## 2020/21 **Annual Report** CreateBolton ## **Creationships that make a difference…** ## **Contents** 1. Introduction 2. The Vision 3. Resources 4. Claremont 5. The Services 6. The Future (2022/23) and beyond…2030… 2 ## **1. Introduction** CreateBolton has had a year like no other. The global Pandemic greatly affected our service delivery in so many ways. From the end of March 2020 like so many other charities, we had to suddenly stop doing what we do, the way we’ve always done it. Our strapline is ‘Creationships that make a difference’…for a reason. We are created by God to be in relationship with Him and with each other and that has been sorely tested during this most recent period. ## **Statement from our Chair** Alison Lomax - Chair of Trustees _I’d like to start by saying a huge thanks to all our customers, our volunteers and our supporters for staying with us during this difficult period. Without you, there would be no charity called CreateBolton. Without you we wouldn’t be able to do what we do and do it so well and without you we wouldn’t be able to make the difference we are reliably told we are making._ _Like many other organisations, we’ve needed to make significant changes to how we work, some temporary, others permanent but we firmly believe that we will grow into a stronger organisation, more resilient and even more acutely aware of the needs of the people we support. As we look back over the last year, we can see many examples of just how important the support we provide is to more and more people. However, we must be honest, we lost resources, we weren’t able to open Cafe Create, we lost volunteers and momentum, and it was far from easy returning to support people in person. We are stronger pulling together and will continue to respond to the need before us. We look forward to the year ahead and hope that you will continue to journey with us._ 3 This annual report reflects the fact that we were originally established as a Charity registered with the Charity Commission in July 2013 and will therefore celebrate our 10 years in 2023. This report covers the period September 2021 through to August 2022, as we are now a Charitable Incorporated Organisation CIO (1179761) and these dates define our accounting year. We have not added any projects in this year, and yet we grow in other ways as we believe God is leading us. We have also taken steps with our trustees to refresh our values, mission and our vision as follows: ## **2. The Vision** – Why does CreateBolton exist? Our **Objectives,** remain consistent with the Charity Commission Objects originally submitted within our application: _To advance and promote the use of the ‘Creative Arts’ in their widest sense, as a way of:_ - _Providing support and creative experiences for young people that develop their skills, capacities, and capabilities to enable them to participate in society as mature and responsible creative individuals._ - _Reducing social isolation and building confidence in both vulnerable adults and older people._ - _To preserve and protect the health of those caring for people with physical, mental or sensory impairment within the family or home by offering a creative break from caring through the provision of a creative experience away from the home._ - _To advance the Christian faith lived out in practice for the benefit of the public in accordance with the teachings of Jesus Christ._ ## **Vision** Our vision is a Bolton Community where everyone is included, and where everyone’s creative talents and contributions are welcomed, utilised, and celebrated. 4 ## **Mission** We use multiple forms of creative arts to bring out the gifts and talents of those people who face barriers to being able to confidently play an active part in their community. Through workshops, support groups and one to one mentoring we build confidence, trust, and an aspiration to both create and to contribute. We refer to this as **‘creationships that make a difference’** . ## **Values** Our values reflect who we are and are synonymous with CreateBolton: ## · **Inclusion** - We are a charity that includes all, that actively seeks to attract all and will bring all together ## · **Integrity** - We are a charity that is authentic in all that we seek to accomplish; acting in our communities’ best interests,’ and we can be trusted and relied upon to honour our commitments. ## · **Identity** - We value all people as unique individuals with something to give. We are a Christian charity, and the teachings and person of Jesus are core to our identity Within this year, we have been particularly struck by verses in Philippians 4: v13 _‘I can do all this through him