2020-12-31-accounts

SOMERFORD ARC CHARITY REPORT March 2020- March 2021

CHARITY COMMISSION REPORT MARCH 2021 Relating to the performance of the: ~~T~~ es

Somerford ARC Community Centre 20 Southey Road Somerford BH23 3EH Charity No. 1156427 T: 01202 470770 E: [e-mail]

W: www.somerfordarc.com

SOMERFORD ARC CHARITY REPORT March 2019- March 2020

REPORT TO CHARITY COMMISSION

Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31[st] March 2021

The trustees present their annual report and audited financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2020 and confirm they comply with the Charities Act 1993, as amended by the Charities Act 2006, the trust deed and the Charities SORP 2005.

Reference and Administrative Information

----- Start of picture text -----
Name Somerford Alliance Resource Centre
(Somerford ARC Community Centre)
Registered 1156427
Charity No
Address 20 Southey Road Somerford Christchurch BH23 3EH
Trustees Christine Hopkins
Paul Hilliard
Janet Abbot
Simon McCormack
Denise Jones
Bank HSBC
15 High Street
CHRISTCHURCH
Dorset
BH23 1AF
----- End of picture text -----

Governing document

Somerford Alliance Resource Centre (Somerford ARC) is constituted as a CIO registered with the Charity Commission 28 March 2014. It is governed by a Constitution dated 6[th] January 2014 and amended on 26[th] March 2014.

Organisational structure

The charity trustees are responsible for the general control and management of the charity. The trustees give their time freely and receive no remuneration or other financial benefits.

The trustees meet as a body monthly and are responsible for all decisions taken in relation to running the community facilities and the activities provided by the Charity.

The day-to-day management of the community facilities and projects are delegated to Trustees, Volunteers, a paid Office Manager and Office Assistant who deal with the day-to-day general running of the Centre.

Recruitment and appointment of trustees

Currently there are five trustees and we were actively looking to recruit a new Trustee that would play a more active role within the Community Centre on day to day basis.

When we select new trustees, we will seek to identify people who regularly attend events and functions organised by the charity and are willing to volunteer to help in our broader community work. Potential trustees will be invited to attend trustee meetings as observers and will be given more details of the charity's aims and activities. Due consideration of the person's eligibility, personal competence, specialist knowledge and skills at that time.

Induction and training of trustees

When any new trustees are introduced to their new role, they will be given copies of the Constitution and a guide to the policies and procedures adopted by our charity. Several publications from the Charity Commission are also provided including the guidance on charities and public benefit and on the advancement of religion for the public benefit. This ensures that any new trustees are aware of the scope of their responsibilities under the Charities Act. When any new trustees are appointed, they will work with an existing trustee assisting on activities and projects run by the charity. After satisfactory feedback they will then be given the task of leading an activity or project, reporting progress at trustees' meetings.

Risk management

The trustees have assessed the risks the charity faces and have drawn up a risk matrix, which:

• Identifies the major risks by area of activity

• The nature of those risks

• The likelihood of the risks happening

• The measures taken to manage them

The trustees review the risk matrix regularly and are satisfied that systems are in place, and arrangements are in hand, to manage the risks that have been identified.

Insurance cover is in place and the finances of the Community Centre are kept under review. Appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, supported by regularly reviewed policies, are made for all those who work alone

with children or other vulnerable groups within the Community Centre where needed.

Objectives and activities

Our aims

The objects of the charity are set out in the charity's constitution and are summarised as follows:

Provide a community facility for the purposes of recreation, education and enjoyment principally but not exclusively for the people of Somerford and to promote through the Centre activities for the benefit of the residents of Somerford and of Christchurch

Our objectives

To further or benefit the residents of Somerford, the Grange Ward and the neighbourhood. Without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, race or of political, religious or other opinions by associating together the said residents, the local authorities, voluntary sector and other organisations in a common effort to advance education and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure time occupation with the objective of improving the conditions of life for the residents.

An important part of our strategy is Community Welfare and Education. All our community facilities, activities, classes, health initiatives, education and IT are advertised, and we welcome the participation of all in our local community. Most of our activities are free and/or supported by donations or Grant Funding. Where a charge is made- concessions are made for students, residents and pensioners.

Helping people who have moved to Somerford and to settle into the community successfully is important to us.

