2021-08-31-accounts - The Adnams Community Trust

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REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020-2021

Chairman’s Report

I am delighted to say that during the 2020-2021 year the Adnams Community Trust was up and running again, providing much-needed support to our local community. Despite the challenging year, in 20202021 the trustees awarded 66 grants totalling just over £63,000. They also made a pledge of £1,000, to be held for one year. A summary of these grants can be found later in this report.

Due to these extraordinary times Adnams Community Trust meetings have taken place virtually with no guest speakers presenting to the trustees. We hope to resume our practice of broadening our knowledge of the communities around us through guest speakers in the coming months.

The number of applications received has remained high over the last year, making the trustees’ grantmaking decisions difficult. With the Adnams Community Trust’s normal income sources of a percentage of Adnams profits and mandated Adnams dividends unavailable due to the pandemic, Adnams plc made the exceptional decision to donate £25,000 from its hardship fund to the Trust to enable its work to continue. Funds received through Pennies, the electronic charity box scheme operated in Adnams shops, has continued through the crisis and is becoming an increasingly important source of income, and thanks is due to all those Adnams customers who generously donate in this way.

With uncertainties around the Adnams Community Trust’s traditional funding sources, donations from shareholders (and others) are a really welcome addition and enable us to help many more good causes than would otherwise be possible. If you do not already donate to the Adnams Community Trust and would like to mandate your dividends, set up a standing order, remember us in your will or make a oneoff donation, please contact Rebecca Abrahall, the Adnams Community Trust Administrator (communitytrust@adnams.co.uk). Donations can also be made online through the Adnams Community Trust page on TotalGiving, https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/charity/the-adnams-community-trust. The full amount of donations goes to help good causes; all administrative and staffing costs are met by Adnams plc, including, from this year, the independent examiner fee.

If you know of an organisation that would benefit from a grant, do ask them to get in touch with Rebecca. Application guidelines can be found later in this document.

I hope you enjoy reading the report of the grants awarded during 2020-2021.

Jonathan Adnams OBE Chairman

Adnams Community Trust, Sole Bay Brewery, Suffolk, IP18 6JW
T: 01502 727200 E: communitytrust@adnams.co.uk
Registered charity no: 1000203

THE ADNAMS COMMUNITY TRUST

RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS ACCOUNT 1 September 2020 TO 31 August 2021

These accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis

2019/2020 £ 4,215 2,000 2,435 1,000 5.435 150 0 750 1,022 14,968 8,000 24,890 5,045 1,153 6,198 36,523 40,738 (30,983) (600) (31,583) 0 0 9,155 9,655 (500) 9,155	Brought forward surplus Income Income from Adnams Tax on Gift Aid and dividends Returned grant cheques Donations Charities Aid Total Giving Speaking Fees Individual donations Pennies Donations re Adnams 10K run Dividends Robinson Fund Other shareholders Total income for the year Total amount available for distribution Expenditure Grants paid out during the year Independent Examiner’s Fee Previously committed Commitments made this year Carried forward to next year Represented by Bank balance Less commitments Less uncleared cheques Surplus Carried Forward	2020/2021 £ 9,155
		25,000 843 1,114
		26,957 300 370 3,200 3,883 22,051 5,266
		35,070 0 177
		177 62,203
		71,358 (63,015) 0
		(63,015) 0 (1,000)
		7,343
		8,343 (1,000)
		7,343

7 October 2021

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE ADNAMS COMMUNITY TRUST

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts for The Adnams Community Trust (the Trust) for the year ended 31 August 2021.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material 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 Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records.

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.

P N van Dijk FMAAT van Dijk Accountants Limited Georgian House 34 Thoroughfare Halesworth Suffolk IP19 8AP

