Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Company number 07359937 Charity number 1198895
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Report and Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 March 2025
Breckman & Company Ltd Chartered Certified Accountants 49 South Molton Street London W1K 5LH
Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Contents
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Reference and Administrative Details | 1 |
| Trustees' Report | 2 - 9 |
| Independent Examiner's Report | 10 |
| Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure Account) | 11 - 14 |
| Balance Sheet | 15 |
| Notes to the Financial Statements | 16 - 24 |
Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Reference and Administrative Details
Constitution
The charitable company is a private company limited by guarantee registered in EW - England and Wales, company number 07359937 incorporated under the Companies Act and its governing document is the Memorandum and Articles of Association. The Company is a registered charity, number 1198895.
Directors and trustees
The directors of the charitable company ("the charity") are its trustees for the purpose of charity law and throughout this report are collectively referred to as the trustees.
Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees are ongoing and incorporated indirectly into the regular trustees meetings.
The trustees during the year and since the year end, were:
Matthew Ian Burbedge Sarah Helen Crompton Blaise Grimes-Viort Nick Hewlett resigned 24 February 2025 Gareth James Clayton Natalie Sarah Merritt Lydia Ashman
Artistic Directors/day to day management
Angeline Conaghan and Gareth Howells
Independent Examiners
Breckman & Company Ltd, Chartered Certified Accountants, 49 South Molton Street, London W1K 5LH.
Bankers
Metro Bank, One Southampton Row, London, WC1B 5HA.
Registered office and operation address
Stroud Green Primary School (The Big Red Building), Woodstock Road, London, N4 3EX.
Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Trustees’ Report
The Trustees present their annual report together with the Financial Statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025 which are also prepared to meet the requirements for a directors’ report and accounts for Companies Act purposes.
The reference and administrative details set out on page 1 forms part of this report. The financial statements comply with Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, the Memorandum and Articles of Association and 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).
Objectives
The purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document is to advance education for the public benefit with particular reference to (but not limited to) delivering arts programming, for children and young people and providing training and professional development for teachers and educators to integrate Arts and Culture into the Curriculum and Community.
In shaping our objectives for the year and planning our activities, the Trustees have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit, including the guidance public benefit: running a charity (PB2)’.
Aims
Groundswell Arts was established in 2010 as a not-for-profit organisation by founders Angeline Conaghan and Gareth Howells. In 2022 Groundswell Arts made a step change to become a charity.
We value an inclusive approach to creative learning, which supports and nurtures the wellbeing of children. Our initiatives are designed to reduce educational disadvantage and develop teachers’ confidence to embed creativity and the Arts into the curriculum.
We use a range of art forms to support the wellbeing of children and their families, paying particular attention to developing children’s language and communication skills, their attachment relationships, self-confidence, self-esteem, and resilience. We believe that parents and carers play a primary role as influencers and educators, and all our projects nurture this link between parents/carers and their children. We work closely with education and community settings to engage parents/carers experiencing social isolation or challenging circumstances.
Our approach and process are child-centered, responding to children’s ideas and building on their innate capacity for creativity. We promote an inclusive approach to education and consider how every programme can be accessed by all learners. We encourage and empower early years and primary educators to develop and use Arts practices and skills in their work with children and young people, equipping them with the confidence to incorporate this work into their own teaching practice through peer support and training.
Strategies for achieving its aims and objectives
Where possible, Groundswell Arts aims and continues to run multi-year projects with the schools and settings it supports. This allows time for a holistic and long-term embedding of our approach. We are working towards a national profile for our approach and are seeking opportunities to expand our partnerships further across and beyond London.
We work with a pool of 25+ skilled freelance Arts practitioners to deliver a range of creative projects for 0–11year-olds, their families, and educators, reaching on average 4,000 participants per year.
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Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Trustees’ Report
We were successful in our application to become Youth Music’s Learning Partner for their new Energiser fund with funding for the next three years the fund focuses on the voice and creative development of 2–4-year-olds and will involve curating a programme of learning for 11 National Arts organisations the fund is also for the arts beyond music. As part of this we will work with a research partner, develop a mentoring scheme, run two online yearly trainings, monthly organisation reflection meetings, and two-yearly events. This new development for the company allows us to strengthen ties across the country with a variety of large and smaller scale venues, working alongside them to support and grow a community of learning that holds Co-Creation in the early years at its centre and supports our company’s development through the work we are already doing.
