Annual Report and Financial Statements 2021
CHARITY NO. 288102
COMPANY REGISTRATION NO. 01762007
Urbanwise.London Limited Annual Report and Financial Statements 2021|
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Table of Contents
General information………………………………………………………………….….…. 3 Chair’s Statement…………………………………….…………………………….………. 4 Trustees’ Report…………………………….…………………………………………….…. 5 Director’s Report…………………………….………………………………………………. 10 Independent Examiner’s Report……………………….….……………………………. 13 Statement of Financial Activities………………………….……………………………. 14 Balance Sheet…………………….………….………………………………………………. 15 Statements of Cash Flow…………...…….………………………………………………. 16 Notes to the Accounts…….……………….………………………………………………. 17
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General Information
LEGAL STATUS
COMPANY SECRETARY
MOYA O’HARA
Urbanwise.London Limited is a company limited by guarantee, not having share capital, governed by a Memorandum and Articles of Association.
Working Name / Title:
Urbanwise.London (The Urban Studies Centre)
PRINCIPAL ADDRESS
Canalside Activity Centre Canal Close Ladbroke Grove London W10 5AY
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER
Clare Fuchs ACMA 57 Sawley Road London W12 0LQ
BANKERS Lloyds Bank Ealing
TRUSTEES
Hilda McCafferty (Chair) Cathryn Maund (Vice-chair) Mary-Louise Wedderburn (Treasurer) Chloe Kennedy Mike Lachowicz Alex Morgan Jordana Smith
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Chair’s Statement
This was a difficult year for everyone, with the coronavirus pandemic resulting in periods of lockdown and many people experiencing isolation, illness, and loss. Although there are still challenges ahead, it is good to find ourselves in a much more positive place now.
Despite interruptions to our service, Urbanwise has come through the year in good shape as, fortunately, we were able to adapt the delivery of some of our programmes to an online offer and to resume face to face delivery when possible.
Our Active and Local Learning programme was impacted due to covid restrictions at schools, limiting our involvement and affecting trips out of school for children. However, we were pleased to offer outdoor playscheme activities to local families in the summer holidays, when possible.
We made good progress with our ‘Bazalgette’s London' project, funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund, working with schools, community groups and local residents in discovering the work of important Victorian engineer Joseph Bazalgette and exploring local riverside heritage. Our ‘Urban STEAM’ project, funded by John Lyon’s Charity, engaged young people with researching environmental issues and finding hands-on solutions. Hammersmith and Fulham Children’s Services supported us in delivering our ‘Mudlarks’ project, focusing on waterway pollution as an online offer to five schools, which was a new challenge for us.
Whenever possible throughout the year we ran some community walks for adults, in partnership with HCGA. Our young peoples’ project in North Kensington ‘Young Explorers’ was able to resume whenever covid restrictions allowed and helped us make a new film ‘Portobello Road’s Black History’ which was also supported by RBKC’s Culture department.
A new project, ‘Discover Your Westminster’ began in the spring term as an online course, helping adults to research local history, develop their digital skills and present their own projects to other students. We look forward to developing this project further in the coming year.
This year we were pleased to receive additional funding from London Funders (John Lyon’s Charity), and Julia and Hans Rausing Trust. This helped to replace other project funding and enabled us to develop a new website and promotional materials. Our funders throughout the year were very understanding, offering support and flexibility for our service, so that we were able to come through a difficult year with plenty of optimism and enthusiasm for the future.
I would like to thank Andrew Pendleton, an experienced environmentalist, who for some years gave us his valuable support and who has retired from the Board of Trustees. I would like to welcome Jordana Smith, an experienced local youth worker who has previously worked with us on some of our community projects to the Board of Trustees. Welcome also to Joel Talent, from JP Morgan, who is currently assisting us in an advisory capacity with our business development. We are pleased that Lydia Gandaa, a local educator with a wealth of experience in delivering programmes, has joined us on the staff team.
Thanks also to our staff team and the Board of Trustees for all their support during the year. After 30 fantastic years at The Lilla Huset, we are moving to The Canalside Activity Centre in Ladbroke Grove, a venue run by London Sports Trust. Although we will miss working alongside council colleagues in Hammersmith, this is a fabulous location where we can continue to promote outdoor learning and help people of all ages to discover their London.
Hilda McCafferty, Chair
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Trustees’ Report
The trustees, who are also directors of Urbanwise.London Limited (‘the charity’) for the purposes of the Companies Act, submit their annual report and the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021. The report and financial statements are also prepared to meet the requirements for a directors’ report and accounts for Companies Act purposes.
The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in §accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015). The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission on Public Benefit.
Objects
The objects of the charity are:
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(a) the advancement of environmental education at all levels in an urban setting with particular reference to, but not restricted to, the Greater London area by the provision of a Centre; and
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(b) to promote high standards of planning and architecture in or affecting the area of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.
