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2022-03-31-accounts

2021/22

The Federation Of Groundwork Trusts

(Operating as Groundwork UK)

Annual Report and Financial Statements

Registered office: Suite B2, The Walker Building, 58 Oxford Street, Birmingham, B5 5NR

The Federation of Groundwork Trusts Operating as Groundwork UK

Charity registration no. 291558 Company registration no. 01900511

CONTENTS

Contents

Page 3 About Groundwork UK
Page 4 Chair’s statement
Page 5 Governance
Page 8 Objectves and public beneft
Page 9 Strategic report
Page 9 Performance overview
Page 17 Sustainable development
Page 18 Equity, diversity and inclusion
Page 20 Plans for the future
Page 22 Financial performance
Page 25 Risks and uncertaintes
Page 27 Trustees’ responsibilites
Page 28 Independent auditor’s report
Page 33 Statement of fnancial actvites
Page 34 Charity balance sheet
Page 35 Cash fow statement
Page 36 Notes forming part of the fnancial statements
Page 55 Advisers
Page 56 The Board of Trustees

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2021/22

ABOUT GROUNDWORK UK

About Groundwork UK

Groundwork is a federation of charities mobilising practical community action on poverty and the environment across the UK.

We’re passionate about creating a future where:

We believe that working with local communities to build their resilience is vital in facing up to the challenges of a globalised economy and a changing climate.

This means creating green jobs that build wealth in local communities, changing behaviour to reduce wasted food, energy and water, providing biodiverse, accessible green spaces, supporting businesses to be more responsible and empowering communities to lead activities that improve their quality of life and promote health and wellbeing.

Groundwork harnesses the passion, skills and experience of more than 1,200 employees and around 100 volunteer trustees across the UK. In 2021/22, the Groundwork federation delivered projects and programmes to a value of some £90 million involving and benefiting more than 900,000 people.

Groundwork UK is the central body of Groundwork, responsible for the brand, systems and agreements that hold the federation together. We add value to Groundwork’s local activities by building the organisation’s profile, developing strategic relationships with partners, funders and commissioners, managing programmes and contracts delivered by Groundwork Trusts and others and furthering Groundwork’s mission by distributing grants to local communities on behalf of public bodies and private businesses. We act as Groundwork’s national voice in the outside world and help all parts of Groundwork gain the benefits of being in a federation by providing opportunities to collaborate, share ideas and capacity and learn from good practice.

Groundwork UK is registered as a company and charity under the name The Federation of Groundwork Trusts, denoting its status as the membership body for Groundwork Trusts. This report outlines the activity, priorities and financial position of Groundwork UK and how it contributes to Groundwork’s collective achievements and impact, more details of which can be found here: Our impact - Groundwork.

CHAIR’S STATEMENT

Chair’s Statement

Groundwork grew from a time of social and economic crisis in the late 1970s and early 1980s. As we mark 40 years of operations, I’ve been proud to see how our entire federation has stepped up to support communities through current times of crisis.

In many communities across the country we have been a point of stability helping people through – and gradually recover from – the Covid pandemic. We have helped people stay connected and active through our community hubs, supported young people to get back on their feet and into work, helped those who are isolated regain their confidence and distributed thousands of emergency grants to community organisations doing vital work in their local areas.

We are now doing all we can to support families and communities struggling with rising bills and making desperate decisions about eating or heating. We have seen a huge increase in the number of visits and calls to vulnerable people made by our Green Doctors – helping people with their household bills and connecting them with other forms of support. Our youth and community workers are providing activities to address ‘holiday hunger’ and our allotments and community gardens are helping people keep well and supplement their shopping with fresh food.

Underlying all of this is the need to continue addressing the climate and nature emergencies. Groundwork Trusts are at the forefront of work to connect people with the environment on their doorstep, to build a more circular economy, deliver green skills and jobs and ensure our communities are more resilient in the face of extreme weather events.

Throughout the last year we have continued to strengthen our financial position and maximise the benefits of collaboration across our federation. We have also made important strides in ensuring we are operating fully in line with our values – agreeing clear targets and actions aimed at reducing our own carbon footprint and ensuring we are promoting equity, diversity and inclusion in what we do and the way we work.

Groundwork’s value rests in its approach and its people. That approach – finding joined-up solutions to social, environmental and economic issues impacting our communities – has never been more important if we’re going to play our part in addressing increased hardship and chart a ‘just transition’ to net zero. To do that well we need to support our people through what will be a challenging period for many in society and ensure they have the direction, resources and freedom to develop creative responses to the needs of those we exist to serve.

I know all my fellow trustees and executive leaders across our network are committed to this task, and that Groundwork UK will continue providing the support and leadership required for Groundwork to be more than the sum of its parts.

Graham Hartley, Chair - 20 September 2022

GOVERNANCE

Governance

How we are organised and governed

Groundwork UK is the operating name of The Federation of Groundwork Trusts, a charity and a company limited by guarantee. The governing documents are its Memorandum and Articles of Association, which were last amended by written resolution on 6 December 2018.

Membership of Groundwork UK comprises Groundwork Trusts. Groundwork Trusts are registered charities and companies limited by guarantee with similar objects to Groundwork UK but delivering in local areas across the UK. A membership agreement sets out our internal roles, relationships and behaviours and the whole of Groundwork operates to a collectively agreed federation strategy, which is overseen by our Board of Trustees.

The Board of Trustees comprises the trustees of Groundwork UK in accordance with the Charities Act 2011, who are also the directors of the company in accordance with the Companies Act 2006. The majority of our trustees are appointed from the boards of our member Groundwork Trusts. A number of independent trustees, including our Chair, are co-opted by the Board on account of their skills, experience or networks.

Our trustees are responsible for ensuring Groundwork UK is managed effectively and efficiently with appropriate systems, processes and policies governing our fundraising and financial management, our assets and investments and our responsibilities to our staff, volunteers and beneficiaries. Trustees pay particular attention to our responsibilities in respect of health and safety, safeguarding, data protection and information security, and we also have trustee champions overseeing our work to reduce our carbon footprint and promote equity, diversity and inclusion across our organisation.

The work of the Board is supported by four sub-committees:

Groundwork UK Committee - overseeing the development and management of our programmes and services, ensuring risks are managed and supporting the operational and financial performance of our organisation.

Groundwork UK Audit Committee – overseeing our audit process and reviewing our Annual Report and Financial Statements independently of the Groundwork UK Committee.

Federation Executive Team – executives from each Groundwork Trust supporting the Board with the formulation of strategy and policy for the whole of Groundwork.

Chairs’ Committee – comprising the Chairs of the three committees above and assisting with appointments to the Board, selection of the Federation Chair and appointment of senior staff at Groundwork UK.

GOVERNANCE

As a charity supporting young people to play an active role in their communities, we want to ensure that our strategic decision-making and operational plans are informed by the views of young people. Our Youth Advisory Board acts as a sounding board for our internal teams and provides a platform for building and supporting a wider network of young people to improve their own lives and neighbourhoods. We also seek regular feedback from community groups we support through our grant programmes, and from other partners and stakeholders to ensure our plans respond to the needs of those they’re designed to benefit.

