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← Big Brum (Theatre In Education) Company Limited

2025-03-31-accounts

Company registration number: 1731105 Charity registration number: 514071

Big Brum (Theatre in Education) Company Limited

(A company limited by guarantec) Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Bissel} & Brown (Midlands) Ltd Independent Examiner Charter House 56 High Street Sutton Coldfield B72 1UJ

Big Brum (Theatre in Education) Company Limited

Contents

Reference and Administrative Details l
Trustees’ Report 2to5
Independent Examiner's Report 6
Statement ofFinancial Activities 7
Balance Sheet 8
NotestotheFinancialStatements 9to15

Big Brum (Theatre in Education) Company Limited

Reference and Administrative Details

Trustees Robert Lee Daniel Brown Roseanna Baggott Andrew Breakwell Clare Drury Charity Registration Number 514071 Company Registration Number 1731105 The charity is incorporated in England & Wales. Registered Office Sheldon Community Centre Sheldon Heath Rd Birmingham B26 2RU Independent Examiner Bissell & Brown (Midlands) Ltd Independent Examiner : Charter House 56 High Street Sutton Coldfield B72 1UJ

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Big Brum (Theatre in Education) Company Limited

Trustees' Report

The trustees, who are directors for the purposes of company law, present the annual report together with the financial statements and auditors’ report of the charitable company for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Objectives and activities

Objects and aims

To promote, maintain, improve and advance the education of the public, and, in particular, young people by the production of educational plays and through the medium of drama, mime, movement and music and the spoken word and by participation therein in schools, youth clubs, arts centres and other places.

Activities

Provides a theatre-in-education service for schools, pupil referral units, special schools, and colleges: presents performances of new plays, for young people in particular, in arts and community venues, makes theatre-based inputs into teachers’ inset, and into teacher-training and drama courses.

Public benefit

The trustees confirm that they have complicd with the requirements of section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have duc regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission for England and Wales.

Achievements and performance

Big Brum in 2024-25 has continued its ACE NPO strategy in North Solihull, following the three intertwined concepts of: Schools of Recovery; A Community of Recovery and Artists for Recovery. The foundation of this commitment is live theatre.

Despite a very challenging funding environment. we have been able to significantly extend the scale of our work, realising our ambition to reach ever-more young people in North Solihull and the West Midlands, while also continuing to maintain and even strengthen the artistic quality of our work. Across the year. we have worked with an astonishing 10,440 people. almost all of whom are young people. North Solihull is one of the most socio-economically deprived parts of England and home to some of the most disadvantaged young people in the country.

Over the same period, we have worked at diversifying and growing the Board of Trustees, to broaden its range of skills and to make it more representative of the range of groups that we work with.

Schools of Recovery. The April-December 2024 ‘Hansel and Gretel’ tour involved 104 performances in 13 North Sotihull schools reaching 2.725 children: thereby bringing this live theatre experience to almost every primary-aged child in almost every year group. Alison McGrory, the Assistant Director for Community and Partnerships at Solihull MBC. saw ‘Hansel and Gretel’ and told us, “it’s a really good example ofculture for a purpose, rather than just fun to do.'

In Spring 2025, ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ involved 61 performances in 3 secondary and 2 special schools in North Solihull, reaching 984 young people. A further 5,625 children and young people across the West Midlands experienced these tours.

Feedback from teachers and participants has been extremely positive. 524 teachers observed sessions across the two tours: 43 attending CPD sessions. Films and teachers” resources have been created for the ‘Hansel and Gretel” schools and are currently being edited for ‘Jekyll and Hyde.” Meanwhile, we have made a short film which showcases responses to the ‘Hansel and Gretel’ tour to current and prospective stakeholders: https://www.youtube.com‘watch?v=FuxXylWuGRp0 While we did not quite manage to work with all 23 North Solihull schools during the two tours, we have already agreed sessions with two additional primary schools for our Summer/Autumn 2025 tour.

