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2024-12-31-accounts

Charity number SC040509

Room 13 International

Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements

For the year ended 31st December 2024

Room 13 International Directors' Report 2024

Room 13 International Directors' Report 2024

Legal and administrative information

The company is constituted as a company limited by guarantee and is governed in accordance with its Memorandum and Articles of Association.

Charity number SC040509

Registered Office

Upper Floor Caol Community Centre Glenkingie Street Caol Fort William PH33 7DS

Trustees in 2024

Independent Examiner

Page 1

Room 13 International Directors’ Report 2024

Based in Caol in Lochaber, Scottish Highlands, since 1994, Room 13 offers a unique combination of studio space, high quality equipment, professional creative guidance and a focus exclusively on young people ages 8 – 25 and the visual arts.

Our key aims:

The Directors of Room 13 International present their report and the financial statements for the year ended 31.12.2024.

Structure

Room 13 International is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (Scottish Charity No. SC040509)

The following individuals served as Trustees to Room 13 International during 2024:

Investment powers, policy and performance

The directors have powers to invest in ventures as they see fit. Funds are placed in interest-bearing accounts to support ongoing activities.

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Objectives and activities

The core charitable objectives of Room 13 International are:

In furtherance of these purposes Room 13 International employs 10 essential aims as set out in its constitution:

  1. Supporting the widespread application of a higher quality of education with particular emphasis on philosophy and the arts, with a view to promoting intellectual and artistic development across all ages

  2. Promoting and supporting the combination of practical and theoretical arts education with basic business management skills in anticipation of a more creative, more entrepreneurial and more confident society

  3. Promoting creativity across the curriculum and the value of art for all

  4. Promoting a more creative and flexible approach to education, particularly the integrated learning and teaching of transferable skills for young people in order to improve employment prospects

  5. Facilitating the provision of studio spaces and opportunities for working artists willing to engage with the education system

  6. Offering, through participation, communication, education and training, a support network and creative outlet for those living within difficult environmental and social circumstances in all countries

  7. Assisting in addressing some of the social issues facing young people, their schools and local communities

  8. Encouraging the formation of professional working relationships between businesses and their local schools, whereby class teaching is complemented with regular interaction between students and those who practice professionally in any given field

  9. Taking all necessary measures to safeguard the ethos of Room 13 as embodied by Room 13 studios worldwide

  10. Consulting with the young artists and others who elect to associate with Room 13, and empowering them above all in the processes involved.

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Governance & Management

Room 13, a visual arts charity for young people ages 8-25, is unique in the Scottish Highlands. Based in bright and well-equipped studios within Caol Community Centre, our vision is for young people to grow up with art and creativity embedded in their lives. Room 13 enables young people to:

Richard Bracken, Room 13’s Lead Artist, works closely with St Columba’s and Caol Primaries’ staff and pupils, Lochaber High School staff and pupils, and young people throughout Lochaber to develop the Room 13 studios as a shared resource that supports learning and creative education . Room 13’s activities follow the academic year and all are delivered free.

The charity’s board of voluntary trustees met four times in 2024 in online and in-person blended meetings. The trustees work closely with the charity’s staff team to support and develop the progress of Room 13’s studios in Caol.

During 2024, the work of the charity was delivered by one part-time employee in the role of General Manager and one part-time, self-employed Lead Artist, with both posts equal to 1.2 FTE. This small team was responsible for delivering the work of Room 13 Studios, Caol, as well as maintaining the conversation regarding the development of the charity.

The Room 13 team is grateful to Mr David Govan for his work in preparing this report.

Achievements and Performance – Summary

Our programme Experiment, Develop, Exhibition & Enterprise ended in October 2023, since then we have continued to evaluate and hold conversations with the young people about what they would like to do next in Room 13. Young people told us that they value opportunities to learn new skills from a range of artists, creating artwork and sharing skills with each other and with their community. With this input we have designed More Mountains , an 18-month programme for 2025/26 that will bring these elements together with aims to create stronger links between young people and their community.