We have developed National relationships with organisation Blue Cabin who has piloted our project Sing Our Story working with care experienced children and carers in the Northeast of England in Redcar, Darlington, and Gateshead. We are in planning for a second pilot phase of this programme with Take Art, an organisation working in Somerset and Dorset in the Southwest of England planned for next year.
We have continued to develop our Dancing Together programme developing relationships with several funders and new local authorities in London. The programme has now expanded in Haringey, Barnet, Waltham Forest and Barking and Dagenham. We have also worked with the lead practitioner to develop more training linked to the programme which is being rolled out in Waltham Forest.
Our ongoing development of child-led theatrical projects saw the creation and delivery of the Invention Lab, science and Circus project and allowed us to again fine tune our methodology in the development of this theatrical process. We aim to tour this to 5 schools in 25-26 funding pending.
Activities
Groundswell Arts has a number of core programmes operating both in schools and the community. In the past year we have worked with 4,842 children and young people and parents, delivered 47 training and CPD sessions to educators to over 330 educators, and delivered 885 creative sessions.
Sing Our Story
Sing Our Story continues to be our flagship programme and is a bespoke song-writing project delivered in schools, children’s centres, nurseries and online. In this programme a skilled musician works with a parent/carer and their child to produce a bespoke song with music and lyrics directly inspired by the family’s stories.
Youth Music has continued to fund this project and we are now awaiting on the outcome of another 2 year funding. Alongside Youth Music this project has also be supported by John Lyons Charity, City Bridge Trust, Haringey Council, Edmonton Community Partnership and Haringey Creates. The project has included a national pilot in partnership with Blue Cabin in the north east of England.
This year we have delivered the project in another 16 London settings and have begun working with the Haringey Portage Service delivering the program directly with 10 families in their home.
We continue to develop trainings related to the project, delivering three training packages to childminders and EY practitioners in Waltham Forest and Barking and Dagenham each year as well as other bespoke trainings. We would like to continue to market these trainings in the future.
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Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Trustees’ Report
The Communication Pod
Designed for the Early Years Foundation Stage, The Communication Pod uses natural resources and interactive technology, built into a child friendly environment that encourages play, exploration, and storytelling. The Pod is an inviting space where young children can express themselves and explore different forms of writing and artistic expression. The Communication Pod programme has a strong focus on supporting children’s speech and language development. This year the Pod has received support from John Lyons Charity and Barking and Dagenham Family Hubs and toured to 4 schools and 2 Libraries in Brent and 3 Libraries in Barking and Dagenham.
This funding has continued and we are aiming for a 9-week tour in Autumn 2025.
Energiser Fund – Learning Partner
As a new large-scale project for Groundswell, it was a busy year fine tuning the delivery, relationships, training and mentoring of the 11 Energiser partnership organisations.
As part of the learning support of this work we have delivered our first learning community event held in Haringey in October. We have hosted our 8 monthly online reflection session and have match 11 organisations with mentors, that have been taken place alongside the partners own project delivery. A second event at the Whitworth in Manchester has been planned for May 2025 and we delivered two online trainings in November and February. It is a significant workload and learning curve for the company, but a very exciting year and one we believe we have risen to the challenge of.
Invention Lab
Invention Lab uses physical theatre, circus, and design technology to set up a narrative that requires each class to contribute to solving a dilemma using ‘Rube Goldberg’ contraptions (chain reaction machines) and the school physics curriculum
During an assembly a group of ‘Handy People’ arrive to fix the new school bell. They take over the stage in an extremely over the top way using their circus skills and proceed to build a contraption with a bell that’s out of reach with a big red control button on the other side of the room, that doesn’t work.
What ensues over the following week is series of workshops and physical circus performances with KS2 classes helping the ‘Handy People’ to complete the machine and finally ring the bell using an elaborate mix of scientific components.
The research and development for Invention Lab was successful, and we completed final reporting to ACE for this work.
We have debriefed with the show director about the successes and challenges of the work and discussed plans for touring the programme in 2025/26.
We are aiming to tour this project to 6 schools and are also looking at other possible partnerships including one with the Park Theatre in Islington.
