ARMSTRONG_STORYTELLING_TR - Accounts

The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 May 2022. The trustees have adopted the provisions of 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.

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 Memorandum & Articles of Association, 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)".

Armstrong Storytelling Trust was established to:

• Provide and encourage the development of storytelling activities in libraries and otherwise within communities

• Provide social, cultural and educational benefits to the community by generating employment opportunities and means by which individuals are able to develop their skills;

• Secure the establishment of a firm foundation for storytelling to continue as an important and enduring art form.

The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.

Project Updates

The table is an illustration of the activity undertaken in the period June 2021 to May 2022.

Activity

NI Museums Council

AST storytellers collaborated in two important projects funded by the NI Museums Council – Playful Museums and Museums Tell Stories. Storytellers Liz Weir, Masako Carey and Vicky McFarland, Madeline McCully and Steve Lally conducted face to face sessions for families in seven local museums while Colin Urwin, John Savage, Steve Lally and Madeline McCully worked with groups in five local museums to deliver a community engagement project to target the negative impact of the pandemic on local communities. They told stories inspired by objects from the museum collections. In addition, video stories were recorded for the NI Musuems Council Youtube page and these may be viewed here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSgCqzU5Tx2buuvQ7QSirkA/videos

Glens Storytelling Festival

AST received funding from Heritage Lottery on behalf of the Glens Storytelling and Cultural Heritage Group to run the annual Glens Storytelling Festival, held from Monday 18th October to Sunday 24th October 2021, with a range of events held, in person, via zoom, hybrid and pre-recorded and streamed out via social media.

Liz Weir, Storyteller in Residence of AST, is Chair of the Glens Storytelling and Cultural Heritage Group and there is a strong working relationship with AST, as evidenced by the Heritage Lottery application. This led to a decision taken at the AGM of GSCHG on 2nd June to formally come under the umbrella of AST from that date.

We had 27 events take place over the weeklong festival with storytellers and musicians from all over the world. We had events that were specifically aimed at children, young people, people living with memory problems, new tellers and people who were totally new to storytelling. We highlighted our built and natural heritage around The Glens and The Causeway Coast through pre-recorded videos which had stunning backdrops of everywhere from Rathlin to Carnlough to Portbradden.

We had over 12,000 attend our festival in person, online via zoom and who watched our online video output. This proved the public are still thirsty for stories.

FEST

Due to the Storyteller in Residence’s illness Masako Carey and Colin Urwin represented AST at the Federation of European Storytelling Conference in Denmark. They made many international connections and brought back a lot of useful information from workshops they attended.

FOUR NATIONS

The Storyteller in Residence is representing AST in a series of on-going zoom meetings with representatives of storytelling organisations from England, Scotland and Wales as well as a representative from FEST. These dealt with topics such as Young Storytellers, Slow Touring, Cultural Diversity and Mapping Our Work. The idea is to coordinate and share information. £750 was received by each partner from the 4 Nations Collaboration Fund.

Arts Council of Northern Ireland

Having been successful in gaining funding for an arts and older people project called Magic Moments storytellers Colin Urwin, Sharon Dickson and musician Geoff Hatt delivered sessions of stories and songs at various locations. These included Kirk House in Belfast and Sanville Nursing Home in Coalisland and at sessions organised by DEEDS (Dementia Engaged and Empowered in Derry and Strabane). Feedback was terrific and DEEDS posted videos and many compliments on their social media while the Arts Council used our project as an example of good practice.

Libraries NI

Yarnspinners

Online activity continued during 2021 as people were still reluctant to attend public events but as in the preceding year audiences for our online monthly Yarnspinners sessions grew with people zooming in from the United States, Canada, Germany, the Czech Republic, Spain, Russia, Australia, Hungary as well as from all over the British Isles. As well as our monthly sessions at Tullycarnet, Bangor and Lisburn City libraries we added Dungiven, Keady and Lisnaskea library sessions each month. When face to face meetings resumed, we continued with hybrid sessions combining our live audiences with faithful online followers. A special session was held as part of Eastside Arts Festival in Tullycarnet Library.

