OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2023-03-31-accounts

Action in Caerau and Ely Annual Report 2022 - 2023

1

Action in Caerau and Ely

“Our Ambitions For Our Community Through Our Own Efforts” Annual Report 2022 - 2023

2

1. Message from the Chair p4

2. About ACE p6

Our vision and values.

3. Investing in Volunteers p8

4. Ely and Caerau Community Plan p10

5. Community Support p11 ACE Advice & Support.

Your Local Pantry. Café Barr. ACE Benthyg. Repair Café. ACE Community Shop. Lived Experiences. Grand Avenues.

6. ‘I’ve got a sense of purpose’ - Scott’s story p14

  1. Health and wellbeing p16 Yourspace Wellbeing Support. Diana Garden Project. ACE Compassionate Communities. ACE Cares.

  2. ACE places p18 Grow Well at the Dusty Forge Community Garden. The Dusty Shed. CAER Heritage.

  3. ‘A life’s for living and getting outside’ - Steve’s story p21 10. ACE Volunteers p22 11. Arts and Heritage p24 ACE Arts story - Looking forward to Mondays. ACE Arts. ACE Consult. Together for Trowbridge and St. Mellons.

  4. Children, Young People and Families p26 ACE Youth. Curiosity.

  5. ‘I love seeing people progress’ - Charlene’s story p27 14. Training and Employment p28 ACE Training. Shape Your Future. 15. The ACE Way - community development training and mentoring p29 16. Trustees/Volunteers/Staff p31 17. Finance Report p33 18. Our Funders and Partners p34

3

Message from the Chair

Yet again, ACE has managed to cope with even greater challenges from the global economic turmoil and the effects of the pandemic. The main focus for this year has been consolidation, with only a few new projects. In March 2023, the funding for two big projects came to an end, so planning was put in place for replacement funding income. Our staff numbers have remained stable, with many working on more than one project during their working week.

The pressures on balancing the books have been intensified by the rise in energy bills, especially as businesses weren’t covered by the same energy cap and assistance schemes as residential users. With this in mind, Sam Froud-Powell and Hazel Cryer were tasked with looking for core funding part-time.

On the surface the staff are coping well, but like swans they are working frantically behind the scenes to keep to budgets and investigate new funding opportunities. ACE’s reputation among previous and existing partners has resulted in invitations to apply for project funding, which has saved a lot of time and effort.

Our dedicated community support team received funding from sources including Welsh Government, Cardiff Council and a private donor to issue over 2,700 fuel vouchers to help those who were impacted

most from soaring energy bills. The demand for membership of the Pantry, and use of Café Barr and the community shop has again massively increased. In the case of the Pantry, new sources of food donations have had to be found to meet demand as the supplies to FareShare have decreased.

The dedicated team of ACE volunteers have achieved Green Flag status for the gardens around the Dusty in partnership with Grow Cardiff, and an Investing in Volunteers award, which is nationally recognised. The staff and volunteers together make an amazing team, without which ACE couldn’t have achieved what it has so far or continue to do so.

At the beginning of 2023, co-director Dave Horton gave notice that he was standing down to concentrate on developing the ACE Way training project. In April, Michelle Powell became Director, with Sam and Hazel appointed as full time Operational Development Managers. This has led to a reorganisation of some other roles, and maximised use of resources.

Who knows what the future will bring to challenge the ACE team, but I have every confidence that together we will find a way to succeed in supporting our community.

Marian Dixey, Chair of Trustees, September 2023.

4

ttrt F- ¢wr p hw.tj fyr

2.

About ACE Our Vision

Our Values

To create ‘vibrant, equal and resilient communities for all, where people find fulfilment in themselves, each other, and the place where they live’.

At ACE we believe:

We work with communities to achieve lasting positive change for an equal and just Cardiff by:

Our Theory of Change:

Need:

We tackle poverty, disadvantage and related complex needs on all fronts using a fully integrated approach.

Solutions:

Co-produced initiatives build confidence, skills, capacity and resilience, improving mental health and promoting supportive social networks.

Outcomes:

Local people report a range of outcomes including improved wellbeing, securing employment, completing training, stronger social networks and greater aspirations.

Impact:

Local people who have developed confidence, skills and energy contribute these to collective approaches to community development

In 2023 we have conducted an Operational Plan review, streamlined our work and restructured our teams. The Operational Plan review will inform our new Strategic Plan 2023-26 which will be completed in October 23.

At ACE, the way we work is just as important as the things we do. Watch our new video ‘The ACE Way’ to get a feel for how we work with and alongside people in our community.

6

ilie F0I6E. WJNk

----- Start of picture text -----
3.
Investing in Volunteers
----- End of picture text -----

A BIG thank you to all ACE volunteers and staff who helped us achieve the ‘Investing in volunteers’ award!

ACE – Action in Caerau & Ely is proud to be an Investing in Volunteers (IiV) achiever, having been awarded the quality mark/ standard in 2023 for the first time.

Investing in Volunteers is the UK quality standard for all organisations involving volunteers. It shows that ACE values our volunteers and demonstrates our commitment to volunteering within the organisation.

Investing in Volunteers aims to improve the quality of the volunteering experience for

everyone and demonstrates that organisations value the enormous contribution made by their volunteers. ACE was assessed against six quality areas and proved to excel in all aspects of working with its volunteers.

20 volunteers were interviewed (out of 68 when assessed, not including trustees). They also interviewed staff members and Mel Witherden, the chair of trustees at the time. He said:

“Volunteers and local people are in the driving seat for development, they are integral to the organisation and will always be part of the decision making.

Volunteers bring so many skills, so much experience, and they have so many ideas. Many volunteers have experienced inequality and have a passion

to support people in their community; bringing that into the organisation is invaluable. We would not be ACE without the volunteers.

All volunteers can access training that is relevant to their role or their personal development goals.

Volunteers bring so much to ACE, they share their life experiences and support and learn from each other, we learn from them too, and volunteers really represent the community spirit in which we work.”

For the future, ACE is committed to further build our volunteering programme. We are currently looking at our core principles and how we can maintain these, ensuring community and volunteering remains key to the organisation.

8

Six Quality Areas:

Vision for volunteering:

Volunteering is embedded within the overall vision, values, culture and aims of the organisation and its impact is recognised and communicated. Organisations understand why they involve volunteers.

Planning for volunteers:

People, policies and procedures have been put in place to ensure volunteering is well-managed.

Volunteer inclusion:

There is a positive approach to inclusion, equity and diversity and a proactive approach to making volunteering accessible.

Recruiting and welcoming volunteers:

It is easy for people to find out about opportunities, explore whether they are right for them, and get involved.

Supporting volunteers:

Volunteers feel supported at all times, that they are a part of the organisation and that their contribution makes a difference.

Valuing and developing volunteers:

Volunteers are valued and there are opportunities for volunteers to develop and grow through their experience.

‘I have made friends with people who I would not have met before volunteering’ ‘I love it so much I have told other people who struggle to come and access support and volunteer’

‘Staff see me each time I volunteer and help me feel I make a difference’. ‘The organisation is so supportive of volunteers I see greatness from volunteers daily’ ‘ACE helps us see the impact we are having in a community with very little, it helps families and people in the community to connect. ACE has really built up my confidence – it’s amazing’.

Read the full report online: https://www.aceplace.org/ace-achievement-ofinvesting-in-volunteers-award/

9

----- Start of picture text -----
4.
Ely and Caerau
Community Plan
----- End of picture text -----

use the information we gather to make a community plan for Ely and Caerau, working together with Cardiff Council and the Public Services Board to agree a plan with defined budgets and timescales. We aim to do this by March 2024.

We are gathering together the views of people of all ages across the whole of Ely and Caerau. We want to explore together what we can do to strengthen our community and help each other out. We’re asking:

This work is with the support of the Welsh Government, Cardiff Council and the Police and Crime Commissioner’s office, who are funding our new Community Engagement Team. It’s a chance for all of us living in Ely and Caerau to raise our voices in an organised way, to share our

ideas and come together to bring positive change. ACE does this all the time - listening to our communities and working together to bring change. There’s a lot we can do when we join together our strengths, skills, experiences and resources.

Some things we can change ourselves, working together across our community. For other things, we will need support from those who have the resources to make change. We’ll

We want as many people as possible to share their ideas and contribute to this community plan, so please get in touch at communityplan@ aceplace.org to have your say, or share your views in our online survey here .

There are a lot of people involved in this work! To find out how the Community Steering Group, the Public Service Board Working Group and the Ministerial Reference Group are working together to co-create the community plan with residents, read more on our blog .

Follow us on Facebook@ECCommunityplan Instagram@actionincaerauandely to find out about events, groups and chats in your area and join in.

10

5.

Check out our new Community Support website for more info, videos and stories: https://www.ace-communitysupport.com/

ACE Advice and Support

ACE Community Support is a service that helps people in financial crisis to access foodbank vouchers, fuel support and help to manage debt and receive benefit support.

We have increased household income in the community by £136,756 supporting 2312 households with fuel vouchers, grants and unclaimed benefits. We offer specialist support to parents of children with additional needs and host two monthly Legal Clinics offering free legal advice for those experiencing issues around Children’s Law and Financial Safeguarding.

“I can’t thank you enough for all you have done, I couldn’t have done this by myself, it was so stressful.”

Your Local Pantry

The Pantry is in more demand than ever due to the increase in food and fuel costs, with 167 members. We receive visits from over 150 households every week who have come to rely on the service. Members pay £5 for a choice of £15-£20 worth of food. We also offer low cost cleaning items and toiletries.

At the pantry we care for our members like family, offering support, choice and friendship. We offer an experience that allows us to not only give practical support but to offer a listening ear with no judgement. Our pantry is a safe space for all to come and feel welcome.

“Very friendly people here, the food top’s up my cupboard for the week, I look forward to my weekly visit for a chat”

11

Cafe Barr was a huge success with volunteers cooking up delicious low cost food two days a week. They even trialled a carvery which was so successful that it was introduced as a regular monthly special. Sadly the Cafe had to close in January 2023 due to the increased pressures on the volunteers and not having a staff member to support its development. We look forward to seeing what the future holds for Cafe Barr and thank all our volunteers for their hard work.

ACE Benthyg

ACE Benthyg is our Library of Things where our community can borrow items at low cost. We’ve diversified to include different activities around repair, reuse, recycle and tackling climate change. We have a total of 258 items available to hire with more items added daily. There are 614 members with 313 subscribed members, with 275 ‘borrows’ over the year. We have begun to transform a disused parcel of land into a peace garden in collaboration with local schools and HMPPS. ACE Benthyg is also working with the Cardiff Curriculum team to aid in the creation and development of the new school curriculum based around the Welsh Government’s circular economy.

Repair Café

Our busy Dusty repair cafe has been running on the 4th Saturday each month for the last 4 years. Since we started in 2019, our team of eight volunteer ‘fixers’ have checked 479 items, with 3 out of 4 items being successfully repaired. Our volunteer hosts provide a warm and friendly welcome and all repairs are free, including bikes, electrical items, IT equipment, toys, ceramics and textiles. As well as saving money and helping the environment, customers can learn how to do simple repairs while watching our ‘fixers’ repair their items.

