Tavistock Scrapstore
Registered Charity (CIO) Number: 1161592
Report of the Trustees and Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31-03-2024
Tavistock Scrapstore
1-3 Farrier’s Court
Paddons Row Tavistock PL19 0HF
Objectives and activities
Objectives
To advance arts and crafts in particular but not exclusively by: a) facilitating the use and provision of recycled, scrap or surplus materials as a creative resource to adults and children with the aim of improving their social welfare e!=_— -- and conditions of life; and mental health and wellbeing; and by b) inspiring individual and group creativity for the public benefit and for the benefit of the environment.
To protect and preserve the environment for the public benefit in particular but not exclusively by: a) promoting recycling, use of recycled products and the use of surplus or scrap; and by b) advancing the education of the public about waste recycling and use of surplus or scrap.
Achievements and Performance
It was decided not to continue the current lease at Printworks which was due for renewal in October 2023. We looked for premises in Tavistock that would provide sufficient space to carry out our needs in one place. This was located in our new premises on Paddon’s Row. Following negotiation and deliberation through the trustee board, a lease was agreed for the new location.
The new location is located over two floors connected by stairs. The upstairs space gives sufficient room to sort the donations that received and allows volunteers to prepare them for sale in the shop.
In addition, we now have a dedicated space upstairs to carry out our workshops.
The trustees identified accessibility as one of the key issues with the two floor space and as a priority with reserves and with grants from Devon County Councillor Debo Sellis and Tavistock Town Council a stairlift was purchased and installed for those members with reduced mobility who may need assistance accessing the first floor workshop space as well as upgrading the toilet and kitchen facilities to make the scrapstore more inclusive for individuals with reduced mobility. With the space upgraded, this allows it to be offered for use for a fee or exchange which provides another stream of income to the charity.
The improved workshop space has enabled the program of workshops to be expanded.
Our opening hours in the new location have increased from 12 hours to 30 hours a week. Downstairs our shop has proved most successful as shown by the increase of membership, donations and income. As a result, trustees have been able to make donations in kind to local animal charities, schools and the Tavistock Foodbank.
In our new location, the campaign to attract more volunteers has been very successful and our numbers have increased to 24 from 10.
With an increase in volunteers, the Scrapstore are able to attend more community events to help publicise the Scrapstore’s benefits within the local area.
Activities
Members of the public must become members to use the Scrapstore for purchases. Workshop charges, membership fees, scrap purchases, and donations provide the majority of the income used to cover the operating costs of the Scrapstore.
Membership is open to all, based on a tiered pricing that reflects the relevant use by different types of members. Members visiting the Scrapstore can fill a scrap bag for the cost of £2. Some items are individually priced to ensure that supplies are used judiciously. The Scrapstore is open Tuesday through Saturdays 10am to 4pm.
The Scrapstore works with other local community organisations, in particular schools and the Tavistock Library, to provide workshops regarding the use of scrap materials in art.
Membership
At the end of March 2024 there were 302 fully paid up members of Scrapstore.
Financial Review
At the end of the financial year the accounts looked healthy and the accounts and profit and loss sheet for Tavistock Scrapstore were internally prepared by Treasurer Penny Blackmore independently prepared by Wings Accountants, Ltd. and approved by the Trustees on 7 October 2024.
Tavistock Scrapstore Profit & loss account 2023 INCOME Grants Membership Scrap bags Misc Sales Workshops t)onations Other 2,025.CM) 1,924.00 106.lJJ 10,945.21 IA68.(N) 295.70 6,783.13 20.00 95.(XJ 15,000.21 8,664.83 EXPENDrruRE Rent Room Hire Workshops Admin. Insurance Marketing Materials Christmas Housekeeplng Light & heat Fees Broadband Equipment Meetings Move Donations to other charities Trudy donation - tent 7,268. 4,640.00 1,016.50 1,500.80 85.00 508.57 100.00 100.00 197.99 240.00 100.75 163.09 220.00 307.37 963.60 175.88 103.25 175.88 299.00 67.58 112.38 34.87 2.623.30 720.(X) 500.00 13,794.25 8,429.56 PROFIT/(LOSS) 1,205.96 235.27
Reserves policy
The charity has established a reserves policy that ringfences 6 months of expenses in order to meet the new private rent amount which was increased in the new location. There are no funds in deficit and the Scrapstore has been running with at least six months operating costs in reserve since 2022.
Future Plans
With the workshop space complete, the Scrapstore is planning to offer at least 10 workshops a month. Feedback received from all of our workshops endorse the benefits of not only learning new skills but also seeing improvement in wellbeing and mental health for those attending.
Most of our workshops will continue to be offered free or charge or at a subsidized rate. This is possible in part because there is no longer a hire fee to hold to workshop in our new location.
One of our volunteers has undertaken to setup an online shop in order to sell more expensive items that are donated to the store. This is needed because in our new location, donations have increased significantly.
We are looking to acquire a telephone service in the shop now that we are in a selfcontained unit.
Structure, governance and management
The governing document is the Tavistock Scrapstore Constitution adopted on 7th May 2015 which became recognised by the Charity Commission when the Charitable Incorporated Organisation was registered on 11[th] May 2015.
With the resignation of the treasurer for personal reasons, we have now appointed a bookkeeper to assist with the accounts in future with assistance by an administrative volunteer.
We are actively looking at methods of increasing our trustee board and looking to appoint an IT professional for assistance with marketing and online presence.
Charity Trustees are elected at the AGM as governed by that document.
This year we have produced an updated and well-presented volunteer handbook. Tavistock Scrapstore currently has no employees and has 302 members, 24 volunteers and 4 trustees.
Trustees:
M. Langton
L. Hitchcock
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V. Alaoui
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P. Blackmore
Declaration
This report was approved by the trustees on 7 October 2024 and signed on their behalf by Penny Blackmore.