enslon Communlty Trust Charfty Reg Trumber 1C81887 Company ffj15tered In Engtand and Wales Compa¢)y Number 04184c•)O ASCENSION COMMUNITh TRUST Directors, Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 Ascension Communlty Trust Charity No. 1097887 Contents of the Flnanc5al Staterrents for the year errtled 31 March 2025 Page General Informatlon Trustee5' ReFKsrt Independent Examlner's Report to the TTU5tees Statement of Flnanclal Actlvlties Statement of Flnancial Posltion 10 Note5 to the FIna￿la[ Statements 11.15 %cpmsfon Commthlty Tnjst Charfty No. 1091887 Companles House Re8 Number 04184CKO0 General Informatlon for ihe year wded 31 htsrch 2025 Principal Address Ascension CoTnmunity Trust Ascension Church Centre Baxter Road Custom House London E16 3HJ DlrectorlTrustees Rev'd D Chesney N J Copsey C G Crornbie A Mact)onald F Johnson Iresi8ned 19 September 20241 MGJ Yeatts H Femandes ijolned 9 July 20241 Secretary P H Beaufrere Independent Examiner5 Brian Dexter Ar A Thousand HIIL5 Limlted 172 5andford Road East Ham LONDON E6 3PX page 2 Ascenslon Communply Trust Charlty No. 1091887 TnJ5tees' Report for the year ended 31 March Z025 The Trustees, who are a19) dlrectois for Ihe purpo*￿ of company law, have pleasure in presenting their report and financial staternents of the charftable cornpany for the year ended 31 March 2025. The Trustees have adopted and followed the pro￿$10n$ of -Accounting and Reportlng for Charitie5'. Siaternent of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance wlth the Financial Reportin8 Stsndard applicable in the UK and the Republlc of Ireland" IFRS102, effective l January 20191. 2024-25 was again a year of rapid chan8e for Ascension Community Trust IACTI. Our CEO moved on in June 2024 and our nèw CEO jolned In December 2024. We a￿ grateful to staff mernber5 and Trustee5 who wodted together to cover the period of the vacancy. Strurture and Governance Ascension Community Trust IS 8ovemed under the tems of its trust deed $18ned on 21 December 1997 and amended on 25 July 2LTh)3. Its Truslees meet a minlmum of slx times a year to manage the activitles of the trust. Charftable Objectfves Flve Year Objectlves (Set In January 20181: To reduce Isolatlon and loneliness arnongst the elderty, To Improve the health and wellbeing of the local comrnunlty. with a focus on mental healih. To reduce the vulnerabilily of strug8ling families. To integrate the comrnunity through community spaces, social activitie5 and volunteering. To improve the education of local young people through the provislon of activlties, including sport. To improve indlvlduals, own abillty lo address their Issues by provldin8 adwce and support for money, beneflts and employment. Wlth the appointment of a new CEO, our aim was to set a new 5-year vlsion for ACT. However, thts has yet to be undertaken, $0 for 2024125, the above objectives remaln core lo our commitment in serving the cornmunity of Custom Hosjse. Alwts and Objectlves In our last report we sel two main objectives.. establishlni an or8an15ational structure that was fit for purp)se and to Impn)ve sustainability, and . Improving svstainability through an Increase of Indi￿d￿al donors to the charity. Make the or8anlSatlc￿ structure flt for purpose In January 2025, Trustees agreed to contract out our HR and Ilealth and Safety function5 to Croner. Wlth the help and 5UPPOrt of Croner our staff handb¢)ok, health and safety pollcy and informallon for volunteers were reviewed and refreshed. Partnering wlth Croner has glven us acce55 to Bright HR and 8dght Safe piaifofm5. AFTron85t other functions, these platforms have many onllne CPD (continuing professlonal development) accredited tralning courses, enablinB U5 to Invest In the skills development of our staff. Tl)e Employee Asslstance Pro8ramme al￿ enables US to invest in the welfare of otsr staff. Future F4ans.' Adoption of Bright HRIBri8ht systems. Refreshing our IT system. Develop a mailln8 list of supporters. Adoptlon of CRM (customer relatlonship manaqementl software to better mana8e relationshlps with funders and don¢)rs. Implement Assemble platfonn for mana8ernent of volunteers. Improve sustalnablllty throu￿ an Increase of Inthvldual donor5 to the chartty Indivi¢Jual Ovlng was down thls year