ANDERSONSTOWN TRADITIONAL & CONTEMPORARY MUSIC SCHOOL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND FINANCIAL STATElENTs FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023 Trllstees, Annual Report The Trustees, who are also directors for the purposes of Company law, have pleasure in presenting their annual report together with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2023 which are also prepared to meet the requirements for a directors, report and accounts for Cornpanies Act 2006 purposes. The Trustees confirm that the financial statements comply with the requirements of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 and Accounting and Reporting by Charitles: Statement of Recommended Practice which applies to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective l January 2015). Reference & Administrative Details Reference and administrative details are shown in the schedule of members and professional advisers on page l of the financial statements. Directors and Trustees The directors of the charitable company are its trustees for the purpose of charity law. The Directors and trustees who served the charity during the period were as follows: Olive Benson (Chairyerson) V Quinn (Treasurer) Pearse Tohill Goldston Rajasingh Joseph - appointed 11/0212023 Niamh O'Donnell- appointed 1110212023 Dr Dave Rogers- appointed 11/0212023 Structure, Governance & Management Governing Document The charity is controlled by its governing document, a Memorandum and Articles of Association, which was last amended at an EGM in October 2009, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006. Each member has agreed to contribute £1 in the event of a cornpulsory winding up. It is registered as a charity with the Charities Commission (NI). Appointment of Trustees The Board of Trustees is responsible for the overall governance of the charity. Trustees are elected at the Annual General Meeting by the members present and the total number of Trustees shall not be less than 3. Trustees shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting following hisll]er appointment. A retiring Trustee shall be eligible for re-election. The Trustees shall have the power at any time and from time to time to appoint any person to be a Trustee, either to fill a casual vacancy or as an addition to the exlsting Trustees. Any Trustee so appointed shall hold office until the next following Annual General Meeting and shall then be eligible for election. During the year, 3 new Trustees were, appointed at our AGM in Feb 23. With assistance and support frorn Arts & Business and Boards123, the Trustees continue to address Succession planning & Trustee Recruitment, particularly in are&s where the Cuent Trustees feel the need
for particular skills that will enhance the future development of the school. This process is ongoing. Trustee Induction and Training New Trustees undergo an induction to brief them on their legal obligations under charity and company law, the Charities Commission guidance on public benefit, content of the Memorandum and Articles of Association, the board of trustees and decision-making processes, policies and procedures, the business plan and recent financial perforniance of the charity. Trustees are encouraged to attend appropriate external training events where these will facilitate the undertaking of their role. Trustee Induction & training is part of our ongoing Succession planning & Trustee recruitment review. Organisation The Board of Trustees meet monthly and delegates certain responsibilities to the School Manager. The School Manager is responsible for the day-to-day management of the affairs of the charity and for implementing the policies and operational plaiis as agreed by the Board of Trustees. Between meetings of the Board of Trustees, the School Manager reports to the Chairperson. The School Manager is assisted by a 11 time Progranune Co-ordinator and a part time Administrator. Related parties None of the Trustees receive remuneration or other benefit for their work as trustees with the Charity. Any connection between a trustee or senior manager of the charity to related parties must be disclosed to the 11 Board of Trustees in the same way as any other contractual relationship with a third paty. There were no such disclosures in the current year. Risk Management The Trustees Iiave a risk management strategy which comprises.. An annual review of the risks the charity may face. The establislllnent of systems and procedures to mitigate those risks identified. and The implementation of procedures designed to minimise any potential impact on the charity should those risks materialise. In providing access and opportunities to people and children, the Charity recognises that there are poteiitial risks to cl]ildren and vulnerable adults. A key element in the rnanagement of this risk is the establisbment and irnplementation of a robust cliart of policies and procedures including Privacy Policy, Access Nl Disclosure Check, Child Protection Policy and the renewal and training of staff and tutors in these area. Online Protocols introduced in 20121 where reviewed and maintained throughout the year.. The Trustees are satisfied that the necessary policies and procedures are in place to safeguard staff and participants, and ensure that the benefits provided outweigh any potential ham]. The second main area of Risk Management has focused on the financial stability of the Charity and has resulted in the Trustees investing in scenario planning in the event of possible tllre ftmding reductions. A key element in the management of financial risk is via the reserves policy and the Charity's ability to increase unrestricted resees. To this end, as part of the Charity's Strategic Plan for the period 2021- 2026, we will seek to secure at least three year grant funding from altemative nderS in order to give us the resources to return to pre Covid- 19 levels of activity and to establish and deliver new commerciallsales/marketing opportunities and build and blend on activities and styles of delivery.
