# **IDEA SPACE ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2024-25** IDEA SPACE REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1193873 ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE 12 MONTHS FROM 1 APRIL 2024 TO 31 MARCH 2025 ## **FROM THE CHAIR** Welcome to our latest annual report. Idea Space is an inclusive community arts charity based in Leytonstone, which strives to create opportunities for those often underrepresented in the arts/creative sectors to experience the fantastic benefits participating in arts can bring, both individually and collectively. A strong community focus continues to shape everything we do and generous funding has allowed us to deliver projects for a range of groups. These include our ever-popular Art Social, to school based workshops. We have also continued to diversify income sources to secure our financial future. A huge thanks to our partners, funders and donors without whose support and funding our work simply would not be possible. Thank you also to my fellow trustees, volunteers, and everyone in our community who has supported us on our journey, and whose feedback encouraged us to grow ambition. Last but not least, many thanks to Vicky Coffey, the inspirational Founder and Director of Idea Space. ## **HEIDI AGBENYO** ## CHAIR OF TRUSTEES **1** ## **FROM THE DIRECTOR** At Idea Space, we use creativity as a tool to build strong communities. Our work focuses on fostering wellbeing and personal growth for every participant. We are committed to making the arts accessible to everyone. By providing high-quality, free projects, events, workshops, and films, we strive to remove barriers to participation and ensure that creativity is a shared experience for all. We’ve had a fabulous year at Idea Space, achieving some incredible things that truly underscore our passion for community. One of our proudest moments was the success of the short documentary ‘Probably Not The Haircut’ which celebrated a beloved local barbershop. After an initial screening, the film went on to win the Off Beat Community Film Award, with a prestigious panel that included renowned actress Maxine Peake. The film has now been screened three times to over 320 people and has received over 3,500 views on YouTube. I was also delighted to be on the Make It Happen Waltham Forest Flagship Project Panel for 2025-2026. Working with fellow community members to select 11 new health and wellbeing projects was a great experience and perfectly aligned with our values. Our Art Social sessions, funded by the National Lottery, were embraced by the older residents of the community. These sessions, along with our ‘Sketches to Projections’ project for making women feel safer, showed us how creating art in a relaxed environment can build bonds, combat isolation, and provide a muchneeded safe space. Both projects empowered participants who didn't consider themselves ‘tech-savvy’ to gain confidence and new skills. A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated trustees. They are key to the success of our work and provide essential support for our initiatives. We would also like to thank our partners, including Waltham Forest Council, JCLA Architects, the Kiln Theatre, and our local schools for their invaluable collaboration. I’d also like to extend my personal gratitude to our team and all the community members who helped make these projects happen. Our work shows that creativity is a powerful tool for connection and positive change, and we look forward to creating even greater impact in the future. ## **VICKY COFFEY** ## DIRECTOR **2** ## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT** New trustees are appointed by an open recruitment process. This involves advertising the role and selecting candidates based on their qualifications and alignment with Idea Space's objectives. Idea Space’s governing body is a board of Trustees met three times in 2024/2025. At each meeting, the Director reports to the Trustees on the activities of Idea Space. Individual or small groups of Trustees may also work on specific projects approved by the board; again, these projects are reviewed by the board at their regular meetings. The Trustees review the risks faced by Idea Space; the main risk faced by the CIO is financial. The Trustees control this risk by ensuring that the cost of specific projects will be covered out of specific funding. Where fundraising requests are made for specific projects, any grants received are allocated to those projects. Any surplus for the year in Idea Space’s unrestricted funds is carried forward to meet future costs. The Trustees aim to build up reserves over the next 12 months to cover the equivalent of three months’ running costs. Idea Space has policies relating to Data Protection, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, and Safeguarding, all of which are available upon request. **3** **----- Start of picture text -----**
AIMS,
OBJECTIVES
AND VALUES
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We are a community arts charity based in Leytonstone, East London, and also work in other parts of the UK. The CIO’s objective, as set out in its constitution is: to advance education in the visual arts for the public benefit by delivering community art projects. To achieve that, Idea Space focuses on the following objectives: - We specialise in creating opportunities that make the arts more accessible. - We build skills, grow confidence, and nurture ideas. - We work in partnership with local communities, professional artists, and grassroots organisations. Our values are to: - Empower - local communities lead our work. - Participate - we remove barriers to access in arts. - Impact - we make a difference in people's lives. - Partner - we work in partnership with others. - Learn - we offer everyone opportunities in arts and culture. **4** **----- Start of picture text -----**
