## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period**
**From 1[st] November 2020 to 31[st] October 2021**
## **Charity name: Devon Weavers Workshop**
## **Charity registration number: 1108423**
## **Objectives and Activities**
||SORP
ref||
|---|---|---|
|Summary
of the
purposes of
the charity
as set out
in its
governing
document|Para
1.17|**Our Charitable Objects as set out in the Constitution are:**
(a) To advance the education of all members of the public in
the subject of hand-weaving and hand-spinning by
providing and assisting in the provisions of facilities,
teaching and equipment for these crafts.
(b) To establish and maintain a weaving workshop in South
Devon which will have public access for exhibitions,
teaching and craft day venues.
(c) To develop and encourage the use of modern, innovative
technology such as the use of computers and alternative
materials and equipment in the production and design of
textiles and related hand-crafted items.|
|Summary
of the main
activities in
relation to
those
purposes
for the
public
benefit, in
particular,
the
activities,
projects or
services
identified in
the
accounts.|Para
1.17
and
1.19|Devon Weavers Workshop is a registered charity run on a self-help,
voluntary basis by its 60 members, who mostly come from the rural
parts of South Devon. It is a unique model which has evolved and
blossomed since it first began in January 2005 thanks to the
enthusiasm, friendship, good humour and sheer hard work of those
involved.
The Workshop itself is the driving force. It provides open access to
its members, a space for weavers to work and experiment on the
looms and equipment the group owns; to learn on courses, from
each other and from the extensive reference and lending library; to
meet and support fellow weavers on projects and other aspects of
their creative lives.
The Spinners group meet fortnightly in the Workshop. They get
together to socialise, compare projects, and teach each other new
techniques.They have also been helping each other to complete
Foundation Certificate in Spinning from the Association of Weaver's
Spinners and Dyers. Currently, 3 members are working their way
through the course, and already several members have passed with
distinction.
Looms and spinning equipment are taken to local events and
venues where the public are encouraged to ‘have-a-go’.
Octogenarians to three-year-olds have enjoyed their first weaving|
|||and spinning experience this way and some have subsequently
been inspired to sign-up for our beginner’s weaving course or join
the spinners group.
When the Spinners demonstrate at shows we usually have an
exhibit that educates the public about the sustainability of wool,
information on the wool trade, we often undertake challenges, such
as the sheep to shoulder challenge where we had a sheep sheared,
spun the wool and knitted a jumper in just over 6 hours.
Within the Workshop we encourage an atmosphere which stimulates
creativity and the freedom to experiment and develop, including the
use of new technology and yarns. Experienced weavers and
spinners are on hand to advise and support new weavers and
spinners, and the Workshop regularly organises beginners,
intermediate and advanced weaving courses, with internationally
recognised tutors coming from all over the world to teach on the
premises (see our website).
Our aim is to promote the art of hand-weaving and hand-spinning by
exhibiting our work and teaching and inspiring others. We are a non-
profit making, largely self-financing group, funded only by
subscriptions, income from courses and grants won on start-up,
which provided some equipment. Most small profits achieved are
ploughed back into the Workshop via the purchase of small items of
equipment and books. Our two-tier subscription system makes us
affordable for those who are learning but are unable to use the
Workshop on a regular basis. Costs are kept to a minimum because
members give their services free of charge. We do not employ staff.
Our door is open to visitors any time our members are present.
Mainly thanks to a National Lottery Award in 2005, the Workshop
owns 10 eight shaft Louët looms, complete with stands and
benches. These have levers for hand-operation and are perfect on
which to teach beginners to weave and are also used extensively for
sample weaving during our other courses. These looms are also
used in the children’s tent at the Contemporary Craft Festival. We
usually get a really good response and send back to the children (at
our own expense) some 200 samples annually.
Our second National Lottery Award in 2008 helped provide us with a
computer-driven,16 shaft Louët Megado loom which has enabled
many of our more advanced weavers to use their textile software
skills to great advantage and produce some beautifully complex
textiles. We also received funding from the Laura Ashley Foundation
to assist with the purchase of a mechanical dobby loom.
Some of our looms are so heavily used that we will need to embark
on a gradual replacement (selling off old looms to help with the cost)
programme in the future.|
|---|---|---|
|Statement
confirming
whether the|Para
1.18|The trustees aim to ensure that we are attending a range of fairs
and exhibitions and offering suitable courses for people with a
variety of interests and abilities.|
|trustees
have had
regard to
the
guidance
issued by
the Charity
Commissio
n on public
benefit||We are mindful of the needs of our beneficiaries when choosing how
to allocate our funds. At the forefront of our considerations are how
we can improve the weaving and spinning experience for our
members. Also, how we can promote the skills of hand-weaving
and hand-spinning to a larger audience and advance the innovative
work in both areas.
