essibie .arts and media Accessible Arts & Media (A company limited by guarantee with charitable status) Impact Report and Unaudited Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2025 19, Registered number= 03500128 (England & Wales) Registered Charity Number: 1072902 Contents Impact Report for year ending 31st March 2025 Page Introduction Achievements and Performance 2.1 Headline Figures for 2024-25 2.2 Participant and Supporter Feedback 2.3 Organisational Development 2.4 Programme Outcomes 2.4.1 Developing Communication Skills 2.4.2 Developing Musical Skills & Confidence 2.4.3 Developing Leadership Skills 2.4.4 Building Confidence & New Social Connections 2.4.5 Reducing Stress & Anxiety Future Plans 10 11 12 13 14 Financial and Legal Report and Unaudited Financial Statements for the year ending 31st March 2024 I Structure, Governance and Management 2 Trustees, Financial Review 3 Policies and Risk Management 4 Statement of Trustees, Responsibilities 5 Independent Examiner's Report 6 Statement of Financial Activities 7 Balance Sheet 8 Notes to the Accounts 9 Legal and Administrative Information 15 16 19 21 22 23 24 25 32 Accessible Arts & Media Impact Report for year ending 31st March 2025 I 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 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 ond sensory movement sessions to accessible music moking groups and one-to-one creative and therapeutic sensory sessions. Our user-led projects help people find their voice and develop the confidence to use it. And they support people's wellbeing by helping them feel happy, connected and valued. 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, people with mental ill-health and community groups across York and more widely. 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 monagement and ethical fundraising. And we're accredited as a Living Wage Employer because we believe in paying a true living wage. 2 Achievements and Performance After a successful year in 2023-24 building back from the pandemic, and with our co-founder and Creative Director Rose Kemp retiring at the end of the year, 2024-25 was focussed on consolidation, stability and continuity, and setting the foundations for the next chapter at Accessible Arts & Media (AAM). We carried out consultations with adults and young people to understand gaps in current provision. We also explored how we can work better with a wide range of partners in the learning disability, cultural, mental health and youth sectors, to reduce and remove barriers to access and develop new activities in response to local need. We moved premises, relocating to Clifton Explore in August 2024. Clifton Explore is a new library and community hub seNing Clifton Ward, the city's 2. most deprived Ward. As well as basing our offices at Explore, this has given us our own activity spaces and a sensory room. This creates opportunities for us to move to a more venue-based delivery model and expand our programmes from 2025 onwards. We successfully recruited Chris Farrell as our new CEO, who joined us at the start of April 2025. With a wealth of experience within the charitable sector, especially charities working with in the health and wellbeing sector, Chris brings o new perspective to AAM. Over the coming year he will be developing a new Business Plan, alongside introducing new business processes and financial controls to improve capacity ond resilience within the organisation. All of this involved a considerable amount of change, with some progrommes paused for part of the year to enable the team to manage this process. But it sees us start 2025-26 ready to thrive in an external environment that remains an ongoing challenge. 2.1 Headline Figures for 2024-25 Regular Project Activities Volunteers We supported 136 core participants in regular creative learning and wellbeing activities 43 fabulous people volunteered with us We delivered 232 regular activity sessions They collectively gave 682 hours of their time We created 639 hours of paid employment opportunities for freelance artists Volunteers, contribution was worth £8,593* calculated using the Real Living Wage of £12.60 per hour Community Outreach Performances We engaged a further 424 porticipants and professionals in outreach workshops where adults and young people with learning disabilities took centre sto We delivered 11 outreach, training and practice sharing sessions in the community We reached 2,303 people as audience members We supported 10 Trainees IIMPS and Hands & Voices members) to plan and lead workshops for six organisations Learning Resources Digital Engagement 850 people accessed our free learning resources via our website Our social media posts reached 2,531 accounts and received 298 engagements every month. Partnerships We worked with 46 partners across the education, cultural, voluntary, health, sociol