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2022-03-31-accounts

Trustee Report and Accounts 2021-22

Touching lives

KINDNESS AS UNIQUE AS A FINGERPRINT

Fingerprints are unique. They mark us out as individuals, but it’s relationships and experience which define us. So, when life becomes a challenge, we need support tailored to our own situations.

The St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP) works in communities across England and Wales, offering support to those facing poverty in all its forms, friendship when loneliness seems inevitable, and kindness when the world feels unfair. Our mission is to lend a helping hand to anyone in need, empowering individuals to succeed.

We may give a moment or a lifetime of support, but whatever the case, that connection through compassion will always be as individual and unique as a fingerprint.

Children from the Our Lady of Fatima Trust, Harlow Front cover: Wallasey Conference Associate Anne who offered Jo a room in her house

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OUR MISSION, VISION & VALUES

Our Vision

Our Vision, which is inspired by Christ’s message to love our neighbour as ourselves, is for individuals and families who are in need to have hope, together with a sense of dignity, worth, wellbeing and peace of mind.

08 OUR WORK, OUR IMPACT

Our Mission

Our Mission is to seek and find those in need, to help them in a spirit of justice, and to tackle the causes of poverty where we can.

Our Values

36 AUDITOR’S REPORT

71 THANK YOU

We strive to achieve these values through the intercession of the Holy Spirit, prayer, friendship, mutual support and encouragement.

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WHO ARE WE?

The SVP is working to tackle poverty and its causes throughout England and Wales by bringing a blend of services and support to people in need in our local communities, whether it is for an hour or a lifetime...

Our services are community-led because we believe that the people who best know the challenges and problems in any area are those who live there.

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the challenges and problems in any area are those who live there.
From our St Vincent’s Support Centres to our Community Shops, and from our local
Conferences to the Summer Camps we run to give children a holiday to remember,
our groups give the same warm welcome to anyone who needs us.
All of our locations across England and Wales offer sanctuary from the
turbulence of life, a place to learn, grow and feel empowered to succeed.
Our approach is always as individual as those we serve because every
Our Members spent
351,920
hours providing
support to those
who need it
253,059
visits or calls made to people in need
14,772 older people in their own home
7,966 families
2,868 older people in residential care
2,732 refugees
2,346 homeless
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From our St Vincent’s Support Centres to our Community Shops, and from our local Conferences to the Summer Camps we run to give children a holiday to remember, our groups give the same warm welcome to anyone who needs us.

All of our locations across England and Wales offer sanctuary from the turbulence of life, a place to learn, grow and feel empowered to succeed.

Our approach is always as individual as those we serve because every one of the people we help is as unique as a fingerprint.

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55,066 people given material or practical help by SVP Conferences

15,904 offers of transport

3,723 items of clothing

Members’ groups known 876 as Conferences , which organise visits and other support for people in need in their community.

3,142 items of furniture

1,671 electrical appliances

1,351 people provided with fuel

Community Shops , which are 45 generally located in deprived areas and provide low-cost goods. They also accept donations of second-hand items.

Support Centres , located outside 9

city centres in areas of deprivation. They provide a range of services including food parcels, hot meals, debt advice and counselling, as well as a warm place for a cup of tea and a friendly chat.

Summer Camps at three different locations give children the opportunity to have a summer holiday full of exciting activities.

30,722 servings from Conference-run food banks

8,089 people were served across 37 facilities 125 food banks run by other organisations supported

In our Community Support Projects...

14,505 servings given out from Conference-run soup outlets

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FROM OUR CHAIR & CEO

April 2021 saw lockdown restrictions begin to lift as we started to emerge from the depths of the pandemic. The SVP continued to look for ways to emerge stronger and better from the crisis, recognising growing and changing needs.

The Board agreed to a significant investment in Membership Support Officers, charged with recruiting Members and starting Conferences to counteract the effect that COVID had taken on our membership and to assist our overstretched Central Council Presidents.

This strategy is already showing positive results and our new Membership Support Officers are a refreshing and welcome addition to our Society. Further, the Trustees, to address emerging needs, sought to accelerate an existing strategy by establishing a medium to long-term goal of having a Support Centre in each of the 23 Central Councils. St Vincent’s Support Centres were opened during the year, and I was lucky enough to visit all of them and to see the positive impact they are having on their local communities. They are places of welcome and of hope, where help offered is tailored to each person’s individual needs and

circumstances. Strategic investment was also made in the area of Social Justice, recognising that more needed to be done to fulfil the part of our mission that seeks to tackle the causes of poverty where we can. We have embarked on awareness raising and campaigning to seek to influence policymakers and public opinion, from a position of authority based on the evidence from our Members and staff in our frontline services.

As I reach the end of my term as Chair and National President, I reflect on a period full of challenges, all of which were met head-on by the selfless dedication of Members, volunteers and staff. I would like to thank SVP Members who continue to put their faith into action week by week; our CEO and all SVP staff and volunteers who choose to adopt out charism and work tirelessly to help us fulfil our mission; and all the Trustees and Members of the National Council who have contributed diligently and professionally to the governance of the Society. I offer my best wishes and support to Elaine Heyworth, my successor, as she begins her term of office.

It has been a privilege to be National President of a Society so rich in history and embedded in a global network, that strives to combat poverty and that has love as its beating heart.

Helen O’Shea, National President

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Helen O’Shea,
National President
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Elizabeth Palmer, CEO

“The work of St Vincent de Paul never grows old: who would not wish to continue it?”

Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, SVP founder

It was recently announced that the Collins Dictionary Word Of The Year for 2022 was “permacrisis”, reflecting the extended period of upheaval being experienced by populations across the globe, whether in the form of the pandemic, climate change, war, inflation or political instability. While few have been exempt from the impact of these factors, the poor and marginalised have borne the biggest burden.

Emerging from the pandemic into a full-blown cost of living crisis, requests for help made to the Society and the number of service users visiting our projects continue to rise.

The Society has responded accordingly. Investing in staffing and other resources to ensure that we can continue to meet this demand. Highlights in 2021/22 included the opening of new Support Centres in Ely Bridge Cardiff and the Wirral, providing friendship and support in the heart of local communities; the purchase of a property in Cromer to provide temporary emergency accommodation to those who find themselves homeless; and the opening of a new Community Shop in Upminster, Essex.

At the same time, the Society extended its small grant provision - usually available to local Members - to provide financial support to those they visit who need it the most. Throughout 2021/22, 79 applications were made, and small grants totalling £28, 841 were awarded.

The Society continues to develop a sustainable funding portfolio to enable and support growth, even when the economic climate is challenging. Investment has been made in fundraising, trading and retail, while a review of the Society’s legacy marketing resulted in the development of a new strategy. The Society was also successful in a tender for a new waste site shop in Pallion, Sunderland.

Throughout the year, SVP Members, volunteers and staff continued to dedicate considerable time and energy to helping people most in need in their local communities. As this report makes clear, we are a national charity, which operates at grass roots. Our Vincentian charism focuses us on the service of others through befriending. Everyone we help is an individual and our approach recognises that individuality in the person-to-person support we provide.

Elizabeth Palmer, CEO

co nd cal

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BEFRIENDING IS AT THE HEART OF WHAT WE DO

The essence of our work is befriending. That person-to-person contact is extremely special, and spending time with people is our greatest gift.

Giving people our time shows them we care. That’s what befriending is about, and that’s why it’s at the heart of what we do.

Befriending benefits not only those we support, but also the befrienders themselves, so it’s no surprise that some of these relationships blossom into lifelong bonds.

In 2021/22 we visited a total of 35,825 people, equating to 206,735 hours of donated time by some very special volunteers. Every visit provides a compassionate response to a crisis, and every conversation gives comfort and companionship.

For many people loneliness is a way of life, while for others isolation is a new and unwelcome guest, such as the loss of a loved one. Life doesn’t have to be this way. We all need someone to turn to, and the opportunity to share experiences, stories, and gossip. This is where we make a huge difference to lives by transforming solitude into solidarity.

35,825 people visited by our Members in 2021/22

For many of the people we help, the first contact they have with the SVP is over a cup of tea. It’s that friendly face, those kind gestures and the practical support which can really brighten someone’s day.

Everyone is unique, as individual as the circumstances which sometimes knock us off course. By chatting and getting to know someone, we can find out what they need, and how we can help them to reach their goals. This individual approach is what makes us so special. It’s in our DNA. It’s our fingerprint.

“For many of the people we help, the first contact they have with the SVP is over a cup of tea”

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The SVP has supported asylum seeker Jo from Zimbabwe

Kindness makes dreams come true

Jo’s story...

After many ups and downs, Jo finally achieved her aim of becoming a fully registered nurse. Her journey to this high point - which began when she arrived as an asylum seeker - has included many years of false hope and heartache, but thanks to SVP Members, Jo's dream has come true.

In 2011, Jo, homeless and destitute, had been refused asylum. For several months, while she was sofa surfing in Liverpool, SVP Member Mary visited Jo on behalf of the Holy Apostles and Martyrs SVP Conference in Wallasey, providing her with the essentials she needed to survive.

While addressing parishioners in church, Conference President Mary suggested a way to help Jo: “What if we could get enough people to offer the price of a loaf of bread each week, so that we could allow Jo to pay rent and buy her food and other essentials?” The parish responded, funding Jo for 12 months with weekly £1 donations from a number of kind people.

Following many setbacks, Jo was granted discretionary leave to remain in the country. She began to earn her living as a care worker, but she dearly wished to become a fully qualified nurse.

She already had the required academic qualifications to follow this path, but she was dismayed to find that her status did not allow her to enrol for college to take the access course. After six years, Jo was at last able to apply for an Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), but as her legal expenses had drained her savings, she couldn’t pay the costly fee to acquire ILR status. SVP members once again asked the parish for help, and the £2,000 needed was soon taken care of.

Jo was able to begin the studies that would lead to her nursing career, but an administrative error by the Home Office meant that her residential stay had been recorded as ‘interrupted’, which meant she was deemed ineligible for the student loan. She was forced to abandon the access course, and yet was liable for the fees for the term attended.

By the time the next year’s applications were due, the residency problem had been resolved and she was able to successfully apply for funding. Three years on - and after juggling study, placements and overnight care work to make ends meet - Jo has achieved the goal she set herself all those years ago. She has also been confirmed as a British citizen.

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THE BEATING HEART OF THE COMMUNITY

Our St Vincent’s centres are as unique as a fingerprint. No two are alike, but they share the same values, offering a warm welcome, respect for those we serve, a nonjudgemental attitude and above all, a safe environment where our visitors can be themselves.

Across England and Wales, our centres are our response to the particular problems and challenges faced by their communities.

SVP Head of Centre Development Sheena Eastwood says: “If you take nine chocolate bars all wrapped in red wrapping, they may all look alike, but underneath they are all different. That is what our St Vincent’s centres are like. They may have the same signage and values, but underneath they all offer services tailored to their own specific communities.”

Currently, we have nine centres (as well as the Sheffield Furniture Project), three houses offering supported accommodation and two Approved Premises. All of these are linked by our mission to help anyone in need irrespective of background, through actions delivered with kindness, compassion and love.

The centres are created by local SVP Conferences who have identified a need for them. They embrace innovation and change, offering bespoke solutions where necessary. St Vincent’s Southend-on-Sea was originally intended primarily as a place of refuge for those affected by homelessness - while that is still very much the case, the community hub has diversified to address the problems faced by refugees and asylum seekers too, demonstrating the clear adaptability of every location.

The newest site in Cardiff’s Ely Bridge evolved in a similar way when it opened in January 2022. It quickly noted the poverty, lack of opportunity and sense of isolation many in the community felt, and became its heart. It now offers the warmest of welcomes, support which empowers and a feeling of togetherness, which in turn inspires confidence.

Ely Bridge Manager Nathan Harding says: “We don’t have a set agenda or narrow priorities like some organisations, which means when we listen to the community, we are innovative, providing the right support for them. After all, the community knows what it needs better than anyone else.”

In Newcastle, St Vincent's New Bridges is a 21bed hostel, divided into supported and move-on accommodation. The 15 supported rooms are ensuite, while the rest are en-suite plus a kitchen/living area (and residents pay a subsidised electricity bill). The primary role of the move-on accommodation is to support access to housing but can also accommodate long term residents. New Bridges mainly caters for men (aged 25 plus), however in 2020/2021, there were three rooms for vulnerable women (victims of domestic violence).

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“We are one big, happy family”

Carmela, a guest at St Vincent’s Ely Bridge

Across 2021/22, St Vincent’s centres provided 35,229 free meals, including food parcels, which equates to £140,916 at an average of £4 per meal. They recognise that pets are an important part of family life, and during the same period they also helped 509 animals. More than 700 people volunteer at St Vincent’s centres and shops, giving each and every one of them the opportunity to give back to their communities while enjoying a wonderful sense of fulfilment.

Five of our teams run the Healthy Holidays scheme, providing food, fun and camaraderie for children during school holidays.

Additionally, we have opened two new marketplace initiatives, where our guests can purchase food and essential items at a vastly reduced cost, saving them money and giving them plenty of choice.

Other centres offer debt and immigration advice, cookery classes, food and clothes banks, English for Speakers of other Languages (ESOL) classes and sewing groups - and all have a cafe where you can drop in for a cup of tea and a chat, or enjoy a hearty meal.

SVP Deputy CEO Kate Nightingale says: “Our St Vincent’s centres are really unique in the way they listen and respond to their respective communities. They are all hubs which have become beloved places of sanctuary from the troubles of the people we serve. But most of all, they are places of welcome, where people can enjoy a few hours of calm in an environment of compassion and kindness where no-one is judged and where our support empowers change.”

“I knew I had come to the right place”

When Carmela first visited St Vincent’s Ely Bridge, she was nervous. She didn’t know what to expect, but after meeting Nathan and his team, she knew she had come to the right place.

“I was depressed and lonely, so I was going through a really tough time,” says Carmela.

However, her life completely changed following that first visit to her local St Vincent’s. She says: “I really enjoy my time with people at the centre. We talk about anything and everything. We laugh, we go on day trips, and I go to the ‘knit and natter’ group every Monday, where there are people of all ages.”

