2021-03-30-accounts - Growing Real Opportunities For Women (Grow) Cymru

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GROWING REAL OPPORTUNTIES FOR WOMEN (GROW) CYMRU ANNUAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

MARCH 2021

TRUSTEES: Cllr. Erika Kirchner Mrs Jill Downs Mrs Lynah Levy-Wilson Mrs. Eileen Lennon Nancy Jacqueline

CHARITY NUMBER: 1190097

REGISTERED OFFICE: Unit 12, St. David’s Shopping Centre St. David’s Place Swansea SA1 3LG BANKERS: Santander 1 Union Street Swansea SA1 3EE

We are pleased to present their second annual report together with their financial statements for the year ended 31[st] March 2021.

We would like to say thank you to our funders, supporters and partners, and to our volunteers who give so many hours of their time and without whom we would not be able to operate and provide the services that we do.

We would also like to say a big thank you to the City and County of Swansea who have supported us throughout our journey so far.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S REPORT:

Growing Real Opportunities for Women (GROW) Cymru, is now embarking on its third year of delivery. Having officially opened our doors to the public on 1[st] July 2019, our first six months was a bit chaotic to say the least, with a break in and a few other hiccups but we ended the year on a high.

In January 2020, we commenced delivery of our training programmes and in February 2020 we became an “approved supplier” and secured our first paid contract from the City and County of Swansea. This was to deliver our Personal Development and Confidence Building workshop GROW and was extremely successful. We then went on to secure a further three workshops from the local authority but unfortunately at the end of March 2020 the country went into lockdown due to COVID19 so these workshops did not materials.

However, despite these uncertain times we continued to develop the charity adjusting our provision and going online where possible to keep in touch with our women. We changed our means of delivery and development and throughout the first lockdown we joined forces with several other community projects delivering services such as a food bank, shopping and prescription collections and lots more for the local communities, whilst at the same time applying for grants and contracts in readiness for the re-opening of the charity.

to “hit the ground running” and on 1[st] July 2020 we commenced delivery of our “Breaking Free” project for the Wales Council for Voluntary Association – WCVA, securing £25,000.00 of which we had to provide 25% match-funding which gave us just over £19,000.00

TRAINING:

GROW – Personal Development and Confidence Building
JET – Job Employment Training
Nurture – Introduction to Enterprise
Mature – Developing your Enterprise
£it 4 Li£e – A Financial Workout
Diversity Awareness

GROW continues to provide accredited and non-accredited learning opportunities for its beneficiaries. This year despite the pandemic over seventy women and their families have benefited directly or indirectly from the various services that the organisation provides. Thirty-six women have received skills training making them “Work Ready” or moving on to further education and training, with several of them gaining accredited qualification in subjects such as Budgeting Your Finances, Safeguarding Vulnerable Adult, Stress Awareness, and Drug and Alcohol Awareness. These were delivered in partnership with a local training company.

Seventeen of the women have moved on to volunteering positions with various organisations, one has found employment and a number have gone on to further education. We are extremely proud of these outcomes given the difficult conditions of 2020.

PROJECTS:

Our recycling project “ABC-123” for pre-loved school uniform is now well established, however the pandemic greatly reduced the demand as schools were closed for most of the year. Despite this, since the announcement of schools reopening the last two months have been very busy and we have developed a “click and collect system to enable families to utilise our service.

We are now a permanent fixture on the City & County of Swansea website, with them referring families to us for uniforms, more specifically those who have applied for a uniform grant and have been unsuccessful

ONLY GIRLS ALLOWED:

This project was finally officially launched in September 2020 and within the first two weeks we had fifteen members. All of the ladies are very pro-active and within two weeks came up with their own logo based around the GROW logo as they wanted to incorporate the elements of GROW and show an association and with the help of Natasha our Administration Assistant and former client, they came up with this.

