OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2023-03-31-accounts

Reports & Accounts for the annual financial period APRIL 2022 – MARCH 2023

for Plymouth VCSE (POP)

Charitable Incorporated Organisation Registered Charity No: 1167515 Company No: CE007437

Email: info@plymouthoctopus.org.uk Website: www.plymouthoctopus.org

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

OUR YEAR IN NUMBERS 2022 – 2023 ................................................................................................................... 3 CHAIR’S REPORT ................................................................................................................................................... 4 AIMS & OBJECTIVES .............................................................................................................................................. 6 ACHIEVEMENTS & PERFORMANCE ....................................................................................................................... 7 LEARNING AND EVALUATION ............................................................................................................................. 10 NURTURING OUR MEMBERS .............................................................................................................................. 12 NETWORK SUPPORT & DEVELOPMENT .............................................................................................................. 16 EVENTS ................................................................................................................................................................ 18 FUNDING ............................................................................................................................................................. 21 ACTIVE CITIZENS AND SOCIAL CONNECTIVITY .................................................................................................... 24 RUNNING A NIMBLE ORGANISATION WITH STRATEGIC IMPACT ....................................................................... 26 WORKING STRATEGICALLY ................................................................................................................................. 27 OTHER NOTABLE WORK ..................................................................................................................................... 28 FINANCIAL REVIEW ............................................................................................................................................. 30 PLANS FOR THE FUTURE ..................................................................................................................................... 31 STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT .............................................................................................. 31 STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES ................................................................................................... 34 REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES ................................................................................................................................. 35

2

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

OUR YEAR IN NUMBERS 2022 – 2023

Mapping the networks of Plymouth

3

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

CHAIR’S REPORT

POP is delighted to share our 10-year celebration with you, a week of honouring grassroots groups and their amazing stories.

New Developments

Headline Numbers for 2022-23

Funding

Challenges

Working with Esmée Fairburn Team was a massive undertaking by the Team which took over 12 months.

4

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

Looking Ahead

Esmée Fairbairn Funding was successful, so the Team has now secured another 5 years of funding.

This is a massive success and testament to the POP team’s hard work. The grant we’ve secured is:

What POP intends to do: more of what we do best.

The POP Trustees are extremely proud of the team particularly given all that each of them has had to face in the last couple of years.

Meanwhile, the team continues to react to the changing circumstances and to rise to the many different challenges, embracing ‘change’ and adapting to support the needs of each other; our members; our diverse communities and a variety of organisations across the city.

Lesley Coulton

Trustees and Chair of POP

Signature:

Dated: 8th November 2023

5

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

POP’S AIMS & OBJECTIVES

“POP supports and leads real, purposeful and lasting change in Plymouth.”

Our purpose is to build strong grassroots organisations, charities and social enterprises by supporting them; encouraging them to work together and to take a lead role in creating change.

We are driven by the energy, passion and skills of local people who are taking action to make our society and the environment a better place in which to live. A small team of dedicated staff, associates and trustees do this by influencing; connecting; training and creating opportunities. Our values define everything we do: we are committed to building and strengthening trust and relationships; collaborating with others and being innovative. With all our work we strive to learn - and encourage learning - through our actions.

We achieve our aims and objectives by:

In all areas of our work, we strive to push our three key concerns:

Grant-making policies

POP’s grant-making policies align with our core value: to strengthen grassroots organisations; voluntary organisations; charities and social enterprises through collaboration. We continue to test new approaches focusing on trust and collaboration. and in creating, what we believe, is the necessary environment that allows trust and collaboration to flourish.

Our grant-making policies continue to be shaped by our beliefs and values:

The biggest issues - environmentally and social - are complex.

6

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

No single actor or set of actors can create the change we need.

Networks and collaboration at a citizen and organisational level, and the behaviours required to be effective, are most likely to allow the changes to emerge.

Traditional funding processes destroy, not foster collaboration.

We sincerely hope that the examples we have set, and the impacts we have had, when seen by other funders, might lead to a greater change in how funding is used in Plymouth and further afield.

As part of our commitment to experiment POP is constantly investigating and questioning the methods we employ; seeking feedback from our members and our colleagues so that we continue to evolve. Current - processes can be found here https://support.plymouthoctopus.org/pop funding

ACHIEVEMENTS & PERFORMANCE

At the start of 2021 we carried out a comprehensive review of our work

https://www.plymouthoctopus.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/POP-2021-Summary-Learning-ReportFINAL.pdf and from this we set the following priorities:

Throughout 2022 and 2023 we continued our commitment to these priorities:

Tell and ‘live’ the story of collective success

This year we commissioned Take a Part to work with POP, its members and the wider charity & social enterprise sector to take a creative investigation exploring collaboration. Here are the results: https://www.plymouthoctopus.org/pop-commission/ .

We have continued to produce our ‘POP Page’ highlighting the amazing work of our members and the support we provide to help them do this. Newsletter – Plymouth Octopus

Champion the grassroots and community development

We are also:

7

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

Build connections and support effective networks

One of the actions POP has taken is to establish Neighbourhood Networks to create better links between hyper local groups and organisations connected around place. Currently numbering ten networks, as they establish themselves, these networks are starting to receive greater recognition.

We have started to map the networks members. See live data here: https://support.plymouthoctopus.org/network-map

Develop co-design expertise

The Belong in Plymouth programme has been co designed with many stakeholders involved including Livewell, The Community Empowerment Operational lead within Plymouth City Council, University Hospitals Plymouth, and several key voluntary organisations representing young people as well as those from diverse backgrounds. It is rapidly learning what factors support collaboration, how to work practically in an emergent way with a very distributed network, how to make decisions and administer finance. It is supporting relational building amongst a larger group of stakeholders in the city including those working in statutory and health within the VCSE, creating links and opportunities for action. The work has continued apace this year with some significant learning coming up about how best to deliver a programme in complex environments. More information can be found here: https://belonginplymouth.org.uk/

Support learning, skills, and capacity building

We have redesigned our delivery this year and we are testing new support particularly around coaching and relational practice.

Double down on digital

Over the last year we have continued to experiment with new methods of digital applications. Within Belong in Plymouth we are using groups.io which is proving effective at communicating in an open and transparent way. We have also used Quirkos to support us with coding the community conversations recorded by our community researchers. We also made a major shift in our CRM system, moving from Salesforce to Airtable and linking up to Softr. This has massively increased and improved our ability to streamline our processes and to publish our data live for others to see. Twilio remains useful for Ideas into Action and kumu for mapping connections and systems. At the end of the year, we launched a collaborative approach to some small-scale experimentation with SMS to reach further out into the community.

The main observation around our experiments with different digital platforms is that the best approach would seem to be in small experiments which appear to be the only way to move forward without having to

8

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

rely on the significant level of investment that large tech companies would have access to This approach also makes it easier to collaborate and work cooperatively.

Demonstrating our impact

The adoption of Airtable and Softr make demonstrating our activity much easier. This will free up capacity to think more deeply about impact such as recording specific case studies – such as the experience of a group of Eritreans living in the Efford area of the city who attended a meeting of the Efford Neighbourhood Network. POP is now helping them with advice on starting up; identifying other organisations which might help to support them and where they might likely apply for funding. This is just one example of many micro grassroots projects that we helping to nurture and are subsequently able to flourish because of POP and the relationships gained via networks.

Working nationally

POP remains active at a national level, advocating for grassroots activity and the infrastructure this needs together with the shifts in funding practices needed to create a culture of collaboration. Losing control: core members of the Losing Control in Funding Network https://www.losingcontrol.org/

Statement of public benefit

Our main activities - and who we try to help - are described in this report. All our charitable activities focus on the support for grassroots organisations, voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises in order to further our charitable purpose.

9

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

LEARNING AND EVALUATION

REFLECTIONS ON APRIL 2022 - MARCH 2023 – WHAT HAVE WE LEARNT?

POP builds learning and reflection into all our work. Most important to this is the culture of collaboration and way we work together. The reflective practice, openness and honesty we encourage throughout our work allows all voices and opinions to be shared and explored, which in turn, enables the work to evolve. This learning culture works effectively with the feedback we seek from partners and members and other data and information sources to create an adaptable and responsive organisation.