care and business sectors. We received pro bono support from professionals and businesses worth £798 2.2 Participant and Supporter Feedback 104 adults and 32 children and young people took part in our weekly group sessions last year. We asked them to reflect on the difference taking part has made: loo% loo% told us taking part makes them feel happy told us they enjoy meeting and spending time with other people said we listen to their ideas and they have a say in what happens 95% 84% told us they've got better at music this year told us taking part has helped them feel more confident When we asked them what their favourite thing about our projects Is, they told us: I love helping with woykshopsl Singing and being ith other people like me Being with oll my friends Joining in With the singing ond signing because I con't speok or sing the words When we spoke to partiipants, carers and supporters= "She's developed so much more confidence since joining - to see her help deliver a session at York university was amazing." 75% strongly agreed and 130h agreed that taking part helps the peison they 5UPPOrt be more confident and independent 12Wo gave a neutral response 630A strongly agreed and 37% agreed that taking part is important for participants, wellbeing "We see the happiness S gets from taking part and meeting other people" 630h strongly agreed and 370A agreed that taking part helps the person they support develop their communication skills "M struggles to communicate in full sentences and with enough volume and confidence. Honds & Voices helps practise these skills" 50% strongly agreed and 50% agreed that king port helps the perso hey support build positive relationships "She finds it hard to engage with others and build friendships groups so your sessions are brilliant to help do this" We asked everyone to tell us the three words they'd use to describe our sessions, and this is what they told us (the larger the word, the more times it was given as a response): invitin8 like-signing-and-signins soefal active musicengaginginspiring C81 soothing exciting nice life-chan8in8 joyfub motivating njoy entertaining kind welcoming enjoyable goodf u n 10-out-of~10 love • amazing fiffttastic f riendly tabulws re18xinE• f,IVOLifi I.. lively ripnd-l: ti majestic beautiful Inclusive tranquil voice sociable s￿ndS motivational together Positive 2.3 Organisational Development We've developed the following areas in 2024-25. Governance: We completed a Board Skills Audit, ensuring we have the right mix of skills and experience within our Trustees. This audit will inform the recruitment of new Trustees in 2025-26. Our Board signed off our Inclusion, Diversity, Equality and Access (IDEA) Policy as well as reviewing our Risk Management, Reserves and Recruitment policies. Financial Management: We reviewed our financial management systems and accounting practices, moving to new cloud-based accounting software to give us greater transparency and efficiency. Staff Development: We supplemented our in-house training in safeguarding, accessible communication and impact measurement with external training in finance, business processes, safeguarding, sign supported communication, First Aid, Mental Health First Aid, evaluation, and inclusive music- making. Fundraising: We're very grateful to all the individuals and organisations who've supported our work by fundraising for and donating to AAM this year. Highlights include: Pool Bridge Farm organised 'Pool Bridge Has Talent, event (complete with X-Factor style judges and some brilliant performances from the Pool Bridge community) and raised £1,115 for AAM. We received a generous donation of £600 from long-time friends of AAM The Gateway Club, Students at Bootham School raised an AAM-azing £330 by running a New York-themed cafe during their run of Fame - the Musical! The Euphonics Ladies Choir raised £156 for AAM by holding a raffle at their Christmas concert, thank you! Members of Hands & Voices, IMPS and Movers & Shakers raised £1,297 in two busking performances. Long-time supporters JNJS Classic Soul raised £690 for AAM at one of their fantastic soul nights. Hands & Voices member Chelsea raised £304 for AAM by making and selling fabulous Christmas sweet treats. We're very grateful to the family of Ruth Kent, a long-term supporter of AAM who sadly passed away in March. Her family collected donations to AAM in memory of Ruth and raised £672. Our brilliant Social & Events Group, made up of project participants, supporters and volunteers, raised £543 by organising cafes at two of our gigs (with some very tasty cakes!) 