SOUND SENSE - Financial Statements For the year ended 31 March 2024 *s -
Company registration number 3933421 Charity number 1080918 [7 * a
Members of the board and professional advisers . = It - Page 2 Trustees annual report =a Pages 3- 8 b a Independent examinees statement to the members *. al . Page 9 Statement of financial activities Leal]od -3 — Page 10 La Balance sheet = Page 11 Cashflow statement -= Page 12 . Notes to the financial statements Pages 13 -18 4
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Members of the board and professional advisers The board of trustees Carol Bowden Dave Camlin Rebecca Denniff Kimberley Harper Lee Holder Xenia Horne Eleanor Knott Gica Loening Tenley Martin Holly Radford-james Jessica Pitt Ceri Tippetts Rory Wells Company secretary Clare Adams Reglstered offlce Sound Sense LCB Depot 31 Rutland Street Leicester LEI IRE Correspondence address Sound Sense LCB Depot 31 Rutland Street Lelcester LEI IRE Independent examlner Ed Day Accountant Pipistrelles, Barn Pond Hall Road Hadleigh IP7 5PQ 21 Page
Trustees, annual report The trustees, who are also directors for the purposes of the Companies Act, have the pleasure of presenting their report and the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2024. REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS The full name of the company is Sound Sense, registered company number 3933421. The company is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Details of the company's registered offlce and other company information are set out on page 2. The trustees who are also company directors, who senied the charity durlng the year and/or during the preparation of this report were: Jessica Abrams Mark Blck Carol Bowden Dave Camlln Chalr, resigned 26 October 2023 Resigned 26 October 2023 Elected 12 October 2023 Elected 23 October 2024 Resigned 23 October 2024 Cholrfrom 26 October 2023 Elected 12 October 2023 Elected 26 October 2023 Sarah Fisher Rebecca Denniff Kimberley Harper Lee Holder Xenia Horne Eleanor Knott Gica Loening Ashleigh Lowes Tenley Martin Marina Perryman Jessica Pitt Holly Radford-james Georgia Reitano Ceri Tippetts Rory Wells Elected 26 October 2023 Elected 23 October 2024 Resigned 26 October 2023 Elected 26 October 2023 Resigned 26 October 2023 Elected 12 October 2023 Elected 26 October 2023, resigned 8 April 2024 Elected 23 October 2024 STRucfuRE. GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT The company is constituted as a private charitable company limited by guarantee. The company's objectives and powers and other constitution31 matters are set out in its governing document and its Memorandum and Articles of Association. Appointment of trustees to Serve on the board of directors requires election by the members. All members are informed in advance of their right to stand for election and are encouraged to do so. Trustees also take steps to encourage nominations from member groups under-represented on the board. The Articles of Association provide that one-third of the board retire at each annual general meeting. The Articles allow any member who has senied for not more than two consecutive terms of three years and any former member 3 | Page
who has not served during the previous twelve months to offer themselves for election to the board. The board is entitled to appoint further trustees to fill casual vacancies or to increase their number until the next annual general meeting. Any person so appointed to the board must be a member of the company. The board may also appoint non-members with specialist skills or knowledge on a yearly basis for up to six consecutive years. New board members benefit from an induction process at their first board meeting and contact with and support from the chair thereafter. A chair is elected bythe trustees to serve for three years, after which they must resign from the board. Jessica Abrams was elected as chair on 29 October 2020 and sen4ed until 26 October 2023. Rebecca Denniff was elerted as chair on 26 October 2023. The trustees in the form of the Board of Management are responsible for the overall strategic development and control of the charity's activities. Sub-committees may also exist to deal with various issues. Day to day operational management of the charity is delegated by the trustees to Sound Sense staff. Throughout 2023124, Clare Adams continued to serve as part-time General Manager, our sole permanent employee. Two people joined the staff team on part-tlme freelance contracts: Claire Francis as Communications Manager In May 2023 and Basma Sbihi as Membership Coordinator in June 2023. The trustee5 have conducted a review of the major risks to which the charity is exposed and systems have been established to minimise those risks. Significant external risks to funding are minimised by carrying a reasonable level of unrestricted reserves. Internal risks are mlnlmised by the implementation of procedures for authorisation of transactions. These procedures are periodically reviewed to ensure that they still meet the needs of the charlty. OBJEcfivES AND ACTIVITIES Objectlves Sound Sense is established to promote, maintain, improve, and advance education particularly by the improvement and development of public taste, appreciation and understandlng of music. Our particular contribution to that aim is to support the activity of community music. This is music-making which: involves musicians from any musical discipline workin8 With people to enable them to develop actlve and creative participation In music is concerned with putting equal opportunities into practice happens in all types of community, however defined, where it reflects the context in which it takes place In other words, community musicians work primarily to improve the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable people through music-making; and {as a second-tier or infrastructure organisation) we support their work in two specific ways: by promoting the significance and value of community music by assisting in the professional development of community musician5 Activities We have continued working to our corporate plan Community Music Everywhere, extending its period of use to the end of 2024. This includes a range of activities grouped under four headings, summarised as follows: 41 Page
