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2025-03-31-accounts

Charity registration number 1145521 (England and Wales) Company registration number 07880356

MID PENNINE ARTS

ANNUAL REPORT AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

MID PENNINE ARTS

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Trustees Ms F Khan
Mr P J Kenyon
Dr S Hawke
Mrs A Corns
Dr C Tymon
Ms K L Savage
Mrs L Giddins
Charity number (England and Wales) 1145521
Company number 07880356
Registered office One Two Three,
123 St James's Street
Burnley
Lancashire
BB11 1PP
Independent examiner Mayes Business Partnership Ltd
Reception 1, Red Rose Court
Clayton Business Park
Clayton Le Moors
Lancashire
BB5 5JR

MID PENNINE ARTS

CONTENTS

Page
Trustees' report 1 - 9
Independent examiner's report 10
Statement of financial activities 11
Balance sheet 12
Notes to the financial statements 13 - 20

MID PENNINE ARTS

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Mid Pennine Arts is Lancashire’s original arts charity. We commission new creative work and devise original, collaborative projects that respond to the rich contexts of our Pennine Lancashire locale. We develop projects that are creatively ambitious, are unique to the places they animate, and make a lasting difference to the lives of participants and communities.

In 2024/25, we have developed projects in a range of locations across the map of Pennine Lancashire. This has been a year of transition, with much energy devoted to MPA moving after 14 years to a new, shared creative space on Burnley’s high street. This process has limited the volume of work possible over the year, but it represents our commitment to a strategic cultural initiative for our home town.

In support of Burnley Council’s High Street Heritage Action Zone, funded by Historic England and others, MPA has led the consortium of cultural partners working to support economic renewal. That programme concluded in 2024 but we are now engaged in bringing its legacy to life. Partnership with Burnley Borough Council and our cultural partners is driving forward a shared vision for the renewal of lower St James Street with culture at its heart.

During the year, we have carried the banner for this vision, with special launch events and first public activity in the new space. Moving into 2025, we have seen this collaboration bear further fruit, with the inception of the Council’s major new heritage project, celebrating the civic core of the town and expected to unfold over six years. Taking a lead role in creative community engagement for this project will form a vital part of our charity’s future.

This was another year of creative adventure for our signature project, Pendle Radicals. Six years after its inception, we aspire to continue Radicals as a long term enterprise, driven by its inspired volunteers. We are especially grateful to the funders old and new, crowd fund supporters and Radicals researchers who have made that leap possible. There is much more to come from Pendle Radicals.

Our major summer event, Burnley Canal Festival, returned in August at its now established festival site at Finsley Gate Wharf. An estimated 5,000 people flocked to the Wharf and the towpath and confirmed that BCF continues in good health. The Festival is highly valued by our communities, and the many happy, smiling faces of the family audience who love and support this unique event make all the months of hard work worthwhile.

The value of MPA’s work overall was reflected in the inaugural Culture Burnley Awards in September 2024, when we received the Cultural Organisation award but also two further awards for Burnley Canal Festival. Two other MPA collaborative projects received commendations.

Our work around Lancashire continues to focus on major projects that all achieve real, positive impacts for our communities. While our ecomuseum project Spodden Valley Revealed saw some continuing progress towards long term goals, it will only become fully visible as we move into 2026.

Looking ahead, these projects continue to form the backbone of our creative agenda. From the moorland heights around the Spodden Valley, through Pennine Lancashire's industrial heritage and Burnley’s distinctive townscape to the inspirational landscape of Pendle Hill, MPA projects are tapping into our shared heritage, enriching Lancashire's cultural offer and creating new cultural capital. We are investing in our county's future as a unique and distinctive destination.

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, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" 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)".

MID PENNINE ARTS

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Objectives and activities Our Mission and Purpose

Mid Pennine Arts brings art, people and places together to change perceptions and sometimes to change lives. We work through collaborations to produce high quality creative work in response to the rich and diverse contexts of Lancashire and the North West. We work in some of the most disadvantaged communities in the UK, but have built up a long track record of organisational resilience and ambitious, high quality work, achieving real social and economic impacts.

