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2023-03-31-accounts

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

01985 220657

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

For the Year Ending 31st March 2023

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

– Summary by Chair of Trustees November 2023

This year has seen a return to pre-Covid levels of activity with 704 episodes of assistance recorded from our static Town Centre location (up from 486) and 76 provided by our Mobile Team (up from 25). This brings the total number since opening (2014) to 5112. In addition, the Counselling Service recorded a total of 136 one-hour counselling sessions.

One of the biggest challenges this year has been trying to help those who find themselves homeless and sleeping rough, which seems to predominately affect men. There is a critical shortage of Council-controlled (housing association) accommodation for single people below State Pension age. On the positive side, Cornerstone has established a good working relationship with a number of private landlords who are sympathetic to our cause. This had led to 2 rough sleepers finding permanent local accommodation.

Another positive development has been in the operation of Mobile Cornerstone. This is primarily a result of appointing a Trustee to be the permanent lead for all mobile-related matters, leading to better coordination, continuity and subsequently greater uptake.

Last year’s problem of finding a replacement Lead Counsellor was resolved by securing the services of a highly qualified and experienced local practitioner. This has allowed our low-cost service (usually free for those on low income) to continue and develop.

One of the ongoing challenges has been volunteer recruitment. For part of the year, the staffing level the was reduced by one due to lack of availability. Although this measure was short lived it demonstrated that unless an effective recruitment strategy is produced our services are likely to suffer.

We have continued to look for opportunities to work with local government, local GP practices and other voluntary organisations. In terms of Cornerstone’s financial management, our running costs and other planned expenditures came within their annual budget allocation - albeit leaving an overall deficit for the year. 

1

Cornerstone Client Data 1 April 2022 – 31 March 2023

1. Summary

During the reporting period Cornerstone provided 704 episodes of assistance from its static town centre location, with Mobile Cornerstone providing 76 episodes of assistance over the same period. The Counselling Project has provided 136 counselling sessions. See analysis below.

2. Analysis – Static Cornerstone

• Age Breakdown.

Over half the clients fell within the broad age range of between 26 and 60 years of age, which has become a regular trend. The proportion of clients over 60 years requiring help was also similar to previous years and was the next largest group. Clients in the 13-18 and 19-25 ag groups remained similar to previous years.

Fig 1. Age Breakdown

----- Start of picture text -----
2% 13-18
0% 19-25
53%
26-60
over 60
45%
----- End of picture text -----

• Degree of Need.

In order to try and assess the nature of the assistance given by Cornerstone, a general 1 to 5 ‘degree of need’ scale has been used. This scale is based upon an individual’s personal circumstances. The vast majority of episodes (68%) relate to clients facing hardship and distress (level 3), through to the most severe instances when serious consequences are likely to occur if the situation is left unchecked (level 5). This highlights the fact that people seeking help are facing generally more serious situations than in previous years. The proportion requiring the most basic help has remained stable at 9%. In order to clarify how the scale works in practice, two examples are set out below:

• 1. Requires Help .

May require help with such things as accessing and completing on-line forms

• 5. Serious Consequences if no help provided.

A typical example might be someone who is homeless (sleeping rough), unemployed, no source of income (or limited benefits), in severe financial trouble, in despair and feels there is no one else to turn to. 

2

----- Start of picture text -----
Fig 2. Degree of Need
----- End of picture text -----

1. Requires Help

----- Start of picture text -----
9%
8%
23%
24%
36%
----- End of picture text -----

  1. More significant Help required

  2. Distress and hardship if no help given

  3. Significant Distress and hardship if no help given

  4. Serious Consequences if no help provided

• Gender Breakdown

As seen at Fig 3 below, the proportion of male and female clients was similar to previous years. However, of those classified as need level 5, 79% were males.

----- Start of picture text -----
Fig 3. Gender Ratio
45% Male
55%
Female
----- End of picture text -----

• Type of Contact.

As seen at Fig 4 below, the vast majority of contacts made by clients seeking assistance comprised personal visits to the Cornerstone centre. Although less than half of those seeking assistance stated how they heard about Cornerstone, friends and family were the usual means cited. Others heard about cornerstone through word of mouth, or simply saw the sign as they passed the building and came seeking help. Other referrals came from the likes of Wiltshire Council, the Food Bank, the Avenue Surgery’s Social Prescriber or as a response to Cornerstone’s own publicity such as the Warminster Journal, flyers, and website. With less than half of those seeking assistance stating how they heard about Cornerstone, all of the above figures serve only to indicate that referrals come via a range of professional and voluntary organisations as well as the more traditional sources. 

