OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

← New Note Projects

2024-03-31-accounts

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

Charity number 1161284

Trustee Report and Financial Statements Year ending 31 March 2024

New Note Projects Concorde House 18 Margaret Street Brighton BN2 1TS

1

The Trustees of New Note Projects present their Annual Report for the period from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.

1. Governance and Structure

New Note Projects (NNP) is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). Our constitution is a ‘Foundation’ model whose only voting members are its charity trustees. New Note Projects was constituted on 14 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 three trustees during the period 1 April 2023 - 31 March 2024:

Interim Chairperson: Helen Marsden Trustee: Dan Blomfield Trustee: Sarah Erskine Trustee: David Martin

Dan Blomfield and Helen Marsden resigned from the board of trustees on 15 December 2023. The board then advertised for a new chair and another board member.

The day-to-day operations of New Note Projects were overseen by Founder and Chief Executive Molly Mathieson.

2. New Note Projects aims and objectives

New Note is a charity based in Brighton which uses music to support people affected by addiction and its supplementary issues such as challenging mental health, isolation, and poverty. Over 70% of our participants have experienced homelessness.

New Note was launched by Molly Mathieson in 2015 due to the drug and alcohol issues within Brighton and Hove, which had the gruesome label of being the drugs death capital of the UK.

New Note runs four projects for vulnerable adults. These are:

2

Across all our groups we have some guiding principles which help our participants to strengthen their recoveries from addiction. They are:

Anyone affected by addiction can access our groups, regardless of ability. We have created referral pathways with all of the statutory drugs/alcohol/homeless services in the city. Our groups are free to attend.

Since our launch we have become nationally recognised as an exemplary model of how to sustain recovery from addiction. We are experts at engaging vulnerable adults using improvisation and co-creation, building trust and a sense of belonging by removing barriers and creating opportunities for participation and involvement in high quality music-making and performance. Our methodologies have been recognised by the government after being cited as an ideal recovery model by the Centre for Social Justice ( Road to Recovery. Addiction in our Society - the Case for Reform. 2019). Alongside this, we have won multiple awards including the prestigious Kings Award for Voluntary Service – a lifetime MBE for charities.

Trustees Report accounting Period - 2023-2024

Some highlights for this period include:

Growth: We increased our reach to serve a total of 357 individuals.

Partnerships: We formed collaborations with other organisations including, Create Recovery, Fallen Angels Dance Theatre, and the Royal Opera House.

Recognition: We received the King's Award for Voluntary Service, an MBE for charities which is a prestigious honour recognising our contributions.

Programme Expansion: We launched New Note Dance and expanded our Key Changers leadership program.

This accounting period featured great successes alongside serious external challenges which included the cost of living crisis, reduced funding in the arts sector and toxic debates within the ‘culture wars’.

Research commissioned by Equity and carried out by the Autonomy Institute shows that overall arts funding for the UK from national bodies (Arts Council England, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Arts Council of Wales and Creative Scotland) has been cut by 16% in real terms since 2017.

3

Alongside these very challenging external factors, New Note Projects doubled its engagement with people affected by addiction and challenging mental health. This was due to the launch of New Note Dance and the development of our pilot programme Key Changers.

On the 14th November New Note Orchestra was selected to receive The King’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2023. This is a lifetime award and is the equivalent of an MBE for charities.

This period also saw New Note Projects enter into creative and financial partnerships with a range of different organisations.

We entered into a financial partnership with Create Recovery, who agreed to finance 50% of New Note Dance.

We entered into a creative partnership with Fallen Angels Dance Theatre and the Royal Opera House. Please see more information in the sections below.

For this report there are five key sections:

4

PUTTING OUR AIMS AND OBJECTIVES INTO PRACTICE

Quantitative Evaluation

Registers are taken at every session for each project which allows us to measure our reach and monitor engagement with our participants.

The following measures are used:

Workshop sessions - the number of sessions held within the financial year.

