## IROKO
Theatre Company
## **REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **FOR THE PERIOD**
**ENDED 31ST MARCH 2022**
**Phone: 020 8522 1950 Mobile: 07802 346 022 E – Mail: info@irokotheatre.org.uk Website: www.irokotheatre.org.uk Registered Charity Number 1063604**
## IROKO
Theatre Company
## **MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE’S REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31[ST] MARCH 2022**
## **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATION DETAILS AS AT 31st MARCH 2022**
**STATUS** Registered as a Charity on 26[th ] July 1997
**REGISTERED** 158 Corporation Street **OFFICE** Stratford London E15 3DY **CHARITY NO** 1063604
**HONORARY** Bola Soneye-Thomas (Acting Chair) Gladys Kombe (Treasurer) Jenny Copsey (First Secretary) Dorothy Akwaboah (Second Secretary) Paul Adesanya Mike Waka Sam OtoboMartins Paizah Malek-Neave
Education Finance Education Finance/Local Government Finance Home Office Social Services Arts/Disabilities
**BANKERS** NatWest Ground Floor Gredley House 1-11 Broadway Stratford London E15 4DX
**AUDITORS** Asiamah & Co Registered Auditors Unit 92 Battersea Business Centre 99/109 Lavender Hill London SW11 5QL
## IROKO
Theatre Company
## **MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST ] MARCH 2022**
The Management Committee presents its report and the audited financial statements for the year ending 31st March 2022.
## **ACTIVITIES AND REVIEW**
The main objectives of the organisation are to use the arts and, in particular but not exclusively African arts (storytelling, drama, music, dance, arts and crafts) as a vehicle to advance learning, skills, health and wellbeing of people of all backgrounds, age groups and abilities, particularly the disadvantaged, so that they can achieve their full potential, play an active role in their community and have an improved quality of life. To achieve this, we provide resources and hold training, exhibitions, workshops, and performances in a fun and informal learning environment.
During the financial year under review, IROKO Trustees paid due regard to Charity Commission’s guidance and continued to ensure that the public benefit of IROKO’s work was at the forefront of all activities the company undertook, including the review and assessment of potential risks to its services. In adherence to our aims and objectives, we used our core activities to enhance the education, learning, self-esteem, confidence, health, and wellbeing of participants from varied backgrounds and abilities.
In all the various venues and bookings mentioned, the aim was to use access and participation in the arts, especially African arts and culture, as a vehicle for enhancing education, learning, community cohesion and personal and social development of participants.
The year ending March 2022 was a period when things began to get back to some sort of ‘normal’ following the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic. Schools gradually began to make bookings again and little by little, old clients got in touch to book.
One highlight was a return to Lancaster School, a special educational needs and disability school in Westcliffe-on-Sea for a ten-week project that used creative storytelling and other non-verbal means of communication to enhance the communication skills of participants. The project was soon followed by a seven-week project at Education Links Newham, a specialist education provider to young people excluded from mainstream schools or with special needs. Here, IROKO used African drumming to enhance the wellbeing of pupils, some of whose mental health have been adversely affected by the lockdown.
In the summer, IROKO took part in Newham’s Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, collaborating with organisations like Newham Futsal Club, The Wright Education Limited, Camp Horizon, West Silvertown Foundation and Royal Docks Learning & Activity Centre in a range of venues around the Borough.
1
## IROKO
Theatre Company
## **MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST ] MARCH 2022**
During Black History Month Celebrations 2021, we were delighted when Tower Hamlets Council booked IROKO again after an absence of around twelve years. Through the Schools’ Outreach programme, we were stationed at The Brady Centre for a week and held storytelling performances to Key Stage 1 & 2 pupils from sixteen schools across the Borough.
IROKO also took part in several festivals during the period under review. For example, Newham Heritage Month commissioned IROKO to take part in their Heritage Month celebrations throughout May/June 2021. IROKO devised a research project titled ‘Stories of Africans Living in Newham’ (SoALiN). The project enabled IROKO to research, record, preserve and celebrate the stories of Africans who have made Newham their home and who have helped shape Newham’s economy and urban heritage. It also enabled us to find out how these predominantly small businesses (often overlooked on the high street) were set up and how they have managed to survive over many years. It was a particularly interesting project entailing the recruitment of volunteer researchers, oral interviews, online screening of a music theatre video ‘Afro Gyration in Stratford’, online exhibition and Q&A encounter after the video screening.
SoALiN was timely, given the rapid changes taking place in Newham and the fact that inevitably, some of the businesses might close or move out of Newham because of high business rent and rates as the areas become gentrified.
