## **Stretford Children’s Theatre**
**REGISTERED CHARITY NO: 1175334**
## **2021 / 2022 Annual Report**
**Financial Year End 31.8.22**
**(Period covered 01.09.21-31.08.22)**
## **Stretford Children’s Theatre**
## **Stretford Public Hall**
## **Chester Road**
## **Stretford**
## **Manchester**
## **M32 0LG**
**Email: stretfordchildrenstheatre@gmail.com**
**Twitter: @SCT_Stretford**
**Website: www.stretfordchildrenstheatre.org.uk**
**Instagram: stretfordchildrenstheatre**
## _**Mission Statement:**_
To inspire, educate and enrich our community by providing high quality accessible performing arts sessions and through public productions.
## _**Our Vision:**_
To build a valued community organisation that is well-known for its high quality, inclusive, participant-led performing arts offer; an environment where everyone feels valued and supported to unlock talent and reach their potential.
## _**Our Values:**_
_Our_ **values** _, below, inform our work and guide our_ **attitudes** _and_ **behaviours** _:_
Values Behaviours and attitudes Creativity Personal Responsibility Diversity Listening Equality Achievement Inclusivity Confidence Respect Inspiring Honesty Nurturing Aspiration Friendship Ambition Support Collaboration Positivity Fun
## _**Our Aims:**_
- To provide fun, creative opportunities
- To be participant led
- To increase confidence, resilience and independence for participants
- To develop social and emotional skills to support mental health and well-being
- To develop confidence and leadership skills in order to enhance employability
- To develop skills, knowledge and appreciation of the arts
- To promote an understanding of the significance of the arts in our shared cultural heritage
- To encourage participants’ connection to their community: a sense of belonging
- To provide a safe and healthy environment for all
- To work together with residents, community users, local authorities, voluntary and other organisations to be a positive part of the community
- To be a robust and sustainable organisation
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Stretford Children’s Theatre was originally founded in 1945 by Bertram H. Holland and was embedded in the community for more than 35 years. It ceased to exist in the early 1980’s but was re-formed in 2015 by a small group of local people, and takes place at one of its original venues, Stretford Public Hall.
We are a small registered charity, with a volunteer Board, and our drama sessions are delivered by professional theatre practitioners, specialists at working with our different age groups.
Stretford Children’s Theatre, is committed to providing affordable quality drama experiences for local children and young people, aged 4 upwards.
We think we meet our aims at every session we deliver and hope that everyone feels the same. If you feel differently please speak to the any member of the Board and highlight any concerns, you may have.
Our sections have done some great things this year which means everyone is working towards fulfilling the aim of making a positive contribution to society to the public benefit of all.
As a foundation CIO, we are governed by our Constitution. If you wish for a copy of the Constitution which details more information about our group’s governance and rules, please ask any of the Board Members who can give you a copy, or it can be found on our website.
Our Bank details are:
CAF Bank Ltd, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME194JQ
CAFCASH Account: Account Number: 00031787 Sort Code: 405240
Also,
Natwest, Trafford Park, Third Avenue, Trafford Park, Manchester, M17 1NW
- General Account Name: Stretford Children’s Theatre
- General Account Number: 56057687 Sort Code: 010881
- Savings Account Name: Stretford Children’s Theatre
- Savings Account Number: 56057695 Savings Sort Code: 010881
We have had no serious/reportable accidents or incidents this year.
Our public liability insurance is held with Markel Insurance.
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All our drama practitioners are DBS checked and follow our child protection policy and procedures. All our policies can be found on our website.
We conduct risk assessments for each group, and each place we visit to ensure everybody’s safety.
## **If you are able to support us any further, through donations, volunteering your time or offering specific skills that might be useful, please do get in touch via email at stretfordchildrenstheatre@gmail.com or get in touch through our Facebook page (Stretford Children’s Theatre), or speak to any of the Board Members, volunteers, or leaders.**
## **Group Structure 2021/2022**
## **Our Board Members are:**
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No changes to the Board are known about at this time but strengthening our capabilities is on the agenda and this may mean increasing the number of Trustees to the Board.
If you need to contact any of the Board Members please email: stretfordchildrenstheatre@gmail.com stating who you would like the email to go to.
CAF Online Signatories are: Kirsty Thomas; Shelly Quinton-Hulme; Janice Rendel
Natwest Cheque Signatories are: Kirsty Thomas; Shelly Quinton-Hulme; Janice Rendel
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## **’ – Chairperson s Annual Report 2021 2022**
For this period, my first AGM as Chairperson, the focus has been to stabilise the activity of Stretford Children’s Theatre post pandemic and set key objectives and direction for the next 12 months to include planning for Stretford Youth Theatre. This has meant consideration of finances, capacity and resources. Activity has been small but impactful with focus being manageable youth focussed activity and strategic development including:
- Return to face to face sessions
- Development of new website https://www.stretfordchildrenstheatre.org.uk/
- Jubilee event in Victoria Park and filming at Stretford Public Hall
- Christmas showing of devised work _Humpty Dumpty and the Happily NEVER After_ with emerging playwright Dan Berridge
- Trafford Partnership collaboration led by Odd Arts and including SCT and GHS – Takes On Trafford =
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v rmsqus0ds9Y
- Planning and development of marketing materials for Stretford Youth Theatre and exploring capabilities of introducing Arts Award offer
- Increase in administrative assistance to support with SYT
- Planning and working towards a production in summer 2023
Thank you from us all for helping to make Stretford Children’s Theatre work.
