## **Hope and Vision Communities** Annual Return for Financial Year Ending March 2022 Charity Name: Hope and Vision Communities Registered Address: The Coach House Bear Lane Hare Hatch Reading RG10 9XR Registered Charity Number: 1191323 Trustees: Peter Ross (Chair) Ray Welsh (Secretary) Treflyn Lloyd Roberts (Treasurer) Jenny Sutrees Becky Williams Founder/Chief Executive: Tony Attwood Independent Examiner: Rachel Hayward Member of the ICAEW c/o Fujitsu Services Limited, Lovelace Road, Bracknell, RG12 8SN Bank: Barclays Bank plc 1 Churchill Place London E14 5HP ## **CHARITY OBJECTIVES** Hope and Vision Communities was created in 2020 by Tony Attwood (who spent 15 years in the criminal justice system) along with Peter Ross, the judge who sentenced him. Our charity provides supported accommodation to those who have recently left residential rehabilitation for addiction. We also provide a safe and caring community which supports recovery. Tony and Peter have a unique understanding of what is needed to break the cycle of addiction and re-offending that often harms society. It is a distinctive and powerful testimony demonstrating that change is possible when people with different life perspectives work together. One of the major crises that our society faces is homelessness among ex-offenders and recovering addicts. We know that 80% of people in our community lost their home during their time in rehab. The uncertainty that surrounds people as they start to think about leaving treatment creates a real cliff edge in their recovery which creates a risk of relapse. If you give someone a home - a place where they can close the door and know that the space is theirs - you provide a stable basis for continued rehabilitation. This is more than physical security or simply a roof over heads (as important as these are) but a place where people can have an emotional attachment. And that is what Hope and Vision Communities provide: somewhere to call "home". Yet it’s not just the house - we offer a community designed to aid recovery. Residents are asked to play an active part in the community by attending key worker sessions and being tested to ensure accountability. We encourage them to rebuild their lives with education, employment, being of service to others and only where and when it is appropriate, moving on to entirely independent living. Maintaining our strong relationships with rehabs ensures that we can identify residents early on in their rehabilitation process. Our volunteering programme ensures that men get a sense of the community and camaraderie before they commit to joining us: they get to know us slowly, building up trust before they are ready to consider joining us. We have a Christian ethos which means we support residents of any faith, or no faith and do not impose our views or beliefs on anyone we work with. **CHAIRMAN’S REPORT** Tony's story is remarkable and one that at times is tough to listen to. Out of it however came his idea for Hope and Vision Communities which completes its second year as a registered charity on September 17[th] 2022 and is now a very firm reality in improving the quality of life for men in recovery. As the judge who had once sentenced him, I was delighted to join him in this venture and to see Tony’s idea become a reality. In spite of the challenging climate, the 2021-22 financial year has been successful for us. Having launched the charity during the midst of the pandemic, it has been the first year we have been able to interact face-to-face and we have witnessed considerable growth. We’ve doubled the residents we are helping, seen the fruitful outcome of sustained recovery in our community, grown the number of valuable volunteers who help us expanded our income streams and achieved a stability which sees us finishing the year in a more stable position than we began it. Our focus through a quite remarkable year has been first and foremost to ensure that the men we provide a home to feel safe, connected and valued. Thanks to the support of local landlords we have doubled the number of properties we can rent. We want our residents to build independent and fulfilling lives, and require them to be in work, education or training and being of service to others. All residents engage in either a 12-step or church community. Importantly they also know that through our drug and alcohol testing regime we'll quickly become aware of any relapse. Such a relapse does not automatically lead to their eviction: we work with them to deal with the issues that led to the relapse in order to re-establish abstinence – we know that addiction is a disease, and it can happen to anyone, and every attempt is another opportunity to learn and grow. We have had to face the fact that not all residents have been able to take advantage of second chances. When this happens, we support them in the process of leaving us. We are dealing with a group of people who don't trust the system that is there to help them. What has supported our success this year is the lived experience that we have on our board, on our staff and amongst our volunteers. It means that our charity has credibility in the community we serve. Those with a history of drug problems or convictions are heavily stigmatised and can often be discriminated against. Whilst we take refuge in belonging together we have also taken steps to move away from the 'recovery bubble' and create new networks. Our community this year has expanded to include volunteers from all walks of life who have given their time to helping us. We’ve seen our income increase three-fold thanks to the extraordinary support of donors, sponsors and grant funders many of whom are fast becoming valuable friends of the charity. I’m immensely proud but at the same time deeply humbled to be the chair of the board of trustees of an organisation with the opportunity to make such a difference in the lives of the people we help. What began as a story of two men from different walks of life who met over a coffee to talk about the idea of a charity has flourished into an organisation which is changing – even saving - lives. I am indebted to everyone who has walked alongside us to make the most unlikely of relationships – between a judge and a prisoner – a force for extraordinary good. Peter Ross Chair of the Board of Trustees March 2022 ## **STRATEGIC AIMS** In January 2022 we set about establishing six key strategic aims which were: 1. Increase the number of people for whom we can provide a safe home and a supported community of recovery 2. Revise and continue to implement our business model to improve and expand our service provision. 