Lightbox
Lightbox is an interactive STEAM project that invites children into an illuminated space and encourages them to explore the use of light, dark, reflection, shadow, and colours. Light Box engages children in creative and scientific observation and investigation leading to puppetry and storytelling. We work with approximately 180250 early years children per year on this programme.
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Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Trustees’ Report
It was a busy year for LightBox with a new commission from the V&A Museum running a monthly accessible session for family’s program me for families with SEND. Initial this programme ran until December 2024 but was then extended until December 2025. In addition to this we have run Light-Box projects at the Tate Modern as part of A New Directions – I am Festival 2025 and for Schools and Nursery commissions.
Dancing Together
Dancing Together was originally funded by Sports Unites and Peabody Housing in 2022/23 and has continued through into 2024/25 with funding through City Bridge Trust, and Haringey Community Chest, and have just received funding from London Marathon fund which will continue until 2028. Dancing Together continues to grow into a regular Groundswell Programme.
We also begun a new partnership in Barking and Dagenham Family Hubs towards the end of the year and this will continue into 2025/26. We are also offering the sessions this term at Northumberland Park Family Hub at Eric Alin Community Centre.
Sessions have focused on connection both between carers and children through gentle movement and creativity and through shared social connections through groups. Mother and Baby sessions have a particular focus on postnatal wellbeing and self-care.
Creative Music Making
We received a commission from Haringey Early Years to deliver a creative music making project for early years professional development in 15 schools between January 2024-June 2024 this was subsequently recommissioned for Jan – June 2025 again.
Let’s Create
We received a commission from Haringey Family Hubs for a new program me supporting toddlers and families in the community with a focus on home learning. We used creative play and music and the theme of schemas (developmental patterns found in young children’s play) to inform planning for sessions in two hubs Muswell Hill and Northumberland Park in 2024 with a further block of sessions scheduled for Wood Green Hub in 2025/26.
Training
We continue to develop CPD for Waltham Forest early years team linked to Sing Our Story with new CPD in puppetry and dance planned for 2025/26 alongside this.
We delivered online CPD for Early Years Music Scotland.
Achievements and performance
A big achievement this year for the charity was to be given the role of Learning Partner as part of the Youth Music Energiser fund with funding for the next three years. The fund focuses on the voice and creative development of 2 to 4-year-olds and will involve curating a programme of learning for 11 National Arts organisations working with the Early Sector in a variety of art forms from music to dance, drama and environments. Working alongside a research partner, we will develop a mentoring scheme, run online yearly trainings, monthly organisation reflection meetings, and two-yearly conference events.
This body of work aims to build a community of Early Years practitioners working together to build a researchbased framework around the practice of Co-creation with children age 2-4.
Groundswell Arts has also continued to grow its Youth Music funded Sing Our Story project. Working with new schools’ community centres and local authorities, we delivered 16 projects a year in person, online and in homes.
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Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Trustees’ Report
We have piloted the project in partnership with Blue Cabin, (Working with care-experienced children) in the Northeast and hope to continue this relationship in 2025/26.
We received the Arts and Culture award from Haringey community collaborative – Cultural Organisation of the Year in 2024.
The Sing Our Story work has also seen an increase in support and funding from a wide range of organizations including, Haringey Creates, Edmonton Community Partnership, Rayne Foundation, City Bridge Trust.
Our new partnership with John Lyons Charity is another exciting achievement for the year.
As part of this 3-year funding we have been able to increase our delivery of work in the Brent, Camden, and Barnet with both our Sing Our Story and Communication Pod projects. This work has had a significant focus around brokering relationships with special needs schools and we continue to develop more experience and knowledge in this area.
With this support we were able to build new partnerships with schools, both mainstream and SEND and also develop a new strand of the Communication Pod project for 2 libraries in Brent.
Invention Lab for schools is a new Arts Council England funded project (funded received at the end of 2023/24 with development taking place this year. It is the latest in our development of participant led theatrical work and is our first time working with Circus and the Science (Physics) curriculum and continues to grow our body of work in this area, with a tour planned for 2025/26
The Dancing Together programme continued to grow with new funding from London Marathon Fund (covering 3yrs) & City Bridge Trust investing in the programme to continue our work with babies, toddlers and their carers, with sessions now delivered across Haringey, Waltham Forest and Barking and Dagenham.
