**Company Registration Number 08102487 Registered Charity Number 1153400** 

**MORTAL FOOLS** (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) 

# **REPORT AND ACCOUNTS For the year ending 31 March 2022** 




## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT** 

## _**For the period ended 31 March 2022**_ 

## **NOTE FROM THE CHAIR OF TRUSTEES** 

The last 12 months have been another exciting and progressive period for Mortal Fools.  Although the pandemic is theoretically less of a threat, it has and will continue to have a long tail of influence on the sector and how we behave.  In the last financial period (16 months to April 2021) our focus was initially one of pivoting, looking for opportunities out of adversity. Our resilience and agility served us well at that time and enabled us to continue to provide high quality services for our beneficiaries and have demonstrable positive impact on young people’s lives. 

We made an important decision earlier in the year to move the centre of our operations to Ashington, while continuing to sustain our connections and deliver in the Prudhoe area where we began our work.  This move has increased our reach and we now sit in the heart of two communities that are under-served, with early evidence demonstrating that we are offering something of real value to the lives of young people in both settings. We have continued to diversify our content and, through our inventiveness, reach a larger and more diverse audience, beyond these geographical locations. 

The opportunity to team up with and operate in the same building as YMCA Northumberland has already paid significant dividends.  In future years, this is likely to result in further step changes for Mortal Fools. If county-wide initiatives are successful, they could lead to the realisation of our ultimate ambitions: to operate from our own purpose built, state of the art, fit for purpose premises. 

The landscape of what confronts young people continues to change and as such we need to remain relevant.  To this end we have expanded the board, increased its diversity and skill set and we are looking to institute further change by the introduction of young people as trustees on the board in the coming year. 

The vision we set out several years ago, the organisational change we have embarked upon, improvements in our forward planning, governance and risk management have enabled us to fill substantive posts that we mapped out as part of our forward plan.  This has been recognised by funders and given us the confidence to seek longer term cyclical funding from organisations such as the Kavli Trust and our recent application to the Arts Council for NPO funding.  This does bring with it greater risk and we are realistic enough to appreciate that competition for funding in this arena is intense and may at times stretch our capacity. 

We rely on the tenacity and at times monumental efforts of the Mortal Fools core team and board of trustees for our continued success.  The pace at which we work has, at times, seemed overwhelming this year, so careful management of staff wellbeing has been a key success factor, working to provide unrivalled working conditions. This has been recognised with accolades like the _Good Work Pledge – Advanced Level Award_ from North of Tyne Combined Authority. 

We believe we have created an organisational culture of deep trust and a common belief that we are on path we all believe in and the commitment of all staff and associates to serve our beneficiaries is very evident. On behalf of the Board, I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the team and its leadership for another extraordinary year. 


Richard Wise Chair of Trustees 

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## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT** _**For the period ended 31 March 2022**_ 

The Trustees, who are also Directors for the purposes of company law, present their report and the unaudited financial statements of the charity for the 12 month period to 31[st] March 2022. 

## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS** 

**Registered charity name** Mortal Fools **Charity registration number** 1153400 **Company registration number** 08102487 **Registered office** YMCA Northumberland, North View, Ashington, NE63 9XQ 

## **Trustees** 

For the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, the Board of Trustees is the Board of Directors of the charitable company and is referred to as “the Trustees” throughout this report. 

The Trustees of Mortal Fools during the period and to the date of signing this report are as follows: 

Mr R Wise (Chair) Ms R Pattinson Ms A Dixon Resigned 16 December 2021 Mrs R A K Barclay Miss K Stanforth Ms S Spencer Mr P Douglas Appointed 25 November 2021 **Company Secretary** Ms A Dixon (to 26 March 2020 to 16 December 2021) Ms K Crosbie (from 16 December 2021 to 24 January 2022) Ms S Allen (from 24 January 2022) **Bankers** Triodos Bank, Deanery Road, Bristol, BS1 5AS **Independent Examiner** Mr P O’Hara FCA, 4 Stoneyhurst Road West, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 1PG 

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## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT** 

_**For the period ended 31 March 2022**_ 

## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT** 

## **Governing Documents** 

Mortal Fools is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 12 June 2012, as Northern Arts Enterprises Limited, and registered as a charity on 14 August 2013. 

It was established under the Memorandum of Association that established its objects and powers and is governed under its Articles of Association, as amended by special resolutions registered at Companies House on 5 July 2012, 3 September 2012, 8 August 2013, 12 May 2016, 22 February 2018 and 1 December 2020. 

The Directors of the company are also Trustees of the charity. 

Eligibility for membership of the charity and membership of the Board of Trustees is governed by the Memorandum and Articles of Association. There are no restrictions in the governing document on the operation of the charity other than those imposed by general charity law. 

## **Charitable Purpose** 

Mortal Fools charitable objects are for the benefit of the public particularly but not exclusively in the north of England, through the teaching, practice and showcasing of the arts in all their forms: 

- (1) To help children and young people develop their skills, capacity and capabilities to enable them to participate fully in society as responsible, mature and fulfilled individuals; 

- (2) To advance the mental health education of children, young people, their significant adults and the general public to improve mental wellbeing; 

- (3) To promote, support and improve the social inclusion of children and young people who are socially excluded by providing them with opportunities to access activities and develop their skills and experiences in such a way that they are better able to participate more fully in society; 

For the purposes of this clause ‘socially excluded’ means children and young people (up to aged 25) who are excluded from society, or parts of society (like social circles) as a result of one or more of the following factors: socio-economic circumstances; race; gender; poor educational or skills attainment; mental health; disability; bullying and harassment and ethnic origin. 

- (4) To maintain, improve, and advance arts education of children and young people, professional artists and the general public. 

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## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT** 

_**For the period ended 31 March 2022**_ 

## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED)** 

The charity currently has six Trustees. This year, the charity has continued its governance development with a skills audit and subsequent training of trustees by external providers, with a focus on Safeguarding, Mental Health and Equality and Diversity and Inclusion. 

The Board meets a minimum of five times per year, including at least one full away day for strategic planning. Meetings take place using a blend of digital platforms and in person and throughout this year were monthly to allow the Board to provide better governance and support to staff during the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2022, these returned to bi-monthly whole board business meetings and in the next year, we are introducing a new structure of three Board Sub-Groups to provide support in key areas of operation. The groups are: 

- Finance, Audit and Risk (FAR) – financial management / risk register and general risk notes / legal compliance 

- Artistic / Delivery / Practice (ADP) – partnerships / participants / audiences / activity programmes / creative-based training 

- People – HR / policies, procedures and systems / training / systems 

Detailed written reports and an agenda are prepared by Trustees and senior staff and circulated in advance of Board meetings, integrating notes from sub-group meetings. 

The charity is working on board development to increase representation of key community stakeholder groups in governance and improve the diversity of trustees. Trustee recruitment was delayed from 2021 and is now scheduled for Autumn 2022. It will focus on engaging community representatives from key locations, young people, people who have experienced poverty and those working with young people in key partnership settings e.g. Education, Youth and Health. 

The charity is in early stages of developing a new trustee training programme for young artists to join cultural boards in partnership with Curious Arts and Community Foundation of Tyne & Wear and Northumberland. 

## **Appointment and Induction of Trustees** 

Trustees are elected to the Board based on discussions and recommendations offered by Trustees and external advisors to the organisation. Following an informal discussion with the Chair and / or CEO, there is a two-stage application process of letter and CV followed by an interview with at least two Trustees. 

New Trustees are inducted by a Trustee buddy and senior staff, supported by a comprehensive written Trustee Induction Pack including a range of resources to support their understanding of their role and the charity’s activities. 

## **Reserves Policy** 

The Trustees have reviewed the charity's needs for reserves in line with the guidance issued by the Charity Commission. 