The group quickly grew to twenty members and with our help, they put together a monthly schedule of activities which included inviting speakers, arts and crafts, monthly lunch, knitting and sewing, and lots more. So much so that they have now set up a separate group on a different day called Knit’n Natter Stitch ‘n

Chatter wherein the older ladies have taught the younger ones to knit and crochet and are waiting to hear if we have been successful in securing funding for some sewing machines for the group.

During the latest lockdown they have been holding online craft sessions; needle felting supervised by one of the ladies a former teacher who herself is a member of the group and has attended a GROW workshop. They are thoroughly enjoying it and say that it keeps them in touch.

GREEN MONKEY PURPLE BANANA:

Green Monkey Purple Banana is a project that was conceived in November 2019. It is a small enterprise that produces clothing and promotional products. We can print on t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, plates, mouse mats, etc. and other promotional materials for both personal and commercial

Unfortunately, we were unable to launch this project as anticipated in January 2020, due to technical problems with some of the equipment. However, these problems have now been resolved and the project was started in November 2020 albeit in a low key and has generated a small income. We will be promoting it and launching it formally once we get the go ahead to re-open in April 2021, and it will be an income stream for the organisation, and it will also give young people who volunteer with us the opportunity to learn about design, printing, marketing, and customer service

To date we have produced several T-shirts, hoodies and mugs which have been received very well.

MARKETING & PROMOTION:

We have developed a website which can be found at www.growcymru.org.uk and have an active Facebook page GROW Cymru ID: 2256726307987118 and a Facebook page for our “ABC-123” project GROW Cymru Shop ID: 100846257947161

We have also set up a Facebook page for our Green Monkey Purple Banana project where we have already started to promote our products.

STAFF:

In July 2020 following the securing of funding Yvonne Jardine and Sharon Rouse were finally employed by the charity on a part-time basis and this remains the case. In October 2020 we employed Natasha Tang one of our former clients, who was also a volunteer until such time as she was employed. This was only a threemonth contract and since finishing she has now reverted to be a volunteer.

VOLUNTEERS:

As stated previously without Volunteers GROW Cymru would struggle to provide the services we do, and they are very much a part of our team. We still have ten regular volunteers, who volunteer a minimum of four hours per week with some of them doing a lot more, albeit these hours have been reduced during lockdown. Volunteers add an extra dimension and support to our various projects such as helping with the “ABC-123” project, delivering classes for “Only Girls Allowed”, running the different groups and working on the Green Money Purple Banana. We also have a young graduate who provides counselling services for the women as part of her development, she is of course still supervised. The women that use the organisation are encouraged to volunteer as for some it is an opportunity to give something back to the community or to make a difference to the people around them. For others it is an opportunity for them to share their experiences, learn new skills and give them the confidence to face challenges in other areas of their lives.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS:

Following on from the partnership work that we were involved with during the pandemic we linked with several local organisations in Neath Port Talbot, through the Food bank and the support network we were instrumental in setting up. We developed a strong connection with the local football club Giant’s Grave Boys and Girls Club and subsequently delivered some well-being sessions for some of the women in the area who were struggling with the isolation and issues of lockdown.

Subsequently when we were looking for a venue to deliver more training in the area they offered us the opportunity to use their training room free of charge as a thank you for all of the support we gave them. This proved to be beneficial both to the Club and GROW and enabled us to expand our delivery into another county borough. They have now offered us the chance to use their facility free of charge and given us our own room which means we now have an outreach office in Neath Port Talbot.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT:

Growing Real Opportunities for Women (GROW) Cymru is a voluntary organisation that provides training, support, mentoring and guidance and volunteering opportunities to women of all backgrounds and all ages across South Wales. Based in Swansea GROW Cymru aims to enable, empower and encourage women to overcome the barriers they face to social and financial inclusion and independence. To increase self-confidence and improve their self-esteem through economic activity, education and volunteering.

GROW Cymru offers a unique programme of training, workshops, discussion groups and learning, where women can explore their fears and barriers as well as their aspirations and opportunities and take the first steps towards a more inclusive future.

