STAPLE HILL COMMUNITY HUB FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022
Charity Number 1156184
STAPLE HILL COMMUNITY HUB
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022
| CONTENTS | Pages |
|---|---|
| Reference and administrative information | 1 |
| Report of the Trustees | 2 – 8 |
| Independent Examiner’s Report | 9 |
| Receipts and Payments accounts | 10 |
| Statement of Assets and Liabilities | 11 |
STAPLE HILL COMMUNITY HUB
REFERENCE AND ADMINSTRATIVE INFORMATION
YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022
Status
The Hub was registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation on 14 March 2014 with charity number 1156184.
Members of the Board of Trustees
The trustees who served during the period and since the period-end were as follows:
William Lee Chair & Treasurer Shirley Potts Vice-chair David James Sandra Holt Angela Bragg Michael Bell Sally Bartram Katie Cooper (Appointed July 2021) Lynne Pick (Appointed November 2021) Hazel Schoeters (Resigned July 2022)
Secretary to the Board of Trustees
Angela Bragg, Staple Hill Community Hub, 1a Berkeley House, Berkeley Road, Staple Hill, South Glos., BS16 5HS
Principal Office
1a Berkeley House, Berkeley Road, Staple Hill, Bristol, BS16 5HS
Independent examiner
Paul Brown FCIE DChA, Rose & Leaf Ltd, Suite 2 14 – 15 Triangle South, Bristol BS8 1EY
Bankers
Lloyds Bank Plc, PO Box 1000, BX1 1LT
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STAPLE HILL COMMUNITY HUB
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022
The Trustees have pleasure in presenting its report and the unaudited financial statements of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) for the period ended 31 March 2022.
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Appointment of trustees
Apart from the first charity trustees, every appointed trustee must be appointed, for a term of up until the AGM following their appointment, by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees.
In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the charity trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.
Annual Review of Existing Policies
To support the smooth running of the Hub, the trustees have adopted a number of policies. These act as a reference point in a variety of situations. The trustees have committed to reviewing each policy at least every 3 years, to ensure they remain up to date and relevant.
Since the start of the year, there has been a programme to carry out a high level review of each policy and the final reviews are now complete. Gaps have been identified and policies drafted to fill those gaps where required. In addition, a plan has been drafted, to carry out a rolling programme of more in-depth reviews over the next 3 years.
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Charitable purposes
To further or benefit the residents of Staple Hill and the neighbourhood, without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, race or of political, religious or other opinions by associating together the said residents and the local authorities, voluntary and other organisations in a common effort to advance education and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation leisure time occupation with the objective of improving the conditions of life for the residents.
In furtherance of these objects but not otherwise, the trustees shall have power:
To establish or secure the establishment of a community centre and to maintain or manage or co-operate with any statutory authority in the maintenance and management of such a centre for activities promoted by the charity in furtherance of the above objects.
We have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing our aim and objectives and in planning our future activities.
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STAPLE HILL COMMUNITY HUB
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022
The organisation, established in 2007, is set up to benefit residents of the Staple Hill neighbourhood in South Gloucestershire. In general, the services provided are either free or involve a small charge and are open to the general public, although the great majority of users are from the Staple Hill area. We are an independent charity working with local voluntary groups, faith groups and other local service providers to improve the lives of the residents of Staple Hill. We have and implement an Equalities and Diversity Policy to ensure our services are equally accessible to all.
Review of activities
Chairman’s report
This was a year of recovery from the severe restrictions on our activities during the worst of the pandemic. As the year progressed, we gradually returned to something like normal and in some ways went further.
Our dedicated staff returned to the office having risen to the challenges of all the upheavals of the covid restrictions. Activities like the lunch club, Job Searchers Support Group, Friendship & Exercise Clubs, emergency food parcels and Move-It Club all re-started or returned to their usual form of delivery. We had some other organisations hire space at the Hub to deliver their activities. The Christmas children’s party made a welcome return and was twice as good as we had two parties this year instead of one. The new Fresh Air & Free Food initiative that started in February 2021 was repeated in the school holidays through the year and much appreciated by many members of the community.
The Trustee Board continued to meet every month, reviewing progress, and updating policies, with meetings returning to face to face from the dreaded video-conference format. Our many volunteers continued to support our activities and we welcomed several new helpers.
