2023-03-31-accounts

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Registered number: 03166037 Charity number: 1062729

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Annual report

Year ended 31 March 2023

DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Contents

	Page
Reference and administrative details	1
Chairman's statement	2 - 3
Trustees' report	4 - 25
Trustees' responsibilities statement	26
Independent auditor's report to the members of New Writing North	27 - 30
Statement of financial activities	31
Balance sheet	32 - 33
Statement of cash flows	34
Notes to the financial statements	35 - 54

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Reference and administrative details Year ended 31 March 2023

Trustees	C Alexander (resigned 15 March 2023)
	Y Battle-Felton (resigned 15 March 2023)
	J Boakes (resigned 5 May 2022)
	A Devine, Treasurer (resigned 7 June 2023)
	M Dobson
	J Ellis (resigned 7 December 2022)
	C Harington
	S Lloyd
	C Murphy, Vice Chair
	D O'Neil (resigned 15 March 2023)
	N Orleans-Amissah
	D Roche, Chair
	D Stone
	K Tserkezie
	I Crow (appointed 7 June 2023)
	M Forster (appointed 7 June 2023)
	C Greenwood Dower (appointed 7 June 2023)
	G Wright, Treasurer (appointed 7 June 2023)
Company registered number 03166037 Charity registered number 1062729 Registered office 120 Squires Building Northumbria University Sandyford Road 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)

Chairman's statement Year ended 31 March 2023

The chairman presents his statement for the year.

The year once again witnessed outstanding achievement for New Writing North with our core activities blossoming, and the fundraising that supports them and our ambitions reaching a new high, with income increasing in 2022/23 by 17% on 2021/22 – an extraordinary achievement in the face of the geopolitical and macroeconomic factors at the time.

In September we were shortlisted for two North East Culture Awards run by The Journal newspaper: The Develop Your Voice project at Excelsior Academy is part of our Young Writers’ City project and was shortlisted for a for Best Educational Project Award; New Writing North and Hachette were also shortlisted for Best Arts and Business Partnership which encouraged the UK’s second biggest publisher to make Newcastle a regional centre and saw their involvement in a new MA in Publishing in partnership with New Writing North and Northumbria University.

Our Chief Executive, Claire Malcolm, was included in the list of the Bookseller 150 (the people changing publishing) for the second year running and in January received an Honorary Degree from Durham University for her contribution to Literature, following in the footsteps of PD James and Dorothy L Sayers, to become a Doctor of Letters.

This year New Writing North was successful in our bid to retain our National Portfolio Organisational status with Arts Council England. We were delighted to have our grant for the next three years confirmed and to be offered an uplift of £90K per year to support staffing capacity around the capital development project (a Director of Fundraising and a People and Finance support role).

To launch new business strands, the New Writing North staff team has grown this year with the appointment of a new team to run the Writing and Publishing Skills Hub, the appointment of three Creative Associates and the establishment of work with a new Audio Development Producer, all supporting us to branch out into new areas including online and in person courses, events and commissioning. As we progress our capital project plans, we are building up our public programme in Newcastle upon Tyne and across the North East. We now produce a seasonal brochure giving details of all our activities and our new Newcastle events programme three times a year.

As our team and activities expand the need for increased office space has been an issue for the organisation. We undertook a successful move to an accessible office suite at Northumbria University in December ‘22. We relocated here with a team from Hachette UK who have established a Newcastle office which is now 10 people.

To support our expansion, our fundraising continues to be very strong, drawing on a range of funders and partnerships in a real mixed economy model that supports our work. This year we were delighted to continue major partnerships with Northumbria University, Channel 4, Kavli Foundation and many others; the wonderful relationship with the Kavli Foundation supports a wide range of work with young people and their families in Gateshead. Very welcome new partners this year included the Paul Hamlyn Foundation who granted us £250K for three years to support and build our work with communities and schools in the West End of Newcastle. We are extremely grateful, as are our beneficiaries, for the support that our partners provide.

New Writing North continues to have a national profile in the publishing industry and this year the organisation worked with the London Book Fair to produce an access event for new writers and staged a panel event “Championing under-represented voices in publishing” exploring the A Writing Chance project and associated issues around diversity and access. Our engagement with major national issues such as inclusivity, class, and wellbeing, supported by academic discussion and research, reflects our approach as leaders and innovators.

Our positive impact on the authors we work with is consistently lauded by writers in the region. For example, Eliza Clarke was chosen as a finalist for the Women’s Prize Futures Award for writers under 35 and was selected as one of the Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists class of 2023. Eliza is outspoken about her gratitude to New Writing North for the support we provided to enable her success.

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Chairman's statement (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023

“I am, as always, forever in debt to New Writing North for selecting me for their life-changing Young Writers’ Talent Fund. None of the extraordinary changes in my life over the last few years would have been possible without New Writing North and I will never be able to thank them enough.”

The Northern Writers Awards is the fount of many such stories and continues to attract a record number of entrants. Our new website launched in 2022 reflects the scope of our work and the resulting impact and testimonials that are so important.

Our expansion, combined with the national reputation and partnerships that New Writing North now enjoys is confirmation that the organisation is uniquely placed to develop a capital project that would pull these strands together under one roof. During 2022/2023 we built a plan for the development of the former Blundell’s Department Store on Clayton Street West into a bold Centre for Writing which would bring together New Writing North’s activities with those of Northumbria University and commercial publishing.

This included purchasing an option to buy, detailed development work on the business and operational plans and design work to RIBA Stage Three. With Newcastle City Council we submitted a £5M bid to the Government’s Cultural Development Fund and secured partnership investment of £2.5M from Northumbria University and an indication of £2M of support from the North of Tyne Combined Authority. Inflationary pressures prevailed on the project budget which had increased to £12M. We were unsuccessful with our bid to the Cultural Development Fund and in February this year we took the decision to lay the plans for this site to rest and to pursue new options in the city which would be more affordable.

We are now pursuing acquisition of a new property which is ideal for our needs and ambition, and we continue with our determination to establish a Centre for Writing in Newcastle upon Tyne by 2025/6. This feels more important than ever, and the evidence produced by Avison Young in the Business Case in November 2022 and our plans and partnerships since we conceived the idea in 2019 confirm this.

Our governance continues to be robust and during the year the organisation commissioned an independent review of our financial operating systems to ensure that as we grow and as we develop our capital programme, our processes and systems are fit for purpose on a scale that the organisation has not experienced previously. The review noted that our systems were strong and fit for purpose and we continue to implement minor improvements to the way we operate and report. There was also an independent review and benchmarking of salaries that led to a widescale re-structuring of pay bands and renumeration to reflect the worth of people’s skills, experience and contribution.

New Writing North’s board continues to be strong and supportive of the organisation and we now meet in person twice a year in Newcastle for board meetings and an awayday, with two board meetings attended remotely by trustees. During the year we undertook a major recruitment programme for new trustees and early in 2023 appointed a new Treasurer and three other new trustees, all from the North East, who brought a welcome range of new skills and networks to the organisation. The breadth of skills now available from local trustees has benefitted the organisation through more ad hoc in person meetings and consultations when needed. The board would like to register our thanks to the partners and supporters of New Writing North, and in particular, to the talented, creative, determined and resilient team that the organisation is made up of.

David Roche, Chair Date: 11 December 2023

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report Year ended 31 March 2023

The trustees present their annual report together with the audited financial statements of the charitable company for the 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023. 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 charitable 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

New Writing North leads the development of new writing in the North of England through a wide range of activities that support individuals and communities to engage with creative reading and writing for professional development 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, deep rooted work within communities, writing for wellbeing activities and work with the NHS, and the commissioning of new writing for publication, performance, and audio.

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, to enable access for all, and to lead the region as a centre of excellence for writing.

Mission

We recognise that talent is everywhere, but opportunities are not. 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 and societal 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 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 be bold and 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

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023

Objectives and activities (continued)

promises. We recognise that to achieve our mission we may need to take risks, be pre-disposed to action and innovation and, if necessary be confident to disrupt the systems that have perpetuated inequality and inaction.

Strategic approach

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

Our business plan for 2022/23 saw us building our Theory of Change and creative ambitions and pursuing a 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 and where our stakeholders and partners encourage opportunity.

Strategies for achieving objectives

Our strategy sees us working as follows:

UNIVERSAL OFFERS: Open access training, skills and talent development opportunities and awards programmes, digital content and advice and guidance and young writer’s activity, benefitting and open to everyone in the North. This ensures that most of our output is free to access and open to all. Within our universal offers effort is exerted to encourage participation from groups who are not yet well represented within our work.

