2024-08-31-accounts

Spark (Burntwood) CIO

Annual report for year ending 31[st] August 2024

Spark (Burntwood ) is a CIO established in July 2019, charity registration number 1184253. Previous to this Spark (Burntwood) was a CIC established in 2015.

Its address is Spark Springhill, Mossbank Avenue, Burntwood, WS7 4UN.

It has a board of Trustees who are its only members:

Linda Hood (Chair) Stephanie Edwards (Vice Chair) Passed away in December 2024 Sarah Lucas (Treasurer) Suzanne Kirk Andrew Twyman

Spark has a Senior Management Team comprising a

-Chief Executive Officer

• Chief Operating Officer

• Chief Financial Officer

all employed on a part-time basis

Staffing team include

• -Volunteer Co-ordinator

-Family support workers

-Administrator

And others employed to do specific session leading tasks. Spark also has a fantastic team of volunteer helpers who provide support with leading groups, administrative tasks and whatever needs doing. There are approximately 48 regular volunteer helpers as at August 31[st] 2024. Volunteers provide on average approximately 127.5 hours a week of volunteer time which equates to around 2.7 hours per volunteer.

Spark’s charitable purposes are:

• To enhance the development and education of children in Burntwood and the surrounding areas

• To advance education and training for children, carers and residents, to promote volunteering and to relieve unemployment

• To advance education of parents, families and local organisations in relation to childcare, play, education and early learning services and activities

In order to achieve these purposes, Spark sets its objectives , and for the year ending August 2024 these objectives were to provide a setting and staffing (paid or voluntary) for groups aimed mainly, but not exclusively, at families with pre-school children :

• Baby group sessions

• 0-5 playgroups and support groups

• Midday Mayhem (young parents’ support)

• Breastfeeding Support

• Single Parents support

• Dads sessions

• Buggy walk

• Twins and Multiples group

• Outdoor groups

• School holiday sessions

• Pregnancy Events

• Book club and Sign language group

• Sparky’s Den (after-school tea club)

• World Wide Women International Women’s Group

• Mini Spark Crew social action project

• Grandparents’ Group (for grandparents caring for pre-school children)

• Art Groups (for children and adults)

• Baby Bank (supporting families and children of all ages with donated clothing and equipment)

• Toy library borrowing service

• Provision of a Community fridge and freezer for access by those using Spark

Spark also provides a setting for external providers to run activities and support services for families:

• Health Visitor clinics

• County Council Parenting Classes

• Pregnancy and new baby courses

• Nursery run play sessions

• District Council young women sessions

• Advice on energy, money, employment, health and wellbeing issues

During the school summer holidays in August 2024, Spark partnered with Burntwood Town Council in providing play activities and refreshments for a Play in the Park session, attended by around 800 people. Food for this was donated by a local company.

In October 2021 Spark was awarded a grant from the National Lottery to run the Grow and Thrive Project , for 3 years to September 2024, which extended the reach of activities through wellbeing, financial resilience, volunteering and community connections support.

The aims of Grow and Thrive were:

People Aims

To enable those in greatest need in our community to both grow and thrive in their lives despite the difficulties which they may be facing, through:

-establishing routes to help service users grow in independence

• -improving accessibility and removing barriers

• -enabling peer support relationships, enabling people to help themselves and others

• -improving wellbeing and enabling people to live healthy and active lives

Organisational aims :

-continue to facilitate joined-up working between charities locally to strengthen our community offer and organisational resilience

• -secure and strengthen delivery from Spark

• -build capacity to strengthen long term volunteering to have greatest impact

This allowed Spark to:

• Link up with local organisations to visit the Spark centre and provide drop ins to help the local community

• Expand and develop forms of family support

• Develop our volunteering offer

• Expand and develop new sessions

• Signpost, advocate and join up services more effectively to support families

Spark also received funding from Lichfield District Council for the Community Connections Project.

Community Connections - project 2024-2027

Spark project Community Connections is needed to

-address the inequalities which exist within the district

-provide local & accessible places and services

-provide ongoing contact with vulnerable service users

-continue the collaboration and strong partnership working locally

-enable routes to volunteering and improved employability

-evolve to meet the changing needs of the community

In 2024 Spark also received 6 months of funding for a RISE pilot project:

Spark also have smaller projects supporting: -wider community improvement

-access to food

-climate change

Highlights from September 2023 to August 2024

Spark was asked to support a wide range of local events during the period including

• a local Hello Velo cycling event

-local markets

-Lichfield Fuse Festival

• -Burntwood Wakes

-Support Staffordshire Volunteer Fair

Spark worked with the Cranfield Trust during this period on strategic planning. Through the Journey to Excellent Programme. Spark worked with the Cranfield Trust to develop a strategic plan document. This was the culmination of evidence, feedback and workshops with service users, volunteers, staff and trustees and forms a template for Spark’s future areas of work and development.

