Country Comes To Town
(COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
AND
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2022
REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER – NIC 102271
COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER – NI074062
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2022
Country Comes To Town [Company Limited By Guarantee]
| TABLE OF CONTENTS | |
|---|---|
| PAGE | |
| MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND PROFESSIONAL ADVISERS | 3 |
| TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT | 4 - 8 |
| INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT TO THE MEMBERS | 9 |
| STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES | 10 |
| BALANCE SHEET | 11 - 12 |
| NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | 13 - 16 |
| DETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES | 17 |
Year Ended 30 September 2022 2 Registration Number: NI074062
Country Comes To Town [Company Limited By Guarantee]
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND PROFESSIONAL ADVISERS OFFICERS AND PROFESSIONAL ADVISERS
Registered charity name Country Comes to Town Charity number NIC 102271 Company registration number NI074062 Principal office Millennium Court William Street Portadown Co Armagh BT62 3NX
Country Comes to Town NIC 102271 NI074062
Registered office Trustees Secretary Independent Examiner
Millennium Court William Street Portadown Co Armagh BT62 3NX Mr B F McLaughlin Mr T E Fleming Mrs A M Culbert Mr J H Wilson
Mr B F McLaughlin
WHR Accountants Ltd Chartered Certified Accountants Statutory Auditors 56 English Street Armagh Co Armagh BT61 7LG
Bankers
Danske Bank 45 High Street Portadown Co Armagh BT62 1LB
Year Ended 30 September 2022 3
Registration Number: NI074062
Country Comes To Town [Company Limited By Guarantee]
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2022
The trustees, who are also directors for the purposes of company law, have pleasure in presenting their report and the audited financial statements of the charity for the year ended 30 September 2022.
Reference and Administrative Details
Reference and administrative details are shown in the schedule of members of the board and professional advisers officers and professional advisers on page 1 of the financial statements.
The Trustees
The trustees who served the company during the period were as follows:
Mr B F McLaughlin Mr T E Fleming Mrs A M Culbert Mr J H Wilson MBE
Structure, Governance and Management
The trustees have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice [SORP] “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” issued in 2005 in preparing the report and financial statements of the charity. They have also had regard for any other information required by law or the charity’s governing document.
Governing Document
Country Comes to town is constituted as a charity under a trust deed dated 30 September 2010 and is recognised as a charity by HM Revenue & Customs (reference number NI074062 ), and The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (Reference Number NIC 102271).
Objectves and Actvites
The objectives and principal activities of the charity are to promote good community relationships and social cohesion between the different communities, both ethnic and local, and to attract visitors from all ages and backgrounds into the town of Portadown. Thereby benefiting all the inhabitants of Craigavon District and surrounding areas by holding an annual community festival, celebrating rural life and activity, past and present.
Year Ended 30 September 2022 4 Registration Number: NI074062
Country Comes To Town [Company Limited By Guarantee]
Continued ….. TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
Achievements and Performance
Established since 1999, as Portadown’s only major outdoor cross-community festival, last years event attracted in excess of 30,000 visitors into the town centre on 8[th] October. (Traditionally, CCTT takes place on the third Saturday in September; however, the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth ll in 2022 necessitated a date change.). The event, as usual, ran smoothly, due to extensive pre-planning and working in partnership with statutory agencies such as ABC Borough Council, PSNI, Translink, Roads Service etc. And the co-operation of town centre traders was also invaluable; along with the financial support they provided. The event organisers were pleased to host a group of representatives from the Ballina Salmon Festival in Co. Mayo; a group with which Country Comes To Town has had long-established links.
Subsequent analysis of the CCTT events activities revealed that approximately 50% of visitors came from the Greater Craigavon Area with around 20% from the town of Portadown itself. A further 30% of visitors were attracted from all other parts of N Ireland, with notable coachloads arriving from locations such as Ballymena, Omagh and Ards. The remainder were made up of visitors from ROI counties such as Donegal, Meath, Monaghan, Louth, Galway and Dublin. There were also coaches from Scotland and an 80 strong motorhome group from all over Ireland. One family actually travelled from Ontario in Canada!
