Chichester Welfare Trusts Chairman’s Report April 2020 – March 2021
As a registered charity the Chichester Welfare Trusts aims to relieve poverty in the City of Chichester and the adjoining civil parishes by providing grants, items and services to individuals in need. We also work with other organisations to prevent or relieve poverty.
With the onset of the Covid pandemic and subsequent lockdown, CWT agreed to facilitate the work of the Mayor’s Hardship Fund, set up in May 2020 by Mr Richard Plowman, Mayor of Chichester. CWT’S contribution took the form of the services of our Treasurer, Clare de Bathe, in administering the £11k Fund and our Welfare Officer, Ruth Taunt, in assessing requests and recommending support for some 51 local individuals and families to date. Some of the larger requests were directly taken on by CWT. The Mayor’s Hardship Fund looks set to close shortly, and Clare and Ruth are to be awarded a certificate of appreciation by the Mayor.
CWT made grants in the financial year 2020-21 for a further 11 individuals and families with local connexions, to a value of £5000. These consisted of four requests for floor coverings, six for domestic items (eg fridges, cookers, washing machines) and one contribution for the elimination of rats from a property. This last, a co-ordinated project involving Community Mental Health, District Council Environmental Health, and local community groups, was a good demonstration of CWT’s flexibility in working with other agencies to support those most in need in Chichester and the adjoining Civil Parishes.
During the year, the CWT Board expressed a concern that many families who had been allocated social housing were unable to afford any form of floor covering. We felt that floor coverings should be part of the basic housing provision, and agreed to raise the issue with the City Council and Housing Associations.
Our investments are being professionally managed to ensure we gain the maximum potential income on these reserves that so that we can reinvest this return in grants and funding those in need.
Michael Woolley, CWT Chair, resigned in November 2020 due to ill health. He brought a strong sense of directing CWT’s attention to the most vulnerable in our society, and appreciated the real service that a small charity like CWT can perform in the local community. We welcomed to the Board Tom Polhill, from Chichester District Council Rough Sleepers, Fiona Wheeler from Stonepillow Housing First, and Ruth Campbell, Head of Chichester Nursery, whose advice was much appreciated.
Many thanks to Clare de Bathe, Clerk & Treasurer and Ruth Taunt, Welfare Officer, for their sterling work in difficult circumstances this year, and to the whole Board of Trustees for their work and support.
Nick Taunt Chair April 2021
CHICHESTER WELFARE TRUST
STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2021
| 2020 | 2021 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| INVESTMENTS AS AT 1 JULY | 2020 | £ | £ |
| Barclays Bank Community Account | 11,762.78 | 8,511.79 | |
| Charinco Investment Fund | 18,745.30 | 19,432.30 | |
| Rathbones Investment | 84,163.00 | 85,173.00 | |
| Opening Totals | 114,671.08 | 113,117.09 | |
| DEDUCT EXCESS OF EXPENDITURE OVER INCOME | |||
| Income | |||
| Interest Received | |||
| Charinco Investment Fund | 921.75 | 687.00 | |
| Donations | |||
| Cash Deposit | 5,800.00 | 12,315.64 | |
| Total Income | 6,721.75 | 13,002.64 | |
| Expenditure | |||
| Welfare Grants | 9,072.74 | 16,200.21 | |
| Miscellaneous Postage & Telephone costs | 600.00 | 350.00 | |
| Total Expenditure | 9,672.74 | 16,550.21 | |
| EXCESS INCOME/ EXPENDITURE |
-3,250.99 | -3,097.57 | |
| Unrealised profits/ losses on investments |
1,697.00 | 14,314.52 | |
| Closing Totals | 113,117.09 | 124,334.04 | |
| ======== | ======== | ||
| Represented by - | |||
| INVESTMENTS AT 30 JUNE 2021 | |||
| Barclays Bank Community Account | 8,511.79 | 5,414.22 | |
| Charinco Investment Fund | 19,432.30 | 24,826.82 | |
| Rathbones Investment | 85,173.00 | 94,093.00 | |
| 113,117.09 | 124,334.04 | ||
| ======== | ======== |
The financial records of the Trust have been duly audited for the year ended 30 June 2021, and the above Statement is a true and accurate record of the position of the Trust at that date.
Hon Treasurer - Clare de Bathe Hon Auditor - K D Elmy