Our work with the Light Box at the V&A was expected to end in December 2024 but has now been extended until Dec 2025. These monthly SEND sessions have been a great opportunity to work on new areas of this accessible sensory work and also open the doors to working with A New Direction on the I Am festival and our continued relationship with Castlebar School.
In February we worked with Jenn Raven and Callum Given to develop a new vision and mission statement and theory of change for Groundswell which we are fine tuning and looking to release as part of our strategic development in 2025/26 which will also be our 15[th] year since founding the organisation.
Funding
Our main funders this year have continued to be Youth Music, Arts Council England, and the London Marathon, with new relationships with John Lyons Charity and City Bridge Trust, with both our Haringey Giving Alleviate, and Foyle Foundation Funding coming to an end.
This was our final Year of our 3-year funding for the Sing Our Story project from Youth Music Catalyser. We have applied for another 2 years under the Catalyser fund and are awaiting an outcome.
This was the final year of a 3 year find for the Recharge Grant from Youth Music Recharge, which was to support organisations post pandemic.
This is our first year of a 3-year grant as the learning partner or Youth Music Energiser Fund.
Arts Council England – Support another new project this year and it is our hope that we can continue this relationship with a tour of this work in 2025/26.
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Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Trustees’ Report
Our new funding relationships are with:
-
John Lyons Charity – That has kindly awarded us a 3-year grant for projects to be delivered in Brent, Barnet, Camden with a focus on our Communication Pod and Sing Our Story work. This is the first year of this new relationship.
-
City Bridge Trust – Has awarded us a 2-year fund, support our Dancing Together programme and Sing Our Story (Portage) development.
-
Rayne Foundation – Have awarded us a 1-year fund to support work with care-experienced children in Sing Our Story with a view to developing a longer – term three-year application in the future.
We have received commissions from Haringey family Hubs and Haringey early years for Lets Create and Creative Music Making programmes.
Our Funding from both Haringey Giving – Alleviate finished this year but will hope to apply for further funding in the future.
Along with these new funds we have or will be looking to apply to Garfield Weston Foundation, Henry Smith, National Lotteries and other trusts and foundations.
Environmental Sustainability
At core our carbon footprint remains negligible: we have two full-time staff members. We have small office space and are based inside a school.
We currently work alongside the schools recycling efforts and are a member of the local scrap projects to (where possible) use recycled materials on all of our projects.
We are signed up to Julies Bicycle and use the Creative Green Carbon Calculator in planning our tours, in the hope that this will give us a better understanding for future tours of where our biggest impact is and a better understanding for planning in the future.
We are signed up with the Theatre Green Book framework and use these resources as part of ongoing good practice.
We have implemented a yearly environmental staff audit and policy review Our policy will be linked in our staff and board induction packs.
Leaders will attend training on environmental impact, and it will be a standing item in board meetings.
More widely, environmental responsibility will be linked to our social media campaigns throughout the year where we will raise awareness about different issues that may be relevant to our audience, for example supporting children with climate anxiety.
Financial review
In 2024/25 the charity has continued to build back its reserves from the previous post pandemic year and as at 31/03/2025 these are now £90,728.
Reserves Policy
The company relies on core funding from grant-aiding bodies supplemented by its generation of income from performances, commission fundraising and donations. The policy is to maintain a level of free reserves that would sustain its operation over a three-month period. These are currently lower then our target due to reserves still being built back up post pandemic and also with the timing our current funding streams finishing and starting up again. As at 31 March 2025, our free reserves are currently £45,828.
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Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Trustees’ Report
Restricted and Designated funds
As at 31 March 2025, the company had £44,900 in restricted funds.
Its designated funds are £31,530.
Risk management
Financial controls are in place at operational and board level. Budgets are set and approved by the board who also receive quarterly management accounts. Our Artistic Director, with support from our bookkeeper and the Treasurer of the board of Trustees, manages ongoing accounts.
Our accountants are Breckman and Company, the recognised leading chartered accountancy firm in the specialised field of accountancy for theatrical organisations of all types and sizes.
We have full Employers and Public Liability insurance, Trustees’ insurance and our assets are insured at £37K.
