Spen Spenc Furniture Reuse Charity ". we(clknwscdehJm￿￿ 0￿d househok4 items . Weresth0nddeanorydw￿ Ilem5 e9riett% rtewrN¢oybthose in need L 01004 587589 Www5pencprcorylodcom Spenc ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS act 2024-2025 Furniture Reuse Charity ChrisÈiaA Cax£ QJUL COV￿￿¥l Eof éhe **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** ## Contents |Welcome ________________________________________________________ 2| |---| |Our Mission, Vision and Ethos ________________________________________ 4| |Mission
4| |Constitution and Objectives
4| |Ethos
4| |Public Benefit _____________________________________________________ 6| |Provision of Furniture to People in Need
6| |Prayer
7| |Voluntary Work
7| |Environment
7| |Collaboration
8| |Board of Trustees, Staff Members & Volunteers __________________________ 9| |Chairman’s Report ________________________________________________ 10| |General Manager’s Report _________________________________________ 11| |Key Statistics 2024/25 _____________________________________________ 14| |Acknowledgements _______________________________________________ 17| |Fundraising _____________________________________________________ 18| |LEJOG Challenge _________________________________________________ 21| |Treasurer’s Report ________________________________________________ 22| |Accounts 2024/25 ________________________________________________ 23| 1 **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** ## Welcome Welcome to Spencer Contact’s Annual Report for 2024/25. Thank you for taking an interest in the work and the time to read it through. This has been an exciting year for us as we celebrated our 25[th] year of operating (more about that later in the report). It was January 1999 when Spencer Contact first provided the residents of Northampton with good quality second hand furniture in order to show Christian care and concern to people in need living in our community. There is a great need in the town of Northampton and we have grown significantly over the years to continue meeting that need. We own a large warehouse on Gladstone Close, have a fully committed team of 7 staff (5 full-time and 2 part-time) and our objective every day remains the same, to help others, whoever they are, whatever their circumstances, in their time of need. There are many individuals and families living within Northampton who are, for varied reasons, struggling; struggling to make ends meet; struggling to afford the items that most of us daily take for granted; curtains at the windows, a bed to sleep on, a wardrobe to store clothes in; struggling because of a breakdown in relationship, loneliness, bereavement, abuse or addiction. Often when we struggle we look for someone to turn to, someone that can help improve the situation in some way, someone that will care. Circumstances can change suddenly leaving people, who maybe thought they would never need to use the services of Spencer Contact, reaching out for help. Spencer Contact exists to help those who are in need. That help is often in the form of items of furniture, crockery, cutlery, electrical items, clothes etc. which maybe many of us take these things for granted, but to be given them in a time of need makes such a positive difference to the lives of those who receive them. Again this year we have seen the cost of living continue to rise, making life difficult for many households, in particular those on a low wage, across the country and in this town, forcing some to make impossible decisions as to what is the priority use for the money they have available. This increase in financial hardship has impacted on the demand for the service we provide and we have done all that we can to keep up with the need by trying to ensure that deliveries of items are fulfilled as quickly and efficiently as possible. 2 ## **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** Also world events, like the war in Ukraine, increased the demand for the service that Spencer Contact provides. We are regularly contacted by people who have fled war torn countries and found refuge here in the UK where they have a house but no means to furnish it. Over 25 years the one thing that has remained constant is ‘Why we do what we do’ and that is to show something of the love of God to individuals in this town. We represent a God that gives, and gives….and continues giving, a God that provides for the needs of the smallest creature and we represent a God that cares. We trust that as a charity we will continue to give and continue to care and that through this there will be those that will realise that they are not forgotten but are loved and valued by not only us but by the God that we serve. If you would like to know more or tour our premises then please do not hesitate to contact the General Manager, Steve, at _steve@spencercontact.com_ . Enjoy reading through the report. 3 **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** ## Our Mission, Vision and Ethos ## MISSION Our mission is to show Christian love to the community in Northampton by freely providing furniture to any person in need, regardless of the cause of their hardship. This is the core of the charity, upon which all our aims and objectives have been built and it has not changed since its founding. Our vision statement is ‘Christian care and concern for the community’. ## CONSTITUTION AND OBJECTIVES The charity exists under a constitution adopted on 4th March 1998 and amended on 7th November 2001. The stated objectives in the constitution are: - The relief of poverty by the provision of furniture, other household accessories and/or services calculated to reduce need, hardship or distress. - The relief of persons with mental health problems requiring treatment, including persons suffering from emotional distress by the provision of assistance. - The advancement of the Christian religion in England and Wales. ## ETHOS Spencer Contact is characterised by its energetic demonstration of Christian care