After nearly 14 years of working with the residential AV industry to deliver cinema rooms for good causes, Together For Cinema has now been granted Community Interest Company (CIC) status.
According to Ian Morrish, founder of Together For Cinema, achieving Community Interest Company (CIC) status is a "great development" for the organisation. "We are now officially recognised as a not-for-profit company by the registrar at Companies House, which reinforces our commitment to delivering positive change in our community. It also solidifies our position within the industry and will help ensure that Together For Cinema remains a prominent source of good for the foreseeable future," Morrish says.
Together For Cinema is an organisation that focuses on creating and installing home cinema rooms in children's hospices and other appropriate locations throughout the UK. These entertainment spaces not only benefit children and young adults but also their families, caregivers, volunteers, and staff. Additionally, the organisation seeks to repurpose dated, second-hand, and B-stock audio-visual equipment, providing it to facilities that lack the resources to purchase it. This practice enhances the organisation’s partners' operational processes, without taking sales away from AV manufacturers or distributors.
For over a decade, Together For Cinema was a passion project that Morrish pursued in his spare time. However, in April 2021, the industry began purchasing sponsorship packages created by Morrish to fund the operation, making Together For Cinema his primary focus and source of income. The sponsorship funds were always handled responsibly and put towards building the Together For Cinema brand and making a significant difference to the community with the installation of cinema rooms into children’s hospices. While the outpouring of industry support was heartening, it became clear that the organisation needed a more sustainable structure. As a result, Together For Cinema decided to formalise its operations and become a CIC.
Becoming a CIC gives Together For Cinema greater robustness and credibility and will help to secure its future and its ability to continue to deliver cinema rooms to good causes. The formalisation also sees the appointment of four directors: Ian; Melanie Malcolm from Bespoke Home Cinemas; Cadaema Consulting Services’ David Parrett; and Chris Pinder from HDANYWHERE and OneAV. Each has the responsibility to protect and cradle the business, the main drive being to ensure that the good work continues.
Top left: Ian Morrish, founder of Together For Cinema; Top right: Melanie Malcolm, Bespoke Home Cinemas; Bottom left: Chris Pinder, HDANYWHERE & OneAV; Bottom right: David Parrett, Cadaema Consulting Services
“We are a business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners,” explains Morrish.
CICs were introduced by the United Kingdom government in 2005 under the Companies (Audit, Investigations and Community Enterprise) Act 2004, designed for social enterprises that want to use their profits and assets for the public good. CICs are structured to be easy to establish, providing the flexibility and legal protections of a typical company, but with special features that ensure their work is focused on community benefit. They are overseen by the Regulator of Community Interest Companies.
Morrish notes that following a successful and productive 2022, there is an expectation to continue delivering at a similar level in the current year. "We'll do our best to meet this expectation," he affirms.
“By becoming a CIC, the three additional directors can offer support to Ian and help drive Together For Cinema forward,” adds Malcolm. “As a team, we have a great synergy. We all have one focus in mind: to provide hospices with a wonderful cinematic experience that enables hundreds of children and their families to make lasting memories.”
The confirmed installations for 2023 include Acorns Children's Hospice in Walsall, West Midlands, with Jooced as the installer; We Are Beams in Hextable, Kent, with Ideaworks as the installer; Cherry Trees in East Clandon, Surrey, with Nethaus Ltd as the installer; Hope House Children's Hospices in Oswestry, Shropshire, with Exclusive Solutions as the installer; Resources for Autism in London, with Smart Living Solutions as the installer; The Space Centre in Preston, Lancashire, with Majik House as the installer; and Marie Curie Adult Hospice in Newcastle, Tyne & Wear, with Art of Smart as the installer.
Morrish emphasises that while plans are subject to change, they aim to achieve a total of seven more installations in 2023. "We're aware that unforeseen circumstances can alter these plans, but we remain committed to our goal," he states. "We're deeply appreciative of the installers who have generously taken on these installations, and we hope that their journey in making a difference is a rewarding one."
Looking ahead to 2024, Morrish is confident that Together For Cinema will continue to grow and expand its impact. He anticipates another six or seven cinema room installations, with plans already in the works for several deserving venues. These include Butterwick Children’s Hospice in Stockton-on-Tees, which is awaiting the refurbishment of its old hydrotherapy room; Clare House Children’s Hospice in Liverpool, where the new building is still defining the best room use and structure; and Derian House Children’s Hospice in Chorley, which is expected to complete its new building next year with an installation planned for the end of 2024. Other venues on the horizon include Ellenor Hospice for Children and Adults in Gravesend, Richard House Children’s Hospice in London, Robin House Children’s Hospice in Ballach, and Shooting Star Chase in Hampton. While plans are subject to change, Morrish is excited about the possibilities for the future and the opportunity to continue making a difference in the lives of those in need.
“Although it's impossible for us to be aware of all the worthy venues in the UK that could benefit from our support, we urge anyone who knows of a place that could benefit from our assistance to please inform us,” says Morrish. “Your input is valuable and can assist us in making a positive impact in your community.”
With many of their 2022 sponsors reconfirming their sponsorship of Together For Cinema for 2023, Morrish reports that they have had a positive start to fundraising campaigns, and this continued support, coupled with several new sponsors, “has put us in a strong position to go forward and continue our delivery to good causes for this year,” he adds.
“So, onwards and upwards, we almost have our funding sorted for 2023, we know what we’re looking to achieve, and we know what we’re working to for the next couple of years. Let’s go hit £1m worth of installations!” he concludes.
Thank you to Together For Cinema's 2023 sponsors!
Platinum Sponsors
AVPro Edge | Crestron | Hisense | IdeaWorks | LILIN | Monitor Audio
Gold Sponsors
AWE Europe | Bowers & Wilkins | Denon | Griffin360 | Habitech | Invision | Leaf | Lutron | Meridian Audio | Origin Acoustics | Pulse Cinemas | Pulse-Eight | QMotion | Rako Controls | Snap One
Silver Sponsors
Aldous Systems | ALLTRADE | Amina | Antiference | Aquavision | Bespoke Home Cinemas | Cambridge Audio | Connected Distribution | Future Automation | GLO | GUDE | HDANYWHERE | iCubed Home Cinema | Intuitive Homes | Karma AV | Legrand | MK Iconic Solutions | Modus Vivendi | New Wave | Nice | OneAV | Optoma | Redline | RGB | Smart Homee | Webro
Bronze Sponsors
Chord Company | Cinema Rooms | Cornered Audio | designflow | Gasoline Media | LCD | Loud & Clear | MJ Acoustics | Orluna | Primare | Re-Sauce | Smartcomm | Sony | Steinway Lyngdorf | TDI Group | Wisdom Audio
HiddenWires is proud to be supporting Together For Cinema with a regular update in each issue.