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← The Red Trust Bushey

2024-03-31-accounts

The Red Trust Bushey

THE RED TRUST BUSHEY (Working name: The Red Cafe)

Registered Charity Number 1161424

Trustees Report and Accounts Year ended 31 March 2024

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||| |---|---| |The Red Trust Bushey| |Trustees|Stuart Singleton – Chairman| |Ann East – Founder trustee and Secretary| |Elizabeth Vis – Founder trustee and Treasurer| |Alison Guthrie| |Staff|Sharon Fowler| |Christina Hayes – joined December 2023| |Miriam McCulloch| |Katie Smith| |Aspen Phillips| |Address|2 Lower Paddock Road,| |Watford| |WD19 4DS| |Bankers|CAF Bank Limited,| |25, Kings Hill Avenue,| |West Malling,| |Kent| |ME19 4JQ|

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The Red Trust Bushey

Contents

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||| |---|---| |Page| |Report of the Trustees|4| |Report of the Independent Examiner|9| |Receipts and Payments Account|10| |Statement of Assets and Liabilities|11| |Notes to the Accounts|11|

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The Red Trust Bushey

Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 March 2024

The trustees are pleased to present their report for the year ended 31 March 2024.

Formation and constitution

The Red Trust Bushey (RTB) was set up as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) on 1st March 2015. The members of the CIO are the charity trustees.

Objects of the charitable incorporated organisation (CIO)

In accordance with Christian principles, the Objects of the CIO are, for the public benefit:

-the relief of those in need (but not exclusively) by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other social or economic disadvantage.

-to advance in life and help young people through the provision of recreational and leisure time activities provided in the interest of social welfare, designed to improve their conditions of life and providing support and activities which help develop their skills, capacities and capabilities to enable them to participate in society as mature and responsible individuals; and

-to further or benefit the residents of Bushey and the neighbourhood, without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, race or of political, religious or other opinions by associating together the said residents and the local authorities, voluntary and other organisations in a common effort to advance education and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure time occupation with the objective of improving the conditions of life for the residents.

Trustees

The trustees who have served during the period to the date of this report (unless otherwise stated) are as above.

New trustees are selected when there is a need for additional expertise and experience. A new trustee will be recommended by a member of the current trustees and the new trustee is then appointed by a majority vote at the trustees’ meeting. A comprehensive induction is undertaken by the Chair of Trustees for new trustees. This includes giving them a copy of the trustee handbook, discussion on RTB Vision and Values and attendance at a trial trustee meeting. The risk assessment, finance report and outline of current activities of the trust is given to every new trustee.

Organisation

The trustees meet at least four times each calendar year for a business meeting to decide policy, to manage the affairs of the trust, to discuss news and to pray.

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The Red Trust Bushey

Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 March 2024 (continued)

Use of volunteers and other non-monetary gifts

The Trust could not function without the work of volunteers who assist with running the café and foodbank and other events. We are grateful for their commitment and enthusiasm – they make the work of the Trust possible.

This year we have increased the number of Red Trust volunteers from 20 regular volunteers to 50 supporting the foodbank, café and at local events. RTB has also invested in our volunteer process and procedures to ensure compliance with safeguarding guidelines. We now have an online and hard copy volunteer application form and follow up on all references for each volunteer. We have also become members of The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) and as part of our membership we are able to access the volunteer resources, support and policies to ensure we are in line with national guidelines.

We are extremely grateful to Bushey Baptist Church for their provision of office support

It would be impossible to run the foodbank without the support of so many local schools, places of worship, local businesses, other organisations and individuals. The ongoing supply of basic staples has enabled people in our community to live without hunger.

Achievements and Performance

The Phoenix Centre

From October 2023, we have signed a hire agreement with Notting Hill Genesis for use of the Phoenix centre in Faringdon Avenue, Bushey. The rental agreement allows us to use the Phoenix centre for a considerable part of the week (Monday to Saturday). This has given us the opportunity to expand our activities and to have a base which we can use for meetings and office space. We are grateful for the private donations which have made this possible.

Foodbank

The Phoenix centre now hosts both the Tuesday and Friday foodbanks. The family foodbank on a Tuesday supports up to 30 families each week. The Friday foodbank which briefly closed between October and December reopened in January with a much more relaxed atmosphere. Many visitors now enjoy stopping for a coffee and a chat, using the foodbank as a social space. The Friday Foodbank also supports an additional 10 families and single households in the local area.

Café

The Red Café runs on Saturdays from 11.30am -1.30pm at the Phoenix Centre. We employ a part time cafe manager who oversees the running of the café and the volunteers. The numbers visiting the café have increased over the year and we now have more than 20 families who visit the café on a regular basis. It is during this time that our Pioneer worker runs ‘compassionate cafes’ in partnership with the Rennie Peace Hospice in Watford– these are drop-in sessions that provide space for members of the community who have been affected by loss to come along for a friendly chat and a chance to meet with others.

