ANNUAL REPORT

APRIL 2005 – MARCH 2006

SHIREHAMPTON PUBLIC HALL    STATION ROAD    SHIREHAMPTON   BRISTOL  BS11 9TU 

Tel: 0117 982 9963         E-mail: enquiries@shirecaf.org.uk        Website: www.shirecaf.org.uk  

Company Registration No: 4686738                    Charity Registration No: 1099221

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Chairman’s Statement

 This is the Forum’s third annual report. The Forum became an independent organisation in April 2003. It aims to address the issues raised in a Community Profile of Shirehampton, by strengthening ties and building partnership working between statutory agencies, private enterprise, and voluntary and community groups in Shirehampton.  

We have again made excellent progress in delivering benefits to the local community. Our community work is mainly carried out by Action Groups, whose work is described in more detail later in this report. I will highlight a few of their achievements here.

The Youth Support and Community Safety Groups have well-established networks of people in the voluntary and statutory fields. Following our successes in the previous year, Connexions awarded us a third contract to manage a programme of holiday activities, delivered through our partner organisations, and managed by the Youth Support Group. This was part of the Positive Activities for Young People programme.  

The Community Safety Action Group has continued to facilitate contact between the Police and Fire Brigade, and local organisations. It has publicised the availability of fire safety checks and smoke detectors. It successfully lobbied for the installation of dropped curbs on the route from the Cotswold Estate to the village centre. It has supported and publicised the work of the Domestic Abuse Forum, and persuaded it to extend its area of operations to include Shirehampton. It has continued to focus on control of litter. The group nominated its Chairman, PC Gareth Davies, who is our local beat manager, for the Amlani Diversity Award, and were delighted that he was the runner-up. 

Shire Greens continued to work very closely with the City Parks Department on the improvement of the Lamplighters Marsh area. They organised both a ‘Spring Stroll’ guided by a botanist, and a Bat Track, to inform residents about the wildlife in the area. They planted trees for an orchard. They have drafted an information leaflet about the area.  

At the beginning of the new financial year our funding position was unclear, and we were faced with the prospect of running out of cash during the year. I am pleased to report that we have now received commitments that will enable us to operate on at least the current level for the year ahead. 

We could not have achieved as much as we have without the efforts of many people. I am very grateful to my fellow Trustees, all those who have contributed to SCAF's activities, and to our funders. We are particularly grateful to Comic Relief, who provided the second stage of a two year grant which went a long way to providing us with core funding. This is the most difficult area for us to raise funds. Once again Ash Bearman, our Community Development Officer has been the mainstay of SCAF. Without her skill and enthusiasm we could not have achieved anything like as much as we have. 

David Thomas, Chairman 

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Report of the Trustees 

1.      Name and Registered Office 

The charity’s name is Shirehampton Community Action Forum. It is also known as SCAF. It is a registered charity, number 1099221, and a company limited by guarantee, no 4686738. The Registered Office is Shirehampton Public Hall, 32 Station Rd, Shirehampton, Bristol BS11 9TU.

2.      Names of Charity Trustees and Company Directors 

Dr David Thomas                              Chairman

Mr Tim Baynes Clarke           Vice Chairman                      until 30 May 2006

Mr John Hardy                                   Company Secretary

Mrs Thelma Tillett                              Honorary Treasurer

Insp Iwan Jones                                                                                 until 1 September 2005

Mrs Sandra White                

Ms Jenny Bird                                                                                    until 1 September 2005

Ms Pat Roberts                                                                                 from 8 September 2005

Mr Brian Blandford                                                                            from 12 December 2005

Ms Val Jenkins                                                                                  from 7 February 2006 

3.      Staff 

The Forum employs one part-time staff member, Ms Ash Bearman, who is the Community Development Officer. 

4.      Structure, Governance and Management 

The Forum is a Company Limited by Guarantee, and is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association. These set out how individuals and organisations can become members. It is managed by the Trustees, who are elected by the members at the Annual General Meeting. Additional Trustees may be appointed by the existing Trustees, to serve until the next AGM. 

The Trustees are the managing body of SCAF, and are responsible for finance and assets, and employing any staff. The Board of Trustees are supported by a Steering Committee, also known as the Full Forum, and by a variable number of Action Groups, which will be formed or dissolved as the need for them arises. Three Action Groups existed during the year.

These were Youth Support, Community Safety, and Shire Greens, which covers environmental matters. 

The Memorandum and Articles of Association are supported by Rules. These set out the membership structure, and the relationship between the Trustees, the Full Forum, and the Action Groups. 

