2023-03-31-accounts - Applewood Foundation For Shared Lives

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APPLEWOOD FOUNDATION FOR SHARED LIVES

Charity Registration no. 1197147

Annual report of the trustees for the period 15[th] December 2021 to 31[st] March 2023

Applewood Foundation for Shared Lives is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation first registered with the Charity Commission on 15[th] December 2021. The trustees have extended the first reporting period to 31[st] March 2023 to conform with the more general financial year.

Charity address: 28 Old Hospital Lawn, Stroud, GL5 4GA.

The first charity trustees: who are the only members of the foundation are:Mary Pearson Nigel Harley Julie Woods Penelope Redman

Further trustees will be appointed in accordance with the rules of the foundation.

Objects:

The objects of the CIO are the relief of those in need, by reason of youth, age, illhealth, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage, in particular but not exclusively by the provision of housing; and the promotion of social inclusion, in accordance with the principles of Rudolf Steiner.

Our aim in the first year of operating:

To establish a Shared Lives house community under the auspices of Gloucestershire Shared Lives.

To be active in the locality and establish a name for our charitable activity. To raise an initial sum towards the eventual purchase of a property To research suitable properties in the locality and explore the founding of a craft workshop.

Review of activities during the period:

We have been fortunate to have two houses made available to the foundation at no cost in which to establish the Shared Lives activity. 28 Old Hospital Lawn, the home of Judy & Ian Bailey has been a base for the Foundation, and 26 Old Hospital Lawn available for a Shared Lives carer to establish our first house community.

Initially Judy Bailey applied to and was accepted by Gloucestershire Shared Lives (GSL) for day activities, and this enabled us to attract an individual to apply to GSL as an ongoing carer. Gloucestershire Shared Lives were sufficiently impressed by the project to support the application of Julia Harley from Grange Village Camphill Community to move to Stroud and become the first supported individual of the Applewood Foundation in no. 26 Old Hospital Lawn.

The ‘care & support’ element of her living comes under the umbrella of GSL and is funded by the County Council. Her rent is covered by Housing Benefit. Establishing the daily routines and way of sharing lives together has been led by Judy Bailey mindful of our vision that everyone we offer support to is enabled to

live a fulfilling and socially inclusive life, both in their home setting and in their daily activities in the wider community.

Concurrent with the progress of the Shared Lives project Judy Bailey joined in with various community and craft related activities through the local Cashes Green Community Centre, initially as a trustee and later as a volunteer organiser. Together with the involvement of other local people a community café was set up which has enabled Applewood tenants to meet and integrate with the wider local community. More recently Tom Richmond from the Grange has been able to contribute by baking cakes on his one day a week visit to participate in Applewood Foundation activities.

Judy has pioneered a number of craft workshops at the community centre for local children as an anthroposophical social initiative in terms of the choice of crafts on offer and the quality of leadership. Applewood Foundation friends have played a part in organising an Advent market in the centre too.

The Wednesday allotment volunteer morning has also been a venue for social integration. Members of the Applewood households have 3 allotment plots and participate in the working of the community allotment plot. This attracted Tom Richmond who finds very little to do where he lives and through experiencing how Applewood Foundation generates community involvement opportunities has applied to move to Stroud and is searching for a flat in the area. Whether he might become a tenant of Applewood Foundation, or a friend involved in our activities remains to be seen.

We have also been having Marina Pearson, a good friend of Julia, to stay for holidays and weekly two-day visits. Marina has been the inspiration for our efforts to establish a weaving workshop locally. To date there is a regular Friday afternoon wool work session at no 28.

Partnering with other local social initiatives:

In the course of the above activities and in designing the weekly timetable of Applewood activity we have consciously gone out to participate in the programmes of other, often anthroposophically inspired, social initiatives active in the Stroud area. Julia’s close engagement with Gannicox Camphill Community, Ruskin Mill Trust’s Home Making Course, gardening at Hawkwood College and being active with the Barnwood trust are all examples of benefit to our members in this respect. We are also thankful for the support of these organisations towards our project.