ACHIEVEMENTS
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## **Grants** We applied for 16 grants and were successful with 12 of our applications, and unsuccessful with 4. That is a success rate of 75%. We are still awaiting the outcome of 1 grant application. ## **Community fundraising** When appropriate we continue to encourage attendees and the wider community to make a small donation towards Idea Space. We applied for grants with **12** successful outcomes Success rate of **16 75%** **5** **----- Start of picture text -----**
PROJECTS
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**We're dedicated to the belief that creativity has the power to transform people's lives and communities. We work to advance this by creating projects that build skills, grow confidence, and nurture creative talent. We focus strongly on accessibility and reducing barriers to participation in the arts, which is why all our projects are free.We co-develop our work with communities, ensuring our projects have a long-term impact. Participants use our programmes as a springboard to new pathways in education, work, and personal growth.** ## **Community Film: Probably Not The Haircut** ## **Community Award Winner** Funded by the London Borough of Waltham Forest, the short documentary film, Probably Not The Haircut, celebrates Mario's Barbers, one of Leytonstone's oldest businesses. It offers an intimate look into the barbershop, featuring conversations with the owner, Costa, and his customers. ## **Results** The film has been a huge success: - Three screenings with over 300 attendees. - Winner of the Off Beat Folk Film Festival's "Community Film Award," chosen by a panel that included actress Maxine Peake. - Over 3,500 views on YouTube to date. - Selected for a screening at an independent cinema in Cornwall. ## **What We Learned** This project was our first documentary film, and we are incredibly proud that it was recognised with an award. The community's support and pride in our success have further fuelled our passion for telling local stories and using our creative skills to elevate people in our community. We look forward to making our next film. **6** **----- Start of picture text -----**
PROJECTS
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## **Digital Arts: Adult Learning Year 3** The Digital Arts course, funded by the London Borough of Waltham Forest’s Adult Learning Service, was designed to introduce participants to practical digital art skills that could be applied to work, further education, or vocational courses. ## **Results** 28 participants completed the course over 6 sessions. - We ran the classes at three different venues to engage a diverse range of community members. - Sessions at the Cann Hall Baptist Church and Langthorne Park Pavilion and Pastures Centre, which were open to the public, were promoted through social media and a newsletter. ## **What We Learned** Working with our partners allowed us to offer this course to individuals who might not typically have access to such opportunities. By holding the sessions in venues that participants were already familiar with and comfortable in, we found it much easier to engage with them. The participants were clearly enthusiastic and engaged with the workshops. Many participants, who initially believed they were not good with technology, became confident and competent users by the end of the two sessions. The experience showed the positive impact of teaching new skills in a supportive, familiar environment. ## **Participant Feedback** “I loved this course! I never thought of myself as a ‘tech person,’ but these sessions showed me how creative and fun digital art can be. It's given me brand new skills and a lot of confidence.” “Sharing our work at the end of each session was really encouraging and made the whole experience so much more rewarding.” **7** **----- Start of picture text -----**
PROJECTS
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## **Design Your Perfect Park: Young People’s Design Team** Commissioned by the London Borough of Waltham Forest, this project engaged children from Jenny Hammond Primary School to help revitalise Langthorne Park. We collaborated with the Waltham Forest Regeneration Team and JCLA architects to create a Young People’s Design Team. Through two interactive workshops, we provided fun resources to gather their ideas for the park. The children explored design concepts, learnt about colour theory, and created mind maps to brainstorm their ideal " **playable** " spaces. This experience gave the children a sense of ownership in the park's future and provided architects with creative, innovative ideas. The project successfully engaged children who might not otherwise have had the chance to participate in a creative workshop. **----- Start of picture text -----**
YOUNG PEOPLE’S
DESIGN TEAM
Langthorne park
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## **Funded by National Lottery Funding (March 2024–25)** **Art Social** was a free weekly community gathering held every Friday morning at Cann Hall Baptist Church Hall. This welcoming event provided an inclusive, non-judgmental space for adults to create, connect, and combat isolation. Each session included a warm breakfast of tea and toast, as well as optional artist-led activities like painting, pottery, or creative writing. Open to everyone from professional artists to beginners, the project welcomed 324 participants over the year. The initiative proved that a shared, creative space can have a profound impact on well-being and help people build friendships. It was more than just an art session—it was a vital lifeline for those experiencing isolation, unemployment, or mental health challenges. One participant shared, "I really enjoy coming and have made lovely friends. Coming here has been so good for my mental health." **8** **----- Start of picture text -----**
