Richmond Funiiture Scheme Annual Report 2022-2023 J i ENT aUX ¢J
Contents
| Contents | Contents |
|---|---|
| Welcome to our Annual Report for 2022-2023 ...................................................................2 | |
| Chair's foreword ...............................................................................................................3 | |
| CEO’s | remarks ..................................................................................................................5 |
| Trustees’/directors’ report ................................................................................................7 | |
| 1. | 2022 – 2023 key data ........................................................................................................ 7 |
| 2. | Customer feedback ........................................................................................................... 8 |
| 3. | Volunteering ................................................................................................................... 10 |
| 4. | Funding and grants ......................................................................................................... 12 |
| 5. | Systems .......................................................................................................................... 16 |
| 6. | Marketing ....................................................................................................................... 17 |
| 7. | Staff ............................................................................................................................... 18 |
| 8. | What we have been up to ............................................................................................... 19 |
| 9. | What’s on the horizon? ................................................................................................... 22 |
| Information about how and why we operate. ................................................................. 23 | |
| 1. | Principal activities ........................................................................................................... 23 |
| 2. | Background .................................................................................................................... 23 |
| 3. | Objectives....................................................................................................................... 23 |
| Governance .................................................................................................................... 24 | |
| 1. | Board ............................................................................................................................. 24 |
| 2. | Management and staff .................................................................................................... 24 |
| 3. | Risk and internal controls ................................................................................................ 24 |
| Administrative details ..................................................................................................... 26 | |
| 1. | Status ............................................................................................................................. 26 |
| 2. | Registered Office and Business Address ........................................................................... 26 |
| 3. | Contact Details ............................................................................................................... 26 |
| 4. | Trustees/Directors at Year End ........................................................................................ 26 |
| 5. | CEO ................................................................................................................................ 26 |
| 6. | Accounts Examiner ......................................................................................................... 26 |
| 7. | Bankers .......................................................................................................................... 26 |
| 8. | Insurance ........................................................................................................................ 26 |
| Financial statement – 2022-23 ........................................................................................ 27 | |
| 9. | Notes forming part of the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2023 ........... 28 |
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Welcome to our Annual Report for 2022-2023
“Once I got the furniture from the scheme it filled my house with some identity. I can have some furniture that really belongs to me. It’s very important and it made me feel worthy.”
“I bought two chests of drawers from the Furniture Scheme and they are solid and will last. There is no way that I would get something of that quality at that price anywhere else. I also like the fact that stuff is being reused and not ending up in landfill.”
“When we went to the warehouse it was welcoming and friendly . . . we had time to check all we needed without any rush. Getting needed furniture was a great relief. I would like to say that this project is awesome, so are the people we have met there.”
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£265k raised - 40 tonnes of 397 customers 122 tonnes
£110k grants, furniture in need * of furniture
£139k from provided to (+10.9%) donated to
charitable people in need the Scheme
activities ( 2,683 items ) (+8.19%)
£15k from Gift
Aid and other
income
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Over 1600 van 58 starter kits, 6,165 hours £70k raised
collections and comprising of from 108 for electric
deliveries 242 items , volunteers van, delivery
given to grant September
customers 2023
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*referred with a grant or entitled to a discount
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Chair's foreword
2022-23 has seen a tremendous amount of activity on several fronts for Richmond Furniture Scheme. There was significant growth in our core activities and funds raised around the collection and reuse of furniture, massive fund-raising from external sources supporting starter kits for people with grants and funding the acquisition of a new all electric van. Our volunteering numbers grew too helping us to achieve more, support more and extend work outside our Fortescue Avenue base. We also signed a new five-year lease for our HQ with the London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames (LBRUT) , securing our base to April 2026.
Financial results
Income for 2022-23 increased to £265.3k (£220.6, 21-22). Key drivers in this increase are income from charitable activities, from the sale of furniture , up to £139.4k (£124.8k, 21-22) and grant income up to £110.5k (65.7k, 21-22). Other income decreased to £15.5k (£30.1k, 21-22), largely driven by a reduction in Government support relating to the tail end of Covid and the Kickstart scheme from the prior year.
Expenditure rose to £216.6k (£210.3k, 21-22). Transport costs were considerably higher than planned, mainly due to significant repairs to the Scheme’s Luton van engine which blew an expensive gasket. Rent also increased to £18.5k (15.7k, 21-22), but this is matched by funding from the LBRUT and is part of the new lease agreement mentioned above.
We had a marked increase in surplus funds to £48.7k (10.3k, 21-22). This is because we declare all income as it becomes available to the Scheme, in accordance with charity accounting guidelines, and does not reflect future planned expenditure. In FY 2023-24, the Scheme purchased a new electric van for which £37.5k was raised in the financial year 202223.
