**Charity registration number 1195152 (England and Wales)** 

## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

**ANNUAL REPORT AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** 

**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025** 



## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION** 

## **Trustees** 

Adam Kent - Chair Catherine Hearne - Vice Chair Mark Dibble - Vice Chair Wendy Price Sedil Kilic Adele Brown (Appointed 15 July 2025) Alexandria Bradley (Appointed 15 July 2025) 

**Charity number (England and Wales)** 1195152 **Principal address** 13 Brighton Gardens Gateshead Tyne And Wear NE8 4SN **Independent examiner** RMT Ribchesters Finchale House Belmont Business Park Durham DH1 1TW 



## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **CONTENTS** 

||**Page**|
|---|---|
|Trustees' report|1 - 6|
|Independent examiner's report|7|
|Statement of financial activities|8|
|Balance sheet|9|
|Statement of cash flows|10|
|Notes to the financial statements|11 - 22|





## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **TRUSTEES' REPORT** 

## _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**_ 

The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025. 

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's governing document, the Charities Act 2011, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" and the Charities SORP "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** 

Blue Cabin CIO exists to relieve the needs of care-experienced children and young people anywhere in the UK by influencing policy, carrying out research and providing access to creative experiences, to help them to gain skills, increase in confidence, build stronger relationships and improve their lives for the public benefit. 

## **Significant Activities** 

Within the last 12 months we have worked with care-experienced children and young people and adults aged from 0 to 27 years old. We have worked closely with 5 local authorities, and a wide range of partners and charities to deliver projects that benefit care-experienced children and young people. Our financial position remains strong and we now have 8 members of staff. 

In the past 12 months we have provided: 

- 430 engagements of babies, children and young people (aged 0–17) in 190 hours of delivery 

- 283 engagements of care leavers in 101 hours of delivery 

- 364 engagements of carers and family members in 122 hours of delivery 

- 273 engagements of Local Authority staff in 161 hours of delivery 

- 433 engagements of Local Authority staff and other professionals in 74 hours of training 

- Our podcasts were also played or downloaded 882 times 

- 1 - 



## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**_ 

## **ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE** 

## **Charitable activities** 

## **Our Creative Programmes and Interventions for the year included:** 

## **Creative Aid** 

In December 2022, Blue Cabin and Nepacs were awarded funding by the National Lottery Community Fund to deliver a three- year creative arts programme with care-experienced young men serving sentences at Deerbolt Prison in County Durham. We have entered year two of Creative Aid and the young men have created artists’ books and an online exhibition showcasing their work, created with visiting artists in residence. Participants have also had the opportunity to achieve an Arts Award qualification. 

## **Creative Life Story Work** 

The Creative Life Story Work project has an international reach, helping practitioners deliver better life story work for care experienced children and young people. In 2024/25, there were 80,000 views of the website, with people from across the UK, the USA, Ireland, Australia, the Netherlands and many more locations accessing the resources. In addition, more than 700 people and organisations are Creative Life Story Work members, giving them access to all the resources on the website and 12 Live Classrooms per year. 

## **Life story work with refugee and asylum seeking children and young people** 

A new partnership between Blue Cabin, Children and Families Across Borders, and Therapeutic Life Story Work International has been formed, to develop life story work resources specifically for refugee and asylum-seeking children and young people who have recently arrived in the UK. 

## **This is The Place** 

Our early years music-making programme expanded to Redcar and Cleveland, after a successful first year in Darlington. Music-making sessions, packs and training for practitioners support care experienced babies and children aged 0 to 5 to form attachments with their carers and children are given music-making equipment to take with them to future homes. 

## **Action Research – Artful Alliance** 

In 2023/24, Blue Cabin completed its first national action research project, _Artful Alliance_ , in partnership with Arts Council England. Working with four Virtual Schools and four cultural organisations across England, the project explored how creativity can strengthen the education and wellbeing of care-experienced children and young people. Key learning highlighted the importance of fair freelance partnerships, therapeutic supervision, and engaging carers, teachers and social workers in creative education. The findings have been shared nationally through an evaluation report and partner events, extending the impact across the sector. 

