ANNUAL REPORT
All Set Project
2024-2025
Registered with the Charity Commission for N. Ireland NIC102212
38 Milltown Lane, Portadown BT62 1TB T - 028 38852469 / E - allset@btinternet.com / www.fasttrad.uk
Contents
To our Stockholders
Objectives & Activities Review & Achievements _____________1 FastTrad ________________2 Evaluation Criteria Looking ahead______________3 Financial Summary _____________4 Charity Detail ___________________ 5
The All Set project is an inspirational offering, enabling young people to work with renowned professional artists promoting the traditional arts. The project continues to grow each year, using the strength of developing community links with Ashgrove Community Centre, Maghery Community Hall, ABC District Council, Arts Centres and other cultural organisations.
Our mission is ‘ to widen the access and participation in the traditional arts’. We are dedicated to promoting the traditional art forms of dance, music & song, via the outreach programme – Fasttrad.
Our commitment is ‘to build a reputation in developing the interest amongst our clients as a unique, reliable, professional and attractive service reaching out to all’.
1.
Objectives and Activities
Summary of the objectives of the charity set out in the constitution.
‘The association endeavours to advance education, understanding and appreciation of Irish and Scottish traditional music and dance among people of all ages but in particularly the young in N. Ireland’.
Statement of Compliance
‘In setting our objectives and planning our activities for the year the trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland’s guidance on public benefit to ensure that the activities have helped to achieve the charity’s purposes and provide a benefit to the beneficiaries’.
The All Set Project recognises the Arts Council N.I. as its principal funder and realises that other financial support may not be achievable without the full backing of the Arts Council. The All Set Project delivers a frontline service via its outreach programme – FastTrad. The All Set Project relies on grants and the income from fees to cover its operating costs. In setting the level of fees, the trustees give careful consideration to the accessibility of the Fasttrad programme for those on low incomes, families plus pensioners.
Review of the past year
From Apr. 2024 to Mar. 2025 – FastTrad classes took place in Ashgrove C.C. & Maghery C.H. The classes offered a variety of instrumental tuition to all from 6yrs to pensioners. The catchment area is mainly Portadown, Maghery, Birches, Gilford, Tandragee, Craigavon, Bleary attracting a cross-community representation. The 3[rd] year of the summer scheme took place in July 2023 with support from Esme Mitchell Foundation. A 6 week pilot programme involving migrant communities connected to the migrant centre, Portadown was very successful. It is hoped that further funding can develop this connection in the near future.
Achievements
| Based on 250participants | % involved no. activities no. ofparticipants |
|---|---|
| People with aphysical impairment | 3 64 4 |
| Ethnicminorities | 25 64 20 |
| Deprivedneighbourhoods | 5285 52 |
| LGBT community | |
| Olderpeople(aged 65+) | 12 95 15 |
| Childrenand young people (aged 0-24) | 50149125 |
| Offenders / ex-offenders | |
| Other(adults 25yrs-65yrs) | 28 85 35 |
2.
FastTrad
The FastTrad outreach programme attracts a mixture of young and older students interested in learning a musical instrument. High quality tuition enabled both rural and urban communities to avail of weekly classes in tin whistle, flute, button accordion, guitar, mandolin, banjo, concertina, bodhran, harp, fiddle and pipes. The FastTrad programme engaged them physically, emotionally and intellectually.
Music instruction often presents financial barriers for low-income families; FastTrad classes are offered at an affordable rate encouraging all backgrounds to become involved. It also accommodates families who are unable to pay the term cost all at once enabling payments throughout the term. A number of students were able to attend classes during the year free of charge. FastTrad is dedicated to enriching lives through music education and performance. Younger musicians were also involved in assisting tutors at FastTrad classes; some did this through their school schemes i.e. Duke of Edinburgh & Gaisce.
FastTrad Performance at the Catskills Festival, New York State in July 2024
The positive effects of engagement in music enables personal and social development due to the enjoyable and rewarding experience of learning an instrument. The quality of the teaching is central to this. We would like to thank all of the artists who delivered the FastTrad music classes: Sean Breen, Ian Carmichael, Mary Fox, Paul McKernan, Patricia Vallely, Cian McGrory, Emer O’Hara, Caroline Hendron, Jenifer Shiels, Marty Breen. Plus the artists who delivered workshops & performances – Len Graham, Lee Lawson, Deirdre Fox, Antoin Fox, Nuala Kelly, Ronan Carmichael, Cian McGrory, Olive Austin, Jode Dowling, Eoghan O’Brien and the younger budding musicians – Meabh Vallely, Analise Whyte, Shauna Carmichael, Catriona Carmichael, Orla McAtamney, Emily McQuade and Clodagh Lavery.
3.
All Set Project Evaluation Criteria
The All Set Project delivered successful programmes adhering to its annual marketing plan.
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All Set aims for artistic excellence, providing the means to promote, support and achieve it in a way that benefits the public
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Significant public benefit and broad accessibility based on a sound understanding of all served by the project is clear, measured, and documented. All Set is responsive to the needs of both local and regional communities, actively involving communities in project planning and development, broadening accessibility by identifying and removing barriers, building broader and more diverse audiences with deeper arts experience, encouraging the arts as an integral part of community life.
