## **Home Community Cafe: Trustees’ Annual Report 2022/2023**
## **Opening Statement**
Home Community Café has seen a very positive 12 months with a thriving café working over four days, rather than five, a strong volunteer programme which has borne fruit for many and some new community events. We have benefited from the use of Emmanuel church as a vaccine centre where Home has been a welcome source of refreshment.
On the Trustee front, Cate Allison has moved on to take on additional clergy responsibilities at St Pauls Withington and we have been actively seeking new trustees who will fill the skill and experience gaps whilst being willing to roll up their sleeves and get involved practically. As we came to the end of the financial year, this was looking more promising.
Staffing was relatively stable over the year under the able leadership of Michael Pollard, Café Manager. We bid a sad farewell to Tom Twongyeirwe who finished his one year placement in April 22 to return to Uganda, having been a much loved member of the Home team. Our trusty band of volunteers, both longstanding regulars and those who may join us for a specific period, continue to create a warm and inclusive café atmosphere which marks us out from other local profit making café enterprises.
We would seem to have moved on from the very difficult period over 2020-2022; Home Community Café and its various strands of activities is well placed to continue to provide welcome, opportunity for people to get together and to contribute – all of which fosters a richer community life.
Miriam Jones (Chair of Trustees)
## **Home Trustees’ Annual Report**
This Annual Report is for the year ended 31 March 2023.
## **Section A: Reference and Administration Details**
Charity Name: Home Community Cafe Registered Charity No: 1161501 Principle Address: Home Community Café, Emmanuel Church 6 Barlow Moor Road, Didsbury, M20 6TR Website: http://homecommunitycafe.org
During the year the following served as trustees of the charity:
Miriam Jones (Chair) Hilary Lowe Jason Leach Rev Cate Allison resigned November 2022 Bernadette Lomas
## **Section B - Structure, Governance and Management**
Type of Governing Document: Constitution How the charity is constituted: Charitable Incorporated Organisation Trustee selection methods: Appointed by Trustees
## **Additional Governance Issues**
Home Community Cafe operates from Emmanuel Church, Didsbury (Registered Charity 1131669: St. James and Emmanuel Church). The lease agreement with St. James and Emmanuel Church specifies that the PCC approve Home Community Cafe trustee appointments whilst the cafe operates from the Emmanuel premises. The lease agreement was reviewed, updated and signed by both parties in March 2018.
## **Consideration of Risks**
A major risk in the 2022 annual report was to establish a secure financial base post pandemic. It is encouraging to report that the reduction in opening hours from five to four days had no negative impact on trading income (whilst reducing some variable costs) and the footfall has increased.
A particular financial risk for the charity (as for all businesses) is the management of costs as a result of the significant increases in food, other supplies and utility prices. The cost base is scrutinised carefully and regularly with an awareness of what price increases are manageable for a community café which aims to serve all.
A related risk concerns the VAT threshold which has been frozen at £85k for several years and will continue for the foreseeable. Options to address this in a sustainable way are being considered actively by the Trustees.
The resourcing of the café (both paid employees and volunteers) continues to be a challenge, especially in view of a shortage of regular and reliable long-term volunteers which necessitates additional paid resource to fill the gap. In addition, we recognise the invaluable role that Home Café has in the daily life of our volunteers with vulnerabilities, who require the focus and capacity of the Café Manager, especially as he plays a key role in oversight of our volunteer programme.
## **Section C – Objectives and Activities**
## **Objectives of the charity as set out in its governing document:**
“To further or benefit the residents of Didsbury 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.
In furtherance of these objects but not otherwise, the trustees shall have power: To establish or secure the establishment of a community centre and to maintain or manage or co-operate with any statutory authority in the maintenance and management of such a centre for activities promoted by the charity in furtherance of the above objects.”
## **Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in support of these objects, key achievements and performance review**
As in previous years, we continue to offer the community the not-for-profit café provision from 10 till 4 on a Tues to Fri. Despite not opening on a Monday, the cafe is busier than ever. The child friendly areas are most welcome and one of our key strengths. Feedback from users of the Changing Places fully accessible toilet has demonstrated the value of this facility to the community.
The volunteer programme continues to offer opportunities to those who otherwise would have a far more limited life and social experience. A particular success is our strong links with Bridge College which enable students to attend Home for a weekly shift. Regrettably, the demand for those with specific needs is greater than we can provide which is the driver for securing additional funding to free up the capacity for this support.
As well as the regular community groups in the Living Room which include weekly support meetings for Ukrainian refugees and language classes for Farsi speakers,
Home ran a very successful community Garden Party for the Queen’s Jubilee, an event which is likely become an annual occasion.
Didsbury Pride, co-ordinated by Home and led by the Home Café Manager, was a great success again in September 2022 and attended by 4200 people. Planning is in place for the 2023 event.
Funding continues to be a priority for the trustees given Home’s tight operational budget which has been exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis and shortage of longterm volunteers. We continue to submit grant applications for suitable funding. However, this is proving a challenge with grants received of less than £1,000 each from Manchester City Council Neighbourhood Investment Fund, the Charities Trust and one other corporate grant in 2022/23.
We continue to advertise Home through a variety of channels and continue to be indebted to the expertise of one of our trustees working with Home café staff to provide engaging, professional and timely publicity.
We confirm the trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.
## **Section D – Financial Review**
Of the total receipts for the financial year of £89,083, £83,960 (94%) was from café sales, £2,810 in grant funding, £2,298 in donations and £15 in bank interest. The significant increase in sales of £22,745 (35%) reflects the growth in footfall and trade generally. It is however very close to the VAT registration limit.