## **Arts Award** 

Through Arts Award we supported care-experienced children and young people to achieve a national qualification whilst developing their confidence and skills in creativity, communication and leadership. 

- 2 - 



## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**_ 

## **Co-creating with young people – Adopt Bats** 

A group of young people from Tees Valley made a short film about adoption, sharing their own experiences of being adopted and examples of the questions they get asked along the way. Naming themselves ‘Adopt Bats’, the group worked with Blue Cabin’s associate artists for six months before premiering their film to an audience of family, friends, social care professionals and council staff. 

## **Our work with Virtual Schools** 

Children in Gateshead, Darlington, Newcastle, Redcar and Cleveland and Nottingham took part in unique, creative activities which help them build relationships, learn new skills and be seen, heard and valued. 

## **Sing Our Story** 

Sing Our Story is a personalised song-writing programme created by London-based charity, Groundswell Arts. Groundswell Arts and Blue Cabin are collaborating to deliver Sing Our Story in North East England for the first time, with a focus on care-experienced babies and children, creating songs which are given to the children to keep and which form part of their records. 

## **Volunteers** 

This year, we were pleased to welcome two new volunteers to the Blue Cabin team. Babs is supporting _This is the Place_ , our programme of regular music-making sessions for babies and their foster carers. Andrea is contributing her time and skills across a range of Blue Cabin projects. Their support strengthens our capacity to deliver creative experiences and underlines the important role volunteers play in helping us to build safe, supportive and creative spaces for care-experienced children, young people and their carers. 

## **Working with Trauma Quality Mark** 

In 2024, Blue Cabin was awarded the Bronze Working with Trauma Quality Mark by One Small Thing, recognising our commitment to trauma-aware practices. This accreditation underscores our dedication to embedding traumainformed approaches across our operations, ensuring that everyone receives the support and care they deserve. 

## **Environmental Sustainability** 

Blue Cabin has achieved a Bronze Investors in the Environment accreditation, recognising our commitment to reducing our environmental impact through actionable steps. Over the past year, we have established an Environment Working Group, calculated our carbon footprint, published an Environment and Sustainability Policy, surveyed travel habits among staff, volunteers and trustees, and hosted a staff swap shop to reduce waste. This accreditation was awarded through Going Green Together, a regional VCSE pilot initiative promoting climate action in the North East. 

- 3 - 



## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**_ 

## **Financial review** 

Unrestricted funds are to be allocated as follows: 

|**Detail**|**£**||
|---|---|---|
|2024/2025 reserves||46,000|
|Staff Operatingcosts||72,600|
|Trauma Informed||10,000|
|Care Experienced Consultants||10,000|
|Environment and Sustainability||5,000|
|Resources and Equipment||5,000|
|Trainingand Governance||5,000|
||||
|Total||153,600|



## **Reserves Policy** 

Trustees have agreed that our target for free reserves is 3 months of operating costs. The trustees have set a target of £46,000 of free reserves which has been met by the organisation. 

The trustees are satisfied with the financial performance of the charity in the period and its position at the period end. 

## **Funding** 

The trustees are incredibly grateful to the following core funders who have supported Blue Cabin this year: 

Esmee Fairburn Foundation 

Tyne and Wear Community Foundation Garfield Weston Foundation The Leathersellers Sir James Knott Trust People's Postcode Lottery The Rayne Foundation The Alchemy Foundation Pattinson Estate Agents 

And we’re equally grateful to our project funders who have supported our various programmes of work: 

The National Foundation for Youth Music The Segelman Trust The Clothworkers' Foundation Arts Council England The National Lottery Tyne and Wear Community Foundation Newcastle City Council Netherton Park Trust 

- 4 - 



## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**_ 

## **Plans for future periods** 

Looking ahead to 2025/26, Blue Cabin will begin delivering the first year of its 2025–2028 business plan. Our focus will be on strengthening organisational resilience, deepening impact and expanding our reach. 

