Mainspring Arts CIO
REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
5th April 2024
CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 1187951
Frank S Lachman 31 Fairview Way Edgware Middlesex HA8 8JE
Mainspring Arts CIO
Legal and Administrative Information
5th April 2024
Registered Charity Number 1187951 Registered Office Halton Mill Mill Lane Lancaster LA2 6ND Directors and Trustees Roshani Palamakumbura Resigned 20th April 2023 Karis Okereke Dr Joanne Limburg Chair Lisa Gee Eleanor Hughes Appointed 16th January 2024 Examiner Frank S Lachman Chartered Accountant 31 Fairview Way Edgware Middlesex HA8 8JE
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Mainspring Arts CIO
Directors' and trustees' report
The trustees, who are also directors for the purposes of the Companies Act, have pleasure in presenting their report and the financial statements of charity for the year ending 31st March 2024.
Directors' responsibilities
Company Law which is also applicable to charitable companies in England and Wales requires the directors, who are also trustees of the company, to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the results of the company for that period.
In preparing those financial statements, the directors/trustees are required to:
select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP
make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent
state whether applicable UK accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.
The directors/trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Structure, Governance and Management
Governing document
Mainspring Arts is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation governed by its Constitution, which was adopted on 13 February 2020
Trustee selection methods
Trustees are selected through a recruitment process involving an open call, followed by shortlisting and interviews by current trustees and senior staff. Trustees may sometimes invite specific people to apply where they are known to be desirable candidates.
In selecting individuals for appointment as trustees, the current trustees consider the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the charity. Trustees are appointed for a term of two years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees.
Trustee induction and training
New trustees are invited to attend a trustee meeting and are provided with:
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The charity’s Trustee Welcome Pack
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A copy of the current version of the charity constitution and safeguarding policy
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A copy of the charity’s latest Trustees’ Annual Report and statement of accounts
New trustees meet with the charity co-directors who take them through the charity operations, and are invited to take part in an NCVO Charity Trustee Induction training session. In this session they are briefed on their legal obligations under charity law and given an overview of good charity governance. They may also take part in a safeguarding training course.
As the charity works with neurodivergent adults, all trustees undergo a relevant DBS Check.
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Mainspring Arts CIO
Directors' and trustees' report
Introduction
2023-24 has been an exciting and fruitful year for Mainspring Arts, with the launch of SpringTide, our first project in the North West, forming the centrepiece.
SpringTide saw us head to Barrow-in-Furness to work with a group of talented neurodivergent women and non-binary artists aged 18-25, supporting them to explore socially engaged practice and develop their own socially engaged projects.
After moving our base to Lancaster in 2022, this project was a brilliant opportunity to embed ourselves in the local creative ecology and start getting to know local communities in the region. We collaborated with new partners, including BarrowFull, the Creative People & Places project for Barrow, and Full of Noises, who hosted the SpringTide residency in their beautiful building.
We worked with an amazing team of local neurodivergent practitioners, including Danielle Chappell Aspinwall, Sophie Broadgate and Rachel Capovila - and, most importantly, we had the privilege of meeting and working with a group of talented, thoughtful, passionate young artists, and of seeing their ideas grow and evolve.
Towards the end of the year we saw the return of Mainspring Virtual Studios, our series of online creative workshops, with three brand new courses designed and led by Nicola Werenowska, Justine de Mierre and Vicky Morris.
The year ended with more success, as we secured funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, the Community Foundation for Lancashire and the Cumbria Community Foundation for a new local project. Huge thanks are due to our Development Manager, Catherine Herbert, for her hard work and expertise in making this happen.
This funding will enable us to run regular creative workshops in Lancaster and Kendal, open to all neurodivergent adults, with the aim of creating a supportive, welcoming space for socialising, boosting wellbeing and forming community.
In April 2023 we said goodbye to Roshani Palamakumbura, who stepped down from the Board. We thank her for insight, support and guidance during her time as a Trustee.
