## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** ## **From 1/10/2023 Period start date To 30/09/2024 Period end date** ## **Charity name: The Somerscience Trust** ## **Charity registration number: 1198113** ## **Objectives and Activities** **----- Start of picture text -----**
SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of Para 1.17 To advance the education of the public in
the charity as set out in its Somerset in science, technology,
governing document mathematics and engineering and to
promote public engagement in all aspects of
STEM developments for the public benefit.
Summary of the main Para 1.17 and The Somerscience festival was held
1.19
activities in relation to those successfully on 6th May 2024. The work of
purposes for the public the charity in the year was focussed around
benefit, in particular, the organising the programme and content,
activities, projects or services attracting funding, developing the
identified in the accounts. promotional and communications campaign
to ensure the festival’s success, liaising with
Somerset schools to ensure the engagement
of young people, developing a safe event
management plan and handling the logistics
of mounting the festival across 6 venues
before the festival; supervising and
troubleshooting on the day of the festival;
and evaluation of the festival against our
charity objectives and the various objectives
of grant funders, preparing written reports on
such, as appropriate.
Statement confirming Para 1.18 At all times the trustees have been aware
whether the trustees have that our activities must be within the
had regard to the guidance guidance issued by the Charity Commission
issued by the Charity on public benefit.
Commission on public
benefit
All trustees, implementation team members
Para 1.38 and event assistants on the day are
Contribution made by volunteers and we could not offer this
volunteers festival as a free benefit to the public without
their generous contribution of time and
expertise.
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **Achievements and Performance** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to
the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|Para 1.20|The festival attracted total visitors – 5428
(600 more than 2023), 25% of which were
very local (Castle Cary and Sparkford),
12.8% Yeovil – which has some of the most
deprived areas of the county, 62.7% in total
from the target South Somerset & rural
areas. Gender breakdown 47/53% M/F.
Ages: 42% under 18 (mainly 4-15); 38.7%
30-50; 17.3% 50+; 1.6% 18-30.
Social media reach has increased
considerably – we now have 1350 followers:
Facebook post reach was 38, 938 in the run
up to the festival with engagement of 6,616.
99% of visitors judged the quality of the
festival to be Good or Very Good; 92% of
visitors who expressed an opinion would
recommend the festival to their network;
85% of visitors felt the festival gave them a
better understanding of STEM and 73% a
better understanding specifically of STEM
careers; and 86% felt the festival had a
positive impact on their belief that STEM is
relevant to their daily life.
A shift of 30% was reported in positivity of
visitors’ attitudes towards STEM before and
after the festival.
At least 80% of professional contributors
reported Good or Excellent the number of
interactions they had with target audience,
the level of engagement from the audience,
the quality of interactions they had and the
gender reach of the festival. We are bringing
STEM to the local rural population and
developing inspiration and a sense of the
future possibilities for careers, learning and
wellbeing.| |Achievements against
objectives set|Para 1.41|We had 5 objectives for this festival round:
1. Afford a minimum of 15,000 engagements
by young people from South Somerset Fully
met Registration data suggests that 42% of
attendees were under 18 and approximately
45% live in South Somerset, which yield a
ballpark figure of 1000 ‘young people from
South Somerset’. Success criterion 1 targets
15,000 engagements from this group, which
would require interaction with just 15 of the
93+ activities on offer.
2. Recruit at least 70 contributing| |||organisations and 100 discrete activities
Fully met 93 planned individual activities and
70 separate organisations engaged;
however, on the day, it became clear that
many of the billed ‘activities’ were in fact
multifaceted.
3. Achieve a quality experience for
participants and attendees (measured by
survey and recognising that
experts/researchers, informal
educators/explainers, STEM employers and
public may each have different goals) Fully
met 99% of attendees rated the quality of the
festival as ‘Good’ – ‘Very Good’.
Contributors gave the festival an average
rating of 8.44 / 10 in terms of meeting
expectations.
4. Improve on the baseline of visitor
numbers and demographic profile achieved
in the first year Fully met Approximately 600
more visitors in 2024 compared to 2023.
5. Effect positive change on attitudes
towards STEM and STEM careers from
visitors, leading eventually to a quantitative
increase in STEM uptake at GCSE, A/T
Level and STEM destinations after school.
