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2023-03-31-accounts

Happier, healthier lives through music

Musical Connections Annual Report and Financial Statement

31[st] March 2023

Reg. Charity No: 1165993

T: 01904 373011 E: enquiries@musicalconnections.org.uk W: www.musicalconnections.org.uk

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ORGANISATIONAL DETAILS ................................................................................................. 4 GOVERNANCE ......................................................................................................................... 6 Election of Charity Trustees ................................................................................................... 6 Additional Governance Information and Organisational Structure .................................... 6 Risk Management .................................................................................................................... 7 BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES ........................................................................................ 8 Background .............................................................................................................................. 8 Objectives ................................................................................................................................ 8 ACTIVITIES DELIVERED AND BENEFICIARY NUMBERS .................................................... 9 Main Activities Delivered ........................................................................................................ 9 2022/23 AT A GLANCE .......................................................................................................... 11 IMPACT ON PARTICIPANT WELLBEING ............................................................................. 12 Social Prescribing ................................................................................................................. 18 DIGITAL ACTIVITIES ................................................................................................................. 19 MUSICAL CONNECTIONS’ MAGIC INGREDIENTS ............................................................. 21 IN MORE DEPTH: ................................................................................................................... 21 Clear Values and Carefully Considered Working Practices .............................................. 21 Support Offered to Beneficiaries Between Sessions ......................................................... 23 Creative, Skilled and Dedicated Musicians ......................................................................... 24 A Sizeable Volunteer Team ................................................................................................... 25 Partnership Working ............................................................................................................. 28 Free Transport ....................................................................................................................... 29 Ongoing Relationships with Intergenerational Partners ................................................... 29 Solid Financial Management ................................................................................................ 31 Steadfast and Supportive Board of Trustees ..................................................................... 31 FUTURE PLANS ..................................................................................................................... 32 FINANCES .............................................................................................................................. 33 Income and Expenditure ....................................................................................................... 33 Fundraising ............................................................................................................................ 39 Reserves Policy ..................................................................................................................... 41

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APPENDIX: INDEPENDENT EXAMINATION AND TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT .......... 42

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ORGANISATIONAL DETAILS

Type of Charity: Musical Connections is a CIO (a Charitable Incorporated Organisation).

Charity Registration Number: 1165993

Date of Registration: 10th March 2016

Postal Address: PO Box 724, York, YO1 0HL

Trustees:

Valerie Sutton (Chair) Jo Farrington (Treasurer) Chris Bartram

Hazel Brown Richard Frost Fiona Chapman

Bank:

NatWest

City Centre Branch

1 Market Street York, YO1 8SR

Accountants:

Outsource

29 Millfield Road

York, YO23 1NH

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Over the last year, the structure of our project team has changed. In July 2022, our longstanding Project Director handed over day-to-day project management to two of the team’s musicians, whom she continues to mentor. Two more self-employed musicians have been heavily involved in delivering the project alongside the new project managers, and our Board of Trustees has continued to play an active role in supporting the team.

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GOVERNANCE

Election of Charity Trustees

Clause 10.1 of our constitution states that ‘apart from the first charity trustees, every trustee must be appointed for a term of three years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees’. Clause 10.2 states: ‘In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the charity trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.

Additional Governance Information and Organisational Structure

Musical Connections’ board of trustees is stable, experienced, and very active, bringing together a range of skills and expertise. Our Chair was previously Group Manager of Adult Services for City of York Council, and brings extensive experience in managing and delivering care for older people. She is ably supported by the rest of the trustee board, which includes a retired GP, a former marketing manager, a former senior music lecturer from York St John University and a retired chartered engineer, who is also one of our choir members, enriching the board with his experience as a project beneficiary. Our former Project Director has also become a trustee, which has proved invaluable in providing continuity through the change in project management. She continues to write grant applications in support of the project, Together the board is well equipped to provide oversight and guidance for the project.

Our new Project Managers have been dedicated members of the Musical Connections (MC) team for several years, and are much-loved by MC beneficiaries in both care and community settings. They are excellent musicians and, during the lockdowns, took on additional responsibilities and developed new skills - they were key to our ability to cope with the challenges of Covid-19, and are now highly focused on ensuring our charity thrives in the postpandemic environment. They continue to work as group musicians on the project, while providing strong leadership and overseeing our two other musicians, who are themselves highly trained and experienced in working with vulnerable older people who have a range of needs, interests, and abilities.

By April 2022, following the gradual resumption of in-person sessions in Autumn/Winter 202122, we were running 10 music sessions in a range of care and community settings (9 weekly and 1 fortnightly), and beneficiary numbers have grown steadily over the year. We have

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retained the strong sense of ‘family’ that we developed with our group and choir members during Covid, and have also continued some digital activity informed by our learning and experiences during the pandemic.

Risk Management

The Board of Trustees considers that they have complied with their duties to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission, and work collectively to review risks, systems, and procedures on a regular basis. One of our trustees has particular responsibility for Health and Safety, one of the Project Managers is the Designated Safeguarding Lead, and our Chair is the Deputy Safeguarding Lead.

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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Background

Following a tumultuous 2 years overshadowed by the Covid-19 pandemic, Musical Connections’ musicians and beneficiaries have relished the opportunity to get back to a normal programme of sessions, events, and intergenerational activities. Nonetheless, we continue to make allowances for the risk of Covid i.e.:

Overall, however, confidence has increased hugely, and almost all beneficiaries have demonstrated a strong desire to get involved, not just in regular group/choir sessions, but in additional events involving school children, students, and other members of the wider community.

Objectives

The smooth transition in project management has ensured that we have continued to deliver on our charity’s objectives i.e.:

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ACTIVITIES DELIVERED AND BENEFICIARY NUMBERS

Main Activities Delivered

Over the course of the year, the following activities were delivered by our team of dedicated musicians, all of whom were closely supervised by the Project Director until July, and, from then on, by the new Project Managers (who continue to be closely supported by the former Project Director):

https://youtu.be/_sf0DzzHKOg?si=NG8kYb-XAR4SzEAr

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concerts with other choirs in traditional concert venues e.g., the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, and York St John University’s Creative Centre

Free transport was provided for anyone who needed it, to enable them to attend both weekly sessions, and additional community-based events.

Alongside the groups, our musicians and volunteers have stayed in touch with group and choir members between sessions, ensuring everybody has had the information and support they have needed to be able to attend sessions, and to identify where extra help may be required. We have also completed a digital inclusion project which we started in January 2021 (see Digital Activities section for further information).

What the team do at Musical Connections is amazing. Music is universal and to be able to bring people together through this medium and create true happiness and positivity are just some of the many reasons I feel so privileged to be an ambassador. I've been lucky enough to witness first-hand the joy that the sessions bring to the lives of those involved, and the more people that can hear about and get on board with the charity, the better.

