The Trustees present their report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025. The Trust is a charitable company limited by guarantee and accepted as a charity by HM Revenue and Customs under reference XR18282.
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).
During this financial year The Playhouse has continued to operate within its updated Strategic Framework developed in 2021-22 whilst establishing a business plan for 2025-26 and a plan for a fuller strategic development process to begin in the 2025-26 financial year.
The Playhouse is a vibrant theatre and arts organisation in Northern Ireland. We're a national asset: an award-winning production theatre, an empowering centre for learning and a global leader in arts and peaceful change. We matter locally, regionally and to the international communities we connect with.
We're a space to make meaning and a place that's here for good. We believe in inclusion, inspiring creativity and opening up the imaginative world of theatre, dance, art and music for everyone to enjoy.
Our vision is to create community, celebrate diversity and empower people through the arts.
The difference we make is: Making meaning together creatively, peacefully and with hope.
We have three strategic areas of endeavour:
Producing Art
Empowering People and
Making Peaceful Change
Our values:
Inclusive
Kind
Creative
Resilient
Respect
Excellence
Our Working Together Principles:
When working together internally or with external partners, stakeholders or clients we actively embody these principles
Assume positive intent
Listen first to understand
Find the common ground
Respect difference
Build reliable and trustworthy relationships
To support these areas of endeavour The Playhouse:
Hosts at least 60 nights of high quality live and streamed Theatre, Music and Comedy by local, national & international artists in its 144 seat theatre.
Regularly commissions, produces and tours new theatre and film. Its work has been seen throughout the island of Ireland, and in Britain, mainland Europe, USA and East Africa to widespread critical acclaim.
Delivers socially engaged arts workshops and projects that address difficult issues in some of the most divided communities in Northern Ireland. The Playhouse uses arts activity to encourage creativity and learning, to promote reconciliation, health & wellbeing and peaceful change. The Playhouse, with its partners, also delivers hundreds of classes in drama, visual arts, dance and music to thousands of people each year, including Open College Network qualifications in the arts and citizenship.
The Trustees have paid due regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.
During the financial year ending 2025, The Playhouse built on the significant renewal that has been underway in previous years and continues to show flexibility and endeavour in developing its work and engaging audiences and communities in high quality art and culture making.
Both physical and online audiences attended events in The Playhouse and in other venues we produced in. Over 8000 people engaged in our performances, festival and learning and participation events both live and online. An estimated 274,703 engaged with our work through broadcast and social media and alongside employing 25 full and part time staff we provided work for over 170 freelance artists and creatives. The Playhouse work continues to be rooted in the North West but increasingly it is connecting regionally, nationally and internationally expanding its impact through collaboration and co-production.
Producing Art
Highlight productions this financial year include:
Triumph of Music / Triumph of Art
2024-25
Co-produced by The Playhouse and The National Gallery
To help celebrate their bicentenary The National Gallery commissioned Jeremy Deller to create an event ‘The Triumph of Art’ that celebrates festivals, gatherings and art in public places as part of a major UK-wide work. The Playhouse is the Northern Ireland Partner and during this year engaged with local communities and collaborators in preparation for a Triumph of Music performance in Guildhall Square, Derry-Londonderry and a Triumph of Art performance in Trafalgar Square, London scheduled for April and July 2025. Activities included banner making workshops by Ed Hall, collaborative meetings with key organisations such as the Armagh Rhymers, the Londonderry Bands Forum, Celtronic, Museums NI and artists such as Bob Johnston, David Campbell and Johnny Delaney and an audience with the artist Jeremy Deller, interviewed by BBC Broadcaster, Stephen McCauley. The project also provided an opportunity for 8 emerging artists as part of piloting The Playhouse’s Next Stage Programme. These artists formed a core company of performers that worked alongside the Armagh Rhymers and Jeremy Deller to devise and develop key performing elements of the project.
Dangerous Play
2024-25
Commissioned by The Playhouse
Following an award by Arts Council Northern Ireland a call was put out for writers to respond to a brief around the story of women’s football across time and across different important moments and centres of activity. Following a shortlisting and recruitment process the commission was awarded to Amanda Verlaque and a first draft was delivered with the expectation of further development towards a production (funding dependent).
