**Communicare in Southampton Registered Company No.5430846 Registered Charity No.1110427**
## **Report of the Trustees**
**Year Ended 31 March 2021**
Communicare in Southampton
- 1 - Trustees Report 2020 - 2021
The Trustees have pleasure in presenting their report and the financial statements of the Charitable Company for the period ended 31 March 2021.
## **Purposes and Aims**
The Charitable Objects of Communicare in Southampton are set out in the Memorandum of Association and are as follows:
- The relief of poverty, hardship and distress among the inhabitants of Southampton and surrounding areas by the provision of a home or residential care visiting service offering advice, befriending and physical and emotional support to those in need.
- The witness of the Christian faith in Southampton and surrounding areas.
## The Trustees have:
- Paid due regard to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit in reviewing the work undertaken in the last 12 months.
- Monitored the areas of activity undertaken and the sources of referral made for the services provided.
- Continued the development of a new range of services in response to the changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic
## **How the activities have delivered the public benefit**
Communicare in Southampton’s principal activities continued to be carried out across Southampton City from our main office now relocated at Amplevine House, St Denys. Our usual drop-in sessions at satellite offices in Shirley, Woolston and Lordshill were suspended this year due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The charity continues to seek to help those in need by providing practical help and friendship for isolated people living in the city of Southampton. Our successes over the period have been achieved by the dedicated work of our “Communiteers”. We had 334 volunteers registered at the end of March (up 45% on 2019 - 20) coordinated and supported by 11 salaried employees (7.8 40h/wk FTE, including 0.5 FTE on maternity leave for 8 months and 0.9 FTE on sick leave for 4 months during this period).
The Charity delivers a high quality but cost-effective service that is competitive. The value of what is achieved is measured not only by comparison of what other service providers charge, but more importantly by the trust that has been earned from health and social care professionals and caring organisations; as well as the enduring relationships that are developed with our clientele and their families.
Communicare in Southampton has maintained and developed some strong partnerships in 2020-21 with a variety of organisations with similar goals and ethos to support the local community. These include (but are not limited to) Social Care in Action (SCiA), Southampton University, Saints Foundation, Carers in Southampton, Southampton Sight, Highfield Church, Creative Options, Shirley Baptist Church, St. Mark’s Church, Caraway, City Catering, Compassionate Cuppa, local Rotary Clubs and Board in the City.
We’re also delighted to have been supported by several local businesses including: Eling Studios, Sunrise Senior Living, The Southern Daily Echo, Spectrum Signs & Workwear Ltd, Made in: Here, Drop the Mask and Good Life Sorted.
Communicare in Southampton
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Communicare is a member of Hampshire Good Neighbours, Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, Woolston Millennium Garden, Action Hampshire, Southampton Mental Health Network, Southampton Voluntary Services, Love Southampton and Southampton Christian Network.
## **Progress on plans proposed in Trustees’ Report 2019 - 2020**
In a rapidly changing world, we were challenged to continue to deliver our traditional support through our existing framework to meet the rising tide of demand in the very different landscape arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
To tackle this Communicare in Southampton continued to explore new ways of engaging and managing volunteers, together with developing services to maximise the impact of the volunteers available.
Key areas of focus included:
- _**Consolidating the six new services introduced, starting at the beginning of March 2020**_
Volunteers were redeployed where possible to cover the new range of opportunities on offer. New volunteers were recruited to address the demands of the additional services on offer. The new range of services were offered through existing channels as well as to a wider audience. Communicare worked closely with the Community Wellbeing Team who were instrumental in helping to design and develop the range of activities taking place.
- _**Reviewing office accommodation**_
Our main office has been relocated to a site that allows access throughout pandemic restrictions, providing a larger area at a similar cost to the previous facilities used.
- _**Exploring the possibilities of developing a commercial strand to augment and diversify income**_
- A small venture has been established through renting a space at Robin’s Nest Emporium, allowing the sale of donated items of special interest to collectors.
The Trustees are engaged in negotiations to take on a local bakery, trading as a separate limited company, whose profits are donated to the charity.
- _**Maintaining our ‘small is beautiful’ approach**_
Thought and effort was put into ways of keeping our engagement with service users, volunteers and referrers as individual and personal as possible.
## • _**Providing increasingly flexible ways for volunteers to come on board and participate, including intergenerational approaches**_
In response to the restrictions imposed by the pandemic a simplified application form for use during this period was developed.
