2021-03-31-accounts - Cornerstone Warminster

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Cornerstone Warminster. Central Car Park, Warminster, Wiltshire. BA12 9BT 01985 220657

`TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT`

For the Year Ending 31st March 2021

info@cornerstone-warminster.org www.cornerstone-warminster.org Registered Charity No. 1157440

– Summary by Chair of Trustees April 2020 to March 2021

Except for a few months (September-December 2020) Cornerstone remained closed to client visits. Nevertheless, during these periods, working within strict COVID-safe procedures,101 episodes of assistance were provided from the static location and 17 delivered through the Mobile Cornerstone service.

During the remainder of the year Cornerstone continued to offer remote assistance accessed via email and the office answering machine, both of which were remotely monitored (advertised via website, social media, and door signs). However, as a result of requests of a more urgent nature it was decided that some face-to-face interventions would be inevitable if severe personal hardship was to be avoided. For example, providing direct assistance to rough sleepers in the form of food, clothing, and emergency shelter, whilst seeking to find accommodation. In this respect, Cornerstone found permanent homes for two clients, whilst sustaining a number of others.

It has always been recognised that life is difficult for the illiterate and those with learning difficulties, especially because so much can depend on accessibility to online information. For some, with a lock-down in place the situation became dire. Thus, throughout the closure direct practical assistance was provided. For example, help accessing benefits and other situations when an advocate was really necessary. Some of the more unusual, included emergency stove repair and chimney sweeping (sole source of home heat), supply and installation of domestic appliances, furniture removal, laptops for remote learning, mail delivery (for homeless using Cornerstone’s address) and the provision of a mobility scooter. All whilst maintaining social distance and using PPE.

In addition to the above, for a two-week period Cornerstone took on the task of issuing emergency food due to an outbreak of COVID at the local Foodbank. This involved doorstep deliveries.

Cornerstone’s Counselling service managed to maintain accessibility through a combination of face-to-face and telephone counselling sessions. This was delivered by a team of 4 qualified counsellors giving their professional help free of charge in order to help the most vulnerable. Despite the difficulties a total of 145 hours of counselling were provided.

Because of the difficulties arising from COVID a number of planned volunteer training opportunities were cancelled. However, some support relating to benefits and personal finances was available via Zoom/Microsoft Teams. Similarly, volunteers were also able to access online Safeguarding training.

In terms of Cornerstone’s financial management, running costs and other planned expenditures came within their annual budget allocation - albeit leaving an overall deficit for the year. The loss of rental income from Selwood Housing will impact future income.

One of the unfortunate consequences of the COVID pandemic has been a reduction in volunteers. Although two new volunteers have been recruited several have left, citing ill-health and vulnerability concerns, etc. The situation has been exacerbated by the rise in demand for home visits - no doubt fuelled by a reluctance of the more vulnerable to leave their home. Looking to the future, the recruitment of new volunteers must be a priority.

Cornerstone Training Overview: April 2020 to March 2021

Cornerstone remained closed during Lockdown and didn't reopen until September to December 2020. The second Lockdown necessitated closure until April 2021. All face-to-face training opportunities have been, and continues to be, suspended for this whole period.

There was a Wiltshire Money Forum (and Benefits Surgery) planned for the 19[th ] of March, 2020 but this was cancelled. Wiltshire Money continued to offer relevant support via Zoom or email. They sent out weekly updates and monthly newsletters. Any useful/relevant information was forwarded to Trustees and Volunteers.
The Benefits Training Company continued to send relevant updates and support, via email or Webinar. As above, anything relevant was disseminated as appropriate.
Some issues become apparent during Lockdown which we hadn't previously experienced.
Caring for elderly and vulnerable parents. We discovered that Wiltshire has developed a support system called TCOP (Transforming Care for The Older Patient).
Supporting Landlords. We had worked with homeless clients, clients on benefits struggling to pay for their housing and with local landlords who would be willing to accept clients in receipt of benefits. However, during Lockdown we were contacted by landlords whose clients were unable/unwilling to pay their rent despite being in receipt of housing benefit.

An increasing number of vulnerable and/or elderly clients who needed home visits. One of the Trustees has taken responsibility for this and has identified several Volunteers who are able to facilitate this need.

All this information was shared with Trustees and Volunteers.

Cornerstone Volunteer Report APRIL2020-MARCH 2021

April to September was a national lockdown so our premises were not open for walk-in sessions. During this time some volunteers did join in with our Trustees to help those in isolation with collecting shopping, medicines and in any other way required.

All volunteers were contacted in August to update their situation for volunteering. Five volunteers stepped down for various reasons. Several more were cautious as some covid restrictions were still in place. Others returned to our open sessions in our premises when we opened in September with our risk assessment in place.