who gives me strength’_ We have also been inspired by the following quote attributed to John Wesley. _Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can._ ## _**John Wesley**_ 5 ## **3. Resources** Section 4 will update you on the use of the CreateBolton space at Claremont House, however, there have been significant changes to our resources in the last 12 months: - a) **People** – Our staff team (2) has changed during this year. We started with a leadership of three, but for a number of reasons, our friend and colleague Ann Lowton decided that God was calling her in a different direction. Our volunteer numbers continue to be fluid and very flexible. During the year we have been blessed with more than 40 different volunteers at different points, and although our numbers did reduce noticeably during this pandemic period, we are seeing signs of new growth, in those supporting us to deliver services. We continue using younger volunteers from 14+ in the Café and most of them either come to us through word of mouth, or through one of the local colleges. We cannot exist without our volunteers as they are the heart and soul of what we do. At the height of the pandemic we were restricted on the numbers of volunteers we could utilise as we have needed to rearrange the layout within the café in particular to allow for appropriate social distancing. As Cafe Create was closed from March 2020 until June 2021, we were unable to deploy many volunteers at that time. Since reopening, we have returned to providing a placement for a young person with a learning disability in our kitchen, this time from Bury College. In January 2021, we held two volunteer briefings where we shared updates on what's going on in CreateBolton, shared Policies and listened to ideas from our volunteers around areas we could improve. This has been a wonderful experience, planned and purposeful and helping all concerned. We needed to hold further volunteer briefings with a specific focus on Covid prior to the cafe reopening in June 2021. 6 During this year, we have also cemented our working relationship with a growing number of local artists who have become associates with CreateBolton. This has been a blessing to CreateBolton, and we can see more fruit to come in the years ahead. - b) **Financial** – CreateBolton continues to operate in line with Charity Commission guidelines, holding enough reserves which are currently slightly greater than we require which is a healthy position to be in. As we approach the end of this reporting year, we are about to switch over to a new accounting system called ExpensePlus. - i. We continue to rent space at Claremont House for many of our services but specifically for Café Create, and for all our activities that take place within the café, the Rudkin Room and the Create Studios on the mezzanine level. - ii. We continue to bid for grants to help achieve our financial targets and have signed up to a partnership arrangement with **Chell Perkins** fundraisers to help us achieve sustainable funding options at the same time as supplementing the annual grants or one-off commitments. - iii. We have been blessed again by some amazingly generous donations and kindness this year, increased regular giving and by funding raised through our various fundraising events. We have had a significant increase on the levels recorded in the previous year, although this has again been affected by Covid. - c) **Physical** – CreateBolton has needed to acquire many other physical resources during this year. In particular we have added more equipment to the kitchen, namely a new cooker and purchased other equipment in the Create Studios, namely a new kiln. As we 7 speak, we are operating with three kilns and five pottery wheels. Our izettle card payment machine is invaluable especially during these contactless times. We take payments more reliably which is critical now that we need to serve and take payment from café customers at their table. We will continue to upgrade and improve as money and good wisdom suggests in 2021/22. ## **4. Claremont** We continue to creatively use the space we rent at Claremont House which currently stands at Café Create, the kitchen, The Rudkin Room, and the Create Studios on the mezzanine. Up until Covid and the restrictions, we had continued to provide a break for parents of some children with a learning disability in partnership with the Octagon Theatre (Little Bridges), however we mutually agreed to end our partnership for a number of reasons. It’s been great working with the Octagon, and we will follow the progress of the young people in their drama adventures. We’ve not really been able to make