## IROKO
Theatre Company
## **REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **FOR THE PERIOD**
**ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024**
**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 2024**
## **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATION DETAILS AS AT 31st MARCH 2024**
**STATUS** Registered as a Charity on 26th July 1997
**REGISTERED OFFICE** 158 Corporation Street Stratford London E15 3DY
**CHARITY NO** 1063604
## **HONORARY**
Paul Adesanya (Chair) Bola Soneye-Thomas (Deputy Chair) Gladys Kombe (Treasurer) Jenny Copsey (First Secretary) Dorothy Akwaboah (Second Secretary) Sam Otobo-Martins (Member) Mike Waka (Member) Paizah Malek-Neave (Member)
IT/Finance Education Finance Education Finance/Local government Social Services Home office Arts/Disabilities
## **BANKERS**
NatWest Ground Floor Gredley House 1-11 Broadway Stratford London E15 4DX
## **AUDITORS** Asiamah & Co
Registered Auditors 12 Holliday Square London SW11 2HR
## IROKO
Theatre Company
## **MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] MARCH 2024**
The Management Committee presents its report and the audited financial statements for the year ending 31st March 2024.
## **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 well-being 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 the Charity Commission’s guidance. They 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 well-being of participants from varied backgrounds and abilities.
In all the venues and bookings mentioned, the aim was to use access and participation in the arts, especially African arts and culture, to enhance participants' education, learning, community cohesion and personal and social development.
The start of the year ending March 2024 saw IROKO begin the new 18-month project, ‘Home from Home,’ funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The project aimed to raise awareness of and celebrate the contributions and achievements of British Nigerians to British society.
The ‘Home from Home’ project contained a wide variety of activities, and it kicked off with the recruitment of a team of volunteer researchers to research prominent British Nigerians in a range of areas such as sports, medicine, politics, entertainment, etc. These findings were uploaded to the new project microsite. They were the inspiration for writing a new music theatre piece, ‘The Stone of Destiny’, which was performed at various venues, including schools.
Various training programmes took place during the project, including training in oral history collection and documentation, website accessibility and useability for the visually impaired, oral history interviewing techniques for young people, and using the performative arts to raise awareness of heritage.
Guided educational visits to the Museum of London Docklands, the British Museum, and the Horniman Museum and Gardens were held. A conference on ‘The Legacy of People of Nigerian Descent in Britain’ was also held at the University of East London.
1
## IROKO
Theatre Company
## **MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024**
Schools Outreach programmes and Sharing Days were held in various venues across London. The activities featured performances of ‘The Stone of Destiny’ and arts and craft workshops exploring the history and arts of the Kingdom of Benin. An exhibition featuring prominent British Nigerians accompanied the Sharing Days and Schools’ Outreach programme. The project exhibition also toured 13 libraries in 7 London Boroughs.
Comments below indicate the impact the project made:
“The quality of IROKO’s curation of it’s “Home from Home” work is outstanding. This work should be shared with universities and other education organisations. The young people of our world deserve this. What a resource!”. (Stratford Library Sharing Day participant)
“Please do more of these events. Thank you for an insightful event.” (British Museum tour participant)
“I wanted to extend my heartfelt gratitude for the amazing African storytelling workshop you conducted. It was an enlightening and enriching experience that left a lasting impact. Your passion and expertise truly shone through, and I feel fortunate to have been a part of it. Please convey my gratitude to the rest of the team”. (participant at Tower Hamlets performative Arts training).
“Thank you so much for putting together the conference “The Legacy of People of Nigerian Descent in Britain. It was a rich, inspiring, educative conference enriched with incredible calibre of speakers and talents.”(Conference participant)
“What an absolute beautiful day I had yesterday. Overcame my imposter syndrome after being invited to do a brief overview about African Spirituality and the Osun River Ritual by the @irokotheatre company. It is for their Heritage funded “Home from Home” project, locating the British/Nigerian connections, experiences and people.” (Dr Michelle Yaa Asantewa)
Compared to our other National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported projects, “Home from Home” was the largest project IROKO has undertaken, and it proved to be a major success. As a legacy to the significant input British Nigerians have made to British society over the years, the extensive findings from the project are available to the public on the project microsite—www.hfh.irokotheatre.org.uk.
During the year under review, IROKO undertook the second year of the ‘Forever Young’ project funded by the Charity of Sir Richard Whittington, one of the Mercers’ Family of Charities. As reported, the new funding enabled IROKO to upscale the initiative to six boroughs instead of the original four in the pilot programme. The boroughs are Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Barking & Dagenham, and Southwark.
-2-
## IROKO
## Theatre Company
## **MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST**
## **MARCH 2024**
Drumming for wellbeing workshops, singing for fun, and festive sharing days were held in social clubs and clinical settings, as well as with groups such as Time to Talk, Redbridge Carers Support Service, and MIND in Tower Hamlets and Newham. As in the first year, a workshop on ‘Understanding Old Age’ was also held with young volunteers from Dagenham Park School.