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The Red Trust Bushey

During the year we were also able to celebrate the Kings Coronation and we are very grateful to Hertsmere Borough Council for providing us with a grant to celebrate the event at the café and the Hertsmere Mayor who joined us to celebrate.

Pioneer Worker

Our Pioneer Worker has now been working at the Red Trust for over a year and has been paramount in starting new events including our after school club on a Thursday. Our Pioneer worker supports all our activities and provides a ‘listening ear’ to many of our visitors to the Café and Foodbank. She also goes into many of the local schools to engage with families who are harder to reach and are not in mainstream educational settings. She has also built relationships with local care homes, centres of faith and spirituality, and many local community groups who meet regularly around Bushey.

Fundraising and Grants

During the year, the Red Trust has continued to employ a part time fundraiser who organised fundraising events and helped with specific grants for the foodbank, café and Pioneer worker. They have been involved in the following:

Fundraising events

We commenced the year with a remarkable achievement as one of our volunteers participated in the London Marathon to raise funds for us. Additionally, we were actively involved in the Bushey Festival and various Christmas Fairs, enhancing our community presence and engagement. In addition, we were very grateful to Philip Jones who completed a 4 day walk from Bath to Bushey and collected a substantial donation for the Red Trust.

We are also grateful to a number of organisations who have supported us over the last year by running fundraising events. Especially we must mention Bushey Dry Cleaners who ran a ‘Donate a Duvet’ Campaign which raised over £350 for the Red Trust Foodbank.

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The Red Trust Bushey

Donations from individuals and other organisations

The Red Trust Bushey is grateful to individuals who support regularly. Their support is the bedrock for our financial planning.

We also could not operate successfully without the support of local businesses who always go the extra mile to provide our foodbank with supplies or host events to fundraise for us. These include (but are not limited to): Matty’s Kitchen, Andrews Fruiterers, Bushey Grove Leisure Centre, Benjamin Stevens Estate Agents, Cowlings, and Bushey Dry Cleaners.

Donations from churches

Many local churches support us financially, as well as giving food to the foodbank. We greatly appreciate these gifts as well as the prayer support.

Restricted Funds towards the Pioneer Worker

We have funds that have been given to us specifically for our Pioneer Worker. There was a small outstanding balance on these funds at the end of the year and this will be carried forward to next year.

Grant funding

We applied for and successfully received the following specific grants and donations during the year:

Hertsmere, Hertfordshire and ward initiative improvement scheme grants (WIIS)

During the year we received two DWP Cost of Living Grants from Hertsmere Borough which mainly covered the work of the foodbank. The second of these grants is required to be spent by

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The Red Trust Bushey

December 2024 and therefore we have an outstanding balance at 31 March 2024. This is shown in specific funds.

We also received a King’s Coronation Grant to help us celebrate with the community the King’s Coronation (see above). This had a small balance at the end of the year and was used to pay for part of the memorial bench to be situated in front of the café.

We also received a Hertsmere support grant for the foodbank and after school club run by our Pioneer worker, and a Cadent Grant for the cafe. These grants were received in March 2024 and are showing in our specific funds.

We also received a ward initiative grant in April 2023 for the Foodbank and After School Cub – this was all spent during the year.

Grants and specific donations bought forward from previous years.

All Grants that were outstanding at the beginning of the year were spent during the year, except for the Grant for the Pioneer worker (see above)

Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities

The trustees are required to prepare accounts for each financial year, which comply with the Charities Act 2011 and the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. In preparing these accounts the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records, which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the trust. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the trust and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud.

The trustees confirm that they have identified the major risks to which the charity is exposed to. The trustees have reviewed the systems and procedures to manage those risks .

The trustees are also responsible for ensuring that all employees, trustees and volunteers have the appropriate DBS checks. We have also identified any impacts of the GDPR legislation and taken relevant action where appropriate. New employees are taken on subject to these checks being made.

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The Red Trust Bushey

Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 March 2024 (continued)

Financial Review

Total income for the year was £59,288 (2022/23 - £55,783) comprising £15,067 (2022/23 - £12,938) voluntary donations towards day-to-day running of the Trust, £39,000 (2022/23 - £31,360) specific grants and donations, £1,725 from Fundraising events (2022/23 - £9,737), £1,828 (2022/23 - £1,190) donations from the cafe and £1,668 (2022/23- £558) investment income.

Total expenditure in the year was £71,525 (2022/23 - £38,356) which includes £58,536 expenditure in relation to restricted income relating to grants, summarised in note 4 (2022/23 - £28,158).

The employment costs covered four employees working part time for one year and two employees working part time for part of the year.

The deficit for the year was £12,237 (of which £19,536 was a deficit from restricted funds) (2022/23 - £17,427). At 31 March 2024, accumulated funds were £81,318 (2022/23- were £93,555), of which £24,797 was restricted. Of the unrestricted funds we have designated £10,000 of these to the community worker; This leaves us with unrestricted and undesignated funds of £46,522.

