Charity no: 801214
The Pushkin Trust Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 5 April 2025
The Pushkin Trust
Annual report for the year ended 5 April 2025
| Pages | |
|---|---|
| Trust information | i |
| Trustees’ report | 2-5 |
| Independent examiner's reportto the trustees | 6 |
| Statement ofcomprehensive income | 7 |
| Statement offinancial position | 8 |
| Notestothefinancialstatements | 9-12 |
The Pushkin Trust
Trust Information
Trustees Shiela McCaul - Chairperson Nino Toradze Paul Seawright Neville Orr Greg Berry KC Pearl Stewart Nicholas Hamilton David Bolton Celia Duncan — appointed 09/7/2024
United Kingdom charity number 801214
Registered office
Baronscourt Newtownstewart Co Tyrone BT78 4EZ
Independent examiner Des Reid & Co 30 Clooney Terrace Londonderry BT47 6AR
Solicitors Wrigleys Solicitors LLP 3" Floor 3 Wellington Place Leeds LS1 4AP
Bankers
Bank of Ireland Ballybofey Co Donegal Republic Ireland
Bank of Ireland Abercorn Square Strabane Co Tyrone BT82 8AG
Coutts & Co 440 Strand London WC2R 0QS
Page 1
The Pushkin Trust
Trustees’ report for the year ended 5 April 2025
The Trustees’ present their report and the financial statements for the year ended 5 Apri! 2025,
Organisational structure
The organisational structure of the Charity is as set out in the Trust Deed. The Trustees who have served during the year and since the year end are set out on page I.
Charitable objects
The Charity is a Trust governed by its deed, dated 21 February 1989.
The objectives of the Trust are:-
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e To bring together people (children, teachers and other adults) from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and from different backgrounds, experience and traditions, in the common goal of exploring and expressing their creative energy;
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e To develop the full potential of children by making use of[their][creative][energies][and][to][help][them][express][these] energies through creative arts;
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e To encourage children and teachers to draw upon the inspiration of the natural world as a source of artistic expression; e To affirm teachers and pupils in their joint creative expression;
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e To devise programmes for student teachers that will help them develop their own creativity and imagination and that of their future pupils; and
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® To develop Pushkin House as a centre of excellence and as a resource for the creative arts in an environmental context.
The Charity aims to achieve its objectives by the granting of awards in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and elsewhere in the world when applicable, for successfully completing the Trust’s School’s Programme involving the environment and the creative arts.
The Trustees confirm they have referred to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the Trust’s aims and objectives and in planning future activities and setting the grant making policy for the year.
The Trust carried out these objects in the course of the 2024-2025 year through the following activities:-
Baronscourt days
22 Baronscourt days took place at the Stableyard Conference Centre, Baronscourt Estate, Co. Tyrone during the year ended 5 April 2025. Approximately 2,028 teachers, children and student teachers drawn from the Counties of Tyrone, Derry, Antrim, Armagh, Fermanagh, Greater Belfast, Donegal, Dublin, Monaghan, Sligo, Longford, Wexford and Cavan attended. Both children and adults participated in various creative workshops with professional facilitators in music, creative writing, art and movement. Each adult and child also took part in an environmental workshop in the grounds of Baronscourt Estate with professional nature guides. They all worked on the theme ‘Hitch the Sails.’
Achievements and performance
(i) Facilitator days
All of the schools which attended the Baronscourt days were provided with two facilitator days. This meant the Trust paid for an artist and an environmentalist to visit a participating school and work with the pupils in their classroom. They worked on the theme ‘Hitch the Sails.’
(ii) Celebration days
Celebration days were held in schools throughout Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. At the Celebration days, schools displayed the work they had created on the Trust’s annual theme ‘Hitch the Sails’. The Trust contributed to each school to enable it to pay for this celebration. The Trust also awarded plaques and certificates to all those that were involved. In addition, books were presented to each school by Scholastic Ireland.
