Our Barn Community Report and Accounts For the period ended 31 March 2022
This year Our Barn Community is funded by: London Borough of Hounslow action plan Heathrow Community Fund Hounslow money raised by healthEquality through • people's health trust SPORT ENGLAND Disability RightsUK
Our Barn Community
Financial Statements
For the period ended 31 March 2022
Contents
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Chair’s report | 1 - 8 |
| Independent Examiner’s Report | 9 - 10 |
| Statement of financial activities | 11 |
| Balance sheet | 12 |
| Notes to the financial statements | 13 - 16 |
Our Barn Community
Legal and Administrative Information
| Trustees | Tom Ruchniewicz (Chair) |
|---|---|
| Beverley Stansby | |
| Rachel Smith | |
| Charity Number: | 1181421 |
| Chief Executive Officer | Karen Adams |
| Principal Address and Registered Office | Jubilee Lodge |
| Jersey Road | |
| Isleworth | |
| TW7 4RB | |
| Bankers | National Westminster Bank plc |
| 314 Chiswick High Road | |
| London | |
| W4 5TA |
Our Barn Community Chair’s Report and Accounts For the period ended 31 March 2022
The Chair of Trustees presents Our Barn Community’s report and accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022.
Structure, government and management
Our Barn Community is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered with the Charities Commission, under number 1181421.
Our formal charitable aims are:
To advance in life and to help people with learning difficulties or other disabilities, especially but not exclusively, through:
(a) The provision of social, recreational, educational and other activities as a means of developing their confidence and independence, and their skills, capacities and capabilities for work, and participation in adult life and the community; and
- (b) The provision of support to family carers.
Our rather unusual name comes from the log cabin in Redlees Play Centre, where our youth club started in 2012 before becoming a CIO in 2019. We often refer to participants and users of our services as members as the youth club is usually where their Our Barn adventure starts.
Our ethos has also developed to include strands of work that:
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Make a contribution to our local community (giving back)
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Incorporate elements of environmental protection and conservation
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Raise expectations of what disabled people can achieve
2022 has been a year of resilience-building for the Our Barn Community: we have not quite returned to pre-pandemic levels of activity, but we have laid excellent foundations for an even stronger organisation on our return to growth.
During the year of our 2022 report and accounts our activities consisted of:
Our Barn Youth Club
Our ‘flagship’ youth club takes place on Sundays at Redlees Play Centre in Isleworth. Participants are aged 16 to 25 and most of the funding continues to come through Hounslow Council’s Short Breaks budget. The youth club is frequently the introduction to Our Barn and for that reason we maintain a skilled high staff ratio. It retains an upper age limit of 25 so that youth element is very much the focus.
We continue to operate the Jack Petchey Foundation Achievement Awards for our 16-25s, celebrating our young people’s strengths and enhancing what we have to offer.
All other activities have an elevated upper age limit of 35 – aimed at capturing those leaving formal education as their Education Health & Care Plan ceases, assisting in the navigation to a meaningful and rewarding adult life including paid employment if appropriate. During this year our 16-35 age range could access:
Our Futures (Part 1)
Funding from the National Lottery Communities Fund for this employability project came to an end. This first version of Our Futures had a very strong emphasis on gaining employment and this became difficult to achieve during the strictest of pandemic restrictions. However, we were able to celebrate many successes, especially pre-pandemic.
The experienced leadership of this project has influenced our ethos across all projects and whilst we were waiting for employment opportunities to return (and creating our own), we used the skills of our youth leader to trial a number of small, impactful projects (detailed below), some of which have gone onto become a significant element of what we offer.
Our Futures (Part 2), or Back to Our Futures is a revised format incorporating a greater element of community involvement in addition to employability was planned during this year and a large funding bid to the National Lottery submitted. Whilst at our year end the outcome of this bid was unknown, we were subsequently awarded funding and Part 2 has begun.
Multisport
Regaining physical activity levels has been a challenge for some of our members and we were able to secure funding aimed at doing just that from both Sport England and Disability Rights UK, offering inperson evening as well as daytime sessions. Some of our members are in the very clinically vulnerable group and gaining confidence to attend was an important barrier that our members overcame. Multisport sessions offer variety, teamwork, friendly competition and individual achievement. It is our most popular activity.
Pump & Grind Coffee Shop
In the absence of realistic employment opportunities externally we planned our own. Working in partnership the London Museum of Water & Steam at Kew Bridge (a former pumping station) we offer barista-style coffee, cakes and some hot food to the general public. Not commercially viable as a café, the Museum gains a refreshment facility for their visitors and Our Barn gains a training venue.
