TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
Period 01/09/2024 - 31/08/2025 Thrive Dance Charity Number 1167591
Thrive exists to inspire change in our communities though art, performance, and dance education.
We facilitate learning and support development of dancers and artists by enabling creative thinking and inspiring self-confidence.
Performances
We create immersive and site-specific performances looking at socially relevant issues. We perform these works across a range of venues (community centres, galleries, outdoors) to push the boundaries of how we view dance and who it can be for
Community
We host gatherings and co-create performances with people in our communities. We bring people together to connect them with each other as well as to local initiatives that help stimulate conversation and change
Artist Development
We help artists to develop their own work by offering mentoring. We also produce arts festivals that bring together young dancers and artists to perform, collaborate, and learn from each other
Youth Company
We host weekly classes, intensive workshops and festivals that support and inspire young people. They cocreate performances which speak to their experiences as well as supporting their personal, creative and physical development
Charitable Aims & Outcomes ee
To support young people and artists to be more creative and confident both in arts settings and in their wider communities.
To improve cultural diversity and inclusivity across the country by helping people feel more connected to their community through the arts.
To use dance and performance arts to enliven conversation about social topics relevant to our communities.
To advance knowledge, education, and training in the art, practice, and appreciation of dance
- To bring people together to develop collaborative initiatives that build links across communities within and beyond our work.
Trustee
Nigel Thorne
Parbati Chaudhury
Zara Rush Trustee Trustee
Sarah Poekert Artistic Director
This year we have...
Youth Company
- Collaborated with the 25 young people in the 24/25 youth company cohort to make 4 new dance works
Brought our youth dancers to events across London to network, perform and connect including - Ignite Festival, The Place Youth Platform and DanceWest Fest
Offered free dance workshops in 10 secondary schools across Tottenham, Enfield, Haringey and Barnet for young people interested in dance and choreography
Artist Development
Performance
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Underwent research and development for our new piece of work exploring grief - Letting Go While Holding On
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Worked with focus groups of other grieving artists to gain feedback and insights during the creative process
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Hosted over 100 young people from across the South East to attend our Youth Dance Festival in partnership with Middlesex University (including performances, workshops, networking and a chance to learn more about higher education opportunities in the arts)
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Mentored Thrive Youth Company Alumni who will be joining us as Graduate Apprentice in Costume Design from September
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Worked with grieving dancers to help them develop their own grief movement practice
Community
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Hosted 2 community Grief Gatherings at Lowestoft Library with support from St Elizabeth’s Hospice as part
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: Donated 9 tonnes of of our pilot project - these gatherings explore using creativity to express grief and are an alternative to more soil from
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‘[/] traditional talking therapies performances to
Co-hosted 3 community Grief Gatherings with Face Front earth friendly and & Inclusive Theatre and Mind as part of our pilot project . sustainable charities
Made partnerships with the National Institute of Mental across the UK Health at Nottingham University and Mind to explore the effects and benefits of the Grief Gatherings
From our Artistic Director:
I think it is important to acknowledge that it has been a hard year. Both the arts sector and the charitable sector are struggling and are stuck right in the middle of both! It’s been a year of needing to be inventive and make magic out of very limited resources but I believe talking about it can help bring us, small charity leaders, together. At a time when much of the world seems to be pit against each other for this reason or that, it’s absolutely imperative that we find connection, support and lift each other up - a year of challenges has only fuelled our belief in what we do and the desperate need for it amongst the chaos. It was joyous to collate this report and feel the chance to flip the narrative to reflect on all we have achieved and all the amazing people we have met this year. It’s all the people on the ground and in the trenches keeping communities thriving - let’s keep going! Even with limited resources we can still do this:
95% felt supported and safe 83% felt physically or mentally stronger 87% felt inspired 91% felt more creative 83% felt empowered
We are so proud to have delivered our Grief Gatherings pilot project and while taking images in such an intimate space didn’t feel right - we had an artist sketch the gorgeous images below. They capture the calm, reflective and connected spaces we intend to create and hold moving forward.
What people are saying...
