Company Registration Number
03241874
Pioneer Projects (Celebratory Arts) Limited
A Company Charity Limited by Guarantee Registered Charity Number 1067976
TRUSTEES' REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
for the year ended 31st August 2025
Pioneer Projects (Celebratory Arts) Limited
Trustees
Richard Pattinson (Chair) Louise Colley Caitlin Greenwood Michelle Hodgson (Treasurer) Elizabeth Ryan John Smithson (resigned 10th March 2025)
Secretary Lynda Graveson Charity number 1067976 Company number 03241874 Principal address Looking Well Studios King Street High Bentham Lancaster LA2 7HG Registered office Looking Well Studios King Street High Bentham Lancaster LA2 7HG Independent Examiner White Rose Accounting Cobdale Cottage Cobdale Lane Warter YORK YO42 1XD
Bankers
HSBC plc 8 Castle Gate Clitheroe Lancashire BB7 1BB
Pioneer Projects (Celebratory Arts) Limited A Company Charity Limited by Guarantee
Contents
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Chief Executive Officer's Report | 4 |
| Trustees' Report | 11 |
| Independent Examiner's Report | 14 |
| Statement of Financial Activities | 15 |
| Balance Sheet | 16 |
| Statement of Cashflows | 17 |
| Notes to the Financial Statements | 18 |
Chief Executive Officer’s Report– Year Ended 31 August 2025
Introduction
In the 2024-25 Financial Year Pioneer Projects has really built on the Vision and Mission set out in our 2023-2028 Strategy & Business Plan. It has seen us place creative engagement at the heart of individual and community wellbeing in Craven whilst ensuring the impact of our Creative Health approach is shared with communities across North Yorkshire. Whilst our commitment to focused delivery programmes around Mental Health and Dementia support continued unabated, it was in the area of our inclusive, all-age Community Arts programme, where real progress was made this year. This central pillar of our work is set to be rebranded explicitly as our Creative Health Programme, with a flexibility and reach to support and empower multiple communities across the district. And these communities are not just geographic. Yes, we have always aspired to supporting inclusive all-age creative participation in places like Bentham, Settle, and Skipton, but we are now also making great strides in developing more targeted work, such as with LGBTQIA+ communities and the young neurodiverse. Pioneer is increasingly confident about its work and striving hard to amplify its impact. As such, this year saw the launch of our brand-new website, highlighting the power of creative engagement, and helping us make the case for the wider adoption of Creative Health as a means to improved health and wellbeing for all people and all communities. And we also recognise that this can’t be achieved in isolation. Hence, our commitment to partnership and collaboration has continued unabated. Whether with local community groups, statutory partners in health and the local authority, or a rich array of cultural organisations, our work is always delivered in a way that enhances and supports that of all who work to make our communities happier and healthier places to live.
Finance
2024-2025 saw continued financial stability, with all planned services delivered, and a Year End position showing £139,636 Cash at Bank and in Hand, included a full unrestricted Operational and Building Reserve of £55,000. The Reserve was increased from £50,000 in the previous financial year to account for inflationary increases to Expenditure. At £344,821, Expenditure was up around 4% from the previous year’s figure of £332,510 in line with these inflationary pressures. Income however increased by around 36% from £283,747 to £385,955 contributing to the strong Year End position. This has given the Trustees the confidence to commit to an Expenditure budget of £350,000 for the upcoming financial year. Income was strong in a number of key areas including regular, ongoing, multi-year NHS and Local Authority Health funding, increased Combined Authority Skills funding, and new Cultural funding from both North Yorkshire Council Culture & Archives service, and Bradford 2025 City of Culture. This continues our policy of maintaining a diverse portfolio of income streams to avoid the risk of cliff-edge funding crises associated with overreliance on one funder.
Supported Provided
Our support and services continued to focus on the delivery of group based creative activities that promoted inclusion, increased skills, and improved wellbeing. These
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were complimented by keyworker interventions that provided engagement support, wellbeing assessment, goal setting, onward referral to other appropriate services, and personal progression support. Group based activities were delivered across three main areas, including our Community Arts , Mental Health , and Dementia programmes, with 764 sessions with 6,883 attendances provided in total. Though slightly lower than the previous year (down 9% due to the ending of some short-term time limited projects), we saw a notable increase in episodes of 1-1 keyworker support . These rose 78% from 702 to 1,252 . This represented new and increased funding in the areas of skills development and progression from contracts with the Better Connect partnership. In total of 8,135 episodes of support were provided to around 480 unique individuals at an average of 17 interventions per person. This figure reflects the number of individuals supported on a Pioneer caseload though the number of people with access to our groups and support in the context of open access environments such as the Mental Health & Wellbeing Hub Network Wellbeing Cafes is around double this.
The Community Arts Programme , driven by projects funded by the National Lottery, the Igen Foundation, and North Yorkshire Council, is transforming into a fully-fledged Creative Health Programme . Having worked alongside our independent sister organisation Orb Community Arts, to develop ideas around a Creative Wellbeing Community, we have now come to a more fully formed approach that encompasses not just the community of Bentham in which Pioneer is based, but the wider community of Craven, and its communities of experience -especially marginalised groups such as the young neurodiverse, LGBTQIA+ communities, or those living with severe mental illness. From our Little Notes Music Groups for parents and small children, through our ‘In Heritage’ Digital Art Trail, and This is Our Craven for young people, to our Making Connections groups for older people living with dementia or memory loss, and our ‘Quiet Groups’ for adults with severe mental illness, everyone can benefit.