Core company costs are carefully calibrated in line with income streams, and project costs are always shared with commissioning partners to mitigate potential financial risks.
Our core structures are minimal and appropriately costed and we have free office space in Stroud Green Primary School. This allows us to maximize finance for our artistic output.
As a streamlined core with resources geared towards our creative activities, financial risk increases in periods of project delivery and requires management specific to each project.
Structure, governance and management
Groundswell Arts is a charitable company (limited by guarantee) governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association. First registered as a Charity on 27 August 2010, Groundswell Arts made the step change to become a charity and amended its Articles and obtained charitable status on 10 May 2022. It is registered as a charity with the Charity Commission.
The charity’s board meets on a quarterly basis to review the previous quarter and to make decisions on future matters. All key decisions on company matters are made by the Trustees.
The company has a streamlined and sustainable board structure and management core, which comprises two Artistic Directors, with project-based production support. This allows us to keep core costs to a minimum and dedicate maximum revenue towards the creative activities for the public benefit.
Related Parties
None of our Trustees receive remuneration or other benefit from their work with Groundswell Arts.
Any connection between a Trustee with a co-producer, contracted Artist or other worker must be disclosed to the full board of Trustees in the same way as any other contractual relationship with a related party.
Stroud Green Primary School provides Groundswell Arts with free office space on an ongoing basis.
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Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Trustees’ Report
Small company exemptions
This report is prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
This report was approved by the Board of Trustees on 1 December 2025 and signed on its behalf by
Matthew Burbedge Natalie Merritt Trustee Trustee
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Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Groundswell Arts
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025, which are set out on pages 11 to 24.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. The charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 and I am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to an audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:
ꞏ examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
ꞏ follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
ꞏ state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner's statement
My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a "true and fair view" and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner's statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention
- which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements: ꞏ to keep accounting records in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006; and
ꞏ to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records, comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities
have not been met; or
- to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Richard Nelson FCCA Breckman & Company Ltd Chartered Certified Accountants
49 South Molton Street London W1K 5LH
1 December 2025
Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure Account) for the year ended 31 March 2025
| Unrestricted Restricted funds funds Notes £ £ Income and endowments from: 2 Donations and legacies - page 12 22,100 Charitable activities: Theatre - page 12 65,560 164,934 Total 87,660 164,934 Expenditure on: Raising funds: Fundraising - - Charitable activities: Theatre - page 13 80,756 212,162 Total 80,756 212,162 Net income / (expenditure) 4 6,904 ) (47,228 Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward 38,924 92,128 Total funds carried forward 12, 13 45,828 44,900 |
2025 Unrestricted Restricted Total funds funds £ £ £ 22,100 21,600 230,494 59,227 198,488 252,594 80,827 198,488 - 5,600 - 292,918 61,179 198,003 292,918 66,779 198,003 ) (40,324 14,048 485 131,052 24,876 91,643 90,728 38,924 92,128 |
2024 Total £ 21,600 257,715 |
|---|---|---|
| 279,315 | ||
| 5,600 259,182 |
||
| 264,782 | ||
| 14,533 116,519 |
||
| 131,052 |
The notes on pages 16 to 24 form an integral part of these financial statements.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derives from continuing activities.
