OpenCharities

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

2022-09-30-accounts

Ashdon Jazz Academy

TRUSTEES’ REPORT & ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 30 SEPTEMBER 2022

Contact Details

Patricia Muirhead, CEO Ashdon Jazz Academy The Old Library, 14-16 Knights Hill, West Norwood, London SE27 0HY 07949875605 ashdonjazzacademy@yahoo.co.uk

www.ashdonjazzacademy.org.uk

Charity Number: 1161413

1

Empowering and Inspiring Young Women

WELCOME BY KEVIN HOWELL, TRUSTEE CHAIRPERSON

At the time of writing the last year’s Annual Report, I was reflecting then on the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic and the national restrictions on our service users, our organisation and the wider charity community. Again, this year, I find myself doing the same. There is no doubt the last two years has created new and difficult challenges for everyone. In response, we have needed to double our efforts to maintain and adjust our offer for vulnerable young women.

There appears to be a consistent theme running through the findings of national research into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cited is the disruption to children and young people’s education, the impact on their mental wellbeing (including a rise in eating disorders) and young people feeling an increase in loneliness and feeling less positive about the future. Whilst many young people will not be adversely affected following the restrictions being lifted at the end of February 2022, some will need support from statutory and voluntary services so their welfare is not compromised. This may be for many months and even years. This is certainly where the Ashdon Jazz Academy fits in with our dedicated mentoring, weekly drop-in sessions and other programmes.

To maintain and develop our services we need to ensure there is an assured income through grants, fundraising and donations. Securing funding to cover our annual budgets over the last two years has been challenging and we know numerous small charities are dealing with the same issues. We will need to explore how we can be more effective in obtaining new funding streams, including our own fundraising.

I want to thank everyone involved with the Ashdon Jazz Academy over this last year for their commitment to continually put young women first. I am very proud of what we’ve achieved together – often on limited resources. As always, I acknowledge the hard work of the small part time staff team, our 30 volunteer mentors and our supporters. We remain grateful to Patricia Muirhead for her dedication as the charity’s founder and CEO. She rarely gets the recognition she deserves and it was fully merited that she was a winner of the CharityComms Inspiring Communicator Awards in November 2021. CharityComms is the membership network for communications professionals working in UK charities. To read a copy of why she received this award, go to: https://www.charitycomms.org.uk/awards/inspiring-communicatorawards-2021

On behalf of the Trustees, it is our hope that every young woman who contacts the Ashdon Jazz Academy and uses our programmes of support will be inspired, empowered and find their lives enriched for the immediate and the long term.

Kevin Howell Trustee Chairperson & Treasurer Ashdon Jazz Academy July 2023

2

INTRODUCTION

The Ashdon Jazz Academy (AJA) started in 2015, a year following the tragic death of Ashdon Muirhead who ended her own life at the age of just 14 years. As a teenager Ashdon struggled with peer pressure, peer aggression at school and lacking confidence about being herself in a society that pressurises young women to be and act a certain way.

Through our innovative interventions we engage vulnerable teenage girls to empower them to feel confident about themselves, develop personal life skills and deal better with the negative challenges they face. We want teenage girls to find their place in society and mature as responsible young women. Although our offer is open to all girls across the four boroughs we work in, we note that 95% of our service users are from black and ethnic minority communities.

MISSION STATEMENT

“Our mission is to work in partnership with vulnerable and disengaged young ladies aged 1121 and provide a dedicated emotional well-being service which in turn supports positive mental health from the boroughs of Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton and Croydon.”

AIMS

The charity aims to provide vulnerable young women aged 11-21 years with the insight, confidence and resilience to overcome the negative impact of feelings of isolation, peer pressure, bullying, family breakdown, stress and anxiety, the risk of or involvement in criminality and gangs and those who may be at risk of school exclusion.

The charity provides young women with the opportunity to build up a trusted and mutual relationship with a trained volunteer mentor for up to 12 months. We also run weekly drop-in sessions (Girls’ Nights), outreach, school holiday projects, work in schools and female only events, such as, workshops, conferences and residential breaks.

