OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2020-12-31-accounts

REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: 03077894 (England and Wales) REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1048093

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND

UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

FOR

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

(A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)

Chariot House Limited Chartered Accountants 44 Grand Parade Brighton East Sussex BN2 9QA

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

CONTENTS OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

Page
Report of the Trustees 1 to 9
Independent Examiner's Report 10
Statement of Financial Activities 11
Balance Sheet 12 to 13
Cash Flow Statement 14
Notes to the Cash Flow Statement 15
Notes to the Financial Statements 16 to 25
Detailed Statement of Financial Activities 26 to 27

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31st December 2020. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and aims

Now! Charity Group Ltd is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee.

The Charity's objects are:

1) To relieve cases of need, hardship and distress by providing such persons, who are resident in South-East England, with furniture and household necessities, and to transport these necessities between accommodation and sites.

2) To further the education and skills of people resident in the above area, in (1) the arts and techniques of refurbishment of furniture and household goods; or that will enable individuals to recover confidence, gain new skills or become better socialised, to enable them to progress towards volunteering, further education, or paid work.

3) The protection and preservation of the environment for the public benefit through:

i) the promotion of sustainable waste management practices and the provision of recycling and reuse facilities; ii) advancing public education about environmental matters related to sustainable management practices with regard to household and commercial/industrial waste;

iv) promoting and increasing reuse of all furniture, electrics and other household materials/items through the fulfilment of the objectives above.

In this clause sustainable waste management practice includes waste minimisation, minimisation of pollution and harm from waste, re-use of land, recycling and composting of waste, waste recovery activities and the clearing of pollutants from contaminated land.

It is the policy of Now! Charity Group Ltd to provide services and activities that do not discriminate on the grounds of race, gender, belief, ability or sexual orientation. In order to achieve this, the charity has in place relevant policies and procedures, and its services are planned and delivered in consultation with other agencies and service users.

The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.

Public benefit

We have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing our aims and objectives and in planning our future activities. The Trustees consider that our activities reflect our aims and objectives, and that they are designed to provide accessible services and activities that benefit the public in accordance with our charitable objectives. Objective 1 is achieved through the presence of our Furniture Stores in Eastbourne, Hailsham and Lewes, and our fleet of delivery vans. Objective 2 is achieved via our community activities delivered across East Sussex. Objective 3 is achieved through our expanding range of reuse services and our use of media to raise public awareness of circular economy opportunities.

Page 1

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

STRATEGIC REPORT Achievement and performance Charitable activities

1. Now! Charity Group - Marketing, Communication and Beneficiaries

The Now! Charity Group operates as a social enterprise applying commercial strategies to make a positive difference for social benefit. The concept of social enterprise within the voluntary sector was introduced so that a blend of private and public sector behaviours could create a more sustainable charity business model. There are many similarities in the manner that profit and non-profit social enterprises structure their endeavours, particularly the ethical code that targets should not benefit the organisation but ultimately benefit the recipients and wider community. Our marketing programmes are often designed to change or alter behaviours

As a non-profit organisation operating within the circular economy, the Now! Charity deals with many different facets of marketing. These include;

Improving public awareness as a green ethical retailer and our community impact

The Now! Charity maintains its values as an environmentally conscious organisation and is enrolled on the Green Growth Platform at Brighton University. Each year, Furniture Now! services prevent 100 tonnes of household items from entering landfill and, subsequently, 250,000 KG of CO2 emissions are saved. At the Now! Charity, we maintain a set of values that ensures we differentiate between professionalism and over-commercialisation. As an ethical trader, we seek to harness the value of 'purpose purchasing' recognising that a growing audience understand, appreciate, and desire a need to access goods with social value. In 2019, ethical consumer spending reached record levels in the UK, with the total market increasing to over £41bn. We consistently seek to construct our messaging campaigns so that the value of a person's purchase is known i.e. the purchase of a £150 sofa through Furniture Now! sustains the running of our educational courses through Community Now! and amplifying this message is a key priority.

