Annual Report and Accounts New Opportunities for Community and Support (NOCS) For the year ended 27 March 2024 Prepared by CBA Services Limited
Contents
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3 Reference and Administrative Details
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4 Trustees' Report
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10 Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of
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11 Receipts and Payments
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12 Statement of Assets and Liabilities
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13 Analysis of funds
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Annual Report and Accounts
Reference and Administrative Details New Opportunities for Community and Support (NOCS) For the year ended 27 March 2024
Registered Charity Number
1174878
Company Registration Number
CEO12364
Trustees
Neil Kernon, Chair
Jennie Fellowes, Secretary
Sharon Cripps
Byron Quayle Angela Potter, Treasurer
Principal Address
27 Salisbury Street, Blandford Forum, Dorset, GBR, DT11 7AU
Bankers
Lloyds Bank Plc 7 Carter Street, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, ST14 8HD
Independent Examiners
CBA Services Limited
45 East Street, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 7DX
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Annual Report and Accounts
Trustees' Report
New Opportunities for Community and Support (NOCS) For the year ended 27 March 2024
Objectives and Activities
Purpose
The promotion of social inclusion for the public benefit of people in Dorset who are socially and economically excluded on grounds of their autism spectrum condition (ASC), including Asperger syndrome; or mental ill-health, who experience high levels of social anxiety and difficulties with social interaction, by providing the objects. In this context ‘socially excluded’ means being excluded from society, or parts of society, including access to employment, as a result of disability (autism spectrum condition) or mental ill-health.
Activities
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Structured opportunities to develop and gain social and communication skills through the medium of games in a range of weekly clubs open to all. This year this includes online games, support, advice and engagement for those who are still struggling with the impact of CoVid19 lockdowns in addition to their everyday needs. These were run as both one to one as well as group sessions, as needed. An on-demand service was provided for our most vulnerable members.
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A drop-in centre with facilities to socialise and develop friendships, and from which to access information on local services and support with job seeking.
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Volunteering and employment opportunities.
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Outreach work in the community.
Public Benefit
The promotion of social inclusion for the public benefit of people in Dorset who are socially and economically excluded on grounds of their autism spectrum condition (ASC), including Asperger syndrome; or mental ill-health, who experience high levels of social anxiety and difficulties with social interaction, by providing the objects. In this context ‘socially excluded’ means being excluded from society, or parts of society, including access to employment, as a result of disability (autism spectrum condition) or mental ill-health.
Statement
The trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit. Nothing in our constitution shall authorise an application of the property of the CIO for the purposes which are not charitable in accordance with section 7 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and section 2 of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008.
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Annual Report and Accounts
Trustees' Report
Additional Informaton
Contribution made by volunteers
Volunteers continue to make a significant contribution to the charity’s ability to meet Object 1 as the clubs rely upon the support and contribution of our volunteers. They also all agree and partake in specialised training.
A special mention needs to be given to Joseph Hampson for his absolute dedication and work for the charity. Joe rarely missed a session and was the go-to for many members, volunteers and leaders alike. All clubs require at least 2 adults who have successfully completed enhanced DBS checks, have been certified in Health and Safety at Work, First Aid and Safeguarding Level 2. All volunteers complete the training ahead of taking on the role. Online support through Facebook and Discord continues to be important for the community to maintain links out of hours whilst still recovering from the impacts of the CoVid19 lockdowns.
A huge thank you to Neil Guest, Francoise Henon-Lees and Keiran MacDonald for their ongoing time and efforts to monitor and oversee the social sites, help maintain and welcome newcomers to the community. And a particular thanks to Neil for his quiet, understated work on Learning how to Paint which caused a large influx of new members including our youngest and oldest to date.
There has been a marked increase in older members of the public finding a welcome place and purposeful hobby in the charity.
The clubs continue to be the main setting for development and maintenance of social skills.
Some of our volunteers lead campaigns in the skirmish section of the charity and we would like to express a huge thank you to Hernandez who, along with Neil’s guidance, successfully initiated and led the Horus Heresy Campaign, which is a great development.
The social skill development is done through the playing of games that require cooperation, competition, paired, small group or role-playing rules. The rules ensure that everyone is clear about what is acceptable.
During this financial period the clubs ran 4 times a week, including at the weekend and drop in, more one-to-one work has taken place throughout the remaining opening hours.
