Annual report and financial accounts 2023/24 The Connection at St Martin-inthe-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 2024 Registered charity number: 1078201 Company number: 03852519
1 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
Contents
| Contents | |
|---|---|
| Who we are | 3 |
| Foreword from our CEO | 4 |
| Why we're here | 7 |
| What we do | 9 |
| The importance of relationships | 10 |
| The Connection Model | 11 |
| 2023/24 achievements | 12 |
| Strategic aims for 2024/25 | 14 |
| Strategic aim one | 16 |
| Strategic aim two | 24 |
| Strategic aim three | 26 |
| Strategic aim four | 27 |
| Strategic aim fve | 33 |
| Strategic aim six | 34 |
| How we managed our money and resources | 35 |
| Independent auditor’s report to the members of The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields |
46 |
| Financial Statements for the year ended 31st March 2024 | 52 |
The trustees present their report and the audited financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024. Reference and administrative information set out on pages 42-43 forms part of this report. The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the memorandum and articles of association and the Statement of Recommended Practice - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: SORP applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS 102. This trustees’ annual report includes a directors’ report as required by company law.
The trustees review the aims, objectives and activities of the charity each year. This report looks at what the charity has achieved and the outcomes of its work in the reporting period. The trustees report the success of each key activity and the benefits the charity has brought to those groups of people that it is set up to help. The review also helps the trustees ensure the charity’s aims, objectives and activities remained focused on its stated purposes.
The trustees have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity’s aims and objectives and in planning its future activities. In particular, the trustees consider how planned activities will contribute to the aims and objectives that have been set.
Cover: Debby makes a cup of tea Photo: Marc Gascoigne
Who we are
We are The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields.
We support people sleeping rough in the heart of London, helping them to recover and find their way off the streets.
We get to know every person we work with, going the extra mile to understand their needs and hopes for the future and being creative about finding help and solutions.
The Connection at St Martin’s is led by our trustees, a dedicated team of volunteers who oversee the work that we do. Every year our trustees review the aims, objectives and activities of our charity.
This annual report looks at what we have achieved in 2023/24. It shows how your support enabled people to move away from living on the streets and towards a place to call home.
1,286 people were welcomed into our centre to use our essential services in 2023-24
At The Connection we offer a wide range of services.
Photo: Marc Gascoigne
Thank you to everyone who has been involved with our work this year. We hope you enjoy reading this report.
3 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
Foreword from our CEO
This year has seen the final part of the change process in our service delivery.
We made the decision in 2018 to adopt a traumainformed approach to our work with people experiencing homelessness. We began this process in earnest in 2021 and in April 2023 launched our Theory of Change and remodeled our services to reflect this.
Many of the people who come to us for help have experienced very serious trauma, as well as addiction, and mental and physical health issues.
Pam Orchard, CEO
Many of the people who come to us for help have experienced very serious trauma, as well as addiction, and mental and physical health issues. This means they have many barriers to overcome to find a place to call home.
We believe working intensively with people is the best way to maximise our impact and make the biggest difference to rough sleeping in Westminster – supporting the people who need us the most and may not easily get help elsewhere.
We now offer people three “tiers” of help including practical services such as meals, laundry and access to IT; our community team to enable us to build a relationship with people and get to know more about their situation and finally, our Enhanced Support Service who offer intensive casework to people with the most complex needs.
Pam Orchard, our Chief Executive Photo: Marc Gascoigne
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4 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
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It is very resource-heavy to work with people to this depth. To do it safely and effectively we need to make sure we have a caseload we can manage and a staff team with the right experience and skills. This is why some of the numbers we’re reporting on have gone down this year compared to last year.
We have made other changes this year too. Access to suitable accommodation is a huge issue for our clients and our 2023 – 28 strategy set out our intention to unlock new routes to tenancies by working with a host of different providers.
Thank you for your continued support for our work to overcome rough sleeping in central London.
Pam Orchard, CEO
We started with our supported accommodation service, St Martin’s House, which became a women-only service this year. We were also awarded planning permission to extend the scheme with a community space and an additional two studio flats. The building work will start in early 2025.
We also ran The London Hotel this year, for the first time. The hotel provided wraparound support for people living on the streets in Westminster who would otherwise struggle to access accommodation. Residents had time to settle and stabilise with appropriate support, before working towards a longer-term accommodation offer with their case worker.
We have also piloted an intensive support service for ten people with very complex needs to help them to settle into private rented tenancies outside of central London. Workers provide support with things like financial advice, linking people up to local mental health or addiction services, and registering with GPs.
Using these three examples as a launch pad, we intend to develop further accommodation options into 2024/5 and are recruiting a specialist in housing to help us with this.
Alongside starting to develop our accommodation options, we have devoted a great deal of time this year to defining our working culture at The Connection. Building relationships of trust with our clients is at the heart of everything we do. Therefore we are taking the time to recruit, develop and support a staff team who can excel in this ‘Connection Way of Working’ approach.
Thank you for your continued support for our work to overcome rough sleeping in central London. We hope you enjoy reading what we’ve achieved, with your help, during the year.
5 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
6 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
Photo: Marc Gascoigne
Why we’re here
We believe that no one should have to sleep rough, and that everyone should get the support they need to find a place to call home.
The impact of life on the streets is devastating – it puts people at risk of crime and violence, causes physical and mental health problems and seriously damages wellbeing.
At The Connection, we’re at the heart of this crisis: just off the Strand in Westminster, the most concentrated area of rough sleeping in the UK.
According to official figures, 2,120 people were estimated to be sleeping rough in Westminster in 2023/24 – although the real number is likely to be higher.[1]
2,120
people were estimated to be sleeping rough in Westminister in 2023/24
Photo: Marc Gascoigne
- Rough sleeping in London (CHAIN reports) - London Datastore
Rough sleeping is not inevitable – the Everyone In programme, which helped thousands of people into safe accommodation during the pandemic, has shown that it is possible to end homelessness in this country.
London can be a city where no one needs to sleep rough on our streets. We won’t stop until it is.
That is why we’re here.
7 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
Who we support
In 2023/24, we helped ~~1,618~~ people on their journey away from homelessness.
The people we support are:
80% male | 20% female | < 1% non-binary
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MALE FEMALE
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non-binary
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The people we support come from:
49% UK | 27% European Economic Area | 23% Rest of the world 1% Not known
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UK EEA Rest of the world
Our clients’ ages are:
4% 18-25 | 92% 26-65 | 4% 65+ | < 1% Not known
26-65 years
NOT KNOWN
18-25 years 65+ years NOT KNOWN
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8 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
What we do
At The Connection we :
Get to know people, help them identify what support they would like and agree how we can best work together to meet their goals
Comment-alt
Offer practical services like showers and laundry facilities, hot meals, medical appointments and access to telephones and computers
DESKTOP shower Briefcase-Medical
Provide onward referrals or supported reconnection to anyone whose needs can be better met elsewhere
Arrow-circle-right Arrow-Circle-Up
Provide support, advice and case management to help people access accommodation
HOME PASTE
Provide support where clients have issues with their migration status and make onward referrals when needed Plane
Support people to access the full range of support services delivered on and off site – like care from nurses or psychologists and treatment for substance misuse
prescription-bottle-alt HEARTBEAT
Offer activities and groups that help people build the skills, confidence and resilience to recover from homelessness PENCIL-ALTPaint-Brush
9 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
The importance of relationships
Finding a home is a physical and mental journey. So that’s how we approach homelessness – by providing the physical means to make a change, and the motivation and support to maintain it.
It often starts with a chat, a cup of tea and perhaps a hot meal or shower; the chance to use a washing machine, a computer, or to charge a phone - simple things that aren’t easy when you’re living on the streets.
Then it’s about listening to people, building up trust and understanding, so we can work out together what they need next.
At The Connection, we get to know each person we work with, so we can tailor our support to their unique needs and hopes for a better future.
We get to know each person we work with
Working alongside them on their journey, we help them build the skills to keep going with their goals.
We also help people to rediscover their unique skills, passions, hopes and dreams – the things that make us all feel human, and help us find our path through life – so that ultimately people can find their own way off the streets, towards a place to call home.
Food is often a starting point on someone’s journey with us - being well-fed can make a world of difference! Photo: Marc Gascoigne
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10 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
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The Connection Model – working ‘with, not for’
We support everyone we work with based on our ~~Theory of Change~~ – this is based on three principles:
Building relationships of trust and connection with people who have 1 lost faith in services, working with people experiencing homelessness to create the change they want;
Recruiting, supporting and developing staff and volunteers who 2 have the attitude, skills and expertise to build relationships of trust and connection with people experiencing homelessness;
Using evidence from people experiencing homelessness, research 3 and our own data to work together to influence the systems which are designed to help people to move away from the streets successfully.
You can see our Theory of Change in action and hear Mary and Rick’s stories by ~~watching our animation here.~~
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We work with people, not for them - going at their pace and prioritising their individual needs. Photo: Marc Gascoigne
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What we have achieved This year we have:
22/23 122 185 982
contacts with 279 22/23 1475 people on the streets with 309 people during outreach shifts.
people moved into new accommodation with our support.
22/23 people welcomed into our centre to use our 1162 1286 essential services.
12 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
22/23 204 108 people helped with their migration status.
154
people enabled to take part 22/23 in group activities as part 151 of our Recovery Programme.
30
22/23 28
people supported into work and volunteering opportunities.
13 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
14 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024 Photo: Marc Gascoigne
Strategic aims for 2023 – 28
The Connection set itself 6 strategic aims for 2023 – 28. This Annual Report reflects on progress against these aims during the first year.
1
2
Deliver ground breaking and high-quality trauma-informed services that support people sleeping rough to move away from the streets for good;
Increase accommodation options for people who are living on the streets or returning when previous services have not met their needs;
3
4
Build partnerships and influence systems and policies to move people away from the streets for good more quickly and effectively;
Increase fundraised income from to support existing essential activity and organisational growth;
5
6
Promote an organisational culture that puts trusting relationships at the centre of everything we do;
Ensure there is an excellent supporting infrastructure and financial approach to enable the charity to flourish.
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1
Deliver ground breaking and high-quality trauma-informed services that support people sleeping rough to move away from the streets for good.
Building relationships
Our Street Engagement Team (SET) is a daytime outreach team in Westminster. We work very closely with local night-time outreach teams.
Having both daytime and night-time outreach is vital, because it allows us to engage with people who might not otherwise have support; people who bed down in hidden areas overnight can be missed by traditional night-time outreach.
This year, the team made
982
street contacts with 276 people on the streets during outreach shifts.
The SET plays a vital role in connecting us to people who are sleeping rough. Team members go out twice a day to speak to people – saying hello to those who are new to us as well checking in on people we already know. We provide essential items during these visits, such as food, hot drinks and warm clothing in winter or water and sun cream in summer. This is very often the first interaction we will have with people and it builds a great foundation of trust and respect between us and the people we meet. When they feel ready, we will encourage people to come into the centre to access other services. There, SET staff can provide intensive, one-to-one casework.
The team runs regular shifts with the Homeless Health Service, which can offer prescriptions, make referrals to specialist services, and deliver on-the-street care. We also run shifts with the NHS Joint Homelessness Team, which can assess mental health needs and offer support or referrals as needed.
This included:
55 people supported into accommodation
69
people supported to attend our Outreach Prescribing Clinic for flexible support with drug and alcohol treatment, as well as other health interventions.
The SET runs the innovative Outreach Prescribing Clinic on Wednesday afternoons. This is a flexible drop-in service that offers rapid opiate substitution prescriptions. Having this flexible approach removes two major barriers – timekeeping and remembering appointments – and means we can work with people in an environment in which they feel comfortable. This is often a first step to supporting people to access other services too.
16 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
We also partner with the Dr Hickey Surgery and Turning Point to get people into drug and alcohol treatment from the street, as and when needed. Together, we also offer an on-thestreet prescribing service for those who are at high risk of harm but haven’t made it into the Wednesday clinic.