The project has been a resounding success in achieving its key aims of combating loneliness and increasing confidence amongst older people and their Carers, as shown in some of the comments from organisations and users.
“The activities that Iroko bring to the older people attending the mental health service at Broad Street bring joy to them, an emotion rarely seen in this group of people. They also smile, share and support one another, and often appear younger during and after the sessions. It supports their physical strength and well-being, which has a positive effect on their mental wellbeing. Carers who join in are also supported in these ways and can experience positive feelings seeing their loved ones enjoying themselves. Staff can also have fun!
Lindsay Rohan, The Broad Street Centre, Dagenham.
“Your group enhances the wellness activities we carry out with our Members, giving them the opportunity to take part in an interactive activity.”
Addie Silvain, Coordinator, Manor Park Over 50s Club
“I’ve loved every session and learnt such a lot of information about drums, rhythm and music. It’s been marvellous. Thank you!”
Participant, MIND in Tower Hamlets and Newham
## ….. the session brought joy to my heart.
Participant at MIND in Tower Hamlets and Newham
IROKO also built on its Drumming for Wellbeing activities in Stevenage as reported in the last financial year. The continuation work was part of Stevenage Equalities Forum’s ‘Living Well Together’ project, an initiative to reach out to those in the community who might be isolated and lonely and/or experiencing mental health issues.
In addition to working with older people, IROKO, in collaboration with Education Links, used the Drumming for Wellbeing programme to work with young people in Newham who are excluded from mainstream education. The aim is to use informal educational techniques to engage with young people needing mental or emotional support and who might benefit from a less formal educational approach. During the financial year under review, Space for Me, an organisation that caters to children and young people with special educational needs and disability (SEND), contracted IROKO on several occasions to provide its Drumming for Wellbeing activities for their service users.
IROKO continued to contribute to the Ubele Initiative Alagba Project, with the Artistic Director attending a series of workshops to formulate ideas for changing and helping direct policies about care for Black elderly people.
-3-
## IROKO
Theatre Company
## **MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST**
**MARCH 2024**
For the second year, IROKO also appeared at the Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust conference which featured a demonstration of IROKO’s ‘Drumming for Wellbeing’ workshop.
IROKO’s expertise in the field of culture and heritage, continued to be sought after by various organisations. For example, several community organisations aiming to apply for Arts Council or Heritage Fund’s funding, came to IROKO for advice and support. Furthermore, the Artistic Director is a member of two panels at the British Museum. On one of the panels, he takes part in consultations, discussions, workshops, plus offering advice on how artefacts linked with the British Empire are displayed. On the other, he is a member of a cross team of people developing a new volunteer-led tour which focuses on African heritage and histories.
As always, repeat bookings and new bookings from schools and other venues continued to flow in.
Unfortunately, the year 2024 ended on a sad note with the theft of IROKO’S vehicle, the backbone of IROKO’s work. It was a significant blow to the organisation and bookings were curtailed for a while until a new van could be sourced and purchased after the year end. To-date the vehicle has not been recovered. During this difficult time, it was heartwarming to receive so much goodwill and support. A GoFundMe campaign was set up by a music teacher at The Village School, Brent. TVS is a special needs school, and it supports children with complex needs, cognition and learning difficulties. Over the past twelve years IROKO has conducted yearly two-day (now three-day) residencies at TVS. We are incredibly grateful for the support of the music teacher and the school. Our sincere thanks go out to all those who contributed towards the GoFundMe Campaign
-4-
## IROKO
Theatre Company
## **MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] MARCH 2024**
## **APPRECIATION**
IROKO Theatre Company extends its thanks to the following bodies and Trusts who helped and funded the Company throughout the year:
## **The Charity of Sir Richard Whittington, one of the Mercers’ Family of Charities**
Once again, supporting IROKO’s ‘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 second year of this three-year project was completed during the year in question.
## **National Heritage Lottery Fund**
Supplying funding enables IROKO to carry out the ‘Home from Home’ project. Over an eighteen-month period, this project will cover a range of activities highlighting British Nigerians' contribution to British society.
IROKO also extends its thanks to all the volunteers who supported its work during the year under review.
Our thanks also go to all those who, through their generous donations, helped to support IROKO during the challenging time when the company van was stolen.
