OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator. This document is also available as Markdown.

← Staines Shopmobility.

2024-03-31-accounts

Staines Shopmobility Registered Charity 1157628

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the year ended 31[st] March 2024 Staines Shopmobility K Two Rivers Staines-upon-Thames 01784 459416 stainesshopmo@gmail.com www.stainesshopmobility.com

Page 1 of 17

ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] MARCH 2024

Contents Page
Chair’s Message / Declaration 3
Board of Trustees 3
Reference & Administrative Details 4
Structure, Governance & Management 4
Objects & Activities 5
Achievements & Performance 5
Public Benefit 7
The Year Ahead 2024/25 8
Annual Report of the Treasurer 9
Financial Statement 2023/2024 11
Balance Sheet 12
Notes to the 2023/24 Accounts 13
Thank You! 16

Page 2 of 17

Message from the Chair / Declaration

I wish to place on record my thanks to all our volunteers, helpers and sponsors for their support over the year. I also express my appreciation of the help and advice of my fellow Trustees and the ever present, dedicated staff team who run the service. I would also like to thank my fellow trustees, Colin Barnard and Tony Harman, who stepped down at the end of the period covered by this report. I wish them both well for the future.

We are glad to be able to offer an uninterrupted service once again, albeit with slightly reduced opening times. This decision was taken to allow us to continue providing a reliable service with the resources and staff team available to us. This also helped to maintain costs at a minimum to further safeguard the future of your service. The Trustees aim remains, as always, to make Staines’ shops and businesses accessible to all our residents regardless of their mobility and to enable them to share in the experiences that Staines has to offer.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees of Staines Shopmobility, I am pleased to present the Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending March 31[st] 2024. The board declares that there have been no serious incidents during the period covered by the report and the charity has complied with its statutory requirements under the Charities Act 2011.

Signed on behalf of the Board of Trustees of Staines Shopmobility

Full Name: Christine Anne Bannister

Position: Chair Date: 5[th] December 2024

Board Of Trustees

Board Of Trustees Dates Acted As Trustee Christine Bannister – Chair 1[st] April 2023 to 31[st] March 2024 Terry Collier – Treasurer 1[st] April 2023 to 31[st] March 2024 Simon Bhadye 1[st] April 2023 to 31[st] March 2024 Keith Goldson 1[st] April 2023 to 31[st] March 2024 Marian Rough 1[st] April 2023 to 31[st] March 2024 Gary Little 1[st] April 2023 to 31[st] March 2024 Colin Barnard 1[st] April 2023 to 31[st] March 2024 Tony Harman 1[st] April 2023 to 31[st] March 2024 – External Appointment Runnymede Borough Council Margaret Harnden 1[st] April 2023 to 31[st] March 2024

Page 3 of 17

Reference And Administrative Details

Staines Shopmobility was registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, charity number 1157628, on the 27[th] of June 2014.

The registered address is: Two Rivers Mustard Mill Road Staines-upon-Thames TW18 4BL

Staff Team

Manager

David Bisiker

Scheme Assistant

Kathryn Rundle

Honorary Auditor

Les Ford

Structure, Governance & Management

Charity Structure

Staines Shopmobility is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) with a foundation model constitution. This provides limited liability to the members and trustees of Staines Shopmobility whilst allowing the charity to carry out business in its own name, rather than in the name of the trustees. The charity is governed by its constitution adopted on the 1[st] of June 2014.

Board of Trustees:

Staines Shopmobility is governed by a Board of Trustees enlisted for their skills, knowledge, and personal experiences of disability, to effectively govern the CIO. Trustees must number between 4 and 12 members, serving an initial term of 1 year in office.

Page 4 of 17

Objectives and Activities

Objectives

The objectives of the charity, as stated in its governing document are:

The relief of people either living in or visiting Staines and the surrounding area with restricted mobility resulting from age, sickness, disability or other causes (whether of a temporary or permanent nature), by such means as the trustees see fit, with the aim to improve their mobility and conditions of life.

Financial Year 2023/2024

The main objectives this financial year were to raise awareness of our services, maintain current opening times, increase fundraising streams and to secure long-term funding for the service.

Our Work

Regarding the Charity Commission’s public benefit guidance, the main activities of the charity this year were:

Achievements and Performance

Publicity

Posters and service leaflets were maintained at locations throughout the local area, such as libraries, hotels and doctor’s surgeries. Adverts and articles were placed with local organisations and press throughout the year. Full details of Staines Shopmobility were listed on the Shopmobility UK website.

