## **The Silvers’ Workshop** Charity Registration No. 1159283 # Annual Report to the Charities Commission ## 2021 Authors - Dave Catton – Treasurer Kevin Slade - Secretary ## Index Coronavirus Pandemic Page 1 Governance and Management Page 1 Membership Page 2 External Links Page 2 About this year Page 2 The Project Page 3 Men’s Health and Wellbeing Page 3 The Future Page 3 Financial Report & Balance Sheet Page 3 This is the seventh annual report, in which we describe what we have achieved this last year and to report on our long-term objectives. To re-cap, The Silvers’ Workshop is affiliated to the U.K. Men’s Shed Association which has now established over 500 sheds in the United Kingdom. The Silvers’ Workshop aims to provide a safe space for men to connect, converse and create, in the process of reducing loneliness and isolation, whilst socialising and having fun. ## **Coronavirus.** We re-opened the workshop to members on Monday 26[th] July, reducing the number of sessions per week to three and of shorter duration. The sessions were strictly controlled by a Duty Manager and managed in line with our Covid Safety Plan, a copy of which was sent by post to all members. Members wishing to attend a session had to book one of the limited slots available, and could only attend once a week. These restrictions were lifted in September but we are still only opening for three sessions a week. ## **Governance and Management.** The Silvers’ Workshop has six Trustees but we are actively looking for several more to join in an attempt to broaden the expertise of the board. They sit at least four times a year but in the past 18 months meetings have been jointly held with the Management Team, primarily via Zoom.. These meetings are fully recorded and the minutes, once approved, are placed on the general noticeboard for all members to read and comment upon. This allows for openness and transparency. Our Management Team and Sub Teams are constituted accordingly, **Management Team :-** 10 members including six Trustees. **Finance Team :-** 3 members including Finance Chair and Secretary **Health & Safety Team :-** 4 members including one Trustees. **Property Team :-** 6 members including two Trustees. **Social Team :-** 4 members including one Trustee. The Management Team meet monthly, except for August and work to an agreed agenda. All meetings are fully recorded and copies of the minutes, once approved a copy is pinned to the general noticeboard for all members to read and comment upon, again, promoting openness and transparency. These minutes will also include either written or verbal reports from each of the sub-teams. All Trustees and Team Members give their time freely and no remuneration or expenses have been paid during this last year, other than expenses duly incurred whilst undertaking official workshop business. No Trustee receives any benefit which is not available to the wider membership. ## **Membership.** Membership remains open to men who meet our objectives and can demonstrate their general mobility. Our membership remains around 65 men, but there has been a lot of interest since lockdown was lifted and we hope to see numbers rise in the New Year. ## **External Links.** We continue to work closely with both Reading Voluntary Action who offer us free advice and training and U.K. Men’s Shed Association which gives us access to all Men’s Sheds in the UK. Our support and assistance to a local SEN school has been suspended and will remain so until Covid is under control and the Head permits us to return. In the mean-time we are working with several department heads, via E mail to focus on ideas for when we return. Again, we extend our thanks to Laithwaite Wine Co: ISG Construction and ASDA Tilehurst for their valued help and assistance throughout the pandemic and for keeping in touch via E mail and telephone. ## **About this last year.** Every event planned for this year had to be cancelled but during the short period of time between “Lockdowns” small groups of members (no more than six) would meet at the local promenade by the Thames every Wednesday for a picnic lunch. This hour or so gave time for socialising and to find out if any member was struggling with any mental or medical health issue and needed assistance. Twice a week, Tuesday’s and Thursdays at 10.00am the Chairman held a Zoom chat for any member who wished to log in and enjoy a catchup for an hour or so. ## **The Project.** During the summer period the Management Team spent a lot of time drafting and re-drafting a bid document for a property the local authority is looking to dispose of. The terms of the disposal are based on a short-or long-term lease and is open to bids from the private as well as the third-party sector. We were able to answer all questions set out in the bid document and submitted a comprehensive and well-constructed document on the due date in September. At the point of submitting this report a decision from the L.A. has still not been made on the successful bidder. ## **Men’s Health & Wellbeing.** By continuing the bi-weekly Zoom chats and our limit open sessions held each week in the workshop, we are able to monitor the wellbeing and general mood of a majority of our members. Those members that have not been heard from for a while are contacted by members from the Management Team. ## **The Future.** This remains fluid as we are unable, at present, to objectively plan and set dates for events or long-term projects. ## **Financial Report and Balance Sheet.** The downward spiral continues, however a rent payment of £1,500 fell due on 1[st] January. Outstanding payments/invoices – aware of potential van hire, are there any others? Charity Commission Report – As we are way below the £25K threshold for a detailed financial report, I believe the financial element of the CC report is just to report total income and expenditure for the 2021, and these are Income £11739.10 and expenditure of £14,337.93. These figures would have been substantially lower if the Direct Wines ‘donation’ was ignored. A Monthly Cash Flow Report for 2021 is attached, but as detailed report is not required by CC, I would suggest only sharing this report with members or at AGM. Lots of zeroes and red ink on this report for 2021. Insurances and rent is included in the Regular Utility Payments. This completes The Silvers’ Workshop, Annual Charities Commission Report for 2021, on this day 28[th] January 2022. Signed Tony Smith-Crallan Chairman.