Strategically adapting services to meet the changing needs of society

In 1995, our organisation defined poverty as members of the community who were unemployed or in receipt of state benefits. Since then, our communities have experienced several major incidents that have changed the social dynamics of our society. These changes have resulted in a new class of vulnerable people, known as the working poor. Within our remit, this is exhibited as "furniture poverty", whereby working individuals are unable to afford the basic items that would provide a reasonable quality of life. As the UK recovers from COVID-19 and seeks to address a 5-year high unemployment rate, Now! Charity continues to adapt its services in order to accommodate new beneficiaries in need and prioritise affordability for a growing range of people.

2. Furniture Now!

Furniture Now! is charity's oldest and most recognised service, consisting of retail sites located in Lewes, Eastbourne and Hailsham, all of which supply a range of new and second-hand household furniture and appliances. Furniture Now! replenishes its stock through a free household collection service conducted across Sussex 6 days a week and generates income via two streams. Firstly, a traditional B2C model which welcomes the public to its stores to purchase available items and, secondly, a B2B model which works with partners to furnish properties and supply goods via referrals. Such partners include Southern Housing Group, East Sussex County Council, Sussex NHS Foundation Trust and East Sussex Citizens Advice.

Page 2

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

Since 2018, the Now! Charity has placed an emphasis on adapting Furniture Now! services to benefit a broader range of society. Traditionally, Furniture Now! has been seen as an essential provider of household items to people who are unemployed or in receipt of government welfare assistance. However, as part of our market research we recognised that Furniture Now! was well placed to meet the needs of an increasing number of new and different beneficiaries.

Low- and middle-income consumers

Our market research included assessing the average cost of essential household items. Our findings showed that the average cost of a washing machine is £400, a cooker with installation £450 and a double bed mattress and base set £550. However, the average UK family has just £276 per month in disposable income. Our research suggested that there was a gap in the local market for an ethical retailer to provide more affordable new and second-hand goods. In doing so, this would enhance our current offer, introducing new stock via Whirlpool and Alba Beds at 25% less than the average cost of a private sector retailer.

Environmentally conscious consumers

In 2018, our market research identified that our communication strategy failed to effectively highlight the valuable environmental impact our Furniture Now! services achieve. This created a real opportunity to increase our brand perception as a green, ethical retailer and we have raised awareness via impact statistics placed on our website. Looking ahead, we wish to continue communicating with our environmentally conscious customers, who recognise that purchasing reused items is one way in which they can make a personal environmental contribution, by including things like the amount of CO2 emissions they have saved, on their sales receipt.

Socially conscious private and public sector partnerships

Since 2018, a key element of Furniture Now!'s success has been prompted by the introduction of B2B stakeholder collaborations. In particular, our green waste reuse partnership with Wealden District Council which was introduced in January 2020. We recognised that working with an environmental social enterprise assisted in meeting several outcomes from Wealden District Council's corporate plan, including effective waste management delivery and an encouragement for residents to buy from local businesses. The subsequent partnership resulted in a 76% spike in Furniture Now! household collections across the Wealden area and a 47% increase in sales from our Hailsham branch. By embracing new strategic marketing partnerships which offer access to our new target audiences, not only does Furniture Now! enhance its resilience as an economically sustainable business but also boosts community cohesion and supports greener ways of living.

In 2020, due to COVID-19 our Furniture Now stores experienced two periods of public closure, March - June and November - December. Once re-opened, we saw a significant increase in demand for the supply and collection of household goods, largely attributed to pent up demand. Additionally, we acquired two storage facilities in Herstmonceux and Chiddingly in order to support the increased demand for our goods and to reduce the amount of goods which would otherwise have gone to landfill.

