# **Annual report and financial statements** 

for the year ended **31 March 2025** 

Company number 06652046 Charity number 1129006 

Page 1 




|**Annual report and financial statements**||
|---|---|
|**FOR THE YEAR ENDED31 MARCH2025**||
||**Pages**|
|Directors and advisers|3|
|Forward from our Chair of Trustees|4|
|Operational review|6 - 15|
|Directors’ report|16 - 21|
|Independent Examiners’ report|22|
|Statement of financial activities|23|
|Balance sheet|24|
|Statement of cashflows|25|
|Notes to the financial statements|26 - 34|



Page 2 




## **CONSTITUTION** 

The Mighty Creatives (“TMC”) is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity governed by its memorandum and articles of association dated 27 October 2021. In the event of the organisation being wound up each trustee agrees to contribute £1 towards the costs of dissolution. The company is also registered with the Charity Commission for England & Wales. Charity number 1129006.  Company number 06652046. 

## **DIRECTORS** 

The directors of the charitable company are its trustees for the purposes of charity law. The directors serving during the year and since the year end were as follows: 

Prof C White (Chair) Mr E Robinson-Green (Vice-Chair) Ms V Kelly Ms J Hallas (resigned 30[th] October 2024) Ms N Charlesworth (resigned 1[st] October 2024) Ms J Dennis Ms C Robey-Turner (appointed 31[st] July 2024) Mr J Farnhill-Bain (appointed 31[st] July 2024) Ms M Robinson (appointed 31[st] July 2024) Mr K Tennant (appointed 23[rd] April 2025) Mr C Mellies (appointed 23[rd] April 2025) Ms E Leaman (appointed 23[rd] April 2025) Ms R Bradshaw (appointed 23[rd] April 2025) Mr T Dammer (appointed 23[rd] April 2025) Ms W Jeglinska (appointed 23[rd] April 2025) 

## **SECRETARY** 

Dr R N Owen MBE 

**SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM** (Management positions rather than Directors in company law) Chief Executive Officer - Dr R N Owen MBE 

## **REGISTERED OFFICE AND OPERATIONAL ADDRESS** 

LCB Depot 31 Rutland Street Leicester LE1 1RE 

## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER** 

RWB CA Limited Northgate House North Gate New Basford Nottingham NG7 7BQ 

Page 3 




## **Forward from our Chair of Trustees** 

As Chair of Trustees for The Mighty Creatives, I am honoured to present this year’s reflections—both a celebration of our achievements and a resolute look toward the future. 

This past year has been nothing short of transformative. Amidst ongoing challenges across the cultural and education sectors, The Mighty Creatives has remained steadfast in its mission: to champion the creativity, voice, and agency of children and young people across the UK. Our work has empowered thousands of young people— particularly those who are underrepresented or experiencing disadvantage—to unlock their potential and imagine brighter, bolder futures. 

We are proud of the progress we’ve made. From nurturing youth leadership through to developing innovative partnerships with schools, local authorities, and cultural organisations, our team has continued to push boundaries with imagination, courage, and compassion. Our role as a change-maker and connector has never been more crucial. 

This year, we have made bold strides forward. Central among them was our engagement with dynamic consortia bid led by De Montfort University to Arts Council England for the Creative People and Places programme, with Youth Voice central to its function. This bid marks a milestone moment—not only as a strategic opportunity to embed creativity deeper within our communities, but also as a statement of belief in the transformative power of co-creation with a Youth Board. 

If successful, this programme will place decision-making into the hands of young people, empowering them to shape the cultural life they want and deserve. If not successful, the stronger partnerships brought about by this initiative will endure… Our vision also reached beyond national borders. Through our developing partnership with the city of Krefeld in Germany, we have begun to build an exciting European alliance focused on the rights and creative empowerment of children and young people. At a time when global connections feel more vital than ever, this collaboration offers enormous potential: for international learning, for shared advocacy, and for reimagining how cultural education can thrive across borders. 

Yet, we are not blind to the challenges that lie ahead. The landscape remains uncertain, with continued underfunding, widening inequalities, and systemic barriers limiting access to creativity for many young people. But we remain hopeful. We believe in the power of collaboration, advocacy, and creativity as vehicles for change. And we are more determined than ever to ensure that every child and young person has the right—and the opportunity—to live creatively. 

Page 4 




In April 2025 I attended the London Trustee Exchange, Association of Chairs, and I have brought back insights from the collective to share with the board and staff team. In preparing for the future, we have reviewed our risks as a board and strengthened the number of Board members with diverse skills. Do we need to be agile and future looking? Yes. Do we have the skills in the board to scope out new prospects? Definitely. 

As we look ahead, our strategic priorities will focus on amplifying youth voice, deepening impact, and forging alliances that make sustainable, systemic change possible. This is not work we do alone. It is made possible by a passionate team, a dedicated network of partners, generous supporters, and above all, by the young people who inspire us every day with their resilience, ideas, and imagination. 

Thank you for standing with us on this journey. Together, we are building a creative movement for equity, for justice, and for joy. 

With gratitude, 


**Prof Christine White** Chair of Trustees Signed on behalf of the Trustees 

Page 5 




## **INTRODUCTION** 

_“The importance of providing a safe space for under-represented young people to access the arts, develop their skills and to shine is something that has been evident in all the work I have taken part in during my time as part of the Youth Board for TMC.” Maisie Wright, TMC Youth Board member_ 

The Mighty Creatives (TMC) is an award-winning charity whose mission is to fight for social justice through the power of arts, culture and creativity. Selected as one of 25 KPMG Foundation Anniversary Partners in 2025, winning the Children and Young People Now Arts and Culture Award in 2024 and the Third Sector Award for Service Innovation in September 2023, we offer our unique approach to the most under-represented young people in society through creative experiences that make lasting personal and social change including those who are care-experienced, facing adversity, challenges or disadvantage. 

Whilst our home base has continued to be in Leicester, we have worked across the Midlands for over 16 years and have now become a nationally recognised champion and campaigner of youth-led practice in the process.  We are uniquely placed to provide arts, cultural and creative experiences which counter social injustice due to our impressive track record and expertise in: 

- delivering robust, evidenced best practice. 

- co-creating artistic and cultural interventions with children and young people and other stakeholders that can be scaled up, demonstrate reach and result in significant and measurable impact. 

- Investing in children and young people's creative skills, knowledge and practice 

- Leading strategic partnerships, engaging stakeholders, designing and managing programmes of arts, cultural and creative activities. 

- Co-creating artistic and cultural interventions with children and young people and other stakeholders that can be scaled up, demonstrate reach and result in significant and measurable impact. 

- Investing in children and young people’s creative skills, knowledge and practice 

- Leading strategic partnerships, engaging stakeholders, designing and managing programmes of arts, cultural and creative activities. 

## **THE LAST TWELVE MONTHS** 

2024 / 25 has marked the beginning of a new phase for The Mighty Creatives. It’s been the first year of our 2024 – 2029 Year Business Plan and demonstrated the ongoing good health of the organisation at a time when many previous cultural organisations have gone to the wall due to an ever increasingly hostile economic climate.  We have continued to deliver our vision of striving for Social Justice for Young People through Arts, Culture and Creativity through a period of managed growth which saw us reaching more young people across more communities with support from a greater range of investors, partners and other stakeholders. 

