2022-03-31-accounts

(A Company Limited by Guarantee with Charitable Status)

Impact Report and Unaudited Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2022

Registered number: 03500128 (England & Wales) Registered Charity Number: 1072902

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Contents

Contents	Contents
Impact Report for year ending 31st March 2022		Page
1	Introduction	3
2	Achievements and Performance	4
	2.1 COVID-19	4
	2.2 Headline Figures for 2021-22	4-5
	2.3 Participant and Supporter Feedback	5-6
	2.4 Organisational Development	7
	2.5 Programme Development	8
	2.5.1 Hands & Voices	8-9
	2.5.3 IMPs Inclusive Music Projects	9-10
	2.5.4 iMUSE (Interactive Multisensory Environment)	10-11
	2.5.5 Sensory Programme	11
	2.5.5 New Partnerships	11-12
3	Future Plans	12

Financial and Legal Report and Unaudited Financial Statements for the year ending 31[st] March 2022

1	Structure, Governance and Management	13
2	Trustees’ Financial Review	14-16
3	Policies and Risk Management	17-18
4	Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities	19
5	Independent Examiner’s Report	20
6	Statement of Financial Activities	21
7	Balance Sheet	22
8	Notes to the Accounts	23-30
9	Legal and Administrative Information	31

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Accessible Arts & Media

Impact Report for the year ended 31 March 2022

1 Introduction

Accessible Arts & Media (AAM) has been running arts and creative media learning projects in and around York since 1982. We believe that everyone can learn, everyone can be creative, and everyone can play a part in their local community, they just need the right support. We help people develop the skills and confidence to connect with their local community and have more of a say in the things that matter to them. And everyone has a lot of fun along the way!

Vision

Our vision is for an inclusive society. We level the playing field so that everyone’s given the best chance to shine.

Mission

We run a vibrant range of accessible, inclusive, high-quality, and affordable projects, from singing and signing choirs and sensory movement sessions to creative media programmes and one-to-one creative and therapeutic sensory sessions. Our user-led projects help people to find their voice and develop the confidence to use it. And they support people’s wellbeing by helping them feel happy, valued, and connected.

Camaraderie, collaboration, and community spirit are at the heart of everything we do. We bring our own brand of humour and a lively sense of fun to the serious business of supporting people to achieve their aspirations.

We work with disabled adults and young people, older people living with dementia and memory loss, people with mental ill health and community groups in York and North Yorkshire. You’ll find us delivering workshops in schools, businesses and community centres and putting smiles on faces by performing in venues from concert halls to our local supermarket. We make sure our work, knowledge and expertise have a wider impact through strong local, regional, and national networks and partnerships and the creation of learning resources.

We’re experts in creating a caring environment where everyone’s supported to take part in the way that suits them best. It’s a space where you can be yourself. By providing tailored opportunities for personal development and learning, our projects push boundaries and challenge stereotypes around what people can achieve.

We’re registered with the Information Commissioners Office and the Fundraising Regulator, reinforcing our commitment to best practice in data management and ethical fundraising. And we’re accredited as a Living Wage Employer because we believe in paying a true living wage.

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2 Achievements and Performance

2.1 Covid-19

Covid-19, and our response to the pandemic, continued to influence how we worked this year.

The first half of the year saw our team continue to work from home. Similarly, all our projects continued with online sessions, except for our iMUSE for Wellbeing sessions which restarted in April.

We were delighted to hold our first indoor in-person group sessions since March 2020 over the summer holidays, with our IMPs Holiday Clubs and socials for our adult participants. In the Autumn Term, we started partnerships with two fantastic new venues, enabling us to restart regular in-person activities. Acomb Methodist Church became the new home for Senior IMPs, our weekly music group for disabled young people. And New Earswick Folk Hall started to host Movers & Shakers – our popular weekly music and movement group for adults with complex needs.

As the largest of our group projects, with 40 members pre-pandemic, we took the decision to continue hosting Hands & Voices sessions on

Craft and social session

Zoom. Many of the choir members have underlying health concerns and, with singing classed as a ‘super spreader’ activity, it was proving difficult to find a venue large enough for effective and safe social distancing.

Autumn also saw a welcome return to some office working for the AAM team. While the team coped admirably with working from home during the pandemic, it was great to be back in the office together again after such a long gap. Omicron case numbers over the winter meant we returned to home working in January, with a phased return to the office starting again in March this year.

We’re very grateful once again to our funders for being so flexible in their approach to grantmaking this year. This enabled us to continue adapting our programmes to meet the changing needs of our participants as we started to emerge from the pandemic.

2.2 Headline figures for 2021-22

• We supported 219 core participants with regular creative learning and wellbeing activities

• We delivered 597 regular activity sessions, a blend of online and in-person

• We delivered 34 outreach, training and practice sharing sessions that engaged a further 94 participants and professionals.

• 799 people accessed our free leaning resources via our website.

• On average, our social media posts reached 8,490 accounts and received 1,067 engagements every month.

• We worked with 52 partners across the education, cultural, voluntary, health, social care and business sectors.

• 34 fabulous people volunteered with us and collectively gave 258 hours of their time

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• Volunteers’ contribution was worth £2,451 * calculated using the 2021-22 Real Living Wage of £9.50 per hour

• We received pro bono support from professionals and businesses worth £7,600

• We created 683 hours of employment for freelance artists

2.3 Participant feedback

We asked our project participants and the people who support them to tell us about the difference AAM and our activities made to them over the past year.