Poppy and Lucas were a couple that our outreach team came across POPPY's in the local area. On meeting them, it was clear that they had significant
health needs and potential learning difficulties. We were also concerned story about domestic abuse in the relationship and were particularly worried for Poppy’s safety.
The team started to visit the couple regularly and enlisted the support of the Homeless Health Service nurses to offer direct, on-the-street healthcare.
The process of building trust took a long time, so rapport with the couple was built across multiple visits.
The team worked with Poppy and Lucas for several months before Lucas ended up leaving the area. We continued to work with Poppy and were able to make referrals to specialist women’s services, safeguarding support and accommodation.
During this time, Poppy left London completely. However, because we had built a strong relationship of trust, she later reached out to us which meant we were able to locate her and liaise with outreach services in her new area which led to her moving safely into a women’s refuge.
*Names have been changed
17 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
Welcoming people into The Connection
At The Connection, we know how important it is to feel welcome and safe. The wide range of practical services at our Adelaide Street centre supports immediate health and wellbeing needs. It also acts as a platform to strengthen relationships, deepen engagement and support longer-term recovery.
When people first come through our doors, they are greeted by our Centre Services Team . This team keeps the centre running smoothly; providing reception services, laundry, showers and food. The team also coordinates in-reach services like nurses, dentistry and podiatry.
The members of the team get to know people informally - when they hand over towels and toiletries, set someone up in front of a computer or perhaps accompany someone to the nurse. Over time, these small actions of practical support and kindness help to foster trust. This means people are much more likely to approach staff when they need or want additional support.
1,286
people came into our centre this year to use our essential services
3,245
laundry sessions
8,815
showers
19,190
meals were provided
This year, we launched our brand-new Connection Community Team . This team focuses on building relationships with people in the centre to create a harmonious and supportive environment. This keeps everyone safe and increases happiness, wellbeing and motivation.
The Community Team also runs our groups and activities programme, which encourage people to develop essential skills and express themselves through art, music, gardening and discussion. Having access to these creative outlets can have a really positive effect on their recovery. ~~You can read about this on page 22.~~
Where situations are more complex, people are referred to our Enhanced Support Service . This specialist team provides intensive, one-to-one casework. This often means coordinating input from different partners like health services, local authorities, or probation services. People are often more willing to navigate complicated and overwhelming situations if they have the encouragement and support of someone alongside them.
Homelessness and poor mental health often go hand in hand. Over two-thirds of people experiencing homelessness are impacted: common conditions include depression, anxiety and paranoia. Poor mental health can be a cause of someone’s homelessness, or it can develop from the trauma of sleeping rough. The Enhanced Support Service has dedicated mental health advisors who provide added specialism and support to clients who are experiencing more complex and enduring mental health needs.
18 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
Finding somewhere to call home
Helping people to find accommodation is a vital part of what we do.
Staff work closely with people to identify the most appropriate housing for them, and support them from application through to moving in and beyond. We help people sustain their accommodation by continuing to work with them whilst they settle into their new place and progress towards independence. We can also provide all the essentials people might need when moving into a new property.
122
people moved into new accommodation this year with our support
However, we know there is more that needs to be done. Official statistics suggest there are approximately 700 people living on the streets and 800 people moving on and off the streets repeatedly each year in Westminster. Many of these people have received housing offers that do not meet their needs or haven’t worked out.
There is a significant accommodation shortage in central London, which is even more challenging for people who have additional support needs.
We are rising to this challenge through our new strategy, which aims to increase and improve the accommodation offers for people living on the streets, including developing stronger links to existing accommodation options as well as establishing new options and partnerships to unlock nomination rights into tenancies. ~~You can read more about this on page 24.~~
Helping people to find home is why we’re here. Photo: Marc Gascoigne
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19 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
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St Martin’s House
St Martin’s House is our 15-bedroom supported housing project in Clapham. It has been transformed this year into a specialist therapeutic accommodation and support service for women from across South London who are experiencing severe and multiple disadvantages.
23
people were housed at St Martin’s House this year
The new women’s service launched in November. We have recruited a large specialist team to support the women living there in their journey of recovery towards a long-term place to call home. The team includes a clinical psychologist from South London and Maudsley’s Psychology in Hostels project, who provides direct, clinical therapeutic interventions for residents and shares expertise with the staff team to help address challenges residents may face.
Migration
108
Our dedicated migration team supports people who need help with their migration status. This service is vital, because around half of all people rough sleeping in London are non-UK nationals. Often, these people face additional challenges when recovering from homelessness, from lack of documentation to complex legal issues. These processes can be lengthy and can require intensive support from our specialists along the way.
people were helped with their migration status this year
The team can support people by
-
helping them understand their entitlements and routes to legal status in the UK;
-
supporting them to obtain ID;
-
advocating for their rights and supporting them through the immigration system;
-
working with them if they seek to return to their country of origin.
The London Hotel
The London Hotel was a bespoke and time-limited housing project, which we delivered with Westminster City Council between January and April 2024.
The aim of the service was to deliver a wraparound support offer to entrenched rough sleepers in Westminster who would otherwise struggle to access accommodation. People moving in were given a period of time to settle and stabilise with appropriate
20 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
support, before working towards a longer term accommodation offer with their allocated case worker.
Hotel guests stayed in 16 en-suite rooms and were provided with food, toiletries and other essentials. Support staff were available on site 24/7.
21
people moved into the London Hotel between January and April 2024. Of these, 15 people had a positive move on.
Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme
In July we started working as part of the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme (RSAP) in partnership with Westminster City Council and Single Homeless Project.
We employ two specialist RSAP workers who provide intensive floating support for 10 people with complex needs to help them to settle into private rented tenancies outside of central London. Workers support with things like financial advice, linking people up to local mental health or addiction services, and registering with GPs.
100%
of clients from July 2023 – March 2024 were maintaining their tenancies successfully.
Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP)
43
This year we opened our centre overnight to make bed spaces available during bouts of extremely cold weather. People who stayed with us were able to stay safe and warm overnight, as well as have a hot meal, a shower and their clothes cleaned. We were also able to give out warm clothing which makes a big difference. We were also able to support people with casework and extended our day centre opening hours during this time.
people were accommodated over 18 nights during this time
Michael was working full time as a warehouse operator, living in shared accommodation. His life was comfortable. He had everything he needed. However, everything suddenly changed.
michael's story
“One paycheck and then it was gone. Everything. My landlord giving me a Section 21 notice, I had an accident at work, ran over my foot and just couldn’t find anywhere else to go to so came down to London.”
Michael was made aware of The Connection a week after he arrived in London by a member of our outreach team. He was encouraged to go in and considers it a safe space for people to come to where they can get help
21 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024 Arrow-Circle-Down
“You can get help with everything really – clothing, washing, housing, cooking. There’s a lot to offer here. When I first came to London I didn’t have a shower for a week. I felt really dirty and grimy, so to have this place here’s been really good.”
Since then, we’ve helped Michael access Universal Credit as well as a Personal Independence Payment which he qualifies for after his accident. We’ve helped him register with a GP to get the ongoing treatment he requires. And crucially, we’ve helped him to find accommodation – a studio flat is his very happy with! Michael is now looking forward to the future, and plans to go back to work as soon as his health allows.
Helping people into further support
Our individual skills, passions and interests are often the very things that make us feel human and resilient. But these may be the first parts of someone’s life that are forgotten when they become homeless. We know that this can contribute to feelings of isolation and poor mental health.
The varied groups and activities, provided at our centre in Adelaide Street, encourage people to develop essential skills and express themselves through art, music and discussion. Often this is a great way of helping people who have experienced trauma. It also gives people the chance, in a safe environment, to build confidence and skills in a safe environment that they can take forward into the future.
154
people attended our groups, including the art room, gardening group and others
30
people were supported into work opportunities
Our groups this year have included gardening, art, creative writing, photography and music sessions with Streetwise Opera.
We have continued our women’s group this year, opening our centre only to people who identify as women each Wednesday morning. This provides a space to feel secure and safe while seeking help, which is essential for women who may have previously had negative experiences in mixed-sex spaces. This year 131 women attended the group.
Our Skills and Opportunities service provides a range of important services for anyone who is ready to train, volunteer or work. The service provides one-to-one guidance and support with writing CVs, searching and applying for jobs and interview preparation. We are also able to provide smart clothing and work-related items like hard hats or safety boots. We have extensive links with local employers who inform us of vacancies. We also provide training, workshops, work placements and volunteering opportunities.
22 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
Yinka was married with three children. Five years ago, she was diagnosed with a mental health condition and her husband asked her to leave the yinka's family home. story
With nowhere to go Yinka arrived in London, where she knew no-one. Yinka slept on the streets and tried to keep warm in a local McDonalds. That’s where she first heard about The Connection.
Yinka says “that’s when things changed. Every day I would come into the centre to have meals, a shower and wash my clothes. I was assigned a case worker and that was the beginning of feeling stability and belonging.”
Yinka started attending the weekly women’s space.
“Being homeless is so lonely; no-one wants to know you and they throw you away like you are rubbish. I’d meet other women like me, who were experiencing homelessness – they understood what I was going through. I was so happy to finally be able to relate to someone in a safe and stable place. We could come together to craft, chat and at Christmas we would eat together, play music and dance.”
The Connection team have worked with Yinka to improve and maintain her mental health and find somewhere safe to live. She has also discovered a passion for food and the team have now found her a course in hospitality and volunteering experience. Yinka is feeling positive about the future.
Our art room is always a popular space Photo: Marc Gascoigne
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23 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
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2
Increase accommodation options for people who are living on the streets or returning when previous services have not met their needs.
We are determined to access more long-term accommodation options for our clients and, alongside this, the support they need to keep it.
As many of our clients have not had their needs met by existing services, we are looking at this issue a bit differently. We have set out an ambitious target to get 300 people into their own long-term tenancy by 2028. This year, we have achieved an average of four long-term accommodation outcomes each month. This target would double this number.
Many of our clients have not had their needs met by existing services
We have secured funding from our partners at the St Martin’s Trust to bring in a housing expert to work with us to open doors with housing associations, private rental sector landlords and other registered social landlords. We are also interested in exploring community land trusts, self-builds and conversions of existing properties into residential units.
Gaining access to more affordable, well-maintained accommodation is half of the battle. The other half is the provision of long-term support, based on our Theory of Change, emphasising relationships of trust. Our goal to house 300 people will be included in the St Martin’s Trust’s Yes fundraising campaign. Our intention is to scale up tenancy support over time through a Housing First approach. We look forward to sharing developments on this work in the coming year.
18 Keys at St Martin’s House
Research work has shown that one of the biggest barriers to resolving women’s homelessness is not having any safe accommodation to refer women to – particularly those who have experiences of street homelessness and interconnected needs. There are very few women-only specialist accommodation services in London.
We have responded to this by developing the 18 Keys project, in partnership with the St Martin’s Trust. This exciting project will transform St Martin’s House – which since November has been run by us as women-only supported accommodation – into a dedicated space with 18 self-contained studio flats for those who identify as women. Our plans for the redevelopment include a communal space for people to come together. Intensive support will be available on-site. For more information, please visit ~~www.18keys.org.~~
24 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
This year, the Trust has continued its fundraising campaign to raise £2 million to undertake the capital development project which will improve communal facilities for the women and deliver additional studio flats, increasing the overall capacity of the project to 18 women.
We obtained planning permission in November 2023 and our project team is working to commence the development on site in the coming year.
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Artists’ impression of 18 Keys Credit: Dow Jones Architects
25 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
3
Build partnerships and influence systems and policies to move people away from the streets for good more quickly and effectively.
Following extensive consultation with staff, sector partners and clients, we agreed our three key advocacy priorities this year.
They are:
-
Invest urgently in affordable and suitable social housing for people with complex needs;
-
Invest in flexible mental health and addiction services for people with complex needs;
-
Ensure gender-specific support for women from commissioning to service design and delivery.