Other festivals that IROKO participated in were the Newham Unlocked Festival and Newham Word Festival where we took the opportunity of modern technology to carry out recorded storytelling performances that people were able to watch online on scheduled dates.
We were delighted to see a record increase in our work in Higher Institutions. For example, University of Leeds (School of Education) commissioned IROKO again to produce a short video for their ‘Learning at the Intersection of Language and the Arts (LILA) conference. The video enabled us to demonstrate how we use various African non-verbal communication techniques to communicate the unsayable.
IROKO was also commissioned by Fourth Monkey Acting School and Arts University Bournemouth to introduce their MA students to African theatre and storytelling performance techniques. Similarly, Greater Brighton Metropolitan College and Canterbury Christ Church University commissioned IROKO to carry out storytelling performances and Professional Talks that enabled participants to explore storytelling as a professional route and to examine the broader artistic entrepreneurship.
2
## IROKO
Theatre Company
## **MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST ] MARCH 2022**
The year in question also meant that projects that had been placed on hold due to the lockdown, were able to commence. IROKO ‘Community Connections’ project funded by Clarion and with the aim of using participatory and intergenerational activities to engage residents of Kerr Hardie Estate and neighbouring New City Island to enhance their general wellbeing and community cohesion, took place. Similarly, IROKO’s Edutainment project funded by The Leathersellers’ Company, took place in St Mary’s Lewisham CE Primary School. The project enabled IROKO to use oral storytelling workshops to support literacy in Early Years and KS1 and to help overturn language and communication skills lost during the lockdown.
Another project that was delayed due to Covid 19 but carried out during the period includes ‘The Beat Goes On’, supported through funding from the Community Links Small Grants Fund. The project used group music-making workshop activities to help improve the mental health and wellbeing of local residents in Canning Town South and the Keir Hardie Estate.
Finally, during the year under review, IROKO also started a new three-year project, ‘Forever Young’, funded once again, by the Charity of Sir Richard Whittington, one of the Mercers’ Family of Charities. Forever Young will use music-making, reminiscence storytelling, wellness activities, inter-generational and festive encounters to combat loneliness and increase confidence amongst older people and their carers. Forever Young will take place in East London Boroughs of Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets, Hackney, and Barking & Dagenham. The new three-year project will enable us to implement lessons learned from the pilot project and will also enable us to upscale our existing interventions to new communities, involve new partners and work with new demographics e.g., older people in sheltered housing.
At the end of March 2022, it could be reported that IROKO was getting back to where it had been before the pandemic and the future looked bright ahead.
3
## IROKO
Theatre Company
## **MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST ] MARCH 2022**
The following served as members of the Management Committee during the period and up to the date of this report:
Paul Adesayna
Bola Soneye-Thomas
Gladys Kombe
Jenny Copsey
Dorothy Akwaboah
Sam Otobo-Martins
Mike Waka
Paizah Malek-Neave
The Management Committee members have no beneficial interest in the organisation, and they do not receive remuneration.
4
## IROKO
Theatre Company
## **MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST ] MARCH 2022**
## **APPRECIATION**
IROKO Theatre Company extends its thanks to the following bodies and Trusts who helped and fund the Company throughout the year:
## **The Charity of Sir Richard Whittington, one of the Mercers’ Family of Charities**
Once again supporting our ‘Forever Young’ project that uses creative arts to enhance the health and well-being of older people. The second round of this project was expanded to cover five rather than two London Boroughs namely Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Barking & Dagenham.
## **The Leathersellers’ Company**
For supplying funding for IROKO to work at St Mary’s Primary School in Lewisham to help support Early Years and KS1 literacy programme and overturn the effects of the pandemic.
## **Community Links Small Grant Fund**
For supplying funding to allow IROKO to carry out African drumming for wellbeing workshops in Canning Town.
## **Newham Heritage Month**
For commissioning IROKO to carry out a research project exploring the stories of Africans and African businesses in Newham, and their contribution to the economic and social fabric of the borough.
IROKO extends its thanks also to all the volunteers who helped to support IROKO’s work during the year under review/
Our big thanks go to all our numerous clients (old and new) for their continued support.
Asiamah & Co were re-appointed as Independent Examiners
Approved by the Management Committee.
……………………………………… …………………………….. ……………… ……………… **.** Signed Position Date
5
## IROKO
## Theatre Company
## **STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES**
The Constitution of the organisation requires the Management Committee to prepare a Statement of Accounts for each financial year. The Accounts should give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charity at the end of the financial year and of the incoming resources and application of the resources of the charity for the period. In preparing these accounts, the Trustees are expected to:
- Select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently
- Make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent
- State whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the statement of accounts; and prepare the accounts on an ongoing concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charity will continue its operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the accounts comply with the regulation under S43 of the Charities Act 1993. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of error, fraud and other irregularities.