(Laura Castle, local radio presenter and Musical Connections ambassador, pictured centre

below)

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2022/23 AT A GLANCE

Over the course of the year, the number of beneficiaries engaging in weekly/fortnightly music sessions increased from 208 in April 2022 to 303 by the end of March 2023, plus c.200 additional vulnerable older people who took part in 21 additional, one-off events in the wider community. In addition, 819 children and young people from a local nursery, schools and universities took part in intergenerational activities with beneficiaries. 39 people, who would otherwise have been unable to get involved in community-based creative activities, made use of our offer of free transport.

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IMPACT ON PARTICIPANT WELLBEING

Feedback from beneficiaries suggests that the work we have done since the easing of restrictions has had a significant positive impact on their wellbeing, enabling them to re-connect fully with their musical family and the wider community.

During two tracking phases (October 2022 and March 2023), 128 beneficiaries completed feedback questionnaires.

Always has, and always will have, a positive impact on my mood!

Charlotte is so full of energy; it’s infectious!

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Everyone goes home with a feeling of content and

with a big smile on their face.

I just feel happy to be here on a Thursday!

I think it’s good for all of us, we all get together, we all have a good time - it’s really entertaining too.

Makes me feel I am wanted. Loneliness is a terrible thing, believe you me.

Since my husband died, I lost of lot of confidence in myself. If I can sing and get it right, it’s a great help to my confidence.

more alert and active :

We’re doing things that we wouldn’t normally do on our own in our flats - singing to yourself, playing a horn, we’re communicating with each other.

It brings back memories of my Mum, and my memory in general.

I really appreciate the challenging nature of doing something I’m not good at! Lovely atmosphere, and great to be learning something completely new at 75.

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Coming to choir is one of the highlights of my week, without a doubt.

I wouldn't want to stop coming, it gets me motivated and up on a Wednesday morning.

It's something to look forward to each week. It has the most wonderful feeling.

I do look forward to Tuesday choir. Meeting friends, picking up on the latest gossip and singing, what’s not to like!

Even when things are bad, I still want to go to the group.

I wanted to join a group where I could sing, and meet new people, as I was quite isolated at home, caring for my disabled husband.

I enjoy being part of this happy choir and the connections from the Big Sings and school events.

I enjoy socialising, as I don't usually go anywhere.

A wonderful opportunity to be with people.

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They're really nice people, and they always have a nice smile - it's just jolly!

Friendship. It's lovely coming out and meeting people. It's making me happier. My husband has noticed. I love coming here. It gives me a purpose to get up. It gives me positivity and I hope it continues!

The group as a whole - the friendliness of every member.

Mentally I feel that I'm a happier person and enjoy everything I do with MC. That gives me a

reason to go on living life to the full.

It is just an absolute pleasure to be a part of this very special organisation. Thank you to you all.

I just love everything about it, the singing, the leaders, the feeling of success when we get it right, and the friendship. There are no loners, everyone is so friendly.

It has been probably one of the best things I have done in recent years. The pleasure and improvement in my health

since I joined the various groups has made a great difference to my life. I so look forward to anything that MC is involved with. The feeling of being a part of the MC family is so heart-warming, and I feel very proud and privileged to be involved.

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I’m telling you; it’s made me a greater person since coming here - I’ve learnt a lot, and I want to carry on - I want to do more.

Being part of Musical Connections really enhances my week - concentrating on learning something new, the satisfaction of creating harmonies, being a bit silly with like-minded people, and being with familiar and friendly faces that we can trust. The energy and sense of wellbeing that is released at MC is sustaining and really lifts my mood during the week. I’m proud to be a member.

I just love coming every Wednesday. I would miss it terribly if we didn’t have it! If I could bottle I would!

It's an important time of the week for me, I see friends, enjoy a good sing, and can forget other distractions in my life for a little time.

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As someone who suffers from COPD, the singing really does help with my breathing.

The physical warmups at the start of choir are fun as well as being good for us.

Just love being part of this special family!

It is like another family.

It gives people the chance to feel worthwhile and be part of a family.

The leaders know everyone by name which literally helps members to feel ‘recognised’. I think that asking members

to help with little jobs also helps individuals to feel valued and gives them opportunities for increased engagement with the group.

Charlotte is a very good leader; she knows all our names and is always able to answer any questions.

We are always listened to as a group - group led definitely. We feel we have an input, as does Abby to us. It’s a two-way street.

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Social Prescribing

Pre-Covid, Musical Connections was working closely with York Medical Group (YMG), who were leading the development of social prescribing in York at that time. While YMG continues to lead the way, social prescribing has become a city-wide initiative, with widespread acceptance of its ability to provide patients with legitimate non- medical solutions to their problems. We have now worked with YMG for over 5 years as a social prescribing partner. No longer able to base ourselves in their surgeries, we have found alternative venues for these groups in the wider community - YMG is covering the rental costs for us, and despite the loss of contact with patients in the surgeries, our strong relationships with YMG/NHS social prescribing link-workers continue to ensure a steady stream of referrals.

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DIGITAL ACTIVITIES

During the lockdowns, the technology gap became strongly evident; those with internet access were able to participate in our large range of online activities, whereas those without it felt increasingly isolated, despite regular telephone and postal contact. In response, after a small pilot project in two of the council’s sheltered housing schemes, we purchased a stock of tablets, and between January and March 2022, conducted a tablet training project with 2 of our music groups (one community-based and one sheltered housing scheme). As most group members had never used a tablet before, we wanted to ensure that they felt as though they were experiencing genuine benefits from having digital access – teaching them how to browse the internet, take pictures, access song lyrics and record parts of the sessions. Some members struggled, citing an inability to understand the digital world, however others were keen to learn, and in feedback questionnaires completed with 11 beneficiaries who had retained their tablet throughout the programme (9 from the community-based group and 2 from the sheltered housing scheme group), it was gratifying to see that that the number of people perceiving the benefits of tablet usage had increased, with all having enjoyed the process, and keen to continue using them in the future. One member found digital access so beneficial, both during weekly sessions and at home, that she bought herself her own tablet, and had broadband installed at home.

‘It’s made me buy one, so it’s definitely done something! I’ve got the internet too, so it’s made me do that – I do find it useful’

In September 2022, based on the above learning and member experience, we introduced a further 14 tablets to a third (sheltered housing scheme) group, alongside supporting 11 members in the original 2 groups. Whilst most of the group acknowledged that a tablet could potentially be useful in connecting with other people, again, there was some resistance to being involved, with 4 refusing to take a tablet and 3 returning it soon after the programme commenced. In response to this, the group’s musician tried to incorporate the tablets in a more relaxed format; encouraging members to take photos or read lyrics that she had already accessed for them online, however, this still triggered feelings of confusion and frustration. Many group members also struggled to remember to charge the tablets or bring them to weekly sessions, making it particularly difficult for the group’s musician to assist them, and increasing the divide in skillset within the group. The remaining 6 beneficiaries continued to trial using the

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tablet, both at home and during sessions, however, in feedback questionnaires, only 2 reported that they would continue to use it after the culmination of the training programme.

