1st April 2018 to 31st March 2019

1st Floor Victoria House 138 Watling Street East Towcester, Northants NN12 6BT t. 01327 353139 e. [email protected] w. www.homestart-davsn.org.uk Registered Charity No: 1105831 A Company Limited by Guarantee Company No: 5199639 Patron: Lord Boswell of Aynho

Review of the year – Jean Morgan, Chair of Trustees

Welcome to our Annual Report for the period April 2018 to March 2019. Home-Start Daventry & South Northants has had another successful year, supporting local families with home visiting volunteers and at our new Stay & Play Groups in Brackley, Daventry and Towcester. In total, we supported 74 families with 151 children. Seventy-seven children came to our organised activities – the very popular summer trip to Rookery Farm and our Christmas party. We have over 30 professionally trained volunteers who make the Home-Start magic happen.

Funding is our biggest challenge, and we have been drawing down our reserves since October 2018. We were funded by Big Lottery (BL) until September 2018 when our five-year award ended. South Northamptonshire Council and Daventry District Council have both been helpful, as well as Brackley and Daventry Town Councils, Northampton Town Football Club and especially South Northants Homes.

Our Manager, Phil Hickson, joined in April 2018 and he has focused on applying for new sources of funding and exploring new avenues for us. He has had an amazing 47% success rate with applications, although he is the first to admit that smaller amounts are easier to obtain than larger awards.

Bluntly, our future is bleak, without a major success before the end of 2019.

We are concerned about the impact of local government reform in Northamptonshire – the creation of West Northamptonshire Council in our area – and we are working with Home-Start Northampton on a new bid to BL to mitigate the impact of reorganisation and the creation of a county wide Children’s Trust. Health visitors and social workers refer families to us for support although no funding is available from either Northamptonshire County Council or the Clinical Commissioning Group. With the critical shortage of social workers at NCC, our volunteers are now supporting families with more complex vulnerabilities, plus increased numbers of children/families with Child Protection Plans.

Despite our real concerns for the future, we have continued to develop new initiatives including healthy cooking and set up more Stay & Play schemes with Kate Batchelor, our new Stay & Play Organiser.

The whole team at Victoria House – Chris, Judy, Karen, Kate, Nicky and Sophia – have shown their dedication and professionalism by working together to ensure that Phil could concentrate on bringing in donations and grants and developing new partnership projects.

I would like to thank all Trustees and supporters who play a huge role in keeping us going, and are critical and supportive as appropriate. We are always interested in finding new ways of working in partnership so we can be more effective, reduce costs and work with more families.

Finally, I would like to thank everyone who has supported our work this year, especially our funding partners and our incredible, indomitable, dedicated volunteers.

Treasurer’s Report – Bill Dearns

On behalf of the Trustees/Directors I am pleased to present the Annual Financial Report of Home-Start Daventry & South Northants for the year ended 31st March 2019.

The year has been the most financially challenging that I have experienced as Treasurer since joining the Charity some 7 years ago. Demand for our services continues to be far greater than the scheme’s capacity together with the impact of the local government reform in Northamptonshire adding both to the demands required of us, without the related financial support.

As in the previous year, the majority of our Incoming Resources are of a restricted nature and are therefore designated in our Financial Statements as Restricted Funds and amount to some 73% (2018 86%). These funds are subject to us achieving the outcomes set down by our grantors. The Restricted Income for 2018/19 was £62,580 (2018 - £92,299) and comprises: -

1. Big Lottery - Reaching Communities-£33,779 (2018-£67,097). A grant covering the 5 years to 30th September 2018, drawn quarterly on the basis that we achieve matched funding of approximately £60,000 per annum, and also meet the operational levels of both families supported and volunteers recruited. 2. South Northamptonshire Council (SNC - Community Grant) – £3,402 (201-£3,386). A grant covering a period of 3 years from September 2016 to provide financial assistance with volunteer recruitment and training over the period of the grant. The total grant amounts to £10,182 and was received in September 2016 and is being deferred over the 3 year period. 3. South Northamptonshire Council (New Homes Bonus) – Grants of £10,705 and £5,410 to fund Stay & Play Groups in Brackley and Towcester together with related family support. 4. Daventry District Council – Grant of £4,167 to fund a Stay & Play Group in Daventry with related family support. 5. Daventry Town Council – Grant of £1,000 to provide positive parenting support in Daventry and Towcester. 6. Big Lottery – Award for All – A total grant of £9,884 covering a period of 12 months from November 2018 to support the employment and relating costs of a Stay & Play Organiser. The grant is being deferred equally over the 12 month period of the grant.