16 December 2021

THE ADNAMS COMMUNITY TRUST RESERVES POLICY

1 Risk Assessment

1.1 The risk for most charities can be summarised as a risk to future income (because of poor investments or for other reasons) and/or a risk from excessive future commitments , which (if income fell short of expectations) might endanger the operations of on-going recipients of charity funding.
1.2 In the case of the Adnams Community Trust, both risks are minimal. The primary sources of income are from Adnams plc activities and from dividends on Adnams shares (a mixture of legacy income and mandates from existing shareholders). Given the stability and record of Adnams, this income is not believed to be seriously at risk – and if circumstances were to change it is likely that this would be foreseeable by the trustees, in sufficient time to take appropriate action.
1.3 As far as commitments are concerned, it is the policy of the Adnams Community Trust not to give funds on an on-going basis, year on year, but to make one-off donations to achieve specific ends. Under these circumstances the risk of being unable to fulfil commitments to recipients is very small.
1.4 The trustees do not, therefore, feel it necessary to accumulate large Reserves to cover significant potential shortfalls in income or contingent liabilities. This policy will be reviewed on an annual basis.
2 Reasons for Reserves
2.1 Although the typical donation from the Adnams Community Trust is quite small, the trustees wish to be able to fund more significant local ventures, as and when these occur, and it is therefore felt prudent to maintain a Reserve against this possibility.
2.2 Applications are occasionally received where funding is ‘time-critical’, particularly in the case of matched-funding, and the Trustees wish to be able to respond promptly in such circumstances. This will only be possible if funds are held in Reserve.
2.3 Applications in any given quarter may exceed the funds available but may, nonetheless, be deserving of a positive response. Once again, a Reserve will allow for greater flexibility in meeting local needs.
3 Reserve Policy
3.1 For the reasons outlined above, the trustees feel it prudent to accumulate a Reserve up to a maximum of 20% of annual income.
3.2 The percentage retention, and the Risk Assessment which helps justify this Policy, will be reviewed on an annual basis, in the final quarter of each financial year.

Reviewed October 2020

THE OBJECTS OF THE ADNAMS COMMUNITY TRUST

The Adnams Charity was established in 1990 to mark the centenary of Adnams as a company and changed its name to the Adnams Community Trust in 2016. The objects of the Adnams Community Trust, as laid out in the Trust Deed, are:

1 the promotion of high standards of planning and architecture in or affecting Southwold, the preservation protection development and improvement of features of public interest in Southwold, and the promotion of civic pride in Southwold;
2 to promote the provision of facilities in the interest of social welfare for recreation and leisure time occupation with the object of improving the conditions of life for the inhabitants in the area of benefit;
3 the promotion and support of musical artistic and other cultural activities within the area of benefit;
4 the relief of sickness and poverty among the disabled and other persons in the area of benefit;
5 the preservation development and improvement of features of environmental scientific or public interest in the area of benefit;
6 the promotion advancement or support of such one or more exclusively charitable purposes as the Trustees think fit.

The Adnams Community Trust fulfils its objectives by giving modest grants for specific items to worthy causes within 25 miles of Southwold in Suffolk.

THE ADNAMS COMMUNITY TRUST TRUSTEES

The Adnams Community Trust currently has ten trustees who bring with them a wealth of experience and knowledge:

Jonathan Adnams OBE – Chairman and Director Trustee
Josh Freeman – Elected Employee Trustee
Clare Teasdel – Elected Employee Trustee
Samantha Crocker – Elected Employee Trustee
Juliet Grimes – Co-opted Trustee
Guy Heald – Co-opted Trustee and Adnams Plc shareholder
Melvyn Horn – Co-opted Trustee and former Adnams Plc employee
Simon Loftus OBE – Original Trustee
Geoff Stevens – Co-opted Trustee
Dr Andy Wood OBE – Director Trustee

In accordance with the Trust’s Trust Deed there may be up to three Director Trustees, three Elected Employee Trustees and four Co-opted Trustees who may or may not be employees of the company and those Original Trustees who have not retired. All trustees give their time freely, no remuneration is paid.

The trustees meet quarterly (usually January, April, July and October) to award grants in line with the guidelines to be found on pages 14 and 15 of this Report and dependent upon the funds available.

GRANTS AWARDED

Education

Tas Valley Pre-School is a registered charity, operating in the village hall and managed by a committee of parent volunteers. The pre-school cares for 22 children aged between two and five and employs five members of staff. The trustees awarded a grant of £1,500 to purchase equipment to improve the learning environment.

Sir Robert Hitcham CEVAP School Debenham is a rural primary school with 172 pupils aged between three and eleven years. During lockdown staff and the children of key workers worked hard to clear the school’s pond area and laid a path by reusing bark chippings from a condemned climbing wall. The trustees awarded a grant of £500 towards the cost of fencing so the pond can be used as an educational resource.

Framingham Earl High School in Poringland has 783 pupils aged between eleven and sixteen. The trustees awarded a grant of £420 to purchase six display boards to showcase students’ artwork.

Harleston Church of England Primary Academy has 460 pupils. The trustees awarded a grant of £1,989 to purchase an outdoor wooden castle for the 120 pupils in Early Years and Key Stage One.

