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2023-03-31-accounts

Company Registration Number 08102487 Registered Charity Number 1153400

MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)

REPORT AND ACCOUNTS For the year ending 31 March 2023

MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT For the period ended 31 March 2023

NOTE FROM THE CHAIR OF TRUSTEES

Mortal Fools has successfully accomplished another year of growth, supported more young people than ever before and continues to co-create high calibre artistic work, with a growing diversity of young people in the North East region. We rely on the ability, appetite, passion and the continued efforts of the Mortal Fools core team and Board of Trustees to sustain our success. We continue to work at pace but there is evident ownership and pride at all levels within Mortal Fools. We have reacted well to maintain good levels of staff wellbeing and we have continued, in our view, to provide unrivalled working conditions in a difficult climate.

Throughout 2022/23 we continued to mature and increased our impact all within a well managed budget. To remain relevant, we increased the depth and diversity of the Board by involving more young people and recognised the need to embark upon a Board recruitment process to increase the depth, breadth, and skill base of our Trustees to support our ambitions and trajectory. This will prepare us well for a successful 2023/24 and beyond.

June 2022 marked our 10[th] Anniversary which is significant amidst a backdrop of the economic and political unrest that still ensues after the pandemic.

We are still learning to be the size we are. We have consolidated key positions, created some new substantive posts and increased some core team members’ working hours. This has improved our capacity and enabled us to maintain high quality service, with a greater reach, while securing our financial position.

There is little solace to reading recent statistics that suggest the national economic recovery was better than initially recorded. This is not the reality for those we strive to support. High inflation has exacerbated the already mounting concerns associated with the real cost of living which has impacted our staff as well as our beneficiaries and their families. This and the pandemic’s long shadow continues to impact mental health, emotional and behavioural issues for young people, presenting significant challenges for our delivery team while reinforcing the continued relevance of what we do.

The move to Ashington in 2021 has proven to be right for Mortal Fools. It was a risk, but we committed to sustain our connections and delivery in Prudhoe. Our reach in both the west and southeast of Northumberland has increased, bringing the realisation of our ultimate ambitions to operate from our own purpose-built premises closer to reality.

We continue to fine tune the organisation, improve our forward planning and governance. Our ability and confidence to fill substantive posts moves us ever closer to fulfilling our ambitions. At the heart of this has been the ability to secure multiyear funding which has been bolstered by the news that we are to become an Arts Council England regularly funded National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) from April 2023. This brings with it new pressures as the cycles of funding are further apart. Competition for this funding is greater than ever, it is critical that they are sustained, but equally we have to maintain a model that can exist without them. I have every confidence that we will continue to be successful.

On behalf of the Board and beneficiaries, I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the team and its leadership for another excellent 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 2023

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 year to 31 March 2023.

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 Mrs R A K Barclay Mr P Douglas Mr M Gate Appointed 1 July 2023 Ms N Leyden Appointed 25 September 2023 Mr S Rutherford-Orrock Appointed 25 September 2023 Miss M Saunders Appointed 26 June 2023 Ms S Spencer Miss K Stanforth

Company Secretary Ms S Allen 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 2023

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, 1 December 2020 and 28 February 2022.

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:

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.

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

For the period ended 31 March 2023

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED)

Board Structure & Operation

The charity currently has 10 Trustees. This year, the charity has conducted governance development through training from external providers, critical friends and integration of practices from wider business sectors.

The Board meets a minimum of five times per year, including at least one full away day for strategic planning. Meetings this year transitioned from Covid-19 driven practices back into being predominantly meetings in person, with the integrated use of video and digital technology to enable hybrid meetings where this supported inclusive and accessible participation.

In 2023, meetings moved from bi-monthly into quarterly, to align better with funder reporting timelines and encourage more work completed by trustee sub-groups in between whole Board meetings. The sub-groups will be reviewed next year, with the Finance, Audit and Risk (FAR) group (financial management / risk register and general risk notes / legal compliance) remaining active throughout.

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 commenced in 2023 and will continue into the next reporting period. The focus of recruitment is to engage community representatives from key locations, young people, people who have experienced poverty, those working with young people in key partnership settings e.g. Education, Youth and Health, HR and Legal support.