People attending sessions - the number of unique participants attending at least one session within the financial year. This measures our total reach.

Overall attendances - number of sessions multiplied by the number of participants at each session. This allows us to monitor engagement by comparing with previous years.

Retention rate - the number of unique individuals who attended at least one session in the previous financial year, and returned for at least one session in the current year. For example, if 22 people attended in 2022/23, and 16 of them returned in 2023/24, this gives a retention rate of 73% (16/22). This allows us to monitor participant’s long term engagement with a project.

Performances - the number of live performances given in the financial year.

Qualitative Evaluations.

We often ask the participants to fill out feedback forms and questionnaires, to ask about how the sessions are helping with their recovery journeys and the development of musical skills. Alongside this, we gain informal feedback at every session. A summary of the formal qualitative data is included in the relevant sections.

5

3. Operations summary - New Note Orchestra (NNO)

What How many
(3-year average in brackets)
NNO Workshop sessions 46 (46)
People attending the workshops 29 (23)
Overall attendances 445 (473)
Retention rate 73% (71%)
Performances 5

NNO was launched in 2015 as the first of its kind in the world. Its aims are:

NNO performed five concerts across the UK:

Significant achievements during the period of this report

The first concert for this reporting period was in May 2023 and as part of a partnership between NNO, Brighton Fringe and Hullabaloo Quire. NNO were invited to take part in the Fringe’s landmark stage, Caravanserai. Artistic Director of Hullabaloo Quire, Kirsty Martin, wrote some lyrics to NNO’s music. It was a successful collaboration and resulted in a sell-out show.

6

In September 2022, Molly Mathieson approached Fallen Angels Dance Theatre (FADT) and proposed that they collaborate to make a 10-minute piece for the Addiction Recovery Arts Network conference at the University of West London. This then kick-started a year-long collaboration process between these two leading recovery arts organisations.

The conference was a landmark moment which brought together other recovery arts organisations and led to FADT and NNO creating a brand new show called ‘Traces Through Time’. Inspired by the ‘recovery journeys’ of the participants in both organisations, ‘Traces Through Time' was developed in both Brighton and Chester and culminated in three performances including one at the Royal Opera House in London.

‘Traces Through Time’ was ambitious in scale and reach, and from the beginning had some logistical challenges, which included the two organisations being separated by over 200 miles.

The collaboration began through a series of Zoom meetings with participants and weekly one-to-ones with the creative team which included Claire Morris and Paul Bayes Kitcher from FADT and Molly Mathieson and Conall Gleeson from NNO. In July 2023, dancers from FADT travelled to Brighton to work together with the musicians from NNO in a series of workshops, to weave all the different segments together. After three days, a 45-minute performance was shown to the public at South East Dance in Brighton.

In November the musicians from NNO headed to Chester to perform with FADT at Storyhouse and then four days later the artists performed at The Royal Opera House in London.

7

NNO and FADT also held a conference, a panel discussion chaired by Dr Cathy Sloan, as part of the Royal Opera House Insights season highlighting our work transforming lives through music, dance and creativity to support artists in mental health and addiction recovery. The conference was filmed and has been viewed over 7000 times.

We asked audiences attending Traces Through Time whether they had seen FADT or NNO before?

DATE
NO
YES		 DATE
NO
YES
01/11/2023 - Storyhouse 61%
39%
04/11/2023 - Royal Opera House 85%
15%
05/11/2023 - Insights Conference at ROH 78%
22%
TOTAL 70%
30%

This shows how we reached new audiences through collaboration with external partners.

Feedback from the New Note Orchestra Musicians:

Overall, people were very happy with the experience, people scored their enjoyment 9 out of 10.

People felt proud of the performance , saying it was ‘amazing’, ‘brilliant’, ‘fantastic’, and ‘excellent’, and noting the amazing reaction we got from the audience. Some said the music, sound, and staging was excellent, but others felt they needed more space on stage, more time to soundcheck properly, and more time to focus on individual elements of the performance such as the spoken word. There were many comments about the whole experience being rewarding, but also very tiring. The busy schedule meant there wasn’t much time to stop and think, and people were often in a rush to finish meals or travel between hotels and venues.