In January 2024 Eleanor Hughes joined us as a Trustee. Eleanor is a Speech and Language Therapist in the health and justice sector, supporting the communication differences of neurodivergent children and young people, and is passionate about enabling access. We are excited to welcome her to the Board!
The Trustees wish to express our gratitude to our Director Miranda Prag for the hard work she continues to put in to make Mainspring Arts a wonderful creative resource for neurodivergent people.
We close the year looking forward to growing our community locally, building on existing collaborations and forging new ones, with gratitude to our community, our funders and everyone who’s supported us along the way.
Joanne Limburg
Chair
Our objectives
Mainspring Arts works across artforms to support neurodivergent artists and celebrate neurodivergent creativity.
We work closely with neurodivergent (ND) creatives, supporting them to develop their artistic practice. We provide platforms for ND creatives to make and share work, and opportunities to meet and collaborate.
Our programmes are designed by and for ND creatives, and all creative decisions are made by ND participants and
practitioners.
We aim to increase representation of ND people in the arts, to combat stereotypes surrounding neurodivergence and what ND art can be, and to cultivate an environment in which ND creatives can thrive.
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Mainspring Arts CIO
Directors' and trustees' report
We aim to promote equality and diversity in the arts in the UK by creating artistic opportunities for neurodivergent people, and presenting and promoting the artistic work of neurodivergent people to the public.
We aim to promote social inclusion for neurodivergent people by:
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Supporting neurodivergent people to develop their skills and confidence in artistic activities
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Providing creative opportunities for neurodivergent people, and supporting them to pursue opportunities elsewhere
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Providing networking opportunities for neurodivergent people
Our activities
Our main activities this year were:
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SpringTide - an experimental programme of creative support for ND women and non-binary artists aged 18-25 living in Cumbria and Lancashire
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Mainspring Virtual Studios - a series of three online creative courses by and for ND creatives
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Creative Wellbeing Groups - initial research and planning
These activities promoted social inclusion for neurodivergent people by enabling participants to meet, socialise and work together, forming supportive communities and boosting confidence to pursue further opportunities.
Our activities also promoted equality and diversity in the arts: as with all our activity, these projects removed barriers to participation for neurodivergent people, levelling the playing field and enabling them to take part in activity that would otherwise be difficult to access. The programme also offered opportunities for neurodivergent artists to present their work publicly, contributing to more diverse representation.
In planning our activities for the year and making decisions, we kept in mind the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.
Achievements and impact
SpringTide
SpringTide was an experimental programme of creative support for a group of six talented ND women and non-binary artists aged 18-25 living in Cumbria and Lancashire. The programme included a residential week in Barrow-in-Furness in June 2023, comprising workshops, creative collaboration and peer support exploring socially engaged practice. This was followed by mentoring and seed funding to support the artists to work on an idea for a new socially engaged project of their own.
The residency week was designed and led by Danielle Chappell Aspinwall, and the artists were mentored by Danielle alongside Sophie Broadgate and Rachel Capovila, all established ND artists local to Barrow.
SpringTide aimed to create a safe space for young ND women and non-binary artists, a lasting community that would enable the artists to develop their careers, boost their confidence and form lasting friendships.
The project received strong feedback from participating artists. As part of our evaluation we asked artists what their top priorities were for taking part in SpringTide, and how much they felt the programme helped them achieve those aims on a scale of 1-10. Here are a few highlights:
Gaining a sense of belonging to a creative tribe: 100% of artists said this was one of their top priorities for taking part in SpringTide, with an average score of 8.8 out of 10. Comments included:
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“I felt welcome and comforted, it was one of the best weeks of my life where I felt like I could be my true creative and autistic self.”
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“What struck me just was the connections with other neurodivergent artists and what a difference that makes.”
