## **– Malmesbury Skate Park Group Registered Charity 1161210 Annual Trustees Report for the operational year 06/04/2020 to 05/04/2021** ## **Statement Of Charitable Purpose.** In 2015 the charity was formed to keep the doors open and sessions running in the newly built indoor skate park facility in Malmesbury , Wiltshire. The local council were in a position of leaving the Riverside youth centre and thus the doors would have closed on the newly built skate park should a solution not be found to keep the park open. A group of volunteers formed and began the process of starting the charity in order to take on independent control of the park and run sessions for all ages, sexes and all people regardless of their locality or background. That we would provide a safe location for action sports to take place within a set of a controlled supervised sessions. ## **The goals being:** 1. Volunteers would open the park and run as many supervised skate park sessions as possible per week. 2. Volunteers would be first aid trained and liaise with the councils youth workers in order to provide essential support for the young people using the facility. 3. Volunteers would take on all repair and maintenance work in the park including some interior fixtures and fittings. 4. Volunteers would promote the park and Skateboarding within our local community as a healthy form of exercise and activity. 5. Volunteers would engage in a number of fundraising exercises to become self sufficient financially and take on the various roles of providing an income to secure the parks future. 6. Volunteers would manage the finances, income and expenditure to ensure we met our goals with long term financial security in place. 7. Volunteers would take on the legal elements of running a charity, to ensure adherence to the valid laws and regulations that support a charity within the UK. 8. Volunteers would comply legally to safeguarding and child protection laws/rules. 9. Volunteers would ensure all forms of licence and insurance were valid and in place. 10. Volunteers would support local schools, clubs, community groups, town council projects and sporting activities within the town in order to play an active role in developing our profile and thus gain awareness and support to our cause. 11. Volunteers would teach ,coach and train skateboarding to the park users. They would also support Skateboarding by taking an active role in the wider skateboarding community to promote a positive image. 12. NEW OBJECTIVES - Surrounding the existence and survival of the charity took place in face of the Covid -19 pandemic. To comply with government legislation, provide Covid -19 safety awareness and protection & to maintain charity activities as best as possible. ## **Performance against these goals** 1. The volunteer team run a reduced amount of openings per week. . All age ,genders and abilities included when we could open However – Covid 19 sadly meant the park had been closed for a large part of this period. Closed April 2020 to Sept 2020 - Then again Dec 2020 to March 2021. 2. All volunteers first aid trained and liaisons with the council youth work team took place regularly. Support given to all volunteers. New volunteers trained and on board. 3. All repairs made and park cracks fixed ourselves to a high standard, no other repairs needed. Park undertook regular new “deep cleans” with volunteers helping to keep things Covid safe. 4. Volunteers coordinated with community meetings and groups in order to promote the park and its activities. Closer links established with our neighbours the Riverside community centre. 5. Due to the park remaining closed for the majority of this period and the difficulties Covid presented within our community most fund raising was halted other than public donations, pushed for with a social media campaign. 6. The treasurer managed the finances very responsibly and an analytical approach to expenditure has ensured controls in place that make sure only essential spending occurs. The accounts and bank have been managed very responsibly ensuring reporting on this is most efficient. During the lockdown periods fund raising has presented some challenges however costs were equally reduced. 7. Compliance to all legal elements of running the charity and park has been a full team effort and documentation all in place to support our internal processes. 8. All volunteers have been security checked by an independent agency to support child protection rules. Child safeguarding processes are in place and we know our line of reporting should we have any concerns that need to be escalated. 9. All licences and insurances in place. Tender processes undertaken to ensure best value for money. 10. Volunteers have struggled this year against this objective as many community projects, meetings & networks have been cancelled due to Covid - 19 11. When regulation allowed volunteers have mentored and taught young people skills on a weekly basis, we have also undertook limited travel to other skate parks with some of the young people in order to support and enhance their skills. 12. Being Covid safe the Trustees were educated and then maintained all Covid safety regulations to comply with government law and legislation and to provide a safe environment. Deep cleaning regularly took place. Covid safety was explained to volunteers. New park safety rules and procedures put in place and rolled out to park users. PPE and cleaning equipment provided. Volunteer rules on park usage & cleaning were implemented. Track & Trace booking system implemented. ## **Performance against additional Goals for the Financial year 2020/2021** ## MSPG SET THE BELOW ADDITIONAL OBJECTIVES BEFORE REALISING THE SCOPE OF THE PANDEMIC WHICH WOULD AFFECT US. - Further increase our skate sessions, have more of an impact and presence in our local community and undertake more fundraising tasks in order to again secure the longer future operation and stability of Malmesbury Skate Park. ## **Sadly impossible considering the closure of the park and then the limited spaces and sessions available due to the pandemic. Community lockdowns and closures impacted everyone making this objective unachieved in 2020/2021 - This remains an objective for 2021/2022.