Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 5[th] April 2022 Period start date to 5[rd] April 2023 Period end date
Climate Resilience Centre Worthing (CREW) reg 1198526
Address 8/9 arcade building South St Worthing BN113AL
1 Purpose
To promote, for the public benefit, the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment, in particular, but not exclusively, by providing the public with information and guidance at events, workshops, talks and other activities, about biodiversity loss, climate change, ways that individuals and businesses can mitigate the effects of climate change and ways of reducing their carbon footprint.
2 Organisation
2.1 Structure
The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) formed on 5 April 2022 and is governed by a constitution.
We have initially four trustees who manage the charity. We hope to grow the number of trustees next year to broaden our knowledge and expand our activities. Monthly meetings are held which include management members, however, decisions are made by the trustees. New trustees can apply and be accepted by a majority vote of the current trustees. New trustees are required to read and understand the constitution and the relevant procedures governing the charity.
2.2 Trustees
Trustees during this period were:
Amber-Louise Everitt Chair elected for 3 yrs. from incorporation
Sean Hellett Finance officer elected for 3yrs from incorporation
Emma Cameron elected for 2 yrs. from incorporation
Stephanie Cracknell elected for 2 yrs. from incorporation
2.3 Bankers Cooperative Bank P.O. box 250 Skelmersdale WN86WT
3 Summary of main activities
Our main activities are to engage all members of the public in understanding the climate and ecological crisis. This is done by having an accessible space to find information or seek information. This includes addressing their anxiety or concerns, holding events and workshops on related topics and seeking mitigation and adaptation to the already changing environment.
4 Public Benefit
In setting our objectives and planning our activities our Trustees have given serious consideration to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit and in particular the advancement of Climate change knowledge and the protection of the physical and natural environment.
5 Main Achievements
During this initial period CREW has been establishing its core membership, searching and finding premises to operate from and launching some initial projects in line with its stated purpose. We initially consulted with other charitable groups in Worthing about our aims, leading to registration in April 2022. Since then, we have found and leased a property to operate from which will also be used as community hub. Having refurbished and decorated we opened to the public in January 2023 with an official opening by the Mayor of Worthing in February 2023. Since then, we have grown our list of members and held several events ranging from climate talks to nature and rewilding. We are also open to the general public 4 days/week 10-1600hrs We will grow this list of events and our opening hours as we gain more volunteers. We have secured sufficient funds for our initial set-up and are continuing to apply for grants and donations to operate and expand in 23/24.
6 Financial review
Our net receipts for the year amounted to £4882 which included £1203 of restricted funds. Our outgoings for the year amounted to £929. This was due to some funding being received late in the financial year and labilities for approx. £1000 for utility bills yet to be received for the current year from our landlord.
6.1 Reserves policy
The trustees discussed the following factors in arriving at their reserves policy:
Money should only be kept in reserve for specific reasons. Our restricted funds come mostly from grants and donations, and we believe that our members and supporters would likely want us to spend these funds on specific activities to promote our objectives (mitigating the climate and ecological crises) rather than remain in our bank account.
However, it is prudent to ensure that we have enough funds to meet our essential needs that underpin our current and projected projects, campaigns, and other activities.
We have deemed these essential needs to be of the order of £1,000, comprised of:
Basic website and IT infrastructure (£250 pa).
o Liability insurance, which (in part) allows us to run public events, and activities involving volunteers and trustee indemnity (£300 pa).
Money to cover talks events and basic running costs £450
It is therefore the policy of CREW to ideally hold in reserves £1,000 to cover our essential annual needs.
This policy will be reviewed in twelve months’ time.
6.2 Principal source of funds
It is our policy not to charge membership to ensure we include as many residents from Worthing and surrounding areas as possible. We therefore rely on grants and donations for income. Most of our events are free to attend so again we rely on donations from attendees. We intend to charge other organisations for using the facilities if their income is above £35,000/Anum.
Signed on behalf of the board of trustees on 22nd February 2024.
Signed: (Sean Hellett trustee/finance officer)
6.3 Independent examiner's report to the trustees of CREW
No independent examination of these accounts has taken place. An independent examination is not required because the charity’s income over this reporting period has not exceeded £25,000.
Receipts and Payments for the year ended 5[th] April 2023
| notes | unrestricted funds | restricted funds | total funds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts | ||||
| Grants | 1 | 2500 | 1203.11 | 3703.11 |
| Donations | 639.26 | 639.26 | ||
| room hire/events income | 259.29 | 259.29 | ||
| crowdfunder | 280.57 | 280.57 | ||
| other | ||||
| total receipts | 3679.12 | 1203.11 | 4882.23 | |
| Payments/Outgoings | ||||
| Training | 300 | 300 | ||
| Insurance | 66.4 | 66.4 | ||
| website/IT | 36.79 | 36.79 | ||
| capital purchases | 2 | 94.8 | 94.8 | |
| premises costs/refurb | 401.63 | 401.63 | ||
| stationary/printing | 29.98 | 29.98 | ||
| total outgoings | 929.6 | 0 | 929.6 | |
| Net receipts/(outgoings) | 2749.52 | 1203.11 | 3952.63 | |
| funds bought forward | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Funds carried forward | 3 | 2749.52 | 1203.11 | 3952.63 |
| Statement of assetts and Liabilities | ||||
| unrestricted | restricted | total | ||
| Cash funds at bank | 2749.52 | 2749.52 | ||
| grant drawdown available | 1 | 1203.11 | 1203.11 | |
| total funds | 2749.52 | 1203.11 | 3952.63 | |
| capital assets | 2 | 0 | ||
| liabilities | ||||
| utility bills yet to be received | 3 | 1000 | ||
| notes | ||||
| 1 | restricted funds from Worthing community trust | |||
| 2 | For capital IT purchases under £1500 our policy is to write-off in the year of purchase | |||
| 3 | Electric bills from landlord were delayed. | |||
| This is an estimate to current year end and included in this figure carried forward | ||||