**LOVE SOUTHEND** **Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 December 2020** 1 ## **LOVE SOUTHEND** ## **Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 December 2020** ## **The Trustees have pleasure in presenting their report and the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31[st] December 2020** ## **Structure, Governance and Management** Love Southend is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), incorporated on 26 September 2018. It is registered with the Charity Commission. The company was established under its Memorandum of Association which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed by its Articles of Association. ## **Appointment and Induction of Trustees** Trustees are appointed at Annual General Meetings, as set out in the Articles of Association, which provide for a minimum of three trustees. The Trustees are directors of the company. The Trustees are also responsible for the appointment of new members. New trustees undergo an induction to brief them on their legal obligations under charity and company law, the content of the Articles of Association and the decision-making processes and the recent performance of the charity. They meet key employees and the other trustees. ## **Risk Assessment Policy** The Risk Assessment and Health and Safety policy will be overseen by a designated trustee who reports back to trustees meetings with appropriate recommendations. ## **Organisational Policy** The Trustees meet a minimum of four times a year. Sub-committees are formed as and when required. The Love Southend Servant Team oversee the operations of the charity. ## **Organisation** Being a new and small charity the organisation is simple. The Love Southend Servant Team consists of eight individuals, most of whom are ministers of local churches. These have responsibility for the direction and vision of the charity, 2 **LOVE SOUTHEND** ## **Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 December 2020** 4. The Leadership Team structure and responsibilities are as follows: ## a. Trustees/Directors - i. The Directors are responsible for the legal and financial management of the charity; for keeping adequate accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. In preparing the financial statements the Directors are required to select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently; make judgements that are reasonable and prudent; and prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in existence. - ii. To advise the Love Southend Servant team on staffing, salaries and employment issues. - iii. To manage the legal responsibilities of the charity. 5. Salaried staff – there were no salaried staff for the year 2020 ## **Objectives and Activities** The principal activity of the charity is the relief of those in need; the promotion of the spiritual welfare of the community and the advancement of religion in Southend-on-sea and its environs. ## **Review of activities and achievements** ## **Churches Winter Night Shelter** Southend Churches Winter Night Shelters (SCWNS): Love Southend, Southend Borough Council, HARP and the seven host churches working together in a highly successful partnership. It was a very strange and sudden end to our ninth season! We were running smoothly with 7 churches hosting one night a week each. There were some minor issues, but nothing serious. Most nights were full, and more than the nominal 20 guests stayed overnight on quite a few nights (see stats below). Then, on Friday March 13[th] , we heard the “Be Careful” message and started to worry about the Coronavirus spreading across the UK. Understandably, some older and/or vulnerable volunteers withdrew their services and the last Winter night Shelter (WNS) to be hosted in a church building was on Thursday March 19[th] . However, thanks to Daniel Cauchi (Shelter Manager at St. Helen’s) and his team, we were able to set up a WNS in a building located in Short Street and have it ready for Friday March 20[th] . In the end, it was only used for 4 nights, because, on Monday March 23[rd] , the PM ordered everyone to “Stay at Home”. The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government then said that communal WNSs had to close - far too risky! Fortunately, alongside that command, they funded the “Everyone In” initiative and thanks to some extremely hard work by the Council’s Housing team, all the known Rough Sleepers (including all our guests) were put into B&Bs by the end of that week - some were there for the whole year. A summary of the stats for the whole season follows:- - We started on Monday 02/12/19 and finished after breakfast on Tuesday 24/03/20 (6 nights earlier than planned). We also missed the first 3 Tuesdays, so we were therefore open for 110 nights; with a nominal capacity of 20 beds/night, a potential 2200 bed-nights were available. - However, because we were full on 12 nights, and over capacity on another 59 nights, 2270 bed-nights were filled (i.e., 103.5%). - We were under capacity for 10 of the first 15 nights and for most of the nights of the two weeks over Christmas and the New Year. From 23/01/20 to 04/03/20 (42 nights) we were full on 1 night and over 3 ## **LOVE SOUTHEND** ## **Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 December 2020** capacity on 36 more nights. On 9 of those 36 nights, 25 or more guests were given a bed (with 33 on 1 night!). - 158 different guests stayed at least one night, and all were provided with a hot evening meal, a bed, and a breakfast by approx. 