Supporters
RFS works with support from key partners, LBRUT , Hampton Fund and Richmond Parish Lands Charity who provide grants for core expenses and the lease. We are extremely grateful for their continued support.
RFS also works closely with the Local Assistance Scheme at LBRUT , which provides grants for furniture for local residents and people allocated social housing. This service has been extended to work with Wandsworth Council’s Adult Social Services . Whilst this relationship is in its infancy, we are seeing a healthy increase in grant referrals, supporting Wandsworth’s community.
Volunteering is crucial to our operation and 108 people were involved 2022-23 (99, 202122). We cannot function without them and we are hugely appreciative of everyone’s contributions, no matter how large or how small.
Some of our volunteers had a material impact for RFS and it’s right to mention their contributions. Peter Kelly our chief fund-raising volunteer, not only he helped to secure £68.5k to purchase a new van, but he also raised over £12k towards Starter Kits to give to
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people in need. Derek Papworth , volunteer, trustee and systems guru, has performed wonders creating dashboards, improving systems and is the architect of the online shop (www.rfsonline.co.uk/shop). Nearly 40% of funds raised from the sale of furniture are from our online shop (a statistic many retailers would be impressed by). Jessica Andrews , volunteer Marketing Manager, continued to run our marketing and social media notching up some considerable milestones such as exceeding 1k Likes on Facebook . 2022-23 also saw considerable growth in online sales which was in no small part linked to our social media and marketing activity.
Links with other agencies and charities
RFS continues to develop its links with a range of local bodies from charities such as Shepherd’s Star and community groups Twickenham Carers . We also have links with secondary, tertiary and higher educational establishments in the public and private sector. The aim is to build community by creating opportunities for those looking to build or rebuild their skills. RFS runs workshops to help people learn basic DIY skills and encourages volunteering to continue learning and development. We have also been liaising with local agencies including Citizen’s Advice, Home Start, Richmond Charities, RUILS, Richmond Aid and many others providing training, advice and support.
The Trustee team
Our Trustees remained unchanged last year and we have eight in total. We have a blend of experience ranging from IT and finance to marketing and governance, makes for a board with plenty of challenge and ideas for strategic development and I thank them all for their continued support and due diligence.
2023-24
The budget for 2023-24 is tough. To meet our Living Wage obligations, salary costs increased by 10%. We needed to increase our base prices for furniture to help meet some of the increase. However, we offset some of this rise by increasing discounts from 20% to 25% for people in need, in line with our core objectives. Whilst this year will stretch resources and minds, we haven’t stopped innovating. We have worked closely with Rework to secure supplies of refurbished appliances (with a 12 month warranty), which extends our offering. We are also working on improving our service and efficiency with new processes such as online booking for collections. And, we have a new electric van, fully funded, which will last well into the future.
Jack Stephen Chair of Trustees
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CEO’s remarks
As Jack has said, this has been a big year for the Scheme. We have seen some changes with the core team and we have made a number of significant strides in making homes, protecting the environment and building community.
RFS staff
Every day brings challenges and our team always rise to the task in hand. Whether it’s shifting or managing vast quantities of furniture ( 122 tonnes 2022-23 ), managing 108 volunteers, supporting customers and donors or managing finance, I am always grateful to the team’s hard work and dedication to the cause.
We said goodbye to Joseph Hill who worked extremely hard to support warehouse operations. Rob Whitmarsh stepped in to take over as Warehouse Manager. Rob previously worked on the van and his position has been taken on by John Kurton. John volunteered with the Scheme prior to joining RFS and we have followed his journey closely over the last couple of years, supporting him where we can.
Building homes – by ensuring everyone has access to affordable furniture.
I am delighted to report that we have grown across virtually all measures. More furniture, volunteers, an expanded network, more van journeys and much more. But we can’t rest on our laurels.
A key objective of the Scheme, using the language in our Charity Commission statement, is the “prevention and relief of poverty by supplying donated furniture and household goods at minimal cost to people in need”. People in need are eligible for discounted furniture (20% off in 2022-23). The number of eligible clients grew 10.9% from 2021-22. This is a positive development and the challenge for us is to do more to help those in need. However, we recognise that there are a number of issues that make this more difficult including:
Shortage of affordable This presents a big challenge to housing teams searching for housing accommodation in the borough. Fewer opportunities to move people into affordable housing tends to lead to fewer people receiving grants. and can reduce the number of people supported with assistance grants due to fewer housing moves.
