2024-10-31-accounts - Just Add Milk Productions CIO

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AGM — FOR YEAR 2024

Just Add Milk Productions CIO AGM

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20
24
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Executive Director Summary

2024 was our third year as a charity and we continued the progress made in 2023. we announced our sixth scholarship winner and laid the foundations of how we want to grow the charity in the next 5 years.

The charity report for 2024 includes: Workshops and courses The Luke Westlake Scholarship 2024 summary Education programmes and partnershships

PREPARED FOR

The Charity Commission and board of trustees

Workshop Metrics

In 2024, we ran 260 workshops throughout the year. We found a new home to run our in-person workshops, at the Old Diorama Arts Centre, and continued our online workshops. The final tally of workshops increased 1% from 2023.

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Workshops Courses
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
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We doubled the amount of courses on offer to actors, including more intensives (online and in-person), 2-day courses and longer weekend courses. These offer better value for money for actors and have inspired more types of hybrid courses.

Workshop Data

Our database grew from by 40% in 2025

We started 2023 with 5093 subscribers (individuals who have signed up to the mailing list) and ended the year on 7109.

Out of this number, 4452 are actors who have taken part in at least one of our workshops or courses since we began collecting data in 2019.

The main driver from this increase has been SEO articles that drive traffic to the website and trigger sign ups to the mailing list.

Out of the 4452 actors that took part in workshops last year, 17% of them were signed up via our mailing from an SEO article like “top headshot photographers for actors”.

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Subscribers
39%
SUBSCRIBERS
Actors
61%
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Other data

We continued to drive a lot traffic to our website in 2022 and received a record amount thanks to a new scheme developed to write articles to support actors.

Annual website traffic 2021 - 137,000 (+15%) 2022 - 169,000 (+23%) 2023 - 221,000 (+30%) 2024 - 245,000 (+10%)

25k+ 2.4mil 100k FOLLOWERS GOOGLE IMPRESSIONS GOOGLE CLICKS

+50.1% 36k MOST POPULAR ARTICLE TOP DRAMA SCHOOLS IN OVERALL ENGAGEMENT UK

Luke Westlake Scholarship

In December we celebrated our 6th annual scholarship for working class actors at university or drama school (2nd year). The eventual winner, Darcy Dixon (RADA).

201 actors applied for the 2024 scholarship, up 9% from 2023. We reached 28 schools across the UK, up 1% on 2023.

Scholarship Alumni

We have regular contacts with our previous winners, all who have had very successful years, including:

Madison Stock (2019, ALRA)

This year she will appear in ‘Babies’ (BBC); ‘Code of Silence’ (ITV and ‘Doctor Who’ (BBC). She moved agents and is now represented by Carly Peters at United Agents.

Ayomdie Adegun (2020, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama) Currently participating in short acting courses.

Melodie Karczewski (2021, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama)

Booked the tour of ‘THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN’ but it fell through because of her disability benefits not coming through on time.

Sol Taibi (2022, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School)

Signed with Nicky James at Gardner Herrity and is currently auditioning.

He wrote, directed and produced his own short film. He’s applying for the Prince William Bursary to help take this further.

Tamzin Khan (2023, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School)

Signed with Sam How at Simon and How and is auditioning.

Darcy Dixon (2024, RADA)

We had a lovely dinner with her at the start of 2025 to help her work through claiming her prizes. She’s now started reaching out to people and getting lunches etc in the diary.

Productions

We have commissioned Natalie Mitchell ( Eastenders , BBC), to write a brand new play for the charity. Working title is Sands United , we will be exploring the effects of child loss in men and working closely with the Sands charity.

The R&D will take place this year with support from Thomas Hopkins Productions and (hopefully) Arts Council England.

Education & Partnerships

We successfully grew the Education & Partnerships in 2024, establishing a brand partnership with One on One / Next Level who are a leading company in the US providing actors with workshops and programmes to further their development

One on One

London trip | December 2024

30 actors came over in two separate trips across December and took part in a variety of workshops led by our own casting and agent connections.
The feedback was overwhelmingly positive from both the actors and Brian, the course leader.
We have signed a new agreement with the company to take us into 2025 and have already run another programme this year.

