## **Trustees Annual Report for period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024**
## Charity Name: **Open House Shaftesbury**
Registered charity number: **1184625**
|Charity’s principal address:|Father’s House Christy’s Lane
Shaftesbury
Dorset
SP7 8PH|
|---|---|
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity:
|Trustee Name|Office(if any)|Dates acted if not for wholeyear|
|---|---|---|
|Andrew Baddeley|Chair||
|Alan Kirkham|Treasurer||
|Sheela Upton|||
|Helen Jupp|||
|Gordon Clowrey|||
## **Structure, governance and management**
## **Description of the charity’s trusts**
|Type of governing document|Type of governing document|Constitution of a Charitable Incorporated Organisation adopted
29thJuly 2019|
|---|---|---|
|How the charity is constituted||Charitable Incorporated Organisation [CIO].|
|Trustee selection
methods|(a) Apart from the first charity trustees, every appointed trustee must be
appointed for a term of 3 years by a resolution passed at a properly convened
meeting of the charity trustees.
(b) In selecting individuals for appointment as appointed charity trustees, the
charity trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience
needed for the effective administration of the CIO.
(c) Nominated trustees. Fathers House Shaftesbury (“the appointing body”)
may appoint 1 charity trustee. Churches Together Shaftesbury (“the appointing
body”) may appoint 1 charity trustee.||
Christy’s Lane, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 8PH – 01747 852994
info@openhouseshaftesbury.co.uk www.openhouseshaftesbury.co.uk Registered Charity No: 1184625
## **Additional governance issues**
There were no changes in Trustees during the year but, under the term of the Open House constitution, Andrew Baddeley was re-elected as a Trustee and also as Chair, at a meeting of the Trustees held on 25 July 2023.
Our Manager and Administrator are supported in, the day to day running of the charity by our Operational Team, comprising lead volunteers heading up various aspects of the charity’s work with Operational Team meetings held regularly.
## **Objectives and activities**
|Summary of the objects of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|The CIO is established for the following purposes for the public benefit
in Shaftesbury, Gillingham and the surrounding villages. Such activities
to be carried out within a Christian ethos:
(1) To relieve persons who are in conditions of need, by reason of their
youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other
disadvantage and in particular but not exclusively by the provision of
advice, support and information**.**
(2) 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.|
|---|---|
|||
|Summary of the main
activities undertaken for the
public benefit in relation to
these objects.|Open House is a community drop-in service. Within a friendly "coffee
shop" environment, a number of different services are offered,
including but not limited to:
Emergency Aid, including distribution of food bank packs &
non-food aid
Benefit advice [Trained & accredited counsellors].
Housing Advice [Trained & accredited counsellors]. ,
Other support services, including letter writing, personal
budgeting & help with preparing C.V. & job applications
Store House (Distribution of donated furniture & white goods to
qualifying clients).
Open Fridge
All these services are provided on a Tuesday between 10-2pm by a
team of volunteers._[Open Fridge – Mon, Wed, Fri]_
We also work with other local agencies and arrange networking events.|
Christy’s Lane, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 8PH – 01747 852994 info@openhouseshaftesbury.co.uk www.openhouseshaftesbury.co.uk Registered Charity No: 1184625
## **Additional details of objectives and activities**
We are grateful for the many hours volunteers have spent assisting our clients. Without this valuable contribution of time, energy and expertise, we would not have been able to achieve so much.
We are also grateful to Father’s House Church for providing the accommodation in which we hold our activities. Initially Father’s House provided the accommodation free of charge but, given the increasing and substantial cost of heating, lighting and other energy costs, we have agreed to pay an annual service charge of £6,000. This remains a very reasonable amount but will, inevitably, put further pressure on our finances.
## **Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year.**
Although Covid restrictions eased during the previous year, the impact on the cost of living filtering through from significantly higher rates of inflation has continued to reflect a growth in demand for our services increased as reflected in the statistics below.