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## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT** 

_**For the period ended 31 March 2022**_ 

## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED)** 

## **Reserves Policy (Cont.)** 

The Trustees aim to hold a level of Unrestricted Reserves which enables the charity to have sufficient financial resources to meet various liabilities which would crystallise if Mortal Fools were unable to continue operating, together with an allowance to enable the charity to respond flexibly to issues or appropriate initiatives which might be identified outside of its annual budgeting process. 

At present, the Trustees estimate that the Unrestricted Reserves required to cover all known liabilities amount to approximately £90,000. The trustees recognise that these liabilities will increase with the addition of new posts in the next year and therefore consider that a further contingency of at least £10,000 is prudent, resulting in a target level of Unrestricted Reserves in the region of £100,000.  Mortal Fools currently holds Unrestricted Reserves of £122,584 at 31 March 2022, £121,551 of which are defined as ‘free Reserves’. 

This policy will be reviewed by the Trustees on an annual basis as part of the charity’s budgeting processes. 

## **Grant-making** 

The charity does not currently engage in grant-making activity. 

## **Contribution of Volunteers** 

The charity makes limited use of volunteers within its productions and to support its activities. 

## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES** 

## **Aims & Objectives** 

Mortal Fools’ purpose is to support people to have better quality inter-personal relationships with one another and to use theatre and drama-based activities as the methodology to achieve this. 

We are a company of participatory artists and practitioners who are committed to co-creating compelling, dynamic, socially-relevant and high-quality theatre-based work with children, young people and communities. 

We work with 1,000s of children and young people every year, mostly in the North East. We develop our skills, knowledge and approach through dynamic multi-sector partnerships (Youth, Community, Health and Arts and Culture), jointly co-constructing work to meet the contemporary needs of children and young people. 

We are champions of theatre produced by young people and for young people, we advocate for this work to be recognised and supported as an important art form in our sector, touring our work nationally, supporting participatory artists to train in co-creation and embedding achieving positive wellbeing outcomes across all our work. 

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## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT** _**For the period ended 31 March 2022**_ 

## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (CONTINUED)** 

## **Aims & Objectives (Cont.)** 

Utilising digital technology for both engagement of beneficiaries and sharing our work – whilst a necessity during the pandemic – has been a great success, giving us a new way to engage more diverse audiences and those experiencing barriers to access. For this reason, it has become a permanent evolution of our work. 

## **WHY we do what we do** 

We are a purpose-driven organisation. Our work must be relevant to and matter in wider society and make a demonstrable and measurable difference to those we work with. 

We recognise that the presence of positive and secure inter-personal relationships is a key factor in personal wellbeing, motivation, civil engagement and life fulfilment. We use drama and theatrebased approaches – inter-personal by nature – to support people to build the skills and knowledge to form and maintain better relationships.  This work is positive action against the shift towards the divided, competitive and aggressive societal changes seen in the UK and wider world in recent years. 

Through all of our work we advocate for, demonstrate and give people ways to form better relationships and learn how positive connection and shared positive experiences with one another can be used to prevent those things which drive us apart. Positive mental health and wellbeing outcomes are an integral part of our work. We use the ratified PERMA Framework as our approach to planning, monitoring and evaluating the impact of our work on wellbeing outcomes. 

Our work helps people to bring about changes in behaviour and outlook, increasing in confidence, experiencing personal accomplishment, building their personal resilience, shaping a more positive self-image and setting themselves up for a more positive future. 

We are working to create a society where everyone is motivated, engaged and able to bring their unique abilities to help make the world a little bit better. The problems of the world are essentially the problems of individuals. Through supporting individuals to change, together we may just be able to change the world. 

## **HOW we work** 

We use high-quality drama and the process of making and performing theatre-based work as our primary tools for change. Our work explores contemporary concerns facing children and young people and the realities of the world we’re living in right now – inviting positive change. 

## **We have 4 key values that shape everything we do:** 

## **1. CONTRIBUTING -** _**Everyone Matters**_ 

Co-creation is at the centre of everything we do. All of our team and everyone we work with contributes to shaping our programmes and our activities, helping us to learn and make an impact. 

Our activities are participatory, with ideas being supported, acted up and recognised from all involved. Our activities are an asset in the lives of the people we work with, making a positive contribution and influence in both grassroots and strategic multi-sector settings. 

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**MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT** _**For the period ended 31 March 2022**_ 

## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (CONTINUED)** 

We remain relevant to wider society, with our work making a positive and important contribution. 

## **2. GROWING -** _**Becoming more**_ 

We are bold, ambitious and entrepreneurial. We embrace challenges and are not afraid of failure. We champion a _growth mindset_ and constantly look to learn from others. We are committed to continuous reflection and development, supporting everyone with the right level of challenge to become more. 

We receive feedback graciously and gratefully and use supportive and constructive ways to give and respond to feedback. 

## **3. WITH OTHERS -** _**Better Together**_ 

Our activities bring people together – to achieve, to learn and to have fun – with curiosity, cocreation and kindness at the heart of everything we do. We seek out people to work with who know things that we do not, integrating ongoing input from our beneficiaries, artists and others we work with or whose work relates to our own. We prioritise working with partners who share our values and whose work has similar motivations. 

We support the development of key interpersonal skills like empathy, teamwork and resilience for all who work with us. We care for one another, and this compassion helps us to build strong, lasting and fruitful relationships. 

## **4. AS OURSELVES -** _**Always authentic**_ 

We create safe spaces which support and encourage everyone to be their authentic, imperfect selves - with individual strengths, vulnerabilities, lived experiences, emotions and needs. We recognise, respect and embrace our differences, understanding that this makes us all stronger, more empathetic and wiser. 

We strive to meet the needs of everyone we work with, making sure our company is welcoming and inclusive to people from all walks of life. We create environments that are genuinely supportive and accessible, where everyone feels valued as an individual, and is enabled to contribute. As a company, we do not copy or try to compete with others. We confidently walk our own path, and we seek to work with those who also value authenticity and openness. 

## **WHAT we do** 

We have several programmes of activity. Each of them achieves a combination of the following objectives: 

- Enable children and young people to co-create with professional artists, treating young people as artists in their own right 

- Inspire people to make positive behavioural change through dynamic youth-led theatre productions, short films, creative digital assets and workshops 

- Learn through working with multi-sector organisations, schools, individuals, and artists who share our values 

- Co-construct drama and theatre-based approaches which enrich the provision within formal education settings, including training teachers and improve the personal, social, and educational outcomes of pupils 

- Make dynamic, engaging, and relevant contemporary theatre for young audiences, especially those who are under-served 

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## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT** _**For the period ended 31 March 2022**_ 

## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (CONTINUED)** 

- Programme exciting theatre by other companies and artists – prioritise bringing this to under-served settings 

- Raise the profile of artistic work produced by young people 

- Improve mental health and wellbeing of beneficiaries, and embed this at all stages of projects 

- Embody and champion inclusive approaches to co-creation, collaboration and creativity including providing a broad range of activities, working in person and digitally designed to accommodate a range of access needs (e.g. special educational needs, logistical, agespecific, low cost) 

- Reduce barriers to taking part by using in person and digital engagement and producing our work in a range of settings, community buildings, schools, outdoor spaces, and professional theatre venues - prioritising areas of socio-economic disadvantage or rural isolation 

- Create new pathways into participatory arts careers including work experience, internships, training, mentoring and employment 

- Run practical skills training for multi-sector businesses supporting them to learn how to connect better interpersonally in the workplace, with clients and as leaders 

- Provide opportunities for participants to work with a diverse range of dynamic professional artists and companies and other specialist practitioners 

- Signpost young people to other available arts activities through our networks 

- Provide training, mentoring and employment for young and/or early career participatory artists and practitioners, especially those working with young people 

## **OUR ACTIVITY PROGRAMMES** 

## **PROGRAMME 1: YOUTH THEATRE (objectives achieved are: a,b,e,g,h,I,j,m,n)** 

## **Youth Theatre** 

A term-time programme of activities with 5 groups in West and South East Northumberland and online, providing a fun, safe and active environment where young people aged 7-19 explore their own lives and their wider world through drama and theatre. In these sessions, young people cocreate dynamic, thought-provoking, original theatre alongside professional theatre artists - with the young people’s ideas, emotions and experiences at the heart. 

The 5 groups are – 

- Tynedale, West Northumberland: Stage 2 (school years 3-6); Stage 3/4 (school years 7-11) _In 2022-23, we will pilot a new Youth Theatre group in residence at Highfield Middle School in Prudhoe, west Northumberland._ 

- Ashington, South East Northumberland: Stage 2 (school years 3-6); Stage 3/4 (school years 7-11) 

- Online: drawing young people from across the North East region (school years 5-11) 

## **Ensemble Young Company** 

This 5-month annual project (school years 10-13 and up to age 19) supports teenagers to cocreate and tour original theatre in a process closely aligned with professional theatre production. 

In 2021-22 we piloted a new model for this group, collaborating with a company of 14 young people drawn from our two main operational locations. This model will continue in 2022-23, with the reintroduction of out-of-region touring following the interruption by the pandemic. 

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## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT** 

_**For the period ended 31 March 2022**_ 

## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (CONTINUED)** 

## **PROGRAMME 2: FUTURE READY (a,b,c,d,h,I,j,m,n)** 

## **Young Cultural Leaders** 

Supporting young people in their broader personal development through social action projects, event management, Peer Facilitation training, volunteering and work experience. This includes opportunities to do higher level Arts Award qualifications. 

## **Creative Interventions** 

Working with Education settings to use participation in creative activities to support young people to develop confidence, creative and social skills. Young people are referred into the groups by the host partner, using criteria like high levels of school absence, mental health or behavioural challenges or inter-sectional needs. 

The structure is 12 weekly 2-hour sessions with an informal sharing at the end and young people completing an Arts Award qualification. 

This is in action-research stage and in 2022-23, we will integrate an evaluation toolkit based on the PERMA Framework, pilot teacher CPD and trial this work for home educated young people. 

## **Cross-sector Partnerships** 

Working with youth sector partners, we are testing co-delivery models combining creative practices with traditional youth work practice. The focus is on using a creative approach to develop employability, social action and leadership skills. 

## **PROGRAMME 3: Professional Theatre for young audiences (b,c,e,h,j)** 

We work with professional theatre artists (writers, directors, actors, designers and production staff) to create social-change theatre that is relevant to the lives of our core beneficiaries. 

## **Melva** 

A theatre production originally produced for public performance in 2017. In 2019, we developed it into a live creative intervention package for children aged 7-11 in schools, in partnership with Children North East. The package supports children’s, teachers’ and parents’ mental health education and strategies for self-management of worries and anxiety. 

In 2021-22, we collaborated with Meerkat Films and Vida Creative to create _Melva Digital_ – a two strand version of the original intervention programme, consisting of: 

- Digital captured version of the original stage play – in three episodes 

- Online storytelling game 

This had a national launch to schools and family audiences in Autumn 2021. 

In 2022-23, we aim to establish commissioning partner relationships with mental health organisations to support the further development and distribution of the programme. 

We will also be piloting a hybrid model of delivery – with our creative practitioners using the digital creative assets as an intervention in schools. 

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## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT** 

_**For the period ended 31 March 2022**_ 

## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (CONTINUED)** 

## **PROGRAMME 4: CONNECT (b,h,l)** 

This is our business training programme for multi-sector organisations, which generates earned income to subsidise our delivery with young people. The CONNECT training approach combines practice from actor training and theatre rehearsals with business thought leadership and social science content and research. 

The CONNECT programme is a hybrid model of in person and online deliver and is a fast-growing strand of our work and income stream. 

## **PROGRAMME 5: Sector Development (c,d,f,g,I,j,k,n,o)** 

## **Co-Creation Exchange** 

We lead a national network of committed cross-sector partners who each support the core aim of finding new ways of developing and advocating for high-quality drama-based approaches to working with young people in the North of England and beyond. 

Through the network we use partnerships, skills and knowledge exchange and participatory activities to create high-quality and socially relevant theatre-focused opportunities for young people who face barriers to engagement. This includes touring our work to partner settings and hosting visits from them in ours. 

## **Creative Catalyst** 

This strand of our work focuses on allyship for marginalised communities / groups and creative sector change through listening & learning pathways and career progression in the creative industries. 

## **Artist Development** 

We are a sector leader in the North East in supporting professional theatre artists to develop their practice with, by and for children and young people. We do this by providing training, mentoring and employment opportunities for theatre artists, with a particular emphasis on those who are early career stage. 

In 2021-22, we created 4 x permanent employed roles (3.6 FTE) for participatory artists in our core team, providing a new structure through which to support and train early career artists wishing to specialise in this area of work. 

In 2022-23, we will further enhance how we train employed artists alongside those working in sessional delivery roles on the team. 

## **PUBLIC BENEFIT** 

The Trustees understand and have discussed the implications of the provisions of the Charities Act 2006, which state that all charities must demonstrate that they are established for public benefit, and have had due regard to the public benefit guidance issued by the Charity Commission. The Trustees believe that the charity meets both of the key principles. 

Principle 1 - There must be an identifiable benefit, or benefits Principle 2 - Benefit must be to the public, or a section of the public 

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## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT** _**For the period ended 31 March 2022**_ 

## **Public Benefit (Cont.)** 

The charity’s principal public benefits are: 

## **1. Education and development of young people** 

   - The charity’s participatory arts activities focus on strengthening the social and emotional capabilities and mental health of young people – such things as confidence, resilience, creativity, communication, managing feelings, problem-solving, relationship-building, responsibility and perseverance, through participation in performance-based activities. 

**2. Education and development of adults** 

   - The charity delivers professional development skills workshops with adults that utilise similar approaches to those used with young people, but made bespoke for the particular setting -e.g. masterclasses in creative leadership and managing imposter syndrome. 

**3. Events and plays for the general public** 

   - The charity runs c. 20-30 events and plays per year with its various groups, which are delivered to a high standard and directed by paid professional staff. Those in partner settings are primarily for the young people, families, and staff associated with the setting. They also use community venues and / or in regional theatre venues for performances and events such as Gosforth Civic Theatre and YMCA Northumberland. 

There is a safeguarding policy in place, which includes online working, and is reviewed at least annually. There is a lead trustee for safeguarding and they, together with staff members as Designated Safeguarding Officer and a deputy, are all trained with a Level 3 Safeguarding accreditation, refreshed annually. 

All staff are required to have a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) disclosure, which are checked annually. Trustees will also have a DBS disclosure should they have direct contact with children, young people or vulnerable adults. 

The main beneficiaries are: 

- Children and young people aged 7-19 in North East England who attend our activities e.g. our Youth Theatre and Young Leaders groups. This includes both in-person and digital participation. 

- Children and young people aged 7-19 in North East England who we work with in partnerships with other settings;arts, education or community organisations like in our CoCreation Exchange and schools and  our Melva programme. This includes national and international participants. 

- Adults who participate in our work; artists and practitioners from other settings e.g. Youth Workers. 

- Adults who participate in our professional development training – including national and international participants. This includes both in-person and digital participation. 

- Members of the public who attend our performances and events. This includes both inperson and digital participation. 

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## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT** _**For the period ended 31 March 2022**_ 

## **Public Benefit (Cont.)** 

We prioritise working with beneficiaries in locations of socio-economic disadvantage and rural isolation and which are under-served by cultural provision. In 2021, we established a new primary base in YMCA Northumberland in Ashington in South East Northumberland, a location which fits this description. From this base, we operate a satellite model of delivery including a secondary base in Prudhoe in west Northumberland and a growing number of residential partnerships with cross-sector partners. 

## **Risk Management** 

The Trustees regularly review the major governance, operational and financial risks which the charity faces as part of its annual business planning process and confirm that systems have been established to mitigate these risks. 

The charity has a comprehensive risk management framework. It comprises: 

- an annual review of the strategic risks the charity may face via the business plan 

- the establishment of systems and procedures to mitigate those risks identified 

- the implementation of procedures designed to minimise any potential impact on the charity should those risks materialise. 

The Trustees are satisfied that appropriate financial systems and controls and employment policies and practices are in place. They consider the key risks facing the charity at this time to be: 

- **Financial capacity to sustain recent growth** – The charity has grown considerably in the last two years, establishing a staff team to support the current operations and future ambitions. The increase in staff team, while adding to capacity, has increased the charity’s liabilities. The charity is also operating across two administrative bases, which is a strong model for reaching beneficiaries but comes with greater costs. 

Following the Covid-19 pandemic interrupting all income streams, the charity worked to establish new ones. These have been slower to generate the target return than first anticipated, though ambitions and confidence in them remain high. 

The Trustees also recognise that competition for grant income has increased, and will remain high, with the ongoing effect of the pandemic and likely recession. 

An Income Generation Strategy has been agreed with Trustees and free reserves have been increased for the charity to manage increased liabilities. Draft budgets for the next three years have been discussed and agreed by Trustees. 

- **Personnel Capacity** – Demand for the charity’s services has increased following the pandemic. The core staff team has been expanded with new roles in key areas; income generation, business management and delivery.  Further recruitment is scheduled for autumn 2022, funds permitting. 

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## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT** 

_**For the period ended 31 March 2022**_ 

## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE** 

## **Overview** 

Against the backdrop of a persistent pandemic and upsetting world events, Mortal Fools, like so many other charities, has been working hard to make a positive difference to our communities and the children, young people and families we work with. 

To be able to navigate the challenges and maintain high quality services for our beneficiaries, has required the team to be agile, responsive, flexible and tenacious. 

The result has been a year of further innovation, a continuation of the growth in the previous account period and the return to true hybrid operations as we successfully recommenced live performances in Spring 2022. 

In Autumn 2021, we made an exciting expansion into Ashington, relocating our main base of operations into YMCA Northumberland, supporting the growth of our services within a new underserved community and providing the administrative facilities required for our growing team. 

In a strategic partnership with YMCA Northumberland, we have devised an operating model of a Creative Youth Hub, with multiple providers for young people operating under one roof. We successfully pitched this idea to Ashington Town Board and the local authority, and it will form a central project in a portfolio bid to Levelling Up Fund Round 2 later in 2022. If this is successful, it will result in a purpose-built, high-spec facility as part of wider town centre regeneration. 

Alongside these developments, we have cultivated new relationships with strategic funders, including Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Kavli Trust and Children in Need. Their multi-year funding commitment will support further growth and development of the charity. 

In 2022, we will celebrate the charity’s 10[th] birthday. While we have certainly grown considerably in size, scope and reach since our inception, there are many of our original values which remain in our DNA – a commitment to working with young people as artists, prioritising those in under-served locations and circumstances and providing opportunities to collaborate with professional artists to make theatre which is relevant to their lives and of such quality that it delights, entertains, and challenges audiences. 

In summary, the charity: 

- Delivered 343 sessions for young people 

- Worked regularly with a core of 61 young people 

- Ran 8 regular groups across Northumberland and online 

- Created 36 short films and animations, including collaborations with FlyGirl Films, Meerkat Films and Von Fox productions 

- Worked with 34 freelance artists and small creative companies 

- Launched _Melva Digital Programme_ supporting children’s mental health, to a national schools audience, securing sales to 27 schools and engaging 91 schools in digital showcase events 

- Delivered 69 CONNECT business training sessions and 8 open public online workshops, engaging a total of 1,566 participants from 126 regional, national and international organisations 

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## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT** _**For the period ended 31 March 2022**_ 

## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (CONTINUED)** 

- Produced 4 live performances for 310 people and a performance for 1000+ people at Northumberland Pride Festival. 

- Had 2,900 views and 195 hours watched on our YouTube channel. 

- Shared our first live streamed performance to 393 viewers. 

- Had 250 new listeners to our audio theatre experience on Spotify (bringing total to over 2,100 since August 2020). 

- Established a new primary base in YMCA Northumberland in Ashington, moving into a satellite operating model. 

The main creative projects were: 

- Youth Theatre – _**Let Us Tell You**_ – April-May 2021 – The two short films, _My Monster Arrived_ and _Thank you for Listening,_ co-created by our west Northumberland groups and captured by FlyGirl films were shared through a series of watch parties and online screenings. 

- Ensemble Young Company – _**My People**_ – the production considered the theme of friendships and was originally co-created for live performance in Spring 2021. Following further interruption by the pandemic, it was reimagined into a series of short films, captured on location by Meerkat Films in October 2021. 

- Youth Theatre – _**When This is Over**_ – Summer 2021- Spring 2022. We were a partner amongst 15 Youth Theatre organisations nationally working on this project conceived by Company 3. Using a blueprint script, the groups considered what they wanted from their futures and how those around them could help achieve that. This was the first live production following the start of the pandemic, with two performances to sold out audiences at Gosforth Civic Theatre in January 2022, and live streamed to an online audience. 

- Ensemble Young Company – _**Flux**_ – Spring 2022. This was a pilot of the new model for EYC, working with a company of 14 young people aged 14-20 from our two operational bases. They considered the theme of personal identity and co-created the production with a team of professional artists. Flux was performed to sold out audiences at YMCA Northumberland and Gosforth Civic Theatre, and was filmed by Von Fox Productions. 

- Professional Theatre – _**Melva Digital Programme**_ – in Autumn 2021, this was launched to a national audience at an event at Gosforth Civic Theatre. 

## **OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE** 

- Partnered with Youth Focus North East, alongside 12 other regional youth organisations, to employ a young person as a Peer Researcher for 14 months as part of the North East Peer Action Collective. This is part of a National Peer Research and Social Action Project, focusing on reducing serious youth violence. 

- Trained two of our Young Leaders group to work as Peer Facilitators, working alongside the employed team to plan and lead activities and devising and presenting a series of short information films – called _Sparked_ – explaining how co-creation works. 

15 



## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT** 

_**For the period ended 31 March 2022**_ 

## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (CONTINUED)** 

## **ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT** 

- Commissioned specialist training by Little Cog (disability awareness), Curious Arts (LGBTQIA+ awareness), Company Three (devising with teenagers), Talawa (unconscious bias) and Ubiquitous Arts (mental health first aid and safeguarding). 

- Awarded North of Tyne Combined Authority Good Work Pledge – Advanced Level in recognition of our commitment to looking after our people and social responsibility. We were the first small business to achieve this award. 

- Joined North East Initiative on Business Ethics (NIBE). 

- Collaborated with 8 Northumberland cultural organisations on an audience behaviour research project. 

- Recruited three new Trustees and completed a skills audit of the board to inform further governance development needs. 

- Presented our work at key conferences and events, including Culture Bridge Annual Conference 2021 and Artworks Alliance national Gathering. 

## **PARTNERSHIPS** 

## **Local Authority & Strategic:** 

- Northumberland County Council - working with the local authority and other county cultural organisations to deliver Cultural Strategy. We have an SLA to develop drama and theatre for young people. 

- YMCA Northumberland, Northumberland County Council, Advance Northumberland, Ashington Town Board on a bid to Levelling Up Fund Round 2. 

- Northumberland Local Cultural Education Partnership (LCEP) - Our CEO is the Chair of Northumberland LCEP group, an initiative established by Culture Bridge North East to deliver the Arts Council’s Cultural Education Challenge at a sub-regional level. Led a successful submission for Arts Council Partnership Investment funding, with match from Public Health Northumberland. 

- Prudhoe Town Council – local funding support and advocacy. 