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Just Add Milk Productions CIO.

Held at Brewdog, Waterloo on 23 April 2025 at 7pm.

Trustees Present:

Kristian Wall, Lee Westlake, Liam McClaughlin, Faye Timby, Robyn Keynes, Tom Hopkins (Jen Sims in attendance to take minutes)

Apologies: None received.

In Attendance: Jen Sims (Minutes Secretary)

Declaration of Interests: None declared.

Item 1 – Matters Arising

The minutes of the previous AGM held in 2024 were reviewed and approved as a true and accurate record.

The board agreed that the minutes should not be appended to the constitution. However, the constitution was to be made available on the website — this action remains outstanding and must be completed.
No safeguarding issues were reported in the past year, despite increased engagement with U18s and young adults.
Kyle reconnected positively with JAM at a recent event.
Lee to confirm the signing of the 2024 minutes and ensure the 2025 minutes are signed similarly.
JAM maintains competitive and industry-leading pricing for workshops and continues to offer the most affordable casting and agent workshops in the UK.
The potential acquisition of Actors Guild was explored but ultimately declined due to financial limitation.
Discussions on the use of the £500 scholarship grant concluded that it will be allocated upon students’ graduation to assist with accommodation costs, rather than during their studies, ensuring it is used for its intended charitable purpose.
Trustees agreed on the importance of tracking the use of these grants and will continue to request intended usage statements from recipients.

The minutes of the 2024 AGM were formally approved.

Item 2 – Resignations and Appointments

The board noted the resignation of Remmie Milner and formally recorded their thanks for her contributions.
Tom Hopkins was warmly welcomed as a new trustee.
Lee Westlake was appointed as Chair, with the full agreement of the board. Robyn Keynes will continue in her role as Vice Chair.

Item 3 – Chair’s Report

Lee Westlake provided an update on the year’s achievements and activities:

2024 marked the third year of JAM’s charitable status.
The scholarship programme was successfully awarded, and a five-year growth strategy was outlined.
260 workshops were delivered, marking a 1% increase on the previous year.
The U18 Academy launched successfully, with plans to expand initiatives for young actors.
New partnerships have been developed, including the introduction of international collaborations in USA.
The database of subscribers grew by 40%, reaching significant engagement levels across social media and search engines.
JAM remains committed to affordability, transparency, and expanding its charitable impact.

Item 4 – Annual Accounts

Kristian Wall presented the financial summary:

Closing balance as of 31 December 2024: £3,481.51
Opening balance on 1 January 2024: £3,627.91
Current balance stands at approximately £9,100 due to corporate investment contributions earmarked for the scholarship fund.
Expenditure from the charity account remains scholarship-related only.
Ticket sales for scholarship events covered nearly all venue hire costs.
Budgets for the 2024 and 2025 scholarship programmes will be distributed to trustees following the meeting.
The board discussed adopting QuickBooks or Xero to streamline financial tracking. Tom Hopkins offered assistance in setting up Xero via a charity-level plan.

Item 5 – Director’s Update

Liam McClaughlin reported:

Continued expansion and diversification of workshops, including U18-focused academies.
An increase in professional and international engagement, notably partnerships with US-based training providers.
Positive reception of the instalment payment scheme and bursary placements.
Initiatives such as “Pay It Forward” are under development to increase accessibility for those with financial barriers.
Discussions around ethical data monetisation were raised; opportunities exist, but maintaining JAM’s values remains a priority.
JAM’s digital presence continues to grow, with notable increases in website traffic, search impressions, and social media engagement.

Item 6 – Productions, Education and Workshops

Two productions in development: Sands United focusing on child loss among men, and a two-man environmental play in collaboration with Simon Winnecomb.
Successful grant applications were submitted, and further funding support is being pursued.
Expansion into education partnerships has been successful, including repeat engagements with US-based educational cohorts.
The board discussed resource allocation and capacity building, including training new producers and extending administrative support.

