WRAP Annual report 2023 – 2024
Unit 4, Wolsey Business Park Tolpits Lane, Watford WRAPwatfordscrap@gmail.com http://wrapwatfordscrap.wixsite.com/wrap Registered Charity No 1155251
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Chairs report, Rupesh Shah
I am pleased to share with you the annual report for WRAP 2023-2024.
In this report we have a series of subsections covering
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Finance
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Volunteer members
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Sourcing and supply
Our financial report (page 6) from Sandra Mitchie provides an excellent account of our current financial position. As readers will be able to pick up from the report, we ran a reasonable surplus in the year 23/24. This continues a trend for several years of having an annual surplus. As a result our bank reserves remain strong for a charity of our size.
Figure 1 - Chorleywood Scarecrow (Alice L)
From a cost point of view, I think that there are two main reasons why our finances are healthy:
Volunteer effort and low staff costs
Our staff costs are very small relative to the size of our operations. This is because of the incredible effort of our warehouse and driving volunteers – members whose presence on a weekly basis means that other members are able to come in and avail of the scrap that is collected (page 9 for report on volunteers). These volunteer members are supported by two warehouse managers – all volunteers – who coordinate the work of the teams during the week. We clock roughly 60 hours of volunteer time a week between the warehouse and driving, or approximate under 2900 hours across the year. If we were only paying minimum wages for this time, it would cost WRAP something like £32,000 a year; not to think of the administrative effort and additional expenses associated with employment. Under these circumstances, our affordable operating model would collapse.
Low warehouse and adaptability
Property costs have for several years been kept minimal. Through the aid of our partner TuAid we have been able to occupy properties for low or no rent; whilst we have to incur other expenses related to the warehouse, this is a massive saving. Again, if we were to pay commercial rents our operating surplus would disappear
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overnight and the financial reserves that we have built up over many years would last us not much more than 3 or 4 years at most.
The reason why we can do this is because the volunteer members and committee put a huge amount of effort in thinking about the kind of space we can operate in and trying to make the spaces we have found ourselves in suitable for our membership.
Being able to do this requires time and effort and that means some other aspects of the operational ‘ environment do not get the same attention as might be Figure 2 - Bag (Jacqueline J) the case otherwise. For instance, it has been observed recently that some of our policies around disputes have not been updated. This represents a failing of governance but this failure could be balanced against the fact that we have continued to be operational through the recent move. The demands of charity management seem to increase exponentially and yet our resources remain constrained and limited. There are always choices about what to put our time and effort into and the challenge is to be able to operate within the requirements of regulations and expected norms whilst remaining a viable operation.
Figure 2 - Bag (Jacqueline J)
Member contributions and the future
Unfortunately, as reported in a recent newsletter, we need to look for an alternative site for WRAP. We are currently hoping to be able to stay in the current building in Tolpits Lane until Spring 2025 and the committee is actively searching for alternative locations for our warehouse that are affordable and feasible for our operations. If any of our members has ideas about properties, networks that we could reach out to or indeed, expertise and/or time to help with our search for properties then please do let us know.
The upshot of the two factors mentioned above is that we continue to offer good value for money to members. The rates that we charge for membership are amongst the lowest for a Scrapstore that we know about. And we remain rare in that we do not charge our members per item or by weight.
However, the need to move, will once again, occupy a lot of the time and effort of a core group of members who volunteer their time. This will put an increased strain on this team and therefore some things will inevitably not get done unless there is a growth in our capacity as a team.
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If you are reading this as a member of WRAP and feel that you have time to offer a bit of time over the next few months to support WRAP that would be very much appreciated. You can become a regular volunteer member (email the committee using our usual email address or contact one of the team at the warehouse) or
you can just help each other out a little bit when you come into the Scrapstore. ; iz &
Thank you
So, thank you for your great efforts in keeping WRAP
Current Committee Members Anna Ellul Christine Quinlan Fran Vinter Mike Pugsley Roxana Peters (Secretary) Rupesh Shah (Chair) Sandra Michie (Treasurer)
Figure 3 - Deadleg (Sarah B)
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Finance report
Treasurer, Sandra Michie
WRAP finances are healthy, with only minimal changes annually. This year our income is very slightly higher than the previous year, but our expenses were lower, thus we have a credit balance of £7,250 for the year. Of course, if we were paying commercial rental rates for the warehouse the picture would be very different.