Carmela, who says she can see herself volunteering at the centre, describes St Vincent’s as “one big, happy family.” Her days of loneliness now behind her, she adds: “If someone who is in the same position as I was asked me whether to go to St Vincent’s Ely Bridge, I’d say, ‘don’t be shy, you’ll be made welcome.’”

Ely Bridge Manager Nathan Harding

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A true part of the community

Nawaf was trafficked to England from Kuwait, where he was an undocumented nomadic Bedoon and where he suffered inhumane treatment, including false imprisonment.

After arriving in the UK, Nawaf, like so many other asylum seekers, found it difficult to settle into his new community. However, volunteering at St Vincent’s Newcastle allowed him to find his place, and begin giving back to those who have supported him.

Nawaf says: “The SVP treats you with respect, and I have been able to volunteer for them five days a week, which gives me the chance to leave my accommodation and be active in the community.”

“The SVP treats you with respect”

He is currently taking courses in English Language alongside his volunteering, and adds: “I support the St Vincent’s kitchen, cooking quality meals for Vinnie’s Café, and I also help to organise the clothing donations that come in. Jan, who works with me in the kitchen, has been so kind and a great help to me. She supports me on a daily basis in all areas of my life, gives me advice and makes sure I take all of the assessments I need to move forward. I am very grateful to her and the rest of the team for being so friendly and helpful.”

Nawaf is now able to look forward to a brighter future thanks to his experience working at St Vincent’s. Asked about his prospects for the coming years, he says: “I want to be part of this community, to serve this country and be part of it, because its people have done so much for me.”

Mohammad is originally from Syria. He and his family were forced to flee Assad’s brutal war, and in doing so they experienced both the loss of loved ones and the breakdown of their society. His children are studying

and volunteering, and are keen to settle in Newcastle, while Mohammad has a strong desire to work and be the best possible role model for them. He trained as an engineer back in his homeland, and is great at fixing things!

Mohammad and Nawaf (left to right) who volunteer in our Newcastle CSP

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35,229

free meals provided by St Vincent’s centres in 2021/22

Two new marketplace schemes have opened in 2021-2022

St Vincent’s Community Centres, Hostels and Special Projects

St Vincent’s Centre Bradford has a community café to allow locals to chat over a cuppa or a hot meal. The centre also offers ESOL classes, employment help, an outreach project and immigration support. St Vincent’s Tower House Brighton has lots of group activities, focused particularly on older people (especially those with dementia). It also provides free transport.

St Vincent’s Centre Brixton uses the arts to support children and young people, running two youth theatre groups in addition to a Healthy Holidays scheme.

St Vincent’s Centre Ely Bridge runs a café, food bank, training courses, parent and toddler groups, cooking sessions, art and craft classes and youth clubs. It also offers support for those leaving the criminal justice system.

St Vincent’s Centre Leeds has a wide range of services on offer, including education classes, money management and IT drop-ins, immigration services and outreach advice. There’s also food provision and furniture collection and referrals, signposting to further help, and singing, drama and dance groups.

The two Approved Premises in Newcastle are able to accommodate up to 47 men following their release from prison. Staff work closely with the residents, the Probation Service and other agencies to ensure everyone is welcomed and supported in readjusting to society, and that any subsequent risk to the public is minimised.

St Vincent’s Newcastle Deaf Centre has been a hub for the local D/deaf community for more than 70 years. There are activity sessions, a pay-as-youfeel café, and a Deaf Social Club.

redistributes vital St Vincent’s Centre Sheffield emergency provisions, including furniture and food parcels, to those who need them most.

St Vincent’s Centre Southend-on-Sea has diversified considerably in recent years. As well as its food bank and deliveries, it now also provides support for mental wellbeing, dementia, bereavement and sourcing accommodation. Vegetables are grown in its very own allotment, and medical and veterinary checks, educational support, ESOL classes and free haircuts are all available too.

St Vincent’s Centre Wirral is home to the Trussell Trust's main food bank, as well as a large clothes bank and a cafe, which is open daily to provide free refreshments and a safe place for befriending chats. All of this - and the numerous activities the centre offers - is delivered with the support of partners including Citizens Advice Wirral, Liverpool University Law Clinic, Wirral Mind and local charity Energy Project Plus.

“A positive atmosphere. A safe and confidential space. A beautiful group of women from all walks of life…”

Attendee from the Ladies’ group

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CELEBRATING THE ENERGY OF YOUTH

Our young people are vital to the growth and sustainability of our Society. Their energy, appetite for learning and will to help others is inspirational and hugely important to the greater work of the SVP.

We want to inspire young people through the transformational experience of volunteering in a safe and supportive environment, which helps them grow positively by giving them the opportunity to turn their concern into action.

378 Young Vincentian groups

We have 306 active Mini Vinnie groups (for 7-11 year olds) in 17% of Catholic primary schools, and 63 Youth SVP groups (for 11-18 year olds) in 15% of Catholic secondary schools. Additionally, there are nine Young Adult/1833 groups (for 18-35 year olds), and 36 Young Vincentian Development Officers (YVDOs), who provide an essential link between our young people and our National Youth Team.

Across 2021/22, 4,235 children and young people took part in a staff presentation about the SVP delivered by a member of the Youth Team, and many more will have been reached by our YVDOs, which helps to sow the seeds of a lifetime of service.

Tackling digital poverty

The shift from face-to-face working and learning during the pandemic lockdowns meant young people had to navigate Zoom and Google classrooms instead.

Our young people make an enormous difference to the lives of people in their communities. For example, we have a Youth SVP project based at our St Vincent’s centre in Southend-on-Sea, which encourages them to grow fruit and vegetables which will then be used in the Kindness Café. The project, which meets once a month, represents how we are trying to connect our St Vincent’s Community Hubs, our shops and our adult Members to the youngsters of the SVP family.

This piqued the interest of the Mini Vinnies at St Luke’s Academy in Essex, who were concerned that many of their fellow pupils didn’t have a laptop, phone or even Wi-Fi, and were therefore unable to access their online resources. Always keen to help out on issues affecting people in their community, the Mini Vinnies started a campaign of their own.

Meanwhile, our programmes and materials for schools, colleges and universities provide the opportunity to support our wider social justice campaigns, such as that which highlights the plight of refugees and asylum seekers. This was timed to coincide with Lent and featured immersive activities, spirituality and action for the young people, who wrote letters to their MPs on the issue.

They chose to write a letter, addressed to the Rt Hon Robert Halfon MP, Chair of the Commons Education Select Committee, outlining this and the problems surrounding Government cuts to educational resources. These concerns were forwarded to the Minister of State for School Standards, the Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP. Both MPs responded with highly positive messages, thanking the Mini Vinnies for their caring and thoughtful letter, and clarifying the action that has been taken and is ongoing to ensure that access to digital resources is improved.

As most of our groups are in schools, we have worked hard to discover those that either continued during the Covid pandemic or have been re-established during this academic year. In the coming months we are looking forward to bringing the SVP family together for more intergenerational events, celebrations and joint social justice projects.

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I want to make a difference, says Rose

Year 11 student Rose wanted to be involved when she heard there was an opportunity to become part of a Youth SVP group focused on faith and service. Along with about 25 other young members at St Francis Xavier in Richmond, North Yorkshire, she has been turning her concerns into action.

Rose says: “In my community I can see that people have problems, so when I heard that I could join the SVP it was something I wanted to do.

“We always have lots happening. One of the highlights was taking part in the SVP Summer Sleep. Our group held a sleepover at school and we raised £500 to support the SVP’s work. It was a fun night, but also a night where we learned about the realities of homelessness and how people end up with nowhere to go.”

Rose and her fellow Youth SVP members at St Francis Xavier are aware of the financial pressure on families in her community. She says: “It’s really hard for people to even get to work. The government needs to work harder to look after the people who are experiencing difficulties. We are doing our bit to help and we hope that our example

Youth groups supported our Forget Me Not Lent social justice campaign

might inspire those in Parliament to do more too.”

The main priority for Rose’s group is to support the SVP’s activities, but it also helps local charity Storehouse, collecting Rose from the Youth SVP sanitary products and group at St Francis Xavier school tins for the food bank. There are plans to visit a

local care home soon too - and of course, everyone is looking forward to the next SVP Summer Sleep.

Rose concludes: “I think there is a lot of suffering in our world, but I believe that everyone should be equal. The SVP is a team who work together, and the work we do really helps the people in our community.

“I’m really grateful to be part of the SVP and I’m humbled by how the really small things we do, like collecting sanitary products, can have such a big impact. I’m excited to have the opportunity to make a difference.”

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EMPOWERING CHANGE FOR PRISONERS

Post-pandemic, visitations remains a key focus of SVP volunteers, and it is of huge importance in our prisons.

There are currently more than 81,000 men and women locked up in 117 prisons across England and Wales. Working with Prisons is a new area of special work aimed at focusing on the needs of these prisoners, ex-offenders and their families.

SVP Board Member and Trustee Ian Kempsell says the work first started in 2018, with the formation of an informal group of volunteers who wanted to learn from each other about how to better support prisoners and their families.

“As the network began to grow, we were able to support ex-offenders more as they moved around the country,” Ian says. “For example, when one man was released from a prison near Wigan, an SVP volunteer took him to Wigan station and another met him at Blackpool to take him to his accommodation.”

The project’s special status within the SVP means it now has credibility, both internally and externally.

have lived in poverty at some point in their lives. They may also have experienced poor housing, dysfunctional family backgrounds, physical or mental abuse, inadequate education, addiction, unemployment, or any of the countless other obstacles that can adversely affect a person’s wellbeing.

“These are just some of the reasons why almost half of the 70,000 people who are released from prison every year are back inside again within 12 months.”

By reaching out to Prison Chaplains (the best source of help for inmates who are vulnerable), SVP volunteers are able to fulfil the Society’s pledge: turning concern into action.

“We know that spending time with people is our greatest gift,” Ian says. “People in prison are amongst the most isolated and excluded in our society today. Many will have no strong family links, few (if any) real friends, and almost none of the ‘normal’ day-to-day routines and structures most of us take for granted.”

Ian says: “We are increasingly being nationally recognised as a charity trying to help prisoners. In September, we addressed the National Catholic Chaplains’ Conference at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, and in October, the Community Chaplaincy Association national meeting in London.

“We have also recently set up a £10K emergency fund which will be used as a rapid response for accommodation, clothes or food where a local SVP Conference does not exist or cannot respond quickly enough.”

Furthermore, Working With Prisons is making contact with Central and District Councils - and individual Conferences throughout the country - to encourage them to liaise with Prison Chaplains, and the many support organisations already working in prisons, to find out what they need.

Ian says: “A large proportion of the prison population will have mental health issues, and many others will

SVP visitor with a pet rabbit at HMP HIndley

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Breaking the barriers

Teresa Carlota Nunez Cueto, 33, joined SVP’s St Werburgh’s Conference in 2019 with the specific purpose of working in prisons, and she was soon making regular visits to HMP Berwyn.

As someone who also works with homeless people, she says: “I like to break my own prejudices - the prejudices that we all have - to see for myself who these people really are and what they are like. And they are normal people, just like you or me!” Teresa says the prisoners - most of whom are family men - are “super friendly and super respectful”, adding: “We show them a friendly face, that we care and that not everyone thinks of them as horrible people.”

St Werburgh’s Conference member Teresa Carlota Nunez Cueto

“Make it a practice to judge persons and things in the most favourable light at all times and under all circumstances”

St Vincent de Paul

Support from within

As well as befriending, the SVP’s work in prisons can be more practical. During 2021, the SVP and Working with Prisons:

The name doesn’t really give it away, but St Thomas More Conference is unique: it is based inside Manchester Prison.

It was formed in 2020 at the Category B establishment (formerly known as Strangeways), and Prison Chaplain James Gallogly says: “Inside, the SVP is quite different in some ways, but the spirit and principles are the same.”

The Conference President is a Chapel Orderly on Sunday mornings, and on hand to liaise with the men as they arrive for service. This enables him to gauge how everyone is feeling and to raise any concerns which might otherwise have been missed.

The SVP currently has a regular presence (i.e. daily or weekly visits) in at least 16 prisons. There is less frequent contact with 50 others. At the time of writing, 5,000 Christmas posters were being distributed to 50 prisons to be put up in inmates' cells.

And as a Wing SVP Representative, he is able to provide tangible help: a brew pack, shower gel, or time for a chat.

Due to lingering pandemic restrictions, group meetings are limited, but it is hoped they will soon resume on a weekly basis. Representatives remain a positive presence among their fellow inmates (often acting as an early warning system when there is a crisis) and there has been a recent successful recruitment drive.

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HELPING PEOPLE TO SPEAK THE TRUTH

Our social justice work continues to grow as we tackle inequality and injustice wherever we see it.

Our vision is to empower, advocate and campaign for people living in poverty of any kind, and those facing discrimination.

Our grassroots approach to advocacy engages individuals, communities, organisations, faith groups and government.

Post-Covid we established four social justice work areas - Levelling Up, Digital Poverty, In-Work Poverty (and Insecure Work), and Migrants, Refugees And People Seeking Asylum.

Stealing Futures

In December we published the report ‘ Stealing Futures: the impact on in-work poverty on children and young people .’

For this report we collated existing research and captured the voices of some of the children and

young people we support through our Mini Vinnies groups, as well as those of the SVP volunteers, staff and St Vincent’s Community Support Centres, who help thousands of households living in poverty every day.

The aim of the report was to shine a light on one of the most daunting silent issues facing the UK today - the impact of poverty on children and young people, something that often goes undetected.

Stealing Futures was launched alongside our Christmas Fundraising Appeal ‘Gift of Kindness’, and received widespread media coverage.

We also established a social justice committee to determine our priorities, make recommendations to the board and oversee campaigns. Members include our Patron Sir John Battle KCSG and National President Helen O’Shea.

Working in partnership with other Catholic organisations (including CSAN, Caritas and Jesuit Refugee Service), as well as networks such as National Justice and Peace, we took a leading role in advocating against the Government’s proposed Nationality and Border Bills.

We coordinated a successful letter to the Home Secretary, signed by more than 250 faith leaders and groups . This was endorsed by several Bishops and large organisations, including The Salvation Army, the Quakers, and many others.

We published a campaign toolkit together with Jesuit Refugee Service UK (JRS) on the Nationality and Borders Bill . The toolkit explains the eight things people should know about the Bill, and why it will make life that much harder for people seeking safety. It also takes readers through the four ways they can advocate for refugees today.