Subsequent to our experiences during the lockdowns and as technology becomes an integral part of our everyday lives, we were hopeful that providing group members with tablets would offer a gateway to a digital world that was previously inaccessible to them; providing maximum opportunity for them to engage with each other, access online creative opportunities, and connect with the wider world. Whilst this was largely successful in the community-based group, with 9 still regularly using their tablet, both at home and during sessions, members in the sheltered housing scheme groups struggled, and even with additional time and resources, made little or no progress. In summary, a desire and commitment to learn is clearly imperative in overcoming the digital divide; some members were keen to do so, and have consequently flourished in a newfound digital world, however others, despite the groups’ musicians’ efforts, lacked any perceived need or benefit, content without the additional connectedness the tablet might offer.

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MUSICAL CONNECTIONS’ MAGIC

INGREDIENTS

Over the 14 years that Musical Connections has been running, including throughout the coronavirus pandemic, we have seen how these ingredients have combined to create a formula which has enabled us to consistently deliver a creative, high-quality, and adaptable project which has become greatly valued in York, both by its beneficiaries and by the wider community, including healthcare professionals.

IN MORE DEPTH:

Clear Values and Carefully Considered Working Practices

The following characteristics are cornerstones of our work:

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Continuity: During Covid-19, our determination to maintain the beneficiary friendships and community connections developed prior to the emergence of the virus and to provide a continuous programme of musical and social activities through all levels of restrictions meant that, as we emerged from the pandemic, many of these friendships and connections were even stronger than before. Our ongoing commitment to providing a continuous programme of sessions, events and related activities (structured loosely around the academic timetable) has ensured that these relationships continue to flourish.

Inclusivity: We welcome any older person who wishes to join us, regardless of ability or disability. We do not believe in compartmentalising people and have been told, particularly by people living with dementia, that they prefer not to be pigeon-holed as such, but would rather mix with other members of the community as they would have done before their diagnosis. Throughout the pandemic, we received referrals from local agencies seeking support for vulnerable and chronically isolated older people, and we became known for our flexibility and willingness to provide the support needed to enable people to get involved despite the restrictions both we and they were facing. We continue to work hard in our ‘new normal’ to circumvent any obstacles which prevent potential beneficiaries from joining us.

Avoidance of stereotyping: We do not make assumptions about participant preferences and invite them to engage with all kinds of musical genres and activities. In concerts and city-centre busking this year, members pulled off fantastic performances of songs by artists such as Madonna, to rapturous applause.

Providing opportunities to learn and achieve: Beneficiaries, including those with learning disabilities or dementia, have repeatedly demonstrated that they enjoy and are stimulated by being offered a degree of challenge e.g., learning and composing new songs. Simply re- visiting old favourites can get boring after a while.

Building on participant skills and interests: Where participants have shown a particular talent, we have worked hard to celebrate it. Group/choir members who wish to are invited to perform solo or with small ensembles, while this year, for the first time, two members used their considerable artistic skills to deliver art workshops for members of our sheltered housing groups.

Good relationships between the project musicians and carers/staff in care settings: Our team works hard at developing positive relationships with others who have responsibility for the welfare of our beneficiaries. We aim to develop an understanding of each other’s issues, and to

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develop mutual respect, which ensures that the project is delivered collaboratively, with a shared focus on how to maximise benefits for participants.

Chris loves coming to the choir, especially when he’s up with Charlotte, dancing and teaching us Makaton. He’s had a lot of bad experiences with people and lacks confidence, but he’s the life and soul of the Rolling Tones, and comes away so happy and confident – it’s amazing.

(Lisa, Chris’ carer)

Ensuring participants are fully involved in evaluation and planning activities: While most participants tell us that they would rather be making music than discussing the process/project, they appreciate being asked for their opinions about their group, and for guidance on its future development. In an extension of this work, a beneficiary steering group was created in early 2022, which has helped to provide extra insight and support for the team over the last year.

Disciplined and focused tracking and evaluation activities: Involving beneficiaries and volunteers in the following activities has given us great insight into the impact of our work, enabling us to move forwards with confidence and an understanding of what beneficiaries need and value:

Continuous review of the process has optimised participation in it and the usefulness of the information collected. While adjusting to in-person work, it has been very helpful to be able to gauge how beneficiaries have adapted to our ‘post-Covid’ project, and to understand how reconnecting with their musical family has benefited them.

Support Offered to Beneficiaries Between Sessions

The intensive support we provided to our beneficiaries during the pandemic has left a lasting legacy and, since returning to in-person sessions, our musicians and volunteers have continued

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to work incredibly hard to maintain contact with beneficiaries between sessions, helping them to sustain the connections formed within the groups, and identifying the support needed for them to access as many as possible of the numerous musical activities on offer. As a consequence of this additional work, we can say with confidence that we do not just offer participants a weekly creative outlet, but a much more profound social and creative framework which, over time, becomes the bedrock of many beneficiaries’ lives, giving them friendship, a sense of belonging and numerous experiences to look forward to and to enjoy together.

Creative, Skilled and Dedicated Musicians

In the second year of the pandemic, our musicians were light on their feet, adapting constantly to evolving restrictions, and taking advantage of every increase in freedom to generate new opportunities for face-to-face activities with beneficiaries.

It is testament to the excellent relationships they maintained with beneficiaries during the lockdowns that it was a relatively seamless process to reunite the groups indoors in September 2021.

Over the last year, the musicians have continued to re-embrace the established practices of Musical Connections, working hard to achieve a balance between accessibility and providing a level of challenge which requires focus and application from group participants. An emphasis on developing musical understanding and offering more complex experiences than traditional singalongs is appreciated by

beneficiaries who are keen to use their brains and skills and to embrace an opportunity to learn and experience something new without feeling any pressure.

The musicians provide a welcoming and supportive environment for these activities to take place and fully understand that, while the music gives group members focus and purpose, the groups need to be delivered in a way that maximises relationships with and between everyone involved – the musicians all know that, ultimately, the purpose of the music is to facilitate these relationships and is not an end in itself. This knowledge and understanding is what helps them to deliver our project so effectively – and is also what drives them to stay in

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contact with some of our most vulnerable members between sessions – they appreciate that ‘our musical family’ extends beyond the boundaries of session times.

Alongside traditional music-making, the musicians have embedded digital activity within the project (see above). This has only been possible because of their own excellent digital skills, which they honed out of necessity during the pandemic.