Trustee Induction and Training:

Trustees are given the organisation handbook which outlines their legal and constitutional responsibilities as members of the Management Committee, to familiarise themselves with our operational objectives.

Support & signposting

Growing Real Opportunities for Women (GROW) Cymru refer too and receive referrals from other organisations such as Working Swansea, Communities at Work, Careers Wales, BAWSO, Women’s Aid and African Community Centre, along with self-referrals from individuals.

Schools, women, and organisations contact us directly about our “ABC-123” project.

Sharon V Rouse, Chief Executive Officer

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examlner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of Growing Real OpportuNlies for Women (GROW) Cymru On accounts for the year ended 3151 March 2021 Charity no (if any) 1190097 Set out on pages 1&2 I report lo the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity {"the Trusl") foF the year ended 3110312021. Responsibilltles and As the charity trustees of Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basls of report of the accounts in accordan wilh the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (The Acl-). I report in respect of my exarnination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I have foll¢)wed Ihe applicable t)irections 9iven by the Charity Commission under sedw)n 145(5)Ib) of the ACL I have completed my examination. I confim that no material matters have come to my attention (other than that disctosed below") in connection with the examination vthich gNes me cause to believe that in, any material respect: accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of Ihe Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examiner's statement I have no concerrts and have come across other matters in connection with the examination to vthich altention should draym in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Plèase delete Ihe words in the brackets if they do not apply. Signed: Date: 0910912021 Name: Matthew Williams Relevant professlonal qualificatlon{s) or body (if any): Address: 16 Station Road Port Talbot SA13 1JB IER October 2018 Scanned with Camscanner

Section B Disclosure Only complete rf the examiner needs to highlight mallers of conrn (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. diredions and guidance for examiners}. Give here brief detslls of any items that the examlner wishes to dis¢lose. IER October 2018 Scanned with Camscanner

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Gniwing Rèal Opportunities for Women {GROW> Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period from To Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted funds Restricted nds Endowment funds Total funds Last year to th& no81 to the n•arnst£ tothe n•are to th• nBar•st to the nearest £ A1 Receipts BIF Awards for All Wal8S Awards for All Wales Communi Foundation Wales InCotneonatiO5 Cty & County of Swansea NPT Council for Voluntary Servtrs 1.183 1,183 .977 9.977 1,222 13,599 2,159 13.599 2.159 The milnlum Siadium Charitable Trus1 Swansea Courtil for Voluntsry Seryices Tesco Cornmunity Grants Wales Counril for Voluntsry Action Sub total (Gross incom8 for AR) A2 Asset and invostment sales. {so0 table). 3.851 3.851 1,000 18.307 18.307 14.821 50,519 65.340 Sub total 14.821 50,519 65.340 A3 Paymonts Arts & Crafts Food & Consvmables Salaries 1.332 2.535 23.060 1,332 2,535 23.060 1,504 4.144 Rent & Insurance CoTnputer5.photo copier & maintenance 5.742 517 108 2,10T 5,742 517 108 2.107 Telephone & Intent Xero Personnal E ment Building rnaintenance, rn8rt8rials S Security shutter5 8,272 8272 8,272 49.321 Sub total 41,WJ A4 Asset and invostment purchases, (see table) Sub total 8,272 41.049 49,321 9,470 16.019

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestrict•d funds to rwarest £ Restricted lunds Endowment funds to n$•r¢$t£ Laiegories B1 Cash funds Y9 9.47fl Tolal Cash funds 9,470 Unrestricted fund5 to £ R•strlct•d funds to n••r••t£ Endowment funds to ntr¥rst Detslls Fund to ¥¥hlch Cost l+JPtlonall Curvenl valu• Uonal Details Fund lo thlch Curr8nt V81 lonal Details Cobtloptionall B4 Assets retained for the charity's own use Fund tot*thlGh r•L9 Amwrt du• orbal Whvn duo onal Details B5 Liabilities Slgned by one or trust88s on behalf of all the trustees SKJnatLwe Print Namg Date of val CCXX R2 accounts ISSI 2111012021