## **The Hub@BA15** **Church Street, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, BA15 1LS Tel. 01225 920748 Charity no. 1160807 Email boacommunityhub@gmail.com Website : www.boahub.co.uk** ## **Annual Report 2021-2022** 1 | P a g e ## Contents ## 1. Trustees & Management Group ## 2. Annual report ## 3. Additional Reports - 3.1 Foodbank - 3.2 Hope Debt Advice Service (Jim Clarke) 4. Treasurer’s Report and Accounts (John Hutchinson) ## 5. Auditor’s Report ## 6. Acknowledgements 2 | P a g e ## **1.** ## **i. Trustees 2021-22** Laurie Brown Town Council - (resigned) Jim Clarke Churches Together Angie Hill Co-opted - Volunteer John Hutchinson BoACAN - Treasurer David Jewell Co-opted - Mike Roberts Town Council Chair (resigned) Philip Secretan Co-opted - IT & Facilities Alison Wells Churches Together - ## **ii. Management Group** Trustees The named trustees (as above) Belinda Dean Co-opted Avril Clarke Coordinator Caroline Medani Co-opted to take minutes ## **iii. Invited but not attended** Ros Griffiths Wiltshire Council 3 | P a g e ## **2. Annual Report** ## **a. The Hub @ BA15** The trustees of The Hub@BA15 have taken considerable care to ensure that the statutory requirements needed for running of the Hub in compliance with its charitable status have been met. The annual report and finances for 2020/1 have been submitted to the Charities Commission as the annual return in January 2022. The following insurances have been renewed: - Public Liability - Building and Contents The following policies have been reviewed, signed by all relevant Trustees and are available for inspection on the premises: - Safeguarding (Vulnerable Adult & Child Protection) - Safeguarding Questionnaire - Equal Opportunities - Data Protection policy. - Health and Safety Policy - Health and Safety Risk Assessments - H&S questionnaire - Fire Risk Assessments - Covid 19 risk assessment - Lone Working - Confidentiality - Complaints Procedure - Conflict of interest - Volunteering Policy - Procedures A Health & Safety poster and Manual Handling Guide are on display. There is an in-date First Aid Kit, accident book and posters naming the appointed first-aider and safeguarding officer. Covid precautions such as the wearing of masks and the use of hand gel remain in place. The Hub@BA15, was opened in 2015 however the lease on premises now continues until 2025 with option to extend for a further two years. The numbers of people visiting the Hub is lower than before lockdown although the food parcel requests remain slightly higher and it is expected that debt enquiries will eventually increase. The delivery service which began during the pandemic continues; providing enough volunteers are able to respond to the email requests for a driver; there is less willingness to deliver outside the local area partly as a result of the current financial situation. Contact with the agencies remains limited with fewer referrals for any of the Hub’s services than hoped for. Agencies have been contacted and sent the annual report and newsletter in October and again in March with a copy of the spring newsletter to ensure that all are aware of the Hub and what services are offered. 4 | P a g e - The Hub services during this year consisted of: - ➢ The foodbank (deliveries have continued where drivers have been available) - ➢ Computer access (originally available on a limited basis, now less people use them as many now use smart phones) - ➢ Advice and signposting was limited but some enquiries were responded to via phone calls and emails. - Hope Debt Advice Service continued to offer support via the phone using the free phone number and email, as volunteers worked from home. Paperwork continued to use the Hub address. Face to face appointments resumed in August 2021 - Enigma Counselling was set up in August 2021 offered by a certified Counsellor to help with depression, stress, anxiety and coping with addiction. This proved successful with a number of clients but due to issues around covid this sadly ceased at Christmas 2021. - The IT Club which previously met in the library used the space from November 2021 but plan to return to the library in May 2022. The Hub will continue to signpost enquiries for IT support to them. - From November 2021 Julian House outreach team hire the Hub meeting room on Tuesdays for their team meetings. The Hub invoices them for the use of the space. - From September 2021 a new group of the AA meet between 11-12pm at the Hub, they pick the key up from the town council and offer a monthly donation as a contribution. - Age UK no longer use the Hub, although the email of Ginnie Heads is held. The Hub has received a number of grants which have supported the purchase of the additional food. Donations from