## **Trustees' Annual Report for the period**
||Period start date|Period start date|||Period end date|Period end date||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**From**|1st|April|2022|**To**|31st|March|2023|
## Section A Reference and administration details
**Charity name**
**Other names charity is known by** N/A **Registered charity number (if any) 1178577 Charity's principal address** Project 229, 227-229 Bedford Road Kempston, Bedford **Postcode MK42 8DA**
## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity**
|1
2
3
4
5
|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for**
**whole year**|**Name of person (or body)**
**entitled to appoint trustee (if**
**any)**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||Lionel Stewart*|Chair of Trustees|||
||Helen Sismey-Durrant*|Deputy Chair|||
||Sharon Griffiths*|Safeguarding|||
||Bipinchandra Shah*|General|||
||Frank McMahon|Finance|||
||||||
||*FoundingTrustee||||
## **Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)**
**Name Dates acted if not for whole year**
## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**
**Type of adviser Name Address**
## **Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)**
Rebecca Campbell-Grieve: Project 229 Manager
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**Section B Structure, governance, and management**
## **Description of the charity’s trusts**
Type of governing document
Constitution
- (eg. trust deed, constitution)
How the charity is constituted
Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
- (eg. trust, association, company)
Trustee selection methods
Appointed by Project 229 / confirmed by trustees
(e.g., appointed by, elected by)
## **Additional governance issues (Optional information)**
You **may choose** to include additional information, where relevant, about:
- policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees.
- the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works.
- relationship with any related parties.
- trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.
_**Project 229’s** building is owned by The Bedfordshire Charitable Trust (formerly The Ibbett Trust) whose founder ‘Clifton Ibbett’ had a vision to develop high quality, accessible facilities for the local community._
_**Project 229 was officially launched in February 2005** after a 2-3-year period of development, building extension and renovation. Project 229 was originally part of a national charity (Spurgeons) until 31[st] March 2014 and became care-of The Ibbett Trust from April 2014._
_Project 229 worked towards_ _**independent charitable status** with support from The Bedfordshire Charitable Trust and The CVS Bedford. The Project was_ _**founded as an independent Charitable Incorporated Organisation on 31[st] May 2018** ._
Project 229 hosts organisations **running activities and services for the benefit of the local community.** The Project also runs activities and services and is part of several partnership groups across the Borough.
Project 229 works with support from the Council for Voluntary Services (CVS) Bedford. Project 229 is also part of the Small Charities Forum run by Bedford and Luton Community Foundation (BLCF) and Bedfordshire Advice Forum (BAF). Project 229 is part of the Bedford Borough Solution Focused Practitioners Group and is represented at other meetings and forums with specialist areas of work.
Project 229 (CIO) has 5 Trustees (4 of whom are founding Trustees).
In January 2023, some of the Project 229 Policies and Procedures were revised and/or reviewed by the Trustees. The Conflict-of-Interest policy was updated, and a new Modern Slavery Statement created.
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**Section C Objectives and activities**
**Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document**
_1. To_ _**benefit the residents of Kempston and surrounding areas** , by working with local authorities, voluntary and other organisations, and local people to advance education and to_ _**provide facilities** in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure with the_ _**objective of improving the conditions of life for the residents** ._
_2. To_ _**promote social inclusion** for the public benefit by preventing people from becoming socially excluded (for one or more reasons), supporting people who are socially excluded and_ _**assisting them to integrate into society** ._
3. _Such_ _**charitable purposes for the public benefit** as are exclusively charitable according to the laws of England and Wales as the trustees may from time to time determine._
## **Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)**
The Project 229 Charity trustees 'have regard' to the Charity Commission's public benefit guidance when carrying out activities to which it's relevant.
Project 229 is open as a **pro-active community centre** from Monday to Saturday for activities and services run for the benefit of the local community. In April 2022, the **café,** which occupied a small part of the overall centre, run by a Community Interest Company (CIC). ‘ **Bake’** aimed to provide opportunities for people to gain experience and training to help enable them to get into or return to employment. Unfortunately the CIC had to make the difficult decision to close as a direct response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The café benefited the community and provided additional services which helped to further the charity’s purposes. The café acted as an accessible ‘front door’ to the Project - bringing people into the centre and **helping Project 229 to engage with and support the community** .
The hospitality industry was greatly affected by the **COVID-19 Pandemic** . Bake. worked hard to serve the community as best it could and as a Charity, we were thankful for their commitment to keep going for as long as possible. The impact meant that the CIC were unable to continue supporting individuals to gain skills and get back into work. **The closure left Project 229 with a new challenge** – how could the space continue to be used to build connections with the community and provide support?
