2021-10-31-accounts

DEVIZES OPENDOORS (a Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021

Charity Number:- 1171841

The Alanbrookes Group Ltd T/A JS Weeks & Co Accountants Devizes

DEVIZES OPENDOORS

Contents

	Pages
Charity Information	1
Trustees’ Report	2 - 6
Independent Examiner’s Report	7
Statement of Financial Activities	8
Balance Sheet	9
Notes to the Accounts	10 - 13

DEVIZES OPENDOORS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021

	Charity Information
Organisation Type	Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Charity Number	1171841
Trustees	John Saunders – Chairman
	Richard Oliver - Treasurer
	Iain Wallis
	Noel Woolrych
	Rachael Ross
	Elizabeth Evans
	Susan Buxton
	Alexandra Thomas
	Jonathan Hunter
	Karin Cardiff – from 25 January 2021
Charity Office	The Southbroom Centre
	Victoria Road
	Devizes
	Wiltshire
	SN10 1HG
Accountants	The Alanbrookes Group Ltd - T/A JS Weeks & Co
	10 Market Place
	Devizes
	Wiltshire
	SN10 1HT

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DEVIZES OPENDOORS

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2020

The Trustees present their report and the accounts for the year ended 31 October 2021.

Reference and Administration Details

The charity information and list of trustees who have served during the period are detailed on page 1.

Structure, Governance and Management

The appointment of trustees is governed by the Constitution of the charity. The Board of Trustees is authorised to fill vacancies arising through the resignation or death of an existing trustee or to strengthen the committee.

The Charitable Incorporated Organisation was registered at the Charities Commission on 1 March 2017 and commenced financial operations on 27 September 2017.

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Annual Report
November 2020 – October 2021
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Devizes Opendoors supports homeless and vulnerable adults towards safe and settled homes.

Introduction

For all organisations, big and small, to have survived during the last twelve months, they will have had to change significantly. That is easier said than done! It was actually from March 2020 that we had had to start to learn how to adapt to the challenges of Covid and then for many months operated in the open air. From October 2020 onwards, when we moved our activities indoors, we still could not revert to our ‘normal’ ways. We had to set up a new way of doing things indoors that was Covid-safe. From April 2021 onwards, more changes were needed as the country started to come out of lockdown.

So, over the last eighteen months a lot of new thinking has gone on. Now ,going back to our ‘old ways’ was not an option, however appealing those seemed. Good decisions about new ways had to be made and for that to happen, we had to do the research, listen to different points of view, reach agreement, inform the team and of course, implement each new plan. This has been challenging, it has tested some relationships and strengthened many. We have all changed!

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DEVIZES OPENDOORS

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021

………Continued

Guests

From October 2020 guests were allowed back inside St. John’s Parish Rooms but only to pass through, get support for one issue or another and collect food and clothing. The average weekly total number was 17 people then (3 rough sleepers, 1 sofa surfer, 4 from hostels, 2 sleeping in a vehicle and 7 with a home to go to). By February 2021 that total had dropped to 12 per week. A year later and the numbers have come back up again. In October 2021 the average weekly total was 27 (6 rough sleepers, 2 sofa surfers, 2 from hostels, 4 sleeping in vehicles and 13 with homes to go to). Also in this month, in addition to meeting basic needs like food and warm clothing, 12 guests have also received help with other matters. The cost of transport to hospital, court, probation and drug support services have been met. Forms and telephone conversations to do with housing costs, personal independence payments and bank accounts have also been worked through.

Progress is often slow and hampered by self-doubt and low motivation. However, getting positive vibes from Opendoors volunteers and staff and being offered reasons to be hopeful makes a lot of difference and helps many guests to re-engage in the struggle to improve their circumstances.

Volunteers

Well before February 2021 at least half of our volunteers had had to self-isolate and just 20 were on the rota that month. Since then, many volunteers have returned but 10 have now actually retired. We thank them for the contributions they have made, in some cases, over many years. We particularly would like to thank Clive for his work as Chair of the Operations Committee. 17 new volunteers have joined us this year and our numbers are now back up to 45. In October 2021 we re-started the Thursday afternoon sessions, and, with the Monday, Wednesday and Friday sessions, volunteers have provided guests with surplus supermarket and other donated food, clothing, bedding and of course cooked meals three times a week.

