## **The Besom in Esher** 

## Registered charity number: 1182123 

6 Park Road, Esher, KT10 8NP 

## **TRUSTEES REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 2020** 

## 

Anne Emmins 

Simon Rogers (Chair) 

Sherry Secker 

## **Governance administraKon:** 

The Besom in Esher is a CIO consItuted in the CIO foundaIon ConsItuIon dated 19 Feb 2019. 

## **How its trustees are appointed and trained** 

Trustees are appointed by exisIng trustees at the Board MeeIngs. 

## **How the charity’s decision-making processes work.** 

The Besom in Esher hold quarterly meeIngs where main decisions are discussed and agreed. 

## **ObjecKves** 

Borough of Elmbridge through the distribuIon of giWs of household items, and the carrying out of decoraIng and gardening projects to meet their needs. 

## 

The organisaIon exists to provide a bridge between those who want to give Ime, money, skills or possessions and those in need. It is focused on doing this in the Borough of Elmbridge in Surrey. Those in need are frequently referred by social workers in Elmbridge and Surrey and these needs are then matched with those willing to give. In organising and carrying out the work of the charity the Trustees have read the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit. The Trustees are confident that the work of the Charity fulfils these requirements. 

## **Main achievements through the year:** 

In 2020 we experienced our most challenging, yet extremely vital and rewarding, year of ministry. With the covid-19 Pandemic starIng in March, we readily responded to the task of becoming Keyworkers assisIng the council in furnishing homes with essenIal items such as white goods, beds, tvs and sofas for those who needed urgent rehousing, in parIcular those living on the streets, refugees or fleeing domesIc violence.  As we already operated on a small-scale ‘virtual’ basis with no permanent office space the core team did not have to adapt many operaIons or processes to be able to be covid-secure and provide vital services where many other chariIes could not respond to the challenges so quickly. 



We aided 50 individuals and families with furniture, white goods and household items during the year (almost double from the year before), and our van runs occurred every week throughout each lockdown with quaranIning furniture and doorstep/contactless deliveries.  We saw an increase in new younger Ime-givers, some students who returned home to study during lockdown and others on furlough and ‘household bubble’ teams who were able to share the van in a covid-safe way. 

Sadly, there were only a few opportuniIes in the year to run outdoor projects safely, namely declu`ering or garden clearances with volunteer teams from Walton and Claygate churches.  In addiIon, with a few Covid-related adaptaIons our annual Christmas Hamper project went ahead. The distribuIon of luxury food hampers to all the recipients we worked with in the year plus those that were sIll on our waiIng lists for help was achieved by many more individuals from local churches giving their Ime to deliver directly.   The outpouring of generosity aWer such a difficult year was a huge blessing to the recipients. 

strong trusIng relaIonships with many Social Workers working under very challenging circumstances.  Early in March and April, we received referrals from the Royal Borough of Kingston for the first Ime, tradiIonally outside our catchment area, but the plight of the recipients during this first lockdown meant we could not refuse; we decided if we had the provision we would respond to those referrals too. 

The trustees began implemenIng a new Safeguarding Policy and the appointment of a Designated Safeguarding Officer will happen in 2021. 

There was an increase in small donaIons from individual donors during the lockdowns which enabled us to purchase essenIal household goods/kitchen appliances and white goods and have them delivered directly to households when it was not possible for our Ime-givers to make visits. 

All this acIvity is underpinned by a strong commitment to weekly prayer by the core team and other supporters (mainly on Zoom).  Sharing tesImonials of answered prayers is how our charity spreads its vision to enable ChrisIans to put their faith into pracIcal acIon.  OpportuniIes to spread stories of God’s amazing provision and Iming by ‘word of mouth’ grew in 2020 due, in part, to the growing Ide of compassion to reach out to neighbours during the pandemic, thus helping us to develop stronger links into church communiIes. 



## **FINANCIAL REVIEW** 

The Besom in Esher relies on donaIons from individuals and churches and its acIvity levels are determined to a large extent by the availability of the funding and Ime given by volunteers. 

## **Financial Summary 1 Jan 2020 - 31 Dec 2020:** 

|Receipts (Unrestricted Funds)||
|---|---|
|Donations from churches|£9,505|
|Donations from individuals|£3,000|
|**Total Receipts**|£12,505|
|||
|Payments||
|Direct Costs|£6,586|
|Overheads|£4,244|
|**Total Expenditure**|£10,830|
|||
|Assets||
|**Total Assets and Reserves**|£17,052|



## **Signed on behalf of the charity's trustees** 


**Simon Rogers**