Growing Sound Sense Review and further develop our membership offer, working in partnership where appropriate Develop and deliver regular, member-led networking opportunities Develop and deliver a strong strand of CPD, including online training, for music practitioners Maintain a strategic overview of community music nationally and internationally, taking an active role in discussions around the development of policy and best practice Strategic partnerships Build and maintain partnerships with training providers to improve community music CPD offer5 Build and maintain partnerships with HE/Universltie5 for research purposes, to inform best practice 8uidance and documentation Develop a mentoring scheme where community musicians share skills and develop learning on the job" to gain experience in a high-quality, practice-based environment Fundraise for and/or deliver projects for and wlth community music practitioners and organisations Bulldlng a programme of networklng OPPOrtunltles Develop and deliver a series of networking opportunities, delivered in small group sessions, regionally, by members, for members Set up an online forum where the discusslon polnts can be shared natlonally among members Further develop our Find a Musiclan" member directory as a networking resource Bulldlng a resource bank Create a one stop-shop for resources to support community music practice including: Templates for small businesses, including project planning and budgeting Tools for workshop best practice documentation, evidencing impact and other practical resources We continue to use our outcomes-focused method of assessing how well we are doing against our workplan. As in previous years, the board will be able to scrutinlse the work done and challen8e assessments of progres5. Users and beneflclarles Our users and beneficiaries consist of professional community music practitioners and community music organisations, including those with an interest in community music, such as musicians, teachers, music therapists, researchers, administrator5 and others. Through the work of practitioners, our beneficiaries also Include participants. Our advocacy work benefits all our users without charge. We offer advlce, information and contacts for free to all on our website and through our social media. However we are a membership organisation, and upon joining, members receive additional benefits including monthly newsletters, a quarterlyjournal, access to DBS checks and professional insurance5 (for individual members). Public benefit In shaping our objective5 for the year and planning our activities, the trustees have considered the Charity Commi55ion's guidance on public benefit; and are confident that our work results in more capable communitv musicians, who then can provide better services to the ultimate beneficiaries of our work as described above. Trustees have also considered the guidance on public benefit and fee charging. The organisation relies on grants and the income from fees and charges to cover its operating costs. In setting the level of fees, charges and concessions, the trustees carefully consider the accessibility of our activities for those on low incomes. 51 Page
ACHEIVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE Our programme of activitles was focused in two key areas: Continuing to develop and deliver our core services for Sound Sense members Growing and working in partnerships to promote high quality networkin& training and professlonal development for communlty muslc practltloners Sounding Board journal: Insplring themes, diverse contrlbutlons We have continued to publish four issues of Sounding Board each calendar year as an online journal. Communications Manager Claire Francls has encouraged and worked with people to help them contribute their experiences, Stories and knowledge via a range of media and article types. During 2023124, we published themed editions as follows: Music education & alternative provision (July 20231, Celebrating the Muslc (September 2023), Music, Mind & Body (October 20231, Early Years Music (December 20231 and Being in Business (March 20231. We used board discussions and monthly Gatherings to develop these themes, ensurin8 that the voice of our members ran through and informed our publications, and that they responded to the needs and interests of the membership. Monthly onllne gatherlngs We have continued to hold online Gatherings each month for community music practitioners. These events have been open to all (not just Sound Sense members) and have provided a safe and supportive space for practitloners to share experlences and practice, ask questions, and discuss successes and challenges. Sound Sense board members have facilitated Gatherings on a voluntary basis, hosting a diverse range of participants from students to seasoned practitioners working In a range of settings across the UK and beyond. These Gatherings have become a hugely valuable mechanism for connecting directly with members and 5UPPOrting them in their practice. During 2023124, we