individuals via cash, cheques, bank transfer and the new card reader are a welcome addition to the finances. The number of collecting boxes in the community have reduced in number but the Bridge Road Coop boxes in particular continue to generate income. The monthly coffee morning provides the opportunity to socialise and encourage supporters of the Hub and any from the local community to chat and sample fresh coffee and homemade cakes in a safe environment. The themed sales and donations from refreshments throughout the year together with the Christmas events (switch on of town lights with live music performed by John Hutchinson plus the coffee morning with sale and raffle) raised the sum of £1189.37. The coffee mornings restarted in June with an outside event and returned inside in month of October. The Hub continued to provide holiday food parcels to the schools at Easter, summer and Christmas, plus additional ones requested for October and February half term. These are not tailored to individual families although schools may choose to give a large families two parcels. Management meetings generally took place via zoom, however the Annual General Meeting on 28[th] October 2021 was held at the United Church, Bradford on Avon, where Tracy Ince the Watch Coordinator from Wiltshire Police was the guest speaker. 5 | P a g e ## **b. Volunteers** Over the year the original pre pandemic teams of volunteers reduced as their circumstances have changed; fortunately some new volunteers have come forward. A number of regulars continued throughout the Pandemic and the daily team increased to 3 or 4 which is enough with the current number of enquiries and visits. In addition there are volunteers that collect the food from Sainsburys - one couple on Monday and the other Friday. The volunteers who bring the food in from Winsley have resumed their service and another couple collect the food from Winsley Road Co-op, and they regularly deliver any requested food parcels. Individuals from Westwood, South Wraxall and Bathford all deliver donations of food to the Hub The volunteer outreach worker appointed in January 2020 was unable to continue but she approached an acquaintance and Clare replaced her in August 2021. Clare has made contact with a number of agencies although the “hard to reach” ones continue to remain reluctant to activate the e-referrals. She has been set up with a new tablet and a Hub email account. During the year there have been no training opportunities or social activities for the volunteers, but some sessions should resume in the coming year. ## **c. Digital and Social Media** A decision was made to rebuild the Hub website as Varn media who had previously built and maintained it identified it needed updating, as new features were required. A volunteer has oversight of the Trussell Trust cloned website and this is intermittently updated and she will also take on the updating of the new one. Generally both these websites are static and the criteria is that there is nothing out of date on them. The Facebook Page has a good following and information and photographs are regularly added, in addition to news items, requests regarding stock shortages and a general thank you to any donors; the administrators respond to private messages such as requests for food parcels. ## **d. Future developments & sustainability** - The Hub has consolidated its position in the local community whilst being open to possible new initiatives to host or support. It is hoped the Hub can provide and develop a venue for groups that are in line with the Hub’s charitable status. - The new website should allow the planned online giving to ensure it is easier to donate, with possible access to gift aid forms. - It is hoped to implement improvements to the toilets which will add considerably to the range of support services the Hub offers to its clients. Also the repair/replacement of broken air condition system which has been used to supplement the heating within the Hub. - It is planned to upgrade and replace some of the IT equipment and a donation from the Lions will go towards this. - During the next year all the fire extinguishers will need replacing as they will reach their expiry date - The Hub continues to network locally, particularly with the agencies and sourcing additional funds to ensure its future sustainability. 6 | P a g e ## **3. Additional reports** ## **3.1 Bradford on Avon Foodbank at The Hub@BA15: Annual Report (2021-22)** ## **a) Description** The foodbank continues to operate from the old bank vault within the Hub, and forms both the warehouse and distribution centre which is different from many Trussell Trust Foodbanks. The food is arranged on the shelves in approximate packing order (lighter items on the top shelves) with some toiletries and cleaning products stored under the shelves. There are additional shelves in the air conditioning room, small room and kitchen corridor for items with a long date this was particularly required for holiday stock. ## **b) Contributors** Donations are brought direct to the Hub or added to the collection points. ## **Main donors through:-** **Sainsburys.