Awareness of available RFS is doing what it can to increase awareness of support for support people in need. New info graphics showing the pathway to discounts and furniture grant as well as improving visibility on our website are a part of this. RFS is also focussed on educating partner agencies, offering training and support.
Pressure on budgets Across local government and charities, cost of living increases are putting immense pressure on budgets. RFS is working to secure its long-term future and to offer effective ways to help support welfare support budgets through affordable furniture.
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RFS is engaging with senior council officers to seek ways in which we can help.
Protecting the environment – by reducing landfill and finding new homes for donated reuse furniture.
Re-use, is of course, core to what RFS does. Furniture is brought to the scheme and collected (free of charge) from around the borough of Richmond and, occasionally, beyond. But RFS is also keen to support initiatives that seek to reduce waste across the community. The community in Kew held an EcoFayre , and RFS took space there to provides advice and ideas to the community. RFS supported LBRUT’s Big Skip event at Edgar Road. RFS supplied planters made from recycled furniture to the Hampton Court Flower Show , supporting the Visit Richmond stand.
Building community – by creating opportunities for those looking to build or rebuild their skills.
Volunteering at RFS has gone from strength to strength. Under Lucy Stepan’s stewardship, we saw 108 volunteers provide over 6,000 hours of volunteering (statistics courtesy of more great work from Derek Papworth to develop our HR application).
We have a very eclectic mix of volunteers who support our key values; be kind, be bold and be creative. The volunteers include students, the Duke of Edinburgh Award participants, students with special needs, unemployed, retirees from a wide range of working backgrounds and even refugees from Ukraine. We also work with a wide range of agencies and educational settings to support as many people as we are able to.
The Scheme’s work isn’t limited to HQ at Fortescue Avenue. Volunteers took part in workshops with Shepherd’s Star , where we help the class find out how to make planters out of old bed slats. They also attended the RHS Flower Show, Hampton Court, helping by setting up and working on the Visit Richmond Stand.
We are proud of our diverse team and, as I regularly point out when I send monthly updates, we cannot do what we do without their help .
Simon Westgarth Chief Executive Officer
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Trustees’/directors’ report
1. 2022 – 2023 key data
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Funds raised from furniture Furniture donation and reuse
activity
150 Tonnes '000s
120
130 100
Covid
80
110
60
90 40
14/1 15/1 16/1 17/1 18/1 19/2 20/2 21/2 22/2
Covid 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3
70
16/17 17/18 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 Donated 114 115 95 108 94 99 71 113 122
£'000s 84 102 127 118 80 123 141 Reused 107 104 84 87 84 80 54 94 106
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Customer breakdown Customer split
1400 Agency and Self-referred
customers receive 25%
1200
discounts on furniture prices.
1000
Covid
800 Agency referred Self-referred
600 General public
400 10%
200 16%
0
2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23
Agency referred Self-referred General public 74%
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Customer profile
RFS customers come from a range of backgrounds. We monitor customer purchases to assess our performance in delivering affordable furniture to the community and, in particular, to those who need it to help alleviate poverty.
Agency referred ( 10.2% 2022-23 , 13.1% 2021-22) - customers awarded grants from a range of partners including Richmond and Wandsworth councils , Richmond Parish Lands Charity , Hampton Fund and Barnes Fund .
Self-referred ( 16% 2022-23, 13.2% 2021-22) - customers who qualify for discounts .
General public ( 74% 2022-23, no change from 2021-22) - customers are encouraged to shop at the Scheme to promote reuse and reduce waste.
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It was mentioned above that the Scheme was looking at ways in which it could increase awareness for those eligible to self-refer. At the time of writing the report, RFS has seen a 55% increase in self-referral clients (eligible for the 25% discount as at 30 September 2023). While it’s too early to come to conclusions, it is encouraging that RFS is helping more clients in this way.
While the majority of the Scheme’s customers are based in the borough, a few did come from well outside (indeed Glasgow may be a new record).
We had a few donors who hailed from further afield. Of course, we are grateful to all concerned.
2. Customer feedback
We consulted the views of RFS customers with grants to find out more about their experiences us. Their feedback was revealing, and heart felt. Here is what we learned from one such case:
This customer lost her home and had to move into temporary accommodation with her young son. She had beds but nothing else to make her new house feel like a home.
“It was a confusing time I wasn’t sure what to do about buying furniture I didn’t know whether to try and buy furniture or spend money on other things which were important.
“I heard I could apply for a grant after I had already moved in. I wish I had known sooner.
“At first, when you are in that situation you don’t understand that actually furniture makes a difference in your house – once I got the furniture from the scheme it filled my house with some identity. I can have some furniture that really belongs to me. It’s very important and it made me feel worthy.”
She went on to the Richmond Furniture Scheme’s online shop and picked out some shelves, drawers for her son’s room, a dining table and some armchairs: “I was able to choose things which were to my taste and then I could organise everything such as our clothes and belongings.
“I am still very attached to my old house because we lived there for years. I am still finding it difficult to let go of the past. But when you are able to organise your belongings with the furniture you can make your place feel like your own - it helps.
“I feel happier having people round to visit my house because now I have somewhere to sit and the table is helpful for my son’s studies.”
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She was positive about her experience with Richmond Furniture Scheme: “The people were very down to earth and kind. I had to cancel and rebook and I was assisted kindly throughout the process, there was no disrespect. The people who delivered the furniture were very kind, too – that’s very important because they are delivering the goods to your house and they were genuinely kind and patient.
“I would recommend the scheme to other people; you never know what kind of situation you might have to face.”
______
Another customer from Ukraine had this to say about their experience:
“Since we were forced to leave Ukraine after the full-scale invasion, all we had was left behind.”
“I got to know about the furniture project from the English family we lived with at first.”
“After taking an unfurnished house for rent, we had to find everything needed so it would be possible to live there. That was definitely not a suitable time for buying all brand-new furniture.”
“We got a single bed for the kids’ room, side table, work desk, a set of plates and a flowerpot. Also, one volunteer from Richmond Furniture Project gifted us two pans. Amazing!”
“I was lucky to get a couch from my colleague, some furniture from one Ukrainian family as well. I tried Freecycle, though I haven't found there anything. Also, I tried Marketplace on Facebook but failed to find something decent and close to us. It would have been very complicated and time-consuming if I had not known about Richmond Furniture Scheme.”
“When we went to the warehouse it was welcoming and friendly, I would say. We had time to check all we needed without any rush. I use the website time from time but I like it more to come to the warehouse and see all with my eyes.”
“Getting needed furniture was a great relief. I would like to say that this project is awesome, so are the people we have met there.”
_____
We found a range of different perspectives with furniture poverty being the common factor. It’s certain that reuse charities like ours make a meaningful impact on people’s lives. We must never take that for granted.
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3. Volunteering
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108
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volunteers gave 6,165 hours of their time.
There are many roles across the Scheme. We like to keep track of where time is being spent.
Key:
Location - Role
Warehouse - Inventory management, customer/donor support, merchandising - Workshop Furniture repair, building, up-cycling and recycling Carousel - Furniture refurbishment, up-cycling and upholstery Van - Furniture collections and deliveries Offsite - Projects, fundraising, marketing and social media support Office - Administration support - Teaching Volunteer coaches supporting other volunteers Grounds - Gardening, site clearing, general maintenance
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We asked volunteers to let us know how they felt about the Scheme and here is some of their feedback:
“I enjoy the challenge of working with furniture that is in dire need of love.
_____
“It’s a very relaxed place to work, if I have other stuff going on in my life the Furniture Scheme is great for de-stressing, it makes me feel very content with myself.”
_____
“It's really gratifying to see a broken object fixed, made to look pretty, and sold - often within the same day! “
_____
“It’s great helping a customer when they come in so they leave happy, I like showing them how they can also use our online shop on their phone to find what they want.”
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4. Funding and grants
Richmond Furniture Scheme generated around £155k from the sale of furniture and associated Gift Aid. Of the £155k, £23.6k was raised from agency referred grant funding for people in need, to help them acquire essential, affordable furniture. Many of these clients are supported by Richmond Council’s Local Assistance Scheme ( £22k ) and a number of local agencies refer their clients to us via this service. These include, Richmond Aid, Richmond Upon Thames Independent Living Services, Citizens Advice Richmond and SPEAR . We are also received grant referrals from Wandsworth Council Adult Social Services, Hampton Fund, Barnes Fund and RPLC .
However, with costs of £216.6K , the Scheme relies on other income for support. Below is a detailed list of all the contributors providing revenue to support core costs, starter kit funding and other designated income.
| Donor | Donation | Purpose |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Hampton Fund | £28,000 | Volunteer | |
| coordinator | |||
| salary | |||
| London Borough | £18,500 |
Fortescue | |
| of Richmond | lease p.a. | ||
| Upon Thames | |||
| Richmond Parish | £16,500 |
Salary and | |
| Lands | core costs | ||
| St Margaret’s | £371 | Starter kits | |
| Church of | |||
| Scotland | |||
| Anonymous | £150 | Starter kits | |
| donor | |||
| Magic Little | £500 | Starter kits | |
| Grants | |||
| Leeds Building | £1,000 | Starter kits | |
| Society | |||
| M&S Fund the | £1,000 | Starter kits | |
| Neighbours | |||
| Axis Foundation | £5,625 | Starter kits | |
| Shell | £350 | Workshop | |
| items | |||
| Total | £71,996 |
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Starter kits go to grant customers and are typically made of items such as kitchen utensils, pots and pans, crockery and cutlery, a kettle, a toaster and a microwave. We also provide free hygiene products thanks to our partnership with The Hygiene Bank.