to 18,911 cornpared with £21,986 In 2023124. Thls was largely down to the CEO and Foodbank Manager's posts being vacant for part of the year. Both these posts are front-facing posts likely to engage with people wishin8 to make a d￿atIon. However, this is still su5talned pro8ress from our initial stsrting point of £2,995 for year ending March 2020. ..contlnued Ascenslon Cornmunlty Trust Charfty No. ICI31887 Trustees, Report for the year ended 31 March 2025 Publlc Beneflt Statement Ascens5on Community Trust is achievin8 publSc beneflt through the delivery of servlces to those Sn need in the London Borough of Newham. Servlces Include provlslon of foc¥i, activltle5, advlce and tralnln8 for some of the m05t vulnerable people In Newham. Achlevements and Performance Chlldren's Work {Includln8 Ascenslon Football Academy} YouryAotrentur•rs afterschool club Followln8 comrnunlty consultatlon In 2020, the club was set up and run wlth support from the Garfield Weston Foundation. For the 2024-2025 period, we ran 40 weeks of afterschool club sesslons lor 25 chlldren, and 4 weeks of holiday club activitie5 for 150 children. We contlnued to operate wlth a child-centred approach, respectin8 the Indlvidual need5 of each chlld. We also provided nulritlous food. The ser￿ce prornotes equallty and valves diverslty, We contlnue to InvrAve the chlldren and iheir parents in declslon-makin8. Our partnershlps with local schools contlnued to strer$8then throuBh word of mouth and targeted outreach with attendance Improved as a rewlt, leadin8 to on8oln8 posltlve feedback from parents and the chlldren themselves, Impact 60% 01 chlldren showed Improved life skllls Isoclal skllls. independence, confldeTrce, emotlonal reslllence, behI￿OUr1. 25% developed new lrtendships and cornrnunlty connectlons. 10 youn8 people 8alned volUntee￿ni txpedence as young leaders durln8 the sumrner Kheme. F¢7QtballAcademy Our football academy provfdes Football Assoclat5on qualifled coachln8 for chlldren and young people, as well as profe551onal development opportunltles and tralnln8 In Ilfe 5kllls. Thls project utili5es ft)otball as a means of menlorln8 younA people, provtdin8 posltlve adult role models. It has also fostered a passion for sport in our area, whlch faces hllh rates of chlld obeslty amon85t other health outcomes. We are open to chlldren In years one to nlne, both rnale and fernale. The academy takes place throughout the school year at Royal Docks Cornmunlty School on Saturday rnornln8s. It costs £4 with free places bein8 offered to low-lncome families. fypically, we coach fifteen to twenty youn8 people per se551on. The acaderny has 8one from stren8th to strenBth. Last yèar we provided 40 Football Acaderny sesslons wlth mentorln8 for 39 ChIld￿n. FOod￿￿k Ascension Communlty Trust contlnues to be the lead partner for Newham D15trlct Foodbank. The other partners are Bonny Down CommunSty Assoclatlon and Si John's Communlty Centre. ToBether we are Newham Dlstrlct Foodbank - whlch is part of the Trussell Fo¢)dbank Network. Ascenslon Communlty Trust oversees the lovernance, communlcation and warehouse functlon for Newham Dlstrlct Foodbank. We also run one of the three dlstrlbution polnts It￿ others belnq St John'5 al North Woolwlch and Bonny Downs Communlty Assoclatlon at East Haffll. We are 8rateful for the support of Trussell, whlch provldes technlcal support, advlce, trainlng and data collection as well as ensurfn8 Newham Dlstrict Foodbank Is adherln8 to our pollcle5, procedures and dellvery. Newham Dlstrlct Foodbank shares Tru55el's misslon le end the need for foodbank5 In the UK. We aim to felleve food Insecurlty and hard5hlp In Newharn, Newham Dlstrtct Foodbank provldes emergency food four days week atross the year. We know that crfsls can strike anyone and we also understand how dlfficult li can be to thlnk about walklni throuih a Ioctydbank door. That's why our foodbank Yolunteer5 airn to welcome everyone who comes to the foodbank wlth compa551on, kindne55 and a Ilstenln8 ear. At ACT free hot meal is provided each week along with the chance to sit and chat wlth a volunteer should anyone altendlng ch￿se to. We have benefitted from a trffjnderful group of volunteers, includin8 residents, vi51tor3 from churche5 and corwrate Yolunteer5. Impact of Newham Dlstrlct Foodbank,. Thls year we recelved 13,298.3 k8 of donated food. We distributed 33,205.48 k8 of fc#)d. We fulfilled 1,790 vouchers. We supported 751 unique households, comprlsing 2,770 Adults and 1,502 children. In total, 4,272 people benefilted from the foodbank. paqe 4 Impacl of ACT FcKMlbank lone of the three distribution polnts of the dlstfict foodbankl: 857 vouchers fulfllled. 