the American author Willy Vlautin and was live streamed. A highlights film was also made for You Tube.

CHANNEL 4 PARTNERSHIP

Our long-term work to develop new writers from underrepresented backgrounds to write for television, supported by Channel 4 in partnership with a range of independent production companies, has continued to go from strength to strength and to produce an impressive alumnus of writers who are now working in television. Jayshree Patel’s, (a lead scriptwriter for Hollyoaks) writing career began in 2016, when she won a NWN Northern Writers’ Award sponsored by Channel 4. Prior to this Jayshree worked as a high school teacher. She was heavily involved in the direction of their recent ground-breaking Far Right Radicalisation storyline and her trio of special episodes (written with Kevin Rundle) were submitted for a BAFTA and earned Hollyoaks the title of Best Soap at the 2020 Broadcast Awards. She now mentors our new award winners when they take up their bursaries to work with Lime Productions, the production company of Hollyoaks. This year we have confirmed a new three-year partnership agreement with Channel 4 around our existing awards scheme and a new Northern Talent Network that we will set up and run. We are delighted to be able to extend the partnership work with them for a further three years with a sponsorship of £158,400 over that period.

Public benefit

In shaping our objectives for the year and planning our activities, the trustees have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.

All NWN’s talent programmes and our work with young people are free to apply for and to attend. Where ticket prices or conference fees are charged, these payments contribute directly to the cost of delivering the event. When ticket prices are charged the organisation always offers reduced ticket prices for the elderly, disabled people, the unemployed and those on a low wage. Free tickets for carers are offered where this is in line with the policies of the host venue. For specific projects that aim to attract new audiences, ticket prices are adjusted to as little as £1 to enable everyone to benefit from our work. This year we have begun to offer free bursary places for conferences and training events for those on very low levels of income or benefits. Notable projects that offer free access include:

• All work with young people is free to access and for many programmes we provide bursaries, travel costs, meals and other pastoral and practical support to enable those that need it. We also provide all materials

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Objectives and activities (continued)

needed to participate in the activities

• All talent and professional development programmes for writers are free to enter and are open to everyone. We operate digital submission processes that do not require people to print and post work

• We support people to engage with reading by distributing 4,000 copies of books via our Big Read and Little Read projects and with associated activities and events to encourage engagement

• We continue to make available both original digital content and captured content from live events giving people access to events both virtually and after the fact

• Our Northern Writers’ Awards Roadshows were delivered for free digitally

Talent programmes where writers are offered experiences, mentoring and where they may be required to attend meetings and activities are always supported by bursary payments that cover practical costs as well as people’s time to enable fair access and equity. We have also established an access budget in our management accounts to improve available resources for access needs across our work.

Achievements and performance

Main achievements of the company

In 2019 NWN was voted Best Creative Company in the North East Business Awards. The award noted our innovative practice and the impactful nature of our work with both young people and aspiring creative professionals. That summer we were nominated for the special Contribution to the North East Award at the Living North Awards, a special award for organisations that contribute ‘above and beyond’ to the region.

Our work with young people was awarded a Culture Award and in 2021 we were shortlisted for the National Charity Awards for our work with young people. In summer 2021 our podcast series, New Narratives for the North East, was shortlisted for Audio Production of the Year in the Prolific North Champions Awards.

Our Chief Executive, Claire Malcolm was awarded an MBE for Services to Literature in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in summer 2021 and was cover star of The Bookseller’s Northern Powerhouse Edition in July which featured an interview with her reflecting on NWN’s 25th birthday and achievements. Later in the year the same publication named her as one of the ‘Bookseller 150’, a list of people influencing publishing.

Many of the team have achieved creative recognition for their work and talents during the year with Festival and Events Manager Grace Keane announced as one of five London Book Fair ‘Trailblazers’ for the class of 2021’, Young People’s Manager, Tess Denman Cleaver launched an exhibition of poetry and photography at the Workplace Foundation Gallery and Digital Production Manager Kathryn Tann’s nature essay collection was signed up by the University of Wales’ new trade press.

“Co ngratulations not only on NWN making the Charity Awards shortlist for 2021, but for making such an important and sustained contribution to the lives of so many young people in this region... and particularly in the West End of Newcastle. Excelsior Academy is very proud of our association with you and gratified to see our joint activities feature so strong in your impact report. I hope that our association will not only continue but prosper as we move out of pandemic restrictions”. William Messer, Vice Chair of the Governors of Excelsior Academy

Writers that NWN has commissioned and championed excelled at the North East Culture Awards run by The Journal newspaper with Lisette Auton taking Performance of the Year for Writing the Missing commissioned by and presented at Durham Book Festival and Linda France named as Writer of the Year for her work as our Climate Writer in Residence.

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Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2022

Achievements and performance (continued)

Performance

The aim of our talent programmes is to support writers to develop their creative work and industry relationships to enable them to establish sustainable careers as writers. Writers that we have supported continue to successfully publish their work and receive acclaim. During the year Charlotte Fairbairn published her novel, Cried out the River for Love, with the Linen Press, Kit Fan’s debut novel, Diamond Hill (Dialogue Books) received great reviews and was Book of the Day in The Guardian in May, Hannah Hodgson’s poetry collection Queen of Hearts, won the Poetry Business’s New Poets Prize, Dima Alzayat’s debut short story collection, Alligator and Other Stories (Picador) was shortlisted for the International Dylan Thomas Prize and the James Tait Black Prize and Juliana Mensah’s Northbound Book Award debut novel, Castles from Cobwebs (Saraband) made the longlist for the Desmond Elliot Prize. Novelist Clare Weze noted in a Bookseller article about her book deal that it was not until she won a Northern Writers’ Awards that her career took off.

Performance and self evaluation

We plan our work through a Theory of Change logic model approach. Theory of Change works by identifying the desired long-term goals of a programme or organisation and then works back from these to identify the outcomes that will lead us to achieve the goals and how these relate to each other causally. The plan also identifies the conditions (‘mechanisms of change’) that must be in place for goals to be reached. Working this way allows us to consider the true impact of our activities, to structure programmes and resources to best achieve our aims, and to understand the other outcomes that occur through our work. Working this way also supports us to assess the impact and value of our work, and feeds directly into our research and evaluation strategy.

We monitor performance by linking the delivery of objectives outlined in our annual operational plan to our Theory of Change. This allows us to ensure that, at a macro level, all developments are aligned with core mission and, at a micro level, to ensure that day-to-day delivery is monitored and if necessary recalibrated in line with external changes and challenges.

We use evaluation and feedback to help us improve our work and user experiences. Across our work this ranges from embedded researchers in our young people’s programmes, to research partnerships with universities that allow us to work with experts to review our work. We undertake several formal evaluation and feedback processes as part of our funding agreement with Arts Council England, including the analysis of audience data via Audience Finder and the gathering of quality assessment data from event attendees via the Impact and Insight Toolkit. The evaluation of our work with young people is wide-ranging and long-term and adheres to Arts Council England’s good practice for evaluating work with this age group.

In 2021 we have established a time-limited sub-committee to evaluate and review our data and impact reporting processes and are working with Durham University Business School on a data analytics project to help us structure data reporting.

This year we delivered activity in 80% of Arts Council England’s Priority Places in the North, spending £232,004 (34% of our total programme expenditure) and invested £57,111 (15% of total funds to artists) in practitioners in those locations.

We delivered activity in 71% of the DCMS identified ‘Levelling Up’ locations, investing £293,253 (43% of our total project expenditure) and invested £74,201 (20% of total funds to artists) in practitioners in those locations. The self-assessment of our work and operations takes place both formally and informally across the organisation. We operate a very open and reflective culture and encourage everyone who works for and with us to contribute ideas, raise issues and to seek improvements in our delivery and operations.

Demand and reach

During the year we produced a total of 96 live and digital events attended by 4,660 people. Audiences for

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Achievements and performance (continued)

Durham Book Festival were challenging this year reflecting the general trend for live events in the autumn/winter of 2021, but we expect them to continue to grow back in 2022.