Secretary’s Report
Between April 2021 and March 2022, the trustees held 9 board meetings with an average attendance of 70%. Meetings are not usually held in August and December. Our AGM was held in November, but the following general meeting had to be cancelled.
Until September 2022, the Hub was still holding meetings either by zoom or long distance, taking place outside, weather permitting.
We welcomed Katie Cooper, a local South Gloucestershire councillor in July 2021 and Lynne Pick in November 2021 to the board.
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STAPLE HILL COMMUNITY HUB
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022
Participating Organisations
Staple South Gloucestershire Council Staple Hill & Mangotsfield Ward Councillors Local Residents Salvation Army Staple Hill Partnership The Pendennis Good News Church Christ Church, Downend Great Western Credit Union Community Learning Staple Hill Methodist Church Bethesda Church Kingswood Job Centre Bristol Methodist Centre The Matthew Tree Project Staple Hill Children’s Centre Christians Against Poverty
Finance
The Hub’s finances over 2021/21 were again significantly impacted by the pandemic and the related restrictions on our activities. Over the year, however, as activities got going again, the finances also started to move back to a more usual picture. We again benefitted from income support from government schemes and very successful fundraising. The overall outcome was a useful excess of income over outgo which has increased our level of reserves. This positive position is allowing us to fund additional initiatives and also provides some cushion should finances come under strain in the future.
HR Report
As the pandemic eased during the year, staff were able to return to the office halfway through the year, albeit taking the necessary hygiene precautions. Our profound thanks go to the staff who managed this difficult time extremely efficiently and effectively.
With the pandemic continuing to affect services overall, staff managed to continue to support the hub by diversifying, taking on different roles which allowed the Hub to develop existing services such as the supply of emergency food parcels by providing certain fresh foods such as milk, bread, butter and eggs.
Supervisions and appraisals were able to be reinstated and proved effective and developing strong relationships between staff and the trustees.
Whilst staff, trustees and volunteers are comparatively small in numbers, the impact they make on the local community is enormous and again, our thanks go out to them.
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STAPLE HILL COMMUNITY HUB
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022
Policies and Procedures
Trustees were involved in reviewing seven policies this year including: Environmental Sustainability, Lettings, Supervision, Appraisal, Lone Working, Data Protection, Confidentiality and Health and Safety.
An updated schedule has now been agreed and the majority of policies will be reviewed over a period of 3 years, legislation permitting. Only the Health and Safety, Environmental Sustainability, Safeguarding and Equality and Diversity policies are reviewed annually.
By ensuring that trustees are involved in the review process it ensures that board members are regularly always updated and remain conversant with the policies of the organisation.
Volunteers
Staple Hill Community Hub relies heavily on having Volunteers to help provide the wide and varied services that they have on offer.
Last year during ‘lock down’ we were able to spend some time re-engaging with our Volunteers, establishing their availability, what level of commitment they could offer, which of our services they were particularly interested in etc. We also gained some new volunteers during the last year as individuals stepped forward to assist us with the delivery of Emergency Food Parcels to those in the community who were unable to shop for themselves due to them needing to self-isolate etc. Many of these have continued to volunteer in other roles as the Covid restrictions lifted.
The result of last year’s work is that we now have a healthy list of around 25 Volunteers that we have been able to call upon to help support our work and has proved very helpful as we look to broaden the services and events that we can offer to our community.
We are always actively looking for Volunteers to add to our list as they are essential to the ongoing success of the Hub.
Fresh Air and Free Food
Following the success of our Fresh Air and Free Food events during the previous year, we continued to run these events during some of the school holidays.
The first event this year was during the school Easter Holidays. We had a considerable donation of Easter Eggs from a few different sources including a local Church, the Job Centre and Tesco which meant we were able to give the children attending the event an egg in addition to their free breakfast. We also provided a free cup of tea or coffee for their parents. An Easter Scavenger Hunt activity sheet was also provided along with other puzzle sheets to keep the children busy. This event proved extremely popular with the number of breakfasts served over the week (and easter eggs given out!) increasing considerably on previous events. A summer holiday Fresh Air & Free Food event was also held during August and although the weather wasn’t in our favour, it still proved popular and we hope to continue these events during various school holidays into the future.