The Staines Shopmobility website is complimented by a Facebook page and a Google Business listing. The website is www.stainesshopmobility.com and the Facebook page is www.facebook.com/stainesshopmobility

The charity linked with local organisations to further promote the services available via leaflets, posters and their websites. Service information was held by the Ashford Hospital hub and home from hospital scheme. Posters are also on display in the Elmsleigh Centre. The service was also advertised on the digital screens located on the Two Rivers, Staines High Street and the Elmsleigh centre.

Page 5 of 17

Fundraising / Donations

Fundraising and donations are vital in keeping the service open and available to use. Activities included selling RADAR keys, books and other small, donated items; commission referral schemes with Acorn Stairlifts, Easyfundraising, Give as You Live and Mobility for You.

Many local organisations continued to support our work by way of donations. These included the United Church of Egham who donated £1,000 from their monthly book fairs, £678.53 from the Elmsleigh Centre from their Santa Grotto donations, and the Staines Parochial Charity who gave £750 towards our work. Additionally, we received a donation of £250 from Marian Rough in memory of her late husband.

We raised a fantastic £730.97 from our Xmas wrapping service and received £325 from the Rotary club of Staines from their Santa float collections.

We would like to thank all the organisations, volunteers and individuals that supported us throughout this year. Your support is invaluable, and we look forward to working with you all through the next financial year to ensure that Staines remains accessible to all.

Strategic / Operational

This year saw the cost-of-living crisis adding to our costs with our expenditure increasing by around 6%. Our users had to navigate nine named storms, several cold spells including snow and road resurfacing in the town, in order to access the service. All in all, it was a difficult year and these obstacles impacted greatly on our services and demand for them. The staff team managed to maintain the current opening times of Tuesday through to Saturday despite very limited manpower.

The service was open on 248 days of the year and equipment was loaned on 2,415 occasions. This was slightly down on the previous year due to reduced opening but was comparable on daily hires. The service has now been used 90,046 times since opening. Total registrations to date totalled 5,768 with 167 new members registered and trained to safely use mobility equipment. The holiday hire scheme loaned equipment for a combined total of 894 days, bringing revenue of £2,766; this was a slight increase on the previous years.

The charity once again met the criteria of best practice for affiliation to Shopmobility UK and was accredited with a 5-star rating, the highest available. This enables the service to use the Shopmobility trademark, recognising the charity meets all the requirements of a Shopmobility scheme including fully accessible premises. Shopmobility UK is governed by Driving Mobility, a national charity that accredits a network of driving and mobility assessment centres. All affiliated Shopmobility schemes adhere to the Driving Mobility code of practice. They also operate Mobility Advice Hubs across the country, providing information on alternative accessible transport options for those without a car or do not drive.

Reserves

The charity aims to hold free reserves equivalent to at least six months running costs. This is necessary to guard against future uncertainties such as a decline in income and to meet any financial obligations to staff and creditors. The reserve is currently held in a Monmouthshire Building Society deposit account.

Page 6 of 17

Public Benefit

The charity enables people with limited mobility to independently access shops, banks, opticians, libraries and social / recreational facilities within the town of Staines. This promotes an equality of opportunity and community involvement amongst the beneficiary group. The service also improves confidence, health and mental welfare amongst service users who would otherwise be left isolated from the community and dependent on others to shop and access services for them.

Staines town centre has developed over a large area from its original size, which centred on the High Street, increasing the distances between shops, banks and other services. The High Street is now pedestrianised and the car parks are located on the periphery of the town, making the town inaccessible to many disabled people. People with limited mobility can access the town by car, public transport or accessible transport schemes but are unable to access the town further without access to mobility equipment. The Shopmobility service compliments local accessible transport schemes by providing beneficiaries with outdoor mobility aids upon their arrival in Staines. This fills the gap in service originally identified by SCAN and in several reports since.

Staines Shopmobility supports the Spelthorne Corporate Plan 2024-2028 along with many of their expressed values and priorities. The charity’s work supports many of the issues identified, including bringing more visitors to the Borough and to provide a place where people want to spend their leisure time. Additionally, the charity supports the local authority’s commitment to tackling social exclusion and compliments accessible transport schemes.

The charity:

Staines Shopmobility supports the public sector Equality Duty and the Equality Act 2010 by providing an equality of opportunity for disabled people visiting Staines.

