2024-10-31-accounts

DEVIZES OPENDOORS (a Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2024

Charity Number:- 1171841

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

DEVIZES OPENDOORS

Contents

	Pages
Charity Information	1
Trustees’ Report	2 - 4
Independent Examiner’s Report	5
Statement of Financial Activities	6
Balance Sheet	7
Notes to the Accounts	8 - 11

DEVIZES OPENDOORS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2024

	Charity Information
Organisation Type	Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Charity Number	1171841
Trustees	Karin Cardiff - Chair to 20 September 2024
	Rachel Ross – Chair from 23 September 2024
	Richard Oliver - Treasurer
	Iain Wallis
	Noel Woolrych
	Susan Buxton – to December 2023
	Alexandra Thomas
	Jonathan Hunter
	Anthony Foster
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 2024

The Trustees present their report and the accounts for the year ended 31 October 2024.

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.

Annual Report

November 2023 – October 2024

Devizes Opendoors supports homeless and vulnerable adults towards safe and settled homes.

Introduction and general overview

It has been another busy year at Opendoors as our 50 volunteers supported over 190 guests at our 4 weekly sessions between January and to December 2024, culminating in our popular Christmas meal celebrations. Of our guests, 35 were rough sleeping.

Our specialist support provided by our staff and supported by our volunteers works alongside guests as they address acute issues such as having no place to sleep, no access to benefits, and long term health, medical, drug and alcohol problems.

Trust and safety are key to creating an environment where long standing issues can be addressed to achieve significant changes. We have strong working relationships with 12 specialist agencies including the Rough Sleeper Team (RST), Turning Point, Nelsons Trust, council housing, probation, debts agency, Foodbank, Nationwide and the NHS.

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DEVIZES OPENDOORS

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2024

………Continued

We are often the “connection” in a multi-agency approach for guests with multiple issues/needs. Turning Point send a Connect van and two outreach workers to the centre weekly and we have outreach workers from RST for emergency accommodation, Nelsons Trust, as well as Housing First, to secure permanent housing for guest and an outreach worker from Nelsons Trust for vulnerable female guests.

Royal Bath Hospital sends a mobile unit on a regular basis for liver screening and general health checks. We attend RST meetings on both a practical weekly level, together with the police and similar organisations and a more strategic leader forum quarterly. We also attend the fortnightly HOPE Public Health meetings involving RST, housing, police, Turning Point, NHS, Nelsons Trust and Wiltshire homeless services like ourselves.

There are other services that we access to meet specific needs e.g. The Dog’s Trust HOPE programme offering free vet access for animal companions (including micro chipping and neutering.)

Developments 2024

Following a PCC award of £5k, we have invested in a bespoke version of Inform, the industry gold standard of case management for homeless and/or complex need individuals. This means we are able to gather high quality reliable data, enable us to mediate and track multiple agency interventions to benefit all parties involved, and provide better data gathering for reports for fundraising, and networking with stakeholders.

The Inform system has been a major change for us and staff and volunteers have put in great efforts to make this work. Using the new system, our hub manager is now able to produce monthly reports for Trustees and includes anonymized case studies which provide detailed accounts of progress.

We have started offering some new services through new partnerships eg the anti Smoking initiative which has proved popular and helps guests rebuild a sense of control and self confidence. We have put effort into building new working relationships and have met with various agencies as well as with the housing and wellbeing specialists at Wiltshire Council.

Volunteers continue to receive onboarding training and support from staff and experienced volunteers and we have started an enhanced debrief process at the end of each session to support volunteers with issues that arise. Our Christmas volunteer party was wonderfully well attended and kindly hosted by the Bear in Devizes.

We have had a major review of all of our policies and have updated many in particular our safeguarding and lone working policies. Staff receive support via an external specialist counselling support and we are looking to develop ongoing supervision support, as well as more mental health provision which remains hard to access and a gap in external provision.

The Operations and Training and Development Committee meets several times a year and is well supported by volunteers and staff.

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DEVIZES OPENDOORS

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2024

Future plans

The Fundraising Committee has recently relaunched and has been very successful in the past two years or so in applying for larger multi-year grants as well as more local and small to medium sized grants. We have fantastic support from the local community through donations of all sizes – every donation whatever the size is most valued and appreciated. We have recently submitted a new application for a multi-year grant to Lloyds Banking Foundation – we await the outcome in May 25 with fingers very much crossed!

The Trustee group has a new Chair and has been successful in appointing another new member. Several Trustees will be coming to the end of their tenure next year so we will be continuing to look out for new members.

Financial update

We had a very positive year in terms of financial performance, largely thanks to the generosity of our local community. Income was 24% ahead of budget; and expenditure was more than 10% below budget, so that we were able to generate a surplus of more than £25k, as compared with the £2k we had anticipated. It can be noted though that our single largest grantor generously granted us £25k, so the margin between surplus and deficit continues to be somewhat precarious!

We have strengthened our Reserves Policy to cover all contractual commitments plus six months of operating costs and for the year to October 2024 this measure was comfortably met.

Rachel Ross, January 2025

Financial Reserves Policy

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

Approval

This report was approved by the trustees on 26 February 2025 and signed on their behalf by:

……………………………..