“Fantastic! Thank you - you brought Teddy the Bear back to life.”

“A thoroughly excellent service - quick and I learnt something.”

12

The community shop has been as busy as ever in light of the Cost of Living crisis. It has seen a huge increase in numbers and growing demand particularly for childrens clothes.

The volunteers have worked so hard to provide vital support to those who need it and ensure that stock is rotated and redistributed back into the community to those who need it.

October 2023: The community shop is temporarily closed to allow for a refit, and will reopen in early November to provide a wider range of support as part of ACE’s growing projects to promote sustainable living and save people money during the cost of living crisis.

“I can’t keep replacing the clothes they have outgrown, they are growing so fast This place is a godsend and I know I can bring in their outgrown clothes too so I don’t feel so bad, its like a swap shop.”

Lived Experiences

In partnership with The Bevan Foundation, funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, we contributed to many discussions within the Senedd. Through monthly focus groups we developed an evidence base capturing peoples lived experiences of poverty. This was a really powerful piece of work and contributed to policy change regarding Cost of Living Support.

We were also funded through the Welsh Government to hear from parents of children under 6, parents of children with additional learning needs and a group of young people from the ACE Youth Council. We submitted our findings to the Welsh Government to help them in rewriting the Child Poverty Strategy for Wales.

“I’m only 14 but why can’t I work part time? It would help take the pressure off my mum and dad, I won’t need to ask them for money all the time if I earned my own.”

Grand Avenues

You can watch our video, ACE Lived Experiences project with the Bevan Foundation - here.

The Grand Avenues project is a partnership between His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, ACE and St Vincent De Paul (SVP). The project works with men on probation, ensuring the men have access to income, health support and community interventions. The men feel better connected with the community which reduces the likelihood of reoffending.

The project is gaining momentum and between 2022-2023, 38 men were supported to claim a total of £51,568 in benefits, supported into work and able to access vital GP support on release from prison.

“Doing my probation in the community means I am not seeing the same people I used to get into trouble with There is so much help here I don’t want to go back into that life.”

13

‘I’ve got a sense of purpose’ - Scott’s story

Before I was with ACE I was using every day. I was living in a flat for a few months, but I still felt homeless. My lifestyle was chaos. I would get on the bus with a sleeping bag and I would go begging all day down town for money for valium, crack and heroin. But obviously, the lifestyle that goes with that is really, really hectic, dangerous, unhealthy. And it affects your mental health a lot as well.

I did have one thing in my head that ended up getting me out in the end. My son’s 18[th] birthday was coming up in a couple of years, and I wanted to get clean to see him. My parental responsibility was removed from me when he was 12. So yeah, I was in a really, really bad situation before I started engaging with ACE. When I spoke to my Pobl worker about the negative feelings that I was feeling, she said right, let’s get you doing something. She asked

me what my interests were. I said history, and stuff outdoors, and she said right, well I know that CAER Heritage Centre are doing stuff at the hillfort.

So I started volunteering with the Love our Hillfort group, and while I was there, I was trying to clean myself up a bit, drastically reduced the amount of drugs I was using, and part of that was because I had something to do during the day. And I started making friends within the group.

14

And then another one of my interests was art. Pobl told me about the art group at the Dusty. I started making friends there. And I started seeing that I didn’t have to live my life the way it was. I had a reason to get up in the morning, some kind of direction and not go and do what I was doing to block everything out. When you’re doing art it’s good, there’s nothing else to think about apart from making something nice. Then I started going to Diana gardens. So that was like three days out of my week that I had something positive to do, and I started making friends at all three groups.

I managed to stop using, I was just still on the methadone. I was doing it by myself. I started looking after myself a lot more because I was around other people who respected themselves. And that gave me more self respect, because I wasn’t hanging around with people that hadn’t showered for weeks and weeks and just didn’t care. So there was a positive influence on me.

This was in the lockdown period and I was using the pantry, so I started eating better. I was really really underweight, so getting a balanced diet had a massive effect on me. The basics have to come first, so, go to bed at a decent time, sleep, wake up, have a shower, have something to eat and that. I mean, I hadn’t been doing those things for such a long time. Sometimes I didn’t talk to anybody for days. So like, having the thing with ACE, you know, where people want to talk

to you and they want to help you and they’re interested, and some of the people like the volunteers had gone through similar things as well. That was absolutely amazing that was, like. It was like stepping into a different world, and it was one that I was really, really happy to be in.

I was at Diana Gardens when I met Christian who introduced me to SVP, where I work now. So if it wasn’t for the work I was doing with ACE, potentially I wouldn’t be working here now. He told me that I could use my lived experience to perhaps get a job working alongside probation and that just blew my mind. I realised that even though what happened was bad, I could use it for good, and help other people. So I started volunteering at the Grand Avenues project at SVP in January or February and started studying at the careers office too. I had a job by August.

I’m loving [the peer mentoring role at SVP], I’m really enjoying it. I really like helping people. It’s something new every day. I get to help people that are in the situation I used to be in. And that gives you a really good feeling inside that does, yeah. They’ve been very, very supportive, you know, making me employable and improving social skills, and getting involved with different activities and that.

The big change has been having a sense of purpose. Like when I was volunteering with the Dusty, even though I had something to do, I had no purpose or direction. So when I started coming here to SVP, I had a direction to go for

the job, and a purpose, which is helping people who were in the same situation I was all those years.

I’m still engaging with the Dusty Forge, I’ve been volunteering with ACE Youth and the men’s club, Forge Masters. Hannah Bees encouraged me to do the Youth and Community Course, she said go for it, you know, and it’s like a university accreditation. And, wow, I’ve never done anything like that before. Like, you know, I failed all my exams, all the ones I went to like, anyway, so yeah, what an opportunity. It’s amazing.

I got off the methadone and the diazepam. Getting my medication changed was a big thing. My mental health is so much better, because obviously I’ve got these other things going on. I’m looking after my physical health. I’ve got a sense of purpose, I’ve got good direction, I’ve got support all around me. So if I do ever need support, then I know I can just call one of my colleagues in and say, look, this is going on, I need a bit of support with this.

I’m working, I’m healthier. I go to the gym. I’ve been eating better. My mood has been better. Yeah, things have just changed dramatically for me. I’ve applied for a job working for HMPPS as a substance misuse officer with young people on probation. And I want to start driving, and do all the things that people do, go on holidays and that. I would never have considered that before.

15

----- Start of picture text -----
7.
Health and
Wellbeing
----- End of picture text -----

Yourspace Wellbeing Support South West Cardiff

North Cardiff

Yourspace South West provides 1:1 wellbeing support and develops new community-led wellbeing activities across South West Cardiff. Referrals are seen promptly and wellbeing connectors offer a range of signposting options with an engaging person-centred approach. Our team supported 508 people to improve their wellbeing in April ’22 - March ’23.

Our development workers have been adept at developing a range of activities to meet needs, including wellbeing courses, outings and sewing groups. Our experienced team continues to provide a service that is tailored to the individual, supporting them to improve their self confidence and widen their social networks, with 83% of participants showing an improvement in wellbeing.

Yourspace North Cardiff is a new pilot project, started in January 2023. It provides 1:1 wellbeing support and develops new community-led wellbeing activities across North Cardiff. The service was commissioned by Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and works in close partnership with Cardiff North Primary Care Cluster.

The team have been getting to know the range of organisations working in the Cluster, mapping current provision and identifying opportunities for working together. Many services and groups have been engaged, particularly organisations relevant for people of different ages, ethnicity, religion and those with particular health, mental health or mobility needs.

“Can I just say that the lovely lady has been so helpful (within my unfortunate situation) she is so understanding and I am so very grateful for her help.”

16

Diana Garden Project

“I think there’s been quite a few changes as a result of getting involved in Diana garden – the fulfilment, the working with other people, I found that really valuable. I really look forward to my Tuesdays here I wake up in the morning, and I’m happy about coming here The happiness factor is really big.” - Steve Lyons Read his story on page 21

In the last year, the Diana Garden project has received funding to carry on its weekly volunteer sessions as well as employ a second staff member. The project has grown a diverse group of volunteers as well as started working with HM Prison and Probation service which made a massive difference for the improvement of the garden.

We ran weekly gardening sessions, engaging the local community in gardening and social activities. We have engaged HM Prison and Probation service in green activities and improvement of the space. We ran a couple of events for families where we shared our gardening and wildlife knowledge.

ACE Compassionate Communities

We aim to enhance support and compassion for people experiencing isolation, loneliness or disconnection from the community due to illness, caring responsibilities, approaching end of life and/or bereavement. We spoke with 63 people this year. Funded by Macmillan, the Welsh Government and supported by the Compassionate Cymru Movement, working across South West Cardiff.

“Thanks so much, this is just so lovely I can’t believe this is just for me, it’s just so special.” – Recipient of a Wellbeing Box

This year, we gave out 125 Wellbeing boxes and volunteers provided 5 ‘back home’ boxes to people in End of Life care and their carers. We have facilitated 27 Griefspace peer support sessions. 125 Kindness cards were made by local children and adults, and 10 volunteers made hundreds of crochet gifts. ACE remains part of the Compassionate Cymru Steering group.

ACE Cares

In July 2022 we partnered with Cwmpas on a two-year project to test out and learn from different approaches to community-led care. Our local communities and partners have been exploring how we can foster and strengthen a caring community in Ely and Caerau, looking at existing local assets and the role of service-providers and decision-makers.

We helped establish a group for local carers, who are building a wider support network and supporting each other, and secured funding for short break activities. Events have brought together local people, community groups and services to share knowledge and ideas. We have established a network of local ‘Changemakers’ who will help shape the delivery of the project.

17

8.

ACE Places

----- Start of picture text -----
Diana Gardens:
• Diana Garden project
----- End of picture text -----

Our Place: Dusty Forge:

CAER Heritage Centre:

18

Grow Well at The Dusty Forge Community Garden

“I feel wanted, it brings you out of yourself.” “I use it as a break in my work routine, to allow a mental break. I can take the positives back with me afterwards.”

One of the 3 gardens that offers therapeutic community gardens sessions led by staff from Grow Cardiff in partnership with ACE and the Cardiff SW Primary Care Cluster is the hidden gem behind the Dusty Forge. Every Monday, a team of volunteers meet for a cuppa and some nature-based care: looking after the garden, our wildlife and most importantly each other. Many have never grown a plant before, but we learn together and share skills in many ways; recipes, crafting, DIY and a listening ear. You can be referred by your health care professional or staff at ACE, but self-referrals are also welcome.

More info: growwell@growcardiff.org

The Dusty Shed

The Dusty Shed is an independent charity, run by its members, with a mission to combat the issue of loneliness and social isolation among our community’s older residents.

In our ongoing commitment to safety and well-being, several of our members completed training in First Aid and Mental Health Awareness. Furthermore, we enhanced outdoor security of our premises by installing a sliding door and an additional lockable door at the rear.

ACE’s open day showcased our work to our local community. Alongside community projects, we aid ACE’s Repair Café, Library of Things, and undertake minor maintenance tasks at the Dusty Forge.