Key areas of work will include: 

- Strengthening organisational capacity: recruiting and embedding an Operations Lead, reviewing internal systems, and supporting trustee development and succession planning. 

- Diversifying and growing income streams: working with Care-Experienced Consultants to review our Ethical Fundraising Strategy, seeking new multi-year core funders, and increasing earned income through consultancy, training and commissioning. 

- Deepening impact through evaluation and learning: rolling out our new impact framework across all programmes, co-developing evaluation tools with artists and participants, and using findings to inform practice and policy. 

- Expanding partnerships and advocacy: continuing to grow collaborations with Local Authorities, Virtual Schools, cultural organisations and national networks, while amplifying the voices of care-experienced people through creative advocacy and storytelling. 

- Embedding equity, diversity and inclusion: developing and implementing an organisational EDI framework with measurable goals, diversifying recruitment pathways, and ensuring communications and creative outputs are inclusive and representative. 

## **Structure, governance and management** 

## **Organisational Structure** 

Blue Cabin began in 2016 and in July 2021 successfully converted to a Charity Incorporated Organisation. We operate under the Charity Commission’s model constitution. 

Currently, there are 7 trustees, including a Chair of the Board and two Vice-Chairs. We are constituted to meet a minimum of 4 times per year, and in practice, we have an additional 2 away-days per annum. 

The Board already operates a model which includes subcommittees and task and finish groups. Currently, we have Safeguarding, Finance, Experts by Experience, Trauma Informed and Environmental working groups. These adapt with the company's needs; however, the Safeguarding group will remain. 

Subcommittees meet in advance of the quarterly Board Meetings, and Board representatives in the subgroups feedback to the Chair and the main Board. 

Dealing with conflicts of interest is built into our governing document and each new trustee is supported through an induction process to ensure responsibilities in this area are understood. Trustees must declare the nature and extent of any interest, direct or indirect in a proposed transaction or arrangement with Blue Cabin and they must absent themselves from any discussion or vote pertaining to that matter. Conflicts of Interest are minuted. 

## **Risk Management** 

Blue Cabin maintains an Organisational Risk Register, this is: 

- -A standing item agenda on the quarterly board meetings 

- -Discussed on a monthly basis in the Managing Director's 1:1 with the Chair of the Board 

Currently the highest rated risk is Local Authority match Income. Local Authority match funding is always present on our risk register and reviewed regularly. We continually mitigate against the potential loss of this funding through: 

- Having multiple partnerships across several Local Authorities 

- Continuing to be strong partners that have excellent relationships with Local Authority staff 

- Continuing to evidence the benefits of our work and how they align with Local Authority priorities. 

- 5 - 



## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED)** 

## _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**_ 

The trustees who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were: Adam Kent - Chair 

Catherine Hearne - Vice Chair Mark Dibble - Vice Chair Wendy Price Sedil Kilic Adele Brown (Appointed 15 July 2025) Alexandria Bradley (Appointed 15 July 2025) 

The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees. 


.............................. Adam Kent - Chair **Trustee** Date: ......29/10/2025............................... 

- 6 - 



## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT** 

## **TO THE TRUSTEES OF BLUE CABIN CIO** 

I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Blue Cabin CIO (the charity) for the year ended 31 March 2025. 

## **Responsibilities and basis of report** 

As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011. 

I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act 2011. 

## **Independent examiner's statement** 

Since the charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000, the independent examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies. 

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 that in any material respect: 

- 1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Charities Act 2011. 

- 2 the financial statements do not accord with those records; or 

- 3 the financial statements do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of financial statements set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the financial statements 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 financial statements to be reached. 

**RMT Ribchesters Finchale House Belmont Business Park Durham DH1 1TW** 

Date: .....29/10/2025....................... 