450 volunteers who worked for approx. 11,500 hours. - If they had been paid at the Adult Living Wage in force over the winter (£8.21ph), this would have cost approx. £94,000. - We cooked 2607 evening meals and provided 2270 breakfasts. - HARP reported that 46 of the 158 guests were able to get “off the streets” (32 of those were “housed”) when they left the shelters. - Once the WNSs shut, all the known Rough Sleepers (including all the guests still in the WNSs) were put in B&Bs by the March 27[th] deadline. At the end of the season, John Simmons (Manager) and Nina Stewart (Deputy Manager) swapped roles as planned. For the rest of the year aided Nina and some of our volunteers assisted the Short Street WNS as it became a Community Hub and provided meals and support for the homeless and other vulnerable people. Nina was also able to secure funds and donations for them, as well as help with cooking at the Kindness Kitchen (an amalgamation of most of the local soup kitchens under one roof). ## **Prayer and worship.** We consider prayer to be an indispensable part of the individual’s, the church’s, and therefore Love Southend’s life. We hold monthly prayer and worship weekday morning meetings which are open to any member of the community. These meetings focus on issues of celebration or concern in the life and work of the borough; the work and ministry of churches or individuals and their service in the community. As the pandemic took hold and pressures mounted on the NHS and other essential workers Love Southend increased its prayer provision for the borough. A ‘Loving Southend in Prayer’ WhatsApp group was created which drew on contacts within the NHS and Council for updated needs, concerns and encouragements which were quickly and easily communicated to the 31 people in the group. Some members of the group took advantage of the site of the hospital being surrounded by four roads. They walked, ran or cycled the perimeter praying for staff and patients. We heard from contacts within the NHS how grateful and encouraged staff were to know local people were supporting them in prayer. We also received reports of many unexpectedly positive outcomes to treatment. Towards the end of the year the group were encouraged to prayer walk or pray for their local school as the challenges of schools re-opening occurred. ## **Network meetings** Love Southend holds a monthly evening network meeting for church leaders, people who pray regularly for the well-being of the residents, life and work of the borough, and Christians who hold positions of responsibility within the community. These meetings involve: raising awareness of borough-wide issues by inviting community leaders or those leading borough focussed Christian ministry to inform the network and create opportunities for churches and individuals to engage with the issues raised; to provide mutual support, encouragement and prayer for network members and their ministry. This year, for example, the CEO of Southend Borough Council and a local MP attended network meetings. All worship/prayer and network meetings moved on-line. This frequently resulted in more people ‘attending’ meetings than had done so when meetings were in person. We will reflect on the significance of this for the future. ## **Engagement with Community Leaders** Members of Love Southend have established strong connections with community leaders to better understand issues for celebration and the needs of the community, and to provide prayerful support and encouragement for those carrying significant responsibility within Southend. Three members of the Servant Team meet regularly with a senior member of the Council; another has regular meetings with senior police officers; others are members of the Southend Inter-faith Working Group which provides a communication conduit between the Council and faith communities in the borough, giving opportunity for faith groups to express issues of concern and to make a contribution to developments in the borough like the ‘2050Agenda’. 4 ## **LOVE SOUTHEND** ## **Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 December 2020** Members of Love Southend have established strong connections with community leaders to better understand issues for celebration and the needs of the community, and to provide prayerful support and encouragement for those carrying significant responsibility within Southend. Three members of the Servant Team meet regularly with a senior member of the Council; another has regular meetings with senior police officers. We kept in close contact with these links throughout the year to support and encourage them in the fulfilment of their responsibilities and to be aware of ways in which we could offer support in prayer for them, their staff and for the borough. Love Southend members of the Southend Inter-faith Working Group, which provides a communication conduit between the Council and faith communities in the borough, participated in fortnightly Zoom calls requested by the Council. These calls enabled faith communities to share their experiences of responding to Covid 19 and the impact of lockdowns on their life as a community; to share initiatives in meeting the needs of the wider community; to share summaries of government guidance for faith communities, to be aware of initiatives and developments by the Council in response to Covid 19 and report these to their faith communities; to hear from and ask questions of key officials in the Council e.g. the Director of Public Health. ## **Blaze youth work report for 2020** As the year progressed