PARTNER PLACES: We have identified priority places where we will deepen existing work and build new relationships, building capacity and skills and investing in regular developmental activity (these areas include, 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, skills development activity and deeper partnership development which require direct and detailed delivery and which focus investment and developments in our home region of the North East (Gateshead, Newcastle, Durham, Northumberland, North and South Tyneside).

Wrapped around this way of working 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. Some networks we will run directly, others we will support by adding value and empowering others.

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. During the year we launched our new website which improves access to advice and guidance, and which presents our work and opportunities to everyone. This year we also advanced our work in the field of audio development and production.

Activities undertaken to achieve objectives

Writing and Publishing Skills Hub

The New Writing North team continues to grow in line with our ambitions and this year we established a new team of three to head up our Writing and Publishing Skills Hub which extends our work into new areas of skills focused delivery. This programme is supported by Cultural Skills Funding from the North of Tyne Combined Authority and supported by grant funding from a range of partners including Hachette UK, the Author’s Licensing and Collection Agency and the Book Charity.

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023

Objectives and activities (continued)

Our new online courses, developed with the Professional Writing Academy launched in early 2023 and offered subsidised places for writers in the North of Tyne area. Several programmes began in spring: Start Writing Courses in libraries, the Inkubator training programme that supports practitioners to work with young people and in communities and Creative Associate roles for young creatives and adults to help develop new projects and businesses. The programme also develops new networks for writers including a professional practice group for novelists, enabling us to offer support to a much wider group of writers than before.

Developing Readers

This year we launched a new digital book club which was well-received by the 50 members who signed up. Online events took place with Andrew O’Hagan , Salena Godden , Denise Mina , and Gwendoline Riley . Subscribers receive books delivered by Forum Book’s The Bound bookshop in Whitley Bay, making this a lovely partnership with an independent bookshop as well as a warmly received readers offer.

A Writing Chance with Michael Sheen

The A Writing Chance project which was championed by Michael Sheen and funded by the actor and advocate along with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation ran throughout 2021 supporting 11 writers from across the UK to launch careers in the creative industries. The project aimed to raise awareness of the barriers to participation and access that working class and other underrepresented writers experience and to support a cohort to break through these barriers and enter the industry. The project has been both a professional development programme for writers and an advocacy project to engender change within industry.

The project was supported by Professor Katy Shaw from Northumbria University as lead researcher who went on to write and publish a report on the first year of the project. Both Katy Shaw and Michael Sheen went on to record TED-X events focussing on the project at TED-X Soho.

The project came to fruition with a special issue of the New Statesman, edited by Michael Sheen published in March featuring work by all of our writers to coincide with our roundtable in the House of Lords and celebratory events with ALCS in the House of Commons. The roundtable was attended by funders including Sarah Crown, Director of Literature at ACE, the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and the Churchill Foundation, publishers were represented by Lisa Milton (HarperCollins) and David Shelley (Hachette), and Jess Loveland, Director of the BBC’s Writer’s Room and Nicola Soloman of the Society of Authors attended. Lord Mendoza represented DCMS. The evening event was attended by Lord Parkinson (Minister for the Arts) and many MPs, writers, producers, and media commentators. The writers all read compelling work and it felt like a suitable finale to the project. The events were covered in Bookbrunch, twice and in the Bookseller.

We worked with BBC Wales and Working Word productions in Cardiff to produce the Margins to Mainstream with Michael Sheen podcast series for BBC Sounds/BBC World. This series of ten programmes featured writers and mentors from the programme talking about their work and backgrounds. Work for the programmes was recorded live at the Welsh College of Drama and Music in Cardiff with Michael heading up a live performance with a cast of professional actors to record the work. The Head of BBC Wales said that it was an exemplary partnership project that they were proud to be part of.

In May the first book deal for a writer on the programme was announced: Phoenix, an imprint of Hachette UK won a three-way auction for two novels by Tom Newlands , including his début Only Here, Only Now , which will be published in spring 2024.

Creative Associates

To diversify the voices contributing to our work at a senior level and to widen the opportunities that we could offer to creative practitioners and writers this year we appointed several Creative Associates. These roles saw creatives supported by long term salaried work and durational projects which supported them to pioneer new areas of work. Following a robust selection and interview process we appointed our first two Creative Associates:

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023

Objectives and activities (continued)

Adam Sharp has been working with the New Writing North team Read Them Your Writes which is now running in Newcastle upon Tyne offering new opportunities for writers. Alongside this Adam is working on his memoir Heroin Baby .

Sharmin Islam had just graduated from university when she took up her role. She went on to create Brown Girls Write , a new writing space for young women of colour we have been able to continue to support through our community programmes, and which goes from strength to strength.

Tammie Ash was appointed on a Creative Associate Residency in November and is working on developing her skills as a picture book writer through mentoring with the writer Vivian French. Tammie also consulted on our talent development programmes, utilising her connection to Bradford to curate a roadshow event in early 2023.

Adam Cooper has been supported to develop and launch a new climate hope organisation, Threads in the Ground as part of his Creative Associate role. While working with New Writing North he has developed a range of climate related programmes, including Mushroom Sculpt, creative projects in schools and communities using ‘mushroom plastic’ a compostable eco material made with fungus, and developed new community initiatives including ‘Heritage Footprint’ about the region’s mining legacy, and Warm Grain about food sustainability. Adam has worked closely with New Writing North’s CEO on inputting into wider work on sustainability within the sector.

Durham Book Festival

The 2022 Durham Book Festival took place between 13-16 October across spaces in the Gala Theatre. It was commissioned by Durham County Council (DCC) and supported by Durham University and a range of other sponsors and supporters.

We reached 4,247 people through our events (including live streams) and had an average capacity of 58% at each event which meant that we exceeded our box office target (of 50% capacity). For comparison, in 2021 we reached just over 3,000 people with live and streamed events. The independent evaluation of the festival was undertaken by Bluegrass in December and was extremely positive. 96% of attendees surveyed rated their experience positively. 70% of attendees came from County Durham and 14% identified as disabled.

We worked with DCC’s library service to distribute 3,000 free copies of our Big Read book of the year - The Mystery of the Vanishing Mayor , an exclusive Durham-set short story written for us by the popular crime writer LJ Ross. The library service also supported the gifting of over 1,000 copies of our Little Read picture book, Polonius the Pit Pony , by Durham-born Gypsy Roman Traveller writer, Richard O’Neill . Funding from the Community Rail Partnership enabled us to offer sets of 30 copies of the book to primary schools situated along the Bishop Auckland railway Line. Gypsy Roma Travellers are the biggest ethnic minority group in County Durham.

Writers appearing at the festival included: Laura Bates , Alexander McCall Smith , Natasha Brown , Jessica Andrews , and Janice Hallett . The Festival Laureate was the Costa-Award-winning-poet, Hannah Lowe . We continued to use the festival as a platform for new commissions and worked with Jessica Andrews and writer and disability activist Lisette Auton on new works. We also commissioned a series of acclaimed international writers to write letters from their countries on the same day for a special project for our website. We worked with Durham University on events exploring geo-thermal energy and re-examining what it means to be a Great Briton.

Gordon Burn Prize

The judges for the Gordon Burn Prize in 2022 were Jonathan Liew , Heather Phillipson , Stuart Maconie and Chitra Ramaswamy . The panel was chaired by Denise Mina . The prize was awarded during Durham Book Festival in October. A new partnership with the London Review Bookshop saw some collaborative online marketing, a live event with the winner in London and associated digital promotions with Gordon Burn featured as their author of the month in October.

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023

Objectives and activities (continued)

Writers shortlisted for the prize were: Margo Jefferson , Graeme Macrae Burnet , Preti Taneja , David Whitehouse and Lea Ypi . Press coverage of the shortlist and reception on social media was all very positive with a great piece in the Guardian and wider industry coverage. The winner of the 2022 Gordon Burn Prize was Preti Taneja for her book Aftermath (published by And Other Stories). The prize was awarded at Durham Book Festival on 13 October at a special event that featured readings from all the shortlisted authors and a performance from local musician Martha Hill . The prize was covered in The Guardian and Culture North East.

