Annual Report for Charity Commission 2023
- 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) (retired 31/12/23) Miss Heidi Fletcher 2017 (Vice Chair from September 2018) Mrs Marie Mead 2012 (Secretary) (Retired July 2023) Mrs Jane Spencer 2017 Dr. John Stafford 1990 (Assistant Treasurer from April 2020) Mrs Jacqueline Vickers 2015 (Treasurer from April 2020) Mr Darren Chubb 2022 (Appointed January 2023)
Employees of the Trust:
Mrs Hayley Bailey primary schools worker appointed 01/01/2022 (resigned 31/12/23) Mrs Trish Horwood primary schools worker appointed 01/01/2017 Mrs Becky Guynn primary schools worker appointed 01/09/2019
- Objectives and Activities: a return to face to face / in school activities.
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. After a year of “nervous anticipation” throughout 2022, the beginning of 2023 saw Impact’s three Workers once again being invited into schools on a regular basis, as they had been prior to Covid. Whilst continuing to work electronically when required to do so, as mastered and used throughout the Covid years, a majority of schools welcomed them back with enthusiasm.
Once again, Impact’s aims and objectives, enabling children and young people to achieve their full spiritual, moral, social and cultural potential, were being achieved through personal contact with young people in more than 50 schools in Bedford Borough and Mid Bedfordshire.
- Achievements and Performance: evolving and developing the team spirit.
With a third schools worker now firmly settled into role, and harnessing the team spirit that had evolved between the Workers during the Covid years, Impact was now able to present itself to schools as a “corporate body”, and not as three individual Workers. At the same time, whilst continuing to review and streamline their working practices, the Workers were able to accommodate more schools in their programme of work - not always easy but extremely encouraging and an answer to prayer.
Meanwhile, the Trustees continued to review the Impact Vision Plan, ensuring that it was being fulfilled, modifying and updating it on a regular basis to meet the requirements of the Workers’ developing workload.
Having presented a live production of the Barn Nativity at St. John’s Church, Bedford in December 2022 - only possible through the generosity of the members of St. John’s, the dedication of Impact volunteers, and the determination of the Workers - 2023 saw the enactment of not only the Barn Nativity but also the Easter Experience. Whilst both of these live productions were greatly appreciated by the teachers, pupils and parents who viewed them, the videos of each enactment made during Covid, were made available to schools that were unable to attend a live performance.
2023 was a year of consolidation and achievement for Impact, after the restrictive Covid years. - Core Activities and Materials: consolidation and development.
With schools now principally functioning as “normal” the Workers were once again being asked to carry out all that they had done “pre Covid” - including assemblies at various times during the day, creative prayer sessions, prayer spaces and Godly-Play - as well as self esteem and relationship sessions. In addition, Workers were asked to help run Christian Unions, support lunchtime and after school clubs and take RE lessons, whilst at the same time refining their daily working programme and streamlining their appointments to reduce their travelling time between schools. 2023 proved to be a year of consolidation and development by our Workers, supported by the Trustees and volunteers, ensuring that the Christian message was being heard loudly and clearly in primary schools in Bedford Borough and Mid-Bedfordshire.
- Special Projects and Seasonal Activities: a time to celebrate.
Prior to March 2020, Impact Workers were involved in the following joint ventures – helped and supported by volunteers and in conjunction with Scripture Union, St.John’s Church Bedford and the John Bunyan Museum in Bedford:
The Easter Experience Life Path: John Bunyan in Elstow / John Newton in Olney. In the Footsteps of Bunyan: The Barn Nativity:
As referenced above, in 2023, Workers and volunteers were once again able to present both the Easter Experience and the Barn Nativity at St. John’s Church Bedford. Between 25 - 30 pupils, teachers and helpers attended each of the 15 performances, a total of around 800 individuals. In May 2023, Life Path took place on Elstow village green, when the theme for the activities centred around the life of John Bunyan, and his book ”Pilgrim’s Progress”. Once again it was a wonderful three day event with around 800 children enthusiastically taking part.