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Mainspring Arts CIO
Directors' and trustees' report
Gaining a deeper understanding of/links to creative networks, including artists, organisations and arts
professionals : 80% said this was one of their top priorities, with an average score of 9.5 out of 10. Comments included:
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“The links with other neurodivergent artists and organisations which could support us was fantastic”
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“I've realised how many arts opportunities and organisations are around in the North that's not just based in big cities like Manchester”
Working towards gaining new offers of commissions, or other relevant paid opportunities : 80% said this was one of their top priorities, with an average score of 8.5 out of 10. Comments included:
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“Because of the confidence Springtide helped instill in me, I was able to apply to university this year without fear of ‘not being good enough’ or worrying I wouldn’t find a place or group like me. I’ve already been accepted into one university and have got through to the final stage to my dream uni; currently waiting to hear from them!”
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“I have used Springtide as an example of an influential creative project I’ve been involved in in interviews- and got the job!”
Mainspring Virtual Studios
Mainspring Virtual Studios returned for a third edition in February-March 2024, with three new online creative courses designed and led by experienced ND practitioners: Writing the Self with Nicola Werenowska, Freedom to Play with Justine de Mierre, and Writing Poetry with Vicky Morris.
As before, we began the courses with an introductory session for all participants, facilitators and the Mainspring team, as a chance for everyone to get to know each other, and find out more about the courses. The programme finished with an online sharing session for all three groups, so that participants could share the work they’d created if they chose to.
New for this year, we also published accompanying resources on our website alongside the courses so that more ND people could benefit from the programme. These comprised creative prompts and exercises contributed by the course facilitators, and beautifully illustrated by Abi Stevens.
We received positive feedback from the participants, with comments including:
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“This group never fails to move me and make me feel like I am part of a family who get me.”
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“To now be enrolled on a poetry course where all the participants have some form of neurodiversity is truly powerful as I can already relate to not only Vicky as our course facilitator but also to each person taking part in the experience in some way or other.”
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“I'd like to take this opportunity to say a huge, heartfelt thank you to everyone at Mainspring for all the hard work you put in to provide fully inclusive, accessible, creative opportunities for Neurodivergent and disabled people. Your work gives voice to people who have all too often been left voiceless. It gives hope to people who have felt hopeless due to lack of understanding, empathy and accessibility both in the creative sector and in society in general.”
Overall, Mainspring Virtual studios supported 24 neurodivergent creatives to develop their skills, grow their confidence and take the next step in their creative practice, and provided employment for four neurodivergent practitioners.
Creative Wellbeing Groups
Following the success of SpringTide, one of our main aims for the year was to develop and secure funding for our programme of local activity.
We wanted to launch a project that was open access and non-selective, with a focus on fostering community and wellbeing, to enable us to support more people. This is something we’ve wanted to do for a while to complement our programme of artist development.
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Mainspring Arts CIO
Directors' and trustees' report
By the end of the year we had succeeded in securing funding for a new pilot project, primarily from the National Lottery Community Fund, with additional grants from the Community Foundation for Lancashire and the Cumbria Community Foundation.
In October 2024 we will launch two new Creative Wellbeing Groups in Lancaster and Kendal, bringing local ND people together to connect, socialise and try guided creative activities in a fun and relaxed space. We hope this will be the beginning of something that can grow and continue far into the future!
Charity’s principal address:
Mainspring Arts The Hive, Halton Mill Mill Lane Lancaster LA2 6ND
Trustees
Trustee name Office (if any) 1 Dr Joanne Limburg Chair 2 Roshani Palamakumbura Resigned 20th April 2023 3 Karis Okereke 4 Lisa Gee 5 Eleanor Hughes Appointed 16th January 2024
Related parties
The charity has relationships with other charities on a project-by-project basis.
Going concern
The directors confirm that:
A going concern basis is appropriate for these accounts.
The company has sufficient reserves to continue for at least 12 months after the date of signing these accounts.
Risk management
The company undertakes periodic reviews for different areas of risk including insurance cover,health and safety policies in the workplace and whilst performing, working with vulnerable adults,financial affairs; personnel practices; ICT technology.
This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions in Section 419(2) of the Companies Act 2006 applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.
Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:
Signature:
Full name: Dr Joanne Limburg Position: Acting ChairChair Date: 17th December 2025
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Mainspring Arts CIO
ACCOUNTANTS REPORT
Independent Examiner's Report on the Accounts
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the company for the period ended 5th April 2024 which are set out on pages 8 to 12 .
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity’s trustees of the company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).
Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the ‘2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
Independent examiner's report
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:
(1) accounting records were not kept in respect of the company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
(2) the accounts do not accord with those accounting records; or
(3) the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act 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; or
(4) the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
I have no concerns and 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.
Frank S Lachman FCA
Member Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales Chartered Accountant Independent Examiner
31 Fairview Way Edgware Dated: 17th December 2025 Middlesex HA8 8JE
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Mainspring Arts CIO
Statement of Financial Activities For the Year to 5th April 2024
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | **Unrestricted ** | Restricted | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funds | Funds | Funds | Funds | Funds | Funds | ||
| Year | Year | ||||||
| Notes | 2024 | 2023 | |||||
| Income from: | |||||||
| Donations and Legacies | 2 | 30 | 44,561 | 44,591 | 1,031 | 10,000 | 11,031 |
| Total income | 30 | 44,561 | 44,591 | 1,031 | 10,000 | 11,031 | |
| Expenditure on: | |||||||
| Charitable Activity Costs | 3 | 2,055 | 29,725 | 31,780 | 2,701 | 7,548 | 10,249 |
| Total expenditure | 2,055 | 29,725 | 31,780 | 2,701 | 7,548 | 10,249 | |
| Net income for year | (2,025) | 14,836 | 12,811 | (1,670) | 2,452 | 782 | |
| Funds brought forward | 1,355 | 2,452 | 3,807 | 3,025 | - | 3,025 | |
| Transfer between Funds | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Funds carried forward | 6 | (670) | 17,288 | 16,618 | 1,355 | 2,452 | 3,807 |
The statement of Financial Activities reflects the results of continuing activities for the period.
There were no recognised gains or losses other than the net outgoing resources for the period. The net outgoing resources for the year have been calculated on the historical cost basis. The notes on pages 10 to 12 form part of these accounts.
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Mainspring Arts CIO
Balance Sheet at 5th April 2024
| Notes | 2024 | 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Current assets | |||||
| Debtors | - | - | |||
| Cash at bank and in hand | 39,668 | 4,557 | |||
| Total current assets | 39,668 | 4,557 | |||
| Creditors falling due within one year | 4 | 22,750 | 750 | ||
| Net current assets | 16,918 | 3,807 | |||
| Net assets | 16,918 | 3,807 | |||
| The Funds of the Charity | |||||
| Restricted Funds | 17,288 | 2,452 | |||
| Unrestricted Funds | 5 | (670) | 1,355 | ||
| Total Charity Funds | 16,618 | 3,807 |
a) For the year ended 5th April 2024 the company was entitled to exemption under section 477(2) of the Companies Act 2006.
(b) No members have required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.
(c) The directors acknowledge their responsibility for:
i. ensuring the company keeps accounting records which comply with section 386; and ii. preparing accounts which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company as at the end of the financial year and of its profit and loss for the financial year in accordance with the section 393, and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act relating to accounts, so far as applicable to the company.
(d) The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions in Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime, and constitute the annual accounts required by the Companies Act 2006 and are for circulation to members of the . company
Approved by the directors on , and signed on their behalf by Dr Joanne Limburg
The notes on pages 10 to 12 form part of these accounts.
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Mainspring Arts CIO
Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 5th April 2024
1 Accounting Polices
(a) The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2022) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.
Mainspring Arts CIO meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s).
(b) Income
Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the items of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably. Income from grants, whether capital or revenue grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants has been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred.
(c) Expenditure
All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis. Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party. It is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
Costs are allocated to a category either because such costs are directly incurred in relation to such category, or because they are support costs in respect of which an apportionment has been made between the categories.
