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2022-12-31-accounts

Annual Report

for the Year April 2022 – March 2023

Darlington Town Mission Tel: 0794 3251357 Founded 1838

Registered Office - 2 Davison Road, Darlington, Co Durham DL1 3DR

Reg. Charity Number: 235572

1

- REPORT FOR THE YEAR 2022 2023

REPORT FOR THE YEAR 2022- 2023
page
Contents 2
Our Vision, Beliefs, Achievements and Appreciation for 2022-3 3
What we do 4
What are loneliness and social isolation? 4/5
Chair’s Annual Report 6
Vice-Chair’s letter 7
Missioner’s review of the year 2022/223 8
A Letter from Lauren 9
Marketing DTM Today
 10/11
Friends’ reflections 12
Easter Gifts 12
How could you support us? 13
Other organisations that support us 14

2

Our Vision

Is to reduce isolation and provide companionship.

Our Beliefs

That every person is entitled to a good quality of life through fellowship and social support which combats isolation.

To achieve this, DTM normally:

Achievements and Appreciation for 2022-3

During the year the charity carried out 1,009 Visits and Doorstep Visits, 2,001 phone calls, 516 Text messages and sent 132 E-mails to relieve our Friend's isolation. We have also helped our Friends with transport to 69 medical appointments and made 323 shopping trips for Friends.

In October and December, we were able to arrange a couple of group outings which 46 Friends went on and we also took a few Friends on Mini Outings to meet with other Friends and our Missioners.

In September we were able to re-start our Friends Forum now meeting once a month in the afternoons but, due to Covid restrictions, we have been unable to run our monthly services in care homes.

At Easter 2022 Friends were given Easter gifts of Easter Eggs, Hot Cross buns and pots of daffodils together with an Easter Newsletter and an Easter Bookmark. These were greatly appreciated by our Friends.

At Christmas we organised gifts of boxes of Biscuits and Toiletry sets with a DTM Christmas Card for all our Friends.

For the remainder of 2023 many other outings are in the pipeline including a visit to the railway museum at Shildon, a Coronation party at the 6[th] Form College and a return trip to the seaside at Seaton Carew for lunch. The seaside trip is supported by the legacy of Rita Malcolm who was one of our Friends.

3

What we do

The Darlington Town Mission was founded in 1838 by three local businessmen - John Backhouse and John Pease who were well known Quakers and John Hopkins, an Anglican.

Its aims are as follows:

These aims are achieved in the following ways:

We are now focusing our activities on relieving loneliness and isolation in the elderly in Darlington. All our charitable activities focus on improving quality of life and are done to further our charitable purpose for the public benefit.

What are Loneliness and Isolation?

‘High-quality social connections are essential to our mental and physical health and our well-being. Social isolation and loneliness are important, yet neglected, social determinants of the health of older people.

Social isolation and loneliness are widespread, with some countries reporting that up to one in three older people feel lonely. A large body of research shows that social isolation and loneliness have a serious impact on older people’s physical and mental health, quality of life, and their longevity. The effect of social isolation and loneliness on mortality is comparable to that of other well-established risk factors such as smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity.

4

A wide variety of face-to-face or digital interventions have been developed to reduce social isolation and loneliness among older people. These include social skills training, community and support groups, befriending, and cognitive behavioural therapy. Creating more age-friendly communities, by improving access to transportation, information and communication technologies and the built environment, can also help reduce social isolation and loneliness. Laws and policies that address marginalisation and discrimination can also foster greater social connection.

Social isolation and loneliness are increasingly being recognised as a priority public health problem and policy issue for older people. During the course of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030), the Demographic Change and Healthy Ageing Unit will be addressing social isolation and loneliness as one of the themes that cuts across the four main action areas of the Decade’ . An article written by the World Health Organisation.

Why is it important to distinguish between loneliness and social isolation?

‘Loneliness has been an emerging social issue for many years, with organisations including Age UK and the Campaign to End Loneliness raising its profile.

Most recently, the Jo Cox Commission started a national conversation on loneliness and successfully encouraged the Government to accept many of its recommendations with the appointment of a Minister for Loneliness to take forward the work.

With this new impetus, it's important for policy makers, practitioners, and researchers to understand the distinction between loneliness and social isolation in order to ensure that solutions are not focussed simply on increasing opportunities for people to meet or speak, but on helping build, maintain and re-establish meaningful relationships.