A Sizeable Volunteer Team

Following the pandemic, we experienced a drop in volunteers and launched a new recruitment drive, which enabled us to replace many of those we had lost. By the end of the year, 22 volunteers had supported the project, with 14 of these as regulars, and 4 students who worked with us on an ad-hoc basis. At the end of March 2023, we had:

Our beneficiaries benefit hugely from the volunteers’ contributions:

We have a blind gentleman from Bermuda of 91 years old who loves to come and join in with the singing. He lives in the next village to me, so I collect him up en route. He lives in sheltered housing, and his family have entrusted me with his keys. He really appreciates the shared company – we have so much in common and enjoy our afternoon together. In fact, he states that Thursday afternoons are the highlight of his week. He is always dressed and ready to go at 12.30, however, I don’t collect him until 2.30 – that’s how eager he is.

It is apparent that the volunteers enjoy their work with us and benefit just as much as our primary beneficiaries from the social connection and musical participation that the groups offer

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them. They are also inspired by the opportunities the project presents for them to use their skills and time in support of others.

I get a lot out of being part of Musical Connections - both as a choir member and volunteer. I particularly appreciate being able to volunteer in tandem with other personal responsibilities I have. Finally, a huge shout out to the musicians who lead the groups with such enthusiasm and positivity. Being with them is like plugging into a charging point for a couple of hours - I emerge feeling completely energised!

MC shows off the power of music for getting people to smile, learn new songs and ideas, remember a tune they hadn’t heard for ages and the memories that accompany it. I’m so glad I started volunteering!

In questionnaires conducted with 7 volunteers, ALL said that volunteering for MC improved their mood that day ( 4 said greatly ):

Absolutely LOVE helping at the MC sessions - it's my favourite time of the week!

What I enjoy the most about volunteering is seeing how much the participants love the sessions; it gives me a high to be a part of that.

ALL said that it made them feel generally happier and more positive ( 4 said greatly ):

It’s good to be able to concentrate on helping others to enjoy singing, whilst enjoying myself. I stop thinking about all the negative things going on in the world.

What I love most of all about being a volunteer for MC is seeing everyone with a smile on their face and having fun! It’s evident that the music and activities you provide for our groups make a huge difference to so many people. Such a positive environment makes me happy!

I love volunteering for the Musical Connections session. It has a really positive impact on my own wellbeing each week through the shared fun and

friendship. Everyone joins in and there is so much laughter, it is an absolute pleasure to be able to help support the group and feel part of it.

Volunteering at MC never felt like a chore; it was a fun chance to spend time with people I wouldn’t meet otherwise. What they do at MC is amazing and a great model for all community groups.

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ALL said volunteering had helped to improve their confidence ( 4 said greatly ):

I feel confident within the group and it’s good to be able to share my skills and interests.

ALL said that being a part of the MC volunteering team had improved their overall satisfaction with life ( 5 said greatly ):

I just love it. If I can crack a joke or say something funny and hear their laughter; it warms my heart.

I learnt so much when volunteering with Musical Connections. The sessions are more fun, lively, and welcoming than I ever imagined, and the leaders bring an incredible energy to the sessions. They guarantee laughter every week for people who don’t always have lots going on. One of my favourite parts of volunteering was chatting to the members and hearing their interesting stories. It felt like a safe space for them to talk.

ALL said that they felt a valued member of the MC family ( 5 said greatly ):

I am always thanked by the musicians and by the family of the lady I support. She is always pleased to see me and often hugs me goodbye.

I know from both members’ and team members’ comments and reactions, that I am appreciated.

ALL said they were very happy with the communication and support from the team.

Alongside our volunteer team, we have an active beneficiary steering group, which has provided useful feedback on the project, and helped to guide and support the musicians over the last year.

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Partnership Working

We receive regular referrals from City of York Council’s Local Area Co-Ordinators, York Medical Group and NHS social prescribers. We are also connected to other related agencies such as Age UK York, OCAY (Older Citizens Advocacy York) and York Cares, who are in a position to promote our work to potential beneficiaries and with whom we occasionally run joint events or projects. Similarly, we benefit from a positive relationship with Make It York, a local authority funded agency working to raise the profile of York’s local organisations and connect them with the wider community.

More generally, we benefit from York CVS’s excellent support for the voluntary sector in the city, and regularly attend their training and information sessions. and we are members of the Music for Healthy Lives Research and Practice Network steering group, an initiative led by the University of Leeds.

After 14 years of successfully delivering and developing our project, we are really starting to become embedded within the York community, and our project partners clearly value our ability to work with them to provide tailored solutions to overcoming the barriers that prevent older people from being able to stay involved with their local community. The following comment is from the Chief Executive of York Medical Group:

‘Musical Connections is an incredible organisation that works with our (older) patients, gets them together, helps them to find their singing voice and fills their hearts (and mine) with joy. While the mode is music, the outcome is healing through the magic of music, and it has been amazing to watch how the project has grown. We want to be able to prescribe music, not pills, and we know Musical Connections can help us to do ‘this’.’

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Free Transport

When Musical Connections began working in community settings, it quickly became apparent that transport was a huge barrier for some potential beneficiaries, who could not use public transport or taxis because of disability or a lack of money. Free transport is now firmly embedded in our offer and continues to make a huge difference for people who would not otherwise be able to get to weekly sessions or additional events in the wider community. 39 participants have used this service over the last year, relying either on volunteer drivers or local taxi firms, who are aware of

our beneficiaries’ circumstances and needs, and have provided updated safeguarding policies which cover Covid safety. Please use the following link to watch a video which aims to illuminate the role of free transport in the life of our project: https://youtu.be/_sf0DzzHKOg

We know that our project partners find the offer of free transport hugely helpful in encouraging and enabling their clients to get involved with us, and we believe that our commitment to providing this service on a bespoke and ongoing basis sets us apart from many local services.

Ongoing Relationships with Intergenerational Partners

Intergenerational work has always played a key role within our project. Our approach is one of mutuality and an expectation that everyone involved will play an equal and active role, so that all participants, regardless of age, have a sense of purpose and a properly shared and meaningful experience. It delivers immediate and direct benefits to participants, both younger and older, as well as wider sustainable benefits relating to cross-generational understanding.

Its success is built on:

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Over the last year, we have worked with the following:

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The interactive content and the regularity of this work helps isolated older people to get involved or re-involved in the life of their community, and to enjoy positive experiences and connections with other people and generations. The evidence suggests that it is an equally positive experience for younger participants.

It was such an incredible experience for the children, and they were raving on the way home about how much they had enjoyed it.

Scarcroft Primary School Teacher

The workshop was a brilliant experience for all of us. It was great to see the children interacting together and with adults of different ages. They enjoyed the singing and combining movement/ instruments to add meaning to the songs. A highlight was the game at the end of the session where the children and adults worked as a team to achieve a goal.

Burton Green School Teacher

Solid Financial Management

As the Covid-19 pandemic subsided, our priority was to move out of crisis mode, and to focus on longer-term sustainability. We were delighted that several funders, including Arts Council England, were keen to support us in this. By the end of the year, we had increased our reserves and had significant grant funding in place for the coming year.