Climate Writer in Residence

Linda France’s Writing the Climate Residency with New Writing North culminated at Durham Book Festival in October with the launch of a new collection of poetry, Startling which was published by New Writing North and Faber and Faber. This was accompanied by an animated film poem of the same name made with artist Kate Sweeney .

Linda curated Yours sincerely: The Climate Letters , an installation at Durham Book Festival and online, made from 10 commissioned texts and a selection submitted by the public in response to an open call.

This iteration of the residency began in January 2021 and has involved a number of connected projects including: In our Element , a ten episode podcast series supported by a monthly podcast listening group; Dawn Chorus a collective poem with contributions from over 100 people around the world; and three writing courses: How to Start Writing the Climate (for less experienced writers), Writing the Climate Together (for established writers) and, The Writing Hour , a lightly led online monthly workshop, which we continue to convene.

We received this feedback from Ed Baxter , CEO of Resonance FM , who broadcast Linda’s podcast series: “In Our Element was a radical and ingenious project which made a virtue of two unlikely bed fellows – poetry and concerns over climate change – in a conceptually tight and coherent series. It was a timely and evocative programme with an imaginative and deeply democratic impulse, bringing together both high profile contributors (e.g., Pulitzer Prize winning poets) and complete unknowns (e.g., primary school pupils) into the same discursive space offered by radio. Thematically wide-ranging, the series moved beyond a simple statement of people witnessing the critical global upheaval of the era to a socially charged form of broadcast, one marked by its instrumental character: this was radio about doing, acting – not just about listening” .

As Linda’s time in post came to formal end, she plans to launch herself as a poetic influencer and climate writing leader on subscription on the Substack platform – an innovative way to develop the work and to take the committed audience of practitioners and readers that she has gathered during the work with her.

She will make her handbook How to Start Writing the Climate: A Creative Writing Workbook available for her Substack users to buy. It has been an impactful and creatively successful residency and programme of work. We hope to take forward all that we have learnt into wider programme.

Overall, the residency has 1,588 participants, 69 artists or creative practitioners have been involved and 28,800 people have experience it as audiences for online / broadcast. Linda has contributed to public and institutional climate conversations and networked with organisations including Newcastle University, North East Cultural Partnership, National Centre for Academic and Cultural Exchange, The Cultural Capital Exchange, Newcastle City Council, North of Tyne Combined Authority and participated in Citizens’ Assembly events at COP26, in Glasgow.

National Trust Writer in Residence at Seaton Delaval Hall

John Challis’ residency at National Trust property Seaton Delaval Hall culminated this year with an event at the hall where he read from his book and showed the beautiful poetry film that came from the residency Hallsong . We hope to continue this partnership and are exploring a potential residency focused around Climate and renewable energy in South East Northumberland.

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New Writing North

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Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023

Objectives and activities (continued)

The Northern Writers’ Awards

The Northern Writers’ Awards were founded in 2000 and exist to recognise talent and support new work towards publication or broadcast. Now in their 23rd year, the awards are the largest writing development programme of their kind in England and have a reputation for identifying some of the country’s best unpublished writing. Selected from a record-breaking 2,035 entries in 2022, this year’s winners will join an impressive list of 360 writers who have been previously supported through the programme, many of whom have gone on to critical acclaim.

The Northern Writers’ Awards 2022 Celebration and Showcase event took place at Northumbria University and was hosted by 2013 winner Andrew McMillan . Andrew was supported by the awards for his debut poetry collection, physical , which went on to win the 2015 Guardian First Book Award.

The event also featured previous winners including Yvonne Battle-Felton , whose Northern Writers’ Awardswinning book Remembered was longlisted for the Women’s Prize; Jayshree Patel , who won a Channel 4 Writing for Television Award in 2016 launching her career as a television writer on Hollyoaks ; Shaun Wilson , a two-time award winner who read from his work-in-progress Malc’s Boy ; and the acclaimed poet Linda France , who won an award for her poetry in 2012.

The Northern Writers’ Awards offer a wide range of support and opportunities for writers at all stages of their careers, including publication, mentoring, manuscript assessment, writing placements, retreats, and cash awards to buy time to write.

In 2022, we awarded 29 writers and supported all to create strategies to develop their work towards publication and production. Winners this year included:

Hannah Hodgson: ‘ As a disabled woman working today, the poetic is political; I often write about matters of life and death. The award will give me something which is a rare but intangible resource: time to work on my poems, and also belief in each of my poems as a piece of art.’

Gregory Kearns: As a dyslexic writer it’s great to know that not only does someone else understand my poems, but that the Northern Writers’ Awards think my work is worth supporting.’

Jessie Jacobs: ‘I began writing The New Queen during lockdown when the Black Lives Matter movement had just begun. I wanted to explore issues of power, privilege, and race but in a way that would connect with everyday young people.’

Andrew Ballantyne: ‘Being an unpublished writer exploring underrepresented working-class voices is hard. The industry was starting to seem impenetrable to me. Winning the Sid Chaplin Award is therefore invaluable, as it seeks to help people in my exact situation.’

The awards’ lead sponsor is Northumbria University, and they are joined by Channel 4, Hachette UK, York University and many other publishing and literary partners who support the venture.

Our partnership with Channel 4 renewed during the year and expanded to support the creation of the Northern TV Talent Network which we appointed freelance media professional Hannah Rose to run. Well received and attended developmental and networking events have taken place in Leeds, Kendal, South Shields, and Northumberland during the year. Masterclasses for emerging screenwriters took place and a Script Development Group of 10 writers run by group leader Helen Black has been established.

International Connections and translation

International work is a modest area of activity for New Writing North. This year we were delighted to extend our work in this area by producing the African Writers Trust/NWN Uganda Digital Residency that recruited 10

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023

Objectives and activities (continued)

writers, five based in Northern England and five based in Uganda. Together they undertook professional development workshop and writing events online supported by writers such as Nick Makoha and Phoebe Power .

The art form of translation shows up in several areas of New Writing North’s work including with young people and families who have English as a second language that we work creatively with in schools. We have pioneered some wonderful work that uses translation to provoke family sharing of community creativity in this context.

More formally, this year we worked with translation partners to appoint Ruth Clarke as Translator in Residence as part of our partnership with Durham University. Ruth is an Italian to English translator and her latest translation, Evelina Santangelo’s From Another World was published by Granta in 2021. Ruth ran events around the book festival and engaged the public and the university community in a wide range of events.

MA in Publishing

This year saw the launch and first intake of students for the MA in Publishing that we have created and run in partnership with publisher Hachette UK and Northumbria University. Seventeen students took up places on the programme which is co-led by Will Mackie from New Writing North. Students on this innovative and unique course learn from Hachette UK staff and other industry professionals and undertake a work placement with Hachette UK in London. New Writing North staff lead sessions on project management, diversity and equity and freedom of expression alongside collaborating on student support and development.

Audio development

New Writing North has a strong history of producing audio projects as part of programmes and festivals, and it has been a long-held ambition to further develop this area of work. This year we received a grant of £25,000 from Creative UK via the North of Tyne Culture Funding Programme to support the appointment of a part time audio producer. We appointed Lucie McNeil to this post and have begun work on several artist development projects and production planning to further establish this area of work.

Young People’s Open Access Programme

Our young people’s programme thrived this year. In total we worked with 1,295 young people and most of those were involved in sustained, longer-term programmes. We employed 62 different artists and writers to deliver the programmes. The young writers programme is organised into open access opportunities to engage in activity over the long term through our young writers’ groups, and a targeted approach where we work deeply with schools and communities in the most socio-economically disadvantaged areas. Our third strand invests in talented individuals coming through our programme with bespoke development support. The programme structure provides development pathways for participants, which support them to pursue their artistic or professional ambitions as well as deepen the social and wellbeing impact our activity has.

Young Writers Groups

We continued to run six young writers’ groups that meet in libraries and community centres every Saturday in South Shields, Cramlington, Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead, and online. In addition, we established two new groups in Berwick and North Shields as part of our skills programme. We also run a young song writers’ group in central Newcastle. This year we chose to wind up our Sunderland young writers’ group due to low attendance, and because it did not link with other areas of focus within our current programme. We ran a social event at Christmas this year where members of all the groups to came together to share their work, which was a lovely evening.

We ran summer programmes during the holiday over three days for young people in South Shields, Gateshead, Sunderland, West End of Newcastle and for songwriters in Newcastle.

