Friends of Beechcroft Library Annual Report 2021-2022 Charity registration number: 1188953 ## **Annual Report for the period From 1[st] April 2022 To 31[st] March 2023** ## **Organisation name: Friends of Beechcroft Library** ## **Charity registration number: 1188953** ## **Objectives and Activities** This annual report has been created following guidance contained in the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) issued by the Charity Commission. ||SORP
Ref.|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the purposes
of the charity as set out in
its governing document|Para
1.17|Purposes as defined in the Constitution agreed in April 2020:
The advancement of education for the public benefit in
particular by the provision of library facilities and services for
learning, for information, advice and other related library
provision for the benefit of the residents and the wider
community in Stratton St Margaret and the surrounding
areas.| |Summary of the main
activities in relation to
those purposes for the
public benefit, in particular,
the activities, projects or
services identified in the
accounts.|Para
1.17
and
1.19|The main activities undertaken to achieve the aims are:

Working with the Library Staff and Stratton Parish to
develop the library as a community hub

Meeting
with
Library
staff
and
Parish
to
agree
objectives, approach and activities

Promoting
the
Library
via
social
media,
posters,
displays, developing a community network

Raising funds to support activities, purchasing craft
materials,
reference
books,
notice
boards,
Refreshments

Running events and activities such as Basic IT skills,
social
groups
and
clubs,
children’s
story
time,
developing/ displaying Stratton History Archive material,
organising regular events| |Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|_Para_
_1.18_|The Trustees assess each of their activities with regard to the
guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit| FOBL Annual Report 2022-23 v3.docx Page 1 of 8 5 June 2023 Friends of Beechcroft Library Annual Report 2021-2022 Charity registration number: 1188953 |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:| |---|---|---| ||SORP
Ref.|| |Policy on grant making|Para
1.38|The Friends do not currently give grants to individuals or
other organisations| |Policy on social
investment including
program related
investment|Para
1.38|The Friends do not currently undertake any social
investments| |Contribution made by
volunteers|Para
1.38|There are no employees, all the Trustees are volunteers.
Library Volunteers are engaged by the Parish rather than
the Friends but are supported and encouraged by the
Friends.
Their contribution is vital in enabling the Library and the
Friends to undertake the numerous activities and groups
which take place| FOBL Annual Report 2022-23 v3.docx Page 2 of 8 5 June 2023 Friends of Beechcroft Library Annual Report 2021-2022 Charity registration number: 1188953 ## **Achievements and Performance** ||SORP
Ref.|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the main
achievements of the
charity, identifying the
difference the charity’s
work has made to the
circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any
wider benefits to society
as a whole.|Para
1.20|In March 2022 we restarted all our groups and activities after
the COVID pandemic.
Confidence among our service users
started to improve and by the end of March 2023 footfall
numbers had increased by 65% and are now exceeding pre-
pandemic levels.
The library had 19,898 visits between April
2022 and March 2023
The various groups and activities supported by the Friends are
all well attended and are going some way to mitigating the
loneliness and isolation experienced by some of our residents.
Stratton Advice Point has been very busy this year with a
campaign to improve take-up of Pension Credit and other
under-claimed benefits.
The advice point has successfully
claimed in the region of £200,000 in welfare benefits for service
users during 2022-23. The advice point liaises with the Social
Prescribers and Community Navigators to provide benefits
advice and support to their service users.
We restarted our Tea and Tech digital drop-in sessions in
spring and we liaise closely with the Digital Inclusion Officer at
Swindon Borough Council.
This is an important service as
there are very few places in Swindon running digital inclusion
sessions for residents. The Friends are also members of the
Digital Inclusion Forum within Libraries Connected organisation.
We have been trialling a Home Delivery Book Service for local
residents who are housebound and have difficulty accessing the
library. This is proving more resource intensive than anticipated
and we have not rolled it out more widely yet.
The Stratton History team has had a busy year with extracts of
sales, advertisements, news items, photos and maps from
online sources. Two displays were shown at the Stratton
Jubilee Festival in the summer of 2022. A new history service
was offered to library users in 2023 to provide assistance with
Family History research, with eight users having been assisted
to date.
Since November 2022 we have been running a self service mini
‘café’ for library users, providing hot drinks and biscuits. This is
free to users and has supported the library’s registration as a
Warm Space over the winter months.
We held two successful Coffee mornings in September 2022
and February 2023 which raised £750 and £351 for Macmillan
Cancer Support and the Swindon Carer’s Centre respectively.| FOBL Annual Report 2022-23 v3.docx Page 3 of 8 5 June 2023 Friends of Beechcroft Library Annual Report 2021-2022 Charity registration number: 1188953 Our thanks go to all the staff, the volunteers and Stratton St Margaret Parish Council who have supported the Library so wonderfully over the last year. |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:| |---|---|---| ||
SORP
Ref.|| |Achievements against
objectives set|Para
1.41|We aim to provide opportunities to improve health and well-
being, to develop community engagement, and to improve
skills and training.
**Objective 1 - To improve health and well being**