The grant funding was complemented by income from voluntary participant contributions at weekly sessions (we request £4, but do not exclude anyone who is unwilling or unable to contribute), community fundraising and additional donations from members and project supporters.

Steadfast and Supportive Board of Trustees

Prior to this year, our Board of Trustees remained unchanged for several years, while this year has seen the addition of our former Project Director, who has stepped down from running the project, while continuing to mentor our new Project Managers, and to write grant applications in support of the charity. Her knowledge and experience are a valuable addition to those of the other trustees: our Chair was previously Group Manager of Adult Services for City of York Council, and our Treasurer is a former marketing manager within Leeds City Council. A retired GP, a former senior lecturer in Music at York St John University and a retired engineer, who is also a Musical Connections choir member, make up the rest of the Board.

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FUTURE PLANS

With 10 groups and choirs now running smoothly once more, and with new Project Managers in place, the next 12 months will see us:

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FINANCES

Income and Expenditure

Table 1 highlights the overall receipts and payments from 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2023, the brought forward balance at the end of 21/22, and the subsequent bank balance.

The total receipts up to 31st March were £80,849, and the total payments were £83,801, which leaves a deficit balance of £2,952 for the financial year. When added to the carried forward balance from 2021/22 (£80,205), this left Musical Connections with a total balance of £77,253 for the end of the financial year.

The total amount of receipts allocated to unrestricted funding was £29,010, and there were payments to the value of £26,031, thus leaving an unrestricted surplus of £2,979 at the end of 2022/23. When added to the balance brought forward at the end of 21/22 (£36,459) and accounting for some minor transfers of funds (£5), this leaves the charity with £39,433 of unrestricted funds.

The total amount of receipts allocated to restricted funding was £51,839, and there were payments to the value of £57,770, thus leaving a deficit balance of £5,931 in restricted grants to carry forward into the next financial year. When added to the balance of restricted funding brought forward at the end of 21/22 (£43,746) and allowing for a small number of transfers between funds, this leaves Musical Connections with £37,820 in restricted funds to carry forward into 23/24.

The total receipts received in 22/23 (£80,849) were made up of grants received £51,839 (64%), followed by session fees and contributions of £14,177 (18%). Donations from organisations (£2,000), community fundraising (£4,348) and individual giving (£8,485) together represented the remaining 18% of the total.

The top five categories of payments and the % of the total (£83,801) they accounted for, were as follows:

Musicians’ session fees - £30,695 (37%)
Project management fees - £24,836 (30%)
Beneficiary transport - £8,956 (11%)

33

34

Community involvement activities - £7,398 (9%) Venue hire costs - £4,301 (5%)

Table 2 provides a breakdown of receipts and payments for unrestricted funds and each restricted fund. It also provides the current surplus for each fund, the amount brought forward from 21/22 and the funds carried forward at the end of the financial year. This table also shows where payments were made against a brought forward balance from 21/22 rather than a receipt in 22/23 e.g., The Brelms Trust CIO

Table 3 shows the statement of Musial Connections’ assets and liabilities on 31st March 2023.

34

35

Table 1: Receipts and Payments for the year ending: 31[st] March 2023

35

36

Table 2: Unrestricted and Restricted Funds

36

37

Table 3: Statements of Assets and Liabilities on 31[st] March 2023

37

39

Fundraising

Our income comes from 4 main sources:

Grants and organisational donations : in Autumn 2021, we secured a significant amount of grant funding, which secured our work for the whole of 2022-23, and up until October 2023. The most significant of these were from the Garfield Weston Foundation (£30,000 over 3 years) and Arts Council England (£34,722 over 20 months). During 2022-23, we have secured new grant funding for spending in the second half of 2023.

Weekly voluntary donations at sessions: these have come from participants at our community-based groups. We suggest a £4 donation per session - some beneficiaries give more, some less and some nothing at all. While these donations are an important source of income for us, nobody is excluded if they are unable or willing to make a contribution.

Direct fee income : this has come primarily from a private care-home which has paid us directly for regular sessions. Age UK has also paid us for a handful of taster sessions at their day clubs

Community fundraising and individual donations : Community fundraising activities have included concerts, busking and carol-singing. Individual donations were boosted by an unexpectedly large donation of £5,000 from a friend of the project.

We would like to thank the following funders for their support over the last year:

Arts Council England

Ashley Family Foundation

Awards for All (National Lottery)

Benenden Health Community Fund

Brelms Trust CIO

Garfield Weston Foundation

39

40

Headley Trust

Hobson Charity

HDH Wills 1965 Charitable Trust

Postcode Neighbourhood Trust (a grant-giving charity funded entirely by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery)

Purey Cust Trust

The Shears Foundation

The Utley Foundation

The Wharfedale Foundation

The Whitwam Family Charitable Foundation

40

41

Reserves Policy

Musical Connections’ Reserves Policy, approved by the Trustees in May 2022, states that the charity should hold a maximum of £42.7k in reserves. This level of reserves was set after careful consideration of all the potential reasons reserves would be needed e.g. to aid cash flow, contingency planning to mitigate against unexpected expenditure, to commit designated funds to expenditure not covered by annual income and finally the closure of the charity. After due consideration of all these potential calls on reserves, trustees took the decision that they needed to protect the beneficiaries in the event of having to cease operation, and therefore considered it prudent to hold in reserves six months of its operating costs plus additional funds to cover any professional services, e.g. legal or financial, required to aid the closure. £42.7k represents 50% of the current annual operational costs of running the project with an additional 10% to go towards paying for any professional services that may need to be employed. This level of reserves would protect the charity’s beneficiaries, who are mainly socially isolated and vulnerable adults, and enable it to wind down its operation in a sustainable way, rather than abruptly withdraw its services, which would have a detrimental impact on their quality of life. At the end of 2022/23, the level of reserves held was £39,433.

