## ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the year ended 4 April 2023
## Registered Charity Number 1181168
Principal Office Miners Lamp Community Cafe & Hub Eastwoods Park Eastwoods Road Prudhoe Northumberland NE42 5DT
## Reference and Administrative Details 4th April 2023
Charity Name Friends of Eastwoods Park Charity Reg No 1181168 Principal Office Miners Lamp Community Cafe & Hub Eastwoods Park, Eastwoods Road Prudhoe, Northumberland NE42 5DT Website www.minerslamp.org Facebook www.facebook.com/MinersLampCafe www.facebook.com/friendsofeastwoodspark
Trustees: Alexandra Bond Hayley Dickinson Lesley Ineson Joss Mitchell Independent Examiner Lynne O’Brien 6 Shepherds Way East Boldon, Tyne & Wear NE36 0QT Bankers Unity Trust Bank Nine Brindleyplace Birmingham, B1 2HB Solicitors Power Scott Solicitors 16 Clifford Road Stanley, Co Durham DH9 0AB
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## **Trustees Report**
The trustees of the charity present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 4th April 2023. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounts and Reporting by Charities, Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Report Standard applicable in the Uk and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) (effective 1st Jan 2019)
The financial statements have been independently examined as required under Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011.
## **Objects and Aims**
The Friends of Eastwoods Park is a registered charity, set up to advance education and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure time occupation with the objective of improving the conditions of life for residents.
In furtherance of these objectives, but not otherwise, the trustees shall have the power to establish or secure the establishment of a community centre and recreational land and to maintain, manage or co-operate with any statutory authority in the maintenance and management of such a centre and recreational land, for activities promoted by the charity.
We fulfil our objects and aims through the following objectives, strategies and activities.
## **Objectives, Strategies and Activities**
The Miners Lamp opened in April 2019, through which we provide facilities for our community and park users to access such as toilets and cafe. We ensure that our cafe can meet the needs of those on low incomes and can be affordable for many who visit Eastwoods Park.
## **Community Cafe & Hub**
The Miners Lamp commands a prominent position with Eastwoods Park and the community of West Wylam, however our reach extends far beyond. Our Community Cafe & Hub continues to be a key part in our operations not least providing a warm and welcoming space with toilet facilities for park users, but also as a base for many of our other continuing project and activities and events.
Our Community Cafe has become a place of value for many in our community, providing a place to meet new people and reduce loneliness and isolation for many elderly people in our community.
## **Food Bank and Fighting Hunger**
We continue our mission to fight hunger. We approach this through a number of initiatives, since our inception we have operated our Food Bank, which continues to be an important part of our operation and is crucial for many individuals and families. There are many reasons why people access our food bank which can range from recent job loss, unexpected bills, financial difficulties, and rent arrears etc.
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We’re delighted to continue to work with a number of local partners who support our service through providing drop off points for members of the public, including Aldi, Coop Wylam, Coop Garage Prudhoe, Spar Branch End and Stocksfield Post Office. We are always in awe at the generosity of those who donate food direct to us as well, including Prudhoe Methodist Church, and Stocksfield Baptist Church.
During Covid, we began our Christmas Hamper project which our trustees decided to continue. Our Christmas Hampers are a seasonal extra for through our food bank. Whereas our food bank is designed to meet a basic need of alleviating hunger, our Christmas Hampers are designed to provide those extra things that many take for granted at Christmas time and can make Christmas that little less stressful for many.
In addition to many of the Christmas stables such as stuffing, gravy, crackers, biscuits and many other everyday items used at Christmas. We were also able to include small xmas items such as toiletry sets, hats, gloves, socks and other small items. Our Christmas hampers also included a meat voucher for a local butcher with funding via the household support scheme in 2022.
The funding through the scheme also allowed us to start our first Free Community Lunch Club providing a warm space and hot meal to members of our community one day per week. Throughout January to March 2023 we provided nearly 300 free lunch and desserts to members of our community.