We have also focused on strengthening young people’s sense of agency in Room 13 by creating opportunities for them to influence how Room 13 works for all involved. Richard began trialling Representatives from each of the current groups to give them experience in decision-making processes, grow their sense of ownership, and encourage them to consult with and speak on behalf of their peers; we aim to empower young people to help decide the creative direction of Room 13.

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Summary of Creative Activities January - December 2024

Sessions delivered:

The Photography Team were trained to use a camera to take portraits knowing that their shots would go on sale via an online platform (GotPhoto) for parents to buy. The project involved learning to:

Funds raised for Room 13 by Caol Primary School Photography Team in 2024: £894.

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One-off sessions & projects:

Other Activities:

We recorded 295 unique individuals engaging with Room 13, many attending regularly, generating 384 hours of direct engagement during 149 creative sessions. All our sessions were delivered free.

Young people visited Room 13 from: Caol, Lochyside, Banavie, Kinlochleven, Roybridge, Mallaig, Onich, Spean Bridge, Invergarry, Clunes, Fassfern and Glencoe, some regularly making a 90-mile round trip to participate. We greatly appreciate that young people and their parents/carers are willing to travel significant distances across this rural area to attend Room 13 creative sessions.

Room 13’s work was supported by the assistance of 5 volunteers; their help makes a huge difference to everyone’s experience of Room 13.

2025/26 Creative Programme – More Mountains

Our More Mountains programme will help young people find ways to grow their creative ambitions and broaden their perspectives through different experiences and opportunities such as:

In doing this we will continue to work towards the following outcomes:

We will continue to look at building our volunteer base; we recognise the huge value in having young people and adults volunteer with us and can see the difference they make to growing a creative, supportive community.

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Partnerships & Feedback

Partnerships & Networking:

Room 13 continues to develop relationships with agencies whose remit is to support vulnerable children and young adults in Highland:

Through Youth Highland, Room 13 was invited to deliver Aim High! a 16-week employability pilot project for school leavers on behalf of Highland Council, delivered in Lochaber by Room 13 and the Workers Educational Association (WEA). With a matter of weeks between the invitation to deliver and Highland-wide pilot launch, the project had to be cancelled due to the low uptake of an acknowledged difficult to reach young demographic. However, the potential remains for Room 13 to get involved in a similar venture in the future, and we hope that Highland Council will recognise this too.

We are open to all young people locally - we also provide tailored creative support to young people who are referred to us. Although we are at capacity for now, we still regularly receive requests for additional sessions (or waiting lists) to meet demand. This is partly due to the work we have done to re-engage young people post-pandemic but also because our partnership network has grown, it steers young people to us through word-of-mouth or referrals.

“Room 13 had sometimes been the only thing [my child] has happily gone to over the past few months so thank you.” Parent on her child’s experience at Room 13

Room 13 shares Caol Community Centre with tenant-neighbours High Life Highland and Caol Regeneration Company (CRC); we liaise with High Life Highland’s Youthwork Team, they provide a link with local secondary pupils - we run evening sessions concurrently with their Youth Club, giving young people the option to move between Room 13 and Youth Club. Connecting Young Carers has adopted a similar model for Room 13 primary and secondary age carers, many of whom now regularly access Room 13. Delivering taster sessions for Connecting Young Carers has led to a more sustained partnership that was delivered in 2024, it is expected that this will continue into 2025.

“Being able to have access to Room 13 has provided so many of the Young Carers, mental health and wellbeing support with out them even realising it at the time. Behaviour has improved and the kids love being there.” Sophie, Interim Young Carer Service Team Leader

Caol, St Columba’s and Bun Sgoil Ghàidhlig Loch Abar primary schools are key partners. Teaching staff refer young people and offer insight into their needs, particularly those with communication and behavioural difficulties, helping us tailor our approach, ensuring young people feel more seen, understood and valued. Parents and carers play a similar role; we collect feedback from them to better understand our impact.

