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2025-03-31-accounts

2025 Annual Report and Accounts . POOLE com￿uNITIEs TrUST CIJNllkl IIIIG PEOPLÈ

CONTENTS

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References and Administrative Information

Welcome and Overview

Our Mission, Vision, Values and Priorities

Structure, Governance and Management

Our Year in Numbers

Key Themes in the Year

Our Plans for Next Year

Financial Review

29 Independent Examiner’sReport

30 Statement of Financial Activities forthe year ending 31 March 2025

31 Balance Sheet as at31 March 2025

32 Notes to the Accounts forthe year ended 31 March 2025

Facebook

@poolecommunitiestrust @bournecommunityhub @branksomecentre @letstalkmoor @pctyoutho�er

Instagram @pctyoutho�er poolecommunitiestrust.org.uk Cover image - Arts by the Sea 2

REFERENCES AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Our Trustees:

Chris Beale - Chair

Judith Bacon - Lead Trustee - Turlin Moor

Debbie Dixon - Lead Trustee - Bourne

Emma Leatherbarrow - (from 27 November 2024) - Trustee

Feriser Tasleden - Trustee and Treasurer

Our sta�:

Hannah Baker - Chief O�icer

Aedan Coleman - (from 6 January 2025) - Digital Communications and Engagement Creator Emma Grant - (from 23 June 2024) -Cleaner Branksome Community Centre

Rosie Harris - (from 9 September 2024) - Football Coach

Rich Herrett - (from 22 July 2024) - Food & Cookery Champion

KC Holland - (from 9 September 2024) - Cleaner Bourne Community Hub and Football Coach Katie Je�ries - Deputy Charity Manager

Hayley Johnson - Youth Worker (from 18 June 2024) and Bookkeeper (from 6 January 2025)

Mel Lucas – Community Development Worker Turlin Moor

Kerry Manning - Centre Coordinator Bourne Community Hub and Community Development Worker Bourne

Kyla Mares - Centre Coordinator Branksome Community Centre (Job Share)

Mel Meadowcroft – Food Stores Coordinator

Kirsty O’Dell - (from 26 June 2024) - Youth Worker

Jade Tidbury - Centre Coordinator Branksome Community Centre (Job Share)

Russ Trent – Volunteer Coordinator and Administrative Worker

Independent Examiner: Bankers :

Ward Goodman CAF Bank 4 Cedar Park 25, Kings Hill Avenue, Cobham Road Kings Hill Ferndown Industrial Estate West Malling Wimborne Kent Dorset ME19 4JQ BH21 7SF

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WELCOME AND OVERVIEW

Chris Beale, Chair of Trustees

----- Start of picture text -----
Thank you for reading our
Annual Report and
Accounts 2024-2025.
Our mission to inspire
change and help tackle
disadvantage has never
been more needed as the
most disadvantaged
communities in Poole (and
indeed elsewhere) face
challenges and constant
change.
----- End of picture text -----

The trustees (who are also directors of the company for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006), present their report for the year ending 31 March 2025.

The trustees have adopted the provisions of ‘Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice’ applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) e�ective from 1 January 2019.

I hope this Annual Report and Accounts gives you a flavour of our work, and an explanation of our structure, finances and plans.

The 2024/2025 year has seen us consolidate work on our priorities and expand our range of support and activities available to the communities we serve.

During the year we have:

During 2024/2025, we have faced several challenges and have needed to respond to changes in the environment we work in.

These have included:

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We would like to take this opportunity to record our huge thanks to our fantastic sta�, volunteers, the Bourne Big Local / Friends of

Bourne, and St. Gabriel’s in Turlin Moor who continue their great partnership working with us. I also want to thank my fellow trustees for their wisdom and commitment.

Finally, it is with great sadness that I record the deaths of two former colleagues this year who did so much for the Trust in our early years - Charlie Sheldrick a former trustee who championed our communities, and Bryan Tizzard our former accountant who provided invaluable financial advice during the fundraising phase of the Bourne Community Hub.

� Birthday Fun Day

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OUR VISION, MISSION, VALUES & PRIORITIES

Our vision

Connecting people and building communities.

Our values

Our mission

To inspire change and help address disadvantage.

Our priorities

� Arts by the Sea

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STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.

Poole Communities Trust was incorporated on 14 March 2015 and registered as a charity on 28 January 2016.

The company was established under a Memorandum of Association which established the objects and powers of the charitable company which is governed under its Articles of Association.

The formal expression of the Trust’s Charitable Purposes can be seen at Appendix 1. The activities, priorities and plans of the Trust fall squarely within these Charitable Purposes.

Appointment of trustees and induction

The directors of the company are charity trustees for the purposes of charity law. Trustees are appointed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and are required to retire by rotation, with one third of the board of trustees retiring each year. Trustees who retire at an AGM may, if still willing to act, be reappointed.

The board of trustees may also appoint new trustees during the year. Such persons will hold o�ice until the next AGM, where they may be reappointed.

New trustees undergo an induction to brief them on their legal obligations under charity and company law, the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit, and inform them of the content of the Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Board and decision-making processes, the Strategic Plan and recent financial performance of the charity.

During the induction they visit each of our three locations and meet our employees and other trustees. Trustees are required to undertake certain compulsory training and are also encouraged to attend appropriate external training events where these will support their role.

� Bourne Pancake Day

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� Birthday Fun Day

Organisational structure

The board of trustees governs and administers the charity and meets at least quarterly.