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In the past year, the Scheme has been raising money for the purchase of a new van. There is a big list of organisations who have contributed towards the cost, and we are very grateful for their support. In alphabetical order, the following is a list of all the donors and the respective amounts raised:
| Donor | Amount |
|---|---|
| Bernard Sunley | £5,000 |
| Foundation | |
| Clothworker’s | £15,000 |
| Foundation | |
| Chapman Charitable | £1,000 |
| Trust | |
| The Grace Trust | £500 |
| Green Hall | £4,000 |
| Foundation | |
| Garfield Weston | £5,000 |
| Foundation | |
| National Lottery | £8,000 |
| Community Fund | |
| Richmond Parish | £15,000 |
| Lands Charity | |
| Shanly Foundation | £5,000 |
| Steel Charitable | £10,000 |
| Trust | |
| Total | £68,500 |
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And here she is... 'Wanessa rfsonline.co.uk B¥73LDX Allports rt Group ¥. 15
5. Systems
Systems and processes are vital in any organisation and RFS is no different. Thanks to Microsoft providing software free of charge to small charities, we have been able to take advantage of this to build a suite of applications and reports to run our operations.
Chief architect is Derek Papworth, Trustee. Derek’s knowledge of systems and process is excellent.
Enhancements and developments this past year include:
-
Developing inventory management to handle more detailed product descriptions for appliances
-
Rewriting the basis for scheduling and managing deliveries and orders
-
Creating a self-service collection request system
-
Migrated the phone system to cloud based Teams calling
By capturing information electronically, we have an extremely comprehensive data set that has enabled us to produce a most detailed business plan for the next three years.
This is informing our strategic conversations in a way that we have not had before.
As part of the Reuse Network, we have already had other operations interested in how we do it and we are sharing our knowledge to assist others.
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6. Marketing
Ensuring that our community knows what we do takes constant work and activity. Jessica Andrews, volunteer Marketing Manager, has developed our profile and curated a regular stream of top quality content for our social media platform, leaflets, the website and much more.
Thank you Jessica for all that you do for the Scheme and have done for the past three years. The front cover of this year’s report would not have been possible without all of the posts that Jessica has managed.
Our marketing activity covers a wide range of areas from designing signage for the van to creating infographics about how to apply for discounts and grants.
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Social Media
1500
1000
500
0
Facebook Lks FB Fllws
Instagram Twitter
Linked-in
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“Great deals.” Great deals.”
Customers “Great deals.” Great deals.” continue “Absolutely love Richmond furniture scheme. Lovely staff and always to give helpful. Highly recommend.” great “Really helpful staff, great furniture at such reasonable prices. Prompt feedback delivery. Really happy. ” (source: Google) “Wonderful people, so helpful really went the extra mile to help with our purchase of garden table!! Thank you”
“ Wow.... What a fabulous place, some really special pieces of furniture and a good cause too. So if you need to donate or are looking for furniture etc it's well worth a visit, you never know what you might find there 🙂 ”
7. Staff
Two team members, Joe Pisco and Rob Whitmarsh, celebrated 10 years employment with the Scheme in December 2022. Their combined experience delivering and collecting furniture is one of the cornerstones of our operation, and we are extremely grateful for their continued service.
Joseph Hill left the warehouse manager role earlier this year and Rob Whitmarsh is now Warehouse Manager. Thanks to Joe for his hard work in the role during a considerable period of change and growth for the Scheme and we wish him well for the future.
Our newest team member is John Kurton who has taken on the role of Assistant Van Operative. For those with long memories, you will know John has volunteered for the Scheme previously.
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8. What we have been up to
~~A coat of paint~~ A HUGE coat of paint – wonderful team from Axis Europe donated their time to sprucing up HQ
Rework supplies appliances to RFS
Build a planter workshop with Shepherd’s Star
Good Gym, always happy to help with meaty tasks
Kew EcoFair – A first appearance for RFS
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RFS on Radio and podcast
The Big Skip – teamed up with Richmond Council and to work on reducing waste
Delivering for Achieving for Children’s Christmas boxes arranged by Shepherd’s Star
Our woodstore had a makeover – welcome to the “barn”
BBC Radio London interview on the breakfast show – Jim Davis was the presenter 4 May
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RFS Christmas party – what a team!