## **Voluntary Sector and Community-Based:** 

- Children North East 

- Youth Focus North East, and 12 national partners 

- Prudhoe Youth Project 

- YMCA Northumberland 

- NE Youth 

- Birkheads Wild 

16 



## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT** 

_**For the period ended 31 March 2022**_ 

## **PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS** 

Mortal Fools has made a significant step-change in the last year or so, and plans to continue on this trajectory. There are some key development milestones coming up in the next year, including a focus on: 

**Improving access to cultural provision through place-based working** – in the next year we will build on the steps already taken to transform our operations into a satellite model of a main base, secondary base and residencies with cross-sector partners. 

Much of our energies will be focused on Ashington, an area historically under-served with cultural provision and will include: 

- Delivery partnerships with youth organisations, especially YMCA Northumberland and NE Youth 

- Capital development, to achieve a new premises, as part of wider strategic town centre regeneration, including work with the local authority on a bid to Levelling Up fund Round 2 

- Audience development, building relationships with local groups, businesses and the wider community to raise awareness of our work and deepen understanding of local needs 

- Programming for public audiences, with a focus on children, young people, family and school audiences to test appetite for this work in Ashington and potential to support town centre regeneration through attracting visitor footfall 

- If we are successful in our application to become an Arts Council National Portfolio organisation, the funding from April 2023 will support the next stages of this work. 

**Improving quality by integrating mental health outcomes across the work** – We are developing a comprehensive toolkit and accompanying training package using the PERMA Framework for mental wellbeing. The aim is for this to be a structured approach to integrating and demonstrating impact on mental wellbeing, suitable for a range of settings. This will be trialled in youth and education settings. 

**Exploring potential for work with strategic commissioners for** _**Melva Digital**_ – following the national launch of this programme for schools, sales have been slower than hoped. Together with amendments to the programme in response to feedback from schools, we will explore potential for distributing the programme via strategic commissioners – focusing on health and education – as a new approach to achieving this project’s income targets. 

## **Balancing hyper-local community impact and national audience reach** 

Building on the successful re-establishment of live performances last year, we will resume touring between partners within our co-creation exchange network. 

We will continue to build residential partnerships with schools, including commencing and evaluating a new creative intervention model in schools, using cultural participation to address key needs e.g. absenteeism or mental health challenges. We will also pilot activities for children and young people who are educated at home. 

17 



## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT** _**For the period ended 31 March 2022**_ 

## **PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS (cont)** 

## **Continuing to cultivate multi-income streams** 

This will involve working to build the new income streams created in the last two years: 

- CONNECT, our new earned income stream, providing skills workshops for businesses of all sectors, which is already earning more than its pre-pandemic equivalent and demonstrating high growth potential 

- Selling Melva Digital Programme, primarily to schools, but with a change of strategy to focus on sales to larger-scale commissioning bodies e.g. health agencies. 

- Continuing to prioritise applying for multi-year grant funding. The charity will apply for National Portfolio funding from Arts Council England, which would be a substantial contribution to core costs – 3 years commencing April 2023, if successful. Beginning to seek out commissions 

## **Increase staffing capacity** 

We have grown our staff team considerably over the last two years, creating a multi-skilled and highly effective staffing model. We will continue to build this by working to fill key capacity gaps, namely: 

- Producer/s – to project manage our growing portfolio of activity projects and partner relationships and to support with income generation 

- Marketing – to support with generating sales for key income generating projects. 

## **Governance development** 

As the charity is continuing to grow, including applying to become an Arts Council of England National Portfolio organisation (NPO) in 2023, governance development remains high on the agenda in the coming year. 

We will build resilience and diversity of our Board by recruiting 3-6 trustees with broader and more diverse lived experiences, for example young people, LGBTQIA+ people, Black, Asian and global majority people, disabled people and people who have experienced poverty. 

We will work in partnership with Curious Arts to design and pilot a training programme for young trustees (16-25) to join the Boards of cultural organisations. 

18 



## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT** 

_**For the year ended 31 March 2022**_ 

## **RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TRUSTEES** 

The Trustees (who are also the Directors of Mortal Fools 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 year. 

In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to: 

- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; 

- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP; 

- make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; 

- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; 

- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company 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. The Trustees 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. 

Signed on behalf of the Trustees 


**Richard Wise Trustee 22 November 2022** 

19 



## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS ON THE UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS OF MORTAL FOOLS LIMITED YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

I hereby report to the Trustees of Mortal Fools (Charity Registration Number 1153400) on my examination of the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022 set out on pages 21 to 36. 

## **Responsibilities and basis of report** 

As the charity’s trustees (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 charity’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 Institute of Chartered Accountant in England and Wales, 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: 

1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or 

2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or 

3. 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 

4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods or 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 (FRS102)). 

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. 


## **Pete O’Hara, FCA, Chartered Accountant** 

## **Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales** 

4 Stoneyhurst Road West, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 1PG 

22 November 2022 

20 



## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**_ 

|**Note**<br>**Income**<br>Income from Investments<br>3<br>Income from Charitable Activities<br>4<br>Income from Donations & Legacies<br>5<br>**Expenditure**<br>Expenditure on Charitable Activities<br>6<br>**Net Income/(Expenditure)**<br>Balance brought forward<br>**Balance carried forward**<br>**13**|**Unrestricted**<br>**Funds**<br>**Restricted**<br>**Funds**<br>**Total**<br>**2022**<br>**Total**<br>**2021**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>85<br>-<br>85<br>400<br>191,715<br>418,383<br>610,098<br>474,457<br>10,426<br>-<br>10,426<br>11,033|
|---|---|
||**202,226**<br>**418,383**<br>**620,609**<br>**485,890**<br>163,482<br>218,959<br>382,441<br>405,146|
||**163,482**<br>**218,959**<br>**382,411**<br>**405,146**|
||**38,744**<br>**199,424**<br>**238,168**<br>**80,744**<br>83,840<br>125,175<br>209,015<br>128,271|
||**£122,584**<br>**£324,599**<br>**£447,183**<br>**£209,015**|



The notes on pages 23 to 36 form part of the financial statements. 

All of the activities of the company are classed as continuing. 

The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses in the year and therefore a statement of total recognised gains and losses has not been prepared. 

21 



## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION/BALANCE SHEET** _**AS AT 31 MARCH 2022**_ 

|**Notes**<br>**Fixed Assets**<br>Tangible Fixed Assets<br>9<br>**Current Assets**<br>Debtors<br>10<br>Cash At Bank & In Hand<br>**Creditors – Amounts Falling Due Within 1 Year**<br>11<br>Net Current Assets/(Liabilities)<br>**Total Net Assets**<br>12<br>**Represented by:**<br>Unrestricted Reserves<br>13<br>Restricted Reserves<br>13|**31 March**<br>**2022**<br>**31 March**<br>**2021**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>18,908<br>3,026<br>218,786<br>27,154<br>259,779<br>216,303|
|---|---|
||478,565<br>243,457<br>(50,290)<br>(37,468)|
||428,275<br>205,989|
||**£447,183**<br>**£209,015**|
||122,584<br>83,840<br>324,599<br>125,175|
||**£447,183**<br>**£209,015**|



The notes on pages 23 to 36 form part of the financial statements. 

The Trustees are satisfied that for the year ended 31 March 2022 the charity was entitled to exemption under section 477(2) of the Companies Act 2006. 

The Trustees also confirm that the Members have not required the charity to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006 

The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for: 

(i) ensuring that the charity keeps adequate accounting records which comply with section 386 of the Act, and 

(ii) preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity as at the end of the financial year and of its profit or loss for the financial year in accordance with the requirements of section 393, and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Act relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charity. 

## **These financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees on 22 November 2022 and signed on their behalf:** 


**Richard Wise Trustee Company Registration Number 08102487** 

22 



## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**_ 

## **1. Accounting Policies** 

## **Basis of Preparation** 

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with applicable United Kingdom accounting standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 – 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland' ('FRS 102'), and with the Companies Act 2006 and the Statement of Recommended Practice (Charities SORP FRS 102) "Accounting and Reporting by Charities" and the Charities Act 2011. 

The financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis, modified to include certain financial instruments at fair value. 

