Wales Community Theatre Players Registered Charity Number: 1175705
ANNUAL REPORT AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
Annual Report and Unaudited Financial Statements
For the period ended 31[st] March 2021
Contents Legal and Administrative Information ................................................................................................... 2 Trustees' annual report .......................................................................................................................... 3 Accountants’ report ............................................................................................................................... 7 Receipts and payments account ............................................................................................................ 8 Statement of assets and liabilities ......................................................................................................... 9 Notes to the accounts .......................................................................................................................... 10
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Legal and Administrative Information
Trustees;
Gareth Cook (Chairman)
(Treasurer) Alison Wade (Vice Chair) Claire Raynes (Secretary) Jayne Lemm Lee Phillips Linda Burgess Kate Stenton Phil Bairstow Joe Bairstow
appointed 29 January 2019 appointed 13 November 2017 appointed 13 November 2017 appointed 24 January 2018 appointed 13 November 2017 appointed 13 November 2017 appointed 27 March 2018 appointed 13 August 2019 appointed 17 December 2020 appointed 28 January 2021
Registered address;
20 Forge Road
Wales Sheffield S26 5RS
Address for correspondence;
PO Box 5964
Sheffield S20 9FP
Accountants ;
VAS Community Accountancy
The Circle 33 Rockingham Lane Sheffield S1 4FW
Bankers;
Barclays Bank plc 10-12 Pinstone Street Sheffield
S1 2HN
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Trustees' annual report
The Board of Trustees are pleased to present their annual report together with the financial statements of WCTP for the period from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021.
Structure, Governance and Management
Wales Community Theatre Players (WCTP) is a Charitable Incorporated Association governed by its Constitution and was registered with the Charity Commission on 13 November 2017; number 1175705.
Structure; The Board of Trustees (members) act on behalf of the performing associate members, promoting theatre through productions in the community. In addition to the performing associates the group welcomes non-performing associates and volunteers. They have a range of roles in the group including; fundraising, front of house, chaperones and ticket sales.
Governance; the Board of Trustees holds regular formal meetings throughout the year, as well as adhoc meetings as and when required. During the period covered by the report the Trustees met on 9 occasions representing approximately 95 volunteer hours.
The Board of Trustees are governed by WCTP’s Constitution adopted on the 7[th] August 2017 prior to receiving the confirmation of WCTP’s charity status.
Related Organisations; WCTP is a member of the National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA), a national body that represents amateur theatre. NODA was founded in 1899, “to protect and advance the interests of operatic and dramatic art, and of societies engaged therein”. In the period ended March 2021 WCTP paid no membership fees to NODA due to the COVID pandemic, £185 was paid on the 30[th] April 2021, which will form part of the year ending March 2022 accounts. (Further information about NODA can be obtained via their website www.noda.org.uk.)
Method of Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees; WCTP’s founding trustees were nominated for a fixed term defined in the constitution. Apart from the first charity trustees, every subsequent trustee must be appointed for a term of three years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees as per the constitution.
New trustees are identified either by the Board of Trustees being approached directly with an application or by qualified individuals being approached by WCTP. In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the Board of Trustees will have considered the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of WCTP.
During the period the Board of Trustees welcomed two new trustees, with appointments of Phillip Bairstow in December 2020 and Joseph Bairstow in January 2021.
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Charitable Objectives, Aims and Activities
The charitable objects; are to advance the public education in, and appreciation of the art of theatrical productions, encourage community participation in public theatre and assist and further such charitable institutions and charitable purposes as the Board of Trustees shall determine.
Our aims; are to promote and develop a love and understanding of everything associated with the theatre. Through building on our long history (over 70 years) we will continue to ensure the tradition of pantomime and variety performances are maintained in South Yorkshire. WCTP’s vision being; Inspiring all to develop a passion for community theatre.
WCTP aspires to achieve the highest standards of musical theatre performance, presenting a pantomime and second musical theatre performance annually, developing the skills of members enabling their participation in all aspects of productions.