Participants in our group projects:

• 100% said that taking part in our sessions had made them feel happy

• 96% said taking part has helped them feel more confident

• 94% said taking part has helped them get better at communicating

• 89% said taking part helps them feel connected to friends

• 87% said they feel they have a say in what happens in sessions

When we asked what they enjoyed most about taking part in our sessions, they told us:

“Being together seeing my friends, having a laugh, as well as singing together too.”

“Playing noisy instruments!”

“Freedom to dance, sing and express myself”

“All of it!!! I love all of it.”

Supporters:

IMPs member saying she loves “singing, smile, choirs, together”

The people who support our participants gave the following feedback:

• They gave an average score of 4.5 out of 5 when we asked about the impact taking part in our sessions has had on the confidence of the person they support (where 1 = no impact and 5 = significant impact)

• They gave an average score of 4.3 out of 5 when we asked about the impact taking part in our sessions has had on building positive relationships for the person they support

• They gave an average score of 4.3 out of 5 when we asked if the person they support is given the opportunity to contribute their own ideas

• They gave an average score of 3.9 out of 5 when we asked about the impact our sessions had on the communication skills of the person they support

Their feedback included:

“M is very happy here (you can tell as she is dancing, more chatty and smiling). People are kind and friendly and make the effort to come and say hello to her.”

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“This has been the first activity for J and E since Covid lockdown and it's been something for them to look forward to”

“Singing, playing, performing, receiving applause and positive feedback has help J's confidence enormously. His self-esteem is quite low so the positive reinforcement is invaluable.”

iMUSE for Wellbeing Participants:

• 100% said iMUSE helps them communicate

• 96 % told us taking part has helped them be more mindful

• 82 % feel iMUSE helps them make decisions . Participants often rate their decision-making ability lower than what we observe. They express choice and make decisions throughout each iMUSE session, making sure it’s tailored to their needs on the day.

• 68% told us taking part has helped them feel more confident . The majority of iMUSE participants have anxiety, which negatively impacts confidence, and their ability to objectively assess self-confidence. For many, managing to leave the house and travel to sessions demonstrates confidence they may not feel they have.

Their feedback included:

“It’s a safe place - it's relaxing - there is no pressure. I just gave it a go at first - I wasn't expecting anything. I was surprised how much it has helped. I can’t praise it enough.”

“The sessions were like a long pause, giving me time to recover. I would go in with my mind whirling around and feeling unable to stop it and control it, but in watching, listening, feeling during the session I would suddenly realize I wasn't worrying about my health, in fact I had forgotten about it for a short while.”

We asked everyone to tell us the three words they’d use to describe our online sessions and this is what they told us (the larger the word, the more times it was given as a response):

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2.4 Organisational Development

We’ve developed the following areas in 2021-22:

Organisational Structure:

• Hannah Hardcastle, our Accessible Communication Coordinator, took on the new role of Programme Manager – Learning Disability in May 2021. With 10 years’ experience leading and developing inclusive activities for AAM, Hannah now leads the delivery and development of our programmes with learning-disabled adults and young people.

• We said goodbye to two long-standing members of the team, when Marketing & Campaigns Manager Kelly Langford returned to a career in science in June and iMUSE Development Manager Julie Green retired in July. We’re very grateful to both of them for the difference they made here at AAM and wish them all the best for the future.

• Our new Marketing & Community Fundraising Coordinator, Lauren Harrison, joined us in October.

Operational Systems:

• We reviewed and refined the new digital finance systems we put in place in 2020-21, to make sure they’re robust and flexible enough to keep supporting the organisation as we emerge from the pandemic.

Staff Development:

• We supplemented our in-house training in safeguarding, accessible communication and impact measurement with external training in digital fundraising and sign supported communication.

• We hosted two student placements on our IMPs and Hands & Voices programmes and a work experience placement for one of the young people who takes part in our IMPs programme.

Human Resources:

• We updated our Staff Handbook.

Fundraising:

• We started to rebuild our community fundraising programme, after more than a year of event cancellations.

• We took part in the York Rotary Dragon Boat Challenge for the first time, raising £2,600 for AAM, and we’re absolutely delighted to have been selected as one of the beneficiary charities for the 2022 event.

• We’re very grateful to Libbie Waddleton, who did a daredevil wing walk in aid of AAM and The Dogs Trust, raising over £600 for AAM!

Our Dragon Boat Race team, the incredible Row’lin’ Gnomes ‘Row’ling Gnomes

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• Our Hands & Voices and IMPs singing and signing choirs performed together in public for the first time since 2019, raising £935 at two busking performances.

2.5 Programme Development

The people who take part in our programmes often face difficulty with everyday activities and can end up feeling isolated and cut off. The ongoing development of our projects focuses on helping them:

• learn new skills that they can transfer to other parts of their lives, including education, training and employment;

• explore and connect with the world around them, in a safe, supportive, fun environment;

• • learn to work and communicate with other people, making new friends along the way;

• grow the confidence to have more of a say in the things that matter to them;

• contribute to their local community through workshops, exhibitions and performances;

• feel happier and healthier – all of the above contribute to improved wellbeing.

The above outcomes remained a key focus during the past year, with all project activities – online and in-person - designed with them in mind. Participant wellbeing was also a primary focus, ensuring our participants felt safe, happy and connected.

2.5.1 Hands & Voices

A fully inclusive singing and signing community choir, set up in 1997 to help adults with communication and learning difficulties take part in performances. The Hands & Voices programme includes regular choir rehearsals, performances and outreach workshops co-led by Hands & Voices trainees (members of the choir who are learning how to lead workshops).