We launched these priorities at Homeless Link’s Ending Homelessness Together mass lobby event in Parliament in March, where our Chief Executive Pam Orchard was also invited to speak. After the launch, we shared our priorities with supporters and encouraged them to contact their local MPs to ask for a commitment to ending homelessness.
Alongside homelessness sector partners such as Crisis and Homeless Link, we were instrumental in registering objections to some elements of the Criminal Justice Bill, which was announced in December as a replacement of the Vagrancy Act. Following several rounds of debate, elements which we felt would unfairly criminalise people rough sleeping were amended – a significant victory for the sector.
Elements which would unfairly criminalise people were amended – a significant victory
We are working very closely with colleagues at Westminster City Council on their new strategy to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping. This is due to be completed in Autumn 2024.
Finally, this year we created a working group with the Westminster Homelessness Partnership to improve the lack of accessible treatment services in the area. This work is ongoing, and we look forward to sharing developments in the coming year.
26 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
4
Increase fundraised income to support existing essential activity and organisational growth
We are profoundly grateful for the support we received from a wide range of companies, foundations, trusts, groups and individuals that provided us with one-off donations, or longer-term support towards our core running costs, service improvements and new projects.
Our approach to fundraising is transparent, honest and respectful, meeting the needs of our donors and our service users. We are registered with the Fundraising Regulator and adhere to the Code of Fundraising Practice. During 2023/24, we have reviewed our policies and procedures in line with all legal and best practice standards, and have updated our Ethical Fundraising and Supporter Safeguarding policies.
Our approach to fundraising is transparent, honest and respectful
When we work with partner organisations that carry out fundraising activities on our behalf, we set their work through formal agreements, and monitor their activity through meetings and ongoing communications.
Our team of 10 fundraisers follow all requirements set out in the latest Code of Fundraising practice, including those that relate to interactions with vulnerable individuals. In 2023/24, we didn’t receive any complaints about our fundraising.
2023/24 was the first year of a new five-year fundraising strategy, directly linked to the organisational strategy, which has resulted in a clear roadmap for fundraising actions, and has laid the foundations for greater collaboration with our wonderful supporters.
We rely on donations from our supporters to help us deliver our services. Here are just some of the people and organisations that supported us to change lives this year.
The Friends of the Connection. We are grateful for the ongoing support of our sister charity, The Friends of the Connection. The Friends raise funds towards our work through their membership subscription, general donations, periodic appeals, legacies, fundraising appeals and events, including in particular the annual Queen Eleanor Cycle Ride. The Friends charity is governed by a committee of volunteer trustees, who work hard to raise funds to support our services and spread awareness of the reality of homelessness and how The Connection is able to respond. We would like to thank them all.
27 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
In 2023/24, The Friends raised just over £387,566 on behalf of The Connection. Their longstanding support for our work is hugely appreciated and we are grateful to them for their commitment.
St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity. The St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity is part of the family of charities based around St Martin-in-the-Fields in central London. The Connection works with the Charity in partnership through a Collaboration Agreement. The St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity runs the BBC Radio 4 Christmas Appeal every December, supporting people to take the next step towards finding a safe place to live. Its Making a Difference programme shares the powerful stories of some of the people it supports, including our clients.
Money raised through the Christmas Appeal goes directly to St Martin-in-the-Fields who make a grant to our work. The Appeal raised £5.0m last Christmas, from which the Charity made an £800,000 grant (c 15% of the Appeal total) towards our Street Engagement Team, Housing and Resettlement Team and Recovery and Opportunities activities. We are extremely grateful for their support and our long standing relationship.
St Martin-in-the-Fields Trust. The St Martin-in-the-Fields Trust is also part of the family of charities at St Martin-in-the-Fields, and it is supporting The Connection by raising funds towards the 18 Keys project, a redevelopment project to provide supported accommodation to women experiencing homelessness. We are working together to develop and expand facilities that will enable these women to find the time, space and support they need to recover and become independent again. ~~You can read more about the 18 Keys project on page 24.~~
In 2023/24 the Trust donated over £185,000 towards this project. We are so grateful for its fantastic support.
Running is just one of the ways you can get involved and support us Photo: Sophie Glickman
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28 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
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The Pilgrimage returned for its 34th year. It is a four-day walking event, covering 74 miles, starting at St Martin-in-the-Fields Church and ending with a service at Canterbury Cathedral. It was fantastic to see numbers reach the same as they did last year (which was the highest number post-pandemic) and feel the community spirit that the event brings in abundance. The event raised just under £40,000 for The Connection.
Jay’s Quiz also returned for its second year, with teams competing to answer questions posed by Jay Flynn – a former client and current ambassador for The Connection. For the 2023 event, we also secured a Headline Sponsor and ran an auction as well as a raffle on the night, which meant profit almost doubled from the first year - £6,500.
After the London Marathon, Every year we open up our doors after the London Marathon for other charities and their runners to join us at a post-race reception, where their runners can use our shower facilities, enjoy a massage and have a hot meal together. In 2023 we had nine charities join us for our post-race reception, the highest number we have ever had.
The London Walk was back for its third year in March. This year, 56 walkers - the highest ever number - took part to raise money for The Connection. They - along with the other walkers raising money for other London homelessness charities - set off from our centre at Adelaide Street. The London Walk raised a total of £20,032 for The Connection.
For 2023, we also had four places in the Berlin Marathon, the only overseas event in our portfolio. The participants raised a total of £2,574.
Our ambassador Jay Flynn delivered another great quiz for our supporters this year! Photo: Marc Gascoigne
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29 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
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We are deeply grateful for the support we received from our corporate partners in 2023/24. Building relationships with people is at the heart of everything that we do at The Connection. We pride ourselves on fostering strong partnerships with the business community, both in Westminster and beyond.
From volunteering, serving food to hundreds of clients or joining an art session, to taking part in employee fundraising and pro bono projects, to providing essential items and funds, our partners have been wonderfully generous with their time and donations over the last 12 months.
We simply would not be able to continue supporting those experiencing homelessness without your support. Thank you.
We simply would not be able supported those experiencing homelessness without your support. Thank you.
Highlights
-
Coutts & Co and The Coutts Foundation continued their longstanding support for The Connection by providing a generous unrestricted grant of £100,000. We were also grateful to be the recipient of an additional donation of £10,000 recognising the impact of the cost-of-living crisis. These funds increased our ability to sustain support in all areas to our clients, including food, showers and outreach. We are also a beneficiary of the
-
“Thank You from Coutts” reward programme, through which Coutts’ clients very generously donated in excess of £185,000 to support people experiencing homelessness.
-
Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Limited (STASCO) provided much needed financial support during particularly difficult times. As well as their usual annual donation, they responded to our ‘Severe Weather Appeal’ with a generous extra grant to help us cover the cost of cold weather essentials. Members of the STASCO team continue to be active fundraisers.
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Intercontinental Exchange agreed to continue supporting The Connection over a further three-year period. During this time, their donations will support our Education, Training & Employment offer, and contribute to our Street Engagement Team.
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Network Rail continued to support our Street Engagement Team through a generous grant. It also helped us raise awareness of our Community work, and celebrate the creativity of our clients by allowing us to exhibit their photographs in Charing Cross Station.
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The Heart of London Business Alliance continued to support its local community by funding our Street Engagement Team so our outreach workers can continue to respond to the street population in Westminster. We are grateful for its proactive approach to introducing us to its network and increasing awareness of our work.
30 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
- The Christmas period was a particular highlight for our corporate partners. Not only did we receive several very generous donations, but volunteers from the Strand Palace Hotel, FRP Advisory, Chatham Financial, and Bulletproof created incredible gift hampers for our clients.
This is just an overview of some of the ways our partners have supported us over 2023/24. We are so grateful to all of our longstanding partners for their contributions, including Generation Investment Management, Deckers, DAC Beachcroft, Pulse, IK Partners, Millennium Global, Olayan Europe Limited, Social Bite, Prudential Plc, and Professional Mortgage Services. We also welcomed new partners – Blick Rothenberg, Adwanted, Hive Health, and Chicken Shop. We are excited to continue working with you in 2024.
Thank you so much to our amazing volunteers. From supporting us to run our weekly women’s space, facilitating our volunteer-led art group, supporting the photography group, serving food, assisting the work of our data team and much more – we value and appreciate them all. They make an enormous difference to the work we do in building relationships with the people we support and empowering people to make positive changes in their lives.
We are sincerely thankful for the support of some 40+ charitable trusts and foundations who have supported our work during the year, alongside The National Lottery Community Fund. All donations small and large have made a real difference to the work we do together with people as they recover from street homelessness.
This year, we would like to highlight the support of three funders:
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A considerable grant from The Julia and Hans Rausing Trust, providing us with a vital lifeline during the colder winter months, supporting a sharp rise in our core utility bills over the last two years, as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.
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The first of a three-year grant received from The City Bridge Foundation, providing much needed stability for our sought-after and accredited migration service.
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A substantial grant through The Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund (administered by The National Lottery Community Fund), funding both retrospective and future costs linked to our core centre service delivery.
31 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
Heart Thank you to all of our supporters, staff, clients, volunteers and all the organisations we have worked with this year. Because of you, The Connection is still a place for people to turn when they have nowhere else. Together, we can make London a city where nobody needs to sleep rough.
32 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
5
Promote an organisational culture that puts trusting relationships at the centre of everything we do
Trusting relationships are at the heart of everything we do - working with people, not for them, at their own pace. We have developed a Connection model of working (our Theory of Change) which is drawn from sector-leading work such as the Psychologically Informed Environment, Trauma-informed Care and Jay Levy’s pre-treatment approach.
This year, following thorough consultation with staff, we have introduced our core traits and behaviours. These facilitate the working culture The Connection wants to achieve. The core traits and behaviours are Curious, Safe, Together and Motivated. We have also introduced a new Way of Working policy that outlines how we will embed these traits and behaviours into our day-to-day work. These traits and behaviours are included on our recruitment website, in job descriptions, in policies and as part of new joiner inductions.
Each year we carry out a staff survey, which is linked to our organisational strategy. This year, 91% of respondees said they are proud to work for The Connection, 89% felt The Connection is committed to continuous improvement and 91% felt we listen to people experiencing homelessness rather than telling them what they need.
91%
of staff said they are proud to work for The Connection
89%
of staff felt The Connection is committed to continuous improvement
The staff survey results were presented to staff in December, and staff were given the opportunity to feed back on the results and help plan priorities for the coming year. Training was the main area identified for development. As a result, we have focused on developing more in-person training, delivered by both external and internal trainers. We have had training on de-escalation for frontline staff and have developed a manager training programme that has included the role of line managers, HR policies and procedures and fundraising and communications.
8,815
of staff felt we listen to people experiencing homelessness
We continue to focus on our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) work, and have this year started to develop robust procedures on how we approach discrimination from clients in a productive manner. This has included mandatory training for all staff, delivered in February by external experts, including people with lived experience. Our Diversity & Inclusion group meets every two months to monitor this work.
33 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
6
Ensure there is an excellent supporting infrastructure and financial approach to enable the charity to flourish
This year, the finance team has continued to improve its approach to forecasting and budgeting processes, working with stakeholders to assess financial performance, risk and scenarios. As we continue to target efficiencies and savings across the organisation there has also been increased focus on greater cost recovery, through supporting the fundraising team’s efforts to seek funding for our running costs. In addition, the team has been committed to further improving the financial acumen of stakeholders within the charity, to enable sound financial decision-making and to ensure funds are used effectively.
The facilities and IT team has continued to seek out environmentally friendly activities, focusing on replacing lighting, cleaning products and office supplies with eco-friendly alternatives wherever possible. We have committed to a cross-site eco-audit to evaluate our environmental performance and identify areas where we can further improve.
Continuing our drive to more flexible and robust working, we have projects ongoing to transition us to Microsoft SharePoint and cloud-based working.
