The Net North Shields
Registered Charity No. 1151677
Trustees. Report
and
Financial Statement
for the year ended
31 December 2023

Legal and Administrative Information
Name:
The Net North Shields
Charity no..
Structure..
1151677
Unincorporated association 9overned by a constitution.
Trustees:
O Hodgson
LKay
B Tavemor
C Brown
JC Nolan
S Barlow
R Chapman
S Tempest
Trustees are elected by the membership at each Annual General Meeting.
Principal Office.. The Old Low Light
Clifford Fort
North Shields
Tyne & Wear
NE30 1JA
Bankers..
HSBC
110 Grey Str8el
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE16JG
Independent
Examiner..
Mark Thompson MAAT
VODA
Spirit of North Tyneside Wing
2nd Floor, Wallsend Customer First Centre
16 The Forum
Wallsend
NE28 8JR

The Net North Shields
Trust••s Report: for the year ended Decomber 2023.
We approach 2024 with optsmism for the future and plans in place for a full programm6 of activities.
This is despite a difficult year ènd one that we wll not forgel. not least bocause our ¢hair- arKI greatest champion-
David W Bavaird. had to step back dLte to an illness from which he later passed away.
David made such a significant contn"bution. always encouraging and guiding, even from thg earfiost days. when thè
centre was just a dream. Ihal his loss has been sorely felt. We owe him a debl of 9ralilude and ffliss him very much.
Although David was involved with many local organisalions. th8 Old Low Lighl was a special place for him, so we
Ihou9hl il only litting lo name our lop floor Ihe 'DaV￿ W Bavaird community room, in his memory
We also know that what he would really want us to do is succeed an*Y over th8 year, despite financial worries, we
have focused on building on his strong legacy.
In spring w8 rgcèivèd a welcome £2,000 Irom Asda and a £4,0£￿ grant from the RIN Mann Twst. This combined
with £10,000 from the Sir James Krbott Trust, helped us lo ovèrcomg dramatic price rises al the start of the year. but
we knew il only bought us lime. So. wt have fo¢used on sourcing and applying lo pol&ntsal funders and 'working
smart'_ which means doing everything possitAe lo maximise our profits and minimise our losses, induding
continuing with reduced opening limes.
Thankfully. in 2023 our own income has sleadily incfyased, and in rec•nt months some of our grant applications
havo been successful, allowing us lo mak8 plans for the year ahead.
In November the Barbour Foundalion awarded us £4.000 and The National Lott8ry Community Fund aw8rded
£5,000 in 2023 and £21,000 a year IOT each of Ihg next live years lo support stsffing cost$. W8 received £15,000
from the Garfield Weston Trusl and £5,000 Irom the Community Foundation, both lo help with running cosis. The
Mouth ol Tyne Collective 15 providing funding lor five music evenis and North Tynoside Council has designaled the
centre as a 'wafm spacg,. which also comes with money.
Alongsidg grant funding our own charitable. commercial activilies and smart working p18ns hav8 continued lo
generate more than 70% of Ihe income required to sustain the Old L¢)w Lighl. The lime, enorgy and effort of
volunle&rs at the heritage cenlre have helped us generate £128.000 in 2023 thfough Salos in our cafè, shop, room
hire, admissions and mgmbafship scheme and evènts progr8m￿.
This linancial success and supwl 15 wonderful and provides a welcomè buffer. bul we musl ¢ontinu8 to opèrate as
efficiently as p055ible and do all we can lo reduce105ses.
The fact ￿maInS that it cosls £430 every day we are 0￿ft, and Ouf income works oul èl £440 a day. So, our
linances are slill finely balanced.
Oespile pre35ures, we have had a full events programme with visitor numbers increasing lo well 31,000- more than
10 per cont up on 2022. Events have includod
. An expanded talks programme. Inclu(Jing some on Tuesdays as well as the wular Saturday heritage talk5.
+Two new èxhibitions- one by Northern Th￿ad$ which attracted 8,000 visitors over a Nvo-month period and the
other, the Merchanl Navy. Tyneside Slories, researched. desFgned. and curated by OUT own volunt88rs which is also
prowng to be very popular.
. A display ol marine paintings and model boats by retired fisherN*n. v4ho also ran events al the Boy Jamgs Coble.
explaining about traditional f15hing.
. Regular guided walks from Clifford's Fort. as well as a new heritagè walk in Preston Village.
. Several slilching and wllow weavin9 workshops.