Collaboration

Collaboration is at the heart of everything POP does. Here are some of our big collaborative successes:

10

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

“Not only does it give those who have experienced mental health problems the chance to lead others, but research shows that participating in a learning environment such as this, helps them in their own recovery.”

Strengthening skills and capacity

This year the POP ideas team continued with three overarching themes:

All the training opportunities delivered by POP ideas was built around this:

https://www.plymouthoctopus.org/training/.

Learning from our previous experience and that of our members, the POP ideas team now delivers a more bespoke service to each of its clients. There are fewer, scheduled face-to-face workshops and, instead, POP ideas has developed a training package of online webinars (with additional resources). These enable our clients to access them whenever they want and as often as they want. Our members have provided us with positive feedback about our webinars, confirming, that they are a welcome addition to the POP ideas training ‘package’, and that they have been particularly useful to those new to the VCSE and/or those looking to set up a community project for the first time. Given this feedback we have improved the existing webinars by breaking them down and putting them into segments and we have commissioned a further webinar on simple business planning which will be available in 2023/24.

Changes: the need for digital skills training has increased whilst those of financial management, volunteer training and board development has decreased. Based on this, our priorities for next year are:

POP ideas is constantly seeking to improve its training provision and the way we deliver it. We know that many of our members have limited resources - particularly regarding their ‘time’ - and so we are always looking for ways to accommodate their needs and provide useful content that is both convenient and of value to them.

Responding to this, this year we trialled delivering fewer ‘lengthy’ training workshops and, instead, each month delivered an online workshops, of between one and two hours, on a variety of topics including, various digital tools, social media marketing, and website building. The uptake and feedback on these shorter skills workshops were very positive and so we will continue with them, as part of our training provision, next year.

11

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

This year has also seen the POP ideas team work closely providing capacity building support to the Belong in Plymouth initiative. Following conversations with groups and organisations involved in the project workshops were delivered throughout the year, such as, trauma informed practice; skills needed for collaboration; active listening; emotional intelligence; inclusive communications and EDI practices. Everything that we do is subject to evaluation and feedback. We are constantly reflecting and looking for ways in which we might improve our provision. We know that it is really important to our members, we want to keep it this way.

Funding

The main theme with the 250-a-POP and Collectives funding streams this year was consolidation. Through the Learning Champion role, POP was able to observe a range of working practices, shapes and styles of collaboration. The data collected will influence changes that need to be made in the structure of the Collectives process next year, in 2023-24.

We learnt most from the Ideas Into Action initiative. POP decided that we wanted this fund to continue after our relationship with our previous funding partners had ended. As a team, we have learnt a great deal about the technical aspects of operating a fund for individuals that puts a high value on trust and individual agency. While we had only three participants POP is committed to continuing with it: Ideas Into Action funds projects that would struggle to get resourced in a more traditional format. While POP hoped to re-launch this fund with a focus on supporting the actions of young people, it is, as yet, unclear if this is a good idea and/or that our message (to young people) is effective. We are still learning how to best communicate that this fund is about the need for trust and collaboration between participants and not merely an easy way to fund community projects. POP also had the opportunity to learn through funding processes by running the Mini Systems and Cost of Living Fund. We have published several blogs about our ‘learning’ at https://www.plymouthoctopus.org/system-culture-change/

Significant things we have learnt:

NURTURING OUR MEMBERS

POP ideas – POP's capacity building service

POP ideas is a service that provides advice for small; large; new or established voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations in Plymouth. It is a partnership service delivered by POP and Iridescent Ideas CIC. http://www.plymouthoctopus.org/

12

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

We are proud to have maintained excellent quality of provision this year with 84% of survey respondents saying that the service is ‘excellent’ or ‘good’.

This year we have worked in partnership with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall in delivering the Keyham Community Sparks funding. This enabled a further 25 grassroots community projects to be delivered by the people and for the people of Keyham. POP ideas also played a role in providing capacity building support to the grantees, with the impact of supporting groups and organisations beyond the life of that funding pot.

This year we held our first face-to-face Plymouth Fundraisers Network meeting since the Covid pandemic. Over 20 community groups attended and positively welcomed the opportunity to be in a room to share successes and struggles with peers.

The POP ideas training workshops continuously seek to meet the needs of the voluntary and community sector. This year we partnered with Francis Clarke and QuickBooks for the first time to deliver a training workshop on QuickBooks and Xero. The feedback was extremely positive, and we will be repeating the workshop in September 2023.

We continue to evolve our delivery methods to provide useful content in new ways that fit people’s time and other commitments.

WonderZoo is an audacious and uncompromising storytelling adventure infused with 1920s surrealism and punk DIY ethics. It attracts like-minded folk, gathering amiable people of a diverse range of talent, literary flair and creative nous. POP ideas provided funding support and mentoring.

13

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

POP ideas impact 2022 – 2023

Outcomes & feedback 2022-2023

Positive comments

There were many positive comments made about what POP ideas is doing well, including:

Areas for development

Some constructively critical comments were recorded. No obvious themes emerged but substantive comments included:

Cumulative impact since 2014

14

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

The Mutley Greenbank Trust is a local charity that provides youth and community projects in the areas of Mutley, Greenbank, Mount Gould, and Lipson.

Their work is made possible by a fantastic team of qualified staff and dedicated volunteers who work throughout the different projects to make their life-changing work possible.

POP ideas provided project planning, funding advice and support is ongoing.

Future Plans

15

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

NETWORK SUPPORT & DEVELOPMENT

POP has increased its involvement in networks across the city: there are some in which we sit alongside other members, and others which POP has itself established to fulfil a need. Although there are several networks that we facilitate, it is our aim that all networks should be able to sustain themselves at some point in the future. The Children and Young People Network: POP is the coordinator of this network of approximately 200 individuals and organisations. The networks’ work this year has been working with PCC Violence Against Women and Girls commissioner (Meghan Field) creating a coordinated approach in delivering the commission's findings. The network meets in person every three months.

The Community Sports Network, with approximately 100 individuals and organisations, is also co-ordinated by POP. This year the network has worked in partnership with Plymouth City Council and Active Devon on its “Active to Thrive” action plan. The network meets every three months.

The Community Heritage Network has moved back to face-to-face meetings, The network is led by Dr Alan Butler. The network has been active in: LBGT+ history month; the Community Archives & Heritage Group; working alongside colleagues at the Box and, of course, in the High Street Heritage Action Zone initiative.

The Plymouth Community Group Support Network: this is a Facebook group facilitated by POP. It has over 500 members. Its members are people who work/volunteer in groups across the city. POP uses this Facebook group to communicate and disseminate information to other community organisations active across the city. It averages two posts per day. It is a closed group and a useful method of communication for us. In the period between the 1[st] of January 2023 and the 26[th] of July 2023, 262 of its members either liked or commented on its posts.

The Growing With Nature network is a collaboration between PCC green minds programme, Food Plymouth and POP. It has over 40 groups and holds four events a year in locations such as Diversity Business Incubator, YMCA, snapdragons and Market Hall.

The Mapping Network. (This group of people collect information about what is going in in their area of expertise be that geographical or ‘themed’) The participants of this network have moved towards POP’s network facilitators forum network which meets regularly, providing information and support for people who are running and/or developing the individual’s networks. Each meeting has a theme and often there is an ‘expert’ on hand to help to discuss a particular topic, such as, network mapping, defining the network purpose, using digital tools. This network has expanded to 34 people across neighbourhood and thematic areas.

POP has provided support to the Network Facilitators Forum with:

Other networks in which POP is involved:

16

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

Individual (geographical) Neighbourhood Networks particularly:

Ernesettle Community network. Although a well-established neighbourhood network, it carried out a network review earlier this year supported by POP to identify what they want to achieve and how it might work. There are 19 groups, councillors and residents currently involved in the network. They have organised a Coronation event and are planning bonfire events, using some POP Collective money

Plympton is being led by the community worker from the Wellbeing Hub at the Rees centre through Barnardos. POP is there to support and provide advice when necessary. It has members, from local community groups; schools; civic association; councillors; police; faith and sports groups

Crownhill. This is a new developing network, come together to try to protect a green area for local residents but had already organised a Coronation event together. It has local residents leading it. POP and the local community builder have been working together to support this emerging network

POP is also involved with the following neighbourhood networks: Devonport; Hooe; Ernesettle; St Budeaux; Keyham & PL2; Glenholt; Stoke and Whitleigh; Efford and Lipson; Mannamead. Other emerging networks:

Plymouth Mental Health Collective

17

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

EVENTS

POP continued to offer a range of events to engage our members ranging from themed events with a speaker to more informal chatty online sessions.