Finally, a major client-shower refurbishment programme has been planned and approved, ensuring that these facilities are modernised and therefore fit for purpose for years to come.
We’re upgrading our IT to help us work more efficiently. Photo: Marc Gascoigne
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34 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
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35 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024 Photo: Marc Gascoigne
All of the work you can read about in this report was made possible by the commitment and generosity of individuals, organisations, grant funders and companies who share our determination to end rough sleeping.
We can’t thank you all enough for your support.
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E A
D
Where
the money
comes B
from
C
D
A
Where
we spend
C the
money
B
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Our resources
We raised £5.1m (2023: £4.9m) from the following sources:
Statutory: A £595K (2023: 277k) Corporates, Groups, Trusts and earned B £1.509m (2023: £1.461m) Individuals and Events (inc. legacies): C £1.742m (2023: £1.896m) St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity: D £800k (2023: £800k) The Friends of The Connection E of St Martin’s: £388k (2023: £418k)
We spent £5.6m (2023: £5.6m) to improve the lives of people who are homeless and sleeping rough:
Fundraising costs: AA £758k (2023: £780k) Charitable activites Engagement & Assessment: BB £2.441m (2023: £2.163m) Recovery: CC £2.146m (2023: £2,101m) I mpact and Evidence: DD £160k (2023: £246k) Enterprise: EE £61k (2023: £47k)
Though our service delivery was able to take place broadly uninterrupted throughout the year, our financial performance in the 2023/24 year continued to be affected by the impact of the increased cost of living, with inflationary pressure on costs only partly offset by the increase in income compared to the previous year and budget. The 2023/24 budget, adopted in March 2023, had predicted a total deficit of £1.3m, with a drawdown of £0.5m from designated funds to further invest in service delivery, strategic projects and improvements to our wider infrastructure. The reported deficit of £458k (2023: £485k) is significantly lower than expected, which is the result of both increased funding and cost efficiencies.
Total income of £5.1m (2023: £4.9m) was £1.1m above budget, which was set based on prudent assumptions following the impact of the cost-ofliving crisis on public giving in the previous year. The over-performance against budget was largely driven by higher levels of statutory income (£0.5m above budget), including funding for our new service at St. Martin’s House £0.3m, the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Project £0.1m, and additional services relating to Severe Weather Emergency Protocols £0.1m. In addition, we have received generous donations from individuals of £1.0m across the year, and Legacy gifts of £0.8m, including one over £0.3m, combining to exceed budget by £0.3m. Corporate £0.8m and Trusts, Foundations and Groups £0.6m, were £0.1m ahead of budget, whilst earned income from St Martin’s House £0.1m had not been expected at the time of budgeting.
£1.5M
came from corporate, community trusts and earned income
Expenditure in total was £5.6m (2023: £5.3m), which was £0.3m above budget. Of this total, £3.6m (2023: £3.4m) related to staffing costs, and £2.0m (2023: £2.0m) to non-pay costs. Staffing costs were £0.2m lower than budgeted, due to longer vacant periods associated with several roles during the year, partly offset by the use of agency staff and locums to provide cover for our vital services. The annual inflationary pay uplift, as determined by the National Joint Council of Unions, was in line with our budgeted assumptions. Non-pay costs were £0.4m higher than budgeted, due to premises and running costs associated with our new service at St Martin’s House, coupled with higher running costs linked to energy, rent, rates and services at our Adelaide Street building.
At 31 March 2024, the charity’s net assets were £2.8m (2023: £3.1m), reflecting the deficit incurred in the year. Further details are given below in the discussion of our reserves.
As inflation continues to impact our cost base and there is ongoing uncertainty surrounding sustained income growth, 2024/25 is likely to be challenging from a financial perspective. The trustees have agreed a prudent deficit budget of £0.6m to ensure that we can continue to invest appropriately in service delivery and supporting infrastructure. However, this has been approved in the context of seeking and identifying in-year efficiencies and additional funding, with a view to returning to a break-even budget in 2025/26. Further consideration of the outlook for the coming year can be found in the section on Going Concern.
37 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
Principal sources of income
The Connection at St Martin’s has a diverse range of income sources, which break down into five broad categories:
-
A Income received from statutory sources, totalling £0.6m (2023: £0.3m), increased this year following the introduction of our new service at St Martin’s House, which attracted funding from the Greater London Authority (GLA). Further details of statutory income are provided in note 3B to the Financial Statements.
-
B A grant of £0.8m (2023: £0.8m) from St Martin’s Charity related to monies raised from the BBC Radio 4 Christmas Appeal. We continue to work closely with St Martin’s Charity to use these funds to support our beneficiaries.
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C Income from The Friends of The Connection of St Martin’s, totalling £0.4m (2023: £0.4m).
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D Income from individuals and event income, totalling £1.7m (2023: £1.9m). Included in this figure are the generous legacies referred to above of £0.8m (2023: £1.1m) and Major Gifts of £0.5m (2023: £0.4m).
-
E Corporate, community, trusts and earned income of £1.6m (2023: £1.5m). Funding from these sources has remained relatively consistent with the prior year, indicating he post-pandemic stabilisation of these income streams.
Expenditure
Of our expenditure, 86% (2023: 85%) was on charitable activities, with the rest expended on raising funds to support the organisation in delivering its mission. Fundraising costs have remained stable this year following investment in the prior year to increase resource within the team. This has kept us on track to achieve our targeted growth in income generation in the coming years. Our most significant area of expenditure is on staffing at 64% (2023: 63%), with the remainder being primarily made up of building costs and support (administration, IT and training) and goods and services provided in support of our clients. Expenditure has increased by £0.2m compared to last year, which is largely linked to increased commitments under statutory funding agreements.
Details of expenditure to deliver our services are given in note 5 of the financial statements.
38 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
Principal risks and uncertainties
The Board of Trustees reviews its exposure to risk and maintains a risk register, identifying the level of exposure to any material risks with a constant view to improve systems and procedures that will mitigate them. This register is overseen by the Director of Finance and Resources. The Connection at St Martin’s additionally has a more detailed register of operational risks, which addresses the exposure of our staff and volunteers to risk through the nature of our work with clients.
The principle risks identified are:
| Risk | Response |
|---|---|
| Our Theory of Change is not | Strong system for monitoring, evaluation & learning |
| efective in people moving away | which demonstrates impact; Investment in qualitative |
| from the streets and there is no | external evaluation to provide in-depth evidence |
| evidence to support this | |
| Safeguarding concerns and service | Training and development for service teams; clear policies, |
| delivery incidents occur as a result | processes and reporting of incidents; strong governance |
| of our change in approach | oversight of incidents and their causes; build strong relationships |
| with adult social care in local authorities to bring credibility to | |
| requests | |
| It is not possible to access additional accommodation due to |
Strong ofer of support; good relationship with local authority; fexibility around location of property |
| shortages of housing stock, high | |
| rents and/or insufcient funding | |
| A rise in rough sleeping | Partnership working with other services; good, proactive |
| signifcantly increases need | assessment system and close monitoring of clients; clear |
| for our services | signposting of what we are here for and what we can and |
| can't ofer. | |
| Income from statutory and/or | Ensure a diverse funding portfolio across a range of funding |
| voluntary sources doesn't meet | streams; produce fundraising projections over the medium/long |
| budget | term to plan income; create detailed fundraising strategy; |
| communications strategy in place; increased use of analytics | |
| to assist forecasting; Increased in-year forecasting to predict | |
| outcomes. | |
| The 18 Keys project fails | Worst-case planning of adapting existing service model to a |
| women's only space, emphasising community space and | |
| psychological support |
39 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
| Risk | Response |
|---|---|
| Inability to recruit and retain a staf | Strong recruitment process with applicant tracking system in |
| team with the right relationship | place; emphasis on CSTM as a great place to work; increase |
| development skills to deliver our | support for staf with lived experience; continue to develop |
| theory of change | organisational culture; develop volunteering to build a pipeline |
| of potential new staf | |
| Issues with the lease prevent our | Lease negotiations progressed and reviewed; participation |
| ability to deliver services from the building, and we overspend on |
in cross-site initiatives covering back-ofce functions; ofer fexibility on use of space in ways which don't negatively impact |
| services which could be shared | CSTM operations |
| with cross-site partners | |
| Cyber risks, including IT systems | Independent review of IT provision; audit of IT hardware and |
| failure resulting in loss of data or | infrastructure; good policies and procedures covering GDPR and |
| business functionality | use of IT; update IT system (incl back up); put strong IT provider in |
| place; put in place IT disaster recovery plan; provide staf training | |
| in new system; longer term IT strategy in place; business | |
| continuity plans including communications protocols | |
| Major Health and Safety Incident | Compliance with law and regulation; H&S induction with all staf; |
| update health and safety policy and procedures; Quality, Policy | |
| and Compliance Sub Committee in place; relaunch staf reps | |
| forum to raise issues and concerns; incident management policy | |
| and regular incident review; biennial H&S Audits & Fire Risk | |
| Assessments; enact changes based on reports from H&S Audit | |
| and Fire Risk Assessment | |
| Financial fraud | Strong fnancial procedures and controls; good audit in place; |
| further segregation of duties | |
| Signifcantly increased operating | Regular oversight of fnancial performance and forecasts |
| costs resulting from the cost of | at the Finance Subcommittee; procurement approach |
| living crisis and prevailing high | embedded to seek value for money; regular budget |
| infation rates. | meetings with staf team; emergency fundraising appeal |
| to cover exceptional costs |
40 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
Reserves policy and going concern
Going concern
The Charity has sufficient reserves in place for the medium term. There is still some uncertainty about the wider fundraising environment. This is combined with ongoing inflationary pressure on both pay and non-pay costs. Within this context, the 2024/25 budget indicates a moderate deficit, under the assumption of sensible growth to some fundraising streams, offset by increasing expenditure to maintain resourcing levels and continue to develop our supporting infrastructure. The targeted minimum level of reserves remains at least £1.7m. There continues to be an emphasis on identifying and implementing cost-saving measures to ensure that we remain ahead of this target. The trustees are reviewing financial performance, along with short- and medium-term financial forecasts, and are confident that the charity’s reserves are adequate to meet our requirements in the coming year.
The charity’s reserves policy has been reviewed in light of the 2023/24 results, with some movements in designated funds. A more detailed assessment of the reserves policy will be undertaken once there is more certainty around current year performance. Trustees have reviewed a forecast covering the period to the end of 2025/26 and will also review projections for the next three and five years, to give further consideration for the medium-term impact on reserve balances, along with any potential mitigating actions. The trustees are comfortable over the use of the going concern basis in the preparation of the financial statements.
Reserves
The Board regularly monitors the level of unrestricted reserves on the charity’s balance sheet. This is done to ensure the continuation of The Connection’s services for the foreseeable future. The Charity’s reserves policy was reviewed at the 2023/24 year-end. Total funds amount to £2.8m (2023: £3.1m) of which £0.1m is restricted, including £90k for service delivery projects, £43k for improvement works to our showers at Adelaide Street, and £5k for an eco-audit due to be carried out in the summer of 2024.
The Connection’s total unrestricted reserves, excluding tangible fixed assets, amount to £2.5m (2023: £3.0m) and include both the general funds and those funds designated by the Board to develop specific areas of charitable work and to meet potential future obligations.
Included in the unrestricted funds are the following funds that the Board has designated for specific purposes.
- A A Capital Replacement Reserve of £935k (2023: £849k), designated to cover the cost of maintaining the infrastructure at Adelaide Street over the medium term.
41 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
-
B A Risk Reserve of £912k (2023: £964k), designated for the purposes of covering the cost of winding down the operations of the charity in the event of a sudden and irreparable drop in income. The cost includes the value of onerous contracts and obligated payments to staff and is recalculated at each year-end to ensure that the estimates remain valid.