2.4 Programme Outcomes The people who take part in ourprogrammes often face difficulty with everyday octivities and can end up feeling isolated and cut off. The ongoing development of our projects focuses on supporting their wellbeing by helping them: learn new skills 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, moking 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 and performances; feel happy, valued ond connected. Here are a few examples of what our amazing participants have achieved over the last year. 2.4.1 Developing Communication Skills Communication's at the heart of all our projects. We train our team in Total Communication, an approach that values and uses all means of communication equally. For some people, this might be speech and signing, others might use voice tone, body language and faciol expression. For others it might be using pictures, or making a choice using objects. We also troin our team in Intensive Interaction. It's a communication method focused on developing fundamental communication skills through playful, responsive interactions, emphasizing shared enjoyment and two-way communication. Using Total Communication and Intensive Interoction ensures our participants can all express ideas, opinions and choices. It means they can all have a say in how their projects develop, and feel respected, heard and valued. In Movers and Shakers, participants develop communication skills that might be considered a small development but actually represent big milestones. Meet Ellie: Ellie attends our weekly Movers & Shakers sessions. She's non-verbal, with limited communication. She communicates through facial expression and physical choices. Ellie regularly attends Movers and Shakers, and when she first started coming, she would often sit clasping her toy in both hands with her head down Gnd often with her eyes closed. ext Through attending Movers and Shakers, Ellie's now more communicative, using eye contact, body language and facial expressions. Rather than continually looking at her hands, Ellie now holds her head up for on increasing length of time, watching other participants as they arrive (Ellie's way of say hello), She focusses on individuals os they sing or dance and sometimes smiles at the facilitator as she arrives at sessions. Ellie has also increased her level of engagement with different activities. Two years ago, she wouldn't hold anything other than the toy she always carried with her; however, this year she's started to make active choices to hold and play different musical instruments. Ellie has shown her ability to choose between different instruments, to reach out her hand to take a beater to hold, and to play one of the touch-tone bells. This represents big developments. 2.4.2 Developing Musical Skills and Confidence Our IMPS programme, Inclusive Music Projects, is for young people with disabilities. Like all our project, our Senior IMPS group, for young people aged Il+, is user-led - they tell us what they'd like to do, and we try and do it! The group have enjoyed choosing their favourite songs to play as a band this year. They've each speciolised in their chosen musical instrument, which have included accessible apps on the iPad, keyboard, singing and signing and some ukulele. They also love writing songs, and were even asked by our friends at York Theatre Royal to write them a song for their show. Meet Jess: Jess is a long-standing member of Senior IMPS and has always enjoyed music. She loves singing her favourite pop songs and hos a strong and steady sense of rhythm. Over the lost yeor at IMPS, Jess has chosen to develop her keyboard skills os her specialist instrument. She's learnt melodies and harmonies for cover songs, and also improvises with the group and creates her own tunes in jams. Jess's improvement has been incrediblel At the beginning of the year, Jess would tend to repeat a few musical phrases that she knew whenever she went to the keyboard. She's now able to play a much wider range of music, including passages that require much greater skills of memory and technique. She's also able to respond creatively to musical ideas presented by other members of the group by finding new melodies and harmonies that fit with their ideas. 10 Jess confidently identifies herself as a keyboard ployer, but is also now able to share the keyboard with other people, and try new instruments herself - something that was extremely difficult for her at the beginning of the year. Her musical memory, technical skill, confidence ond ability to work independently have grown enormously throughout the year. What a superstar! 