Page 6 




But this is not a time to be complacent: the economic climate shows no sign of significantly improving and what previously might have been seen as reliable sources of investment are themselves under increasing pressure to support increased demands from the people and communities who need their support. 

We are acutely aware on a daily basis of the pressure our investors face from the education, health and social services sectors and so actively pursue new partnerships, new ways of working and new sources of support in order to support the people who are at heart of our mission: the most under-represented young people in society including those who are careexperienced, facing adversity, challenges or disadvantage.  This includes partnerships with: 

- University College London, Great Ormand Street Hospital, WellChild and Mencap, North Central London, Integrated Care Board on the SPROCKET (Systems and Process Redesign and Optimisation at Childhood Key Events and Transitions) project funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. 

- The Midlands Arts Partnership for Virtual Schools on the Collaborate & Innovate project supported by Arts Council England. 

- Voluntary Action Leicester and Highfields Centre on the Creative Futures project supported by Leicester’s Shared Prosperity Fund. 

- Werkhaus e.V and JugendRing in Krefeld, Germany on the Culture Bridge project, funded by Arts Council England and the Goethe Institute. 

Our enterprise, driven by a strong social mission, is constantly looking at ways of innovating our services and operations in order to keep delivering our vision and mission: and we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all our funders who continue to believe in and support our work. 

## **The Case for Support** 

The social injustices our beneficiaries face have disproportionate effects on their social, emotional and educational outcomes, although they are complex and neither easily diagnosed nor predictable. Young people are individuals after all, and any intervention planned to support them must be bespoke, personalised and involve those young people themselves at the heart of their design, implementation and evaluation. Personalised interventions require a pedagogical approach which values ‘youth voice’ at its heart. TMC has had youth voice in its organisational DNA since it was established in 2009. Since developing our unique social pedagogical model driven by artistic, creative and cultural practice, this makes us leaders in this field across the UK and in a strong position to address and challenge the social injustices our beneficiaries face. 

There is a wealth of evidence that demonstrates how the arts, culture and creativity can support young people in need by providing access to personal development, social connectivity, education, social mobility, community cohesion and employment. Learning through arts and culture develops skills and behaviour that contributes to young people doing better in their education journeys.  Engagement with arts and culture at a young age also contributes to improved social connectivity and mobility: and in these pandemic-infused 

Page 7 




times, the health and well-being benefits of young people’s participation in the arts and culture are well documented. 

## **3. Our Vision and Mission** 

It is crystal clear that the arts, creativity and cultural education have a fundamental role in supporting young people in countering the impact of social injustice. That need has become more demanding in recent years, and we now need to ensure that this is expressed at the heart of our refreshed and reinvigorated vision: 

## **Social Justice for young people through arts, culture and creativity** 

To achieve this vision, our mission has four strategic objectives (SO) and associated SMART outputs over the five years of this business plan as follows: 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
SO No. Strategic Objectives<br>SO1 To transform the lives of our beneficiaries through one-to-one and group-based<br>Creative Mentoring services.<br>SO2 To provide support, advice and opportunities to employers which assist our<br>beneficiaries’ employment prospects and enterprise opportunities through our<br>Creative Futures Services.<br>SO3  To inspire our beneficiaries to express themselves through the power of creativity<br>and to work with other stakeholders to support best practice, youth-led approaches<br>which foster meaningful cultures that place youth voice at the heart through our<br>Youth Voice services.<br>SO4    To sustain and grow investment in our work from across the UK and<br>internationally.<br>SMO No. SMART Outputs<br>SMO1  Engage with 10,000 children and young people in need engaging across all<br>our services and campaigns<br>SMO2  Sustain and grow our pool of Creative Mentors through targeted recruitment<br>supporting 500 creative practitioners.<br>SMO3  National adoption and delivery of CM: the service will be delivered across all 9<br>regions across the country<br>SMO4  Recruit 200 Employers to the Mighty Employers employability services<br>SMO5  Deliver 300 CPD sessions including training and development opportunities,<br>workshops and networking sessions for educators and creative practitioners to<br>-<br>develop their child / youth led creative practice.<br>SMO6  Support and grow the TMC Youth Board with YP drawn from all 9 regions<br>across the country.<br>SMO7  Support the Youth Board to deliver 5 youth-voice focused projects<br>SMO8  Diversify and sustain our income sources so no one funder is more that 50%<br>on our overall income<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


Page 8 




|SMO9|Maintain our reserves policy at six months running costs|
|---|---|
|SMO10|Build a £10m Endowment Fund to see us through 2030 onwards|



## **OPERATIONAL REVIEW** 

Between April 2023 and March 2024, we achieved the following results against our organisational Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
KPI  Organisational KPI  2024-25  Total to  % Delivered<br>Number  Target  date<br>Engage with 10,000 children and young people<br>1  in need engaging across all our services and  1,200  2,164 180%<br>campaigns.<br>Sustain and grow our pool of Creative Mentors<br>2  through targeted recruitment supporting 500  100  95 95%<br>creative practitioners.<br>National adoption and delivery of CM: the<br>3  service will be delivered across all 9 regions  3  3 100%<br>across the country.<br>Recruit 200 Employers to the Mighty<br>4  20  12 60%<br>Employers employability services.<br>Deliver 300 CPD sessions including training<br>and development opportunities, workshops<br>5  and networking sessions for educators and  60  82 137%<br>creative practitioners to develop their child /<br>-<br>youth led creative practice.<br>Support and grow the TMC Youth Board with<br>6  YP drawn from all 9 regions across the  2  4 200%<br>country.<br>Support the Youth Board to deliver 5 youth-<br>7  1  1 100%<br>voice focused projects.<br>Diversify and sustain our income sources so<br>8  no one funder is more that 50% on our overall  90%  31%<br>income.  On track<br>Maintain our reserves policy at six months<br>9  Yes  Yes<br>running costs.  On track<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


## _Financial Sustainability_ 

We continue to operate on a sound financial footing, ensuring we are a sustainable ongoing financial concern.  Our prudent income generation strategy and financial planning means that we have established a fund of designated reserves which allow for continuity of service in the short - medium term, contributing to our on-going resilience. Whilst it is reassuring to know that those reserves are there ‘for a rainy day’, the prospects for a brighter economic climate continues have not yet appeared and so it is essential that we continue to seek additional investment to enable us to continue to support our beneficiaries whilst maintaining the financial stability of the organisation. 

