Northern Roots - Accounts

Registered number

03539586

Charity Registration number

1088823

Northern Roots

Report and Accounts

31 March 2025

Northern Roots
Report and accounts
Contents




Page

Company information	1
Directors' report	2 - 9
Independent examiner's report on the accounts	10
Profit and loss account	11
Balance sheet	12
Notes to the accounts	13

Northern Roots

Company Information

Directors

K Dougherty

O Nuga (appointed 25/6/25)

R Mather

R Perdik

M Qureshi (appointed 25 June 2025)

T Ali (resigned 27 November 2024)

K Dubois

B Mamuini (resigned 21 April 2024)

S Eskias (appointed 27 November 2024)

L Naruse

Secretary

K Dougherty

Accountants

Bell Anderson Limited

Lindum

264-266 Durham Road

Gateshead

Tyne and Wear

NE8 4JR

Registered office

Office 44

63 High Bridge

Newcastle upon Tyne

Tyne and Wear

NE1 6BX

Registered number

03539586

Charity registration number

1088823

Northern Roots
Registered number:		03539586
Trustees' Report

The Trustees present their report and accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025.

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the accounts and comply with the governing document, the Companies Act 2006 and follow the Charities SORP (FRS 102) . Structure, governance and management The Charity is a company limited by guarantee. The company was established under the Memorandum of Association which established the objects and power of the charitable company and is governed under the Articles of Association. In the event of the company being wound up members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £1. The Trustees have assessed the major risks to which the Charity is exposed, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.

Objectives and activities
The objects of the Charity is to foster and promote the arts in society for the benefit of the general public in the United Kingdom but in particular the North-East of England by developing public appreciation of the arts and by improving public access to the arts and the quality of the arts. The Trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission including that regarding public benefit in deciding what activities the Charity should undertake.

Trustees
The following persons served as Trustees during the year:

	K Dougherty
	O Nuga (appointed 25 June 2025)
	R Mather
	R Perdik
	M Qureshi (appointed 25 June 2025)
	T Ali (resigned 27 November 2024)
	K Dubois
	B Mamuini (resigned 21 April 2024)
	S Eskias (appointed 27 November 2024)
	L Naruse

Achievements and performance
Introduction This report is prepared by the Trustees of Northern Roots to accompany the annual accounts. It outlines our activities, achievements, challenges, and financial position during the reporting period

Programming Overview of Activities Northern Roots delivered a dynamic programme of development and performance throughout 2024–25. Highlights included: • Showcase Concerts: Four concerts at Pilgrim, Newcastle, plus three large-scale MOBO Fringe events (two at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music and one at The Grove, Byker), featuring Northern Roots associate artists performing to new audiences and engaging sector leaders. • Education in Schools: In partnership with the Newcastle Branch of the North East Music Hub, we delivered 17 sessions on the history of Black Music and creative songwriting to over 1,000 young people. Four trainee facilitators shadowed the lead facilitator, gaining valuable experience in education delivery. • Community Programmes: Collaborations with Tyneside Cinema and GLOW Cultural Education Partnership brought screen, dance, and music projects to six community settings, led by four Black creatives. • Mentoring and Artist Development: Ongoing support for young artists through mentoring relationships with Rob Rez (Only Grind Studios), Kema Kay, and Kay Greyson. Bi-weekly studio sessions provided progression routes into Loft Music Studios.

Programme Expansion: Liverpool • We expanded our work into Liverpool, exploring the legacy of Black musicians from the 1960s and their influence on popular music culture. Led by Kema Kay, Adam Collerton and Georgia May, the project is capturing survivor testimonies through filmed interviews and portraits by Liverpool photographer Ean Flanders. These portraits, alongside short films created by emerging Black Liverpool filmmakers Zion Joshua and Ruben Landim, will form an exhibition which will show at the Victoria Gallery at Liverpool University. The programme is delivered in partnership with Toxteth community group Mandela8, ensuring strong local collaboration and impact. The programme epitomises Northern Roots dedication to raising the voices of Black and Minoritised artists, supporting high quality artistic expression and consistent high quality mentoring for emerging creatives. Impact • 50 artists employed across programmes. • 1,150 young people engaged in workshops. • Showcase concerts reached approximately 300 attendees. • MOBO Fringe events attracted audiences of around 1,000. This activity strengthened visibility for Black music in the North East and created pathways for emerging talent. Innovation Strategic partnerships enabled a holistic programme of mentoring, education, and outreach. By embedding trainee facilitators and community-led projects, Northern Roots ensured both sustainability and relevance.

