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2022-12-31-accounts

GRANTHAM & DISTRICT POVERTY CONCERN GROUP

( Incorporating THE GRANTHAM PASSAGE)

A Company Limited by Guarantee & Registered Charity No: 1060003 Company No: 013-922110

Reg. Address: c/o D Lynn, Charity & Company Treasurer, 142 Harrowby Road, Lincs, NG31 9DU

AGM and ANNUAL REPORT for year ending 31 December 2022 for

Grantham Poverty Concern Annual General Meeting held on 6[th] March 2023 at the Resource Centre, St Mary’s church

Present:

Trustees: Andy Maddison, David Lynn, Mary Howard, Esme Sutton, Ian Whittle, Stephen Cameron, Maureen Griffiths

Management Committee: Pat Temple Fielder, Liz Bennett, Stephen Howe, Ann Walker, Jo Foster

Review of Trustees/ New Trustees and Roles

The following nominations were made and seconded.

Other Trustees include Ian Whittle, Esme Sutton, Maureen Griffiths.

Aims and Objectives

Andy Maddison walked everyone through the charity’s aims and objectives, below.

AIMS

‘The aims of Grantham Poverty Concern is to help in emergency need, to oversee the Grantham Passages which operates in the following churches:

With the provision by rota to provide food every day of the week. The Charity also sets out to act for the relief of poverty and helps children, young people and the elderly as well as the general public. Grantham Poverty Concern operates by making loans to individuals to alleviate hunger and deprivation. It gives a ‘listening ear’, networks with other agencies and signposts clients where to go for help.

The Charity is staffed entirely by volunteers and financed by donations, with the aforesaid churches giving their premises free.

OBJECTS

The objects of Grantham Poverty Concern are the relief of poverty and of elderly persons in Grantham and the surrounding area in the county of Lincolnshire as the trustees in their absolute discretion shall determine.

cheques and other instruments and to operate bank accounts in the name of the Charity.

  1. To raise funds and to invite and receive contributions; provided that in raising funds the Charity shall not undertake any substantial permanent trading activities and shall confirm to any relevant statutory regulations

  2. To establish or support any charitable trusts, associations or institutions formed for all or any of the Objects

  3. To co-operate with other charities, voluntary bodies and statutory authorities operating in the furtherance of the Objects or similar charitable purposes and to exchange information and advice with them

  4. To pay out of the funds of the Charity the costs, charges and expenses of and incidental of the formation and registration of the Charity

  5. To do all such other lawful things as are necessary for the achievement of the Objects’

Grantham Poverty Concern – Charity Number 1060003 CHAIRMANS REPORT FOR 2022

As the COVID pandemic receded into memory, from July all the locations were back to our normal service providing invaluable support and help for those that need it in our area. I know from my own experience on Tuesday nights and Sunday mornings the need is definitely still there and the clients really appreciate the safety and regularity of the Passage sessions being back to being fully open. This brings comfort to our clients and lets us engage with them on the personal level that brings so much reward.

I mentioned in last years report that we are in the most expensive overall rise in the overall standard of living costs since the 1950s with everything costing more and wages / benefits being squeezed like never before. This has played out as we expected and the costs still increase at an alarming rate and, as is usually the case, benefits and other support do not raise as quickly. It brings into sharp focus the key lifeline that the Passage is to a lot of our clients for providing a daily meal plus all the advice and guidance that we wrap around as well. Our costs have also increased as food inflation is massively higher than this time last year and I see no reduction in this for at least the next 6 months. We have reflected this in the donations given to the churches that very kindly let us use their premises.

We at the Passage however seem to have ridden this storm and due to the close support and great relationships we have with individuals and businesses around the town, have ended the year on a great financial footing. It would be foolish to be complacent however but we do have a solid base of funds in the bank to shield us from the worst of the rises for the moment. What will happen going forward remains to be seen however but I am confident we have the support of the local town in a number of ways.

Another thing that was covered in last years report was if we have the mechanisms in place to cope with a larger influx of demand. Although there has been a slight increase and we have taken this into consideration, I am still expecting another rise in numbers as things continue to be so expensive. Do we need to change what we do and how we operate? I asked myself this many times during the last 6 months with each new story about the increased hardships and, at the moment, I don’t see us having to fundamentally change how the sessions operate. We will obviously review this in our monthly meetings if such times arise and work together to make sure what we provide stays constant.