-
C A Legacy Garden reserve of £94k, to cover the cost of a memorial garden to the poet Jenny Joseph, following the receipt of a large legacy in 2020.
Full details of reserves and designations are given in notes 19 and 20.
Structure, governance and management
The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 4 October 1999 and registered as a charity on 12 November 1999.
The company was established under a memorandum of association which set out the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its articles of association.
All trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no benefits from the charity. Any expenses reclaimed from the charity are set out in note 7 to the accounts.
Our trustees
Trustees, who are also directors under company law, who served during the year and up to the date of this report were as follows:
| Tim Jones | Chair | Luc Leclercq | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jill Kyne | Treasurer | Kunal Krishna | |
| Simon Rawson | Alicia Walker | ||
| Keith Starling | Frances Stainer | ||
| Peter Warren | Melvene Adams | Appointed 18/04/2023 | |
| Revd Dr Sam Wells | Anna Payton | Appointed 11/07/2023 | |
| Maeve Walsh | Jakes Ferguson | Appointed 11/07/2023 | |
| Catherine Cherry | Olivia Blaney | Appointed 11/07/2023 |
42 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
Key management personnel
| Pam Orchard | Chief Executive | Lanner Feltham | Director of Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maternity Cover, August | |||
| 2023 onwards | |||
| Sarah Makhlouf | Director of Services | Tony Wells | Director of Finance and |
| Resources (resigned | |||
| December 2023) | |||
| Elizabeth Charles | Director of Fundraising | Iain Chance | Director of Finance and |
| and Communications | Resources, March 2024 | ||
| (maternity leave from | onwards | ||
| August 2023 onwards) | |||
| Auditors | Sayer Vincent LLP,110 Golden Lane, London, EC1Y 0TG | ||
| Bankers | Coutts, 440 Strand, London, WC2R 0QS | ||
| Investment advisors | CCLA, Senator House, 85 Queen Victoria Street, London, | EC4V 4ET | |
| Solicitors | Russell Cooke, 2 Putney Hill, London, SW15 6AB |
Appointment of trustees
There is an open recruitment process for new trustees, which takes place on a cyclical basis. A Nominations Committee comprising existing board members selects and proposes new trustees to the main board.
Trustee induction and training
The Trustees came together as a group for a one-day programme at The Connection and have followed up with individual meetings with the Leadership Team and other staff.
Related parties and relationships with other organisations
Transactions we have with the St Martin-in-the-Fields organisations include:
-
Paying an annual licence fee for use of the building;
-
Payments for our share of utilities and other cross-site costs;
Receiving a grant from St Martin’s Charity related to the BBC Radio 4 Christmas Appeal;
- Receiving a grant from St Martin’s Development Trust related to the 18 Keys Building Project.
43 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
The related parties who are able to exert influence over these are:
-
Sam Wells, Vicar of St Martin’s, who has a governance role in each organisation on site, including as a trustee of The Connection.
-
Melvene Adams, who is a trustee of The Connection and the St Martin’s Trust, and a church warden of the St Martin’s Parochial Church Council.
Remuneration policy for key management personnel
The remuneration of the CEO is set on a National Joint Council (NJC) related scale so tied into other staff pay increases. The National Joint Council is the negotiating body which determines pay and conditions for local government services.
Pay for other key management personnel has been reviewed by the Remuneration and Nominations Committee. All are set on NJC-related pay scales, so are subject to the same cost of living increases as staff.
Public benefit statement
The trustees review the aims, objectives and activities of the charity each year. This report looks at what the charity has achieved and the outcomes of its work in the reporting period. The trustees report the success of each key activity and the benefits the charity has brought to those groups of people that it is set up to help. The review also helps the trustees ensure that the charity’s aims, objectives and activities remain focused on our stated purposes.
When carrying out this review of the charity’s aims, objectives and future plans, the trustees refer to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. In particular, the trustees consider how planned activities will contribute to the aims and objectives that have been set. The trustees are satisfied that the charity is operating for the public benefit.
Statement of trustees responsibilities
The trustees (who are also directors of The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees’ annual 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 group
44 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company or group for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
-
Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently
-
Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP
-
Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent
-
State whether applicable UK Accounting Standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements
-
Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate 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 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:
There is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company’s auditor is unaware
- The trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditor is aware of that information
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 preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
Members of the charity guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 to the assets of the charity in the event of winding up. The total number of such guarantees at year end date was 16 (2023: 12). The trustees are members of the charity but this entitles them only to voting rights. The trustees have no beneficial interest in the charity.
The trustees’ annual report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime.
The trustees’ annual report has been approved by the trustees on 17 September and signed on their behalf by
Tim Jones, Chair of Trustees
46 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024 Photo: Marc Gascoigne
Independent auditor’s report to the members of The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields (the ‘parent charitable company’) and its subsidiary (the ‘group’) for the year ended 31 March 2024 which comprise the consolidated statement of financial activities, the group and parent charitable company balance sheets, the consolidated statement of cash flows and the notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 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:
-
Give a true and fair view of the state of the group’s and of the parent charitable company’s affairs as at 31 March 2024 and of the group’s incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended
-
Have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice
-
Have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Act 2011
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 group 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. of maintaining the infrastructure at Adelaide Street over the medium term.
47 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
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 Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields’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 other information comprises the information included in the trustees’ annual report, other than the group financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the group 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 group 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 group 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.
Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:
-
The information given in the trustees’ annual report, for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements
-
The trustees’ annual report, has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements
48 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
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,
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 and Charities Act 2011 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
-
Adequate accounting records have not been kept by the parent charitable company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
-
The parent charitable company financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
-
Certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or
-
We have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
-
The directors were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies’ exemptions in preparing the trustees’ annual report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report.
Responsibilities of trustees
As explained more fully in the statement of trustees’ responsibilities set out in the trustees’ annual report, 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 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 group’s and 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 group or the parent charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
49 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements
We have been appointed auditor under the Companies Act 2006 and section 151 of the Charites Act 2011 and report in accordance with those Acts.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the 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 extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud are set out below.
Capability of the audit in detecting irregularities
In identifying and assessing risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, our procedures included the following:
We enquired of management, which included obtaining and reviewing supporting documentation, concerning the charity’s/ group’s policies and procedures relating to:
-
Identifying, evaluating, and complying with laws and regulations and whether they were aware of any instances of non-compliance;
-
Detecting and responding to the risks of fraud and whether they have knowledge of any actual, suspected, or alleged fraud;
-
The internal controls established to mitigate risks related to fraud or noncompliance with laws and regulations.
-
We inspected the minutes of meetings of those charged with governance.
-
We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework that the charity/ group operates in, focusing on those laws and regulations that had a material effect on the financial statements or that had a fundamental effect on the operations of the charity/group from our professional and sector experience.
-
We communicated applicable laws and regulations throughout the audit team and remained alert to any indications of non-compliance throughout the audit.
-
We reviewed any reports made to regulators.
50 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
-
We reviewed the financial statement disclosures and tested these to supporting documentation to assess compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
-
We performed analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships that may indicate risks of material misstatement due to fraud.
-
In addressing the risk of fraud through management override of controls, we tested the appropriateness of journal entries and other adjustments, assessed whether the judgements made in making accounting estimates are indicative of a potential bias and tested significant transactions that are unusual or those outside the normal course of business.
Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.
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 charitable company’s members as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and regulations made under section 154 of that Act. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the 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 charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
Judith Miller (Senior statutory auditor) 05/12/24
for and on behalf of Sayer Vincent LLP, Statutory Auditor, 110 Golden Lane, London, EC1Y 0TG
Sayer Vincent LLP is eligible to act as auditor in terms of section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006
51 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Statement of financial activities (incorporating an income and expenditure account) For the year ended 31 March 2024 Company registration number: 03852519
| Income from: Note Unrestricted £ Restricted £ 2024 Total £ Unrestricted £ Restricted £ 2023 Total £ Donations and legacies 2 3,379,728 273,029 3,652,757 3,624,249 42,670 3,666,919 Charitable activities Engagement & Assessment 3 - 578,432 578,432 - 492,253 492,253 Recovery 3 117,108 456,015 573,123 199,755 294,630 494,385 Enterprise 3 11,331 35,000 46,331 2,094 60,000 62,094 Other trading activities 4 183,968 - 183,968 119,581 - 119,581 Interest receivable and Investments 49,613 - 49,613 17,041 - 17,041 |
Income from: Note Unrestricted £ Restricted £ 2024 Total £ Unrestricted £ Restricted £ 2023 Total £ Donations and legacies 2 3,379,728 273,029 3,652,757 3,624,249 42,670 3,666,919 Charitable activities Engagement & Assessment 3 - 578,432 578,432 - 492,253 492,253 Recovery 3 117,108 456,015 573,123 199,755 294,630 494,385 Enterprise 3 11,331 35,000 46,331 2,094 60,000 62,094 Other trading activities 4 183,968 - 183,968 119,581 - 119,581 Interest receivable and Investments 49,613 - 49,613 17,041 - 17,041 |
Income from: Note Unrestricted £ Restricted £ 2024 Total £ Unrestricted £ Restricted £ 2023 Total £ Donations and legacies 2 3,379,728 273,029 3,652,757 3,624,249 42,670 3,666,919 Charitable activities Engagement & Assessment 3 - 578,432 578,432 - 492,253 492,253 Recovery 3 117,108 456,015 573,123 199,755 294,630 494,385 Enterprise 3 11,331 35,000 46,331 2,094 60,000 62,094 Other trading activities 4 183,968 - 183,968 119,581 - 119,581 Interest receivable and Investments 49,613 - 49,613 17,041 - 17,041 |
|---|---|---|
| Total income | 3,741,747 1,342,476 5,084,223 |
3,962,720 889,553 4,852,273 |
| Expenditure on: Raising funds 5a Charitable activities Engagement & Assessment 5a Recovery 5a Impact & Evidence 5a Enterprise 5a |
757,966 1,865,170 575,361 1,461,635 684,622 - 757,966 2,440,531 2,146,257 159,871 - 159,871 13,229 47,721 60,950 |
779,610 - 779,610 1,660,718 502,253 2,162,971 1,734,761 366,170 2,100,931 246,417 - 246,417 - 47,279 47,279 |
| Total expenditure | 4,257,872 1,307,703 5,565,575 |
4,421,506 915,702 5,337,208 |
| Net income/(expenditure) for the year and net movement in funds 6 Net gains/(losses) on investments |
(516,125) 34,773 (481,352) 108,416 - 108,416 |
(458,786) (26,149) (484,935) (16,877) - (16,877) |
| Net movement in funds: | (407,709) 34,773 372,936 |
(475,663) (26,149) (501,812) |
| Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward |
3,039,042 103,090 3,142,132 |
3,514,705 129,239 3,643,944 |
| Total funds carried forward | 2,631,334 137,863 2,769,196 |
3,039,042 103,090 3,142,132 |
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 20a to the financial statements.