They are responsible for the governance of the charity and for the use of its funds. In particular, the trustees are responsible for setting the charity’s strategy and policies, and monitoring progress and fulfilment of these.

The board has appointed a Lead Trustee for each location and on occasion sets up ‘task and

finish’ groups to address issues. One Trustee has been designated as the line manager of the

Chief O�icer. The Trust employs a Chief O�icer, Hannah Baker, who leads a team of sta� (named in section 2) who have delegated authority within the terms approved by the trustees.

Related parties

Our trustees are volunteers. They do not receive remuneration or other benefit from their work with the charity.

Any connection between a trustee or senior manager of the charity and another organisation with which the Trust transacts must be disclosed to the full board of trustees in the same way as any other contractual relationship with a related party.

Risk management

The trustees have a risk management strategy which comprises:

We have completed a Trust wide risk register with both strategic and operational risks and how they will be mitigated against, including training for example in health and safety and safeguarding.

This is now being reviewed by the board on a six-monthly basis.

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� Richard Crease

Public benefit

The Trustees have given due regard to public benefit when planning the charity’s activities, in accordance with the Charity Commission’s guidance on Public Benefit (September 2013).

� Branksome Centre - Easter crafts

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OUR YEAR IN NUMBERS

Bringing people together, increasing community participation, and improving skills and confidence.

2630 30 Residents have used our Dedicated warm spaces, an increase volunteers from of 475 on last year. our community

Bourne Community Hub – 1271 Branksome Centre- 523 Turlin Moor – 836 10884

Residents have participated in Bourne Community Hub hosted activities /services provided by others.

1135 9936 Residents have attended Residents have participated our craft/fun/community in Branksome Community days, up 261 on last year. Centre hosted activities provided by others.

Residents have attended our craft/fun/community days, up 261 on last year.

Bourne Community Hub – 432 Branksome Centre – 514 Turlin Moor – 189*

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O�ering greater opportunities to children and young people and families

� Turlin Moor Junior Fun Club

306 148 93 Attendances by children Attendances by children and young people in dance and young people in football at Bourne. at Bourne.

Individual children and young people participating in youth sessions at Bourne.

196 628 46 Attendances by children Attendances by children and young people in dance and young people in football at Turlin Moor. at Turlin Moor.

Individual children and young people participating in youth sessions at Turlin Moor.

2042 Attendances of children & adults in weekly toddlers & stay and play groups at the Branksome Community Centre & Bourne Community Hub, up 210 on last year.

Children - 1065 Adults - 977

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Reducing the impact of poverty through food support, advice services and access to publicly funded services

� Turlin Moor Food Store

3088

Number of shops undertaken in our Turlin Moor Food Community Store, up 83 on last year.

146

215

Members of the Turlin Moor Community Food Store, down by 15 on 219

2077

Number of shops undertake in our Bourne Community Food Store, up 395 on last year.

156

Members of the Bourne Community Food Store, up 16 on last year.

Residents attended the Community Lunches which started in October 2024 in Turlin Moor.

Residents attended Citizens Advice Sessions at the Bourne Community Hub.

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Ensuring we are a wellrun charity

� Branksome Pride Cafe

Raised £301,073.08 in grants to fund activities and sta�, up £68,719.09 on last year. 

  - 4 new partnerships started

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KEY THEMES IN THE YEAR

During the year we have been developing our work to support our four priorities in the communities of Bourne, Branksome and Turlin Moor. We remain indebted to the National Lottery whose funding enables so much of our work. Over the next few pages, we illustrate examples of our work.

Bringing people together, increasing community participation, and improving skills and confidence

� Bourne Community Day

Engaging with our communities successfully lies at the heart of our work. Whilst we had been using social media to promote events and had developed a basic website, we knew we had so much more to do. So, when the opportunity arose for us to apply for funding to the Rank Foundation for a Time 2 Shine 1 year post, we knew that the focus for the role should be digital communication. We were thrilled that we were successful, and our new colleague, Aedan, joined us in January 2025. This has transformed our approach to engaging with our communities through social media and the website.

Thanks to some local funding we were able to install new signage at the Branksome Centre to encourage passers-by to visit, and we now o�er free WIFI access at the Turlin Moor Food Store. At Bourne Community Hub, a grant aimed at greening urban spaces enabled us to

buy two large flowering cherry trees to go in the ‘internal’ street.

During the year we have continued with our programme of events and activities including family fun days at the Branksome Community Centre with 140 participants, a nature event which 25 people enjoyed, and a family fun day at the Bourne Community Hub with 113 participants. We were sorry to have to cancel the same event at Turlin Moor due to very bad weather. The craft sessions in school holidays continue to be popular. We were thrilled that Arts by the Sea were back for a second year at the Bourne Community Hub in September 2024 to run their community festival.

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Arts by the Sea Community Day

228 residents attended and when asked to describe the day in 3 words said:

‘Inspiring, fun, friendly’, ‘amazing, inclusive, sensory’, ‘fun, energetic, entertaining’, great for everyone’, incredible, accessible, and magical’, ‘full of smiles’, ‘entertaining, artistic, community’, ‘wow, entertaining, friendly’, electric, community, inspiring’, ‘fun, tasty, kind’, ‘fun, diverse, family friendly’.

Last year we organised listening events in Turlin Moor and Bourne with Pavillion Dance Southwest to understand our communities’ interest in dance. The feedback received from our communities was used to shape grant funding applications for both adults and children. Huge congratulations go to Pavillion Dance Southwest who were successful in their funding for young people this year. There is more about this in the next section. Next year we hope to start dance for adults.

