Charity No. SC050632
SambaYaBamba
(A Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation)
Annual Report and Financial Statements
for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
SambaYaBamba (SCIO)
| AnnualEndedReport 31 Marchand 2025Financial Statements for the Year
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Contents
Reference and Administrative Details Trustees' Report Independent Examiner's Report Statement of Receipts and Payments Statement of Balances Notes to the Financial Statements
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SambaYaBamba (SCIO) | Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 <a
Legal and administrative information
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Trustees
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Adult Performing Band Committee
Registered Address
Independent Examiner
Abacus 460 Ltd Beechcroft Blackhill Rd Forth South Lanarkshire ML11 8ET
Bankers
Cooperative Bank P.O. Box 101, 1 Balloon Street, Manchester M60 4EP
Charity number: SC050632
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SambaYaBamba (SCIO) | Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 |
Trustees’ Report
The Trustees submit their report together with the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.
Objectives and activities
SambaYaBamba was registered as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) on 16[th] December 2020. Our charitable purposes are to advance arts and culture by furthering knowledge, enthusiasm, and skills in Brazilian music, street music and associated arts by offering opportunities for people to:
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Learn Brazilian music, street music and associated arts;
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Develop the skills and knowledge needed to play in adult and youth performing groups;
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Play as a regular member of a performing band;
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Diversify and improve their skills through workshops and masterclasses with experienced performers;
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Collaborate with, and learn from, other performers from across the UK, Europe and elsewhere;
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Experience and enjoy high quality Brazilian and street music performances by artists from around the world.
Charitable activities
We deliver these purposes through 4 principal activity programmes:
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SambaYaBamba adult performing band - weekly rehearsals and regular performances for experienced players.
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SambaYaBamba Youth Street Band - weekly rehearsals and regular performance opportunities for young people aged 11 – 25.
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Beginner workshops - ongoing programme of weekly workshops for beginner players, with a public performance at the end of each block of workshops.
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Events and workshops - working with other organisations and experienced performers from the UK and elsewhere to develop and deliver a programme of activities ranging from large-scale street music festivals to master-classes.
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SambaYaBamba (SCIO) | Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 |
Achievements and performance from April 2024 to March 2025
Adult performing band
The adult band has continued its regular programme of rehearsals and performances, continuing our lease for our rehearsal space in Kilbirnie St, Glasgow. Rehearsals are an opportunity to prepare for performances, work on new material, and allow band members to develop their musical skills and learn new instruments.
The band has performed at 16 events this year. We have performed at large music festivals, community events, and charity fundraising events. Highlights include:
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Summer performances at festivals and community events such as Kelburn Garden Party, WestFest, Old Govan Fair and Carluke Gala Day
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Higher profile sporting events such as Ford RideGlasgow FreeCycle 2024
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A two-day trip to Aviemore to perform at a Summer Solstice Party at the Bridge Inn
In 2025, we continued the success of the 2024 re-launched Samba Jam organised in partnership with BlocoWinnoch (a community samba band from Lochwinnoch). The Samba Jam was an annual event for many years up to 2019 – and is an opportunity for players from across Scotland to come together as a community and to learn from each other. We will continue to be involved to support and develop this event in future. This year we hosted the event at our rehearsal space in Glasgow with plans to alternate the location each year.
Performance bookings for 2025 are healthy, with 15 events in the calendar at point of writing.
Our Musical Director has undergone a project to refresh our set list – removing some songs which we had played for a number of years and introducing 3 new songs: Plums, Stevie Wonder Medley, Mash up the Dance.
We have welcomed a number of new drummers and brass players who have integrated well and performed with us across the summer!
We have worked on development of new costumes for the Adult Performing Band. We have stopped collaborating with Cabasa (a carnival costume-maker based in Manchester) for mutual reasons. One being that the individual prices of each costume were too high. We are now working with a company to design and produce new SambaYaBamba Kilts in particular.
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SambaYaBamba (SCIO)
| Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
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SambaYaBamba Youth Street Band
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During the annual reporting year of April 2024 to March 2025, we had to make the heartbreaking, but only logical decision to pause our weekly regular delivery of SambaYaBamba Youth Street Band. This was following not only an incredibly challenging funding landscape, but also the additional issue of losing our city centre venue. We are incredibly grateful to the Clutha Trust for providing space for SYB Youth for a couple of years, however they simply did not have space for us when they moved to new premises.
