## SHREWSBURY FURNITURE SCHEME – (HOME ESSENTIALS) ## ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24 Recycling furniture, electrical & household goods for re-use in the community Helping to meet the needs of low income families in Shropshire since 1994 Reducing the amount that ends up in landfill every year. Warehouse: Unit 9b Hartley Business Centre, Monkmoor Road, Shrewsbury, SY2 5ST Reg Charity No: 1179323 - Tel: 01743 246668 Shop: 27/28 Castle Street, Shrewsbury, SY1 2BQ - Tel: 01743 236382 ## OVERVIEW The Shrewsbury Furniture Scheme is a registered charity which began in 1994. Our aim was to provide affordable, second-hand furniture to low income families in the Shrewsbury area. Since our inception, we have come a long way. We have now grown to cover a larger portion of the Shropshire area, We now supply furniture and white goods through the local council as well as through our warehouse and shop. We employ several volunteers who generously give up their time to support us in our objectives. A number of them have gone on to get jobs within the wider community and have gained confidence and skills to take with them. We are proud to have been a part of their journey. ## THE CHARITY'S OBJECTIVES To relieve poverty and to protect and preserve the environment, by: a) Providing assistance for those in genuine need or distressed persons resident in Shrewsbury and surrounding area, by the provision to them of essential furniture, electrical and other household items. b) Collecting donated items for checking, repairing, refurbishing, storage and subsequent supply. c) Recycling, re-using and repairing / upcycling furniture, household and electrical goods which would otherwise be disposed of in landfill. d) Empowering the unemployed and others with additional needs, providing them with opportunities to acquire and practice skills, both to gain confidence and contribute to the community by establishing volunteer training schemes to undertake repair and refurbishment for recycling, thus providing essential training to facilitate re-entry to the workplace. e) Educating and informing the public about sustainable lifestyles and the benefits to the community of recycling, reuse and environmentally friendly waste management ## BOARD OF TRUSTEES A board of trustees, elected annually at the AGM, oversees the running of the charity, which employs three full time & four part time staff. Willie Strachan (Chair), Neil Bryant (Treasurer), Mike Hall, Graham Baker, Rosi Pearson, Margaret Roberts. ## CHAIRMAN'S REPORT In the year 2023/24 the Scheme served many more customers, proof that the well documented ‘cost of living’ crisis is with us in Shropshire. We continue to try and reach out to those who are less fortunate and to provide much needed help. We are aware that there are people in need in our community who may be unaware of our services and we are making ourselves and our offering better known through various media streams. This is proving successful and it is comforting to know that we have helped our communities. Despite an increase in customers and sales, we recorded a deficit of £18,210. Costs continue to rise, and we are now more dependent on grants to support the Scheme. However, we have been successful in receiving grant support and in 2024, have received significant further funds to fund our offering. Our grant funding in the financial year came from The National Lottery, The Albert Hunt Trust, The Sackler Trust and Veolia and we are very grateful for this assistance. Despite the deficit, the charity has £76,150 in cash reserves, which provides a healthy buffer to allow us to plan ahead with confidence. The shop recorded its best ever sales figure with an increase of £9,200 over last year. We have been fortunate to receive good quality furniture from our donors. The shop continues to provide financial support to the Scheme. We continue to review opportunities to grow this business. We have continued our upcycling project whereby items of furniture that may be considered ‘difficult to sell’ but with potential for renewal have been revived and refreshed to provide goods that are attractive and extremely popular. These items which may have been destroyed now have a second life. Thanks must go to our wonderful volunteers at both the warehouse and the shop who have generously given in excess of 8500 hours of their time to support the charity, and to the employees and trustees who all help to ensure that