Our Aims

Our Vision for MPA

Activities

A Year's Work

In spite of the constraints of a transition year, the body of work we assembled took in a huge variety of creative experiences. During the year 2024/25 we have produced:

Our work has been experienced by:

Our work has involved:

MID PENNINE ARTS

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Achievements and performance

Pendle Radicals – A different kind of role model

We continued to develop this unique and rewarding project, which has far outlasted the Pendle Hill partnership programme that launched it. This volunteer-driven research initiative has much more still to offer. Our Radicals community are just getting started, and with notable help from friends and supporters we are making the transition from that time-limited partnership to a longer life as a standalone project based around a membership group.

Pendle Radicals is an exploration of Pendle Hill's heritage of radical thinkers and non-conformists, from research investigations through commissions of new art to celebration events. The project is providing volunteer and learning opportunities for local people of all ages, and has established a committed core of brilliant, volunteer contributors.

Pendle Radicals emerged as a part of the Pendle Hill Landscape Partnership, an ambitious four year scheme led by the Forest of Bowland National Landscape with many local partners, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Sterling support from that source continued with additional funds for Pendle Hill legacy projects. In 2024, this was followed by support from Pendle Borough Council through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. And this in turn gave us the platform to conduct a successful crowdfunder through Crowdfund Lancashire. Thanks to all of them, Radicals continues as we plan a long term future for it.

Radicals contributors write regular items for the project blog, the Rebel Pen Club, and our Facebook sharing group has grown to over 200 members. The Radicals stories start with George Fox, founder of the Quakers, who had his great vision on the summit of Pendle in 1652, through centuries of dissent to women like Selina Cooper, a hero of the suffrage movement in spite of having to work in the mills from the age of 12. Selina, like many members of Nelson ILP (Independent Labour Party) made strong connections to Clarion House at Newchurch, now the last of the Clarion Clubs but still thriving and an inspiring location for many of our Radicals participants.

Linking into our Radicals Trail of historic microsites, volunteer researchers have created a suite of themed walks, Walking with Radicals. A three-part route links two pioneers of the countryside movement. The Two Toms celebrates Tom Stephenson, creator of the Pennine Way and first president of the Ramblers, and the Rev T R Leonard, creator of healthy, adventure holidays for workers from the mills. Four walks are so far available to download from the Pendle Radicals website. In spring 2025, we celebrated the 60[th] anniversary of Stephenson’s creation with a commemorative group trek linking the Two Toms to the Pennine Way anniversary celebrations at Malham.

Running right through our programme is the inspirational story of mill girl turned celebrity writer Ethel Carnie Holdsworth, a rare, uncompromisingly working class voice amongst published writers around the time of WW1. We are supported by key partners including the editor of the reissued Ethel Carnie novel series, Professor Nicola Wilson of Reading University. In an innovative academic partnership with Professors Wilson and Simon Rennie of Exeter University, we continue to help supervise a fully funded, collaborative doctorate on Ethel’s work. Jenny Harper is the PhD candidate, and adds a highly valuable extra dimension to the life of the Radicals project. In February 2025, she contributed a critical introduction to the latest ECH novel to be republished, ‘Eagle’s Crag’.

We continue to support Jules Gibb and team to develop the drama work in progress The Clarion Van, about Burnley’s own working class suffragist Ada Nield Chew. This year the group have built up a highly fruitful exchange partnership with the women’s network in Crewe, where Ada first came to notoriety as a troublesome mill worker.

Over a hundred Radicals supporters contributed to our successful campaign on Crowdfund Lancashire, and this support was rewarded with further support from Lancashire County Council.

MID PENNINE ARTS

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

There is much more to come from this inspiring project, with work in progress including further sites for the Radicals Trail, a new podcast series, a banner commission and a second book.

