2021-03-31-accounts - Volunteer Link-Up (West Oxfordshire)

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Volunteer Link-Up (West Oxfordshire) Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2021

Reference and administrative information

Charity registration number: 1133530 Company registration number: 07096574 Registered office and principal 10 Wesley Walk, Witney, OX28 6ZJ address: Telephone: 01993 776277 e-mail: office@vlu.org.uk Website www.vlu.org.uk Trustees at 31 March 2021: David Harding (Chair) Bill Darbon (Vice – Chair) Mike Alexander (Treasurer from 1 April 2021) Keith Blois Richard Donoghue Meryl Smith Richard Stockting (Treasurer up to 31 March 2021) Mark Thomas Trustee resignations: Shaun Bennett (28 August 2020) Brenda Churchill (9 February 2021) Richard Dossett Davies (17 September 2020) Carol Frost (8 November 2020) Jim King (9 February 2021) Company secretary Mike Alexander Bankers National Westminster Bank Charities Official Investment Fund Independent examiner Dale Mitchell FCCA, Azets Management team Mary Boullin – General Manager Ruth Lapworth – Deputy manager and volunteer co-ordinator Martha Holland- Good neighbour scheme coordinator Catherine Sagar – Office administrator and transport co-ordinator

Volunteer Link-Up (West Oxfordshire) Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2021

Chairman’s Report

The twelve months covered by this report have represented many challenges and decisions in the Charity’s operation due to COVID-19. Despite everything, throughout the pandemic we have continued to meet all our objectives and our staff sustained support to the community, albeit that for some of the time, they had to operate from home. There was, naturally, a lowering of demand for transport during the lockdown and particularly while hospital appointments were not happening and shops and services were closed. Despite this our staff continued to call our clients and ensure that they were getting the assistance needed.

VLU has risen to the challenge of delivering food parcels on behalf of WODC to people in the community in need and we were able to provide such service due to the dedication of our Volunteers who have generously given their time and being prepared to carry this out despite the possibilities of infection, although every effort was made to make their work safe.

VLU Volunteers continued to provide essential transport. Although PPE equipment and advice to minimise possible infections was provided, it is particularly worthy of mention that some volunteer drivers continued to provide the service despite the very challenging times.

Our Befrienders had particular difficulties in continuing to support people in the community and yet, many continued to receive the support through telephone conversations from their Volunteer supporters. Regrettably those supporting persons within Care Homes could no longer visit them during the pandemic but some were able to support them by telephone.

The changes in VLU’s offering has placed extra pressure on VLU’s staff. They have shown tremendous commitment to VLU’s services and this has meant that these changing demands have been handled in such a manner that our clients have been very satisfied.

VLU’s financial position remains satisfactory, and we are most grateful for the financial and other support of, in particular: Age UK; Oxfordshire County Council; WODC; Witney Town Council; and, other local authorities including a number of parish councils. Fundraising activities over the last year have been particularly challenging but many of the grants received denote the work that VLU was doing during the pandemic.

I became Chair in June 2020 and carried out an audit of VLU’s procedures and practices and the Trustees agreed to implement a number of changes. Unfortunately, VLU’s long standing Manager felt unable to accept the changes and decided to leave. Her position was covered for a period by a well-qualified Charity contractor but a good recruitment process has provided a new Manager for the year starting April 2021.

At the end of the year to March 2021, two of our Trustees decided to stand down and VLU has put into place a recruitment process through social media and Charity websites to encourage new Trustees. We are looking to achieve a different balance amongst the trustees. In particular, we are looking to address Gender, Ethnicity and Age. We are also looking for people who can add to the existing skills base of the Trustee Board.

VLU has successfully weathered the storm of the pandemic and thanks have to be given to our Volunteers; our Staff; and the Trustees in maintaining services and rising to the challenges which COVID-19 has presented. We are now waiting, as are the whole country, to getting back to a new normal and bringing our services for 2021-22 to even greater levels than pre-pandemic.

Volunteer Link-Up (West Oxfordshire) Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2021

David Harding

Chair of Trustees

Trustees’ Report

The trustees (who are directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act) present their report together with financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021. The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014.