Red Oak Primary School has 444 pupils and is situated in a deprived area of Lowestoft. The proportion of pupils supported by the Pupil Premium is above the national average, as is the proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The trustees awarded a grant of £648.42 to purchase books for the school library.

Grove Primary School in Carlton Colville has 272 pupils. The proportion of pupils supported by the Pupil Premium is above the national average and the proportion of pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan in place is double the national average. The trustees awarded a grant of £664.34 to purchase books and two rugs for the school library.

Westwood Primary School in Lowestoft has 200 pupils. The proportion of pupils supported by the Pupil Premium is above the national average and an above average proportion of pupils have a Statement of Education Needs or an Education, Health and Care Plan. The trustees awarded a grant of £664.34 to purchase books and rugs for the school library.

Reydon Primary School has 187 pupils, 37 of whom are eligible for free school meals. The school has seven classes which were operating as ‘bubbles’ as part of Covid measures. It was not possible to share resources between the ‘bubbles’ which severely limited the choice of books available to pupils. The trustees awarded a grant of £700 to purchase books.

Albert Pye Community Primary School in Beccles has 391 pupils, 83 of whom are supported by the Pupil Premium. In Spring 2021 the school launched a new ‘Help to Grow’ project. The project involves the children in growing activities in a new allotment in the school grounds. The trustees awarded a grant of £650 to purchase gardening equipment.

Beccles Primary Academy has 199 pupils aged between 3 and 11 and is situated in an area of high deprivation and unemployment. The trustees awarded a grant of £1,200 to purchase education iPads to assist learning.

The Farlingaye Foundation raises funds to support Farlingaye High School in Woodbridge. The trustees awarded a grant of £1,223.50 to purchase five laptops to be loaned out to pupils so that they can access on-line lessons.

Elm Tree Primary Academy in Lowestoft has 322 pupils. Gardening is used as an enrichment activity with each year group being responsible for an area of the school grounds. The children prepare their area, plan what they will grow, sow seeds and care for the plants and then harvest and cook the resulting produce. The trustees awarded a grant of £1,260 to purchase sleepers for raised beds and fruit plants for a new soft-fruit cage.

Friends of St Edmund’s Primary School Bungay raise funds to support this school of 106 pupils. The trustees awarded a grant of £423.33 to purchase soft furnishings for a redesigned school library.

Hillside Primary School in Bradwell has 212 pupils. The school incorporates a nursery and a Special Resource Base, which takes pupils from across the borough, focusing on supporting their learning and cognition. The school also has a high percentage of children with special educational needs. The trustees awarded a grant of £1,000 towards the cost of an interactive whiteboard for the Year 3 classroom.

Archbishop Sancroft High Sch ool in Harleston has 485 pupils aged between 11 and 16. The school’s library is used for an increasing number of activities, not just as a traditional library. This heavy use has taken its toll and the library now needs refurbishing to make it a welcoming environment with good IT resources. The trustees awarded a grant of £894 to purchase a ChromeBook charging cabinet.

Martlesham Primary School has just over 100 pupils and is situated in a village with few amenities. The trustees awarded a grant of £321.76 to purchase a water feature and wind chimes as part of the creation of a sensory garden.

Southwold Primary School has around 80 pupils aged between 2 and 11. In recent years, the outdoor area for Nursery and Early Years children has been improved, but there is no equipment to develop gross motor skills, which is something the children have missed out on during the pandemic. The trustees awarded a grant of £3,745 to pay for a Get Set! Go! trim trail.

Ravensmere Infant School in Beccles has 53 pupils aged between five and seven. The school grounds include a reading garden, a trim trail and a sensory garden, and children are encouraged to learn outside where possible. The trustees awarded a grant of £460.85 to purchase deckchairs, parasols, blankets, a firepit and musical instruments so that residents from the nearby care home, Abbeyfields, can visit to interact with the children through reading and playing musical instruments.

The Warren Trust Association raises money to purchase specialist equipment for the Warren School, a special school with 113 pupils aged between 3 and 19, which caters for children and young people with severe and complex learning difficulties and physical disabilities. Improvements are planned for the school’s outdoor area to encourage creative learning. The trustees awarded a grant of £1,623.42 to pay for upright rainbow panels for a rainbow-walk zone.

Sir John Leman High School in Beccles has 1,453 students aged between 11 and 18. Improvements are being made to the school grounds to enable pupils to work and socialise outside. The trustees awarded a grant of £950 to purchase ten picnic benches.

