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2021-12-31-accounts

Annual Report

2021

Financial Statements and Trustee's report 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021

www.communigrow.com

Charity no. 1159534

Contents

03 Chairman's Introduction

04 About Communigrow

05 Our Impact 11 Working in Partnership 12 Volunteers

15 Fundraising

20 Independent Examiner's Report

Chairman's Introduction

I am delighted to have taken over the role of chair of trustees in June of last year and to provide the introduction to this year’s annual report.

Commungrow achieved a number of notable landmarks in 2021 despite the ongoing impact of Covid-19.

Income generation has continued its upward trajectory by increasing by more than 10% last year. Our income from charitable activities on the field has increased 2.5 times, which provides a springboard for further growth in what we offer by way of horticulture and educational activities.

We were able to appoint a full-time operations manager and a part-time fundraiser. These are important appointments as they provide us with dedicated resources to increase and diversify our revenues and to manage our operations more effectively. The appointments provide a platform to expand the services we offer and to increase our reach to additional beneficiaries and the local community whilst ensuring that the services we offer continue to have more impact and a greater benefit to our beneficiaries and the local community.

Communigrow is a horticultural charity providing educational opportunities, work experience and outdoor activities for the whole community, including special needs, vulnerable and disadvantaged young people and adults. For these young people and adults we are able to promote their personal development and sense of achievement as well as providing horticultural learning opportunities. Through working outside and growing crops, everyone who comes to the field has the opportunity to reconnect with nature and learn about growing their own food in a sustainable way. A key benefit of what we do is being able to promote health and wellbeing.

As a board of trustees, we are greatly encouraged by the stories we hear on the impact that Communigrow is having on our beneficiaries and some of these stories are told in this Annual Report.

I conclude with a thank you to the Trust and Foundations and all of our other donors who support us. We are immensely grateful for all the financial support we continue to receive and which allows us to do what we do. I would like to thank our staff and all our volunteers. Both staff and volunteers are vital to the success of Communigrow and their efforts and enthusiasm on the field running the classes and workshops and helping with the planting and growing, as well providing a valuable support network with our social media and marketing, are very much appreciated. Finally, I would also like to thank Simon Webley who has so ably chaired the board of trustees for 5 years and whose support Communigrow continues to enjoy as he remains a trustee.

Caroline Pearce

Chair of the board of trustees

About Communigrow

Public benefit

The objects of Communigrow are to promote and advance education in responsible food farming activities for the public benefit by empowering local communities to directly link with farming and to reconnect with where their food comes from and how to enjoy local, healthy, sustainable, affordable food.

Our mission

To use horticulture to educate, support and inspire everyone in our community by enriching their lives, and for disadvantaged groups by achieving greater independence.

Our vision

Our vision is to provide horticultural experiences where all people in our community, regardless of background or abilities, work collaboratively to respect and understand how food is grown and the many benefits it offers to their health and wellbeing; inspiring them to lead fuller lives in a sustainable community.

Our values

Our core values are focused on:

Highlights

Despite disruptions caused by the Covid-19 restrictions, the past year has nevertheless been a year of highlights and achievements that include:

We are proud of these achievements which are described in more detail overleaf.

Education and Wellbeing

The chart below gives a breakdown of the different groups who benefited from our educational provision and the graph which follows, shows the numbers of people organised by the target group. This includes people who attended regular sessions, one-off sessions; and community and online events.

----- Start of picture text -----
Partnership referrals School groups
19.6% 19.6%
Other
Volunteers
Home Education Young people
17.8%
General public
Families
43% 0 100 200 300 400 500
----- End of picture text -----

Schools

Five Acre Wood School is one of the schools which comes to Communigrow. Two groups of sixth form students from this special school come once a week during term time and benefit both physically and mentally from being outdoors and participating in the growing activities.

Grow 19 is a college for young adults aged 19–25 with significant needs which offers vocational skills and knowledge. Students visit every week and we support Grow19’s aims by providing practical horticultural experience for their City & Guilds land based qualification.

Grange Park School is a specialist school for children and young people with an Autism Spectrum Condition. A group of students attend one morning a week to gain valuable work experience. They assist with all aspects of growing and harvesting. In the warmer months they help prepare veg boxes and sell our produce to local residents door to door.

As part of their enrichment programme, students from Bethany school, a private school in Kent, visit weekly to learn about local food production and its benefits for the environment.

The impact of what Communigrow does is illustrated by the support we have received from members of staff at these schools.