We keep the Workshop open with our members’ support; but you do
not need to be a member to learn to weave or spin, nor to visit us
and discuss any issues you may have about these activities.|
|---|---|---|
## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
||SORP
ref||
|---|---|---|
|Policy on grant making|Para
1.38|Not applicable|
|Policy on social investment
including program related
investment|Para
1.38|Not applicable|
|Contribution made by
volunteers|Para
1.38|Our volunteers are essential to our activities for
example, they:
1. Teaching of beginners
2. Steward at exhibitions and fairs
3. Mentor newer weavers and spinners,
students etc
4. Generally, offer support to other members at
times of stress etc.|
|Other|||
## **Achievements and Performance**
||SORP
ref||
|---|---|---|
|Summary of the main
achievements of the
charity, identifying the
difference the charity’s
work has made to the
circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|Para
1.20|2020/2021 has been a strange year for DWW. We
now have 60 members, many of whom are older
and for whom weaving and spinning are an
important learning and communal activity.
We are pleased that despite the Covid 19 pandemic
and when allowed, people have been able to access
the Workshop in a safe manner. Once we were
allowed to open, we limited the numbers using the
space through a booking system and introduced a
rigorous cleaning regime for everyone who went
there.
The Spinners grouphas managed to keep going
through the Covid crisis, by meeting either outside,
or at Harberton Parish Hall. We have followed the
rules by initiating a booking system and we had
zoom meetings when we were unable to meet.
Many of our group live in more isolated and rural
areas and perhaps fall into the high risk category
and so being able to socialise in a safe way has
often been a lifeline to our members.|
Subscriptions in FY 2020/21 did not cover the essential outgoings (rent, utilities, insurance and internet). So we continue to rely on income generated from courses run by external weaving tutors and by our own members. However, it is important to stress that we do not aim to make profit. In 2020/21 we generated a profit of just over £5,600, which is unusually high. This is because we had to delay courses because of Covid and so we ‘held onto’ their fees for a longer period before paying out expenses. In 2021 we managed to hold advanced courses (professional paid weaving tutors often from all over the world) having not done so in 2020. Laura Thomas ran two online sessions for us in the spring. They were fully subscribed and went well. Margo Selby ran one course, her second was postponed until November due to Covid. Jason Collingwood ran two back-to-back courses. These were all to a reduced number of students to ensure a safe environment and hence a reduced income. Beginner weaving courses as such were not held but plans are in place to start teaching again on a 2 to 2 basis run by volunteers from the workshop. There has been much interest over the period and people have waited patiently for us to start this tuition again. Much support is free and ongoing as members help others and share their knowledge. The trustees have met regularly on zoom, keeping our financial position and the Covid situation under review. Our successful Blackjack group (using random cards to determine weave structures) moved online too. It encourages members to be inventive with design.
**Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Achievements against Para 1.41 objectives set Performance of fundraising Para 1.41 activities against objectives set Investment performance Para 1.41 against objectives Other
## **Financial Review**
|**Financial Review**|||
|---|---|---|
|Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para
1.21|Our income for the financial year ending 31st
October 2021 was £28,165.86 and our expenditure
over the same period totalled £21,652.06.
Our surplus over the period was £6,513.80, but that
included the fees from one of the courses which had
still to be held.
Rent/service charge: We pay £763.50 rent per
month plus £63.50 service charge (including VAT).
Our landlords kindly reduced our rent by 50% for 5
months. This saved us £2,290.50 in rental payments
during the year. Our next rent review is due in
January/February 2023.
Running costs: Our running costs include Microsoft
Office, electricity etc. The cost of electricity is down
because the Workshop has been closed or we have
had reduced opening. Other running costs include
our weaving and other consumables and Covid
supplies. We have changed our internet supplier to
BT which has given us a small annual saving in
cost.
Any other expenditure is largely on equipment
maintenance (running costs), books, yarns (sales),
course expenses (external tutor fees) and
advertising to ensure we can provide opportunities
for our members and the wider public to learn about
our craft.
Exhibition/Fairs: Our payments for stands have
been carried over, and so our costs have been
lower than normal. We have paid for Birdwood this
year, but sales will feature in the next financial
year’s income.