By working in partnership with youth clubs, schools, children’s social care and other statutory and voluntary organisations, the charity is able to target young females who may benefit from being referred or may wish to self-refer directly for mentoring or to attend one of our events.

OVERVIEW OF YEAR

Mentoring Project

Mentors give our service users the opportunity to build up a trusted and supportive relationship for up to 12 months. They work through their mentee’s needs, identify their desired outcomes and how best to achieve better resilience and self-confidence. The mentor will have regular communication with the mentee (e.g. in person, messaging, phone), including checking in on their welfare when appropriate – which took place during the national restrictions due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Ashdon Jazz Academy mentors continue to be trained using the XLP Mentoring – a nationally-recognised mentoring programme. Mentors are appointed through rigorous recruitment (including interview by the CEO and two Trustees), vetting procedures and completing specialist training. Mentors are required to undergo further training each year, regular supervision (every 6 weeks) and attend mentor network meetings. Mentors are required to follow the charity’s Safeguarding Policy and Procedures, Code of Conduct and Working Alone Procedure. Quarterly evaluation summaries are being completed by mentees to help evidence the impact of mentoring.

3

During the year, 31 girls were referred for mentoring, with an average of 5 on the waiting list at any one time. When some girls had to wait to be matched with a mentor, they were offered the weekly drop-in sessions. The girls came from the four boroughs we work in: Lambeth (14), Croydon (6), Merton (8) and Lewisham (3). Referrals were mainly made by Children’s Social Care and Youth Services. 24 girls completed the mentoring programme during the year.

**Evaluation ** 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22
Percentage of girls with
increased self-
confidence/esteem at
end of mentoring		 86% 89% 95% 76% 80%
Percentage of girls
meeting personal
targets at end of
mentoring		 100% 100% 92% 73% 80%
Mentors 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22
Number of vetted and
trained mentors at end
of year		 21 20 25 31 23
Number of new vetted
and trained mentors
during the year		 20 20 25 17 7
Percentage of vetted
and trained mentors
with up-to-date DBS		 100% 100% 92% 100% 100%
Percentage of vetted
and trained mentors
with up-to-date
safeguarding training 2
years		 100% 100% 92% 100% 100%
Percentage of vetted
and trained mentors
receiving regular
supervision once a
month		 80% 80% 73% 100% 100%

Weekly Drop-in Sessions (Girls’ Night) and other Events

During the year, we facilitated 61 weekly drop-in sessions (some with a maximum of 15 participants to meet national guidelines during lockdown). When face to face meetings were not possible, sessions were held with video group calling. Around 75% attended more than once - with many taking part regularly each week. We have noticed a drop in the percentage of girls stating they have increased self-confidence/esteem at the end of the weekly drop-in sessions. Our assessment of this data suggests the girls’ mental wellbeing has been impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic (e.g. disruption with education, less opportunities for socialising, feeling less hopeful about the future).

4

Number of Drop-In
Sessions Held		 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22
55 57 65 66 61
Evaluation 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22
Percentage of girls with
increased self-
confidence/esteem at
end of drop-in,
outreach or other event		 88% 85% 90% 90% 73%

We were able to deliver the following other events during the year:

Stronger Minds

In October 2020 we started our Stronger Minds programme of mental health resilience sessions for Year 7-10 students in Lambeth schools. During 2021-22 we delivered 12 sessions across 4 schools in Lambeth. 62 young women were supported during the programme by the end of the academic year in 2021.

The Stronger Minds programme has been developed by a partnership of Lambeth voluntary sector organisations and local young people who have been trained as Peer Facilitators.

Stronger Minds is built around evidence-based theories and techniques to help young people build protective factors to manage complex thoughts and feelings, focus on goals and pursue healthy relationships in real life and online. It’s informed by local knowledge of specific issues facing many of the young people in Lambeth.

Gambia Girls Gift Trip 2022

As a demonstration of our commitment to expand our service users’ horizons, we took 16 girls to The Gambia for a friendship visit during 29[th] July – 15[th] August 2022. The girls were accompanied by 2 staff and 8 volunteers (one of whom is a mentor for our charity).