52 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Balance sheet as at 31 March 2024
Company registration number: 03852519
| The Group The Charity Note 2024 £ 2023 £ 2024 £ 2023 £ Fixed assets: Tangible assets 10 134,785 76,091 134,785 76,091 Investments 12 934,500 826,084 934,500 828,084 1,069,285 902,175 1,069,285 904,175 Current assets: Stock 5,825 10,554 5,825 10,554 Debtors 11 381,012 171,798 381,012 189,388 Cash at bank and in hand 1,779,652 2,373,516 1,779,652 2,364,116 2,166,489 2,555,868 2,166,489 2,564,058 Liabilities: Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 13 466,578 315,911 466,578 315,911 |
The Group The Charity Note 2024 £ 2023 £ 2024 £ 2023 £ Fixed assets: Tangible assets 10 134,785 76,091 134,785 76,091 Investments 12 934,500 826,084 934,500 828,084 1,069,285 902,175 1,069,285 904,175 Current assets: Stock 5,825 10,554 5,825 10,554 Debtors 11 381,012 171,798 381,012 189,388 Cash at bank and in hand 1,779,652 2,373,516 1,779,652 2,364,116 2,166,489 2,555,868 2,166,489 2,564,058 Liabilities: Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 13 466,578 315,911 466,578 315,911 |
The Group The Charity Note 2024 £ 2023 £ 2024 £ 2023 £ Fixed assets: Tangible assets 10 134,785 76,091 134,785 76,091 Investments 12 934,500 826,084 934,500 828,084 1,069,285 902,175 1,069,285 904,175 Current assets: Stock 5,825 10,554 5,825 10,554 Debtors 11 381,012 171,798 381,012 189,388 Cash at bank and in hand 1,779,652 2,373,516 1,779,652 2,364,116 2,166,489 2,555,868 2,166,489 2,564,058 Liabilities: Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 13 466,578 315,911 466,578 315,911 |
The Group The Charity Note 2024 £ 2023 £ 2024 £ 2023 £ Fixed assets: Tangible assets 10 134,785 76,091 134,785 76,091 Investments 12 934,500 826,084 934,500 828,084 1,069,285 902,175 1,069,285 904,175 Current assets: Stock 5,825 10,554 5,825 10,554 Debtors 11 381,012 171,798 381,012 189,388 Cash at bank and in hand 1,779,652 2,373,516 1,779,652 2,364,116 2,166,489 2,555,868 2,166,489 2,564,058 Liabilities: Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 13 466,578 315,911 466,578 315,911 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Group 2024 £ 2023 £ 134,785 76,091 934,500 826,084 1,069,285 902,175 5,825 10,554 381,012 171,798 1,779,652 2,373,516 2,166,489 2,555,868 466,578 315,911 |
The Charity 2024 £ 2023 £ 134,785 76,091 934,500 828,084 1,069,285 904,175 5,825 10,554 381,012 189,388 1,779,652 2,364,116 2,166,489 2,564,058 466,578 315,911 |
||
| Net current assets / (liabilities) | 1,699,911 2,239,957 |
1,699,911 2,248,147 |
|
| Total net assets / (liabilities) | 2,769,196 3,142,132 |
2,769,196 3,152,322 |
|
| The funds of the charity: Restricted income funds Unrestricted income funds: Designated funds General funds |
20 20 |
137,863 103,090 2,017,415 2,427,851 613,919 611,191 |
137,863 103,090 2,017,415 2,427,851 613,919 621,381 |
| Total unrestricted funds | 2,631,334 3,039,042 |
2,631,334 3,049,232 |
|
| Total charity funds | 2,769,196 3,142,132 |
2,769,196 3,152,322 |
|
Approved by the Trustees on 17th September and signed on their behalf by
Mr Tim Jones Chair of Trustees
53 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Statement of cash flows for the year ended 31 March 2024 Company registration number: 03852519
| Reconciliation of net income / (expenditure) to net cash fow from operating activities Net income/(expenditure) for the reporting period (as per the statement of fnancial activities) Receipt of net liabilities and working capital from Show Your Connection Depreciation charges Dividends, interest and rent from investments (Increase)/decrease in stocks (Increase)/decrease in debtors Increase/(decrease) in creditors |
||||||
| 2024 £ (481,352) (8,729) 27,338 (49,613) 4,729 (209,214) 150,667 |
2023 £ (484,935) 0 17,789 (17,041) 719 309,216 (72,351) |
|||||
| Net cash (used in) operating activities | (566,173) | (246,603) | ||||
| Cash fows from operating activities Net cash (used in) operating activities Cash fows from investing activities: Dividends, interest and rents from investments Purchase of fxed assets Net cash provided by / (used in) investing activities Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year |
||||||
| 2024 £ (566,173) 49,613 (77,303) (27,691) (593,864) 2,373,516 1,779,652 |
2023 £ (246,603) 17,041 (35,099) (18,058) (264,661) 2,638,177 2,373,516 |
|||||
| (593,864) 2,373,516 |
(264,661) 2,638,177 |
|||||
| Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year | 1,779,652 | 2,373,516 | ||||
54 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024 Company registration number: 03852519
1. Accounting policies
a) Statutory information
The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields is a charitable company limited by guarantee and is incorporated in the United Kingdom. The registered office address is 12 Adelaide Street, London, WC2N 4HW.
b) Basis of preparation
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 (FRS 102) - (Charities SORP FRS 102), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.
These financial statements consolidate the results of the charity and its wholly-owned subsidiary Show Your Connection Limited on a line by line basis. Transactions and balances between the charity and its subsidiary have been eliminated from the consolidated financial statements. Balances between the two entities are disclosed in the notes of the charity's balance sheet. A separate statement of financial activities, or income and expenditure account, for the charity itself is not presented because the charity has taken advantage of the exemptions afforded by section 408 of the Companies Act 2006.
Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy or note.
c) Public benefit entity
The charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.
d) Going concern
The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.
The trustees do not consider that there are any sources of estimation uncertainty at the reporting date that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next reporting period.
e) Income
Income from Statutory and other grants, whether ‘capital’ grants or ‘revenue’ grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred.
For legacies, entitlement is taken as the earlier of the date on which either: the charity is aware that probate has been granted, the estate has been finalised and notification has been made by the executor(s) to the charity that a distribution will be made, or when a distribution is received from the estate. Receipt of a legacy, in whole or in part, is only considered probable when the amount can be measured reliably and the charity has been notified of the executor’s intention to make a distribution. Where legacies have been notified to the charity, or the charity is aware of the granting of probate, and the criteria for income recognition have not been met, then the legacy is a treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material.
Income from sales of goods is recognised once the significant risks and rewards of ownership of the goods has been transferred to the buyer.
Income received in advance of the provision of a specified service is deferred until the criteria for income recognition are met.
f) Interest receivable and investment income
Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank. Investment income includes realised and unrealised income from investment assets.
55 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
g) Donations of gifts, services and facilities
Donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item or received the service, any conditions associated with the donation have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the item is probable and that economic benefit can be measured reliably.
In accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), volunteer time is not recognised so refer to the trustees’ annual report for more information about their contribution.
On receipt, donated gifts, professional services and donated facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.
h) Fund accounting
Restricted funds are to be used for specific purposes as laid down by the donor. Expenditure which meets these criteria is charged to the fund.
Unrestricted funds are donations and other incoming resources received or generated for the charitable purposes.
Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular purposes.
i) Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified under the following activity headings:
-
Costs of raising funds relate to the costs incurred by the charity in inducing third parties to make voluntary contributions to it, as well as the cost of any activities with a fundraising purpose
-
Expenditure on charitable activities includes the costs of delivering services undertaken to further the purposes of the charity and their associated support costs
Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.
j) Allocation of direct support and indirect costs
Resources expended are allocated to the particular activity to which the expenditure directly relates. Support and indirect costs are also apportioned to those activities based on the allocation methodology shown below. Support costs are the costs that can be directly attributed to all areas of the organisation and include essentials such as the building, staff training, utilities, insurance, IT, and telephones. Indirect costs are the costs of HR, Finance and Leadership. Depending on the nature of the expenditure, the most appropriate of the two allocation methodologies below is used to allocate that expenditure to the appropriate activity. The percentages used for these allocations are shown below.
| Headcount FTE | Floor Area | |
|---|---|---|
| Engagement & Assessment | 40% | 51% |
| Recovery | 22% | 24% |
| Impact & Evidence | 3% | 3% |
| Enterprise | 0% | 0% |
| Fundraising & Communications | 19% | 9% |
| Finance | 4% | 3% |
| Human Resources | 5% | 4% |
| Leadership & Governance | 8% | 6% |
56 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
1. Accounting policies (continued)
k) 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 on a straight line basis over the minimum lease term.
l) Tangible fixed assets
Items of equipment are capitalised where the purchase price exceeds £2,500. Depreciation costs are allocated to activities on the basis of the use of the related assets in those activities. Assets are reviewed for impairment if circumstances indicate their carrying value may exceed their net realisable value and value in use. 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:
-
Fixtures, fittings and equipment: 5 years
-
IT hardware: 3 years
-
Property: 50 years.
In all cases depreciation is calculated using the straight line method. The freehold property is not depreciated. See note 10 for depreciation of the leasehold property
m) Stocks
Stocks are stated at the lower of cost and net realisable value. Stock consists of goods for sale and café food supplies.
n) Debtors
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.
o) Cash at bank and in hand
Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account. This does not include any cash held within the charity’s investment portfolio.
p) Investments
Listed investments are valued at the quoted bid price at the reporting date.
r) Creditors and provisions
Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.
s) Pensions
Contributions to the Connection at St Martin’s money purchase pension schemes are recognised when the liability is due to be paid to the pension provider.
t) Financial instruments
The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
57 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
2. Income from donations and legacies
| Corporate Community Major donors Individuals Legacies Trusts St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity Friends of The Connection at St Martin’s St Martin-in-the-Fields Development Trust *Donations in Kind |
2024 2023 Unrestricted £ Restricted £ Total £ Unrestricted £ Restricted £ Total £ 482,383 4,050 486,433 524,749 9,500 534,249 49,755 - 49,755 17,323 - 17,323 502,068 2,000 504,068 340,875 - 340,875 272,218 - 272,218 340,768 500 341,268 765,988 - 765,988 1,070,329 - 1,070,329 119,750 81,500 201,250 103,670 - 103,670 800,000 - 800,000 800,000 - 800,000 387,566 - 387,566 417670 - 417,670 - 185,479 185,479 - 32,670 32,670 - - - 8,865 - 8,865 |
|---|---|
| 3,379,728 273,029 3,652,757 3,624,249 42,670 3,666,919 |
*Related parties.