and concern for those whom we serve outside the organisation in action, word and prayer, and to reflect this Christian care and concern in our relationships with one another. The motivation for our mission comes from Christ’s care, concern and compassion that is evident in the Bible and is therefore rooted in our faith in Christ. This faith produces a distinctive heart attitude of love, as we respond to the love God showed for us, which we seek to express and portray with the following core values: - That people matter; - To demonstrate the love of Christ in a practical manner; - To help bring comfort and relief to the poor; - To love your neighbour as yourself; - To make a difference one person at a time. 4 **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** These values and behaviours are intrinsically linked to our success and fulfilment of our mission. Therefore, the attitude and motivation of our staff and voluntary workers and the way our mission is achieved are as important as the mission itself. _“A new commandment I give unto you, That you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” John 13:34_ _Jesus replied, "‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like unto it: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Matthew 22:37-40_ As this attitude and motivation come only from a relationship with Christ, it becomes a genuine occupational requirement that most of the positions within Spencer Contact to be filled by committed Christians. Roles that have significant leadership, or that are central to fulfilling our aims and purposes, or developing and maintaining our Christian ethos, will always be held by committed Christians. It is also essential that these attitudes and behaviours continue, and so we expect our staff to act in good faith and with loyalty to that relational ethos and to evangelical Christian standards of behaviour. Notwithstanding this, the organisation is committed to diversity amongst its staff and volunteers and will not discriminate on any other grounds that are unrelated to our ethos. We believe that defining our occupational requirements does not restrict, but actually enhances, our commitment to diversity. 5 **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** ## Public Benefit Spencer Contact carries out a range of activities in following its charitable aims. The trustees believe that the activities summarised below provide benefit to the people of the town of Northampton and outlying villages. ## PROVISION OF FURNITURE TO PEOPLE IN NEED Spencer Contact provides good quality furniture and household items to those in need in Northampton and the surrounding villages. Those who use our service are often going through periods of crisis and are made aware of our service by housing associations, local homeless charities, women’s refuges and Social Services. We are usually the last link in the chain to those moving into a new property; helping to furnish their new homes. We seek to ; www. . meet the needs of anyone who requires our : Coes i service, and this is on a strictly non-prejudicial, first-come, first-served basis. All the furniture we provide is generously donated to us by members of the public and occasionally from local companies. It is then checked, cleaned and restored as necessary so that it is delivered in excellent condition. This is important as we want the items to last. It also shows those we help that they are valued and not just receiving cast offs from other people. It is wonderful to see the difference to our customers a few basic items makes; items which most people take for granted. We do not sell the furniture we provide but do charge a small delivery fee, which covers approximately 10% of our annual running costs. Demand for the items we provide remained high during 2024/25 and we were able to meet 59% of requests for help we received. This figure was lower than the previous year. Bedroom furniture is always in most demand and the one item that we struggle to collect enough of is good quality mattresses (as we only collect ones that are not stained) to meet the needs of the people requesting our assistance. However, we often have a surplus of items such as wall units, sideboards, dining tables and large sofas. This is due to these not being priority items for our customers and they are sometimes too big for the smaller flats and homes to which we deliver. When we have too many of these in stock, we have to turn down offers of these items, allowing us time to collect the items in higher demand. 6 **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** ## PRAYER During the course of our work, we receive requests for prayer. These requests are upheld at our morning devotions at the beginning of each day and our weekly prayer meeting, which is open to all members of staff, trustees, voluntary workers and supporters. We use this time to take all our work in prayer to the Almighty God who holds everything in His hands. ## VOLUNTARY WORK The work of the charity creates many opportunities for voluntary work; helping with our delivery and collection team, repairing and restoring furniture, fundraising, cleaning, sorting and administration work. Our volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds; from those who are seeking work experience, to those who have learning difficulties, to the retired who are seeking to use their ‘free’ time for good. We also have a team of regular volunteers who help us run the stalls at our sales, which are held twice a year. Voluntary opportunities are open to everyone and anyone interested is encouraged to apply. ## ENVIRONMENT |Fjé| Our work as a furniture reuse charity has great oi| environmental benefits. Furniture, which often otherwise would be sent to landfill, is donated to us to be reused elsewhere. We usually aim to redistribute approximately 100 tonnes of furniture per year through our main work of helping those in need. Items which we do not supply to people in this way, we sell to raise