1,387 adults and 878 thildren 5UPPOrted. In total, 2,265 people benefitted from the foodbank Advlce Servlce Our advice setvice is a face-to-face seTrice delivered in a famlliar, welctsmln8 and friendly envlronment, maklng it more accessible to people who would struggle to acce$5 online provlsion. The ser￿Ce expanded from inltial delivery in Custom House to also havi￿ a presence in Easl Ham and North Woolwich . running at the same time as Newham Di5trlct Foodbank is open. The provision of welfare benefits advlce at the point of need in the foodbank enables people lo move through their inilial crisis and 5tabillse thelr flnarKlal sltuation, reducin8 their need to use a foojbank. Support includes athce on: welfare benefits fuel hardshlplarrears PIP clalms advice access to freedom pass dlsabled parkinq slgnpostin8 for Iwl advlce, hou￿n8 advlce, Immlgration advice and debt advice vla our network of community partner5, The advlce servlce follows an 'ad*ice In a cornmunity setting, model, a model that has been evaluated by the Greater Lontjon Authorlty IGLAI and identlfled as porticularly effectlve. GLA research Identified that the best way to engage wfth servlce-users was for the advice provlded to Initially take place in the setrln8 where that person already attends. Of equal importance to the success of this service 15 not just the programme offered. but the manner In whlch 5UPPOrt 15 presented. ACT staff provlde a person-cenrred approach, which 15 accesslble and inclusive to a wide range of serwce.users. Alon8side the posltlve outcomes. we airn to help service-u5ers to achieve throvgh the advlce they receive,. we also aim to have thern leaving the interactlon with us feelinq seen and heard, thus impro*in8 their overall mental wellbeing. Impact of advlce seThtce= 192 unique people beneflied from our advlce se￿(e. 67 of these people rnade a financial gain through the ad￿ce they recelved. £202,756.56 in financial gains were made by people acce55ing the service. Complex Need5 ProKr•mme Our complex needs pro8ramme supports and empowers adu115 wlth learn5n8 disabllities or other mefttal health needs. We provlde a range of opportunities to build skills and experience whilst contdbulin8 to the local community. Support8d Volunteérlnl The supported volunteenng team are an Integral part of our food provlslon for people who attend our Cornmunlty Aleal and use our foodbank. Each week, ocross three days, they prepare rneals and desserts that feed at least 60 people per week. Thls empowers volunteers to make vital contrtbutions to t￿1r community, whllsc learnlng kitchen skllls and 8mwln8 tonfidence and resilience. The pro8ramrne creates opportunlties to improve Independence and choice Ihrough settlns 8oals and choosin8 meals. Each volunteer ha5 a personalised support plan and reqularty reflect over a period of 6 week5 on whether they are still ob5ervlng. trying with support or art lftdependent with their goal. External trips are also part of the volunteerin8 placement, and this year included a trip lo a pizza.makin8 workshop, vi51ts to Greenwich Market and North Greenwlch exhlblt, a plcnlc In the Olympic Park wlth 8ame5, and a ￿sit to Gants Hlll station cafe, which is run by adult5 with varfous complex needs. Impact of supported volunteering.. 223 volunteertn8 sessions completed. 7 supported volunteers. 841 hour5 of volunieerlftq. 5 trips (see abovel. IncluslveArts and Crafts The inclusive arts 8roup is a welcomin8 creatlve space to explore dlffeient art medlums. Art projects are co.desi8ned vAth particlpants based on the group's interests. Participants benef(t frorn increased emotional wellbein8 through enga8emenl with art and building relationshlps writh other attendees. Hl8hliqht5 this year have included.. clay pinch pots, painting canvases, drawin8, makln8 ornaments, a mural and a vlsit from Eastside Community Herlta8e, durln8 which they rnade boats. Impact of Incluslve Arts and Crafts Group.. 