## **The Benwell Christian Shop Project Trading as Cornerstone Benwell** 

**Annual Report and Accounts for the year ending 31st March 2023** 

**Benwell Christian Shop Project** 

**Registered in England & Wales No. 02349218 Registered Charity No. 701263** 

## **Serving the Community of Benwell since 1987** 

Trustees and Directors at 31st March 2023 David Kirkwood (Chair) Peter Michell (Secretary) Carol Davison Shirley Irving Tim Woolley Claire Lewis Rachel Turner 

The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in Section 4 of the Charities Act 2006 to have due regard to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit. 

1 



Welcome to this Annual Report which summarises the achievements of Cornerstone during the financial year leading up to March 2023. 

Also included is a summary of the 2022-23 Annual Accounts. 

Cornerstone has a long-term commitment to serve the people of Benwell by working to: 

- Include the excluded 

- Empower the disempowered 

- Encourage the discouraged 

- Celebrate all that is good 

Registered Office: 62 Armstrong Road Benwell Newcastle Upon Tyne NE4 7TU 

T: 0191 226 0941 E: cornerstonebenwell@gmail.com 

www.cornerstonebenwell.com 

Www.facebook.com/cornerstonebenwell 

Bankers TSB PLC 104 West Road Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 9QA 


2 



On behalf of all the Team at Cornerstone Benwell we would like to dedicate this AGM to the memory of Edith Hutchinson. 

Edith was a dedicated trustee and volunteer at Cornerstone for many years. Sadly, we lost Edith in March 2023 following a long illness. 

She remains a huge miss. 


3 



## **Report from Operations Manager Amy Proud** 

Just as the community was finally recovering from the upheaval brought about by the Covid pandemic we unfortunately moved straight into a year of severe pressure due to the Cost of Living crisis. 

Cornerstone however was on hand to offer valuable support to our community, quickly adapting to the needs of our customers. 

Our biggest change this year was turning our centre into a warm hub for the winter months. Creating a full wrap around wellbeing package including free hot food and drinks, laundrette service (the Benwell Bubble) and wellbeing counselling service. This was hugely successful, and we even featured on ITV National News as we did such a great job!! 





Our themed meals continued too including a VE Day celebration and a fantastic Jubilee celebration for our late Queen. 



A huge thank you to to Lesley for another year of amazing lunches. She is still making something out of nothing it just so happens that the something is always outstanding! 

We would also like to welcome and thank Maureen for all her hard work this year. Maureen runs the Benwell Bubble and also supports the Welcome Project every Monday. 

4 



Our two popular projects, The Welcome Project and The Kindful Project continued this year. The Welcome Project enjoyed many new activities including cookery, LUSH Bath Bomb making, bonnet making and decollage, they also enjoyed themed nights, a summer BBQ and a VIP ASDA tour! 



Our Kindful Project delivered across 5 schools was a huge success with children in Key Stage One learning valuable new cookery skills, mindful techniques and trying new foods! 


I would like to take the opportunity to thank Katy for all her work with the Welcome Project and the Kindful project. 

5 



Other projects that started this year include our Memory Cafe. Our collaboration with SEARCH ensures that customers with memory problems have a safe space to meet, socialise and enjoy a lunch together. We even got the opportunity to visit Beamish together and had a great sing song! 


We also started our baby and toddler club “Kindful Kids” which saw the little ones enjoying free play, snacks and yet more singing! Our work with children ended for the year during February Half Term with a week-long kids club culminating with a fantastic soft play bus!! 




With so many more visitors this year I would like to take the opportunity to thank Michael for keeping the place looking absolutely gorgeous and generally putting up with our crazy demands! 

6 



We also could not do without our amazing trustees and volunteers! A special mention to Michael 2, Wendy and Carol who have dedicated so much of their time and effort. 

Also thanks to Chris and Richard for once again completing our accounts! 

We look forward to the next year with hope and gratitude and can’t wait to show you all we have to offer! 

## Amy x 

7 



## **Major Contributors in the Last Year** 

Lottery Community Fund 

Kickstart - Department of Work and Pensions Newcastle Building Society B&Q The Vegan Society Proctor and Gamble Cruach Trust Jaspar Foundation Cash for Kids Waitrose Tesco Asda John Lewis Wesley House Orphan Trust COOP Local Giving Newcastle City Council 

Hadrian Trust Aldi Magic Little Grants Feeding Families Amazon UK Nathans Wastesavers Heddon Church Ponteland Methodist Church Milburn Methodist Church All Saints Gosforth Venerable Bede St James’ St Margaret St John’s Riding Mill Church Wylam St Oswin’s 

In addition, we have received a number of significant individual donations. To all of these we send our huge thanks. 