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Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
| Year ended 31 March 2025 2025 £ Income from donations and legacies Donations Other donations 500 In-Kind Support: Stroud Green School 21,600 22,100 Income from charitable activities Theatre Theatre income Fee income 14,435 Training income 650 School matched income - Local authority income 15,000 Fee Income - non school 35,475 Other income - 65,560 Project specific funding Grants Haringey Giving - Foyle Foundation - John Lyons - London Marathon 2,450 Haringey Community Chest - Arts Council England 2,997 City Bridge 49,790 Youth Music 108,197 Bagheera Trust 1,500 Comic Relief (Groundwork) - 164,934 |
2024 £ - 21,600 |
|---|---|
| 21,600 | |
| 25,027 4,150 15,000 15,000 - 50 |
|
| 59,227 | |
| 4,940 20,000 40,000 17,500 9,885 47,478 - 58,195 - 490 |
|
| 198,488 |
Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Year ended 31 March 2025
| Expenditure on raising funds Fundraising and publicity of the charity Expenditure on charitable activities Theatre Production/project costs Project costs Support costs - page 14 Governance costs - page 14 |
2025 £ - - 156,927 156,927 130,433 5,558 292,918 |
2024 £ 5,600 |
|---|---|---|
| 5,600 | ||
| 117,483 | ||
| 117,483 133,128 8,571 |
||
| 264,782 |
Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Year ended 31 March 2025
| Support and governance costs Support costs Office overheads Rent - in kind Telephone/ internet Insurance Repairs/maintenance Depreciation of equipment Administration costs Salaries/support staff Social security costs Staff pension costs Staff training Staff welfare Website/computer/software Travel/transport Motor expenses Entertaining Printing/postage/stationery Advertising/marketing Subscriptions Sundries Charitable donations Professional/financial Legal/professional Bank charges Bad debts Governance costs Accountancy Bookkeeping |
2025 £ 21,600 611 1,317 646 1,144 91,242 4,910 2,326 645 - 2,138 2,547 - 88 473 - 81 173 - 482 - 10 3,150 2,408 |
£ 25,318 104,623 492 130,433 5,558 135,991 |
2024 £ 21,600 440 1,209 517 1,925 93,000 4,910 2,326 314 350 2,176 1,948 325 573 467 536 91 106 50 263 2 - 4,400 4,171 |
£ 25,691 107,172 265 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 133,128 8,571 |
||||
| 141,699 |
Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Balance Sheet 31 March 2025
| Notes Fixed assets Tangible assets 8 Current assets Debtors 9 Cash at bank and in hand Liabilities Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 10 Net current assets Total assets less current liabilities The funds of the charity: Unrestricted funds - General fund 12 - Designated funds Total unrestricted funds Restricted funds 13 Total charity funds |
2025 £ 3,200 104,005 107,205 ) (17,615 |
£ 1,138 89,590 90,728 14,298 31,530 45,828 44,900 90,728 |
2024 £ 4,098 136,476 140,574 ) (10,685 |
£ 1,163 129,889 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 131,052 | ||||
| 38,924 - |
||||
| 38,924 92,128 |
||||
| 131,052 |
For the year ending 31 March 2025 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
Directors' responsibilities:
. The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476;
. The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006 applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees on 1 December 2025 and signed on its behalf by
Matthew Burbedge Trustee
Natalie Merritt Chair
The notes on pages 16 to 24 form an integral part of these financial statements.
Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
1. Accounting policies
1.1. Basis of preparing the financial statements
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice (issued October 2019) 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) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)) and the Companies Act 2006.
The charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s).
1.2. Going Concern
The charity is dependent on the continued support of grant aiding bodies. The trustees believe that the charity will continue to receive this support and accordingly consider that it is appropriate to prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis.
Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
1.3. Incoming resources
All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities when:
-
the charity is legally entitled to the funds
-
any performance conditions attached to the income have been met or are fully within the control of the charity
-
there is sufficient certainty that receipt of the income is considered probable
-
the amount can be reliably measured
- Donations and legacies
Grants/donations are recognised in incoming resources in the year in which they are receivable, except as follows:
-
when donors specify that grants/donations given to the charity must be used in future accounting periods, the income is deferred until those periods
-
when donors impose conditions which have to be fulfilled before the charity becomes entitled to use such income, the income is deferred and not included in incoming resources until the preconditions for use are met.
- Charitable activities
Theatrical income - income from box office, performance fees and sundry other theatrical income is included in incoming resources in the period in which the relevant show takes place.
Project specific funding - when donors specify that donations and grants are for particular restricted purposes, which do not amount to pre-conditions regarding entitlement, this income is included in incoming resources of restricted funds when receivable.
- Donated services and facilities
Donated services or facilities are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item, any conditions associated with the donated item have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the item is probable and that economic benefit can be measured reliably. On receipt, donated services and facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.
Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
1.4. Expenditure
All expenditure is included on an accruals basis inclusive of any VAT which cannot be recovered and is recognised when:
-
there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment
-
it is probable that settlement will be required
-
the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably
- Costs of raising funds
Costs incurred in attracting donations, and those incurred in trading activities that raise funds.
