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2024-03-31-accounts

Company Number 4686738

SHIREHAMPTON COMMUNITY ACTION FORUM

ANNUAL REPORT APRIL 2023 – MARCH 2024

Shirehampton Community Action Forum is a Company Limited by Guarantee Registered in England, number 4686738. Registered Charity number 1099221

Registered Office: Shirehampton Public Hall, Station Rd, Shirehampton, Bristol BS11 9TU Email: enquiries@shirecaf.org.uk Website: www.shirecaf.org.uk

We acknowledge and thank our funders

CHAIR’S STATEMENT

2023-24 has been another successful year of Shirehampton Community Action Forum delivering its key activities for our communities, as well as reviewing our strategy and supporting new groups and ideas.

We’ve supported the implementation of a Road Safety Action Group, continued to be a key partner of the Shirehampton Community Plan, operated a Community Safety Action Group and provided a weekly Planning Watch newsletter. We’ve also continued to support:

More details of these activities are given in the body of this report.

With partners we are still exploring the use of the empty Penpole Residents Association building for youth work. Although the lease has not yet been finalised, Oasis Hub uses the building for work with children.

As a follow on from the strategy event we held the previous year, we’ve been exploring the main strategic themes and planning new ideas and work for the next year. Our key strategic themes are:

  1. support a thriving high street

  2. build an inclusive community

  3. improve wellbeing

And we’ll have an additional theme of nature and climate in the forthcoming year.

We are very grateful to all of our funders for this period; People's Health Trust, Bristol City Council, West of England Combined Authority.

Ash Bearman, our Community Development Officer, has continued in post throughout the year. We are very appreciative of Ash for ensuring that SCAF has continued to provide support to so many people and groups in our community.

At the start of the year we had seven trustees and we currently have six. After more than 20 years, David Thomas stepped down as trustee and chair at the October 2023 AGM. We’re very thankful to the long service and contribution David gave to SCAF over the years.

Michelle Silvestre, Chair

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

1 . Name and Registered Office

The charity’s name is Shirehampton Community Action Forum. It is also known as SCAF. It is a registered charity, number 1099221, and a company limited by guarantee, no 4686738. The Registered Office is Shirehampton Public Hall, 32 Station Rd, Shirehampton, Bristol BS11 9TU.

2. Names of Charity Trustees and Company Directors

David Thomas Acting Chair (until October 2023) Jess Martens Ludo Tolu (Treasurer) Michelle Silvestre (Chair from October 2023) Kathryn Courtney Kim Tudor Mark Pummell

3. Staff

The Forum employs one part-time staff member, Ms Ash Bearman, who is the Community Development Officer. She is also the Company Secretary.

4. Structure, Governance and Management

The Forum is a Company Limited by Guarantee, and is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association. These set out how individuals and organisations can become members. It is managed by the Trustees, who are elected by the members at the Annual General Meeting. Additional Trustees may be appointed by the existing Trustees, to serve until the next AGM.

The Trustees are the managing body of SCAF, and are responsible for finance and assets, and employing any staff. The Trustees met eight times during the year and the Full Forum met three times, including the AGM. The Board of Trustees are supported by a Steering Committee, also known as the Full Forum, and by a variable number of Action Groups, which will be formed or dissolved as the need for them arises. Five Action Groups existed throughout the year. These were Community Safety, Road Safety, Shire Greens, Community Plan, and the Shirehampton Climate Emergency Group.

The Memorandum and Articles of Association are supported by Rules. These set out the membership structure, and the relationship between the Trustees, the Full Forum, and the Action Groups.

The Trustees adopted a range of Policies and Procedures in previous years. The Trustees consider that the range of Policies and Procedures in place meet Bristol City Council’s baseline standards. The Trustees do not have a formal Risk Management Policy at present. However, they consider that the greatest risk the Forum faces at present is uncertainty in future funding.

5. Charitable objects

  1. To promote the benefit of the parish of Shirehampton and the neighbourhood without distinction of sex, or of political, religious or other opinions by associating the local authorities, voluntary organisations and inhabitants in a common effort to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure-time occupations with the object of improving the conditions of life for the said inhabitants.

  2. The promotion of public safety and prevention of crime.

3. The preservation and protection of health.

6. Public Benefit

The charity is required to act in accordance with its objects, and for public benefit. The activities which produce public benefit are summarised in this report. The trustees consider that they have had regard to the Charity Commission’s Public Benefit Guidance when exercising their powers and duties.