With our financial reserve it leaves us in a good place to face the costs of moving premises, but we would not be able to cope with commercial warehouse rates for more than a short period of time. WRAP has little in the way of capital assets, being our van and the two storage containers. The van is now 11 years old (we have owned it for 7 years) so has little commercial value (see note 2 in the accounts). As it is not ULEZ compliant, the van will have to be replaced sometime soon.
During 2024 the subscription rates were revamped as Individuals 33.39% there appeared to be discrepancies amongst some of Small groups 9.21% the groups. Thus, it will be noted that the overall Medium groups 2.52% income from medium groups is low as that new level Schools/large 38.98% Admin 15.89% has just been implemented. As usual school and | large groups are the main source of income, but the multiple individual/family memberships run a close second. Most small groups are those working with youth or people with disabilities.
We had the highest recorded number of visits by members during the past year, with 5739 visits, averaging over 114 a week. At present we have 1007 active memberships at WRAP, but each of these may cover multiple people – parents with their school age children, or groups of people ranging from just a very few individuals in e.g. a craft group, to large schools.
Six years ago, all our income came in as cash, with a few by cheque. There were no bank transactions. Now debit/credit Card payments and direct bank transfers equate to 72% of the total. This, in turn changes the dynamics when it comes to both the accounting and the handling of cash on site.
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| WRAP Financial statement | WRAP Financial statement | WRAP Financial statement | WRAP Financial statement | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Financial year ** | 01 Sep 2023 | to | 31 Aug 2024 | |
| INCOME | ||||
| Bank Interest | 361.44 £ |
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| Donations | 113.44 £ |
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| WorkshopGrant/Boulevard | ||||
| MembershipFees | Renewals | 11,044.00 £ |
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| New | 5,138.00 £ |
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| Administrative | 3,058.15 £ |
19,240.15 £ |
||
| TOTAL INCOME | 19,715.03 £ |
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| EXPENSES | ||||
| Bank | Cr/Debit Card Charges | 101.66 £ |
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| Fees(Affiliation) | ||||
| Office: | Equipment Peripheral | s 250.07 £ |
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| Consumables/Printing | 94.29 £ |
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| Postage | ||||
| Stationery | 42.77 £ |
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| Sundries | 71.92 £ |
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| TOTAL Office Supplies | 459.05 £ |
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| Volunteers: | AGM & hospitality | |||
| Volunteers | ||||
| Refreshments | ||||
| Mileage | 69.00 £ |
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| TOTAL volunteer costs | 69.00 £ |
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| Propertycosts: | P/E liabilityInsurance | 196.63 £ |
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| Fire insurance/checks | 57.60 £ |
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| Rates/Tuaid | 3,380.00 £ |
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| Maintenance | 124.73 £ |
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| TOTAL Propertycosts | 3,758.96 £ |
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| Utilities: | Electricity /Gas | - £ |
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| Telephone | 191.20 £ |
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| Refuse collection | 1,325.70 £ |
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| Water | - £ |
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| TOTAL Utilities | 1,516.90 £ |
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| Vehicle & collections: | Driving | 937.95 £ |
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| Fuel | 423.35 £ |
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| Road tax & MOT | 464.85 £ |
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| Insurance/RAC | 721.93 £ |
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| Maintenance | 10.68 £ |
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| ULEZ | 600.00 £ |
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| TOTAL Vehicle costs | 3,158.76 £ |
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| Workshops | 775.00 £ |
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| Boulevard | 2,625.00 £ |
See Note 1 overleaf | ||
| 3,400.00 £ |
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| TOTAL EXPENSES | 12,464.33 £ |
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| TOTAL General INCOME less EXPENSES 2022/2023 | 7,250.70 £ |
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| WRAP Financial statement | 2023-2024 | Page 2 | |||
| Bank balance as of 31/8/2023 | |||||
| TSB 0143…. | 46,035.14 £ |
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| Shawbrook(Savings) | £51,634.37 | ||||
| TOTAL Bank b/f: | £97,669.51 | ||||
| PettyCash b/f: | 262.44 £ |
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| Total fundspreviousyear | £97,931.95 | ||||
| Bank balance as of 31/8/2024 | |||||
| TSB 0143…. | 52,555.85 £ |