The Friends encourage and support volunteers of all ages
and abilities alongside the library staff

We work closely with Stratton Advice Point to provide a
local Welfare benefits service

We are providing a home delivery book service for local
housebound residents.

We run groups such as Friendship, art, Lego, chess,
Scrabble, etc to provide users with the opportunities to
socialise and reduce isolation

We work closely with the Live Well team within Swindon
Borough Council, particularly the Food Partnership Officer,
Social Prescribers and Community Navigators
**Objective 2 - To encourage community engagement and**
**cohesion**

The Friends maintain a Facebook business page and an
up to date website to improve our visibility, engage with
residents and widen the reach of the library.

We
support
Wiltshire
Building
Records
Archivist
to
develop an archive of local historical material.

We are developing links with other local organisations
such as churches and schools. The art department at
Kingsdown School provides art work for display in the
library

We are active members of the Swindon Trustee Network,
Swindon
Connecting
People
Network,
the
Swindon
Seniors Forum, and Swindon History Forum.
**Objective 3 - To improve economic growth, employment,**
**training and skills**

Active members of the On-line Centres Network and the
Good
Thing
Foundation’s
Digital
Inclusion
Network,
Libraries Connected - Digital Inclusion Forum

We run weekly Digital Drop-in sessions and are active
members of the Get Connected Swindon Forum run by
Swindon Borough Council

We have purchased additional learning resources such as
children’s
reference
books
in
line
with
the
national
curriculum

We have purchased self-help and well-being books for| |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:| |---|---|---| ||
SORP
Ref.|| |Achievements against
objectives set|Para
1.41|We aim to provide opportunities to improve health and well-
being, to develop community engagement, and to improve
skills and training.
**Objective 1 - To improve health and well being**

The Friends encourage and support volunteers of all ages
and abilities alongside the library staff

We work closely with Stratton Advice Point to provide a
local Welfare benefits service

We are providing a home delivery book service for local
housebound residents.

We run groups such as Friendship, art, Lego, chess,
Scrabble, etc to provide users with the opportunities to
socialise and reduce isolation

We work closely with the Live Well team within Swindon
Borough Council, particularly the Food Partnership Officer,
Social Prescribers and Community Navigators
**Objective 2 - To encourage community engagement and**
**cohesion**

The Friends maintain a Facebook business page and an
up to date website to improve our visibility, engage with
residents and widen the reach of the library.

We
support
Wiltshire
Building
Records
Archivist
to
develop an archive of local historical material.

We are developing links with other local organisations
such as churches and schools. The art department at
Kingsdown School provides art work for display in the
library

We are active members of the Swindon Trustee Network,
Swindon
Connecting
People
Network,
the
Swindon
Seniors Forum, and Swindon History Forum.
**Objective 3 - To improve economic growth, employment,**
**training and skills**

Active members of the On-line Centres Network and the
Good
Thing
Foundation’s
Digital
Inclusion
Network,
Libraries Connected - Digital Inclusion Forum

We run weekly Digital Drop-in sessions and are active
members of the Get Connected Swindon Forum run by
Swindon Borough Council

We have purchased additional learning resources such as
children’s
reference
books
in
line
with
the
national
curriculum

