## **Annual Report** ## **1 April 2021 – 31 March 2022** Winchester Go LD Winchester Discovery Centre Jewry Street Winchester SO23 8SB T: 01962 600281 W: winchestergold.org.uk E: info@winchestergold.org.uk Patron: Lady Portal (Louisa) MBE, DL ## **Trustees** Kevin Stevens (Chair, retired November 2021) Janet Chierchia Stephen Ayling (Chair, November 2021) Rozmin Parpia Mark Chapman (Treasurer) Marjon Zoon (welcomed November 2021) Shelley Talbot (welcomed November 2021) Mary Needham (welcomed November 2021) Betty Chadwick (resigned as Trustee June 2021) ## **Aims and objectives** Winchester Go LD is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation which was registered with the Charity Commission in March 2014 and is governed by its constitution. The object of the CIO is to relieve the needs of people with a learning disability, who are resident in Winchester and the surrounding area, as well as their families, dependants or carers by: - a) promoting inclusion for the public benefit and preventing people with a learning disability from being excluded - b) providing or assisting in the provision of services for people with a learning disability to enable them to achieve their potential - c) provide information, signposting, listening and support (one to one and in groups) - d) provide resources for the development of services to promote daily living, education, training, work readiness and employment - e) provide resources for the development of recreation, sports and leisure activities - f) promote good practise to enable people with learning disabilities and their families to have a “voice” at local, county and national level - g) work in partnership with others to fill any identified gaps in provision, which could benefit people with a learning disability, their families, dependants or carers ## **Reserves Policy** To sustain its activities and in line with the Charities Commission’s recommendations, the CIO has designated a base reserve of unrestricted funds of **six months’ operating costs** . The unrestricted funds above the reserve can be spent by the Trustees to meet its aims and objectives. Restricted income funds are only spent only for the particular purpose set out by the donor. 2 ## **Report** Winchester Go LD enables adults with learning disabilities (our “members”) to live life to the full with the independence and choices that they want. We form strong, long-term and trusted relationships with our members. We have a strong focus on mental and physical wellbeing. We provide a range of regular one to one and group activities, small group workshops, life skills training, community advocacy and referral or signposting to other appropriate statutory and voluntary organisations. Winchester Go LD also offers a network of support for the families of our members. Membership has grown by 21% this year, we have over 159 members living in Winchester city and surrounding district (of those 103 have actively engaged with us in the last 12 months). We are the leading local not for profit organisation in this field. We help people with learning disabilities and their families who are trying desperately to bridge the gap between the services provided by the local authority and what is practically required. Through a person-centred approach, we help our members to reach their goals and to aspire to set new goals. We are proud of the positive difference we make to our members' lives, and we are acutely aware of the increased demand for our services. We have experienced an increase in both the number and the complexity of issues presented to our staff team at Winchester Go LD. There are many different external pressures and challenges that our members have faced this year. It’s especially important that we’re here to help, as change is particularly difficult for people with learning disabilities to cope with. ## _**Additional pressures on Winchester Go LD members 2021-2022**_ - _Covid-19 pandemic (the effect of the pandemic on our members, their families, support providers and Adult Services has been significant. Covid-19 continues to exert huge pressure on an already stretched sector)._ - _Brexit (in particular the consequence this has had on the support workforce)._ - _Hampshire County Council retendering of support packages (and the staff and routine disruption and issues resulting from changes in support providers)._ - _National support worker recruitment crisis._ 3 ## **Our Services** Winchester Go LD promotes self development, friendship, self confidence, creativity and learning. We also like to have fun! We have a range of weekly and monthly activities and we provide advocacy, information, safeguarding and skills workshops. We respect and promote the rights of