# **SPEAR BRISTOL**
# **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
**YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024**
**Charity Number: 1195810**
## **SPEAR BRISTOL**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024**
|**Contents**|**Pages**|
|---|---|
|Reference & Administrative Information|1|
|Trustees’ Annual Report|2 – 6|
|Independent Examiner’s Report|7|
|Receipts and Payments Account|8|
|Statement of Assets and Liabilities|9|
**SPEAR BRISTOL**
## **REFERENCE & ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION**
## **YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024**
Spear Bristol is a registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation
|**Trustees**|Mr Samuel Wright (Chair of Trustee Board)|
|---|---|
||Mrs Anna Wright (resigned 31 December 2024)|
||Rev Paul Langham|
||Dr Graham Stuart|
||Mr Andrew Street|
||Mrs Sophie Brookes|
||Mr Patrick Sykes|
||Mr Kamran Zahid (resigned 19 July 2024)|
||Mr Solomon Hardy (resigned 31 December 2024)|
||Mr Tony Condon|
||Mr Daniel Haustead (appointed 1 December 2023)|
||Ms Caroline Jowett-Ive (appointed 17 July 2024)|
||Claire Harman (appointed 16 September 2024)|
|**Charity registration number**|1195810|
|**Principal and registered address**|Christ Church|
||Linden Gate,|
||Clifton Down Road,|
||Bristol, BS8 4AH|
|**Independent Examiner**|Joshua Kingston BSc (Hons) ACCA|
||Burton Sweet Ltd,|
||The Clock Tower|
||5 Farleigh Court|
||Old Weston Road|
||Flax Bourton|
||Bristol BS48 1UR|
|**Telephone**|07840527336|
|**Email**|hello@spearbristol.co.uk|
|**Website**|www.spear-bristol.org|
|**Bankers**|CAF Bank Ltd,|
||25 Kings Hill Avenue,|
||Kings Hill,|
||West Malling,|
||Kent ME19 4JQ|
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**SPEAR BRISTOL**
## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT**
## **YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024**
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
Spear Bristol is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation governed by its Constitution and led by a Board of Trustees who meet quarterly. The Board is made up of people living or working in Bristol.
A person who is willing and eligible to act as a trustee, and who would not be disqualified from this action, may be appointed to be a trustee by a decision of the trustees. Trustees with relevant knowledge, skills or experience are appointed for the effective administration of the charity.
Any decision of the trustees must be either by decision of a majority of the trustees present and voting at a quorate trustees’ meeting, or when the majority of trustees have indicated to all the trustees by any means (including email) that they share a common view on a matter.
## **Objects:**
Spear Bristol equips 16–24 year-olds, facing the most significant barriers to employment, with the skills, mind-sets and attitudes needed to secure and thrive in work.
The objects of Spear Bristol as set out in its constitution:
The objects of Spear Bristol are for the benefit of the public and within a Christian ethos, to act as a resource for young people between the ages of 16 to 24 living in and around Bristol by providing advice, assistance and support, educational programmes and other activities as a means of:
a) helping young people advance in life by developing their skills, capacities and capabilities to enable them to integrate into and participate in society as independent, mature and responsible individuals;
b) advancing education;
c) relieving unemployment, enabling young people to generate a sustainable income and be self-sufficient;
d) providing recreational and leisure time activities provided in the interest of social welfare, designed to improve their conditions of life.
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**SPEAR BRISTOL**
## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT**
## **YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024**
## **Public Benefit**
The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit.
## **Activities**
Spear Bristol was established in 2021. Through the award-winning Spear Programme, we equip young people (16-24 year-olds) facing significant barriers to employment with the skills, mind-sets and attitudes needed to secure and thrive in work.
We run six programmes per year with up to 15 young people on each programme. Starting with a six-week phase known as Spear Foundation, our coaches follow a diverse curriculum, equipping trainees with the mindset and skillset required for employment e.g., Professionalism Week, Interview Week, Communication Week. The programme addresses CV writing and job search skills and offers insights including the hidden rules of work such as how to dress for an interview and how to make small talk.
