Trustee Annual Report for
Cirencester Signpost “Hope for all”
01 July 2020 to 30 June 2021
Registered Charity Number 1175014
Introduction
The trustees of Cirencester Signpost present their annual report for the period from 01 July 2020 to 30 June 2021.
This report sets out how we deliver for the benefit of many in our community as we seek to help people get their lives back on track.
Our charitable year was set against the backdrop of a pandemic whose impact was significant and continuous. We have always been a relationship-based charity, getting together in person to establish trust, offer encouragement and promote engagement, these actions have always been at the heart of our operations. Ongoing restrictions such as the need to shield, stay at home orders being issued and communal premises being closed necessitated us to constantly review and reevaluate.
This report reflects our activities as we endeavoured to be flexible in our outreach, whilst keeping everyone safe.
Objectives and Activities
In accordance with Christian principles, the relief of poverty for those in need with a particular focus on those who are homeless in Cirencester and the immediate surrounding area in particular, but not exclusively by:
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The provision of ‘drop in’ sessions offering advocacy, a befriending service and information on other local agencies
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Providing free meals to help relieve poverty
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The provision of clothing, footwear and toiletries together with assistance to find housing
With a view to integrating such people into society.
Review of Activities and Achievements
To meet people directly at their point of need, we were able to intervene to assist 80 individuals and families (this does not include our Christmas and New Year activities) detailed overleaf.
Our efforts concentrated predominantly on practical assistance to those in emergency accommodation providing our home-starter packs consisting of key basics such as microwave, kettle, toaster and kitchen items including dinner set, cutlery, saucepans and much more along with bedding and cleaning essentials.
Requests also incorporated those who sadly were fleeing domestic violence and were given safe refuge in hotels. In these situations, the primary need was toiletries, clothing and food, which we supplied. To give dignity our charity provided gift cards so that brand new clothing could be purchased or a volunteer from our charity took the person clothes shopping.
Recognising that isolation brought about by those having to shield and ongoing restrictions was impacting on the mental well-being of many known to us, we provided craft packs including jigsaws, wool, puzzles and colouring books along with pens and pencils.
At Christmas, we linked up with local caterers Relish, who supplied 25 pre-cooked meals that we distributed across the town together with other treats to those who would otherwise be on their own on Christmas day and this included local homeless hostels.
Between Christmas and New Year, we supplied 80 food parcels having taken referrals from other key agencies identifying those in crisis need.
The trustees have fully considered and taken into account the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit in determining the activities undertaken by the charity.
Financial Review
For the period from 01 July 2020 to 30 June 2021, our expenditure totalled £19,163. The main area of expense was outreach support direct to those in need within our local community totalling £14,833.
Our monies were received as a result of the kindness of individual donors, local community groups and churches across Cirencester and nearby villages along with a grant from St. James’s Place Wealth Management.
Cirencester Signpost is committed to being an ongoing and sustainable organisation benefiting all of those in need who come to us. In order to do this, with the volatility of circumstances brought about by the pandemic, we will aim hold at least two years’ operating costs to create a “sustainability surplus”.
The amount of the reserves will be a minimum of £40,000 based on our full financial year’s expenses as at 30 June 2021. This will be regularly reviewed at trustee meetings as we review our offering to ensure it remains resilient to changing circumstances.
Structure, Governance and Management
Cirencester Signpost is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) with a constitution as its governing document, its members being the trustees. Our registered charity number is 1175014.
Currently, trustees are recruited from those who are volunteers. Charity means more than having worthy aims. A charity must be a living example of charitable conduct. It must, therefore, be good as well as do good. Our trustee group recognises that legal and regulatory compliance are the central pillars of governance ensuring that we fulfil our obligations incorporating key areas such as charity law, health and safety, financial, data protection and insurance.
As we deal with the most vulnerable in our community safeguarding is at the core of our governance. We are committed to providing a safe and trusted environment, establishing an organisational culture that prioritises safeguarding, having adequate policies, procedures and measures to protect people and ensure they are regularly reviewed and handling incidents as they arise and reporting them to the relevant authorities.
