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2025-03-31-accounts

Happier, healthier lives through music

Musical Connections Annual Report and Financial Statement

31[st] March 2025

Reg. Charity No: 1165993

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

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GOVERNANCE .......................................................................................................................... 4 Election of Charity Trustees .................................................................................................... 4 Additional Governance Information and Organisational Structure .................................... 4 Risk Management ..................................................................................................................... 6 BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES ......................................................................................... 7 Background ............................................................................................................................... 7 Objectives .................................................................................................................................. 7 ACTIVITIES DELIVERED AND BENEFICIARY NUMBERS .................................................... 8 2024/25 AT A GLANCE ........................................................................................................... 10 SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR ....................................................................................... 11 IMPACT ON PARTICIPANT WELLBEING.............................................................................. 12 Social Prescribing................................................................................................................... 16 DIGITAL ACTIVITIES .................................................................................................................. 17 MUSICAL CONNECTIONS’ MAGIC INGREDIENTS .............................................................. 18 IN MORE DEPTH: .................................................................................................................... 18 Clear Values and Carefully Considered Working Practices ............................................... 18 Support Offered to Beneficiaries Between Sessions ......................................................... 20 Creative, Skilled and Dedicated Musicians .......................................................................... 21 A Sizeable Volunteer Team .................................................................................................... 21 Partnership Working............................................................................................................... 23 Free Transport ......................................................................................................................... 24 Ongoing Relationships with Intergenerational Partners .................................................... 25 Solid Financial Management ................................................................................................. 27 FUTURE PLANS ...................................................................................................................... 28 FINANCES ................................................................................................................................ 29 Income and Expenditure ........................................................................................................ 29 Fundraising ............................................................................................................................. 31 Reserves Policy ...................................................................................................................... 33 Independent Examiner’s Report............................................................................................ 34

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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 :

Steven Burkeman (Chair)

Jo Farrington (Treasurer)

Chris Bartram

Janet Broughton

Hazel Brown

Fiona Chapman

Richard Frost

Bank: NatWest, City Centre Branch, 1 Market Street, York, YO1 8SR

Accountants: Outsource, 29 Millfield Road, York, YO1 8SR

Over the last year, our project team has consisted of two Project Managers, who are also musicians, and 3 more self-employed musicians. In April 2024, our longstanding Chair of Trustees, Val Sutton, retired, after 15 years of service to the project. Project founder and trustee, Fiona Chapman, stepped into the role on an interim basis, and in November 2024, Steven Burkeman was elected as our new Chair. At the same time, Janet Broughton was also elected to join the Board. Together, the 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 both experienced and active, bringing together a range of skills and expertise. Our Chair was previously Chief Executive of the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, a role he held for 19 years until 2001. In 2010, he joined the Board of Jessie’s Fund – a York-based national music charity supporting children with additional and complex needs or serious illness. He brings considerable expertise from across the charity sector and in the role of Chair, and since joining our Board in November 2024, has inspired new ideas and brought a freshness to our work. He has been 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, an English lecturer from The University of York, who is the daughter of one of our members, a retired chartered engineer, who is also one of our choir members, and Musical Connections’ former Project Director, who led the project for 13 years and has continued to write grant applications in support of the charity. Together the board is well equipped to provide oversight and guidance for the project.

Our 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 took over from the outgoing Project Director (who continues to mentor them in her role as a trustee) in July 2022, and have led the project with skill and indefatigable enthusiasm ever since. Highly skilled musicians themselves, they provide strong leadership and support to the team’s other musicians, who are also adept in working with vulnerable older people who have a range of needs, interests, and abilities.

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Over the year, we have run:

We have also:

To ensure members have been able to access as many of these activities as possible, we have provided free transport for anyone who needed it and worked with a dedicated team of volunteers who have undertaken several different roles.

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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 the Project Managers is the Designated Safeguarding Lead, and one of our trustees is the Deputy Safeguarding Lead.

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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Background

2024-25 has been a year of evolution and development for the charity, including new partnerships with local charities and organisations, and an increase in intergenerational and community-based events. There has also been a slight change to the structure of the project. At the beginning of 2024, one of our City of York sheltered housing scheme groups suffered several deaths and diminishing membership. After speaking to the Residents Committee, we made the decision to close the group and instead, began visiting a new private-care home on a fortnightly basis. In June 2024, it became clear that the care-home wanted occasional entertainment rather than a regular music group, and since then, we have been developing our work in several other private care-homes instead – visiting each on a rolling basis to ensure that we fulfil our projected number of sessions per year. At a similar time, we also expanded one of our community choirs to be run in partnership with The Wilberforce Trust, a local charity supporting people living with a visual impairment. This has been a positive development, resulting in a wider scope of people participating in our work.