8 



The following page shows a summary financial report for year ending 31st March 2023. A full version of the accounts is available by request. 

The accounts were prepared in accordance with the Charity Commission Statement of Recommended Practice (Revised 2000) with reference to the exemptions provided for small charities in paragraphs 344-358, paragraphs 353 & 354. 

Chris Carr Cornerstone Treasurer 

December 2023 

I agree that this is a true and fair reflection of the Cornerstone accounts Richard McAllister December 2023 

Reserves Policy 

The policy is to have between 6 and 12 months running costs in reserve. 

9 



#are
ai
IMCOUE
l1￿0mE￿E1IERbL
Cale sales
Ini•r•st
Qhef Income
Rent ffjoms
Fnènds rl Comowsion•
Donations unostnct
589 23
951600
745 62
892230
3556
2 3T6 IYJ
2. 187 NJ
2931.13
21 140 21
24 838 08
6U23.27
118300
175700
475305
16 059 00
15 728 00
48.526.30
ICONIE - REs￿TED
Totsl Inc¢xn•
STAFF COSTS
Salanes
TLtsI Ssafi co
51.920 85
51.920.•5
28.861 13
2a.861.1J
MAIIAGEUEIIT & RUMNING COSTS
Cl83ning & d8cof¥ts'n9
Heat and light
Secunty and Ios5•5
MANAGEMENf COSTS
Calo surfjAIo5
Sundry expensès
Postage
Contents
Office tele￿One$
Si*ionery&office swN*i
T(*al Il•nbg•meftt & rwnlng coims
878 19
3.474 00
232461
30S 00
140652
879 22
8661
230951
lo￿00
650 70
1J.J94J6
357578
31011
1 10528
6C6 52
250726
710 8T
9768
214066
983 00
826 90
15.854.97
GROSS SURPLUS IDEFICITJ
3JI0.20
USER COSTS
Group ActMtEes
Gtoup SuFf4ies
Tothl Usgr costs
21YJ39
362 24
756 2A
1.118.48
2.150.39
DEPRECWTK)N
Fumrture firtings oquiwnoril
157 14
209 52
157.14
TOTAL OPERATIMG COSTS
28.IXI
XET SURPLUS (l￿FIcI￿
J299.47
14•L
18E Account Bl Fwd
I&E ACCOUNT
72.611 54
70 129 JI
12 611.54
10

Benwell Christian Shop Project
(A Lompany Limiid By Guarantee and noi having share capiial I
Annual Accounts
For Ihe Year Ending 31 March 20?3
Company Number 2349?18
Reblislercd Charity Number 701 ?63

Benmell Chrislian Shop Project
.Ilanagenient C'.ouncil
Ddi Id kirki¥iM)d i L"haimian)
PL'tLT MiLhLII (SLYfLYary)
CiWC)l D(i%'ison
Tini IA ()iTrllL'y
Shirlej Iri'ing
CIIiiTC L￿.19
Rach¢l Turner
l-re*surer
Mr C IM Carr
SecretAr)'
PL'l¢r MiLhcll
Rek>lsl¢r¢d Offiee
CorneThlone
Am)sifi)nbp Road
Benwell
ew"castle Uwn Tyne
rs E4 7TU
Bankers
TSB
l (H ￿'L*l Ro
lili'ain
c&sile Uwn Tyne
NF.4 9QA