extra money for our work, which again extends the life of the items. We have a small workshop where we are able to carry out repairs to many of the broken or tired items we collect. We also recycle items and earn extra income by selling scrap a E metal, textiles and books over the course of this a year. All other waste items are sorted before being disposed of, allowing us to send wood, glass, crockery and waste electrical items for recycling. In our work, we are sometimes offered various white goods. If we are collecting other furniture, we pick them up, PAT test them and sell them at price which is affordable to those in need. This again helps the environment by preventing items going to landfill, but it also serves as some extra income to help towards the operational costs of the charity. Thanks must go to West Northamptonshire Council who provide us, as a registered charity, a permit to use their waste transfer sites (for £50 per year) to recycle and dispose of items we cannot reuse. 7 **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** ## COLLABORATION We aim to assist other charitable organisations who work within our local community for our mutual benefit. We have provided storage space within our warehouse for Good News for Everyone and Northamptonshire Association for the Blind for some years. We have Voluntary Impact Northampton (VIN) storing their buses in our car park, Northampton Community Sheds (“NCS”) and World Mandate Ministries operating from our premises. 8 **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** ## Board of Trustees, Staff Members & Volunteers ## GOVERNANCE The charity is managed on a day-to-day basis by a full-time, paid General Manager and is overseen by an executive committee of trustees. There are currently eight trustees, with three trustees holding the honorary offices of Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. None of the trustees receive any pay for the work that they carry out. Members of the committee are elected at the Annual General Meeting, and each member serves a maximum of three years before they need to seek re-election. Trustees are elected from the membership of the charity, which is open to everyone. ## BOARD OF TRUSTEES Honorary Chairman Honorary Secretary Honorary Treasurer Trustee Trustee Trustee Trustee Trustee Pete Burditt Richard Barrett Phil Stiles Sam Baxter Steve Pollock Eric Lightfoot Sonja Lightfoot John Phillips ## STAFF MEMBERS General Manager Administrator (Part Time) Administrator (Part Time) Administrator Warehouse/Delivery Person Warehouse/Delivery Person Warehouse Steve Scarsbrook Esther Scarsbrook Sharon Smith Ruth Magombo Kim Bon Cheong Martin Nelson Gary McDonnell There are no ‘higher paid’ employees and none of the Trustees claimed any expenses during the year. ## REGULAR VOLUNTEERS Grace Boulter Edwina Cutler Heather Burditt John Green Pete Burditt Eric Lightfoot Sonja Lightfoot Marion Green Phil Stiles David Kinuthia Crawford Lindsay Tiffany Carter John Phillips Stewart Townsend Kathryn Sandall ## OTHER VOLUNTEERS Adrian Olusama Lucie Dave Strachan Richard Fox Jane Clark Jacqui Elmore Ellen Judith Burditt Sue Page Martin Page Joy Pete Loftus Ruth Burditt Ben Hawkins Grace Eadie Steve Hackett BNI Lighthouse Rosie Smith 9 **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** ## Chairman’s Report As this reporting year commenced we were in the final 2 months of being the Mayor's Charity for his year of office. We are very grateful to Stephen Hibbert and Liz Cox, his consort, for their interest in our work and the support they have given us. It has raised our profile as more people in Northampton have been made aware of who we are, what we do and how they can help by donating furniture and other household items. Also of special note was the sponsored bike ride from Lands End to John O'Groats that was undertaken by Steve our General Manager ably supported by Esther driving the van. The 13 day challenge commenced on 29 April 2024 and concluded on 11 May. We were very grateful to Steele and Bray Ltd for their corporate sponsorship as well as other businesses who sponsored particular days along with individual giving. A lot of effort was put into planning this event and the publicity gained. a These are just two examples of how a we have been able to raise funds for the charity, though big ones. We are 45 ~ — ae a Christian Charity who take a faith based view of funding. We look to an all sufficient God to supply our needs but recognise that we have a responsibility to take whatever actions we can to raise funds and spend them wisely. We appreciate the challenge that Trusts face in the current financial climate and are grateful for the support we receive from those who can help us, either regarding specific or general expenses. The same goes for the grant from West Northants Council. We are making slow progress in accumulating sufficient capital to fund extra storage with those funds being ring-fenced. It bears repeating that the impact we have made this year in helping hundreds of people as well as reducing the waste that would be sent to landfill is significant. Our staff have had to cope with illness and personal setbacks this year but they have pulled together and supported each other and the work we do. We are again thankful to those who volunteer their services. I've been Chair for the last 6 years. Looking back it has been a pleasure and a challenge throughout. I thank the Trustees for their support and am ready to hand over to the next Chair for the next steps in our journey, which in the goodness of God has already lasted more than 25 years. Pete Burditt (Chair) 10 **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** ## General Manager’s Report This year we celebrated 25 years since the first delivery of furniture was made by Spencer Contact to a family in need. So much has changed in that time; the warehouse location, the staff, the scale of the charity, the vans we use, to name just a few. I’m thankful to be able