Objectives

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ACTIVITIES DELIVERED AND BENEFICIARY

NUMBERS

Over the course of the year, the following activities were delivered by our team of dedicated musicians:

https://youtu.be/0sSObF6TbGE?si=15enRwxFy0eJZ7uH

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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.

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2024/25 AT A GLANCE

Over the course of the year, 359 beneficiaries have taken part in weekly music and singing sessions, plus c.280 additional vulnerable older people who took part in 21 additional, one-off events in the wider community. In addition, 715 children and young people from a local nursery, schools and universities took part in 37 intergenerational activities with beneficiaries. 57 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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SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR

In July 2024, we were delighted to celebrate Musical Connections’ 15[th] Anniversary Concert at the National Centre for Early Music. Attended by members from many of our groups, York’s Lord Mayor and her entourage, plus friends, family, and project supporters, the evening was filled with Musical Connections performances, contributions from

University of York students, and opportunities to reflect on the digital work that we introduced during Covid-19. Beneficiaries enjoyed interacting and connecting with the wider community, meeting friends from different Musical Connections groups and were clearly uplifted by the sense of purpose and positivity they experienced through participating in such an important celebratory event. As the Lord Mayor said, "it was a wonderful celebration of community musicmaking, friendships, and the evolution of the MC project over the last 15 years”.

Following that, our Project Managers, Abigail Noble Coates and Charlotte Yandell took part in Jane Tomlinson’s Run For All York 10K – a high-profile event designed to help raise money for charities both locally and nationwide. With generous donations from group members, project supporters, and friends and family of MC, their fundraising efforts raised over £2,000 – an indication of how important people consider Musical Connections groups and choirs to be in their lives.

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IMPACT ON PARTICIPANT WELLBEING

Feedback from beneficiaries suggests that the work we have done over the last year has had a significant positive impact on their wellbeing.

During two tracking phases (October 2024 and March 2025), 139 beneficiaries completed feedback questionnaires.

No matter how I feel on arrival, I always feel much better when I leave.

Since joining a couple of months ago, I find this group very friendly and easy to talk to. I always feel uplifted after I have been.

I always feel in a better mood and brighter after each session.

Our slogan Sing Yourself to Happiness is true! The sun always shines on our group.

I lost my partner to COVID, so it is nice to feel joy again.

I really enjoy being a member of The Rolling

Tones. I love that it’s such an inclusive and fun group and the fact that it always feels stress-free.

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- 96% said that participating in their MC group improves their confidence/self-esteem ( 68% said greatly ):

This choir is the only one I have ever been to where I have not felt nervous or worried about going or been worried about not fitting in.

I find singing challenging, but joining the group has really helped my self-esteem.

I lost my confidence in singing but since coming to the group it’s really coming back.

I am part of a community, and this helps so much with my shyness and self-worth.

feel more alert and active :

I really enjoy our fun warmups before we start singing.

It makes me come alive and feel as though I’m directing my energy in a positive way.

It wakes me up and makes me feel more alive!

gives them a sense of purpose and something to look forward to:

I love the positive atmosphere of MC and the Rolling Tones and always look forward to

Tuesdays.

A date and time in the diary help to keep me going, it’s something to look forward to.

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increased contact with other people/the

wider community . For many, it is the only regular social and creative activity available to them:

I’m getting to know more and more of the choir members. It’s lovely to feel included.

I always enjoy going out and taking part in the busking and other singing events whether it's school, church, community centres… talking to other people about what MC is and the MC community.

I just love coming and being with all my friends. They all look after me and we're all big happy family together.

I enjoy being in The Rolling Tones because everyone is so kind and helpful – I’ll get by with a little help from my friends.

Over the years I’ve made friends from all different walks of life and life-long friendships too.

I have sung in choirs for most of my life and MC have made it possible for me to keep doing that. My husband is 95 and really appreciates the fact that I can get out and do something for me.

Being part of the MC family is a pleasure. The musicians and group members make my life better through the friendship and the happy times we share.