Spark took part in surveying and data collection during this financial year:

During a 6 month period

-Spark provided 272 children with support through the baby and children’s bank

-115 1 to 1 support sessions were given

-78 families received 1 to 1 support

• -33 families received finance referrals to other agencies

-94% of people involved in activities reporting new social connections increasing social cohesion.

• -98% people reporting increased mental wellbeing from being involved in activities

-79% users report additional resilience to deal with problems

-67% of people in crisis referrals engaged in accessing additional ongoing support through Spark

16 new volunteers joined Spark during the 12 month period. Along with many work experience and college placements. Spark undertook a survey of volunteers also and identified opportunities for further growth and support of the volunteer team.

Some Spark team members attended the Lichfield District Voluntary and Community Sector Market Place forum, highlighting local community groups in Burntwood. They nominated long-serving volunteers for a 'Volunteer Recognition' award. Garry Jones of Support Staffordshire presented the award.

Volunteer and Trustee Stephanie Edwards won the Nannie Lin Volunteer of the Year Award in 2024.

In July 2024 a celebration was held to recognise the long service of Jean and John Spraggett who retired from running Grandparents’ Group over the last 9 years.

Spark increased it’s offer of activities through partnership working with Lichfield District Council Us Girls Project.

Through the RISE project Spark was able to provide

• groups at the Spark centre

• family support on a 1 to 1 basis for any children or families requiring support to access help.

• wider family support and wellbeing groups.

• through the free pass access for families with long term health conditions and disabilities, families could access a wide range of services and facilities to support positive health and wellbeing.

• greater links with statutory health partners

The opportunities to link and collaborate more closely with statutory health partners such as health visitors means greater referral pathways and joined up working, increasing speed and accessibility of the right services at the right time.

Spark was in the news in 2024 with Spark sharing views on the government's free childcare policy with BBC Midlands and other channels. Collaborating with Little Owl Childcare, we filmed parents and volunteers voicing their experiences and opinions on the policy's effectiveness. We were also interviewed on BBC Radio WM Breakfast.

More training took place with teams including online and outside courses in: -food health and hygiene - safeguarding. -sustainability -bid writing -first aid. -manual handling -fire safety. -challenging behaviour -prevent. - suicide prevention -mental health first aid- adverse childhood experiences – de-escalation -health and safetyallergy training -charity finance -courageous conversations- back health -home safety - healthy sleep and weaning - supporting parents/carers who have a child with SEND. -menopause -domestic abuse awareness.

Spark partnered with AccessAble to assess and enhance accessibility to the Spark centre, resulting in a guide for individuals with disabilities and improved listing on their website for further assistance.

Spark has held more Community Connections days for partners/friends to showcase services, demonstrate impact and develop more support.

Financial review

During the year we received funding from various sources. Some was fees paid by people attending groups and rent for use of the premises; some was donations from local councils; some through being a nominated charity for local businesses which held collections or fundraising events. The largest amount was from the National Lottery Community Fund for the Grow and Thrive Project and Lichfield District Council for the Community Connections Project.

In addition, Spark runs a variety of fundraising events, including an annual Pamper Evening and a Fashion Show, plus the Christmas Appeal to provide toys and gifts for nominated families who use Spark.

The major expenditure was for staff salaries and associated costs (for the Senior Management Team, Volunteer Co-ordinator, Baby Bank Co-ordinator, Family Support & Session leaders, Administrator); Spark’s core costs, the provision of resource materials and costs of running the various groups and activities.

This period also saw a focus on building business and philanthropic support and fundraising to diversify income streams.

Potential risks and uncertainties

Financial:

It is possible that grant-making bodies may re-assess their priorities, and local-authority bodies may face cutbacks in the availability of funds. However, because Spark draws on a mix of funding sources, statutory, charity, local and national, it is not anticipated that there will be a long-term cut in income even when one grant period finishes. The Trustee board regularly checks exposure to different funding streams to ensure that there is not overreliance on any individual source. We have a Reserves Policy which addresses various potential scenarios and provides for a 3-6 month cushion in case of short-term decreases in funding.

Operational:

• Spark works closely with its landlord, Springhill Academy, to ensure that there are no issues over use of the premises.

• There are staff employed by Spark on part-time contracts, and also staff who provide services as freelancers; there is a policy of recruiting internally when possible, perhaps turning volunteers into paid staff, so there is continuity and it is not anticipated that future staffing changes will cause operational issues.

• Because Spark works closely with other local groups and charities, it has good standing in the local community and there is little likelihood of its activities being curtailed, because it is clearly meeting local needs.

Future plans

• The provision of new groups

• Developing links with more community groups

• Increasing the number of volunteers, offering training and development to build selfconfidence and encouraging volunteers to look at paid employment as a future goal.