Otherwise demand for our work and engagement activities continues to grow with 9,357 children and young people engaged in learning opportunities across 358 sessions and 3,107 in informal learning across 380 sessions this year.

“I'd like to take this opportunity to say thank you to Rue and the Young Writers team for the amazing sessions that my daughter attends. She has been struggling with some very serious mental health problems in recent months and I honestly believe attending the group has been such a helpful experience for her during this time. My daughter often has low confidence in group/social situations and the fact she always wants to attend young writers, without really knowing others in the group and enjoys herself so much shows how special and inclusive this group is. A huge, huge thank you - the experience you provide goes way beyond learning creative writing skills!” Mother of a young participant.

Demand for the opportunities that we offer, continues to increase. Entries for the Northern Writers’ Awards grow year on year with 2,035 submissions of work received for the 2022 awards up from 1,950 in 2021. We experienced a growth in applications from disabled writers in 2022 up 20% from 2021, following some specific work we delivered to encourage inclusivity. In 2022 we began to collect data on the neurodiversity of applicants (26%) to benchmark. Gender balance for the awards is 58% female and with 3% self-describing. 80% of applicants are from white English backgrounds which is down 3% from the preceding year.

We aim for our work to reach more people and we work hard to engage new audiences and participants with and in our activities. We seek to understand and act to remove any barriers to attendance and participation, whether real or imagined, that exist for participants.

Fundraising activities

The charity relies on grant aid from the donors identified in the financial statements whose support is valued. There have been no other fundraising activities.

Factors relevant to achieve objectives

The financial year of 2021/22 has been a successful one for NWN but as we move into 2022 the inflationary context is beginning to impact on our work, overheads, funding and income from audiences. Our fundraising achievements remain exceptionally high, and we value the fundraising expertise of key staff and trustees and the support of everyone in the organisation that contributes to securing resources for our work.

We are grateful for the on-going support of project sponsors such as Arts Council England whose financial support allows us to continue to develop strategic regional projects that reach a wide and diverse audience.

This year we have received significant partnership, co-funding and on-going support from Durham County Council, Northumbria University and Durham University. The Kavli Foundation granted us a multi-year grant of £280,000 to support work with young people and communities in Gateshead, building on the previous work that they have supported and allowing us to deepen and extend work to benefit many more people.

A multi-year grant from the Newcastle Cultural Investment Fund for £69,000 over three years will support our work with young writers. We also received a second year of funding from the Amazon Literary Partnership with a grant of £20,000 towards our work with young people. This year we also renewed and increased the value of our partnership work with Channel 4 with the confirmation of a three-year sponsorship worth £158,400.

We continue to grow our funding partnerships and to find new support for our work. This year we worked with a range of new partners including the Architectural Heritage Fund, the North of Tyne Combined Authority, Sky

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2022

Achievements and performance (continued)

Studios, the Granta Trust, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the National Trust and York University.

In spring we were successful with a Lottery Grant from Arts Council England for £98,361 which supported us to employ two new Creative Associates, a new Digital Production Manager and to launch a new digital book club to build on our digital transformation.

In August we were successful in our application for a Business Development Grant from the North of Tyne Combined Authority receiving £199,990 to undertake development and design work on the capital project. This year we have raised nearly £400,000 from the North of Tyne Combined Authority, Northumbria University, Mark Knopfler, the Access Foundation and the Architectural Heritage Fund towards the development of the project.

We have recently confirmed a new multi-year grant from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation worth £250,000 over three years which will support innovation and activities for our place-based working in Newcastle. We also received a Bluestone Creative grant for £20,000 for community work in Newbiggin Hall Estate.

Summary of the main achievements during the year

This year has been a successful year for NWN underpinned by a great deal of hard work from staff and trustees to ensure that our work continues to be of the highest standard and that the evaluation of our activities shows the impactful benefits that they bring to individuals, communities and to the North.

We have managed to be financially stable during the pandemic and post-pandemic period and received only £5,000 of public cultural recovery funding. We have used our reserves and available funds to weather the pandemic and to invest in diversity workforce development, a pay review for staff and capital development ambitions.

Our fundraising remains incredibly strong due to the high impact and growing profile of our work and our ability to deliver complex partnerships and programmes. We are particularly proud of both our ability to retain and grow partners and work whilst also being able to attract invest from new sources.

We are currently developing a £12M capital project to create a Centre for Writing in Newcastle. To achieve it we are working in partnership with Newcastle City Council the North of Tyne Combined Authority, Northumbria University and a range of publishers, creative and media organisations and literature partners. The centre will draw on our 26 years of work building partnerships across sectors locally and nationally, and with our entrepreneurial spirit, programming flair and civic commitment we will create a Centre which will draw focus to the North East as a centre of literary production. This project will transform our current business model, reach and engagement and enable sustainability and resilience.

The Centre will support an inclusive approach to access to creative activities and skills and employability for all ages through careers guidance, skills and education pathways and volunteering. During the year we have been undertaking significant design and business planning work to develop the project and working with a range of consultants on fundraising strategy planning, economic and social impact and other areas of consultancy.

We are currently developing the new programme for the Centre and in early 2022 secured a significant grant of £591,760 from the North of Tyne Combined Authority to establish a three-year Writing and Publishing Skills Hub that aims to reach 2,719 people. Our new MA in Publishing created in partnership with Hachette UK and Northumbria University was validated in early 2022 and began in September 2022. The scale and ambition of both these projects indicate the level of our ambition and direction of travel for the mission of the new centre.

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2022

Financial review

During 2022 we raised income of £1,298,965 and spent £1,198,481 on our work. This resulted in a surplus for the year of £100,484, represented by a restricted surplus of £134,887 and an unrestricted loss of £34,483. We carried out a full review of our treatment of funds and as a result re-categorised a number of partnership funds to restricted for consistency.

Our business model has proved to be resilient throughout the pandemic and our budgeting and business planning was agile during this period and our ability to digitally pivot work and create new projects to respond to the pandemic demonstrates the strength and resilience of the organisation and our adaptability.

The budget for Durham Book Festival from 2023 onwards will be significantly reduced in line with our commissioners Durham County Council’s creative planning to reduce the scale of the event. This projected reduction in income has meant that we have had to reassess the two members of staff that currently work fulltime on the project and look to diversify the projects that they work on. We hope to redeploy their time in new projects supporting the development of audiences for the Centre for Writing and in moving the Gordon Burn Prize to a new partnership of support in Newcastle upon Tyne.

The main risk for us remains our ability to achieve fundraising targets to meet our core staffing and overheads in a climate of stand-still funding from Arts Council England and rising inflation. Our fundraising targets are ambitious, but we feel our track record prepares us for the challenge.

The financial demands, cash-flowing and project accounting for a major capital programme will challenge our capacity and we continue to review the impact of the project on NWN and to seek resources to strengthen our capacity. We are currently undertaking an independent review of our financial operations and our full-cost recovery processes with Margaret Wightman, a charity finance specialist.

Reserves

Reserves are those funds not invested in fixed assets and designated and restricted funds. In line with best practice and Charity Commission guidance the reserves policy is reviewed annually in line with budget setting. The level of reserves is based on a review of salary and accommodation overheads for a three-month period. The charity’s target reserves were established as £132,000 in March 2022. The trustees believe that this level of reserve would adequately cover the costs for the charitable company if it had to be dissolved.

At the year end the charity held total reserves of £668,198, of which £385,742 are restricted for future projects and £176,962 have been designated by the Trustees for future projects and organisational development. The unrestricted “free” reserves (excluding amounts tied up in fixed assets) amount to £89,550 which is below the target set. However, the Trustees are satisfied with the cash balances held and the flexibility they have over the designated funds.

The organisation now has four designated funds, which exist to offer contingencies against fundraising plans and to enable the organisation to plan new areas of work. The current status of these funds is as follows:

• Core Projects Contingency: This fund stands at £15,000 and is in place to support the Creative Associates programme.

• Organisational Development: A fund stands at £15,000 and is in place to support the replacement of obsolete IT equipment 2022 onwards.

• Capital Development: £55,000 is designated to support capital development.