2.4.3 Developing Leadership Skills We believe everyone should have the chance to shine. One way we do this is through giving our amazing participants centre stage ond supporting them to lead activities, workshops and events. Working with the AAM team, participants learn how to be workshop leaders. They learn the skills needed to facilitate a music workshop, including planning, communication, adapting your style and the workshop content for different groups and how to break down activities into bite-sized chunks. They plan the workshop alongside the facilitator. They discuss who the workshop's for and choose what warm-ups to do, songs and activities to include. They then evaluate the workshop afterwards. They talk about what went well, how the workshop audience engaged, and what they'd do differently if they were to repeat the workshop. Our trainee workshop leaders are incredible. They rarely get phased, no matter who the audience in front of them is. In workshops, they're the experts sharing their skills. This has a huge impact on both their self-esteem and on the workshop participants and their perception of people with learning disabilities. Meet D: D's a fabulous leader, across several of our projects. He's a member of Senior IMPS, he's volunteered at Movers and Shokers and he's part of our Socials and Events Group (participants, supporters and volunteers who help us plan and deliver gig5 and fundraising events). D has cerebral palsy ond learning disabilities, which causes him to have selective mutism. Through taking part in our projects, he's gained confidence in speaking out. He now confidently conveys his ideas for project activities and is great at giving us feedback on how sessions have gone and how people interacted. New people and places are hard for D to navigate, but he's always one of the first people to volunteer to help deliver a workshop. And he's great at it This year was no exception. He and Finn taught 100 volunteers a warm-up and a song for York CVS, Celebration Day. Not only did D teach the warm-up and song confidently, he also guided Finn - who's less experienced thon him- through the workshop. 11 D kept Finn on track, and AAM staff didn't need to be there- D and Finn could, and did, lead it all themselves! 2.4.4 Building Confidence and New Social Connections Our projects all place a big emphasis on social interaction. We make sure our projects are a safe space. Participonts can be their true selves, rather than having to put on a mask, which they might feel they have to do in other situationslcontexts. Meeting each week allows participants to get to know each other and form friendships. Performances each term gives them the chance to bring their friends and family together for o dance at our Barn Dance Bash, or to showcase what they've been up to in our Big Spring Showcase. Regular social activities are held throughout the year, especially in the summer holidays. Our regular sessions take a break over the summer. We run regular social activities so participants have o chance to keep in touch with their friends, try something new and reduce any anxieties they might have about returning to project routines ofter a break. Meet Chelsea: Chelseo is one of the newest members of our Hands and Voices choir, joining us in September 2024. When Chelsea's Mum first got in touch with us, she mentioned that she has anxiety ond depression alongside her other disabilities and 'she may not speak to anyone directly to begin with and eye contoct is unusual but she communicates verbally,. When Chelsea started, she wasn't confident speaking to anyone but her Mum. She kept her head down and didn't make eye contact with onyone. Fast forward a few months and Chelsea is a different person! Initially, Chelsea started to chat more with Hannah and Anna, our Hands and Voices facilitators. Then she started to speak out in front of the whole choir about a fundraising event she'd done for Hands and Voices. New places and faces are a real challenge for Chelsea. But because of the kindness of the other Hands and Voices members, and the routine and stability the group has provided, she felt able to come to her first performance, which was our Barn Dance in October. 12 It was a new building for her, an unknown structure of a performance and a big audience, and she smashed it- she got up and performed and was brilliant! She gained so much confidence that she wanted to become a workshop leader. She led her first workshop in March at The University of York, for postgraduate students studying Community Music. She was confident, speaking loudly and clearly, giving eye contact, and even joking with Jodie, our Project Assistant, in front of the group of students. The students who took part gave Chelsea really positive feedback, including: "I really loved the insights you offered and was really pleased you shared your experiences" "You did really great!"and 'Supercalifrag ilisiticl 71 Safe to say, this won't be the last workshop Chelsea leads! Through Hands and Voices, Chelsea has become a confident and social member of the group. She'll now happily say hello and have conversations with other members, and will often joke about with the facilitators (she's great at keeping us on our toes!)! 