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“Room 13 has encouraged team work, collaboration and boosted the confidence of some of children in their own ability and encouraged them to find new ways to express emotion and build relationships. Room 13 is a very valuable tool for our community- especially for our children.” Leah, Acting Head Teacher St Columba’s RC Primary School

Lochaber High School’s Learning Support Unit has told us of the challenges facing S1-S6 pupils (there are currently more pupils not attending school than pre-Covid) - as we develop that relationship, more young people have the option to connect with Room 13.

“I was impressed by the possibilities room 13 have to support learners to express themselves, and how already so much thought has been taken to ensure the needs of young people are met. It is well-known that when a young person has something that motivates them or has something that is theirs to work towards then the wider health and well-being benefits are profound.” Kim, PT Support for Learning, Lochaber High School

Similarly, CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) staff better understand our work and view us as an important local resource for young people, connecting us with other service providers such as Space 2 Be (outdoor learning and wellbeing activities for young people).

“…we were thinking about community engagement / involvement for a young person we have been working with, and who previously came to Room 13 when she was younger… she might do well with the Wednesday evening drop in session - for S1-S6s as she is currently out of school…” Dr Nicholas Barnes, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

We continue to find that consistency of access, a supportive, safe environment and high-quality arts materials and guidance, provide the groundwork for young people’s energies, creativity and curiosity to drive their development of skills, agency and confidence.

Organisational Development

Our key priorities are unchanged; we have made progress in each area but there’s room for more:

  1. Improve Organisational Health

  2. Develop Income Generation Methods

  3. Deepen Engagement with Community

Fundraising for More Mountains got underway with a successful key application to the National Lottery Community Fund/Young Start strand; fundraising will continue into 2025.

Fundraising advice and support from Culture & Business Scotland has helped inform an outline fundraising strategy, and advice on gathering sensitive data from young people came from the Hot Chocolate Trust – this will help us build a better understanding of our participants and community as well as a more effective evaluation plan.

We have made good progress towards quantifying the changes needed to secure longer-term security for Room 13 and a more robust staffing structure.

We met with Highland-based arts colleagues at the Atlas Arts Gathering on Skye in March and later at the Scottish Contemporary Arts Network (SCAN) Summit in Birnam Arts, Dunkeld. Links were also made with Screen Scotland, and with STEM staff (who share the floor with us in Caol Community Centre), prompting us to look at ways to collaborate to bring arts and science together. Networking locally included meeting Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) staff to discuss opportunities for Room 13 to get involved.

Page 8

We held an in-person Board Development Day in March led by Catriona Reynolds from Culture & Business Scotland; after a general run-through of trustee responsibilities, Catriona focused on answering key questions from trustees.

Continuing Professional Development:

Room 13 is committed to developing the wider team to ensure the charity has the skills and experience it needs to deliver its services to a high standard and as safely as possible. Training attended in 2024 included:

Room 13 is a participant in the local Caol Community Action Group (CCAG), this allows us to tap into the community’s concerns and needs. CCAG feeds back into the Lochaber Area Place Plan.

Charitable Donations & Fundraising

Room 13 is grateful for the generous support of its funders for 2024:

Room 13 greatly appreciates the donations from our community along with the generosity of the trusts, foundations and businesses who fund us. We are especially grateful for the ongoing in-kind contribution from Highland Council, this has reduced our fundraising burden and given us excellent studio-space from which to reach Lochaber’s young people.

Along with the Highland Council, TBWA\ Worldwide continues to be one of the principal supporters of Room 13 making an annual contribution towards administration and development. Their decade-plus long-term support has been integral to the success of the charity, for which we give our sincere thanks.

All our funders contribute to the young people in Caol and wider Lochaber having a safe space to develop creative skills and confidence, and from where Room 13 can continue to share its remarkable story.

Our thanks too, to the Room 13 team - trustees, artists and staff, and to the community of Caol and all who support Room 13 with their time and skills, and especially our young studio-users, their enthusiasm and energy make Room 13 the vibrant creative space it is.

The charity is registered for Gift Aid which boosts the value of independent donations.

