**JOSEPH ASPDIN SKILLS TRUST (JAST)** (Charity number 1195750) ## **Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 December 2024** ## 1 Introduction JAST was formed as a charitable trust in 2021 and registered with the Charity Commission in September 2021, with a financial year running from 1 January to 31 December. This report covers the period from 1 January to 31 December 2024. ## 2. Objectives/Aims and Activities of the Charity ## 2.1 The charitable aims of JAST are unchanged and remain two-fold: ## **Educational Object** To advance education for the public benefit of young people in West Yorkshire (especially young people between the ages of 16 and 25 in Postcode areas LS10 and LS11) to enable them to complete apprenticeships and courses in the environmentally friendly adaption and rehabilitation of housing and other properties to give buildings which are ecologically sound and energy efficient. ## **Environmental Object** To promote for the benefit of the public, the conservation, rehabilitation and improvement of the existing built environment, to give buildings which are ecologically sound and energy efficient, including advancing education by providing and assisting in the provision of course materials not required to be provided by the ESFA. - 2.2 The main practical activities of JAST over this reporting period were: - Financial support to the Leeds College of Building (LCB) for the employment by the College of a Zero Carbon Construction Skills Project Coordinator to teach LCB students "Green Skills". - Supporting, with others, a training course run by "Forging the Futures" for 20 young people, focussing on personal and building skills. - Developing further contacts with external individuals and organisations working in the field of construction or housing, building up a supportive network locally and regionally to build on JAST's "Community to Employment" vision. ## 2.3 Development of curriculum materials The JAST funded Zero Carbon Construction Skills Project Coordinator has continued to develop teaching materials for LCB students at the College. Material has now been prepared for use across the spectrum of students at Leeds College of Building, in all years and at all levels. The material generated has continued to be made available to other Colleges who teach building skills. Work is continuing with other colleges in the West Yorkshire region and with the appropriate officials in the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (The WY Mayor's office) to encourage its use across the County. ## 2.4 Other activities After discussion with the College, it was agreed at the beginning of the year that the Zero Carbon Construction Skills project had been successful so far and the Trust agreed the project would be funded for the full three years, based on the educational calendar. Discussions continued with the College on how the learning from the project would be utilised after July 2025 when the 3-year funding would come to an end. The project with Forging the Futures was also judged to be a success, with participants going into employment and continuing in education. The Trust has looked for other opportunities for this sort of work and discussions were started, with the participation of Leeds College of Building, with The Hunslet Club. The Club has a track record of providing young people in Leeds 10 & 11 with opportunities to continue their education, outside formal educational institutions. The discussions were about the provision of this type of course focused on building skills and retrofit. By the end of 2024 these were progressing and it was hoped that a suitable course could be run from September 2025. The Trustees participated in networking meetings with SSE (energy suppliers), BITMO (The Belle Isle Tenants Management Organisation, providers of social housing), Leeds City Council, and EN:able (a part of Efficiency North with similar aims to JAST). These meetings were to identify other projects and opportunities for young people which JAST might support and be involved in. The Trust continues to promote a model pathway starting with community engagement, followed by entry into college education and then moving into jobs provided by local business, builders and building contractors, who would buy into the JAST model. ## 2.5. Plans for 2025 The Trustees expect the work with The Hunslet Club to come to fruition with the courses beginning in September 2025. The success of these courses will be monitored.If they are successful, the Trust hopes to continue supporting them into the future. We continue to look for ways to build relationships with the community and with others working in the same field as JAST, particularly on retrofitting older buildings to make them "fit for the future”. ## Financial Review : 2024 We are pleased to continue to