The Friends of Rockland St Mary School aim to advance the education of the 45 pupils at this rural school through building relationships and raising funds. Rockland St Mary School has recently adopted the ‘Curiosity Approach’ to learning which encourages active learning, critical thinking and enjoyment through play. The trustees awarded a grant of £765.47 to purchase the materials necessary to build an outdoor learning area.

The Friends of Ilketshall St Lawrence Primary School raise money for this rural school of 99 pupils. The trustees awarded a grant of £605.19 to purchase maths resources.

Health & Social Welfare

Music in our Bones provides accessible, therapeutic and community-building singing opportunities for people in Suffolk who experience disadvantage due to having a caring role or through physical or mental health issues (for example dementia, stroke, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, depression or bereavement). The trustees awarded a grant of £540 to pay for singer-leader time to allow them to continue to support the HeartSong singing group in Oulton Broad through phone calls and Zoom sessions.

Burston & Shimpling Parish Council is responsible for local government in these two rural parishes of south Norfolk. The well-used Boudicca Way passes through Shimpling and attracts many visitors to the village. The trustees awarded a grant of £500 towards the cost of a community defibrillator, to be located on the Boudicca Way.

The PBC Foundation provides support and information to those affected by Primary Biliary Cholangitis, a progressive autoimmune liver condition with no known cause or cure. Symptoms include lethargy and chronic fatigue, dry eyes, joint pain, diarrhoea, bruising, abdominal pain, indigestion, jaundice and swelling of the ankles and abdomen. The trustees awarded a grant of £518 to pay for a year’s worth of ‘The Bear Facts’, a magazine which helps sufferers cope with their condition, for 27 registered service users in the Adnams Community Trust catchment area.

Aldeburgh Hospital (East Suffolk & North Essex Foundation Trust) is a community hospital with 20 beds for inpatients and various outpatients’ clinics. The trustees awarded a grant of £600 to purchase two cycle-storage units so that staff and patients who choose to cycle to the hospital can park their bicycles securely.

Realise Futures is a Community Interest Company that works across Norfolk and Suffolk to improve and promote the economic and social welfare of disadvantaged and disabled individuals. The support provided is tailored to meet an individual’s needs. The trustees awarded a grant of £795 towards the cost of assisting a 21-year-old to obtain an HGV licence, to help him secure employment as a lorry driver.

Rural Coffee Caravan aims to address the causes and alleviate the symptoms of rural isolation and loneliness in Suffolk by holding events which get people talking to each other in a non-threatening atmosphere. Services have not operated as normal during the pandemic, but contact has been made by telephone, digitally and through random acts of kindness. The trustees awarded a grant of £1,000 to purchase slow cookers, which use little power and can be used to make cheap, nutritious meals. The slow cookers will be given to households in need, as identified by foodbanks in Halesworth, Bungay and Beccles, by Homestart and by Hour Community Framlingham.

Suffolk County Council’s Adult and Community Services Team provides support for a lady from Lowestoft who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis. The Council has provided her with a bariatric hi-lo bed because its mattress is wider than a normal bed, allowing her to transfer from wheelchair to bed unaided. However, the mattress is designed for a much heavier person and is therefore not comfortable for this individual. The trustees awarded a grant of £510.10 towards the cost of a custom-made pocketsprung mattress.

Suffolk County Council’s Adult Social Care Team cares for a lady from Carlton Colville who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. She has numerous other health issues and is no longer able to sleep in a bed. The trustees awarded a grant of £1,599 towards the cost of a dual-motor riser-recliner chair to enable her to sleep in more comfort.

Young People Taking Action (The CYDS Project) provides a wide range of services to young people aged between 8 and 24 in the Leiston and Saxmundham area. Pre-Covid, in partnership with another organisation, the CYDS Project ran free, open-access sessions three times a week at the Youth Booth in Saxmundham Skate Park, attended by around 76 young people. When permitted, the CYDS Project would like to resume these sessions and the trustees awarded a grant of £1,050 to purchase three sofas, a pool table, pool table wheels and paint materials for the Youth Booth to enhance the provision. In addition, Adnams plc donated and delivered two filing cabinets the company no longer needed.

Footsteps – Walking with You , based in Woodbridge, provides professional counselling for 11 to 25year-olds across Suffolk. During lockdown this was carried out via Zoom or telephone but normally takes place face to face. Since 2018 Footsteps has worked with around 50 young people affected by a variety of issues such as anxiety, depression, bullying, abusive relationships and bereavement. Clients are referred by GPs or their families and receive weekly sessions with a professional counsellor. Early intervention can prevent more complex problems later in life. The trustees awarded a grant of £1,500 to subsidise the cost of counselling sessions for clients unable to meet the full cost.

