1164587
Charity Number
## **TRINITY COMMUNITY PROJECT**
ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
**Trinity Community Project**
**Trustees’ Report**
## **For the period to end of 31 March 2023**
## REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
**Registered charity name** Trinity Community Project **Charity registration number** 1164587 **Registered Office** Trinity United Reformed Church 1 Beaconsfield Road St Albans AL1 3 RD **Board of Trustees**
The trustees who served the charity during the period were as follows:
Dr Nicholas Brown (Chair) Mrs Sheila Knopp Mrs Jenny Roberts (Treasurer) Mr Michael Sherriff (Company Secretary) Mr Philip Hinchliff Mr Zaichen Mallace -Lu
|**Independent Examiner**|Mrs Kate Brown|
|---|---|
|**Bankers**|HSBC|
The trustees have pleasure in presenting their report and the financial statements for the charity for the period 1[st] April 2022 to year ended 31st March 2023.
The trustees confirm that the financial statements comply with current statutory requirements.
## **OUR AIMS, OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES**
## **Purpose and aims**
Our charity’s purpose as set out in the objects contained in the Constitution are:
THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION AND RELIEF OF THOSE IN NEED IN PARTICULAR BY REASON OF THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AND OR LEARNING DIFFICULTIES WITHOUT DISTINCTION OF AGE, EDUCATION, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, RACE OR POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS OR OTHER OPINIONS BY THE PROVISION OF SOCIAL AND REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMS TO DEVELOP SKILLS, UNDERSTANDING, SELF-CONFIDENCE AND ENCOURAGE SOCIAL INDEPENDENCE
The Trustees have developed the charity as an organisation promoting health and well-being, working with vulnerable people to make connections to reduce their social isolation and improve health & well-being through social groups, activities & events. Our work is based on the Hertfordshire Connected Lives model, enabling, and supporting people with a learning disability and/or mental health concerns.
1
**Trinity Community Project**
**Trustees’ Report**
## **For the period to end of 31 March 2023**
## **Public Benefit**
During the reporting period the trustees have considered section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 and Charity Commission guidance on public benefit. We have sought to ensure that the charity is fulfilling its charitable purpose to benefit the public by offering a range of day services, opportunities and support to people experiencing mental health issues and/or living with a learning disability.
During the year we successfully re-located from the Trinity United Reformed Church building to the United Reformed Church building on Homewood Road. On Thursdays we provide the service from the Friends Meeting House on Upper Lattimore Road. Feedback from our members and volunteers suggest that this transition was successfully managed. We continue to aim to encourage people to participate in a range of social activities within the service and out in the community, which offer choice and promote people’s skills, independence, and selfconfidence, while maintaining their dignity and safety.
We have achieved the following outcomes from our work:
- 29 beneficiaries have received a day service providing activities and reducing social isolation.
- 46 people have taken part in activities designed to enable them to develop their interests and skills.
- Feedback from members shows that the beneficiaries of our service feel supported, respected, and safe. They value meeting people at our services and enjoy the activities provided. One member said “Every session is a break from home and a pleasure to attend. It really gives me purpose in life and is the high point of my week.”
- Feedback from volunteers shows that our volunteers like the friendly and inclusive atmosphere at Trinity and have developed skills including increased confidence, independence and listening. They appreciate the opportunity to make a difference and meet other people because of volunteering.
- We have secured new funding to support our work.
- We successfully managed a transition and now provide services from 2 new locations.
- We have become a recognized provider for Hertfordshire County Council and entered into a Framework Agreement with them
- We have made progress in implementing a service improvement plan following inspection by Hertfordshire County Council
The activities that we have undertaken to achieve these outcomes include:
- A Day Service
- Activities including art, dance, peer support, cookery, yoga, bereavement counselling, day trip, Jubilee afternoon tea, visit from a farm with animals
- Grant applications produced by trustees
- Supporting training for staff and volunteers including safeguarding and food hygiene.
- Maintaining our web site and social media
- Regular meetings of trustees and visits to the project
- Recruiting staff and volunteers
- Questionnaires to service users and volunteers providing us with feedback
- Managing a transition to new premises
- Following up recommendations from an inspection report.
## **Grant making**
Trinity Community Project does not currently award grants to others.
2
**Trinity Community Project**
**Trustees’ Report**
**For the period to end of 31 March 2023**
## **Volunteers**
In addition to our trustees, during the past year Trinity Community Project has had a team of volunteers assisting with the delivery of our services. Volunteers are recruited through the local Volunteer Centre, United Reformed Church, and word of mouth. Some volunteers are people who themselves have experienced mental health issues.