Page 2
The Pushkin Trust
Trustees’ report for the year ended 5 April 2025 (continued)
Achievements and performance (continued)
(iii) Pushkin Pathway programme
The Pushkin Pathway is the Pushkin Trust’s Secondary Schools’ Programme. It follows the Pushkin principles of creativity as the key to unlocking young people’s voices.
Christian Brothers Grammar School, Omagh, Co. Tyrone and Omagh High School, Co. Tyrone participated in the programme this year.
The Pushkin Pathway programme was delivered over a three-day experience at Baronscourt, where the young people from each of these schools participated in an environmental exploration in the morning led by a different environmental facilitator each day. In the afternoon, three groups rotate through, creative writing, dance and a creative media workshop partnership with the Nerve Centre. By the end of their three Pushkin Pathway days, all pupils and their teachers had experienced all three different environmental workshops and all three arts-based workshops on a theme defined by the Trust.
The unique element of this project is the involvement of the ‘Nerve Centre’, Ireland’s leading Creative Media Arts Centre. This provides a means through which the natural world, the arts and technology can merge so that today’s teenagers can communicate in a medium which is familiar to them.
The Nerve Centre staff have fallen in love with the setting and purposes of the project. As Sharon Tosh, the Education Manager writes:
‘Bringing young people together through the use of new and emerging digitalfabrication technologies where the emphasis is on the technology but the underlying subscript is cross-community interaction and the searchfor one’s voice through creative expression, is at the heart of our involvement with this project. Having the backdrop ofthe magical Baronscourt Estate and being able to turn it into a digital canvas is an experience not easily replicated anywhere else.’
The Pushkin Pathway Programme concluded with a celebration day hosted in the Stableyard at Baronscourt Estate, Co. Tyrone. This day is a showcase of all that these young people have experienced during their days at Baronscourt. This included, pupils reading or singing their pieces produced at their Creative Writing Workshop and performing a dance routine. There is also a film which documented magical moments from their three days at Baronscourt. The day is celebrated with family members, teachers and the wider community.
The Pushkin Pathway Co-ordinator and the Chair and Trustees of the Pushkin Trust acknowledge these young people’s achievements and thank them and their teachers.
(iv) Partners in Education
Partners in Education Zoom sessions were hosted in April 2025 to introduce a new generation of Lecturers and Student teachers from Teacher Training Colleges (North and South) to Pushkin. The aim was to incorporate Pushkin into Connected Learning through their experiences of the environment and the creative arts.
The participants were told the story of how the Pushkin Trust came about and has evolved in to what it is today. Everyone experienced an environmental workshop, an art workshop anda creative writing workshop via Zoom. There was plenty of opportunity for interaction between participants during these workshops and througha reflective discussion at the end.
Page 3
The Pushkin Trust
Trustees’ report for the year ended 5 April 2025 (continued)
Achievements and performance (continued)
(v) The Inspiring Educators programme
In the year 2024/25 the main aspect to the Inspiring Educators programme was creative partnerships
A total of 42 schools participated in this aspect of the programme drawn from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Representative teachers from all participating schools took part in residential induction sessions to work alongside Pushkin environmentalists and creative facilitators to gain insight and inspiration. Facilitators also worked with each participating class, with a further day of workshops for children based at Baronscourt Estate. All work undertaken was based on the theme for the year, ‘Hitch the Sails’.
Pushkin Trustees see the importance of continuing to promote the vision and work of our founder, the Duchess of Abercorn, in seeking to inspire our Pushkin teachers and principals who will in turn pass on the legacy of Pushkin to their pupils. The workshops provided by our talented facilitators will help build capacity for creativity and the pupil’s voice and enrich our resource pool at a time when teachers need it most.
Governance and internal control
The system of internal control is designed to provide reasonable, but not absolute assurance against material misstatement or loss. They include:
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e A strategic business plan and an annual budget approved by the Trustees.
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e Regular consideration by the Trustees of financial results, variance from budgets, non-financial performance indicators and benchmarking reviews.
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e Delegation of authority and segregation of duties.
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e Identification and management of risks.