Over many years, we also received support from Glasgow Life who provided rehearsal space via their UNESCO City of Music title. Though this had to change following covid, we were DELIGHTED to be back in our original home at The Old Fruitmarket for a brilliant performance for family and friends of SambaYaBamba Youth in June 2024.
We also used our final rehearsals & performance as an opportunity to film interviews with young people and capture footage of them playing so that we will have a fabulous film to use in our future Crowdfunding campaigns to re-start youth activity, In August 2024, our good friends at Oi Musica invited our Youth Band members to rehearse and perform with them in a fantastic youth collaboration outside the Scottish Parliament as part of the Healing Arts Festival opening Edinburgh Festival. Although Youth Band activity has been paused in 2024, the impact and quality of the band has filtered into the success and longevity of the Adult Performing Band. Members who started in the youth band have now become Trustees, Band Leaders and Gig Coordinators of the Adult Band. showing there is a pipeline of development and encouragement for the young talented players which mutually benefits the adult band.
Project Development
Taking into consideration our city centre rehearsal venue challenges along with the funding landscape, we made a conscious decision to explore moving SambaYaBamba Youth Street Band outwith city centre and basing ourselves in a
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SambaYaBamba (SCIO) | Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 |
community in Glasgow, something we had never done before. This exploration has allowed us to realise the HUGE benefits that this is going to bring our project in the future.
Through a period of Project Development over several months, we have created incredibly strong project partner links and viability within the Royston area of the city. This area made logical sense to us for a number of reasons including; two original Youth Band participants who began with us in 2016 are from that area, and they have both been on an inspiring journey of development within and around SambaYaBamba, including supporting delivery of rehearsals & workshops, taking on Future Leader training and travelling to Rio de Janeiro to train with Samba Schools.
In addition, we developed strong community partner links with Roystonhill Community Hub, St Roch’s Secondary, Glasgow Life, Creative Climate Futures and Music Broth to create a robust project to deliver in the future. We submitted the proposal for this project to the YMI Access fund at Creative Scotland but were unsuccessful in February 2025. This will be resubmitted later in 2025 along with further project developments within our new proposed home of Royston. We are really excited to establish our base within this community, while continuing to be accessible to young people from all over Glasgow who wish to continue with us.
The demand for our youth activity certainly has not disappeared and we continue to grow our waiting list of participants as we secure the funding to deliver.
As we paused our delivery in June 2024, we gathered this feedback from the 42 participants who were in the band:
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96% said that coming to band improved their mental health.
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100% would recommend the band to someone else.
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88% reported that they feel they felt more connected to peers & their community since joining the group.
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88% will definitely come back to future activity, with the remaining 12% stating they would love to, but it might not fit with other commitments.
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SambaYaBamba (SCIO) | Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 |
Adult beginners’ sessions
Our Musical Director, designed and delivered multiple “blocks” of drumming workshops each year, hosted in the SambaYaBamba rehearsal space and promoted through the band’s social media and networks. For annual reporting year of April 2024 to March 2025:
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June 4[th] 2024: 8 week block - 30 attendees.
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September 11[th] 2024: 12 week block - 28 attendees.
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January 14[th] 2025: 8 week block - 27 attendees.
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85 attendees total - 13 of which were invited to join SambaYaBamba as performing members.
Workshops and Masterclasses
As well as beginners’ workshops for non-members, we aim to always support the learning and skills development of our active members.
Samba Jam was an opportunity to collaborate with another local Samba band, BlocoWinnoch, and share techniques and breaks (sections of songs) and enjoy Brazilian culture together whilst celebrating Carnival.
Bateria Workshop Weekender in Glasgow: on the 14[th] & 15[th] of September 2024, we welcomed two renowned Samba percussion tutors to Glasgow to teach with our musical director Roddy. The workshop served up a mix of contemporary rhythms, techniques, breaks and inventions from Rio's samba school baterias. The goal was to bring information straight from the source. New ways of playing the samba groove, the latest technique approaches, tuning of the instruments, as well as new ways of playing the turns and repique calls. It was a workshop with a strong focus on an efficient teaching method which will improve technique, and expand the participant's minds, as well as the musical vocabularies.
