Annual Report for Charity Commission 2021
Structure, Governance and Management:
Membership of the Trust: Trustees and year of appointment are as follows,
Miss Janet Cox 2017 Mr John Creasey 2017 (Chair from September 2018) Miss Heidi Fletcher 2017 (Vice Chair from September 2018) Mrs Marie Mead 2012 (Secretary) Mrs Deborah Nicholls 2019 (Resigned May 2021) Mrs Jane Spencer 2017 (Safeguarding Trustee) Dr. John Stafford 1990 (Assistant Treasurer from April 2020) Mrs Jacqueline Vickers 2015 (Treasurer from April 2020)
Employees of the Trust:
Mrs Jo-Ann Gaunt primary schools worker appointed 01/01/2002 – retired 31/07/2021 Mrs Trish Horwood primary schools worker appointed 01/01/2017 Mrs Becky Guynn primary schools worker appointed 01/09/2019
Objectives and Activities: methods may have changed but objectives haven’t.
The stated aim of the Trust is: The advancement of the Christian Religion among young people in the Bedford Area, particularly in schools, in conjunction with local churches and volunteers.
Although another unusual year - dominated again by Covid 19 restrictions – a return to “near normality” was possible from the beginning of September 2021. For the first two terms of the year, Impact’s workers had limited access into schools and the majority of their work was carried out electronically, a way of working they had skilfully mastered in 2020.
Impact’s aims and objectives, enabling children and young people to achieve their full spiritual, moral, social and cultural potential, was again being carried out through personal contact within schools. Although still subject to certain Covid 19 restrictions, and in a majority of schools, from September 2021 onwards our workers were being welcomed back by both teachers and pupils alike, with a mixture of electronic and face to face contact being the format of working through the “new normal”.
Achievements and Performance: building on the successes of 2020.
The achievements of 2021 were built upon the work that had been carried out so successfully in 2020. For the first two terms of the year, from January to July, when access into schools was still prohibited, information continued to be sent into schools and churches electronically. As in the previous nine months of 2020, it was gratefully received and appreciated by both pupils and teachers.
Written feedback as to the value of the material sent out electronically was a great encouragement to both trustees and workers alike. It encouraged us all to look for even more inventive and exciting ways to present our information in schools, whilst at the same time it assured us that our workers would be warmly welcomed back into schools once restrictions were eased – as they were in September 2021.
– Core Activities and Materials: they remain the same but are presented differently.
Whilst still working from home for the first two terms of the year, our workers continued to make contact with all the schools in which they had previously taken assemblies, carried out creative prayer / prayer spaces / GodlyPlay as well as self esteem and relationship sessions; helped run Christian Unions, run voluntary lunchtime / after school clubs, and taken RE lessons. They continued to offer schools a programme of electronically presented material up until July and, where schools were willing to allow them to return, from the beginning of the Autumn term they offered them a mixture of electronic information and face to face presentations – some schools delaying worker entry until January 2022. The core material presented to pupils in schools had not changed, but the method of delivery had. Once again, our workers had creatively and innovatively developed ways of ensuring the Christian message could still be heard in schools, despite the ongoing restrictions.
Special Projects and Seasonal Activities: a difficult year
In a “normal year” our workers would have been involved in the following activities – often with the help and support of volunteers and / or in conjunction with Scripture Union and the John Bunyan Museum in Bedford. With some Covid 19 restrictions still in place for most of 2021, the following activities were not possible – a great disappointment for all those usually involved.
Life Path: Easter Experience: Barn Nativity: Footsteps of Bunyan:
With the Barn Nativity having been videoed in 2020 it was possible for schools and churches to re-use this if they wished to, it having been so enthusiastically received the previous year. There is now a conversation taking place about what other special projects and activities can be videoed – in case face to face activities are not possible on occasions in the future. Videoing the Easter Experience is being considered, as well as the Footsteps of Bunyan.
Church and Volunteer Communications: not the easiest year.
As the year progressed it was evident that contact with our volunteers was something that had suffered because of Coivid 19 restrictions. Attempts to get existing and prospective volunteers to join workers and Trustees for a thank you tea proved unsuccessful, and will now be held in 2022. Meanwhile, our schools’ workers have continued to make regular contact with the Churches they are involved with, all of varying Christian denominations, ensuring that the material they have been receiving from Impact is relevant and appropriate. Once again the response from Churches has been encouraging – but has yet to produce an increase in the number of volunteers Impact activities need throughout the year.
In addition, and to ensure that our volunteers and supporters are kept fully aware of what our schools’ workers are doing, we have continued to send out our newsletter once a term, plus an email up-date once a month – including our prayer requests.
As a small Christian charity our volunteers and supporters are very important to us and keeping in touch with them is essential. It is their prayers and financial support that has enabled Impact to continue presenting the Christian message in Bedfordshire schools for over 30 years.
Training and Reviews: encouraging
Throughout the year, the schools’ workers have again each carried out a variety of on-line training courses, having been encouraged to look for relevant courses and seminars that will be of benefit to their work in the future. At the same time, they have continued to record and score each seminar / course they have carried out, to determine which ones have been of value and which ones haven’t. This it is hoped, will ensure that any future training will be appropriate to their work in schools.
Our workers have also been involved in the development of a new way of presenting stories to pupils in schools called “Out of the Box”, something they believe will be beneficial to their way of working in the future.
Through Zoom meetings workers have each taken part in trustee-led Annual Performance Reviews as well as reflection / retreat days.
As in previous years regular Team Meetings have been used to build a sense of ‘team’ and this has been essential during a further year of restrictions and disruptions.