## • _**Further developing the use of IT to support the delivery of the programme**_
A number of packages are now used to facilitate the work of the charity. A digital strategy is being produced to ensure that the tools available to us are applied efficiently and effectively to the benefit of all stakeholders.
## • _**Building partnerships**_
Existing partnerships were strengthened and new partnerships developed.
In particular, methods of sharing staff and volunteers were set up and implemented to maximise the use of human resources in the city to support the vulnerable quickly, efficiently and safely.
Communicare in Southampton
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## • _**Advertising for volunteers**_
Communicare’s media campaign was stepped up, allowing TV, Radio, online and newspaper coverage of our work. This was the most significant method of drawing new volunteers in to cover the areas of activity in need of support.
## **Southampton Mental Health Network**
Communicare has continued to lead the creation of Southampton Mental Health Network, a group that is united under a vision to “make Southampton a mental health friendly city”. Established in February 2019 with an initial membership of 12 the Network grew to 145 individuals representing over 80 organisations by March 2021. Funding from Southampton Clinical Commissioning Group came to an end in March 2020, which required an adjustment to the way the network operated.
## **Future plans**
As the world cautiously moves back to a less restricted way of living and a changed economic environment, we are focussing on a range of approaches that aim to maximise the impact the charity is able to have for the benefit of the local community in the short, medium and long term.
We are aware of the need to be flexible in our approach and ready to adapt and redesign plans and services as the situation arises.
Key areas of focus in the near future include:
- **Service review** ; considering ways in which current services may need adapting and updating together with exploring the introduction of new areas of work to address the growing demand for support.
- **Commercial** ; finding ways in which the charity can use commercial activity to provide financial resilience.
- **Strategic planning** ; writing and implementing strategies to ensure that the most efficient and effective pathways are being adopted. In particular, a Digital Strategy will be produced in the light of the recent changes both internally and externally in the world of IT.
- **Volunteer opportunities, recruitment, management, deployment** ; looking at the range of roles available within the charity, together with how we are able to appropriately work with volunteers to deliver the range of services we aspire to offer.
- **Intergenerational work** ; considering ways in which the charity can best work with people in every age group for the benefit of all concerned.
- **Group activity** ; exploring ways in which people can interact in groups of different sizes, for a range of purposes to support one another.
Communicare in Southampton
- 4 - Trustees Report 2020 - 2021
## **Who we’ve helped**
Our Communiteers gave active support to 449 individuals or families with 2,489 requests. This figure also includes those being supported by our volunteers as part of partnership working with St Mark’s Church, Shirley at the Haven Lunch Club. The club was only able to offer a very restricted service during the year, which included home delivery of frozen meals to those requesting them.
In addition 826 people received one of more of our newly introduced newsletters/activity packs.
Of those helped 67% (73% 2019 - 20) were over 65 years of age, and 39% (45% 2019 – 20) were over 80.
**Figure 1 - Age Profile of Service Users 2020 – 21**
Communicare in Southampton
- 5 - Trustees Report 2020 - 2021
The primary reason for needing support for the majority of those helped (47%) was medical or social needs. This is a change from previous years, when physical disability was the predominant need and is a reflection of the changes brought about by the challenges of the pandemic. However, many of those referred face multiple challenges and would fall into more than one of these categories.
**Figure 2 - Primary Reason for Referral 2020 – 21**
Communicare in Southampton
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## **The type of help we’ve given**
Our volunteers provided approximately 15,049[1] hours of individual acts of kindness. This figure is lower than in previous years as the time required for telephone support is typically lower than the time spent on faceto-face visiting, which was almost totally eliminated during the year due to COVID restrictions.
The help we provide enabled our service users to live as independently and safely as possible, in their own homes.
The value of work is estimated to be in the region of £322,500.07[2] - far greater than the costs incurred for this area of work by Communicare in Southampton.
In addition to this over 70 volunteers provided many hours of help at local COVID vaccination centres. The charity was highlighted in a Home Office report for the invaluable support it gave from the very early stages of the roll out of the programme.
**Figure 3 - Number of Service Users Helped, by Type of Request 2020 - 21**
Figure 3 provides information about how many clients have been helped with each individual task. It should be noted that some service users have been helped with multiple types of request.
