The Horsforth Shed Trustees’ Annual Report 2022
Registered Charity 1184672
See also our website at www.horsforthshed.co.uk
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Contents
Objectives2
Achievements2
Health & Safety, Safeguarding, and Risk Management3
Looking Forward4
Finances4
Charity and Trustee Details5
Declaration6
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Horsforth Shed – “It's the best thing I do all week” Jim, a recovering addict
Objectives
The intention of the Horsforth Shed is to help build supportive relationships through the medium of woodwork and other craft activities. More broadly, the charitable aim of the Shed is to promote social inclusion in Horsforth and the surrounding area by assisting individuals to integrate into society. This means learning together in a workshop environment and creating an atmosphere of mutual support. The services of the Shed are directed towards helping any individual who is, or is at risk of becoming, socially excluded.
The Horsforth Shed began in 2019 with the refurbishment and equipping of an old Scout Hut owned by St James’ Parish Church which lay unused and had fallen into disrepair. The renovation work took place through the coronavirus pandemic and over £64,000 was raised to cover the cost of renovation and equipment. The majority of this renovation work was undertaken by volunteers, whose donated time amounted to approximately £60,000 worth of labour. The Shed began delivering services to the local community in November 2021.
Achievements
A part-time Shed Manager was appointed in November 2021 to work two days per week managing the delivery of services to the local community. In 2022, the Shed offered over 160 sessions to groups and individuals ranging from vulnerable young people to adults struggling with addiction and mental health issues. Several local charities and schools have participated in weekly sessions, and a regular drop-in session was established enabling individuals to come directly to the Shed. In addition to self-referrals, social workers and social prescribers in the area have been referring individuals to the drop-in sessions, indicating awareness of the Shed by local services. Sessions vary in length from one to three hours, and in total more than 330 hours of sessions were delivered in 2022, engaging with around 80 individuals.
In each session, participants use the equipment and resources provided by the Shed to make objects such as candle holders, bird tables, shelves, and boxes under the guidance of volunteer Shed Supervisors. Participants thereby learn new skills and complete projects whilst engaging with others—one drop-in session participant described the Shed as a ‘calm and friendly environment’ where they ‘feel less isolated and more productive while learning valuable skills.’ The Shed has a dedicated social space and kitchen, allowing for quality social engagement alongside the main workshop activities. The group from Lighthouse West Yorkshire, for example, a charity which cares for vulnerable adults, has lunch in the Shed as part of their regular sessions.
The positive impact of the Horsforth Shed on users has been evident in the feedback received. Although users praise the quality of the facilities and the opportunity to learn new skills, the mental health and social benefits of using the Shed are what shine through in testimonials. One drop-in session participant described how the Shed offers ‘a chance to have some creative time whilst being therapeutic and a way to
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ease the anxiety experienced following the problems and events of the last few years.’ Another said the Shed ‘has helped me a lot and given me the confidence to try new things. I would say things like this are essential for people in today’s increasingly uncertain and difficult environment.’
Furthermore, the facilities of the Shed have been used in service of community activities—they were used to make dozens of plywood leaves for the 2022 Horsforth Walk of Art, as well as five bug houses for local primary schools and two book libraries, also commissioned by nearby primary schools. In turn the Shed has established strong relationships with the Town and City Councils and several businesses in the area, including one construction company which provided an artist to run a six-week evening art workshop in the Shed. In addition, a local woodyard offers a discount on supplies. The Shed has attracted grants which were put towards running costs and the purchase of new equipment. For example, a local Church commissioned four candelabras from the Shed, which were made with the assistance of participants from the Lighthouse group. The Church gave a gift towards the purchase of the metal-working equipment needed to complete these, which expanded the range of items which can be made by Shed users. The Trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit
Health & Safety, Safeguarding, and Risk Management
A part-time Shed Manager is responsible for overseeing the management and operation of the community workshop. Experienced volunteer Session Supervisors oversee all workshop activities and ensure safe working practice, and two Supervisors are present for each session. There are a number of policies and procedures in place designed to mitigate risk.
Health and Safety
Our Health and Safety policy details the management and control of risks to prevent accidents and ill health resulting from activity in the Shed. The Shed Manager and Session Supervisors all undertake certified training enabling them both to use the equipment themselves, and to teach others how to use it safely. All users complete an induction process when attending the workshop for the first time. The workshop space is well lit and uncluttered, with dust extraction directly fitted to equipment, and a wall mounted fine particle extraction unit. All tools and equipment are regularly maintained, and electrical appliances are PAT tested as appropriate. The use of tools and machinery is strictly controlled and overseen by experienced Session Supervisors, and the maximum supervisor to client ratio is one to five.