Groundwork UK’s Management Team is led by the Chief Executive and includes senior staff members responsible for financial management and corporate services, fundraising, communications and programme delivery. This team operates through delegated powers outlined in our financial regulations and provides regular reports on financial and operational performance and risk management.

Relationships within Groundwork

Groundwork is a federation of independent charities, each working under a common brand to a common strategy. This strategy sets the direction, milestones and targets, which underpin operational decision-making across all parts of Groundwork. Within this strategic framework Groundwork Trusts make their own decisions about the project work they develop and deliver.

Groundwork UK delivers services and activities to support Groundwork Trusts and the delivery of Groundwork’s mission and strategy. Groundwork UK is held to account for its performance by its members. Each Groundwork Trust signs a membership agreement, which sets out the commitments made by all parts of Groundwork in relation to quality, governance and ways of working and defines the functions Groundwork UK will deliver on behalf of the federation.

The appointed trustees of Groundwork UK are also trustees of Groundwork Trusts but are not considered to be related parties under the definition of the SORP and transactions between Groundwork UK and Groundwork Trusts do not require separate disclosure. Groundwork UK has considered the other disclosure requirements of the SORP and believes that there are no other related party transactions except for those between itself and its wholly owned subsidiary companies, as listed on page 56 .

GOVERNANCE

Our commitments

The Board is committed to the principles of good governance set out in the Charity Commission Governance Code and all boards within Groundwork regularly review their performance against this standard.

Our federation strategy sets out the principles which underpin all of our work.

The Groundwork UK staff team has agreed a set of values to inform the way we work and behave. We will be environmentally aware and focused on communities in need. We will be collaborative, show integrity and strive for quality in everything we do.

Our decisions, actions and operations are guided by our sustainable development policy, which sets out how we will contribute to creating a strong and just society living within environmental limits, and how we will work towards ‘net zero’ carbon emissions.

As a charity dedicated to supporting people who may be vulnerable we are committed to ensuring our operations are delivered safely and that our staff, volunteers and service users are able to speak freely about any concerns they have. We have a Groundwork-wide commitment to effective safeguarding – including e-safety - and comprehensive complaints and whistleblowing procedures.

Our work is designed to address the needs of all sections of the community and we provide equal access to our services regardless of people’s backgrounds, circumstances or characteristics. We monitor levels of diversity within our staff team to ensure it reflects the communities of which we are a part and regularly gather feedback from colleagues about our culture, recruitment processes and employment practices to ensure they are inclusive.

Groundwork UK is registered with the Fundraising Regulator and complies with all relevant codes of practice. All of our fundraising is managed internally and we do not employ commercial participators or professional third-party fundraisers.

More information about our approach and commitments can be found here - Our approach and commitments - Groundwork

OBJECTIVES AND PUBLIC BENEFIT

Objectives and Public Benefit

Groundwork UK’s charitable objectives are set down in its Memorandum of Association and date from the interpretation of charitable activities when they were drafted in 1985, as amended at annual general meetings and by written resolution. They commit Groundwork UK to delivering and promoting regeneration and sustainable development as follows.

Groundwork UK’s trustees have referred to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the organisation’s objectives and planning future activities. In particular, the trustees consider how planned activities will contribute to the charitable objectives set out above. Further details about the impact of Groundwork UK’s activities during 2021/22 can be found on the following pages.

STRATEGIC REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2022

Strategic Report for the Year Ended 31st March 2022

The Board of Trustees presents its report for the year ended 31 March 2022. This includes:

Page 3 An introduction to our organisation Page 5-8 Our governance and objectives Page 9-27 Our financial and operational review for the year Page 20 Our plans for the future

Page 55-57 Details of our trustees, senior staff and advisers

1. Performance overview

The current Groundwork federation strategy was agreed by our Board of Trustees in June 2020, having been developed with input from employees, partners and other stakeholders over the previous six months. The strategy acts as the foundation for all planning in Groundwork, setting out targets and priority actions agreed by the whole federation.

When the strategy was agreed it was acknowledged that the course of the pandemic (which was then in its first phase) was difficult to predict and might present barriers to delivering all the activities planned or necessitate an early revision. However, a review in summer 2021 concluded that the core elements of the strategy remained relevant to the unfolding political, social and funding context and that Groundwork should continue to monitor progress towards the objectives originally set.

The strategy re-stated Groundwork’s mission with a commitment to ‘mobilise practical community action on poverty and the environment’. It placed a sharper focus on activity to address climate change – a strong driver for our staff and partners - and the work we do to tackle inequality on the basis of our conviction that ‘no-one should be held back by their background or circumstances’.

It became clear during the first year of the strategy that Covid both highlighted and exacerbated social and health inequalities, exposing the fragility of many people’s employment conditions (especially young people) and the vastly differing ability of people to cope with the experience of lockdown, whether in relation to the costs of being at home, the isolating effect of digital exclusion or the inability to access open spaces to support physical health and mental wellbeing.

STRATEGIC REPORT

Once the initial emergency had abated, governments and local authorities began to focus on the need and opportunity to deliver a ‘green recovery’, re-setting the economy and regenerating communities so that we lock in some of the sustainability upsides the pandemic brought while also creating new economic opportunities that take us towards our targets for net zero. Long in the planning, the UK Government launched its Levelling Up white paper, a framework for reducing inequality within and between local areas, with new funds available to compensate for the loss of EU income post Brexit.

Despite these good intentions the strategy is now being delivered against a backdrop of more crisis management, this time prompted by price rises (in particular energy) and the global impacts of Russia’s war in Ukraine. This makes the work Groundwork does to alleviate poverty (fuel poverty, food poverty, worklessness) all the more important and creates a platform for demonstrating how a ‘just transition’ to a low carbon society can improve living standards as well as protect the environment.

Across Groundwork we have seen innovative responses to these challenges and opportunities.

Financially we have navigated the pandemic successfully, accessing emergency support funds when needed, and in most parts of the federation we have secured major new programmes of work. Collective turnover is back to pre-pandemic levels (c. £90 million) and the last year has seen an uplift in financial performance for the majority of Trusts, helping to strengthen reserves.

STRATEGIC REPORT

Impact

The past year has seen strong performance across all three of our strategic priority areas:

In developing our federation strategy we set ourselves a number of collective three-year delivery targets. Performance against those targets is set out below.

----- Start of picture text -----
Target Progress
By 2023 we will have: Years 1 and 2
----- End of picture text -----

Target
By 2023 we will have:
Progress
Years 1 and 2
Mobilised 75,000 days of voluntary action 58,160 volunteer days
Improved the wellbeing of 50,000 people 17,968 young people experiencing a positive
personal outcome
103,065 people supported to adopt greener
behaviours
Helped 20,000 people improve their life
chances by accessing learning and work
10,388 people supported into education,
training or work

A review of our federation performance measures at the end of the year highlights a number of trends as follows.

STRATEGIC REPORT

  1. Youth and employment-related outcomes are up across the board reflecting the priority given to this area of work by funders in the wake of the pandemic and the delivery of large programmes in some parts of our federation.