Page 9 




The following table compares our performance in 2024/25 with that in 2023/24 and shows some important trends: 

|**Value of applications per**||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Quarter**|**Q1**|**Q2**|**Q3**|**Q4**|**Total**|
|Value of funds applied for||||||
|2023/24|191,905|1,528,646|1,572,753|219,465|3,512,769|
|Value of funds applied for||||||
|2024/25|27,150|219,535|818,130|576,357|1,641,172|
|Total number of applications||||||
|in 2023/24|7|7|4|3|21|
|Total number of applications||||||
|in 2024/25|3|3|5|7|18|
|Total value of successful bids||||||
|in 2023/ 24|589,500|38,394|491,250|60,471|1,179,615|
|Total value of successful bids||||||
|in 2024/25|53,689|11,700|15,000|92,118|172,507|
|Total value of unsuccessful||||||
|bids in 2023/ 24|42,076|70,003|26,339|80,000|218,418|
|Total value of unsuccessful||||||
|bids in 2024/25|193,500|124,535|283,723|397,975|999,733|
|Ratio of successful:||||||
|unsuccessful bids in 2023/24|14.01|0.55|18.65|0.76|14.01|
|Ratio of successful:||||||
|unsuccessful bids in 2024/25|0.28|0.09|0.05|0.23|0.28|



This table highlights the extent of the difficult economic climate we have been operating in over the last twelve months: a combination of a reduction in available funding (shown in the value of funds applied for), successful funding bids and the ratio of successful: unsuccessful bids all point to a significant financial pressure on the organisation.  These results are echoed in our traded income[1] figures as follows: 

|**Traded income**|**per Quarter**|**Q1**|**Q2**||**Q3**|**Q4**|**Total**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Traded income,|2023/24|35,026||54,370|33,515|100,345|<br>223,256|
|Traded income,|2024/25|36,437||49,014|31,849|39,261|156,562|



The impact of these results have been offset by drawing on our designated reserves which enable us to keep the organisation operating as a going concern: but this is not a financial model we are able to continue on a sustainable basis and organisational reviews during 

> 1 Traded income refers to sales of Creative Mentoring places, consultancies and other earned income. 

Page 10 




2025 / 26 will be undertaken to ensure that our financial stability can be maintained in the long term. 

## _**Youth Board**_ 

We had a very successful recruitment round for Youth Board recruitment this year.  They are now thinking about how they can adapt, change and review their recruitment processes to make it more inclusive and youth-friendly for the children and young people we serve. 

Highlights: 

- Hannah and Janah have been working alongside drama practitioner and Creative Mentor Mary Bonam in partnership with Rutland County Council’s SEND service. They have been contributing to planning of workshops in mainstream school settings, using drama-based philosophies and approaches to discuss the discrimination that pupils with SEND face in education settings. 

- We are excited by the potential in supporting of working collaboratively on fundraising efforts, involving all members of the Youth Board should they wish to be involved. The Youth Board have offered their tenacity, ambition and dynamism to our ideas generation process and open up possibilities for exploration. From an organisational perspective, we hope that this will also support them individually to continue their development independently outside of the sphere of TMC. 

- Hannah has been working alongside Bee to suggest ways to create a more youth focussed social media presence. This has involved Hannah pitching different ideas and creating content to be shared on social media. 

- There will be opportunities for the Youth Board to get involved in various roles during the project planning and delivery of the ‘Creative community for young people’. More on this in Q1 of 25-26. 

## **5. PLANS FOR 2025/26** 

Our operational targets for the year continue to be ambitious: 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
KPI  Organisational KPI  2025-26<br>Number Targets<br>Engage with 10,000 children and young people in need engaging<br>1<br>across all our services and campaigns. 2,500<br>Sustain and grow our pool of Creative Mentors through targeted<br>2<br>recruitment supporting 500 creative practitioners. 200<br>National adoption and delivery of CM: the service will be<br>3<br>delivered across all 10 regions across the country 4<br>Recruit 200 Employers to the Mighty Employers employability<br>4<br>services 50<br>Deliver 300 CPD sessions including training and development<br>5<br>opportunities, workshops and networking sessions for educators 120<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


Page 11 




||and creative practitioners to develop their child / youth-led<br>creative practice.||
|---|---|---|
|6|Support and grow the TMC Youth Board with YP drawn from all<br>10 regions across the country.|2|
|7|Support the Youth Boards to deliver 5 youth-voice focused<br>projects|2|
|8|Diversify and sustain our income sources so no one funder is<br>more that 50%on our overall income|80%|



We shall continue to maintain our reserves policy at six months running costs in order to prepare for any financial shocks to the organisation; and with the longer term in view, we will be preparing a strategy to build a £10m Endowment Fund which would support us from 2030 onwards. 

## **The Immediate Future** 

Whilst developing a long-term strategy for the business post 2030 is important, of more immediate concern is how we navigate the challenges that are facing us in the present.  Our economic results for 2024 / 25 have been described earlier in this report, and it is in the light of those results that we are taking the following steps in our Growth Plan to ensure a successful 2025/26.  These include: 

- Balancing our programme portfolio by developing new programmes such as our Creative Futures services (Strategic Objective 2) and refocusing our Youth Voice services into a more focused programme of Creative Social Action programme (Strategic Objective 3) 

- Expanding our Creative Mentoring services into further national and international markets 

- Implement our Change Campaign which will identify the key concerns, challenges and issues facing TMC’s young beneficiaries, provide recommendations for potential “change/policy campaign” purposes that we can deliver, and which create longlasting social change for children and young people in response to their needs. 

- Continuing to win national awards which recognise the impact of our work and which support our case for further investment 

- Transitioning our social media communications to become better youth-led and youth-focused by growing an audience of young people on social media channels who can be targeted with future campaigns 

- Implementing an International programme of activity specifically with partners in Krefeld, Germany 

- Strengthening strategic relationships with both existing and new funders and strategic partners such as Arts Council England, the Department of Education, the Home Office, the National Centre for Youth Voice, the National Association of Virtual School Headteachers. 

The early signs of this Growth Plan are encouraging.  In early 2025 /26 we have: 

Page 12 




- Secured an 18-month contract with the National Arts in Education service in Ireland to research and evaluate the Creative Connections Programme - Creative Learning Communities on a Shared Island pilot initiative supported by the Department of Education in Northern Ireland and the Department of Education, Ireland. This creative partnership programme for children and young people, teachers, creative practitioners and school communities in Northern Ireland and Ireland will utilise our knowledge and expertise in cultural education and will focus on schools in designated RAISE areas and DEIS schools. 

- Strengthened our partnership in the SPROCKET consortium, composed of University of Central London (UCL) Institute of Child Health, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Cranfield University, Haringey SEND parent forum and the Global Disability Innovations Hub. The consortium has successfully secured a £5m bid to the SEISMIC Innovation Hub, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to fund a five year programme which seeks to improve the lives of children and young people with complex needs and their caregivers, focusing on two priority transitions: i) special needs education and transitioning between primary and secondary education and ii) from hospital to community. 

- Planned a year-long co-funded pilot Creative Mentoring programme with strategic and operational partners in Krefeld, Germany including JugendRing, Werkhaus e.V. and Krefeld City Council. 