- 7 - 



## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT** 

## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025** 

|**Unrestricted**<br>**Restricted**<br>**funds**<br>**funds**<br>**2025**<br>**2025**<br>**Notes**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**Income and endowments from:**<br>Donations and legacies<br>**3**<br>207,425<br>-<br>Charitable activities<br>**4**<br>16,251<br>261,050<br>Other income<br>**5**<br>83<br>-<br>**Total income**<br>223,759<br>261,050<br>**Expenditure on:**<br>Charitable activities<br>**6**<br>178,009<br>269,111<br>**Total expenditure**<br>178,009<br>269,111<br>**Net income/(expenditure)**<br>45,750<br>(8,061)<br>Transfers between<br>funds<br>(10,000)<br>10,000<br>**Net movement in**<br>**funds**<br>**9**<br>35,750<br>1,939<br>**Reconciliation of funds:**<br>Fund balances at 1 April 2024<br>117,850<br>165,668<br>**Fund balances at 31 March**<br>**2025**<br>153,600<br>167,607|**Total Unrestricted**<br>**Restricted**<br>**funds**<br>**funds**<br>**2025**<br>**2024**<br>**2024**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>207,425<br>166,000<br>-<br>277,301<br>62,218<br>252,629<br>83<br>-<br>-<br>484,809<br>228,218<br>252,629<br>447,120<br>153,663<br>244,840<br>447,120<br>153,663<br>244,840<br>37,689<br>74,555<br>7,789<br>-<br>(28,800)<br>28,800<br>37,689<br>45,755<br>36,589<br>283,518<br>72,095<br>129,079<br>321,207<br>117,850<br>165,668|**Total**<br>**2024**<br>**£**<br>166,000<br>314,847<br>-|
|---|---|---|
|||480,847<br>398,503|
|||398,503|
|||82,344<br>-|
|||82,344<br>201,174|
|||283,518|



The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities. 

- 8 - 



## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **BALANCE SHEET** 

## _**AS AT 31 MARCH 2025**_ 

|**Notes**<br>**Fixed assets**<br>Tangible assets<br>**13**<br>**Current assets**<br>Debtors<br>**14**<br>Cash at bank and in hand<br>**Creditors: amounts falling due within**<br>**one year**<br>**15**<br>**Net current assets**<br>**Total assets less current liabilities**<br>**The funds of the charity**<br>Restricted income funds<br>**16**<br>Unrestricted funds<br>**17**|**2025**<br>**£**<br>22,329<br>307,355<br>329,684<br>(10,959)|**£**<br>2,482<br>318,725<br>321,207<br>167,607<br>153,600<br>321,207|**2024**<br>**£**<br>15,104<br>278,258<br>293,362<br>(10,229)|**£**<br>385<br>283,133|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||283,518|
|||||165,668<br>117,850|
|||||283,518|



The financial statements were approved by the trustees on .....29/10/2025.................... 


.............................. 

Adam Kent - Chair **Trustee** 

- 9 - 



## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**_ 

|**Notes**<br>**Cash flows from operating activities**<br>Cash generated from operations<br>**20**<br>**Investing activities**<br>Purchase of tangible fixed assets<br>**Net cash used in investing activities**<br>**Net cash generated from financing activities**<br>**Net increase in cash and cash equivalents**<br>Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year<br>**Cash and cash equivalents at end of year**|**2025**<br>**£**<br>(3,323)|**£**<br>32,420<br>(3,323)<br>-<br>29,097<br>278,258<br>307,355|**2024**<br>**£**<br>-|**£**<br>94,034<br>-<br>-|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||94,034<br>184,224|
|||||278,258|



- 10 - 



## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**_ 

## **1 Accounting policies** 

## **Charity information** 

Blue Cabin CIO is a charitable incorporated organisation registered in England and Wales. The registered office is 13 Brighton Gardens, Gateshead, NE8 4SN. 

## **1.1 Accounting convention** 

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, the Charities Act 2011, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" and the Charities SORP "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)". The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102. 

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £1. 

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below. 

