Company number: 7737871 Charity Number: 1147150
Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd Report and financial statements For the year ended 31st August 2025
Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd Reference and administrative information for the year ended 31st August 2025
Company number 7737871 Charity number 1147150 Registered office and operational address
The House 11 Belgrave Road Macclesfield Cheshire SK11 7TW
Trustees
Trustees, who are also directors under company law, who served during the year and up to the date of this report were as follows: Jonathan Aiken James Andrew Booth Jared Brown John Burt (Appointed 1 June 2025) Christine Campbell-Kellly (Appointed 1 March 2025) Tom Goodwin (Resigned 26 January 2026) Jennifer Hardy Chair, (Resigned 31 October
(Appointed 1 June 2025) (Appointed 1 March 2025) (Resigned 26 January 2026) Chair, (Resigned 31 October 2025) (Resigned 31 December 2025) (Appointed 26 January 2026) Chair (Resigned 31 March 2025)
Laura Mummery Derek Rodwell Adam Small Ruth Thompson Secretary Sophie FitzPatrick
Key Management Personnel Jonathan Aiken
Operation Manager (Appointed 1 September 2024)
Bankers Unity Trust Bank Nine Brindleyplace Birmingham B1 2HB
Independent Examiner
Christy Lau FCCA CTA DChA Slade and Cooper Beehive Mill Jersey St Ancoats Manchester M4 6JG
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Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd Trustees’ annual report for the year ended 31st August 2025
The trustees present their report and the unaudited financial statements for the year ended 31st August 2025. Included within the trustees' report is the directors' report as required by company law.
Reference and administrative information set out on page 1 forms part of this report. The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the memorandum and articles of association and the Statement of Recommended Practice - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: SORP applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS 102.
Objectives and strategy
The charitable purposes of the company remain:
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To advance the Christian faith for the public benefit;
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To act as a resource for young people living in Macclesfield and the surrounding area by providing advice and assistance and organising programmes of physical, educational and other activities to help young people develop their skills, capacities and capabilities, advancing education, relieving unemployment, and providing recreational and leisure activity;
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To promote social inclusion for the public benefit by preventing people from becoming socially excluded, relieving the needs of such people who are socially excluded and assisting them to integrate into society.
Our Vision: Cre8 is at the heart of a vibrant and flourishing community - Moss Rose Estate
Our Mission: We strengthen local connections and enable our community to make change happen for themselves and for their neighbourhood.
The trustees have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charities aims and objectives and in planning its future activities.
Headlines
2025 marks 20 years since Cre8 started working on the Moss Estate in Macclesfield.
The English Indices of Multiple Deprivation, characterises the Moss as an area with high levels of deprivation with one particular area defined as being within the top 10% for deprivation in England (IMD Statistics 2025 figures, Cheshire East 021D).
However, with Youth Clubs, Residentials, Social Enterprise, a Music Project, a Grocery Project, and an Alternative Education Programme life is vibrant and flourishing. Each week…
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we engage with over 70 young people many of whom are vulnerable, outside of education, and on the edges of criminality,
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we feed over 120 households each week,
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we employ at 4 young people and 3 young adults,
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we give work experience to 2 young people,
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we give training opportunities to our trainee youth worker and young leaders.
Not only that but….
Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd Trustees’ annual report for the year ended 31st August 2025
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70% of Cre8 core staff are from the Moss and were once young people at Cre8,
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our senior youth worker was in the first group of young people to attend Cre8 Clubs,
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our main administrator started at Cre8 when she was 11 years old,
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our newly qualified apprentice youth worker started at Cre8 when she was 8 years old,
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50% of the volunteers at primary club are young leaders. These are young people who live on the moss and attend the older youth club.
Cre8 is a truly unique project enabling community to make change happen for themselves. Yet, we cannot do this on our own and rely on many people including grant funders, donors, supporters, trustees, and key staff and volunteers. We are thankful for all collaboration and continue to seek out and invite others to be part of this work and in particular during these financially challenging times.
The detail of our activities during the year that continue to underpin and deliver our vision and mission are outlined below.
Youth Work
Youth work is at the core of what we do. We use the National Youth Work curriculum as the basis of the youth work we deliver. Empowerment, Participation, Equality, and Education are youth working pillars that thread their way through everything. It is a key part of our work that young people are part of the process of running projects, and delivery of any project is with and alongside young people.
Our Youth Work apprentice has completed their training and we have continued to employ them at Cre8. We have recruited a trainee youth worker maintaining our desire to train youth workers. Young leaders are key in delivery of the primary age youth club and young adults important in the delivery of the music project. Young people are employed on our social enterprise Cre8 Facilities while others are gaining work experience at the surplus food grocery project.
This process of participation and empowerment is a key tenant of change, development of local strengths, and ultimately sustainability.
We will be a project that continually develops and trains youth workers of the future..
