Levels Annual Report 2021 LIVING EN4A4ING VOLIANTEERI N4 EMPOWERI N4 LEARWtW4 SOCIALISIN4 LEVELS ## Welcome to Level’s Annual Report for 2021 ## **A YEAR OF PIVOTING** We couldn’t have imagined a situation that would see our face-to-face work stopped for 18 months and counting. We’ve spent the last 5 years advocating for communities to be involved in co-designing services and community development events and providing direct support to older people, families with complex needs, and children. We were just starting to fight for sustainable and increased funding, always making the case for individuals who would otherwise be isolated, when we got abruptly stopped in our tracks and had to adapt our ways of working. Levels was never set up to work in isolation, it is meant to function within communities and networks of support. We have, once again adapted to our new working environment, with training and encouragement and the continued support from many partner organisations to continually improve and expand the reach of our virtual presence. As an organisation, we are still emerging from the challenges brought about by the impact of the pandemic, which has disproportionately affected individuals and communities that already face disadvantage and inequality. This review highlights some of our projects that helped communities during the pandemic. It also illustrates how we found new ways to deliver services, introducing distance learning and creating a new online presence with new ways to share information. As always, there is a silver lining, and we are immensely grateful for it. Our core support networks remain intact, and the larger Community and Voluntary Sector has enthusiastically embraced us, our virtual networking and events programming. We have been able to take the time we needed, early in the pandemic, to learn the necessary skills to engage with our stakeholders online. We would like to take the opportunity to thank our partners and board members for their support and patience through what has been a challenging time for everyone. We have really valued the understanding and cooperation they have shown and continue to show as we work through new and ongoing challenges. Petra van der Zande Chairperson This makes our work mobilising practical community action against social isolation and poverty more important than ever before. The fact that we still exist tells us that the years of advocacy, networking and mutual support within our sector have paid off. Despite the circumstances, we have continued to coordinate and deliver some wonderful projects and initiatives to ensure members of our communities had the support they needed during this challenging time. ## Highlights of 2021 ## **April** In April, on behalf of our partner Groundworks, we launched our ‘Tooled-up’ campaign, where we collect, repair, and redistribute old DIY tools to those wanting to explore new hobbies. The aim of the project is to give unwanted and forgotten tools a new leash of life and many more years of good use in hobbies and craft activities. ## **June** Once again, Levels took part in Global Pride using **online** platforms to broadcast **Pride** events, including musical performances, speeches and more to represent LGBTQI+ people in our communities in a massive celebration of equality and diversity. . ## **August** Saw the official launch of the ‘Shed Project’ in Hull Churches Housing Association’s old workshop. Working with the local communities, Groundwork creates a community space for people to connect, converse, create and pass on skills and knowledge to others. Levels’ volunteers are members of the working group to help set up the workshop and social areas. The project has started off with a weekly ‘Ladies that Lunch’ group organised by Groundwork Hull, making decoupage fridge magnets and is attended by Hull Churches HA tenants. ## **September** Following on from our successful ‘Tooledup’ project, we started a similar campaign for gardening tools. To get us in the mood, 2 of our Board members got involved in facilitating ‘Down-to-Earth’ workshops, including one on building birdboxes and one on creating bee feeder areas. . Down-to-Earth is one of our partners in providing training and development activities, volunteering opportunities and improved employability skills to tenants. ## **October** Since 2014, Levels, as part of the Older People's Partnership Hull & East Riding have celebrated International Older Peoples Day on the **1st of October** by organisating a week-long celebration for older people and their carers across Hull and East Riding Villages. The annual celebration was hosted across 3 local locations as well as online. It was a fantastic event with lots of entertainment, social activity & information on local services. ## **November** . In December we received a Food Partnership Hull Award in recognition of our commitment and dedication to combat food inequality in the city. There was also an added bonus of a £500 grant for the purchase of 2 chest freezers, allowing for even more activity and involvement in our ‘Cooking-up-a-Community’ project. ## Placing a value on Community Development . Assessment and evaluation of our projects and activities is a key priority for us. In real monetary terms, the services we deliver seems insignificant, however when assessing and measuring how we improve the lives of the people we support, we show tremendous impact. The ability of Levels, as a very small charity in its infancy, to create the added value stems from offering support that is embedded in our communities, through volunteering and sharing knowledge and expertise. As a charity working for the benefit of Hull Churches Housing Association’s tenants and their environs, Levels has adopted use of the HACT Social Value Calculator. The calculator provides a basic assessment of the actual value delivered through our activities in terms of social impact. As a result, we are able to provide a ratio of how many pounds we generate in social value, for the amount of money invested. Our Social Return on Investment Ratio for 2021 is £69.03 for every £1 invested. |**Activity**|**Overall budget**|**Overall social impact**|**Analysis of benefit**|**Analysis of benefit**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||||**Budget : social impact**|**Net benefit**| |**TOTALS:**|**£ 8,100**|**£ 526,633**|