“Seeing my friends makes me happy, even on Zoom. It means we can all still see each other”

• 30 people took part (lower numbers than pre-pandemic as some choir members struggled with online sessions) and we delivered 43 rehearsal sessions

A Hands & Voices member, after co-leading a workshop

• We started the year delivering Hands & Voices on Zoom. Having identified a new venue big enough to enable socially-distanced rehearsals, we planned on launching our new hybrid model (with some choir members meeting in person and others joining from home on Zoom) in January. Unfortunately, the Omicron wave of Covid meant we deemed it unsafe to re-start in-person sessions, so Spring term sessions continued on Zoom.

• We held 3 indoor social sessions for members of Hands & Voices over the summer break. It was joyful to have everyone together again for lots of musical games and dancing!

• We hosted a placement for a student studying music at York St John University.

• We were delighted to welcome vocalist and music leader Anna Snow to the Hands & Voices team in January this year. Anna now leads sessions alongside our Programme Manager Hannah.

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• Hands & Voices members joined members of our Senior IMPs group for two busking performances – one in York City Centre in the run up to Christmas and another at Asda, Monks Cross, in February. These were their first public performances since February 2020 and it was incredible to see everyone back together, doing what they love!

• Three Hands and Voices trainees co-led two singing and signing workshops for learningdisabled adults in Door 84’s Community Sparks group.

We’re very grateful to the following Hands & Voices funders and donors for their continued support and flexibility this year: The Pavers Foundation, Rix Thompson Rothenberg Foundation, The Calmcott Trust, York Common Good Trust, The Charles Ruddock Trust, Ron and Beryl Gatenby and City of York Council.

2.5.2 IMPs (Inclusive Music Projects)

IMPs offers year-round fun, inclusive music activities for disabled and non-disabled children and young people aged 5 – 25. The IMPs programme includes weekly sessions during term time (Senior IMPs for young people aged 11+ and Junior IMPs, delivered in partnership with Westfield Community Primary School), holiday activities, and a training programme where participants learn leadership and communication skills. We also deliver outreach workshops in schools, youth groups and other community settings, co-led by our IMPs trainees.

“Made new friends, learnt new songs, singing makes me happy!”

IMPs members busking

• 80 children and young people took part in 64 sessions across the three strands of the programme.

• Senior IMPs started the year on Zoom, using breakout rooms to support young people to develop specific skills they’d identified e.g. signing, playing 7[th] chords, singing.

• We re-started in-person Senior IMPs sessions in September, at our new venue Acomb Methodist Church. We continued the model we’d started on Zoom, using breakout rooms for 1:1/small group skills development work. Some young people who’d taken part in IMPs but had struggled with online sessions re-joined the group. The smiles on everyone’s faces as they got to hang out with their friends again lit up the room!

• We delivered eight IMPs Holiday Clubs (two online and six in-person), fun half-day sessions exploring themes including musical theatre, write your own movie score, a songwriting safari at Askham Bryan Wildlife and Conservation Park and an African sound safari.

• We restarted our Junior IMPs programme at Westfield Community Primary School in the Autumn term, running a weekly music session as part of their after school club.

• We hosted a placement for a student studying music at York St John University.

• Three Senior IMPs members co-led two singing and signing workshops at the NYMAZ SEND Music Gathering (a professional development event for music leaders) and a presentation evening by local charities, organised by York Vikings Rotary.

• Senior IMPs members took part in their first public performances since February 2020 , joining members of Hands & Voices for our two busking performances.

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• Members of Senior IMPs appeared in a short film as part of BBC’s Children in Need celebrations. Big thanks to BBC Look North for capturing our incredible young musicians doing what they do best!

We’re very grateful to the following IMPs funders for their continued support and flexibility this year: Youth Music, the Ed De Nunzio Charitable Trust, Children in Need and City of York Council.

2.5.3 IMUSE (Interactive Multi-Sensory Environment)

iMUSE is a portable interactive multi-sensory environment. It provides a relaxing, therapeutic and creative learning space where participants can connect with the world around them, make their own choices, reduce anxiety and stress and develop non-verbal ways of communicating. It combines relaxation (using vibro-acoustic technology), music and visuals in one-to-one sessions tailored to each individual’s needs and preferences.

An iMUSE for Wellbeing participant relaxing in the iMUSE space

“I usually leave and I feel my lungs can get air inside again - I feel I can do it – anything’s possible - gives me more confidence to feel I CAN do things.”

• We supported 88 people with 426 x 1:1 iMUSE sessions

• We re-started our in-person iMUSE for Wellbeing sessions at York Wellbeing Centre in April 2021, having started again in Autumn 2020 then having to pause due to rising Covid case numbers. These sessions are targeted at adults and young people with enduring mental illhealth.

• We were delighted to re-start iMUSE residencies at Kyra Women’s Project and Ryedale Special Families that were paused in 2020 due to Covid.

• Our iMUSE for Young People strand saw us work with disabled young people from Ryedale Special Families and Applefields Special School (both residencies delivered in partnership with NYMAZ, as part of their Play it Loud programme). We were also commissioned by SELFA to run iMUSE sessions for disabled young people in the Skipton area. And we delivered technical support for Welburn Hall Special School, enabling them to continue developing their use of iMUSE with their students.

• After an 18-month period where our partnership focus was on keeping existing partners updated on what was happening with iMUSE and iMUSE at Home, we started to build new partnerships and referral routes this year once again. Including Mill Lodge, a York CAMHS residential setting, and Better Connect.

iMUSE at Home:

• This year saw the further development of iMUSE at Home, launched during the pandemic to provide wellbeing support for people unable to leave their homes. We successfully trialled iMUSE at Home with adults with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities, who’d previously taken part in in-person sessions.

