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← Flying Fish Artists

2025-03-31-accounts

Annual Report April 2024 – March 2025 Registered Charity No: 1157556 Cover artwork by Jason

Background and Who We Support

Flying Fish Artists was initially formed in 2002, after members of a creative arts group in the occupational therapy workshop at Riverside Community Mental Health team base were invited to put on an exhibition for public viewing as part of the North Devon Festival. The exhibition was called ‘Hidden Talents’ because participants pulled beautiful sketches, paintings and stained glass out from under their beds for them to be carefully hung throughout the buildings.

What a transformative event, celebrating so many different people’s strengths to create such an uplifting effect that it was decided to have a professional hanging system so that there could be rotating exhibitions of artwork.

If we were going to hold regular exhibitions, the group needed to have a name and so suggestions were voted on and Flying Fish Artists was born.

Flying Fish Artists now operates as a small, Barnstaple based charity that, through using art as a creative and therapeutic means of recovery, supports people (aged 18 upwards) from anywhere across Torridge and North Devon region who wish to use art to help themselves in recovering from ill health.

We support and inspire our members to tap into their creativity and produce artwork which integrates the members with the local community with exhibitions and events as well as accepting art commissions. Our work over the years, and particularly our regular studio sessions continue to help members to relieve the social isolation that so many of them felt prior to joining us.

The regular meetings provide a welcoming and safe space for our members, where they feel comfortable and able to focus on bringing out their inner creativity and talent.

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Our Trustees and Volunteers

Joyce Reed, Members Co-ordinator & Trustee. Joyce gets much enjoyment from continuing to serve as a volunteer and trustee for FFA, welcoming new and regular participants each week as well as faces from the past who call into our studio sessions from time to time. She’s inspired by members’ encouragement of one another and enthusiasm for any creative opportunities. She is supported by her husband Chris who is always on hand at events and trips to help out.

Martin Davies, Secretary & Trustee. Martin looks after much of the administration and ensures the smooth running of the operational workings of FFA. We are so very grateful for all of his continued help, many years of commitment and invaluable contribution.

-.” Jason Smith, Chairman & Trustee. continues to expertly host monthly for us online. We’re also thankful to him for overseeing the opening and setting-up Jason ensures the smooth and efficient running of our board meetings which he of our weekly studio sessions, including between Christmas and New Year.

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Carrie Clarke, Trustee. We are delighted to welcome Carrie whom some members remember well from when she worked in North Devon and provided much encouragement and assistance as an artist herself with Flying Fish Artists forming many years ago. Fortunately for us, Carrie now has a bit more time to link-up with our group again.

She travels from mid-Devon to visit us whenever her time allows, submits grant-applications on our behalf and joins online trustees’ meetings to keep informed about the direction members wish to go in with developing their art.

Julia Dredge, Trustee. Julia is a versatile artist who has involved herself in all sorts of community projects over the years and continues to give valuable advice on how to help our members and the direction which Flying Fish Artists should take, from an artist’s perspective. We are very thankful for her help in running the charity and spreading word of our sessions and events.

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Flying Fish Volunteers

Liz Mutch , who quickly learnt by heart what each member prefers to drink in the hot drinks line whether it be caffeinated tea or coffee or herbal and with or without sweetener or sugar or milk! Liz is a very experienced retired nurse and brings warmth and humour into our weekly studio sessions. Thank-you Liz.

Rob Bennett is a wonderful addition to our team of volunteers having reacquainted himself with a lot of our members when he came along to our 2023 Christmas Fayre with his wife, Sue.

Both Sue and Rob worked at North Devon District Hospital before retiring and after years of encouraging others to be creative in his role as an Occupational Therapy Technical Instructor, he is now fully embracing experimenting with different art techniques himself alongside his expertise and love of photography.

Sam Tse, Volunteer Treasurer since 2019. Sam provides expert guidance in managing our small budget, preparing our accounts to submit to the charity commission and provides very valuable input and support to our trustees meetings.

Claire Johns, Volunteer Workshop Presenter. Claire has prepared a series of inspirational talks about different artist movements and workshops tailored to respond to members’ requests and continues to support us.

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Message from our Chairman: Our Review from April 2024

It has been another great year for our art-based charity, the way that we all pull together whether its artists, admin, trustees and of course all the support from those who go above and beyond ensuring that Flying Fish continues as a respected mental health charity.

It truly has been a busy year for all of us, and I need to say how valued we are as an established Art and Support network for many artists; new and existing members are welcomed all with their own individual skills, methods and talents.

This year has been very productive with lots going on in and around the studio sessions, many people have generously devoted their time and knowledge making things happen. Flying Fish now have an additional studio session that has evolved during the year; North Devon Library Services gifted us free use of a space on Thursdays allowing for a very different mood and method of art creation and reaching out to other people within Barnstaple; the sense of community and belonging has been so positive for our artists and very welcoming.

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Here is a brief timeline of progress for The Flying Fish Artists this financial year.

This year has been so positive for Flying Fish Artists, I want to thank all that have been involved; those behind the scenes work above and beyond - you know who you are! Also, the trustees and those who run workshops with us which are progressively outstanding. A big thank you of course to all our amazing artists and well done for the progress that they have made this year.

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Message from our Trustees: Future Plans

In 2025, there are a lot of opportunities for Flying Fish Artists to collaborate with community art projects in North Devon thanks to Jane Petch at Libraries Unlimited Barnstaple which is hosting workshops for our members led by artists Jane Churchill and Penny Rowland-Hill. We have also been invited to participate in an exhibition called Together Stories initiated by Devon Mental Health Alliance organised by Evolving Events and hosted by Studio Kind.

It is hoped that the continued improvements to the Castle Centre by Barnstaple Town Council which we hire weekly will include a professional hanging system to enable Flying Fish members to create artwork for regularly changing exhibitions. The aim is to provide inspiring and uplifting original images for all hall-users to enjoy. A grant application will be submitted to allow the purchase of standardised frames for work to be displayed and protected in the best way possible.

We will also be looking for funds in response to members requests for some extraspecial workshops ie, Ceramics Academy at South Molton, Mindfulness and field trips to Arlington Court with a visit to the new gallery in the stables, Hele Bay and the Burton Art Gallery in Bideford.

We also look forward to the possibility of providing artwork to enhance the waitingarea for the new office of Ian Roome MP in due course.

Flying Fish endeavours to continue to hold our weekly studio sessions at The Castle Centre which has been our base for the last 7 years as well as build on partnerships with other organisations including North Devon Arts, Barnstaple Libraries Unlimited, The Woodyard Project and Evolving Events.

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Financial Information: Year Ending March 2025

Income Unrestricted Restricted Total
Grant income - - -
Donations 3,302 - 3,302
Sales 491 - 491
TOTAL 3,793 - 3,793
Expenditure
Workshops 85 - 85
Materials/equip 81 - 81
Marketing 185 - 185
Rent & rates 964 1,000 1,964
TOTAL 1,315 1,000 2,315
Net
income/(exp)		 2,478 (1,000) 1,478
Total funds
2025		 * 3,724 _ -_** 3,724
Total funds
2024		 1,246 1,000 2,246
Movement 2,478 (1,000) 1,478

*Note 1: Remaining funds will be carried forward to the following financial year to cover running costs and other expenditure.

**Note 2: Restricted reserves included a £1k grant for hall hire awarded during the prior year, but relating to expenditure incurred from April '24. This has been spent in full during the year.

Artwork by Claire

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The Impact We Have – What Our Members Say

“When life becomes difficult and I struggle with my anxiety / depression, Flying Fish is the only place I feel safe to be around others. It is a place of calm and understanding. There is no pressure to do anything other than to just be. If I didn’t have Flying Fish I would have no place to safely be among others.”

“When I lose my confidence, I really appreciate the support, friendship and inspiration fellow Fish give me. The group really helps my mental health.”

“Flying Fish has had a huge impact on my recovery from mental illness and my life in general. I enjoy meeting up with likeminded friends where we have had similar experiences. Then recovery by shared interests in art, crafts, tea and coffee. I couldn’t be without our members Tuesday meeting. And then another community meeting where anyone can pop in and join us for art, coffee and a chat.”

“It’s wonderful to know and have a group of such supportive people”

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Artwork From Our Members

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Thank You to ALL our Wonderful Sponsors and Donors

Sponsors and Donors during 2024-2025 have included:

Abbotsham Players Chris Moore Memorial

Special thanks to:

Our Flying Fish Artists patron, Ian Roome MP Jane Petch at Barnstaple Library Barnstaple Town Council

All our members, whose courage and artwork inspires others, contributing to the health of our local community and without whom this charity would not exist.

Contact Us

We would love to hear from you!

Our studio sessions are weekly on Tuesdays between 10.30 and 1.30 p.m. at The Castle Centre, Barnstaple. Please contact us by email if you would like to visit or make a referral.

Email address: flyingfishartists@gmail.com Website: www.fyingfshartsts.org.uk

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