## **Annual Report and Financial Statements** **Year ending: 31[st] March 2024** **CIO: registered number: 1166244** Annual Finance Report YE March 2024 /Page : 1 ## **Ava Hunt Theatre: Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31[st] March 2024** The Trustees are pleased to present their annual report together with statement of financial accounts for the purposes of the Charities commission. ## **Purpose and activities** In shaping our objectives for the year and planning our activities, the trustees have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit, including the guidance on public benefit and fee charging. AHT’s purpose is to advance education in the arts for the public benefit primarily throughout the East Midlands and nationally by producing educational workshops, theatre performances, and training by creating: - New theatre for young people to explore areas of personal, social and health education, citizenship in the school curriculum. - Performances, workshops and training to a wide range of users with little or no access to high quality arts experiences due to either rural isolation, social deprivation, or because of being from a marginalised community/group or sector of society i.e. in relation to sexual orientation, disability, class, religion, ethnicity or gender. ## **1. Trustees** Jessica Harris (chair) Adei Bundy Richard Hall Suki Sudhu Anthony Watts OBE ## **2. Secretary’s Report** Ava Hunt reported that 2023/24 that the company has been working on developing some exciting projects for 2024, however, fundraising for projects continues to be highly competitive. During the summer of 2023 some funds were raised from Titan and Derbyshire County Council’s small grants application process. The funds supported the delivery of a programme of six drama workshops for year 6 pupils at Crich Primary School. The workshops addressed wellbeing, compassion for self and others, transition and change. The workshops were very well received, with pupils, teachers and Headteacher all reporting positive impact. Based on these positive results AHT has been in dialogue with No Mates Productions (Craig Christie – who wrote _Journeys of Destiny_ ), about a new show called **“Way Too Cool”** that would explore these themes further. R&D workshops with Craig will be delivered in June capturing young people’s voices and ideas contributing for a full production/tour in June/July 2025. Funding applications for the R&D were submitted including: Arts Council England, Derbyshire Foundation, Blue Spark, Fore Foundation, and Morrisons. The company is also producing a Harold Pinter play **“A Slight Ache”** which will tour in July 2024 as part of the Buxton Fringe Festival and across various Derbyshire village hall. Two funding applications have been successful in supporting this production from Derbyshire County Council Annual Finance Report YE March 2024 /Page : 2 Covid Recovery Fund and Derby University Research. The company looks forward to a busy and successful year ahead. ## **3. Governance:** Ava Hunt Theatre is a Charitable Incorporated Company and registered charity. It is governed by a constitution, which was passed on March 2016. Trustees meet regularly throughout the year. Meetings are a combination of some Trustees who attend physical meetings at Derby Theatre, with others joining us on-line. Jessica Harris was appointed Chair, and Richard Hall was appointed Safeguarding Officer. The Trustees were delighted to welcome Suki Sidhu to the board in September 2024. The company also received Adei Bundy’s resignation. Trustees thanked Adei for her contribution to the board which will be greatly missed and wish her well in all her endeavours. An Audit of Trustee skills was conducted to identify any additional training that Trustees might require. Additional training with NCVO will be offered to Trustees, including Health and Safety training to A Hunt when sufficient funds are received. Results from the audit revealed some gaps in the Trustee’s skill base contributing to discussions for future recruitment. ## **Policies** The company continued to work closely with Trustees to ensure that all policies are reviewed regularly. New policies were drafted including: Health & Safety and Code of Conduct for Volunteers. ## **Volunteers** AHT has continued membership of NCVO (National Council Volunteers). However, due to the nature of small projects this last year, volunteer involvement was not possible. ## **4. Financial Report** Finance Officer Pat Mee was able to attend Trustee meetings throughout the year reporting on the company’s finances. A full and accurate breakdown of the minimal costs incurred during the year was then supplied to our Auditors for year-end accounting purposes. The company has registered with Give as you Live, an on-line crowd funding platform, with a view to raising funds from the public