Turning Heads

AST collaborated with Libraries NI on Turning Heads, a project looking at hair in culture and identity. The launch was attended by people from many parts of the world and a series of workshops took place during which people told their own hair related stories. Unfortunately, Libraries NI have not yet curated the proposed exhibition of these tales but the material was provided to them as agreed.

Storycamps

Online storycamps were help by Marianne McShane and Vicky McFarland – these were welcomed by parents with children being home schooled during the pandemic and during the school holidays. Two sessions were held in Ormeau and Falls Road Library with Eamonn Keenan telling stories to families as part of Feile an Phobail.

Income Generation

The following applications were made during the financial year to support the various projects undertaken.

Plans for the Future

Strategic review

AST sent out a survey to 29 local storytellers as part of a strategic review. 25 people responded and the results of the survey have been analysed in order to decide how best to proceed with professional development. A meeting is planned with all respondents to report on the survey results and to prioritise the way forward.

Having built up expertise in working with older people we have again applied to the Arts Council of Northern Ireland for a new storytelling and music project called “Memories are made of this”.

The recent appointment of Clare O’Neill as Storytelling Project Officer for three years from 15th August will ensure the sustainability of the work that we have done to date. Having a full time post funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund will enable the Trust to deliver projects that can be developed on a larger scale. It is a valuable opportunity to review our aims and objectives and to reassess our main priorities and to look for funding to better deliver projects. It is also time to rebrand, to reinvigorate our website and coordinate our social media presence. It is important to develop partnerships with commercial businesses in order to access more funding. The need to train and encourage younger tellers and audience members is an agreed priority.

We have also expressed an interest in engaging with Arts & Business in their programme for Governance development.

Reserves

Throughout the period the Trustees have adopted a policy on its reserves ensuring that the unrestricted financial reserves are such as they provide a buffer in case of any loss of income which would give the Charity the chance to take appropriate steps. The Trustees continue to monitor the level of reserves.

Risk Management

The trustees has 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.

The trustees (who are also the directors of Armstrong Storytelling Trust for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Report of the Trustees and the financial statements in accordance with the applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements of each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure of the charitable company for that period.

In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to:

• Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently

• Observe the methods and principles in the Charity SORP

• Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent

• Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue In business.

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006.

They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Approved by order of the board of trustees and signed on its behalf by:

R Armstrong

Director

The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.

I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Armstrong Storytelling Trust (the charity) for the year ended 31 May 2022.

As the trustees of the charity (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (the 2006 Act).

Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act 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 (the 2011 Act). In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act and followed the procedures laid down in the general directions given by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland under section 65(9)(b) of the Charities Act.

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 2006 Act; or

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 2006 Act 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 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 accounts 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.

All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

The company is entitled to the exemption from the audit requirement contained in section 477 of the Companies Act 2006, for the year ended 31 May 2022.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476.

These financial statements have been prepared and delivered in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

Armstrong Storytelling Trust is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in Northern Ireland. The registered office is 127 Ballyemon Road, Cushendall, Co. Antrim, BT44 0QP.

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 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 as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.

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.

Intangible assets acquired separately from a business are recognised at cost and are subsequently measured at cost less accumulated amortisation and accumulated impairment losses.

Intangible assets acquired on business combinations are recognised separately from goodwill at the acquisition date where it is probable that the expected future economic benefits that are attributable to the asset will flow to the entity and the fair value of the asset can be measured reliably; the intangible asset arises from contractual or other legal rights; and the intangible asset is separable from the entity.

Amortisation 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:

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 and intangible 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).

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.

Storytelling

Website Costs

Consultancy

Event organisation & management

Subscriptions

Insurance

Training

Advertising

Accountancy

There were no related party transactions during the year.