## **Trustees’ Report – Year End March 2021**
The Trustees of Evergreen Care UK present this report alongside the Year End accounts for the Financial Year April 2020 to March 2021
## **Mission Statement:**
Through Christian love, we seek to support older people to achieve the highest quality of life and self-worth. Leading with innovation, treating with compassion and valuing each person, we enrich lives, improve the health and wellbeing of communities, and respect and care for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of older people, bringing peace of mind to those we serve. Our mission calls us to care for the sick and disadvantaged as expressed in Matthew 25:35-40.
## **Vision Statement:**
We commit ourselves to the Christian principles on which we were founded and seek to fulfil the need for quality services and excellence in care. Motivated by our values, Evergreen will lead the way in standards of care by reaching out to the community and transforming society through the biblical model of sharing.
## **Our Values:**
|Respect:|To value every human being with due regard for their feelings, wishes and rights. To treat|To value every human being with due regard for their feelings, wishes and rights. To treat|
|---|---|---|
||others how we would have them treat ourselves.||
|Justice:|To apply Christian principles and have a genuine concern for people, to seek justice and||
||bring peace in our dealings with others.||
|Service:|To foster an ethos of care and service throughout the organisation and promote the||
||Christian Care Values of|love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,|
||gentleness and self-control into the community.||
|Training:|To guide all members of|Evergreen through training so they will be skilled, equipped and|
||adopt the correct behaviour required for their chosen area of work.||
|Partnership:|To work with others for the good of our community and to lead the way in care standards||
||and influence others.||
|Quality:|To excel in all we do, bringing confidence to our community in our service of care and||
||support.||
|Generosity:|To incline on the side of|generosity in our dealings with staff, volunteers, clients and the|
||wider community. To value it is more blessed to give than to receive.||
|Stewardship**:**|To oversee the work of Evergreen with sound governance and financial controls and use||
||God’s blessing to serve our community.||
1
## **Governing Document**
Formerly, Bexley Churches Care Trust, the Charity became Evergreen Care UK on 1[st] February 2021, and remains a registered charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) registered with the Charity Commission. Charity No:1154595.
## **Foreword from the Chair of Trustees**
The year (1[st] April 2020) began in the grip of the Coronavirus Pandemic. The Covid-19 Lockdown that commenced on 23[rd] March 2020 placed the UK in strange and unprecedented times.
Consequently, we were presented with many challenges that were indeed immense and often intense. We learnt that to suggest that the Social Care Sector was forced under unprecedented pressures, did not fully articulate the actual and true representation of events. Indeed, Coronavirus touched us all on a very personal level and affecting our clients, our loved ones, our family and friends. Something we all do not wish to live through again.
Despite inevitably placing this charity in uncharted waters it did not deter Evergreen from rising to the challenge. The concern and commitment of our staff and volunteers, together with our ethos of care made Evergreen stand out from the crowd and made, and continues to make, a tremendous impact across the London Borough of Bexley and beyond.
Accordingly, as a charitable organisation which supports local older people, when we eventually emerge from the constraints of the Pandemic, we are expecting a continual increase in demand for our services over the coming years. We have and will continue to identify and launch much needed new services to compliment the range of services we already provide whilst extending our catchment area.
We would like to take this opportunity to say how much we really do value the many people and organisations that have supported us financially or by gifts in kind. We shall also continue to build relationships with local churches, many of which actively advertise for volunteers to assist with our work and have allowed us free space to hold training sessions and events.
However, the year ended (31[st] March 2021) with hope, as we began the process of emerging from the second Covid-19 Lockdown.
## **Therefore, we plan to be fully operational and very much hope to provide our valued services again soon:**
|**Home Support:**|There has been a marked interest for this service from across London Borough of|
|---|---|
||Bexley and beyond.|
|**Befriending:**|There is always a steady flow of clients needing this service but currently mainly a|
||‘Telephone Befriending’ service, which, hopefully, will change as the Covid|
||restrictions allow.|
|**Elderberries:**|We hope to start to be allowed to re-open our Elderberries’ Cafés in September|
||2021.|
|**Trusted Trades:**|Trusted Trades continues to be a popular service to our clients which was initially set|
||up to protect older people from rogue traders.|
2
- **Lifeline24** : We have partnered with Platinum Award winners Lifeline24 who offer an alarm and pendant Telecare service provided to us at a good discount which we pass onto our clients. We remain the most cost-effective supplier of this service.