Partly met -47% of attendees said the
festival made them more likely to consider
studying or working in a STEM field. Post
festival, ‘Very Positive’ attitudes to STEM
became 63%, an increase of 21%. No work
has yet been done on tracking changes to
uptake of STEM qualifications or
destinations, given that this is only year 2 of
Somerscience, so this is one to monitor in
future years.| |---|---|---| |Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41|We aimed to raise sufficient funds to cover
the cost of the festival being free to all
visitors and participants. Effective financial
management and negotiation, as well as our
success at achieving goodwill, grants and
sponsorships, has meant that we ended the
year with a budget surplus which provides
the basis for confidence that we can fund
next year’s festival and so have a
sustainable event.| ## **Financial Review** |**Financial Review**||| |---|---|---| |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|At the end of each financial period, including
30/09/24, Somerscience conducts a
thorough review of its financial position to
assess its overall fiscal health and make
informed decisions for the future. This review
involves a comprehensive analysis of our
financial statements, including the balance
sheet, income statement, and cash flow
statement, among others. The purpose of
this review is to:
Evaluate Financial Performance: We
examine our financial performance over the
period to determine how well we have
utilized our resources in achieving our
mission. We assess key financial indicators
such as revenue, expenses, and net assets
to understand the efficiency and
effectiveness of our operations. This
analysis helps us identify areas of strength
and areas that require improvement,
enabling us to make informed decisions to
optimize our financial performance.
Ensure Compliance: We review our financial
position to ensure compliance with
applicable laws, regulations, and accounting
standards. This includes assessing our
adherence to legal and regulatory
requirements related to financial reporting,
tax obligations, and governance. By
ensuring compliance, we maintain the trust
and confidence of our stakeholders,
including donors, partners, and the broader
public.
For 30/09/24, The trustees of The
Somerscience Trust found that the financial
performance and compliance were in line
with expectations.| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|At The Somerscience Trust we believe in
transparency and accountability in our
operations, including the management of
reserves. We maintain reserves for the
following reasons:
Financial Stability: Reserves act as a
financial safety net, providing a cushion to
navigate unexpected challenges or
economic fluctuations. They help us weather
unforeseen events such as economic
downturns, changes in donor funding, or
emergencies that could impact our ability to
carry out our programs and services.| |||Program Continuity: Reserves enable us to
sustain ongoing programs and services
during periods of uncertainty or when there
is a delay in anticipated funding. By having
reserves in place, we can ensure that critical
activities, such as providing aid to
beneficiaries or conducting research, can
continue uninterrupted even if there are
temporary fluctuations in revenue.| |---|---|---| |Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|£6,680.85| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|N/A| |Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|None| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23|The Charity will need to continue to raise
grant income to meet the costs of running
the festival. We are confident we can
achieve this as we now have a one year
(and successful) track record.| |The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|Para 1.47|Grant income from trusts and foundations.
Corporate Sponsorship of the Somerscience
event.| |Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|We have limited reserves each year and
therefore we keep these in a savings
account. At present there is no need to have
a social investment policy.| |A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|The Principal risk is the inability to raise
sufficient funds to run the Somerscience
event. We also have a key person risk.
Colleen Bower, who is the founder of the
Somerscience festival, is integral to the
success of the event. She has built up a
team around her to mitigate this risk.| ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |Description of charity’s
trusts:||N/a| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|Trust Constitution| |How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|CIO| |Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees|Para 1.25|Every trustee must be appointed for a term
of 2 or 3 years by a resolution passed at a
properly convened meeting of the charity
trustees, apart from the founding trustees.
Trustees other than founding trustees, were
selected and approved at the Trustee
meeting on 19/05/22 based on their skills,
knowledge and experience, and expertise in
aspects of STEM and/or outreach events.
