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2020-12-31-accounts

Churches Together in South Tyneside

Annual Report for Financial Year: January 1st 2020– December 31st 2020

Charity’s Name:

CHURCHES TOGETHER IN SOUTH TYNESIDE

Any other name the Charity uses: Churches Together South Tyneside; CTST

’ Charity s Number : 1153612

’ Charity s Registered Address:

52 Lawe Road, South Shields, Tyne and Wear NE33 2AL

Names of Charity’s Trustees on Wednesday 10[th] May 2020

Jane Arthurs, Bernadette Askins, Stephen Slade, Audrey Tennet, Hilary Thompson, Ann Trollope

Structure, Governance and management

Please see note below re Coronavirus Changes.

CTST is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO). The present constitution of CTST was finalised on August 22[nd] , 2013. It outlines the objects, powers, policy on income, property and controls about payments, regulations re charity trustees and connected persons, conflicts of interest and loyalty, liabilities, membership, decision making, and meetings.

CTST has trustees and members. Members include representatives of local CT neighbourhood groups, local social action projects and individuals who are interested in the work and want to support the organisation. At the AGM the trustees, chair and deputy chair are elected. The secretary and treasurer are appointed. New trustees are inducted by the Chair in line with the constitution. Several trustees are involved with other charities and have shared their expertise with the group.

General meetings are held quarterly and are attended by trustees and members; decisions are made at these meetings. Before each meeting, an agenda is decided by the chair and secretary and circulated. Other members can add items. Minutes are circulated electronically or by post for those with no internet connection. At quarterly general meetings, working groups may be set up to carry out agreed tasks. Decisions are communicated electronically from these meetings. Each year the trustees and members agree a work plan which outlines the charity’s major priorities for action.

CTST has three projects which are directly responsible to the trustees - Happy at Home, Nurturing Dementia and Street Angels. A fourth project, Key 2 Life aims to alleviate poverty. It includes a large foodbank, Food and Fun school holiday programmes and S chool Uniforms 4 All. Key 2 Life is a partnership between CTST and KEY, an affiliated charity. Approximately 320 volunteers support the work of our projects.

All projects have their own management committees which manage and monitor their activities . At least one trustee is a member of each project committee. We encourage volunteers interested in the work to become committee members. The projects are supported by part time paid development workers, who support the trustees and volunteers and attend management committee meetings. At CTST quarterly meetings, reports are received from the projects. In addition, updates are received from two affiliated organisations, previously set up as projects by CTST but now independent charities: KEY and STARCH (South Tyneside Asylum and Refugee Church Help)

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Churches Together also supports other church-related projects by promoting their work, helping recruit volunteers, identifying funding opportunities and inviting them to attend meetings to report on their projects. These projects include Prison Matters.

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE While most of the above remained as written, some changes took place from March 2020:

Financial review

Principal Funding Sources

  1. Donations from local neighbourhood Churches Together groups.

  2. Donations from private sources – People’s Silver Band, Inner Wheel Harton, Corbridge Methodist Church, collection boxes

  3. Fund raising events – Great North Run

  4. Grants from trusts and foundations: Happy at Home: Kellett Fund (via Community Foundation Tyne and Wear), Community Foundation Tyne and Wear Coronavirus Recovery Funding, Age, The National Lottery (Coronavirus Community Fund), Ballinger Charitable Trust, Morrisons, Coalfields Regeneration Trust, South Tyneside Community Area Forum, The Pargiter Trust (via Community Foundation Tyne and Wear), Newcastle Building Society (via Community Foundation Tyne and Wear) Street Angels: P&G (via Community Foundation Tyne &Wear), 1989 Willan Trust

  5. KEY2Life: Coalfields Regeneration, Bonas, Wood, NET Emergency, Charities Aid Foundation, Community Foundation T&W, P&G, This is Love, UTS Engineering, Dream Jar, Newcastle Building Society, ST Community Area Forum,

Nurturing Dementia: Linden Family Foundation P&G (via Community Foundation Tyne and Wear)

  1. Grant from local government: KEY2Life: South Tyneside Council

  2. Service Level Agreement – South Tyneside Council / Happy at Home Total: £11,000

  3. Happy at Home also received a grant from HM Government (Via National Lottery- see 4 above) and KEY2Life received 2 grants from South Tyneside Local Authority through CTST. The total of these grants from the LA and HM Government to CTST is £41,075

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Reserves Policy

The trustees aim to have reserves of 6 months operating costs to enable them to make provision for the vulnerable people that are supported by the projects in the event of funding not being secured. Each project is working towards this goal. Reserves also cover possible future costs of redundancies.