Clubs
Jullia states: “I’m not sure what I’d do without Cre8. There’d just be nothing to do round here”
Over 50 young people from the Moss Estate attend ‘phone free’ youth clubs each week. We run two youth clubs; one being a primary age club and the other an older 11-16 club. These are traditional youth clubs with activities focussing on having fun together, preparing and eating food, engaging in sport and art activities and going on trips as a group. Both clubs have a strong membership and have benefitted from a team of dedicated and committed volunteers to support the staff team and to ensure delivery to the local community. The primary club has been well supported by young leaders; we have a pool of between 6 and 8 young leaders that receive training and help at clubs.
Residentials
We ran three residential this year taking over 30 young people away.
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Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd Trustees’ annual report
for the year ended 31st August 2025
The first for our primary aged club members at Kirkham Boys Brigade Centre. This is an activity centre with large sport facilities which we have enjoyed visiting for many years.
The second of our residentials was at Back Dane Cottage in Wincle. From this base we were able to take young people to Alton Towers and then to a day at Rudyard lake. This replaced our usual trip to Mull and the Camas outdoor centre; which was closed for the whole season. We hope to return their shortly.
The third of our residentials was a return to the Greenbelt festival. Our year 10 and 11 young people enjoyed a friendly festival atmosphere where we experienced the wonderful diversity, colour, and joyful unity that there is to experience. Camping was a new experience for some…but were all going again next year!
Learning Plus
This is a one-to-one alternative education package offered to all local schools and Cheshire East. We engage young people through youth work; working alongside them to tailor session to suit their interests and needs. We work to improve self-esteem, behaviour management and learning, basic social skills, and practical life skills through which informal education takes places. The aim is to get young people back into school with increased confidence and new skills. We work alongside local schools as they refer young people to access this package. This past year we have become part of the North West SEND Flexible Purchasing System (FPS) allowing our alternative education service to be used more easily by Cheshire East.
Following their quality assurance visit, Cheshire East stated: ‘They understand the needs of the children and young people they support’.
Cre8 Enterprise
With support from the Cheshire Community Foundation and the Active Futures Fund we were able to invest in gardening work with young people. This involved employing vulnerable post 16 young people to do gardening work; we engaged 10 young people in this project. It involved doing gardening jobs around our own buildings but also small pieces of work for Peaks and Plains Housing Trust, Cheshire East Community Support team, as well as local private work. The end result is that we now employ young people for one day per week working alongside a professional gardener. We hope to expand this work and continue to employ young people to work outside and learn the gardening trade.
We have continued to run our Christmas Tree selling enterprise. This annual event is a key fixture in the local community and provides paid employment for young people.
Cre8 Facilities
This is our social enterprise business delivering a high-standard fleet washing service to Creamline Dairies in Manchester and Peaks and Plains in Macclesfield. Cre8 has delivered the commercial contract for Creamline Dairies for over ten years.
Project Grow
On the ground, Project Grow is mainly known for the Cre8 Surplus Food Grocery. Each week we collect surplus food and run a grocery at St.Barnabas Church on the Moss and support groceries on the Hurdsfield Estate and Bollington. We provide surplus food for around 120 households each week. One user states: ‘Without this, it would be so much harder for me. This place is really important each week.”
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Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd
Trustees’ annual report
for the year ended 31st August 2025
This year we have worked to make these groceries about ‘more than food’. Firstly, the St.Barnabas grocery has become a place where people come have free tea and coffee and chat before then choosing their own groceries. This is change has allowed more time for conversation, more interaction amongst people, and it has facilitated other organisations to come and engage with people. For example Peaks and Plains, Everybody Health, and Potential Brewed IT support have all used the grocery as a place to connect and then sign post support. The groceries are also now a key place for giving young people work experience opportunities. This last year at least 8 young people benefitted from the experience of working at the grocery and then during the school holiday periods our young leaders decent on the grocery in order to help out. This has proved to be great intergenerational and empowering work, giving young people significance in the community.
We have also worked hard with stake holders on Hurdsfield and Bollington to empower local organisations to run these groceries. Using the same model as at St.Baranabs Holy Trinity Hurdsfield church now run the grocery on the Hurdsfield while Life Church Bollington run the grocery at Bollington. Local people are now mobilised to run local groceries. We support them in this delivery through the sorting and provision of surplus food. This piece of work is an clear example of Asset Based Community development where we empower the neighbourhood to make change happen for themselves. These groceries are a real success and we are pleased to hear of all the positive engagement with people in these places.
Cre8 Music
During 2024/25 we secured funding from Love Music Trust, Earl of Chester fund and three years’ worth of funding from Youth Music. These together have allowed us to recruit a music lead working one day per week.
The music project continues to work out of The Building on Mayfield Terrace and provides the following:
Weekly Primary Age Band, Secondary Age Band, and a Secondary Plus Band. These provide opportunities for young people aged between 8 and 16 years old to learn a musical instrument and then play in a band.