Future Plans In 2025–26, Northern Roots will consolidate these achievements by: • Sustaining supportive artistic spaces and mentoring relationships. • Building on the momentum of the MOBOs to further amplify Black music and musicians in the region. • Expanding education and outreach programmes to deepen community impact.

Jumpin’ Hot Club Programming In 2024–25 Jumpin’ Hot Club (JHC) delivered a landmark programme that combined touring innovation with strong local activity. • Jumpin’ Hot Revue Tour: After six months of preparation, JHC launched its first small UK tour in September to mark the forthcoming 40th anniversary. The “Jumpin’ Hot Revue” featured Martin Stephenson, Rob Heron, Errant Moose, Rupert Hughes, and Shipcote, performing both solo sets and collaborative ensembles across Sheffield, London, Warwickshire, Bath, Leamington Spa, Glasgow, Newcastle, and Durham. Venue fees covered all costs, and reviews praised the tour for “spreading joy and musical spirit far and wide.” • Country Cantina Festival: The 11th edition took place in Easington, Co. Durham, with 12 artists across two days. Despite poor weather, strong bar takings offset slower ticket sales. Highlights included Diana Jones’ Appalachian folk resonating with local mining heritage, and Lady Nade’s Nina Simone tribute. • Audience Growth: Attendance increased following publication of Jumpin’ Hot Club: Where Good Music Belongs, with all shows selling out in Jan/Feb 2025—a first in JHC’s history. • Venues and Residencies: o Central Bar, Gateshead: Six near-capacity shows, including Nat Myers, Amanda Ann Platt, and Peter Bruntnell. o Gosforth Civic Theatre: Ten shows, including Kathryn Williams’ album launch, Errol Linton’s Reggae Blues, The Delines’ sell-out standing show, and Aurora Strings with Shipcote. o Cluny2 & The Cluny: Twenty-two gigs featuring Martha Spencer, Chuck Prophet, Otis Gibbs, Emily Barker, and Nora Brown & Stephanie Coleman.
o The Globe: Hosted artists such as Jenny Connors, Angel Snow, Elaine Palmer, and Sam Lewis, though operational challenges led JHC to explore alternatives. o Little Theatre, Gateshead: Annual show with Boo Hewerdine and Heidi Talbot, supported by new chair Eddie. Overall, JHC maintained and expanded its audience base post-Covid, delivering a varied, high-quality programme across multiple venues. The year demonstrated resilience, innovation, and strong community engagement, laying foundations for future projects and the 40th anniversary celebrations.

Fundraising
Income Generation Northern Roots continues to build strong relationships with funders to deliver creative programmes that drive social change in partnership with our stakeholders. Despite operating in an increasingly precarious grassroots music environment, the trust and loyalty earned through nearly 40 years of programming has enabled us to sustain a vibrant programme of events, artist development, engagement, and leadership initiatives. Major Funders and Supporters We are grateful for the continued support of Lloyds Foundation, Youth Music, and the Community Foundation. Their investment ensures our programmes remain fit for purpose, impactful, and responsive to the needs of the communities and stakeholders we serve. This support has created tangible change for participants, partners, and audiences, strengthening our role as a trusted organisation in the region.

Plans for Sustainability Northern Roots is committed to long-term resilience. We regularly review our operations and embed efficiencies, working closely with partner venues, organisations, artists, and audiences to ensure our work remains relevant and financially sustainable. Our approach includes: • Diversifying fundraising streams and strengthening donor relationships. • Expanding reach and engagement through inclusive marketing, social media, and outreach. • Collaborating with industry partners to ensure programming fills genuine gaps and meets community needs. • Pooling resources with partners to deliver high-quality programmes cost-effectively. This strategy ensures that Northern Roots can continue to deliver meaningful cultural work while maintaining financial stability in a challenging sector landscape.

Engagement and Outreach Community Connections In 2024–25 Northern Roots deepened partnerships with organisations including We Make Culture, Help Musicians, Sister Shack CIC, Cultural Freelancers CIC, and Pilgrim. We also strengthened ties with the North East Music Hubs, delivering partnership programmes across Newcastle schools as part of the MOBO Awards Fringe. As a lead partner in the Fringe, we ensured Black North East artists were central to programming and sector conversations. Audience Development Working with partner venues and their marketing teams, we maintained strong reach and visibility. By increasing content and collaborating directly with artists, we expanded audiences and engagement. Through leadership development, we supported Kema Kay and Kay Greyson to access industry spaces, advocate for themselves, and represent the wider community.

