## Chippenham Collective ## Charity No: 1203080 Trustees’ Annual Report & Statement of Financial Activity for the period 6 April 2024 to 5 April 2025 Trustees Emily Weston Alison Attfield Jayesh Bhardwa Nick Burn Abbie Allender June 2025 Chippenham Collective Trustees’ Annual Report & Statement of Financial Activity for the period 6 April 2024 to 5 April 2025 |||Contents| |---|---|---| |1.|Introduction**..................................................................................................4**|| ||1.1|Charitable objects..........................................................................................4| ||1.2|Executive summary.......................................................................................4| |2.|Activities and achievements**.......................................................................6**|| ||2.1|Outputs and outcomes in our second year.................................................6| ||2.2|The contribution of our members.................................................................8| ||2.3|How the community has benefitted.............................................................9| ||2.4|Looking ahead................................................................................................9| |3.|Financial review**..........................................................................................9**|| ||3.1|Financial Position...........................................................................................9| ||3.2|Policy on reserves.......................................................................................10| ||3.3|Principal sources of funding.......................................................................10| ||3.4|Principal risks...............................................................................................10| ||3.5|Remuneration of trustees...........................................................................11| ||3.6|Statutory statements on liabilities..............................................................11| |4.|Reference and administration details**......................................................11**|| ||4.1|Charity name and registration....................................................................11| ||4.2|Principal address.........................................................................................12| ||4.3|Our trustees..................................................................................................12| ||4.4|External advisor...........................................................................................12| ||4.5|Bank...............................................................................................................12| |5.|Structure, governance and management**................................................13**|| ||5.1|Type of governing document......................................................................13| ||5.2|Statutory declaration....................................................................................13| ||5.3|Trustee selection methods.........................................................................13| ||5.4|Trustee development...................................................................................14| _Chippenham Collective: Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements_ _Page 2 of 14_ ChNppenhtJm Collective.. Tru5tees'Annuul Report & FNntJncNtJl Stutement5 Puge 3 of 14 # Trustees Annual Report & Statement of Financial Activity for the period 6 April 2024 2023 to 5 April 2025 ## 1. Introduction ## 1.1 Charitable objects Chippenham Collective’s constitution (governing document) states our charitable objects: ‘Chippenham Collective’s charitable purpose is for the public benefit; the preservation and protection of good physical and mental health of people in Chippenham, Wiltshire and the surrounding area for those with physical or mental health issues/illness through the provision of activities, courses and related programmes based on the NHS’s 5 steps to better mental health and wellbeing.’ ## 1.2 Executive summary This is the second annual report for Chippenham Collective (‘The Collective’) which was registered with the Charity Commission on 16 May 2023. Our mission is to provide opportunities for local people to maintain or improve their mental wellbeing through nature-based activities. Chippenham Collective offers its members the opportunity to engage in social gardening, conservation tasks and citizen science activities. In addition, it supports members to participate in arts and crafts and other indoor activities. ## We are: - Continuing to grow slowly but surely - Listening to our members and developing activities to meet their needs and interests - Planning further development in the form of a community garden _Chippenham Collective: Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements_ _Page 4 of 14_ - Solvent. Year 2 has been focused on embedding our values of friendliness, kindness and non-judgemental attitudes and getting to know our members better. _Chippenham Collective: Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements_ _Page 5 of 14_ ## 2. Activities and achievements ## 2.1 Outputs and outcomes in our second year Chippenham Collective offers a range of nature-based activities for 11 months of the year. We have two unique selling points: - We are based in Chippenham – previously people had to travel to other towns for similar activities. - Our sessions take place from February to December each year – providing long-term, consistent support to our members, unlike the many short life groups that end after 6 - 12 weeks. Every week for 11 months of the year (unless a session falls on Christmas Day), we run the following groups: - Sundays – conservation tasks in woodland by Westmead Open Space _Chippenham Collective: Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements_ _Page 6 of 14_ - Mondays – gardening on our allotment in Cricketts Lane From April to September we hold monthly citizen science evenings and, twice a month, we provide arts, crafts and other indoor activities in the late afternoon / early evening Our website provides up to date information about everything we do. Achievements in our second year have consolidated our work in year 1 and include: - A small but growing membership - Inclusive culture, promoting kindness - A few highly skilled volunteers - Offering Mental Health First Aid courses, including one for our members - Accredited to run Exploring Anxiety programme - Cleared paths and picked litter on CBL land - Worked on our allotment - Set up a member-led arts and crafts group - Run citizen science sessions, including the national riverfly monitoring scheme - Committed trustees with range of professional skills and knowledge - Shadow trustee scheme to ‘grow our own’ has started - Independent safeguarding advisor - Full set of policies and procedures with additions this year - Sufficient funds for current level of activity until March 2026 - Prompt reconciliation of our annual accounts _Chippenham Collective: Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements_ _Page 7 of 14_ - Finding some additional funding - Full insurance cover - Up-to-date website, includes helpful links to other sources of support - Published member-authored ‘Nature in Chippenham’ booklet - Held some cooking sessions - Helped a few members to get the support or benefits they are