• Staffing: £55,000 is designated to support costs associated with staffing.

• Newcastle Cultural Education Partnership fund held to support the delivery of their programme stands at £36,962.

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2022

Trustees remain mindful of the potential impact to income streams (including traditional fundraising methods and trading) and will continue to assess risk to income in 2022/23 and to seek to build unrestricted reserves further. .

Going concern

After making appropriate enquiries, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements. Further details regarding the adoption of the going concern basis can be found in the accounting policies.

Principal funding

Arts Council England, North East provided a revenue grant of £355,734 (this includes an inflationary contribution of £6,111).

Income is generated through public grants and contracts, sponsorships, and private funding and investment. A small element of our income is generated from earned income from live events and publications. We have a good reputation with many funders and a strong track record for fundraising.

A fundraising plan to support delivery of the targets in the budget exists and progress this year has been strong. However, our ongoing challenge is always to cover the core costs of our staff and overheads through project grants as many funders do not want to cover these costs to the level that we require to continue to grow and to cover rising overheads. The company works to a Full Cost Recovery process to establish a working system throughout the organisation for reclaiming core costs from funding bids. This enables all staff involved with planning and fundraising to be empowered to build in realistic costs when planning projects and bids.

We have retained a £50,000 government backed ‘bounce back’ loan during 2021/22 but have not needed to use this and have repaid it in 2022.

The context for income generation in 2022/23 remains hard to predict. We are confident that we can continue to be competitive in the challenging environment of securing both public and private grants and awards.

Funds received during the year include: Amazon UK Services Limited Architectural Heritage Fund Arts Council England National Lottery Project Grants Author’s Licensing and Collecting Society BBC and Words First Bluestone Consortium British Council Channel Four Television Corporation Culture Bridge North East Curtin PARP Durham County Council Durham University English PEN Granta Trust ILS Collaboration Fund John S Cohen Foundation Joseph Rowntree Foundation Kavli Trust Mark Knopfler Michael Sheen Newcastle Culture Investment Fund at the Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland North of Tyne Combined Authority

Page 14

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2022

Northumbria University Sky Studios South Tyneside Council The Virgin Money Foundation Tyne and Wear Museums Youth Music

Risk management

Our risk management system is created using the methodology of the Charity Commission's good practice guide for identifying, quantifying and scoring risks. Our system also indicates the direction of travel of risks, to aid board assessment and actions in response.

The Risk Register is reviewed in detail by the Executive Team on a month-by-month basis and formally presented via the Finance, Audit and Risk Sub-Committee to the board twice a year. An annual review of risks is managed through a systematic assessment of the procedures that are in place to mitigate the risks.

Our risks are divided into the categories of governance, operational, managerial, financial and compliance. They range from fundraising falling out of step with operational needs, to a failure to meet the legislative requirements of charities. Our top risks as we head into 2022 are in income generation, capital development and safeguarding. During the year the capital development project has had its own detailed risk register with key risks also included in the overall company plan.

Our capital development plans bring new financial and operational risks to the company which we have considered, and which remain under review. We acknowledge the on-going risks around safeguarding even with good management processes, policies, and insurances in place. We operate a coherent framework of training and support for staff and freelancers who work in this this area in our policies and procedures and in wider good practice guidance. A nominated Lead Trustee for Safeguarding (Joanna Ellis) oversees a detailed review of safeguarding policies and procedures annually.

To mitigate risk and to ensure a responsible operating environment the company has an annually reviewed suite of policies and policy framework documents which are updated and added to as new priorities and responses to good practice emerge. All policies are monitored and developed by the Executive Team with input and advice from relevant board sub-committees and approved and reviewed on a regular basis by the board. We develop new policies when we identify operational gaps or develop new areas of work that require us to do so. In 2021/22 we approved a new Equality and Inclusivity Policy which associated actions and a new Environmental Sustainability Policy and Action Plan.

Each year our main stakeholder, Arts Council England, gives organisations a risk rating based on their detailed assessment of our operations and delivery. Our rating for 2021 was 6, which represents a minor level of risk on a band that considers Major risks to be 9-11.

Structure, governance and management

Constitution

New Writing North is registered as a charitable company limited by guarantee and is a registered charity.

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2022

Structure, governance and management (continued)

Governance

Our board of 15 trustees represents a range of professional skills, lived experience and diversity. We have developed the board in-line with our business development ambitions. Writers and creatives are represented as are local advocates and experienced creative industry and business professionals drawn from a range of specialisms. We ensure that the views and ideas of young people are represented in governance via our Youth Voice policy and framework which brings the views of the older young people that we work with into our planning. We monitor the diversity of trustees, and this benchmarking informs our decision-making on succession to support balanced and representative governance for the organisation

The board meets four times per year and undertakes one strategic away day. Trustees are expected to joint at least one sub-committee with an additional three to four meetings per year and to participate in occasional task and finish groups. Board meetings take place during weekday working hours. Trustees are expected to attend a minimum of 75% of board meetings per year and participate in working groups as appropriate. Trustees are expected to attend events to experience the creative work of the company and to advance advocacy for the organisation within their own networks.

The role of trustee is unpaid. Trustees are recompensed for travel and if necessary, accommodation costs associated with attending meetings and for any other costs incurred whilst undertaking duties on behalf of NWN. Trustees work to fixed terms of engagement and undertake an annual appraisal with the Chair. Working digitally for meetings has worked well for the organisation, making an efficient use of people’s time, reducing expenditure on travel and having a positive impact on our carbon usage. We are adapting and developing virtual working, undertaking both hybrid meetings and a return to occasional ‘in real life’ meetings for away days and longer meetings. In September 2021 the board undertook a facilitated two-day strategic away day to consider change and organisational development in relation to our capital ambitions and to bring together the full board of trustees for face-to-face team building. The board completed a self-assessment process and trustee appraisals in early 2022.

Trustees are active on a range of sub-committees that support deeper dives and oversight of key areas of work. During the year we have operated groups focusing on Environmental Sustainability, Finance and Risk, Capital (which also has external advisors), Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity, People, and Corporate Communications. We currently have a time limited sub-committee working on Data and Impact which aims to complete its work by the end of 2022. Joanna Ellis is our lead trustee for Safeguarding. The Chair, Vice Chair and Treasurer meet regularly with the Chief Executive and other members of the Executive Team to discuss strategy and to support the organisation.

The Capital Sub-Committee has been very active and has met on a two-week cycle during the previous year overseeing business planning and capital development work. This sub-committee has welcomed external members to support it with skills and experience. We are in the process of establishing a London-based fundraising group led by trustees and supporters to enable and support our resource development and industry relations.

The board of trustees has owned a Business Change Plan during 2021/22 that has been focused on diversifying the workforce and perspectives of NWN. This has resulted in the implementation of an anti-racism and inclusivity audit across all our work and practices with resulting positive change in our selection, judging, programming, and recruitment processes and via the use of reserves to establish two new Creative Associate posts.

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2022

Structure, governance and management (continued)

Methods of appointment or election of trustees

The board membership and leadership team (Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer) has been very stable for several years alongside greater change and succession within the trustee body. In the past two years we have expanded the board to bring on new skills and experience and to improve representation.

During 2021 we ran an open process to recruit a new Treasurer to succeed our current postholder but did not manage to appoint. A review of succession planning is underway along with an assessment and update our Articles of Association to ensure that our processes and trustee terms and conditions are focused on the best interests of the company. During 2022/23 we will seek to further expand the board and to plan the succession of key roles.

Induction and training of trustees

Potential trustees are invited to attend a board meeting as an observer prior to being invited to become a trustee. They are provided with an introductory pack of information and supporting documents and policies, which introduce them to the role of trusteeship and signpost them to good practice guides produced by the Charity Commission and other organisations. The basis of trusteeship at NWN is set out in a trustee job description and a code of conduct.

When appointed, trustees are offered a two-day induction during which they are briefed on the operating context of the organisations, our finances and business operations and meet with staff at senior and executive team level to learn about our creative work. Trustees are offered training opportunities to build their governance knowledge and throughout their term of office they are offered access to professional development activities. We have encouraged and supported many trustees to take their first steps into charity governance. Trustees are encouraged to attend NWN events and to gain direct experience of our creative work.