## **OUR ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE**
Our achievements are monitored at regular trustee meetings at which a report on progress is considered. During the reporting period we have given particular attention to the relocation of the service from the premises at Trinity United Reformed Church to two new venues providing services on different days during the week. Feedback from members and volunteers suggests that this move has been successful.
From trustee visits to the centre and questionnaires we received feedback about volunteer and service user experience. Service users reported that the centre provides a friendly safe environment and that they enjoy the activities they take part in. Volunteers reported that the service provides a friendly and inclusive atmosphere and that they have gained new skills through volunteering.
During the year we became part of the Hertfordshire County Council Framework Agreement of approved providers. To date only a small number of new referrals from this source have started using the service and we will keep under review whether we should continue as part of this framework. As a recognized provider we were inspected by the County Council and gave attention to implementing the recommendations from this review.
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
The Statement of Financial Activities shows total incoming resources for the reporting period of £78,020 and total expenditure of £78,184. Our total funds stand at £58,481.
The charity is dependent on the support of its funders and income from the fees paid by service users. We raise some funds from donations. We have successfully applied for grants for our work including from Hertfordshire Community Foundation, St Alban’s District Council, Camp Road Trust, National Lottery Awards For All, and Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation. These cover costs related to Support Workers, our programme of activities and peer support programme.
The charity currently has a small operating deficit. We have continued to make successful applications to local funders but have not managed to increase fee income as we had hoped. We plan to keep this under review and to continue to try to increase the number of fee-paying service users and raise additional funds from grant applications, donations, and fundraising events.
## **Reserves**
Trinity Community Project currently holds free reserves of £45,868, or approximately 7 months of operating costs. Trinity Community Project’s reserves policy is to aim for free reserves between 5 to 6 months of annual expenditure in the long term. This is designed to enable us to deal with unforeseen emergencies or other circumstances e.g. employing temporary staff to cover a long-term sickness absence. Our reserves enable us to manage the consequences of less predictable income sources such as one- off grant funding. In the event of us having to close or reduce the level of service provided we aim to be able to give our service users sufficient notice to enable alternative arrangements to be put in place and
3
**Trinity Community Project**
## **Trustees’ Report**
## **For the period to end of 31 March 2023**
give our staff and volunteers reasonable notice that their services are no longer required and cover any associated costs related to termination of staff employment contracts. We currently hold reserves of approximately +6 months of operating costs **.**
## **Going concern**
The trustees confirm that Trinity Community Project is a going concern.
## **Principal risks and uncertainties**
During the year, the trustees kept under review the risks faced by the charity in relation to service delivery and development, personnel, finance, property, health and safety, governance, and management. Plans to mitigate these risks were developed and reviewed including regular discussion of health and safety, service user feedback, and safeguarding concerns at trustee meetings. This year we considered the risks involved in re-locating services and took action to mitigate these. We collected feedback from service users and volunteers to ensure that these risks had been managed effectively.
Another significant risk relates to our long-term sustainability. We have not been able to increase the numbers attending and our fee income. We will keep this under review as we revise our business plan.
Finally, the recruitment of new staff has sometimes been problematic. We were very fortunate with a recent vacancy to be able to recruit a candidate who had gained experience with the project in a different role. The number of credible applicants expressing interest as a result of advertisements has been low.
## **PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS**
2022/23 was our seventh full year of operation as an independent charitable incorporated organisation. Prior to November 2015 the service existed as an integral part of Trinity United Reformed Church. We continue to maintain a strong relationship with the Church.
As a charitable incorporated organisation, we have engaged new trustees, who are not directly associated with the Church, but who have a commitment to the aims and objectives of the project. They have helped with successful grant applications and with developing our use of ICT and business planning. In the future we aim to recruit new trustees through our links with the Church and Communities First St Albans.
Following our successful relocation, we will keep under review the opportunities that arise from working in the new premises, our long-term premises requirements, and the affordability of the premises we use.
We are considering recent feedback from an inspection and improving our support plans for individuals who use the service, including user involvement in developing plans and collaboration with other providers that also provide care to individuals who use our service. Given the increase in our costs that are associated with being part of the Hertfordshire Framework Agreement, we will keep under review whether this represents the best use of our resources.
We continue to try to increase our fee income and to attract new income, mainly from grants.
4
**Trinity Community Project**
**Trustees’ Report**
## **For the period to end of 31 March 2023**
We plan to continue to develop our services and activities in close collaboration with a range of local organisations providing services to people with learning disabilities and mental health concerns.