The second phase, Spear Career, provides a year of follow-on support as trainees gain greater independence and move into employment or training opportunities that increase their prospects.
We operate in partnership with Resurgo Trust who have many years of experience working with unemployed young people and partner with fourteen other Spear Centres across the country. They provide on-going training and development delivered by coaches accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), programme curriculum support and development, impact monitoring, quality assurance, and fundraising support.
## **Achievements and Performance**
During this financial period, we ran 6 Spear programmes and 78 young people completed Spear Foundation. 77% of all young people completing Foundation with Spear Bristol are in employment, education or training twelve months later.
Our beneficiaries have gone to work for a wide range of employers, including: Pets at Home, Bristol City Council, Anne’s House Childcare Centre, Artist’s Residence, MacDonald’s, Ashton Gate Stadium, Electrical Solutions, Footlocker, Nando’s and Greggs.
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**SPEAR BRISTOL**
## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT**
## **YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024**
We have worked with a variety of referrers to find the young people we can best support, these have included: DWP Job Centres (Temple Street, Bedminster, Broadwalk and the Galleries Youth Hub), Bristol City Council, Families in Focus, Bristol Drugs Project, One Front Door, The Prince’s Trust, Barnardo’s, City of Bristol College and St Giles Trust.
All of the young people we work with have 1 or more barriers to entering employment and staying there. Over half of those we worked with in this reporting period had 3 or more of those barriers including: being a care leaver, having family involved in crime, living in supported housing, having less than 5 GCSE’s, mental health challenges, a criminal record or being entitled to free school meals.
The young people we have worked with come from all over Bristol with between 2025% coming from Bedminster, between 10-20% from Knowle, Avonmouth, Easton and Hartcliffe, between 5-10% from St George’s, Clifton, Eastville, Bishopsworth, Kingswood, Brislington and Horfield, less than 5% from Southmead, Lawrence Weston, Knowle West, St Paul’s, and Whitehall.
## **Contribution made by volunteers**
Spear Bristol relies on volunteers generously giving their time to support our trainees. During this financial period over 60 volunteers supported Spear Bristol with Mock Interviews and Career Panels – encouraging our trainees through the sharing of their own experience, identifying the trainee’s strengths, and supporting their interview skills development.
In addition to this, many volunteers have attended the celebrations held at the end of each 6-week programme to encourage and support the trainees as they move onto Spear Career and looking for work.
## **Financial Review**
Through the generous support of our donors, trusts, and local grant bodies, Spear Bristol received total income of £116,403 (2022/23 - £174,694). Receipts comprised £82,158 (2022/23 - £121,650) from individual donors, £20,500 (2022/23 - £36,000) from charitable trusts and grants, £13,682 (2022/23 - £16,951) from gift aid on eligible donations and £63 (2022/23 - £93) from bank interest.
Total payments for the financial period, all of which were incurred in support of Spear Bristol’s charitable activities, were £130,233 (2022/23 - £147,786), of which £nil (2022/23 - £2,823) was non-salary spending set against restricted funds. Total
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**SPEAR BRISTOL**
## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT**
## **YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024**
spending in the period was closely managed within the budget set by the trustees at the start of the year.
Over 90% of payments made during the period represented staff salaries, including national insurance and pension contributions, and programme costs, including costs paid to charitable partners with whom we deliver the Spear programme.
As at 31 August 2024 Spear Bristol held total reserves, and total cash, of £36,745.
## **Reserves Policy**
The trustees have examined the charity’s requirements for reserves in light of the key operational, governance, compliance and risks to the organisation. The trustees have stipulated that the charity should aim to operate with unrestricted reserves sufficient to fund at least three months of operating costs, in order to ensure the charity is able to meet its ongoing operational needs.
The unrestricted funds of £36,745 as at 31 August 2024 (2023 – £50,575) represented approximately two and a half months of budgeted operating costs, and therefore was slightly below the target set by the trustees.