Courses: Our income from courses has been high,
Laura Thomas ran two online sessions; Jason
Collingwood took two rug weaving courses and
Margo Selby has taken one and her second course
was delayed until the next financial year. Beginners’
courses have been on hold for much of the year.
Income from membership: We have received very
strong support from members, this has ensured that
our income has remained stable. We currently have
24 full members and 34 associates and a couple of
honorary members. Subscriptions are mostly paid
monthly by BACS.|
|Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para
1.22|We hold reserves in our business bank account for
unforeseen expenditure that may occur. For
example, the replacement or maintenance of looms
and equipment; payment of rent (and other regular
outgoings) should income fall or should the lease on
our Workshop end unexpectedly or rent/service|
|||charges rise. We aim to hold approximately £10,000
in reserve.|
|---|---|---|
|Amount of reserves held|Para
1.22|At the 31stOctober 2021 we had £11,639.57 in
reserves.|
|Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para
1.22|Not applicable|
|Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para
1.24|Not applicable|
|Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para
1.23|Not applicable|
|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|||
|The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|Para
1.47|Principal source of funding is via membership fees
and profit (small) from the courses we arrange. We
have been very grateful to South Hams District
Council for support through the national Covid
scheme. This helped us keep going during the
height of the lockdowns. We are always on the
lookout for grant funding opportunities but until last
year none have been available recently.
We do not have investments.|
|Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para
1.46|Not applicable|
|A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para
1.46|Our principal financial risk is that our membership
and course income fall below our expenditure. We
are committed to paying rent and service charges,
electricity etc for the Workshop. It is a balance to
keep our course fees as low as we can and yet
cover our expenses and make a bit of ‘profit’ to fund
our public exhibitions etc.
We have public liability insurance to cover any
incidents in the Workshop. With the amount of
equipment in the Workshop we are very careful
about health and safety and have a member who,
although not a trustee, advises us on any potential
issues.|
|Other|||
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
|Description of charity’s
trusts:|||
|---|---|---|
|Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|
Para 1.25|Constitution agreed in 2005, updated in
2015 and amended in 2021.|
|How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|Unincorporated association.|
|Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees|Para 1.25|Trustees and officers are elected by the
members at the AGM and hold office for a
period of 5 years. They can be re-elected at
the end of their term.|
|---|---|---|
|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements|||
|Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction
and training of trustees|Para 1.51|New trustees are given a copy of the
constitution and encouraged to read the
Charity Commission publications about the
role and responsibilities of trustees. They
are supported by our other trustees of
longer standing.|
|The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|The Workshop is run by the Committee
which is formed by the Trustees. These
include the Chair, Treasurer and Secretary.
Devon Weavers Workshop is a member of
the national Association of Guilds of
Weavers, Spinners and Dyers.|
|Relationship with any
related parties|Para 1.51||
|Other|||
## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity**
|1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year **|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (ifany)**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||Margaret Cushen|Chair|||
||Colleen Pope|Treasurer|||
||Kay Balmforth|Exhibitions and
website|||
||Ann Holl|WorkshopBookings|||
||Jill Davies|Advanced Courses|||
||JennyRolfe|Beginners Courses|||
||Sareela Salter|Library|||
||Janet Thomas|Equipment|||
||Jane Unwin|Spinners Rep|||
||Anne Bulleid|Secretary|||
– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved
**Director name** Not Applicable
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
|**Trustee name**|**Dates acted if not for whole year **||
|---|---|---|
|Not applicable|||
||||
## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others**
Description of the assets held in this capacity Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets
## **Additional information (optional)**
## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**
|**Type of**
**adviser**
**Name**
**Address**|**Type of**
**adviser**
**Name**
**Address**|**Type of**
**adviser**
**Name**
**Address**|
|---|---|---|
|Not
applicable|||
||||
||||
||||
**Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)**
## **Exemptions from disclosure**
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