to say that the purpose of Spencer Contact to help those in Northampton in need hasn’t changed. It is the case that in 2024/25 in the town of Northampton we still meet people every week who are in desperate need of the basic necessities like a sofa to sit on or a bed to sleep in. Also the kindness of people in giving their possessions for the good of others also hasn’t changed and we’re thankful to every individual who has donated items to Spencer Contact that can be used again to help others. Most importantly though, the one thing that has remained entirely consistent over the past 25 years is the faithfulness of God. He has protected and provided the means for this charity to continue running and grow into what it has become today. One thing that often strikes me in Northampton is the massive contrast between those that have everything they need and more in their homes and those that literally have nothing; in the course of a day working out on the van both types of homes can be visited. It reconfirms to me the need that there is for Spencer Contact to help redistribute items of necessary furniture that one customer has finished with to the customer who is in desperate need, and as a further benefit to keep those items from going to landfill. Northampton remains a town in need and sometimes the ‘need’ on our own doorstep can be overlooked by many. Families are living in poverty, struggling to ‘make ends meet’ and with the rising costs in living this is something that we are going to see more and more of over time. Also people’s circumstances can change very suddenly and unexpectedly; a loss of stable employment, ill health (physical or mental), the breakdown of a relationship or the loss of a loved one that others were dependent upon, are just some of the circumstances which leave people unable to cope and in need of some help. It has been a privilege to be involved in this work for another year. To be able to reach out to people in this community, not to judge them, but just to do what we can to help them with the provision of furniture and necessary household items and in 11 ## **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** doing so to show something of the love of God to them in a practical and meaningful way. — ? In April 2024 I cycled from Land’s End to John O’ Groats, in celebration of 25 a. 4[,] “ years of Spencer Contact operating and a_oll to help raise awareness of the work we do and funding to continue it. It was an a ORY, ¥ i epic journey with literal (as well as emotional) highs and lows. The kindness of businesses in Northampton and individuals across the entire }3 country raised just over £15,000. Please keep reading through the report as more is said about this later. May 2024 saw the change of Mayor in Northampton. I will always be thankful to Mayor Stephen Hibbert and Mayoress Liz Cox for selecting Spencer Contact as their charity of the year. They worked tirelessly from May 2023 to May 2024 to raise awareness and funding for the work we do. It was an enjoyable year of getting to know them personally and working with them. They raised £15,000 for the work of Spencer Contact and £10,000 towards the warehouse mezzanine floor. The demand for our work continues to grow and I’m thankful to God for those that make this work possible and tirelessly support it. For those that give of their finances to fund the work; trustees of funds, churches, BNI Lighthouse networking group, individuals, local schools and parents. Also, people contact us every day to give things that might then be used to help others. Often these are items which could be sold to make a profit for the individual but thankfully there are many in the town of Northampton that choose to forego that personal gain in order to see someone helped. There are also those that give of their time to assist with the work on a weekly basis, cleaning furniture and household items that have been donated, testing the safety of electrical items, sorting through items that have been collected or dropped in at our warehouse, collating ancillary packs to go out to customers, or assisting with the running of our sale events. If it wasn’t for each of these groups doing 12 **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** their part then Spencer Contact would not be able to carry out the work that we do in reaching out to those in need in this community. The team that work at Spencer Contact continue to go above and beyond and I can’t fault them for their effort and commitment. Each of us understands the importance of the fact that the furniture and items being given away to people in the town should be of a high standard. Whilst the furniture is secondhand the staff all try and ensure that we have done all that can be done to repair and clean items before they are ready to be reused or sold in our sales. Please continue to pray for the 7 staff (soon to be 8) that their skills and abilities will be used for the positive good of others. So why do we do what we do? I often tell people we do it ‘to show the love of God to the people of Northampton’. The Lord Jesus lived on this earth for 33 years and met people, many of whom, whether through physical illness, mental anguish or grief due to loss, had no one else that they could turn to for help. He did not judge, he did not blame, he always had time for those that came to him and he changed their lives for the better. What a wonderful Saviour! As Christians, what amazing motivation! Steve Scarsbrook (General Manager) 13 ## **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** ## Key Statistics 2024/25 **----- Start of picture text -----**
Collections Items Items
635 Collected
(28,857) 3,430 —
On (109,682)
average, it
took two
collections|to — _
brain Our Deliveries:
enough only were moving into
Me crew home
one delivery 76% tenants in social
a housing
WwW
Average Average
collection
response time res me for
13 days 70 days
Figures in brackets show the total since we began operations in January 1999.
