Mid Powys Youth Theatre Year Ended 10th April 2024
Mid Powys Youth Theatre
Receipts and Payments Accounts
10[th] April 2024
Charity number 1157724
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Mid Powys Youth Theatre Year Ended 10th April 2024
Contents
For the Year Ended 10[th] April 2024
| Reference & Administrative Details | Page 3 |
|---|---|
| Report of the Trustees | Page 4-15 |
| Independent Examiner’s Report | Page 16-17 |
| Receipts & Payments Account | Page 18-19 |
| Statement of Assets & Liabilities | Page 20 |
| Notes | Page 21-22 |
Charity number 1157724
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Mid Powys Youth Theatre Year Ended 10th April 2024
Reference and Administrative Details
For the Year Ended 10th April 2024
| Charity | 1157724 | |
|---|---|---|
| Number | ||
| Registered | Centre Celf | |
| Office | Tremont road | |
| Llandrindod Wells | ||
| Powys | ||
| LD1 5EB | ||
| Trustees | The Trustees who served during | |
| the year and up to the date of this | ||
| report were as follows: | ||
| Megan Dauksta (Chair) | ||
| Stephen Leadbetter | App. 10.07.23 | |
| Liam Cole | ||
| Independent | Cymryd Rhan | |
| Examiner | Davina Hutchinson ACMA FCIE | |
| Balcony Office First Floor | ||
| Town Hall | ||
| Great Oak Street | ||
| Llanidloes | ||
| Powys SY18 6BN |
Charity number 1157724
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Mid Powys Youth Theatre Year Ended 10th April 2024
Report of the Trustees
For the Year Ended 10th April 2024
The Trustees present their annual report together with the Financial Statements of the charity for the Year Ended 10th April 2024.
The Reference and Administrative Details above form part of this report. The Financial Statements comply with current statutory requirements, the Constitution and the Statement of Recommended Practice – Accounting and Report by Charities (effective from January 2019).
Objectives and Activities
The objects of MPYT are:
to act as a resource for young people of all abilities by providing professionally led activities, programmes, advice and assistance in all aspects of theatre arts and related disciplines as a means of:
1: advancing in life and helping develop their skills, capacities and capabilities to enable them to participate more fully both in the immediate community and in wider society as independent, mature, confident and responsible individuals;
2: advancing education;
- 3: improving vocational opportunity;
4: providing artistic, recreational and leisure time activity in the interests of social welfare for people who have need by reason of their youth, infirmity or disability, poverty or social or economic
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Mid Powys Youth Theatre Year Ended 10th April 2024
circumstance with a view to improving the conditions of life of such persons.
Summary of the main activities
Principle activity is high-quality theatre workshops; master-classes; vocational opportunities and live productions for young people age between 9 and 24. This includes our primary Youth Theatre group (MPYT): professionally-led and seeking to foster confidence, social skills, high artistic ambition in a collaborative working group.
Additionally MPYT runs a group for children aged 9 to 13 (Ten Bob Drama), primarily aimed at those struggling to assimilate, be fullyrealised, or have their voice heard in mainstream schooling. We also run a vocational strand - GetOfftheStage! for young adults interested in pursuing a career in production arts: an extremely high-impact initiative and has established a steady stream of young adults into career pathways for this boom industry. The year also saw us laying the ground for launching two further strands of activity: a) ‘Twenties’ – practical and high-quality, vocational mentoring and opportunities for young adults (19-29); and b) RAIN Theatre – an inclusive group
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for adults/young adults living with disability, poor mental health and/or neurodivergence, and their friends, carers or supporters.
The trustees have regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit.
Volunteers
Volunteers play a significant role in the vitality and effective running of the Charity through:
a) Serving on the Board of Trustees; b) Community fundraising; c) working Front-of-House on live events; c) providing transport, labour and logistical support for major events; d) occasional guest
workshops; e) as part of our’ Twenties’ young adult group, offering practical ad hoc support as the opportunity arises.
Summary of main achievements
April ’23: To start the year we were able to set-up Ten Bob Drama Club as a primary strand of MPYT’s community engagement. This followed two successful pilot projects. Led by long-time associate Danie Croft, ‘Ten Bob’ (open to all aged 10-13) aims to ‘explore the world through the medium of drama’ and is particularly suited to children struggling to fully engage in the classroom. Priced at 50p to support participation in difficult economic times.