In October two new volunteers joined us which brought the numbers to twentythree volunteers with eight Trustees. All volunteers are required to do the Basic Awareness Safeguarding Course and are referred to the Safeguarding Officer for this.

All volunteers and trustees have completed application forms, have had references taken up and have been checked by DBS. They have read the Safeguarding Document and signed to say so. New volunteers have interviews and induction before proceeding further. Blank rotas are available for volunteers to add their own names for convenient dates. Training is still given ‘in house’ and volunteers also attend relevant outside training courses where applicable.

GDPR forms (yellow) are now required to be signed by all volunteers. This ensures that each volunteer is aware of how we store contact details of them. This form is signed at each interview.

Cornerstone has been open for six years now and I would like to thank all volunteers for their support and commitment to Cornerstone and the invaluable work they do in supporting the vulnerable in our society. It is very much appreciated – Thank you.

Safeguarding Cornerstone April 2020- March 2021

Covid restrictions during this time have meant that all safeguarding training have been completed online.

New volunteers are encouraged to use the Diocesan link to do a basic awareness whilst waiting to start and to also do a Foundation course within 1 month of starting.

Safeguarding policy has been updated to ensure it complies with current guidelines and is also GDPR secure.

Training needs continue to be updated and volunteers are asked to refresh their training when appropriate.

Significant events continue to be reported to all Trustees at their regular

meetings. Decision is then taken to protect clients and volunteers alike on an individual basis.

This has resulted in one client not being allowed into the building for the protection of volunteers and other clients in the building.

Cornerstone remains committed to putting safeguarding at the forefront of its priorities.

Philip Short -Safeguarding Trustee

Paula Thorpe – Acting Safeguarding Trustee

Fundraising Report. April 2021 to March 2021

Fundraising during our 7th Financial year has been low key. We have no current Grant applications in at the moment.

We will be looking to apply to the following in the near future: - Wiltshire Community Foundation for The Cornerstone Counselling Project Warminster Area Board (For Capital items only) Warminster Town Council.

We have been blessed by many Personal donations, and donations from local organizations. We currently use Charities Aid Foundation (CAF). They collect the Gift Aid on our behalf. We have been unable to put on a Quiz Night this year or Lent Lunches, due to Covid 19.

Waitrose donated a third of their usual £1000 monthly support to local Charities,

It is very difficult to find grants for running costs for the Charity, as such we look to Fundraising efforts and personal donations including Standing orders to keep the Charity going.

Cornerstone Warminster Accounts

Year ended 31st March 2021

Restricted £ 0.00 500.00	2020 Total £ 260 2,330 1,235 579 2,060	2020 Total £ 260 2,330 1,235 579 2,060
500.00		6,464
		2,925 408 1,137 368 174 887 314 910 259 0 59 134 266
0.00		7,841
500.00	-1,377 0
500.00	-1,377

Cornerstone Warminster Accounts Year ended 31st March 2021

Balance Sheet as at 31st March 2021

Notes Fixed Assets 4 Current Assets Cash in Bank Petty Cash Current Liabilities Creditors Net Current Assets Represented by:- Unrestricted Funds: General Purpose Fund Restricted Funds	2021 £ £ 0.00 21,342.31 0.00 21,342.31 0.00 21,342.31 21,342.31 20,842.31 500.00 21,342.31	2020 £ £ 0 21,583 0 21,583 0 21,583 21,583 21,853 0 21,853	2020 £ £ 0 21,583 0 21,583 0 21,583 21,583 21,853 0 21,853
	21,342.31 0.00

			21,583
			21,853 0
			21,853

Cornerstone Warminster Accounts for Year ended 31st March 2021

Notes to the Accounts year ended 31st March 2021

1 2 3 4	Income from Grants Wiltshire Council Income from Donations Warminster Relief in Need Charity General Donations Wonderful/BT My Donate CAF Lions Club of Warminster Upton Lovell PCC Warminster & District Food Bank Income from Fundraising Events Waitrose Christ Church - Lent Lunch Quiznight Sharon Concert Antenaeum Singers Fixed Assets Computer Equipment at Cost Depreciation: At 31 March 2020 Charge for the year At 31 March 2021 Net Book Value at 31 March 2021	2021 £ 0.00 409.00 1,205.00 0.00 587.20 0.00 173.36 58.95 2,433.51 333.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 333.00 2,144.00 2,144.00 0.00 2,144.00 0.00	2020 £ 260
			250 1,370 360 0 160 190 0
			2,330
			0 132 399 454 250
			1,235
			2,144 2,144 0
			2,144
			0