58 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
3. Income from charitable activities
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | |
| Engagement & Assessment | ||||||
| Corporate | - | 142,218 | 142,218 | - | 206,690 | 206,690 |
| Statutory | - | 326,316 | 326,316 | - | 188,237 | 188,237 |
| Major donors | - | - | - | - | 25,500 | 25,500 |
| Individuals | - | 57,863 | 57,863 | - | 29,026 | 29,026 |
| Trusts | - | 52,035 | 52,035 | - | 42,800 | 42,800 |
| Sub-total for | ||||||
| Engagement & Assessment | - | 578,432 | 578,432 | - | 492,253 | 492,253 |
| Recovery | ||||||
| Statutory | - | 268,998 | 268,998 | - | 88,613 | 88,613 |
| Corporate | - | 90,800 | 90,800 | - | 75,000 | 75,000 |
| Charges to residents | 117,108 | - | 117,108 | 199,755 | - | 199,755 |
| Trusts | - | 96,217 | 96,217 | - | 131,017 | 131,017 |
| Sub-total for Recovery | 117,108 | 456,015 | 573,123 | 199,755 | 294,630 | 494,385 |
| Enterprise | ||||||
| Corporate | - | 35,000 | 35,000 | - | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Earned | 11,331 | - | 11,331 | 2,094 | - | 2,094 |
| Sub-total for Enterprise | 11,331 | 35,000 | 46,331 | 2,094 | 60,000 | 62,094 |
| Total charitable activities | 128,439 | 1,069,447 | 1,197,886 | 201,849 | 846,883 | 1,048,732 |
3b. Breakdown of Statutory income sources
| 2024 | 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Source | Nature | Amount £ | Amount £ |
| Westminster City Council | Westminster Outreach Contract | 75,000 | 75,000 |
| Westminster City Council | Winter Personalisation Fund | - | 100,000 |
| Westminster City Council | Severe Weather Emergency Protocol Activation |
69,587 | 13,237 |
| Westminster City Council | Rough Sleeping Accommodation Project | 94,164 | - |
| Westminster City Council | Additional Emergency Accommodation Funding - London hotel |
82,665 | - |
| Westminster City Council | Support | 5,560 | - |
| Wandsworth Council | Supporting People Contract | - | 82,816 |
| Wandsworth Council | Discretionary support | - | 5,797 |
| Other Statutory funding | Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme |
268,338 | - |
| 595,314 | 276,850 |
59 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
4. Income from other trading activities
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted £ | Restricted £ | Total £ | Unrestricted £ | Restricted £ | Total £ | |
| Events | 142,106 | - | 142,106 | 88,783 | - | 88,783 |
| Trading income | 12,809 | - | 12,809 | 8,705 | - | 8,705 |
| St Martin’s annual pilgrimage | 1,448 | - | 1,448 | 2,147 | - | 2,147 |
| Room bookings | 27,604 | - | 27,604 | 19,946 | - | 19,946 |
| 183,968 | - | 183,968 | 119,581 | - | 119,581 |
5a. Analysis of expenditure (current year)
| Staff costs (Note 7) Other direct costs Facilities & IT Catering Strategy & Leadership Finance People & Culture Data Protection Communications |
Raising funds £ 424,588 78,789 - - - - - - - |
Engagement and Assessment £ Recovery £ Impact and Evidence £ Enterprise £ 1,325,929 885,099 80,965 37,956 85,308 556,679 20,107 23,117 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Charitable activities |
Engagement and Assessment £ Recovery £ Impact and Evidence £ Enterprise £ 1,325,929 885,099 80,965 37,956 85,308 556,679 20,107 23,117 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Charitable activities |
Engagement and Assessment £ Recovery £ Impact and Evidence £ Enterprise £ 1,325,929 885,099 80,965 37,956 85,308 556,679 20,107 23,117 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Charitable activities |
Engagement and Assessment £ Recovery £ Impact and Evidence £ Enterprise £ 1,325,929 885,099 80,965 37,956 85,308 556,679 20,107 23,117 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Charitable activities |
Governance costs £ Support costs £ 2024 Total £ 2024 Total £ - 799,863 3,554,400 3,379,394 15,480 - 779,480 839,541 - 996,329 996,329 929,096 - 68,394 68,394 58,802 - 16,244 16,244 10,284 - 27,364 27,364 21,331 - 91,889 91,889 61,260 - 3,297 3,297 1,246 - 28,178 28,178 36,253 |
Governance costs £ Support costs £ 2024 Total £ 2024 Total £ - 799,863 3,554,400 3,379,394 15,480 - 779,480 839,541 - 996,329 996,329 929,096 - 68,394 68,394 58,802 - 16,244 16,244 10,284 - 27,364 27,364 21,331 - 91,889 91,889 61,260 - 3,297 3,297 1,246 - 28,178 28,178 36,253 |
Governance costs £ Support costs £ 2024 Total £ 2024 Total £ - 799,863 3,554,400 3,379,394 15,480 - 779,480 839,541 - 996,329 996,329 929,096 - 68,394 68,394 58,802 - 16,244 16,244 10,284 - 27,364 27,364 21,331 - 91,889 91,889 61,260 - 3,297 3,297 1,246 - 28,178 28,178 36,253 |
Governance costs £ Support costs £ 2024 Total £ 2024 Total £ - 799,863 3,554,400 3,379,394 15,480 - 779,480 839,541 - 996,329 996,329 929,096 - 68,394 68,394 58,802 - 16,244 16,244 10,284 - 27,364 27,364 21,331 - 91,889 91,889 61,260 - 3,297 3,297 1,246 - 28,178 28,178 36,253 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 503,377 | 1,411,238 | 1,441,778 | 101,071 | 61,073 | 15,480 | 2,031,559 | 5,565,575 | 5,337,207 | |
| Support costs Governance costs Total expenditure 2024 Total expenditure 2023 |
252,458 2,132 |
1,022,430 6,863 |
698,443 6,036 |
58,350 450 |
(123) - |
- (15,480) |
(2,031,559) - |
- - |
- - |
| 757,966 | 2,440,531 | 2,146,257 | 159,871 | 60,950 | - | - | 5,565,575 | - | |
| 779,610 | 2,162,971 | 2,100,931 | 246,417 | 47,279 | - | - | - | 5,337,207 | |
60 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
5b. Analysis of expenditure (prior year)
| Staff costs (Note 7) Other direct costs Facilities & IT Catering Strategy & Leadership Finance People & Culture Data Protection Communications |
Raising funds £ 473,721 79,561 - - - - - - - |
Engagement and Assessment £ 1,093,419 150,772 - - - - - - - |
Recovery £ 901,583 564,709 - - - - - - - Charitable a |
Impact and Evidence £ 139,118 23,940 - - - - - - - ctivities |
Enterprise £ 41,210 6,069 - - - - - - - |
Governance costs £ - 14,490 - - - - - - - |
Support costs £ 730,343 - 929,096 58,802 10,284 21,331 61,260 1,246 36,253 |
2023 Total £ 3,379,394 839,541 929,096 58,802 10,284 21,331 61,260 1,246 36,253 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 553,282 | 1,244,191 | 1,466,292 | 163,058 | 47,279 | 14,490 | 1,848,615 | 5,337,207 | |
| Support costs Governance costs Total expenditure 2023 |
274,579 2,152 |
761,799 5,971 |
725,447 5,686 |
86,789 680 |
- - |
- (14,490) |
(1,848,615) - |
- - |
| 830,013 | 2,011,961 | 2,197,425 | 250,527 | 47,279 | - | - | 5,337,207 | |
61 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
6. Net income / (expenditure) for the year
This is stated after charging:
| Depreciation Operating lease rentals: Property Other Auditors’ remuneration (excluding VAT): Audit* |
2024 £ 2023 £ 27,338 17,789 369,103 331,097 10,947 13,051 |
2024 £ 2023 £ 27,338 17,789 369,103 331,097 10,947 13,051 |
2024 £ 2023 £ 27,338 17,789 369,103 331,097 10,947 13,051 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12,900 | 12,075 |
- A licence fee is paid to St Martin’s Church of £135,000 (2023: £130,000). In addition, St Martin’s Church was reimbursed £234,103 (2023: £201,097 ) for costs incurred on behalf of the charity. St Martin’s Church is regarded as a related party since one of the St Martin’s Church Trustees is also Trustee of The Connection at St Martin’s.
7. Analysis of staff costs, Trustee remuneration and expenses, and the cost of key management personnel
Staff costs were as follows:
| Salaries and wages Redundancy and termination costs Social security costs Employer’s contribution to defned contribution pension schemes Agency staff (sickness and holiday cover and third party) |
2024 £ 2023 £ 2,918,705 2,858,027 1,100 7,500 303,968 309,648 133,425 138,385 197,202 65,834 |
|---|---|
| 3,554,400 3,379,394 |
|
The following number of employees received employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs and employer’s national insurance) during the year between:
| 2024 | no. | 2023 | no. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £60,000 | - £69,999 | 1 | 2 | ||
| £70,000 | - £79,999 | - | - | ||
| £80,000 | - £89,999 | - | 1 | ||
| £90,000 | - £99,999 | 1 | - |
The total employee benefits (including pension contributions and employer’s national insurance) of the key management personnel were £351,442 (2023: £323,001).
The charity trustees were neither paid nor received any other benefits from employment with the charity in the year (2023: £nil). No charity trustee received payment for professional or other services supplied to the charity (2023: £nil).
Trustees’ expenses represents the payment or reimbursement of travel and subsistence costs totalling £nil (2023: £nil) incurred by no (2023: none) members relating to attendance at meetings of the trustees.
62 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
8. Staff numbers
The average number of employees (head count based on number of staff employed) during the year was 76 (2023: 78). The full time equivalent head count for the year was 70 (2023: 72).
Staff are split across the activities of the charitable company as follows, based on full time equivalents:
| Raising funds Engagement & Assessment Recovery Impact & Evidence Enterprise Support staff, including governance |
2024 no. 2023 no. 9.2 11.1 25.9 25.3 14.4 18.9 1.8 3.2 0.7 0.7 18.4 13.1 |
|---|---|
| 70.3 72.3 |
|
9. Taxation
The charitable company is exempt from corporation tax as all its income is charitable and is applied for charitable purposes.
10. Tangible fixed assets (group and charity)
| Cost or valuation 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 Eliminated on disposal At the end of the year Net book value At the end of the year At the start of the year |
Assets Under Construction Freehold property & improvements £ Leasehold property £ Fixtures, fttings & equipment £ IT hardware £ Total £ - 87,595 1 127,421 292,940 507,957 65,207 - - - 12,096 77,303 - - - (30,013) (15,934) (45,948) |
|---|---|
| 65,207 87,595 1 97,408 289,102 539,313 |
|
| - 40,382 - 121,944 269,540 431,866 - - - 2,877 15,732 18,609 - - - (30,013) (15,934) (45,947) |
|
| - 40,382 - 94,807 269,338 404,528 |
|
| 65,207 47,213 1 2,600 19,763 134,785 |
|
| - 47,213 1 5,477 23,400 76,091 |
63 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
Property with a value of £87,595 (2023: £87,595) is included in freehold property and no longer depreciated because the directors are confident that the market value exceeds the net book value. The Connection at St Martin’s owns the freehold on St Martin’s House, which is on a long lease at a peppercorn rent to L&Q Housing. L&Q refurbished and manage the property and lease it back to The Connection at St Martin’s.
The Board of Trustees consider that due to restrictive covenants placed on the use of 12 Adelaide Street, the leasehold property has no commercial value, and a nominal amount of £1 is included in the financial statements.
All of the above assets are used for charitable purposes.
11. Debtors
| 11. Debtors Trade debtors Prepayments Accrued income Amounts owed by group undertaking Other Debtors |
||
|---|---|---|
| The Group 2024 £ 2023 £ 68,385 44,381 72,378 92,958 227,893 21,291 - - 12,357 13,168 |
The Charity 2024 £ 2023 £ 68,385 42,303 72,378 92,958 227,893 21,291 - 19,668 12,357 13,168 |
|
| 381,012 171,798 |
381,012 189,388 |
|
12. Investments (group and charity)
| Market Value at beginning of year Gains / (losses) on re-measurement to fair value Market Value Historical cost |
2024 £ 2023 £ 826,084 842,961 108,416 (16,877) 934,500 826,084 |
|---|---|
| 750,000 750,000 |
All current asset investments are units in shares held in the COIF Charities Investment Fund which is traded on a regular basis. The total gain recognised on these investments in the period was £108,416 (2023: loss of £16,877) representing the fair value re-measurements shown above.
13. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
| Trade creditors Taxation and social security Accruals Deferred income (note 14) Other creditors |
||
|---|---|---|
| The Group 2024 £ 2023 £ 162,450 45,216 77,962 76,520 132,432 135,394 77,253 35,000 16,482 23,781 |
The Charity 2024 £ 2023 £ 162,450 45,216 77,962 76,520 132,432 135,394 77,253 35,000 16,482 23,781 |
|
| 466,578 315,911 |
466,578 315,911 |
|
64 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
14. Deferred income
Deferred income of £77,253 (2023: £35,000) represents grants and statutory income received in advance of the year end for intended application after 31 March 2024. No income was deferred for more than one year (2023: £0)
| Balance at the beginning of the year Amount released to income in the year Amount deferred in the year Balance at the end of the year |
||
|---|---|---|
| TheGroup 2024 £ 2023 £ 35,000 35,000 (54,000) (35,000) 96,253 35,000 |
TheCharity 2024 £ 2023 £ 35,000 35,000 (54,000) (35,000) 96,253 35,000 |
|
| 77,253 35,000 |
77,253 35,000 |
|
15. Creditors: amounts falling due after one year
The charity has no liabilities falling due after one year.
16. Pension scheme
The company operates a defined contribution purchase pension scheme for qualifying employees. There are defined contribution schemes not open to new staff. The schemes are:
-
Peoples Pension (DC). Members at year end date: 67
-
Scottish Widows Pension (DC). Members at year end date: 6
-
Friends Life#1 & Engage Mutual Insurance. One member each at year end date in these DC schemes (Total 2)
65 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
17. Subsidiary undertaking
The charity owns the whole of the issued ordinary share capital of Show Your Connection Limited, a company registered in England. The company number is 12510611. The registered office address is 12 Adelaide Street, London WC2N 4HW.
