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2024-03-31-accounts

Charity registration number 1086138

Company registration number 04171822 (England and Wales)

VILLAGES IN ACTION

ANNUAL REPORT AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

VILLAGES IN ACTION

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Trustees H Bovey H M Gilbert C E Marshall G Plant R H Sutton W A Van Der Plank Secretary M A George Charity number 1086138 Company number 04171822 Registered office Combeinteignhead Village Hall 19 Shaldon Road Combeinteignhead Newton Abbot TQ12 4RG Independent examiner Rowlands Webster Limited Austin House 43 Poole Road Bournemouth Dorset England BH4 9DN

VILLAGES IN ACTION

CONTENTS

Page
Trustees' report 1 - 4
Independent examiner's report 5
Statement of financial activities 6
Balance sheet 7
Notes to the financial statements 8 - 13

VILLAGES IN ACTION

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006 and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: 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 (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019).

Objectives and activities

The Charity is established for the purposes of promoting, maintaining, improving and advancing education of the public, in particular of the County of Devon by the promotion and encouragement of the arts including the performing, visual, media, plastic and/or written arts, and by empowering communities to develop, organise, and sustain their own cultural activity and, in doing so, enhance their quality of life, encourage social inclusion and build up a sense of enterprise and self-confidence.

Public Benefit Statement

The trustees believe that Villages in Action is well-placed to make the most of the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead and we will continue to take an agile approach to supporting not only our rural communities but the wider cultural sector. We have made organisational commitments to sustainability and climate change; equality, diversity and inclusion and developing an evidence base for cultural and creative impact.

The Board is firmly committed to the principles of public benefit, widening access, diversity and equal opportunities. In shaping their objectives for the year and planning Villages in Action’s activities, the trustees have considered the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit and the importance of demonstrating that Villages in Action fulfils its charitable purposes for the wider good of society. They believe that this report shows clearly that the charity offers a very wide range of support, activities and services to the communities of Devon.

Introduction to activities

This report covers the financial year from April 2023 to March 2024. It reviews our objectives, activities, and governance; our achievements and financial performance during the year; our work with other agencies and organisations; and our future plans for the organisation

Our core programme delivers activity in four dynamically interdependent strands of work:

Villages in Action is a revitalised charity and social enterprise with a renewed board of trustees and a strong and growing staff team. The charity is responsive and agile, and we continually develop new projects and partnerships, seeking opportunities to enhance our sustainability as an organisation and to root ourselves in Devon’s changing cultural ecology.

VILLAGES IN ACTION

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Achievements and performance

There is a changing landscape when it comes to our live performance programme, and the effects of the tumultuous last 4 years on the sector as a whole has been profound. Notable points of interest are changing audience habits, changes to funding competition and ultimately lower success rates for artists and producing companies involved in the creation of new work that we champion across our network. Despite these challenges and shifts in the usual ways of working, we have been resilient and agile, responding to opportunities to collaborate with regional and local partners to ensure we are delivering a complete live performance programme within rural Devon. Genuine collaboration is at the heart of everything we do, and this year’s growth and clarity of purpose is reflective of the organisation becoming deeply embedded in the local cultural ecology. We have collaborated with over 44 cocurators in developing our responsive programme of activity, gathering as a network in person for the first time in 4 years at our new office-base in Combeinteignhead.

Our Agri [Culture] network delivered 33 performances which enjoyed an overall audience number of 1633. Alongside touring performances, visiting artists delivered 21 participatory workshops attended by over 200 participants. 87 individual artists were employed as part of our Touring programme. Highlights of the touring programme include international artists Panta Rei performing in Lustleigh as part of a regional tour with our collaborators who are also members of the National Rural Touring Forum, narrative circus work continues to be platformed through the Circus Around and About project, and in collaboration with the Rural Touring Dance Initiative we have begun to make headway in revitalising support for professional dance practice and performance in rural Devon. We have collaborated with 2 local Holiday Activity Food (HAF) programmes to offer creative engagement opportunities for children and young people experiencing poverty in the school holidays and we have built new relationships with schools, the University of Exeter and other cultural and educational partners to support young creatives’ exploration of creative career pathways, to ensure the rural perspective is included. This year has seen the culmination of Village Exchange skill-share projects in East Devon.

As part of our commitment to local artists we have supported 9 Devon-based artists to platform their work-inprogress or ‘scratch’ performances, encouraging dialogue with audiences who feed into the creative making process. We have hosted 2 multi artform artist residencies in Teignbridge (exploring men’s mental health and food security) and we have concluded our Village Exchange project in East Devon working with the oldest and youngest members of our communities, whose engagement in creativity and culture is often stifled by issues of rural access.

Our digital strategy and approach have focused on excluded participants and audiences living in care settings through our ongoing partnership with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Moretonhampstead Community Development Trust and independent dance artist Clare Parker. ViA has been responsible for the production of over 12 digital works made possible through follow-on funding from UKRI and the partnership have developed a ‘readyfor-market’ online platform called Zest Active Arts launching for paying subscribers during 2024-2025.

