2023-03-31-accounts - South Oxford Community-Association

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Trustees' Annual Report for the period
Period start date Period end date
Day Month Year Day Month Year
01 04 2022 31 03 2023
From To
Section A Reference and administration
details
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Charity name South Oxford Community Association Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) 304351

Charity's principal address	South Oxford Community Centre	South Oxford Community Centre
	Lake Street
	Oxford
	Postcode	OX1 4RP

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any)
	Catherine Morey	Chairperson
	Richard Watts	Acting Treasurer
	Anna Railton	Secretary
	Claire Stentiford
	Bodo Schulenberg
	Philippa Muir
	Martin Beeks
	Benjamin Sorgiovanni
	Naomi Watts

1 June 2023/CMorey

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Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)
	Name	Dates acted if not for whole year
	N/A.

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)	Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)	Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of adviser Name Address
Independent examiner	R Candy	9 Norreys Avenue, Oxford OX1 4ST
City Council Observer


Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Debby Forbes – Centre Administrator and Finance Officer Michelle Plaisted-Kerr - Cafe Coordinator

Debby Forbes – Centre Administrator and Finance Officer Michelle Plaisted-Kerr - Cafe Coordinator

2 June 2023/CMorey

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Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Constitution Type of governing document (eg. trust deed, constitution) The charity is constituted as a Community Association How the charity is constituted (eg. trust, association, company) The Managing Committee of Trustees are elected at the annual Trustee selection methods general meeting by members of the Association and serve for one (eg. appointed by, elected by) year

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

South Oxford Community Association (SOCA) manages
You may choose to include South Oxford Community Centre, Lake Street, Oxford
additional information, where ● The Trustees are responsible for the governance of the
relevant, about: Association and management of the Centre
●policies and procedures ● A Volunteering Policy provides guidance on the procedure adopted for the induction to be followed on the induction of new Trustees and the and training of trustees; duties and responsibilities of those trustees alongside
●the charity’s organisational briefing provided from the Charity Commission and the structure and any wider Constitution network with which the ● SOCA is a member of Oxford Community and Voluntary charity works; Action (OCVA) and Community Matters. It currently belongs to the Oxford Federation of Community
●relationship with any Associations
●relationship with any related parties;
SOCA is supported by the Communities Team of Oxford
●trustees’ consideration of City Council and receives good support from South
major risks and the system Oxford’s local Councillors who sit on the MC as part of their
and procedures to manage Ward duties them. ● A range of policy and procedure is in place to guide the Trustees, employees and volunteers to manage South Oxford Community Centre

Section C Objectives and activities

The objects of the Association are to: “Provide facilities for educational, social welfare, recreation and leisure time activities that contribute to improving the conditions of Summary of the objects of life for the inhabitants of South Oxford; and to establish and the charity set out in its maintain and manage a Community Centre in cooperation with governing document any statutory authority with an interest in the Centre.”

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Summary of the main
activities undertaken for the
public benefit in relation to
these objects (include
within this section the
statutory declaration that
trustees have had regard to
the guidance issued by the
Charity Commission on
public benefit)

●
SOCA runs South Oxford Community Centre in
accordance with the constitution and provides affordable
rooms, directly manages some activities open to the local
community and manages the facilities for the residents of
South Oxford
●
SOCA holds these premises under a 25 year lease with
Oxford City Council with certain responsibilities to
maintain the premises in a certain condition under this
lease and work in partnership with Oxford City Council to
renovate and upgrade the facilities, keeping them to a
good standard for community use
●
The Constitution defines the Community Association’s
Area of Benefit as the areas of Cold Harbour, New
Hinksey and Grandpont in South Oxford
●
SOCA has a discounted room hire policy for local charities
and activities to benefit those within the Area of Benefit.
The Association aims to develop income to provide a
dedicated fund for each annual budget to offset provision
of such discounted room hire
SOCA directly runs:
●
A Community Café each Tuesday and Thursday since
October 2019, in order to reach out to the Community and
encourage local people to come into the Centre for
socialising, networking and sign-posting from the Centre
●
A Community Fridge open three days a week to support
the reduction of food waste, working with the Oxford Food
Hub and some Oxford food retailers
●
A regular bingo group for local older people – especially
serving those seeking friendship and company during the
week
●
Works with the newly formed South Oxford Arts
(previously known as New Hinksey Arts) to put on Art
events at the Centre to promote the arts for the local
community and to support local artists.
These include:
an annual exhibition for Oxfordshire Artweeks and taking
part in the national initiative, The Big Draw
The Community Centre hosts a range of activities run by groups
that rent our facilities, such as:
●
yoga, pilates and exercise classes
●
music and drumming groups
●
community group meetings and training events
●
the weekly, very popular, South Oxford Farmers’ Market
●
meetings and special events of the South Oxford
Women’s Institute
●
a number of martial arts groups use many spaces at the
Centre, including our DoJo with fixed mats
●
Hinksey Sculling School activity for whom the Centre is
their primary site for land and lake training, classes and
storage of their single sculls
The Trustees are attentive to the regulation of the Charity
Commission, engage with Oxford City Council and opportunities

4 June 2023/CMorey

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for joint working, attending meetings to discuss issues relevant to Community Centres in Oxford and their communities. There are measures in place to ensure the sound financial running of the Centre and to ensure the Centre’s financial stability and security. The Management Committee regularly reviews the accounts and undertakes a financial review and budgeting process each year.