We also continued to work with Fareshare throughout the year to redistribute food and reduce food waste. Food donated by Fareshare is a valuable contribution to our work through our community cafe, food bank and free lunch club.
## **School Uniform Scheme**
We continued to operate our school uniform scheme. This is an important way to extend the life of preloved school uniform and help many low income families or those who wish to help fight waste. The clothing industry is a major contributor to carbon emissions and recycling of clothing can be difficult.
By providing a school uniform scheme we are not only helping those on low incomes but also reducing the amount of clothing waste.
Guidance issued under the Education (Guidance about Costs of School Uniforms) Act 2021. Required appropriate authorities of relevant schools to have regard to the cost and durability of uniform items when developing and implementing their school’s uniform policy.
It set out a number of areas where consideration should be given in respect of branded items where other everyday items can be purchased from most retailers, frequent changes to uniform.
Governing bodies were to be compliant with the Act by September 2022. As a result we did see a large reduction in the number of requests for uniform that we would normally receive over the summer break.
## **Local History and Heritage**
Eastwoods Park and the Miners Lamp Community Cafe and Hub are the centre of our operations. As an important community park with a rich history serving the former mining community of West
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Wylam. We named the Miners Lamp in honour of this, and an important part of our mission is to preserve and promote our local industrial heritage.
We continue to display many items of local historical interest within the Miners Lamp and alongside this we continue to seek out items of special interest. We continue to purchase items relating the former mining community of West Wylam, and for many who lived in the community who worked at the former Prudhoe Hospital we have been lucky to add to our collection with a number of Prudhoe Pottery items. These items were handmade by the residents of the hospital through vocational training schemes.
We intend that these items will be placed on display for many to admire and understand the history behind these artefacts.
## **Youth Employment**
We continue to work towards improving the lives of those in our community. Although we are limited in respect of the extent of our youth employment scheme, we are committed to providing opportunities for young people were possible.
We provide casual employment to young people, offering an opportunity to learn new skills in a hospitality setting within our community cafe. Alongside this, the young people we work with grow in confidence and it is a vital part of how we engage with young people, and an important way to reduce the temptation of antisocial behaviour.
## **Eastwoods Park Environmental Improvements**
We continue to work with Northumberland County Council to bring about environmental improvements within Eastwoods Park. Our aim is to make Eastwoods Park more accessible and a much valued and enjoyed place within our community.
2022 saw the lead up to and culmination of HM Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee celebrations. A momentous occasion for our country becoming the longest reigning monarch in British history. As part of celebrations to mark this occasion we commissioned and installed the Elizabeth Beacon within the park.
Our community came together with the lighting of the beacon to celebrate this milestone in British history, joined by bagpiper, bugler and choir. Sadly just a few short months later HM passed away, and on the eve of HM’s funeral we held a vigil and commemoration with a lighting of the beacon and few words from the Rev Dan Freyhan of St Mary Magdalen Church in Prudhoe.
This was very well attended by members of our community and brought our community together at such a time of national grief.
Alongside the installation of the Elizabeth Beacon we continue to make further environmental improvements to Eastwoods Park including planted areas, installation of bird boxes and bug hotels. We also continue to work in partnership with Northumberland County Council on achieving Green Flag status for Eastwoods Park and continue to work for other improvements to the park to make Eastwoods Park more accessible for this with disabilities.
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## **Community Fun Days**
Our annual Summer Fun Days are a great way to bring our community together, providing free children’s entertainment, we have around 500 attendees come along. Bringing our community together helps to build community cohesion and providing free entertain and low cost refreshments, it also meets the need of many families and individuals within our community who find visiting other events and activities for children financially difficult.
In addition to our summer events, we also held a winter event. Creating both a winter wonderland, along with elf workshops for crafts and activities. Alongside this we also brought an ice rink to Prudhoe. This was a first for our town and the cost of taking children to ice rinks in the area in winter can be costly. Over two days we had over 600 children enjoy the rice rink.
