ASSIST (Fallowfield & Withington Neighbourhood Care Group) Registsred Charity Number: 1062675 TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the Year Ended 31 March 2023 Charity Registration Number.. 1062675
Contents Structure, Governan and Management.... Governing Document.. Recruitment and Training of Trustees.................................. Organisational Management...................... Public Benefit..................-........ Risk Management..................... Reserves .. Objectives, Aims and Activities . Charitable Objectives................... Principal Activities..............-............... Review of Achievements and Performan for the Year............. Operational Perfomance................... Financial Review.-.............. Reserves............ Trustees, responsibilities in relation to the financial statements......................... Independent examinerfs reportto the Trustees of Assist.............................. Receipts and Payments Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 .....................10 Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at 31 March 2023.......................... Notes to the financial statements... -12
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS Registered Charity Name ASSIST Registered Charity Number 1062675 Registered Office 439 Wilmslow Road Withington Manchester M20 4AN Trustees Ms P Cotterill (Chair) Ms E Spencer (resigned 21st April 2022) Mrs B Barnett Mrs S Gunawardena (Secretary) Mrs B Aston Mr B Stevenson Cllr G INhite Mr D Lamb Mrs M Redhouse (resigned 20th October 2022) Mrs J Kirkby Mrs V Wharmby {Treasurer) Chair Ms P Cotterill Treasurer Mrs V Whamiby Secretary Mrs S Gunawardena Bankers Co-operative Bank PO Box Skelmersdale WN8 61 Independent Examiner Beyond Profit Ltd G104 Bolton Arena Arena Approach HoNich Bolton BL6 6LB
Note from our Chair This year we welcomed Meena Shah as a cover Coordinator from April to December whilst Amelia King was on maternity leave. Meena fitted in very well and alongside Mousumi, Debbie and Emma, the staff team worked together with the trustees and volunteers to create the supportive atmosphere that makes Assist what it is. There can be many changes in later life, some good, some less good; bereavements, physical changes etc, but Assist is always here as a home from home for people to come to, whether that's for a coffee group, an exercise class or help getting a fom filled in. This year we have received funding to take on a paid befriender and are looking forward to supporting those more lonely and isolated people who are unable to join in social activities. On behalf of the board of trustees, I would like to thank all for their patience and kindness, and the commitment that enables Assist to help so many older people living locally. I would also like to thank Mousumi Sengupta and Emma Horridge as members of staff who have moved on from Assist, but who's contribution has been very much appreciated. We are a strong group,. welcoming group and l am proud to be a part of it. Barbara Aston Vice Chair of Board
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT Structure, Governance and Management Governing Document ASSIST is registered as a charity with the Charity Commission on 5th June 1997 under referen 1062675. A revised constitution was produced and adopted at the Annual General Meeting on 20th November 2012. Recruitment and Training of Trustses We invite potential trustees to an interview, take up references and conduct a DBS check. Induction takes the form of a visit to the Offi to see how the organisation works and asking them to complete some reading around the roles and duties of trustees. Most of our trustees are involved as volunteers in a practical role within the organisation. Trustees are appointed by the Executive Committee at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). The members elect from the Executive Committee, a Chairperson, a Secretary and a Treasurer who hold office until the next AGM. This year, we thanked Libby Spenr and Geraldine Yorke for their many years of service to the Assist board and welcomed Meena Shah to the board. Oryanisational Management The organisation is run by its board of trustees who meet monthly. The organisation employs a Co-ordinator, an Assistant and a chef. These support around 50 volunteers to run various groups, activities and servIs. Public Benefit In planning and delivering our SeiceS and activities the Trustees of Assist confirm that they have complied with the duty In Section 4 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to public benefit guidance by the Charity Commission in delivering the activities undertaken by the Charity. Assist is required, under its Constitution, to provide services and assistance to those persons in need by reason of poverty. sickness, age or disability. Assists, activities as described in this report are considered to meet the public benefit requirement as specified in the Charities Act 2011. Risk Management The major risks to which the charity is exposed, as identified by the Trustees, have been reviewed and systems are being established to mitigate these risks. We make sure our finances are sufficient to cover our outgoings and apply for grants and encouraging donations as appropriate. We also ensure we have the correct levels of insurance cover.