13 attendees weekly 51 hours of eroup actlvlty dellvered, 1 trip Iolympic Pafk plcnic and drawin81. Gard•nl Our 8ardenln8 project has provlded therapeutic and enga8lni opportunlties to learn 8ardenln8 sk1115 and be amongst nature. Thls has palred younR people wlth learnin8 dlsabllltie5 vAth support worker5. Across the year the 8roup leams a nurnber of 5kllls, Including COrnPOStln8, plantin8. and bed malntenance amon8St others, This helps build self-confldence, and throughout the year the tasks completed are recorded by the referdn8 Khool to track progress. Over the year this has Slowly led to an Improvement of our garden space as a result ol thelr work, often a source of praise from ihose vls11in8 It. Communlty Meal CommunSty Meal is part of Newharn Cornmunlty Hot Meals Inltlatlve. 11 provldes a warm haven durfng the wlnter monihs, alon8 wlth hot, two. course meal. The Communlty Meal15 open to all members of the communlty, but has a partlcular locus on welcomln8 people with support needs, people faclni pw mental health, and people from refuqeelasylum.seeker back8rounds. Each week our hall is decorated to create a warrn, brs8ht and welcomlnB envlronment, wilh 8ames and actlvitles alonlslde a stèady supply of tea and coffee. A ran8e of resldents attend, Irscludlng those frorn local care hornès. We see the Cornmunity Meal as one of the central pieces of work we do at Ascenslon Community Trust because the meal bdn8s people together from dlfferent walks of life, reduclnq loneliness and isolation and creatln8 a greater sense of belon8ln8 and communlty coheslon. It Is for this reason that we sou8ht addltional fundln8 to keep the Cornmunlty Meal 8oln8 beyond the wlnter perlod Impact of Comrnunlty Meal.. We dellvered the Comrnunlty Meal for 38 weeks. An avera8e of 41 people attended each week. We provlded 1,490 hot, tow.course meals across the year. Quote: 'It 8lves me a reawn to leave my house on a Tuesday otherwlse I would have been stuck at home not doln8 anythlnl. e6 A5(enslon Cornmunlty Trust Charlty No. 1091887 TfUStees Rep)rt for the year ended 31 March 2025 We want to take thi5 Opportunity to thank of all of the people who have volunteered their time to make the work of Ascenslon Community Trust ￿sible. We a150 want to thank the or8ani5atlons ihat have funded our work ove( the past year. They are: Aston Manfield Catch 22 Charltyl Greater London Authority Charities Aid Foundation ICAFI Clty 8rid8e Trust Felsted khool MIs5ion Garfield Weston Foundation Greggs Foundatlon Henry Smityh Charity lTrnholders' Charitable FouThJatlon Jack Petchey Foundatlon London Catalyst London Borough of Newhdm. Warm Haven Moking a difference I￿allY INISA Natlonal Lgttery Sport England The Joseph Rank Trust The Souter Trurt Trussell Trust Vlntners Foundatlon Rlsk, ReseNes and Flnanclal revlew Income for the year was C470,48712024: E331.1411 of which £97,30412024: £81,637) was unrestricled, Expenditure for the year wa5 E340,18512023.. £400,952) of which £96,593 12024.. E76,6901 was from unrestricted funds. In the year unrestricted fund5 Of £300 were used to cover deficils in restricted funds. Football Academy £300. Ascension Communlty Trust's reserves Policy 15 that between £18,C#)O and £25,000 wll be held in free reseryes. This amount Is based on detalled calculation of the arnount needed In the eventuallty of unexpected event5 rèquirln8 a Smooth c105ure of the chartty, over three months, includln8 redundancy payrnents. and to mitlgate any financial rlsks. Thi5 fi8ure 15 rnonltored and reviewed by the board of trustees on an annual basis. On 31 March 2025 Ascension Community Irust had funds of C218,26512024.' [87,9631. Of these £194,36912024., C64,4781 was restricted funds, The total amount of free reserves heldls therefore £23,89612023: £23,485). This level15 wlthin our reseNes policy tar8et range, therefore the Iru5tees are satisfied wlth thls reserves level. Ascenslon Communlty TNst Chadty No. 1Cp)1887 Indewndent Examlners Report to the TnJ5tees. for the ￿ar ended 31 hlarch 2025 To the Trustees, I report on the Flnanclal Statement5 of the Charilable company for the year ended 31st March 2025 whlch are set out In the