** Host a collection point which is emptied twice a week by various volunteers. The weight for the year was an incredible **8757.65kg** . Thank you to all who have donated. **Coop, Bridge Yard** hosts a small collection point through which **81.25kg** has been donated. However two collection boxes are hosted, which have raised **£175.73** for the Hub **Coop, Winsley Road** hosts a collection point through which **1133.65kg.** has been donated. This has been collected weekly by Kathy van Griethuysen and her husband **St Nicholas Church Winsley** the collection point has reverted back to the church with some items coming from Avon Park and is brought to the Hub by Elizabeth and Phillip Bush. **1266.65kg** has been collected and delivered to the Hub **Westwood Stores** hosts a collection point through which **277.1kg.** has been donated. This has been delivered to the Hub by Sue Field **South Wraxall Residents** hosts a collection point through which **123.05kg.** has been donated. This has been delivered to the Hub by Frank Garner. Although this has now ceased **Bathford Stores** hosts a collection point through which **54.75kg.** has been donated. This has been delivered to the Hub **Zion Baptist Church, Trowbridge** has brought over **109.1kg** of donated food, including seasonal items which are particularly helpful for school food parcels. The Hub is the nearest Trussell Trust foodbank to this church. St Laurence School sixth former organised a tin collection and over 100 boxes of food were brought to the Hub in their minibus this totalled **2122.4kg** . 7 | P a g e Many churches in the local area donated food to the Hub at their harvest festival and this was often around 50kg. A number of local groups and businesses such as the Woman’s Institute and Team Eleven have donated food to the foodbank. The Beavers (6-7 year olds) spent an evening session at the Hub finding out what the foodbank was about, and each donated an Easter egg in preparation for Easter. ## **iv. Stock** Additional shelves have been bought to store the increased volume of stock which often seems excessive on the basis of the weekly number of food parcels that go out. However the stock becomes depleted and the shelves empty after the holiday boxes are packed and delivered. The general public are extremely generous, but do not supply all items offered by the foodbank, as individuals donate entirely as they wish, some donating out-of-date items. These out of date and short date items, are weighed out and put in a box where volunteers can take anything ideally for a donation and clients can help themselves on the understanding it is out of date or has even been opened. The financial donations were used to buy the items that are in short supply and to add variety and parity to the school holiday parcels The total amount of food donated during the past year was an amazing **18041 kg** which is slightly less than last year increase but did not include the Fareshare deliveries! ## **c) Vouchers** |**c) Vouchers**|| |---|---| |Total vouchers honoured:|**1171**| |Total adults helped:|**1807**| |Total children helped:|**1302**| This is 375 vouchers up on last year which is a 32% increase. Around 50% of the parcels/vouchers were delivered to families identified by the schools to help during the holiday period. ## **Schools in receipt of food parcels** - ➢ Fitzmaurice Primary School, Bradford on Avon - ➢ Christchurch Primary School, Bradford on Avon - ➢ Churchfields Village School, (Atworth & Monkton Farleigh) offered but not requested - ➢ Winsley Primary School - ➢ Westwood and Iford Primary School, - ➢ Staverton Primary School, - ➢ Holt Primary School, - ➢ Studley Green Primary School, Trowbridge (offered due to need in the area) - ➢ St Laurence School Once again holiday hampers for their families on free school meals were offered, and approximately 150 parcels were delivered for each of the three main school holidays. The schools hold foodbank vouchers which can be used any time however all have been sent the 8 | P a g e invitation to the e-referral system allowing any teacher/colleague to issue the voucher/code. The Hub will pick the referral up and deliver the food parcel direct to the family’s home address if it can’t be collected. ## **d) Agencies who distribute vouchers** There are 81 agencies in the Bradford on Avon area