## **Summary Annual Report** ## **2022-23** **Suffolk West Federation of Women’s Institutes (CIO) Federation Offices: Unit 11, Park Farm Business Centre, Fornham St Genevieve, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP28 6TS Tel: 01284 336645 email:office@swfwi.org.uk** **Registered Charity Number 1179294** ## **Annual Report** ## **Trustees during 2022 -2023** |1
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10|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year **|**Name of person (or body) entitled to**
**appoint trustee (ifany)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Maggie Glavin|Chairman||SWFWI WIs| ||Jill Gooch|Vice Chairman||SWFWI WIs| ||Helen Lindfield|Vice Chairman||SWFWI WIs| ||Margaret
Brackenbury|Vice Chairman||| ||Sue Archer|Treasurer||SWFWI WIs| ||Yvonne King|||SWFWI WIs| ||Anne Ling|||SWFWI WIs| ||Linda Gridley|||SWFWI WIs| ||June Bryant|||SWFWI WIs| ||Tina Walker|||SWFWI WIs| ## **Governance** The Federation has a constitution approved by the National Federation of Women’s Institutes and by the Charity Commission. The managing trustees are voted for every two (2) years by the WIs of the Federation. They take office after the end of that year’s annual meeting. ## **Additional governance issues** Trustees attend formal Trustee training provided by NFWI. They are also expected to work through the e-learning Trustee Training Module provided by NFWI on the WI Training website. ## **Staff** The Federation employs two part time members of staff: Federation Secretary Rachel Hows and Finance Assistant Rachel Sparks ## **Objects of the WI** The objects of the Federation are to further the purposes of the Women’s Institute movement in West Suffolk. The main purposes of the Women’s Institute organisation are: - (a) to advance the education of women and girls for the public benefit in all areas including (without limitation): - i. local, national and international issues of political and social importance - ii. music, drama and other cultural subjects; and - iii. all branches of agriculture, crafts, home economics, science, health and social welfare - (b) to promote sustainable development for the public benefit by: - i. educating people in the preservation, conservation and protection of the environment and the prudent use of natural resources; and - ii. promoting sustainable means of achieving economic growth and regeneration - (c) to advance health for the public benefit - (d) to advance citizenship for the public benefit by the promotion of civic responsibility and volunteering. ## **Achievements** We still consider our greatest achievements are keeping up the interest of our members in our work and events at Federation and encouraging them to keep their own WIs going, having fun and enjoying the friendship that the WI is famous for. ## **Summary of the main activities of the organisation** We held our Annual Meeting at Culford School with all the usual reports and guest speakers who were Julian Norton of The Yorkshire Vet program and Ben Cross, a nurseryman from Brighton specialising in Alstroemeria. The Hive, our on line news letter, continued but has changed now to a single publication each month going out by email and with printed copies for those who request them. The new style website was passed over to our committee and although it still has some work to be done, it is looking more up to date. The Public Relations and Media team has been working hard to recruit new members, attending local shows and markets and a new WI may be formed to include the new Marham Park area of Bury St Edmunds. We have held a number of interesting events including a lunch with guest speaker and historian Jonathan Foyle, 2 Cream tea events to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles, coach trip to Cromer end of Pier show, Thursford Christmas Spectacular, local walks, whist teas, chickenfoot drafts, indoor kurling, craft mornings and full days events. Our Bridge afternoons ended due to lack of support. This had been a good source of income but most people had gone on line or joined other groups because the WI group held off returning due to Covid fears. Monthly events like Soup & Natter, Mahjong and Craft & Chat continue to be popular. Unfortunately Music in the Park had to be cancelled as the performers had double booked and some events had to be cancelled due to lack of interest. Members have been slow to come back to supporting the federation events even though we have tried to put on events which the board consider would be of interest and advertised in the Hive, Facebook and Eventbrite. We look forward to 2023-24 when we will hold our annual meeting at Thurston Community College, run a quiz, arrange some coach trips and have some smaller craft and sports events. The National Annual Meeting will be at The Royal Albert Hall in 2024. ## **Financial Review** ## **Reserves Policy** ## **The Federation holds reserves for several reasons.** 1. To cover cash flow situations where for instance the subscriptions which provide a substantial part of the income are only received in March/ April to - cover the whole year. 2. To cover for unforeseen emergency or unexpected needs. 3. Cover for unforeseen day to day operational costs such as employing - temporary staff to cover long term sick absence. 4. To meet planned commitments that cannot be met from future income alone. 5. To support the office costs following the sale of owned premises and the rental of current premises, with a view that new premises may be purchased in future. The proceeds from the sale of the Federation’s own property are held as reserves but split to give both access and income. The larger part has been invested through a stockbroker which specialises in charity’s funds and aims to provide, as far as possible, inflation proofing income and increase in values combined with a low to medium risk. The Reserves policy, which was reviewed last year, has seen the interest and dividends paid into our current account until our financial position improves. This has proved helpful as the federation would not have had sufficient funds for the year. This has been another challenging year financially with some fund-raising events having to be cancelled with lack of support. The profit and loss account unsurprisingly shows a deficit of £22,846.00, which is slightly less than the previous year’s deficit. Cost increases were mainly due to increased electric costs, increased salaries and general cost of living increases. There was no increase in our rent at the midway point of the contract which was a relief but the lease ends in May 2026 so decisions will need to be made and options considered for after that time. Any losses are met from our investments which have performed well but as inflation has been around 10% and our income from investments around 3% we can only hope that inflation will go down, especially fuel prices. As a business there is not price cap on our charges. Our membership numbers and hence subscriptions have remained steady but we are working to get back to our pre pandemic numbers. As ever the board of trustees continue their efforts to reduce costs wherever possible and increase income. I 8888 888 88 iri tD O¥ ffl r4 Q ri Ui rri 88888 88 888888 ￿40 z<