OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2025-04-05-accounts

Poole Community Exchange CIO

Parkstone United Reformed Church Commercial Road POOLE BH14 0JW

Charity No 1178207

Telephone: 01202 733580

Email: pce-info@poolecommunityexchange.org.uk

Annual Report and Financial Statements From 6[th] April 2024 to 5[th] April 2025

Charity No: 1178207

POOLE COMMUNITY EXCHANGE CIO

Trustees’ Report.................................................................................................................................................3 Vision and Summary of purposes in governing document............................................................................3 Activities, Achievements and Performance...................................................................................................4 Food............................................................................................................................................................4 Community Living Room............................................................................................................................7 Children and Families.................................................................................................................................9 Our volunteers.........................................................................................................................................10 Partners....................................................................................................................................................11 Other........................................................................................................................................................12 Public Benefit................................................................................................................................................12 The Future....................................................................................................................................................13 Financial Review...........................................................................................................................................13 Reserve Policy..........................................................................................................................................14 Reference and Administrative Details..........................................................................................................14 Structure, Governance and Management....................................................................................................15 Legal Objects................................................................................................................................................15 Approval.......................................................................................................................................................16 Financial Statements for the Year Ended 5 April 2025....................................................................................17

POOLE COMMUNITY EXCHANGE CIO

Trustees’ Report

The Trustees are pleased to present their report together with the financial statements of the charity for the period from 6[th] April 2024 to 5[th] April 2025.

VISION AND SUMMARY OF PURPOSES IN GOVERNING DOCUMENT

Poole Community Exchange (PCE) provides a safe welcoming place for people of all faiths and none; where they can come together to relax and have fun and give (time, skills, knowledge, friendship, prayer …..) and receive (support, advice, learning, food, friendship, prayer….).

We promote social inclusion, helping anyone without distinction. Our community supports people who are currently socially isolated and excluded for whatever reason to build relationships, grow in confidence and integrate with the wider community.

We believe that everyone has something to offer and everyone has something they need. We know people are transformed by the experience of giving and taking. Our unique exchange model encouraging people to 'take what you need and give what you can' is an essential part of our community. We encourage and support everyone in our community to volunteer, blurring the lines between volunteers and beneficiaries. This also removes any stigma in accepting charity as people can give time, as well as donating what they can afford, and know that they are contributing to the community.

We provide:

We work in partnership and liaise with other organisations to add value, increase efficiency, and not duplicate efforts.

We want everyone in our community to thrive, not just survive.

See page 14 for our legal objects.

POOLE COMMUNITY EXCHANGE CIO

ACTIVITIES, ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Food

We continued to provide food and other necessities to people in need.

The bulk of our food comes from Fareshare directly and local supermarkets through the Fareshare and Neighbourly schemes, which has saved approximately 34.5 thousand kilograms from landfill this year. We also collected surplus and donated food from Camp Bestival. However, we have seen a decrease in the variety available, especially fresh fruit and vegetables, and we have had to supplement this by buying some food to support people with living a healthy lifestyle.

During the year covered by this report, we estimate that we fed about 8,000 people.

Where we have a surplus, most often with bread, we donate food to local hostels, helping an estimated 2250 people over the year.

Any food we cannot use is donated to a local animal charity or goes to generating energy from bio waste.

Poole Pantry and Community Fridge

Poole Pantry is membership based, for people who are struggling to feed themselves and their families. We are open 3 days a week. We do not ask for proof of low-income. People can be referred or can selfcertify.

Pantry members can choose up to £20 of fresh, frozen, and ambient food in their weekly shop. This year our members shopped over 1800 times. We ask for a suggested donation of £5 to help cover our costs and members are asked to volunteer for one session a month if they are able to do so.

We have noticed a decrease in the number of times members shop each month (approximately 2 thousand less than last year) and a drop in the number of new members – down to 84 from 150 last year.

This may be because of an ease in the cost of living crisis, but we think it is mainly due to supply issues.

POOLE COMMUNITY EXCHANGE CIO

Within the Pantry, we also operate a Community Fridge where food is available to anyone free of charge to help prevent wastage. this usually includes frozen food as well as vegetables, bakery, and even fresh flowers.