Public Beneft
There are a number of public benefits that accrue from the CCTT festival. The first of these relates to the substantial amount of community co-operation and interaction that it engenders in what is still, even in 2022, a significantly fractured political society within Portadown. The second public benefit to arise is the close involvement of civic, commercial and community groups, working in unison to ensure the annual success of this very large event. A third benefit is drawn from the craft exhibits and living history demonstrations that are a feature of the Country Comes To town festival. These provide increased education and knowledge of history and culture for young people through artifacts, activities and demonstrations. These events also create points of stimulation and commentary from older visitors who may have grown up in an era when such activities as woodturning, blacksmithing, thatching, home butter-making and threshing were everyday events.
Demonstratng the Benefts
In Portadown and it’s environs, there are still many communities and organisations that tend to restrict their activities to their own district; or to other like-minded groups with similar cultural or political backgrounds as their own. Groups encouraged to participate in CCTT are afforded opportunities to meet with others whose backgrounds and environments differ from their own. Feedback from such interactions indicates that individuals from such intermixing groups are more likely to reflect on the nature of their cultural, political and/ or religious differences in a non- threatening and neutral environment. And, equally importantly, take advantage of the CCTT activities to identify the numerous areas of common interest on show. Some such will frequently include shared interest in e.g. country music; vintage vehicles and home crafts.
In the years before COVID, the CCTT organisers had taken the opportunity to facilitate local migrant groups as participants within the festival. In the past, peoples from Lithuania, Poland, East Timor, Portugal, Morocco, Nigeria and Brazil have all taken featured spots in the event. In 2022, it was a group from Romania who came along to occupy a centre spot from which they could showcase their music, food, dance, costume, culture and crafts. They thoroughly enjoyed themselves and were very well received. They also made many new friends Citizens able to work together at the same level with professional civic officers regularly report to CCTT directors that such interceptions permit community activists the opportunity to learn how civic action is created and managed. The converse also applies. Council officers report that working with community teams affords some excellent opportunities to observe, at first hand, the desires and priorities of local communities.
Year Ended 30 September 2022 5 Registration Number: NI074062
Country Comes To Town
[Company Limited By Guarantee]
Continued ….. TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
The three-way spirit of support and co-operation between the town’s commercial sector, its civic management and its communities can be further evidenced by the spirit of goodwill that is engendered by Country Comes To
Town through the positive manner that charities and church groups report that they are received on the stands and pitches that the festival organisers provide for them.
Is there harm?
It is highly unlikely that the positive nature of these purposes would be likely to create harm.
Benefciaries
The beneficiaries of the purposes of Country Comes To Town are, primarily, the groups and individuals from all over Ireland and further afield, who attend the festival as visitors, traders and entertainers. The longer-term benefits of the festival lie in the closer relationships that involvement in CCTT participation brings to broadening the cross-community friendship bonds that are thus created.
Private Beneft
Arising from the very large numbers of people attending Country Comes To Town, there are private financial benefits that accrue to both temporary street traders and resident retailers – through increased trade in the town.
However, this is incidental to the main purposes of holding this festival in order to enhance the quality of the town’s community relations.
Financial Review
It is the policy of the charity to maintain restricted reserves which matches the needs of the trust, both at the current time and the foreseeable future. This provides sufficient funds to cover running costs which include management, administration, and support costs. Restricted reserves must be spent in accordance with the donor’s wishes.
Plans for Future Periods
It is the intention of Country Comes To Town to further enhance the experience for visitors to the Festival by enlarging the programme on the day [the committee is always looking for more diverse exhibitors] and also by extending the events in the week leading up to the main Saturday, to include Country Music, etc. The Festival is vitally important for the social cohesion, community well-being, and the economic benefits derived for the entire community, enlisting the support of as many people as possible.
Year Ended 30 September 2022 6 Registration Number: NI074062
Country Comes To Town [Company Limited By Guarantee]
Continued ….. TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
Photos from the Festival
Year Ended 30 September 2022 7
Registration Number: NI074062
Country Comes To Town [Company Limited By Guarantee]
Continued ….. TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
Responsibilities of the Trustees
The trustees [who are also the directors of Country Comes To Town for the purposes of company law] are responsible for preparing the Trustees Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards [United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice].
Company 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 charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
-
select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
-
make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
-
state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, 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 presume that the charitable company will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. The trustees 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.
Independent Examiner
WHR ACCOUNTANTS LTD has been re-appointed as independent examiner for the ensuing year.