## **Plans for the Future:**
We are hoping that we will be in a position to launch the following services in the not-too-distant future:
## **Domiciliary Social Care**
This service will provide the personal care support which would work alongside our Home Support Service. There is a great need for a service within our community where the provision presently on offer is very often not of good quality. This service will be across a seven-day week providing assistance with washing and dressing, feeding, a put to bed service and medication administration.
## **Home from Hospital Service**
This service is intended to avoid the scandal of isolated older people being discharged after lengthy stays in hospital to a home without warmth or food. With the client’s permission, we will ensure their home is clean and warm, the fridge cleaned and fresh groceries available. On discharge day, the client will be collected by one of our volunteers and settled into their home with a cup of tea before being left safe and secure. This service will be launched once our Domiciliary Social Care is in place to allow a smooth transition as part of the hospital discharge service for the patients that are referred to us.
## **Appointment Transport**
The Appointment Transport service will use a trained and DBS-checked volunteer to collect a person from their home, take them to their appointment and then return them home, offering them a cup of tea and ensuring they are comfortable before departing. The volunteer may also accompany the older person to their appointment if required. There will be a small mileage charge for this service.
## **Advocacy**
Our advocacy service will provide assistance with simple form completion, general household administration (including the payment of bills) as well as a supportive voice when necessary. It will also signpost older people to other organisations where specialist help is required, for example, with state benefits. This will be a free service.
## **Chaplaincy Service**
We at Evergreen understand how important a spiritual input into a person’s life can be, and how, through ill health or disability, many are unable to attend a church service or have the fellowship they had in the past. We will be working with Churches and Ministers from across the London Borough of Bexley to help fulfil the spiritual life of those who may have become lonely and isolated through situations beyond their control.
3
## **Community Links**
Evergreen continues to work together with Local Churches, Businesses, other Organisations, Social Services and the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). Evergreen has become a sought-after provider of care in the Bexley Borough, and we believe that together we will make a difference to our community.
## **Public Benefit**
The landscape of Social Care is rapidly changing and with the cutbacks in funding and lack of resources, Evergreen Care UK will continue to position itself to meet the challenges that lie ahead for the care of older and vulnerable adults in the community. The aim of the charity is to improve quality of life, encouraging independence as much as possible, but meeting the needs, whether large or small, that arise as people become older and less able to cope with life.
## **Resources**
A small portion of Evergreen Care UK’s work is funded by charges made to our clients. However, as a Notfor-Profit organisation any funding by charges made to our clients only covers the operating costs to provide such a service. Consequently, the income generated by our charges is supplemented by generous donations from trusts, individuals, local churches and local companies that enable us to provide a wide range of services at a reasonable cost. The Befriending service is provided free to the client.
## **Control Systems**
Evergreen Care UK’s Trustees have overall responsibility for ensuring that there are appropriate control systems, financial and otherwise, which provide reasonable assurance of:
- efficient and effective operation;
- protection against unauthorised use or disposition of assets;
- maintenance of proper records with the provision of reliable financial information;
- compliance with relevant legislation and regulation;
- compliance with GDPR 2019.
## **Risk Factors**
With the establishment of a Risk Register, the Trustees regularly review the various areas of risk. It is recognised that the areas of risk fall into two overall areas of finance and infrastructure (income, expenditure, office space, equipment, ICT and security); and personnel and operational issues (recruitment, training, provision of services by volunteers and staff; health and safety; management systems; employment legislation issues; vulnerable adult protection and confidentiality).
The Trustees have mitigated the finance and infrastructure risks by:
- ensuring there is no over-reliance on any one funding source or fixed term income;
- ensuring systems exist to combat the threat of computer viruses and loss of information;
- having a list of financial controls in place;
- ensuring appropriate insurances are in place for buildings and staff.