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Big Brum (Theatre in Education) Company Limited

Trustees' Report

A Community of Recovery. As part of the Wow project supported by SMBC and Solihull CEP, Big Brum was able to ofter 45 extra sessions to schools. Led by local artists, these sessions built on the ‘Hansel & Gretel’ production. 470 young people did sessions in dance (making the dance of the forest birds); music (scores for the witch, the forest and Hansel and Gretel’s escape) and visual art (making their own graphic novels). See: https://youtu.be/JIGHKnjSAkQ As part of our provision beyond school hours, a youth theatre was set up, providing weckly sessions from November 2024 to February 2025, with 13 children deepening their understanding of the ‘Hansel and Gretel’ story and the areas which had resonated the most with them and making a presentation to school peers.

Artists for Recovery. We ran a workshop for YI students as part of our ‘graduate scheme’ with Applied Theatre students at Birmingham City University, began a two-year employment contract for a recent graduate, issued a short freelance employment contract for another recent graduate, and gave auditions to three further graduates. An additional recent graduate has been invited to join our Board of Trustees. We ran creative workshops with 35 young and emerging actors, across four days. A creative workshop for the ‘Hansel and Gretel’ follow-up scssions was attended by four artists. At least 10 freelancers worked with us on each of the two tours. Meanwhile, 24 artists and educators attended an event and exhibition sharing learning from our primary partnership work and 10 artists and educators attended a participatory event on the arts, education and the environment.

Financial review

At the heart of the 2024/25 financial year was a second year of ACE NPO funding, which secured just over 50% of the income for the year. This allowed the company to deliver a substantial programme of work, especially to North Solihull schools.

Income

Total income for the year increased from 2023-24, mainly duc to the successes of applications to Backstage Trust (£20k), Garfield Weston Foundation (£20k), Foyle Foundation (£15k) and Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council through the Cultural Education Partnership (£14.1k) as the company focused on applications to medium funders at the beginning of the year.

Box Office income was similar to previous years, but lower than projected. School budgets are extremely tight and although more schools are booking our work, the daily rate is not increasing in line with inflation.

Another successful Theatre Tax Relief claim of over £34K allowed the Company to increase the free reserves which the company plans to continue building during the next pertod.

Expenditure

As in previous years, the Company worked hard to ensure that costs did not exceed income. The deficit was covered by carrying forward 2023-24 funds from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation to complete the ‘Creating Schools of Recovery’ project.

We were able to make small savings against individual projects and continued to closely monitor our overheads, which - although a small part ofour expenditure - are increasing.

End of Year

At the end of the vear the total funds carried forward were just under £50k, the majority of which were unrestricted funds.

The forecast for 2025/26 is good as the Company enters the third year of ACE NPO regular funding. having heard in June 2025 that this will be extended for a fourth year. For the next period, the company is focusing other major funders, whilst closely monitoring the cash flow.

Policy on reserves

From April 2023 Big Brum again beaome an ACE National Portfolio Organisation, with the return to Revenue funding (plus the independently carned income from school and university booking fees.) This will allow Big Brum in future to build reserves more systematically. The Board of Trustees has identified that the Company could, subject to other cashflow requirements, retain up to 5° of this yearly income to establish a reserves fund equivalent of around 3 months core turnover costs within the next five vears. This would protect Big Brum against a significant fall in income and would help safeguard the charity against major negative cifects, and to keep the confidence of funding partners.

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Big Brum (Theatre in Education) Company Limited

Trustees’ Report

Trustees and officers

The trustees and officers serving during the year and since the year end were as follows:

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Trustees: Robert Lee
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Daniel Brown Mariyam Harunah (resigned 12 March 2025) Roseanna Baggott Andrew Breakwell Clare Drury

Structure, governance and management

Nature ofgoverning document

Memorandum and Artices of Association, incorporated 10 June 1983, as amended by Special Resolution dated 19 July 2006.