Comments from our community include:

Community meals

We provide a 2 course home cooked community lunch 3 days a week. Numbers have remained steady at approximately 70 a week.

These meals are available to anyone, and are a key part of building our community. There is something special about joining together to eat. It breaks down barriers, reduces loneliness and isolation and increases people’s feeling of belonging and sense of community.

We ask for a suggested donation of £4-£7.

Comments from our community include:

POOLE COMMUNITY EXCHANGE CIO

was helped with a crisis pack of food. I now come & contribute a token fee towards lunch as part of my routine. I had addictions all my life, helped me tremendously

Food Bank and Emergency parcels

We are a satellite for Poole Food Bank and also provide emergency food parcels on behalf of BCP council, and to people who approach us directly.

Cookery club and lessons

POOLE COMMUNITY EXCHANGE CIO

One of our volunteers who is a qualified catering instructor also runs a cookery school / club for people who lack skills or confidence. It focuses on simple healthy home-cooked food on a budget. 26 people participated this year.

Working with other organisatons

We provided nearly 4,400kg of food to Poole Communities Trust who run Moor Communities Food as they have limited storage.

We have been a member of the BCP Access to Food partnership since the start of the partnership.

In partnership with Tricuro Coast and Parkstone Connect, we provide volunteering opportunities for adults with learning disabilities. Tricuro Coast and Parkstone Connect bring their clients (about 17 a week) who are accompanied by a member of their staff. They help in the kitchen, including having their own dedicated cooking and baking session. They also help set up and lay tables for the lunches, carry trays, clear tables, wash up and load, and empty the dishwasher. With support, some have gained enough confidence and experience to become independent PCE volunteers.

Community Living Room

We have always welcomed people who need somewhere to just be. As in the previous year, we were a registered Warm Space during the winter. Our Community Living Room is open between 10am and 2.30pm 3 days a week with hot drinks, cakes and biscuits, fruit, free WiFi and recharging, and more. This year we also added a breakfast club with toast and various spreads. We recorded over 3000 visits just for the Warm Space.

As well as a space to chat, we offer a wide range of activities timed to finish just before or start just after lunch so people can also eat together.

Our Creative Writing for Wellbeing group ran from April to June but had to stop because the lead volunteer could not continue.

We time our activities to finish just before or start just after lunch so people can also eat together.

We have a small range of clothing and also have books, CDs and DVDs for exchange or for a donation.

Low rate individual counselling sessions were offered from April to June but unfortunately could not continue because volunteers weren’t available

Thanks to Parkstone URC’s commitment to inclusion, members of our community can also access other activities in the building for a reduced cost. These include Karate and Chair Yoga.

POOLE COMMUNITY EXCHANGE CIO

We also run one-off events and advice sessions:

Help and advice is also available twice a week from Citizens Advice. They also provide us with an expert energy advisor once a week who ran a special session in September offering a “Winter pack”;

In partnership with Parkstone URC and Poole Chaplaincy Services, we also support spiritual wellbeing with prayer, contemplation and discussion. We offered an 8 week course exploring holistic wellness: body mind and spirit, a Bible Book Club and a Lent course.

There are also regular trips to Hillfield Friary’s retreat days, which have had about 40 attendees over the year (NB some people attend more than once).

In March a group of about 10 people started exploring what living a Neo-Monastic lifestyle might look like for them.

Additionally we have started offering other accompanied outings off-site:

POOLE COMMUNITY EXCHANGE CIO

Comments from our community include:

Children and Families

The church runs various events for children and families including Busy Bees, Explorers and Messy Church.

We partner with Faithworks SMILE and the church in the Regenerate project. This runs twice a month after school for single parents and their children, providing a hot two-course meal. There is a quiet space with WiFi for homework, a children’s play area for younger children and craft activities. There is a trained children’s worker so parents can take time to socialise and access support. 60% of the children who attend have special education needs and disabilities.

POOLE COMMUNITY EXCHANGE CIO

Our volunteers

We could not do what we do without our volunteers.