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023

Objectives and activities (continued)

Career Opportunities

We relaunched our First Edition group in Newcastle as part of our Skills Hub for creatives aged 18-25, many of whom are alumni from our young writers’ programme and who are interested in developing their creative practice or forging a career in the creative industries.

We worked with 14 young people on Turn Up For The Books , which included workshops on different jobs within the literary sector as well as support to programme their own event at Durham Book Festival.

We also hosted a young writer from our open access programme to undertake a work experience placement with New Writing North.

Targeted Programme

Young Writers City is the name we give to our targeted programmes in schools. We identify partner schools in the most socio-economically disadvantaged areas of the region and work intensively with them year-round to offer young people opportunities to develop their creative voice in school, and out of school provision for those who want to continue to develop creatively. This year we worked with six partner schools in this way:

Excelsior Academy

In Excelsior Academy writers including Lisette Auton , film maker John Quinn and rapper Robin Reza have been working with young people in Drama, English, and Music lessons to develop creative work. We run an intervention group to engage young people who have behavioural issues, SEN or who are at risk of exclusion. We supported young people to create a Develop Your Voice programme, a student-led initiative aimed at improving pupil’s wellbeing, which was shortlisted for a Journal Culture Award.

Outside of school we ran a rap group, a lunchtime song writing group, and Proud Words , an LGBTQ+ creative writing programme linked to our Balance the Book initiative.

Larkspur Primary School and Kelvin Grove Primary School

Our Gateshead Writes programme is funded by the Kavli Trust. Pupils in two partner primary schools came together to create an interactive map featuring their short stories and songs inspired by Saltwell Park in Gateshead. The demographics that the schools serve has led us to develop multilingual creative writing at both schools. We ran a multi-lingual poetry project at both schools. We have developed translation projects in both settings involving pupils and their families in translation workshops. In Kelvin Grove we have established a targeted creative writing programme for pupils new to the school (there are many immigrant families in the area). During this year we also ran song writing projects at both schools.

Kingsmeadow School

At Kingsmeadow School (a partner secondary school in Gateshead) an intervention group comprising of Year 7 and 8 students, who have been identified as having low literacy and struggling with reading, writing, and general confidence worked with Matt Wesolowski to write their own short stories and made a film with Sean McKenna . We were part of the school’s summer term ‘rewards day’ programme when we delivered a day long rap and lyric writing workshop.

As part of Gateshead Writes , we ran a summer programme in Gateshead which targeted young people in the care system, and a creative writing programme with young people who are not in education, employment, or training, in partnership with Youth Focus North East.

Belmont School

In Belmont School in County Durham Lisette Auton ran targeted workshops for students with disabilities as part of our Balance the Books programme, there was a writing for audio programme which took place during English classes, where pupils created spooky short stories with sound effects. We ran song writing sessions during

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023

Objectives and activities (continued)

lesson time, and a popular song writers lunchtime club for pupils who wanted to develop their talent for lyric writing.

Callerton Academy

At Callerton Academy we took over English classes to run projects in rap, film making and song writing. We established a thriving lunchtime choir and promoted creative writing during the school enrichment programme. Here most of the work has focused on identity, and the participants place in the school, community, and wider world.

Proud Words

In May 2023 our Proud Words programme was celebrated in a collaboration with Curious Arts as part of their Queer Creative Challenge . We ran three days over the May half term focused on nature writing, scriptwriting, and song writing, and supported a performance day at Curious Festival in early July. Participants from our young writer’s groups and our schools programme attended.

Balance the Books

Balance the Books is a NWN initiative which aims to promote work by under-represented authors, and which also addresses representation themes. The programme involves running bespoke book clubs and workshops within schools inspired by a collection of titles selected by young readers and subject experts which each partner school receives. We also promoted the initiative to more schools through Durham Book Festival this year.

Talent Investment

The third plank of our young people’s programme is investment in individual talent amongst young people coming through our programmes. This year, we selected 10 young people from an open callout for the Young Writers’ Talent Fund and are supporting a range of projects including mentoring for a young novelist in Durham, mentoring and publicity support for a young rapper who recently graduated from Young Writers’ City at Excelsior, and facilitation skills development for several young people who we hope might continue to freelance for our programmes in the future.

Freelancer Training

We delivered the training for our regular freelance facilitators which included: best practice on inclusive facilitation; safeguarding refresher training; training on English as an additional language, and multi-lingual creative writing, in response to programme need.

Community Programmes

New Writing North’s community programmes, West End Writes and Newbiggin Hall Creates , are new strands of work, funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, that aim to co-create cultural provision with communities. These programmes use the targeted, place based and relationship-focussed approach we have developed via our Young Writers’ City model of work to develop partnerships and sustainable provision with communities in the West End (specifically Benwell and Scotswood) and Outer West of Newcastle (specifically the Newbiggin Hall Estate).

West End Writes

Brown Girls Write was originally conceived by New Writing North’s 2022 Creative Associate, Sharmin Islam , who wanted to create a space for women of colour to come together to write. The group meets once a week at Newcastle’s Deaf Centre. Between October 2022 – March 2023 it was supported by Group Leader and performance poet Tahmina Ali to develop and present new work at a well-attended showcase event at Alphabetti Theatre. In response to the group members’ interest in exploring different forms of writing, the programme has since included workshops on prose writing and writing for stage.

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023

Objectives and activities (continued)

World Writes

A new creative writing project for 16+ ESOL speakers living in the West End of Newcastle. The programme supports people to think and write creatively whilst developing their existing English language skills and celebrating multilingualism. The group is developing into a promising collective of writers who embrace multilingualism in their practice and collaborative methods. It is led by writer Mymona Bibi and meets weekly.

Drop in Sessions

We established a weekly drop-in activity at St James’ Church in Benwell, and have a strong relationship with this venue partner, who also runs the local (and significant in scale) foodbank. We have encouraged people attending to write their ‘Life on a Page’ which we hope will contribute to a publication of West End stories.

Remembered West

Remembered West is a storytelling project in partnership with charity SEARCH. Working with isolated older people, led by artist Sharon Bailey . Participants are encouraged to write and tell stories about their lives in the area and have developed a body of work that spans film, writing, audio, and photography.

Newbiggin Hall Creates

The Newbiggin Hall Estate is a large 1970s housing estate in the Outer West of Newcastle. It has very few public spaces and limited community infrastructure. We have been working in the latter part of this financial year to develop programmes with the local community, led by a Producer-in-Residence. This has included weekly dropins at Galafield Centre in partnership with Action for Children; a women’s art group at Galafield Centre in partnership with Action for Children, a Creative Writing Group in partnership with Mental Health Concern (now called Every Turn Matters) and a film making programme with young people from D2 youth group.

Work with the health sector

We spoke at an NHS Health Literacy conference about our work and achieved £9,500 partnership funding from the NHS to run a pilot creative writing and reading programme for people in Gateshead with low literacy. We ran this in partnership with Edberts House and it is being evaluated by Gateshead Public Health.

Public benefit

As the above description of our work demonstrates, we are driven by the desire to improve access to opportunities for everyone that we work with and all our major talent development programmes, skills building activities, awards and community engagement projects are free to participate in and open to all.

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. We routinely offer free and reduced cost bursary places for paid courses, 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 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 free 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

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023

Objectives and activities (continued)

• 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.

The pandemic saw a rapid increase in access and inclusion activities across the arts, allowing many disabled people to be fully included in events for the first time. New Writing North learnt a great deal over that period of digital adaptations and now has in place an approach to inclusive events that tries to make all major events as accessible as possible.

The Boshier Hinton Foundation offered us £3K towards access initiatives at Durham Book Festival if we could match fund a further £2K. We were delighted that local legal firm Swinburn Maddison supported this intervention to release the grant.

All of the main house events at Durham Book Festival were live captioned by Stagetext and live streamed to ensure that they were available to everyone. As many of our fellow festivals have pulled back from making events accessible we continue to feel that this is an important area of work for us.

Working in partnership with writer and performer Lisette Auton , we hosted a networking event for disabled artists at the Gala Studio. The event was attended by 30 people who worked across a variety of art forms. We hosted a zoom room for those who couldn’t attend in person and encouraged people who were at the Gala to interact with these participants too. Feedback from the event was very positive with one attendee commenting:

“This has been a brilliant event – would love for there to be more events like this. So valuable for disabled creatives.”

