## **MOORLANDS HOME LINK** ## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT** # **FOR THE YEAR 2020/2021** **Registered Charity Number: 1158361 Registered office and operational address: 17 Charles Street** **Cheadle Staffordshire Moorlands Stoke-on-Trent ST10 1EE** Alongside many other Organisations across the country, Moorlands Home Link is still dealing with the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic and its impact on clients, staff, and volunteers. At the start of this report we would like to reflect on a year unlike any other, which has seen previously unimaginable changes and challenges to our day to day operations and service provision. As we faced a national lockdown in March 2020, most of our services to older people had to be immediately suspended including Day Care, Outreach Groups, and face to face Befriending. We quickly adapted our existing services to be able to safely continue to provide the vital Meals on Wheels service, which also acted as safe and well checks, and switched the befriending service to be entirely by telephone. We also maintained weekly telephone contact with clients who had attended our Day Care and Outreach Groups. We looked to provide additional services through partnerships with local organisations and councils to support vulnerable people in our community. These ongoing services and the extra support we could provide to the community were all risk assessed and carried out with infection control measures to protect staff, volunteers, and clients. Although we had no comprehension of what we were about to face with Covid-19, we were determined to ensure the survival of our Charity through the pandemic and beyond, so that we would be able to continue to support the needs of older people as and when a lifting of national restrictions and guidance would allow. Our day to day structure and routine changed dramatically as the services we were able to provide were reduced. Moorlands Home Link took the extremely difficult decision to place 20 staff on the Government Furlough Scheme. Additionally, many of our older volunteers were required to "shield". We would like to take this opportunity to gratefully acknowledge the dedication and support throughout the past year of staff, volunteers, and those who joined us temporarily as volunteers while they were furloughed from their employment. As a Charity used to being innovative, we were able to be flexible in our approach to responding to Covid-19 and were proud to be one of three Covid-response hubs in the Moorlands. Alongside Biddulph Youth & Community Zone and Haregate Community Centre, MHL worked with Staffordshire County Council, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, and Support Staffordshire, to provide advice and support to vulnerable people who required help to access food, medication, and signposting. Through this scheme, we supported upwards of 170 people referred to us via a helpline with direct help and maintained regular telephone contact for a number of weeks. During this demanding phase of our work, we were gratefully supported by many organisations, including Staffordshire County Council, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, Support Staffordshire and the Community Foundation of Staffordshire who all gave both practical and financial support to our Charity. During the difficulties of the past year, we were extremely grateful for the support of Staffordshire County Council, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, the Community Foundation of Staffordshire, Cheadle Town Council, local Parish Councils, local community groups, and businesses, for their donations of financial support, equipment, and advice. All of this support is gratefully acknowledged and appreciated. Many of our decisions and actions taken during this year were to prove vital to our survival as a not for profit Charity and we have emerged stronger and more determined to continue our work to support older people. We continue to be supported financially with generous donations from people who can see the value of the Charity and its supportive services and the Managing Trustees are pleased to show a surplus of £45703 in this years financial accounts. We currently receive a direct grant award from NHS North Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Clinical Commissioning Group to support our work. The following is a summary of the services the Charity is currently engaged in providing. ## **CHEADLE DAY CENTRE AND OUTREACH GROUPS** When the first national lockdown was announced in March 2020, our Day Centre had to close its doors with us not knowing whether we would ever be able to open them again. While restrictions remained in place that meant we could not provide face-to-face services, we maintained regular telephone contact with clients and families to offer support