## **Project 229: Pro-Active Community Centre:**
At the end of the last financial year, in addition to the Essential Services, Vulnerable Groups and Essential Work based Training that was previously approved to run, most services had resumed normal provision. As we moved into the new financial year 22/23, Project 229 was continuing to support groups with subsidised sessions for at least the first two months of the year.
During 2021 / 2022, Project 229 had been able to gain a **grant to support the loss of income due to Covid-19** based on the rateable value of the property. Part of the grant went to Bake. to support their loss of income and the rest continued to be used to support the function of Project 229 and to help support groups who were struggling to recover.
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**% Loss** This table (left) shows the percentage of **Room Hire Income of % Room gained** and the percentage for **loss of income** due to Covid-19 **income Hire** that was covered by the support grant that Project 229 had **Covered Income** previously received. It does not include other income including **Month by Grant at 229** office rental / contributions to utilities and specific projects. **MAR 2022** 16 84 The percentage of room hire income had been 20% in April 2020 **APR 2023** 7 93 and grew to 38% by March 2021. It was encouraging to see the **MAY 2023** 3 97 room hire income grow from 47% in April 2021 to **84% in March 2022. By April 2023 room hire income was up to 93% and 97% by May 2023.**
|**Face-to-face Provision at 229**
**(not including café stats orpublic annual events)**|**21/22**
**No.**|**22/23**
**No.**|
|---|---|---|
|No. Different Organisations|23|36|
|No. of ActivityTypes|45|84|
|No. of subsidised sessions (where a percentage of costs were funded / there was
a reduction in cost byProject 229)|120|23|
|No. of fullyfunded sessions|178|363|
|**No. of face-to-face sessions at 229**|**1062**|**1589**|
|**Attendances(based on actual and estimated)**|**6247**|**13731**|
Groups and activity providers continued to show **huge resilience** throughout this time, thinking creatively and adapting provision where possible to continue to provide services for those who needed them most. Although by this time most of the services were back running face to face services, **many groups continued elements of their online provision as well as face to face services.**
|**Off-Site / Alternative Provision(Online etc.)**|**21/22**
**No.**|**22/23**
**No.**|
|---|---|---|
|No. Different Organisations|20|6|
|No. of ActivityTypes|27|10|
|No. of subsidised sessions (where a percentage of costs were funded / there
was a reduction in cost byProject 229)|N/A|0|
|No. of fullyfunded sessions|N/A|40|
|No. of Other Alternative Sessions(e.g.,outside / alternative venue / Online)|477|224|
|**Attendances(based on actual and estimated)**|**2649**|**992**|
Project 229 started recording the **interventions through the café from February 2023** (having received a grant to support the development of the space from Bedford Borough / Compass Wellbeing funding). This report only includes the interventions for the café **from February to March 2023.**
|**Community Café at Project 229(Feb to March 2023)**|**Community Café at Project 229(Feb to March 2023)**|**Community Café at Project 229(Feb to March 2023)**|**Community Café at Project 229(Feb to March 2023)**||**No.**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|No. Sessions(Open Days)|||||42|
|Attendances|||||**1431**|
|||||||
|**Year**
**Comparison**|**Face to Face**
**Services**|**Alternative**
**Services**|**Total Sessions**||**Percentage Increase**
**frompreviousyear**|
|19/20|1187|0|**1187**|||
|20/21|361|925|**1286**||**8%**|
|21/22|1062|528|**1539**||**20%**|
|**22/23**|**1589**|**223**|**1813**||**18%**|
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The statistics above include the services that have reported back to us. They **do not include** all the **informal / incidental / additional support services provided during this time** including those who benefited from the café service prior to the funded period (Feb and March 2023) or attended annual public events. The statistics show an **18% increase in services being offered overall** compared to the previous year.
Attendances are showing a 65% increase from the previous year (not including the café attendances).
|**Year**|**Attendances**
**Face to Face**
**Services**|**Attendances**
**Alternative**
**Services**|**Total Attendances**|**Percentage Increase**
**frompreviousyear**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|21/22|6247|2649|8896||
|**22/23**|**13731**|**992**|**14723**|**66%**|
Although the table below only shows two months of the café statistics and we know the figures below will be minimum rather than maximum (as it is easy to miss people when the café is busy), the increased interventions from the previous year are very encouraging.
|I**nterventions / Attendances 2022/2023**|**Totals**|
|---|---|
|Attendances at Project 229(Face to Face)|**13731**|
|Attendances at Alternative Venues / Online|**987**|
|Attendances at Café(Feb-March 23 Only)|**1431**|
|**Total**|**16149**|
## **Spotlight on services directly supported / managed by Project 229:**
## **The Art Well (Open Arts for Positive Mental Health)**
Project 229 continue to **support the start-up of New Groups** and activities with advice on safe set-up, sustainability and provides knowledge of the local area. The Project also provides advertising / design support for new activities that have a responsibility to publicly advertise their community services. (There are some groups who may not advertise due to the sensitive nature of the group). Support may also extend to working in partnership and applying for **joint funding bids** or providing support to those fundraising for their start-up costs.