Obj ectRves and Activities The pUoseS of the Charity are: _ (a) advancement of the arts and culture, particularly but not exclusively the art of traditional and contemporary music" (b) advancement of education. (c) promotion of such other charitable purposes as may from time to time be determined. The main activities undertakell in relation to our purposes In planning the Charities programme of activities for the year, the Trustees have considered the Charity Conunission's guidance on public benefit including fee charging. Affordability and access to the programme is important and in setting the level of class fees, the trustees give careful consideration to the accessibility of our activities for those on low incomes. The focus of the Charities progran]rne is to provide affordable and accessible opportunities for those living within disadvantaged areas of Belfast to engage and participate in rnusic activities. This is achieved through the provision of a rolling programme of Irish traditional and contemporary music classes, workshops, perforniances and examinations. Since the lifting of Covid restrictions, we recommenced face-to-face delivery of our activities and maintained a reduced level of online class services, via Zoorn, for our beneficiaries, During the year, our programme of activities involved- l. Musical Instrun)eut Classes: Pursuing the Charity's pUOSe of 'Advancement of the Arts & Culture,, we delivered a total of 840 music class activities during the year (averaging 28 classes per week). The majority of these were delivered face-to-face in disadvantaged areas of Belfast. 430 individuals engaged in our music classes and other activities, during the year. 2. Performances: We delivered 9 end of tern] live perfomance concerts. These were perfonned by the class participants, our main beneficiaries and we engaged in a rther 76 perfonnances during community festivals and events. In total, approximately 240 participants took part in these perfonnances and attracted in the region of 15,000 audience numbers overall, who witnessed the beneficiaries showcase their achievement, s and talent. 3. Examinations: Through the Charity, s pfoiFramme of activities, the 'Advancement of Education, was addressed via the provision of music classes, which are structured to follow the progressive syllabuses of a variety of examination boards, In this period, 18 of our pupils engaged in accredited examinations, via the LCM and RGT Boards (LCM for traditional instruments and RGT for contemporary guitar). All passed, achieving marks between 83 to 98 equating to Merit and Distinction awards for those entered. 4. Workshops: The Charity's programme entailed the delivery of 18 music workshops, which were also delivered in various cornmunity venues and participants were provided with tin whistles and bodhrans, giving them the opportunity to join in. These were designed to inspire young people's interest in Arts and Culture and to encourage participation. workshops were provided 'free of charge,. A total of153 individuals benefited from the workshops. Achievements and Performance The trustees meet monthly, face-to-face and also via Zoom whichever is most convenient. Monthly Board Meetings provide the fonjm for plaMJing, timely monitoring, evaluation and budgetary control. Our manager provides a monthly project update to the management committee and any variation from the proposed tirnetable is hÉghlighted. The Board also
review how the delivery of our programme is meeting our original targets and the needs of the beneficiaries we serve. Through the Charity's 'Monitoring and Evaluation Procedures,, the Trustees used information from Registration Fornis, Attendance Records, QuestioDnaires and Activity Data, etc. which provided infoTrnation that allowed the monitoring of class provision and project, progress, against the main targets on a temi by terni basis. Records of Examination Entrants, Grades and Pass Rates were updated and reported upon to inforni the Evaluation Procedure. Participant and Audience numbers attending workshops and performance events were collected on a tenn by tenn / event by event basis. Feedback from participants was reviewed through 'questionnaires. comment fonns, interviews, etc. in accordance with the Charity's procedures. Feedback was also sought from a wider beneficiary group, e.g.: parents, community workers and schools, this enabled the Trustees to identify the broader impact of the project on the community. DiIllg 22123, we made good progress in re-establishing nonnal activities and hence, we increased the number of classes and activities that we delivered. We increased class provision by 12 % and participant / beneficiary numbers increased by 242 %, based on last year's (21122) figures. This increase is also reflected through workshops, perfom]ances and examinations, We were success1 in tenns of activities achieving the desired outcomes for the benefits to participants. The trustees have continued to implement the Charities Strategic Plan 2021-2026. The table below shows the growth in activities from 21122 to those achieved in 22123. Actual Achievements for 202112022 750 Actual Achievements for 2022 12023 840 18 85 18 756 15,000 Music Classes Workshops Perforn]ances Examination Entries Participants Audience 21 221 1,000 Recovering from the impact of Covid, we have been successful in re-establishing activities and meeting the gap that Covid caused on the delivery of our programme. We positively responded tluough the delivery and continued development of our prograrnme. the main benefits that derive from the Charity, s work and impact directly on the beneficiaries, are.. Increased Skills and Personal Development- children and young people living within disadvantaged areas, have access and opportunities to participate in affordable arts and cultural activities, where such facilities and resources would not be available. develop practical musical skills tearn-work, self-discipline, social skills, communication and respect are encouraged and enhanced encourages creativity, raises ambition, improves confidence and self-esteem our tutors are supportive, give praise, reassure and encourage the children to progress at their own pace