We have purchased self-help and well-being books for| FOBL Annual Report 2022-23 v3.docx Page 4 of 8 5 June 2023 Friends of Beechcroft Library Annual Report 2021-2022 Charity registration number: 1188953 |||adults.
**Objective 4 - To reduce the cost impact on the Parish of**
**running the community library**

We work very closely with Stratton St Margaret Parish
Council to support the excellent work done by the council
in running the library

As a registered charity we are in a strong position to apply
for grants to support the work of the library.| |---|---|---| |Performance of
fundraising activities
against objectives set|Para
1.41|Formal fundraising objectives were not defined other than
ensuring that the objectives described in the previous
section were supported financially where necessary.
Our income raised this year totalled £3096 and our total
expenditure was £2250.| |Investment performance
against objectives|Para
1.41|Not applicable| ## **Financial Review** |**Financial Review**||| |---|---|---| ||SORP
Ref.|| |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the
end of the period|Para
1.21|Our income for 2022-23 totalled £3,096, comprised of:

A generous grant of £1820 from Stratton St Margaret
Parish Council

£1,157 in donations

£119 from the sale of books and cakes
We have spent £2250 on purchases for the library, including
new books and equipment.
Our net worth as at 31 March 2023 was £2603, (£2392 in the
Co-op Bank and £211 in cash).
Please see the Annual Financial Report for full details.| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding
reserves stating why they
are held|Para
1.22|Our Reserves Policy states that we will only hold reserve
funds if we have formal financial commitments.
As we now have Public Liability Insurance premiums going
forward we will ensure that we have sufficient funds to cover
the premium.| |Amount of reserves held|Para
1.22|Sufficient to cover Public Liability Insurance Premium which
was £193 in 2022-23.| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para
1.22|Not applicable| |Details of fund materially
in deficit|Para
1.24|Not applicable| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a
going concern|Para
1.23|We are dependent on the continued existence of Beechcroft
Library. There is little chance that the Library would close in
the near future as it is a popular resource for the parish.| FOBL Annual Report 2022-23 v3.docx Page 5 of 8 5 June 2023 Friends of Beechcroft Library Annual Report 2021-2022 Charity registration number: 1188953 ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
The charity’s principal
sources of funds
(including any
fundraising)|
Para
1.47|
We have received £1820 in grants this year from Stratton St
Margaret Parish Council
We have received £1157 in donations| |---|---|---| |A description of the
principal risks facing the
charity|Para
1.46|There are few risks facing the Friends charity and they are all
categorised as low, the highest risks are:

Over-reliance on a few individuals

Maintaining community support

Activities where safeguarding risks may arise

Dependency on key income sources| ## **Structure, Governance and Management** ||SORP
Ref.|| |---|---|---| |Type of governing
document|Para
1.25|Constitution| |How is the charity
constituted?|Para
1.25|Charitable Incorporated Organisation following the Foundation
model| |Trustee selection
methods including details
of any constitutional
provisions|Para
1.25|The existing Trustees can select new Trustees as required
following the procedure described in the next section.| ## **Additional information (optional)** ## You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction
and training of trustees|
Para
1.51|
Recruitment of Trustees for the Friends should be in line with
the guidance given below:

There is a written job description / person specification for
the post

If a trustee wishes to volunteer for the Library they should
complete a Parish Council volunteer application form and
the Parish Recruitment policies be followed

A suitable induction programme is provided

The applicant is given a copy of the Safeguarding Policy
and knows how to report concerns.| |---|---|---| |The charity’s
organisational structure
and any wider network
with which the charity
works|Para
1.51|Charitable
Incorporated
Organisation
with
a
written
constitution. We are not affiliated to any wider network| |Relationship with any
related parties|Para
1.51|We work closely with Stratton St Margaret Parish Council who
run Beechcroft Library.| 5 June 2023 FOBL Annual Report 2022-23 v3.docx Page 6 of 8 Friends of Beechcroft Library Annual Report 2021-2022 Charity registration number: 1188953 ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charity name|Charity name|Charity name|Friends of Beechcroft Library|Friends of Beechcroft Library|Friends of Beechcroft Library| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |Other name the charity uses|||||| |Registered charity number|||**1188953**||| |Charity’s principal address|||188 Beechcroft Road, Swindon, SN2 7QQ||| |1
2
3
4
5
6
7
9
10|||||| ||**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**||**Dates acted if**
**not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (if any)**| ||LesleyHemingway|Chair|||| ||Richard Hemingway|Treasurer|||| ||Indra Robson||||| ||Lynette Dodson||||| ||GregBrowne|Secretary|||| ||Clive Carter||||| ||Linda O’Kane|DeputyChair|||| ||Nigel Chalk|DeputyTreasurer|||| ||Anne Chalk||||| |Corporate trustees–names of the directors at the date the report was approved|Corporate trustees–names of the directors at the date the report was approved|Corporate trustees–names of the directors at the date the report was approved| |---|---|---| |**Director name**||| |N/A||| |Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity||| |**Trustee name**|**Dates acted if not for whole year**|| |N/A||| |Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others||| |Description of the assets
held in this capacity|Not applicable|| |Name and objects of the
charity on whose behalf the
assets are held and how this
falls within the custodian
charity’s objects|Not applicable|| |Details of arrangements for
safe custody and
segregation of such assets
from the charity’s own assets|Not applicable|| ## **Exemptions from disclosure** Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details Not applicable FOBL Annual Report 2022-23 v3.docx Page 7 of 8 5 June 2023 Friendsof 8eed￿r￿ LibraryAnnual ReprKI 2021.2022 Charltyreg15tr•tkn 1188953 Declarations 8lgn•d on b•half of th• GharW• trii•tw•: Slgnaturn(*) Full nam•(•) Po•ltlon(s) (•g So(¥•lary. Cl*) c¢414 Dat•(•) J Zols 20%3 Sjune 2023 PaBe8of8 FRIENDS OF UPPER STRAThON IBEECHCROFT) LIBRARY BEECHCR0￿ ROAD UPPER STRA TroN WALTSHIRE INCOME AI¥D ￿PENDITuRE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED JIST MARCH 2023 FRIENDS OF UPPER STRATfoN {BEECHCRoFf) LIBRARY INCOME AND EXPENDITiJRE ACCOIINT FOR THE YEAR EI%DED 31ST MARCH 2023 2022-2023 2021-2022 nditvre Incomt 1.303 179 Ex Cash at Bank 1st A C43h in H￿d I ri12022 ri12022 1.754 Income Giant Donations Sales 1.820 361 Ex Aciivities and Events Inyurance Decoration Dis 8(Ki41 Media People Counter r5 4nd Renewlig Voluntttr Motivaiion Café Refreshmenis B￿)kS Flower$ Wildlife Prof¢ssigTh￿ Fee5 Miscellaneous Ex Tot•1 193 164 95 53 234 204 432 262 34 67 193 52 107 20 U250 £1,086 £iJoi Cash ai Bank M&rch 2023 Cdsh in Hand 3131 Mjwh 2023 Net Worth 1392 1,754 £1,757 £4 CHARITY COMMISSION FO* EMGLANO ANO WALES Recei tsand ents accounts CC16a F<>ff th• p•rlod 01 31KJY2023 Section A Receipts and payments Unr•stFl¢i•d fund• R•strlcl•d lund* Endowrn•nt funds Totsl frJndJ L••t y••r A1 R•¢ Gram 11 Sub tot•l(Gn)ss incorn forAR n￿ltm•nl5* Sub to Sub lot•1 A4 Is••t and Inv•¥tnK•nt Sub tst•i N*t￿r0e￿O￿(pa￿n•￿tsJ AS TrnnJf•rd b•tw￿n lund• C••h lund• l•¥t year •nd C•sh fvnds thls yo•r￿d 27 CCXX Rl ISSI 1)6111f2023 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unre6tricted ndj R**tflcted fvnd• Endowment fvnds Larègon¢a Bl Ca•h fundi 211 Tot•1 c•*h fvnd• fvnd• lund• fvndl Details ••r•At£ Delatls B4 A•••ts r•t*ln•d forth• hartty• own u Detoils B5 U•bllltl Date of behawof 41 th8trwts8S S*natsJre 61o{I 11r2023