During the year about 65 people volunteered for us, which has given us a total of 16 thousand volunteering hours.

Many of our volunteers started off as socially excluded beneficiaries but with support have become regular volunteers.

All our volunteers have attended a safeguarding course or demonstrated that they have the required knowledge from other roles, e.g. health care or teaching.

Several of our volunteers had expressed an interest in First Aid training. With financial support from URC Wessex Synod, we were able to fund a course on First Aid Awareness for 10 of them. We are still exploring the options for providing training on Mental Health Awareness and Working Alongside People with Learning Difficulties.

Comments from our volunteers include:

POOLE COMMUNITY EXCHANGE CIO

Personal stories

‘Jane’

I have suffered from Bi Polar for years since I was 27, I am now 66 years old. I have been in and out of hospital, I get highs and lows - The last low was a breakdown and my life was coming to the pantry volunteering three days a week

Sitting at home on my own was making me worse. I've made lots of friends and connections and its really helped me.

‘James’

I was going through bad and lonely times, I was dealing with a threatened life and I was introduced to URFC and I've been here ever since - about six months - I was welcomed with open arms by the community here and ever since have found a structure to my life which I was in need of. I volunteer two days a week and when money is short I use the [pantry] which is very helpful- A hot meal is very important and I really enjoy it.

‘Angela’

I found the group through word of mouth and thought I'd give painting a go, - it's given me a social connection and I really enjoy teaching myself how to paint.

Partners

One of our key values is to work in partnership with other organisations. We can do more together than we could individually.

This year our partners included:

POOLE COMMUNITY EXCHANGE CIO

We’d also like to thank all the local businesses and other organisations who donated food from Harvest Festivals and raffle prizes at Christmas.

Other

In October, we joined with the church and Planet Earth Needs Our Help Project[1] to launch the Poole Environmental Wellbeing Hub. Approximately 40-50 people attended the launch. The Dickinson Hall now houses a permanent exhibition of Marylyn Cropley’s book and project: “Planet Earth Needs Our Help”. This will form the focus for a range of activities to promote personal and planetary well-being, under the slogan: Healthy Lives, Healthy Planet.

The new Hub has been widely promoted including attendance at the Dorset COP24 event in October and at the Heathland Exhibition at Upton Country Park in February and at Arts University Bournemouth in March. In January approximately 50 people from different environmental groups attended a networking meeting.

As part of our new Environmental Wellbeing Hub, we held a “Doing Christmas Differently” event focusing on how to have a fun Christmas without spending a fortune and without creating waste and pollution. This featured:

We began the task of formally reviewing and bringing together all our various risk management documents, and reviewing our policies. This work has continued into 2025-26.

We supported a Bournemouth University student with a 30 hour a week placement as a Marketing Coordinator. He has helped us create more attractive and consistent content, particularly contributing to content for our new website which went live in October 25.

.

PUBLIC BENEFIT

When planning these activities, the trustees have taken into account the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and consider that all of these activities provide a public benefit and made a difference to our beneficiaries by:

1 htps://planetearthneedsourhelp.com/

POOLE COMMUNITY EXCHANGE CIO

The ability to access food is one of the most basic human needs. By providing food from the Pantry, as well as cookery lessons and hot lunches, our project is meeting people's need for good, healthy food, on which all other aspects of life depend. This supports not only their physical but their mental health too as it helps reduce anxiety about when and how they might eat, and there is scientific evidence that a healthy and varied diet improves mood and wellbeing.

As well as helping to provide people's physical needs for food and warmth, we also meet their need for love and belonging. Everyone is welcome and accepted in our community no matter who they are and whatever their needs. For those struggling with feelings of loneliness and isolation this is a vital lifeline. For people struggling with addiction, meaningful activity helps.

By fostering a sense of community where everyone can contribute, people can gain respect, recognition, status and a strong sense of self-worth; and start to thrive, not just survive.

POOLE COMMUNITY EXCHANGE CIO

THE FUTURE

In 2025/26 we will continue to fight food poverty, and help people with basic needs.