…and there was Easter
RHS Flower Show Hampton Court – planters courtesy of RFS
It’s a bug’s life – and it’s different to last year’s report
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9. What’s on the horizon?
Finance and strategy – the cost-of-living crisis is not getting any easier. The Scheme faces significant wage and cost rises, potentially around 10%. To meet cover rising costs, we can need to increase income, and the main options RFS can follow are:
Increase prices[We will limit this as much as possible and seek to ] increase discounts to people in need if affordable. Offer more Look at areas where we might be able to offer more products to the public, for example products refurbished mattress. However, in order to do this, we will need more storage.
Charge for RFS provides a free collection service. But, we will consider whether we can apply charges in some services certain instances (e.g. large collections).
Donations[Raising money to cover core expenditure is ] another option but it is more challenging than raising funds for capital projects.
Finding ways to help reduce waste – RFS is in discussions with Richmond Council’s waste team to find more ways we can help the community. For example, we are investigating how we can support Townmead Road Recycling Centre to be a source of furniture donations for the Scheme, storing reusable items on site for the Scheme to collect.
Community partners and volunteering opportunities
Workshops[Looking to develop more opportunities to spread ] the word around reuse and give people a chance to learn/sharpen skills through community workshops. Kingston Beats are scheduled for later in 2023.
Donations[Raising money to cover core expenditure is ] another option but it is more challenging than raising funds for capital projects.
Increasing awareness – with pressure from the cost of living, we have seen a steady increase in the number of people successfully qualifying for a 25% discount. But we will do more to ensure that the community is aware of our service and are able to take advantage of this through training, event, social media and any other means at our disposal.
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Information about how and why we operate.
1. Principal activities
Richmond Furniture Scheme accepts and collects donations of furniture from the general public in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It stores, repairs as necessary, displays and sells at discounted prices to people in need and at marginally higher prices to the general public. The Scheme also provides volunteering opportunities, training and work experience.
2. Background
Richmond Furniture Exchange was established in 1990 and became a registered charity in 1992, changing its name in 1997 to the Richmond Furniture Scheme. From 1st April 2010 the assets of the Scheme were transferred to Richmond Furniture Scheme, a newly formed company limited by guarantee and registered as a charity.
3. Objectives
The Scheme’s objectives, as specified in its Memorandum of Association and agreed by the Charities Commission are the:
-
Prevention and relief of poverty by supplying donated furniture and household goods at minimal cost to people in need
-
Protection and preservation of the environment by encouraging reuse/recycling of donated furniture and household goods
-
Relief of unemployment for the benefit of the public in such ways as may be thought fit, including the provision of training, employment, work experience and volunteering opportunities.
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Governance
1. Board
The governing body of the scheme are the Trustees/Directors, none of whom is paid. The Trustees/Directors who supported the Scheme are:
| Trustee/Director | 2022/2023 |
|---|---|
| Jack Stephen, Chair | full year |
| Nicola Anson, Deputy Chair | full year |
| Aoife Herr | full year |
| Helen Higgins | full year |
| Derek Papworth | full year |
| Helen Pugh | full year |
| Ryan Richardson | full year |
| Mithu Sengupta | full year |
Trustees/directors are recruited by advertisement, networking and personal contact; they are all asked to identify areas of interest. Their main responsibility is to ensure the good governance of the Scheme by strategic and financial planning, approving and monitoring expenditure, and ensuring sufficient funding is in place. The Trustees hold regular meetings with their appointed CEO where they review operational and financial performance reports and discuss and take decisions on the direction of the Scheme.
2. Management and staff
We have seven paid employees (six full time equivalent). The Chief Executive Officer, Simon Westgarth, oversees all aspects of day-to-day business. He is supported by two part-time Office Administrators, a Volunteer Coordinator, a Warehouse Manager, a Van Driver and an Assistant Van Operative.
3. Risk and internal controls
The trustees have overall responsibility for ensuring that the Scheme has an appropriate system of controls in place - financial and otherwise. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Scheme and hence for taking reasonable steps in the prevention and detection of fraud and to ensure data protection and other assurance against irregularities such that:
-
The Scheme’s assets are safeguarded against unauthorised use
-
Proper records are maintained so that financial information used within the Scheme or for publication is reliable
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- The Scheme complies with relevant legislation and regulations.
As part of the Scheme’s system of internal control, the trustees supported by the CEO, record and review risks including their likelihood of occurrence and potential impact and review associated actions to mitigate these.