Achievements to date:

The above activities taken as a whole, have been a success in terms of our vision that our house community members and friends are enabled to lead a fulfilling socially inclusive life and can play a role in facilitating and promoting social inclusion and community spirit in the neighbourhood.

We have not seriously engaged with fundraising yet. However, thanks to the generosity of several supporters we do have £235,000 in the deposit account. During the period we have viewed a number of houses in the locality and are still exploring what exactly we are looking for in terms of property, numbers of bedrooms, workshop space, garden potential and locality. There is some confidence that funds could be made available to purchase initially through a ‘friends’ network’ should a suitable property present itself.

In the first year of operating Applewood Foundation has achieved, for the public good, the provision of two properties providing accommodation and socially inclusive activity in accordance with its Objects.

Future plans:

In August 2022 Alec Harrison our initial Shared Lives carer in no. 26 moved on and Judy & Ian became the ongoing carers of Julia, spreading themselves over two houses! A couple, Hannah & Darshan Robson and their daughter May Blossom have applied to become Shared Lives carers with a view to living at no. 26 and sharing the house with Julia. This is supported by GSL and should become a reality by mid-2023.

In terms of priorities the search for property is ongoing, as is the work of finding donors to commit to funding such an expansion should the opportunity arise.

The craft work as a vehicle for community involvement and meaningful therapeutic and productive activity has been a success and we are seeking a place where it can settle and grow. Various venues have been explored both as a stand-alone centre and in combination with a living arrangement. Progressing this is another priority for the coming year.

Finances:

Because the Foundation does not as yet own any property there has been very little financial activity to report on. A substantial initial donation has given us the encouragement to believe that our vision is manageable. The daily life and activities of Applewood ‘carers’ and ‘tenants’ is covered by self-employment with GSL and State Benefits so again there has been little for the Foundation to finance. The research and development of the Foundation’s work has been through voluntary effort. We are thankful to all those who have supported, encouraged and helped us in our endeavours, financially, morally and socially.

Accounts have been drawn up for the period December 2021 to 31[st] March 2023 on a cash basis and independently examined.

The current account balance stands at £4,573 and the deposit accounts at £235,480

Reserves & Investment:

A reserves policy is uncalled for in terms of our revenue as there are no significant outgoings requiring a reserves policy as yet. There are no restricted funds. Donations are placed in an interest-bearing Charity Deposit Account. Funds do need to be available in the eventuality of our finding a property to purchase so time locking funds in investment is not considered appropriate at this moment in our development.

Ethos, strategy and policies:

The ethos of the Applewood Foundation is expressed in our Purpose and Vision document together with the picture of the Values & Aspirations of the Social Impulse standing behind the Foundation of the charity.

Our strategy is to evolve organically in response to what comes toward us in our wish to achieve some public good in relation to our objects of providing shared

living with support and social inclusion, particularly but not exclusively for individuals with special needs.

The charity has an Operational Management Handbook including our vision and management and policies covering Safeguarding, data protection, financial controls and business plan among other things.

Charity executive:

Applewood Foundation has not found it necessary to employ anyone in the first year of operation. At some future date a housing manager may be needed, but to date all the work of the Foundation has been carried out by trustees and volunteers. The current ‘community’ of the Applewood Foundation comprises of Judy & Ian Bailey, Julia Harley, Marina Pearson, Tom Richmond, Mary Pearson, Hannah and Darshan Robson. With thanks to Alec Harrison who pioneered the shared living arrangement.

Contact details:

Bank: Triodos Bank, Deanery Road, Bristol, BS1 5AS

Independent Examiner:

Project Advisors:

Shared Living: Gloucestershire Shared Lives team. Camphill Community: Esk Valley Camphill Community, Camphill Families & Friends, Camphill Alliance, Association of Camphill Communities.
Registering a charity and business planning: Max Comfort, Elizabeth Devas of GlosHub.
Local community involvement: Cashes Green Community Centre, Applewood Estate Management Committee.

