## **Cotton Shed Trustees Report 2020** Chair of the Charity: Mr Keith Lofthouse Secretary: Mrs Karen Taylor Treasurer: Dr Brian Miller Trustees: Dr Brian Miller Mr Keith Lofthouse Board Members: Mrs Karen Taylor Miss Emma Hollis Miss Emma Jones Mrs Marcia Hollis Mrs Karen Turner Riley Mrs Gina Tomlinson Mr Glyn Ellis Mrs Cath Eddisford Mr Corey Scott Mr Matthew Eddisford Miss Bethany Swarbrick Co-opted members Mrs Cath Eddisford (Artistic Director) ## **Summary Report for the period year ending December 2019 (inclusive of Jan-Apri 2020)** ## **Chair’s Introduction** Cotton Shed Theatre Company has completed its thirteenth year of inclusive theatre workshops/sessions throughout East Lancashire. More projects, productions and developments have ensured we continue to grow and reach those who benefit most from the projects we run. We have continued to increase funds and attendance and the future continues to look bright. 2019/2020 has included the following key productions and projects. - **Dust 2020.** This was destined to be Cotton Sheds biggest production to date due to be performed in March 2020. However, Covid-19 and lockdown meant the production could not go ahead and the performance has been put on hold to take place later in the year. Dust brings together 5 theatre groups made up of children, young people and adults of varying abilities. It has been devised and created by the members themselves and is about one boys journey into a magical land of pirates, fairies and adventure. The main focus is on greed, fear and chasing our dreams. - **Silver Shed:** Silver Shed sessions have carried on to date with continued funding. The team have reached more care homes in the Rossendale valley and therefore more dementia patients and elderly residents have had access to interactive theatre sessions. As the sessions grow they continue to make a huge difference and have a positive impact on those who are lonely and isolated. - **Friend Shed.** Friend Shed continues meetings on a Wednesday mornings (during Covid-19 this is taking place via Zoom online). Once we are out of lockdown the sessions will continue face to face at the Garage café, which is part of Tor View Specialist Learning Community. Friend Shed continues to establish social links for anyone who may be isolated in the local community. It is also used for signposting people to other groups to expand their socialising and supportive links. - **Sign and Rhyme:** The sessions aimed at 0-4 years continues to grow in popularity, maintaining three sessions weekly. Sign and Rhyme continues to develop links with various establishments and sessions have taken place at schools, nurseries and the renowned puppet theatre ‘The Boo’ in Waterfoot. Online videos have ensured young children can still access sessions during the Covid-19. Sign and Rhyme is led by three members of the artistic team and continues to offer opportunities for volunteers, some of who have additional needs or disabilities. - **Summer School:** Cotton Sheds Summer School for 5-11 years was more successful than ever in 2019 with more accessing the sessions than ever before. We plan to hold two weeks worth of workshops in summer 2020 due to popular demand. The sessions are inclusive and aimed every year for both mainstream children and children with additional needs and/or a disability. - **Significant developments** Cotton Shed currently runs the following weekly workshops Sign and Rhyme (0 – 4 years) (3 sessions) Beginners (4-7 years) Children’s (8-11 years) (2 sessions) Youth Theatre (12-15 years) Company (16+ years) Silver Shed (2-3 sessions) Friend Shed We recruited a new administrator in 2019 who is a welcomed addition to the team. We have secured funding for a dance practitioner, which we will recruit for as soon as we return to regular activities after lockdown. Thank you to all the staff, members, volunteers, parents and carers and our ever-growing audience. Your support is paramount to our charity. ## **Financial Update** A statement of accounts for the year 2019 is attached. Three local schools. Haslingden High School, Tor ViewSpecialist Community and Haslingden Primary School continue to support Cotton Shed by providing in kind support. Provision of office space, theatre space for performances, rehearsal space is some of the support these three establishments give to our charity. Cotton Sheds main source of financial support during 2019 has been from grants, donations and productions. Successful grant applications are crucial in ensuring Cotton Shed continue to grow and develop and offer the inclusive services that are much needed in our locality. ## **Future Focus** Financial sustainability will remain key. Successful grant applications, a strong artistic team and supportive board alongside parents and carers place us in a very optimistic position for the future. ## **Cotton Shed Trustees Report 2021** Acting Chair of the Charity: Louise Parrish Treasurer: Brian Miller Trustees: Lewis Gallagher Glyn Ellis ## **Summary Report for the period April 2020 – March 2021.