The Net Community Hub Trustees Annual Report 2021/22
The Net Community Hub has been designed to meet the intergenerational needs of the community, providing the basis for positive cohesion sought after by residents and which is considered a safe space with sound examples of good work practice.
Our main focus is to alleviate social isolation in the large number of vulnerable, elderly and isolated residents in the area.
The Net offers activities and opportunities modelled to meet the specific needs of individuals and/or groups, providing stepping stones to improving confidence and expanding the aspirations of the community.
The Hub provides opportunities for:
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Residents to develop as volunteers
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Communication and information
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Residents to develop friendships and understanding
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Specialist groups to meet and expand their knowledge, skills and expertise
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Surgeries to take place e.g Hi Kent Deaf Aid
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Space for activities
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A base for community interest groups to work from
With the loss of some income generating hire groups, a new approach was instigated, with a move away from reliance on private hire to offering funded sessions where groups make a donation for the use of the facilities, which is proving to be a successful approach through which the Hub can continue to operate.
COVID19
Sadly, all of our activities came to a standstill on March 18th 2020 and we did not become operational again until Autumn 2021, when we began to roll out small groups once our staff, members and volunteers received their covid vaccinations. We still maintained covid protocols.
The break in service did allow us to carry out repairs that were needed without any disruption to our normal services.
Thanks to the core funding we had in place via the Kent Community Foundation, our situation was a lot healthier than it might have been. We also had further grants from Medway Council to replace our loss of income.
Medway began its own Lottery, which we have signed up to, and generates monthly income for us. We also signed up to Amazon Smile.
PROJECT FUNDING
The Coop chose us as one of their charities again, this time to fund our Brainstormz! Project.
With our core funding coming to an end in April 2022, Kent Community Foundation have restructured their core funding, so we will only have to complete one application for the next year.
ACTIVITIES
New sessions introduced included a Tech Savvy Seniors session run by WALT, and a free brunch session on a Thursday morning, while we await the return of the Medway Foodbank.
Most of our special interest groups didn’t return until we moved into 2022, although the foodbank didn’t recommence until April 2022.
A new Hi Kent social group took place for six months, from December through to May, but numbers didn’t grow, mainly due to the day/time being different to when the HI Kent surgery took place.
We had two blocks of booking from a local arts organisation for ten weeks at a time, for people with mental health issues.
We shot a shot film with a local amateur dramatics club, and look to do more in future to help promote the hub.
EQUIPMENT
Although the manager could have worked from the space during the pandemic, the PC and internet were a constant source of frustration and she therefore had to use her own laptop at home, which had a detrimental effect. We therefore invested in a new Chromebook and a mobile phone to avoid her having to use her own equipment in future.
Looking to the future, we anticipate a much bigger offer, being open at some point every day.
BALANCE SHEET (Detailed) 2021-22
| Balance Brought Forward 31/3/21 Income Donations Broadband Coffee Shop Funding Donations/Refunds Sub Totals Expenditure Utilities Broadband & Phone General Bank Charges Cleaning wages Manager's wages Insurance Building Maintenance Funded HR Payments Funded Activities Funded Building work . Sub Totals Totals Current Accounts as of 31 March 2022 Net Balance Total |
£36,585.45 £3,645.30 £396.82 £186.00 £6,435.80 £818.26 £11,482.18 £48,067.63 £27,790.61 £27,790.61 £27,790.61 |
£36,585.45 £3,645.30 £396.82 £186.00 £6,435.80 £818.26 £11,482.18 £48,067.63 £27,790.61 £27,790.61 £27,790.61 |
£36,585.45 £3,645.30 £396.82 £186.00 £6,435.80 £818.26 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £11,482.18 £48,067.63 £27,790.61 £27,790.61 £27,790.61 |
£11,482.18 | £2,529.18 £761.33 £851.41 £15.90 £1,590.00 £7,637.88 £497.09 £42.00 £4,952.23 £1,400.00 £0.00 |
||
| £20,277.02 | ||||
| £20,277.02 | ||||
| £27,790.61 | ||||
| £27,790.61 |
£0.00