much use of the gallery space for exhibitions of work due to the pandemic, however since we have returned, we have been exhibiting the wonderful artwork of Gerry Maloney. The Boltones use the Rudkin Room as the Band Room. We continue to benefit greatly from additional storage space within Claremont and continue to maintain good relationships with the Church. ## **5. The Services** The following update on services reflects the extent of the work during the last 12+ months (Sept 2020 - August 2021) and forms the basis of how we hope to grow during 2021/22 and beyond. We are very mindful as we celebrate each year as a charity that change always lies ahead and that we need to seek God’s will not ours as we move forward. Never has this been more important than at this time of Pandemic. We will constantly review what we do and why we do it to ensure that it meets the needs of those we support and continues to be viable. 8 ## a. Café Create - i. Café Create continues to be the central meeting place at the heart of CreateBolton. As we approached lockdown at the end of March 2020, we were consistently serving between 70 and 80 people across Friday and Saturday between 10am and 2pm every week except Easter and Christmas. The café wouldn’t exist without our regular willing and very able band of volunteers. We have benefited from a very static team of approx. 15 volunteers across Fridays and Saturdays. This continues to be an answer to prayer and we now have a Cafe Manager in Carol Hardman. The cafe was closed throughout the pandemic and only reopened in June 2021. - ii. We continue to function as a 5* café which is well deserved recognition for all the volunteers’ hard work. - iii. We have just refreshed our volunteers' Food Hygiene training in preparation for the reopening of the café in June 2021. - iv. Up until Covid we continued to support University of the Third Age (U3A) every third Friday through both the café and the studios. We are sadly no longer able to pursue this partnership. ## b. Create Experience - i. As we reach the end of this reporting period, we have been able to facilitate more creative workshops, with a mix of art/craft and paid and free sessions. We noted that many people had been supported during the pandemic through craft projects and really enjoyed it, and as the world began to open up again, this stopped and people were left isolated and lacking in creative stimulation. It’s 9 been vital that we have provided weekly sessions for people that don’t necessarily have the resources to access such activities. - ii. One of our Associated Artists Andy has continued to run pottery courses when the rules allowed it, from which he chooses to make a donation to CreateBolton. - iii. We continue to be blessed by a range of Associate Artists that often give of their time and skills for free, so that others may experience the joy of art, craft and creating. ## c. Create Schools This is an area that sadly had to drop off during the pandemic, schools and colleges were understandably keen to limit the potential for the virus to spread and had enough going on in their own world, without Create coming into the school environment. We are confident that this will pick up again when the time is right. ## d. Create Boltones It must be said that the pandemic has been tough for the Boltones, difficult to meet over Zoom and hard to maintain the buzz that exists when face to face, however, we continued to provide weekly sessions for the members that still felt able to engage. We took instruments out to them at home and set music challenges. Someone wrote a piece of music for/with the Boltones during this period and we established our own **YouTube** channel, hosting Christmas concerts in December 2020. We now have a dedicated newsletter called **The Bugle** . We are optimistic that we will adapt and support people in new and different ways. We should also say thanks to **Youth Music** as they have continued to provide us with a grant until the end of March 2022 to support the Boltones in their journey. ## e. Create Community 10 The Create Community is now in its third year of a grant from the **National Lottery Community Fund** . The Community continues to utilise the Create Studios space in Claremont and the Rudkin Room. Pre-pandemic they meet regularly every Tuesday, Wednesday, (Thursdays and Fridays), with the numbers growing. However during the pandemic, most of the support has been provided in communities, in the homes of our members. The number of people supported in March/April 2020 was 15-20 and by November 2020 this had risen to 56 people at its peak. They are producing work of a very high standard and this