Bournemouth Spear Trust
Annual Report and Financial Statements Financial Year 3 – 1 September 2022 to 31 August 2023
Contents Page number Annual report 2 to 8 Independent Examiner’s report 9 Statement of Financial Accounts 10
Bournemouth Spear Trust
Annual Report and Financial Statements
Financial Year 1[st] September 2022 to 31[st] August 2023
Bournemouth Spear Trust is a registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation (number 1191197).
Principal and registered office: St Swithun’s Church, Gervis Road, Bournemouth, BH1 3ED
Telephone: 01202 241077
Email: hello@spearbournemouth.org
During the year, the following served as trustees of the charity:
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Mr Jonathan Pascall (Trustee since September 2020, Chair of Trustee Board since May 2022)
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Rev Timothy Matthews (Vicar of Lovechurch, Trustee since September 2020)
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Mr Carlton Geake (Trustee since September 2020)
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Mrs Alison Geake (Trustee since September 2020)
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Ms Kate Oliver (Trustee since May 2023)
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Rev Glenn Prince (Trustee since August 2023)
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Ms Margie Fielden (Trustee November 2020 to May 2023)
Bankers: CAF Bank Ltd, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4JQ
Independent Examiner: Sue Wintle, 27 Bascott Road, Wallisdown, Bournemouth, Dorset BH11 8RJ
Structure, Governance and Management
Bournemouth Spear Trust (BST) is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation and is governed by a Board of Trustees who hold regular meetings. The Board is made up of people living or working locally to Bournemouth. During this financial period, the trustees, chaired by Mr Jonathan Pascall, met on 12 occasions. Topics discussed and addressed by the trustees, included finances, fundraising, staffing and strategic planning.
Any person who is willing to act as a trustee and who would not be disqualified from acting, may be appointed to be a trustee by a decision of the trustees. There are no specific BST policies or procedures relating to the induction and training of trustees. However, in practice, trustees with relevant knowledge, skills or experience are appointed, for the effective administration of the charity.
Any decision of the trustees must be either by decision of a majority of the trustees present and voting at a quorate trustees’ meeting, or when the majority of trustees have indicated to all the trustees by any means (including email) that they share a common view on a matter.
Day-to-day decision-making relating to BST’s specific charitable activities is delegated to Trustees with relevant knowledge, skills and experience working in collaboration with BST staff appointed to oversee these activities.
The trustees have reviewed the major risks to which the charity is exposed and systems or procedures have been established to manage those risks. In particular, the charity has documented procedures and policies with regards to finance, safeguarding, health and safety and other matters.
BST looks to learn from and work in partnership with other organisations with experience relevant to its charitable activities. In particular, since its formation in September 2020, it has worked closely with Resurgo Trust. Resurgo Trust is a charity founded through St Paul’s Church in Hammersmith in 2003. Resurgo aims to stimulate significant social transformation in local communities by helping people facing serious social disadvantage to transform their situation. In particular, among its activities, it has developed the Spear programme for young people. Resurgo continues to provide BST staff with extensive training, ongoing support and course materials to enable them to conduct the Spear programme.
Key Relationships
BST believes that relationships are critical to its continuing success. BST’s staff provide continuing skill and dedication in developing fruitful relationships in the community to support the work of Spear. Lovechurch provides invaluable support via the expertise and time of its staff and members, as well as donated office space. Lovechurch has provided donated training space since Spear moved from initially being presented online during the Covid-19 pandemic to being presented in person with effect from September 2021. The generosity of BST’s corporate and local authority partners, volunteers and individual donors is hugely appreciated, as well as their connections into job opportunities for the young people on the Spear programme.
Public Benefit
The trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have regard to the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit. The trustees regard BST’s activities as manifestly for the public benefit in that there is an identifiable benefit to local young people, as described in this report.
Objectives and Activities
Bournemouth Spear Trust is a charity set up by members of the congregation of Lovechurch, and based at St Swithun’s Church, Bournemouth to tackle youth unemployment in the Bournemouth Christchurch Poole area.
Although the Spear programme is non-proselytising, BST trustees are motivated by the desire to turn faith into practical action by living out God’s love for people who are in need and marginalised. BST serves individuals and works with organisations of any beliefs to bring about transformation in the community, believing that everyone has the right to dignity in society, development of their skills, a chance to work, and hope for the future.
The object of the charity, as set out in its Governing Document, is:
…for the benefit of the public and within a Christian ethos, to act as a resource for young people between the ages of 16 to 24 living in Bournemouth Christchurch Poole by providing advice, assistance and support and organising educational programmes and other activities as a means of:
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a) helping young people advance in life by developing their skills, capacities and capabilities to enable them to integrate into and participate in society as independent, mature and responsible individuals;
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b) advancing education;
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c) relieving unemployment, enabling young people to generate a sustainable income and be self-sufficient;
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d) providing recreational and leisure time activities provided in the interest of social welfare designed to improve their conditions of life.
