## Poetry Whitchurch Annual Report 2021-22 **Registered charity no: 1187755** ## **Foreword** This report covers the period 4 February 2021 to 3 February 2022. During this reporting year the Covid 19 pandemic remained a significant international issue. Public gatherings were discouraged in England during the first half of the year. In the second half of the year rising infection rates and new variants meant that restrictions were frequently imposed at short notice. In this uncertain time we looked to innovate to find ways to keep our creative community together and help with local wellbeing. We began some of our activities online, providing a way for local poets and audiences to meet up, create and perform, for the first time during the pandemic. We hosted a number of activities in person during the second half of the year. The combination of government restrictions and public confidence in group activities over the autumn and winter period, unfortunately meant that we had to postpone further “in person” activities until the next reporting year. We have aimed to use the covid period wisely to plan and create a robust organisation that will enable poetry to flourish widely for many years. The Trustees **Poetry Whitchurch** This report covers to period from this date to 04 February 2021 to 03 February 2022. ## **Governance** ## **Trustees** At the start of the reporting period the following Trustees were in place: Simon Hamlyn Therese Hickland (Board Secretary) Scott Radford (Treasurer) Harvey Vasey (Chair) ## _Additions to the Trustee Board_ The following joined the Trustee Board during the reporting year (dates of Trustee agreement in brackets): Prof Mark Barrow (INSERT) Gareth Von Dinther (Sept 21) Helen Kay (Jan 2022) Carol Finch (Jan 2022) ## _Departures from the Trustee Board_ Scott Radford (February 2022) Therese Hickland (December 2021) ## **Associate members** : Therese Hickland (Jan 2022) ## **Trustee meetings** Trustee meetings were held remotely, in accordance with our constitution, due to Covid 19. ## **Trustee focus** During the reporting year the Trustees agreed a series of sponsor responsibilities: - Creative director (Helen Kay) - Director, young people (Carol Finch) - Board Secretary (Gareth Von Dinther) ## **Annual report and accounts** Our first annual report and accounts was filed with the Charities Commission in October 2021. It is available online at www.poetrywhitchurch.com ## **Registered address** The charity’s registered address remained Smallbrook Lodge, Smallbrook Road, Whitchurch, Shropshire SY131BX ## **Objectives, activities and performance for the year** ## **Strategic objectives** Due to Covid 19 uncertainties, the Trustees agreed to defer work on 3 year plan and instead focus on developing three key operational activities: - Poetry open mic - Poetry seminars - Poetry development groups Performance in these activities is detailed below. ## **Corporate development** There was considerable work on corporate and administrative development, the including policies listed on the charity’s website at www.poetrywhitchurch.com. ## **Young people** The Trustees reaffirmed the commitment to opportunities for young people in the area and commenced preliminary discussions with Sir John Talbot’s School. Acknowledging the pressure teaching staff were under from home schooling and other Covid-related issues the Trustees agree to defer detailed partnership work until the following year. ## **Operational activities** ## **Poetry Open mic** Due to covid 19 we decided to hold our initial open mic activities online. This was an important step to bring together the community of established and fledgling local poets and others interested in creative output. An average of around a dozen poets attended each online event on a monthly basis, airing their new work. In a time of restricted movement this work was fundamentally important to the strength and wellbeing of the local creative community. ## **Poetry Seminars** In the second half of the reporting period we agreed to establish a series of seminars focused on published poets. This activity plays an important role in our education purpose to help develop a wide appreciation of poetry in the area, to increase technical abilities of those attending and create a sense of community surrounding the art form and activity. The seminars were to commence in the second half of 2021 but due to new waves and mutations of covid 19, the activities began in November 2021. Only one further seminar was possible, in December 2021, before the activity had to be postponed until the spring, when it was estimated that covid numbers would reduce and activities could potentially be held outdoors. ## **Poetry development groups** During this reporting period the Teustees agreed to establish a series of monthly poetry writing groups to support and nurture local talent. Overseen by Poetry director Helen Kay the activity is designed to become a key part of developing new and establish poets, developing their technical ability and providing them with the confidence to write and perform. This activity would work hand in hand with our other activities and provide a golden thread from education and learning to instilling confidence and creative excellence. The first development group is set to commence in April 2022 with a second development group due to commence shortly thereafter. ## **Partnerships and affiliations** As part of our commitment to excellence we joined the Poetry Society, one of the key national organisation in the sector. ## **Financials** Covid 19 created problems across the third sector. Our bank account was established in Nov 2021, with cash accounting used prior to this date. All transactions are recorded in the accounts at Annex A. ## **Sponsorships and donations** In Jan 2022 we received a donation of £500 from Deepbridge capital, which played an important role in being able to plan activities and services with confidence. 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