The charity will commence a new model of supporting young people (18-25) to become Trustees in 2023-24.

Appointment and Induction of Trustees

Trustees are recruited via a combination of open advertising and contacts via personal and professional networks. In all cases, Trustees are elected to the Board following the same process:

*All applying trustees are likely to be interviewed if deemed suitable for appointment from their application.

New Trustees are inducted by other Trustees 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, and signposted to training by external providers, with the Company covering any costs associated with the training.

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MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT For the period ended 31 March 2023

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED)

Reserves Policy

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

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 for a period of 3-6 months amounts to approximately £135,000. The Trustees recognise that these liabilities will increase as the charity continues to grow.

Mortal Fools currently holds Unrestricted Reserves of £139,474 at 31 March 2023, £138,787 of which are ‘free Reserves’, defined as total non-designated Unrestricted Funds minus the value of unrestricted Tangible Fixed Assets.

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 2023

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 2023

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:

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MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT For the period ended 31 March 2023

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (CONTINUED)

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 6 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 –

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 2022-23 we continued the delivery model for this project originally piloted last year, with young company members drawn from our two main operational locations. In 2022-23, we reintroduced out of region touring for this group.

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

For the period ended 31 March 2023

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.

Current Creative Intervention partners are Duke’s Secondary School in Ashington and Duchess Community High School in Alnwick.

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 was 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:

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

In 2022-23, we began piloting commissioning relationships with multi-sector agencies and sponsorship packages with businesses to support the further development and distribution of the programme.

During the year, we were commissioned by Children North East (CNE) to co-create a new delivery programme using the Melva Digital resources called Worrit Warriors. The programme involved training CNE staff to deliver 6-week interventions in schools, targeting children at risk of suicidal ideation and self-harming behaviours with schools in Newcastle and Gateshead.

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

For the period ended 31 March 2023

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 delivery and is a fast-growing strand of our work and income stream. In 2022-23, we received business development funding from North of Tyne Combined Authority and Creative UK to create a new Producer post, to support the growth and development of this strand of our work.

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 and Practitioner Development

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

Entry Level Employment

In 2022-23, we piloted a new full-time Marketing Assistant post, a combined position working for Mortal Fools and YMCA Northumberland. Next year, we intend to pilot two further entry level posts – Assistant Practitioner and Technical Assistant.

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 2023

PUBLIC BENEFIT (CONTINUED)

The charity’s principal public benefits are:

1. Education and development of young people

2. Education and development of adults

3. Events and plays for the general public

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:

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MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT For the period ended 31 March 2023

PUBLIC BENEFIT (CONTINUED)

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:

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:

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MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT For the period ended 31 March 2023

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Overview

Mortal Fools has successfully accomplished another year of growth, supported more young people than ever before and continued to co-create brilliant artistic work with a growing diversity of young people in the North East region. We also celebrated the organisation’s 10[th] birthday in June 2022.

Growing an organisation isn’t easy and Mortal Fools has demonstrated considerable resilience and ingenuity throughout a challenging period for the cultural sector, pivoting our work to keep serving audiences with high-quality participatory arts opportunities, whilst learning and growing through the experience.

August 2022 saw us secure significant multi-year investment from Kavli Trust and we are set to join Arts Council England’s National Portfolio of regularly funded organisations (NPO) from April 2023. This, together with ongoing support from many more funders we have strong, ongoing relationships with, had added to the growing resilience of the charity.

Becoming an Arts Council NPO begins a significant new chapter for us as a company on a national stage, amplifying the voices and needs of the young people we work with, alongside supporting the cultural renewal of the Northumberland towns we are based in. The county has great artistic and cultural heritage, but what excites us more is the vibrancy of the new artistic work being created by local artists, organisations and of course Northumberland young people.

The prospect of a new Creative Youth Hub for young people in Ashington and the surrounding area continues to move forward, having secured funding as part of wider Ashington Town Centre developments. Partnerships and strategic innovations like this will help us meet the ever-changing and more complex needs of young people.

We remain committed to fighting for better futures for young people, investing in their personal development through the delivery of life-enhancing experiences for our thousands of young beneficiaries, together with working with cross-sector partners to improve systems, services and settings that support young people.