Activities and public benefit; under normal circumstances WCTP would carry out a range of activities to ensure it promotes and develops a love and understanding of musical theatre. The Board of Trustees consider that these activities, provide benefit both to those who join WCTP to perform or support our performers in one of the many backstage roles, as well as the wider community of Sheffield who would normally attend our performances either at The Montgomery theatre in Sheffield or at one of the local community venues we choose to host our performances.
Clearly the 12 months of activity this report covers have been extraordinary due to the COVID19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown measures. Throughout this period it has been impossible for WCTP to achieve its objectives, lockdown measures prevented the society from meeting be it for rehearsals or fund raising activities and completely prohibited the gathering of large crowds in attendance of musical theatre or pantomime.
WCTP was successful in coordinating a short online video showcasing the members musical abilities as performed in their own homes. The video titled “Everybody’s talking about Panto” was very well received and was also aired on the BBC Radio Sheffield Toby Foster Breakfast broadcast as well as BBC Look North. The video was also well received by NODA.
Public benefit statement; the trustees confirm that they have referred to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity’s aims and objectives and in planning future activities.
Plans for the future; clearly the development of the COVID-19 vaccines and their subsequent roll out in the wider population will be the key driver in allowing musical theatre groups such as WCTP to consider coordinating its next production. This is first and foremost to ensure the safety of WCTP’s members and audiences but also to safeguard the charities’ future by producing financially viable productions.
In early 2021 HM Government set out plans to remove lockdown restrictions which, if successful will permit a return to the types of social interaction we all experienced pre COVID19. The current timeline proposed by HM Government states that this will be no earlier than the 21[st] June. Based on this timeline it is the aspiration of the Board of Trustees for WCTP to commence fund raising activities in the late summer 2021 and resume plans and rehearsals for the Jack in the Beanstalk pantomime in autumn 2021. The Jack in the Beanstalk pantomime was originally scheduled for January 2021 but subsequently delayed to January 2022 for obvious reasons.
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Sadly, given the current timeline issued by HM Government for the lifting of lockdown and social distancing measures the Board of Trustees at this point in time feel it is not feasible to coordinate the musical theatre performance originally scheduled for the Summer of 2020 and as such this has been delayed to Summer 2022.
Financial Review;
Reserves policy; the Board of Trustees has the aspiration to accumulate and maintain reserves of £30,000 so as to provide cover for shortfall in revenue against production budgets. As at 31 March 2021 WCTP held a reserve of £4,444 raised from membership payments, fund raising and grants received during the year plus the brought forward reserves.
Financial Performance; WCTP achieved a total deficit for the year of £411, (2020 surplus of £1,649).
Economic challenges; in common with many other societies WCTP continues to face economic challenges as a result of COVID-19 and no longer being able to continue normal activities such as performances or fund raising, whilst still covering minimal ongoing operating costs.
In addition to this more conventional pressures such as the risk of suppliers going bankrupt, increasing costs of putting on productions, performing rights’ costs, maximising ticket sales in a competitive market whilst at the same time not compromising on the quality of the productions have all been heightened.
To overcome these challenges the Board of Trustees works extremely hard to keep production costs under control, being prudent with the performance selection, promoting ticket sales via effective marketing, various community fundraising events and securing grant funding from various trusts and foundations that promote the arts and charitable activities.
Impact of COVID-19; the global COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent UK lockdown measures has had a significant impact across The Arts, the repercussions of which are still being felt. With large gatherings such as rehearsals or attending live performances prohibited for the majority of 2020, it was impossible for all musical theatre societies, including WCTP to carry on as normal. The periodic easing of lockdown measures in 2020 did not provide much in the way of relief, the required social distancing measures limited seating capacity to the extent with which it is economically unviable to coordinate live performances. As a direct consequence of this neither the musical theatre performance scheduled for the Summer of 2020 or the Jack in the Beanstalk pantomime was scheduled for January 2021 were able to go ahead.