The organisation has become more robust, with the creation of a new role of Programme Coordinator which has provided additional capacity. This role alongside that of Creative Director has moved to PAYE, with a pool of freelance staff supporting targeted activity. This additional capacity has allowed us to focus on the articulation of our Agri [Culture] model (essentially a bespoke approach for each community, working with the local resources including its people, spaces and skills) with a range of networks and stakeholders.

With our continued commitment to sustainable activity, we have had 6-months of CPD support from People & Planet helping us to refine our Environmental Policy & Action Plan, refreshing our development priorities: sustainable practices, communicating sustainability, education & travel.

Our work has been underpinned by 2 Ripple Effect Mapping cycles alongside wider evaluation and more traditional data collection methods (eg. audience and artist surveys and environmental monitoring), which continues to inform our iterative action-led learning approach. Over the past year, we’ve been listening, observing and asking questions to help us identify common themes: things that are shared concerns for different communities; common challenges or ‘roadblocks’; the essential components that help shared plans fall into place with ease. We identified some key themes as a way of focusing our learning about ‘what works’ in supporting Devon’s rural touring and wider cultural development. These may shift as the programme develops and we will be reflecting on these through blogs and wider discussions across the network:

1) It's Personal, 2) Growing & Valuing Skills, 3) Collaboration & Competition, 4) The Rural Perspective and 5) Residencies & Relationships

VILLAGES IN ACTION

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Looking forward

During 2023-2024 we have been able to embed models of working and we recognise that bespoke approaches are needed to meet the specific needs of Devon’s communities. As always our next steps are shaped by the insights received from all our stakeholders, and we will be building on this way of working. We will reach into rural communities and act as a broker between them and the wider cultural sector in Devon and nationally.

We are excited to be engaging in artist-led initiatives that focus on the rural experience and in collaboration with Dartmoor-based artists, ViA is leading on intergenerational community engagement as part of the Chasing Crockern heritage project and on developing local producing capacity touring work during the performance stage. We are leading on rural community engagement and supporting artist commissioning as part of Exeter Phoenix’s Heritage Archive project and we will be collaborating with Alright Mate? on their project which focuses on men’s mental health through creativity, again with a focus on rural participants, businesses and audiences. The company will be resident in rural Devon engaging the local community in the R&D of their new car-based performance. Again, ViA is leading on rural community engagement in the development stage and rural touring in the performance stage.

Financial review

Villages in Action generated a total income of £133,923 in the financial year to 31 March 2024 (FY 2022/23: £75,400), a percentage increase of 76%. This growth has occurred despite the ongoing challenges for the arts and culture sector more widely. Despite funding cuts and the resultant changes to audience behaviour following the Covid 19 pandemic, Villages in Action has managed to carve out a course which positively positions the charity as an enabler of cultural participation with community at its core.

Earned income through box office and events came in at £13,345 (FY 2022/23: £8,795). This is a result of increased ticket prices and the re-establishment of a regular programme of performance activity in Devon. With increasing costs across all sectors of the economy, we have been keen to ensure that arts and culture are valued and that ticket prices reflect the value of the work presented, and that audiences don’t become overly reliant on fully subsidised ticket prices.

We have flexed our programme and controlled our expenditure in line with the challenges in securing trusts and foundations funding, given the high levels of competition from services supporting communities facing cost of living challenges. Total fundraising through grants and donations was £68,342 and where we have aligned with funding priorities around community cohesion, artist opportunities and access to culture and creativity for all we have had the most success.

Looking forward we recognise that a large proportion of our income comes from Arts Council England project grant funding which is hugely oversubscribed, we will build on the diversification of our income model, by increasing commissions and earned income by increasing attendance in high capacity venues as part of our performance programme.

Reserves

Over this period we have increased our box office and commission income, which has allowed us to increase our reserves to cover two months of ongoing charitable activity (£8900), with an aim to build Reserves to 3 months, as stated in the charity’s Reserves Policy.

Structure, governance and management

The company is a registered charity, number 1086138 , with effect from 12 April 2001 . The governing documents are the Memorandum and Articles of Association.

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VILLAGES IN ACTION

. TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:

H Bovey

N G Chapman

(Resigned 7 December 2023)

H M Gilbert

C E Marshall

G Plant

RH Sutton

WA Van Der Plank

None of the trustees has any beneficial interest in the company. All of the trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up.

The Board has the power to appoint additional trustees as it considers fit to do so. Although no specific training is required for new trustees, they are made aware of the useful guidance offered by the Charity Commission and others. Policy decisions are made by the Board at regular meetings.

The trustees’ report was approved by the Board of Trustees.

\ f H Bovey Trustee

6 August 2024

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VILLAGES IN ACTION

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF VILLAGES IN ACTION

I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Villages in Action (the charity) for the year ended 31 March 2024.

Responsibilities and basis of report

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

Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity 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 the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable 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 matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

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 financial statements to be reached.

Rowlands Webster Limited

Austin House 43 Poole Road Bournemouth Dorset BH4 9DN England

Dated: 6 August 2024

VILLAGES IN ACTION

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Unrestricted
Restricted
funds
funds
2024
2024
Notes
£
£
Income from:
Donations and legacies
3
66,190
2,152
Charitable activities
65,510
-
Investments
4
71
-
Total income
131,771
2,152
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
131,420
2,152
Total expenditure
131,420
2,152
Net income/(expenditure) and
movement in funds
351
-
Reconciliation of funds:
Fund balances at 1 April 2023
10,015
-
Fund balances at 31 March
2024
10,366
-		 Total
Unrestricted
Restricted
funds
funds
2024
2023
2023
£
£
£
68,342
36,903
5,991
65,510
32,506
-
71
-
-
133,923
69,409
5,991
133,572
96,150
5,991
133,572
96,150
5,991
351
(26,741)
-
10,015
36,756
-
10,366
10,015
-		 Total
2023
£
42,894
32,506
-
75,400
102,141
102,141
(26,741)
36,756
10,015

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

VILLAGES IN ACTION

BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2024

2024 2023
7 Notes £ £ £ £
Current assets
Debtors 8 2,578 3,577
Cash at bank and in hand 59,155 16,155
61,733 19,732
Creditors: amounts falling due within 9
one year (4,276) (5,723)
Net current assets 57,457 14,009
Deferred income 10 (47,091) (3,994)
Net assets excluding pension liability 10,366 10,015
Thefunds ofthe charity
Unrestricted funds 10,366 10,015
10,366 10,015

The company is entitled to the exemption from the audit requirement contained in section 477 of the Companies Act 2006, for the year ended 31 March 2024.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

The financial statements were approved by the trustees on 6 August 2024

H Bovey Trustee

Company registration number 04171822 (England and Wales)

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VILLAGES IN ACTION

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

1 Accounting policies

Charity information

Villages in Action is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Combeinteignhead Village Hall, 19 Shaldon Road, Combeinteignhead, Newton Abbot, TQ12 4RG.

1.1 Accounting convention

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's [governing document], the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the Charities SORP "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: 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 (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019). The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.

The charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

1.2 Going concern

At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

1.3 Charitable funds

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.

Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.

Endowment funds are subject to specific conditions by donors that the capital must be maintained by the charity.

1.4 Income

Income is recognised when the charity is legally entitled to it after any performance conditions have been met, the amounts can be measured reliably, and it is probable that income will be received.

Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.

Legacies are recognised on receipt or otherwise if the charity has been notified of an impending distribution, the amount is known, and receipt is expected. If the amount is not known, the legacy is treated as a contingent asset.

VILLAGES IN ACTION

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

1 Accounting policies

(Continued)

1.5 Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

1.6 Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.

Derecognition of financial liabilities

Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.

2 Critical accounting estimates and judgements

In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

VILLAGES IN ACTION

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

3 Donations and legacies

Unrestricted
Restricted
funds
funds
2024
2024
National Heritage
2,152
Other grants
17,415
Arts Council England
44,781
-
National Lottery Awards for All
3,994
-
66,190
2,152		 Total
Unrestricted
Restricted
funds
funds
2024
2023
2023
2,152
17,415
14,250
44,781
29,158
5,991
3,994
-
-
68,342
36,903
5,991		 Total
2023
32,894
10,000
42,894

VILLAGES IN ACTION

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

4 Income from investments

Unrestricted Unrestricted
funds funds
2024 2023
£ £
Interest receivable 71 -

5 Trustees

Trustee W Van Der Plank received payment of £2034 for professional services rendered plus expenses incurred. (2022/2023: £2158)

No other trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or benefits from the charity during the year.

6 Employees

The average monthly number of employees during the year was:

2024 2023
Number Number
Total 2 -

7 Taxation

The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.

8 Debtors

Amounts falling due within one year:
Trade debtors
Prepayments and accrued income		 2024
£
2,258
320
2,578		 2023
£
-
3,577
3,577

VILLAGES IN ACTION

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

9
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Other taxation and social security
Trade creditors
Accruals and deferred income
10
Deferred income
Arising from Government Grants
Arising from Other Grants
Deferred income is included in the financial statements as follows:
Deferred income is included within:
Shown as deferred income on the face of the balance sheet
Movements in the year:
Deferred income at 1 April 2023
Released from previous periods
Resources deferred in the year
Deferred income at 31 March 2024		 2024
£
632
2,060
1,584
4,276
2024
£
11,266
35,825
47,091
2024
£
47,091
3,994
(3,994)
47,091
47,091		 2023
£
-
5,723
-
5,723
2023
£
3,994
-
3,994
2023
£
3,994
-
-
3,994
3,994

11 Unrestricted funds

The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.

At 1 April Incoming Resources At 31 March
2023 resources expended 2024
£ £ £ £
Designated to ongoing activitity - 8,900 - 8,900
General funds 10,015 122,871 (131,420) 1,466
10,015 131,771 (131,420) 10,366

VILLAGES IN ACTION

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

11
Unrestricted funds
Previous year:
At
Agriculture
SSE
General funds		 (Continued)
1 April
2022
Incoming
resources
Resources
expended
At 31 March
2023
£
£
£
£
24,506
-
(24,506)
-
7,500
-
(7,500)
-
4,750
69,409
(64,144)
10,015
36,756
69,409
(96,150)
10,015