Use of volunteers

Volunteers are an important resource in our community work. Volunteers are involved in most of our community activities and we have over 5 people regularly giving their time, who are mostly residents. Our trustees also give their time freely. We encourage all volunteers to be involved in voluntary activities and to share their skills with others.

All those volunteers working with any projects involving children or other vulnerable groups are DBS checked and certificated where applicable. All volunteers receive full inductions and certificates in safeguarding, food hygiene and first aid.

Activities and achievements

How our activities deliver public benefit

The charity carries out a wide range of activities in pursuance of its charitable aims. The trustees consider that these activities, summarised below, provide

benefit both to those who use the community facilities and the wider community of Somerford and Christchurch.

Community activities

We provide a community facility for the purposes of recreation, education and enjoyment principally but not exclusively for the people of Somerford and to promote through the Centre activities for the benefit of the residents of Somerford and of Christchurch

When considering the activities and events held at the Centre the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit and to that end we try to ensure that events and activities are provided to ensure that the local residents and other members of the Grange Ward community have access to free events and skills and learning courses. This includes both the young and elderly members of the community.

Our community hall and rooms provide a valuable educational and recreational resource to all in our local community. A wide variety of activities are organised and take place from our community Centre.

Hall and rooms

----- Start of picture text -----
HALL IT SUITE SNUG
 Capacity 100 people  Equipped with 12  comfortable room
 Disabled access computers with with two settees and
webcams and an armchairs
 Large stage available network
printer  smart television

Projector  48inch television
 ideal for small

tv and computers
interactive groups, meditation and
 interviews
Large conference
table seating 11

capacity: 20
----- End of picture text -----

When facilities are not required for community use, they are available for hire on Commercial terms and subsidised for residents.

In developing our community programs, we are pleased to work in partnership with:

• BCP Council

• Bournemouth & Poole Skills & Learning

• Sovereign Housing Association

• Citizens Advice who provide advice to residents on debt, law, courts

• Citizens Advice Universal Credit Support

• BCHA Poole Refuge

YEAR - MARCH 2020/2021

New and current Sessions run by Somerford ARC

• Community Lunch and Transport . Over 51% of over 75s in the UK live alone and use television as their main company. In 2018 it was documented that Christchurch has the highest population of over 85s in the UK. These figures emphasise the challenges of isolation faced within our local area. Our focus is to provide regular activities and remove obstacles ensuring all residents can attend and participate. Our weekly lunch club brings people together keeping them mentally engaged and help maintain good emotional health. We can remove the Barriers of accessibility with a door to door bus service partnering with Christchurch Community Partnership. Our groups are created with the aspiration to uplift spirits with enjoyable and memorable days out Weekly footfall: 60

• ADaPt Café . It is estimated 13,101 people in Dorset over the age of 65 years have suspected dementia. Our ADaPt Café is a weekly support group for people living with Dementia, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and their carers. We continuously research to ensure users are getting all the benefits and support they are entitled to; offering emotional support outside the group if they need us through the tougher days. Exercise class to help improve mobility of joints, strengthen muscles and enhance mood and frequent crafting sessions allow users to bypass language barriers and express themselves through art. Those living with dementia can still experience sensation, relaxation and reminiscence, we have recently added a magic table, its games are specifically designed to stimulate all these three areas. Carers can feel emotionally isolated, and actively ignored at worst and may feel that people around them, can no longer listen to yet another account of the life they are now leading. We have an onsite counsellor available during sessions to support users. Weekly footfall: 30

• Breakfast Hub and Children’s Activities. 80% of mums under 30 meets with friends less due to lack of finances and obstacles with childcare. Ongoing loneliness and isolation for parents, makes them far more susceptible to anxiety and depression. Holidays can be stressful to low income families, financial hardship brings periods of isolation and inactivity, seeing declines in children’s well-being. Our activity days are affordable fun crafting sessions made accessible to all. With the rise in use of local food banks and reports that 1 in 7 children are going to school without breakfast, we opened a term time breakfast hub for preschool children and parents after the school run, bringing parents together, with the additional benefit of bringing smaller children to play in a social environment improving their self-development. We aim to reduce isolation in this age bracket, providing affordable activities with the opportunity to signpost and support hard to reach families Weekly footfall: 25-50

New and current support services

• Bournemouth and Poole Skills and Learning . The area has a high level of long-term unemployment and increasingly younger people are struggling to find work. Poor educational attainment, skill gaps, lack of self- confidence and self-worth are typical of the challenges we are seeing. Skills and Learning offer vocational and personal development courses, these opportunities help

users find their strengths and learn new skills, giving them a new sense of self- belief.