AGM - “Working Together For Impact”

18

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

POP BITES

19

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

POP CONNECTIONS

POP OUTREACH

20

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

FUNDING

2022-23 was a growth year for POP’s easy access, participative, collaborative and experimental approach to funding. Both the 250-a-POP and Collectives funding streams saw significant increase in uptake from the previous year. The combination of innovative funding experiments and a relational reporting and evaluation process meant that POP generated new, evidence-based insights into the practicalities of grassroots funding that were shared at both a local and national level.

Detailed information about the funding transactions that POP made between April 2022 and March 2023 for £250-a-POP, Collectives, Mini Systems and Keyham Sparks can be found at bit.ly/3rla0Ks

POP COLLECTIVES

The number of POP Collectives that successfully completed the application process doubled in 2022-23 from 13 to 27 collectives. The fund paid out £135,000 in this year to groups of organisations providing social or environmental benefit for Plymouth. The decision to allow organisations to be part of more than one collective and to re-apply to the fund meant POP has been able to observe how collaborative relationships and projects evolve and gather momentum.

The application forms for each POP Collective can be viewed at https://support.plymouthoctopus.org/funding-details?recordId=recHw9DYbYyGkiZvC

There were 76 organisations that were connected to the 27 successful collective applications. Collectives decide their own expense policy, so not every organisation connected to a collective will receive financial benefit from the fund. 11 organisations were involved in multiple collectives in 2022-23. Of the 76 organisations involved in Collectives, 24% were micro sized organisations (Under £10k turnover) and 59% were small sized organisations (between £11k and £100k turnover).

£250 A POP

250-a-POP continues to provide vital grassroots support through an easy to access micro grant fund that pays expenses up to £250. Between April 2022 and March 2023, ninety-three grants were paid to different individuals/organisations. Seven organisations received two rounds of funding. The total amount funded through £250-a-POP in this financial year is £22,310 an increase of more than £6,000 from the previous

21

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

(financial) year. Of the organisations who received 250-a-POP funding we believe that 54% were micro-sized (under £10k) organisations and 38% were small-sized (between £11k and £100k). Red Velvet Cinema, which hopes to reduce loneliness and social isolation among older people, applied for the £250 to help pay for their Christmas lunch.

Detailed information about what £250 a POP grants have been spent on can be found at https://opencollective.com/250-pop .

“Thank you to Plymouth Octopus for our recent funding of £250; seven sessions of venue hire at our Friday Community Singing session in Moments Cafe. It's a really popular session and we are so grateful to be able to continue singing for fun and to improve mental well-being.” - M.J. founder of Soul Singers CIC

IDEAS INTO ACTION (Formerly Street To Scale)

Street to Scale did not run in the first half of the year due to capacity constraints with our funding partner Ratio. The agreement was that POP provided the funding for the grants but Ratio did the administration and rule setting. We worked together to try and get the fund running again and were able to fund one project. However, it became clear that the capacity constraints still existed. POP still saw the value in this type of funding for groups of individuals collaborating on projects. We decided to take the idea and take on the administration of grants and launched Ideas Into Action. To the end of March 2023, Ideas Into Action funded three projects £1,000 each. . This enabled a group of students to run artistic workshops that respond to climate change, a group from Southway to establish a bank for baby clothes and equipment, and a group of women from diverse ethnicities to provide catering at community events.

MINI SYSTEMS

Plymouth City Council offered POP the opportunity to collaborate on a project that would allocate funding to organisations working in Community Wellbeing and Suicide Prevention. Beyond the £60,000 budget for the project, POP saw that extra value could be generated by learning from an experimental application process. Through the summer of 2022, 28 organisations expressed interest in an open application process. POP invited organisations to network and generate ideas for collaborative projects. Eight separate project ideas were established. As these projects were all new and untested, and the area of interest was wide, traditional

22

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023 decision-making processes could not be trusted to identify what ‘the best’ project might be. Instead, the eight collectives were put into a computer-generated lottery process, with one group being awarded £40,000, and four groups being awarded £5,000.

COST OF LIVING FUND

Between January and March 2023, POP administered a fund in partnership with the charity OneDevon. Working with local partners across Devon County Council; Plymouth City Council and Torbay Borough Council, it’s aim was to provide more money to those voluntary organisations that support people who have been disproportionately affected by the cost-of-living crisis. As with Mini Systems, POP did not trust traditional decision-making processes to identify which were the most appropriate projects to allocate funding to. POP invited representatives from each organisation who had applied to a stakeholder meeting. At this meeting, applicants were invited to set priorities for how the fund should be spent. POP developed an objective metric to compare projects against what stakeholders said should take priority. This measurement was combined equally with a popularity vote amongst stakeholders to decide which projects were funded. In total, 15 out of 27 projects that applied to the fund received a grant.

KEYHAM COMMUNITY SPARKS

As part of the city-wide response to the tragic events in Keyham in August 2021, POP was invited by the City Council to administer distribution of the Keyham Sparks Fund. In 2022-23 there were two rounds of small grants funding available through this scheme. Round Two ran from March to June 2022. Round Three ran from July to October 2022. The small grants of £500 were decided by a panel, consisting of a POP employee, a ward Councillor, a member of Keyham Neighbourhood. and representatives of the funder. Between the two rounds of funding available in this financial year, 24 grants were awarded to 21 organisations with a value of £10,845.

23

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

ACTIVE CITIZENS AND SOCIAL CONNECTIVITY

Positive People Devon

End of Project Summary

2022 was a productive and dynamic year for the Positive People project. We focused on peer development, collaborating with Natasha in Torbay, and recruiting and training Peer Support Coordinators. Our efforts were directed towards offering diverse opportunities for in-person and online events and workshops, fostering growth, and providing valuable support to participants.

Q2 (Apr-Jun) 2022 - Progress Highlights and achievements:

Q3 (Jul-Sep) 2022 - Progress Highlights and achievements:

Q4 (Oct-Dec) 2022 - Progress Highlights and achievements:

24

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023 Q1 (Jan-Mar) 2023 - Progress Highlights and achievements:

Conclusions: Throughout the year, the Positive People project made remarkable progress in peer development, community engagement, and fostering partnerships. We successfully offered a wide array of workshops and events, creating a supportive and inclusive environment for participants. The highlight of this project was empowering peers by employing them in POP and providing real opportunities for them to progress into paid employment as well as providing meaningful opportunities for personal growth and community connections.

Unify Plymouth

Unify is a partnership of Plymouth City Council, Transforming Plymouth Together, Plymouth Octopus Project, Plymouth Hope, Plymouth Argyle Community Trust, Devon & Cornwall Chinese Association, the Law Clinic and Diversity Business Incubator to try and make ‘diverse’ communities more cohesive. Specific focus was given to Devonport; Honicknowle; St Budeaux and Efford. Community Cohesion Partnerships have been set up and invited to draw up a vision statement for their area.

25

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

RUNNING A NIMBLE ORGANISATION WITH STRATEGIC

IMPACT

Reflective Practice - the evolving story

Reflective practice has been developed with the POP team ethos very much in mind i.e., working horizontally so that the process is inclusive. The whole team (which includes employees and Associates) is encouraged to shape the Reflective Practice itself, mirroring the ever-evolving practices and nature of POP. The framework includes the solidity and boundary of a regular scheduled time, and crucially, the negotiation of what constitutes a safe space. Outside of that solid and grounded framework, a fluid and adaptive process has emerged.

In December 2022, the process moved from the shorter monthly reflective space to a quarterly (in person) review/reflection. These sessions are currently three hours long, but may extend... Within this reporting period, two quarterly reviews have been held.

Reflective Practice in Action

Quarterly Reviews:

The rest of the sessions are a mixture of experiential and discussions – a few examples below:

An item of lightness is also included in the sessions e.g.

The sessions have had mixed reviews, and part of the reflection here is for that to be ok too – to respond and adapt so that everyone feels heard.

Our intention in holding these reviews is, in part, to capture our work and processes, and foster cohesion within the team. We hope by doing so, we carry this way of working quite naturally in our collaborations with the VCS and our strategic partners.