2.4.5 Reducing Stress and Anxiety At the start of 2025, we were able to reintroduce our IMUSE programme in its own dedicated sensory room at our new home at Clifton Explore. IMUSE provides a safe, relaxing and creative space where people can connect with the world around them and take control of their wellbeing. It's o l-to-l therapeutic multi-sensory experience, aimed at reducing anxiety and stress levels. What this means for Carrie: We were blown away earlier in the year when Carrie, one of our IMUSE participants, presented us with a collage she created to bring to life what IMUSE means to her. She tells us "It's like I have control... It's easier to be myself for a bit", and what a wonderful way to express this! C e311¥p. What it means to me LISIE Iht recover 81 UP. WAY TO co FOR 13 3 Future Plans Priorities for 2025-26 include: Reviewing our three-yeor ambition and business plan in line with the needs identified in the consultotions we completed in 2024-25. Recruiting new Trustees to further strengthen our Board. Building our Community Engagement programme and working with partners to ensure all those who might benefit from our support know about us and can access it. Building our stakeholder engagement through our work with the NHS, City of York Council, the Combined Authority and providers across the region to align our seniices with priorities in health and social care. Fundraising for the expansion of our sensory progromme. Continuing to expand our facilities at Clifton Explore through securing funds to fit sensory sound and light equipment in our breakout room. Improving access and inclusion by fitting a ceiling hoist in our IMUSE room. 14 Accessible Arts & Media Report of the Trustees and Unaudited Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March2025 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" March 2025. The financial statements comply with the Componies Act 2006 and Accounting and Reporting by Charities, Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP 2015). Structure, Governance and Management a) Governing document Accessible Arts & Media (AAM) is a company limited by guarantee with charitable status, th governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 27 January 1998. In the event of the charity being wound up, members ore 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 con 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 ond 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 a Finance and Risk sub-group 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. With the retirement of the long term Creative Director at the end of the financial year, from I, April 2025 AAM will be led by our new Chief Executive. 15 2 Trustees, Financial Review for the Year Ended 31 March 2024 a) Financial Summory The 2024-25 financial year continued to be one of consolidation as we navigated our woy through the ongoing cost of living crisis, challenging economic climate, and the resulting impact on both our participants and our operoting costs. We closed the year with a £10,424 deficit compored to a £5 surplus the previous year. This was almost entirely linked to non-recurrent recruitment costs. We're holding £58,642 in reserde at the close of the year of which £33,000 has been designated for managed closure costs leaving £25,642 free reserve. The Finance Sub-Group met quarterly to monitor and mitigate any financial risk and adjust budgets and forecasts accordingly and Trustees were reassured that the charity managed to deliver a solid performance, with income and expenditure broadly in line, despite the continued challenging external landscape. Grant funding (from trusts and foundations, Lottery and public funds) continued to be our main source of income. Given the competition for funding from these sources, we saw a slight decrease in this areo, with total income achieved ot £146,351. However, feedback from unsuccessful bids hos highlighted the volume of opplicotions funders are receiving, rather than raising any concerns about the quality of our application. And we were reassured a number of our key funders confirmed they would continue to be willing to consider multi- year requests. Earned income increased by 32%, from £10,465 to £13,800. This was a particular success, given that a number of progrommes were put on hold due to funding and the move to Clifton Explore . With 'A Night to Remember'_ our biggest community fundraising event for a number of years moving to a biannual basis, we saw a fall in Community Fundraising income from £13,200 to £5,465. A Night to Remember returns in 2025 and AAM has been confirmed as one of the beneficiary charities. Further community fundraising activities confirmed for 2025-26 include an English Channel Swim by the brother of one of our longstanding participants and a Yorkshire 3 Peaks challenge, taken on by a teom of staff, supporters and volunteers. In line with our recognition of income policy, £69,250 of income from donations and grants has been removed from 2024-25 and will be charged back in 2025-26. This is because donors have specified the grant is to be spent in a future accounting period or when the pre- conditions of the grant have been met. 16 b) Raising Funds AAM'S primary fundraising octivity consists of grant opplicotions to private trusts and foundations and Lottery funders, written by our Creative Director, Development Manager and Programme 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. We stage our own AAM fundraising events and activities, with 'Lets Porty, in March 2025, to mark the retirement of our Creative Director, a highlight of the year. 