During last year we were increasingly aware of poor mental health in our communities and were keen to o�er support. Grant funding from the NHS enabled us to commence preparation for a well-being breakfast programme starting in May 2025. In preparation for this we held mental health first aid training for sta� and trustees in January and developed a Memorandum of Understanding with ‘Help and Care’, Poole Well Being Hub, to work with us on the well-being breakfast programme and o�er regular drop-in well-being support for residents to access alongside the community food stores.

Our communities supported research at Bournemouth University on the benefits to health of eating watercress and an innovative project which will lead to blood pressure being tested by looking into a phone screen.

We expanded our programme of events for 2025 and alongside our regular family days and craft sessions, we included a celebration of International Women’s Day on 8 March with a quiz.

We are always keen to expand our programme of skills-based training and enhance the health and well-being of residents, and we were pleased to host digital skills training, Pilates and clinics to help manage diabetes.

“

From the Pilates teacher at the Branksome Centre and Bourne Community Hub:

‘Over the past year, several of our Pilates participants have shared how the classes have positively a�ected their health and wellbeing. One regular attendee has seen a noticeable improvement in mobility and balance, allowing her to return to hobbies she thought she’d have to give up.

Another member, recovering from surgery, has regained strength and confidence through the gentle yet e�ective exercises we do each week.

Many have commented that the group provides not only physical benefits, but also a sense of community, helping them to feel more connected and less isolated. These small but significant changes make a real di�erence to people’s lives and show the value of keeping these sessions accessible.’

“

From the Narcotics Anonymous group:

‘a few weeks ago, we had 20 people in attendance… the message is getting out which is wonderful. We feel very looked after here. The sta� are amazing. Thank you!’

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Our great partnership with Bourne Big Local has continued, as has their fortnightly bingo, Halloween and Christmas events, and the weekly tea and toast. Huge thanks go once again to the Bourne Big Local who kindly funded blinds for the Hub. This has been a super addition which has been very well received when quieter activities such as Pilates are taking place, when the sun is very strong or when rooms are used for interviews. As the National Big Local comes to an end, Bourne Big Local has set up a successor organisation - Friends of Bourne. Poole Communities Trust received a request from friends of Bourne to ‘hold’ their funds. Together we have developed and agreed a Custodian Agreement, which outlines how the funds will be managed and accessed.

We were very pleased to contribute to a joint newsletter with Friends of Bourne which was delivered to all households in our target postcode – BH12 4.

It was super for our sta� to get the recognition they so rightly deserve in the Houses of Parliament. Two newly elected local M.P.’s – Neil Duncan-Jordan and Jessica Toole mentioned our work and sta� (Kerry and Mel M) in their maiden speeches!

Finally, we are grateful to Colten Care at the Bourne View Care Home who have adopted Bourne Community Hub as their charity of the year.

� Easter at Bourne

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O�ering greater opportunities to children, young people and families

All three of the communities we work with have told us that supporting children, young people and families is vital. We have been able to expand our o�er to children and young people as a result of grant funding from BCP Family Hub - Youth Fund, Million Hours and the Police and Crime Commissioner. This has enabled us to support two part time sessional young people’s workers for Turlin Moor and Bourne and continue funding term-time football at both Bourne and Turlin Moor, introduce dance to Turlin Moor for the first time and continue dance at Bourne. It was wonderful when a group of Turlin Moor dancers participated in a Pavillion Southwest showcase in Bournemouth. Our youth clubs continue on three nights a week – Mondays at Turlin Moor and Tuesdays and Thursdays at Bourne for di�erent age groups.

Following sta� training we have run ‘big play’ days (creative play using everyday objects) during summer 2024 and these were hugely popular at all three sites. Learning from our craft sessions for children with parents, grandparents and carers at Turlin Moor, we now o�er these at both our other sites in school holidays.

Our plans for the new skateboard park at Turlin Moor have continued with some key milestones achieved during the year. This has included developing a specification for the project and successfully tendering the work. A local company with a national reputation – Maverick Skateparks - was appointed and as the year ended in March 2025, we were a quarter of the way towards our fund-raising target of £320,000. The Steering Group for the Skatepark was set up in January 2025 and includes community representatives, BCP Council and Maverick Skateparks. We started our first youth forum called ‘Youth Ideas’. They are playing a key role in shaping the design of the new facility and development of the project and provide input into the Steering Group. We were thrilled to receive 140 responses to our consultation on the design. In support of the fund-raising campaign we filmed a ‘before’ video, and 45 young people took part.

We aim to o�er something for all ages. During the year we have continued to provide weekly ‘stay and play’ sessions at the Branksome Community Centre and Bourne Community Hub for under 5’s, parents, grandparents, and carers and we are delighted that the Health Visitors continue to provide a clinic for new parents at the Bourne Community Hub.

‘….it is helpful to have somewhere to attend that is friendly, a�ordable and less structured- leading to a less stressful and more welcoming environment. Lots of the children really benefit from the group, many of them not yet at preschool and really benefit from the ability to engage with a large group of toddlers - helping them prepare for the busy environment of preschool/ school.’

We have continued our popular craft sessions in school holidays at all our sites, and we arranged trips in the 2024 school holidays to bowling, the Football Lab and the pantomime.

