Registered CIO: 1197431 **Annual Report and Accounts** January - December 2024 ## **Chair’s Report** I am pleased to present the third Annual Report for Outside the Box CIO. We have had another brilliant year, with new young people joining Orange Box Choir, and new opportunities to sing in front of public audiences. A big achievement was our successful application to the National Lottery Community Fund, and we are amongst the first cohort of applicants to receive brand new two-year grants from their Awards for All programme. This gives our charity some much needed security and breathing space until April 2026. Fundraising can be a very tiring treadmill! I feel proud to have made five successful applications in the last three years, raising almost £33,000 in grant funding. I am a stuck record when it comes to singing the praises of our participants. One of the best things about Orange Box Choir is how welcoming and supportive the group is. Taking part in any - creative activity isn’t just about the activity itself it’s about the friendships, a break from the stresses we have in our lives, and holding each other up when we feel down. It’s also about mixing with people you may not otherwise meet in your daily life, and the opportunity to learn from and support each other. For me this is the end of an era, as I have chosen to step down as a Trustee and volunteer at the end of January 2025. It is time for Outside the Box CIO to refresh and renew it’s governance. So I want to take the time to say thank you to everyone who has been on this journey with me, and send a massive hug to all our wonderful participants. Keep being loud and proud! I will be there at your future gigs, cheering you on and singing along! ## **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 2nd full year of session delivery since finding our new home with Outside The Box CIO. We have welcomed some new participants to the group over the past year, formed new friendships and taken part in some fantastic performances! Some highlights have included performing on the Piece Hall main stage for Calderdale Pride. For some 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. We have said goodbye to Maria who has moved on to pastures new but I'd like to thank her for all her hard work and leaving us in such a strong position. I’d like to also take this opportunity to thank our amazing choir leaders Amy-Rose and Jonny and our amazing Trustees and team of volunteers for all their dedication and hard work and of course our wonderful choir members. Another highlight, as always, was the performance at KACCL 2024 where Orange Box Choir bravely performed to an audience of over 300 people. The performance brought many audience members to tears further cementing the relationship with our longstanding supporters on the Kirklees and Calderdale Charity Lunch committee. As well as our performance fee we received a donation of £2500 from some incredibly kind donors in the audience. This is a testament to how much they believe in what we do, and we thank them very much. ## **Cont…** 3 ## **Project Manager’s Report** ## **…Cont** 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. – As I always say “The future is bright. The future is Orange Box Choir!” ## **Jamie Eagleton Project Manager, Orange Box Choir** **Photo by Heather Magner** 4 ## **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 who are neurodiverse and have learning differences. We do this by: - delivering creative, participatory activities and events with, by and for participants - enabling and supporting people to take part in opportunities that enhance wellbeing and encourage friendship - providing or signposting to information, advice and support - creating and promoting volunteering opportunities We currently deliver Orange Box Choir on a weekly basis during term-time. Our group meets in the evening at Orange Box Young People’s Centre. **Photo by Heather Magner** 5 ## **Governance and Delivery** ## **Our Trustees:** **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 ## **Our Freelance Delivery Team:** **Jamie Eagleton** – Project Manager & Safeguarding Lead **Amy-Rose Atkinson** – Choir Facilitator **Jonny Keegan** – Choir Facilitator ## **Our Policies and Procedures:** 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 6 ## **Our Participants** **In 2024:** **21** people took part in **37** sessions **4** of these were new to our choir **11** attended with a parent or carer **10** attended independently **17** parents/carers also attended