We will continue to grow our groups by deepening collaboration with referral organisations and link workers to support even more young people facing challenges such as poor mental health, neurodivergence and being looked after. Young people need more opportunities to use the arts to explore, understand and express their current experiences, questions, concerns and hopes, and Mortal Fools is committed to finding innovative ways to do this better and better for them, now and into the future.

“Mortal Fools continued growth and success is fabulous news for Northumberland and for children and young people. As well as co-creating powerful theatre productions and films of resonance and relevance, they are an excellent and inspirational training agency working across many diverse sectors. This is testament to their clarity of vision and the effectiveness of their approach in supporting strong, dynamic individuals and the leaders of tomorrow.” Cultural Development Manager, Northumberland County Council

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MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT For the period ended 31 March 2023

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (CONTINUED)

In summary, in 2022-23, the charity:

“My son is diagnosed with ASD, selective mutism, he has generalised anxiety and over the last three years he has had periods of terrible depression. Mortal Fools have allowed him to be himself; they have a real gift for understanding children very quickly and making them feel good about themselves. They are very inclusive, and I can’t thank them enough for the way in which they have made my son feel. It’s very difficult to find groups that make a child who thinks they are different feel like everyone else. Mortal Fools is very unique and brings a great deal of hope to my family for sure and the area. We really appreciate Mortal Fools and their great team.” Youth Theatre Parent

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MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT For the period ended 31 March 2023

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (CONTINUED)

The main creative projects this year were:

“The use of headphones was just so exciting for my 8 year old - she loved that element and they really helped her to focus and engage. The music was excellent, and the design was so clever.” Come on In Audience Member

“The performance was great, it delivered a powerful message about being a young person, bringing to life the challenges, demands, excitement and angst of emergent adulthood. That the production was co-produced made it all the more meaningful. An interesting story, told well.” Flux 2022 Audience Member

"An enjoyably entertaining evening. We especially enjoyed the improvised sections - and bringing the audience in to choose themes, to show that the scenes were truly improvised by the young people on stage." Fools Fest Audience Member

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MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ REPORT For the period ended 31 March 2023

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (CONTINUED)

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

“The project has had a massive impact on some of our most vulnerable students. I have seen students who find it difficult to make friends, do just that. It has given our students the confidence to have a voice, even those who are very reluctant to speak in front of others.

Mortal Fools practitioners are very professional, extremely enthusiastic with a real interest in young people and encourage them every step of the way. The practitioners are so supportive and provide a safe and comfortable environment, allowing every individual to be themselves without worry of judgment. The positive impact Mortal Fools has had on our student’s wellbeing has been transformational.” Staff member, Duchess's Community High School

PARTNERSHIPS

Local Authority & Strategic:

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

For the period ended 31 March 2023

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (CONTINUED)

PARTNERSHIPS (Cont.)

Voluntary Sector and Community-Based:

PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS

In the coming year, we will refocus our energies on how we can maximise the positive impact we are able to have on young people’s lives. This will include how we support young people directly through working with them in our various activity programmes and how we can help drive positive change in other areas which affect them – for example education, support services, family life.

We will seek ways to utilise our position as an Arts Council National Portfolio organisation for positive change for young people, working as a vehicle and amplifier of their voices and experiences – especially as so many young people felt invisible and forgotten during the pandemic.

Our approach to this is similar to the previous year:

Improving access to cultural provision through place-based working – this will particularly focus on Ashington, working to build positive relationships with the local community and finding ways to better serve local audiences, including:

Embedding mental health outcomes across all our work

We created a comprehensive Wellbeing Practice Guide and Toolkit using the ratified PERMA™ Framework last year, integrating its use across all our young people’s programmes. Next year we will conclude its testing in four cultural education partnership settings, and develop the Toolkit further based on learning from these tests. We will also design and implement a staff Culture Code using a similar process, embedding mental health outcomes throughout our operations.

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

For the year ended 31 March 2023

PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS (CONTINUED)

Improving Delivery Practice to meet growing inter-sectional needs of young people

Post-pandemic, and in the continuing UK landscape of economic turmoil, we have seen an increase in inter-sectional needs amongst young people in our groups and settings, including increased poor mental health, more young people who are neuro-divergent, more young people experiencing poverty – and these are in settings experiencing other disadvantage like rural isolation and lack of services.