We mobilised members and other groups across the country to use their voices and engage with their MPs.

We ran webinars to raise awareness of the

Nationality and Borders Bill, and provide guidance on how to contact policymakers.

We have produced many resources for our members and the public on proposed changes to

the UK asylum system , as well as fact sheets and up-to-date information on the Afghan refugee resettlement scheme.

We launched a successful Write

To Your MP action , mobilising hundreds of supporters in using their voice to appeal to those in power.

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The Good Shepherd Conference
in Telford has supported Afghans
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“Charity teaches us that when we visit the poor we gain much more than they do”

Blessed Frédéric Ozanam

Supporting evacuated Afghan families

The Good Shepherd Conference in Telford have supported about 200 Afghan people living in local hotels following the Taliban takeover in August 2021.

The families were brought here under one of two schemes - the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) or the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) - with the aim of helping them settle and integrate into UK society.

The evacuated families include parents, grandparents and children, who live in cramped hotel rooms and are unable to cook their own food.

When SVP Members Michael Coyle, Anne McNulty, Bernadette Walton and Jane Clarke - from the Telford-based Good Shepherd Conference - heard about their plight, they began to visit the families to offer their support. They invited three other SVP Conferences in Telford and Shrewsbury to join their befriending work, and together with the local Council and another charity, they have helped the Afghans in many practical ways.

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12,000
Afghan families were
evacuated to the UK following
the Taliban takeover of
Afghanistan
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They have provided dozens of mobile phones, beard trimmers, suitcases and pushchairs, as well as shopping centre vouchers, clothing, cosmetics, and more. The Conference also joined forces with volunteers from Shropshire Supports Refugees to provide a successful, well-attended ESOL programme.

Because of their situation, some of the Afghans were becoming very upset, so the Conference arranged social events - including a day at the seaside - to get the families out of the hotel for a bit of fun.

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TURNING A CHALLENGING RETAIL YEAR INTO SUCCESS

Following the Covid-19 lockdowns, all of our retail shops reopened in April 2021, with staff working hard to re-establish the outlets after what had been a challenging previous year.

Operations in shops and across areas were streamlined, and where necessary, changes were made to offer a consistent and exciting retail experience. This worked, too - the changes were well-received, and income was higher than ever before.

About half of all shop volunteers returned postCovid, and many new people joined the St Vincent’s family as well.

Donations also increased following the lockdowns, partly due to wider awareness of the positive impact that reusing objects and materials can have.

The primary aim of the shops is to raise funds for the financial sustainability of the SVP, but Director of Retail, Trading and Social Enterprise Helen Voyce says no-one ever loses sight of the impact on individuals and the communities in which they serve:

“We do all we can to keep on supporting people in need - this includes signposting them to local Conferences, having drop-in boxes as food parcel collection points, and offering referrals to other organisations who can help where necessary.

The 45 St Vincent’s shops sit in 12 Central Councils across England and Wales. At the end of the financial year, they had achieved a turnover of nearly

£4,000,000

Net surplus was £992,238 against a budgeted surplus of £585,143 , which included £120,000 in Gift Aid. All credit must go to 130 paid employees and more than 600 volunteers for their hard work and commitment!

“We offer a warm welcome to everyone crossing our threshold and treat them with the dignity and care they deserve, while offering an excellent range of affordably priced goods.”

The post-pandemic consolidation meant no new shops were opened in the last year, but online retail continued to grow, with items being dispatched to all over the world, including to Asia, Australia, Europe, the USA and Canada.

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St Vincent’s Holloway Road
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“We set ourselves apart because we call ourselves a community shop. We take on the SVP’s values and bring them into everything we do.”

Jack’s SVP journey

Jack Marder, the Holloway Road Shop Manager

People are drawn time and time again to one of the SVP’s most successful shops – thanks to its artistic Manager and his team.

Jack Marder heads St Vincent’s Holloway Road branch in north London. His creative background is put to good use in the shop, which is bright, fun and very welcoming.

but they soon found that this new facility - like all of its counterparts - is first and

foremost about togetherness. Holloway Road and its surrounding area are diverse; affluence and poverty sit alongside one another, and customers come from a range of different backgrounds.

The 30 year old, who has been volunteering in charity shops since he was 17, has a Master’s Degree in Fine Art from Central St Martin’s, but he chose to pursue a career in the charity sector. After a stint as a volunteer at a PDSA shop, he was about to take on the role of Assistant Manager, only for Covid to hit and lose him the opportunity.

“Along our road there are a number of charity shops, but I think we set ourselves apart because we call ourselves a community shop. We take on the SVP’s values and bring them into everything we do.

Undeterred, Jack began helping out at the SVP’s Hackney shop in September 2020, and moved to the new location in Holloway Road a couple of months later as Assistant Manager. A year on, he became Manager outright.

“Customers see the kindness in us. We give them support and very often, they end up giving it back.”

Among other things, the support comes in the form of signposting people to further help, and the distribution of Vinnie Packs to rough sleepers. It’s of huge importance to Jack that anyone who needs help is treated with respect and dignity - and that’s where the staff come in (10 volunteers and three paid, plus Jack).

Jack says: “We started the shop from scratch, so it was all quite new to me. Luckily, I had the support of the old Manager, Jane London, who has gone on to manage the Upminster shop. She had a lot of experience for me to learn from.

“Without them, we wouldn’t be able to run the shop to such a high standard. Values are so important to us, which also sets us apart from other shops. Customers can clearly see the kindness in us, and they respond to that.”

“Customers see the kindness in us.”

Jack believes the shop is also distinctive because of the way it looks, which is where his artistic background comes in. He explains that the SVP shop Managers are given autonomy to run things how they wish.

“It was a bit of a tricky time, as we didn’t know what to expect. We were probably the only people opening a shop because everyone else was closing - it was an odd situation.”

Challenges came from customers who weren’t venturing out because of the pandemic, and the low number of volunteers. Thankfully, local SVP Members offered their support and were instrumental in building a rapport with the community. At the same time, new faces started coming on board.

“There’s a big drive towards letting us be creative and we are given the chance to do things in a different way, like the layout.

“I try to use my creative skills in the shop in any way I can, such as in the visual merchandising or window displays. There was always a lot of trial and error when I made artworks, so I use that to my advantage now - I’m never afraid to try something out.”

When the shop opened, the SVP, its work and its values were unknown to many of the locals,

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EMPOWERING PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY

Our mission to support and empower people out of poverty reaches far beyond our shores.

Our twinning programme supports SVP Conferences across England and Wales to assist those in developing countries. Our Conferences are currently twinned with local groups in India, Sudan, South Sudan, Grenada, Guyana and Romania - more recently, we have also supported Ukraine, thanks to contributions from our Members to our Disaster Fund.

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Our Twinning projects
empower people to be
self-sufficient
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We sent a total of £592,885 overseas to our six twinned countries, plus Haiti, Polokong in South Africa and Lebanon, in 2021/22. Our support helped to buy medicines, feed babies and young children, provide food parcels and clothes, and fund educational scholarships. Other sustainability projects included support for farmers, crop production, cow and goat ownership and chicken rearing.

They learn what they need to live securely in the future and, where possible, they are reunited with their relatives. The project was set up by a team who were themselves rescued by a similar initiative in Sudan.

We highlight education further through schemes such as the Indian SVP's Student Sponsorship programme, and we also provide long-term, practical solutions to combat poverty and improve the lives of people facing the harsh realities of life in our twinned countries.

Many of our support schemes empower people in our twinned countries to be self-sufficient. For example, we help to fund a vocational training centre in South Sudan which deals with a variety of technical skills, enabling students, some of whom are enrolled from the displaced persons camp, to secure employment and support their families. Everything they learn is vital to the South Sudan economy and its infrastructure.

Twinning has also allowed us to support those caught up in the conflict in Ukraine. Members in England and Wales have been quick to donate funds to our Conferences in Romania, where they can be redistributed to those most in need through our affiliation with DePaul International.

We continue to support Ukrainian refugees who are now based in England and Wales through grants from our Disaster Fund.

Our unique grassroots approach means we understand the problems facing those we support, and we provide bespoke help which is as individual as a fingerprint.

wh

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Photo credit: asase. www.asase.org

Compassion and understanding in an uncertain world

Jack and his partner Orla left Ukraine on 16 March 2022, accompanied by their three children and Orla’s parents - Jack sadly had to leave his own family behind.

Following this, they were refugees in several countries, before finding their way to England through the Homes for Ukraine scheme. It was while staying in Herne Bay in Kent that they first met SVP Members.

Local Conference Member Jan learned that a Ukrainian family were moving to her community, which prompted her and Joanna, a member of a neighbouring Conference at Whitstable, to welcome them and offer any help they might need. Orla says she felt “lucky the SVP knocked at our door.”

The Conference applied to the Ukraine Disaster Fund for a grant to help Jack set up his carpentry business, and buy the tools he had left behind when fleeing his country. This money has helped to provide Jack with stable work, and the family with a crucial source of income.

Unfortunately, the family were then told they must leave their house in Herne Bay and find a new home, but despite the continuing upheaval, Jack remains positive, saying: “We never give up.” Orla adds: “We have met so many nice people on our journey, and we are so grateful.”

SVP Members continue to support them, providing friendship, understanding and practical assistance.

This is only one example of many instances where we have welcomed and helped our Ukrainian brothers and sisters arriving in England and Wales. Through our Conferences, we seek to develop communities which embrace people from overseas who are escaping poverty and conflict, and in doing so, build a fairer and more compassionate world.

Grenada - Carol’s Poultry Project

This project involved the construction of a 10x10 chicken pen, followed by the small-scale rearing of 50 chickens. The 25 initial birds were joined by 25 more within two weeks, and a six-week period followed before they were ready for resale in the community of Beausejour and its surrounding areas. The money gained will be used to replenish stock on an ongoing basis, providing a sustainable living for a number of families.

Guyana

One of the most successful projects in Guyana was the financing of maintenance work on the St. Thomas More Men’s Home in Georgetown, which included the replacement of windows and internal and external decoration.

India

“I would like to embrace the world in a network of charity”

Throughout India, we support numerous projects that purchase goats, cows and chickens for families most in need. Each project costs less than £800, and additional money has allowed individuals to set up small tailoring services, which - alongside generating further income - allows crucial skills to be developed and improved for many.

Blessed Frédéric Ozanam

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STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

As part of an international lay Christian organisation, Catholic in origin, character and traditions, which respects religious liberty and the value of all God’s people, the objects of the Charity are:

The Society is constituted under the laws of England & Wales as a company limited by guarantee (Company Number: 3174679). The Society is also a Charity registered with the Charity Commission (Charity Number: 1053992).

The overarching governing document of the Society is the Articles of Association and is to be read in conjunction with the International Rule and the National Statutes. Where there is a conflict between the Articles of Association and the National Statutes of the Society, the Articles will take precedence. However, there is an annual exercise that is in place to ensure alignment where practicable to do so.

The Articles of Association describe the Society’s objects, guarantees, powers and their limitation. They define ‘Membership’ of the Company (i.e. National Council) and describe the governance processes, including how changes and decisions are made.

The National Statutes provide the framework for the governance and operation of the Society. Detailed management of the Society’s affairs are covered in relevant Policies and Procedures, which should be treated as a part of the Rule.

The first International Rule was introduced in 1835 and is regularly reviewed and updated by International Council General of the International Confederation of the Society of St Vincent de Paul.

The Society adopts this corporate governance framework in order to deliver its strategic priorities and objectives and to ensure it complies with the Charity Commission’s legal and regulatory requirements (The Charities Act 2011) and adheres to the legislative requirements outlined in the Companies Act 2006.

The Society believes that effective governance is based on ensuring there is a culture of compliance across its works and practices. This is implemented by policies and procedures, clear accountabilities, external and internal audit plans, robust and resilient risk assessments and a culture of continuous learning.

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Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees consists of a minimum of nine and a maximum of thirteen people, including the Chair. The Board is responsible for the overall governance of the St Vincent de Paul Society (E&W). On the election of a new National President by the National Council, the President shall nominate up to five Trustees, at least three of whom are current Central Council Presidents, and shall also nominate a Vice President and a National Treasurer.

Each Trustee must be formally confirmed by the National Council to serve for a period of five years. Up to five new Trustees are selected halfway through the President’s five-year term to act as continuation Trustees and serve for a term of five years. Up to four non-Members of the Society may be appointed as Trustees provided that they commit to the values of the Society and have skills which are required by the Society.

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Name Responsibility
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Helen O’Shea National President
James Bellamy Senior Vice President
Christine Knight National Treasurer
Dermot McGilloway Retail
Elaine Heyworth Twinning
Ian Kempsell Membership Outreach
Mark Thompson General Portfolio
Michael Willcock Youth
Richard Palmi CSPs & Property
Sebastian Muir General Portfolio
Susan Roberts General Portfolio
Vince McAllister Camps & Safeguarding

In addition, Fr Paul Roche attends Board meetings as a National Spiritual Advisor.

The selection of Trustees seeks to maintain a balance of skills and experience appropriate to the charity’s activities. An induction programme is offered to all new Trustees to ensure they are briefed on the charity’s objectives, strategy and activities, as well as understanding Charity Commission guidance on the role of a Trustee. The Board meets at least four times a year to review the performance of the charity, both financially and in meeting its charitable objectives.

In line with Charity Commission guidance during the pandemic, the Board met virtually for meetings including the AGM online also. All decisions from these meetings were recorded in the minutes taken and stored electronically as part of the normal governance process.

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The Society has established clear levels of delegated authority within which:

The Society’s members are organised in local Conferences to carry out the work of the charity. Conferences are grouped together in geographical areas and are overseen by District Councils which in turn report to Central Councils which are structured, as far as possible, to reflect the Roman Catholic Dioceses. The President of each Central Council sits on the National Council. No Central Council, District Council or Conference may be established as a separate charity and all constitute parts of the Charity operating under the delegated authority of the Trustees.

Sub-committees of the Board

These committees are given delegated powers by the main Board of Trustees and each is chaired by a Board member. They are responsible for supporting a specific area of operational oversight and their activities are reported to the Board. As the number and structure of the committees reflects prevailing priorities, they are reviewed and updated periodically.