7. Financial Review

SCAF has a Reserves Policy, which states that where possible provision should be made to hold approximately the equivalent of 6 months revenue costs of the Forum as set out in the annual budget. This would be equivalent to around £20,000. We are currently holding reserves in excess of this and welcome the membership’s views on how they wish Trustees to manage that over the next year.

The Accounts for the Year are set out below. The principal sources of funds were grants from Bristol City Council, The People’s Health Trust & West of England Combined Authority. We are very grateful to these organisations, and individual donors for their support. Whereas our principal activities are better understood through the narrative in the rest of the annual report, when ranked by expenditure they primarily include the door to door shopping activities and our monthly high street market.

8. SCAF’s aims are:

9. Key working partners

Our activities have involved statutory agencies, community groups, voluntary sector organisations, private enterprises, churches, schools, Residents’ Associations, and individuals from the community.

REVIEW OF THE YEAR - The Forum & Other work areas

The Shire Community Plan Steering Committee met every 6 weeks and continued work on our many & varied projects including:

Healthy & Active Shire Street Scene “I Shirehampton” Our Future – Our Young people Our High Street – the centre of our village

We also helped & supported the work of:

Friends of Shire Library (FoSL) Shire Jobs, Training & Enterprise Hub at the Methodist Church Shire Baptist Church Community Garden Friends of Lamplighters Marsh (FOLM)

Community Safety Action Group

From a policing perspective our main focus has been dealing with ASB within Shirehampton. We have worked very hard to work with the community, schools, shops and parents to identify the individuals / groups and deal with behaviour accordingly. We have also worked in close liaison with neighbouring beat teams.

A number of ABCs (Acceptable Behaviour Contracts) have been put in place with conditions to manage behaviour. A Problem Solving Plan was put in place and has since been closed due to the decrease in the number of logs raised. This work will continue. We have scheduled additional patrols in our hotspot areas and will continue to do this.

Jo Hancock, Police Community Support Officer 6955

Shirehampton Markets

Our High Street Markets continue taking place at Tithe Barn in Shirehampton. St. Mary's Church have informed us that at some point the building will be put up for sale in the next year or so and is classed as a Church Hall. Despite rumours, our High Street Markets are NOT closing and will continue well into the future, even with a new owner, whenever the building is sold, with a new agreement being negotiated.

It has been a mixed year for Shirehampton Markets. The three Community Fayres will be whittled down to one for 2025 and we will continue with our annual Autumnal Christmas Fayre that will happen during November at Shirehampton's Public Hall. The Spring and Summer Fayres will be scrapped as we cannot run them without the help of volunteers. Despite requests, no additional volunteers have come forward. Additionally, the Spring and Summer events have been low on visitors compared to our High Street Markets held on a Thursday, whilst our Autumnal Christmas Fayre is a busy event throughout the day.

As with every market across the city we have all been effected by the Cost Of Living crisis but holding our own. We have noticed that people are being more careful with their money, gift buying ahead of time for birthdays, Christmas etc, buying essentials and some using our market as a monthly treat day.

All our Market Traders are small businesses and self-employed so supporting them and of course our very own High Street traders is of the upmost importance for each to remain open for business.

We have lost our Fishmonger, Steve due to retirement and continue to look for another Fishmonger to join our markets and we won't give up on this. The Chocolate Bar have expanded their business to include a bakery of their own and due to the increased workload are no longer able to do our market. Our Jewellery ladies, JuLeS 4U will also be retiring this year with their last market being the 5th September and the Autumnal Christmas Fayre on 30th November, being their final event with us. We wish everyone well in their retirement. There will be a varied selection of Jewellery stalls joining us in the future.

We have lost several regular stall holders having folded their business for other employment due to the Cost Of Living Crisis, whilst some others have become stall shares coming in every other month whilst juggling additional part-time work. We always do our best to work with small businesses. We have added a variety of additional stalls new to our market and also have a great cheese stall - Rebel Cheese. UK - adding chutneys, jams and delicatessen meats to their stall and a fabulous local honey stall - Paul The Beekeeper.

This year we celebrate our 5th Anniversary for the High Street Market which is quite an achievement, and we continue to have seven Market Stall Traders who originally started with us on 5th September 2019, so we must be doing something right!

From 3rd October High Street Market we will be trialling new opening hours from 9am until 2pm for 3 months. This is due to requests from customers and a business view, removing the quiet hour from 2pm until 3pm. Many stallholders want to try this new time. A final decision on opening hours will be made the end of the year but the High Street Markets/Shirehampton Markets are here to stay.