19

CAER Heritage

The CAER Heritage Hidden Trelai Park excavated the first Hillfort project, successfully known house in Cardiff dating completed this year, has to the Bronze Age almost sought to put Caerau and Ely’s 4,000 years ago. There were incredible history at the heart incredible finds from an Air of community regeneration Raid Patrol badge dropped efforts. Our partnership during the Second World War with Cardiff University has to flint arrowheads from the seen: the establishment of early Bronze Age. The dig had CAER Heritage and Learning over 1000 visitors with 257 Centre, installation of local volunteers participating footpath improvements and and 159 school pupils from interpretation at Caerau 5 local schools. Importantly, Hillfort, new funded routes to the dig also generated university for young people, significant and very positive and community involvement media coverage for our in archaeological research that communities and was reported has helped us tell a different widely in Wales, the UK and story about our home. internationally. It will also feature in Channel 4’s Digging Amongst many other for Britain TV programme. highlights, this year saw An incredibly rare Bronze the fabulous CAER Love our Age pot discovered during Hillfort group and other the 2022 community dig has volunteers create a stunning been lovingly reconstructed tapestry and nurture the and has gone on display to heritage centre garden to its the community at the CAER current glory! Centre. Over 70 volunteers have been involved in finds Our second community cleaning, sieving and post-dig archaeology excavation at analysis and activities at the

CAER Centre over the summer of 2023.

Following a series of cocreation working groups with local people the CAER Centre is entering a new phase as a learning hub. Cardiff University’s out-going Vice Chancellor, Prof Colin Riordan, visited the CAER Centre in July 2023 and has committed significant sustainability funding to the project and Centre, initially for one year but with a view to sustaining this for three years. This funding will create two new full time posts along with a small annual project budget (a CAER Centre development officer employed by ACE and a Community Partnership Manager employed by Cardiff University) who will staff the CAER Centre from later this autumn and develop partnerships, funding bids, volunteer and learning activities.

“There is something lovely about relaxing into the heritage work with other people, which I didn’t get from my work relationships. The sense of community as well as the history of the area are both important, and you can’t separate one from the other.”

20

----- Start of picture text -----
9.
‘A life’s for living and
getting outside’
- Steve’s story
----- End of picture text -----

I’m 70 years old now. Early last year I retired from a job I’d been doing for 35 years, supporting people around drug and alcohol issues. I take my dog for a walk, I enjoy walking. But the one thing I really missed, since my wife is working full time, is contact with other people. So that drove me to look for opportunities. And luckily enough ACE needed volunteers, so I applied for that. I had a keen interest in gardening – I’ve always enjoyed growing my own vegetables. I would call myself an ever-learning volunteer.

I think there’s been quite a few changes as a result of getting involved in Diana garden - the fulfilment, the working with other people, I found that really valuable. I really look forward to my Tuesdays here. I wake up in the morning, and I’m happy about coming here. The happiness factor is really big.

It’s easy to drift down when you’re retired. You tend to think – I’ll just put my feet up, watch a bit more television rather

than get out and about and do a bit. I feel really fulfilled about the continued learning, which I think life’s all about. Diana garden, definitely, lets me enjoy that. What we can’t emphasise enough is the happiness it brings people when you’re out in the fresh air. The conversations you have with comrades in work, it’s just really nice. And I think I’m happier for it, I’m fitter for it. I mean, I’m constantly learning here, which is great for my mind, because my memory is not as great as what it used to be.

There’s also team camaraderie, how we can raise each other’s self-esteem by being actively involved together and doing gardening, and that brings me a lot of pleasure as well. One of the greatest things I’ve seen is Vaida’s enthusiasm. I’ve never seen anybody so enthusiastic about seeing a ladybird, or a butterfly we haven’t seen before and I think that just generates so much within the group as well. And that’s the kind of vibe that’s in the garden. So I’d be ever thankful for Vaida for creating

that. And I would like to see even more opportunities to work in the garden to spend more time here as well. One day a week is difficult.

There have been changes for people that live in the local community, a hundred percent. I’ve seen people coming in on the open days and you see the looks on the children’s faces and the parents… it has been really, really nice. There’s lots of opportunities here within ACE to get involved in what I see as very worthwhile projects that they provide. I think it’s doing a massive service for people in Ely and Cardiff. May long it roll on.

Diana garden has given me a purpose, keeping my mind active and focused. You know, it helps with so much, the camaraderie is a massive one for me and I just love it. It’s just really good.

In September 2023, Steve started a new paid role with ACE as Diana Garden Development Worker.

21

----- Start of picture text -----
10.
----- End of picture text -----

ACE has 74 volunteers, spread across 14 different areas of work at the Dusty Forge, CAER Heritage Centre and Diana Gardens. Five are lead volunteers, giving extra support to staff. ALL our volunteers are AMAZING! They are dedicated, supportive, passionate and determined to help improve the lives of people living in Caerau & Ely.

Volunteer Qualifications:

Volunteers have gained numerous qualifications to develop and improve their skills and to help support the community more effectively. These include: food hygiene, safeguarding, first aid and mental health first aid, equality & diversity, self-awareness & personal development, teamworking, communication skills, GDPR, managing conflict, dementia training, suicide awareness, manual handling and health and safety.

Volunteer Events:

We held another fabulous thank you and awards ceremony for the volunteers this year, recognising their contributions and achievements and the impact and difference they have made. This, along with the Christmas social event, was a great way to get staff and volunteers together from projects across the Dusty Forge, the CAER heritage centre and Diana Gardens to celebrate.

Our current Lead volunteers are:

----- Start of picture text -----
Frankie Curtis : Penny Smith : Diane Katy : Steve Lyons:
CAER Gardening Repair Café Retreat Diana Gardens
----- End of picture text -----

THANK YOU to all our volunteers for another year of incredible commitment, compassion and selfless hard work.

ACE also achieved the ‘Investing in Volunteers’ award status this year - see page 8 to find out more!

If you are interested in joining as a volunteer, please see our current volunteer opportunities: https://www.aceplace.org/ volunteer-opportunities/

Kathy Wolfe: Walking Group

ACE is eager to share resources where possible, to support local initiatives and build community. ACE offers small pots of funding via the ACE Volunteer Fund to local community projects run by volunteers. In the last year funding was awarded to:

See what groups have spent their funds on.

22

Vibrant

----- Start of picture text -----
11.
Arts and Heritage
‘I have a very big imagination and that’s what I
realise when I look at what I’ve made!’
(‘Young Arts for Change’ participant)
----- End of picture text -----

ACE Arts story - Looking forward to Mondays

I was volunteering here with a project and then it stopped, so I thought, what do I do? And my relative said ‘come to art’ and I said ‘but I can’t draw’, she said ‘it’s not even about the drawing, we do different things, we try different techniques’. I thought I’d give it a try, and then I came and I haven’t stopped coming! I’m quite new, I’ve only been coming about two months, I’m still learning how to draw and how to trace things, doing the printing. I look forward to it now on the Mondays, I’ve got the long weekend home with the kids and then I’m like ‘Ah, Monday’s art’.

I used to hate Mondays. I got to the point where I didn’t leave the house for 4 years, so coming back again was a struggle. Once I’m home, I don’t want to go back out,

so every Monday was a struggle to come in. But then I started looking forward to my Mondays, coming in for art, asking Nic what we’re doing. They’re really nice people, you know, you can just be yourself. From 8 weeks ago to now, there’s a massive change, I actually want to be here rather than just thinking I can’t be bothered, I won’t go in.

It’s given me motivation to get up. Because I’ve started my week off good, I’m like yeah ok, I’ve got this now! And then Wednesday I volunteer for the pantry project, so it’s just a good start to the week. Most people try to do it at the end of the week but we need it at the beginning of the week. I’d say that’s the most significant change for me, looking forward to Mondays, and that’s only because of art,

otherwise I wouldn’t have had that.

The sessions are run awesome, I can’t praise them enough. Relaxed, comfortable, you’re not pressured, if you don’t understand something they’ve got all the time in the world to explain it to you and show you. They’re amazing. Really good. They’ve asked us what we want to display at the exhibition, quite a lot of asking what we want. I didn’t go to Porth but I went to the Millennium Centre and we made some of the flowers for the display. There’s quite a few places they will be showing the art. It was a nice day, because we got to help, some people painted the gorilla and I sat down and made the flowers, which was quite relaxing. It was good.

24

ACE Arts

ACE Arts continues to thrive! Our ‘Explore Collective’ project is funded by Arts Council Wales ‘Connect & Flourish’ fund. It’s a partnership between ACE, Valley’s Kids Porth, Wales Millennium Centre, Straeon Research and Disability Arts Cymru, working with artists Nic Parsons, Becci Booker, a photographer Suzie Larke, and a poet Rachel Carney. This year we

have engaged with over 40 regular participants across both sites and offered art activities to hundreds of community members at events.

We also received funding from Arts Council Wales to offer a program of ‘Young Arts for Change’ workshops at Fitzalan High School and the Dusty Forge.

‘It’s just like a friendly family to me I was never given the chance and I never had people around me who wanted to show me, now I’ve got people who take the time to show me and teach me Nobody ever took the time to work with me or do anything with me. Now I’m learning things which is making me feel better.’

ACE Consult

ACE is providing support to the ‘Together for Trowbridge and St. Mellons’ project through hosting employment of staff, mentoring and advice.

Together for Trowbridge and St. Mellons (T4TSM)

Together for Trowbridge and St. Mellons (T4TSM) is one of 13 Invest Local Programmes in Wales funded by the National Lottery Community Fund. This year we have supported the formation of a new charity known locally as Hope St Mellons and provided core funding allowing them to increase their staff team, take on the management of The Beacon Centre and develop their projects. We have worked with East Cardiff School of Performing Arts to provide accessible, affordable and high quality performance training for children, youth and young adults. We are supporting Trowbridge Pantry to develop their governance and sustainability.

25

----- Start of picture text -----
12.
----- End of picture text -----

Children, Young People and Families

ACE Youth

ACE Youth provided 521 young people with a safe space to feel supported, have their voices heard and gain new experiences and opportunities. The youth club was held at Caer Heritage Centre three evenings a week in partnership with Curiosity Club, with over 60 young people attending each evening. Ace Youth Council make all the decisions for the youth club.

Exciting trips included Drayton Manor (40), ice skating (60), and workshops with Techniquest (50). Young people also engaged in community events such as Youth Funday, Dusty Christmas Fayre, North Ely Christmas Dinner event and fayre, and Cardiff Youth Council. Cardiff Youth Service funded ACE Youth from April 2022 - March 2023.

“I enjoyed applying for funding It was so rewarding, although the workshops were hard work I can’t wait to volunteer with ACE when I am sixteen.”

Curiosity

Curiosity was a youth-led project, funded by Children in Need, that explored local history and heritage while building skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). In its third year, 146 young people engaged in after school sessions in primary schools and youth clubs. Interactive sessions and educational trips ranged from learning traditional weaving techniques to using archaeological isotopic evidence to understand past diets. Funding for Curiosity ended in May ‘23, but we will build on the partnerships and learning gained through this innovative project as we grow our programme of community learning at the CAER centre.