Field Day / Seamus Deane Lecture: Amitav Ghosh
30 November 2024
Co-produced by The Playhouse and Field Day
Working alongside Field Day The Playhouse co-produced the annual Seamus Deane lecture featuring one of the world’s most important thinkers, Amitav Ghosh, who spoke about the themes incorporated in his book ‘The Nutmeg’s Curse’. As well as co-producing this sold out event in the Guildhall, Derry-Londonderry The Playhouse commissioned four poets / actors / musicians to perform a new spoken word / music piece written by them in response to the themes in Amitav Ghosh's book:
Alex Cregan (poet and performer)
Connie Doherty (performer and singer)
Niamh McNally (poet and performer)
Caolán Austin (Composer and Sound Designer)
Marian Hotel
2-5 October 2024
By Caitriona Cunningham
Directed by Patricia Byrne
Produced by Sole Purpose Productions
Based on Caitriona Cunningham’s lived experience of being in Marianvale Mother and Baby home in Newry the production played to sell out audiences following early read throughs and development work at The Playhouse. The play was developed by Sole Purpose Productions over a year with Dramaturg Emily DeDakis and a cast of stellar local actors. It is a searing portrayal of a dark time in Irish history with a 70s/80s soundtrack. Touring as the Inquiry in the North of Ireland begins, the play is a call to all impacted to come forward and raise their voices so that they may never again be silenced and shamed for being human.
Nancy Boy Shenanigans
22-23 August 2024
Written by Michael Kerrigan.
Produced by Shá Gillespie
Directed by JP Conaghan
Performed by Andy Doherty
Visual Designer - Caoimhe Sweeney
Stage Manager - Grace Doherty
In partnership with Ulster University (Derry Campus), the school of Arts and Humanities, and UU's LGBT+ Staff Network and Dublin Pride and supported by The Playhouse
Sold out during Foyle Pride at The Playhouse, Nancy Boy Shenanigans is not your typical Troubles or Gender play; it's a beacon of Resistance Theatre. Kerrigan's powerful storytelling offers a window into the LGBTQAI+ experience of Derry 1970's onwards through the eyes and ears of a gay Derry man navigating the tumultuous start of a war for basic civil rights, this play is a profound exploration of identity, resilience, and the fight for justice and peace.
“A Mad Strange Night” – A Cabaret
20th June 2024
Devised by Members of The Playhouse Musical Theatre Company in Collaboration with Sarah De Tute, David Fairs & Conor O’Kane
The final sharing of The Playhouse Musical Theatre Company’s 3-year pilot programme that provided young and emerging artists based in the Northwest invaluable opportunities to learn, participate and perform. The final showing was a piece created and designed by the company itself, a cabaret of special showcasing moments. Performers:
Florentyna Anderson
Thomas Mahon
Sarah Fox
Matthew McLaughlin
Mark McLaughlin
Leon Cullen
Honor Cosgrove
Niamh Morrison
Ronan Tester
Cait Ferry
Jamie Plews
EDI Conference 8 April 2024 Produced by The Playhouse An important industry conference which included two insightful panel discussions, involving both talent and industry leaders on the following topics:
1. Lead the Way Nurturing inclusive leadership in arts, culture and community
2. Spotlight on Talent Cultivating and celebrating diverse talent in arts, culture and community
Speakers included:
Empowering People & Making Peaceful Change
Key activities included: |
Artitude An exciting community engagement project grounded in the circular economy, that uses the arts and creative practice to encourage behaviour change and challenge attitudes to waste, consumption and climate action. This year saw the announcement of a significant further investment from the National Lottery of £1m + over 3 years beginning in 2024. The Playhouse is working with partners Zero Waste Northwest, Northern Ireland Resources Network, Queens University Belfast and Derry City and Strabane District Council to co-ordinate and deliver a programme which puts creativity and art making at the heart of transformation.
Blueprint The BluePrint project was a collaboration between University College Cork, Derry City and Strabane District Council, Mayo County Council and The Playhouse. It engaged flood-affected communities, in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area, from villages Eglinton and Newtownstewart, in an artistic co-creation process to share and exchange their lived-experiences around flooding and climate adaptation.
BluePrint project artist, Sara Walmsley, in collaboration with community participants and project partners co-created multiple creative outputs to amplify climate risk communication with decision-makers and communities at-risk.
A sound and light Installation entitled “In at Midnight and Away by Morning: The Uninvited Guest” weaves together the voices and sounds that tell the stories of two devastating flood events that affected the people and places of Eglinton and Newtownstewart in 2017 and 2022. This piece combines poetic reflection, polyphonic harmonies of St. Eugene’s Church choir, as well as the sonification of historic and predicted rainfall data. It captures the lived experience of two communities who, in having to deal with the realities of flooding, are already learning to live with the impacts of climate change and their need for climate resilience. Performances took place in Derry-Londonderry and Strabane and the work continues to be in demand at events across the island of Ireland. |
Experiences from the co-creation process in Derry-Londonderry were shared in Mayo through an All-Island two-way learning and exchange bringing together communities and other artists, government actors and scientific partners working on, or interested in, creative co-creation processes for engaging communities around climate adaptation and resilience.
