# **Davenham Players Reg Charity 504475** # **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** **1[st] July 2022 to 30[th] June 2023** ## **Objectives and Activities** ## Purposes The object of the Society as stated in our constitution is _to educate the public in the dramatic and operatic arts and to further the development of public appreciation and taste in those arts by promoting the Performing Arts and the Arts in general._ ## Summary of Activities During this reporting period (July 2022 to June 2023) Davenham Players presented three plays. We continued to host monthly jazz@davenham gigs and weekly drama activities for two youth groups. Comedy Club evenings on the last Sunday of the month were introduced and rapidly became popular. Our Club activities of Play Reading Socials, Acting Group and Writing Group continued. ## Trustees Statement on Public Benefit The trustees carefully monitor the way that funds are spent, which must be on activities in compliance with our group’s stated purposes. ## **Trustees’ Report 2023** ## **Drama** 2022 was the year Davenham Players really got motoring after the pandemic. _Bouncers_ (September 2022) brought to us by Mike Kelsall took off as a sell-out show trialling Ticket Source as our on-line sales outlet. Following up in December 2022 was _Indian Summer_ directed by Bob Almquist, which brought numbers of actors new to Davenham into the show. In March 2023, Kelly Cowley directed a pair of one-act plays under the title _Dark Futures_ , just before Davenham School’s hire of the theatre for their end of year musical. Sadly, our May production hit problems and never took place, but we came back strongly in September with Jane Barrie making her Davenham directing debut with ‘Rules for Living.’ There was a sprinkling of folk evenings, children’s groups and even a ‘life celebration’ event. ## **Comedy** The outstanding success of 2023 was the rise of our comedy nights. Beginning around 5 years ago, we were contacted by agents of a stand-up comedian looking for tour venues. After two or three successful visits, he (Brennan Reece) suggested we should start a regular comedy night at Davenham. Organiser Dee Barry started off cautiously, not booking too many shows in advance. But a trial run proved successful and we now run Davenham Comedy Club through the autumn/winter/spring season and have developed a regular audience. Comedy Club is now finically successful. Both artists and audience say the atmosphere in our small venue is intimate and welcoming. ## **Maintenance** The internet has now reached 59 Church Street – after a struggle! Health & Safety receives increasing attention. A signing-in sheet and pre-event risk assessments and checklists are in regular use to back up the alarm system linked to smoke detectors throughout the building. We commissioned a professional Fire Safety Risk Assessment which was most thorough and highlighted, not unexpectedly, opportunities for improvement. All these are gradually being addressed either by implementing procedures, training, or in some cases, minor maintenance work to turn our Reds to Ambers and then Greens. On our website are policies for Health & Safety, Fire Safety, Child Protection & Safeguarding, Equality & Diversity, Code of Conduct, Complaints, Volunteering and Privacy as well as our Constitution. Volunteer and ex-fireman Tony Burrows has helped develop our Event Manager Fire Training. ## **Tickets Online** Use of Ticket Source for online bookings has expanded so that now we use it for all drama productions. Social media may have taken over as the main marketing tool to publicize our shows. Experts always say that half of marketing effort is invariably wasted. The trouble is that no-one knows which half ! ## **Planning & Marketing** Two particularly useful new sub-committees have sprung up – one for planning our drama programme and the other for marketing. Both these matters are hard to get right and the input of the two sub-committees has been invaluable in advising committee decisions. Features recently introduced to encourage attendance at our shows include a free drink for members and a season ticket scheme. ## **Light and Sound** The dp Tech Team is continually developing its capabilities by augmenting lighting and sound equipment needed to support our shows to a high standard. Our small set design and construction team is reaching new standards too. We do welcome new volunteers to come and help our tech team continue to flourish - just come and meet us on Tuesday mornings or use our Volunteering contact form on the website. ## **Building Projects** Meanwhile, the ground floor rehearsal space/bar extension project is still flying but encountering turbulence. When we built phase 1 (foyer & toilets) the quote for completing the ground floor space was around £22,000. Recent quotations have been about three times larger, leaving the committee with a difficult decision on how to progress. The extension is not the only theatre improvement under consideration. The committee recognizes that the auditorium has old-fashioned seating; in the bar, the servery is small and audience space is limited. It would be nice to provide some undercover shelter for people queueing to come to the ticket desk. One can only spend money once, so next year’s committee has some important decisions to make on spending priorities in the coming year. ## **Moving On** The matters that this report covers make me feel that Davenham Players are moving into a new era of success. But to remain strong, we must continually question how we operate and strive to improve. To help stimulate change, I am asking the