4
The Trustees have mitigated the personnel and operational risks by:
- maintaining appropriate insurance;
- having appropriate policies and training to cover employment and health and safety legislation, and vulnerable adult protection and confidentiality – all staff are required to be familiar with these policies. External HR support has been appointed since the launch of our Home Support Service;
- ensuring all those who will be working with vulnerable people are DBS checked;
- ensuring Evergreen Care UK is fully compliant with all its statutory and legal requirements.
## **Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees**
The Trustees are normally appointed for three-year terms at the Annual Meeting. Should a casual vacancy occur, then a Trustee may be elected to fill the remaining term of that vacancy. Trustees retire by rotation and, if nominated, are able to offer themselves for re-election at the Annual Meeting.
The Trustees bring a range of professional and voluntary experience. The Trustees will consider the mix of skills and experience represented amongst them and, when appropriate, seek to maintain a broader mix by actively seeking nomination for suitably experienced individuals.
## **Responsibility of the Trustees**
Charity Law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the charitable company as at the balance sheet date and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including income and expenditure, for the financial year. In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees should follow best practice and:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis, unless it is inappropriate to assume that the company will continue on that basis.
The Trustees are responsible for maintaining proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company. The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
## **Members of the Trustee Board**
Members of the Trustee Board, who served during the year and up to the date of this report are set out on page 3 of the Year End Accounts.
Approved by the Board of Trustees on: 10[th] November 2021
and signed on its behalf by:
Keith P. Coleman – Chair
5
## **EVERGREEN CARE BEXLEY**
## **(Registered as Bexley Churches Care Trust) YEAR END ACCOUNTS**
**FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 2021**
**Charity Registration No: 1154595**
## **Evergreen Care Bexley**
## **Financial Report year ended 31st March 2021**
## **INDEX**
|Charity Information|3|
|---|---|
|Balance Sheet|4|
|Income and Expenditure Account|5|
|Statement of Financial Activities|6|
|Notes to the Accounts|7 & 9|
|Independent Examiner's Report|10 & 11|
Page 2 of 11
## **EVERGREEN CARE BEXLEY Charity Information**
|**Trustees**|Keith Coleman (Chair)|
|---|---|
||Chris Bryant|
||Rebecca Kinsambwe (Hon. Treasurer)|
||Damilola Adewuyi|
||Esther Amaning|
||Gordon Raggett|
|**Charity CEO**|Peter Kot|
|**Charity Secretary**||
|**Charity Number**|1154595|
|**Registered Address**|22 The Pantiles|
||Bexleyheath|
||Kent|
||DA7 5HD|
|**Bankers**|Metro Bank|
||66-68b The Broadway Shopping Centre|
||Bexleyheath|
||DA6 7JN|
|**Independent Examiner**|Pomfrey Accountants|
||The Coach House Unit 42|
||St Mary's Business Centre|
||66-70 Bourne Road|
||Kent|
||DA5 1LU|
Page 3 of 11
## **Evergreen Care Bexley Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2021**
|**2021**
Notes
**Current Assets**
Debtors
6
£12,539.26
Prepayments and Accruals
£27,144.41
Cash at Bank and in Hand
£151,469.20
Balance
£191,152.87
_Less Liabilities_
Payroll liabilities
£14,350.54
Creditors
£4,539.93
Accruals
£187.91
£19,078.38
**Net Assets**
**£172,074.49**
**Accumulated Funds**
Unrestricted funds
Designated funds
£165,132.32
Restricted funds
8
£6,942.17
**£172,074.49**
**Mr. K. Coleman**
**R. Kinsambwe**|**2020**
£19,910.53
£13,336.08
£28,427.97
£61,674.58
7,506.48
5,772.83
1,014.82
£14,294.13
**£47,380.45**
£40,438.28
£6,942.17
**£47,380.45**
**Chair**
**Treasurer**|
|---|---|
Page 4 of 11
## **Evergreen Care Bexley**
## **Income and Expenditure for the Year End 31st March 2021**
|**Income:**