## **1.2 Going concern** 

At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements. 

## **1.3 Charitable funds** 

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives. 

Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements. 

## **1.4 Income** 

Income is recognised when the charity is legally entitled to it after any performance conditions have been met, the amounts can be measured reliably, and it is probable that income will be received. 

Grants of a revenue nature are credited to income in the period to which they relate. 

Trading income includes income from the provision of consultancy services, training courses, and other feebased activities carried out to raise funds in support of the charity’s objectives. Income from services is recognised when the service has been provided in full, or in proportion to the stage of completion of the service at the reporting date, where outcomes can be reliably measured and it is probable that the income will be received. 

## **1.5 Expenditure** 

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. 

Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use. 

- 11 - 



## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**_ 

## **1 Accounting policies** 

**(Continued)** 

## **Governance costs** 

Governance costs include those costs associated with meeting with the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity and include the independent examination fees and costs linked to the strategic management of the charity. 

## **1.6 Tangible fixed assets** 

Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses. 

Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases: 

Fixtures and fittings 3 years on cost Computers 3 years on cost 

The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities. 

## **1.7 Impairment of fixed assets** 

At each reporting end date, the charity reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any). 

## **1.8 Cash and cash equivalents** 

Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities. 

## **1.9 Financial instruments** 

The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments. 

Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument. 

Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously. 

## _**Basic financial assets**_ 

Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised. 

- 12 - 



## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**_ 

## **1 Accounting policies** 

**(Continued)** 

## _**Basic financial liabilities**_ 

Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised. 

Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method. 

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method. 

## _**Derecognition of financial liabilities**_ 

Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled. 

## **1.10 Taxation** 

The charity is a registered charity and is therefore generally exempt from income tax and corporation tax on its charitable activities, provided that income is applied for charitable purposes. 

## **1.11 Retirement benefits** 

Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due. 

## **1.12 Grants Payable** 

Grants payable are recognised as expenditure when a valid expectation has been established with the recipient that the charity will make the grant and any performance conditions attached to the grant are within the control of the charity. Where grants are conditional on performance or other specified criteria, they are recognised once those conditions are met. 

## **2 Critical accounting estimates and judgements** 

In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates. 

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods. 

## **3 Income from donations and legacies** 

||**Unrestricted**|**Unrestricted**|
|---|---|---|
||**funds**|**funds**|
||**2025**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|
|Grants|207,425|166,000|



- 13 - 



## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**_ 

## **3 Income from donations and legacies** 

|**Income from donations and legacies**||**(Continued)**|
|---|---|---|
||**Unrestricted**|**Unrestricted**|
||**funds**|**funds**|
||**2025**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|
|**Grants**|||
|Esmee Fairburn Foundation|69,425|31,000|
|The Segelman Trust|-|70,000|
|Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland|9,500|13,000|
|The National Foundation for Youth Music|-|2,000|
|Garfield Weston Foundation|25,000|20,000|
|The Leathersellers|22,000|20,000|
|Sir James Knott Trust|10,000|10,000|
|People's Postcode Lottery|50,000|-|
|The Rayne Foundation|20,000|-|
|The Alchemy Foundation|1,000|-|
|Other|500|-|
||207,425|166,000|



## **4 Income from charitable activities** 

|**Unrestricted**<br>**Restricted**<br>**funds**<br>**funds**<br>**2025**<br>**2025**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**Support for young people**<br>Grants received<br>-<br>194,335<br>Ancillary trading income<br>16,243<br>62,378<br>Other income<br>8<br>4,337<br>16,251<br>261,050|**Total**<br>**2025**<br>**Unrestricted**<br>**Restricted**<br>**funds**<br>**funds**<br>**2024**<br>**2024**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>194,335<br>45,500<br>186,059<br>78,621<br>14,945<br>66,570<br>4,345<br>1,773<br>-<br>277,301<br>62,218<br>252,629|**Total**<br>**2024**<br>**£**<br>231,559<br>81,515<br>1,773|
|---|---|---|
|||314,847|