A key part of our mission is to ensure accessibility, not only of Eastwoods Park but also our events. As part of our winter wonderland, we set aside separate time for children with SEN needs to attend both the Winter Wonderland and Ice Rink, with more subdued lighting and music.
## **Winter Warm**
As part of our aims to improve the lives of those in our community and reduce hardship. We received funding to assist with the rising cost of living crisis. Sith many within our community and those we support through our food bank already struggling, the rising cost of energy would cause even more suffering. We were able to provide small grants to help with the cost of energy through the Government Household Support Scheme. This was invaluable to many, and we saw a rising in those accessing our food bank due to the riding cost of living crisis.
Working with Community Action Northumberland, we were became a Warm Hub offering a warm space for anyone feeling cold and a hot meal. This was in addition to our Free Community Lunch Club. In addtion to providing a warm space and meal, we also worked with a number of partners to provide advice with organisations attending our lunch club days to talk to members of our community and offer advice and guidance.
## **Other achievements**
We are continually looking at ways to improve our environment and provide a better community for those who we help. We were delighted to instal a defibrillator on the exterior of our building within the park. Eastwoods Park is a much used park by a wide range of people and age groups, situated on the edge of our town the nearest defibrillator was some distance.
We were also delighted to be shortlisted for a Love Northumberland Award, and were awarded Love Northumberland Runner Up. Alongside this our Project Manager also received a BBC Make a Difference Award and Karbon Homes Community Star Award.
## **Public benefit**
The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the requirements of Section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charities Commission of England and Wales.
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## **Financial Review**
The Charities current account will be maintained with a minimum balance of £5,000. This can be increased with trustee approval for expected exceptional items. The charity does not have a deposit account.
## **Policy on reserves**
The trustees have no defined policy in terms of the levels of resources held. However, the trustees regularly on a quarterly basis review the amount of reserves that are required to ensure that they are adequate to fulfil the organisations continuing obligations and to provide our services for a minimum of 6 months.
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
## **Nature of governing document**
The Friends of Eastwoods Park is governed by a Constitution of Charitable Incorporated Organisation.
## **Recruitment and appointment of trustees**
Trustees are appointed at the AGM, however the trustees may appoint a new trustee to temporarily fill a vacancy or to bring in additional skills or experience. Such a trustee will retire at the next AGM but can then be re-appointed.
The Trustees, where practicable, are involved in the work of the Friends of Eastwoods Park.
Our Constitution prohibits Trustees from being employees of the organisation.
## **Organisational Structure**
The Trustees have appointed a Project Manager and Operations Team to oversee the day to day activities of the organisation. They report to and are accountable to the Trustees.
The team also consists of volunteers who are involved in all aspects of the work of the organisation.
The Annual Report was approved by the trustees of the charity on 31st January 2024 and signed on its behalf by :
Russell Greig, Project Manager.
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## **Statement of Trustees Responsibilities**
The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees report and the financial statements in accordance with the United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice) and applicable law and regulations.
