2020-12-31-accounts

Annual Report and Accounts

to 31[st] December 2020

Registered Address

St Mary’s Church Church Street Watford WD18 0EG

Bank

Lloyds Bank Units 32 & 32a atria Watford WD17 2UB

Registered Charity No 1101281

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Contents
List of Trustees during 2020	3
Staff	3
Report of the Chair of Trustees	4
Street Angels’ Data	6
Chaplains’ Data	8
Finance Report	10
Accounts to 31stDecember 2020 – Profit & Loss	12
Independent Examiner’s Report 2020	13

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List of Trustees

The Revd Tony Rindl

Chair of Trustees

The Revd Neville Dyckhoff

Mr Kevin Ambrose

Mrs Judith Rose

Captain Mark Scoulding SA

Staff

Ms Frances Novillo Lead Chaplain (to November 2020)

Mrs Pam Rastall

Administrator

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Report of the Chair of Trustees

It goes without saying that the events of 2020 were unprecedented and that no-one would have been able to predict the impact of Covid19 throughout the world and on our community of Watford. Like everyone else Watford Town Centre Chaplaincy was subjected to lockdown and social distancing. At the time Frances took the decision to remove Street Angels and Volunteer Chaplains from all face-to-face volunteer activity and instead advertised to our volunteers’ new opportunities with New Hope, YMCA, and at the hospital.

Frances also elected to work from home and advised businesses and other organisations in the town of our phone and email support, and the availability of additional bereavement support. She continued to provide remote chaplaincy support to a number of town centre workers individually by phone and email, including intu staff. Thanks to Pam, the WTCC website is constantly refreshed and kept up-to-date with news of everything we’re doing.

During June, we resumed our face-to-face services safely and gradually, providing Street Chaplains as requested by Watford BID. These were volunteers both Street Angels and Chaplains who spent just 2 hours a week each on the streets of the town centre, as a reassuring presence, and helping pedestrians adjust to the new way of moving around town, and queueing. We developed good partnership with the traffic marshalls, queue marshalls outside the shops and banks, civil enforcement officers, environmental health team, and police officers who were also out and about to help keep people safe. It was particularly gratifying that Watford Together placed WTCC (by invitation of the new Council Managing Director) at the heart of its provision for the wellbeing of Watford’s workers during lockdown

I am enormously grateful to all our volunteer chaplains and street angels which remain the backbone of our organisation and it was wonderful that in July Frances could report that the Street Angels were out every weekend and this pattern has more or less continued, and that the Chaplains resumed a presence in intu, Moon under Water, Colombia Press, the lower High Street from Costa – Cotswold, Starbucks, Pret, the market, the daytime businesses on the Parade and Market Street, and in addition visited Cassio Lounge, Walkabout, Slug & Lettuce, Fitness for Less, Luminate, Timpsons, Starbucks in intu, The One Crown, Canvas, the charity shops, Situl’s Gifts, Heather & Rose, and other businesses as these reopened

I particularly want to acknowledge the work of Don Bickley who was chaplain to the Town Hall for a decade and retired in July.

It is with regret that in November Frances Novillo elected to leave her role as Lead Chaplain for Watford Town Centre Chaplaincy and take up a new post as Force Multifaith Chaplaincy Lead with Surrey and Sussex Police. I want to thank Frances for all that she did in the short time she was with us, particularly in maintaining and establishing new links within our Town Centre Community and in delivering essential training to our volunteers and ensuring that protocol and procedure are in place to ensure a good and safe working environment for all our volunteer chaplains.

Moving into 2021 I want to pay tribute to my fellow trustees past and present who have been stoic in their support of the chaplaincy over the past few and whilst we entered the New Year were instrumental in holding the fort and until we could quickly make a new appoint of Lead Chaplain. I believe in David Scourfield we have an excellent replacement for Frances who I am confident will enable the chaplaincy to flourish in the next season of its ministry to Watford. I am grateful to Mark Scoulding who stepped down as trustee due to pressures of work and to Fiona Wilson who moved

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away from the area. They are greatly missed and the need to recruit new trustees will be a priority moving forward.