All trustees undertake an annual skills audit and appraisal with the Chair and outcomes from this are presented and discussed by the Chair and the Chief Executive and brought to the board for discussion, if relevant.

We aim to provide consistency of governance with fixed terms to ensure governance remains fit for purpose, is representative of the communities that NWN serves and encompasses the strategic knowledge we need to achieve our mission. Trustees are appointed for a term of three years. After this time, they may remain in post for up to a maximum of a further two terms of three years, a total term of nine years, after which they must stand down. Remaining in post after each individual term is not automatic and is awarded subject to a successful performance review conducted by the chair.

In extraordinary circumstances identified trustees who have served for nine years may have their term extended by co-option for one year by a majority vote of the board. The term extension can last a maximum of three years (three, additional one-year terms). This applies to the positions of Chair, Vice-Chair and Treasurer. Extraordinary circumstances may include:

• The unanticipated resignation of multiple trustees leaving the board with gaps in expertise and knowledge

• An inability to recruit for a replacement Trustee[s] within a specialist skill set within a set time frame

• An urgent or priority business need which the trustee’s skillset is uniquely required to address

• A time-limited period of strategic development e.g. capital development which necessitates continuity and knowledge of existing trustees whilst the planning is active.

Extraordinary circumstances will be defined by the Chair and discussed at a Trustees meeting where a vote will be made with exceptions noted in this report annually.

This year, aligned with our Environmental Sustainability Policy and Action Plan, all trustees (along with staff) have been offered Climate Literacy Training with SAIL a Leeds based organisation that is encouraging environmental sustainability adaptation in the arts and cultural sector.

Page 17

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2022

Structure, governance and management (continued)

Organisational structure

The organisation is led by an Executive Team of three women: Chief Executive Claire Malcolm MBE; Executive Director (Programme & Impact) Anna Disley; and Director of Finance and Administration Fiona Melvin and is a female majority company at senior level.

A Senior Management team of five leads work with young people, festivals and events, talent development and awards, finance, and marketing and communications. A Digital & Data Manager, Digital Production Manager, Festival and Events Manager and two managers for work with young people and a Finance & Administration Assistant support the teams. Alongside these permanent posts, we also have an annual internship that pays the Real Living Wage.

The team expanded in 2022 as we recruited two Creative Associates who joined at senior manager level. By the end of 2022/23 we expect to have employed 3.5 further posts funded by major grants which will see the team grow to 20.5 people. We work with a contracted HR specialist to help guide our people management and HR is overseen by trustees via a People Sub-Committee which is led by a personnel professional.

The leadership of the organisation is strong with key people working at a high level of leadership which is enabling the ambitious stretch that the organisation is now involved in. The staff body continues to refresh and develop with both new roles created and staff renewal taking place during the year.

In mid 2022, after much planning and substantial recruitment processes, we appointed two writers from underrepresented backgrounds as our Creative Associates who will work within NWN at a senior level to develop new projects and input into our creative decision-making, further diversifying our workforce and perspectives.

In late 2022 we will create three jobs to form a new Skills and Engagement Team. Our new volunteering and youth leadership programmes will help to further diversify our future workforce.

Staff undertake an annual away-day and participate in externally and internally facilitated training and planning workshops to develop operational and creative plans and strategy. We undertake annual appraisals and staff are offered individual development opportunities to grow and develop their professional skills that align with the needs of the business and the changing landscape and challenges of our work.

We operate an open work culture and a supportive working environment that offers staff a great deal of flexibility as to how and where they work, and we support flexible working and working from home. Post-pandemic we have given more attention to monitoring staff wellbeing and mental health. To build our capacity to respond to need, we have trained a member of staff to be a mental health first aider and have signed up to a new programme for staff support, counselling, and wellbeing.

Pay policy for key management personnel

The pay and remuneration of staff is agreed by the board during the annual budgeting process and is linked to both appraisals and a survey of relevant market and sector information and considerations alongside our financial performance and affordability.

Cost of Living is considered annually, and expectations are built into budget planning. All staff were awarded a Cost-of-Living increase of 4% for 2022/23 and trustees have committed to continual monitoring of this figure during the year.

In 2021/22 we commissioned a major Pay and Benefits review from consultants Turning Point HR to benchmark and assess roles across the organisation. This has been a very helpful process to undertake as the operating environment for our work continues to be complex due to post-Brexit and Pandemic market conditions and the

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2022

Structure, governance and management (continued)

inflationary environment. Trustees approved new pay scales and some significant uplifts to staff pay to address staff recruitment and retention and to ensure that the salaries and benefits available to our skilled and experienced staff are competitive when benchmarked against local, regional and national salaries.

Membership of a wider network

Regionally we maintain strong working relationships with peer relationships and offer mutual support with a range of other peer arts, culture, charity, and educational organisations which strengthen our work, forge productive collaborations and widen our knowledge. During the post-pandemic period staff have been active in supporting regional networks and giving time to sector developments and groupings to address recovery.

Nationally, NWN is part of an informal national network with six other writing agencies in England. We engage with both regional and national and international networks to develop opportunities for writers and to promote writing from the North of England nationally and internationally. We work with many literary organisations across the country and internationally including publishers of all scales, festivals and event promoters.

Internationally, our work and connections have increased during the year with projects with Arabic translators and with literary partners in Uganda taking place.

Trustees' indemnities

The company carries Trustee indenmity insurance.

Relationships with other groups, charities and individuals

Our major stakeholder is Arts Council England and their core funding through our National Portfolio Organisation multi-year agreement is key to our resilience. Arts Council England income represents under a third of our turnover, which benchmarks us as a high-performing organisation in our sector.

This year we have begun a relationship with the new North of Tyne Combined Authority who have offered significant support to our capital development work. In early 2022 we also confirmed a significant multi-year grant from the authority which will support the establishment of a Writing and Publishing Skills Hub.

During the year we have continued to build our relationship with Newcastle City Council which has involved us in supporting the development of a new Cultural and Creative Enterprise Zone in the city and contributing to the Newcastle Cultural Compact and development of the city’s cultural strategy and bidding for funds from the Cultural Development Fund. Our ambitions to undertake capital development in the city are supported by the Leader of City Council and the Mayor of the North of Tyne.

We have significant financial relationships with Durham County Council and Durham University who commission and contribute significant funds to the annual Durham Book Festival.

Our continued partnership with Northumbria University is very important to the sustainability and development of our work, enabling as it does, affordable accommodation and project support alongside opportunities to galvanise and participate in research activities. In early 2022 our research work with Northumbria University received a 4* rating in the annual Research Excellence Framework process, the highest rating possible. During the year Newcastle University have supported the continuation of our Climate Writer in Residence post and continue to be a valuable ally in support of our wider ambitions for our work in the city.

We enjoy our ongoing relationships with the John S Cohen Foundation and the Kavli Trust who are two of our largest funders for specific areas of work. We are also grateful for the support of the Newcastle Culture Investment Fund who are also significant funders of our activities through multi-year grants.

Page 19

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2022

Structure, governance and management (continued)

We work in partnership with publishers and broadcasters such as the BBC, Channel 4, and Sky and major international publishers such as Hachette UK and Faber & Faber. During the year Channel 4 significantly increased their work with us allowing us to establish a new Talent Network for writers in the north.

During 2021 Hachette UK, who have funded a successful publishing award with us for several years, established a regional office in Newcastle in conjunction with NWN and Northumbria University. In partnership we have also created a new MA in Publishing which launched with Northumbria University in spring 2022.

Regionally, staff work collaboratively and generously with other arts organisations and participate in local arts and culture networks and events. Executive and Senior staff give time to many arts and educational boards and networks, including the North East Culture Partnership, the Newcastle Cultural Compact and the Newcastle Educational Partnership and boards including the Community Foundation for Tyne and Wear, BookWorks, Sunderland Theatre Royal and Skimstone Arts.

Plans for future periods

Our capital ambitions offer a major opportunity to contribute to the economic and social recovery of Newcastle upon Tyne and to benefit many people locally.