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT**
The charity is constituted as a charitable incorporated organisation and is governed by its constitution. The charity was registered on 26[th] November 2015.
The provisions of the governing document have been complied with during the reporting period under review.
The trustees serve on a Board of Trustees. They consist of at least four and no more than seven appointed trustees of which a minimum of four are to be Elders or members at Trinity St Albans United Reformed Church. Apart from the first charity trustees, every appointed trustee must be appointed for a term of three years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees.
At present there are 6 trustees. The trustees keep under review gaps in experience and expertise represented on the board. Trustees have completed Hertfordshire County Council safeguarding vulnerable adults training.
The charity is organised through the Board of trustees to whom the Day Services Manager is accountable. The Chair, Secretary and Treasurer are appointed from amongst the trustees.
The Day Services Manager is responsible for the management of staff and during the reporting period this has included the Activities Coordinator, 2 Part-Time Support Workers, sessional staff providing activities, and an active team of volunteers. The Day Services Manager during this reporting period was Kama Langham.
The Charity is a member of Communities First. This membership provides information and resources that help us with our work and support us with volunteer and trustee recruitment.
The salaries of the charity’s paid staff are determined by the trustees, taking account of salaries paid by charities undertaking similar work.
## **STATEMENT OF THE TRUSTEES’ REPONSIBILITIES**
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with UK law, Charities Act 2011, Generally Accepted Accounting Practice and Accounting Standards.
The Charities Commission required the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. These must give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity at the end of the year and of its Income and Expenditure for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) (FRS102);
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable Accounting Standards and SORP (FRS102) have been followed. Ensure that any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
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**Trinity Community Project**
**Trustees’ Report**
## **For the period to end of 31 March 2023**
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with requirements of the Charities Act 2011. The trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charity’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
The trustees are members of the charity, but this entitles them only to voting rights. The trustees have no beneficial interest in the charity.
## **STATEMENT AS TO THE DISCLOSURE TO OUR INDEPENDENT EXAMINER**
In so far as the trustees are aware:
- there is no relevant information of which the charity's Independent Examiner is unaware; and
- the trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant information and to establish that the Independent Examiner is aware of that information.
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER**
Mrs Kate Brown was re-appointed as the independent examiner of the charity for the current year and has expressed her willingness to continue in that capacity.
The trustees’ report has been approved by the trustees on 12[th] January 2024 and signed on their behalf by:
Michael Sherriff Company Secretary
Registered office: Trinity United Reformed Church 1 Beaconsfield Road St Albans AL1 3RD
6
**TRINITY COMMUNITY PROJECT ANNUAL REPORT** STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
||Page||
|---|---|---|
|Report of the Independent Examiner||1|
|Statement of Financial Activities||2|
|Balance Sheet||3|
|Notes to the Accounts||4-5|
## **TRINITY COMMUNITY PROJECT**
## **Report of the Independent Examiner to the Trustees of Trinity Community Project**
I report on the Accounts for the year to 31 March 2023.
## **Respective Responsibilities of Trustees and Independent 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 the year under review under S144 (2) of the Charities Act 2011 and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
1. Examine the accounts under S145 of the Charities Act 2011.
2. To follow the procedures laid down in the general directions given by the Charity Commission under S145 (5)(b) of the Charities Act 2011.
3. To state whether there are any matters of concern which need to be highlighted.
## **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 to those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you the Trustees on these matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required of any 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 below.
## **Independent examiners statements**
In the course of my examination, no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives cause to believe that in any material respect the following requirements have not been met:
- a. To keep proper accounting records in accordance with S130 of the Charities Act 2011: and b. To prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act 2011.
- c. To comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no 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.