Thanks to our continuing partnership with the National Trust, 66 families visited Brownsea Island free of charge in 2024. The BCP Family Hub – Youth Grant team hosted an end of grant event on a Saturday, and our Senior Young People’s Worker took a group of young people to the event.

“

Our Senior Young People’s worker said:

‘At Chill Blast youth sessions, a young girl, D, first joined us feeling very shy and quiet. She spent much of her time engaging in crafts and building a relationship with one of our volunteers …(continued)

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…over time, we began to see her confidence grow. She slowly started to join in with games and play alongside the other children in the summer, D took part in our Film Making Workshop, where she stepped out of her comfort zone and tried something completely new. Not only did she get involved, but she also took on the challenge of interviewing others, speaking up, and engaging confidently with the group.

D’s journey has been a wonderful example of how children can flourish, build confidence, and discover new skills through attending our sessions.’

“

A Branksome Centre Martial Arts teacher said:

‘Our kids compete in national and international level competitions. Our students won silver and two bronze medals internationally and at this year's UK national championships our students won 18 medals.’

We continue to face occasional challenging behaviour from a small number of children and parents with complex needs. Whilst we are continuing to do all we can to work with these children and their parents, we may need to permanently exclude children if the safety of other children, volunteers and sta� are at risk. Our plans for e�ectively managing sessions inevitably require additional sta� and we have adopted revised sta�ing ratios for more challenging sessions. Thanks to additional funding from the National Lottery, we have been able to increase the hours of the Senior Young People’s Worker who leads the young people’s team and is highly skilled in working with young people.

“ Two young people from our youth sessions said:

‘If I wasn’t at youth club, I would be going to abandoned buildings and not be safe’.

If I was not at the Bourne community Hub I would be doing some stupid stu�’.

To support the safety of children, young people, sta� and volunteers we have increased the CCTV coverage at the Bourne Community Hub and have made an application to BCP Council’s Community Infrastructure Levy to fund an additional gate into the MUGA, enabling us to restrict access to the MUGA via the internal street during coaching sessions rather than via Arne Crescent.

We continue to work with the police and AntiSocial Behaviour Team of BCP Council and have made an increased number of referrals to the safeguarding team. We have supported our sta� to participate in multi-agency meetings and safeguarding work in the best interest of individual families and children when this has been required. We have seen that the practical support we can o�er to children, parents and carers at their local Hub can support positive outcomes. We are committed to enabling our sta� to work in e�ective partnerships with families and relevant partner agencies in the best interests of children.

All these additional costs do create financial challenges, and we need to look for longer term additional funding in the year ahead. We are very pleased to have successfully recruiting two local volunteers to support young people’s activities at Bourne and Turlin Moor.

As the year ended, we were delighted to hear that we had been successful with a grant application to Educational Services (a small charity) for funding to run a young people’s film making course in the summer of 2025.

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Reducing the impact of poverty through food Support, advice sessions and access to publicly funded services

We have maintained a range of schemes to support residents through the cost-of-living crisis, including providing warm spaces at Turlin Moor, (in partnership with St. Gabriel’s church) Branksome Community Centre and Bourne Community Hub. Our o�er has continued to include a range of homemade food, and hot and cold drinks. The warm spaces have regularly welcomed new partner organisations who wish to provide support to our communities. The social prescribers from Help and Care visit Bourne and Turlin Moor every month and the fortnightly Bourne CAB service now includes a worker who specialises in support to gypsies and travellers, who is warmly received by the community. We have been pleased to expand the support available, with regular sessions o�ered by Southwest Water, the Well Being Coordinators from the Poole Well Being Hub and drop in blood pressure checks.

Membership of our Community Food Stores has reduced from 230 to 215 in Turlin Moor and increased from 130 to 146 in Bourne. We are grateful to a number of new donors to our Food Stores including local schools, care homes, individuals and churches in Turlin Moor and Bourne.

We had some success with applying for food grants, although we have seen a reduction in the amount of grants provided by a number of funders. As well as enabling us to purchase much needed essentials, we have had some more specific grants aimed at providing fresh fruit and vegetables in the winter, 140 recipes bags (ingredients and a recipe for four people) during January, February and March when money is especially tight after Christmas, and 120 £10 vouchers with which regular Food Store members could choose items at Lidl.

----- Start of picture text -----
“
“
A Social Prescriber said:
Our residents said:
‘I encouraged a community food
store member – K to volunteer. K
‘I really don’t know how I would
is now a regular volunteer in the
manage without you’.
Warm Space and store and is an
integral part of the team.’ ‘Feeling confident enough to go
through to the warm space today,
K said ‘Even if I am feeling low, I
thank you. ‘
come along on a Tuesday. It
reduces my isolation and builds ‘Coming here is not just about the
my confidence. I hope to move food. It is the company. Everyone
on to paid work soon’. cares. Everyone is friendly.’
“
Our volunteer said:
‘I have long Covid, but I always
try to make sure I have enough
energy to come here on a
Tuesday, as I know it makes a
di�erence to them and me’
----- End of picture text -----

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Our continued thanks go to the Wardrobe Foundation who have continued to provide seasonal clothing to all three of our sites. In January the National Trust on Brownsea Island asked if we could recycle clothes they had through a partnership with Rohan clothing. We were pleased to share these with residents in all three Warm Spaces.

We were finally successful in recruiting to the role of Food Champion in July 2024. Our Food Champion has undertaken a review of food hygiene at the Branksome Community Centre, bringing it in line with our community café and Food Stores at Bourne and Turlin Moor. We

were delighted that BCP Council Environmental Health Team awarded the café a 5 Food hygiene rating, joining our existing 5 awards.