We had a brief opening in October 2020 half term before being subjected to Museum pandemic restrictions for the next six months. We re-opened in May 2021 and spent much of the year learning how to run a café, helped by the recruitment of experienced barista staff. We are seriously proud of our 5-star hygiene rating. Our members also gained Level 2 food hygiene qualifications through a partnership with Hounslow Adult Education & Community Learning.
Employment has been an excellent outcome too, with several of our members gaining paid employment, including two positions within Pump & Grind. The café is used as a community space during weekday openings and hosts a number of community groups.
Digital Inclusion
Access to laptops, data and guidance to get online safely became a necessity overnight and we met those needs within the Our Barn community through requests for old, unused devices which volunteers from Blue Summit (now our tech partner) upgraded and recycled. During the year the café hosted a popular drop-in advice session for those in need of support.
After supporting our members, we had many surplus devices so we opened access to a refurbished, upgraded, recycled device to ‘anyone who needs one’. Giving away more than two hundred devices with a small grant from Global Action Plan, along with six months’ data from Vodafone. Recipients were predominantly low income disabled households and carers.
This activity also offered our members a volunteering opportunity, getting involved with the refurbishment and distribution of devices. We intend to expand this aspect of the project over the coming year.
Community Use of Pump & Grind
Having connected during our joint tenure as the Mayor of Hounslow’s official charities we have joined with Hounslow Seniors Trust to host a series of community lunches. Volunteer chefs produce dishes from around the world and our members and the seniors join together to enjoy each other’s company over the meal.
Board games sessions and an inclusive Stay & Play session for under-5s also take place in the cafe. The play group is used by NHS clinicians as a social communication setting for children undergoing autism assessment. A volunteer from the West London Twins Club ensures the activity runs safely.
Community use of the cafe space during the week is now at full capacity, with Museum visitors becoming regular customers at weekends. We have set a target of break-even in the coming year (£2,500 loss in this current year).
Carers Project
Funding from the People’s Health Trust has been augmented by a Thriving Communities grant from the London Borough of Hounslow. Demand for this service has never been higher. We offer a social coffee morning at the café and one-to-one appointments dealing with more complex matters. Access is open to anyone with a disabled child with many referrals coming from the borough’s primary special school.
A significant finding is that lack of access to 2 year-old health visitor checks has meant that children with significant needs have not been identified until they arrive at mainstream nursery, placing pressure on those settings. Lack of access to health assessments has also meant a backlog in disabilityrelated welfare applications for families. The brevity of reports and delay in diagnostic assessments have led to a huge increase in our benefit appeals work. Whilst delays have been inevitable once the hearings take place we still have a phenomenal success rate. 100% of appeals heard in the year resulted in an increase to the original DWP award.
We aim to increase the hours of support available, with staff and volunteers sharing their lived experience of parenting a disabled child.
Gardening Project
Finally, we are extremely proud that the gardening project managed to run without any closures having been deemed an essential service. Funding from Inspire Hounslow made a significant contribution to the project’s success. Gardeners at Jubilee Lodge learn work-related and independence skills through gardening and horticulture.
We also embrace an environmentally friendly approach to looking after the space at Jubilee Lodge that includes Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, making bee hotels, creating a wildlife-friendly habitat and observing the plentiful wildlife in Osterley Park. Gardeners learn about food from seed to plate and surpluses are delivered to our café.
We continue to offer some ‘outreach’ gardening, show-casing our skills in areas where the general public can see what we do, or bringing our gardening team to carry out mini garden makeovers for disabled people to directly benefit.
Gardening continues to offer a great all-round activity for our members. During the coming year we will refresh and develop this offer to ensure it stays appealing to participants.
Committee Membership Recruitment, Roles and Responsibilities
Our Trustees set and monitor the strategic direction of Our Barn, ensure that Our Barn meets its charitable objectives by using the best possible practice and financial prudence, and take a strong role in Safeguarding.
They also ensure good management of the team leaders, support the day-to-day running of Our Barn’s activities and set some performance management targets for the leaders and manager.
The Trustees meet formally on a quarterly basis and the board is responsible for a strategic plan formed in consultation with service users and staff. Service user consultation is embedded in our practice and is continually being strengthened.
We continue to use the Outcomes Star measurement tool, tracking individual participants’ progress over time.
The committee has assessed the major risks to which the organisation is exposed and is satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to those risks. This has included a thorough review of Covid precautions.