“All of the students that attend the placement speak highly of the support and experience that they get. We have seen a positive change in our students that attend the placement and this transgresses into other parts of their programme of study. We are thankful for Communigrow in supporting the school and students and hope the partnership can continue.”

PAULA MARTIN, SENIOR LEARNING MENTOR, GRANGE PARK SCHOOL

“Communigrow has given our students a great escape from everything going on during lockdown. Being outside and near nature has helped with their mental wellbeing and given the students a regular focus. Thank you Communigrow for all that you have done and your ongoing support during Covid.”

STAFF MEMBER, FIVE ACRE WOOD SCHOOL

“We have worked with Communigrow for three years. Their staff and volunteers fully understand the needs of our groups and their future pathways. They are proactive and flexible in how they work with us and we are pleased to call them a community partner.”

KIRSTIE HEMINGWAY, HEAD OF GROW 19

Education and Wellbeing

Working with local partners Crossroads and Involve Kent we have delivered 7 workshops. Groups of young carers and teenagers with autism and communication difficulties have learnt about wildlife and growing in these fun hands-on sessions. As part of the post Covid Reconnect programme, attendees harvested and cooked fresh veg, forging new connections and friendships after the isolation of lockdown. We also worked with IMAGO in delivering two online workshops. We have begun offering similar workshops to the general public and which have also proved very popular.

In 2021, in order to reach the more disadvantaged members of our local community, we forged links with the East Malling Centre. We offered 5 activity sessions for local families including tasting veg, learning about wildlife and crafting.

“I now know more about plants and animals”

AUTUMN FAMILY WORKSHOP PARTICIPANT

“It helps me eat better and fresher food.”

PARTICIPANT OF SESSION DELIVERED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH INVOLVE KENT

“I enjoyed making the bug houses and digging up the sweet potatoes.”

“I learned how to make a salad out of fruit and vegetables that I've never tried.”

PARTICIPANTS OF THE COMMUNIGROW FAMILY WORKSHOPS

PARTICIPANTS OF SESSIONS DELIVERED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH IMAGO

“The children… enjoyed the tour of the allotments, seeing the various vegetables that had been planted, planting the various seeds and potatoes and also being able to take some pots home with them.”

YOUNG CARERS TUTOR, CROSSROAD CHARITY

Education and Wellbeing

Home Education

The home education programme ran from March to December in 2021. Learners aged 4-14 studied a range of topics, from pond life, to food miles. Following feedback from parents, the course included more practical sessions where learners help with tasks on the field to acquire new skills including cooking veg from the field.

The following case studies illustrate the impact of the work that Communigrow does.

Case study 1

Zac (11 y/o), one of our home education students, came to Communigrow as a very self-conscious young person. At the back of the group trying to be as small as possible. A pond dipping session changed everything. A discovery of Red spider mites by Zac soon had the whole group gathering around, encouraged by the Communigrow education team his confidence grew.

Mr red spider mite man started joining in all conversations as his opinion was now as valid as everyone else’s. We are so proud of how he has continued to respond and can’t wait to work with him next term.

CAROLL, COMMUNIGROW EDUCATION COORDINATOR

Improving communication skills

Case study 2

Gina (16 y/o), who attends sessions with her local learning disability school, has complex needs. In the beginning she wasn't keen to engage with manual work and insisted on being supported when walking. Lots of encouragement and attention saw Gina really start to enjoy her tasks. Recently Gina got off the bus with enthusiasm, and now doesn't need physical support to walk around the site. With her communication skills starting to improve, she even joined in using the loud speaker during an activity.

Her support worker said: “Communigrow has certainly been a catalyst in Gina’s recent improvement at the site and in general at school. It’s fantastic to see her enjoying herself and working as part of the class”.

CAROLL, COMMUNIGROW EDUCATION COORDINATOR

Education and Wellbeing

Wellbeing Programmes

Covid-19 in particular provided us with an opportunity to reach out to other sections of our local community. In partnership with Involve Kent, we delivered sessions and workshops as part of the KCC Universal Wellbeing Programme. These are designed for the over 55s to tackle loneliness, social isolation and those with health challenges.

Case study 3

Wednesday Wellness sessions - Improving Wellbeing

“Attending weekly sessions has provided me with something fun and different from my usual day to day activity. I have enjoyed meeting new people, learning new things. Making new friends gets harder as you get older and this group whilst all being quite different from each other are friendly and welcoming.This experience has encouraged me to volunteer and contribute to a local charity.”

ANNE, PARTICIPANT OF THE WEDNESDAY WELLNESS SESSIONS

Working in Partnership

Working in partnership is vital to Communigrow, helping us to raise our profile locally and supporting and being supported by other local organisations. We are actively seeking and building relationships with community, voluntary and statutory partners who share our vision and support our principles.