The Food Champion listened to local residents’ views and ideas. This led to a monthly Community Lunch being organised for Turlin Moor and a low-cost café every Thursday at Bourne.

We are pleased that a further two volunteers undertook the Food Hygiene Level 2 qualification this year and all our sta� undertook allergen training.

� Bourne Food Store, Richard Crease

Supporting residents

A resident asked for help with an email she had received from BCP Council saying she was not eligible for funding as a claim had already been received from her address.

The resident had been unable to sleep – no one else lived in her home, so why were the Council saying that.

The volunteer asked whether there might be a reason why the Council might think that. The resident explained her Mum lived a couple of doors away and had made a claim.

As her Mum did not have email, she used her daughters e mail address to make the claim.

Our volunteer thought the Council might have confused given one email address, but two homes and emailed the Council. 10 minutes later the resident came running into the café to thank our volunteer.

The Council had not realised there were two properties, and the claim would be paid.

Free monthly community lunches at Turlin Moor

One regular customer asked.

‘Can you do the lunches weekly? The lunches make me try new things on a Tuesday and then I make them at home.’

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Ensuring we are a well run charity

� Team photo at Birthday fun day

We are passionate about making a di�erence in our three communities and we know we cannot do this on our own! We want to work in the most e�ective way possible with our communities, volunteers, and partner organisations, so we do invest time and resources into planning and evaluating our work.

As a small local charity, we do not receive any public funding and rely on room hire income from the Branksome Centre and Bourne Community Hub as well as applying for grants to fund activities and sta�. Our room hire income for the year increased on the previous year. This has made a vital contribution to covering some of our costs. We were very pleased to have a new longer-term tenant for the self-contained studio at the Branksome Centre and were pleased to welcome a complimentary charity, EDAS, who provide free and low-cost mental health and addiction counselling support for adults and young people. At Bourne Community Hub we were

please to host some new services to support the community including diabetes support and breathlessness support.

Seeking funding to support our work is a relentless task and we continue to focus on making grant applications and encouraging donations, both food for our food stores and financial donations. We had hoped to have progressed a Legacy Scheme during the year, but this has not proved possible. We hope to find pro bono legal advice to assist us with this next year.

We want to share with our supporters, volunteers, funders, partners and sta� the impacts they are having on our communities. During the year we commissioned a video which includes residents, volunteers and sta� talking about our work.

We are incredibly proud of what they all say. We hope you enjoy the video.

Click here to watch the video on Vimeo.

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We are continuing to develop our approach to recruiting and supporting our volunteers who make such a huge contribution to our activities. During the year we have welcomed more volunteers to support our cafes, Community Food Stores and children’s kick about football and youth sessions. We have held safeguarding training and organised some ‘thank you’ events, including a beach hut picnic during August on, sadly, one of the coldest days of the summer. Warmer events were held indoors later in the year!

One of the Board of Trustees responsibilities is to look ahead and plan for the future of the charity. We had become increasingly concerned about the fabric of the Branksome Community Centre and asked BCP Council whether they could undertake a Condition Survey. We are grateful for the work of the surveyor who has prioritised the work we will need to undertake as funds allow. In order that we could make informed grant applications we commissioned a firm of Quantity Surveyors to produce a Cost Plan based on the Condition Survey. We have used the information to help inform an application to the BCP Council Community Infrastructure Levy grant which we will hear the outcome of in summer 2025.

Following two successful grant applications we were able to replace the hall floor and install some much-needed fire protection measures at the Branksome Community Centre, making

it a safer and more comfortable centre. We also reviewed the café operation at the Branksome Community Centre and were grateful for advice from the Parks Foundation who currently run several community cafes.

In the late summer the Rank Foundation advertised the Time2shine programme, and we were thrilled to be successful again. Our one year fully funded trainee is focusing on digital engagement. Our new recruit started in January 2025 and has already made a great impact on our work with improvements to our website, increased use of social media to engage our communities and a review of our social media policy. The Rank Foundation is also providing training and are funding relevant qualifications.

Our continuing partnerships with Poole Lions in Turlin Moor and the Bourne Big Local in Bourne led to Father Christmas visiting – we hope he is able to visit again next year!

We were thrilled to hear in September that the Postcode Local Trust were awarding us £70,000 as part of their £1 million - Millionaire Street prize. Unbeknown to us when residents in a postcode share a Million Pound win, the Postcode Local Trust select a worthwhile nearby charity to support. This wonderful grant is being used to support our work with children and young people and to support the fabric of our buildings.

� Skatepark concept - Maverick Skateparks

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OUR PLANS FOR THE NEXT YEAR

Guided by our vision, mission, values and priorities, the Board has identified the following areas of activity to develop during 2025/2026. However, it is also very important to us that we consolidate and fund existing services which we know our communities rely on. We are concerned some funders are wishing to fund new activity rather than existing.

Bringing people together, increasing community participation, and improving skills and confidence

O�ering greater opportunities to children, young people and families

23

Reducing the impact of poverty through food support, advice services and access to publicly funded services

Ensuring we are a well-run charity

� Easter events at Branksome

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FINANCIAL REVIEW

Financial position

The charity had a deficit in the year of £15,260 compared with a surplus of £2,188 in the prior year. The deficit arose from higher-than-expected overhead charges including payments to the Performing Rights Society and salary costs as a result of increasing sta� ratios on some higher risk activities.