The reference and administration information set out on page 1 forms part of this report

Structure, governance and management

Volunteer Link-Up (West Oxfordshire) (“VLU” or “Volunteer Link-Up”) is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity governed by its memorandum and articles of association. The directors of the charity, who are appointed by the members in general meeting, are its trustees for the purposes of charity law and throughout this report are collectively referred to as the trustees.

Objectives

Volunteer Link-Up is the Volunteer Centre for West Oxfordshire, linking people who have time to spare with opportunities to help local residents and charitable organisations who need their services. Details of how these objectives were fulfilled are set out below. The Trustees take into account the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and believe that the activities of VLU are in line with that guidance.

Organisational structure

VLU employs four members of staff; a Manager, Office Manager/Volunteer Co-ordinator, Volunteer Transport Coordinator and Good Neighbour Scheme Co-ordinator. The two Volunteer Coordinators match volunteers with opportunities, etc. All are accountable to the Trustee Board which meets at least four times a year. Trustees are elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Trustee Board provides for the administration, management and control of the affairs and property of VLU. A sub-committee of three or four members of the Trustee Board to determine staff remuneration, duties, and conditions of service.

Objectives and activities

VLU is a volunteer centre serving Witney, Carterton, and surrounding areas. It aims to link people who have some time to spare with people who need help in our community.

VLU aims to co-operate and collaborate with voluntary bodies and statutory authorities operating in similar charitable fields and exchange information and advice. VLU responds to requests from Social and Community Services, the Health Authority and NHS Trusts, other statutory services, charities, local voluntary groups, and individuals who need help. The following gives some idea of our activities.

• Transport for those who are unable to use public transport, or for those living in rural areas where it is not available, to hospitals, day centres, health centres, clinics, and other activities.

Volunteer Link-Up (West Oxfordshire) Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2021

• Visiting and support for elderly people, people with special needs, those suffering with depression, agoraphobia, heart disease, strokes, arthritis, visual impairment, or other difficulties. Taking elderly or disabled people shopping or on outings in their wheelchairs.

• Practical help with garden tidying, lawn mowing, basic decorating for elderly and disabled people on low incomes. Conservation work.

• Befriending work with families, single parents, teenagers with behavioural and emotional problems and children and adults with learning disabilities.

• Regular assistance at Family Centres, day centres and clubs for elderly people and those with special needs, mental health problems or physical disabilities, classes for adult basic education and reading help in schools, riding for disabled people, crèches and sports and leisure activities for those with special needs.

• Support for Good Neighbour Schemes in Oxfordshire

• Committee work and support for local charities

Plans for future periods

The Chairman’s report above gives some information about future plans but in addition it can be said that we intend to get our services back to ‘normal’ as soon as possible once Covid measures are sufficiently relaxed.

We intend to carry out a strategic review of what we do and how we do it to ensure we continue to meet need.

Financial review

VLU is entirely dependent upon its funders for its continuance. Its main sources of funds are grants from Oxfordshire County Council, West Oxfordshire District Council and Age UK. For the second year a small deficit has been incurred. Given that we continued to operate during the Covid 19 pandemic and the fact that a reduction in donations to charities has been widely reported, this is very commendable.

Incoming resources increased by 13% over 2020 to £74,871 due mainly to the timing of receipts from Age UK.

Outgoing resources also increased by 10% to £79,496. The main reason for this was the cost of restructuring which included interim cover when the existing Manager stepped down.

Reserves policy

The essential principle stated in the Reserves Policy agreed by the Trustees is that the reserves should be sufficient to enable the organisation to continue to operate for up to nine months if it were to suffer a significant fall in its funding that could not be replaced from other sources.

Action necessary in order to maintain Reserves at the requisite level:

1 Regular monitoring of the finances of VLU is needed to ensure that any necessary corrective action can be taken promptly if the level of reserves becomes significantly depleted.

2 Attempts should be made to achieve an increase in the level of funding for the activities of VLU which is at least commensurate with the increases in costs which it necessarily incurs. The main costs are likely to continue to be staff salaries.

