Annual Report

Transcription

1 1 Annual Report Improving local life by bringing people together to share skills

2 Time Exchange 2 Contents: Page 3 Aims & Objectives Page 7 Facts & Figures Page 10 Projects & Activities Page 16 Company Information Page 18 Statement of Financial Activities

3 Aims and Objectives 3 The Trustees have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the aims and objectives and in planning future activities. The aims and objectives of the Time Exchange are to advance the benefit of the residents of the socially and economically deprived area of the West End of Newcastle upon Tyne by: Operating a time bank as a means of relieving poverty, advancing education, relieving unemployment and promoting vocational training for the benefit of the public in the area. Developing the capacity and skills of the members of the community in such a way that they are better able to identify and meet their needs and to enable them to participate more fully in society. Advancing the education of the public by the provision of information and advice with reference to welfare rights and health related issues. These are the core values of the Time Exchange: We are all equally important and so is our time. Building home, neighbourhood and community is real work. Helping is best when we both give and receive. Being together means being stronger."

4 The Time Exchange runs a community-based Time Bank in the West End of Newcastle. Local residents exchange skills and services with one another using an alternative currency to record their contributions. For every hour of time that is volunteered members earn a time credit which can be used to access skills and services offered by other members. Members of the Time Exchange are also earning community credits by participating in local groups, events and environmental improvements. The Time Exchange aims to encourage neighbourliness and community spirit in the Inner West of Newcastle. The Time Exchange staff will help to develop communities by: 4 Recruiting new members from harder to reach groups, e.g. Isolated and elderly, minority ethnic groups and residents with mental health problems or physical disabilities. Facilitating the exchange of skills and services. Building confidence and developing life skills in members and the wider community. The Time Exchange also operates a drop-in facility five days a week whereby local residents can access advice, guidance and support on a variety of issues. The experienced staff team provides access to the following services: Signposting to other organisations and statutory agencies. CV and interview preparation. One-to-one support and confidence building sessions.

5 Members of the staff team are fluent in several of the community languages, including Punjabi, Urdu and Hindi. The staff team has 16 years experience facilitating exchanges and development opportunities for members. Staff members offer the following expertise: community development and capacity building, social work, mental health, minority ethnic communities, advocacy, and equalities. The Time Exchange Board comprises 7 members (2 male and 5 female) who represent the diversity of the community. Time Exchange Report The last year has been busy as usual at the Time Exchange office organising daily requests for a variety of different skills and services. The drop-in service has supported local residents to access more specialist agencies and maintain some control of their lives. The Time Exchange is still one of the UK s longestestablished, most successful time banks. The constant demand for exchanges demonstrates how well time banking works within a community, but also the essential need for support when so many other local services are being reduced. The Time Exchange has been an extremely important part of many residents lives over the past year. This has been one of the toughest years so far for funding, and it seems to be getting harder for all small charities out there. We were delighted to hear the great news that we were awarded three years funding from the Newcastle Fund to cover 50% of our running costs. We hope to secure longer term funds to cover all of our core costs to maintain this vital community project. 5

6 We receive in kind support from Home Group, who provide us with the use of 235 Stanton Street. We would like to thank Hutchinsons for their generous donation to support our work in the community. We ve also received funds for the work on Street Planters and to develop the Community Garden, and funds to develop the Wingrove Wellbeing Walks We ve received ongoing support from ISOS helping us with our fundraising activities, and we are also raising funds through the Chronicle Wish Campaign and using the website Easy Fundraising. 6

7 The funding that we have received over the year has enabled the Time Exchange office to maintain the 5 day/week time bank and drop-in service for most of the year with just 3 part-time staff posts. The staff team and Trustees are working hard to ensure that there is continued funding to support all of our members and the local community. 7 Facts & Figures The Time Exchange provides support to 182 individual members plus their families. There are also 34 organisations, schools or residents groups that are partnership members that both give and receive skills, expertise and advice. Time Exchange members have been busy exchanging their skills throughout the year earning a total of 2095 credits. This works out at more than 40 hours exchanged each week. The staff team also supports the wider community by responding to daily requests for advice and guidance. We have offered timebanking advice to several emerging time banks in the area. The Time Exchange has worked in partnership with Greening Wingrove, Nunsmoor Centre Trust, Newcastle City Council, Home Group, Keyring etc helping to support local residents.

8 8 Top 5 Time Bankers Member No. of credits earned 1. Geoff Brown Charlie Gardiner Marc Barber Lynne Henry Rachael Hales 49 We would like to say thank you to all our members for their hard work, support and commitment to the Time Exchange and for making all of our achievements possible.