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• We also spent time this year exploring different combinations of the equipment used in the iMUSE at Home ‘mini kits’ with different participants. In talking to the people who trialled iMUSE at Home during lockdown, we recognised that different people needed different versions of the kit, depending on their wellbeing needs and their levels of confidence with technology. New, stripped back versions of the kit enable people with very little technical know-how to take control of their wellbeing at home by using the kit as and when they need it i.e. without having to wait for a remote session with one of our iMUSE facilitators. Reducing the technical complexity of the kit means people can simply focus on what makes them feel better.

We’re very grateful to the following iMUSE funders for their continued support and flexibility this year: The Igen Trust, The Purey Cust Trust, The Garfield Weston Foundation, The Co-op Community Fund, The Gay & Peter Hartley’s Hillards Trust, and City of York Council

2.5.4 Sensory Programme

Creative and sensory-based activities designed for adults with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD). Activities are designed to help participants develop communication, motor and learning skills. They include music making, arts and crafts, movement/dance, mindfulness activities, storytelling and drama, alongside lots of opportunity for positive social interaction.

“E looks forward to coming and stands by the door waiting to come and always says she's 'had a lovely time'”

Making music at Movers & Shakers Making music at Movers & Shakers

• We supported 21 adults with PMLD who took part in 61 sessions .

• As with our other group programmes, we started the year running Sensory Music and 1:1/small group creative sensory sessions on Zoom.

• Having started the year online, it was brilliant to see our Sensory Programme participants in person, with their friends again, at our summer socials.

• It was even better to be able to re-start our popular Movers & Shakers group, a weekly music and movement session, in person in the Autumn term. We started working with another fantastic new venue – New Earswick Folk Hall.

• We hosted a work placement for a Senior IMPs member, who supported a series of Movers & Shakers sessions.

We’re very grateful to the following Sensory Programme funders for their continued support and flexibility this year: Two Ridings Community Foundation, York CVS (via the Ways to Wellbeing programme) and City of York Council.

2.5.5 Partnership Projects

Bounceback Food – Secret Dishes from Around the World – book launch and podcast:

Having delivered a series of online sessions involving participants from across our programmes in 2020-21, we were thrilled to welcome Bounceback Food CIC to York in October as part of their

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book launch tour. Our participants worked with local artist Adam Higton to create artwork for the Libya section of Bounceback’s new cookery book Secret Dishes from Around the World 3.

It was great to finally meet Duncan and the rest of the Bounceback team in person, and to see our participants’ artwork in print. Several participants joined us at Acomb Methodist Church, to receive their copies of the book and help prepare (and eat!) some of the tasty recipes. Our Development Manager Kirsty and Hands & Voices member Clare were also interviewed for the Secret Dishes from Around the World podcast.

3 Future Plans

Priorities for 2022-23 include:

• Trialling our new hybrid delivery model with Hands & Voices, with some participants together in our new venue (Marjorie Waite Court in Clifton) and others joining on Zoom;

• Staging our first indoor performances since November 2019;

• The second half of the year will see us celebrate Accessible Arts & Media’s 40[th] anniversary, with a Big Birthday Bash concert and social media campaign looking back on some of our highlights from the past four decades;

• Re-establishing our outreach programme and external commissions again. Like us, a lot of our partners focused on keeping their own services going for the past 2 years, and supporting their beneficiaries through the pandemic. It’s been great to re-establish contact with existing and new outreach partners this year, and we’re looking forward to working with them throughout 2022-23;

• Developing our Board, with the recruitment of new Trustees;

• Continuing the development of our organisational structure, bringing on board a new Project Assistant role, to support our programmes for learning-disabled adults and young people.

• Re-starting fundraising events in earnest, with the York Rotary Dragon Boat Challenge, A Night to Remember at York Barbican (annual fundraising concert organised by Ian Donaghy, of which AAM is one of the beneficiary charities) and our own fundraising events in the form of concerts, busking and community-based events like Clothes Swaps.

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Accessible Arts & Media Report of the Trustees and Unaudited Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2022

The Board of Trustees, who are also Directors of the charity for the purpose of the Companies Act 2006, present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31[st ] March 2022. The financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006 and Accounting and Reporting by Charities, Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP 2015).

1 Structure, Governance and Management

a) Governing document

Accessible Arts & Media (AAM) is a company limited by guarantee with charitable status, governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 27[th] January 1998. In the event of the charity being wound up, members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £10 and any assets left over must be given to another similar group.

b) Appointment of trustees

The directors of the company are also trustees of the charity. Under the requirement of the Memorandum and Articles of Association, trustees can be voted onto the board at trustee meetings and members of the organisation can be elected as trustees.

c) Trustee induction and training

New trustees are inducted into the charity, including: their legal obligations under charity and company law, the content of the Memorandum and Articles of Association, the committee and decision-making processes, the business plan and recent financial performance of the charity. During the induction they will have an opportunity to meet key employees and other trustees and to visit project sessions. They are also encouraged to attend appropriate external training events in order to develop their role.

d) Organisation

Trustees meet a minimum of four times a year, with sub-groups for HR & Governance and Finance meeting between full Board meetings. AAM is not a ‘membership’ charity in the legal sense of the word.

A Creative Director is appointed by the trustees to manage the day-to-day operations of the charity. To ensure the effective running of AAM, the Creative Director has delegated authority, within the terms of delegation approved by the trustees, for operational matters including finance, employment and artistic programming.

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2 Trustees’ Financial Review for the Year Ended 31 March 2022

a) Financial Summary

The primary focus for 2021-22 was to respond to the continuing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic ensuring funds were in place for AAM to transition back to face-to-face activity where possible. This included adapting our programmes to meet the changing needs of our participants as we started to emerge from the pandemic.