sessions **5** volunteers contributed over 140 hours of their time at workshops and events **2150+** people watched performances at **4** events “What I love about choir is just how we all love singing and it’s just having everyone together that has the same interest and stuff. We’re all super supportive of each other and we just have loads of fun together, it’s great.” _– L, Participant_ “We’ve got new members and I think it’s getting stronger. It’s good.” _– F, Participant_ “When I first joined I was pretty nervous. I actually didn’t know what to expect. The only person I knew was my friend J but she’s moved to accommodated living now, so when I first came I didn’t know a single person, and now I know everyone. It feels great. ” _– D, Participant_ **----- Start of picture text -----**
Photo by Martin Bown
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7 ## **Our Participants** “I felt nervous because I didn’t know anybody. Now I feel good in myself that I’ve done it. ” _– J, Participant_ “I’m loving every minute of it and I’ve made so many new friends. I love meeting new people who are similar to my age. I love coming to choir every week because I love meeting new friends and everyone is so welcoming.” “I think it is very very good. I enjoy the singing. I think we’ve been very good at performing.” _– L, Participant_ 8 **Photo by Maria Spadafora** **Photo by Cathy Ray** **Achievements in 2024** **March 2024** We started the year with a successful funding application to the National Lottery. Securing a grant of £19,972 for two-years provided a significant boost to the delivery of Orange Box Choir, offering security until April 2026. **August 2024** We once again performed at Calderdale Pride, on the large Piece Hall stage. This was an incredible experience for our choir, singing to an audience of more than 1,000 people. **Photos by Martin Bown** **December 2024** Once again Orange Box Choir held a regular slot at Kirklees and Calderdale Charity Lunch (KACCL), performing to approximately 300 people. We have been proud to support this event since 2017. **December 2024** We rounded off the year with lively and enjoyable gigs at The Piece Hall and Halifax Borough Market. Audience members kindly donated almost £200 in cash. **Photos by Cathy Ray** 9 ## **Finances and Reserves** Finances for 2024 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: - - 1) Continuity bridging gaps, such as delays or shortfalls in income - - 2) Cyclical maintenance such as repairing needed equipment - - 3) Dissolution costs that need to be covered should we dissolve At the end of 2024 we maintained unrestricted reserves of just over £8,000, and £14,000 in restricted reserves which are used to fund the costs of delivering the choir. 10 OUTSI Iri'i I rmxx Finances and Reserves Outsid• th• Box CIO 1197431 OUTSI Irl:11 D Receipts and Payments Accounts CC16a For the period from 0110112034 To 3111212024 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestric*d Restrictsd to thv neatest E Endowmeni tothe n8ar8%t£ Tothl lunds toth8 nearest£ yedi to Ihe neotelt E w tsie •e• 8roughtFtrrn'ard Sal&$ Suma CFFC General CFFC EM￿onal H•ath & W•iib•ino SWIP NHS Crea*ve IAinds KACCL Hallf3x Opportunrty Slawnqwell Nauonal Lott•ry Communrty Fund Donations ¢996 150 1,402 ¢398 150 f,352 150 1667 3.66T 19.972 19,972 271 271 n?￿ inconK* 4088 19.972 24,060 7,561 A55•t an nv•stm•nt sa Purcnases ChoirTutOlS Cholr Expenses othor ¢irgU exp•n$ei Entertaining Room Hiro Tel&phonefintemet 1114 177 6,241 e.355 281 7,963 461 )50 69 900 62 720 121 173 313 261 Insurance klarkeknno 323 JO3 Joo 235 Sub rotal 1.752 7.J50 10,102 OUTSI Iri'i I rmxx Finances and Reserves Sub Toral Ner of receiDts/lDavments) AS Tran5fer5 be￿een funds A6 Cash funds last Y•ar •nd Cash funds thls vearend 22,356 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestricted lo neare5t£ Restricted to neares1 E Endowment B1 Ca•h fund• 4996 1.402 Sal•$ Suma CFFC C•n•r CFFC Érnolonal Heakn & WellbelThg SWYP NHS Crethe Mlr .1,101 KACCL -287 Halrfax opport￿rtIst¥th9W Nabonai Lott•ry ComrnunrtyF￿d 1Jm5 R•s•N•$ 1,J36 Toral cash funds nature 8,332 rinl Name 14,024 Swed ty one oi two Injstees on behalf of am Date ol EMhiA RUHKALA 31nTr025 MARLA SPADAFORA 3111Q025 12 ## **Thank you!** A huge thank you to all our donors, and everyone who has supported us in 2024. 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. **Trustees for Outside the Box CIO February 2025** Outside the Box CIO, Orange Box, 1 Blackledge, Halifax HX1 1AF Registered charity number: 1197431 13