Weekly singing assembly and after school music club at Christ the King Primary School. We use our experience to provide music in school to the whole school and then to those who want to attend the afterschool clubs. We are reaching into schools with music to help support their music provision and help young people take part in music.
Youth Justice Workshops. During the holidays we provide young people who are part of the Youth Justice Service across Cheshire opportunity to learn a musical instrument and play in a band or put down a track. These workshops have been very successful and a couple of the young people from youth justice played at the 20 year celebration event. These have also included one to one sessions with young people not yet able to join in group workshops.
Concerts. Providing three concerts across the year these give opportunity for young people to perform in from of others. This allows them to grow in confidence and receive praise for the talents.
One to One Outreach Sessions. Working with the most vulnerable young people we provide one to one music sessions to help engage in something positive and build a relationship.
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Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd
Trustees’ annual report for the year ended 31st August 2025
We are thankful to the Earl of Chester fund for their generous support of the Music Project in October 2024. Their funding helped us restart small and ultimately secure the Youth Music Funding.
Community Events
This past we year we facilitated a number of very successful community events. These included our Christmas for All event attend by over 200 people from the community, two bingo nights, a 20-year celebration event in July 2025, and Playout event in the summer. The 20-year celebration event was again attended by over 200 people coming together to celebrate Cre8 being around for 20 years. A special page on our website was created, telling the story of Cre8 and looking forward to the next 20 years of Cre8. These community events are key in connecting people and building strength.
Beneficiaries of our services
There are three geographical categories of beneficiaries of our services:
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Young people and their families living on the Moss Rose Estate have benefited from our clubs and residentials, the music project, the surplus food grocery, and the community events.
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Young people and their families living in Macclesfield have benefited from our Cre8 Facilities and social enterprise businesses, and the service provided by the Surplus Food Grocery.
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Young people and their families from Cheshire East have benefited from our Learning Plus project.
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Young people from the youth justice service across Cheshire have benefitted from our music project.
We are thankful for the support of our volunteers; over 40 different people participated in supporting the surplus food grocery, the youth clubs, the music and the community events.
We give thanks to our major funders; Cheshire Community Foundation, Youth Music, Love Music Trust, Julia Rausing Trust, Earl of Chester Fund, Macclesfield Town Council, and Cheshire East Council.
We continuously and enormously appreciate the support of all our individual donors, and all the volunteers who provide their time to support our community to enable change to happen.
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Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd Trustees’ annual report for the year ended 31st August 2025
Financial review
In 2024/25 Cre8 made a surplus of £41k (£22k deficit in 2023/24) on unrestricted funds. Total income fell slightly from £287k in 2023/24 to £284k. The large drop in expenditure of £98k was mainly due to a large drop in salary costs. The healthy surplus in 2024/25 means that Cre8 started the new financial year with £127k of unrestricted free reserves. This represents over 8 months of unrestricted expenditure and puts Cre8 in a strong position for 2025/26 when a deficit budget of £26k has been set.
The trustees are expecting a deficit of £26.2k in 2025/26. Due to the satisfactory position brought forward, we believe that we will have sufficient reserves at 31st August 2026 to comply with our reserves policy (see below).
Reserves policy
At the start of the year the reserves policy (set out in 2022/23) was to maintain unrestricted reserves less fixed assets at a minimum of 12 months of non-discretionary expenditure net of expected residual income. In agreeing this policy, the trustees applied probabilities against the budgeted unrestricted inflows and outflows reflecting the extent to which the income and expenditure is ‘guaranteed’ or ‘committed’. Under the revised reserves policy, unrestricted reserves less fixed assets are expected at 31st August 2026 to be 0.89% of projected non-discretionary expenditure less expected residual income, or 10.6 months.
The reserves policy and probabilities will be reviewed regularly and at least annually by the trustees.
Plans for the future
The Trustees and the staff reviewed our strategy in June 2025. The strategy is to ensure focus on our core activities which is the delivery of youth work in and through all we do. The 3 strategic aims continue to be:
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To deliver high quality youth and community work that achieves sustainable change within the Moss Rose Estate;
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To nurture, enable and empower others who want to do good things in our community;
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To create learning opportunities that grow the youth leaders of the future.
The following strategic priorities were agreed:
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Continue to develop the Cre8 learning culture so that we can support our staff to be the best that they can be and continue to ensure our systems and processes support all of our delivery;
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Establish a young leader programme, to support young people from the Moss and across community to be able to work within a youth work setting;
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Continue to expand our portfolio of work, through increased engagements with business; we will be brave and will take risks
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Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd Trustees’ annual report
for the year ended 31st August 2025
Structure, governance and management
The organisation is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 11th August 2011 and registered as a charity on 4th May 2012. The company was established under a memorandum of association which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its articles of association. Members of the charity guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 to the assets of the charity in the event of winding up.