holding foodbank vouchers but relatively few offer many vouchers to their users. Those who have issued vouchers include: - ➢ Schools - ➢ Hope Debt Advice Service - ➢ Alms House Board - ➢ Rough sleepers Team, Wiltshire Council - ➢ Selwood Housing - ➢ CAB (Help for hardship) - ➢ Wiltshire Sustainable Tenancy Support The agencies use of the e-referrals has meant that less food parcels are signed off by the Hub which is really positive. However as The Hub is willing to deliver food parcels to Bradford on Avon, the villages and most BA14 postcodes (if they cannot be collected), the e-referrals received, can request deliveries outside these post codes which is not always possible to find drivers for. ## **e) Summary** During 2021-22 the financial support by the local community continues to be brilliant and there can be no doubt the Hub@BA15 is known within the town. The uptake in e-vouchers by some of agencies hopefully makes it easier for all concerned and it is planned to continue to promote this system particularly with the help of the outreach worker. A reworking of the volunteer foodbank procedures using the volunteers, has taken place and this is now available to add to the paperwork and welcome pack. ## **Future Plans for 2021-22** - ➢ To continue to collect sufficient food and to expand the range identified by Trussell Trust to include noodles and savoury biscuits and snacks to meet the needs of those coming to the foodbank. - ➢ To continue to promote the foodbank to ensure that it is known to the agencies and people of Bradford on Avon and surrounding area. This will involve further contact with agencies by phone and email using the biannual newsletter and annual report. This would ideally result in more e-referrals - ➢ To explore the possibilities of expanding food provision by revisiting the local pantry / community larder / cupboard developing the concept of offering a low-cost selection of food and other items for sale to qualifying recipients. - ➢ To continue to identify future fundraising opportunities. 9 | P a g e ## **3.2 Hope Debt Advice Service** – **Annual Report** During the past year we did not see clients on a face to face basis at the Hub until 1[ST ] August 2021 but we continued to deal with debt and welfare benefits clients by telephone and e.mail up until that time. Below there is a copy of our statistics for the past year and they reflect the fewer clients and cases that we have been able to deal with during the restrictions imposed by the Covid pandemic. It is of particular interest that we have helped 225 people with their financial problems since we started operations in January 2009 and that they had 1810 debts totalling just under £3million. The financial news being regularly reported at this time indicates that there could be an increasing demand for our services in the coming year. During the year we have bid farewell to three of our volunteers namely Mike & Jenny Fuller who had been part of our debt advice team since we started at the United Church in January 2009, and Georgie Beaumont who along with her husband, David, joined us following the closure of a debt advice group in Trowbridge around October 2014. We are always ready to welcome anyone interested in joining our team and further information can be obtained from myself or Chris Sanders. During the past year members of the debt advice team have met online by Zoom and have had one face to face meeting on a restricted basis. We seek to be flexible to clients in offering debt advice appointments during the week according to the availability of volunteers. We aim to arrange occasional team meetings to share information along with problems encountered by clients. As a voluntary organisation we are affiliated and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (F.C.A.) and are affiliated to Community Money Advice (C.M.A.). C.M.A. provide a Level 3 Award in Generalist Debt Advice training to meet the F.C.A. requirements for those wanting to provide advice within a debt advice centre. C.M.A. also have a Level 4 Award in Casework & Specialist Debt Advice and three of us have attended this course in the past year. In addition to offering debt advice to clients we also seek to provide welfare benefits and general advice to people who come in to the Hub needing help. We are always seeking to recruit any existing or potential volunteers to the Hub to enlist and take part in locally organised training that we provide from our own resources, and we are always willing to hear from anyone who is interested in joining our debt advice group or take part in the benefits training. |ACTIVITY|2020|2021|2009/20| |---|---|---|---| |New Clients|6|4|225| |Clients seen|17|12|218*| |No. of appointments|42|31|760*| |Cancelled