Serendipity Creative Writers' Group
Charity number 1201197
Annual Report and Financial Statements
for the year ended 30 November 2023
Serendipity Creative Writers' Group
Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 30 November 2023
| Contents | Page |
|---|---|
| Trustees' report | 2 to 3 |
| Examiner's report | 4 |
| Receipts and payments account | 5 |
| Statement of assets and liabilities | 6 |
| Notes to the accounts | 7 to 9 |
Prepared by West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO
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Serendipity Creative Writers' Group
Trustees' report for the year ended 30 November 2023
Reference and administrative details of the charity, its trustees and advisors
The trustees during the financial year and up to and including the date the report was approved were: Name Position Dates
Kathy Trout Amanda Rhodes Martin Hemingway Mira Fadel Pauline Schmidt
Chair Appointed January 2023 Secretary Appointed December 2022 Treasurer Appointed December 2022 Appointed December 2022 Former Chair Appointed December 2022 Resigned February 2023
Charity number
1201197
Registered in England and Wales
Registered and principal address
Bankers
4 Fenay Lane Barclays Bank Almondbury York 2 Huddersfield Leicestershire HD5 8UL LE87 2BB
Independent examiner
Alan Dodd FCCA
West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO
Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW
Structure, governance and management
The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) foundation formed on 2 December 2022 and is governed by a constitution. Prior to becoming a CIO, the organisation operated as an unincorporated association.
Method of recruitment and appointment of trustees
The trustees of the charity are appointed by the trustees at a duly convened meeting.
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Serendipity Creative Writers' Group
Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 30 November 2023
Objectives and activities
The charity's objects
The relief of those in need, by reason of youth, age, poor mental or physical health, disability, financial hardship or other social or economic disadvantage in Yorkshire for the public benefit by providing supported opportunities to explore and practise creative writing.
For the purpose of this clause ‘those in need’’ means being excluded from society, or parts of society, as a result of one of more of the following factors: unemployment; financial hardship; old age; ill health (physical or mental); substance abuse or dependency including alcohol and drugs; discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, disability, ethnic origin, religion, belief, creed, sexual orientation or gender re assignment; poor educational or skills attainment; relationship and family breakdown; poor housing (that is housing that does not meet basic habitable standards; crime (either as a victim of crime or as an offender rehabilitating into society)
The charity's main activities
We run Serendipity Creative Writing and Mindful Workshops across Kirklees and the broader West Yorkshire area, as cathartic and therapeutic outcomes of working through various mediums of the Arts, in particular, Creative Writing and Mindfulness. These are leader & service user led, are free and include free refreshments. We operate an open-door policy and also receive referrals from the NHS and other Organisations.
Public benefit statement
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 health.
Achievements and performance
Serendipity has delivered 3 weekly and one monthly evening free community mindful and creative writing workshops. In addition we have had several related events throughout the year including mini workshops/lending library/information hub VAN, which we took out on the road to several festivals throughout Kirklees, to promote Serendipity and the work we do.
We have recently published an anthology of work collected from our service users, the official launch is Sunday 21[st] April 2024, as part of the Huddersfield Literature Festival at the Lawrence Batley Theatre.
Serendipity have been involved in Welfare Funding from some Organisations where we were able to help people struggling through the winter with Electricity/Gas Bills etc. and Food. We also ran a series of Warming Words events throughout Kirklees (providing a free warm safe space/2 course warm meal and drink, and indulged ourselves in spoken word).
Financial review
The net receipts for the year were £5,842, including net receipts of £4,092 on unrestricted funds and net receipts of £1,750 on restricted funds.
Reserves policy
The charity's free reserves, at the year end were £4,092.
The trustees have not currently adopted a formal reserves policy, but intend to discuss this shortly.
