Annual Report for the year ended March 31st 2024
The trustees of Wandsworth Community Association are pleased to submit their report and accounts for the period 1[st] April 2023 to 31[st] March 2024.
Achievements and Performance
It has been a steep learning curb for the committee but we have pulled together ensuring programmes continued. Our programme of activities for all ages recommenced in September. As well as our usual weekly programme of social, recreational educational, physical and wrap around day care facility for local school children offering breakfast club and after school care. The income generated from facility hire helps us become more self-sufficient and less dependent on grants which are hard to source and difficult to successfully secure without a lot of voluntary hours wading through masses of paperwork. This along with some match funding from BCC has enabled us, (for the first time), to recruit a part-time member of staff to assist with the running of the centre. Maeve commenced employment with us in September and has been a great asset to Wandsworth, we are all very grateful to have her on board.
This year also seen the management committee having to make the difficult decision to wrap up the Duke of Edinburgh's Award programme. This programmed relied 100% on volunteers and required an immense amount of work. Unfortunately, this was getting more and more cumbersome and hard for the volunteers to commit so much time to. We tried everything in our powers to try to come up with a way to continue the programme but unfortunately it was just unfeasible.
In November our preparations began for our annual Bring a Little Light lantern festival. We held a series of lantern workshops at the centre as well as in partnership with the Strand Arts Centre and a range of local organisations and groups. As in previous years we also provided lantern packs for the 250 P7 students at Strandtown Primary School. The 8 week Carnival Drumming class also made a welcome return in the lead up to our Lantern Parade in December. The parade itself was our most attended to date with around 1400 attendees making their way from C.S Lewis Square along the Holywood and Belmont Roads to finish in the grounds of Strandtown Primary School for a short firework Display.
Across the second half of the year we were able to continue our Programme of events for older people. An Autumn tea dance, Christmas party and Irish music event. As always the ability to host the events is made possible through the hard work and dedication of our volunteer team. These events were fully booked (150 across the events) and we had wonderful feedback from attendees.
The Wandsworth Tots group finished out the 2023 term with a summer party in June before resuming in the Autumn. The group remained well attended and it was lovely to see new and returning faces. The volunteer team really are the backbone of being able to provide this group to the community and we remain incredibly grateful for their time and energy.
The work at Wandsworth Community Association continues to be led by volunteers - people who get a real kick out of helping others achieve more of themselves and enjoy the resulting satisfaction, excitement and happiness it brings to our community. From activity leaders to admin support, garden maintenance to minibus drivers, toddlers group catering to carnival drumming there are so many opportunities here at Wandsworth so if you want to be part of a team that gets a buzz out of enabling people of all ages to reach their potential do come on board as without our volunteers Wandsworth would not exist or be able to do the work we achieve.