That is, bringing people together to increase the number of social contacts is not an end in itself – to combat loneliness, the quality of relationships needs to be addressed’. This article was written by Care Connect (a research and innovation hub at the University of Sheffield) and Age UK

Most of us will feel lonely at many points in our lives, whatever our age. But many are brilliant at hiding it or even admitting it. Our charity provides a vital lifeline of companionship, Christian fellowship, and practical help to many elderly people in Darlington. We help to relieve loneliness by visiting people in their own homes and in care homes. We help by giving older people the chance to join with others in outings, social and other events.

DTM also provides a spiritual dimension in providing access to Christian fellowship and ecumenical worship. For those Friends who are Christian we aim to nurture them in their faith, and for those of other faiths or none, to support them equally in our caring.

5

Chair’s Annual Report 2022-23

Greetings to you all in the Darlington Town Mission family.

It has been a joy to share with so many of you in the events of the Mission over the past year.

It is always good to look back and give thanks for the times shared together and the difference Darlington Town Mission has made to our own wellbeing.

I want to thank all who have given their time, devotion and individual talent’s to make for the smooth running of the Mission. It really is a team effort which promotes the ethos of the Mission.

There have been changes. We have said farewell to those who have stepped back from office, and we have welcomed new members onto the team. Some have stepped into new roles; we know change is all part of life.

The encouraging fact is that the care of Darlington Town Mission goes on and there are exciting events planned for the future.

We have welcome new “Friends” and pray that they will feel at home with us. We have sadly had to say farewell to Friends who are no longer with us.

May I encourage you all to encourage each other and be optimistic about all that the future holds for Darlington Town Mission. In the words of John Wesley:

“The best of all, God is with us.”

May God bless you all.

Yours sincerely

Revd. John H. Bower

Chair of DTM

6

Vice-Chair’s letter

It continues to be a great joy to support Darlington Town Mission following a long period when Covid affected all our efforts. Thankfully, we have been able to organise several outings and special events since our AGM in 2022.

At the end of January, our Missioner, Sue Allison retired from her role. Thankfully she is continuing as one of our volunteer drivers and supporter of DTM when she is able. Sue A has been an invaluable part of our work and witness over the last five years and she has worked above and beyond her contracted hours. Her commitment and

enthusiasm for our charity has been inspirational. There was a small presentation for Sue at the January outing at Harrowgate Hill Methodist Church. She received flowers, gifts and the results of a collection from trustees and volunteers. It was a tribute that was richly deserved by such a caring Missioner. Her work as our Missioner will be missed.

Thankfully, our Assistant Missioner, Sue Wriglesworth agreed to take over the lead Missioner role from February 2023. The management committee organised the recruitment of a replacement Assistant Missioner to replace Sue W’s work as the Assistant. There were several candidates to consider, and we were delighted to offer Lauren Hebden to the post. Lauren is introducing herself in a separate part of this Annual Report.

I would commend reading the article from our Marketing Team, Julia and John. They both do an excellence job of promoting our charity and organising many of our fundraising efforts. They include details of our other vacancies and ways in which you can support us financially.

On this note, anyone reading this Annual Report might wish to consider leaving Darlington Town Mission a donation in your will. There are leaflets available from the Missioners and Trustees that can give you more information about this. Leaving legacies in your will can be a sensitive issue for some, but others organise generous donations to DTM and other charities without being in the least bit squeamish! Do give this question your prayerful thought. Many of our Friends and volunteers have been wonderfully generous in the past. Thank you.

With every blessing,

Brian Simpson

Vice Chair

7

Missioner’s Review of the Year 2022-23

I took over the role of Missioner on 1[st] February 2023, from Sue Allison, after having served as assistant Missioner since 1[st] August 2021.

We were just coming out of lockdown and outings had not resumed when I started as assistant Missioner, but it gave me time to settle well into the role and get to know DTM Friends through home visits and some mini outings.

I feel that I have been instructed well by Sue Allison, and I am immensely grateful that she is remaining as a very active volunteer, along with Hilary and Sue Case, who were also previous Missioners.

I am enjoying my time with DTM immensely and I have met some wonderful friends, who are so welcoming in receiving us into their homes.

I am very fortunate to have the lovely Lauren Hebden as an Assistant Missioner, and she took up this position on the 1[st] March 2023. She has been visiting some of you and has received some lovely feedback after her visits.

We are also very fortunate to have generous and committed volunteers, who give up their time to transport our friends on outings, near and far, and also those volunteers who do home visits and phone calls. We really couldn’t do without the volunteers, and we are so grateful to them all.