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

Policy and procedure is regularly reviewed in line with best practice and changing guidance or statutory regulation.

Where possible, the Management Committee seeks data to inform and support the running of the Centre and to assess the relevance and success of activities, including their social benefit.

Where possible, grants (and sponsorship) are sought to support the running of the Centre and specific projects, e.g.: art exhibitions, improvements to garden and internal fixtures and fittings, development of the Cafe and Fridge initiatives

SOCA values the contributions made by our volunteers and a regularly reviewed policy guides the volunteering activity:

You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:

policy on grant making;
policy programme related investment;
contribution made by volunteers.
Volunteers play a crucial role in the running of the Centre, and SOCA is thankful for those who regularly give up their time to support the Cafe and the Fridge and support all aspects of the Association’s work
Trustees give their time freely to the Management of the Centre and to support staff and other volunteers.
Links are being established with a range of other community groups to work in partnership and to involve volunteers in a number of roles at the Centre such as running the Community Café and helping with gardening
● In turn the Centre can provide local people with work experience that represents a step towards employment and can support mental health and wellbeing
A group of local artists, known collectively as New Hinksey Arts, have been providing art classes and events directly from the Association for a number of years and this year, SOCA has been proud to support them to develop into a separate independent group to be known as South Oxford Arts. They will continue to work in partnership with SOCA to put on exhibitions and events and separately they will be developing their own resources to run classes and further events. All the artists give up time voluntarily to support events for the local community and aim to subsidise classes for the benefit of local people

5 June 2023/CMorey

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Section D

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year

Achievements and performance

The period of this report is 12 months 1 April 2022 - 31 March 2023. The following summary gives examples of initiatives and achievements in this period:

This was SOCA’s first full year of its amended financial year
● This was the first year with the new structure of room rates in place. User groups, those who had been on lower rates or historic discounts had a staggered increase in their rates to support transition
● Some groups took advantage of the updated Discounted Room Hire Policy to assist them with financial transition
● The chairperson continued regular ‘Catch Up’ meetings with each member of staff
● A review was carried out of the Caretakers’ responsibilities and contract with full discussion with the employee in post
● The payment for work done on the annex buildings in 2019 was agreed in the last financial period but is accounted for in this year’s expenditure. Funds had been put aside for this work in advance of the refurbishment.
● The Management Committee continue to work with Oxford City Council to discuss damp in the BHR (Lower Hall) and whether funding will be found to remove asbestos
● Depending on the outcome of the above the Association will decide on works to improve the BHR in terms of lighting, noise transfer and storage including improvements to the utility area
● The Oxford Probation Service have provided decorating at the Centre to meet our obligations under the lease.
● Art Weeks exhibition was well attended with positive feedback and The Big Draw was re-started post pandemic, well attended with positive feedback and plans to make this a regular annual feature are under way
● The Community Café, Tuesday and Thursday has continued to thrive with numbers on Thursday increasing.
● A new Cafe Coordinator was successfully appointed ● The Community Fridge has had a successful year and its use is growing: with locally housed refugee families among its users and more referrals attending regularly
● Plans are being discussed to restart the popular Neighbourhood Forums in 2023-24
● The new Centre website has been launched successfully ● A new booking system is being trialled ● New signage has been placed at the back of the building to add a better welcome to the building as it is approached across Hinksey Park.
● Funding for a public defibrillator has been successfully applied for
● Quotes have been gathered for measures to improve energy efficiency at the Centre and grant money being sought. The Committee plan to use some of any possible

6 June 2023/CMorey

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Section D

Achievements and performance

surplus funds next year to start to put these measures in place

7 June 2023/CMorey

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Section E

Financial review

Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves

The Association continues to hold an appropriate reserve level of £19,670.00 in order to fulfil any financial obligations should the charity fail or its work under the constitution become impossible

The reserve is calculated to meet the amount needed to meet staff redundancy payments plus a sum representing the equivalent of 3 months annual expenditure.

Details of any funds materially in deficit

None

Further financial review details (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:

the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);
SOCA’s principal source of funds is from letting and room hire income, with small amounts from the sale of artworks, catering and entertainment
Grant funding is sought for all major room upgrading, purchase of equipment, or new projects
how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;
investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.

