OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2024-01-31-accounts

Change Drivers

Accounts for the year ended

31 January 2024

Registered charity number: 1181920

Contents

Trustees Report 3
Trustees Statement 7
Independent Examiner’s Report 8
Statement of Financial Activities 9
Statement of Assets and Liabilities 10
Notes to the Accounts 11

2

Report of the trustees for the year ended 31st January 2024

Our mission is to inform the public on climate change and mobilise action by each of us, individually and together. Our goal is to create a dynamic and diverse network of people, who are inspired and equipped with the tools they need to catalyse climate action in their own way.

Objectives and activities for the public benefit

The trustees confirm that they have referred to the information contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the aims and objectives for Change Drivers and in planning activities and setting policies for the year ahead.

The objectives of Change Drivers are:

1) To advance the education of the public particularly but not exclusively people under the age of 30 in such a way as the charity trustees think fit, including but not limited to in the subject of social and creative enterprise;

2) To develop the skills, capacities and capabilities of young people in such a way that they are better able to identify and help meet their needs and enable them to participate in society as mature and responsible adults.

3) To advance the education of the public on climate change, in such ways as the charity trustees think fit, including but not limited to developing the skills, capacities and capabilities of individuals to stimulate a sense of urgency, agency and action to combat climate change.

Activities, achievements and performance during the year

Activities can be split into 1/ an initiative called Trees4Croydon and 2/ climate workshops known as Climate Fresk.

1/ Trees4Croydon

Trees4Croydon is a mass participation and engagement initiative to raise money for tree-planting projects in deprived areas of Croydon.

Benefits sought include awareness of climate change and the role trees can play, more equitable access to trees in the borough, enhanced biodiversity, greater carbon sequestration and cooler neighbourhoods.

Phase 1 was a mass mobilisation programme, using the atlasGO app, and fundraising for additional trees in parts of the Croydon with less canopy and fewer green spaces. Our mass mobilisation was the Move for Trees campaign held between 10/06 – 16/07. Approximately 73 teams made up of 850 people walked, ran, cycled or travelled in a wheelchair over 42,000 miles, posting c. 900 selfies. Participants held 17 events that could be attended by all. We spent some time focusing on schools, in the end whilst quite a few children participated we only had one school.

3

Of those who participated, over 40 provided feedback and 39 were supportive of doing it again.

We collectively raised £41,534 through a combination of donations, payments for workshops and lectures, matched funding and grants. Our primary phase 2 partners Trees for Cities and the Croydon Council regularly apply for matched tree funding which should increase the total when we release the final £7.5k.

Phase 2, which is ongoing. is the spend of this money to deliver the tree related benefits we targeted. £800 was given to the University College Hospital to plant trees in their Remembrance Garden, £15,500 has been given Trees for Cities who have added in £15,500 to plant 35 mature whips in Canterbury Road park and its environs, and £7,500 remained at the end of the year pending the council’s success with a tree planting bid.

The services provided by Trees for Cities and the Council were detailed in a signed memorandum of understanding, 28 trees have been planted, 7 held back for the new season, and they have carried out a significant amount of community engagement both before, during and after the planting e.g. holding a major planting day with local schools, councillors and other interested parties.

The project continues with community engagement, grant writing and partnership exploration as we seek to spend the funds we have raised and continue to deliver against the objectives we set ourselves.

This project has provided both Change Drivers, its trustees and chairman, and partner organisations e.g. Croydon Climate Action with a well-documented and extensive local network, including relationships with the council. These relationships and the successes (albeit limited) of this project builds a strong foundation for future impact.

2/ Climate Fresk

Climate Fresk is a 3 hour immersive workshop on Climate Change licensed under the creative commons from www.climatefresk.com – a French NGO. Almost 2m people have participated in this world wide.

The chairman delivered 39 Climate Fresk workshops in the financial year for a mix of not for profit, for profit, and public participants; over 300 participants have attended.

Feedback is gathered, with an average score of 9/10 in response to “was the workshop useful” and the same for “was the workshop enjoyable”.

With the primary goal being impact, the majority of these projects were free to attend, but some helped with fundraising for Trees4Croydon e.g. with Simply Lunch.

The workshops add to the network of the chairman/Change Drivers, both locally and further afield.

Structure, governance and management

Change Drivers is a registered charity, number 1181920, and is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).

4

At the trustees’ meetings, the trustees agree on the broad strategy and areas of activity for the organisation, including consideration of any grant making, reserves and risk management policies and performance.

Recruitment and appointment of any future trustees shall be appointed by a resolution of the trustees passed at a special meeting.