Spear Bournemouth supports young people facing the most challenging barriers to work, including educational failure, a criminal record and poor mental health. Beginning with six weeks of coaching run by friendly and experienced coaches, the trainees are led through a series of work-readiness topics, with a strong emphasis on attitudinal and soft skills coaching, alongside practical training such as writing a good CV and mock interview practice. These six weeks are followed by twelve months of support for each candidate to help them find a job and succeed in work.
The Spear work readiness indicators are:
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Attitude
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Confident communication
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Professional behaviour
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Self-leadership
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Mindfulness of others
To achieve its objective, BST has maintained a strong relationship with its partner Resurgo to raise adequate funding, to recruit and retain suitably qualified and trained staff, and to publicise the work of BST and the Spear programme.
BST has used existing relationships in and around Lovechurch, and instigated new relationships with local authority agencies and businesses in Bournemouth Christchurch Poole, to grow a strong volunteer base and continuing financial support.
BST employs three staff at its Spear Centre, each with a background in youth work, training and education for young people. They receive regular training from Resurgo. The relationship with Resurgo is further strengthened through regular formal and informal meetings between individual BST trustees and Resurgo staff.
In order to identify young people most in need of the Spear Programme, Bournemouth Spear works in partnership with local referrers. This includes publicising the courses directly at local Job Centres and also to local service professionals such as targeted youth support teams, youth justice and social services, charities, hostels, apprenticeship providers, education providers and organisations who can make referrals. Local business, civic and charitable figures are invited to the Spear Celebration events held at the end of each programme, many of whom attend and subsequently have championed Spear, referred young people to the programme, volunteered on the programme or provided financial support.
BST looks to make as extensive use of volunteers as possible in its activities, as we believe that there are rich opportunities for mutual benefit. Volunteers are particularly valued as mock interviewers of course participants, guests at the external panel, hosts for company visits or work experience placements and facilitators for Spear Alpha, which commenced during 2023 for any past and present trainees who wish to attend.
Achievements and Performance
Bournemouth Spear Trust prides itself on providing transformative training for the young people on our programmes, and delivering impressive results.
BST ran six Spear programmes during this financial period (1 September 2022 to 31 August 2023). The total number of participants on these courses was 77, of whom 69 (89.6%) successfully completed the programme. Recent follow up indicates that over 79% of Spear graduates who undertook the course in summer 2022 are still in work or education a year later.
A groundbreaking benchmarking study in 2019, the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) study, concluded that Spear trainees were over three times more likely to be in work or education three months after the programme compared to a control group.
In 2022, because of the high quality of data collected, Resurgo were approached to have the Spear programme evaluated by the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Employment Data Lab. Using key identifying information, alongside data from the DWP, the Department for Education and HMRC, the Data Lab team were able to track the NEET outcomes two year later of 954 trainees who took part in the Spear Programme alongside a comparison group made up of real-life individuals on the DWP database. (The study included those who dropped off Spear or were asked to leave, meaning the results are a true reflection, not positively skewed). The study revealed taking part in the Spear Programme reduces the likelihood of being NEET by 20% after a year. The results concluded if all NEET young people received support as effective as Spear, their number could be reduced by 130,000 which could fill more than 10% of the vacancies in the economy.
These impact studies demonstrate that there is a significant difference in the long-term prospects of someone who does Spear compared to someone who doesn’t, and this isn’t happening by chance. This verification of Spear’s effectiveness gives BST even more confidence moving into Spear Bournemouth’s fourth year.
A young person who completed the second ever Spear programme in Bournemouth in 2021 recently contacted the Centre Manager to say how grateful she was for Spear; she is working full-time for a great company in London and she, her mother and brother have been able to move house as a result.
Spear Alpha commenced in July 2023 for any current or past trainees who wish to attend. Numbers have grown steadily with up to 12 young people attending this weekly evening facilitated by volunteers from Lovechurch.
Bournemouth Spear in the words of those who have participated in the programme during the year:
Resurgo social media posts (with names changed to protect confidentiality)
Ella describes her job transforming the lives of young people as nothing short of a privilege. ‘It’s really hard at times but the shifting of the narrative from despair to hope and self-belief is not something you get to see very often in life ’
BST Centre Manager interview in www.dorsetbiznews.co.uk
I thought I’d drop you a message to say I’ve just had my first appointment with [name] since she completed Spear and WOW!!! What a difference in her appearance, confidence, how she comes across – everything! And THE EYE CONTACT!!!