started to plan and deliver Gatherings around topics of interest to the host, and this has helped engage new and returning attendees. Topics have included early years muslc, mental health & wellbeing, creative evaluation, and 'activism day-to-day,. Member services We have provided our nearly 900 members with our usual range of support and servlces throughout the year, and developed these further to help community music practitioners and organisations deliver high quality experiences for their participants: We continued to offer DBS checks onllne to our members in partnershlp with People Danclng, with Digital ID checking option available to people with UK passports, and alternative arrangements using paper documents and a Zoom meeting for those without We continued to publish our monthly members newsletter Bulletin Board, with links to job, training and funding opportunities, and news updates relevant to the field of community music As described above, Sounding Board brought new voices to the fore and covered a huge variety of work throughout the UK. The journal continued to cover a range of thematic articles and reports around the community music practice, to provide inspiration and examples of new ways of working We have seen steady engagement across our social media channels and a modest amount of member- to-member sharing in our private Facebook members forum Working in partnerships Partnerships enable us to work better, more efficiently, and/or deliver a wider range of benefits to the community music sector. Due to capacity limitations, we have not delivered face to face events in 2023/24, however we have developed a brand new partnership that will deliver a major new national event in March 2025. Based on ourfindingsfrom and experiences of delivering ourfouryearTraining the Comrnunity Musician 6 | Page
{rrcM) programme, this event will offer an interactive and enriching professional development experience for community musicians at all career stages. Our event partner5 are AMP {an organisation member, formerly known as NYMAZI and Leeds Beckett University, who will be hosting us at Leeds School of Arts. Sound Sense remained an active memberof the Music Education Council (MEC), Music Network UK, the APPG for Muslc Educatlon and (via the individual membership of board members) the Internatlonal Soclety for Music Educatlon (ISME), Within these forums, we continue to seek to raise the status of community music within the wider music education sector and increase Sound Sense, reach and connections in the UK and internationally. We have also continued to collaborate with International Centre for Communlty Muslc, York St John Unlverslty to support research in the field of community music, participating in their student research symposium in November 2023. FINANCIAL REVIEW As has been the case for many years, our principal source of income continues to be Sound Sense membership subscrlptlons. Durlng 2023/24, member numbers remained stable and we benefited from the rates increase made In late 2022/23; therefore we saw an increase in member income: £53,554 in 2023124, up from £50,748 in 2022123. We received no grant income during 2023124. The net incoming resources forthe year amounted to a surplus of £411. Based on known funding and a prudent estimate of member income, together with reserves of £23,652 (which includes £7,095 held in a designated fund for redundancies), the company is fully able to continue to operate in its core model staffed by one part- time employee supported by part-time freelance roles for the foreseeable future. Reserves pollcy Since 2018, Sound Sense reserves policy has been: The trustee's policy is for the organisation to operate on known income alone. The organisation's basic level sustainable business model, operatlng on membership income alone, allows Sound Sense to maintain a skeleton staff of two part-time staff, with delivery of membership services at its core. Project funding is continually being sought. When such Income is secured, the organisation will operate flexibly, increasing and decreasing its staffing levels in line with known income stream, enabling Sound Sense to undertake and deliver additional project work in line with its charitable rnemorandums & articles. Investment powers and pollcles are to retain surplus funds of not less than three months operating costs, not immediately required in such investments, securities or property as thought fit, subject to any legal restriction5. Currently the organisation splits its reserves between various charity deposit accounts, balancing a desire to operate ethically with a need to maximise interest rates and ensure funds are not placed at undue risk" The board of trustees reviewed and approved this reseNes policy as fit for continuing use, subject to annual review, at their meeting on 15 July 2024. 7 | Page