Having a Shopmobility service in Staines ensures the town is accessible to all visitors, making it more appealing to those with limited mobility. This helps maintain Staines as a destination of choice for residents of Spelthorne and many surrounding boroughs, where there are no similar schemes. Without Shopmobility, many people with limited mobility would be unable to carry out everyday tasks such as shopping and would have to visit another town with a Shopmobility scheme, where possible. The charity provides the last link in the transport chain and offers people with limited mobility the only viable access to the town.

Staines Shopmobility links with many local and national organisations with the shared aim of improving the quality of life for older and disabled people.

Page 7 of 17

The Year Ahead - 2024 / 2025

Funding

Staines Shopmobility held cash reserves of £44,311.27 at the end of the financial year 2023/24, meeting the desired reserve level of 6-months running costs plus any statutory financial obligation to the staff team and creditors in the event of the charity being dissolved. This also provides a safety net against unforeseen costs and gives us the time to source additional revenue streams. We are slowly growing our fundraising, donations and other income back to pre-Covid levels. A detailed overview of the charity’s finances can be found in the Treasurer’s report beginning on pg. 9.

Service

The main goal is to maintain current opening times but reduced staffing levels may necessitate some additional closures. Where possible, any change in opening times or planned closures will be advertised in the shop and via our website so please check these for the latest news. We will strive to continue providing a quality service that meets the needs of its beneficiaries. The charity will be seeking funding to renew older mobility equipment as well as some additional travel scooters for our holiday hire scheme. It is also planned to replace a laptop and printer to further increase efficiency in administering the scheme.

Fundraising

Staines Shopmobility will continue working with organisations such as the Staines Business Improvement District to promote its services and fundraising. Staines Shopmobility hopes to participate again in the Elmsleigh Xmas Wrapping Service, Purple Tuesday and the Rotary Santa Float collection as well as a range of other events! Additional fundraising schemes include referral partnerships along with sale items such as books and Radar keys. Easyfundraising is another way to support Staines Shopmobility; simply register at www.easyfundraising.org.uk and choose Staines Shopmobility as your chosen cause. Increased demands on people’s finances will make fundraising difficult as it impacts people’s disposable income.

Publicity

Staines Shopmobility recognises the importance of publicity in raising awareness of its services so that it is available to as many people as possible. The charity will continue to distribute leaflets and posters around the local area; the website will be kept up to date with all the latest news and information; links with other organisations will be maintained and new working partnerships set up.

A social media presence will be continued to engage with new supporters. It is planned to recruit a volunteer to oversee and grow our presence on social media. Roller banners will be used to promote the service at outside events. A static display will be held in the Elmsleigh Centre periodically along with seasonal posters being displayed. Adverts will continue to be displayed on the digital screens at Shopmobility and other sites throughout the town centre.

A national awareness day will be held at Shopmobility schemes throughout the UK to promote the service.

Please let us know if you can promote our service via your website or by holding our literature.

Page 8 of 17

Annual Report Of The Treasurer

I have pleasure in presenting the audited accounts to you for the year ending 31st March 2024. The accounts have been audited by Les Ford and we are grateful to him. We are also grateful to Arun Sood for having done the detailed work of preparing the accounts statements.

The Income and Expenditure Account summarises the total income received, and expenditure incurred in the last financial year by Staines Shopmobility. From the statement you can see that total income for the year was £42,572.39 which represented an increase of £1,990.90 on the previous year. This increase was mainly due to an increase in income raised from fundraising with fundraising income rising from £6,611.29 in previous year to £8,192.58 last year.

It will be noted from the income details that we received a £10,000 grant from Spelthorne Borough Council, the leaseholder of the Elmsleigh Centre. Moving forwards the Council has committed to maintaining this grant on a long-term basis, which helps provide some additional financial certainty for the Charity. The annual grant from Spelthorne Borough Council was maintained at £15,000. It is important to remember, as note 4 of the accounts mentions, that Shopmobility receives from the owners of Two Rivers its premises on a peppercorn rent and pays no service charges, which makes an important contribution towards our viability.

Expenditure for last year totalled £46,113.52, an increase of £3,073.26 on the previous year’s total of £43,040.26. Overall, as income was less than expenditure for the year, the net outturn was a deficit of £3,541.13, This is a deterioration compared to the previous year’s surplus, and means the Charity needs to remain very focused on protecting its ongoing financial viability.

The cash balances at the year-end totalled £ 44,311.27 (or 96% of annual expenditure). This means that we, as of 31 March 2024, were achieving the objective of the Trustees of having reserves equivalent to at least 50% of annual running costs.