The pace and success of the HM Government’s vaccination programme and proposed timeline to remove lockdown restrictions has given the Board of Trustees a degree of optimism that the Jack in the Beanstalk pantomime originally scheduled for January 2021 could go ahead in January 2022. Sadly the lifting of lockdown and social distancing measures will not be in time to allow WCTP’s annual musical theatre performance to take place and as such this has been delayed to Summer 2022.
The Board of Trustees explored numerous opportunities to raise funding via grants and is pleased to confirm that WCTP was successful with its applications to the Co-Op Local Community Fund and Rotherham Borough Council.
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As part of the preparation of these accounts the Board of Trustees has considered various operating scenarios for WCTP for the coming 12 months from May 2021 to April 2022. Even in the pessimistic scenario of WCTP not being able to coordinate a production until Summer 2022, WCTP has sufficient funds to meet expenditure that can reasonably be foreseen.
The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ report above on 21[st] July 2021 and are signed on their behalf by:
Gareth Cook, Chairman of Trustees and Treasurer.
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Accountants’ report to the Trustees of Wales Community Theatre Players (“the Charity”)
for the year ended 31 March 2021
In order to assist you to fulfil your duties, we have prepared for your approval the accounts of the Charity for the year ended 31 March 2021 as set out on the following pages from the accounting records and from information and explanations you have given us.
This report is made solely to the Trustees of the Charity, in accordance with the terms of our engagement letter dated 19 April 2021. Our work has been undertaken solely to prepare for your approval the accounts of the Charity and state those matters that we have agreed to the Trustees of the Charity. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Charity and its Trustees for our work or for this report.
It is your duty to ensure that the Charity has kept adequate accounting records and to prepare accounts that give a true and fair view of the financial position of the Charity.
We have not been instructed to carry out an independent examination or a review of the accounts of the Charity. For this reason, we have not verified the accuracy or completeness of the accounting records or information and explanations you have given to us and we do not, therefore, express any opinion on these accounts.
Signed: ____
VAS Community Accountancy
The Circle 33, Rockingham Lane Sheffield S1 4FW
Date:
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V A S C o m m u n i t y A c c o u n t a n c y
Wales Community Theatre Players
Receipts and payments account
For the period ended 31 March 2021
| Notes Receipts Grant income 2 Ticket sales Other income Gift aid Fundraising Donations Associate membership fees Total receipts Payments Venue hire Lighting MD & Band Costumes Marketing Equipment hire Other performance expenses Administrative expenses Insurance Fundraising expenses Clothing Bank charges Travel Total Payments Net receipts for the year and net movement in funds Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward |
Unrestricted Funds £ Restricted Funds £ Total 2021 £ Total 2020 £ 1,000 1,411 2,411 2,465 - - - 22,926 - - - 7,596 259 - 259 1,155 - - - 4,506 592 - 592 4,817 660 - 660 1,458 |
|---|---|
| 2,511 1,411 3,922 44,923 |
|
| - - - 9,222 - - - 2,851 75 - 75 4,425 - - - 6,825 - - - 2,839 - - - 12,212 - - - 2,250 1,900 - 1,900 315 1,605 - 1,605 1,253 227 504 731 142 - - - - 22 - 22 101 - - - 839 |
|
| 3,829 504 4,333 43,274 |
|
| (1,318) 907 (411) 1,649 4,800 55 4,855 3,206 |
|
| 3,482 962 4,444 4,855 |
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V A S C o m m u n i t y A c c o u n t a n c y
Wales Community Theatre Players
Statement of assets and liabilities
For the period ended 31 March 2021
| Cash assets Balance at bank: Current account PayPal cash balance Cash in hand Total receipts Assets Assets retained for the charity’s own use Debtors Total assets Liabilities Accountancy & independent examination fee Trade creditors Total liabilities |
2021 £ 2020 £ 4,444 4,836 - 10 - 9 |
|---|---|
| 4,444 4,855 |
|
| 2021 £ 2020 £ 1,300 1,300 - - |
|
| 1,300 1,300 |
|
| 2021 £ 2020 £ 270 1,020 - 1,650 |
|
| 270 2,670 |
These Financial Statements are approved by the trustees on 21[st] July 2021 and signed on their behalf by:
Gareth Cook, Chairman of Trustees and Treasurer
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V A S C o m m u n i t y A c c o u n t a n c y
Wales Community Theatre Players
Notes to the accounts
For the period ended 31 March 2021
1 Receipts and payment account
Receipts and payments accounts are statements that summarise the movement of cash into and out of the organisation during the financial year. In this context "cash" includes cash equivalents, for example, bank accounts where cash can be readily withdrawn to pay for debts as they become due.