Huge hats off to you guys for the transformation, she couldn’t stop talking this afternoon and is so proud of herself and what she’s achieved by being part of the programme. Thanks for making my job easier Job Centre referrer
Hi C, sorry I haven’t thanked you for getting me into Spear, it has changed my life, I have been in contact with IT Career Switch for an apprenticeship course. When I come in today we can talk about it more. Best regards, [name] Trainee email to Job Centre referrer
We had 11 young people attend session 1 and all of them spoke out in front of the group and said they felt more confident already by the end!
One of the guys who came in today stayed behind to say to us ‘I was dreading coming in today, but now I feel so happy that I pushed myself and did it, thank you for the opportunity’
BST Centre Manager report back
‘I was really struck by how much impact the programme had on the young people and completely appreciate how this work goes such a long way in creating a more level playing field for those who have already experienced disadvantage. It’s commendable and I’m happy that I could support the Bournemouth Spear programme’
Local business owner and BST supporter at celebration event
What stood out to me tonight was talking to the alumni & them sharing their stories of success. ‘I got into college & I’ve left the abusive relationship I was when I did Spear. I’m now going out with a guy I met at Spear and he treats me so well & encouraged me to go to college’. God is shaping people’s lives with hope through Spear. BST Trustee
Spoke to one lovely guy who’s just got a job at Starbucks Castlepoint. I asked him if Spear had helped. ‘Helped?’ he replied, staring at me as if I had two heads, ‘Spear is WHY I have a job and I’m totally amazed, I never thought I could.’ BST Trustee
Spear Alpha is continuing (and growing - they had 12 young people on Monday!). There are challenging questions being asked but so much ‘hope’ and ‘belonging’ being expressed. One young person said it’s the first time they’ve felt accepted in a church setting.
BST Centre Manager report back
An insight into where Bournemouth Spear Trainees are now:
Apprenticeships Skills and Learning Bournemouth and Poole College University of Lincoln Care roles The BIC Bournemouth Administration and manufacturing roles in local businesses Roles in the hospitality industry including Starbucks, Nando’s, various local restaurants and bars
Financial review
Funding from grants amounted to £45,950 for the financial year. Individual donations and other income for the financial year totalled £43,347. All funds received were unrestricted.
Expenditure in the financial year, all incurred in support of the charitable objectives, was £97,730, principally for partner licence fees and staff salaries. Including £23,780 brought forward from the previous year, total funds carried forward amounted to £15,347.
Recognising the need to balance income and expenditure going forward, and aiming to keep 3 months' running costs as reserves, the trustees are aware that more funds need to be raised to enable this. The situation is monitored on a regular basis and fundraising to meet ongoing expenditure and maintain financial reserves is ongoing.
The Trustees’ responsibilities in relation to the financial statements
Charity law requires the Board of Trustees to prepare financial statements for each accounting year, which give a true and fair view of the state of the charity and of its income and expenditure for the year. In preparing those financial statements the trustees are required to:
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Select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently
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Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent
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State whether the applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the accounts
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Prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue to operate
The Board of Trustees is responsible for keeping adequate accounting records which disclose, with reasonable accuracy at any time, the financial position of the charity and enable it to ensure that the financial statements comply with applicable accounting statements and statements of recommended practice and the regulations made under the Charities Act 2011. The Board is also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and for taking reasonable steps to prevent fraud or any other irregularities.
The Board of Trustees has examined the charity’s requirements for reserves in the light of the main risks to the organisation. Through ongoing fundraising, BST aims to have funds that, together with future regular contributions and other committed sums, would be sufficient to cover at least the next three months of its activities. This is to mitigate against the risk of a cashflow deficit should insufficient funds be raised to meet the ongoing cost of operations. BST makes use of St Swithun’s Church premises. It therefore has limited exposure to the costs of repair and upkeep of its facilities. The trustees continue to review and assess the key risks facing the charity and ensure appropriate actions are taken.
Future plans
BST plans to continue the activities outlined above in the forthcoming years, continuing to deliver exceptional training and impressive results, and working to deepen relationships with other organisations in the local community to increase referrals and open new opportunities for the young people we have the privilege of working with.
Approved by the Board of Trustees on 19/01/2024 and signed on its behalf by:
Full name: Jonathan Pascall
Position: Chair of Trustees since May 2022 Date: 19/01/2024
Independent examiner’s report to the Trustees of Bournemouth Spear Trust
Statement of financial accounts
Pwiod endEd PrEViDU5 Year
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31-AuB.22
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Re(eipts
Grants
oDn0t)S Re. NonGiftAhl
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45.950
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89.297
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74.055
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139.669
Paymwts
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Stakeholdw Engxeffnt
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