**PLOT 22 Trustee Annual Report for period 1 October 2021- 30 September 2022** Prepared by EH June 2023 on behalf of: PLOT 22 CIO // Reg Charity number: 1165624 ## **Introduction from Chair of Trustees, Bunty Dann** This year has seen us all coming out of the pandemic restrictions, more experienced, many having suffered isolation and feeling slightly shell shocked and in need of gentleness and connection. We have seen a renewed realisation of the importance of being outside in nature, growing produce and having a connection to people and the wonders of sharing food together. At Plot 22 the new partnerships that were formed have continued through this year with the opening up of opportunities for more people to experience it, being outside connecting in this gentle very loved space for growing, preparing and eating food together. We have seen an increase in demand for the many activities that take place. Plot 22 has been recognised as part of the community that delivers for the community a very individual experience. This year we have seen the spread of Plot 22’s reputation and understanding, really sowing firm foundations for the future. We have been fortunate to have had Lottery funding grant till March 2024 which has enabled us to shore up structures both on the Plot and also within the charity itself. Building a bridge of funds has started to ensure we are ready for the end of the Lottery funding grant. This we hope, will ensure that we have time to identify, apply and gain funding to continue with the work of providing specialist help and support to participants and to keep the allotment as an oasis for people to recover, renew and refresh themselves. Bunty Dann Chair Plot 22 ## **Site of operations:** PLOT 22 Weald Allotments, Weald Avenue, Hove, BN3 7JN Postal address: 32 Ruskin Road, Hove, BN3 5HA ## **Objectives and Activities: Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document:** 1. To provide facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation by providing an area for use as a community garden and allotment and other activities for individuals in Brighton & Hove and the surrounding areas, who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, financial hardship or social and economic circumstances or for the public at large in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving the condition of life of the said inhabitants. 2. To advance education for the public benefit in the subjects of horticulture, healthy eating, conservation of natural resources and improvement of wildlife diversity, in particular by providing opportunities for learning in and around the community garden/allotment. 3. To advance health by the promotion of i) physical exercise through gardening ii) therapeutic horticulture iii) healthy eating, for individuals in Brighton, Hove and surrounding areas who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, financial hardship or social and economic circumstances or for the public at large. ## **Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts:** In shaping our objectives for the year and planning our activities, the trustees have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit, including the guidance on public benefit and fee charging. PLOT 22 relies on grants and the income from donations, hire fees and workshop ticket sales to cover its operating costs. The trustees give careful consideration to the accessibility of PLOT 22 for those on low incomes. ## **Funded Projects:** ## **Our current secure funding situation has enabled us to foster steady collaborations with community partners enabling more beneficiaries to visit PLOT 22 and benefit from participating in the space. We deliver more now than pre-covid and continue to see increased numbers of referrals/demand:** - Sensing Friends (young people with sensors impairment) use PLOT 22 on a monthly basis - Millview Hospital OT Team bring small ward groups weekly to PLOT 22 for lightly hosted sessions. We have secured further NHS/SMI funding to enable this to continue (until December 2022). - Similar projects from across the south visited to learn from us. (Tuppeny Barn and Wimbledon Park Patch (Portsmouth and Chichester). Also Plwmp Patch South Wales. - Our popular Dementia inclusive project called Growing Together now runs fortnightly as has a waiting list. - We also run collaborative sessions with Rainbow Cafe/Switchboard who bring LGBT folk living with dementia once a month. - Thyme & Space our project for women only also now runs fortnightly. - All our projects continued through the winter months due to popular demand. ## **Developments:** - As the UK eased out of the pandemic we continued to run our sessions and were able to gradually increase the numbers per session. - We are seeing a rise in self-referrals and also referrals via health professionals/social prescribing across 26 community services. - Our diary is now fully booked with our own projects, plus hosting groups from a range of - new community partners. With 3 sessions a day on several days of the week during the summer months. - From October 2021, with their permission, we took over the cultivation of our neighbours plot. We have approached the council for permission to take on the tenancy. It would offer more growing space for fresh produce to meet increased participation in communal meals; allow us to increase group size safely and reduce our waiting lists; potentially blend groups or have different activities taking place at same time. We are still waiting for a tenancy decision. - We built a new booking and data logging system with Airtable to manage our referrals and contact information and have transitioned