Section F

Other optional information

Aspirations for 2023-2024

Develop membership of the Association
Allocate funds for energy saving measures at the Centre
Allocate funds for improvements to fixtures and fittings in the BHR [Lower Hall]
Seek grant funding for a fixed canopy outside the Brenda Horwood Room to offer shelter
Continue to seek partnerships for work alongside the Cafe and Fridge offering to support the local community and their needs

Long Term Aspirations:

Seek grant funding, and work with Oxford City Council’s Communities Team, to develop staffing at the Centre

8 June 2023/CMorey

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Section G Declaration The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees Signature(s)[C Morey] Richard Watts Full name(s)[Catherine Morey] Richard Watts Position (e.g. Secretary, Acting Treasurer Chair, etc) Date 30 June 2023

9 June 2023/CMorey

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South Oxford Communlty Assoclatlon 12 months •ndèd 31 March 2023 ststement of assets and liabSlltles at th• ènd of the period March 2023 March 2022 A6sets CAF Bank account Oepo$it bank a¢¢ount Sum-UplPayPal account Petty Cash l floats 11.211.58 55,013.27 29.$0 90.50 66,344.85 9,753 04 55.282.97 22.5Q 91.(NS 65,149.57 Liabilities Street S¢hools Inoney hekl on bahalf of third parbes Refundable deposit$ Tax&NI 4,000.00 887.00 301.24 5.188.24 1,162.00 268 03 1,430.03 Net Assets 64.914.82 59.961.33 Funds Restricted Funds Community art projects Community Impact Fund Round 2 Smalvmedium Grant 2022123 received from OCC 750.00 Grant received from Midcounties Co-op 500.00 Payments 1.291.29 Transferred from Ganeral Fund 41.29 Balance ejforward Community café and garden Balance blforward Donations & Grant reeeived Paytnents Balance ejforward 250. 1,500.00 1.250.00 250 00 250.C Donatlons ftsr Asyl Welcome Cash cold Paytnenl to A5ylym Welcome B81ance clforward 288.40 288.40 Donatlons for Macmlllan Cancer Support Coffee morning receipts Payment lo Macmillan Balance cjfowaid 42.80 42.60 Dojo Reserve Balance blforward Receipts" from roorn hire Balance cjferward 5,807.26 205.00 6,012.26 4,908.26 899.DD 5,807.26 Unren¢t*d Funds General Fund Balance blforwatd R8C81pts DDnalion Tian5ferred from Designated Fund Payments B21ance clfoFW2rd 53,654.07 83,128.87 40,788.33 81,750.68 850.00 69,734.94 53,654.07 78,140.38 58,642.56 Deslgnated Fund 1.. Bingo Club Balance blforward Receipts Payments Balanee ejforward 250.C 59.50 49.50 260.OD 250.00 2900 29.00 260.00 DÈsi9nated Fund 2.. Br8senosÈ Communlty Events Support Fund Balance blfoward 850.00 Tran$frrred to General Fund 850.00 Balance dfoThJard Total Funds 64,914.82 S9.1.33

South Oxford Comrnuntty Assoelatlon 12 months ended 31 March 2023 Re¢eipl$ and Payments in respect of Unrestricted General Funds 12 months 15 months 2022r23 2021122 Receipts Room hi Other hire Art events SOCA dubs SOCA Membership fees Community café Sundry Lockdown grants from Oxford City Council Bank interest 60,660.87 6,525.fKJ 9,982.87 377.40 285.00 4,133 79 413.16 42,111.58 3,132 50 8,841.41 159.55 684.00 5,654.47 392.17 19,240.43 1.534.57 81,750 68 750.78 83,128.87 Payments Staff costs Less Furlough Scheme re(8ipts Heat. light, water Business rates Insurancè Repairs & Renewals Holtsekeeping & Equipment Office supplies Licences and memberships Telephone & IT General expenses Art event &xpenses Commijnity Café Capital prtsjects Transfer to Community Art Projects Restrirted Fund 32,*8.51 41.844.28 5,156.82 9.115.52 791.83 750.44 688.70 10,316.30 438.33 924.08 1.323 04 1.052.67 7.045.00 571.93 629.64 7.228.03 614.4C) 589.33 1,166 01 9.251.56 422.25 1,343.52 779.10 886.17 6,042.70 854.17 15,953.34 41.29 78,140.38 69,734.94

South Oxford Community Association 12 months ended 31 March 2023 Independent examinerfs report to the trustees of South Oxford Community Association I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the South Oxford Community Association (the Association) forthe 12 months ended 31 March 2023. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity trustee5 of the Association you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act'l. I report in respect of my examination of the Association's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515llbl of the Act. Independent examinerfs statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connertion with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: accounting records were not kept in respect of the Association as required by section 130 of the Act,. or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection wsth the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Si8ned: Name: R Candy Relevant professional qualification or membership of professional bodies: Chartered Accountant Address: 9 Norreys Avenue, Oxford OXI 4ST Date: 24 May 2023