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100% said that MC sessions improve their overall wellbeing .

Having to miss sessions when I was unwell made me realise how important the group is for my wellbeing.

I look forward to our choir days and come out walking on air.

Lovely group of people. It’s the highlight of my week!

I think singing helps with my breathing.

I get exercise getting there and singing is good exercise too.

It helps my COPD lung function.

been sustained, with many members continuing to refer affectionately to ‘Our Musical

Family’. 100% said that they continue to feel a valued member of the MC family and 65% said greatly.

It's lovely to feel accepted and valued by other people.

I’m always made to feel very welcome, and everyone is very helpful to me. It’s a highlight of my week.

I feel a valued member of the team; I love that if you miss a week others (and Charlotte) will help you catch up with the music.

Abby and Charlotte do a wonderful job at of bringing people together, no matter what age or ability.

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Social Prescribing

Musical Connections has worked with York Medical Group (YMG) as a social prescribing partner since 2018. No longer able to base ourselves in their surgeries due to post-Covid protocols, we have found alternative venues for these groups in the wider community, with YMG covering the rental costs for us. Despite the loss of contact with patients in the surgeries, the Chief Executive of YMG, Zulf Ali, remains hugely supportive of our work and our strong relationships with YMG and their link-workers continue to ensure a steady stream of referrals.

Over the last 7 years, 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. This has helped us to become better connected to NHS link-workers representing other primary care networks and we now receive regular referrals from them. We have also recently joined the Power of Music Learning Network – an online platform supporting organisations who are using music to improve people’s health and wellbeing. Following this, the Operations Director at the National Academy for Social Prescribing, Bev Taylor, expressed her appreciation for our work and later invited us to share our learning at an online webinar in March 2025.

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DIGITAL ACTIVITIES

Whilst our most vulnerable beneficiaries need far more intensive digital support than our small team can provide, we have continued to support those group members who are keen to engage with technology, and have also tried to involve other, more able members of the project. This has proved beneficial, and 57 members of three of our York Medical Group choirs are now using tablets to access song lyrics during their weekly sessions. We have also continued to explore ways in which we can make the digital world slightly more accessible, including regular collaborative video recordings.

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MUSICAL CONNECTIONS’ MAGIC

INGREDIENTS

Over the 16 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: Our ongoing commitment to providing a continuous programme of sessions, events, and related activities (structured loosely around the academic timetable) ensures that friendships and community connections continue to flourish between members of ‘our musical family’ – a phrase coined during the lockdowns, and which reflects the closeness of the relationships that have developed over the years.

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.

We have become known amongst social prescribers and other sign-posters for our flexibility and willingness to provide the support needed to enable people to get involved and 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 Adele and Coldplay.

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. Likewise, group/choir members who wish to are invited to perform at our intergenerational and community-linked events.

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

Heather looks forward to coming to choir and enjoys getting her folder ready on a morning. She is always welcomed in a friendly manner and feels part of the community. It’s been a really positive part of her routine.

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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, we have included ‘MC in Conversation’ interludes during weekly sessions, 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:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io59o3fmYEo

Continuous review of the process has optimised participation in it and the usefulness of the information collected.

Support Offered to Beneficiaries Between Sessions

Our musicians and volunteers 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.

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Creative, Skilled and Dedicated Musicians

Our musicians work 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 are what helps them to deliver our project so effectively – and is also what drives them to stay in contact with some of our most vulnerable members between sessions – they appreciate that ‘our musical family’ extends beyond the boundaries of session times.

The musicians also have considerable digital abilities, which have enabled them to support beneficiaries who have wished to develop their own digital skills.

A Sizeable Volunteer Team

Over the year, 41 volunteers have supported the project, with 9 of these as regulars, and 27 students who have worked with us on an ad-hoc basis:

Our beneficiaries benefit hugely from the volunteers’ contributions:

When I’m at Musical Connections, Sally always sits next to me and supports me, which I really appreciate. She’s lovely and I miss her when she’s not here. She makes me feel safe in the group.

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

It’s a lovely project to be a part of. All the things I did over the Christmas period really picked me up – I felt useful, and I had some lovely conversations with members of the group.

Speaking on behalf of the University of York’s Music Education Group, we’ve thoroughly enjoyed volunteering with MC. It’s so rewarding running the workshops, and lovely seeing

people enjoying the activities that we’ve planned.