41

42

APPENDIX: INDEPENDENT EXAMINATION AND TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

42

Musical Connections (Charlty Nurn￿r: 11659931 Trustees Annual Report & Financial Statements for the year ended 31st March 2023 Charity accounts preparation & independent eKarnination service 43

Musical Connections (Charlty Plumbtr.. 11659931 Contents Index Page Report of the trustees Independent examlner's report Recelpts & payments accounts Statement of assets and liabilitles Notes to the accounts 44

Trustees. Annual Report Fwm Chwltyknfvl n•• R•gtstw•d Ch•rMy nLwbw Obj•¢tt￿ Ind Acllvlll8• rofv¥nce I￿ of¥uthf •¢•J p the Cmrty Thrd b•vn ourfK¥i lU¥￿T dinth. bWth•txrft•k crfCtySlg ¢thTh•d2022.23, rt• • d￿￿1• r4ry• Ol￿r 1 In hun• 2 c•mmunty tommunty.b•sed•%th, ry P•QOfrom i¢hoDh 21 commynty•••d e￿rdI ¥vJw •t*• UK dtyclts. £￿ty1￿ kn bx•I l¥JJkty e¥•nt OureXKw￿ca¥du￿wjPffj ￿20x￿1 P•JWtrftyJ th• fflulbv￿J Irrfrtm tyjrrnty0tr￿1￿rtIIqrl￿1ycth In hwe". 11 •rt YkShcps grty41 45

Summary oithv mln achknem•nt• ollltharlty. KIDnllfyltythe di1r•r￿th chwrty'¥ ha• rn•dD toth• Ounty the finllrKMI￿¥ 2Q22.23. rw a laTrJ. ¥1tr(o crfon• gw. Bylhe ol 2023. wa Wwk•O 9>) ¥ukw. othi F•. And 619 •nd Y￿￿rIa Fvl• 128 96% so￿) to It￿ Yrwtr4Jlhewrn¢<#lM the d¥rf18Vh s•wJ 9r••tyl $5% s•kJ totNryYgrw Wt4ndw•Jr• ros¢r• •b￿ 91% Ih•Y % th•t rt 9M wd ¥￿hr¥I0 95% •nibk>J IMM ￿ makt rrt[••￿ 92% thal mJ• r•¥ throwh W 9FQW> W• bD•n 4J•J ty• prov￿ m•mt4rn whlir4p)n EX￿￿•￿ T•lilbJn¥h¥ • nuMb•rdwoh p•rfrrtrn thot•i ety￿ Y• LOC • Coofdin410rn NHS xwl W•Kr•rt h•W rn•Je rtyuwi rnf•fr•h. Yrok MJt•l Gro￿. iKYcth. ¢XAY10 c#￿en¥Att￿OG￿l Y¢rkl Ycrfk C4rn8 io io b•nllfK4nO& W• b•nDfrtfrthYYork CVS. ¥obJrtt•ry ILVPNt lhd Irn ihe lor R•wrch and Ptty#K• IlovwVJ 9mlip. •tron9 th•)••r Fln•nGl•l rnv Al th• •nd or1￿ 22r23 fin0￿￿)1. rn¢•N•J ttO.819 •thJ rnthD ￿Y1￿m$ ¢1 E83.$01 0 d•fiB Iqnce of£2,￿2 fw Thw bh¢•¢4n t• W fftto ynMbiEd 4rd £2.979 surF4W In uN•iirked fL&ir4 a U,931 doftit In iwrkt•d g11rf •￿s1Otr•t8I￿J lon¥4rd bW1n￿ frtsm 21122 i£eo,2051. tho IIusK•l¢onrwtpJMith DltW¢•hK• of£77.25341 th• •TrJ ollm fwciil bar wll •i urnth fu￿ of£39.433rnJ £37.820thf•thd•OfuTh. Atlh• end o122r23 •mwnt ofrnmms hetrjwu £39 4k Reserves •hLWJ t £42 7k. al prw•th f•fadJ c4tyK•t4y•f¢￿l￿II coth of th• An •SJrti 10%1¢ go tuw4rd 51."49 ItlhB •nd oiirfm•KIW S*¥. £39.433 Ofunrejl￿ed WA Fyndl m&i•rWty In ￿￿kIl WA NIA 46

D•xrfplkJn ollh• ch•w• trwitt NIA Tyr4 ofgovémlng HowV¢hrity is cor•tltuted Gludlng ol•ny tonstjtutional prnvionB•4. on ts p09t Or ol•ny 10 1 olwr ¢t￿lU￿￿ atq5 th'Wrt Irom dfir51ch•tyilWI•¢S', •¥0ry mwt bE for a temi 01th￿Y￿aTr tyA r•it•JiKJh) V850d 014 Frcgwty m•8bry dthtrchartytruth￿ 10.2 stAtCS'hl iMMOu•fry Trtmth￿ thtyytIL¥t¢•S ¢h¥ty Yusteès mL¥t h8ve waTQ tothe thili. Réf•rnnc• and •dM1n￿tr8{IoTh d•lal Ch•dty'B prfvrtlW4d• PO BDX n4 YOI CHL Ol1k•{W￿l or 04ppo V•1 Surt Jo Fairl￿ 111 8artiArn H•z•l 6rLN%7b Rrharf FK•t Tr•••u 12n122 Fl•m•• and 4ddr•M# ol OPTK)WAL N•m• Addm• EX4rni￿r Yol 7PSI Bank•n Nthl er $1grKd ty•h•llrfth• Slgn4¥r• Fvll N•m• JDanr ￿ri% Poolticsfj Tm#L Il/Y/ 47

Independènt examlnerfs report to the trustees of Muslcal Conntrtlons I report on the accounts of-. Muslcal Conntrtions for the year ended.. 31st Marth 2023 which are set out on page$ 5 to 8. Responslbilitles and basls of report As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparotion of the accounts in accordance with the reouiremenls of the Charltles Act 20111'the Act'l. 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 14515llbl of the Act. Independent examlner's statempnt I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention In connection with the examlnation 8i¥in8 mè cause to believe that In any material respect.. i accountin8 records were not kept in resped of the Trust as required by sedion 130 of the Act; Of 2 the accounts do not 3¢¢ord with those records I have no concerns and have Come across no other matters In connection wSth the examlnatlon to which attention should be drawn in this report In order to enable a proper undefstanding of the ac¢ounts to be reached. ICi{2S Karen Wood IACMAI Outsource independent examinatlon service The Hiscox Building Peasholme Green York YOI 7PR e: 48

Musical Connections (Charity Number- 11659931 Receipts & payments acmunts for the year ending: 31st March 2023 2023 Total funds 2022 Total fund5 Vnre5trirted Restricted nds fvnds Receipts Session fees & contributions Grant5 Donations from organisations Donations from individuals Community fundraisin8 Total recelpts 14.177 14,177 51,839 2,000 8,485 4,348 9,018 80,045 4,687 2,511 4,513 51,839 8,485 4.348 Payments Session costs - musicians Marketing & Website Meetin8 Costs Transport costs Session & event resources Insurance Project management costs Administration & office costs Funding bids & fundraislng Training costs Community involvement actlvitieslvolunteer management. musicians Venue costs Volunteer costs & DBS checks Independent examination Evaluation Covid Self isolation payment Miscellaneous expenses Total payments Net of recelptsl{payments) Transfer5 between funds 24,855 435 375 8,742 229 380 12,360 197 30,695 I,iii 450 8,956 1,666 518 24,836 893 820 I,S45 17,596 1,278 259 2,145 5,941 372 22,140 1,085 676 75 214 1,437 138 12,476 696 820 915 630 1,786 1,669 5.729 7,398 16,753 613 12 31 3,688 4,301 12 300 31)0 1,722 144 31JJ 150 378 131 2,979 (5,9311 12,9521 27,860 Balance brought forward Balance carried forward 36,459 43,746 80,205 52,345 49