Volunteer Link-Up (West Oxfordshire) Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2021

Unrestricted reserves at 31 March 2021 amount to £101,000 which trustees consider to be sufficient to meet this policy

The trustees are satisfied that the charity's assets attributable to each of its individual funds are available and adequate to fulfil its obligations in relation to those funds.

Risk review

The Trustees believe that risks are well managed within the charity’s operations. The nature of the operations requires appropriate risk assessments and health and safety policies to cover the range of different activities. The charity has relevant insurance policies providing employers’ and public liability cover.

Trustees' responsibilities for the financial statements

The trustees (who are also Directors of VLU for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees’ report and the financial statements in accordance with general applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom General Accepted Accounting Practice).

The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safekeeping the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information included on the charity’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

On behalf of the trustees

D Harding Trustee 29 July 2021

Volunteer Link-Up (West Oxfordshire) Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2021

Independent Examiner’s report

I report to the trustees of Volunteer Link-Up (West Oxfordshire) on my examination of the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2021, which are set out on pages 7 to 13.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (“the 2006 Act”).

Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charities Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination given me cause to believe that in any material respect: (1) accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

(2) the financial statements do not accord with those records; or

(3) the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

(4) the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached

Dale Mitchell FCCA

Azets Accountants

17 August 2021

9 Thorney Leys Park Witney Oxfordshire OX28 4GE

Volunteer Link-Up (West Oxfordshire) Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2021

Accounting policies

Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) (as amended for accounting periods commencing from 1 January 2019), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Volunteer Link-Up (West Oxfordshire) meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s).

The charity has taken the advantage of the provisions in FRS102 Update Bulletin 1 to not prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.

Incoming and endowments

All incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when the charity is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income:

• Voluntary income received by way of grants, donations and gifts is included in full in the statement of financial activities when receivable. Grants, where entitlement is conditional on the delivery of a specific performance by the charity, are recognised when the charity becomes unconditionally entitled to the grant.

• Incoming resources from grants, where related to performance and specific deliverables, are accounted for as the charity earns the right to consideration by its performance.

• Donated services and facilities are included at the value to the charity where this can be quantified. The value of services provided by volunteers has not been included in these financial statements.

• Investment income is included when receivable.

Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred, and includes irrecoverable VAT.

• Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.

• Governance costs include those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity and include accountancy fees and costs linked to the strategic management of the charity.

Volunteer Link-Up (West Oxfordshire) Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2021

Pension provision

The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for employees. Contributions are charged in the Statement of Financial Activities as they become payable in accordance with the rules of the scheme.

Tangible Fixed Assets

Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of each asset over its expected useful life. The depreciation rate for all fixed assets held for use by the charity is 25% on the reducing balance method.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds are donations and other incoming resources which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.

Restricted funds are subject to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms of an appeal.

Company status

The charity is a company limited by guarantee. In the event of the charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the charity.

Volunteer Link-Up (West Oxfordshire) Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2021

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (incorporating an income and expenditure account) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Unrestricted funds £ 12,000 25,000 4,975 6,000 26,841 55	Restricte d funds £ - - - -	Total 2021 Total 2020 £ £ 12,000 12,000 25,000 12,500 4,975 - 6,000 5,470 26,841 36,057 55 283	Total 2021 Total 2020 £ £ 12,000 12,000 25,000 12,500 4,975 - 6,000 5,470 26,841 36,057 55 283
74,871	-	74,871	66,310
77,196 1,200	1,100 -	78,296 1,200	71,244 1,200
78,396	1,100	79,496	72,444 6,134 117,501 111,367
3,525 102,187	1,100 9,180	4,625 111,367
98,662	8,080	106,742

Volunteer Link-Up (West Oxfordshire) Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2021

BALANCE SHEET AT 31 MARCH 2021

Note Fixed assets Tangible assets 5 Current assets Bank balance Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 6 Net current assets Net assets Income Funds Unrestricted funds Restricted fund 7		2021 £ 3,816		2020 £ 2,094
		106,606		110,812 1,539 109,273 111,367
		3,680
		102,926 106,742
		98,662 8,080		102,187 9,180
		106,742		111,367

For the financial year ended 31 March 2021, the charity was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

The members have not required the charity to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of the financial statements.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies’ subject to the small companies’ regime.