Advocacy and Visibility Northern Roots remained active in regional and national policy discussions. Kay Greyson contributed to the Music City Advisory Board, while Leila d’Aronville engaged with the North East Combined Authority, the North East Music Hub advisory board, and the What Next? Leadership group. These roles ensured Northern Roots’ voice was present in shaping cultural policy and practice. Evaluation Operating at both grassroots and strategic levels, Northern Roots continues to be agile within the industry while providing a safe, inclusive space for artists and audiences. Our work supports sector development with value, access, and equity at its core.

Leadership Staff and Volunteers In 2024–25, Kema Kay and Kay Greyson participated in the Hold the Door Open leadership programme, designed to empower grassroots and freelance creatives to channel their leadership potential. This experience helped refine their roles within Northern Roots: Kay Greyson now leads on Policy and Strategy, while Kema Kay focuses on Community and Engagement. Both roles nurture the strengths of the team and extend the organisation’s reach. Safeguarding and Inclusivity Northern Roots has strengthened its safeguarding framework, ensuring all trustees and staff are fully trained and supported by clear, robust structures and review processes. Working with regional partners such as We Make Culture, we have embedded policies that safeguard everyone connected to the organisation and foster safer, more inclusive spaces for artists, staff, and audiences. Strategic Direction As Northern Roots approaches its 40th anniversary, succession planning and leadership development remain priorities. We are committed to nurturing Black and Global Majority artists and creatives and those who are lesser represented in music and culture, ensuring they are equipped to lead within the sector. This work will continue into the coming year, building the next generation of Northern Roots and shaping a cultural landscape that reflects equity, resilience, and shared vision.

Challenges Northern Roots continues to operate in a complex and often hostile environment for grassroots cultural organisations. • Sector Pressures: The grassroots music sector remains precarious, with rising costs, limited resources, and increasing demands on organisations to deliver more with less. Sustaining high-quality programming while maintaining financial stability requires constant adaptation and efficiency. • Community Division: We exist in a wider climate of division, where communities across the North East and the UK are experiencing heightened polarisation. This has been compounded by incidents of racist violence in our region and nationally, which have created fear and insecurity for many of the communities we serve. • Response and Resilience: These challenges underscore the importance of Northern Roots’ work in building safe, inclusive spaces and fostering cohesion through culture. By centring Black and Global Majority artists and communities, we actively counter narratives of division and provide platforms for resilience, creativity, and solidarity. • Learning and Adaptation: We continue to learn from these challenges, embedding safeguarding, equity, and advocacy into our practice. Our commitment is to remain responsive, ensuring that Northern Roots not only survives but thrives as a beacon of cultural unity in difficult times.

Financial Position
Summary of Accounts Headline figures for income, expenditure, and reserves are provided in the accompanying accounts. As a small organisation, Northern Roots experiences natural fluctuations between periods of delivery and planning/consultation, which can result in uneven patterns of expenditure versus income. These cycles ensure that programmes remain well resourced and commitments to artists and young people are consistently met, even when outgoings temporarily exceed incoming funds. Key Trends Our financial model reflects the realities of grassroots cultural work, where funding receipts and delivery schedules do not always align. Despite this, we have maintained strong programme delivery and continued to prioritise investment in artists, young people, and community engagement. Reserves Policy It is the charity’s policy to maintain unrestricted reserves equivalent to three months’ expenditure. Due to changes in funding sources and the timing of receipts, this has not always been achievable while pursuing our aims and objectives. Over the past year, fundraising and financial planning have focused on securing longer-term programme funding and building reserves to meet this target. Core costs have been carefully reviewed, with efficiencies achieved through remote working and scrutiny of non-salary expenditure. We continue to seek core funding and unrestricted income to strengthen resilience.

Future Outlook Our fundraising strategy will prioritise both core and project funding that supports Northern Roots’ mission while enabling innovation in practice. Alongside business development support, this approach will underpin a more sustainable financial model, ensuring the organisation can continue to deliver meaningful cultural and social impact in a challenging sector environment. Conclusion The Trustees confirm that Northern Roots continues to deliver its charitable objectives, strengthen its impact, and remain committed to equity, inclusion, and community transformation

Small company provisions
This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions in Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

This report was approved by the board on 12 December 2025 and signed by its order.





R Perdik			K Dougherty
Chairman			Secretary

Northern Roots
Independent examiner's report on the accounts


Report to the trustees, directors & members of Northern Roots on accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024 Set out on pages 1 to 9 of the financial statements. Charity no.: 1088823 Company no.: 03539586

Responsibilities and basis of report
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31/03/2024. As the charity’s trustees of the Company (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law), you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (“the 2006 Act”). Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited for this year under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (“the 2011 Act”). In carrying out my examination, I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that: • accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006; or • the accounts do not accord with such records; or • the accounts do not comply with relevant accounting requirements under section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or •the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS102). 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 accounts to be reached.


