ANNUAL REPORT 2015-2016 We relate these to our daily work by being Contents Our Mission Our Values enabling, Volunteer is a charity At Volunteer Cornwall, we are 4 Chair & Chief Executive Welcome which develops individuals and integrating our values into creating opportunity, communities through voluntary everything we do: To be bold & 5 Brokerage action. passionate. innovating, 6 East Cornwall Community Maker To work reciprocally, with providing proactive collective purpose, promoting 7 Mid & West Cornwall Community Maker neighbourliness. leadership and being 8 Training inclusive 10 Health & Social Care Services

12 Services for Vulnerable Groups – Adults 14 Services for Vulnerable Groups – Children 15 and Cornwall Police Project 16 Cornwall Celebrates Volunteering

18 Transport 20 Corporate Volunteering 22 Cleaner Seas

24 What Else Have We Been Up To? 25 Sustainability 26 Statement of Financial Activities

27 Balance Sheet 28 Directors’ & Auditor’s Statement 29 Contact Us

30 Thank You

2 3 Scott Bennett Ian Jones Brokerage Chair Chief Executive For the first time, 2015/16 saw us deliver systems seem to have settled down now our infrastructure services without the following the major changes 18 months traditional ‘Volunteer Centre’ model. ago and we are proud of the service we are Instead, we centralised the brokerage able to provide to charities, community service at our Head Office site and created groups social enterprises and public sector a new ‘Community Maker’ role to work on bodies looking for volunteers. the ground in communities, developing and supporting voluntary action.

Not surprisingly, we dealt with fewer people directly in 2015/16 (809 compared Chair & Chief Executive Welcome to 1586 the year before) but reassuringly, we handled more online enquiries (2729) What a demanding but highly rewarding year it has been. is a difficult task. People volunteer their time for than 2014/15 (2204) The challenges facing individuals and communities numerous reasons and at different stages of their lives. across Cornwall continue to cause concern, particularly We must understand this so that we can communicate We have retained the offices in for the most vulnerable. In such disquieting times the the opportunities and the benefits to meet their needs and to serve as an admin base for people of Cornwall once again show their mettle as and aspirations. We must continue to learn from the staff working in those areas and in order they continue to volunteer their work we undertaken and always to give us a venue to conduct interviews time to help and support in all challenge what we do. With this and meetings where necessary. In Liskeard, areas of life, from supporting in mind Volunteer Cornwall has we have even been joined in the office by children and older people to been working with the College Age UK staff working on ‘Living Well’ so if enhancing the environment We can’t solve of Life and Environmental anything, that office is busier than ever. and conserving our biodiversity. Sciences at the Penryn Campus problems by using the of the University of Exeter. The We continue to use the national Over 3,500 people approached same kind of thinking academics at the university volunteering database – “do-it” – to Volunteer Cornwall in the past allow us to question our work, advertise all volunteering opportunities year looking to volunteer their we used when we to understand what we are and have adopted V-Base Cloud as our time. This is in addition to the doing and to identify ways to client management system. These two tens of thousands of people created them improve what we do. already volunteering, what – Albert Einstein – RANKING AREAS OF INTEREST TYPES OF ACTIVITY great communities we have. No practice is static and in Volunteers Opportunities Volunteers Opportunities Cornwall should be proud of its times of uncertainty and position as the leading region change it is essential that we 1 Young People Social Care Befreinding Advice for social and voluntary action continue learning. It is also 2 Children Disability Driving Befriendiing and we would like to pass on our thanks for all of your important that we share this learning with partners 3 Social Care Families Mentoring Administration efforts to make Cornwall the place it is. across the public, voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors. We hope in the years ahead that 4 Animals Mental Health Administration Fund Raising How we encourage and support volunteers and host this knowledge driven collaboration will develop 5 Mental Health Children Support Work Support Work organisations remains Volunteer Cornwall’s key work. further and enhance the work that we and are How to continue to do this with diminishing resources partners undertake. Table showing most popular themes and roles – split between what volunteers are looking for and what opportunities are available