Registered Office
Millennium Court William Street Portadown Co Armagh BT62 3NX.
Signed by order of the trustees
__________
B F McLaughlin Company Secretary
26 June 2023
Year Ended 30 September 2022 8 Registration Number: NI074062
Country Comes To Town [Company Limited By Guarantee]
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF COUNTRY COMES TO TOWN
YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2022
We report on the Accounts of the Charity for the Year Ended 30 September 2022 set out on page 15.
Respective Responsibilities of Trustees and Independent Examiner
The charity’s trustees [who are also the directors of Country Comes To Town for the purposes of company law] are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. Having satisfied ourselves that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is our responsibility to state – on the basis of our examination – whether particular matters have come to our attention.
Basis of Independent Examiner’s Statement
Our examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently we do not express an audit opinion on whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’.
Independent Examiner’s Statement
In connection with our examination, no matter has come to our attention :
-
1 which gives us reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the trustees have not met the requirements to ensure that :
-
proper books of account are kept [in accordance with Section 386 of the Companies act 2006];
and
- accounts are prepared which agree with the books of account and comply with the accounting requirements of Section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice : Accounting and Reporting by Charities;
or
- 2 to which, in our opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
WHR Accountants Ltd
Independent Examiner
56 English Street , Armagh, BT61 7LG
26 June 2023
Year Ended 30 September 2022 9 Registration Number: NI074062
Country Comes To Town [Company Limited By Guarantee]
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2022
| Notes | Year Ended | 30 9 22 £ |
Year Ended | 30 9 21 £ |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Funds | Total Funds | ||||
| INCOMING RESOURCES Incoming resources from charitable activities 2 Total Incoming Resources RESOURCES EXPENDED Charitable activities 3 / 4 Governance costs Total Resources Expended NET (OUTGOING) / INCOMING RESOURCES FOR THE YEAR RECONCILLIATION OF FUNDS Total Funds brought forward TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD |
24,890 24,890 30,156 600 30,756 (5,866) 12,293 6,427 |
- - 1,248 600 1,848 (1,848) 14,141 12,293 |
The Notes form part of these financial statements
Year Ended 30 September 2022 10 Registration Number: NI074062
Country Comes To Town [Company Limited By Guarantee]
BALANCE SHEET
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2022
| Notes | Year Ended Total Funds |
30 9 22 £ |
Year Ended Total Funds |
30 9 21 £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIXED ASSETS 5 Tangible Assets CURRENT ASSETS 6 Debtors Cash at Bank CREDITORS 7 Amounts falling due within one year NET CURRENT ASSETS TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES NET ASSETS FUNDS 8 Restricted Funds TOTAL FUNDS |
280 1,230 28,419 29,646 23,502 6,147 6,147 6,147 6,427 6,427 |
311 - 12,970 12,970 988 11,982 12,293 12,293 12,293 12,293 |
The Notes form part of these financial statements
Year Ended 30 September 2022 11 Registration Number: NI074062
Country Comes To Town
[Company Limited By Guarantee]
continued ………. Balance Sheet - At 30 September 2022
The company is entitled to exemption from audit under Article 477 of the Companies Act 2006, for the year ended 30 September 2022.
The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 30 September 2022, in accordance with Article 476 of the Companies Act 2006.
The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for :
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a. Ensuring that the company keeps accounting records which comply with sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006, and
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b. Preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficient for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the company.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
----- Start of picture text -----
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors on 26 June 2023,
and were signed on its behalf by:
________ _______
B F McLaughlin – Trustee J H Wilson – Trustee
----- End of picture text -----
The Notes form part of these financial statements
Year Ended 30 September 2022 12 Registration Number: NI074062
Country Comes To Town
[Company Limited By Guarantee]
NOTES ON AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2022
1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Accounting Convention
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provision of Section 1A “Small Entities” of Financial Reporting Standard 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland“ and the Companies Act 2006.
These financial Statements have been prepared under the Historical Cost Convention.
Incoming Resources
All incoming resources are included on the Statement of Financial Activities when the charity is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.
Resources Expended
Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
Taxation
The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.
Fund Accounting
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees. Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes. Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.
Tangible Fixed Assets
Depreciation is provided at the following annual rate in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life :
Fixtures and Fittings - 10% on reducing balance.