Finally, a huge thank you to Pam our administrator who has been a tower of strength in the Chaplaincy Office and her efficiency and professionalism is greatly valued.

It is fair to say that the 2020 was like no other year in the life of the chaplaincy but as we approach our AGM in October 2021 we do so with renewed optimism with the recruitment of David as Lead Chaplain and with our finances now on a sounder footing, (thanks to the generosity of local churches and individuals), Pam in the office and the numerous volunteer chaplains and street angels. I firmly believe in a Chaplaincy with a visible presence in our town, one that reclaims the original vision of being focussed specifically on the town centre. I see a Chaplaincy that is very much integrated into the life of the Christian community and a vital resource for the local churches. I am confident that moving forward with your help and with David’s leadership we can make this chaplaincy become something we can all be proud of and one that helps advance God’s Kingdom for the sake of Jesus Christ.

The Revd Tony Rindl Chair of Trustees October 2021

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In the absence of a Lead Chaplain’s report, the following data has been collated from the offload forms provided after volunteers’ shifts.

Street Angels’ Data 2020

January, February and most of March was a normal year but obviously, from late March 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic made a big difference to the number of times Street Angels could go out as the country had two spells in lockdown; also, to the number of volunteers available as some were shielding and some chose not to go out. In preparation for when the country came out of lock-down, on-line safety training was given between April and June by the then Lead Chaplain, Frances Novillo, to all those who were willing to go out to make sure they were safe when out. PPE (masks, face shields, gloves, antibacterial hand gel, wet wipes) was available to all volunteers with encouragement for it to be used at all times; social distancing for team members as well as with the public was encouraged when walking around the town centre; and sharing of lifts to and from shifts was discouraged; team members were encouraged to wash their uniforms after each shift. Only the Team Leader was allowed into St Mary’s Church premises to collect and return bags, and all equipment, including radios, was sanitised, or not touched for at least three days, between shifts.

Shifts started at St Mary’s with prayer and went up the High Street as far as The Horns (under the underpass), included taxi premises, round to the Sainsburys carpark and into parts of intu (now atria), walking around as often as was needed, keeping eyes and ears open. Many of the bar and restaurant door persons/security staff are known to the Street Angels so acknowledgements and/or conversations were often had with them. Radios give access to the town centre and intu CCTV and to each other if there is more than one team out.

During 2020, there were 13 Street Angels on the books with 2 observers (20 in 2019 with 15 observers); both observers decided it was not for them but were pleased with the opportunity to find out more.

Amongst those 13, there were 3 Team Leaders (5 in 2019), one of whom was ‘promoted’ during the year.

There were 19 shifts (40 in 2019) but with large chunks of the year during lockdowns when they were not allowed out.

An average of 3 Street Angels, including the Team Leader, were out per shift.

276 hours in total were given by the Street Angels throughout the year (895 in 2019).

An average shift was just over 4 hours, which usually started between 10.00 and 11.00pm, although sometimes at 9.00pm when the pubs closed earlier between lockdowns.

There were, on average, 8 rough sleepers noticed during shifts (most rough sleepers were ‘housed’ during the early part of the pandemic either in the YMCA or a local hotel).

There were 134 conversations (average 7 per shift) with 69 interventions (average of between 3 and 4 per shift).

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Conversation topics included: death of a dog missing person financial difficulties policing divorce keeping in touch with children music God forgiveness is smoking weed sinful? who Street Angels are what Street Angels do family work is currently stressful prayer volunteering heaven Christianity frustrations of working during Covid

Items handed out:

Items handed out:
slippers	55
rain ponchos	3
foil blankets	3
hairbands	4
bottles of water	37
wet wipes	21
tissues	26
sick bags	22
business cards	13
signposting leaflets	1
then from July 2020 also included:
hand sanitiser	16
gloves	42
masks	14

(over 350 in 2019) (fewer than 10) (approx. 25) (approx. 25) (approx. 125) (over 50) (almost 50) (just under 100) (almost 150) (just under 50)

Notes written on Shift Audits by Team Leaders:

It was noticeable that compared to previous years, the footwear for women had changed from high heels to trainers/flat shoes. In effect this meant that they were less likely to walk barefoot after emerging from the pubs/club and thus less likely to hurt themselves or need the slippers/spa shoes given out by the Street Angels.