Research and evaluation activities during the co-creation process in Derry-Londonderry and the learning exchange with Mayo have resulted in a creative co-creation toolkit targeting local governments and other professionals working with communities adapting to climate change across Ireland.
Thats Powerful That’s Powerful is an exciting new project that explores the interface between civic dialogue, social change, peacebuilding and art making. Created by the Playhouse, That’s Powerful has been designed to reach out to new groups, schools, communities, and localities to enable people to engage in issues that are important to them. Through the lens of the creative arts, That’s Powerful empowers groups to identify rights-based issues that are central to their lived experience, then explore how to advocate for social change. It has completed a pilot year and undergone a evaluation of its impact. Some feedback includes:
“So often when they speak to policy makers, nothing comes of it. With That’s Powerful, they are seeing the outcome and being in the lead. What they want to achieve has been front and centre throughout”. Group Coordinator “I’m definitely more vocal, expressive, and feel more accepted in this space and therefore not as afraid to be myself”. Participant
Further funding has already been sourced and plans for further work in both Northern Ireland and London are being developed. |
Arts, Health & Wellbeing Song for the Soul A project in partnership with the Western Health and Social Care Trust working with a choir of adults with a diagnosed severe and enduring mental illness. Regular weekly workshops and opportunities to perform together.
Lilliput Theatre A theatre group involving adults with learning difficulties in partnership with the Western Health and Social Care Trust. The Playhouse supports their annual show and hosts them as a resident group. |
Continued progress towards an Open Arts Pathway through:
Choice & Voice for 8-12 year olds – offering co-designed workshops in creative and civic skills in neighbourhoods. Funding has been sourced to support the recruitment of a Youth Engagement Officer which is still underway
The BRIDGE Project for 12-16 year olds enables young people to explore who they are as a performer and gain valuable experience from industry professionals via tuition and guest workshops. The course focuses on performance skills via singing, acting and dancing and offers an Open College Network (OCN) qualifications.
Bridge Stepping Up
An introductory programme providing a distinctive opportunity to learn, perform and develop leading to an OCN Level One Award in Creative Arts and Digital Technologies.
Bridge Standing Out
This course is designed to lead on from ‘Stepping Up.’ offering participants the free opportunity to study Level Two Award Creative Arts and Digital technologies, completing the following modules: Musical Ensemble Skills and Performance Realisation Skills.
Bridge Showcases for the year November 2024 The BRIDGE Standing Out cohort devised and performed - Tis it the Season? Halloween vs Christmas - to a packed house at The Playhouse
June 2024 Another devised piece 'Hayplouse High: The School Outside Space & Time' through which BRIDGE participants developed their skills and experience. Again to a packed house at The Playhouse
The Next Stage Programme – continuing to learn from our Playhouse Music Theatre Company pilot and testing our revised approach through projects such as Triumph of Music / Art in early 2025 and a cabaret showcase in mid 2024
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The Playhouse: A Heritage Building and Community Resource
In this year with support from the Architectural Heritage Fund we engaged key stakeholders in thinking through how the partially derelict Convent site that The Playhouse is part of could be developed. It enabled The Playhouse to not only develop an options report for the adjacent derelict Convent building but also think through how to meet its current heritage and environmental sustainability needs. The plans and associated conversations have helped catalyse a renewed focus on the site leading to a new consortium being formed to develop it in sympathy with the emerging needs of The Playhouse. We also provide affordable space and resources for:
With all of these achievements and cultural and civic benefit provided, The Playhouse continues to work through significant challenges in relation to cashflow and developing and sustaining its unrestricted reserves. This is a result of the current challenging operating environment for the Arts in Northern Ireland with significantly increased core costs (following inflation, NIC increases, cost of living and cost of doing business increases) whilst existing core funding has remained static.
That said, The Playhouse is one of the leading established Arts Organisations with a long track record of success that is continuing to attract core support year on year and indications from the Arts Council and Department of Communities of working towards a more financially sustainable sector, more able to realise its value and contribute to Northern Ireland Society including in relation to health & general wellbeing, education, net-zero and the economy
Continued investment from the National Lottery Communities Climate Action Fund and confirmation of the largest single investment in the work of The Playhouse - €2m by PeacePlus show an improved picture in this financial year enabling further action to:
These actions combined with the increased funding already confirmed and robust management of core costs create the conditions for improved financial stability for our people, programmes and public good going forward.