Trustees were prudent in their approach to managing the transition and the ever-changing situation regarding the pandemic. The Finance Sub-Group met quarterly to monitor and mitigate financial risk and adjust budgets and forecasts in line with the changing situation. We continued to make use of the Government’s Job Retention Scheme at different times while it was in operation, and to varying degrees. This enabled us to keep our much-valued team with us throughout the year

A core aim this year was to start getting back to our pre-Covid budget position. Although the charity is still very much in transition, Trustees were pleased to increase turnover by 4% since last year.

As a result of being able to re-start in-person activity, there was a significant increase in earned income – up 57% on the previous year.

Grant funding (from trusts and foundations, Lottery and public funds) continued to be our main source of income. This year showed an increase of 7% on the previous year. Due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic, income from individual donations reduced by 8%, with the biggest reduction being community fundraising which decreased by 58% on the previous year (when the 2.6 Challenge was our most successful community fundraising campaign to date).

In line our recognition of income policy, £71,000 of income from donations and grants has been removed from 2020/21 and will be charged back in 2021/22. The reason for this is because donors have either specified the grant is to be spent in a future accounting period or until the pre-conditions of the grant have been met.

b) Raising Funds

AAM’s primary fundraising activity consists of grant applications to private trusts and foundations and Lottery funders, written by our Creative Director and Development Manager. We’re very grateful to the individuals and organisations who raised funds for AAM this year. And we’re equally indebted to the individuals who make regular and one-off donations to support our work. Our fundraisers are supported by our Marketing & Community Fundraising Coordinator, who also supports AAM’s own fundraising events and activities.

AAM is registered with the Fundraising Regulator and we’re committed to the standards set out in the Fundraising Code of Practice, reinforcing our commitment to best practice in fundraising. A link to our complaints procedure is included in the fundraising section of our website so that members of the public can notify us of any complaints linked to our fundraising. We received no complaints this year and there were no compliance issues in relation to the Fundraising Code of Practice.

This has been another active year for AAM in terms of raising funds. We’re particularly indebted to the following organisations and programmes for supporting our work with grants to the sum of £176,646:

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The Calmcott Trust The Charles Ruddock Trust Children in Need City of York Council Co-op Community Fund Ed De Nunzio Charitable Trust The Feoffees of St Michael’s Spurriergate Garfield Weston Foundation Gay & Peter Hartley’s Hillards Trust The Henry Smith Charity Igen Trust National Foundation for Youth Music Norman Collinson Charitable Trust NYMAZ Pavers Foundation Postcode Community Trust The Purey Cust Trust Rix Thompson Rothenberg Foundation Sylvia & Colin Shepherd Charitable Trust York Common Good Trust York CVS (Ways to Wellbeing)

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c) Income and Expenditure Breakdown

Costs of raising funds:
Salaries and fees £8,274
Other fundraising costs £3,558
Direct costs:
Salaries and fees £149,505
Direct project costs £10,957
(venue hire, resources, travel
expenses, volunteer expenses,
training)
Marketing £1,135
Project equipment £11,126
Indirect costs:
Salaries & fees £1,827
Premises costs £10,358
Office and admin costs £9,259
(printing, postage, stationery,
insurance, travel, hospitality)
Equipment & IT £2,569
Governance £513
(trustee expenses, accountancy)
Depreciation £1,685

Support costs for our charitable activities equate to 12% of total expenditure. Support costs are allocated proportionately to individual programme budgets, according to the amount of central/core resources drawn upon by each programme.

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3 Policies and Risk Management

a) Pay policy

The pay of staff is reviewed annually and normally increased in line with average earnings and benchmarked against comparable pay levels in other similar organisations. As an organisation, we are committed to the Real Living Wage and registered as a Living Wage Employer in 2017.

We rolled out Workplace Pensions for all staff in January 2017. Trustees sought external advice before approving employee and employer contributions. Employees contribute 3% of their salary to which AAM adds a further 5%.

b) Investment Powers and Policy

Under the Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Charitable Company has the power to make any investments that the Trustees see fit. However, the Charitable Company did not hold any investments during the year ended 31 March 2022, nor does it have any investment plans for the immediate future.

c) Reserves Policy

It is the Trustees’ policy to designate funds to cover planned commitments for future charitable activities and, as far as is possible, for unplanned events. The charity is dependent upon grants, donations, fundraising and earned income to meet expenditure which, as detailed above, is subject to fluctuating economic circumstances. Trustees have therefore noted the importance to AAM of building reserve from unrestricted sources of income. Trustees also recognise that many supporters only wish to make a direct contribution to project activity costs, as opposed to core running costs and the cost of growing our reserve . A core strategic aim is therefore to continue to make fundraising appeals and applications to support core operating costs, as well as a contribution to reserves and the future long-term sustainability of the charity.

Trustees recognise the need for different types of Reserves, as follows:

Restricted funds – to hold in reserve, funding which has been provided by external organisations or individuals for specific purposes.

Designated funds - to hold in reserve, unrestricted income which Trustees have designated for a specific purpose.

Unrestricted Reserves:

• Closure Costs:

• to meet contractual liabilities should the organisation have to close. These include redundancy payments, amounts due to creditors, rents payable and other noncancellable lease and loan commitments. Trustees would also wish to support beneficiaries in transitioning to other services. Trustees believe that this work would be undertaken by AAM staff during their periods of notice, prior to closure.

• Other Needs (External Factors):

• to meet unexpected costs of a material nature such as legal costs or unexpected and substantial non-capital purchases.

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• to allow the charity to change or modify its operation to respond to adverse external factors over which AAM has no control.

• Other Needs (AAM-led):

• to enable the charity to pursue new funding opportunities where some level of upfront investment is required to be able to secure such funding.