Donations (Friends of Evergreen)
Collection Boxes
Other Donations
Tesco Bags for Life Fund (Restricted)
Co-Op Fund (Restricted)
Charles Haywood Foundation (Restricted)
Albert Hunt Trust (Not Restricted)
Gordon Family Fund (Restricted)
William Kendall Charity (Restricted)
HMRC Gift Aid Repayment
Charity Fundraising Events
Elderberries Project
Lighthouse Project Donations
Home Support Service Income
Gardening Service Income
Other Receipts
Bank Interest
Misc. Income
Operations-re-imbursement
Memorial & Legacies
**Expenditure:**
LifeLine Costs
Home Support Service Costs
Befriending Service Costs
Clean Team Costs
Gardening/Handyman Service Costs
Management and Admin Support Staff Costs
Staff - Employee NIC
Staff - Employer NIC
Staff - PAYE
Staff - Pensions - EE Conitributions
Staff - Pensions - ER Contributions
Staff - Travel Expenses
Service Review Costs
Training & Development Costs
Evergreen Family Meetings
Funding Costs/Fees
Lighthouse Project Costs
Rent
Rates
Utilities
Insurance
Safety & Security
Catering
Printing & Stationery
Postage & Carriage
Telephones & Broadband
Computer & Software
Office Equipment & Consumables
Office/Eqmt Storage Solutions
DBS Checks
Independent Examiner's Fees
Accountancy Fees
Consultancy Fees
Professional Fees
Recruitment Costs
Advertising
Charity Fundraising Events Costs
Elderberries Café (Cost)
Server/Cloud/Web Charges
Repairs & Maintenance (Office & Store)
Tap to Donate Boxes (Fees)
Bank Fees
Trustee Meetings
Conferences, Networking Meeting Expenses
Subscriptions
Bad Debt Write Off
Misc. Expenditure
Surplus/(Deficit)|**2021**
£10,759.92
£192.24
£170,033.75
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£1,570.91
£353.15
£0.00
£14,625.00
£507,631.52
£31,192.66
£0.00
£94.52
£13,275.36
£0.00
£837.00
**£750,566.03**
£189.96
£342,335.16
£22,774.03
£0.00
£19,708.25
£79,905.22
£12,081.84
£13,235.31
£16,505.87
£4,719.38
£3,124.28
£15,474.33
£0.00
£497.00
£0.00
£9,527.56
£0.00
£6,000.00
£0.00
£1,972.59
£2,220.12
£223.93
£0.00
£1,476.95
£1,045.69
£3,561.84
£14,332.56
£2,373.95
£0.00
£1,660.75
£0.00
£4,837.92
£2,732.14
£350.00
£2,160.00
£645.35
£40.00
£0.00
£2,141.76
£981.61
£0.00
£3,927.37
£0.00
£0.00
£308.00
£55.50
£1.15
**£593,127.37**
**£157,438.66**|**2020**
£10,564.29
£1,428.40
£35,169.44
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£2,145.80
£0.00
£1,764.20
£8,292.53
£3,872.25
£15,295.00
£441,488.44
£46,506.72
£512.62
£14.07
£139.61
£300.00
£100.00
**£567,593.37**
£199.97
£378,671.34
£16,619.78
£0.00
£48,987.79
£65,681.76
£26.36
£975.72
£0.00
£6,363.97
£44.00
£5,801.41
£574.56
£1,154.36
£960.58
£125.75
£0.00
£1,622.31
£1,185.92
£3,137.34
£4,962.72
£67.76
£1,922.60
£2,178.75
£0.00
4538.88
£3,066.00
£270.00
£1,188.98
£2,510.25
£1,575.88
1611.6
£65.00
£0.00
£1,014.55
£0.00
420.86
£719.00
£1,367.88
£132.67
**£559,746.30**
**£7,847.07**|
|---|---|---|
Page 5 of 11
## **Evergreen Care Bexley Statement of Financial Activities (including Income & Expenditure Account) for the year ended 31 March 2021**
|**Notes**
**Incoming resources**
**Donations and other**
**incoming resources**
General Donations
Donations (Restricted)
8
Other receipts
**Activities for generating**
**funds**
Fundraising income
**Investment income**
Bank Interest
5
**incoming resources from**
**charitable activities**
Home Support Service
6
Gardening Si Handyman
Services
6
Total incoming resources
**Resources expended**
**Costs of generating funds**
Fundraising costs
**Charitable activities**
Management & Administration
Staff costs
8
Office costs
Clean team costs
Befriending Service costs
8
Home Support Service
costs
6
Gardening & Handyman
Services costs
6
Training & Development
costs
8
Advertising & Promotion
costs
8
**Governance costs**
4
Insurance
8
**Other resources expended**
Meetings
Bank fees
Lifeline costs
Bad debt write off
Total resources expended
Net Surplusl(Deficit)|**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Total**
**Total**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**2021**
**2021**
**2021**
**2020**
£53,508.91
£53,508.91
£47,602.93
£142,102.00
£142,102.00
£20,872.25