## **Other optional information**
## **Declarations**
**The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.**
**Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees**
|**Signature(s)**
**Full name(s)**
**Position (eg Secretary,**
**Chair, etc)**
**Date**|Margaret Cushen|Anne Bulleid|
|---|---|---|
||Margaret Marion Cushen|Carol Anne Bulleid|
||
Chair|Secretary|
||19thApril 2022||
||19thApril 2022||
Colleen Pope Treasurer
## DEVON WEAVERS WORKSHOP
(Registered Charity - No 1108423)
## INCOME AND EXPENDITURE FOR YEAR ENDING 31.10.2021
|**INCOME**|||**2020/21**|
|---|---|---|---|
|subscriptions||full|**£6,670.00**|
|||associate|**£1,160.00**|
|course fees||advanced|**£16,795.00**|
|||beginners|**£525.00**|
|daily payment|||**£0.00**|
|spinners|||**£0.00**|
|printing|||**£19.01**|
|sales/misc|||**£2,964.85**|
|journal|*||**£32.00**|
|Xmas 2018|||**£0.00**|
|Govt grant|||**£0.00**|
|elec VAT refund|||**£0.00**|
||**total**||**£28,165.86**|
|**EXPENDITURE**||||
|Rent with service charge|||**£6,871.53**|
|Electricity|||**£626.28**|
|Internet|||**£407.13**|
|Running costs||1 essential|**£695.79**|
|||2 discretionar|**£330.46**|
|Insurance/Affiliation|||**£765.15**|
|Journal/mags/books|||**£276.19**|
|Exhibi/fairs|||**£154.80**|
|Admin (treasurer))|||**£42.15**|
|Course expenses/refunds|||**£9,075.98**|
|Sales|||**£2,406.60**|
|Xmas 2018|||**£0.00**|
**total £21,652.06**
surplus transferred to general fund **£6,513.80**
* 1 payment outstanding of £16.00 carried forward
## **Notes.**
**Rent/Service charge.**
We pay £763.50/month ( £700 rent + £63.50 service inc VAT). Feb to July rent was reduced to 50% by the landlords. This saved us £2290.5 in rental payments. Rent review Jan/Feb 2023 ( halfway through lease)
## **Running costs.**
1. 'Essential' running costs: Includes Microsoft Office subs (£33.12), mobile phone
( new contract £5/6 per month until Feb, then £10/12 until Aug 2023) , safety ( £285 PAT and fire), website (£372)
2. 'Other' running costs: Includes expenditure on consumables such as tea,coffee, biscuits, covid supplies , advertising , misc such as key and supplies for sales events ( bags, leaflets).
The workshop has been closed/ reduced operations for much of the year, so expenditure on running costs is lower than in previous years.
## **Electricity**
£626 is down on previous years. Last invoice was August 2021. Aug-Oct electricity will be paid for in next FY.
## **Internet**
Service now provided by BT with small saving in annual cost.
## **Exhibition/Fairs**
No new payments required as c/f from 2020. Additional Bovey expenditure (£154.80) to cover purchase of passes and advert in publicity booklet.
## **Course Income/ Expenses/refunds**
Higher than usual in 2021 due to running of 2 online courses ( Laura Thomas), Jason Collingwood ( 2) and rescheduling of Margo Selby ( 2). Tutor fees £6690.
All participants fully refunded if switched or cancelled course.
Beginner courses on hold for much of year. £525 received for new beginner courses.
## **INCOME from Membership.**
Strong support by members- has ensured our income has remained stable. Majority pay by BACs on a monthly basis. We have gained several new Associate members during the year. By end FY have 24 Full members, 34 paying Associates and several honory members.
## **Sales INCOME and EXPENDITURE**
Sales income and expenditure almost entirely from Bovey Tracy Craft Fair in September.
|Bank account ( Lloyds Business a/c)|**£10,954.05**|_01/11/2020_|
|---|---|---|
||**£17,467.85**|_31/10/2021_|
|2020/21 transactions|**£6,513.80**||
|Bank Account ( Lloyds Business Saving)|**£11,638.48**|_01/11/2020_|
||**£11,639.57**|_31/10/2021_|
|2020/21 transactions|**£1.09**||
## **ASSETS**
**Valuation of all equipment for insurance purposes £43,952.38**
LIABILITIES
None
Independent Examiner's Report
Report to the trusteesl
members of
Devon Weavers Workshop
On accounts for the year ended
31110121
Set out on pages
I report to the trustees on my examination ofthe accounts of the above
charity I'the Trust") for the year ended
.31
October 2021
Responsibilities and basis of
report As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the
preparation of the accounts in accordan with the requirements of the
Charities Act 2011 1.the Act").
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out
under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination,
I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity
Commission under section 14515)Ibl of the Act.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters
have come to my attention in connection with the examination which
gives me cause to believe thal in, any material respect..
1. accounting records were not kept in accordan with section
130 of the AGI or
2. the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
Independent examiner's
statement
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in
connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in
order lo enable a proper understanding ofthe accounts to be reached.
Slgned:
Name:
atherine J Rayner
Relevant professional
qualification{s) or body lif any):
Chartered Tax Adviser
Address:
92 Fore Street
Kingsbridge
Devon TQ7 1PP