Planning actually started in 2019 when it was scheduled to take a group to Gambia for 8 days in July-August 2020. However, due to the worldwide pandemic this had to be cancelled and was initially delayed for one year and then for a second year. This was

5

extremely frustrating for the girls who had secured their place on the trip for 2020, but as an example of their determination, nearly all the original group went in 2022.

One of the aims of this trip was for our group to meet disadvantaged young women in Gambia and offer them friendship and presents (e.g. homemade soap which our girls have made). All the girls took part in in the Gambia ICE project (International Correspondence Exchange) and were all partnered with a pupil from the Mansa Colley School in Gambia. The girls had all exchanged a number of letters and video footage prior to the trip in 2022. On return, our young women are expected to give at least one presentation (e.g. to their school or college, youth club, faith group) on the challenges they faced, how they overcame these and what they learnt.

Schedule - Gambia Girls Gift Trip 2022

Tuesday 26th July Arrive in Gambia
Settle in and adjust to climate and new surroundings
Wednesday 27th July Visit to Mansa Colley School
Bojang Upper B.S

Jalambang Village
Thursday 28th July Trip to Monkey Park
Trip to Crocodile Park
Friday 29th July Visit to Govi Orphanage to donate collected items.
Saturday 30th July Visit Serakunda Market
Sunday 31st July Chill Sunday and BBQ on the beach
Monday 1st August Visit Paradise Beach
Visit to Tanji Fishing Market on theway home
Tuesday 2nd August Pack and leave for Home

The trip was entirely financed through a range of income sources. This involved the girls and their families’ giving deposits for their air fares, all 16 girls individually applying for and receiving a grant from the Jack Petchey Foundation and fundraising events (organised by the girls, their families and our staff/volunteers). In addition, we received a generous donation from an individual, plus ring-fenced grants. Due to the national restrictions during the Coronavirus pandemic, many planned fundraising events could not happen.

Detailed risk assessments were undertaken from as early as November 2019 and updated in February 2022 when Trisha Muirhead (CEO) visited Gambia. This ensured first hand that the trip could happen safely and achieve the desired outcomes.

It is planned to undertake another trip to Gambia in 2024.

6

Ambassadors

Ambassadors are either previous mentees or girls who have attended our events who are recognised as being positive role models and want to give something back to their community. They have represented our charity at public events and may even become a peer mentor to younger girls. We work to develop their life, leadership and team building skills, entrepreneurial talents and social responsibilities. We were very pleased to celebrate the news that our first ever Ambassador graduated with a law degree during the year.

Due to the national lockdowns, it was very difficult to maintain the young women’s commitment to our Ambassador Scheme. We were able to identify 2 new Ambassadors during the year, but they had difficulty committing time to attend training. We decided that our resources were needed to deliver our other programmes during the year and our intention is to re-start the Ambassadors’ Programme in 2023.

Ambassador Events 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22
Number of Ambassador
events		 7 16 18 [1] [1]
Number of girls as
Ambassadors during
year		 22 24 24 11 10

[1] Unable to hold any events due to national lockdown restrictions and other priorities.

Our Capacity and Capability

The charity continues to develop as a mainly volunteer-based organisation through grants from charitable trusts, our own fundraising and personal donations. As in 2020-21, we were able to secure various emergency grants which enabled us to adapt and maintain our core services during the Coronavirus pandemic until the national restrictions were finally lifted at the end of February 2022.

The next 3 year business plan for 2023-26 will be drafted and agreed by the CEO and the Trustees during 2023.

During the year, our part time staff group expanded in line with our business planning. The charity continued to be managed by Patricia Muirhead (CEO & Founder) who works 28 hours a week, plus extra hours as a volunteer. Over the last 8 years she has developed a pool of around 30 trained mentors and ensured the weekly drop-in sessions and other events are held. Patricia Muirhead was supported by:

We are grateful to all the volunteer mentors who support the young women they are matched with. We also express thanks to the other volunteers and supporters who help with facilitating events, fundraising and supporting the charity.