“I have noticed changes within the children - they are more engaged and are more confident to ask questions I think this is due to the university staff making the Curiosity Club so interesting Curiosity Club is an adventure into history and science!” - Mrs Rice, Windsor Clive Primary School

26

----- Start of picture text -----
13.
‘I love seeing
people progress’
- Charlene’s story
----- End of picture text -----

I had an established beauty business, The Beauty House. Nic had joined me as a business partner and slowly we were plodding along towards future targets we wanted to achieve. Getting there, but slowly.

I met Donna and heard how Shape your Future can help people progress in their careers. Since getting involved with Shape your Future, the massive change has been the training opportunities. I’d started the training academy and I knew it would be slow to take off, because it does cost a lot of money for people to access, and with the area we are in as well, but it was something that I wanted to do. With Donna’s help, the training side of the business has been able to take off a lot faster than I expected as well as offering opportunities to people in the community. So that is the biggest change, is the funding for people to access the training.

Shape your Future funds the rooms that we use for training,

often at the Hub. All of the trainees get the kit, resources and training fully funded, so straight away when they leave the course they are able to start making money. There’s no obstacles in their way because they’ve got their qualifications already, they’ve got all the resources they need to go out and start working straight away. Personally, there have been a lot of courses in the past that I’ve not been able to do because it’s a worry to think how much have you got to make back to cover the cost of what you’ve spent on the kit. But these trainees are able to make a profit straight away and then replenish and carry on, or even reinvest in more courses and gradually build up their portfolio of the services they are able to offer their clients.

It was definitely a dream of mine to be able to teach. I’ve done beauty for so long and I do enjoy it, I love every second, but I do get so much reward from teaching it as well. It just

naturally comes, I think you don’t realise how much you know about a subject until you’re teaching it.

I love seeing people progress - I know a lot of other girls who are doing nails and want to do more. But the main goal for me now would be for Nic who’s working here with me to progress in the salon. I can train her to deliver more services so in turn she can take on more clients, and the more clients she takes on the more it frees me up to do teaching. So it is like a cycle, the more I can progress the more Nic can progress too, and move up as well.

Eventually the dream would be to teach full time, and Nic to run the beauty house full time and maybe even join me in teaching. And the students we are teaching might even be able to step up and offer more… so it’s a constant cycle of people being able to move up the ladder and progress further in their career.

Update Sept 2023: The Beauty House now has a designated training room every Monday and Tuesday at a separate location and Charlene is the local training provider for Cardiff Council. Some who have accessed free training through the scheme are now doing so well with their business they are able to pay privately for next level training. Nic now offers all the services at the salon and is preparing to train too.

27

14.

Training and Employment

ACE Training

“Amazing teacher, couldn’t fault her, fantastic job!”

ACE Training is our locally based training enterprise and CITB ITC (Internet Test Centre). We offer a variety of training packages for the Level 1 Health and Safety in a Construction Environment qualification along with the Health, Safety and Environment (HS&E) online test. This enables participants to gain a CSCS card therefore allowing them to work on construction sites across the UK.

Between April 2022 and March 2023 we delivered training to 209 learners, in partnership with 14 employment support organisations, 1 school, 9 businesses and 16 individuals. Our ITC had 288 online Health, Safety and Environment test bookings.

Shape Your Future

Shape your Future provides flexible 1:1 support and mentoring, offering employment advancement for people living in Ely and Caerau, making a key contribution to tackling in-work poverty. It offers bespoke training opportunities and financial support, enabling individuals to progress into better paid, more fulfilling employment.

Since April 2023, to date 58 individuals have been supported to explore their interests and identify and improve their skills. The diverse support includes: support with application process, CV’s, interview techniques, training (incl. CSCS), work clothing/uniform, equipment for bespoke training, and digital support. We have also developed and set up courses in response to need. Read Charlene’s Story on page 27!

“With Donna’s help, the training side of the business has been able to take off a lot faster than I expected as well as offering opportunities to people in the community.” - Charlene, The Beauty House

28

The ACE Way

community development training and mentoring

Building skills for community work

It’s a tough time to be working for change in communities, with the recent challenges of Covid and now the cost of living crisis, alongside increasing competition for funding and constant expectations that small charities and organisations will do more with less.

our community, building participation and promoting wellbeing. We know the theories, but we also understand the challenges of putting them into practice. We have experience in making it work!

Building on this expertise we are delighted to offer training and mentoring to organisations across Wales through our ‘ACE

At ACE we have over 12 years’ experience at the heart of

Way’ programme, helping them develop the skills and knowledge to sustain work in their own communities.

The ACE Way training

‘The ACE Way training has been an invaluable resource for our team The mini workshops were great at focusing our attention on how we might apply the learning to our own projects. It’s set us off on our own journey of community asset development!’ – Tina Taylor, Early Years Integration Team Coordinator, Carmarthenshire County Council

Using a mix of case studies and stories from our work, community development theory, and practical workshop activities, we help participants explore approaches and challenges together. See more on what the training covers on our website:

The ACE Way training is aimed at people who work in community organisations, local authorities, housing associations and other third and public sector organisations. We can adjust the content to fit specific circumstances and interests. Training can be delivered over one or two days, online or in person. Please contact us to discuss and to make a group booking.

The ACE Way Mentoring

We are also offering mentoring services to organisations in Wales, helping them make practical plans to move forward with their ambitions. See the ACE Way website for more information.

Anyone interested in exploring the ACE Way training and mentoring options, or in making a booking, can contact Dave Horton to discuss: Dave Horton, ACE Learning and Training Director Email: aceway@aceplace.org Phone: 029 20003132

29

Il li(2

16.

ACE Trustees

Marian Dixey (Chair) lives in Fairwater. She is an active volunteer. Dave King (Treasurer) is a qualified accountant and experienced treasurer, Mel Witherden is a retired third sector/charity consultant. Anne O’Regan lives in Caerau. She is an active local volunteer. Oonagh Scott grew up in Ely. She is a successful business woman. James Roach lives in Ely. He is an active volunteer and contributes finance skills. Chris Lannen is a qualified Financial Advisor.

Leyton Smith lives in Caerau. He is an active volunteer on ACE community health projects. Eva Elliot is an Honorary Research Fellow at Cardiff University School of Social Sciences. Janice Refalo lives in Caerau. She is an active local volunteer. Natasha Hayes lives in Caerau. She is an active volunteer.

We would like to thank Martin Hulland, Dr. Dave Wyatt and Penny Smith who stood down from the ACE board of trustees in the last year.

ACE Volunteers

Apr 2022 – Mar 2023

Afia Ali Alex Withey Alexis Gale Alice Clarke Amanda Ward Andrew William Way Anne O’Regan Arthur Brown Auriol Miller Ayodya Hallaluwa Arrachchige Carol Coyle Caroline Holroyd Catherine Naamani Chez Allen Chris Lannen Christina Dunn Clive Ward Crissie Mitchell

Dale Richards Dave King David J Delyth Hoyle Derek Cleaver Diane Katy Donna Harwood Doug Smith Doug Stowell Elaine Harris Esther (Lai Yee) Wong Eva Elliot Fay Bowring Frances McCarthy Frankie Curtis Gareth Brough Gareth Howells Gareth Rowe Gemma Carleton

Gillian Pugh Harry Llewellyn Hayley George Helen Hunt Helen McCarthy Hywel Squires Irene Jones Jacquie Young Jade Baurley James Roach Jamie Hayes Janice Refalo Jeff Clarke Johanne McGuigan John Roche Jolene Welch Julie Chancellor Kareem Othman Karl Hayes Kathryn Leighfield

Kathy Wolfe Kerry Pace Kyle Bebb Leyton Smith Marcia Richards Margaret Leighfield Mari Dunphy Marian Dixey Mary Cleaton Matthew Cunnah Mel Witherden Michael Hack Michaela Ward Mike Kelly Morgan Palmer Natasha Hayes Oonagh Scott Pat Stowell Patrick Barry Penny Smith

Philip (Kai Shing) Ling Rob Jones Rosie Cadwaladr Evans Saja Ahmed Sally Owens Sarah Lyons Sarah Whitfield Scott Bees Scott Morgan Sheree Richards Sian Davies Stella Andrews Stephen Lyons Suzanne Bowring Suzanne McEwan Tania Clarke Tracy Olsen Victoria Misell Wai Keung Tang

31

ACE Staff Apr 2022 – Mar 2023

Core

Michelle Powell ACE Director

Dave Horton ACE Learning and Training Director

Hazel Cryer Operational and Development Manager - Health Portfolio Sam Froud-Powell Operational and Development Manager - Community Support Portfolio

Julie Evans ACE Senior Administrator

Hasan Roap ACE Finance Officer Helen Bull Volunteer Development Officer Fiona McCormick Training Development Officer George Keane Communications and Web Content Officer / Dusty Shed Officer / ACE Cares Communication Officer Dale Ovenstone Estates Officer Sharon McGrath ACE Receptionist Maria Ross Assistant Administrator

Arts

Nicola Parsons Community Arts Coordinator Becci Booker Arts Development Officer

Health

Taela-Mae Davies

Yourspace Project Coordinator Janine Campbell Community Health Development Worker

Danielle Afferion Young People’s Wellbeing Connector / Wellbeing Connector Hannah Bees Young People’s Wellbeing Connector / Wellbeing Connector Lynette Hartman Wellbeing Connector Sabrina Driscoll Wellbeing Connector Sophia Farrugia Wellbeing Connector Rachel Hart ACE Cares Development Officer

Community Plan

Becky Matyus

Community Engagement Coordinator / Grand Avenues MSC Officer Catherine Boult Community Engagement Worker Hywel Squires Community Engagement Worker

Community Development Sarah Griffiths Together for Trowbridge and St Mellons Development Officer

Community Support

Mags Lyons Project Coordinator Nerys Sheehan Project Coordinator / Grand Avenues Coordinator Stacie Leek Community Support Officer Jamie Hallett

Community Support Assistant Sarah Whitfield Pantry Assistant Development Worker

Steve Lyons Diana Garden Development Worker

Vaida Barzdiate Diana Garden Development Worker Ruth Mumford Benthyg Development Officer

Thanks to the former ACE Staff who have moved on in the last year: Anna-Elyse Young Becki Miller Charlotte McCarthy Charlie Jones Donna Hurley Harriet Cleal James Thomas Jumah Mpakulah Rosie Freeman Samirah Phillips Scott Bees Sheila Littleboy

32

17.

Finance Report

Over our last 11 years of operation ACE has added over £11 million to the local economy across Cardiff West. From 2018 - 2023, income generated through direct ACE activities such as social enterprise, grant applications, contracts, fundraising, donations and legacies totals approximately £5.4 million.

ACE received a total income of £1,198,348 in the 2022-23 financial year. This is a decrease of £872,054 from the previous year, this is largely due to the Caer Hidden Hillfort Project income coming to an end. Of the total income for the year, ACE Spent £1,476,997, spend included restricted income that was carried forward from 2021-22.

