(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)
Charity number 1161284
Trustee Report and Financial Statements Year ending 31 March 2023
New Note Projects P.O. Box 5420 Brighton BN50 8HS
Signed by: ................................................................. Date: ................................... On behalf of the Board of Trustees
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The Trustees of New Note Projects present their Annual Report for the period from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023. This report is prepared in accordance with the Charities Statement of Recommendation Practice (SORP) document FRS102-2019a, and includes the statutory director’s report required by UK company law.
- Governance and Structure:
New Note Projects (NNP) is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). Our constitution is a ‘Foundation’ model who’s only voting members are its charity trustees. New Note Projects was constituted on14 April 2015 when the Charity Commission produced a unique charitable number: 1161284
The Trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit when considering the activities to be undertaken. These are detailed in this report.
New Note Projects was overseen by five trustees during the period 1 April 2022 - 31 March 2023:
Chairperson: Bridget Taylor[1] Interim Chairperson: Helen Marsden Trustee: Dan Blomfield Trustee: Sarah Erskine Trustee: David Martin[2]
1Bridget Taylor stepped down as Chair of the Board of Trustees on 9th November 2022. 2David Martin joined the Board of Trustees on 13th March 2023, and remained on probation as of the 31[st] March 2023.
The day-to-day operations were overseen by Founder and Chief Executive Molly Mathieson.
- 2: New Note Projects aims and objectives.
NNP was founded in 2015 by Molly Mathieson as she wanted to find an alternative way to address the overwhelming drug and alcohol issues within Brighton and Hove. The charities main aim and objective is to support people affected by addiction through music and storytelling. Many of the people accessing the charity’s services have also experienced supplementary issues which include rough sleeping, poor mental health, social isolation, deprivation and prison.
By engaging with New Note, the participants strengthen their recoveries from addiction by attending regular groups, forming new friendships, and developing new skills.
Drug Misuse Deaths in Brighton and Hove
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The Council estimates the cost of substance misuse across the city at £107 million.
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The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reports that there were 30 "drug-related" deaths in Brighton and Hove in 2022.
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The ONS figures also show that drug misuse deaths in Brighton and Hove have been consistently higher than the national average in recent years. The number of drug misuse deaths in the city remains "stubbornly high" compared to the 19 fatalities recorded five years ago.
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These deaths are recorded as being a result of poisoning by various illegal and legal drugs, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines.
Premature Deaths from Alcohol
- Office for Health and Improvement Disparities figures show premature deaths from alcohol-related conditions led to a potential 2,587 years of life being lost in Brighton and Hove in 2020 – up from 2,083 in 2019.
Drug and alcohol related deaths in Brighton and Hove remain a serious problem. There has been a chronic lack of funding for drug and alcohol treatment within the city and the local residential alcohol rehab ward was closed in 2015; the nearest one is in Essex, which is 90 miles away. There is urgent need for early interventions, to offer beneficial diversionary activities to give people the best chance of a successful recovery.
New Note Projects runs four music-based initiatives to support people affected by addiction. These are:
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New Note Orchestra (See section 3)
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New Note Strummers (See section 4)
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New Note Key Changers (See section 5)
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New Note Dance (See section 6)
This report describes the activities of each of these initiatives over the course of the year, and provides a review of the charity's financial position (see section 7) as of the 31[st] March 2023.
PUTTING OUR AIMS AND OBJECTIVES INTO PRACTICE
3. Operations summary: New Note Orchestra
New Note Orchestra was launched in 2015 as the first of its kind in the world. Its aims are:
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To help people in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction to stay sober by meeting regularly to compose and play music
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To reduce the stigma around alcoholism and addiction in our communities by
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putting on public performances.
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To produce new and original music of high artistic value
During the period of this report there were:
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48 sessions
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22 people
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494 attendances
Significant achievements during the period of this report
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In May 2022 Brighton Mayor Lizzie Deane Chose New Note Orchestra be one of her mayoral charities
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During the period of this report New Note Orchestra performed in eight concerts across the South East.
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In November 2022 New Note Orchestra was nominated for a Kings Voluntary Award. We are awaiting a decision which will be announced in November 2023.
Working with vulnerable people, to compose and to perform music, has been at the heart of NNO since it was launched in 2015. All our usual working practices were adapted during the pandemic. During the period of this report, we saw the return of regular in person rehearsals, new compositions, and public performances.
In April 2022, New Note Orchestra held a music session with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as part of UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Cultural Programme. The programme included a series of panels discussing music and sport, a new official anthem created with contributions from the public, and several local anthems created in collaboration with schools and community groups. The orchestra was delighted to contribute. “The experience with the Royal Philharmonic was all-inclusive and gave everyone, including even the timid and bashful, an opportunity to join in,” said handbell player Dawn. Euro 2022 took place between 6–31 July in England, with cities around the county hosting the matches.