• Develop a garden room to create a private space to talk with families.

• Follow through on strategy planning with Cranfield Trust.

• Amend focus groups to visit groups at Spark to get a wider range of views and discussion.

• Need for greater capacity especially for leading on areas of delivery, family support work, communications, planning and administration.

• Relaunch website

• More online and paper brochures with more details about services and better communication strategies.

Financial Report

Spark (Burntwood) CIO Income and Expenditure Account For the year ended 31 August 2024

	Restricted	Unrestricted
	Funds	Funds	Total	2023
Income
Activites Coordination	1,570	-	1,570	-
Business Room Hire	138	360	498	2,622
Donation	16,622	26,035	42,657	10,032
Fundraising Events	-	1,022	1,022	-
Gift Aid	-	13	13	-
Grant	159,524	-	159,524	224,503
Interest Income	-	200	200	74
Other Revenue	847	40	887	-
Party Hire	-	1,165	1,165	1,770
Sales	-	5,228	5,228	2,405
Total Receipts	178,701	34,063	212,763	241,405
Expenditure
Activities	2,585	300	2,885	2,777
Advertising& Marketing	776	17	792	293
Audit & Accountancyfees	150	-	150	600
BBAF Balance	550	-	550	-
Charitable and Political Donations	100	-	100	-
Cleaning	655	-	655	6,661
Consulting	195	-	195	-
Equipment - Centre	8,324		8,324	-
Equipment - Computer	3,047		3,047	-
Equipment - Office	334		334	-
Financial Crisis Support	1,554	-	1,554	-
Fundraising	-	-	-	413
General Expenses	3,469	404	3,873	4,775
Insurance	1,198	-	1,198	652
IT Software and Consumables	1,833	-	1,833	2,902
Entertainment	-	-	-	911
Printing& Stationery	3,477	21	3,498	2,646
Process Payroll	688	-	688	701
Rates	-	46	46	47
Refreshments	1,962	71	2,033	-
Rent	5,400	-	5,400	7,853
Repairs & Maintenance	688	-	688	3,121
Resources	2,973	-	2,973	3,333
Rounding	-	(0)	(0)	-
Salaries	146,251	251	146,502	175,030
Staff Training	710	-	710	1,889
Subscriptions	2,236	145	2,381	-
Telephone & Internet	1,029	-	1,029	1,262
Travel - National	326	-	326	1,407
Volunteers' Costs	192	-	192	44
Total Payments	190,702	1,255	191,957	217,319
Surplus(Deficit)	(12,001)	32,808	20,806	24,086
Net Income / (Payments)	(12,001)	32,808	20,806	24,086
Balance brought forward	50,622	19,083	69,706	45,620
Balance carried forward	38,621	51,891	90,512	69,706

Made up of:

Current Account 50,081 Savings Account 40,284 Petty cash 147 90,512

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Spark (Burntwood) CIO ('the cio,) I raport to the chanty trustses on my examlnation of the accounts of the CIO for the yaar ended 31 August 2024. Responslbllltl•s and basls of r•port As the charty trustees of th8 CIO you ar• responslble for the praparatlon of tho accounts In accordanc• ￿th th• r•qulr•m¢nls of the Charitiès Act 2011 1'th• Act'i. I r•port In r•sp•ct of my •xamln•lknn ol th• CIO'S accounts carrl•d oul und•r s•ctk¢n 145 of th• Act. In carrylng out my •xamlnatlon I h•v• foll¢yw•¢J •ll •ppllubl• Dlr•¢lon$ glv•n by th• Chaty Comml8$kn und•r $•¢tion 145lSllbl of th• 2011 Act. Ind•p•nd•nt •xamln•r stat•m•nt. matt•r of conc•m Id•ntM•d I hav• completed my oxaminalion. l eonfirm that no material mattèrs hav• ¢om• to my att•nllon In conn•cllon wllh th• examlnallon glvlng me uus• lo b¢ll•v6 that in any mal•rlal r•sp•cl". 1. accounllng r•cords w•r• not k•pl as r•qulrnd by g•Ctb)n 130 of th• Act.. or 2. th• accounts do not accord wlth thos• r•cords. I conflrm that th•r• •r• no olh•r matt•rs to whkh ytyjr att•ntion shtyjld b• drawn to •nab￿ a prop•r und•rstandlng of th• accounts to b• r•ach•d. S￿n•￿'. Nam.. Lucy Brown A4J¢Jr•$s'. 179 Qu••n Str••t. Burn￿00￿. Stafford$hlr• WS7 4TN Dal•.' 12th May 2025

This Trustees’ Annual Report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to CIOs. This report has been approved by the Trustees on 10[th] June 2025.

Signed: Linda Hood Chair of Trustees