HIVE
Trustees’ Report
For the year ending 31 March 2021
Administrative Information
Hive is a charitable incorporated organisation, registration number 1165566.
.
Registered office: The Befriending Scheme, 1 The Croft, Sudbury CO10 1HN.
Trustees
Shirley Moore (Chair) Lesley Ford-Platt Robin Hodgkinson (Secretary) Robert Benton (Resigned December 2020) Gareth Cole (Treasurer) Andrew Welsh
As well as the Trustees, the organisation has a steering group who support the Trustee Board in planning activities. Membership of the steering group is open to voluntary and community sector groups in the local area, as well as relevant statutory agencies.
Structure, Governance & Management
1. Nature of governing document
The activities of Hive are governed by a Constitution approved by the Charity Commission on 12[th] February 2016.
2. Recruitment and appointment of trustees
The trustees and staff are always on the lookout for potential new trustees who can bring their skills and expertise to assist in the organisation’s governance. Potential trustees have access to the chair to discuss their involvement. When recruited, new trustees are inducted through meetings and an induction pack, which not only covers information about the organisation but their roles and responsibilities as trustees.
3. Review of the financial position
The accounting year this year runs from April 1st 2020 to 31[st] March 2021. Total income for this period was £28,653 and expenditure £409.
The net result was a surplus on the year of £28,244 - leaving a fund balance of £38,036, (£32,977 of which is restricted, relating to the possible purchase of the URC buildings).
4. Financial Management
Hive finances are managed by a Treasurer who reports to the Trustees at their quarterly meetings.
The Bank account is held at Barclays Bank plc. All cheques require two signatories.
The systems of internal control include reports submitted by the Treasurer at the regular Trustee Board meetings. Also, consideration of the financial results and forecasting of possible funding shortfalls are discussed in detail at Trustee meetings.
5. Reserves Policy
At present Hive has no reserves policy. If, however, sufficient surpluses are made in the future, the Trustees would designate a proportion of these as a general reserves fund.
6. Risk analysis and plan
There are a number of areas that the Trustees consider as potential risks. These are as follows:
Inability to raise funds for existing activities.
Inability to recruit future Trustees.
Lack of interest in the activities and services offered by Hive
Issues relating to Lockdown and potential future Lockdowns due to Covid-19.
7. Funding
Funding was received from a variety of sources. These are listed in the Achievements and performance section of this report.
8. Objectives and Activities
Hive’s objects are primarily for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Sudbury and District area to:
-
a) provide a service to vulnerable adults and children supporting them with their health and social care needs;
-
b) provide training and learning activities and resources to local voluntary and community groups;
-
c) provide information services to local groups;
-
d) provide opportunities for local groups to work in partnership with other agencies; and
-
e) offer funding or funding advice to help local groups to develop.
Hive has fulfilled its objects in a number of ways:
-
Redesigning its website to contain more information about local groups and online resources.
-
Developing an e-bulletin sent out to its mailing list of 80 groups, with news of events, service and resources
-
Providing, in normal times, quarterly steering group meetings giving groups the opportunity to discuss local issues and exchange information. Several new groups have found these a very useful way to establish contacts and learn about potential funding sources.
-
Developing a programme of free training courses, in normal times, in subjects as diverse as 1[st] Aid, Social Media, Trustees’ Roles and Responsibilities and Managing Volunteers
-
Developing one to one support for new groups or existing groups
-
Exploring the use of an old church, now closed, to re-open as a community resource centre for the local population
-
Exploring opportunities for businesses and companies to get involved with employee volunteering projects.
9. Meeting the Principles of Public Benefit
Hive meets the Charity Commission’s Public Benefit Principles in a number of ways:
-
It helps new and small groups to establish contacts and learn about current projects and developments through the regular steering group meetings. A regular email newsletter is also sent out
-
through providing support to new groups through one-to-one meetings on issues ranging from business planning to setting up as a charity, training courses and online resources.
10. Achievements & Performance
Because of the Pandemic and Covid restrictions, it was not possible to undertake our normal activities during the year such as steering group meetings, training courses etc. Some online newsletters were sent out during the year and Hive helped to co-ordinate the distribution of Christmas Perrywood Planters during December to nominated people and this brought pleasure to many and received good press coverage.
Most of the work undertaken during the year was around attempts to purchase the URC buildings. Although Hive began the process of negotiating to buy the former United Reformed Church (URC) in School Street, Sudbury in 2018, with the building being designated an Asset of Community Value, it was not until 11 March 2021, after persistent approaches to the selling agent and the Eastern Region Synod of the URC, that Hive’s offer for the premises was finally accepted.
In the year under review, donations for the project were received from:
| The Hillier Trust | £5,000 |
|---|---|
| Anderson Design | 1,000 |
| County Councillor Locality Budgets | (Jack Owen and Colin Spence) 4,000 |
| The Phillips Fund | 1,300 |
as well as several donations from private individuals, bringing the amount of restricted funding for the project to £32,977.
A grant of £140,107 promised by the Trustees of a private fund managed by the Suffolk Community Foundation will not be available until July of 2021. Other grants promised during the financial year were £10,000 from Sudbury Town Council and £3,000 from The Tudwick Foundation, both of which were conditional on the balance of funding being raised.
11. Future Plans
Future plans include work relating to finding funding to purchase the UR Church and Hall.
I would finally pay tribute to my fellow Trustees, who have discharged their duties and responsibilities as Trustees and Directors with pragmatism and good sense. Particular thanks must go to Lesley Ford-Platt for her tireless work in seeking funding for the purchase of the URC buildings and for her efforts to negotiate the purchase with the Eastern Region Synod of the URC.
Shirley Moore Date: 8[th] September 2021 Chairman
Sudbury Hive Accounts for year-end 31[st] March 2021
| 31-Mar-21 | 31-Mar-20 | 31-Mar-20 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income | £ | £ | |
| Befriending Scheme | 510 | ||
| Suffolk County Council | |||
| Course fees and certification | 50 | 500 | |
| Grants for URC | |||
| Other donations (URC) | 28,603 | 2,503 | |
| Total income | 28,653 | 3,512 | |
| Expenditure | £ | £ | |
| Befriending scheme | |||
| Direct invoices | 45 | 193 | |
| Salaries (inc NI) | 589 | ||
| Pension | 18 | ||
| Mobile line rental (inc VAT) | 206 | ||
| Mobile Data charge (inc VAT) | 129 | ||
| Rent/Rates IT Infrastructure (inc VAT) |
45 | 1,653 | |
| Running costs of events | 296 | ||
| Room Hire | 300 | ||
| Other costs | |||
| Insurance | 319 | 319 | |
| Course fees | 1,200 | ||
| Other room hire | |||
| Travel expenses | 15 | ||
| Photocopying etc. (inc VAT) | 15 | ||
| Refreshments | 81 | ||
| Membership fees and | |||
| subscriptions | |||
| Professional fees for URC | 659 | ||
| Total expenditure | 409 | 5,672 | |
| Surplus/(deficit) | 28,244 | -2,160 | |
| Balance sheet | |||
| Gift Aid received (included | |||
| above) | 433 | ||
| Other amounts due | |||
| Bank + cash | 37,995 | 9,762 | |
| Amounts owed C/F from | 41 | 131 | |
| 2019/20 | |||
| Net assets | 38,036 | 9,893 | |
| All funds | |||
| Balance general fund | 5,059 | 5,519 | |
| Restricted funds (Hive) | 32,977 | 4,374 | |
| Net funds | 38,036 | 9,893 |