**----- End of picture text -----**
14 **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** ## WHO WE HELPED ## **Individuals Helped** **----- Start of picture text -----**
2024-2025 Since Founding
PENSIONERS (AGES 65 & 27
OVER) 643
334
ADULTS
8,743
33
YOUNG ADULTS (18-25)
2,504
367
CHILDREN
9,104
Total for financial year 2024-2025: 761 Total since founding: 20,994
QO Oo
Family Groups Helped*
Multi-
Shared Occupancy
Multi-Generational Shared Occupancy Generational 85, 1% Other
Family 8, 3% Family 332, 4%
7, 3% Other 239, 3%
0, 0%
\ [— \ fa
Single Adults
Two Parent 67, 28% Two Parent \ Single Adults
Family 2,906, 34%
Family
1514, 18%
61, 25% Total: Total:
241 8,496
Single Parent
Single Parent
Family
Family
2,692, 32%
79, 33% Two Adults y Two Adults
19, 8% 728, 8%
2024-2025 Since Founding
a ee eee
previously; ‘Multi-Generational Family’ and ‘Shared Occupancy’. *Two categories have been added in 2015/2016 that we did not record
**----- End of picture text -----**
15 **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** ## CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY RESULTS From our 2024/25 customer satisfaction survey, we found that: - 100% of those helped were satisfied, happy or very happy with the furniture they received. - 50% of those moving to a new property would have had some sort of difficulty in moving in without the furniture we provided. - 99% rated the speed of our delivery service as excellent or good. - 74% of clients thought our delivery charges to be cheap or very cheap, with none receiving a delivery considering the charges to be expensive. - 88% of clients indicated that they would not have been able to get the furniture delivered without Spencer Contact. ## COMMENTS The following comments come from customers writing on the survey about the difference our service had made to their lives: **----- Start of picture text -----**
“I appreciate everything that has been brought
and it was a nice and great experience. I am
satisfied with all items brought.”
“Very very happy for your help! You really make
life better for people who need your help.
Thank you very much”
ESS) ee
“The family thank you so much and are
absolutely delighted with the quality of the
furniture.”
“Amazing service. Having had surgery, I was
very desperate as unable to work. Very
grateful. Many thanks.”
**----- End of picture text -----**
16 **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** ## Acknowledgements We express our grateful thanks to those charitable trusts and organisations that have made a financial or material contribution to the work of Spencer Contact, including the following: |Alfred Haines Charitable Trust|West Northamptonshire Council| |---|---| |Maud Elkington Charitable Trust|The P & F W Family Charitable Trust| |Hunsbury Park School|Davidge Usher Trust CIO| |The Bishop Radford Trust|The Phillips Charitable Trust| |The Lord’s Work Trust|The Dennis Alan Yardy Charitable Trust| |The Hearth Foundation|St. Faith Trustees| |The Eric Stanton (Northampton) Trust|The Wyvill Charitable Trust| |The Northampton Municipal Church Charity|The N Smith Charitable Trust| |The Souter Charitable Trust|Northampton Rail Users Group| |The Frederick and Phyllis Cann Trust|Lady Blakenham's Charitable Trust| |The Thomas and Rosemary Greenhalgh|Gay and Peter Hartley’s Hillards Charitable| |Charitable Trust|Trust| |Steyn Charitable Trust|The Archer Trust| |David Laing Foundation|The Marsh Christian Trust| |Garfield Weston Foundation|The Beatrice Laing Trust| |The Dorcas Trust|Kingsthorpe Manor And Town Charity| |The Benham Charitable Settlement|The Constance Travis Charitable Trust| |Sabina Sutherland Charitable Trust|Reynard Way Church| |HDH Wills|Scott Bader Commonwealth| A special thanks to Goodwill Solutions who provided us with £10,000 towards our mezzanine floor through the Mayor of Northampton We also give our heartfelt thanks to those supporters, both organisations and individuals, that are not listed here. 17 **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** ## Fundraising We are always looking at ways in which we can raise more funds by our own means and rely less on trust funding. Fundraising is a challenge for every charity in the country as there are so many worthy causes both nationally and locally who are looking to the kindness of people to provide the financial support they need in order to operate and continue the work they do. Spencer Contact is no different in this respect. One of the ways that we fund part of our work is by charging a small delivery fee to ot yi dy ( customers. The furniture is given > i Dre away free but we ask that the customer pays between £35 and — £65 which is a delivery fee and is calculated on the number of items that the customer receives. If we are furnishing an entire home then the most a customer would have to pay is £65. We found that where a customer has to make a financial sacrifice (even if relatively small) they tend to value more the items that they receive. The delivery charges taken each year covers less than 10% of our overall operational annual costs. We are thankful to God that the warehouse we operate from, the two vans and the suite of offices are all owned outright by Spencer Contact. This means that we don’t have to make any mortgage or rental payments each month. When the warehouse was built we had a lot of ‘wasted space’ high up in the building and therefore in or around 2017 we built 6 offices, together with a staff room and toilets upstairs. The offices are all rented out by another charity and a roofing business. We have started raising funds towards a mezzanine floor in the warehouse which will almost double the space that we have available to us. At present we have £16,000 towards this project and we need to raise just over £100,000. We have a boardroom that comfortably seats 12 and is available to businesses for hire (please see the photo). We also rent our workshop to a local charity one and a half days each week and parts of our car park for another charity to store their community buses. All the monies raised from this go towards funding the work of Spencer Contact. 