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| Shawbrook | Savings | £51,995.81 | |||
| TOTAL Bank: | £104,551.66 | ||||
| Cash in hand 31 Aug 2024 | 630.99 £ |
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| Net financial worth 31 Aug 2024 | (correct with books) | 105,182.65 £ |
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| Note 1 | Boulevard of Broken Dreams | balance in hand fromgrant at end ofyear - £3,656.32 | |||
| Note 2 | Value of Capital assests: | Current value | |||
| Van | 1,072.41 £ |
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| 2x20' Containers | 6,052.50 £ |
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| Total Capital Assets | 7,124.91 £ |
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| Accountsprepared byAlexandra J. Michie | 12 Nov 2024 | ||||
| Accepted as accurate accounts for | Watford Recycling Arts Project: | ||||
| Name | Role | ||||
| Rupesh Shah Roger Kattenhorn Roxana M. Peters |
Trustee | ||||
| Trustee Trustee |
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Capital depreciation - ascertaining Book Value
| Capital depreciation | Capital depreciation | Capital depreciation | Capital depreciation | Capital depreciation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| See note 2 in accounts | 25% depreciation annually | |||
| Year | Containers | 25% | Van | 25% |
| 2017 | ######## | £2,008.50 | ||
| 2018 | £6,025.50 | £1,506.38 | ||
| 2019 | £4,519.13 | £1,129.78 | ||
| 2020 | £3,389.34 | £847.34 | ||
| 2021 | £2,542.01 | £635.50 | ||
| 2022 | £1,906.51 | £476.63 | ||
| 2023 | £8,070.00 | £2,017.50 | £1,429.88 | £357.47 |
| 2024 | £6,052.50 | £1,513.13 | £1,072.41 | £268.10 |
| 2025 | ||||
| 2026 | ||||
| See note | on accounts |
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Volunteers members report
Roxana Peters, Volunteer Co-ordinator
Every week an email sent to all the WRAP volunteers to help them keep abreast of happenings and changes in the warehouse – the email is called Snippets. The first Snippetts of the year hoped for beneficial changes in the world resulting from the huge number of elections due to be held. There was widespread hype in anticipation of massive shifts across the nations. Have they happened? Maybe the elections still to come will make things better.
However, at WRAP the volunteer members continue to make a big and
improving difference . As a result of their efforts the rooms look good (despite the lack of lighting!), relationships develop, commodities are rotated, membership continues to increase and photos of creations regularly appear on our website.
Conversations with members reveal a huge range of uses for the ‘rubbish’, which makes our efforts worthwhile, including many fabric items, such as the bag by Jacqueline (figure 2), the stage backdrop from a member school (figure 4), a teepee from Thelma (figure 5) and Halloween items, such as a scarecrow from Alice L (figure 2) and a dead leg or two from Sarah (Figure 3)).
Figure 4 - Stage backdrop
The social value of belonging to the WRAP volunteer team cannot be over stated. Over the years many of us would claim to have come to WRAP for the
companionship and goodwill that exists in the team. A chance to do something simple and beneficial for others, in sound, safe company. We each have skills and however small the world may view them we at WRAP value all of them. Initiative, imagination, pro-active ideas and the energy to make them a reality are just a few! There is also the cutting, rolling, stacking, vacuuming, washing up, coffee and tea making, cake making…the list is endless.
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We started the year with a social at Anna Ellul’s house. Anna is a member of the executive with lead responsibility for Tuesday and Wednesday teams and generously agreed to host the event at her house. The social was a great success and the social times on the occasional work-party days also underline how much volunteers welcome being part of the team.
Currently there are 30 regular volunteers (listed below) coming to the warehouse during our opening times. The number of volunteers is lower than a couple of years ago, but we lost some when we moved to Tolpits Lane (as indeed happened when we moved out of Watford to Northwood Hills 9 years ago), some have left through ill-health, moved on from DoE experience or some other change in their circumstances. We always welcome new volunteers and recently we have had two join us.
Our volunteers attend on a weekly or fortnightly basis and on average we have about 5 volunteers during each of our opening slots. We do not expect or encourage volunteer members to come more than twice a week…WRAP can become addictive.
The work is unchanged in that it changes all the time depending on what the varied donations require but the baseline of our efforts is to process what comes in and make it accessible to the members. This includes checking for foreign bodies (pins, glue, dirt) and presenting in an attractive manner which can take time and ingenuity. Then there is making space on the shelves…..
Another role has been traffic controller in the limited parking area we have now. We appreciate the obliging members who take the directions in good humour!
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Figure 5 - Teepee (Thelma) [A]
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Sharing the building with other charities has been a new experience and we find it mutually beneficial. Each has been able to help the other in a variety of ways and the experience encourages us to explore sharing in the future.