Safeguarding
As the Board of Trustees we recognise the need to provide a safe and caring environment for children, young people and adults. As the Board of Trustees we have therefore adopted a safeguarding policy in accordance with statutory guidance. We are committed to build constructive links with statutory and voluntary agencies involved in safeguarding. The policy is based on the ten Safe and Secure safeguarding standards published by Thirtyone:eight who provide professional
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support and undertake Disclosure and Barring Service checks for our Session Supervisors.
Risk Management
We have completed a Risk Register that identifies the principal threats to the operation of the Shed. The potential threats are mitigated by the measures set out in the Risk Register, which is reviewed annually by the trustees.
Looking Forward
Building on the successful operation of the Shed in 2022, our aspirations for the coming year are to:
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diversify the range of activities available as part of Shed sessions.
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increase the number of sessions running on a weekly basis.
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devise a strategy for fundraising to ensure the financial viability of increased utilisation of the Shed.
Finances
We are fortunate to have a trustee who is a professionally qualified accountant as our treasurer. We have no funds materially in deficit and the trustees are satisfied that the charity is a going concern. We operate our finances within a Financial Controls Policy overseen by the treasurer and reviewed annually and we have no Related Party Transactions to disclose. We have a reserves policy of nine months’ operating costs currently estimated at £14,700, with a minimum reserve threshold of £6,000. We never undertake any purchases or commission any work unless funding is already in place. Horsforth Shed is not a grant making charity nor does it have any investments. To strengthen our financial position the trustees are considering creating a part time role for a fundraiser.
During 2022 the following funding was received
Restricted funds :
| Restricted funds: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Horsforth Town Council | £1,000 | ||
| Mears Foundation | £1,000 | ||
| Wates family | £5,000 | Total Restricted Grants and Donations | |
| £7,000 | |||
| Unrestricted funds: | |||
| Leeds City Council | £ 243 | ||
| TPP | £5,000 | ||
| Horsforth Farmers Market | £ 250 | ||
| Receipts from Services Supplied | £9,702 |
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Donations £16,870
£1,675
Total Unrestricted Donations
Total Income £23,870
Total Expenditure £22,769
Monies carried forward from 2021 was £18,340. 2022 was £19,441.
Monies remaining at the end of
Charity and Trustee Details
Name: HORSFORTH SHED Charity number: 1184672 Date Registered: 30 July 2019.
Charity’s principal address: c/o St James Woodside, Low Lane, Horsforth, Leeds, LS18 5QW
Horsforth Shed is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with a Constitution as its governing document.
The management of the charity is by the board of trustees listed below
Jonathan Cain (Chair)
Graeme Collins
Peter Gillions
Joe Minton
Chris Baker (Treasurer)
Tracey Greig (appointed July 2022)
Trustees are appointed by agreement of trustees and a minimum of three trustees are needed to be quorate. As the property is owned by the Diocese of Leeds then the Vicar of St James Woodside is automatically an “ex-officio” trustee. If the post of Vicar is in vacancy then there must be at least one trustee who is a member of the Parochial Church Council. The charity trustees will meet at least quarterly and undertake to make available to each new charity trustee, on or before their first appointment, copies of or access to:
The current version of the constitution.
The CIO’s latest Trustees’ Annual Report and statement of accounts.
The Charity Commission’s guidance on the role of the trustee.
The trustee declaration of being a ‘fit and proper’ person document.
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The charity is aware of the guidance on diversity and inclusion and is actively seeking to expand the board of trustees.
Staff members:
Richard Hamlin (Shed Manager): employed two days per week to oversee a volunteer team of ten Session Supervisors.
Peter Gillions (Project Leader): Volunteer with responsibility for the future development and maintenance of the premises.
Independent Examiner: L. Groenewald FCA, 24 Regent Terrace, Leeds, LS6 1NP
Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above on the 01 September 2023.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Peter Gillions Signatures Jonathan Cain Full names Jonathan Cain Peter Gillions Chair of Trustees Trustee and Project Leader
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Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the Horsforth Shed trustees of
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Responsibilities and basis of report
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charitable incorporated organisation (“the charity”) for the period ended 31 December 2022.
As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
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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 giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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the accounting records in respect of the charity were not kept as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
| Signed: Name: Address: |
Lydia Groenewald | 5 October 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Lydia Groenewald (FCA ICAEW) | ||
| All Hallows Vicarage, 24 Regent Terrace, Leeds, LS6 | 1NP |
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