the 4 events we had planned, including a Christian rap artist, an outside ‘fire-pit’ event and a Christmas event, were all cancelled due to the pandemic. ## **Town centre chaplaincy** Town Chaplaincy is a collaborative provision between Love Southend and the Southend and District Methodist Circuit. This report relates to Love Southend’s provision of chaplaincy services to the Town Centre and retail sector. Having had a such a good fulfilling year in 2019 great things were prayed for and anticipated for 2020 including: expansion of the Chaplaincy team, talks given to local churches, an employed person to co-ordinate the chaplains both spiritually and administratively. We were also excited that we could find more venues where Chaplains would be welcomed and encouraged to be involved. Circumstances meant much of this did not come about in the way expected, if at all. Pre Covid first quarter of January-March. After leave chaplaincy services recommenced on the 8[th] January. Two changes had occurred that would affect the hours offered. The Mental Health Supporters Group held in High Street café fortnightly had folded and the fortnightly morning community group had not restarted. The resultant reduction in hours was partially compensated for by volunteers shadowing the chaplain as they explored the possibility of joining the team. Signposting also fell for the same reason, 8 this year, as did prayer requests, 65 this quarter (2019 pro rata 90) There were still positives. - Another person started to shadow. There are now three volunteers engaging with this opportunity. - Visits to other venues were carried out including part of Garon’s sports club with possibilities going forward. - • A visit to Christchurch leadership team which led to a 20 minute presentation to their Sunday congregation. The result being another 6 added to prayer support and one of the new shadows starting out. - A shadowing of Heather (Methodist lead) at HARP, one of Southend’s major homeless projects - The offer of prayer led to two on spot healings, blisters disappearing and a chest issue healed. - Ongoing networking with Southend Association of Voluntary Services, Inter Faith Working Group and Street Rangers. ## Post Covid activity Most of retail closed down. Visits were made as restrictions eased only to stop as they were raised again. A confidential service either on line or 1-1 walks when restrictions allowed was offered. Most take up came not from the Royals Shopping Centre but from word of mouth in the community. A slow uptake at first but there were several as the year ended. Prayer offers taken up for the rest of the year numbered 184 (249 in total, down a third on 2019) and hours were 85 (120 in total, down a quarter on last year). Results of prayer included the provision of employment for 5 ## **LOVE SOUTHEND** ## **Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 December 2020** three people and the opportunity for an increase in chaplains. However, for some this take up has been slowed due to Covid. Further links have been formed with the YMCA, an Arab/English friendship group, a local charity for those coming out of addiction and/or from street working. Connection with The YMCA has shown the greatest result, with a Chaplain now in place having completed all YMCA training by the end of the year, paving the way to be involved with refugees, mentoring, alpha courses and prayer meetings on a regular basis next year. The Arab/English charity made use of the chaplain’s Arabic on a visit to a family to start relational support. The charity providing support for recovering addicts and street workers had a chaplain in whilst setting up and more is hoped for in the New Year. Another boon has been an additional lead Chaplain, Sarah, from the Methodist church. Plans were immediately put in place to start a chaplaincy training course in the New Year and to support the staff of Adventure Island, a large sea-front leisure facility. Although 2020 has been a challenge we are planning in 2021 to grow relationships with various businesses, charities and community groups within the High Street and beyond, and to identify venues for our new chaplains after the training course is completed. During the course of the year plans were drawn up, in discussion with the Methodist Circuit, for the part-time employment of a Co-ordinator of all chaplaincy services provided by the Circuit and Love Southend. The intended role would provide administrative and spiritual support to chaplains, develop new opportunities for chaplaincy services, ensure a consistency in the quality of training and service and build connections with other chaplaincy provision in Southend. Appointment was dependent upon securing funds but fund-raising applications by the end of the year did not achieve the necessary income to take the appointment forward at this stage. This appointment will be kept under review in 2021. ## **Carol service** Due to the Covid 19 restrictions we were not able to host a community carol service this year. ## **Support for NHS and emergency services staff – boosting morale in a time of crisis** In addition to increasing prayer support Love Southend made provision to provide spiritual and emotional support for hospital staff members and police officers. A Christian artist Helen Yousaf produced a series of paintings entitled ‘Hope’ specifically designed to bring comfort and encouragement to public servants on the front-line. Packs of the art work were purchased and distributed along with ‘goodies’ to each department in the hospital