**QM Studios** **Charity number: 1175178** **Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023** ## **QM Studios Charity number: 1175178** ## **Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023** The Trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2023. ## **Administrative details** The Trustees who have served during the year covered by this report were as follows: Alan Mark Farnworth (resigned 16 July 2023) Amanda Violet Ansell Andrew Keith Wilson Annette Georgina Wilson Kay Whiteley 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. 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. ## **Structure and Governance** The charity was established as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation under a constitution on 17 October 2017. ## **Objectives and Activities** The objectives of QM Studios are to promote education in the arts, in particular music, with a focus on vulnerable groups in the community including learning and physically disabled people, people with mental health issues, young people and the elderly. The Trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit and have used this guidance at their trustees’ meetings in planning the activities for the period. The main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to the objects stated above are as follows: - To promote, for the public benefit, education in the arts. - To provide low-cost rehearsal and recording facilities for music makers. - To provide access to professional quality equipment and services to support music makers in the community. ## **QM Studios** - To enable the development of music skills and music technology expertise through educational and outreach programmes. - To support and encourage local live music events. - To add value to our activities through collaboration with other organisations and groups. - To provide opportunities for those with mental health and/or learning difficulties and/or physical disabilities to be involved in music. ## **Achievements and Performance** During the year we have continued to develop our work and partnerships with local groups for educational and inclusive music making. All outreach and charitable work listed below is funded by QM Studios, outside funding applications and individual donations as well as support in kind from volunteers and members of the local community. ## **Outreach & Charitable Work** Our Thursday sessions continue to provide a service for local disability groups and individuals: The Butterfly Project, Outreach 3-Way, The Westhope Group and Oaktree Farm Care. We deliver sessions for up to 30 workshop participants with varied disabilities and needs each week. We have a pool of volunteers with disabilities who are involved in our weekly outreach sessions on a regular basis. The number currently stands at 4. ## The Butterfly Project - Music We continue to facilitate inclusive song writing, electronic music, karaoke, DJ and group singing for 14 adults with additional needs. An addition to these sessions is our inclusive community choir which rehearses weekly at the studio. The weekly sessions are still popular and numbers are growing. Our groups perform regularly at local events, at the studio and other venues. ## The Butterfly Project – Drama We are working with the Butterfly Project on a new drama group which is held weekly and attended by 15 participants. The sessions are creative, inclusive and fun. The group enjoys performances locally including a seasonal pantomime. ## Outreach 3-Way Outreach 3-Way continue to bring a group of up to 8 participants who have learning difficulties for percussion workshops, karaoke and inclusive music sessions. Weekly sessions are 2 hours and the group have performed at the Blue Oasis Club in front of an audience of over 100. ## The Coasters Band The Coasters Band are a group of 6 musicians with learning difficulties/disabilities. Our Thursday outreach program supports them with songwriting and rehearsals, enabling them to perform as a professional act. Sessions are held fortnightly. ## **QM Studios** ## Inclusive Jazz Ensemble We have started a new group that offers for musicians have a learning difficulty but excel musically. Practising fortnightly, the sessions focus on jazz standards and improvisation. There are currently 4 group members and we are building a set to showcase at community events. ## Open to All Inclusive music making sessions for participants with additional needs. These sessions are tailored to suit participants who access the program independently giving them an opportunity to enjoy song writing, singing and music making with experienced tutors. Regular sessions of up to 10 participants. These sessions are a good opportunity for people with high needs to access the studio. ## Boom Tribe Boom Tribe is a unique integrated community project enabling young people and adults with and without physical and learning disabilities to participate in regular Afro-Brazilian workshops. Rehearsals are fortnightly at QM Studios, attended by up to 15 drummers per session. The group performs yearly at the Horsham Children’s Parade, St George’s Day Parade and in 2023, at the Brighton Pride event. ## Blue Oasis Blue Oasis is a quarterly club night supported by QM Studios catering for young people and adults from the local community with learning difficulties and physical health disabilities. The club is partly run by a steering group consisting of members who have a disability. They make decisions and influence the way the nights are run. The club night is an opportunity for our groups to showcase their acts and performances. These include sets from our DJs, The Coasters Band, Boom Tribe and community choir. The club has been running for over 20 years and continues to be an invaluable and well attended event in the local community, attracting over 100 guests per evening. ## Kingslea Primary School QM Studios funded a music practitioner to facilitate African drumming workshops at the school for 60 year 1 students. We also fund an annual recording session for 2 classes of year 5 students. ## Kingslea Fest QM Studios provided stage management, sound engineer and technical support as well as a full pa system to support Kingslea Fest at Kingslea School. The music festival attracted over 600 audience members and was an opportunity to showcase more of our outreach work. ## Chestnut Tree House QM Studios funded and supported outreach sessions held at Chestnut Tree House, working with children and young people from the charity who have life-limiting illnesses. The sessions enabled 15 children/young people to access music making workshops, professional equipment and tuition from out expert facilitators. ## **QM Studios** ## Volunteers Our 4 volunteers with disabilities engage and attend our sessions. They also feed back to us and help steer the program content for future workshop schedules. This is invaluable and gives them ownership of the program. ## Phoenix Stroke Club We have been working with the Phoenix Stroke Club to support their inclusive music project. The club are writing and recording an original song that involves attendees who have musical backgrounds. The project is very rewarding for all, and it enables QM Studios to work with a new group. ## Springboard We work with Springboard in Horsham, to facilitate parties, inclusive workshops and events for young people with disabilities. This includes inclusive music workshops, DJ parties and events that support and raise awareness of Springboard and the work they do. ## Work Experience We offer work experience to young people including students from The Forest School, Horsham; Manor Green College, Crawley and Brighton Metropolitan College. 6 participants attended this year and had the opportunity to work in a professional studio and enjoy working on community music projects. ## **Studio Hire** QM Studios continues to provide affordable, professional facilities for local musicians, singers and artists. This includes room hire, studio sessions and equipment hire. We offer concessions for educators and under 18s giving them the opportunity to access our studios at affordable rates. Our rooms are regularly booked by bands and artists every week, and this year we have seen an increase in attendance by young bands. In total over 800 sessions were attended in the past 12 months. ## Reaching Higher One of our partners - Horsham District Council – runs an outreach programme for young people and adults with learning difficulties and mental health difficulties. Weekly term-time sessions for up to 25 attendees are held at QM Studios and offer group tuition for DJing and karaoke, and video editing. ## RSL Awards (Formerly Rockschool) RSL Awards is a leading international Awarding Organisation, creating qualifications in Music, Performing Arts and Creative Industries subjects. QM Studios is an approved exam centre for graded music examinations, and our facilities are used to hold examinations throughout the year for up to 200 candidates. ## **QM Studios** ## **Patronage** David Essex OBE and his band continue to hire our rehearsal rooms for their tours. This raises the profile of the studio and as our patron, David continues to support our community and charitable work. Please see our social media feeds at qmstudios.co.uk for more information and content of our work. ## **Financial Review** The following statements set out the financial results and position of QM Studios for the year ended 31 December 2023. ## **Reserves Policy** It is the trustees’ policy to maintain a cash reserve of approximately £5,000 in a separate bank account. This is considered to be an appropriate level of reserves to meet fluctuations in receipts and payments and to cover general risks and contingencies. The reserve balance at 31 December 2023 was £5,072. The Trustees declare that they have approved this report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2023. Signed on behalf of the Charity’s Trustees Annette Wilson Chair of Trustees 12 July 2024 ## **QM Studios** ## **Charity number: 1175178** ## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of QM Studios for the year ended 31 December 2023** The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Charities Act”) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to: - examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act, - to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act), and - to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. The examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity 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 the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all 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. In connection with the examination, no material matters have come to my attention which give me cause to believe that in, any material respect: - the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or - the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or - 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 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. Marti V. Stenton FCA Morris Palmer Limited Chartered Accountants 12 July 2024 Barttelot Court Barttelot Road Horsham West Sussex RH12 1DQ ## **QM Studios** ## **Receipts and payments account for the year ended 31 December 2023** |

**Receipts**
Outreach income
Outreach grants
Blue Oasis project
Studio hire
Rock School project
Other income
Vending machine income

Vocal academy
Total receipts
**Payments**
Rock School expenses
Outreach expenses
Blue Oasis expenses
Studio admin
Rent
Workshop expenses and maintenance
Cleaning
Postage and stationery
Phone and broadband
Mobile phone
Advertising
Sundry expenses
Water
Insurance
Light and heat
Accountancy
Food & drink purchases
Fixed asset purchases
Total payments
**Net surplus for the year**

Cash funds brought forward
**Cash funds at 31 December 2023**|**2023**
**£**
7,959
25,160
2,505
37,798
1,175
656
1,819
500
77,572
607
20,250
516
4,615
4,523
9,457
233
8
465
235
256
714
145
2,310
7,422
1,476
1,991
1,533
56,756
20,816
33,235
54,051|**2022**
**£**
7,799
6,349
2,109
32,442
2,645
177
1,190
-
52,711
485
20,396
542
3,720
4,997
7,301
122
29
774
213
356
295
272
1,718
4,962
1,380
2,118
1,116
50,796
1,915
31,320
33,235| |---|---|---| ## **QM Studios** ## **Statement of assets and liabilities at 31 December 2023** |

Fixed assets
Bank accounts
Invoices receivable
Cash in hand
Total assets
Total liabilities
**Net assets at 31 December 2023**
|**2023**
**£**
27,708
54,036
782
15

82,541
-
82,541
|**2022**
**£**
26,175
33,215
790
20
60,200
-
60,200| |---|---|---| ## **QM Studios** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements** ## **Related Party Transactions** During the year, payments totalling £5,095 (2022: £4,123) were paid to one trustee in respect of studio admin, cleaning and Rock School services.