In questionnaires conducted with 17 volunteers, ALL said that volunteering for MC improved their mood that day):

I feel better having engaged and participated in helping the local community.

It’s a great break in the week away from the stresses of university where I can reconnect and take a pause.

I really like being able to share my interest and enjoyment of music with other people. It’s great

to make music accessible and to see the happiness it brings.

It’s lovely to speak to a different age group and connect with people in a positive environment. I always leave feeling fulfilled.

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Talking with lots of different people from different walks of life has really boosted my communication skills.

It has helped me to become more confident in meeting and talking to people.

I've loved being a part of MC. It helps me forget about all my university stress which is really nice. I love seeing how much everyone enjoys coming and being able to be a part of the community feels so rewarding.

I feel hugely valued by the ladies who run MC – they give so much to so many people who need help to interact socially, mental health support or companionship – it’s just so enjoyable to be a part of!

Alongside our volunteer team, and as an alternative to a beneficiary steering group, we have incorporated informal ‘MC in Conversation’ interludes into our regular sessions. This has provided useful feedback on the project and helped to guide and support musicians over the last year.

Partnership Working

We receive regular referrals from City of York Council’s Local Area Co-ordinators, York Medical Group and other NHS social prescribers. We also have good relationships with other related agencies such as Age UK York, OCAY (Older Citizens Advocacy York), Dementia Forward 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. We are also members of the Music for Healthy Lives Research and Practice Network steering group, an initiative led by the

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University of Leeds, and have recently joined the Power of Music Learning Network – an online platform supporting organisations who are using music to improve health and wellbeing.

After 16 years of successfully delivering and developing our project, we are now 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’.

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. 57 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.

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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:

curriculum while at other times, it is simply about using music creatively to help everyone relax, get involved and enjoy each other’s company. By working in this way, we have found that educational establishments are much more likely to commit to ongoing collaboration than if we base our approaches to them on a vague notion of publicspiritedness and social conscience.

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

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.

The following video features an intergenerational workshop including Musical Connections group members

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and students from The University of York’s Music Education Group: https://youtu.be/Fj7zupCx6pA?si=-q9f3n1-brsJyrBd

Solid Financial Management

Over the past year, we have continued to work towards creating a sustainable and diverse base of support, securing funding from more than 20 grant givers. We are particularly grateful to the Garfield Weston Foundation, the Postcode Neighbourhood Trust, Feoffees of St Michael’s Spurriergate and Awards for All, whose larger grants towards core costs were vital in enabling us to continue our work. Grant funding was complemented by voluntary contributions from participants at weekly sessions (we request £4, though no one is excluded if unwilling or unable to contribute), community fundraising, and additional donations from members and supporters. The profile of unrestricted income shifted compared to last year, with a reduction in donations from organisations and an increase in donations from individuals. Contributions from session participants and care homes remained stable and continued to represent a reliable and important source of income. We are now fully funded for 2025/26 and are actively working to attract the resources required for 2026/27.

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FUTURE PLANS

The next 12 months will see us:

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FINANCES

Income and Expenditure

The total receipts up to 31st March were £89,823, and the total payments were £90,209, which leaves a deficit of -£386 for the financial year. When added to the balance carried forward from 2023/24 (£88,737), this left Musical Connections with a total balance of £88,351 for the end of the financial year.

The total amount of receipts allocated to unrestricted funding was £29,253 and there were payments to the value of £30,100, thus leaving a deficit of -£847 at the end of 2024/25. When added to the balance brought forward at the end of 23/24 (£37,311), this leaves the charity with £36,461 of unrestricted funds.

The total amount of receipts allocated to restricted funding was £60,570, and there were payments to the value of £60,109, thus leaving a surplus balance of £461 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 23/24 (£51,426), this leaves Musical Connections with £51,890 in restricted funds to carry forward into 25/26.

The total receipts received in 24/25 (£89,823) were made up of grants received £60,570 (67%), followed by session fees and contributions of £17,481 (19%). Donations from organisations (£2,513), community fundraising (£4,087) and individual giving (£5,172) together represented the remaining 13% of the total.

Note: The percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number. The final three income streams have been grouped together and shown as a combined percentage, so the total does not add up to exactly 100%.

£67,783 or 75% of the payments (£90,209) can be attributed to people costs for 2024/25. The top five categories of payments and the % of the total they account for were as follows:

Musicians’ session fees - £29,534 (33%)
Project management fees - £28,512 (32%)
Beneficiary transport - £14,244 (16%)
Community involvement activities - £4,392 (5%)
Alternative artistic activities - £3,915 (4%)

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For more details on the accounts, please see the Independent Examiners Report for 2024/2025 on pages 34 – 39.

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Fundraising

Our income comes from 4 main sources:

Grants and organisational donations : Grants from over 20 funders have enabled the project to continue seamlessly throughout the year, as well as providing a strong foundation for the year ahead. The largest individual grants were £10k from The Garfield Weston Foundation and Feoffees of St Michael’s Spurriergate, £15k from the Postcode Neighbourhood Trust, and £17,560 from Awards for All. Encouragingly, a significant amount of funding has already been raised to support the project into 2025–26, providing a strong foundation for the year ahead.

Weekly voluntary donations at sessions: these have come from participants at our community-based groups. We have continued to suggest a £4 donation per session (the amount suggested has remained unchanged since 2021) - 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 the private care-homes which have paid us directly for regular sessions. Dementia Forward 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.

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

The Arnold Clark Community Fund

Awards for All (The National Lottery Community Fund)

Charles Hayward Foundation

The Dulverton Trust Fund

D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust

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The Feoffees of St Michael’s Spurriergate

Garfield Weston Foundation

The Jack Brunton Charitable Trust

The Liz & Terry Bramall Foundation

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

The Postlethwaite Music Foundation

The Power of Music Fund

The Purey Cust Trust

The Schroder Charity Trust

The Shears Foundation

The Sir Cliff Richard Charitable Trust

Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust

The Victoria Wood Foundation

The W G Edwards Charitable Foundation

The Ward Budget City Wide Fund – City of York Council

The Wharfedale Foundation

The Woodroffe Benton Foundation

York Community Fund

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Reserves Policy

Musical Connections’ Reserves Policy, approved by the Trustees in June 2024, states that the charity should hold a maximum of £52.6K 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. £52.6K 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 2024/25, the level of reserves held was £36.46K.

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Musical Connections

(Charity Number 1165993)

Independent examiner’s report to the Trustees of Musical Connections

I report on the accounts of: For

Musical Connections

the year ended:

31st March 2025

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).

I report in respect of my examination of the Charity’s accounts carried out under Section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by Section 130 of the Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Karen Wood ACMA Outsource Independent Examination Service 2 Galligap Lane Osbaldwick York YO10 3NR

Date

34

Musical Connections

(Charity Number 1165993)

Receipts & payments accounts for the year ending: Receipts & payments accounts for the year ending: Receipts & payments accounts for the year ending: 31st March 2025
Unrestricted
funds		 Restricted
funds		 2025
Total		 2024
Total
Receipts £ £ £ £
Session fees & contributions 17,481 - 17,481 16,199
Grants - 60,570 60,570 69,587
Donations from organisations 2,513 - 2,513 6,350
Donations from individuals 5,172 - 5,172 2,014
Community fundraising & events 4,087 -
4,087		 3,411
Total receipts 29,253 60,570
89,823		 97,561
Payments
Session costs - musicians 7,156 22,378
29,534		 27,359
Marketing & website 510 1,124
1,634		 1,643
Transport costs (beneficiaries) 5,365 8,879
14,244		 11,741
Session & event resources 554 590
1,144		 979
Insurance - 445
445		 444
Project management costs 11,553 16,959
28,512		 25,920
Administration & office costs 784 688
1,472		 1,532
Funding bids & fundraising 340 501
841		 3,059
Training costs 186 397
583		 1,318
Community involvement activities/
volunteer management – musicians		 2,433 5,874
8,307		 8,100
Venue costs 725 2,130
2,855		 3,188
Independent examination 350 -
350		 350
Evaluation 144 144
288		 444
Total payments 30,100 60,109
90,209		 86,077
Net of receipts/(payments) (847) 461
(386)		 11,484
Transfers between funds (3) 3
-		 -
Balance brought forward 37,311 51,426
88,737		 77,253
Balance carried forward 36,461 51,890
88,351		 88,737

35

Musical Connections

(Charity Number 1165993)

Statement of assets and liabilities at:

31st March 2025

Assets
Current bank account
Petty cash
Liabilities
Independent examination fee		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
Restricted
Funds
£
36,404
51,890
57
-		 2025
Total
Funds
£
2024
Total
Funds
£
88,294
88,533
57
204
88,351
88,737
2025
Total
Funds
£
2024
Total
Funds
£
350
350
350
350
36,461
51,890
Unrestricted
Funds
£
Restricted
Funds
£
350
-
350
-

36

Musical Connections

(Charity Number 1165993)

31st March 2025

Notes to the accounts for the year ended:

1. Basis of accounts

The Trustees have taken advantage of Section 144 (2) of the Charities Act 2011 and prepared the accounts on a receipts and payments basis.