Due to difficulties programming in schools with the museum’s availability, In the Footsteps of Bunyan, did not take place in 2023. However, good forward planning has ensured that this joint venture with the John Bunyan Museum staff will be taking place over 6 days in June 2024. In addition to the above four activities, and over and above their day to day school activities, the Workers have been involved in holiday clubs as well as special Easter and Christmas activities.
- Church and Volunteer Communications: an ongoing dilemma.
In 2022, attempts were made to get existing and prospective volunteers to join Workers and Trustees for a thank you tea, something that had not been possible in the previous two years. Unfortunately, this proved unsuccessful. In 2023, similar attempts were made but again without success. Hopefully there will be greater success in 2024 as contact with volunteers is essential. This being the case, throughout the year, volunteers and supporters are kept up to date with what Impact Workers are doing through the receipt of a once a term newsletter, plus a monthly e-mail that includes the Workers prayer and praise requests.
At the same time, the Workers continued to make regular contact with teachers and staff in all the schools they go into, ensuring that the material received from, and presented by Impact was relevant and appropriate, whilst helping them fulfil the requirements of the current RE syllabus . As a small Christian charity, our volunteers and supporters are incredibly 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: appropriate and necessary – and beneficial
Once again, throughout the year, the Workers have each carried out a variety of on-line training courses, monitoring their content to ensure that they are appropriate to their work in schools. Each Worker has also taken part in Trustee - led Annual Performance Reviews, plus reflection / retreat days. The latter are seen by the Trustees as essential to the Workers’ well being and they
are also encouraged to find time in their busy lives to “take time out”, to pray into their work and to pray for the schools they work with.
Regular Team Meetings continue to be held to help bond the Workers, and to build upon the team spirit that developed during the Covid years. This is an opportunity for all of them to review their work with not only each other, but also with the Trustees who lead the meetings. The Trust is mindful of its responsibilities for the welfare of pupils in schools and Workers, volunteers and Trustees are all DBS checked. In addition, Impact’s safeguarding strategies and policies are regularly reviewed to ensure the charity is fully up to date and fulfils current legislation.
– The Future: the same objective presenting Christianity to pupils in primary schools
With Covid restrictions no longer in place, Impact Trustees and Workers prepared themselves for a busy 2023. Encouraged by the “welcome back” from teachers, staff, Church leaders, volunteers and supporters, as well as pupils, the Workers fulfilled the objectives of the charity, that of “presenting Christianity to pupils in primary schools in Bedford Borough and Mid Bedfordshire”. Together with face to face involvement in schools, on-line social media platforms, including Facebook, have continued to be developed and are proving to be very helpful in spreading the word about what Impact can do, and is doing in schools.
The Strategic Vision Plan, begun in August 2020 to further prepare Impact for its mission and objectives in an ever changing school environment, continued to be developed and refined throughout the year. A full review of Impact’s 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. 2023 has proved to be a busy year for all involved in Impact; it has also proved to be a year of consolidation. 2024 will I’m sure, be equally busy and equally productive under the leadership of a new chair person.
Financial Review
Please see Income and Expenditure Accounts and Balance Sheets attached.
Independent Examination:
The Examiner’s Report is attached.
Public Benefit:
Once again the trustees affirm their conviction that a considerable number of children and young people attending primary schools in Bedford Borough and Mid-Bedfordshire benefit greatly from the above activities, in line with both the aims and goals of the charity and the guidelines of the Charity Commission.