This year we will invest time and people resource in the development of our delivery practices in response to these needs. This will include senior / more experienced staff working alongside other staff in delivery settings, the creation of new internal training resources, and commissioning specialist training and consultancy support.

Piloting new commissioning model for Melva Digital

We will integrate learning from this year into a reconfiguration and moderate redesign of the Melva Digital programme and online platform. We will take a new approach to distribution of the programme through a) commissioning partners buying licences at scale e.g. local authorities and b) through corporate sponsors, gifting programme licences to schools of their choosing as part of CSR work.

Increase staffing capacity in key areas

Our staffing model is functioning well, with some key gaps in capacity that we will work to fill in the coming year, namely:

Governance development

We recognise that present and effective governance is a key factor in charities remaining ethical and successful in challenging external climates. We will continue to invest in governance development, with the additional considerations of renewed requirements by the Charity Commission on charity governance, together with requirements from key funders like Arts Council England.

We will increase the resilience, skills and relevant experience of our Board through recruitment of new trustees, with a focus on appointing young people, local folks from our two main operational locations and key professional skills like HR, Education and Legal.

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

For the year ended 31 March 2023

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:

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 25 September 2023

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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS ON THE UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS OF MORTAL FOOLS LIMITED YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

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 2023 set out on pages 22 to 38.

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

25 September 2023

21

MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Note
Income
Income from Investments
3
Income from Charitable Activities
4
Income from Donations & Legacies
5
Expenditure
Expenditure on Charitable Activities
6
Net Income/(Expenditure)
Balance brought forward
Balance carried forward
13		 Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
Total
2023
Total
2022
£
£
£
£
1,241
-
1,241
85
134,289
275,624
409,913
610,098
23,500
-
23,500
10,426
159,030
275,624
434,654
620,609
142,140
350,253
492,393
382,441
142,140
350,253
492,393
382,411
16,890
(74,629)
(57,739)
238,168
122,584
324,599
447,183
209,015
£139,474
£249,970
£389,444
£447,183

The notes on pages 24 to 38 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.

22

MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION/BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2023

Notes
Fixed Assets
Tangible Fixed Assets
9
Current Assets
Debtors
10
Cash At Bank & In Hand
Creditors – Amounts Falling Due Within 1 Year
11
Net Current Assets/(Liabilities)
Total Net Assets
12
Represented by:
Unrestricted Reserves
13
Restricted Reserves
13		 31 March
2023
31 March
2022
£
£
13,125
18,908
159,650
218,786
235,303
259,779
394,953
478,565
(18,634)
(50,290)
376,319
428,275
£389,444
£447,183
139,474
122,584
249,970
324,599
£389,444
£447,183

The notes on pages 24 to 38 form part of the financial statements.

The Trustees are satisfied that for the year ended 31 March 2023 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 25 September 2023 and signed on their behalf:

Richard Wise Trustee Company Registration Number 08102487

23

MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

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:

24

MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

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:

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:

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.

25

MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

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
Funds
£
Restricted
Funds
£
2023
£
2022
£
1,241
-
1,241
85
£1,241
£-
£1,241
£85

The 2022 total of £85 relates wholly to Unrestricted Funds.