The tutors were:
a music trainer since 2000, he recorded 4 albums and 2 DVDs with band Monobloco. s also a passionate 'Samba researcher' in Rio. For this purpose he has created his website Samba Beats where you can find loads of information about Samba, the baterias in Rio and their music and history.
is a skilled percussionist with a deep passion for Brazilian music. JP Percussion was formed in 2014 and provides workshops, Brazilian instruments and accessories, and a 2-week drumming course in Rio De Janeiro which many of our members have completed over the years.
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SambaYaBamba (SCIO) | Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 |
Financial Review
The financial results for the year are set out in the financial statements that follow.
Trustees consider the financial position to be satisfactory.
The charity closed the year with total funds of £36,702.
Principal funding sources
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OI MUSICA C.I.C.
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WILLIAM GRANT & SONS
Financial policy
The Trustees have agreed a Financial Policy to ensure good governance of the organisations finances. The policy sets out how accounts will be prepared, budget monitoring and banking arrangements. Trustees will review the Finance Policy annually.
Reserves policy
The organisation will hold unrestricted reserves of £8,467 or equivalent to 3 months operating costs based on the previous year’s accounts (whichever is higher). Unrestricted reserves at 31 March 2025 were £36,702.
Principal risks and uncertainties
The Board has carried out an organisational risk assessment to identify the principal risks the charity may face, and actions to mitigate those risks, or minimise their impact should they materialise.
Principal risks, and actions taken to address them, are as follows;
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Core income still lower than pre-covid. Trustees recommended that band membership fees were increased in 2023/24. This was agreed by members at an EGM in April 2023.
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Fundraising to continue to deliver the Youth Street Band. A number of funders have been identified, and funding applications are in development for submission in 2025/26. We have also kept funds in reserve to appoint a freelance fundraiser to support the Youth Band Co-ordinator if required.
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Ensuring a sustainable and affordable venue for our programmes. We also work with Glasgow City Council and others to seek a venue that will allow us to deliver all our activities from one place.
Trustees will continue to monitor and review the organisation’s finances and operations. While trustees recognise the challenges faced by charities at present, we believe that SambaYaBamba is in a good position to grow and develop further.
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SambaYaBamba (SCIO) | Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 |
Plans for the future
We will complete the re-design and production on new costumes for the Adult Performing Band – aiming to have new costumes ready for summer 2026.
We are focusing on integrating 12 new drummers and 3 new brass players that joined the band in January 2025. We are supporting them with learning the parts and also our processes and systems e.g. how to sign up for gigs on our website.
We are excited to be performing across 2025 with a larger band and an updated set list!
Structure, Governance and Management
Governing document
SambaYaBamba is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) and was recognised as a charity on 16 December 2020. We are governed through a constitution agreed by members in November 2020.
Organisational structure
The governing body of SambaYaBamba are our Members. Membership is by invitation and is open to individuals aged 16 or over who have the skills and knowledge required to perform with the SambaYaBamba performing band. We had 57 members at 31 March 2025. Charity trustees are elected / appointed by the Members to manage the operations of the charity at an Annual General Meeting (AGM). Charity trustees report to the Members annually at the AGM.
Trustees
The maximum number of charity trustees is 12; and the minimum number is 7. At least 7 shall be charity trustees who were elected / appointed from our membership, and up to 5 shall be co-opted trustees. In 2024/25 we have had 7 charity trustees elected from our membership.
Reference and administrative details
Information about the charity is set out on page 1.
Trustees have prepared this annual report and charity accounts to meet the requirements of Scottish charities set out by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.
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SambaYaBamba (SCIO)
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| AnnualEndedReport 31 Marchand 2025Financial Statements for the Year
On behalf of the Trustees:
Date: 22 December 2025
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SambaYaBamba (SCIO) | Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 |
Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of SambaYaBamba
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025 which are set out on pages 11 to 14.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended). The charity trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1)(d) of the 2006 Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under Section 44(1)(c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner’s report
My examination was carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. An 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, I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts.