We have a risk register that we review regularly at trustee meetings. Reserves We have a reserve policy and hold reserves of £50,000. The reserves are in pla to cover our statutory obligations, redundancy and contingency should a situation occur where our income is affected, or our costs increase. Objectives, Aims and Activities Charitsble Objectives The Charitable Objectives of Assist are set out in the constitution. Assist is a neighbourhood care group which recruits, trains and supports volunteers to provide simple, practical help to older people in need in Withington and Fallowffield area. Principal Activities Our main aims continue to be to reduce social isolation and to help older people remain in their own homes. We offer help with practical jobs and also provide our frailer. more isolated members with volunteer "befrienders" who visit once a week and can offer help with shopping etc. Review of Achievements and Performance for the Year For most of this financial year our Coordinator, Amelia King, was on maternity leave. We recruited a cover worker for this period (April- Dec 2022), Meena Shah, who was an excellent and highly valued member of the team. We are very pleased that Meena has stayed on with Assist as a member of the board. With much thanks to the staff, trustees and volunteers, our Lunch club, Exercise classes, Coffee afternoon, Positive Living, Film club, Tea and Talks and Digital Drop ins continued to run to provide that much needed social interaction and weekly routine for the older members and volunteers who take part. In 2022 Assist also ran French classes, day trips to the seaside and Christmas lebratIonS including a lunch on Christmas day, and a trip to Stockport Plaza for the panto. Alongside social groups, Assist continued to provide volunteer support in the form of driving, odd jobs, gardening, form filling, prescription collection as well as offering befriending and telephone befriending. Our volunteers offer their time, patience, skills and resources in so many different ways to help the older people in our community feel able to cope with the challenges that growing older can present, and their contribution is invaluable. Up until November Assist continued to support the OPeNs partnership with Saheli women's group and Ladybarn community hub, creating connections and activity that has surpassed the funded grant work and continues to the present day.
Operational Perfornlance We are pleased to have been able to continue supporting our members and volunteers. and on 31st March 2023, we had 178 members on our books, and 48 volunteers. Financial Review Our main source of funding is Manchester City Council. We have continued to apply for grants and seek donations to supplement our main grant to support and develop our activities. Additional grants have come from OPeNs partnership fund, Manchester Mental Health Wellbeing Fund, Charles Hayward Foundation, The University of Manchester, Forever Manchester, Big Lottery, Withington and Old Moat NIF, and Salford Moving and Walking Fund. Members remain generous, and we are very grateful for their donations. Reserves The Trustees have determined reserves should be held that enable Assist to continue for 10 months in the event of any funding being cut, or to enable the Trustees to wind down the organisation and pay redundancy as required. This sum is set at £50,000 and will be reviewed each year. The reseNes of the charity at the 31 March 2023 were £86,351. Of this, £65,528 were unrestricted. This report was approved by the Board of Trustees on 12th October 2023 and signed on their behatf = Barbara Aston Vice Chair of Board
Trustees, responsibilities in relation to the financial statements The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees, Report and the financial statements in accordan with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice}- The law applicable to charities in England and Wales 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 charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to.. select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently., obseNe the methods and principles in the applicable Charities SORP., make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent., state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures that must be disclosed and explained in the financial statements., and prepare the financial ststements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business. The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the applicable Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations and the provisions of the Trust deed. they are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. Approved by the Trustees on 12th October 2023 and signed on their behalf by.. Barbara Aston Vice Chair of Board
Independent examiner's report to the Trustees of Assist I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Assist (the Charity) for the year ended 31 March 2023. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordants with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (Yhe Act"). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{5)(b) of the Act. Independent examiner's Statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect.. Accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act., or The accounts do not accord with those records. have no COnrnS and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Emma Willder, FCMA, CGMA. CG(Affiliat6d) Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants Date.. 12 October 2023 Beyond Profit Ltd G104 Bolton Arena Arena Approach Horwich Bolton BL6 6LB
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