## **Marketing Strategy** 

Our marketing strategy responds directly to the objectives outlined in our business plan. It details our approach to strategic positioning, using a range of models and frameworks, and how it aims to enable us to realise our vision.  A detailed Marketing Strategy is available upon request.  Our aims for the year are to: 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
Key Performance Area  Anticipated indicators of success<br>Public Relations  Build our brand awareness by securing at least one sector<br>award win this year.<br>Develop a plan to maximise “good news” stories through press<br>releases outreached to media.<br>Create regular blog posts announcing news and updates (e.g.<br>new funding awarded, new projects launched/completed, events<br>etc) and share on social media and e-news) to support funding<br>applications and highlight relevant work for potential funders.<br>Youth Campaign  Execute the five-stage plan to campaign launch as a way to<br>platform young voices and raise our profile.<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


Page 13 





**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
Impact storytelling  Work with Impact and Data Manager to grow the website’s “our<br>impact” page, creating infographics and mini reports which<br>showcase the quantitative and qualitative impact of our work.<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


|Impact storytelling<br>Work with Impact and Data Manager to grow the website’s “our<br>impact” page, creating infographics and mini reports which<br>showcase the quantitative and qualitative impact of our work.|Impact storytelling<br>Work with Impact and Data Manager to grow the website’s “our<br>impact” page, creating infographics and mini reports which<br>showcase the quantitative and qualitative impact of our work.|
|---|---|
|||
|Content – Youth Voice|Create a plan to work with Youth Board members (long-<br>standing and new) to create engaging youth-led and youth-<br>focused content for our Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok<br>platforms, building on existing work with current social media<br>consultancy contract.<br>Launch the new e-news series to grow engagement with key<br>stakeholders and maximise our brand awareness. Target any<br>new opportunities through Creative Futures programme<br>development.<br>Launch the Mighty Gallery to provide an alternative approach to<br>storytelling beyond written case studies.|



## **Who’s the team?** 

We are governed by a Board of Trustees, who are also the directors of the limited company. Trustees can serve from the age of sixteen. The Board is responsible for the scrutiny and examination of organisational performance. Trustees meet quarterly to monitor risk, agree strategic direction, approve budgets and finance reports and endorse new and review existing policies. The Board ensures The Mighty Creatives reporting obligations to the Charity Commission and Companies House are met. 

## **Sub-Committees, Policies and Processes** 

Our policies and processes are reviewed in line with our policy matrix and signed off by the Board. We have a measured and thorough approach to safeguarding, ensuring all staff and Board receive training from NSPCC and regular briefings. 

Safeguarding and EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion) are standing items on our agenda and are overseen by a designated member of the Board, as is our assessment of risks. 

The Mighty Creatives Operations and Finance sub-committee scrutinises the charity’s approach to finance, staffing and operations. The committee meets separately, feeding into the main Board for sign off on a quarterly basis. 

Led by Professor Christine White, Chair of Trustees and Emrys Robinson-Green, Vice Chair and Chair of Finance, our trustees have extensive experience and expertise in the arts and cultural sector, education, local authorities and private sector and bring a wide range of governance skills to bear: leadership, fundraising and financial control, marketing, pedagogy, innovation, cultural educational practice, artist development, 

Page 14 




collective impact modelling, heritage, theatre and product development. They also reflect the geographical diversity of the region which the company serves. 

The Trustees delegate the authority of running the company to the senior leadership team of Chief Executive, Dr. Nick Owen MBE. He leads the Business Development Team of Business Manager, Head of Programmes and Marketing & Communications Manager. 

## **Conclusion** 

As we look ahead to 2026, The Mighty Creatives remains steadfast in its mission to create positive, lasting change in the lives of children and young people. The immediate future presents both significant challenges and valuable opportunities, and our Growth Plan lays a clear and confident path forward. By refining and expanding our programmes, entering new markets, amplifying youth voice, and strengthening strategic partnerships, we are positioning the organisation for impact at both a national and international level. 

Early progress already reflects the strength of our strategy and the commitment of our team, with key partnerships secured and innovative projects underway. Our marketing strategy further supports this growth by increasing visibility, deepening engagement, and ensuring our impact is both seen and understood. 

With robust governance, a dedicated leadership team, and the unwavering support of our Board of Trustees, The Mighty Creatives is well-equipped to navigate the complexities of the present while building the foundation for a resilient and thriving future. 


## **Prof Christine White** 

Chair of the Board of Trustees Signed on behalf of the Trustees on 9[th] July 2025 

Page 15 




## **DIRECTORS’ REPORT** 

The directors, who are also the trustees, present their report and accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025. 

## **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION** 

TMC is a company limited by guarantee, without share capital and incorporated on 1st July 2008. We were also granted charitable status on 3rd April 2009 as an educational charity registered in England and Wales. Our governing documents are included within our Memorandum and Articles of Association. 

The company is led by a strong group of Trustees who have extensive experience and expertise in the cultural, education and commercial sectors and together bring a wide range of governance skills to bear: leadership, fundraising and financial control, marketing, pedagogy and innovation.  They also reflect the geographical diversity of the region which the company aims to serve The Trustees are led by the Chair, Christine White, Vice Chair, Emrys Robinson-Green and Chair of Operations & Finance, Melanie Robinson. 

We are grateful to all the Trustees, listed on page 3, who held office during the year. 

Our Trustees meet quarterly to agree strategic direction, receive reports from staff, approve budgets and finance reports and endorse and review policies. 

The Operations and Finance Committee, a sub-committee of the Board, meets at least four times a year. Its function is to scrutinise budgets and finance reports in detail to safeguard the finances of the organisation, manage and review risks. The Committee also deals with issues such as pay levels and child protection. The Committee reports to, and makes recommendations to, the Board of Trustees. 

At the end of March 2025, there were 7 serving Trustees on the Board. 

Under the terms of the articles of association, Trustees may serve for two terms of three years, with the Board having discretion to agree to a further three-year term, bringing the maximum term to three terms of three years duration. 

Trustees regularly address skills and knowledge gaps with appointments open to any suitably qualified member of the public. Trustees are appointed through Board recommendation or a formal recruitment process comprising advertising and awareness through social media, similar to that used for the recruitment of staff. All newly appointed Trustees receive instruction on the activities of the charity and their responsibilities as a Trustee. They also have opportunities to see work in the field and we have proactively built this into the meetings structure. 

All Trustees give of their time freely and no Trustee remuneration was paid in the year. Details of Trustee expenses are disclosed in note 8 of the annual accounts. Trustees are 

Page 16 




required to disclose all relevant interests and register them with the Company Secretary and, in accordance with our policy, withdraw from decisions where a conflict of interest arises. 

## **STATEMENT OF PUBLIC BENEFIT** 

Our Trustees and senior staff are responsible for making sure everything we do is focused on achieving lasting public benefit, as defined by the Charity Commission. Our governing documents define our core objectives as 

_To promote such charitable objects and purposes for the public benefit as the Trustees think fit, in particular and without limitation, to the generality of the forgoing words to advance the education of children and young people and those who work with them through creative and cultural activities._ 

We review our public benefit and charitable purpose on an annual basis. 

## **RESERVES POLICY** 

Our Trustees review our reserves policy and levels on an annual basis, in the context of an ever-changing organisation and its working capital requirements. The policy states that a minimum of three month’s staffing and infrastructure costs should be held in reserve. 