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The results for the year are set out on page 15.
Total income for the year was £1,102,592 (2024: £813,843) of which 90% (2024: 79%) was generated from contracts, grants and donations and 10% (2024: 21%) from charitable activities.
Total expenditure was £1,114,310 (2024: £1,079,026) of which 95% (2024: 95%) was expended on direct charitable activities.
The balance on total funds at the year end was £3,412,264 of which £64,281 was unrestricted, £423,933 was restricted and £2,924,050 was designated in nature.
Going Concern
Having reviewed the Trust’s forecasts, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the Trust has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. The principal factors underlying this judgement include:
Current levels of financial performance by comparison with budgeted expectations;
Expected revenue from the Trust’s business plan
Continuing support from the ACNI.
Accordingly, the Trust continues to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the annual financial statements.
Reserves Policy
It is the policy of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month’s expenditure. The Trustees considers that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised.
The Playhouse will continue to develop and grow its existing creative partnerships, programmes and projects, while devising new, cutting edge, innovative arts, education and peace making initiatives that impact positively on areas and people of greatest need. In the current context it will be mindful of its capacity to deliver within available funds, prioritising and if necessary taking more time to progress programmes of activity. Future plans include significant new works such as Operation Desperation (the foundation story of Foyle Women’s Aid) and Dangerous Play (exploring the inspirational stories of women footballers across 3 eras and 4 countries); fully establishing the Open Arts Pathway to include Choice & Voice, BRIDGE and Next Stage programmes; and the development of its Arts and Climate Action, Arts and Peacemaking and Arts, Health & Wellbeing Programmes to meet the needs of people today.
Governing Document
The charity is a company limited by guarantee and accepted as charitable by HMRC under reference XR18282. The company was incorporated on 28th September 1992 and is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association which was updated on 30th September 2014.
The Trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year were:
Appointment of Trustees
The Charity Trustees are also Directors of the company. A Trustee is initially elected by the Board in accordance with the Memorandum and Articles of Association.
Organisation
The Board of Trustees which administers the Trust meets throughout the year as required.
The following Sub Committees also meet throughout the year as required:
Audit Committee
Personnel and Remuneration Committee
Trustees Induction
All new trustees are given an induction by the Chief Executive and provided with relevant documentation.
Risk Management
Since March 2014, The Playhouse via its Audit Committee, has completely revised its Risk Management Policy, Risk Register as well as its Fraud Policy. The Risk Register is reviewed and updated on a regular basis or as soon as potential risk is identified. Analysis for each risk is detailed in the Risk Register together with the controls currently in place to mitigate the risk and the further actions required to minimise the risk.
The Trustees, who are also the directors of North West Play Resource Centre for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.
In preparing these 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;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity 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 charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
In accordance with the company's articles, a resolution proposing that Moore (NI) LLP be reappointed as auditor of the company will be put at a General Meeting.
The Trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of North West Play Resource Centre (the ‘charity’) for the year ended 31 March 2025 which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet, the statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
In our opinion, the financial statements:
Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the Trustees' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the Trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
Other information
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The Trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:
the information given in the Trustees' report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared, which includes the directors' report prepared for the purposes of company law, is consistent with the financial statements; and
the directors' report included within the Trustees' report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charity and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors' report included within the Trustees' report.
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Trustees' report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
certain disclosures of trustees' remuneration specified by law are not made; or
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
the Trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies' exemptions in preparing the Trustees' report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report.
As explained more fully in the statement of Trustees' responsibilities, the Trustees, who are also the directors of the charity for the purpose of company law, are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the Trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the Trustees are responsible for assessing the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the Trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.
The objectives of our audit in respect of fraud, are; to identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements due to fraud; to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the assessed risks of material misstatement due to fraud, through designing and implementing appropriate responses to those assessed risks; and to respond appropriately to instances of fraud or suspected fraud identified during the audit. However, the primary responsibility for the prevention and detection of fraud rests with both management and those charged with governance of the company.
Based on our understanding of the company and its operating environment, we determined that the most significant frameworks which have a direct impact on the preparation of the financial statements are those related to the reporting framework (FRS 102 and the Companies Act 2006) and the relevant tax compliance regulations. Additionally, the company is a registered society and therefore is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority of which non-compliance with relevant requirements may have a material effect on the financial statements.
