## **The Middlesbrough Little Theatre Limited** 

## **Legal and Administrative Information** 

## **Directors and Trustees** 

|Chairman|Mr J.A.Harrison|Mr J.A.Harrison|
|---|---|---|
|Secretary|Mrs C M Henderson||
|Elected members|Mrs M L Anderson, Mr.R.Burton,||
||Mrs C A Lee, Mrs C J McEwan, Mrs W Middleton||
||Mrs C W Narey, Mr L.M.Sayers,||
||Mr R Tunnicliffe  (resigned 7th March 2024),||
|**Directors**|Mr M J.Crooks, Mr S Jones||
|**Company Number**|572515||
|**Charity Number**|222426||
|**Registered Office**||Toft House|
|**and Principal**||The Avenue|
|**Place of Business**||Middlesbrough|
|||TS5 6SA|
|**Bankers**||HSBC Bank plc|
|||60 Albert Road|
|||Middlesbrough|
|||TS1 1RS|
|**Accountants**||Jones Harper|
|||Chartered Accountants|
|||25 Roseberry Road|
|||Billingham|
|||TS23 2SD|
|**Independent Examiner**||J.W.Hugill – Accountants|
|||Room101 The Grange Business Centre|
|||Belasis Avenue|
|||Billingham|
|||TS23 1LG|





**The Middlesbrough Little Theatre Limited** 

## **Report of the trustees for the year ending 30th June 2024** 

The trustees, who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act, present their Annual Report and the Financial Statements for the year ended 30th June 2024. 

## **Objects of the Charity, Principal Activities and Organisation of Our Work** 

The charity is constituted as a company limited by guarantee and is therefore governed by a Memorandum and Articles of Association. 

The charity’s object and its principal activity continues to be that of promoting, maintaining, improving and advancing education and the performing arts - drama, dancing, singing and music. This involves young people, from the age of seven, as well as adults. 

The charity is organised so that the trustees, known as the Executive Committee, meet regularly to manage its affairs. 

The trustees have paid due regard to guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake. 

## **Structure, Governance and Management** 

The organisation is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 5th October 1956 and registered as a charity on 24th September 1963. The company was established under a Memorandum of Association, which established the objects and powers of the Charitable Company and is governed under its Articles of Association. In the event of its being wound up, members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding one pound.. 

The Trustees for the purpose of charity law and under the company’s articles are elected onto the Executive Committee for a period of one or three years at the Annual General Meeting. 

## **Developments, Activities and Achievements** 

As we were not able to go ahead with our planned production in the Studio in July 2023 a variety show was put together entitled _Party Pieces._ This proved to be very popular and there were requests to make it an annual event. 

In October 2023  Agatha Christie’s _Go Back For Murder,_ in Middlesbrough Theatre, proved to be a very popular choice as the audience figures were well above our average. 

The March 2024 production, _The Thrill of Love_ by Amanda Whittington, was a very powerful and thought provoking play based on the life of Ruth Ellis, hanged in 1955 for killing her lover – the last woman to be hanged in Britain. The play was brilliantly performed, but audience figures were not good as some theatre goers felt the subject matter was too upsetting and chose not to attend. Gina Hurwood, who played Ruth Ellis, was nominated for a National Operatic and Drama Association Best Actress award. 

The season finished with _Time and Time Again,_ a comedy by Alan Ayckbourne, in May 2024. Artistically the production was very successful, but the fees we pay for using Middlesbrough Theatre have been substantially increased and so, for the first time, the theatre expenses exceeded the box office receipts. 

During the year our Studio has hosted thirty-five live music events, featuring original artists, including poets and authors. These ‘not for profit’ events have given one hundred and fifty-eight local people, of all ages, the opportunity to perform to an audience and to learn from professional musicians 



The company youth section, Middlesbrough Youth Theatre, has had another successful year. In July 2023 the older students performed _Spring Awakening,_ a coming of age rock musical based on a play by Steven Sater. The students themselves were involved in every aspect of the production. There were some very strong performances with lots of energy and tickets were sold out on the first and last nights. 