15,683.27
£15,683.27
£2,816.43
£353.15
£353.15
£8,292.53
£94.52
£94.52
£14.07
£507,631.52
£507,631.52
£441,488.44
£31,192.66
£31,192.66
£46,506.72
£608,464.03
£142,102.00
£750,566.03
£567,593.37
£9,567.56
£9,567.56
£10,520.46
£96,285.58
£48,761.80
£145,047.38
£65,681.76
£46,159.69
£46,159.69
£33,136.63
£0.00
£12,261.03
£10,513.00
£22,774.03
£16,619.78
£342,335.16
£342,335.16
£378,671.34
£19,708.25
£19,708.25
£48,987.79
£497.00
£497.00
£975.72
£645.35
£645.35
£1,188.98
£2,220.12
£2,220.12
£960.58
£0.00
£0.00
£420.86
£3,927.37
£3,927.37
£1,014.55
£189.96
£189.96
£199.97
£55.50
£55.50
£1,367.88
£533,852.57
£59,274.80
£593,127.37
£559,746.30
**£74,611.46**
**£82,827.20**
**£157,438.66**
**£7,847.07**|
|---|---|
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses in the year. All incoming resources and resources expended derive from continuing activities.
Page 6 of 11
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **1 Basis of preparation of financial statements**
The financial statements have been prepared to give a 'true and fair' view and have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a 'true and fair' view. This departure has involved following the Charities SORP (FRS 102) published on 16 July 2014 rather than the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1 April 2005 which has since been withdrawn.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant notes to these accounts. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014 and Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and Charities Act 2011.
Bexley Churches Care Trust constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.
## **2 Income**
All income is recognised once the charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably.
Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Income tax recoverable in relation to investment income is recognised at the time the investment income is receivable.
## **3 Fixed Assets**
Evergreen Care Bexley has not acquired any item of any property, furniture or equipment, etc. that exceeds the threshold value of £1,000. Consequently Evergreen is not currently required to maintain a Fixed Asset Register.
## **4 Trustees Remuneration and Expenses**
No Trustee received any remuneration during the year.
## **5 Investments**
The charity does not hold any investments, neither in the name of Evergreen Care Bexley, nor in the name of Bexley Churches Care Trust, other than a Metro bank accounts were opened in September 2019.
Page 7 of 11
**6 Debtors Control Account**
Evergreen Care Bexley firmly remains a Not For Profit' Organisation. Consequently, any income it receives from Clients, in regard of its services is there to cover the administrative costs to provide such services. However, all Clients pay for the charity's Home Support, Gardening and Handyman Services in arrears, which means that at any moment in time the charity is waiting to receive monies owed. Consequently, this charity utilises the 'Debtors Control Account' facility within the electronic accounting software to manage and monitor any outstanding debt.
## **7 Liabilities and provisions**
Liabilities are recognised when there is an obligation at the Balance sheet date as a result of a past event, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in settlement, and the amount of the settlement can be estimated reliably. Liabilities are recognised at the amount that the charity anticipates it will pay to settle the debt or the amount it has received as advanced payments for the goods or services it must provide. Provisions are measured at the best estimate of the amounts required to settle the obligation. Where the effect of the time value of money is material, the provision is based on the present value of those amounts, discounted at the pre-tax discount rate that reflects the risks specific to the liability. The unwinding of the discount is recognised within interest payable and similar charges.
**8 Restricted Funds**
Restricted funds are reserves of money that can only be used for specific purposes.