- 14 - 



## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**_ 

## **4 Income from charitable activities** 

|**Income from charitable activities**||**(Continued)**|
|---|---|---|
|**Charitable activities grants analysis**|||
||**Support for**|**Support for**|
||**young people**|**young people**|
||**2025**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|
|The National Foundation for Youth Music|53,343|61,500|
|The Segelman Trust|15,000|-|
|The Clothworkers' Foundation|3,900|-|
|Arts Council England|5,000|45,500|
|The National Lottery|89,642|88,559|
|Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland|24,950|-|
|Newcastle City Council|500|-|
|County Durham Community Foundation|(6,000)|6,000|
|Esmee Fairbairn Foundation|-|30,000|
|Netherton Park Trust|8,000|-|
|Other|-|-|
||194,335|231,559|



## **Charitable activities grants analysis** 

|**5**|**Other income**|||
|---|---|---|---|
|||**Unrestricted**|**Unrestricted**|
|||**funds**|**funds**|
|||**2025**|**2024**|
|||**£**|**£**|
||Sale of equipment|83|-|



- 15 - 



## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**_ 

## **6 Expenditure on charitable activities** 

||**Support for**|**Support for**|
|---|---|---|
||**young**|**young**|
||**people**|**people**|
||**2025**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|
|**Direct costs**|||
|Staff costs|141,695|113,542|
|Project delivery costs|236,604|200,106|
|Resources|12,026|6,463|
|Venue hire|8,624|8,303|
||398,949|328,414|
|Grant funding of activities (see note 7)|4,000|14,000|
|**Share of support and governance costs (see note 8)**|||
|Support|44,171|56,089|
||447,120|398,503|
|**Analysis by fund**|||
|Unrestricted funds|178,009|153,663|
|Restricted funds|269,111|244,840|
||447,120|398,503|



## **7 Grants payable** 

|**Grants payable**|||
|---|---|---|
||**Support for**|**Support for**|
||**young**|**young**|
||**people**|**people**|
||**2025**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|
|Grants to institutions:|||
|Ambassador Theatre Group|1,000|3,500|
|Norfolk City Council|1,000|3,500|
|Not Pants CIC|1,000|3,500|
|Care to Dance CIC|1,000|3,500|
||4,000|14,000|



- 

- 16 - 



## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**_ 

## **8 Support costs allocated to activities** 

|Depreciation<br>HR and health & safety<br>Insurance<br>IT software, licensing and subscriptions<br>Staff training<br>Postage and stationery<br>Website development<br>Travel costs and sundry<br>Bookkeeping and management<br>Payroll fees<br>Legal and professional fees<br>Governance costs<br>**Analysed between:**<br>Support for young people<br>**9**<br>**Net movement in funds**<br>The net movement in funds is stated after charging/(crediting):<br>Fees payable for the independent examination of the charity's financial<br>statements<br>Depreciation of owned tangible fixed assets|**2025**<br>**£**<br>1,226<br>3,773<br>2,008<br>6,376<br>3,968<br>1,039<br>11,488<br>5,702<br>4,615<br>1,323<br>428<br>2,225<br>44,171<br>44,171<br>**2025**<br>**£**<br>2,225<br>1,226|**2024**<br>**£**<br>751<br>2,359<br>1,975<br>5,120<br>21,250<br>625<br>1,470<br>8,066<br>3,450<br>1,373<br>7,600<br>2,050|
|---|---|---|
|||56,089|
|||56,089|
|||**2024**<br>**£**<br>2,050<br>751|



## **10 Trustees** 

None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or benefits from the charity during the current year or prior year. None of the trustees received any expenses for the current year or prior year. 