We have also engaged in ever more collaborative work , including developing a Creative Health Partnership within Craven to deliver more effective work with greater reach and impact. This was evidenced in our ‘This is Our Craven’ project, funded through Bradford 2025 City of Culture, in which Pioneer supported a cohort of young neurodiverse people experiencing or at risk of mental ill-health, in partnership with North Yorkshire Council Culture & Archives Service, the Museum of North Craven Life, the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, and SELFA Young People’s Charity. Their work is to be exhibited in Skipton Town Hall Museum & Gallery in 2026. It also saw significant work with the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and Orb Community Arts, exploring creative health delivery in the context of Green Social Prescribing pathways and outdoor spaces. This has informed approaches and programme development both in the Yorkshire Dales National Park and also at National Parks England.
This work is starting to have significant impact at system level. Following our Creative Health Partnerships Feasibility Study for the newly unitary local authority, North Yorkshire Council’s Culture & Archives incorporated an explicit commitment to supporting the development of Creative Health in its Cultural Strategy (November 2024). This included three-years’ funding from North Yorkshire’s Culture & Archives, Localities, and Public Health departments for Pioneer Projects and Orb Community Arts to develop a Creative Health Partnership framework. Incorporating training for teams at North Yorkshire Council, and a range of Cultural Partners, it is seeing the
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development of pilot creative health partnership delivery and aspiring to the establishment of commissionable Creative Health Delivery Partnerships across the whole of North Yorkshire. This year has seen this work begin with training developed and delivered to North Yorkshire Council teams, and a range of collaborative projects coming to fruition such as those cited above.
Our Mental Health Programme , centred around our development and management of the Craven Mental Health & Wellbeing Hubs network of Wellbeing Cafes is now fully embedded within the community mental health support offer for the district. Ongoing ‘baseline’ funding for the network from West Yorkshire ICB, Bradford District Care Trust, and the WACA and Modality Primary Care Networks has been confirmed, matched by a new four year mental ill-health prevention contract from North Yorkshire Council Health & Adult Services, and supplemented by Alternatives to Crisis funding from the NHS via Mind in Bradford and the Cellar Trust. In line with some funding reduction, and based on learning from the previous 3 years, the network has been trimmed back from 8 to a more manageable 6 community partners, with more regular delivery and staffing, and a tiered support offer aligned to level of need. It is also going to be rebranded as the ‘Mosaic’ network to simplify promotion. Within this network, as well as providing a Creative Health interventions offer and keyworker support, Pioneer is also offering an increased range of skills and progressions support. This has included being part of the Multiply numeracy programme, and the Rise 2 Thrive progression programme, both managed by skills partnership Better Connect.
The Dementia Programme , which has struggled for funding for a number of years, finally received grant support from the Igen Trust. This allowed us to re-establish our Making Connections dementia support groups at 3 locations across the district. Whilst this has allowed us to continue effective delivery, the overall picture for developing sustainable dementia services remains challenging. In the longer term, we are starting to explore how a more partnership focused approach could work, with Pioneer delivering sessions withing the context of specialist sessions provided by explicitly dementia focused organisations. This will ensure the benefits of Pioneer’s creative health interventions remain accessible to residents across Craven, but without the pressure of having to maintain a full stand-alone service.
Pioneer’s role providing an essential Community Support function for Bentham and the surrounding communities of North Craven also continued. This saw ongoing hosting of and support for Bentham’s Community Library, including cataloguing the David Johnson Historical Archive, supporting four secondary school students to complete their Duke of Edinburgh Awards, and hosting regular visit from pupils at Bentham CP school, and the Cedar House SEN school. We also hosted banking services from Barclays’s Bank, advice sessions from Age UK North Craven, and support from Horizons Drug & Alcohol Service alongside a range of local groups including Walks for Women, the Creative Writing Club, and the Lego Club.
Impact
Pioneer continues to support participants along a well-developed ‘service user journey’ with a related outcomes framework and feedback process that allows us to clearly gauge the impact of delivery. 1-1 assessment and review from a named keyworker, supports participants to assess and review their wellbeing, co-design their engagement, set personal goals, and measure progress towards these. This has the advantage of both highlighting the impact of engagement to the individual in a relevant
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and empowering way, whilst providing aggregated data that highlights the impact of the whole service.
Data from the last year continues to show that Pioneer’s support is critical in maintaining people’s mental health and wellbeing, developing skills and confidence, promoting inclusion and a sense of citizenship, and leading to significant progressions into meaningful destinations including volunteering, further education, and paid work for some of the most vulnerable and marginalised members of our communities.
Increases in mental health and wellbeing
Mental health and wellbeing are measured using a combination of the Shorter Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS) and graded questionnaires.
During the last year, of those reviewed, 91% of those assessed showed improved or maintained mental health as measured using SWEMWBS (up from 77% the preceding year). Furthermore, the number of those responding by graded question as to whether they felt engagement had been ‘beneficial in maintaining or improving wellbeing’ remained at 100%.