## **Community Action Fund**
Amount Brought Forward Amount Received Amount assigned Amount Carried Forward £2,650.00 £2,650.00 £0.00 **Co-Op Fund - Restricted - Befriending Service:** Amount Brought Forward Amount Received Amount assigned Amount Carried Forward £5,363.00 £5,363.00 £0.00 **Ernest Hecht Charity Fund** Amount Brought Forward Amount Received Amount assigned Amount Carried Forward 2500 £2,500.00 £0.00 **Gordon Family Fund** Amount Brought Forward Amount Received Amount assigned Amount Carried Forward 2145.8 £9,000.00 £11,145.80 £0.00 **Elderberries** Amount Brought Forward Amount Received Amount assigned Amount Carried Forward 2,296.37 £2,296.37
## **Charles Hayward Foundation - Restricted - Befriending Service:**
Amount Brought Forward Amount Received Amount assigned Amount Carried Forward £0.00
Page 8 of 11
## **Better Care Fund**
Amount Amount Brought Forward Received Amount assigned Amount Carried Forward £71,400.00 £71,400.00 **LCF** Amount Amount Brought Forward Received Amount assigned Amount Carried Forward £10,603.00 £10,603.00 £0.00 **City of London** Amount Amount Brought Forward Received Amount assigned Amount Carried Forward £28,123.00 £21,113.00 £7,010.00 **Edward Gostling** Amount Amount Brought Forward Received Amount assigned Amount Carried Forward £5,000.00 £5,000.00 £0.00 **Darftford (CFG)** Amount Amount Brought Forward Received Amount assigned Amount Carried Forward £9,963.00 £900.00 £9,063.00 **Total Carried Forward: £89,769.37**
Evergreen Care Bexley would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to all our donors and funders for their valued contributions.
Page 9 of 11
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021**
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF BEXLEY CHURCHES CARE TRUST TRADING AS EVERGREEN CARE BEXLEY (the 'charity')**
We report to the charity Trustees on our examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2021.
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 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 Independent examiner'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 work or for this report.
## **RESPONSIBILITIES AND BASIS OF REPORT**
As the Trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the req('the 2011 Act').
We report in respect of our examination of the charity's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out our examination we have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S STATEMENT**
Since the charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. We confirm that we are qualified to undertake the examination because we are a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.
Your attention is drawn to the fact that the charity has prepared the accounts in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) in preference to the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice issued on 1 April 2005 which is referred to in the extant regulations but has been withdrawn.
We understand that this has been done in order for the accounts to provide a true and fair view in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting Practice effective for reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2015.
We have completed our examination. We can confirm that no matters have come to our attention in connection with the examination giving us cause to believe that in any material respect:
- 1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the 2011 Ac 2 the accounts do not accord with those records; or
- 3 the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirem that the accounts give a 'true and fair' view which is not a matter considered as part of an independe examination.
We have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in other to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Page 10 of 11
Pomfrey Accountants The Coach House Unit 42 St Mary's Business Centre 66-70 Bourne Road Kent DA5 1LU
Dated:
24/09/2021
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## **Trustees’ Report – Year End March 2021**
The Trustees of Evergreen Care UK present this report alongside the Year End accounts for the Financial Year April 2020 to March 2021
## **Mission Statement:**
Through Christian love, we seek to support older people to achieve the highest quality of life and self-worth. Leading with innovation, treating with compassion and valuing each person, we enrich lives, improve the health and wellbeing of communities, and respect and care for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of older people, bringing peace of mind to those we serve. Our mission calls us to care for the sick and disadvantaged as expressed in Matthew 25:35-40.
## **Vision Statement:**
We commit ourselves to the Christian principles on which we were founded and seek to fulfil the need for quality services and excellence in care. Motivated by our values, Evergreen will lead the way in standards of care by reaching out to the community and transforming society through the biblical model of sharing.