The subsidiary is used for non-primary purpose trading activities. All activities have been consolidated on a line by line basis in the statement of financial activities. Available profits are distributed under Gift Aid to the parent charity.
The trustee Keith Starling, together with the Chief Executive were also directors of the subsidiary.
Our trading subsidiary, Show Your Connection Limited, was wound up on 17th November 2023 and its net assets were transferred to the Charity.
A summary of the results of the subsidiary is shown below:
| Turnover Gross proft / (loss) Administrative expenses Management charge payable to parent undertaking Proft/(loss) on ordinary activities before interest and taxation Proft / (loss) for the fnancial year Retained earnings Total retained earnings brought forward Proft / (loss) for the fnancial year Total retained earnings at period end The aggregate of the assets, liabilities and reserves, as at 17th November 2023, was: Assets Liabilities Reserves Net liability transferred to parent charity Remaining balance at 31st March 2024 |
2024 £ 2023 £ 13,076 51,056 |
|---|---|
| 13,076 51,056 55 191 |
|
| 12,530 47,078 |
|
| 491 3,786 |
|
| 491 3,786 |
|
| (8,190) (11,976) |
|
| 491 3,786 |
|
| (7,698) (8,190) |
|
| - 11,478 |
|
| 7,698 19,668 |
|
| (7,698) (8,190) |
|
| (7,698) - |
|
| - |
Amounts owed to/from the parent undertaking are shown in note 11.
18. Parent charity
The parent charity’s gross income and the results for the year are disclosed as follows:
| 2024 £ | 2023 £ | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross income | 5,084,223 | 4,890,650 |
| Result for the year | (372,936) | (505,598) |
66 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
19a. Analysis of group net assets between funds (current year)
| Tangible fxed assets Fixed asset investments Net current assets Net assets at 31 March 2024 |
General unrestricted £ Designated £ Restricted £ Total funds £ 134,785 - - 134,785 - 934,500 - 934,500 479,134 1,082,915 137,863 1,699,911 |
|---|---|
| 613,919 2,017,415 137,863 2,769,196 |
19b. Analysis of group net assets between funds (prior year)
| Tangible fxed assets Fixed asset investments Net current assets Net assets at 31 March 2023 |
General unrestricted £ Designated £ Restricted £ Total funds £ 76,091 - - 76,091 - 826,084 - 826,084 535,100 1,601,767 103,090 2,239,957 |
|---|---|
| 611,191 2,427,851 103,090 3,142,132 |
67 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
20a. Movements in funds (current year)
| Restricted funds: Engagement & Assessment Centre Services Street Engagement Severe Weather Emergency Protocols (SWEP) Recovery St Martin’s House Recovery & Opportunities Rough Sleeping Accommodation Project (RSAP) Women’s Development Unit Support Services Social Bite Campaign Eco Audit Running Costs Enterprise Enterprise Development Capital Projects St Martin’s House Development Project (18 Keys) Facilities Upgrades Total restricted funds Unrestricted funds: Designated funds: Lease fund Capital replacement fund Jenny Joseph Legacy Garden Reserve Risk Reserve St Martin’s House Transition Reserve Strategic Development Reserve Total designated funds General funds Total unrestricted funds Total funds |
At 1 April 2023 £ Income & gains £ Expenditure & losses £ Transfers £ At 31 March 2024 £ - 94,628 (94,628) - - - 362,646 (362,646) - - - 73,087 (73,087) - - - 407,611 (407,611) - - 15,000 115,845 (130,845) - - - 94,164 (50,098) - 44,066 - 75,000 (28,949) - 46,051 - 4,850 (4,850) - - - 5,000 - - 5,000 - 45,000 (45,000) - - 12,721 35,000 (47,721) - - 32,623 29,645 (62,268) - - 42,746 - - - 42,746 |
|---|---|
| 103,090 1,342,476 (1,307,703) - 137,863 |
|
| 27,000 - - (1,500) 25,500 849,373 108,416 - (23,289) 934,500 93,663 - - - 93,663 911,945 - - 51,807 963,752 20,159 - (20,159) - - 525,711 - (343,038) (182,673) - |
|
| 2,427,851 108,416 (363,197) (155,656) 2,017,415 |
|
| 611,191 3,741,747 (3,894,675) 155,656 613,919 |
|
| 3,039,042 3,850,163 (4,257,871) - 2,631,334 |
|
| 3,142,132 5,192,639 (5,565,575) - 2,769,196 |
The narrative to explain the purpose of each fund is given at the foot of the note below.
68 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
20b. Movements in funds (prior year)
| Restricted funds: Engagement & Assessment Centre Services Street Engagement Emergency Accommodation Services Recovery Housing & Resettlement St Martin's House Recovery & Opportunities Women’s Development Unit Impact & Evidence Systems Change Project Support Services St Martin's House Development Project Courtyard Garden Project Client Food Service Building Improvements Enterprise Enterprise Development Total restricted funds Unrestricted funds: Designated funds: Lease fund Capital replacement fund Jenny Joseph Legacy Garden Reserve Risk Reserve St Martin’s House Transition Reserve Additional approved expenditure Total designated funds General funds Total unrestricted funds Total funds |
At 1 April 2022 £ Income & gains £ Expenditure & losses £ Transfers £ At 31 March 2023 £ - 83,650 (83,650) - - - 408,603 (408,603) - - - - - - - 10,000 5,000 (15,000) - - - 95,669 (95,669) - - 15,000 118,961 (118,961) - 15,000 26,700 75,000 (101,700) - - - - - - - 34,793 28,685 (30,855) - 32,623 - 3,985 (3,985) - - - 5,000 (5,000) - - 42,746 5,000 (5,000) - 42,746 - 60,000 (47,279) - 12,721 |
|---|---|
| 129,239 889,553 (915,702) - 103,090 |
|
| 28,500 - - (1,500) 27,000 866,250 - (16,877) 849,373 100,000 - (6,337) 93,663 909,693 - - 2,252 911,945 117,268 - (97,109) 20,159 868,587 - (342,876) 525,711 |
|
| 2,890,298 - (463,199) 752 2,427,851 |
|
| 624,407 3,962,720 (3,975,184) (752) 611,191 |
|
| 3,514,705 3,962,720 (4,438,383) - 3,039,042 |
|
| 3,643,944 4,852,273 (5,354,085) - 3,142,132 |
The narrative to explain the purpose of each fund is given at the foot of the note below.
69 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
20c. Purposes of restricted funds
The majority of restricted funds that the charity receives are restricted to a particular service, and are usually spent within the year of receipt. Where the restriction is more specific, it is identified within the appropriate service.
Engagement & Assessment Services received restricted donations for:
-
Centre Services: Contributions to the running of the Day Centre at Adelaide Street during the COVID-19 outbreak and recovery.
-
Street Engagement: Contributions to the operations of the outreach team.
-
SWEP Protocols: Funding for our additional service provision during periods of severe weather.
-
Emergency Accommodation: Contributions to the operation of the accommodation provided at The Bridge and hotels in place of the Night Centre at Adelaide Street.
Recovery Services received restricted donations for:
-
Housing & Resettlement: Donations towards our Housing & Resettlement work.
-
Migration: Donations towards our work with migrants.
-
Recovery & Opportunities: Donations towards our recovery programme and employment work.
-
St Martin’s House: Funding for our service for women at St Martin’s House.
-
Women’s Development Unit: Contributions towards our work with female rough sleepers.
-
RSAP: Statutory funding from the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme.
Support Services received restricted donations fo:
-
Social Bite campaign - funding for catering for clients
-
Eco Audit: to carry out an audit of the impact that our organisation has on the environment, due to take place in 2024/25.
-
Running costs: to offset the increase to electricity, gas, water and food costs.
Capital Projects received restricted donations fo:
-
St Martin’s House Development Project (18 Keys): Donations towards the capital development project on our property at St Martin’s House.
-
Facilities Upgrades: Improvements to our Adelaide Street building, including refurbishment of the client showers.
Purposes of designated Funds:
Lease fund
This reserve is designated from the lease payment received from London & Quadrant Housing Association for St Martin’s House. This is being transferred to general reserves over the remaining life of the lease at a rate of £1,500 per annum.
Capital Replacement Reserve
The reserve was initially established to meet costs in the short to middle-term of maintaining the infrastructure at 12 Adelaide St. It has now been 15 years since the 2008 building renewal programme and the likelihood of wear-and-tear increases with time. A maintenance reserve of £750,000 was established to meet the anticipated future medium / longer term costs related to maintaining the infrastructure at 12 Adelaide Street. The monies supporting this fund are invested with our investment managers and the investment return will be a key component to our funding of these future costs expected to be incurred in years 6 through 15 of our lease on the properties. If donations are received for a portion of these costs the fund will be reduced accordingly.
Jenny Joseph Legacy Garden Fund
This fund was designated to reflect the Charity’s decision to use some of the funds left in a legacy in the creation of a memorial in the courtyard garden, and is intended for use within the next three years.
Risk Reserve
This fund is designated to ensure that adequate funds are held to enable the Charity to continue to meet its financial obligations in the event of a sudden and immediate decrease in income.
St Martin’s House Transition Reserve
The reserve was held to cover the anticipated costs of the transition from the old service model at St Martin’s House to the new in the current and next financial year. This transition has now been completed.
70 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
Strategic Development Reserve
This reserve was funded by an increase in donations received during the pandemic and was designated to fund additional innovations and projects identified as we came out of that period. These projects have now been completed and the remaining funds have been used to increase the Risk Reserve, with the balance increasing our general funds.
21. Operating lease commitments
The charity’s total future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases is as follows for each of the following periods.
| Less than one year One to fve years Over fve years |
Land and buildings Equipment 2024 £ 2023 £ 2024 £ 2023 £ 228,908 223,028 10,437 10,947 974,613 951,003 22,475 32,913 1,930,143 2,429,263 - - |
|---|---|
| 3,133,664 3,603,294 32,913 43,860 |
22. Capital commitments
At the balance sheet date, the charity had committed to £nil (2023 £nil) capital commitments.
23. Contingent assets or liabilities
There were no contingent assets or liabilities as at the Balance Sheet date.
24. Legal status of the charity
The charity is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital. The liability of each member in the event of winding up is limited to £1.
25. Related parties
As disclosed in note 2, the charity received income from the Friends of St Martin’s of £387,566 (2023: £413,604).
Show Your Connection Ltd was a wholly owned subsidiary of the Charity. One trustee of the Charity was also a director of Show Your Connection Ltd. During the year costs totalling £12,530 (2023: £47,078) were recharged to Show Your Connection Ltd by the Charity, income totalling £13,076 (2023: 51,056) was passed from the Charity to Show Your Connection Ltd. Show Your Connection Ltd was wound up on 17th November 2023, and all net assets were passed to the Charity .
As the vicar of St Martin’s Church, Sam Wells is able to directly influence the Parochial Church Council and the St Martin’s group of organisations. As per note 7, the Connection at St Martin’s makes annual licence fee payments to St Martin’s Church of £135,000 (2023: £130,000), made payments of £234,103 (2023: £201,097) reimbursing St Martin’s Ltd and St Martin’s PCC for shared costs, as well as receiving £800,000 (2023:£ 800,000) from St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity in relation to the BBC Christmas Appeal (see note 2) and £185,479 from the St Martin’s Development Trust (2023: £32,670).
There are no donations from related parties which are outside the normal course of business and no restricted donations from related parties.
71 The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 31st 2024
www.connection-at-stmartins.org.uk fundraising@cstm.org.uk
The Connection at St Martin’s 12 Adelaide Street London WC2N 4HW
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Registered charity number: 1078201 Company number: 03852519
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