Some of our biggest funders for the year were Cardiff and Vale University Health Board Community Development (YourSpace) project, £194,757, National Lottery Community Fund Working Families project £119,603 and National Lottery Heritage funded project £133,542.

The income received in 2022-23 was spread across 43 projects, which is greater than that of the previous year, despite our income in this year being significantly lower.

33

18. Our Funders and Partners

ACE Funders

ACE Partners

34

Action in Caerau and Ely

Our Place: Dusty Forge 460 Cowbridge Rd West, Ely Cardiff CF5 5BZ Tel: 029 2000 3132

info@aceplace.org www.aceplace.org ACE - Action in Caerau and Ely @elycaerau_ACE

35

jlli:,

Charity registration number 1150422

Company registration number 07623914 (England and Wales)

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

CONTENTS

Page
Chair's statement 1
Trustees report 2 - 11
Statement of trustees responsibilities 12
Independent auditor's report 13 - 15
Statement of financial activities 16
Balance sheet 17
Statement of cash flows 18
Notes to the financial statements 19 - 40

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

CHAIR'S STATEMENT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Chair’s Report

Once again, ACE has managed to achieve another successful year.

As the world started to recover from the chaos of the Covid pandemic, the continuing war in Ukraine and international sanctions on Russia caused a global rise in fuel and food prices. The demand for the help that ACE could provide has increased dramatically, while our own running costs have spiralled. It has become much harder to cover these costs as some funders are reluctant to adequately factor this in.

With this in mind, two part time development managers, Hazel Cryer and Sam Froud-Powell were appointed to oversee funding bids and secure core costs. This has allowed ACE to focus more on existing projects.

Two large funds, Working Well community fund and Heritage Lottery, ended in March 2023, along with the health contract which is out for tender. The focus has switched to consolidating the existing projects to support the community. ACE issued over 2,700 fuel vouchers in 2022-23, thanks to funding from Welsh Government, Cardiff Council, a private donor, and Redress, totalling almost £140,000. The demand for Your Local Pantry has soared, along with borrowing requests for items available from Benthyg Library of Things. New Community lottery funding has supported this.

Staff are still transitioning back to the office, having spent the pandemic coping with the pressure of working from home as well as home schooling.

At the beginning of 2023, Dave Horton gave notice that he was standing down as co-Director to pursue the development of ACE training. Michelle took over as Director in April, supported by 2 full-time operational development managers in Hazel and Sam.

Funding is getting harder to find, though our good reputation and track record has opened doors to apply for project money. The future could become even more challenging, but ACE staff have the determination to continue to help the community.

.............................. Marian Dixey Chair Dated: .........................

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

TRUSTEES REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

The trustees present their report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2023.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006 and "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 (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)".

Objectives and activities

ACE–Action in Caerau and Ely is a community organisation located in West Cardiff. We had up to 40 staff over the period of 2022-23, 88 volunteers and several thousand participants and beneficiaries, many of whom are active contributors to local community development and regeneration efforts. We are very proud that many of our staff team live in Ely and Caerau and many projects and activities are run with or by our volunteers. We manage two community buildings and a community garden and deliver a range of community-based activities that help people, many of which you will read about in this annual report.

Our vision is to create vibrant, equal and resilient communities for all, where people find fulfilment in themselves, each other, and the place where they live. We do this by all or any of the following means (these are our charitable objectives):

  1. the relief of poverty in such ways as may be thought fit;

  2. the relief of unemployment in such ways as may be thought fit, including assistance to find employment;

  3. the advancement of education, training or retraining, particularly among unemployed people, and providing unemployed people with work experience;

  4. the provision of financial assistance, technical assistance, or business advice or consultancy in order to provide training and employment opportunities for unemployed people in cases of financial or other charitable need through help:

  5. in setting up their own business,

  6. the creation of training and employment opportunities by the provision of workspace, buildings and/or land for use on favourable terms;

  7. the maintenance, improvement or provision of public amenities;

  8. the provision or assistance in the provision of recreational facilities for the public at large and/ or those who, by reasons of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, poverty or social and economic circumstances, have need of such facilities;

  9. the provision of public health facilities and childcare;

  10. such other means may from time to time be determined subject to the prior consent of the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales.

ACE will work with communities to achieve lasting positive change for an equal and just Cardiff by:

ACE will nurture and develop local assets and opportunities to meet needs through the following types of projects, activities and services:

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

TRUSTEES REPORT (CONTINUED)(INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

During 2022-23 we have developed a number of new projects to respond to community need. These include:

The strategies employed for continuity are:

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

TRUSTEES REPORT (CONTINUED)(INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

The strategies employed for growth:

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

TRUSTEES REPORT (CONTINUED)(INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Criteria to measure success:

It is crucial that we gather information that tells us whether or not our Theory of Change, Strategic Plan and dayto-day activities are effective in meeting our aims and objectives and fulfilling our vision. In 2022-23 we were fully out of the Covid pandemic in terms of the delivery of activities and services. ACE continued to deliver our core work building on it across the course of the year. This growth can be seen in the number of people engaged with over the year, significantly increasing in comparison to 2021-22.

Our Strategic and Operational Plan lay out a range of specific criteria to measures success. ACE uses a number of approaches to provide evidence against these criteria, including surveys, focus groups, 1-2-1 conversations, video interviews, etc. One of the most powerful tools we use is the Most Significant Change approach which uses personal stories of change to create learning conversations through panels of participants and staff. You will see a number of examples of these in the Annual Report attached.

The collaborative learning from these approaches will be used to review and update the core work of ACE as outlined in the 7 Objectives within our Strategic Plan. In 2023-24 we will carry out an in-depth review of our Operational Plan and will make changes to our practice where necessary and will inform the new Strategic Plan for 2023-2026.

The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

TRUSTEES REPORT (CONTINUED)(INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Achievements and performance

2022-23 has been a busy year for ACE with all services delivering at full capacity. With the pandemic behind us our communities were hit with the cost-of-living crisis, which saw ACE diversifying activity and introducing new services such as the Fuel Voucher Scheme to try to alleviate some of the difficulties many of our community members were facing. Some of what was achieved is outlined below:

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

TRUSTEES REPORT (CONTINUED)(INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Financial review

ACE’s future continues to be incredibly exciting; we are a community led charity which has a plan, purpose, and a fantastic group of volunteers, trustees and staff. Over our last 11 years of operation ACE has added over £11 million to the local economy across Cardiff West. From 2018-23 income generated through direct ACE activities such as social enterprise activities, grant applications, contracts, fundraising and donations and legacies totals approximately £6.6 million.

ACE is a charity standing in its own right, working with residents to see meaningful change across communities – this is a huge achievement which continues to address an unfair ‘stigma’ attached to Ely and Caerau, something residents of Ely and Caerau can be really proud of.

We have continued to build on a firm foundation of strong financial policy and effective financial management through 2022-23. Income in 2022-23 was spread across 43 projects which is greater than that of the previous year, despite our income in this year being significantly lower than the year before due to the Caer Heritage Project having been completed. ACE has been successful in following its strategic plan objective to diversify income streams. During 2022-23 ACE received £1,198,348 income from numerous funders, contracts and donations. This year saw our first significant private donation that supported ACE’s core costs and not project delivery, this is something that we have not generated to such a degree previously. ACE also self-generated £93,069 via social enterprise such as rental, consultancy work and training.

ACE’s financial performance and position going forward continues to be very healthy, with 2023-23 forecast to show a surplus. As with this year, future years are still going to be more challenging hence why it is so essential that ACE build sufficient reserves to be able meet any future liabilities. We will continue to regularly review the level of reserves and adjust accordingly. Interest rates have been close to zero throughout 2022-23 and thus we have generated very little income from our bank balances. However, with interest rates on the rise we will actively manage our cash balances, including the reserves, to take advantage of the increase while ensuring our funds are not put at risk. In terms of expenditure, we along with everyone else, have seen our costs increase due to inflation.

Transactions and Financial Position

The Statement of Financial Activities shows a net unrestricted surplus for the year of £113,611 and our unrestricted reserves stand at £527,269.

Tangible Fixed Assets for use by the charity

Details of movements in fixed assets are set out in note 14 to the financial statements.

Investment Policy and Returns

The trustees have considered the most appropriate policy for investing funds and have found that placing monies on deposit with the Co-operative Bank is the most appropriate course of action to allow the necessary degree and flexibility.

Reserves policy and going concern

We are continuing with the policy set in 2021 of setting aside a minimum of 18 months running costs of the organisation within our reserves. This has been achieved through the investment property and the building of cash reserves, which now stand at an overall total of £527,269. During 2023-24 this policy and the figure required will be further reviewed.

Plans for the future

Looking forward, through careful planning, creative thinking and community-based delivery we will build on this success. ACE will enable community action through the direct provision of services, the development of community assets and social enterprise. We will access funding to support our work, and will work with people, community groups, organisations and businesses, directing our resources in a sustainable and effective manner.

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

TRUSTEES REPORT (CONTINUED)(INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Structure, governance and management

Governing Document

ACE-Action in Caerau and Ely is a company limited by guarantee governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 8 April 2011. It is registered as a charity with the Charity Commission. Anyone over the age of 18 can become a member of the Company.

Appointment of trustees

All directors of the company are also trustees of the charity and there are no other trustees. The Trustees have the power to appoint additional trustees, as it considers fit to do so.

Directors/trustees are elected from the membership at an annual general meeting. Each year one third of the board of directors (those being the longest in office since their last election) stand down but are eligible for reelection without further nomination. The Memorandum and Articles of Association make allowances for an elected staff representative to sit as a full member of the board. Election takes place during the month following the AGM.

Trustee induction and training

All new directors/trustees receive a comprehensive induction session and an induction pack with essential information.

Organisation

The board of trustees, which can have up to 12 members, administers the charity. The board normally meets monthly and there are committees covering development and funding, HR, finance and audit, which normally meet monthly. The ACE Director is appointed by the trustees to manage the day-to-day operations of the charity. To facilitate effective operations, the Director has delegated authority, within terms of delegation approved by the trustees, for operational matters including finance, employment and community related activity.

Related parties and co-operation with other organisations

None of our trustees receive remuneration or other benefit from their work with the charity. Any connection between a trustee or senior manager of the charity, contractor, must be disclosed to the full board of trustees in the same way as any other contractual relationship with a related party. In the current year no such related party transactions were reported.

Pay policy for staff

The directors consider the board of directors, who are the Trust’s trustees, and the senior management team comprise the key management personnel of the charity in charge of directing and controlling, running and operating the charity on a day-to-day basis. All directors give of their time freely and no director received remuneration in the year. Details of directors’ expenses and related party transactions are disclosed in note 10 and 24 to the accounts.

The pay of the staff is appraised annually and normally increased in accordance with average earnings. In view of the nature of the charity, the directors benchmark against pay levels in other third sector organisations of a similar size run on a voluntary basis. The remuneration benchmark is the mid-point of the range paid for similar roles adjusted for a weighting of up to 30% for any additional responsibilities. If recruitment has proven difficult in the recent past a market addition is also paid with the pay maximum no greater than the highest benchmarked salary for a comparable role.