3. Community projects and partnerships

COVID-19 Sussex Household Relief Scheme

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we introduced the COVID-19 Sussex Household Relief Scheme which was delivered in partnership with the Sussex Community Foundation. Our CEO recognised that the governments instruction for members of the public to stay at home would increase the emphasis on having adequate living conditions as well as increasing physical/mental health risks in communities where these do not exist. Relief scheme criteria were listed on our website and referrals accepted via members of the public and public/voluntary sector support organisations. Subsequently, the relief scheme provided £7,500 in free household items to people in need, including beds, appliances, and cleaning sets. Due to the scheme being oversubscribed, proactive steps were taken to identify unsuccessful applicants and assist them via signposting to other funding sources and additional provision through our Furniture Now! services once lockdown was lifted.

Page 3

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

Education & Furniture Upcycling provision

English, Maths, and employability skills training is an important part of our community offer, emphasising our commitment to addressing social exclusion and unemployment. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted these services to be adapted and delivered via remote learning, with our Lead Tutor playing a crucial part in its delivery. Despite COVID-19 related challenges, following our annual assessment we successfully maintained our status as an 'Outstanding' NCFE accredited learning centre for a seventh consecutive year. In Lewes, we have maintained our fully funded and resourced upcycling/woodwork facility, with our lead carpenter progressing from voluntary status to becoming a part-time employee in February 2020.

Partnerships and Awards

In 2020, our organisation cemented our excellent relationship with the University of Brighton and graduated from the Green Growth Platform, an award-winning green business-innovation programme on a mission to help create robust, future-proof businesses that minimise their impact on the planet.

Despite the UK leaving the European Union (Brexit), for a second consecutive year we maintained our membership as a UK representative of RREUSE (Reuse and Recycling European Social Enterprise Network). Throughout 2020, our CEO, Michael Ryan contributed to several RREUSE working group meetings and provided an overview to our European-based colleagues which documented our business's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In November 2020, Now! Charity was awarded Best Non-Profit Waste Management Service at the BUILD Recycling and Waste Management Awards.

Financial review

Financial position

Despite the challenges presented by COVID-19, our CEO and his support team ensured that our financial position in 2020 made significant progress with a surplus of £212k (2019 £31k), strengthening the charity's resilience to cope with a consistently changing operating landscape.

Our financial position was aided by meeting the qualifying criteria for several government COVID-19 business support schemes, whilst maximising every opportunity to serve our clientele when our retail sites were permitted to open to the public.

Whilst an element of COVID uncertainty still surrounds our ability to operate fully in 2021, we remain confident that our positive financial progress will continue, particularly once intermittent national lockdowns cease.

Reserves policy

The Trustees determined that the Charity should maintain a minimum unrestricted reserve total equal to 3 months operating expenditure and we are happy to report that we have comfortably met that requirement.

Major risks

The board of Trustees review major risks which the charity is exposed to on a quarterly basis, with our full risk register updated on an annual basis and systems implemented regularly to mitigate identified risks. The Trustees are appraised of any major risks, both internal and external, by the Chief Executive who is aided by input from our sub-committees.

Page 4

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

STRATEGIC REPORT

Staffing

Our overall number of employed staff remained consistent throughout 2020. During periods of national lockdown, the UK Government COVID-19 Job Retention Scheme was utilised for 90% of our workforce and regular attempts were made to communicate with employees (non-duty related) to ensure maintenance of their personal wellbeing. Once lockdown restrictions were lifted, all staff resumed regular duties and there were no redundancies needed. All staff were paid 100% of their contacted pay during the year, with the charity supplementing the government's 80% furlough scheme. In September 2020, our CEO commenced an MBA programme at Brighton Business School, supported by an Apprenticeship Levy transfer from East Sussex County Council. In October 2020, the charity enrolled as an employer of the UK Governments Kickstart employment scheme for 16-25-year-olds. It is our intention to use this scheme to provide valuable employment opportunities between 2020 - 2022.