Lauren and I would also like to thank the management team, and t\he trustees for their support and for giving generously of their time, not forgetting the fund-raising team, Mary Drury and Nick Auty, who do fantastic work.

We would like to thank Brian and Vanessa Simpson most of all for opening up their home for management meetings every month, and for coordinating the buying and distribution of Christmas gifts. Also, thanks to Hilary for wrapping all of the gifts!

DTM have not been able to resume care home church services as there are sporadic Covid outbreaks in all the care homes from time to time.

I think that I have the best job in the world and it is thanks to the love and support of everyone connected to Darlington Town Mission. I love to hear our Friend’s stories and value each one of them.

We pray that all have a blessed year, with good health and happiness. With every blessing,

Sue Wriglesworth and Lauren Hebden

8

A Reflection on my first few weeks with Darlington Town Mission

I have absolutely loved my first few weeks with Darlington Town Mission working as the Assistant Missioner! I feel so incredibly lucky to be working with such a wonderful team of people and meeting all the lovely Friends!

Starting my position with the Town Mission couldn’t have been more perfectly timed, as my

first day fell right on the Friends Forum outing in March which was a lovely meal out to the Brinkburn. It was a great insight into the Friends Forum, and meeting some of the Friends and Volunteers. Sue Wriglesworth very kindly took me round for first couple of weeks, talking me through everything and introducing me to lots of our Friends. Sue Allison also went out of her way to show me around and take me on some visits to meet Friends as well which I very much appreciated!

The outing to Elm Ridge for the craft session was my first official outing working for Darlington Town Mission - again meeting more volunteers and friends. I loved seeing what a positive effect these outings and activities have on the Friends, which only further showed me how important the work this charity does is for the Friends we support, and of course taking home the left-over cheese scones and cake is quickly becoming a favourite part for my little boy Noah!

I am very appreciative of how supportive and encouraging Sue Wriglesworth has been since I’ve started! And I am so grateful with how kind everyone has been since starting in this position. I am also especially grateful for how welcoming the Friends have been in letting me into their homes

I’m really excited to continue being a part of such an inspiring and amazing charity!

With every blessing,

Lauren Hebden

DTM Assistant Missioner April 2023

9

Marketing DTM Today

It’s been another challenging year for everyone, but we still retained our strong team spirit and enthusiasm for the marketing objectives we had set.

Our website continues to help raise awareness for DTM by communicating our core values and showcasing our events and the fantastic work that is carried out by the Missioners and volunteers. The marketing team welcome any ideas and news stories that you may have. Please drop us an email to

marketing@darlingtontownmission.org.uk

Social Media

We are getting close to our target of 1,000 Followers on Facebook. Please help to spread the word by going to Facebook.com/darlingtontownmission and sharing a post/ story with your friends and family and asking them to FOLLOW us. If we reach 1,000 followers, we qualify for a DONATE button which will give a great boost to our fundraising efforts.

Our Instagram has attracted a younger audience and we now have over 100 followers.

New Fundraising Events to be repeated in 2023

We are always looking for new fundraising ideas.

The first was in May 2022, an art sale with paintings by Rev. John Bower who is an accomplished artist. It was a great success selling over 35 paintings. All the funds raised, nearly £2,000 went to Darlington Town Mission.

The second event was The “Glam Party” which took place in November at St Augustine’s with a local live band, disco and Spanish tapas supper & raffle. It was a great success raising £2,000.

Grants Won

We were successful in our applications for two grants from the Coop and Magic Little Grants totalling £950.00. These grants have funded our crafting afternoons in 2023.

10

Christmas Cards

A new Christmas card design was launched to go alongside the two existing designs. The charity cards were sold by the Trustees, Missioners and Volunteers raising funds. Thanks to all for your support.

In 2023 we intend to launch a calendar using the winning photos from local amateur photographers that entered our competition in 2021.

Business Sponsorship

The half page articles, covering topics such as Volunteering, Events and Fundraising appear in the One Darlington council publication (delivered to your home) are sponsored by local businesses wishing to give us their support including BHP Law, Seaton Leng and Real Property UK Ltd...

Recruiting Volunteers

We still need to recruit more volunteers. We have a specific leaflet with all the information on our volunteering opportunities – volunteer drivers, visitors and fundraisers, plus we require more support on our website from a digital /social media assistant.

If you know of anyone interested in any of these roles, then please ask them to contact marketing@darlingtontownmission.org.uk

Easy way to raise funds for DTM whenever you shop online.