The charity’s income for the year was £332,937 (2023/2024 - £349,102) with expenditure of £348,197 (2023/2024- £346,913).

After detailed consideration at Board meetings during 2021/2022, the decision was taken to take out two loans to complete the capital funding required for the construction of the Bourne Community Hub with Charity Bank (£108,000over 25 years) and Bourne Big Local (£20,000 over 2 years). The balance of the Charity Bank loan stood at £107,163 on 31 March 2025. (2023/2024 £108,000) The balance on the Bourne Big Local loan stood at £3,333 on 31 March 2025. The loan with the Bourne Big Local concludes in October 2025.

During the year we have further developed our approach to minimising bad debt on room hire by tackling late payment at the earliest opportunity. We reviewed room hire charges and decided not to make any changes. However, we anticipate a possible increase in 2024/2025, since it will then be 3 years since room hire charges were increased.

� Birthday fun day

Reserves Policy

Our policy is to review our reserves levels on a regular basis and to maintain a level of reserves which will provide a stable base for the Trust’s continuing activities while at the same time ensuring excessive funds are not accumulated.

Total unrestricted funds at the year-end amounted to £10,039 (2023/2024 -£10,432)

The charitable company had free reserves calculated of £7,445 as at 31 March 2025.Free reserves are calculated by deducting fixed assets from the unrestricted (and undesignated) reserves held at the year end.

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Grants received

Name of Funder Grant Date Received
Bournemouth University £1,800 03.04.2024
ASDA Grassroots £1,000 03.04.2024
Dorset Community Foundation £3,000 13.05.2024
Salisbury Diocese £500 30.05.2024
Action Funder £1,000 07.06.2024
Arnold Clark £2,500 12.06.2024
National Lottery £41,777 05.07.2024
Dorset CF – NHS £8,500 09.07.2024
Awards for All £20,000 19.07.2024
Coop Neighbourly £500 05.07.2024
ASDA £1,000 05.08.2024
Bourne Big Local £14,220 09.08.2024
BCP Food & Energy £9,305.75 28.08.2024
National Lottery £15,000 20.09.2024
Alice Ellen Cooper Dean £5,000 26.09.2024
Dorset Community Foundation £8,506 07.10.2024
Dorset Community Foundation £3,571 28.10.2024
Millionaire Street, Postcode Local Trust £70,000 31.10.2024
Education Services Limited £4,000 25.11.2024
Dorset Community Foundation £6,340 29.11.2024
Southern Water £1,000 02.12.2024
Lidl £220 15.12.2024
National Lottery £42,79 19.12.2024
Dorset CF – Wessex Water £4,000 20.12.2024
BCP – Food and Energy £9,590 20.12.2024
BCP -Kickstarter £450
Valentine Trust £5,000 17.02.2025
The Rank Foundation £17,469 31.01.2025
BCP – Food and Energy Top Up £3,033.33 10.03.2025
TOTAL £301,073.08

(Note £15,000 awarded by Talbot Village Trust towards the skatepark but not yet drawn down.)

26

Fundraising policy

Investment Policy

The Trust has very modest funds to invest and uses an account with COlF to enable some interest to be earned.

Trustees' Responsibilities in Relation to the Financial Statements

The charity trustees (who are also the directors of Poole Communities Trust for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing a trustees’ annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and Financial Reporting Standard 102.

Company law requires the charity trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of a�airs of the charitable company and the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charity for that period. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are required to:

� Turlin Moor Brownsea Island trip

27

Trustees:

Ms. J. Bacon

Mr. C. Beale

Ms.D.H. Dixon

Ms.E. Leatherbarrow (from 27 November 2025)

Ms.F.C. Tasdelen

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and the group and hence 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 charitable company’s website.

Disclosure of information to auditor

Each trustee has taken steps that they ought to have taken as a trustee in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the charity's auditor is aware of that information. The trustees confirm that there is no relevant information that they know of and of which they know the auditor is unaware.

Registered Company Number

09490119

Registered Charity Number

1165309

Registered O�ice

The Branksome Community Centre

Recreation Road

Poole

BH12 2EA

Independent Examiner

Ward Goodman Audit Services Ltd 4, Cedar Park Ferndown Industrial Estate Wimborne Dorset BH21 7SF

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 17 November 2025 and signed on its behalf by

Christopher Beale Trustee

28

Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of Poole Communities Trust ('the Company')

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity’s trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

Since the Company's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of ICAEW, which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of Poole Communities Trust as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act 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; or

  4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities [applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)].

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.

......................................

T G Froud ACA

Ward Goodman Audit Services Limited

4 Cedar Park, Cobham Road

Ferndown Industrial Estate, Wimborne

Dorset

BH21 7SF

Date 17 November 2025

29

Poole Communities Trust

Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 (Including Income and Expenditure Account and Statement of Total Recognised Gains and Losses)

Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
funds funds 2025 2024
Note £ £ £ £
Income and Endowments from:
Donatons and legacies 2 76,668 141,240
217,908
240,512
Charitable actvites (23,358) 110,935
87,577
82,563
Investment income 3 1,418 -
1,418
946
Other income 4 (8,590) 34,624
26,034
25,081
Total income 46,138 286,799
332,937
349,102
Expenditure on:
Raising funds 5 (5,686) -
(5,686)
(24,272)
Charitable actvites 6 (40,845) (301,666) (342,511) (322,641)
Total expenditure (46,531) (301,666) (348,197) (346,913)
Net
(expenditure)/income (393) (14,867) (15,260) 2,189
Net movement in funds (393) (14,867)
(15,260)
2,189
Reconciliaton of funds
Total funds brought
forward 10,432 2,104,085
2,114,517
2,112,328
Total funds carried
forward 17 10,039 2,089,218
2,099,257
2,114,517

All of the charity's activities derive from continuing operations during the above two periods. The funds breakdown for 2024 is shown in note 17.