> 1 Calculated by average time spent per request multiplied by the number of requests completed in the period. Based on 139 records from 48 volunteers’ submissions in 2020 - 21
> 2 Calculated by multiplying the number of hours volunteered (15,049) by the current minimum charge for caring services from commercial agencies (£21.43 Minimum Price £/hr - UK Homecare Association 2020) www.ukhca.co.uk/downloads.aspx?id=434 Communicare in Southampton - 7 - Trustees Report 2020 - 2021
## **Where do service user referrals come from?**
72% of the referrals to Communicare came from health and social care professionals and caring organisations, a reflection of the trust placed in Communicare over the 30 years of its existence.
Demand for our services remains high. Our waiting list at the end of the year comprised 336 people (58 of these service users are only on the waiting list to be potentially invited to future tea parties, leaving 278 service users waiting for one or more other services). (413 people in 2019-20).
**Figure 4 - Source of Referrals 2018-19**
## **Volunteers (“Communiteers”)**
Our Communiteers have worked tirelessly to make a real difference in our community and Communicare relies on their continued dedication and commitment. Drop-ins for volunteers, including conferences and information sessions are held to provide support and build a better understanding of requirements. During “lockdown” these moved online. Where appropriate, volunteers are subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check.
Our Coordinators continue to use our extensive volunteer induction packs, given to volunteers at induction, providing an additional level of support for the volunteers in the form of a go-to pack. Our monthly newsletters are also an easy way for us to keep our volunteers in-the-loop with current information and training.
Communicare in Southampton
- 8 - Trustees Report 2020 - 2021
## **Membership**
Members are asked to renew their membership annually and pay a £2 fee for registration. This allows the charity to track its membership more effectively and ensure that members are positively opting into engagement with the organisation.
Membership of the charity is open to church representatives, individuals and organisations who support the work of the charity and who live, work or reside in Southampton or the surrounding area.
## **Governance**
Our Manager, Anne Clewlow (0.5 – 0.75 FTE) continues to manage the staff and oversee Communicare’s operational activities. The Manager reports to the Trustees at their monthly meetings (held more frequently and online during the pandemic). Strategic management, including adoption of policies, of Communicare is undertaken by the Trustees.
Members and Trustees of Communicare guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 to the assets of the charitable company in the event of winding up. The total number of guarantors as at 31 March 2021 was 26.
The AGM for 2020 was held on 12[th] October as a mixed online and face to face event, with 76% of members participating in voting. Resolutions were passed which allow meetings to be held online if appropriate and to extend opportunities for the charity to engage in commercial activity.
The Articles of Association were updated accordingly and accepted by the Charity Commission in February 2021.
## **Trustees**
## _Recruitment of Trustees_
The charity periodically recruits Trustees as the need arises, focusing on areas of knowledge and expertise that will add to the strength of the team. Opportunities are advertised through the networks already open to the organisation (e.g. church groups) and also via Southampton Voluntary Services.
The _Directors_ for the purpose of Company Law and _Trustees_ for the purpose of Charity Law, that served during the year and up to the date of this report and are set out below:
- Rev Miles Newton... ......................................................... Chair and Trustee
- • Carolyn Renault ...... .....................................................Director and Trustee • Julia Painter ............ _......................_ Director and Trustee (resigned 30/7/21) • Barrie Worth ........... _....................................................._ Director and Trustee • Carolyn Page ........... _....................................................._ Director and Trustee • David Thomas ......... _....................................................._ Director and Trustee • Hannah Silver ......... _....................................................._ Director and Trustee
Communicare in Southampton
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## _Trustee Induction and Training_
All new Trustees receive a copy of “The Essential Trustee” CC3 and an outline of their responsibilities. In addition, new and existing Trustees are encouraged to attend specific training and update courses.
## _Responsibilities of the Trustees_
Company Law requires Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year to give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of Communicare in Southampton and its surplus or deficit of income over expenditure for that period. In preparing the financial statements, the Trustees follow best practice and:
- Select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
- Make judgments and estimates, which are reasonable and prudent;
- 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 show and explain the charity’s transactions which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity 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 hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
## **Principal Funding Sources**
During 2020/21 82% (69% 2019-20) of funding was from grants.
## **Reserves Policy**
It is the policy of Communicare in Southampton to maintain unrestricted funds, which are our free reserves, at a minimum level of up to approximately six months unrestricted expenditure. At 1[st] April 2021 there were reserves available to cover over 6 months of expenditure.
