## **- Annual Report of the Chair of the Trustees of the Heather Club 2023 2024** The past year has been by any standards one of great change not least as we have said goodbye to some stalwarts of the Heather Club and hello to some new stalwarts. It is only when the change is great that other changes and resets can come into being and the Heather Club is no exception. Anthony leaving and Kim taking over as Manager presented us with a catalyst for change in the ways that we operate and to assess what changes we might make in the future. In some respects, this has been evolving naturally over the last few months but a new pair of eyes at the helm has accelerated this. Kim has brought a lot of innovation to the Heather Club and made the positive changes that we hoped for, as she brings a fresh pair of eyes to look at our club. In the last year we said goodbye and thank you to Anthony, Andy Turton, Kirsten and hello to Brian Gale who took over as Treasurer and Kim. We are hopeful that Kirsten will return in November. The other catalyst for such change was the visit by The King’s Award for Volunteers judge’s visit which kept us occupied for a few weeks as we sought to ensure that everything was in good order. The visit itself went well thanks to Anthony and Katharine, the Trustees and of course the Volunteers all of whom played a part in showing the Heather Club in the best light. We will not know if we have been successful in getting this award until closer to November (the King’s Birthday). However, whilst it would be great to receive such an accolade win or not this inspection made us take a look at what we have achieved and also what remains to be done. It provided a moment in time in which to look how far we have come but also raised some questions for us to address. The Trustees have quarterly meetings to discuss the business of the club but we also hold what we call single item agenda meetings where we can devote some time to one topic and discuss it in depth. In those last six to nine months, we have had many more such meetings than perhaps any of us ever anticipated. I am hoping that we can now reduce the frequency of these, but we can retain it as a vehicle, and anyone who wishes may propose a single item agenda meeting which results in change. One such change was to ask Trustees to hold a portfolio and spread the lad across all trustees At the last agm the Chair of the Trustees announced his continuing wish to find a replacement. However, the changes to date have greatly reduced the pressure on him and as a result he has withdrawn his resignation with the consent of the Trustees. Another important issue raised at the inspection was our Whistleblowing Policy. This has now been addressed and everyone who works for the Heather Club in any capacity should now know to whom they should raise concerns about how things are being carried out, or any unacceptable behaviours. The Marketing/Comms plan is also complete, and if anyone would like to read it – please ask and we can email a copy to you The updated 5 year plan was finalised and approved by the Trustees and copies have been made available, but again if you haven’t seen it please ask. The plan seeks to identify what has been successfully carried out and what remains to be done, the latter feeding into our future agendas – or will become part of someone’s portfolio. Contingency planning - As many of you will be aware, I have long wanted to have the key roles covered by two people. So I am delighted to announce that Gill Tate has agreed to cover the secretary role in Alison’s absence and Simon will do the same for the Treasurer role. Norma continues to be the vice Chair of the Trustees. It feels now is the right time to put this into effect in order to ensure that we are covered for any unanticipated circumstances. There are two priorities from the 5 year plan and the KAV feedback that I think we are agreed should be prioritised, these being subsidised places for people with limited means and closer integration with the Heather Club volunteers. A report on the former is due to be circulated imminently but it seems likely that we will trial a pilot scheme early in 2025. Simon Rigby did a sterling job in keeping the Treasure’s role going after Andy stepped down and before Brian stepped up. His work on forensically going through the accounts puts us in the position of looking and planning for the future based on facts. The last quarter has been a very positive one, with all the trustees settling into their roles, to such an extent, that we are able to undertake strategic planning in a timely manner, rather than fire fight, which is a good position for us to be in. One example would be that Kim and Katharine are taking photographs (with permission of the carers) to use on our Facebook site and Web Page, Norma is collecting articles about dementia also for use on our Facebook page and these are managed by Yasmine. This achieves one of our stated goals in the Marketing and Communications Document drawn up by Yasmine and Michael. There are many other examples. Another goal of the 5 year plan is to break down the perceived barriers between the Trustees and Volunteers, and the increased visibility