**The Art Well (Launched in September 2019):** An Arts for Health group for adults with **mental health** or **social isolation needs** is run by Art Psychotherapist Marion Major. The service was developed in response to the need for more Mental Health provision as services had either ceased to exist operating or had lengthy waiting lists. The Art Well provides an **accessible service improving mental health** through creativity. www.project229.org/artwell
The Art Well, which runs a referral group, peer support group and an online group, thanks to the **Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation** and **The National Lottery Community Fund** .
The Art Well provides **three groups** across the course of a week, **for 40 weeks** of the year. The following data is taken from the Art Well funder report **Sept 22 to Aug 23.**
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**Tuesday - An online group** (for new referrals and continuing support): This has had **6 regular attendees** and is facilitated by the lead art therapist, a trainee art therapist, and a volunteer.
**Wednesday - A 12-week face to face group** for new referrals: This group has been **accepting up to 12 attendees** during each cycle. It is facilitated by the lead art therapist and two volunteers.
**Thursday - A face to face managed peer support group** which is offered based on the needs and circumstances of those who have completed the initial 12-week group and have benefited from engaging with the arts in the initial referral group. Members support each other and bring creative ideas. This group is managed by the lead art therapist, assisted by two volunteers, and has had varying attendance of **between 6 and 17 each week** throughout the year.
|**Art Well Data Type **|**21/22**|**22/23**|
|---|---|---|
|Face to Face Art Well Sessions|110|100|
|**Attendances**|**541**|**645**|
|Online / Alternative Art Well Sessions|42|40|
|**Attendances**|**336**|**220**|
|**Total Sessions(21/22)**|**152**|**140**|
|**Total Attendances(21/22)**|**877**|**865**|
The following data is taken from the Art Well funder report **Sept 22 to Aug 23:**
**From September 2022 to August 2023** The Art Well **received 50 new referrals.**
The Art Well uses nationally recognised **health and wellbeing outcome measures** (CORE and WEMWBS) as well as feedback forms.
Where possible, they complete **WEMWBS (Warwick and Edinburgh Wellbeing Scale)** outcome measure data and qualitative feedback from the online group.
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## **Managed Peer Support Group WEMWBS Data:**
Peer Group supports those who would benefit from a longer-term intervention after the 12-week group. The data show smaller changes in wellbeing compared with those in the 12-week group. Scores indicate a tendency to plateau, due to reasons such as:
• Long term physical health conditions
- Being a parent carer of SEND children
• Long term mental health diagnoses that means there will be fluctuations
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The slight decline in WEMWBS data for the peer group reflects their lives and the realisation that their wellbeing is often low or moderate due to family, situations and health needs. The Art Well has **several participants who are carers for SEND children** , a number with **long term health conditions** and some who are **main carers** for elderly parents with dementia.
- Project 229 continues to offer a **wide range of services and provisions** that support and help a **diverse** number of individuals, families and groups across the community.
- The reopening of the **Project 229 cafe as a community hub** has really helped to provide a space outside of The Art Well, and other groups, for our participants to meet, chat and **build relationships** with each other.
- The cafe has also been used **for assessments, and new walk-ins are able to find out** about services which has **increased referrals** to The Art Well and other provisions.
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## **The SPACE Project**
Project 229 has continued to manage the **SPACE Project** , to support **young people aged 9-16 (school year 5 and up) in Bedford Borough who have been impacted by Domestic Abuse** . www.project229.org/space
In 22/23, SPACE’s main funder was **The Harpur Trust** . Additional funding support included the **Panacea Charitable Trust** and the **Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation** .
The COVID-19 pandemic had provided an **opportunity to pilot** SPACE Bubbles (small group activities) which proved to be effective in developing peer support and positive relationships with staff. This model has been retained in 22/23.