In August we were part of the launch of the Inklusion Guide , an access guide for the UK literary sector to use when planning events. Written by Scottish disabled writers Julie Farrell and Ever Dundas the guide was launched at the Edinburgh Book Festival and supported and distributed by Penguin Random House. We gave partnership funding to the guide along with many fellow organisaions and publishers.

Achievements and performance

Main achievements of the charitable company

This year we developed and submitted a four-year application to Arts Council England to remain part of the National Portfolio. Detailed planning and strategic work around meeting the criteria of the funding took place. We were delighted to confirm the continuation of our core funding from Arts Council England from April 2023 and to secure a significant uplift in our grant which was specifically to help build our staffing capacity as we pursue our capital ambitions.

This year we secured funding to employ new staff in the areas of HR, operations and development who will begin work with us in the new financial year. We continue to offer training and support to our freelance workforce on whom we depend for the delivery of much of our work with children and young people.

At the behest of its core funder, Durham County Council, the Durham Book Festival was a more compact event this year, taking place over one weekend. The audiences were strong, and the event positively embraced by attendees.

The Gordon Burn Prize which had been part of this event for ten years was removed from the programme and a new sponsor, Newcastle University, helped to welcome the revamped prize back to Gordon Burn’s home town of Newcastle upon Tyne with an increased prize pot, new partnership and a planned extended events programme which aligns with our interest in building up audiences for literature in Newcastle.

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023

Achievements and performance (continued)

New Writing North’s partners have continued to grow and develop during the year and the role that we play to help with the governance of regional bodies and peer organisations also grew. Staff were involved in work with the Newcastle Cultural Compact, the North East Cultural Partnership and we continued our work with the Ditchley Foundation in the North East, with our CEO speaking at their launch event at the Common Room in Newcastle at an event attended by over 80 regional organisations and individuals.

Our work continues to garner acclaim and this year our partnership with Hachette UK and Northumbria University to creative the new MA in Publishing was nominated for the Arts and Business section of the North East Culture Awards.

We were delighted that our work with Professor Katy Shaw at Northumbria University on the A Writing Chance project was rated 4* in the Research Excellence Framework, the highest rating possible and we were thanked by the Vice Chancellor of the university for our partnership in this work.

Performance

This year we delivered 23 online events, 83 live events and three full festival days of activity and spent £568,970 on creative projects.

We distributed 4,500 free books through our Big and Little Read schemes in County Durham. 14,734 people attended New Writing North events this year.

We supported 34 paid writing residencies, commissioned 18 original works, and supported 24 writers with awards and prizes.

10,142 young people attended workshops or events during the year and four young writers received investment to develop their creative ideas though awards programmes. We employed 86 freelance writers to work with young people during the period. We offer this part of our workforce access to training in safeguarding and in other areas of professional development relevant to the delivery of work.

Performance and self evaluation

This year we have observed growth in writers delivering programme work for us as we have returned fully to face-to-face delivery and provided more investment in the form of awards and prizes to support writers to develop their creative ambitions.

Our work has grown in scale with new skills programmes and extended and deepened work with our young writer’s groups and projects and within communities now happening.

We are pivotal in providing work for a wide range of freelance artists, writers, practitioners, and local suppliers. In this year the number of writers and practitioners that we worked with grew by 28% from 231 in 2021/22 to 295 in 2022/23. In line with this the fees paid to writers and artists grew by 22% up from £281,517 in 2021/22 to £343,664.

We operate a comprehensive evaluation and data collection process across the organisation which allows us to summarise the performance of the charitable company each year. This year from responses of people who had attended and participated in activity we found that:

• 85% felt that we had supported new ideas and learning (284 responses)

• 96% would attend again or would recommend our activities to others (152 responses)

• 91% found our actives inclusive and welcoming (390 responses)

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023

Achievements and performance (continued)

• 83% said that participating made them feel happier (284 responses)

• 70% felt more confident (281 responses) and 74% better connected (397 responses).

Of the people that we surveyed through our evaluation we can paint a picture of the demographics of those directly benefitting from our work. In summary:

• 45% describe a disability

• 75% are female

• 40% self-describe as working class

• 40% accessed free school meals

• 77% are White.

As our aim is to offer inclusive, accessible, and meaningful experiences we feel that this data supports our best practice and benchmarking.

During the year we have also undertaken to collating case studies of individuals who have benefitted significantly from their interactions with and support from New Writing North. These often life-changing experiences are featured on our website, allowing our supporters to understand the impact we have on individuals.

Environmental Sustainability

During the year New Writing North staff undertook Climate Literacy training with SAIL Creative and began work on a programme of activities and actions which will be monitored by our Environmental Sustainability SubCommittee of the board.

More broadly we continue to pioneer and progress wider actions around sustainability within the cultural sector. This includes the work that our CEO undertakes with the North East Cultural Partnership where she leads on the climate theme which is part of the North East Case for Culture plan that was published this year. Our CEO hosted a panel on Environmental Sustainability at the North East Cultural Partnership’s Annual Forum event at The Sage on 12[th] July.

We are supporting our Creative Associate Adam Cooper to set up a new climate hope organisation Threads in the Ground and are supporting Adam with fundraising and governance development alongside partnering on several creative projects including the ‘mushroom sculpt’ project with primary school children.

Demand and Reach

Our activities continue to both grow and deepen as partnerships around community work and our ability to deliver a wide-ranging skills programme continue to enable us to work with more people and to offer wider benefits to those that we work with.

Our core funder and stakeholder Arts Council England has an agenda to encourage cultural activity to reach areas within England that are currently underserved and this year we have delivered strongly against this. The Arts Council identifies 15 towns and cities in the North as ‘priority places and this year we have worked in 12 (90%) of these places. The government introduced a second set of 42 ‘Levelling Up for Culture’ places in the North during the year and we have worked in 30 of these (71%).

Many of our major projects such as the Northern Writers’ Awards and our Northern Talent Network operate as umbrella projects uniting creatives across the north, and we continue to look for imaginative and cost-effective strategies to extend and deepen our reach across the North.

Although focussed on the North for the A Writing Chance project we worked with 11 writers who were drawn from across the UK’s nations and regions, demonstrating that our work can also encompass a wider reach and that we can work on a national scale of project.

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023

Achievements and performance (continued)

Fundraising activities

Pivotal to the continuation of our work is core funding from Arts Council England. We were delighted to confirm the continuation of our core funding from Arts Council England from spring 2023 and to secure a significant uplift in our grant which was specifically to help build our staffing capacity as we pursue our capital ambitions.

Our fundraising and the development of new resources from a range of sources of earned and raised income remains 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 investment from new sources.

New partnerships with Newcastle University, the North of Tyne Combined Authority and Creative UK were notable in terms of fundraising success this year.

We are grateful for the support of all our funders this year:

Core Funders Arts Council England Arts Council England National Lottery Project Grant

Capital Development Funders Access Reach Fund Architectural Heritage Fund Newcastle City Council North of Tyne Combined Authority (Business Development) Northumbria University

Young People and Communities Funders Amazon Literary Partnership Belmont Community School Callerton Academy The Community Foundation for Tyne and Wear Darlington Borough Council Excelsior Academy Hadrian Trust Kavli Trust Music Partnership North NHS England Paul Hamlyn Foundation Rugby World Cup South Tyneside Council Youth Music Foundation

Supporting our work with Writers Authors Licensing and Collections Society Benjamin Myers British Council Channel 4 Television Corporation Michael Chaplin and the Chaplin Family Creative UK Hachette UK Hachette Children’s Group Joseph Rowntree Foundation

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023

Achievements and performance (continued)

Newcastle University North of Tyne Combined Authority (Cultural Skills Funding) Northumbria University North East Screen The North Literary Agency University of York Working Word Productions / BBC Wales

Supporting our reading development work Boshier Hinton Foundation Durham County Council Durham University English PEN National Prison Radio Swinburn Maddison

Factors relevant to achieve objectives

At the heart of our business model and the main way that we achieve our objectives and widen and deepen the impact of our work is our relationships with collaborators, funders, and supporters. We achieve regional, national, and international funding for our work and deeply value the funders and partners that we have long term relationships with who include Northumbria University, Durham County Council, Channel 4, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Michael Sheen, and the Kavli Foundation.

Our ability to create work that attracts a wide range of funders and supporters and our ability to bring partners together enables us to scale up and develop and deliver ambitious and long- term projects that achieve a high impact.