Speaking of support and the local town I would like to formally thank as part of my report, all the Trustees and volunteers for helping us win the prestigious ‘Social Enterprise of the Year’ at the 2022 Journal business awards. It’s a great recognition of the care, dedication, compassion and hard work that all of us put in across every location. Its a fitting tribute to the work that we do and I know that the judges were blown away with the work that they saw and the stories that we told them.

The Christmas meal is now a traditional part of this report and, unlike the last couple of years, was finally back to the traditional sit down affair. Its always looked forward to by the clients and this year was no exception. Thanks goes to Chris and Esther for doing the majority of the organsing, collating and liaising with those that wanted to donate as well as the cooking. A big thank you to Mary and also to all those that gave up their time around that festive period and also on Christmas Day on the meal itself. As I have mentioned in our previous meeting, this year we are taking a step back from Christmas so will be handing the reins over to another team. Only 9 months to go so someone needs to step forward for this one…..!

I would like to formally thank the Trustees and all those that have helped, sometimes in difficult circumstances, across all the locations during the year. We’ve all done this for a long time and it shows in the smooth and fuss-free way the Passage operates both individually for the sessions and as a charity as a whole. I feel privileged to be able to work alongside you all with so many of you having so many years experience - way more than me - and for your occasional guidance and level-headedness. I genuinely believe we make a great leadership team and have the ability to ensure that the needs of the Passage are put forward as the main point of focus.

So what of 2023 and the year ahead? I think its going to be very much the same vein as we have now with us helping those that maybe have either fallen through the cracks or exhausted support from other avenues. I can see the numbers using our services going up, the amount of available services to signpost to going down and the challenges that our clients bring to us being harder to resolve. Housing, energy costs, food and everything else continues to rise and those that have the least are always on the brink of losing the most with every change. Looking internally, we will be looking at changing out status away from its current legal position and this will need some careful and considered thought and external advice. I also want to pursue the training that we have spoken about in the past for both Trustees and volunteers in such areas as safeguarding, first aid (physical and mental) to make sure that we stay ahead of the curve.

I will close my report by thanking again all Trustees, volunteers and supporters of Grantham Passage for all of your time, help, good humour and dedication in making what we have work so well. I’m biased and deeply protective of the Passage but can say wholeheartedly that the country would be a better place if we had somewhere like us in every town, making sure that those that don’t have much get a little bit to help them get by.

“A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we so passionately dreamt of” - Nelson Mandela

The Trustees have not received any emoluments other than authorised expenses.

Andy Maddison, Chair of Trustees 06 March 2023

Treasurer’s Annual Report for financial year ending 31 December 2022

David Lynn submitted a report of the annual accounts for the period 1 January to 31 December 2022. He had prepared accounts and had been examined by an Independent Examiner and no corrections were needed. They were signed off on 27 February 2023. DL then gave a summary of the accounts.

Bank balance at 01 January 2022 55,818.14
Income:
Donations 29,947.54
HMRC tax claim 0.00
Bank interest 0.00
Total Income 2022: 29,947.54
Expenditure:
Discretionary emergency relief to clients 1,200.00
Food Vouchers 0.00
Passage Costs
 21,416.00
Donation for use of premises 1,650.00
Admin/Miscellaneous
 1,804.32
Centre costs
 2,173.89
Total Expenditure 2022: 28,244.21
Unpresented cheque
 144.00
Bank balance at 31 December 2022
 57,650.57
Account held with:
Virgin Money Bank Total balance – 57,650.57
o General Account - balance 55,295.36
o Edith Meredith Account – Balance
1955.39
o Development Account - Balance 255.82

The Accounts had been Independently Examined by Gae Ellis – see her report below.

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT

Report to the Trustees of Grantham Poverty Concern Charity Number 1166263 On accounts for the year ended 31st December 2022

Respective Responsibilities of trustees and examiner: The charity’s trustees are

responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (The Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

Basis of independent examiner’s statement: My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent examiner’s statement: In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention

1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements:

2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached

Signed:

Date: 27 February 2023

Gae Ellis

Name: Gae Ellis 12 West Way Allington Gardens Allington Nr Grantham Lincs NG32 2FP