2020-08-31-accounts

Trustees’ annual report Period start date 31/08/2019 Period end date 01/09/2020

MusicLinks

Charity No: 1130710 Objectives

and Activities

MusicLinks works to educate the public in the art of music. We assist disadvantaged people and communities by responding to the needs of those living at risk of isolation and/or living in rural areas, primarily those living with disabilities.

Activities undertaken in relation to those purposes

In the pursuit of our charitable purposes in the last year we have continued to deliver music education workshops, which are free at the point of access in disadvantaged areas. We’ve worked extensively with special schools and day care centers supporting those living with learning difficulties in South Lakeland, Eden and Barrow. In the period covered by this report, we have worked exclusively in Cumbria, although we look to work further afield should the need arise.

MusicLinks main activities for the public benefit, in particular the projects or services identified in the accounts

In order to support our charitable purposes, the Chief Executive Officer and administration team have drawn down funding from a variety of local and national trusts, foundations and the lottery. This has been for the purpose of funding the delivery of the Music Grid/Interactive Ensembles Project music education project for disadvantaged communities in Cumbria. This project was devised in order to meet the needs created by the lockdown and has proved a great success.

The project offered community music workshops featuring high quality guest artists and offered a practical online alternative replacing our flagship project JamTent. JamTent is due to return in 2022 offering a large-scale celebratory event at the end of July. In 2022 JamTent will be supported by Kendal Calling Music Festival - The project has grown over the last five years providing benefits for a wide range of local community groups, as well as many artists and festivalgoers.

In delivering our work for the public benefit, in line with our purposes, we have spent the largest part of our budget on engaging the services of local and international music leaders for workshops and performing artists, we have also purchased iPads and a variety of instruments for distribution to disadvantaged groups so they could participate in the project. Fuel costs and volunteer related costs have had a reduced impact on the budget this year due to lockdown.

In order to ensure the safety of our beneficiaries we have carried out risk assessments in order to identify any risks of harm. We have delivered workshops mainly online but where indoor workshops were permissible we adhered to COVID guidance including sanitising and quarantining all instruments for 48 hours prior to workshops in buildings that regularly cater for vulnerable service users.

Trustees Statement

We the Trustees of MusicLinks confirm that we are aware of and have had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. We are aware that this is a Legal requirement in line with the Charities Act when exercising any powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant. As such we have taken it into account when making decisions to which the guidance is relevant and have not decided to depart from the guidance, unless we have had good reasons for doing so.

Contribution made by Volunteers

Once again this year, we have benefitted from the support of Volunteers, whose contribution has been of great value and significance to the charity’s ability to undertake our work. Our volunteers were recruited either by word of mouth or personal recommendation. As in previous years our volunteers weren’t paid for their time but were paid for any out-of-pocket expenses including: travel, postage and telephone costs if working from home, essential equipment, such as protective clothing (PPE) and for refreshments.

Achievements and Performance

MusicLinks main achievement throughout the period of this report has been to deliver a unique music education workshop programme for vulnerable people in Cumbria. This year the Interactive Ensembles (IE) project was introduced to take in participants from across Cumbria as well as engaging the skills of a wide range of music artists. Vulnerable people living with disabilities who attend local special schools and daycare centers were offered the chance to take part, joining with artists from across the UK and beyond to contribute to a groundbreaking new form of online music improvisation. We also increased the music skills of participants along with increasing opportunities for marginalised community members to integrate positively with mainstream society online, during a potentially isolating time. The grid / IE provides a wonderful opportunity for our clients to integrate with the wider community. Along with the success of the project delivery we should also give credit to the designers and code writers associated with the project. In light of the success of the project, MusicLinks continues to fulfil its primary objective, to educate the public in the art of music even when we are forced to operate mainly online. In doing so we have continued to break down social barriers and challenge any preconceptions that may be held by wider society when considering the plight of those living with disabilities.

MusicLinks financial position at the end of the period and Reserves Policy

As with previous years our finances are built around the delivery of projects in the spring and summer, reviewing and reporting in the autumn and then fundraising in winter into spring. This money is then used in order to ensure the administration and fundraising team can continue working effectively in order to raise funds for and deliver the spring / summer programme. Due to the fact that we are not a ‘regularly funded’ organisation we continue to rely on project-byproject funding via trusts and foundations. Therefore we continue to operate a no reserves policy. Although we acknowledge the financial risk from the possibility of unforeseen expenditure, a shortfall in income, or an inability to control costs, we continue to operate this way and have therefore worked in recent years to ensure that our administrative costs are kept as low as possible and at a sustainable level. Since 2012 we have moved out of our offices at Stricklandgate House, employed people on a purely freelance/sessional basis, improved our levels of voluntary

support and run the charity from home. Apart from the storage facility we rent on a monthly basis in Witherslack and the occasional charity administration related electricity, heating and phone/internet and travel costs, we have reduced our administration costs significantly (by around 80%) in the last nine years, in order to reduce risk and ensure the overall resilience and sustainability of the charity. However, it remains a responsibility of the administration and trustees to continue to research and develop ways toimplement a sustainable reserves policy

• raise the necessary funds to generate reserves at around 12% annually

• diversify our funding base

• mitigate the risks that might arise if the charity has to close suddenly

During this reporting period we have drawn down funding support from a variety of Trusts and Foundations.

All of the funding outlined below was drawn down in order to support theInteractive Ensembles project and related administration costs.

Structure, Governance and Management

MusicLinks continues to operate as a limited company in accordance with the procedures outlined in our: MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED 17 FEBRUARY 2009 AS AMENDED BY SPECIAL RESOLUTION 25 JUNE 2009

Reference and Administrative details Charity

name: MusicLinks Limited AKA: MusicLinks

Registered charity number: 1130710

Charity’s principal address: Woodside, Garth Row, Underbarrow, Kendal, Cumbria, LA88AY

Trustee name:

1 Andrew McKay (Director ML Limited) 2 Trevor Avery (Director ML Limited)

3 Stuart Downs

• 4 Keith Redfern 5 Andrew Deakin

• 6 James Darrington

• 7 Anthony Wallis

Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee:

All Trustees are consulted when appointing new Trustees, but if all are unavailable then it falls to the Directors of MusicLinks Limited and the Chief Executive Officer.

Chief Executive Officer: Andrew Halsey

There are no Debtors or Creditors outstanding at year end.

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Music Links Ltd, Charity Registration Number 1130710, Limited Company by Guarantee 06821503, c/o Andrew Halsey, Woodside Garth Row, Underbarrow, Kendal. LA8 8AY.

I report on the account for the Year 1[st] September 2019 to 31[st] August 2020, which is set out on the page attached.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

• examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;

• to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and

• to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of independent examiner's report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view' and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent examiner's statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any matertal respect the requirements:

• to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and

• • to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act

have not been met; or

(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed:

Name: Alan Stubbs FCMA

FCMA. (Chartered Management Accountant) Cumbria CVS Financial Services Date: 25th June 2021