Woody’s Lodge
WLMB Chair’s 2021 – 2022 Annual Report
As Woody’s emerges from COVID lockdowns, the Charity is now being called upon to support and serve increasing numbers of Armed Forces senior veterans and families as well as Armed Forces leavers. The year sees the need for our welfare and social support increase by 200% and this continues to increase. Over 10,000 people of all ages now seek our 12 urban based Drop-in-Centres and three key farm based rural hubs to meet and socialise. In addition, another 2,000 veterans have required our support to access financial and health benefits, our Welfare Support Team has gained £750,000 in disability payments, War Pensions as well as access to Personal Independent Payments and Universal Credits for behalf of our veterans.
Our referral links have become a reality and are utilised as a vital and efficient means by which we bring the many we support into direct contact with a diverse number of agencies, including the National Health Service, Mental Health Trusts, Her Majesty’s Prison Services and Emergency Services, as well as Area Health Authorities, Local Authorities, Department of Work and Pensions, Defence Transition and Welfare Services, plus many Armed Forces Agencies, including Royal Navy and Royal Marine Associations, BLESMA, Veterans Legal Link, Change Step, Alabare, Wales Veterans Partnership, Royal British Legion, Help For Heroes. It is often said “that if Woody’s cannot directly help, Woody’s will link you up to someone who can”.
Woody’s continues its working relationships with academic bodies, including Queens University Belfast, Kings College London, University of South Wales, Aberystwyth University and Aston University, in order to facilitate research into the health, social and welfare needs of those leaving the Armed Forces Community. Research data outcomes and understanding, leading to positive changes within Governmental Policy for long term support of our Armed Forces. Notably close links with Bettws Cadwallader University Health Board, pilot work has enabled Woody’s to be considered part of a Social Prescription Model, linking us to General Practitioner networks and hospital services in Northeast of Wales.
We strive to develop stronger links and recognition within Wales Government as well as Westminster, and National UK Armed Forces representational bodies such as COBSEO, The Armed Forces Covenant, Reserve Forces and Cadets Association and ASDIC.
During COVID, staff and volunteers continued further development of infrastructure on our Green Hubs, with planning and mapping of our woodland families’ site at Amelia Trust Farm, refurbishment of our Swallow Cottage Training Centre now approaches third and final fix, plus the ground works for family camping and veterans’ allotments at Penlan Farm, and care of and sponsored by Kingspan the planning permissions have been granted for a
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Woody’s Lodge
bespoke veterans’ welfare social centre at Ty Gwalia Farm. Plans are becoming a reality, including partnership with Cardiff City Council when in Spring 2022 our first veteran working group participated in the Flat Holm Island Project in the Bristol Channel.
All this would not have been possible without the support and generosity of key individuals, such as Chris and Pam Murphy, Richard Mottershead, plus companies Kingspan, Pinnacle Solutions Group, Masons are Moving, Oncre, Military Preparation College, Mallows, Vale Hotels, Fast Technology as well as the Wales Ambulance NHS Trust. Lead by our Vice-Chair Clive Hamilton, our planned 2022 Paris Bike Ride and associated Gala Dinner and related events is a first for the Charity and will significantly develop our levels of unrestricted income. We are indebted to the continued support of The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity and Veterans Foundation. Not forgetting a close working relationship with Command and Staff at RN HMS Cambria, Cardiff Bay, their generosity in time and facilities has been significant in supporting the Royal Navy and Royal Marine Family across Wales.
Finally, I should like to express my personal thanks from our Board and all those at Woody’s to Carole Alexander, as co-founder and Board Member, has retired as Board Secretary. Without whom Woody’s would not be the Charity it is today. On a happy note, Carole has accepted the role as the Charity’s first Patron.
With Honour, Humility, Humour and Hard Work, I thank the many who have strived and helped to make Woody’s Lodge, a recognised, leading Armed Forces and Emergency Services support charity in Wales today. And in doing so, fundamental to our remit, this Charity since its inception in 2017 has saved 27 lives.
Thank You All
Dr David Trotman Chair of the WLMB
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Woody’s Lodge
Chief Executive Officer’s 2021-2022 Annual Report
Since the lifting of restrictions imposed on communities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health in the general population has deteriorated, but none more than in our Armed Forces Community. Now we find ourselves entering an uncertain period where the rise in the cost of living is being dictated by the current conflict in the Ukraine and this is causing further anxiety for those already dealing with service-related mental health conditions, such as PTSD.
As a charity, Woody’s Lodge, has been working hard since it was first formed, to support our Armed Forces Veterans, Reservists, Emergency Service Personnel, and their families, but we now find there is a marked increase in demand for our services. I am immensely proud of the support the Charity’s teams across Wales provide and to date Woody’s has saved the lives of 27 veterans that we know of. We have also helped relieve the pressure on Statutory Bodies by aiding those applying for benefits and pensions, while signposting to the most appropriate agency to provide expert advice on finances, housing, employment, etc. or for physical and mental health treatment.
The three main Woody’s hubs in Wales, Amelia Trust Farm in the South, Penlan Farm in the West, and Eirias Park in the North, were quiet in late 2021 and early 2022, with just a handful of veterans visiting each one. The pandemic left people feeling cautious about mixing in groups, but we are now experiencing an increase in visits from veterans and their families as they have more confidence to be out in the community. Our ‘Memory Mondays’ for those suffering dementia and their partner/spouse, have become very popular, as have the Thursday Social ‘brew and a butty’ days.