in turn is supporting the retail range and once again we have a stock of very encouraging stories about the difference this project is making in the lives of its members. Covid and the lockdown required a different approach to reducing isolation and combating loneliness. Joy was able to provide **Create@Home challenges** to an increasing number of people, to their doorstep, and when the restrictions allowed, we were able to test out meeting face to face again in the building (socially distanced). ## f. Studio Create Studio Create is an offshoot from the Create Community, a group of younger people with a learning disability, creating their own range of work and in the process growing in confidence, communication and social interaction. There is so much potential in the people involved and they are supported by Suzanne, Andy and Carol. ## g. Create Retail Create Retail has changed during this year. Even prior to lockdown, we spent some time purposefully reviewing who and how we support local artists and craftspeople, creating an opportunity for them to promote their work and in return donations are made back to CreateBolton. Our focus has become more directed towards people that better fit our 11 charitable objects. As the pandemic dictated we were unable to hold Christmas@Create in 2020. The cafe was closed and the retail space in the café has sadly had to reduce to allow for better social distancing. Since we have reopened in June 2021, we have streamlined the creations on sale and have still been able to generate a good experience for everyone concerned, in fact some would say it’s even better. ## h. Even more….. Alpha – We have continued to meet over Zoom with some of our Alpha course group for people with a learning disability during this period and in effect created a ‘house group’ exploring the Parables, breaking down the Christmas story and even adapting Pete Greig’s Prayer course. We have continued to maximise funding to help support this development from the **Henry Smith** charity. In the lead up to Christmas 2020, we received a small grant from **Bolton CVS** , enabling us to deliver an **Amaryllis** plant to some of our more isolated customers and we were able to keep in touch via email, text, What’sApp and photos to see whose was growing fastest. Our thanks must also go out to Adrian Nottingham from Bolton CVS, who has helped our Trustee Board and continued to support us in many ways during this difficult period. ## **6. The Future (2021/22)** ## **In Summary** - ❖Continue to raise awareness of CreateBolton across Churches, Community groups, the general public and of course the Town Centre of Bolton as an integral part of the Bolton 2030 vision. - ❖Expand the number and range of praying partners - in particular through our **Create Prayer Facebook** page 12 - ❖To continue to increase the pool of volunteers and the range of gifts they bring to enable CreateBolton to be all that God wants us to be. - ❖To develop new partnerships that align to our charitable objects. - ❖Revisit the Alpha course and bible stories group we have been running with people with a learning disability/difficulty. Look to promote and run a new course in 2022 - ❖Work with Chell Perkins on a more sustainable funding strategy for CreateBolton - maximise the funding opportunities available to us to enable us to sustain and multiply that which God has already provided. - ❖Continue to build up a stock of ‘good news’ stories through the work we are doing and use them to raise awareness of our work and to encourage others. This ninth Annual Report owes thanks and appreciation to our Trustees as they continue to serve God through this position. We continue to appreciate all the support from everyone connected with **Claremont Church** ; in particular in this strangest of years, without their understanding of our financial predicament we would not be in the position we are today. We give thanks to the growing range of partners linked to Create; to the partners within Claremont House that we have got to know better and of course to the volunteers that give of their time and resources out of their desire to serve, and ultimately to our wonderful Creator God for His faithful provision every day. We thank God for those that have supported us financially by providing us with grants, with donations, and with regular pledges. These people know who they are, and they know the difference this makes – thankyou. Our desire through 2021/22 is to continue establishing Creationships that make a difference… If you want to see more of what we’re about, please go to our web-site **www.createbolton.org.uk** or view us on Facebook **@createbolton** or