The role of each of the committees during 2020-21 was as follows:

The Trustees regularly review the risks faced by the charity to develop appropriate controls and deliver the charity’s strategic aims. The main risks monitored include:

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Key risks identified during 2021-2022

Key themes that develop through the Society’s focus on risk management are fed into the annual strategic review. Primarily taking into account the demand on services will continue to grow in the sector (with over a 40% increase in requests for help during December 2021) more than ever as we deliver our strategy as well as taking into account emerging factors like the situation Ukraine, the levelling up agenda, energy price rises etc.

Financial

Although the Society weathered the storm well moving out of the pandemic, it was offset by the increased demand for funds and services from beneficiaries, as some public services declined. The society developed a 5 year sustainability model to enable long term thinking and planning solutions including new social enterprise schemes, growth in e-commerce operation and expansion of retail outlets.

Membership

The decline in Mass attendance continued as we moved slowly out of lockdown in early 2022 and many Conference members were still unable to visit beneficiaries in person or felt unable to deliver services on the same scale as pre pandemic. The

Society mitigated this by developing alternative volunteer models including temporary and seasonal volunteers and the continued utilisation of the Hardship Fund was helpful in providing individuals and families material means of support. A new support role was introduced for members on a regional basis to help them focus on development and recruitment of more members in order to regenerate activity.

Human Resources

Again as we emerged from the pandemic the Society saw a higher turnover of staff (consistent with the recruitment market) as more job opportunities opened up in often better paid sectors, coupled with the lack of diversity in some areas of the Society where paid staff exist. The Society sought to address this by first carrying out a market review of job roles within the sector and in many cases adjusting salaries to bring in line. This is an ongoing activity as we seek to respond to continuing job market changes. In addition to this the Society has embarked on developing a new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) programme, looking at new networks of recruitment, developing job adverts to be more inclusive and embarking in EDI training across the existing workforce.

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35,229 free meals and food parcels were provided by our Community Support Projects in 2021-2022

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Key Strategic Priorities for 2021-2022

As we move towards the end of our 5 year strategy at the end of 2022 we look at the significant steps we have taken over this period to grow and continue to deliver on the charity’s objects.

For the 2021-2022 our strategic priorities included:

Other Undertakings

The SVP is the custodian trustee for the following three undertakings:

“Charity teaches us that when we visit the poor we gain much more than they do”

Blessed Frédéric Ozanam

In addition, the Society has oversight of:

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Picture
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Investments

The Board of Trustees sets the overall performance and ethical parameters within which our investment managers operate. The investment managers report quarterly. Each year they meet with the Finance Committee to review performance and outlook. Performance is measured against the Association of Private Client Investment Managers and Stockbrokers balanced index. The primary objectives of our investment portfolio are to:

The Trustees have adopted an ethical investment policy in line with the teaching of the Catholic Church. The year to 31/03/2022 should be actual +6.33 and benchmark +8.68 as per page 6 of the Investec report.

“Hunt down poverty in order to give humanity its dignity”

Blessed Rosalie Rendu

Reserves

The Trustees annually review the level of reserves to be held by the charity to ensure they are adequate. Free reserves of the charity are considered to be its unrestricted funds not designated for specific spending. Our reserves target is to hold a minimum of three months’ spending in free reserves. Free reserves of the charity were £4.5 million at 31 March 2022 (2021: £4.3 million) which represents 4.7 months (2021: 5.6) of unrestricted general fund expenditure. This balance does not include £2.9m of fixed assets. Reserves are currently higher than the minimum required. The Society has plans to invest in new projects over the forthcoming years as well as supporting those in need with a newly launched Cost of Living Support Fund.

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Management and Policies

Grant making

The St Vincent de Paul Society makes grants to individuals in need and to organisations, but only to those with objectives similar to those of the Society and where members are directly involved in volunteering. This includes grants to overseas SVP Conferences (Twinning). All major grants are approved in advance by the Trustees, who ensure that appropriate controls and reporting frameworks are in place.

Statement of fundraising practice 2021/22

We are deeply grateful for the ongoing generosity and support of our donors and funders during what was another year of uncertainty as we ventured cautiously out of lockdown. Our supporters stayed with us as we invested in online communications, supporter care, and piloted new fundraising approaches using technology and digital techniques. As church congregations were still recovering, the annual national paper raffle was paused for a second year and the national coffee morning was repivoted to an online, digital initiative ‘Tea with the SVP’, which included two online Tea Talks from our Rise to the Challenge Patrons. The usual community fundraising activities organised by our local support centres, as well as collections and events organised by our members in their local churches, parishes, and communities, remained partly suspended for much of the year.

Building on the success of our first Giving Tuesday campaign in 2020 and Tea with the SVP in 2021, the national fundraising team launched its first digital public-facing SVP Christmas Kindness appeal which was a triumph, raising over £100,000 for the SVP Hardship Fund and securing the support of new major donors who provided pound for pound matched funding. We worked with a creative agency for the first time to develop the proposition and digital assets. We also worked with new partners to offer a smoother donating experience and support our local groups with digital fundraising alternatives such as virtual events, bespoke online donation platforms, QR codes and contactless devices.

Throughout the year, we continued to benefit from grants, gifts in wills, donations made through the purchase of alternative gifts in our Christmas catalogue, and our online in-memory giving platform Light a Candle. We reviewed our legacy

and in-memorium fundraising with help from a legacy specialist, which resulted in a new legacy and in-memorium strategic plan.

Donors to The St Vincent de Paul Society (England and Wales) can be confident that we comply with the regulatory standards for fundraising. We are registered with the Fundraising Regulator and adhere to the Code of Fundraising Practice which covers the requirements charities must follow as set out in the Charities Act 2016. All our staff in the national fundraising team are members of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising, and we join online fundraising networks, attend webinars and online fundraising conferences to keep up to date with regulations, the latest research and reports, trends and developments in fundraising and the future funding landscape. We introduced the roles of Trusts Relationships Manager and Regional Trusts Fundraiser to bolster trusts fundraising at both national and regional level, providing support across the Society to staff and members. We participated in a Society-wide Measuring Impact workstream and Theory of Change workshop to procure a new data-gathering platform and improve our methods of collating qualitative and quantitative impact data.

The Board of Trustees is kept informed of fundraising practice through regular reports from the Director of Fundraising, Communications and Marketing. Several members of the board are personally involved in supporting and promoting fundraising initiatives such as the Christmas Kindness and Rise to the Challenge appeals. No professional fundraiser or commercial participator was engaged to carry out fundraising on behalf of the charity. During the year, no failure to comply with the Code of Fundraising Practice was reported and no fundraising complaints were received.

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OUR FUNDRAISING YEAR IN NUMBERS

*Received up to 31 March 2022

1 digital fundraising campaign

2 trusts fundraisers

43 gifts in wills received 95 donations made in memory of loved ones 169 donations to the Ukraine Disaster Fund* 463 Friends of the SVP 812 new online donors 1,105 £34,499 £50,000 £90,000 £118,504 £168,253 £262,849

donations received for wherever they are needed most

for the Ukraine Disaster Fund*

in match funding for our appeals

biggest individual gift received

raised from the Christmas Kindness appeal for the SVP Hardship Fund

in donations received for wherever they are needed most

in grants successfully applied for by our National Office

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"Supporting the SVP has been an inspirational journey of discovery for us, because it ticks all our boxes. It is firmly rooted in concern for everyone, whoever they are - and especially those who struggle with loneliness, sickness and poverty. At its heart, it is about individual volunteers who offer the hand of friendship in addition to material support; not grandiose strategies, but many small acts of kindness by small groups in their own communities. Together, they work open-heartedly in partnership with other agencies to address the same issues."

A Trust Supporter

The Soul Sanctuary Gospel Choir from London

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Auditors

A resolution proposing that Saffery Champness be re-appointed as auditors of the charitable company was passed at the Annual General Meeting.

Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities - charitable company

The Trustees (who are also directors of St Vincent de Paul Society (England and Wales) for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report 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 the group and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable group for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and 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 the group and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In so far as the Trustees are aware:

The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the reparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

Public benefit

The Board of Trustees has given regard to the legislative and regulatory requirements for disclosing how its charitable objectives have provided benefit to the public. The Board of Trustees has complied with the duties set out in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011. This report outlines how our achievements during 2021-22 have benefitted the public, either directly or indirectly.

The Trustees’ Report (including the Strategic Report) was approved on behalf of the Board of Trustees (in their capacity as company directors) on 25 November 2022 at the annual AGM and signed on their behalf by

Helen O’Shea National President and Chair of Trustees

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AUDITOR’S REPORT

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of St Vincent de Paul Society (England and Wales) (the ‘parent charitable company’) and its subsidiaries (the ‘group’) for the year ended 31 March 2022 which comprise the consolidated statement of financial activities, the group and charity sheets and the consolidated cash flow statement and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). In our opinion the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the group and parent charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the parent charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

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Other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the group and the parent charitable company and their environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Trustees’ Annual Report and Strategic Report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities set out on page 35, the trustees (who are also the directors of the parent charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of the financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the parent charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the parent charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

We have been appointed as auditors under the Companies Act 2006 and report in accordance with regulations made under that Act.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the group and parent financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud.

The specific procedures for this engagement and the extent to which these are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, are detailed below.

Identifying and assessing risks related to irregularities

We assessed the susceptibility of the group and parent charitable company’s financial statements to material misstatement and how fraud might occur, including through discussions with the trustees, discussions within our audit team planning meeting, updating our record of internal controls and ensuring these controls operated as intended. We evaluated possible incentives and opportunities for fraudulent manipulation of the financial statements. We identified laws and regulations that are of significance in the context of the group and parent charitable company

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by discussions with trustees and updating our understanding of the sectors in which the group and parent charitable company operate.

Laws and regulations of direct significance in the context of the group and parent charitable company include the Companies Act 2006 and guidance issued by the Charity Commission for England and Wales.

Audit response to risks identified

We considered the extent of compliance with these laws and regulations as part of our audit procedures on the related financial statement items, including a review of financial statement disclosures. We reviewed the parent charitable company’s records of breaches of laws and regulations, minutes of meetings and correspondence with relevant authorities to identify potential material misstatements arising. We discussed the parent charitable company’s policies and procedures for compliance with laws and regulations with members of management responsible for compliance.

During the planning meeting with the audit team, the engagement partner drew attention to the key areas which might involve non-compliance with laws and regulations or fraud. We enquired of management whether they were aware of any instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations or knowledge of any actual, suspected or alleged fraud. We addressed the risk of fraud through management override of controls by testing the appropriateness of journal entries and identifying any significant transactions that were unusual or outside the normal course of business. We assessed whether judgements made in making accounting estimates gave rise to a possible indication of management bias. At the completion stage of the audit, the engagement partner’s review included ensuring that the team had approached their work with appropriate professional scepticism and thus the capacity to identify non-compliance with laws and regulations and fraud.

resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery or intentional misrepresentations, or through collusion.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities . This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the parent charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the parent charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the parent charitable company and the parent charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Sally Appleton

5 December 2022

(Senior Statutory Auditor)

For and on behalf of Saffery Champness LLP Chartered Accountants, Statutory Auditors Mitre House, North Park Road, Harrogate, HG1 5RX

Saffery Champness LLP is eligible to act as an auditor in terms of section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.

There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above, and the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely we would become aware of it. Also, the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one

38

FINANCIAL SUMMARY

Going concern

The Trustees have prepared the financial statements on a going concern basis after taking into account future budgets and cash forecasts covering the period of at least 12 months from the date of this report. The Trustees have identified no material uncertainties that cast significant doubt about the ability of the Society to continue as a going concern.

Net movement in funds

The overall net movement in funds for the year ended 31 March 2022 was a surplus of £1,065,428 compared to a surplus of £1,124,419 in the year ended 31 March 2021.

There was therefore a decrease in surplus of £58,991 compared to the previous year.

Income

Total income for the year increased by £2.1m to £13,223,783 compared to £11,146,004 in 2021.

Gains and losses

The gain on investments for 2022 amounted to £171,942 compared to a gain of £336,570 in 2021.

Pension fund

The actuarial gain recognised on the pension fund in 2022 amounted to £143,000 compared to a loss of £104,000 in 2021.

Cash at bank and in hand

The group cash at bank and in hand amounted to £7,435,701 in 2022 compared to £6,567,379 in 2021, representing an increase of £868,322.

Total funds

The total group funds at 31 March 2022 amounted to £13,805,248 compared to £12,739,820 at 31 March 2021 representing an increase of £1,065,428. A comparative summary of each category of fund is included in the balance sheet, and there is a detailed breakdown in note 23 of the accounts.

Expenditure

The total expenditure in 2022 amounted to £12,598,558 compared to £10,292,900 in 2021 representing an increase of £2,305,658. This was largely due to increased expenditure on visits and assistance to individuals and families compared to the previous year (£3,282,434 in 2022 compared to £2,506,525 in 2021) and spend at our Support Centres (£1,924,318 in 2022 compared to £1,084,163 in 2021).

39

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

for the year ended 31 March 2022 (Incorporating an income and expenditure account)

----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment 2022 2021
Funds Funds Funds Total Total
Note £ £ £ £ £
----- End of picture text -----

Income
Donations and legacies
2
Other trading activities
3
Income from investments
Income from charitable activities:
Shops and furniture stores
Holidays and camps
Residential provision
Support centres
Youth development
Other income
Total income
4
Expenditure
Expenditure on raising funds
5
Expenditure on charitable activities:
Visits & assistance to individuals and families
Shops and furniture stores
Holidays and camps
Residential provision
Support centres
Twinning
Youth Development Programme
Total expenditure
6
Net gains on investments
14
Share of proft in jointly controlled entities
18
Net income / (expenditure)
7
Transfers between funds
23
Actuarial gains / (losses) on defned beneft
pension scheme
21
Net movement in funds
Funds at the start of the year
23
Funds at the end of the year
23		 5,067,523
38,722
167,527
3,871,872
79,016
2,099,679
416,956
8,373
562,078
12,311,746
485,726
2,577,839
3,735,557
250,843
2,009,878
1,924,318
311,778
211,375
11,507,314
86,172
125,261
1,015,865
(92,877)
-
922,988
8,152,042
9,075,030		 875,451
-
27,171
-
-
-
-
-
-
902,622
-
692,587
-
-
-
-
386,631
18
1,079,236
3,328
-
(173,286)
92,877
143,000
62,591
3,525,749
3,588,340		 -
-
9,415
-
-
-
-
-
-
9,415
-
12,008
-
-
-
-
-
-
12,008
82,442
-
79,849
-
-
79,849
1,062,029
1,141,878		 5,942,974
38,722
204,113
3,871,872
79,016
2,099,679
416,956
8,373
562,078
13,223,783
485,726
3,282,434
3,735,557
250,843
2,009,878
1,924,318
698,409
211,393
12,598,558
171,942
125,261
922,428
-
143,000
1,065,428
12,739,820
13,805,248		 6,787,474
33,178
72,321
1,623,774
18,989
1,922,811
334,564
2,463
350,430
11,146,004
312,241
2,506,525
3,283,389
202,089
1,939,742
1,084,163
808,503
156,248
10,292,900
336,570
38,745
1,228,419
-
(104,000)
1,124,419
11,615,401
12,739,820

All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above. Movements in funds are disclosed in note 23 to the financial statements. The comparative consolidated statement of financial activities is disclosed in note 29 to the financial statements.