A summary of our main activities over the 12 months to 31 March 2024 was as follows:
Food parcels and/ or emergency aid packs – **276** distributions _[p. year 230]_
Benefits advice - **65** consultations _[p. year 102]_
Housing advice – **62** consultations _[p. year 37]_ Support services – **118** consultations _[p. year 164]_ Storehouse - **94** deliveries [ _p. year 111]_
Dropping in for a “Chat and a drink” - 579 _[p. year 525]_
In addition to our volunteers, we are also very fortunate to have the services of two remunerated support staff:
Our Project Manager, Nikki Hall
Open House Administrator – Iris Phillips
“ **Open Fridge** has proved to be very popular and we are grateful for the many varied contributions of produce for this facility. From April 2023 to March 2024 Open Fridge distributed 15,471 ( _15,946_ ) Kg of food and had 5,238( _4,934_ ) customer visits. Food is sourced from many local supermarkets and businesses, local allotments, farms and individual donations. Food is largely from the surplus that these facilities generate that would otherwise go to landfill
Our Storehouse delivery service continues following the purchase of a new van. We were fortunate in that grants and donations covered the initial cost of the van, but running costs are higher and add significantly to the overall cost of running this project.
We publicise our services through several local channels, including “This is Alfred” and the Blackmore Vale Magazine. We have an active Facebook and Instagram page and do much of our advertising through social media.
Christy’s Lane, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 8PH – 01747 852994
info@openhouseshaftesbury.co.uk www.openhouseshaftesbury.co.uk
## **Statement of the charity’s policy on reserves**
Our policy is to hold sufficient funds to cover a minimum of 3 months operational costs in the event of any loss of income and to meet any unforeseen expenditure that may occur.
Supporting this is a policy to spread regular donations and grant applications over a wide base so as not to be dependent on a limited income source.
## **Details of any funds materially in deficit**
No funds were in material deficit at 31 March 2024.
## **Further financial review details**
The accounts for the year to 31 March 2024 show a deficit of £7,465 compared with a surplus of £24,946 in the previous year. There was a reduction in both donations and grants, the previous year having included a £10,000 grant from the National Lottery.
Expenditure also increased slightly, due to higher pay costs but will increase significantly in 2024/25, including implementation of an annual service charge of £6,000 to cover energy cost including heating and lighting.
We are grateful to our faithful regular donors, we also for the one off donations and grants received throughout the year, thus providing a relatively secure financial position at the end of the year. However, this level of income will need to increase throughout the coming year to ensure the continued development of the project.
We are so grateful to the following companies, organisations and trusts that awarded us grants during 2023/24:
- Neighbourly who work with supermarkets such as Lidl and Aldi and provided access to a Toy fund at Christmas and some financial funding
- Groundworks [Tesco] ASDA Foundation
- Shaftesbury Town Council
- Mental Health – North Dorset - Sadly this organisation had to close but gave some of their equity to Open House
- Dorset Community Fund supported OH with a grant to cover a variety of our core purposes
- Shaftesbury Charitable Trust –Emergency Aid; client gas & electricity top-up Rotary Club of Shaftesbury – Christmas boxes
Also, to Virginia Hayward for donation of food hampers distributed to clients at our clients’ Christmas Party.
Christy’s Lane, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 8PH – 01747 852994
info@openhouseshaftesbury.co.uk
www.openhouseshaftesbury.co.uk Registered Charity No: 1184625
The charity provides a service to clients and does not award grants. Income received is therefore used to provide services over the ensuing 12 months and, as It is not in receipt of any significant legacies or endowments, it is not necessary or appropriate to invest any funds. A charity investment policy is therefore not applicable
## **Other information**
Open House continues to develop and expand its work with demand for its services continuing to increase
Levels of poverty are increasing across the country and although Shaftesbury and the surrounding area is to many an idyllic place to live, the effects of rural poverty, including lack of public transport and need to travel greater distances for medical, benefits, etc. appointments is a matter often overlooked.
Finally, Open House is blessed with many volunteers and although some have retired we have had a number of highly qualified and passionate individuals joining our team.
## **Declaration**
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees report above.