The Pancake race I am delighted to say re-commenced, after a few years absence, and we appreciate the efforts of Staines Rotary and Staines Business Improvement District in helping organise the event.

Total income from membership fell 4.6%, we will monitor this carefully moving forwards. This may be due to additional closures then the reduced opening of 5 days a week from our original 6 days a week opening. Additionally, our clients, like other households, are being impacted by the ongoing “Cost of Living Crisis” and this may have an impact on membership income, which has now fallen in two successive years. We do not yet understand what the longer-term impact on our membership activity will be.

The need therefore remains to obtain long-term financial commitment from both the local Councils and the business community and to diversify our range of income streams.

Many Runnymede residents use the Staines scheme as there is no Shopmobility scheme in Runnymede, so we will continue to look for a funding contribution from Runnymede Borough Council.

Page 9 of 17

Looking Ahead

As we have come out of the Pandemic and are now in a Cost-of-Living Crisis we are operating in exceptionally challenging financial times for all organisations, including charities and their potential funding partners. Trustees are continuing to work on strategies to ensure the ongoing financial sustainability of Staines Shopmobility.

As I have commented on previous occasions, the users of the Staines Shopmobility scheme bring important additional revenue to the retail sector of Staines. It is important that we continue to explore, with bodies such as the Staines-upon-Thames BID, as to how retail businesses in Staines can best help support Shopmobility moving forward.

We have certainty with respect to the £10k annual grant previously made by Clerical Medical that will be honoured by Spelthorne Borough Council on an ongoing basis.

Terry Collier

Treasurer

Page 10 of 17

- Financial Statement 2023 2024

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Note
Income & Expenditure
INCOME
Spelthorne Borough Council Grant
4
Support Grant - Elmsleigh Centre
4
Membership
Donations & Sponsorship
10
Fundraising
11
Interest
Total Income
EXPENDITURE
Mobility Vehicle Maintenance & Depreciation
7
Support Costs
8
Costs of Administration and Management
9
Payments made in advance (Insurance 23/24)
Total Expenditure
Operational Surplus/(Deficit) for the Year
Transfers
Net Income/Expenditure for the Year
Balances Brought Forward 1 April 2023
Balances Carried Forward 31 March 2024		 General
Wheelchair
Total
Total
Fund
Fund
2023/24
2022/23
£
£
£
£
15,000.00
15,000.00
15,000.00
10,000.00
10,000.00
10,000.00
5,358.00
5,358.00
5,616.00
3,013.17
3,013.17
3,006.00
8,192.58
8,192.58
6,611.29
1,008.64
1,008.64
348.20
42,572.39
.00
42,572.39
40,581.49
1,877.01
404.00
2,281.01
2,002.55
43,582.51
43,582.51
42,795.98
250.00
250.00
250.00
.00
(2,008.27)
45,709.52
404.00
46,113.52
43,040.26
(3,137.13)
(404.00)
(3,541.13)
(2,458.77)
0
0
0
0
(3,137.13)
(404.00)
(3,541.13)
(2,458.77)
59,909.44
(12,057.44)
47,852.00
50,310.77
56,772.31
(12,461.44)
44,310.87
47,852.00

Page 11 of 17

Balance Sheet 2023/2024

BALANCE SHEET FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

FIXED ASSETS
Mobility Vehicles Purchases (1998- March2024)
Accumulated Depreciation (1998- March2024)
Net Book Value of Fixed Assets currently
Held
12
CURRENT ASSETS
Current Account
Monmouthshire Building Society
Petty Cash Balance
VAT Control Account
Creditors not to be paid
Payments made in advance (Insurance 23-24)
Debtor - Support Grant - Elmsleigh Centre
Total
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Creditors
Net Assets
Represented by:
Wheelchair Reserve Account
3
General Reserve Account
2
Total		 Total
2023/24
£
67,323.85
(66,563.87)
759.98
7,881.53
36,413.15
16.59
(403.95)
(356.43)
43,550.89
44,310.87
(12,461.44)
56,772.31
44,310.87		 Total
2022/23
£
67,323.85
(66,159.87)
1,163.98
5,069.84
30,404.51
(70.56)
(367.61)
(356.43)
2,008.27
10,000.00
46,688.02
47,852.00
(12,057.44)
59,909.44
47,852.00

Page 12 of 17

Notes to the Accounts

1 Accounting Policies

Basis for the preparation of the accounts

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with:

a) Relevant accounting standards

b) the Charities Act 2011

c) the historic cost basis of accounting

Income

Grants, sponsorships and donations are accounted for in the year they are receivable.

