## **Poetic Unity**
**Reports and Financial Statements Period Ended 31[st] December 2021**
**Charity number: 1171832 Company number: 09882990**
## **Poetic Unity**
## **Contents of the Financial Statements for period ended 31[st] December 2021**
||Page|
|---|---|
|Company Information|1|
|Report of the Trustee's|2-7|
|Report of the Independent Examiner|8|
|Statement of Financial Activities|9|
|Balance Sheet|10|
|Notes to the Financial Statements|11|
|Income and Expenditure Account|12|
## **Poetic Unity**
# **Company Information for period ended 31[st] December 2021**
Trustees: Sasha Shantel Bennett Naomi Louise McLean Lucrecia Seline Augustin Temwani Melida Mwale Secretary: Ryan Junior Matthews-Robinson Chief Executive: Ryan Junior Matthews-Robinson
Registered Address: 1 Windrush Square, Brixton, London, SW2 1EF Registered Company Number: 09882990 Registered Charity Number: 1171832
Independent Examiner: Mr. P Okusi LCIE AFA MIPA
## **Poetic Unity**
## **Report of Trustee's for Period Ended 31[st] December 2021**
## **Incorporation and Registration**
Poetic Unity was incorporated on 20[th] November 2015 and registered with charity commission on 1[st] March 2017.
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
Poetic Unity is governed by the board of trustees who are also the directors and supported by dedicated staff and volunteers to provide the following objects for our beneficiaries.
1. To advance the education of young people through the subject of poetry and spoken word
2. To act as a resource for young people up to the age of 30 living in London by organising workshops programmes and events as a means of:
(a) advancing in life and helping young people by developing their skills, capacities, and capabilities to enable them to participate in society as independent, mature, and responsible individuals.
(b) providing recreational and leisure time activity in the interests of social welfare for people living in the area of benefit who have need by reason of their youth, age, disability, poverty, or social and economic circumstances with a view to improving the conditions of life of such persons.
Poetic Unity works with children and vulnerable adults and has safeguarding and child protection policies in place to ensure our activities are conducted in a safe and friendly environment.
The trustee board ensures Poetic Unity is run in a legal way and is in line with charity commission law. The board, staff and volunteers work together to make sure the objects carried out in the community are done so effectively and responsibly.
## **Objectives and Activities**
Poetic Unity started off 2021 in similar fashion to how 2020 finished with our services continuing to be delivered online due to the Covid-19 outbreak and lockdowns. Our online services Virtual Poetry, The Poets Corner Online, Still Locked up and Mental Health Matters programmes which we delivered on Instagram and Zoom continued to be very popular and had great uptake from young people across the UK. In February 2021 Poetic Unity turned 6 years old and it was the first time we celebrated our birthday online instead of in person due
to the pandemic. We had over 200 people from the community join Zoom to celebrate Poetic Unity’s birthday. In the same month Poetic Unity was featured on channel 5 news highlighting the support we have provided young people since
the beginning of the pandemic. Throughout 2021 Poetic Unity partnered with several organisations such as Warner Bros, We Are Parable, London South Bank University, Prince’s Trust, London Nautical School, British Film Institute, Salix Finance, St Georges University, Streatham Space Project, Brixton Project, Lambeth Council, Penguin Books UK and WOW Foundation to help extend our
impact and support more young people across the UK. Poetic Unity’s most significant partnership in 2021 was the Poetic Relief Project with long standing partners Black Cultural Archives and Theatre Peckham. Poetic Unity led on this project citing the long term effects the pandemic will have on young people’s mental health and employment status. The Poetic Relief Project serves to support young people’s mental health, personal development, and community cohesion for the next 3 years. Funded by the National Lottery Community Fund this project also gave rise to the Cultural Leaders Youth Employment Scheme which allows Poetic Unity, Black Cultural Archives and Theatre Peckham to hire six young people every six months for three years to give them paid work in the charity sector. Alongside the National Lottery Community Fund, Poetic Unity also received funding from Arts Council, Leathersellers and DCMS to support our projects and beneficiaries. In May 2021 an ease on lockdown restrictions allowed Poetic Unity’s services to regularly be delivered in person again. Poetic Unity continued to deliver several online services as there was still a great uptake and it allowed us to reach more young people outside of London. Although based in London, Poetic Unity reached young people across the UK including cities such as Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester, Coventry, Birmingham, Brighton, and Bristol. From January-December 2021, Poetic Unity delivered 155 services online and in person which is down on the number of services we provided last year. This is due to it being logistically easier in 2020 to run more services as all of our services had to be moved online in 2020. 2021 was another transformative year for Poetic Unity having to adapt to providing a hybrid service of online and in person programmes and providing our first youth employment scheme.
## **Achievements and Performance**
Poetic Unity directly supported 730 young people in 2021 and it’s estimated that over 7,000 young people aged between 10-30 years old benefited from our services in total in 2021. However, the impact of our work far exceeds the young people we help directly which includes relieving stress on the friends and family of the young people we work with and building community cohesion in boroughs such as Lambeth which has some of the highest rates of youth violence in London. These services generally provided alternative education, personal development, safe and friendly environments, and mental health support.
## **Financial Review**
As we went in to 2021 Poetic Unity was in a healthy financial position due to being provided crisis funding to support young people and provide stability during the pandemic. Although our finances were stable at the beginning of the year, we were still unsure what the future held for Poetic Unity and the young people we support due to the state of the economy. Although there was a potential light at the end of the tunnel for the pandemic to ease, the financial ramifications for society in general were going to have long lasting effects. Fortunately, Poetic Unity’s finances have grown more significantly in 2021 than in any previous year. This is largely due to receiving £360k (£120k per year) from the National Lottery Community Fund to be split over 3 years between Poetic Unity, Black Cultural Archives and Theatre Peckham for the Poetic Relief Project. This funding has given Poetic Unity financial stability for the next 3 years and has ensured we can provide regular services for young people in the community. The need for our services continues to grow as the cost of living goes up which has a detrimental effect on young people’s mental health and general wellbeing. Poetic Unity has continued to have a good balance of restricted funding and unrestricted funding in 2021. Although our restricted funding is greater through receiving funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, Arts Council and DCMS.
It’s still important for the financial health of Poetic Unity that we continue growing our partnerships with organisations like the Prince’s Trust, the Brixton Project, Streatham Space Project, and We Are Parable to receive unrestricted funding that can support Poetic Unity’s core costs and reserves. Poetic Unity has continued to receive regular donations and regular donors who support the work we do. Poetic Unity’s financial forecast is healthy, and we expect to see more financial growth in 2022 with the need for our services continuing to grow.
## **Public Benefit**
All the charity's activities are primarily aimed at the development of young people. In creating activities and providing services, the board have taken note of the guidance provided by charity commission on public benefit.
## **Risk Management**
The Board has taken into consideration the major strategic risks, operational risks, and the vulnerability of our beneficiaries. We can confirm our systems have been established to ensure our policies are up to date and reports can be produced when necessary to lessen these risks.
## **Financial Controls**
The trustees act as the management committee and have control of the Charity and funds. The financial statements show the current state of finances, which the Trustees consider to be sound. The Charity's bankers are Barclays Bank PLC.
## **Financial Reserves Policy**
The board has agreed to keep 3 months of core funding as reserves to ensure our main operations can continue for this period. This policy will be reviewed annually and whenever there are any significant changes affecting our finances.
Approved by the board on 18/07/22 and signed on their behalf by
……………………………..
Naomi McLean
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINATION REPORT TO THE DIRECTORS OF POETIC UNITY ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021.**
## **Respective responsibilities of the directors who are also the trustees.**
The directors are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The directors consider that an audit is not required for this year.
It is our aim to:
- examine the accounts;
- state whether particular matters have come to our attention.
## **Basis of independent report**
Our review was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by Companies House. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the company and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as directors concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide any of the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a “true and fair view” and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
## **Independent statement**
In connection with my inspection, no matter has come to my attention.
1. Which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements
- to keep accounting records in accordance with section of the Act; and
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the accounting requirements of the Act have not been met; or
2. to which, in my opinion, attention shown be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Thompson & Co Approved Independent Examiner & Financial Accountants 336-338 London Road Cricket Green CR4 3UD
## **POETIC UNITY Statement of Financial Activities 01 January - 31 December 2021**
|**Income**
**Arts Council**
**Beyond the Box Consultants**
**Birkbeck University**
**Change Grow Live LTD**
**London Community Fund**
**City Bridge Trust**
**Donation**
**Lambeth Council**
**Leathersellers**
**London South Bank University**
**National Lottery and DCMS**
**National Lottery Community Fund**
**Other Income**
**Penguin Books UK**
**Princes Trust**
**Salix Finance**
**St Georges University**
**Streatham Space Project**
**The Brixton Project**
**The Poets Corner**
**Workshop**
**We Are Parable**
**SYLA**
**St Gabriels College**
**Theatre Peckham**
**Total Income**
**Expenditures**
**Accountancy**
**Advertising/Promotional**
**Black Cultural Archives**
**Cultural Leader**
**Insurances**
**Legal**
**Office/General Administrative Expenses**
**Other Professional Services**
**Pension**
**Taxes**
**Wages**
**Poetry In Motion**
**Theatre Peckham**
**Travel**
**Training**
**Venue Hire**
**Total Expenditures**
**Net Surplus for the year.**
**Funds brought Forward.**
**Balancing Adj**
**Fund Balances, 31st December 2021.**|**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Total**
_Total _
**2021**
**2021**
**2021**
_2020_
-
13,050
13,050
-
675
-
675
-
500
-
500
-
200
-
200
-
-
-
-
_10,000_
-
-
-
_10,000_
787
-
787
_955_
690
-
690
_3,333_
1,000
-
1,000
-
1,000
-
1,000
-
-
2,500
2,500
-
-
120,000
120,000
_10,000_
567
-
567
-
1,500
-
1,500
-
4,075
-
4,075
18,200
1,000
-
1,000
-
350
-
350
-
1,500
-
1,500
-
720
-
720
-
2,690
-
2,690
-
0
-
0
_4,475_
2,373
-
2,373
-
-
-
-
_4,650_
-
-
-
_700_
-
-
-
_600_
**19,627**
**135,550**
**155,177**
**_62,913_**
469
-
469
-
-
2,275
2,275
_1,479_
-
30,000
30,000
-
-
5,581
5,581
-
309
-
309
_304_
13
-
13
-
446
288
734
_569_
11,295
16,970
28,265
_25,430_
-
1,875
1,875
-
-
7,418
7,418
-
-
23,333
23,333
-
-
150
150
-
-
30,000
30,000
-
-
-
-
_2,426_
-
913
913
_194_
657
-
657
-
13,189
118,804
131,993
_30,402_
6,438
16,746
23,184
23,361
13,946
37,305
5,328
5,328
**29,798**
**36,020**
**65,818**|
|---|---|
|||
|||
## **POETIC UNITY BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2021**
||**2021**||**2020**||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Note|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|CURRENT ASSETS|||||
|Cash at bank|66,413||37,305||
|CREDITORS: Amounts falling due within one yea||595||475|
|||────||────|
|NET CURRENT ASSETS||65,818||36,830|
|||────||────|
|TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES||65,818||36,830|
|||════||════|
|FUNDS|||||
|||────||────|
|TOTAL FUNDS||65,818||36,830|
|||════||════|
The directors are satisfied that the Charity is entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
## Directors’ responsibilities:
- the directors have not required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for
- the year in question in accordance with section 476,
- the directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts
- these accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime.
- These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions for small companies under the Companies Act 2006.
These financial statements were approved by the board of directors on the 29/09/2022 and are signed on their behalf by:
…………………………..
Naomi McLean
**Poetic Unity Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee Notes to the Financial Statements Year ended 31[st] December 2021.**
## **1 Basis of Preparation**
The financial statements have been prepared under the historic cost convention, following the recommendations of the Statement of Recommended Practice FRS 102.
## **2 Accounting Policies**
## **a) Income**
All income is accounted for on an accrual basis, except for voluntary donations, which are taken into account when received.
Grants are recognised in full during the year that they are received.
Incoming receipts from tax reclaims are included in the SOFA at the same time as the gift to which they relate.
## **b) Fixed Assets**
Fixed assets are stated at cost and depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of each asset over its expected useful life.
Computer equipment and office equipment 25% straight line basis. It is the Charity’s policy to capitalise fixed assets that are above a de minimus level of £250.
## **c) Funds held for restricted purposes**
Restricted funds represent income received by the Charity for specific purposes or areas.
## **d) Resources expended**
Resources are accounted for on an accruals basis. Expenditure is appointed to cost categories based on the amount attributable during the year, including the cost of generating funds and charitable activities.
Governance costs include legal costs and Trustee meetings only.
## **e) Recognition of Liabilities**
These financial statements recognise all liabilities that the charity has responsibility for. The charity is not aware of any contingent liabilities.
## **3 Trustee Expenses**
No expenses were claimed by Trustees in their role as Trustees, but some are also volunteers supporting the youth and raising funds through events.
**4.**
## **Restricted Grants.**
|Grant received
Grant Expenses
Net Surplus / deficient|**Arts**
**Council**
**City Bridge**
**Trust**
**London**
**Community**
**Foundation**
**National**
**Lottery**
**(Small**
**Grants)**
**National**
**Lottery**
**and DCMS**|**National**
**Lottery**
**Community**
**Fund**
**TOTAL**|
|---|---|---|
||£
13,050.00 £
0.00 £
0.00£
0.00
£
2,500.00
£
0.00£
2,586.39 £
10,013.15 £
1,950.00 £
2,500.00
**£**
**13,050.00 -£**
**2,586.39 -£**
**10,013.15 -£**
**1,950.00**
**£**
**0.00**|£
120,000.00 £
135,550.00
£
101,754.08 £
118,803.62
**£**
**18,245.92 £**
**16,746.38**|
## **5. Donations.**
|**5. Donations. **||||
|---|---|---|---|
|**Income**
Beyond the Box Consultants
Birkbeck University
Change Grow Live LTD
Donation
Lambeth Council
Leathersellers
London South Bank University
Other Income
Penguin Books UK
Prince's Trust
Salix Finance
St Georges University
Streatham Space Project
The Brixton Project
The Poets Corner
We Are Parable
**Total Income**|**Unrestricted Funds**|||
|||**£**
675.00
500.00
200.00
786.86
690.00
1,000.00
1,000.00
567.10
1,500.00
4,075.00
1,000.00
350.00
1,500.00
720.00
2,690.00
2,373.00
**19,626.96**||
**6.** CHARITABLE COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE