Doncaster Pride – Chair’s Report to AGM
October 2024
This year was always going to be a challenge! A group of volunteers delivering UK Pride, with a new site, with a brand-new fenced event and layout for safety. It felt like starting from scratch again. We also had to raise more than double the budget we’ve ever had before and have the eyes of the UK on us whilst doing so….
BUT
WE SMASHED IT!
The planning for UK Pride 2024 was a two-year process, starting with the bid document submitted in August 2022 followed by the UKPON Conference voting in October and the realisation we had “won”.
Delivering Doncaster Pride 2023 was a challenge, knowing we already had bagged the UK Pride for 2024 meant that for some months, were working on not one but two pride events at the same time. The demands on the team were immense and didn’t let up, even after we’d delivered 2023, it just intensified.
Being able to bring in the sponsorship and advertising revenue is hard enough, but the growing aspirations of the Doncaster team to deliver the best UK Pride in the 8 years since the first in Hull in 2017 made it even more tough.
The size and scope of the event, the trials and tribulations with contractors and suppliers, the demands of Doncaster Council, that didn’t let up, even during the event all contributed to what must be the biggest achievement any one of the team will ever deliver! Looking forward to 2025 and beyond this into the future it won’t ever be as challenging as 2024 or as physically and mentally demanding.
I don’t know how we did it, how we continue to reinvent an event that only 2019 was still held in Sir Nigel Gresley Square with an audience of around 10,000-day visitors.
UK Pride Doncaster saw close to 25,000 visitors, hot on the heels of 18,000 and 15,000 in the previous two years at Elmfield Park – and ALL this with absolutely ZERO advertising. This is an event that just continues to grow organically, and the challenge is how to stop it and keep it manageable – and that’s the task ahead of us for 2025 – how to put Doncaster Pride back into a box that it fits, without the UK Pride title and in a way it continues to develop and never, ever, go backwards.
The reaction to UK Pride 2024 was incredible from sponsors, visitors, and the public – though it’s important here to say we did see vicious hate on social media this year for the first time ever… But this must never define
who we are and must be a priority for 2025 to work with South Yorkshire Police to understand and tackle the fewer, but louder, voices of hatred towards our community. To this end I have already met with, and plan further meetings with the Police.
So, for me – highlights of 2024
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We got there in the end – and we delivered “the best UK Pride”.
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We are the only UK Pride since its inception to self-fund and not break the bank.
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The site – it works, we need a few minor adjustments only.
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The reaction – it was incredible.
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The Parade – leading is always a great honour – this year as UK Pride and with the media coverage on us it was a very emotional release of the 24 months of hard work coming together.
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We didn’t kill any trees – that I’m aware of!
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Seeing the success of the new elements – Youth Pride in particular
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The audience – was almost exactly 50/50 “LGBTQ+ and not” this MUST be the best news and shows that a good event, no matter what it is will bring people to it – and I consider every “straight” person at Pride to be an ally, so from the point of view of the impact of pride to the inclusion then we smashed it. In previous years we haven’t seen so many non-LGBTQ+ visitors and to me the growth there a direct result of our educating people about inclusion and delivering an event people want to come to.
But it’s time to go again… and start the journey to 2025 – but before we do a huge thank you to
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The sponsors and especially those who turned up with volunteers to help with the build-up days.
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The regular and extended Pride Team for all the hours and hours of time and dedication.
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The “retiring” members of the team, you will be missed.
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Our families for understanding our bizarre and time-consuming fascination with making a difference.
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JHA Architects for allowing us to use their office for our meetings.
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The people who came to pride and especially those who said nice things!
My gratitude as always to the Pride Committee and the inner team of volunteers who gave so much to the event in 2024 as they always do.
Your dedication is a credit to you and to our team and the time, the blood, sweat and tears, not to mention complete physical and mental exhaustion afterwards is something few will understand unless they’ve been there.
I recognise every one of you for the contribution you made and whilst at times the publicity and plaudits come my way (as do the issues though!) But I hope – and I’ve always tried to – I reflect to Doncaster folk and the world at large that Doncaster Pride is a team effort and even the tiniest cog in the wheel is vital to the smooth running of the machine that is Doncaster Pride. So, whatever your contribution, small or large it is vital and I can’t do what I do without every one of you.
On a personal note, I have decided 2025 will be my last year with Doncaster Pride and want to look forward to a new team, with fresh ideas and new directions taking forward what has been a huge part of my life for 19 years.
It isn’t without a great deal of soul searching and thought that I’ve come to this decision and whilst its tinged with a great deal of doubt and a lot of passion to keep going it is the right thing for me and the organisation – so August 9[th] 2025 will be my last Pride as Chair and once we reach this point of next year – the AGM – there will be a new face in this role and I’m already looking forward to handing them responsibility for the greatness we, as a team, have achieved.