Kathryn Courtney, Shirehampton Markets Management Team

Road Safety Action Group

The Shirehampton Road Safety Group launched last year in June. It was met with positive feedback from many in the community, as there is widespread concern about road safety throughout the village. After speaking with the council and police, it became clear that the concerns of the village were mainly anecdotal, with little solid data available to illustrate the problem. With this in mind, we planned to start gathering opinions and encourage people to report their concerns on the BCC and Avon and Somerset Police websites. Theresa attended most Village markets with a suggestion box and we attended a few other village events. If there is solid evidence of the problem, we can start to talk about what can be done.

One of the main aims of the group was to set up a community speedwatch, which would be an excellent way of registering the speeds of motorists through the village and perhaps lead to more careful driving as people become aware that it is a speed watch area. Unfortunately the launch of the Speedwatch had to be put on ice as Anna got pregnant! However, there are plans to start afresh later in the year. The main thing needed is volunteers!

Anna Williamson & Theresa Flanagan

Shirehampton Planning Group

'There hasn't been too much new activity in the last year which is probably just as well as the various Applications & Appeals for the Nurseries have kept us busy. On 3rd September myself and Ash will be attending the latest Appeal for a Care Home. There is also an outstanding

application for houses but it is not known when that is to go before the Development Control Committee. Whilst we welcome the land being developed residents are opposed to the access being into the quiet cul-de-sac of Avonwood Close. We are also concerned about the building of local interest as there are no fixed plans for it and it continues to be the subject of vandalism and arson.

Other concerns which residents regularly bring to our attention is the increase of HMO's & related issues caused by parking and waste management. Ash & myself continue to contribute to the Wessex Water Community Liaison Group and are kept updated on their Extension plans, sewage treatment and Odour reporting and management. If anyone wishes to attend one of their 'Round the Bend' tours please let us know.

We continue to increase our Membership numbers but unfortunately attendances at meetings are very low but the main thing is when it counts people are there to fight for the interests of our Village!'

Kim Tudor, Officer of Shire Planning Group

Shirehampton Climate Emergency Group April 2023 – March 2024

SCEG continued to have a presence at Community Fayres and local celebrations of national events like the Coronation throughout the year. We also sent representatives to local and national Climate actions. Some of us were in London in April 2023 with thousands of other climate activists from around the country. Some of us travelled to Bath to the #Unite to Survive event in October which saw climate groups from CND to XR to Greenpeace coming together from all over the Southwest in October 2023.

Here in Shirehampton we offered free talks to spread local information about what we can do to reduce carbon emissions. In June 2023 we had a talk about replacing gas boilers with heat pumps from a local homeowner who had just gone through that process. In October 2023 Nikki Jones, founder of Avon Needs Trees and well-known speaker on Climate, chaired a workshop asking us to imagine how Shirehampton could be more resilient in different climate scenarios.

We offered our first Climate Fashion Repair Cafe in September 2023 in the Public Hall. Because of scheduling problems we were unable to offer a second repair cafe until late January 2024, but we hope to make the re-named Repair Cafe a more frequent event with two planned for autumn 2024.

We all contributed to planning our 2024 Flood Awareness morning during the last months of 2023. But individual members of the group also engaged in their own actions, large and small. One of us wrote and directed a short revue, Black Gold Blues, about the urgent need to Just Stop fossil fuels. It was performed at the Alma Theatre to great acclaim. One of us gave a short Climate Talk for Songs of Praise. Several of us joined the Christian Climate Action Climate Choir singing at local events and travelling to London for national actions.

SCEG is still focussed on raising awareness of the effects climate change is having on our daily lives here in Shirehampton and exploring how we as a community can adapt to those effects.

Renee Slater, 16 August 2024

Shire Greens – Environmental Action Group

We are only a small group looking for members to join us. The station flowerbeds have been well watered by the Weather! We put up poppies for Remembrance Day. We met members from GWR for health and safety checks/advice. Hoping for funding to improve the flowerbeds

Barbara Franco, Co Chair

Poppies on The Green

Poppies On The Green continues to be an annual event for the community to be part of, either painting new poppies in red or purple to the ever expanding display and assist in putting up the display on The Green in Shirehampton usually a week before Armistice Day and taken down again a week after the event.

We added two more soldiers, Paddy & Bill who joined Reg & Les. All named after relatives of our volunteers, who played their part in WWI, WWII and beyond and lived locally. And we added additional displays that could be used in the Daisy Field and on the War Horse there. (Thank you to Paul McMillan for doing Bill and Paddy soldiers last year.)

The Poppies On The Green Displays continue to be a popular attraction for the public and visits continue to increase year on year with positive feedback being received. Thank you to our volunteers who continue to provide their assistance with the annual display. This year will see white doves, a Navy Medic and a Wren being added to the display. Thanks to Sally- Ann Knowlson for this. And additional poppies will be painted to be added the Shirehampton Railway Station display as well as The Green itself.

