2022-03-31-accounts

SociABLEs Hub & C.R.E.W.S.

Annual Report, Unaudited Accounts Report & Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31st March 2022

01/04/2021 – 31/03/2022 Annu al

SociAB LEs Hub & C.R.E.W .S. Registered Charity 1185428

Repo Charity 1185428 rt & Acco Unaudited Annual Report & Financial Statements of ~~un~~ t SociABLEs Hub & C.R.E.W.S. Longbank, BEWDLEY, Worcestershire DY12 2QW Tel [phone]

Page 1 Email [e-mail]

Prepared on a Receipts & Payments basis

SociABLEs Hub & C.R.E.W.S.

Annual Report, Unaudited Accounts Report & Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31st March 2022

General Information

Trustees: Rebecca Lathe Kim Cooper - Secretary Sue Breakwell Vincent Breakwell Carole Horton Patrick Warrington Shirley Hughes Deborah Millington Nicholas Lathe – Treasurer (NB: SociABLEs currently operate a rotating Chair arrangement with Rebecca Lathe being Chair at time of AGM ) Administrative Ofce: Longbank Centre Longbank BEWDLEY Worcestershire DY12 2QW Management/Admin Contact: Sharon Weston - CEO Accounts Prepared F.O.C. By: Rice & Co 14A Market Place Uttoxeter Staffordshire ST14 8HP Bankers: Barclays Bank Plc 66 Oxford Street Kidderminster DY10 1BL Status: The Organisation gained Registered Charity (CIO) Status in September 2019 following an Application to Charity Commission of England & Wales. Our Registered Charity Number is 1185428.

The Trustees present their annual report with the financial statements of the organisation for the year ended 31st March 2022.

Page 2

SociABLEs Hub & C.R.E.W.S.

Annual Report, Unaudited Accounts Report & Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31st March 2022

Trustees

The Trustees have overall responsibility and provide the legal framework to ensure that the Organisation is managed in an exclusively charitable manner, and to drive provision within the established Objects. Trustees meet on a quarterly basis.

Trustees serving during the year and their positions held were as follows: Alan Weaver – Acting Chair (Retired as Chair December 2021) Kim Cooper – Charity Secretary Nicholas Lathe – Treasurer (Special Responsibilities Health & Safety) Carole Horton – (Special Responsibilities Staff/Vols Support) Shirley Hughes (Special Responsibilities Monitoring & Evaluation) Deborah Millington (Special Responsibilities Monitoring & Evaluation) Patrick Warrington (Special Responsibilities Health & Safety) Susan Breakwell ((Special Responsibilities Staff/Vols Support) Vincent Breakwell (Special Responsibilities Health & Safety) Rebecca Lathe (Designated Trustees for Safeguarding &

CP)

Structure, Governance and Management

To effect the daily running of the Organisation, SociABLES Hub & C.R.E.W.S. devolves management duties to the CEO/Projects Manager, and a Staffing structure as follows:

CEO/Projects Manager Sharon Weston (Safeguarding Deputy) TEL [phone]

Projects Development Worker/Specialist Support Worker Michelle Weaver (Designated Safeguarding Officer) TEL [phone]

Specialist Support Workers Richard Crompton (Specialised Independence/Buddying & Activities Co-ordinator) Lee Cutler (Outdoor Activities & Work Experience) Jo Ward (Outdoor Activities, Allotment, Horticulture, Cookery & General Support) Dave D`Alton (Wood Work, Maintenance & Work Experience) Sarah Carey (House Keeping & Life Skills) Julia Tacey (Art Therapy & Crafts) Brenda Banford (Arts and Crafts, Housekeeping, Life Skills and Outings Support) Joyce Williams (Vol Crafts & Cooking) Kim Cooper (Charity Secretary & Admin Support) Newly appointed, Nikki Faulkener (Catering & Hospitality, Outings Support and Care)

Team of Volunteers/Sessional Instructors

Staff Members also available for Booking for P.A. work:

Michelle Benjamin, Richard Crompton, Jo Ward & Nikki Faulkener

Page 3

SociABLEs Hub & C.R.E.W.S.

Annual Report, Unaudited Accounts Report & Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31st March 2022

Governing Document

Constitution

The Organisation has achieved Charity Commission registration and is a Community Interest Organisation CIO registered in England & Wales.

We have adopted the Charity Commission model foundation document for CIOs with few amendments relevant to our organisation. Objects and powers have been established and are governed under our constitution.

Objects of the Charity

1. “To promote social inclusion for the public benefit by preventing people (Children & Adults) from becoming socially excluded, relieving the needs of those people (Children & Adults) who are socially excluded and assisting them to integrate into society.

