Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From Period start date 06/04/2022 To Period end date 05/04/2023
Charity name: Gorton Imagination Library
Charity registration number: 1177483
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | To promote early education for the public benefit in particular, but not exclusively, by the provision of free, high-quality books for children aged under 5 living in Manchester. |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
- Providing free, high-quality books to all registered children under 5 years living in identified Super Output areas in Manchester - Providing financial support to local schools to enable them to register their Nursery children to receive free books until they are 5 years. - Support local families to access activities regarding early literacy, adult literacy and back to work guidance. |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | All trustees have read and understood Charity Commission guidance regarding Public Benefit. |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
SORP reference |
||
|---|---|---|
| Policy on grant making | Para 1.38 | NA |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | NA |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | Volunteers offer their time free of charge and without claiming any expenses, to attend meetings, support the charity’s activities and access funding opportunities. Imagination Library UK, to which we are affiliated, offers support and information. |
Other
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | Since the charity was established in June 2015 the number of children registered for the book-gifting programme has increased from 27 to around494currently. Overall1,729children and their families have benefitted over the 7 years we have been running and almost30,000 books have been gifted up to November 2023. Within this financial year we registered329new children,176graduated at age 5 and5,590books were gifted. The number of schools with which we work continues to increase as they spread the word about the positive impact of Imagination Library on building strong relationships with families as all the children receive the same book through the post. Several long-standing school partners also report the impact on standards at the end of Foundation Stage; ‘As you can see (from the EYFS data) having the Imagination Library has helped enormously with our scores. The data shows that the children have progressed in all three areas (Listening, Attention and Understanding, Speaking and Word Reading. This is refected through parents’ comments…because it is addressed to them. We as practitioners can see frst-hand the impact having books at home has when the child handles the book …and during guided reading sessions.’ Gorton teacher. The pandemic continues to affect the life chances and potential of children and their families living in areas with high levels of challenge as reflected in the IDACI (Impact of Deprivation and Children Index). We began in Gorton and Abbey Hey (ranked 3rdand 4thin Manchester) and have seen the impact on the increasing numbers of families registering with Sure Start when they sign up for Imagination Library. Anecdotal evidence shows how valuable this multi-agency support was during lockdowns and continues to be as the impact of the pandemic is clear in poor speaking and listening skills and challenges building relationships for pre-school children who have missed out. Once centres, nurseries and schools started to re-open it took some time for families to feel confident about mixing but gradually, through the work of our partners Sure Start, Schools, Reform Radio, Manchester City Council and Libraries, numbers have increased and they are keen to attend baby and child sessions. We know from feedback from families, data from schools and personal contacts that Imagination Library is a very effect support to families and, because of the Dollywood infrastructure, a very cost-effective programme; for £26 per year children receive a high-quality, age- appropriate book through the post every month. Our running costs are less than 5% meaning that 95% of funds raised goes towards providing the books. Recent research from Swansea University backs this up www.swansea.ac.uk/press-office/news-events/news/2022/09/children- given-books-from-dolly-partons-imagination-library-read-more-often-and- perform-better-in-school---new-research-.php Parents receiving IL books were 30% more likely to read daily with their child than parents outside the programme |
Children in the IL for more than a year had a 40% increased chance of achieving the “Good Level of Development” standard, and a 54% increased chance of achieving the Early Learning Goal for reading, compared to children with similar characteristics who were not in the IL programme Schools Catch up programme Because we knew that some families would struggle with online learning during lockdown periods when schools were closed, we diverted funding to register Nursery and Reception children in areas with high IDACI scores. Feedback from schools shows how valuable this Catch Up project has been, ‘because the teacher has the same book as all the children, it was much easier to deliver virtual lessons.’ Summer 2022 survey responses showed the impact and how vital this project has been. “One of the reasons we love the Imagination Library scheme is that it gives our children an opportunity to OWN their OWN books. It's such a huge part of developing a love of reading and to fall in love with stories. At baseline our cohort for 2020-2021 6 of 51 children were working at age related expectation. That's 12% of the cohort. Meaning 88% of the children were working at a lower level than their age in reading. By the end of the year 39 or 51 children were reading at the correct level. That is 76%”. Reform Radio, GIL and Sure Start 1000 Days Project The project is aimed at supporting mums with bonding with their newborn, their child’s development and improving literacy skills. This particular target group will focus on supporting parents and babies whose health and wellbeing may have been impacted on by COVID-19. The parents will also have the opportunity to gain digital skills through recording their story themselves. This project continues alongside Baby Bag sessions run by MCC and has led to a wider reach of Imagination Library across Manchester and in particular North Manchester, a high priority area. We have established link with Woodville Sure Start Centre and have begun registering their families which we hope will help to increase the number of families registering with Sure Start and MCr Libraries as this has happened in Gorton and Abbey Hey. Receiving the Queens Award for Voluntary Services in Summer 2021 has really raised our profile and reputation as a sustainable charity. We are now recognised by Manchester City Council as a key partner in delivering their Startwell Strategy. to access an increasing number of funding streams meaning from January 2024 we will change our working name to Manchester Imagination Library to reflect our growing reach.