and conversation. Following the slow lifting of restrictions towards the end of 2020, we were able to reopen our Day Care Service in October 2020 to offer a highly valued place-based day opportunity at the Day Centre in Cheadle. This allowed our Day Centre staff and some Transport Staff to return to work from furlough. Front facing staff continue to undertake regular Covid testing, are provided with appropriate PPE, and risk assessments are regularly updated in line with new and existing government guidance. We reopened in October 2020 with only a small number of clients who were able to return or felt comfortable to return; this number continues to grow. The Day Centre is held in Cheadle Methodist Church Hall on 3 days per week and supports clients who may require a higher need of care. Our Day Centre staff and our Transport team work closely together to ensure high standards of care are delivered throughout the day, from collection in the morning to return home at the end of the day. The wheelchair accessible minibuses collect clients from Cheadle and the surrounding villages. While attending the Day Centre clients can enjoy a light breakfast followed by a three-course nutritional meal at lunch, along with snacks and drinks throughout the day. Our clients look forward to their day and the friendship and laughter encouraged through a program of activities including gentle exercise and armchair zumba, reminiscence, and entertainment. This service provides essential respite and support for carers and families, as well as providing socialisation and care for those who also may live alone, enabling individuals to maintain their independence for as long as practicable. We found that clients and their families were especially grateful to attend Day Centre having been isolated in lockdown for so long. Every prospective client is visited by the Day Centre Manager who undertakes a full assessment of the client, in the presence of family, friends, or Health Professionals, where appropriate. The Day Care setting is able to monitor the day to day physical and mental wellbeing of each client. Therefore, should a client’s presentation deteriorate, we can signpost or guide the client to an appropriate healthcare professional and/or service in a timely manner before the need escalates. Additionally, the service helps to support community health professionals to monitor health and maintain long term health conditions. This helps to support people to get the right care, at the right time, in the optimal care setting and improve upstream prevention of avoidable illness and its exacerbations. When the Cheadle Day Centre closed its doors in March 2020 so did each of the Outreach Groups; Biddulph, Blythe Bridge, Cheddleton, Tean, and Werrington. We maintained telephone contact with clients from each group for a six month period and as an alternative some clients now receive contact via the telephone Befriending service. Moorlands Home Link has been unable to safely re-open the Outreach Groups across the Moorlands at this time but we hope that at some point in the future their recovery will be possible. ## **BEFRIENDING SUPPORT AND PHONE LINK** Face to face Befriending was immediately placed on hold in March 2020 to ensure the safety of volunteers and clients and this service remains on hold. Volunteers make weekly telephone calls to people; many friendships have been formed and continue to thrive between volunteers and the people they contact. The service is delivered across the Moorlands and in particular the most rural of areas in our community. Assessments are completed for each client by the Service Manager and this assessment forms the basis of a match with a like-minded volunteer with similar interests. For some people who receive this service, the only contact that they may have each week is with the volunteer and for this reason the service is very well received and greatly appreciated. Loneliness and isolation were brought to the forefront of the nation’s mind during this year as we faced lockdowns, shielding, and a way of living unlike anything we had experienced before, and we saw an increased number of referrals for this service during this period. We are therefore, especially aware of the importance of this service at this time and how invaluable it is to those who are at risk of social isolation in our rural communities. This Service does not currently receive any statutory funding and the Managing Trustees are determined to safeguard its future through further fundraising and grant applications. ## **TRANSPORT** The entire Transport staff were furloughed in March 2020 and by the end of this financial year, 8 staff members continue to be furloughed. With the reopening of the Day Centre at Cheadle in October 2020, some of the Transport team were able to resume their roles helping to transport clients to Day