Our links with local groups have allowed us to maintain our NEET engagement. Both the NEETs and those attending the drop in sessions have really benefited from the input, development and joint assessment of our volunteers which comes under Object 2. Drop ins took place from Monday to Saturday inclusive throughout the day. Drop ins are an opportunity for new members to find a quiet time to start interacting safely with other people and also for other members to come in, in order to talk, meet new people, develop new friendships etc...Four members and one interested local resident became new volunteers through the development programme which led to developed confidence, helping NEETs move into employment, satisfying Object 3.
There has been a notable increase in our female demographic, including 2 new female volunteers. Outreach in the community (Object 4) continued during this period with Francoise Henon-Lees playing a significant part in her role as coordinator for volunteers and joint oversight of those from local schools carrying out work experience.
Our local links this year have largely focused on Dorset schools, providing work experience especially for those with Asperger’s Syndrome and anxiety.
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Annual Report and Accounts
Trustees' Report
Achievements and Performance
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This year we are thrilled to announce that we have achieved the Charity Quality Mark 2023/4, working with the DYA and Charity Excellence. This has again helped us to identify our strengths and those areas that need further development. Our membership has continued to grow with a steady number of females included. The knock-on effect of Covid lockdowns can still be felt through the increased negative mental health and members reaching out in serious crisis. It has been a very difficult time for everyone but for those already struggling with social anxiety, deprivation and Asperger’s it continues to be very difficult to adjust after such severe isolation. Using this information and the quality mark assessments, we agreed to run a 3-year project called Rolling With the NOCS to help us address some of the organisational elements as well as focusing on the mental and emotional needs of our members. The year began therefore with our two key leaders and a trustee completing training and risk assessing for Mental and Emotional health. Gaming in the sense of gambling has started to feature in conversations so a volunteer trustee has gained a City and Guilds in the emotional impact of gambling and gaming, thanks to UK Youth who provided free, certified training. We cannot thank National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund enough for being our main funders for the Rolling With the NOCS project.
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One of the very special events at NOCS Charity is the return of old members. This year has again provided that pleasure. One old member came back and became a volunteer, having completed a degree and now wanting work in the youth sector. The volunteering will provide practical help to achieve that goal. Another member from the very start of the charity also called in to share life successes. This particular member really struggled with exceptionally low self-esteem. To hear the reports of how the support and opportunities by NOCS Charity, and especially Noc himself, have led to a happy full-time working adult with astonishing physical hobbies that have earned him both success and positive recognition. The bravery, diligence and emotional uplifting of our past members is inspiring and we thank them for wanting to come back and let us know how we helped them to start making safer and positive decisions.
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Our Rolling With the NOCS project has been our main focus for this year and will continue to be so for the next 2 years. With the funding from the National Lottery, The Alice Ellen Cooper Dean Charitable Trust, Hays Travel Funding and UK Youth and Pears (to name but a few) we have been able to maintain our services 6 days a week throughout the year. We particularly thank UK Youth and Pears Cost of Living fund for helping us to cope with the cost of living crisis, covering our utilities so we have been able to maintain a comfortable and welcoming climate. In terms of the member numbers, we aimed to support 150 young people and adults during the course of this year, and in fact, we have fallen slightly short. According to our attendance records we have had over 3000 unique visits and actively supported 128 different people. This is very close to our target and more particularly, whilst our main beneficiaries are males, we have actually had 1/5 females and 1/5 who do not identify as either male or female. This is a really positive step forward, and one that we hope to maintain if not grow. In terms of the members’ other needs related to reduced levels of anxiety, raised positive self-esteem, increased successful social interaction and strategies for positive, mental health and well-being, we have created progress records that are very much based upon sound research. We used role play games and a scenery workshops to complete a first set of very successful social skill development workshops, where the overall measurements suggest all members made some progress and most made 45% progress, meaning that they improved on approximately half the skills involved in the progression and are now able to have significantly more effective and successful social interactions. We noticed that all bar one member were able to take turns and to listen by the end of the workshops. For some this has meant becoming able to carry out a cooperative activity in a pair for the first time whereas for others, they are now able to play an active role in a small group activity. We are still engaged in carrying out development sessions for anxiety, self esteem, further social interaction and mental health strategies. These represent the hub of our work and whilst presented through non-threatening informal media and activities, develop really important and life-changing skills. Moreover, members are able to identify and celebrate the progress they are making and our volunteers can now describe that progress in both quantitative and qualitative terms. The project also involves consideration of the viability of incorporating the shop with the charity. To this end we engaged James Evans of Tozers Solicitors in Exeter. The initial online meetings with him were very promising and we could see that there was a range of potential considerations to be made. James has liaised with our accountants to explore possible tax and employee impacts. We have made good progress in Year1 and look forward to continuing to do so in Year2.