Danie was assisted, not only by Ian Yeoman (and Casper the friendly dog), but two senior MPYT members - Xylo and Madryn. The initial term was regularly attended by a small but dedicated group. Feedback was excellent.
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Construction of the new MPYT website (by Nex Media) began. This resource is critical to the long-term business health of MPYT: key to a strong community profile; keeping our supporters active and connected; and serving as the heartbeat of a sustained fundraising strategy. Content management is a key challenge: one to which we have not yet found the answer.
Our Board of Trustees took on the herculean task of updating our policies and procedures and adding some not previously extant. This was driven forward by our Chair, Megan Dauksta, and should now allow regular reviews and updates to ensure ongoing compliance.
Ioan continued to improve our office admin systems (credit control, participation/membership records etc). We only have him 3 hours a week (and perhaps not for much longer), but he’s been creative and committed and made a huge difference to the quality of our recordkeeping. It’s been a blessing.
Another one of our alumni, Alice Cox, also came back to the area. She ran some brilliant stage-fighting workshops, and some equally brilliant voice work sessions. Alice is keen to immerse herself in the business of MPYT’s future. Again, that’s a huge asset for us.
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It’s not easy, but we must acknowledge that it’s been an extremely fraught year financially. Ongoing activity was funded largely from reserves – or designated funds. By year-end, unrestricted cash meagre. A substantial charitable donation of £5000 from one community supporter was most welcome.
We do have good news to share, but we are holding an urgent, wider conversation on how to address core and unrestricted funding in the short-term. Funding competition is fiercer than ever – for obvious reasons - and MPYT’s capacity is low.
We were supported through the year via funding from the Ashley Family Foundation; the Fund for Wales; and the Millenium Stadium Charitable Trust.
Autumn was busy. The highlight of the year was ‘ Brainstorm’ at Centre Celf. Audiences loved it. The show garnered some outstanding critical feedback. It’s a shame we weren’t able to restage it, but maybe next time!
Two major contributors to that success were our old friend Jim Elliott – whose role in MPYT shows seems to grow by the year! We also worked, for the first time, with Production Designer, Tegan Reg James, from Brecon, who was a joy. We look forward to working with both these guys again.
We used ‘ Eventbrite’ (ticketing platform) for the first time. That worked well, easing pressure on manual bookings and cash-handling. Thanks for that to Trustees, Molly and Liam, who also ran a brilliant social media campaign for the show and a comprehensive audience feedback process which provided a valuable horde of evaluation info.
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It was Liam & Molly who led the youth-informed re-branding project, seeking to look ahead without forgetting what’s gone before. It looks brilliant. Thanks both.
In late ’23, we had a Ten Bob Drama Club ‘ sharing’ for parents and MPYT friends. Response was hugely positive, not only to the work, but towards TBDC more broadly and its impact on young lives. We’ll keep you posted but please do join us next time!
In December we raised over £1400 at the Cefnllys shop. Jim, Celine, Jackie and Lucy volunteered a huge portion of their week to running the shop. Dedicated, vital support.
We’ll finish on some (very) positive notes.
Kama worked very hard on an ACW ‘Business Development’ bid and, in February, MPYT was awarded £46571 for a Strategic
Redevelopment project running April ‘24- April ’25. It’s a lifesaver. But the work is only begun.
The project supports our core, not least by paying the Artistic Director, but seeks to establish robust strategies in fundraising;
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comms; audience development; business planning; outreach models; and to explore a sustainable management model for the long-term. Supported by various community (and national) partners, and a handful of hugely experienced arts management professionals.
It's a huge show of faith in the work we have done over the last 10 years.
In April ’24 – as numbers for Ten Bob Drama approached capacity – another activity strand was set to launch. Our ‘Rain Theatre’ pilot: a long-planned dream of an integrated theatre group. It will take time and patience to establish, but it’s badly needed. (Like all of our work?)
Impact
The impact we have had on participants is transformative. Many of our participants live remotely in the largest, most sparsely-populated county in England & Wales. MPYT addresses a uniquely remote, rural isolation. MPYT participants find a safe creative outlet, accepting and nurturing of difference: a high proportion identify as trans/nonbinary, living with poor mental health, neurodivergence and/or disabled and struggle with mainstream schooling. MPYT offers a sanctuary, where young people can develop their confidence and self-esteem alongside gaining valuable technical and performance skills. Many alumni go on to highly successful careers - in the arts and elsewhere - and remain invested in the organisation well into adulthood, always keen to provide moving accounts of how MPYT helped them find and sustain a rewarding path in life.