Care from Cheadle and the surrounding area. We continue to operate three specially adapted minibuses, two of the minibuses are provided under a leasing agreement with CVM World and the oldest of the three is owned by the Charity. The Voluntary Transport Scheme continues to operate for Cheadle and the surrounding area, in partnership with Moorlands Voluntary & Community Transport of Leek. Based from the Moorlands Home Link office in Cheadle, requests for transport are made over the phone by clients Monday to Friday from 10am to 12noon and these requests are handled by a volunteer telephonist. This is a much used and appreciated service and allows clients to access medical and social appointments with the help and support of a volunteer driver. Moorlands Voluntary & Community Transport took the decision to put the service on hold in March 2020 and resumed in July 2020 with volunteer drivers provided with relevant infection control guidance and PPE. ## **MEALS ON WHEELS** The Meals on Wheels Service continued throughout the national lockdown and the ongoing effects of the pandemic. The service provides the opportunity for older members of the local community to receive a nutritional, hot, home cooked meal delivered straight to their table. The meals are delivered Monday to Friday by volunteers and staff, in Cheadle and the surrounding area, with chilled meals delivered on a Friday to be reheated over the weekend. On average, 80 freshly prepared two course meals are delivered to the local community each week and as part of this service a safe and well check is carried out at each delivery. ## **FUNDING 2020/2021** Clients make a contribution towards the cost of all of our services, with the exception of the Befriending and Phone Link Service. During this financial year grants have been received from the North Staffordshire and Stoke-onTrent Clinical Commissioning Group, Staffordshire Community Foundation, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, Town and Parish Councils, and individual Councillors. Grant funding from the NHS North Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent CCG is currently reviewed on an annual basis. As stated earlier in this report, we move forward into the next financial year with a surplus of £45703. The MHL Board of Managing Trustees recognise that efforts will need to be made during the next financial year to secure further funding through grant applications, donations and fundraising to ensure the sustainability of the Charity and to build up financial reserves. The Trustees will also continue to monitor and review expenditure throughout the next financial year, to ensure financial efficiency across the whole organisation, and will take any necessary decisions to preserve the future of the Charity. Donations received by the organisation during this financial year totalled £29754. We are extremely grateful for these funds which have been received from the many groups, organisations, local businesses, and individuals in the Moorlands area who continue to support the aims of the Charity. We have also been very grateful again to receive donations of various useful items of equipment and support from local businesses this year. ## **PARTNERSHIPS** Throughout this financial year, MHL has partnered with FareShare, the UK's largest charity fighting hunger and food waste. We are also proud to have supported students through partnerships with Keele University – School of Medicine in being able to offer virtual placements within our organisation. These valued placements provide training and insight into Adult Social Care and the Voluntary Sector to students who go on to seek careers in various fields including medicine and health and social care. ## **STAFF AND SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM** The Managing Trustees and Senior Management team are responsible for the day to day operation of the Charity. The Senior Management team during 2020/2021 were: Executive Manager - Sharon Ball Day Centre Manager - Lynn Everill Transport Manager - Ian Collier Befriending and Phone Link Service Manager, and Outreach Group Liaison - Diane Sellers Catering Manager - Rebecca Snowden Office Manager - Ellen Ball Each member of the senior management team is supported by their staff who are all a vital part of the organisation. All staff deserve a very big thank you from the Managing Trustees and clients for all their hard work, passion, commitment and care throughout the highly challenging past year. ## **BOARD OF MANAGING TRUSTEES** All of the Managing Trustees of Moorlands Home Link are volunteers who give their time freely to the Charity and no remuneration is paid to them. Members of the Managing Board of Trustees of Moorlands Home Link during 2020/21 were as follows: Rev David W Watson Mrs Dorothy Dolphin Mr Nigel Dodd Mr Peter Kent - resigned September 2020 Mr Charles Macadam Mrs Eileen Wakefield - resigned August 2020 Councillor Ray Wood A representative of Cheadle Town Council also attends the Managing Board of Trustees meetings and during this year this role was undertaken by Cllr Dave Sargeant. CHARITY NIIMBIR.. IIS8361 MOORLANDS HOME LINK REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THEYEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021 Independent examiner's Report to the Trustees of Moorlands Home Link I report on the accounts of the Trust for thè year ended 31 March 2021, which #re sel out on pages 2 109. Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner The ¢h8rilYs Irusleos are responsible lor Ihe preparalK)n ol the flnancSal Statements. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for Ihis year under se¢lion 144 01 th8 Charill&s Aci 2011 Ilhe Charties Acll and that an independent examination is needed. The charilvs gross income exc8èded £250.000 and18m qualified to undertake the examination by being a qu81ified member of thè ICAEW. 1¢ 15 my responsibility to.. exarnine the 8¢counls under seGts'on 145 01 the Charities Act.. lo follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Cornmissioners (under section 14Sl5llbl of the Charities Act.. and to slate whether 8ny partlculai matters have Come lo my attention. Basis of Independent examlner's report My examinatlon was carrled out In accordanco wSlh the General Directions ol the Ch8rily Commissioners. An examinalion includes a revièw ol the accounting records kept by the Charlty and a comparison ol Ihe accounts presenled with those recorc$5. It also include5 consicleralion of any unusual ilems or disclosures in thè accounts. and seeking explanations from you as trusletr$ concemirig any such mallers. The procedures undertakèn da not provide all the evidence Ihal w)uld be required in 8n Hudit, and consequently no tspinion is given as In whether the accounts present "Irue and lair. vièw and the report is lirniled lo Ihose matters set oul in the stalÈmenl below. Independent examlner's statement In connection wllh my examlnallon, no maledal m8ller$ have come lo my allenlion which glves mo r8asonable cause lo believe that in, any material respect.. Iho accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 01 the Charitles Acl., or the accounts did not attord with the accounling records., or the accounts did not cotFwly with the applicèble requirement5 concerning the foirn and conlenl ol accounts sel out in the Charities (Accounls and Reports) Regulations 2008 othèr than any fequiremenl that the accounts give a 'true and f3ir' view which is not a maller considered as part of an Independent ex8mination. I have come across no ollier mallers in connertion b%4th the examination to whirh allention should b8 drawn in this report in order to en8ble a proper understanding of the accounts to be re8¢hed. Signed.. Dale.. Lee Grattage FCA LG Accountancy 2 Maple Crescent, Blythe Bridge, Stoke on Trent, ST119N page 1 MOORLANDS frIOME LINK STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021 Unrestrlcted Restrlcted Funds Funds Total Funds 2021 Total Funds 2020 Noi&s INCOMING RESOURCES Incoming rèsources from generated funds Donalions and legacies Charitable atUvili¥$ Investments Other 29,754 160.944 29.754 230,944 89.621 237.514 31bl 70,000 700 71JO 2,977 Total In¢omlng rèsources 191398 261,398 330,112 RESOURCES EXPENDED Charltable activiti95 4181 108,865 124,871 233.736 295,204 Gov•rnanc• costs 5,761 800 6,561 5.196 Total resources expèndèd 114.626 125,671 240,297 300.400 NET OUTGOING RESOURCES 76,772 155,6711 21,101 29,712 TRANSFER BEfwEEN FUNDS 155.6711 55,671 RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS Total funds broughl forward Total funds c#rrlèd lorward 24,602 24,602 15,1101 The sialement ol financial activities iDcludes 811 gains 8n*Y1088è8 recognised in the year. All incom? and expènditure derive from continuing activities. The notes on pages 4 lo 9 fomi part ol the finanual stslemenls. page 2 MOORLAhlDS HOPIIE LINK BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2021 2021 2020 TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS 2.246 2,994 CURRENT ASSETS Debtors and prepaymenls Cash al bank 9,350 39,544 48.894 3,483 23.511 CURRENT LIABILMES Creditor5.' Amounts falllno due thin one yèar 5,437 5.386 5,437 5.386 CURRENT ASSETS 43,457 21.608 NEf ASSETS 45,703 24,602 FUNDS Unre$lricled Reslricted 45,703 24,602 45,703 24.602 All amounis relat• to continuing a¢llvilie8. The notes on pages 5 to 8 lorm part of the financial slalemenl5. Approved by the bo8rd ol Iruslees and signed on their behalf by. And¥•w Savage D8te'. Truslee-. Neil Alkins Dale.. 711.( 25 page 3 klOORLANDS HOME LINK NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMEIITS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021 1. Accounting Policies In prepaiing Ihe accounis Ihe fol￿W￿9 8ccouniing poliues hava been camph'ed ￿th,. 