**1 : 65.02**|**518,533**
**£**| |Cooking up a Community|2,000
£|79,833
£|1 : 39.92|77,833
£| |Online events|1,500
£|82,270
£|1 : 54.85|80,770
£| |Older people partnership|1,500
£|109,702
£|1 : 73.13|108,202
£| |Walking Group|200
£|143,451
£|1 : 717.26|143,251
£| |Cancer Champion Training|200
£|3,184
£|1 : 15.92|2,984
£| |Dementia Awareness training|200
£|9,553
£|1 : 47.77|9,353
£| |Tooled-up|2,500
£|98,638
£|1 : 39.46|96,138
£| HACT Social Value Calculator – results overview 2021 - Compared to 2020, we have seen a small decline in Social Return on Investment. This is mainly due to a slight increase in hourly rate of volunteering and the fact that many of our services, activities and resources must be provided in line with Covid19 restrictions. We feel we can still be very proud of our achievement and our success is mainly attributed to the commitment and loyalty of our many partnership organisations, including Hull Churches Housing Association, who provide employer supported volunteering. - For the purpose of calculating investment ad SROI, the average hourly rate for volunteering is set at £19.96/hour in line with UK Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (2020) and the above overview (fig.1) reflects 340 volunteer hours. These hours are provided/ exchanged through a ‘timebank’ principle, where time, knowledge and experience are exchanged freely between partnership organisations. - For transparency of accounting, ‘timebank’ credits are not expressed in monetary value in Levels’ balance sheet and accounts below. ## **‘Levels’ Annual Report for the period** ||Period start date|Period start date|||Period end date|Period end date|| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||**Day**|**Month**|**Year**||**Day**|**Month**|**Year**| |**From**|**17th**|**June**|**2020**|**To**|**17th**|**May**|**2021**| ## Section A Reference and administration details **Charity name** Levels **Other names charity is known by** NA **Registered charity number (if any)** 1170752 **Charity's principal address** Studio 701 17 Princess Street Hull **Postcode** HU2 8BJ **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee(if any)**| |---|---|---|---| |1
Petra van de
Zande|Chair||| |2
Linda Johnson|Secretary||| |3
Richard Davies|Treasurer||| |4
Lincoln Marfoy|||| |5|||| |6|||| |7|||| |8|||| ## **Section B Structure, governance and management** ## **Description of the charity’s trusts** Constitution Type of governing document Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) How the charity is constituted Elected by members of management committee Trustee selection methods ## **Section C Objectives and activities** The development of the capacities and skills of the inhabitants of the economically and socially disadvantaged communities of the City of Kingston upon Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire with a high percentage of social housing (“the Area of Benefit”) and in particular, but not exclusively individuals who are tenants of Hull Churches Housing Association (“Tenants of HCHA”) in such a way that they are better able to identify, and help meet, their needs, and to participate more fully in society; and 2. To promote social inclusion by preventing people living in the Area of Benefit and in particular, but not exclusively individuals who are Tenants of HCHA from becoming socially excluded, relieving the needs of those people living in the Area of Benefit and in particular, but not exclusively individuals who are Tenants of HCHA who are socially excluded and assisting them to integrate into society in such ways as the Trustees of the CIO shall think fit; and For the purpose of this clause 3(2) “socially excluded” means being excluded from the society, or part of society, as a result of being a member of an economically and socially deprived community. 3. The relief of unemployment amongst individuals living in the Area of Benefit and in particular, but not exclusively individuals who are Tenants of HCHA in such ways as the Trustees of the CIO shall think fit including, but not limited to the provision of education, training, retraining, volunteering and work experience opportunities and assistance to find employment; and 4. To provide or assist in the provision of facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals living in the Area of Benefit and in particular, but not exclusively individuals who are Tenants of HCHA who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disability, financial hardship or social circumstances with the object of improving their conditions of life. ## **Summary of the main activities undertaken in 2021** 2021 has been no less challenging than the previous year. However, we were better set up and able to adapt rapidly and to provide events and activities online. Local communities are at the heart of everything we do and delivering a successful service depends on how well we understand the needs of our tenants. It became clear very early on that we needed the resources and expertise of our partnership organisations in terms of providing technology and digital support. We were also fortunate to be able to call