Swell Music CIC is a new, not-for-profit, social enterprise run by a local music practitioner. Swell Music runs music sessions for people living with dementia in Lowestoft and Halesworth and a mentoring and training project with young autistic musicians. Since December 2020 Swell Music has been running ‘Singing for the Brain’ sessions via video conference for 20 families affected by dementia in Halesworth. ‘Singing for the Brain’ is a research-based approach which uses singing and vocal exercises to engage with those with dementia, improving well-being, cognitive function and memory. The trustees awarded a grant of £900 to pay for six sessions to be delivered in person for up to 30 families, once restrictions permit.

Reframe Coaching CIC supports individuals in recovery from a gambling disorder and individuals who have been affected by their loved ones’ gambling. Reframe also provides educational awareness sessions for schools. The trustees awarded a grant of £850 to pay for these sessions for five high schools in the Adnams Community Trust catchment area.

The Pear Tree Fund was set up in 1989 to augment NHS services through the provision of extra nursing, holistic care and specialist equipment for terminally ill patients attending Cutlers Hill Surgery in Halesworth. The charity now has a state-of-the-art drop-in information and support centre – The Pear Tree Centre – for use by the 50,000 people who live within 15 miles of Halesworth. The trustees awarded a grant of £1,000 to pay for professional counselling sessions for those recently diagnosed with a life-limiting illness (and their families) and for those who have suffered bereavement.

Suffolk County Council Adult Social Care Services supports a lady from the Adnams Community Trust catchment area who suffers from long-term health conditions which mean she is unable to walk. The NHS has supplied an electric wheelchair, but this is too wide and heavy for many situations and buildings. The trustees awarded a grant of £1,836 to purchase a manual wheelchair to provide flexibility so that the individual is not excluded from activities.

The Arts

T he Lowestoft Players is an award-winning amateur musical theatre group based at The Bethel in Lowestoft. All performers, backstage and front-of-house staff are volunteers from the local community. The theatre is also used by other community groups. The trustees awarded a grant of £1,923.50 to purchase a commercial glasswasher for the theatre’s small bar to improve hygiene and increase the number of customers who can be served.

The Lettering and Commemorative Arts Trust (LACT) aims to ensure the survival of the heritage craft of letter carving in the UK. LACT runs an apprenticeship scheme and placements with master cutters, to train a new generation of carvers and is also the custodian of the Art & Memory Collection which presents memorials as art forms. The trustees awarded a grant of £500 towards a series of workshops in local schools, in conjunction with Suffolk Wildlife Trust. ‘Wild Little Letters’ involves school children collecting natural items and then using them to create letter-based artwork.

The INK Festival based in Halesworth aims to discover, develop and showcase new short scripts by writers linked to East Anglia and to develop creativity in the local community by using local actors/directors and by working with schools and community groups to reach a large and varied audience. The trustees awarded a grant of £500 to pay for INKLINGS workshops, at which children aged 9 to 13 will devise and perform a radio play.

Recreation

Geldeston Parish Council is responsible for play facilities in this rural village of 157 households. The trustees awarded a grant of £1,000 towards the cost of a play bus for the new outdoor area, to encourage role play and social skills.

Bredfield Bowls Club has 35 members ranging in age from mid-thirties to mid-eighties. Bowls is one of the few sports which can be played by people of any age and the Club hopes to focus next year on encouraging more young members. The trustees awarded a grant of £595 towards the cost of replacing worn and dangerous carpet tiles in the clubhouse hallway and toilet area.

Orford and Gedgrave Parish Council is responsible for the village recreation ground. The area is well used, particularly as it is situated next to the primary school. The trustees awarded a grant of £500 towards the cost of a climbing dome, suitable for older children.

Thurlton Bowls Club is a non-profit making community club with over 60 members including a strong junior section. The Club runs after-school sessions and the clubhouse is used by members, friends, families and visiting teams. After 20 years of fundraising the Club’s new clubhouse is approaching completion. The clubhouse will be used by members but also the wider community. The trustees awarded a grant of £506 to purchase an auto-fill hot water boiler to provide a safe way to make hot drinks.

Bungay and District Sports Association manages Maltings Meadow and the Maltings Pavilion in Bungay. The facilities are used by Bungay Town Football Club, Bungay Cricket Club and Bungay Tennis Club on a regular basis and by the Black Dog Running Club on an occasional basis. In addition, the Pavilion is used by the public and community organisations for social and leisure activities. The trustees awarded a grant of £534.65 towards the cost of new chairs.

