## **Empowering Futures – Annual Trustees Report – 10/11/24** Empowering Futures is registered as a CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation). Registered with the Charities Commission Number 1182139 on 19 February 2019. The first Trustees are; Sarah Harper Maria Needs Susan Farthing Vivienne Nott Leanne Airey The board of Trustees will be required to serve for a minimum of one year and those named above served throughout this period. ## **Aims and Objectives** “To promote social inclusion for the public benefit by preventing people from becoming socially excluded, relieving the needs of those people who are socially excluded and assisting them to integrate into society by providing therapeutic gardening activities within a community garden and outdoors. For the purpose of this clause ‘socially excluded’ means being excluded from society, or parts of society, as a result of one of more of the following factors: unemployment; financial hardship; youth or old age; ill health (physical or mental); substance abuse or dependency including alcohol and drugs; discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, disability, ethnic origin, religion, belief, creed, sexual orientation or gender reassignment; poor educational or skills attainment; relationship and family breakdown; poor housing (that is housing that does not meet basic habitable standards; crime (either as a victim of crime or as an offender rehabilitating into society).” Empowering Futures has maintained its aims and objectives of supporting people who are socially excluded from Society. Individuals who need support and cannot access support or independently tackle the issues and barriers presented. Those most vulnerable, disadvantaged and/or disabled are our primary participants. ## **For the public benefit** In constituting the charity and conducting the activities throughout the year, the Trustees have had regard to the Charity Commissions guidance on public benefit. Examples of our delivery for the public benefit can be found in the 1 subsequent paragraphs, which give specific examples of activity and those supported. The charity is committed to supporting people who are otherwise excluded and isolated from Society for varying reasons. Some are deemed too expensive to support, some written off, others because of incorrect assumptions made. We believe everyone can achieve, given the right opportunity, encouragement, time and belief. Our success and attendees success evidence our achievements and aims, both with people and in society. ## **A new year filled with hope and triumph** After multiple setbacks and tremendous hard work and long hours, the building which was unsafe was dismantled, the contents were stored in all manner of locations temporarily until they could be rehoused. A new build started to be erected. With this going on in the background we embarked on improving the land and its impact on biodiversity and climate change whilst engaging new clients and reaching out to those that needed most support. We successfully gained funding from **West of England Community Pollinating Fund** and were able to match fund from the multiple corporate volunteers who had promised voluntary hours in the year. Many returning from previous years. |Time period|Organisation|How
many
volunteers|How many
hours
volunteered| |---|---|---|---| |July 2023|Aviva|14|98 hrs| |Sept 23|Amazon|7|49 hrs| |Oct 2023|Building Inspectorate|10|70 hrs| |Sept/Jan 24|Community Volunteer|2|89 hrs| |Sept/Dec 23|UWE trainees|2|600hrs| |Aug 23/Jan 24|Community Young people|3|180 hrs| During the year we also welcomed corporate volunteers from TSB, Motability, Wain Housing, Landrover Jaguar, Hays Consultancy, who gave us 208 voluntary hours of support. An incredible year for external organisations to benefit from providing support to a green space project whilst feeling the mental health and well-being benefits of working outdoors in a relaxed green setting. Feedback communicated was positive and numerous people commented on what a fabulous day they had. Even though, the work was very different to their ‘office jobs’, with so much more manual labour needed. However the resounding feeling at the end of the day was evident by every smile and offer to return again. 