## IROKO Theatre Company **REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD** **ENDED 31ST MARCH 2025** **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 2025** ## **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATION DETAILS AS AT 31st MARCH 2025** **STATUS** Registered as a Charity on 26[th ] y 1997 **REGISTERED** 158 Corporation Street **OFFICE** Stratford London E15 3DY **CHARITY NO** 1063604 **HONORARY** Paul Adesanya (Chair) Bola Soneye-Thomas (Deputy Chair) Gladys Kombe (Treasurer) Jenny Copsey (Secretary) Dorothy Akwaboah (Deputy Treasurer Sam Otobo-Martins (Member) Mike Waka (Member) Paizah Malek-Neave (Member) ## **BANKERS** IT/Finance Education Finance Education Finance/Local Government Social Services Home Office Arts/Disabilities 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 [1] ## [IROKO ] > [Theatre Company ] ## **MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31[ST] MARCH 2025** The Management Committee presents its report and the audited financial statements for the year ending 31st March 2025. ## **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 2025 was a quieter year than the previous one. For the first five months until August, IROKO continued the ‘Home from Home’ project, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Activities during this time focussed on presenting the Home from Home project Exhibition in various libraries. Due to increased interest in the project, IROKO sought additional funding from the Heritage Fund through the project’s Contingency Fund. The approval of the funding enabled IROKO to present two additional talks at Brent Library. The first talk centred on “The Legacy of Musicians of Nigerian Descent in the UK's music eco-system' and the second, on “Hair As Identity”. IROKO also carried out a ‘Home from Home’ residency at Ranelagh Primary School in collaboration with Abbey Gardens. The residency used Nigerian musical techniques to bring to life, stories about the Abbey Gardens. It was part of Newham Heritage Month 2024, and it culminated in an outdoor public performance at Abbey Gardens’ The Great Gate Festival 2024. [2] ## IROKO Theatre Company ## **MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31[ST] MARCH 2025** The Home from Home project was undoubtedly a great success, both for the range of activities it undertook and the impact on the public. The extensive findings from the project are available to the public on the project microsite – www.hfh.irokotheatre.org.uk Year ending March 2025 also saw IROKO continuing with its other major project, “Forever Young”, funded by The Charity of Sir Richard Whittington, one of the Mercers’ Family of Charities. Drumming for wellbeing workshops, singing for fun, and festive sharing days were held in social clubs, and in 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, an ‘Understanding Old Age’ workshop was also held with young volunteers from Dagenham Park School. IROKO was delighted to receive funding from the Greggs Foundation Community Grant for a two-year grant to fund a part-time administrator’s post. This funding impacted considerably on the efficiency and effectiveness of IROKO, providing much needed support to the Artistic Director and has helped improve organisational stability and enabled IROKO to reach more beneficiaries. IROKO continues to build on its partnership working with organisations like UKON Careers (Barking Carnival) and The British Museum. IROKO participated in an event held by The British Museum Community Partnership Team - Exhibition of Hew Locke: What do we have here. IROKO’s Artistic Director took part in the panel discussions and carried out a presentation titled “Oral Storytelling performance – a vehicle for bringing Heritage to Life”. Other partnerships that IROKO continued to build on through the year included Education Links and Space for Me. IROKO’s work with the two organisations involves using Drumming for Wellbeing activities as alternative, fun and creative means to enhance the health and wellbeing of children and young people under their care. While Education Links works mainly with children and young people excluded from mainstream education, both organisations cater for those with special needs, especially those with social, emotional and mental health difficulties, specific learning difficulties, ADHD and autism. As always, repeat bookings and new bookings from schools and other venues continued to be received from a wide variety of settings – nurseries, secondary schools, libraries, national institutions, community organisations, and corporate entities. During the year, as part of our community development initiatives, IROKO managed, and gave support and guidance to a new organisation “Dance Alleviate”, who carried out a series of dance workshops with people with special needs in North London. [3] ## IROKO Theatre Company ## **MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31[ST] MARCH 2025** ## **APPRECIATION** IROKO Theatre Company extends its thanks to the following bodies and Trusts who helped and funded the Company throughout the year: ## **Greggs Foundation Community Grant** For providing two-years funding for the part-time post of an administrator, enabling IROKO to improve sustainability, reach more beneficiaries and provide much needed support for the Artistic Director. **The Charity of Sir Richard Whittington, one of the Mercers’ Family of Charities** For once again supporting IROKO’s ‘Forever Young’ project that uses creative arts to enhance the health and wellbeing of older people. The third 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 years project was successfully completed during the year in question. ## **National Lottery Heritage Fund** For supplying funding to enable IROKO to carry out the ‘Home from Home’ project which over an eighteen-month period which covered a range of activities highlighting the contribution to British society that British Nigerians have made. ## **Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund & LLDC, & The Royal Docks Team** For supporting our participation in The Great Get Together 2024 and the Royal Docks Summer Splash 2024, respectively. IROKO extends its thanks also Newham Council for their continued support of IROKO, and to all the partners, supporters and volunteers who have helped to support IROKO’s work during the year under review. Our thanks also go to all those who through their generous donations helped to support IROKO during the difficult time when the company’s 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. ……………………………………… …Chair………………………….. …………19.12.2025…… ……………… **.