  2. 50% more land has been improved than forecast (7.3 million m2) but spread across a lower than anticipated number of public spaces, reflecting the development of larger-scale land management programmes (e.g. managing country parks on behalf of the Land Trust).

  3. The number of community groups supported continues to rise (7,000), and is well above target for a second year running (by a factor of 33%), demonstrating the continued growth of our community development and grant programmes.

STRATEGIC REPORT

Building a Better Groundwork

Our strategy contains a number of actions designed to strengthen our organisational resilience and grow our collective impact. A summary of progress against these actions is provided below.

Action Progress Improve our communications and fundraising capabilities and drive innovation in income generation to diversify our range of revenue sources

We have made strong progress in communications with an active network of specialists developing coordinated campaigns and testing new approaches to service marketing. We are investing in new forms of income generation, including corporate fundraising, retail ventures and other enterprises.

Develop new business models to enable our specialist teams to offer commercial services across larger areas of the country

Specialist groups are active in all areas of service delivery with significant collaborative work on delivery models and marketing in respect of Green Doctor and Sustainable Business Services.

Improve our ability to capture data that demonstrates the impact of our work and helps us prioritise the actions that contribute most to achieving our mission

A project has been agreed to develop a new impact framework for the federation ready for 2023/24 with a dedicated Federation Impact Coordinator recruited to lead delivery.

Embed a new set of quality standards and harmonised systems to ensure that all parts of Groundwork are operating efficiently and effectively

We continue to develop the Groundwork Quality Standards with annual self-assessment to review compliance and identify support needs. New standards have been agreed in relation to reporting progress on EDI actions and the impact of our carbon reduction plans. Alongside this we are developing a more integrated ICT strategy to support a switch to the Microsoft 365 cloud.

Undertake governance reviews across our federation to improve practice in line with the Charity Commission’s governance code

Reviews have been undertaken in all Trusts with resulting actions being progressed and governance a major focus of our federation EDI plan (see below).

STRATEGIC REPORT

Drive a federation-wide initiative to improve the way we promote equity, diversity and inclusion

A federation commitment and action plan have been agreed, with reporting built into our Quality Standards. A federation-wide survey generated consistent baseline data and EDI groups are active in a number of Trusts. Increased diversity is evident on the majority of boards across Groundwork.

Seek opportunities to consolidate structures and share services so that all parts of the country are served by a strong and high-performing Groundwork organisation

Mergers have been completed in Greater Manchester and Yorkshire and there is strong, ongoing collaboration in the North of England. This complements the integrated management of Groundwork delivery across London and South with increasing levels of collaborative activity between Trusts in the Midlands and East and in Wales and NI.

Groundwork UK

In common with other parts of the federation, Groundwork UK has weathered the impact of the pandemic and enjoyed another successful year of operational and financial performance.

STRATEGIC REPORT

  1. Our communications work is achieving excellent results in terms of audience development and we have tested a range of ways to broaden engagement through our social media channels including the creation of original video content, LinkedIn live events and youth ‘takeovers’. We are putting the systems in place to capitalise on this increased visibility in terms of new relationships and income.

  2. We are experiencing a growing demand from our federation for Groundwork UK to drive activity around networking, collaboration and quality and we are increasingly drawing on this to generate good practice reports for sharing with policymakers.

  3. Having achieved financial surpluses in previous years our reserves policy has been met and our balance sheet is strong, giving us a platform for investing in new ways of working. Strengthening our fundraising capacity is a priority.

  4. Our staff team is engaged and committed – and keen to go further in ensuring that we are demonstrably living up to our values in the way the organisation is run and resourced.

Performance against each of the business plan KPIs to the end of March 2022 is given below.

----- Start of picture text -----
Indicator Target Performance
Visibility and credibility
1 - Positive media coverage in broadcast 10 pieces of coverage 41 in all media
and consumer press
2 - Social media followers actively engaging 120,000 new positive 306,000
with content engagements
3 - Policy and public affairs 10 projects completed 14 completed
Grant management
4 - Grant programme performance 90% of indicators on track 89% on track
5 - Applicant/grantee satisfaction 90% (very)/satisfied 92.5%
6 - Level of core costs funded by grant pro- 65% of core costs 89%
grammes
Local delivery
8 - Funds distributed to Groundwork Trusts At least £2 million £3.8 million
to support local delivery
9 - Delivery programme performance 75% of indicators on track 93% on track
----- End of picture text -----

STRATEGIC REPORT

Areas for improvement or further development identified by the team during the year include the following:

In addressing these priorities, we continue to ensure we are meeting the business management standards agreed by the federation and acting in a way which is consistent with the terms of the Groundwork Membership Agreement, which prioritises good governance, consistent quality, collaboration and inclusion.

STRATEGIC REPORT

2. Sustainable Development Report

Supporting practical environmental action is core to our mission as a charity, and our strategy commits us to act as ‘environmental exemplars’. We continue to focus on three priorities:

Our staff-led ‘Sustainable Living under Groundwork’ team continue to deliver awareness-raising campaigns to promote behaviour change – from providing meat-free meal advice to measuring plastic waste generated in the workplace. We have also trained our first cohort of staff in carbon literacy with the intention of rolling this out to all colleagues over the coming months. In common with the rest of the Groundwork federation we have now established a baseline carbon footprint for our operations of 70.6 tonnes of CO2 equivalent. Our action plan to reduce this focuses on maintaining low levels of transport-related emissions by making best use of technology and promoting sustainable travel and supporting staff to embed sustainability in new hybrid working arrangements.

We recognise that, as a small staff team, the greatest contribution we can make to sustainable development is through the programmes we develop and deliver. During the year we have completed delivery of our Natural Neighbourhoods programme, which has delivered enhancements to 105 green spaces including planting nearly 40,000 trees and shrubs. We also completed our Energising Communities programme through which Groundwork’s Green Doctors installed 3,751 energy-saving measures in people’s home including LED lightbulbs, radiator panels and draughtproofing strips. These programmes contributed to the Groundwork federation identifying more than 6 million kg of CO2 equivalent that could be saved by domestic households and improving more than 7 million square metres of green space.

STRATEGIC REPORT

3. Equity, diversity and inclusion

As a federation, Groundwork has committed to ensuring it embeds good practice in relation to equity, diversity and inclusion in the way it manages its people and delivers its projects, programmes and services. To advance these discussions within Groundwork UK we have brought together an EDI working group to develop an action plan and lead wider colleague engagement and sought external support from the consultancy Mission Diverse.

Our plan focuses on five themes: culture and communication; recruitment of staff, volunteers and beneficiaries; policy and standards; training and awareness; celebrating diversity. Actions progressed during the year include creating a style and language guide and ensuring EDI considerations are built into our employee handbook. We have delivered training programmes on unconscious bias and deaf awareness and initiated conversations to ensure we are operating as inclusively as possible in the management of our grants programmes and developing a stronger rationale for the way we comment publicly on equalities-related issues. We have committed to participating in the RACE Report and will measure the racial diversity of our staff team on an annual basis.