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

TRUSTEES REPORT (CONTINUED)(INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Risk management

The trustees have a risk management strategy which comprises:

This work has identified that financial sustainability is the major financial risk for the charity. A key element in the management of financial risk is a regular review of available liquid funds to settle debts as they fall due, regular liaison with the bank, and active management of trade debtors and creditors balances to ensure sufficient working capital by the charity.

Attention has also been focused on non-financial risks arising from fire, IT security, market volatility, health and safety of staff and volunteers, food hygiene. These risks are managed by ensuring accreditation is up to date, having robust policies and procedures in place, and regular awareness training for staff working in these operational areas.

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

TRUSTEES REPORT (CONTINUED)(INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Reference and administrative details

Company number: 07623914

Charity number: 1150422

Registered office:

Our Place: Dusty Forge 460 Cowbridge Road West Cardiff CF5 5BZ

Trustees:

M Dixey (Chair from 1/4/23) E Elliot - appointed 1/3/23 N Hayes - appointed 1/3/23 C Lannen A O'Regan J Refalo - appointed 1/3/23 J Roach O Scott L Smith M Witherden (Chair to 1/4/23) M Hulland - resigned 1/8/23 D King - resigned 15/10/23 H McCarthy - resigned 31/8/22 P Smith - appointed 1/3/23 / resigned 1/8/23 D Wyatt - resigned 1/8/23

Secretary:

S Froud - appointed 1/10/23 D Horton - resigned 5/10/23

Key management personnel:

D Horton - CEO M Powell - CEO

Auditor:

Azets Audit Services Ty Derw Lime Tree Court Cardiff Gate Business Park Cardiff CF23 8AB

Bankers:

The Co-operative Bank Cardiff 16-17 High St Cardiff CF10 1AX

Solicitors:

JMD Law Limited 26-28 James Street Cardiff Bay Cardiff CF10 5EX

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

TRUSTEES REPORT (CONTINUED)(INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Auditor

In accordance with the company's articles, a resolution proposing that Azets Audit Services be reappointed as auditor of the company will be put at a General Meeting.

..............................

M Dixey - Trustee Dated: .........................

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES RESPONSIBILITIES

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

The trustees, who are also the directors of ACE-Action in Caerau and Ely for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company Law 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, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.

In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding 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.

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of ACE-Action in Caerau and Ely (the ‘charity’) for the year ended 31 March 2023 which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet, the statement of cash flows and the notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion, the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 require us to report to you if, in our opinion:

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT (CONTINUED) TO THE TRUSTEES OF ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the statement of trustees responsibilities, the trustees, who are also the directors of the charity for the purpose of company law, are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

We have been appointed as auditor under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and report in accordance with the Act and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https:// www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.

Extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above and on the Financial Reporting Council’s website, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud.

We obtain and update our understanding of the entity, its activities, its control environment, and likely future developments, including in relation to the legal and regulatory framework applicable and how the entity is complying with that framework. Based on this understanding, we identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. This includes consideration of the risk of acts by the entity that were contrary to applicable laws and regulations, including fraud.

In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, including fraud, we designed procedures which included:

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT (CONTINUED) TO THE TRUSTEES OF ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charity’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with part 4 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity's trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity’s trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Azets Audit Services

.........................

Chartered Accountants Statutory Auditor

Ty Derw, Lime Tree Court Cardiff Gate Business Park Cardiff United Kingdom CF23 8AB

Azets Audit Services is eligible for appointment as auditor of the charity by virtue of its eligibility for appointment as auditor of a company under section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Unrestricted
Restricted
funds
funds
2023
2023
Notes
£
£
Income from:
Donations and
legacies
3
1,938
13,544
Charitable activities
4
13,740
1,074,029
Other trading
activities
5
86,638
7,118
Investments
6
1,341
-
Total income
103,657
1,094,691
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
7
238,926
1,238,070
Other
12
-
72,548
Total expenditure
238,926
1,310,618
Net gains/(losses) on
investments
13
75,559
-
Net (outgoing)/incoming
resources before
transfers
(59,710)
(215,927)
Gross transfers
between funds
173,321
(173,321)
Net income/(expenditure)
for the year/
Net movement in funds
113,611
(389,248)
Fund balances at 1 April
2022
413,658
1,650,768
Fund balances at 31
March 2023
527,269
1,261,520		 Total
Unrestricted
Restricted
funds
funds
2023
2022
2022
£
£
£
15,482
52,225
29,505
1,087,769
1,000
1,913,141
93,756
49,486
24,737
1,341
308
-
1,198,348
103,019
1,967,383
1,476,996
149,781
1,059,111
72,548
-
-
1,549,544
149,781
1,059,111
75,559
-
-
(275,637)
(46,762)
908,272
-
116,387
(116,387)
(275,637)
69,625
791,885
2,064,426
344,033
858,883
1,788,789
413,658
1,650,768		 Total
2022
£
81,730
1,914,141
74,223
308
2,070,402
1,208,892
-
1,208,892
-
861,510
-
861,510
1,202,916
2,064,426

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.

All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

The statement of financial activities also complies with the requirements for an income and expenditure account under the Companies Act 2006.

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

BALANCE SHEET

AS AT 31 MARCH 2023

Notes
Fixed assets
Tangible assets
14
Investment properties
15
Investments
16
Current assets
Debtors
17
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors: amounts falling due within
one year
18
Net current assets
Total assets less current liabilities
Income funds
Restricted funds
20
Unrestricted funds
Designated funds
21
General unrestricted funds		 2023
£
£
1,030,541
220,000
10
1,250,551
175,368
411,667
587,035
(48,797)
538,238
1,788,789
1,261,520
409,386
117,883
527,269
1,788,789		 2022
£
£
1,135,867
144,441
10
1,280,318
129,814
672,479
802,293
(18,185)
784,108
2,064,426
1,650,768
256,681
156,977
413,658
2,064,426		 2022
£
£
1,135,867
144,441
10
1,280,318
129,814
672,479
802,293
(18,185)
784,108
2,064,426
1,650,768
256,681
156,977
413,658
2,064,426
1,280,318
784,108
2,064,426
1,650,768
413,658
2,064,426

The company is entitled to the exemption from the audit requirement contained in section 477 of the Companies Act 2006, for the year ended 31 March 2023, although an audit has been carried out under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011.

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

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements under the requirements of the Companies Act 2006, for the year in question in accordance with section 476.

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 Trustees on .........................

..............................

M Dixey - Trustee

Company Registration No. 07623914

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Notes
Cash flows from operating activities
Cash (absorbed by)/generated from
operations
26
Investing activities
Purchase of tangible fixed assets
Investment income received
Net cash used in investing activities
Net cash used in financing activities
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash
equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year		 2023
2022
£
£
£
£
(230,026)
830,635
(32,127)
(696,949)
1,341
308
(30,786)
(696,641)
-
-
(260,812)
133,994
672,479
538,485
411,667
672,479

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

1 Accounting policies

Charity information

ACE-Action in Caerau and Ely is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Our Place: Dusty Forge, 460 Cowbridge Road West, Cardiff, CF5 5BZ, United Kingdom.

1.1 Accounting convention

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006 and "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 (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)". The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, modified to include investment properties at fair value. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

1.2 Going concern

At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

1.3 Charitable funds

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.

Designated funds comprise funds which have been set aside at the discretion of the trustees for specific purposes. The purposes and uses of the designated funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.

Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.

1.4 Incoming resources

Income is recognised when the charity is legally entitled to it after any performance conditions have been met, the amounts can be measured reliably, and it is probable that income will be received.

Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.

Income from grants, whether capital grants or revenue grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred. Capital grants are released to the SOFA in the year of receipt. Fixed assets relating to capital grants are capitalised, and depreciation charged is offset against the grant income, in a restricted fund.

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

1 Accounting policies

(Continued)

Rental and training income is invoiced and is recognised in the period to which the service was provided.

The value of any voluntary help received is not included in the accounts but is described in the trustees’ annual report.

Income earned from interest is included in the accounts when receipt is probable and the amount receivable can be measured reliably.

1.5 Resources expended

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 on charitable activities includes all costs relating to the furtherance of the charity’s objectives as stated in the trustees report and their associated support costs.

Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.

Support costs have been allocated between governance costs and other support. Governance costs comprise all costs involving public accountability of the charity and its compliance with regulation and good practice.

Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

1.6 Tangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.

Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:

Property improvements 5% per annum on cost IT equipment 10% per annum on cost Motor vehicles 20% per annum on cost

The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities.

1.7 Investment properties

Investment property, which is property held to earn rentals and/or for capital appreciation, is initially recognised at cost, which includes the purchase cost and any directly attributable expenditure. Subsequently it is measured at fair value at the reporting end date. The surplus or deficit on revaluation is recognised in profit or loss.

1.8 Fixed asset investments

Fixed asset investments are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost less any accumulated impairment losses. The investments are assessed for impairment at each reporting date and any impairment losses or reversals of impairment losses are recognised immediately in net income/ (expenditure) for the year.

A subsidiary is an entity controlled by the charity. Control is the power to govern the financial and operating policies of the entity so as to obtain benefits from its activities.

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

1 Accounting policies

(Continued)

1.9 Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.

1.10 Financial instruments

The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.

Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

Basic financial assets

Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.

Derecognition of financial assets

Financial assets are derecognised only when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the asset expire or are settled, or when the charity transfers the financial asset and substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to another entity, or if some significant risks and rewards of ownership are retained but control of the asset has transferred to another party that is able to sell the asset in its entirety to an unrelated third party.

Basic financial liabilities

Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.

Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Derecognition of financial liabilities

Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.

1.11 Taxation

As a registered charity, Ace-Action in Caerau and Ely is entitled to the exemption from taxation in respect of income and capital gains received with sections 478-489 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 and section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects purposes only.

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

1 Accounting policies

(Continued)

1.12 Employee benefits

The costs of short-term employee benefits are recognised as a liability and an expense, unless those costs are required to be recognised as part of the cost of stock or fixed assets.

The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.

Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.

1.13 Retirement benefits

Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.

1.14 Leases

Rental charges are charged on a straight line basis over the term of the lease.