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MPYT parent:
“My 14 year-old began attending MPYT in 2023 since leaving school early following some very anxious social struggles at school and undertook therapy for this. Consequently they were anxious about joining, but the group had been highly recommended to us. Staff & students have made my child very welcome & given them a sense of belonging & feeling of safety which was lacking in previous settings. This has provided a lifeline to their social confidence, which has been growing since becoming part of the group & led to more confidence in other social settings in a unparallelled way. It is the highlight of their week.”
Ten Bob Drama Club Parent:
“Just wanted to send some feedback from R to say she absolutely loves it. She really loves that it’s an open environment where you can speak about anything without feeling restricted or judged, and she’s felt really supported in her time with you guys.”
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GetOffTheStage! Alumni
“I joined MPYT at 13, knowing nothing about theatre; I didn’t know that Stage Management existed, let alone that you could have a career in it! I had a go at acting and it wasn’t really my thing. I asked to help with prop making and fell in love with being backstage. MPYT gave me an all-round understanding of - lighting, sound, AV and working as a Stage Manager: helping me gather and prepare a mini portfolio when applying to drama schools. I’m very grateful for all MPYT has done for me.”
Audiences
The impact on audiences is similarly powerful:
“BRAINSTORM” – What the Audience Said:
“Wow! Struggling to find the words to do this show justice. Blown away. Everyone should see this… how vital rural arts is. Incredible. Diolch!”
“Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Should go on tour. And round the schools”
“…beautiful production that spoke to my teenage self. A testament to the importance of protecting rural arts and facilities for young people.”
“…brilliant piece of drama, fresh, thought provoking, funny, gripping.”
“Beautiful. Sad. Thought provoking.”
“…should be seen by everyone. Wonderful. Sad. Uplifting. And fun.”
“I wish everyone I know was here to see it.”
“Totally brilliant. Such brave souls. Would be good for anyone who suffers from anxiety to see this.”
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Mid Powys Youth Theatre Year Ended 10th April 2024
“What an honest piece of theatre. A real insight into the teenage brain… made me laugh and cry. I can't wait to see what MPYT does next.”
“…superbly delivered, highly original.”
“Brilliantly chosen…amazing for young people to be involved in.”
“Always original, such an asset to the community.”
Achievements against objectives set
MPYT is currently amidst major strategic redevelopment, seeking to: a) create realistic succession planning;
b) diversify income streams;
c) revolutionise communications and profile;
d) realise the potential of our alumni body;
e) maximise recruitment and demographic reach;
f) professionalise the board of trustees;
g) embed principal strands of core activity within our financial model;
Each of these objectives is specifically addressed through the project successfully funded by our Arts Council of Wales ‘Create’ grant (2425).
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Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period
MPYT has £29957 at bank: of which £23713 is restricted funds;
Income for the accounting year includes the initial tranche of our ACW ‘Create’ project and makes the picture look healthier, although unrestricted funds remain – as predicted - historically low at this point. We anticipate this downward trend to come to a halt from this point and then begin a gradual improvement due to previously mentioned proactive measures and a strategic project to improve and diversify income streams.
Reserves Policy
MPYT is a project-funded organisation. We are now making progress in moving to more core security in our financial position. The development of unrestricted income streams will enable us to build reserves at 10% of income, ensuring at least three months of funds are available to successfully and ethically wind down the company if needed. The plan to build reserves will be through unrestricted income generation activity: core cost grant applications; community fundraising; individual giving and donation schemes.
Amount of reserves held
£6244
By volume, the Charity’s principal source of funds in any given year are:
a) Grants
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Mid Powys Youth Theatre Year Ended 10th April 2024
b) Community Fundraising
c) Donations and individual giving;
d) Members subscriptions
e) Box Office receipts
A description of the principal risks facing the charity
The long-term impacts of austerity, Covid and the cost-of-living crisis have deeply impacted the organisation: both financially and in terms of participation (numbers). Young people are more anxious – and in poorer health; families have less money and more concerns. Competition for grant-funding has increased exponentially.
Professionalising and expanding our Board of Trustees and building a viable succession plan for Artistic Leadership are both vital to the long-term future.
Trustee selection methods
By advertisement and selection: initially advertisement by email and social media posting to local communities and among friends and supporters. We also consider ‘head-hunting’ to identify individuals from the wider body of friends, supporters and alumni – or the professional arts sector - to meet the demands of a specific expertise.
We are proactive in targetting younger trustees from the local community and from further afield who retain ties to the community and are available to conduct business remotely.
At each AGM, the two longest-standing trustees must stand down. They may, if they so wish, then apply for re-election.
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--
Organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works
Our Board is currently 5 trustees.
One of whom is Chair.
Other trustees and/or sub-committees (incl. non-trustees) currently have responsibility for a) Comms and Marketing; b) Safeguarding;
Our chair leads on Impact and Evaluation and Policy and Procedure, in close liaison with the Artistic Director and Executive Producer.
Our accounts are prepared by a book-keeping accountant.
We work closely with local arts and community partners: Celf o Gwmpas; Shakespeare Link; CARAD; Wyeside Arts among others and consult frequently with Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations.
Approved by the Trustees on 30[th] January 2025
and signed on their behalf by:
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Mid Powys Youth Theatre Year Ended 10th April 2024
Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Mid Powys Youth Theatre
For the Year Ended 10th April 2024
I report to the Trustees on my examination of the accounts of Mid Powys Youth Theatre (the Charity) for the Year Ended 10th April 2024, which are set out on pages 19 to 23.
Respective Responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner
As the Trustees of the Charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent Examiner’s Statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
-
Accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
-
The accounts do not accord with those records; or
-
The accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of the accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than
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any requirement that the accounts give “a true and fair view” which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
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.
Date: 30/01/25
Davina Hutchinson ACMA
For and on behalf of:
Cymryd Rhan
Balcony Office First Floor
Town Hall
Great Oak Street
Llanidloes
Powys SY18 6BN
Charity number 1157724
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Mid Powys Youth Theatre Year Ended 10th April 2024
Receipts & Payments Account
For the Year Ended 10th April 2024
| 2024 | 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted | Unrestricted | Total | Total | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Receipts | ||||
| Subscriptions | - | 1,015 | 1,015 | 2,015 |
| Donations3 | - | 5,619 | 5,619 | 721 |
| Grants4 | 23,457 | - | 23,457 | 2,000 |
| Fundraising | - | 2,845 | 2,845 | - |
| Ticket sales | - | 924 | 924 | 1,417 |
| Refunds | - | 54 | 54 | 156 |
| __ | __ | __ | __ | |
| Total receipts | 23,457 | 10,457 | 33,914 | 6,309 |
| __ | __ | __ | __ | |
| Payments | ||||
| Workshop leaders & | ||||
| assistants | - | 1,700 | 1,700 | 1,700 |
| Staff costs | - | 8,469 | 8,469 | 2,000 |
| Training | - | 110 | 110 | - |
| Rent & venue hire | - | 2,510 | 2,510 | 3,501 |
| Travel | - | 215 | 215 | 430 |
| Admin & office costs | - | 628 | 628 | 666 |
| Marketing | - | 1,464 | 1,464 | 1,200 |
| Insurance | - | 495 | 495 | 327 |
| Laptop | - | - | - | 569 |
| Bank charges | - | 79 | 79 | 69 |
| Projects & Productions | ||||
| Production team | 2,000 | - | 2,000 | 7,827 |
| Workshop | ||||
| leaders/facilitators | 4,016 | - | 4,016 | 2,620 |
| Mentoring | - | - | - | 750 |
| Project management | 1,700 | - | 1,700 | 100 |
| Set & wardrobe materials | 60 | - | 60 | 901 |
| Marketing, printing & | ||||