In common with Trusts across the federation we undertook two surveys during 2021/22 intended to capture data about the diversity of our staff team and to generate views and feedback about the degree to which they view Groundwork UK as an inclusive employer.

This showed that:

STRATEGIC REPORT

Groundwork UK’s gender pay gap stands at 19% (2021: 24%). With the highest earner removed the pay gap is 9%. We continue to address this by providing flexible working arrangements and prioritising internal development opportunities. 42% of all posts recruited over the last three years were filled by an internal candidate progressing into a higher paid role.

Analysis of all recruitment exercises undertaken in the last three years shows that:

This gives us confidence that recruitment processes are fair.

STRATEGIC REPORT

4. Our plans for the future

Groundwork’s collective delivery goals are that by 2023 we will have:

In order to deliver these goals, we will continue improving our own capability and resilience to ensure we are putting maximum resource into our delivery capacity and investing in the right skills to improve the quality of our services and management.

Our aims in this respect are to ensure we have:

Groundwork UK’s business plan sets out what we will do over the next year to help the federation work towards these strategic goals and aims.

In 2022/23 we will focus on the following objectives.

STRATEGIC REPORT

Groundwork UK has a responsibility to lead political influencing and public positioning work on behalf of the federation. We will continue to do this through a programme of policy-focused communications campaigns. These will use the 40th anniversary of Groundwork’s establishment as a backdrop and focus on a series of connected themes including supporting children and young people, creating green jobs, protecting green infrastructure, promoting community action and improving health and wellbeing.

STRATEGIC REPORT

5. Financial performance

Our long-term financial strategy has three clear and linked strands as follows:

Net incoming resources for 2021/22 totalled £22 million (2021: £24 million). Our organisational turnover is heavily dependent on the volume of grants we distribute, which fluctuates from year to year, and is not considered to be the determining factor in our assessment of financial health. Our underlying trading performance resulted in an unrestricted surplus of £355k (2021: £387k), compared to a budget of break even. The surplus includes an increase in the value of our investments of £57k (2021: £181k) which is what we had budgeted for. Cost savings related to reduced travel and office overheads have continued post-pandemic as more meetings are held online and we have adopted a hybrid home/office working arrangement for all staff.

This positive outcome has further strengthened our balance sheet and we have now met our longterm target for holding reserves.

In addition to this income, we received funds and distributed grants totalling c. £12 million, funds for which we are responsible but which are not included in our stated turnover.

Reserves

In line with our financial strategy, our trustees have agreed that we should aim to hold 12 months operating costs (c£2.4 million) in liquid reserves. We believe this is appropriate for the following reasons:

STRATEGIC REPORT

Our reserves policy recognises the need to operate as a responsible charity, maintaining trust with our partners and the public by not generating surpluses for which there is no future requirement or that are used for purposes which are not directly connected to our charitable aims.

Our level of free liquid reserves at the end of 2021/22 is £2.7 million.

Restricted funds - advance payments from funders pending completion of project work by Groundwork Trusts and other delivery partners – stand at £2.1 million (2021: £3.1 million). These restricted funds can only be used in accordance with agreements reached with funders and do not form part of the general reserves that are under the control of the trustees. These funds will all be distributed during 2022/23. Movements in restricted funds reflect the long-term nature of Groundwork UK’s programme activity and this in no way reflects on the organisation’s financial efficiency or performance.

Investments

The majority of the funds obtained by Groundwork UK are for the delivery of specified projects and are therefore restricted. These funds are mainly distributed to Groundwork Trusts and other delivery partners operating under contract or to third party organisations in the form of grants to support local community projects. Any funds that are built up in advance of expenditure are kept as liquid as possible, whilst making every effort to maximise investment returns.

Cash that is unrestricted in nature and is not required in the short term (regarded as six months) is considered for long-term investment. Since 2010 we have invested these funds in a managed fund arrangement with a current target to deliver an annual return of between 3% and 4% above the Consumer Prices Index. In the last year, our investments made a surplus of £57k, which, together with dividend income of £46k, achieved our budgeted expectation. All of these funds can be converted into cash without notice or penalty, should there be an immediate need for liquid funds.

Grant making policy

Groundwork UK delivers its mission primarily by distributing funds to Groundwork Trusts, other delivery partners and to community groups. These funds are considered to be performance-related grants and are recognised in these financial statements to the extent that the projects which they are funding have been completed. All grant programmes have specific guidelines, criteria and priorities with a formal process of approval.

STRATEGIC REPORT

Principal funding sources

Our major sources of funding during the last year are set out below.

Expenditure on charitable objectives

Our expenditure in the year was directed towards the following charitable activities.

STRATEGIC REPORT

6. Risks and uncertainties

Our trustees understand their responsibilities for ensuring that the major risks to which the charity is exposed are identified and reviewed, and that there are systems in place to mitigate them.

Trustees regularly review our risk management process and receive quarterly updates on actions put in place to mitigate the most significant ongoing risks. Risks are identified by our staff teams and reviewed on a regular basis by our management team. All of Groundwork UK’s major programmes are managed on a risk basis with individual risk registers used both as management and reporting tools. We have a comprehensive business continuity plan in place which is designed to ensure our operations can continue safely in the event of a crisis or disaster situation. This was fully tested by the Covid pandemic.

Our ability to deliver our mission continues to be heavily influenced by the policies and priorities of national and local government and by the investment decisions of businesses, which in turn are driven by regulation and the wider public policy backdrop.

There are likely to be a number of underlying themes or long-term trends that will influence the policy and funding environment within which Groundwork UK is operating.

STRATEGIC REPORT

The major areas of potential risk, for which we have active mitigation strategies in place, are as follows:

Financial instruments

Groundwork UK’s financial risk management objective is broadly to seek to make neither profit nor loss from exposure to currency or interest rate risks. Our policy is to finance fixed assets and working capital through retained reserves.

STRATEGIC REPORT

7. Statement of trustees’ responsibilities

Our trustees are responsible for preparing Groundwork UK’s Annual Report and Financial Statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law the trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure of the charity for that period.

In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

Our trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charity’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and taking reasonable steps to prevent and detect fraud and other irregularities.

These financial statements are published on our website in accordance with UK legislation governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements. The maintenance and integrity of the website is the responsibility of the trustees. The trustees’ responsibility also extends to the ongoing integrity of the financial statements published.

Events after the year end

There have been no material events after the year end to report.

Disclosure of information by the trustees to the auditor

Each of the trustees has confirmed that, so far as they are aware, there is no relevant audit information of which Groundwork UK’s auditor is unaware, and that they have taken all the steps that they ought to have taken as a trustee in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that Groundwork UK’s auditor is aware of that information.

Signed on behalf of the Board of Trustees Graham Hartley, Chair 20 September 2022

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT

Independent Auditor’s Report to the Members of The Federation of Groundwork Trusts (Operating as Groundwork UK)

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of The Federation of Groundwork Trusts for the year ended 31 March 2022, which comprise statement of financial activities, balance sheet, statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In light of the knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the strategic report or the directors’ report included within the trustees’ report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement set out on page 27 , the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists.

Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Details of the extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations are set out below.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT

Extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We identified and assessed the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements from irregularities, whether due to fraud or error, and discussed these between our audit team members. We then designed and performed audit procedures responsive to those risks, including obtaining audit evidence sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. forms part of our auditor’s report.

We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks within which the charitable company and group operates, focusing on those laws and regulations that have a direct effect on the determination of material amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The laws and regulations we considered in this context were the Companies Act 2006, the Charities Act 2011 together with the Charities SORP (FRS 102). We assessed the required compliance with these laws and regulations as part of our audit procedures on the related financial statement items.

In addition, we considered provisions of other laws and regulations that do not have a direct effect on the financial statements but compliance with which might be fundamental to the charitable company’s and the group’s ability to operate or to avoid a material penalty. We also considered the opportunities and incentives that may exist within the charitable company and the group for fraud. The laws and regulations we considered in this context for the UK operations were General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Health and Safety and Employment legislation.

Auditing standards limit the required audit procedures to identify non-compliance with these laws and regulations to enquiry of the Trustees and other management and inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any.

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT

We identified the greatest risk of material impact on the financial statements from irregularities, including fraud, to be within the timing of recognition of grant and contract income and the override of controls by management. Our audit procedures to respond to these risks included enquiries of management and the Audit Committee about their own identification and assessment of the risks of irregularities, sample testing on the posting of journals, designing procedures over income, reviewing accounting estimates for biases, designing audit procedures over income, reviewing regulatory correspondence with the Charity Commission and reading minutes of meetings of those charged with governance.

Owing to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable risk that we may not have detected some material misstatements in the financial statements, even though we have properly planned and performed our audit in accordance with auditing standards. For example, the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations (irregularities) is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely the inherently limited procedures required by auditing standards would identify it. In addition, as with any audit, there remained a higher risk of non-detection of irregularities, as these may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal controls. We are not responsible for preventing non-compliance and cannot be expected to detect non-compliance with all laws and regulations.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Helen Drew (Senior Statutory Auditor) For and on behalf of Crowe U.K. LLP Statutory Auditor Black Country House Rounds Green Road Oldbury West Midlands B69 2DG

Date: 22 December 2022

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

Statement of Financial Activities

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

INCOME FROM
Donations and legacies
Charitable activities
Other trading activities
Investments
Total
EXPENDITURE ON
Raising funds
Charitable activities
Total
Net gains on investment
Net income
Transfers between funds
Net movement in funds
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Fund balances brought forward
Fund balances carried forward
Note
2
3
2
2
4
5
11
16
16
General
£
191,499
2,990,157
135,000
46,083
3,362,739
26,071
2,979,820
3,005,891
57,492
414,340
(59,460)
354,880
2,059,098
2,413,978
Designated
£






120,771
120,771

(120,771)
59,460
(61,311)
354,789
293,478
2022
Unrestricted
funds
£
16,293
18,294,522


18,310,815
159,512
18,360,578
18,520,090

(209,275)

(209,275)
3,110,290
2,901,015
2022
Restricted
funds
£
207,792
21,284,679
135,000
46,083
21,673,554
185,583
21,461,169
21,646,752
57,492
84,294

84,294
5,524,177
5,608,471
2022
Total
£
19,335
24,199,790
106,742
30,289
2021
Total
24,356,156
134,345
22,297,975
22,432,320
180,946
2,104,782
2,104,782
3,419,395
5,524,177

Incoming resources and resources expended derive from continuing operations. The company has no other recognised gains or losses other than those passing through the statement of financial activities. The notes pages 36 to 54 form part of these financial statements.

CHARITY BALANCE SHEET

Charity Balance Sheet

AT 31 MARCH 2022

AT 31 MARCH 2022
Company registraton number
01900511 Note 2022 2021
£ £ £ £
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible assets 9 37,629 60,275
Investments 11 2,113,044 1,545,552
Investments in subsidiaries 10 3 3
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors
12 13,373,960 2,150,676 11,650,081 1,605,830
Cash at bank 8,827,189 8,405,251
22,201,149 20,055,332
Creditors:amounts falling due within one year 13 (18,733,354) (16,136,985)
Net Current Assets 3,467,795 3,918,347
Total assets less current liabilites 5,618,471 5,524,177
Creditors:amounts falling due after one year 18 (10,000)
NET ASSETS 5,608,471 5,524,177
RESERVES
Unrestricted - General 16 2,413,978 2,059,098
Designated 16 293,478 354,789
Restricted 16 2,901,015 3,110,290
5,608,471 5,524,177

These finance statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 20 September 2022 and signed on its behalf by:

Graham Hartley, Chair

The notes on pages 36 to 54 form part of these financial statements.

20 September 2022

CASH FLOW STATEMENT

Cash Flow Statement

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022
Note 2021/22 2020/21
£ £
CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net cash provided by operating activities 21 885,855 1,622,445
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Dividends, interest and rents from investments 46,083 30,289
Purchase of property, plant and equipment (59,051)
Purchase of investments (510,000) (490,000)
Disposal of property 2,220,000
NET CASH PROVIDED BY INVESTMENT ACTIVITIES 421,938 3,323,683
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Repayments of borrowing (323,821)
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the reporting period 421,938 2,999,862
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the 8,405,251 5,405,389
reportng period
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the reportng 8,827,189 8,405,251
period
Movement in Net Debt
1 April 2021 Cash fows At 31 March 2022
At £ £ £
Cash at bank and in hand 8,405,251 421,938 8,827,189
Debt due within 1 year
Debt due over 1 year
8,405,251 421,938 8,827,189

The notes on pages 36 to 54 form part of these financial statements.

NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Notes forming part of the financial statements

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

1. Accounting policies

The following accounting policies have been applied consistently in dealing with items, which are considered material in relation to the financial statements.

a) Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and comply with the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with applicable Accounting Standards and comply with the requirements of the Statement of Recommended Practice, “Charities SORP (FRS 102)”.

The trustees and senior management consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern.

The results of acquisitions are accounted for from the relevant date of acquisition under the acquisition method of accounting.

Accounting policies are supplemented by estimation techniques where judgement is required in measuring the value of income and expenditure and of assets and liabilities.

b) Grants and other income

Revenue and capital-based grants are credited to the statement of financial activities in the year in which they are received or become receivable under the terms of a grant agreement.

Where grants are considered to be performance related, income is recognised to the extent that the services outlined in the funding agreement had been performed by the year end. Where income has been received but the related services had not been performed by the year-end, the balance is carried forward as deferred income.

Donations are accounted for on a cash received basis. Rental income is recognised in the period to which it relates.

Incoming resources have been allocated between the key strategic areas of activity on a basis consistent with the allocation of expenditure (note 1(d)).

NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

c) Grants payable

Grants offered to Groundwork Trusts and other organisations are typically paid in stages, with stage payments dependent upon the submission of claims detailing the work that has been completed. Claims which fall due within the year, which relate to work completed before the year-end, have been accrued for if they had not been paid during the year.

d) Expenditure

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been listed under headings that aggregate all the costs related to that activity. Where costs cannot be directly allocated, they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Costs of raising funds relate to the cost of external promotion and publicity to raise the profile of the charity and its objectives and costs associated with bids for funding.