COVID-19 pandemic

From 23rd March to 15th June and 5th November to 3rd December , all public-facing Furniture Now! services were postponed and all efforts were made to pursue other forms of income and, towards the latter end of May, a reopening strategy was formed in a bid to resume pre-lockdown trading income levels. From June, the Now! Charity implemented a comprehensive social distancing policy, implemented risk assessments and made the necessary adjustments to ensure our commercial properties are COVID-19 secure. In 2020, 75% of our sub-committee and 50% of board meetings were delivered remotely via Zoom, whilst training was coordinated for staff using digital conferencing software. Flexible working arrangements were implemented for administration staff who were able to conduct duties working from home, and additional care provisions were made for staff deemed vulnerable from transmission of coronavirus. At our Q4 board meeting in December 2020, a policy motion was passed which allowed for mid-year adjustments to be made to the annual budget in the event of an extraordinary incident, such as a lockdown, having a significant effect on the credibility of the document. Moving forward, the charity has sourced significant amounts of PPE and has enrolled as a member of the government's workplace testing scheme, providing regular lateral flow testing kits for staff, volunteers and their families.

Future plans

At the beginning of the year, the Now! Charity had made progress towards expanding its Furniture Now! services into Kent, identifying a prospective merger opportunity. However, due to COVID-19, finalisation of these plans was postponed in March by the board of Trustees. Due to the escalation of the pandemic, our plans for 2020 shifted to successfully managing our financial position and ensuring we used our resources to achieve wider community benefits. Long term, we remain committed to scaling up our Furniture Now! stores and services across Sussex, whilst improving the way in which we can utilise any annual surplus to support a broader range of community initiatives.

Recommendation 1 - Grow Furniture Now! sites

Our first priority is to work towards extending our Furniture Now! activities. Given the financial and social benefit evidenced by both B2B and B2C mechanisms in 2019 and 2020, it is important that any growth of the Furniture Now! network can complement both audiences. Our existing sites in East Sussex (Lewes, Hailsham and Eastbourne) continue to prove their value to the communities they serve and we believe that further introduction of Furniture Now! sites in relatively close proximity i.e., Uckfield, Newhaven etc. would help us to support a wider range of clients. In the longer terms we will look to extend our operations into West Sussex and the wider South-East counties. Our B2B delivery area is currently limited by logistics to a 50-mile service radius of East Sussex, the presence of operational facilities in areas on the extremity would extend our B2B capacity further and expose us to new potential partners.

Recommendation 2 - Repositioning of Training Now! to become Community Now!

Since our rebranding exercise in 2015, our 6-year journey has evidenced the dangers of operating services which carry fixed expenditure liabilities but with limited income streams i.e., Training Now! pre-2019. Despite these risks, community impact is at the heart of our charitable purpose. At our Q4 2020 board meeting, it was recommended that Community Now! be introduced as a new brand. Community Now! will replace Training Now! and support a broader range of projects, be it through financial assistance (grants), access to our facilities or hands-on support via a staff time giveback scheme. In moving towards a funding approach and distancing ourselves from fixed-cost standalone facilities i.e., training centres, this will ensure that the economic viability of our community work will be secured and reactive to identified need.

Page 5

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.

The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.

Now! Charity Group Ltd is a registered charity and is constituted as a company limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006..

The charity formally changed its name from Furniture Now! on 2 June 2015.

Its objectives and powers are set out in its Memorandum and Articles of Association, dated June 28 1955 and since updated in 2001,2007 and 2017. These were updated to include provision to deliver training to those with enduring mental health problems or who were otherwise socially excluded; to provide transport facilities for furniture items to the most vulnerable in society; the promotion of sustainable waste management practices; the provision of recycling facilities; and to advance education in household and commercial industrial waste.

Page 6

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Recruitment and appointment of new trustees

Trustees are recruited in response to trustee skills audits which identify the areas the Board would like to strengthen its knowledge or experience base in.

Potential Trustees are invited to meet the Board and attend a Trustee meeting as an observer prior to the board deciding whether to invite that individual to be a Trustee.

A Trustee pack is available to new Trustees and includes:

New trustees are also encouraged to attend appropriate external training events which will facilitate the undertaking of their role.

The Board of Management (Trustees) is the central decision-making body of both the Company and Charity. It consists of:

a) the Treasurer (ex official);

b) not less than three full members of the Company elected at the Annual General Meeting who hold office from the end of that meeting.