The Board of Trustees comprises a minimum of five Trustees, who meet six times each year. The Trustees are members of the charity but this entitles them only to voting rights. The trustees have no beneficial interest in the charity.
The Trustees are selected to ensure an appropriate balance of skills and experience and involvement in the local area. We have an established Trustee team, which has remained constant over the last year, and who have specialist skills including Finance, Law, Social Care, Youth Work and Health. Recruitment of Trustees follows Cre8’s Volunteering Policy and Procedures. We advertise for Trustees with specific skills, utilizing local advertising groups such as Cheshire East Community & Voluntary Services. Once an enquiry has been made, the potential Trustee meets separately with the Director and the Chair of Trustees, before completing an application form, references, confidential self-declaration form and DBS check. The appointment of a person as a Trustee is subject to approval by the Trustees.
All Trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no benefits from the charity. Any expenses reclaimed from the charity are set out in note 10 to the accounts. All current trustees have confirmed that they have read CC03 with respect to understanding their roles and responsibilities as trustees. Several trustees have in the past attended virtual training related to Charity Governance and have reported back to the trustee team. All trustees attend Safeguarding training each year.
Related parties and relationships with other organisations
Cre8 Works Ltd and Cre8 Facilities Ltd are wholly owned subsidiaries of Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd.
Remuneration policy for key management personnel
Cre8 operates a pay-scale that includes a number of distinct pay grades. The grades and job descriptions are benchmarked to national data available for our industry sector.
Risk management
Trustees have identified a number of key risk areas, as documented on the risk register along with relevant controls and mitigations, which the Finance & HR Committee, and trustees, review at least annually.
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Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd Trustees’ annual report
for the year ended 31st August 2025
Statement of responsibilities of the trustees
The trustees (who are also directors of Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees’ annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which 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 the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
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Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently
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Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP
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Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent
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State whether applicable UK Accounting Standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements
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Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that 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.
This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime of the Companies Act 2006.
The trustees’ annual report has been approved by the trustees on //2026 and signed 23 03 on their behalf by
Adam Small Chair
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Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of
Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the company for the year ended 31st August 2025 which are set out on pages 11 to 31.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity 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 company’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
Independent examiner's statement
Since the company’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, which is one of the listed bodies.
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:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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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
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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 should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Christy Lau FCCA CTA DChA Slade & Cooper Limited Beehive Mill, Jersey Street, Ancoats Manchester, M4 6JG DATE //2026 20 05
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Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd
Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure account) for the year ended 31 August 2025
| Unrestricted funds Note £ Income from: Donations and legacies 3 55,996 Charitable activities 4 147,405 Investments 5 13,698 Total income 217,099 Expenditure on: Charitable activities 6 175,888 Total expenditure 175,888 41,211 8 41,211 Transfer between funds - Net movement in funds for the year 41,211 Reconciliation of funds Total funds brought forward 85,505 Total funds carried forward 126,716 Net income/(expenditure) before net gains/(losses) on investments Net income/(expenditure) for the year |
Restricted funds £ - 66,708 - 66,708 52,792 52,792 13,916 13,916 - 13,916 5,328 19,244 |
Total funds 2025 £ 55,996 214,113 13,698 283,807 228,680 228,680 55,127 55,127 - 55,127 90,833 145,960 |
Total funds 2024 £ 53,663 215,465 17,768 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 286,896 | |||
| 326,755 | |||
| 326,755 | |||
| (39,859) | |||
| (39,859) - |
|||
| (39,859) 130,692 |
|||
| 90,833 |
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
A full comparative SOFA is available on the last page of the financial statements.
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Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd Company number 7737871
Balance sheet as at 31 August 2025
| Note £ £ Fixed assets Tangible assets 14 - Current assets Debtors 15 16,319 Cash at bank and in hand 16 160,896 Total current assets 177,215 Liabilities Creditors: amounts falling due in less than one year 17 (31,255) Net current assets 145,960 Total assets less current liabilities 145,960 Net assets 145,960 The funds of the charity: Restricted income funds 19 19,244 Unrestricted income funds 20 126,716 Total charity funds 145,960 2025 |
£ £ 5,000 15,368 91,842 107,210 (21,377) 85,833 90,833 90,833 5,328 85,505 90,833 2024 |
£ £ 5,000 15,368 91,842 107,210 (21,377) 85,833 90,833 90,833 5,328 85,505 90,833 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 90,833 | ||
| 90,833 | ||
| 5,328 85,505 |
||
| 90,833 |
For the year in question, the company was entitled to exemption from an audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
Directors' responsibilities:
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The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476,
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The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.
These accounts are prepared in accordance with the special provisions of part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies and constitute the annual accounts required by the Companies Act 2006 and are for circulation to members of the company.
The notes on pages 14 to 31 form part of these accounts.