Summary of the main achievements during the year

Capital Development – The Centre for Writing

We have been developing the vision and plan for a new Centre for Writing since early 2019. Through feasibility assessments and stakeholder engagement we have developed a vision and ambition for a new venue and workspace for writing and literature which would be in Newcastle upon Tyne and from there serve the North of England. The project will transform our current business model, reach and engagement and enable sustainability and resilience.

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 New Writing North, acting as an attractor to a range of other commercial and creative businesses including a major relationship with Northumbria University. It draws 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. 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.

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023

Achievements and performance (continued)

Throughout 2022/23 we developed a detailed feasibility study and design plans to convert a derelict former department store in Newcastle upon Tyne. This included working with a range of independent consultants and advisors to consider operational and fundraising plans and commercial partnerships and activities. The project has gained the support of major stakeholders including Newcastle City Council, the North of Tyne Combined Authority and Northumbria University. Over the period we secured potential investment of £2M from the North of Tyne Combined Authority and built a partnership with Northumbria University to aid acquisition. Several funders supported our ambitions including the North of Tyne Combined Authority, Architectural Heritage Fund, the Access Foundation, Newcastle City Council via the Cultural and Creative Zone, Northumbria University, and the musician Mark Knopfler.

We aspired to achieve significant central government investment for the project through DCMS’s Cultural Development Fund programme but were unsuccessful due to issues with the valuation of the property we hoped to acquire. As costs increased significantly with inflation developing the department store became unfeasible so with great regret, we gave up our option to buy on the property in spring 2023 and began to look at other options.

As of October 2023, we are developing plans to acquire a property and building a new fundraising plan to support our ambitions. Our plan is still to pursue this ambition and to open a Centre for Writing in Newcastle by 2026. Partnership development work with organisations and businesses who may join us in the building is active and positive. We are preparing for organisational change and transformation as we work towards the opening of the building and have expanded and developed our team and organisational structure (with support from Arts Council England) to ready us for what will be a transformational journey.

Overall, this year has been a successful period for New Writing North 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 activities shows the impactful benefits that they are likely to bring to individuals, communities and to the North.

Financial review

During 2022 we raised income of £1,464,243 and spent £1,536,895 on our work. This resulted in a deficit for the year of (£72,652), represented by a restricted deficit of (£44,661) and an unrestricted deficit of (£27,991), due to the timing of multi-year grants.

The main risks for us remain our ability to achieve fundraising targets to meet our core staffing and cash flowing programme where income is received once expenditure has been defrayed.

Our fundraising targets are ambitious, but we feel our track record prepares us for the challenge as does the appointment of a new Director of Communications and Development who will support fundraising work from Summer 2023.

A new 15-month cash flow structure has been implemented which reduces risk.

During the year an independent review of our financial procedures, processes and our full-cost recovery methodology was completed with a charity finance specialist. This review was greatly beneficial and found our procedures and processes to be fit for purpose. We welcomed some recommendations for improvements and have made good progress to implement those during the year.

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 £184,269 in March 2023. The trustees believe that this level of reserve would adequately cover the costs for the charitable company if it had to be dissolved.

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023

At the year end the charity held total reserves of £558,584, of which £341,081 are restricted for future projects and £40,000 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 £177,503 which is slightly 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 three 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. This fund will be allocated during 2023/24

• Organisational development: a fund stands at £15,000 and is in place to support the replacement of obsolete IT equipment 2023 onwards

• Capital Development: £10,000 is designated to support capital development.

Going concern

After making appropriate enquiries, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charitable 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 £320,412.

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 charitable 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.

The context for income generation in 2023/24 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.

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 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 2023/24 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 charitable company plan.

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New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023

Our capital development plans bring new financial and operational risks to the charitable 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 area in our policies and procedures and in wider good practice guidance. A nominated Lead Trustee for Safeguarding (Caroline Greenwood Dower), and the People Sub-Committee oversee a detailed review of safeguarding policies and procedures annually.

To mitigate risk and to ensure a responsible operating environment, the charitable company has a 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. The next major policy review is scheduled for Spring/Summer 2023.

Structure, governance and management

Constitution

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

Governance

Our board of 9 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 join 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 charitable 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. Board meetings are run both digitally and ‘in real life’ with trustees congregating in Newcastle for two meetings a year, including the away day. This balance of delivery 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.

In spring 2023 the board undertook a 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 2023.

Trustees are active on a range of sub-committees that support 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 and People. We currently have an occasional subcommittee working on Data and Impact. 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.

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023

Structure, governance and management (continued)

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.

Methods of appointment or election of trustees

During 2022/23 we worked with the consultant Kate Bradley to undertake a sustained recruitment process for new trustees and to find a new Treasurer. This process was very successful and four new trustees were appointed in early 2023 bringing experience of finance and operations, architecture, psychology, and branding into our fold. Succession planning for new trustees is actively monitored by the board and we are preparing for a major recruitment drive in autumn 2023.

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 induction 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 an induction meeting during which they are briefed on their role and responsibilities, the operating and funding context in which New Writing North operates, and the range of programme delivered. Trustees are welcomed to events and provided with opportunities to gain direct experience of the 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. 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.

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023

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 charitable company at senior level.

During this year the team returned fully to the office and became a hybrid office / homeworking organisation with most staff flexing their working practices. We moved into new offices hosted by Northumbria University in December and began to co-work alongside the Newcastle office of the publisher Hachette UK with whom we corun the MA in Publishing at the university.

The New Writing North team grew by 40% over this period, scaling up from 16 to 22 people. This brought a yet unprecedented level of recruitment to attract new people to the organisation. As part of this growth, we appointed a brand-new Skills and Engagement team and restructured and developed our Finance and Operations Team. Other recruitment refreshed our young people’s team. We also appointed a freelance Audio Development Producer, working on a two-year contract to develop this area of work.

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.

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 are signed up to a 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.

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. Executive and Senior staff are active in supporting regional and national networks and giving time to sector and regional developments.

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.

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023

Structure, governance and management (continued)

Trustees' indemnities

The charitable company carries Trustee indemnity 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.

Last year we began a relationship with the new North of Tyne Combined Authority who have offered significant support to our capital development work and have granted us significant skills funding.

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.

We enjoy 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 and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Joseph Rowntree Foundation for their significant grants that support key areas of work.

We work in partnership with publishers and broadcasters and this year have extended our work with Channel 4 and with Hachette UK and Faber and Faber.

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

• We expect to run a busy programme of work in the year ahead. Key priorities will be to:

• Continue to sustain the delivery of our young people’s and community work in the schools and communities in which we work. This will involve the development of areas of work such as our work in translation and with children and families who use English as an additional language and working with locally based partners from the social and health sectors to continue to develop new approaches to engagement and co-creation.

• Deliver the first full year of our Writing and Publishing Skills Hub activities, including new creative associate, learning and professional development programmes, learning to write courses in libraries and volunteering programmes.

• Launch A Writing Chance #2 , a national programme to enable 16 new writers from working class and other traditionally underrepresented backgrounds to access careers in the writing industries. The project is run in partnership with Michael Sheen, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Faber & Faber, Audible, Substack and the Daily Mirror.

• Deliver the second year of the MA in Publishing at Northumbria University with Hachette UK.

• Deliver the 2024 editions of the Northern Writers’ Awards, the David Cohen Prize for Literature, and the Gordon Burn Prize.

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Trustees' report (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023

Plans for future periods (continued)

• Continue to develop our audio ambitions with the support of our Audio Development Producer and will begin work with our new Screen Development Producer, looking to build and develop new relationships with producers, broadcasters, and funders in this exciting new area of work in which we are already involved.

• Launch Northern Bookshelf Live, a new programme of work supporting newly published writers from the North to engage with libraries and communities throughout the region via a co-funded, and supported programme of events and activities.

• In line with our capital ambitions to work towards a Centre for Writing in Newcastle, we will continue to programme more events in the city for writers and readers to build up local audiences.

• Continue to work with local stakeholders and partners to develop the Centre for Writing capital project, hoping to identify and acquire a site for the development and to move forward with our fundraising plans.

Funds held as custodian

Newcastle Cultural Education Partnership

The Newcastle Cultural Education Partnership (NCEP) brings together representatives from the education, arts and cultural sectors to engage more children and young people with high quality arts and culture experiences. Established and led by headteachers from across the seven educational trusts in the city, New Writing North acts as custodian of funds for the partnership as they take steps towards becoming a constituted organisation. The balance owed to NCEP at the year end amounted to £24,059 (2022: £36,962).

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 £677 (2022: £859).