Our new Centre for Writing will create a unique accessible arts space for Newcastle upon Tyne. It will contribute to the economic development and the social and cultural life of the city, as well as to its national and international profile.

The centre will be owned, run, and curated by NWN, acting as an attractor to a range of other commercial and creative businesses. It will draw on our programming flair, entrepreneurial spirit, and civic values to create a space that maximises the impact that writing can have on a city.

The centre will be a hub for developing and exporting new products and services, developing the literacy of our communities, and commissioning and presenting new work. This new venture will be the first of its kind to bring together, around the theme of writing and publishing, a wide range of arts organisations, charities, universities and schools, and the creative industries with a broad and meaningful civic purpose at its heart. The centre will enable the further growth of our activities and partnerships whilst enabling us to build a financially resilient future.

We have been developing the vision and plans for the centre since early 2019. Through board and staff awaydays, feasibility assessments and stakeholder engagement we have developed a vision and ambition for a new venue for writing and literature. We have begun research on intelligent building design systems that would address safe and green building operations post-Covid. The development of a building now allows us to take a fresh view of how the building might work to address arising issues such as flexible and pandemic-secure working.

We have considered several potential sites and approaches for developing the building and now have a preferred location that we hope to acquire and refurbish.

In early 2021 the Access Foundation awarded us £15,000 to begin work on the plans, in April the Architectural Heritage Fund awarded us a grant of £84,000 and in July the North of Tyne Combined Authority awarded us a business development grant of £199,950. Together, with our own funds this resource will allow us to undertake all the work required to build a strong business case and operational plan for the venue and to commission an architect to undertake design work on the building to progress it to RIBA Stage 3 by summer 2022.

Partnership development work with organisations and businesses who may join us in the building is active with serious partnership discussions happening now with Northumbria University, Hachette UK and Faber and Faber amongst others.

Page 20

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2022

Plans for future periods (continued)

The organisation is preparing for transformation and change and beginning work on the creative programme for the building and beginning to plot how organisational change will happen.

Although the capital development is a significant area of work for the organisation, we have been mindful to ringfence the impact of the development as we continue to build and develop our work.

Over the next year we will continue to build and develop our work with young people and communities, to develop new work in the context of mental health and wellbeing, to continue to innovate to ensure that people from all backgrounds can access and benefit from our opportunities and knowledge and to continue to be ambitious for what we can achieve with our rich network of partners and supporters. This will include:

• Planning the future of A Writing Chance, our inclusivity talent programme with Michael Sheen and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation along with media partners and supporters

• Investing in more creative activity with communities in Newcastle and Gateshead through embedded and cocreated projects

• Launching a new Talent Network for Screenwriters with Channel 4

• Developing our relationship with key universities Northumbria, Newcastle and Durham to build on existing partnerships and extend research partnerships and project sponsorships

• Develop new live events on Tyneside and extending our audio production work

• Moving the Gordon Burn Prize and partnerships to Newcastle

• Co-publishing with Faber and Faber the work produced by Linda France as part of her climate writing residency

• Hosting our new Creative Associates and embedding writers and practitioners in the heart of our company

• Establishing the Writing and Publishing Skills Hub funded by the North of Tyne Combined Authority and continuing to support and partner Newcastle City Council on their work around the Creative Enterprise Zone.

Funds held as custodian

The Andrea Badenoch Award

This award was set up in memory of the North East novelist Andrea Badenoch who died in 2005. The award is supported by NWN and by donations from friends and family of Andrea. The balance held at the year end amounted to £859 (2021: £1,146).

Disclosure of information to auditor

Each of the persons who are trustees at the time when this trustees' report is approved has confirmed that:

• so far as that trustee is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the charity's auditor is unaware, and

• that trustee has taken all the steps that ought to have been taken as a trustee in order to be aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the charity's auditor is aware of that information.

Auditor

Pursuant to section 487(2) of the Companies Act 2006, the auditor will be deemed to be reappointed and UNW LLP will therefore continue in office.

Approved by order of the members of the board of trustees on 7 December 2022 and signed on their behalf by:

Page 21

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2022

D Roche

(Chair of Trustees)

Page 22

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Statement of trustees' responsibilities Year ended 31 March 2022

The trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees' 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. Under company law, the trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, 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 of the Charities SORP (FRS 102);

• make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards (FRS 102) 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 company will continue in business.

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the 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 company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Approved by order of the members of the board of trustees on 7 December 2022 and signed on its behalf by:

D Roche

(Chair of Trustees)

Page 23

Independent auditor's report to the Members of New Writing North

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of New Writing North ('the charitable company') for the year ended 31 March 2022 which comprise the Statement of financial activities, the balance sheet, the statement of cash flows and the related notes, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

• give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company's affairs as at 31 March 2022 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure for the year then ended;

• have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and

• have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) ('ISAs (UK)') and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the 'Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements' section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the United Kingdom, including the Financial Reporting Council's Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Page 24

Independent auditor's report to the Members of New Writing North (continued)

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

• the information given in the trustees' report is inconsistent in any material respect with the financial statements; or

• sufficient accounting records have not been kept; or

• the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

• we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the trustees' responsibilities statement, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Page 25

Independent auditor's report to the Members of New Writing North (continued)

Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

We have been appointed as auditor under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and report in accordance with the Act and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:

We identified areas of law and regulations that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the financial statements from our general and sector experience and through discussions with the directors and other management (as required by Auditing Standards) and from inspection of the company's legal correspondence and we discussed with the directors and other management the policies and procedures regarding compliance with laws and regulations. We have communicated identified laws and regulations within our audit team and remained alert to any indications of non-compliance throughout the audit.

Firstly, the company is subject to laws and regulations that directly affect the financial statements including financial reporting legislation (including related companies legislation), distributable profits legislation and taxation legislation and we have assessed the extent of compliance with these laws and regulations as part of our procedures on the related financial statement items.

Secondly, the company is subject to many other laws and regulations where the consequences of noncompliance could have a material effect on amounts or disclosures in the financial statements, for instance through the imposition of fines and litigation. We identified the following areas as those most likely to have such an effect; health and safety, employment law, data protection, safeguarding, environmental law and certain aspects of company legislation, recognising the nature of the company's activities. Auditing Standards limit the required audit procedures to identify non-compliance with these laws and regulations to enquiry of the directors and other management and inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any. Through these procedures we did not become aware of any actual or suspected non-compliance material to the financial statements.

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council's website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.

Other matters

Your attention is drawn to the fact that the prior year figures were not subject to an audit.

Page 26

Independent auditor's report to the Members of New Writing North (continued)

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company's trustees, as a body, in accordance with Part 4 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company's trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and its members, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Anne Hallowell BSc DChA FCA (Senior Statutory Auditor) for and on behalf of UNW LLP, Statutory Auditor

Chartered Accountants Newcastle upon Tyne Date:

Page 27

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Statement of financial activities (incorporating income and expenditure account) Year ended 31 March 2022

Note Income from: Donations and legacies 4 Charitable activities 5 Total income Expenditure on: Raising funds 6 Charitable activities 7 Total expenditure Net (expenditure)/income Transfers between funds 18 Net movement in funds Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward Net movement in funds Total funds carried forward	Unrestricted funds 2022 £ 423,994 166,933 590,927 90,209 608,167 698,376 (107,449) 73,046 (34,403) 316,859 (34,403) 282,456	Restricted funds 2022 £ 708,038 - 708,038 - 500,105 500,105 207,933 (73,046) 134,887 250,855 134,887 385,742	Total funds 2022 £ 1,132,032 166,933 1,298,965 90,209 1,108,272 1,198,481 100,484 - 100,484 567,714 100,484 668,198	Total funds 2021 £ 503,869 399,259
				903,128
				82,900 730,743
				813,643
				89,485 -
				89,485
				478,229 89,485
				567,714

The Statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.

The notes on pages 32 to 51 form part of these financial statements.