The law applicable to charities requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- State whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
- Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the applicable Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations, and the provisions of the constitution. The trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Approved by the trustees of the charity on 31st January 2024 and signed on its behalf by:
Russell Greig Project Manager
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## **Independent Examiner’s report to the Trustees of The Friends of Eastwoods Park.**
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 4th April 2023, details of which are summarised here. The full report is available on request.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
As the charity’s trustees of the Friends of Eastwoods Park you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“The Act”)
I report in respect of my examination of the Friends of Eastwoods Park’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
## **Independent Examiner’s Statement**
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention with the examination giving me cause to believe that any material respect:
1. Accounting records were not kept in respect of the Friends of Eastwoods Park as required by Section 130 of the Act; or
2. The accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. The accounts do not comply with the accounting requirement concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Lynne O’Brien
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||**Balance Sheet as at 4 April 2023**||
|---|---|---|
|**Current Assets**|**Total year ended**|**Total year ended**|
||**4 April 2023**|**4 April 2022**|
||**£**|**£**|
|Cash in Bank and in hand|21,985|67,285|
|Creditors amounts falling due|(_802_)|-|
|Net Assets|**_21,183_**|**_67,285_**|
|**Funds of the Charity**|||
|**Unrestricted funds**|4,135|54,785|
|**Restricted funds**|17,850|12,500|
|Total Funds|**_21,985_**|**_67,285_**|
|**Total Liabilities**|**(****_802)_**|**_-_**|
|**Total Net Assets**|**_21,183_**|**_67,285_**|
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## **Friends of Eastwoods Park Detailed Statement of Financial Activities for the Period For the year ended 4 April 2023**
||**Total year ended**|**Total year ended**|
|---|---|---|
||**4 April 2023**|**4 April 2022**|
||**£**|**£**|
|**Income and endowments**|||
|Donations and legacies|60,150|54,584|
|Other trading activities|25,798|8,854|
|Total income|**_85,948_**|**_63,438_**|
|**Expenditure on:**|||
|Raising funds|(24,427)|(12,608)|
|Charitable activities|(39,667)|(51,508)|
|Overheads|(67,956)||
|Total expenditure|**_(132,050)_**|(**_64,116)_**|
|Net income|(46,102)|(678)|
|Net movement in funds|(46,102)|(678)|
|**Reconciliation of funds**|||
|Total funds brought forward|67,285|67,963|
|Total funds carried forward|**_21,183_**|**_67,285_**|
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## **Friends of Eastwoods Park Detailed Statement of Financial Activities for the Period For the year ended 4 April 2023**
||**Total**|**year ended**|**Total year ended**|
|---|---|---|---|
||**4 April 2023**||**4 April 2022**|
|||**£**|**£**|
|**Donations and legacies**||||
|Donations from individuals|18,955||9,345|
|Donations from collection boxes||2,150|2,714|
|Northumberland Lottery Supporters||869|-|
|Grant from Local Authority|10,500||1,401|
|Grant from Ballinger Charitable Trust|-||15,000|
|Grant from Karbon Homes||1,700|-|
|Grant from Prudhoe Town Council||4,000|5,000|
|Grant from Northern Power Grid Foundation|13,476||-|
|Grant from National Lottery Community Fund||8,000|-|
|(RC North East and Cumbria)||||
|Grant from Greggs Foundation||500|-|
|Grant from Groundworks UK|-||1,000|
|Grants other agencies (inc Covid Business Support)|-||20,124|
||**_60,150_**||**_54,584_**|
|**Other trading activities**||||
|Income from Miners Lamp Community Cafe|25,798||8,854|
||**_25,798_**||**_8,854_**|
|**Raising funds**||||
|Fundraising costs|(24,427)||(12,608)|
||**(24,427****_)_**||**_(12,608)_**|
|**Charitable Activities**||||
|Charitable Purposes|(39,667)||(16,789)|
|Wages and Salaries|(50,342)||(14,146)|
|Pension Contributions||(1,403)|(307)|
|Motor Expenses||(1,914)|(1,451)|
|Internet and IT||(1,928)|(824)|
|Insurance||(1,210)|(1,266)|
|Maintenance, Repairs and Renewals||(2,328)|(817)|
|Bank Charges||(319)|(183)|
|Professional fees and subscriptions||(2,613)|(10,788)|
|Rent and Rates||(1,312)|(1,222)|
|Equipment Hire and Leasing||(3,703)|(3,522)|
|Travel||-|(10)|
|Marketing||(494)|(168)|
|Printing and Stationary||(390)|-|
|PPE and Training||-|(15)|
||**_(107,623)_**||**_(51,508)_**|
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## **Friends of Eastwoods Park**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 4 April 2023**
## **Accounting policies**
## **Statement of compliance**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standards applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standards applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.
## **Basis of Preparation**
The Friends of Eastwoods park meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes.
## **Exemption from preparing a cash flow statement**
The charity opted to early adopt Bulletin 1 published on 2 February 2016 and have therefore not included a cash flow statement in these financial statements.