In November 2023 forty students performed _ELF the musical_ , a lively and amusing show by Chad Beguelin and Matthew Skylar. . 

Jamie Collict was nominated for a NODA Youth award for his role of Buddy. The box office receipts were just under £38,000. 

_MYTalent_ , in April 2024, showcased the wealth of talent in both MYT and Kidstage with a lively show of songs and sketches. 

Three students will be moving on to further training in the performing arts in the autumn 2024. 

The group for the youngest members of MYT, Kidstage, were in the Middlesbrough Theatre in July 2023. This was their second time in the theatre. The very talented large cast performed a version of Disney’s _Aladdin._ All three nights sold out at the box office. 

Currently MYT has around a hundred members with a two-year waiting list. The leaders are keen to take on more students, but lack of rehearsal space is preventing this. Our home, Toft House, has limited space so other venues have to be hired for rehearsals. 

## **Future Developments** 

We will continue with our usual programme of four productions a year, one in our Studio theatre and three in Middlesbrough Theatre, during 2025. 

It is not certain if that will continue beyond 2025. The increased costs of performing in Middlesbrough Theatre may necessitate reducing the number of plays performed in the theatre and using the Studio more. 

Our next play will be _A Bunch of Amateurs_ by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman, in October 2024. This will be followed by _Albert Nobbs,_ a light drama set in Middlesbrough by local playwright Gordon Steel, in February 2025. At the end of April there will be a MLT/MYT joint production of _The Railway Children_ as part of a programme of events in County Durham and the Tees Valley in 2025 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway. 

MYT are currently rehearsing their November 2024 production of the musical _Les Miserables._ Their November 2025 production will be the musical _Footloose._ 

Kidstage performed _Annie Jr_ in Middlesbrough Theatre in July 2024. _._ 

## **Investments policy and returns** 

Under the Memorandum and Articles of Association, the charity has the power to make any investment which the trustees see fit. The trustees have considered the most appropriate policy for investing funds is in building society and bank accounts. 

## **Reserves** 

The present level of funding is adequate to support the continuation of the productions in the theatre. It is the policy of the charity to maintain unrestricted funds at a level which equates to over twelve months expenditure, providing sufficient funds to cover management and administration. 

## **Directors and Trustees** 

All trustees are also directors of the company and, currently, there are two other directors. 



## **Risk management** 

The trustees actively review the major risks which the company faces on a regular basis and believe that maintaining reserves at current level, combined with an annual review of the controls over key financial systems, will provide sufficient resources in the event of adverse conditions. The trustees have also examined other operational business risks faced by the Charity and confirm that they have established systems to mitigate the significant risks. 

## **Statement of Trustees responsibilities** 

Company law requires the Trustees prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of the financial activities of the Charity and its financial position at the end of that year. In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees are required to;- 

- Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently 

- Make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent 

- State whether the policies adopted are in accordance with the Companies act 2006 and with applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements 

- Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to assume that the Charity will continue in operation 

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. 

## **Approval** 

This report was approved by the board of directors and trustees on 12th September 2024 and signed on its behalf 




The Middlesbrough L5tt1eTheatre Llmlted
IndependÈnt Examiners's Report to the Executive Q>mmlttee of The Mlddlesbrou¥h iitdeTheatre Llmlted
I report to the ExecutÈve Committee on my examlnation of the accounts of The Middlesbrough Little Theatre Limited
for the year ended 30 June 2023
Responsibllltles and bè515 of report
As the charity trustees and dtrectors of The Middlesbrough Ltttle Theatre Limited you are responsible for the
preparation of the accounts in accordan¢e the requirements of the CharitiÈs Act 20111'the Art'l
I report in respect of my exsmination of The Middlesbrough Little Theatre Limited's accounts carried out
under Section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination l F>ave followed all applicable
dsrettions giverb by the Charity Commlssion under sȢrion 14515llbl of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have cowvtrpleted my examination, I confimi that no material matters have come to my attention in
connection with the examination giving me cause to to believe that in any material respect:
l. accounting records were not kept in respect of The Mtddlesbrough ￿ttle Theatre Limited
as required by section 130 of the Act.. or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records.. or
3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements concerning thè forms and
content of Jhe accounts set out in the Charities IAccounts and Reports) RegLElations 2008
other than any requirement that the èccounts give a 'true and fair view. which is not a matter
conSide￿d a5 part of an independent examination.
I have no Concerns and have come across no other matters in connèction with the examination to which
attention should be drawn in this report in order to enablÈ a proper understandinE of the accounts to be
reached.
J.W. Hugill- Accountants
Room 103 The Grange Business Centre,
Belasis Avenue,
Billingham.
TS23 ILG.
11-Jan-24