** Signed Position Date [4] ## IROKO Theatre Company ## **MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31[ST] MARCH 2025** ## **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. [5] ## IROKO Theatre Company ## I **NDEPENDENT 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 31st March 2025 set out on pages 7 - 11. ## **RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF TRUSTEES AND INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS** 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 un 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 by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with these records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items of 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 Charity Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records. I have come across no other matters in connection with the examination of which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signature: Kofi Asiamah FCCA Senior Independent Examiner Asiamah & Co Chartered Certified Accountants & Registered Auditors 12 Holliday Square London SW11 2HR Date:15/12/2025 - 6- ## IROKO ## Theatre Company ## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31st March 2025** |**Incoming Resources**
Grants and Awards
Other income
Total Incoming Resources
**Resources Expended**
Cost of Activities
**Total Resources Expended**
**Net In(out)Resources**
Net Movement in Funds
Funds b/f 1.4.2024
Prior year adjustment
Funds c/f 31.3.2025|**UNRESTRICTED**
**RESTRICTED**
**INCOME**
**INCOME**
**TOTAL**
77,974
0
77,974
0
44,591
44,591
**2025**|**UNRESTRICTED**
**RESTRICTED**
**INCOME**
**INCOME**
**TOTAL**
77,974
0
77,974
0
44,591
44,591
**2025**|**2024**
**TOTAL**
146,713
78,652| |---|---|---|---| |||77,974
44,591
122,565|225,365| |||81,299
44,073
125,373|222,312| |||81,299
44,073
125,373|222,312| |||-3,325
518
-2,808
-3,325
518
-2,808
28,209
3,082
31,291
0
0|3,053
3,053
28,238
0| |||24,884
3,600
28,483|31,291| -7- ## IROKO ## Theatre Company ## **BALANCE SHEET** ## **AS AT 31ST MARCH 2025** |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|**_2025_**
**_2024_**
**£**
**£**
21,646
0
14,898
1,065
6,167
44,192
21,065
45,257
14,228
14,483
6,837
30,774
28,483
30,774
24,884
27,692
3,600
3,082
28,483
30,774|**_2024_**| |---|---|---|---| Signature Position Date -8- ## IROKO Theatre Company ## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2025** ## 1 Accounting Policy The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with SORP2 Accounting for Charities Excemption has been taken from preparing a cash flow statement on the gounds 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 (vehicle) will be depreciated over the useful life of the asset. ## 4 Employment Information There was one full time and two part-time employees ## 5 Reserve **s** 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. -9- ## IROKO ## Theatre Company ## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2025** |**Restricted**
£
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_
56,132
19,642
2,200
0
0
**77,974**
Greggs Foundation
Community Links:_Small Grants_
Mercers Foundation:_Forever Young_
Insurance claim
Total
**10 Other Income**
Workshops
Sundry Income
Bank Interest
Donation
Grand Total|**Restricted**
£
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_
56,132
19,642
2,200
0
0
**77,974**
Greggs Foundation
Community Links:_Small Grants_
Mercers Foundation:_Forever Young_
Insurance claim
Total
**10 Other Income**
Workshops
Sundry Income
Bank Interest
Donation
Grand Total|**2025**
**2024**
14,898
1,065
2,875
20,611
3,292
23,581
6,167
44,192
11,031
12,648
950
850
2,247
985
14,228
14,483

**Unrestricted**
**Total**
**Total**
**2025**
**2024**
£
£
0
56,132
104,560
0
19,642
0
0
2,200
0
0
21,600
0
20,553
£|**2025**
**2024**
14,898
1,065
2,875
20,611
3,292
23,581| |---|---|---|---| ||||6,167
44,192| ||||11,031
12,648
950
850
2,247
985| ||||14,228
14,483| ||**77,974**|**0**
**77,974**
**146,713**|| |||41,152
41,152
76,951
2,500
2,500
203
122
122
0
817
817
1,498|| |||**44,591**
**44,591**
**78,652**|| -10- ## IROKO ## Theatre Company ## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2025 11 Cost of Activities** |**11 Cost of Activities**|||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---| ||**Restricted**|**Unrestricted**||**2025**|**2024**| |||||**Total**|**Total**| |Costumes/Materials/Maintenance||1,200|1,017|2,217|1676| |Artistes/Other fees||4,370|12,236|16,606|27,472| |Travel/Transport||700|2,523|3,223|6,700| |Professional fees||10,687|2,557|13,244|37,902| |Salary/Wages||43,364|7,353|50,717|72,818| |Rent/Rates/Hall Hire||288|4,262|4,550|11,304| |Volunteers Expenses||1,105|620|1,725|371| |Telephone/Internet||1,411|1,070|2,481|4,391| |Printing, Postage/Stationery/Websi||151|874|1,025|3,870| |Training||1,145|990|2,135|5,783| |Repairs/Renewals/Computer||177|4,742|4,919|500| |Audit||0|0|0|850| |Workshop refreshments||1,293|380|1,673|4,681| |Insurance||0|1,039|1,039|2,717| |Advertising/PR||5,718|773|6,491|7,970| |Photography/Website||1,500|0|1,500|3,500| |Sundries||50|0|50|1,668| |Library/Research/Subscription||160|574|734|3,195| |Bank Charges||0|342|342|279| |Management and Supervision||0|3,102|3,102|3,189| |Equipment Hire||0|0|0|0| |Capital Expenditure||9,273|0|9,273|21,477| |Total Expenditure||81,299|44,073|125,373|222,312| |**12 Unrestricted Funds**|||||| |Bal.B/F|S urplus/Deficit for Year||Carried Forward||| |1.04.2024|||||| |3,082||518||3,600|| |**13 Restricted Funds**|||||| |Bal.B/F|S urplus/Deficit for Year||||| |1.04.24|||||| |28,209|-3,325|||24,884|| -11-