THE BESOM IN WITNEY
Accounts- 31st October 2020
## **THE BESOM IN WITNEY**
_(A company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital)_
Charity number: 1146040 _Company number:_ 7844402
Accounts – 31st October 2020
## **INDEX**
- 1-3. Report of the Trustees and General Information 4. Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees 5. Statement of Financial Activities 6. Balance Sheet 7-9. Notes to the Accounts
**Registered in England and Wales No: 7844402**
1.
**THE BESOM IN WITNEY**
## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES for the year ended 31st October 2020**
The Trustees are pleased to present their annual report and financial statements of the charitable company for the year ended 31st October 2020 which are also prepared to meet the requirements for a directors’ report and accounts for Companies Act purposes.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in the notes to the accounts and comply with the charity’s governing document, the Charities Act 2011 and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities published on 16th July 2014.
## **Reference and Administration Details**
The charity’s name is The Besom in Witney.
Charity Registration Number: 146040
Company Number: 7844402
Registered Office: 22b High Street, Witney, Oxon, OX28 6RB
## **Trustees and Directors**
The Trustees of the charitable company (the charity) are its Directors for the purposes of company law. The Trustees and officers who served during the year and since the year end were as follows:
G Simmonds R Crossley P Ledden J Pringle (resigned 25th November 2019) S Wingfield Digby D Taylor (appointed 30th November 2020)
## **Objectives and Activities**
The main objects of the charity are:
- i) To relieve persons in conditions of need or hardship or who are aged or distressed ii) The advancement of education iii) The advancement of the Christian faith
In planning the activities of the charitable company the directors have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion.
The public benefit objective is achieved through our work in the community outlined below.
## **Achievements and Performance**
During the 2019 - 2020 operational year, The Besom in Witney has continued to serve and focus upon Christian givers in West Oxfordshire by linking those who wish to give their time, money, skills or things, to local people in a time of need. This ensures what is given makes a difference to the recipient and our relationship with professional partner referrers is key to enabling the team to make sure that help is prioritised to the poorest of the poor and that help is given to those in genuine need of assistance.
Help offered mainly takes the practical form of emergency food parcels, positive recycling of good quality household items, linens and furniture, or passing on nice as new clothing and equipment for babies and young children with occasional project opportunities. This year the charity has faced the added pressures of operating under the Covid-19 restrictions and at the same time trying to assist a growing number of needs.
**THE BESOM IN WITNEY**
2.
**REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES for the year ended 31st October 2020 (** Continued)
## **Food Review**
Last operating year was 367 food parcels: but this year 440 parcels were given. Since the March lockdown we have extensively used food vouchers as well as giving 3 days of food where we could do so from our food store. This also allows people the dignity to choose and buy fresh food which has been greatly appreciated.
We have received 101 donations of food. Harvest festival donations vastly reduced; by about half. We gave 85 Christmas hampers. The food team have kept in touch via Zoom.
Council meetings have been attended remotely and there has been significant appreciation and cooperation between the council and other food banks and food services during the Covid crisis. Besom has continued to focus primarily on the poorest in our communities, leaving other agencies to pick up those who were shielding.
A lot of our regular time givers needed to shield or lived with others who were vulnerable and therefore the number of team members involved in delivering food dropped significantly this year. New time givers on furlough from work came forward temporarily and although thin on the ground we have managed to keep delivering.
## **Furniture Review**
About 49 collections and deliveries of house packs have been done.
Very limited operation due to Covid. It is sometimes challenging doing the deliveries as recipients have not always socially distanced. The team has been limited since March to one household doing deliveries, who had Covid quite early on in the season and were therefore less at risk than other team members. Collections have been limited to items that can be collected from doorsteps/outside, then quarantined or disinfected before giving to recipients, again mostly to the doorstep.
As receiving gifts has been difficult due to lockdown and social distancing constraints, we have switched to buying things whereby we can control deliveries a lot better and safely. We have mainly bought beds, bedding and textiles, plus essential kitchen items and microwaves so that recipients have the essentials for day one of moving into an empty property.
## **Projects Review**
We have not done any projects this year.
## **Behind the Scenes**
Behind the scenes, our Treasurer, Trustees, admin, prayer and food teams have kept in touch via telephone, email and Zoom to keep everything moving in what have been unusual and challenging times. We are grateful to each and every person who has given time through The Besom in Witney this year to bless and help those who have found themselves in need in our community.
## **Reserves Policy**
The trustees have considered the charity’s requirements for reserves and presently have a policy of maintaining funds equivalent to four months of average expenditure. This would be in the region of £7,000 currently. We do not directly fund raise and so if there were significant and sustained drops in income this would provide enough time to adapt to changing circumstances. Our premises are sensibly licensed, not leased, to mitigate against potential future variances in income, but we are potentially at the mercy of landlord whims as experienced last year. Healthy reserves provide flexibility to take on alternative suitable premises at short notice should that become necessary.
Some donations are ring-fenced for particular purposes. There is no deliberate policy of holding such money back from being spent. We will do so as we become aware of needs fitting the criteria specified by the giver. We are grateful that to date we have not turned down a reasonable request for help due to lack of funds.
3.
## **THE BESOM IN WITNEY**
**REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES for the year ended 31st October 2020 (** Continued)
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
## **Governing Document**
The Besom in Witney is a company limited by guarantee governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 7th November 2011. It is registered as a charity with the Charity Commission. Members of the charitable company guarantee to contribute amounts not exceeding £10 to the assets of the charitable company in the event of winding up.