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 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 Proctice. This has been another active year for AAM in terms of roising funds. We're particularly indebted to the following organisations and progrommes for supporting our work with grants to the sum of £146,351: Borchester's Charitable Foundotion Benenden Health The Calmcott Trust The Charles & Elsie Sykes Trust City of York Council CL & JS Cadbury Trust D'oyly Carte Charitable Trust Edgar E Lawley Foundation The Feoffees of St Crux The Feoffees of St Michael's Spurriergate Garfield Weston Foundation Green Hall Foundation Handicapped Children's Action Group The Igen Trust The Lilian and Kenneth Horrison Trust Norman Collinson Charitable Trust Pavers Foundation Postcode Neighbourhood Trust The Purey Cust Trust Rix Thompson Rothenberg Foundation The Sylvia & Colin Shepherd Charitable Trust Two Ridings Community Foundation Whitwam Family Charitable Foundation Youth Music 17 3 Policies and Risk Management a) Pay policy The pay of staff is reviewed annually and normally increased in line with average earnings and benchmorked ogainst comparable pay levels in other similor organisations. As an organisation, we are committed to the Real Living Wage and registered os a Living Wage Employer in 2017. We rolled out Workplace Pensions for all staff in Januory 2017. Trustees sought external advice before approving employee and employer contributions. Employees contribute 3 % of their salory to which AAM odds a further 5 %. b) Investment Powers and Policy Under the Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Charitable Company has the power to moke any investments that the Trustees see fit. However, the Charitable Company did not hold any investments during the year ended 31 March 2025, nor does it have any investment plans for the immediate future. c) Reserves Policy It is the Trustees, policy to designate funds to cover plonned 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 hove therefore noted the importance to AAM of building a resende 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. Therefore, we will continue to make general fundraising appeals and applications to support the general costs of the organisation, including operating costs, 05 well as enabling us to moke a contribution to our unrestricted reserves thus supporting the future sustainability of the charity. Trustees recognise the need for different types of Reserves, as follows: Restricted funds - to hold in reserve funding which hos been provided by external organisations or individuals for specific purposes. Designated funds - to hold in resenie unrestricted income which Trustees have designated for a specific purpose. Closure Costs - The Board hos designated £33k to meet contractual liabilities should the organisation have to close. These include redundancy payments, amounts due to creditors, rents payable and other non-concellable 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 stoff during their periods of notice, prior to closure. 18 Unrestricted Reserves: Other Needs (External Factors): to meet unexpected costs of a material nature such as legal costs or unexpected and substontiol non-copitol purchases; to allow the charity to change or modify its operotion to respond to adverse externol factors over which AAM has no control. Other Needs (AAM-led): to enoble the chority to pursue new funding opportunities where some level of up-front 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 orise. The level of such reserve will be reviewed annually but is currently set ot £45k. Regarding Restricted Funds, this reserve will alwoys reflect income which has been received for a specific purpose but not yet spent. Regarding Designated Funds, this reseNe is generolly 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 and Risk sub-group meet quarterly to consider performance against the reserve policy objective and report back at quarterly Board meetings (finance is a stonding agenda item), including: an assessment of the amount of unrestricted reserve ovailable; 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 ot building an emergency operating reserve in adverse economic conditions. d) Risk Management The Trustees have considered the risks affecting the orgonisation, 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. 