1.1 B4si$ ot aecountiTrg These accounts have been pr¢p8réd une m685uied ￿lIh 5Utficioni reliatiility. Th6 following specific poll￿•& 8r6 applied lo particular calegories w mD)mo.' Ofl&•itlng Tli*ie ha$ been otrsolUri9 01 èssels and labililLes. or Incom8 and èxpenséa. UTh￿4$ r8quired oi p¢rmi1iod by the FRS102 SORP. Grnn15 and Gi811ts and donolion$ are only Intludèd in the SOFA %then ￿ genèr81 in¢(>mè let￿OnI1￿)n dDnollon$ Ctiiario ale moi,In Ihe c##e trf perfofm8nce related grants. musl only be recooni36d l(> iThÈ èxlenl Ihal the ¢harily hA$ provid¢d the specified 9c¥)ds oi So￿1¢￿S 0$ enliiremenl lo the gfJDI only occurs ¥thÈn tha perfom&nc• related condllions ar8 mel. L•gaci•5 LègacKos are Included In the SOFA %vhon receipl Is probable. l*al 15. ￿le17 Viere Iiab been grani ol probate. the &x•cvlor$ h¥¥8 681ablished Ihal ihere arR sJffici8ni a68ets In the esiaie and any condllK)ns allJch8d 10 th& legaEy ale eilher wilhin Ihe Control ol Ihtr th)rlty crf ha¥8 bo8n mel. Gov•rnm¢ntgr4nts The charity has r8caivtsd gwernmani oiaTrw In Iha roporung p•riod. rax reclalms on Gift recelvablo Is Included In Income Inert is a valid dKlaraiion Ilorn the donor. donallons •rJLI glfts Any Gift Aid an￿U￿1 r8co¥ered on 4 donalith) 1$ ¢onsirJ•red 10 bo of Ihbi gift andbs Irealed 88 an &Ydttlon 10 the lund as ihe initial donauon unk96S tho donor Of Ihe lorms ol Iha appeal have specified olhÈTh%Yse. CDntrll¢lual in¢ome Thi5 15 only indu¢ed In Ihe SOFA oncè lh2 tharity has provbed Ihe related goods p•rfarrn*ncé 5èrvic•$ or mol tho perfofmance r6iat8d ondiiions. relaledpK4nt5 Voluntser holp The valu& ol any ¥oluniary hets rec*iv6d Is noi included ￿ the a¢(x>unls bui 15 descriw In Ihe btrsiees, ¥nu31 repDfE. h¥6om• Imm This Ls included In Ihe ￿￿niS vthbn r¢ceipl 1$ 8nd Ihe amount rece￿Vable ran inleresl be measured reliably. Setllèment oi Insurance daims ait onw includèd In Ihe SOFA when Ihe genernl Income recognibori insurance clalms c[￿er12 are mel15.10 to S.12 FRS 102 SORPI aod are includèd a& at) itern ol olher income Ihe SOFA. 1.6 Expendltur* and IL*billlia Liabilwes are lo￿￿nIsed rt 1$ More Iikety than not Ihai th9re i& a legal or coTrsirutlive obli93lipn ¢DmmiUing thè ¢harily to p8youi resourtè3 and th¢ aiwuni of Ihe obli9ation be me8sured Kviln reasonable c2rt8iThiy ￿J1 li8bililiè$ altr all<>ca￿ bety¥een eipenditLJre cale9ories ol Ine SaFA on Ihe ba￿S designed lo reftÈci the use ofihose resour¢e$. C031s relating lo a part￿l￿r 8CTivity aFe allocaled dire¢iiy. Pagè 4 MOORLANDS HOME LINK NOTES TO THE FINAN¢IAL S7ATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021 Charttable ComprigÈS those cosis incurred by the charity In the delivery of Ils acbvilies for ils expenditure beneficiaries. 11 in¢luées both cosis that cAn bè 8IIoc•itear under section 144 of Ihe Charit*s Act 2011 (the C￿?￿leS arwJ that an independent exaSTNrbation is needed. The thariws g*()ss In¢0 exceeded £250.000 l ayn qyaThd lo uThJertéke the ey3rriThbon bytietThJ 8 qualffied ft*rrk¥Èr'oi the ICAEW. Is ￿ry reswnsÈtxfrty lo: - èxamine the a¢covnts under seclion 145 of trÉ (￿&￿te$ Ac to fotb)w the pncedures taiii iFt the General Dire¢thY3$9iv¢n bythe.Charty Com[ri￿OnerS (under secltiin 14515Xbl of ttge Charilies Act and . 10 Stale ithelher'any parlicular rnalleys hawe oiTh*'lo nva1fentic￿. Basbi of indtpendent examlnerfs rgport My 8xsminabon vrns rarrled oul in accorTJan￿ ihe Gènw¥l DHecttons ol thè Chaffly Commisstorws. An exarrdn8ttsrE induijes a rewewoflhe accounting racofds kapt by the.Chaty and t comparison oflhe #UL￿￿1$ rKÈsented ￿t￿ those records. It also ￿ludeS ¢ortstderètk)n èfany Wtugjal items or dis¢k)SLves Ihe accoun1& and seektng explanationslrom yQLt as Injsiees cOn￿m￿￿ any such Th￿lter$. The piocedtKes Undertaken do nol pThide att evidence that would be iequwed ￿ 8Th audiL and consequenuyno wnK)n is gi¥eA as to ithether Ihg acoxints p￿ent a lrtre and fairt wew and the report is firr¥led to th9￿ matteT3 Sel oul in ￿ *tement bekny. Independent examinerfs ststement In conpectfi)nwJth my examinats"￿", no Trwlwial rrottets (£¢ne lo altEntMt give5 me reaSort8b￿ coU5e lo believe that in. any mateTi81 iespecL. .. Ihe 8¢¢ountiw records were nol kept in acCoTdaw￿￿se¢Ik1ts 130ofthe Ctsilkes ACL or the a¢counts did not accord %Mth Ihe artA)unlin9 re￿[￿$", Of - Ibe accourlts dKI ￿>t conwty the appfi£able requiFernènts concem%r¥J Ihe lomi 3￿j conlenl'of accounts set (Krt sn Ihe Charii*s {Amwnts at¥1 Reprxlsl Reg￿￿tKInS 20D8 othe* than any feqLtirement t￿t Ihe accounts gr4e a aNt ¥*w is 8 nptter¢(¥wd*wd as part of an Inde￿[￿le￿I eXarronattr￿. .1 hwe wmé arn Tr) ofher Matte￿.in Ca)n￿￿n the exafjwnatitsn trt thth"atknlv)n sP￿d be dra¥￿ in Ihis in'ottlerto enab￿ a proptr under48nding of the accounis to be teathed. Lee Grtttage FCA LG At¢ountancy 2 M8ple Cre$￿¢, Btfft BTidge. Stoke on TrenL STI19N