Choice Words CIO Charity No 1163536
Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 31[st] January 2023
Objectives and Activities
The purpose of Choice Words CIO as detailed in its constitution is:
To run the Christian bookshop, Choice Words, in the South West of England. The CIO aims to further the Christian religion and the beneficiaries of the CIO will be those purchasing and accessing Christian books and associated resources – and these can be individuals, churches, schools and other organisations. Customers include pastors, church leaders, bible students, missionaries, youth workers and the general public. The main retail outlet is in Newton Abbot, Devon. The CIO also provides bookstalls at conferences, exhibitions, festivals and other community events.
At the date of this report, the CIO has not fully taken over the operation of Choice Words. The planned schedule to do this was further delayed by the economic consequences of the pandemic as we moved into 2022 and also due to the continuing absence of one of the trustees and co-founders of Choice Words during this reporting period following her hospitalisation for three months from October 2020 to January 2021 and further hospitalisation and surgery in December 2022. Bookstall events only slowly recommenced during the year after ceasing altogether during the pandemic and of four previous Choice Words bookstall outlets at local churches, only one re-opened after the pandemic. The main Newton Abbot shop also continued to operate with reduced opening hours of four days per week throughout the year due to reduced staff availability. However, an online/telephone order and delivery service continued to be made available for customers as had been offered throughout the pandemic. As per previous public statements confirming the intention of the CIO to take over the day to day running of operations, the trustees have continued to encourage fundraising activities to make this happen.
As part of this process, a section of the Newton Abbot shop continues to be dedicated to second hand book sales, proceeds of which go directly to the CIO. The trustees also continued to operate the Friends of Choice Words scheme throughout the year where customers and supporters donate on an annual or monthly membership subscription basis to be a Friend, the proceeds of which go directly to the charity, enabling customers to support the charity and accessing specific member benefits at the same time. The Choice Words CIO website, launched in 2019, has continued to be the main public online face of the charity. Ongoing email communications with the Friends and also communications via Choice Words’ Facebook page have continued to raise the profile of Choice Words CIO and awareness of the charity’s mission and vision.
Net income for Choice Words CIO was over 16% down for the 12 months to 31[st] January 2023 but the cash at bank has continued to increase. As will be shared in the annual report to January 2024, there has been a continued improvement since this time with new staff joining Choice Words, participation in more bookstall events during 2023 and the main shop now opening for six days per week. In addition, outstanding gift aid applications have been processed with HMRC generating further supplementary income.
Structure, Governance and Management
The charity is established by constitution as a Foundation CIO which was registered with the Charity Commission in England and Wales on 14[th] September 2015. The trustees met together twice during the year but also remained in regular contact regarding the progress of plans towards the CIO taking over the full operation of Choice Words.
The trustees who served during the year to 31[st] Jan 2023 and up to the date of this report are:
Nigel Brittle (Chair); Edel Brittle; Roy Brittle; Pamela Brittle; Anne Landricombe; Fraser Nute
Confirmed on behalf of the Trustees
Nigel Brittle 27 November 2023
CHOICE WORDS CIO
Receipts and Payments Account for the Year Ended 31[st] January 2023
Income Donations Expenditure Net Income Bank balance at beginning of year Bank balance at end of year Statement of Assets and Liabilities at 31st Cash at bank |
2023 £ 5,033 60 4,973 23,049 28,022 January 2023 28,022 |
2022 £ 6,072 96 5,976 17,073 23,049 23,049 |
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Note
The trustees confirm, in accordance with the Charitable Incorporated Organisations (General) Regulations 2012, that at the year end the CIO did not have any outstanding guarantees to third parties nor any debts secured on the assets of the CIO.
Approved by the Trustees on 27 November 2023
And confirmed on their behalf by Nigel Brittle (Chair of Trustees)