Page 28

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Balance sheet At 31 March 2022

Note Fixed assets Tangible assets 12 Investments 13 Current assets Debtors 14 Cash at bank and in hand Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 15 Net current assets Total assets less current liabilities Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year 16 Net assets excluding pension asset Total net assets Charity funds Restricted funds 18 Unrestricted funds 18 Total funds	94,354 733,661 828,015 (135,761)	2022 £ 15,944 - 15,944 692,254 708,198 (40,000) 668,198 668,198 385,742 282,456 668,198	48,453 656,409 704,862 (91,353)	Unaudited 2021 (as restated) £ 1,983 2,222 4,205 613,509 617,714 (50,000) 567,714 567,714 250,855 316,859 567,714

The entity was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006.

The members have not required the entity to obtain an audit for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

However, an audit is required in accordance with section 144 of the Charities Act 2011.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and preparation of financial statements.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to entities subject to the small companies regime.

Page 29

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Balance sheet (continued) At 31 March 2022

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the trustees on 07 December 2022 and signed on their behalf by:

D Roche

(Chair of Trustees)

The notes on pages 32 to 51 form part of these financial statements.

Page 30

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Statement of cash flows Year ended 31 March 2022

Cash flows from operating activities Net cash used in operating activities Cash flows from investing activities Purchase of tangible fixed assets Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities Cash flows from financing activities Cash inflows from new borrowing Net cash provided by financing activities Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year The notes on pages 32 to 51 form part of these financial statements	2022 £ 94,908 (17,656) (17,656) - - 77,252 656,409 733,661	2021 £ 118,568
		-
		-
		50,000
		50,000
		168,568 487,841
		656,409

Page 31

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2022

1. General information

New Writing North ('the charitable company') is engaged in supporting and devloping the performing arts.

The charitable company is a private company limited by guarantee, incorporated in the United Kingdom and registered in England and Wales. The address of the registered office is given in the company information page of this annual report.

2. Accounting policies

The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all periods presented, unless otherwise stated.

2.1 Basis of preparation of financial statements

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) - 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) (effective 1 January 2019), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

New Writing North meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy.

The financial statements are presented in pounds sterling which is the functional currency of the company and are rounded to the nearest £1.

2.2 Company status

The charitable company is a company limited by guarantee. The members of the charitable company are the governors named on page 1. In the event of the charitable company being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the charitable company.

2.3 Going concern

The charitable company recorded net surplus of income over expenditure in the year ended 31 March 2022 and net assets at the year-end of £653k (2021: £614k) with a positive cash position. At the year-end there was a £50k loan balance outstanding, which has been fully repaid post year-end.

Management have prepared financial forecasts and projections covering a period of at least twelve months from the date of approval of these financial statements. These show that the charitable company should retain sufficient financial resources to meet its financial liabilities as they fall due.

The trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charitable company has adequate resources to continue to meet its liabilities as they fall due for the foreseeable future. Consequently, they continue to believe the going concern basis of accounting is appropriate in preparing these financial statements.

Page 32

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2022

2. Accounting policies (continued)

2.4 Income

All income is recognised once the charitable company has entitlement to the income, any performance conditions attached to the items of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably.

Donations are received by way of grants and donations and are included in full in the statement of financial activities on a receivable basis.

Contract funding and grants are included in the statement of financial activities on a receivable basis. The balance of income received for specific purposes but not expended during the period is shown in the relevant funds on the balance sheet. Where income is received in advance of entitlement of receipt, its recognition is deferred and included in creditors as deferred income. Where entitlement occurs before income is received, the income is accrued.

Where the donated good is a fixed asset, it is measured at fair value, unless it is impractical to measure this reliably, in which case the cost of the item to the donor should be used. The gain is recognised as income from donations and a corresponding amount is included in the appropriate fixed asset class and depreciated over the useful economic life in accordance with the charitable company's accounting policies.

On receipt, donated professional services and facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charitable company which is the amount it 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.

2.5 Expenditure

Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been included under expense categories that aggregate all costs for allocation to activities. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular activities they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of the resources.

Support costs are those costs incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the charitable company. They include governance costs, which are incurred in connection with the administration of the charitable company and compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements.

Expenditure on raising funds includes all expenditure incurred by the company to raise funds for its charitable purposes and includes costs of all fundraising activities events and non-charitable trading.

Expenditure on charitable activities is incurred on directly undertaking the activities which further the company's objectives, as well as any associated support costs.

All expenditure is inclusive of irrecoverable VAT.

2.6 Leases

All of the company's leasing arrangements are operating leases. Rental payments under operating leases are charged to the profit and loss account on a straight-line basis over the lease term, even if payments are not made on such a basis.

Page 33

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2022

2. Accounting policies (continued)

2.7 Employee benefits

Short-term benefits

Short-term benefits, including holiday pay and other similar non-monetary benefits are recognised as an expense in the period in which the employee’s entitlement to the benefit accrues.

Defined contribution pension plan

The company operates a defined contribution pension plan for its employees. Contributions are recognised as an expense when they fall due. Amounts due but not yet paid are included within creditors on the balance sheet. The assets of the plan are held separately from the company in independently administered funds.

2.8 Tangible fixed assets and depreciation

Tangible fixed assets costing £750 or more are capitalised and recognised when future economic benefits are probable and the cost or value of the asset can be measured reliably.

Tangible fixed assets are initially recognised at cost. After recognition, under the cost model, tangible fixed assets are measured at cost less accumulated depreciation and any accumulated impairment losses. All costs incurred to bring a tangible fixed asset into its intended working condition should be included in the measurement of cost.

Depreciation is provided on all tangible fixed assets at rates calculated to write off the cost less estimated residual value of fixed assets over their expected useful lives as follows:

Fixtures and fittings	-	20% straight line
Computer equipment	-	33% straight line

Asset residual values and useful lives are reviewed at the end of each reporting period, and adjusted if appropriate. The effect of any change is accounted for prospectively.

2.9 Investments

Fixed asset investments are a form of financial instrument and are initially recognised at their transaction cost and subsequently measured at fair value at the balance sheet date, unless the value cannot be measured reliably in which case it is measured at cost less impairment. Investment gains and losses, whether realised or unrealised, are combined and presented as ‘Gains/(Losses) on investments’ in the statement of financial activities.

Investments in joint ventures are stated at the amount of the company's share of net assets. The statement of financial activities includes the company's share of the joint ventures' net income or expenditure using the equity accounting basis. As the joint venture is a charity, the investment is presented within restricted funds.

2.10 Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.

Page 34

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2022

2. Accounting policies (continued)

2.11 Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and 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.

2.12 Liabilities and provisions

Liabilities are recognised when there is an obligation at the balance sheet date as a result of a past event, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in settlement, and the amount of the settlement can be estimated reliably.

Liabilities are recognised at the amount that the company anticipates it will pay to settle the debt or the amount it has received as advanced payments for the goods or services it must provide.

Provisions are measured at the best estimate of the amounts required to settle the obligation. Where the effect of the time value of money is material, the provision is based on the present value of those amounts, discounted at the pre-tax discount rate that reflects the risks specific to the liability. The unwinding of the discount is recognised in the statement of financial activities as a finance cost.

2.13 Financial instruments

The charitable company only enters into financial instruments transactions that result in the recognition of basic debt financial assets and liabilities, such as trade and other debtors and creditors, cash and bank balances and loans to or from related parties.

All financial instruments are due within one year at inception and are measured, initially and subsequently, at the transaction price.

At the end of each reporting period debt financial assets are assessed for impairment, and their carrying value reduced if necessary. Any impairment charge is recognised in the profit and loss account.

2.14 Pensions

2.15 Fund accounting

General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the company and which have not been designated for other purposes.

Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the company for particular purposes. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

Page 35

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2022

2. Accounting policies (continued)

2.16 Prior year figures

The prior year figures are unaudited. Following a review of funds held, several funds previously shown as unrestricted project funds have been transferred to restricted funds, by transferring the balance at the end of 2021 within note 18. This has no impact on the reported result for the prior year, or the b/f total reserve position. However, the prior year opening fund position has been restated to reflect the transfers made.

3. Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgment

Estimates and judgments are continually evaluated and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.