Bell Anderson Limited
Chartered Accountants

Lindum
264-266 Durham Road
Gateshead
Tyne and Wear
NE8 4JR

12 December 2025

Northern Roots
Statement of Financial Activities
for the year ended 31 March 2025

	Notes	Unrestricted			Restricted
funds					funds		2025		2024
£				£		£		£
Income from
Donations and legacies	3		-				-		72
Charitable activities	4		71,043		49,997		121,040		121,895
Other trading activities	5		48,605				48,605		33,759
Other operating income			-				-		-
			119,648		49,997		169,645		155,726
Expenditure on
Raising funds	6		58,241				58,241		52,749

Charitable activities	7		53,277		99,680		152,957		74,307

Total Expenditure			111,518		99,680		211,198		127,056

Net (expenditure)/income before transfers			8,130		(49,683)		(41,553)		28,670


Net (Expenditure)/income for the year/Net movement in funds			8,130		(49,683)		(41,553)		28,670

Fund balances at 31 March 2024			670		94,691		95,361		114,001

Fund balances at 31 March 2025			8,800		45,008		53,808		142,671

Northern Roots
Registered number:		03539586
Balance Sheet
as at 31 March 2025

Notes			2025			2024
£				£
Fixed assets
Tangible assets	8		1,981			2,198

Current assets
Cash at bank and in hand		58,332			96,776

Creditors: amounts falling due within one year	9	(6,505)			(3,613)

Net current assets			51,827			93,163

Net assets			53,808			95,361

Funds
Restricted funds			45,008			94,691
Unrestricted funds			8,800			670

Total funds			53,808			95,361

The Directors are satisfied that the company is entitled to exemption from the requirement to obtain an audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006.
The members have not required the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Act.
The Directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.
The accounts have been prepared and delivered in accordance with the special provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime. The profit and loss account has not been delivered to the Registrar of Companies.




R Perdik
Chair
Approved by the board on 12 December 2025

Northern Roots
Notes to the Accounts
for the year ended 31 March 2025


1	Accounting policies

	Basis of preparation
	The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with FRS 102, The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (as applied to small entities by section 1A of the standard).

	Turnover
	Turnover is measured at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable, net of discounts and value added taxes. Turnover includes revenue earned from the sale of goods and from the rendering of services. Turnover from the sale of goods is recognised when the significant risks and rewards of ownership of the goods have transferred to the buyer. Turnover from the rendering of services is recognised by reference to the stage of completion of the contract. The stage of completion of a contract is measured by comparing the costs incurred for work performed to date to the total estimated contract costs.

	Tangible fixed assets
	Tangible fixed assets are measured at cost less accumulative depreciation and any accumulative impairment losses. Depreciation is provided on all tangible fixed assets, other than freehold land, at rates calculated to write off the cost, less estimated residual value, of each asset evenly over its expected useful life, as follows:

	Fixtures, fittings, tools and equipment			20% reducing balance

	Debtors
	Short term debtors are measured at transaction price (which is usually the invoice price), less any impairment losses for bad and doubtful debts. Loans and other financial assets are initially recognised at transaction price including any transaction costs and subsequently measured at amortised cost determined using the effective interest method, less any impairment losses for bad and doubtful debts.

	Creditors
	Short term creditors are measured at transaction price (which is usually the invoice price). Loans and other financial liabilities are initially recognised at transaction price net of any transaction costs and subsequently measured at amortised cost determined using the effective interest method.

	Provisions
	Provisions (ie liabilities of uncertain timing or amount) are recognised when there is an obligation at the reporting date as a result of a past event, it is probable that economic benefit will be transferred to settle the obligation and the amount of the obligation can be estimated reliably.

	Pensions
	Contributions to defined contribution plans are expensed in the period to which they relate.


2	Employees					2025		2024
Number							Number

	Average number of persons employed by the company					3		3

	Employment Costs					2025		2024
£							£

	Wages and salaries					49,071		47,991



3	Donations and legacies					2025		2024
£							£


	Donations & gifts					-		72
						-		72
	All donations for 2023 are unrestricted

4	Charitable activites					2025		2024
£							£
	Restricted Funds
	Community Foundation					5,000		7,500
	BFI					9,197		-
	National Foundation Youth Music					13,500		37,320
	Restricted Grants - NE Screen					5,600		-
	Virgin					-		5,700
	Core Projects					16,700		-
						49,997		50,520

						2025		2024
£							£
	Unrestricted Funds

	Unrestricted income - Merchandising etc					840		3,695
	Unrestricted Core Grants					69,203		67,680
	Unrestricted grants - Other Projects					1,000		-
						71,043		71,375