as and when particular projects might be ‘attractive’. This facility also offers the company to receive Gift Aid. The company has registered and submitted accounts with HMRC regarding corporation tax. However, the company has not yet been recognised by HMRC to receive Gift Aid this will be explored within the next financial year. ## **Auditor and report for annual return** Peter Rimmington of HSKS Greenhalgh produced a final set of accounts representing an accurate account of the company’s finances for the year ending 31[st] March 2024. Registered Office: c/o University of Derby Theatre Limited Derby Theatre, 15 Theatre Walk, Eagle Centre, Derby, DE1 2NF. ## **Signed accounts as prepared by Appointed Accountants & Letter of Representation on next 4 pages:** Annual Finance Report YE March 2024 /Page : 3 (HARIIY (OMM15510N FOR ENGU4NO WWaiES Recel Is and rts accounts CC16a To Seclioii A Flecoipl s aiid paytnents lu¥¥ls Tolal ItttM*• LaBt AR) A*rEnc a FEES OTrER PRJEC INsURA￿E PrtrF*Ic￿ FEES •tsbl Tr¥n¥lE￿ b•1We￿IUnd •) 210 CGfx R1 ISS) Annual Finance Report YE March 2024 /Page 4 Section B Stalement of assets and liabilitiès al the end ol the period End￿m¥ lu￿18 Qeid.'Is I C•¥h luth1# nd• D•iallE 84 th• l)etsils CCXX R2 (SSI Annual Finance Report YE March 2024 /Page '. 5 The Trustees ol Ava Hunt Theatre ejo Unfvèrsty ol Dgrby Thtratre Ltd Derby Theatre 15 Theatre Walk Eagle Centre D8￿Y DE12NF HSKSG Charlered Aceountants Butt Dyktr Housg 33 Park Row Nottingham NG16EE Dear Sirs Th8 lollmng repr8sgntations are mad& on the basls of gnqult18s 01 managemènt and staff th rel8vant knOw￿dge and exp8ri9rTh such as we consider necessary In Ixjnnection wtth you¥ preparation of the charity's recepts and payments accounts lor the year ended 31 March 2024. Th8se grwirl8s have l¢xluded inspection ol SUWKJrting dorAJm6ntation where awropriato and arè sufficient to satisfy ourse￿e$ th* we can make each ol the following r¢pr&8entation8. All representsthjns aro made lo the best of tJJr knowlethje and belief. GENERAL 1. We a¢knoW￿e that th8 work performed by you is substanti￿1y le&5 in SCO￿ than an audit perforrned in accordance with IntemationaJ Standards on Audrting IUKI and that you do not exprw an audtt opin￿. 2. We conlim that ihe charity was entiued lo exemption under section 144 01 the Charities Act 2011 from the requirèment to havg its lirwiLial statements ior the fina￿la1 year end￿ 31 Mareh 2024 audrted. 3. We have fu￿111ed our respons1t￿ltIeS as trustees as set out In the terms of your engagement btter unthr the Chwilie5 Act 2011 lor prepariryJ financial statéments in accordan¢e with applictho law and United Kingdom AcctsuntiThJ SlarKlards (UK GenerJly Accwed Accounting praCt￿e). lor Eeing salisfied that they g*ve a true a￿1 lair view. 4. All th& tranwDons undartaken by th8 ¢harfty hav8 been properfy r•fknxed and r9corded in ihe a￿oUntIng records. 5. All the a(XOLtnting re￿ro*S and rdated financi￿ information, including minutès ol all management and fruste# meetings aFwJ corre5pond8ncè with Th8 Charity Commission have been made available to you for th• purpose of your work. ASSEfs AND LIABILMES 6. Tha charity has satisfactory trfle to ajl &&88ts aThJ there are Th)11on5 or &￿￿Mb￿dnCoS on th& charity's assets, except for those are al staternents. LAWS AND REGULATIONS 11. We have dis¢lt)sed to you all kTh)wn instar￿S ol norTr4compllaru or suspected non- Com￿lance wth laws and regulallons whose effrfts should be considerad when eparing lh& financial statements. RELATED PARTIES 12. R9￿ted party re￿tIonShipS arml transactigns have been appropriaièty accounted lor at disclosed as applicable in the linawal statements. We have disclosed to you all relevant inlormalion concerning such relationships and tranwtions and are not awa of any other matters wh￿h require disclosure In ￿der io comply with the requirernents ol charity LAW or accounting standard& SUBSEQUENT EVEp¥rs 13. All av8nts subswuenl to thg datè of the finanual statements which wuire adlustrnenl or disdosure have b9en property ￿U￿ted lor and disclosed as awlublè. GOIIIG CONCERN 14. We b&lieve th& the charity's financial stat&ments shoukl be prepared tsn a going concem basis on the grounds that current and luture sources ol funthtvJ or support VAII be more than ade(pJate lor thtr charity's needs. We have Considered a period ul ￿0fve months from the dale ol apwoval of the linanciaj statements. We bèlitrve that no further dlsclosur8s relating to the charty's abllty io ￿ntInue as a going concern need to rne made in the financial statgments. Gr•nt¥ and don•tlons 15. All grants, donations and other incom&. the recw of whkn is SL*tst io Swclr￿ temis or conditions, have ￿9￿ noti1Sed io you. There have b6¢n rh) brèaches ol terms or conditions in the 8pplication of such i￿)rne. Yours faithfully j￿iCa Harris Trustoe Richard Hall Trustse Annual Finance Report YE March 2024 /Page 7