We continue to be in need for volunteers to help put up and take down the displays as well as running 'painting poppies' sessions from September until beginning of November.

Kathryn Courtney.

BEE Happy Shire

The BHS project for this year has been to create a Pollinator Park on the Penpole Lane site that we adopted at the end of 2022.

In April 2023, through SCAF, we applied for a grant of £3,500 from WECA’s Community Pollinator Fund and in June 2023 we found out we were successful. The application “particularly impressed our expert panel”!

Since then we have been working with the community to create the Penpole Lane Pollinator Park and so far we have planted a bank of pollinator-friendly spring bulbs and a small orchard. Next year we plan to plant an All-Year-Round Flowerbed and a Mini Meadow.

It has been a busy year with wonderful results. My thanks to Ash Bearman and Sonia Grogneuf, who are an essential part of the BHS Team and without whom none of this would be possible. Sara Cech-Lucas

Weekly Walking Groups Shire Nomads (Tuesdays) & Shire Walkie Talkies (Wednesdays

Shire Nomads - John Hastings, Walk Leader

The Shire Nomads Walking Group has had yet another productive year. Between 15 and 25 of us walk every week, starting from either St Mary's Churchyard, one of the local bus stops, or Shirehampton Station. We have a packed programme which changes every three months.

We've taken advantage of the new direct rail service to Weston Super Mare, which is always a fun day out, and the new 41 bus service, to Kingswood.

For many of the group, it's the highlight of the week as it's always an opportunity to meet up with friends, or new people, and have a chat, as quite a few of the group have been widowed in recent years.

Shire Walkie Talkies – Barbara Franco, Walk Leader

We continue to meet every Wednesday rain or shine! We welcome the new 41 Bus Service which goes direct to Kingswood. We have tried some new walks and are always open to ideas. Numbers vary and we welcome new walkers.

Planning Watch - Ash Bearman

Throughout the year, BCC Planning and Planning Finder websites and other sources of planning information have been visited. SCAF is also a member of Bristol Neighbourhood Planning Network and so receives information on a regular basis on pre planning and outline applications. Planning related news and details of all pre/new/decided planning applications affecting commercial, industrial & community premises in Avonmouth & Lawrence Weston ward have been emailed to 130+ recipients, including a few members who receive the bulletin by post. This is a free service. 47 weekly planning watch bulletins were produced this year, enabling individuals and groups to be informed & make their own decisions to either support or oppose planned developments.In addition to this, there were Planning Watch Special Bulletins – all these contribute to informing the quarterly Shire Planning Group meeting agenda. Details of public consultations involving planning applications of community interest and/or major developments (local, city-wide, regional) were circulated including:

ASEA (Avonmouth Severnside Enterprise Area) ecological mitigation & flood defence project New Railway Station at the Portway Park & Ride on the Severn Beach Line Climate Emergency updates & Bristol – Carbon Neutral City, Net Zero HMO’s (Houses of multiple occupancy) Tracking & Monitoring Many industrial/warehousing/distribution applications across Avonmouth & Severnside Acknowledgements SCAF would like to thank the following organisations & groups for their partnership work, support, commitment and enthusiasm over the past year… Bristol City Council departments working in partnership with SCAF – Cotswold CA – Friends of Shire Library (FoSL) – Shire JTE Hub, Shire Churches, Shire Public Hall - Shire Police Beat Team & Shire Neighbourhood Watch Groups & A huge thank you to all local resident volunteers involved with SCAF & Many Thanks to our funders & grant givers - The People’s Health Trust – Bristol City Council – WECA Community Pollinator Fund ~~oe~~

PLEASE SUPPORT SCAF

SCAF MEMBERSHIP

SCAF is a membership based organisation open to all, living and/or working in Shirehampton – why not join us?

SCAF is a registered charity. We need to raise a minimum of £26,000 per year to keep going and run our whole range of community projects & activities. We rely on donations and grants for our survival. Please support us if you can.

Individual: As a member you will have voting rights at general meetings of the Forum, choose the Trustees and influence the general policies of the Forum. You will also be kept regularly informed of Forum Activities. The annual membership subscription is £5.

Your donation can make a real difference to the Community Action Forum.

Group: As a member your organisation will have voting rights at general meetings of the Forum, choose the Trustees and influence the general policies of the Forum. You will also be kept regularly informed of Forum Activities. The annual membership subscription for organisations is a minimum of £5, but we hope you may be able to donate a larger amount.