3. Prepare and manage a budget to ensure financial security for the future so we can continue to invest in supporting those who need our help. 4. Build on our existing relationships, develop our reach with new stakeholders and diversify sustainable income streams to achieve a balanced income from a range of sources. 5. Further strengthen and develop the community we build around those we support: to include creating a strong support network, friendship, opportunities to be together in community, maintaining good habits, volunteering, training and being of service to others. 6. Recruit, retain and develop a passionate team of staff and volunteers who are each driven by the charity vision and values. Our main achievements during the 2021-22 Financial Year include: - `♦` We more than doubled the number of men we house from 3 men at the end of 2021 to 6 men, with plans afoot to double this number again next year. - `♦` We have created a business plan and fundraising strategy to focus our efforts next year. - `♦` We secured office premises giving our residents a place to drop into when they need support. - `♦` We have created a rolling annual budget for the charity to ensure that we are forecasting income and cashflow to make better informed strategic decisions. - `♦` We have developed our community network and deepened existing relationships to more than double donations. - `♦` We have improved charity governance with reviews of policies and procedures. - `♦` We have increased our social media engagement by 16% with our posts reaching more than 2,500 people every month. - `♦` We have attended events to raise the profile of our work including at the Forward Trust Colleague Conference, the Berkshire Community Foundation Annual Symposium, recording a More Than My Past Podcast, attending a Thames Valley Police event, networking at Kerith Church, speaking at Coldingley Prison, visiting Freedom Communities in Devon and speaking across many recovery networks. - `♦` We have secured the in-kind support of many companies who support us in areas such as technology, events, print, media, PR and property maintenance. Pictured: Tony Attwood and Peter Ross #theprisonerandthejudge ## **TRUSTEES’ EXPERTISE AND RECRUITMENT** One of our greatest strengths is the depth and breadth of experience we hold, which includes the experience of: - Trustee experience, charity strategy, charity growth, safeguarding and governance - Leadership, business growth, mentoring, finance, project management, technology - Lived experience, attention to detail, passion, vision - Communication, media, networking, contacts - Grant giving experience, understanding of fundraising, sponsorship, appeals - Criminal sector, prison work - Property development, compliance - Community services, addiction, recovery, counselling ## **FINANCIAL REVIEW** The accounts of Hope and Vision Communities for the Financial Year 2021-22 are attached to this report. Our principal funding sources are rents and service charges from residents, donations, grants and sponsorship. The following fundraising income was secured in our financial year 2021-2022: Grants: £6,750 from the Reading Council Covid Support Fund, £2,500 from the Maidenhead Malachi Trust, £1,000 from the John Sykes Foundation, £5,000 from the Garfield Weston Foundation, £4,980 from the Berkshire Community Foundation, £1,000 from the Seedfield Trust, £3,500 from the Arnold Clark Community Fund, £4,000 from the Shanly Foundation Major Gifts: We secured a major donor who gives us a regular gift of £1,000 a month Individual Donations include £300 a month from the Kiriath Trust Commercial Sponsorship: £10,000 from Reeds Solicitors and a vehicle (van) donated to us by Arnold Clark. Pictured: Trustees, Staff, Volunteers and Residents in 2022 Pictured: Staff and Volunteers at our offices in Hare Hatch, Reading ## **RESERVES POLICY** The trustees decided that reserves should be sufficient to continue to deliver the charity’s work for a period of three months should all other sources of funding cease and this is gradually being built up. **INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT** ## **Financial Year ended 31 March 2022** ## **Examiner’s unqualified report (for a non-company charity preparing accruals accounts) with a gross income of £250,000 or less in the relevant financial year.** ## **Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Hope and Vision Communities.** I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Hope and Vision Communities for the financial year ended 31 March 2022. ## **Responsibilities and basis of report** As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act, and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by 2011 Act, and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. ## **Independent examiner’s statement** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: 1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or 3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed: ## Rachel Hayward Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales (ICAEW) Address: c/o Fujitsu Services Limited, Lovelace Road, Bracknell, RG12 8SN Date: 30[th] September 2022 **INCOME STATEMENT** CHARITY COMMISSIO FOR ENGLAND AP40 WALE Receipts and payments accounts CC16a Section A Receipts and payments U nre5*Tfte¢J Endo4bThent lund5 ro¢¥ fiJn*Js Last year t*tr* £ £ tothTr nTr&•st£ t•thTr A1 Recoi Rcfythj BJrd 4% 2JS0 Grwts Gop ij Ptya&RTrni 43J Sth trtal (Grou irKtsTre lor AR} >D a2 A2 AJ*t and inb•*mwbl sa•s, M914 STATEMENT OF PAYMENTS AND RESERVES CHARITY COMMISSIO FOR ENGLANO ANO WALE Receipts and payments accounts CC16a T¢Xal •x•J* La5ty t4 14 178 r*ntQÉ uf¢il liy 756 re5JThY Jlk OTr Prns r*nt- In 378 235 X7d7 Il•t ol rnc•ipts/(paymgnts) 16 C••h 15.