Year Ended 30 September 2022 13 Registration Number: NI074062
Country Comes To Town
[Company Limited By Guarantee]
Continued …….. NOTES ON AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2022
2. INCOMING RESOURCES FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES
| Year Ended 30 9 22 Total Funds £ Year Ended 30 9 21 Total Funds £ |
|
|---|---|
| Grants – ACB & CB Council Pitch Licence Fees Sponsorship & Donations |
11,250 - 12,460 - 1,180 - |
| 24,890 - |
3. COSTS OF CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES BY FUND TYPE
| Year Ended 30 9 22 | Year Ended 30 9 21 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Funds £ | Total Funds £ | |
| Annual Festival | 30,756 | 1,848 |
4. COSTS OF CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES BY ACTIVITY TYPE
| Year Ended 30 9 22 | Year Ended 30 9 21 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Funds £ | Total Funds £ | |
| Annual Festival | 30,756 | 1,848 |
Year Ended 30 September 2022 14 Registration Number: NI074062
Country Comes To Town
[Company Limited By Guarantee]
Continued …….. NOTES ON AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2022
5. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS
| Fixtures & Fittings £ | Total £ | |
|---|---|---|
| COST | ||
| At 1 10 21 | 444 | 444 |
| Additions | - | - |
| At 30 9 22 | 444 | 444 |
| DEPRECIATION | ||
| At 1 10 21 | 133 | 133 |
| Charge for Year | 31 | 31 |
| 164 | 164 | |
| NET BOOK VALUE | ||
| At 30 9 22 | 280 | 280 |
| At 30 9 21 | 311 | 311 |
’ 5(a).TRUSTEES REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS
There were no trustees’ remuneration nor other benefits for the year ended 30 September 2022 or for the year ended 30 September 2021.
6. DEBTORS : AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
| Year Ended 30 9 22 Total Funds £ Year Ended 30 9 21 Total Funds £ |
|
|---|---|
| Trade Debtors Other Debtors |
1,230 - - - |
| 1,230 - |
Year Ended 30 September 2022 15 Registration Number: NI074062
Country Comes To Town [Company Limited By Guarantee]
Continued …….. NOTES ON AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2022
7. CREDITORS : AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
| Year Ended 30 9 22 Total Funds £ Year Ended 30 9 21 Total Funds £ |
|
|---|---|
| Trade Creditors Other Creditors Accruals |
22,902 388 - - 600 600 |
| 23,502 988 |
8. RESTRICTED INCOME FUNDS
| Balance at | 30 9 2021 | Incoming Resources | Balance at 30 9 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | ||
| Restricted Funds | 12,293 | (5,866) | 6,427 |
9. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
No transactions with related parties were undertaken such as are required to be disclosed under Financial Reporting Standard 8.
10. COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE
The company is limited by guarantee and has no share capital.
On a winding-up, members may be required to contribute a maximum of £1.
Year Ended 30 September 2022 16 Registration Number: NI074062
Country Comes To Town [Company Limited By Guarantee]
DETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2022
| INCOMING RESOURCES FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES Grants, Sponsorship, Donations and Stall-holder fees TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES RESOURCES EXPENDED CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES Advertising Marquee Hire ACB&CB Council Pitch fees Security and First Aid Traffic Management Events and Entertainment Travel expenses Printing, Stationery and Postage Insurance Telephone Park Repairs Set Up and Clean Up Pitch Fee Refund Sundry Expenses Bank fees Depreciation of Fixtures and Equipment GOVERNANCE COSTS Accountancy fees TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED NET (OUTGOING) / INCOMING RESOURCES FOR THE YEAR |
Year to 30 9 22 Year to 30 9 21 £ £ |
Year to 30 9 22 Year to 30 9 21 £ £ |
Year to 30 9 22 Year to 30 9 21 £ £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24,890 | - | ||
| 24,890 5,948 4,368 325 2,951 1,218 10,410 1,257 1,045 1,155 395 - 200 675 109 69 31 |
- 155 - - - - - 468 269 - 259 25 - - - 38 34 |
||
| 30,156 | 1,248 | ||
| 600 30,756 |
600 1,848 |
||
| (5,866) | (1,848) |
This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements
Year Ended 30 September 2022 17 Registration Number: NI074062