“Pendle Radicals, what a great way to bring the past to the present.” Maggie Wright

“Ethel is an inspiring woman whom I’d never heard of… Interest in her fascinating, socialist life has been kindled by Mid Pennine Arts and the wonderful Pendle Radicals project. She should never be forgotten!” Janet Oosthysen

“This is a beautiful, inspiring book. Our radical history through banners and flags, physical connections through the stitches and through the demonstrations they’ve been held high on.” Boff Whalley

Blog: https://pendleradicals.wordpress.com/ Project website: https://www.pendleradicals.org.uk/ Ethel by Charabanc film https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/714463829 This Slavery podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/3DKkRq3pTaqqx0Qa6W0XGr - Rights, Routes & Riots film https://youtu.be/6jk8kH Yyu8 Banner Culture Revisited https://vimeo.com/776618486 Pendle Hill Programme https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8cs__yk1EM&t=37s Final Gathering

Burnley Canal Festival – The joy of the towpath

Our highly popular August festival, winner of a national Living Waterways Award, returned to the historic, regenerated Finsley Gate Wharf in August 2024. Public support was strong, in spite of persistently threatening weather. That public response shows that BCF meets a clear need, and it will continue to be an important part of our programme.

A partnership with art commissioners Super Slow Way, this celebration of Burnley’s canalside environment is a highly effective platform for introducing a wider audience to the joys of the towpath and its overlooked treasures of industrial heritage. BCF attracts audiences from the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods, and provides a safe, neutral space for a genuinely diverse public to share. The vibrant mix of creative activities we provide are almost all free, and they are much valued at the end of a long summer by the Burnley public.

This year a vibrant mix of programme at the main site was complemented by a newly commissioned Towpath Explorers’ Quest, designed for families with children, and a lively range of waterborne activity. The canal heritage and education boat The Kennet had an extraordinarily busy day, counting over a thousand visitors, and rating this ‘their best day of the year’.

An estimated 5,000 attended the Festival, including over 3,600 participants in workshops and interactive trails. MPA also manages the website and the exceptionally busy social media for BCF. Online traffic on all platforms totalled many thousands of impressions from the loyal followers of the Festival.

Public affection for BCF was confirmed at the Culture Burnley Awards in September, when the Festival was winner of not one but two awards including the newly devised Outdoor Town Award.

Website: https://burnleycanalfestival.org/ BCF22 film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS-oYUcp7cg

MID PENNINE ARTS

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Spodden Valley Revealed - A museum in the landscape

Our most ambitious vision continues to be for this long-term project to create a museum in the landscape around the Whitworth area. Made possible by National Lottery investment through the Heritage Fund, Spodden Valley Revealed has already boosted sense of place and local identity. After a long hiatus for the pandemic, this year we have taken some small steps towards bringing the project back to life. Spodden Valley Revealed will take visible shape in the landscape and online in 2026.

Developed with local authority partners, this is a bold plan for a unique, linear heritage destination. Spodden Valley Revealed is based on the European model of the ecomuseum, a celebration of place and heritage, but dispersed across a number of micro-sites in the landscape. It uses the existing cycleway as its spine, and will link a dozen locations of heritage interest, illuminating Whitworth's long timeline of human settlement, and introducing a new public to some fascinating but overlooked historic content.

Over a number of years, we have elaborated this trail of discovery through landscaping works, improving access and adding forthcoming interpretation, but also through an extensive programme of activity, for local people of all ages.

Capital works have been completed around Cowm Reservoir, at the northern gateway site of Britannia, and at the central node of Hall Street and Market Street. After the pandemic we added landscaping works at the ruined hamlets of Near and Far Cow Clough, improving access and providing attractive new seating areas.

Alongside these light touch works, we developed a community programme to involve a broad cross section of local people. For the Whitworth Skyline Walk, our commissions for a new 'audio beacons' soundtrack were instrumental in building up this hugely popular annual event. For the 2024 event, some 150 people downloaded the audio.

Our community archaeology activities, led by our partners Dig Ventures, formed a staple of the programme and have established strong links with Whitworth Historical Society and Whitworth Museum. The final, comprehensive archaeological report is now in the public domain.

Artist commissions have created a series of new artefacts for Whitworth Museum. Artist Fabric Lenny (aka Paul Slater) explored the stories around the bonesetting, eighteenth century Whitworth Doctors. Paul’s ultimate creative outcome was three music box sculptural figures, which were presented to the Museum and form the centrepiece of a new display. The three characters and their songs will also take online, virtual form within the forthcoming SVR website.

