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← Doncaster Pride

2025-04-05-accounts

Chairs Report 2025

What a year we’ve had!

After taking the decision to step down in 2023 the last two years seem to have flown.

Doncaster Pride is a success story of epic proportions and that testament to every single committee member and volunteer that has given time and effort over almost 20 years.

I get to be the “face” and the “voice” but the downside is that I also get more than my fair share of responsibility and stress, but I also get the plaudits.

Doncaster Pride is just too big, too much of a responsibility, too much stress, too much time commitment and has led me to too many sacrifices – that’s why I made my decision to step down and seek to find a new way for Doncaster Pride to move forward, without me.

I will miss it enormously, but I will enjoy having my Monday’s back for the first time in 20 years. Monday has always been my “pride day” whether we’ve had a meeting or not Monday was the day I spent, after work, doing pride stuff. Fifty-two weeks of the year for a very, very long time.

My children grew up not knowing a time when pride wasn’t’ taking my time, where piles of files and my laptop weren’t taking up the table on a Monday evening, where we couldn’t and didn’t even consider doing anything on a Monday, because it was sacred.

My family always knew never to plan anything around Pride or expect answers to calls, texts of cries for help on a Monday or the in the entire two weeks lead up to the event.

Where Jode learned that decisions or conversations about anything other than pride just were not happening from the point at which (probably mid-June) where I’d declare “my head is full” anything, everything was on hold because I was completely maxed out 24/7.

Pride has given me so much joy and I feel a huge sense of achievement, but it has grown too big and takes too much of me and whilst it must continue, it must develop and it must grow, more than anything it must change – because if its too much for me then its too much for anyone else too. I know my limits; I know my abilities and I know I simply can’t go on.

The new structure will divide the workload and I’m sure after the event in August you will all, if you don’t already, understand the amount of my life I’ve given over so many years.

But you have a blueprint, you have a model that can rinse and repeat, and you have the chance to do this your way.

BUT… go easy, what you have works, what WE have built as a team in the last two years is AMAZING so don’t go throwing the baby and the bathwater out. Make your mark… but do it with integrity and empathy and don’t make the job harder than it is, it works… it only needs tweaks. We did the big changes for 2024, and we refined for 25… you now know the recipe and people love it.

I ended my years with a bang…it was important to me and maybe a little self-indulgent, but the event and in particular the stage was, for me, near perfect and thanks to Jode for making my ideas happen. I knew what I wanted, and we pretty much delivered. It was the best line up, in my opinion, we’ve ever had. We’ve had better individual acts, but as a piece the main stage was extraordinary – Jake my only tiny disappointment… (sorry Jake).

Doncaster Pride has a reputation and the bar is high… my wish is that you all protect it, you all remember where we began and what we are here to do… yes, a party, a celebration, but always a protest… Never, ever, forget the history of the community we represent and never stray off this path. Those before us, who fought for our rights should be proud of us for the way we carry on the work they started. Remember them in the decisions you take – because after all that’s why we do all this!

It’s in this vein I will continue my future campaigning for the community – I have accepted the role of chair of the LGBT Staff Forum within CDC at a time when I feel having a voice is so, so important. The rise of Reform, the erosion of rights and the belief that its ok to be homophobic, it’s OK to hate and its OK to make my community afraid again. So, whilst my effort shifts away from the physical demonstration of the community through pride my voice will amplify in the places where hopefully it can be heard, and it can make a difference – because that’s all I ever wanted to do – make a difference.

But you are now about to pick up the reins and drive this beast we’ve created on to bigger and better things, so I ask please….

Remember where we came from, who we are and why we do this

Remember the roots of our event are in Doncaster and we stay true to that and the local people

Don’t argue – nothing was ever achieved through arguments…

Don’t forget Pride is bigger than every single one of you… you are the custodians now as I have been for so long.

Respect what pride is and what it stands for – it is not about personal achievement or gain

Remember all you do and say reflects on not just you, it reflects on the team and the organisation – sometimes your own voice and your own opinions can’t be shared.

You are a team…I’ve tried very hard to always reinforce this – I’ve tried to get you all to do your bit… I’ve also tried to make sure that when I or Pride gets praise that it reflects on the whole team so stay focussed and stay as a team – all of you!

Don’t put pride at risk... consider every penny, every decision and every change you make

Don’t put karaoke singers on stage – we are better than that!