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 2024 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 to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Asiamah & Co Chartered Certified Accountants & Registered Auditors 12 Holliday Square London SW11 2HR
DATE:
-7-
## IROKO
## Theatre Company
|**STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE PERIOD ENDED**
**31 March 2024**
**NOTES RESTRICTED**
**UNRESTRICTED**
**2024**
**2023**
**INCOME**
**INCOME**
**TOTAL**
**TOTAL**
**Incoming Resources**
Grants and Awards
9
146,713
0 146,713
38,213
Other income
10
0
78,652
78,652
49,470
Total Incoming Resources
146,713
78,652 225,365
87,683
**Resources Expended**
Cost of Activities
11
141,051
81,261 222,312
101,296
**Total Resources Expended**
141,051
81,261 222,312
101,296
**Net In(out)Resources**
5,662
-2,609
3,053
-13,613
Net Movement in Funds
5,662
-2,609
3,053
-13,613
Funds b/f 1.4.2023
22,547
5,691
28,238
41,752
Prior year adjustment
0
0
99
Funds c/f 31.3.2024
28,209
3,082
31,291
28,238|**STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE PERIOD ENDED**
**31 March 2024**
**NOTES RESTRICTED**
**UNRESTRICTED**
**2024**
**2023**
**INCOME**
**INCOME**
**TOTAL**
**TOTAL**
**Incoming Resources**
Grants and Awards
9
146,713
0 146,713
38,213
Other income
10
0
78,652
78,652
49,470
Total Incoming Resources
146,713
78,652 225,365
87,683
**Resources Expended**
Cost of Activities
11
141,051
81,261 222,312
101,296
**Total Resources Expended**
141,051
81,261 222,312
101,296
**Net In(out)Resources**
5,662
-2,609
3,053
-13,613
Net Movement in Funds
5,662
-2,609
3,053
-13,613
Funds b/f 1.4.2023
22,547
5,691
28,238
41,752
Prior year adjustment
0
0
99
Funds c/f 31.3.2024
28,209
3,082
31,291
28,238|**STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE PERIOD ENDED**
**31 March 2024**
**NOTES RESTRICTED**
**UNRESTRICTED**
**2024**
**2023**
**INCOME**
**INCOME**
**TOTAL**
**TOTAL**
**Incoming Resources**
Grants and Awards
9
146,713
0 146,713
38,213
Other income
10
0
78,652
78,652
49,470
Total Incoming Resources
146,713
78,652 225,365
87,683
**Resources Expended**
Cost of Activities
11
141,051
81,261 222,312
101,296
**Total Resources Expended**
141,051
81,261 222,312
101,296
**Net In(out)Resources**
5,662
-2,609
3,053
-13,613
Net Movement in Funds
5,662
-2,609
3,053
-13,613
Funds b/f 1.4.2023
22,547
5,691
28,238
41,752
Prior year adjustment
0
0
99
Funds c/f 31.3.2024
28,209
3,082
31,291
28,238|**STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE PERIOD ENDED**
**31 March 2024**
**NOTES RESTRICTED**
**UNRESTRICTED**
**2024**
**2023**
**INCOME**
**INCOME**
**TOTAL**
**TOTAL**
**Incoming Resources**
Grants and Awards
9
146,713
0 146,713
38,213
Other income
10
0
78,652
78,652
49,470
Total Incoming Resources
146,713
78,652 225,365
87,683
**Resources Expended**
Cost of Activities
11
141,051
81,261 222,312
101,296
**Total Resources Expended**
141,051
81,261 222,312
101,296
**Net In(out)Resources**
5,662
-2,609
3,053
-13,613
Net Movement in Funds
5,662
-2,609
3,053
-13,613
Funds b/f 1.4.2023
22,547
5,691
28,238
41,752
Prior year adjustment
0
0
99
Funds c/f 31.3.2024
28,209
3,082
31,291
28,238|**STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE PERIOD ENDED**
**31 March 2024**
**NOTES RESTRICTED**
**UNRESTRICTED**
**2024**
**2023**
**INCOME**
**INCOME**
**TOTAL**
**TOTAL**
**Incoming Resources**
Grants and Awards
9
146,713
0 146,713
38,213
Other income
10
0
78,652
78,652
49,470
Total Incoming Resources
146,713
78,652 225,365
87,683
**Resources Expended**
Cost of Activities
11
141,051
81,261 222,312
101,296
**Total Resources Expended**
141,051
81,261 222,312
101,296
**Net In(out)Resources**
5,662
-2,609
3,053
-13,613
Net Movement in Funds
5,662
-2,609
3,053
-13,613
Funds b/f 1.4.2023
22,547
5,691
28,238
41,752
Prior year adjustment
0
0
99
Funds c/f 31.3.2024
28,209
3,082
31,291
28,238|**STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE PERIOD ENDED**
**31 March 2024**
**NOTES RESTRICTED**
**UNRESTRICTED**
**2024**
**2023**
**INCOME**
**INCOME**
**TOTAL**
**TOTAL**
**Incoming Resources**
Grants and Awards