In October a total of 160 meals were served, 98 bags of surplus supermarket items were given out, 10 showers were taken, 24 lots of clothing were chosen, along with 10 toiletries and 2 items of bedding. The phone was borrowed 9 times. Several guests have also had one-to-one sessions with County rough sleeper outreach workers as well as with one volunteer or another. A few were helped to get to appointments in neighbouring towns and some were issued with Food Bank vouchers.

Volunteers have also been organising craft activities, providing drinks and of course, talking a great deal with guests. They have helped everyone feel at home. On average 56 volunteer hours have been carried out each week. Despite Covid, over the last year or so about 20 of the regular guests have built up significant relationships with volunteers and often express their appreciation for the support they have received.

Between April – June 2021 10 volunteers attended 8 zoomed training sessions and another 9 attended in person the sessions between October – December 2021. The topics covered have included Safeguarding, Confidentiality, Boundaries, Listening skills, Motivation, Substance abuse and Housing.

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DEVIZES OPENDOORS

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021

………Continued

Staff

We have three part-time staff, or rather, we thought we had! Hilary left us in November 2020. She had done a great job as Coordinator steering through waves of Covid challenges. However, she had another part-time job and found that she just didn’t have the hours to do all that really needed doing for us and this was not easy to live with. Heather had joined us in October 2020 as Befriender Coordinator but found herself covering Hilary’s absence and not really being able to make much progress developing a team of volunteer befrienders. She declined the offer of extending her one-year contract and left us at the end of Sept 2021. Rosina started work in February 2021 as Hilary’s replacement. She did not really find the Coordinator role suited her and, besides that, was actually off sick for several months. In September 2021 she also resigned.

Angie , our longest serving member of staff, has had an exceptionally good attendance record over her seven years with us. However, by the end of September 2021, various health issues combined together to force her to take sick leave. As we approach the end of 2021, we have reasons to hope that her health has improved enough for her to be able to return to work.

In October 2021 Becky was appointed Centre Administrator and started work on 8th November. She is setting up new systems and improving existing ones so as to ensure that what we do at our new premises is safe, well run and well publicised.

We are very grateful to Liz for helping to steer all of these changes through.

Premises

For the last ten years we have been hiring St. John’s Parish Centre on an hourly basis and run three of our weekly Drop In sessions there. A fourth session, introduced in January 2019, took place upstairs at the back of St. Andrew’s Church. Then in September 2020 we started to talk about getting a place of our own. Somewhere the staff could have a base and the problems of storing food, clothing and bedding could be solved. We also wanted to hold new sessions at any time and have a room suitable for private conversations.

A working party reported in December 2020 and by February a meeting with St. James Church leaders had agreed in principle to the idea of the Church leasing Southbroom Parish Centre to Opendoors. We thank Richard for playing a pivotal role in getting the lease drawn up and agreed. We started leasing the building on 1st September and contracted a builder to carry out repairs and alterations. These included creating a couple of offices, installing a shower and constructing large clothing and food stores.

A task group of volunteers moved into action in the second half of September, painting, putting up shelves, assembling work tops, installing freezers and so on. The remnants of this group continue to meet most Tuesday mornings to see to ongoing maintenance. Our thanks go to them and to those who have made a great start in bringing the surrounding garden areas up to scratch. Thanks also go to Noel for setting up things like the landline phone and internet connection, besides being Works Manager, overseeing all the work that has been going on. Thanks also to Dave for submitting the successful funding application to the Area Board.

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DEVIZES OPENDOORS

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021

………Continued

Financial Support

Of course, none of the above would have been possible without the financial support of individuals, local groups and national grant- making trusts. Donations:

• a. We are very grateful to all the local groups, businesses and individuals who have given surplus clothing, bedding and food for us to include in our cooking and to distribute to our guests. The guests thank us but really the thanks goes to those who donated the items to Opendoors. Our particular thanks go to Sue and Alan who bring food donations from a Marlborough group every Monday.

• b. We appreciate the generosity of those groups who make one-off financial donations. In the current financial year (November 2020 – October 2021) 9 local groups and businesses have donated more than £4 600 altogether.

• c. Individuals have also been very generous and their combined total comes to £4490, with an additional £1,400 Gift Aided.

• d. Our thanks also go to the 29 supporters who have maintained monthly standing orders. This year, their total combined giving comes to £5,740.

Fund Raising Events: Perhaps not surprisingly, there have been no Fund Raising events this year.

