Mayor of Merton’s Charitable Trust
Trustees’ annual report for the period 01/04/2022 to 31/03/2023
Reference and administration details
Charity name – The Mayor of Merton’s Charitable Trust Registered charity number – 1149209
Names of the charity trustees Michael Brunt 1.4.22 onwards (Chair from 14.6.2022) Joan Henry 14.6.22 Agatha Akyigyina 14.6.22 Edith Macauley 24.06.19 onwards Oonagh Moulton 24.06.19 onwards *Janice Howard 13.05.19 onwards
Structure, governance and management
Type of governing document – Trust deed adopted by meeting of Merton Council on 11 July 2012. A supplemental trust deed, approved by the trustees on 13 May 2019, restated the original trust deed and provided for an increase in the number of trustees from three to five.
How the charity is constituted – Trust
Trustee selection methods – the trustees are appointed or re-appointed annually after the Annual Meeting of Merton Council at which the Mayor is elected. There is an understanding that each year the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and the previous year’s Mayor may become Trustees. The appointments are noted by a meeting of the Council in June/July each year. The Trustees elect the Chair of the Trust Board at the first Trust Board meeting following Annual Council.
Objectives and activities
Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document
The Trust Deed states that the charity's objects are any purposes currently recognised as charitable and any new charitable purposes which are similar to another charitable purpose. The purpose of the Trust is to collect and distribute charitable donations for the benefit of the residents of the borough. The focus will shift from year to year so that each year the Trust can support specific organisations and/or themes such as young people, sport, the arts etc.
Each year the Mayor of Merton nominates a charity or charities for whom fundraising activities are carried out during the year to meet a specified purpose for the benefit of the residents of Merton. Additional small donations may be made to local charities and or individuals.
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The Trustees consider the public benefit requirement prior to issuing funds to any organisation or individual. When providing financial donations, the Trustees will in every event place specific stipulations as to the use of those funds to ensure that the use is in accordance with the charity’s objects and charitable purposes as well as complying with the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.
Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects
Fundraising activities undertaken over the past year were planned so that a wide range of people from Merton’s diverse local communities could participate, particularly those people who had not previously had any contact with the mayoralty.
Councillor Henry selected the Dons Local Action Group as the first of her two nominated charities. Dons Local Action Group were formed during COVID-19 in March 2020, to offer support to families by providing food parcels across Merton Kingston and Wandsworth. Dons Local Action Group also supply household goods and furniture. Her second charity was The Jimmy Asher Foundation, who offer support to youth from diverse backgrounds who wish to make positive life choices and develop into responsible young adults, further impacting on the wider community.
Achievements and performance (summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year)
Fundraising activities
Fundraising highlights in the 2022/23 year included:
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A Bowls Social Evening (August 2022)
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Annual sponsored swim by Deputy Mayor, Cllr Edith Macauley – 50 lengths of the pool at David Lloyd Sports Club in Wimbledon.
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Mayor’s Ball, April 2023, held at AELTC and attended by around 200 guests. Music was provided by Phoenix Community Steelband and entertainer Thirukkumaran Jeyaseelan
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Ghanaian Independence Day event held at Tooting and Mitcham Sports Club
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Mayor’s Christmas Dinner held at AFC Wimbledon and attended by
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around 160 guests.
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Mayors Charity Football (April 2023)
Community outreach
Silver Sunday : October saw Silver Sunday, when Councillor Joan Henry hosted a tea party at Tooting and Mitcham Community Sports Club. A delicious afternoon tea was served, accompanied by sparkling entertainment.
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The day was a fitting celebration of achievements by older residents, and a chance to share some amazing life stories.
New Years Day Parade : Students from Wimbledon College of Art designed Dick Whittington’s Cat and props, children from St Marys Primary School sang to the parade song “London loves life” which was composed by Councillor Linda Kirby. Merton’s entry received a £1,000 prize for the Charitable Trust.
During her mayoral year Councillor Joan Henry attended many street parties in relation to Her Majesty the Queens Platinum Jubilee throughout the borough in June 2022 and later that year in September 2022 after the death of Her Majesty the Queen, Cllr Henry attended commemoration services not only in our borough but externally as well as leading the Proclamation.
In May 2023 we saw the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III which was celebrated by street parties and at events that Cllr Henry attended over the week.
Aside from her charity work, Councillor Joan Henry led the tributes to fallen servicemen and servicewomen on Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday, and she led citizenship ceremonies throughout the year as part of her civic duties.
Engagements
During 2022/23 Councillor Joan Henry ensured that their programme of 400 to 500 engagements annually has been used as an opportunity to reach out to all parts of Merton’s diverse community and therefore increase understanding, participation and communication, thus addressing one aspect of the public benefit duty of the Trust.
Parlour receptions
During 2022/23 both Mayors have hosted several receptions in the Mayor’s Parlour as an opportunity to thank individuals and local community organisations, thus recognising and celebrating the positive contribution they have made to the life of the borough.
- Grant making
Grant-making
In the 2022/23 financial year the Trust made seven grants totalling £38,500 to support local community organisations for the benefit of Merton residents:
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Christian Care Association - £19,000
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Marie Curie - £19,000
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• BAME £500
Financial review
Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves:–
All cash balances are held as unrestricted funds. All funds are held for the purpose of donations to the Mayor’s chosen charities or cover the costs of further fundraising. We do not have a policy of holding a minimum reserve, other than to not go into deficit.
Independent examiner’s report on the accounts
Separate PDF document
Receipts and payments accounts
Separate PDF document
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Official#
Charity Number: 1149209
The Mayor of Merton's Charitable Trust
Receipts and payments accounts
For the period from
to 31/03/2023
01/04/2022
| Section A Receipts and payments | Section A Receipts and payments | Section A Receipts and payments | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
A1 Receipts |
Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 43,892 665 568 8,756 0 53,881 30,402 38,500 68,902 (15,021) 0 48,271 33,251 |
Total funds to the nearest £ 43,892 665 568 8,756 0 0 53,881 30,402 38,500 68,902 (15,021) 0 48,271 33,251 |
Last year 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022 to the nearest £ |
|
| Event Income | 43,892 | 74,820 | ||
| Donations | 665 | 0 | ||
| Gift Aid Receipts | 568 | 0 | ||
| Wimbledon Draw | 8,756 | (760) | ||
| Openingdonationspre charitable status | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
||||
| 74,060 | ||||
| Cost of FundraisingActivities | 30,402 | 6,825 | ||
| Donations to charities | 38,500 | 42,753 | ||
| Total payments | 68,902 | 49,578 | ||
| Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
||||
| (15,021) | (15,021) | 24,482 | ||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 48,271 | 48,271 | 23,789 | ||
| 33,251 | 33,251 | 48,271 | ||
| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | ||||
| Categories B1 Cash funds Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees Signature |
Print Name Details Cash at bank Total cash funds |
Unrestricted funds to nearest £ |
||
| 33,251 | ||||
| 33,251 | ||||
| Date ofapproval | ||||
| Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
(15,021) (15,021) 0 0 48,271 48,271 33,251 33,251 |
(15,021) (15,021) 0 0 48,271 48,271 33,251 33,251 |
24,482 0 23,789 48,271 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Section B Statement of assets and | liabilities at the end of the period | |||
| Unrestricted | ||||
| Categories | Details | funds | ||
| to nearest £ | ||||
| B1 Cash funds | Cash at bank | 33,251 | ||
| Total cash funds | 33,251 | |||
| Signed by one or two trustees on behalf | ||||
| of all the trustees | ||||
| Signature | Print Name | Date ofapproval | ||