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Achievements against objectives set |
Achievements against objectives set |
Our ongoing objectives: 1.Develop a targeted place-based approach focusing on new births and areas with high IDACI data 2. Develop a sustainable funding regime. 3. Strengthen the Board and further develop local partnerships particularly with commissioned groups across the city. |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | Our ongoing objectives: 1.Develop a targeted place-based approach focusing on new births and areas with high IDACI data 2. Develop a sustainable funding regime. 3. Strengthen the Board and further develop local partnerships particularly with commissioned groups across the city. |
|
| Our long-term aim is to register as many children as possible across priority Manchester Wards ie. those with IDACI scores. Gorton Imagination Library now extends into Clayton and Openshaw (57.1), Gorton and Abbey Hey (51.2), Cheetham (42.3) and Crumpsall (41.9) Recent fundraising has enabled us to increase the number of registrations to current numbers of 434 children. Successful fundraising has been slow this year but with a new treasurer and widening partnerships since achieving the Queens Award for Voluntary Services we are developing a Fundraising Strategy and links with local Businesses. |
||
|---|---|---|
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | Our Fundraising Strategy and Business Plan is currently in development with support from Manchester Community Central www.macc.org.uk . This will enable us to set year on year targets for fundraising. We continue to be supported by donations from local schools, We Love MCR and other long-standing funders for which we are very grateful |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 | |
| Other |
Financial Review
| Financial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | The financial accounts for 2020/21 showed a strong position due to successful funding bids particularly to address the impact of the pandemic on babies born during the pandemic. Accounts 2022/23 show that we spent more than we raised due to increased registrations as part of the Books for Covid Babies project. At year-end the carry forward of £24,142 is restricted to continue registration until these babies reach at least 3 years of age. We are recognised as providing an essential intervention by Manchester City Council and are known to have a sustainable model of delivery and funding due to our wider networks and track record of success. |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | As Dolly Parton and the Dollywood Foundation recommend that Imagination Libraries are a universal offer with children receiving the books until they are 5 years of age, we aim to build up reserves of at least £10K. Figures for the financial year 2022/23 show we have sufficient funding to maintain all currently registered children until they are 5 years of age. This is likely to be an overestimate of funds needed as some children will progress onto schools’ supported programmes when they start Nursery. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | £3,000 |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | The majority of our funds are allocated to future costs to enable us to continue registration for as many children as possible until they reach five years of age. The high level of funds held reflects the difficulties we have had in |
encouraging families to visit local Sure Start centres to register their children due to ongoing worries about Covid. From January 2022 these numbers are rising quickly meaning that funds held will be used to rapidly increase the numbers of children registered. Details of fund materially in Para 1.24 deficit Explanation of any Para 1.23 uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 |
Major funding of about £5K per year has been provided by our original funder, initially to register Covid babies but we gained agreement to divert £2K to support a schools’ Catch-Up project to address the deficit of home learning during lockdown. We also received funds from one of our partners Reform Radio so that the children they worked with on a Home Language Storytelling project could be registered on Imagination Library. Successful funding bids over this financial year from Vinci Foundation, We Love MCR, The Charity Service and others enabled us to make a strong start to registering children the Books for Covid Babies project which will continue until they reach 3 years of age and hopefully transfer to a school programme. |
|---|---|---|
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | NA |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | An ongoing risk is lack of funds but we are actively pursuing digital giving and business sponsorship to secure continuing income. We manage applications by families for their children to be registered so that we know we have sufficient reserves to ensure they continue receiving the books until they reach 5 years of age. |
| Other |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
||
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | Trust deed |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | CIO whose only voting members are trustees. |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of |
Para 1.25 | We select trustees from volunteers with an interest and areas of expertise related to early literacy and supporting families in deprived communities through our expanding local contacts and are in the process of setting up a |
any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees
parents’ group to feed into trustee meetings. Where we find gaps in knowledge/experience we seek out additional trustees through Manchester Community Central www.macc.org.uk .