Advantage has been taken of the provisions in the SORP for Charities applying FRS 102 Update Bulletin 1 not to prepare a statement of cashflows. 

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. 

## **Income** 

All income is included in the statement of financial activities when the charity is entitled to the income, any performance related conditions attached have been met or are fully within the control of the charity, the income is considered probable and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. 

The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income: 

- Donations and legacy income is received by way of donations, legacies, grants and gifts and is included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities when receivable. Where legacies have been notified to the charity but the criteria for income recognition have not been met, the legacy is treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material. 

- Grants, where entitlement is not conditional on the delivery of a specific performance by the charity, are recognised when the charity becomes unconditionally entitled to the grant. 

- Investment income is included when receivable. 

- Income from charitable trading activity is accounted for when earned. 

- Other income is accounted for when receivable. 

23 



## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**_ 

## **1. Accounting Policies (Continued)** 

## **Expenditure** 

Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered, and is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates: 

- Costs of raising funds comprise the costs associated with attracting donations, grants and legacies and the costs of trading for fundraising purposes. 

- Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them. 

- Other expenditure includes all expenditure that is neither related to raising funds for the charity nor part of its expenditure on charitable activities. 

## **Tangible Fixed Assets and Depreciation** 

Depreciation is provided on any fixed assets at rates calculated to write off the assets over their remaining useful lives as follows: 

- IT Equipment - 33% per annum straight line 

- Office Equipment – 25% per annum straight line 

A full year’s depreciation charge is applied in the year of acquisition and no charge is made in the year of disposal. 

## **Impairment of Fixed Assets** 

A review for indicators of impairment is carried out at each reporting date, with the recoverable amount being estimated where such indicators exist. Where the carrying value exceeds the recoverable amount, the asset is impaired accordingly. Prior impairments are also reviewed for possible reversal at each reporting date. 

## **Financial Instruments** 

A financial asset or a financial liability is recognised only when the charity becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at the amount receivable or payable including any related transaction costs. 

Current assets and current liabilities are subsequently measured at the cash or other consideration expected to be paid or received and not discounted. 

Debt instruments are subsequently measured at amortised cost where there is a material adjustment. 

24 



## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**_ 

## **1. Accounting Policies (Continued)** 

## **Fund Accounting** 

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the purposes of the charity. 

Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for specific purposes. 

Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor. 

## **Taxation Status** 

Mortal Fools is a Charity registered under the 1960 Charities Act and is accorded exemption from liability to taxation on its income under S505 Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988. 

## **Going Concern** 

There are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue. 

## **Judgements and Key Sources of Estimation Uncertainty** 

The preparation of the financial statements requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. These estimates and judgements are continually reviewed and are based on experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. 

There are no significant judgements or estimation uncertainty included within the financial statements. 

## **2. Legal Status** 

The charity is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital.  The liability of each member in the event of winding up is limited to £1. 

## **3. Income from Investments** 

|Interest on cash deposits|**Unrestricted**<br>**Funds**<br>**£**<br>**Restricted**<br>**Funds**<br>**£**<br>**2022**<br>**£**<br>**2021**<br>**£**<br>85<br>-<br>85<br>400|
|---|---|
||**£85**<br>**£-**<br>**£85**<br>**£400**|



The 2021 total of £400 relates wholly to Unrestricted Funds. 

25 



## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** 

## _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**_ 

## **4. Income from Charitable Activities** 

|**ncome from Charitable Activities**|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**2022**|**2021**|
||**Funds**|**Funds**|||
|**Grant Income**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|Arnold Clark Community Fund|-|1,000|1,000|-|
|Arts Council England|113,995|83,000|196,995|190,000|
|Catherine Cookson Charitable Trust|-|-|-|500|
|Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and<br>Northumberland (CFTWN)|-|-|-|5,000|
|Culture Bridge North East|-|40,498|40,498|-|
|DCMS Youth Investment Fund via BBC<br>Children In Need|-|20,114|20,114|-|
|Garfield Weston Foundation|25,000|-|25,000|30,000|
|NHS Northumberland Clinical<br>Commissioning Group|-|-|-|30,000|
|Northumberland Children's Trust|-|-|-|20,000|
|Northumberland County Council|-|9,633|9,633|63,396|
|Northumberland Public Health: Creative<br>Northumberland|-|9,999|9,999|-|
|Paul Hamlyn Foundation|-|210,000|210,000|20,000|
|People’s Powerhouse|-|-|-|500|
|Prudhoe Town Council|-|2,000|2,000|2,210|
|Rothley Trust|-|1,000|1,000|1,000|
|Sir James Knott Trust|-|-|-|5,000|
|Sylvia Waddilove Foundation UK|-|-|-|1,000|
|The 1989 Willan Charitable Trust at the<br>CFTWN|-|-|-|8,000|
|The Curtin PARP Fund at the CFTWN|-|15,000|15,000|-|
|The High Sheriff of Northumberland Youth|||||
|Against Crime Award Scheme at the|-|1,000|1,000|1,000|
|CFTWN|||||
|The John D Endowment Fund at the<br>CFTWN|-|-|-|1,985|
|The Joicey Trust|-|3,400|3,400|3,000|
|The Lady Betty Martin Fund within the|||||
|North East Fund for the Arts at the|-|1,500|1,500|-|
|CFTWN|||||
|The North East Fund For The Arts at the<br>CFTWN|-|1,000|1,000|-|
|The Northern Powergrid Fund at the<br>CFTWN|-|5,750|5,750|3,930|



Continued overleaf… 

26 



## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**_ 

## **4. Income from Charitable Activities (Cont.)** 

|**Grant Income (Cont.)**<br>The Pen & Palette Club Fund within the<br>North East Fund for the Arts at the<br>CFTWN<br>The Prime Fund at the CFTWN<br>The Roland Cookson Community Fund at<br>the CFTWN<br>The UK Youth Fund<br>The Wellesley Trust Fund at the CFTWN<br>Virgin Money Foundation<br>**Earned Income**<br>Box Office Takings<br>Drama Session Fees<br>Partner Contributions<br>Refreshment & Other Sundry Sales<br>Service/Producer Fees<br>Training Fees|**Unrestricted**<br>**Funds**<br>**£**<br>**Restricted**<br>**Funds**<br>**£**<br>**2022**<br>**£**<br>**2021**<br>**£**<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>1,000<br>-<br>5,000<br>5,000<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>6,000<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>13,385<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>10,000<br>-<br>500<br>500<br>500|
|---|---|
||**138,995**<br>**410,394**<br>**549,389**<br>**417,406**<br>628<br>-<br>628<br>994<br>980<br>-<br>980<br>5,011<br>-<br>7,989<br>7,989<br>7,650<br>116<br>-<br>116<br>-<br>15,890<br>-<br>15,890<br>14,405<br>35,106<br>-<br>35,106<br>28,991|
||**52,720**<br>**7,989**<br>**60,709**<br>**57,051**|
||**£191,715**<br>**£418,383**<br>**£610,098**<br>**£474,457**|



Of the 2021 total of £474,457, £70,051 relates to Unrestricted Funds and £404,406 to Restricted Funds. 

## **5. Income from Donations & Legacies** 

|Donations & Gift Aid<br>Theatre Tax Relief|**Unrestricted**<br>**Funds**<br>**£**<br>**Restricted**<br>**Funds**<br>**£**<br>**2022**<br>**£**<br>**2021**<br>**£**<br>7,468<br>-<br>7,468<br>5,756<br>2,958<br>-<br>2,958<br>5,277|
|---|---|
||**£10,426**<br>**£-**<br>**£10,426**<br>**£11,033**|



The 2021 total of £11,033 relates wholly to Unrestricted Funds. 

27 



## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**_ 

## **6. Total Expenditure on Charitable Activities** 

|**Production & Activity Costs**<br>Salaries & On Costs<br>Freelance Project Worker Fees<br>Venue Hire & Staging Costs<br>Design, Print & Promotional Materials<br>**Support Costs**<br>Central Staffing Costs - Freelance Team<br>Administrative Costs<br>Consultancy Fees<br>Staff Training<br>Depreciation<br>**Governance Costs**<br>Accountancy Fees<br>Board Costs<br>Legal & Professional|**Unrestricted**<br>**Funds**<br>**£**<br>**Restricted**<br>**Funds**<br>**£**<br>**2022**<br>**£**<br>**2021**<br>**£**<br>89,816<br>153,399<br>243,215<br>47,445<br>20,752<br>24,612<br>45,364<br>182,962<br>6,785<br>14,669<br>21,454<br>51,193<br>17,268<br>2,048<br>19,316<br>5,857<br>2,600<br>4,300<br>6,900<br>82,592<br>15,654<br>8,796<br>24,450<br>17,426<br>5,342<br>-<br>5,342<br>-<br>2,319<br>1,340<br>3,659<br>12,543<br>479<br>9,350<br>9,829<br>2,004<br>1,800<br>240<br>2,040<br>1,320<br>355<br>205<br>560<br>36<br>312<br>-<br>312<br>1,768|
|---|---|
||**£163,482**<br>**£218,959 £382,441**<br>**£405,146**|



Of the 2021 total of £405,146, £38,745 relates to Unrestricted Funds and £366,401 to Restricted Funds. 

## **7. Net Movement in Funds** 

|**et Movement in Funds**|||
|---|---|---|
||**2022**|**2021**|
||**£**|**£**|
|The net movement in Funds is stated after charging/(crediting):|||
|Depreciation of Owned Fixed Assets|9,829|2,004|
|Independent Examiner’s Fees – Independent Examination|900|900|
|Independent Examiner’s Fees – Other Services|1,140|420|



28 



## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)** 

## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** 

_**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**_ 

## **8. Staff Costs & Directors’ Remuneration** 

|Gross Salary Costs<br>Employer’s National Insurance<br>Employer’s Pension Contributions|**2022**<br>**£**<br>**2021**<br>**£**<br>224,172<br>46,128<br>13,238<br>-<br>5,805<br>1,317|
|---|---|
||**£243,215**<br>**£47,445**|



No employee received remuneration of more than £60,000 during the year (2021: Nil). 

The average number of staff employed during the year, calculated as full-time equivalents, was as follows: 

||**2022**|**2021**|
|---|---|---|
||**No.**|**No.**|
|Artistic Production and Support|11|6|



No remuneration was paid to any Trustees in the year. 

No travel and subsistence expenses were reimbursed to Trustees in respect of their attendance at meetings of the charity (2021: £Nil). 

## **9. Tangible Fixed Assets** 

|**Cost**<br>At 1 April 2021<br>Additions in year<br>At 31 March 2022<br>**Accumulated Depreciation**<br>At 1 April 2021<br>Charge for year<br>At 31 March 2022<br>**Net Book Value**<br>At 31 March 2022<br>At 1 April 2021|**IT &**<br>**Office**<br>**Equipment**<br>**£**<br>**Total**<br>**Fixed**<br>**Assets**<br>**£**<br>6,088<br>6,088<br>25,711<br>25,711|
|---|---|
||31,799<br>31,799<br>3,062<br>3,062<br>9,829<br>9,829|
||12,891<br>12,891|
||**£18,908**<br>**£18,908**|
||£3,026<br>£3,026|



29 



## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**_ 

## **10. Debtors** 

|**10.**<br>**Debtors**||
|---|---|
|Trade Debtors<br>Other Taxes & Social Security Costs<br>Accrued Income<br>Prepayments<br>All sums are due within 1 year.<br>**11.**<br>**Creditors – Amounts Falling Due Within 1 Year**<br>Trade Creditors<br>Other Taxes & Social Security Costs<br>Other Creditors - Pension Contributions Due<br>Other Creditors - Net Salaries Due<br>Accruals|**2022**<br>**£**<br>**2021**<br>**£**<br>-<br>925<br>-<br>3,960<br>214,711<br>20,633<br>4,075<br>1,636|
||**£218,786**<br>**£27,154**<br>**2022**<br>**£**<br>**2021**<br>**£**<br>23,316<br>10,038<br>6,370<br>-<br>1,176<br>2,635<br>18,108<br>10,597<br>1,320<br>14,198|
||**£50,290**<br>**£37,468**|



## **12. Analysis of Net Assets between Funds** 

|Fixed Assets<br>Debtors<br>Cash at Bank and In Hand<br>Creditors – Due Within 1 Year|**Unrestricted**<br>**Funds**<br>**Restricted**<br>**Funds**<br>**2022**<br>**2021**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>1,033<br>17,875<br>18,908<br>3,026<br>8,252<br>210,534<br>218,786<br>27,154<br>142,222<br>117,557<br>259,779<br>216,303<br>(28,923)<br>(21,367)<br>(50,290)<br>(37,468)|
|---|---|
||**£122,584**<br>**£324,599 £447,183**<br>**£209,015**|



30 



## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** 

## _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**_ 

## **13. Analysis of Charitable Funds** 

||**Fund at 1**|**Income in**|**Expenditure**|**Fund at 31**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**April 2021**|**Year**|**in Year**|**March 2022**|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**Unrestricted Funds**|||||
|Charity General Fund|**83,840**|**202,226**|**(163,482)**|**122,584**|
|**Restricted Funds**|||||
|Arts Council England National Lottery|-|68,000|(17,554)|50,446|
|Project Grants (ACE PG): Co-|||||
|Creation Exchange|||||
|ACE PG: Future Ready 2020|13,350|-|(1,151)|12,199|
|Development|||||
|ACE PG: When This Is Over|-|15,000|(14,262)|738|
|ACE PG: Young People's Theatre|25,236|-|(21,772)|3,464|
|Exchange 2019-21|||||
|Arnold Clark Community Fund|-|1,000|(1,000)|-|
|Culture Bridge North East (CBNE) via|-|1,500|-|1,500|
|CFTWN|||||
|CBNE: Capacity Building|-|6,000|-|6,000|
|CBNE: Partnership Investment (PI)|-|32,998|-|32,998|
|DCMS Youth Investment Fund via|-|20,114|(6,882)|13,232|
|BBC Children In Need|||||
|Garfield Weston Foundation|22,170|-|(21,735)|435|
|Northumberland Children's Trust|10,000|-|(10,000)|-|
|Northumberland County Council|10,797|-|(10,347)|450|
|(N’land CC): Arts and Heritage SLA|||||
|N’land CC: Community Chest Scheme|2,550|4,633|(2,550)|4,633|
|N’land CC: Match Funding to support|-|5,000|-|5,000|
|Creative Northumberland|||||
|N’land CC: Matching Funding to|2,500|-|(2,500)|-|
|support Young People's Theatre|||||
|Exchange|||||



Continued overleaf… 

31 



## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** 

## _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**_ 

## **13. Analysis of Charitable Funds (Cont.)** 

||**Fund at 1**|**Income in**|**Expenditure**|**Fund at 31**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**April 2021**|**Year**|**in Year**|**March 2022**|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|Northumberland Public Health:|-|9,999|-|9,999|
|Creative Northumberland|||||
|Paul Hamlyn Foundation|-|210,000|(69,898)|140,102|
|Prudhoe Town Council Grant Aid|1,460|-|(1,460)|-|
|October 2020|||||
|Prudhoe Town Council Grant Aid|-|2,000|(2,000)|-|
|April 2021|||||
|Rothley Trust|556|1,000|(666)|890|
|Sir James Knott Trust|5,000|-|(5,000)|-|
|The #iWill Social Action Fund at the<br>CFTWN|4,220|-|(4,220)|-|
|The 1989 Willan Charitable Trust at<br>the CFTWN|8,000|-|(3,960)|4,040|
|The Curtin PARP Fund at the|-|15,000|(1,000)|14,000|
|CFTWN|||||
|The High Sheriff of Northumberland|1,000|1,000|(1,000)|1,000|
|Youth Against Crime Scheme at the|||||
|CFTWN|||||
|The Joicey Trust|3,000|3,400|(3,000)|3,400|
|The Lady Betty Martin Fund within|-|1,500|(1,500)|-|
|the North East Fund for the Arts at|||||
|the CFTWN|||||
|The North East Fund For The Arts at|-|1,000|(500)|500|
|the CFTWN|||||
|The Northern Powergrid Fund at the|-|5,750|(800)|4,950|
|CFTWN|||||
|The Prime Fund at the CFTWN|-|5,000|(302)|4,698|
|The Roland Cookson Community|3,801|-|(3,801)|-|
|Fund at the CFTWN|||||