We have limited scope to put money to reserves, with most of our income coming from restricted funding. This year TMC surpassed its minimum reserves target and at 31 March 2025 holds £858,451 of unrestricted funds (2024 - £925,869). 

The Board of Trustees allocated £428,939 of these unrestricted funds to be designated funds to support the organisation until 31[st] March 2026 as part of it’s transition plan following the unsuccessful NPO Arts Council England bid. 

## **GRANT MAKING POLICY** 

TMC makes grants to schools and other organisations working in the field of culture, creativity and enterprise. The nature and size of the grant is solely dependent on the size and nature of the funding that TMC received from funding bodies to distribute. 

## **MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATION** 

The daily responsibility for leadership of The Mighty Creatives rests with our Chief Executive Dr R N Owen MBE 

The Chief Executive is supported by the Business Development Team, which is made up to Business Manager: Caroline Frankland, Head of Programmes: Emily York and Marketing & Communications Manager: Bethany Patience. 

Key management personnel remuneration is determined with reference to the marketplace. It is also determined by assessing the overall salary costs of the organisation and ensuring that salaries reflect the nature of the work, the organisational structure, and sectoral expectations.  Remuneration is agreed at Board level. 

## **RISK MANAGEMENT** 

Page 17 




The Trustees have a risk register in place which addresses the major governance, operational, financial, reputational, legal and regulatory risks that might impact up the core purposes and key objectives. These risks are managed by a comprehensive set of policies (subject to review) and long standing practices, set out in our Employee Handbook. 

The most significant risks we faced in 2024/25 were of a financial or operational nature. They are summarised, along with the relevant mitigation measures, below: 

Page 18 




|**Risk**<br>**Type**|**Risk description**|**Proposed Mitigation**|**Impact**|**Likelihood**|**Impact**|**Overall risk**<br>**rating**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Operational|**Business Continuity**: An incident<br>occurs that impedes or ceases the<br>organisation's ability to function. Example:<br>cyber system issue/s or not able to access the<br>office for a sustainedperiod of time.|Ensuring that standard checks are<br>carried out on the organisation’s key<br>IT systems and equipment at regular<br>intervals. ie. IT is protected with<br>correct cyber protection software,<br>updates are initiated as needed.<br>Cyber Essentials Plus Certification<br>achieved on 6th February 2024. All<br>Staff have laptops and TMC mobile<br>phones to enable remote working.<br>All key systems, e.g. CRM, Shared<br>Folders, Accounting and banking<br>software are online.|Potentially substantial<br>depending on the scale of<br>impact and length of time<br>systems are not in workable or<br>safe service. Ie. damage may<br>be data protection breaches,<br>organisation’s financial details<br>at risk.|<br>2|4|6|
|Operational/HR|**Resourcing and Capacity:**Challenges with<br>resourcing requirements and capacity issues<br>which may impede business functions, ability<br>to fulfil contracts and affect staff wellbeing.|HR considerations – Staff capacity<br>and workloads are routinely<br>monitored by line managers to<br>ensure staff are not overloaded and<br>wellbeing is prioritised. Job openings<br>are considered a priority to fill by<br>senior managers and are actioned as<br>such.|Can range from minimal to<br>severe depending on the<br>members of staff unavailable<br>or number of open vacancies<br>at anyone time.|2|1|3|
|Operational|**Non Compliance with key legislation**: for<br>example: Safeguardingand Data Protection|Regular review of relevant policies;<br>regular staff and mentor training in<br>safeguarding provided; named<br>safeguarding officers on staff team<br>and on Board of Trustees.   Regular<br>data protection training/updates<br>provided to staff|Potentially substantial<br>depending on the scale of any<br>non compliance.  Could be<br>reputational and impact on<br>future funding.|2|4|6|
|Operational/HR|**Staff Absence:**Unplanned absence of key<br>staff|Ensure Business Continuity policy is<br>up to date.  Identify key functions in<br>the organisation and ensure cover in<br>place, for example<br>finance/payroll/bank processes,<br>website and social media, reporting<br>and keystakeholder relationships|Lack of skills and knowledge to<br>ensure the ongoing operations<br>of the organisation.  Could<br>lead to issues with making<br>payments.|<br>2|2|4|
|Governance|Poor or irregular attendance of trustees at<br>meetings|Adhere to Memorandum and<br>Articles of Association; trustee<br>induction process established and<br>reviewed; monitoring attendance at<br>meetings|Poor decision making; low<br>'buy-in' to the charity's vision<br>and businessplan|3|3|6|
|Financial|Lack of Financial Controls and Systems|Financial controls and procedures<br>are reviewed regularly with auditors;<br>regular project reports are produced<br>for funders; financial controls are a<br>shared responsibility for appropriate<br>members of staff|Projects overspend;<br>inappropriate reporting of<br>expenditure by budget<br>holders; loss of contracts with<br>funders; fraud leading to legal<br>investigations|1|4|5|
|Financial|Lower than anticipated referral levels from<br>Derbyshire CountyCouncil - Virtual School|Regular monitoring of referral levels<br>including termly meetings with<br>referral partner; review staffing<br>levels and core budgets|Loss of income to cover<br>staffingand core costs|2|4|6|
|Financial|Income generation success rates continue to<br>fall|Income generation reviewed on a<br>monthly basis at BDM.  Income<br>Generation team meet regularly to<br>identify key priorities and progress.<br>Progress reviewed at Board meetings<br>on aquarterlybasis.|<br>Loss of income to cover<br>charitable activities|3|5|8|
|International|Challenges of workinginternationally|Project Plan to be developed with<br>progress monitored by BDM on a<br>monthlybasis|Reputational damange to TMC<br>UK|2|4|6|



Page 19 




## **STRATEGIC REPORT** 

TMC receives income through grants and contracts for services which are based on funding agreements for variable lengths of time.  Activities are planned over the life of the individual project which ensure that all anticipated income is spent, except for retaining a prudent amount in reserves if the grant permits this. 

In order to preserve the liquidity of the organisation we do not currently invest income for more than one year.  The strategy therefore is to retain funds as cash and place them in bonds or other bank deposits at the best rate obtainable. 

Having been through an intensive period of organisational development over the last 12 months, the charity has determined that it is currently in a strong position to develop its income generation activities to direct the future growth and sustainability of work in the region. 

The charities Income Generation Strategy is a fundamental component of The Mighty Creative’s ongoing strategic development. The key aims of the Income Generation Strategy are to diversify the charity’s income, to improve its financial sustainability; and to put procedures in place for effective long-term fundraising management. 

4 core strands of income generation activity have been identified as the key areas to focus the Charity’s income generation efforts: 

1. Institutional, Trust and Foundation Grant Funding 

2. Individual Giving (Campaign and Major Donations) 

3. Corporate Partnerships 

4. Traded Services (Sales) 

## **TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE ACCOUNTS** 

The trustees (who are also the directors of Ruddington Framework Knitters Museum Limited for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees' report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice), including FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" 

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under company law the trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to: 

- select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently; 

- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP; make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; 

Page 20 




- state whether applicable accounting standards, comprising FRS 102 have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and 

- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business. 