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees |
Para 1.51 | All new trustees are directed to the Charity Commission website to understand the expectations of the role. All are DBS checked and we have regular updates at trustees’ meeting. |
|---|---|---|
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | We are affiliated to the Dollywood Foundation and supported by Imagination Library UK but are a standalone charity. |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | We have mutually supportive partnerships with: Reform Radio Manchester City Council SureStart Read MCR and MCR Libraries Local Primary schools Manchester Community Central (MACC) |
| Other |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Gorton Imagination Library |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | Manchester Imagination Library (working name) |
| Registered charity number | 1177843 |
| Charity’s principal address | Gorton Sure Start Centre Stelling Street Gorton Manchester M18 8LW |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janet FitzGerald | Chair | |||
| Janet Dexter | Trustee | |||
| Joanne Farrell | Trustee | |||
| Cheryl Pridgeon | Trustees Secretary | |||
| Hannah Mahapatra | Trustees Vice Chair | |||
| Cllr Julie Reid | Trustee | |||
| JennySimpson | Trustee |
| 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 |
Joanne Harvey | Treasurer | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved
Director name
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
| Description of the assets held in this capacity |
None |
|---|---|
| Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects |
NA |
| Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets |
NA |
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
| Names and | addresses of advisers (Optional information) | addresses of advisers (Optional information) |
|---|---|---|
| Type of adviser |
Name Address |
|
| Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information) |
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Other optional information
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) Janet FitzGerald
Full name(s) Janet FitzGerald
Position (eg Secretary, Chair Chair, etc) Date Dec 2023
Gorton Imagination Library
Recei ts and p
Period start d
For the period from
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted funds
to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
Donations Schools Funding
-
- Sub total (Gross income for AR)
A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). - - Sub total [ - ] Total receipts -
Restricted funds
to the nearest £
6,730 - 6,730
6,730
A3 Payments
Books Other payments Bank service charge - Sub total -
A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) -
11,745 300 72 - - - - - - 12,117
-
| - | - | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Sub total ** | - | - | ||||||
| Total payments | - | 12,117 | ||||||
| Net of receipts/(payments) | - | - 5,387 | ||||||
| A5 | Transfers between funds | - | - | |||||
| A6 | Cash funds last year end | 29,529 | ||||||
| Cash funds this year end | - | 24,142 | ||||||
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the per
Categories
Details
B1 Cash funds
Cash in bank at year end
Total cash funds
(agree balances with receipts and payments account(s))
Details
B2 Other monetary assets
Details
B3 Investment assets
Details
B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use
Details
B5 Liabilities
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees
Signature
No (if any)
payments accounts
CC16a
| date 4/6/2022 |
To |
Period end date 4/5/2023 |
|---|---|---|
Endowment funds
Total funds
Last year
to the nearest £
to the nearest £
to the nearest £
| - | 6,730 | 15,407 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | 2,083 | ||
| - | - | - | ||
| - | 6,730 | 17,490 |
| - | - | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | - | ||||||||
| - | 6,730 | 17,490 | ||||||||
| - | 11,745 | 5,322 | ||||||||
| - | 300 | 51 | ||||||||
| - | 72 | 72 | ||||||||
| - | - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | - | ||||||||
| - | 12,117 | 5,445 | ||||||||
| - | - |
| - | - | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | |||||||
| - | 12,117 | |||||||
| - | - | 5,387 | ||||||
| - | - | |||||||
| - | 29,529 | |||||||
| - | 24,142 | |||||||
5,445 12,045 - 17,484 29,529
riod
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
|---|---|
| to nearest £ - - - OK |
to nearest £ |
| 24,142 | |
| - | |
| - | |
| 24,142 | |
| OK |
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds
Endowment funds
to nearest £
- OK
Endowment funds
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds | Endowment funds |
|---|---|---|
| to nearest £ - - - - - - |
to nearest £ - - - - - - |
to nearest £ |
| - | - | - |
| - | - | - |
| - | - | - |
| - | - | - |
| - | - | - |
| - | - | - |
Fund to which asset belongs
Fund to which asset belongs
Cost (optional)
-
Cost (optional)
-
Current value (optional) - - - - -
Current value (optional)
-
-
Fund to which liability relates
Amount due (optional) - - - - -
Print Name Joanne Harvey Janet Fitzgerald
-
When due (optional)
Date of approval 8.12.23 8.12.23