4 5 East Cornwall Community Maker Mid Cornwall West Cornwall Community Maker Community Maker Our Community Makers sometimes act as a Part of our Community Maker’s role is to assist catalyst, helping to get projects up and running by Community Groups in engaging people in voluntary supporting the ideas of individuals and assisting action. Two such requests came in around Christmas them to get started. One example of this can be time when the number of volunteers needed and found in Mid Cornwall where we set-up a weekly people wanting to volunteer historically spike. radio show called ViVA radio which aims to promote volunteering to the wider area and also Firstly we had a novel Facebook enquiry for encourage ViVA clients to get involved in radio volunteers to play the roles of Anna and Elsa from volunteering. Frozen at a Christmas Fair being run by Pengegon Institute. Secondly, we received a request to support a Each week a different ViVA client helps to produce an Christmas Day Meal for anyone in Redruth who would hour long show for Cornwall Hospital Broadcasting otherwise be alone or hungry. Network. For this show, the client selects all music and engages in some “radio banter”. The ViVA In both instances, we volunteer has the creative freedom to design the were able to use our local show as they like. The feedback from the guest hosts knowledge and contacts has been overwhelming positive. One ViVA client, to help out and find the Mark “loved the experience” according to his step- right people for the roles father “and was keen to be on the show as often as and this is indicative possible”. of the work of our Community Makers We have also been working with people who – having the right Last year the Community Makers all hosted events to bring Another example is South Petherwin Community are interested in supporting and training young “social networks” local communities together to raise awareness of their various Shop which is a pilot project funded by people to get involved in volunteering. Our in place so that groups and to promote community-based projects. The East the and which was Community Maker successfully applied for we know who event was held in Bude and was called ‘Communities Together’. opened by Bishop Tim and is funding to hire a professional bike mechanic are the right It was very well attended and helped support other parts of our based in the local Church. to teach bicycle maintenance skills to young people to speak work, especially around the health and care agenda. Last September the people. Once they have supported the to in any given Church opened their young people who have attended the community The last year has been filled with a mixture of fine examples of own post office. course they will then be able to how, when ordinary people unite with a common goal, they pass there knowledge can succeed in bringing their community together and getting The shop is open and skills onto things done. One example is the Rame Peninsula Trust (RPT). Monday – Friday other young The RPT is a self sufficient community group that feeds into 5 8am to 12.00 and people. local parishes - Rame/Maker, Millbrook, /, St. has a part time paid John and Antony RPT provides community support with the Manager (and is soon help of its 46 volunteers 12 of which are very regular, operating to have part time paid Assistant Manager) and currently just from its premises, the Rame Centre on Millbrook’s main high two volunteers. We provided useful information regarding street. There is also a community mini-bus which can carry up recruitment of volunteers, volunteer policy and agreement to 15 people. guidance and signposted them to the Do-it website.

6 7 Training The Training Team contributed to our objective to ‘Train & The breadth of courses has grown this year to encompass Develop VCSE volunteers & staff’ as well as ‘Support & develop Coaching Skills, Employability, Thinking Skills, Fund Raising host organisations’. They were also set a target under ‘Finances’ to and Event Planning. Many of these programmes were delivered break even – which they did! in response to the needs of voluntary and community sector partners, as well as organisations in both public and private Over the last 12 months, our Training Team trained 342 learners sectors. What is particularly heartening is the diversity of across 45 courses, 17 of which were qualification-based. organisations seeking our training. We have worked closely with in running the Level 3 Award in As with most statistics however these, the figures only tell part Education & Training for the Health Promotion Service, and of the story. The qualification programmes delivered continued an introductory course in Coaching Skills, targeted across to reflect the needs of the participating organisations and the all Council staff, which encouraged many to progress onto expertise of the training team. This year we ran more courses accredited coaching courses. in Volunteer Management and Education & Training whilst running fewer number of Emergency First Aid at Work and Similar introductory or short programmes have been delivered Food Safety programmes. We also forged closer links with our on behalf of the Royal Cornwall Museum (Customer Service) and Transport team, sharing the delivery of the Car and MPV Driver The Dame Kelly Holmes Trust (Event Planning). Awareness training course as well as continuing to run our This was targeted at 16-25 young people suite of Safeguarding and other opportunities to our drivers. not in Education, Employment or Training.

Many of those who attended are now looking at volunteering At the end of 2015 we were successful in an application to opportunities including linking with the Special Olympics project. be a key partner in a 3-year trans-European project aimed at designing and delivering a Level 3 accredited programme The most recent round of ESF-funded programmes concluded in in community development that recognises community July 2015, and we successfully delivered on all elements of the champions. Training units will include volunteer development contract, including mentoring sector organisations to develop and management and developing confidence and motivation. apprenticeship frameworks. We also secured short-term EU We look forward to working closely with our partners in UK, funding to train additional learners through the Skills Support Slovenia, Sweden and Romania on this exciting development. for the Unemployed / Workforce programmes. The overall winner of the Volunteer of the Year Award, This year witnessed the first Level 4 courses being delivered announced at the annual Cornwall Celebrates Volunteering by Volunteer Cornwall, not only enhancing our profile of event in November, was the section winner from the ‘Personal programmes offered but also providing further evidence of Development and Overcoming Barriers’ category. This was the ‘repeat learners’. It is extremely gratifying to know that learners second time in three years that the recipient from this category are choosing to come back and resume their learning with us, has won the overall prize, and confirms the central place learning progressing onto higher level or different types of programmes. occupies in the lives of volunteers across the whole sector.

