Charity Registration Number:  1192815 

## EXMOUTH YOUTH THEATRE 

Annual Report and Financial Statments For The Year Ending 31 March 2024 

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## Exmouth Youth Theatre 

## Contents 

Reference and Administrative Details 

Trustees’ Report 

Structure, Governance and Management 

Statement of Financial Activities 

Balance Sheet 

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Exmouth Youth Theatre 

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## EXMOUTH YOUTH THEATRE 

## Reference and Administrative Details 

Trustees: 

Mr AC Blundell (appointed 16/12/2020) Mr MC Hamilton (appointed 16/12/2020) Mrs TA Hamilton (appointed 16/12/2020) Ms R Johnson (appointed 03/04/2023) Ms RL Lapwood (appointed 22/09/2023) Mrs TEL Pritchard (appointed 27/03/2023) Ms JM Reynolds (appointed 22/09/2023) 

**Resigned in-year:** 

Ms Alison Gibson Ms Angela Reed 

Principal Office: 29 Cheriswood Avenue Exmouth Devon EX8 4HG 

Charity Registration Number: 669197 Independant Examiner: Mrs L F TRAVERS-HOWARD 

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## EXMOUTH YOUTH THEATRE 

## Trustees’ Report 

The trustees, who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2023. 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 (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019). 

## **Objectives and Activities** 

The object of the charity is the study and performance of the arts of music, drama and dance by young people and the encouragement of public appreciation of those arts. 

The aims of the Exmouth Youth Theatre are to advance the education of children and young people in music and the performing arts and to promote, improve, develop and maintain public education and appreciation of music and the Performing Arts for children and young people residing in Exmouth and the district of Devon. 

Our policy is one of encouraging diversity, inclusion and equality, including young people with additional needs.  Unlike other groups, our young people are not auditioned prior to membership and are encouraged to learn and participate at whatever level is appropriate to their ability.  However, a high level of self-discipline and motivation is expected. 

## **Public Benefit** 

In planning our activities for our third year, the Trustees kept in mind the Charity Commission's Guidance on public benefit. We aim to create a culture of mutual support and an environment in which the children feel able to take creative risks and have any contribution valued.  We also aim to develop confidence, teamwork, life skills and the innate talent of young people in the Exmouth and surrounding areas of Devon, producing opportunities for children of mixed age and abilities to develop skills in musical theatre, dance and drama. 

## **Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts** 

Exmouth Youth Theatre is a friendly and accessible mixed ability drama group for young people residing in Exmouth and the environs.  Activities include acting, singing, devising drama games and exercises.  We believe all young people should have the opportunity to experience, create and perform in high quality drama and musical theatre. 

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Exmouth Youth Theatre seeks to equip young people of all ages with theatre skills in a structured and highly motivated environment. Sessions are initially improvisational in nature, graduating into textual and formal voice and movement work. 

In FY 2023/2024 we continued to offer weekly rehearsals which resulted in stage productions in Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton as well as performing in local community events. 

## **Objectives for the Year** 

The objectives for the year 2023-2024 were to consolidate the existing work of Exmouth Youth Theatre group and to explore new avenues in fulfilment of the aims of the organisation, specifically: 

1. To consolidate our position and ensure a continuing strong financial footing 

2. To continue using Exmouth Pavilion as our performance base 

3. To maintain the level of EYT and Rising Stars memberships 

4. To stage the first Rising Stars production 

## **Achievements and Performance** 

In FY 23/24, we continued running twice weekly sessions with the older EYT group and consolidated the weekly session for our younger “Rising Stars”.  Both groups had waiting lists at various times during this period. 

Once again, we performed two shows at Exmouth Pavilion: School of Rock in June 2023 and Christmas at the Musicals in December 2023. Both were critically acclaimed with School of Rock being nominated for the NODA (National Operatic and Dramatic Association) SW Youth Award for Best Company Characterisation - a fantastic reflection of the hard work and superb performances turned out by our young people.  The NODA show report concluded “throughout the performance every actor gave their all and it was obvious they were enjoying every minute of being part of such an exhilarating show.” 

The Rising Stars group had their first major performance with a production of Annie Jr at Budleigh Town Hall in October 2023. Supported by a number of the older actors from EYT, the youngsters had their first taste of staging a complete musical with lighting, staging and costumes. They did themselves proud and the show proved a good grounding for those members who wish to progress up to EYT in due course. 

The profile of the organisation continued to grow in the local community with the group being asked back to perform at both the Exmouth Festival in July 2023 and the Winter Festival in December 2023. In addition, Exmouth Town Council asked EYT to perform at the launch of an environmental initiative on Exmouth beach in July which, despite the wind and rain of an English summer, was a lovely way to fuse community interests. 

At the close of the year, we had a membership of over 70 young people. 