Support costs consist of infrastructure costs for salaries, premises, office administration. Such costs are apportioned on a reasonable and consistent basis to the various categories with a view to determining, as accurately as possible, the total resources expended for each category. The basis of apportionment used is either a function of staff time applied to a given activity, or an estimate of the proportion of costs associated with the same, or a combination of both.
Direct and Support costs are separately shown by natural classification in Note 5 to these accounts for each category of cost.
(d) Taxation
The company as a registered charity ( number 1187951 ) is exempt from taxation on most investment income insofar as it is applied for charitable purposes. The company is also exempt from taxation on capital gains.
(e) Debtors
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.
(f) Creditors and provisions
Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.
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Mainspring Arts CIO
Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 5th April 2024
2 Donations and legacies
| Donations and legacies | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted | Unrestricted | Total | **Restricted ** | Unrestricted | Total | |
| Funds | Funds | Funds | Funds | Funds | Funds | |
| Grants for General Running Costs | 2024 | 2023 | ||||
| AOK Trust | 5,000 | - | 5,000 | - | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| Arts Council England | 34,061 | - | 34,061 | - | - | - |
| Ragdoll Foundation | 3,500 | - | 3,500 | 10,000 | - | 10,000 |
| BarrowFull | 1,000 | 1,000 | ||||
| Community Foundation for Lancashire | 5,000 | 5,000 | ||||
| Cumbria Community Foundation | 2,000 | 2,000 | ||||
| Hadfield Charitable Trust | 1,000 | 1,000 | ||||
| National Lottery Community Fund | 15,000 | 15,000 | ||||
| Sundry Income | - | 30 | - | 31 | 31 | |
| Deferred grants carried forward | (22,000) | - | (22,000) | |||
| - | ||||||
| 44,561 | 30 | 44,561 | 10,000 | 1,031 | 11,031 |
3 Charitable activity costs
| Charitable Activity Costs Telephone & Internet Fundraising Insurance Access costs Sundry Core Artists' fees and expenses Production costs Rent and space hire DBS checks Marketing Stationery and printing Membership Web hosting and IT costs Seed funding Accountancy Total 4 Creditors due within one year Accruals Deferred grants Participators, workshop leaders and mentors fees |
Support Costs and Governance Charitable Activity Costs Unrestricted Restricted 886 - - - 176 - - 467 - - - 8,696 - 12,298 - 6,192 - 810 - 182 - 180 17 - 55 - 171 - - 900 750 - |
Charitable Activity Costs Total 2024 Support Costs and Governance Charitable Activity Costs Charitable Activity Costs Total 2023 Unrestricted Unrestricted Restricted Unrestricted - 886 194 - - 194 - - 1,050 - - 1,050 - 176 169 - - 169 - 467 - - 109 - - 109 - 8,696 - 5,697 - 5,697 - 12,298 - 1,150 - 1,150 - 6,192 - 400 - 400 - 810 - - - - - 182 14 - - 14 - 180 - 301 - 301 - 17 - - - - - 55 55 - - 55 - 171 360 - - 360 - 900 - - - - - 750 750 - - 750 |
|---|---|---|
| 2,055 29,725 |
- 31,780 2,701 7,548 - 10,249 |
|
| 2024 2023 750 750 22,000 - 22,750 750 |
5 Reconciliation of movement of funds
| Restricted Funds Unrestricted Funds |
Funds at 5th April 2023 Income Expenses Transfers Funds at 5th April 2024 2,452 44,561 (29,725) - 17,288 1,355 30 (2,055) - (670) |
|---|---|
| 3,807 44,591 (31,780) - 16,618 |
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Mainspring Arts CIO
Notes to the Financial Statements For the period ended 5th April 2024
6 Analasys of assets over funds
| Restricted Funds Unrestricted Funds: |
Net Current Assets Total 2024 Total 2023 17,288 17,288 2,452 (670) (670) 3,807 |
|---|---|
| 16,618 16,618 6,259 |
7 Trustees
During the year, none of the trustees received any remuneration from the trust and no expenses were reimbursed to any of them. ( 2023 nil)
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