The Charity was registered 6 Sept 1983.

Statement of[trustees’][responsibilities]

The trustees (who are also the directors of Big Brum (Theatre in Education) Company Limited for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees’ report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice), including FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland".

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under company law the trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that can disclose with reasonable accuracy at any lime the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company's website. Legislation governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

Disclosure of information to auditor

Each trustee has taken steps that they ought to have taken as a trustee in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the charity's auditor is aware of that information. The trustees confirm that there is no relevant information that they know ofand of which they know the auditor is unaware.

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Big Brum (Theatre in Education) Company Limited

Trustees’ Report

The annual report was approved by the trustees of the charity PB 1/25 on signed on its behalf by:

Robert Lee Trustee

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Big Brum (Theatre in Education) Company Limited Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of Big Brum (Theatre in Education) Company Limited (‘the Company')

1 report to the charity trustecs on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity’s trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation ofthe accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of theCompany are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

Since the Company's gross income excecded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. T confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of FCCA, which is one of the listed bodies.

| have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of Big Brum (Theatre in Education) Company Limited as required by section 386 of[the][2006][Act;][or]

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view' which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination: or

  4. 4, the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities [applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of[Ireland][(FRS][102)].]

1 have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding ofthe accounts to be reached.

fel Independent Examiner FCCA

Charter House 56 High Street Sutton Coldfield B72 1UJ . |

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Big Brum (Theatre in Education) Company Limited

Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

(Including Income and Expenditure Account and Statement of Total Recognised Gains and Losses)

Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
funds funds 2025 2024
Note £ £ £ £
Income and Endowments from:
Donations and legacies 2 677 - 677 56
Charitable activities 3 218,339 89,645 307,984 228,362
Other trading activities 4 907 - 907 -
Investment income 5 551 - 551 13
Total Income 220,474 89,645 310,119 228,431
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities 6 (193,658) (165,758) (359,416) (287,086)
Total Expenditure (193,658) (165,758) (359,416) (287,086)
Other recognised gains and losses
Net movement in funds 26,816 (76,113) (49,297) (58,655)
Reconciliation offunds
Total funds brought forward 11,941 $7,086 99,027 157,682
Totalfundscarriedforward 16 38.757 10,973 49.730 99,027

All of the charity's activities derive from continuing operations during the above two periods.

The funds breakdown for 2024 is shown in note 16.

The notes on pages 9 to 15 form an integral part of[these][financial][statements.] Page 7

Big Brum (Theatre in Education) Company Limited

(Registration number: 1731105) Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2025

2025 2024
Note £ £
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 11 25,836 34,962
Current assets
Debtors 12 38,705 19,835
Cash at bank and in hand 13 1,953 70,528
40,658 90,363
Creditors: Amounts falling due within oneyear 14 (16,764) (26,298)
Net current assets 23,894 64,065
Net assets 49,730 99,027
Funds ofthe charity:
Restricted income funds
Restricted funds 10,973 87,086
Unrestricted income funds
Unrestricted funds 38,757 11,941
Totalfunds 16 49,730 99,027

For the financial year ending 31 March 2025 the charity was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

Directors’ responsibilities:

The financial statements on pages 7 to 15 were approved by the trustees. and authorised for issue on 23.91.25 an signed on their behalf by:

Robert Lee Trustee

The notes on pages 9 to [5 form an integral part of these financial statements. Page 8

Big Brum (Theatre in Education) Company Limited

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

1 Accounting policies

Summary of significant accounting policies and key accounting estimates

The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented, unicss otherwise stated.

Statement of compliance

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with 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 Ircland (FRS 102)) (issued in October 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)). the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Basis of preparation

Big Brum (Theatre in Education) Company Limited meets the definition ofa 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 notes.

Going concern

The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern nor any significant areas of uncertainty that affect the carrying value of assets held by the charity.