Approved by the trustees on __/___/2026 and signed on their behalf by:23 03
Adam Small (Chair)
Derek Rodwell (Treasurer)
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Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd
Statement of Cash Flows for the year ending 31 August 2025
| Note 2025 £ Cash provided by/(used in) operating activities 23 55,356 Cash flows from investing activities: Dividends, interest, and rents from investments 13,698 Cash provided by/(used in) investing activities 13,698 69,054 Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year 91,842 Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year 160,896 Increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents in the year |
2024 £ (32,318) |
|---|---|
| 17,768 | |
| 17,768 | |
| (14,550) 106,392 |
|
| 91,842 |
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Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025
1 Accounting policies
The principal accounting policies adopted, judgments and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows:
a Basis of preparation
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), second edition - 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 and UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.
Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note.
b Preparation of the accounts on a going concern basis
The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern.
The trustees have made no key judgments which have a significant effect on the accounts.
The trustees do not consider that there are any sources of estimation uncertainty at the reporting date that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amount of assets and liabilities within the next reporting period.
c Income
Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the item(s) of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.
Income from government and other grants, whether ‘capital’ grants or ‘revenue’ grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred.
For legacies, entitlement is taken as the earlier of the date on which either: the charity is aware that probate has been granted, the estate has been finalised and notification has been made by the executor(s) to the charity that a distribution will be made, or when a distribution is received from the estate. Receipt of a legacy, in whole or in part, is only considered probable when the amount can be measured reliably and the charity has been notified of the executor’s intention to make a distribution. Where legacies have been notified to the charity, or the charity is aware of the granting of probate, and the criteria for income recognition have not been met, then the legacy is a treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material.
Income received in advance of a provision of a specified service is deferred until the criteria for income recognition are met.
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Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 (continued)
d Donated services and facilities
Donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item, any conditions associated with the donated item have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the item is probable and that economic benefit can be measured reliably. In accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), general volunteer time is not recognised; refer to the trustees’ annual report for more information about their contribution.
On receipt, donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.
e Interest receivable
Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the Bank.
f Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of charity.
Designated funds are unrestricted funds of the charity which the trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose.
Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particular areas of the charity’s work or for specific projects being undertaken by the charity.
g Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified under the following activity headings:
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Expenditure on charitable activities includes the costs undertaken to further the purposes of the charity and their associated support costs.
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Other expenditure represents those items not falling into any other heading.
Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.
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Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 (continued)
h Tangible fixed assets
Individual fixed assets costing £1,000 or more are capitalised at cost and are depreciated over their estimated useful economic lives on a straight line basis as follows:
IT Software 33% Motor Vehicles 33% or the duration of a project where a vehicle relates to a specific projecct.
i Debtors
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.
j Cash at bank and in hand
Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
k Creditors and provisions
Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.
l Financial instruments
The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
m Pensions
Employees of the charity are entitled to join a defined contribution ‘money purchase’ scheme. The charity’s contribution is restricted to the contributions disclosed in note 9. There were £nil outstanding contributions at the year end (2024: £nil).
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Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 (continued)
2 Legal status of the charity
The charity is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales and has no share capital. In the event of the charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the charity. The registered office address is disclosed on page 1.
3 Income from donations and legacies
| Donations General Oliver Valves Total Previous Reporting Period Donations General Oliver Valves Total |
Unrestricted £ 35,996 20,000 55,996 Unrestricted £ 23,663 30,000 53,663 |
Restricted £ - - - Restricted £ - - - |
Total 2025 £ 35,996 20,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55,996 | |||
| Total 2024 £ 23,663 30,000 |
|||
| 53,663 |
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Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 (continued)
4 Income from charitable activities
| Grants and contracts Bolton College Cheshire Community Foundation Active Futures Community Response Grant Holy Trinity Hurdsfield Love Music Trust The Earl of Chester Fund The Julia Rausing Trust Summer Events & Outings The KFC Youth Foundation The Swallow Trust Fees and other income Contract Work Fund Raising Grocery Membership fees Other income Total Cre8 Surplus Food Grocery Cafe & Events William Openshaw Street Charitable Trust National Foundation for Youth Music Cheshire East Council |
Unrestricted £ - - - - - - - - - - 37,500 - 37,500 57,281 30,198 21,151 1,275 109,905 147,405 |
Restricted £ 500 10,137 10,000 1,000 1,250 27,921 3,500 4,800 3,600 3,000 - 1,000 66,708 - - - - - 66,708 |
Total 2025 £ 500 10,137 10,000 1,000 1,250 27,921 3,500 4,800 3,600 3,000 37,500 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 104,208 | |||
| 57,281 30,198 21,151 1,275 |
|||
| 109,905 | |||
| 214,113 |
18
Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 (continued)