• to pilot new projects which have the potential to lead to viability through external funding.

• to make a capital purchase, including software, that will enable AAM to expand an existing or develop a new project or activity.

The Level of Reserves:

• Regarding Closure Costs , Trustees believe it is prudent to hold an unrestricted reserve that would allow the charity to be wound up should the need arise. The level of such reserve will be reviewed annually but is currently set at £30k to £35k.

• Regarding Restricted Funds, this reserve will always reflect income which has been received for a specific purpose but not yet spent.

• Regarding Designated Funds, this reserve is generally received as unrestricted funds then designated by the Board for a specific purpose.

• Regarding Other Needs (External and AAM-led), Trustees will aim to build an unrestricted reserve which would be sufficient to address these objectives. The level of this reserve will be reviewed annually in order that the annual budget can make appropriate provision if it needs increasing.

Our Reserves Policy is reviewed annually. The Finance sub-group meet quarterly to consider performance against the reserve policy objective and report back at quarterly Board meetings (finance is a standing agenda item), including:

• an assessment of the amount of unrestricted reserve available;

• making recommendations for further improving the level of reserve that AAM currently holds;

• assessment of any potential shortfall now and in the future; and

• reviewing the planned specific fundraising aimed at building an emergency operating reserve in adverse economic conditions.

d) Risk Management

The Trustees have considered the risks affecting the organisation, particularly those concerning the flow of funds to meet the programmes, the importance of key personnel, the extent to which the annual business and strategic development plans change and the management of new risks as they arise and allowing the level of reserve to fall below what is considered prudent. The Trustees have a risk management strategy that comprises of:

• An annual review of the risks affecting the organisation;

• The establishment and implementation of policies, systems and procedures to mitigate against those risks identified in the annual review;

• Reserves policy.

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4 Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities

Company law requires the Directors (Trustees) to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the income and expenditure of the company for the year. In preparing those financial statements, the directors (trustees) are required to:

• Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

• Observe the methods and principles of the Charities SORP;

• Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• State whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;

• Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue on that basis.

The Directors (Trustees) are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Disclosure of information

In so far as the Trustees are aware:

• There is no relevant information of which the Charity's Independent Examiner is unaware;

• The Trustees have taken the necessary steps to be aware of the information, which would be relevant for independent examination purposes and have communicated them to the Independent Examiner.

The Trustees have taken advantage of the exemption available to small companies, including the audit exemption (as detailed on the balance sheet).

The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees Annual Report and Accounts on November 25th 2022 and were signed on behalf of the charity’s Trustees by:

Signature: Full Name: Elizabeth M Jones Position: Chair of Trustees Date: 25th November 2022

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• 5 Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Accessible Arts & Media

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of Accessible Arts & Media for the year ended 31 March 2022.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

• accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 386 of the Act; or

• the accounts do not accord with those records; or

• the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

• the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Karen Wood (ACMA)

Outsource independent examination service The Hiscox Building Peaseholme Green York YO1 7P7

Date: 15[th] December 2021

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1. Statement of Fknandal £thlts for the year ended 31st March 2022 Totsl Tatsl Donati(￿ arrfl legacies Charitable actiwities Other tradirq acti%ities 8.3.1 8.3.2 8.3.3 8.3.4 L8.191 183.T16 201,967 186,71X+ 381 12.434 12,815 13,195 4.762 4,762 11,343 Tatsl lrtam• io 21 Expendttsn RaIsI￿ furMIs (haritable actiwties 8.4.1 8.4.2 6.037 11,832 I￿.824 198.934 1,442 217.275 8.110 Totsl 210 766 218 717 N•t 8*lrnllloMs) m Im•sthi•rts Ilot lttom•l(•xpordtsx•) 651 Ilqt rn(v•rn•rt In 651 Totsl l(vward 57. 651 58.057 65.536 T4th1 c•ftl•d f¢Mrd 21

2. Balance Sheet as of 31st March 2022 Nrte 2022 2021 Fixed Assets Tangible assets &7.1 4,493 4.493 5,083 5.083 Totsl Foxed Assets Current Assets Cash at bankand in hand 129,367 4,896 134,263 l(KJ,513 33,817 134,330 Debtors & Prepaymènts Totsl Current Assets CuThent Liabilities: AMOw￿ falli￿ due within one year Creditors and accruals &9 171,8511 62.412 181.3561 52,974 Net c￿nt AssetsllLlabllltles1 Totsl Assets less Cwrent Liabilities 66,905 58,057 Funds of the Charity Unrestricted Funds IGenerall Unrestricted Funds IDesignatedl Restricted Funds 36.905 30,(KK) 27.406 651 Total F￿)& Carrfed Fornvanl &lO The trustees are satisfied that the company is entitled to exemption from the prow5ions of the Companies Att 2￿6 (the Acr) relating to thè audit of the financial statements for the yèar by virtue of settion 477, and that no member or members have ￿quested an audit pursuant to section 476 of the Act. The directors Itrusteesl acknowledge their responsibilities for.. il ensuring the company keeps accounting records which comply with Sertions 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 21KJ6: and ill preparing financial statemerrts which give a true and fair Mew of the state of affairs of the company at the end of each financial year and of its profit and loss for each f inancial 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 5tatement5. $0 far as applicable to the company. The f inancial statements have ￿en prePa￿d in accordance with the 5￿cial promsions of Part IS of the Companies Act 2(K)6 relaiing to small tompanies and with thè Actounting and Reporting by CharitiÈs'. Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland Icharities SORP IFRS 10211. The f inancial statements were approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by.. Ellzal*th j(￿5. Trustee 22