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## **Treasurers Report and Annual Accounts - 2021/22**
This year saw continued uncertainty around Covid restrictions which impacted the financial section of the group. We decided not to hold a performance this year due to those uncertainties and as a result haven’t needed to look for grant funding. We were glad to welcome everyone back into Stretford Public Hall as the traditional face to face sessions restarted this year.
Looking at the income and expenditure for this year we can see the costs have reduced in line with the income. This is not unexpected as we normally apply for grants in order to put on a performance. This financial year we are also aware that the grants have been more difficult to win as funders put their money elsewhere within the context of Covid. We have been in the fortunate position to be self -funded for 21-22 but based on the closing balance of the bank we are also aware of what needs to be done going forward.
## **Financial challenges 22/23**
- Grant funds may be more challenging with the need for financial support around cost of living increases.
- Cash flow will always remain a challenge for us but if we remain financially vigilant we will not only maintain the groups but will have the potential for growth.
|**Opening Balance**||**£**
**16,650**|**£**
**16,650**|**£**
**12,296**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**_Total Income_**|||||
|||**2021-2022**||**2020-2021**|
|Memberships||£|12,358|£
11,032|
|Grants||£|-|£
15,893|
|Donations||£|1,147|£
318|
|Bank Interest||£|-|£
-|
|**_Gift Aid_**|||||
|2019-20||||£
1,976|
|2020-21||||£
2,187|
|**_otal Income_**|**£**||**13,505 £**
**31,405**||
|**_Total Costs_**|||||
|Hall Hire||£|3,520|£
1,090|
|Session Leaders and Manager||£|14,416|£18,860|
|GroupExpenditure||£|3,529|£
7,101|
|**_Total Cost_**
**Closing Balance**||**£**|||
||||**21,465**|**£**
**27,051**|
||||**8,690 £**
**16,650**||
The closing balance as at 31st August 2022 is £8,690 of which £6,752 are unrestricted funds. This money can be used to fund our core activities. The bank balance has decreased by nearly 50% since last year this is due to no grant funding being received in this financial year. The unrestricted funds have only decreased by 25% since last year.
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## **Gift Aid**
We will prepare the Gift Aid claim for the period September 2021 until August 2022 in the next couple of weeks. The funds relating to the financial year 21-22 will not be received until the current financial year (22/23). We estimate the claim to be around £2,000 as per the 20/21 claim. Gift Aid is a UK tax incentive that enables tax-effective giving by individuals to charities in the United Kingdom.
## **Reserves**
These are calculated as follows;
Amounts of unprotected cash available divided by the sum of monthly running costs – which gives us the number of months we are able to operate should no further income be forthcoming.
|**Expenditure**|**Projected costper annum**|
|---|---|
|Hall Hire|£
3,300|
|Session Leaders|£
11,400|
|Session Management|£
1,500|
|Insurance|£
350|
|Website Hosting|£
158|
|Covid costs|£
170|
|OSM/Go Cardless|£
360|
|Bank charges|£
96|
|Storage charges|£
600|
|Subscriptions|£
60|
|||
|Total|17,994|
Based on the figures above (these are based on a ‘normal’ year) our monthly running costs are £1,499.50. Our reserves policy was agreed in 2019 and is located within the body of our financial handbook (available on our website). The policy states that we should hold 12 weeks (one academic full term) reserves in our Natwest account, this would require £4,498.50 and is something we worked towards during 2020/21. As at 31/08/2022 we had met and held these reserves in our Natwest account.
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## **Ways to donate**
## _**Give as you earn/Donate as you earn**_
As an employee you can set up a direct payment from your gross pay to Stretford Children’s Theatre under a scheme called ‘Give as You Earn’ – ask your HR or Payroll Manager whether your company has signed up to CAF Give As You Earn and if so, how you can join the payroll giving scheme.
## _**Amazon Smile**_
https://smile.amazon.co.uk – SCT was set up with Amazon Smile where you buy from Amazon and they donate 0.5% of the net purchase price with every eligible purchase
## **Annual Report accepted at the Annual General Meeting**
## **of Stretford Children’s Theatre**
## **on**
**31[st] May 2023**
## **Signed:**
## **Michelle Calame**
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**Independent examiner's report on the accounts**
**Section A Independent Examiner’s Report Report to the trustees/** Charity Name **members of** Stretford Children’s Theatre **On accounts for the year** 31[st ] August 2022 **Charity no** 1175334 **ended (if any) Set out on pages** 1-2 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets) I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 / 08 / 2022. **Responsibilities and** As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation **basis of report** of the accounts in accordance 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 the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
**Independent** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have **examiner's statement** come to my attention (other than that disclosed below *) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
- accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
- the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
- _Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply._
**Signed:** J Hewitson **Date:** 01/06/2023 **Name:** Jenny Hewitson **Relevant professional** N/A **qualification(s) or body (if any): Address:** 3 Glastonbury Road Stretford Manchester, M32 9PE
**Section B Disclosure**
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
1
**October 2018**
**IER**
**Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose** .
2
**October 2018**
**IER**