Continued overleaf… 

32 



## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**_ 

## **13. Analysis of Charitable Funds (Cont.)** 

|The Wellesley Trust Fund at the<br>CFTWN<br>Virgin Money Foundation<br>YMCA Northumberland<br>Youth Focus North East Partner<br>Contribution (via Youth Endowment<br>Fund, #iwill and Co-op Grant)<br>**Total Restricted Funds**<br>**Total Funds**|**Fund at 1**<br>**April 2021**<br>**£**<br>**Income in**<br>**Year**<br>**£**<br>**Expenditure**<br>**in Year**<br>**£**<br>**Fund at 31**<br>**March 2022**<br>**£**<br>11,535<br>-<br>(3,571)<br>7,964<br>-<br>500<br>(500)<br>-<br>-<br>350<br>(350)<br>-<br>-<br>7,639<br>(5,678)<br>1,961|
|---|---|
||**125,175**<br>**418,383**<br>**(218,959)**<br>**324,599**|
||**£209,015**<br>**£620,609**<br>**£(382,441)**<br>**£447,183**|



33 



_**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**_ 

## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** 

## **13. Analysis of Charitable Funds (Cont.)** 

## **Name of Restricted Fund Purpose & Allocation of the Restricted Fund** 

|||
|---|---|
|**Cross-Project / Core Funds**||
|_Paul Hamlyn Foundation (Arts_<br>_Access and Participation Fund)_|Contribution to staff salaries, with the aim of helping the<br>organisation to improve its staff structure, develop its<br>practice and support socially excluded young people.|
|_DCMS Youth Investment Fund /_<br>_Rothley Trust / N’land CC_<br>_Community Chest Scheme_|For the purchase of digital equipment and resources to<br>enable the charity to reach more young people and<br>provide a better service to them including hybrid (in<br>person and online) sessions.|
|_N’land CC Community Chest_<br>_Scheme_|For the purchase of office and IT equipment for new<br>Ashington office base.|
|_Garfield Weston Foundation_|Towards core running costs.|
|_N’land CC Arts and Heritage SLA /_<br>_Northumberland Children’s Trust_|Towards core running costs related to activity taking<br>place in or with young people from Northumberland.|
|_Roland Cookson Community Fund_|Towards Creative Producer salary.|
|_1989 Willan Charitable Trust / The_<br>_Wellesley Trust / ACE PG Future_<br>_Ready 2020 Development_|Towards activity strands designed to use theatre and<br>creative arts to develop confidence, aspirations and<br>social and emotional skills of young people with special<br>educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and those<br>living in areas of socio-economic deprivation, including<br>**Future Ready****_,_** youth theatre activity in Ashington, and<br>practice/sector development work.<br>This strand of work has developed significantly since the<br>original grant applications, due to disruption caused by<br>the Covid-19 pandemic such as being unable to deliver<br>activity in the relevant educational settings and, as such,<br>we have adapted project plans and deliverables in<br>agreement with grant funders.|



Continued overleaf… 

34 



_**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**_ 

## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** 

## **13. Analysis of Charitable Funds (Cont.)** 

## **Name of Restricted Fund Purpose & Allocation of the Restricted Fund** 

|||
|---|---|
|**Project-Specific Funds**||
|_#iWill Social Action Fund / Northern_<br>_Powergrid / High Sheriff_<br>_Northumberland Youth Against Crime_<br>_Scheme (2021)_|Towards the cost of ourYoung Cultural Leaders<br>programme and associated social action<br>events/activities.|
|_Arnold Clark Community Fund / ACE_<br>_PG When This Is Over / Lady Betty_<br>_Martin Fund within the North East_<br>_Fund for the Arts_|Towards the cost of_When This Is Over,_and related<br>outreach/partnership work.|
|_Prudhoe Town Council Grant Aid Oct_<br>_2020_|Towards core & project costs of Action Research project<br>to engage disadvantaged children in Prudhoe, including<br>Arts Award Day with Prudhoe Youth Project and<br>production of findings report.|
|_Prudhoe Town Council Grant Aid April_<br>_2021_|Towards costs of delivering activity in Prudhoe from July<br>2021 - March 2022, including initiating activity with<br>Highfield Middle School and Peer Facilitator training with<br>young people from Prudhoe.|
|_ACE PG Young People’s Theatre_<br>_Exchange / The Joicey Trust (2021) /_<br>_Northumberland CC Young People's_<br>_Theatre Exchange Match Funding /_<br>_Virgin Money Foundation_|Towards the cost of_My People_and related outreach and<br>partnership work within the Young People’s Theatre<br>Exchange Network.|
|_North East Fund for the Arts_|Towards the cost of delivering outreach workshops and<br>Peer Facilitator training with Gateshead based youth<br>organisations.|
|_Culture Bridge North East via CFTWN_|Towards the cost of piloting Mortal Fools as a resident<br>theatre company at Highfield Middle School.|
|_Culture Bridge North East Partnership_<br>_Funding / Northumberland CC_<br>_Creative Northumberland Match_<br>_Funding / Northumberland Public_<br>_Health_|Towards the cost of_Creative Northumberland,_a<br>collaborative project between schools and cultural<br>organisations testing the impact of cultural activity on<br>wellbeing. Mortal Fools are acting as budget holders for<br>this project on behalf of theNorthumberland LCEP.|
|_Culture Bridge North East: Capacity_<br>_Building_|To fund a dedicated Producer for_Creative_<br>_Northumberland._|



Continued overleaf… 

35 



## **MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**_ 

## **13. Analysis of Charitable Funds (Cont.)** 

|**Name of Restricted Fund**<br>**Purpose & Allocation of the Restricted Fund**|**Name of Restricted Fund**<br>**Purpose & Allocation of the Restricted Fund**|
|---|---|
|_Curtin PARP fund_|Towards the costs of a discreet project with a Youth<br>Sector partner, to support young people experiencing<br>disadvantage to reach their potential through drama,<br>theatre and associated artforms.|
|_Prime Fund_|Towards the cost of piloting 2 x new youth theatre groups<br>in Ashington|
|_ACE PG Co-Creation Exchange / The_<br>_Joicey Trust (2022) / High Sheriff_<br>_Northumberland Youth Against Crime_<br>_Scheme (2022)_|Towards the cost of the _Co-Creation Exchange Network_,<br>including the co-creation and production of_FLUX_and<br>cross-sector development work.|
|_ACE PG Future Ready 2020_<br>_Development_|Towards the cost ofFuture Ready.This programme has<br>developed significantly since the original application to<br>Arts Council, due to disruption caused by the Covid-19<br>pandemic.|
|_Youth Focus North East_|Towards the cost of employing a Peer Researcher and<br>participating in the North East_Peer Action Collective._|



## **14. Related Party Transactions** 

There were no related party transactions during this year. 

## **15. Taxation** 

The company is a registered charity and no provision is considered necessary for taxation. 

## **16. Financial Commitments** 

No material financial commitments have been made in respect of future financial years. 

## **17.** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

The charity is incorporated under the Companies Act 1985 and is limited by guarantee, each member having undertaken to contribute such amounts not exceeding 1 as may be required in the event of the company being wound up whilst he or she is still a member or within one year thereafter. 

There are currently 6 members of the company (2021: 6). 

36