HOW TO GIVE

I enclose a donation of £

Local Companies: Please consider us for support, or join us as affiliate members for an Annual rate of £50 per year

I want to give regularly (Ask us for a Standing Order Form)

(Ask us for a Standing Order Form) Name/Group/Company:
I would like to receive regular updates I would like to receive regular updates Address:
On how my donation is working
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Name:
Amount of Membership
Address: Subscription £ ____ Subscription £ ____
Gift Aid Donation?
Postcode: Are you a UK tax payer? Yes Are you a UK tax payer? Yes
Gift Aid Donation? No No
Are you a UK tax payer? Yes Are you a UK tax payer? Yes Tel No:
No Email:
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Receipt required: YES NO

I would like to receive regular updates On how my donation is working

Ash Bearman, Community Development Officer Shirehampton Public Hall, Station Road, Shirehampton, Bristol, BS11 9TU

Shirehampton Community Action Forum Statement of Financial Activities for year ended 31 March 2024

Note 2022-2023 2022-2023 2022-2023
2023-2024
Incoming
resources		 Restricted Unrestricted Total
Restricted Unrestricted Total
Grants &
donations		 1 £ 31,466
£ 4,077
£ 35,543
£ 22,360
£1,098
£23,458
Investments £ -
£ 672
£ 672
£-
£1,256
£1,256
Other
resources		 2 £ -
£ 5,304
£ 5,304
£-
£4,648
£4,648
Total
Incoming
resources		 £ 31,466 £ 10,052 £ 41,518 £ 22,360
£ 7,001
£ 29,361
Resources
Expended
Activities to
support
Objects		 3 £ 19,917
£ 4,120
£ 24,037
£9,911
£391
£10,302

£5,070
£20,473
£25,543
Management
&
Administratio
n		 4 £ 12,075
£ 10,234
£ 22,309
Total
Resources
Expended		 £ 31,992 £ 14,354 £ 46,347 £14,981
£20,864
£35,845
Transfer to
unrestricted		 5 £(6,140)
£6,140
£-
£ (3,740) £ 3,740 £ -
Net
Movement of
Funds		 £ (4,266) £ (562) £ (4,828) £1,239
£(7,723)
£(6,484)
Balances B/F
on 1 April		 £ 9,669 £ 43,019 £ 52,687 £5,403
£42,456
£47,859
Balances CF
on 31 March		 £ 5,403 £ 42,456 £ 47,859 £6,642
£34,733
£41,375
2022-23 2022-23 2022-23
2023-24
Note Restricted Unrestricted Total Restricted Unrestricted Total
Current
Assets
Current
Account
£ 7,050
£8,512
£ -
£ 7,050
£-
£8,512
Aldermore
Savings
£ 49,354
£33,111
£ 11,335
£ 38,019
£6,642
£26,468
Total Current
Assets
£ 11,335 £ 45,069 £ 56,404 £6,642
£34,981
£41,623
Liabilities 6
Trade
creditors		 £ 5,932
£ 917
£ 6,850		 £235
£235
Salary and
Expenses		 £ -
£ 1,695
£ 1,695
£-
£13
£13
Net
Assets/Total
Reserves		 £ 5,403 £ 42,456 £ 47,859 £6,642
£34,733
£41,375

Notes to the financial statements for year ended 31 March 2024

Basis of accounting

Going concern

Funds

Detailed Notes

1. Incoming grants and donations

2. Other resources: compared to the previous financial year our income from stalls and membership has remained roughly constant, but our income from the cafe and book sales has fallen.

3. Activities to support objects: compared to the previous financial year we had no activities directly related to “Welcome Spaces”, which accounts for a large difference between the two years.

4. Management and administration: compared to the previous financial year there has been a slight increase in office rental, insurance, and salary due to inflation.

5. Restricted funds: Our restricted funds, at year end, are as follows

6. Liabilities: These relate to tax on salary which is always paid a month after incurring, and expenses incurred in 2023/24 paid out after the end of the financial year.

Signed, Ludo Tolu, 8th October 2024

The dates differ from our independent examiners because I signed the accounts after a final quality assurance before the AGM. No material changes were made after the independent examiner had reviewed them.

Independent examiner’s report to the Trustees of Shirehampton Community Action Forum (SCAF) Charitable Company

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the company for the year ended 31[st] March 2024.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity’s trustees of the company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the ‘2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner’s report

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed:

Name: Edward Holcombe ACA

Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW) – 3174840

Address: 4 Branscombe Road, Bristol, BS9 1SN

Date: 05/07/2024