Significant judgments in applying the group's accounting policies

In preparing these financial statements, the trustees do not consider there to have been any other significant judgments that were required in the process of applying the charitable company's accounting policies.

Key sources of estimation and uncertainty

Estimates included within these financial statements include the depreciation rates and asset impairments. None of the estimates made in the preparation of these financial statements are considered to carry significant estimation uncertainty, nor to bear a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amount of assets and liabilities within the next financial year.

4. Income from donations and legacies

Unrestricted funds 2022 £ Donations 22,890 Grants 399,854 Government grants 1,250 423,994	Restricted funds 2022 £ 25,000 683,038 - 708,038	Total funds 2022 £ 47,890 1,082,892 1,250
		1,132,032

Page 36

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2022

4. Income from donations and legacies (continued)

Donations and in kind support Grants	Unrestricted funds 2021 £ 14,443 385,644 400,087	Restricted funds 2021 £ 4,302 99,480 103,782	Total funds 2021 £ 18,745 485,124
			503,869

5. Income from charitable activities

Unrestricted funds 2022 £ Contract income 148,100 Trading activities in furtherance of objects 18,833 166,933 Unrestricted funds 2021 £ Contract income 388,781 Trading activities in furtherance of objects 10,478 399,259	Total funds 2022 £ 148,100 18,833
	166,933
	Total funds 2021 £ 388,781 10,478
	399,259

Page 37

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2022

6. Expenditure on raising funds

Costs of raising voluntary income

Unrestricted funds 2022 £ Fundraising costs 4,704 Costs of raising voluntary income - wages and salaries 85,505 90,209	Total funds 2022 £ 4,704 85,505
	90,209

Costs of raising voluntary income (continued)

Fundraising costs Fundraising salaries	Unrestricted funds 2021 £ 219 82,681 82,900	Total funds 2021 £ 219 82,681
		82,900

7. Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities

Summary by fund type

	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total
	funds	funds	funds
	2022	2022	2022
	£	£	£
Project delivery	608,167	500,105	1,108,272

Page 38

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2022

7. Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities (continued)

Summary by fund type (continued)

	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total
	funds	funds	funds
	2021	2021	2021
	£	£	£
Project delivery	568,234	162,509	730,743

8. Analysis of expenditure by activities

Project delivery Project delivery	Activities undertaken directly 2022 £ 568,148 Activities undertaken directly 2021 £ 314,603	Support costs 2022 £ 540,124 Support costs 2021 £ 416,140	Total funds 2022 £ 1,108,272
			Total funds 2021 £ 730,743

Page 39

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2022

8. Analysis of expenditure by activities (continued)

Analysis of support costs

Staff costs Depreciation General administration Rent Capital project fees Legal and professional IT and website Investment impairment Governance costs Staff costs Depreciation General adminstration Rent Legal and professional IT and website Investment impairment Governance costs	Activities 2022 £ 300,953 3,695 42,267 17,725 93,604 13,804 13,066 2,222 52,788 540,124 Activities 2021 £ 340,466 2,190 15,400 9,906 14,180 7,210 7,778 19,010 416,140	Total funds 2022 £ 300,953 3,695 42,267 17,725 93,604 13,804 13,066 2,222 52,788
		540,124
		Total funds 2021 £ 340,466 2,190 15,400 9,906 14,180 7,210 7,778 19,010
		416,140

Page 40

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2022

9. Auditor's remuneration

	2022	2021
	£	£
Fees payable to the charitable company's auditor for the audit of the
charitable company's annual accounts	8,500	-
Fees payable to the company's auditor in respect of:
Independent examination and accountancy fees	-	5,280
Other services	-	2,688

10. Staff costs

Wages and salaries Social security costs Contribution to defined contribution pension schemes	2022 £ 366,108 34,077 11,969 412,154	2021 £ 391,835 32,663 11,487
		435,985

The average number of persons employed by the charitable company during the year was as follows:

Engaged on charitable activities Engaged on management and administrative	2022 No. 11 3 14	2021 No. 11 3
		14

No employee received remuneration amounting to more than £60,000 in either year.

11. Trustees' remuneration and expenses

During the year ended 31 March 2022, expenses totalling £1,219 were reimbursed or paid directly to 5 trustees (2021 - £88 to 1 trustee). These expenses were reimbursements of travelling costs.

Page 41

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2022

12. Tangible fixed assets

Cost or valuation At 1 April 2021 Additions At 31 March 2022 Depreciation At 1 April 2021 Charge for the year At 31 March 2022 Net book value At 31 March 2022 At 31 March 2021	Fixtures and fittings £ 5,039 - 5,039 5,039 - 5,039 - -	Computer equipment £ 39,885 17,656 57,541 37,902 3,695 41,597 15,944 1,983	Total £ 44,924 17,656
			62,580
			42,941 3,695
			46,636
			15,944
			1,983

Page 42

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2022

13. Fixed asset investments

Cost or valuation At 1 April 2021 At 31 March 2022 Impairment At 1 April 2021 Charge for the year At 31 March 2022 Net book value At 31 March 2021	Investment in joint ventures £ 10,000
	10,000
	7,778 2,222
	10,000
	2,222

In 2017 New Writing North acquired a 50% interest in Mayfly Press LLP, which was jointly controlled by the charity and Business Education Publishers Limited who owned the remaining 50% interest. The charity's initial contribution in the entity was £10,000 and the charity shared the profits and losses generated. The LLP ceased trading on 30 June 2021 and has now been wound up.

14. Debtors

Due within one year Trade debtors Other debtors Prepayments and accrued income	2022 £ 14,293 1,605 78,456 94,354	2021 £ 12,012 2,666 33,775 48,453

Included within other debtors is £2,637 due from Mayfly Press LLP.

Page 43

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2022

15. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year

Bank loans Trade creditors Other taxation and social security Other creditors Accruals and deferred income	2022 £ 10,000 52,231 14,564 14,660 44,306 135,761	2021 £ - 10,778 19,403 5,789 55,383
		91,353

16. Creditors: Amounts falling due after more than one year

	2022	2021
	£	£
Bank loans	40,000	50,000

In the prior year the charitable company took out a £50,000 loan under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme. The loan carries interest at the fixed rate of 2.5%.

17. Summary of funds

Summary of funds - current year

Designated funds General funds Restricted funds	Balance at 1 April 2021 £ 81,260 235,599 250,855 567,714	Income £ 122,075 468,852 708,038 1,298,965	Expenditure £ (121,251) (577,125) (500,105) (1,198,481)	Transfers in/out £ 94,878 (21,832) (73,046) -	Balance at 31 March 2022 £ 176,962 105,494 385,742
					668,198

Page 44

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2022

17. Summary of funds (continued)

Summary of funds - prior year

Designated funds General funds Restricted funds	Balance at 1 April 2020 £ 80,000 209,896 188,333 478,229	Income £ - 799,346 103,782 903,128	Expenditure £ (5,400) (645,734) (162,509) (813,643)	As restated Transfers in/out £ 6,660 (127,909) 121,249 -	Balance at 31 March 2021 £ 81,260 235,599 250,855
					567,714