Artist/designer Angie Thompson, of Thompson’s Yard, also explored a range of the local histories and legends. Through her commission, Angie created a wondrous series of artefacts in a set of character boxes, which bring these stories to vivid life for schools and young people. These too are now on show at Whitworth Museum.

Once complete in 2026, Spodden Valley Revealed will be a valuable new resource - for visitors, a compelling new reason to explore the area, and for the next generation of residents, a lively way in to exploring their own local history. A source of new pride for people around Whitworth, and a precious community asset for the future.

Webpage: http://midpenninearts.org.uk/programmes/spodden-valley-revealed/ Blog: https://spoddenvalleyrevealed.wordpress.com/ Exploring the https://vimeo.com/799394521 Valley of Stone

MID PENNINE ARTS

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Burnley‘s High Street – Culture led renewal

Working with Burnley Borough Council and cultural partners, we moved from three years of Heritage Action Zone into a new phase of realising its legacy. We demonstrated our commitment to this by taking shared occupancy of the new creative space enabled by the scheme.

The shared vision of the HAZ reimagines the ‘problem’ end of Burnley’s high street as a cultural quarter. As a primary legacy of the HAZ, the Council bought and refurbished a double fronted, former retail space in the Empire Buildings, close to the heart of town. This has been handed to the CIC, Creative Spaces Burnley, to manage for public benefit. The new creative space, OneTwoThree, has been restored with impressive attention to fine historic detail and is ready to inspire a new generation of users.

In autumn 2024 we moved after 14 years in the canalside quarter to share this new space at 123 St James’s Street. We introduced OneTwoThree to the Burnley public with a retrospective exhibition of the keynote project that had run through the three-year duration of the HAZ programme. Saturday Town is the long-running project of AngloAmerican photographer Casey Orr. This vivid engagement project, with its particular appeal to a young demographic, was ideal for bringing new life back to Burnley’s high street. Casey’s repeat visits for pop-up studio days produced a wealth of stunning, blow up portraits, primarily of young people from the area, which were ideal for unveiling the repurposed former retail space. The Saturday Town display graced the official building launch event for local dignitaries and invited guests, and then ran through nine weeks of midwinter, providing the perfect antidote to the seasonal blues.

In spring 2025, we mobilised the Cultural Consortium again to respond to a new, linked opportunity. Burnley Council was successful with a first stage bid to National Lottery Heritage Fund for a major, multimillion pound project to celebrate the landmark buildings of Burnley’s civic core. Having experienced a positive and productive partnership with the Consortium, they were keen to involve our group again. After a successful tender process, we ended the year embarking on another collaboration to devise a creative consultation process for the initial, development stage of this exciting project, which can be so important for the town.

Partnerships and Networking

Joint and collective working are always an important factor in delivering our work. This year as much as ever.

We worked with a broad range of Cultural Consortium partners for Burnley, and with Historic England, principal funder of the High Street Heritage Action Zone. Historic England also distributed the government funding Know Your Neighbourhood, which supported our Welcome Burnley programme. As lead partner for the Burnley cultural programme, we enjoyed close support from Burnley Borough Council, and this relationship is now bearing further fruit with collaboration on the incipient High Five for Heritage, which we expect to unfold over six years.

We continue to contribute to Super Slow Way, the canal-themed programme for the Arts Council's Creative People and Places. This brings major inward investment into our area, and we have made a significant contribution to the Super Slow Way programme with our activity themed around the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and for British Textile Biennial.

Our most important relationships have been with the funders and partners who have made possible our continuing projects. We would like to say a sincere thank you to National Lottery Heritage Fund, Pendle Hill Legacy Fund, Historic England, UK Government, Whitworth Town Council, Burnley Borough Council, Pendle Borough Council, Rossendale Borough Council and Lancashire County Council.

MID PENNINE ARTS

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Communications and Marketing

MPA works hard to maintain strong visibility on strictly limited resources. The pragmatic combination of periodic e- bulletins and very consistent social media activity is keeping our profile consistently high within the region, with total online reach for the year of over 296,435.

