Corsham Connections
www.corshamconnections.co.uk
Reg Charity: 1200941
Report of the Trustees and unaudited Financial Statement for the year ended 31 December 2023
Trustees
Charity law requires that all Trustees shall retire from office at the first Annual General Meeting. [At subsequent Annual General meetings one-third of the charity trustees shall retire from office, the number being chosen by lot if there are more than three. The charity trustees to retire by rotation shall be those who have been longest in office since their last appointment or reappointment.] Any person who retires as a charity trustee is eligible for re-appointment.
| Date Appointed | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sally Avison | 08.07.2023 | |
| Justin Temblett-Wood | 08.07.2023 | |
| Caroline Baker | Chair | 08.11.2022 |
| Simon Burrell | 08.11.2022 | |
| Jonathan Goodwin | 08.11.2022 | |
| Ruth Hopkinson | 08.11.2022 | |
| John (Jack) Peeters | 21.11.2022 (resigned 14.12.23) | |
| Kirstine Selman | Treasurer | 08.11.2022 |
| Simon Tatton-Brown | Secretary | 08.11.2022 |
Objects
To promote social inclusion for the public benefit in Wiltshire by preventing people from becoming socially excluded, relieving the needs of those people who are socially excluded and assisting them to integrate into society.
Governing Document
The Charity is governed by a Constitution of a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with voting members other than its charity trustees, dated 26 October 2022. The Charity was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 8 November 2022.
Policies
The Charity has agreed the following policies:
Safeguarding Policy; Complaints Policy; Volunteer Policy; Anti-harassment and Bullying; Data Protection; Equal Opportunities; Lone Working; Whistleblowing.
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Chair’s Report
Just over a year ago, Corsham Connections was an idea in the imaginations of a determined Steering Group. Loneliness leads to ill health, unhappiness and crisis. We wanted to make a difference to the population of Corsham area among whom many were feeling alone with little idea how to make things better.
Covid-19 had devastated community activities and forced people into isolated existence and entrenched anxiety about the future. The health service was – is – full of people whose health is deteriorating due to lack of social interaction. Our purpose is to help these people find social interaction and pleasure in life by being helped back into community activities by trained volunteers, Connectors.
In November 2022 we were registered with the Charity Commission as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and in January 2023 had our first Connectors in training, and the first referrals were being seen in March/April. Now, after just one year, we are matching referrals to 19 Connectors, a third group having completed their training. They are supervised, counselled, and supported by their supervisors and other Connectors. We are funded for at least two years and are making our presence known with many other organisations in the area. This is phenomenal progress in just a year!
It has been a joy to watch our recipients transform from isolation and misery to activity and pleasure from participation in activities - even in complex cases. One such example is “Lisa” (I have altered the names and one or two minor details to protect identification). Lisa is in her 30s. She lives with her partner who is away a lot for his job and she has two young children at school. She has no family support and suffers from low mood and low self-confidence. She finds it difficult to make friends and often feels isolated. She used to enjoy painting and crafts before having children and moving here. She subsequently attended a crafts club with her Connector which she continues to attend when she can. Her confidence is much improved.
Another example is “David” who is a man in his 60s who has recently come out of a destructive marriage. He suffers agoraphobia and finds it difficult to go to new events especially on his own. After a few sessions in a café and attendance at a gardening event and quiz night with his Connector, he independently joined a painting class which he intends to pursue.
I am indebted to all volunteers for their help. It’s been exciting watching how wonderfully people with the right skills have appeared when we’ve needed them, and I am profoundly grateful for their generous dedication and help.
Thanks particularly to the stalwart committed Trustees who are achieving huge progress in fundraising, publicity and systems, not least our Secretary who keeps us on track and our Treasurer who is exemplary.
Plans for development include greater integration into the community and continuing growth in numbers and skills of Connectors. We need to consolidate our achievements and build on them.
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CAROLINE BAKER Chair of Trustees January 2024
If anyone reading this is interested in supporting us, please do not hesitate to talk to any of the Trustees or contact caroline@corshamconnections.co.uk.
Thank you.
Statement of Financial Activities for the Year ended 31 December 2023
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CORSHAM CONNECTIONS Balance Sheet to 31 December 2023
Notes on the Accounts
We should state that charities with a gross income of less than £25,000 are exempted from the requirement to have their accounts audited or independently examined, and those with an income of less than £10,000 are only are asked to complete the annual return for certain items (a declaration of income and expenditure).
Grants were also received in 2022 which is why we started 2023 with a healthy balance.
GROOP is the digital platform trustees and volunteer connectors use to post their reports, contact each other, view posts and other information etc.
KIRSTINE SELMAN Treasurer January 2024
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