In 2018/2019 our Resources Expended totalled £113,370 (2018-£112,292). We monitor our expenditure on a very regular basis to ensure as far as possible it remains in line with both our anticipated income and reserves position. Our expenditure for 2018/2019 can be summarized as follows: -

1. Direct Charitable Activity Costs £96,668 (2018 - £97,218) 2. Support Costs £14,323 (2018 - £11,682) 3. Governance Costs £ 2,379 (2018 - £3,392)

Summarising the overall financial information, I am reporting a deficit for the year of £23,828 (2018-£4,880), which decreases our Balance Sheet Reserves at 31st March 2019 to £51,560 (2018-£75,388). The Net Assets representing these Reserves include some £67,000 (2018- £87,000) held in liquid funds at the balance sheet date.

As Trustees/Directors we meet at least monthly to review both the current financial and operational position together with an up-date of grant income expected. We aim, as far as possible, to ensure we hold sufficient contingency reserve funds to meet approximately 6 months operating costs, including estimated closure costs.

Finally, I cannot end my report without my personal thanks to the staff team at Victoria House. As always they have coped admirably with the ever increasing work-load demands and additional reporting, statistics and financial information required by our main funders. All in a year of increasing financial uncertainty.

Statement of financial activities

Total Total Total Total Total 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 £ £ £ £ £

Incoming Resources Grants 85297 102066 100914 141816 130503

Donations 2775 3919 3285 1825 11174

Fund-raising 696 525525 661 758 401

Interest 774 904 628 52 116

Total Income 89542 107413 105488 144451 142194

Charitable Charitable Activities 96668 97218 100511 127692 111829 Expenditure

Support/Governance Costs 16702 15074 10413 10355 12168

Total Expenditure 113370 112292 110924 138047 123997

Surplus/(Deficit) (23828) (4880) (5436) 6404 18197

Our accounts are printed separately and are available on request. Our grateful thanks to Bernard Wilkins of AIMS Business Accountants.

A special day out

Quote from a 44 pre-school children Health Visitor: enjoyed a day out at Rookery

Farm with their families; “Home-Start is really helpful for so many families who they enjoyed petting the are always matched well animals and a picnic lunch, with volunteers, offering a

alongside our volunteers and beneficial and professional service” staff team.

Working alongside families Home-Start Daventry & South Northants is an Being a parent has never been easy. independent voluntary organisation which works It can be lonely, frustrating, heart towards the increased confidence and independence of breaking and overwhelming. the family by:

Life-changing events can happen to  offering support, friendship and practical assistance anyone. All parents struggle at one  visiting families in their own homes, where the dignity time or another. That is why Home- and identity of each individual can be respected and Start is ready to support families protected through their toughest times.  reassuring parents that difficulties in bringing up Home-Start volunteers support children are not unusual and encouraging enjoyment in families with individual one-to-one family life home-visiting and a wide range of  developing a relationship with the family in which time targeted support for parents and their can be shared and understanding can be developed; the children. approach is flexible to take account of different needs

Home-Start works with families  encouraging the parents’ strengths and emotional experiencing challenges including: well-being for the ultimate benefit of their own children

 encouraging families to widen their network of  Poor mental or physical health relationships and to use effectively the support and  Postnatal depression / services available within the community bereavement  Financial worries

What a home visiting volunteer meant to a family….

“All the Home Start team are amazing! Chris (my co-ordinator) attends my Early Help Assessment family meetings and other appointments with me and does everything she can to help me move forward. My family loved both the Christmas party and the trip to Rookery Farm. My volunteer (Jackie) is so friendly and helpful and so good with my children and we have formed a lovely bond. Thank you for all the amazing work you do – you’ve helped my family so much and I could not be more grateful.”