Rachel Ross Chair

…………………………….. 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 2024, 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

Devizes Wiltshire 12 February 2025

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DEVIZES OPENDOORS

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2024

		Unrestricted	Restricted	Total	Total
		Funds	Funds	Funds	Funds
		2024	2024	2024	2023
	Notes	£	£	£	£
Incoming Resources
Incoming Resources from Generated
Funds:-
Voluntary Income:
Donations, Grants and Gifts	2	75,053	9,482	84,535	84,251
Activities for Generating Funds:
Investment Income		2,020	-	2,020	-
Fundraising Events		135	-	135	5,475
		──────	──────	──────	──────
Total Incoming Resources		77,208	9,482	86,690	89,726
		──────	──────	──────	──────
Resources Expended:-
Charitable Activities	3	(41,556)	(19,319)	(60,875)	(72,872)
Governance Costs	3	(300)	-	(300)	(300)
		──────	──────	──────	──────
Total Resources Expended		(41,856)	(19,319)	(61,175)	(73,172)
		──────	──────	──────	──────
Net Incoming/(Outgoing) Resources		35,352	(9,837)	25,515	16,554
Reconciliation of Funds
Total Funds Brought Forward		57,915	9,837	67,752	51,198
Funds transferred		-	-	-	-
		──────	──────	──────	──────
Total Funds Carried Forward		93,267	-	93,267	67,752
		══════	══════	══════	══════

The notes on pages 8 to 11 form an integral part of the accounts

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DEVIZES OPENDOORS

BALANCE SHEET

AS AT 31 OCTOBER 2024

		2024	2024	2023
	Notes	£	£	£
Fixed Assets
Furniture and Equipment	5		-	1,119
Current Assets
Cash at Bank and in Hand		93,567		66,933
		──────		──────
Creditors:Amounts Falling Due Within One Year	6	(300)		(300)
		──────		──────
Net Current Assets			93,267	66,633
			──────	──────
Net Assets			93,267	67,752
			══════	══════
Represented by:-
Unrestricted Income Funds:-
General Fund			93,267	57,915
Restricted Income Funds
Refurbishment Fund			-	9,837
			──────	──────
Total Funds	7		93,267	67,752
			══════	══════

The accounts were approved by the Trustees on 26 February 2025 and signed on their behalf by:

…………………………….. Karin Cardiff Chair

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

The notes on pages 8 to 11 form an integral part of the accounts

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DEVIZES OPENDOORS

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2024

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 2024

………Continued

2.	Donations and Gifts
				2024	2023
				£	£
	Grants and donations			84,535	84,251
				──────	──────
				84,535	84,251
				══════	══════
3.	Total Resources Expended
		Charitable		Total	Total
		Activities	Governance	2024	2023
		£	£	£	£
	Costs Directly
	Allocated To Activities
	Food and consumables	5,687	-	5,687	3,675
	Wages and employee pension	29,569	-	29,569	26,663
	Rent and premises costs	10,828	-	10,828	10,292
	Support Costs
	Allocated to Activities
	Laundry	1,702	-	1,702	1,722
	Repairs and renewals property
	and equipment	5,201	-	5,201	16,873
	Refuse collection	1,016	-	1,016	1,313
	Professional fees	540	-	540	-
	Training	794	-	794	264
	Telephone and communication charges	972	-	972	1,142
	Insurance	425	-	425	414
	Computer software and consumables	1,730	-	1,730	7,436
	Postage, stationery and sundries	1,232	-	1,232	2,819
	Bank charges	60	-	60	61
	Depreciation	1,119	-	1,119	198
	Accountancy	-	300	300	300
		──────	──────	──────	──────
		60,875	300	61,175	73,172
		══════	══════	══════	══════
4.	Staff Costs and Numbers
	Staff costs were as follows:			2024	2023
				£	£
	Wages and pensions			29,569	26,663
				══════	══════

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 2024

………Continued

5. Fixed Assets

5.	Fixed Assets
		Furniture &
		Equipment
		£
	Cost or Valuation
	As at 1 November 2023	2,352
	Additions	-
		──────
	As at 31 October 2024	2,352
		══════
	Depreciation
	As at 1 November 2023	1,233
	Charge for the year	1,119
		──────
	As at 31 October 2024	2,352
		══════
	Net Book Value:
	As at 31 October 2024	-
		══════
	As at 31 October 2023	1,119
		══════
6.	Creditors:Amounts Falling Due Within One Year
		2024	2023
		£	£
	Accountancy	300	300
		──────	──────
		300	300
		══════	══════

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DEVIZES OPENDOORS

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2024

………Continued

7. Movement in Funds

	Balance				Balance
	at	Incoming	Resources		at
	01.11.2023	Resources	Expended	Transfers	31.10.2024
	£	£	£	£
Unrestricted Funds:-
General Fund	57,915	77,208	(41,856)	-	93,267
Restricted Funds:-
Refurbishment Fund	9,837	9,482	(19,319)	-	-
	──────	──────	──────	──────	──────
Total Funds	67,752	86,690	(61,175)	-	93,267
	══════	══════	══════	══════	══════

8. Analysis of Net Assets between Funds

Analysis of Net Assets between Funds
	General	Restricted
	Fund	Funds	Total
	£	£	£
Fixed Assets	-	-	-
Current Assets	93,567	-	93,567
Current Liabilities	(300)	-	(300)
	──────	──────	──────
	93,267	-	93,267
	══════	══════	══════

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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