5	Other trading activities					2025		2024
£							£

	Ticket sales					48,605		33,759
						48,605		33,759


6	Raising funds					2025		2024
£							£

	Bank charges					226		203
	Accountancy fees					4,089		3,600
	Adverts					614		23
	Artists					1,475		-
	Depreciation					217		-
	Insurance					508		-
	Mentoring costs					1,200		-
	Other legal and professional					34		65
	Printing, postage and stationery					4		14
	Rent					25		-
	Subscriptions					288		288
	Sundries					123		43
	Software and IT					417		522
	Travel and accommodation					(50)		-
	Wages					49,071		47,991
						58,241		52,749


7	Charitable activities

						2025		2024
£							£

	Unrestricted activities
	Artists, Support fees & Riders - JHC					42,050		22,831
	Advertising - JHC					1,738		4,908
	Mentoring costs - JHC					236		-
	Travel and subsistence - JHC					3,996		3,482
	Travel and subsistence - BFI					678		-
	Venue Hire - JHC					2,328		3,272
	Video & Sound Engineering - JHC					1,150		1,300
	Motor Expenses - JHC					684		-
	Postage - JHC					39		-
	Sundry - JHC					30		-
	Bank charges - JHC					8		-
	Software - JHC					340		-
						53,277		35,793

7	Charitable Activities (continued)					2025		2024
£							£

	Restricted activities
	Mentoring Costs - Community					200		5,040
	Mentoring Costs - BFI					1,070		-
	Mentoring Costs - Youth Music					43,090		17,800
	Mentoring Costs - Other Projects					7,895		5,000
	Mentoring Costs - Wellbank					-		900
	Mentoring costs - Schools work					2,550		-
	Mentoring Costs- Sadlers Wells					-		400
	Artists,Support fees & Riders - BFI					2,030		-
	Artists,Support fees & Riders - Community foundation					700		1,020
	Artists,Support fees & Riders - Wellbank					-		530
	Artists,Support fees & Riders - Youth Music					6,365		1,020
	Artists,Support fees & Riders - Other					6,446		637
	Artists, Support fees & Riders - JHC					2,385		-
	Artists, Support fees & Riders - NE Screen					500		-
	Advertising - JHC					2,307		-
	Advertsiing - Other projects					178		1,236
	Venue Hire - Youth Music					1,267		-
	Venue Hire - Other projects					1,049		40
	Video & Sound Engineering - Youth Music					2,100		1,830
	Video & Sound Engineering - BFI					4,371		-
	Video & Sound Engineering - Community Foundation					-		335
	Video & Sound Engineering - Shears					-		1,080
	Video & Sound Engineering - Other projects					240		358
	Video & Sound Engineering - JHC					120		-
	Video & Sound Engineering - MLK					600		-
	Video & Sound Engineering - NE Screen					600		-
	Consultancy - Community Foundation					-		300
	Consultancy - Other Projects					4,875		-
	Consultancy fees - Youth Music					-		700
	Software - BFI					66		-
	Sundry - Youth Music					57		52
	Sundry - BFI					231		-
	Postage - Other					-		186
	Subscriptions - Other					-		50
	Travel - BFI					1,429		-
	Travel - Youth Music					1,425		-
	Travel - NE Screen					112		-
	Travel - Other Projects					422		-
	Wages and salaries - Community Foundation					5,000		-

						99,680		38,514

8	Tangible fixed assets
								Fixtures and fittings
£
	Cost
	At 1 April 2024							12,031
	At 31 March 2025							12,031

	Depreciation
	At 1 April 2024							9,833
	Charge for the year							217
	At 31 March 2025							10,050

	Net book value
	At 31 March 2025							1,981
	At 31 March 2024							2,198


9	Creditors: amounts falling due within one year					2025		2024
£							£

	Trade creditors					2,532		1,041
	Taxation and social security costs					3,644		2,966
	Other creditors					329		(394)
						6,505		3,613


10	Restricted funds	Balance at	Incoming		Resources		Balance
1 April 2024			Resources		Expended		31 March 2025
£

	Community Foundation	28,596		5,000		900		32,696
	BFI			9,197		9,197		-
	Other Projects	19,105		16,700		29,067		6,738
	The Shears Foundation			-				-
	NE Screen			5,600		1,212		4,388
	National Foundation Youth Music	46,990		13,500		54,304		6,186
		94,691		49,997		94,680		50,008


11	Other information

	Northern Roots is a private company limited by guarantee without share capital and incorporated in England. Its registered office is:
	Office 44
	63 High Bridge
	Newcastle upon Tyne
	Tyne and Wear
	NE1 6BX