Statement of the charity’s policy on reserves

The Red Trust Bushey uses all donations towards general reserves unless a restriction is put on that donation.

At 31 March 2024, the reserves were higher than we would normally expect. This was due to 2 grants being received during the month of March – both of which will be used during the year 2024/25. The Red Trust Bushey endeavour to hold at least 6 months’ expenditure as our preferred level of reserves.

Appreciation

Finally, we would like to thank our supporting churches and individuals. Their faithful support, both in giving and in praying is the foundation on which our whole work is built. Without them, the Red Trust would not exist.

We would like to express our gratitude to our independent examiner Joanna Woolcock. We record our appreciation for our members of staff – Sharon Fowler, Miriam McCulloch, Katie Smith, Krissy Hayes, Mia Handley, and Aspen Phillips-Bidzinski. Thank you for all you have done for the Trust.

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

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Signed on behalf of the Charity’s trustees.
Stuart Singleton
Chairman of Trustees Date
Elizabeth Vis
hye
Treasurer Date
Ceol Us
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The Red Trust Bushey

Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of The Red Trust Bushey

I report on the accounts of The Red Trust Bushey (Charity no. 1161424) for the year ended 31 March 2024, which comprise the receipts and payments account, the statement of assets and liabilities and the related notes set out on pages 11 to 13.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

Basis of independent examiner’s report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent examiner’s statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention,

  1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements:

  2. to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and

  3. to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act

  4. have not been met; or

  5. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Date

Joanna Woolcock FCA 13, Grover Road, Watford WD19 4HH

The Red Trust Bushey

Receipts and Payments Account for the year ended 31 March 2024

Unrestricted
funds/Designate
d Funds		 Restricte
d funds		 Total
funds
2023/24		 Total
funds
2022/23
£ £ £ £
Receipts
Voluntary Donations 15,067 15,067 12,938
Specific Donations 39,000 39,000 31,360
Fundraising Events 1,725 1,725 9,737
Café Donations 1,828 1,828 1190
Interest 1,668 1,668 558
Total receipts 20,288 39,000 59,288 55,783
Payments
Charitable Activities 12,739 58,536 71,274 38,236
Fundraising Costs 250 250 120~}
Total payments 12,989 58,536 71,525 38,356
Cash funds bought forward 49,223 44,332 93,555 76,128
Net of receipts/(payments) 7,299 -19,536 -12,237 17,427
Cash funds carried forward 56,522 24,797 81,318 93,555

Signed on behalf of all the trustees

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Chairman:
Treasurer
Date
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The Red Trust Bushey

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024

1 Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at 31st March

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|||| |---|---|---| |2024|2023| |Assets| |Cameras|698|698| |Receivables – Gift Aid Recoverable|984|992| |Bank Account|81,318|93,555| |Generator|0|515| |Unbanked Café income|47|27| |Liabilities| |Pension contributions deducted not yet paid|277|300| |Café Expenses Owed|0|105| |Other Expenses owed|0|78| |Owed to HMRC|0|545|

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The generator was re-homed during the year as it was becoming increasingly difficult to store and had not been used for a number of years

2 Accounting policies

Basis of preparation of the financial statements

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 and have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis.

Income

Donations and gifts are accounted for when received. Tax recoverable on gift-aided gifts is accounted for on a cash basis.

Expenditure

Expenditure is accounted for on a cash basis. Resource materials are written off as acquired.

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The Red Trust Bushey

3 Charitable activities - breakdown of expenses

Unrestricted funds
Staff Costs
Resources
Insurance
Communications/Promotional costs
Training
Printing and stationery
Fundraising
Bank charges
Other operating expenses
Restricted funds
Allocated Specific Expenses (see below)
Total Expenses		 2023/2024
2022/2023
9,290
8,404
61
20
319
248
2,078
576
0
0
0
0
250
120
60
72
931
758
12,989
10,198
58,536
28,158
71,525
38,356
4.Summary of Grants and Specific Donations 2023/24 4.Summary of Grants and Specific Donations 2023/24 4.Summary of Grants and Specific Donations 2023/24 4.Summary of Grants and Specific Donations 2023/24 4.Summary of Grants and Specific Donations 2023/24
Hertsmere,
Hertfordsh
ire and
WIIS
Grants
Money
given
specifically
for Rent		 Restricted
Funds
towards the
Community
Worker		 Total
£ £ £ £
Balance bought forward 23,111 21,222 44,333
Donated duringtheyear 35,100 3,900 0 39,000
Total specific donations 58,211 3,900 21,222 83,333
Allocated Specific Expenses
Foodbank and café Expenses 19,163 19,162
Specific Wages 15,460 18,856 34,316
Other specific Expenses 2,358 2,700 5,058
Total specific expenses 36,981 2,700 18,855 58,536
Balance carried forward 21,230 1,200 2,367 24,797

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