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STAPLE HILL COMMUNITY HUB
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022
Job Searchers Support Group (JSSG)
The Job Searchers Support Group reopened its doors in the middle of Quarter 2, 2021. Prior to this Julie and I tidied up the outdated paperwork, William rebooted the old laptops and we designed and distributed leaflets and posters around the area. When we reopened the doors in September 2021, the Job Centre had a universal policy of not sanctioning benefit claimants, this probably had an impact on our numbers during quarter 2 and quarter 3.
Over lockdown, many of the volunteers found new volunteering opportunities and resigned from the JSSG. Ian, who previously had been coordinating the group took a step back due to other commitments. I took on the coordinating of the Group. Alan continues to volunteer as does Ian occasionally and we recruited 3 more volunteers. By March we had a strong team of volunteers.
We have established new relationships with both the Bristol and the South Glos ‘We Work for Everyone’ who worked with two of our service users this year.
We received a donation of 4 secondhand laptops from a local charity that lost its funding over the lockdown and has closed.
The first year back after lockdown has been an overall success. We have a strong team of enthusiastic volunteers, numbers attending he JSSG increased each quarter with 60% of service users supported into work, training, or volunteering.
Staple Hill Friendship Club (SHFC)
The Staple Hill Friendship Club was able to restart this year. Attendances at the clubs quickly returned to pre-pandemic numbers so much so that we are considering starting a third friendship club in the area.
Community Lunch Club
We are very grateful to Rachel, our lunch club manager and Lynne for how well they coped with the covid restrictions and its impact on the lunch club. Numbers were still restricted due to social distancing regulations but those that were able to attend benefited greatly from the welcoming and friendly atmosphere created by Rachel and Lynne.
Great Western Credit Union (Formerly Bristol Credit Union)
We have been unable to provide this service this year despite our best efforts. William and I met with the new CEO who confirmed the newly formed Great Western Credit Union were keen to relaunch the outreach service they offer through organisations such as the Hub, however, this has yet to materialise.
Move It Club
Attendance figures remained high throughout the year despite the change of day to a Wednesday. This was the third year our volunteers, Nic Barnett and Helen Buick had been running this very successful club. Inevitably all good things come to an end when both Nic and Helen found full time employment. We wish them every success in their new careers and our sincere appreciation and thanks for all the support they have given to the Hub.
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STAPLE HILL COMMUNITY HUB
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022
Emergency Food Parcels
The Emergency Food Parcel service reverted to pre-pandemic provision; recipients were encouraged to collect parcels from the Hub if possible, however, we did deliver parcels when people were unable to collect. We provided over 100 food parcels feeding 111 adults and 50 children. We also provided approximately 30 emergency food parcel clients with Christmas hampers and an additional food parcel to support them through the festive season.
Christmas Hampers
This year, the Hub and the Staple Hill Partnership were able to provide over 30 Christmas hampers to local residents most in need of our support. Along with the Christmas treats we provided basic food items and £10 to help with fuel costs.
Children’s Christmas Parties
To comply with Covid restrictions we held two Christmas parties this year with approximately 10 children attending each party. Parents were asked to drop off and collect their children. The party tea was plated ready to hand out individually to minimize any cross-contamination.
The general consensus was that having two parties worked much better for everyone so we will be doing the same next year.
p1lace@hotmail.co.u | www.staplehillonli
In Conclusion
Overall, it was another unusual year and one in which the Hub maintained its high standards for continued delivery of much needed services for our local community. I believe we can again look back and feel proud of how we have, working together as a team, risen to the challenges we have faced and ended up doing so much for people.