The MPA e-bulletin continues to attract very positive feedback from its subscribers. We aim also for regular activity on Facebook and Instagram which have 3,100 and 1,447 followers respectively. This helps us maintain an effective, ongoing dialogue with our public, and is reinforced by periodic blogging which received over 3,103 views this year. Our website receives an average of 865 visitors a month with over 10,386 page views over the year. The Pendle Radicals and Burnley Canal Festival websites add a further 18,406 views to the year. In 2026 we are adding a new site for Spodden Valley Revealed.

Webpages:

https://midpenninearts.org.uk/ https://www.pendleradicals.org.uk/radicals-trail-intro/ https://midpenninearts.wordpress.com/ https://vimeo.com/mpa/videos https://www.flickr.com/photos/mpalancashire/sets/ https://www.facebook.com/teamMPA https://www.instagram.com/midpenninearts/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjQvAdFtT2hirliPTuqlVig https://soundcloud.com/user-405332957

People

MPA's continuing survival through challenging times has been dependent on a dedicated staff and freelance team, given strong support by our trustees and by some brilliant, committed volunteers.

MPA operates a lean and flexible organisational model, with a directorate of two posts, Creative Director Nick Hunt and Finance & Admin Director Melanie Diggle, supported by freelance associates.

MPA's work is enriched by the influence of our freelance associates, with Shonagh Ingram contributing to a range of projects, notably Pendle Radicals and Burnley Canal Festival. Reuben Lawless has also been an invaluable colleague for our Burnley high street activity.

Thanks are due to all our trustees for the governance and support they generously provide. Individual trustees have given particular support on fundraising and project development. Lesley Giddins has been Chair of Trustees since Spring 2023, giving our team exceptionally strong support. Kelda Savage as Vice Chair has also gone the extra mile, organising some inspiring planning sessions. We would like to express special thanks to both Lesley and Kelda, for their commitment and leadership.

Once again this year, the life of MPA has been particularly enriched by volunteer contributors as we have continued to develop Pendle Radicals. We thank them all for helping make this project the absolute joy it is.

We are grateful too to all our funders. As we look back on this year of transition on Burnley high street, we are especially grateful for close partnership and sterling support from Burnley Borough Council.

MID PENNINE ARTS

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Financial review

After this year of transition, overall turnover remains lower than pre-Covid, but in spite of the challenges we have faced, the overall outcome this year has been encouraging.

Total expenditure amounted to £83.953. Total income for the year amounted to £76,427.

For the first time in seven years, we have called upon a small part of our reserve to achieve a break even result, leaving the total funds of the charity as £32,551. These are unrestricted funds and come close to meeting the target of the trustees set in our reserves policy. Going forward, MPA will endeavour to meet and exceed that target figure as soon as conditions allow.

Looking Ahead

The climate for cultural organisations since the pandemic remains challenging, but MPA is able to meet the challenge with optimism. Consolidation through Covid and beyond enabled us to rebuild our reserves, which remain close to the target level set by trustees. This gives us a solid platform for development.

Partnership work for Burnley town centre has left us and partners the invaluable legacy of an exemplar creative hub building. This will provide for MPA a future, low cost, shared office solution and improve our future viability by minimising overheads.

That positive partnership with Council colleagues has also brought us the prospect of taking a lead role in the strategic project High Five for Heritage, ensuring when confirmed a significant strand of work and revenue over a further five years of partnership.

Pendle Radicals, after recent support from Pendle Council and then a successful crowdfund campaign, is sure of a short term future, and we will seek further funds to extend that timeline. Radicals volunteers have so much more that they want to do. We will support them to extend this brilliant project far into the future.

Our programme for the Whitworth area, Spodden Valley Revealed, will see the ecomuseum vision finally emerge over the coming months. A dedicated website will bring the many strands of the work together. Signage and interpretation will mark it out in the landscape. We are now working towards project completion in summer 2026.

The Super Slow Way canal partnership continues to develop, with their ambitious strategic vision for a Pennine Lancashire linear park. MPA will make a contribution to their programme, through Burnley canalside as well as the next Textile Biennial. Burnley Canal Festival, with 5,000 visitors in 2024, will be a key annual event.

MPA's work overall will be informed by the rich fund of what is distinctive and unique about our local places and local communities. We aim to respond to this brilliant thematic material with work that is challenging, thoughtprovoking and inspiring. As always, we have a lot of work to do.