In selecting persons to be appointed as trustees, the trustees shall take into account the benefits of appointing a person who through residence, occupation, employment or otherwise has a special knowledge of the area of benefit or who is otherwise able by virtue of his or her personal or professional qualifications to make a contribution to the pursuit of the object or the management of the charity.

Upon appointment each new trustee will receive an induction to the charity including a copy of the trust constitution and a copy of the charity's latest report and statement of accounts.

Risk Management

The trustees have a duty to identify and review the risks to which the charity is exposed and to ensure appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud, error and volunteer’s health and safety when supporting the charity.

Reserves policy

Change Drivers holds both unrestricted (very limited) and restricted reserves. Unrestricted reserves provide protection against the immediate impact of funding changes and to provide cover for unforeseen, essential expenditure. Restricted funds are used as per the terms and conditions agreed with donors.

Each year our Trustee Board reviews our reserves policy and considers the appropriate level of unrestricted reserves. In doing so they consider the level appropriate for the current size and complexity of the organisation, the economic environment within which we are operating and the risks we are currently managing. Trustees also consider our current risk profile, balancing the need to reflect that risk whilst ensuring that we are not holding funds unnecessarily at the expense of committing funds to meet our charitable objectives.

5

Reference and administrative information

Registered Charity Number

1181920

Charity Name

Change Drivers

Other names the charity uses

Drivers for Change (DFC)

Principal Office

38 Selcroft Road Purley CR8 1AD

Trustees

Natasha Fortuin, Treasurer (resigned as Trustee and Treasurer from 01 Sept 2024) Sam Baker, Chair of Trustees (from 31 Jan 2023) Rafi Addlestone (from 31 Jan 2023) Leonie Osborne (from 31 Jan 2023)

6

Trustees’ responsibilities in relation to the financial statements

The charity trustees are responsible for preparing a trustees’ 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 trustees 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 trustees are required to:

The trustees 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 constitution. 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 trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information included on the charity’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

Approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:

Sam Baker Chair of Trustees Date: 21/11/2024

7

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Change Drivers Year ended 31 January 2024

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

As the charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts; you consider that the audit requirements of Section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) do not apply and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to:

Basis of independent examiner’s report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. 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 trustees 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:

which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements below have not been met

to which in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed:

Name: Peter Stevenson

Date: 21/11/2024

Relevant professional qualifications if any: FCA (ICAEW membership no: 1181385)

8

Change Drivers

Statement of Financial Activities Year ended 31 January 2024

9

Approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:

Sam Baker Chair of Trustees Date: 21/11/24

10

Notes to the accounts

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The accounts (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 for Smaller Entities (effective 1 January 2019), the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (FRSSE), and the Charities Act 2011 and applicable regulations.

The financial statements have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis.

2. FUND ACCOUNTING

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charity objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objectives of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

Note 2:
Fund Fund b/f Income **Expenditure ** Transfers Fund c/f
£ £ £ £ £
General 100 - - - 100
Education 2,579 - (2,579) - -
Climate 17 28,745 (21,438) - 7,324
2,696 28,745 (24,017) - 7,424

3. INCOME RECOGNITION

All income is recognised once the charity has entitlement to the income, there is sufficient certainty or receipt and so it is probable that the income will be received, and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably.

4. RESOURCES EXPENDED

All expenditure is accounted for on a cash basis and has been classified under the charitable expenditure activity headings with reference to activities performed in the year.

Costs of generating funds are those costs relating to fundraising for new donors or new projects. No costs of this nature were incurred during the year.

Governance costs are those incurred in connection with the administration of the Charity’s constitutional and statutory duties. The only Governance costs incurred during the year are those relating to trustee expenses – see note 7 for further details.

11

Irrecoverable VAT is charged against the expenditure heading for which it was incurred.

5. GRANTS MADE TO ORGANISATIONS

We provided Trees for Cities with £15,500, and the UCH with £800 as detailed in the activities description above.

6. TAXATION

The charity is exempt from tax on its charitable activities.

7. TRUSTEE EXPENSES AND REMUNERATION

None of the Trustees have been paid any remuneration or received any other benefits from employment with Change Drivers (2022/23: 0).

8. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

There have been no related party transactions during the reporting period.

9. STAFF COSTS

During the year the organisation has not employed any staff (2022/23: 0).

10. AUDIT, INDEPENDENT EXAMINATION AND OTHER FINANCIAL SERVICES FEES

No fees have been paid in this reporting period for any audit, independent examination or other financial services (2022/23: 0).

12