3

Fig 4. Type of Contact

----- Start of picture text -----
7%
Visit
93%
Telephone/Email
----- End of picture text -----

• Returners.

As seen at Fig 5 below, over half of all episodes of assistance involved prior attendees. Return visits can relate to on-going or more complex issues that require further assistance, or that because of their general socio-economic situation they continue to experience various other difficulties. Because a level of trust and confidence tends to develop, clients often look to Cornerstone for practical or moral support when dealing with subsequent personal challenges.

----- Start of picture text -----
Fig 5. Repeat Visit?
Yes
42%
58% No
----- End of picture text -----

3. Mobile Cornerstone – Summary

This service has been designed especially for those in our community who find it difficult to travel to our Warminster town centre location because of a lack of mobility. Typically, this might be due to a physical disability or lack of transport, especially in the more isolated villages and hamlets. As well as undertaking home visits upon request, the Mobile Cornerstone team has continued to engage with local communities in the more isolated locations. In addition to this, on a number of occasions Cornerstone has accompanied individual clients to specialist appointments, such as benefit appeals hearings, specialist assessments and Job Centre appointments.

Mobile Cornerstone has provided 76 episodes of assistance, an increase of over 200% on the previous year. This is due to both an increase in demand and the benefits of having a dedicated coordinating Trustee to oversee the mobile element. 

4

4. Analysis – Mobile Cornerstone

• Gender Breakdown

As seen at Fig 6 below, around two thirds of mobile clients were female.

Fig 6. Gender Ratio

----- Start of picture text -----
60
50
40
Female
30
20
Male
10
0
----- End of picture text -----

• Age Breakdown.

Although the majority of Mobile Cornerstone clients were aged over 60 years, for the first time around a third were under 60 years.

Fig 7. Age Breakdown

----- Start of picture text -----
over 60 51
26-60 20
19-25 5
13-18 0
0 20 40 60
----- End of picture text -----

• Venue of Assistance

Apart from a few visits to rough-sleepers, Mobile Cornerstone visits have taken place in the clients’ home. 

5

5. Warminster Counselling Project

The new Lead Counsellor took over co-ordinating the counselling service at Cornerstone in at the end of March 2022. At that time there was only 1 counsellor working so the first task was to recruit other counsellors to volunteer. Students undertaking a Level 4 course or higher was the agreed parameter if qualified practicing counsellors (willing to volunteer) were not forthcoming. The previous Lead Counsellor also agreed to take a number of clients for telephone counselling because they were physically unable to attend in person. Over the coming months a further four Level 4 counsellors were recruited, although one has since left. By the time our full service was available some clients had been waiting around 7 months. We operate with two dedicated counselling rooms and offer 2 sessions per counselling room each day we are open (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). During the year 136 one-hour counselling sessions have been conducted.

The metric chosen to measure the Project’s output is the total number of counselling sessions undertaken (as opposed to the number of clients). This is because one client may require 6 sessions, whilst another may require 15. Thus, simply stating that 2 clients were counselled would fail to reflect the counselling support provided or the resources used.

Cornerstone Training Overview: 04/2022 – 03/2023

Cornerstone is now fully open but with a reduced number of Volunteers. There are now some limited opportunities for face-to-face training but almost all training by external organisations is being offered via Zoom. In addition to the cascading of information and training as it is received, the primary method of training is in the form of shadowing on the job.

Cornerstone is a member of the Warminster Health and Wellbeing Forum. We are one of 40+ organisations across Warminster and the surrounding villages who meet quarterly to share information and concerns. Any new and relevant information and support is disseminated amongst Trustees and Volunteers and, where appropriate, displayed in the general area. 

6

Fundraising Report. March 2023

Fundraising during our 9th Financial year has been low key.

We have no current Grant applications in at the moment.

Future Grant applications will be to: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.

We received Donations from Warminster Relief in Need, The Fudge Trust and Wiltshire Council

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 Volunteer Report APRIL2022 MARCH 2023

In March 2023 there were 22 volunteers and 9 Trustees.

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.

In April 2022 all volunteers were contacted to check on dates for renewing Safeguarding Training.