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NOCS has continued to provide community and support this year. The Noc’s Box element is still an essential gateway and route to ensure a good mix of both beneficiaries and the wider community. It has continued to enable development experience of punctuality, patience, clarity and general employment skills. Because of the essential nature of the shop to achieving our objects, the National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund have very kindly supported us with both funding and advice to formally explore the possibility of moving the shop under the umbrella of the charity. This has been very exciting and we hope it will be possible, not least because the demand for us to provide work experience has grown enormously. We are really pleased to be able to share that we facilitated work experience for more than 4 young people this year. Two from local schools and two
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Trustees' Report
that were long term NEETs. One was a female, which is a first for NOCS Charity. The improvements made by all were positively significant with excellent feedback from their schools. One had been a selective mute and another struggled with groups of any size. All ended their work experience being able to communicate clearly and confidently with much less anxiety overall.
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We are thrilled to report that our NEET members have continued to fare well, making choices that include engaging with their communities and exploring full time employment. We are thrilled to share that those NEETs that carried out work experience with us over the course of the year are now in full-time employment in their local communities. Our NEET focus continues to take place on Wednesdays and are well grounded with development of positive mental/emotional health and reduction of anxiety, thanks to the Rolling with the NOCS project. These continue to be areas that are most needed by our members.
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In terms of the clubs we are very pleased to report that all of our clubs are thriving with volunteers and leaders actively engaged in face-to-face development. We have successfully maintained the Young Gamers’ Role Play Club, Young Gamer’ Skirmish Club and Young Gamers’ Board and Card Game Club along side a family session and over 16s session. We have also opened two new clubs. One for Pokemon players and collectors, increasing our number of clubs and in response to member requests. The second is a Beginners’ Club for D&D which has been welcomed by our new cohort. The role play clubs particularly excel in numbers and development. Thanks to the National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund we are really thrilled to have developed new quantitative measures to complement our existing qualitative measures to demonstrate that development. The measures include successful social interactions, reducing anxiety, improving self-esteem and learning about successful strategies to help reduce negative mental health/emotional wellbeing. The progressions are based on sound academic research and are being used by members, with support from our leaders and volunteers. It has been so good to see members becoming aware of their successes and celebrating those. Users have reported a significant increase in mental resilience, directly coming from the support and communities developed through the charity. The workshops creating new scenery, painting armies etc… have been key within the skill development.
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Our NOCS website took a seat on the back burner as we discovered the level of development required. We have started development, adding our policies to the site so everyone can access them and have the support of the Scottish Technical Army (STA) to improve our Trustee Platform. More to come next year.
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Throughout, Noc, NOCS and Noc’s Box continued to engage with and signpost many other charities and facilities in the local community and they continued to return the favour. This ensures our beneficiaries are able to start developing successful interactions with the broader community, feeling more confident. For some this continues to be an opportunity to experience positive interaction with e.g. the police and felt safe enough to take part in activities in local pubs/restaurants and to include their family in their friendship group. New partnerships have been established including a Pokemon club on Thursdays for our younger, and not so young, members. This club was generated by the members and is thriving.
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We started the year with the continued and very welcome help of the National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund and the support of the Alice Ellen Cooper Dean Charitable Foundation alongside the UK Youth and Pears Cost of Living Fund. These 3 funders have been particularly important in enabling us to use our premises, to employ our general manager, special needs facilitator hours and volunteer coordinator. Funding this year has continued to be hard to find due to the change of funding focus both locally and nationally. Our charitable objectives, linking to emotional wellbeing and positive mental health, have not met the criteria for the majority of funders which continues to be very difficult, especially considering the increased needs of our membership and other drop-in visitors.
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Trustees' Report
Financial Review
Please refer to the End of Year Accounts to see our financial position and list of assets. We are not in deficit and all allocated funds will be/are in the process of being spent on the allocations specified.