** ## **Acting Chair’s Introduction** Cotton Shed Theatre Company has completed its fourteenth year of inclusive theatre workshops/sessions throughout East Lancashire. Like many charities, Cotton Shed has had a challenging time since the Covid19 pandemic began in March 2020. Our artistic team had to rethink the way in which they worked, the projects they ran, always ensuring that our members are still at the heart of everything we do. The last year taught us all that community spirit is needed more than ever. Inclusion is paramount to create a brighter future for all and that projects such as The Shed must continue to reach the people who need it the most. We were proud that Cotton Shed received a Rossendale Business Award for Accessible Business and also reached the final for Business of the Year. It was fantastic to be nominated by the community and recognised for the work done. The board wishes to thank the artistic team for all their hard work and creatively during the past 12 months in maintaining Cotton Shed delivery during an unprecedented time for the whole community. Although we have many challenges ahead, we are confident and committed to reshaping the charity for the future based on our recent experiences. ## **Workshop Activities** Performance workshops delivered via weekly sessions bring together people from various backgrounds with varying abilities. These sessions seek to breakdown social barriers and give everyone the opportunity to be creative and create outstanding theatre. During 2020, Cotton Shed endeavored to continue provision for the following age groups. - Beginners (4-7 years) - Children’s (8-11 years) - Youth Theatre (12-15 years) - Company (16+ years) Workshops were moved online following the start of the pandemic, in accordance with government guidance. These sessions were more focused on maintaining social contact between members and running game-based activities. However, a focus on performance was maintained by an initiative of creating dedicated regular videos, with members participating by emailing in short performances filmed via their personal phones which were then edited and compiled by the artistic team. Through this project work, a total of 18 online videos were created. During a temporary opening up of restrictions following the summer holiday period, Cotton Shed experimented with socially-distanced “in person” sessions for the Company group, running 6 workshops accordingly. These sessions were then halted again as the second lockdown approached, returning to online provision In total, 54 online workshops were delivered. ## **Productions** As reported last year, “Dust” was destined to be Cotton Shed’s biggest production to date, due to be performed in March 2020. However, Covid-19 and lockdown meant the production could not go ahead. Although the original intention was run the production later during the year, the unforeseen continuation of the pandemic meant that too much time elapsed to restart the show with many of the original members. Consequently, a practical decision was made to create any new productions from the beginning, engaging the creativity of future new members. ## **Community Activities** ##  **Silver Shed** Silver Shed involves interactive theatre performances for people living with dementia, the elderly and their families and carers. During the pandemic, the safety of residents was of the upmost concern. Consequently, to avoid any risk of transmission, sessions were performed outside care home buildings, enabling residents to watch the sessions through windows. During this period, 9 care homes in the Rossendale area were visited, delivering a total of 55 performances. Furthermore, an album of songs was specially recorded which was delivered to 25 care homes, together with videos of performances made available on Cotton Shed’s Facebook page. ##  **Friend Shed** Friend Shed is focused on establishing social links for anyone who may be isolated in the local community. It is also used for signposting people to other groups to expand their socialising and supportive links. When in person, Friend Shed primarily involved members meeting on Wednesday mornings at the Garage café, which is part of Tor View Specialist Learning Community. Friend Shed had to move to online meetings during the lockdown and restrictions, covering a broad range of themes within the Zoom sessions. These were topics which the steering group and public had suggested and included r￿*(0 E ¢U>? c E£ (o< liaa811. 0£5￿￿0 (Dr￿10￿10*¢4rttr￿>lo CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAN'D AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of COTTONSHED THEATRE COMPANY On accounts for the year ended 3111212020 Charity no (if any) 1123037 Set out on pages I report lo the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity I'lhe Trusf) for the yèar ended Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Acfl. I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{5llb) of the Act I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention (other than that disclosed below '} in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe Ihat in, any material respect.. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examiner's statement I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination lo which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete th& w0￿S in the brackets if they do not apply. Signed: Date: Name: NATALIE MCMAHON Relevant professional qualification{s) or body lif any): NIA Address: Toil£cLi C[￿, ]-1asf-dei IER October 2018 Section 8 Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER October 2018