Independent examiner's statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
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(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
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to keep accounting records in accordance with section 44(1)(a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations; and
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to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations have not been met; or
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(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
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SambaYaBamba (SCIO) | Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 |
Abacus 460 Ltd Beechcroft Blackhill Rd Forth South Lanarkshire ML11 8ET
Date: 22 December 2025
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SambaYaBamba (SCIO) | Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 3
SambaYaBamba Statement of Receipts and Payments for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
| Unrestricted Restricted | Unrestricted Restricted | Total | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| funds | funds | funds | funds | |
| 2025 | 2025 | 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Receipts | ||||
| Grants | 5,885 | - | 5,885 | 23,938 |
| Gross trading receipts | 19,784 | - | 19,784 | 13,115 |
| 25,669 | - 25 | - 25,669 | 37,053 | |
| Total receipts | 25,669 | - 25 | - 25,669 | 37,053 |
| Payments | ||||
| Payments relating directly to charitable activities: | ||||
| Gross trading payments | 27,484 | - | 27,484 | 6,191 |
| Grants and donations | 5,885 | - | 5,885 | 63,978 |
| Governance costs: | ||||
| Independent examiner's fees | 500 | - | 500 | 500 |
| 33,869 | - 33 | - 33,869 | 70,669 | |
| Total payments | 33,869 | - 33 | - 33,869 | 70,669 |
| Net receipts (payments) | (8,199) | - (8,199) (33,616) | - (8,199) (33,616) | - (8,199) (33,616) |
| Transfers (from)/to funds | - | - | - | - |
| Surplus (deficit) for year | (8,199) | - | **(8,199) ** | (33,616) |
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SambaYaBamba (SCIO) | Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 |
SambaYaBamba (Charity Registration number: SC050632) Statement of Balances as at 31 March 2025
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Restricted | Total | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| funds | funds | funds | funds | ||
| 2025 | 2025 | 2025 | 2024 | ||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Funds reconciliation | |||||
| Cash and bank balances at start of | |||||
| year | 44,901 | - | 44,901 | 78,517 | |
| Surplus (deficit) for the year | (8,199) | - | (8,199) | (33,616) | |
| Cash and bank balances at 31 | |||||
| March | 36,702 | - | 36,702 | 44,901 | |
| Liabilities (Unrestricted Fund) | |||||
| Independent examiner's fees | 500 | - | 500 | 500 | |
| 500 | - | 500 | 500 |
The notes on pages 15 to 16 form an integral part of these financial statements.
The financial statements on pages 13 to 16 were approved by the trustees, on 22 December 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
Chair
Vice-chair
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SambaYaBamba (SCIO) | Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 |
SambaYaBamba Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
1 Basis of Accounting
These financial statements have been prepared on the Receipts and Payments basis in accordance with the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).
2 Funds
Unrestricted funds are those that may be used at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the objects of the charity.
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.
3 Related party transactions
There were no related party transactions for the period ended 31 March 2025.
4 Trustees’ remuneration and benefits
There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the period ended 31 March 2025.
Trustees' expenses
There were no trustees' expenses paid for the period ended 31 March 2025.
5. Grants received
| 5. Grants received | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted Restricted | Unrestricted Restricted | Total | Total | |
| funds | funds | funds | funds | |
| 2025 | 2025 | 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| General grants | - | - | - | 3,146 |
| Creative Scotland | - | - | - | 3,000 |
| OI MUSICA C.I.C. | 4,351 | - | 4,351 | - |
| WILLIAM GRANT & SONS | 950 | - | 950 | - |
| Youthlink Scotland | - | - | - | 15,000 |
| Local Giving | - | - | - | 1,000 |
| CAF | - | - | - | 1,000 |
| Glasgow City Council | - | - | - | 200 |
| Crowd Funding | 584 | - | 584 | 592 |
| 5,885 | - | 5,885 23 | 885 23,938 |
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SambaYaBamba (SCIO) | Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 |
SambaYaBamba Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
6. Cost of charitable activities
| 6. Cost of charitable activities | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted Restricted | Unrestricted Restricted | Total | Total | |
| funds | funds | funds | funds | |
| 2025 | 2025 | 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Premises expenses | 9,096 | - | 9,096 | 10,878 |
| Direct expenses | 4,919 | - | 4,919 | 5,482 |
| Equipment | 363 | - | 363 | - |
| Training | - | - | - | 403 |
| Travel | 1,509 | - | 1,509 | 2,904 |
| Staff | 17,482 | - | 17,482 50,502 | 17,482 50,502 |
| 33,369 | - 33 | - 33,369 70 | 369 70,169 | |
| 7. Governance costs | ||||
| Independent examiner's fees | 500 | - | 500 | 500 |
| 500 | - | 500 | 500 |
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