The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2024.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006 and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019).
MusicLinks works to educate the public in the art of music. We assist disadvantaged people and communities by responding to the needs of those living at risk of isolation and/or living in rural areas, primarily those living with disabilities.
Activities undertaken in relation to those purposes
In the pursuit of our charitable purposes in the last year we have continued to deliver music education workshops, which are free at the point of access in disadvantaged areas. We’ve worked extensively with special schools, day care centres and the bedbound, supporting those with learning difficulties in South Lakeland, Eden, Barrow and Carlisle. For the first time we have also begun to build up partnerships with the Cumbria diaspora and representative organisations. We have also recruited refugee artists via Zoom to take part in our workshops programme.
In the period covered by this report, we have delivered exclusively in Cumbria, although we remain open to working further afield as and when the need may arise.
The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the Charity should undertake.
MusicLinks main activities for the public benefit 2023-24
In order to support our charitable purposes, the Chief Executive Officer/Music Leader and team have drawn down funding from a variety of local and national trusts and foundations to fund the further development and delivery of one main music project and associated workshops: JamTent Community Music Workshops 2024. This project was devised to support people with additional needs, refugees, and artists living in exile. The project proved a success.
JTCMW24 brought people together to build strong relationships in and across communities. These workshops fostered strong connections and promoted cultural exchange. Early-stage and advanced players explored various musical genres, enhancing their skills and boosting confidence. It was then expected that participants would showcase their collaborative creations to thousands of festivalgoers. JTCMW24 aimed to empower fledgling artists to reach their full potential through skills development, personal growth, community connection, and cultural enrichment by involving artists from Syria, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Sudan, and more. However, the performance element of the project was curtailed by the continued poor health of our CEO resulting from burns received in a gas explosion. Despite this we delivered a good programme for the year and ensured that 2025 was well prepared for.
"The service users took great pleasure in joining in with the question-and-answer sessions and meeting the musicians in person or via Zoom. The musicians were all very patient and friendly. The workshops that MusicLinks brought to our centre evoked such joy for the service users, who also enjoyed playing instruments, singing, and talking to the musicians in exile."
— Amanda Cleasby, Supervisor – Westmorland and Furness DMH Kendal Day Services.
JTCMW24 was a transformative community music project designed to unite individuals with SEN/LD and artists living in exile through regular music workshops over six months, in 2024. We aimed to showcase some of the music at a separately funded celebration, JamTent–Kendal Calling, in August 2024, where participants jammed alongside festival artists and festivalgoers.
However, as mentioned this was not possible so it is now planned to happen in 2025.
"Last year's A4A-funded MusicLinks project was brilliant and built up a lot of confidence in our young people. It inspired us as an organisation to introduce more music in our sessions and travel to Kendal Calling this year."
— Les McLeese, YouthAbility Coordinator
Our funding applications were informed by verbal and written feedback from 351 participants (including 21 volunteers) from recent projects; opinions were drawn from participants, staff, artists, young carers and volunteers at local day care settings and special schools. Regular two-hour music workshops in local venues have connected exiled artists in the UK and EU via video link (and in person) with vulnerable groups. YouthAbility drew approximately 130 people with SEN/LD weekly to its club nights, while Cumbria Day Services engaged 15 users per session. Class sizes at George Hastwell in Barrow averaged 12.
In partnership, we contacted previous beneficiaries and recruited new participants living in care. We also boosted visibility through local press, posters, flyers, and artist networks. JTCMW24 aimed to make a difference by promoting ethnically diverse talents, countering loneliness, and creating wonderful memories. We fostered new music skills, improved instrumental, aural, and motor skills, encouraged cultural appreciation, and ensured inclusive experiences for people who faced barriers to participation.
At all stages, we allowed group members to discuss the project's progress and contribute their ideas and perspectives. To ensure community involvement in the project's preparation and evaluation, we established a steering group made up of teachers, carers, service managers, and other participants, along with promoters and artists, ensuring open communication channels through regular face-to-face discussions and engagement on social media platforms and Zoom/Microsoft Teams. We encouraged a direct voice in the decision-making process.