Weekly footfall: 10

 Weekly Support Drop in.

• Computer support

• Citizens Advice

• Sovereign Housing Association

• BCP Council Housing Team

Our drop in allows existing services to work together in a more integrated way, offering face to face support without an appointment. Experienced advisers from Citizens Advice specialise in matters varying from law and courts to debt. Sovereign Housing and BCP Housing provide housing advice to those in need and give tenants and applicants the opportunity to meet with their team. We have recently been joined by a Citizen’s Advice Universal Credit specialist. We can see up to 60 people accessing this drop-in service a month with numbers continuing to rise due to the ongoing Universal Credit complications. Providing this user friendly, an easily accessible service reduces stress and anxiety Weekly footfall: 20

• Dorset Mind Your Head. Nationally 1 in 10 children and young people needs support or treatment under mental health. Dorset Mind provides a programme aiming to equip young people to have the resources, tools and support they need to build resilience and learn how to deal with difficult emotions. Dorset mind offers a six week 1:1 counselling programme. Waiting lists for mental health support cause long delays that can lead to selfharming, a fall out of education and family breakdowns. To reduce the pressures on this service Dorset, Mind Your Head run a weekly drop-in group open to children and young people before and after there is a need for specialist support. seventy per cent of children who are experiencing a mental health condition don’t receive the proper support they need, Dorset Mind and Dorset Mind Your Head work together in a bid to ensure all children relate to a support system. Aiming for children and young people be as mentally healthy as possible Weekly footfall: 8

• BCHA, Poole Refuge. The National Centre for Domestic Violence has

• recorded “Through the period of March to September we have seen an overall increase of 21% of incoming requests when compared to the same period in 2019; a considerable rise but what is even more significant is the 52% increase in requests for help from male domestic abuse victims. The number of male victim’s requests we have received over the last 5 years is around 7% of the total number of requests received, this number has risen to 10% for March to September 2020, that’s an increase of almost 50%”. Sadly, it has been highlighted that there has been a sudden rise of male victims within the area of Somerford. BCHA offer a drop in for male survivors of domestic violence. Providing a safe environment for males to talk about or seek advice relating to their experiences of domestic violence. It has been highlighted that there has been a sudden rise in male victims within our local area.

• Citizens Advice Money Talks. The Somerford estate has 4,875

• residents and is in the top 20 percent of deprived areas in the UK. Local food banks evidence the financial struggles within the area. The number of people being helped is drastically rising, over 800 people in Christchurch were helped through the “summer school Holiday Hunger scheme” two thirds of which were children. Universal Credit is seen as the main driving force in creating the increase in the number of emergency supplies handed out. The new payment scheme is leaving claimants on a five-week minimum wait for their first initial payment, although it is not unusual to see applications take as long as 10 weeks, resulting in families having no choice but to turn to local food banks. People already on low incomes are plunging into rent arrears, debt and in some cases homelessness and due to ongoing job losses due to businesses folding more families are facing some very uncertain times, entering the already complicated benefit system. Citizen’s advice can advise and guide families on money worries and debt advice.

• Councillor Surgeries . For local Councillors of the Grange Ward to

• provide support and advice to residents

• Digital Champions. Free computer support

• AA Group

New and Current Groups and classes:-

• Boogie Bounce. Exercise programme using mini trampolines

• Slimming World . Local weight loss support group

• Kickstart to Fitness . Fitness class for all abilities with Sofiactive

• Fit Club 60+ . Fitness class for over 60s with Sofiactive

• Zumba Gold Low Impact class for over 50s

• Children’s Tap. Beginners tap with Maria

• Zumba . High impact exercise group

• Lawlor School of Dance. children’s ballet all levels

• C&H Dance. Ballroom dancing

Annual Events

• Christmas Lunch: Dorset Community Payback to serve Christmas Dinner to our service users it’s a chance for everyone to get together have a glass of wine and enjoy the festivities with Highcliffe School Choir. In compliance with COVID-19 regulations this event was unable to go ahead in 2020. Somerford ARC Community Centre in its place was able to gather donations from Christchurch Rotary Club and ASDA to ensure services users who we knew were alone at Christmas received doorstep delivery gift bags.