Structure, Governance and Management
NOCS Charity is a CIO and is governed by its constitution which is available to read on the Charity Commission website. Trustees are selected by matching potential new trustees to the needs of the Charity. No one person is entitled to appoint one or more trustees. All undergo interview by a designated selection of current trustees, undergo a DBS check and are then formally invited to the role if successful by resolution. This process is legal and outlined in our constitution.
Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities
The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees' report and accounts in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. In addition the trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which are sufficient to show and explain the charity's transactions and to disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity. The are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Reference and Administrative Details
The Charity name is New Opportunities in Community and Support (NOCS) and is registered with the Charity Commission as such with the number 1174878. We also go by the name NOCS Charity. Our principal address is 27 Salisbury Street, Blandford Forum, Dorset DT11 7AU.
Names of the Charity Trustees Who Manage the Charity
| Trustee name | Office | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person entitled to appoint trustee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neil Kernon | Chairman | Jennie Fellowes, Neil Scott and Leslie Cleverton |
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| Sharon Cripps | Bid Writer Lead | Jennie Fellowes, Neil Scott and Lesley Cleverton |
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| Bryon Quayle | Social Media Profile Lead | Jennie Fellowes, Neil Scott and Lesley Cleverton |
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| Angela Potter | Treasurer | Neil Kernon and Jennie Fellowes | |
| Jennie Fellowes | Secretary | N/A |
Corporate Trustees
None.
Name of Trustees Holding Title to Property Belonging to the Charity
None.
Funds Held as Custodian Trustees on Behalf of Others
None.
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Annual Report and Accounts
Trustees' Report
Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees' report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity's trustees
....................................................................... Neil Kernon Chair
Date..............................................................
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Annual Report and Accounts
Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of New Opportunities for Community and Support (NOCS) For the year ended 27 March 2024
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Charity") for the year ended 27 March 2024 which are set out on pages 11 to 13.
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 Charity's accounts carried out under section 145 of 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
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the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
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the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning 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 'true and fair' view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
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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.
Signature.........................................
Catherine Chapman, ATT, MIAB
CBA Services Limited
45 East Street, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 7DX
Date.................................................
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Annual Report and Accounts
Receipts and Payments
New Opportunities for Community and Support (NOCS) For the year ended 27 March 2024
| For the year ended 27 March | 2024 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOTES | 2024 UNRESTRICTED FUNDS |
2024 RESTRICTED FUNDS |
2024 TOTAL FUNDS |
2023 TOTAL FUNDS |
|
| Receipts | |||||
| Fundraising Activities | - | - | - | 571 | |
| Local Project Bids | 2,630 | 36,505 | 39,135 | 32,613 | |
| Other Donations | 2,144 | - | 2,144 | 1,028 | |
| Sub Total | 4,774 | 36,505 | 41,279 | 34,212 | |
| Total Receipts | 4,774 | 36,505 | 41,279 | 34,212 | |
| Payments | |||||
| Cost of Fundraising | 216 | - | 216 | 216 | |
| Audit & Accountancy fees | 932 | - | 932 | 906 | |
| Bookkeeping | 547 | - | 547 | 780 | |
| Cleaning | - | 363 | 363 | 444 | |
| Employers National Insurance | - | 128 | 128 | 790 | |