John Creasey – 28.04.24
Bedford Area Schools Christian Support Trust Receipts Payments Accounts 2023
| 2022 15,055.00 3,854.00 18,909.00 2,972.00 15,663.00 18,635.00 2,007.00 2,095.00 4,102.00 5.00 189.24 390.00 175.00 1,000.00 |
INCOME 2023 Gift Aid donations 15,633.00 Reclaimed tax 3,610.75 19,243.75 Regular donations: Individuals 2,058.00 Churches 18,707.61 20,765.61 Occasional donations: Individuals 9,100.00 Churches 5,903.50 15,003.50 HMRC Furlough Payment Just Giving/Easy Fundraising 741.85 Bank interest 836.26 income from events 720.00 miscellaneous 240.00 other income Amazon smile 18.41 Fundraising 103.10 Legacy 161.16 grants 7,000.00 |
|---|---|
| 43,405.24 | TOTAL INCOME 64,833.64 |
| 57,538.87 5,699.48 1,271.62 64,509.97 3,508.42 2,822.43 |
EXPENDITURE Workers' salaries 61,534.71 Superann. 5,909.28 Employer's NI 1,877.96 69,321.95 Workers' expenses (Note 1) 4,582.01 Trust administration(Note 2) 1,609.47 |
| 70,840.82 | TOTAL EXPENDITURE 75,513.43 |
| **-27,435.58 ** | surplus/deficit -10,679.79 |
| 1,985.70 407.24 147.83 24.65 72.00 405.00 466.00 3,508.42 26.00 562.97 30.00 135.00 375.00 1,000.00 693.46 |
Note 1 Workers' expenses Motor + travel 2,448.55 Consumeables 376.79 Materials 1,066.67 Postage 0.00 Telephone 66.00 Office heat/light allowance 494.00 Training 130.00 Note 2 4,582.01 Trust administration DBS 13.00 Insurance 664.48 costs of events gifts (Christmas worker gifts) 100.00 Trustee expenses (retreat) 36.00 Subscriptions 600.00 miscellaneous Workers Hardware Software Capital equipment 15.99 Website 180.00 |
2,822.43
1,609.47
Bedford Area Schools Christian Support Trust Balance Sheet : 31 December 2023
| 2022 | 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Balances at bank | |||
| 18,281.53 | NatWest current A/C | 5,736.98 | |
| 16,621.41 | Barclay Savings A/C | 17,771.16 | |
| 27,334.61 | Nationwide 90 day | 28,049.62 | |
| 8.94 | Cash in hand | 8.94 | |
| 62,246.49 | 51,566.70 | ||
| 89,682.07 | BALANCE at year start | 62,246.49 | |
| 27,435.58 - |
Surplus / deficit of income | 10,679.79 - |
|
| over expenditure | |||
| 62,246.49 | BALANCE at year end | 51,566.70 | 0.00 |
2023_accounts_In&Exp, Bal_Sh Final 170324.xls
updated 17/03/2024
Ind•p•nd•rt Ex•mln•r R•port Report to the trustees ot. Bedford Area Schools Christian Supw1 Trust (otherwise known as BASCST and Impact), Registered Charity No. 1010472 on the accounts for the year ended 31° Decem 2023. R•sp•etiv• r•sponsibilitl•s of Trust••s and Examin•r The trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. Try consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 {the ChaTtties Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibilty to.. l. examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities 2. to follow the procedures Eaid down in the general DIrectnS given by the Charity Commtssion (under section 14515){b) of the 2011 Charities Act), and 3. to state whether partTrcuLar matters have come to my attention. 8•sls d Ind•p•nd•nt •xamln•r's stat•m•nt My examination was Carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the arLounting records kept by the trustees and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual iiems or disck¢sures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees conceming any such mattev5. The procedures urKlertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be reqUId in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a Irue and fair, view and the report is Ilmited to those matters set out in the slatement bel. Ind•p•nd•nt •xamln•r¥ stat•m•nt In connection with my examination. no matter has Come to my attention: 11 which gTrves me reasonable cause to beIve that in. any material respec( the requirements: • to keep acci)unting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Charities Ar; • to prepare accounts whh accord with the aUntIng records and compty with the accounting requirements of the Chartties Act have not been meL or 2) to whith, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in IKder to enable a prcyer understsnding of the accounts to be reached. Signed.. Date.. Independent Examin*s Name: Ann Wlson Relevant professional qualification or trf)dy: AC