What did the musicians gain from the experience?

People said they gained confidence in themselves, their social skills, and their ability to perform. It made them realise what the orchestra is capable of and provided an opportunity to get out of their comfort zone and overcome personal challenges. People also gained a sense of connection and community; they were grateful for the new opportunities and experiences, including being able to perform in large venues, and some related that to being possible because of their sobriety. The experience also reinforced their appreciation of the orchestra and their fellow musicians.

8

4. Operations summary - New Note Strummers

What How many (3-year average in brackets)
Strummers workshop sessions 43 (43)
People attending the workshops 36 (28)
Overall attendances 348 (301)
Retention rate 67% (60%)
Performances 0

New Note Strummers was launched in January 2017 and has been the cornerstone for many people seeking solace in the recovery community. It is a drop-in group with predominantly men aged between 35-60. This group is designed to support people in the early stages of their recovery journey.

This group continued to offer a safe place for some of the most vulnerable people within Brighton and Hove. This accounting period saw the New Note Strummers support some of the participants in stepping up to facilitate the group. This was a valuable step in their progression.

No public facing concerts were held during this period as many of the participants were dealing with challenging issues including acute anxiety.

9

5. Operations summary - New Note Key Changers

What How many
Workshop sessions 41
People attending the workshops 109
Overall attendances 257
Retention rate N/A

In 2021, a co-created strategy with the New Note Orchestra musicians identified a need to create an ‘intervention’ team who would engage people in the early stages of recovery or still in active addiction. The Key Changers Programme addresses this need by training up and supporting musicians with lived experience of addiction and other adverse life challenges as community music leaders. During the period of this report, three New Note Orchestra musicians were supported and trained as community music leaders. They facilitated a series of workshops in rehab centres and homeless hostels, engaging a wide variety of vulnerable people and offering conversations around recovery from addiction. We continued to pilot the programme by creating a network of other music organisations in Brighton, where we shared resources and learning methods around music facilitation. The network continues to support our Key Changers’ development.

The Key Changers deliver music workshops in partnership with homeless hostels and rehab centres. During this period we entered into a partnership with Crawley Open House who support people affected by homelessness. Malcolm Nicholas, Service Manager at Crawley Open House says, “New Note facilitates music workshops for our clients, and it enables clients that may not be so confident in other forms of expression such as talking or writing to form positive social connections centred around a common love for music. The beauty about the music workshops is that you do not have to be proficient in your ability to make music but by the end of the session clients end up jamming together.”

The benefits for music workshop participants include:

We have plans to expand this programme due to its success.

10

6. Operations summary - New Note Dance

What How many
Workshop sessions 40
People attending the workshops 33
Overall attendances 396
Retention rate N/A - this is the first year for New
Note Dance.
Performances 1

New Note Dance was launched in March 2023. This weekly movement workshop in central Brighton engages women overcoming addiction, mental health adversity, trauma and poverty. Workshops are led by local recovery champion Lauren Dowse, who founded the group in 2023 after accessing music-making sessions with New Note Orchestra.

Lauren wanted to use her expertise in recovery and the Tamalpa Process to create a unique space for women in recovery to enjoy mindful, creative movement as a unique group experience and New Note wanted to support her in her creative practice of becoming a full time dance facilitator.

In Brighton & Hove, women can expect to live 25% of their life in poor health (significantly worse than the average for England). Over one in five local adults aged 20+ have two or more long-term health conditions and 8% have at least one physical/mental condition, strongly correlated with deprivation (Brighton & Hove Health & Wellbeing Strategy 2019-30).