The Trustees held 9 formal and one informal meeting during the year. They approved the budget and Business Plan for the year, and received regular financial reports. SCAF’s Development Officer, Ash Bearman, attended their meetings. The Trustees exercise overall control of her work priorities, but the Chairman acts as her line manager. 

The Trustees had adopted a range of Policies and Procedures in the previous year, but had adopted a provisional Health and Safety Policy. A final version of the latter was agreed in the year under review. The Trustees consider that the range of Policies and Procedures now in place meets Bristol City Council’s baseline standards. 

The Trustees do not have a formal Risk Management Policy at present. However, they consider that the greatest risk the Forum faces at present is uncertainty in future funding. The future of SCAF as a viable organisation will remain uncertain until a sustainable source of funding has been secured. 

5.      Charitable Objects

The Objects of the Forum are set out in the governing document:

1.      To promote the benefit of the parish of Shirehampton and the neighbourhood without distinction of sex, or of political, religious or other opinions by associating the local authorities, voluntary organisations and inhabitants in a common effort to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure-time occupations with the object of improving the conditions of life for the said inhabitants. 

2.      The promotion of public safety and prevention of crime. 

3.      The preservation and protection of health. 

The activities carried out to support these objects are set out in the Review of Activities for the Year. 

6.      Financial Review 

The Forum does not at present have a formal policy on Reserves. This is because the uncertainty in funding has not enabled us to generate adequate reserves. However, the Trustees consider that they should aim to maintain reserves equivalent to at least 6 months’ core costs, so that the Forum is less vulnerable to uncertainties and delays in funding receipts. 

The Accounts for the Year are set out below. The principal sources of unrestricted funds were grants from Comic Relief, Shire newspapers, the Astley Trust, Quartet, and HBG Construction. These funds were primarily used to pay the salary and associated costs of the development worker, and enabled her to support the activities of the Forum and of the three Action Groups. The main restricted income arose from a contract with Connexions, to provide services in the Positive Action for Young People programme.

REVIEW OF THE YEAR 

SCAF’s aims are: 

·        To discuss the issues raised in the Community Profile and come to a consensus of opinion as to the priorities.

·        To develop a strategic and multi agency approach to address the priority issues.

·        To establish links and support the work of other local initiatives. To establish a working structure with regular meetings.

·        Establish good communication between Forum members.

·        To establish sub groups/working groups to address specific issues e.g. housing, lack of youth activities etc.

·        To be inclusive and fully representative of all sections of the Shirehampton Community.

·        To be open to and consult the residents of Shirehampton. 

Key working Partners

 Now in our fourth year the Forum and action groups have continued to attract new partner organisations & individuals from the community to work together in strong and effective partnerships in the areas of Community Safety, Youth Support and Shire Greens (Environment).  

These have involved statutory agencies, community groups, voluntary sector organisations, private enterprises, churches, schools, Tenants & Traders Associations and individuals from the community.  Details of the work areas of each of these groups appear later in the report.

How it works…. 

Each action groups meets every 4-6 weeks, the action groups decide the focus of work and their work plans. Each group has a Chair, although all members enjoy equal status.  

All the meetings are attended by the Community Development Officer, who facilitates the development of each group as well as the overall Forum and is responsible for the day to day management of SCAF, and delivery of the identified projects and work areas. 

The Forum & Other work areas 

The Full Forum met 5 times during the year. The main purpose of the Forum is to enable the Action Groups to report on their activities. There is a very fruitful interaction between the various groups in these discussions, and each group benefits from the inputs from members of other groups, and from SCAF members who are not also members of a group. 

In addition to the work of the action groups SCAF also has an extensive database of over 160 contacts, which continue to strengthen ties between current partnerships, attract new members and also support and contribute to the work of other organisations both statutory and voluntary sector working for community regeneration in North Bristol. 

§         Highlighted local Planning Applications & publicised to the wider community

§         Supported & promoted the need to continue community use of Robin Cousins

§         Continued to raise the profile of Shirehampton & the issues of the community to many Bristol City Council Depts

§         Attracted funding & support from a wide variety of sources & organised small & fun fundraising events – not least the now infamous SCAF Plant Sales! (Particular note of thanks to Pat Squire)

§         Contributed to VOSCUR North Network, VOSCUR C-Net & Bristol Development Trust Network

§         Used as a contact point for information about local organisations & services

§         Kept the Shire community informed & involved through regular local articles in Shire Newspaper