26

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

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

4. Income from Charitable Activities

ncome from Charitable Activities
Unrestricted Restricted 2023 2022
Funds Funds
Grant Income £ £ £ £
#iwill Fund at the CFTWN - 10,000 10,000 -
Arnold Clark Community Fund - 1,000 1,000 1,000
Arts Council England - - - 196,995
BBC Children In Need - 30,570 30,570 -
BBC Children In Need Youth Social Action
Fund		 - 26,000 26,000 -
Bernicia Foundation 10,000 10,000 -
Co-op Local Community Fund 3,268 3,268 -
Culture Bridge North East - 40,498
Curtin PARP Fund at the CFTWN - (12,283) (12,283) 15,000
DCMS Youth Investment Fund - - - 20,114
Garfield Weston Foundation 25,000 - 25,000 25,000
High Sheriff of Northumberland Youth
Against Crime Award Scheme at the 1,000 - 1,000 1,000
CFTWN
Ironmongers’ Company - 4,411 4,411 -
John D Endowment Fund at the CFTWN - 2,500 2,500 -
Kavli Trust - 105,012 105,012 -
Kerry Grassroots at the CFTWN - 4,987 4,987 -
Key Fund Federation - 168 168 -
Lady Betty Martin Fund at the CFTWN - 5,000 5,000 1,500
Muckle at the CFTWN - 3,000 3,000 -
National Lottery Awards For All - 10,000 10,000 -
National Lottery Community Fund (RC
North East and Cumbria Region) in
partnership with the Ballinger Charitable		 - 10,000 10,000 -
Trust
North East Fund For The Arts at the
CFTWN		 - - - 1,000
North of Tyne Creative England - 12,500 12,500 -
Northern Powergrid Fund at the CFTWN - - - 5,750
Northumberland Children's Trust - 5,000 5,000 -
Northumberland County Council - 9,721 9,721 9,633
Northumberland County Council
Community Chest		 - 5,000 5,000 -

Continued overleaf…

27

MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

4. Income from Charitable Activities (Cont.)

Grant Income (Cont.)
Northumberland County Council Hadrian’s
Wall 1990
Northumberland Public Health: Creative
Northumberland
Paul Hamlyn Foundation
Prime & Spriggs Family Fund at the
CFTWN
Prime Fund at the CFTWN
Prudhoe Town Council
Ridley Family Charity at the CFTWN
Rothley Trust
Sir James Knott Trust
The Joicey Trust
Virgin Money Foundation
Wellesley Trust Fund at the CFTWN
Earned Income
Box Office Takings
Drama Session Fees
Partner Contributions
Refreshment & Other Sundry Sales
Service/Producer Fees
Training Fees		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
Restricted
Funds
£
2023
£
2022
£
-
4,999
4,999
-
-
9,999
9,999
9,999
-
-
-
210,000
-
4,965
4,965
-
-
-
-
5,000
-
-
-
2,000
-
3,000
3,000
-
-
-
-
1,000
10,000
-
10,000
-
-
-
-
3,400
-
-
-
500
10,000
-
10,000
-
59,268
255,549
314,817
549,389
1,734
-
1,734
628
13,754
-
13,754
980
9,058
20,075
29,133
7,989
1,136
-
1,136
116
-
-
-
15,890
49,339
-
49,339
35,106
75,021
20,075
95,096
60,709
£134,289
£275,624
£409,913
£610,098

Of the 2022 total of £610,098, £191,715 relates to Unrestricted Funds and £418,383 to Restricted Funds.

28

MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

5. Income from Donations & Legacies

Donations & Gift Aid
Theatre Tax Relief		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
Restricted
Funds
£
2023
£
2022
£
13,265
-
13,265
7,468
10,235
-
10,235
2,958
£23,500
£-
£23,500
£10,426

The 2022 total of £10,426 relates wholly to Unrestricted Funds.

6. Total Expenditure on Charitable Activities

Production & Activity Costs
Salaries & On Costs
Freelance Project Worker Fees
Production, Hire & Staging Costs
Design, Print & Promotional Materials
Support Costs
Central Staffing Costs - Freelance Team
Administrative Costs
Consultancy Fees
Staff Training
Depreciation
Governance Costs
Accountancy & Payroll Fees
Board Costs
Legal & Professional		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
Restricted
Funds
£
2023
£
2022
£
92,067
236,457
328,524
243,215
5,404
27,485
32,889
45,364
4,756
37,120
41,876
21,454
10,042
16,818
26,860
19,316
-
-
-
6,900
24,665
19,196
43,861
24,450
-
-
-
5,342
988
2,343
3,331
3,659
347
10,834
11,181
9,829
3,219
-
3,219
2,040
-
-
-
560
652
-
652
312
£142,140
£350,253 £492,393
£382,441

Of the 2022 total of £382,441, £163,482 relates to Unrestricted Funds and £218,959 to Restricted Funds.