Grants: We are very grateful to the following grant-making bodies for their support this last year:

• a. Wiltshire Community Foundation £5,000

• b. Lloyd’s Bank Foundation £25,000

• c. The Government DCMS grant £13,466

Purpose and Priorities

“What is the point of Opendoors?” For several months leading up to December 2020 a lot of thought had gone into this question. A working party had considered the views of many volunteers. In December they produced a clear statement on our Core Values that trustees adopted. They also reiterated the central object of our Constitution that stresses the importance of ‘promoting social inclusion’. Above everything else this means helping all guests to feel valued for who they are. This means upholding an atmosphere of acceptance and promoting a nonjudgemental attitude.

To further this central aim the group produced a list of fourteen recommendations. These are helping us to remain focussed on what our distinctive role in our community should be. We have made a good start and the top four points on that list have already been acted on.

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DEVIZES OPENDOORS

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021

………Continued

In January 2021 the first instalment of the Lloyd’s Bank Foundation grant of £25,000 a year for two years arrived. With it came the offer of supportive development worker. Graeme has played a useful part over the last year. He facilitated our trustees Review Day in June 2021. We now have four clearly stated priorities to work on:

1. Use a data management tool to track and promote guest progress.

2. Collaborate with county-wide decision makers, particularly in regard to our aim to provide emergency shelter to the homeless.

3. Involve more guests in running and planning our activities.

4. Encourage more volunteers to take on additional responsibilities so they will be ready to step into the shoes of those currently in leadership positions.

A start has been made. Let’s hope that the year ahead is relatively unhindered by Covid. Let’s also hope that we, not only stick to our primary aim, but also achieve real success in addressing our four priorities.

John Saunders, Chair of Opendoors trustees December 2021

Financial Reserves Policy

The Trustees have resolved to build and then maintain a financial reserve equivalent to three months’ operating expenses

Approval

This report was approved by the trustees on 19 January 2022 and signed on their behalf by:

…………………………….. John Saunders Chairman

…………………………….. Richard Oliver Treasurer

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DEVIZES OPENDOORS

Report of the Independent Examiner To The Trustees of Devizes Opendoors

I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 October 2021, which are set out on pages 5 to 10.

Respective Responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner

The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year (under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act)) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:-

• examine the accounts (under section 145 of the 2011 Act);

• to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners (under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act); and

• to state whether any particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of Independent Examiner’s Report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all of the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent Examiner’s Statement

In connection with my explanation, no matter has come to my attention:

1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:

2. to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act, and

3. to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act,

have not been met; or

1. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

…………………………….. Mrs A M Cross FCCA

The Alanbrookes Group Ltd – T/A JS Weeks & Co 41 St John’s Street

6 January 2022

Devizes Wiltshire

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DEVIZES OPENDOORS

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021

		Unrestricted	Restricted	Total	Total
		Funds	Funds	Funds	Funds
		2021	2021	2021	2020
	Notes	£	£	£	£
Incoming Resources
Incoming Resources from Generated
Funds:-
Voluntary Income:
Donations and Gifts	2	46,346	13,466	59,812	36,623
Activities for Generating Funds:
Fundraising Events		-	-	-	3,266
		──────	──────	──────	──────
Total Incoming Resources		46,346	13,466	59,812	39,889
		──────	──────	──────	──────
Resources Expended:-
Charitable Activities	3	(38,411)	(13,466)	(51,877)	(22,776)
Governance Costs	3	(240)	-	(240)	(240)
		──────	──────	──────	──────
Total Resources Expended		(38,651)	(13,466)	(52,117)	(23,016)
		──────	──────	──────	──────
Net Incoming/(Outgoing) Resources		7,695	-	7,695	16,873
Reconciliation of Funds
Total Funds Brought Forward		34,107	-	34,107	17,234
Funds transferred		-	-	-	-
		──────	──────	──────	──────
Total Funds Carried Forward		41,802	-	41,802	34,107
		══════	══════	══════	══════

The notes on pages 10 to 13 form an integral part of the accounts

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DEVIZES OPENDOORS

BALANCE SHEET

AS AT 31 OCTOBER 2021

		2021	2021	2020
	Notes	£	£	£
Fixed Assets
Furniture and Equipment	5		1,550	1,825
Current Assets
Cash at Bank and in Hand		40,492		32,522
		──────		──────
Creditors:Amounts Falling Due Within One Year	6	(240)		(240)
		──────		──────
Net Current Assets			40,252	32,282
			──────	──────
Net Assets			41,802	34,107
			══════	══════
Represented by:-
Unrestricted Income Funds:-
General Fund			41,802	34,107
Restricted Income Funds			-	-
			──────	──────
Total Funds	7		41,802	34,107
			══════	══════

The accounts were approved by the Trustees on 19 January 2022 and signed on their behalf by:

……………………………..

