2024-08-31-accounts - Firstbase

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Firstbase Report Year ending 31[st] August 2024

Firstbase 13 Belle Vue Avenue Leeds LS8 2NN Tel: email:

Non-Disclosure

The Firstbase business plan and report is confidential and contains information that is proprietary to the charity. The information in the plan may not be reproduced or disclosed to any third party without the express permission, in writing, of Firstbase.

The Organisation

Firstbase applied for and was successful in achieving charitable status in October 2021. Charity Number 1196192.

Firstbase is registered with the Charities Commission as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)

Prior to this date Firstbase has been delivering music workshops with young people since 2018, with staff being directly employed by Gipsil on a self-employed basis.

The organisation has three trustees, in accordance with the minimum requirements of the Charities Commission and is led by a freelance CEO.

The focus of the organisation is to provide free opportunities for young people to create their own music and express themselves in a relaxed, informal, but structured atmosphere. We also aim to enable them to begin or further their music careers if desired, by supporting them with college applications and uploading their music onto Youtube and other appropriate music platforms.

Our target beneficiaries are young people mainly aged 16-25 and living in Leeds, many of who are from black and minority communities. We focus on those with additional support needs, eg young people living independently and/or those with mental health issues, recognising that music can be an incredible tool for improving and sustaining good mental health.

We deliver from a centre for young people in inner city Leeds, situated in an area of high deprivation and multiple ethnicities. This year we have worked with 124 young people, delivering 44 weeks of workshops and 2 public performances.

Young people usually come to the workshops in the first instance via word of mouth or are referred in by support workers.

Report on Objectives

To access sufficient funding to enable the continuation of the music workshops for at least the next two years. These are currently being delivered regularly twice a week, and we wish to continue to offer this level of service.

This financial year we have had an income of £43,419, a big increase on last year, consisting of new grant income totalling £33,360.40, and a carryover of £10,059. This enabled us to continue to deliver two workshops a week for most of the year and has paid for the PD and two tutors on a freelance basis. We have also been able to provide young people with refreshments at the sessions and buy some new equipment. There is a carry over into 24/25 of £21,930.

Successful grants:Flint Family Fund £8153.40 Postcode Lottery £11.880 Leeds City Council £3,000 Leeds Community Foundation Microgrants £1765 Synergi £8562

This amount of new income has taken us over the £25k mark, which means the Charity Commission now expect our accounts to be independently reviewed. This may also be a requirement of some potential funders going forward. There is obviously a cost attached to this, but as this is now a necessity we will be seeking an accountant to carry out this work.

The links with mental health appear to be a prime factor in the successful funding applications, and this is an area we will continue to explore.

We will continue to seek multiple year funding opportunities with the aim of making the project more secure and sustainable, as well as one-year grants, which make up the bulk of the funding options currently.

2. Explore the possibilities for some daytime delivery, with a more individual and targeted approach

We were successful in May 2024 to receive a grant of £8,562 from Synergi, the consortium of statutory agencies in in Leeds focusing on mental health for POC. This was for the delivery of a daytime session of 1-1 work with young people with mental health concerns. This funding will end on 31st May 2025.

3. Develop the music video side of the project, as this is what young people are asking for, and then assisting with the promotion of the videos by uploading onto music platforms.

Ongoing. A number of young people continue to make and upload music videos onto Youtube and other platforms. There is further scope for more development here, depending on time and funding.

4. Partnerships and collaborations.

We continue to work in partnership with Gipsil, who have an ongoing commitment to provide a Wellbeing Worker at the workshops to ensure any additional needs of young people are addressed.

The practical issues around the building have been sorted out, and Leeds City Council, who own the building appear to be committed to allow us to continue to deliver from the building free of charge although there is no formal agreement in place.

We have been required by them to undertake formal online training in First Aid and Food Hygiene. The PD now has the relevant certificates.

We will continue to explore possibilities for partnership working with individuals and/or organisations to try and improve the sustainability and security of the project.

5. Improve and embed reporting and evaluation processes

In December 23 an external evaluation of the project took place, with interviews of staff and young people. This flagged up, as expected, a lack of rigour in monitoring and evaluation. We have reviewed and revised our processes for evaluation, aiming to make them as simple and accessible as possible, although as staff funding and time is focused on delivery and insufficient funding this remains problematic. However, the report was in general very positive, particularly the feedback from young people.

Signed ………………………………………………… Date………18/03/25……………………………… Sally Hoy, Chair of Trustees

CHARITY COMMISSION - FOR ENGLAND AND WALES FIRSTBASE ny) i19E Receipts and pa ments accounts CC16a For the period from FerioJ enu c'¢L¥ 0110912023 3110812024 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Endowment funds Total funds Last year to the nearest to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ A1 Recei ts Grants received Donation 33,360 33.360 25,165 100 tota ross income or ARJ 33,360 33,360 25,26S A2 Asset an see table . Investment sa es, Total receipts 33,360 33,360 25,265 A3Pa ments Trainers fees Equipment & $Ofva expenses Insurance General 17.972 2.891 96 791 17.972 2,891 96 791 11,896 2,229 24 1,057 Sub total 21,750 21.750 15,206 A4 Asset and investment Sub total 21,750 21,750 15,206 Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Gash funds this year end 11,610 11,610 10,059 10,059 21,669 11,610 10,059 CCXX R1 accounts {SS) 2510612025

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestricted funds to nearest £ Restricted funds to nearest £ Endowment funds to nearest £ Categories Detsils B1 Cash funds Ccpoperative Bank 21.669 Total cash funds 21,669 (agreè balances with rÈe¢ipts and pawnents ac£ountls)) Unrestricted funds to nearest £ Restricted funds to nearest £ Endowment funds to nearest £ Details B2 Other monetary assets Fund to which asset belon Cost (optionall Current valuo tional Details Fund to whlch asset belon Current value tional Details Cost (optlonar) B4 Assets retained for the chariWs own use Fund to whlch riabil. relates Amount due When due tional Details B5 Liabilities Signed by one or trustees on behalf of all the trustees Date of roval Signature Print Name Isaac He 2&Jun-25 CCXX R2 accounts {SS) 2510612025

Firstbase (Charity Ref No 1196192) Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Firstbase (the Company) Section A- Report I report to the Charity Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 August 2024. Responsibilities and basis of report As the Charity's Trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act,). 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 examinerfs statement l am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. 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 faiff view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. Save as referred in Section B below, I 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. Section B - Disclosure Material matter of concern (see CC32), Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Section A- Receipts and Payments - records total of Grant Income Received of £33,360. Total Gross Income reported on the Annual Return for the year ended 31 August 2024 is £40,319 because it incorrectly includes Cash Funds as at 31 August 2023 of £10,046 that were included in the Receipts and Payments account for that year. Lau enceAF sher CA Inde end tExa iner 635b Leeds West Yorkshi LS8 4BA Date: 25 June 2025