## **Our Values:**
|Respect:|To value every human being with due regard for their feelings, wishes and rights. To treat|To value every human being with due regard for their feelings, wishes and rights. To treat|
|---|---|---|
||others how we would have them treat ourselves.||
|Justice:|To apply Christian principles and have a genuine concern for people, to seek justice and||
||bring peace in our dealings with others.||
|Service:|To foster an ethos of care and service throughout the organisation and promote the||
||Christian Care Values of|love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,|
||gentleness and self-control into the community.||
|Training:|To guide all members of|Evergreen through training so they will be skilled, equipped and|
||adopt the correct behaviour required for their chosen area of work.||
|Partnership:|To work with others for the good of our community and to lead the way in care standards||
||and influence others.||
|Quality:|To excel in all we do, bringing confidence to our community in our service of care and||
||support.||
|Generosity:|To incline on the side of|generosity in our dealings with staff, volunteers, clients and the|
||wider community. To value it is more blessed to give than to receive.||
|Stewardship**:**|To oversee the work of Evergreen with sound governance and financial controls and use||
||God’s blessing to serve our community.||
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## **Governing Document**
Formerly, Bexley Churches Care Trust, the Charity became Evergreen Care UK on 1[st] February 2021, and remains a registered charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) registered with the Charity Commission. Charity No:1154595.
## **Foreword from the Chair of Trustees**
The year (1[st] April 2020) began in the grip of the Coronavirus Pandemic. The Covid-19 Lockdown that commenced on 23[rd] March 2020 placed the UK in strange and unprecedented times.
Consequently, we were presented with many challenges that were indeed immense and often intense. We learnt that to suggest that the Social Care Sector was forced under unprecedented pressures, did not fully articulate the actual and true representation of events. Indeed, Coronavirus touched us all on a very personal level and affecting our clients, our loved ones, our family and friends. Something we all do not wish to live through again.
Despite inevitably placing this charity in uncharted waters it did not deter Evergreen from rising to the challenge. The concern and commitment of our staff and volunteers, together with our ethos of care made Evergreen stand out from the crowd and made, and continues to make, a tremendous impact across the London Borough of Bexley and beyond.
Accordingly, as a charitable organisation which supports local older people, when we eventually emerge from the constraints of the Pandemic, we are expecting a continual increase in demand for our services over the coming years. We have and will continue to identify and launch much needed new services to compliment the range of services we already provide whilst extending our catchment area.
We would like to take this opportunity to say how much we really do value the many people and organisations that have supported us financially or by gifts in kind. We shall also continue to build relationships with local churches, many of which actively advertise for volunteers to assist with our work and have allowed us free space to hold training sessions and events.
However, the year ended (31[st] March 2021) with hope, as we began the process of emerging from the second Covid-19 Lockdown.
## **Therefore, we plan to be fully operational and very much hope to provide our valued services again soon:**
|**Home Support:**|There has been a marked interest for this service from across London Borough of|
|---|---|
||Bexley and beyond.|
|**Befriending:**|There is always a steady flow of clients needing this service but currently mainly a|
||‘Telephone Befriending’ service, which, hopefully, will change as the Covid|
||restrictions allow.|
|**Elderberries:**|We hope to start to be allowed to re-open our Elderberries’ Cafés in September|
||2021.|
|**Trusted Trades:**|Trusted Trades continues to be a popular service to our clients which was initially set|
||up to protect older people from rogue traders.|
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- **Lifeline24** : We have partnered with Platinum Award winners Lifeline24 who offer an alarm and pendant Telecare service provided to us at a good discount which we pass onto our clients. We remain the most cost-effective supplier of this service.
## **Plans for the Future:**
We are hoping that we will be in a position to launch the following services in the not-too-distant future:
## **Domiciliary Social Care**
This service will provide the personal care support which would work alongside our Home Support Service. There is a great need for a service within our community where the provision presently on offer is very often not of good quality. This service will be across a seven-day week providing assistance with washing and dressing, feeding, a put to bed service and medication administration.
## **Home from Hospital Service**
This service is intended to avoid the scandal of isolated older people being discharged after lengthy stays in hospital to a home without warmth or food. With the client’s permission, we will ensure their home is clean and warm, the fridge cleaned and fresh groceries available. On discharge day, the client will be collected by one of our volunteers and settled into their home with a cup of tea before being left safe and secure. This service will be launched once our Domiciliary Social Care is in place to allow a smooth transition as part of the hospital discharge service for the patients that are referred to us.
## **Appointment Transport**
The Appointment Transport service will use a trained and DBS-checked volunteer to collect a person from their home, take them to their appointment and then return them home, offering them a cup of tea and ensuring they are comfortable before departing. The volunteer may also accompany the older person to their appointment if required. There will be a small mileage charge for this service.