Room 13 International Conversations

The Room 13 Board of Trustees recognizes the efforts of studios in many parts of the globe that are providing ongoing creative opportunities for young people.

Over the years, and even now, we continue to receive inquiries regarding how to launch a Room 13 from various school and community locations. Responding to this activity, we are presently holding conversations with those studios that sustain the Room 13 arts practice.

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In 2024-25 we have outreached to multiple studios, in such diverse locales as Hareclive UK, South Africa, Barcelona Spain, Pokhara Nepal, Australia, Dunedin New Zealand, and in the midwestern United States, etc. There are also multiple studios in Los Angeles which are in high demand.

The objective is not to organize or coordinate these studios but, in the spirit of self-determination, to establish friendships and further conversation between them. For this reason, we say “Room 13 is local, everywhere.” We believe that much can be learned by these exchanges, possibly in the manifestation of mutual art projects as well. We have also found that many Room 13 studios have transformed into other arts enterprises for young people. This discovery has pleased us in knowing that Room 13 was the inspiration and progenitor. It’s so gratifying to know the Room 13 initiative continues to thrive beyond our Caol, Scotland, origins.

Tom Coston, Room 13 Chair, President Lightbringer Project, Pasadena CA., USA

Financial Review & Reserves Policy

In 2024, Room 13's key funders were:

In July, Room 13 trustees approved a further interim pay increase for both the General Manager and Lead Artist, to continue to close the gap in salary/fee levels in line with Room 13's Fair Work First statement; increases are to be applied in spring 2025.

Adding to surplus funds is important - areas of potential growth include studio enterprise via expanding the school photography project and increasing our bespoke creative services to partner organisations (for e.g. Highland Council/Youth Highland youth employability project) as well as partnering with other organisations to deliver activities in Lochaber.

We closed the year with two months’ funds in the bank but with £32,181 funding secured and due for receipt in January/February 2025, from The National Lottery Community Fund/Young Start strand (for our More Mountains 18month programme of creative activities), Garfield Weston Foundation final instalment (third of three) and a pledge from The Hugh Fraser Foundation towards More Mountains .

Room 13's trustees and team continue to work with Highland Council officials towards formalising the charity's occupancy arrangements in the community building. We are active stakeholders, liaising with other user-groups to collaborate on activities, share facilities and equipment and address ongoing building management and maintenance issues.

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Reserves policy

The unrestricted funds represent the reserves available to use for the general activities of the company and are considered satisfactory.

was deemed to be appointed as independent examiner.

This report was approved by the Board of Trustees on 11[th] August 2025 and signed on its behalf by

Treasurer Room 13 International

Page 11

RooT• 13 IDtern#tiDnal Indcpcndettt exminer's report to the Trustees on th¢ ungudited accounts of Room 13 Intern4tiottl I report on the accounts of Room 13 Intcmational for th¢ ycar ended 31" December ?024 s¢t out on pages 13 to 15. Respective rfsponsibilitiu of Trusttts and independent examin¢r The charily's TnLS￿es are respon5ibl¢ for the pteparaiion of th¢ accounts in a¢¢ordance with the temis of the Charities and Trus￿¢ Invesunent (Scotlandl Act 2(K)5 and ihe Charitie5 Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 las amended). The charity trusiees consider thai Ihe audii rcquii¢mrnL of Rrgulation 10( i) Id) of ihc Accounts Regulations does not apply. li is my responsibiliry io exarnine the aLLUUlIt5 re4uired uThJcr 5¢Gtion 4411) (c) of th¢ Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my atLeniion. Ba515 of independent examiller's ststement My examination was carried out in ￿COrdanCe wilh Regulacion I l of the Charitsc5 Acwuni& ISLoÈland) R¢gulations 2(K)6. An ¢xaminalion includes a review of the ac¢ouniing records kept ty the charily and a Lvillparibuli of ilic accounts presented wilh those Tecords. It also includes consideration of an) unusual 1￿m5 or dibLI(Jsures it) tlie accounts, and seeking explanations from you as TNstees concerning any such matters. The wvi¢dures undertaken do not provide ail the evidence that would be required in an audiL and ¢onsequently I do not exrxT55 an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts. Indepelldent eiamiDer's ststement In conn¢¢tion with m) examin&tion, no matter has come to m), attention.. In the course of my exatnination. no matter has come to my attention.. which gives me reasonable cause to irlieve that in 8my material respect the requirements.. to keep accounting records in accordance M'ith section 4411) (al of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulaiions. and to prepare accounts which ac￿rd with the accounting records and c(xnply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations have not been meL or io which. in my opinion. attention sknuld be drawn in order to enable a proper vnderstanding of the accounts to be reached. Dak.. - I ith August 2025 Page12