We intend to continue our original vision of a safe, welcoming space for people to chat, play, be creative, learn, connect with one another, and get any help and advice they might need. To continue to create a true community exchange where people bring their gifts, skills, knowledge etc to share with others. We are always open to exploring new ideas and encouraging people to share their passions.

As part of our vision to help people thrive not just survive, we will also focus on extending our range of social and leisure activities. Current plans include a pottery as we have 2 volunteers who are experienced ceramicists and have been donated a kiln.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

No fund is materially in deficit.

No funds are held as a custodian trustee.

Reserve Policy

Our 2024/2025 accounts show £22,387 unrestricted funds brought forward into this year.

However, some of these funds are directly related to donations given from either the Pantry or the Community Lunches. Although these donations have not been given specifically for that purpose and are therefore not restricted to that purpose, the trustees feel that it is only right that this money is reinvested into these projects.

£3,886 is held from the Community Lunches and £12,073 from the Pantry. Therefore, we have a total of £15,959 of designated funding and £6,428 of unrestricted funding.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Registered Name Poole CommunityExchange CIO
Registered Number 1178207
Principal Ofce Parkstone United Reformed Church (PURC)
Commercial Road
Parkstone
Poole
BH15 0JW

Trustees who managed the charity during the period of the report


Name
Ofce		 Dates acted where not for
whole of theperiod
Mark Phillips Chair
Sarah Percy Secretaryand Treasurer
Michael Hancock
Jennifer Carlton To 12/02/25
MegBeardsley

POOLE COMMUNITY EXCHANGE CIO

There are no corporate trustees or trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity.

Changes since the end of the year and before the report was signed

Justin Hilliard and Sheela Hobden were appointed on 20 May 2025.

Mark resigned as Chair on 02 May 2025. Meg took over but resigned as Chair on 21 August 2025. There is currently no formal chair. Meetings are chaired by the Secretary.

Michael Hancock resigned on 26 August 2025.

Gemma Taggart and Roy Bridges were appointed on 11 September 2025.

Trustees who managed the charity at the tme the report was signed

Sarah Percy Meg Beardsley Justin Hilliard Sheela Hobden Gemma Taggart Roy Bridges

Independent Examiner

Bicknell Business Advisers Ltd 40 Broadway Lane Bournemouth BH8 0AA

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Poole Community Exchange (PCE) is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation governed by its constitution. It was incorporated and registered on 2[nd] May 2018.

No person or body is entitled to appoint any trustees.

Trustees are recruited by word of mouth and advertising on sites such as Reach. Potential trustees complete a volunteer form, submitting two references and explaining why they want to be involved, and what skills and knowledge they can offer. References are taken up and potential trustees then meet with existing trustees. Trustees are appointed at trustee meetings by the existing trustees. They are appointed initially for three years. They may be re-appointed when their term ends. Trustees may serve a maximum of three terms. They must then take a one-year break before they are eligible for reappointment.

LEGAL OBJECTS

The legal objects in the constitution of Poole Community Exchange (PCE) are:

POOLE COMMUNITY EXCHANGE CIO

‘Socially excluded’ means being excluded from society, or parts of society as a result of one or more of the following factors:

APPROVAL

Approved by the Trustees of the charity on 11 September 2025 and electronically signed on their behalf by:

Meg Beardsley Trustee

Sarah Percy Secretary, Treasurer and Trustee

POOLE COMMUNITY EXCHANGE CIO

Financial Statements for the Year Ended 5 April 2025

POOLE COMMUNITY EXCHANGE CIO

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees/ members of

Charity Name Poole Community Exchange

On accounts for the year ended

5[th] April 2025

Charity no (if any)

1178207

POOLE COMMUNITY EXCHANGE CIO

Set out on pages

1-2

(remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)

Responsibilities and basis of report

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 05/04/2025.

As the charity trustees of the Trust, 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 the 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 that no material matters have come to my attention (other than that disclosed below *) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed: Date: 05-Jan-2026 Name: Abi Aiyegbayo ACMA CGMA Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Chartered Institute of Management Accountants Address: 40 Broadway Lane Bournemouth BH8 0AA Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination

POOLE COMMUNITY EXCHANGE CIO

of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .