2022-03-31-accounts

Hambleton Strollers Wellbeing Walks CIO

Annual Report 2021-2022

1.0 Introduction

• 1.1 The last two years have been busy and strange ones for our organisation. On 26[th] March 2020 the group became Hambleton Strollers CIO (a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with Trustees, No. 1188777) registered with the Charity Commission with a new constitution. This was less than a week after the first Covid-19 lockdown began.

• 1.2 All organised group walks were suspended. However, limited walking (in two’s and then sixes) began during 2021 as permitted and continued through the year until group walks began again in all towns during May 2021.

• 1.3 Walker enthusiasm returned slowly at first and increased through 2021 and into 2022 by which time we had higher participants in some towns than before the Covid outbreak. Forty-five of the Strollers’ Walk Leaders returned to lead walks.

• 1.4 The Annual General Meeting was held in April this was a virtual Zoom meeting and as a consequence attendance was poor.

2.0 Objectives

2.1 The objectives of the organisation continue to be;

• Provision of regular volunteer led and risk assessed walks in all towns of Hambleton District.

• Provision of exercise for those with challenging health conditions

• Contribution to healthy living

• Helping to overcome loneliness and social isolation

• Maintain free access for all to the groups walks

• Remain within the national Ramblers Walking Scheme.

3.0 Major Issues for the Year

3.1 Pandemic

Overcoming the continuing problems caused by the pandemic, changes to government regulations and still being able to provide safe walking for all continued to be the groups biggest challenge during the year. Our six town groups and their leaders achieved this largely by organising themselves with minimal support from the centre.

During 2021 we introduced a set of simple spreadsheets to record walkers’ names and attendance at walks in each town. This was due to the imminent end of the Walking for Health scheme and the closure of their computer system.

3.2 Ramblers Wellbeing Walks

During late 2020, the Ramblers put forward a plan to end the national Walking for Health Scheme, replacing it with a self-funding Ramblers Wellbeing Walks scheme. Their plan included a £1,000 per annum fee for each partner. The trustees following consultation with all walk leaders did not feel this represented good value for money and declined to join.

Following this decision, the trustees in early June 2021 set up a sub-committee of four to carry forward the daily management of Hambleton Strollers with a remit to review the organisation of the group and to provide proposals for the long-term management and administration of the group.

In late June, a proposal was submitted by North Yorkshire Sport to become a Partner in Ramblers Wellbeing Walks and pay the £2500 annual fee on behalf of all Walking for Health groups in the County. The Trustees subsequently made the decision to join the group.

The remainder of the year has been spent talking and negotiating with Ramblers and North Yorkshire Sport. It has not been straightforward, and progress for the full launch of the Ramblers Wellbeing Walks scheme is much delayed.

A new logo and branding will gradually become prominent as the year progresses. The new Assemble portal for registering our volunteers both walk leaders and administration on the Ramblers’ website is being used. As the scheme develops there will be the opportunity for walkers to register online and for walk leaders to take walk registers via a phone App, though this is not yet fully decided. All our walk dates will be available on the Ramblers web pages.

3.3 Group Organisation

The sub committee as part of its long-term review remit considered the administrative difficulties currently being experienced by the group and the implications of joining the Ramblers Wellbeing Walks scheme and recommended a partnership with Hambleton Community Action to provide administrative services for Hambleton Strollers commencing January 2022.

The arrangement to be reviewed after three months.

The trustees approved this proposal at its December 2021 meeting.

4.0 Finance

• 4.1 The group has a balance of £15,801 currently with the promise of another £5,000 grant in April 2022 from Hambleton District Council. Our reserves are sufficient to fund the next 3 years administrative support but we will need to start attracting more funds during 2023.

• 4.2 The District Council will cease to exist in March 2023 so this year’s grant may be the last from them although there are indications that as the District Council closes that they may be prepared to fund us in 2023. We have no information yet of future NYCC grants but the links with North Yorkshire Sport will be useful in this respect.

• 4.3 The 2020-2021 accounts were as required submitted to the Charities Commission. Officers of the committee voluntarily do not claim expenses when attending meetings.

5.0

Training

• 5.1 Training is now offered under the new Ramblers Wellbeing Walk scheme. Two new leaders have been trained this year, but more are needed.

• The expectation is that the new partnerships may produce more volunteers. One of our existing Walking for Health trainers has transitioned to being a Ramblers Wellbeing Walks trainer to provide a local service.

6.0 Statistics

• 6.1 We have a total of 190 registered walkers and the total number of walkers attending our walks across the six towns during the year was 4060.

8.0 Summary

• 8.1 We continue to be a successful charity providing volunteer led health walks in the Hambleton area with the active support of Hambleton District Council. We intend that Hambleton Strollers should continue and develop this important service to the community in conjunction with North Yorkshire Sports and Ramblers. These relationships will remain under review in 2022.

Ken Nicholson, Hambleton Strollers Chair, April 2022

Hambleton Strollers CIO

Income and Expense by Category 2021/22

From 01/04/2021 to 31/03/2022 (in GB Pounds)

Category (Income)
Equipment	225.00
Grant	5,005.00
Total Income	5,230.00
Category (Expense)
Admin	-138.16
Fees Paid	-1,125.00
Insurance	-137.48
Refreshments	-346.65
Subscriptions	-185.88
Travel	-49.50
Total Expenses -1,982.67 Total: 3,247.33

Account Balances

Cash and Asset Account balances (in GB Pounds)

Opening Balance at: 01/04/2021 | Closing Balance at: 31/03/2022

Bank	Opening	Closing	Difference
Lloyds TSB	12,504.19 15,751.52 3,247.33
Bank Total	12,504.19 15,751.52 3,247.33