ST GEORGE’S CENTRE – ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Welcome
This is our 46[th] AGM and my 19[th] AGM as Chairman. Where do the years go!
Executive Committee
Since our last AGM Professor Ken Halo has retired from the Committee after more than thirty years faithful service and I want to mark in this report his contribution to the Centre over many, many years in a variety of roles. It is because of people like Ken that organisations like ours exist at all. He will be hard to replace but the Committee will try to recruit another member in the coming months. The Committee works very hard behind the scenes to try to ensure that our Members can enjoy the assistance and help that is provided to them. I am grateful for the Committee’s continuing hard work.
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care
As mentioned in my report last year from June 2022 we have been commissioned by the majestically named NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care (NHS GMIC) who took over from the Clinical Commissioning Group (the CCG). In reality very little has changed. I have mentioned in previous years that Commissioning organisations seem to come and go (I think this is the seventh or eighth in the life of the Centre) but we carry on regardless. Through Paula’s hard work together with Steve Bunker, our Treasurer, we continue to have a healthy continuing dialogue with whoever we need to. We continue to fight to ensure the Centre’s core funding provision and to argue that we remain very cost efficient and provide a comprehensive quality service that is value for money for any commissioning body. This continues to be recognised and your Executive Committee are confident that this will continue to be the case.
Staffing
Paula continues as Manager assisted by Pam Spencer, Andrea Greenhalgh and Mark Kitchen. Jean Haslam, who has been connected to the Centre in various roles over a long period of time did not return after the Covid lockdown periods and has now severed her links with the Centre. Like Ken Halo, Jean has been connected to the Centre for a long time and I want to note in this report her contributions over the years. Jean has recently obtained her Doctorate and is now therefore Dr Jean Haslam. We wish her well in retirement.
This is the nineteenth consecutive year that I have shouted that ALL OF OUR STAFF ARE ABSOLUTE HEROES! and I would like as always to take this opportunity on behalf of the Executive Committee to record publicly and thank them for everything that they have achieved and done this year to keep the Centre moving forward.
I must not forget to mention our dedicated band of Volunteers and helpers from the Church and those members who have felt able to put something back into the Centre by becoming Volunteers themselves. I would also like to thank anybody else that contributes in some way to the continued success of the Centre.
Life in the Centre
This report covers the period from the 1[st] April 2022 to the 31[st] March 2023 and therefore is the first full report after the lockdowns and closures caused by the
Coronavirus Pandemic. Activities have changed since the pandemic and they are more reliant on staff alongside member volunteers as well as our links with 'Stars and Stitches' who are a Community Interest Company who support people to live their lives to their full potential by overcoming their difficulties through community arts and art therapy. We have a very good working relationship with them and members are enjoying activities that they provide both inside and outside of the Centre in the Community.
The Tai Chi and aerobics Volunteer and the Woodwork Volunteer did not return after 'Covid' due to other commitments although there is a new woodwork project currently open to members.
Members have enjoyed various local trips such as Smithills Farm, Haigh Hall, Cinema outings and picnics in the park. They also really enjoyed their first Day Trip away to Llandudno in 3 years thanks to Rakem Ltd (where our Treasurer now works) who raised £800 for St Georges.
In the centre members have taken part in music quiz, karaoke and have started and completed work on a ‘covid canvas’. Last Summer there was a bookbinding course and also an upcycling group started.
Throughout last summer workshops ran on Thursday and Friday mornings facilitated by Maddie and Lee (from Stars and Stitches) and they successfully applied for more funding to continue the classes. The workshops are very well attended and members love the interaction with Maddie and Lee. Members are taking ideas learned in the workshops and then setting their own groups up as and when they choose to.
Some Members successfully completed their Food Safety Level 2 course in the Summer – well done! Staff have also completed their Level 2 Food Hygiene Course, as have some Member Volunteers – again very well done!
St Georges celebrated Halloween and bonfire night throughout the week of 1[st] -4[th] November. Also, through November, Mark grew a moustache to raise funds through the ‘just giving’ fundraising site. He raised £48.05 and I understand that members bought raffle tickets with the winner having the privilege of shaving it off! This raised another £50 – a sterling effort!
The Christmas Lunch was on Thursday 22[nd] December - and a super meal it was!
January is always a very long and depressing month so Staff decided to organise some activities to look forward to including a New Years buffet half way through the month. Since then, Members have enjoyed Chinese New Year meal, a Valentines Day Meal and St Patricks Day. Lots of fun is enjoyed by everyone as Staff help to plan a full day of extra activities at our events.
Members have also enjoyed trips to the Cinema.
We have scheduled activities - Tuesday afternoon: art group; Wednesday morning: upcycling group; Thursday: quilt making (making a peace quilt) and Friday mornings printmaking. Happily, we have been able to make use of the woodwork room once again with help from a Qualified retired tutor (and the guys from Stars and Stiches).
There really is a full programme for Members to get involved in including: Craft Group, C.P.N Surgery, Self-Care and Well-Being group, Weight Management, Wii Fit exercise, Walk and Talk Group. Other daily activities include Crocheting and knitting, computers, Card making, jigsaws, Colouring therapy, quizzes, table tennis, darts and pool.