**Planets:** Planets are mini youth clubs that run fortnightly during term time, the members of each planet make decisions
collaboratively about what they will do during their sessions:
- Planets support up to **10 young people per session**
- During the year **six individual planets** have operated
- In total, **61 young people** have engaged in a Planet
- **77 sessions** have been run
**Therapeutic Groups:** In partnership with various organisations and funders, SPACE piloted a therapeutic intervention; Group Play Therapy. These therapeutic groups:
- ran for **6 -10 weeks**
- supported **4 young people**
**One to One Support** : Individual support offered to young people and provided by the trainee counsellor and SPACE Youth Worker. Two therapeutic interventions ran:
- **Play Therapy: 67 hours of one-to-one work** have been provided for **7 young people**
- **Counselling: 95 hours of one-to-one work** have been provided for **3 young people**
## **Holiday Provision (Tiny Festival and Residentials):**
A supporter from **Bedford Park Rotary Club** continued to **donate the use of his land and outdoor swimming pool** to enable SPACE to run **summer holiday activities** for groups of young people.
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## **5 holiday sessions** during the year:
- Benefitted **32 young people**
- Activities **requested by the young people included** ; swimming, craft, graffiti, slime, sport, games, Lego, baking plus a variety of residential activities.
|**Residential**|**No. attendees**|**Activities**|
|---|---|---|
|Neptune|6|Table-top games (Werewolf), 45 and In, fencing, football, assault
course, zipline, adventurepits, outdoor activities.|
|Mars|7|Swimming, fire building and marshmallows, games, chatting, hide
and seek, films.|
|Mercury|10|PGL: Flag hunt game, giant swing, buggy building, trapeze,
abseiling, campfire, climbing, zipline, evaluation.|
## **Funded Transport:**
- **288 journeys** have been provided.
- **32 young** who would have otherwise been unable come to due to lack of access to a vehicle or family were able to attend.
## **Youth Advisory Board:**
SPACE continued to run **‘SUN’ the youth advisory board** made up of representatives from all the different planets (groups). They help **to plan activities and services** including the holiday provision and can **share their thoughts and feedback with staff and management.**
**CAFADA:** ( _Children and Families Affected by Domestic Abuse Project_ )
SPACE has been working with the **CAFADA (Stirling University Partnership)** research team since 2020. The team have been carrying out **qualitative research** with young people who attend SPACE. The project hopes to ascertain from the results the ways in which SPACE is **effective in meeting the needs** of young people who have experienced domestic abuse and **identify any areas for improvement** .
**In March 2023** , The CAFADA research team and a performance poet supported a group of young people from SPACE to **develop and open an exhibition at the Basement Gallery in Bedford.**
**“SECONDS OF SPACE” AND OTHER TALES** – a production created by young people at SPACE.
**Eight young people** worked over **six months** to create a special exhibition. It started as a collaboration with the **University of Stirling** and contained four spoken word pieces with musical accompaniment and a gallery of photographs and postcards from another galaxy. All the exhibits were created by the young people or elaborated by professional artists based on their tastes and requests.
**Funders, local councillors, families and professionals** were invited to an exclusive exhibition opening event.
**The CAFADA team** plan to continue to attend SPACE sessions in 23/24 to further their research with the young people through interviews and participatory activities.
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## **Hub Club Café: Pilot Project from May 2022 to January 2023**
Since **May 2022** , the **café space** at the front of the project **piloted operating as a community hub** , **meeting place** and **co-working space** and has provided many opportunities for triage work leading to faster referrals and better connectivity with the local community. The previous café (community interest company) closed in April 2022 as a direct result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The café sits at the **front of the Project building** and has the only internal part visible from the street. If the café is closed, it makes the whole project appear shut (even though there are activities running right through Monday to Saturday). Project 229 needed to come up with **a solution to maintain connectivity with the community** . Initially the plan was to spend time trying to find a new café provider who would fit the ethos of the project.
In the meantime, a desk was built in the café space so that the Project Manager could work from there, **enabling the doors to open** and provide **opportunities to stay connected** with the local community. This also enabled the **evaluation** of the **effectiveness and importance of providing an accessible, warm, and welcoming space** for both organisations and residents.
Over the course of the 8-month pilot, the national financial picture became very uncertain, and it was clear that it would not be the right time to support a new independent start-up company trying to make a profit in uncertain times.
Staff and volunteers in the café were **regularly signposting and supporting people towards accessing the help that they needed** . This included access to free **debt support** , **foodbank vouchers** and support through organisations such as the **fuel foundation** . There has been an **increase in organisations contacting 229** to request providing regular support services. This includes housing associations, charities providing digital inclusion support, employment and skills services, Credit Union, health and wellbeing advisors, Job Centre and Early Help Professionals. This **aids the provision of support for complex needs** and helps to build trust with, and increase access to, early intervention and statutory services.