## **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees**
|Signature||
|---|---|
|Full name|Alan Kirkham|
|Position|Trustee; Treasurer|
|Date|16 October 2024|
Christy’s Lane, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 8PH – 01747 852994 info@openhouseshaftesbury.co.uk www.openhouseshaftesbury.co.uk Registered Charity No: 1184625
**Charity Name No (if any) Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period** Period start date Period end date **To from** 01/04/2023 31/03/2024
## **Section A Receipts and payments**
|**A1 Receipts**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest**
**£**
**10,916**
**5,380**
**1,548**
**345**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**18,189**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**18,189**
**30**
**1,754**
**782**
**1,438**
**350**
**15,380**
**530**
**3,500**
**1,275**
**-**
**25,038**
**-**
**-**
**25,038**
**- 6,849**
**26,378**
**19,529**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**-**
**1,000**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**1,000**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**1,000**
**-**
**925**
**331**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**1,256**
**360**
**360**
**1,616**
**- 616**
**2,722**
**2,106**|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**
**10,916**
**6,380**
**1,548**
**-**
**345**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**19,189**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**19,189**
**30**
**2,679**
**-**
**782**
**-**
**331**
**1,438**
**350**
**15,380**
**530**
**3,500**
**1,275**
**-**
**26,294**
**360**
**-**
**360**
**26,654**
**- 7,465**|**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**
**10,916**
**6,380**
**1,548**
**-**
**345**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**19,189**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**19,189**
**30**
**2,679**
**-**
**782**
**-**
**331**
**1,438**
**350**
**15,380**
**530**
**3,500**
**1,275**
**-**
**26,294**
**360**
**-**
**360**
**26,654**
**- 7,465**|**Last year**
**to the nearest £**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Donations|**10,916**|||||**15,124**|
|Grants|**5,380**|||||**23,675**|
|Gift Aid Recovered|**1,548**|||||**1,705**|
|Fundraising||||||**297**|
|Other Income|**345**|||||**453**|
||**-**|||||**-**|
||**-**|||||**-**|
||**-**|||||**-**|
|**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for_
_AR)_|**18,189**|||||**41,254**|
||||||||
|**A2 Asset and investment sales,**
**(see table).**|||||||
||**-**||||||
||**-**|||||**-**|
|**_Sub total_**|**-**|||||**-**|
|**_Total receipts_**
**A3 Payments**|||||||
|||||||**41,254**|
||||||||
|Children's Activities|**30**|||||**40**|
|EmergencyAid|**1,754**|||||**2,072**|
|Donation to charities||||||**-**|
|Client Events|**782**|||||**772**|
|Fundraising||||||**213**|
|Volunteer Training||||||**-**|
|StoreHouseproject|**1,438**|||||**4,172**|
|Open Fridge|**350**|||||**217**|
|Staff Pay|**15,380**|||||**13,641**|
|Insurance|**530**|||||**524**|
|Services charge[Lighting& Heating]|**3,500**|||||**750**|
|General Administration & other costs|**1,275**|||||**2,545**|
||**-**|||||**-**|
|**_Sub total_ **|**25,038**|||||**24,946**|
||||||||
|**A4 Asset and investment**
**purchases, (see table)**|||||||
|Laptopcomputer|||||||
|Open Fridge Project|**-**||||||
|**_Sub total_ **|**-**|||||**-**|
|**_Total payments_**
**_Net of receipts/(payments)_**
**A5 Transfers between funds**
**A6 Cash funds last year end**
**_Cash funds this year end_**|||||||
|||||||**24,946**|
||||||||
|||||
**- 7,465**||**16,308**|
|||||**-**||**-**|
|||||**29,100**||**12,792**|
|||||**21,635**||**29,100**|
||||||||
CCXX R1 accounts (SS) H:\Documents\Book1
25/11/2024
1
|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**||
|---|---|---|---|
|**Categories**
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
**B5 Liabilities**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**
**B3 Investment assets**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B1 Cash funds**|Signature
Freezer - Open Fridge Proj.
**Details**
**Details**
Motor Vehicle - Storehouse
Storage Container - Storehouse
Laptop computer
4 Laptop computers
Desptop Computer
Storage container - Open Fridge Proj.
Fridge - Open Fridge Proj.
**Details**
**Details**
Balance Bank Account
Balance Petty Cash
**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
**Details**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**19,470**
**2,106**
**58**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**19,529**
**2,106**
OK
OK
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
General
**-**
General
**-**
Restircted
**360**
General
**Donated**
General
**-**
General
**-**
General
**-**
General
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**liability relates**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
Print Name
Alan Kirkham
Andrew Baddeley|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||OK|
||||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**Current value**
**(optional)**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**Current value**
**(optional)**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**When due**
**(optional)**|
|||||
|||||
|||||
|||||
|||||
|||||
||||Date of
approval|
|||Alan Kirkham|16/10/2024|
|||Andrew Baddeley||
CCXX R2 accounts (SS) H:\Documents\Book1
25/11/2024
2