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High Voltage Performing Arts

Registered Charity Number 1189028

Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st March 2024

High Voltage Performing Arts Year ended 31 March 2024

Legal & administrative information (Page 3)

Report of the Trustees (Page 4)

Charitable Purpose and reports of activities (Pages 4 – 8)

Statement of Financial Activities Balance Sheet (Page 9)

Trustees Responsibilities Statement (Page 10)

High Voltage Performing Arts Legal & Administrative Information For the Year Ended 31st March 2024

Charity Name Registered Charity number

Principal Address

Governing Document Objects

High Voltage Performing Arts 1189028 (England & Wales) registered 14[th] April 2020 10 Kingston Close Romford, Essex, RM65QB Tel: (020) 8599 8475 Email: development@hvpa.org.uk Memorandum and Articles of Association The objects of the charity are summarised as follows:

The advancement of education and training in the art of music,
The promotion of the arts in particular the art of music by promoting and developing community events and performances to facilitate participation in the arts.
To promote social inclusion for the public benefit by preventing disabled people from becoming socially excluded, relieving the needs of those disabled people who are socially excluded and assisting them to integrate into society by the provision of musical activity, education, information, training, support, and advice
The relief of persons who are suffering from a mental or physical illness through the provision of music therapy

Trustees

Key Management Personnel

Gaynor Swindell (Chair) Raymond Steadman (Secretary) Sarah Smith (Treasurer) Steve Less David Swindell Keith Smith Andrew Parker

Those in charge of planning, directing, controlling, running, and operating the Charity, including those members of staff who are the senior management personnel to whom the trustees have delegated significant authority or responsibility in the day-to-day running of the charity, are the trustees.

High Voltage Performing Arts Trustee Report for the Year Ended 31st March 2024

The Trustees, present their report with the accounts of the charitable company for the year ended 31 March 2024. The trustees have adopted the provisions of 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. The legal and administrative information set out earlier in this document forms part of this report.

After all the difficulties experienced during lockdown our charity was pleased to report a growth in our charitable income to £36.996.00 with expenses at £29743.14. The Board is confident for the future and with plans in hand we look forward to a sustainable future as we continue our regular charitable activities and public engagement.

Structure, Governance & Management

Method of Appointment / Election of Trustees

The Trustees are appointed at the Annual General Meeting by members of the charity, for a period lasting up to 3 years. Additionally, new Trustees may be appointed by the existing Trustees during the year up to a maximum of nine.

Induction and Training of New Trustees

New Trustees undergo an orientation course to brief them on the legal obligations under charity and the content of the Memorandum & Articles of Association/ Constitution of the charity. The Board’s decision-making process, the Business Plan and financial performance together with Health & Safety regulations are all covered in the induction and, furthermore, Trustees are encouraged to attend appropriate external training events and activities to support the role they are performing.

Risk Management

The Trustees actively review the major risks associated with the activities of the charity on a regular basis and believe that maintaining reserves at current levels, combined with an annual review of key financial controls, will provide sufficient resources in the event of adverse conditions.

Public Benefit

In planning the activities for the year, we kept in mind the Charity Commissions’ guidance on public benefit. The focus of the activities of the project covers four main spheres to benefit the community and participants:

Charity Purpose

A) The advancement of education

HVPA provided informal education both within our planned group sessions and one-to-one and personalised training activities. These were both in person and online when lockdowns came into place. HVPA recognises that that education will be achieved both through our training and improvement sessions for our members and informal sessions within the local area as a wider benefit to our community. All our sessions are open to the public to learn about the different styles and genres played by our groups and how they have impacted society and influenced different eras through music.

We provided an accessible planned development program for the benefit of the public and our members, it is structured to meet the needs of all participants with an outcome of sustained learning, confidence building, individual and collective building of knowledge on reading and playing music, understanding styles and genres and the history of music, how they are structured and different throughout generations.

We will design and evaluate our projects and objectives to improve music theory and playing of instruments, with a clear focus on improving individual participants knowledge, skills and understanding, which in turn can be transferred into our bands and group activities with a view to sharing this learning through our public performances and community engagement.

Within our programs we will also focus on the development of music learning programs for young people. We also plan to continue to support local groups working with disabled children and adults to ensure they have access to music education and participation with a view to developing skills that they can both enjoy and transfer into their daily lives, to enhance team building, group work and communication skills.

HVPA has already successfully completed recognised high-class work of this nature in the community with local groups and clubs.

Our focus is on developing high quality sessions which impact lives, enhance lifelong learning and are accessible to all regardless of ability and knowledge of music and our activities.

B) The advancement of health

HVPA intends to develop our activities for the public’s benefit with a view to improving mental health, reducing depression and anxiety, and encouraging people to play a musical instrument or listening to music which research shows can sooth your mind and body.

https://www.calmmoment.com/wellbeing/how-learning-an-instrument-can-soothe-your-mind-andbody/ HVPA as a charity will focus our projects on the health benefits of music, this will include:

Improved mood. Studies show that listening to music can benefit overall well-being, help regulate emotions, and create happiness and relaxation in everyday life.
Reduced stress. Listening to ‘relaxing’ music (generally considered to have slow tempo, low pitch, and no lyrics) has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety in healthy people and in people with medical conditions.
Lessening anxiety. In studies of people with cancer, listening to music combined with standard care reduced anxiety compared to those who received standard care alone.
Improves exercise. Studies suggest that music can enhance aerobic exercise, boost mental and physical stimulation, and increase overall performance.

Improves memory. Research has shown that the repetitive elements of rhythm and melody help our brains form patterns that enhance memory. In a study of stroke survivors, listening to music helped them experience more verbal memory, less confusion, and better focused attention.
Ease’s pain. In studies of patients recovering from surgery, those who listened to music before, during, or after surgery had less pain and more overall satisfaction compared with patients who did not listen to music as part of their care.
Provides comfort. Music therapy has also been used to help enhance communication, coping, and expression of feelings such as fear and loneliness.
Improves cognition. Listening to music can also help people with Alzheimer’s recall seemingly lost memories and even help maintain some mental abilities.
Helps children with autism spectrum disorder. Studies of children with autism spectrum disorder who received music therapy showed improvement in social responses, communication skills, and attention skills’ will focus our charitable programs around activities that have a proven beneficial effect on health by targeting improved mental health and wellbeing, working with disabled children and adults and related support groups, and designing programs that promote the health benefits of playing an instrument or listening to music. We have researched how we will promote the advancement of health using links such as those shown below to ensure we are of public benefit and achieving our aims and objectives as a charity.

How music improves mental health

https://www.singing-bell.com/how-music-improves-your-health/

Music Making and disability.

https://www.youthmusic.org.uk/music-making-and-disability

Health benefits of music

https://www.gethealthystayhealthy.com/articles/10-health-benefits-of-music

Research by Sheffield University Scientists around how playing in a brass band can boost mental and physical health.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7774719/Playing-instrument-brass-band-boost-mentalphysical-health-research-shows.html?ito=facebook_share_fbiabottom&fbclid=IwAR2ME9LzbAOgn3cUjAB5gjCAI_Ham0H1Y8AC6C1kM5a8TRUfZzZ6RdMYC2o

The top ten brass instrument health benefits

https://www.healthfitnessrevolution.com/10-health-benefits-playing-brass-instrument/? fbclid=IwAR2j0yy-gf0MGTJj-bd6jRDes681oRVrm11dtPY-0nBUytEGIuX5oKOM-Vk

HVPA have extensive experience of designing and delivering quality projects and sessions relating to improving health and wellbeing through music, we have worked with local groups including AbPhab Youth Club and the Progress Project, whom we have provided support and activities for numerous years which has provided relief from sickness and for those with impairments and disabilities and resulted in positive outcomes for all involved both our members and the public we have engaged with. Through our application for charitable status, we want to expand our opportunities to create new and innovative projects using music as a subject to improve health and wellbeing, in the community, through partnerships groups, local hospices, faith groups, for our members and the public in general.

C)The advancement of citizenship or community development

HVPA has always had a strong focus on promoting citizenship and working in the community to promote cohesion, integration, and inclusion.

We have recruited and developed a team of volunteers who support our organisation at rehearsals and in the community. We have also promoted inclusion and have supported adults with a learning disability to be part of our volunteer program at our weekly sessions which helped raise their social and communication skills whilst making a positive impact in the community. Our community development program has included performances and activities to support other charities and groups, these include:

Food banks in partnership with Humdum providing support and free performances for people accessing food bank services in Barking and Dagenham

Park View a partnership working together with a local care home to provide entertainment and activities in the community for their elderly and disabled residents.

International Day of Disabled People in Barking and Dagenham (Two annual events) celebrating the achievements of local disabled people

Barking and Dagenham Community Wellbeing Group delivering services and opportunities to improve the mental health and wellbeing of local people and our members, through training, partnerships and information sharing.