9 9 Most Popular Types of Exchanges Skill/Service No. of credits 1. Gardening/Environmental Newsletter production Cooking/Vegetable & Salad bags Cleaning & Housework Shopping & Errands 85

10 In addition to all of these exchanges members have offered many other skills and services including music lessons, hospital escort, sewing and IT support. The Time Exchange office has earned more than 225 credits by offering the following services to local residents: Providing reference letters of support for housing and employment. Providing regular crisis intervention for a number of residents. Signposting to specialist organisations and agencies for housing, welfare rights, family support, domestic violence, financial support and social care. Providing 1-1 emotional and personal support. Projects & Activities The Time Exchange has also been involved with various other projects and activities throughout the year. Environmental The gardening team have now established regular gardening sessions in the Bike Garden, after the closure of the Nunsmoor Allotment site. Following another successful application to the Greening Wingrove Community Innovation Fund, we have run an ongoing programme of activities. As well as Helen s twice-weekly food growing sessions in the garden, there have been a number of seasonal events including a Wassailing event, Easter and Summer activities, after work gardening sessions, gardening with kids, and 10

11 most recently the Greening Wingrove Apple Day. This year has also seen the installation of a shipping container to store essential tools and equipment. Thank you to Kerryanne, Una, Helen and Nicola and Sam for organising and running all of the sessions in the garden. 11 The Community Food Growing Project has continued with the production of a regular plant and seeds list for local residents, and ongoing advice and support from Helen the Gardener. We ve also joined forces with Reclaim the Lanes, with Helen providing plants,

12 advice and support for local residents. With the help of volunteers from Marks and Spencer s Spark Something Good, we ran a successful hanging basket event. Thank you to Helen and Charlie for their continued their work on the street planters in Arthur s Hill. They have recently been joined by Matthew Kelliher who will provide Helen with ongoing support in maintaining the street planters. We have been encouraging residents to adopt local street planters, with 20 street planters now being looked after by residents. 12

13 We have been involved with monthly litter picks in the local area which have really taken off this year, as well as organising seven volunteer days helping to keep the streets clean. We ve also provided support to POW (Proud of the West End) who hold regular litter picks in the Elswick area. Helen has been working on an Urban Irrigation Project this year, and has completed a demonstration display at the front of the Time Exchange office, showcasing different methods of water efficient gardening including a living wall and self-watering planters. The Time Exchange has also produced an Urban Irrigation leaflet, sharing information on how residents can become more water efficient in their own gardens. Other Events, Activities & Exchanges The Time Exchange has organised and facilitated various different events, activities and exchanges over the year giving members the opportunity to earn additional credits and meet up with many other members. These have included festive card making and cookery workshops featuring a curry making session and chutney making. Sunnie has also been working to establish the Wingrove Wellbeing Walks, working with a number of Time Exchange members to develop mapped healthy walks in the local area. These maps will include information about essential local services and what they can offer to the community. We are supporting a Time Exchange member with setting up an Organic Veg scheme serving the local area, which we hope will expand over the coming year. 13

14 14 Our staff team have had a busy time, with lots of changes in the office over the year. We d like to say a huge thank you to Gerry who covered Saima s maternity leave, he fitted seamlessly into the staff team and was a great addition to the Time Exchange team. We welcomed Saima back to the Time Exchange after the birth of her daughter Dua. We would also like to thank Rachael Hales for providing much needed support in the office 2 days a week. The staff team have been busy with supporting the daily drop-in and setting up daily exchanges for members. We ve worked hard updating our company policies, making sure that we re operating

15 on a professional basis and ensuring the safety of the staff and all of our members. Time Banking UK The Time Exchange acts as a Regional Mentor for Time Banking UK and can give advice to anyone interested in setting up a time bank in their local community. We have offered advice to four emerging time banks in the area, from North Tyneside down to Hartlepool. Board Members We warmly welcome three new board members to the Time Exchange Helen James and Clare Philbrick. Newsletter & Website We continue to produce the monthly newsletter letting people know what's going on in the area as well as giving members the opportunity to put forward their own articles. We would like to thank Geoff Brown for his regular work on the newsletter. As well as the Time Exchange s website, which features regular news and information about offers and requests, the Time Exchange is now regularly using Facebook, posting events, information, offers and requests, and pictures of member exchanges. 15

16 16 Theresa Ball - Project Manager

17 Directors: Time Exchange Ltd Company Information 17 As well as being local residents, the Time Exchange Directors are all members of the Time Exchange. They are: Staff: Dominic Robinson Tamara Syeda Begum Ann Atkinson Marc Barber Shamaila Riaz Sarah Haswell (Resigned Dec 2015) Helen James Clare Philbrick Project Manager Timebank Assistants Environmental Theresa Ball Sunnie Mann Saima Arshad Mahmood Gerry Hunwick Helen Dawe Una Bradley Kerryanne Higgens

18 Time Exchange Funders 18 We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of our funders: The Time Exchange has generated additional income through fundraising activities from: Newcastle Evening Chronicle Easyfundraising Hutchinson s Fruit & Vegetables

19 Accounts 19