Trustees Annual Return on the year 2020-21 01/06/20- 31/05/2021
Below we have summary of the projects work over the previous year. For further information contact the project via 0191 273 9700, pachwk@yahoo.com.
Other details and updates can be found on the Website: www.patchworkproject.org.uk and the project’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/PATCHWORK.PROJECT.Newcastle
Sadly we need to report the tragic and unexpected death of the long-term project manager in August 2021. This falls slightly outside of the reporting period and will be referred to in greater detail in the next return. However the trustees would like to recognise the support and extraordinary efforts by the staff team, funders and the wider community to keep the project open and functioning up to and including this period.
Each funder that we are supported by is able to take huge pleasure from the knowledge that their support has been instrumental in effecting positive change in the lives of children and young people and so the wellbeing of the community. The whole that is Patchwork Project, is indeed other than sum of its funding parts. Patchwork is a creative project making and building neighbourhood change that will last. It will last as that change is in children and young peoples lives, minds and attitudes. They will take their learning into other areas of life and neighbourhood.
We have not specifically mentioned any work funded as a distinct project, rather given themed headings for the work we do. Some grants are aimed at specific outcomes and though very important it would take up too much space to cover in a summary.
The impacts of COVID19 Pandemic
The disruption to society as a whole has continued throughout this accounting period. Patchwork adapted to the circumstances and evolving government guidelines throughout. The project followed the NYA (National youth agency) guidelines and ensuring work continued face to face as much as possible.
The country has experienced lockdowns, initially essential food and supplies scarcity and the continuing implications for mental health in coping with isolation, uncertainty, confusing regulations, over the longer term . The staff training in mental health has been invaluable. We have been able to create a supportive environment for volunteers and local sessional staff to continue to work and have positive impact.
All of our efforts have been informed by our mental health training and the need to counter the isolation related concerns that might and do arise. So, make as much face to face contact as possible and deal with people as personally as we are able to do given the restrictions.
Patchwork has provided via volunteering and new part time staff around 13 groups per week to the present time alongside one to one support for needs relating to personal/ crisis issues. This has included, but is not limited to issues of self harm, child sexual exploitation, drugs rehab, mental, physical and dental health issues, emergency re-housing, problems with gas/electric supply, violence within the home. Families with food shortages, struggling with isolation, schooling, bereavement and much more.
This style of working has necessitated an increase in the numbers of volunteers and part time staff to help in the delivery of work.
Detached work
Patchwork staff are out on the streets at night throughout the year, via what is called detached work. We catch up with many young people that we both know and get to know. There is much good work done through this approach, young people get information and advice around a range of issues. We pass on news about what’s happening in the area and beyond, what we and other agency services have on offer. Group work planning for activities and projects happens without the need to attend a physical base at all. We can and do catch up with groups and individuals, parents, grandparent’s sisters and brothers and many more. This is a vital aspect of Patchwork and youth work.
Detached allows the project to be seen on the street by other community members and agencies providing old fashioned face to face accountability. It enables us to keep abreast of current issues in the community; what is of concern or relevant at a local and neighbourhood level.
Group work sessions
Patchwork adapted to government and NYA guidelines and ran evening group work sessions in a variety of formats; generally smaller group sizes, bubbles and for those classed as vulnerable.
This saw groups for lads and lasses groups, sessions for young Roma people. The group work is a form of informal education that seeks to challenge young people to learn from group processes. These groups will change over time as group’s age and are replaced by others that form from detached or some other natural friendship grouping. We have more groups than we are able to provide actual space for so often keep them moving with support via detached and social media to plan and do things with or without us.
Holiday Programs
School holidays are a special time in children’s lives and we aim to provide some great memories with them. Each day of every school holiday we take groups of children and young people out and about on activities and visits. This year we took advantage of the government incentive to ‘eat out to help out’ as well as continuing to provide most activities outdoors or in smaller groups/ bubbles. Pools, beaches, hills and lakes, picnics, sports and skating. We travelled less far than usual and made as much use as local venues, facilities and spaces as possible. Duke of Edinburgh Camping expeditions were still held in campsites closer to home. Patchwork2 a play centre that provides a wide range of activities, sports crafts cooking and more for children between 8-12, these sessions can and do facilitate up to 40 children at a time. Our activities were adapted according to the changing guidelines and continued in lock down as we were permitted to work with vulnerable groups numbering 10-15 participants.
Drop-in and 1-1 work and into employment work
Much of this work has been adapted according to the needs of government regulations on social gathering etc. More of an ‘appointment system’ when possible, each day Patchwork
has enabled people turn up for a multitude of reasons, including crisis support. Our usual support around employment and training has been hindered by furlough and the general lack of work opportunities. Nevertheless we have supported people into ‘essential work’ including retail and the associated retail chains, at-home telephone work and care work.