Go to Shop ‘Give as You Live’ (www.giveasyoulive.com) and sign up

today.

There are over 6,000 stores on the website, all of which give a % of the sale to a charity of the shoppers choice. All the big national stores and brands for clothing, electricals, home and garden, beauty and cosmetics, jewellery, travel & insurance - whatever you are shopping for it’s all there.

Think- John Lewis, B&Q, Damart, AO.com. Dunelm etc.

Remembering Rita Malcolm

Following a generous legacy to Darlington Town Mission by our dear late “Friend” Rita Malcolm, an event in the form of a day trip has been sponsored from this legacy for all our Friends to enjoy. A day trip to Seaton Carew with lunch at the Marine Hotel, and then a drive along the front with a nice ice cream.

Thank you for your support,

John Dobbin & Julia Bean, Marketing Team

11

A Reflection from Jean (one of our recent Friends)

“I was introduced to the Town Mission about 18 months ago and have enjoyed several outings with them. The Well Church afternoon is a very friendly group, and we have a lovely tea. I appreciate all the work put into these events.

Sue Wriglesworth is very kind and helpful. She escorted me to several dental appointments last year. I am always pleased when she calls in for a cuppa and a chat, and I know I can call on her any time for help with shopping, or doctors’ appointments”.

Easter Gifts

Three companies kindly donated some Easter Eggs for our Friends this year. Sadly, there wasn’t quite enough to go round all our Friends this time.

Donations were received from staff at Darlington Building Society’s central office in Morton Park. The office where Alan Taylor’s daughter Sharon works nominated Darlington Town Mission to receive over 30 eggs! Her manager, Nicki has thanked us for a letter of thanks that was sent to their team. She writes:

Thank you for taking the time to email and send this letter. It is lovely for the staff to know that their efforts are appreciated and a huge thank you for the many people that your organisation help. Kind regards, Nicki

More eggs were donated from staff at MasFix, Ltd from Newcastle. They are a key supplier into the

manufacturing and automotive industry and help local communities in the Northeast. Some of you may remember that Rebecca Everson helped at a DTM outing to enjoy an afternoon tea and music at Rockcliffe Hall a few years ago. Rebecca was ‘Miss Darlington’ at the time. She has stepped back from the pageant scene and is now the Account Manager in our area for MasFix. Our photograph shows Vanessa and Brian being presented with some of the eggs by Rebecca.

Friend’s Forum had a speaker recently from Whitehouse Funeral Service, Darlington. John Watling is one of the Funeral Directors and the Community Champion. John gave a reminiscence slide show and brought Easter eggs on behalf of his company to all those that attended.

Thank you to all three organisations that gave so generously. It was much appreciated by those Friends that received gifts.

12

HOW COULD YOU SUPPORT US?

a) Volunteering opportunities

We could not provide the service we do without the input of our volunteers. They provide invaluable assistance across the board from visiting our

Friends, driving, and accompanying them on outings, and in participating in our monthly care home acts of worship. We are so grateful to them for the time and effort they put in and we do our best to make sure their involvement is both fulfilling and rewarding.

If you would you like to join as part of our pool of volunteer drivers who take our Friends on monthly outings organised by our Missioner, or if you would like to relieve the loneliness of elderly people by spending a couple of hours a week visiting, please call our Missioner on 07943251357 or ‘e’ mail dtmission@btconnect.com for further information. With your help we could enrich many more elderly people’s lives. We would love to hear from you.

b) Financial support

To continue and expand our services we rely on the generosity of individuals, churches and groups. If you wish to donate you can do so online at:

www.localgiving.com/darlingtontownmission or send a cheque to our address or ‘e’ mail us at dtmission@btconnect.com for details of other means of giving.

You can even raise funds for us by shopping online using the amazing website that supports charities like ours. It costs you nothing at all, simply go to www.giveasyoulive.com and:

  1. Sign up choosing Darlington Town Mission as your chosen charity

  2. Choose from over 4,200 stores to shop with

  3. Click through to the store from their site & shop as usual

  4. They donate a % of your spending to us - for free!

If you are interested in helping with our fundraising, you can join our Fundraising

Team. They are currently seeking extra people with fund raising knowledge to help out.

Please contact us for more details or if you wish to do a sponsored fundraising event for us you can open a fundraising page on our local giving website as above.

