BRISTOL NOISE
ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
Charity Number 1134099
BRISTOL NOISE
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
| CONTENTS | Pages |
|---|---|
| Trustees’ report | 1 – 5 |
| Receipts and Payments Account | 6 |
| Statement of Assets and Liabilities | 7 |
BRISTOL NOISE
TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
The Trustees have pleasure in presenting their report together with the financial statements of the Charity for the year ended 31 August 2022.
Please note that as turnover for the year is below £25,000, under the Charities Act 2011, we are not required to perform a formal independent review of the accounts for this period.
Objectives and activities
The purpose of the Charity is:
To provide or assist in the provision of facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age infirmity or disability, financial hardship or social circumstances or for the public at large with the object of improving their conditions of life, motivated by Christian compassion.
Noise 365
Over the last year, we have continued to develop the project, ‘Noise 365’, which focuses on resourcing and equipping individual Christians and the local church with ways they can ‘show God’s love in practical ways’ throughout the year. It channels the stories, ideas and learning we find across our city and further afield. Each month, we have been sharing:
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A story from someone showing God’s love in their community, each from a different neighbourhood in Bristol
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A resource or idea for churches or individuals to take on in their own community
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Upcoming training events that will enable church leaders or individuals to better connect with their community
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Volunteer opportunities from around the city where Christians can make a positive contribution and support the work of other organisations
This year, we showcased six stories, plus eight resources and ideas. These were shared through our mailing list, via our website and social media.
We continued to work closely with Christian Action Bristol to coordinate the Bristol Churches response to citywide offers. This is an ongoing close relationship that has continued out of the initial strategic response during the covid pandemic
The Noise 2022
Our annual event was held on the weekend of 30th April – 2nd May, with over 700 volunteers participating, from 45 churches and groups across Bristol. We were really encouraged to see the split of ages taking part this year, with over 35% volunteers under 18, and over 22% volunteers over 50! Volunteer ages ranged from 4 years to 84 years - it really is for everyone! The numbers of volunteers was real jump up from previous year and showed the increased engagement in volunteering postpandemic.
Across the weekend, churches hosted free community events and tackled practical projects across neighbourhoods in the north, east, centre and south of the city. We partnered with churches based in
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BRISTOL NOISE
TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
each neighbourhood, who took the lead on deciding what events to host, using knowledge of their own local community. Centrally, we produced ‘how to guides’ to equip local churches in their planning of events.
Teams of volunteers hosted 19 different events for neighbours to come and enjoy, including cream teas, treasure hunts, pop-up cafés, family fun afternoons, BBQs, and a three-course banquet!
Volunteers also tackled over 60 different practical community projects within homes, in public spaces and a community centres or schools. The projects for individuals and families had been referred to us by professionals working in each community, e.g. support workers, police, etc.. Each neighbourhood hosted a volunteer project coordinator, from a local church, who took responsibility for responding to project referrals and assessing the suitability of the project. This enabled relationships between the local church and referral partners to grow.
We received feedback from people who were supported in different ways over The Noise weekend. A Bristol City Council housing officer who referred a community project in South Bristol to Bristol Noise, emailed afterwards to say - “The tenants are so happy and I am very grateful to all your volunteers for giving up there time to help. It is much appreciated.”
We also received the following feedback from a local church leader who hosted a community event for the first time on a Noise weekend- “We had a great afternoon, with the majority of people coming in not from our church. It’s such a good idea to offer free events and, because it was such a damp day, people enjoyed just being inside with a hot drink and a piece of cake. We also gave out free cake to passers by, which people appreciated. It was really helpful being part of a bigger event with all your support. Your advertising materials really ensured that we were able to spread the word of our event far and wide.”
Behind the scenes, it is a very small team who do most of the preparation for The Noise 2022. We carefully review our risk assessments for all activities to ensure we working to high standards to protect our volunteers and public safety. We are grateful for the ongoing relationships with Bristol Waste and other local community organisations that have helped with providing services to enable the smooth running of practical projects during The Noise 2022.