- Charitable activities
Theatre production costs - costs incurred in production and running of productions toured in the year.
- Support costs
The administrative and overhead costs associated with running the office from which the company operates as well as governance costs. Support costs are wholly attributable to theatre production costs.
- Governance costs
Costs associated with the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity.
1.5. Fund accounting
Funds held by the charity are either:
-
Unrestricted general funds - these are funds which can be used in accordance with the charitable objects at the discretion of the trustees.
-
Designated funds - these are unrestricted funds of the charity which the trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose.
-
Restricted funds - these are funds that can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.
1.6. Tangible fixed assets and depreciation
Individual fixed assets costing £250 or more are capitalised at cost.
Depreciation is provided at annual rates calculated to write off the cost less residual value of each asset over its expected useful life, as follows:
Computer Equipment
Straight line over 3 years
1.7. Debtors
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid after taking account of any trade discounts due.
Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
1.8. Cash at bank and in hand
Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
1.9. Creditors and provisions
Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.
1.10. Financial Instruments
The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value, and subsequently measured at their settlement value.
1.11. Significant Accounting Estimates and Judgements
In determining the carrying amounts of certain assets and liabilities, the charity makes assumptions of the effects of uncertain future events on those assets and liabilities at the balance sheet date. The charity's estimates and assumptions are based on historical experience and expectation of future events and are reviewed annually.
1.12. Pensions
The company operates a defined contribution scheme for the benefit of its employees. Contributions payable are recognised as expenditure when due.
2. Incoming resources
The total incoming resources for the year have been derived from the principal activity undertaken wholly in the UK.
| 3. | Net income for the year is | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| stated after charging: | £ | £ | |
| Depreciation of tangible fixed assets | 1,144 | 1,925 | |
| Indepedent examiner's remuneration | |||
| - independent examination | 3,150 | 4,400 |
4. Trustees' emoluments and reimbursed expenses
The trustees received no remuneration during the year (2024 - £nil).
The aggregated amount reimbursed to trustees during the year was £nil (2024 - £nil).
Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
| 5. Staff costs and numbers Staff costs Salary costs Social security costs Pension costs |
2025 £ 90,000 4,910 2,326 97,236 |
2024 £ 90,000 4,910 2,326 |
|---|---|---|
| 97,236 |
No employee earned £60,000 or more during the year (2024 - £nil).
The key management personnel of the charity comprise the Trustees and the Senior Management Team. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel of the charity were £92,326 (2024 - £92,326).
Staff numbers
The average numbers of employees (including casual and part time staff) during the year was made up as follows:
| up as follows: | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2024 | |||
| Number | Number | |||
| Support/production | 3 | 2 |
6. Pension costs
The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme in respect of its employees. The scheme and its assets are held by independent managers. The pension charge represents contributions due from the company and amounted to £2,326 (2024 - £2,326).
7. Corporation Taxation
The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects.
Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
| 8. Fixed assets - tangible assets Computer Equipment £ Cost 1 April 2024 12,702 Additions 1,119 31 March 2025 13,821 Depreciation 1 April 2024 11,539 Charge for year 1,144 31 March 2025 12,683 Net book values 31 March 2025 1,138 31 March 2024 1,163 9. Debtors 2025 £ Trade debtors 3,150 Other debtors 50 Prepayments and accrued income - 3,200 10. Creditors: amounts falling due 2025 within one year £ Trade creditors 2,151 Other taxation/social security 2,339 Other creditors - Accruals 13,125 17,615 |
Total £ 12,702 1,119 |
|---|---|
| 13,821 | |
| 11,539 1,144 |
|
| 12,683 | |
| 1,138 | |
| 1,163 | |
| 2024 £ 4,000 50 48 |
|
| 4,098 | |
| 2024 £ 400 2,447 2,704 5,134 |
|
| 10,685 |
Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
11. Limited by guarantee
The company is limited by guarantee and does not have a share capital. Each member gives a guarantee to contribute a sum, not exceeding £1, to the company should it be wound up. At 31 March 2025 there were 6 members.