6
## IROKO
## Theatre Company
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS OF IROKO THEATRE COMPANY – CHARITY NO 1063604**
Report to the Trustees of IROKO Theatre Company on the accounts for the year ended 31[st] March 2022 set out on pages 8 to 12.
## **RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF TRUSTEES AND AUDITORS**
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under Section 114 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to:
Examine the accounts under Section 145 of the Charities Act.
To follow the procedures laid down in the general directions given by the Charity Commission (under Section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and
To state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **BASIS OF OPINION**
My examination was carried out in accordance with general directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with these records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures on the accounts and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a true and fair view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S STATEMENT**
In connection with my examination, no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that in any material respect accounting records were not kept in accordance with Section 130 of the Charities Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records. I have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Asiamah & Co Chartered Certified Accountants & Registered Auditors Unit 92 Battersea Business Centre 99/109 Lavender Hill London SW11 5QL
DATE:
7
## IROKO
Theatre Company
|**STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE PERIOD ENDED**
**31 March 2022**
**NOTES**
**RESTRICTED**
**UNRESTRICTED**
**2022**
**INCOME**
**INCOME**
**TOTAL**
**Incoming Resources**
Grants and Awards
9
38,973
0
38,973
Other income
10
0
72,877
72,877
Total Incoming Resources
38,973
72,877 111,850
**Resources Expended**
Cost of Activities
11
19,548
68,970
88,518
**Total Resources Expended**
19,548
68,970
88,518
**Net In(out)Resources**
19,425
3,907
23,332
Net Movement in Funds
19,425
3,907
23,332
Funds b/f 1.4.2021
18,151
68
18,219
Prior year adjustment
201
0
201
Funds c/f 31.3.2022
37,777
3,975
41,752|**STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE PERIOD ENDED**
**31 March 2022**
**NOTES**
**RESTRICTED**
**UNRESTRICTED**
**2022**
**INCOME**
**INCOME**
**TOTAL**
**Incoming Resources**
Grants and Awards
9
38,973
0
38,973
Other income
10
0
72,877
72,877
Total Incoming Resources
38,973
72,877 111,850
**Resources Expended**
Cost of Activities
11
19,548
68,970
88,518
**Total Resources Expended**
19,548
68,970
88,518
**Net In(out)Resources**
19,425
3,907
23,332
Net Movement in Funds
19,425
3,907
23,332
Funds b/f 1.4.2021
18,151
68
18,219
Prior year adjustment
201
0
201
Funds c/f 31.3.2022
37,777
3,975
41,752|**STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE PERIOD ENDED**
**31 March 2022**
**NOTES**
**RESTRICTED**
**UNRESTRICTED**
**2022**
**INCOME**
**INCOME**
**TOTAL**
**Incoming Resources**
Grants and Awards
9
38,973
0
38,973
Other income
10
0
72,877
72,877
Total Incoming Resources
38,973
72,877 111,850
**Resources Expended**
Cost of Activities
11
19,548
68,970
88,518
**Total Resources Expended**
19,548
68,970
88,518
**Net In(out)Resources**
19,425
3,907
23,332
Net Movement in Funds
19,425
3,907
23,332
Funds b/f 1.4.2021
18,151
68
18,219
Prior year adjustment
201
0
201
Funds c/f 31.3.2022
37,777
3,975
41,752|**STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE PERIOD ENDED**
**31 March 2022**
**NOTES**
**RESTRICTED**
**UNRESTRICTED**
**2022**
**INCOME**
**INCOME**
**TOTAL**
**Incoming Resources**
Grants and Awards
9
38,973
0
38,973
Other income
10
0
72,877
72,877
Total Incoming Resources
38,973
72,877 111,850
**Resources Expended**
Cost of Activities
11
19,548
68,970
88,518
**Total Resources Expended**
19,548
68,970
88,518
**Net In(out)Resources**
19,425
3,907
23,332
Net Movement in Funds
19,425
3,907
23,332
Funds b/f 1.4.2021
18,151
68
18,219
Prior year adjustment
201
0
201
Funds c/f 31.3.2022
37,777
3,975
41,752|**2021**
**TOTAL**
37,657
53,993|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||38,973|72,877 111,850|91,650|
|||19,548|68,970
88,518|88,930|
|||19,548|68,970
88,518|88,930|
|||19,425
19,425
18,151
201|3,907
23,332
3,907
23,332
68
18,219
0
201|2,720
2,720
15,499
0|
|||37,777|3,975
41,752|18,219|
8
## IROKO
Theatre Company
## **BALANCE SHEET**
## **AS AT 31ST MARCH 2022**
|**NOTES**
Tangible Fixed Assets
3
Current Assets
Debtors/Prepayment
6
Bank/Cash
7
Creditors
Amount falling due with one year
8
Net Current Assets
Total Assets
Funds
Restricted Funds
12
Unrestricted Funds
13
Signature
Position||**_2022_**
**£**
19,809
4,241
40,065|**_2021_**
**£**
0
200
44,738|
|---|---|---|---|
|||44,306
22,363|44,938
26,719|
|||21,943|18,219|
|||41,752|18,219|
|||37,777
3,975|18,151
68|
|||41,752|18,219|
|||Date||
9
## IROKO
Theatre Company
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2022**
## **1 Accounting Policy**
The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with SORP2 Accounting for Charities
Exemption has been taken from preparing a cash flow statement on the grounds that the charity is a small undertaking.