Woodbridge Cricket Club has 30 senior members, 20 junior members and 10 social members and runs two Saturday sides, a T20 side and a full junior section. The club is run entirely by volunteers. The trustees awarded a grant of £765 to purchase a rotary mower for the square, essential for producing and maintaining the wicket.

Wrentham Tennis Club is a small club with 18 adult members and 4 child members (3 of these play for the county). In addition, the two courts are used on a pay-and-play basis by members of the community and holidaymakers. The courts are used most days. The trustees awarded a grant of £1,032 to pay for the courts to be deep cleaned and treated with moss and weedkiller.

Oulton Broad Water Sports Centre is a water-sports training centre for schools and youth groups which has been established for over thirty years. A group of local volunteers has recently taken over the management of the Centre after the previous management company pulled out. The trustees awarded a grant of £500 to purchase IT equipment to set up the office to ensure the operation runs smoothly.

Waveney Surf Lifesaving Club is a volunteer-run club which aims to promote water safety and lifeguarding in the Lowestoft and Southwold areas. It currently has 45 members aged between 7 and 99. The trustees awarded a grant of £1,595 to purchase an adjustable-length rescue ski.

Wacton Parish Council is responsible for the village play area, which has recently been condemned, leaving nowhere for local children to play. The trustees awarded a grant of £592.95 to pay for the supply and installation of grass matting for a new swing.

Buildings/Community Facilities

Aldeburgh Library Foundation is a charity which supports Aldeburgh Public Library. The library operates as a traditional lending library and also offers 33 hours of events each week. Aldeburgh Library Foundation runs courses such as Zumba, jewellery-making, languages, music, philosophy and photography at the library and other venues in Aldeburgh. The courses are educational and bring people together, combatting loneliness. The trustees awarded a grant of £960 to purchase a disabled-access, circular picnic bench.

Rumburgh and St Michael Village Hall is well used by the local community. The trustees awarded a grant of £1,000 towards the cost of new chairs.

Ilketshall St Margaret Village Hall is the only public facility in the village (apart from the church) and in normal times is widely used by local residents. The trustees awarded a grant of £1,000 towards the cost of alterations and improvements to the kitchen.

Ditchingham Village Hall is at the heart of the community and is well used by residents of Ditchingham and the surrounding villages. It is also home to Ditchingham Pre-School. Due to strong demand the Village Hall Committee, along with the Parish Council, agreed to build an extension to create a purposebuilt facility for the pre-school enabling them to provide additional care. The trustees awarded a grant of £1,000 towards the cost of a perimeter fence to secure the play area.

Bramerton Parish Council wishes to build a footpath along a busy section of the main Surlingham Road to make it easier and safer for residents and visitors to move around the village. The trustees awarded a grant of £500 towards the cost of the first stage of building the footpath.

Debenham Men’s Shed was founded in 2018 to reduce social isolation and encourage skill-sharing and friendship, particularly (but not exclusively) for older men. The Shed has twelve members who would normally meet once a week to repair and make things, reducing the number of items sent to landfill. The trustees awarded a grant of £500 towards the cost of groundworks associated with enlarging facilities so that more members can be accommodated.

Snape Parish Council would like to develop and enhance the village green opposite and adjacent to the Crown pub to strengthen the community feel of the village and provide a wildlife-friendly area which could be used as an educational resource. The trustees awarded a grant of £1,000 towards the cost of sleepers for a perimeter wall and for trees on the village green, as part of the larger project.

Gillingham Village Hall is used by many local groups, by Gillingham Early Years and for private parties. The trustees awarded a grant of £539.40 to purchase ten tables as the existing tables are unsafe.

Beccles Library Community Trust supports and fundraises for Beccles Library. In normal times the library is open seven days a week and, alongside traditional library services, provides free access to computers, copying, printing and scanning facilities. The library works with other organisations to support vulnerable people and is used by numerous groups and for events aimed particularly at children and young people. The trustees awarded a grant of £648 to purchase four tall ‘kinderbox browsers’ for the children’s section of the library.

Badingham Village Hall is the only community building in the village and is well used by locals of all ages, including the pre-school, a toddler group, the Maypole ladies’ group, the Parish Council and numerous exercise groups. A significant renovation project is planned to upgrade the accommodation at the hall. A grant of £1,000 was awarded towards the cost of dimmable LED downlights which will improve lighting and reduce electricity bills.