3. Notes to the Accounts forthe year ending 31st March 2022 8 Basis of prepardtion 8.1.1 Basis of acc￿ntI￿a The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention and the Accounting and Reporting by Charities= Statement of Recommended Practice ap￿iCable to charities preparing their account5 in acc(Kdance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (Charities SORP IFRS 10211. 8.1.2 Cha￿e of basis of acccvnti All accounting policies (valuation rules and meth￿5 of accounting) have remained the same except depreaation. The accounting estimate for depreciation is based on straight line basis. 8.1.3 Changè to prèvious act￿ntS There have been no changes in the basis for accounting over the ￿ar. 8 Accounting wlicies Income and endowments Recrenition of income Income from donaticms and grants is recognised when the charity is entitled to the funds. the re￿Ipt is probable, and the amwnt can Measu￿(1 reliably. Income from donations and grants is included in InC￿lIng resources when these are receivable, except as follows- When donors specify that donations and grnnts given to the charity must be used in the future accounting pericxls- The income is deferred and not included in Incomi￿ ￿sourceS until the pre-conditions for use have been met. Income from charitaNe actimties is recognised over the peri￿J to which the income relates. IncomirE resources with related expenditixe Where incoming resources have related ex￿ndIture. the I￿)ming resources and related expenditure are reported gr055 in the SOFA. Graftts and dortations Grants and donations are only included in the SOFA when the charity has evidence of entitlement to the res(yJrces and receipt is probable. Volunteer help The ￿alue of any voluntary help received is not included in accounts but is described in the trustees, annual report. 23

Expenditure and Liabilities Expenditure Expenditure is included in the Statement of Financial ACtI￿tieS on an accruals basis. Raising funds Cost of raising funds comprise those costs associated with attracting M)luntary income. Charitable activities Charitable activities expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its actI￿1t1es and seNces. It includes both costs that can be allctated directly to such actiwties and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to sUp￿t them. Liability recognition Liabi lities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources. Assets Tanglble flxed assets f￿ use by the charlty All fixed assets except software are depreciated or 3 7-year pericl. Software is depreciated over a 3-year peric*l. Where items that would ordinarily be classed as fixed assets are purchased as part of a grant for a specific projectlrestricted fund, they are written off over the peric￿ of time c￿red bythe grant. Fund accounting Unrestricted f unds are f unds which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in f urtherance of the general objectives of the charity. Restricted funds are funds which can only be used for particular restricted purposes withi the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor. 24

8.3 Income and endowments Unrestrlcted funds Restrlcted funds Total 2022 Unresirlrted funds Restrlcted funds Total 2021 8.3.1 Donatlons and legacles Indimdual donations Corporate donations Grants Gift ald Partlclpants, fees 2,204 338 7,174 2,932 5,543 18,191 14,304 16,508 338 176,646 2,932 5,543 201,967 6,983 379 8,952 5,438 3,266 25,018 ii,c4Jo 17,983 379 159,634 5,438 3,266 186,700 169,472 150,682 183,776 161,682 8.3.2 Charftable actlvltles Commissions SLA 381 4,034 8,400 12,434 4,415 8,400 12,815 220 4,575 8,400 12,975 4,795 8,400 13,195 381 220 8.3.3 Other tradlng actlvltles Community Fundraisingactivities Sale5 & merchandise 4,753 4,753 10,905 38 10,943 11,305 38 11,343 4,762 4,762 .3.4 Inve5tment5 Bank Interest 70 70 70 70 Total Income 23.404 196.210 219.614 36.181 175.057 211.238 25

8.4 Expenditure Unrestrlcted fund5 Restr5cted funds Total 2022 Unrestrlrted funds Restrl¢ted fund5 Total 2021 8.4.1 Raising funds Staff salaries Adm inistration fees Other fundra ising costs 2,377 1,641 1,777 5,795 5.897 8,274 1,641 1,917 11,832 1,641 12821 1,359 1,641 11991 1,442 140 6,037 83 83 8.4.2 Charitable artivitles Staff salaries Freelance workers Staff training & recruitment Staff & volunteer expenses Participa nt support costs Venue Hire for events Rent & rates Cleanin8, repairs & maintenance Off ice costs Insurance Web design, marketing & publicitv Projeet resources & consumables Equipment Independent Examiner's fee Membership & subscription Consultancy & professonal fee5 Oepreciation Loss on asset revaluation 107,173 42,331 400 1.803 107,173 42,331 765 2,059 34,366 10,251 94,938 30,568 190 2,050 24 850 757 1,022 3,352 743 2,765 8,007 5,379 500 536 163 129,304 40,819 190 2,050 24 850 757 1,329 5,561 1,388 4,133 8,015 5,443 500 1,034 2,143 3,768 9,967 217,275 365 256 7.177 8,286 1,212 6,541 1,447 682 2,350 10,978 7, 177 10,358 1,401 7,761 1,809 1,615 2,408 11,303 500 589 2,072 189 1,220 362 933 58 325 500 145 307 2,209 645 1,368 444 498 1,980 3,768 9,967 65,431 1,685 1,685 8,110 190,824 198,934 151,844 Total expendlture 13,905 196,861 210,766 66,790 151,927 218,717 26