Approved by the board of trustees on 13/6/2024
Kathy Trout (Trustee)
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Serendipity Creative Writers' Group
Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Serendipity Creative Writers' Group
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the CIO for the year ended 30 November 2023, which are set out on pages 5 to 9.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the CIO 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 CIO's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act. In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Charities Act; 2 the accounts do not accord with those records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Alan Dodd FCCA
13/6/2024
West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO
Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW
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Serendipity Creative Writers' Group
Receipts and payments account
for the year ended 30 November 2023
| Notes 2023 Unrestricted funds £ Receipts Grants and donations (2) 8,791 Transfer on incorporation 457 Total receipts 9,248 Payments Welfare 1,125 Peer Support 37 Artist fees - Administration 669 Room hire - Workshops 1,015 Refreshments 215 Volunteer expenses 284 Insurance - Telephone 45 Van expenses 829 Travel 937 Sundry expenses - Publications - Office equipment - Total payments 5,156 Net receipts / (payments) 4,092 Fund balances brought forward - Fund balances carried forward (3) 4,092 |
2023 Restricted funds £ 24,137 1,426 25,563 8,351 470 1,185 1,493 2,192 1,245 2,021 689 96 472 413 2,639 89 1,640 818 23,813 1,750 - 1,750 |
2023 Total funds £ 32,928 1,883 34,811 9,476 507 1,185 2,162 2,192 2,260 2,236 973 96 517 1,242 3,576 89 1,640 818 28,969 5,842 - 5,842 |
|---|---|---|
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Serendipity Creative Writers' Group
Statement of assets and liabilities
| as at 30 November 2023 2023 Unrestricted £ Cash funds Cash at bank 4,092 Total cash funds 4,092 Debtors and prepayments Prepayments Assets retained for the charity's own use Mercedes-Benz 207D camper van HP A10 computer Liabilities Accruals |
2023 Restricted £ 1,750 1,750 |
2023 Total £ 5,842 5,842 2023 £ 402 402 2023 £ 792 792 |
|---|---|---|
The financial statements were approved by the board of trustees on 13/6/2024
Kathy Trout (Trustee)
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Serendipity Creative Writers' Group
Notes to the accounts
for the year ended 30 November 2023
1 Accounting policies
Basis of accounting
The trustees have taken advantage of section 133 of the Charities Act 2011 and have prepared the accounts on a receipts and payments basis.
There has been no change to the accounting policies since last year.
No changes have been made to the accounts for previous years.
Taxation
As a charity the organisation benefits from rates relief and is generally exempt from income tax and capital gains tax but not from VAT. Irrecoverable VAT is included in the cost of those items to which it relates.
Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.
Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms of an appeal.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the accounts.
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Serendipity Creative Writers' Group
Notes to the accounts continued
for the year ended 30 November 2023
| 2 Grants and donations 2023 Unrestricted funds £ Assura Community Fund - Kirklees Council Community Plus Fund - One Community Crisis Fund - One Community Household Support Grant - One Community Jimmy Dickinson Fund - Sir George Martin Trust - Sovereign Healthcare - SW Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust - Third Sector Leaders - West Yorkshire CA 8,000 Other donations 791 8,791 3 Restricted funds Transfer on incorporation Incoming £ £ Kirklees Ward grant 267 - National Lottery 1,159 - Assura Community Fund - 2,000 Community Plus Fund - 5,000 Jimmy Dickinson Fund - 627 Third Sector Leader (1) - 1,600 One Community - Crisis Fund - 3,360 Third Sector Leader (2) - 2,000 Sir George Martin Trust - 2,000 Third Sector Leader (3) - 200 Sovereign Healthcare - 1,000 Third Sector Leader (4) - 1,000 Household Support Grant - 4,000 SW Yorkshire Partnership - 1,000 NHS Trust Third Sector Leader (5) - 350 1,426 24,137 |
2023 Restricted funds £ 2,000 5,000 3,360 4,000 627 2,000 1,000 1,000 5,150 - - 24,137 Outgoing £ 267 1,159 2,000 5,000 627 1,600 3,360 2,000 2,000 200 1,000 1,000 3,131 247 222 23,813 |
2023 Total funds £ 2,000 5,000 3,360 4,000 627 2,000 1,000 1,000 5,150 8,000 791 32,928 Transfers £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Balance c/f £ - - - - - - - - - - - - 869 753 128 1,750 |
|---|---|---|---|
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Serendipity Creative Writers' Group
Notes to the accounts continued
for the year ended 30 November 2023
3 Restricted funds (continued) Fund name
Purpose of restriction
Kirklees Ward grant To run Batley workshops National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund Assura Community Fund To run Batley workshops for six months Community Plus Fund Kirklees Council to run workshops for six months, together with publication of an anthology Jimmy Dickinson Fund One Community - to run Huddersfield workshops for four months Third Sector Leader (1) Events including free supper and room hire One Community - Crisis Fund Goods, amenities and food for service users and their families Third Sector Leader (2) Events including free supper and room hire Sir George Martin Trust To run Huddersfield workshops for five months Third Sector Leader (3) To run Batley workshops for six months Sovereign Healthcare To run workshops Third Sector Leader (4) Van launch event at Greenhead Park Household Support Grant One Community - for goods, amenities, food and supermarket vouchers for service users and their families SW Yorkshire Partnership Health promotion workshops in Batley for six months
SW Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust Third Sector Leader (5)
Initial book launch event, Dewsbury
4 Related party transactions
Trustee expenses
No trustee received any expenses during this year or the previous year.
Trustee remuneration and benefits
No trustee received any remuneration or benefit during this or the previous year.
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