Structure, governance and management

The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company limited by guarantee as defined by the Companies Act 2006.

MID PENNINE ARTS

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

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:

Ms F Khan

Mr P J Kenyon Dr S Hawke Mrs A Corns Dr C Tymon Ms K L Savage Mrs L Giddins A M Macnae MP (Resigned 18 July 2024) Mr C Moss (Resigned 18 July 2024) Miss F Wetherall (Resigned 28 November 2024)

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

Mrs L Giddins Trustee

27 November 2025

MID PENNINE ARTS

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF MID PENNINE ARTS

I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Mid Pennine Arts (the charity) for the year ended 31 March 2025.

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.

Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 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. In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act 2011.

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.

Mayes Business Partnership Ltd

Reception 1, Red Rose Court Clayton Business Park Clayton Le Moors Lancashire BB5 5JR 27 November 2025

MID PENNINE ARTS

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Unrestricted
Restricted
funds
funds
2025
2025
Notes
£
£
Income from:
Donations and legacies
3
316
10,000
Charitable activities
4
34,946
30,309
Investments
5
856
-
Total income
36,118
40,309
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
6
43,644
40,309
Total expenditure
43,644
40,309
Net income/(expenditure) and
movement in funds
(7,526)
-
Reconciliation of funds:
Fund balances at 1 April 2024
40,077
-
Fund balances at 31 March
2025
32,551
-		 Total
Unrestricted
Restricted
funds
funds
2025
2024
2024
£
£
£
10,316
895
-
65,255
56,548
83,386
856
1,274
-
76,427
58,717
83,386
83,953
58,162
83,386
83,953
58,162
83,386
(7,526)
555
-
40,077
39,522
-
32,551
40,077
-		 Total
2024
£
895
139,934
1,274
142,103
141,548
141,548
555
39,522
40,077

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

MID PENNINE ARTS

BALANCE SHEET

AS AT 31 MARCH 2025

Notes
Fixed assets
Tangible assets
12
Current assets
Stocks
13
Debtors
14
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors: amounts falling due within
one year
15
Net current assets
Total assets less current liabilities
The funds of the charity
Unrestricted funds
18		 2025
£
1,098
8,737
68,187
78,022
(45,471)		 £
-
32,551
32,551
32,551
32,551		 2024
£
1,159
24,340
87,942
113,441
(73,446)		 £
82
39,995
40,077
40,077
40,077

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 2025.

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 27 November 2025

Mrs L Giddins Trustee

Company registration number 07880356 (England and Wales)

MID PENNINE ARTS

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

1 Accounting policies

Charity information

Mid Pennine Arts is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is One Two Three,, 123 St James's Street, Burnley, Lancashire, BB11 1PP.

1.1 Basis of preparation

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" 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)". 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.

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.

MID PENNINE ARTS

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

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.

Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.

1.6 Tangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.

Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:

Fixtures and fittings

25% on cost

The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities.

1.7 Impairment of fixed assets

At each reporting end date, the charity reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).

1.8 Stocks

Stocks are stated at the lower of cost and estimated selling price less costs to complete and sell. Cost comprises direct materials and, where applicable, direct labour costs and those overheads that have been incurred in bringing the stocks to their present location and condition. Items held for distribution at no or nominal consideration are measured the lower of replacement cost and cost.

Net realisable value is the estimated selling price less all estimated costs of completion and costs to be incurred in marketing, selling and distribution.

1.9 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.

MID PENNINE ARTS

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

1 Accounting policies

(Continued)

1.10 Financial instruments

The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.

Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

Basic financial assets

Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.

Basic financial liabilities

Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.

Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Derecognition of financial liabilities

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

1.11 Employee benefits

The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.

Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.

1.12 Retirement benefits

Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.

MID PENNINE ARTS

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

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.