SPINDL – trading arm with Torbay Community Development Trust

Towards the end of 2021 we started exploring the potential of a partnership with Torbay Community Development Trust which would aim to offer training, support, advice, coaching and mentoring and 2022-23 has been its first year of trading.

26

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

WORKING STRATEGICALLY

Belong in Plymouth - Healthy Communities Together

Plymouth is one of five projects nationwide exploring how to best tackle complex health inequalities, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund and The Kings Fund: https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/projects/healthy-communities-together.

We have been part of health initiatives seeking to follow a person-centred, co-design process including working with the Older Citizens partnership, Mayflower PCN, The Frailty Team, Plymouth Mental Health Collaboration, Action Learning Sets on Public Health Management, Quarterly meetings with Healthwatch Plymouth and work in specific neighbourhoods led by Public Health. We have been advocating and demonstrating how the voices of lived experience are a crucial and often missing part of these meetings and have run pilot meetings of our own in which we have invited equal parts of health, statutory, VCSE organisations and citizens with lived experience of health inequalities.

In addition to health collaborations, we have been reporting to the LCP, meeting with the HDRC and generally building cross sector relationships to amplify the call for the person to be at the centre of any work done to support their needs.

Our online networking site is transparent and accessible and has grown from 98 to more than 200 members since June 2022.

We have trained over 60 community researchers and collected more than 80 stories from local people on how the feel like they ‘belong’ in Plymouth, based on their own lived experience. These stories have been split into fragments from which factors are being drawn out to make this qualitative data more easily accessible by commissioning services.

High Street Heritage Action Zone

The HAZ Community Engagement plan (CEP), delivered in partnership between POP and The Box, is creating an infrastructure that supports communities to learn about the city centre's historic post-war Plan for Plymouth, as well as helping local people develop their own projects and events.

POP is working with the community in two ways both of which are aimed at increasing engagement with, and the understanding of, our city’s unique civic heritage. Firstly, by supporting the monthly meetings of the Heritage Network, and targeting a type of community and engaging them in an exciting and free programme

27

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

of walks, talks and community events throughout the year. And, secondly, working with The Box on the provision of a fund exclusively for this part of the city centre - The High Street Sparks Fund.

This year also included a large community event in March at The Box which brought together all those that had engaged with the programme during the year from various community events around the city.

Delivery and communications on the programme had to be modified and adapted this year due to the sensitivities and high-profile surrounding tree felling in the city centre, an area adjacent to the heritage action zone.

Working with our colleagues at The Box, POP is committed to seeking new ways and better ways to engage with more people – and a greater diversity of people – than conventional community engagement models might traditionally reach. It is our hope that those citizens with whom we engage become better-informed and more likely to be involved in the HAZ initiative and for a greater length of time.

OTHER NOTABLE WORK

Attendance at key meetings

POP continues to represent the grassroots sector and wider VCSE sector at the Inclusive Growth Group and the Local Care Partnership Delivery Board. This year POP was a judge on the West Country Women Awards as part of a panel drawn from the Inclusive Growth Group.

Plymouth Partners & Funders Forum

POP has continued to host this forum which brings funding providers together in partnership every quarter to share strategic and creative dialogue.

Plymouth Cost of Living Taskforce

POP supported the strategic partnership taskforce through the winter by sharing intelligence from both the community and funders. This informed local authority decision making and contributed to partner delivery.

The needs of the city and progress of the taskforce was also communicated back to the Regional Funders Forum which informed their local decision making.

YMCA My Future – Mentoring Youth Programme

My Future is a youth programme that helps guide and support young people through mentoring to raise aspirations and the chance of a better future. POP mentored a young student from the YMCA Discovery College over the full academic year. Mentoring support was provided monthly on the world of work, employability skills, producing a CV, passing their driving test, confidence issues, and exam revision. The programme also entailed peer mentoring support via networking which raised the profile of POP within the city’s private sector.

Public relations

Our associate, Caroline Blackler, continues to write a steady stream of content for the monthly POP page featuring, for example, POP’s own work; the service we provide to our members along with our relationship with our members; the wonderful efforts of our members and the many ways in which we are all making a difference across the city.

28

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

The content is also included in the monthly mailings; on our social media channels and, where it has been possible, on community noticeboards.

Caroline has promoted the different funds which POP is involved with or delivering: Keyham Community Sparks; the Cost of Living Fund; £250-a-POP; the POP Collectives Fund and Ideas Into Action providing information and contact details encouraging people to apply. Through our communication channels we have profiled the work of many POP members including, for example, the Tree Project; the Plymouth Baby Bank; Timebank; the Girls to Women Project and Soul Singers.

As POP has taken to the streets with its monthly Outreach events so Caroline has sought to include content from these communities. Caroline has then printed the page and visited the areas to get the printed page put up and noticed on notice boards! There are several challenges involved with this which she is still trying to overcome, such as, in some cases, locating the person who might have the key! POP continues to send a weekly Monday newsletter to its members. The newsletter contains a wealth of news and information, not just from POP, but also that of our members, partners and funders. What’s more it is a portal through which anyone can send in material about their own projects and news which can be shared with all our contacts.

----- Start of picture text -----
POP Page
----- End of picture text -----

POP Newsletter

Social Media

POP continues to have a strong presence on social media for both the Plymouth Octopus and POP ideas branded accounts. Millie Lepic also started the POP Community Guru pages on Facebook & Instagram to help establish collaborative community connections.

Over 8,000 followers to date across all platforms:

2,578 Plymouth Octopus Twitter & 1,711 POP ideas Twitter

2.1k Plymouth Octopus Facebook, 1.1k POP ideas Facebook, 266 Community Guru Facebook 646 Community Guru Instagram

29

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Over the last four years POP has been in a privileged position with core funding awarded in 2018 by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. And we are now further privileged to have secured further core funding from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation:

This year has been very positive. Overall our income was £655,241 and our outgoing resources were £718,772.

This reflects that we were spending against restricted reserves from income already received. Much of the surplus is held in restricted reserves.

Our income came from Positive People (£105k), Esmée Fairbairn (£309k), Plymouth City Council core grant of £30k plus £50k from a health focused Fair Shares fund. In line with previous years, we continued to deliver the Highstreet Heritage Action Zone, Keyham Community Sparks, Unify Plymouth and SIMPL. We also continue to hold just under £4,000 as a designated reserve for work that will bolster grassroots connection into strategic work as a result of the work we did on the VCS Emergencies Partnership.

We hold a Contingency fund of £21,000 to cover redundancy payments and a Working Capitzl designated reserve for occasions of funding reductions or cessation in operations.

RESERVES POLICY

The reserves policy specifies that in the event of POP having to cease its activities, sufficient funds should be available to pay for the cost of two to three months of charitable operation to cover the wind-down period and the redundancy costs of any remaining staff. The financial position against the policy is reviewed every quarter.

The Trustees have established a level of free unrestricted reserves that the charity requires to bridge funding gaps to enable the charity to continue the current activities for a period of at least six months. The Trustees consider that a contingency fund of £100,000 would be appropriate. The fund currently stands at £78,000 (2022: £78,000)

To provide for the payment of redundancy in the event of our funding ceasing. The trustees consider that a designated fund of £21,000 would be required. The fund currently stands at £21,000 (2022: £21,000).

To provide for funding that will bolster grassroots connection into strategic work as a result of the work we did on the VCS Emergencies Partnership. The fund currently stands at £3, 822 (2021: £4,000)

30

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

MONEY HELD ON ACCOUNT

The charity has held funds on account for the Hoe Neighbourhood Forum of £1,699.

RISK MANAGEMENT

The trustees have examined the major strategic, business and operational risks which the charity faces and confirm that systems have been established that enable regular reports to be produced so that the necessary steps can be taken to lessen the risks. Internal control risks are minimised by the implementation of procedures for authorisation of all transactions and projects. Procedures are in place to ensure compliance with health and safety of staff, volunteers and clients. External risks such as over reliance on one funding source is a matter of significant focus with continued development of the rationale and description of POP’s work and, more generally the role of infrastructure, in ensuring strong and healthy communities.

Over the next year this will continue to develop and be used to secure greater diversity in income.

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

Our priorities for 2023/24 are:

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document and objects

Plymouth VCSE (POP+) was approved by the Charity Commission on 7th June 2016 and is a registered charity No. 1167515, CIO Number CE007437. The objects of the charity are to promote the voluntary sector and to promote the efficiency and effectiveness of other charitable organisations for the benefit of the public in the area of Plymouth and its environs.

Governance and trustee appointments

New trustees are elected and appointed at POP’s Annual General Meetings. They are also co-opted during the year as opportunities arise, to then be elected for a full term at the AGM. 10% of members are required to attend the AGM as are the new elected trustees.

Trustees meet every month avoiding the need for sub committees to be formed.

The trustees who have served during the period under review are set out below.

31

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

Trustee training and induction

All new trustees are welcomed onto the Board and an informal induction process starts. Trustees are given access to all organisational documentation and encourage to integrate into the team.

Related party transactions and trustees’ expenses and remuneration

All trustees gave their time freely and claimed no expenses or renumeration in the year.

Staff: Gareth Baker (joined September 2022 – March 2023) Matt Bell (CEO) Lee Bowden-Carter (left June 2022) Rowan Edwards Dan Hancock (joined September 2022 – March 2023) Stuart Jones (joined March 2022) Claire Law Millie Lepic (rejoined December 2022) Chris Maccullie Sam Norsworthy (joined September 2022 – March 2023) Linda Page (joined September 2022 – March 2023) Deborah Penprase Karen Pilkington (joined June 2022) Imogen Potter Simon Travers

Associates: Caroline Blackler Rebekah Coombes Juliette Jackson Stephane Kolinsky Martyn Lowesmith Donna Maughan Susan Moores Paul Read Simon Sherbersky

Legal and administrative information

Charity Name and Number

Plymouth VCSE (POP+): registered charity number: 1167515.

Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered on 7th June 2016.

Impact of covid on going concern

2022/23 has not had a detrimental impact on the financial position of the charity. There was less of a direct impact on delivery, as life returned to ‘normal’.

32

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the 12 month period ended 31st March, 2023

Trustees

Louise Barnes

Alan Butler

Andi Higginson

Josephine Bussell Lesley Coulton Martin Mills

Tracey Naismith

Sally Walker

Chairperson

Lesley Coulton

Principal office

Devonport Guildhall

Ker Street

Plymouth PL1 4EL

Independent examiners Wills Accountants Ltd 2 Endeavour House Parkway Court Longbridge Road Plymouth PL6 8LR

Bankers: CAF Bank Ltd. 25 Kings Hill Avenue West Malling Kent

33

Plymouth VCSE (POP)

STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES

The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

The law applicable to charities in England & Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;

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 the Charities Act 2011, the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. They 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.

This report was approved by the board of trustees on 8[th] November 2023

Trustee

Name:

Signature:

34

Plymouth VCSE (POP+) Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of Plymouth VCSE

Report of the Independent Examiner to the trustees on the accounts of the Charity for the year ended 31 March 2023

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the company for the year ended 31 March 2023 which are set out on pages 37 to 52

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

As the charity's trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act').

I report in respect of my examination of the charity's accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 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 the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, 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 that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the company as required by section 130 of the Act; or

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

  3. the accounts do not 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 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.

Mr Philip Wood Soutter FCCA

for and on behalf of

Wills Accountants Ltd

Chartered Certified Accountants 2 Endeavour House Parkway Court Longbridge Road Plymouth PL6 8LR

The date upon which my opinion is expressed is :- 26 October 2023

35

Plymouth VCSE (POP+) Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 March 2023

Notes
Income and endowments from:
Incoming resources from generated funds
Donations and legacies
Other trading activities
Investment Income
Charitable activities
Other Incoming Resources
Total income and endowments
Expenditure on
Costs of charitable activities
Other costs
Other resources expended
Total expenditure
(Net (expenditure))/net income
before transfers between funds
Gross transfers between funds
(Net (expenditure))/net income before
Other recognised gains and losses
Other recognised gains and losses
Net movement in funds
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward
8
Total Funds carried forward
8
Unrestricted Restricted
Total
Last Year
Funds
Funds
Funds
Total Funds
Restated
2023
2023
2023
2022
£
£
£
£
65,690
581,237
646,927
718,772
7,790
-
7,790
-
499
-
499
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
73,979
581,237
655,216
718,772
77,391
696,714
774,105
529,032
2,313
1,046
3,359
3,119
-
-
-
-
79,704
697,760
777,464
532,151
(5,725)
(116,523)
(122,248)
186,621
-
-
-
-
(5,725)
(112,605)
(122,248)
186,621
-
-
-
-
(5,725)
(112,605)
(122,248)
186,621
105,103
274,449
379,552
192,931
99,378
161,844
257,304
379,552

The net movement in funds referred to above is the net incoming resources as defined in the Statement of Recommended Practice (The SORP) and is reconciled to the total funds as shown in the Balance Sheet on page 38 as required by the SORP.

All activities derive from continuing operations

The notes on pages 40 to 47 form an integral part of these accounts.

36

Plymouth VCSE (POP+) Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 March 2023

Statement of Total Recognised Gains and Losses for the year ended 31 March 2023

for the year ended 31 March 2023
2023 2022
Excess of Expenditure over income before realisation of assets (122,248) 186,621
Profit per Profit and Loss account (122,248) 186,621
Grants for the acquisition of fixed assets - -
Net Movement in funds before taxation (122,248) 186,621
Movements in revenue and capital funds
for the year ended 31 March 2023
Revenue accumulated funds **Designated ** **Unrestricted ** Restricted Total Last year
Funds Funds Funds Funds Total Funds
2023 2023 2023 2023 2022
£ £ £ £
Accumulated funds brought forward 103,000 2,103 274,449 379,552 192,931
Recognised gains and losses before transfers (178) (5,547) (112,605) (118,330) 186,621
102,822 (3,444) 161,844 261,222 379,552
Transfers between restricted and unrestricted funds - - - - -
Transfers (to)/from designated funds (7,362) 3,444 3,918 - -
Closing revenue accumulated funds 95,460 - 165,762 261,222 379,552

The purposes for which the designated funds have been established are described in the notes to the accounts

Summary of funds
Revenue accumulated funds
Revenue designated funds
Total funds
Designated Unrestricted Restricted
Total
Last Year
Funds
Funds
Funds
Funds
Total Funds
2023
2023
2023
2023
2022
-
-
165,762
165,762
276,552
95,460
-
-
95,460
103,000
95,460
-
165,762
261,222
379,552

The notes on pages 40 to 47 form an integral part of these accounts.

37

Plymouth VCSE (POP+) Company Number Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2023

Plymouth VCSE (POP+)
Company Number
Balance Sheet
as at 31 March 2023
Notes
Fixed assets
Intangible assets
Tangible assets
4
Total fixed assets
Current assets
Debtors
5
Cash at bank and in hand
Total current assets
Creditors:-
amounts due within one year
6
Net current assets
Total assets less current liabilities
Creditors:-
amounts due after more than one year
Net assets including pension asset / liability
The funds of the charity :
Unrestricted income funds
Unrestricted revenue accumulated funds
8
Designated revenue funds
8
Total unrestricted funds
Restricted revenue funds
Restricted revenue accumulated funds
8
Restricted fixed asset funds
Total restricted funds
Total charity funds
2023
£
11,484
276,116
2023
£
-
4,347
2022
£
53,636
330,175
2022
£
-
2,930
287,600 383,811
-
95,460
2,103
103,000
257,304
-
379,552
-
257,304 379,552
95,460
161,844
105,103
274,449
161,844 274,449
257,304 379,552

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Board on 26 October 2023 Signed on behalf of the board of Trustees

L Coulton Trustee

The notes on pages 40 to 47 form an integral part of these accounts.

38

Plymouth VCSE (POP+) Cash Flow Statement for the year ended 31 March 2023

Notes
Cash flow from operating activities
11
Interest paid
Net cash flow from operating activities
Cash flow from investing activities
Payments to acquire tangible fixed assets
Receipts from sales of tangible fixed assets
Interest received
Net cash flow from investing activities
Cash flow from financing activities
Interest paid
Net cash flow from financing activities
Net increase / (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
Cash at bank and in hand less overdrafts at 1 April
Cash at bank and in hand less overdrafts at 31 March
Cash and cash equivalents consists of:
Cash at bank and in hand
Overdrafts
Cash and cash equivalents at 31 March
2023
£
(51,414)
-
(51,414)
(3,144)
-
499
(2,645)
-
-
(54,059)
330,175
276,116
276,116
-
276,116
2022
£
135,900
-
135,900
(2,213)
-
-
(2,213)
-
-
133,687
196,488
330,175
330,175
-
330,175

39

Plymouth VCSE (POP+) Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023

1 Accounting policies

The principle accounting policies are summarised below. The accounting policies have been applied consistently throughout the year and the preceding year.

Basis of preparation of the accounts

Plymouth VCSE (POP+) is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered in England / Wales . The address of the principle office is given in the charity information on page 34 of these financial statements.

The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. 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 issued in October 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities Act 2011 and UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice as it applies from 1 January 2019.

The financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis under the historical cost convention, modified to include certain items at fair value. The financial statements are presented in sterling which is the functional currency of the charity and rounded to the nearest £.

Advantage has been taken of Section 396(5) of The Companies Act 2006 to allow the format of the financial statements to be adapted to reflect the special nature of the charity's operation and in order to comply with the requirements of the SORP.

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

Incoming Resources

Incoming resources are accounted for on a receivable basis deferred as described below where appropriate.

Except as described under the 'Deferred Income' accounting policy all grants, including grants for the purchase of fixed assets , are recognised in full in the Statement of Financial Activities in the year in which they are receivable.

Deferred income

In accordance with the SORP grants received in advance and specified by the donor as relating to specific accounting periods or alternatively which are subject to conditions which are still to be met, and which are outside the control of the charity or where it is uncertain whether the conditions can or will be met, are deferred on an accruals basis to the period to which they relate. Such deferrals are shown in the notes to the accounts and the sums involved are shown as creditors in the accounts.

Recognition of liabilities

Liabilities are recognised on the accruals basis in accordance with normal accounting principles, modified where necessary in accordance with the guidance given in the SORP.

Resources Expended

Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered, and is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates:

In particular the policy for including items within costs of generating funds, charitable activities and governance costs is

Costs of generating funds

Costs of generating funds comprise the costs associated with attracting voluntary income and the costs of trading for fundraising purposes.

40

Plymouth VCSE (POP+) Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023

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.

Fundraising costs

Fundraising costs are those incurred in seeking voluntary contributions and do not include the cost of disseminating information in support of the charitable activities.

Governance costs

Governance costs shall include all expenditure directly related to the administration of the charity including expenditure incurred in the management of the charity's assets, organisational administration and compliance with charitable and statutory requirements.

Other Costs

Other costs include those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity and include the audit fees and costs linked to the strategic management of the charity and those items not falling into the categories above.

All costs are allocated between the expenditure categories of the SoFA on a basis designed to reflect the use of the resource.

Charitable giving: As a charity Plymouth VCSE (POP+) are proud that, when funds allow, they bless other charities. Such donations are shown under "Grant disbursements " within these accounts.

Fixed assets and depreciation

Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost less residual value of each asset over its expected useful life, as follows:

ICT equipment – 5 years straight line Office Equipment – 5 years straight line

Taxation

As a registered charity, the organisation is an exempt charity within the meaning of schedule 3 of the Charities Act 2011 and is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes.

Value Added Tax is not recoverable by the company, and is therefore included in the relevant costs in the Statement of Financial Activities.

Funds structure policy

The charity maintains a general unrestricted fund which represents funds which are expendable at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the objects of the charity. Such funds may be held in order to finance both working capital and capital investment.

Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the charity for particular purposes. The cost of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

There is no formal policy of transfer between funds or on the allocation of funds to designated funds, other than that described above.

Any other proposed transfer between funds would be considered on the particular circumstances.

Going Concern

The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis as the trustees believe that no material uncertainties exist. The trustees have considered the level of funds held and the expected level of income and expenditure for 12 months from authorising these financial statements. The budgeted income and expenditure is sufficient with the level of reserves for the charity to be able to continue as a going concern.

41

Plymouth VCSE (POP+) Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023

2
(Deficit)/surplus for the financial year
This is stated after crediting :-
Depreciation of owned fixed assets
Independent Examiner's Fees
3
Staff Costs and Emoluments
Gross Salaries
Employer's National Insurance
Pension Contributions
Consultancy & Associates fees
2023
£
1,727
1,632
3,359
2023
£
244,746
15,024
5,544
125,141
390,455
2022
£
1,607
1,512
3,119
2022
£
142,473
39,505
7,499
99,902
289,379

There was no remuneration or expenses paid to the Trustees in the year (2022 - £Nil) The average number of staff in the year totaled 13 (2022 : 10) No employee received total benefit exceeding £60,000 (2022 : £60,000)

4 Tangible functional fixed assets

4
Tangible functional fixed assets
Asset cost, valuation or revalued amount
At 1 April 2022
Additions
Disposals
Surplus on revaluation
At 31 March 2023
Accumulated depreciation and impairment provisions
At 1 April 2022
Eliminated on disposals
Depreciation on revaluation
Charge for the year
At 31 March 2023
Net book value
At 31 March 2023
At 31 March 2022
5
Debtors
Trade debtors
Other Debtors
Prepaid expenses
Accrued income
Office
Equipment
£
8,032
3,144
-
-
11,176
5,102
-
-
1,727
6,829
4,347
2,930
2023
£
8,397
-
3,087
-
11,484
Total
£
8,032
3,144
-
-
11,176
5,102
-
-
1,727
6,829
4,347
2,930
2022
£
52,300
306
1,030
-
53,636

42

Plymouth VCSE (POP+) Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023

6
7
8
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Trade creditors
Accrued expenses
Funds held for third parties
Analysis of the Net Movement in Funds
Net movement in funds from Statement of Financial Activities
Net resources applied on functional fixed assets
Net movement in funds available for future activities
Analysis of Individual Funds and of assets and liabilities representing funds
At 31 March 2023
Unrestricted
Designated
funds
funds
£
£
Tangible Fixed Assets
806
-
Current Assets
2,982
95,460
Current Liabilities
(3,788)
-
-
95,460
At 1 April 2022
Unrestricted
Designated
funds
funds
£
£
Tangible Fixed Assets
1,486
-
Current Assets
7,806
103,000
Current Liabilities
(7,189)
-
2,103
103,000
2023
£
22,662
10,282
1,699
34,643
2023
£
(122,248)
(3,144)
2022
£
1,947
5,242
-
7,189
2022
£
186,621
(2,213)
184,408
Total
Funds
£
4,347
287,600
(34,643)
257,304
Total
Funds
£
2,930
383,811
(7,189)
379,552
(125,392)
Restricted
funds
£
3,541
189,158
(30,855)
161,844
Restricted
funds
£
1,444
273,005
274,449

43

Plymouth VCSE (POP+) Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023

The individual funds included above are :-

Unrestricted:
Free Reserves (General Fund)
Designated Reserves:
Contingency Fund - Redundancy
Contingency Fund - Working Capital
VCSEP
Restricted funds
Esmee Fairbairn
SIMPL
Power to Change
Fair Shares
National Lottery Community Fund - BBO
NHS
NAVCA
Plymouth City Council - HSHAZ
Unify Plymouth (PCC CMF)
National Lottery Community Fund - (HCT)
Keyham Fund
WG
Analysis of movements in funds as shown in
Unrestricted:
Free Reserves (General Fund)
HMRC JRS
Designated Reserves:
Contingency Fund - Redundancy
Contingency Fund - Working Capital
VCSEP
Restricted funds
Esmee Fairbairn
SIMPL
Power to Change
Fair Shares
National Lottery Community Fund - BBO
NHS
NAVCA
Plymouth City Council - HSHAZ
Unify Plymouth (PCC CMF)
National Lottery Community Fund - (HCT)
Keyham Fund
WG
Funds at
Movements
2022
in
Funds
as below
£
£
2,103
(5,547)
21,000
-
78,000
-
4,000
(178)
75,000
(16,862)
8,821
(8,519)
22,000
(19,000)
-
45,000
618
(4,232)
-
(304)
-
6,000
-
455
24,993
(2,927)
97,831
(83,062)
20,850
(17,728)
24,336
(15,344)
379,552
(118,330)
the table above
Incoming
Outgoing
Resources
Resources
£
£
73,979
(79,526)
-
-
-
-
-
(178)
309,300
(326,162)
-
(8,519)
-
(19,000)
45,000
-
105,350
(109,582)
71,000
(71,304)
10,000
(4,000)
16,888
(16,433)
-
(2,927)
-
(83,062)
3,699
(21,427)
20,000
(35,344)
655,216
(777,464)
Transfers
Between
funds
£
3,444
-
(7,362)
-
-
-
-
-
3,614
304
-
-
-
-
-
-
Gains &
Losses
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Funds at
2023
£
-
21,000
70,638
3,822
58,138
302
3,000
45,000
-
-
6,000
455
22,066
14,769
3,122
8,992
257,304
Movement
in funds
£
(5,547)
-
-
-
(178)
(16,862)
(8,519)
(19,000)
45,000
(4,232)
(304)
6,000
455
(2,927)
(83,062)
(17,728)
(15,344)
(118,330)

44

Plymouth VCSE (POP+) Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023

Organisation
Amalgamate £250 a POP
Art Craft & Giggles CIC
Art, Craft & Laughter
Big Sis Empowerment
Bikespace CIC
Bury the Giant Grant
Citizens Advice Plymouth
Colebrook South West Ltd
Confidence Booster Workshops
Crazy Beautiful World
CROPS Ltd
Desi Junction
Devon and Cornwall Refugee Support
Devon and Cornwall Refugee Support
Diversity Business Incubator CIC
Diversity Business Incubator CIC
Diversity Business Incubator CIC
Diversity Business Incubator CIC
Esme Johnson
Food Plymouth CIC
Fotonow CIC
Friends and Families
Front page / Back Page / Centrefold
Honicknowle Comment Ltd
Hope In The Heart
Hundred Hands
Ideas to actions
Jabulani Plymouth C.I.C.
Keyham Green Places Foodbank
Keyham Sparks 500
Lauren Packham
Life After Lockdown
Messages From The HeARTlands
Mindful Art Club CIC
Mindful Art Club CIC
New4You & JC's Youth
Plymouth Community Climate Centre
Plymouth Hope
Plymouth Hope
Plymouth Methodist Central Hall
Plymouth Methodist Central Hall
Plymouth PIE Club CIC
Plymouth Scrapstore
Plymouth Scrapstore
Plymouth Soup Run
Plymouth Youth Sailing Club
Precious Plastic
PREP21
Pride in Plymouth
PTown Radio
Queer District Collective
Re-Opening Welcome Hall Collective
Sandra Radovanovic
Seadream Education
Street to Scale
Suicide Prevention Collective
Funding
Amount
Source
£
EFF
25,000
NHS
5,000
WG
100
EFF
5,263
KEY
2,000
EFF
5,263
NHS
4,900
NHS
2,480
EFF
5,263
WG
100
NAVCA
500
KEY
2,000
NHS
500
EFF
5,263
NAVCA
500
PTC
15,000
EFF
8,000
SIMPL
2,000
WG
100
NAVCA
500
KEY
4,000
NHS
4,750
EFF
5,263
NHS
5,000
EFF
450
EFF
5,263
EFF
2,200
NHS
7,300
EFF
5,263
KEY
7,968
WG
100
EFF
5,000
EFF
5,263
NHS
1,600
EFF
5,250
EFF
5,542
EFF
5,000
NHS
5,000
NAVCA
500
NHS
2,475
NAVCA
500
NAVCA
500
NAVCA
500
NHS
4,959
NAVCA
500
NHS
3,600
EFF
5,263
EFF
5,263
HSHAZ
1,000
EFF
5,000
EFF
5,000
EFF
(3,906)
WG
100
NHS
2,500
EFF
12,000
WG
5,263

45

Plymouth VCSE (POP+) Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023

Organisation
Supporting men's wellbeing
Tales to Live By
The Village Hub Ltd
Timeline for Change
Together for Childhood Plymouth
Transforming Plymouth Together
Transforming Plymouth Together
Trauma Informed Collective
Waste of Our Time
Wellbeing Workshops
Wellbeing Workshops
West Devon Junior Netball League
Wonderzoo
Funding
Source
WG
WG
NHS
EFF
EFF
HCT
NHS
EFF
EFF
NHS
WG
EFF
EFF
Amount
£
5,263
42,105
4,050
5,263
5,000
10,000
5,000
5,263
5,000
5,000
100
5,263
10,000
329,269

Supporting men's wellbeing Tales to Live By The Village Hub Ltd Timeline for Change Together for Childhood Plymouth Transforming Plymouth Together Transforming Plymouth Together Trauma Informed Collective Waste of Our Time Wellbeing Workshops Wellbeing Workshops West Devon Junior Netball League Wonderzoo

Funding Source key

EFF - Esmee Fairbairn

SIMPL - SIMPL BBO - Big Lottery - Building Better Opportunities KEY - Keyham Community Sparks CMF - Plymouth City Council - CMF HSHAZ - High Street Heritage Action Zone WG - Plymouth City Council Wellbeing Grants

NHS - NHS cost of living NAVCA - NAVCA Cost of Living HCT - The National Lottery Community Fund FS - Plymouth City Council Fair shares

PTC - Power to Change through the SIMPL project

46

Plymouth VCSE (POP+) Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023

10 Purpose of Restricted Funds Received

Esmee Fairbairn

SIMPL

Big Lottery - Building Better Opportunities

To contribute to the running of the organisation and the support it provides to the voluntary sector in Plymouth.

Social Investment Made Simple (SIMPL) project to bring together investors, commissioners and service providers to explore transformative impact of social investment across Devon - specifically focus on supporting people to age well, including supporting community businesses.

This funding is to support and help people back to work project. The funding stream is over three years.

Keyham Community Sparks

Plymouth City Council - CMF

High Street Heritage Action Zone

Plymouth City Council Wellbeing Grants

NHS Cost of Living

Grant making and support for grassroots groups and projects in the Keyham community in response to the Keyham shooting.

This funding is to support the coming together of diverse communities

This funding is to support communities to learn about the city centre's historic post-war plan for Plymouth.

Grants to improve wellbeing and develop approaches to suicide prevention.

Grants for local grassroots groups to support the impact of the cost of living.

small grants for grassroots groups to cover associated costs of NAVCA Cost of Living increased cost of living.

The National Lottery Community Fund

Plymouth City Council Fair shares

Power to Change

Healthy Communities Together: to improve collaboration between the VCSE and public sectors.

For making grants to grassroots groups to improve health & wellbeing outcomes.

contribution to a 16 month programme of work that will support POP’s development as a VCSE infrastructure organisation, catalyst of community initiatives and democratic small grant distributor. It is funding both for projects on the path to becoming community businesses and for local support infrastructure in Plymouth.

11 Reconciliation of net income/(expenditure) to net cash flow from operating activities

Net Income/Expenditure
Interest Receivable
Depreciation and Impairment of Tangible Fixed Assets
Increase in debtors
Decrease in creditors
2023
£
(123,246)
499
1,727
42,152
27,454
(51,414)
2022
£
186,621
-
1,607
(46,798)
(5,530)
135,900

47

Plymouth VCSE (POP+)

Appendices to the Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 March 2023

The following appendices are attached to detail the activity analysis required by the 2019 Revision of the Statement of Recommended Practice for Accounting and Reporting issued by the Charity Commissioners for England & Wales.

1. Analysis of Total Incoming & Outgoing Resources by Activity

2. Analysis of Total Support Costs by Activity

3. Analysis of charitable expenditure by activity

48

Plymouth VCSE(POP+)
Appendix 1
Analysis of Total Incoming & Outgoing Resources by Activity
for theyear ended 31 March 2023
Unrestricted
Fund
Designated
Fund
Restricted Funds
General VCSEP Esmee
Fairbairn
SIMPL Power to
Change
Fair Shares National
Lottery
Community
Fund - BBO
NHS NAVCA Plymouth City
Council - HSHAZ
Unify
Plymouth
PCC CMF
National
Lottery
Community
Fund - (HCT)
Keyham
Community
Sparks Fund
WG 2023 2022
Fund Total Total
£ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £
Income and endowments from:
Donations and legacies 65,690 - 309,300 - - 45,000 105,350 71,000 10,000 16,888 - - 3,699 20,000 646,927 718,772
Other tradingactivities 7,790 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7,790 -
Investment Income 499 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 499 -
Charitable activities - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Other - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Total Income 73,979 - 309,300 - - 45,000 105,350 71,000 10,000 16,888 - - 3,699 20,000 655,216 718,772
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities 77,213 178 325,988 8,519 19,000 - 108,965 71,304 4,000 16,178 2,927 83,062 21,427 35,344 774,105 529,032
Other 2,313 - 174.00 - - - 617 - - 255 - - - - 3,359 3,119
Other resources expended - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Total resources expended 79,526 178 326,162 8,519 19,000 - 109,582 71,304 4,000 16,433 2,927 83,062 21,427 35,344 777,464 532,151
Net Incoming Resources by activity (5,547) (178) (16,862) (8,519) (19,000) 45,000 (4,232) (304) 6,000 455 (2,927) (83,062) (17,728) (15,344) (122,248) 186,621

49

Plymouth VCSE(POP+)
Appendix 2
Analysis of Total Support Costs by Activity
for theyear ended 31 March 2023
Unrestricted
Fund
Designated
Fund
Restricted Funds
General VCSEP Esmee
Fairbairn
SIMPL Power to
Change
Fair Shares National
Lottery
Community
NHS NAVCA Plymouth City
Council - HSHAZ
Unify
Plymouth
PCC CMF
National
Lottery
Community
Keyham
Community
Sparks Fund
WG 2023 2022
Fund Total Total
Nature of support costs £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £
Salaries 36,838 - 86,780 1,000 2,000 - 75,219 7,100 - 1,800 1,000 29,459 3,550 - 244,746 142,473
Tax & NI 5,085 - 5,685 - - 3,586 - - - - 668 - - 15,024 39,505
Pensions 2,421 - 1,913 - - 986 - - - - 224 - - 5,544 7,499
Associates & Sub-contractors 19,176 - 38,325 509 2,000 - 13,365 - - 10,853 1,927 36,623 364 1,999 125,141 99,902
Advertising& Marketing - - 1,333 - - - - - - 360 - - - - 1,693 17,235
Grant disbursements - - 182,456 2,000 15,000 - - 64,114 4,000 1,000 - 10,000 17,468 33,231 329,269 185,509
Grant returned to funder 5,010 5,010 -
Bookkeeping/Financial Admin - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5,868
Staff Expenses 4,611 - 1,454 - - - 2,862 - - 15 - 1,305 - - 10,247 578
Office Rent and Rates (1,237) - - - - - 4,400 - - - - - - 3,163 2,860
Events / venue hire 3,945 - 954 - - - 2,355 90 - 1,903 - 2,995 45 114 12,401 4,307
Telephone/broadband/mobiles (12) - 50.00 - - - 2,400 - - - - - - - 2,438 1,820
Insurance 1,295 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1,295 1,440
Professional fees 1,073 - 5,655 - - - 192 - - - - 84 - - 7,004 225
Independent Examiners Fees 1,632 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1,632 1,512
Website/email hosting - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1,580
Admin(Printing/Stationery/Postage) 13 - 35 - - - - - - 239 - 130 - - 417 20
Membership& Subscriptions (25) 178 42 - - - 1,800 - - - - 180 - - 2,175 848
Training (Delivery& CPD) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3,978
Travel/subsistence 888 - 4 - - - - - - 8 - 1,184 - - 2,084 4,412
IT Support/Software 3,070 - 996 - - - 1,800 - - - - 210 - - 6,076 9,025
Bank charges 72 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 72 96
Sundries/Misc/Equipment - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (148)
Bad debts - - 306 - - - - - - - - - - - 306 -
Depreciation 681 - 174 - - - 617 - - 255 - - - - 1,727 1,607
Total support costs analysed by activity 79,526 178 326,162 8,519 19,000 - 109,582 71,304 4,000 16,433 2,927 83,062 21,427 35,344 777,464 532,151
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2023 2,022
£ £
The above amounts are shown in the accounts as
Support costs for charitable activities 439,826 343,523
Grantmakingto achieve the objects of the charity 329,269 185,509
Total Other costs 3,359 3,119
772,454 532,151
The basis of allocation of costs and the methods used are described in note 1 to the accounts

50

Plymouth VCSE (POP+) Schedule to the Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 March 2023 Status of this schedule to the Statement of Financial Activities

This schedule is an intrinsic part of the accounts required to comply with the 2008 Revision of the Statement of Recommended Practice for Accounting and Reporting issued by the Charity Commissioners for England & Wales, issued October 2019.

Unrestricted Restricted Total Prior Period
Funds Funds Funds Total Funds
2023 2023 2023 2022
Restated
£ £ £ £
Incoming Resources
Income from Donations and Legacies
Non government and non public bodies
Incoming resources of a revenue nature - grants, donations and legacies
Donations 64,942 475,987 540,929 718,252
Training / Workshops 748 10,800 11,548 520
Lottery Funding - 94,450 94,450 -
Total Donations & Legacies Received 65,690 581,237 646,927 718,772
Activities for generating funds
Other activities for generating funds 7,790 - 7,790 -
Total of Other Trading Activities 7,790 - 7,790 -
Investment Income
Bank deposit interest received 499 - 499 -
Total Investment Income 499 - 499 -
Total Income 73,979 581,237 655,216 718,772

51

Plymouth VCSE (POP+) Schedule to the Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 March 2023 Status of this schedule to the Statement of Financial Activities

This schedule is an intrinsic part of the accounts required to comply with the 2008 Revision of the Statement of Recommended Practice for Accounting and Reporting issued by the Charity Commissioners for England & Wales, issued October 2019.

Charitable expenditure
Support costs of charitable activities
Direct support costs
Net wages and salaries - charitable activities
PAYE and NI
Pension contributions charitable employees
Consultancy & Associates fees
Indirect employee costs
Training and welfare
Travel and subsistence
Staff Expenses
Premises Costs
Rent & Rates
Event Costs and Venue Hire
General administrative expenses:
Telephone and Internet
Admin (Printing/Stationery/Postage)
Website
Membership & Subscriptions
IT & Software Support
Bad debts
Insurance
Advertising & Marketing
Bank charges
Sundry expenses
Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Prior Period
Funds
Funds
Funds
Total Funds
2023
2023
2023
2022
Restated
£
£
£
£
36,837
207,909
244,746
142,473
5,085
9,939
15,024
39,505
2,421
3,123
5,544
7,499
19,176
105,965
125,141
99,902
63,519
326,936
390,455
289,379
-
-
-
3,978
888
1,196
2,084
4,412
4,612
5,635
10,247
578
5,500
6,831
12,331
8,968
(1,237)
4,400
3,163
2,860
3,945
8,456
12,401
4,307
2,708
12,856
15,564
7,167
(12)
2,450
2,438
1,820
13
404
417
20
-
-
-
1,580
153
2,022
2,175
848
3,070
3,006
6,076
9,025
-
306
306
-
1,295
-
1,295
1,440
-
1,693
1,693
17,235
72
-
72
96
-
-
-
(148)
4,591
9,881
14,472
31,916

52

Plymouth VCSE (POP+) Schedule to the Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 March 2023 Status of this schedule to the Statement of Financial Activities

This schedule is an intrinsic part of the accounts required to comply with the 2008 Revision of the Statement of Recommended Practice for Accounting and Reporting issued by the Charity Commissioners for England & Wales, issued October 2019.

Unrestricted Unrestricted Restricted Total Prior Period
Funds Funds Funds Total Funds
2023 2023 2023 2022
Restated
£ £ £ £
Professional fees in support of charitable activities
Professional fees 1,073 5,931 7,004 225
Bookkeeping fees - - - 5,868
1,073 5,931 7,004 6,093
Total costs 77,391 362,435 439,826 343,523
Grantmaking to achieve the objects of the charity
Grants paid including Gift Aid payments
Grant disbursements - 329,269 329,269 185,509
Grant returned to funder - 5,010 5,010 -
Total Expended on Charitable Activities 77,391 696,714 774,105 529,032
Independent Examiner's Fees 1,632 - 1,632 1,512
Depreciation of fixed assets 681 1,046 1,727 1,607
Total Other costs 2,313 1,046 3,359 3,119
A detailed breakdown of the grants paid can be found in note 11 of these financial statements
Analysis of transfers between funds
Transfer to/(from) unrestricted 3,444 - 3,444 (91,978)
Transfer to/(from) restricted to be analysed further - 3,918 3,918 888
Transfer to/(from) designated (3,444) (3,918) (7,362) 91,090
- - - -

53