## **Risk Review**
The Trustees have considered the major risks to which Communicare in Southampton is exposed and have put in place policies and systems to mitigate these risks. Volunteers are protected under the insurance policy of umbrella organisation: The Hampshire Good Neighbours Network provided by Capital Markets Underwriting Ltd. We have a wide range of policies including Adult & Child Safeguarding, Health and Safety, Equal Opportunities, Financial Reserves, Data Protection and Gifts and Legacies.
## **Small Company Exemption**
This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.
## **By Order of the Board**
20[th] September 2021
## **Anne Clewlow, Company Secretary**
Registered Office:
Shirley Baptist Church, Church Street, Southampton, Hampshire SO15 5LG **Statement of Financial**
Communicare in Southampton
- 10 - Trustees Report 2020 - 2021
## **Balance Sheet at 31 March 2021**
|**Balance Sheet at 31 March 2021**||
|---|---|
|**2020 - 21**|**2019 - 20**|
|**£**
**Fixed assets**
**-**
**Current assets**
Cash at Bank and in Hand
247,738.76
**247,738.76**
Other debtors
-
**-**
**Net current assets less current liabilities**
**247,738.76**
**Total assets less current liabilities**
**247,738.76**
**Liabilities**
**-**
**Total net assets less liabilities**
**247,738.76**|**£**
**-**
135,541.43
**135,541.43**
2,596.33
**2,596.33**
**138,137.76**
**138,137.76**
**-**
**138,137.76**|
The Trustees are of the opinion that the charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006, relating to small companies. No notice has been deposited under Section 476 of the Act in relation to the accounts for the period.
The Trustees acknowledge their responsibility for:
- a) Ensuring the Charitable Company keeps accounting records which comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006; and
- b) Preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charitable Company as at the end of the financial period, and of its deficit for the financial period in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395, and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to accounts, so far as applicable to the Charitable Company.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (effective April 2008).
The financial statements were approved by the Trustees on 20[th] September 2021.
## **Anne Clewlow, Company Secretary**
## **Miles Newton, Chair of TrusteesProfit/Loss**
Communicare in Southampton
- 11 - Trustees Report 2020 - 2021
|**INCOME**
**Donations and legacies**
Clients
Regular Giving
Volunteers
Virgin Money Giving
Church Donations
Other
**Legacies**
Legacies
**Total**
**Income from charitable activities**
Tree of Light
Events
Vintage & Craft
Fairs
Barn Dance
Quiz Nights
General
Fundraising
Business Events
Marathon
Fundraising
Membership Fees
Sponsored Dive
**Total**
**Other trading activities**
Commercial Project
(Communibakes)
Robin's Nest
Income
Cloth Bags
**Total**
**Other income**
NHS Southampton
CCG Grant
Hello Southampton
National Lottery
National Lottery
Covid
SCC Grant
ASDA Foundation
Allen Lane
Foundation
Henry Smith
Foundation
Grants General
SU Shopping
Payment
**Total**
**Gift Aid**
Gift Aid Tax Return|**2020 - 21**
£4,897.80
£6,112.65
£10,827.48
£3,072.48
£2,651.10
£6,852.11
£10,000.00|**of which gift**
**aided**
£70.00
£5,674.75
£9,550.49
£776.00|**Designated**
£136.00
£10.00
£481.00|**Restricted**
£5,000.00
£230.00
£77,251.00
£69,540.00
£53,971.00
£21,392.00
£4,000.00|**2019 - 20**
£6,474.88
£4,226.00
£4,398.39
£2,293.82
£2,049.85
£4,786.69
£119.70
**£24,349.33**
£1,896.48
£250.00
£2,036.05
£2,913.33
£533.02
£2,069.25
-
£3,308.95
£50.00
£1,577.00
**£14,634.08**
-
-
£10.00
**£10.00**
-
-
£52,776.50
£16,500.00
£1,000.00
£12,000.00
£8,000.00
-
-
**£90,276.50**
**£2,499.19**
**£131,769.10**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**£44,413.62**
£1,484.00
-
-
-
£2,401.99
£861.00
£1,181.00
£57.00
£100.00|||||
||**£6,084.99**
£5,000.00
£230.00
£0.00|||||
||**£5,230.00**
£78,791.00
69540
£53,971.00
£21,392.00
£16,948.00
-
-
£8,000.00
£9,881.00
£1,016.00|||||
||**£259,539.00**
**-**|||||
|**INCOME GRAND TOTAL**|**£315,269.00**|||||
Communicare in Southampton
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|**EXPENDITURE**
**Raising funds**
Fundraising
Expenses
Robin's Nest
**Total**
**Charitable activities**
Salaries and NI
Pensions
Staff Expenses
Volunteer Expenses
DBS Fees
Rent
Phone & Internet
Developing
Capabilites
Social Events
Postage & Office
Supplies
Insurance
Website & Publicity
Training
Equipment
**Total**
**Other expenditure**
Fees