18 ## **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** We would not have been able to operate for the past 25 years if it had not been for those that give financially to help fund this work; trustees of funds, individuals, parents of school children. Without your support we would not be able to reach out and help the residents of Northampton who find themselves in need. It is important that children in the town are made aware from a young age that there are those that they go to school with who are not as privileged as they may be. It helps them to understand how that their actions can have a positive effect on others. We continue to encourage schools to participate in our fundraising initiative ‘I slept on the floor so that others don’t have to’. Primary school aged children raise sponsorship from family and friends by giving up their own bed for one night and sleeping on their floor. The money raised from this event enables us to continue providing beds and household furniture to those in the town »a R C o> ? who do not have these basic items. The schools that w& vy Q oO participate receive 10% of what they raise as a thank you Y aA for the effort they put into the event. e YEARS e The year 2024/25 was a special year for Spencer Contact. It is 25 years since we carried out our first delivery of furniture back in 1999 and the work is continuing to grow each year. There is still a demand for our services and people that are desperately in need in the town. April 2024 was the month that our Manager, Steve, set out to cycle the length of the country in 13 days in order to raise money for Spencer Contact. The weather was a challenge in the South of England but the overall journey was a success, with only one puncture to deal with near Stoke on Trent. The event raised over £15,000 and we are very thankful to our main sponsors Steele and Bray, a local firm of Chartered Building Contractors, that funded the event, BNI Lighthouse networking group, the company day sponsors listed below and every individual who supported this event and gave generously to the work of Spencer Contact making a difference to the lives of those in need. 19 ## **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** May 2024 saw a change of Mayor in Northampton. Many thanks should be given to the 2023/24 Mayor of Northampton, Mr. Stephen Hibbert and the Mayoress, Liz Cox, who both worked tirelessly in raising awareness of this work, organising fund raising events and supporting us practically. It was a fun year and we are thankful for all that they did. During the year, they raised over £15,000 to help fund the work of Spencer Contact and secured £10,000 from Goodwill Solutions towards our mezzanine floor. From all connected with the work of Spencer Contact we give you both a heartfelt ‘Thank you’ for your kindness and generosity. Esther is a member of the BNI Lighthouse networking group. Spencer Contact is their chosen charity and they support this work both financially and practically. Thank you for the support you have given and the difference you continue to make to the lives of people in Northampton. We held two main sales during the year 2024 in June and November. We cleared a large section of our warehouse, erected two tents outside in the car park and sold ‘non-essential household items’. Prices are kept low to ensure that nobody in the town feels excluded from being able to purchase items. We ensure that any items we sell are of good quality, complete and clean. The same standard is expected for sale items as the items we give away to those in need. We also sell items throughout the year on Facebook Marketplace in order to bring in additional funds to fund the work of Spencer Contact and to manage the available space in the warehouse. We plan to hold futher sales in June and November 2025. Your support at these events would be greatly appreciated. We do what we can to raise our own funds to support the work that we do and are developing our fundraising strategies to try and become more self-sufficient and less reliant on income from external sources like Trust Funds. We are pleased to see that currently there is almost a 50:50 split between income generated by our own fundraising and income kindly donated from external funders. Thank you once again to all those who have and continue to financially support this work and in doing so make a positive difference to the lives of those in need in Northampton. 20 ## **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** ## ‘LE-JOG’ Challenge 2024 _Cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats_ On 29 April 2024, our Charity Manager, Steve, undertook a sponsored cycle ride spanning the length of Great Britain - from Land’s End to John O’Groats - raising vital funds and awareness for Spencer Contact. This remarkable journey covered 957 miles over 13 days, supported by generous donors, corporate partners, and the wider community. **----- Start of picture text -----**