report that the JAST finances are in an excellent state of balance and accountability reporting, and are in accordance with the JAST project business plan. All the major income of JAST has been substantially provided by a single private benefactor, through a series of donations direct to our bank account, This is supporting a 3-year programme of development and consolidation of charitable activities. _T_ he recruitment, by the Leeds College of Building, of a Zero Carbon Skills Project Coordinator in July 2022. has been successful, and both JAST and the college have extended this appointment for the full 3 years by mutual agreement. The benefactor has guaranteed funding for the remainder of the project to at least the end of the academic year 2024-5. when we plan to extend our charitable activities and investments full accordance with our charitable objectives. The Trust uses the Unity Trust Bank to provide banking facilities. Summary of accounts for 2024 |Income|| |---|---| |Initial opening balance|£77,705.68| |Donations|£101,924.00| |(inc, book sale donations)|| |Total Income|£179,629.68| |Expenditure|| |College salary bill|£46,000| |Bank charges and fees
|£68.70| |JAST/sponsorship- Forging futures|£12,000.00| |Total expenditure|£58,068.70| |Funds carried forward (income minus expenditure)|£121,560.98| The formal accounts are included as a separate file to this report, along with a statement from an Independent Examiner. ## **Governance** The JAST Trustees, who were in place during 2024, were: Sir John Battle - Treasurer Baroness Judith Blake (resigned June 2024) Dr Jackie Coates - Secretary Dr Geoffrey Driver Sir Frank McLoughlin Isobel Mills CBE (joined the Board in November) Dr Ken Patterson - Chair The Trustees met frequently as a group during 2024, usually at 4-6 weekly intervals. The majority of meetings were fully attended. Baroness Blake was a Trustee throughout 2023 but resigned in 2024 when she was appointed to a government position in the House of Lords. Isobel Mills was invited to join the board, which she did in November. Chair of the Trustee Board October 2025 Contact: JASTrust@mail.coop The address for correspondence is: The Secretary Joseph Aspdin Skills Trust ℅ 55 Grove Lane, Headingley, LEEDS, West Yorkshire LS6 4EQ Chair of the Trustee Board October 2025 Contact: JASTrust@mail.coop The address for correspondence is: The Secretary Joseph Aspdin Skills Trust ℅ 55 Grove Lane, Headingley, LEEDS, West Yorkshire LS6 4EQ JAST Stat8ment of Accounts 1 January- 31 D￿ber 2024 77.705.68 25,805.78 D•n8Jon¥ . Not* 1 Ic￿).(￿￿.c &5,COJ. 701.924.Q) gJ.951.78 1231.C 6.489.30 12CO). Xl7. 68.70 &goe4.70 1$248.10 43.855.3 77.705.68 T21.￿).98 77.705.68 ,Ptst *£•￿[L¢ab￿1Tr•￿ 1215e4J.98 54.705.&8 1 I. JAsf c*%￿fil* to b• by gén JAST Independent Examiner's Statement on 2024 Accounts the trustees of the Joseph Aspdin Skills TrusL Registered Charity No. 1195750 rm reponin8 OD the acc(XmLS of the dNiriry for the year ernled 31XDtCem￿r 2024. which are set i herewith. Resptrtiyt respongbiltiies of the tnth and the INkpenthi txamlner. The Charit￿5 trusiees are reS￿nSIble lor iht prerkirarion of Ihe accounts. The uu51ees considor thai under section 144 of the Lharities Aci 201 l an audil is noi requited for this year. bui thai aD Kkpendeni examinaiion is ￿U]re It is my ￿5￿nsibilIty ￿. examine the accounts whder seaion 145 0( the Charities Ac follow the pr(Kethire5 laid down in the general dire£fions given by the Clwiry CrADm￿S1Ort (under section 145(5Xb) of the Cbarities Aa,. and Whe￿￿[ paniLidar matters have come to my allention. Ba$15 of independEnt examlntr's slaiemenL Mv eLatninauon lias carried ou( in accordance with general direciions given by the ChaTity Commission. An exatnÉtLiiion incRude5 a review ol the accwniing reconls kept by the chariry and comparison of the aicounts pffeseni￿ wilh those records. li also indudes considerauon of any unusual I￿￿5 or di5c105u￿5 in the accounis. aThJ seeking explanaiion from the Irnstees concerning any such maiiets. The pnKedures undertaken do noi provide all the evidence that would be rEquired in an audii and consequendv ￿ opinion 15 given as i(J whthr ihe accounts pwm a -￿ie and faiff view and the terA)n Is limiied ￿ those nuiters set oui in the SLltemeni below. Independent examiner'5 5tatemenL As a resull of my examination I have found ￿ matter l) which gives me Ttawnable ca￿e to believe thaL in any matenal resm following requiren￿nts have not t*en mrf: al io keep accounting records in ¥cOrd￿￿e with seLtton 130 of the Chari¢ies A b) ts) prepare 2LCOun￿ which accord with the accouniing recLYds aThI c(4nply with the acc(Wkiing requI￿ents of ihe Chariues Aci: 2) io which. in mv opini￿, aueniion shcdd be dTawn In order to enable a proper wWJerSt￿inq of the accounts ￿ be read￿d. Signed 76) Ddvid Salinger 7. Orvllle Gardens Lecds 1,5162BS