<_<
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|Doncaster|Pride|1146814|
|A|Receipts and payments accounts|CC16a|
|4|For the period|To|
|from|06/04/2023|05/04/2024|
|Section|A|Receipts|and|payments|
|Unrestricted|Restricted|Endowment|Total funds|Lasrgear|
|funds|funds|funds|
|to herisaints|to the nearest £|to the nearest £|to the nearest £|to the nearest £|
|Al|Receipts|
|[GrantsTO]& Awards|[dC|7|
|PT (|
|iP|[Tickets]|CS]|eeSC ||L884]||[3,589|[650]|||
|[Collection8Tins|||||
|ee |ee|
|{Transter|from|Petty Gash|0 dSa ||||
|RefundSub|total (GrossSiSincome|for|oe|[30||
|AR)|84,515|52,734|
|A2 Asset|and|investment sales,|
|(see|table).|
|A3|Payments|
|[BookProjet|SSSSCSCSCSC“‘“‘;SSSCS~S|ee|
|Parade|SCSCS~SSSCS~|a|
|[Bespoke Treycle|——SSSCSCSC~“~‘dTSC‘“‘(CSCtCS™SSC~d|||
|Insurance|CdSSC‘CSC#S;SOO‘Y|||
|[Postage|& Stationery|SSCS|SCCSC~S~S~SY|ee|
|Sofware|es|0|or|
|lWristBands|™C~dSC“‘(NNNNN.CWCQ|po ae|
|ee|Cd™™~SCCéA|CACY||LC|||
|a|ee|
|[Stage|Lighting/Sound|sd] SSSCS~««SO|Le|
|Venue|Hire/|Security|||SSCSC~=« «OG|||||5,400|||
|Stage Acts|CdCSSCS~S~w, AB|Po|12,130]|[__—=ia0 ||
|[Backstage|Area—=SSSSCSCSCSC~S~SSSC~~S~«S||a|
|[TicketRefinds|SS|SSSCSC~iSCSC‘“‘“S~S~Y|re|
|Travel|accommodation|||4,400 ||a ee|
|[MiscItems|dSCS~S=~S «DD|MS|
|Laptop|id|[45,218||
|FirstAid|eT|C:~‘“C;CssrCdSSSC|S|CSC“C(RSNNNNY’YC_LTJCSC~S~«S BO|EEMs): i|
|[TransfertoPettyCash|dT|SCS™~™|eet fo ||
|Sub|~C*A|
|total|___08,068|ees|L58,145|
|A4 Asset|and|investment|
|purchases,|(see|table|
|es|
|Subtotal]|
|Net of|receipts/((payments)|16,447|eo|16,447)||-|
|ASTransfersbetweenfunds|6,412|
|A6|||BS) eo ee|
|Cash funds|last year end|8,588|Pt|8,588|14,985|
|Cash funds this year|end[__|25,036]|cae||eee|8,574|
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CCXX R1 accounts (SS) 1
25/11/2024
aa
i a i a a a le
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Section|B|Statement|of assets|and|liabilities|at the|end|of the|period|
|Unrestricted|Restricted|Endowment|
|funds|funds|funds|
|to|nearest £|to|nearest £|to|nearest £|
|[me|
|Total cash funds|||25,035|||
|(agree|balances|with|receipts|and|payments|
|account(s))|ad|
|Unrestricted|Restricted|Endowment|
|(|to|fundsnearest £|to|fundsnearest £|to|fundsnearest £|
|-7|=—|
|Fund|to which|.|Current value|
|—_|asset belon|Cost [optional|‘optional|
|—=|
|Fund|to which|Current|value|
|asset belongs|Cast (ontiena))|optional|
|el|
|Fund|to which|Amount due|When|due|
|-|—==liability|relates|optional|=‘optional|
|Signed|by one|or two|trustees|on|.|
|behalf of all the trustees|Signature|Print:|Name|approvalDate|of|
|||<2|CATHE2|we Foe|.|||[ig]|a/eou%y|
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CCXX R2 accounts (SS) 2
26/41/2024
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med
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independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
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Report to the trustees/
members of | Doncaster Pride
On accounts for the year | 5" April 2024 Charity no | 1146814
ended (if any)
Set out on pages | Pages 1 & 2 CC16a Report
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Respective The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts.
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responsibilities of The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year
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trustees and examiner under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
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e examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act, e to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and
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e to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
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Basis of independent My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given examiner’s statement 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 the 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.
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Independent _!n connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention
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examiner's statement 1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements: e to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and
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e to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act
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have not been met; or
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2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a
proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed: 2 Ss LY land Date:. | 25"th November 2024
Name: | Christopher Hoyland
Relevant professional
qualification(s) or body
(if any):
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IER
1
March 2012
Address: | Bentley Resource Centre
High Street, Bentley Doncaster. DN5 OAA
mee oectionB
Disclosure
IER
2
March 2012