Room 13 International

Statement of financial activities (incorporating the Receipts and Payments account) For the year ended 31st December 2024

Receipts
Grants
1
Incoming resources from charitable activities 2
Total Receipts
Payments
Administration and management
Premises
Core Creative Service Delivery
Marketing & Communications
Capital Costs
Other
Total payments
Net receipts/payments for year
Transfers
Total funds brought forward
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
14,055
3,605
17,660
18,109
1,987
16,956
393
16
-
37,461
(19,801)
609
23,047
3,855		 Restricted
funds
£
4,625
1,000
5,625
-
-
63
-
-
-
63
5,562
(609)
(3,016)
1,937		 Total
funds
£
18,680
4,605
23,285
18,109
1,987
17,019
393
16
-
37,524
(14,239)
-
20,031
5,792		 2023
£
33,019
8,846
41,865
18,473
1,018
33,841
792
3,896
1,253
59,273
(17,408)
-
37,439
20,031

The notes on page 15 form part of these financial statements

Page 13

Room 13 International

Statement of Assets and Liabilities As at 31[st] December 2024

Notes
Bank Accounts
Opening bank balances
Receipts
Payments
Closing bank balances
Funds
Restricted funds
3
Unrestricted funds
4
Total funds		 2024
£
20,031
23,285
(37,524)
5,792
1,937
3,855
5,792		 2023
£
37,439
41,865
(59,273)
20,031
(3,016)
23,047
20,031

11[th] August 2025

The notes on page 15 form part of these financial statements

Page 14

Room 13 International

Notes to financial statements For the year ended 31st December 2024

1 Grants
Unrestricted
Funds
£
The Hugh Fraser Foundation
-
TBWA
10,000
CCAG
-
Garfield Weston
-
Locheilnet Legacy
-
Other
-
Creative Scotland
-
Highland Council
4,055
14,055
2 Incoming resources from other charitable activities
Unrestricted
Funds
£
Sales
1,115
Donations & Fundraising
330
Other
900
Workshops
440
Projects
820
3,605
3 Restricted Funds
At 1stJanuary
2024
£
Creative Scotland
(3,625)
CCAG
-
Youth Highland
-
Youth Work Recovery Fund (HLH)
118
Youth Arts Fund Residency (Feis Rois Ltd)
491
(3,016)		 Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
1,000
-
-
-
3,625
-
4,625
Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
-
-
1,000
1,000
Incoming
Resources
£
3,625
1,000
1,000
-
-
5,625		 2024
2023
Total
Total
Funds
Funds
£
£
-
5,000
10,000
10,000
1,000
-
-
5,000
-
7,000
-
1,964
3,625
-
4,055
4,055
18,680
33,019
2024
2023
Total
Total
Funds
Funds
£
£
1,115
2,125
330
1,325
900
-
440
952
1,820
4,444
4,605
8,846
Outgoing
At 31stDecember
Resources Transfers
2024
£
£
-
-
-
-
-
1,000
63
-
937
-
(118)
-
-
(491)
-
63
(609)
1,937

4 Unrestricted Funds

Unrestricted Funds At 1stJanuary
2024
£
23,047
23,047		 Incoming
Resources
£
17,660
17,660		 Outgoing
Resources
£
37,461
37,461		 At 31stDecember
Transfers
2024
£
£
609
3,855
609
3,855

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