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

The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company's website. Legislation governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions. 

## **GOING CONCERN** 

After making enquiries, the directors have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Accordingly, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements. Further details regarding the adoption of the going concern basis can be found in note 1 of the financial statements. 

Approved by the Trustees of the Charity on 9[th] July 2025 and signed on its behalf by: 


Prof. C White Director 

Page 21 




## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT to the trustees of The Mighty Creatives** 

I report to the Charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company 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 preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act'). 

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your Charity's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 201 1 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 201 1 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: 

1. accounting records were not kept in respect of The Mighty Creatives as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or 

2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or 

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

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

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

…………………………………………. N W Bonnello FCA Northgate House North Gate New Basford Nottingham NG7 7BQ 9 July 2025 

Page 22 




## _Statement of financial activities_ 

_Including Income and Expenditure Account_ **for the year ended 31 March 2025** 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
Unrestricted  Restricted  Total  Total<br>Notes  funds £  funds £  2025 £ 2024 £<br>INCOME<br>Income from charitable activities 3  247,948  454,624  702,572 985,511<br>Income from other<br>  Consultancy & Fundraising 12,303 - 12,303 4,643<br>Investment income 28,850  -  28,850 15,361<br>Total income 289,101 454,624 743,725 1,005,515<br>EXPENDITURE 5<br>Charitable activities<br>Grants made & activities undertaken directly  351,733  414,190  765,923 658,217<br>Support costs 2,653 49,831 52,484 33,856<br>Governance 2,133 - 2,133 965<br>Total expenditure 356,519 464,021 820,540 693,038<br>Net income (67,418) (9,397) (76,815) 312,477<br>Net transfers between funds - - - -<br>NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS (67,418)  (9,397)  (76,815) 312,477<br>Fund balances brought forward  14  925,869  238,616  1,164,485 852,008<br>FUND BALANCES CARRIED FORWARD 14  858,451 229,219 1,087,670 1,164,485<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


Page 23 




## **BALANCE SHEET as at 31 March 2025** 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
Notes  2025  2024<br>£ £<br>Fixed assets<br>Tangible assets  9  1,118  617<br>CURRENT ASSETS<br>Debtors  10  109,416  241,836<br>Bank and cash balances  1,031,848  1,015,138<br>1,141,264  1,256,974<br>CREDITORS : amounts falling due within one year  11  (54,712)  (93,106)<br>NET CURRENT ASSETS 1,086,552  1,163,868<br>Total assets less current liabilities  1,087,670  1,164,485<br>CREDITORS : amounts falling due after more than one year  12  -  -<br>1,087,670  1,164,485<br>INCOME FUNDS<br>Unrestricted general funds  14  155,055  164,018<br>Designated funds  14  428,939  571,357<br>Reserves  14  274,458  190,494<br>Restricted funds  14  229,219  238,616<br>1,087,670  1,164,485<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


For the financial year ended 31 March 2025 the charity was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. 

Directors’ responsibilities: - 

- The members have not required the charity to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476; and 

- The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts 

The financial statements were approved by the Trustees, and authorised for issue on 9[th] July 2025 and signed on their behalf by: 


Christine White Director 9[th] July 2025 

Page 24 




## _Statement of cashflows_ 

**for the year ended 31 March 2025** 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
2025 2024<br>£ £<br>Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cashflow from operating activities<br>Net movement in funds (76,815) 312,477<br>Depreciation 785 996<br>Profit on disposal of fixed assets - -<br>Interest received (28,850) (15,361)<br>(Increase)/decrease in debtors  132,420 (91.212)<br>Increase/(decrease) in creditors (38,394) 79,568<br>Net cash inflow/(outflow) from operating activities (10,854) 127,332<br>Cashflows from investing activities<br>Purchase of tangible fixed assets (1,286) (1,392)<br>Interest received  28,850 15,361<br>Net cash inflow/(outflow) from investing activities 27,564 13,969<br>Increase/(decrease) in cash in the year 16,710 141,301<br>Cash at the beginning of the year 1,015,138 873,837<br>Cash at the end of the year 1,031,848 1,015,138<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


Page 25 




## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS at 31 March 2025** 

## **1 ACCOUNTING POLICIES** 

## _**Company and charitable status**_ 

The Mighty Creatives, a public benefit entity, is incorporated in England and Wales as a company limited by guarantee not having a share capital. Each member has undertaken to contribute to the assets in the event of winding up a sum not exceeding £1. The company is a registered charity. The registered office is given on page 3. 

## _**Basis of preparation and assessment of going concern**_ 

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with 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)) (issued in October 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006. 

The Directors consider that there are no material uncertainties about the Charity’s ability to continue as a going concern. Free unrestricted reserves of TMC at the year-end amount to £155,055. After consideration of the current business plan and with a balanced budget planned for the next two financial years, the Trustees consider there is a reasonable expectation that TMC has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. The Trustees are also satisfied with the controls in place for monitoring and flexing the budget throughout the year. There are no material uncertainties that would impact on the charity’s ability to continue. Accordingly, we continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing this annual report and financial statements. 

## _**Funds**_ 

General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Directors in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes. Designated funds are unrestricted funds set aside by the Directors out of unrestricted general funds for specific future purposes or projects. Reserves are funds designated to ensure the charity can meet it’s 6 months reserves policy. Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the charity for particular purposes. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. 

## _**Incoming resources**_ 

Incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities when receivable and when the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. Grants received for specific purposes are accounted for as restricted funds. 

## _**Resources expended**_ 

Resources expended are recognised in the period in which they are incurred under headings that aggregate all costs related to that category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to 

Page 26 




particular headings they are allocated to activities on a basis consistent with use of the resources. Resources expended include attributable VAT which cannot be recovered. 

## _**Taxation**_ 

TMC is a registered charity and is not subject to taxation on its income so long as this is used for its charitable activities. 

## _**Fixed assets and depreciation**_ 

All fixed assets are initially recorded at cost.  Depreciation is provided on all fixed assets at rates calculated to write off the cost, less estimated residual value based on prices prevailing at the date of acquisition, of each asset evenly over its expected useful life as follows: 

Office equipment - 3 years straight line 

**2 CRITICAL ACCOUNTING JUDGEMENTS AND KEY SOURCES OF ESTIMATION UNCERTAINTY** In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, which are described in note 1, the Directors are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amounts 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 if the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods if the revision affects both current and future periods. 

The Directors do not consider there are any critical judgements or sources of estimation uncertainty requiring disclosure beyond the accounting policies listed above. 

