## DSO INAUGURAL TRUSTEES REPORT ## **I. INTRO** Our annual report for 2019-2020 covers a period which was almost utterly dominated by a world of Covid-19 and the UK lockdowns. Because the charity was originally centred around free weekly gatherings of singing and social interaction, the very essence, in so many ways, of our modus operandi changed completely from our last session which was held on March 5th 2020. However, we are immensely proud that against all of the odds the charity not only survived but has continued to thrive. The objectives as a charitable foundation did not alter rather necessity forced the trustees to adapt in a different context. The trustees’ previous patterns of thinking were challenged and we responded to a new environment by providing, as have so many other organisations, an on-line provision. ## **II. OVERVIEW of ACTIVITIES** The 12-month period covered by this report (November 2019- November 2020) began with the nascent charity being only 3 months old. We were in the throes of establishing our client base, our financial & donation base, our volunteer structure base and our publicity & marketing structure. The application for & the acceptance of, our National Lottery bid was a tremendous boost for all concerned. We struck up excellent relationships with local care homes across Northamptonshire as well as with individual carers & family members of many of those living with dementia. We were unbelievably fortunate to secure the services of local choirmaster Gareth Fuller and his distinctive approach provided DSO with its unique attraction. Throughout the original pre-Lockdown period there were regularly 80 attendees on a weekly basis. 25 supporters received formal Dementia Friends training and all trustees underwent Safeguard Training for working with vulnerable adults. Close relationships and collaboration with local school, church & community groups as well as interviews with & visits from Radio Northampton, BBC & Anglia TV, reinforced the growing DSO profile across the East Midlands. Indeed publicity extended our contacts to others involved in dementia care & research beyond our local area. As well as not being able to meet face-to-face from March 2020 the trustees faced the highly restrictive and well-documented Care Home regulations. Undaunted we worked around these unprecedented circumstances by maintaining regular contact with Care Homes providing moral and practical support including physically delivering updated song booklets by DSO volunteers and providing telephone support to individuals. Beyond that we extended our publicity to try to capture private individuals and their carers living in domestic situations, often in isolation. The trustees committed to 1 **DSO CHARITY COMMISSION ANNUAL REPORT Nov 19 – Nov 20.** increasing the charity’s support to private individuals who are living alone, carers and family members and we provided much-needed IT support as well. Trustees have met frequently on-line to agree adapted approaches and have consulted with each of the Care Homes with whom we have relationships. Covid-19 and the resultant lockdowns have highlighted the pressures under which both Care Homes and private individuals whom we seek to support, exist. We feel comfortable in having done everything in our powers to maintain our weekly sessions at the same time as contending with the debilitating impact of Lockdown restrictions. These were most acute, as media outlets have publicized, within many Care home settings where there were no communal gatherings allowed and residents were confined to their own rooms with no opportunity to take advantage of DSO weekly singing sessions. The trustees and Gareth Fuller provided, via the DSO website, recorded sessions which could be accessed at any time. Post March 2020 an unforeseen benefit of Zoom sessions is that numerous family members have been able to see their loved ones responding to the singing in a way which had not been possible pre-Lockdown unless they physically accompanied them on a Thursday morning. Equally the visual of a Zoom screen on a Thursday morning was literally the only contact enjoyed by some family members; these instances alone confirmed the value of continuing our efforts. The therapy provided by singing has been blatantly obvious in the feedback received from individuals and family members since DSO’s inception. However, another aspect of our activity which has taken the trustees by surprise is the attendance of an increasing number of individuals who have quite simply been isolated over the lockdown period and who have been missing social interaction. Even though our focus continues to be on the benefits of singing for those living with dementia we have been forced to review our provision and even though our emphasis will always be upon those living with dementia and their carers. the trustees have decided to turn no one away because of the obvious benefits of singing for all. ## **III. SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES** - I. Setting up of weekly Zoom singing sessions - II. Safeguarding training for all trustees - III. On-line recorded sessions - IV. Delivery of song booklets to Care Homes - V. IT Teaching support for private individuals - VI. Monitoring of success of DSO activities/provision via website analytics - VII. Promotion of DSO activities through increased media publicity campaigns 2 **DSO CHARITY COMMISSION ANNUAL REPORT Nov 19 – Nov 20.** ## **VIII. FUTURE PLANNING** DSO, as with all charities, has been both stretched and challenged further since March 2020; as Trustees we continue to believe that, even in unprecedented times which fundamentally challenge the very basis upon which we were founded, there is a demand for singing activities and general support even if that is not face-to-face as it was pre-Lockdown. We are obviously aware that those living with dementia require support with technology and we are building upon our provision in this respect. The trustees’ approach will continue to be in collaboration with the community, developing relationships with individuals and organisations and promoting the wider benefits of singing. Our next Annual Report will detail the way in which we have been able to work in the uncertain times ahead post-pandemic. 3 **DSO CHARITY COMMISSION ANNUAL REPORT Nov 19 – Nov 20.** **Charity Name Dementia Sings Out** **No (if any) 1186115** **Receipts and payments accounts For the period** Period start date Period end date **To from** 6/3/2019 11/30/2020 ## **Section A Receipts and payments** **Unrestricted Restricted Endowment funds funds funds to the nearest to the nearest £ to the nearest £ £** ## **Total funds** **----- Start of picture text -----**
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
£
A1 Receipts
The National Lottery Grant - 9,420 - 9,420
Voluntary Donations 17,958 - - 17,958
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
17,958 9,420 - 27,378
Sub total (Gross income for AR)
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total - - - -
Total receipts 17,958 9,420 - 27,378
A3 Payments
Choir Director Fees 2,650 6,900 - 9,550
Use of Venue - 1,360 - 1,360
Refreshments 93 381 - 474
Liability Insurance 94 200 294
Advertising 883 - - 883
Stationery & Printing 91 - - 91
Website Hosting Fee 241 - - 241
Website Design 346 - - 346
Website Support 960 - - 960
Carers' Choir project 696 - - 696
Taxi fares for attendees 120 - - 120
Governance Costs - DBS checks 108 - - 108
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total [ 6,282 ] 8,841 - 15,123
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - -
Total payments 6,282 8,841 - 15,123
Net of receipts/(payments) 11,676 579 - 12,255
A5 Transfers between funds - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end - - - -
Cash funds this year end 11,676 579 - 12,255
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## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period** ||||**Unrestricted**||**Restricted**| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |**Categories**|**Details**||**funds**||**funds**| |**B1 Cash funds**|Current Bank Account
Petty Cash
**_Total cash funds_**||**to nearest £**
**11,658**
**18**
**-**
**11,676**|


|**to nearest £**
**579**
**-**
**-**
**579**| ||(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))||OK|OK|| ||||**Unrestricted**||**Restricted**| ||||**funds**||**funds**| |**B2 Other monetary assets**|**Details**
Gift Aid to be claimed||**to nearest £**
**407**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|




|**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**| |**B3 Investment assets**|**Details**||**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**|**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|| |**B4 Assets retained for the**|**Details**||**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**|**Cost (optional)**
**-**|| |**charity’s own use**||||






|**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**| ||||**Fund to which**||**Amount due**| |**B5 Liabilities**|**Details**||**liability relates**|



|**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**(optional)**| |Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees||Signature|Print|Name|| Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees **----- Start of picture text -----**
CC16a
**----- End of picture text -----**
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