The Trustees have introduced a formal risk management process to assess business risks and to implement risk management strategies. This involves identifying the types of risk the Charity faces, prioritising them in terms of potential impact and likelihood of occurrence, and identifying means of mitigating the risks. As part of this process the Trustees have reviewed the adequacy of the Charity’s current internal controls. The Trustees are pleased to report that the Charity’s internal financial controls, in particular, conform with guidelines issued by the Charity Commission.
Financial review
During the year ended 5 April 2025, the Charity received total income of £112,084 (2024: £110,055) and had an overall deficit of £21,471 (2024: £41,241). Income from donations showed an increase of £1,913 (2024: decrease £8,416) during the year. Capital expenditure of £769 was incurred on IT equipment during the year (2024: £Nil).
Plans for the future
The Trust plans to continue the work undertaken to date by continuing the Facilitator days and classes provided to children, teachers and other adults.
Page 4
The Pushkin Trust
Trustees’ report for the year ended 5 April 2025 (continued)
Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities
Charity law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charity at the year end and its incoming resources and resources expended during that year. In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
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e Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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e Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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© State whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed subject to any departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
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© Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charity will continue its activities.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Auditor
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An audit is not required by the charity. In lieu of this an independent examiner's report will be prepared by Des Reid & Co.
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Shiela McCau Neville Orr
Chairperson Trustee
Date: on
RA Sep le hey e2Da+
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Page 5
The Pushkin Trust
Independent Examiner's Report to the Charity Trustees of The Pushkin Trust Year ended 5 April 2025
We report solely to the charity trustees on our examination of the accounts for the year ended 5 April 2025. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than The Pushkin Trust and its trustees as a body for our work or for this report. As a practising member firm of Chartered Accountants Ireland, we are subject to its ethical and other professional requirements.
Respective responsibilities of charity trustees and examiner
As the charity's trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008. Having satisfied ourselves that the charity is not subject to an audit and is eligible for independent examination, it is our responsibility to:
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® examine the accounts under section 65 of the Charities Act;
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e follow the procedures laid down in general Directions given by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland under section 65(9)(b) of the Charities Act; and
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e state whether particular matters have come to our attention.
Basis of independent examiner's report
We have examined your charity accounts as required under section 65 of the Charities Act and our examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland under section 65(9)(b) of the Charities Act. The examination included a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also included consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as charity trustees concerning any such matters.
Our role is to state whether any material matters have come to out attention giving us concern to believe:
1.that accounting records were not kept as required by section 63 of the Charities Act;
2.that the accounts do not accord with those accounting records;
3.that the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act and with methods and principles of the Charities Statement of Recommended Practise applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland.
4.that there is further information needed for a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Independent examiner's statement
We have completed our examination and have no concerns in respect of the matters (1) to (4) above and, in connection with following the Directions of the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, we have found no matters that require drawing to
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youri
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Des Reid & Co Chartered Accountants Date: YY § a Chey zort
Page 6
The Pushkin Trust
Statement of comprehensive income for the year ended 5 April 2025
| Unrestricted | Restricted | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| funds | funds | 2025 | 2024 | ||
| Notes | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Incoming resources: | |||||
| Donations | 3 | 60,280 | 51,313 | 111,593 | 109,680 |
| Income from investments | 4 | 491 | - | 49] | 375 |
| Total incoming resources | 60,771 | 51,313 | 112,084 | 110,055 | |
| Resources expended: | |||||
| Costs ofgenerating voluntary income: | |||||
| Fundraising | (4,271) | - | (4,271) | (4,784) | |
| Net incoming resources available forcharitable application | 56,500 | 51,313 | 107,813 | 105,271 | |
| Cost ofcharitable activities: | |||||
| In furtherance of the Charity's objectives | 5 | (8,926) | (72,290) | (81,216) | (91,555) |
| Governance costs | 6 | (48,057) | (11) | (48,068) | (54,957) |
| Total resources expended | (56,983) | (72,301) | (129,284) | (146,512) | |
| Net outgoing resources before transfers | (483) | (20,988) | (21,471) | (41,241) | |
| Gross transfers between funds | - | - | ~ | - | |
| Net outgoing resources after transfers | (483) | (20,988) | (21,471) | (41,241) | |
| Fund balances at 6 April 2024 | 133,471 | 69,004 | 202,475 | 243,716 | |
| Fundbalancesat5April2025 | 132,988 | 48,016 | 181,004 | 202,475 |
The notes on pages 9 to 12 form an integral part of these financial statements.