Increased Educational and EmployabÉlity Opportunities- participants gain accredited music examinations young people can demonstrate their ability to apply themselves to a specific discipline such as music and attaining an accredited qualification strengthens this - contributing to their educational and employment opportunities in their future a positive outcome of learning to play a rnusical instrument, 'in the tllre,, participants are able to demonstrate that they have abKlity, discipline, confidence and skills that will enhance opportunities when seeking employment or enty into university. some participants progress to more advanced levels of playing and move on to learn the skills of teaching and sharing their knowledge with otliers. Improved Relationships with Family? Friends and Others - an outcorne of the Charity, s activities, evidenced on the experience of our tutors, is that young people and children participating showed positive changes relative to being disruptive, restless in class, mixing better, interactive, attention spans and more attentive, confinned by parents, others showed positive changes within and outside of the home niore engaoement, less introvert, better relationships, mixing with others. the Charity's programme of activities also impacts positively on young people, especially those who demonstrate shyness. and as a result they are more confident to express themselves and show-off their abilities to otliers, both at a peer level, a family and wider public level. the Charity's programme assisted older people to strengthen social networks, learn something new, build confidence, improve opportunities to have fun, improve physical aiid mental well-being. Testimonials from beneficiaries: Rose (alias), is 10 years old with some learning difficulties and has been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. She has good language and cognitive skills but depends very much on routine. Rose commenced Irish traditional fiddle classes with Andersonstown Music School in January 2019, making good progress throughout the year and had entered for the beginner level of examinations via the London College of Music that should have been held in April 2020. The Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020, meant that Rose's classes and examination were immediately suspended and needless to say, her routines were disrupted significantly. By July 2020, music classes had recommenced using the Zoom meeting platform and the LCM were planning to reinstate examinations in August. Rose couldn't wait to get back. .1 thought that it was all really amazingl Everything was really clear and I could hear the violin really clearlyl More people should do itl l _ Rose's words"
"Rose has had a wonderful term with her brilliant tutor Eileen. Zoom classes have been good fun and a great way to meet up with her friends again online while getting some focused practice in as well. Eileen has been brilliant, very encouraging and offering expert advice as well as Rose's examination when needed. Rose looks forward to this class every week. - Rose's father" In August, Rose sat her exam and achieved a pass mark of 91 out of 100 which is a distinction and an amazing achievement in the circumstances. Rose said that she was over the moon. Rose has continued to attend classes and is currently entered for her Grade 1 examination in June this year. Rose's father said "the only thing I'd say is that we are very keen to get Rose playing live with other musicians and enjoying the social side of this a bit more. Totally understandable that this was not feasible during lockdown and I think you made the right call in keeping people safe. But looking forward, now that she is getting back to face to face lessons and getting used to playing in front of people and with other instruments. Thanks for all your hard work, it has been a lifesaver over lockdown and delighted that classes are back to normal, well organised and professional. Financial Review The charity achieved a net income surplus of £19,182 from a total income of £135,792. (For 2022: Net income deficit was £6,420 from a total income of £84,495). Our principal annual funding source was from the ACNI, with additional longer term funding secured through the Arts & Business Blueprint progranune and ScreensNI. The flnancial year 22123 saw the School emerging llY from Covid restrictions and returning to face to face class provision and activities, whilst maintaining a reduced online class provision service. Earned Income increased by a very impressive120 % from prior year 21122 reflecting the popularity and enthusiasm of pupils returning to face to face activities after lockdown. The support of our nderS was essential to the maintenance and development of our programme of activities. Pricing Policy Our pricing policy reflects our strategy of enabling people in Belfast, especially children and young people living within disadvantaged areas, to have access and opportunities to participate in arts and cultural activities, at an affordable price offering value for money. Class Fees remain at £40 per tem for both 'face to face, and online classes. Attendance at concerts, workshops and perfomiances are generally for free. As part of the Charity's Strategic Plan for the period 2021 2026, our pricing policy will be reviewed to investigate scaled pricing and other commercial metrics. Reserves Policy Unrestricted funds are needed to provide funds which can be applied to specific projects to enable these projects to be undertaken at short notice, to cover the running costs of the Charity for a limited period should there be a significant shortfall proj ected income and to allow for investment in Changelstrategic Development initiatives. The amount of unrestricted fidS held at 3 1st March 2023 was £35,736. (For 2022: £48,064).
Auditors A resolution to re-appoint the auditors, O'Hara Shearer, will be proposed at the ADnual General Meeting. SMAII CompaDy Exemption This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions for small companies under Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006. Responsibilities of the Trustees The charity trustees (who are also the directors of Andersonstown Traditional & Contemporary Music School for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees Report and the fmancial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations. Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. The Trustees present their report and the fmancial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 st March 20? 3. The Trustees cOnfM that they comply with the requirements of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice which applies to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective I st January 2015). 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 company and of the surplus or deficit of the company for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to: select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently. observe the methods and principles in the Charities Sorp (FRS 102). make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent. prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business. The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the 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 company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. By order of the Trustees: Valerle Quinn (Treasurer) Date: 2411 1202