NCIL partnership provides over 40 free weekly open rehearsal sessions for members and the community to enjoy and participate in live music.

AbPhab Youth club where we taught young disabled people to play with the band resulting in them joining in with us for a public performance to promote inclusion.

Progress Project engagements events with disabled young women focused on teamwork, education, participation, and integration.

Remembrance Sunday events throughout Essex in partnership with the Royal British Legion supporting this important annual event (We have supported these activities for seven years, sometimes with performances at two events on the same day)

This is just a taste of the types of performances and activities we have completed to promote the important work of the voluntary sector and the impact we can make together to increase capacity building of both HVPA and the organisations that we support, whilst raising much needed funds for local groups and organisations, through our community program and activities.

Our volunteers are included in all our activities and play an important part of all our work and sessions.

D)The advancement of the arts, culture, heritage, or science

HVPA, through a wide range of charitable activities will promote the arts through music and song at a local and amateur level, HVPA as a charity will promote the advancement of performing arts including music, dance, and theatre. We have been doing this over the past nine years, which we feel clearly demonstrates the quality of our performances to meet the criterion of merit, detailed in the commission’s Museums and Art Galleries (RR10).

HVPA have demonstrated charitable purposes falling within this description including:

Performances at music festivals, theatre performances, other charities’ annual events and shows which have been of artistic merit.

Working in partnerships with local schools and colleges to support students studying the arts including music, drama, event design and management, sound, lighting and recording sessions to enable them to further their education and move into their future careers and life choices.

Provide opportunities for the public to participate in our inclusive sessions to enjoy learning to play an instrument or singalong with HVPA and our members.

HVPA promotes and encourages high standards of music and singing and has worked with West End Theatre stars, professional singers, and musicians and up and coming college and university students to help them advance their skills and opportunities.

HVPA believe in being inclusive and have developed a community training program to enable disabled people to train with our groups and be part of some of our public performances, promoting that music is accessible and advancement possible for everyone in our community regardless of ability. HVPA has worked with local choirs and other musical groups including links with churches and other community groups and together performed to make the arts available to a wider audience.

The advancement of the arts

HVPA promotes the advancement of art through music on a weekly basis through our open rehearsals and training sessions enabling the public to access and benefit from our performances. We have also demonstrated for many years the high standard of our performances through regular cabaret performances at Holiday Villages in Hampshire and Kent, at theatre performances throughout Essex and East London and other appearances at events in the community. (Evidence and feedback of the same are included in the appendices). We believe our activities come in line with the minimum criterion of merit set out in the Commission’s Museums and Arts Galleries guidelines and this is backed up by the feedback we have received and articles in the press (please see appendices). HVPA is fully committed to the advancement of the arts and ensuring it is accessible to our members and the public on a weekly basis and through our performances in the community. HVPA through our training program for all, believes that the outcome of our efforts should be to entertain and be enjoyed by our members, with a clear objective of presenting the public with high class performances that raise artistic tastes and gives them access to music either for free or a nominal charge at our external shows and activities.

Financial Review

The charity’s main sources of funding are from regular contributions, internal fundraising, donations for performances and from grants from outside organisations and Trusts.

Financial Activity and Financial Position

High Voltage Profit and Loss April 23 to March 24

Income	Total	Expenditure	Total	Profit/Loss

Regular Contributions from members	£7545.00	Facility Hire	£4782.00
Monthly Fundraising (Inc. B Ball)	£3068.00	Catering	£307.48
External bookings	£1800.00	Transport / travel	£15,372.44
Other fundraising activities	£552.00	Equipment	£4574.54
Merchandise	£331.00	Fundraising expenses	£0.00
Sponsorship/Grants	£16700.00	Merchandise	£375.00
Other Income	£7000.00	Bonus Ball payments	£2012.25
		Marketing/ Stationery	£1205.86
		Other Expenses	£1113.57

Sub total	£36.996.00	Sub Total	£29.743.14	£7.252.86

Reserves Policy

The Trustees will strive to achieve a Reserves Policy as recommended by the Charity Commission which is to have 3 months revenue funding in unrestricted / free reserves to: -

(1) protect our services against losses of funding / sustain service levels

(2) invest in new programmes as needs are identified by young people

(3) support costs which funders do not readily consider e.g., core costs

(4) cover winding down costs including redundancies where appropriate.