Direct costs of charitable activities are those costs, which have been expended on delivery programmes. Support costs have been allocated to the key strategic areas of activity on the basis of the percentage of staff time spent on each of these areas.

e) Funds

Unrestricted funds are those which are available for use at the discretion of the Board of Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. The Board may, at its discretion, set aside unrestricted funds for specific future purposes and these are referred to as designated funds. Where such funds are no longer required for the intended purposes they are released back to general unrestricted reserves.

Restricted funds are those which can only be used for purposes specified by the donor, or which have been raised under the terms of a specific bid. Expenditure under the terms of the grant agreement is shown as restricted expenditure.

f) Depreciation

Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less provision for depreciation. Depreciation is calculated so as to write off the cost less the estimated residual value of tangible fixed assets by equal annual instalments over their estimated useful economic lives as follows:

Leasehold buildings: 50 years Office equipment: 4 years Computer equipment: 3 years

NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

g) Pensions

The company contributes to two defined contribution schemes. Contributions are charged to the statement of financial activities as they become payable.

h) Operating leases

Rentals paid under operating leases are charged to the statement of financial activities on a straightline basis over the life of the asset.

i) Provisions

Provisions for future liabilities are recognised when the charity has a legal or constructive obligation that can be reliably estimated and for which there is an expectation that payment will be made.

j) Fixed asset investments

Investments held are valued at market value. Unrealised gains and losses on the revaluation of investments are recognised in the statement of financial activities.

NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

2. Incoming resources from generated funds

VOLUNTARY INCOME
Donations and gifts
OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES
Membership Fee
INVESTMENT INCOME
Rental income
Dividends
Bank interest

VOLUNTARY INCOME
Donations and gifts
OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES
Rental income
Membership Fee
INVESTMENT INCOME
Rental income
Dividends
Bank interest
£
191,499
191,499
135,000
135,000

45,679
404
46,083
2022
Unrestricted
£
13,890
13,890
4,242
102,500
106,742

26,860
3,429
30,289
2021
Unrestricted
£








2022
Designated
£









2021
Designated
£
16,293
16,293






2022
Restricted
£
5,445
5,445







2021
Restricted
£
207,792
2022
Total
207,792
135,000
135,000

45,679
404
46,083
£
19,335
2021
Total
19,335
4,242
102,500
106,742

26,860
3,429
30,289

NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

3. Incoming resources from charitable activities

Income for project delivery was secured
from the following sources:
Central government
Local authorities
Public agencies
Private sector
National Lottery and charitable foundations
£
296,175
5,503
724,752
1,653,936
309,791
2,990,157
2022
Unrestricted
£






2022
Designated
£
-
202,271
4,141,719
8,625,304
5,325,228
18,294,522
2022
Restricted
£
296,175
207,774
4,866,471
10,279,240
5,635,019
2022
Total
21,284,679
Income was allocated to:
Grant distribution
Programme delivery
Programme management
Federation support
Fundraising and communications
Running Groundwork UK
1,964,381
714,271
180,140
41,557
53,288
36,520
2,990,157






12,018,570
4,370,084
1,102,145
254,257
326,027
223,439
18,294,522
13,982,951
5,084,355
1,282,285
295,814
379,315
259,959
21,284,679

NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Incoming resources from charitable activities (continued)

Income for project delivery was secured
from the following sources:
Central government
Local authorities
Public agencies
Private sector
National Lottery and charitable foundations
£
251,158
234,226
722,964
1,588,439
483,997
3,280,784
2021
Unrestricted
£






2021
Designated
£

3,058,978
4,238,281
8,897,082
4,724,665
20,919,006
2021
Restricted
£
251,158
3,293,204
4,961,245
10,485,521
5,208,662
2021
Total
24,199,790
Income was allocated to:
Programme delivery
Programme management
Federation support
Running Groundwork UK
2,999,237
144,330
44,107
93,110
3,280,784




19,123,798
920,277
281,239
593,692
20,919,006
22,123,035
1,064,607
325,346
686,802
24,199,790

For definitions of the above categories, see section 5.4 of the strategic report

NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

4. Cost of raising funds

Staff costs
Other costs
£
21,739
4,332
26,071
2022
Unrestricted
£



2022
Designated
Staff costs
Other costs
£
17,341
872
18,213
2021
Unrestricted
£



2021
Designated
£
133,007
26,505
159,512
2022
Restricted
£
110,571
5,561
116,132
2021
Restricted
£
154,746
30,837
2022
Total
185,583
£
127,912
6,433
2021
Total
134,345

NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

5. Charitable activities

Expenditure on projects related to the
following actvites:
Community grants
Programme delivery
Programme management
Federation support
Fundraising and communications
Running Groundwork UK
£
1,957,590
711,801
179,518
41,414
53,103
36,394
2,979,820
2022
Unrestricted
Expenditure on projects comprised:
Community grants
Programme delivery
Programme management
Federation support
Fundraising and communications
Running Groundwork UK
£
11,663,112
4,240,836
1,069,548
246,737
316,384
216,831
17,753,448
Grants
payable
£
79,341
28,849
7,276
1,678
2,152
1,475
120,771
2022
Designated
£
1,858,280
675,691
170,411
39,313
50,409
34,548
2,828,652
Other direct
costs of
actvites
£
12,061,965
4,385,864
1,106,124
255,175
327,204
224,246
18,360,578
2022
Restricted
£
577,504
209,987
52,959
12,217
15,666
10,736
879,069
Support
costs
£
14,098,896
5,126,514
1,292,918
298,267
382,459
262,115
2022
Total
21,461,169
£
14,098,896
5,126,514
1,292,918
298,267
382,459
262,115
2022
Total
21,461,169

NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Charitable activities (continued)

Expenditure on projects related to the
following actvites:
Programme delivery
Programme management
Federation support
Running Groundwork UK
Expenditure on projects comprised:
Programme delivery
Programme management
Federation support
Running Groundwork UK
£
2,932,475
141,117
43,126
91,038
3,207,756
2021
Unrestricted
£
17,167,404
826,131
252,468
532,956
18,778,959
Grants
payable
£
165,084
7,944
2,428
5,125
180,581
2021
Designated
£
2,363,451
113,734
34,757
73,373
2,585,315
Other direct
costs of
activities
£
17,286,869
831,880
254,224
536,665
18,909,638
2021
Restricted
£
853,573
41,076
12,553
26,499
933,701
Support
costs
£
20,384,428
980,941
299,778
632,828
2021
Total
22,297,975
£
20,384,428
980,941
299,778
632,828
2021
Total
22,297,975

NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Charitable activities (continued)

Charitable activities (continued)
Analysis of grants
Better places
Improving prospects
Greener behaviours
Analysis of grants
Better places
Improving prospects
Greener behaviours
£
5,167,908
8,063,231
4,522,309
17,753,448
Grants to
insttutons
£




Grants to
individuals
£
255,891
399,254
223,924
879,069
Grant
support
costs
£
8,354,547
5,937,758
4,486,654
18,778,959
Grants to
institutions
£