Independeni Examiners Rewrt:
TO THE TRUSTEES OF BEN'WELL CHRISTIAN SHOP PROJECT
I rewrt on Ihc accounts for the year ended 31° March ?023.
RESPECYIVE RLSPONSIBILITIES OF TRUSTEES AND EXAMIN'ER
A% Ihl Lharit! s InL%iL'es yi)u are reswnsiblL tor IhL prLyaraiiun of the acLI)uni.%- yc)u
c()n%ideT that IhL audil requiremcnt of sLYlii)n 4.I1_) ol. th¢ Ch(irilie5 aLI 1991 {Ihc act)
d{)¢￿ not appl>'. It is my rL￿ponsIbIlItY lo slatc. i)n Ihc ba515 of Procedurcs spccifid in thL
g¢n¢ral direclions given by Ihe Charily Commis5ioncrs under scctioii 43171Ib) of'thc ULX.
wheih¥Y particular mailers have come to my atteniion.
BASIS OF THE EXAMif44F.RS REPORT
Nl). exiiininalion carriLMI oul in ULU)rdanc¢ M'iih the Oencral DircLlions givai by IhL
C'lidril). C'oinmission¥r%. An examinalii)n includc5 a r￿'lL￿. l)f the aLLounlin¥ rL'L()rd.% kept
b%, the Lhariiy and ciimparis()n of lh¢ accounls prcscnlLxl ii'iih ihiise reLords. It a15l)
inLludL4 c4)n*i(lerdlion of any unusual ilems or disclosures in Ihe aLLounls. and sceking
expldnulii)n% from i'i)u a4 Iruslccs conLLYning any SULh maltCTS. The Procedur(
uiidLTiak¢n dii niii pni¥idc all thc ci'idenLL that ￿'OUld he required in an audil, and
c()n%equ¢ntly I di? not express an audil c)pinion c)n th¢ i'icu. bJji'L'ii b), Ihc acuiunts.
INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS STATEMENT
In u)nneLli()n with my cxaminalion. no malter has come io my alt¢nlioD:
whi¢h btrll'L￿ me reasonllble Laus¢ lo believe that in any maierial resrrti the
requir￿nentS..
li? k'L'LP aCLounttng records in aLLX)rdanc¢ with seclion 41 of ihe Act. and
lo prLI)ar¥ nLcoun15 w'hich occord wilh Ihe acL(iunlin¥ reLI)rds and lo comply
'iih Ihe aLLI)unling• r¥yuirements of the AL%. These arc also in line with
slandurds sel by I,-RS I O?
H41i'e n<)1 been m¢t: or
? lo which. in my opinion. attention should he drawn in order lo enable a proper
undLryStanding vl. Ihe accounis to bv ￿chl￿1.
NÉim¢:
Mr Richard McAllisler
Relcvant P￿rL￿10nal Ix)dy:
Chartered Inslituie Accountants
England & Wales
Address..
109 Greal North Road
N¢￿CaStle LlpK)n Tyne

Ilenmell Christian Shop Project
STATEMENT BY THE MEMBF.RS OF THF. COUNQ IL
UNDER THE PROVISIOI44S OF THE COMPANIES Arr 21
The company entiiled to exemption under the Cc)mpanies Act ?lJ)6 froin thc
r¢quircniLiiI to hai'e its accounts for the year ended ."• l MarLh 202.1 auditLyI. No notice htL8
b¥¥ii dLpostid undcr Ihal ALI rLyuiring an audil in rLlaiii)i) lo the Lompany's acLuunls for
that linancial y¢ar. "ll)L membeTri vf the council acknowled¥¢ Ihthr responsibililie8 for
Lmsurin¥ that the Lornpany keeps accounling reu)rds which comply wilh the
C'ompanies ALI ?IMX), and
prlpiiring ac¢ounis ￿,hICh byive a Iruc ￿ld fdir N'iew lif Ihc slalc of atTairs (If Ihe
¥iinipany as al Ihc end uf th¢ financial year and of ils surplus or deli¥li for ihe
fiiianLiAI ycar in accordan¢L with Ihe rLNuirements of that Act. and which oiherwise
cuinply with the requircmenls of that Ath Tclaling to th¢ acwunts. as far as appliLabl¢
lo Ihc company.
ThL%¢ aca)unts were approvcd by th¢ Manasemeni Council on Friday 15, tkcembcr and
signed on its behalf by..
Davtd Kirkw(KKI (Chdi
Mr C M ca￿ (Treasurer)
P￿eT Michel (Si*retary)