Income and endowments

Grants receivable

Grants are recognised when the charity has an entitlement to the funds and any conditions linked to the grants have been met. Where performance conditions are attached to the grant and are yet to be met, the income is recognised as a liability and included on the balance sheet as deferred income to be released.

Deferred income

Deferred income represents amounts received for future periods and ts released to incoming resources in the period for which, it has been received. Such income is only deferred when:

Expenditure

All expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to that expenditure. it is probable settlement is required and the amount can be measured reliably. All costs are allocated to the applicable expenditure heading that aggregate similar costs to that category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of resources, with central staff costs allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use. Other support costs are allocated based on the spread of staff costs.

Charitable activities

Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services tor its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.

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Big Brum (Theatre in Education) Company Limited

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Taxation

The charity is considered to pass the tests sct out in Paragraph | Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it mects the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.

Depreciation and amortisation

Depreciation is provided on tangible fixed assets so as to write off the cost or valuation, less any estimated residual value, over their expected useful economic life as follows:

Asset class Depreciation method and rate
Production equipment 25% reducing balance
Office equipment 25% reducing balance
Motorvehicles 25%reducingbalance

Fund structure

Unrestricted income funds are gencral funds that arc available for use at the trustees discretion in furtherance of the objectives of the charity.

Restricted income funds are those donated for use in a particular area or for specific purposes. the use of which is restricted to that area or purpose.

2 Income from donations and legacies

Unrestricted
funds Total
General funds
£ £
Donations and legacies;
Appeals and donations 677 677
Totalfor2025 677 677

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Big Brum (Theatre in Education) Company Limited

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

3 Income from charitable activities

Unrestricted
funds
Restricted Total Total
General funds 2025 2024
£ £ £ £
Arts Council England 160,000 - 160,000 160,000
Backstage Trust - 20,000 20,000 -
Baron Davenport's Charity - 1,000 1,000 1,000
Dumbreck Charity - - - 500
Garfield Weston Foundation - 20,000 20,000 -
George Fentham Charity - - - 3,000
GJW Turner Trust - - - 3,000
Grantham Yorke Trust - 1,000 1.000 -
John Thaw Foundation - 1,500 1,500 -
Joseph Hopkins& Henry James Sayer
Charities - - - 700
Lord Austin Trust - 1,000 1,000 -
Marsh Charitable Trust - - - 500
Marsh Charitable Trust 600 - 600 -
Roger& Douglas Turner Trust - 3,000 3,000 -
The Allan & Nesta Ferguson Charitable
Settlement - - - 7,500
The Cole Charitable Trust - 2,500 2,500 -
The Edward & Dorothy Cadbury Trust - 1,500 1,500 1,000
The Eveson Charitable Trust - 6,000 6,000 -
The Foyle Foundation - 15,000 15,000 -
The John Feeney Charitable Trust - - - 2,000
The Roughley Trust - 1,000 1,000 -
The Saintbury Trust - 2.000 2,000 -
The Sir Barry Jackson Trust - - - 3,000
Unity Theatre Trust - - - 500
WM Trains - - - 7,167
Theatre Tax Credit 34,161 - 34,161 10,707
Charges & fees to schools 23.578 - 23.578 24.700
MTL Students - - - 3,088
Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council - 14,145 14,145 -
218.339 89,645 307,984 228,362

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Big Brum (Theatre in Education) Company Limited