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts ' S&ctlon A Indopendek7t Examinerfs Report Report to the trustèesl membeys of APPLEWOOD FOUNDATION FOR SHARED LIVES OM accounts for the year endod 31 MARCH 2023 Charity no (If any) 1197147 Set out on pages IAND2 I report lo the Iiustees on my examination of Ilie accounts of the abovg charity I'the Trust.) lor the year ended 31 March 2023. Responsibilities and As the charity IrLlSte&s of tlie Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basls of I'eport of the accounts 111 8ocordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 20111 the Acl'}. I report in respect of my ex2minalion of the Trust's accounts carried out Linder seclion 145 of the 2011 Act and in Garrying out rny examinallon. I have followed the applicable Directions given by Ihe Charity Commission Linder s8clion 14515llbl of the Act. I have completed my exarninalion. I conflrm that no material mallers hav come lo my attention lolher than that disclosed below ,) in connection with the exainliialion which gives me cause lo believe that in, any materia respecl.. accounting records were not kept in accordan¢e with section 130 of the Arl or th? accounts do not a¢¢ord with the accounting recoi'ds Independent examiner's statement I have no cor)c8rlls and have come across no other mallers in Connection with the examination lo which attention should be drawn in Drder lo enable a proper underst f the 8ccourils lo be reached. Please dele in the brackets if11?ey do not apply. Ihe wol Signed: Date.. Naine- Cinzia Heiisley Relevant professional qualif icationlsl or body lif anyl- FCA Address: BK Plus Limited 6 Manor Park Business Cenlre, Mackenzie Way, Cheltenham GlouGeslershire GL519TX IER October 2018

Section B Dis¢103ure Only complete if the examiner needs lo highlight Mallers of conG8rn (see CC32, Ind&pendont exaininalion of charity accouNls.' directions and guidance for oxaminersl. Give here brièf details of any items that the examinei'wishes to disclose. IER October 2018

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGIANQ AND WALES Appléwood Foundaiion lor Shared Livès No 1197147 Recei ts and ments accounts CC16a For the period from Section A.Receipts and payments UnrÈsti'icted funds Reslrlctéd funds Eiidownieiit fund5 Total funds Last yèar to th9 ngare5te tD lh npaiE5t £ A1 Rg¢el ts 235,000 985 235,000 96B Bank Intsresl tota ross Income or ARJ 235.985 235,965 sse an Sec tablo nvostmpn sa e8, tota Tot41 rétreipf5 235,965 235.965 A3 Paymants GovorTian¢È Lliaiil3blcAclivity 284 284 200 Sub total 84 484 A4 Asset aiid invoslment Sub tolal Total payFiients 484 Net of receipts/(paymen(s) A5 Traiisfers betwoori funds A6 Ca$h funds last year end Cash fiinds Ihis year end 235,481 235,481 235,481 235,481 LCXX Rl atxouiits ISSI 0910412U24

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unvestricted Fuiids lo licaBI £ estrlctpd funds Ei)dowtnent funds LIL t&goY18.5 B1 Cash funds T[lS DepDsitthxowTrl Triodps Cuircni Arxi>urt 230,907 ,574 Total cash funds 235.401 paymDn14 Unre8tTIGted ful%$ Re$trlcted runds io ne&resl E Endowment fLind8 io E Detalls B2 Oth81' monetary a6sets Fund toyéhitsli beli)11 Currenivaiu Deta115 ¢05tlopilonall B3 Inve8tmont a8s8ts FiiJd to whlch as5L ¢Trely&lue Dpla115 Costlppllon311 4 Assets retalDed for Ihg charity's owki use lo whiEh Wtr¥Jn d DÈtalls BB Llabllltles SkJneJ hy OTr8 or two IwÈtee% on n3 re Prlnl Namp Dale of CXX Il2 acwunl$ ISSI 09104r2024