At every Annual General Meeting one third of the members of the Board are subject to retirement by rotation. Those who have held office the longest retire and are eligible for re-election by the consent of the remaining trustees. Members of the Company can be approved to fill a vacancy on the Board, or be co-opted to the Board until the next Annual General Meeting, when they are eligible for re-election.

In broad terms the trustees are concerned with:

Trustees thus focus on the charity's purpose and what it can reasonably do in a given time period. Trustees set the parameters, policies and values within which management and staff are free to act. Once the parameters are set, the staff are empowered to make reasonable judgements about planning and organizing the work to achieve the agreed aims.

We have 2 Sub-Committees - Finance & Human Resources; Marketing & Community - which meet on a quarterly basis.

Day to day management of the organisation by delegated by the Board of the CEO, Michael Ryan.

The Trustees look to management for high quality, well informed advice on which to base decisions about the organisation's objectives, evaluation processes and the like. Management rely on the Trustees to provide objective and challenging feedback from a non-executive perspective. This interdependence between Trustees and management recognises the fact that while Trustees are legally responsible for the charity's activities, both Trustees and management recognise the fact that they have a moral responsibility for the way in which the charity conducts itself.

Page 7

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Key management remuneration

The directors consider the Board of directors, who are the charity's trustees, and the senior management team comprise the key management of the charity in charge of directing and controlling, running and operating the Charity on a day to day basis.

All directors give of their free time freely and no director received remuneration in the year.

Details of directors' expenses and related party transactions are disclosed in the notes to the accounts.

The pay of all staff is reviewed annually and senior staff pay is increased in line with the rest of the staff. The directors benchmark against pay levels in other charities of a similar size in the local area.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Registered Company number

03077894 (England and Wales)

Registered Charity number 1048093

Registered office

Unit 1 Phoenix Works North Street Lewes East Sussex BN7 2PE

Trustees

Mrs S May (resigned 16/9/2020) Mrs P Parker Mr G V Sims Mr J Timbs Mr N Gossedge Miss S Hinks Mr T Hall Mr N Whines Mr S Zubaidi Mrs C Cuttress

Company Secretary

M Ryan

Independent Examiner

John Thacker FCA DChA Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales Chariot House Limited Chartered Accountants 44 Grand Parade Brighton East Sussex BN2 9QA

Page 8

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Bankers

The Manager Metrobank One Southampton Row London WC1B 5HA

NatWest 96 Terminus Road Eastbourne BN21 3LX

Virgin Money 170 North Street Brighton BN1 1EA

STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES

The trustees (who are also the directors of Now! Charity Group Ltd for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Report of the Trustees and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Report of the trustees, incorporating a strategic report, approved by order of the board of trustees, as the company directors, on 14 July 2021 and signed on the board's behalf by:

Mr G V Sims - Trustee

Page 9

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Now! Charity Group Ltd ('the Company')

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31st December 2020.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

Since your charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a listed body. I can confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a registered member of Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

  4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)).

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.

John Thacker FCA DChA Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales Chariot House Limited Chartered Accountants 44 Grand Parade Brighton East Sussex BN2 9QA

Date: 21 July 2021

Page 10

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCORPORATING AN INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

Unrestricted
funds
Notes
£
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM
Donations and legacies
2
181,710
Charitable activities
5
Charitable Activities
377,628
Other trading activities
3
15,530
Investment income
4
348
Other income
157,364
Total
732,580
EXPENDITURE ON
Raising funds
6
165
Charitable activities
7
Charitable Activities
518,274
Total
518,439
NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)
214,141
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total funds brought forward
124,675
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD
338,816		 Restricted
funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,777
1,777
(1,777)
11,777
10,000		 2020
Total
funds
£
181,710
377,628
15,530
348
157,364
732,580
165
520,051
520,216
212,364
136,452
348,816		 2019
Total
funds
£
64,000
503,989
14,116
448
-
582,553
251
551,235
551,486
31,067
105,385
136,452

The notes form part of these financial statements

Page 11

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD (REGISTERED NUMBER: 03077894)

BALANCE SHEET 31ST DECEMBER 2020

Unrestricted
funds
Notes
£
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible assets
14
4,035
Investments
15
-
4,035
CURRENT ASSETS
Stocks
16
8,132
Debtors
17
16,530
Cash at bank
315,950
340,612
CREDITORS
Amounts falling due within one year
18
(5,831)
NET CURRENT ASSETS
334,781
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT
LIABILITIES
338,816
NET ASSETS
338,816
FUNDS
20
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds
TOTAL FUNDS		 Restricted
funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
10,000
10,000
-
10,000
10,000
10,000		 2020
Total
funds
£
4,035
-
4,035
8,132
16,530
325,950
350,612
(5,831)
344,781
348,816
348,816
338,816
10,000
348,816		 2019
Total
funds
£
3,944
1
3,945
11,173
24,776
107,045
142,994
(10,487)
132,507
136,452
136,452
124,675
11,777
136,452

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31st December 2020.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31st December 2020 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for

The notes form part of these financial statements

continued...

Page 12

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD (REGISTERED NUMBER: 03077894)

BALANCE SHEET - continued 31ST DECEMBER 2020

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 14 July 2021 and were signed on its behalf by:

Mr G V Sims - Trustee

The notes form part of these financial statements

Page 13

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

CASH FLOW STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

Notes
Cash flows from operating activities
Cash generated from operations
1
Net cash provided by operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities
Purchase of tangible fixed assets
Sale of fixed asset investments
Interest received
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities
Change in cash and cash equivalents in
the reporting period
Cash and cash equivalents at the
beginning of the reporting period
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of
the reporting period		 2020
£
220,403
220,403
(1,847)
1
348
(1,498)
218,905
107,045
325,950		 2019
£
30,181
30,181
-
-
448
448
30,629
76,416
107,045

The notes form part of these financial statements

Page 14

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

NOTES TO THE CASH FLOW STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

1. RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME TO NET CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

Net income for the reporting period (as per the Statement of Financial
Activities)
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charges
Interest received
Decrease in stocks
Decrease/(increase) in debtors
Decrease in creditors
Net cash provided by operations		 2020
£
212,364
1,755
(348)
3,041
8,246
(4,655)
220,403		 2019
£
31,067
573
(448)
6,224
(5,114)
(2,121)
30,181
  1. ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN NET FUNDS
At 1/1/20 Cash flow At 31/12/20
£ £ £
Net cash
Cash at bank 107,045 218,905 325,950
107,045 218,905 325,950
Total 107,045 218,905 325,950

The notes form part of these financial statements

Page 15

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, with the exception of investments which are included at market value.

At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future, including taking into account any potential impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and on that basis the charity is considered to be a going concern.

Income

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to Gift Aid received or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.

Legacies are recognised on receipt or otherwise if the charity has been advised of an impending distribution, the amount is known and receipt is expected. If the amount is not known, the legacy is treated as a contingent asset.

Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Tangible fixed assets

Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.

Fixtures and fittings - 33% on cost and 25% on cost

Tangible fixed assets costing more than £500 are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.

Recognition and measurement

Fixed assets are measured at cost less accumulated depreciation and any accumulated impairment losses.

Stocks

Stocks are valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value, after making due allowance for obsolete and slow moving items.

Taxation

The Charity is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK Corporation Tax purposes. Accordingly the Charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.

continued...

Page 16

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Designated funds are funds which have been set aside by the Trustees for a specific purpose.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits

The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the charitable company's pension scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate.

2. DONATIONS AND LEGACIES

Donations
Grants
Grants received, included in the above, are as follows:
East Sussex County Council
Catherine Cookson Trust
Wealden DC - Seed to Feed
Sussex Community Foundation
Tesco Stores Ltd - Men in Sheds
Lewes Town Council
Garfield Weston
Low Carbon Across the South East
Eastbourne District Council
The Clothwokers' Foundation
Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust
Resonance
National Lottery Community Fund
The Naturesave Trust
Bailly Thomas Charitable Fund		 2020
£
11,682
170,028
181,710
2020
£
50,000
-
-
16,500
-
1,500
-
9,141
1,000
2,394
2,000
40,000
42,493
1,000
4,000		 2019
£
5,000
59,000
64,000
2019
£
-
500
2,500
5,000
1,000
-
50,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
59,000
170,028

continued...

Page 17

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

3.
OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES
Other income
4.
INVESTMENT INCOME
Deposit account interest
5.
INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES
Activity
Shop sales and training
revenues
Charitable Activities
Social fund
Charitable Activities
Syrian Refugee Resettlement Charitable Activities
6.
RAISING FUNDS
Raising donations and legacies
Other fundraising costs
7.
CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES COSTS
Charitable Activities		 Direct
Costs (see
note 8)
£
352,609		 2020
£
15,530
2020
£
348
2020
£
366,021
8,457
3,150
377,628
2020
£
165
Support
costs (see
note 9)
£
167,442

continued...

Page 18

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

8. DIRECT COSTS OF CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

DIRECT COSTS OF CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES
Staff costs
Social Fund
Syrian Refugee costs
Stock purchased
Depreciation		 2020
£
279,077
1,628
2,397
67,752
1,755
352,609		 2019
£
289,047
7,242
24,140
56,276
573
377,278

9. SUPPORT COSTS

Charitable Activities

Management £ 167,442

10. NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting):

2020 2019
£ £
Depreciation - owned assets 1,756 573
Independent Examination 1,750 1,700

11. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31st December 2020 nor for the year ended 31st December 2019.

Trustees' expenses

There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31st December 2020 nor for the year ended 31st December 2019.

12. STAFF COSTS

Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Other pension costs		 2020
£
262,598
12,743
3,736
279,077		 2019
£
273,121
12,534
3,392
289,047

Key Management Personnel remuneration amounted to £43,288 (2019: £38,639).

The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:

2020 2019
Total staff 17 17

continued...

Page 19

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

12. STAFF COSTS - continued

No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000.

13. COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

Unrestricted
funds
£
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM
Donations and legacies
57,500
Charitable activities
Charitable Activities
503,989
Other trading activities
14,116
Investment income
448
Total
576,053
EXPENDITURE ON
Raising funds
251
Charitable activities
Charitable Activities
512,999
Total
513,250
NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)
62,803
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total funds brought forward
61,872
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD
124,675		 Restricted
funds
£
6,500
-
-
-
6,500
-
38,236
38,236
(31,736)
43,513
11,777		 Total
funds
£
64,000
503,989
14,116
448
582,553
251
551,235
551,486
31,067
105,385
136,452

continued...

Page 20

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

14. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

Freehold
property
£
COST
At 1st January 2020
76,096
Additions
-
At 31st December 2020
76,096
DEPRECIATION
At 1st January 2020
72,854
Charge for year
837
At 31st December 2020
73,691
NET BOOK VALUE
At 31st December 2020
2,405
At 31st December 2019
3,242		 Fixtures
and
fittings
£
6,084
1,847
7,931
5,382
919
6,301
1,630
702		 Totals
£
82,180
1,847
84,027
78,236
1,756
79,992
4,035
3,944

15. FIXED ASSET INVESTMENTS

There were no investment assets outside the UK.

The company's investments at the balance sheet date in the share capital of companies include the following:

Now! Group Trading Limited

Registered office: Nature of business: Retail of Furniture, dissolved 29.9.20

%
Class of share: holding
Ordinary 100
16. STOCKS
Stocks 2020
£
8,132		 2019
£
11,173

The charity received donated goods during the year. The Trustees have considered the materiality of the donations received and consider the cost involved in undertaking a valuation of the donated goods for the purpose of inclusion as a stock item is not justified. Consequently, donated goods are not included within the stock above.

continued...