Many issues of a more personal nature are supported as well. Supporting crisis access to food and medicine, the arrangement of GP appointments and accessing essential care including crisis housing support, benefits issues, help to access food including government provision to support children usually on free-school dinners. Many in the Roma community have also faced the deadline of EUSS applications following Brexit and with embassy and consulates ‘not open’ we have supported children and young people and their families to gain specialist support around this.
Working with younger ones
Patchwork does provide evening sessions for children between 8 and 12 years. Our aim is to provide space and a sense of security in which children can play and express themselves freely. Crafts and cooking, sport and foraging are just some of the things we do. Many of the children that attend these sessions become regular uses for the next 10 years or so. The sessions are run in or around Patchy2 several times per week and continued as regularly as possible
Duke of Edinburgh Award and outdoor work
We seek from using DofE to provide some young people that may have no other qualifications with a certificate that is recognised as worthwhile by employers. Often accessing the outdoors can be a brand new experience and can provide a real opportunity for young people to catch a different view of themselves. Seeing a snow covered mountain, from the top! Or waking up to a mist filled river valley can be amazing. The outdoors requires determination and team work, a slowing down and being away from the normal. At any one time we will have in the region of 130 young people on our books for the DofE. Confidence and belief in a different set of opportunities are what we see from those that take on the outdoor challenges. We have adapted our delivery in accordance with guidelines.
Patchwork 2
Several sessions run out of the play centre patchy2, Mondays and Thursdays little-uns groups with up to 40 attending for crafts, sports or other activity always end in a group meal cooked by participants themselves.
The larger space has enabled us to operate groups during this period that otherwise would have been impossible.
Patchy2 provides great storage and practice venues for of the Duke of Edinburgh work and equipment. When permitted it is hired for childrens parties and by other agencies for meetings etc. The building has some great playing areas around it, a 5 a side football pitch, play areas and a garden that is used to grow vegetables.
Many things have been piloted at the Centre some have worked others not. The main value of the centre has been to children and families, who have seen a neglected eyesore turn into a valuable community resource.
Bikes, gardens and volunteering,
Our activities in these areas have all grown throughout this period. Covid19 guidelines have encouraged outdoor activities and with little ‘open’, we have made great use of bikes to get out and about and visit nearby countryside and little known or experienced beauty spots.
Allotmenting has provide welcome mental relief for local families otherwise locked indoors.
Volunteering had included older young people taking younger children out to enable the project to keep running with smaller groups and in social bubbles.
Volunteering provides the least educationally qualified with a route to self-worth and confidence. Such opportunities can help individuals identify semi-work and self-disciplining processes. They become key aspects of CVs, helping them recognise their own employment potential. Being creative about volunteering roles to build confidence is vital to some, we will use whatever means to provide these opportunities.
Partnership and funding
Patchwork attends many city-wide forums and group to share experiences and information and learn from others. We contribute to groups that are aimed at supporting families or individuals with heightened need.
We are also part of several local level partnerships. The neighbourhood based youth projects, is one; a groups of seven from across the city. Having met for 10+years they are a strong group meeting to discuss changes to the sector that have impact across the city as well as to offer practise based support and collaborate. We are now in year 2 of a 3-year arrangement from 3 trusts, Ballinger, Sir James Knott and LGA foundation. that sees each core funding of 30k per year with some additional monies to improve collaborative working over 2 years. This year we adapted plans for joint work to share online resources and provide activity packs to local families across school-holiday periods throughout lockdown. Including Easter and Christmas.
COBs is another partnership is a group that involves community groups in and around Benwell and Scotswood. These meet several times per year to ensure that we are all aware of the work of others and are able to contribute to each other’s efforts.
Projects4change is a project Patchworks Manager Michael Bell has sought to provide support and encouragement to during its early days of set up. Operating in Cowgate and Newbiggin Hall and ran by Kelly Coates its approach has clear values that mirror Patchworks own such as its focus on neighbourhood work, youth led activities and investment in staff development. Patchwork has sought to include Projects4change in jointly beneficial training, sharing of resources and supervision.
Covid19 pandemic and lockdowns of this financial year limited some of our activities, and also made us aware of crisis needs. We responded to limits to work by staff volunteering to help with other organisations providing specialist support e.g. SEARCH, Fareshare, food distribution etc.
Our future
Consolidating the strength of the staff team. Andi Kewley (Snr youth worker at the project for 16years) has been appointed Project Manager following a period of interim manager and successful interview. The trustees are now recruiting for a new Snr worker.
We have necessarily needed to reduce our ambitions regarding community assets. The focus following the project managers death has been the short, medium and long-term health of the organisation.