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**`… …` LAND’S END, CORNWALL JOHN O’GROATS, SCOTLAND DAY 1 SEND-OFF DAY 13 ARRIVAL** **STEVE PICTURED WITH THE MAYOR OF NORTHAMPTON AND REPRESENTATIVE FROM STEELE & BRAY** Duration Lead Sponsor ## Funds Raised ## LEJOY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We extend our sincere thanks to the Mayor of Northampton, our main corporate sponsor, Steele and Bray, also every company and individual who donated, encouraged, or followed the journey. Your support continues to drive our mission forward in serving Northampton. 21 **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** ## Treasurer’s Report for Year Ending 31[st] March 2025 The UK economic growth slowed in the 2nd half of 2024 after a relative strong start. The GDP increased slightly. Private consumption was curtailed by elevated precautionary savings and inflation moderated until Q3 2024 but moved higher in the first quarter of 2025. The unemployment rate rose, and wage growth remained substantial. Companies operating costs rose due to higher national insurance contributions and the phasing out of business rate relief. ## INCOME RESOURCES Our level of expenditure is up compared to the previous year mainly due to the rise in costs. On page 4 under “Current Assets” you will see our financial position at the end of this financial year. ## RESOURCES EXPENDED Our level of expenditure is up compared to the previous year mainly due to the rise in costs. On page 4 under “Current Assets” you will see our financial position at the end of this financial year. ## SUMMARY These accounts show that despite the rise in costs we have been able to maintain our day-to-day operations. We continue to praise and thank our Lord for his continued provision and guidance in all we seek to do for Him through Spencer Contact. We continue to make every effort to budget prudently in order to maintain a viable trading position for the future. Phil Stiles (Treasurer) 22 ## **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** 23 SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS EKr Ml TR OF We report on the accounts of the Charity for the period ended 31 March 2025 which are Set out on pages 2 to 7. Respettlve responsRbilitie5 of trustees and examlner As the Charity's trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts,. you consider that the audit requirement of section 144{2) of the Charities Act 201 I Ithe Act) does not apply and that an independent examination is needed. It is our responsibility to state. on the basis of procedures specified in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners under settion 14515)(b) of the Act. whether particular matters have come to our attention and to exarnine the aicounts under Section 145 of the 2011 Act. aasis of independent examinerfs report Our examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charities Commission. An examinaiion includes a review of the accounting records kepl by the charity and a comparison of the accourkts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosure5 in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedure5 undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit. and consequently we do not express an audit opinion on ihe view given by the accounts. Our report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. Independent examlner's statement In connection with our examination. no matter has come to our atlention= which gives us reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the following requirements have not been met to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Act- and b) to prepare accounts which aciord with the accounting records and to omply with the accounting requirements of the Att.. or 12) to which, in our opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. TC Ollis Limited Nelson House. 2 Hamilton Terrace. Leamington Spa. Wafwickshire. C¥32 4LY 29th September 2025 24 SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS SPENCER CONTA STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL A￿p4￿lEs R THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Unrestritted Restritted funds funds Total 2025 Total 2024 Note INCOMING RESO Unrestricted donations Restricted donations Local government grants Gift Aid Fundraising events Sale of goods Delivery charges Rental and storage income Commission Interest 80.826 80,826 65.230 3,990 17,370 10.500 10,834 2,458 29,281 290 32,896 48,421 10.333 12.681 35,837 32.924 31 3.990 10.500 2.458 29.281 32.896 10.333 35.837 31 203.333 3.990 207.323 189.125 OURC EXPENDED Direct Charitabl Ex ur Wages and national insurance Staff pension Protective clothing Insurance Water. gas and electricity charges Telephone Printing. postage and stationery Premises costs. repairs and small tools Motor and rravel expenses Fundraisin9 expenses Professional fees Depreciation Loss on disposal of asset Sundry expenses Donations Credit card charges Training Volunteer expenses 157.255 3.196 482 4.880 7.337 2.242 551 4.179 1.941 3,391 497 23.567 117 1.667 5.700 345 915 903 157.255 140,447 3.196 2,750 482 148 4.880 4,636 7.337 4.676 2.242 2,099 551 1.034 4.279 8.234 5.831 10.287 5.391 .335 497 2.732 23.567 24.575 ioo 3,890 2.000 1.667 5.700 345 915 903 2.655 5,034 779 219.165 5.990 225,155 211.421 25 SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS SPENCER CONTAcr STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 202 Unrestricted Restricted funds funds Total 2025 Total 2024 Administration of the Charit Accountancy.. Independent Examination Subscriptions Software and computer costs 1.698 1,602 549 3.849 1,698 1,602 549 3.849 1,250 1,050 717 3,017 TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED 223.014 5,990 