19 The Trustees have a risk management strategy that comprises of: An annual review of the risks offecting the orgonisotion by the Boord, with quarterly reviews by the Finance and Risk Committee; The establishment and implementation of policies, systems and procedures to mitigate against those risks identified in the annual review; Reserves policy. 20 Statement of Trustees, Responsibilities Compony law requires the Directors (Trustees) to prepare financial statements for eoch financial year, which give a true and foir 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; Obsenie the methods and principles of the Charities SORP; Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; State whether applicable occounting 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 irregulorities. Disclosure of information In so far as the Trustees are aware: There is no relevant informotion 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 ovailoble 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 XXX and were signed on behalf of the charity's Trustees by: Signature: Full name: Lucy Galliard Position: Chair of Trustees Date: 22" August 2025 21 5 Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Accessible Arts & Media I report to the charity trustees on my examinotion of the accounts of Accessible Arts & Media for the year ended 31 March 2025. 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 preporation 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 os carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act,). In carrying out my examination I hove 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 moterial matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me couse 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 o 'true and foir 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 ond reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their occounts 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 enoble a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Karen Wood (ACMA) Outsource independent examination service The Hiscox Building Peaseholme Green York YOI 7P7 Date: 22" August 2025 22 6. Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31st March 2025 UNestrirted Restricted funds funds Totsl 2025 Total 2024 Note Income and endowments from: Donations and legacies Charitable activities Other trading activities Investments 8.2.1 8.2.2 8.2.3 8.2.4 73,099 8,397 6,890 2, 106 S,600 94,237 78,699 102,634 6,890 2,106 42,151 171,636 15,370 6.000 Total Income 90,492 99.837 190.329 235,157 Expendlture on: Raising funds Charitable activities 8.3.1 8.3.2 4,350 103,961 12,609 79,833 16,959 183.794 16,138 219,014 Total expenditure 108,311 92,442 200,753 235,152 Net galns/(losses) on Investments Net Income/(expenditure) (17.819) 7.395 (10.424 Gross transfers between funds 7,395 7,395 Net movement In funds 10,424 10,424) Total fund5 brought forward 69,066 69,066 69.061 Totsl funds carrfed forward 58,642 58.642 69,066 23 7. Balance Sheet as of 31st Marth 2025 Note 2025 2024 Axed Assets Tanglble assets 8.6.1 3846 3846 2772 2772 Total Axed Assets Cash ai bank and In hand (k>btors & Prepayments 139032 147892 819 148711 87 Total Cwrent Assets 139092 Curnt Uabllltles: Ar￿Unts falllnt due wlthln one year Creditofs and accruals Net Current Assets/{Uabllltles) 842% 54796 82417) 66294 Total Assets less Current Uabllltles $8642 69066 Funds of the Charlty Unrestricted Funds (General) Unrestricted Funds (Designated) Restricted Funds 25642 331X)O 24 Total Funds Caffled Forward 58642 69066 The trustees are satisfied that the company is entitled to exemptK>n from the provisions of the Companies Act 2(￿ Ithe Act) relatin8 to the audit of the financial statements lor 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 difectors {trustees) acknowledge their responsibilities for: i) ensurirvd company keeps accounting records whKh comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companles Act 21J%•: and 11) prepamg financlal statements which give a true and fair view of the stale of affalrs of the company at the end of each financial year and of its profrt and loss for each financial year ift accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relatH￿ to financial statements, so far as appkncable to the company. The finandal statements have been prepared In accordance wilh the speclal provisions of Part IS of the Companles Act 2006 relatin8 to small cornpanles with the Accountin8 and Reportin8 by Charities: Siaterneni of Recoryknended Practice applicable 10 charities preparin8 their accounts in actofdance with Ihe Flnandal Reportin8 Standard applicable kn the UK and Republk ol Ireland Icharities SORP IFRS 1021). The finarKlal sutements were approved by the trustees *)d s*ned on thelr behalf by: Lucy Ganiard. Chlr of Trustees 24 8. Notes to the Accounts for the year ending 315t March 2025 8.1 Basls of preparatloft 8.1.18asls of acC￿ntIn6 The fina￿la1 statements are wepared under the hIst￿Ical cost convention and the Ac£ountin8 and Reportin8 bv Charities: Statement of Rec(wnmerKted Practice ap￿icable to charities weparin8 their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK arKI Republic of Ireland (Charities SORP (FRS 102)). 