followln8 pa8es. Respectlve responslbllltles of trustees and examlner The trustee5, who are also dlrectors for the purposes of cornpany law, are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consi*Jer that an audit is not requlred for this year under section 144121 of the Charities Act 2011, 'Ihe 2011 Act" and that an Independent examlnatlon Is needed. Hawng satisfled myself that the charlty Is not suble(I to audit under company law and Is ell8lble lor Independent examlnation, it Is my responslblllty to.. Examlne the accounts under secllon 145 of the 2011 Act; To follow the procedures laid down in the 8eneral d5rection5 glven by the Charfty Commi55lon urHler 5ectlon 145I511bl of the 201 l Act. To state whether partlcular matters have come to my attention, 8asls of Ind•p•nd•nt •x•mln•r's r•port My examlnatlon was carrfed out In accordance wlth ihe qeneral Olrections 8lven by the Charfty Cornmlsslon. An examlnatlon Includes re￿eW of ihe accountln8 record5 kept by the charity and a cornparlson of the accounts presenled wlth those records. It also Includes consideratlon of any ur541sual Iterns or dlsc105ures In the accounts, and seeklft8 explanatlon s from you the trustees concernlnq any such matters. The procedure5 undertaken do not provlde all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequenily no oplnlon Is 8lven as to whether the accounts present a 'true and falr vlew, and the report15 Ilmlied to those rnatter5 set out In the statement below, Independènt •ximlner's statement In connection wlth my examlnation, no matter las come to my attentlon.. Whlch 8lves rne reasonable cause to belleve that In any malerlal respect the requlrements.. To keep accountlnB records in accordance wlth sectlon 386 of the cornpanle5 A(t 2006. and To prepare accounts whlch accord ￿th the accountlns records, cornply wlth the Charltles Act 2011 and the SORP IFRS1021 'Accountlng and Reportln8 by Charftles. Issued In March 2015. have not been met. or To which, In my oplnlon, attentlon should be drawn In order to enable a proper under5tandln8 of the account5 tc be reached. Br6an Oexler ACKA A Thovsand H1115 LSmlted 172 Sandford Road East Ham London E6 3PX Oated........., Ascenslm Communlty Trust Charlty No. 1091887 Statement of Flnanclal Actmtles Iln¢lL*alng Income and ExFentdlture Account) for the year ended 31 March 2025 Unrestrlcted Restrkted 2025 2024 Income and Endowments From tl)natfons and Legacles Charltable Actlvitle5 Other Tradinq Acriwiles 60,639 36,665 373,183 433,822 36,665 292,104 38,547 491 Total Incomln8 Resources 331,142 Expendlture on: Raising Funds Charitable Actlvlties 96,593 243.592 340,185 4(Kl,952 Tolal Resources Expended 4CQ,952 Nel Expendllure lor the Year 711 129,591 130,302 69,810 net surpiuslldeflclt) Transfer between lurds Fund Balances 1 Aprtl 2024 3C 23.485 64,478 87,963 157,773 Fund Bala[￿e5 31 Worch 2025 7,96 Ascenslon Communlty Trttst Chartty No. 1CB1887 Statement ol Flnancial Posltion as at 315t March 2025 Unrestrlcted Restrlcted Funds Fund5 2025 Total 2024 Total Flxed Assets Tangible Flxed Assets 7,837 9,737 12,983 Current Assets Debtors Cash at bar* ar*Y In ha￿1 5,CQ7 26,(KX) 239,151 31,lJ)7 286,030 37,455 Total Curr•nt A55tts 55,786 261,251 317,037 88,128 Cr•dltors: Amounts due wlthln Net Curienl Assets 33,T*) 74,719 108,509 Credltors due after more than Net Ass•ts Funds Unrestrlcted Funds Restricted Funds Total Fun¢ts 23,896 23,896 194.369 23,485 194,369 87,963 For the year ended 31 W￿rCh 20Z5 the company was entltled to exemptlon fTorn audlt under sectlon 477 of the Compan1￿ Act 2006 relatln8 to small companles. The member5 have not requSred the company lo obtaln an audil of its accoun15 foi the year In questlon In accordance wlth sectlon 476, and there Is r￿ mandatory audit rewlren*nt In ￿ chadtys pvernir4 dcKuments. The trustees acknowled8e thelr responslbllltle5 for complylnq wlth the requlrements of the Act wtth respect to accountlni records and the preparatlon of accounts. Ttr*se acc￿nts have b￿n prepared In accordarKe wlth the provlslors appikable to companle5 subject to t small company res1￿￿. The flnanclal statements were apwoved and authorlsed for issue by the Board and silned on Its behalf by Dave Chesney. Tltle G*4*,IL o date *l,,I ZO'L 3CQ.14 PaBe 16