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 11 December 2023 and signed on their behalf by:

D Roche (Chair of Trustees)

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Statement of trustees' responsibilities Year ended 31 March 2023

The trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable 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 . 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 charitable 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 charitable company will continue in business.

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charitable company's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Approved by order of the members of the board of trustees on 11 December 2023 and signed on its behalf by:

D Roche (Chair of Trustees)

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

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 2023 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 2023 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.

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

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.

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

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.

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

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

Other matters - prior period financial statements

In forming our opinion on the financial statements, which is not modified, we note that the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021 were not audited. Consequently, International Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland) require that the auditor state that the corresponding figures within these financial statements were not audited.

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: 11 December 2023

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Statement of financial activities (incorporating income and expenditure account) Year ended 31 March 2023

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 19 Net movement in funds Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward Net movement in funds Total funds carried forward	Unrestricted funds 2023 £ 537,817 187,512 725,329 57,213 894,454 951,667 (226,338) 198,347 (27,991) 245,494 (27,991) 217,503	Restricted funds 2023 £ 738,914 - 738,914 - 585,228 585,228 153,686 (198,347) (44,661) 385,742 (44,661) 341,081	Total funds 2023 £ 1,276,731 187,512 1,464,243 57,213 1,479,682 1,536,895 (72,652) - (72,652) 631,236 (72,652) 558,584	As restated Total funds 2022 £ 1,078,282 166,933
				1,245,215
				90,209 1,091,484
				1,181,693
				63,522 -
				63,522
				567,714 63,522
				631,236

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

The notes on pages 35 to 54 form part of these financial statements.

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Balance sheet At 31 March 2023

Note Fixed assets Tangible assets 12 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 Total net assets Charity funds Restricted funds 19 Unrestricted funds 19 Total funds	153,497 504,190 657,687 (112,071)	2023 £ 12,968 12,968 545,616 558,584 - 558,584 341,081 217,503 558,584	94,354 733,661 828,015 (172,723)	As restated 2022 £ 15,944 15,944 655,292 671,236 (40,000) 631,236 385,742 245,494 631,236

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.

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Balance sheet (continued) At 31 March 2023

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the trustees on 11 December 2023 and signed on their behalf by:

D Roche

(Chair of Trustees)

Company registered number: 03166037

The notes on pages 35 to 54 form part of these financial statements.

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Statement of cash flows Year ended 31 March 2023

Note Cash flows from operating activities Net cash used in operating activities 21 Cash flows from investing activities Purchase of tangible fixed assets Net cash used in investing activities Cash flows from financing activities Repayments of borrowing Net cash (used in)/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 22	2023 £ (175,938) (3,533) (3,533) (50,000) (50,000) (229,471) 733,661 504,190	2022 £ 94,908 (17,656) (17,656) - - 77,252 656,409 733,661

The notes on pages 35 to 54 form part of these financial statements

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2023

1. General information

New Writing North ('the charitable company') is engaged in supporting and developing 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 a small net deficit of expenditure over income in the year ended 31 March 2023 and net assets at the year end of £559k (2022 (as restated): £631k) with a positive cash position. At the year end there were no loan balances outstanding (2022: £50,000).

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.

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2023

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 is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.

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

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

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(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2023

2. Accounting policies (continued)

2.5 Expenditure (continued)

Expenditure on charitable activities is incurred on directly undertaking the activities which further the charitable 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.

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 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.

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

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(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2023

2. Accounting policies (continued)

2.10 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.

2.11 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 charitable 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.

2.12 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.

2.13 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 charitable 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 charitable 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.

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2023

2. Accounting policies (continued)

2.14 Prior year opening figures

The figures for the year ended 31 March 2021 are unaudited. Following a review in the prior year of funds held, several funds previously shown as unrestricted project funds were transferred to restricted funds, by transferring the balance at the end of 2021 within note 18. This had no impact on the reported result for the year ended 31 March 2021, or the prior year b/f total reserve position.

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 charitable company'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 2023 £ Donations 14,295 Grants 523,522 Government grants - 537,817	Restricted funds 2023 £ - 738,914 - 738,914	Total funds 2023 £ 14,295 1,262,436 -
		1,276,731

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2023

4. Income from donations and legacies (continued)

Donations and in kind support Grants Government grants	Unrestricted funds 2022 £ 22,890 399,854 1,250 423,994	Restricted funds 2022 £ 25,000 629,288 - 654,288	Total funds 2022 £ 47,890 1,029,142 1,250
			1,078,282

5. Income from charitable activities

Unrestricted funds 2023 £ Contract income 116,400 Trading activities in furtherance of objects 71,112 187,512 Unrestricted funds 2022 £ Contract income 148,100 Trading activities in furtherance of objects 18,833 166,933	Total funds 2023 £ 116,400 71,112
	187,512
	Total funds 2022 £ 148,100 18,833
	166,933

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2023

6. Expenditure on raising funds

Costs of raising voluntary income

Unrestricted funds 2023 £ Fundraising costs 306 Fundraising salaries 56,907 57,213	Total funds 2023 £ 306 56,907
	57,213

Costs of raising voluntary income

Fundraising costs Fundraising salaries	Unrestricted funds 2022 £ 4,704 85,505 90,209	Total funds 2022 £ 4,704 85,505
		90,209

7. Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities Summary by fund type

	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total
	funds	funds	funds
	2023	2023	2023
	£	£	£
Project delivery	894,454	585,228	1,479,682

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

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(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2023

7. Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities (continued)

Summary by fund type (continued)

	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total
	funds	funds	funds
	2022	2022	2022
	£	£	£
Project delivery	591,379	500,105	1,091,484

8. Analysis of expenditure by activities

Project delivery Project delivery	Activities undertaken directly 2023 £ 749,948 Activities undertaken directly 2022 £ 551,360	Support costs 2023 £ 729,734 Support costs 2022 £ 540,124	Total funds 2023 £ 1,479,682
			Total funds 2022 £ 1,091,484

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2023

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 Consultancy fees Governance costs Staff costs Depreciation General adminstration Rent Consultancy fees Legal and professional IT and website Investment impairment Governance costs	Activities 2023 £ 330,160 6,509 19,005 14,383 301,336 (2,364) 11,607 13,233 35,865 729,734 Activities 2022 £ 300,953 3,695 42,267 17,725 93,604 13,804 13,066 2,222 52,788 540,124	Total funds 2023 £ 330,160 6,509 19,005 14,383 301,336 (2,364) 11,607 13,233 35,865 729,734 Total funds 2022 £ 300,953 3,695 42,267 17,725 93,604 13,804 13,066 2,222 52,788 540,124

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

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(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2023

9. Auditor's remuneration

	2023	2022
	£	£
Fees payable to the charitable company's auditor for the audit of the
charitable company's annual accounts	12,000	8,500

10. Staff costs

Wages and salaries Social security costs Contribution to defined contribution pension schemes	2023 £ 503,433 48,668 16,068 568,169	As restated 2022 £ 410,226 34,077 11,969
		456,272

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	2023 No. 15 3 18	2022 No. 11 3
		14

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

11. Trustees' remuneration and expenses

No trustees gain from their role as trustees. However, see note 25 for related party transactions, including those with trustees.

During the year ended 31 March 2023, expenses totalling £1,569 were reimbursed or paid directly to 3 trustees (2022: £1,219 to 5 trustees). These expenses were reimbursements of travelling costs.

The charity considers its key management personnel comprise the trustees, the Chief Executive, the Executive Director (Programme and Impact) and the Director of Finance and Administration. The total employment benefits of the key management personnel were £157,524 (2022: £133,734).

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

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(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2023

12. Tangible fixed assets

Cost At 1 April 2022 Additions Disposals At 31 March 2023 Depreciation At 1 April 2022 Charge for the year On disposals At 31 March 2023 Net book value At 31 March 2023 At 31 March 2022	Fixtures and fittings £ 5,039 - - 5,039 5,039 - - 5,039 - -	Computer equipment £ 57,541 3,533 (12,299) 48,775 41,597 6,509 (12,299) 35,807 12,968 15,944	Total £ 62,580 3,533 (12,299) 53,814 46,636 6,509 (12,299) 40,846 12,968 15,944

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

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(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2023

13. Fixed asset investments

Cost At 1 April 2022 Disposals At 31 March 2023 Impairment At 1 April 2022 Impairment on disposals At 31 March 2023 Net book value At 31 March 2023 At 31 March 2022	Investment in joint ventures £ 10,000 (10,000)
	-
	10,000 (10,000)
	-
	-
	-

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

Trade debtors Other debtors Prepayments and accrued income	2023 £ 34,194 1,605 117,698 153,497	2022 £ 14,293 1,605 78,456
		94,354

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

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Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2023

15. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

Bank loans Trade creditors Other taxation and social security Other creditors Accruals and deferred income	2023 £ - 28,203 14,296 36,197 33,375 112,071	As restated 2022 £ 10,000 52,231 14,564 51,622 44,306
		172,723

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

	2023	2022
	£	£
Bank loans	-	40,000

In the 2021 financial year the charitable company took out a £50,000 loan under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme. The loan carried interest at the fixed rate of 2.5%. The loan was fully repaid in the year.