on the knowledge and expertise of our Board members for this. We continue to be active in Hull’s Voluntary and Community Sector Liaison group, the Older People Partnership- Hull and East Riding and CCG’s Hull 2020 Champions group. The lived realities of the people and communities with whom we speak reaffirm for the need to amplify our voice – speaking about the impact of local policies and practices on some of the most vulnerable groups in society, so in addition we have become an active member of NorthBank Forum, allowing for even better integration in and collaboration with Hull’s communities and the Community and voluntary Sector. Our ambition for 2022 remains to extend our fundraising activities. We have made strong foundations but there are still challenges ahead. Our plans to focus on providing training in writing bid and grant funding applications for Hull Churches Housing Association’s support workers and housing management staff were once again put on hold during 2021 but are most certainly not off the agenda. ## **Supporting Organisations and Grant Support for this period** OPP-HER Hull Food Partnership Neighbourhood Network Hull Groundworks Hull Hull Clinical Commissioning Group – Hull2020 Champions Asda North Bank Forum Our thanks and appreciation also go to tenants, customers and staff of Hull Churches Housing Association, the Supporting and Membership Organisations’ staff and volunteers from Older People Partnership Group and Groundwork Hull, who have given their time freely in support of the Charity’s objectives and events throughout the past year. ## Section D Achievements and performance ## **Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year** - In February we received the Hull2020 Champions’ award in recognition of our commitment and dedication to the partnership. There was also an Individual award for one of our Support Workers. - In April we celebrated with the Hull2020 Champions as they welcomed their 100th member to the partnership. For Levels it meant 10 minutes of fame as we were invited to talk about the work with do with ‘Burnsy’ (David Burns) on radio Humberside. - In July one of our support workers attended the Cancer Champion programme. Having conversations around cancer aren’t always the nicest or easiest. The Cancer Champion Programme aims to get the conversation about cancer into our communities. - Increased support for our ‘Community Investment projects’ - As part of Older people’s week in October, we worked with Hull’s Older People’s Partnership to put together and support a programme of fun activities, entertainment and information events ## **Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves** We follow the recommendation in the Charity Commission guidance RS3 which states our Reserves Policy must quantity and explain the purpose of any designated funds, along with the likely timing of that expenditure. Additionally, that the amount of any funds held as designated funds is appropriate to the purpose or use for which the funds have been designated. ## **Details of any funds materially in deficit** ## **NA** ## **Further financial review details** See attached Statement of Financial Position. ## **Section G** ## **Declaration** **The trustees declare that they have approved the Chairs report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** |**Full Name**|**Signature**|**Position**| |---|---|---| |Petra van der Zande||Chair| |Richard Davies||Treasurer| Date: 20[th] January 2021 ## Balance at a glance ## **LEVELS** ## **Lloyds Account Number: 77855168** ## **Sort Code: 30-65-22** |**Date**|**Ref**|**Details**|**Fund**|**Category**|**Money In**|**Money**
**Out**|**Balance**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||||Unrestricted|Balance Brought
Forward|£2,729.48||£2,729.48| |06/04/2021|337065457|Service Charges|Unrestricted|Bank Charges||£15.00|£2,714.48| |04/05/2021|340017898|Service Charges|Unrestricted|Bank Charges||£15.80|£2,698.68| |24/05/2021|7345496683354697|Amazon Smile|Unrestricted|Donations|£6.99||£2,705.67| |01/06//2021|342122092|Service Charges|Unrestricted|Bank Charges||£15.00|£2,690.67| |05/07/2021|345190210|Service Charges|Unrestricted|Bank Charges||£15.37|£2,675.30| |02/08/2021|347778865|Service Charges|Unrestricted|Bank Charges||£15.00|£2,660.30| |17/08/2021|5969466753958936|Amazon Smile|Unrestricted|Donations|£7.56||£2,667.86| |31/08/2021|349993186|Service Charges|Unrestricted|Bank Charges||£15.00|£2,652.86| |10/09/2021|PPRD00000000A88AE|PayPal Giving Fund
Authentication Code|Unrestricted|Donations|£0.01||£2,652.87| |04/10/2021|352361890|Service Charges|Unrestricted|Bank Charges||£15.37|£2,637.50| ## **LEVELS** ## **Total Receipts & Payments for the year ending 31/03/2022** |**Receipt**
Donations
Grant Income
Contracts
**Payments**
Bank Charges
Charitable Expenditure
Indirect Staff Costs
IT & Communications
Marketing & Recruitment
Rates & Rent
Salaries & N.I.
Stationery
Subscriptions
Sundry Items
Training
Travel & Subsistence
**Net receipts / (payments)**
Balance Brought Forward
**Balance Carried Forward**
Made up of:
Bank
Cash
Check:
**Accounts Prepared by:**
**Accounts Approved by:**|**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Total**
14.56
14.56
0.00
0.00
14.56
14.56
0.00
0.00
0.00
**14.56**
**0.00**
**14.56**
(106.54)
0.00
(106.54)
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
**(106.54)**
**0.00**
**(106.54)**
(91.98)
0.00
(91.98)
2,808.00
11.48
2,819.48
**2,716.02**
**11.48**
**2,727.50**
2637.5
90
**2727.5**
0.00
Tia Scutt
**Date:**
**Date:**|**Previous**
**Year**
0.00
0.00
0.00| |---|---|---| |||**0.00**| |||(82.82)
(8.69)
(927.50)
(40.32)
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00| |||**(1,059.33)**| |||(1,059.33)
3,878.81| |||**2,819.48**| |||25.05.2021
|