Objectives and Activities Our Barn’s Charitable Objects
Our Barn’s mission is to support young people and adults to achieve their potential. This aim is delivered through providing learning, life skills and social interaction, and meaningful support to their families and carers. Our Barn is committed to:
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Promoting full participation in the community for all its service users
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Developing community resources
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Linking with a range of services in order to meet this goal
Service users and potential service users can expect Our Barn to:
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Provide a high quality of service to all our service users (including carers, other agencies and funders)
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Provide information that is clear and easy to understand
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Provide a secure, safe and confidential environment
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Treat people with respect and courtesy at all times
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Work with all service users regardless of their colour, race, gender, sexuality, disability or religious beliefs
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Ensure staff receive appropriate training and support
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Demonstrate good practice in quality assurance, management and financial systems
-
Seek funding from a range of statutory, grant-making, corporate and private sources
Financial review
At the very end of the 2021 financial year we were extremely fortunate to receive a large grant (£53,000) of unrestricted funding from the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. This allowed us to concentrate on the café set-up whilst reviewing the Our Futures project.
Funding continues to be mostly on a year-by-year basis and this poses a threat to sustainability. Our approach is to plan a widening fundraising strategy, demonstrating the effectiveness of our work, seeking longer term contracts and partnerships, and the development of new services.
We have built a strong foundation for recovery and are clearly in a stronger position than at the end of 2021. Challenges lie ahead but we are prepared.
Reserves Policy
Our Barn holds reserves to enable it to develop its core business activities in new ventures that will ultimately spread our business risk. Reserves are also needed to ensure that Our Barn can meet short term cash requirements surrounding venue needs, maternity cover, recruitment and unforeseen legal liabilities.
Our Barn’s reserve policy is to hold a minimum of three months’ operating costs, with the longer-term goal of building reserves to an optimum six months’ operating costs. As an organisation this policy has been extremely challenging this year and we took a decision to suspend the policy to meet the challenge of pandemic recovery. Allowing a draw down on reserves has allowed us to develop our offer whilst our successful large funding bid was being considered.
We have reinstated the original reserves policy shortly after the year end
Management Committee Members’ responsibilities in relation to the financial statements
The Management Committee Members are responsible for preparing an annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the charity members to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, of the charity for that period. In preparing the financial statements, the committee are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
-
observe the methods and principles in the applicable Charities SORP;
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures that must be disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
-
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.
The committee are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to 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 Trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The committee are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information included on the charity’s website at www.ourbarn.org.uk. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
On behalf of the Trustees
Tom Ruchniewicz
Our Barn Community Independent Examiner’s Report To the Management Committee Members
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2022, which are set out on pages 11 to 16.
Respective responsibilities of Management Committee Members and Examiner
The Management Committee Members are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The Management Committee Members consider that an audit is not required for this period under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:
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examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
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to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
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to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner's report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as Management Committee Members concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view' and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent Examiner's statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
-
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006;
-
and
-
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records, comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities have not been met; or
Our Barn Community Independent Examiner’s Report To the Management Committee Members
(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
A and C Services Flat 68 Ranton House 1b Commerce Road Brentford TW8 8FU
Our Barn Community Statement of Financial Activities
Including Income and Expenditure Account For the year ended 31 March 2022
| Notes Incoming resources from generated funds – Voluntary income 2 Investment income 3 Incoming resources from charitable activities 4 Total incoming resources Resources expended Charitable activities 5 Total resources expended 6 Net income for the period/ Net movement in funds Reconciliation of funds Transfer of funds 10 Total Fund brought forward 10 Total Fund carried forward 10 |
Unrestricted Funds £ 49,801 3 49,804 32,797 82,601 153,549 153,549 (70,948) 15,000 82,815 26,867 |
Restricted Funds £ - - - 90,024 90,024 81,177 81,177 8,847 (15,000) 21,091 14,938 |
Total Funds 2022 £ 49,801 3 49,804 122,821 172,625 234,726 234,726 (62,101) - 103,906 41,805 |
Total Funds 2021 £ 33,570 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33,573 197,650 |
||||
| 231,223 | ||||
| 220,371 | ||||
| 220,371 | ||||
| 10,852 - 93,054 |
||||
| 103,906 |
Our Barn Community
Balance Sheet
As at 31 March 2022
| Notes | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | ||
| Current assets | |||
| Debtors | 8 | 5,625 | 53,000 |
| Cash at bank and in hand | 57,516 | 65,356 | |
| _ | __ | ||
| 63,141 | 118,356 | ||
| Creditors | |||
| Amount falling due within one year | 9 | (21,336) | (14,450) |
| _ | __ | ||
| Net current assets | 41,805 | 103,906 | |
| ======= | ======== | ||
| The funds of the charity: | |||
| Unrestricted funds | 10 | 26,867 | 82,815 |
| Restricted funds | 10 | 14,938 | 21,091 |
| _ | __ | ||
| 41,805 | 103,906 | ||
| ======= | ======== |
The accounts were approved by the committee on 23 January 2023.