John Saunders Chairman

…………………………….. Richard Oliver Treasurer

The notes on pages 10 to 13 form an integral part of the accounts

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DEVIZES OPENDOORS

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021

1. Accounting Policies

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

1.1. Basis of Accounting

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities issued in March 2005.

1.2. Fund Accounting

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the Trustees for particular purposes.

Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particular areas of the charity’s work or for specific projects being undertaken by the charity.

1.3. Incoming Resources

All incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when the charity is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income:

• Voluntary income is received by way of grants, donations and gifts and is included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities when receivable.

• Investment income is included when receivable.

1.4. Resources Expended

Expenditure is recognised on an accrual 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:

• Costs of generating funds comprise the costs associated with attracting voluntary income.

• Governance costs include those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity and include the costs linked to the strategic management of the charity.

• All costs are allocated between the expenditure categories of the SoFA on a basis designed to reflect the use of the resource. Costs relating to a particular activity are allocated directly, others are apportioned on an appropriate basis.

1.5. Fixed Assets

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 useful economic life, as follows:

Furniture and equipment - 15% reducing balance basis

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DEVIZES OPENDOORS

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021

………Continued

2.	Donations and Gifts
				2021	2020
				£	£
	Grants and donations			59,812	36,623
				──────	──────
				59,812	36,623
				══════	══════
3.	Total Resources Expended
		Charitable		Total	Total
		Activities	Governance	2021	2020
		£	£	£	£
	Costs Directly
	Allocated To Activities
	Food Purchases	787	-	787	1,363
	Wages	20,037	-	20,037	13,020
	Rent and premises costs	23,256	-	23,256	3,645
	Support Costs
	Allocated to Activities
	Laundry	731	-	731	1,449
	Repairs and renewals to equipment	328	-	328	833
	Refuse collection	387	-	387	336
	Training	470	-	470	-
	Telephone charges	355	-	355	183
	Insurance	392	-	392	448
	Postage, stationery and sundries	1,332	-	1,332	1,177
	Legal and professional fees	3,527	-	3,527	-
	Fundraising	-	-	-	-
	Depreciation	275	-	275	322
	Accountancy	-	240	240	240
		──────	──────	──────	──────
		51,877	240	52,117	23,016
		══════	══════	══════	══════
4.	Staff Costs and Numbers
	Staff costs were as follows:			2021	2020
				£	£
	Wages			20,037	13,020
				══════	══════

The average number of employees during the period was two.

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DEVIZES OPENDOORS

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021

………Continued

5. Fixed Assets

5.	Fixed Assets
		Furniture &
		Equipment
		£
	Cost or Valuation
	As at 1 November 2020	2,352
	Additions	-
		──────
	As at 31 October 2021	2,352
		══════
	Depreciation
	As at 1 November 2020	527
	Charge for the year	275
		──────
	As at 31 October 2021	802
		══════
	Net Book Value:
	As at 31 October 2021	1,550
		══════
	As at 31 October 2020	1,825
		══════
6.	Creditors:Amounts Falling Due Within One Year
		2021	2020
		£	£
	Trade Creditors	-	-
	Accountancy	240	240
		──────	──────
		240	240
		══════	══════

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DEVIZES OPENDOORS

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2021

………Continued

7. Movement in Funds

	Balance				Balance
	at	Incoming	Resources		at
	01.11.2020	Resources	Expended	Transfers	31.10.2021
	£	£	£	£
Unrestricted Funds:-
General Fund	34,107	46,346	(38,651)	-	41,802
Restricted Funds:-
DSMS	-	13,466	(13,466)	-	-
	──────	──────	──────	──────	──────
Total Funds	34,107	59,812	(52,117)	-	41,802
	══════	══════	══════	══════	══════

8. Analysis of Net Assets between Funds

Analysis of Net Assets between Funds
	General	Restricted
	Fund	Funds	Total
	£	£	£
Fixed Assets	1,550	-	1,550
Current Assets	40,492	-	40,492
Current Liabilities	(240)	-	(240)
	──────	──────	──────
	41,802	-	41,802
	══════	══════	══════

9. Trustee Remuneration and Related Party Transactions

None of the trustees received any remuneration during the year.

No trustee or other person related to the charity had any personal interest in any contract or transaction entered into by the charity during the year.

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