Alongside this the orchestra musicians worked with Creative Producer Molly Mathieson and composer/conductor Conall Gleeson to create ‘Green Recovery’ an hour long show which included newly composed music and poetry. The idea for Green Recovery came from the orchestra musicians who wanted to explore how the pillars of recovery from addiction might be used to reframe and inform the debate around the climate crisis.
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New Note Orchestra’s first performance was a live stream in conjunction with ‘The Thursday Night Show’, a recovery-based radio station. The show was transmitted to Facebook and reached nearly 5,000 people from around the world.
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Their second and third performances were sold out shows with the Jam Tarts Choir and the Wham Jam Choir, respectively. Both shows were at The Old Market, a theatre based in Brighton and were mainly attended by members of the public, friends and family, and the wider recovery communities.
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New Note Orchestra then joined other arts recovery organisations from around the country at the University of West London for the Addiction Recovery Art Network conference. They met, showcased their skills, and discussed ideas with Fallen Angels Dance Theatre, a dance company that supports people in recovery. New Note Orchestra and Fallen Angels Dance Theatre created a 10-minute collaboration that was performed at the conference. This collaboration has kicked off a much larger project called Traces Through Time and will be co-created and performed during summer/autumn 2023. Shows are planned in Brighton, Chester, and the Royal Opera House.
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Their fifth and sixth performances were in Crawley, where there was a low audience turnout. Crawley has a large substance misuse problem, and this is reflected in the number of ‘Cocaine Anonymous’ meetings there are in the area. Through conversations with Crawley Town Centre BID, Crawley Council and Creative Crawley, we have now concluded that it’s a very difficult place to build an audience due to the fact that there are limited music venues within the town. Unfortunately we hadn’t done enough work on the ground to encourage people who go to Alcoholic or Cocaine Anonymous meetings to attend the concerts.
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New Note Orchestra’s seventh performance was a collaboration with Not Saints, a newly formed record label in Brighton that supports artists in recovery. This was the first time New Note Orchestra had done a joint show, and it was a great opportunity to share resources and come together for the recovery community. After the performance, two new members joined the orchestra.
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New Note Orchestra’s eighth performance was part of a showcase event for this year’s mayoral charities. NNO and Molly Mathieson were asked to organize this event on behalf of the Brighton and Hove mayor. It was a great success, and it helped to raise awareness of the work that the orchestra is doing to support people in recovery.
4: Operations summary - New Note Strummers
In January 2017, the New Note Strummers group was launched. A weekly guitar group for people who are in recovery from addiction, this group attracts clients who are particularly vulnerable - including those in the early stages of recovery – and have experience of street homelessness and/or significant mental health issues. Many of the members have been socially excluded for long periods of time, including whilst in prison. With a National Lottery grant, Founder Molly Mathieson trialled a successful pilot from January-April 2017 and Strummers became a regular weekly group for people in recovery from addiction. The National Lottery has continued to financially support the group.
During the period of this report, Strummers began meeting regularly in the community. Membership had fallen significantly during the Covid pandemic and relationships with drug, alcohol and homeless services within the city needed to be re-established in order for new members to be referred to Strummers. Over this period, membership numbers steadily increase, however, people accessing this service had lots of very complex needs.
During the period of this report there were: 48 sessions 24 people 346 attendances
5: Operations summary - New Note Key Changers
In August 2021, Founder Molly Mathieson and Ex-Chair of Trustees Bridget Taylor invited the participants of New Note Orchestra to design a three-year strategy. This was an important step to co-designing a strategy with service users at the heart. One element of the strategy was to develop an outreach arm. Molly Mathieson then devised a new programme called New Note Key Changers which would train and support some of the musicians to become community music leaders.
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In June 2022 we launched the pilot of New Note Key Changers where some of the New Note Orchestra musicians’ developed skills around facilitation, rhythm, musical structure and presentation. They were trained by Graham Dowdell, a world leading expert in community music based at Goldsmiths University.
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Eight of our musicians completed five days of training. Three of the musicians then went onto do a placement within a partner organisation.
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We developed partnerships with three organisations who support people affected by homelessness: Crawley Open House, Brighton YMCA and Brighton Emmaus
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In feedback we found that 90% of attendees of the Key Changers workshops said they would take up creative activities in future.
Malcolm Nicholas, Service Manager at Crawley Open House states “…it was one of our more well-attended workshops. The people who participated wouldn’t necessarily go to other workshops but they did really engage with these. There were one or two individuals who hadn’t previously engaged with any form of workshops or groups at all”.