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Administrative details
1. Status
Richmond Furniture Scheme is registered as a Charity in England and Wales (1133019) and as a UK Registered Company Limited by Guarantee (7001417).
2. Registered Office and Business Address
1a Fortescue Avenue Twickenham Middlesex TW2 5LS
3. Contact Details
Telephone 020 8755 4665 Email admin@rfsonline.co.uk Website www.rfsonline.co.uk
4. Trustees/Directors at Year End
Nicola Anson Aoife Herr Helen Higgins Derek Papworth Helen Pugh Jack Stephen Chair Ryan Richardson Mithu Sengupta
5. CEO
Simon Westgarth
6. Accounts Examiner
Hyatt & Co Onslow Hall Little Green Richmond TW9 1QS
7. Bankers
Cafbank Ltd, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent
8. Insurance
David Edwards Insurance Brokers Ltd Ansvar Insurance
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Financial statement – 2022-23
Richmond Furniture Scheme Statement of Financial Activities - April 2022 to March 2023
| Incoming Resources notes 1 Grants Hampton Fund (salary support) LBRT (Notional Rent) Richmond Parish Lands (salary support) Annonymous donor (Starter kits) Other small donations (Starter kits) St Margaret's Church of Scotland (Starter kits) Magic Little Grants (Starter kits) Leeds Building Society (Starter kits) M&S Fund the Neighboors (Starter kits) Axis Foundation (Starter kits) The Grace Trust (Van Funding) Chapman Char (Van Funding) Green Hall Found (Van Funding) Lottery (Van Funding) Richmond Parish Lands (Van Funding) Steel Charity (Van Funding) Shell Restricted Fund (Workshop tools/materials) Income From Sales to Referred Clients Charitable Sales to Non- Referred Clients Activities Online media traders Other Income Bank Interest Donations incl Gift Aid Furlough receipts for salary support Covid Business interruption grants DWP Kickstart Grant Other Total Incoming Resources Resources Expended Collection & Transport Costs Distribution Overhead costs Employee Costs 2 Volunteer Expenses Rent & Rates (LB of Richmond) Insurance Utilities Office equipment/telecoms./computer Repairs/maintenance/tools/materials Printing & Publicity & Postage & Stationery Retail Outlet Cost Paint Supplies Depreciation Covid-19 Hygiene Expenses Sundry Office Expenses Fees & Charges Starter kits Bad Debts Doubtful debt provision Membership fees Training & recruitment Total Resources Expended Net Movement in Funds |
Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Funds 2022/23 £ £ £ 28,000 28,000 18,500 18,500 16,500 16,500 150 150 - - 371 371 500 500 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 5,625 5,625 500 500 1,000 1,000 4,000 4,000 8,000 8,000 15,000 15,000 10,000 10,000 350 350 |
Total 2021/22 £ 28,000 15,700 15,000 1,000 40 6,000 - - - - - - - - - - - |
|---|---|---|
| - 110,496 110,496 |
65,740 | |
| 44,090 44,090 95,272 95,272 - 139,362 - 139,362 321 321 15,140 15,140 - - - 26 26 15,488 - 15,488 154,849 110,496 265,345 58,907 58,907 60,025 45,453 105,479 5,486 5,486 18,500 18,500 2,767 2,767 5,243 5,243 3,811 3,811 438 350 788 561 561 540 540 2,524 2,524 - - 17 17 2,435 2,435 1,604 1,604 5,390 5,390 819 819 1,465 1,465 275 275 34 34 146,949 69,693 216,642 7,900 40,803 48,703 |
45,818 78,897 85 |
|
| 124,800 | ||
| 111 12,461 6,003 5,200 6,000 271 |
||
| 30,046 | ||
| 220,586 | ||
| 45,594 112,420 7,034 15,700 1,132 4,301 5,714 2,155 659 15 4,629 13 356 2,286 1,824 2,445 - 2,959 250 804 |
||
| 210,290 | ||
| 10,296 |
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9. Notes forming part of the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2023
Basis of preparation
Accounting convention
The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard 102 and Accounting and Reporting by Charities – Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) and with the Charities Act 2011.
Incoming resources
These are included when the charity becomes entitled to them.
Resources expended
Expenditure is included on an accruals basis.
Tangible fixed assets and depreciation
All assets costing more than £500 are written off on a straight-line basis over a period of 3-5 years.
Note
1. Grants Receivable
Unrestricted grants are those provided to meet the general running costs of the Scheme. Restricted grants are provided for specific purposes.