For the purpose of this clause ‘socially excluded’ means being excluded from society, or parts of society, as a result of one or more of the following factors: discrimination on the grounds of disability; ill health (physical or mental); poor educational or skills attainment; relationship and family breakdown; financial hardship.

2. “To provide or assist in the provision of facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation or other leisure time occupation and/or for supported work based activities of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their disability, ill health (physical or mental), poor educational or skills attainment, financial hardship or social circumstances with the object of improving their conditions of life.”

In furtherance of the above the trustees will have a particular focus, without limitation, to people (Children & Adults) with disabilities.

The Trustees have considered carefully the Charity Commission`s guidance on public benefit. The provision of the services as described herein provides a benefit to all in this country and further afield.

Risk Statement

The Trustees maintain a register of the major risks to which the organisation is exposed. This register is reviewed annually. Systems are in place to mitigate any risks as far as is possible, within practical and financial constraints.

Policy Review

Management have developed a comprehensive set of Management and Service Delivery Policies which are reviewed annually. These include Safeguarding Children & Vulnerable Adults and Adults and Child Protection.

Page 4

SociABLEs Hub & C.R.E.W.S.

Annual Report, Unaudited Accounts Report & Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31st March 2022

Annual Review

SociABLES Hub & C.R.E.W.S. is a Register Charity (CIO) formed and introduced by a group of parents/carers responding to a gap in provision and the need for continued and developed services for local Children/ Adults who have Disabilities/Special Needs, following the collapse and closure of two major local charity providers in 2015. SociABLES Hub & C.R.E.W.S., still in its infancy, have grown steadily from its original unincorporated Not for Profit Voluntary Group to gain charity status in September 2019, becoming registered with the Charity Commission in England & Wales, registration number 1185428.

SociABLES Hub & C.R.E.W.S. provides a comprehensive range of Inclusive services in support primarily for Adults and Children with Disabilities/Special Needs/Complex Health Conditions and where funding permits, our services can also extend to specifically funded projects to others identified as being disadvantaged due to multiple risk factors including from Abusive Backgrounds, Socially Excluded, Low Income, Rural Isolation etc. Our services are intended to play a part in each individuals` personal development and to contribute towards improving outcomes.

SociABLES Hub programmes promote, social inclusion and provide Play/Social Activities and Friendship Clubs for Adults & Children of all abilities. Recognising the need for meaningful work experience/work-based skills, our C.R.E.W.S. (Centre for Recreation, Education and Work-based Skills) Projects provide progression by means of skills workshops, short courses and supported work placements for adults of All Abilities. C.R.E.W.S. also provides an Enrichment programme to include socialisation, life skills and personal development. Locally we are Leading Specialist Providers of services prioritised for Adults/Children who have any kind of diagnosed disability/special need and are approved providers with local authorities, within their Dynamic Purchasing System for referrals and tenders.

SociABLES Hub & C.R.E.W.S. do not provide domiciliary care, we do however employ and have access to, and/or can introduce P.A. Support Workers who may be able to provide additional support including personal care if required to access our services more easily.

Our Services operate 6/7 days per week all year round including Weekends and School/College Holidays, providing currently 74,100 hours of care each year with more than 21,000 hours of this made possible due to volunteering commitment. We support Adults across the age range and children/teens from aged 13yrs onwards. We operate mainly out of our base in Bewdley, Worcestershire but also serving those who resident in Herefordshire and South Shropshire but attend our services regularly. Our socially inclusive Services operate out and about throughout the Marches Counties of Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire and beyond.

Our Social Enrichment/Play programmes are written by our service users themselves and are personal to their own interests; there is no end to the possibilities and programmes include a full spectrum of ideas from Countryside

Page 5

SociABLEs Hub & C.R.E.W.S.

Annual Report, Unaudited Accounts Report & Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31st March 2022

Visits and Picnics, Arts and Crafts to Bowling, Eating Out and more adventurous Rock Climbing and Canoeing. Activities are adapted so that everyone can take part. Regular activities include general chilling out at our Centre, Skills Training, Cinema, Swimming, Bowling, Canoeing, Skiing, Dance, Music, Theatre, Eating Out, Craft Workshops, Outings etc etc.