4 Income from charitable activities (Cont.)
| Previous Reporting Period Grants and contracts Bolton College Cheshire Community Foundation Participation Project Community & Voluntary Services Cancer Alliance Love Music Trust Macclesfield Town Council Cooking Groups Grow Neighbourly The Albert Hunt Trust The Russell Trust The Swallow Trust Fees and other income Contract Work Fund Raising Grocery Membership fees Other income Total Investment income Income from bank deposits Gift aid from Subsidiary The National Lottery Community Fund National Foundation for Youth Music |
Unrestricted £ 500 - - - - - - - - 4,000 - 47,500 52,000 64,621 2,924 28,145 6,893 102,583 154,583 |
Restricted £ - 2,500 1,000 1,250 2,000 8,500 7,392 1,500 33,740 - 3,000 - 60,882 - - - - - 60,882 2025 £ 1,114 12,584 13,698 |
Total 2024 £ 500 2,500 1,000 1,250 2,000 8,500 7,392 1,500 33,740 4,000 3,000 47,500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 112,882 | |||
| 64,621 2,924 28,145 6,893 |
|||
| 102,583 | |||
| 215,465 | |||
| 2024 £ 1,688 16,080 |
|||
| 17,768 |
5 Investment income
All investment income is unrestricted.
19
Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 (continued)
6 Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities
| Subcontractors Repairs and Maintenance Residential and Catering Activities, materials and resources Other Professional fees Governance costs (see note 7) Restricted expenditure Unrestricted expenditure Analysis of governance costs Accountancy services Volunteers Miscellaneous Insurance Depreciation Premises Travel Administration Equipment Staff costs |
Total 2025 £ 155,324 5,990 981 8,863 1,265 8,482 4,763 4,630 5,918 2,108 6,704 2,296 13,776 5,000 2,580 228,680 2025 £ 52,792 175,888 228,680 2025 £ 2,580 2,580 |
Total 2024 £ 245,904 6,794 1,222 6,032 2,809 8,663 6,310 7,635 6,520 3,412 7,658 3,083 9,440 8,816 2,457 |
|---|---|---|
| 326,755 | ||
| 2024 £ 78,623 248,132 |
||
| 326,755 | ||
| 2024 £ 2,457 |
||
| 2,457 |
7 Analysis of governance costs
20
Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 (continued)
8 Net income/(expenditure) for the year
| This is stated after charging/(crediting): Depreciation Independent examination Accountancy Staff costs Staff costs during the year were as follows: Wages and salaries Social security costs Pension costs Independent examiner's fee |
2025 £ 5,000 830 1,320 2025 £ 146,431 5,315 3,578 155,324 |
2024 £ 8,816 788 1,260 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 £ 231,061 8,741 6,102 |
||
| 245,904 |
9 Staff costs
During the year £23,422 (2024: £21,587) was recharged to one of the charity's subsidiaries.
No employee has employee benefits in excess of £60,000 (2024: Nil).
The average number of staff employed during the period was 15 (2024: 20.3).
The average full time equivalent number of staff employed during the period was 7.3 (2024: 9.7).
The key management personnel of the charity comprise the trustees and the Operation Manager. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel of the charity were £35,220 (2024: £62,743).
10 Trustee remuneration and expenses
No trustees, nor any persons connected with them received any remuneration or reimbursed expenses during the year.
One trustee (2024: one), Jonathan Aiken (2024: Ameera Fletcher), was paid £35,220 (2024: £62,743) as an employee by the charity.
The employment of Jonathan Aiken and Ameera Fletcher is in accordance with the governing document of the charity.
No (2024:no) trustee received travel and subsistence expenses of during the year (2024:£nil).
There are no donations from related parties which are outside the normal course of business and no restricted donations from related parties.
No trustee or other person related to the charity had any personal interest in any contract or transaction entered into by the charity, including guarantees, during the year.
21
Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 (continued)
11 Related party transactions
The charity has two subsidiaries:-
-
Cre8 Works Ltd, a company limited by guarantee, company number 07737881.
-
Cre8 Facilities Limited, a company limited by guarantee, company number 09237866.
Cre8 Facilities Limited
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Transactions in the period comprised: | ||
| Gift Aid payment from subsidiary | 12,584 | 16,080 |
| Recharge of expenses to subsidiary | 26,469 | 24,049 |
| Balance owed by/(to) the subsidiary at period end | 4,246 | 2,122 |
In accordance with guidance from the Financial Reporting Council in December 2017, the subsidiary no longer accrues the gift aid payment within its accounts. The payment to the parent charity will still be made within 9 months of the year end.
12 Government grants
The government grants recognised in the accounts were as follows:
| Cheshire East Council Macclesfield Town Council |
2025 £ 10,000 - 10,000 |
2024 £ - 10,500 |
|---|---|---|
| 10,500 |
There are no unfulfilled conditions and contingencies attaching to the grants.
13 Corporation tax
The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within Chapter 3 of Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects. No tax charges have arisen in the charity.