229,004 214438 NET INCOMING RESOURCES F R THEY 19.681 -2.000 -21.681 -25.313 BALANCES BROUGHT FORWARD I APRIL 2024 1,264.978 18.000 1.282,978 1.308.291 BALANCES CARRIED FORWARD 31 MARCH 2025 1,245,297 16.000 1.261,297 1,282.978 26 SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS StATEMINT OF FINANCIAL POSITION FVR THE YEAR EN ED I NIAR H 2025 Notes 31.3.2025 Unresulctod Restrtaed funds funds 31.3.2024 Total 1-5X .221.248 .221.248 .244,452 CURRENT ASS Prep3ymenis and oihtr debtors Deposil accouni Santander Current account Co-op Cash in hand 4.82 1 10.287 12.932 4,82 1 26.287 12.932 1.125 3.801 30.655 8,168 16,000 16.000 CURRENT UABILffl PAYE & NI Other creditors and accruals 2,811 2,811 2.305 S.116 2.443 NT 24,049 16.000 40.049 38,526 NEJ ASSErs 1.245,297 16.000 1.261.297 1,282.978 Represented by: UNRES"fRicfED FUND 1.245.297 1.264.978 EDF NDS 16.000 18.000 .261.297 1.282,978 l approve the above accounts on behalf of Ihe trustees. . P 8urdilt. Hon. Chaimian Date of meeting= I confirm that I have made available all rhe relevani records and informatlon for the preparation of these accounis. P Stiles. Hon. Treasurer 27 SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS SPENCER CONTACT Charit No. 1070072 NOTES TO THE ACCOUNT5 FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 I SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES General information and basis of preparation The nature of the charity's operations and principal activities are shown on pages 2 to 4. The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. The financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities.. Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland issued in October 2019. the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland IFRS 102) and UK Generally Accepted Practice. The f inancial staiements have been prepared to give a 'true and fair. view and have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a 'true and fair view.. This departure has involved following the Accounting and Reporting by Charitie5: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland IFRS 1021 issued in October 2019. The f inancial staiements are prepared on a going concern basis under the historical c05t convention, modified to include certain items at fair value. The financial statements are presented in sterling which is the functional currency of the charity. The significant accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all year5 presented unle55 Otherwise stated. 28 SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS SPENCER CONTA NOT R TH S TO THE ACCOUNTS D31MAR COUNTING POLICIES General These accounts have been prepared under the historic cost convention and in accordance with applicable accounting standards and the Statement of Recommended Practice on Accounting by Charities. The term -resources. includes funds received and paid during the period adjusted for items which are accrued and prepaid at the period end. Depreciation Depreciation is provided at the following rates based on the estimated useful life of these f ixed assets and their anticipated residual value.. Property Motor vehicle Equipment 2% p.a. (straight line basi5) 25% p.a. Ireducing balance basis) 20% p.a. {reducing balance basis) Included within freehold property is freehold land at a historical cost value of £285.000. No depreciation was provided on the value of the land. Incoming Resources: Recognition of Incoming Re50urce5 These are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) when.. the charity becomes entitled to The resources the trustees are virtually certain they will receive the resources- and the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability Grants and Donations Grant5 and donations are only included in the SOFA when the Charity has unconditional entitlement to the resources. Investment Income This is included in the accounts when receivable Expenditure and Liabilities= Liability Recognition Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources Revaluation of property The property was revalued on 5 April 2023 and found to be worth less than the original cost. Further revaluations will be carried out on a regular bas15. 29 SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS SPENCER CONTA NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS R THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 3 FIXED A55ETS Land and buildings Motor vehicles Equipment Total Cost at 1.4.2024 Additions Disp05als 1,250.000 75.423 6,981 1.332,404 480 480 -699 -699 Cost at 31.3.2025 1.250.000 6762 1 332 185 Depreciation at 1.4.2024 Charge for the year Eliminaied on disposal 20.000 20.000 63.825 2.900 4,127 667 -582 87,952 23,567 -582 Depreciation at 31 .3.202 5 110937 Net book value at 31.3.2025 1.210,000 8.698 2,550 1.221.248 Net book value at 31.3.2024 1.250.000 11.598 2,854 1.244.452 The property was revalued in 2023. Without this, the historical cosr carrying value would have been £l.270.917 at the year end. 4 RESTRicfED FUNDS Balance at 1.4.2024 Durin Income the ear- enditure Balance at 31.3.2025 Mezzanine floor fund Land End to John o'Groats expenses Vehicle running costs Boxes 16,000 2,000 16.000 -2,000 -3,890 -io0 -5,890 3.890 100 3,890 18,000 16.000 MUNERATION OF TRUSTEES None of the trustees or management committee members received any payment for the services they provided during the period. 6 RELATED PARTY TKANSAcfioN During the year the charity received donations from trustees with a total value of £1 .65 5 30 **SPENCER CONTACT ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** ## END OF REPORT Supported By: 31