Public Benefit

Churches Together has referred to the guidance on public benefit when reviewing our aims and objectives and in planning future activities. Our charity’s activities reflect our aims and objectives, and are designed to provide accessible services and activities that benefit the appropriate sector of the public in accordance with our charitable aims.

Objects

1) THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT IN SOUTH TYNESIDE.

CTST seeks to put into practice Christian teaching by carrying out practical social action for the benefit of the whole community with particular regard for the most vulnerable. Its activities give direct help as well as raising awareness of issues facing contemporary society.

2) THE PROMOTION OF RELIGIOUS HARMONY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC by:

a) Educating the public in different beliefs, including an awareness of their distinctive features and their common ground to promote good relations between persons of different faiths. b) Promoting knowledge and mutual understanding and respect of the beliefs and practices of different religious faiths

Activities

(See section “Achievements and performance for 2020 for highlights and any changes during the Coronavirus crisis)

Happy at Home - a befriending service for isolated elderly people in their homes and at social hubs around the borough.

Key2Life including:

Foodbank – coordinating the food bank and four collection points in South Tyneside, liaising with local supermarkets re food supplies, arranging training and awareness, raising of the plight of residents who have no food.

Food and Fun Holiday Clubs – food and activities for children and families in financial difficulties Fuel Bank – offering grants and fuel bursaries to those in fuel poverty. School Uniforms 4 All Project - collecting, storing and exchanging uniform. Directory of Support Services – ‘Information Your Way’ website now online Raising Awareness – giving talks to churches, schools and community groups

Street Angels - Supporting those who are vulnerable, in distress or in need, during the night-time economy in South Shields Town Centre at weekend as well as those sleeping rough.

Nurturing Dementia: was officially recognised as a CTST project in January 2020 . A part-time project worker is liaising with relevant organisations and charities, running workshops/dementia

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support/supervision in care homes and working with community organisations to promote and raise awareness and understanding of dementia among churches and the wider community in South Tyneside. The project seeks to organise events, such as inclusive church services.

CTST promotes and supports affiliated charities through its networks:

Key Project for young people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

South Tyneside Asylum Seeker Refugee Church Help (STARCH) - provides practical and personal support for asylum seekers and refugees and a weekly Tuesday drop in where agencies and asylum seekers and refugees can meet.

CTST promotes and supports the following church related projects:

Prison Matters : providing support for ex-offenders settling back into the community.

CTST also has a website, social media presence, publishes an annual report of its activities and occasional press releases.

CTST works in partnership with South Tyneside Council and community and voluntary sector organisations.

CTST addresses topical and ethical issues at its annual event and by organising hustings before general elections.

Achievements and performance for 2020

The trustees are very proud of the way our project leaders, our employees and our volunteers have responded to the Coronavirus Crisis. They have been extremely creative, resourceful and resilient in the face of many challenges. They have committed many hours to supporting vulnerable people in South Tyneside and have been commended for their work. They have shown the foresight to anticipate problems as well as opportunities. The commitment, enthusiasm and vision of those involved is reflected clearly in the report.

CTST Projects

Happy at Home

When the pandemic restrictions began Happy At Home decided to split the borough of South Tyneside into three geographical areas with a Team Leader responsible for the coordination of support in each area.

Volunteers provided telephone support calls to maintain the spirits of the beneficiaries and to check if they needed anything. Garden gate calls were made to those who were tearful and those most in need.