13

OTHER ORGANISATIONS THAT SUPPORTED US IN 2022-23

The Missioner has been engaging with other groups working with older people, exchanging ideas and practices. The Mission would like to thank the following;

Those venues / organisations that have hosted one of our outings in 2022-

Elm Ridge, Harrowgate Hill and Haughton Methodist Churches The Marine Hotel, Seaton Carew Poplar Tree Garden Centre Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College Strikes Garden Centre The Lions and the Rotary Club

Those companies that have sponsored our adverts in the One Darlington magazine in 2022

Blackett Hart and Pratt (BHP Law) Seaton Leng Real Property UK Ltd

Park Place Community Centre for accommodating the Friends’ Forum.

Churches of various denominations for the support they give to the work of the Mission and individuals who have supported us financially.

Local Giving and the Postcode Neighbourhood Trust for their grant to enable us to set up Craft events.

Seaton Leng and The Virtual Resource Company for their donation to our work.

Darlington Building Society, MaxfIX of Newburn, Newcastle and Whitehouse Funeral Service, Darlington who supplied Easter Eggs for some of our Friends in April 2023.

And all the local businesses who are displaying DTM donations boxes at their service points.

Thank you all for your generous support.

14

Darlington Town Mission Income & Expenditure Account and Statement of Financial

Activities

for the year to 31[st] December 2022

2022 2022 2021 2021
£ £ £ £
Unrestricted Restricted Unrestricted Restricted
Funds Funds Funds Funds
Income and Endowments from:
Donations 9,868 10,954 -
Legacies 73,376 2,460
Grants & Sponsorship 2,000 - 1,500
Fundraising 5,044 627 2,834 1,195
Investments 4,537 - 3,140 -
Total Income 92,825 2,627 19,388 2,695
Expenditure on:
Salaries 20,748 17,983 -
Travel 2,346 1,751 -
Outings 2,066 546
Insurance 378 387 -
Publicity 1,429 451 1,599
Equipment Depreciation 248 377 -
Christmas / Easter Gifts 542 657
Postage, stationery & 660 571 -
Telephone
Sundries 730 790 -
Investment managers fee 2,391 2,428 -
Total Expenditure 28,043 3,495 25,395 2,145
Surplus/(Deficit) 64,782 (868) (6,007) 550
Profit/(Loss) on sale of (165) 9,021 -
investments
Prior Year Adjustment (150) 150
Funds as at 1stJanuary 2022 165,449 2547 162,585 1847
Funds as at 31stDecember 2022 230,066 1,679 165,449 2,547
Darlington Town Mission
Balance Sheet as at 31st December 2022
2022 2021
£ £
Fixed assets Note 1 101 349
Investments Note 2 195,982 148,484
196,303 148,833
Current Assets
Debtors 170 400
Cash at bank & in hand 36,044 19,069
36,214 19,469
Liabilities
Accruals (552) (306)
Deferred Income - -
(552) (306)
Net current assets 35,662 19,163
Net assets 231,745 167,996
Funds:
Unrestricted 230,066 165449
Restricted Note 3 1,679 2,547
Total Funds 231,745 167,996

Approved by the Trustees on 7[th] March 2023 and signed on their behalf by:

John H Bower Derek Mills ___ ___ John Bower Derek Mills Trustee & Chair Trustee & Treasurer

Darlington Town Mission Notes forming part of the Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2022

Note 1
Fixed Assets
Fixed assets are stated at original cost.
Depreciation is provided at 25% being the
rate calculated to write of the cost less
estimated residual value of each asset on a
straight-line basis over its useful life
2022 2021
Cost
£
£
At beginning of
2,192		 1,992
year
Additions
-		 200
At end of year
2,192		 2,192
Depreciation
At beginning of
year
Additions
At end of year
Net book value
At end of year
Note 2
Investments
At beginning of year
Purchases		 1,843
1,467
248
3,76
2,091
1,843
101
349
2022
2021
£
£
141,767
136,980
103,351
50,583
Sales 245,118
187,563
61,640
45,796
183,478
141,767
Cash awaiting investment
12,504
6,717
At end of year
195,982
148,484
Market value
211,626
187,400
Note 3
Breakdown of Restricted Reserves
2022
£
Restricted funds as at 1stJanuary 22
2,547
Restricted income
2,627
Expenditure
3,495
(868)
__
_
Restricted funds as at 31December 22
1,679
____

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT

TO THE TRUSTEES OF DARLINGTON TOWN MISSION

I have independently examined the Income & Expenditure Account and Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2022 and the Balance Sheet as at that date rom the books, records and information supplied to me, and confirm them to be in accordance therewith.

I Groves.

A. C. A. Independent Examiner