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Adequate and appropriate planning, including governance, management and human resources as they relate to the project, ensuring accountability.
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Appropriateness of the project budget. All Set ensures sound finances are in place, full accountability for programmes, and a credible and responsible project budget that shows appropriate allocation of resources and appropriate compensation to artists.
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Commitment to traditional arts education and to providing opportunities for meaningful arts learning. All Set delivers specific arts education activities and efforts are consistently made to educate audiences and patrons about the artistic activities All Set provides.
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Commitment to raising public understanding and appreciation of the traditional arts and artists and advocating support. All Set is committed to educating the public, and public bodies, on the value of the traditional arts.
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Leadership in meeting funding priorities and developing and sharing models and best practices. All Set will endeavour to accomplish significant highlights and to share the success of achievements.
LOOKING AHEAD
We are a small, highly skilled and enthusiastic team, which has an excellent track record in innovative programmes and overseeing delivery. We enforce the Arts Council’s belief that ‘art has the ability to reach across boundaries, inspiring, teaching and bringing people together’. The Board of Trustees in its supportive role oversees the running of the organisation. All Set Project would like to thank the volunteers who assist at events throughout the year.
We believe that sharing music with others enhances lives by offering people the best experience and means to express their musical passions. FastTrad is playing a part in enriching lives with the art of music. We endeavour to attract new students over the next few years and develop the interest of traditional music to a wider audience.
The long-term use of the Ashgrove C.C. for the FastTrad programme is very secure going forward and ABC Council are extremely supportive of the FastTrad programme. We thank the staff at the Ashgrove for their continued support.
The focus will be on the promotion of FastTrad and we will continue to operate in a safe environment for all students and artists. FastTrad will continue to operate on Tues & Weds at Ashgrove Community Centre and on Thurs. at Maghery Community Hall. Funding opportunities will be explored for rural music programmes and ethnic minority groups. We will continue to expand FastTrad in Portadown and hinterland areas over the next few years. We will seek funding for future summer schemes which can involve our young people enabling them to gain self-confidence and self-esteem through music plus enable older adults to socialize through music. Alongside delivering traditional arts programmes, we will organise a number of fundraising events which can assist in building up reserves for All Set Project. FastTrad students including some artists travelled to the Catskills Festival in New York State in July 2024, this was an amazing experience for the youth and highlighted a positive image of Portadown through traditional music.
A special thanks to all the personnel involved in the delivery of FastTrad and the other music programmes. We are very positive and optimistic of the many future opportunities for the organisation and we will assist in making these possible.
Connor Moore Chair
Signed: Connor Moore Date: 24[th] Jan. 2026
4.
Financial Summary
Detailed profit and loss account for the year ended 31 March 2024
5.
Charity Detail
Registered with the Charity Commission for N. Ireland NIC 102212 in June. 2015
Trustees
The following persons served as board members and trustees during the year Apr 2023-Mar 2024:
List of Office Bearers & Board Members
Chair - Connor Moore re-elected Dec. 2022 – member since Oct. 2019 Secretary - Naoimi Allen re-elected Dec. 2021 – member since June 2017 Treasurer – Jen Shiels elected as board member Dec. 2022
Board Members
Ashley Farrell re-elected Dec. 2021 – member since June 2016 Siobhan Quinn re-elected Dec. 2021 – member since June 2013 Aileen Litter re-elected Dec. 2021 - member since Oct 2018 Danielle McKernan elected Dec. 2021- member since Dec. 2021 Jen Sheils elected Dec. 2022 – member since Dec. 2022 Keith Burton elected Jan. 2024 – member since Jan. 2024
Structure, governance and management
Description
Type of governing document...................... Constitution re-adopted 18[th] Dec. 2014
How the charity is constituted.................... Accepted as a Charity by HM revenue & customs (June 2015)
Trustee selection methods......................... Proposed by a full member & seconded by another at AGM or when required at Board Meetings. A 3yr rotation in place.
Policies & Procedures adopted for induction & training
Child Protection Policy, Equal Opportunities Policy, Health & Safety, Code of Good Practice & Good Conduct, Financial Procedures Policy, Procurement Policy, Safeguarding of Children & Young People Policy, Covid Policy.
Organisational Structure and any wider network with which the charity works
The charity is governed by a Board of Trustees - Chair, Secretary, Treasurer plus Members. A financial sub-committee is also in place. An admin. officer is responsible for the day to day operation of the charity undertaking 10 hrs/wk.
The artistic delivery of all programmes is determined by the charity and is the responsibility of the project manager. The project manager has over 20 years’ experience plus is a specialist in traditional dance, music plus facilitation, teaching & performance. Artists on the Approved List of Artists are hired to provide their services as required. The charity delivers:
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a. FastTrad outreach programme in Portadown providing music tuition at weekly classes
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b. Music performances within the local communities plus at All-Ireland Fleadhs
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c. Workshops covering song, dance and music
Public Benefit Statement
The charity trustees have compiled with their duty to have regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Commission in exercising their powers or duties.
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