Page 21

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

17. DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

Trade debtors
Other debtors
VAT
Prepayments and accrued income
CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
Trade creditors
Amounts owed to group undertakings
Other creditors
Accrued expenses		 2020
£
978
-
3,008
12,544
16,530
2020
£
1,163
-
2,918
1,750
5,831		 2019
£
3,167
1,845
4,543
15,221
24,776
2019
£
8,548
1
238
1,700
10,487

18. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

19. LEASING AGREEMENTS

Minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases fall due as follows:

Within one year
Between one and five years
20.
MOVEMENT IN FUNDS		 2020
£
46,833
28,674
75,507		 2019
£
37,619
20,314
57,933
Unrestricted funds
General fund
Restricted funds
Tesco Stores Ltd - Eastbourne Gardening
Tesco Stores Ltd - Hailsham Gardening
Sussex Community Foundation
TOTAL FUNDS		 At 1/1/20
£
124,675
929
848
10,000
11,777
136,452		 Net
movement
in funds
£
214,141
(929)
(848)
-
(1,777)
212,364		 At
31/12/20
£
338,816
-
-
10,000
10,000
348,816

continued...

Page 22

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

20. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Unrestricted funds
General fund
Restricted funds
Tesco Stores Ltd - Eastbourne Gardening
Tesco Stores Ltd - Hailsham Gardening
TOTAL FUNDS
Comparatives for movement in funds
Unrestricted funds
General fund
Restricted funds
Catherine Cookson Trust
Tesco Stores Ltd - Eastbourne Gardening
Tesco Stores Ltd - Hailsham Gardening
Tesco Stores Ltd - Men in Sheds
Sussex Community Foundation
Garfield Weston
Eastbourne Borough Council Universal
Fund
Sussex Community Foundation -
Community Fund
TOTAL FUNDS		 Incoming
resources
£
732,579
-
1
1
732,580
At 1/1/19
£
61,872
10,388
4,885
5,029
753
5,458
7,500
4,500
5,000
43,513
105,385		 Resources
Movement
expended
in funds
£
£
(518,438)
214,141
(929)
(929)
(849)
(848)
(1,778)
(1,777)
(520,216)
212,364
Net
movement
At
in funds
31/12/19
£
£
62,803
124,675
(10,388)
-
(3,956)
929
(4,181)
848
(753)
-
(5,458)
-
(7,500)
-
(4,500)
-
5,000
10,000
(31,736)
11,777
31,067
136,452

continued...

Page 23

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

20. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Unrestricted funds
General fund
Restricted funds
Catherine Cookson Trust
Tesco Stores Ltd - Eastbourne Gardening
Tesco Stores Ltd - Hailsham Gardening
Tesco Stores Ltd - Men in Sheds
Sussex Community Foundation
Garfield Weston
Eastbourne Borough Council Universal
Fund
Sussex Community Foundation -
Community Fund
TOTAL FUNDS		 Incoming
resources
£
576,053
500
-
-
1,000
-
-
-
5,000
6,500
582,553		 Resources
Movement
expended
in funds
£
£
(513,250)
62,803
(10,888)
(10,388)
(3,956)
(3,956)
(4,181)
(4,181)
(1,753)
(753)
(5,458)
(5,458)
(7,500)
(7,500)
(4,500)
(4,500)
-
5,000
(38,236)
(31,736)
(551,486)
31,067

Catherine Cookson Trust - funding to create the office furniture showroom and build new training rooms in Eastbourne and purchase a small van.

Tesco Stores Ltd - Gardening Grant - Funds to assist our community gardening projects

Sussex Community Foundation - Funds to assist our community activity and work to engage young people

Tesco Stores Ltd - Men in Sheds - Funds to support the delivery of our Men in Sheds community projects

Garfield Weston - Funds to assist core costs for community activities

21. EMPLOYEE BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS

The charity operates a defined contribution scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund.

continued...

Page 24

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020

22. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES

There were no related party transactions for the year ended 31st December 2020.

Page 25