2 This project underpinned much of the new activity at the farm throughout the year with a new car park installed, living wall fencing, multiples of plants, shrubs and trees planted seasonally. A fairy garden was developed using masterful willow craft with our resident willow wizard, who erected a superb willow dome for Forestry sessions and willow sculptures of animals that are located all over the farm. Whilst working on this project, Bristol University Students contacted us and offered their services in analysing the soil at the farm for their scientific degrees. The findings were amazing and we have a complete picture of the whole farm now and its differing soil nutrients. This will allow the charity to grow so much more which will mean more grown products will be used in cookery classes. More vulnerable people will eat fresh food. More young people will be encouraged to eat more healthily. At the same time, we will continue to share excesses with local food banks and kitchens as well as feed our own animals. The whole process of sow, grow, eat, repeat is present over much of the farm now. As is the waste used for future compost which has yielded amazing crops of fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs. The school children from Pathways gained from two full days being booked for the whole year with maths and English delivered by their tutors at the farm. Many who had been isolated at home, took their first steps back into the community following attendance at the farm. AQA qualifications were achieved by many participants giving them a sense of value and recognised success. The groups which ranged from Age 6 – 16 yrs, enjoyed animal interaction, cookery, willow craft, the Arts, horticulture, woodwork, sewing and exercise when they attended. Many parents shared very positive dialogue when collecting their children. For many, the farm acted like a spring-board back into the community. Most of the attendees had major anxiety issues and additionally health conditions to work through. As a result of a few successful Crowdfunders, we were able to deliver Forestry School sessions and fund all of the specialist equipment required to safely inspire children to explore and expand their curiosity outdoors. Our 3 staff who are trained to a Level 3 delivered weekly sessions in the dark, in winter and heat in the summer. Children attending had multiple needs including attachment issues and suffered high anxiety. However, the outdoors allowed them to work through their inhibitions and enjoy the outdoors within a small group. The Crowdfunder covered the costs for many disadvantaged children. The day to day activity saw the building be erected, the electrics added, the harvesting and water treatment plant connected, the fixtures relocated from their temporary homes and the luxury of indoor toilets and heating. Additionally, just as we thought the worst was over, the local planning department sought to add solar panels to the requirements for Building 3 Regulations for the building. A rewarding visit from an officer from The Fore saved the day and offered £10,000 to meet the costs of solar panels. Added to this, contacts with local masons groups raised another £2000 for much needed mud control paving around the farm. This enables wheelchair users to navigate the terrain and have the freedom to roam around the farm. We were gifted an electronic scooter during the year which has been used on a daily basis by different people and really allowed many people with mobility issues to have so much more freedom. The confidence and reassurance the wheelchair has provided has been a terrific boost. As the year went on, the developments continued. We salvaged the windows and wood from the old building and built a small shepherds hut planned to serve private meetings. The shape of the organisation advanced considerably with new professionals joining the team allowing for Art therapy, Psychotherapy, Trauma based Counselling, Equine Horsemanship, yoga all to become regular activities that are available for the young people to plug gaps created in their past and allow them to rebuild and thrive. Giving them an opportunity to have a fulfilling future. Our organisation was nominated by NHS for the Green Award in personalised Care and we won which we were totally unprepared for. Our plaque sits proudly on a shelf in our main building. Locally, bus routes were cut and many of our participants are unable to travel by public transport, because of sensory overload so we purchased a 6 seater van to support this. This has allowed isolated people and older people to visit when we have tea parties and open days and provided a life line for many to leaving home. The van is used every day and collects and returns attendees safely. A grant from South Glos Learning Difficulties Fund allowed another strand to be added to our charitable activities. We launched sessions aimed at those in isolation who had learning difficulties. The sessions were well attended and oversubscribed and 4 of the attendees continued to participate at the farm under the social care arm. All have improved confidence, better skills and new directions. Other Grants received during the year include; Community Matters – National Grid £3275 (who followed this by including our head of research who works from home) in a case story highlighting her significant achievements