ANNUAL REPORT 2022-2023 LEAF - Locally Encouraging All to Flourish
Aims and Purposes
LEAF is a Christian Charity that was established in April 2021 to share the love of God with the people of Ledbury and in doing so, help to improve their well-being. It grew out of the Ecumenical work in the town, with all the churches working together to support the community
Objectives and Activities
The charity aims to support people across the whole of their lives.
LEAF’s work is divided into a number of project areas: Physical Well-being, Emotional Well-being, Spiritual Well-being, and Children. These all come together to bring a coordinated approach to support people.
Achievements and Performance
Physical Well-Being
A CAP (Christians against Poverty) Debt Counsellor, is funded to work in Ledbury one day a week and has a number of clients in the area. LEAF supports this work through CAP Befrienders. To date, there are five LEAF volunteers who worked as befrienders, supporting 13 clients across the year. From August 2023, LEAF will also take over the responsibility of funding the Debt Counsellor. A Grant from Herefordshire Council has been secured for this purpose.
LEAF also supports the establishment of social groups in Ledbury. A knit and crochet group, with 19 members and growing, was formed in February 2023, intended to bring people together with a shared interest who were seeking companionship.
LEAF also supported the Warm Spaces initiative by offering light refreshments and a welcoming space to the residents of Ledbury one day per week in the coldest months of winter.
Emotional Well-Being
Kintsugi Hope is an emotional well-being course which has been run by two LEAF volunteers. Two twelve-week courses, with up to 12 people in each, were completed
in the year. Each was well received by all who attended. Many of those who attended had been referred by the GP Chaplains (see below).
The GP Chaplains were also able to refer individuals with greater psychological needs to three professional counsellors, paid for by LEAF, enabling free support for those struggling with their lives, due to anxiety, depression or trauma. The feedback from this support was extremely positive.
With the links made with the Primary School (see below) one of the counsellors is now supporting children and their family in the school.
The work in Emotional Well-being was funded by grants from Ledbury Town Council and from a Faith New Deal Grant provided to LEAF via the Hereford Diocese.
Spiritual Well-Being
The development of a GP chaplaincy service operating within the GP surgery in the town has made an extraordinary difference to people’s lives. The GP Chaplains offer a listening and guidance service for those people seeking help from their GP who do not have medical needs, but need someone to listen to their problems. Typically, they may be anxious or lonely or dealing with a bereavement. The service started in January 2022 with two chaplains each working one day a week. A waiting list quickly grew. LEAF was able to obtain grant funding from Herefordshire Council and the Faith New Deal funding for the service to be increased to two days from September 2022.
The Chaplains assess how effective their service is by asking clients to fill out the Warwick and Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scores at the start of their visits and at the completion of their series of visits. The maximum score that can be achieved is 70. Clients of the service had an average score of 36.5. The average final consultation score was 53.1. This is an increase of 16.6. This demonstrates what an amazing impact this service has made on the lives of those who used the service as a climb of only 6 points is considered both statistically and practically significant in people’s experience. Clients reported improved mental health/well-being, reduced depression and anxiety and improved social networks.
Children
LEAF held two highly successful Family Fun Days in the summer on the local recreation ground. This was followed up in the autumn by The Light Party and the
Advent party, both of which were well attended. Each month LEAF aims to hold an event for families and children to enjoy.
Over the last year LEAF has worked closely with Ledbury Primary School, with the Chief Executive and one of the Trustees offering mentoring support for pupils identified by the school as needing additional support. The service has also incorporated one to one counselling for the children where this is beneficial. This work has been recognised as being very valuable and LEAF has been asked to advise other areas of Herefordshire on how to establish a similar service.
The work has proved so successful that a joint post, with LEAF and the Primary School, is being set up in September 2023. This post is a Family Support Worker.
Financial Review
Background
When LEAF was established in April 2021, money in Ecumenical Fund was to be transferred to LEAF. The LEAF bank account was set up in July 2021 with £1,000 from the Ecumenical fund. As the CEO salary continued to be paid from the Ecumenical fund until February 2022, the remaining transfer did not take place until then. The financial year April 1 2021 until March 31 2022 was therefore not typical of subsequent years. At the start of the financial year April1 2022 to March 31 2023 the charity had a balance of £34,562.55.
Receipts
LEAF continued in 2022/2023 to receive significant funding from individual donations, funding from Ledbury churches and funding for the Chief Executive through a grant from the Hereford Diocese. This grant amounts to £10,000 per year and is paid quarterly. In the 2022/23 accounts it totalled £7,500 as £2,500 had already been accounted for in the previous financial year.
In addition, in 2022/23 LEAF received grants for services totalling £20,422.65. These were received from Ledbury Town Council (£6,000), Herefordshire County Council (£5,076), Hereford Diocese Social Aid Fund (£705), Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities, Faith New Deal grant, through Hereford Diocese (£8,716.89).
Restricted Funding
The ongoing funding from Hereford Diocese for the Chief Executive is restricted funding. Some individual donors have indicated that they wish their donations to be similarly restricted for the salary of the Chief Executive.