Kate Brown – Independent Examiner 81 Gurney Court Road St Albans AL1 4QX
Date………………………………
Page 1
## **TRINITY COMMUNITY PROJECT ANNUAL REPORT**
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
|**Notes**
**INCOME**
Charitable activites
1
Grants and donations
1
Investments
1
**Total amounts Received**
**EXPENDITURE**
Staffing costs
Establishment costs
Finance and Administration costs
Provision of activities for clients
**Total Expenditure**
**Net Income/(expenditure)**
**RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS**
Total Funds bought forward 1.4.22
3
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year
3
Total funds carried forward 31.3.23|Unrestricted
Restricted
2023
2022
Funds
Funds
Total
Total
35,820
-
35,820
39,340
1,637
40,504
42,141
32,147
59
-
59
2|
|---|---|
||37,516
40,504
78,020
71,489|
||32,505
23,894
56,399
57,448
6,000
-
6,000
6,000
5,941
5,941
3,471
-
9,844
9,844
10,683|
||38,505
39,679
78,184
77,602|
|||
||(989)
825
(164)
(6,113)|
||46,857
11,788
58,645
64,758
(989)
825
(164)
(6,113)|
||45,868
12,613
58,481
58,645|
Page 2
## **TRINITY COMMUNITY PROJECT ANNUAL REPORT**
BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2023
||Notes||2023|2022|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Current assets**|||||
|Cash at bank and in hand|||59,673|59,485|
|Total Current assets|||59,673|59,485|
|**Liabilities**|||||
|Creditors amounts falling due within one|||||
|year||2|(1,192)|(840)|
|**Net current assets**|||58,481|58,645|
|**The funds of the charity**||3|||
|Restricted Funds|||12,613|11,788|
|Unrestricted Funds|||45,868|46,857|
||||58,481|58,645|
## **Signed on behalf of the Trustees**
Secretary **M Sherriff** Treasurer **Mrs J Roberts**
Page 3
TRINITY COMMUNITY PROJECT NOTES TO THE ANNUAL ACCOUNTS Year ended 31 March 2023
## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
## **Accounting Convention**
The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with The Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) (FRS102) and the Charities Act 2011.
## **Income Recognition**
Income from fundraising, donations, legacies and one off grants are not recognized until the amount is known and receipt is reasonably certain, consequently recognition is generally on receipt.
Statutory funding and grants are recognized in the year in which they are made, except where the awarding body designates them to a specific period, when that part relating to future accounting periods will be deferred.
Any grants, donations and other income that is received for a specific designated purpose is allocated to the appropriate restricted fund in the Charity’s accounts and is only subsequently used to fund activities that meet the designated objectives.
Income that is provided to support the Charity’s overall objectives, without any specific restrictions is allocated to the general unrestricted fund.
## **Restricted Funds and Reserves**
These are shown in more detail in note 3 to the accounts.
## **Pension costs and post retirement benefits**
The Charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the Charity’s pension scheme are charged to profit and loss in the period to which they relate.
Page 4
## **TRINITY COMMUNITY PROJECT ANNUAL REPORT**
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
|**1**
**INCOME**
**Notes**
**INCOME**
**Charitable activites**
Client Fees
Course Income and lunches
**Grants and donations**
SADC Grants fund
3
Herts County No1 Account
3
Camp Road Trust
3
Main Grants
3
Beds and Luton Foundation
3
Cell Barnes Trust
Golden Giving
Anonymous and miscellaneous donations
HCF Grant
SADC Grants fund
Rothschilds Benefit Fund
Eskmuire Property
Workforce Development Grant
St Albans Old Peoples Trust
Waitrose
Halloween Disco
P Hinchcliff
**Investment Income**
Interest received
**TOTAL INCOME**
**2**
**CREDITORS**
Accrued/Prepaid income
Pension Creditor
Accruals|Unrestricted Restricted
Total
Total
Funds
Funds
2023
2022
31,344
-
31,344
33,184
4,476
-
4,476
6,156|
|---|---|
||35,820
-
35,820
39,340|
||-
4,970
4,970
5,280
-
12,613
12,613
11,788
-
5,000
5,000
-
-
9,436
9,436
-
-
8,485
8,485
-
900
-
900
-
727
-
727
854
10
-
10
23
-
-
-
5,000
-
-
-
4,935
-
-
-
2,000
-
-
-
1,000
-
-
-
450
-
-
-
390
-
-
-
250
-
-
-
127
-
-
-
50|
||1,637
40,504
42,141
32,147|
|||
||59
-
59
2|
|||
||**37,516**
**40,504**
**78,020**
**71,489**|
||**2023**
**2022**
(168)
192
1,000
1,000
1,192
832|
## **3 FUNDS OF THE CHARITY**
|**Unrestricted Funds**
Revenue Reserve
GRANTS
SADC Trips
Beds &Luton Foundation
Beds &Luton Foundation
Camp Road Trust
Main Grants
SADC
Herts County No1 Account
**Restricted Funds**
**TOTAL FUNDS**|Balance
Income
Costs
Balance
at 1.4.22
31.3.23
46,857
37,516
(38,504)
45,869|
|---|---|
||Bought
Additions
Spending
Carried
forward
in year
in year
forward
0
2000
-2000
0
6485
-6485
0
5000
-5000
0
9436
-9436
0
4970
-4970
0
11,788
12,613
-11788
12,613|
||11788
40504
(39,679)
12613|
|||
||58,645
78,020
(78,183)
58,482|
Page 5