J Sheppard Treasurer
Our Barn Community Notes to the Accounts For the year ended 31 March 2022
1. Accounting policies
Basis of preparation
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 Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS102), and the Charities Act 2011 and applicable regulations.
Incoming resources
Income has been recognised gross on the basis of entitlement, certainty and measurement.
Donations and other voluntary income are recognised as incoming resources when receivable, except insofar as they are incapable of financial measurement.
Grants are recognised in full in the Statement of Financial Activities in the period in which they are receivable or any requirement imposed on the grant is fulfilled.
Investment income is recognised on a receivable basis.
Resources expended
Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis inclusive of Value Added Tax.
Expenditures relating to supporting people with learning disabilities are those elements of expenditure directly incurred in performing these activities.
Tangible fixed assets and depreciation
There has been no expenditure on fixed assets.
Leasing and hire purchase commitments
Rentals payable under operating leases are charged against income on a straight line basis over the period of the lease.
Our Barn Community Notes to the Accounts For the year ended 31 March 2022
| 2. Voluntary income 2022 £ Donations and gifts 49,801 3. Investment income 2022 £ Interest receivable 3 4. Incoming resources from charitable activities Unrestricted Restricted 2022 Total Funds Funds £ £ £ Supporting people with learning disabilities (LD) 32,797 90,024 122,821 |
2021 £ 33,570 2021 £ 3 2021 Total £ 197,650 |
|---|---|
Included with unrestricted income related to supporting people with learning disabilities are the following grants
| Local authority service agreement Global Action Plan Hounslow Seniors Trust Jack Petchey Foundation 5. Total resources expended Staff costs Charitable activities – £ Supporting people with LD Activities undertaken directly 193,479 |
28,000 2,500 1,447 850 32,797 Other costs 2022 Total 2021 Total £ £ £ 41,247 234,726 220,371 |
28,000 2,500 1,447 850 32,797 Other costs 2022 Total 2021 Total £ £ £ 41,247 234,726 220,371 |
|---|---|---|
Our Barn Community Notes to the Accounts For the year ended 31 March 2022
6. Activities undertaken directly
Other costs relating to supporting people with learning disabilities comprise:
| Venue hire and rent Professional fees Independent examiner's fees Cost of activities Cost of goods for café Telephone Electricity Printing, postage & stationery Refreshments Insurance Website costs Equipment purchases, repairs & renewals Subscription Cleaning Bank charges |
2022 £ 12,360 - 800 2,835 10,469 1,441 2,430 657 193 2,811 886 5,222 399 184 560 41,247 |
2021 £ 21,250 400 600 7,972 775 1,688 3,830 663 63 2,811 3,143 10,086 487 727 113 54,608 |
|---|---|---|
- Employees
The average monthly number of employees during the period was 6 (2021: 5) full time equivalent
Supporting people with learning disabilities
| Employment costs – Wages and salaries |
2022 £ 193,479 |
2021 £ 165,763 |
|---|---|---|
There were no expenses paid to the Trustees during the period.
Our Barn Community Notes to the Accounts For the year ended 31 March 2022
| 8. | Debtors | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2021 | ||||||
| £ | £ | ||||||
| Trade debtors | 5,625 | 53,000 | |||||
| 9. | Creditors | ||||||
| Amounts falling due within one year – | |||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | ||||||
| £ | £ | ||||||
| Trade creditors | - | 2,266 | |||||
| Taxes and social security | costs | 4,045 | - | ||||
| Other creditors | 16,894 | 11,228 | |||||
| Accruals | 397 | 956 | |||||
| 21,336 | 14,450 | ||||||
| 10. | Statement of funds | ||||||
| Balance at | Incoming | Resources | Transfer | Balance at | |||
| 01/04/2021 | Resources | Expended | of funds | 31/03/2022 | |||
| Restricted Funds | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Gardening | - | 39,450 | (34,016) | - | 5,434 | ||
| Multi Sports | - | 10,525 | (10,525) | - | - | ||
| Digital Inclusion | - | 17,394 | (12,060) | - | 5,334 | ||
| Café | - | 15,000 | - | (15,000) | - | ||
| Carers | - | 7,655 | (3,485) | - | 4,170 | ||
| Our Futures | 21,091 | - | (21,091) | - | - | ||
| Total Restricted Funds | 21,091 | 90,024 | (81,177) | (15,000) | 14,938 | ||
| Unrestricted Funds | 82,815 | 82,601 | (153,549) | 15,000 | 26,867 | ||
| Total Funds as at 31 | 103,906 | 172,625 | (234,726) | - | 41,805 | ||
| March |