Page 27 





**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
3  INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES General<br>Unrestricted  Restricted  2025  2024<br>£  £  £ £<br>Grants received (see note 4)  247,948  454,624  702,572  985,511<br>Donations  85  -  85  389<br>Fundraising  294  -  294  167<br>Other  11,924  -  11,924  4,087<br>260,251  454,624  714,875  990,154<br>4  GRANTS RECEIVED General  2025  2024<br>Unrestricted  Restricted  £  £<br>£ £<br>Children in Need – main grant - - - 38,943<br>Erasmus Well-Be - - - (357)<br>Rutland Council – Virtual School - 14,674 14,674 23,927<br>ACE Virtual Schools Project  -  1,610  1,610 7,200<br>Leicester Heritage Action Zone - - - 2,000<br>Creative Mentoring 117,958 - 117,958 91,563<br>Staffordshire County Council – Virtual School – AA Project - - - 17,046<br>ACE Transition Funding - - - 461,595<br>ACE Artsmark Support - - - 25,000<br>Nottingham City Council – Include - 10,285 10,285 41,142<br>Staffordshire County Council – Residential Homes Project - - - 19,670<br>Nottingham City Council – Short Breaks - - - 4,680<br>Derbyshire County Council – Group CM In Schools - - - 9,192<br>Derbyshire County Council – Creative Mentoring  129,990  -  129,990 75,808<br>Leicestershire County Council – Youth Voice Project - 6,291 6,291 4,596<br>Rutland Council – DfE Project - 142,769 142,769 55,961<br>Staffordshire Council – DfE Project - 174,865 174,865 97,157<br>Goethe Institute – Cultural Bridge - 13,995 13,995 4,500<br>Youth Justice Board  -  -  - 5,888<br>Arts Connect - 16,223 16,223 -<br>Voluntary Action Leicester - 53,689 53,689 -<br>Letchworth Garden City - 14,994 14,994 -<br>Historic England – Our Home, Our Stories - 3,750 3,750 -<br>Young Lives vs Cancer  -  1,479  1,479 -<br>247,948 454,624 702,572 985,511<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


Page 28 




||**5**<br>**EXPENDITURE**<br>**_Charitable activities_**<br>Unrestricted<br>Funds<br>£<br>Restricted<br>Funds<br>£<br>**2025**<br>**£**<br>2024<br>£<br>**Grants made & activities undertaken directly**<br>(note relates expenditure to source of funds as shown below)<br>Children in Need – main grant<br>-<br>-<br>**-**<br>23,820<br>Erasmus Well-Be<br>-<br>-<br>**-**<br>50<br>D Stewart – SEND 50thAnniversary<br>-<br>368<br>**368**<br>-<br>Erasmus DiARC<br>-<br>-<br>**-**<br>(1,469)<br>DWP – Kickstart<br>-<br>-<br>**-**<br>-<br>Charities Aid Foundation<br>-<br>-<br>**-**<br>-<br>Rutland Council – Virtual School<br>-<br>16,598<br>**16,598**<br>6,663<br>Creative Mentoring<br>75,525<br>-<br>**75,525**<br>70,957<br>The World Reimagined<br>-<br>-<br>**-**<br>-<br>ACE Virtual Schools Project<br>-<br>3,033<br>**3,033**<br>1,807<br>Staffordshire County Council – Virtual School – AA Project<br>-<br>3,027<br>**3,027**<br>4,039<br>ACE Transition Funding<br>-<br>-<br>**-**<br>190,145<br>ACE Artsmark Support<br>-<br>-<br>**-**<br>22,334<br>Nottingham City Council – Include<br>-<br>18,733<br>**18,733**<br>26,270<br>Staffordshire County Council – Residential Homes Project<br>-<br>6,628<br>**6,628**<br>1,243<br>Nottingham City Council – Short Breaks<br>-<br>4,649<br>**4,649**<br>32<br>Derbyshire County Council – Creative Mentoring<br>86,049<br>-<br>**86,049**<br>3,994<br>Rutland Council – DfE Project<br>-<br>83,766<br>**83,766**<br>6,875<br>Staffordshire County Council – DfE Project<br>-<br>63,601<br>**63,601**<br>9,112<br>Goethe Institute – Cultural Bridge<br>-<br>1,453<br>**1,453**<br>2,198<br>Youth Justice Board<br>-<br>2,200<br>**2,200**<br>-<br>Leicestershire County Council – Projects<br>-<br>2,975<br>**2,975**<br>-<br>Arts Connect<br>-<br>3,452<br>**3,452**<br>-<br>Voluntary Action Leicester<br>-<br>35,050<br>**35,050**<br>-<br>Letchworth Garden City<br>-<br>1,896<br>**1,896**<br>-<br>Historic England<br>-<br>87<br>**87**<br>-<br>Young Lives vs Cancer<br>-<br>1,045<br>**1,045**<br>-<br>Investment & Growth Plan<br>21,937<br>-<br>**21,937**<br>Other Programme<br>1,695<br>-<br>**1,695**<br>738<br>Total<br>185,206<br>248,561<br>**433,767**<br>368,808<br>Staff costs associated with above expenditure<br>166,527<br>165,629<br>**332,156**<br>289,409<br>351,733<br>414,190<br>**765,923**<br>658,217|
|---|---|
||**Support costs**<br>Contributions to Support Costs<br>(49,831)<br>49,831<br>**-**<br>-<br>Training<br>3,580<br>-<br>**3,580**<br>60<br>Staff welfare<br>2,825<br>-<br>**2,825**<br>419<br>Recruitment<br>-<br>-<br>**-**<br>-<br>Travel<br>1,646<br>-<br>**1,646**<br>-<br>Telephones & IT<br>14,273<br>-<br>**14,273**<br>11,866<br>Legal & professional<br>69<br>-<br>**69**<br>48<br>Bank charges<br>686<br>-<br>**686**<br>763<br>Depreciation<br>785<br>-<br>**785**<br>996<br>Income generation<br>1,737<br>-<br>**1,737**<br>262<br>Business Development<br>1,322<br>-<br>**1,322**<br>-|



Page 29 




|Rent|11,453|-|**11,453**|9,089||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|PR and communications|8,170|-|**8,170**|7,920||
|Local office administration|2,050|-|**2,050**|(855)||
|Insurance|888|-|**888**|828||
|Audit and Examination Fees|3,000|-|**3,000**|2,460||
|Total|2,653|49,831|**52,484**|33,856||
||Unrestricted|Restricted||||
||Funds<br>£|Funds<br>£|**2025**<br>**£**|2024<br>£||
|**Governance**||||||
|Trustee travel costs|215|-|**215**|-||
|Trustee meeting costs|960|-|**960**|965||
|Trustee Insurance|957|-|**957**|-||
||2,133|-|**2,133**|965||
|**Total expenditure**|**356,519**|**464,021**|**820,540**|693,038||
|**6**<br>**STAFF COSTS**|||**2025**|2024||
||||**£**|£||
|Wages and salaries|||**292,743**|264,201||
|Social security costs|||**29,909**|19,254||
|Other pension costs|||**9,504**|5,954||
||||**332,156**|289,409||



The average number of employees, including part-time, during the year was 11 (2024: 10). 

One employee earned in excess of £60,000 (2024 - Nil). 