During the year, five Trustees served on the Board meeting quarterly to make decisions, review policies and conduct financial reviews. As at 30 September 2022, the trustees were Kevin Howell (Chairperson and Treasurer), Linda Neal, Michelle Nicholas, Pauline Thomas

7

and Kate Wilson. All Trustees have a current Disclosure & Barring Scheme check and have attended safeguarding training in the last 2 years.

We are grateful for Donna Fraser, a well-respected former British athlete, for being our patron since 2019.

We continue to collaborate with a large number of local partnerships:

Rathbone Youth Club, Norwood Consortium, Filmantrophy, West Norwood Library, Merton Connected, Lambeth Wellness Centre, Still Breathing book project, Ezra Lloyd-Jackson (perfumer), LEAP Confronting, Park Campus and Rathbone Girl Night.

We are extremely grateful for the donations and grants given by our supporters during the year (some of whom do not wish to be named):

Covid 19 Response Fund, Merton Giving Fund, Merton Connected, Lambeth General Fund, Rosa UK, Jack Petchey Foundation, Croydon Mayor, Streatham Baptist Church, Energie Fitness, Fawcett Wolf, St Nicholas church, Carne Global, Lush, Garfield Weston and Wimbledon Community Foundation.

The Trustees confirm they have approved the Annual Report above.

Date: 14[th] July 2023 Date: 14[h] July 2023

8

10-14.

14[th] July 2023

9

ASHDON JAZZ ACADEMY STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2022

Unrestricted
Notes
Funds
Incoming Resources
Incoming resources from generated funds
2
17,500
Incoming resources from charitable activities
3
3,629
Other Income
4
5,790
Gambia Girls Gift Trip 2022
5
0
Total incoming resources
26,919
Resources Expended
Charitable activities
Mentoring
5
0
Projects
6
13,177
Support costs
7
11,031
Gambia Girls Gift Trip 2022
9
5,301
Total Resources Expended
29,509
Net expenditure for the year/
Net movement in funds
-2,590
Fund balance at 1 October
18,812
Fund balances at 30 September
16,222		 Unrestricted
Notes
Funds
Incoming Resources
Incoming resources from generated funds
2
17,500
Incoming resources from charitable activities
3
3,629
Other Income
4
5,790
Gambia Girls Gift Trip 2022
5
0
Total incoming resources
26,919
Resources Expended
Charitable activities
Mentoring
5
0
Projects
6
13,177
Support costs
7
11,031
Gambia Girls Gift Trip 2022
9
5,301
Total Resources Expended
29,509
Net expenditure for the year/
Net movement in funds
-2,590
Fund balance at 1 October
18,812
Fund balances at 30 September
16,222		 Unrestricted
Notes
Funds
Incoming Resources
Incoming resources from generated funds
2
17,500
Incoming resources from charitable activities
3
3,629
Other Income
4
5,790
Gambia Girls Gift Trip 2022
5
0
Total incoming resources
26,919
Resources Expended
Charitable activities
Mentoring
5
0
Projects
6
13,177
Support costs
7
11,031
Gambia Girls Gift Trip 2022
9
5,301
Total Resources Expended
29,509
Net expenditure for the year/
Net movement in funds
-2,590
Fund balance at 1 October
18,812
Fund balances at 30 September
16,222		 Restricted
Funds
61,120
3,049
0
5,460
69,629
49,217
0
25,738
25,459
100,414
-30,785
£43,160
12,375		 2022
Total
78,620
6,678
5,790
5,460		 2021
Total
75,766
11,148
5,366
20,000
26,919 96,548 112,280
0
13,177
11,031
5,301		 49,217
13,177
36,769
30,760		 39,831
10,779
29,954
0
29,509 129,923 80,564
-2,590
18,812		 -33,375
61,972		 31,716
30,256
16,222 28,597 61,972

10

ASHDON JAZZ ACADEMY BALANCE SHEET AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2022

Notes
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors
11
Cash at bank and in hand
CREDITORS: due within one year
12
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES
INCOME FUNDS
UNRESTRICTED FUNDS
General purpose fund
RESTRICTED FUNDS
Funding		 2022
£8,045
£24,833
£32,878
£4,281
£28,597
£16,222
£12,375
£28,597		 2021
£0
£68,654
£68,654
£6,682
£61,972
£18,812
£43,160
£61,972

The accounts were approved by the Trustees on 14th July 2023.