.Three classic concerts lealuring lopcla5s musi¢ians. music events by community groups and regular music
sessions in the café.
A highlight of the year was Ihe 'sea ol poppies, project involwng several poppy making session5, as well as p8ople
knitting and crocheting poppies al home_ This resulted in over 3.(J)O poppies foi a fabulous display outside the
cenlrè in the run up lo Remembrance Sunday.
donalion from some friends ol the Old Low Light. who have Merchant Navy conn8ctions, helped lo pay for our
currenl $xhibilion.
W8 have b8en pleased lo work wilh Keith Barrètt, thg artist commissioned by the council to ¢reate a public sculpture
of Mary Ann Macham, the escaped enslaved woman whose story wè told in our 2019 Breaking Chains exhibition.
Our lriends from FLOW continue to meet here tJ¥o days a week. we have mindfulnoss and yoga sessions as well as
olhei meetings by the council and community groups.
W8 have also had a busy year with school visits. some just coming to fir￿ out more 8boul the hislory, heritage Ind
wildlrfe ol the fish quay and others focusing on sptCTfic proi9cls such as Ihe Tyne in Tudor limes.
We begln 2024 wilh plans for an expanded t8lks prtyramme and some exciting music events, onc& again Pfoviding
a venue lor musici*ns who a￿ also al home on nalional and inlemalional stages, as well as an afternoon of North
East traditional songs by a popular communjty gioup. We hop8 il will not be too long ￿lOre we can anno(tnce som8
new guided walks and craft V40fkshops.
Tru$t••$' r•$ponslbllltl•s In rnlatlon to the fln•n¢lal $tst•m•nts
Charity Law requirès th8 Trustees to prepaie financial statemènts for each financial year which comply with the
regulations sel out in the Charities Acl 1993. The Tnjstees have elected lo lak8 advanlage ol the provisions that
apply lo smgll ch
nd have prepared a Re¢eipt$ and Paymenls Accounl and Slalemenl ol Assols and
14.0.¢tr IoL¥
Sign8d'.
.Chair. on bghalf of the Trustees. dale..
Li

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT
Report to the
trustees of
The Net North Shields
On accounts for
the year ended
31 DeGember 2023
Charty no
1151677
Respective
rèsponsibilities of
trustees and
examiner
The trustees of the organisation are responsible for the preparation of
accounts,. they consider that an audit is not required for this year under
section 144{21 of the Charities Acl 2011 and that an Independent
Examination is needed.
11 is my responsibility to
• examine the accounts {under section 145 of the 2011 Adl.
• follow the proc8dures laid down in the General Directions given by the
Charity Commission {under section 14515}(bl of the Act), and
• State whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of
independenl
examiner's
statement
My examination was carried out in accordance with G8n8ral Directions
givèn by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review
of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the
accounts presented with those records. 11 also includes consideration of
any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking
explanations from the trustees conceming any such matters. The
procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be
required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion
on the accounts.
Independent
examiner's
statement
In the course of my examination, no matter has Gome to my attention:
which gives me reasonable cause lo believe that in, any material
respect, the trustees have not mel the requirements lo ensure that=
proper accounting records are kept (in accordance with section 130 of
the Act)., and
accounts are prepared which agree with the accounting records and
comply wth the accounting requirements of the Act., or
2. to which. in my opinion. attention should be drawn in order lo enable a
proper understanding of the accounts lo be reached.
Signed:
Date: 24 October 2024
Name:
Address:
Mark Thompson MAAT
VODA
Spirit of North Tyneside Wing
2nd Floor, Wallsend Customer First Centre
16 The Forum
Wallsend
NE28 8JR