people with a learning disability and their families to speak up on issues. ## • **Advocacy** There has been an increase in the need for advocacy work. Our members are individuals, each with a unique set of ambitions, needs, frustrations and concerns. Working with our members and the people who support them is a key part of Winchester Go LD’s provision. We have developed long and trusted relationships with members, enabling us to provide comforting, reliable and a personal centred service at a time where so many other variables are changing. ## • **Online activities** During lockdown we noted how well our Zoom groups enabled us to engaged with members who struggle to attend our face to face groups. Many of our members adapted well to online activities and they have developed more IT skills as a result. For these reasons, since the lifting of lockdown we have continued to offer an online program. - Monday afternoon tea - Tai Chi - Thursday fit class - Sign with Steve* - Go Live Facebook Broadcast *Sign with Steve is a Makaton signing choir led by Steve Maloney. These popular sessions were introduced to the charity in April 2021 by Winchester Go LD member, Joseph. 4 Our Go Live Broadcast, led by members, James and Jane has interviewed guests including Winchester Go LD trustees, volunteers, staff, our partner organisations and our local MP, Steve Brine. We have continued to reach out to family carers. We hosted two online evenings this year; an introduction to our Wellbeing project and an additional focus on health (mental health and communities against cancer). ## • **Face to face activities** We were delighted to return to our regular face to face activities. Based in the community space of the public library (The Arc), these are sociable, fun and creative. We exchange ideas, discuss current issues and share information about upcoming events. - Tuesday drop in - Friday funky lunch During library’s refurbishment over the winter of 2021/22 our face to face groups were moved across the road to St Peters Church meeting rooms. We are enormously grateful to the team at St Peters for making us feel so welcome. 5 ## **Walk and Talks** Walk and Talks continue to be a popular and valuable service offered by Winchester Go LD. Our staff and volunteer team delivered 438 Walk and Talks to 34 Winchester Go LD members between April 2021 and the end of March 2022. Monthly Go Socials have included pub trips, walks around Winchester, online and face to face discos. We have welcomed the opportunity to get back to evening socials in our local community. 38 Winchester Go LD members have attended Go Social events this year. 6 ## **Summer trips** We were able to relaunch a full summer trip program post lockdown. Our trips represented the ‘hobbies and recreation module of our wellbeing project’ and were part funded by St Peter and Winchester Martyrs Covenant with the Poor group. Winchester Go LD member, Matthew, was key in supporting our funding application and sharing information about our charity to the congregation. 51 Winchester Go LD members took part in the summer trips program, trips ranged from Watercress Line in Alresford to Bournemouth Beach and local walks and pub lunches. We were joined by our team of new and experienced volunteers. Our trips enabled us to collaborate with Hampshire Community Rail (HCR) and South Western Railway (SWR) projects to Travel with Confidence and Try the Train. ## **Wellbeing project (12 month project launched Autumn 2020) and Wellbeing post pandemic project (18 month project launched February 2022).** Wellbeing is at the heart of being able to live life to the full and key to our members’ ability to thrive. Our wellbeing projects, part funded by Hampshire County Council Local Solutions and Get Going Again Grants have been separated into 6 key themes (modules). We are also very grateful to the trusts, foundations and other groups who have contributed funding in the year 2021/22 are listed later in this report. 7 - Nutrition - Relationships and Friendship - Health – physical and mental - Recreation/hobbies - Social and economic - Work, education and training We have delivered information, workshops, life skills and training relating to each of these six modules in a holistic way across all our services and activities. All 103 of our active members have interacted with our wellbeing project. We have collaborated with Munch CIC to run a series of online cookery courses. Our work with train travel and collaboration with SWR and HCR relates to the work, education and training module. Action Hampshire have worked with us with our Communities Against Cancer project which is included in the Health module. ## **The Paralympic Personal Bests 2021** Held on October 2021 at the new Everyone Active Sport and Leisure Park and University of Winchester Athletics track. The event continues to grow and this has been our biggest event to date; with 146 attendees from 14 different day services, schools and groups taking part. The event was assisted by a significant funding contribution (£2,850) from Simplyhealth. A huge thanks to the 37 volunteers from our cooperate partners at Strategic Solutions and Simplyhealth plus the many friends and families who got involved. 