Grants to
individuals
£
415,393
295,229
223,079
933,701
Grant support
costs
£
5,423,799
8,462,485
4,746,233
2022
Total
18,632,517
£
8,769,940
6,232,987
4,709,733
2021
Total
19,712,660
Support costs are analysed as follows:
Staff costs
Temporary staff and recruitment
Legal and professional
Travel and subsistence
Training and meetings
IT support
Other costs
£
645,372
3,043
27,399
2,723
16,709
109,549
74,274
879,069
2022
£
683,226
6,817
22,949
5,685
9,888
108,857
96,279
2021
933,701

NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

6. Employees

The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:
Programme management
Management and administration
Fundraising and communications
The aggregated cost of these persons was as follows:
Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Pension costs (see note 19)
The emoluments of employees (excluding pension contributons) over
£60,000 per annum are disclosed in £10,000 bands as follows:
£60,000 - £70,000
£80,000 - £90,000
£
37
6
8
51
2022
£
1,527,146
143,675
229,846
1,900,667
2022
£
2
1
2022
£
32
4
7
2021
43
£
1,340,815
131,583
209,023
2021
1,681,421
£
2
1
2021

The key senior management personnel of the charity are the Chief Executive Officer, Director of Finance and Corporate Services, Director of Partnerships and Programmes, Head of Contracts and Communications Manager with a total cost in 2022 of £368,407 (2021: £362,712). Total contributions under defined contribution schemes on behalf of these higher paid employees were £19,799 (2021: £15,961).

NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

7. Transactions with trustees

During the year ended 31 March 2022 no trustee received reimbursed travel and subsistence expenses (2021: one trustee to the value of £206). No trustees received any remuneration during the year.

8. Net incoming resources

8. Net incoming resources
2022 2021
£ £
Net incoming resources for the year is stated afer charging:
Auditor’s remuneration:
Audit – company 14,400 14,000
Depreciation 22,646 7,965

Premiums of £670 (2021: £659) were paid on a professional indemnity policy to protect the charity and trustees from loss arising from the neglect or defaults of trustees.

9. Tangible assets

COST OR VALUATION
At 1 April 2021
At 31 March 2022
DEPRECIATION
At 1 April 2021
Charged for the year
At 31 March 2022
NET BOOK VALUE
At 31 March 2022
At 31 March 2021
£
71,215
71,215
10,940
22,646
33,586
37,629
60,275
Ofce and company
equipment
£
71,215
Total
71,215
10,940
22,646
33,586
37,629
60,275

NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

10. Investments held as fixed assets

Shares in subsidiary undertakings
£
COST
At 1 April 2021 3
Disposals
At 31 March 2022 3
NAME
Groundwork Trade Association Ltd
Groundwork Enterprises Ltd
Groundwork UK Ltd
Dormant
Dormant
Dormant
Nature of business
registraton
£
4,000
25,002
1
2022
SUBSIDIARY UNDERTAKING
Groundwork Trade Association Ltd
Groundwork Enterprises Ltd
Groundwork UK Ltd
England
England
England
Country of
registraton
£
4,000
25,002
1
2021
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Class of
shares held
£
4,000
25,002
1
2022
100%
100%
100%
Proporton
£
4,000
25,002
1
2021

11. Fixed asset investments

COST
At 1 April 2021
Cash Investments
Unrecognised gain on revaluation
At 31 March 2022
£
1,545,552
510,000
57,492
2,113,044

Investments are held in a managed mixed fund, which is designed to deliver a return of between 3% and 4% above the Consumer Price Index, over a rolling three-year period.

NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

12. Debtors

13. Creditors
Grants receivable
Other debtors
Prepayments and accrued income
Grants due and payable
Social security and other taxes
Other creditors
Accruals
Deferred income (note 14)
£
6,098,611
40,000
7,235,349
13,373,960
2022
£
6,605,005
60,633
183,111
11,459,018
425,587
18,733,354
2022
£
5,492,705
-
6,157,376
2021
11,650,081
£
5,032,035
54,927
35,546
10,841,850
172,627
2021
16,136,985

13. Creditors

14. Deferred income

Movements in deferred income during
the year were as follows:
Community projects
£
172,627
172,627
£
172,627
172,627
Amount
released to
incoming
resources
Balance at 1 April
2021
£
68,472
68,472
Balance at
1 April 2020
£
68,472
68,472
Amount released
to incoming
resources
Community projects
£
425,587
425,587
Amount
deferred
in the year
£
425,587
425,587
Balance at
31 March
2022
£
172,627
172,627
Amount
deferred
in the year
£
172.627
172,627
Balance at 31
March 2021
£
425,587
Balance at
31 March
2022
425,587
172,627

NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

15. Analysis of net assets

Tangible fxed assets
Investments
Net current assets
Provision for liabilities
£
37,629
2,113,047
566,781
(10,000)
2,707,457
Unrestricted
funds
Tangible fxed assets
Investments
Net current assets
£
1,605,827
3
808,057
2,413,887
Unrestricted
funds
£
-
-
2,901,014
-
2,901,014
Restricted
funds
£
-
-
3,110,290
3,110,290
Restricted
funds
£
37,629
2,113,047
3,467,795
(10,000)
Total
2022
5,608,471
£
1,605,827
3
3,918,347
Total
2021
5,524,177

16. Statement of funds

16. Statement of funds
UNRESTRICTED FUNDS
At 1 April 2021
Incoming resources
Resources expended
Surplus on investment
Transfers
At 31 March 2022
£
354,789
-
(120,771)
-
59,460
293,478
Designated
fund
£
2,059,098
3,362,739
(3,005,891)
57,492
(59,460)
2,413,978
General
fund
£
2,413,887
3,362,739
(3,126,662)
57,492
-
Total
2,707,456

NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Statement of Funds (continued)

Statement of Funds (continued)
UNRESTRICTED FUNDS
At 1 April 2020
Incoming resources
Resources expended
Property revaluation
Transfers
At 31 March 2021
£
485,370

(180,581)

50,000
354,789
Designated
fund
£
410,000


(410,000)


Revaluation
reserve
£
1,312,416
3,612,651
(3,225,969)
410,000
(50,000)
2,059,098
General
fund
£
2,207,786
3,612,651
(3,406,550)


Total
2,413,887

The designated fund represents funds allocated for the ‘Building a Better Groundwork’ project and £50,000 set aside for staff training and development over the next two years.