“I feel more confident now, it’s really helped me with my mental health”
“It helps me socialise, which improves my mood and reduces my anxiety”
“When I first started coming, I had a plan to end it all. I don’t feel that way anymore”
Increases in skills and confidence
Participants set themselves personal goals around developing life skills and confidence using a RARPA (Recognizing and Recording Progress and Achievement) based community learning tool. This allows them to set both activity goals (such as ‘regular attendance at the Singing Group’) and personal goals (such as ‘increased social interaction with others’) and
measure progress towards them. 100% made some progress with around 70% registering this as ‘very much’, 19% ‘quite a lot’, and 11% ‘a little’.
“It has helped me with my confidence, doing the art sessions has made me feel happier”
“I’ve learned new skills, made new friends, coming to the groups gives me a reason to get out of the house, do more art”
Increases in social inclusion
In graded questionnaires about the impact of engagement, 100% reported increased social inclusion as a result of attending Pioneer’s sessions. 55% rated this at the highest level of ‘very much’ with 45% stating ‘quite a lot’.
“Being with others that struggle helps me realise that I’m not alone. There’s a supportive atmosphere that helps me socialise. I feel at ease when I come”
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“I don’t feel isolated now. People listen to me and encourage me”
Increased Citizenship
In graded questionnaires about the impact of engagement on feelings of increased citizenship 100% felt they were ‘giving something back’ 91% ‘very much’, up from 67% in the previous year.
“Now that I’m getting my confidence back, I really want to try volunteering, get involved with some community projects”
“I feel part of something now. Pioneer is like a community”
Progressions into volunteering, education, or work
Asked whether they had made any significant progressions in the last year 81% of those assessed stated they had made a primary progression: 18% into paid employment, 18% into education, and 45% into volunteering. 45% assessed felt that engagement had made them feel more employable, and 100% felt that ongoing engagement would be beneficial to their confidence and personal development.
“I’m going to start a short-term college course and build up to full time” “I’ve now got a job, I’m working full time!”
Partnerships and System Impact
Pioneer’s ability to develop and work in effective partnerships, that have impact at local and system level continues to develop. Now in its eighth year the MOU with Orb Community Arts continues to be mutually beneficial. The shared role of Strategic Director has been revised to that of shared Chief Executive Officer, with a clearer remit to pursue partnership development and a system influencing role that aspires to making Creative Health a sustainable, commissionable approach to addressing health inequality in North Yorkshire.
Both organisations have also worked in increasingly close partnership to develop a shared Creative Health Partnership training package and delivery framework in collaboration with North Yorkshire Council Culture and Archives. At a Craven level this has seen the development of a Craven Creative Health Partnership with Skipton Town Hall Museum & Gallery, The Museum of North Craven Life, the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, and SELFA Young People’s Charity, that is already delivering shared projects for the likes of Bradford 2025 City of Culture. Also at a Craven level, Pioneer has established itself as the VCSE lead for community mental health, leading the multi-layered Craven Mental Health & Wellbeing Hubs network (shortly to be relaunched as ‘Mosaic’ ) with a range of community and specialist mental health partner organisations.
In both these cases, the impact is both at a local and a system level. On the ground, Pioneer are providing or brokering training, funding, staffing, and referral support to delivery partners who previously would not have had the skills or capacity to engage in health focused work. At system level designers and commissioners of services in
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health and local authority are now able to call on a wide range of local provider options, with real reach, in a large and rural geography with some of the worst access to services in the whole if England.
Pioneer also contributes to the wider sector through its contribution to a range of steering groups and forums. We hold the Vice Chair role at the Craven Communities Together cross sector local care partnership, as well as Chairing two of its subgroups, the Craven Adult Mental Health Steering Group, and the Compass in Craven Steering Group. As part of the latter, we are overseeing the transference of responsibility for the Compass in Craven shared E-hub partnership tool, away from Pioneer as a commissioned administrator, to a range of voluntary Craven Communities Together partners, principally North Yorkshire Library Services. Pioneer’s CEO also sits on the North Yorkshire Council Mental Health Development Board as the VCSE representative,
Staffing
Pioneer’s staff team continues to grow in size and professionality. This year, the permanent staff team grew to 11, based both at Looking Well Studios in Bentham and at our new premises at Augment in Skipton . Development of a larger team and having our own dedicated office and delivery space Monday to Friday in Skipton, has meant that we are better able to provide an effective service across both North and South Craven.
Following a couple of years of rapid growth, and the challenges of developing a larger team in the face of growing need, we recognised the need for a refreshed approach to HR. Over the year, the Management Team spent a significant amount of time rationalising our delivery programme, creating new more fit-for-purpose job descriptions & person specifications, developing more permanent as opposed to sessional roles, developing and delivering a new suite of internal staff training incorporating Values, Professional Boundaries, Best Practice, and Creative Health, and revising our recruitment processes. This has already had a hugely positive impact, with increased levels of staff wellbeing, confidence, and competency.
Demand for services however continues to grow, both in terms of numbers and the complexity of support needs of those referred which continues to put a notable amount of stress on all members of the staff team. Managing workload, supporting staff wellbeing, and where possible increasing staff capacity are all being prioritised going forward.
Promotion of Services
Pioneer continues to use a variety of means to promote its services, including its website, social media channels, the Compass in Craven E-hub, regular newsletters, articles in the local press and by maintaining excellent links with a range of statutory and community partners who disseminate information on our behalf. We also provide a range of printed promotional materials by which we promote our services. This year has also seen the launch of our brand new website at www.pioneerprojects.org, shining a light on the work we do locally and helping make the case for Creative Health more widely.