new committee to elect a ViceChairman to take responsibility for steering Development of the Theatre. Within scope are buildings, membership, education, serving the community and of course performance centre of excellence. The increasing average age of the committee is also a concern and should be reduced. To remain relevant, we (me included) need to be ready to hand over to the next generation. A younger committee will give the right signals. ## **Structure, Governance and Management** Our governing document is the Constitution of the Davenham Players. We operate as an unincorporated membership association. Trustees are selected members of our management team chosen to provide a relevant range of skills and experience. ## **Declarations** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** **Signature(s)** Paulette Anderson **Full name(s)** Robert Almquist **Position (e.g. Secretary,** Chairman Secretary **Chair, etc)** **Date** **DAVENHAM PLAYERS Registered Charity no. 504475** **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2023** |**Y**

**Receipts**

**£**
Subscriptions
1033.00
Grant & Donations
2733.84
Theatre Hire
3206.20
Other income
301.38
Comedy Nights
4329.70
**Productions**
Bouncers
2895.53
Indian Summer
1787.98
Dark Futures
1762.95
Happy Families
Bar
7866.71
Interest income
33.88
25951.17
**Facilities Costs**
Heating & Lighting
Water
Insurance
Other Property Maintenance
Subscriptions & Licences
Website (inc redesign)
Other payments
Bank charges
Depreciation
**Surplus for the year**
**DAVENHAM PLAYERS**
**Registered Charity no. 504475**
**BALANCE SHEET AT 30 JUNE 2023**
**ASSETS**
**Fixed Assets**
Property (at cost)
Extension project work in progress
Equipment & Fittings - cost
Additions
less depreciation
**Bar Stock**
**Cash at Bank**
Natwest Current Account
Lloyds Bar Account
CAF Project Account
CAF Gold Account
**Cash in Hand (Bar + Petty cash)**
**FUNDS**
**General**
Balance at 1 July 2022
Surplus for the year|**ear ended**
**30/06/23**
**Payments Surplus/(Loss)**
**£**
**£**
1033.00
2733.84
3206.20
301.38
2131.00
2198.70
831.60
2063.93
549.00
1238.98
1420.65
342.30
129.80
-129.80
4022.94
3843.77
33.88
9084.99
16866.18
1449.55
551.47
1495.83
2826.41
915.46
-
34.00
10.00
1428.14
-8710.86
**8155.32**
**30/06/2023**
**£**
**£**
10951.00
48424.78
59375.78
8801.33
5480.10
-6015.06
8266.37
12380.55
11711.41
10034.20
50.00
94823.88
8155.32|**£**
**67642.15**
**616.80**
**34176.16**
**544.09**
________
**102979.20**
**102979.20**
_______
**102979.20**|**Year ended**
**30/06/22**
**Receipts**
**Payments Surplus/(Loss)**
**£**
**£**
**£**
780.00
780.00
2967.00
2967.00
3277.00
3277.00
132.61
132.61
3503.11
1279.59
2223.52
5090.60
2244.92
2845.68
0.00
0.00
15750.32
3524.51
12225.81
1063.11
556.87
1523.44
1710.01
1072.70
290.40
-
880.13
-7096.66
**5129.15**
**30/06/2022**
**£**
**£**
**£**
10951.00
48424.78
59375.78
5867.93
2933.40
-4586.92
4214.41
**63590.19**
**718.84**
22072.88
7733.80
0.32
-
**29807.00**
**707.85**
________
**94823.88**
89694.73
5129.15
**94823.88**
_______
**94823.88**|**Year ended**
**30/06/22**
**Receipts**
**Payments Surplus/(Loss)**
**£**
**£**
**£**
780.00
780.00
2967.00
2967.00
3277.00
3277.00
132.61
132.61
3503.11
1279.59
2223.52
5090.60
2244.92
2845.68
0.00
0.00
15750.32
3524.51
12225.81
1063.11
556.87
1523.44
1710.01
1072.70
290.40
-
880.13
-7096.66
**5129.15**
**30/06/2022**
**£**
**£**
**£**
10951.00
48424.78
59375.78
5867.93
2933.40
-4586.92
4214.41
**63590.19**
**718.84**
22072.88
7733.80
0.32
-
**29807.00**
**707.85**
________
**94823.88**
89694.73
5129.15
**94823.88**
_______
**94823.88**| |---|---|---|---|---| |||||**5129.15**
**£**
**63590.19**
**718.84**
**29807.00**
**707.85**
________
**94823.88**| |||||**94823.88**
_______
**94823.88**| Bob Almquist Treasurer Date INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE hlEMBERS OF DAVENHAM PLAYERS {Registered Charity no. 504475) ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDEO 30 JUNE 2023 Respectlve rnsponsibilities of trustees and examlngr The Charity's twstees are responsible for Ihe preparation of the accounts. The Charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the CharttK88 Act 2011 (the Charit*s Act) and that an independent examination is needed. is my responsibilty to-. examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act, to follow the procedures laid down in the general Difections given by the Chanty Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. Ba818 of Indopendont •xamIne￿8 statomont My examinatton was carried out in accordan(￿ with general Directions given by the Charty 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 indudes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and See￿.n9 explanations from the trustees conceming any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the eviden￿ that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is gNen as to whether the accounts P￿sent a 'true and fairf view, arKI the report is limited to those matters set out in the Statement below. Indopend•nt •xamln•rf8 Statement In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention 1. which gives me reasonable cause to bdieve that in. any material respect. the requirements.. to keep accounting records in aw)rdance with section 130 of the Charities Act,. and to prepare accounts vthich accord with the accounting re￿rdS and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met; or 2. to which, in my opinion, attentton should be drawn in order to enabbe a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. QLQ_ Simon Batey MA FCA 23 October 2023 Higher Heyes Fann. Ball Lane, Kingsley. Frodsham. WA6 8HP