Musical Connectlons (Charity Number: 11659931 Statement of assets and liabilities at: 31st March 2023 2023 Total funds 2022 Total funds Unrestrlrted funds Restrlcted funds Assets Currenl bank account Petty Cash 39.324 109 37,820 77,144 109 80,061 144 37 Current value Assets retalned for chjrlty's own use Fund Cost Detalls 45 x tablets Awards for Ail 4,455 3,308 2023 Total lunds 2022 Total fvnds Unrestrlcted Restrlcted funds funds Uabllltles Independent examination fee 350 350 350 350 300 300 50

Musical Connertions Ichartty Number.. 11659931 Note5 to the accounts for the year ended: 3tst March 2023 l. Basls of accounts The Tru5tee5 have taken advantage of sectlon 144 (21 of th¢ Charlt5•$ Art 2011 •nd pr•p•r•d the a¢¢ounts on a r•c•lpts and payments basis. 2. Restrlcted Income funds Where funds w•r• orlginally grant•d for f•c• to fac• work. fund•rs klndly allow•d th•ir irants to bè r+ deployed to 5UPPQrt Covid- response activiti•s. Fund nam• Purpose 8r•lms Trust CIO 3rd instalment of a 3.year irant to dellver muslc groups and Snteroènèrational artivrties For Intergenerational work I'Generatlons In Hamlon￿l Wharf•dal• Found4tlon Hobson Charlty For the prOvI￿On of free beneficlary transport HDH Wlll$ 1965 Charltable Trurt For the v•nue hlr• for Honeysuckle Slng•rs Sts¢ond Instalment of a 2-ye4r irant for cor• costs 2nd Instalment of a 3-year irant toward5 core costs Ashley Family Foundatlon Garfield Weston Foundatlon Awards for All For a dlgltal Incluslon prolert almed at en•blln8 MC members to use tablets durinK and between séssions S•cond Inst•lm•nt of a y•nt to support.. w••kly I￿PerSOn muslc 8roups,' th• Inclus5on of dl8ltal/onlln• •rtlvltl•s,' slgnlfi¢ant or8anisational dev•lopment For the resumption of Acomb Sin8•rs Arts Coundl Eniland Purey Cust Trurt Headl*y Trust 2nd in5talment of 4 2-yeJr irant towards core ¢ost5 Postcode Nelghbourhood For the resumpti￿ of The Rollin8 Tones Community tholr Sh•ars Foundatlon A grant towards eorè costs 8tnenden H•alth Community Fund For musician fees for Awmb Singèrs Whltwam Famlly Charltable Foundation Utley Foundation A 8rant towards core costs For a Coronatlon concert with m•mb•rs of York Medical Group's Tower Court Singers. plus other groups 51

TMnsf•r B418rie• Unrertrlcted 36.459 29,010 26,031 39,433 8r•lms Tryst CIO Wharfedale Foundatlon Hobson Charity HDH Wllls 1965 Ch•rltabl• Trust Ashley Family Foundation Garfield Weston Found•tion Awards for All Arts Council England Purey Cust Trust Headl•y Trust Postcod* N¢ighbourhoDd Shears Foundatlon Ben•nd•n Health Communlty Fund Whftwam Famlly Charltabl• Foundation Utley Foundatlon Total R•strla•d 1,445 2,587 1.360 2.925 70 1.570 7,394 3,231 28.107 854 4,875 4.797 3.858 2,921 7Q 1,570 7.459 3,230 17.248 854 2.792 4.797 lo.￿0 10.065 13.889 3,030 2,917 io. 1,950 io,o(M) 1,950 43,746 $1.839 57.770 37,820 T¢Jtsl Fund¥ 80205 80.849 83MII 77,253 Tr4nsfer between fvnds Funds have bmn transferred from unr•strlct•d funds to varfous ov•rspent reStrIrt￿ funds. Approv•1 of accounts for the year ended: 31sl M•rth 2023 Th• r•port and accounts were approved at a meetlni of the Trustees h•ld on: 17/3/2S Date 17 51qned for and an behalf of the truste I £vsr&e P￿ItIon (e.8. Chalr etf Prlnt name 52

Descriptionofthe oharity'strusts N/A
Typeofgoverningdocument Constitution
Howthecharityisoonstituted Charitable lncorporatedOrganisation
,
Trustee selection methods Clause10.1of our constitution states that'apartfrom the first charity trustees', every
includingdetails of any trustee must be appointed foratermofthree yearsbya resolution passedata properly
oonstitutional provisionse.g, convened meeting of the charity trustees. Clause10.2states 'in selecting individualsfor
eleetiontopostorname ofany appointment as charity trustees, the charity trustees must have regardto theskills,
person or bodyentitlcdtoappoint knowledge and experienceneededfor the effective managemefitofthe CIO'.
onegrmorctrusteGs

Reference anda dministration
 details
Charity'sfullname Musical Connections
Other namcs tftecharityis known N/A
Charity'sprincipal address POBox 724
York
YO1OHL
Val Sutton Chair
Jo Farrington Treasurer
Chris Bartram
HazelBrown
Richard Frost
Fiona Chapman From127122
Namesand addressesoladvisers
Indcpendent KarenWood Outsou rceAccountancy Serviecs & lndependentExaminations
Examiner ACMA,CGMA
Hiscox Building, Peasholme Green
YO1 7PR
Bankers Natwest Bank

Unrestricted Unrestricted Restricted 2023
* Total
2A22

Total
funds
funds		 funds
funds
Receipts €f f€
Sessionfees&contributions 14,t77_ 1.4,177 9,018
Grants 51,839 51,839 80,045
Donationsfromorganisations 2,000 2,000 4,687
Donationsfromindividuals 8,485 8,485 2,51,1
Community fundraising
Totalreceipts		 4,349
29,010		 51,839 4,349
g0,g4g		 4,513
LOA,774
Payments
Sessioncosts - musicians 5,940 24,855 30,595 17,596
Marketing & Website 676 435 t,t]]. t,278
Meetingcosts -::: 75 375 450 259
Transportcosts 214 8,742 8,956 2,745
Session& eventresources 1,437 229 1,656 5,94L
lnsurance 138 380 s18 372
Project managementcosts 12,476 12,360 24,835 22J44
Administration&officecosts 696 197 893 1,085
Funding bids& fundraising 820 820 884
Trainingcosts 915 530 1,545 L,786
Community involvement
activities/volu nteer management- 1,669 5,729 7,399 16,753
musicians
Venue costs 613 3,588 4,3O1 1,722
Volunteercosts&DBSchecks L2 !2 t44
Independent examination 300 300 300
Evaluation 150 150 300
Covidself isolation payment 378
Miscellaneousexpenses 131
Totalpayments :::: 26,03t 57,770 93,901 72,9t4
Netofreceipts/(payments) 2,979 (5,931) (2,952) 27,864
Transfersbetween funds (s) 5
Balancebroughtforward 36,459 43,746 80,205 52,345
Balancecarriedforward :-:: 39,433 37,g2O 77,253 90,205