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Future Plans
We will continue to work towards fulfilling our five-year Strategy & Business Plan, positioning Pioneer Projects at the forefront of Creative Health development and delivery in Craven and, in partnership with Orb Community Arts, influencing the adoption of Creative Health approaches across North Yorkshire more widely. This will be in the context of our district role as lead VCSE organisation for Community Mental Health in Craven, and local role as a key community support organisation within the communities if Bentham and North Craven.
Services will be delivered under four distinct programme areas:
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A Creative Health Programme (Craven)
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A Mental Health Programme (Craven)
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Community Support Offer (Bentham and North Craven)
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Sector Development and Partnerships (Craven and North Yorkshire)
And over the next year, particular attention will be given to developing:
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A Craven based Creative Health partnership, including North Yorkshire Council’s Culture & Archives Teams, and key local cultural partners including the Museum of North Craven Life, Skipton Town Hall Museum & Gallery, and the Yorkshire Dales National Park, able to deliver impactful collaborative creative health programmes for local residents
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Creative Health delivery projects for this partnership, building on the learning form the Bradford 2025 City of Culture year, and our National Lottery and Igen funded partnership work over the last five years, able to target specific marginalised groups
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A Creative Health Partnership Framework for North Yorkshire through working closely with North Yorkshire Council’s Culture & Archives, Localities, and Public Health departments
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A more effective and sustainable Craven Mental Health & Wellbeing Hubs network rebranded as Mosaic, with a better-defined service offer, gradated to level of support need
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A larger permanent and full-time Creative Facilitator Team, with skills encompassing multiple creative disciplines, and able to promote and develop our approach to creative health with partner organisations
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Continued work supporting a higher level of cultural life and engagement within Bentham and North Craven
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Continued work to support the young neurodiverse and promote stronger Youth Voice
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Continued support to participants wanting to progress into volunteering, education, or work
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Support to marginalised communities to access services (i.e., LGBTQIA+ communities, farmers or travellers)
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Continuous Professional Development opportunities for staff, partner organisations, and networks
Once again, Pioneer Projects remains clearly focused on its vision of a world where all people can embrace creativity as a means of improving their mental health and wellbeing, fulfilling their potential, and participating in inclusive, connected, and celebratory communities – in Bentham, Craven, North Yorkshire, and beyond.
Leon Fijalkowski Chief Executive Officer
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Trustees’ Report – Year Ended 31 August 2025
Having successfully negotiated the impact placed on us and the community by Covid the resulting national financial consequences of it together with continuing global tensions has led to a cost of living challenge with resultant health issues for many people. Therefore, it is unsurprising that the demand for the services we offer has continued to grow. Based on our 5-year rolling Strategy and Business Plan the past financial year has seen us focus on our delivery and adjust our offering accordingly.
Our roots are firmly based in Bentham where our base, the Looking Well, is located with our branches reaching out to many communities in the Craven area of North Yorkshire both rural and town based.
Our philosophy and programmes are grounded in the wide range of celebratory arts and I hope that the actor, Gillian Anderson, will not mind me paraphrasing her; the delivery of arts based programmes confirms what we have intuitively believed, that music, literature, the arts and the great outdoors can have significant benefits bringing health and wellbeing benefits to our lives.
We are a leading voice in Craven and beyond with the services we offer, and these are increasingly recognised by funding bodies and commissioners of our services and, of course, by the increasing number of people we interact with.
It is difficult for a single organisation to deliver an all-encompassing service and we have developed a good number of partnerships which work together for the benefit of our communities. First among these is our strong, long and lasting, partnership with our sister organisation, Orb Community Arts which is based in Knaresborough. We share a Chief Executive, Leon Fijalkowski, and we have a representative trustee on each other’s Board of Trustees. Our partnership continues to grow, and both organisations benefit from working together and learning best practice from each other.
Our services are developed and delivered using our 5 Year Rolling Plan and are focused on a community arts programme, mental health and dementia programmes, growing one to one sessions, sector development and training programmes and partnership building.
As mentioned earlier, national and regional finances are constrained and there is a consequential demand for services from the Third Sector/Charities such as ourselves. We are enormously grateful to the funding organisations who recognise the quality of our services and who continue to support us against this challenging environment.
Despite this background our finances remain strong and we have increased our Operational and Building Reserve to £55,000 and we will continue to review this figure as our services and the organisation grows. The details of our finances are covered in the Chief Executives Report and more fully in the following Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements.
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On behalf of the Trustees, I would like to thank all the members of our Management Team and Staff, our sessional support, volunteers and supporters for all the tremendous and professional work they do which makes us the organisation we are which is recognised across the Region.
I would personally like to thank all our trustee’s both past and present for their support and commitment to Pioneer Projects. The Board of Trustee’s, who are also directors of the company, oversee the Governance and Strategic Direction of the company. During this financial year John Smithson decided to stand down due to other commitments.
Structure, governance and management.
The charity is a company limited by guarantee. It is also a registered charity, number 1067976.
The Board of Trustees is the ultimate responsible body of the organisation, and it meets regularly throughout the year to advise on strategies and to exercise governance and financial oversight of the charity. The day to day activities are organised and managed by a team of paid staff under the overall control of the Board of Trustees. There are no related close party relationships to be disclosed. The Trustees are aware of their responsibility to assess and control the risks to which the charity is subject. The assessment and control of these risks is an ongoing process and is regularly reviewed by the Trustees. Risk assessment is thus applied to all relevant areas of operation, ranging from health and safety matters to financial systems.