Item 7 – Scholarship

The sixth scholarship winner, Darcy, is progressing well, with prizes distributed incrementally.
Ongoing support discussions for past winners, with measures being taken to support less engaged recipients.
The 2024 scholarship ceremony at the Lyric was a success, with improvements planned for the 2025 event scheduled for Thursday, 4 December.
A summer meeting will be scheduled to finalise plans for the upcoming ceremony, including potential video showcases and entertainment adjustments.

Item 8 – 2024 Plans for 2025

Plans were covered within the previous agenda items.

Item 9 – The Big JAM Event

The event was considered a success with 100% positive feedback.
Improvements for the next event include smaller class sizes (14 per session), extended session times, and a more structured break schedule.
The next Big JAM Event will be held in October 2025, with a focus on actor-beneficial marketplace stalls.

Item 10 – Funding for 2025 and 2026

The charity will pursue two major grants: one for scholarship funding (£10-15K) and another for unrestricted funding to cover administrative and operational costs.
The aim is to secure a sustainable funding model, reducing reliance on workshop income.

Item 11 – Use of Patrons (Tom and Laura)

Deferred: This item will be moved to the agenda for the summer meeting for further discussion.

Item 12 – Any Other Business (AOB)

Tom Hopkins offered support in several areas including educational advice, pro bono artwork, bookkeeping assistance, and script access for Sands United .
Meeting closed at 20:38.

Signed by the Chair of the Board Lee Westlake

Charity Name No (if any) Just Add Milk Productions CIO 1197498

	Receipts and payments accounts	Receipts and payments accounts	Receipts and payments accounts	Receipts and payments accounts	Receipts and payments accounts		CC16a
	For the period from		Period start date To 01/11/2023		Period end date 31 Oct 24
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 Receipts
Donation	4,048		-	-		4,048	3,858
		-	-	-		-	-
		-	-	-		-	-
		-	-	-		-	-
		-	-	-		-	-
		-	-	-		-	-
		-	-	-		-	-
		-	-	-		-	-
*Sub total*(Gross income for AR)	4,048		-	-		4,048	3,858
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
		-		-	-	-
		-		-	-	-	-
*Sub total*		-		-	-	-	-
**Total receipts **	4,048			-	-	4,048	3,858
A3 Payments
General Expenses	1,375		-	-		1,375	-
Advertising & Marketing	3,403		-	-		3,403	2,207
Entertainment		106	-	-		106	-
		-	-	-		-	-
		-	-	-		-	-
		-	-	-		-	-
		-	-	-		-	-
		-	-	-		-	-
		-	-	-		-	-
**Sub total **	4,884		-	-		4,884	2,207
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
		-		-	-	-
		-		-	-	-
**Sub total **		-		-	-	-	-
**Total payments **	4,884			-	-	4,884	2,207
**Net of receipts/(payments) **	-	836	-	-	-	836	1,651
A5 Transfers between funds		-	-	-		-	-
A6 Cash funds last year end	5,788		-	-		5,788	-
**Cash funds this year end **	4,952		-	-		4,952	1,651

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

			Unrestricted	Restricted		Endowment
	Categories	Details	funds	funds		funds
			to nearest £	to nearest £		to nearest £
B1	Cash funds				-	-

		-	-	-
		-	-	-
	*Total cash funds*	-	-	-
	(agree balances with receipts and payments account(s))	Agreement Error	OK	OK
		Unrestricted	Restricted	Endowment
		funds	funds	funds
	Details	to nearest £	to nearest £	to nearest £
B2 Other monetary assets		-	-	-
		-	-	-
		-	-	-
		-	-	-
		-	-	-
		-	-	-
	Details	Fund to which asset belongs	Cost (optional)	Current value (optional)
B3 Investment assets			-	-
			-	-
			-	-
			-	-
			-	-
	Details	Fund to which asset belongs	Cost (optional)	Current value (optional)
B4 Assets retained for the			-	-
charity’s own use			-	-
			-	-
			-	-
			-	-
			-	-
			-	-
			-	-
			-	-
		Fund to which	Amount due	When due
	Details	liability relates	(optional)	(optional)
B5 Liabilities			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees	Signature	Print	Name	Date of approval
		Lee Westlake
		Robyn Asolo