2023-12-31-accounts - Common Change UK

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Trustees' Annual Report for the period

Period start date Period end date 01 01 2023 31 12 2023 From To

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name

Common Change UK

Other names charity is known by

Registered charity number (if any) 1171076

7 SAFFRON GROVE

Charity's principal address

CROWBOROUGH

EAST SUSSEX Postcode TN6 2GJ

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year
Matthew Wilson	Chair	Wholeyear
Steven Ledgerwood		Wholeyear
Darin Petersen		Wholeyear

Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)

Name Dates acted if not for whole year

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of adviser Name Address

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Foundation Model Constitution Type of governing document (eg. trust deed, constitution) Charitable Incorporated Organisation How the charity is constituted (eg. trust, association, company)

TAR – CCUK (1171076)

January 2024

Trustee selection methods Appointed by the existing board (eg. appointed by, elected by)

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

You may choose to include Common Change UK has invested in increased capacity to manage additional information, where administrative functions related to donor onboarding and enquiries, and relevant, about: the processes for identifying, deciding upon and distributing outgoing gifts • policies and procedures from group common funds. adopted for the induction and Common Change USA continues to assist Common Change UK with training of trustees; book-keeping/accountancy services.

the charity’s organisational structure and any wider Board meetings continue to take place remotely via video conferencing network with which the charity software. works;
relationship with any related parties;
• trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.

Section C Objectives and activities

Section C	Objectives and activities
Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)	a. the prevention or relief of poverty and/or financial hardship, either generally or individually, of people living anywhere in the world by making grants of money for providing or paying for items, services or facilities which they could not otherwise afford through lack of means; b. the prevention or relief of poverty and/or financial hardship, either generally or individually, of people living anywhere in the world by providing or assisting in the provision of education, training, transportation, housing, healthcare and all the necessary support designed to enable individuals to generate a sustainable income and be self-sufficient.
	The organisation carries out its purposes by: • Forming Common Change groups in communities around the UK that will contribute their own personal finances and also raise money through other means (such as but not limited to sponsorship etc) • Facilitating through digital technology a platform by which the members of the Common Change groups may deposit, combine and securely store their financial resources, until such time as they are withdrawn and distributed in accordance with accepted Charity Commission criteria relating to the relief of poverty (see list below). • Encouraging the Common Change groups to meet in person and online to identify instances of individuals and families in poverty and/or crisis requiring assistance and discuss how their needs can be met through the financial resources that the group can raise or has already raised.

Section C

Objectives and activities

Summary of the
objects of the charity
set out in its governing
document
Summary of the main
activities undertaken
for the public benefit in
relation to these
objects (include within
this section the
statutory declaration
that trustees have had
regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit)

a. the prevention or relief of poverty and/or financial hardship, either
generally or individually, of people living anywhere in the world by making
grants of money for providing or paying for items, services or facilities
which they could not otherwise afford through lack of means;
b. the prevention or relief of poverty and/or financial hardship, either
generally or individually, of people living anywhere in the world by
providing or assisting in the provision of education, training,
transportation, housing, healthcare and all the necessary support
designed to enable individuals to generate a sustainable income and be
self-sufficient.

The organisation carries out its purposes by:
•
Forming Common Change groups in communities around the UK that will
contribute their own personal finances and also raise money through
other means (such as but not limited to sponsorship etc)
•
Facilitating through digital technology a platform by which the members
of the Common Change groups may deposit, combine and securely store
their financial resources, until such time as they are withdrawn and
distributed in accordance with accepted Charity Commission criteria
relating to the relief of poverty (see list below).
•
Encouraging the Common Change groups to meet in person and online
to identify instances of individuals and families in poverty and/or crisis
requiring assistance and discuss how their needs can be met through the
financial resources that the group can raise or has already raised.

TAR – CCUK (1171076)

January 2024

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

Common Change UK is committed to a principle of incurring minimum overhead costs by utilising volunteer time and expertise. However, in order to address the administrative workload of the charity now that it has grown considerably the services of a sub-contracted administrator are also utilised (part time).

You may choose to

include further statements, where relevant, about:

policy on grantmaking;
policy programme related investment;
contribution made by volunteers.