Objectives and activities
The charity is constituted as a company limited by guarantee, and was established for the following main objectives:
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To advance the education and understanding of health issues, in particular by using the arts to communicate such issues.
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To provide educational, recreational and other leisure time facilities in the interest of social welfare, with the object of improving the conditions of life of the inhabitants of Bentham, North Yorkshire, and other appropriate communities.
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To promote such other charitable activities as the trustees may from time to time determine.
The Trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.
Achievements and performance
Pioneer Projects develops projects, activities and training through arts and celebration to reduce social isolation, promote inclusion and build strong and healthy communities. The organisation’s ethos and working practices are based on the evidence that health and creativity are connected. A broad-ranging programme of
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high-quality imaginative arts activities engages people of all ages as participants and the wider community as audiences.
The artist-led, person-centred delivery has been developed to engage the widest range of people and people living with memory loss, mental health and long-term conditions and supports families and carers. More details of our activities are contained in the CEO’s Report.
We look forward to further developing our services especially for younger people and we will explore ways where we might be able to support farming communities in our areas of operation.
Financial review
Core funding is supplied through contracts with local health and social services, and external grant funding is also secured for specific arts programmes and celebratory events. Work is only carried out if funding has been secured unless in exceptional circumstances where the Board agree to access the unrestricted reserve, as happened at the start of the Covid 19 pandemic. There is therefore a continuing requirement to maintain a reserve to cover running costs, and the costs of winding up should this ever become necessary. The Trustees aim to maintain a reserve of a minimum of four months’ running costs including a Building Maintenance Reserves and Staff Contingency Fund. Given the sensitive nature of the charity’s work in mental health and with people with dementia, the Trustees believe that any shorter wind-up time would be too abrupt. This policy is monitored at each Board Meeting and reviewed annually at the AGM.
Considering being a Trustee of Pioneer Projects?
We are keen to hear from anyone who is interested in joining the Board of Trustees to support the continuing work and ambitions of Pioneer Projects.
The policy in respect of recruitment of trustees is for the potential trustee to have an initial informal discussion with senior staff or an existing trustee and visit Pioneer Project’s premises in Bentham. A trustee pack is supplied, including an application form. The application form is returned to the Board Secretary and a meeting is set up with a trustee and senior manager to discuss trusteeship and mutual suitability. Two references are requested and followed up. Potential trustees are invited to a Board meeting to observe the meeting and for nomination. None of the Trustees has any beneficial interest in the company. All of the Trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up.
On behalf of the Board
Richard Pattinson (Chair)
9th February 2026
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Pioneer Projects (Celebratory Arts) Limited Independent Examiner's report to the trustees.
The charity's trustees (who are also directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 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 independent examiner’s statement
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 those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in 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 matter has come to my attention
- which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements:
· to keep accounting records in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006 and section 130 of the Charities Act; and · to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the Charities Act have not been met; or
- to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Zillah Hopps FMAAT White Rose Accounting 4th February 2026
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Pioneer Projects (Celebratory Arts) Limited Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31st August 2025
Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total Funds Note 2025 2025 2025 £ £ £ Incoming Resources From generated funds: Donations and gifts 2.1 1,884 - 1,884 Activities for generating funds 2.2 3,925 - 3,925 Investment income - - - 5,809 - 5,809 Grants 2.3 5,000 334,358 339,358 Incoming resources from charitable activities 2.4 11,274 26,301 37,575 Other incoming resources 2.5 3,212 - 3,212 Total incoming resources 25,295 360,659 385,955 Resources Expended Investment costs 71 - 71 Charitable activities 3.1 21,311 322,930 344,240 Governance costs 3.2 510 - 510 Total Resources Expended 21,892 322,930 344,821 Net incoming/(outgoing) resources before transfers 3,404 37,730 41,133 Gross transfers between funds - - - 3,404 37,730 41,133 Other recognised gains/(losses) 2.6 - - - Net movement in funds 3,404 37,730 41,133 Net income/(expenditure) for the year 3,404 37,730 41,133 Total funds brought forward 330,518 222,687 553,206 Total funds carried forward 333,922 260,417 594,339 Net incoming/(outgoing) resources before other recognised gains/(losses) |
Total Funds 2024 £ 3,277 12,067 - 15,345 228,853 34,745 4,805 283,747 84 331,946 480 332,510 (48,763) - (48,763) - (48,763) (48,763) 601,968 553,206 |
|---|---|
The statement of financial activities also complies with the requirements for an income and expenditure account under the Companies Act 2006.
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Pioneer Projects (Celebratory Arts) Limited Balance Sheet as at 31st August 2025
| Notes | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | ||
| Fixed Assets | |||
| Tangible assets | 4 | 453,156 | 454,481 |
| Current assets | |||
| Cash at bank and in hand | 11 | 139,636 | 93,345 |
| Debtors and prepayments | 5 | 3,929 | 6,712 |
| Current liabilities | 143,565 | 100,057 | |
| Creditors and accruals: | |||
| amounts falling due within one year | 6 | (2,381) | (1,331) |
| Net current assets | (2,381) 141,184 |
(1,331) 98,726 |
|
| Total assets less current liabilities | 594,339 | 553,205 | |
| Net assets | 594,339 | 553,205 | |
| Represented by Funds | 8 | ||
| Unrestricted | 333,922 | 330,518 | |
| Restricted | 260,417 | 222,687 | |
| 594,339 | 553,206 |
The Trustees are satisfied that the company is entitled to exemption from the provisions of the Companies Act 2006 (the Act) relating to the audit of the financial statements for the year by virtue of section 477, and that no member or members have requested an audit pursuant to section 476 of the Act.