appointments|16|6|149*| |Abortive appointments|39|6|224*| |PriorityDebts|12|10|418*| |Value ofprioritydebts|£9980.66|£4887.19|£535929.95| |Non-priority Debts|61|10|1392*| |Value of non-prioritydebts|£95313.84|£4350.85|£2430465.70| |Welfare Benefits cases|30|11|264*| |Welfare Benefits sessions|43|16|498*| |Budgeting cases|1|Nil|6| |Foodbank Vouchers|67|75|207| ||||*2015/2020| Jim Clarke 10 | P a g e ## **4. Treasurer’s Report for the year ended 31[st] March 2022** The Hub is now in the seventh year of operation and continues to enjoy the generous support of the legacy fund from Holy Trinity Church partially underwriting the rental cost, which is the Hub’s principal expenditure item. 2021/22 is the second year of the new 5 year lease which is extendable to 7 years, with Clifton Diocese. Income from donations has decreased in comparison with 2020/21, however public awareness of the financial pressure being placed upon foodbanks is still high. This Hub is now receiving Gift Aid by which taxpayer donations attract an additional amount from HM Revenue & Customs when they register for the scheme. 2021/22 is the first complete year of the Hub’s use of a contactless machine which enables the Hub bank to receive donations directly from a debit or credit card. The Treasurer’s Report contains: The Income and Expenditure Account The Balance Sheet Notes to the Income and Expenditure Account The Independent Examiner’s Report 11 | P a g e ## **4.1 Income and Expenditure Account for Year Ended 31st March 2022** ||**Income**
Note
Grants
1
Other Income
2
Total Income
**Expenditure**
Rent
Insurance
Contactless Charges
Printing Postage & Stationery
Food for Foodbank
Light Heat & Power
Water
Telephone & Internet
Repairs & Maintenance
Fire Alarm maintenance
Refreshments
Advertising & Publicity
Coronavirus Safety
Computer Equipment for School
Cleaning
Website Support
Data protection registration
Honoraria
Gifts & donations
Sundry
Depreciation of assets
Prior year adjustment
Total Expenditure
**Surplus as at 31st March 2022**|2022
**£**
7552
34969
42521
7000
442
17
68
466
530
191
536
194
317
5
32
0
0
2967
70
35
0
105
104
2015
0
15094
£27427|2021
**£**
15000
42636| |---|---|---|---| ||||57636
7000
437
0
26
2499
562
178
562
20
374
7
37
320
4160
995
68
35
4500
356
26
2309
1750| ||||26221
£31415| 12 | P a g e ## **4.2 Balance Sheet at 31st March 2022** |**2022**
**Assets**
Current Assets
Rent Deposit
1750
Cash in Hand
172
Bank - Coventry Building Society
107247
Bank - Lloyds
39590
Debtors
3500
Equipment
At Cost
2347
less Depreciation
1408
Fixtures and Fittings
At Cost
10777
less Depreciation
9452
Computer Equipment
At Cost
8134
less Depreciation
3781
Total Assets
**Net Assets**
Represented by
Friends of BoA Community Healthcare Capital Fund
Holy Trinity Community Rent Fund
Utilities & Trussell Trust Fee Fund
Food for Foodbank Fund
Reserves b/fwd
Surplus for the year
**Reserves c/fwd**|**2021**
152259
1750
199
96675
35698
0
939
2347
939
1325
10295
9042
4353
3420
2645
£158876
£158876
40000
0
2441
13600
75408
27427
£158876|134322
1408
1253
775| |---|---|---| |||£137758| |||£137758| |||40000
5052
3698
13600
43993
31415
| |||£137758| 13 | P a g e ## **4.3 Notes to the Income and Expenditure Account for Year Ended 31st March 2022** |**1.**
Grants
Holy Trinity Community Fund
Bradford on Avon Town Council
Wiltshire Council Area Board
Wiltshire Foundation Coronavirus Recovery
Total Grants
**2.**
Other Income
Room Hire
Donations
Donations for Food
Interest
Gift Aid
Total Other Income|2022
**£**
5052
0
2500
0
7552
300
33951
0
110
608
34969|2021
**£**
7000
3500
2000
2500| |---|---|---| |||15000| |||7
40777
1725
127
0| |||42636| For information, Honoraria payments have been made in previous years and declared in the submissions made to the Charity Commission at the time. The payments have been discussed with the Commission recently and matters arising have been mutually and satisfactorily closed. 14 | P a g e ## **5.0 Auditor’s Report** ## **Acknowledgements** 15 | P a g e ## **The Hub recognises the historic monetary donations and current financial support and interest from:** Holy Trinity Church (Bradford on Avon) Bradford on Avon Town Council Bradford on Avon Churches Together (BACT) Friends of Bradford on Avon Community Healthcare (now disbanded) Varn Media Co-op (Bridge Yard, Bradford on Avon) Co-op (Winsley Road Bradford on Avon) Sainsbury’s (Bradford on Avon) Clifton Diocese Wiltshire Council Winsley Churches and Residents Grocery Basket (Bradford on Avon) Holt Superstore Westwood Stores ## **All who donate financially** **All who contribute to the foodbank** **All who host or contribute to the collection boxes** ## **All our wonderful volunteers** **All who hold and distribute foodbank vouchers** 16 | P a g e