Brereton Blg Local CIO Regl8tered Charlty Numbor 1197599 Report and Accounts for the perlod 1•t March 2024 to 28th February 2025
Brereton Big Local CIO R•gistared Charity Numbor 1197599 Trustees Annual Report for the poriod 111 March 2024 to 2V February 2025 Purposes of the Charlty To develop the skills and capacty of the members of the socially and economically disadvantaged communty of Brereton Staffordshire, in such a way that they affj better able to identrfy and help meet their needs and to participate more fully in society. The promotion for the public of urt)an and rural regeneration in areas of social and •conomic deprivation. The maintenance improvement provision of public amenities, the provision of recreational facilities, the protection of the environment and the promotion of soc4al inGlusion. Maln Charltable Actfvlti•8 The charity provides direct resident support through provision of 8eNice such a8 a communty shop, youth engagement, help for the isolated. improvement of the lorAI environment, therapeulic services facilrtation of community grants and the provision of local event8 to bring the communrty together. It OP8rates from a communrty hub of Amitage road, Brereton, Rugeley and supports 8 number of residents groups using that facility. Publlc Ben•fft The tru8t8es Vrk to ensure that the charity creates publlc benefft for the residents of Brerelon in accordance With Charty CommiSOn guidance through consultation. assessment of need and linking spend and the provision of services and activities to that identrfied local need to improve the liv86 of lo1 people and the quality of local facilitiO8. Pollcy on Grant Maklng The charity makes a 8mall number of grants to other local groups on th8 basis of thelr Contribution to the benefrt of lo¢al people. The charity invests in local faciltlles and In particular Ravenhill Park, the potential of our young people through our youth groups and in enabling disadvantaged residents to access therapy and training. The charity 18 reliant on and grateful for the dedication of our staff, the valuable assistance of our volunteers and the support of local bu8ine88e8. Summary of Maln Achlevem•nts While Brereton Million has existed as a local communrty group and CIC status Sin 2015 this wa8 the third year as a registered charity. We have continued to build upon our initial focus of ¢reating policies and prOdureS for the charity. strengthening the trustee body, and the practicalities of employing staff arKI managing finance now we are an independent charity. During the year the activities of hvo local rnMunty groups, with whom the trustees work dosely, were taken into the charity.. the Vysions youth service which offers holiday programs and activrtie8, and BRACE which organises Breton Camival and other local events.
The trustees have continued the development of the Vysions youth service providing a range of activities particularty Bchool holiday programmes and Stngthening the young person voice and engagement. The trustees have also *un to develop the s8Ni¢es for young people who are neurodivergent to ensure they can be included in the acttvities Vysions provides. We are proud that so many of our young people are in leadership positions in the group and that members set the overall directs'on and the detail of individual activities. Many local businesses and communrty groups supported the holiday programmes with principl8 funding coming from Staffordshire County Council. Our youth Vrker and adult volunteers have dealt wrth a number of problems of antF-soaal behawour in the area liaising with the local police team and schools. The trust built up wrth l¢xal young people mean that trends in knrfe possession, gang activity and drug use are qUIY identified. Vysions has a particular focus on those young people who may be struggling wrth sew-esteem and relationship issues and those out of school or at risk of exclusion. BRACE. our everrts suwroup, organised Brereton Camival and other local events. The olher serwice improvement yS the development of the Community Shop whi¢h was brought into being quickly at the end of the previous year by staff giving up their office and storage Space and the det8miination of volunteers. The Communty Shop Continued to grow in impact increasing the number of members and visits to the shop and supporting many needy local families sh¢)wing the number of familiés struggling wrth the cost of living. The shop now has over 100 members and is open twice a week. There is no question it is meeting a serious local need and 8hovA the numter of families struggling with the 8t of living. Brereton Big Local CIO also provides benefft advice and budgetiNJ to local people struggllng with finances. The ¢harty continued to maintain and improve the fa¢ilitie8 in Ravenhill Park for the benefit of local people induding improvements to the Woodland Walk and creation of planters. We play an important role advocating on behalf of those who use the park to the local authority parks department. The charrty continued to provide tPErapeLrtic service to a number of vulnerable local people through craft acts'vrties, gardening and horse therapy. Vulnerable local peop18 were also supported through befriending, adv¢)¢acy and a8818tan¢e such as shopping and transport to ho8Prtal appointment8. Poor local public transport alongside as the impad of the rising cost of living continue to bo key ¢hallenga8 for vulnerable local people and disadvantaged families. The charity wo$ closely with local 8choolg, Statutory agenci85 particularly local docto¢8 8urgeries, local charities and churches for the benefit of local people. The charity provided a number of activrties to promote Ihe heatth and wellbeing of local people such a8 healthy eating adwce, helping those who are socially isolaled, exercise and opportunities to enjoy local nature. support for lo1 families and managing debt. This comes under the Brereton Can campaign linked to the WKler Cannock Chase Can programme. The charity advocates for Ioc81 people in respect of local services and faciliti88 and such issues a8 planning applications. Th8 charity has 8180 funded local group8 of resKlent8 to organise their own community buildin9 activities in their immediate neighbourhood. A number of communty evants were organised such as the Halloween Lantem Parade. as well as S8a80nal fundraising events such as the Santa tour and the Christmas Tree Wishes. The trustees continue to maintain the Communty Hub for benefft of local people. Work was undertaken to create an office area for our staff and deal wtth plumbing. heating and drainage issues. A range of different local groups have used the hall, and it has also been used for children'8 parties. communty meetings and activiti'es throughout the year.