Many of 229’s services are being provided to **specifically counter isolation** . The café provides **a warm welcome for those who are lonely and isolated** . With no pressure as a commercial venture to make a profit, people are encouraged to stay as long as they want to, with **friendly staff and volunteers to talk to** as well having **access to puzzles and games and low-cost drinks and snacks** . Bedford Borough Parent Carer Forum (supporting families with young people up to the age of 25 with additional needs) are now using 229 as their permanent base, running regular coffee mornings and providing one to one support. Carers of those with conditions including dementia are more informally using the café as somewhere to come to for respite and to play a game or chat.
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Community Vaccination Engagement Officers / Public Health from Bedford Borough are regularly visiting 229 to meet people and support them with healthcare advice. Bedford ESOL hub have also used the café as a base to meet clients and look at next steps for learning as well as tackling concerns with money and housing. We are seeing **an increase in diverse ethnic groups accessing services** for support **both at the crisis and social ends of the spectrum** . This has included (but is not limited to) Arabic, Albanian, multiple Asian language, Romanian, and Ukrainian speakers.
Project 229’s services are supporting clients with complex, long-term and life limiting conditions. **Adults with learning disabilities** regularly access the café as **a safe place to socialise** with/ without staff from support agencies. Our social activity services actively promote their inclusive ethos and provide opportunities for children and young people with additional needs.
## **Hub Club Café: Funded Project from February 2023**
The opportunity to apply for funding to support the development of warm space projects came through **Compass Wellbeing and Bedford Borough Council** . Project 229 was successful in gaining a development grant to cover the period February 2023 to June 2023.
The project took the risk to run the café as **a not-for-profit space** , providing drinks and snacks at very low cost, but with no obligation for visitors to have to buy anything if they simply needed a safe space to spend time in. As a result, the café space has become **more intrinsically linked with the rest of the work of the project** than ever before.
The grant also enabled the purchase of new equipment and the **development of a food offer** in the form of soup provision (initially on the days that foodbank ran).
## **Up to the end of March 2023**
- Purchasing of equipment to develop a food provision
- New ‘free to access’ services running in the café
- Advice and support gained from Environmental Health and Marmite Fine Dining Catering Ltd
- Basic data kept in the café logging who accessed and for what purpose
- People gaining support quickly with staff being more accessible in the space
- Referral rates for services increasing
- New volunteers gaining skills and confidence
## **Good Conversations Volunteer Training: Provided for Hub Club Volunteers**
National charity, Linking Lives UK, developed a training session aimed at volunteers operating in community spaces such as lunch clubs, community cafes, drop-in centres or warm spaces. The course covered subjects such as ‘effective listening skills’, ‘boundaries’ and ‘safeguarding’. It is based on skills used through befriending schemes which form part of the charity’s work to address loneliness and social isolation.
As an example, the team logged an average of 200+ people / interventions in the café the week beginning 20[th] to 24[th] March (an average of 40+ per day).
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Interventions / reasons for attending included:
Low-cost drinks and snacks Company Place to chill Asking about services To see a member of staff Tutoring To be referred to a service Meetings Mindful Colouring Free Craft Foodbank Vouchers Board Games Access to one-to-one support Workspace
**Useful findings and needs analysis to help further development of the project:**
Being **mindful of the needs of people** who come through the door is a big part of the café function. Staff and volunteers take the time to chat to people, **share information** about up-and-coming workshops and **undertake referrals** to services. Services such as the Multiply Project have developed recently and have benefited from the **increase in referrals** from people who frequently access the café and other support services.
The benefit of the café being low cost / **not for profit enables people to feel comfortable to stay if they want to** with no pressure to ‘leave a table’ or buy more drinks. Mindful colouring, books and games are always available.
With support from Bedford’s ‘Men In Sheds’, Project 229 developed **a little library and swap station** outside the café for people to take information about ‘what’s on’ as well as swap books, DVD’s, magazines and craft packs.
**Quote from service user:**
_“This place has saved my life / changed my life. For the first time I feel like I belong somewhere… Even if there isn’t a club on, I know I can come here, get a cup of tea, and have someone to smile with. We laugh so much here in the group!”_
**Quote from Volunteer at Hub Club Café:** _“Volunteering at Project 229 has changed not only my life but me as a person. I used to be a lot more quiet and introverted and was afraid to reach out for the opportunities I wanted and had a select number of people I liked to be around… but volunteering at Project 229 has changed that more than I expected it to! I have gained so much more confidence in myself and my capabilities, as well as when interacting with other people._
_It's clear how much this space and the workshops and services that run here mean to the users and the local community. I am proud to be part of this place and be making a difference in people’s lives through the work we do here. Since volunteering here, as well as taking part in a few workshops myself, I have acquired my first ever paid job and made so many new friends… things that I didn’t have the confidence to do as easily before. We feel like more than just a charity or community space, it feels like a family and there’s nothing warmer and more wonderful than that.”_
|**Data Type **|**Totals**|
|---|---|
|No. Sessions(Open Days)|42|
|Minimum Attendances / Interventions**(Feb 2022 to March 2023)**|**1431**|
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## **Solution Focussed Therapy One-To-One Sessions**
As part of the services provided through Project 229, **Solution Focused Therapy (SFT)** is a brief intervention enabling clients to identify their **preferred pathway and ‘best hopes’ for the future** . It looks towards problem solving rather than past difficulties.