The Trustees confirm that they have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the Charity’s aims and objectives and in planning future activities.
Achievements and performance
The initiatives that were run under ‘The Noise’ weekend and as part of Noise 365, aimed to benefit many different sectors of the community, particularly across urban estate areas of North, East and South Bristol. This year, a large proportion of our work continued to support individuals and families facing financial difficulties.
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TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
During the preparation time for ‘The Noise’ event, we continued to encourage and equip churches in how they connect with statutory and voluntary organisations who work in the local community. This work varied between communities depending on the relationships already held locally and support required.
Our community activities work towards community cohesion and social inclusion and have helped with crime reduction in the communities we work in on The Noise weekend. We continue to look for other ways to partner with the local council, police and other influential institutions.
The Noise event achieved our objectives of encouraging volunteers from local churches to continue to reconnect post-Covid-19 pandemic and provide safe ways for those living in neighbourhoods to reconnect with others in the midst of challenging season. Our events have all been free of charge to attend and with the growing ‘cost of living’ crisis, this was gratefully appreciated by families and individuals to find ways to connect with others in local neighbourhoods without costing them anything.
Bristol Noise charity continued to be the lead charity in the ‘Building Bristol as a City of Hope’ project and encouraging churches to work together on a common vision and sees us partnering with other citywide organisations and churches.
Financial review
The charity's income for the year ended 31[st] August 2022 was £6,966 (2021: £25,409) and consisted principally of grants and donations from charitable trusts and supporting churches.
Expenditure was £24,767 for the year (2020: £24,925).
This year, we began to see some recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic in the finances of Bristol Noise, with more volunteers involved than the previous two years of events and more charitable activities taking place at the Noise event weekend, compared to events in the COVID-19 environment.
Basis of Accounts
For the year ended 31[st] August 2022, we have continued to prepare accounts on a cash basis rather than on an accrual’s basis, available to any entity in the UK with turnover/income under a £150,000 limit.
Reserves
The Trustees’ long-term policy on free reserves is to maintain sufficient funds to meet the day-to-day costs of developing the long-term vision and strategy of the charity’s work and to seek to meet the costs of the annual Bristol Noise weekend from grants and donations raised in that financial year rather than from free reserves. The charity’s policy is to hold free reserves of approximately one year’s payments (around £25,000). At the year end, the charity had free reserves of £28,685, which is slightly in excess of this reserves target. The charity considers this appropriate at present whilst the charity repositions itself for achieving its objectives in a post-COVID world and navigating through the UK Cost of Living Crisis. Given the expiry of the Sir Halley Stewart fund, further consideration of the staffing model and financial reserves needed to operate future activities is being discussed by the Trustees as we head into 2023.
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BRISTOL NOISE
TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
Plans for future periods
The medium to long term aims of the charity, as we continue to develop the Noise project in Bristol region, include:
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Continue to look at ways to build a larger core team (paid and voluntary) to take on roles within the preparation and planning of the weekend and to work together closely as a team.
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• Discussing with church leaders across the city to see how Bristol Noise charity can support their local community vision in the future.
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Develop core team to develop, facilitate and resource the Noise 365 vision.
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Provide individual support to churches in local communities so they will be able to set up their own Noise day/weekend in the future.
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Continue to develop resources to equip churches to host a wider range of projects/events that benefit different sectors of local communities (e.g. family film afternoons, youth events, family photo events, other smaller indoor projects, etc)
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Continued networking with statutory and voluntary organisations across Bristol, as well increased involvement with Bristol City Council and Avon and Somerset Police.
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Continued involvement of more young people aged between 14-18 years old and connecting with citywide youth events to inspire them.
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Inspiring and facilitating Noise projects throughout the year by providing tools and health and safety advice to churches that want to run projects during other times in the year.
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Development of fundraising strategies and more sustainable income streams for the charity.
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• Being the lead charity for ‘Building Bristol as a city of hope’ project and helping develop that vision in the city.
Reference and administrative details
Charity number: 1134099
Registered office: 286 Filton Avenue, Horfield, Bristol, BS7 0BA
Website address: www.thenoise.org.uk
Bankers: Bank of Scotland, 2[nd] Floor, Pentland House, 8 Lochside Avenue, South Gyle, Edinburgh, EH12 9DJ
Directors and Trustees:
The Trustees serving during the year and since the year end were as follows:
S D North (Chairman) T J Dobson G M Sims M O A Deniran R Brown
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BRISTOL NOISE
TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
Structure, Governance and Management
Governing Document
On 5 November 2018, the Charity converted to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation having previously been incorporated as a company limited by guarantee on 7 November 2009 and registered as a charity with the Charity Commission on 4 February 2010. The Charity is now governed by its Foundation Constitution dated 5 November 2018.
Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees
New Trustees are recruited on the basis of the knowledge of the existing Trustees of suitable candidates. In selecting persons to be appointed, the Trustees shall take into account the benefits of appointing a person who is able by virtue of his or her professional qualifications or experience to make a contribution to the pursuit of the objects or the management of Bristol Noise. Selected candidates are appointed by a simple majority of the votes cast by the Trustees at a meeting.
New Trustees receive an Induction pack appropriate to their level of existing knowledge of and involvement with Bristol Noise. As a minimum, new Trustees receive a copy of the Charity Commission publication CC3 – The Essential Trustee: what you need to know together with the charity’s governing document and latest annual report and accounts.
Approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by:
……………………………………… S D North Chairman of Trustees
8th June 2023
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Bristol Noise
YEAR TO 31 AUGUST 2021
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT
| Unrestricted Restricted Funds Funds RECEIPTS FROM: £ £ Donations Grant Income - - Gifts & Donations 615 - Gift Aid received - - Church Donations 3,292 - Individual gifts - - Charitable Activities Banner Sales - - Volunteer Signups 3,060 - TOTAL RECEIPTS 6,966 - PAYMENTS FOR: Charitable Activities Bristol Noise Weekend 5,266 - Long term development 17,105 1,595 Other costs relating to community p 801 - TOTAL PAYMENTS 23,172 1,595 NET RECEIPTS/(PAYMENTS) (16,206) (1,595) |
Unrestricted Restricted Funds Funds RECEIPTS FROM: £ £ Donations Grant Income - - Gifts & Donations 615 - Gift Aid received - - Church Donations 3,292 - Individual gifts - - Charitable Activities Banner Sales - - Volunteer Signups 3,060 - TOTAL RECEIPTS 6,966 - PAYMENTS FOR: Charitable Activities Bristol Noise Weekend 5,266 - Long term development 17,105 1,595 Other costs relating to community p 801 - TOTAL PAYMENTS 23,172 1,595 NET RECEIPTS/(PAYMENTS) (16,206) (1,595) |
Total Funds 2022 £ - 615 - 3,292 - - 3,060 6,966 5,266 18,701 801 |
Total Funds 2021 £ 21,080 312 - 2,000 100 27 1,890 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25,409 | |||
| 6,190 18,686 49 |
|||
| 23,172 1,595 |
24,767 | 24,925 | |
| (17,801) | |||
| (16,206) (1,595) |
484 |
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Bristol Noise
AT 31 AUGUST 2021
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
| Cash funds BOS Current account Co-op Credit Card Paypal Account Affirmative Deposit Fund iZettle Account Total Cash at Bank Total Assets CASH RESERVES Unrestricted funds Brought forward Net receipts/(payments) for the period Restricted funds Brought forward Net receipts/(payments) for the period Total cash reserves |
2022 £ 44,891 (16,206) 1,595 (1,595) |
2022 £ 29,918 (1,244) 6 6 - 28,685 - 28,685 28,685 - 28,685 |
2021 £ 46,438 (1,547) (436) 2,031 |
2021 £ 46,615 (151) 16 6 - |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46,486 - |
||||
| 46,486 | ||||
| 44,891 1,595 |
||||
| 46,486 |
Signed on behalf of the trustees on 8th June 2023
………………………….
S D North (Chair of Trustees)
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