Since the year end, we have started to further expand our services, as we seek to find ways to help more people. The Friendship & Exercise Club now has a new session on Tuesdays to add to the existing one on Thursdays. We have introduced a free coffee morning on Wednesdays. Perhaps most interesting is the launch of the Staple Hill Sprouts, a free gardening and nature club for children aged 7 to 11 years, with ambitions for this to develop further during the coming year. The poster with our overall set of activities now looks like this:
I am sure the people we help would be very complimentary about the Hub if asked. I was talking to a health worker recently about one of our clients and, referring to the work of the Hub as a whole, she said ‘You probably don’t realise how much good you do for people’. That is a useful thought for us all as we continue to seek to help those in need
Reserves policy
It is the policy of the Trustees to maintain the unrestricted funds, which are the free reserves of the charity that are not committed or invested in tangible fixed assets held by the charity, to a level of approximately six months of the charity’s expenditure. This represents approximately £20,000 in unrestricted funds. The Trustees believe that this represents the level of reserves necessary to ensure the effective and efficient operation of the charity for the benefit of its clients. The charity ended the year with free reserves of £64,090 this is above target level.
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STAPLE HILL COMMUNITY HUB
YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
Risk review
The trustees confirm that the major risks, to which the organisation is exposed, as identified by it, have been reviewed and systems have been established to manage these risks. Internal risks are minimised by the implementation of effective internal control procedures, which ensure both appropriate authorisation of all transactions and projects and consistent quality of delivery for all operational aspects of the organisation. These procedures are periodically reviewed for their continuing effectiveness.
Organisational structure
The charity is run by the Trustees who meet on a regular basis. Powers are delegated to officers and volunteers as and when appropriate.
Responsibilities of the Trustees
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements, and
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping sufficient accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Principal Office Signed by order of the trustees 1a Berkeley House Berkeley Road Staple Hill Bristol William Lee BS16 5HS Treasurer
Approved by the Trustees on 18[th] January 2023
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STAPLE HILL COMMUNITY HUB
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF STAPLE HILL COMMUNITY HUB
YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022
I report on the accounts of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation for the year ended 31 March 2022, which are set out on pages 12 to 13.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act)) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
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examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
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to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
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to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner’s report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and the seeking of explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and, consequently, I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
Independent examiner’s statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
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which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements:
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(a) to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and
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(b) to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act and the regulations made there under
have not been met;
or
- to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Paul Brown FCIE DChA Rose & Leaf Ltd
Suite 2 14 – 15 Triangle South Bristol BS8 1EY 20[th] January 2023
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STAPLE HILL COMMUNITY HUB
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCCOUNTS
YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022
----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted Restricted Year Ended Year Ended
Funds Funds 31-Mar-22 31-Mar-21
£ £ £ £
RECEIPTS
South Gloucestershire Council -
Service Level Agreement 23,200 23,200 23,200
Other grants & donations 11,143 9,737 20,880 32,072
Rental income 3,480 3,480 3,120
Friendship & Exercise Club 1,936 1,936 13
Lunch Club 1,515 1,515 329
Other income - -
41,274 9,737 51,011 58,734
PAYMENTS
-
Salary 17,661 17,661 16,521
Donations 20 - 20 50
Friendship & Exercise Club 2,363 - 2,363 918
Lunch club 2,432 2,834 5,266 4,120
Move It Club 82 - 82 -
-
Emergency Food Parcels 1,658 1,658 2,337
Fresh Air & Free Food 148 65 213 81
Volunteer Support costs 420 - 420 -
Christmas Events - 2,449 2,449 1,244
Queen's Platimum Jubilee Event - 802 802 -
Overheads 2,831 680 3,511 4,674
Fundraising 319 - 319 1,032
-
Staple Hill Partnership 11,000 11,000 13,750
37,276 8,488 45,764 44,727
Net of receipts/(payments) 3,998 1,249 5,247 14,007
Cash funds as at 31 March 2021 63,939 1,296 65,235 51,228
Cash funds as at 31 March 2022 67,937 2,545 70,482 65,235
----- End of picture text -----
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STAPLE HILL COMMUNITY HUB
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
AT 31 MARCH 2022
| CASH FUNDS Current account Petty Cash Total Cash Fund Assets Other debtors LIABILITIES Other Creditors Independent examiners fee |
Unrestricted Designated Restricted Year Ended Year Ended Funds Funds Funds 31-Mar-22 31-Mar-21 £ £ £ £ £ 67,857 - 2,545 70,402 65,084 80 - - 80 151 67,937 - 2,545 70,482 65,235 - - - - - - - - - - 150 - - 150 150 |
|---|---|
Signed by the trustee on behalf of the board of trustees
………………….. William Lee (Treasurer) 18th January 2023
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