A variety of shopping services was provided including distributing Morrisons food parcels, organising shopping drop offs for people who used click and collect, helping with the distribution of a large amount of food for a Neighbourhood community group, doing small errands and collecting prescriptions from doctors and delivering to pharmacies. Additional alliances were formed with community organisations and other supermarkets and special treats were passed on, including bouquets of flowers, Easter Eggs, chocolates, toiletries and food.

Provision of survival Packs for emergencies - milk, bread, tea, coffee loo rolls, PPE etc Winter Warmer packs were distributed containing knee blankets, cocoa, cough sweets etc. Activity Packs were provided including jigsaws, colouring and painting books, playing cards, quiz and crossword books, wool, knitting needles and crochet hooks, craft supplies and reading books.

Special Fun Events were marked including VE Day by giving VE Day presents. A campaign that ‘nobody spent a lonely a birthday in lockdown’ was started so that everyone received a birthday card and a small gift to mark their special day. When someone went into hospital, they received a Get

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Well card and after they were discharged, they received a Welcome Home card, a gift and emergency supplies if they were needed.

Garden Tidies were carried out at Independent Living Complexes, to make meeting visitors outdoors more pleasurable.

Between Lockdowns an alliance was formed with a local hotel to provide a Covid safe environment to enable some Happy Hubs to be held.

A monthly ‘Lockdown Newsletter’ was created with news, puzzles, recipes and biopics of the volunteers or beneficiaries.

Christmas Eve boxes and Christmas dinners were provided for those who were completely on their own, so that they could mark the special day. Christmas gifts were given to over 300 people involved with the project (volunteers and beneficiaries), even the pets of the owners received a gift.

KEY2LIFE

This year has been like no other. KEY2LIFE supported over 16,000 people in food poverty, because of covid and lockdown. This represents an increase on over 300%. Some of our regular volunteers had to shield but we were able to recruit recruited many new volunteers from our community who had been furloughed due to the pandemic, 22 of them are now regularly contributing many hours to the Foodbank. Volunteer drivers delivered food to the homes of clients using KEY’s van.

We continued to build up our relationships with funders, which enabled KEY2LIFE both to increase supplies for the Foodbank and to appoint a part-time Team Leader in September 2020. The employees and volunteers worked relentlessly to manage all this change and adapt the systems to cope with the huge growth in demand at the same time as setting up protocols to keep themselves, donors and clients safe. Local businesses, supermarkets and many members of the public have responded with great generosity. This has involved high levels of coordination and liaison. The use of social media has been a great asset.

We had to come up with an alternative to Holiday Clubs, and in partnership with the Local Authority designed a Trails and Picnic initiative. Leaflets with local family walks were produced and we were able to supply 4,000 lunches to children from low-income families. In September we introduced a Fuel Bank, whereby those experiencing fuel poverty could apply for financial help with their utility bills, approx. £5,000 has been made available to those in need.

We continue to help other voluntary and community groups deliver their projects with guidance to develop their training, policies and processes. When possible in 2020 we gave talks about the causes of poverty and ways to eradicate misinformation so that we can assist those in need without

prejudice or judgment. Over 100 volunteers, many local schools, churches, businesses and individuals support our work.

STREET ANGELS 2020

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic our work ceased in March 2020 and due to lockdown restrictions and the social distancing rules Street Angels have been unable to return.

Following the imposing of restrictions, the Street Angels project leader has been liaising with the Northumbria Police Local Neighbourhood Team, South Shields Pubwatch and South Tyneside Council Community Safety Team to discuss how they could work together when the lifting of restrictions and social distancing rules allow the team to return.

The team of volunteers will be ready to return to our work on the Streets working together with the other local organisations during the gradual lifting of restrictions. An appropriate Covid Risk Assessment is in place and any necessary extra PPE will be purchased to ensure the safety of our volunteers and the people we assist and support.

Nurturing Dementia

In February 2020, a half day community Nurturing Spirituality workshop was facilitated. Networking links have been made with Happy at Home, Durham Diocese Working Party ‘Including People with

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Dementia’, Roseway House Care Home in Jarrow, South Tyneside HealthNet, local Alzheimers Society and South Tyneside Commissioning Group.