Since its launch in 2023, New Note Dance has successfully engaged women with known barriers to physical activity - and particularly long-term mental health conditions including depression and substance use disorder. More than half of women engaged in the past year also had additional barriers (notably low incomes, unpaid caring roles, and physical health conditions/disabilities). Around two-thirds of women were aged 55 or over, and two members of the group (including the facilitator) have lived experience of homelessness.

Overall, the women New Note Dance engages are diverse - but all vulnerable in at least one aspect of their lives. In developing New Note Dance, facilitator Lauren has consistently (though not always intentionally) applied best practice approaches for successfully engaging underserved groups. For example, as a local recovery champion, she has engaged community peers as participants/volunteers and promoters of New Note Dance at local recovery meetings/events.

Lauren has also used distinctive facilitation techniques (emphasising a whole-group experience where everyone feels valued) alongside thoughtful branding emphasising creativity (over potentially off-putting sports/fitness themes). This has helped the group achieve steady growth in reach/attendance and excellent feedback from participants.

11

Independent evaluation of our pilot work in late 2023 found that whilst none of the participants surveyed had specifically signed up to improve their physical wellbeing, 75% reported this was a major benefit. Similar (unintentional) outcomes included increased physical activity (88% of participants), improved mental wellbeing (71%), increased connection to the community (100%) and healthier lifestyle choices (90%).

12

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 2023-31[st] March 2024.

INCOME
GRANTS
LOTTERY
ARTS COUNCIL
CHALK CLIFF TRUST
POSTCODE LOTTERY
ERNEST KLEINWORT
CALYPSO BROWNING TRUST
GARFIELD WESTON
SPORT ENGLAND
CREATE RECOVERY
SUSSEX COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION
FOYLE FOUNDATION
LEIGH TRUST
MARTIN GEDDES TRUST
CRAWLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL
SUTTON PLACE FOUNDATION
FALLEN ANGELS - TRAVEL COSTS
DONATIONS
DONATIONS
OTHER INCOME
TICKETS
FEE
REFUNDS		 2024
2024
2024
2023
TOTAL
UNRESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
TOTAL
9,970
-
9,970
9,930
51,601
-
51,601
37,800
-
-
-
4,500
13,355
-
13,355
8,011
-
-
-
3,000
-
-
-
1,000
-
-
-
10,000
-
-
-
9,950
1,330
1,330
-
-
-
-
-
8,049
-
-
-
-
2,500
-
2,500
2,500
4,000
-
4,000
-
1,000
-
1,000
-
2,500
-
2,500
-
1,292
1,292
-
-
8,882
8,882
-
2,254
4,257
4,257
-
4,472
350
350
-
-
26
26
-
542
101,063
16,137
84,926
102,008

13

EXPENDITURE

STAFF COSTS
OPERATING COSTS
INVESTMENTS
NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)
TRANSFERS
FUND BALANCES B/FWD
FUND BALANCES C/FWD
BANK BALANCES
RESTRICTED FUND BALANCE
LOTTERY GROUP - STRUMMERS
SUTTON PLACE FOUNDATION
POSTCODE LOTTERY
LEIGH TRUST		 64,855
1,244
63,611
58,836
29,762
14,251
15,511
17,952
6,183
4,027
2,156
6,699		 64,855
1,244
63,611
58,836
29,762
14,251
15,511
17,952
6,183
4,027
2,156
6,699
100,800
19,522
81,278
83,487
263
-3,385
3,648
18,521
-
-
-
-
41,056
23,057
17,999
22,535
41,319
19,672
21,647
41,056
41,319
19,672
21,647
41,056
9,970
2,500
6,677
2,500
21,647

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 2024 were £19,672

Assets:

The charity has assets in the form of musical instruments. Our total assets on 31 March 2024 were £15,000

14

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 2024. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity trustecs 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 havc 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 confirni 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 Trust as required by section 130 of the 2. the accounts do not accord with those records. or I hav¢ no concems 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 FI CRT Limited Chartered Accountant Flat 24, Wellingtonia Court Laine Close Brighton BNI 6TD Date: *4< 15