2 Critical accounting estimates and judgements

In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

3 Donations and legacies

Unrestricted Restricted Total Unrestricted Restricted Total
funds funds funds funds
2023 2023 2023 2022 2022 2022
£ £ £ £ £ £
Donations and gifts 1,938 13,544 15,482 52,225 29,505 81,730

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

4 Charitable activities

Grants
Sundry income
Analysis by fund
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds		 2023
£
1,087,148
621
1,087,769
13,740
1,074,029
1,087,769		 2022
£
1,914,141
-
1,914,141
1,000
1,913,141
1,914,141

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

4
Charitable activities
Arts Council of Wales
Arnold Clark
Asda
Bevan Foundation
C3SC
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Cardiff Council
Cardiff People First
Cardiff University
Care & Repair
Charities Aid Foundation
Charities Trust
Child Friendly Cardiff
Children in Need
Church Action Poverty
Citizens Advice
Community Foundation Wales
Co-Op
Cwmpas
Dusty Shed
DWP
Ely and Caerau Children's Centre
Energy Saving Trust
Food Sense Wales
Glamorgan Voluntary Services
Groundwork UK
Grow Cardiff
Heritage Lottery Fund
HMRC Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
Hubbub
Independent Age
Invest Local Trust*
Macmillan
Making a Difference Locally
Moondance Foundation
ProMo-Cymru
Public Health Wales
National Lottery Community Fund
Save the Children
School of History
The D'oyly Carte Charitable Trust
University of South Wales
Wales and West Housing
Wales Centre for Public Policy
Wales Restorative Approaches Partnership
WCVA
Welsh Government
Whitfield Pantry		 (Continued)
-
4,500
-
2,500
200
-
23,964
-
12,951
101,515
269,092
355,103
154,500
112,349
750
-
28,993
2,500
9,000
9,000
62,221
35,443
-
2,000
-
9,075
40,987
39,871
168
-
7,250
8,000
-
1,000
-
2,260
27,655
-
8,148
6,777
4,286
-
200
-
1,286
72,496
10,844
6,000
4,890
3,703
500
1,000
5,900
-
113,031
752,256
-
7,503
-
3,000
20,000
-
(25,139)
49,245
26,142
36,875
1,000
-
-
19,255
625
-
-
5,000
201,174
101,515
2,400
-
2,500
-
3,000
-
2,000
3,651
-
70,000
-
450
31,015
14,848
-
93,408
35,515
11,705
100
11,705
1,087,148
1,914,141		 (Continued)
-
4,500
-
2,500
200
-
23,964
-
12,951
101,515
269,092
355,103
154,500
112,349
750
-
28,993
2,500
9,000
9,000
62,221
35,443
-
2,000
-
9,075
40,987
39,871
168
-
7,250
8,000
-
1,000
-
2,260
27,655
-
8,148
6,777
4,286
-
200
-
1,286
72,496
10,844
6,000
4,890
3,703
500
1,000
5,900
-
113,031
752,256
-
7,503
-
3,000
20,000
-
(25,139)
49,245
26,142
36,875
1,000
-
-
19,255
625
-
-
5,000
201,174
101,515
2,400
-
2,500
-
3,000
-
2,000
3,651
-
70,000
-
450
31,015
14,848
-
93,408
35,515
11,705
100
11,705
1,087,148
1,914,141
1,914,141

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

4 Charitable activities

(Continued)

*Relates to income received during the year totalling £15,750 and grant repayments due to project underspends of £40,889.

5 Other trading activities

Unrestricted
Restricted
funds
funds
2023
2023
£
£
Rental income
14,615
5,753
Generated income
72,023
1,365
Other trading activities
86,638
7,118		 Total Unrestricted
Restricted
funds
funds
2023
2022
2022
£
£
£
20,368
2,436
10,120
73,388
47,050
14,617
93,756
49,486
24,737		 Total
2022
£
12,556
61,667
74,223

6 Investments

**Unrestricted ** Unrestricted
funds funds
2023 2022
£ £
Interest receivable 1,341 308

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

7 Charitable activities

Staff costs
Depreciation and impairment
Bad debt
Heat, light & insurance
IT costs & telephone
Marketing, sundry & training
Printing, postage & stationery
Project costs
Rent, rates & relocation costs
Repairs & renewals
Equipment hire & room hire
Travel & subsistence
Grant funding of activities (see note 8)
Share of support costs (see note 9)
Share of governance costs (see note 9)
Analysis by fund
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds		 2023
£
690,567
51,924
-
21,531
8,477
1,477
3,178
279,459
2,201
25,132
5,514
1,453
1,090,913
199,491
180,652
5,940
1,476,996
238,926
1,238,070
1,476,996		 2022
£
740,368
-
335
12,092
8,489
1,386
-
256,423
2,378
23,862
139
11,676
1,057,148
26,907
119,776
5,061
1,208,892
149,781
1,059,111
1,208,892

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

8 Grants payable

Grants to institutions:
10th Ely Rainbows
Cardiff Imperial
Ecsopa
Hope Trust
Ely and Caerau Litter Pickers
Caerau and Ely Mini and Juniors Rugby Club
Commonwealth Theatre
Family Fund Business Services
The Healthy Horse Project Pony Club
Reflect Community Church and Centre
St Mellons Clean Up Group
Tempo Time Credits
Amy Evans
Bethania Church
Cotr Garden Group
Caer Scholarship
Hafod Housing
Katie Browne
Scott Bees
St Mellons Gymnastics
Trelai Primary School		 2023
£
250
250
20,672
25,015
76
500
1,000
130,000
2,500
450
650
18,128
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
199,491		 2022
£
250
-
500
22,317
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
175
500
500
470
430
165
350
1,000
250
26,907

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

9 Support costs


Staff costs
Depreciation
Cleaning
Heat, light and insurance
Bank charges and bad
debts
IT costs and telephone
Professional fees
Printing, postage and
stationery
Rent, rates, repairs and
renewals
Motor costs
Travel and subsistence
Audit fees
Accountancy
Analysed between
Charitable activities		 Support
costs
Governance
costs
£
£
121,865
-
12,981
-
14,373
-
5,383
-
183
-
10,389
-
5,486
-
5,153
-
3,255
-
873
-
711
-
-
5,290
-
650
180,652
5,940
180,652
5,940		 2023

£
121,865
12,981
14,373
5,383
183
10,389
5,486
5,153
3,255
873
711
5,290
650
186,592
186,592		 Support
costs
Governance
costs
£
£
48,344
-
51,922
-
10,328
-
-
-
125
-
-
-
5,450
-
2,806
-
-
-
801
-
-
-
-
4,461
-
600
119,776
5,061
119,776
5,061		 2022
£
48,344
51,922
10,328
-
125
-
5,450
2,806
-
801
-
4,461
600
124,837
124,837

10 Trustees

No trustees received remuneration or received any other benefits from an employment with the charity during the current or prior year.

No trustees were reimbursed for expenses during the current or prior year.

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

11 Employees

The average monthly number of employees during the year was:

Employment costs
Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Other pension costs		 2023
Number
39
2023
£
738,560
51,726
22,146
812,432		 2022
Number
39
2022
£
714,349
50,252
24,111
788,712

Key management personnel

The key management personnel of the charity are as detailed in the trustees report. The total employee benefits (including gross salary, employer's national insurance, employers pension contributions and benefits in kind) of the key management personnel of the charity were £97,766 (2022: £101,230).

There were no employees whose annual remuneration was £60,000 or more.

12 Other

Restricted
funds
2023
£
Net loss on disposal of tangible fixed assets
72,548
72,548		 Total
2022
£
-
-

The above relates to the transfer of the playground equipment to the Cardiff Council on 31st March 2023.

13 Net gains/(losses) on investments

Unrestricted Total
funds
2023 2022
£ £
Revaluation of investment properties 75,559 -

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

14
Tangible fixed assets
Property
improvements
IT equipment Motor vehicles
£
£
£
Cost
At 1 April 2022
1,180,147
3,630
33,094
Additions
32,127
-
-
Disposals
(79,931)
-
-
At 31 March 2023
1,132,343
3,630
33,094
Depreciation and impairment
At 1 April 2022
61,513
3,630
15,861
Depreciation charged in the year
60,205
-
4,700
Eliminated in respect of disposals
(7,383)
-
-
At 31 March 2023
114,335
3,630
20,561
Carrying amount
At 31 March 2023
1,018,008
-
12,533
At 31 March 2022
1,118,634
-
17,233
15
Investment property
Fair value
At 1 April 2022
Net gains or losses through fair value adjustments
At 31 March 2023		 Total
£
1,216,871
32,127
(79,931)
1,169,067
81,004
64,905
(7,383)
138,526
1,030,541
1,135,867
2023
£
144,441
75,559
220,000

Investment property comprises a residential property purchased in October 2020 by the charity for rental appreciation. The fair value of the investment property has been arrived based on the valuation of a local estate agent in March 2023.

Contained in the above are amounts totalling £nil (2022: £nil) in relation to land.

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

16 Fixed asset investments

Cost or valuation
At 1 April 2022 & 31 March 2023
Carrying amount
At 31 March 2023
At 31 March 2022
Other investments comprise:
Notes
Investments in subsidiaries
24
17
Debtors
Amounts falling due within one year:
Trade debtors
Prepayments and accrued income
18
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Other taxation and social security
Amounts owed to subsidiary undertakings
Accruals and deferred income		 Other
investments
10
10
10
2023
2022
£
£
10
10
2023
2022
£
£
85,433
112,138
89,935
17,676
175,368
129,814
2023
2022
£
£
-
12,514
10
10
48,787
5,661
48,797
18,185

19 Retirement benefit schemes

Defined contribution schemes

The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund.

The charge to profit or loss in respect of defined contribution schemes was £22,146 (2022: £24,111). There were no amounts outstanding during the current or prior year.

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

20 Restricted funds

The income funds of the charity include restricted funds comprising the following unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust for specific purposes:

Balance at
1 April 2021
£
Arts Council of Wales
10,521
ACE Cares
-
ACE Community Support
40,096
ACE Food
29,357
ACE Giving
10,083
ACE Health
28,589
ACE Housing
-
Benthyg
-
Bereavement support
-
Bevan Foundation
-
Caer Enterprises
24
Children In Need
4,747
COVID Support
21,935
Creative Grow
-
Diana Gardens/Grapevine
-
Dusty Shed
1,986
Grace Project
-
Heritage Lotttery Fund
81,737
HMRC Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
-
Independent Age
-
229,075		 Movement in funds
Incoming
resources
Resources
expended
Transfers
Balance at
1 April 2022
£
£
£
£
4,500
(15,888)
867
-
-
-
-
-
34,348
(20,849)
(2,765)
50,830
24,206
(16,337)
(14,635)
22,591
6,208
(5,576)
-
10,715
147,823
(148,566)
(11,604)
16,242
7,364
(4,368)
2,996
37,941
(13,700)
(1,999)
22,242
11,705
(11,140)
(565)
-
7,500
(4,358)
(1,100)
2,042
5,058
(4,041)
1,030
2,071
39,871
(40,368)
(4,250)
-
44,728
(44,466)
22,197
-
-
-
-
12,299
(4,496)
-
7,803
6,777
(6,057)
2,706
14,848
(13,044)
(900)
904
826,756
(100,736)
(23,981)
783,776
7,530
(7,530)
-
-
-
-
-
1,239,462
461,520
(59,902)
947,115		 Movement in funds
Incoming
resources
Resources
expended
Transfers
31
£
£
£
85,321
(54,930)
(1,664)
27,655
(23,143)
(4,512)
38,426
(44,783)
(7,004)
9,504
(13,841)
(4,449)
12,073
(7,968)
(800)
194,757
(142,733)
(14,497)
-
(2,996)
-
878
(23,421)
2,666
50,997
(47,991)
(3,006)
22,949
(8,509)
(4,525)
6,578
(11,794)
9,497
40,987
(31,235)
(3,424)
-
(22,197)
-
2,900
(1,894)
-
3,049
(7,514)
-
8,148
(6,984)
-
31,015
(28,954)
(1,268)
133,542
(212,201)
(6,760)
-
-
-
20,000
(27)
(1,578)
688,779
693,115
(41,324)		 Balance at
March 2023
£
28,727
-
37,469
13,805
14,020
53,769
-
2,365
-
11,957
6,352
6,328
-
1,006
3,338
3,870
1,697
698,357
-
18,395
901,455