About the youth company
“I noticed at the most recent show how much they’d improved as a dancer! It’s really helped them to have Thrive as a place where they feel safe and seen - so thank you for creating and holding that space” - Lisa, youth company member parent
“Thrive’s Youth Company always felt very special in the dance world and it gave me so much confidence as a teenager! It was honestly one of the best things I was ever a part of” - Lilli, former youth company member
About the community Grief Gatherings
“The community gathering was so gobsmackingly generous and kind. The detail involved was so carefully and skilfully presented. Each activity was incredible and so healing. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. This work is so valuable” -Willow Nash, Gathering Participant/Celebrant/Actress
From the grieving artists focus group
“The work gave a feeling that it’s okay to meet grief as a child; as a child we can use our playful creativity and our imagination. I was able to let the inner child and the grief meet to breathe, play, discover and explore - with the heart open in this way it helped pain feel more able to move and flow” - Anna Dunlop, Movement Artist
From the movement artists doing research and development
“It’s been so lovely to have a shared experience and to hold the space together - having such a generous and supportive space makes you want to give a little more each day and feel safe to do so which is really special.” - Lucy, grieving movement artist and collaborator
“I don’t think I have given myself time and energy to know my self better in the context of grief and this process has allowed me to dive into that more. I have found out more about my own grief within my moving body and it’s helping me to keep finding new things I didn’t know before. This process will follow me outside the space because the work doesn’t just exist as part of the movement practise but something I’ll carry everyday.” - Grace, grieving movement artist and collaborator
THANK YOU Oo
We would like to say a huge thank you to all the organisations that have supported us this year - without their support nothing we aim to achieve would be possible!
What's Next?
Grief Gatherings - Digital Resource
After spending the last year travelling the country meeting grieving people as part of our Grief Gatherings Project, we have learned there is a deep need for more access to grief support. Grief seems to be universal yet incredibly isolating - participants seem to be craving connection but exist in a society that doesn’t know how to approach let alone support them.
To try to address this need, we are collaborating with No Class to translate our community Grief Gatherings into a digital resource that means people can access it from anywhere.
With support from:
Choreography Collaboration with Channing School
We are partnering with the Channing School in Highgate London to pilot a new choreographic initiative. We will offer a workshop at the school once a half term exploring themes around connecting to nature and climate activism (inspired by our work Unfurled). We will then leave a resource pack with tasks and information for the students to use between sessions aiming to stimulate and inspire. The students will use the resources to work together and choreograph sections of a piece for performance. We will then return to help them organise and put together the work they have made into a performance.
A truly collaborative process - a space where everyone is equal and respected within the creative process and the young women are empowered to celebrate their uniqueness and share their ideas and opinions.
Financial Report
Receipts and payment accounts 01/09/2024 - 31/08/2025
| Receipts and payment accounts 01/09/2024 - 31/08/2025 | Receipts and payment accounts 01/09/2024 - 31/08/2025 |
|---|---|
| Total | |
| Income | |
| Fees charged | 280.00 |
| Grants | 38,667.00 |
| Ticket sales | 1,107.30 |
| Workshops and teaching | 13,583.03 |
| Total Income | 53,637.33 |
| Expenses | |
| Administrative support | 325.00 |
| Artistic director / choreographic work | 4,208.31 |
| Artists and collaborators | 625.00 |
| Costumes and props | 674.96 |
| Dancers | 4,211.00 |
| Director Org Dev | 2,090.00 |
| Marketing | 634.54 |
| Producers | 1,535.00 |
| Purchases | - |
| Studio hire | 4,551.00 |
| Teaching fees | 7,420.62 |
| Travel | 220.06 |
| Youth company | 324.00 |
| Charity development | 3,363.64 |
| Total expenses | 30,183.13 |
| Cash increase in year | 23,454.20 |
| Brought forward free funds 01/09/2024 | 16,362.77 |
| Closing bank balance 31/08/2025 | 39,816.97 |
| Funds in bank made up of | |
| Lottery grant | 9,457.61 |
| Youth Company advance fees | 4,124.00 |
| Free reserves | 26,235.36 |
| 39,816.97 |
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Independent examiner's report on the accounts
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I report to the trustees of Thrive Dance CIO on the accounts for the year ended 31/08/2025. Charity number 1167591
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ('the Trust") for the year ended 31/08/2025. As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordnance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act").
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directoions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. I have completed the examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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the accounting records were not kept in accordancewith section 130 of the charities act; or
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the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
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the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair view' which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
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.
iTir
J Webster 01/12/2025
Street Rowlands Webster
Austin House 43 Poole Road, Bournemouth BH4 9DN
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