Annual Report 1[st] Apr 2020 – 31[st] Mar 2021
EXETER SCRAPSTORE Belmont Park, Gordon Road, Exeter EX1 2DH 01392 661769 Company Number: 07619244 Charity Number: 1143182
Exeter Scrapstore sources suitable off-cuts and surplus materials (‘scrap’) from industry and business, and makes it available primarily for re-use in educational, play and creative activities by children, young people, and adults with support needs. Materials are diverted away from land fill, and Scrapstore users get access to a wide variety of high-quality resources at affordable prices. We collect as much as possible locally or arrange swaps with other Scrapstores around the country to increase our range of materials on offer.
Chair’s Report
The year 2020/2021 must have been the most remarkable in the long history of the Scrapstore – but it was a year in which every charity, and indeed every organisation, shared similarly extreme circumstances.
Before anything else I must pay tribute to our paid staff and our volunteers, whose response to uncertainty, constant change and the continuing need to invent or innovate in order to survive, has been nothing less than magnificent. Peter and Kat and the team have kept the service going, created new aspects of it, and kept our collective head above water without complaint, and have done so in the most brilliant manner. The trustees and the people of Exeter owe a huge debt of gratitude.
As has been the case in recent years, we ended this financial year just about breaking even, thanks to the various grants we have been able to access, and the government’s furlough scheme. Trading was obviously hugely hit, but we balanced the books. Since the end of March trading has gradually improved, although next year’s report will show that once the financial support ceased to be available, we struggled until things began to level out. But who can say whether that will continue, or whether some new surprise variant will pop up and return us all to GO.
The programme was deliberately experimental – it was a chance to try some ideas which had been around for a while, but which we could not afford. It also enabled us to replace our aged and increasingly outdated IT kit, and to set up, at last, a proper interactive trading website. There have been some silver linings! We were particularly pleased to be able to distribute scrap bags, complete with ideas sheets, to hundreds of families, free of charge via food banks in this part of Devon. The trustees continued to meet – more often than hitherto, to deal with the ever-changing situation – and I must thank them for their continuing loyalty, hard work and good ideas. We are a small team, but, I think, a good one.
As far as the trustees’ work goes, I must make special mention of Jayne Shephard, whose accounting skills turn our finances into easily understood single pages of figures. More importantly though she has kept a very sharp eye on our expenditure and income, particularly during the Lottery grant project, when we had to record performance as well as actual spending.
Once again I must thank Peter and Kat personally for their devotion to the Scrapstore, but also to making the trustees’ job as easy as it can be. And our gratitude also goes to those scores of artists, members, volunteers and supporters who have done so much to ensure that the Scrapstore is still here and still looking to the future.
Alan Caig
Achievements 2020/21:
We worked with 6 community artists to create 450 free pre-packed Family Craft Bags supported by online tutorials. These were distributed to vulnerable families in 5 areas of Devon by working in partnership with 11 front-line agencies including food banks, community builders, and community associations.
A lovely idea for those who don’t have the money to buy craft supplies. The delivery driver fed back that the families were really thrilled and that the bags looked fabulous.
We created a Mobile Scrapstore and visited 22 schools, nurseries and community groups within the EX1-EX17 postcodes during lockdowns 2 and 3. Materials taken reached an estimated 1900 end-users.
Fantastic service. Thank you all so much for bringing the materials to us during the pandemic. The children (and adults !) had great fun creating and using their imagination, having to think about how they can connect and build etc. They learn so much – thank you once again.
It was time saving as we didn’t have to have time out of class. Thank you.
We made 40 deliveries of pre-ordered materials to community groups and families.
Very impressed with the service! Especially the amount and variety of materials (in the Scrap Bag) we received.
We developed a new website with e-commerce platform and changed from PC based IT to more flexible laptops.
We ran a marketing and communications campaign to grow awareness of the Scrapstore and its services.
We offered a collection service from the Scrapstore front
door so people could continue getting materials during lockdowns.
We ran an online survey asking our members what they wanted from the Scrapstore service during the pandemic. A response rate of 20% showed significant support for a Mobile Scrapstore and also for pre-packed scrap materials.
We re-opened the Scrapstore and operated in a Covid-secure way 3 times after lockdowns
And finally, we worked with an external consultant over a 6 month period to help us develop customer feedback and evaluation systems.
Thanks
The Trustees and team at Exeter Scrapstore would like to thank:
All our supporting companies that donated the great materials – we wouldn’t be able to do it without you! Exeter City Council and Devon County Council, in particular our ward Councillors, for their continued support. And finally the wider cultural and creative community in Exeter and beyond, for their continued support, encouragement and goodwill - keep it up!
Alan, Anna, Graham, Kat, Nick, Peter & Stuart.
Finances
Exeter Scrapstore Income & Expenditure Year Ended 31 March 2021
Income
| Income | |
|---|---|
| Donations Grants Membership Shop Sales Scrap Sales Ebay Sales Other Sales |
Unrestriced Restricted Total £ £ £ 1,580.00 1,580.00 35,988.00 33,100.00 69,088.00 2,043.00 2,043.00 798.00 798.00 8,068.00 8,068.00 32.00 32.00 33.00 33.00 |
| 48,542.00 33,100.00 81,642.00 |
Grants
Exeter City Council Covid 19
| 19,431.00 | |
|---|---|
| 2,200.00 | |
| 3,455.00 | |
| 10,902.00 | |
| 33,100.00 | |
| 35,988.00 | 33,100.00 |
Support Grant on behalf of HMRC Devon County Council Exeter City Council Rent & Rates Government Grant (Covid 19 Job Rentention Scheme) National Lottery Community Fund
| Exeter Scrapstore Income & Expenditure Year Ended 31 March 2021 Expenditure Wages & Salaries Community Artists Scrapstore Rent & Rates Storage Rent Premises Expenses Insurance Motor Expenses Printing Postage & Stationery Telephone & Computer Charges Computer & Software E-commerce & New Website Accountancy & Professional Fees Professional Fees Bank & Platform charges |
Unrestriced £ 18,883.00 Wages & Salaries Community Artists 3,553.00 Scrapstore Rent & Rates 1,500.00 Storage Rent 3,038.00 Premises Expenses 698.00 Insurance 1,525.00 Motor Expenses 139.00 Printing Postage & Stationery 674.00 Telephone & Computer Charges 910.00 Computer & Software E-commerce & New Website 213.00 Accountancy & Professional Fees 1,800.00 Professional Fees 210.00 Bank & Platform charges 34,190.00 |
Restricted £ 8,948.00 2,250.00 - 3,000.00 140.00 - 190.00 25.00 - 1,823.00 4,350.00 - 7,500.00 - |
|---|---|---|
| 33,115.00 |
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