PROJECTS
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## **The Maze at the Kiln Theatre** Commissioned by the Kiln Theatre, we worked with a group of 12-15 year olds on The Maze, a unique multidisciplinary production. Developed through conversations with the young participants, the piece explores themes of journeys, feeling lost, and searching for meaning. Supported by a team of industry professionals, including Director James D Kent, Writer Afriya-Jasmine, Animator Vicky Coffey, and Audio Drama Specialist Malakai Sargeant, the group learned transferable skills in animation, writing, and audio production. They created a professional and deeply personal production, which was performed at the Kiln Cinema in July 2024. This project empowered young people to bring their vision to life, demonstrating their creativity and commitment. **----- Start of picture text -----**
stills from animation
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## **Kiran support services film** Funded by the London Borough of Waltham Forest, this promotional film for Kiran Support Services showcases their vital work offering refuge, housing, immigration help, and counselling to South Asian women and children. Featuring authentic interviews with staff and beneficiaries, the film's goal was to increase the charity's visibility, support community outreach, and strengthen fundraising efforts by demonstrating their positive impact. ## **What We Learned** We learned that a well-crafted, emotionally resonant film can significantly increase a charity's visibility and impact. Our prior collaboration with Kiran on co-creating art with their beneficiaries was a valuable asset, as it allowed us to build trust and tell their story authentically. The project reinforced our understanding of the power of visual media in celebrating and supporting local communities **9** **----- Start of picture text -----**
PROJECTS
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## **Let’s Reclaim the Streets! From Sketches to Projections** Funded by London Borough of Waltham Forest Make it Happen Fund 2024, Let’s Reclaim the Streets! From Sketches to Projections is a project that empowers women to feel safer on the streets at night through art. Participants took part in free daytime walks in local green spaces, where they learned to draw and paint from nature and then transform their sketches into animated digital light projections. ## **Results** The project culminated in a spectacular final family friendly community event where the women’s artwork was projected onto the wall of George Tomlinson Primary School. The atmosphere was magical, with a handpan playing from a boat lit with fairy lights and hot chocolate served to over 200 attendees. The evening was a huge success, leaving the women who participated feeling incredibly proud and empowered. ## **What We Learned** Through this project, we learned that the social aspect of drawing in nature was just as important as the art itself. The women bonded deeply, and the project successfully created a supportive and safe environment where they felt celebrated. This shared creative experience had a profound impact, and the final event was a powerful demonstration of this. We could see the immense pride and empowerment on the faces of the women, and the large community turnout showed us that this initiative truly resonated. **10** **----- Start of picture text -----**
PROJECTS
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**Bird in schools:** an indoor mural project at George Tomlinson Primary School, E11 Funded by Tesco's Stronger Starts and London Borough of Waltham Forest ward funding This project transformed a dull staircase at George Tomlinson Primary School into a vibrant ‘bird haven’ mural. The initiative provided the school – which lacks resources for art-focused activities – with a new mural and art workshops for students. The goal was to create a more positive and inspiring environment while giving students valuable hands-on experience with local artists. ## **What We Learned** The project engaged students from all socio-economic backgrounds in hands-on art workshops focusing on illustration, observational drawing, and mark-making. These activities helped boost children's creative skills and physical well-being and helped form the design of the mural. The school's classes are currently named after endangered birds, and this project expands learning. Students learned about bird habitats, ecology, and climate change through the workshops. By bringing nature indoors, the mural has encouraged students to become passionate advocates for the environment and appreciate nature more. ## **Partners** **We would like to thank the following funders and partners for their financial and in-kind support** . London Borough of Waltham Forest: Ward funding Community Living Rooms Adult Learning Service Make it Happen Regeneration team Tesco Stronger Start (Groundworks) Paul Hamlyn Foundation Kiln Theatre Cann Hall & Harrow Green Baptist Church Cann Hall Can Cann Hall Women’s Foundation East Bank Seniors Foundation for Future London Holy Trinity Church Leytonstone’s Food Share Jenny Hammond