The qualified practitioner is a volunteer, so the only costs are for clinical supervision and room hire. Working in a collaborative project ensures that where SFT is not the most appropriate support, clients can be referred on to counselling or other appropriate services. For clients who are wanting to find a way forward but who are feeling ‘stuck’, it is an **effective and helpful way to create sustainable change** .
These sessions have been invaluable to Project 229 clients, many of whom are **referred to SFT through**
**other service providers** . During this reporting period at least **21 people have been supported** .
## **Other Project 229 Activities / Services**
Project 229 continues to offer a **bursary scheme** encouraging groups to provide free of charge places for individuals who would otherwise struggle to access their services. This is on a **professional referral** basis only via Project 229.
Project 229 **works with a network of partners to improve referral pathways** and understands that many people who require support have multiple and complex needs. When organisations and projects are willing to work together people are more likely to gain improved support and access to services.
Project 229 has continued working with services to **develop online referral forms** for groups that could be used for self / professional referrals. These now include:
- Well Woman Workshop: https://www.project229.org/wellwoman
- The Art Well: https://www.project229.org/artwell
- The Net: https://www.project229.org/thenet
- Solution Focussed Therapy: https://tinyurl.com/besthopes
Project 229 continues to produce **newsletters, advertising, social media content and press releases** to promote the services and activities that run at or are supported by the centre.
## **www.project229.org/whatsonnow**
## **Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)**
You **may choose** to include further statements, where relevant, about:
- policy on grantmaking;
- policy programme related investment;
- contribution made by volunteers.
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Many of the **activities and services at Project 229 would not be able to run without the dedicated support of volunteers** from the community. Volunteers support Project 229 to manage the administrative work associated with running the project including general admin, invoicing, and other finance support.
During this year some of the project volunteers have **continued working remotely** to support Project 229’s admin function. This includes **finance support and invoice creation** . We are also thankful for the support of volunteers who help specific services. One volunteer has the role of taking **SPACE families through the induction process** once referrals come in. Other volunteers help the function of **The Art Well** and many of our other support services. One volunteer (trained by BRIEF) provides Project 229’s **Solution Focussed Therapy** service.
Project 229 has begun to create **new referral pathways for Café volunteers** in partnership with **The Art Well and the Well Woman Workshop** . The aim is to support people as they move on with their journey through services towards their personal goals (including confidence building, gaining experience or working towards paid employment).
We want to also thank **supporters from some of our donor / fundraising groups** who not only raise funds but provide **practical support** at our community centre, including sweeping up the leaves outside and continuing to keep on top of our seasonal planting!
Without the continued **contribution by our donor** (who wishes to remain anonymous) of the use of his **land and outdoor swimming facilities** , we would not have been able to continue to provide the **Summer Activities** that the young people from **SPACE** enjoy so much.
Project 229 is also indebted to **groups, organisations and individuals** who have raised funds to support the work of the project throughout 2022 and 2023.
Project 229 has continued **developing the website** to include information about other services and activity programmes including pages for the services offering **more intensive support** . www.project229.org (see various menus)
## Section D Achievements and performance
**Summary of the Statement from The Trustees: Lionel Stewart MBE (Chair) main achievements of** _Project 229 continues to go from strength to strength, having weathered the storm of_ **the charity** _COVID-19 I am confident that we are stronger and more resilient than before._ **during the year** _Our dedicated team of staff and volunteers continue to be our backbone and together with Beccy (Project manager) I believe we can reach even greater heights. I am thankful for all the support that our experienced trustees give the project. It is clear from the increase of footfall that project 229 is a major part of the community of Kempston and a much-needed resource._
**TAR**
March **2023**
15
**Section E Financial review**
**Brief statement** The Trustees have set aside some money which was given to Project 229 by The Ibbett **of the charity’s** Trust (Now Bedfordshire Charitable Trust) to put into reserves. The Trustees are **policy on** considering additional funds to include in the charity’s reserves. The policy on **reserves** reserves will aim to set aside enough money to meet potential needs, such as an unexpected drop in income, major repairs or equipment replacement and building works. This will be made separate from the charity’s general reserves. **Details of any** The funding stream that runs in arrears is SPACE funded by The Harpur Trust. This is **funds materially** not a material deficit. **in deficit Further financial review details (Optional information)**
You **may choose** to include additional information, where relevant about:
- the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);
• how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity; investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.