CEO/Projects Manager Report

Here we are now with all restrictions lifted and being encouraged to Live with Covid… apparently! Realistically, Covid continues to impact on all we do, with daily testing for staff, reporting on any covid incidents and absences where there is still a need to isolate, even when A symptomatic. Like many organisations, SociABLEs will undoubtedly continue to measure its operations in terms of Pre-Pandemic and Post Pandemic and life continues to be challenging and recovery time is still occurring, but happily we have survived where others haven’t. Lessons learned during lockdown in terms of Management time being spent wisely on management and development tasks, including fundraising, has suffered some slippage this year, with further dedication to hands on, building back on quality service delivery and on induction and mentoring new staff. Going forward tasks will be delegated to free up Management time. This needs to be built upon to both consolidate our growth and to look to development. This good use of Management time will continue to be monitored. At timesoffice time` still seems to be in short supply and still a large proportion of all hours spent working are provided voluntary for the CEO however, as per last year, there is a continued sense within the Staff and Volunteer team of true progress again this year. We have a very dedicated, passionate team and our ethos and the service we provide for our service users, reflects this.

Achievements this year have included:

• Continuing to be registered as preferred providers on local authority Dynamic Purchasing Scheme (DPS) for Positive Day Opportunities, has led to new referrals and an increase to our purchase order/contracts paid on portal with the Local Authority, by 75%.

• Growth in our Services have meant that we have been able to employ a permanent Art Worker 2 days per week to provide a programme of Art Therapy, linking experience in life and what we see in and around our environment, to a form of creative expression. A pilot project for this, had originally been funded by Gillett Foundation. We are pleased to have been able to move this project on to a more permanent footing. Great works of Art continue to be produced and Service Users enjoy this focussed creativity.

Page 6

SociABLEs Hub & C.R.E.W.S.

Annual Report, Unaudited Accounts Report & Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31st March 2022

• Increased referrals to our Services have continued. Our business has grown by approximately 71% over the past 2 years. We have increased staffing capacity and have reorganised our premises to accommodate this increase.

• Increased Staffing/Creating New Jobs. We have again this year, been pleased to welcome on board another new Specialist Support Workers to meet the needs of a growing Service User base. The new Staff Members have settled in well and brings additional skills to our team. Staff retention continues to be a success on our Team, with the majority of our staff now being in place since inception. This continuity is of benefit to our service users, particularly those who have Autistic Spectrum Disorders and find change difficult.

• Our Service Users Shop is well stocked with general items for everyday use but also include gift packs and handmade craft items, made with the creativity of our service users, during Enterprise Workshops. Service Users make purchases of items using the vouchers they earn (so our given freely) and some items are offered for sale to the public at craft fairs and open days etc. We are grateful for donated items to our and those from In-Kind direct, which provide added element of life skills learning built into this scheme and work based skills in terms of learning about Retail and Marketing, which means the donated products have triple the value!

• We feel our Enterprise Project, run by Service Users with packs previously sold on Bewdley Market and at Craft Fairs, is still underdeveloped and funding is required to help bring it more fully to fruition for the benefit of meaningful work experience for our Service Users. We look for an outlet for our Retail items and are still looking to develop into our own Etsy shop; The Enterprise Project has however, still been successful and has given Service Users a great sense of worth.

• Introduction of our own SociABLEs Youtube Channel with regular videos being created by Service Users and managed by Service Users has been a great success.

• There have been numerous success stories, personal to individuals attending our Services.

• Our Picnics in Sheds venture- arising out of the rule of 6 Covid restrictions is also under-developed but we have successfully achieved funding from the Monday Night Group, to provide a new Pantomime themed Shed to add to our collection and will look for funding to bring this whole idea to life.

• The Noshery has had its make over and some new equipment has been purchased and fitted as well as changes necessary to bring it in line with gas safe regulations etc. Having purchased this catering trailer, we are working on development into an onsite take away eatery, where picnics including BBQ picnics, can be purchased to enjoy onsite. This will provide further valuable work experience for our Service Users interesting in Catering and Hospitality and Marketing.

Page 7

SociABLEs Hub & C.R.E.W.S.

Annual Report, Unaudited Accounts Report & Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31st March 2022

• Again our Festival Style Outdoor AGM with street food served from the Noshery and live entertainment was a great event this year and enjoyed by all, with over 70 attending.

We thank our dedicated volunteer base for the hours and hours of volunteer Craftsmen time enabling us to continue to renovate our buildings but also thank you to local businesses that have discounted or even sponsored items for our Longbank Centre.

Future Plans

Our Service Users, their needs, their aspirations and their personal development have always been central to our service planning. We take our learning always from them and they write the script in terms of designing our services and programmes. With our Service Users central to our operation, we are confident of providing quality services that encourage progression for every individual, that increase skills for independence and that promote social inclusion. Moreover, we are confident our services contribute positively towards each Service Users personal development and that Services remain flexible and relevant over time. We now have the following priorities for coming year/s in order to achieve this, much of which is ongoing and built upon successes of last year : (in no particular order)

• To continue to work harder to free up time for the CEO to concentrate on fundraising and development tasks

• To ensure funding available to correctly remunerate staff for the hours they work, rather than so many of those hours being made voluntary (all staff have agreed to continue to give some hours voluntary however for some it is more than half of the time they work)

• To continue to increase Staffing Capacity to enable more referrals and to meet the needs of those currently on our waiting list.