The directors (Trustees) acknowledge their responsibilities for:
i) ensuring the company keeps accounting records which comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006; and
ii) preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company at the end of each financial year and of its profit and loss for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the company.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies and with the Financial Reporting Standards for Smaller Entities (effective April 2008).
The financial statements were approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by:
Richard Richard Pattin Pattinson
Company Registration Number
03241874
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Pioneer Projects (Celebratory Arts) Limited Statement of cashflows as at 31st August 2025
| Notes 10 Cashflows from investing activities: Purchase of property, plant & equipment Proceeds from the sale of investments Net cash used in financing activities Cash and cash equivalents at the start of the year Analysis of cash and cash equivalents Cash at bank and in hand 11 Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year Total cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year |
2025 £ 46,291 - - - 46,291 93,345 139,636 139,636 |
2024 £ (48,407) (1,940) - (1,940) (50,347) 143,692 93,345 93,345 |
|---|---|---|
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Pioneer Projects (Celebratory Arts) Limited Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31st August 2025
1. Accounting Policies
Basis of Preparation
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 2006,
applicable accounting standards, and with the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) issued in January 2015.
Legal Status
The charity is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital. The liability of each member in the event of winding up is limited to £1.
Its directors are its trustees and vice versa.
Funds Structure
Restricted funds are those subject to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or grantor
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.
Incoming Resources
All incoming resources, including gifts in kind, are recognised gross when they are capable of measurement with reasonable accuracy and when receivable in accordance with any funding agreement.
Donated Services and Facilities
These are only included in incoming resources (with an equivalent amount in resources expended) where the benefit to the charity is reasonably quantifiable, measurable and material. The value placed on these resources is the estimated value to the charity of the service or facility received.
Volunteer Help
The value of any voluntary help received is not included in the accounts but is described in the Trustees' Annual Report.
Resources Expended
Resources expended are included in the Statement of Financial Activities on an accruals basis.
Liability Recognition
Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources
Governance Costs
Governance costs include costs of the preparation and examination of statutory accounts, the costs of trustee meetings and cost of any legal advice to trustees on governance or constitutional matters.
Depreciation
Tangible fixed assets are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year and cost at least £100. They are valued at cost or, if gifted, at the value to the charity on receipt, less depreciation. Depreciation is provided at rates to write off the cost less estimated residual value of each asset over its expected useful life as follows:
- Freehold buildings 2% straight line (up to 2021) - Fixtures, fittings and equipment 25% reducing balance - Computer equipment 33% reducing balance
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| 2. Incoming Resources Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total Funds 2025 2025 2025 £ £ £ 2.1 Donations and gifts Donations and gifts 1,884 - 1,884 Friends of Bentham Library - - - 1,884 - 1,884 2.2 Activities for Generating Funds Memory Loss Groups (20) - (20) Community Art Shed - - - Payments activities 3,945 - 3,945 3,925 - 3,925 2.3 Grants SELFA - Springboard - - - Bradford 25 - Social Prescribing Award - 13,390 13,390 Bradford 25 - Creative Health CAMHS Uplift - 5,000 5,000 - 18,911 18,911 Bradford VCS Alliance Health Activation Grant - 4,000 4,000 AMP Creative Pathways to Wellbeing - 1,529 1,529 AMP Little Notes - 2,098 2,098 Craven Airedale Wharfedale TCMH - 100,000 100,000 Craven Communities Together - - - Garfield Weston - 20,000 20,000 Igen Trust - 60,160 60,160 The Monday Charitable Trust 5,000 - 5,000 NHS West Yorkshire ICB (25/26 Core20Plus5) - 9,704 9,704 National Lottery Comm Fd-Reaching Communities - 25,482 25,482 NYC Better Connect - Trailblazer 25 26 - 2,725 2,725 NYC