Registered CIO: 1197431
Annual Report and Accounts January - December 2023
Chair’s Report
I am pleased to present the second Annual Report for Outside the Box CIO.
This represents the second year of our charity’s existence, but the first full year of delivering Orange Box Choir since 2019, due to the disruption of the pandemic and needing to find a new home.
And what a year it’s been! We started off in a great position, having secured funding and generous donations, and ended the year winning Best New Charity at the Calderdale Community Spirit Awards. Long-standing choir member Sam collected our award, and seeing his face light up was the real prize!
Running even a small charity takes a lot of hard work. I feel incredibly proud of our whole team – Jamie, Amy-Rose and Jonny, our trustees, volunteers, parents, carers, and of course our incredible choir members. You are all amazing!
Photo by Odette
I look forward to another year of laughing and singing outside the box with you all.
Maria Spadafora Chair for Outside the Box CIO
Project Manager’s Report
What a fantastic year it has been for Orange Box Choir which has seen our first full year of session delivery since before the pandemic, and finding our new home with Outside The Box CIO.
This new stability has enabled us to welcome some new participants to the group, form new friendships and take part in some fantastic experiences!
Some highlights have included performing on the Piece Hall main stage for Calderdale Pride. For many of our choir members this was their first time performing on such a large stage and in front of so many people. Everyone coped really well and delivered a brilliant performance which was really well received by the audience and generated some lovely feedback.
Photo: Community Spirit Awards 2023
Outside The Box CIO winning the best new charity award at the Community Spirit Awards was another amazing achievement and a testament to the hard work of our Chair Maria for keeping the choir in such a strong position, the team of trustees and volunteers, our amazing choir leaders Amy-Rose and Jonny and of course our wonderful choir members without out whom winning this award would not have been possible.
Project Manager’s Report
Another highlight, as always, was the performance at KACCL 2023 where Orange Box Choir bravely performed to an audience of approximately 300 people. They received a standing ovation and brought many audience members to tears with their emotional yet high-spirited performance. This further cemented the relationship with our long-standing supporters on the Kirklees and Calderdale Charity Lunch committee.
Seeing the choir develop and its members grow in confidence is truly rewarding. I’m so proud of our choir members and our team of trustees, staff and volunteers for everything they have achieved over this past year. You really all are an incredible group of people and I hope you are proud of yourselves.
I can’t wait to see what accomplishments we will make in the future.
As I always say – “The future is bright. The future is Orange Box Choir!”
Jamie Eagleton Project Manager, Orange Box Choir
KACCL 2023 Photo by Heather Magner
Our Purpose and Values
Outside The Box CIO develops participatory and wellbeing activities with, by and for people in Calderdale. We use creativity to enhance wellbeing, particularly for young people with learning differences and/or neurodivergence.
We do this by:
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delivering creative, participatory activities and events with, by and for participants
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enabling and supporting people to take part in opportunities that enhance wellbeing and encourage friendship
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providing or signposting to information, advice and support
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creating and promoting volunteering opportunities
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KACCL 2022
Photo by John Steel
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Governance and Delivery
OUR TRUSTEES:
OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES:
Maria Spadafora – Chair Emma Ruhkala - Treasurer Tilz Ray Cathy Ray Jodie Eagleton Tom Kendall – Safeguarding
Trustees oversee the management of the charity and our activities
Safeguarding Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Recruitment of Staff and Volunteers Conflicts of Interest Managing Grievances Managing Finances and Reserves Data Protection (GDPR) Health and Safety Risk Management
OUR FREELANCE DELIVERY TEAM:
Jamie Eagleton – Project Manager & Safeguarding Lead Amy-Rose Atkinson – Choir Facilitator Jonny Keegan – Choir Facilitator
Our Participants
In 2023:
24 young people took part in 34 sessions 9 of these were new to our choir 12 attended with a parent or carer 12 attended independently
34 parents/carers also attended sessions 6 volunteers supported 1000+ people attended 4 public performances
“I look forward to my week more because I go to choir. I see a friend at choir. I feel happy, I really enjoy singing.” – V, Participant
“Since joining the choir S has developed a feeling of being connected and belonging to the group. A great sense of camaraderie! He loves talking about choir to family members and staff at his day centre. He loves the performances especially.”
– J, Parent
Calderdale Pride 2023, photo by Tina Bown
“My daughter thoroughly enjoys Orange Box Choir. After her initial session she came away and said ‘I like this choir, there are people here just like me.’ Because I care for my daughter I know that on a night when she’s had choir, she will be in a good mood until she falls asleep, making her bedtime routine more relaxed.” - T, Parent
Our Participants
“I am pleased that my son is really enjoying it and getting on well with others in the choir. I think it’s good that he is in a group with other young people with disabilities, and fits in well.” – M, Parent
“Better mood, more relaxed after each session. Meeting more people and being more social than previously.” – L, Participant
Photo by Maria Spadafora
Our Participants
“I’ve been a member of the Orange Box Choir since 2023. I joined Orange Box Choir because I wanted something to do and I said to my Dad last year, ‘I really want to set up a choir for people with disabilities’ so that’s why I came here. That’s why my Dad spoke to you at KACCL, to see if I could join you. And I’ve been here for a year now and I love it.