3 Income from donations and legacies

Unrestricted
Restricted
funds
funds
2025
2025
£
£
Donations and gifts
316
10,000
Income from charitable activities
Unrestricted
Restricted
funds
funds
2025
2025
£
£
Provision of arts projects
Sale of goods
2,125
-
Services provided under
contract
26,334
-
Performance related
grants
6,487
30,309
34,946
30,309		 Total
Unrestricted
Restricted
funds
funds
2025
2024
2024
£
£
£
10,316
895
-
Total
Unrestricted
Restricted
funds
funds
2025
2024
2024
£
£
£
2,125
-
-
26,334
56,548
-
36,796
-
83,386
65,255
56,548
83,386		 Total
2024
£
895
Total
2024
£
-
56,548
83,386
139,934

4 Income from charitable activities

5 Income from investments

Unrestricted Unrestricted
funds funds
2025 2024
£ £
Interest receivable 856 1,274

MID PENNINE ARTS

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

6 Expenditure on charitable activities

Provision of Provision of
arts projects arts projects
2025 2024
£ £
Direct costs
Staff costs 50,882 55,085
Premises & equipment 7,984 16,742
Programme & marketing 21,125 65,653
Other costs 130 151
80,121 137,631
Share of support and governance costs (see note 7)
Governance 3,832 3,917
83,953 141,548
Analysis by fund
Unrestricted funds 43,644 58,162
Restricted funds 40,309 83,386
83,953 141,548
7 Support costs allocated to activities
Provision of Total
arts projects
2025 2024
£ £
Governance 3,832 3,917
8 Net movement in funds 2025 2024
£ £
The net movement in funds is stated after charging/(crediting):
Fees payable for the independent examination of the charity's financial
statements 3,750 3,750
Depreciation of owned tangible fixed assets 82 167

9 Trustees

None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or benefits from the charity during the year.

MID PENNINE ARTS

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

10 Employees

The average monthly number of employees during the year was:

2025 2024
Number Number
2 2
Employment costs 2025 2024
£ £
Wages and salaries 49,595 53,305
Other pension costs 1,287 1,780
50,882 55,085

There were no employees whose annual remuneration was more than £60,000.

11 Taxation

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

12 Tangible fixed assets

12 Tangible fixed assets
Fixtures and
fittings
£
Cost
At 1 April 2024 6,908
At 31 March 2025 6,908
Depreciation and impairment
At 1 April 2024 6,826
Depreciation charged in the year 82
At 31 March 2025 6,908
Carrying amount
At 31 March 2024 82
13 Stocks
2025 2024
£ £
Finished goods and goods for resale 1,098 1,159

MID PENNINE ARTS

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

14
Debtors
Amounts falling due within one year:
Trade debtors
Prepayments and accrued income
15
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Other taxation and social security
Trade creditors
Accruals and deferred income
16
Retirement benefit schemes
Defined contribution schemes
Charge to profit or loss in respect of defined contribution schemes		 2025
£
3,999
4,738
8,737
2025
£
2,369
2,039
41,063
45,471
2025
£
1,287		 2024
£
24,000
340
24,340
2024
£
2,765
11,356
59,325
73,446
2024
£
1,780

The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund.

17 Restricted funds

The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.

At
Previous year:
At		 1 April
2024
Incoming
resources
Resources
expended
At 31 March
2025
£
£
£
£
-
40,309
(40,309)
-
1 April
2023
Incoming
resources
Resources
expended
At 31 March
2024
£
£
£
£
-
83,386
(83,386)
-

MID PENNINE ARTS

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

17
Restricted funds
Welcome Burnley
UK Shared Prosperity Fund (via BPRCVS)
Spodden Valley Revealed
Lancashire Environmental Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund
Burnley Canal Festival
Burnley Borough Council
Spacehive – Crowdfund Lancashire
Pendle Radicals
Spacehive – Crowdfund Lancashire		 Incoming
Resources
16,100
5,000
2,238
1,000
5,971
10,000
40,309		 Outgoing
Resources
(16,100)
(5,000)
(2,238)
(1,000)
(5,971)
(10,000)
(40,309)		 (Continued)
Carry
Forward
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

18 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
General funds
Previous year:
At
General funds		 1 April
2024
Incoming
resources
Resources
expended
At 31 March
2025
£
£
£
£
40,077
36,118
(43,644)
32,551
1 April
2023
Incoming
resources
Resources
expended
At 31 March
2024
£
£
£
£
39,522
58,717
(58,162)
40,077

19 Related party transactions

There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2024 - none).