Better Connect - Rise 2 Thrive - 24,467 24,467 NYC Better Connect - Rise 2 Thrive 25 26 - 7,411 7,411 NYC Better Connect - Multiply - 9,121 9,121 NYC Communies Grant Achieve - Creative Health - 23,330 23,330 The Tudor Trust (website and publicity) - 4,417 4,417 SSIA Core 20 Plus 5 WRAP in Craven - 2,614 2,614 5,000 334,358 339,358 2.4 Other Incoming resources from charitable activities 380,858 - 19,186 19,186 - 3,101 3,101 North Yorkshire Council Library Service Level Agrmnt - 4,014 4,014 Room hire 11,114 - 11,114 Library income 160 - 160 Other income - - - 11,274 26,301 37,575 2.5 Other incoming resources Other income (commission, fees, training) 1,206 - 1,206 OffGem Renewable Heat Incentive 1,181 - 1,181 2,387 - 2,387 Investment Income Bank Interest 825 - 825 825 - 825 Total Incoming Resources 25,295 360,659 385,955 North Yorkshire Council Individual Service Contracts BDCT/Cellar/Mind Crisis Alternative Support Fund Safe Spaces North Yorkshire Council Health & Adult Services Community Mental Health Contract |
Total Funds 2024 £ 3,277 - 3,277 3,380 - 8,687 12,067 5,718 23,088 4,586 6,568 102,500 11,601 31,061 34,977 8,755 - 228,853 275,665 18,983 2,742 3,890 8,908 222 - 34,745 2,659 1,255 3,914 891 891 283,747 |
|---|---|
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| 3. Resources Expended Investment costs Bank charges and interest 3.1 Charitable Activities Wages, salaries and pensions Payroll charges Craven Airedale Wharfedale TCMH SLA's North Craven Building Preservation Trust Recruitment expenses Strategic Director Consultancy/External Evaluation Council Tax Light and heat Telephone Course fees, subscriptions etc Insurance Print post stationery and IT Repairs and renewals Marketing Fees to sessional artists and tutors Fees to sessional artists/tutors - Friends of Bentham Volunteer expenses Cleaning and catering Travel and subsistence Materials Venue hire Training Bad debts written off Sundry Depreciation 3.2 Governance costs Accountancy and Independent Examiner's Fee Total Resources Expended |
Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total Funds 2025 2025 2025 £ £ £ 71 - 71 71 - 71 5,466 220,786 226,252 (24) 309 285 - 42,500 42,500 4,000 4,000 - - - - - - 145 2,400 2,545 - - - 3,736 3,438 7,173 50 3,249 3,299 111 232 343 3,004 3,244 6,247 209 3,527 3,736 1,666 593 2,259 363 4,060 4,423 1,059 16,841 17,900 - - - 159 184 343 2,701 2,655 5,355 184 2,905 3,089 687 2,845 3,532 - 8,263 8,263 - 772 772 - - - 471 129 600 1,324 - 1,324 21,311 322,930 344,240 510 - 510 510 - 510 21,892 322,930 344,821 |
Total Funds 2024 £ 84 84 197,858 201 40,000 - - - 2,163 363 6,443 2,611 447 3,868 3,720 1,478 1,281 48,294 342 390 5,989 2,051 4,693 6,743 1,023 70 72 1,848 331,946 480 480 332,510 |
|---|---|---|
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4. Tangible fixed assets and depreciation.
| Cost Balance b/fwd Property revaluation reserve b/f Additions As at 31st August 2025 Depreciation Balance b/fwd Charge for the year As at 31st August 2025 Net book value As at 31st August 2024 As at 31st August 2025 |
Buildings £ 428,340 247,042 - 675,382 225,382 - 225,382 450,000 450,000 |
Computer Equipment £ 14,742 - - 14,742 12,517 734 13,251 2,225 1,491 |
Fixtures, fittings and equipment £ 33,653 - - 33,653 31,397 590 31,987 2,255 1,666 |
Total £ 476,735 247,042 - 723,777 269,296 1,324 270,621 454,481 453,156 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
The building was acquired in January 2004. Work to refurbish and convert the property started in December 2004 and was completed in early January 2006. The premises are the headquarters of the charity.
A professional valuation of the property was undertaken in February 2006, and as a result initial depreciation of £128,496 was applied at 31st August 2006 to reflect the market valuation of £300,000. A depreciation policy of writing this value off over 50 years was agreed and implemented from 1st September 2008.
A further professional revaluation was carried out in January 2022 giving a market value of £450,000; the uplift in value is shown in the revaluation reserve. No further depreciation is being applied.
5. Debtors and Prepayments
| Analysis of debtors falling due within one year Trade debtors Salaries Accrued income Prepayments 6. Creditors and accruals Analysis of creditors falling due within one year Accountancy/Independent Examination Salaries and pensions Accruals Trade Creditors 7. Staff costs and emoluments Gross salaries Employer's National Insurance Employer's pension contributions Average number of employees (f.t.e.) Direct charitable work Administrative |
2025 £ 1,005 - - 2,924 3,929 2025 £ 480 1,820 81 - 2,381 2025 £ 212,131 7,943 6,178 226,252 5 2 7 |
2024 £ 2,544 - - 4,167 6,712 2024 £ 480 776 75 - 1,331 2024 £ 184,821 7,548 5,489 197,858 4½ 2 6½ |