The notes on pages 30 to 41 form an integral part of these financial statements.

30

Poole Communities Trust

(Registration number: 09490119) Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2025

2025 2024
Note Unrestricted Restricted £ £
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 12 114,697 2,070,312
2,185,009
2,222,505
Current assets
Debtors 13 16,793 -
16,793
14,110
Cash at bank and in hand 14 186,678 18,906
205,584
93,064
203,471 18,906
222,377
107,174
Creditors: Amounts
falling due within one
year 15 (202,744) -
(202,744)		 (107,473)
Net current
assets/(liabilites) 727 18,906
19,633
(299)
Total assets less current
liabilites 115,424 2,089,218
2,204,642
2,222,206
Creditors: Amounts
falling due afer more
than oneyear 16 (105,385) -
(105,385)		 (107,689)
Netassets 10,039 2,089,218
2,099,257
2,114,517
Funds of the charity:
Restricted income funds
Restricted funds 2,089,218
2,104,085
Unrestricted income
funds
Unrestricted funds 10,039
10,432
Total funds 17 2,099,257
2,114,517

The financial statements on pages 32 to 43 were approved by the trustees and authorised for issue on 17 November 2025 and signed on their behalf by:

Christopher Beale

Trustee

The notes on pages 30 to 41 form an integral part of these financial statements.

31

Poole Communities Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

1 Accounting policies

Summary of significant accounting policies and key accounting estimates

The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented, unless otherwise stated.

Statement of compliance

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)) (issued in October 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Basis of preparation

Poole Communities Trust meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes.

Income and endowments

All income is recognised once the charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received, and the amount of the income receivable can be measured reliably.

Donations and legacies

Donations are recognised when the charity has been notified in writing of both the amount and settlement date. In the event that a donation is subject to conditions that require a level of performance by the charity before the charity is entitled to the funds, the income is deferred and not recognised until either those conditions are fully met, or the fulfilment of those conditions is wholly within the control of the charity and it is probable that these conditions will be fulfilled in the reporting period.

Grants receivable

Grants are recognised when the charity has an entitlement to the funds and any conditions linked to the grants have been met. Where performance conditions are attached to the grant and are yet to be met, the income is recognised as a liability and included on the balance sheet as deferred income to be released.

Investment income

Dividends are recognised once the dividend has been declared and notification has been received of the dividend due.

32

Poole Communities Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 (continued)

1 Accounting policies (continued)

Expenditure

All expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to that expenditure, it is probable settlement is required, and the amount can be measured reliably. All costs are allocated to the applicable expenditure heading that aggregate similar costs to that category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of resources, with central staff costs allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use. Other support costs are allocated based on the spread of staff costs.

Raising funds

These are costs incurred in attracting voluntary income, the management of investments and those incurred in trading activities that raise funds.

Charitable activities

Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.

Taxation

The charity is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.

Depreciation and amortisation

Depreciation is provided on tangible fixed assets so as to write off the cost or valuation, less any estimated residual value, over their expected useful economic life as follows.

Asset class Depreciaton method and rate
Leasehold buildings Over the term of the lease
Leasehold improvements 5 years
Plant and equipment 3 years
Ofce equipment 3 years

Fund structure Unrestricted income funds are general funds that are available for use at the trustee’s discretion in furtherance of the objectives of the charity. Restricted income funds are those donated for use in a particular area or for specific purposes, the use of which is restricted to that area or purpose.

33

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 (continued)

Poole Communities Trust

1 Accounting policies (continued)

Pensions and other post-retirement obligations

The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme which is a pension plan under which fixed contributions are paid into a pension fund and the charity has no legal or constructive obligation to pay further contributions even if the fund does not hold sufficient assets to pay all employees the benefits relating to employee service in the current and prior periods.

Contributions to defined contribution plans are recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities when they are due. If contribution payments exceed the contribution due for service, the excess is recognised as a prepayment.

2 Income from donations and legacies

Total
Total
2025
£
2024
£
9,223
5,398
208,685
235,114
217,908
240,512
Total
Total
2025
£
2024
£
1,418
946
Total
Total
2025
£
2024
£
26,034
25,081
Donatons and legacies;
Donatons from individuals
Grants,includingcapitalgrants
3
Investment income
Interest receivable and similar income;
Interest receivable on bank deposits
4
Other income
Other income

34

Poole Communities Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 (continued)

5 Expenditure on raising funds

Investment management costs a)

a)
Total Total
2025 2024
£ £
Other investment management costs;
Propertyrepairs 5,686
24,272
5,686
24,272
6
Expenditure on charitable actvites
Total Total
2025 2024
Note £ £
Direct costs 150,179
150,127
Grant funding of actvites -
2,340
Staf costs 179,456
147,139
Governance costs 12,876
23,035
342,511
322,641

7 Net incoming/outgoing resources

Net (outgoing)/incoming resources for the year include:

Net (outgoing)/incoming resources for the year include:
2025 2024
£ £
Depreciaton of fxed assets 39,861
39,667
Independent examinaton fee 1,512
1,440

8 Trustees’ remuneration and expenses

There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 March 2025 nor for the year ended 31 March 2024.