Primary School Kiran Support Services Leytonstone Arts Trail Leytonstone Loves Local Leyton Orient Trust’s Wellbeing Cafe London Borough of Waltham Forest Save Our Pastures The Farm Community Kitchen The Hornbeam Centre’s People’s Kitchen **11** ## **FINANCIAL REVIEW** The CIO received income during the financial period of £59,200 against total expenditure of £41,158. Nearly all costs are allocated to the different grants received and the remaining unallocated unrestricted costs totalled £1,403. Transfers into restricted funds totalled £457 giving rise to a closing balance on unrestricted funds of £2,975. Restricted funds ended the year with a balance of £16,901. For details of movements on funds see note 1a in the attached financial statements. As can be seen from note 1a, 4 of the funds ended 2024/25 with negative funds but all of these received grants to cover these shortfalls early in 2025/26. ## **Reserves** At the balance sheet date, the CIO had a total balance at the bank of £19,876. The Director and Trustees continue to make concerted efforts to secure funding for its projects and programmes while also inviting support from individual donors. The current unrestricted balance of £2,975 is adequate in relation to unrestricted expenditure (in 2024/25) of £1,403. The finances of Idea Space are such that most expenditure incurred can be allocated against restricted grants. Recent grants have included a generous proportion for core (unrestricted) costs: in 2024/25 the figure received was £3,360. This report was approved by the Trustees on 6 October 2025 and signed on their behalf by: Heidi Agbenyo-Kwao, Chair of Trustees Trustees: Heidi Agbenyo-Kwao, Chair Kate Carvill Joanne Moss Director: Vicky Coffey Address: 15a Davies Lane London E11 3DR Bankers: Barclays Bank plc Idea Space registered Charity Number 1193873 Annual Report for the 12 months from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 Independent examiner: Derek Rodwell Impact the Future Bennet Verby 7 St Petersgate Stockport Cheshire SK1 1EB **12** **----- Start of picture text -----**
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT
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## **To the trustees of Idea Space** I report on the accounts for the period ended 31st March 2025 that are set out on pages 14 to 17. ## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner** The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). I am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of the Chartered Institute of Certified Accountants. Having satisfied myself that the charity is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to: examine the financial statements under section 145 of the 2011 Act; to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. This report, including my statement, has been prepared for and only for the charity’s trustees as a body. My work has been undertaken so that I might state to the charity’s trustees those matters that I am required to state to them in an independent examiner’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accept or assume responsibility to any other than the charity and the charity’s trustees as a body for my examination work, for this report or for the statements that I have made. ## **Basis of independent examiner’s report** My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. ## **Independent examiner’s statement** In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention: - which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements - to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act ; and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records, comply with the accounting requirements of Regulation 8 of the Accounts Regulations and the 2011 Act have not been met; or - to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ## Date: 9 October 2025 ## Derek Rodwell FCCA (Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants) Impact The Future Ltd, 117 Chestergate Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 6DP **13** EA Id•• Spac• R•rAlpt• •nd paym•n¢• •ccount• Foi th• ymr •nd•d 3111 M*rch 202S 202445 20244$ 202& 202344 X23.24 2tr1344 Uftr••trkt￿ A•#tr￿ T•1• l•J50 16.950 JJ60 3•XW 41JOO 140 750 2•249 2•249 ¢xw9r•nlb 750 21.n6 21,7YI 11.718 19J •.146 19ml 512J 844 2215 430 74 457 74 457 2.1 430 232 232 1220 2J85 750 1A170 439 730 2.720 439 730 2.720 V•nu• Ill 2XS 150 750 34 IMTO 635 Volun*•r¢4x* Su 1• 19 31.TJ 2￿41 16.1•4 1240 10.722 TMMf•r• (4571 467 24• Q48) 75 19 70 14 EA Idea Space Statèmont of assets and Ilabllftlos Forlho perlod ended 31st March 2025 20244$ 202425 2024-25 Unr••trktsd R••trkt•d Trt•l 2023-24 Unr••trkt•d •• adlu•t•d 2023-24 R••trlct•d as a*ist•d 202344 T(tsl CuTrnt P£counl 2.975 19.876 584 1250 1,834 Total 2.975 16.901 19.876 584 1.250 Not• r• compthr*tlv•• See noto on R & P lor an •xplanaUon ofth• adlu$bn•nl• TrA•l TrA•l Cr•dltor• at Y•ar end Independent Examinorfs Fe• Invol￿3 forwort COM￿01¥d In •ccounlng p•rfod 17501 17501 (2.0141 Totsl 17501 (2,7641 D•btor• •t Y••r End LBWF for C05W Film prol•ct A•••t• tA•r• pureha••d b•t*••n 2020 •rrfl M•r¢h 22 and •r• ht•d •1 ¢o•l •• Wlw•: Laptop and 2 Ipads from John Lelths 2.097 Ipod$ from John Lowl8 3.381 Cam•rn 519 5.997 Furth•r •i••ts *•r• pJich•••d kn 202243 and •r• lkni•d •t ¢Mt •• lolth¥•: Apple Compuler equlpmenl 4.099 Camera and lenso 7,608 Tripod 519 12.226 2,097 3,381 519 5,997 4.099 7,608 519 12.226 A•••t• pure￿￿d In 202344 and Il•t•d At ¢￿t. x5 Ipads 1.194 1,194 Total *s80ts 81 ¢xJ8t 19.417 15 EA Idm Spae• Not•• ia th• •¢¢ounts For th• p•rtod •nd•d 31•t M•Kh 2025 1a. 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