8.1.2 thanse of basls d aecwntlnl All accounting ￿1cleS (valuation rules and methods of accounting) have remained the same except depreciation. The a(C￿ntIng estimate fcr deweaation is based cffi strai8ht line basis. 8.1.3 Change to prevlous accounts There have been no chan8e5 in the basis for accounti￿ over ihe year. Acco￿tIng pollcles 8.2 I￿oMe and eniknwments Reco8nltlon of IK¢xne Incorne from d￿ationS aThl grants is reco8nised w￿n the tharity is entitled to the funds, the receipt Is yobable. and the amount can be measured reliably. Income from d￿ationS 8rants. Is IncliKled in Incsts •nd •fflo 2025 2024 Gross salarie5 Ern￿O￿t5 Na110￿1 8S,368 115.920 3.837 3.131 A*rn8e ThJnber 01 ernpltrffts If￿] time ery•vdlertJ &6 Flxed assets W(YkslKy Ewlrthert 8A1 Taryl* fthed •ss•ts t or vahAllon Al 1st Awil 2024 4.619 11.659 At 31st Marth 202S 4.619 14.159 At 1st Awil 2024 3.974 4.913 8.887 Irge for Il* ￿ar 645 781 1.426 At 31st Maith 202S 4.619 S.694 10.313 Net 8oak Vakh• At 315t Marth 202S 3.846 At 31st Mafth 2024 645 2,127 2,772 2025 2024 Tfade debt￿$ Prepaid insirwKe 819 819 29 8.8 Creditors and accn￿lS Analysis of credltors tallir¥ due within year Trade creditor5 PAYE & NI Rension liability Accrued payroll & expenses Deferred income 2025 2024 11.407 1,106 1,841 692 69.250 84,296 3.761 600 78.056 82,417 .9 M¢wement of funts 8.9.1 Movement d major fuThJs 2025 Balance b/fwd lrtomi (kn801 BalarKe clfwd Fund Name resources Transfers Unrestricted Funds (General) General Unrestricted funds Oesi8nated funds 24,066 45.0(Xl 69.066 90,492 108.311 19.395 12,000 7,395 25.642 33,000 58,642 90.492 108.311 Restrlrted FUNIS Hands and Voice IMUSE (Mental Wellbeing) Sensory Inclusive Music Proierts 33.606 14,0 7.270 44,961 99.837 27.497 5,962 16,509 42,474 16.109 (8,0381 9.239 12,487 7.395 Totsl Funds 190 329 30 Transfer trtheen lunds Designated funds have been reduced by £12,0￿. Surpkjs fiJThJs have been transferred from reStr￿ted to uNestrtled to cover core r￿nry costs wth Ihe dcxK¢s rn6sx￿. 2024 Balarfe blfwd Incoml Outgol 1•s¢wrces Bala￿e fwd Fund name r•sources Transfe Unrestrkted funds (Ge￿ra1) General unrestricted funds Designated funds 24.061 45.0(J) 69.061 52.072 55.699 3.632 24.1166 45,(X)O 69,066 52.072 55.699 3.632 Restricted Funds AdtAt (Learniro Disability) IMPS (York) IMUSE (Mental Wellbei￿) General fUMin8 Costs 37,515 54,270 49.844 41,456 183,085 44,406 47,872 4S.719 41.456 179.4S3 6.891 16,398) 14.125) 3.632 Total FuTrJs 69,061 235,157 235,152 69,066 31 8.9.2 D•t•lls al FU￿ Held UM•stfktod Funds IG•nern The Get￿ra1 lurMI is wwestricled aTrJ a￿lIable fiy the 8er*rnl vp05￿ ol ihe Chrity. Umestrkted FuThts IDeslGhats Iksisnated is f¢Y daswe o)sts Restricted Fund5 restficted fwKls are ¢x4y trdllalje for the pxposes specified eath furf whith artr. H*NIs and Voke A ueati%r w(¥aramme for l(Kal a(knltS Wlth learni￿ (%sat*lities ifKlwliry: HaN15 & V(Kes. i￿lusiVe SI￿1￿ aNI signi c￿lf to ￿1P addts wilh cryThm￿c3t1c￿ aNI learnir48 difficdties c(Xnm￿Cate Ihr(Kryh music and perfmarKe arnl thmrs & Shakers. a 8frxp of leamiry.thsabled a¢￿1$ WIKI like to get tOget￿r lo SI￿ ￿ay. da￿e. aml have fwk IMUSE {V*rtal Wellbdry) A ￿ar.rImVKl w(Ydramme of I￿ I￿luSi￿ m￿siC activities for thsabled arnl rxTr(&salled thil(tren arnl fnxn arnl the surr(Am￿￿ area. IMUSE Fxo¥ides a space wlwe can rela& l(xEet ￿Side W￿ld arnl feel ts*ir siress aNI aruiety reqhKe that has t*en secwed to C(V•W ¢XW ¢Y8anisatio￿l costs Urnestrkted Restrkt Fu T(*al 2025 Balartes at 3tst Marth 202S Fixed assets c￿￿Trt assets Cwrent liabilities 3.846 139.092 184.296) 139,092 184,2961 Urn•stricted Restrkted T(Aal 2024 Bal•nc•s at 31st Marth 2024 Fixed assets Cwrent assets Cwrent liats'liti 2.772 148.711 182.417) 2.7n 148.711 182,417) 69.066 32 Legal and Administrative Information Incorporated: Registered Company Number: Registered Charity Number: th England 27 Januory 1998 03500128 (England and Wales) 1072902 Registered and principal office Clifton Explore Rawcliffe Drive York Y030 6NS Trustees L Corker (resigned 16 August 2024) L Galliard E Jones {resigned 10 May 2024) th th th S Middleton (resigned 26 February 2025) PMJ Baumann ME Cross J Anderton DC Martin Company Secretary Ms R Kent Independent examiner Outsource The Hiscox Building Peaseholme Green York YOI 7P7 Bankers Virgin Money 10-12 Paragon Street Hull HUI 3ND 33