Back in 2019 we signed up to “ Fareshare” and finally, in February this year, Paula was contacted to say that we had come to the top of the list and we could sign up to be part of “Fareshare Go”. Paula now collects donations from Asda every Tuesday and Thursday. This has enabled us to help all Members struggling with the much-publicised Cost of Living crisis.
Lots of work has been done with individual members on a one to one basis. Lots of members are struggling with keeping on top of their finances and are needing all kinds of help to help them budget and also prioritise their different needs.
Members enjoy breakfast and healthy hot lunch every day and we also have meals to take home.
Counselling
Sadly, due to the way that Counselling in Bolton is now organised and funded, we took the difficult decision last year that it was simply not viable for us to continue with the service and this really marked the end of an era in the life of the Centre. Whilst Counselling had been part of our provision for many, many years, it was not our core purpose and the structures imposed by the organisation of Counselling in Bolton just really made it impossible to continue. This coincided with the retirement of Philomena who had run our Counselling Service and the decision was to concentrate all of our efforts on running the Day Centre.
Bereavements
Very sadly, as there seems to be every year, there is a list of bereavements to note:
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Adrian Platt
-
Alan Anderson
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Louise Leneghan
-
George Roberts
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• Most recently, Irene Stewart
We remember them all – they will be sadly missed but not forgotten.
Conclusion
This is our 46[th] AGM and we have survived a National Emergency (the Coronavirus Pandemic) to find ourselves with extortionate energy costs and a Cost-of-Living Crisis. Our Members’ needs for help and support is greater than ever and, as always, St Georges is there for all of you to get you through all of your difficulties and problems. The job is never finished and we realise that the need for support will continue long into the future. Rest assured that the Centre is always here for you.
“Stay Safe” Thank you.
Jeremy Barker – Chairman
Income and Expenditure statement for the year ended 31 March 2023
| Income | Mar-23 | Mar-22 | Expenditure | Mar-23 | Mar-22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funding | 120,716.84 | 118,982.00 | Cash4chq facility | - | - |
| Donations | 855.95 | 294.49 | Cleaning | 238.98 | 297.76 |
| Interest | 998.13 | 25.42 | Equipment | 512.80 | 756.72 |
| Food | 19,324.42 | 15,375.47 | Food | 6,929.97 | 6,173.50 |
| GMCA Grant | - | Insurance | 3,291.13 | 3,184.27 | |
| Sundries | 807.00 | 411.98 | Health & Wellbeing | ||
| Social Fund | 600.00 | Ambition of Ageing | 1,175.20 | ||
| HMRC re Furlough | - | 12,938.37 | Refurbishment | 250.90 | 1,430.00 |
| Counselling | - | 11,508.11 | Rent | 36,188.00 | 30,331.36 |
| CVS/Health & Wellbeing funding | - | Social Fund | 612.47 | 597.94 | |
| Stationery | 67.77 | 135.61 | |||
| Sundry | 1,582.29 | 2,310.76 | |||
| Telephone | 2,053.67 | 1,736.42 | |||
| Therapeutic Earnings | |||||
| Training | 60.00 | 126.40 | |||
| Travel | 540.00 | ||||
| Tutor Fees | |||||
| Volunteers Expenses | 2,144.00 | 2,196.50 | |||
| Wages/Payroll | 102,246.67 | 116,824.99 | |||
| MOJ Funding | |||||
| Total Income | 143,302.34 | 159,535.84 | Total Expenditure | 156,718.65 | 167,277.43 |
| Opening Balances | 235,635.85 | 243,377.44 | |||
| Net Income | - 13,416.31 - | 7,741.59 | |||
| Total Balances | 222,219.54 | 235,635.85 |
Steve Bunker Hon.Treasurer
Jenni Byrne Hon.Auditor
St.George’s Day Centre (Bolton) Limited
Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023
I have pleasure in reporting the Centre’s results for the financial year ended 31 March 2023.
A detailed analysis of the Profit & Loss statement is attached which needs little further comment. Thanks again to Paula who has provided the detailed breakdown.
The funding support remains steady and our expenditure is very well controlled.
Unfortunately, due to the drop off from One Point Counselling, we found ourselves around £12,000 worse off than the last financial year.
Unless we get increased funding or find ways of generating alternative sources of income, we will always find ourselves with a similar deficit going forward.
Positively, funding has been confirmed with a small uplift for the next 3 years. We also hold good reserves which can carry such a deficit for many years, but I would suggest that we seek additional fund raising. Such as grants, charity events or third party donations. Unless of course we can convince the CCG to increase their funding, which at this stage seems unlikely.
In summary, although we are reporting a deficit for 2022/23, the Centre remains financially strong, has secured funding for the next 3 years, has a good level of reserves, but we should be considering how we generate additional funds to alleviate, if not clear, the prevailing deficit.
Hon.Treasurer, Steve Bunker May 2023
Charity No 1124588 Ltd Company No 05887560