## **11 Employees** 

The average monthly number of employees during the year was: 

||**2025**|**2024**|
|---|---|---|
||**Number**|**Number**|
|Charitable activity staffing|8|6|



- 17 - 



## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**_ 

|**11**<br>**Employees**<br>**Employment costs**<br>Wages and salaries<br>Social security costs<br>Other pension costs|**(Continued)**<br>**2025**<br>**£**<br>**2024**<br>**£**<br>133,007<br>107,563<br>5,929<br>3,815<br>2,759<br>2,164<br>141,695<br>113,542|**(Continued)**<br>**2025**<br>**£**<br>**2024**<br>**£**<br>133,007<br>107,563<br>5,929<br>3,815<br>2,759<br>2,164<br>141,695<br>113,542|
|---|---|---|
|||113,542|



There were no employees whose annual remuneration was more than £60,000. 

## **12 Taxation** 

The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes. 

## **13 Tangible fixed assets** 

|**Fixtures and**<br>**fittings**<br>**£**<br>**Cost**<br>At 1 April 2024<br>559<br>Additions<br>-<br>At 31 March 2025<br>559<br>**Depreciation and impairment**<br>At 1 April 2024<br>538<br>Depreciation charged in the year<br>21<br>At 31 March 2025<br>559<br>**Carrying amount**<br>At 31 March 2025<br>-<br>At 31 March 2024<br>21<br>**14**<br>**Debtors**<br>**Amounts falling due within one year:**<br>Trade debtors<br>Other debtors<br>Prepayments and accrued income|**Computers**<br>**£**<br>1,695<br>3,323<br>5,018<br>1,331<br>1,205<br>2,536<br>2,482<br>364<br>**2025**<br>**£**<br>18,480<br>1,283<br>2,566<br>22,329|**Total**<br>**£**<br>2,254<br>3,323|
|---|---|---|
|||5,577|
|||1,869<br>1,226|
|||3,095|
|||2,482|
|||385|
|||**2024**<br>**£**<br>11,020<br>3,038<br>1,046|
|||15,104|



- 18 - 



## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**_ 

## **15 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year** 

|**Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**|||
|---|---|---|
|Other taxation and social security<br>Trade creditors<br>Other creditors<br>Accruals and deferred income|**2025**<br>**£**<br>3,797<br>2,400<br>474<br>4,288<br>10,959|**2024**<br>**£**<br>-<br>6,704<br>454<br>3,071|
|||10,229|



## **16 Restricted funds** 

The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. 

||**At 1 April**|**Incoming**|**Resources**|**Transfers**|**At 31 March**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**2024**|**resources**|**expended**||**2025**|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|Cool Things Darlington|20,000|9,000|(12,544)|-|16,456|
|Creative Life Story Work|18,550|36,507|(37,417)|10,000|27,640|
|Artist Support|1,098|-|(1,098)|-|-|
|Early Years Darlington|59,720|57,410|(62,168)|-|54,962|
|Prisons|42,500|89,642|(92,814)|-|39,328|
|Newcastle Cool Things|12,000|10,000|(14,666)|-|7,334|
|Arts Award|8,300|10,140|(17,840)|-|600|
|Sing our Story|3,500|3,600|(4,275)|-|2,825|
|Gateshead Virtual School|-|23,801|(13,339)|-|10,462|
|Redcar Virtual School|-|8,000|-|-|8,000|
|Environmental|-|4,950|(4,950)|-|-|
|Arts Award Explore|-|8,000|(8,000)|-|-|
||165,668|261,050|(269,111)|10,000|167,607|



- 19 - 



## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**_ 

|**16**|**Restricted funds**|||||**(Continued)**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Previous year:**|**At 1 April**|**Incoming**|**Resources**|**Transfers**|**At 31 March**|
|||**2023**|**resources**|**expended**||**2024**|
|||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
||Cool Things Darlington|13,000|30,000|(23,000)|-|20,000|
||Training and Consultancy|6,700|3,200|(9,900)|-|-|
||Creative Life Story Work|53,435|54,570|(94,455)|5,000|18,550|
||Artist Support|-|2,500|(1,402)|-|1,098|
||Early Years Darlington|27,219|75,299|(42,798)|-|59,720|
||Prisons|28,725|87,060|(73,285)|-|42,500|
||Newcastle Cool Things|-|-|-|12,000|12,000|
||Arts Award|-|-|-|8,300|8,300|
||Sing our Story|-|-|-|3,500|3,500|
|||129,079|252,629|(244,840)|28,800|165,668|



The restricted funds of the charity are utilised for the purposes outlined within the trustees report. 