**Middlesbrough Little Theatre Limited Statement of financial activities (incorporation an Income & Expenditure Account) for the year ended 30th June 2024** 




## **Middlesbrough Little Theatre Limited Statement of financial activities (incorporation an Income & Expenditure Account) for the year ended 30th June 2024** 

## **RESOURCES EXPENDED** 




**Middlesbrough Little Theatre Limited Balance Sheet as at 30th June 2024** 

|||||**2024**||**2023**||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Note**||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**||
|**FIXED ASSETS**||||||||
|Tangible fixed assets|7|||2,356||2,994||
|**CURRENT ASSETS**||||||||
|Debtors and prepayments|8||12,022||17,779|||
|Cash at bank and in hand|||143,206||147,496|||
||||155,228||165,275|||
|**CURRENT LIABILITIES**||||||||
|Creditors falling due within one year|9||1,930||2,756|||
|**NET CURRENT ASSETS**||||153,298||162,519||
|**TOTAL NET ASSETS/LIABILITIES**||||155,654||165,513||
|Represented by:-||||||||
|Funds of the charity||||||||
|Restricted funds|10|||11,717||12,217||
|Unrestricted funds|10|||143,937||153,296||
|||||155,654||165,513||





2024
2023
I DONATIONS
Lew Oliver
General donations
721
1,004
2 FUNDRAISING INCOME
Coffee mornings
M￿fundraISIng
427
2,901
3,328
878
1,615
2,493
3 OTHER INCOME
Others
405
417
405
417
4 COMPANY RUNNING COSTS
Rent
Rates and council tax
Heating & lighting
Insurance
Postage printing stationery &
advertising
Cleaning
General repairs
Sundries
Depreciation
625
255
625
1,455
4,578
866
6,474
1,322
1,554
4,958
15,627
2,549
637
34,001
I,oii
5,469
9,674
1.193
321
25,192
5 MANAGEMENT & ADMIN.
Restricted spend
Accountancy & bookkeeping
500
2,356
2,018

6 NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS
2024
2023
This is stated after charging
Depreciation
Accountancy
321
2,064
321
2,064
7 TANGIBLE FIXED ASS￿5
Leasehold
improvements
Fixtures &
equipment
Totsl
Cost
As at 15tJuly 2023
Additions
As at 30th June 2024
17,421
18,711
36,132
17,421
18,711
36,132
Depreciation
As at 1st July 2023
Charge for year
As at 30th June 2024
16.310
167
16,477
16,828
471
33,138
638
33,776
17,299
Net book value
944
1,412
2,356
8 DEBTORS
2024
2023
Prepayments
Other debtor
Due after one year."_
Loan to Theatre Club
504
11,518
17,779
12,022
17,779
CREDITORS FALLING DUE
9 WITHIN ONE YEAR
Accruals and creditors
1,930
1,930
2.756
2,756

10 ANALYSIS OF ASSETS
Restricted,
Building
Fund
Restricted, Lew
Oliver Fund
Unrestricted
Total
Tangible fixed assets
Net other assets
2,356
141,581
143,937
2,356
153,298
155,654
3,762
3,762
7,955
7,955
11 STATEMENT OF FUNDS
As at 30th
June 2024
As at 1st July 2023 Income
Spend
Unrestricted funds
153,296
95,236
104,595
143,937
Restricted funds:
Lew Oliverfund
Building fund
4,262
7,955
12,217
500
3,762
7,955
11,717
500
TOTAL FUNDS
165,513
95,236
105,095
155,654