When possible, the project has been continuing to Intergenerational Working with local schools, Brownies, Cubs and Air Cadets. The project lead has completed DBS training to facilitate training for schools.

Operation Christmas Child

CTST offered to help coordinate collections of shoe boxes in support of the Samaritan Purse ‘shoe box’ appeal. The pick-up of shoeboxes was very different this year because our usual collection points were closed due to the pandemic. However, we were so pleased that Key 2 Life Foodbank, Grange Road Baptist Church, Living Waters Church and Peter Marsh Hairdressers were able to act as a collection points and 500 boxes were received. Thanks to KEY for the use of their van.

CTST Website

During 2020 The website and the other social media platforms were valuable assets to keep people informed about changes in our practice, various initiatives devised by our projects to help those in need and share links to online services from our churches.

Promoting Affiliated Projects (KEY, STARCH and Prison Matters - independent charities)

SOUTH TYNESIDE CHURCHES’ KEY PROJECT Charity Number: 1108921 During the pandemic KEY had to redefine how we maintained service provision while following the latest government COVID-19 advice to protect the health and well-being of the young people and families we assist, our staff, volunteers, partner organisations and the wider public. With all home visits suspended, unless there is an emergency, Tenancy Support clients have been contacted daily by phone or video to ensure no young person is left feeling isolated because of reduced opportunities for face-to-face contact. Prevention, Mediation, and Intervention have been provided on the same basis to all families at risk of breakdown with follow-up welfare checks plus out of hours chats and texts.

Our young people have been more reliant on us than ever to help and care for them during this difficult time; managing their needs and behaviours has required new strategies. Some have struggled mentally so we have put together a 'Be better' resource with tips and advice on wellbeing and personal development. We have been piloting activities such as fitness classes, gardening, and upcycling projects in our supported accommodation properties to encourage a positive daily routine keeping mind and body active.

To cope with the increased demand in services KEY have employed a new Family Intervention Officer and two new Progression Coaches. KEY have opened 5 cottages on the Askins Lodge site which are used as ‘steppingstone’ properties between act as a go between supported and independent living. With over 80% of our young people citing a mental health issue KEY have secured funding to employ a Psychological Wellbeing Officer who will work with up to 30 young people across our services.

Prison Matters Charity Number: 1179904

The two weekly drop-ins, run by volunteers at the Independent Methodist Church in Hebburn, were suspended in March 2020 because of the pandemic. Sadly, the project encouraging healthy eating, which had just started, had to be suspended. Two sessions, led by a professional chef, had been delivered and the remaining four sessions will be picked up again once government legislation permits the drop-ins to re-start.

South Tyneside Refugee and Asylum Seeker Church Help (S.T.A.R.C.H.) Charity Number: 1100561 STARCH (South Tyneside Asylum Seekers and Refugee Church Help)

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We have had a very challenging year. The Covid 19 Pandemic has made it difficult for us to offer our normal service to asylum seekers and refugees. Our base has had to close during long periods. We have many new people that we have only communicated with them by telephone. This in itself was a problem as many do not have English as their first language. We are fortunate that we do have volunteers who will translate in an emergency.

Numbers of refugees and asylum seekers continue to rise in South Tyneside. This has created problems for the schools. Children now have to wait longer for school admission and may have to travel further afield. It has become more difficult in some areas to register with a GP.

We have seen a rise in mental health problems. Isolation has been very difficult, it has meant not being able to meet and socialise, therefore integration has been more difficult.

We have continued to receive wonderful support from the community for which we are extremely grateful.