Benii'ell Christian .Shop Project
Notes to the Accounts for Trear ended 31 Nlarch 2Q2.1.
Accounting Policies:
The following acc￿UntIng p)li¢ies have been used consislcnily in dealing with items
,hich arL consid¢r¢xl T)iaiLYial in relaiion io the Loinpanw s 4￿nUal aLii)unLs:_
Aceountlng con*'ention
Th¢￿¢ Accounis hnve bccn prcparcd undcr ihc hislori¥aJ c05t convention. Wc
have appliLxl the new prin¢ipals sd Oui in FRS102.
Tanxlblc Tr'ixed Assels ind D¢pre¢lAtioD
FIX￿ Asseis arc stat￿1 al wst less accumulaicd depT￿latIOn
Depre¥iation is Provid￿ al ?5112• annually
Re%'enue Grant5
Income by way of charitsble grants is account￿ for on a cash rLYeipts basis.
C.'Apil*l Grants
MalLYial C.apilal Grdnls rett1v￿ are shown &8 income in adi'ancc and taken
lo inc41me ¢iiid expendilure over the ¢xpcclcd life of tlie &%sei.
Gifls & Donations
Gift% & d()nali()ns are included in th¢ incomc & expe￿Illure a¢Younl in th¢
year which th¢y are Teccii'al.
2. TAN'GIIII.F. fr"IXEI) A5SE"I"S (see Assei D¢preclalion page)
3. DTr:B'foRS & CR&:Dl"foRS
Debtors:
We expeLI lo r￿cIv¢ £201J) from Inland Revthu¢ r¢lating to Gift Aid donalii)n for
202? & 2023

4. NE"I' LOSS TrOR"riiTr: YL,4R
Primarily r¢lat¢s 10 timin&• in r￿Cipl of ￿an1 funding i'ersus the tt)niinued wntrolled
approaL"h io managin8 centre and gr()UP running ￿?515.
S. C.4&iH FLOW STATENIF.NT
See atiachal Lash Ilow documenl.
6. Tr.1¥IPI.OI'EES
The av¢ra¥e number of persons cmployol during rhe year.
21I2212Q2.1
2021122
Th¢ m¢mb¢rs of the management council receivLxI no rcmuneraiion in th¥ year
7. B.4LANCE SIILET
The acLounts 8r¢ pr¢par¢d in accordance with the specittl Pro￿.2S1onS of Part Vll ()f Ihe
Compani13 Act 1985 relating io smallimedium compani￿.
Audli F.xeniptlon Stalemenl
For the year ending 3110312023
the Lompany w'as enliiled ii) ex¢m￿lon frorn 4udil under seclion 477 of the
Companies Acl 2(XK) relating to small Cornpani￿.
Directors. rcswnsibllitics:
lh¥ Inenihvr5 hai'e ncil required Ihc iompany io i)bi(iin an audit of its awounts
Iiir Ihe >eiW in queslion in alcord￿Le with ￿tIOn 476,
the dir¢ilc)rs a¢k'ni)￿.1¢dg¢ Ihcir resp()nsibililies f()r iiimplying w'ith th¢
requir¢m¢nts of ￿lL ALI w'ith rLspeLI to accounting r¢cords and ilic preparation
ot"aLcounls
thL￿c aLLounLs have been prepared in accordance with the proT¥ision5
appliLJble to a)mpanies subJeLI lo thti small Lompani¢s' r¢gime.
. RESERI'ES POLICI,
The policy is lo have bdm'een 6 and l ? Tnonths costs in rthm'v.

Cafe I￿•S
defèst
Oth•r incorn•
951600
745 62
1.922 30
3556
6839
1 18300
1.757 00
475305
16 059 00
15 728 00
2376
2187(
2931 13
21 140 ?1
24 838 08
64J2U7
0008tion8 W•**￿•d
STAFF COSTS
Salan•s
51.920 85
51.920AS
21.861 13
Xl.•61.13
ANAGEMEMT & RIMMI￿ COSfS
878 19
3474th1
232461
305 ¢NJ
14rfi52
179 22
8661
2X)951
1 lJ80 00
650 70
13.3x36
357578
3.30100
1 10528
52
S•cuirty loia•s
Calè suF*•J
Sunthy •xpttM
Pty$iagfr
C¢rt•nts
Offico t•l•thn
st*￿ery1￿￿•
2507
710 87
9T6B
2.140 60
983 00
126 90
15m4Jl
GROSS SURPLUS
j.moao
USER COSTS
Gffjup ActMtw$
215039
362 24
756 24
1,11&
2.150JJ
DEPREC￿1￿
FumrtuT• ￿1￿J•
157 14
209 52
157.14
209
TOTAL OPERAT￿￿ COSTS
I*T SIIRPLIIS (r
JJ99A7
18E Accourt & F*
E ACCOUMT
72611 54
IQ 129
11.51