We have strong connections with:

Clarion Futures

Crossroads Kent Young Carers East Malling Centre IMAGO Community Involve Kent – Social Prescribing Platform, Wellbeing, Young People Kent Virtual Schools KRAN - Kent Refugee Action Network Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council – One YOU United Living

Volunteers

The number of volunteers has continued to increase year on year as shown in the graph.

The charity provided volunteering opportunities in horticulture, education, marketing, event assistance, fundraising, research, recruitment and general administrative tasks. In 2021 we had 64 volunteers who supported us on the field with the cultivation, harvesting (making up weekly veg boxes) and maintenance activities, such as repairing the brassica cage and building the bird boxes and the bird hide to encourage birdlife. They assisted with the delivery of 87 educational sessions and workshops, five fundraising events, 25 wellbeing sessions and workshops and seven external events. 17 volunteers worked remotely producing content for our social media channels, designing and distributing 12 newsletters, organising nine online educational talks and updating the website. They helped us to increase and keep audiences engaged which made our online presence stronger. Eight volunteers supported us both on the field and remotely. We also delivered three Volunteering Days for the corporate sector and local businesses.

----- Start of picture text -----
Number of volunteers 2017- 2021
100
“It was really rewarding to provide
support to Communigrow, a
75 wonderful local charity that does
such good work for the community.
Our team of volunteers built a
50
raised bed area, worked in a no
dig plot and helped with general
tasks and thoroughly enjoyed our
25 time there.”
JACQUELINE NOON, SOCIAL VALUE MANAGER AT
UNITED LIVING PROPERTY SERVICES
0
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
----- End of picture text -----

Our volunteers tell us they benefit by learning how to grow their own food, how they feel they are giving something back to the community and how they are helping to protect the environment. They gain knowledge and skills and better mental and physical health whilst connecting with nature, food and people. They also tell us this helps build confidence and self-esteem, giving them a sense of purpose and helps them to make new friends.

“David has actively encouraged volunteers to learn how to use pieces of equipment, such as the rotavator, which is really rewarding. The different levels

of knowledge amongst the team is always helpful and insightful. The field itself is a wonderful place to be and definitely helps mindfulness and wellbeing.”

VOLUNTEER (GROWER)

“Volunteering with Communigrow has absolutely reinforced my interest in gardening and growing. I enjoy the experience of meeting and working with new people, learning about new things, and contributing your time towards something meaningful.”

VOLUNTEER (SOCIAL MEDIA)

VOLUNTEERS’ MOTIVATIONS TO BE PART OF COMMUNIGROW 2021

Exercising and spending time outdoors 12.2%

Socialising and giving back to the community 27.5%

Learning how to grow food 49.7%

Being healthier, sustainable/ecofriendly

10.6%

Volunteers

Being a delivery partner of the KCC Universal Wellbeing Programme (in partnership with Involve Kent), brought new opportunities for our volunteers. These encouraged them to join the weekly activities that support communities’ wellbeing while making the group stronger and helping us to reinforce our commitment to promote health, wellbeing within the local community.

The achievements of our volunteers was recognised by the award of one of The Kent Messenger Charity Team awards, one of the most prestigious volunteering awards in Kent and one of only 13 regional winners across the county. This is given in recognition of voluntary groups in Kent which make outstanding contributions to charities and communities.

We thank all our volunteers very much for their time, skills and energy to support the charity’s work in 2021.

----- Start of picture text -----
5268
VOLUNTEERED HOURS
Between 1st January and
31st December 2021
----- End of picture text -----

£58,828

ESTIMATED ECONOMIC VALUE OF TIME DONATED BY VOLUNTEERS

Fundraising

2021 has been a very successful year for increasing our income from a variety of Trusts and Foundations both local and national. This has strengthened the perception and image of Communigrow as a credible and capable educational charity worthy of endorsement, sponsorship and investment. Our income for 2021 amounted to £127,480 (£114,216 in 2020).

We are most appreciative of the support we have received from: Atwood Benefits Ltd (formerly F & L Finance) 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust Albert Hunt Foundation Barbara Ward Children’s Foundation Colyer Fergusson Charitable Trust ExPat Foundation Gatwick Charitable Trust Hollick Family Foundation Ian Askew Trust Involve Kent KCC Members Grant Kent Community Foundation Leigh Charitable Foundation Matthew Wrightson Foundation National Lottery Reaching Communities Robert Gavron Social Farms and Gardens Tesco

Grant funding has enabled us to achieve the following substantial progress in the development of our charitable aims. It has:

Enhanced the coordination and deployment of our small team of growers and our volunteers in maintaining an effective and engaging growing programme across our 2.4 acre site.