and to our local police station. Messages of thanks and heartfelt appreciation were received. ## **Public Benefit** In planning the activities of the charity, the trustees have given consideration to the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission in particular to ensure that: - There are identifiable benefits - Benefits are to the public or a section of the public - The benefits relate closely to the charitable objectives. ## **Plans for 2021** As a Christian CIO we intend to continue to reach out to the population in the Southend area with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We expect to grow the work of town centre chaplains and hope to appoint a paid coordinator for this role as well as having new volunteer chaplains. We plan to promote our second community carol service. We will continue to operate the Southend Churches Community Support and continue to promote youth events. (The coronavirus pandemic may severely limit some of these activities. We are hopeful that as restrictions ease that youth events may be allowed (as it seems they will) and that by December 2021 we will be able to host our second community carol service. We will continue to take time in prayer and action to consider what was shared with the servant team by the Hicksons in October 2020. 6 **LOVE SOUTHEND** ## **Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 December 2020** ## **Financial Review** ## Grants: £2,500 from Countryside Properties £9,030 from Southend Borough Council ## Donations over £1,000 none ## **Reserves Policy** At this stage in the charity’s history we do not have a reserves policy ## **Investment Policy** Under the Articles of Association, the charity has the power to make any investments which the trustees see fit. ## **Independent Examiner** A resolution will be proposed at the Annual General Meeting that Caroline McGregor be appointed the Independent Examiner to Love Southend for the ensuing year. ## **Trustees’ Responsibilities** The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice. Charity law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of its financial activities for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees are required to: - Select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently - Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent - Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the activities of the company will continue. The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enables them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. **On Behalf Of The Trustees** 7 **LOVE SOUTHEND** **Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 December 2020** Andy Vincett (Chairman) Date: 7 July 2021 8 (HARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WAIES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Roport to tho tru8teesl members of Charity Name Love Southend On accounts for the year onded 2020 Charlty no (If any) 1180977 Set out on pages Irw)emb•r lo I￿￿d¥ ￿ p89e numtW8 ofaddthnd 8hiet51 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above chgrty (Ihe Trust.) for th8 year ended 31112 12020. R08pon81bllltlM arbd b•sl$ of report As the charitys trustees. you are re5ponslble for the preparatlon of the accounts in ac￿rdanC￿ with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (Ihe Act"). I report in resp8Ct of my examinallon of the Trust's accounts Carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examinatlon. I have followed all the applicable Dire¢tions given by the Charlty Commls81on under section 145(5Xb) of the Act. Independent rrhe d￿nty'S gross income exceeded £250,000 and l arn quallfled lo •xamln•rfs statem•nt undertake the examinati)n by belng a qualif￿d member of [in8ert name of applicable listed bodyll. Delete [ ] rfnot appI￿able. I have completed my 8X8mination. I confimi that no material matters have come to my attention in C%￿neCtIon wtth the examination (other than that disck)s8d below") which gives me (xuse to believe thal In, any material respect: tr￿ accountlng records V￿re not kept in accordanc8 wlth section 130 of the Charities Act: or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records,. or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements 0￿cerning the fom and contènt of acojunts set out in the Charitb8 (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirem8nt that the ac￿Unts give a Irue and fair, view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concems and have cnme a(Yoss no oth8r matters in connectlty) with the exarn1nat￿n to which attention should b8 drawn in this report in ord8r to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to b8 reached. ' Please delete the w(Yds in the br8ckets rfth8y do not apply. Sign￿. Dat•: Name: Caroline McGregor Relevant professlonal qualificat10￿8) or body IER Oct 2018 (rf any): Address: 46 Tintem Ave Westcliff-of SSO 9QH Section B Disclosure Only complete rf the examiner ne8ds to highlight material matter5 of ¢oncem (see CC32, Independent examlnatbn of chanty aGcounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Givo horn briaf d•tall8 of any ftoms that th• oxaminer wlshgs to dl8cIo80. IER Oct 2018 Recei and nts accounts CC16a Pemd 5tsrt date 1012tr20 To Pwhjd da 31122020 Section A Receipts and payments Total f4md• A1 R•c•l Sub trf CCXX R1 ISS) 20A11r2021 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Catggorl•$ Detai15 funds lundB 81 Cash funds OK r*¥Mt£ CurY•rt ¥•*J• D•tslls Fthdl•TA*Ath cur￿ wIu• B4 A•s•t¥ r•tsln•d th• D•tall8 BS Llthllltl•• CCXX R2 ISS)