## **Appointment of Trustees**
The trustees keep the composition of the board under review and will seek to appoint additional members with appropriate skills and expertise should the need arise. Interested parties are given details of the background of the charitable company in order to make them aware of current activities.
This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
Approved by the trustees on 15th January 2021 and signed on its behalf by:
G Simmonds – Trustee/Director
Witney
**THE BESOM IN WITNEY**
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Besom in Witney for the year ended 31st October 2020.
## **Responsibilities and Basis of Report**
As the charity’s trustees (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (“the 2006 Act”).
Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the charitable company 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 your charity’s accounts as 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 Charity 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 giving me cause to believe:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charitable company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts 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 accounts have not been prepared in accordance with 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.
MDA Gyde FCA DChA A J Carter & Co Chartered Accountants
22b High Street Witney Oxon OX28 6RB
20th January 2021
5.
## **THE BESOM IN WITNEY**
## **Statement of Financial Activities**
_(including an income and expenditure account)_
## **for the year ended 31st October 2020**
|**Income from:**
Gifts and donations
Interest received
**Expenditure on:**
Supporting those in need
Motor and travel
Administration and publicity
Insurance
Accountancy
Depreciation
NET INCOME FOR THE YEAR
TOTAL FUNDS brought forward
TOTAL FUNDS carried forward|**2020**
General Funds
£
£
44,937
22
44,959
23,014
870
587
375
636
2,448
27,930
17,029
19,405
£36,434|
£|**2019**
£
19,314
17
19,331
15,143
1,249
209
711
612
2,448
20,372
(1,041)
20,446
19,405|
|---|---|---|---|
There were no recognised gains or losses other than those shown in the Statement of Financial Activities.
The notes on page 7 to 9 form part of these financial statements.
Registered in England and Wales: 7844402
6.
## **THE BESOM IN WITNEY**
|**BALANCE SHEET**
**31st October 2020**
£
FIXED ASSETS (note 4)
2,850
CURRENT ASSETS
Bank accounts
34,220
CREDITORS: amounts falling due within the year
Accruals
(636)
NET CURRENT ASSETS
33,584
NET ASSETS
£36,434
£
Represented by:
GENERAL FUND
£36,434
£|**2019**
£
5,298
14,719
(612)
14,107
19,405
19,405|
|---|---|
For the year ended 31st October 2020 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; and
The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the act with respect to the accounting records and the preparation of accounts.
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions relating to companies subject to the Small Companies Regime with Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.
These accounts were approved by the board of directors and authorised for issue on: 15th January 2021 and are signed on their behalf by:
G Simmonds – Trustee/Director
The notes on pages 7 to 9 form part of these financial statements
**THE BESOM IN WITNEY**
7.
## NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
**for the year ended 31st October 2020**
## 1. **Accounting Policies**
The principal accounting policies adopted, judgments and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows:
## a) **Basis of Preparation**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: 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 16th July 2014 and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.
Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes.
The charitable company constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS102.
- b) **Income Recognition Policies**
Items of income are recognised and included in the accounts when all of the following criteria are met:
- The charity has entitlement to the funds;
- any performance conditions attached to the items of income have been met or are fully within the control of the charity;
- there is sufficient certainty that receipt of the income is considered probable; and
- the amount can be measured reliably.
Income received in advance of a specific performance or provision of other specified service is deferred until the criteria for income recognition are met.
## c) **Donated Services and Facilities**
Donated services or facilities are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item, any conditions associated with a donated item have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the Charity of the item is probable and that economic benefit can be measured reliably. On receipt, donated services and facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the Charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.
- d) **Interest Receivable** Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the Charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank.
- e) **Fund Accounting**
Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of the Charity. Designated funds are unrestricted funds of the Charity which the trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose. Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for the particular areas of the Charity’s work or for specific projects being undertaken by the Charity.
**THE BESOM IN WITNEY**
8.
## NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
## **for the year ended 31st October 2020**
- f) **Expenditure and Irrecoverable VAT**
- Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified under the following activity headings:
- Expenditure on Charitable activities.
- Other expenditure represents those items not falling into any other heading.
Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.
g) **Allocation of Support Costs** Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the Charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. These costs have been allocated between costs of raising funds and expenditure on charitable activities.
- h) **Tangible Fixed Assets** Individual fixed assets costing £1,000 or more are capitalised at cost and are depreciated over their estimated useful economic lives on the straight line basis as follows:
- i) **Debtors**
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amounts due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid after taking account of any trade discounts due.
- j) **Cash at Bank and in Hand** Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short-term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
- k) **Creditors and Provisions** Creditors and provisions are recognised where the Charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.
- l) **Transition to FRS 102**
- There have been no amendments necessary on the transition to FRS 102. The transition date was 1st November 2015.
## 2. **Legal Status of the Charity**
The charity is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital. The liability of each member in the event of winding up is limited to £10.
## 3. **Transactions with Trustees**
There are no transactions with the trustees which require separate disclosure in the financial statements.
9.
## **THE BESOM IN WITNEY**
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS **for the year ended 31st October 2020**
|4.
**Fixed Assets**
Net book Value - 31.10.2019
Depreciation – charge for the year
Net Book Value – 31.10.2020
£|£
5,298
(2,448)
2,850|
|---|---|