Volunteers have supported outside events though sadly fewer than last year. Due to a clash of dates several of us could not get to the Chiltern Open Air Museum event but Victoria Culf (member of WRAP and one of the group of freelance artist with whom we work regularly) came up trumps and provided good activities and a team to support her. Similarly, the Watford Green Week clashed with holidays
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and other commitments but Rupesh Shah (our chairperson) worked with Carole Pintus (another of WRAP’s roster of artists) to provide an exciting input to the event using Sissix machines.
Since moving to the current warehouse in Tolpits Lane/Wolsey we have continued regular collections and also increased our pool of drivers and shotgun companions . This has widened our catchment area and allowed us to make many more connections.
Ill health is an inevitable consequence of a group as large as WRAP’s team. Two of our volunteers are living with cancer and we continue to offer support as we feel able, delighted to see them when they manage to come to ‘the warehouse’. Apart from that, knee replacement, shoulder dislocation, covid and sundry other medical afflictions take their toll, but WRAP is a good place to be! We obviously desire a return to full health for each.
As 2025 approaches, with the probability of a move, WRAP is in a strong position to cope with anything, thanks to our AMAZING VOLUNTEERS:
| Alison | Freya | Norma | Norma |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andrea | Hillary | Peter | |
| Ann Anna Caroline |
Jane Lesley Linda and Brian |
Rosemary Sabina Sam |
|
| Chris P | Lorraine | Thelma | |
| Christina Christine |
Lou Lucy |
Tracey Traci |
|
| David | Maureen | Urszula | |
| Fran | Monica | Veronica |
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Sourcing and supplies
Mike Pugsley, Driver and Anna Ellul, warehouse coordinator
The following two accounts - by van driver, Mike Pugsley and warehouse coordinator, Anna Ellul are – are presented here to give WRAP members a picture of how we source our supplies.
Mike writes
Years ago - I forget how many - I took some rubbish to the Wiggenhall tip in Watford. On my way out I spotted a section with very interesting things stacked about. It turned out to be WRAP. I got chatting to a man called Richard (our former chair) and before I knew it I was a member (number 136). Not only that I was on the committee. It didn't take long before I was driving Richard in the van collecting things he had found riding his bicycle around Watford.
A lot of what we collected in those days was paper from the then numerous printers in Watford. This was great as paper was what our members needed most. Sadly, this has dried up as printing changed and they no longer have piles of unused paper to give us.
Nowadays it's more material rather than paper going to River Island keeps me fit pulling the bins up the slope to the van while I am there, I always look in the general waste skip.
There are some rules to this first I did ask permission which I got and in I went. A message soon came down from above I must be wearing gloves OK can do, oh and you mustn't climb in that's alright I won’t. So, then they caught me using the steps to reach over the side so that was a no-no. Still I get all sorts of interesting things out of it. Manikins, disco balls and artificial flowers. Every so often someone leaves, and they clear their desk so you get pens and rulers and all sorts of desky things.
I keep an eye open for when a company is moving out of a unit a skip will appear and they chuck out all sorts or interesting things then a new lot comes along and find they need a skip too more exciting possibilities.
I always like it when I find something they will not be expecting back at base. There is also the other benefit of driving around collecting that every so often you come across things of no use to WRAP but you can grab for yourself result.
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I am always open to new sources of goodies. My problem is I find things that only have as value to me. Like fibreglass rods, offcuts of acoustic felt half in thick and rolls of silver foil. So, if anyone can suggest new exciting places for me to visit let me know.
Anna writes
In addition to the weekly collections carried out by Mike, we are often in receipt of donations from individuals and corporate establishments.
These can range from small, single bags of remnant fabrics, clearance of craft making materials and bags of wool, to literally lorry loads of wood, upholstery and wallpaper sample books to more recently 3 van loads of vintage wrapping paper. Some of these donations are delivered directly to us whilst other donators call or email Wrap, and either myself or Traci coordinate the collection, which can be local or much further afield. We rely on our fellow volunteers to come along as "shotgun" passengers to help with the collections as they are often heavy and labour-intensive, but also, lots of fun!
We also have our members as our eyes for suitable "waste" that we can collect and reuse, and this was evident recently when a member put us in touch with an acrylic company who had pallet loads of Perspex, which we hastily collected.
We are fortunate to be able to source the wonderful materials that are saved from landfill and can be passed on and reused for so many various projects by our Wrap members.
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