Our community worker Sue Merriman is at the heart of the charitys work and trustees are very grateful for her unstinting efforts and extensive understanding of the needs of local peopl8 and her relationship wrth so many local people, businesses and groups. She is fine example of the sort of local communty activism vthich is vital for m8ximising the potential and life skills of local people. Flnanclal Ststomont Brereton Big Local CIO is the Locally Trusted Organisation for Brereton Million in respect of the National Lottery Big Local programme. The charity is delNering the activities sel out in the Big Local Plan submttted to Local Trust in spring 2022. The Plan sets out a budget for the remainder of the £1 million of funding made available to the local community OV8r a ten- year period (whith ended in September 2025). Re$trict8d grant fund income in this financial period has primarily been from Local Trust. a grant of £203233 {2023r24 £146950). The charty also r1Ved £8236 restricted grant from Slaffordshire Counly Council for staff wages. The charity also received Charitable Giving of £1000 restricted for the Communty Shop (2023r24 £1000 restricted grant from th8 Hubub Foundation for the Community Shop). The charty received other funding from fees to manage the Local Trusl Grant, unrestn'cted grants and donations, sales from the Communty Shop, income from events. and fees for delrv8ring charitable services {craft activrti8s and venue hire). Totsl income for the year is £31CW1.01 {2023124 £181674.92) Expenditure for the year is £158799.11 (2023124 £165576.17) which has seen increased expenditure for event costs throughout the year being £62017.13 (2023124 £7526.97), as VRII as a reduction in expenditure for hub refurbishment iIng £5204.00 {2023r24 £52107.25) as the work surrounding the new office now complete. Thi8 laav86 a 8urplus of £151841.90 {2023124 £16098.75) for the year. Amets, R•s•rves and As8••sment of Rl8k At 28th February 2025, dosing unrestricted fund reserv8s are £53707.30 (2023r24 £24312.62). The c1081ng restricted lund balance is £155423.92 (2023124 £32976.70) relating 8018ly to Local Trust Big Local Programm•. The principk asset owned by the charity is the Brereton Communty Hub which is used 88 a base for activitie6 in the communty. There are no risks for the charty a8 a going concern for the forthcomirg 124nonth period. Unrestricted funds are growing.. The balance of £53707.30 at 28th February 2025 is over four years of operating expendrture. Restrided grant fvnding has been secured to September 2026. The prlncipal risk for the charity is the future funding strategy at the end of the National Lottery funding and so work is underway to identify future funding sources and fully understand the challenges that this will wesent. Structur•. Govorn•nc• and managent The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation th a constrtub'on approved by the Charity Commission. Trustees are identffied through our network of local supporters and volunteers and open advertisement and recruitment events. The trustees meet each month as a body and have a numter of sub groups on particular issues.
Reference and Admlnistrative Detsi18 Chanty Name Brereton Million Big Local CIO Registered Charity Number 1197599 101 Amitage Road, Rugeley Staffordshire WS15 1 DF Trustsa8 Jack Burkinshaw Chair Peter Fahy Vice Chair Sam Rushton Christine Stewart Mat Walker Maria Smith Staff Sue Merrlman Communty Development W00r Emily May Volunteer Coordinator Debbie Thatcher Administrative A88iSt8nt
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Independent Examinerfs Report to tho Trustees of Brereton Big Local CIO (Registered Charlty Number 1197599) I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Brereton Big Local CIO (the Trust), for the year ending 29th February 2024. R•$pon8lbllili08 and basls of report As the Charty trustees of the Trust, you aré 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 Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrylng out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145{5)(b) of the Act. Independent examln•Vs statement I have completed my examination. I have no other concems and have come acro88 no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be dravm in this report in ordw to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Examin&r Name, addr&ss and dat& Vanessa Hands 29 Daywell Rise Etching Hill Rugeley Staffs WS15 2RE 18.11.2025