On many shifts, Street Angels picked up discarded glasses and bottles, and often cleared away broken glass, paying great attention to their own safety.

Regarding Covid: on many shifts Team Leaders recorded police presence in the early part of the shifts was low; there was often zero social-distancing in groups and in queues; it was difficult for some volunteers to stand back to keep themselves safe when in normal circumstances they would have been touching or been close to the people they were assisting. For the times when restrictions were lifted, people on the streets said how much they really enjoyed being out socialising again, although they were often having to sit outside pubs and restaurants as there were limited numbers inside, if any (night clubs were not re-opened until 2021).

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Chaplains Data 2020

All was as normal for our Chaplains from January to the end of March 2020 when Covid-19 restrictions kicked in; normal being one-to-one contact with their shops and businesses. Then for large chunks of the rest of the year the Chaplains worked remotely from home via email or telephone calls with their usual contacts.

For the middle part of the year, between lockdowns, there were Street Chaplains out walking the length of the High Street on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays for a couple of hours each, at the request of Watford BID. This was to be a visible and reassuring presence in the town centre; to help ease the flow of pedestrians; and to reassure anyone finding the return and re-opening upsetting after a long period of lockdown.

We had 13 volunteer Chaplains during 2020 including 3 of our Street Angels who volunteered daytime shifts when they were not able to undertake evening shifts. 4 new Chaplains were trained remotely during the year and took on designated areas with remote contact.

The designated areas for Chaplains in 2020 included: the Town Hall, intu (now atria), shops and businesses in the Lower High Street, shops and businesses in Market Street, Watford Health Centre (including Meadowell), various shops in the High Street (M&S, Waterstones, WH Smith, Boots – although these were not particularly successful contacts during lockdown), various businesses in The Parade and High Street (including Colombia Press, Starbucks, Cassio Lounge, Situls), Watford Market, Palace Theatre.

Frances Novillo, Lead Chaplain, offered all Chaplains on-line training for remote working; also bereavement and suicide prevention training on-line. PPE (masks, face visors, gloves, antiseptic wipes) was available when face-to-face, or street, chaplaincy resumed.

Our 13 Chaplains worked 241 hours on 179 days in total (average of 1.25 hours per session). They made 104 telephone calls, sent 110 emails and had around 592 face-to-face conversations during the year.

The wide range of topics of conversations included (many topics related, naturally, to the pandemic) :

the need to see the good things in life drug abuse in the town not happy at work concern regarding trade concern with 40% less clientele worry about pubs re-opening poor social-distancing not following one-way signs Satan heart issues loss of John Lewis and Debenhams too many gifts of clothes to charity shops joys of cat ownership grandchildren autism eating and drinking habits eschatology tough time for business and employees on-line selling risen breast cancer moving house family home-schooling importance of laughter situation in India dying of Covid

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masks unable to see family living abroad eat out to help out initiative having to cancel travel plans challenge with staff availability pregnancy and fears over the birth redundancy change of management annual leave the homeless and New Hope food banks dementia guinea pigs bereavement and grief training for London to Brighton bike ride troublesome neighbours explaining about WTCC Covid is a conspiracy media scaring people the weather end of the world Greta Thunberg and not caring for the planet divorce Tier 4 Covid restrictions

Comments from Chaplains included :

Many Chaplains were frustrated that they were not being used remotely during lockdown. Remote contact was harder for the new Chaplains who had not had a chance to meet businesses face-to-face prior to lockdown.