entitled to - Had a stall at Chippenham’s Health & Wellbeing Day and Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s Country Comes to Town event. - Membership of Chippenham’s Health & Wellbeing group, Environment Forum and Restoring Nature group ## 2.2 The contribution of our members Our members are our most valued resource because they have helped us develop and maintain a positive culture within the Collective by upholding our values. They are kind and non-judgemental. In particular, one member has led our arts and crafts sessions. She has worked hard to find creative activities that match other members’ skills and interests. Another member has agreed to become a ‘shadow trustee’ to learn about how the charity is run. He will be given the option of becoming a full trustee in 2026 if he is interested in this. _Chippenham Collective: Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements_ _Page 8 of 14_ ## 2.3 How the community has benefitted There have been two main tangible benefits: - The continued collection of litter and the cutting back of vegetation overhanging the paths in the area of Westmead Open Space maintained by the Collective. - The focus on the NHS’s 5 steps to mental wellbeing through the provision of regular nature-based activities for those with challenges on account of their mental health and other conditions takes pressure off other services. ## 2.4 Looking ahead We have been liaising with Chippenham Town Council about land at Patterdown which would enable us to create a community garden. There is a possibility that we could be on the site around April 2026, but nothing is currently guaranteed. The Patterdown site is ideal for our needs as it is accessible from the town centre by public transport and there is a well located pelican crossing near the bus stop. We will be looking to raise funds for a part-time gardening contractor to help us improve our gardening offer. This will also reduce our dependence on our main volunteer. Using a self-employed contractor will enable us to explore exactly what we need in terms of gardening support, before we embark on becoming a direct employer. ## 3. Financial review ## 3.1 Financial Position Chippenham Collective has sufficient funding to maintain its current level of activity until Christmas 2025. Money carried over from last financial year: £3,409.99 Grants awarded to us in 2024-25: _Chippenham Collective: Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements_ _Page 9 of 14_ - Wiltshire Community Foundation (in October) £2,824 - Chippenham Town Council (in March) £1,820 Total Income: £4,732.50 Total expenditure £2,475.88 Chippenham Collective prepares a receipts and payments account for the Charity Commission annually. ## 3.2 Policy on reserves Chippenham Collective’s reserves policy will be developed as we move towards engaging a contractor and having a permanent base. ## 3.3 Principal sources of funding We are predominantly reliant on grants. The small number of volunteers makes it difficult to organise and manage other types of fundraising activity. ## 3.4 Principal risks The Collective holds a risk register which is reviewed at quarterly trustee meetings. Two main risks have been identified: - Over-reliance on one volunteer - Health and safety The over-dependence on one person is being addressed in our plan to engage someone to lead the development of our gardening activities. _Chippenham Collective: Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements_ _Page 10 of 14_ Health and safety risks have been mitigated as far as possible, but inherent risks remain due to working outdoors with tools and equipment and the fact that some of our members have conditions such as epilepsy or dyspraxia. ## 3.5 Remuneration of trustees All trustees act in a voluntary capacity and receive no remuneration or other material benefits from their services to the charity. ## 3.6 Statutory statements on liabilities ## The trustees declare that: - The charity has given no guarantees where potential liability under the guarantee is outstanding at the date of this statement. There is no outstanding/ongoing contract or legal undertaking to buy or provide specific services. - The charity has no debt outstanding at the date of this statement which is owed by the CIO and which is secured by an express charge on any assets of the CIO. ## 4. Reference and administration details ## 4.1 Charity name and registration Name of the Charity: Chippenham Collective Charity No: 1203080 Registered with HM Revenue & Customs: No _Chippenham Collective: Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements_ _Page 11 of 14_ ## 4.2 Principal address Chippenham Collective c/o Chippenham Community Hub 1 Gladstone Parade Timber Street Chippenham SN15 3BS e-mail: chippenhamcollective@outlook.com website: www.chippenhamcollective.co.uk ## 4.3 Our trustees |Our trustees|||| |---|---|---|---| |Name|Office|Appointed|Resigned| |Emily Weston|Chair|16 May 2023|Not applicable| |Jayesh Bhardwa|Finance lead (treasurer)|16 May 2023|Not applicable| |Alison Attfield|Learning & development lead 16 May 2023||Not applicable| |Nick Burn|Sustainability lead|16 May 2023|Not applicable| |Abbie Allender|Safeguarding lead|1 August 2024|Not applicable| ## 4.4 External advisor Victoria Hart - Safeguarding Advisor (Registered Social Worker no: SW8214) ## 4.5 Bank The Co-operative Bank _Chippenham Collective: Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements_ _Page 12 of 14_ ## 5. Structure, governance and management ## 5.1 Type of governing document Chippenham Collective is an association Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and, as such, it has an Association model constitution which complies with Charity Commission requirements. ## 5.2 Statutory declaration The trustees confirm that they have paid due regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit in deciding what activities the charity should undertake. ## 5.3 Trustee selection methods There are five trustees, four of whom were invited to undertake the role when the charity was first set up in 2023. One kindly put herself forward for the role in 2024. In accordance with the constitution, trustees are appointed or re-appointed for a term of three years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees. Our initial trustees have given an undertaking to stagger their departures. In appointing trustees, due consideration is given to ensuring that the trustees have, between them, the skills and experience necessary to manage the charity effectively and in accordance with charity law. Future trustees will be recruited in line with the Collective’s Recruitment of Trustees Policy, which aligns with our Equality, Diversity and Involvement Policy. In order to encourage our members to volunteer as trustees, we have established a shadow trustee scheme. One member is currently in this role. _Chippenham Collective: Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements_ _Page 13 of 14_ ## 5.4 Trustee development Trustees have received a briefing on their safeguarding responsibilities and issued with guidance in this area. Trustees have access to online learning recommended by Wessex Community Action for their roles. ## Approved by the trustees on 12 June 2025: **----- Start of picture text -----**
Emily Weston (Chair)
Jayesh Bhardwa
Alison Attfield Nick Burn
Abbie Allender
**----- End of picture text -----**
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