Shopping
Reimbursement
Other Expenses
**Total**|**2020 - 21**
**of which gift**
**aided**
**of which**
**designated**
**of which**
**restricted**
£398.00
£613.00
**£1,011.00**
£142,419.00
£106,539.00
£4,963.00
£3,749.00
£3,056.00
£1,357.00
£88.00
£3,406.00
£762.00
£156.00
£7,000.00
£4,214.00
£4,789.00
£1,015.00
-
-
£8,029.00
£3,663.00
£48.00
455
£11,636.00
£10,051.00
£35.00
£15.00
£10,634.00
£9.00
£8,269.00
**£196,582.00**
£4,597.00
£1,213.00
£1,166.00
£2,310.00
£50.00
**£8,074.00**|**2019 - 20**
£2,764.69|
|---|---|---|
|||**£2,764.69**
£127,475.99
£5,118.88
£1,712.06
£7,028.93
£788.00
£10,254.00
£1,805.32
-
£2,356.01
£1,363.99
-
£24,308.09
£1,644.50
£579.81|
|||**£184,435.58**
£930.86
-
£3,363.05|
|||**£4,293.91**|
|**EXPENDITURE GRAND TOTAL**|**£205,668.00**|**£191,494.18**|
|**NET LOSS(-)/SURPLUS**|**£109,601.00**|**- £59,725.08**|
## **Balance Sheet**
## **BALANCE SHEET**
## **CLOSING BALANCE C/FWD**
**2020-21 2019-20** Reserves brought forward £138,137.76 £197,862.84 Loss(-)/Surplus £109,601.00 -£59,725.08 **[£247,738.76 £138,137.76 ]**
Communicare in Southampton
- 13 - Trustees Report 2020 - 2021
## **Notes on the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st March 2021**
## **1. Accounting Policies**
## **Basis of accounting**
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (effective April 2008), the Statement of Recommended Practice “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” (2005) and the provisions applicable for companies subject to the small companies’ regime.
## **Fixed assets**
The office uses facilities provided by Shirley Baptist Church without charge and Southampton Voluntary services, St. Mark’s Institute, Woolston & Lord’s Hill Church for agreed rental. Tangible fixed assets are of low value and are written off in the year of purchase.
## **Incoming resources**
Incoming resources are recognised as income in the year in which they are received.
## **Resources expended**
Resources expended are recognised in the period in which they are incurred. Resources expended include, where appropriate, VAT which is not recoverable.
## **2. Directors/Trustees Remuneration and Expenses**
No remuneration was paid to any director/trustee nor were any expenses reimbursed.
## **3. Taxation**
The Charitable Company is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.
## **4. General Fund**
Communicare in Southampton is a Charitable Company with no share capital that is limited by guarantee. Movements on the general fund in the period to 31 March 2021 were as follows:
|Gain/loss on ordinaryactivities for theperiod|£109,601.00|
|---|---|
|Balance at start of theyear|£138,137.76|
|Balance at the end of theyear|**£247,738.76**|
## **5. Financial commitments**
The Company has not entered into any financial commitments
6. **Control -** Throughout the year the Charity was controlled ultimately by its members.
Communicare in Southampton
- 14 - Trustees Report 2020 - 2021
## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Communicare in Southampton.**
I report on the accounts of Communicare in Southampton, set out on pages 11 - 14, for the year ended 31 March 2021.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
The trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The Trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 43(2) of the Charities Act 1993 (the 1993 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. I am qualified to undertake this examination as I am a Chartered Certified Accountant and have an independent interest in the charity.
Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:
- Examine the accounts under section 43 of the 1993 Act;
- To follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 43(7)(b) of the 1993 Act: and
- To state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of independent examiner’s report**
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below:
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
- 1) Which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
- To keep accounting records in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006: and
- To prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records, comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities
- Have not been met; or
- 2) To which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
31[st] August 2021
## **Simon Rudd**
Coastal Accountants Ltd, Office 2, Unit 3 Mitchell Point, Ensign Way, Hamble SO31 4RF
Communicare in Southampton
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