to this. - We engaged a volunteer through Pro-bono Economics to support us analyse 2021 data. - In April 2022 we hosted a facilitated visioning session to which we invited participants from all our projects to share their ideas and hopes for the plot for the next 10 years. We have already begun to implement some of these. ## **Achievements and Performance Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole:** PLOT 22 is committed to outreach and networking as it recognises this is the best way to engage those hardest to reach and facing the greatest barriers. ## **Numbers for April 2021- March 2022 (this is different to the financial reporting period):** 303 total funded project sessions delivered 168 community partner sessions 282 individual beneficiaries (adults) 39 child beneficiaries 73 first time visits: 1364 beneficiary visits (adults) 420 beneficiary visits (children) 9 Volunteers with responsibility including trustees 9 Number of sessional staff ## **Quotes/Feedback** Read and hear stories in PLOT 22 participant’s own words on our website: https://www.plot22.org/voices-from-the-plot _“This is the most constant thing in my life at the moment...Apart from coming here once a week I don’t go out...I’m looking after myself a bit more now...”._ _“That’s like the most wholesome thing I’ve done in ages. It’s really nice”. (Participant with autism who was signposted to PLOT 22 by Fork & Dig It and now attends regularly)_ _“The plot helps me with my recovery. I suffer with anxiety and little bit of depression sometimes. When I come to PLOT 22 I feel a lot more happier in myself. I feel like I’m building my confidence back up by meeting new people. Every Tuesday, when I finish at the plot, I feel fantastic. I feel like everything’s been lifted off my shoulders._ _PLOT 22 feels like a community, like a family. It’s a really nice atmosphere. A friendly environment. Now things have opened up a bit more we do cooking and that’s really good. We go round harvesting different products and we do our cooking and we sit round and have lunch together. We’ve got an open fire we use and we display our stuff on the table and we take it in turns by cooking and preparing the food._ _It’s lovely, especially when you’re sitting round eating and chatting away. It does help out a lot with loneliness and cos you know everyone’s got different troubles and problems but we all sit round there. We’re all supporting each other, so that’s the main thing, so it’s good. I’ve met people here who live not far from me in the area so now I’ve made new friends. It’s lovely.” Ronnie_ _This is the first place I've come out to on my own for a very long time. I was worried I wouldn't be able to cope but...I'd really like to come regularly. I've really enjoyed it. and By text: "I really enjoyed myself. I felt really happy there. I actually felt like a child in a toy shop :) I would love to come next Tuesday thanks you for asking me". Niki_ _“You are forging a way forward that demonstrates that supporting people is NOT doing stuff for them but opening up doors/spaces/thinking for them to blossom in... Thanks again for this incredible work you are all doing”. Paula Turton, St Peter's Brighton_ _“I really enjoyed being at plot22, my son got stuck in cutting wood, making bread on sticks and exploring.... I like being outdoors, was nice and different. My friend and her Daughter like it too. they was very happy!_ “(S Akhmad) _“And a big thank you to you and the others for the 5 months there - it really helped me when I needed something, especially after last winter's lockdown”_ Sophie H ## **Financial Review** This reporting period spans part of year 1 and year 2 of our main Lottery grant (£60K pa April 2021 to March 2024). PLOT 22 is now in a good financial position. This grant enabled our founder/ CEO to move to PAYE from April 21 and resign as a trustee. It also meant we have been able to appoint a Coordinator to support the additional referral admin 7 hours per week from April 2022. This is working well. ## **Main grant awards in the reporting period:** 180K National Lottery Communities Fund April 2021-2024 (over 3 years) 20K NHS SMI funding award received November 2021 5K BHCC COMF fund received October 2021 180K National Lottery Communities Fund April 2021-2024 (over 3 years) TSIP BHCC £12K pa (3 year grant 2020-2023) ## **Reserves:** During this period the trustees reviewed and revised our Reserves Policy with a view to building up enough to maintain sustainable delivery post Lottery fund period. £25K held in reserves as of 30 Sept 2022 ## **Structure, Governance and Management Type of governing document:** Constitution ## **How is the charity constituted:** CIO // Association. ## **Trustee selection methods:** New trustees are appointed on the basis of having the appropriate skills, experience and relationship with the plot to ensure good fit. We are mindful to invite project participants and those from diverse backgrounds. ## **Trustees:** Bunty Dann - Chair Terry Clegg - Treasurer Charlotte Semlyen - Former Chair (resigned 12/10/2021) Jennie Smith (is paid for professional services to PLOT 22) Lynne Ridden Simon Rowledge ## **Independent Examiner:** Rachel Balchin Bulldog Accounting 12 Brogdale Place, Faversham, Kent ME13 0AF Telephone: 07813 181340 Email: rachel@bulldogaccounting.co.uk ## **Declaration:** The trustees approved this report report for submission: minuted xxxx Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees Name: Bunty Dann Position: Chair Date PLOT 22 Annual Accounts Summary Sheet Oct 2021 to Sep 2022 stst¢ment of Assets and Liabilities for PLOT 22 al 30th September 2022 Morhelary Assets Accounts Co-oP8