Reactions to the wearing of face-masks, social distancing and one-way systems was very mixed with security staff/door people/marshals admitting it was hard to enforce

Many small businesses were talking about tough times with fewer customers

For note :

End of March – lockdown and into remote contact (Lead Chaplain or individual Chaplains let businesses know there would not be face-to-face contact during lockdown) June – resumed some face-to-face contact

June, July, August, September – Street Chaplains out on Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays July and August – Street Angels out each Saturday evening

September – suspended face-to-face contact again November – further lockdown

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Financlal Report for the year 2020 Intmductlon This short report records the finanaal position of the Watford Town cent￿ Chaplaincy at the end of 2020. A￿hOUgh the financial situation is currently healthy, the replort highlights the continued dependency on, and need for. 5UPPOrt from churches and frlends of the Chaplainry for Its work In the town. Income and expenditure In 2020 The Chaplaincy has ContinL￿d to stabilise its finances, following the financial crtsis ot 2015- 16. It has since built up its reserves, although in the last exceptional year these have decreased by £20,000. On 31" December 2020 reserye5 Stood at just under £85,000. Income In 2020 Church Pledges Friends Scheme Donation5 from indlvidua15 Donations from churches Other RefundslRebates Minibus Lead chaplain leaving don8tion5 Expendlture in 2020 Salaries Traininglmembership fees Rent & Rates Utilities lelectric, waterl Admin IFinan¢e Insurance Minibus Other Lead Chaplain leaving Totsl Expenditure £2,640. £6.374.lJO £1.969.90 £6,762.89 £1,257.00 £4,963.12 £1,675.00 £150.00 £31,623.95 £219.00 £4,050. £1.463.22 £1,434.53 £1.887.43 £2.964.22 £1.648.00 £350.(K) £45,640.35 Total In¢•me: £25,791.91 Reserve5 (at yeamnd Z020): £14￿27.21 Employment of a ￿ad chaplain and an administrator have always been the largest call on Chaplaincy funds. A5 it recoverèd from the financial crisis of four years ago, it was able to recmit a new Lead Chaplain from July 2018 and in 2019 a r)ew administrator. In both cases, trustees adopted a cautious approach, by effectively sharing the funding of these posts with St Marfs church. With Frances Novello moving on to a new chaplainty position in 2020 and the gap tefore the appointment of David Scourfield, the Chaplaincy was able to fijrther increase its reserve5 at a time wher7 some churches found it difficult to contribute financialfy. The Importance of regular giving The Chaplaincy is very dependent on the donations and regular giving of the Christian community in Watford and the surrounding are3. Perhaps understandab￿. during the period when the Income from churches £40,000ffj0 £30,000.Crf) £20.1MIO.00 £iO.(MJO.OD EO.OD 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Church PlÈd8es ￿ Donauons from churches Totsl io

v14TFD*JT￿V￿4rENTIECI1￿L￿ Chaplaincy was not employing a chaplain or administrator, donations and ￿gUlar subscriptions dramatically reduced. as the two tables I"IncoFne from Churches" and "Income from Individuals") show. Sadly, income is still nowhere near the levels received by the Chaplaincy five years ago. despite the high profile and widely appreciated work by Frances, and more ￿(ently, David Scourbrook as the lead chaplain. In particular regular gNing through Church Pledges and the Friends Scheme is well below past levels. To some extent thTrs ha5 been remedied by one- off donations but this makes planning and budgetkng more difficult as future income is not so certain. The budget the Tnjstees have set frjr current and future years represents, In our view, a prudent approach to the likely income. The Chaplainoi needs around £50JXK) annuallyto cover its costs and there 15 Still an urgent need frjr regular, planned @iving in order to ensure that the Chaplaincy becomes sustainable in the longer term. Income from individuals £30,000.00 £25,000.00 £20,000.00 £15,000.00 ElO,000.00 £5,000.00 £0. 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Friend55cheme ￿ Donat]ons from indivlduals Total Kevln Ambrose 4 Ortober 2021 li

en ro w ry A) O (n ff) p4 0 0 ryoa rri M O O IO pl Ln ¢JJ 00 O pi Cri O r4 LL U U 12

A ditofw Cha in accounts 151 Janua 2020- 1 D6cember 2 20 Pam Rastall 01923 227700 The a￿UnIS are well structured, clear and full, and have been improved with the move from petty cash to a Charge Card.. The only comment I would make is to print invoices from Amazon purchases instead of Confirmation Orders. I confirm Ihal all income and expenditure has been recorded in a positive and professional manner and I recommend that Accounts are accepted. igned Tony eisar- Honorary auditor 191h August 2021 7 Devereux Drive, Watford, WD17 3DD- 07545 905327 13