40

GROUP AND CHARITY BALANCE SHEETS

for the year ended 31 March 2022

----- Start of picture text -----
Group Charity Group Charity
2022 2022 2021 2021
Note £ £ £ £
----- End of picture text -----

Fixed assets
Tangible fxed assets
12
Mixed motive Investment Freehold Property
12
Investments
14
Investments in subsidiaries
16
Investments in joint ventures
18
Current assets
Stock
Debtors
19
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors: amounts falling due within 1 year
20
Net current assets
Total assets less current liabilities
Defned beneft scheme pension (liability)
21
Net assets
Funds
Endowment funds
Restricted funds
Unrestricted funds:
Revaluation reserve
Designated funds
General funds
Total funds
23		 2,422,522
673,495
2,639,449
-
136,269
5,871,735
11,900
1,029,649
7,435,701
8,477,250
543,737
7,933,513
13,805,248
-
13,805,248
1,141,878
3,588,340
625,477
4,537,723
3,911,830
13,805,248		 2,422,522
673,495
1,520,936
1
-
4,616,954
10,344
1,101,236
7,301,358
8,412,938
495,465
7,917,473
12,534,427
-
12,534,427
196,658
3,468,851
625,477
4,578,443
3,664,998
12,534,427		 2,439,478
288,230
2,288,391
-
176,989
5,193,088
11,691
1,600,100
6,567,379
8,179,170
594,438
7,584,732
12,777,820
(38,000)
12,739,820
1,062,029
3,525,749
625,477
3,840,485
3,686,080
12,739,820		 2,439,478
288,230
1,239,590
1
-
3,967,299
11,691
1,666,140
6,418,725
8,096,556
589,752
7,506,804
11,474,103
(38,000)
11,436,103
183,079
3,314,820
625,477
3,840,485
3,472,242
11,436,103

These financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees on 25th November 2022 and signed on their behalf by:

Helen O’Shea, National President

St Vincent de Paul Society (England & Wales). Company Number: 3174679.

41

CONSOLIDATED CASHFLOW STATEMENT

for the year ended 31 March 2022

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
Note £ £
Net cash provided by operating activities a 871,531 1,420,353
Net cash used in by investing activities b (3,209) (89,271)
Increase in cash in the year 868,322 1,331,082
Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net funds
Increase in cash for the year 868,322 1,331,082
Net funds at beginning of year 6,567,379 5,236,297
Net funds at end of year c 7,435,701 6,567,379
a. Reconciliation of net cash used in operating activities
Net income before revaluations 625,225 853,104
Investment income (204,113) (72,321)
Depreciation 199,200 229,703
(Profit) / Loss on disposal of fixed assets (373,322) 4,431
Defined benefit scheme net interest expense (2,000) (5,000)
Current service cost in excess of employer contributions 107,000 25,000
(Decrease) in creditors (50,701) (54,305)
Decrease in debtors 570,451 438,934
(Increase) / Decrease in stocks (209) 807
Net cash used in operating activities 871,531 1,420,353
b. Net cash (used in) investing activities
Investment income 204,113 72,321
Proceeds from sale of listed investments 97,112 195,896
Purchase of investments (299,789) (222,332)
Decrease in Revive investment portfolio 165,981 -
Decrease in cash held within investment portfolio 23,561 48,530
Proceeds from sale of fixed assets 540,000 (1,431)
Purchase of tangible fixed assets (734,187) (182,255)
(3,209) (89,271)
c. Analysis of Net Funds
As at As at
01 Apr 2021 Cash flows 31 Mar 2022
£ £ £
Cash at bank and in hand 6,567,379 868,322 7,435,701
6,567,379 868,322 7,435,701
----- End of picture text -----

42

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

for the year ended 31 March 2022

1. Accounting Policies

a) Charitable company information

St Vincent de Paul Society (England & Wales) (“the Society” or “the Charity”) is a limited company domiciled and incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Romero House, 55 Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7JB.

b) Accounting convention

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the requirements of the Companies Act 2006. The charity is a public benefit entity for the purposes of FRS 102 and therefore the charity also prepared its financial statements in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their financial statements with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (The FRS 102 Charities SORP) and the Charities Act 2011.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charitable company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest pound.

c) Consolidation

These financial statements consolidate the results of the Society and its wholly-owned subsidiary, The Society of St Vincent de Paul (England and Wales) Trading Limited, on a line by line basis. The Society also holds a controlling interest in the Pen Y Pound House Fund, the David Young’s Charity and the TB Hunt Trust. These are included within the group accounts. The results of the charity comprise the results of the National Office, Conferences and Special Works of the Society. A separate statement of financial activities, or income and expenditure account, for the Society itself is not presented because it has taken advantage of the exemptions afforded by section 408 of the Companies Act 2006.

The Society is a member of Revive Leeds CIC, a company limited by guarantee and exercises joint control over the entity via a membership agreement. Revive Leeds CIC is accounted for in the Society’s consolidated accounts using the equity method. The Society’s share of the profit or loss as well as the Society’s share of any reserve movements of Revive Leeds CIC are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period in which they occur.

The financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost convention, modified by the recognition of investment properties, and financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out on the following pages.

Our members ran 125 food banks in partnership with other organisations

43

d) Going concern

The Trustees have prepared the financial statements on a going concern basis after taking into account future budgets and cash forecasts covering the period of at least 12 months from the date of this report. Individual projects within the Society are largely expected to be self-funding. Some funding streams changed priority during the Covid-19 pandemic when shops closed during lockdowns but our shops re-opened in April 2021 and have continued to perform well during the year ended 31st March 2022. This, combined with the reserves the charity holds, has enabled the Trustees to conclude that the charity will be able to settle its debts as they fall due for at least 12 months following approval of these financial statements. As a result, the Trustees have identified no material uncertainties that cast significant doubt about the ability of the Society to continue as a going concern and so the financial statements continue to be prepared on this basis.

e) Foreign exchange

Transactions in currencies other than pound sterling are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing at the dates of the transactions. At each reporting date, monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the rates prevailing at the period end date. Gains and losses are included in the Statement of Financial Activities for the period.

Grants payable are recognised when authorised for payment.

Governance costs relate to compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements.

Expenditure on raising funds relates to the costs incurred by the group and Society in raising funds for the charitable work.

Allocation of support costs incurred at the Society’s administrative centres

Expenditure is allocated to the particular activity where the cost relates directly to that activity. However, where relevant, the salary, office and premises costs of the administrative centres which represent the charity’s support costs are apportioned on the following basis which are an estimate, based on staff time, of the amount attributable to each activity.

Visits & assistance to individuals

and families 34%
Shops and furniture stores 35%
Holidays and camps 5%
Residential provision 8%
Twinning 2%
Youth development programme 4%
Support centres 7%
Expenditure on raising funds 4%
100%

f) Income

Voluntary income received by way of donations to the Society is included in full in the statement of financial activities when receivable. Proceeds from the sale of donated goods are recognised in the accounts in the period in which they are realised. Volunteer time is not included in the financial statements.

Grants are recognised in full in the statement of financial activities in the year in which they are receivable.

Income from legacies is accounted for on a receivable basis, and is recognised in full in the financial statements in the period in which entitlement is notified, where there is probability of receipt and where the amount can be measured reliably.

g) Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised in the period in which it is incurred. Expenditure includes attributable VAT which cannot be recovered.

h) Fixed assets

Assets are capitalised at cost, as detailed in note 12.

Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write down the cost of each asset to its estimated residual value over its expected useful life. The depreciation rates in use are as follows:

Freehold property 2% straight line
Leasehold property over the period of
the lease
Computer equipment 33% straight line
Furniture and equipment 20% straight line
Motor vehicles and caravans 20% straight line

Land is not depreciated.

Items of equipment are capitalised where the purchase price exceeds £1,000. Depreciation costs are allocated to activities on the basis of the use of the related assets in those activities. Assets are

44

reviewed for impairment if circumstances indicate their carrying value may exceed their net realisable value and value in use.

Mixed motive investments are held at depreciated cost and represent properties held for both their investment potential and in furtherance of the charity’s objects.

i) Investments

Investments held as fixed assets are revalued at mid-market value at the balance sheet date. The gains or losses for the period on revaluation or disposal are taken to the statement of financial activities. The Trustees consider short term deposits to be liquid resources.

j) Assets held for sale

The charity’s mixed movement investments are measured at cost and represent properties held for both financial return and to further the charity’s objects.

k) Stocks

Stocks are stated at the lower of cost and net realisable value. Cost is measured on a first in first out basis and includes transport and handling costs. Net realisable value is the price at which stocks can be sold in the normal course of business after allowing for the costs of realisation. Provision is made where necessary for obsolete, slow moving and defective stocks.

l) Cash

Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks and other shortterm liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less.

m) Funds

Restricted funds are to be used for specified purposes as laid down by the donor. Expenditure which meets these criteria is identified to the fund.

Designated funds are to be used for specified purposes as laid down by the Trustees of the Society.

Unrestricted funds are donations and other incoming resources received or generated for the charitable purposes.

Endowment funds are funds for which the assets must be held permanently by the Society. Further details of these funds are shown in note 23.

n) Operating leases

Rentals payable under operating leases, where substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership remain with the lessor, are charged to the

statement of financial activities in the year in which they fall due.

o) Pensions

The Society Defined contribution scheme: operates a stakeholder group personal pension plan. In addition, the Society contributes to the personal pension schemes of a number of employees. The assets of the schemes are held separately from those of the Society in independently administered funds. The pension cost charge represents contributions payable under the schemes by the Society to the funds. The Society has no liability under the schemes other than for the payment of those contributions.

Some of the Society’s Defined benefit scheme: employees are members of the Tyne and Wear Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). The LGPS is a funded scheme and the assets are held separately from those of the Society in separate trustee administered funds. Pension scheme assets are measured at fair value and liabilities are measured on an actuarial basis using the projected unit credit method and discounted at a rate equivalent to the current rate of return on a high quality corporate bond of equivalent term and currency to the liabilities. The actuarial valuations are obtained at least triennially and are updated at each balance sheet date. The resulting asset or liability is recognised in the balance sheet. In the case of an asset this is recognised to the extent it is considered recoverable through reduced contributions in the future, or through refunds from the Scheme. The amounts charged to operating surplus are the current service costs and the costs of scheme introductions, benefit changes, settlements and curtailments. They are included as part of staff costs as incurred. Net interest on the net defined benefit liability/asset is also recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities and comprises the interest cost on the defined benefit obligation and interest income on the scheme assets, calculated by multiplying the fair value of the scheme assets at the beginning of the period by the rate used to discount the benefit obligations. The difference between the interest income on the scheme assets and the actual return on the scheme assets is recognised in other recognised gains and losses.

p) Financial instruments

The charitable company has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.

45

Financial instruments are recognised in the charitable company’s balance sheet when the company becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Basic financial assets: Basic financial assets, which include trade and other receivables and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest.

Other financial assets: Other financial assets, including investments in equity instruments which are not subsidiaries, associates or joint ventures, are initially measured at fair value, which is normally the transaction price. Such assets are subsequently carried at fair value and the changes in fair value are recognised in profit or loss, except that investments in equity instruments that are not publicly traded and whose fair values cannot be measured reliably are measured at cost less impairment.

Trade debtors, loans and other receivables that have fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted in an active market are classified as ‘loans and receivables’. Loans and receivables are measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less any impairment.

Interest is recognised by applying the effective interest rate, except for short-term receivables when the recognition of interest would be immaterial. The effective interest method is a method of calculating the amortised cost of a debt instrument and of allocating the interest income over the relevant period. The effective interest rate is the rate that exactly discounts estimated future cash receipts through the expected life of the debt instrument to the net carrying amount on initial recognition.

Financial assets, Impairment of financial assets: other than those held at fair value through profit and loss, are assessed for indicators of impairment at each reporting end date. Financial assets are impaired where there is objective evidence that, as a result of one or more events that occurred after the initial recognition of the financial asset, the estimated future cash flows have been affected. The impairment loss is recognised in profit or loss.

Financial Derecognition of financial assets: assets are derecognised only when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the asset expire, or when it transfers the financial asset and substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to another entity.

Financial Classification of financial liabilities: liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the company after deducting all of its liabilities.

Basic financial liabilities: Basic financial

liabilities, including trade and other payables, bank loans, loans from fellow group companies and preference shares that are classified as debt, are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest.

Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.

Trade payables are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Accounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade payables are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Financial Derecognition of financial liabilities: liabilities are derecognised when, and only when, the company’s obligations are discharged, cancelled, or they expire.

q) Judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty

In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the Trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

46

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

Critical judgements : The following judgements (apart from those involving estimates) have had the most significant effect on amounts recognised in the financial statements.

The annual depreciation charge for property, plant and equipment is sensitive to changes in the estimated useful economic lives and residual values of the assets. The useful economic lives and residual values are re-assessed annually. They are amended when necessary to reflect current estimates, based on technological advancement, future investments, economic utilisation and the physical condition of the assets. See note 12 for the carrying amount of the property, plant and equipment and note 1. h) for the useful economic lives for each class of asset.