The Net North Shields
Balance Sheet
at 31 December 2023
2023
2022
Fixed Assets
Current Assels
Debtors
Prepayments
Stock
Cash at Bank & in Hand
2976
456
28723
2466
232
22864
Total Cash Balances
32155
25562
Current Liabilities
3721
2333
Net Current Assets
28434
23229
Net Assets at 31 December 2023
28434
23229
Represented By".
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
5034
23400
1500
21729
28434
23229
Total
28434
23229
The financlal statements were approved by the following members of the
Manageme
mitt
Signed
Position
aKay
Signed
Position
David Hodgson
Date
O&ob4r £DIy..

The Net North Shields
Receipts and payments account for the period
1 January to 31 December 2023
Notes
2023
2023
Unfestricted R•stricted
2023
Total
2022
Total
Income
Donations
Charitable Activties
Other Trading Activities
Investment Income
{21
(31
(41
46739
11333
106675
163
9184
55923
11333
106675
163
54571
11241
86372
20
Total In¢orn•
164910
9184
174094
152204
Expenditure
Cost of Trading Activities
Charitable Activities
Depreciation
{51
(61
(71
21410
141829
1500
4150
22910
145979
24624
142163
Total Exp•ndlturo
163239
5650
168889
166787
Surplus for the period
1671
3534
5205
-14583
Transfers Be￿en Funds
Balance al 1 January 2023
8alan¢• Jt 31 Decernber 2023
21729
1500
23229
37812
23400
5034
28434
23229

The Net North Shields
Notes to the accounts, 2023
1. Accounting Policies
a The financial statements have pr8pared in accordance 7Mth Accounting and Repo￿.ng by Charities..
Stat8ment of Recommended Practice applicable lo charities preparing their aceounls in accordance
with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland IFRS 1021
leffects've 1 Jan4Jary 20151- Charities SORP IFRS 1021. the Financial Reporting Standard applicable
in the UK and Republic of Ireland IFRS 1021 and the Companies Act 2006
The Net North Shiel(Js meets Ihe definstson of a puNic benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets
and liabilities are initially recognised al historical cost or transacts.on value unless Othe￿ise staled in the
relevant accounting policy notelsl.
b Grants receivod are accountsd for on a received basis and credilod to income.
Voluntary income is received by way of donations and gifts aThJ is included in lull in the Rgceipls and
Payments Account when received.
2. Grants & Don¥tlons
North Tyneside Council . Summer Space
North Tyneside Council . Winter Wami Space
National Lottery Community Fund
3000
5184
9184
3. Charltabl• Actlvltl•s
Room Hire
11333
11333
4. Oth•r Tradlng Actlvltb•$
Calé & Shop Income
Event Incom6
Admission and Ticket Salos
Membership
81801
12389
6067
6418
106675
5. Costs of Tradlng A¢tSvltl••
Café Supplies
Gill Shop Supplies
Event Costs of Sale
Museum Cost8
18414
2465
2031
22910
6. Co$ts of Charltabl• A¢tivlth$
Staff Costs
Premisos
Insurance Fees
Legal & Professional
Office Costs
106194
30481
3367
1585
4352
145979
7. TNst•es, staff and r•l•t•d party transaction$
The org8nis81ion employed an average of 7 members of staff during Ihe period of the accthjnts. No
P8yments were mode lo trustees.
8. Restri¢t•d Funds
Analysis of Rèstricted FurKIs.'
Historic England
North Tyneside Council - Summer Space
North Tyneside Council - Winter Warm Space
National Lottery Community Fund
Open 8a1
Incom• Expend End 8a1
1500
1000
2000
1150
1000
4034
5184
Total
1500
9184
5650
5034