• Free Santa’s Grotto. Each year we recreate a commercial grotto for families who wouldn’t ordinarily be able to afford to have this experience, so children don’t miss out on this magical time of year. Our grotto is built over a two day period. We are normally joined by Jules the Entertainer and families enjoy free refreshments and mince pies. We have been lucky enough to receive presents from Wave 105 Mission Christmas, enabling us to offer this event free to families, with local businesses supporting us by donating prizes so every

family that attends can be entered into a free raffle. Due to COVID-19 regulations our 2020 grotto was unable to open. Somerford ARC Community Centre in its place gifted family movie night packs too hard to reach families in our local area.

• Christmas Lunch 2019 . Serving 70 meals to isolated members of the community. This is catered on site by Christchurch Community Partnership. Due to COVID-19 regulations this was unable to go ahead in 2020. Christchurch Community Centre gathered volunteers and donations and delivered gift packs and mini Christmas trees around the community.

• Waterman’s Park fun day . This event is run solely on funding. Activities on the day are free for the enjoyment of predominately- but not exclusive to low income families of the Grange Ward. Providing the opportunity for residents to use the park, meet people and enjoy activities and entertainment without the concerns of financial hardship. This presents the opportunity to advertise our low cost children’s activities, community lunch club and ADaPt Café too hard to reach residents. This also gives us the chance to interact with residents and families about what activities they would like to see within the community. Due to COVID-19 regulations this event was unable to go ahead in 2020 and 2021 the event will resume in 2022 with the support of Christchurch Rotary Club.

Organisations working with us

• Skills and Learning. Weekly Job Club

• Police and PCSO’S. To ensure our residents are safe and happy and can communicate easily with the police.

• Dorset Community Action. We work with Lyn Jefferies who works in our community engaging people that use the ARC to get involved.

• Local Councillors

• David Jones – Christchurch Town Council

• Janet Abbott – Town Councillor

• Simon McCormack- Ward Councillor and Town Councillor

• BCP Council. Drop-in support for housing.

• Fred Boucher. Training Courses.

• Somerford Children’s Centre. Ensuring partnership working

• Christchurch Family Partnership Zone

• Local Schools. Advertising events and support through parent mail

• Christchurch Community Partnership

• Christchurch Library . Referrals and advertising

• Free use HQ Community. Free preloved school uniform pop up shop

• Christchurch Rotary. Provide volunteers and help and support the ARC

• McDonalds Somerford. Support and help fundraise for various projects

• BCHA Poole Refuge. Drop in for male survivors of domestic violence.

• Sovereign Housing Association. Drop-in support for tenants.

• Citizens Advice. Various drop-in support sessions.

Going Forward in 2021

• Our aim for 2021 is to widen our services to the local community and build a stronger relationship with parents across the community with our new groups.

We have come a long way this year, but we have so much more that we want to do in the community and our aim now is to go out for further funding to enable us to give our community more choices and opportunities.

• Skills and learning are planning further courses.

• We plan future litter picks with McDonalds and the local Scouts group.

• We are planning Waterman’s Park Fun Day in July 2022. With Christchurch Rotary. With live entertainment, inflatables, face painting, climbing walls and an animal petting corner.

• Somerford ARC is rebranding our newsletter to go out to Somerford and The Grange Ward residents to show people what support and activities are available to them. The newsletter will include information for people to have their say about the estate and what they would like to see at the ARC and around the estate.

• We are currently researching Education Services to see how we can bring home-schooled children out of isolation and into a fun environment ensuring they are able to build on their social skills.

• All hirers are hoping to resume business as usual by the end of May 2021.

• Adapt Café, Breakfast Hub and Community Lunch club hope to all resume by the end of June 2021.

• Free Christmas Grotto for 2021 with gifts and entertainment.

• SAMEE Project are joining us to provide support to lone parents seeking to become self-employed.

Financial review year to 31 December 2020 Receipts

Core monthly hire from regular users / clubs is in the region of £1,500/£1,700pm which provides us a good base. This revenue is added to by other activities run by Skills and Learning and other organisations that have been in dialogue with the office manager and the team.