** - We mus re-negotiate the terms of the lease with Wiltshire council, the current lease ending Dec 2020 **Great news in that the lease of the park was successful negotiated and signed for another 5 years until Dec 2025 at the current financial commitment of £1.00 per annum** - We will engage and support more community ideas and projects in order to raise the profile of our group and we will try to attract more volunteers in order to increase our skate sessions. **This objective had to be achieved digitally due to the pandemic halting “out there in the community” physical work. The team worked hard to sustain our profile & public interest by running campaigns on social media and promoting strong mental health objectives to those perhaps struggling with the parks closure. Some volunteers sadly left - Some new joined. But sadly skate sessions decreased due to park closures.** - The park and team must adapt to the challenges of Covid 19 and present a robust policy before reopening. ## **The team worked hard and together on a robust Covid-19 set of procedures and policies.** **Being Covid safe the Trustees were educated and then maintained all Covid safety regulations to comply with government law and legislation and to provide a safe environment. Deep cleaning regularly took place. Covid safety was explained to volunteers. New park safety rules and procedures put in place and rolled out to park users. PPE and cleaning equipment provided. Volunteer rules on park usage & cleaning were implemented. Track & Trace booking system implemented.** - Programme of local fundraising in order to increase donations and financial security **Very sadly fundraising had to rely solely on digital public donations due to the covid 19 pandemic** - Engage with local music and arts festivals and organisations in order to work more closely with them for charity awareness and fundraising. **Very sadly the pandemic halted most if not all local festivals and so no possibility of achieving this objective. The team did liaise successfully with the Womad festival and the Town Carnival committee receiving some financial support for late 2021.** **In conclusion again the Chairman would like to state that all of the years goals were met a best as the pandemic allowed, being closed for 9 of the reportable 12 months has meant that it has been hard to achieve many long term charity goals however performance against more important pressing objectives presented by the pandemic has seen the charity change and adapt into a better & more post pandemic sustainable model. The Chairman would like to extend his thanks to the volunteer team and wider community in achieving all of the above again for another year.** ## **Funds and Equipment** ## **Un-audited Accounts For Malmesbury Skate Park Group – Registered Charity 1161210** For the period 06/04/2020 to 05/04/2021 Treasurer – Alan Holt ## **Summary** Opening Statement £3044.85 Funds In £72.00 Funds Out £60.00 Closing Balance £3032.85 ## **Detailed Statement of Accounts** - 12 boards now on site for use. - The portable mini ramp was retained in good working order to use at external outside events, this will allow fund raising opportunities and demonstrations to raise our public profile. - The park also has ample helmets and safety loan equipment in place. ## **Structure and Management** Alan Holt – Treasurer Gina Tiplady – Secretary Matthew Wigley – Chairman All trustee positions were agreed would continue into 2021/2022 Char Lyon, Ian Charlton-Bailey, Rob Pattinson, Rowan Kral, Stephen Dimbylow, Dale Peters and Michael Gattrill would form the core volunteer team for the foreseeable future. Regular drives for more volunteers will continue. ## **Additional Goals for the Financial year 2021/2022** All of the above core goals for the previous year will continue into the next years operation however we will also: - Further increase our skate sessions as safely as possible in the face of the Covid -19 pandemic, have more of an impact and presence in our local community and undertake more fundraising tasks in order to again secure the longer future operation and stability of Malmesbury Skate Park. - We will undertake a new and better sports firs aid course and qualifications for all volunteers - We will build on the 2020 Olympic legacy and tie in with official bodies for fundraising and support - We will engage and support more community ideas and projects in order to raise the profile of our group and we will try to attract more volunteers in order to increase our skate sessions. - The park and team will continue to adapt to the challenges of Covid 19 and maintain the best practices implemented in order to ensure park user safety - Programme of local fundraising in order to increase donations and financial security - Engage with local music and arts festivals and organisations in order to work more closely with them for charity awareness and fundraising. With thanks to our volunteers, supporters and assistants for a difficult but successful 202 and beginning of 2021. ## **Un-audited Accounts For Malmesbury Skate Park Group – Registered Charity 1161210** For the period 06/04/2020 to 05/04/2021 Treasurer – Alan Holt ## **Summary** Opening Statement £3044.85 Funds In £72.00 Funds Out £60.00 Closing Balance £3032.85 ## **Detailed Statement of Accounts**