H4V Hope for the Valleys GIC Gobaith i’r Cymoedd Period of report: 1/12/2021 – 30/11/2022 Legal and Administrative Details ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE Melrose, 5 Gelli Road, Tredegar, NP22 3RD GOVERNING DOCUMENT 24 February 2021 CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 1193657 TRUSTEES Rev T Hallam Mr G Bent Rev A Pitt Rev J Allan Bankers Lloyds Bank INDEX Page 1-2 Legal & Administrative Details Page 3-4 Report of Trustees
H4V Hope for the Valleys GIC Gobaith I’r Cymoedd
Period of report: 1/12/2022 – 30/11/2023
Objects of the charity: TO ADVANCE THE CHRISTIAN FAITH AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES, IN SCHOOLS AND GROUPS, AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CHURCHES IN THE AREA OF THE HEADS OF THE VALLEYS, SOUTH EAST WALES.
Structure governance, and management
The policy and operating decisions of the charity rest with the trustees who meet regularly to monitor the activities of the Trust.
The trustees are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance regarding the charity. A new trustee can only be appointed with the unanimous decision of all the present trustees.
The trustees met regularly during the period of this report. One trustee has been appointed permanent secretary and minutes all meetings. The minutes are checked by all trustees.
Aims and purposes
The trustees of Hope for the Valleys work alongside one another an employ a children and youth officer in order to ‘advance the Christian Faith among young people and Families’. Hope for the Valleys works in schools and after school group settings ‘and in conjunction with the churches in the area of the Heads of the Valleys, South East Wales’.
Summary of the charities main activities and achievements
The trustees of Hope for the Valleys are committed to enabling as many children, young people and families as possible, regardless of social means and background to participate in the many activities undertaken by the charity.
In planning the activities, the Trustees have applied the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission. In particular we try to enable children, young people and families from all walks of life to learn about the Christian Faith through:
Worship and prayer; learning about the Gospel and developing their knowledge and trust in Jesus Christ.
Provision of Pastoral care for people living in the community.
Missionary and Outreach work for children young people and their families.
Schools work
There were opportunities for the charity to partner with local churches as they visited schools. September/October are always busy times for Harvest assemblies. One example is of Mick our employee, partnering with a church in Merthyr to visit a primary school on the Gurnos estate.
During the spring term representatives of the charity were able to team up with GSUS live – and joining them on their activity bus as they visited a local secondary school in Merthyr. Many learned about the Christian faith in an interactive and contemporary manner.
We also had great experiences during the Spring and Summer of 2023 of building on existing relationships and visiting local schools in the Heads of the Valleys area and beyond. Primary schools were visited in Merthyr. Tredegar and Crickhowell. Scripture Union were very kind in lending a portable ‘football cage’ for us to take to these schools. By visiting these schools, hundreds of children took part in activities which included games, and Bible stories which fitted in with the schools’ humanities and religious education curriculum. We received positive feed back from the schools. Good relationships have been built up with these local schools, and we’re confident that through this Hope for the Valleys is becoming part of the local community by serving these schools.
Deputation Meetings and Raising Profile
Once again during this year, links were strengthened with churches both local and further afield. Mick Moffett, the employee of the charity visited numerous churches to hold deputation meetings, where he thanked churches for their support, both financial and in prayer. Mick was able to explain the aims of the work – to share the good news of Jesus with Children and Young people in South East Wales. These deputation meetings proved a fruitful resource in raising the profile of Hope for the Valleys, and we are grateful for the support of these churches.
In addition to these deputation meetings Mick was also asked to write an article for the Evangelical Movement of Wales Christian magazine. Mick was also asked to take part in a Scripture Union Video explaining his work with children and young people in the Valleys. Both these initiatives were helpful in raising the profile of the Charity on a nationwide scale.
After School clubs
During this year Mick continued to visit church youth clubs across the region. His visits were greatly appreciated by those churches. Perhaps one highlight was his weekly visit to children’s club in a church in Nelson where they “Baked” their way through the Bible. There was a cake/biscuit baked to illustrate the various Biblical stories!
The Monday night football club is continuing to be very popular, drawing children from various backgrounds to play football, to enjoy each others company, and to learn Bible stories.
The monthly youth group on a Saturday evening continues be a good opportunity to draw children and young people from different church youth clubs together. Again, we’re grateful to be able to partner with a community youth project, such as the established ‘Engine House” scheme in Merthyr. Monthly youth meetings were held in the Engine House, regularly drawing around 40-50 young people who are associated with different churches in South East Wales. There was plenty of games and fun, and also an opportunity for the young people to hear the good news about Jesus in way that was relevant to them.
During July, the Saturday night youth group held a day under the banner of H4V in Bedwellty Park Tredegar. There were games, food and a service of worship and many young people enjoyed the day.