## **Local Fundraising and Donations including:**
- **Kempston Town Council:** Donation from Mayor
- **Rotary Club of Bedford Park:** Donation from Art Event (Paint Bedford) for The Art Well
- **Rotary Club of Bedford Park:** Donation for SPACE
- **Woodfines LLP:** Donation to Project 229
- **A L and G Abbott:** Donation to Project 229
- **Bedford and County Golf Club:** Fundraised Donation to Project 229
- **Hub Club Community Café:** Not-for Profit Café and Warm Space at 229
- **Grants including:**
- **The Harpur Trust** : continued funding for SPACE
- **The National Lottery Community Fund:** for The Art Well
- **Panacea Charitable Trust** Mixed Project Grant
- **KFC Foundation:** for SPACE Youth projects
- **Bedfordshire Luton Community Foundation** (BLCF) Sustainability Grant for SPACE
The chart (below) shows the % of different **income types recorded in 22/23** and does not include brought forward income from 21/22.
**TAR**
March **2023**
16
The chart (below) shows the percentage **income from 20/21** as a comparison.
Project 229 **gained more income in 22/23 from room hire and lease hire** as most groups returned to face-to-face provision.
**Donations and local fundraising** also **increased in 22/23** compared to the previous year.
The chart (below) shows the % of different **expenditure types recorded in 22/23.**
The chart (below) shows the percentage **income from 21/22** as a comparison.
In **22/23 some expenditure costs increased** as services returned to face-to-face provision. Rates such as utilities costs went up.
Project 229 became liable to pay a building lease fee from March 2023.
This forms part of a lease set up with the Bedfordshire Charitable Trust for the ongoing long-term use of Project 229 for providing community services.
**Staffing** and **Project Activity costs** continue to be Project 229’s greatest expenditure.
## **Section F Other o tional information p**
**TAR**
March **2023**
17
**Section G Declaration**
**The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.**
## **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees**
|**Signature(s)**
**Full name(s)**
**Position (e.g., Secretary,**
**Chair, etc)**
**Date**|||
|---|---|---|
||Lionel Stewart|Bipinchandra Shah|
||
Chair of Trustees|Trustee|
||31/01/2024||
||31/01/2024||
**TAR**
March **2023**
18
||**Project 229**|**Project 229**|**Project 229**|**No (if any)**
**1178577**|**No (if any)**
**1178577**|**CC16a**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Receipts and payments accounts**||||||
||**For the period from**|01 April 2022|**To**||31-Mar-23||
||||||||
|**Section A Receipts and payments**|||||||
|**A1 Receipts**|**Unrestricted funds**
**to the nearest £**
**11,605**
**21,873**
**25,379**
**-**
**845**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**59,702**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**59,702**
**37,561**
**16,302**
**7,459**
**9,932**
**7,293**
**-**
**-**
**78,547**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**78,547**
**- 18,846**|**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest**
**£**
**1,773**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**140,628**
**-**
**-**
**142,401**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**142,401**
**29,151**
**5,916**
**-**
**-**
**57,844**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**92,912**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**92,912**
**49,490**||**Total funds**
**to the nearest**
**£**
**13,378**
**21,873**
**25,379**
**-**
**845**
**140,628**
**-**
**-**
**202,103**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**202,103**
**66,712**
**22,219**
**7,459**
**9,932**
**65,137**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**171,459**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**171,459**
**30,644**|**Last year**
**to the**
**nearest £**|
|DONATIONS / LOCAL
FUNDRAISING|**11,605**|||||**1,568**|
|GROUP ROOM HIRE|**21,873**|||||**10,888**|
|LEASE HIRE / UTILITY
INCOME|**25,379**|||||**13,343**|
|OTHER- SPECIFIC PROJECT
INCOME|**-**|||||**-**|
|ADVERTISING INCOME|**845**|||||**245**|
|GRANT/ TRUST INCOME|**-**|||||**145,952**|
||**-**|||||**-**|
||**-**|||||**-**|
|**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for_
_AR)_|**59,702**|||||**171,996**|
||||||||
|**A2 Asset and investment**
**sales, (see table).**|||||||
||**-**||||||
||**-**|||||**-**|
|**_Sub total_**|**-**|||||**-**|
|**_Total receipts_ **