2. Donations and legacies

----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment 2022 2021
Funds Funds Funds Total Total
£ £ £ £ £
Members’ contributions 315,207 - - 315,207 253,020
Church collections 477,761 26,882 - 504,643 268,973
Legacies 657,595 196,669 - 854,264 1,089,276
Other fundraising activities 175,450 148,725 - 324,175 259,238
Other donations and voluntary grants 3,441,510 503,175 - 3,944,685 4,916,967
5,067,523 875,451 - 5,942,974 6,787,474
----- End of picture text -----

Unrestricted
Funds		 Restricted
Funds		 Endowment
Funds		 2021
Total
£ £ £ £
Members’ contributions
Church collections
Legacies
Other fundraising activities
Other donations and voluntary grants		 253,020
246,966
474,128
199,115
4,094,882
5,268,111		 -
22,007
615,148
60,123
822,085
1,519,363		 -
-
-
-
-
-		 253,020
268,973
1,089,276
259,238
4,916,967
6,787,474

Donations and legacies received covers a number of different charitable activities.

47

3. Other trading activities (including fundraising)

Unrestricted
Funds		 Restricted
Funds		 Endowment
Funds		 2022
Total		 2021
Total
£ £ £ £ £
Trading activities
Income from national raffe		 37,087
1,635
38,722		 -
-
-		 -
-
-		 37,087
1,635
38,722		 27,119
6,059
33,178

All the above trading activities comprise unrestricted funds in both periods.

4. Total incoming resources for the year

This is stated after including the following restricted grants:

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
£ £
----- End of picture text -----

Visits & assistance to individuals & families
Porta Pia 35,000 35,000
Porticus 26,357 38,000
Shops & furniture stores
Sheffeld City Council - Voluntary Sector Grants Fund 53,283 53,283
Other grants received (Under £10,000) 8,980 37,904
Support centres
Lottery Funding 113,029 112,972
Homeless Link Grant 1,500 10,000
Veolia 20,400 7,220
Shared Space 12,000 15,000
Newcastle CCG - 15,000
Newcastle Community Foundation 12,500 10,000
Gateshead Council Community Grant 12,000 -
Jersey Grant 30,000 -
Land Securities - 15,000
DEFRA - 20,000
Welsh Government Grant 25,000 -
Leeds Community Foundation 39,652 32,200
EU Settlement Scheme 36,070 41,925
Leeds Mencap 25,333 -
University of Leeds 17,150 -
Leeds CEV 10,000 -
Other grants received (Under £10,000) 143,555 41,398

48

5. Expenditure on raising funds

----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment 2022 2021
Funds Funds Funds Total Total
£ £ £ £ £
----- End of picture text -----

Unrestricted
Funds
£
Restricted
Funds
£		 Endowment
Funds
£		 2022
Total
£		 2021
Total
£
Staff costs
Other staff and volunteer expenses
Fundraising expenses
Trading activities
Investment managers' fees
Property expenses
Offce expenses
Other costs
Support costs (note 6)		 259,103
10,698
10,438
15,569
10,150
23,037
18,070
60,333
78,328
-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-		 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 259,103
10,698
10,438
15,569
10,150
23,037
18,070
60,333
78,328
485,726		 171,456
2,188
22,126
21,776
5,951
6,579
6,841
17,695
57,629
485,726 312,241

All the above expenditure was from unrestricted funds in both periods.

6. Expenditure Year ended 31 March 2022 Year ended 31 March 2022 Year ended 31 March 2022
Staff costs
(note 8)		 Grants
(note 9)		 Other
direct costs		 Support costs
(note 10)		 Total
£ £ £ £ £
Expenditure on raising funds (note 5)
Charitable activities:
Visits & assistance to individuals and families
Shops and furniture stores
Holidays and camps
Residential provision
Support centres
Twinning
Youth Development Programme
Total charitable activities
Support costs		 259,103
230,979
1,875,340
-
1,531,014
1,282,190
51,662
104,709
5,075,894
1,314,596
6,649,593		 -
-
-
-
-
-
592,885
-
592,885
17,453
610,338		 148,296
2,295,444
1,079,666
139,484
308,778
483,229
2,050
13,468
4,322,119
868,212
5,338,627		 78,328
756,011
780,552
111,358
170,085
158,899
51,812
93,216
2,121,933
(2,200,261)
-		 485,727
3,282,434
3,735,558
250,842
2,009,877
1,924,318
698,409
211,393
12,112,831
-
12,598,558
Year ended 31 March 2021
£ £ £ £ £
Expenditure on raising funds (note 5)
Charitable activities:
Visits & assistance to individuals and families
Shops and furniture stores
Holidays and camps
Residential provision
Support centres
Twinning
Youth Development Programme
Total charitable activities
Support costs		 171,456
128,095
1,721,779
-
1,719,015
678,690
45,857
89,226
4,382,662
1,002,459
5,556,577		 -
8,655
-
-
-
-
717,115
-
725,770
40,140
765,910		 83,156
1,733,580
1,114,087
69,353
111,292
302,717
9,037
7,534		 57,629
636,195
447,523
132,736
109,435
102,756
36,494
59,488		 312,241
2,506,525
3,283,389
202,089
1,939,742
1,084,163
808,503
156,248
9,980,659
-
10,292,900
3,347,600
539,657		 1,524,627
(1,582,256)
3,970,413 -

49

7. Net expenditure for the year

This is stated after charging:

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
Total Total
£ £
----- End of picture text -----

Depreciation 199,200 229,703
Trustees’ indemnity insurance 3,900 2,800
Trustees’ remuneration - -
Trustees’ reimbursed expenses 857 50
Auditor’s remuneration (excluding VAT):
Statutory audit 30,000 30,000
Prior year audit fees 6,900 10,970
Operating lease rentals:
Property 712,492 651,153

During the year 5 (2021: 1) trustees were reimbursed expenses. This totalled £857 (2021: £50). In addition £Nil (2021: £Nil) was paid on behalf of Trustees directly to third parties. Expenses related to reimbursement for travel and accommodation, subsistence, telephone, postage and stationery and are in relation to their roles as trustees.

In accordance with the articles of association, the Society paid a premium of £3,900 (2021: £2,800) for trustee indemnity insurance to the value of £6 million (2021: £5 million).

8. Staff costs and numbers

Staff costs were as follows:

2022
Total		 2021
Total
£ £
Salaries and wages
Social security costs
Pension contributions		 5,656,074
421,367
572,152
6,649,593		 4,450,103
361,908
744,566
5,556,577

Included in staff costs and paid in the year were redundancy and termination payments totalling (2022 : £0 - 1 employee), (2021 : £29,307 - 7 employees).

The earnings, including pension contribution and employer’s National Insurance contributions, of key management personnel (including the CEO) in 2022 were £182,190 (2021: £180,120). This related to two roles (2021: two).

During the year there were two employees who received employment benefits (excluding employer’s pension contributions) of more than £60,000.

£60,000 -£70,000 = 2 (2021: 2).

For all full-pay relevant employees, the mean hourly rate of pay is £12.52 for males and £12.34 for females which represents a 1.41% mean gender pay gap.

For all full-pay relevant employees, the median hourly rate of pay is £10.23 for males and £10.39 for females which represents a 1.52% median gender pay gap.

Of the 80 employees in the lower quartile, 39 are male and 41 are female (male: 49%, female: 51%).

Of the 81 employees in the lower middle quartile, 14 are male and 67 are female (male: 17%, female: 83%). Of the 80 employees in the upper middle quartile, 55 are male and 25 are female (male: 69%, female: 31%).

Of the 81 employees in the upper quartile, 28 are male and 53 are female (male: 35%, female: 65%).

50

The average number of employees (on a full time equivalent basis) during the year was as follows:

----- Start of picture text -----
Actual FTE
2022 2021 2022 2021
No. No. No. No.
----- End of picture text -----

Visits & assistance to individuals and families
Shops and furniture stores
Residential care and approved premises
Youth programme
Support centres
Twinning
Fundraising
Support staff
Governance		 -
192
53
5
69
6
18
51
13
407		 -
116
47
4
45
3
21
43
6
285		 -
84
33
3
33
2
11
26
10

202		 -
78
46
2
27
1
12
19
11
196

The Society relies substantially on voluntary services provided by its Members across the country. It is not possible to quantify the value of these services to the Society.

9. Grants programme

During the year, the Society paid out grants to a number of organisations through the Twinning Programme and directly from the National Society . The majority of the grants were paid to SVP societies in other countries.

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
Total Total
£ £
----- End of picture text -----

SVP India
Indian student scholarships programme
SVP Sudan
SVP South Sudan
SVP Romania
SVP Grenada
SVP Lebanon
SVP Guyana
Payments from disaster fund:
Sudan and South Sudan
Lebanon
CGI Covid
Twinning projects
South Africa
Vincentian Volunteers
Council General International
Other grants		 242,033
68,567
12,677
98,445
10,900
10,300
-
3,950
-
2,000
11,650
123,113
9,250
6,000
11,453
-
610,338		 69,354
10,905
175,684
94,680
1,000
4,500
4,107
2,000
5,000
5,000
10,000
327,210
7,675
4,000
36,140
8,655
765,910

51

10. Support costs

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
Total Total
£ £
----- End of picture text -----

Staff costs
Other staff and volunteer expenses
Offce costs
Premises costs
Bank charges
Depreciation
Legal and professional fees
Other costs
Governance costs
Support costs included the following expenditure on governance:
Staff costs
Other staff and volunteer expenses
Auditors fees and expenses:
Net audit fee (note 7)
Disbursements
Irrecoverable VAT
Over / under accruals
Other professional fees
Board expenses
Other costs		 983,143
75,122
216,872
155,372
26,393
39,022
82,847
192,332
429,158
2,200,261
331,453
1,362
30,000
1,130
3,913
6,900
46,266
5,707
2,427
429,158		 735,993
42,278
150,577
29,968
42,587
28,923
64,928
105,733
381,269
1,582,256
266,466
256
30,000
-
-
-
63,397
220
20,930
381,269

11. Taxation

The Society is exempt from Corporation Tax as all its income is charitable and is applied for charitable purposes. Available taxable profits are Gift Aided to the Society by The St Vincent de Paul Society (England and Wales) Trading Limited.

52

12. Tangible fixed assets - The group and the charity

----- Start of picture text -----
Leasehold Motor
Freehold property and Furniture and vehicles and
property improvements equipment caravans Totals
£ £ £ £ £
----- End of picture text -----

COST
At the start of the year
Additions in year
Disposals in year
At the end of the year
DEPRECIATION
At the start of the year
Charge for the year
Disposals in year
At the end of the year
NET BOOK VALUE AT 31 MARCH 2022
Long leasehold
Short leasehold
NET BOOK VALUE AT 31 MARCH 2021
Long leasehold
Short leasehold		 1,929,734
449,303
-
2,379,037
234,186
45,712
-
279,898
2,099,139
1,695,548		 1,447,581
207,037
(280,000)
1,374,618
634,447
50,480
(113,322)
571,605
803,013
803,013
-
803,013
813,134
813,134
-
813,134		 913,567
77,847
-
991,414
726,224
89,650
-
815,874
175,540
187,343		 214,079
-
-
214,079
182,396
13,358
-
195,754
18,325
31,683		 4,504,961
734,187
(280,000)
4,959,148
1,777,253
199,200
(113,322)
1,863,131
3,096,017
2,727,708

13. Investment property - The group and the charity

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
UK Properties UK Properties
£ £
VALUATION
At the start of the year - 610,000
Transfers - (610,000)
At the end of the year - -
----- End of picture text -----

Mixed Motive Investments

The charity also holds £673,495 (2021: £288,230) as mixed motive investments, which represent two freehold properties held for both financial return and to further the charity’s objects.

53

14. Investments

----- Start of picture text -----
Group Charity Group Charity
2022 2022 2021 2021
£ £ £ £
Market value at the start of the year 2,288,391 1,239,590 1,936,041 1,001,522
Prior Year Opening Cash Account adjustment (46,637) (46,637) - -
Additions at cost 299,789 299,789 222,332 222,332
Disposal at market value (97,112) (94,633) (195,896) (211,043)
Realised gains 6,909 6,840 23,230 23,230
Unrealised gains / (losses) 165,033 92,911 313,340 214,205
2,616,373 1,497,860 2,299,047 1,250,246
Cash held with investment managers 23,076 23,076 (10,656) (10,656)
Total investment portfolio market value 2,639,449 1,520,936 2,288,391 1,239,590
Historic cost at the year end 209,586 211,996 1,474,918 927,155
----- End of picture text -----

All the investments are listed on the UK stock exchange and are intended to provide an investment return. Investments representing over 5% by value of the portfolio, as above, comprise:

----- Start of picture text -----
|||||| |---|---|---|---|---| |Group|Charity|Group|Charity| |2022|2022|2021|2021| |£|£|£|£| |COIF Charities Ethical Investment Fund|1,301,805|485,955|1,043,552|280,059|

----- End of picture text -----

15. Results of parent charity

These accounts do not include a Statement of Financial Activities for the parent charity, as permitted under section 403 of the Companies Act 2006. The relevant figures for the year ended 31 March for the parent charity were:

----- Start of picture text -----
|||| |---|---|---| |2022|2021| |£|£| |Gross income|13,078,509|11,058,112| |Surplus for the year|1,098,324|894,597|

----- End of picture text -----

16. Investments in subsidiaries - Charity

The charity has an unlisted investment with a historical cost of £1 representing its 100% shareholding in The St Vincent de Paul Society (England and Wales ) Trading Limited, which is a company registered in England that operates accommodation and sells Christmas cards and other goods. A summary of that company’s financial position is set out in note 17.

54

17. Subsidiary undertakings

The charitable company held a controlling interest in the following entities during the year:

All activities have been consolidated on a line by line basis in the Statement of Financial Activities.