One trustee stood down and a replacement
was selected during the period along the
same principles.| ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charity name|The Somerscience Trust| |---|---| |Other name the charity uses|N/a| |Registered charity number|1198113| |Charity’s principal address|189 Newbridge Rd
Bath
BA1 3HH| **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |**Trustee name**
**Office (if any)**
**Dates acted if not for**
**whole year**
1
Teresa Colleen Bower
Chair
2
Simon Patrick Connell
Treasurer
3
Christopher Budd
Safeguarding
Lead
4
Gavin Costigan
5
Alan Champneys
6
LucySmith
7
Darren Wilson
_Appointed 10/09/24_
8
WendyAdams
_01/10/23 to 29/05/24_
**Names and addresses of advisers**
**Type of adviser**
**Name**
**Address**|**Trustee name**|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for**
**whole year**|**Name of person (or**
**body) entitled to**
**appoint trustee(if any)**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||Teresa Colleen Bower||Chair|||| ||Simon Patrick Connell||Treasurer|||| ||Christopher Budd||Safeguarding
Lead|||| ||Gavin Costigan|||||| ||Alan Champneys|||||| ||LucySmith|||||| ||Darren Wilson||||_Appointed 10/09/24_|| ||WendyAdams||||_01/10/23 to 29/05/24_|| |||||**Address**||| |**Accountants**||Linden Accountants Ltd||Scrapstore House, 21 Sevier Street, St
Werburghs, Bristol, BS2 9LB||| ## **Names and addresses of advisers** ## **Declarations** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** **Signature(s) Full name(s)** Teresa Colleen Bower **Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc)**[Chair ] **Date** 17/11/24 INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE SOMERSCIENCE TRUST I report lo the chanly's trustees on my examinats.on of the accounts ot The Somew" nco Trust fcrf the period ended 30 Septembef 2024. Respe¢llve fesponslbllltle$ ol trustees and examlner The charity's Irusiees consM1er that an ￿drt is not requireo for Ihis year (under section 43(21 of the Charilies A¢1 1993 (the Act), as amended ty s. 145 01 tl* Charit*s Act 20111 and that an independonl examinatson Is needed. Having satisfied myself that the charity is subject io audrt un¢Jer the company law and 1$ eligib for Independent examination, Il ￿ my responsibility to. Examine the xcounts lunder seclion 145 of the 2011 Act), To follow the preeedures labj down in the General DireciK*ns given by the Charity Commis%on (under sect￿￿ 145151(bl Acll. and To slate whelher partKular matters have to my attentson. 8a$l• ol Ind•p•nd•nt •￿mIn•￿8 rnport My examinab.on was carr*d in aC￿danCe wth General Directsons 9Nen by the Charity Commission An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a cornparison of the accounts presented wrth Ihose re￿d$. It also includes consideration of any unusual Items or disclosures In the aCC￿nIs. and seeking explanations frorn you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evKJence that wouk be required by audit. and consequently no opinion ts gryen as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair ¥1￿ and thè report ts limited to those matters sol out In the Stalemenl below. Ind•p•nd•nt •xamln•r'• •tst•m•nt In the course of my examinats'on. rm) matter has come to my attent￿￿.. 111 which gives me reasc4Hble cause lo beheve Ihat in any malenal respect.. Ihe a¢￿untIng fecord$ wefe not kept in accordance wth sectron 130 of the Charities Act." or ttte a¢￿uniS did not accord with the accounting records. c the accounts did not comply ￿th the applicable requirements con¢eming the form and content of accounts sel out In the Chanties {Accounls and Rekyjtsl Regulath"ons 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair. view which Is not a matter consKlered as part of an w)dependent examinat*)n. {2) to vthth. in my opinK)n, attenlK)n should be drawn in order to enabl8 a proper understanding of Ihe accounts to be reached. Sieven Baptiste Linden Accountsnls. Scxapstore House, 21 seV￿r Street. St Wwtwrghs. 8nstol. BS2 9LB Dale: 24 February 2025 **----- Start of picture text -----**
The Somerscience Trust Charity No 1198113
Company No CE028489
Receipts and payments accounts CC16a
For the period 01/10/2023 30/09/2024
To
from
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
Total funds Last year
funds funds funds
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
Charitable Activities - 6,000 - 6,000 2,400
Corporate Donations - 2,200 - 2,200 500
Grants - 15,350 - 15,350 30,150
Sponsorship - 650 - 650 5,940
Other Income 150 - - 150 -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
Sub total (Gross income for
AR) [ 150 ] 24,200 - 24,350 38,990
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - -
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total receipts 150 24,200 - 24,350 38,990
A3 Payments
Charitable Activities - 16,637 - 16,637 23,501
Separate Material Expense Items 907 11,389 - 12,295 7,742
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
Sub total [ 907 ] 28,026 - 28,933 31,244
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - - -
Total payments 907 28,026 - 28,933 31,244
Net of receipts/(payments) - 757 - 3,826 - - 4,583 7,746
A5 Transfers between funds - - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end - 1,093 10,339 - 9,246 1,500
Cash funds this year end - 1,850 6,514 - 4,664 9,246
**----- End of picture text -----**
CCXX R1 accounts (SS) 06/02/2025 1 |**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at**|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at**|**the end of the period**|| |---|---|---|---| |**Categories**
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
**B1 Cash funds**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**
**B5 Liabilities**
**B3 Investment assets**|Signature
Deferred Income
Accruals
**Details**
**Details**
Cash at bank and in hand
**Details**
**Details**
**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
Prepayments
**Details**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**- 1,850**
**6,514**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**- 1,850**
**6,514**
OK
OK
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**2,617**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**liability relates**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**
Restricted
**-**
Unrestricted
**540**
**-**
**-**
**-**
Print Name|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**| ||||**-**| ||||OK| ||||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Current value**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Current value**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**When due**
**(optional)**
Date of
approval| CCXX R2 accounts (SS) 06/02/2025 2