## **2 Incoming Resources**
Incoming resources represent self generated income due in the year including grants.
## **3 Tangible Fixed Assets**
Motor vehicles are written off in a straight line basis. All other fixed assets are written off in the year of purchase.
## **4 Employment Information**
There were two full time employees.
## **5 Reserve Policy**
IROKO'S Reserve Policy takes into account the Charity's financial circumstances and other relevant factors. Consideration has been taken into account levels of income for the coming years and the reliability of current and future funding and earned income. The Reserves Policy is designed to ensure that the Charity's future activities are not put at risk. IROKO'S current reserves policy is to aim to maintain a balance of unrestricted funds equating to approximately three months running costs and this policy is kept under review and monitored throughout the year.
10
## IROKO
Theatre Company
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2022**
|**6 Debtors**
Various clients
**7 Bank/Cash**
No.1 Reserve
**8 Creditors**
Amount falling due within one
year
Accruals
BBL
Audit Fees
Sundry
**Restricted**
£
**9 Income**
**Grants / Awards**
NHLF (Speaking without Voice)
0
NHLF (Covid Emergency Fund)
0
The Leathersellers' Company
0
Newham Heritage Month
0
Community Links
0
Mercers Foundation
38000
Clarion Futures
973
Total
**38,973**
**10 Other Income**
Workshops
Sundry/Gov.Grants
Bank Interest
Donation
Grand Total|**Unrestricted**
£
0
0
0
0
0
**0**
46,027
26,773
0
77|**2022**
4,241
1,038
39,027
|**2021**
200
5,813
38,925|
|---|---|---|---|
|||40,065
|44,738|
|||0
19,645
750
1,968
|4,784
20,000
950
985|
|||22,363
|26,719|
|||**Total**
**2022**
0
0
0
0
0
38,000
973
**38,973**
46,027
26,773
0
77|**Total**
**2021**
£
4,797
14,800
8,770
6,790
2,500
0
0
**37,657**
21,624
31,504
0
629|
||**72,877**|**72,877**|**53,757 **|
11
## IROKO
## Theatre Company **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2022**
## **11 Cost of Activities**
|Costumes/Materials/Maintenance
Artistes/Other fees
Travel/Transport
Professional fees
Salary/Wages
Rent/Rates/Hall Hire
Volunteers Expenses
Telephone
Printing,
Postage/Stationery/Website
Training
Repairs/Renewals/Computer
Independent Examiners' Fees
Refreshment
Insurance
Advertising/PR
Photography/Website
Sundries
Library/Research
Bank Charges
Management and Supervision
Equipment Hire
Capital Expenditure
Total Expenditure
**12 Unrestricted Funds**
Bal.B/F
1.04.21
68
**13 Restricted Funds**
Bal.B/F
1.04.21
18,352|**Restricted**
**Unrestricted**
**2022**
**2021**
**Total**
**Total**
0
347
347
130
8,833
13,733
22,566
11,416
935
2,786
3,721
857
0
1,000
1,000
700
4,139
37,107
41,246
40,493
1,028
4,222
5,250
9,711
224
528
752
117
0
1,491
1,491
1,634
890
2,872
3,762
1,286
0
130
130
2,860
0
0
0
2,773
0
750
750
950
140
0
140
544
653
2,680
3,333
3,284
30
366
396
3,614
1,334
448
1,782
1,485
38
242
280
1,213
0
0
0
34
0
342
342
253
0
0
0
1,149
1,305
-75
1,230
0
0
0
0
4,427|
|---|---|
||19,548
68,970
88,518
88,930|
||Surplus/Deficit for
Year
Carried
Forward
3,907
3,975
Surplus/Deficit for
Year
19,425
37,777|
12
IROKO
Theatre Company