Page 45

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2022

18. Statement of funds

Statement of funds
Statement of funds - current year Balance at 1 April 2021 £ Unrestricted funds Designated funds Core projects contingency 45,000 Organisational Development 10,000 Capital Development 26,260 Newcastle Cultural Education Partnership - Salary enhancement - 81,260 General funds General funds 235,599 Total Unrestricted funds 316,859 Restricted funds Writing and enterprise 3,191 Sky Writes 26,788 MA in publishing - A Writing Chance (1,983) Northern Writers Awards 11,324 Young Writers 34,522 Young Writers City - Newcastle 26,530 Young Writers Development programme 10,133 Proud Words 10,877 Gateshead Young Writers 45,007 Young Writers City - Durham 6,275 Community and Callerton - Climate Change 1,597 David Cohen prize (7,589) Durham Book Festival 15,646	Income £ - - 68,325 53,750 - 122,075 468,852 590,927 - 3,787 5,096 43,750 7,395 47,930 36,500 1,680 25,000 118,270 19,275 51,200 10,542 65,600 209,391	Expenditure £ - - (104,463) (16,788) - (121,251) (577,125) (698,376) (1,118) (15,098) - (49,529) (55,498) (36,799) (27,451) (1,957) (3,414) (35,512) (4,707) (9,821) (8,135) (79,499) (109,478)	Transfers in/out £ (30,000) 5,000 64,878 - 55,000 94,878 (21,832) 73,046 - (6,260) (5,096) 7,762 24,247 (4,200) (9,000) (2,000) (5,000) (14,526) (4,000) (1,000) - 21,488 (91,999)	Balance at 31 March 2022 £ 15,000 15,000 55,000 36,962 55,000 176,962 105,494 282,456 2,073 9,217 - - (12,532) 41,453 26,579 7,856 27,463 113,239 16,843 40,379 4,004 - 23,560
Unrestricted funds Designated funds Core projects contingency Organisational Development Capital Development Newcastle Cultural Education Partnership Salary enhancement General funds General funds Total Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Writing and enterprise Sky Writes MA in publishing A Writing Chance Northern Writers Awards Young Writers Young Writers City - Newcastle Young Writers Development programme Proud Words Gateshead Young Writers Young Writers City - Durham Community and Callerton Climate Change David Cohen prize Durham Book Festival

Page 46

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2022

18. Statement of funds (continued)

Statement of funds - current year (continued)

					Balance at
	Balance at 1			Transfers	31 March
	April 2021	Income	Expenditure	in/out	2022
	£	£	£	£	£
Podcasts 2021	5,000	1,500	(6,441)	10,000	10,059
Gordon Burn Prize	9,963	10,461	(11,995)	3,139	11,568
Channel Four Partnership	-	26,140	(450)	(1,600)	24,090
New Writing North Book Club	-	2,832	(912)	-	1,920
Other small restricted funds	53,574	21,689	(42,291)	4,999	37,971
	250,855	708,038	(500,105)	(73,046)	385,742
Total of funds	567,714	1,298,965	(1,198,481)	-	668,198
Statement of funds - prior year
				As restated	Balance at
	Balance at			Transfers	31 March
	1 April 2020	Income	Expenditure	in/out	2021
	£	£	£	£	£
Unrestricted funds
Designated funds
Capital Development	25,000	-	(5,400)	6,660	26,260
Core projects contingency	45,000	-	-	-	45,000
Organisational Development	10,000	-	-	-	10,000
	80,000	-	(5,400)	6,660	81,260
General funds
Young Writers	4,376	-	-	(4,376)	-
Arabic mentoring programme	-	20,000	(150)	(19,850)	-
Durham Book Festival	10,067	149,279	(44,438)	(114,908)	-
Gordon Burn Writer in
residence	9,977	-	-	(9,977)	-
High Street Tales	-	50,758	(43,054)	(7,704)	-
New Narratives for the North
East	-	24,000	(42,138)	18,138	-
Northern Writers Awards	(5,845)	51,628	(47,824)	2,041	-
Regional Powerhouse	-	8,870	-	(8,870)	-

Page 47

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2022

18. Statement of funds (continued)

Statement of funds - prior year (continued)

Saltwater Sky Writes The David Cohen Prize Young Writers City - Sunderland Young Writers City - Newcastle Other project funds General funds Total Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Writing and enterprise Sky Writes A Writing Chance Northern Writers Awards Young Writers Young Writers City - Newcastle Young Writers Development programme Proud Words Gateshead Young Writers Young Writers City - Durham Community and Callerton Climate Change David Cohen prize Durham Book Festival Podcasts 2021 Gordon Burn Prize Creative Fuse Digital Literature Other small restricted funds	Balance at 1 April 2020 £ - - 1,500 6,966 13,608 50,593 118,654 209,896 289,896 7,970 - - 7,793 11,760 4,850 - - - 5,623 - 3,496 29,545 - - 1,102 108,620 7,574	Income £ - 34,088 - 2,000 5,500 49,843 403,380 799,346 799,346 - - - 5,500 - - 37,650 21,000 12,550 - 15,000 - - 8,792 3,000 110 - 180	Expenditure £ (5,000) (7,300) (9,089) - - (50,042) (396,699) (645,734) (651,134) (1,515) - - (4,579) (883) (1,075) (16,596) (12,759) - (900) (8,340) - (29,545) (8,792) (3,000) (1,212) (72,913) (400)	As restated Transfers in/out £ 5,000 (26,788) 7,589 (8,966) (19,108) (50,394) 110,264 (127,909) (121,249) (3,264) 26,788 (1,983) 2,610 23,645 22,755 (10,921) 2,636 32,457 1,552 (6,660) (1,899) (7,589) 15,646 5,000 9,963 (31,455) 41,968	Balance at 31 March 2021 £ - - - - - - 235,599 235,599 316,859 3,191 26,788 (1,983) 11,324 34,522 26,530 10,133 10,877 45,007 6,275 - 1,597 (7,589) 15,646 5,000 9,963 4,252 49,322

Page 48

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2022

18. Statement of funds (continued)

Statement of funds - prior year (continued)

Total of funds	Balance at 1 April 2020 £ 188,333 478,229	Income £ 103,782 903,128	Expenditure £ (162,509) (813,643)	As restated Transfers in/out £ 121,249 -	Balance at 31 March 2021 £
					250,855
					567,714

During the year a review of fund treatment was undertaken, resutling in all project funding being treated as restricted. Consequently the fund balances previously reported have been restated to show the previously unrestricted project balances being transferred into restricted funds. This did not impact the reported result or year end position of the charity as at March 2021.

All restricted funds relate to specific project delivery, as indicated by the fund title.

Transfers between funds during the year relate to projects where restricted funds have been spent as agreed with the funding partner on staff time, or where unrestricted funds have been used in delivery of a restricted activity.

19. Analysis of net assets between funds

Analysis of net assets between funds - current year

Unrestricted funds 2022 £ Tangible fixed assets 15,944 Current assets 442,273 Creditors due within one year (135,761) Creditors due in more than one year (40,000) Total 282,456	Restricted funds 2022 £ - 385,742 - - 385,742	Total funds 2022 £ 15,944 828,015 (135,761) (40,000)
		668,198

Page 49

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2022

19. Analysis of net assets between funds (continued)

Analysis of net assets between funds - prior year

Tangible fixed assets Fixed asset investments Current assets Creditors due within one year Creditors due in more than one year Total	Unrestricted funds 2021 £ 1,983 2,222 454,007 (91,353) (50,000) 316,859	Restricted funds 2021 £ - - 250,855 - - 250,855	Total funds 2021 £ 1,983 2,222 704,862 (91,353) (50,000) 567,714

20. Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash flow from operating activities

Net income for the year (as per Statement of Financial Activities) Adjustments for: Depreciation charges Impairment loss on joint venture undertaking Increase in debtors Increase in creditors Net cash provided by operating activities 21. Analysis of cash and cash equivalents Cash in hand Total cash and cash equivalents	2022 £ 100,484 3,695 2,222 (45,901) 34,408 94,908 2022 £ 733,661 733,661	2021 £ 89,485 2,190 7,778 (24,232) 43,347 118,568 2021 £ 656,409 656,409

Page 50

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2022

22. Analysis of changes in net debt

Cash at bank and in hand Debt due within 1 year Debt due after 1 year	At 1 April 2021 £ 656,409 - (50,000) 606,409	Cash flows £ 77,252 - - 77,252	Other non- cash changes £ - (10,000) 10,000 -	At 31 March 2022 £ 733,661 (10,000) (40,000)
				683,661

23. Operating lease commitments

At 31 March 2022 the charitable company had future minimum lease payments due under noncancellable operating leases for each of the following periods:

Not later than 1 year Later than 1 year and not later than 5 years	2022 £ 12,511 16,682 29,193	2021 £ 3,128 -
		3,128

24. Related party transactions

During the year one trustee, Y Battle-Felton, was paid £637 for services in running workshops as part of project delivery for the charity. There were no related party transactions in the prior year.

Page 51