We encountered exceptional drop in revenue due to the current COVID-19 pandemic as for many months hall hire ceased. Somerford ARC Community Centre has been reliant on grants and funding throughout the pandemic. We were grateful for financial support from many partners including: The Foyle Foundation, BCP Council, Talbot Village Trust, Garfield Weston Trust, Dorset Community Foundation.

Payments

As expected in completing our seventh year running the ARC expenses have increased significantly as we have undertaken maintenance, building works and general purchases.

• Under the heading of maintenance this includes building improvements, mainly covered by specific funding.

• Items purchased are practical and make better use of the available space and facilities.

• General purchases throughout 2020-2021 dropped significantly due to COVID19 closures.

• Insurance increased due to the introduction of the PRE Music Licence and the VTCT Accreditation.

• Employees and volunteers are currently renewing certifications in health and safety, fire safety, safeguarding and food and hygiene.

• Wages cover two part time members of staff.

• The bank account balance stood at £24,966 at the year end, which is down to grant funding to enhance the ARC’s facilities and for community projects in the coming year.

Reserves policy

The trustees have reviewed the reserves of the charity. Their policy is to hold enough funds to meet four months' operating costs of the Centre.

Statement of Trustees' responsibilities

The charity trustees are responsible for preparing an annual report and 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 charity trustees to prepare financial statements for each 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 the financial statements, the trustees are required to:

• Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;

• Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• State whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;

• 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 proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 1993, 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 taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The trustees for the purposes of charity law who served during the year and up to the date of this report are set out on page 1.

Approved by the trustees and signed on its behalf by:

Signed: Dated: 15-04-2021

Christine Hopkins - Chair

Countersigned: Cra Dated: 15-04-2021 Paul Hilliard - Treasurer

Somerford ARC

1156427

Receipts and payments accounts For the period 1-Jan-20 To from

1-Jan-20 31-Dec-20 To

Section A Receipts and payments

Unrestricted Restricted Endowment 2020 funds funds funds to the nearest to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ £ A1 Receipts Hire Revenue 5,270 Grants & Donations 57,276 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 62,546 Sub total (Gross income for AR) A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). - - - - Sub total - L ~~LLE~~ Total receipts 62,546 A3 Payments Council Tax 343 Telephone / Computer Fees 3,382 Gas & Electric 997 Water & Sewerage 548 Community Events 1,969 Breakfast Club 228 ADAPT club 951 Insurance/ licences 1,356 General Expenses 1,314 Maintenance 29,910 Training & Wages 21,515 Sundry Purchases 7,572 Sub total [ - ] - - 70,085 ~~ae~~ A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) - - - 9,000 - - - - Sub total [ - ] - - - Total payments 70,085 Net of receipts/(payments) - 7,539 A5 Transfers between funds - - - - A6 Cash funds last year end - - - 32,505 — Cash funds this year end ~~—__~~ 24,966

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

			Unrestricted		Restricted
Categories	Details		funds		funds
B1 Cash funds		Total cash funds	to nearest £ 24,966 - - 24,966		to nearest £ - - - -
	(agree balances with receipts and payments account(s))		Agreement Error	OK
			Unrestricted		Restricted
			funds		funds
B2 Other monetary assets	Details		to nearest £ - - - - - -		to nearest £ - - - - - -
B3 Investment assets	Details		Fund to which asset belongs	Cost (optional) - - - - -
B4 Assets retained for the	Details Computers, screens, TVs, projectors		Fund to which asset belongs	Cost (optional) -
charity’s own use					- - - - - - - -
B5 Liabilities	Details		Fund to which liability relates		- - - - - Amount due (optional)
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees		Signature	Print	Name
	p hilliard		Paul Hilliard
	c hopkins		Chris Hopkins

----- Start of picture text -----
CC16a
----- End of picture text -----

2019

to the nearest £

21,506 66,507 - - - - - - 88,013

88,013

607 1,195 1,657 324 6,069 12,500 4,065 5,177 2,543 23,428 8,319 65,884

9,000 65,884 22,129 - 10,376 32,505

Endowment funds

to nearest £ - - - -

OK

Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - -

Current value (optional) 9,000 - - - - - - - - When due (optional)

Date of approval 03.06.2021 03.06.2021

li ![ I l Ilikj l= Il,jl [£1 E t2