Friends of Herbert Thompson: A Trustees’ Annual Report 2023 -2024
Reporting Period: 1[st] September 2023 – 31[st] August 2024 Charity Registration Number: 1154690
## **Charity’s Purpose and Structure**
The charity exists to advance the education of pupils at Herbert Thompson Primary School, specifically by:
1. Developing effective relationships between staff, parents and others associated with the school
2. Engaging in activities or providing facilities or equipment which support the school and advance the education of its pupils
## **Trustees**
- Chair: Mrs Sheena Marsh
- Trustee: Mrs Ann-Marie Gouveia
- Trustee: Ms Ceri Perry
- Trustee: Mrs Sabrina Amor
- Trustee: Ms Joanne Page
## **Key Activities and Objectives**
## **Herbie’s Hut – Community Shop**
Herbie’s Hut offers over £20 worth of food on a “Pay as you can” basis and provides emergency food parcels. Thanks to funding, the shop operated twice weekly during school holidays.
We also hosted a monthly drop-in service with a money advisor offering critical support in housing, debt, and financial management. Our holistic approach involved collaboration with health visitors, social workers, speech and language therapists, behaviour support teams, sensory needs teams, and educational psychologists to meet the diverse needs of our families.
## **Cooking Together & Family Days**
A six-week “Cooking Together” initiative enabled families to prepare nutritious meals and build practical cooking skills. Weekly Family Days invited parents, carers, and community members to engage in fun, skill-building activities that fostered stronger family bonds and community connections.
## **Summer Club Expansion**
Friends of Herbert Thompson: A Trustees’ Annual Report 2023 -2024
Our summer club expanded from three weeks to include every Friday during the summer break. Participation doubled from 40 to 80 pupils. Weekly Family Days enhanced community engagement and provided shared learning experiences.
## **Food Access & Community Support**
- 140 grocery bags (worth £30 each) distributed
- 16 emergency food parcels issued
- 15 foodbank vouchers provided
- Health Visitors accessed the shop to support families in need
These efforts significantly reduced food insecurity and strengthened community ties.
## **Family Room Refurbishment**
The Family Room was fully refurbished and now serves as a safe, welcoming space. We launched EmpowerHer, a community group supporting English learners through cultural exchange, cooking, and a new knitting course.
Over 60 adults completed accredited courses in:
- Food and Nutrition (Level 2)
- Childcare (Levels 1–3)
- Family Cooking
- Family Learning Together
We also introduced a community lending library to promote literacy and lifelong learning.
## **Achievements and Public Benefit**
Our initiatives have:
- Strengthened family and community bonds
- Reduced food insecurity
- Supported adult education and aspiration
- Provided vital financial and emotional support
- Created inclusive spaces for learning and connection
The high level of participation and feedback from families reflects the deep impact of our work.
## **Financial Review**
- National Lottery funding supported the Family Room refurbishment
- Community Foundation Wales funding enabled the extension of the summer club and continued operation of Herbie’s Hut during the summer break
Friends of Herbert Thompson: A Trustees’ Annual Report 2023 -2024
All funds were used to directly benefit pupils, families and the wider community.
## **Future Plans**
We aim to refurbish the remaining section of the school’s PESS Hut and convert it into a Preloved Shop offering:
- Essential clothing and school uniforms
- Stationery and household items
- Access to computers and a phone line
This initiative will support families in reducing poverty, accessing employment, and improving quality of life.
## **Charity Commission**
## Charity Commission Annual Return 2023
## **FRIENDS OF HERBERT THOMPSON**
Charity registration number: 1154690
**Most of the information you give in this form will become publicly available on the Register of Charities. Any field that the Charity Commission will not display will be clearly marked. This document is a record of the information provided in the Annual Return 2023.**
## **Financial period** ~~ee~~ **Financial period start date**
01/09/2022 Cn
**Financial period end date**
## 31/08/2023 Cn **Income and spending** ~~ee~~
**Income £** £8,925 Cn **Spending £** £2,355 ~~Ce~~
**Privacy statement** ~~ee~~
**Any information you give us will be held securely and processed only in accordance with the rule on data protection. We will not disclose your personal details to anyone unconnected to the Charity Commission unless:**
- **you have consented to their release; or**
- **we are legally obliged to disclose them; or**
- **we regard disclosure as either (a) necessary so that we can properly carry out our statutory functions or (b) necessary in the public interest.**
**We may share and disclose information about you with relevant public authorities, regulatory bodies and agencies, outside the Charity Commission but only if:**
- **we can lawfully do so; and**
- **we decide that disclosure is necessary for national security, crime detection,**
**prevention, and law enforcement, or other issues in the public interest**
**Information we collect about you**
**We will use this information:**
**To enable us to carry out our statutory functions and duties;**
**This will include the following actions:**
**(a) update, consolidate, and improve the accuracy of our records;**
- **(b) undertake crime detection and prevention and law enforcement and assist the third**
**parties specified above to investigate or prevent crime and carry out law enforcement;**
- **(c) data analysis, testing, research, statistical and survey purposes**
**Information we receive from other sources.**
**Information we receive from other sources**
**We may combine this information with information you give to us and information we collect about you.**
**We may use this information and the combined information for the purposes set out above (depending on the types of information we receive).**
**We will ensure that any such disclosure and use is proportionate; considers your right to respect for your private life; and is done fairly and lawfully in accordance with the data protection principles of the Data Protection Act.**
**The Data Protection Act 1998 regulates the use of 'personal data', which is essentially any information, however stored, about identifiable living individuals.**
**As a 'data controller' under the Act, the Charity Commission must comply with it. Any changes we may make to our privacy statement in the future will be set out in the replacement version of this form.**
**Please check back frequently to see any updates or changes to our privacy policy.**
**Declaration**
|**Your role at the charity (select one):**|**Your role at the charity (select one):**|
|---|---|
|⊠Advisor||
|**Given names**|SHEENA|
|||
|**Family name**|MARSH|
|||
|**Telephone**|02920561115|
|**number**||
|||
|**Email**|sheena.marsh@cardiff.gov.uk|
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|**Date submitted**|28/06/2024|
**It is a criminal offence under section 60 of the Charities Act 2011 for anyone to knowingly or recklessly provide false or misleading information to the commission; this includes suppressing, concealing or destroying documents.**
## **SPECIMEN STATEMENT FOR THE FUND AUDITOR**
|**NAME OF CHARITY:**|**Friends of Herbert Thompson**|**Friends of Herbert Thompson**|
|---|---|---|
|**NAME OF BANK / ACCOUNT HELD:**|**Lloyds**||
|**ACCOUNT NUMBER:**|**41425668**||
|**ACCOUNT BALANCE AS AT:**|**31.08.24**|**£ 20371.10**|
I certify that I have inspected all the records which have been made available to me relating to income and expenditure for the period ( 01.09.23 ) to ( 31.08.24 ) and that these correspond with the entries in the financial accounts.
I also confirm that the total recorded balance of all the charities accounts, as disclosed to me and as stated in the financial records at ( 31.08.24 ), accords with the bank statements and/or other official notification of balances held.
The account discloses only income that has been counted and banked. I can also confirm that the items of income and expenditure recorded in the accounts fall within the scope of the private fund.
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07/08/2025
Date
Signature: :
Print Name: Anna James
Position /
Profession: Bookkeeper / Anna James Bookkeeping
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N.B. This statement can be amended to accommodate any other records examined.