|---|---|---|
No employees received remuneration in excess of £60,000
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8. Analysis of funds
8.1 Funds held.
| 8.1 Funds held. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | Type | Purpose and restrictions |
| Building Development Fund | Restricted | property value included within tangible fixed assets |
| SELFA - Springboard | Restricted | Ward based activity programme & young volunteer initiative |
| Bradford District Care Trust Crisis Alternative Support Fund | Restricted | Craven Mental Health Framework Safe Spaces |
| Bradford 25 - Creative Health CAMHS Uplift | Restricted | Support young people referred into CAMHS |
| Bradford 25 - Social Prescribing Award | Restricted | Cultural Social prescribing project |
| BDCT/Cellar/Mind Crisis Alternative Support Fund Safe Spaces | Restricted | Craven Mental Health Framework |
| Bradford VCS Alliance Health Activation Grant | Restricted | Implement partnership development strategy |
| AMP Creative Pathways to Wellbeing | Restricted | Digital Trail Creative Connections Young People’s project |
| AMP Little Notes | Restricted | Interactive musical sessions 0 – 5 years |
| Craven Airedale Wharfedale TCMH | Restricted | Delivery of Craven Mental Health Transformation work |
| Craven Communities Together | Restricted | Compass in Craven eHub staff costs |
| Garfield Weston | Restricted | Core staff costs |
| Igen Trust | Restricted | Craven District GP Social Prescription Referral Programme |
| Igen Trust (VIA ORB) Creative Bridges to Wellbeing Project | Restricted | Creative Bridges to Wellbeing project |
| The Monday Charitable Trust | Unrestricted | Unrestricted discretionary grant |
| NHS West Yorkshire ICB (25/26 Core20Plus5) | Restricted | Delivery of Wellness Recovery Action Plan courses |
| National Lottery Comm Fd-Reaching Communities | Restricted | Creative & Wellbeing Community Hub sessions, staff & overheads |
| NYC Get Going Grant (Lego club) | Restricted | Lego Club for 6-11 years, Bentham |
| NYC Better Connect - Trailblazer 25 26 | Restricted | Keyworker support & core skills for life |
| NYC Better Connect - Rise 2 Thrive | Restricted | Skills & Progression programme |
| NYC Better Connect - Rise 2 Thrive 25 26 | Restricted | Skills & Progressions Programme |
| NYC Better Connect - Multiply | Restricted | Practical numerical skills 1:1 support and group work |
| NYC Communies Grant Achieve - Creative Health | Restricted | Creative Health Development & Impact Framework |
| NYC Health & Adult Services Community Mental Health Contract | Restricted | Craven Community mental health support |
| NYC Health & Adult Services Individual Service Contracts | Restricted | Day time activities and support |
| NYC Library Service Level Agreement | Restricted | Bentham Community Library |
| The Tudor Trust (website and publicity) | Restricted | Development grant for website & publicity |
| SSIA Core 20 Plus 5 WRAP in Craven | Restricted | Delivery of Well Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) course |
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| 8.2 Movement of major funds Fund name Unrestricted funds General unrestricted funds The Monday Charitable Trust Friends of Bentham Library Restricted funds Building Development Fund SELFA - Springboard Bradford 25 - Creative Health CAMHS Uplift Bradford 25 - Social Prescribing Award Bradford VCS Alliance Health Activation Grant AMP Creative Pathways to Wellbeing AMP Little Notes Craven Airedale Wharfedale TCMH Craven Communities Together Garfield Weston Igen Trust NHS West Yorkshire ICB (25/26 Core20Plus5) National Lottery Comm Fd-Reaching Communities NYC Better Connect - Trailblazer 25 26 NYC Better Connect - Rise 2 Thrive NYC Better Connect - Rise 2 Thrive 25 26 NYC Better Connect - Multiply NYC Communies Grant Achieve - Creative Health NYC Health & Adult Services Individual Service Contracts NYC Library Service Level Agreement The Tudor Trust (website and publicity) SSIA Core 20 Plus 5 WRAP in Craven Total Funds Igen Trust (VIA ORB) Creative Bridges to Wellbeing Project BDCT/Cellar/Mind Crisis Alternative Support Fund Safe Spaces NYC Health & Adult Services Community Mental Health Contract |
Balance b/fwd Incoming resources Outgoing resources Transfers Balance c/fwd 329,638 20,296 21,391 - 328,543 - 5,000 1,072 3,928 880 - 500 - 379 330,518 25,296 22,964 - 332,849 175,988 - - - 175,988 4,219 - 4,219 - - - 5,000 2,121 - 2,879 - 13,390 7,935 - 5,456 4,971 18,911 19,503 - 4,378 - 4,000 4,000 - - - 1,529 1,529 - - 1,939 2,098 4,032 - 5 10,326 100,000 109,795 - 531 6,855 - 6,855 - - - 20,000 9,143 - 10,857 - 60,160 30,116 - 30,044 (2) - - - (2) - 9,704 - - 9,704 15,408 25,482 34,589 - 6,302 - 2,725 4,391 - (1,666) (3,869) 24,467 20,598 - - - 7,411 10,440 - (3,029) - 9,121 9,121 - - - 23,330 9,646 - 13,684 2,625 19,186 22,747 - (936) 3,663 3,101 3,395 - 3,369 1,186 4,014 3,887 - 1,313 (622) 4,417 3,795 - - - 2,614 - - 2,614 222,687 360,659 321,858 - 261,489 553,206 385,955 344,821 - 594,339 |
|---|---|
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9. Net assets between funds
| Fixed assets Current assets Current liabilities |
Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total Funds 2025 2025 2025 £ £ £ 277,168 175,988 453,156 58,063 85,501 143,564 (2,381) - (2,381) 332,849 261,489 594,339 |
|---|---|
The Building Development Fund of £175,988 shown in note 8.2 has been fully expended in previous years and is represented by the property included within tangible fixed assets of £453,156 above.
The unrestricted funds in the Balance Sheet amounted to £328,922 being fixed assets of £277,168 and liquid reserves of £55,681. From the liquid reserves of £55,681 the Board have agreed to a Reserves Policy of £ 55,000 Fund
| Reserves policy: Project delivery: Net movement in funds Adjustments for: Depreciation charges Revaluation of property Decrease/(increase) in debtors Increase/(decrease) in creditors Increase/(decrease) in deferred income HSBC Money Manager account HSBC current account petty cash Total 11. Cash at bank and in hand 10. Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash flow from operating activities Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities |
55,000 £ 681 £ 55,681 £ 2025 £ 41,133 1,324 - 2,783 1,050 - 46,291 47,190 92,326 120 139,636 |
2024 £ (48,763) 1,848 0 (1,586) 94 - (48,407) |
|---|---|---|
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