| Insurance | - | 505 | 505 | 505 | |
| IT Software and Consumables | 476 | - | 476 | 504 | |
| Light, Power, Heating | - | 1,215 | 1,215 | 1,322 | |
| Pensions Costs | - | 263 | 263 | 263 | |
| Printing & Stationery | 39 | - | 39 | 178 | |
| Rates | - | 557 | 557 | 890 | |
| Rent | - | 10,000 | 10,000 | 10,000 | |
| Repairs & Maintenance | - | 3,100 | 3,100 | 1,320 | |
| Resources | - | 821 | 821 | 863 | |
| Salaries | 9 | 25,272 | 25,281 | 22,367 | |
| Staff Training | - | - | - | 210 | |
| Subscriptions | 30 | - | 30 | - | |
| Telephone & Internet | 919 | - | 919 | 762 | |
| Sub Total | 3,169 | 42,224 | 45,393 | 42,320 | |
| Total Payments | 3,169 | 42,224 | 45,393 | 42,320 | |
| Net of Receipts/(Payments) | 1,605 | (5,719) | (4,114) | (8,108) | |
| NOTES | 2024 UNRESTRICTED FUNDS |
2024 RESTRICTED FUNDS |
2024 TOTAL FUNDS |
2023 TOTAL FUNDS |
|
| Funds of The Charity | |||||
| Cash Funds Last Period End | 171 | 15,913 | 16,084 | 24,192 | |
| Cash Funds This Period End | 1,776 | 10,194 | 11,970 | 16,084 |
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Annual Report and Accounts
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
New Opportunities for Community and Support (NOCS) As at 27 March 2024
| As at 27 March 2024 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| NOTES | 27 MAR 2024 | 27 MAR 2023 | |
| Cash Funds | |||
| Treasurers Account | 11,894 | 16,008 | |
| Petty Cash | 76 | 76 | |
| Total Cash Funds | 11,970 | 16,084 | |
| Total Net Assets/(Liabilities) | 11,970 | 16,084 | |
| Funds of the Charity | |||
| Funds Last Period End | 16,084 | 24,192 | |
| Net of Receipts/(Payments) | (4,114) | (8,108) | |
| Total Funds of the Charity | 11,970 | 16,084 |
These accounts have been prepared on the receipts and payments basis in accordance with the Charities Act 2011. The Receipts and Payments account recognises only money received and paid in the period and excludes the value of all other assets received in kind unless, and until, converted into money.
Fixed assets are expensed if they can be used for more than one year, are valued at cost and cost at least £500.
The CIO is registered for Gift Aid and is not registered for VAT.
| NOTES | 27 MAR 2024 | 27 MAR 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Assets retained for ownuse | |||
| Tables | 504 | 504 | |
| Chairs | 413 | 413 | |
| Fire Alarm System | 845 | 845 | |
| Total Assets retained for own use | 1,762 | 1,762 | |
| NOTES | 27 MAR 2024 | 27 MAR 2023 | |
| 2. Funds of the Charity | |||
| Unrestricted funds | 1,776 | 171 | |
| Restricted funds | 10,194 | 15,913 | |
| Total Funds of the Charity | 11,970 | 16,084 |
Approval
The trustees confirm, in accordance with the Charitable Incorporated Organisations (General) Regulations 2012, that at the period end the CIO did not have any outstanding guarantees to third parties nor any debts secured on assets of the CIO.
Signed on behalf of all the trustees
.......................................................
Neil Kernon, Chair
Date...............................................
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Annual Report and Accounts
Analysis of funds
New Opportunities for Community and Support (NOCS) For the year ended 27 March 2024
Charity funds
| Balance at 28 March 2023 £ |
Receipts £ |
Payments £ |
Transfers £ |
Balance at 27 March 2024 £ |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted funds | |||||
| General | 171 | 4,774 | (3,169) | - | 1,776 |
| Restricted funds | |||||
| Children in Need | 2,672 | - | (2,672) | - | - |
| Groundwork UK | 500 | - | (500) | - | - |
| National Lottery Fund | 5,604 | - | (4,679) | (803) | 122 |
| Dorset Youth Fund | 2,137 | - | (2,137) | - | - |
| Alice Ellen Cooper-Dean |
5,000 | - | (5,000) | - | - |
| Rolling with the NOCS | - | 36,505 | (27,236) | 803 | 10,072 |
| Total | 15,913 | 36,505 | (42,224) | - | 10,194 |
| Total funds | 16,084 | 41,279 | (45,393) | - | 11,970 |
| Balance at 28 March 2022 £ |
Receipts £ |
Payments £ |
Transfers £ |
Balance at 27 March 2023 £ |
|
| Unrestricted funds | |||||
| General | 19,595 | 2,099 | (21,523) | - | 171 |
| Restricted funds | |||||
| Children in Need | 2,672 | 8,824 | (8,824) | - | 2,672 |
| Groundwork UK | - | 500 | - | - | 500 |
| National Lottery Fund | 1,925 | 9,789 | (6,110) | - | 5,604 |
| Dorset Youth Fund | - | 3,000 | (863) | 2,137 | |
| Alice Ellen Cooper-Dean | - | 10,000 | (5,000) | 5,000 | |
| Total | 4,597 | 32,113 | (20,797) | - | 15,913 |
| Total funds | 24,192 | 34,212 | (42,320) | - | 16,084 |
This page does not form part of the financial statements.
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