Tackling Social Issues
During this year Mick and the trustees decided that in order to help children and young people in the Valleys, that we needed also to try and help in the tremendous substance abuse problem that is all too prevalent. A weekly group for those affected in any way with substance abuse was set up and met in a local church in Tredegar. Mick also was enrolled on a course run by Hope UK, a Christian Charity that specialises in helping those affected by substance abuse. Individuals who have suffered from abuse and families that have witnessed a member of their family struggling with addiction benefited from the support this group offered.
A changing of the guard
In September 2023 we were notified by our employee Mick Moffett of his desire to resign his position from Hope for the Valleys. He thought that it was time for him to seek a fresh challenge. We were grateful for his gracious letter of resignation: “My time with the organization has been enjoyable, and I am grateful for all the opportunities it has provided me with over the last couple of years. I can’t thank you enough for allowing me to grow my skills here, but after much thought, I’ve decided it’s time to move on.”
As a trustee group we are grateful for the work Mick had done in helping us to reach children and young people with the good news about Jesus. We wish him well for the future.
I can gladly confirm that we have a new employee Ilan Tricker working for the charity, and we will give full details of his employment in our next annual report. (He started with us in March 2024)
Conclusion
As we look back on this period 01/12/2022 – 30/11/2023 we are grateful that Hope for the Valleys is now an established charity in the Heads of the Valleys and South East Wales, especially helping children and young people to hear the good news about Jesus. We have continued to build and develop with other local charities and organisations who share in our concern about children and young people in our area. Many hundreds of children and young people have learned about the Christian faith through the work of Hope for the Valleys. It’s been an encouragement to see schools welcoming us back. Also, during this year there have been new initiatives to help with the social difficulties which are acutely present in our area. Although it was difficult to lose Mick our employee, it was encouraging to see that the work continued and others were drawn to our privilege and vision of sharing about Jesus with the children and youth of the Heads of the Valleys.
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND ANO WALES for the Vall¢ys-Gob•llh I'r Cvmoodd 1193657 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the perfo from 0111212022 3011112023 To Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted fund$ tothg trUSt Restricted funds Endowrnent IndS tot nDBreBt É Total fund$ Last year tho rthir•st £ to n•ar•Bt £ tolth• nMr•Bt£ A1 R8¢81 t8 rbnatlLY 36,2¥0 36,280 Sub total(Gmss incom& forARI 38,280 280 A2 A5$et and Investment sales. see tsble . None Sub toki rotalr8ceipls 36,280 280 9,52D A3Pa ent5 Sèlène$ and Nl P8nsion Contribirtions Insurancè 527 456 583 351 583 WBb51te ttruCtn & kksgtiry Training Courses & Conlerence Feè$ Tovel & Sub$15lEnc 372 140 B89 100 )11 Fbre SpDrts EqUlprrt 9t 365 365 783 783 Sub totsi 30,175 30,175 14916 A4 Asset and Investment purchases,1588 tablo1 Com ter & Pt1nter 1,099 Sub total 1,899 Tot•lpaymen¢s 30,175 30.175 17,81S Net ofrecelptslpaym•nts) A5 Tran$f¢rn between funds A6 Cash fund$ last year end Cash funds thls y8ar•nd 6,105 6,10S 8,295 5,Y19 11,424 3,319 11,424 8,295 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestrlcted Restrlcted funds Endowment to r•¥r•£ to r**rHt£ 81 Cash funds In 8ank Account 11.424 Total¢ash fund5 11.424 Unrestrlcted Restrfctod funds Endowment CCXX R1 aco)unls ISSI Detalls to nMr¢8t£ to nbormt £ to nmr Sl'I5912024
F¥StoWN¢h 14• {LWonill B3 Inv•stm•nt a$s•ts FwAltowN¢h aM•t B4 Assets retslngd for the ¢TIty'S own u•9 CurpJi¢F Generni 1,8 FthvJtowNch B5 Uabllltles Svjned by one Ortty trusteés on beh8W ol all the twslees turo Prnt Na Dateof approv 2310912024 Grdham Bent CCXX A2 acu)unts ISSI 2310912024
Hope for the Valleys- Gobaith i'r Cymoedd {Charity No.1193657) Recelpts and Payments Accounts 30 November 2023 Audlt Report I have examined the underlyin8 records pertaining to the Hope for the Valleys (Charty No. 11936571 Receipts and Payments Accounts for the year ended 30th November 2023. I confirm that the balance 5tsnding on the bank account Is £11,423.81 as at that date and that the ReIpts and Payments Account is a true representation of the records that I have examined. Slgned:............ Name: ELIZA8ETH MAIR BRIThON Occupatlon: Le8al Cashler