Restricted funds comprise performance
related grants as follows:
RESTRICTED FUNDS
Tesco Community Grants
Other programmes
The National Lottery Community Fund
The National Lottery Heritage Fund
£
-
3,072,721
24,522
13,047
3,110,290
Balance at
1 April 2021
RESTRICTED FUNDS
Tesco Community Grants
Other programmes
The National Lottery Community Fund
The National Lottery Heritage Fund
£

1,185,226
24,137
2,246
1,211,609
Balance at 1
April 2020
£
(7,910,852)
(9,417,570)
(953,867)
(237,801)
(18,520,090)
Resources
expended
£
-
2,846,867
46,067
8,081
2,901,015
Balance at 31
March 2022
£
7,910,852
9,191,716
975,412
232,835
18,310,815
Incoming
resources
£
(8,470,000)
(9,362,513)
(930,820)
(262,437)
(19,025,770)
Resources
expended
£

3,072,721
24,522
13,047
3,110,290
Balance at 31
March 2021
£
8,470,000
11,250,008
931,205
273,238
20,924,451
Incoming
resources
£
(7,910,852)
(9,417,570)
(953,867)
(237,801)
(18,520,090)
Resources
expended
£
-
2,846,867
46,067
8,081
2,901,015
Balance at 31
March 2022
£
7,910,852
9,191,716
975,412
232,835
18,310,815
Incoming
resources
£
(8,470,000)
(9,362,513)
(930,820)
(262,437)
(19,025,770)
Resources
expended
£

3,072,721
24,522
13,047
3,110,290
Balance at 31
March 2021
£
8,470,000
11,250,008
931,205
273,238
20,924,451
Incoming
resources
3,110,290

Programme funds are only available for expenditure in accordance with the funders’ directions.

NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

17. Commitments under operating leases

As at 31 March, 2022, the charity had total commitments under a non-cancellable lease for premises as set out below.

Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
£
57,204
49,532
-
106,736
2022
£
26,516
57,204
49,532
2021
133,252

18. Provision for dilapidation

A provision of £10,000 has been included to cover the possible dilapidation costs associated with the lease of the Walker Building. This will be reviewed annually to ensure it is sufficient to cover future possible liabilities.

19. Pensions

During the year ended 31 March 2022 Groundwork UK paid contributions into a defined contribution scheme. The total charge to the defined contribution scheme amounted to £229,847 (2021: £209,023). There were no contributions either pre-paid or outstanding at the year-end or the previous year-end.

20. Related party transactions

At the year-end a balance of £4,000 (2021: £4,000) was owed to Groundwork Trade Association Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the company.

NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

21. Reconciliation of net income to net cash flow from operating activities

Net income for the reporting period (as per the SOFA)
ADJUSTED FOR:
Net loss /(gains) on investments
Disposal of fxed asset investments
Depreciation charge
Investment income
(Increase) in debtors
Increase in creditors
Increase in provisions
Net cash provided by operating activities
£
84,294
(57,492)

22,646
(46,083)
(1,723,879)
2,596,369
10,000
885,855
2022
£
2,104,783
(180,946)

7,965
(30,289)
1,809,127
(2,088,195)

2021
1,622,445

22. Grants payable

All grants payable relate to institutional grants paid to Groundwork Trusts, delivery partners and community groups. The detailed breakdown of all grant payments is available on request from the charity’s principal address.

23. Financial Instruments

All grants payable relate to institutional grants paid to Groundwork Trusts, delivery partners and community groups. The detailed breakdown of all grant payments is available on request from the charity’s principal address.

2022 2021
Groundwork UK’s fnancial instruments may be analysed as follows: £ £
FINANCIAL ASSETS
Financial assets measured at fair value through proft and loss:
Investments 2,113,044 1,545,552

Financial assets measured at fair value through profit or loss comprise fixed asset investments in a trading portfolio of listed company shares.

NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Groundwork UK would like to thank all its funders and partners. Our work to support communities has benefited significantly from funds provided by the following organisations.

£
Access - The Foundation for Social Investment £134,394
Avison Young £99,565
Balfour Beatty £80,444
Boost £48,971
Cadent Foundation £997,386
City & Guilds £66,000
Comic Relief Community Fund (England) £1,935,626
Coop Foundation £96,757
Department for Work & Pensions £601,699
Direct Line insurance Services £20,000
Education & Skills Funding Agency £1,726,390
Energy Saving Trust £289,175
Greater London Authority £258,241
Grosvenor £40,000
HS2 Limited £2,873,182
John Lewis £150,000
Jones Lang Lasalle Limited £4,620
Locality £31,685
Department for Levelling up, Housing & Communities £3,661,308
National Community Land Network £3,666,770
NHS Property Services £118,093
One Stop Stores £308,755
Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts £172,360
Segro £50,000
Tesco PLC £7,667,200
The Guinness Partnership £17,161
The National Lottery Community Fund £975,433
The National Lottery Heritage Fund £1,231,194
Veolia £11,052
Way of Life £9,995
Yondr £28,532

ADVISERS

Advisers

Auditors

Investment Managers

Crowe U.K. LLP

Black Country House Rounds Green Road Oldbury B69 2DG

Rathbone Investment Management 8 Finsbury Circus London EC2M 7AZ

Bankers

Solicitors

The Co-operative Bank plc PO Box 82 118-120 Colmore Row Birmingham B3 3BA

Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP 134 Edmund Street Birmingham B3 2ES

HSBC 114 High Street Stourbridge DY8 1DZ

Scottish Widows Bank plc PO Box 12757 67 Morrison Street Edinburgh EH3 8YJ

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The Board of Trustees

The trustees (who are the directors of the company in accordance with the Companies Act 2006) on the date of approval of this report, or who served as trustees at any time during the year reported on, are as follows.

Appointed trustees First appointed Tony Berry October 2019 AGM 2020 Stuart Bonham December 2019 AGM 2020 Wendy Golland September 2014 AGM 2020 Jeff Greenidge March 2019 AGM 2019 Patrick Hughes September 2021 AGM 2021 Mike Master September 2008 AGM 2020 Antony Nelson March 2019 AGM 2019 Nigel Reader July 2021 AGM 2021 Paul Roots March 2019 AGM 2019 Anne-Marie Simpson December 2019 AGM 2020 Alan Smith June 2014 AGM 2020 Andrew Thurston January 2021 AGM 2021

Last appointed

Retired/resigned

Resigned Sept 2021

Co-opted trustees First appointed Faiza Amin September 2019 AGM 2019 Kate Culverhouse December 2013 AGM 2020 Graham Hartley (Chair) August 2015 AGM 2021 Geoff Howsego June 2012 AGM 2018 Claire Marshall December 2021 Mike Ormerod June 2018 AGM 2018 Jack White September 2019 AGM 2019

Last appointed

Co-opted trustees

Retired/resigned

Resigned Sept 2022

Resigned Sept 2021

Resigned June 2022

Company Secretary

Paul Viles

COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD

Appointed trustees

Chairs’ Committee Chair – Graham Hartley Federation Executive Team Stuart Bonham Chair – Graham Parry Groundwork UK Committee Chair – Claire Marshall Audit Committee Chair – Stuart Bonham

Chief Executive Graham Duxbury

GROUNDWORK

To find out more about Groundwork, please get in touch:

www.groundwork.org.uk

Groundwork UK Suite B2, The Walker Building 58 Oxford Street Birmingham, B5 5NR

0121 236 8565 info@groundwork.org.uk @groundworkUK /groundworkUK @Groundwork_uk Groundwork UK

Published October 2022

Groundwork UK is the operating name of the Federation of Groundwork Trusts, a company limited by guarantee. Company Registration Number: 1900511. Charity Registration No: 291558