17. Prior year adjustments

In the prior year, a custodian fund was included within the financial statements and not separately identifiable. Income of £53,750 and expenditure of £16,788 were included within New Writing North's statement of financial activities. A prior year adjustment has been posted to remove the income and expenditure and present as a custodian fund. The opening balance of the fund was £nil in the prior year and as such there is no restatement of the prior year opening balances. The net balance owing to the custodian of £36,962 has been included within the prior year creditors balance.

Additionally, £44,118 of payroll costs were included within restricted direct project delivery expenditure, but not included in the payroll note. Prior year wages and salaries have been restated to include these costs.

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

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(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2023

18. Summary of funds

Summary of funds - current year

Designated funds General funds Restricted funds	Balance at 1 April 2022 £ 140,000 105,494 385,742 631,236 Balance at 1 April 2021 £ 81,260 235,599 250,855 567,714	Income £ 354,590 370,739 738,914 1,464,243 Income £ 68,325 468,852 708,038 1,245,215	Expenditure £ (301,336) (650,331) (585,228) (1,536,895) Expenditure £ (104,463) (577,125) (500,105) (1,181,693)	Transfers in/out £ (153,254) 351,601 (198,347) - Transfers in/out £ 94,878 (21,832) (73,046) -	Balance at 31 March 2023 £ 40,000 177,503 341,081
					558,584
					Balance at 31 March 2022 £ 140,000 105,494 385,742
Summary of funds - prior year
Designated funds General funds Restricted funds
					631,236

19. Statement of funds

Statement of funds - current year

Unrestricted funds Designated funds Core projects contingency Organisational Development Capital Development Salary enhancement	Balance at 1 April 2022 £ 15,000 15,000 55,000 55,000 140,000	Income £ - - 354,590 - 354,590	Expenditure £ - - (301,336) - (301,336)	Transfers in/out £ - - (98,254) (55,000) (153,254)	Balance at 31 March 2023 £ 15,000 15,000 10,000 -
					40,000

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2023

19. Statement of funds (continued)

General funds General funds Total Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Writing and enterprise Sky Writes Northern Writers Awards Young Writers Newcastle Communities Skills and Engagement Young Writers City - Newcastle Young Writers Development programme Proud Words Gateshead Young Writers Young Writers City - Durham Community and Callerton Climate Change Leeds Consultancy Durham Book Festival Podcasts Gordon Burn Prize Channel Four Partnership New Writing North Book Club Other small restricted funds Total of funds	105,494 245,494 2,073 9,217 (12,532) 41,453 - - 26,579 7,856 27,463 113,239 16,843 40,379 4,004 - 23,560 10,059 11,568 24,090 1,920 37,971 385,742 631,236	370,739 725,329 - - 50,333 157,617 96,259 75,061 13,000 180 - 8,210 1,000 9,000 5,200 16,360 185,359 20,000 10,319 54,140 2,461 34,415 738,914 1,464,243	(650,331) (951,667) (1,318) (1,694) (78,858) (40,591) (36,023) (102,630) (37,110) (1,642) (9,683) (47,898) (13,674) (40,676) (6,468) (1,377) (88,110) (7,442) (11,654) (28,403) (3,212) (26,765) (585,228) (1,536,895)	351,601 198,347 5,000 - 45,932 (23,832) 1,000 (531) 16,000 500 (17,176) (67,464) 8,008 13,000 (2,736) (14,983) (115,446) 10,000 (10,233) (11,420) (1,169) (32,797) (198,347) -	177,503 217,503 5,755 7,523 4,875 134,647 61,236 (28,100) 18,469 6,894 604 6,087 12,177 21,703 - - 5,363 32,617 - 38,407 - 12,824 341,081 558,584

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2023

19. Statement of funds (continued)

Statement of funds - prior year

Unrestricted funds Designated funds Core projects contingency Organisational Development Capital Development Salary enhancement General funds General funds Total Unrestricted funds	Balance at 1 April 2021 £ 45,000 10,000 26,260 - 81,260 235,599 316,859	Income £ - - 68,325 - 68,325 468,852 537,177	Expenditure £ - - (104,463) - (104,463) (577,125) (681,588)	Transfers in/out £ (30,000) 5,000 64,878 55,000 94,878 (21,832) 73,046	Balance at 31 March 2022 £ 15,000 15,000 55,000 55,000
					140,000
					105,494
					245,494

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

New Writing North

(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2023

19. Statement of funds (continued)

Restricted funds Writing and enterprise Sky Writes Northern Writers Awards Young Writers Newcastle Communities Skills and Engagement Young Writers City - Newcastle Young Writers Development programme Proud Words Gateshead Young Writers Young Writers City - Durham Community and Callerton Climate Change Leeds Consultancy Durham Book Festival Podcasts Gordon Burn Prize Channel Four Partnership New Writing North Book Club Other small restricted funds Total of funds	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 - - 53,574 250,855 567,714	- 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 1,500 10,461 26,140 2,832 21,689 708,038 1,245,215	(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) (6,441) (11,995) (450) (912) (42,291) (500,105) (1,181,693)	- (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) 10,000 3,139 (1,600) - 4,999 (73,046) -	2,073 9,217 - - (12,532) 41,453 26,579 7,856 27,463 113,239 16,843 40,379 4,004 - 23,560 10,059 11,568 24,090 1,920 37,971 385,742 631,236

During the prior year a review of fund treatment was undertaken, resulting in all project funding being treated as restricted. Consequently the fund balances reported in the financial year ended 31 March 2021 were 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 31 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.

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

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(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2023

20. Analysis of net assets between funds

Analysis of net assets between funds - current year

Unrestricted funds 2023 £ Tangible fixed assets 12,968 Current assets 316,606 Creditors due within one year (112,071) Total 217,503 Analysis of net assets between funds - prior year Unrestricted funds 2022 £ 15,944 442,273 (172,723) (40,000) Tangible fixed assets Current assets Creditors due within one year Creditors due in more than one year Total 245,494	Restricted funds 2023 £ - 341,081 - 341,081 Restricted funds 2022 £ 385,742 - - - 385,742	Total funds 2023 £ 12,968 657,687 (112,071) 558,584 Total funds 2022 £ 15,944 828,015 (172,723) (40,000) 631,236

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

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(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2023

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

Net income/expenditure for the year (as per statement of financial activities) Adjustments for: Depreciation charges Impairment loss on joint venture undertaking Increase in debtors (Decrease)/increase in creditors Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities 22. Analysis of cash and cash equivalents Cash at bank and in hand Total cash and cash equivalents 23. Analysis of changes in net debt At 1 April 2022 £ Cash at bank and in hand 733,661 Debt due within 1 year (10,000) Debt due after 1 year (40,000) 683,661	2023 £ (72,652) 6,509 - (59,143) (50,652) (175,938) 2023 £ 504,190 504,190 Cash flows £ (229,471) 10,000 40,000 (179,471)	2022 £ 63,522 3,695 2,222 (45,901) 71,370 94,908 2022 £ 733,661 733,661 At 31 March 2023 £ 504,190 - - 504,190

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0F3312A0-EC0A-469F-B0E2-41FD452DF403

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(A company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2023

24. Operating lease commitments

At 31 March 2023 the charitable charitable company had future minimum lease payments due under noncancellable operating leases for each of the following periods:

				As restated
			2023	2022
			£	£
Not later than	1	year	2,085	2,085

25. Related party transactions

During the year one trustee, D Stone, was paid £400 for services in running a recruitment panel and speaking at an event as part of project delivery for the charity.

In the prior year one trustee, Y Battle-Felton, was paid £637 for services in running workshops as part of project delivery for the charity.

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