The Trust is mindful of its responsibilities for the welfare of pupils, and workers, volunteers and Trustees are DBS checked. In addition, our safeguarding strategies and policies are regularly reviewed to ensure the charity is fully up to date with current legislation.
The Future: the same objective, but delivered in a different way
With Covid 19 restrictions continuing for the first two terms of the year, with our relatively new worker Becky Guynn eager to get into schools, but not able to, and with the departure of our longest serving worker Jo-Ann Gaunt at the end of July, 2021 was quite an eventful year. In addition, the Trustees also had to search for a new worker to replace Jo-Ann !! As in 2021, the encouragement our workers received throughout the year from teachers, their assistants, Church leaders, volunteers and supporters, as well as pupils, was very much appreciated. Impact, was now being seen by many schools as a group of innovative workers, presenting the Christian message, as a team. Where previously a school would only meet one Impact worker, through the use of modern technology, schools were now meeting all three workers; if not face to face, then on the screen. On-line social media platforms, including Facebook, have continued to be developed and proven to be very helpful in spreading the word about what Impact can do, is doing and will be doing in the future.
The Strategic Vision Plan, begun in August 2020 to further prepare Impact for its mission and objectives in the coming years, continues to be developed. Several meetings have been held throughout the year and Trustees and workers have jointly produced a draft strategic vision for the next 5 years. A full review of our future aims and goals, including an appraisal of our current and future finances, existing and future ways our workers carry out their work, plus an assessment of our management needs is ongoing. It includes a strategy for increasing our income as well as an increase in the number of trustees, volunteers and supporters we have at present. 2022 will hopefully see this Strategic Vision document finalised, approved and fully implemented.
Financial Review
Please see Income and Expenditure Accounts and Balance Sheets attached.
Independent Examination:
The Examiner’s Report is attached.
Public Benefit:
The trustees affirm their conviction that considerable numbers of children and young people are benefiting from the above activities in line with the aims of the charity and guidelines of the Charity Commission.
John Creasey - 26.08.2022
BASCST - Receipts Payments Account 2021
| BASCST - Receipts Payments Account 2021 | BASCST - Receipts Payments Account 2021 |
|---|---|
| 2020 INCOME 2021 19,242.00 Gift Aid donations 17,760.00 5,166.50 Reclaimed tax 4,152.75 24,408.50 21,912.75 Regular donations: 2,680.00 Individuals 1,345.00 20,249.03 Churches 19,198.25 22,929.03 20,543.25 Occasional donations: 1,180.00 Individuals 742.56 625.14 Churches 1,575.00 1,805.14 2,317.56 3,383.96 HMRC Furlough Payment 5,992.93 2,545.79 Just Giving/Easy Fundraising 1,500.28 757.59 Bank interest 183.62 510.00 income from events 380.00 miscellaneous 60.00 1,015.00 other income |
|
| 57,735.01 TOTAL INCOME 52,510.39 |
|
| EXPENDITURE 48,407.21 Workers' salaries 41,600.65 4,624.41 Superann. 4,056.36 563.27 Employer's NI 1,801.82 53,594.89 47,458.83 2,830.64 Workers' expenses (Note 1) 1,959.91 2,284.82 Trust administration (Note 2) 1,486.07 |
|
| 58,710.35 TOTAL EXPENDITURE 50,904.81 |
|
| **-975.34 ** | surplus/deficit 1,605.58 |
| Note 1 0.00 Workers' expenses 1,821.37 Motor + travel 500.64 37.27 Consumeables 64.79 320.58 Materials 91.73 19.60 Postage 34.65 216.62 Telephone 103.10 380.20 Office heat/light allowance 495.00 35.00 Training 670.00 2,830.64 Note 2 1,959.91 Trust administration 13.00 DBS 13.00 563.70 Insurance 563.70 184.00 costs of events 28.00 gifts (Christmas worker gifts) 70.00 475.06 Trustee expenses(Zoom pyts) 362.29 1,021.07 Subscriptions -0.01 miscellaneous Workers Hardware Software 477.08 2,284.82 1,486.07 |
BASCST - Balance Sheet 2021
| 2020 | 2021 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Balances at bank | |||
| 9,334.39 | NatWest current A/C | 9,021.35 | |
| 11,765.04 | Barclay Savings A/C | 13,501.33 | |
| 66,968.12 | Nationwide 90 day | 67,150.45 | |
| 8.94 | Cash in hand | 8.94 | |
| 88,076.49 | 89,682.07 | ||
| 89,051.83 | BALANCE at year start | 88,076.49 | |
| - | 975.34 |
Surplus / deficit of income | 1,605.58 |
| over expenditure | |||
| 88,076.49 | BALANCE at year end | 89,682.07 |
2021_accounts_In&Exp Finala.xls
updated 13/03/2022
Ind•pend•nt Examlner's Report Report to the trustees of: Bedford Area Schools Christian Support Trust {otherwise known as BASCST and Impact), Registered Charity No. 1010472 on the accounts for the year ended 31 Dernber 2021. Resp•ctive rosponsibllities of Tru8tee8 and Examlner The trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. They consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibilty to.. 1. examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act. 2. to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145{5)(b) of the 2011 Charities Act), and 3, to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basis of Independent examlner's statsment My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the trustees and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual ttems or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the eviden that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair, view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. Independent examiner's Statement In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention: 1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements.. to keep accounting records in accordan with Section 130 of the 2011 Charities Act; to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting cords"and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met,. or 2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed.. Date: .1-. Independent Examinerfs Name: Relevant professional qualification or body.. Address.. gi