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

20 Restricted funds

(Continued)

Balance at
1 April 2021
£
Macmillan
-
Memorial Garden
-
Mind
1,985
Moondance Foundation
67,902
Pantry
-
Redress and Cardiff Council Hardship Fund
-
Save the Children
-
Shape Your Future
-
Summer of Smiles
-
Tier 0
73,901
Together Trust
147,660
Voluntary Sector Recovery
-
WCVA
-
Welsh Gov - Communitites Facilties
Programme
267,675
Western Power
-
Working Well and Helping Working Families
63,225
Workplace Youth
-
Youth Innvoation
7,460
858,883		 Movement in funds
Incoming
resources
Resources
expended
Transfers
Balance at
1 April 2022
£
£
£
£
36,875
31,007
5,172
696
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,985
19,255
29,271
9,519
48,367
34,637
19,085
3,445
12,107
136,496
38,382
450
97,664
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
29,075
22,761
487
5,827
208,025
207,348
17,544
57,034
49,245
64,707
2,000
130,198
25,675
21,045
4,630
-
29,977
19,365
-
10,612
-
7,073
-
260,602
-
-
-
-
118,874
106,112
(10,586)
65,401
-
(1,659)
1,659
-
39,787
(29,776)
(4,310)
13,160
1,967,383
(1,059,111)
(116,386)
1,650,768		 Movement in funds
Incoming
resources
Resources
expended
Transfers
31
£
£
£
26,142
26,668
170
3,000
200
-
-
-
1,985
-
43,609
-
-
12,107
-
100,000
189,724
7,940
2,400
-
-
50,000
46,013
3,987
5,540
4,357
508
64,446
44,980
76,500
25,139
88,894
16,165
-
-
-
-
10,612
-
-
7,073
-
9,921
7,331
(2,590)
119,603
92,997
(13,035)
-
390
(2,617)
49,999
42,548
(6,500)
1,094,691
(1,310,618)
(173,321)		 Balance at
March 2023
£
-
2,800
-
4,758
-
-
2,400
-
6,502
-
-
-
-
253,529
-
78,972
(3,007)
14,111
1,261,520

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

20 Restricted funds

(Continued)

Arts Council of Wales : This money was used to fund a project to engage young people from 14-16, 16-18 and 16-24 age categories.

ACE Cares: This national lottery funding pays for community development activity aimed at exploring the community's role in supporting people with care and support needs and unpaid carers within the Ely and Caerau communities.

ACE Community Support : This money is to the support a programme to provide information, practical support and advice to vulnerable community members in Ely and Caerau.

ACE Food: Budget for developing community food projects including Dusty Community Kitchen, Cafe Barr and Food for Life Get Togethers.

ACE Giving - An opportunity for individuals to make a financial contribution to ACE's charitable work through donations, sponsorship and fundraising activities.

ACE Health: This money was for the development and delivery of health and wellbeing initiatives, including social prescribing, community development, participation and engagement work.

ACE Housing - Provision of a high quality, affordable, well maintained rental home to a local family, with additional support through ACE services where necessary.

Benthyg: WCVA Landfill Trust this funding supported the developement of a new library of things project (ACE Benthyg), offering a range of household items for community members to borrow at low cost.

Bereavement support: This grant pays for a multi-partner project with ACE, CCAWS and Cardiff People First, delivering a mix of direct counselling, bereavement courses and development of peer support approaches, aimed at engaging groups who have been traditionally under-represented in mainstream bereavement support services.

Bevan Foundation: This funded 1 day a week staff time to bring about systems change through community engagement contributing to varios consultations to inform policy change.

Caer Enterprises - Development of social enterprise and income generating activity related to ACE's CAER Heritage project, including sales of CAER T-shirts and art.

Children In Need: This money is to fund a project which uses local heritage and history as inspiration for experimental and exploratory STEM activities and projects

COVID Support: Misc income to help support projects during Covid 19.

Creative Grow: This money was used Delivery of indoor art/garden sessions, room hire & materials.

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

20 Restricted funds

(Continued)

Diana Gardens/ Grapevine: This money is to support the development of the ‘Diana Gardens’ site, community activity on and around the site and community capacitybuilding with local volunteers.

Dusty Shed: This money was used to support a Men's Shed project based at the Dusty Forge.

Grace Project: This project supports men in the community who are involved with the criminal justice system. The Grand Avenues project is a partnership between HMPPS, SVP and ACE. Funding was used to fund a staff member for 3 days a week, a staff member 1/2 day a week, project costs and management costs to support the men on the project address isues around health, income and housing.

Heritage Lottery Fund: This money was used to deliver the CAER Heritage Project.

HMRC Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme - Funding received to cover wage and salary costs during the pandemic.

Independent Age: This project supports oler people in the community to stay warm in their homes, through income maximisation and energy support. This income has funded a full time Older Persons Caseworker.

Macmillan - A project exploring how community development approaches can be used to increase the range of supportive care available for people who are dying, those supporting someone who is dying and people who are facing or experiencing bereavement

Memorial Garden: This project is developing a new community garden to support activities that bring people together and support community connection and wellbeing .

MIND (Coronavirus Mental Health Response Fund: Wales) - A project to increase the capacity and reach of the Phone Friends project and to make it more accessible for people with a learning disability, working in partnership with Cardiff People First.

Moondance Foundation: This money is to fund the Caer Heritage Project.

Pantry: This money is to support the membership food club providing affordable food shop for members in food poverty / insecurity. The project includes running a community food shop and delivery service using surplus food supplied by Fareshare project to support struggling working families to get involved in the design and delivery of community projects tackling in work poverty.

Redress Warm and Cardiff Council Hardship Fund - Affordable warmth advice and support for community members in / at risk of fuel poverty delivered through drop in / case work sessions.

Save the Children: This was used to fund a series of art workshops over the summer holidays for children and young people living in Ely and Caerau. If Ehangu to work with community partners to develop new inititiatives that support early years projects in Ely and Caearau.

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

20 Restricted funds

(Continued)

Summer of Smiles: Income was used to provie a range of inclisive activities for children and young people across the communities of Ely and Caerau.

Tier 0: This money is to support a mental health service which provides psychological interventions through 1-1 guided self-help sessions and the delivery of psychoeducational courses.

Together Trust: This money is to deliver Building Communities Trust (BCT) invest local programme.

Voluntary Sector Recovery: This project supported volunteers to re-engage with ACE after the Pandemic disruption, providing staff time to run reintegration sessions and follow up support, training and update our volunteer processes to help volunteers with overcome barriers to contributing to projects.

WCVA: This funding was to diversify the income of ACE Training through the development of a website to increase sales and promote to a wider audience, particularly targeting the private sector. It also funded consultants to conduct market research and develop a training package bespoke to ACE underlining ACE's approaches in Asset Based Community Development, Community Organising and Co-production. The training is now being offered to the public, statutory and third sector who wish their teams to learn about the afore mentioned principles and how to put them into practice as it relates to their work.

Welsh Government Communities Facilities Programme: This is a capital fund to support the refurbishment and renovation of community buildings.

Western Power: This funds our advice provision supporting those in fuel poverty/fuel crisis.

Working Well and Helping Working Families: This is a partnership project with Tempo and Citizens Cymru to combine asset based community development with community organising approaches to enable sustainable solutions to in work poverty to be identified, piloted and developed.

Workplace Youth: This funding through Waterloo Foundation was used to engage with young people aged 16 to 25yrs in a series of woodwork sessions, and Level 1 Health and Safety in a Construction Environment Training. The aim of the fundng was to support young people into work.

Youth Innovation: This money was used to support local groups, organise and support voluntary youth activities.

Transfers: Relates to capital spend where the conditions of the grant has been fulfilled, management charge overhead allocation and internal project recharges. Where projects have incurred an overspend the board have agreed for unrestricted funds to cover the deficits.

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

21 Designated funds

Balance at
1 April 2021
Resources
expended
Balance at
1 April 2022
Resources
expended
£
£
£
£
Dusty Forge
Redevelopment
95,007
-
95,007
-
Fixed asset fund
21,933
(4,700)
17,233
(4,700)
Investment property
144,441
-
144,441
-
261,381
(4,700)
256,681
(4,700)		 Transfers
Balance at
31 March 2023
£
£
-
95,007
81,846
94,379
75,559
220,000
157,405
409,386		 Transfers
Balance at
31 March 2023
£
£
-
95,007
81,846
94,379
75,559
220,000
157,405
409,386
409,386

Dusty Forge Redevelopment: Comprise those funds set aside for future redevelopment work at the Dusty Forge building.

Fixed asset fund : relates to the net book value of the charity's unrestricted fixed assets.

Investment property : relates to the value of the property held for investment to generate unrestricted rental income for the charity.

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

22
Analysis of net assets between funds
Unrestricted
Designated
Restricted
2023
2023
2023
£
£
£
Fund balances at 31 March 2023 are represented
by:
Tangible assets
-
94,379
936,162
Investment properties
-
220,000
-
Investments
10
-
-
Current assets/(liabilities)
117,873
95,007
325,358
117,883
409,386
1,261,520		 Total
Unrestricted
Designated
2023
2022
2022
£
£
£
1,030,541
-
17,233
220,000
-
144,441
10
10
-
538,238
156,969
95,007
1,788,789
156,979
256,681		 Restricted
2022
£
1,118,634
-
-
532,132
1,650,766		 Total
2022
£
1,135,867
144,441
10
784,108
2,064,426

ACE-ACTION IN CAERAU AND ELY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

23 Related party transactions

There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2022 - none).

24 Subsidiaries

The charity holds the entire issued shared capital of 1 ordinary share of £10 in ACE Community Enterprises Limited, a company incorporated in England and Wales.

The company was incorporated on 07 February 2014 and remains dormant, company Number 08881835, registered office, Dusty Forge, Cowbridge Road West, Cardiff, CF5 5BZ.

Name of undertaking Registered Nature of business Class of % Held
office shares held Direct Indirect
ACE Community Enterprises
England and		 Dormant Ordinary 100.00
Limited Wales

25 Charges

The National Heritage Memorial Fund have a registration of charge over the leasehold of Caerau Evangelical Church, Church Road, Caerau, Cardiff, CF5 5LQ.

26
Cash generated from operations
2023
£
(Deficit)/surpus for the year
(275,637)
Adjustments for:
Investment income recognised in statement of financial activities
(1,341)
Loss on disposal of tangible fixed assets
72,548
Fair value gains and losses on investment properties
(75,559)
Depreciation and impairment of tangible fixed assets
64,905
Movements in working capital:
(Increase) in debtors
(45,554)
Increase/(decrease) in creditors
30,612
Cash (absorbed by)/generated from operations
(230,026)
27
Analysis of changes in net funds		 2022
£
861,510
(308)
-
-
51,922
(7,702)
(74,787)
830,635

The charity had no debt during the year.