Matt Francis who has been with the New Note Orchestra for five years says “Coming from such a dark history and stepping into the light and developing these skills and seeing a potential future for me on the horizon is all very novel for me…So to see some form of future, even if it’s still very nebulous, is lifechanging”
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During the period of this report there were:
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22 sessions
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23 people
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111 attendances
6: Operations summary - New Note Dance
In the last few weeks of the reporting period, New Note launched a brand new project called New Note Dance. This weekly dance class was designed for people who have experienced addiction, homelessness, challenging mental health and trauma. Creating spaces that are specifically designed for people who have experienced challenging circumstances helps them to engage in activities that are positive for their physical and mental wellbeing.
New Note Dance Facilitator, Lauren Dowse, joined New Note Orchestra in 2019 and was a regular member and attended various performances. She has worked in the field of dance/performance for over 30 years and is well respected across the health and wellbeing sector, having taught many creative movement classes and workshops for vulnerable adults. In 2016, Lauren created The Life Art Course, a movement based expressive arts project to support people in abstinence-based recovery from all forms of addiction.
The ambitions of New Note Dance are to:
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Help support people in their recoveries from addiction through dance
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Improve cardiovascular health
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Develop better coordination, strength & balance
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Improve social & emotional health
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Reduce depression and social anxiety
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Develop healthier lifestyles by fostering a better relationship with the body
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Help support people in their recoveries from addiction through dance
New Note Dance is being co-funded by Create Recovery.
During the period of this report there were:
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3 sessions
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14 people
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29 attendances
A more cohesive update of New Note Dance will appear in next year’s Trustee’s Report.
7. Review of financial position
The New Note Projects accounts are independently examined by registered accountant Chris Tyler FCA, DChA, FCIE.
New Note Project accounts for 1[st] April 2022-31[st] March 2023.
| INCOME GRANTS LOTTERY ARTS COUNCIL CHALK CLIFF TRUST POST CODE LOTTERY ERNEST KLEINWORT CALYPSO BROWNING TRUST GARFIELD WESTON SPORT ENGLAND CRI-SEREN SUSSEX COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOYLE FOUNDATION LEIGH TRUST CLOTHWORKERS TRUST DONATIONS TICKETS CD STRUMMER REFUNDS |
2023 2023 2023 2022 TOTAL UNRESTRICTED RESTRICTED TOTAL 9,930 - 9,930 9,860 37,800 - 37,800 14,850 4,500 - 4,500 - 8,011 - 8,011 - 3,000 - 3,000 - 1,000 1,000 - 10,000 - 10,000 - 9,950 - 9,950 - - - - 3,000 8,049 - 8,049 4,040 - - - 5,000 2,500 - 2,500 2,500 - - - 7,900 2,254 2,254 - 315 4,472 4,472 - 349 - - - 217 542 542 - 153 |
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| 102,008 8,268 93,740 £48,184 |
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EXPENDITURE
| STAFF COSTS OPERATING COSTS INVESTMENTS NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) TRANSFERS FUND BALANCES B/FWD FUND BALANCES C/FWD BANK BALANCES RESTRICTED FUND BALANCE SUSSEX COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SPORT ENGLAND |
58,836 - 17,952 - 6,699 - |
58,836 69,381 17,952 9,194 6,699 4,317 |
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| 83,487 - |
83,487 82,892 |
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| 18,521 8,268 - 154 22,535 14,635 |
10,253 -34,708 -154 - 7,900 57,243 |
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| 41,056 23,057 |
17,999 22,535 |
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| 41,056 23,057 |
17,999 22,535 |
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| 8,049 9,950 17,999 |
TOTAL EXPENDITURE: £83,485
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Staffing Costs: £58,835
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Operating Costs: £17,951
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Investments: £6,699
Staffing costs include: Chief Exec/Creative Producer
Music Director
Guitar Tutor Sound Technicians
Directors
Producers
Freelance Musicians Freelancers for comms and marketing.
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Investments break down into the following: Musical equipment: Computer support Key Changers expenses
Reserves policy:
Our reserves policy is to hold sufficient funds to source the core operating capacity of the charity for four months. This means the charity can meet ongoing liabilities, sufficient to ensure that all delivery commitments can be met and to protect the long-term future of the operations. Our unrestricted reserves on 31 March 2022 were £23,057 and restricted reserves £17,999 making a total of £41,056
Assets:
The charity has assets in the form of musical instruments. Our total assets on 31 March 2023 were £18,000
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INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS’ REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES ON THE UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS OF NEW NOTE PROJECTS
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of New Note Projects for the year ended 31 March 2023.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the Trust 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 Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all 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:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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 to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
C R Tyler FCA DChA FCIE F1 CRT Limited Chartered Accountant Flat 24, Wellingtonia Court Laine Close Brighton BN1 6TD Date:
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