| 12. | Unrestricted funds | Brought | Incoming | Outgoing | Transfers | Carried | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| forward | resources | resources | forward | ||||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| General fund | 38,924 | 87,660 | ) (80,756 |
) (31,530 |
14,298 | ||
| Designated funds: | |||||||
| Haringey Council Family Hubs | - | - | - | 3,413 | 3,413 | ||
| YM SOS School Fees designated | - | - | - | 17,795 | 17,795 | ||
| Tate/Lightbox | - | - | - | 497 | 497 | ||
| Haringey Council Creative Music Making - |
- | - | 9,825 | 9,825 | |||
| 38,924 | 87,660 | ) (80,756 |
- | 45,828 |
Haringey Council Family Hubs
Commissioned 3 x 8 week family workshops to explore 'Schemas' (Child development through play) alongside the parents and carers. Creating immersive environments around each schema theme and creating take home DIY workshops for families.
YM SOS School Fees designated
Additional match fund required buy in for schools to take part in the Sing Our Story, Youth Music Funded Project.
Tate/Lightbox
A New Direction commissioned light box project to support the 'I am festival' at the Tate Modern.
Haringey Council Creative Music Making
A council commissioned training for early years practitioners around confidence building around the use of music in settings as a tool for transitions, emotional regulation and development.
Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
| 13. | Restricted funds | Brought | Incoming | Outgoing | Carried |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| forward | resources | resources | forward | ||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Youth Music | 26,742 | 108,197 | ) (114,892 |
20,047 | |
| Arts Council England | 22,557 | 2,997 | ) (25,554 |
- | |
| John Lyons Charitable Trust | 39,810 | - | ) (30,692 |
9,118 | |
| London Marathon Fund | 3,019 | 2,450 | ) (5,469 |
- | |
| City Bridge | - | 49,790 | ) (35,555 |
14,235 | |
| Bagheera Trust | - | 1,500 | - | 1,500 | |
| 92,128 | 164,934 | ) (212,162 |
44,900 |
Youth Music
Youth Music Energiser Fund - Learning Partner
To partner with Youth Music to curate the Energiser Fund focusing on the voice and creative development of 2 to 4-year-olds - supporting a programme of learning for 11 National Arts organisations working with the Early Sector in a variety of art forms from music to dance, drama and environments.
Youth Music - Catalyser Fund
To Support our Sing Our Story Programme
Sing Our Story is a bespoke song-writing programme delivered in schools, children's centres, nurseries and online. In this programme a skilled musician works with a parent/carer and their child to produce a bespoke song with music and lyrics directly inspired by the family's stories. To date we have created over 3000 unique songs for families in this programme.
Arts Council England
To support the research and development our new Circus and contraption project Invention Lab. The Invention Lab is an interactive circus performance and science workshops that use a theatrical narrative to inspire the children to development of a Rube Goldberg and complete classroom workshops around the Physics Curriculum.
John Lyons Charitable Trust
To support the development of our Dancing together & Communication project in the boroughs of Camden, Brent, Barnet. Dancing Together programme that takes place in Children's Centres supporting both mother and baby groups and carer and toddler groups through dance. Sessions have focused on connection both between carers and children through gentle movement and creativity and through shared social connections through groups. Mother and Baby sessions have a particular focus on postnatal wellbeing and self-care. The Communication Pod is designed for the early year's foundation stage, its is a child friendly environment that encourages play, exploration, and storytelling.
London Marathon Fund
To Support our Dancing Together programme that takes place in Children's Centres supporting both mother and baby groups and carer and toddler groups through dance. Sessions have focused on connection both between carers and children through gentle movement and creativity and through shared social connections through.
Docusign Envelope ID: 7FF340D1-DB8C-4408-AD8A-54892ECA4146
Groundswell Arts
(Limited by Guarantee)
Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
City Bridge
To cover the costs of running the creative wellbeing sessions, including session practitioners' and a production engineer's fees, a portion of the Artistic Directors' salaries, and a contribution to overheads and administration.
Bagheera Trust
To cover the cost of new workshop and project musical instruments.
14. Analysis of net assets between funds
| General Designated Restricted funds funds funds £ £ £ Fund balances at 31 March 2025 are represented by: Tangible fixed assets 1,138 - - Net current assets 13,160 31,530 44,900 14,298 31,530 44,900 |
Total £ 1,138 89,590 |
|---|---|
| 90,728 |
15. Related party transactions
There were no additional related party transactions in the year.