TRUSTEES REPORT BANGOR DRAMA CLUB LTD
Charity No NIC103977
OVERVIEW OF THE CHARITY
Bangor Drama Club Ltd is an amateur drama club registered with the Charity Commission of Northern Ireland. The club was founded in 1935 and operates to provide leisure time facilities in the interest of social welfare, focusing on the dramatic arts. It runs a theatre and studio space called Studio 1A in Hamilton Road in Bangor which it utilises itself and also rents out to other organisations.
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Bangor Drama Club Ltd aims to educate and promote public participation and appreciation of the arts particularly the performing arts, as well as to provide workshops in theatre and drama, and to offer regular theatrical productions.
It also manages a theatre in Bangor providing facilities for performance, education, recreation and leisure time in the interests of social welfare with the object of enriching the lives of those in the local community and beyond.
The club meets on Thursday nights from September to May. It provides public performances of plays.
During the period under review the following plays were performed by the club:
Red Roses and Petrol by Joseph O’Connor (in April 2023) The Game’s Afoot by Ken Ludwig (in April 2024) The Prof by Michael Ievers (in June 2024)
During the period under review the theatre facilities were used by other drama groups and community organisations for their cultural activities for example:
Community Choir for rehearsals;
Company No. NI635055 Charity No. NIC103977 VAT Reg No 252303444
Mike Donaghy Music School; Meetings of the Humanist Society; Meetings of U3A (University of the Third Age); 2nd Skin Theatre Company for their pantomime; Fleetwood Dreams Musical Evening; Meetings of the Alliance Party; Japan Society of Northern Ireland;
Drama Education for young people with the Class Act Drama Academy end of year show
There was a summer season with full-length productions performed by a number of local drama clubs.
We also hosted a One Act Drama Festival which spanned three evenings and included entries from Amateur Drama companies from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
The club continues to enjoy a healthy membership and is open to everyone aged 18 and over to join.
During the period under review the club staged 3 productions: Red Roses and Petrol ,The Games Afoot and The Prof. All of these productions were very well received by our audiences, enhancing cultural engagement with the community.
The club worked with its members to introduce them to new plays and to develop their acting, directing, writing and technical theatre skills.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
The club’s primary sources of income include membership fees, ticket sales for performances and occasional grants or donations. The premises are licensed but the bar is open for public performances only. The club’s expenses were chiefly related to the production costs and maintenance of the theatre. No trustees received remuneration payments or benefits from the charity.
Overall the Club maintains a stable financial position with funds being used to support operational costs and future productions.
GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
The club is managed by a board of trustees all serving on a voluntary basis.
The trustees meet regularly to review the club’s operations, plan future activities and ensure compliance with charitable objectives and legal responsibilities. All trustees are aware of their duties under charity law
Company No. NI635055 Charity No. NIC103977 VAT Reg No 252303444
including the need to act in the best interests of the charity, manage conflicts of interest and adhere to financial reporting requirements.
PUBLIC BENEFIT STATEMENT
The Club provides significant public benefit by offering affordable access to cultural activities, educational opportunities in the arts and a platform for community interaction and development. This contributes to social welfare by enriching community life through arts participation.
RISK MANAGEMENT
The Trustees have identified the key risks to be financial sustainability, maintaining membership numbers and ensuring the safety and accessibility of the theatre space. The Trustees will mitigate these risks through regular financial reviews, community engagement initiatives and adherence to health and safety standards.
FUTURE PLANS
The club are currently discussing the viability of a Junior Drama Club, We aim to expand it’s educational outreach through taking plays to schools, increasing the variety of performances (to include more diverse genres, ensuring broad appeal and inclusivity).
We are continuing to seek funding opportunities to support new initiatives and maintain the facility.
We also aim to support other charities through our endeavours: this year we will be working in conjunction with OGCancerNI.
CONCLUSION
Bangor Drama Club Ltd remains committed to it’s mission of advancing the arts within the community ensuring that drama and theatre are accessible, educational and enriching. We thank all of our members, volunteers and the general public for their continued support
Approved by the Trustees on 09 January 2025
SIGNED.
Company No. NI635055 Charity No. NIC103977 VAT Reg No 252303444