Leiston Community Land Trust (LCLT) is a Community Benefit Society which works with local organisations to drive the regeneration of Leiston town centre. One area LCLT is endeavouring to improve is the Church Community Garden, an area of land beside the United Reform Church in the centre of Leiston. The garden is currently wasteland, but plans have been drawn up and planning permission granted to transform it into a community garden. The trustees awarded a grant of £2,077.20 to purchase two benches.

Cookpole Energy Action is a voluntary group established in 2009 by local residents wanting to promote and develop ‘green’ projects in the villages of Cookley and Walpole. Since then, the group has been involved in numerous initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint of the villages. The trustees awarded a grant of £864.50 towards the cost of a community shredder, to be used by villagers to reduce the amount of garden waste either burnt or taken to the Sizewell recycling centre.

Blaxhall Commons and Open Spaces Charitable Trust was set up in 2015 by a group of local people who wish to protect and enhance the green spaces in and around Blaxhall, for the benefit of wildlife, biodiversity and the general public. In 2020 the Trust was gifted 6.5 areas of rough grassland adjoining Blaxhall Great Common. The land had been unused for years and work has begun to clear it of unwanted bracken so that it can once more become acid grassland, rich in wildflowers. The Trust aims to allow the site to become ‘rewilded’ as a habitat for wildlife with open public access. The trustees awarded a grant of £1,000 towards the cost of asbestos removal.

Royal British Legion Band Leiston (RBLBL) is a self-supporting, social brass band with 35 members, run by volunteers. The Band also runs a Training Band for learners of all ages and will be starting a drum section for young people, having recently acquired the equipment of Southwold Drum and Bugle Corps. All management, tuition and support are provided free of charge. In normal times the Band rehearses twice a week. In February 2021 RBLBL took over ownership of the Ex-Servicemen’s Club in Leiston. The trustees awarded a grant of £1,000 towards the cost of repairs to the Club building.

The Market Hall Saxmundham is a Victorian building and now a hub for community activities. It is used for Town Council meetings, music events, exercise classes, parties, as a polling station and, most recently, has become home to the new Alde and Blythe Community Radio. During lockdown, the main hall was refurbished but the kitchen still requires a complete renovation to ensure that it meets hygiene standards. The trustees awarded a grant of £2,000 towards the cost of stainless-steel kitchen units.

Enterprise Badingham is a small group of volunteers who aim to nurture community spirit in the village through small, sustainable projects and initiatives. Membership of the group is open to all villagers, who can participate in whichever projects are of interest to them. Members of Enterprise Badingham have recently planted fourteen heritage fruit trees in Badingham’s Pocket Park, a two-acre site managed by the Parish Council. The trustees awarded a grant of £795 to purchase a bench, to be sited amongst the newly planted orchard in the Pocket Park.

Thurlton Community Store CIC village shop is run by over 30 volunteers for the local community. It was set up in 2016 and is the only shop within three miles, providing an important local facility, particularly for those without transport. On two mornings a week the shop hosts an Outreach Post Office. Prior to the pandemic the shop ran numerous regular community events. During the pandemic, the shop has offered a delivery service to the vulnerable and those who are self-isolating. The trustees awarded a grant of £1,180 to purchase a double chiller which will improve energy efficiency and safety and increase the amount of chilled food which can be stored.

Pledge

Lowestoft Museum is a volunteer-run community museum of local importance. It is housed in a Grade 2 listed building, leased from the Nicholas Everitt Park Trust. The Museum collects, preserves and displays objects relating to the history of the area and its people, including a collection of rare porcelain. Lowestoft Museum has a long-term problem with flooding in the cellar. Water has compromised the foundations and integrity of the walls, including a supporting wall. The damp issues are putting the building and the collections it houses at risk. Lowestoft Museum has applied to the Arts Council England’s Museum Estate and Development Fund for a £465,000 grant to pay for building repairs, but in order to submit this application it needed to find 5% match-funding and show local support. The trustees made a pledge of £1,000, to be held for one year, to demonstrate support from a local organisation.

Returned Grants

In July 2019 the Trustees awarded a grant of £1,200 to Barsham and Shipmeadow Village Hall for nonslip flooring, £114 of which was subsequently returned due to an underspend.

In October 2019 the Trustees awarded a grant of £500 to Suffolk County Council towards the cost of a dual-motor riser-recliner chair for a lady from Carlton Colville. This grant was returned as the Social Worker was unable to raise the outstanding funds needed to purchase the item. An application to the Adnams Community Trust for the full amount was then subsequently submitted and was successful in January 2021.