22
Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 (continued)
| 14 Fixed assets: tangible assets Cost Additions Disposals Depreciation Charge for the year Disposals Net book value 15 Debtors Fees Receivable Cre8 Facilities Limited Prepayments At 31 August 2025 At 31 August 2025 At 1 September 2024 At 1 September 2024 At 31 August 2024 At 31 August 2025 |
IT Software £ 3,396 - - 3,396 3,396 - - 3,396 - - |
Motor Vehicles £ 54,939 - - 54,939 49,939 5,000 - 54,939 - 5,000 2025 £ 3,040 4,246 9,033 16,319 |
£ 58,335 - - Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 58,335 | |||
| 53,335 5,000 - |
|||
| 58,335 | |||
| - | |||
| 5,000 | |||
| 2024 £ 5,020 2,122 8,226 |
|||
| 15,368 |
23
Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 (continued)
| 16 Cash at bank and in hand Short term deposits Cash at bank and on hand 17 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Trade creditors Other creditors and accruals Deferred income Taxation and social security costs 18 Deferred income Deferred grant brought forward Grant received Released to income from charitable activities Deferred grant carried forward |
2025 £ 43,906 116,990 160,896 2025 £ 3,719 5,978 20,000 1,558 31,255 2025 £ - 20,000 - 20,000 |
2024 £ 42,792 49,050 |
|---|---|---|
| 91,842 | ||
| 2024 £ 11,613 6,754 - 3,010 |
||
| 21,377 | ||
| 2024 £ - - - |
||
| - |
24
Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 (continued)
19 Analysis of movements in restricted funds
| Love Music Trust Total Macclesfield Town Council - Grow The Julia Rausing Trust - Cre8 Surplus Food Grocery Cafe & Events - Summer Events & Outings Cheshire East Council - Community Response Grant National Foundation for Youth Music Cheshire Community Foundation - Active Futures Holy Trinity Hurdsfield The Earl of Chester Fund William Openshaw Street Charitable Trust The KFC Youth Foundation Bolton College |
Balance at 1 September 2024 £ - - - - - 5,328 - - - - - - 5,328 |
Income £ 500 10,137 10,000 1,000 1,250 - 27,921 3,500 4,800 3,600 3,000 1,000 66,708 |
Expenditure £ (500) (10,137) (10,000) (1,000) (1,250) (5,328) (10,503) (3,500) (4,800) (3,600) (1,174) (1,000) (52,792) |
Transfers £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Balance at 31 August 2025 £ - - - - - - 17,418 - - - 1,826 - |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19,244 |
25
Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 (continued)
19 Analysis of movements in restricted funds (Cont.)
| Love Music Trust Neighbourly The Russell Trust Total Cheshire Community Foundation Participation Project Cheshire Community Foundation Best days 2023 The Rank Foundation Macclesfield Town Council Grow National Foundation for Youth Music The National Lottery Community Fund Macclesfield Town Council Cooking Groups Previous Reporting Period Cheshire Community Foundation ReCre8 CVS Cancer Alliance |
Balance at 1 September 2023 £ 2,800 - 320 - - - - - - 15,264 4,685 - 23,069 |
Income £ - 2,500 - 1,000 1,250 2,000 8,500 7,392 1,500 33,740 - 3,000 60,882 |
Expenditure £ (2,800) (2,500) (320) (1,000) (1,250) (2,000) (3,172) (7,392) (1,500) (49,004) (4,685) (3,000) (78,623) |
Transfers £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Balance at 31 August 2024 £ - - - - - - 5,328 - - - - - |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,328 |
26
Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 (continued)
19 Analysis of movements in restricted funds (Cont.)
Name of restricted fund Description, nature and purposes of the fund
Cheshire Community Foundation
-
Active Futures This fund was used to support NEET young people doing outdoor practical work. We set up a social enterprise project to do gardening and employed young people to work; learning new skills as well as gaining employment experience. There was also additional funding to allow us to do training for the Active Futures Project.
-
Best days 2023 A Cheshire Community Foundation project which supported 100 members of the Moss Ross Estate to have the Best Day out at Blackpool Pleasure beach, fully funding activities and travel which had a huge positive effect on the community.
-
Participation Project A project working with young people to provide a series of activities during the summer months 2024. Activities included clubs for primary age young people and fundraising activities.
-
ReCre8 Improving Outcomes in Deprived Neighbourhoods, a project funded through the Cheshire Community foundation which supported young people aged 16 plus to develop youth work skills and to deliver events and activities in our local community.
-
Cheshire East Council The grant was designated to supporting the Gorcery Project. In particular - Community allow us to keep the cost of groceries low by funding the fareshare cost but Response Grant also supporting us setting up groceis in the Hurdsfield and Bollington Estates.
-
CVS Cancer Alliance To support people through conversation at our grocery and cooking clubs
-
Holy Trinity The fund was assigned to provided mentoring support for our older young Hurdsfield people. It has been used to run a drop-in for year 10's and above. Love Music Trust The fund is designed for support of the music project. It has been used for trips and equipment to further the music project activities.