9
146,713
0 146,713
38,213
Other income
10
0
78,652
78,652
49,470
Total Incoming Resources
146,713
78,652 225,365
87,683
**Resources Expended**
Cost of Activities
11
141,051
81,261 222,312
101,296
**Total Resources Expended**
141,051
81,261 222,312
101,296
**Net In(out)Resources**
5,662
-2,609
3,053
-13,613
Net Movement in Funds
5,662
-2,609
3,053
-13,613
Funds b/f 1.4.2023
22,547
5,691
28,238
41,752
Prior year adjustment
0
0
99
Funds c/f 31.3.2024
28,209
3,082
31,291
28,238|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||146,713|78,652|225,365|87,683|
|||141,051|81,261|222,312|101,296|
|||141,051|81,261|222,312|101,296|
|||5,662
5,662
22,547
0|-2,609
-2,609
5,691
0|3,053
3,053
28,238|-13,613
-13,613
41,752
99|
|||28,209|3,082|31,291|28,238|
-8-
## IROKO
## Theatre Company
## **BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31ST MARCH 2024**
|Tangible Fixed Assets
Current Assets
Debtors/Prepayment
Bank/Cash
Creditors
Amount falling due with one year
Net Current Assets
Total Assets
Funds
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds|**NOTES**
3
6
7
8
12
13|**_2024_**
**_£_**
**_0_**
_1,065_
_44,192_
_45,257_
14,483|**_2023_**
**_£_**
**_19,809_**
_3,585_
_24,842_
_28,427_
19,998|
|---|---|---|---|
|||30,774|8,429|
|||30,774|28,238|
|||27,692
3,082|22,547
5,691|
|||30,774|28,238|
Signature Position Date
- 9-
## IROKO
Theatre Company
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED**
## **31ST MARCH 2024**
## 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
All fixed Assets are written off during the year of acquisition.
## 4 Employment Information
There were two full-time employees and one part-time employee.
## 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 of 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.
-10-
## IROKO
Theatre Company
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024**
|6 Debtors
Various clients
7 Bank/Cash
No.1 Reserve
8 Creditors
Amount falling due within one
year
BBL
Audit Fees
Sundry
**9 Income**
**Grants / Awards**
NHLF:_Home from Home_
Newham Council:_Ageing Well_
_Event_
Community Links:_Small Grants_
Mercers Foundation:_Forever_
_Young_
Insurance claim
Total
**10 Other Income**
Workshops
Sundry Income
Bank Interest
Donation
Grand Total|**Restricted**
£
104,560
0
0
21600
20553|**Unrestricted**
£
0
0
0
|**2024**
**2023**
1,065
3,585
20,611
5,727
23,581
19,115|
|---|---|---|---|
||||44,192
24,842|
||||12,648
15,875
850
850
985
3,273|
||||14,483
19,998|
||||**Total**
**Total**
**2024**
**2023**
£
104,560
17,513
0
200
0
500
21,600
20,000
20,553
0|
||**146,713**|**0**|**146,713**
**38,213**|
|||76,951
203
0
1,498|76,951
49,404
203
66
0
0
1,498
0|
|||**78,652 **|**78,652 **
**49,470**|
-11-
## IROKO
## Theatre Company
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024**
## **11 Cost of Activities**
|Costumes/Materials/Maintenance
Artistes/Other fees
Travel/Transport
Professional fees
Salary/Wages
Rent/Rates/Hall Hire
Volunteers Expenses
Telephone/Internet
Printing,
Postage/Stationery/Website
Training
Repairs/Renewals/Computer
Audit
Project Refreshments/Subs
Insurance
Advertising/PR
Photography/Website
Sundries
Library/Research/Subscription
Bank Charges
Management and Supervision
Equipment Hire
Capital Expenditure
Total Expenditure
**12 Unrestricted Funds**
Bal.B/F
1.04.2023
5,691
**13 Restricted Funds**
Bal.B/F
1.04.24
22,547|**Restricted**
**Unrestricted**
**2024**
**2023**
**Total**
**Total**
504
1,172
1,676
818
12,614
14,858
27,472
19,161
875
5,826
6,700
3,532
36,491
1,411
37,902
3,882
35,532
37,286
72,818
50,724
5,444
5,860
11,304
4,460
371
0
371
210
1,770
2,621
4,391
3,350
3,133
737
3,870
1,361
5,632
151
5,783
0
0
500
500
556
0
850
850
850
3,648
1,033
4,681
2,159
581
2,136
2,717
3,102
7,686
285
7,970
1,045
3,500
0
3,500
356
163
1,505
1,668
239
342
2,854
3,195
1,062
0
279
279
805
2,289
900
3,189
2,911
0
0
0
0
20,477
1,000
21,477
714|
|---|---|
||141,051
81,261
222,312 101,296|
||Surplus/Deficit for
Year
Carried
Forward
-2,609
3,082
Surplus/Deficit for
Year
5,662
28,209|
-12-