A• ￿ End Al At End ol M•rJ2
ASSETS
Flx•d A*•
4T1A3
621.51
2.fth IXI
66￿066
68N066
69J11•9
2 iY•J
69 982 99
71982 99
TL611.56
TOTIL ASSETS
LIA8iimES
Fun
69 312 07
72611 $1
FiIPKIS EIfftOYEO
.J11m
72.611.56
TOTAL LIABILITES
.312.OJ
12.611.56
Autht £x•mptl¢)fi 5tst•m•rt
For iht yearendlry 31.3.2023
The company was entjtled to t￿m￿tIOn frorn the wdlt undersecilon 477 of the C(mpanles Act
2(K16 felatlng to small ¢tyiwnles.
DO￿¢t￿$. fe¥>tyuibllrtles:
Ihe members have not r*qulred ihe company to otraln •) autht ol ￿ a(rwnts lty the ￿*r In
queSllon In •¢cordance T*•th seth¢)n 476.
Ihe dlrertor3 acknowledÉe their re5ponslbllltles ftx mplylng wlth tht rewlr¢ments of the Act
with re¥)ect to accounth8 re¢ord5 and the prepwatlon ol accounts.
these xcount5 have been prepared in *COrdan￿ wlth the prtr41sbons appllcable to companles
subject to th¢ yn*l c(MIN>•nfies' r*me.
b. MICHELL
C•Mp-J S£¢Attr

CASH ROW STATEMENT
Y•w 3141¥.33 YM 314l•r.22
-329947
248220
SEfv from P&L
J41 for th• fohw4
non<•sh rierns
Fixed Asset Oew•ci*K
15114
J.U2.JJ
-3,142.3J
I￿.￿
ASSET DEpwaATION
Co
8a14nc• For*wO 37.346 70 37 W 70
Errfl d PwK*J
31316 70 37 346.711
36 718 13 36 Tl0 13
8￿￿•8￿F0￿ 36 718 13 % 718 13
628.57
628 57
R*• ol D•W•c￿t￿l {%)
Chwp lor P•ry
157 14
157 14
Bth• * Ernl
36 875 2T 36.875 27
N•i Book V•1¥￿.
Start d P•th)d
End of P•nod
628 57
628 57

11 Eu1111 c]1
11 EE]1111 a]1
•#•
o••••
51° 1
poli
10

TO THE TRIISTF.F.S OF iIE"NWELL CHRISllAN SHOP PROJECT
I rewi (Mi the a&x7xxbts athl Jl" 20J? .
RESPEC-fivE RL.SPO%SIBILmES OF TRLISTEES AYD EXAMIN'ER
A> Lh*fily'y• IftL4iLTh 4WV Tryx￿$Ib1¢ f£v ilic ￿4￿¥111￿ Dfthc xcountx
n%ider th41 ￿11 rtyuiTanabi of yxlicjn 4 Ji210l' lh¢ Ch￿'lItt Ki IIy).I (the acti
•5 M)1 appl). li is my rryx)nyihilily lo stat< un Ihe Iwis of W{￿￿dur¢S specifiol in th
8axral dIr￿alon5 b) th¢ Ch•riiy CfflbmiSSiLm￿ ￿￿kr 4317Xbl of
BASIS OF THE EXAMIliFJiS REPORT
ly exmminailon &vriL¥l sn iih ihc c￿￿rat Dircclions yivi* b) th¢
L1wiry l'￿￿1￿15￿10nLTh. An ¢xWn1r￿ i rty'i&Th' of ik &xY)unlin¥ rrLY)rd% k¢
by the K4wiiy ATh1 any UMnpan*)n of Ihe w'iih ilkts¢ raxvTls. It alyAi
a)n4Nkralu)n of my iians ￿ diKkn in t￿ K¢kin8
WMl¢rtok¢m d() rK)t 411 the ￿ Ida￿ V40uld hr wuiraj in an 4wdil. •MI
LXbnsv4uemlv l thi rx)l ¢.isYes¥ an a￿111 iyiniun the vicw b> th¢
INDEP£NDINT EXAMIliF.RS ST ATEMLYr
) r￿1)RI$ in wrth yeaion 41 (bf A¢1.
Iv pryrc whilh a￿d w iih ihc xxxNmlin¥ rec4J(th arnl lo wmply
iih lh¢ a￿l)unlin￿ orth¢ Aa. IIK* arc in li￿ with
tirt h¥ l.'RS I (I?
H•ve been met: (Y
￿￿￿￿ing vfth¢ I￿1)U￿ (i) he TExthed.
N4m¢:
MT MLAlliMer
Rdffi*# Profthiond Imxtr.
En8lwKI & W•ks
l(W Gr￿ North Ro
We¥Jr*le Llwin Ty