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

4 Income from other trading activities

Unrestricted
funds Total
General funds
£ £
Trading income:
Profit on sale of fixed assets 907 907
Total for 2025 907 907
5
Investment income
Unrestricted
funds Total
General funds
£ £
Interest receivable and similar income;
Interest receivable on bank deposits 551 551
Total for 2025 551 551
Total for 2024 13 13
6
Expenditure on charitable activities
Unrestricted
Total Total
General Restricted 2025 2024
Note £ £ £ £
Salaries & tees 151.304 116.187 267,491 217.754
Materials& project costs - 22.844 22.844 15,691
Writers commission - 12.221 12,221 1,595
Marketing & PR 4.201 76 4,277 767
Project transport 8,360 $81 9,241 12.146
Venue hire 1,509 6.588 8.097 1,756
Hospitality 1.099 3] 1.130 $10
Training& tuition 999 - 999 720
MTL student fees - - - 4,500
Premises 10,220 - 10,220 9,095
Office & admin 1.973 404 2.377 1,836
IT equipment 3,98] 549 4,530 2.073
Legal. professional, insurance
& subscriptions 3.618 1.015 4,633 2,271
Accounts 2,040 - 2.040 1.450
Bank charges 205 48 253 128
Depreciation 4,123 4,610 8,733 12.143
Miscellancous repairs 26 304 330 2.351
193,658 165,758 359,416 287,086

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Big Brum (Theatre in Education) Company Limited

7 Net incoming/outgoing resources

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Net outgoing resources for the year include:

Net outgoing resources for the year include:
2025 2024
£ £
Depreciation offixed assets 8,733 12,143
TheatreTaxCreditreceived 34,161 10,707

8 Trustees remuneration and expenses

No trustees, nor any persons connected with them, have received any remuneration from the charity during the year.

No trustees have reccived any reimbursed expenses or any other benefits from the charity during the year.

9 Staff costs

The monthly average number of persons (including senior management / leadership team) employed by the charity during the year expressed as full time equivalents was as follows:

2025 2024
No No
Staff 6 5
Trustees 5 5
11 10

No employce received emoluments of more than £60,000 during the year.

10 Taxation

The charity is a registered charity and is therefore exempt from taxation.

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Big Brum (Theatre in Education) Company Limited

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

11 Tangible fixed assets

11 Tangible fixed assets
Furniture and
equipment Motorvehicles Total
£ £ £
Cost
At
 April 2024 70,190 64,208
Disposals - (7,000) (7,000)
At 31 March 2025 70,190 57,208 127,398
Depreciation
At
I April 2024		 61,652 37,784 99,436
Charge for the year 2,225 6,508 8,733
Eliminated on disposals - (6,607) (6,607)
At 31 March 2025 63,877 37,685 101,562
Net book value
At 31 March 2025 6.313 19,523 25,836
At 31 March 2024 8.538 26,424 34,962
12 Debtors
2025 2024
£ £
Trade debtors 4.400 8,163
Prepayments - 3,655
Accrued income 34,305 8,017
38,705 19,835
13 Cash and cash equivalents
2025 2024
£ £
Cash at bank 1,953 70,528
14 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
2025 2024
£ £
Trade creditors 21 284
Other taxation and social security 3,184 2,746
Other creditors 4.172 $52
Accruals 4.887 2.716
Deferred income 4.500 20.000
16,764 26,298

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Big Brum (Theatre in Education) Company Limited

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

15 Pension and other schemes

Defined contribution pension scheme

The Charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The pension cost charge for the year represents contributions payable by the Charity to the scheme and amounted to £3,917 (2024 - £2,871).

16 Funds
Balance at 1 Incoming Resources Balance at 31
April 2024 resources expended March 2025
£ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
General
General funds 1t,941 220,474 (193,658) 38,757
Restricted funds
Capital Expenditure 5,583 - (4,610) 973
Other Funds 81,503 89,645 (161,148) 10,000
Total restricted funds $7,086 89,645 (165,758) 10,973
Total funds 99,027 310,119 (359,416) 49,730
Balance at 1 Incoming Resources Balance at31
April 2023 resources expended March 2024
£ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
General
Gencral funds 11,190 198.564 (197,813) 11,941
Restricted
Capital Expenditure 16,283 - (10,700) 5,583
Other Funds 130,209 29.867 (78,573) $1,503
Total restricted funds 146,492 29.867 (89,273) 87,086
Totalfunds 157,682 228,431 (287,086) 99.027

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