Financially, we finished the year with a slightly increased balance sheet having staged three major productions, which was a comfortable place to be and allowed us to plan for further productions in the coming year. We are grateful for all the support provided by the local community, from a significant charitable donation from the town’s COOP supermarket to individual donors and advertisers paying for space in our programmes. We could not meet our objectives and provide such opportunities to perform without these contributions. 

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## **Structure, Governance and Management** 

Exmouth Youth Theatre is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) registered as a charity with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. 

The CIO is managed by a Board of Trustees, each being appointed for an initial period of 3 years. 

The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees' report and the financial statements in accordance with the United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice) and applicable law and regulations. 

The law applicable to charities requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the 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 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 charity will continue in business. 

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the applicable Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations, and the provisions of the constitution.  The trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. 

During FY 23/24, two trustees resigned (Ms A Reed and Ms A Gibson) and two new trustees were voted onto the board (Ms R Johnson and Ms J Reynolds). J Reynolds took over the role of treasurer from A Gibson and RL Lapwood took on the role of secretary. With A Reed’s resignation, there was no appointed chair but meetings were chaired by trustees on a rotating basis. A call for additional trustees was circulated amongst the parents and carers of members but no further volunteers came forward. One of the objectives for FY 24/25 will be the recruitment of new board members. 

## **Declarations** 

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. 

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees 

Signature: _J Reynolds_ 

Position:  Treasurer 

Date:  29/01/2025 

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## **Financial Review** 

The charity is in a similar financial position as last year with a net income of £1,801.01 and a balance of £15,363.50. Whilst this is a reasonable cushion, these reserves do not cover the production costs for a single year at the current expenditure rate. Additionally, membership payments only just cover the monthly running costs of the organisation so It is therefore imperative that productions pay for themselves or, ideally, make a profit otherwise alternative sources of funding will need to be raised to ensure financial stability moving forwards. 

The board of trustees agreed to a monthly storage hire agreement so that costumes and props that may be reused can be stored; previously, items had to be procured for each performance. In addition, a savings account was opened by the incoming treasurer to produce some interest payments on the balance held and the first payment is shown below. 

## **Exmouth Youth Theatre Profit & Loss Statement from April 2023 to March 2024** 

## **Income** 

|Donations/Grants|£           4,053.19|
|---|---|
|Equipment Loan/Hire|£           40.00|
|Membership|£           20,615.00|
|Uniform|£           452.00|
|Production Income|£           21,564.58|
|Bank account interest|£           5.98|
|Tuck Shop Income|£           275.00|
|Other Income|£           117.95|
|**TOTAL**|**£           47,123.70**|



## **Expenditure** 

|Insurance|£        128.43|
|---|---|
|Equipment|£        71.78|
|Hall Hire|£        2,558.41|
|Session/Rehearsal Fees|£        19,365.00|
|Uniform|£        432.00|
|Production Expenditure|£        20,691.83|
|Future Production Expenses incurred||
|in this year|£        876.97|
|Tuck Shop|£        419.26|
|Other|£        779.00|
|**TOTAL**|**£        45,322.68**|
|**Net Income**|**£       1,801.01**|



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**Bank Balance as of 31st March 2024** 

|Bank Balance<br>Savings Account Balance<br>Float held by Treasurer<br>**Total Cash at bank and in hand as of 31 March**<br>**2024**|**£                 3,256.52**<br>**£               12,006.98**<br>**£                     100.00**|
|---|---|
||**£               15,363.50**|



## **Exmouth Youth Theatre Year - from April to 23 to March 24 Balance Sheet** 

|Balance as at 1st March 2023|**£            13,462.48**|
|---|---|
|Balance as at 31st March 2024|**£             15,363.50**|
|Overall Income|**£            47,123.70**|
|Overall Expenditure|**£            45,322.68**|
|Net income FY23-24|**£            1,801.01**|
|Assets:||
|Total cash as at 31st March 2024|**£            15,363.50**|
|Projector|**£              3,216.40**|
|Costumes (approximate)|**£              1,000.00**|
|Liabilities|**£                          -**|



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## **Independent examiner's report on the accounts** 

## **Section A                        Independent Examiner’s Report** 

**Report to the trustees** 

Charity Name EXMOUTH YOUTH THEATRE 

**On accounts for the year** 31 MARCH 2024 **Charity no** 1192815 **ended (if any) Set out on pages** (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 31/03/2024. 

**Responsibilities and** As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the **basis of report** 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 all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. 

**Independent examiner's statement** I have completed my examination.  I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below *) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: 

- the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or 

- the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or 

- the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 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. 

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. 

* _Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply._ 

**Signed:** _L Travers-Howard_ **Date:** 04/04/2025 

**Name:** MRS L F TRAVERS-HOWARD 

**Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any):** 

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## **Address:** MIDELTONE BARN, MILTON ABBOT, PL19 0PD 

## **Section B                           Disclosure** 

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). 

**Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose** . 

There were none. 

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