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CHARITY COMMISSION Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period from To Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted funds to the nearest Restricted funds Endowment funds Total funds Last year to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ A1 Receipts CTST Grant Income - inc K2Life (formerly Poverty Project) & Mentor a Mum Projects Donations and Bag Pack Happy at Home Project (ind Nurturing Dementia) Street Angels Project Subscriptions 750 450 300 1.366 37.399 37.399 22.750 29,655 115,235 144,890 49,469 13,540 18 13,540 18 6,025 210 Sub total(Gross income forAR) 30.405 165.742 196.147 79,820 A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). Sub total 30.405 165.742 196,147 79,820 A3 Payments K2Life (formerly Poverty) & Mentor a Mum Projects Inter Project Expenses at Home Direct Costs Street An els Direct Costs Employee Costs Travel Refreshments offi￿ Costs Insuran General Expenses (ind Training) Subscriptions Corporation Tax Levy 33,375 33,375 24.065 6,386 14,468 2,486 40,907 1.048 88 4,203 532 3,295 154 200 7,263 7,263 19,476 220 29,350 1.737 48,826 1,957 965 637 157 5.538 6.503 637 165 80 80 Sub total 21.455 77.366 98.821 97.832 A4 Asset and investment purchases. (see table) Sub total 21,455 77.366 98.821 97,832 Net of receipts/(payments) Adjustments (capital purchases) A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end 8.950 2,108 25,703 32,545 88.376 97.327 18,012 3,051 54,150 39,189 13.485 101,861 39.188 134,407 CCXX R1 accounts (SS) 1210512021

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period 2020 Unrestricted funds to nearest £ Restricted funds to nearest £ Endowment funds to nearest £ Categories B1 Cash funds CTST Bank Account 2.843 13.770 Happy at Home - Bank Account 39.302 61.T19 Happy at Home - Cash 221 Street Angels - Bank Account 16,491 Total cash funds 42.366 92,040 (agree balances with re￿iptS and payments aCc(￿nt(S>) Unrestricted funds to nearest £ Restricted funds to nearest £ Endowment funds to nearest £ Fund to which asset belon Details Cost (optional) Current value tional B3 Investment assets Fund to which asset belon Cost (optional) Current value tional B4 Assets retained for the charity's own use Fund to which liabili relates Amount due tional When due tional ai B5 Liabilities Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees Signature Print Name Date of roval eLRTrlPfbL _ -(IL i£fK((4 s AILAZY c. 1>LOtrLPSo Thj 1210512021 1210512021 CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examinerfs Report Report to the trusteesl members of Churches Together in South Tyneside On accounts for the year ended Charity no (rf any) 31 De￿mber 2020 1153612 Set out on pages rs of ao4rtiOP.aS sl R¢5pective responslbllltles The charity's trustee5 are ￿SponSIb￿ for Ihe preparation of the accounts. The of trustees and examiner chartty's trustees consKler that an audit is nol required for this year under section 144 of the Chanbes Act 2011 (the Charrties A£t) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my reSP)n￿bIlIty to: examine the ￿Unts under secbon 145 of the Charities Act, to follThv the prcLedures kid d(Nm in the general Directions gtven by the Charity CommisS￿n (under section 14515}Ib) of the Charities Act, and Basis of Independent My examinatKJn was carried out in ￿)rdan￿ vrilh general DIrect￿nS given by the examine￿$ Statfjme￿ Charity Commission. An examination indudes a review of the accounting records kept by the chartty and a comparison of the a(xxiunts presented wrth those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual rtems or disclosure5 ill the actrnunts, and seekn.ng explanatt'ons from the trustees conceming any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provKle all the evidenrE that would be required in an audit and consequentty no opinion is gNen as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fairf view and the reFth is ￿mI￿j to those matters set out in the statement below. Independent examiners In connecab)n with nry examination, no matter has to my attentKin (other than statement that disclosed bek)w ) 1. which gNes me reasonable cause to belEve that in. any rnaterial respect. the requirements" to keep ￿)UntIng records in ￿nce with section 130 of the Charities Act and to prepare accounts which accord with the ac￿￿nting records and comply wrth the awounb.ng requirewents of the CharIt￿S Act have not been rre( or 2. to which. in my opinion. att￿tiOn sh￿Id be drawn in order to enable a understanding ofthe accs)unts to be reached. . Please delete the wrKds in the b￿(8¢ets rfthey do not apply. Signed: Nam•: A40-Kis￿rA qualmlcatlorfsl or tr)dy lrf•yl.' Addvess: sii eLOS IP IER March 2012