A summary of the results of the subsidiaries is shown below:

The Pen-Y-Pound House Fund (Capital and Income)

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
£ £
----- End of picture text -----

Incoming resources
Charitable expenditure
Net outgoing resources for the year
Unrealised gains / (losses)
Net movement in funds
Funds brought forward
Funds carried forward
The aggregate of the assets, liabilities and funds was:
Investments
Net current assets
Funds:
Endowment fund
Income fund		 3,020
(107,738)
(104,718)
31,431
(73,287)
536,006
462,719
504,028
(41,309)
462,719
424,022
38,697
462,719		 (1,612)
(36,128)
(37,740)
98,955
61,215
474,791
536,006
456,675
79,331
536,006
392,591
143,415
536,006

This is a separate charitable trust controlled by the Society as the Trustees of the Society are the Trustees of the Pen-Y-Pound Fund. The trust’s main objective is to further the work of the Roman Catholic Church in relieving the poor of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cardiff.

55

17. Subsidiary undertakings (continued)

David Young’s Charity

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
£ £
----- End of picture text -----

Incoming resources
Charitable expenditure
Net outgoing resources for the year
Unrealised (losses) / gains
Realised (losses) / gains
Net movement in funds
Funds brought forward
Funds carried forward
The aggregate of the assets, liabilities and funds was:
Investments
Net current assets
Funds:
Endowment fund
Restricted fund		 9,415
(12,008)
(2,593)
21,246
69
18,722
246,359
265,081
259,935
5,146
265,081
209,387
55,694
265,081		 9,891
(9,721)
170
(13,268)
-
(13,098)
259,457
246,359
241,099
5,260
246,359
193,993
52,366
246,359

David Young’s Charity is controlled by the Society as the Society appoints the Trustees of the charity. The figures included in these consolidated accounts are for the year ended 31 December 2021 as this is the date to which the subsidiary prepares their accounts; there have been no material changes in the three months to 31 March 2022. The Trust’s main objective is the relief of hardship or distress by making grants of money.

T B Hunt Trust Fund

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
£ £
----- End of picture text -----

Incoming resources
Charitable expenditure
Net incoming / (outgoing) resources for the year
Unrealised gains
Net movement in funds
Funds brought forward
Funds carried forward
The aggregate of the assets, liabilities and funds was:
Investments
Current assets
Funds:
Endowment fund
Income fund		 13,150
(3,200)
9,950
19,445
29,395
308,451
337,846
311,822
26,024
337,846
311,811
26,035
337,846		 4,359
(4,100)
259
48,931
49,190
259,261
308,451
279,001
29,450
308,451
292,366
16,085
308,451

This is a separate charitable trust controlled by the Society as the Trustees of the Society are the Trustees of the T B Hunt Trust Fund. The trust’s main objective is the relief of poverty amongst Roman Catholics in the Leicester and Market Harborough areas. During 2021-22 no payments were made due to Covid but payments are resuming in 2022-23.

56

The St Vincent de Paul Society (England and Wales) Trading Limited

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
£ £
----- End of picture text -----

Turnover
Cost of sales
Gross proft
Administrative expenses
Operating proft for the fnancial year
Interest payable
Net proft
The aggregate of the assets, liabilities and funds was:
Current assets
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year		 119,689
(15,569)
104,120
(70,384)
33,736
(740)
32,996
90,917
(74,130)
16,787		 75,342
(20,381)
54,961
(23,646)
31,315
(832)
30,483
60,762
(76,971)
(16,209)

The trading company began in July 2003 and is based at the Society’s National Office. Activity is centred around the management of move on accommodation and the sale of Christmas cards, Fairtrade goods and similar items.

18. Investments in jointly controlled entities

The charity is a member of Revive Leeds CIC, a company limited by guarantee, and jointly controls the entity via a Members’ agreement with the other members of the company. This agreement stipulates that profits made are distributed to split evenly. The SVP’s share of the assets and liabilities of the jointly controlled entity is 50% during the year.

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
£ £
----- End of picture text -----

Value of share in Jointly Controlled Entity - brought forward
Share of proft / (loss) for the year
Share of proft distributed
Valuation carried forward		 176,989
125,261
(165,981)
136,269		 138,244
38,745
-
176,989

Related party transactions are shown in note 25.

19. Debtors

----- Start of picture text -----
Group Charity Group Charity
2022 2022 2021 2021
£ £ £ £
----- End of picture text -----

Trade debtors
Other debtors
Prepayments
Accrued income
Other taxation and social security
Amounts due from subsidiaries		 263,129
158,947
388,252
171,815
47,506
-
1,029,649		 231,654
240,559
399,568
171,815
47,764
9,876
1,101,236		 421,018
109,382
486,890
500,000
82,810
-
1,600,100		 419,680
109,382
484,927
500,000
82,822
69,329
1,666,140

All debtors this year and in the prior year are due within one year from the Balance Sheet date.

Amounts due from subsidiaries include a loan of £5,180 (2021: £5,180) to The St Vincent de Paul Society (England and Wales) Trading Limited which is due to be repaid by March 2029. Loan repayments are made yearly and the subsidiary accrues interest at a rate of 1.5%. The subsidiary has given the Society a floating charge over its assets as security.

57

20. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year

Group
2022		 Charity
2022		 Group
2021		 Charity
2021
£ £ £ £
Trade creditors
Other creditors
Other taxation and social security
Accruals		 275,120
61,278
93,376
113,963
543,737		 256,456
35,327
93,376
110,307
495,465		 173,371
89,597
68,092
263,378
594,438		 174,849
89,597
68,092
257,214
589,752

Included within other creditors are outstanding pension contributions of £28,613 (2021: £nil).

21. Defined benefit pension scheme liability

Some of the Society’s employees belong to a Local Government Pension Schemes (LGPS): the Tyne and Wear Pension Fund (TWPF).

The LGPS is a funded defined benefit plan with benefits earned up to 31 March 2014 being linked to final salary. Benefits after 31 March 2014 are based on a Career Average Revalued Earnings Scheme. Details of the benefits earned over the period covered by this disclosure are set out in ‘The Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 2013’ and ‘The Local Government Pension Scheme (Transitional Provisions, Savings and Amendment) Regulations 2014’.

Funding / Governance Arrangements of the LGPS

The funded nature of the LGPS requires participating employers and its employees to pay contributions into the Fund, calculated at a level intended to balance the pension liabilities with investment assets. Information on the framework for calculating contributions to be paid is set out in LGPS Regulations 2013 and the Fund’s Funding Strategy Statement. The last actuarial valuation was at 31 March 2019 and the contributions to be paid until 31 March 2022 resulting from that valuation are set out in the Fund’s Rates and Adjustment Certificate.

The Fund Administering Authority responsible for the governance of the Fund is South Tyneside.

Assets

The assets allocated to the Employer in the Fund are notional and are assumed to be invested in line with the investments of the Fund for the purposes of calculating the return to be applied to those notional assets over the accounting period.

The Fund is large and holds a significant proportion of its assets in liquid investments. As a consequence there will be no significant restriction on realising assets if a large payment is required to be paid from the fund in relation to an employer’s liabilities. The assets are invested in a diversified spread of investments and the approximate split of assets for the fund as a whole (based on data supplied by the Administering Authority) is shown in the disclosures.

The Administering Authority may invest a small proportion of the Fund’s investments in the assets of some of the employers participating in the Fund if it forms part of their balanced investment strategy.

Risks associated with the Fund in relation to accounting

Asset volatility: The liabilities used for accounting purposes are calculated using a discount rate set with reference to corporate bond yields. If assets underperform this yield this will create a deficit in the accounts. The Fund holds a significant proportion of growth assets which, while expected to outperform corporate bonds in the long term, creates volatility and risk in the short term in relation to the accounting figures.

Changes in Bond Yield: A decrease in corporate bond yields will increase the value placed on the liabilities for accounting purposes although this will be marginally offset by the increase in the assets as a result.

The majority of the pension liabilities Inflation Risk: are linked to either pay or price inflation. Higher inflation expectations will lead to a higher liability value. The assets are either unaffected or loosely correlated with inflation meaning that an increase in inflation will increase the deficit.

58

Life expectancy: The majority of the Fund’s obligations are to provide benefits for the life of the member following retirement, so increases in life expectancy will result in an increase in the liabilities.

Exiting employers: Employers who leave the Fund (or their guarantor) may have to make an exit payment to meet any shortfall in assets against their pension liabilities. If the employer (or guarantor) is not able to meet this exit payment the liability may in certain circumstances fall on other employers in the Fund. Further the assets at exit in respect of ‘orphan liabilities’ may, in retrospect, not be sufficient to meet the liabilities. This risk may fall on other employers. ‘Orphan liabilities’ are currently a small proportion of the overall liabilities in the Fund.

Principal actuarial assumptions TWPF
2022
2021
Discount rate for scheme liabilities 2.7%
2.1%
Infation assumption (CPI) 3.0%
2.7%
Rate of increase for pensions in payment/infation 3.0%
2.7%
Rate of increase in salaries 4.5%
4.2%

The current mortality assumptions include sufficient allowance for future improvements in mortality rates. The assumed remaining life expectations on retirement age 65 are:


The assumed remaining life expectations on retirement age 65 are:
Retiring today:
Males
Females
Retiring in 20 years:
Males
Females
The Society’s share of the assets in the scheme were:		 TWPF
2022
2021
21.8
21.9
25.0
25.1
23.5
23.6
26.7
26.9
TWPF
2022 2021
% %
Equities
Properties
Government bonds
Corporate bonds
Cash
Other
Total		 57.0%
8.4%
2.0%
18.8%
1.8%
12.0%
100.0%		 55.5%
7.9%
2.2%
19.8%
4.0%
10.6%
100.0%

The actual return on scheme assets is (£450,000) (2021: (£1,127,000)).

59

21. Defined benefit pension scheme liability (continued)

21. Defned beneft pension scheme liability (continued)
Amounts recognised in the statement of fnancial activities: 2022 2021
£ £
Current service cost
Interest income
Interest expense
Total amount recognised in the SoFA
Changes in the present value of defned beneft obligations were as follows:		 (382,000)
126,000
(124,000)
(380,000)
2022		 (283,000)
107,000
(102,000)
(278,000)
2021
£ £
Brought forward
Current service cost
Interest expense
Employee contributions
Actuarial loss / (gain)
Benefts paid
Carried forward
Changes in the fair value of Society’s share of scheme assets:		 5,910,000
382,000
124,000
47,000
(416,000)
(34,000)
6,013,000
2022		 4,438,000
283,000
102,000
48,000
1,124,000
(85,000)
5,910,000
2021
£ £
Brought forward
Interest income
Remeasurement gains / (losses) on assets
Employer contributions
Employee contributions
Benefts paid
Carried forward
Fair value of Scheme Assets
Present value of defned beneft obligations
Restriction on recognition of scheme assets
Defned beneft pension scheme (liability) / asset		 5,872,000
126,000
324,000
275,000
47,000
(34,000)
6,610,000
6,610,000
6,013,000
(597,000)
-		 4,524,000
107,000
1,020,000
258,000
48,000
(85,000)
5,872,000
5,872,000
5,910,000
-
(38,000)

60

22. Analysis of group net assets between funds

----- Start of picture text -----
Year Ended 31 March 2022
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total
Funds Funds Funds Funds
£ £ £ £
Tangible fixed assets 3,096,017 - - 3,096,017
Investments 1,468,516 254,071 1,053,131 2,775,718
Net current assets 4,510,497 3,334,269 88,747 7,933,513
Pension liability - - - -
Net assets at end of the year 9,075,030 3,588,340 1,141,878 13,805,248
----- End of picture text -----

Year Ended 31 March 2021 Year Ended 31 March 2021
Unrestricted
Funds		 Restricted
Funds		 Endowment
Funds		 Total
Funds
£ £ £ £
Tangible fxed assets
Investments
Net current assets
Pension liability
Net assets at end of the year		 2,548,968
1,240,620
4,362,454
-
8,152,042		 178,740
254,071
3,130,938
(38,000)
3,525,749		 -
970,689
91,340
-
1,062,029		 2,727,708
2,465,380
7,584,732
(38,000)
12,739,820

61

23. Movement in funds

----- Start of picture text -----
At the start of Gains and At the end
the year Income Expenditure Transfers (losses) of the year
£ £ £ £ £ £
----- End of picture text -----

23. Movement in funds At the start of
the year
£		 Income
£		 Expenditure
£		 Transfers
£		 Gains and
(losses)
£		 At the end
of the year
£
Endowment funds:
Subsidiaries (note 17):
Pen-Y-Pound House capital fund
T B Hunt Trust capital fund
David Young’s Charity
Charity:
The Estate of Francis Thompson
Total endowment funds
Restricted funds:
Subsidiaries (note 17):
Pen-Y-Pound House income fund
T B Hunt Trust income fund
David Young’s Charity
Charity:
Restricted legacies
Furniture stores
Approved premises, Newcastle
Approved Premises Pension Provision
Twinning
Community Projects
B-Attitude
Special restricted funds
Other restricted funds
Total restricted funds
Unrestricted funds:
Designated funds:
Fixed asset fund
Conference funds
Twinning
Revive Leeds
Special designated funds
Other designated funds
Total designated funds
Revaluation reserve
General funds
Total unrestricted funds		 392,591
292,366
193,993
183,079
1,062,029
143,415
16,085
51,429
1,679,266
142,875
-
147,142
365,480
-
-
548,327
431,730
3,525,749
953,331
2,273,005
134,812
176,989
85,138
217,210
3,840,485
625,477
3,686,080
8,152,042
12,739,820		 -
-
9,415
-
9,415
3,020
13,150
-
-
-
-
387,152
-
190
175,735
323,375
902,622
-
1,740,866
241,522
-
6,220
108,630
2,097,238
-
10,214,508
12,311,746
13,223,783		 -
-
(12,008)
-
(12,008)
(107,738)
(3,200)
-
-
-
-
(386,631)
-
(18)
-
(581,649)
(1,079,236)
(153,487)
(1,534,695)
(259,966)
(165,981)
-
-
(2,114,129)
-
(9,393,185)
(11,507,314)
(12,598,558)		 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
172,858
92,877
-
-
-
(172,858)
92,877
-
-
-
-
(84,820)
656,915
572,095
-
(664,972)
(92,877)
-		 31,431
19,445
17,987
13,579
82,442
-
-
3,328
-
-
143,000
-
-
-
-
-
146,328
11,690
5,083
-
125,261
-
-
142,034
-
69,399
211,433
440,203		 424,022
311,811
209,387
196,658
1,141,878
38,697
26,035
54,757
1,679,266
142,875
143,000
320,000
458,878
-
172
724,062
598
3,588,340
811,534
2,484,259
116,368
136,269
6,538
982,755
4,537,723
625,477
3,911,830
9,075,030
13,805,248

Details concerning the purposes of endowment, restricted and designated funds can be found on the following pages.

