2022-04-01-accounts - Silver Stories

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Westbourne House,

Westbound Terrace. Saltash Cornwall. PL12 2BX

Registered Charity No 1188312

April 2021 – March 2022

2[nd] Year of Operation

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS

Charity Summary

The second year of Silver Stories saw the continued impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic, the closure of schools continued and, when open, school staff had to deal with very challenging issues, not least the large number and frequency of staff absence.

Silver Listeners continued to be more isolated than in the past (prior to the pandemic) and in need and desirous of connection and company.

Silver Readers continued to identify themselves from the home situation and many schools had a willingness to engage with Silver Stories that was tempered only by the day-to-day difficulties of adapting to the everchanging situations that they found themselves in.

In the midst of all of this uncertainty, the charity continued to grow both sustainably and steadily (with interest from around the world) and continued to make the most wonderful and precious of connections between Silver Listeners and Silver Readers.

Reader Feedback:

‘We've got on so well, we seem to have the same sense of humour and it gels so well as the Listeners know each other too. We feel a real connection to them. We assume older people have nothing to offer us but this shows otherwise, their wisdom and knowledge. It's brought my sons communication skills on hugely, it's really helps’

Listener Feedback:

‘It's lovely to hear their voices and hear them reading to me and telling me what they've been doing and what they're looking forward to, when you're on own and getting on a bit, it's nice.’

School Feedback:

‘It's going well, they are lovely and I've also made contact with a local care home who are interested also. The children are really enjoying it and work in pairs to read for 20-25 minutes to each of the ladies. 'I like Silver Reading, because it's very nice to read to older people, and help them feel better. Over time you really wonder what the old person looks like.' 'I think it's really good, I really like reading to Dorothy as it makes me feel happy. It's also really helping with my reading and encouraging me to read out loud in class.' I think it's really nice to do as some of the older community are really lonely and the older people look forward to our calls as it makes them really happy.' 'I think the older people enjoy it and it's really fun. The older people sound happy and we help keep them company.' 'It's really good, I think it makes the old people happy. I think it makes them have a really nice day.' 'I'm happy because I get to read to people, because they are lonely and it stops them staring at a wall. I can read to them and make their day a bit better.'

Research undertaken by Exeter University concerning the impact of Silver Stories has been completed and the final report is being finalised by Professor George Koutsouris and Professor Brahm Norwich.

We have included the summary of Key Findings from the research:

In summary, these are the main findings:

Silver Stories was seen as having dual purposes, namely literacy and
wellbeing-related
Both readers and listeners felt they were helping the other group
The quality of the relationship between readers and listeners was central
to the experience of the programme
Evidence of a good relationship between readers and listeners was the
presence of an informal chat
The role of school staff in scaffolding the interaction between readers
and listeners was very important – this has training implications for future uses of the programme
For readers, positive social outcomes (e.g., confidence) were reported
widely, but some positive reading outcomes were also reported
For listeners, there was evidence of increased sense of connection with
and contribution to their community, as well as a feeling of satisfaction
The study was conducted during a turbulent period for schools

Notable events

Milan Kumar , a 10-year-old Silver Reader, undertook a sponsored walk for Silver Stories. The story is available from the Silver Stories website.

Steph’s Packed Lunch : Silver Stories features on this programme on 22[nd] February 2022. Joyce (one of the charity’s oldest and longest Silver Listeners) travelled to the studio where she was surprised by meeting her three Silver Readers who live in London. It was a beautiful piece

The One Show : Silver Stories Trustee Dame Esther Rantzen discussed Silver Stories when she was invited on The One Show.

In September Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall conducted a Virtual Royal Visit to Silver Stories.

Two of the Charity’s established Silver Readers, Ollie and Tegen from Cornwall, read over the telephone to Her Royal Highness and HRH then chatted with them about Silver Stories and the relationship they have with their Silver Listeners. Comments from the Silver Listeners were shared with Her Royal Highness.

The visit concluded with Her Royal Highness speaking with Elisabeth and David Carney-Haworth, the creators of Silver Stories about the benefit of Silver Stories to both children and the older members of the community. Her Royal Highness expressed her delight at the scheme.

Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall : in October 2021 the charity was thrilled to announced that Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall is now the Patron for Silver Stories. The work of Silver Stories aligns closely with three of HRH’s personal interests: Cornwall, the isolation of many older members of our communities and the importance of reading, especially for young children.

The Objects of the CIO are:

1) to advance education for the public benefit among children, in particular through the provision of supervised opportunities to read aloud to listeners as a means of improving reading/literacy and communication skills and building self-confidence. Silver Stories will enable children (silver readers) whether in schools or other establishments, to telephone older people (silver listeners) who have volunteered to be part of the scheme, in order to read aloud to them.

2) For the public benefit to relieve the needs of elderly people, in particular by offering them volunteering opportunities to act as listeners for children who will read aloud to them by telephone with the aims of reducing feelings of loneliness and social isolation and maintaining inter-generational contact. Research has shown that this type of activity will increase confidence and reading skills in the children, and enable the older people, who may be isolated and alone, to remain in contact with children thus improving their mental and physical wellbeing.

3) to provide relief from stress and suffering for older people experiencing loneliness and isolation and to develop reading and communication skills for children

4) liaising with education establishments, older people and their representatives and other agencies;
5) seeking to form partnerships with other charities and organisations which deliver mutual and complimentary benefits;

6) providing support and information and where necessary advocacy, guidance and mentoring to older persons and education establishments teaching staff.

All trustees have read the charitable business law guidance issued by the Charity Commission (CC) taking especial notice of the seven guiding principles. In addition, the Chair provides regular updates to all Trustees on CC policy and lessons from enquiries etc.

Additional Information:

Policy on grant making:

The Charity is not in a position to make grants at this time.

Policy on social investment including program related investment:

Despite the Charities very purpose being a ‘social investment’ this investment is not directly fiscal.

The Charity does not have a body of volunteers other than the Trustees.

Achievements and Performance

To date Silver Stories has Silver Readers and Silver Listeners, schools and Partners from across the country and beyond. This equates to hundreds of hours of reading and listening each week.

March 2022 Numbers:

Number of Silver Stories Schools: 62
Number of Silver Listeners linked to a school: 189 Listeners.
Number of home based Silver Readers: 66
Silver Listener matched to home based Silver Reader: 63

Number of Silver Partners: 19 (Home Care Providers/Sheltered Accommodation/Social Prescribers/Housing Trusts).

Structure, Governance and Management

Type of governing document:

Constitution Document

How is the charity constituted?

Charitable Incorporated Organisation (Foundation Structure) - whose only voting members are its trustees.

Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions:

New Trustees may be recruited to the Board at any time by the Trustees. In selecting individuals for appointment as Trustees, the Trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the charity.

All trustees have completed a Skills Audit so that the skills and knowledge of current trustees can be appropriately utilised and any gaps in skill can be used in the recruitment of future trustees.

Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees:

Each new Trustee receives, on or before his or her first appointment, a copy of the current version of the constitution and a copy of the CIO's latest Trustees' Annual Report and Statement of Accounts. The new Trustee will also be briefed individually by the CEO or Chair of Trustees. They will also complete a Skills Audit.

The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works:

Relationship with any related parties.

The charity has a formal partnership with ALERTACALL

Reference and Administrative details	Reference and Administrative details
Charity name	Silver Stories
Registered charitynumber	1188312
	Westbourne House. Westbourne Terrace
Charity’s principal address	Torpoint
	Cornwall PL12 2BX

Name of trustees who manage the charity

Name of trustees who manage the charity	Name of trustees who manage the charity	Name of trustees who manage the charity	Name of trustees who manage the charity
Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany)
Dr Emma Corrigan	Chair of Trustees	NA	NA
Elisabeth Carney- Haworth OBE	CEO and Co- founder	NA	NA
David Carney- Haworth OBE	Co-founder	NA	NA
Paul Smythe	UKGDPR	NA	NA
Dame Esther Rantzen DBE	Trustee	NA	NA
RichardMarsh	Treasurer	NA	NA
Rachel Corrigan	Research	27/6/21	NA
Lydia Baggaley	Social Media	10/4/22	NA
Nita Shah	Trustee	11/5/21	NA

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees.

E Corrigan

Chairman of Trustees

Financial Review

A donate button has been placed on the website.

Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period 6[th] April 2021 to 5[th] April 2022

Charity Bank Account Opened 7[th] December 2020. Barclay’s Bank Community Account

Balance at bank at 6[th] April 2021 £142229.85

Balance at bank 5[th] April 2022 £17959.61

Statement of Financial Activities

Unrestricted Funds £ Restricted Funds £. Total 2022

Income and Endowments from: Donations 1338.59 9000 10338.59

Expenditure

Charitable Activities 1324.32 5284.51 6608.83

Net Movement in funds 14.27 3715.49 3729.76

There were no financial incidents reported to the Charities Commission for this financial period.

Income includes donations from the public.

The charity does not work with a professional fund raiser or commercial participator.

The charity does not carry out its purpose through grant making.

The charity received £9000 from The National Lottery

The charity does not operate outside of England and Wales.

The charity used no money transfer system. All payments were by BACS.

All trustees have agreed the risk management policy, and financial controls were reviewed during this start-up year.

There are no trading subsidiaries of the charity.

Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held

The charity designated a reserve of £1,000 to maintain sufficient funds for the annual insurance premium for 2022. The reserves policy will be reviewed in 2023

Amount of reserves held:

Currently £1000.00 maintained within the balance of funds held within the Barclays Bank Account.

Reasons for holding zero reserves

Not applicable.

Details of fund materially in deficit

Nil.

Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern

Not applicable.

The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)

Income by grant as donations of £10338.59 has been received in this financial period.

No trustees receive remuneration or benefits. Only expenses are paid to trustees. There are no trustees that charge for a service provided to the charity and the company does not employ any person who was previously a trustee.

For the financial period reported, there were nine voluntary trustees.

Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted

Not applicable.

All financial risk is currently assessed as low as there is no immediate requirement to directly support beneficiaries financially or through the sale/purchase of goods, services or real estate. To that end where there is funding below the forecast requirement the impact will be translated to a slower delivery rate.

I declare that these statements are correct for the financial period reported.

Richard Marsh

Treasurer

April 22[nd] 2022