Fundraising to meet ongoing obligations and to maintain sufficient unrestricted reserves is ongoing, and the trustees do not currently have concerns about the ability of the charity to continue as a going concern.
## **Future Plans**
Spear Bristol plans to continue the activities outlined above in forthcoming years, continuing to deliver exceptional training and impressive results, and working to deepen relationships with other organisations in the local community to increase referrals and open up new opportunities for the young people we have the privilege of working with. To support this view of the future, opportunities for expansion are being developed and followed up with interested parties in Bristol with the aim of increasing the number of centres available to deliver training.
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**SPEAR BRISTOL**
## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT**
## **YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024**
## **Statement of trustees’ responsibilities**
The trustees are responsible for keeping sufficient accounting records that 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 Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed/constitution. 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.
Approved by the Board of Trustees on 17[th] March 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
**Samuel Ashley John Wright Chair of Trustees**
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**SPEAR BRISTOL**
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT**
## **YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024**
## **Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Spear Bristol**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Spear Bristol (the Charity) for the year ended 31 August 2024.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity trustees of the Charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the Charity’s accounts carried out under 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(5)(b) of the Act.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
I have completed my examination. 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:
- accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
- the accounts do not accord with those records; or
- the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Joshua Kingston BSc (Hons) ACA Burton Sweet Chartered Accountants The Clock Tower 5 Farleigh Court Old Weston Road Flax Bourton Bristol BS48 1UR
Date: 17[th] March 2025
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## **SPEAR BRISTOL**
## **YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024 RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Total Funds
Funds Funds 2024 2023
RECEIPTS £ £ £ £
Voluntary Income to further charity's objectives
Donations 82,158 - 82,158 121,650
Gift aid 13,682 - 13,682 16,951
Grants 20,500 - 20,500 36,000
-
116,340 116,340 174,601
Investment income
Bank interest 63 - 63 93
TOTAL RECEIPTS 116,403 - 116,403 174,694
PAYMENTS
Costs of charitable activities
-
Wages and salaries 90,336 90,336 73,589
Travel costs 3,754 - 3,754 2,760
Subsistence costs 679 - 679 711
Telephone costs 296 - 296 248
Printing and stationery costs - - - 296
-
Legal and professional fees 1,440 1,440 1,776
Insurance 318 - 318 304
Equipment costs 535 - 535 567
-
Programme costs 27,500 27,500 55,000
Event costs 2,385 - 2,385 3,923
Trainee costs 480 - 480 84
Subscriptions 386 - 386 180
Office costs 3 - 3 550
Other running costs - - - 50
-
Accountancy 1,698 1,698 1,650
Staff welfare 357 - 357 192
- - -
Advertising 5,700
Other charges - - - 236
Bank charges 66 - 66 60
-
130,233 130,233 147,786
TOTAL PAYMENTS 130,233 - 130,233 147,786
Transfers between funds - - - -
-
NET RECEIPTS/(PAYMENTS) (13,830) (13,830) 26,908
**----- End of picture text -----**
**8**
## **SPEAR BRISTOL**
## **AS AT 31 AUGUST 2024**
## **STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2024 2023
£ £
Fixed Assets
Computer and other equipment 2,084 5,209
2,084 5,209
Current Assets
Gift aid debtor 500 -
Cash at bank and in hand 36,745 50,575
37,245 50,575
Total Assets 39,329 55,784
Liabilities
Accruals
Accountancy 1,818 1,650
Professional fees 570 400
-
Resurgo 36,667
Other creditors 254 9,429
Total Liabilities 39,309 11,479
CASH RESERVES
Unrestricted funds
Brought forward 50,575 20,844
Net receipts/(payments) for the year (13,830) 29,731
36,745 50,575
Restricted funds
-
Brought forward 2,823
-
Net receipts/(payments) for the year (2,823)
- -
Total reserves 36,745 50,575
Signed on behalf of the Trustees on 17th March 2025
Samuel Ashley John Wright
Chair of Trustees
**----- End of picture text -----**
**9**