We assessed the susceptibility of the company's financial statements to material misstatement, including how fraud might occur, including evaluating management's incentives and opportunities to manage earnings or influence the reported results. From the results of our assessment, we determined that the principal risk of fraud related to posting inappropriate journal entries. In common with all audits under ISAs (UK), we are required to perform specific procedures to respond to the risk of management override.
As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs (UK) we exercise professional judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. Audit procedures performed by the engagement team included:
We obtained an understanding of the company's internal control systems in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purposes of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the company's internal control.
We obtained an understanding of how the company complies with relevant laws and regulations, including aviation and environmental compliance requirements, by making enquiries of management and those charged with governance.
Enquiry of management, those charged with governance and the entity’s solicitors around actual and potential litigation and claims.
Enquiry of entity staff to identify any instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations.
Performing analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships that may indicate risks of material misstatement due to fraud
Reviewing minutes of Steering Group meetings
Reviewing financial statement disclosures and testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
Auditing the completeness of income to address the risk of fraud in revenue recognition.
Auditing the risk of management override of controls, including through testing journal entries and other adjustments for appropriateness, and evaluating the business rationale of significant transactions that are unusual or outside the normal course of business.
We communicated relevant laws and regulations and potential fraud risks to all engagement team members, and remained alert to any indications of fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations throughout the audit.
There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above and the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely we would become aware of it. Also, the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment through collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations or the override of internal control.
A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.
The purpose of our audit work and to whom we owe our responsibilities
This report is made solely to the company's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company's members, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
North West Play Resource Centre is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in Northern Ireland. The registered office is 5-7 Artillery Street, Derry, BT48 6RG.
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” (“FRS 102”) 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)" (effective 1 January 2019). The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
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 accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
The Charity has prepared full cashflow projections to 30 September 2026 and has reviewed its committed funding thereafter.
The main sources of income available to the Charity to fund core salaries and running costs of the theatre are funding from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and income generated from the activities of the theatre. Funding from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland has been formally committed for the period to 31 March 2026 and the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that this will be renewed for the following financial year. Additionally, the Charity has been successful in obtaining other multi year funding which covers elements of salary and running costs. The Charity also has an overdraft facility available. Projections show that the Charity will remain within the limits of this for the foreseeable future.
Thus the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the Charity has sufficient funding to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future and 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.
Designated funds are unrestricted funds set aside at the discretion of the trustees for specific purposes. The designated funds for fixed assets is that part of unrestricted funds that represents fixed assets held.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the accounts.
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 make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.
Costs of raising funds comprise the cost associated with generating donations, securing grant funding and the associated support costs.
Expenditure on charitable activities includes the costs of services undertaken to further the purposes of the charity and their associated support costs.
Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. Support costs include back office costs, finance, personnel, payroll and governance costs which support the charity's programmes and activities. The bases on which support costs have been allocated are set out in note 7.
Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.
Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:
The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities.
At each reporting end date, the charity reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).
Stocks are stated at the lower of cost and estimated selling price less costs to complete and sell. Cost comprises direct materials and, where applicable, direct labour costs and those overheads that have been incurred in bringing the stocks to their present location and condition. Items held for distribution at no or nominal consideration are measured at the lower of replacement cost and cost.
Net realisable value is the estimated selling price less all estimated costs of completion and costs to be incurred in marketing, selling and distribution.
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.
The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
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 rate 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 rate method.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
The company is a charity and is recognised as such by HM Revenue & Customs under the charity tax reference XR18282. As a result, there is no liability to taxation on any of its income.
The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.
Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.
Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.
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.
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The remuneration of key management personnel was as follows:
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund.
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.
These are unrestricted funds which are material to the charity's activities.
Designated funds are unrestricted funds of the charity which the trustees have decided to set aside to use for a specific purpose.
This designated fund represents capital expenditure on certain fixed assets. The fund balance is equivalent to the depreciated historic costs of the relevant assets. A sum equivalent to the depreciation charge on the assets will be allocated to the fund each year, in accordance with the depreciation policy, until it is fully depreciated.
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used.
Certain grants received and receivable may become repayable to the funds if the Charity is no longer able to meet the conditions under which they were awarded. Due to the nature of these contingencies it is not possible to quantify the potential financial effect or give an indication of timing as to the liabilities that may arise.
There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2024 - none).
The charity had no material debt during the year.
Where appropriate the classification of comparative figures has been amended for presentational purposes only.