TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
Charity Number: 1187736 Website: https://sites.google.com/view/fawdoncoxlodgecommunity/ Facebook: @fawdonandcoxlodgetogether Email: fawdonandcoxlodgetogether@gmail.com
The trustees of the charity present their report and the financial statements for the period ended 31 March 2023.
LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Charity Number: 1187736
The principal office of the CIO is in England at 3 Bloomsbury Court, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 4LW
TRUSTEES
The trustees serving during the year and since the year end were as follows: Thea Ravasi (Chairperson)
David Alan Faulkner (Secretary/Treasurer)
Ann Marie Nicol
BANKERS
Barclays Bank Percy Street Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4QL
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The charity’s purpose as set out in the objects contained in the Constitution is: To further or benefit the residents of Fawdon and Coxlodge and the neighbourhood, without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, race or of political, religious or other opinions by associating together the said residents and the local authorities, voluntary and other organisations in a common effort to advance education and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure time occupation with the objective of improving the conditions of life for the residents.
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Fawdon and Coxlodge Together (referred to in this report as FACT) is a charity in England, registered on 4 February 2020 as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), whose only voting members are its trustees. The charity is governed by its Constitution dated 6 December 2018 and amended on 21 January 2020. The Charity number is 1187736.
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Since mid-2017, interested parties had been meeting informally to develop and pursue a project called “Fawdon and Coxlodge – Past Present and Future”. In late 2018 it was decided to create a constitution for the group under the name ‘Fawdon and Coxlodge Together’, trustees were appointed, and a bank account was opened in February 2019. It was then decided to apply to the Charity Commission for registration as a CIO and adopt the ‘Foundation’ model constitution.
The Board of Trustees meet as a committee every two months, together with other non-trustee members acting as advisers, to administer the charity and review strategy and future activities. Additional meetings are held as and when necessary, and any urgent business is dealt with by electronic means between the trustees and the other members of the committee, and otherwise by consultation between the trustees.
The charity has no paid officers, nor any office accommodation of its own.
The charity’s financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the organisation’s Constitution and the Accounting and Reporting by Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK (FRS102).
ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE DURING THE YEAR
The trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in Section 4 of the Charities Act 2011, to have due regard to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing FACT’s aims and objectives and in planning future activities and how the planned activities would contribute to the aims and objectives they had set.
Fawdon and Coxlodge Together manages the grant funding from the Community Foundation for Tyne and Wear on behalf of the local Friendship Choir. The choir continued to sing fortnightly throughout the year. Numbers have not returned to those pre-Covid, but a regular 20-30 singers enjoy the occasions.
Following the winding up of Fawdon Coxlodge District History Society, FACT - working with Fawdon Community Library - had to some extent taken on the role of researching and promoting the history and heritage of our local area. Two online presentations were made during the year, and in-person presentations about the history of Fawdon House - now The Northumbrian Piper public house - were given to other interested history societies and speaker clubs.
A current project developed during the year (and now complete) is the history of the sweet/chocolate factory Nestlé (formerly Rowntree) in Fawdon over its 66 years - which, sadly, confirmed closure. A book has been published, following interviews with current and former staff. Newcastle City Library has agreed an exhibition about the factory; this will take place in January 2024.
For the second year, we took the initiative to organise a Christmas community party, with stalls, entertainment and food, at Fawdon Community Centre in December, generously supported again by ASDA, and well-attended.
The new interpretation boards at St Nicholas Park, Coxlodge, erected by the Wildlife Trust but funded by Fawdon and Newcastle Together were installed in 2023.
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The volunteer litter picking team that had been operating since 2018 continued on a monthly basis. throughout the year of the report - but numbers of participants remain limited and the work paused in June 2023 (yet to resume).
We had flagged up our interest to Newcastle City Council in contributing to the planned improvement of Fawdon Park; we continued to support the consultation programme of the Council but final investment plans were not confirmed until spring 2023.
We are pleased that the number of followers of FACT on Facebook now exceeds 800 - this is a very satisfying level of interest and support for an organisation with such a relatively limited geographical catchment area. We use Facebook to promote not only our own projects but the activities of other groups in our community who share our objectives.
FINANCIAL OVERVIEW
During the year, the Trustees have examined the risks to which the Association is exposed. Currently, we carry only a small reserve and trustees would wish to work towards a policy whereby funds could be held in reserve at the level of approximately six months of unrestricted expenditure. However, it is our intention that we continue to organise much of our activity by working with and through other organisations in our community, or on projects that we will take forward only if grant funding is found. At the time of this report. we were holding £1800 in reserve to fund the new interpretation boards for the Northumberland Wildlife Trust in St Nicholas Park, Coxlodge (subsequently paid in September 2023)
APPRECIATION
The trustees wish to record their appreciation of the time given by non-trustee members of the management committee, and of the support of those organisations and individuals with whom FACT works in partnership.
DECLARATION
I declare, in my capacity of Trustee of the charity, that the trustees have approved the report above and have authorised me to sign it on their behalf.
(Signature) .................... (Name) David Faulkner
(Date) 8 January 2024
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WAIES Recelpts and payments accounts CC16a For th• p•riod To Section A Receipts and payments Unrg$trictod fund$ to thb n•aM8t R05trict8d lund Endowment fund Totsl fund L•st y•ar 10 Ih É trth• £ io th• n•rnt£ kn thp A1 R•c•lpts Gts Pnvate dwgton Prsthe bdarK4 Wlfts-ard Irfn 710 637 2.700 J.JJ7 ASDA $20 Sub tot•l(Gmss income for 6J7 4857 18•• tsbl•l. Sub total Total r•cwpts 637 4,920 4857 4,929 ¢T Leador fop5 94S $70 Sub total 1368 A4 A39•t and Invogtm•nt purchas•8.19•0 tabl•l Sub total Total payments lJ88 1,2 Net of recelptsl(payments) A6 Transl•rs botw••n funds A6 Cash fundB last y••r •nd Cash funds this ye•r end 637 2,SS2 3.18 3.337 037 1552 3.189 3.337 CCXX RI Issi 19112r2023
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrosthctgd Rostrlct funds Endowrnenl funds Do¢ails t• nthv•Bt£ B1 C•8h fund• 637 ChLThI gTanl 762 Tot•1 c•sh funds 637 1352 Unrtstrtct•d fvrbd• funds to Mttt£ fundi Dotails Fur•Jto Oetalls Fund 10 ¥1th Details B4 Assots rOtain for th• trI9 own u Fundio Amoum du• IlTh•n du• Oeialls BS Uablllll• Wlhllrfe T£1 tr¥Ag& ddQ023 Chtyr CLXty 762 SiJrJ by one c¢ iw) Intsljos on behav rl Bl th• trusLry Date d natw• Pnrl Nam Oa¥id F•Jrnr 8.1.2024 19112rb)23