7. Net Movement in Funds

et Movement in Funds
2023 2022
£ £
The net movement in Funds is stated after charging/(crediting):
Depreciation of Owned Fixed Assets 11,181 9,829
Independent Examiner’s Fees – Independent Examination 900 900
Independent Examiner’s Fees – Other Services - 1,140

29

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

MORTAL FOOLS (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

8. Staff Costs & Directors’ Remuneration

Gross Salary Costs
Employer’s National Insurance
Employer’s Pension Contributions		 2023
£
2022
£
300,115
224,172
20,133
13,238
8,276
5,805
£328,524
£243,215

No employee received remuneration of more than £60,000 during the year (2022: Nil).

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

2023 2022
No. No.
Artistic Production and Support 11 11

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 (2022: £Nil).

9. Tangible Fixed Assets

Cost
At 1 April 2022
Additions in year
At 31 March 2023
Accumulated Depreciation
At 1 April 2022
Charge for year
At 31 March 2023
Net Book Value
At 31 March 2023
At 1 April 2022		 IT &
Office
Equipment
£
Total
Fixed
Assets
£
31,799
31,799
5,398
5,398
37,197
37,197
12,891
12,891
11,181
11,181
24,072
24,072
£13,125
£13,125
£18,908
£18,908

30

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

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

10.
Debtors
Trade Debtors
Other Debtors
Accrued Income
Prepayments
All sums are due within 1 year.
11.
Creditors – Amounts Falling Due Within 1 Year
Trade Creditors
Other Taxes & Social Security Costs
Other Creditors - Pension Contributions Due
Other Creditors - Net Salaries Due
Other Creditors
Accruals		 2023
£
2022
£
22,726
-
12,998
-
119,159
214,711
4,767
4,075
£159,650
£218,786
2023
£
2022
£
7,291
23,316
7,239
6,370
1,381
1,176
-
18,108
40
-
2,683
1,320
£18,634
£50,290

12. Analysis of Net Assets between Funds

Fixed Assets
Debtors
Cash at Bank and In Hand
Creditors – Due Within 1 Year		 Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
2023
2022
£
£
£
£
687
12,438
13,125
18,908
28,001
131,649
159,650
218,786
129,420
105,883
235,303
259,779
(18,634)
-
(18,634)
(50,290)
£139,474
£249,970 £389,444
£447,183

31

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

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

13. Analysis of Charitable Funds

Fund at 1 Income in Expenditure Fund at 31
April 2022 Year in Year March 2023
£ £ £ £
Unrestricted Funds
Charity General Fund 122,584 159,030 (142,140) 139,474
Restricted Funds
#iWill Social Action Fund at the
Community Foundation for Tyne & - 10,000
-		 10,000
Wear and Northumberland (CFTWN)
1989 Willan Charitable Trust at the
CFTWN		 4,040 -
(4,040)		 -
Arnold Clark Community Fund - 1,000
(1,000)		 -
Arts Council England National
Lottery Project Grants (ACE PG): 50,446 -
(31,452)		 18,994
Co-Creation Exchange
ACE PG: Future Ready 2020
Development		 12,199 -
(12,199)		 -
ACE PG: When This Is Over 738 -
(738)		 -
ACE PG: Young People's Theatre
Exchange 2019-21		 3,464 -
(3,464)		 -
BBC Children In Need - 30,570
(23,858)		 6,712
BBC Children In Need Youth Social
Action Fund		 - 26,000
(2,600)		 23,400
Culture Bridge North East (CBNE)
via CFTWN		 1,500 -
(1,500)		 -
CBNE: Capacity Building 6,000 -
(1,000)		 5,000
CBNE: Partnership Investment (PI) 32,998 11,500
(21,932)		 22,566
Curtin PARP Fund at the CFTWN 14,000 (12,283)
(1,717)		 -
DCMS Youth Investment Fund 13,232 -
(13,232)		 -
Garfield Weston Foundation 435 -
(435)		 -
High Sheriff of Northumberland
Youth Against Crime Scheme at the 1,000 -
(1,000)		 -
CFTWN
Continued overleaf…