of Trustees at the club is our latest attempt to achieve this. The annual submission to the Charity Commission has been completed and will be presented to the agm for adoption after which it will be submitted to the Chairty Commission. The revised agm date will bring our submission to the Charity Commission more in line and next year we will move the agm to early summer and then submit the report immediately after the agm duly approved by the meeting. Dementia training will take place in September, run by Michael (who himself undertook training to deliver such training). The training is to take place on September 24[th] and is open to volunteers, carers and trustees. So, to conclude, it has been a good year, a year filled with change but one showing that the Heather Club is going from strength to strength, thanks to the hard work of the Trustees, Kim and Katharine, and of course our magnificent Volunteers, without whom there would be no Heather Club. I hope that the next 12 months will see us realise our full potential and achieve our 25 members per day target, with at least one assisted place. I for one am feeling confident, that this is now within our reach. ## **Annual Summary** |**Annual Summary**|**Annual Summary**|**Annual Summary**| |---|---|---| |**Balance in Hand B/F from 2022**
Current Account
£35,275
Savings Account Lloyds
£10,026
Savings Account Shawbrook
£10,000
**Total**
**£55,300**
**Balance in Hand C/F to 2024**
Current Account
£49,671
Savings account Lloyds
£10,114
Savings Account Shawbrook
£0
**Total**
**£59,785**
Change year on year
£4,485
Transfer from Shawbrook savings accou
£10,069
Lloyds savings account interest
£157|**Current account Expenditure**
Accountant
£498
Activities and Entertainment
£834
Banking
£0
DBS
£222
Gifts
£0
Insurance
£190
Maintenance
£138
Meals
£7,880
Membership
£109
Other
£2,858
Payroll
£483
Peninsula Insurance/HR
£589
PPE
£0
Promotional
£235
Recruitment
£0
Refreshments
£250
Relief driver
£0
Rent
£6,230
Ring fenced funds (TESCO)
£1,010
Salaries
£28,718
Stationary
£0
Tax
£226
Telephone
£88
Training
£1,119
Transport
£5,289
Trustee Expenses
£0
Website
£302
**Total income**
**£57,268**|| |**Current account Income**
Main Grants
HCF
£19,656
Luton Airportgrant
£6,000
Herts CC
£0
Other Grants
£2,179
Trading
£169
Fundraising
£100
Donation
£1,833
Other
£1,003
Subs
Bank transfer
£23,264
Cash and cheques
£7,393||| |Main Grants||| |HCF||| |Luton Airportgrant||| |Herts CC||| |Other Grants||| |Trading||| |Fundraising||| |Donation||| |Other||| |Subs||| |Bank transfer||| |Cash and cheques||**£57,268**| |**Total**
**£61,596**||| ## **Bank Statement Monthly no.s** ||Income|Expenditure| |---|---|---| ||**£61,595**|**£57,265**| |Jan|£1,905|£4,027| |Feb|£2,240|£9,062| |Mar|£2,625|£4,976| |Apr|£23,938|£3,753| |May|£3,994|£4,527| |Jun|£2,622|£3,484| |Jul|£1,691|£4,675| |Aug|£3,048|£5,732| |Sep|£1,250|£3,882| |Oct|£9,255|£2,621| |Nov|£3,354|£3,464| |Dec|£5,673|£7,062| |Gifts and donations|£61,327| |---|---| |Charitable activities|£169| |Other trading|£100| ||£61,596| ||£0| Inde endent Examiners Re ort to the Trustees of the Heather Club I report of the accounts of the Heather Club Registered Charity 1015598 for the year ended 31" December 2023 as follows: Res ective res onsibilities of trustees and examiner Examine the accounts (under section 145 of the 2011 Act) To follow the procedures laid down in the general directions given by the charity commissioners (under section 145 {5) {b) of the 2011 Act) and To state whether particular matters have come to my attention Basi5 of inde endent examiners re My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. Jt also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedure5 undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts. Inde endent examiners statement In connection with my examination. no matter has come to my attention: l. Which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements To keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 act; and b. To prepare accounts which accords with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 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. Sandra Mellish FCCA SJ Mellish Accountancy Services Ltd lrnex Centre (Bizspace) 575- 599 Maxted Road Hemel Hempstead HP2 7DX The Heather Club Income & Ex enditure Statement Janua to December 2023 2023 INCOME 2023 EXPENDITURE Donations & Grdnts Grants Restricted Funds Herts CC Carers Annual Grant Herts Foundation (Rowlandsonl Rotary Club Watford Organ Club Kocycle Shanly Foundation Other Donations Web site Tring Lyons Club National Lottery Grant Members Subs Equipment Meals Rent 27,835.00 7,800.00 6,230.00 Refreshments 250.00 Transport Mini Bus 5,289.00 2,836.00 Club Activities Entertainment Outings/Activities 834.00 Furlough Bank Interest other income Gift aid Bank transfers Cash & cheques rec'd Heather Club Outreach Grandad Activities Operating Costs 269.(JJ 23.264.lJ) 7.393. Gifts Other Expenses Insurance/ HR Tax Membership DBS 3,185.00 779.00 226.00 Total Income 61,597.00 222.00 Postnel/Stat/Comp/Phot Salarie5 Payroll Advertising Training bank charges Accountant ring fenced fund Car Park 390.00 28,718.00 483.00 235.00 1,119.00 498,00 I,oio.00 Total Expenses 57.268.00