All grants received in 2022/23 were restricted.
| Restricted Grants Purpose LBRT Notional rent LBRT New workshop Hampton Fund Volunteer Coordinator Richmond Parish Lands Employee costs Richmond Parish Lands Carousel Annonymous donor Starter kits Other small donations Starter kits St Margaret's Church of Scotland Starter kits Magic Little Grants Starter kits Leeds Building Society Starter kits M&S Fund the Neighboors Starter kits Axis Foundation Starter kits The Grace Trust Van Funding Chapman Char Van Funding Green Hall Found Van Funding Lottery Van Funding Richmond Parish Lands Van Funding Steel Charity Van Funding Shell Restricted Fund Workshop tools/materials |
Balance Balance b/fwd Additions Utilised c/fwd £ £ £ £ - 18,500 18,500 - 1,843 1,843 3,912 28,000 28,953 2,959 - 16,500 16,500 - 2,500 2,500 - 150 150 - - - - - 4,595 371 4,595 371 - 500 500 - - 1,000 - 1,000 - 1,000 - 1,000 - 5,625 - 5,625 - 500 - 500 - 1,000 145 855 - 4,000 - 4,000 - 8,000 - 8,000 - 15,000 - 15,000 - 10,000 - 10,000 - 350 350 - |
|---|---|
| 12,850 110,496 69,693 53,653 |
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2. Staff costs and trustees’ remuneration
No employees received remuneration amounting to more than £60,000 in the year. Trustees received no remuneration (2022/23 – Nil) and were not reimbursed for any expenses in the year (2022/23– Nil).
3. Fixed Assets
| xed Assets | |
|---|---|
| £ | |
| Cost at 1stApril 2022 | 49,860 |
| - Additions in year | Nil |
| - Disposals in year | Nil |
| Cost at 31stMarch 2023 | 49,860 |
| £ | |
| Depreciation at 1stApril 2022 | 49,860 |
| - Depreciation for year | Nil |
| - Disposals in year | Nil |
| Cost at 31stMarch 2023 | 49,860 |
| £ | |
| Net book value at 1stApril 2022 | Nil |
| Net book value at 1stApril 2023 | Nil |
4. Debtors
| £ | |
|---|---|
| Trade Debtors | 7,423 |
| Provision for Bad Debts | -4,117 |
| Prepayments | 2,633 |
| VAT | 3,010 |
| Total: |
8,983 |
5. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year
| £ | |
|---|---|
| Trade Creditors | 3,909 |
| Accruals | 400 |
| HMRC | 2,252 |
| Pension | 723 |
| Total: | 7,283 |
Creditors: Amounts falling due after more than one year
There were no such liabilities due.
6. Designated Funds
- £10,000 is designated for property refurbishment.
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| Richmond Furniture Scheme | (Company No | 7001417) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balance Sheet as at 31st March 2023 | 2023 | 2022 | |||||
| Notes | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Fixed Assets | |||||||
| Property and | |||||||
| Equipment | 3 | - | - | ||||
| Current Assets | |||||||
| Stock of Paint | 1,446 | 2,498 | |||||
| Debtors | 4 | 8,983 | 13,386 | ||||
| Cash at Bank | 179,467 | 128,664 | |||||
| Petty Cash | 438 | 653 | |||||
| 190,334 | 145,201 | ||||||
| Current Liabilities | |||||||
| Suppliers/accruals | 5 | 7,283 | 10,853 | ||||
| 7,283 | 10,853 | ||||||
| Net Current Assets | 183,051 | 134,348 | |||||
| TOTAL NET ASSETS | 183,051 | 134,348 | |||||
| Representing | |||||||
| Unrestricted Funds | |||||||
| Beginning of the year | 114,498 | 112,709 | |||||
| Surplus/(Deficit) for the year | 4,900 | 1,789 | |||||
| End of the year | 119,398 | 114,498 | |||||
| Restricted Funds | 1 | ||||||
| Beginning of year | 12,850 | 4,343 | |||||
| Surplus/(Deficit) for the year | 40,803 | 8,507 | |||||
| End of the year | 53,653 | 12,850 | |||||
| Designated Funds | 6 | ||||||
| Beginning of the year | 7,000 | 7,000 | |||||
| Surplus/(Deficit) for the year | 3,000 | - | |||||
| Designations released for the year | - |
- | |||||
| End of the year | 10,000 | 7,000 | |||||
| TOTAL RESERVES | 183,051 | 134,348 |
For the year ending 31st March 2023 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
Directors Responsibilities:
The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476
The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the provisions of the small companies' regime.
J Stephen - Director/Trustee Approved by the Board of Directors/Trustees on
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11 September 2023
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