32

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

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

13. Analysis of Charitable Funds (Cont.)

Fund at 1 Income in Expenditure Fund at 31
April 2022 Year in Year March 2023
£ £ £ £
Ironmongers’ Company - 4,411 - 4,411
John D Endowment Fund at the
CFTWN		 - 2,500 (2,500) -
Kavli Trust - 105,012 (50,179) 54,833
Kerry Grassroots at the CFTWN - 4,987 (2,385) 2,602
Key Fund Federation - 168 (168) -
Lady Betty Martin Fund at the
CFTWN		 - 5,000 (5,000) -
Muckle at the CFTWN - 3,000 - 3,000
National Lottery Awards For All - 10,000 (10,000) -
National Lottery Community Fund
(RC North East and Cumbria Region)
in partnership with the Ballinger		 - 10,000 (10,000) -
Charitable Trust
North East Fund For The Arts at the
CFTWN		 500 - (500) -
Northern Powergrid Fund at the
CFTWN		 4,950 - (4,950) -
North of Tyne Creative England - 12,500 (6,178) 6,322
Northumberland Children's Trust - 5,000 (5,000) -
Northumberland County Council
(NCC): Arts and Heritage SLA		 450 9,721 (10,080) 91
NCC: Community Chest Scheme 4,633 5,000 (4,696) 4,937
NCC: Match Funding to support
Creative Northumberland		 5,000 - (5,000) -
NCC: Hadrian’s Wall 1990 - 4,999 (4,999) -
Northumberland Public Health:
Creative Northumberland		 9,999 9,999 - 19,998
Paul Hamlyn Foundation 140,102 - (78,664) 61,438
Continued overleaf…

33

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

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

13. Analysis of Charitable Funds (Cont.)

Prime Fund
Prime & Spriggs Family Fund at the
CFTWN
Ridley Family Charity at the CFTWN
Rothley Trust
The Joicey Trust
Wellesley Trust Fund at the CFTWN
Youth Focus North East Partner
Contribution
Total Restricted Funds
Total Funds
Name of Restricted Fund		 Fund at 1
April 2022
£
Income in
Year
£
Expenditure
in Year
£
Fund at 31
March 2023
£
4,698
-
(4,698)
-
-
4,965
-
4,965
-
3,000
(2,633)
367
890
-
(556)
334
3,400
-
(3,400)
-
7,964
-
(7,964)
-
1,961
8,575
(10,536)
-
324,599
275,624
(350,253)
249,970
£447,183
£434,654
£(492,393)
£389,444
Purpose & Allocation of the Restricted Fund
Cross-Project / Core Funds
Paul Hamlyn Foundation (Arts
Access and Participation Fund)		 Contribution to staff salaries, with the aim of helping the
organisation to improve its staff structure, develop its
practice and support socially excluded young people.
Kavli Trust Towards Melva, Future Ready and Core Funding, to
support creative interventions using theatre and
performance-based approaches to support children and
young people's mental health and wellbeing.
BBC Children in Need Towardscore programme costs associated with
supporting Young People with intersectional needs.
DCMS Youth Investment Fund /
Rothley Trust		 For the purchase of digital equipment and resources to
enable the charity to reach more young people and
provide a better service to them including hybrid (in
person and online) sessions.

Continued overleaf…

34

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

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
N’land CC Community Chest
Scheme		 For the purchase of office and IT equipment for new
Ashington office base, followed by support in purchasing
technical theatre equipment for activity in
Northumberland.
Garfield Weston Foundation Towards core running costs.
Lady Betty Martin Fund within the
North East Fund for the Arts		 Towards core costs of creative workshops to
disadvantaged young people in Ashington and the wider
area.
N’land CC Arts and Heritage SLA /
Northumberland Children’s Trust		 Towards core running costs related to activity taking
place in or with young people from Northumberland.
Ridley Family Charity at CFTWN Towards office set up in Ashington.
1989 Willan Charitable Trust / The
Wellesley Trust / ACE PG Future
Ready 2020 Development		 Towards activity strands designed to use theatre and
creative arts to develop confidence, aspirations and
social and emotional skills of young people with special
educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and those
living in areas of socio-economic deprivation, including
Future Ready, youth theatre activity in Ashington, and
practice/sector development work.
All funds were received before the Covid-19 pandemic,
so project plans and deliverables have been adapted and
completed in agreement with grant funders since first
received.
Project-Specific Funds
Northern Powergrid Towards the cost of ourYoung Cultural Leaders
programme and associated social action
events/activities.
ACE PG When This Is Over Towards the cost of_When This Is Over,_and related
outreach/partnership work.
ACE PG Young People’s Theatre
Exchange		 Towards the cost of outreach and partnership work
relating to our ‘My People’ films, within the Young
People’s Theatre Exchange Network.

