Trustees’ Report
Charity Commission return 2022
The 2022 Trustees’ Report represents the activities and results from the year 2021. The document also includes plans for 2022 and a statement of ongoing viability. All parts of this Annual Return have been seen by the CPR Board of Trustees who have approved its content.
How did we do in 2021 – board outstands
Increased contact with non-UK members through online events
Drop in memberships, which now seems in reverse
Increased sales and range of the offering
Increased online activity overall
Loss of trustees, the gaps it created, and increased demands on those remaining
Successful recruitment of new trustees
Increased provision of quality information online, including cycling
Covid restrictions across Europe leading to a virtual closure of the Via Francigena Successful ongoing use of Gift Aid
Managing to sustain overall income levels despite the negative impacts of lockdown
Increased international activity and partnerships, such as AEVF
Increased domestic liaison such as other pilgrim bodies, CSJ, Kent AONB, and BPT
Tightening of internal policies and procedures
Improvement to CPR governance structure
Delivery of the successful UK leg of the Road to Rome initiative
Development of London extension route and draft guide
2021 Finances
Despite a tough year, significantly impacted by the global pandemic, income levels remained healthy, with a good growth in online shop sales helping to offset the reduction in membership subscription income, for a second year in a row. Total income of £14,715.
Expenditure was reduced as needed to protect the reduced income streams, we did not incur such costs as the annual conference. Total expenditure of £11,073. Work on the proposed London to Canterbury route generated significant interest and we incurred some minor costs but a successful project to date. The higher level of online shop sales meant that we had higher costs to purchase shop merchandise versus last year, and we also continued to invest in improving our website & increasing our online presence for our members.
Overall, 2021 for the CPR closed with a decent surplus of £3,642, compared to past years and with cash levels higher than 2020, which was a positive result in light of the significant challenges posed by external events. Cash balance of £9,683.
Board compositon and electons
The board currently consists of the following trustees as at 31[st] December 2021:-
Jennifer Stearn
Brian Mooney
Tim Greig
Tim Redmond
David Matthews
Robert White
Paul Blackett
Tim Winn
Carlo Laurenzi
Risks
- The ongoing impacts of Covid-19 may still continue to hamper efforts to generate sufficient funds to operate the charity effectively, in particular, membership income may not recover to pre-pandemic levels in 2022.
Mitigation – F&GP
Ensure that the charity adheres to the agreed principle of only developing further projects, or spending funds outside of the agreed budget, if it feels it is able to sustain this new expenditure. Promote the CPR on our website home page and improve awareness among users that we are a membership organisation dependent upon subscriptions promoting the Via Francigena pilgrimage. Invest in reliable software to attract unsolicited online donations.
- Grant funding fails to materialise . This could seriously impact on the charity’s ability to set up on the ground projects.
Mitigation – FR Group
Ensure that appropriate bids are put into funders in a timely fashion, failing that, be prepared to put projects on hold.
- More and increasingly demanding tasks land on a diminishing number of trustees, leading to disillusionment and departure.
Mitigation – Chair
Ensure that sufficient people and financial resources are available for any agreed work programmes to be delivered as planned. The board might also consider greater use of volunteers, and contractors working alongside of named trustees to pick up some of the slack.
- Brexit - Visa and entry restrictions coupled with delays at borders may deter pilgrims. Economic impacts of leaving the EU could be heavy and as such people feel unable to walk the VF. Coupled with ongoing issues at Dover harbour re foot passenger services.
Mitigation – board
Ensure high quality and fresh information and advice appears on the website. Having London-Canterbury route ready may appeal to pilgrims unable to attempt the VF, as a whole. Need to keep pressure on the ferry companies for the continuance of foot passenger services.
Statement of viability
The charity broke through the £10,000 income barrier for a third year in a row, despite facing tough operating conditions due to C19 restrictions. It ended with a small margin of around £3,642, thereby increasing its balance sheet value to just under £10,000.
The longer-term impact of the Covid-19 restrictions are expected to lessen over time, thereby reducing its effect on the CPR’s ability to raise funds.
The various new policies planned and already in place will strengthen the charity’s governance and overall management.
The principal areas of concern at this point are firstly, more permanent restrictions on entering the EU both borne of C19 and Brexit. And secondly, is our seeming inability to recruit for the remaining four vacant roles on the board, thereby continuing the heavy workload on the existing trustees.
On balance, the charity meets normal standards of ongoing viability.
Plans for 2022
London to Canterbury route refined and launched
Kent Pilgrim Festival delivered
CPR Website completed and launch
4 e-newsletters and 1 printed newsletter
Growth of social media activity to include campaigns and FR
New Services to supporters
Online presentations
Annual conference
AEVF event in the UK
Virtual Pilgrimage event
Target of £13,000 unrestricted income
Increase size of the board
Confraternity of Pilgrims to Rome Income Statement January - December 2021
| Income Charitable donation Gift Aid Total Donations On Line shop sales On Line shop sales - product On Line shop sales - shipping Total On Line shop sales Restricted Income Danilo Boat Fund Pilgrim Festival Road to Rome Total Restricted Income Subscriptions Total Income Expenditure Accounting software FFVF booklet Insurance London Canterbury route Mail Chimp fees Merchandise/ passport & credential printing Paypal commission Pilgrim Festival 2022 Print newsletter Printing, Postage and Stationery Road to Rome Danilo's boat payment Stock write of Travel and Accommodation and phone costs US Postage & distribution Web dev & maintenance Zoom Total Expenditure Net operating Income Net operating Income excl restricted income |
2021 £ 1,296 398 |
Budget £ 2,500 2,000 500 2,500 1,000 1,000 4,000 10,000 432 195 350 600 212 410 450 - 1,900 680 - - 2,199 172 7,600 2,400 |
2020 £ 302 913 1,215 1,707 523 2,230 6,270 6,270 6,878 16,593 344 547 311 891 169 1,331 444 - 1,923 1,077 - 6,078 37 451 186 2,022 130 15,940 653 461 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,694 2,153 850 3,004 - 1,000 4,303 5,303 4,715 |
|||
| 14,715 432 85 321 782 100 814 396 44 1,875 973 3,700 - - 124 90 1,141 196 11,073 3,642 2,083 |
|||
| Income excl restricted Expenditure excl restricted Net operating income |
2021 9,412 7,329 2,083 |
2020 10,323 9,862 461 |
Confraternity of Pilgrims to Rome Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2021
| Memo Restricted funds 2021 2021 £ £ Cash at bank and in hand Cooperative bank - Metro bank 9,227 Pilgrims Festival KCC grant 956 (371 ) Paypal 455 Total Cash at bank and in hand 9,683 Current Assets Stock of books - Total Current Assets - Net current assets 9,683 Current Liabilities Accruals 76 Accrued income (31 ) VAT Control - Total Current Liabilities 45 45 Net current assets (liabilities) 9,638 Total assets less current liabilities 9,638 Total net assets (liabilities) 9,638 Charity funds Opening Balance Equity - Retained Earnings 5,996 Surplus/(Defcit) 3,642 Total Charity funds 9,638 Provision for Road to Rome 10% KCC Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Total Creditors: amounts falling due within one year |
2020 |
|---|---|
| £ 1,259 4,870 176 |
|
| 6,305 - |
|
| 6,305 309 - - |
|
| 309 | |
| 309 | |
| 5,996 | |
| 5,996 | |
| 5,996 | |
| - 5,343 653 |
|
| 5,996 |