## **Advocacy**
Our advocacy service will provide assistance with simple form completion, general household administration (including the payment of bills) as well as a supportive voice when necessary. It will also signpost older people to other organisations where specialist help is required, for example, with state benefits. This will be a free service.
## **Chaplaincy Service**
We at Evergreen understand how important a spiritual input into a person’s life can be, and how, through ill health or disability, many are unable to attend a church service or have the fellowship they had in the past. We will be working with Churches and Ministers from across the London Borough of Bexley to help fulfil the spiritual life of those who may have become lonely and isolated through situations beyond their control.
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## **Community Links**
Evergreen continues to work together with Local Churches, Businesses, other Organisations, Social Services and the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). Evergreen has become a sought-after provider of care in the Bexley Borough, and we believe that together we will make a difference to our community.
## **Public Benefit**
The landscape of Social Care is rapidly changing and with the cutbacks in funding and lack of resources, Evergreen Care UK will continue to position itself to meet the challenges that lie ahead for the care of older and vulnerable adults in the community. The aim of the charity is to improve quality of life, encouraging independence as much as possible, but meeting the needs, whether large or small, that arise as people become older and less able to cope with life.
## **Resources**
A small portion of Evergreen Care UK’s work is funded by charges made to our clients. However, as a Notfor-Profit organisation any funding by charges made to our clients only covers the operating costs to provide such a service. Consequently, the income generated by our charges is supplemented by generous donations from trusts, individuals, local churches and local companies that enable us to provide a wide range of services at a reasonable cost. The Befriending service is provided free to the client.
## **Control Systems**
Evergreen Care UK’s Trustees have overall responsibility for ensuring that there are appropriate control systems, financial and otherwise, which provide reasonable assurance of:
- efficient and effective operation;
- protection against unauthorised use or disposition of assets;
- maintenance of proper records with the provision of reliable financial information;
- compliance with relevant legislation and regulation;
- compliance with GDPR 2019.
## **Risk Factors**
With the establishment of a Risk Register, the Trustees regularly review the various areas of risk. It is recognised that the areas of risk fall into two overall areas of finance and infrastructure (income, expenditure, office space, equipment, ICT and security); and personnel and operational issues (recruitment, training, provision of services by volunteers and staff; health and safety; management systems; employment legislation issues; vulnerable adult protection and confidentiality).
The Trustees have mitigated the finance and infrastructure risks by:
- ensuring there is no over-reliance on any one funding source or fixed term income;
- ensuring systems exist to combat the threat of computer viruses and loss of information;
- having a list of financial controls in place;
- ensuring appropriate insurances are in place for buildings and staff.
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The Trustees have mitigated the personnel and operational risks by:
- maintaining appropriate insurance;
- having appropriate policies and training to cover employment and health and safety legislation, and vulnerable adult protection and confidentiality – all staff are required to be familiar with these policies. External HR support has been appointed since the launch of our Home Support Service;
- ensuring all those who will be working with vulnerable people are DBS checked;
- ensuring Evergreen Care UK is fully compliant with all its statutory and legal requirements.
## **Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees**
The Trustees are normally appointed for three-year terms at the Annual Meeting. Should a casual vacancy occur, then a Trustee may be elected to fill the remaining term of that vacancy. Trustees retire by rotation and, if nominated, are able to offer themselves for re-election at the Annual Meeting.
The Trustees bring a range of professional and voluntary experience. The Trustees will consider the mix of skills and experience represented amongst them and, when appropriate, seek to maintain a broader mix by actively seeking nomination for suitably experienced individuals.
## **Responsibility of the Trustees**
Charity Law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the charitable company as at the balance sheet date and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including income and expenditure, for the financial year. In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees should follow best practice and:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis, unless it is inappropriate to assume that the company will continue on that basis.
The Trustees are responsible for maintaining proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company. The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
## **Members of the Trustee Board**
Members of the Trustee Board, who served during the year and up to the date of this report are set out on page 3 of the Year End Accounts.
Approved by the Board of Trustees on: 10[th] November 2021
and signed on its behalf by:
Keith P. Coleman – Chair
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