The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The charge for the period was £9,504 (2024 – £5,954). There were outstanding contributions of £Nil at the year end (2024 - £Nil). 

|**7**<br>**NET INCOME FOR THE YEAR**|||
|---|---|---|
||**2025**|2024|
|This is stated after charging:|**£**|£|
|Operating lease costs – property|**11,289**|8,273|
|Auditors’ remuneration|||
|As auditors|**-**|4,000|
|Examiner fees|**3,000**|-|
|Depreciation|**785**|996|



## **8 DIRECTORS’ REMUNERATION** 

No remuneration was paid to Directors for their services. 

Page 30 





**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
9  TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS<br>Office<br>equipment<br>£<br>Cost or valuation:<br>At 1 April 2024 64,152<br>Additions 1,286<br>Disposals  -<br>At 31 March 2025  65,438<br>Depreciation:<br>At 1 April 2024  63,535<br>Charge for the year 785<br>-<br>Eliminated on disposals<br>At 31 March 2025  64,320<br>Net book value<br>At 31 March 2025 1,118<br>At 1 April 2024  617<br>10  Debtors  2025 2024<br>£ £<br>Amounts falling due within one year<br>Trade debtors  107,952 240,372<br>Prepayments and accrued income  - -<br>Other debtors  1,464 1,464<br>109,416 241,836<br>11 CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR 2025 2024<br>£ £<br>Trade creditors  39,480 31,787<br>Other taxes and social security  7,694 5,569<br>Other creditors  - -<br>Deferred income (see also Note 12) - -<br>Accrued expenses  7,538 55,750<br>54,712 93,106<br>12  CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE AFTER MORE THAN ONE YEAR 2025 2024<br>£ £<br>Deferred income  - -<br>DEFERRED INCOME £<br>At 1 April 2024  -<br>-<br>Income deferred in year – for release within one year<br>-<br>Income deferred in year – for release after more than one year<br>Amount released in year  -<br>At 31 March 2025  -<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


Page 31 





**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
13  FUNDS ANALYSIS General<br>Unrestricted<br>fund  Restricted fund  2025  2024<br>£ £ £ £<br>Tangible fixed assets  1118  -  1118  617<br>Current assets  871,280  269,984  1,141,264  1,256,974<br>Liabilities  (13,947)  (40,765)  (54,712)  (93,106)<br>Net assets  858,451  229,219  1,087,670  1,164,485<br>14  MOVEMENT IN FUNDS  At 1 April  Incoming  Outgoing  At 31<br>2024  resources  resources  Transfers  March 2025<br>£ £ £ £ £<br>Restricted funds<br>CAF Resilience Fund  335  -  (335)  -  -<br>D Stewart – SEND 50 [th]  Anniversary  368  -  (368)  -  -<br>Rutland Council Virtual School  19,162  14,674  (19,375)  -  14,461<br>ACE Virtual Schools Project  12,683  1,610  (14,293)  -  -<br>Staffordshire County Council – Virtual School  13,007  -  (13,007)  -  -<br>Staffordshire County Council – Residential Home  18,427  -  (9,308)  -  9,119<br>Nottingham City Council – Include  14,871  10,285  (25,156)  -  -<br>Nottingham City Council – Short Breaks  4,649  -  (4,649)  -  -<br>Derbyshire County Council – CM in Schools  5,198  -  (5,198)  -  -<br>Staffordshire County Council – DfE project  88,045  174,865  (137,043)  -  125,867<br>Rutland Council – DFE   49,086  142,769  (137,194)  -  54,661<br>Goethe Institute – Cultural Bridge  2,301  13,995  (2,301)  -  13,995<br>Leicestershire County Council – Youth Voice  4,596  6,291  (7,737)  -  3,150<br>Youth Justice Board  5,888  -  (5,888)  -  -<br>Arts Connect  -  16,223  (13,637)  -  2,586<br>Voluntary Action Leicester  -  53,689  (53,689)  -  -<br>Letchworth Garden City  -  14,994  (11,540)  -  3,454<br>Historic England  -  3,750  (1,825)  -  1,925<br>Young Lives vs Cancer  -  1,479  (1,479)  -  -<br>Restricted Balance  238,616  454,624  (464,021)  -  229,219<br>Unrestricted funds<br>General  354,512  289,101  (214,101)  -  429,512<br>Designated Funds – Transition  571,357  -  (142,418)  -  428,939<br>1,164,485  743,725  (820,540)  -  1,087,670<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


Page 32 




## **15 DESCRIPTION OF FUNDS** 

**Charities Aid Foundation** - to support the sustainability and development of our Creative Mentoring programme which supports YP in Need who are transitioning into employment. 

**D Stewart - SEND 50th Anniversary** - a donation to support SEND schools across the East Midlands and to mark the 50[th] anniversary of SEND provision within schools. 

**Rutland Virtual School –** To support the Council with development of young people’s stories to help communicate the different services available to young people. 

**ACE Virtual Schools Project -** To support 3 Virtual Schools with piloting the delivery of Artsmark in a virtual school’s context. 

**Staffordshire County Council – Virtual School** – funding to support the delivery of Arts Award within the Virtual School. 

**Staffordshire County Council – Residential Home Project** - a project to deliver creative mentoring within residential homes. 

**Nottingham City Council – Include** – a pilot project to reduce the risk of educational exclusion. 

**Nottingham City Council – Short Breaks** - a project providing support to children and young people with disabilities. 

**Derbyshire County Council – CM in Schools** - a pilot project to explore group mentoring in schools. 

**Staffordshire County Council – DfE Project -** To deliver 1:1 Creative Mentoring for Looked After Children in Staffordshire. 

**Rutland Council – DfE Project** – To deliver 1:1 Creative Mentoring to Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children in the Rutland area. 

**Goethe Institute – Cultural Bridge** - an exchange programme with Werkhaus, an organisation based in Krefeld, Germany to share expertise and knowledge. 

**Leicestershire County Council – Youth Voice** - a project to explore and demonstrate the arts and cultural offer that LCC’s Virtual School has to offer for their children and young people, advocate for engagement in these activities, and also advocating for the arts as a means to work meaningfully with them. 

**Youth Justice Board** - to lead a youth-voice consultation project as part of their training developments for professionals who are working with children and young people going through the Youth Justice and Youth Offending systems 

Page 33 




**Arts Connect –** to lead a range of action research activities with East and West Midlands Virtual Schools and cultural partners to develop arts and cultural activity for children in care. 

**Voluntary Action Leicester –** to work with young people in the Highfields Community Centre to develop their arts skills and experiences to improve access to creative careers. 

**Letchworth Garden City -** to work alongside the Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation to develop a youth engagement and consultation plan, that inspires young people and families and makes Letchworth a Great Place to Grow Up. 

**Historic England -** to work with Un Accompanied Asylum Seeking Children and young people in Staffordshire, using creativity as a way to connect to their surroundings to develop a sense of belonging through local history. 

**Young Lives vs Cancer -** to co-create a visual artwork capturing the experiences and achievements of the Young Lives vs Cancer Voice Board in 2024. 

**Designated Funds -** To support the organisation until 31[st] March 2026 as part of it’s transition plan following the unsuccessful NPO Arts Council England bid. 

Page 34