Page 7
The Pushkin Trust
Statement of financial position as at 5 April 2025
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||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|2025|2024|
|Notes|£|£|
|Fixed|assets|
|Tangible assets|7|70,946|84,432|
|Current|assets|
|Debtors|8|25,916|23,967|
|Cash|at bank and in hand|125,892|122.898|
|151,808|146,865|
|Creditors:|amounts falling due within one year|9|(41,750)|(28,822)|
|—|
|Net current assets|110,058|118,043|
|eee|
|Net assets|181,004|202.475|
|Funds|
|Unrestricted|funds|10|132,988|133,471|
|Restricted funds|10|48,016|69,004|
|nT|
|Total funds|181,004|202,475|
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74 : The financial statements on pages 7 to 12 were approved by the Trustees on wAle fas and were signed on their behalf by:
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we — —_—-——
Shiela McCaul Neville Orr
Chairperson Trustee
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The notes on pages 9 to 12 form an integral part of these financial statements.
Page 8
The Pushkin Trust
Notes to the financial statements Year ended 5 April 2025
1 Statement of compliance
The financial statements of The Pushkin Trust have been prepared on the going concern basis in compliance with United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 10, ‘’The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and the Republic of[treland’’][(‘"FRS][102’’)][under][the][historical][cost][convention,][and][in][accordance][with] applicable accounting standards in the United Kingdom and Statement of Recommended Practice for Accounting and Reporting by Charities and with the Charities Act 2011.
2 Summary of significant accounting policies
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, unless otherwise stated.
Incoming resources
All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the Trust is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.
Funds
Restricted funds are to be used for specified purposes as laid down by the donor. Expenditure which falls within the criteria laid down by the donor is identified with the fund, together with a fair allocation of support costs.
Unrestricted funds are donations and other income received or generated for the objects of the Trust without further specific purpose and are available as general funds.
Resources expended
Expenditure is recognised on the accruals basis as a liability is incurred.
Costs of generating funds comprise the costs associated with attracting voluntary income.
Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the Trust in the delivery of its activities and services for 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.
Governance costs
Governance costs relate to the costs of governance arrangements which relate to the general running of the Trust as opposed to the direct management functions. These include the activities which allow the Trust to operate and generate the information required for public accountability, including the strategic planning process that contributes to the future development of the Trust.
Tangible fixed assets
The cost of tangible fixed assets is their purchase cost, together with any incidental costs of acquisition. Depreciation is calculated so as to write off the cost, or revaluation, of tangible fixed assets, less their estimated residual values, over the expected useful economic lives of the assets concerned. The principal annual rates used are as follows:
Land and buildings - 4% straight line basis Fixtures, fittings and equipment - 25% reducing balance basis
Foreign currencies
Transactions denominated in foreign currencies are translated at the exchange rate at the date of the transaction. All assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currency are translated at the rate of exchange ruling at the balance sheet date or the exchange rate of a related exchange contract where appropriate. The resulting gain or loss is taken to the Statement of Financial Activities.