• To increase offering in terms of personalised interest groups

• Look to raise our profile with active networking, publicity and information/social events

• To become Greener including looking at improving our Vehicle Fleet from diesel to electric/hybrid and looking at planting schemes and upcycling/recycling etc,

• Drawing on past successes in running short courses run for Kidderminster College`s Bridging Course Groups, we now seek to develop specific and individualised programmes of supported work placements and work-based skills workshops/training. These programmes will initially operate twice weekly for up to 16 service users and will cover a variety of work experience skills for learning outcomes in Horticulture, Land-based Skills, Catering & Hospitality, Retail & Marketing and Arts and Crafts. We aim to provide volunteer reimbursements and access to the shop voucher scheme will be in place for Service User Volunteers accessing this area of specialised independence/supported work placements.

Page 8

SociABLEs Hub & C.R.E.W.S.

Annual Report, Unaudited Accounts Report & Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31st March 2022

• To continue with site improvements and update/renew equipment that is past its shelf life

• To further develop our Service Users Enterprise Project and identifying other sales outlets including online shops

• Develop our Website more fully and update our signage, promotional materials/leaflets

• To seek specific funding to enable the development of Projects needing more input to bring them into fruition, e.g. Picnics in Sheds, the Noshery and Retail Outlets.

• To increase our offering in terms of Work Placements, by feasibility testing the introduction of our own Noshery café / craft café and Picnic in Sheds enterprise.

With Thanks

SociABLEs Hub & C.R.E.W.S. is about an amazing bunch of Adults and Children, with personality plus, determinedly overcoming their differences and perceived barriers, to Enjoy a Life of Their Choice. I am very proud of what has so far been achieved with SociABLEs Hub & C.R.E.W.S. and I would like to thank Staff, Volunteers, Trustees, Workmen, Instructors, those who have made Grants and Donations to us, those who have provided goods or services at reduced or free of costs, our Landlords for the support given, but most of all I would like to thank our brilliant Service Users and their families for the absolute pleasure and inspiration they give us every year and for making all things worthwhile.

Prepared by Sharon Weston CEO/Projects Manager B.A. Hons Education Studies (special needs) F.C.M.I. DMS Chartered Manager

Financial Review

Reserves Policy

It is the Trustee’s aim to maintain reserves equal to at least 3 months running costs to ensure ongoing viability and to safeguard the organisation against unforeseen circumstances. Still relatively in our infancy, we are still working towards meeting this reserves policy, but despite circumstances surrounding 2 years of the COVID 19 pandemic, we have moved forward towards this policy, with managing a cash generation of £23,000 last year which preserves a buffer ongoing despite much development this past year.

Page 9

SociABLEs Hub & C.R.E.W.S.

Annual Report, Unaudited Accounts Report & Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31st March 2022

Financial Statements Accounts for year 1st April 2021 – 31 st March 2022 SociABLEs Hub & C.R.E.W.S. Receipts and Payments Accounts For the Year Ending 31[st] March 2022 Total Total Funds Funds 2022 2021 £ £ Receipts Service Users Fees 178,234 94,411 Donations 683 100 Grants/Fundraising Page 10 14,896 35,884 Grants Received HMRC CVJRS 7,861

SociABLEs Hub & C.R.E.W.S. Annual Report, Unaudited Accounts Report & Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31st March 2022

All assets and liabilities of the organisation relate to unrestricted funds.

----- Start of picture text -----
SOCIABLES HUB AND C.R.E.W.S.
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
at 31st March 2022
2022
£
Motor vehicles &
Capital
Honda Stepw`gon
LY56ZCN 1,266
Vauxhall Sharan GP57 JHX 802
VauxhallSharanWG0
8NLD 1,805
Caravan 317
Noshery Catering
Wagon 5,000
9,188
Cash funds Page 11
Cash at bank 22,325
Cash in hand 0
----- End of picture text -----

SociABLEs Hub & C.R.E.W.S.

Annual Report, Unaudited Accounts Report & Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31st March 2022

Approved by the Board of Trustees on 17[th] December 2020 and signed on its behalf by SociABLES Hub & CREWS

Approved by the board of Trustees on 14[th] July 2022 And signed on its behalf by

X

Kimberley Cooper Charity Secretary

14[th] July 2022

Page 12