In October 2020 the Trustees awarded a grant of £500 to Orford and Gedgrave Parish Council towards the cost of a climbing dome. The council was unable to raise the rest of the funds needed and therefore returned the grant.

THE ADNAMS COMMUNITY TRUST APPLICATION GUIDELINES

The Adnams Community Trust

1 The Adnams Community Trust (charity no 1000203) was founded in 1990 to mark the centenary of Adnams as a company. It is funded by a percentage of Adnams plc’s profits, Adnams dividends donated by shareholders, customer donations through the ‘Pennies’ scheme in Adnams shops and online, general donations, legacies, and funds raised through events like the annual Adnams 10k Run.
2 The Adnams Community Trust is managed by a skilled board of trustees, who run the Trust independently from Adnams plc. The trustees are a mix of elected Adnams employees, Adnams directors and others whose expertise and commitment add to the quality of decision-making. All trustees give their time freely, and no remuneration is paid.
3 The trustees publish independently examined accounts on an annual basis.

Who may/may not apply

4 Applications must be for charitable causes within a 25-mile radius of St Edmund’s Church, Southwold. Applications from national charities which operate within the 25-mile catchment area may be considered if assurances can be given that the money will be used for a specific purpose, exclusively within the above catchment area/exclusively for the benefit of individuals from within our catchment area.
5 The Adnams Community Trust does not normally make grants to religious organisations or private clubs unless these can demonstrate that the purpose of the grant is for something of clear public benefit, accessible to all.
6 No grants are made to individuals. However, public bodies and charities may apply on behalf of individuals.

What grants are/are not made for

7 The trustees prefer applications for specific items.
8 Grants are generally of a one-off nature.
9 There must be at least two years between grants to the same organisation.
10 The trustees are reluctant to give grants to cover on-going running costs, although in very exceptional circumstances they may do so.
11 The Adnams Community Trust does not provide sponsorship of any kind.
12 The Adnams Community Trust does not provide raffle prizes.
13 The Adnams Community Trust does not give funds indirectly to charities, for example by sponsoring the fundraising efforts of individuals.
14 Grants are not awarded retrospectively (ie for items which have already been purchased).

How to apply

15 The trustees meet quarterly, in January, April, July and October. For application deadline dates, please see the Adnams website, https://adnams.co.uk/pages/act-grants or contact the Adnams Community Trust Administrator.
16 For an application form, please contact the Adnams Community Trust Administrator by emailing communitytrust@adnams.co.uk, telephoning 01502 727200 or by writing to Rebecca Abrahall, The Adnams Community Trust Administrator, The Adnams Community Trust, c/o 23 The Street, Brockdish, Norfolk, IP21 4JY.
17 When completing your application, please include the following information:
what the grant is for
who will benefit
how much the item(s) will cost, including a detailed quotation
fundraising activities being undertaken and/or other grants applied for and the amount raised so far
necessary financial documents (see points 19 and 20)
18 If your organisation is VAT exempt, or is able to reclaim VAT, please ensure VAT is not included in your application.
19 Please include with your application:
your organisation’s most recent set of audited or examined accounts. If the accounts are more than 12 months old, please also provide management accounts for the most recent financial year
organisation’s planned budget for the coming year
a copy of your organisation’s most recent bank statement
details of the number of people needed to authorise payments from the organisation’s bank account

If your accounts show a significant surplus or deficit, high or low reserves, please provide an explanation. If your organisation has not been running for a full year, then a copy of the most recent bank statement and income and expenditure statement/management accounts must be sent.

20 Please provide a copy of your Reserves Policy.
21 Please note, if an application is successful the trustees will expect the grant to be spent within one year . Copies of receipt(s) will be required as proof of purchase/expenditure and the End-ofProject Reporting Form must be completed and returned. Any changes to the use of the grant must be approved in writing in advance by the Adnams Community Trust. The trustees reserve the right to ask for a grant to be returned if these conditions are not met.

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

The Adnams Community Trust Bankers

Barclays Banks PLC 67 High Street Southwold IP18 6DT

The Adnams Community Trust Independent Examiners

van Dijk Accountants Limited Georgian House 34 Thoroughfare Halesworth Suffolk IP19 8AP

The Adnams Community Trust Solicitors

Nicholsons Solicitors 23 Alexandra Road Lowestoft NR32 1PP

The Adnams Community Trust Sole Bay Brewery Southwold Suffolk IP18 6JW

Registered charity number 1000203