Trustees Responsibilities Statement 23/24

The Charity’s Trustees are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and Financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom generally accepted accounting practice company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial period which give a true and fair view of the situations of the company during the period and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the net income and expenditure of the charitable company for the financial period. In preparing financial statements giving a true and fair view, the Trustees should follow best practice and are required to:

Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently.

Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent.

Follow acceptable accountancy standards, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements.

Prepare the financial on the going concern basis unless it is appropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in operation.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy the financial position of the charity, and which enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are responsible for the safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence from taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Approval

This report was approved by the Trustees and ratified at our Board Meeting at the Ripple Centre in Barking, Essex on the 2[nd] July 2024 and signed off by Gaynor Swindell (Board of Trustees Chair) and seconded by

High Voltage accounts April to March 23 24

Income	Total	Monthly	Expenditure	Total	Monthly	Proft/Loss
		Total			Total
Apr-23			Apr-23
Regular Contributons from members	£ 615.00		Facilty Hire	£ 273.00
Weekly Fundraising (inc B Ball)	£ 236.00		Catering	£ 83.17
External bookings	£ -		Transport / travel
Other fundraising actvites	£ -		Equipment	£ 500.14
Merchandise	£ -		Fundraising expenses
Sponsorship	£ -		Merchandise
Other Income	£ -		Bonus Ball payments	£ 120.00
			Marketng/ Statonery	£ 25.00
			Other Expenses	£ 36.76


Sub total	£ 851.00	£ 851.00	Sub Total	£ 1,038.07	£ 1,038.07	-£ 187.07


May-23			May-23
Regular Contributons from members	£ 645.00		Facilty Hire	£ 423.00
Weekly Fundraising (inc B Ball)	£ 295.00		Catering	£ -
External bookings			Transport / travel	£ 31.20
Other fundraising actvites	£ -		Equipment	£ 2,066.40
Merchandise	£ 99.00		Fundraising expenses
Sponsorship	£ 1,000.00		Merchandise
Other Income			Bonus Ball payments	£ 60.00
			Marketng/ Statonery	£ 111.97
			Other Expenses	£ 236.26


Sub total	£ 2,039.00	£ 2,039.00	Sub Total	£ 2,928.83	£ 2,928.83	-£ 889.83

Jun-23			Jun-23
Regular Contributons from members	£ 615.00		Facilty Hire	£ 498.00
Weekly Fundraising (inc B Ball)	£ 236.00		Catering	£ 7.66
External bookings			Transport / travel
Other fundraising actvites			Equipment	£ 201.49
Merchandise	£ 138.00		Fundraising expenses
Sponsorship			Merchandise	£ 375.00
Other Income			Bonus Ball payments	£ 210.00
			Marketng/ Statonery	£ 50.00
			Other expeneses	£ 12.76

Sub total	£ 989.00	£ 989.00	Sub Total	£ 1,354.91	£ 1,354.91	-£ 365.91


Jul-23			Jul-23
Regular Contributons from members	£ 630.00		Facilty Hire	£ 423.00
Weekly Fundraising (inc B Ball)	£ 236.00		Catering	£ 25.23
External bookings	£ 400.00		Transport / travel
Other fundraising actvites			Equipment	£ 149.04
Merchandise	£ 94.00		Fundraising expenses
Sponsorship	£ -		Merchandise
Other Income			Bonus Ball payments
			Marketng/ Statonery	£ 130.75
			Other expenses	£ 33.98

Sub total	£ 1,360.00	£ 1,360.00	Sub Total	£ 762.00	£ 762.00	£ 598.00

Aug-23			Aug-23
Regular Contributons from members	£ 630.00		Facilty Hire	£ 153.00
Weekly Fundraising (inc B Ball)	£ 295.00		Catering	£ 9.74
External bookings			Transport / travel	£ 60.00
Other fundraising actvites			Equipment
Merchandise			Fundraising expenses
Sponsorship/ grants	£ 9,200.00		Merchandise
Other Income			Bonus Ball payments	£ 270.00
			Marketng/ Statonery
			Other expenses

Sub total	£ 10,125.00	£ 10,125.00	Sub Total	£ 492.74	£ 492.74	£ 9,632.26


Sep-23			Sep-23
Regular Contributons from members	£ 630.00		Facilty Hire	£ 585.00
Weekly Fundraising (inc B Ball)	£ 236.00		Catering	£ 25.11
External bookings	£ 400.00		Transport / travel	£ 160.70
Other fundraising actvites			Equipment	£ 1,480.98
Merchandise			Fundraising expenses
Sponsorship - grant			Merchandise
Other Income			Bonus Ball payments	£ 60.00
			Marketng/ Statonery	£ 25.00
			Other expenses	£ 258.77