on Twitter **@BoltonCreate** 13 Financial Statements For Yeor Ended 31stAuqust 2022 Report to Board of Trustees Create (Bolton) Ross Pyle PRINCIPLE BOOKKEEPING SERVICES 07713461214 Y•* Ewl•d 31.012012 Yur End•d 31.08.2021 R•c•lpts S0154 8685 25245 lknitlonl C•lé Ret411 Workshops Fund Rals•r Incorn• 32940 10632 2822 1547 1202 170 7010 91094 Cost olRoc•lpts Pui¢h45es 49413 16997 2467 Gross Roc•lpts Ewndltur• Reni & Rates Office Costs Arts & Crafts (￿treach Work FundraisiTh8 Costs In5ur•nee Retsllei Costs Equlpment Costs Preffllses Cosis Art15t & Support Payments Adverti5in8 Costs Subscrlption Genef•l Expenses Cornputer & Stsftware B•nk Charges Travd Charges Depreciation Cost 7129 277 6946 267 15fg) 532 2356 363 2050 32191 592 628 261 496 454 818 1025 15510 250 532 205 1620 29293 624 218 41 1887 69782 57945 Recolpts ID•fidtl 4315 1109991 Create laolton} Balance Sheet lor the Year Ended 31°Au8USt 2022 Yw Ethl 3LCU22 JLIX21 TIn￿ble Assets 5143 NIL 310 10131 310 9571 HSKA¢¢ounl cOQPlxc￿jnt 64204 Acuued Expenses 11812 11822 Flnance bv 5urplusllD¢frfltl 4315 199741 Lhate (Bolton) Notes to the ilnandal statements for the Year Ended 31° Au8USt 2022 A¢￿UntI￿ pollcl•s The finanoal statements have been complled on a basls whlth enable5 recelpts to be calculated In accordance ￿￿th generally xcepted accoUn￿nE pracilce5 and whlch probldes suffident and relevwt1nfom￿1lOn to enable the coMple￿n of a tax Itturn. Tanwble fixeo •ss•ts Depredatlon Is proNlded at the followln8annual rates In rAdef to wrlte off the cost less e5tlmated resldual value ol eath assw over its estlmated useful life. Plant and mxhinery- 30% w cost •hi & Machhiery At Awust 2022 Additlons 5143 Dipred•d charlef￿ yearat 31.￿.2022 Oepr¢¢i•t)Ob) ¥￿UeS pre41￿JS years NIL NIL Totsl Depreclthn BookV*J* At31.IX.X122 5143 fort￿ y￿r Ended 31. 2022 Board of Tnotws Crnate Ibok¢)n) Thls report is made soltlyto you. in a¢¢ordance with our ternis of e￿alerneAl Our work has been undertaken solely to piepaie loryow approval the financl•l st•tements of (re•￿180hOn). To the fvlle51 extent perM￿ed by IN. we do Mt actépt or usume re5ponsibilJty to anyone otherthan you forour MJfk or thts r•pwL You have •ppmvodthefiNMi•l ststernents forthe ye•rended A￿￿$t 2022 ind have •¢knowled8ed your responslbifity fof them, for iheapprowialeness of thtfinancial fr•mvAYJrk adopted and for w0￿dI￿ all Inlormatlon Ind expl*wtMsn¢t•sswy for tholr ¢OmlNhtlon. We hove notv•rified the i(cur•¢y or COM￿et*￿e$sof thex¢ountk¥ informatbon •nd •xplanat)ons you hw•8ib￿ us Ind we do therefort• Wre￿•￿V c•lDknn•)n the fin•￿4•1 stalemen The trustees •¢kn¢Ml¢dAe thelritsponsibiltyf¢xcomp1Wng￿th therequirements oftheAd wtth r•spect to a¢countinq we¢ords and forthe prep•NtxJn of ¥¢ounts. I￿lUdIn8 complyiw with th• Charttles commlsslon wle5 on Independeth Eyamlned A¢¢ounts. Th•seK¢ounts h•ve been pryred Inaccorda￿WIth the PTry4ry5iWS appk*ble tocwnbes suble¢tto the small Companles rrflme. These Ilmnclal ststements*er* opprMd•nd•utho￿ for lssuebythe Board on 25"Jany•ry 2023 and signed on Its bèhalf. Mrs A Lomax Ch•lrolTrustees Charlty Re8lslrallon numbtt- 1179761 MrA ￿l￿t￿(k Lead oifK Chaiity Regbtr•tlon numbtt.. 1179761 27 Rowd Smlthl CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of Cr* (B(knn) On accounts for the year ended 311t August 2022 Charlty no (rfanyj 1179761 Set out on pag05 I report to the trustees on my examination'of the accounts of the above charity (Ihe Trusf) for the year end&J Responslbllltles and As Ihe tharity trustees of the Trust. you are respon5ibl8 for the preparation basis of report of the ￿)Unts in aLr0rdan￿ wrth the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 {'Ihe Acr). I rewt in respeca d my ex•ninatiM of TMSYS ￿COUnts carried out under sedirm 145 Irf the 2011 Aci and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the aPpI￿$ble Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confim that no material matters havé come to my attention in cmnection *ith the exarninat￿n which gives me cause to iElieve that in. any materia respect.. accounting records Wefe not kept in accordance thith seLtion 130 of the Act or the ac£ounts do rK)t xcord with the accounting re￿rdS Independent examiner's Ststement wilh the examination to whth attention should ￿ drawn in order to enable proper understanding of the ￿Counts to be reathed. Slgned: ItsLIz3 Name: ITA IArrHot*E . Relevant professlonal quallfication(s) or body (rf any)= COMA Address: C4w-I Old £otsoL 601 tron , &ÉH Section B Disclosure Only complete rf the examiner needs to h￿hlIght matters of ￿nCern (see CC32, Independerrt examination of tharity axoJnts.' directions and guidance for examiner5). IER October 2018