| translation | 174 | 618 | 792 | 447 |
| Venue hire | 220 | 1,452 | 1,672 | 1,290 |
| Travel & accommodation | - | - | - | 433 |
| Writer’s fee/copyright | - | 510 | 510 | 1,500 |
| Filming | - | - | - | 100 |
| __ | __ | __ | __ |
Charity number 1157724
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Mid Powys Youth Theatre Year Ended 10th April 2024
| Total payments | 8,170 | 18,250 | 26,420 | 26,430 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| __ | __ | __ | __ | |
| Net receipts / (payments) | 15,287 | (7,793) | 7,494 | (20,121) |
| __ | __ | __ | __ | |
| Transfers between funds | - | - | - | - |
| __ | __ | __ | __ | |
| Funds at 11th April 2023 | 8,426 | 14,037 | 22,463 | 42,584 |
| __ | __ | __ | __ | |
| Funds at 10th April 2024 | 23,713 | 6,244 | 29,957 | 22,463 |
| ======== | ======== | ======== | ======== |
Charity number 1157724
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Mid Powys Youth Theatre Year Ended 10th April 2024
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
For the Year Ended 10th April 2024
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Assets | ||
| Cash at bank | 30,295 | 22,413 |
| Cash in hand | 50 | 50 |
| __ | __ | |
| Total Assets | 30,345 | 22,463 |
| ======== | ======== | |
| Current Liabilities | ||
| Creditors | 388 | - |
| ======== | ======== | |
| Total Assets Less Liabilities | 29,957 | 22,463 |
| ======== | ======== | |
| Cash Funds | ||
| Restricted funds | 23,713 | 8,426 |
| Unrestricted funds | 6,244 | 14,037 |
| __ | __ | |
| Total Cash Funds | 29,957 | 22,463 |
| ======== | ======== |
Approved by the Trustees on 30/01/25 and signed on
their behalf by:
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Mid Powys Youth Theatre Year Ended 10th April 2024
Notes to the Accounts
For the Year Ended 10th April 2024
- These accounts have been prepared on a Receipts and Payments basis in accordance with the requirements of the Charity Commission. There has been no change in basis since last year.
2. There are no employees.
3. Donations
| Restricted | Unrestricted | Total 2024 | Total 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Amazon (Smile) | - |
19 | 19 | 5 |
| Blakes | - | 600 | 600 | 715 |
| Anonymous | - | 5,000 | 5,000 | - |
| __ | __ | __ | __ | |
| Total donations | - |
5,619 | 5,619 | 720 |
| ======== | ======== | ======== | ======== | |
| 4. Grants | received | |||
| Restricted | Unrestricted | Total 2024 | Total 2023 | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| CFIW Fund for | ||||
| Wales (BIG) | - | - | - | 2,000 |
| Millennium | ||||
| Stadium CT | 2,500 | - | 2,500 | - |
| ACW Lottery | 20,957 | - | 20,957 | - |
| __ | __ | __ | __ | |
| Total grants | 23,457 | - | 23,457 | 2,000 |
| ======== | ======== | ======== | ======== |
Charity number 1157724
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Mid Powys Youth Theatre Year Ended 10th April 2024
5. Analysis of funds
| At | Income | Expenditure | Transfer | At 10.04.24 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10.04.23 | |||||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Restricted funds | |||||
| Davies Trust | 1,994 | - | (1,500) | - | 494 |
| CFIW Ashley | |||||
| Foundation | 4,432 | - | (4,296) | - | 136 |
| CFIW Fund for | |||||
| Wales (BIG) | 2,000 | - | (2,000) | - | - |
| Millennium | |||||
| Stadium CT | - | 2,500 | (374) | - | 2,126 |
| ACW Lottery | - | 20,957 | - | - | 20,957 |
| __ | __ | __ | __ | __ | |
| Total restricted | 8,426 | 23,457 | (8,170) | - | 23,713 |
| ======== | ======== | ======== | ======== | ======== | |
| Unrestricted | |||||
| funds | |||||
| General fund | 4,038 | 10,457 | (15,670) | 1,175 | - |
| PCC | 313 | - | - | - | 313 |
| _Designated_funds | |||||
| MPYT | |||||
| Development | |||||
| fund | 19 | - | - | - | 19 |
| Minibus training | |||||
| fund | 67 | - | - | - | 67 |
| Performance | |||||
| reserve fund | 9,600 | - | (2,580) | (1,175) | 7,020 |
| __ | _ | __ | __ | __ | |
| Total | |||||
| unrestricted | 14,037 | 10,457 | (18,250) | - | 6,244 |
| ======== | ======= | ======== | ======== | ======== | |
| Total funds | 22,463 | 33,914 | (26,420) | - | 29,957 |
| ======== | ======= | ======== | ======== | ======== |
Charity number 1157724
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