Don’t let each other down… if you say you’re going to do something then do it – to the best of your ability and to the agreed time – don’t make people wait for you.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help – there’s no manual for “how to run a pride” and help is always there.

Sponsors are everything… even when they are demanding and possibly wrong or giving you the runaround… 10pm on a Sunday night is an acceptable time for them to need an answer…

Check your emails EVERY DAY… a simple I’ll get back to you is fine – but don’t leave people and sponsors in particular waiting – Doncaster Pride didn’t get where it is ignoring people for days!

Even on your busiest days – when the last thing you need is pride – remember Pride needs you. Be ready to make sacrifices – you won’t succeed unless you do.

I may be “gone” but I’m still at the end of a phone… I will continue as agreed to warm up sponsors.

What we have created is the envy of other community groups, the envy of many other prides and the envy of many commercial event organisers… its been 20 years of effort and now, before you agree to take on a role into the future its time to step up and make a commitment that in the future you will regret at times… but that will reward you in so, so many ways that it’s worth the huge sacrifice you’ll need to make.

Doncaster Pride the Future

Following conversations, meeting and reflection assisted by Andy Carter and following conversations with several of you over some months I have prepared the following in terms of the future of Doncaster Pride.

As outgoing Chair I see that this as my responsibility to make sure the organisation is in a strong position following my departure.

Current Position

Current Trustees

Requirements as the current constitution

Four Trustees – Secretary and Treasurer must be two of these but there is no requirement for a Chair or Deputy

Recommendations:

It makes sense to make as few changes to the constitution as possible so with this in mind my suggestion is

BUT until the four officers are elected the final splits of what goes where must remain fluid.

The four pillars and therefore the four elected roles should be: (Exact Titles will need to be agreed).

  1. Infrastructure, site, site services etc.

  2. Marketing, social media, relationship management

  3. Entertainment, Acts and attractions

  4. Commercial Services, Market, Info Zone etc.

The required officer positions of Secretary and Treasurer will be added to two of the above. This will be done once I have the nominations and with the agreement of the persons concerned AND playing to the strengths of the nominees.

Once the four officers are elected the priority MUST be for the new team to meet to agree the sub structure and under which pillar specific things sits – the reason for not doing this now is that it will be clearer after the election process where the strengths of the individuals lie.

Sub-Groups (this is not an exhaustive list but serves to illustrate)

For this reason, I’ve not finalised a structure – this is not for me to do – this is for the new team and following the elections of the four trustees the division of responsibilities needs to be address immediately.

The meeting structure needs to be addressed but my strong recommendation is for the whole team to meet at least monthly to minimise embarking on a planning cycle where four pillars don’t end up fitting together.

I suggest agreement on decision making. So, whilst each of the four Trustee leads their pillar the decision making needs to be addressed, and levels of delegated decision making agreed. For example, levels of spend and number of officers required to “sign off”. Similarly acts and sign off process, approval of suppliers, quotes etc. Decision making requires a formal approach so that the flat structure is jointly responsible, but that this doesn’t become cumbersome.

Sub-group meetings should also be agreed. As we have seen in the past not everyone needs to know everything – BUT they need to have an appreciation of the entire process otherwise there will be four pillars that don’t connect!

Membership and other constitutional issues

In checking the constitution, the issue of membership has come up again.

Membership is something we were required to do by the Charity Commission and has always been “informal” in that all committee members are deemed members.

HOWEVER:

Only those who are members can vote and as we enter a new era, I feel it’s important to formalise the membership – so I’ve attached a form to this email and for you to vote at the AGM you must complete the form and return to me.

The new team need to make sure any new committee members for 2026 fill in this form as they wouldn’t be able to vote on anything in the coming months, should there ever be a need to.

Who you extend the membership to is up to you… I’d strongly suggest you don’t open to the public and give people votes – but you may wish to open up to the Saturday Volunteers – the inner team (Kira, Kelly, Cerys and Leah) for example as people who have shown a commitment – but remember the more you have the more you need present to be quorate (this all in the constitution and I recommend you leave it as it is).

Decision Making and Chairing meetings

It is important you consider this into the future – but the way the constitution is written is that there needs to be a chair for full team meetings. This can rotate amongst the four Officers and I suggest this is a good way forward with each of the four taking turns. Remember whoever is the

Chair will have the casting vote – so in a flat structure of four the Chair counts double and this is a way to ensure that there isn’t stalemate if ever the four are split 50/50 on any decision.