## **Going concern**
The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern.
## **Income and Endowments**
Voluntary income including donations, gifts, legacies and grants provide core funding or are of a general nature is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability.
## _**Donations and legacies**_
Donations and legacies are recognised on a receivable basis when receipt is probable and the amount can be reliably measured.
## _**Grants receivable**_
Grants are recognised when the charity has an entitlement to the funds and any conditions linked to the grants have been met. When performance conditions are attached to the grant and are yet to be met, the income is recognised as a liability and included on the balance sheet as deferred income to be released.
## **Expenditure**
All expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to that expenditure, it is probable settlement is required and the amount can be measured reliably. All costs allocated to the applicable expenditure heading that aggregate similar costs to that category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of resources, with central staff costs allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use. Other support costs are allocated based on the spread of staff costs.
## _**Raising funds**_
These costs incurred in attracting voluntary income, the management of investments and those incurred in trading activities that raise funds.
## _**Charitable activities**_
Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.
## **Governance costs**
These include the costs attributable to the charity’s compliance and constitutional and statutory requirements, including audit, strategic management and trustees meetings and reimbursed expenses.
## **Taxation**
The charity is considered a pass to test set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporate Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.
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## **Financial guarantee contracts**
The trustees confirm, in accordance with the Charitable Incorporated Organisations (General) Regulations 2012, that at the year end the CIO did not have any outstanding guarantees to third parties not any debts secured on assets of the CIO.
## **Tangible fixed assets**
Individual fixed assets are purchased and written off in the year of purchase.
## **Cash and cash equivalents**
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and call deposits, and other short term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to a known amount of cash and are subject to an insignificant risk of change in value.
## **Fund structure**
Unrestricted income funds are general funds that are available for use at the trustees discretion in furtherance of the objectives of the charity.
Restricted funds are set aside for specific purposes as directed by the grant provider at the discretion of the trustees.
## **Analysis of governance and support costs**
## **Governance Costs**
|Staf costs
Wages and salaries
Employer Pension Contributions
Training
Sub-Contractors Costs
Surveyor and professional fees
Accountancy Fees
Bank charges and fees|**Restricted**
**Funds**
**£**
20,500
-
-
-
-
-
-
20,500|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**£**
29,842
1,403
-
-
1,047
-
319
32,611|**Total**
**4 April 2023**
**£**
50,342
1,403
-
-
1,047
-
319
**_53,111_**|**Total**
**4 April 2022**
**£**
14,146
307
-
7,500
2,131
-
183
**_24,789_ **|
|---|---|---|---|---|
No employee received emoluments of more than £60,000 during the year
The Friends of Eastwoods Park had 7 employees during the period.
Employment Status No Notes Full Time 1 This post was funded by the Ballinger Trust until January 2023 and subsequently funded by unrestricted funds from January to April 2023, when funding was secured by the National lottery Community Fund Part Time 1 This post was created in July 2022 and was funded by unrestricted funds between July and Sept 2022 with subsequent funding by the National Lottery Community Fund for a period of 3 years from Oct 2022 Part Time 1 This post is funded by income generated from trading activity Part Time 1 This post was funded by income generated from trading activity, and terminated in August 2022 Casual 3 These posts are part of our ‘Youth Employment Scheme’ and are funded by income generated from trading activity
## **Trustees remuneration and expenses**
No trustees, nor any person connected with them, have received any remuneration from the charity during the year.
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## **Taxation**
The charity is a registered charity and is therefore exempt from taxation
## **Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**
|**Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**|||
|---|---|---|
|Other taxation and social security
Other creditors
Accruals|**4 April**
**2023**
**£**
-
-
-
**-**|**4 April**
**2022**
**£**
-
-
-|
|||**_-_**|
## **Financial guarantee contracts**
The trustees confirm, in accordance with the Charitable Incorporated Organisations (General) Regulations 2012, that at the year end the CIO did not have any outstanding guarantees to third parties nor any debts secured on assets of the CIO.
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