## **CHAIR REPORT 14 December 2019 – 13 December 2020** 

The last year has proved to be a challenging time for charities and society given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This has meant that like most other charities we have had to find new ways of working towards meeting our aims. 

Our face-to face contacts in groups have had to cease until safer times but we have found ways of supporting the local community and keeping in contact with families who have engaged in our projects. This was mainly through social media as well as providing telephone support.  We have also collaborated with organisations including social workers, a local refuge and a homeless group. 

The DEFRA Government funding as well as our existing funds enabled us to provide support to families struggling due to lockdown and income loss with food and essential supplies vouchers. These were issued via referrals from local schools and from our own projects. The feedback from local families who received these was very positive as it helped them at this difficult time. 

Just before Christmas 2020 we were provided with a small number of Wellbeing bags by More in Common BB which were issued to local families in need. 

We have also now trained our Conn-x Project Team in Youth Mental Health First Aid provided by MFHA England and Interact. Plus, we provided online Resilience Training for parents, again in collaboration with Interact. 

As this financial year comes to a close; taking us into the new year, we have secured funding from the Essex Association of Local Councils (EALC), which had enabled us to co-ordinate our newest project “Cupboard Love” providing 100 food hampers for families referred to us by local schools. Funding left from previous projects has meant we have been able to support individual families referred to us by other agencies and our own projects. 

We have also now secured funding from Basildon Council to provide Mental Health Wellbeing projects over the course of the next year. 

Our aims for next year will be to continue supporting local families in need with some plans fluid to allow for the uncertainty of the pandemic. 

My thanks go to my fellow Trustees for their continued commitment to the charity. Special thanks go to Jackie Stein for her hard work providing administration support in keeping our charity going through such a difficult period. 




## **ANNUAL RETURN 14 December 2019 - 13 December 2020 ACCOUNTS SUMMARY** 

|**OPENING BALANCE**|**14988.32**|
|---|---|
|**INCOME**|**AMOUNT**|
|LOCAL FUNDRAISING<br>DEFRA COVID19 SUPPORT  FUNDING|301.00<br>3000.00|
|**TOTAL:**|**3301.00**|
|||
|**EXPENSES**|**AMOUNT**|
|ADMINISTRATION/CO-ORDINATION<br>PROJECT RESOURCES/OPS<br>COMMUNITY EVENTS<br>COVID 19  TARGETTED FAMILY SUPPORT<br>VOLUNTEER TRAINING|3740.00<br>1216.98<br>127.71<br>5508.33<br>105.00|
|**TOTAL:**|**10698.02**|
|**CLOSING BALANCE**|**7591.30**|
|**BANK BALANCE**<br>**PETTY CASH**|**7528.90**<br>**62.40**|