Sub total	£ 1,266.00	£ 1,266.00	Sub Total	£ 2,595.56	£ 2,595.56	-£ 1,329.56

Oct-23			Oct-23
Regular Contributons from members	£ 630.00		Facilty Hire	£ 375.00
Weekly Fundraising (inc B Ball)	£ 236.00		Catering	£ 27.41
External bookings	£ 700.00		Transport / travel	£ 10,197.72
Other fundraising actvites			Equipment	£ 145.00
Merchandise			Fundraising expenses
Sponsorship - grant	£ 250.00		Merchandise
Other Income			Bonus Ball payments	£ 120.00
			Marketng/ Statonery
			Other expenses	£ 9.99

Sub total	£ 1,816.00	£ 1,816.00	Sub Total	£ 10,875.12	£ 10,875.12	-£ 9,059.12

Nov-23			Nov-23
Regular Contributons from members	£ 630.00		Facilty Hire	£ 432.00
Weekly Fundraising (inc B Ball)	£ 295.00		Catering	£ 27.10
External bookings			Transport / travel	£ 100.00
Other fundraising actvites			Equipment
Merchandise			Fundraising expenses
Sponsorship			Merchandise
Other Income (Scrappage scheme)	£ 7,000.00		Bonus Ball payments	£ 60.00
			Marketng/ Statonery	£ 338.59
			Other expenses	£ 13.04

Sub total	£ 7,925.00	£ 7,925.00	Sub Total	£ 970.73	£ 970.73	£ 6,954.27

Dec-23			Dec-23
Regular Contributons from members	£ 630.00		Facilty Hire	£ 264.00
Weekly Fundraising (inc B Ball)	£ 236.00		Catering
External bookings	£ 300.00		Transport / travel	£ 4,822.82
Other fundraising actvites			Equipment	£ 31.49
Merchandise			Fundraising expenses
Sponsorship	£ 6,000.00		Merchandise
Other Income			Bonus Ball payments	£ 622.50
			Marketng/ Statonery
			Other expenses	£ 147.84

Sub total	£ 7,166.00	£ 7,166.00	Sub Total	£ 5,888.65	£ 5,888.65	£ 1,277.35


Jan-24			Jan-24
Regular Contributons from members	£ 630.00		Facilty Hire	£ 630.00
Weekly Fundraising (inc B Ball)	£ 236.00		Catering	£ 41.94
External bookings			Transport / travel
Other fundraising actvites	£ 552.00		Equipment
Merchandise			Fundraising expenses
Sponsorship	£ 250.00		Merchandise
Other Income			Bonus Ball payments	£ 150.00
			Marketng/ Statonery	£ 116.51
			Other expenses	£ 341.14

Sub total	£ 1,668.00	£ 1,668.00	Sub Total	£ 1,279.59	£ 1,279.59	£ 388.41

Feb-24			Feb-24
Regular Contributons from members	£ 630.00		Facilty Hire	£ 564.00
Weekly Fundraising (inc B Ball)	£ 236.00		Catering	£ 25.06
External bookings			Transport / travel
Other fundraising actvites			Equipment
Merchandise			Fundraising expenses
Sponsorship - grant			Merchandise
Other Income			Bonus Ball payments	£ 120.00
			Marketng/ Statonery	£ 383.04
			Other expenses	£ 9.99


Sub total	£ 866.00	£ 866.00	Sub Total	£ 1,102.09	£ 1,102.09	-£ 236.09


Mar-24			Mar-24
Regular Contributons from members	£ 630.00		Facilty Hire	£ 162.00
Weekly Fundraising (inc B Ball)	£ 295.00		Catering	£ 35.06
External bookings			Transport / travel
Other fundraising actvites			Equipment
Merchandise			Fundraising expenses
Sponsorship			Merchandise
Other income			Bonus Ball payments	£ 219.75
			Marketng/ Statonery	£ 25.00
			Other expenses	£ 13.04

Sub total	£ 925.00	£ 925.00	Sub Total	£ 454.85	£ 454.85	£ 470.15


Annual total		£ 36,996.00			£ 29,743.14	£ 7,252.86

Auditor Report 2023 24

High Voltage Performing Arts