Expenditure
As in the previous year, the majority of the expenditure for the charity was restricted expenditure on the Chief Executive (£40,311.16). The remaining expenditure of £18,092.55 was spent on Emotional Well-being (Kintsugi and one to one counselling), £4,969.69; Spiritual Well-being (GP Chaplaincy, including the wages for one Chaplain), £7,966.09; Children £1,423.36 and Other (largely administrative costs) £3733.41.
Year End
At March 31 2023 the Charity had £38,567.62 in its bank account.
LEAF (LOCALLY ENCOURAGING ALL TO FLOURISH)
RECEIPT AND PAYMENT ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 31 2023
| 2022-2023 Restricted Other Total £ £ £ RECEIPTS Grants 7,500.00 20,422.65 Collections 696.97 Donations 15,859.50 17,867.62 Interest 62.04 TOTAL 23,359.50 39,049.28 62,408.78 EXPENDITURE 40,311.16 18,092.55 58,403.71 EXCESS OF RECEIPTS OVER PAYMENTS - 16,951.66 20,956.73 4,005.07 |
2021-2022 Restricted Other Total £ £ £ 15,000.00 13,535.30 13,967.76 28,535.30 13,967.76 42,503.06 5,000.00 2,940.51 7,940.51 23,535.30 11,027.25 34,562.55 |
2021-2022 Restricted Other Total £ £ £ 15,000.00 13,535.30 13,967.76 28,535.30 13,967.76 42,503.06 5,000.00 2,940.51 7,940.51 23,535.30 11,027.25 34,562.55 |
|---|---|---|
| 13,967.76 42,503.06 |
||
| 2,940.51 7,940.51 |
||
| 11,027.25 34,562.55 |
FUNDS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR 34,562.55 FUNDS IN CAF BANK AT MARCH 31 2023 38,567.62
LEAF (LOCALLY ENCOURAGING ALL TO FLOURISH) STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AS AT MARCH 31 2023
£
ASSETS
Restricted Funds - Unrestricted Funds 38,567.62
MADE UP OF
CAF current a/c 38,567.62
LEAF (LOCALLY ENCOURAGING ALL TO FLOURISH) ANALYSIS OF GENERAL EXPENDITURE
| 2022-2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| £ | ||
| Emotional Well Being< | 4,969.69 | |
| Spiritual Well Being> | 7,966.09 | |
| Physical Well Being | - | |
| Children | 1,423.36 | |
| Other | 3,733.41 | |
| TOTAL | 18,092.55 |
ANALYSIS OF RESTRICTED EXPENDITURE
| 2022-23 | ||
|---|---|---|
| £ | ||
| Wages " | 37,393.85 | |
| Expenses (2021- | ||
| 22) | 565.22 | |
| Admin Expenses^ | 1,165.03 | |
| Expenses as | ||
| therapist* | 1,187.06 | |
| TOTAL | 40,311.16 |
" Gross, including tax and pension contributions
^Includes mileage and telecomms
*Includes supervision, insurance and professional fees
LEAF (LOCALLY ENCOURAGING ALL TO FLOURISH)
RECEIPT AND PAYMENT ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 31 2023
Notes
GRANTS
Restricted Funds
The Hereford Diocese provides a grant of £10,000 per year, funded quarterly, as part of the salary of the Chief Executive. This is restricted for this purpose. Only £7,500 of the Diocese grant is accounted for in 2022-23 as £2,500 was included in the 2021-22 statement of accounts.
Other Funds
Grants were received from Ledbury Town Council, Hereford Diocese Social Aid Fund, Herefordshire County Council and the Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities via the Hereford Diocese.
DONATIONS
Restricted Funds
Prior to the Charity’s establishment, the Chief Executive was funded jointly by the churches in Ledbury through the ecumenical fund. Funding donated by the churches in Ledbury continues to be restricted for this purpose. Several church members also restrict their donations to LEAF for this purpose.
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORTTO THE TRUSTEES OF LEAF- LOCALLY ENCOURAGING ALL TO FLOURISH I report to the Trustees on my examination of the accounts of LEAF for the year ended 31 March 2023. As the charity trustees. you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accor'dance with the requirements of the Charities Act 20111.the Att'l. I report in respect of my examination of the Charitvs accounts carried out Lbnder section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{5llbl of the Art. 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- l. 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. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attentlon should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Hannah Compton, FCA ICAEW membership number 1578224
An analysis of the
Structure Governance and Management
The Trustees are:
Peter Williamson (Chair)
Geoff Rutherford
Derek Chedzey Phil Warrey
Keith Hilton Turvey Adrian Witshire
Chief Executive - Tony Hodder
Volunteer Project Team Leaders Spiritual Team – Malcolm Laird Emotional Team – Ali Bennett
Physical Team – Clare Porter and Val Bailey
Children’s Team – Mary Anne Keyes
Finance – David Houghton
The project team meets on a monthly basis and the trustees meet on a quarterly basis.