the Scheme provides essential support to those less fortunate within our community. We must also thank the residents of Shrewsbury, Shropshire and beyond who have donated household goods. We have made over 1000 deliveries and over 1100 collections. Our Long-serving Scheme Manager Peter Clarke left the business in August, we thank Peter for his hard work and devotion to the Scheme. We were all saddened by the death of Les Jones. Les was a stalwart of the scheme, serving many years as a trustee and as a volunteer in the shop. He was a gentleman with several other voluntary hats, who loved meeting people and was always gracious and interesting. We will miss him. Volunteers: Shaun Haynes Pete Edwards Barrie Love John Pritchard Dave Parsons Harry Bates Owen Holtham Donna Lindsay Margaret Blakeley Caroline Turner Les Jones Lyn Bowley Lisbeth Jones Toni Salema Liz Davies •573547 7•.93&14 145JIO.•J 4514) Jal.71&22 l597 J.597. J5.IKI J.J9X Joffjity) Olhw Gr•n 19.91$ 14 181 fty A219(• lJl9. L12l 1.128 fy) I?JX2? n.ts14m 41.M2 J4 IJY9 YI 1399.71 ?J74 74 irn. J¥Jg7,44 1.710.65 5JZJ• 1251. OAbJ •LW 11 J7.77&31 11937&11 14S07 29a.•? ?￿J.?• L516 17 IW¥•s 241.77 7AI)).J> L)68.24 IW27 JM i?y. iJ*J.iJ YJ17.Xl 1297.iKI IY7A• Jis.J• 1.59). L104 IJ 227 50 LZ97 (0 19.12 6791 121. iJ9190 707.26 VATth* 1.759. 122.997 xo rnn025 ￿1￿0.7• IIIA29.7• IW22J•) xJ61.oJ ISIL61 .161.03 SHREWSBURY FURNITURE SCHEME Home E$5entlals STATEMENT OF A55ETS AND LIABILMESAT 31 MARCH 1024 CASH FUNDS Cash ai Bènk 75.985.35 Petty Cash 165.26 76,150.61 A55ET5 RETAINED FCWI THE CHARrrY's OWN USE Cost Current Val￿@ Vans 43,724.68 35.773.21 4,752.40 3,270.59 6.647.(X) 361.(X) Equipment Racking Shop fittinBs 4.35 185.25 87,520.88 7.197.fA) 5hrewStr￿ry Furnllure Sch•n¢- Essentlals Year ended 31 M•rth 2024 In+*endent examlnerfs report to the trustees of5hrew￿ry FumllureStheme- Home Essentla15 I report on the attached accounts of the charFty forthe year ended 31 March 2024. RespectlN* responsI￿lItIeS ol trustees and examlner rhe charitrfs irustees are iespjnsible lor the preparation of the accounts. The chadtvs trustees conslder that an audlt Is not requlred for this year under sectlon 144121 of the Charllies Act 2011 (the 2011 ktl and th* an Independent ey3minatKin Is needed. It is my ￿spOnSIbIlItY to= examine the accounts uncler secth)n 145 01 the 2011 Act to lollow the procedures lald down In the general Dlrections glven by the commIS￿On under settlon 145lSllbl ol ihe 2011 Act to slate whether partkular matters have come to my attentkin Basls ol Independent examIn￿$ report My examination was carried out In accordante with the genefal Dirertlons Biven by the Charity Commission. An examination Includes a revlew of the accounting records kept by the charlty and a Cr￿parISOn of the accounts presented wlth those records. It also includes consSderation of arv unusual Items or disclosures in the accounts. and seeking explanaiions from you as trustees concerning anysuch matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence thai wouk be requlred in an audit and consequently no oplnlon Is glven as to whether the accounts present a -true and lalr VIe￿ and the report Is Ilmfted io those maners sei In the next siatement. Indepèndènt examlnorfs statement In conr*ctlon wSth my examlnaiion, no mater has come to my attentlon.. 111 whlth Blves me reasonable cause to belle¥e that In any maierlal respert the requlrements= io keep accounting records In accordance with section 130 01 the 2011 Act and io prepare Kcounts whlch accord wlth the accounting recordsand complywlth the accouniin8 requliements of the 2011 Act have noi been met of 121 to whlch. In my oplrtion. attentlon should be drawn In order to enab￿ a woper understandln8 of the attounts to be ￿athe￿ D(MW D C Blofleld 85c FCA Independeni examlner Emstrey House Shrewsbury Buslness Pa Shrewsbury 5hropshire SY2 6LG Date.. 22nd May 2024 ANNUAL REPORT Shrewsbury Furniture Scheme li Charity Number.. 1179828 202312024 Shrewsbury Furniture O Scheme Tel: 01743 246 668 COMMUNITY FUNO Shrews . iirnit RewlingluTnilure. èlectri(al & household goods lor re-use in the community **Recycling furniture electrical and household goods for re-use in the community.** **Helping to meet the needs of low-income families in Shropshire since 1994** **Reducing the amount that ends up in landfill every year.** **Warehouse: Unit 9b Hartley Business Centre, Monkmoor Road, Shrewsbury, SY2 5ST** **Shop: 27/28 Castle Street, Shrewsbury, SY1 2BQ**