2 Grants and donations
| Grants and donations | |
|---|---|
| Rotherham Borough Council Ward Pot Members Community Leadership Fund Co-op community grant Wales Parish Council Grant Co-op grant HSBC The Freshgate Trust Foundation Total |
Unrestricted Funds £ Restricted Funds £ Total 2021 £ Total 2020 £ - 504 504 - - - - 300 - 907 907 1,815 - - - 100 - - - 250 1,000 - 1,000 - - - - - |
| 1,000 1,411 2,411 2,465 |
During the period ended 31 March 2020 all grants received were restricted.
3 Restricted funds
| Rotherham Borough Council Ward Pot Members Community Leadership Fund Co-op community grant Total |
Opening Balance 1-Apr- 20 Receipts Payments Transfers Closing balance 31-Mar- 21 £ £ £ £ £ - 504 (504) - - 55 - - (55) - - 907 - - 907 |
|---|---|
| 55 1,411 (504) (55) 907 |
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V A S C o m m u n i t y A c c o u n t a n c y
Wales Community Theatre Players
Notes to the accounts continued
For the period ended 31 March 2021
3 Restricted funds continued
Rotherham Borough Council Ward Pot ; funding received to support the annual operating costs.
Members Community Leadership Fund; the funds received were used to support the production costs of WCTP’s One Brick at a Time performance celebrating 150 years Wales – Kiveton Methodist Church.
Co-op community grant; funding to support the development of members through engaging with professional musical directors, choreographers & directors; drawing upon their expertise to coach and further develop members musical theatre abilities. Also, supporting local community groups & charities offering free tickets to vulnerable & isolated individuals.
Prior year
| Members Community Leadership Fund Co-op Community Cause grant Wales Parish Council grant Co-op grant Total |
Opening Balance 1-Apr- 19 Receipts Payments Transfers Closing balance 31-Mar- 20 £ £ £ £ £ - 300 (245) - 55 - 1,815 (1,815) - - - 100 (100) - - - 250 (250) - - |
|---|---|
| - 2,465 (2,410) - 55 |
The Members Community Leadership Funding; was used to support the production costs of WCTP’s One Brick at a Time performance celebrating 150 years Wales – Kiveton Methodist Church.
The Co-op Community Cause grant was a grant to support the cost of offering free tickets to vulnerable children and isolated individuals in the Sheffield community who may otherwise be overlooked by other community events and not have the opportunity to experience and enjoy a traditional pantomime.
Wales Parish Grant; the funds received were used to support the production costs of WCTP’s One Brick at a Time performance celebrating 150 years of the Wales – Kiveton Methodist Church.
Co-op Fundraising Support Donation; was used to support WCTP’s annual Christmas community fundraising.
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V A S C o m m u n i t y A c c o u n t a n c y
Wales Community Theatre Players
Notes to the accounts continued
For the period ended 31 March 2021
4 Related party transactions
During the period two trustees incurred expenses of £375 (2020; Five trustees £839). They did not receive repayment of these amounts but donated them to the charity. The income and expenditure for these gifts in kind have been included in the receipts and payments accounts in order that these gifts are recorded. No other expenses or remuneration were paid to trustees.
All trustees paid membership fees and performance fees to the charity at the same rate as all other associate members and these are therefore not disclosed.
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V A S C o m m u n i t y A c c o u n t a n c y