Trustee's Annual Report for the period from: - 1[st ] October 2023 - 30[th] September 2024. Charity Name: - Heart of Oldbury Community Centre (CIO) Charity Registration number; - 119226 ## Structure, Governance and management Governing document Heart of Oldbury Community Centre (CIO) is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered with the Charity Commission in November 2020. Charity Number – 119226 The Heart of Oldbury trustees are responsible for the general control and management of the charity. The trustees give their time freely and receive no remuneration or other financial benefits. The trustees meet body bi-monthly and are responsible for all decisions taken in relation to running the facilities activities provided by the Heart of Oldbury. The existing trustees are responsible for the recruitment of new trustees, ## Objectives and Activities Our activities and services aim to support our local community around a range of community concerns and needs identified in partnership with our community and other community organisations. By building upon, enhancing, and establishing better community cohesion through encouraging individuals to work together, to achieve a shared vision, we'll be providing opportunities for our community, to regularly meet on a common ground, whilst encouraging people of all ages to work together, share experiences and learn via participation. ## Our Aims Our Centre is used to provide social and community activities that are of benefit to our community (e.g., foodbank, children's and senior clubs, exercise sessions, etc.) with the aim of increasing community provision, reducing isolation and exclusion, improving the conditions of resident's lives. As our centre continues to develop and grows, we are working in partnership more with other community organisations and residents to be able to provide community rooms, local surgeries with the Police and Councillors where residents can air their views or concerns and provide space for smaller community organisations to use for hot desking. We'll also look to develop our community and social events such as trips, coffee mornings, mother and toddler clubs, homework club/after school club, supporting dementia services, etc. healthy eating activities, community café, soup kitchen in partnership with the foodbank, uniform exchange, etc. to be able to address a wider range of support needs of our community regardless of age, ability, or financial circumstances. ## Objectives To set up and run open Community Hub that benefits residents of Oldbury and the surrounding area of Sandwell and is available to all Provide a warm safe, welcoming, and hospitable environment to meet the holistic needs of Oldbury people to support, friendship and signposting and partnering with other agencies. Provide facilities, activities and events that prevent and reduce social isolation and promote health living for vulnerable people and quality of life for all. ## Activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular the activities. We are a newly formed community organisation that is in the process of developing a range of community and social activities that will be of benefit to our community. We sort the views of our local community, service providers and other support organisations to ascertain what is needed here in Oldbury and the surrounding areas. Following this consultation, we established our current programme which we intend to build upon moving forward following on from the pandemic restrictions and guidance. Our current activities support children and young by providing them with a safe space to meet up with other young people enabling them to make new friends and support networks outside of school and their family circle. We're helping to keep them occupied, building, and promoting strong positive relationships with their peers via learning and recreational activities. This is also beneficial for parents who work and need a safe place for their children to go after school. Our Foodbank supports vulnerable members of our community who may be experiencing a hard time and need a small helping hand to see them and/or their family through this difficulty period. We do plan on building upon the Foodbank with a soup kitchen and community café to help build social relationships and connect our community together. Participants of our senior club are given an opportunity to connect with their peers and undertake age-appropriate activities that support their physical and mental health. Where possible we encourage the more active and able members to volunteer so the skills and expertise, they have can be passed down to a new generation of volunteers via peer mentoring. We are looking to work in collaboration with other community organisations, service providers and faith-based groups to ensure we can deliver activities that are people-led and meeting the needs of our community. We aim to shape community services and activities delivered for our diverse community with a view of improving their condition of life. We facilitate the development of our residents by bringing people of all ages together to build strong relationships within our community. Supporting the development of a more cohesive, joined up and selfreliant neighbourhood that works together to address local concerns that many of our residents regardless of their age, ability or nationality may be experiencing. We are assisting in the establishment of vibrant community hub within primarily for Oldbury, for community activities that nurture and encourage like-minded individuals of all ages to come together to share/learn new skills and develop their capacity to address our community's prominent social and health concerns. Our community hall and rooms provide a valuable educational and recreational resource to all in our local community. A wide variety of activities are organised and takes place from our community centre. The facilities have been used by groups as varied from youth creative network, building bridges to the future (Vulnerable adult group), Single Point Plus Family Support Hub. The hall has also been used over 20 times from the facilities we offer the local community. ## Use of Volunteers Volunteers are an important respires in our community work, volunteers are involved in most areas of our community activities, and we have 10 people who regularly give their time. All the trustees also give their time freely. All those volunteers working with projects involving children or other vulnerable groups are DBS checked. ## Statement of Trustees' responsibilities The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Strategic Report, the Annual Report, and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations. Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law the Trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the situation of the group and charity and of application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the group for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to: - Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently. - Make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent. - State whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements. - Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business. The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charity's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2013. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. Financial statements are published on the charity's website in accordance with legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements, which may vary from legislation in other jurisdictions. The maintenance and integrity of the charity's website is the responsibility of the trustees. The trustees' responsibility also extends to the ongoing integrity of the financial statements contained therein. Approved by the trustees and signed on its behalf by: Mrs Pamela Hepburn (Chair) Friday 11th July 2025 ## Statement of Financial Activities For the following period- 1[st ] October 2023- 30[th ] September 2024. |Incoming Resources|| |---|---| |Balance B/F|£6,873.72| |Grants|£0| |Room Hirings|£5,400.00| ||| |Total Income|**£12,273.72**| ||| |Expenses|| |UtilityBills –(Eon Next)|£6,129.00| |Insurance|£813.24| |Maintenance/ Boiler Repair|£5,921.6| |Security/CCTV Alarm /Access|£120.00| |Health & Safety- Fire Testing|£86.00| |Volunteers Travel -Expenses
£30.00 x10|£300.00| ||| |Total Expenses|**£13,369.84**| |||