Future plans

During the current and future years we aim to:

Governance and Management Structure

Charity name Communigrow Registered Charity No. 1159534 Contact address 1 Wesley Close, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 9HT Trustees Caroline Pearce - Chair Helen Turner – Secretary Alan Piper Simon Webley David Field Anthony Blackman Eleanor Nicolas – Treasurer Independent Examiner Priscilla Asirifi Bank The Co-operative Bank PO Box 200, Skelmersdale, WN8 6 WT Website www.communigrow.org.uk

Organisation and decision making

Communigrow held its AGM in June 2021 when new trustees David Field and Anthony Blackman were appointed. The trustees met seven times in 2021 to consider all aspects of the charity’s activities and to monitor progress.

Leadership and Management

We are very fortunate in now having a very skilled and active Board of Trustees who are passionately committed to our principles of using horticulture creatively to assist those facing challenge and disadvantage amongst communities across West Kent. In addition the Board engages a business development and fundraising consultant to assist with business planning, growth and income generation.

New Trustees

Prospective trustees are invited to a trustee meeting to discuss their application to be a trustee. References and due checks are carried out and following appointment as a trustee an induction session is held including explanations of the roles and responsibilities of trustees.

The trustees confirm that they have had due regard to the Charity Commission’s public benefit guidance when making their decisions.

The management team met regularly through 2021 to plan and monitor activities. Other day to day decisions were made informally as and when required.

Major Risks Statement

The trustees regularly review the following major risks and respond accordingly.

  1. Governance - a skills audit was carried out in 2020 to identify strengths and weaknesses.

  2. Financial - regular reports are received on the charity’s financial position, sustainability, safeguarding funds and reserves.

  3. Operational - safeguarding and health & safety reviews are undertaken and volunteer roles and beneficiary welfare are assessed.

  4. External - key for the charity was responding to the impact of Covid-19, safeguarding its reputation, responding to demographic changes and changes in funders’ criteria.

  5. Compliance with law and regulation - in particular employment law and charity law.

Finance Report

Reserves Policy

The charity needs reserves to enable it to progress to completing both its long term projects, and its current activities and fluctuations in receipts and payments. The policy is to hold £8,000 for working activities. The level has been set to take account of the following:

  1. Contingency: unexpected expenditure in the event of an emergency;

  2. Cash-flow: situations where a bill has to be paid before the money to cover it has been received;

  3. Commitment: a commitment to expenditure which cannot be covered by the annual income

  4. Closure: the charity becomes financially unsustainable and has to be wound up.

Explanatory Notes

  1. General funds are unrestricted and are spent on the charity's general purposes.

  2. Restricted funds comprise donations and grants for specific activities intended by the donor 3.

  3. £66,365 of the £72,258 restricted funds at the end of 2021 is carried forward to 2022 for staff salaries and

  4. business development costs during 2022.

Independent Examiner’s Report

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Charity”) for the year ended 31/12/2021.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

Independent examiner’s statement

I report in respect of my examination of the Charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

· the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Name: Helen Turner (Signed on behalf of trustees) Position: Secretary & Trustee Date: 26th May 2022

www.communigrow.org.uk

© Communigrow 2021 Registered Charity No. 1159534

COMMUNIGROW No (if any) 1159534 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period Period start date Period end date To from 1/1/2021 12/31/2021

Section A Receipts and payments Section A Receipts and payments Section A Receipts and payments Section A Receipts and payments Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted
funds		 Restricted
funds		 Endowment
funds		 Total funds Last year
to the nearest to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
A1 Receipts £
CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES - 8,261- - -- - -- - 8,261- - 3,241-
COMMUNITY FUNDRAISING - 1,039- - -- - -- - 1,039- - 413-
CORPORATE DONATIONS - 3,000- - -- - -- - 3,000- - 135-
DONATIONS - 1,557- - -- - -- - 1,557- - 419-
SPONSORSHIP - -- - -- - -- - -- - 3,500-
TRUSTS & FOUNDATIONS - 103,228- - -- - 103,228- - 102,872-
VEG SALES - 4,069- - -- - -- - 4,069- - 3,636-
OTHER INCOME - 6,336- - -- - -- - 6,336- - --
Sub total(Gross income for
AR)
A2 Asset and investment sales,		 - 24,262- - 103,228- - -- - 127,490- - 114,216-
(see table).
- -- - -- - -- - --
- -- - -- - -- - -- - --
Sub total - -- - -- - -- - -- - --
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- -- - -- - -- - --
- -- - -- - -- - -- - --
Sub total - -- - -- - -- - -- - --
**Total receipts ** - 24,262- - 103,228- - -- - 127,490- - 114,216-
A3 Payments
ADMIN/UTILITIES - 3,063- - 3,063- - 3,504-
CONSUMABLES - 413- - 1,486- - -- - 1,899- - 6,431-
EQUIPMENT - 84- - 4,559- - -- - 4,643- - 14,031-
FUNDRAISING & BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT - 9,000- - -- - 9,000- - 7,413-