Feedback forms were circulated regularly to gather insights, assess the project's impact, and collect suggestions for improvement from attendees, carers, parents, artists, and audiences. We offered a structured platform for community input and collaboration. Our relationships with local partners, schools, community centres, and Kendal Calling helped broaden the project's reach and impact on the wider community.
We held post-event evaluation workshops to review how things had gone and identify the best ways forward. Crucially, we aimed to build on the positive effects and enthusiasm created by the programme, embedding the skills and attitudes that music jamming could foster across different cultures and communities.
Below is some feedback drawn from project evaluations:
“YouthAbility had the pleasure of teaming up with MusicLinks this year to bring together young people and young adults with disabilities with artists in exile. We love these sessions as music is one of the most accessible forms of activity we can provide. It also has enabled our young people to learn other cultures and gain new experiences
We look forward to working with the MusicLinks team in the future and making some great opportunities for the wider community. The MusicLinks sessions were brilliant and have built up a lot of confidence in our young people. They’ve inspired us as an organisation to introduce more music in our sessions and explore how we can incorporate music with the youth work process.”
Les Mcleese - YouthAbility
“ The service users had great pleasure in joining in with the question and answer sessions and meeting musicians in a personable way, the musicians are all very patient and friendly. The workshops that MusicLinks bring evoke such joy to the service users, they also enjoy taking part by playing instruments, singing and talking to the musicians in exile.” Mandy Cleasby, Supervisor, Wider Opportunities, Westmorland and Furness DMH Day Services
Here are quotes and a little background information from some of the artists worked with:
“I’m thrilled to hear that the workshop went well and that the team found it valuable. It was a pleasure collaborating with everyone and ensuring the setup ran smoothly.”
Hamsa Mounif
Hamsa Mounif of the Orchestra of Syrian Musicians was touring Europe with Africa Express when she decided not to go home. In Damascus, she had received threats from Islamic fundamentalists, saying she would be killed if she continued to sing”
Dorian Lynskey - The Guardian
“It was a great session with you yesterday and I hope we can continue this journey together.” Somaye Abkar
“As always, it was an honor to work with you. Thank you for having me on board.”
Raghad Haddad
Viola player Raghad Haddad was granted asylum in the UK in 2017 and now lives in Brighton. Born in Yabroud, a small town in the mountains north of Damascus, in 1981, Haddad started playing the viola when she was 16. After graduating from the conservatoire in Damascus, she began teaching and leading a double musical life. While performing western classical music with the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra. Raghad came to the UK after the civil war broke out in 2011.
JTBGO 24 was well-supported in terms of staff and resources
(inc: venue, power, parking, transport and moral support & good vibes).
The vulnerable groups involved were from:
George Hastwell Special School (Barrow)
Leonard Cheshire Disability (now YouthAbility Barrow)
Oaklea Trust
Cumbria Disability
Cumbria Day Service
Cumbria Care
Furness Refugee Support
Furness Multi Cultural Forum
Multicultural Cumbria
The project achieved its primary goals:
Profiling talent of all abilities, increasing confidence and skills.
Livestreaming refugee artists from across the UK and further afield so as to support vulnerable people affected by issues related to SEN/LD or those living as part of the Cumbria Diapsora.
Here is a link to a short film showcasing some of our recent work: https://vimeo.com/reelthings/review/1047681579/5532e5bed8
Expenditure:
We spent less than usual this year due to the accident that occurred at the end of 2023. Our spending was in line with the charity’s aims and with the budgets presented to funders.
Volunteers
As with previous years our volunteers worked hard throughout and did a terrific job. They brought a great deal of enthusiasm and commitment to the programme. As for family/carers, we couldn't have done it without them. Our volunteers are recruited either by word of mouth or recommendation. As in previous years, volunteers were not paid for their time but were paid for any out-of-pocket expenses including: travel, postage and telephone costs, essential equipment, such as PPE and were all provided with, or reimbursed for, refreshments.
Spending
In delivering our work for the public benefit, in line with our purposes, we have paid the CEO/Lead Musician for project development, workshop delivery, fundraising and general management tasks. We’ve spent the largest part of our budget on project costs, engaging the services of Music Leaders, local and world-class music artists and bands.
We purchased new equipment for our Mobile Resource Pack; the kit sent out to refugee artists appearing via Zoom during the workshops to ensure good quality audio. To ensure the safety of our beneficiaries carried out risk assessments to identify any risks of harm. We have delivered workshops mainly in situ at community/day-centres and special schools.
The primary achievement of this year has been to continue to deliver a community music programme that responds to the needs of the most vulnerable in our community whilst laying the groundwork for future development. This year was severely impacted by the accident involving our CEO and subsequent recovery period he needed. This effectively halved the work we could do and the funding available for our community outreach. That said, the results of our work remain positive and the outlook for the future is much improved in line with the ongoing recovery of our Lead Musician/CEO.
As with previous years our finances are built around the delivery of projects in the spring and summer, reviewing and reporting in the autumn and then fundraising in winter into spring. During the winter/spring period remaining funds are used to ensure the administration and fundraising team can continue working effectively in order to raise funds for and deliver the spring / summer programme. Due to the fact that we are not a ‘regularly funded’ organisation we continue to rely on project-by-project funding via trusts and foundations.
Therefore, we continue to operate a no reserves policy. Although we acknowledge the financial risk from the possibility of unforeseen expenditure, a shortfall in income, or an inability to control costs, we continue to operate this way and have therefore worked in recent years to ensure that our administrative costs are kept as low as possible and at a sustainable level. We’ve employed people on a purely freelance/sessional basis, improved our levels of voluntary support and mainly run the charity from home. Apart from the storage facility we rent on a monthly basis in Witherslack and the occasional on-costs relating to electricity, heating, phone/internet and travel costs, we have reduced our administration costs significantly (by around 80%) in the last 13 years in order to reduce risk and ensure the overall resilience and sustainability of the charity. However, it remains a responsibility of the administration and trustees to continue to research and develop ways to:
• implement a sustainable reserves policy
• raise the necessary funds to generate reserves at around 12% annually
• diversify our funding base
• mitigate the risks that might arise if the charity has to close suddenly
During this reporting period we have drawn down funding support from a variety of Trusts and Foundations.
All related expenditure/funding outlined above was drawn down in order to support the JTBGO 24 project and associated workshops, administrative costs, and to enable the overall development of our charitable work.
MusicLinks continues to operate as a company limited by guarantee in accordance with the procedures outlined in our: MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED 17 FEBRUARY 2009 AS AMENDED BY SPECIAL RESOLUTION 25 JUNE 2009
The trustees who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
All Trustees are consulted when appointing new Trustees, but if all are unavailable then it falls to the Directors of MusicLinks Limited and the Chief Executive Officer.
Chief Executive Officer: Andrew Halsey
Trustees Statement
We the Trustees of MusicLinks confirm that we are aware of and have had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. We are aware that this is a Legal requirement in line with the Charities Act when exercising any powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant. As such we have taken it into account when making decisions to which the guidance is relevant and have not decided to depart from the guidance, unless we have had good reasons for doing so.
Contribution made by Volunteers
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Musiclinks Limited (the charity) for the year ended 31 August 2024.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act 2011.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 386 of the Companies Act 2006.
the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 other than any requirement that the financial statements give a true and fair view, which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their financial statements in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Musiclinks Limited is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Woodside Garth Row, Underbarrow, Kendal, LA8 8AY.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" and the Charities SORP "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)". The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities not to prepare a statement of cash flows.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, [modified to include the revaluation of freehold properties and to include investment properties and certain financial instruments at fair value]. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
No trustee received funds from the charity for direct services provided during the year.
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.
There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2023 - none).