## **The Hub at Bridgwater** ## **Report of the Trustees For the year 2022** ## **Trustees** The following held office during the period covered by this report: John Hardy (Treasurer) Vanda Squire (Chair) Nicola Swain (Secretary) Claire Rawle Daniel Jones ## **Charity Registration Number** The full name of the Charity is The Hub at Bridgwater. Charitable Incorporated Organisation, number 1193668. ## **Registered Address** Unit 22, Angel Place Shopping Centre, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6 4TQ ## **Registered Bank** Barclays Bank, 16 High Street, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6 3DX ## **Trustees Report** ## **Structure, Governance and Management** The Hub at Bridgwater, a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, was incorporated on 25 February 2021. The Hub at Bridgwater is governed and managed by the listed Trustees. All Trustees give their time freely and receive no remuneration or financial benefit. Trustee meetings are held quarterly with additional meetings as required for matters arising between scheduled meetings. The Hub at Bridgwater holds an Annual General Meeting and aims to remain open and transparent about proceedings. The Trustees are assisted in the day to day management of The Hub at Bridgwater by volunteers and one part time employee. ## **Objectives of the Charity** ## **Our aims** The Hub at Bridgwater offers advice, signposting to other community organisations, and a space for community groups to come together. We also aim to improve the lives of people in need in our local area in addition to supporting and organising appeals for aid due to humanitarian crises both locally and abroad. ## **Our core activities** ## A Space to Meet With three spaces available for private hire comprising two meeting rooms and a mezzanine cafe style area, The Hub at Bridgwater provides meeting space for corporate meetings, counselling sessions, educational classes and support groups. ## Hosting Community Groups The Hub at Bridgwater has provided free space, resources and advice to numerous community groups including but not limited to the Women’s Institute, Young SOmerset, Dementia Action Alliance, Blind Veterans UK, the Armed Forces and Veterans Breakfast Club and small local support groups for parents, carers, refugees from Ukraine, those experiencing menopause and people living with Dementia. ## Community Outreach and Engagement Activity Throughout the year, The Hub at Bridgwater has organised fundraising and donation drives to assist people in need in the local community in addition to supporting people affected by humanitarian crises abroad. We have also coordinated the distribution of donated items and provided them to people in need both through other charitable organisations and to individual appeals. We have also contributed to transport costs, volunteer expenses and resources for other charitable organisations and individuals on an ad-hoc basis. ## **Public Benefit** The Charity offers advice and support to people in the local community and to help them access services that can assist them. Benefits include improved health and wellbeing outcomes for beneficiaries, a stronger sense of community and access to other groups and services operating in the Bridgwater area. Direct beneficiaries of The Hub are diverse in age, ethnicity, gender and ability. Benefits are not restricted by price, though groups can pay to hire rooms onsite which contributes to the work of The Hub. In addition to this more general community work, we also have specific and targeted engagement with carers, people living with dementia and veterans. ## **Strategic** The pandemic and subsequent lockdowns caused an unprecedented need for community advice, support and outreach from The Hub at Bridgwater. We have met the need largely thanks to community grants and the support of partner organisations and continue to develop those partnerships to further our work in the community. Due to the support of local businesses and individuals we have also been able to respond to individuals affected by the current cost of living crisis and humanitarian crises in the local area. Funding from our partner organisation Spark Somerset has enabled us to hire a new Digital Coordinator for digital outreach work beginning in 2023 which will increase our visibility in the community and help us develop further partnerships and recruit volunteers. ## **Operational** The Hub’s services continue to adapt and evolve in order to meet the needs of the community. The charity receives enquiries from new organisations interested in utilising the space at The Hub and the contact network of other organisations to improve the lives of vulnerable people living in and around Bridgwater. We continue to monitor our capability for delivering services