**A3 Payments**|||||||
|||||||**171,996**|
||||||||
|SALARY|**37,561**|||||**55,326**|
|BUILDING / OFFICE
EXPENSES|**16,302**|||||**12,994**|
|CONTRACT CLEANING
/SUPPLIERS|**7,459**|||||**3,721**|
|RATES / BUILDING
MAINTENANCE|**9,932**|||||**12,232**|
|PROJECT ACTIVITIES|**7,293**|||||**69,561**|
|||||||**-**|
|||||||**-**|
||**-**|||||**-**|
||**-**|||||**-**|
|**_Sub total_ **|**78,547**|||||**153,834**|
||||||||
|**A4 Asset and investment**
**purchases, (see table)**|||||||
||**-**||||||
||**-**||||||
|**_Sub total_ **|**-**|||||**-**|
|**_Total payments_ **
**_Net of receipts/(payments)_**|||||||
|||||||**153,834**|
||||||||
||**- 18,846**|**-**|**49,490**||**30,644**|**18,162**|
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
31/01/2024
1
|**A5 Transfers between funds**
**A6 Cash funds last year end**
**_Cash funds this year end_**|**-**|
|**-**|
|**-**||**-**||**-**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**- 3,980**||**-**||**101,279**||**97,299**||**79,138**|
||**- 22,826**||**-**||**150,769**||**127,943**||**97,300**|
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
31/01/2024
2
|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Categories**
**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))
**Details**
**Details**
**Details**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
~~Agreement~~
Error
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to**
**which asset**
**belongs**
**Fund to**
**which asset**
**belongs**
**Fund to**
**which liability**
**relates**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
OK
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Cost**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Cost**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|
|||||**-**|
|||||**-**|
|||||**-**|
|||||**-**
|
|||||~~Agreement~~
Error|
|||||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|
|||||**-**|
|||||**-**|
|||||**-**|
|||||**-**|
|||||**-**|
|||||**-**|
|||||**Current**
**value**
**(optional)**|
|||||**-**|
|||||**-**|
|||||**-**|
|||||**-**|
|||||**-**|
|||||**Current**
**value**
**(optional)**|
|||||**-**|
|||||**-**|
|||||**-**|
|||||**-**|
|||||**-**|
|||||**-**|
|||||**-**|
|||||**-**|
|||||**-**|
|||||**When due**
**(optional)**|
||||**-**||
||||**-**||
||||**-**||
||||**-**||
CCXX R3 accounts (SS)
31/01/2024
3
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees
**----- Start of picture text -----**
-
Date of
Signature Print Name
approval
Lionel Stewart
31/01/2024
Bipinchandra Shah
31/01/2024
**----- End of picture text -----**
CCXX R4 accounts (SS)
31/01/2024
4
|CHARITY COMMISSION
lndependentexaminer's reportonthe|CHARITY COMMISSION
lndependentexaminer's reportonthe|
|---|---|
|FORTNGLAND|ANDWALTS
accounts|
|Reportto the trustees|?Q.J€c(zzq|
|Onaccountsforthe year
ended|3(YlAActt
2oL3
"'ifl,lrjlrtzsstt|
|Setoutonpages|1AJo2|
||Ireporttothetrustees onmyexaminationofthe accountsoftheabove|
||ch.arity("the Trust") for theyearended|
|Responsibilitiesand|As the charity'strustees,you areresponsiblefor thepreparation of the|
|basis of report|accountsin accordancewith the requirementsoftheCharitiesAct2011|
||("the Act").|
||Ireportin respectofmyexaminationoftheTrust's accounts carriedout|
||undersection145ofthe2011Act andincarrying outmyexamination,I|
||havefollowedallthe applicableDirectionsgivenbythe CharityCommission|
||undersection145(5Xb) oftheAct.|
|lndependent
examiner's statement|[Thecharity's grossincomeexceededf250,000andIam qualified to
undertake the examinationby being aqualifiedmemberof [insertname of
applicablelistedbodyll. Deletellitnotapplicable.|
||I havecompletedmyexamination.Iconfirm that nomaterialmattershave|
||cometomyattentionin connectionwith the examination(other thanthat
disclosedbelow*)whichgivesme causetobelievethatin,anymaterial|
||respect:|
||othe accountingrecordswerenotkeptinaccordance with section130|
||oftheCharitiesAct;or|
||.theaccountsdidnot accordwith the accountingrecords; or|
||.theaccountsdidnot comply withthe applicablerequirements|
||concerning theformandcontentofaccounts set outintheCharities|
||(Accounts andReports) Regulations2008 other than anyrequirement|
||thattheaccountsgive a'trueandfair' view whichis not a matter|
||consideredas part ofanindependent examination.|
||I have noconcernsand havecome acrossnoothermatters in connection|
||with theexamination towhich attention shouldbedrawninthisreportin|
||orderto enable aproperunderstandingoftheaccountstobe reached.|