Excerpt from the current CCUK Group Fund policy on grantmaking: It is intended that recipients of assistance (“benevolence”) from the Group Fund shall:

i. Be experiencing a financial hardship related to education, healthcare, housing, parental support, professional service/support, transportation, or basic living expenses
ii. Be nominated by at least one member of the Group through which the request is being made, and known to them by ‘one degree of separation’,
iii. Not be making a request on their own behalf,
iv. Be able to receive funds directly by cheque, bank transfer, moneygram or PayPal,
v. Be able, upon request, to provide written confirmation of receipt of the assistance by email, fax, or mail.
vi. Common Change recognises common humanity and insists there be no discrimination in the giving of benevolence on the basis of gender, age, ethnicity, sexuality, faith, or disability.

Ultimate responsibility for administration and distribution of funds rests solely with the Common Change UK Trustees.

Section D Achievements and performance

Summary of the main Throughout 2023 Common Change UK continued to grow steadily in terms of achievements of the both incoming donations and outgoing financial assistance to individuals and charity during the year families experiencing hardship of various kinds.

4 new groups have become active, 3 in Manchester, 1 in Nottingham. 2 groups closed during the year, leaving 13 active groups in total.
In addition to the above 2 new groups are in development.
Group income increased to £26,095, up from £18,666 in 2022.
Total donation income for the year (which includes one-off major donations) was £45,938, up from £35,404 last year.
Outgoing gifts were up too, by over £13000, to £26,189. A similar number of beneficiaries were helped over 52 outbound gift requests processed, vs 53 in 2022 and 36 in 2021.
The average value of an outgoing gift rose to £309.

Some examples of outgoing support included:

Emergency Child Care & Support; Money towards cancer treatment; Donations for those who have suffered bereavement, inc. funeral costs; Supporting Ukrainian Refugees in Poland; Funds for Community events Help with Home Office fees for Asylum Seekers; Cooker and other home appliances; Food parcels; Help following a house fire; Emergency Funds for struggling Family; Supporting a Refugee family to relocate; Refugee Food Project; Carpets to help home feel warmer; Supermarket vouchers; Heating costs; Donation to local church community centre stolen goods

TAR – CCUK (1171076)

January 2024

Section E Financial review

Brief statement of the It is the policy of the charity to maintain reserve funds not less than 6 charity’s policy on reserves months average monthly overhead (measured against the prior 12 mths) Details of any funds materially None in deficit

Further financial review details (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:

the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);

The principal source of funds remains the regular donations of Common Change group members.

Total income for the year (inc. interest) was: £46,486

Sub-contracted staff costs this year were £9,156

how expenditure has All combined expenses for the year including outgoing gifts, staff costs, financial transaction fees and misc office costs were: £ 35,780
supported the key objectives of the charity; A surplus of £10,706 is carried over into 2024
• investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.

Section F Other optional information

Section G Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Darin Petersen Full name(s) Matthew Wilson Position (eg Secretary, Chair, Chair Trustee etc) Date 14-01-2024 14-01-2024

TAR – CCUK (1171076)

January 2024

Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examlner's Report Report to the trustees Commn Change UK On accounts for the year ended 2023 Charity no (if any) 1171076 Sot out on pages 1and2 I report to the trustees ijn my examinatK)n of the accounts of the above charity {Ihe Trusf) for the year ended 31112 12023. As the L*ariWs twstees. you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in aCrdan with the requireffEnts of the Charities Act 2011 (Ihe Act.). Responslbllltles and basis of report I report in respect of my examination of the ac(x)unls ¢2rried out under section 145 of the 2011 Ad and in carying out my examination. I have follow all the applicabbe DirectK)ns given by the Charity Commission under section 145(SKb) of th8 ACL Independent I have completed my examinatKJn. I confirm that no material matters have examinerfs statement come to my attention in oneCtIon with the examinatK)n (other than that disclosed bekiw") whith gives me use to telieve that in. any material respect: the aCUnting records were rh)t kept in aco)rdance with section 130 of the Charities Act., or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records., or the accounts did not mplY with the applicable requirements conmIng the fom and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2Crf)8 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'tnJe and fairf view which is not a matter consKJered as part of an independent examination. I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examinalion to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ' Please delete the words in the btsGkets rfthey do not appty. Slgned: Date: Name: Relevant professlonal qualificationls) or body: Address: IER

Sectlon B Dlsclosure Only complete If the examiner needs lo highlight maieriai matter5 01 conTrrn (see CC32. Independenl examinats'on of charity accounts.. directions and guidan for examiners). Glve hero brief detalls of any items that the examiner wlshes to disclose. IER