SHROPSHIRE RAINBOW FILM FESTIVAL CHARITY REG NO: 1168000
ANNUAL REPORT 2023/2024
Because of Trustee illness and other workloads, we were, again, not able to organise a film festival. However, we were able to support and encourage other events within our objectives and we continued to increase awareness through the portrayal of LGBT+ people in the UK and worldwide
Over the year:
13.4.23 to 25.4.23: Participating in the curation of ‘Shropshire Rainbow Film Festival 2006 to 2022 - A Retrospective’. An imaginative exhibition at the Hive, Shrewsbury as part of LGBT+ History Festival 2023
20.6.23: Working collaboratively with the Old Market Hall, Shrewsbury to screen: ‘Women Against the Bomb’ on 24.9.23
30.9.23: Shrewsbury Pride 2023. We supported Shrewsbury’s very popular and successful first Pride, featuring prominently in the Pride Programme
October 2023: We encouraged and promoted (using our branding) a month of LGBT+ themed films by the Old Market Hall every Sunday in October
1.11.23: ‘Embrace a Culture of Inclusion’. We were pleased to assist with the production, by ‘Safe Ageing No Discrimination’ (SAND), of a short film, a Workshop video, a video on inclusivity, impact footage and to contribute to ancillary costs.
This work was in support of SAND’s mission to encourage the inclusion of older LGBT+ people in the work of all health and social care agencies in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin.
6.3.24: Presentation - to young people supported at the Hive, about our organisation and discussing ‘what are LGBTQ+ films?’
Our Mission
We continued our mission; to
‘ ENTERTAIN, EDUCATE, CHALLENGE & CHANGE’
Status of the Shropshire Rainbow Film Festival
We formed as a voluntary group, working with the former Shropshire County Council’s education services, in 2006, in response to a wish to begin to address the damaging legacy of s28 of the Local Government Act 1988 (prohibiting the promotion of homosexuality in state schools) which had only just been repealed (2004). Film emerged as one valuable way by which to engage with school students and staff to address issues of self esteem, homophobic and transphobic bullying.
Year by year the Festival grew in popularity; its remit broadened and our expenditure increased and we needed a more formal structure. Hence, since 4[th] July 2016 we have been a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, whose only voting members are our charity Trustees.
Governance & Management
Contact: Peter Roscoe c/o 19 Victoria Street, Shrewsbury, SY1 2HS info@rainbowfilmfestival.org.uk
Over the year 2023/24, the Trustees continued to manage the charity and determine its direction; many thanks to them:
The Trustees 2023/2024
Sue Gorbing
Geoff Hardy
Day to day management, and work arising, was undertaken during the year by the Trustees; meeting formally as required, but usually informally.
Objectives
The principal objective of Shropshire Rainbow Film Festival is: ‘ ... to present a film festival aimed primarily, but not exclusively, at lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender people, to increase awareness and to portray the lives of LGBT people in the UK and worldwide ’ . It does this by:
a) putting on film festivals; until recent years, on an annul basis (initially over a week in December, then becoming a weekend event in October) in Shrewsbury (Shropshire’s county town), though, in 2021, we also screened the Festival in Oswestry. We also contribute to other film events during the year.
b) running a website, engaging via our social media accounts e.g. FB, Twitter, Instagram and we maintained contact with supporters via our Mailchimp account
c) outreach – through participating in cultural events e.g. Shrewsbury Pride
d) working with and supporting other organisations – e.g. Safe Ageing No Discrimination (SAND)
We are: ‘ an anti-discriminatory organisation, committed to screening films and working in ways that demonstrate fairness for all ’.
Achievements
Engagement with another very enjoyable Shrewsbury LGBT+ History Month
Participation in Shrewsbury Pride 2023 – this was a local landmark LGBT+ event. The role of our organisation since 2006 was evident in enabling Shropshire’s county town to embrace and celebrate its first Pride
Our long working relationship with the Old Market Hall led to a commitment by them to regularly screen LGBT+ interest films throughout the year and to designate October as a month with a focus on LGBT+ interest films
Marketing
We continued to use our FB page etc and website to promote events we supported.
Financial Review
A ‘Receipts & Payments Account’ for the year has been completed; our finances continue to be on a sound footing.
The Future
We will review our direction next year and decide the best way forward; continuing, in any event, to support local LGBT+ related film screenings, film events and film making.
Approved at the Trustees’ Meeting on: 4 November 2024
Shropshire Rainbow Film Festival
Receipts and Payment Account Period ended 31[st] March 2024 Receipts Donations & Fundraising 43.61 Sponsorship 150.00 Tickets and other sales 00.00 Grants 00.00 Other 596.67 (A) Interest 00.00 Total £790.28 Payments Film Licenses/Permissions 179.38 Speaker fees and expenses 00.00 Promotion 133.49 (B) Expenses/Administration 214.39 Festival Costs 00.00 Venue Hire 00.00 Other 4750.00 (C) Total £5277.21 Deficit for the year £4486.93 Opening balances: PayPal 5.73 Co-op 7428.24 £7434.17 Closing balances: PayPal 205.73 Co-op 2741.51 £2947.24
NOTES
Receipts
(A) – includes £396.67 film fee refunds and £200 to Paypal from the Coop a/c. Payments
(B) – unpaid invoice from 1.10.18 for flyers
(C) £4550.00 to SAND for a commissioned film and £200 from the Coop a/c to Paypal to ensure a reserve in PayPal re any future foreign payments
These Accounts have been prepared from the accounts and records of the Shropshire Rainbow Film Festival by Peter Roscoe – Trustee. Date: 04.11.2024