During the year the trustees decided to allocate £10,000 of unrestricted funds to the restricted fund Creative Life Story Work by way of a transfer. 

## **17 Unrestricted funds** 

The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes. 

||**At 1 April**|**Incoming**|**Resources**|**Transfers**|**At 31 March**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**2024**|**resources**|**expended**||**2025**|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|Staff operating costs|17,624|-|-|54,976|72,600|
|Non-staff operating costs|7,629|-|-|(7,629)|-|
|VAT|874|-|-|(874)|-|
|Leathersellers|20,000|-|-|(20,000)|-|
|Segelman Trust|35,000|-|-|(35,000)|-|
|Trauma Informed|-|-|-|10,000|10,000|
|Care Experienced Consultants|-|-|-|10,000|10,000|
|Environment and Sustainability|-|-|-|5,000|5,000|
|Resources and Equipment|-|-|-|5,000|5,000|
|Training and Governance|-|-|-|5,000|5,000|
|General funds|36,723|223,759|(178,009)|(36,473)|46,000|
||117,850|223,759|(178,009)|(10,000)|153,600|



- 20 - 



## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**_ 

|**17**|**Unrestricted funds**||||||**(Continued)**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Previous year:**|**At 1 April**||**Incoming**|**Resources**|**Transfers**|**At 31 March**|
||||**2023**|**resources**|**expended**||**2024**|
||||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
||Arts Award||2,444|45,500|(39,644)|(8,300)|-|
||Trauma-informed, Self-care,|||||||
||Therapeutic supervision||1,600|-|(1,600)|-|-|
||Staff operating costs||625|1,524|(625)|16,100|17,624|
||Non-staff operating costs||3,600|4,029|-|-|7,629|
||VAT||1,436|-|(562)|-|874|
||Leathersellers||-|-|-|20,000|20,000|
||Segelman Trust||-|-|-|35,000|35,000|
||General funds||62,390|177,165|(111,232)|(91,600)|36,723|
||||72,095|228,218|(153,663)|(28,800)|117,850|



## **18 Analysis of net assets between funds** 

|**Unrestricted**<br>**Restricted**<br>**funds**<br>**funds**<br>**2025**<br>**2025**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**At 31 March 2025:**<br>Tangible assets<br>2,482<br>-<br>Current assets/(liabilities)<br>151,118<br>167,607<br>153,600<br>167,607<br>**Unrestricted**<br>**Restricted**<br>**funds**<br>**funds**<br>**2024**<br>**2024**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**At 31 March 2024:**<br>Tangible assets<br>385<br>-<br>Current assets/(liabilities)<br>117,465<br>165,668<br>117,850<br>165,668|**Total**<br>**2025**<br>**£**<br>2,482<br>318,725|
|---|---|
||321,207|
||**Total**<br>**2024**<br>**£**<br>385<br>283,133|
||283,518|



## **19 Related party transactions** 

There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2024 - none). 

- 21 - 



## **BLUE CABIN CIO** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**_ 

|**20**<br>**Cash generated from operations**<br>Surplus for the year<br>**Adjustments for:**<br>Depreciation and impairment of tangible fixed assets<br>**Movements in working capital:**<br>(Increase)/decrease in debtors<br>Increase in creditors<br>**Cash generated from operations**|**2025**<br>**£**<br>**2024**<br>**£**<br>37,689<br>82,344<br>1,226<br>751<br>(7,225)<br>7,543<br>730<br>3,396<br>32,420<br>94,034|
|---|---|



## **21 Analysis of changes in net funds** 

The charity had no material debt during the year. 

- 22 - 