To facilitate this governance, any potential trustee must be fully conversant with our framework of policies and procedures, which includes: -
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a safer recruitment process
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safeguarding policy and procedures
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code of conduct and good practice
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social media code of ethics
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data protection policy; and
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health and safety policy
together with signing a trustee certificate of eligibility confirming they are a fit and proper person to hold the position of trustee, declare any conflicts of interest and confirm they have read and understood the Charity Commission’s document ‘the essential trustee’.
The trustees are responsible for ensuring our safer recruitment process is adhered to and any new volunteer provides satisfactory references and is made aware of and signs up to our core polices and codes.
Beyond our policies and procedures, we recognise the need for practical application so in addition to the above, any potential trustee must undertake an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check and pass a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) accredited safeguarding course as agreed by the trustee group.
Looking Forward
At the conclusion of this report, as at 30 June 2021, it is clear that where we might have thought early in the year that the pandemic would necessitate a brief period of interruption before we continued where we left off, this proved not to be the case.
We will need to remain open and agile to change, accepting that our means of operation will in all likelihood have to focus on the medium-term for the foreseeable future as we seek to evaluate the impact of our changed world and mould ourselves to the evolving, priority needs around us. It is imperative that we do not duplicate what others are doing well but by forging strong partnerships with other agencies determine how we can best contribute a valued service that meet the needs of others, whilst complimenting other support networks.
We confirm that this report complies with the requirements of the Charities Act 1993, as amended by the Charities Act 2006 and the Charities SORP 2005.
Reference and Administration Details
Charity name: Cirencester Signpost
Registered Charity Number: 1175014
Charity’s principal postal address:
Mrs Juliette Harris Office 4 Betec Business Park Love Lane Cirencester GL7 1YG
Who are the trustees?
| Trustee Name | Office | Date where not acted for wholeyear |
|---|---|---|
| Graham Harris | Chair and Safeguarding Officer |
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| Jayne Taylor | Deputy Chair and Deputy Safeguarding Officer |
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| Juliette Harris | Treasurer | |
| Charlotte Gorman | Secretary |
Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Full name: Graham Harris
Position: Chair Date: 01 February 2022
Cirencester Signpost 1175014 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period Period start date Period end date To from 01-Jul-20 30-Jun-21
| Section A Receipts and payments | Section A Receipts and payments | Section A Receipts and payments | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ |
Total funds to the nearest £ |
Last year to the nearest £ |
||||
| Donations | 18,579 | 2,664 | - | 21,243 | 41,894 | ||||
| Grants | 2,500 | - | - | 2,500 | 3,750 | ||||
| Fundraising | - | - | - | - | 1,302 | ||||
| Gift Aid | 546 | - | - | 546 | 678 | ||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
21,625 | 2,664 | - | 24,289 | 47,624 | ||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
|||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| Sub total | - | - | |||||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
|||||||||
| 24,289 | 47,624 | ||||||||
Provision of communitymeals |
- | - | - | - | 9,864 | ||||
| Outreach support | 14,833 | - | - | 14,833 | 13,111 | ||||
| Hire/rental costs | 215 | 2,664 | - | 2,879 | 3,176 | ||||
| Insurance | 275 | - | - | 275 | 240 | ||||
| Governance | - | - | - | - | 430 | ||||
| Fundraising& marketing | 103 | - | - | 103 | 3,190 | ||||
| Admin/stationery | 1,073 | - | - | 1,073 | 529 | ||||
| Sub total | 16,499 | 2,664 | - | 19,163 | 30,540 | ||||
| - - - |
- - - |
- - - |
- - - |
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| A4 Asset and investment purchases (see table) |
|||||||||
| , | - | 476 | |||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | 476 | |||||||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end **Cash funds this year end ** |
|||||||||
| 16,499 | 2,664 | - | 19,163 | 31,016 | |||||
| 5,126 | - | - | 5,126 | 16,608 | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| 56,070 | - | - | 56,070 | 39,462 | |||||
| 61,196 | - | - | 61,196 | 56,070 |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
06/02/2022
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| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at | the end of the period | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B1 Cash funds |
Details Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Santander account Details Details Catering equipment Lockable storage cabinets Details Lease of office in Love Lane Signature |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 61,196 - - - - - 61,196 - Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - - - - - Print Name Juliette Harris |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ |
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| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
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| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
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| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| When due (optional) |
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| Date of approval |
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| Juliette Harris | 25/01/2022 | ||
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
06/02/2022
2