In July 2022 the rota was reduced to one Trustee and one Volunteer being on duty at our morning sessions due to lack of numbers available. General need for recruiting. All volunteers have choice of covid vaccinations or not but were advised to stay away if feeling unwell.

In October 2022 Volunteer Forum took place - Wiltshire Council gave a talk - Safe and Warm Warminster for Sustainable Energy.

Request made for chaperone volunteers to accompany at Home Visits. It was agreed to invite suitable people who offer even though they're not signed up as volunteers.

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. 

7

Safeguarding Report

Cornerstone remains committed to putting Safeguarding at the forefront of its priorities so as to protect its clients and volunteers alike.

A Safeguarding Policy is in place and is updated to ensure it complies with current Regulations and GDPR requirements are complied with. All Trustees and Volunteers are DBS checked and updated as necessary. Safeguarding Training is undertaken through a Salisbury Diocese Link. Trustees complete Basic, Foundation and Leadership modules and those involved in recruitment of new Trustees or Volunteers complete a Safer Recruitment module. Volunteers complete the Basic and Foundation modules. The Training is monitored and refreshed every three years.

Any significant Safeguarding concerns are reported to the Trustees who decide what action needs to be taken.

There have been no significant events during the period of this Report – 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2023. 

8
Restricted
Unrestricted
Notes
£
£
Income from Donations
1
500.00
2,543.52
Income from Fundraising Events
0.00
Counselling
810.00
Expense Refunds
412.42
Total Incoming Resources
500.00
3,765.94
Resources Expended
Rent
2,700.00
Computer Costs
497.39
Equipment Purchases
920.92
Phone & Broadband
888.51
Insurance
137.00
Counselling Costs
1,680.00
Stationery & Printing
58.98
Client Expenses
498.85
5.30
Office Expenses
0.00
Kitchen Utilities/Resources
109.01
Sundry Expenses
505.49
Total Resources Expended
498.85
7,502.60
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year
1.15
-3,736.66
Depreciation
0.00
Surplus/(Deficit) after depreciation
1.15
-3,736.66
Cornerstone Warminster Accounts
Year ended 31st March 2023
Incoming Resources		 2023
Total
£
3,043.52
0.00
810.00
412.42
4,265.94
2,700.00
497.39
920.92
888.51
137.00
1,680.00
58.98
504.15
0.00
109.01
505.49
8,001.45
-3,735.51
0.00
-3,735.51		 2022
Total
£
2,964
0
970
0		 2022
Total
£
2,964
0
970
0
3,934
2,700
332
0
869
96
246
199
650
35
42
171
5,340
-1,406
0
-1,406

Cornerstone Warminster Accounts Year ended 31st March 2023

Balance Sheet as at 31st March 2023

Notes
Fixed Assets
2
Current Assets
Cash in Bank
Petty Cash
Current Liabilities
Creditors
Net Current Assets
Represented by:-
Unrestricted Funds:
General Purpose Fund
Balance at 1 April 2022
Less: Deficit for the year
Balance at 31 March 2023
Restricted Funds
Balance at 1 April 2022
Add: Surplus for the year
Balance at 31 March 2023		 £
£
0.00
16,200.69
0.00
16,200.69
0.00
16,200.69
16,200.69
19,936.20
3,736.66
16,199.54
0.00
1.15
1.15
16,200.69
2023		 £
£
0
19,936
0
19,936
0
19,936
19,936
19,936
0
19,936
2022		 £
£
0
19,936
0
19,936
0
19,936
19,936
19,936
0
19,936
2022
16,200.69
0.00
19,936.20
3,736.66
19,936
19,936
0
0.00
1.15
19,936

Cornerstone Warminster Accounts for Year ended 31st March 2023

Notes to the Accounts year ended 31st March 2023

1
2		 Income from Donations
Warminster Relief in Need
General Donations
Fudge Trust
CAF
Wiltshire Council
Upton Lovell PCC
Warminster & District Food Bank
Plain Women's Institute
Fixed Assets
Computer Equipment at Cost
Depreciation:
At 1 April 2022
Charge for the year
At 31 March 2023
Net Book Value at 31 March 2023		 £
400.00
1,072.00
1,000.00
71.52
500.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
3,043.52
2,144.00
2,144.00
0.00
2,144.00
0.00
2023		 £
250
1,285
0
891
0
263
0
275
2022
2,964
2,144
2,144
0
2,144
0