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2024-04-05-accounts

Chair’s report

The year began very optimistically, the charity was working hard and bags and bags of books, jigsaws and clothes were being given. We were spending about one and a half thousand pounds a month on radios and bought distraction materials like wooden construction sets and art materials.

Whilst the initial room given by the prison authorities to us to use on G wing proved insecure, the second room was easier and had a half stable door so we could work and talk to men safely. There were difficulties because the G wing room became so popular with G wing residents that it was hard to find time to do all the requests for distraction packs coming from the rest of the prison - but we were certainly serving a need. We got better at packing large bags for the Safer Custody Team, the Healthcare Team, and Chaplaincy, so that there were distractions at more points in the prison and more staff who could get easy access and deliver them to men in need.

We developed close working relationships with the Head of Neurodiversity and began buying items for her which were intended to help men with profoundly neurodiverse needs. We also worked with the Head of the Shannon Trust and some officers buying dual language dictionaries for foreign nationals with little of no English. We forged links with Oxleas who provide healthcare so that their staff could give out distractions to those with physical and mental health needs.

It became apparent that the prison was very short of clothes for men, especially socks and pants. At Christmas 2023 we ran a hugely successful ‘Socks for Christmas’ campaign and every man in the prison received two pairs of brand new socks.

We also did a lot of work collecting good, sound, second hand and new trainers for men in the prison. Often men have no money coming to them from outside family and no job. If their shoes wear out it can be very difficult to manage and we were giving out perhaps 20 pairs of these trainers a week - as many as we could source.

Similarly, we put great efforts into the ‘clothing for release’ cupboard so that there was always a coat, a hoodie, a pair of jeans and tracksuit bottoms for anyone being released. Because we were very short of space, we cleared out old unusable stock and focused down on just those items most demanded. We bought new strong rails, good coat hangers, and worked with the orderlies to make sure that everything issued was clean.

Unfortunately, after the escape of a prisoner from Wandsworth in September 2023, there was a considerable focus on security and a tightening of all rules

allowing movement of goods, acceptable items, and the security of staff. In November 2023, keys were removed from charity and our work was put into suspense.

The book trolleys continued but even they were resisted by the prison authorities as being a security risk. Small purchases and supplies continued until the end of the year for goods that could be delivered directly into the prison but very little was achieved.

The charity reported the problem to the charity Commissioners who suggested reporting again as matters resolved themselves.

And so after such a good start to the year, it ended very quietly. The prison had serious problems which became public knowledge with the Chief Inspectors Report in May 2024. The charity was unable to help, but trustees decided to follow the Commissioners lead and wait.

Our thanks go to all our donors. Principal financial donors include:

We also had hundreds of people who sent socks for the Christmas appeal – too long a list to thank you all individually here. Thank you all.

Afterword.

In August 2024 the new Governor asked to meet the Chair and was clearly open to offers of help from the charity. Plans have been made to communicate further. The meeting was friendly and good tempered on both sides. It was clear that the charity can begin resupplying the prison with items prisoners need for support and distraction, or at the very least, discussing with staff what they need and what it is acceptable to give from a security perspective.

Liz Bridge, Chair, Sept 2024

Wandsworth Prison Welfare Trust Accounts for year ending 5 April 2024

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Wandsworth Prison Welfare Trust
Accounts Year ending 5 April 2024 14 June 2024
Opening balance 06 May 2023 £12,988.27
Income Expenditure
Creditor paid in 23/4 £1,348.69
Arts & crafts £8,179.68
Income from donations £34,217.04 Clothes and make up £383.98
Spectacles £110.50
Red radios £3,572.10
Chess sets £1,460.94
Games £1,801.15
Music £314.04
ADHD assistance £315.96
Jigsaws/puzzles £403.00
Sleeping bags £348.35
Books/reading £648.33
Miscellaneous £1,943.25
£19,481.28
Bank Interest £31.31 Bank charges £60.00
Closing balance 05 April 2024 £26,346.65
£47,236.62 £47,236.62
Notes
Major Charitable Incident . A Major charitable incident happened in late 2024, when the prison stopped accepting
donations from WPWT. This was reported to the Charity Commissioner. We are working to resolve the issue
and expect progress in 2024.
Reserves policy : The trustees aim to maintain free reserves in unrestricted funds at a level which equates
to approximately four months of unrestricted charitable expenditure. The trustees consider that this level will
provide sufficient funds to respond to applications for expenditure and ensure that support and governance costs
are covered.
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Keith Walton, MA, MHGI Treasurer

Report to the Trustees of Wandsworth Prison Welfare Trust

On accounts for the year ended 5[th] April 2024

Charity no 1198674

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 5[th] April 2024

As the charity trustees of the Trust, 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 Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Kevin Mead MA CEng FICE

30[th] September 2024