Statementofassetsandliabilitiesat: 31st March2023 31st March2023
2423 2422
unrestrictedRestricted Total Total
funds funds funds funds
Assets ff f €
Currentbankaccount 39,324
37,824		 77,L44 80.061
PettyCash 39.433
109
37.820		 77,25?
LOg		 80.205
L44
Current
Assetsretainedforcharity's ownuse Fund Costf value
E
Details
45xtablets AwardsforAll 4,455 3,308
2023 2022
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
funds funds funds funds
tiabilities f € E f
lndependentexamination fee 350 350 300
3s0 3s0 300

Balance lncome Resources Transfer Transfer Balance
blfwd received expendad dffunds c/fwd
f f C € €
Unrestricted
BrelmsTrustCIO		 -36,459-
7,445		 29,010
t,OO:		 _26,031
2,587		 -Ti 39,433
3,858
WharfedaleFoundation t,360 1,360
Hobson Charity 2,921 2,925 4
HDHWitls 1965 CharitableTrust 70 70
Ashley Family Foundation L,57O 1,570
Garfield WestonFoundation
AwardsforAll		 7,459
3,230		 10,000 7,394
3,23L		 t 10,06;
ArtsCouncilEngland L7,249 13,ggg 28,L47 3,030
Purey CustTrust 854 854
HeadleyTrust 2,792 5,000 4,873 2,9!7_
PostcodeNeighbourhood 4,797 4,797_
ShearsFoundation 10,000 10,000
Benenden HealthCommunityFund 1,950 1,950
WhitwamFamily Charitable
Foundation -
5,000		 5,000
UtleyFoundation
TotalRestricted		 -
w
1,000
---5im'		 -
m		 1,000
37,820
TotalFunds --80;m --oEat 83,801
-		 77,253

Descriptionofthe oharity'strusts N/A
Typeofgoverningdocument Constitution
Howthecharityisoonstituted Charitable lncorporatedOrganisation
,
Trustee selection methods Clause10.1of our constitution states that'apartfrom the first charity trustees', every
includingdetails of any trustee must be appointed foratermofthree yearsbya resolution passedata properly
oonstitutional provisionse.g, convened meeting of the charity trustees. Clause10.2states 'in selecting individualsfor
eleetiontopostorname ofany appointment as charity trustees, the charity trustees must have regardto theskills,
person or bodyentitlcdtoappoint knowledge and experienceneededfor the effective managemefitofthe CIO'.
onegrmorctrusteGs

Reference anda dministration
 details
Charity'sfullname Musical Connections
Other namcs tftecharityis known N/A
Charity'sprincipal address POBox 724
York
YO1OHL
Val Sutton Chair
Jo Farrington Treasurer
Chris Bartram
HazelBrown
Richard Frost
Fiona Chapman From127122
Namesand addressesoladvisers
Indcpendent KarenWood Outsou rceAccountancy Serviecs & lndependentExaminations
Examiner ACMA,CGMA
Hiscox Building, Peasholme Green
YO1 7PR
Bankers Natwest Bank

Unrestricted Unrestricted Restricted 2023
* Total
2A22

Total
funds
funds		 funds
funds
Receipts €f f€
Sessionfees&contributions 14,t77_ 1.4,177 9,018
Grants 51,839 51,839 80,045
Donationsfromorganisations 2,000 2,000 4,687
Donationsfromindividuals 8,485 8,485 2,51,1
Community fundraising
Totalreceipts		 4,349
29,010		 51,839 4,349
g0,g4g		 4,513
LOA,774
Payments
Sessioncosts - musicians 5,940 24,855 30,595 17,596
Marketing & Website 676 435 t,t]]. t,278
Meetingcosts -::: 75 375 450 259
Transportcosts 214 8,742 8,956 2,745
Session& eventresources 1,437 229 1,656 5,94L
lnsurance 138 380 s18 372
Project managementcosts 12,476 12,360 24,835 22J44
Administration&officecosts 696 197 893 1,085
Funding bids& fundraising 820 820 884
Trainingcosts 915 530 1,545 L,786
Community involvement
activities/volu nteer management- 1,669 5,729 7,399 16,753
musicians
Venue costs 613 3,588 4,3O1 1,722
Volunteercosts&DBSchecks L2 !2 t44
Independent examination 300 300 300
Evaluation 150 150 300
Covidself isolation payment 378
Miscellaneousexpenses 131
Totalpayments :::: 26,03t 57,770 93,901 72,9t4
Netofreceipts/(payments) 2,979 (5,931) (2,952) 27,864
Transfersbetween funds (s) 5
Balancebroughtforward 36,459 43,746 80,205 52,345
Balancecarriedforward :-:: 39,433 37,g2O 77,253 90,205

Statementofassetsandliabilitiesat: 31st March2023 31st March2023
2423 2422
unrestrictedRestricted Total Total
funds funds funds funds
Assets ff f €
Currentbankaccount 39,324
37,824		 77,L44 80.061
PettyCash 39.433
109
37.820		 77,25?
LOg		 80.205
L44
Current
Assetsretainedforcharity's ownuse Fund Costf value
E
Details
45xtablets AwardsforAll 4,455 3,308
2023 2022
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
funds funds funds funds
tiabilities f € E f
lndependentexamination fee 350 350 300
3s0 3s0 300

Balance lncome Resources Transfer Transfer Balance
blfwd received expendad dffunds c/fwd
f f C € €
Unrestricted
BrelmsTrustCIO		 -36,459-
7,445		 29,010
t,OO:		 _26,031
2,587		 -Ti 39,433
3,858
WharfedaleFoundation t,360 1,360
Hobson Charity 2,921 2,925 4
HDHWitls 1965 CharitableTrust 70 70
Ashley Family Foundation L,57O 1,570
Garfield WestonFoundation
AwardsforAll		 7,459
3,230		 10,000 7,394
3,23L		 t 10,06;
ArtsCouncilEngland L7,249 13,ggg 28,L47 3,030
Purey CustTrust 854 854
HeadleyTrust 2,792 5,000 4,873 2,9!7_
PostcodeNeighbourhood 4,797 4,797_
ShearsFoundation 10,000 10,000
Benenden HealthCommunityFund 1,950 1,950
WhitwamFamily Charitable
Foundation -
5,000		 5,000
UtleyFoundation
TotalRestricted		 -
w
1,000
---5im'		 -
m		 1,000
37,820
TotalFunds --80;m --oEat 83,801
-		 77,253