Signed on their behalf by:

…………………………………………….. …............................................................. Signature Signature Chair/Treasurer: Kevin Howell Trustee: Linda Neal

11

ASHDON JAZZ ACADEMY NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2022

1 ACCOUNTING POLICIES

1.1 Basis of preparation

The accounts are prepared under the historical cost convention.

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the statement of recommended practice, "Accounting and Reporting by Charities" in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard issued in July 2014 and the provisions of the Charities Act 2011

1.2 Incoming Resources

Incoming resources are recognised in the statement of financial activities when entitlement has passed and the amounts are certain and measurable.

1.3 Allocation of costs

Direct activity cost are those costs which contribute directly to an activity and are allocated to the relevant activity. Support cost are those cost that are necessary to deliver an activity but in themselves do not deliver an activity, include cost incurred to meet statutory and constitutional requirements.

1.4 Funds

Restricted funds represent income received that is subject to donor restrictions on use. General funds are available for furthering the cause of the organisation.

2
GRANT AND SIMILAR FUNDING
Lambeth General
DWP Resource Management
BBC Children in Need
Fawcett-wolf Andrew
Rosa Fund
Garfield Weston
London Youth Fund
Merton Voluntary Service
LB Merton
Leather Sellers
Leap Confronting
London Communication
Albert Hunt
Arnold Clarke
Covid 19 Response
3
CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES
Croydon Project/Mayors
Streatham Baptist Church
St Nicholas Church
Lust Retail Ltd
Carne Global Finance
Jack Petchy
4
OTHER INCOME
Fundraising
Paypal
Donations
Interest		 2022
£13,433
£3,589
£15,000
£12,700
£12,500
£0
£3,790
£7,773
£0
£0
£9,835
£0
£0
£0
£78,620
2022
£0
£0
£185
£444
£3,000
£3,049
£6,678
2022
£2,967
£0
£2,819
£4
£5,790		 2021
£15,849
£5,000
£7,760
£22,887
£6,900
£1,500
£600
£1,000
£500
£13,770
£75,766
2021
£9,600
£798
£750
£11,148
2021
£2,138
£0
£3,215
£13
£5,366

12

ASHDON JAZZ ACADEMY NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2022

5
Gambia Girls Gift Trip 2022
B O'sullivan
Dane Trust
Serinity
Deposit
6
Mentoring
Facilitation & Supervision
Advertising & Promotion
Resources & Expenses
Training
Workshop expenses
7
Projects
Facilitation & Supervision
Venue Hire
Fund Raising Events
Resources & Expenses
8
Support costs
Rent for office
Staff
Accounting software
Office supplies & Stationary
Subscriptions
Insurance
Postage & Printing
Travel & Transportation cost
Telecommunication cost		 2022
£0
£800
£2,625
£2,035
£5,460
2022
£43,019
£0
£5,157
£1,010
£31
£49,217
2022
£9,338
£0
£0
£3,839
£13,177
2022
£6,740.00
£21,830.92
£0.00
£1,513.00
£705.00
£1,177.00
£2,400.00
£251.90
£2,151.00
£36,769		 2021
£20,000
£20,000
2021
£36,065
£0
£3,145
£614
£7
£39,831
2021
10,474
£0
£0
£305
£10,779
2021
£5,910
£18,778
£0
£920
£701
£449
£1,806
£519
£871
£29,954

13

ASHDON JAZZ ACADEMY NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2022

9
Gambia Girls Gift Trip 2022
2022
Travel Cost
£28,463
Other Expenses
£2,297
£30,760
10 Employees
2022
The average number of employees and volunteers during the year w
Staff
4
Volunteers and Mentors
30
34
Employment cost
Wages and salaries
£21,831
11 Debtors
2022
Other debtors
£8,045
£8,045
12 CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
2022
Other creditors
£4,281
£4,281		 2021
0
2021
as:
5
31
36
£18,778
2021
£0
£0
2021
£6,682
£6,682

13 TRUSTEES

None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or reimbursement of expenses during the year.

14