Structure, Governance and Management
The charity is a charitable company limited by guarantee and was set up in 1983. It is governed by a memorandum and articles of association,
which were amended by special resolution on 26 January 2017.
Day to day administration of the charity and project work is carried out by the full-time staff director, Moya O’Hara, reporting to the Board of trustees, which comprises all the trustees. For the avoidance of doubt, all trustees are company directors (for company law purposes) and charity trustees (for charity law purposes). Under the articles of association, the Board of trustees comprises:
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a) not more than nine trustees elected by and from the membership of the charity at the Annual General Meeting; and
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b) not more than three persons co-opted to serve on the Board by the elected trustees, provided that at no time shall more than one third of the total Board comprise coopted trustees.
The election of trustees is conducted in accordance with procedures established by the trustees. Prospective trustees attend trustee meetings as observers and if appropriate a resolution to appoint them is put to members at the next Annual General Meeting.
At every Annual General Meeting, one third of the elected trustees retire from office. In the event that the number is not divisible by three, then the proportion to retire shall be that nearest to one third. The trustees to retire shall be those longest in office since their last election. Where there are trustees who have been in office for the same length of time then, in the absence of agreement, those to retire shall be selected by lot. Retiring trustees are eligible for re-election. Co-opted trustees serve until the end of the Annual General Meeting following their co-option but may then be co-opted again.
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Risk management
The trustees consider the risks facing the charity as part of the normal business conducted at their meetings.
Of particular concern has been the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on our operations. Although our major funders have been very supportive, confirming their funding for the current financial year (to 31 March 2022), this support cannot be taken for granted in the longer term. In addition, our key activities as an education focused charity involve working with children and schools, and whilst many projects can be delivered in an outdoor environment, we are working to develop other ways of working with schools and the wider community, such as online delivery of information and other resources.
The other major challenge has been to secure premises from which to operate upon the expiry of the current lease. Following the expiry of the two-year sub-underlease to continue at The Lilla Huset in 2019 the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham allowed the charity to continue to occupy Lilla Huset, while negotiating arrangements for using the new premises at The Jetty, Fulham Reach. The Council is very supportive of the charity’s work and need to establish a Centre for the fulfilment of its objectives, but negotiations have been complicated by the impact of the coronavirus epidemic on the operations of both the site developer and the Council and at the date of this report negotiations are still ongoing .The charity has therefore signed an agreement with another charity, London Sports Trust (LST), to occupy an office at the Canalside Activity Centre, Canal Close, W10 5AY until permanent premises can be found.
Related Parties
The charity undertakes school project work in partnership with Hammersmith Community Gardens Association, a registered charity (number 1111999), registered office 1 Melina Road, London W12 9HY. The staff director of Urbanwise.London Limited, Moya O’Hara, is a trustee of Hammersmith Community Gardens Association and Cathryn Maund, a trustee of Urbanwise.London Limited, is the salaried Manager of Hammersmith Community Gardens Association. During the year the charity invoiced Hammersmith Community Gardens Association for two transactions totalling £960. (2020: no transactions between the charity and Hammersmith Community Gardens Association during the year).
Financial Review
Charitable income rose by £3,705 or 3% on the previous year to £111,370. Some work on major projects, for which funding had been deferred from the previous year, was completed but the continued limitation on activities due to the Coronavirus pandemic means that funding amounting to £58,186 has been deferred from this year to the next accounting period. All funding and other income was for specified projects or in accordance with service level agreements. The key funder was the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, which provided funding for children’s services accounting for £11,612 or 10% of total incoming resources (2020: £11,612, 9% of total incoming resources) and £5,410 fees for project work, included in total project related fees of £99,300 (2020: £33,560 fees for project work, included in total project related fees of £89,375). Interest earned on the bank deposit account was negligible.
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87% of the charity’s expenditure (£95,112) was on payroll costs and freelance staff (2020: 87%, £94,656), with premises costs (£758) and project expenses (£5,509) accounting for a further 0.7% and 5% respectively (2020: premises costs £1,270 and project expenses £4,496, 1% and 4% respectively of total expenses). There was a small surplus for the year of £1,724 on unrestricted funds, while there was no movement on the restricted fund (2020: net deficit on unrestricted fund £472 and no movement on the restricted fund). The balance on restricted funds carried forward is £22,352 and the unrestricted fund stands at £54,869.
Members of the Board of Trustees
(being directors for the purposes of the Companies Act)
The directors who served during the year were as follows:
Hilda McCafferty (Chair)
Cathryn Maund (Vice-chair) Mary-Louise Wedderburn (Treasurer) Chloe Kenny
Mike Lachowicz
Alex Morgan
Volunteers
There were 4 volunteers throughout the year, including one student from Kings College London.
Fundraising
Urbanwise.London does not fundraise from individuals. All funding is sought from organisations.