8.5 Expnse5 & fee5 No tnJstee5 recei%Ed a remunerarion semces rendered during ihe year. nor were any tr￿steeS, out of rxxket expenses reirnbursed. 8.5.1 Fees for eXa￿￿akn rf the a¢wts zozz zozi Indepen¢nt Examiner's fees for reporring on ihe acccmjnts 8.6 Staff C47Sts aNI •mdumerts 2012 2021 Grc6s salaries Employers National Insufdnce Employer's pension Contributions 105.054 122.411 4,371 2,522 129,304 2.913 115,447 Avèrage num￿￿ of employees (full time equivalentl 8.7 FIX￿ assets wcffks￿P Ety15￿•￿t E(Biwent T(al 8.71 Ta￿1￿efiXed assets Cosi or valuatic At 1st Akyil 2021 3.524 5,327 8,851 Additions 1.095 1,095 At 31st March 2022 4.619 5.327 9.946 Deweclation At 1st Awil 2021 1.587 2.181 3,768 Charge for the year 991 1,685 At 31st March 2022 2281 3,172 5,453 Net Book v￿￿e At 31st March 2022 2338 iiss 4.493 At 31st March 2021 1,937 3,146 5,083 8.8 Dlots ond wepoymwts 2022 2021 Delrtots and wepayments Trade debtors Other Debtor5 & Prepayments 4.896 33,817 4,B96 33,817 27

&9 CredIt￿5 acuuals lysis of credit(W5 fallir¥ within year Trade credr(ors Accrued exkEn5es [￿fer￿d income 2022 2021 6.937 5LKI 64,414 71,851 5,908 74,948 81,356 8.10 thwement of funds &IO.l Mty4emert of rnaiw fwM15 awe Wfwd Balan (l￿d FWMI Narne Unrestrtcted FurTrJ5 (Genewall GÈneral UnrÈstrictÈd funds t*signated funds 27.4( I3.￿)5 36,905 57.4C6 I3.￿5 66,905 Restrlrted Fur Adult ILearning Disabilityl IMP5 (Yorkl IMUSE Iyouth Learning Disabiltyl IMUSE Imental well￿1ng} General running costs 38.441 47.296 14.677 38.S31 47,857 14.677 36.C04 59.792 561 59.792 651 196,210 196.861 Trtal Furd5 057 219.614 210.766 66.905 28

Transfer bw•en furl Transfèrs have been nBde to remo¥e ftxed assets from restrtted funds. 2021 sala￿e blfwd K￿nI Balan clfwd FthMI namè Trdrtsfers UNestricted funds IGenerall General unrestricted funds 40.966 15.0 40.966 36.181 17.049 15.000 32.049 27.406 30,IJOO 57,406 Designated lurnds 36.181 66.7￿) Re5trided Furts Ableweb Radio Ableweb Hands & Vcxces IMPS (East Riding) IMPS (York) IMUSE Ilnhousel IMUSE ILearning Disability) IMUSE Imental Wellbeing) iMuSEIOut￿achI NYMA2 IMUSE c￿atiVe Sensory Progrnmme Sern50ry ICYCI Strategic Developrnent General running costs YDrMLJSiC 983 1,635 134 867 19831 11,6351 11341 18671 13581 15991 84 33,383 33,383 697 47.420 47.198 920 561 1.519 15.765 30.403 1.213 4.575 11,095 15.849 30.403 1.213 4.575 11,012 90 1.867 647 11.8671 16471 124,3781 16651 31.203 6.825 549 1,214 9,570 175,057 151,927 32,049 651 Total FurKk SO,$36 211238 218,717 S8,OS7 29

&lll.Z Details Hdd Unrestricted F￿d5 IGeneTrll The General fu￿ is UN￿$tr￿tted aVaila￿e for the general purr#)ses d ihe Charitv. Unrestrlcted Flmds (Designated) The Designated fund is for closure costs Restricted Fund5 The resrricred funds are only available for the wrposes specified lor each fu￿1, which are- alult [LeamI￿ Disability) A creative prograrn rne IcKal adults with learning (fisabilities, including= HaTrds & Voices, inclusive singiw ar¥J signing choir tts help adults with Communicati￿ arnl learnire difficulties cornrnunicate through music and perforrnarKe- and Movers & Shakers. a group of 1earning-dlsa￿ed adults who like to Ret tOget1￿r to SirnE, play. dance. have fun. IMPS (York) A year-round prograrnme of lurn. I￿lUsive music activitie5 for d15abled ar¥J n¢￿-dIsabled child￿Tr and youw people from York and thè surrourKling arèa. IMUSE IY¢xrth Leanwng Disabilityl IMUSE prridÈs a relaxi￿ and c￿atIVe leaming spate wherÈ participants can coThnÈct with the world around t￿m, ma their own choices and develop noTr¥erbal way5 of communicatirÉ. IMUSE (Mental Wellbeiryl IMUSE pr(Mde5 a space where ￿O￿le can ￿lax. forget the OLtside wodd and feel their stress and anxiety red￿e General runnin6 costs Funding that ha5 been secured to tover our (¥ganisational running costs 8.11 Net assets bètwèen IWMIS Total 2022 Balarw at 31st Marth 2021 Fixed a55ets Ojrrent assets CLJrrent lièbilities 4.493 134.263 171.8511 4.493 134,263 171.8511 66.905 66.YY)5 Totsl 20Zi BalarKes at 31st March 2021 Fixed assets Current assets Ojrrent liabilities 5.083 133,679 181.3561 5,083 134,330 181.3S61 651 57N06 651 58,057 30

9 Legal and Administrative Information

Incorporated: England 27[th] January 1998 Registered Company Number: 03500128 (England and Wales) Registered Charity Number: 1072902

Registered and principal office

Sanderson House Bramham Road York North Yorkshire YO26 5AR

Trustees

L Corker L Galliard E Jones S Middleton CEM Wright

Company Secretary

Ms R Kent

Independent examiner

Outsource The Hiscox Building Peaseholme Green York YO1 7P7

Bankers

Yorkshire Bank Queen Victoria Square Hull HU1 3EB

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