Growing community leaders and developing skilled people. We currently have 2 at University and hope that in future they will enhance our work in and beyond the immediate area we are currently operate in. Our hope is to ensure that we have several community leaders of use as long as needed going forward. These will provide opportunity for those wishing to participate and engage in community and youth work.
Many thanks, John Pattison Chair of the Trustees Patchwork Project
Patchwork Project Receipts and payments accounts For the period from 01U-20 31-May-21 Section A Receipts and payments UnstriCted funds to the nearest Restricted funds Endowment funds Total funds Last year to the nearest £ to the n•arést E to the nearest £ to th• n•arest É A1 Receipts HMRC Furlough Grants Greggs Lottery Grant Lottery Covid Grant Community Foundation Tynexe Awards for All CCF Martin Lewis Buslness Support Reece Foundation Northumbria Police James Knott Wellesley 84614 10600 38230 12500 18250 5000 84.614 10,600 38,230 12,500 18.250 5,000 11,078 8,000 83,575 11,600 10,000 5,000 10,000 5,000 26.120 15,000 4,903 NHS NewcastlelGateshead Resiliance Fund YHN CIF DofE Ballinger Street Games Newcastle City Council tle City Council 15.000 15,000 2,500 1,000 1.500 4.000 18,000 720 2,500 1,000 1.500 4,000 18,000 9,720 2,500 1,653 24.047 CCXX R1 acc 1510312022
Newcastle City Council Rise North East Miscellaneous Income 2.969 4,300 2,969 4,300 2,143 2,143 4,962 ub total( ross income or AR) 2.143 228,183 230,326 223,438 A2 Asset and investment sales. (see table). Sub total Total receipts 228 183 230 326 A3Pa ments Salaries. Costs and pensions staff Training Travel Consultancy Direct Costs Equipment utilities Rent Commuication {intemet> Stationery Postage Insurance Minibus insurance and service Activities Building costs and maintenance Courses for young people 135,395 647 4,766 135,395 647 4,766 125,810 571 1,184 600 2,591 2,686 9,542 5,500 2,668 215 709 2,894 5,400 1,819 160 125 2.710 709 2,894 5.400 1,819 160 125 2.710 1.913 4,692 62,765 4.692 62,765 4,942 61,016 1.409 1,409 3,352 CCXX R2 a 1.113 4.796 1510312022
Cleaning materials and hospitality Independent examiners fee 826 826 2,037 300 300 300 Sub total 225,730 225,730 229,723 CCXX R3 accounts (SS) 1510312022
A4 Asset and investment purchases. (see table} Sub total zzzz Total payments 225 730 229 723 Net of recelpts/(payments) A5 Transfers between fund A6 Cash funds last year en Cash funds this year end 2,143 2.463 4,596 6,286 2.143 2.453 4.596 6.285 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestricted funds to nearest £ Restricted funds to nearest £ Endowment funds to nearest £ Categories Details B1 Cash funds Bank acco¢Jnt 43.028 141.912 Reserve account 93,287 Total cash funds 136,315 141,912 aUntI5)I Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Endowment funds to nearest £ Details to nearest £ to nearest £ B2 Other monetary assets CCXX R4 accounts (SS} 1510312022
Fund to whleh asset belon Details Cost loptlonall Current value tlonal Fund to whlch 488et belon Details Minibus Co$t loptlon41) Current V41uo lonal B4 Assets retained for the charity's own use 13,846 5,740 Fund to T*hich rèlate# Amount due When due Details Independent examiners fee BS Liabilities 300 -. •aa2_ CCXX R5 accounts {SS)
Slgned by one or IV truslees on behalf of all the trustees Date of roval Signature Print Name Carol Hunter 14.02.2022 CCXX R8 accounts {SS) 1510312022
PATCHWORK PROJECT (A conyany limited by guarantee) INDEPENDEKf EXAMINER'S REPOtrr TO THE TRUSTEES For the ar ended 31 Ma 2021 I report on the financial statements of Patchwork Project for the year ended 31 May 2021. Respective responslbllities of trustees and examinar The trustees (who are also directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparats'on of the accounts. The trust$ consider that an audit is not required for the year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination. it is my responsibility to: examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act, to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charities Commission (under section 145(5)(b> of the 2011 Act), and to stste whether particular matters have come to my attention. Ba81s of independent examlnerf8 8tstom•nt In connection with my examination, no matter has to my attention: (1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that. in any material aspe¢ the requirements.. to keep accounting records in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006. and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting Tequirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities have not been met: or <2) to which, in my opinion. attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Linda Ellerton-Goldsmith Business Matters Accounting Services 153 Kenton Lane Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 3QB PATCHWORK PROJECT