and are exploring possibilities for different premises and storage space as required in the future. ## **Review of Financial Results** The report shows that grants are vital in the continuation of community outreach and engagement at The Hub. It should be noted that the balance includes funds received from Spark Somerset for the recruitment and salary of a Digital Coordinator to further our digital inclusion project throughout 2023 and with this total excluded, we are showing a slight decrease in income from 2021, which is something we intend to address in the coming year. Our expenditure is largely allocated to the ongoing maintenance and costs of running our premises. There is also a cost incurred in the running of our support groups throughout the year as noted on the account statement. ## **Reserves Policy and Risk Management** It is the intention of the Trustees that the freely available reserves of the Charity should be sufficient to ensure the continuance of its activities, should there be an unexpected short-term adverse fluctuation in income. The Trustees are satisfied that the long-term financial plans generate sufficient free reserves to satisfy its reserves policy over the coming 12 months and beyond. The Trustees review the charity's Reserves Policy on an annual basis. This review is based on the future strategy and financial plans for the charity, as well as the environment which the charity is operating in at the time. The Trustees will make adjustments to the reserves based on this review and set them at a level that is deemed appropriate for the coming year. The Trustees have examined and addressed the financial risks to which the Charity is exposed and in association with its insurers, has mitigated those risks to the best of its ability. ## **Persons Exercising Control** The Hub at Bridgwater is governed solely by its board of Trustees and no other institutions exercise control. Signed on behalf of the Trustees ………………………………… Printed ………………………………… Date ………………………………… THE HUB AT BRIDGWATER UNIT 22, ANGEL PLACE SHOPPING CENTRE BRIDGWATER TA6 3TQ INCOME AND EXPENSE STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] March 2022 |Balance 25thFebruary 2021: £13529.61
INCOME
Donations
SCF Grants
COVID Grants
LESS: EXPENSES
Rent & Service Charge
Utilities
Activity Groups
NET PROFIT
BALANCE at 31stMarch 2022|£1389.73
£7500.00
£29143.00
£38032.73
£9295.55
£2303.45
£2000.00
£13599.00
£24433.73
£37963.34| |---|---| Phillip Rist¢ EDF Energy Sornerset Eneryy InnovAtion Centre wl￿dI￿ndS Court Business Park Brisiol Road Bridgwaler TA6 4FJ Th¢ Trustees The Hub at BridgW￿¢r Unli 22 Angel Place Shoppin8 Centre 25 Angel Cr¢sc¢nt Bridgwater TA6 3TQ tkar Trustee& The Hub It BrldgwAter- Illdependent Exlmlnidon I have now conducted an independeni examination of the accounts and sup￿ttIng r¢cords of the chariry known as 'The Hub ai Bridgwater. for the year ended 31. March 2022. I can report thai there are no material items that nttd to be brought to the attention of the Trustees and that I can sign off the examination without any qualification. Please find ¢n¢losed the completed financial sthiements and independent examiner's report duly signed for the year ended 31* March 2022. These statements are required io be filed along with the Trustees, report with the Charities Commission by the filing deadline. THE HUB AT BRIDGWATER UNIT 22 ANGEL BRIDGII'ATER TA6 LA ING INCOME AND EXPENSE STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED ' March 2022 Balanc¢ 25. February 2021.. £13529.61 tNCOME Donations SCF Grdnts COVID Grants £1389.73 £7500.00 £29143.CN) £38032.73 LESS: EXPENSES Reni & Seryice Char8¢ Utilities A¢tiYity Groups £9295.55 £2303.45 £2(I)O.00 £13599.00 PR £24433.7 BALANCE at 311 March 2022 £37963.34 Examiner's Report Responslbllltles of Trnsteej Ind Ei*mlner The Tn￿lee$ are resw)n5ible for the prepardtion of accounts lo which they consider audil requirements do not apply under the Charilies Aci 2(¥J6. The indcpendeni examiner is responsible for examining the accounts and teponing io th¢ TnJsie¢s. The rewn is limited to those rnatters set oui below. Ei8miner's StstemeDt Examination M'as carried out in ￿cordan¢C with th¢ general dircclions given by the Charity Commi$5ion. With regard to th¢ examination no mailer has come lo my allcntion that giv¢s me cause io belieTre thai rquirements io kttp proper ac¢ounting records alld to pr￿are accounls" accordingly have not beeo met. nor is thcre anything io which in my opinion atlcn¢ion should be dramm in ord¢r lo cnable a propcr undcTStanding ofihc accounts to be reache Should you have any quvies regarding the enclose4 plea￿ do not h￿]¢8￿ ￿ Com￿¢1 me. Yours sincerely. Phillip Ristr FtND (Business & Finance) Education and Outreach Coordinaior Email.. hilli .rist Phone.. 07384 s315￿j fener