Page 9
The Pushkin Trust
Notes to the financial statements
Year ended 5 April 2025 (continued)
3 Donations
| Donations | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | |||
| funds | funds | 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Individuals | - | - | - | 67,624 |
| Charitable foundations | 60,280 | 26,637 | 86,917 | 19,322 |
| Department ofEducation and Skills (ROD) | - | 24,676 | 24,676 | 22.734 |
| 60,280 | 51,313 | 111,593 | 109,680 |
4 Investment income
| Unrestricted | Restricted | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| funds | funds | 2025 | 2024 | ||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Interest | receivable | 491 | - | 491 | 375 |
5 Cost of activities in furtherance of the objects of the charity
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Baronscourt days | 40,751 | 42,853 |
| Pushkin Pathway | 6,172 | 7,547 |
| Inspire programme | 23,056 | 37,188 |
| Insurance | 3,658 | 3,026 |
| DFA: Shared Island Civic Society Fund | 5,822 | - |
| Online video channel | - | 83 |
| Stationery, postage and printing | 320 | 317 |
| Computer and website costs | 1,437 | 541 |
| 81,216 | 91,555 |
Page 10
The Pushkin Trust
Notes to the financial statements
Year ended 5 April 2025 (continued)
6 Governance costs
| Governance costs | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Office rent | 1,000 | 2,000 |
| Rates | 86 | 21 |
| Light and heat | 1,354 | 1,554 |
| Repairs and maintenance | 104 | 1,889 |
| Stationery, printing and postage | 911 | 952 |
| Telephone | 1,198 | 2,059 |
| Consultancy and office administration | 18,277 | 21,280 |
| Accountancy fees | 3,840 | 4,040 |
| Legal and professional fees | 4,994 | 3,808 |
| Loss on exchange | 1,618 | 2,554 |
| Sundry | 277 | 155 |
| Motor and travel | - | 200 |
| Depreciation | 14,255 | 14,250 |
| Bank charges | 154 | 195 |
| 48,068 | 54,957 |
7 Tangible fixed assets
| 7 Tangible fixed assets |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Land | Fixtures | ||
| and | and | ||
| buildings | fittings | Total | |
| £ | £ | £ | |
| Cost | |||
| At 6 April 2024 | 347,142 | 36,044 | 383,186 |
| Additions | - | 769 | 769 |
| At 5 April 2025 | 347,142 | 36,813 | 383,955 |
| Accumulated depreciation | |||
| At 6 April 2024 | 263,802 | 34,952 | 298,754 |
| Charge forthe year | 13,886 | 369 | 14,255 |
| At 5 April 2025 | 277,688 | 35,321 | 313,009 |
| Net book value | |||
| At 5 April 2025 | 69,454 | 1,492 | 70,946 |
| At5April2024 | 83,340 | 1,092 | 84,432 |
Page 11
The Pushkin Trust
Notes to the financial statements Year ended 5 April 2025 (continued)
| 8 Debtors |
||
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Prepayments and other debtors | 855 | 855 |
| Grant due - Department ofEducation and Skills (ROI) | 25,061 | 23,112 |
| YT) |
Sn oY. i | |
| 9 Creditors: amounts falling due within oneyear |
||
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | |
| ‘Creditorsandaccruals ss si (t tsti(‘;O!;”!!!!!!!! AS08822 |
||
| 10 =Analysis ofnet assets between funds |
||
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total |
| funds | funds | Funds |
| £ | £ | £ |
| Fund balances at 5 April 2025 are represented by: | ||
| Tangible fixed assets 70,913 |
33 | 70,946 |
| Current assets 103,825 |
47,983 | 151,808 |
| Current liabilities (41,750) |
- | (41,750) |
| 132,988 | 48,016 | 181,004 |
11 Restricted funds
| Balance at | _—Restricted | Restricted | Total | Balance at | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 April 2024 | incoming | outgoing | transfers | 5 April 2025 | |
| 2-2 | |||||
| Schools programme | 44 | - | (11) | - | 33 |
| Summer school | 16,450 | - | - | - | 16,450 |
| Baronscourt days | - | 3,060 | (40,762) | 52,288 | 14,586 |
| Inspire programme | - | 24,676 | (23,056) | * | 1,620 |
| DFA: Shared Island Civic Society Fund | - | 20,927 | (5,822) | - | 15,105 |
| Pushkin pathway | - | 2,650 | (2,650) | - | - |
| Paulsen programme | 52,288 | - | - | (52,288) | . |
| Book2222 | |||||
| 69,004 | 51,313 | (72,301) | - | 48,016 |
Page 12