2. Restricted income funds

Fund name

Purpose

Charles Hayward Foundation For the provision of intergenerational work and activities D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust A grant towards core costs The Liz & Terry Bramall Foundation A grant towards core costs Garfield Weston Foundation 3[rd] instalment of a 3-year grant towards core costs Awards for All (The National Lottery A grant towards core costs and the provision of free Community Fund) beneficiary transport Postcode Neighbourhood Trust A grant towards core costs The Victoria Wood Foundation Musician fees for Gale Farm Court music groups The Feoffees of St Michael’s Spurriergate 1[st] instalment of a 2-year grant towards core costs The Dulverton Trust Fund A grant towards core costs The Ward Budget City Wide Fund – City of A grant towards core costs York Council The Power of Music Fund 1[st] instalment of a 3-year grant towards core costs The W G Edwards Charitable Foundation Musician fees for Honeysuckle Singers The Woodroffe Benton Foundation A grant towards core costs The Shears Foundation A grant towards core costs The Sir Cliff Richard Charitable Trust A grant towards core costs Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust A grant towards core costs The Wharfedale Foundation A grant towards core costs The Schroder Charity Trust A grant towards core costs The Postlethwaite Music Foundation A grant towards core costs The Purey Cust Trust A grant towards core costs The Arnold Clark Community Fund For the provision of free beneficiary transport Awards for All (The National Lottery A grant towards core costs Community Fund)

37

Musical Connections

(Charity Number 1165993)

The Jack Brunton Charitable Trust A grant towards core costs York Community Fund

A grant towards project management

Unrestricted
Charles Hayward Foundation
D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust
The Liz & Terry Bramall Foundation
Garfield Weston Foundation
Awards for All (NL Community Fund)
Postcode Neighbourhood Trust
The Victoria Wood Foundation
Feoffees of St Michael’s Spurriergate
The Dulverton Trust Fund
Ward Budget City Wide Fund – COYC
The Power of Music Fund
W G Edwards Charitable Foundation
The Woodroffe Benton Foundation
The Shears Foundation
The Sir Cliff Richard Charitable Trust
Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust
The Wharfedale Foundation
The Schroder Charity Trust
The Postlethwaite Music Foundation
The Purey Cust Trust
The Arnold Clark Community Fund
Awards for All (NL Community Fund)
The Jack Brunton Charitable Trust
York Community Fund
Total restricted
Total Funds		 Balance
Income
Resources
b/fwd
received
expended
£
£
£		 Transfer
Balance
of funds
c/fwd
£
£
37,311
29,253
30,100		 (3)
36,461
3,055
-
3,055
3,000
-
3,000
1,468
-
1,468
10,000
-
10,003
1,663
-
1,663
15,000
-
15,000
2,240
-
2,240
10,000
-
6,346
5,000
-
5,000
-
6,600
6,600
-
2,000
2,000
-
2,160
2,160
-
500
-
-
5,750
-
-
3,000
1,574
-
3,000
-
-
5,000
-
-
3,000
-
-
1,000
-
-
4,000
-
-
500
-
-
17,560
-
-
1,500
-
-
5,000
-		 -
-
-
-
-
-
3
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
3,654
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
500
-
5,750
-
1,426
-
3,000
-
5,000
-
3,000
-
1,000
-
4,000
-
500
-
17,560
-
1,500
-
5,000
51,426
60,570
60,109		 3
51,890
88,737
89,823
90,209		 -
88,351

Transfer between funds

Funds have been transferred from unrestricted funds to various overspent restricted funds.

38

Musical Connections

(Charity Number 1165993)

Approval of accounts for the year ended:

31st March 2025

The report and accounts were approved at a meeting of the Trustees held on:

Signed for and on behalf of the trustees

Date

Print name

Position (e.g. Chair etc)

39