62

----- Start of picture text -----
Gains and At 31 March
Prior year movement in funds At 1 April 2020 Income Expenditure Transfers (losses) 2021
£ £ £ £ £ £
----- End of picture text -----

Endowment funds:
Subsidiaries (note 17):
Pen-Y-Pound House capital fund
T B Hunt Trust capital fund
David Young’s Charity
Charity:
The Estate of Francis Thompson
Total endowment funds
Restricted funds:
Subsidiaries (note 17):
Pen-Y-Pound House income fund
T B Hunt Trust income fund
David Young’s Charity
Charity:
Restricted legacies
Furniture stores
Approved premises, Newcastle
Twinning
Community Projects
B-Attitude
Special restricted funds
Other restricted funds
Total restricted funds
Unrestricted funds:
Designated funds:
Fixed asset fund
Conference funds
Wiedner Holiday fund
Twinning
Revive Leeds
Kathleen McHugh Legacy
Special designated funds
Other designated funds
Total designated funds
Revaluation reserve
General funds
Total unrestricted funds		 372,727
243,435
198,007
176,791
990,960
102,064
15,826
50,282
1,470,745
142,875
271,142
249,325
-
-
48,327
264,512
2,615,098
947,656
2,020,806
-
73,975
138,244
164,033
78,438
114,716
3,537,868
625,477
3,845,998
8,009,343
11,615,401		 -
-
-
-
-
(1,612)
4,359
9,802
208,521
-
-
807,686
-
-
500,000
415,381
1,944,137
100
1,715,156
-
91,877
-
-
6,700
102,494
1,916,327
-
7,285,540
9,201,867
11,146,004		 -
-
-
-
-
(36,128)
(4,100)
(8,655)
-
(20,000)
(691,531)
-
-
-
(248,163)
(1,008,577)
5,575
(1,390,816)
-
(31,040)
-
-
-
-
(1,416,281)
-
(7,868,042)
(9,284,323)
(10,292,900)		 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
(164,033)
-
-
(164,033)
-
164,033
-
-		 19,864
48,931
(4,014)
6,288
71,069
79,091
-
-
-
-
(104,000)
-
-
-
-
-
(24,909)
-
(72,141)
-
-
38,745
-
-
-
(33,396)
-
258,551
225,155
271,315		 392,591
292,366
193,993
183,079
1,062,029
143,415
16,085
51,429
1,679,266
142,875
147,142
365,480
-
-
548,327
431,730
3,525,749
953,331
2,273,005
-
134,812
176,989
-
85,138
217,210
3,840,485
625,477
3,686,080
8,152,042
12,739,820

63

23. Movement in funds (continued)

Purposes of endowment funds

Pen-Y-Pound House capital fund: This is a

separate charitable trust controlled by the Society. The Trustees’ main objective is to further the work of the Roman Catholic Church in relieving the poor of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cardiff. The fund comprises a permanent endowment fund which is invested on a recognised stock exchange to provide income for furthering the Trust’s objectives.

The Estate of Francis Thompson: This is a permanent endowment fund arising from a legacy. The terms of the legacy are to invest the fund in quoted investments on a recognised stock exchange to provide an income for the Christ the King Conference in Wavertree, Liverpool. The Francis Thompson Income Fund is included in Other Restricted Funds.

T B Hunt Capital Fund: This is a permanent endowment fund arising from a legacy. The terms of the legacy are to invest the fund in quoted investments on a recognised stock exchange to provide an income for the T B Hunt Trust Fund.

David Young’s Charity: This is a separate charitable trust controlled by the Society. The Trustees’ main objective through this endowment fund is to alleviate poverty amongst Catholics. SVP members are eligible to apply to this fund.

Purposes of restricted funds

Pen-Y-Pound House Income fund: This fund is to be spent in relieving the poor of Cardiff.

David Young’s Charity: This is a separate charitable trust controlled by the Society. The Trustees’ main objective is to alleviate poverty amongst Catholics. SVP members and staff are eligible to benefit from this fund.

Restricted legacies: This fund is an

amalgamation of legacies held by Conferences and at National Office. Following discussions with its professional advisors and the Charity Commission, the Society does not consider legacies to be restricted merely by reason of having been donated for use in a particular geographic area.

Furniture stores: This fund is represented by properties acquired with the assistance of Community Fund grants and donations to provide low cost furniture to those in need.

Approved premises, Newcastle: This represents

Ozanam House, St Christopher’s Hostel with the approved premises pension fund, which are approved premises funded with the help of Ministry of Justice grants. The fund is in surplus as a result of the pension surplus of £Nil (2021:deficit £38,000) on the Tyne and Wear pension fund as described in note 21. Any future deficit will be repaid over the period agreed with the pension scheme; this is approximately 20 years.

Community projects: This fund is an

amalgamation of specific grants and donations held by various projects and at National Office to fund support work in a number of areas.

T B Hunt Trust: This is a separate charitable trust controlled by the Society. The Trustees’ main objective is to provide help to those in need in the Leicester and Market Harborough areas. The T B Hunt Fund was established with funds left to the SVP by Thomas Bernard Hunt, who died in 1928. His desire was to alleviate poverty among the Catholic poor in the areas of Leicester and Market Harborough. The SVP distributes grants on a quarterly basis to people in need.

Special restricted funds: These comprise:

Other restricted funds: Other restricted funds

cover various projects for people in need including local restricted funds held by Conferences and Councils.

Purposes of designated funds

Generally, designated funds are spent and replenished in a year. Members are encouraged to apply for use of these funds.

Fixed Asset Fund: This fund shows the amount of the Society’s funds invested in its unrestricted fixed assets net of any property revaluations. Depreciation relating to fixed assets is charged to the fund on an annual basis.

Conference Funds: This fund represents the reserves of the Society that are delegated to the control of Conferences. Each Conference has a bank account and most will also have small petty cash balances.

These funds belong to the Society as a whole, and can be called upon by the Trustees if required, but the Society prefers to manage this on a voluntary

64

----- Start of picture text -----
SVP’s Furniture Project
in Sheffield
----- End of picture text -----

and consultative basis. Conferences manage their own fundraising and the distribution of the funds under their control within the rules and guidance set out by the Society. Conferences report back their financial activity on a quarterly basis. We encourage Conferences to put their funds to good use and discourage the holding of funds which are surplus to local requirements. We expect funds to be turned over and replenished within one year. Conferences with funds in excess of their requirements are urged to transfer any excess to another part of the Society where the need is greater.

In addition to the funds held directly by Conferences, there are also funds held nationally on behalf of Conferences. This is typically legacies left to the SVP that reference a particular Conference. We ask all Conferences that are mentioned in a legacy to suggest a plan for how they intend to spend the money. We expect that plan to involve spending the legacy in full within 5 years. The plans are subject to review and approval by the Executive Committee or the Board, depending on the size of the legacy. If a Conference does not come up with an acceptable plan then the legacy will be spent by the Society in accordance with the wishes of the benefactor.

well as to Conferences/Councils wishing to send people on a break.

Twinning: This represents funds contributed mainly by Conferences specifically to support the activities of the Society’s sister organisations overseas.

Revive Leeds: Revive Leeds is set up as a Community Interest Company in which we hold a 50% interest. The project generates income by selling items donated from two household waste sites in Leeds. These items have been saved from going into landfill. This designated fund represents the Society’s share of net assets.

Special designated funds: These comprise a

number of funds to which local Conferences can contribute. Applications for grants can be made by Conferences to any of the funds with the exception of the Spiritual Formation fund. The Society expects to spend the current balances within five years. The funds are:

Other designated funds: Other designated

funds cover various projects for people in need. Members can apply to a special fund and guardians award grants according to the aims of the fund. In 2021-22 these included a Hardship fund and an Innovation fund for members. Other funds are set aside to support an increase in the number of Membership Support Officers.

65

24. Operating lease commitments

The group had total commitments at the year end under operating leases expiring as follows:

2022
Land and
buildings		 2021
Land and
buildings
£ £
Within 1 year
2-5 years
Over 5 years		 542,744
1,455,732
185,053
2,183,529		 468,074
1,080,483
884,220
2,432,777

25. Related party transactions

Helen O Shea is a trustee of Porta Pia. The Charity received restricted grant income from Porta Pia of £35,000 (2021 - £35,000).

The total amount of donations from Trustees without any conditions attached amounted to £63,260 during the year.

SVP Trading (note 17) - Income received by the Charity amounted to £28,589 (2021 - £30,501). Expenditure by the Charity amounted to £27,220 (2021 - £57,249). Internal recharges by the Charity amounted to £8,387 (2021 - £7,083). Amount due to group undertakings amounted to : £67,432 (2021 - £69,329).

Revive CIC is a related party as it is a Jointly Controlled Entity as detailed in note 18. During the year the Society received a distribution from Revive CIC of £125,261 (2021: £108,348). This amount was outstanding at the year end and was included in other debtors as the agreement states all profits must be distributed evenly between the member charities.

T B Hunt Trust Fund: The trust fund received quarterly dividends of £2,143 during the year. There were no outstanding creditor or debtor balances at the year end.

26. Capital commitments

There were no capital commitments at the year end.

27. Post balance sheet events

There have been no post balance sheet events.

28. Financial instruments

28. Financial instruments
Group 2022 Charity 2022 Group 2021 Charity 2021
£ £ £ £
Financial assets that are debt instruments
measured at amortised cost
Financial liabilities at amortised cost		 641,397
450,361		 472,213
402,089		 1,113,210
526,346
529,062
521,660

66

29. Comparative statement of financial activities

----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment 2021
Funds Funds Funds Total
Note £ £ £ £
----- End of picture text -----

Income
Donations and legacies
2
Other trading activities
3
Income from investments
Income from charitable activities:
Shops and furniture stores
Holidays and camps
Residential provision
Support centres
Youth development
Other income
Total income
Expenditure
Expenditure on raising funds
5
Expenditure on charitable activities:
Visits & assistance to individuals and families
Shops and furniture stores
Holidays and camps
Residential provision
Support centres
Twinning
Youth Development Programme
Total expenditure
6
Net (losses) / gains on investments
Share of proft / (loss) in jointly controlled entities
Net (expenditure) / income
Transfers between funds
23
Actuarial losses on defned beneft pension scheme
Net movement in funds
23
Funds at the start of the year
Funds at the end of the year		 5,268,111
33,178
53,681
1,348,185
18,989
1,922,811
325,687
2,463
228,762
9,201,867
312,241
2,214,458
3,278,410
202,089
1,919,742
1,084,163
116,972
156,248
9,284,323
186,410
38,745
142,699
-
-
142,699
8,009,343
8,152,042		 1,519,363
-
18,640
275,589
-
-
8,877
-
121,668
1,944,137
-
292,067
4,979
-
20,000
691,531
-
1,008,577
79,091
-
1,014,651
-
(104,000)
910,651
2,615,098
3,525,749		 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
71,069
-
71,069
-
-
71,069
990,960
1,062,029		 6,787,474
33,178
72,321
1,623,774
18,989
1,922,811
334,564
2,463
350,430
11,146,004
312,241
2,506,525
3,283,389
202,089
1,939,742
1,084,163
808,503
156,248
10,292,900
336,570
38,745
1,228,419
-
(104,000)
1,124,419
11,615,401
12,739,820

67

LEGAL & ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Status

The St Vincent de Paul Society (England & Wales) is a charitable company limited by guarantee incorporated on 13 March 1996 and registered as a charity on 25 March 1996.

Governing document

The St Vincent de Paul Society was established under a memorandum of association which established the objects and powers of the organisation and is governed under its articles of association revised and adopted by Special Resolution on 2 August 2019.

Company Number: 3174679

Charity Number: 1053992

Registered and Principal Office: Romero House, 55 Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7JB

Administrative details

Trustees (from November 2017): Helen O’Shea (National President), James Bellamy (Senior Vice President), Christine Knight (National Treasurer), Ann Harris (until July 2020), Ann Towey (until July 2020), Dermot McGilloway (from July 2020), Elaine Heyworth, Ian Kempsell, Mark Thompson (from July 2020), Michael Willcock, Raymond Daley (until July 2020), Richard Palmi, Sebastian Muir, Susan Roberts (from July 2020), Vince McAllister.

Patrons

Cardinal Vincent Nichols Sir John Battle

Auditors

Saffery Champness LLP

Mitre House North Park Road Harrogate HG1 5RX

Bankers

National Westminster Bank plc 250 Bishopsgate London EC2M 4AA

Solicitors

McCarthy Denning

25 Southampton Buildings London WC2A 1AL

Investment Advisers

Investec Wealth & Investment

2 Castlefield Court

Church Street Reigate Surrey RH2 0AH

CCLA

Senior Management Team

Chief Executive Officer: Elizabeth Palmer Deputy CEO: Kate Nightingale

Director of Finance: Fiona Smith (Resigned 25/02/2022) Director of Governance: Beverley Whittaker Director of Fundraising, Communications and Marketing: Ken Madine Director of Membership: Jon Cornwall Young Vincentians Programme Director:

Sarah Barber

National Safeguarding Manager: Catherine Kerr Head of Compliance: Matthew Stockton

Senator House 85 Queen Victoria St London EC4V 4ET

68

Vincenys Ilelping kyally •J Phl l)

Connorand Potsr JACK EST 1990 70

THANK YOU

Many people and organisations support the SVP. We can only do what we do because of your money, time, and encouragement. Thank you to everyone who supported us in 2021/22, including those who wish to remain anonymous. You are all appreciated, and your support is highly valued.

St Vincent’s, Bradford

St Vincent’s, Brighton

St Vincent’s, Brixton

St Vincent’s, Ely Bridge

St Vincent’s, Leeds

St Vincent’s, Newcastle

Newcastle Deaf Centre

St Vincent’s, Sheffield

St Vincent’s, Southend-on Sea

National

SVP Approved Premises / supported accommodation

71

St Vincent de Paul Society

Romero House 55 Westminster Bridge Road London SE1 7JB

DONATE

Click here to donate to the SVP and help to change someone’s life

Keep in touch with us

Call 020 7703 3030 Visit svp.org.uk

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