I sing lots of different songs and it helps me with my mental health and just being myself as a young person. I like performing in front of people. We sang at Calderdale Pride in 2023 and I was a little bit nervous and I suddenly got used to it. I sang with the lyrics for a while, then at KACCL I realised I didn’t need lyrics anymore and I’ve not been singing with lyrics since.”
Photo by Tina Bown
Achievements in 2023
January - March 2023 We started the year in a good position, securing grant funding from the Community Foundation for Calderdale Health and Wellbeing fund, Halifax Opportunities Trust Staying Well fund, and Creative Minds - a charity hosted by South West Yorkshire NHS Foundation Trust.
Photo by Maria Spadafora
Photo by Izzy Clayton
July 2023 Orange Box Choir performed alongside Cube Choir at Square Chapel, to an audience of around 250 people. Ellie and Lauren did a collection and raised £260 in cash donations!
August 2023 We proudly opened Calderdale Pride, performing to approximately 300 people. We shared the stage with Dame Shirley Bazzey to share a message of solidarity with Trans and non-binary people.
Achievements
Photo: Community Spirit Awards 2023
November 2023 Outside the Box CIO won the award for Best New Charity at the 2023 Community Spirit Awards.
Sam collected our award and told the audience how much Orange Box Choir means to him.
Our choir members have been taking it in turns to keep the award at home, so they can share it with family and friends.
December 2023 We rounded off the year with two more performances – one at Kirklees and Calderdale Charity Lunch (KACCL) and one at Halifax Borough Markets. Around 300 people attended the KACCL performance, sharing in the joy and emotion of this wonderful event.
KACCL 2023 Photo by Heather Magner
Finances and Reserves
Finances for 2023 are presented on a cash accounting basis, and reflect income and expenditure as it’s received and paid.
OUR RESERVES POLICY
Trustees agreed to a target level of Reserves of between 3 and 6 months’ running costs, outlining a minimum of £2,000. The purpose of reserves is:
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1) Continuity – bridging gaps, such as delays or shortfalls in income
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2) Cyclical maintenance – such as repairing needed equipment
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3) Dissolution – costs that need to be covered should we dissolve
At the end of 2023 we were fortunate enough to have secured £5,460 in unrestricted income, and allocated £5,000 to reserves.
Finances - January to December 2023
| Section A Receits and aments | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| p py | |||||||||
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds | Endowment funds |
Total funds | Last year | |||||
| A1 Receipts | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | ||||
| Brought Forward | 2,752 | 4,600 | - | 7,352 | - | ||||
| Sales | 50 | - | - | 50 | - | ||||
| Suma | - | - | - | - | 700 | ||||
| CFFC General | - | - | - | - | 2,500 | ||||
| CFFC Emotional Health & Wellbeing | - | - | - | - | 4,470 | ||||
| SWYP NHS Creative Minds | - | 5,500 | - | 5,500 | - | ||||
| KACCL | 5,000 | - | - | 5,000 | 2,000 | ||||
| Halifax Opportunity Staying Well | - | 500 | - | 500 | - | ||||
| Donations | 410 | - | - | 410 | 52 | ||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) | 5,460 | 6,000 | - | 11,460 | 9,722 |
Finances - January to December 2023
| A3 Payments | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Choir Tutors | - | 7,963 | - | 7,963 | 1,821 | ||||
| Choir Expenses | 194 | 273 | - | 467 | 178 | ||||
| Other direct expenses | 350 | - | - | 350 | 28 | ||||
| Entertaining | 69 | - | - | 69 | |||||
| Room Hire | - | 900 | - | 900 | |||||
| Telephone/Internet | - | 62 | - | 62 | |||||
| IT | - | - | - | - | 2 | ||||
| Insurance | 303 | - | - | 303 | 341 | ||||
| Marketing | 300 | - | - | 300 | |||||
| Sub total | 1,216 | 9,198 | - | 10,414 | 2,370 |
Finances - January to December 2023
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | ||||||
| Sub total | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Total payments | 1,216 | 9,198 | - | 10,414 | 2,370 | ||||
| Net of receipts/(payments) | 4,244 | - 3,198 | - | 1,046 | 7,352 | ||||
| A5 Transfers between funds | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| A6 Cash funds last year end | 2,752 | 4,600 | - | 7,352 | - | ||||
| Cash funds this year end | 6,996 | 1,402 | - | 8,398 | 7,352 |
Irl'l l O Finances - January to December 2023 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestricted to nearest £ Restricted to nearest £ Endowment to nearest £ B1 Cash funds Brought Fonnerd Sales Suma CFFC &neral CFFC EmotDnal Health & Wellbeing SVW(P NHS Creatwe Minds 1,108 KACCL 5,000 Halifax OpFx)thnty Staying Well 287 Reserves 1,996 Total cash funds 6.996 (agree balances knith receipts and payments accountls)) | a< Signed by one cr trustees on behaw of all the trustees Date of roval Signature Print Name EMMA RUHKALA 002024 MARIA SPADAFORA 1610812024
Looking Ahead
A huge thank you to all our donors, and everyone who has supported us in 2023. And a special thank you to the Community Foundation for Calderdale and everyone who nominated us as Best New Charity.
But, as usual, the biggest thank you has to go to all the choir participants and their amazing families, carers and support staff. You are what makes our little gang so special. Keep using your voices, the world needs to hear you! We look forward to another year of singing with you!
Photo: Amy-Rose Atkinson
Trustees for Outside the Box CIO August 2024
Photo: Heather Magner