Plans for the Future
The trustees and staff director are working to generate income from multiple sources to ensure that the charity can continue to meet its objectives. The effects of the pandemic and uncertainty over the timing and circumstances of a move to the Jetty make planning and fundraising difficult, but the trustees and staff are working together to ensure that the charity remains adaptable and efficient in order to enable it to meet its objective of advancing environmental education through the provision of a Centre. Despite all the difficulties, the trustees are confident that the charity has a secure basis on which to fundraise and plan for the future.
Andrew Pendleton (Retired 22.10.20) Jordana Smith (Appointed 22.10.20)
Mike Lachowicz and Hilda McCafferty are also retiring, and being eligible, offer themselves for reappointment. Alex Morgan retires at the next Annual General Meeting and will not be seeking reappointment.
Trustees’ Responsibilities in Relation to the Financial statements
The charity trustees (who are also the directors of Urbanwise.London Limited for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing a trustees’ annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the charity trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the company for that period. In preparing the financial statements,
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Our Work in Numbers
4,049 learning experiences, working with children, young people and adults over a
range of sixteen different projects.
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Director’s Report
Earls Court
Annual Projects
Active Local Learning
Children and young people in Hammersmith and Fulham schools enjoyed learning about the local environment, exploring nature and discovering how to keep fit and healthy. This year due to school closures for part of the academic year, our bookings were lower than usual, however we ran a popular summer playscheme for Hammersmith and Fulham families, in partnership with HCGA, which included nature discovery, games and crafts. We also started a new regular programme of outdoor learning on a regular basis with Ark Bentworth Primary school.
This year we worked with four school groups Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith and Fulham visiting local streets, markets and parks to discover more about their local area. We also made an Earls Court activity guide for local families to use when out and about exploring.
“During a tough year, Year One really enjoyed going out and about exploring with Urbanwise.” Year One Teacher, Fulham Primary School.
Teacher and Adult Training
We delivered training for Newly Qualified Teachers in Local and Outdoor Learning for Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster Children’s Services. We contributed to Hammersmith and Fulham’s series of sustainability events online. We also continued to facilitate the Geography and History Good Practice Network and delivered two talks as part of Roehampton University’s teacher training programme.
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Special Projects
Bazalgette’s London
We progressed with our project marking Sir Joseph Bazalgette’s 200th Anniversary which is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Bazalgette was a truly remarkable Victorian engineer, who is best remembered for creating London’s sewage system, cleaning up the River Thames and improving London’s health. This year we worked with two primary school groups and led a series of history walks with local residents and community groups. There will soon be a film and leaflet to accompany this project.
Mudlarks II & Eco Club
We continued our work in partnership with London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham to deliver the Mudlarks II, focusing on plastic pollution in the River Thames and Grand Union Canal.
We received support from Imperial College to run an eco-club with Miles Coverdale Primary school. This enabled the school to work towards its bronze Eco School Award and contributed to ongoing initiatives to improve sustainability at school.
Urban STEAM
This was a new project for us, supported by John Lyon’s Charity, engaging children and young people in researching an environmental issue, looking for their own solutions and trying out some hands-on activities connected to science,
technology, engineering, art and maths. We worked with Old Oak Primary school on this project throughout the year and offered STEAM activities in our holiday programme.
RBKC Walks
We delivered some walks within Kensington and Chelsea, and when restrictions allowed we created two walks guides for local residents featuring Portobello Road and Grand Union Canal. This project was in partnership with HCGA.
Discover Your Westminster
A new adult education course began in the spring term, connecting Westminster residents with the history and culture of their neighbourhoods and commissioned by Westminster Adult Education Service. The course began as an online offer, although eventually learners were pleased to be able to meet up to explore together. At the end of each course learners delivered a presentation to the whole group about a place or personality that they had researched themselves.
“I have been a resident of Westminster over 60 years and this course taught me stuff I really did not even take notice of before!” Westminster Resident.
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Events
We participated in an online event organised by the London Environmental Education Forum (LEEF) to discuss the challenges faced by the Environmental Education sector during lockdown and school closures.
Young Explorers
We started the delivery of this new project at Little Wormwood Scrubs in collaboration with the Venture Centre and with support from the London Community Foundation.
Moya O’Hara, Director
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ' ' BALANCESHEETASAT31MARCH2021 |
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| Note | 2021 | 2020 | |||||||||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||||||||
| FIXEDASSETS | |||||||||||
| Tangibleassets | 6 | ||||||||||
| I( | |||||||||||
| CURRENTASSETS | |||||||||||
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| 140,417 | 144,357 | ||||||||||
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| due withinoneyear | 8 | (63,196) | (68,860) | ||||||||
| NET CURRENTASSETS | 11.lli. | 75,497 | •f| | ||||||||
| TOTALASSETS | :z:z.m | ||||||||||
| LESSCURRENTLIABILITIES | |||||||||||
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| Unrestrictedfunds | 9,10 | ~ | J! ; | ,·: | |||||||
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