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

5/18/2022

1

INSURANCE & RENT - 2,005- - -- - 2,005- - 1,893-
MARKETING - 712- - 226- - -- - 938- - 115-
SERVICES (INCLUDING SALARIES) - 80- - 83,597- - -- - 83,677- - 62,054-
- -- - -- - --
- -- - -- - -- - -- - --
**Sub total ** - 1,289- - 103,937- - -- - 105,225- - 95,440-
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- -- - -- - -- - --
- -- - -- - -- - --
**Sub total ** - -- - -- - -- - --
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- -- - -- - -- - --
- -- - -- - -- - --
**Sub total ** - -- - -- - -- - --
**Total payments ** - 1,289- - 103,937- - -- - 105,225- - 95,440-
**Net of receipts/(payments) ** - 22,974- - 709- - -- - 22,265- - 18,776-
A5 Transfers between funds - -- - -- - -- - -- - --
A6 Cash funds last year end - 11,951- - 62,285- - -- - 74,236- - 30,775-
**Cash funds this year end ** - 34,925- - 61,576- - -- - 96,501- - 49,551-
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
Categories Details funds funds funds
to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £
B1 Cash funds - 20,045- - 72,967- - --
- -- - -- - --
- -- - -- - --
Total cash funds - 20,045- - 72,967- - --
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))		 Agreement Error Agreement Error OK

CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

5/18/2022

2

B2 Other monetary assets
B3 Investment assets
B4 Assets retained for the
charity’s own use		 Details Unrestricted
funds
to nearest £		 Restricted
funds
to nearest £		 Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
--
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--
-
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Current value
(optional)
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--
Current value
(optional)
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--
-
--
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--
-
--
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--
-
--
-
--		 -
--		 -
--
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--		 -
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--		 -
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-
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--		 -
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-
--		 -
--		 -
--
Current value
(optional)
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
Current value
(optional)
6 TEMPORARY STRUCTURES -
POLYTUNNELS/YURT/GREENHOUSE		 -
--
LOG CABIN/SHEDS -
--
HORTICULTURAL TOOLS &
MACHINERY/TRACTOR		 -
--
KITCHEN TRAILER -
--
IT EQUIPMENT -
--
-
--
-
--

CCXX R3 accounts (SS)

5/18/2022

3

B5 Liabilities

Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees

----- Start of picture text -----
- -
- -
Fund to which Amount due When due
Details liability relates (optional) (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Date of
Signature Print Name
approval
Helen Turner 12.02.2022
----- End of picture text -----

Explanatory Notes

General funds are unrestricted and are spent on the charity's general purposes. Restricted funds comprise donations and grants for specific activities intended by the donor £60,914 of the £72,967 restricted funds at the end 2020 is carried forward for staff salaries and business development costs during 2021

CCXX R4 accounts (SS)

5/18/2022

4

CHARITY COMMISSION I FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Independent Examiner's Report Report to the tfusleesl members of COMMUNIGROW On a¢¢ounts for the year ended 31n2r2021 Charity no. 1159534 Responslbllities and basis of report report to ihe trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity forthe year ended 31n2f2021. As the charity trustees of the Trust. you are responsible for the preparation of ihe accounts in aCC￿rdance ￿th the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 I'lhe Act'}. I report in respect of my examination of the Charity's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions glven by the Chartty Commission under seuton 145(5)(b) of ihe Act. I have completed my examinalion. I confimi ihat no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe thai in, any material respect.. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord wtth the accounting records,. or Independent examiner's ststement Ihe accounts did not comply smth the applicable requiremenls concerning ihe form and cotrtent of accounts set oul in ihe Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requiremenl that the ac￿Unts give a 'true and fail view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examinatkjn. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. SlgTred: 02mY2022 Name: Priscilla Asirifi ACMA Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (rf any): Chartered Instibjte of Management Accountsnts (CIMA) Address: 8 Sandown Street Manchester M188SA