I suggest you agree a rota for chairing and stick to it. This avoids one of the Officers selecting to Chair a meeting they want to influence a decision where they know a 50/50 exists. I suspect the chances of this pretty close to zero – but you need to understand YOUR constitution going forward.

Andy and I also found that the AGM is NOT a public meeting and whilst anyone could come if they wanted to, they don’t have a vote unless they are a member and there is NO REQUIREMENT to have a public advert for the AGM. Also, the notification period isn’t 30 days. So, I’d say keep it simple and don’t invite people, you don’t have to.

Where we go from here:

As outgoing Chair I have always felt it is my responsibility to get you to a position where you can move forward, and Doncaster Pride can flourish and with Andy Carters help I believe this is a sensible and workable way forward – one that gives what I believe you want and can work with as well as being one that actually requires very little in terms of change to the existing constitution.

Stay at four Trustees, make the four Pillar leads the Trustees. Secretary and Treasurer Officers are all that are needed the other two have always been our choice to have chair and vice chair. So, it’s really a simple job.

The rest of this paper is just my recommendations and the new team of four, with their own sub structures and leads will find the way that works, but it is important to get the hand over sorted and the structure at the top level agreed because this we MUST do.

All members voted and agreed upon this at the AGM:

1. I am happy with the proposed structure

2. Appropriate time to comment on the structure

3. Completed my membership form

4. The opportunity to nominate the positions

Jenny Dewsnap

Chair

Doncaster Pride

24/11/25

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|||||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |eS|CHARITY|COMMISSION|;| |Xt}|FOR ENGLAND AND WALES||Doncaster Pride|1146814| |Receipts|and|payments|accounts|CC16a| |For the|period|To| |from|06/04/2024|05/04/2025| |Section|A|Receipts|and|payments| |Unrestricted|Restricted|Endowment|Total funds|Last year| |funds|funds|funds| |tothe|nearest|£|to|the|nearest£|to the nearest£|to the nearest£|to the nearest£| |Ai|Receipts| ||GrantsandAwards||SOOT||a PC |,500 || |a|2ee| |a|2ee| |2ee|||[1,951]| |Tins|8869| |[Collection||| |a||| |a|2ee| |2ee| |Pe|=| |Sub|total (Gross income|for|137,195|137,195| |AR)| |A2|Asset|and|investment|sales,| |(see|table).| |aSub|total[|D| |A3|Payments| |DirectCostsSSCSC™~C~—~—mSC‘“‘;‘;~~SOBA‘CTCSC“‘CNSCNCLTTCSC™~™S|SC~~“‘“| |a|CC|BAY CSC| |a 2ee|||[1,590]||| |a 2ee|||[1,350]||| |a 2ee|||[35,196]||| |fEquipmentHire|Tote PP 2ee|046|||[1,400]||| |CD OOa 2ee OO| |Sub|totall__27850|[|-iJL_———~;| |A4|Asset|and|investment| |purchases,|(see|table)| |a| |Sub total|||| |Net|of receipts(payments)[______9645][||||[——sdi___——9.645]| |ASTransfersbetweenfunds|[|-}||TC|[ ECF]| |A6Cashfunds|lastyearend|[25,035] ||P5035||8,588| |Cash funds|this year end|34680]|[CCL]|[||34,680]|[25,035|

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CCXX R11 accounts (SS)

1

05/02/2026

Eo | CHARITY COMMISSION | Independent examiner's report on the FOR ENGLAND AND WALES accounts

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Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees Doncaster Pride
On accounts for the year | 5" April 2025 Charity no | 1146814
ended (if any)
Set out on pages | Pages 1 & 2 CC16a Report
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| report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 05/04/2025

Responsibilities and As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

| report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, | have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. Independent | have completed my examination. | confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below *) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

| 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 accounts to be reached.

i . A) . h Name: | Mark Alderson

Relevant professional |[ACCA] qualification(s) or body (if any):

Address: | Northern Accountants, Olympus House, 2 Howley Park Business Village, Pullan Way, Leeds, LS27 0BZ

IER

1

Oct 2018

Section B

Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

Give here brief details of |N/A any items that the examiner wishes to disclose.

IER

2

Oct 2018