Macclesfield Town Council
-
Cooking Groups Funding used to buy equipment to extend cooking facilities at Cre8 (I'm waiting on a description for Grow)
-
Grow To help sustain the surplus food grocery at St.Barnabas and on Hurdsfield, and to help the grocery become more sustainable for the long term.
27
Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 (continued)
19 Analysis of movements in restricted funds (Cont.)
Name of
Description, nature and purposes of the fund
National Foundation This fund is used to establish and grow the music project. It allows us to for Youth Music provide music for young people during school, after school, and during the holiday periods. It also includes funds to do outreach and work with youth justice. Neighbourly To help train volunteers, volunteers to deliver community events, and to purchase additional food for events. The Earl of Chester This fund was designated to further the music project at Cre8. Fund
The Julia Rausing Trust
| - Cre8 Surplus Food | This fund was designated to helping us run a café over the winter period |
|---|---|
| Grocery Cafe & | as part of our surplus food grocery. It also funded several events during |
| Events | the winter period to help the community do activities together. |
| - Summer Events & | This funding was desgined to helping us do activites for the community in |
| Outings | the summer months. We used it to run summer clubs and a Play Out |
| Activity. | |
| The KFC Youth | The grant is designated to empowering vulnerable young people be a part |
| Foundation | of each and evey project at Cre8. It is designed to help youg people thrice |
| and make change happen. | |
| The National Lottery | Cre8 project grow; a sustainable, low-cost food network, accessible |
| Community Fund | neighbourhood green space and local people developing their own |
| community, health and wellbeing activities | |
| The Rank Foundation | Time to Shine Leadership Programme, funding full-time administrator for |
| 12 months | |
| The Russell Trust | To fund young people to attend our annual residential in Camas. |
| William Openshaw | This funding was designated for one to one mentoring of young people. It |
| Street Charitable | was target at those young people who needed that extra support through |
| Trust | one to one mentoring. |
28
Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 (continued)
20 Analysis of movement in unrestricted funds
| General fund General fund Previous Reporting Period Name of unrestricted fund General fund |
Balance at 1 September 2024 Income Expenditure Transfers £ £ £ £ 85,505 217,099 (175,888) - 85,505 217,099 (175,888) - Balance at 1 September 2023 Income Expenditure Transfers £ £ £ 107,623 226,014 (248,132) - 107,623 226,014 (248,132) - Description, nature and purposes of the fund The free reserves after allowing for all designated funds |
As at 31 August 2025 £ 126,716 |
|---|---|---|
| 126,716 | ||
| As at 31 August 2024 £ 85,505 |
||
| 85,505 | ||
21 Analysis of net assets between funds
| Tangible fixed assets Net current assets/(liabilities) Total Previous Reporting Period Tangible fixed assets Net current assets/(liabilities) Total |
General fund £ - 126,716 126,716 General fund £ 5,000 80,505 85,505 |
Designated funds £ - - - Designated funds £ - - - |
Restricted funds £ - 19,244 19,244 Restricted funds £ - 5,328 5,328 |
Total £ - 145,960 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 145,960 | ||||
| Total £ 5,000 85,833 |
||||
| 90,833 |
29
Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 (continued)
22 Operating lease commitments
The charity's total future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases is as follows for each of the following periods:
| Less than one year One to five years Over five years |
2025 2024 £ £ 2 2 9 11 - - 11 13 Property |
2025 2024 £ £ 2 2 9 11 - - 11 13 Property |
|---|---|---|
| 13 |
23 Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash flow from operating activities
| Net income/(expenditure) for the year Adjustments for: Depreciation charge Dividends, interest and rents from investments Decrease/(increase) in debtors Increase/(decrease) in creditors Net cash provided by/(used in) operating |
2025 £ 55,127 5,000 (13,698) (951) 9,878 55,356 |
2024 £ (39,859) 8,816 (17,768) 6,548 9,945 |
|---|---|---|
| (32,318) |
30
Cre8 Macclesfield Ltd
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 (continued)
24 Prior year Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure account)
| Income from: Donations and legacies Charitable activities Investments Total income Expenditure on: Charitable activities Total expenditure Transfer between funds Reconciliation of funds Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward Net income/(expenditure) before net Net income/(expenditure) for the year Net movement in funds for the year |
Unrestricted funds £ 53,663 154,583 17,768 226,014 248,132 248,132 (22,118) (22,118) - (22,118) 107,623 85,505 |
Restricted funds £ - 60,882 - 60,882 78,623 78,623 (17,741) (17,741) - (17,741) 23,069 5,328 |
Total funds 2024 £ 53,663 215,465 17,768 286,896 326,755 326,755 (39,859) (39,859) - (39,859) 130,692 90,833 |
Total funds 2023 £ 56,944 245,851 6,276 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 309,071 | ||||
| 318,283 | ||||
| 318,283 | ||||
| (9,212) | ||||
| (9,212) - |
||||
| (9,212) 139,904 |
||||
| 130,692 |
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
31