and knowledge. Quartet – Resilience Fund £9935 This was so productive for us at a time when we were exhausted and needed to formulate a way forward without the day to day activities being at the 4 front of our time. It allowed us to take some part time staff to manage admin and the farm and freed us up for planning. Quartet – The Express Grant £5000 The express grant allowed us to continue with the building and meet the extra costs incurred National Lottery - £9750 This grant enabled the completion of the building Fore Trust - £10,000 This funding enabled us to install the solar panels on the building and associated costs The Masons (Glos) £2000 The funding from the masons allowed us to lay the mud control pathway around more of the farm successfully benefitting so many people with mobility needs Stoke Park £2850 This funding allowed us to continue employing our willow teacher as we restructured and established direction for a sustainable future Avon Wildlife £2260 This grant was proposed for training in nature, unfortunately the courses we originally chose were cancelled. However, we have found other courses in nature and have attended those expanding our skills and knowledge. We have a small amount left to source new training next year. We feel very privileged to be accepted and awarded so many grants. As the year draws to a close, we enter a new year filled with excitement, plans and a sustainable future. The achievements of the attendees have been astounding and outstanding. Young people have visibly changed in front of our eyes and that of their parents. Hoods have come down, voices have been found, a sense of belonging established and a belief in themselves has developed. The steps forward and the achievements have been inspiring and transforming for the attendees. This gives us the reassurance, the delivery of services is pitched and meets the vulnerable and complex needs of people attending. Maria Needs Trustee 5 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND ANO WALES Empowering Fulures 1182139 Receipts and payments accounts CC-76a Forth• perfod Irom 0610412W23 0510412024 Section A Receipts and payménts Unrestrlcled fund5 Endowment funds Tfyial fui)d6 Last ￿tsaI to tFo rthwe&t£ lothk ￿&t•#1 e totFo n￿ar￿￿£ A1 Re¢el ts 4542 31989 51987 5A891 1.316 2T.81S 6,228 .150 126,464 14,61È rI￿E FL￿d￿S Actlvlt 34989 53.891 76,272 f4797 1.352 Res1￿¢$￿ FurKJ$ 272 13,797 RelLmds Intttesl Sub total{Gross Incomè forAR) 1$451S 7￿272 234509 A2 Asset and Investm•nt salos. ¥otai 164.588 76,272 236.589 A3 Pa m&nts xlurBS 2.348 1.36 404 EqLVFfftrrt Z51 16rt 575 9D Bulld4vJ INSWKE PPE arilable Activiti&5 Slait Cos15 Adnln 797 394 11328 £Q356 028 19,328 111069 265 701 g tosss REJTFUCTED 7RAM Sub total 19405 14995 520,051 A4A88èt and inv•8tm•nl pu￿h85t$. {stt table) Sub total Totalpaymants 194.056 125,995 320.D51 172.446 N•t olrec•ipts/(paymÈnts) A5 YrnnsfA￿ b￿wA&n fiind A6 Cash lunds last ￿rend Cash fvnd5 thisyear end 29.468 49.723 79.191 64.143 30.ST5 50.164 80.739 16.596 80,739 1.1Q7 Section B Statement of-assets and liabilities at the end of the period--.-.--.--__ Unrestricted fund$ rJv¥oAf £ Restticted lunds Endowment funds to nBIr￿t£ Cttieoories Bl Cash lunds X Rl accounts (SSI 710112D25 441 rotalcash fuThts 1.10T 441 Unrestrfcted vunds R•strtciéd fund8 Endowment Tunds t0￿reSt £ to £ rerrt valy• Dp:eils C￿1 Current value 84 Assèts retsinéd for t ¢harity's own usa Ilabtllty relat•• {Wlonèll B5 Uabilits¢$ Sgnod by one or ￿ tsusteeson bghaLf of all the IN5te85 3riature Priit Narne Datè of approval IA 1111112024 CCXX R2 8ttx)unL% ISSI 27101r2Q25 ## **Independent examiner's report on the accounts** **Section A Independent Examiner’s Report** **Report to the trustees/ members of** Empowering Futures **On accounts for the year ended** 5 April 2024 **ended Set out on pages** CC16a 1 and 2 **Charity no** 1182139 **(if any)** (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets) I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 5 April 2024. **Responsibilities and** As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation **basis of report** of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed 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 in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: - accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or - the accounts do not accord with the accounting records I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. **Signed: Date:** 29/01/2025 **Name:** Susan Rickerby **Relevant professional** ICAEW **qualification(s) or body (if any):** **Address:** 118 High Street Staple Hill Bristol BS16 5HH ## **Section B Disclosure** Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). **October 2018** 1 **IER** **Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose** . **October 2018** 2 **IER**