What supporting a family meant to a volunteer ….

Home-Start gives me the opportunity to become actively and often intimately involved in a family’s life when they are generally at a low ebb. I commit for a long period of time which allows for a meaningful relationship to develop where mutual trust and respect can hopefully flourish. And through these relationships, I am able to share some of the things I have learnt in my life that may (or may not!) be useful to them. But above all, I can give TIME which is the most precious of gifts in our modern society and one which I think families value the most.

MISSION STATEMENT

Staff Team

Phil Hickson Scheme Manager (p/t) Home-Start Daventry and South Northants offers support, Judy Wheatland Coordinator (p/t) friendship and practical help to parents with young children Chris Batchelor Coordinator (p/t) who are experiencing stressful or difficult situations. Kate Batchelor Stay & Play Organiser (p/t) We offer a unique service, recruiting and training volunteers - Nicki Goddard Finance Officer (p/t) who are parents themselves - to visit families with at least one Sophia Maddison Administrator (p/t) child under 5, at home, to offer informal, friendly and Karen Johnson Administrator (p/t) confidential support. We help parents to grow in confidence, to strengthen and Board of Trustees enjoy their relationships with their children and to widen their Jean Morgan Chairperson links with the local community. Kathy Crook Co Vice-Chairperson We recognise the real, mutual and personal benefits gained Margaret Walgate Co Vice-Chairperson from sharing the realities of parenting in so many positive and Bill Dearns Treasurer constructive ways within their own communities. Caryl Billingham Trustee Ruth Curzon Trustee Gillian Murray Trustee Home-Start’s operational objectives:

Shirley Vaughan Trustee (resigned Nov 2018)  To safeguard, protect and preserve the good health, both mental and physical, of children and parents of Advisor children. Carol Liepa Safeguarding  To prevent cruelty to or maltreatment of children.  To relieve sickness, poverty and need amongst children Patron and parents of children. Lord Boswell of Aynho  To promote the education of the public in better standards of childcare within the area of Daventry and South Northants and its environs.

Our grateful thanks go to:

What did we achieve this year?  Argos  Big Lottery – Awards for All Our volunteers supported 74 families across Daventry District & South  Brackley United Feoffee Northamptonshire.  Brackley Photographic Studio  Brackley Town Council These families included 151 children: 103 under five years old and 37 over  Caryl Billingham five years old.  Charlie Smith  Daventry District Council Our volunteers supported 16 children who were considered disabled by  1st Daventry Rangers their main carer.  Daventry Town Council  EE, Daventry We supported 6 children who were on a Child Protection Plan  Easy Fundraising  Evenley Matters Over 77 children attended our organised activities: Rookery Farm and  Ellis Cory Christmas party.  Faraway Children’s Charity  Home-Start UK Our volunteers spent at least 1,515 hours of their time visiting families for  Janine Clark the scheme: at the minimum wage of £7.83 per hour this equates to some  South Northants Homes £11,863.  South Northamptonshire Council  Localgiving.com Stay & Play Groups: 116 families attended in Brackley Fire Station, Daventry  Maud Elkington Trust and Towcester Children’s Centres  Miss Lillies, Towcester  Midcounties Co-operative (Data taken from MESH system)  NDAS  Northampton Town Football Club  Ruth Brown A big THANK YOU to all our Volunteers  Sue Payne  Sue Waller Bill, Caryl, Claudia, Deana, Doune, Fiona, Gail, Gillian, Gita, Heidi  Waitrose Community Matters Jean, Kate, Kathy, Kayleigh, Kelly, Lucinda, Lynda, Natalie,  St George’s Church, Evenley Nicola Sl, Nicola Si, Pam, Pat, Ruth, Sally, Sandra, Sarah, Shirley A, and everyone who wishes to remain Shirley V, Steph, Theresa & Zoe anonymous

We would like to thank all our volunteers

and members of the Board of Trustees WELCOME to our newest volunteers who completed the who willingly give their time, expertise, Prep Course in July 2018: practical help and donations for the Amanda, Jo, Jackie, Jenny, Kimberley, Laura & Lynda benefit of the scheme and the families we support.

-We're there for parents when they need us the most, because childhood can’t wait.