Age UK Croydon Annual Report 2019-2020
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Age UK Croydon Annual Report 2019-2020 Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2020 Company number: 03921436 Contents Public Benefit Statement About us 5-12 - Our services 5 The Members of the Board, who are Trustees for the purposes of charity law 01 and Directors of Age UK Croydon for the purposes of company law, have - The impact of Covid-19 6 pleasure in presenting their annual report together with the accounts for the - Forming vital partnerships 10 year ended 31 March 2020 and confirm they comply with the requirements of - Our volunteers are fundamental to our delivery 11-12 the Charities Act 2011 and Companies Act 2006. The Board have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” (FRS 102) in preparing the annual report and financial Key achievements for our clients 13-28 statements of the charity. 02 - Key achievements against strategic objectives 13 The Directors have given due regard to the Commission’s guidance on public - Health and wellbeing 14-16 benefit and have concluded that our purposes satisfy both elements of the public - Less isolated and lonely 17-21 benefit requirement. Specifically, that: - Greater access to information and services 22-24 • the benefits from our purpose are evidenced by responding to the need of our - Greater independence 25-28 beneficiaries, in particular London Borough of Croydon’s recognition that the age of a population has an overwhelming influence on health and social care needs (Annual Public Health Report, 2017). Our future plans 29-32 • any detriment or harm that results from the purpose (to people, property or the 03 - Ensuring we are accessible 31 environment) does not outweigh the benefit, evidenced by our monitoring and - Nurturing our assets 31 evaluation processes which capture client feedback, including compliments, - Working in partnership 32 comments and complaints. • our services are accessible to a sufficient section of the public, evidenced by Governance review 33-37 service eligibility which where applied, targets accessibility to those most in need of the service. Our paid-for services offer a combination of competitive rates, 04 - Board performance management 33 subsidies, discounts and free options in order to avoid restriction of the service to - Management 34 those who can afford them. - Risk management 34 • our services do not give rise to more than incidental personal benefit, evidenced - Our funders 35 by our service delivery plans and service contracts which have been designed to - Memberships and partnerships 36-37 meet our charitable purpose. Financial review 38-54 05 - Statement of Directors’ responsibilities 40 - Annual accounts 41-54 4 About us Age UK Croydon Annual Report 2019-2020 5 01 About us Our services Celebrity events aside, our team continued to INFORMATION & ADVICE A message from deliver their support on the ground to the citizens We are Age UK Croydon and We provide independent, impartial, free of Croydon. At a time when funding remains under and confidential information and advice our Chair and CEO severe pressure, our work has not decreased and our vision is a Croydon where in the community, over the phone, by Welcome to Age UK Croydon’s (AUKC’s) we still see many areas of unmet need. That we are everyone can love later life. email and online able to address this need day in and day out is, in no Annual Report for the year from April 2019 Our mission is to lead the way in empowering, small measure, due to our staff and volunteer teams. MEMORY TREE CAFE to March 2020. enabling, supporting and connecting older Charities cannot function without their volunteers people in the London Borough of Croydon to live The Memory Tree Café provides a much As we reflect on what turned out to be a and yet they are woven through organisations in needed safe environment for people living well, healthily and independently. with dementia and their families/carers momentous year it would be all too easy to focus such a seamless fashion that they can be in danger on the final three months, such has been the of being overlooked. So, to highlight just how much Our Five Year Strategy (2018–2023) has set the impact of Covid-19 on our organisation and on more our staff can achieve working alongside this course of our work and ensures we keep our HEALTHIER LIFESTYLES us as individuals, team players and members of extra support, we are delighted to showcase and clients at the heart of what we do. Mid-way We provide regular exercise classes, health our community. In a very short space of time, our through, we are able to reflect on what we have checks and wellbeing talks to enable older celebrate our volunteers and their impact in this people to manage and improve their health services were completely redesigned to meet the year’s report. already achieved while keeping our sights on the emerging need, which was a tremendous and plans ahead. yet humbling response. But, as great as that has It is clear that the success of the organisation is PERSONAL INDEPENDENCE COORDINATORS built on the dedication and commitment of our We have an expert team of 77 staff and over been, it is important that it does not completely 117 volunteers who work together to deliver We work in a person centred way teams, be they volunteers or permanent staff. It helping people identify their own goals overshadow the many other highlights and our extensive range of services and activities achievements of the year: is also dependent on the generosity of our donors to regain independence and live the life and the Trustees extend their heartfelt thanks to right across the borough. With services spanning they want to live • 2020 is our Silver Jubilee and for 25 years we all concerned for their continued support, without information and advice, financial advocacy, have been embedded in the community which we health, wellbeing, home care, falls prevention, which we would be unable to make a difference. BEFRIENDING serve. We are proud that we continue to innovate, dementia support, one to one personal This report can only offer a glimpse of what we are We promote independent living by develop and extend our services in the face of about and we would encourage you to contact us independence coordinators, home from hospital arranging home visits and phone calls increasing need, and champion the voice of older if you are interested in learning more about ways in support, befriending and social activities, Age UK from volunteers people. Although our plans to mark this milestone which you could become involved. Croydon offers a holistic solution for older people have been blown off track by the pandemic, to access the services they require in one place. ADVOCACY they are not forgotten and we look forward to With best wishes, We are independent of the national Age UK We offer financial advocacy including finding a way to celebrate our anniversary at the charity, but have passed its quality standard Lasting Power of Attorney and debt advice appropriate time; allowing us to hold the Age UK brand, participate • We were excited winners of the “Best Charity” in national campaigns and add the voice of our COMMUNITY HUB at the Croydon Business Excellence Awards. As clients to lobbying efforts, keeping older people’s Our Brigstock Road hub offers a range of a charitable organisation, this was an unusual rights on the national agenda. activities for older people and also the wider community “first” for us and we were very appreciative of the “The objects for which the charity is established recognition of our work in the local community; Deborah McCluskey, Chair, Age UK Croydon and to which it is specifically restricted are to • And we made our TV debut, as Alan Titchmarsh promote the wellbeing of older people in the HOME FROM HOSPITAL REABLEMENT and his Love Your Garden team descended on London Borough of Croydon.” We offer practical home from hospital our unusable outdoor space to create a beautiful support to build confidence, reduce isolation and encourage independence garden for our clients to enjoy. This was the fulfilment of a long held goal and has, quite literally, paved the way for the next big investment project PERSONAL SAFETY AND FALLS PREVENTION which is intended to underpin the sustainability of Jill Kyne We reduce the risk of falls at home by the charity - hopefully for the next 25 years. CEO (interim), Age UK Croydon arranging aids and home adaptations which build confidence and independence 6 About us Age UK Croydon Annual Report 2019-2020 7 The impact of Covid-19 How we responded to older Through the majority of this reporting year, our peoples’ needs services operated as usual; we supported our Responding to the needs of our clients and the clients through face-to-face and group gatherings, community is always at the heart of what we both in people’s homes and in community settings do. This was as important as ever as we rapidly across the borough. adapted our services to meet the new and evolving needs of the people we support and those who had However in January 2020 it was clear the world not previously engaged with us. was changing and as the Covid-19 pandemic took hold Trustees and the Senior Leadership Team were With new social isolation and social distancing meeting regularly to discuss our approach to service guidelines in place, older people faced new and delivery to ensure the safety of our clients, staff and challenging issues which we were able to very volunteers, while still supporting local need.