The major cost to Home continued to be staff at £47,966, 55% of the total expenditure of the café of £87,092. The other main cost was the purchase of stock at £22,934, representing 26% of total spend. In addition, the charity repaid a further £2,000 of the original £8,000 loan, which reflects the improved financial viability of the café.
The cash accounts show a deficit overall for the year of £9 and our cash reserves now amount to £10,088.
## **Reserves Policy**
As Home's income is largely dependent on trading, vulnerable to seasonal changes and venue availability, we are just below our target level of reserves of one and a half month’s trading at £10,500. We anticipate a continuation of a difficult trading environment in 2024 where maintaining our reserves at their current level will be challenged and will necessitate grant funding to be forthcoming.
## **Section E - Declaration**
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report and signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees by the chair of trustees:
Signature: Date: Full name: Miriam Jones
||**Home Community Café**
**Charity Name**|**Home Community Café**
**Charity Name**|**Home Community Café**
**Charity Name**|**1161501**
**No (if any)**|**1161501**
**No (if any)**|**1161501**
**No (if any)**|**CC16a**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**For the period**
**from**|01/04/2022
Period start date|**To**||31/03/2023
Period end date|||
|||||||||
|**Section A Receipts and payments**||||||||
|**A1 Receipts**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest**
**£**
**2,810**
**83,960**
**15**
**2,298**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**89,083**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**89,083**
**22,934**
**47,966**
**7,357**
**-**
**1,306**
**6,301**
**-**
**1,228**
**-**
**87,092**
**2,000**
**-**
**2,000**
**89,092**
**- 9**
**-**
**10,097**
**10,088**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**||**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**
**2,810**
**83,960**
**15**
**2,298**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**89,083**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**89,083**
**22,934**
**47,966**
**7,357**
**-**
**1,306**
**6,301**
**-**
**1,228**
**-**
**87,092**
**2,000**
**-**
**2,000**
**89,092**
**- 9**||**Last year**
**to the nearest £**|
|Grants|**2,810**||||||**10,667**|
|Sales|**83,960**||||||**62,125**|
|Interest|**15**||||||**7**|
|Donations|**2,298**||||||**550**|
|Other Income - CJRS|**-**||||||**-**|
||**-**||||||**-**|
||**-**||||||**-**|
||**-**||||||**-**|
|**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for_
_AR)_|**89,083**||||||**73,349**|
|||||||||
|**A2 Asset and investment sales,**
**(see table).**||||||||
||**-**||||||**-**|
||**-**||||||**-**|
|**_Sub total_**|**-**||||||**-**|
|**_Total receipts_**
**A3 Payments**||||||||
||||||||**73,349**|
|||||||||
|Stock Purchases|**22,934**||||||**17,559**|
|Staff Costs|**47,966**||||||**42,504**|
|General Overheads|**7,357**||||||**6,404**|
|Outdoor Space|**-**||||||**-**|
|Events and Marketing|**1,306**||||||**-**|
|Maintenance and Consumables|**6,301**||||||**3,761**|
|Training|**-**||||||**516**|
|Finance Charges|**1,228**||||||**907**|
|Other Expenses|**-**||||||**515**|
|**_Sub total_ **|**87,092**||||||**72,166**|
|||||||||
|**A4 Asset and investment**
**purchases, (see table)**||||||||
|**Loan Repayments**|**2,000**||||||**2,000**|
|Assets retained for Charity's Own Use|**-**||||||**-**|
|**_Sub total_ **|**2,000**||||||**2,000**|
|**_Total payments_**
**_Net of receipts/(payments)_**
**A5 Transfers between funds**
**A6 Cash funds last year end**
**_Cash funds this year end_**||||||||
||||||||**74,166**|
|||||||||
||**- 9**|**-**|**-**||**- 9**||**- 817**|
||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**||**-**|
||**10,097**||**-**||**10,097**||**10,914**|
||**10,088**|**-**|**-**||**10,088**||**10,097**|
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
14/01/2024
1
## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**
|**Categories**
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
**B1 Cash funds**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**
**B5 Liabilities**
**B3 Investment assets**|Signature
2017 Loan
Staff Costs
General Overheads
Consumables
**Details**
**Details**
Current Account
Deposit Account
Petty Cash
**Details**
**Details**
**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
**Details**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**6,248**
**3,740**
**-**
**100**
**-**
**10,088**
**-**
OK
OK
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**liability relates**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**
Unrestricted
**4,000**
Unreestricted
**2,440**
Unrestricted
**338**
Unrestricted
**27**
**-**
Print Name
H A LOWE|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|
|---|---|---|---|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||OK|
||||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**Current value**
**(optional)**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**Current value**
**(optional)**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**When due**
**(optional)**|
||||**Open**|
|||||
|||||
|||||
|||||
|||||
||||Date of
approval|
|||H A LOWE|21/06/2023|
|||||
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
14/01/2024
2
**Independent examiner's report on the accounts**
## **Section A Independent Examiner’s Report**
**Report to the trustees/** Charity Name **members of Home Community Café On accounts for the year** 31 March 2023 **Charity no** 1161501 **ended (if any) Set out on pages** 1 to 7 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 March 2023.
**Responsibilities and** As the charity trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the **basis of report** accounts in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’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.
**Independent** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have **examiner's statement** come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect,:
- the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act; or
- the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
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.
**Date:** 16 September 2023 **Signed: Name:** Christopher John Smail **Relevant professional** FCA, DChA **qualification(s) or body (if any): Address:** 2 Bamford Grove, Didsbury, Manchester, M20 2FF
**8**