Our ‘Green’ hubs at Amelia Trust Farm, Penlan Farm, and now at Ty Gwalia near Denbigh, are providing mindful outdoor activities designed to not only improve on mental and physical health, but also to allow veterans to reengage with their families. Working with partner agencies such as Alabare with their ‘Boots on the Ground’ project, BLESMA, WintergreenUK, Help for Heroes, Myddelton College Cadet Force, Regional Police Forces, etc. we have developed areas for projects such as gardening, metal detecting, beekeeping, arts and crafts, photography, and several other activities. As our Chair, Dr David Trotman, states in his report, this would not be possible without the support and generosity of key individuals and several companies, such as Kingspan, who have kindly donated and will build our first purpose-built hub/cabin at Ty Gwalia in North Wales. This will not only help to further develop outdoor activities, but it will give us the opportunity to improve links between local and Armed Forces communities.
Woody’s achievements in support of the Armed Forces community have recently been recognised when we received Gold in the Veterans’ Awards for
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‘Health and Well-Being’, while one of our trustees, Kath Fisher, received Gold for the Community Award. Our Operations Managers, Steve Owen and Mark Hodgkinson picked up Silver and Bronze respectively, Steve for ‘Role Model’ and Mark for ‘Inspiration of the Year’. Moments like this make all the hard work so worthwhile and in further recognition of our work, Woody’s have received the Gold Award in the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme.
The future for Woody’s Lodge looks bright and with all the support we receive from local authorities, grant funding bodies, our partner charities, and agencies, along with the general community, I am confident we can build on and strengthen the work our teams carry out daily in support of our Armed Forces Community.
Personally, I would like to thank all the staff and volunteers at Woody’s Lodge for their dedication and hard work in making Woody’s a name that is recognised and trusted in the Veterans’ and Emergency Services’ world.
I would also like to thank our Board of Trustees for their support and expertise in assisting me to direct operations to deliver the high standard of support provided by the charity. In particular, our co-founder and previous Board Member, Carole Alexander. She has worked tirelessly to maintain the charity’s administration since its inception and although she has now accepted the role of Patron, she will be greatly missed from the Board.
It has been said that Woody’s Lodge is ‘small enough to cope, but big enough to care’, which is true, all those connected with the charity care very much for our veterans and their families and we all believe we can make a difference to those in need of help. I am so proud to be a part of a charity that puts its veterans first and it warms my heart to still hear from many, ‘Woody’s saved my life’.
Graham Jones CEO
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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES NO any) Flnal Accounts for Woodys Lodg• 41nall•ed 15.11.22 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the perlod PeriLxI SL date Period end date 31ffj3r2022 To 01h)4r2021 Section A Receipts and payments Unrnstrlct8d funds Restricted funds Endowment funds Total funds Last y•ar to th• n&irMt £ to th• n•ar•st £ ts th• n•ar•st £ to th• n•ar•8t£ to th• n•arnst £ A1 Recel Transwrt salaneHRCIponSff>ns Mark and Merchandi Events and Acb'vitie8 Donations Grants AdminllTrrrthing Rent arKI Llts"Ibe8 63,238 63338 42,023 308,760 361 ross Income AR) or 101,923 241,000 342.923 361,134 A2 Asset and (see table). nvestment sa 342,923 A3P Mark8 and MarChd Events and Aclivrt DonatKJns Administram Travel SalarfeslHMRCIPen8iiYI8 Motor ExpensrranSPort Rent and Utslrt 18,591 25,642 18,691 50,337 1.749 24,$87 24,398 198,999 7,085 17,481 10,003 5,988 24,696 1,749 178 24,410 24,369 196,279 7.085 16,240 11,623 8,801 124,206 4.730 20,313 3,720 Sub total 31,613 311,615 343,228 185,664 A4 Asset and Investment urchasos $00 tablo Sub total 31,613 311,616 343.228 186,684 Net of reCeIp(payments) AS Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end 70,311 2,028 70,61 165.470 2,028 100,462 110,811 211,273 213,60 CCXX R1 ¢nts (SS) 22111 r2022
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestrlcted Restricted furKIs funds ID nMr•st £ to n••mt£ Endowment funds to n•ar••t £ Categories 81 Cash fundg 1 (IOA62 110011 Total cash funds 100,462 110,811 acc(8)} Unrestrlctsd funds to n•ar•st £ Rostrlctsd funds to rwar••t £ Endowment funds to nMr••t £ Details Fund to whkh Co•t lopoona Current lu• al Fund to whkh Curr•nt v• Detsils Co•t l0ObMa 84 Assets retalned for the charity's own use Fund to vthkh Amount du• Wh•n du• Detsils B5 Liabllitle• Signed by one or ( trf of all the trw85 Date of roval Print Name J3.1/ CCXX R2 *xxxffrts (SS) 22111r2022
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND Ws Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of Woodys Lodge On accounts for the year ended 31.03.22 Charity no (if any) 1173752 Set out on pages mber to H)clude the page ntllnbers of addttional sheetr, I I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charty (Ihe Trust.) for the year ended Responsibilities and basis of report 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 Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 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 rrhe chaiity's gross income exceeded £250,000 and l am qualified to examlnerfs statement undertake the examination by being a qualified member of [insert name of applicable listed bodyll. Delete [ ] rf not applicable. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below ') which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or the accounts did not compty with the applicable requirements conceming 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 Irue and fairf 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. Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply. Signed: Date: Name: Relevant professional qualification(s) or body IER Oct 2018
(if any): Address: Section B Disclosure Only complete rf the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concem (see CC32, Independent examination of charty accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief detsils of any itsms that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER Oct 2018