FUTURE PLANS We continue to work within our corporate plan, Community Music Everywhere, supported by our established core operations model, and seeking to develop and improve where possible. In 2024125 our plans include: Core member benefits continue as for 2023/24, including professional insurances, access to DBS checks, a digital member badge and online member directory, monthly Bulletin Board newsletters, quarterly online Sounding Board journal, discounted safeguarding training, and additional online Informatlon and resources Continue with our popular monthly online 'Gatherings', selecting a range of days/times/themes to engage with a greater number and diverslty of music practitioners Deliver a two-day in-person event for community music practitioners, managers and students at Leeds School of Arts in March 2025, in partnership with AMP and Leeds Beckett University Continue to seek partnership opportunities and funding to help us design and dellver an expanded offering to support community musicians in delivering quality work, including online and in-person CPD and networking opportunities supported by a suite of online resources Finalise and disseminate a revised and updated verslon of our Code of Practlce In consultatlon wlth Sound Sense members and the wider community music field, and in collaboration5 With Sing Up Continue to raise the profile of Sound Sense, its members and the community music sector as a whole; on our social media platforms and as an active member of UK and international forums and programmes Work to promote continulng growth In Sound Sense member numbers across all four UK nations Launch a new corporate plan, Community Music Now, to run for four years from 2025 to 2029. By order of the Board Rebecca Denniff Chalrnrustee yaygRirfr 2024 q /12/201+ 81 Page
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS ON THE UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS OF SOUND SENSE LIMITED FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 I report to the members on my examination of the accounts of Sound Sense Limited for the year ended 31 March 2024. Responslbllltles and basls of report As members of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 20111'the Act'}, I report in respect of my examination of the charity's accounts (set out on pages 8 to 191 carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(51{bl of the Act. Independent examlnerfs statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in any material respect: the accountlng records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act; or the accounts did not accord with those accounting records; or the accounts did not comply with the applicable accounting requirement5 concerning the form and contents of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 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. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection wlth the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Ed Day Pipistrelles Barn Pond Hall Road Hadleigh IP7 5PQ 91 Page
SOUND SENSE Statement of Flnanclal Actlvltles Year ended 31 March 2024 Unrestricted Deslgnated Funds Funds Restricted Total Funds Total Funds Funds 2024 2023 Note Note 2 Income Donations and legacies From charitable activities - developing community muslc Investments 53,554 84 53.554 54,210 Total Income 53,638 53,638 54,212 Expendlture Raislng funds On charltable actlvltles Total expendlture 53.227 53,227 53,227 53,227 51,914 51,914 Movement In funds Net Income lexpendlturel Funds brought forward Transfers between funds Funds carried forward 411 411 2,298 20,943 17,341 (1,1951 16,557 5,900 1,195 7,095 23,241 23,652 23,241 The Statement of flnanclal activltles Includes all galns and losses recognised In the year. All Income and expendlture derives from contlnuln8 actlvltles. The notes on pages 13 to 18 form part of these flnanclal statements 10 | Page
SOUND SENSE Balance sheet 31 March 2024 Note 2024 2023 Current assets Debtors Cash at bank 967 39,457 39.457 37,803 38,770 Credltors: Amounts fallln8 due wlthln one year {15,805) 115,5281 Net current assets 23,652 23,242 Net assets io 23,652 23,242 Funds Deslgnated Unrestricted Total funds 7,095 16.557 23,652 5,900 17,341 23,241 For the year ended 31 March 2024 the company was entltled to exemptlon from audlt under Sectlon 477 of the CompanSes Act 2006 relating to small companies. No members have required the company to obtain an audit of Its accounts for the year In question In ac¢ordance wlth Sectlon 476 of the Companies Act 2006. The dlrertors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requlrements of the Act with respect to accounting record5 and for the preparation of accounts. These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provlslons appllcable to companies subject to the small companies regime. These financial statements were approved by the members of the board on slgned on th beh ecember 20241 and are Rebecca Denniff Chair/Director The notes on pages 13 to 18 form part of these flnancial statements 11 I Page
SOUND SENSE Cash Flow Statement For the year ended 31 March 2024 Notes 2024 2023 Cash flows from operating actlvltles Net cash 8enerated by operatln8 activities (see below) 1,655 3,912 Change In cash and cash equlvalents In the year Cash and Cash equlvalents at l Aprll 2023 37.803 33,891 Cash and cash equlvalents at 31 March 20Z4 li 39.458 37,803 Reconclliatlon of cash flows from operatln8 actlvlties Net Income for the year (see statement of flnanclal artlvltle$) 411 2,298 Ilncrease}/decrease in debtors 967 1751 Increase/ldecreasel in creditors 277 1,689 Net cash generated by operatln8 artlvltles (see above} 1,655 3,912 121 Page