Trustees' expenses

There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 March 2025 (2024: £4)

35

Poole Communities Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 (continued)

9 Staff costs

The aggregate payroll costs were as follows:

The aggregate payroll costs were as follows:
2025
£
2024
£
171,715
141,294
4,870
3,525
2,871
2,320
179,456
147,139
Staf costs during the year were:
Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Pension costs

The monthly average number of persons (including senior management / leadership team) employed by the charity during the year expressed as full time equivalents was as follows:

2025
No
2024
No
6.6
6.2
Average full tme equivalent staf

No employee received emoluments of more than £60,000 during the year.

36

Poole Communities Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 (continued)

10 Taxation

The charity is a registered charity and is therefore exempt from taxation.

11 Comparatives for the statement of financial activities

Unrestricted Restricted Total
funds funds 2024
Note £ £ £
Income and Endowments from:
Donatons and legacies 2 24,617
215,895
240,512
Charitable actvites 34,531
48,032
82,563
Investment income 3 946
-
946
Other income 4 (3,550) 28,631
25,081
Total income 56,544
292,558
349,102
Expenditure on:
Raising funds 5 (14,222)
(10,050)
(24,272)
Charitable actvites 6 (46,423) (276,218) (322,641)
Total expenditure (60,645) (286,268) (346,913)
Net(expenditure)/income (4,101) 6,290
2,189
Net movement in funds (4,101)
6,290
2,189
Reconciliaton of funds
Total funds brought forward 14,533
2,097,795
2,112,328
Total funds carried forward 17 10,432
2,104,085
2,114,517

37

Poole Communities Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 (continued)

12 Tangible fixed assets

Land and Furniture and Computer Other tangible
buildings equipment equipment fxed asset Total
£ £ £ £ £
Cost
At 1 April 2024 2,248,697
54,626		 4,296
25,965		 2,333,584
Additons -
2,365		 -
-		 2,365
At 31 March
2025 2,248,697
56,991		 4,296
25,965		 2,335,949
Depreciaton
At 1 April 2024 44,791
37,197		 3,126
25,965		 111,079
Charge for the
year 22,720
15,971		 1,170
-		 39,861
At 31 March
2025 67,511
53,168		 4,296
25,965		 150,940
Net book value
At 31 March
2025 2,181,186
3,823		 -
-		 2,185,009
At 31 March
2024 2,203,906
17,429		 1,170
-		 2,222,505
13
Debtors
2025 2024
£ £
Trade debtors 11,472 12,472
Prepayments 5,321 1,638
16,793 14,110

14 Cash and cash equivalents

2025
£
2024
£
140
140
205,444
92,924
205,584
93,064
Cash on hand
Cash at bank

38

Poole Communities Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 (continued)

15 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

2025 2024 2024
£ £
Bank loans 1,778 3,644
Trade creditors - 10,351
Other loans 3,333 6,667
Accruals 197,633 86,811
202,744
107,473
16
Creditors: amounts falling		 due afer one year
2025 2024
£ £
Bank loans 105,385
104,356
Other loans - 3,333
105,385
107,689
17
Funds
Balance at 1 Incoming Resources Balance at 31
April 2024 resources expended March 2025
£ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
General
General Funds 10,432 47,428
(47,821)		 10,039
Restricted funds
Turlin Moor Community
Actvites 2,151 71,044
(54,289)		 18,906
Bourne Valley Community
Hub 2,101,934
215,755
(247,377)		 2,070,312
2,104,085
286,799
(301,666)		 2,089,218
Total funds 2,114,517
334,227
(349,487)		 2,099,257

39

Poole Communities Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 (continued)

17
Funds (contnued)
Balance at 1
Incoming
Resources
Balance at 31
April 2023
resources
expended
March 2024
£
£
£
£
Unrestricted funds
General
General Funds 14,533
70,797
(74,898)
10,432
Restricted funds
Turlin Moor Community
Actvites 5,059
60,032
(62,940)
2,151
Bourne Valley Community
Hub 2,092,736
232,526
(223,328)
2,101,934
2,097,795
292,558
(286,268)
2,104,085
Total funds
2,112,328
363,355
(361,166)
2,114,517

Restricted Funds

Turlin Moor Community Activities – these funds are held to deliver the community foodstore and other activities specifically in Turlin Moor, Poole.

Bourne Valley Community Hub – these funds relate to the value of the building and other funds held to deliver activities specifically in the Bourne estate Poole.

18 Analysis of net assets between funds

Unrestricted
Total funds at
funds
Restricted
31 March
General
funds
2025
£
£
£
Tangible fxed assets 114,697
2,070,312
2,185,009
Current assets 203,471
18,906
222,377
Current liabilites (202,744)
-
(202,744)
Creditors over 1year (105,385)
-
(105,385)
Total net assets
10,039
2,089,218
2,099,257

40

Unrestricted Total funds at
funds Restricted 31 March
General funds 2024
£ £ £
Tangible fxed assets 129,769
2,092,736		 2,222,505
Current assets 95,825
11,349		 107,174
Current liabilites (107,473)
-		 (107,473)
Creditors over 1year (107,689) - (107,689)
Total net assets 10,432
2,104,085		 2,114,517

19 Related party transactions

During the year the trustees made donations totalling £36 (2024: £24) to the charity.

41