Continued overleaf…

35

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

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		 Name of Restricted Fund
Purpose & Allocation of the Restricted Fund
Project-Specific Funds
National Lottery Community Fund
(RC North East and Cumbria
Region) in partnership with the
Ballinger Charitable Trust		 Towards the cost of producing ‘Fools Fest’, a devised
theatre and performance project by Mortal Fools Youth
Theatre, with live public performances in Ashington and
Prudhoe.
BBC Children in Need Youth Social
Action Fund / #iWill Social Action
Fund at CFTWN		 Towards the cost of developing and embedding youth-led
social action within Mortal Fools Youth Theatre, including
running weekly sessions, community outreach sessions,
and creation of social action focused creative outputs.
Creative England Ltd (North of
Tyne Culture and Creative
Investment Programme)		 Towards support of full time income generation Producer
role.
Muckle at CFTWN Towards the cost of providing 5 schools with Melva
licenses, to support pupils’ mental health and wellbeing.
National Lottery Awards for All /
Arnold Clark Community Fund		 Towards the cost of producing ‘Come on In’ – a devised
theatre performance project by Mortal Fools Youth
Theatre focusing on community wellbeing (Previously
titled ‘Joy’).
Newcastle City Council: Hadrian’s
Wall 1990		 Towards Fool’s Fest and related work – specifically for
the community performance event held in the Tyne
Valley, exploring the themes surrounding the Saturnalia
Festival.
Prime & Spriggs Family Fund /
John D Endowment Fund / both at
CFTWN		 Towards the costs of running Stage 2 Mortal Fools Youth
Theatre group in Ashington.
North East Fund for the Arts Towards the cost of delivering outreach workshops and
Peer Facilitator training with Gateshead based youth
organisations.
Culture Bridge North East via
CFTWN		 Towards the cost of piloting Mortal Fools as a resident
theatre company at Highfield Middle School.
Culture Bridge North East
Partnership Funding /
Northumberland CC Creative
Northumberland Match Funding /
Northumberland Public Health		 Towards the cost of_Creative Northumberland,_a
collaborative project between schools and cultural
organisations testing the impact of cultural activity on
wellbeing. Mortal Fools are acting as budget holders for
this project on behalf of theNorthumberland LCEP.

Continued overleaf…

36

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

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		 Name of Restricted Fund
Purpose & Allocation of the Restricted Fund
Culture Bridge North East:
Capacity Building		 To fund a dedicated Producer for_Creative_
Northumberland.
Ironmongers’ Company Towards Creative Interventions in Schools (Future Ready
Education).
Key Fund Federation Supporting a group of Young Leaders to complete their
first Key Project.
Curtin PARP fund Towards the costs of a discreet project with a Youth
Sector partner focusing on Arts Award Delivery.
The remaining balance was repaid in the year, after
negotiation with grant manager because the disruption
caused by Covid-19 pandemic and the challenges
currently facing the youth sector meant we would be
unable to achieve the necessary level and quantity of
Arts Award Qualifications required by the funder.
Prime Fund at CFTWN Towards the cost of piloting 2 x new youth theatre groups
in Ashington between Feb–July 2022.
ACE PG Co-Creation Exchange /
The Joicey Trust / High Sheriff
Northumberland Youth Against
Crime Scheme (2022) / Kerry
Grassroots at CFTWN		 Towards the cost of the Co-Creation Exchange Network
and Ensemble Young Company group, including: the co-
creation and production of the original_FLUX live
performance in Ashington (2022); the filming and
distribution of digital version of the show; the updated
and re-worked_FLUX tour(2023); related outreach work;
and cross-sector development work.
Youth Focus North East Towards the cost of employing a Peer Researcher and
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.

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

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

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 10 members of the company (2022: 6).

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