Fixed Assets

Wheelchairs, scooters, power chairs and ancillary equipment are depreciated on a straight line basis over their estimated life.

2 General Fund

The General Fund is an unrestricted fund which represents the balance of unused revenue Funds.

3 Wheelchair Fund

The Wheelchair Fund is a restricted fund established to enable the purchase of mobility and ancillary equipment.

4 Grants

Staines Shopmobility was awarded grant aid of £15,000 by Spelthorne Borough Council. (2022/23 - £15,000)

Staines Shopmobility Support Grant- Elmsleigh Centre (Amas Ltd.) of £10,000. (2022/23 - £10,000)

The premises are provided rent free by the owners of the Two Rivers. This was recently valued at £10000 per annum.

5 Independent Examiner's Costs

An Independent Examination is carried out by Hunt Ford & Co. (Accountants) Ltd for a consideration of £nil.

6 Trustee Renumeration

No Trustee receives any remuneration in respect of their duties.

7 Wheelchair Running Costs

Repairs and maintenance to the mobility equipment is charged to the General Fund. Depreciation of the mobility equipment is charged to the Wheelchair Fund.

Page 13 of 17

Notes to the Accounts cont.

8
Support Costs
Salaries
National Insurance
Income Tax
Insurance
Telephone
Travel & Subsistence
Printing, Stationery & Postage
Other Supplies and Services
Maintenance
9
Administration and Management
SBC Admin payments
10
Donations and Sponsorship
Elmsleigh Centre Donations
United Church of Egham
Bid Parking Scheme
Office Donation Box and other private donations
Marian Rough - Fundraising Costs Donation
Staines Parochial Charity
Staines 10k donations
Acorn Sales Commission
L Windle
Santa Grotto Donations
11
Fundraising
Easy Fundraising
RADAR keys
Sum Up
Xmas Wrap
Amazon Smile
Rotary Float Collection		 2023/24
£
£39,358.82
17.75
- 71.40
2,008.27
419.40
60.17
722.03
970.05
97.42
43,582.51
2023/24
£
250.00
250.00
2023/24
£
270.81
1,000.00
63.83
250.00
750.00
678.53
3,013.17
2023/24
£
77.22
65.00
6,968.69
730.97
25.70
325.00
8,192.58		 2022/23
£
37006.08
14.48
-25.8
3799.04
668.57
12.41
631.22
612.97
77.01
42,795.98
2022/23
£
250.00
250.00
2022/23
£
500.00
175.00
2.00
500.00
500.00
1,269.00
60.00
3,006.00
2022/23
£
100.71
95.00
5,905.12
65.00
14.46
431.00
6,611.29

Page 14 of 17

Notes to the Accounts cont.

12 Fixed Assets

Fixed Assets
Power
Scooters Chairs Wheelchairs Total
Assets Opening Balance 47,517.98 14,700.99 5,104.88 14,700.99 5,104.88 67,323.85
Additions/ (Deletion) - - -
-		 -
Assets Closing Balance 47,517.98 14,700.99 5,104.88 14,700.99 5,104.88 67,323.85
Accumulated Depreciation Opening Balance 46,793.99 14,381.00 4,984.88 14,381.00 4,984.88 66,159.87
Charge for the Year 364.00 40.00 40.00
-		 404.00
Accumulated Depreciation Closing Balance 47,157.99 14,421.00 4,984.88 14,421.00 4,984.88 66,563.87
Net Book Value 359.99 279.99 120.00 759.98

Les Ford Terry Collier Hon. Auditor Treasurer

Page 15 of 17

Thank You!

Staines Shopmobility would like to acknowledge the invaluable support it receives and wishes to take this opportunity to thank the following:

==> picture [128 x 25] intentionally omitted <==

----- Start of picture text -----
SPELTHORNE
----- End of picture text -----

==> picture [173 x 9] intentionally omitted <==

----- Start of picture text -----
United Church of Egham
----- End of picture text -----

Staines Parochial Charity

Les Ford (Honorary Auditor)

Spelthorne Committee for Access Now (SCAN)

Staines Shopmobility would also like to thank everyone that donated or gave their time and other resources over the period of this report.

Page 16 of 17

Staines Shopmobility Registered Charity 1157628

ROTTAFS23-24

Page 17 of 17