SOUND SENSE Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2024 l. Accountlng pollcles Basls of preparatlon The flnanclal statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice, effective l January 2015, in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard 102, applicable UK Accountin8 Standards and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared on the golng concern basis. The principal accounting policie5 adopted In the preparation of the financlal statements are set out below. Key judgements and assumptlons The nature of the company's affairs Is such that the dlrectors believe that there are no areas of Si8nSficant Jud8ement and no significant assumptions that are required in the preparation of the flnanclal statements other than those relating to going concern. Goln8 concern rests on the avallablllty of future fundin8 and whilst the company continues to run at a deflcit future levels of expenditure are closely monitored by the trustees to ensure that sufflclent funds are avallable to enable them to be met. Income All Income is Included in the statement of financial activlties when the charlty Is legally entitled to the Income and the amount can be quantlfled wlth reasonable accuracy. Grants from government and other agencles have been Included as Income from activities In furtherance of the charlty's objects where these relate to a contract for servlces, but as donatlons where the money is given in response to an appeal or wlth freedom of use withln the charity's objects, for example, block grants. Expendlture Expenditure includes attributable VAT which cannot be recovered. Debtors Trade debtors relate to services provided and invoiced prlor to the balance sheet date whlch remain outstanding at that date. Prepayments, relating to expenditure incurred which has economic beneflt In future acountin8 periods. 131 Page
SOUND SENSE Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2024 Credltors: Amounts falling due withln one year Trade creditors relate to amounts involced for servlces received before the balance sheet date which remain outstanding at that date. PAYE and social security relate to payroll taxes deducted and incurred before the balances sheet date which remain outstanding at that date. Accruals, relating to expenditure not paid until after the balance sheet date which confers economic benefit on the current accountin8 period. is recognised at the amount of that economic benefit. Deferred income. relating to Income received in the current accounting perlod but which relates to future periods, is recognised as the whole of the income In question. Funds Funds fall Into two categories, restricted, where their use is governed by the wishes of the entity provldin8 the funds or the contractual terms under which the funds are earned and, unrestrlcted, where there are no pre-condltlons to the use of the funds other than the charitable objectives of the or8anlsation, Withln unrestrlcted funds deslgnated funds are malntained to meet Identlfled planned future costs whlch are not capable of belng met out annual budgets. The trustees aim to ensure that unrestricted reserves are at such a level as to ensure that the planned future net expendlture for the forthcomlng year can be met. 141 Page
SOUND SENSE Notes to the flnanclal statements Year ended 31 March 2024 2 Comparative Statement of Financial Affairs The detailed Statement of Financial Affairs for the year ended 31 March 2023 is set out below Unrestrlrted Deslgnated Restrlcted Total Funds Funds Funds Funds 2023 Income Donations and legacles From charitable actlvltles developing community mu51C Investments Total Income 54,210 54.210 54,212 54,212 Empendlture Raislng funds On charitable activitles 51,914 51.914 Total expendlture 51,914 51,914 Movement In funds Net income lexpendlture) Funds brought forward Transfer between funds Fund5 carried forward 2,298 15,943 (900) 17,341 2,298 20,943 5,000 900 5,900 23,241 3. Investment Income 2024 2023 Bank Interest receivable 151 Page
SOUND SENSE Notes to the financlal statements Year ended 31 March 2024 4. Total resources expended Contract On-8olng servlces and actlvltles projects Total 2024 Total 2023 Salaries Development and project management Project running costs RunnSng costs, member servlces Information and advocacy Premises and office costs Depreciation Examlnatlon fees Board costs Other 19,114 750 19,114 750 17,907 4,500 2,500 21,927 334 481 28,495 28,495 3,935 3.935 3,760 400 400 585 52 S2 53.227 53,227 51,914 5. Staff and trustees The aggregate payroll ¢osts were: 2024 2023 Salarles Pension costs Social securlty costs 18,739 375 18,252 360 19,114 17,907 Partlculars of employees: 2024 2023 The average number of staff was No. No. Full-tlme equivalents Numbers of individua15 No employee's emoluments exceeded £60,000 No member of the board received reimbursed expenses 12023 3- £5851. No trustee received remuneration during the period 16 | Page
SOUND SENSE Notes to the flnanclal statements Year ended 31 March 2024 6. Net outgolng resources Net outgoing resources are stated after charging: 2024 2023 Depreciation Examiner's fees 400 400 7. Debtors 2024 2023 Trade debtors 967 Prepayments 967 8. Credltors: amounts falllng due wlthln one year 2024 2023 Trade credltors PAYE and social security Deferred income 8,498 154) 6,461 900 8,102 1241 6,551 900 15,528 Accruals 15,805 9. Deslgnated funds Movement In resource$: Balance at l Aprll 22 Balance at Transfers 31 March 23 Incomlng Out8oln8 Redundancv 5,000 5,000 900 900 5,900 5,900 Balance at l Aprll 23 Balance at Transfers 31 March 24 Incomlng Out8olng Redundancy 5,900 5,900 1,195 1,195 7,095 7,095 Oescrlptlon of funds and transfers Redundancy - A designated fund to cover redundancy costs in the event ofthe company having to cease business. 171 Page
SOUND SENSE Notes to the flnancial statements Year ended 31 March 2024 10. Analysls of net assets (between restrlcted and unrestrlcted funds) Tanglble flxed Other net assets assets Total Restricted funds: Unrestricted funds Designated funds 16,557 7,095 23,652 16,557 7,095 23,652 11. Analysls of cash and cash equtvalents 2024 2023 Short term deposlt accounts 24,008 23,923 Current accounts and petty cash 15,450 13,880 39,457 37,803 12, Regulatory and other Informatlon The company 15 a registered charity, number 1080918, Ilmlted by guarantee re8lstered In England & Wales. The reglstered offlce Is:_ LCB Depot 31 Rutland Street Leicester LEI IRE The charity is a Public Benef it Entity. 181 Page