8 ## **Fundraising Events** Our Fundraising Committee’s highly successful Garden and Plant Fair marked our return from lockdown. Ros Nell and her team raised an incredible £10,000 (NET) at this lovely event. Many thanks to our hosts, Simon and Katie Browne for their ongoing generous support. Other successful Fundraising committee activities included the annual Bridge Tea, Wine tasting evening with Toscanaccio and Christmas card sales. Many thanks to all for their huge effort in supporting Winchester Go LD to engage with our local community while raising a fundraising total of over £17,000. We were extremely saddened by the unexpected news of Zella Smith’s death in August 2021. Zella was a lovely, passionate and long serving member of the Fundraising Committee and an accomplished artist. She is greatly missed. Thank you to Martin Smith for the generous donation of £3,400 in May 2022 following the Retrospective Exhibition of Zella’s work. 9 ## **Corporate Donations, Funders and Grants** Action Hampshire Simplyhealth Avington Golf Club Sir Jeremiah Colman Gift Trust Baily Thomas South Downs National Park Barchester Charitable Foundation Strategic Solutions Cllr Warwick St Peters and the Winchester Martyrs Gannett Foundation (Hampshire Chronicle) Think Creative Hampshire County Council Thomas Roberts Trust Hendy Foundation Tricycle Shop Lloyds Bank Foundation Winchester City Council Postcode Society Trust 7[th] Day Adventis Church A big thank you to all our donors, sponsors and supporters who make such a valuable contribution to our organisation. Without your help we would not be able to make such a positive impact on the lives of so many people with learning disabilities. On behalf of Winchester Go LD I would like thank all the Trustees, staff, volunteers and fundraisers for their hard work during these 12 months. The team at Winchester Go LD have demonstrated resilience, flexibility and ambition and I am extremely proud of how our organisation has grown and developed this year. A special thanks to Kevin Stevens, who retired from his position as Chair of Trustees in November 2021, his energy, enthusiasm and passion for the charity and in particular towards our members during his 9 years as Chair has been remarkable. Congratulations also to our members for their courage, positivity and sense of fun in all they have achieved during the year. ## _Stephen Ayling_ ## _Chair of the Trustees_ _November 2022_ 10 2022 2021 Card Sak5 F￿drIll￿ 618 17.no Il395 2m7 3* 6,722 89,132 4*77 2J45 17.no 39S J78 3*75 6,721 7rubts 6raTrts 2l176 28926 1345 55 MtMteT Saks IGDSrnootroe &kel bw5EventslGoSo￿I.GOS￿)rts P¥a PF51 knterest 2L 45 45 1,341 147 4.aos Q>rnrnu￿ty E¥￿ts ctsrnrnu￿tyGrvJP 247 466 510 20J 179 6252 510 Cthlinecornmdsx 465 279 6,2$2 T•t•l P4¢•lMs 21276 93 115 120 ￿26 100032 Card Sa Fundr*ykns Pthtlnei} p•￿DN1Gr1ntslthI￿l￿kn￿.fj￿wryk. PCP) ¥5￿1W1￿$ Genenl P4mnln8Ctyts 632 682 42a 1434 J95 4765 97.202 22J84 49,269 n,453 516 3.751 3,053 174 4,310 S74 4,752 CoTryJttlDI stsIfTr•￿n8￿dTr**I 4,320 574 2a461 96.zn 119.735 at31WXMX22 2022 20 kAcc¢)unts 11076 127.645 I￿.721 bro￿t￿￿4￿dI 19.763 125sn 145,336 55 71,145 &wllDektt>oI￿Orne￿E¥Eth￿￿e pJ#i 71 14,6151 41927 46,636 14.5to) I3.￿6 140.ni 19.763 115.573 SAI4& MChaFThn 20 LL Independent examinerfs report to the trustees of Winchester Go LD Charitable Incorporated Organisation (the "CIO") I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the CIO for the year ended 31 March 2022. Responsibilities and basi5 of report As the charity trustees of the CIO you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 20111.the Act'}. I report in respect of my examination of the CIO'S accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying OLJt my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission Ljnder section 14515llbl of the Act. Independent examinerfs statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respett- accounting records were not kept in respert of the CIO as required by section 130 of the Act,. or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connettion with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. [Sig IDarel Andra Banning, CPA, Icanadal S Ashen Close, Pine Road Chandlers Ford Eastleigh Hampshire S053 ILH