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees on 29 July 2021.

D Harding Trustee

Volunteer Link-Up (West Oxfordshire) Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2021

Notes to the financial statements

1. OTHER GRANTS AND DONATIONS

1. OTHER GRANTS AND DONATIONS
Town and parish councils Burford Golf Club The Sobell Foundation WODC for delivering food parcels (CORRECT TERM??) Richard Early Trust ??? National Lottery for Covid 19 response Shanly Foundation Persimmon Homes Grace Trust Cherwell DC - GNS Bernard Butler Trust Other (smaller) donations	2021 2020 £ £ 3,180 3,450 4,362 - 5,000 5,000 2,980 - 1,600 - 4,500 - 1,000 - 1,000 - 750 - - 2,000 - 10,000 2,469 15,607
	26,84136,057

2 EXPENDITURE ON CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

Employment costs Interim self-employed manager Printing, postage and stationery Room hire Telephone Depreciation Loss on scrapping of fixed assets Volunteer travel expenses Website and sundry IT costs Subscriptions Good Neighbour Scheme expenses Occupational health assessment Sundry expenses	2021 2020 £ £ £ £ Unrestricted Restricted Total 51,522 - 51,522 56,591 12,876 - 12,876 - 2,327 - 2,327 3,419 2,285 - 2,285 2,009 2,205 - 2,205 3,457 177 1,100 1,277 699 1,397 - 1,397 - 2,015 - 2,015 2,132 732 - 732 132 726 - 726 - 133 - 133 774 - - - 461 801 - 801 1,570
	77,196 1,100 78,29671,244

3. EMPLOYEES

The average number of paid staff for the year was 4 (2020: 4); they worked part-time in administering the charity. The number of employees in terms of full-time equivalents was 2 (2020: 2).

No employee earned £60,000pa or more in 2021 or 2020.

Volunteer Link-Up (West Oxfordshire) Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2021

4. PAYMENTS TO TRUSTEES AND CONNECTED PERSONS

No trustee or person with a family or business connection with a trustee received remuneration in the year, directly or indirectly, from either the charity or an institution or company controlled by the charity.

5. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

Cost At 1 April 2020 Additions Scrappings At 31 March 2021 Depreciation At 1 April 2020 Provided in the year On items scrapped At 31 March 2021 Net book amount at 31 March 2021 Net book amount at 31 March 2020	Office furniture and equipment £ 11,867 4,396 (7,113)
	9,150
	9,773 1,277 (5,716)
	11,050
	3,816
	2,094

6. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

Trade creditors Grant received in advance Accruals	2021 2020 £ £ - 339 2,480 - 1,200 1,200
	3,680 1,539

7. RESTRICTED FUND

This fund relates to a donation from the Bernard Butler given to VLU for the purchase of equipment to further the work of VLU

his fund relates to a donation from the Bernard Butler given to quipment to further the work of VLU	VLU for the purchase of
At 1 April 2020 Donation received Items paid for out of this fund Depreciation At 31 March 2021	2021 2020 £ £ 9,180 - - 10,000 820 1,100 -
	8,080 9,180

Volunteer Link-Up (West Oxfordshire) Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2021

8. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS

Tangible fixed assets Current assets Current liabilities	Unrestricted Funds Restricted Fund Total £ £ £ 520 3,296 3,816 101,822 4,784 106,606 3,680 - 3,680
	98,662 8,080 106,742

Tangible fixed assets Current assets Current liabilities	31 March 2020 Unrestricted Funds Restricted Fund Total £ £ £ 2,094 - 2,094 101,632 9,180 110,812 (1,539) - (1,539)
	102,187 9,180 111,367

9. INDEMNITY INSURANCE

The charity holds a trustee indemnity insurance policy at a cost of £529 in the year ended 31 March 2021.