8 9 Health & Social Care Services Community Hospital Volunteers

Newquay Pathfinder British Red Cross and Living Well teams, both to reduce hospital This past year has been very busy with new recruits and those readmissions and to enavble people to live independent lives. Number Duration Number of Number of We continued to work from the Health Centre on St Thomas Rd, who have left to go to jobs or nursing college and more visits of Visits (Hours) Patients seen Activities one day each week, accepting referrals directly from and volunteering hours than last year. We currently have 70 Together we supported over 600 people who needed a little help nurses and GPs for people they think would benefit from some active volunteers who are visiting patients in the community 873 1415.5 5292 567 social activity or volunteering alongside any medical treatment to make the transition from hospital to home both comfortable hospitals across the County. they might be receiving. and safe. Our volunteers were able to assist with a variety of tasks including arranging transport from hospital, initial shopping The volunteers can share something with the patient, hold appreciated the opportunity to tell their story or get Living Well support, collecting prescriptions, contacting utility companies or their hand and spend as little or as much time as needed. something off their chest. These stories help illustrate exactly partner agencies and connecting people with local community Patients say it’s brightened up their day, and many have what difference this project is making . . . Our main role in Living Well has been linking our staff delivering groups which matched their interests. the Welcome Home service (see below) so that between us we can offer services to people before, during and after a hospital stay. We The 50Oth visit was made to Barbara by a Welcome Home volunteer, also continued to support the voluntary action at community level Sam. Barbara, 64, had only moved to Cornwall at the end of June which underpins the success of Living Well. and found herself in hospital within a few weeks of being in the area. A Volunteer’s story A Patient’s story As she knew no one in her area, Barbara was referred for a Welcome Welcome Home Mark started volunteering at St Barnabus Community Joe* was feeling quite desperate, he couldn’t fully come Home visit. “Being alone and not being able to walk well I was hospital in 2014, He now spends two afternoons a week to terms with the impact of having had a recent leg Welcome Home, Volunteer Cornwall’s “Home from hospital” service worried about how I was going to be able to do shopping”. According visiting patients on the wards who are convalescing, or amputation. He was concerned about not being able was funded through NHS Kernow and supported 517 discharges to Barbara “Welcome Home is a big help, when you are completely receiving palliative care. ‘I had been working in Mental to go on holiday, or drive or do all the things he and his from hospital (against a target of 500). We worked closely with the alone it’s nice to have someone make an effort to help you.” Health and Care for some time, and when I became wife had planned for their future. The volunteer visiting unwell it became apparent that I could no longer do my told him that of course he could lead a normal life, and job anymore, it really knocked my confidence’ said Mark. do the things he wants to, go on holiday, and with a bit ‘Volunteering was a way of gently getting back into work of adaption to a vehicle, drive anywhere. The patient and doing something positive. I certainly get a lot from said ‘how do you know?’ So she rolled up her trousers, the role, I help at mealtimes and also sit with patients twisted her leg and placed it beside him on his bed, she who don’t have visitors, and once the conversation gets then began to tell him about her trip to Goa, and her started it’s surprising how quickly the time goes. You lovely little car that she gets about in. meet so many different people who have done all sorts of interesting things and have had fascinating lives. It’s Understandably the patient was very surprised, but saw very rewarding for me, and the patients seem to enjoy a glimmer of hope that Doctors or Counselling had been having someone different to chat to.’ unable to provide. He asked the volunteer to return as soon as possible and arranged a time when his wife Mark has completed various training courses as well as could be there to hear her story. There are hundreds of the mandatory sessions to carry out the role, including similar stories– although not all the volunteers have had mealtime assistance training and Bereavement and amputations! Emotional resilience training from McMillan. He is a valued member at peer support meetings and is thought of highly by staff. He feels through volunteering he has gained confidence and improved his self esteem and is now able to look for employment again. * Not the person’s real name.

10 11 Services for Vulnerable Groups - Adults Special F3 – Food Fun & Friends

Viva A Positive Journey Olympics – The Perfect Recipe Viva is a service delivered by Volunteer Cornwall with core funding “A Positive Journey” (APJ) aims, through European cooperation, from Cornwall Council - Education, Health and Social Care. The to address the stigma that disadvantaged groups face in Cornwall project focuses on people with a physical, learning or sensory their life’s journey – it demonstrate that there is life beyond Volunteer Cornwall is an active partner disability, mental health issues and people with long term illness. disadvantage. www.apositivejourney.com in Special Olympics Cornwall (SOC). Viva has two strands, firstly, it finds welcoming, fun and meaningful SOC started in December 2013 and now volunteering opportunities for people who may never have The partners are from the UK, Greece, Lithuania and Italy has a membership of 175 people with volunteered before but have an incredible amount to give. The aim exchange best practice and have created a media and a learning disability. The partnership, is to make volunteering accessible to anyone who wishes to give communication learning toolkit to help tackle this stigma. involving Tempus Leisure and Cornwall their time freely to a host organisation. Secondly, Viva identifies and Sports Partnership, was awarded develops positive activities that people can undertake and become £166,000 from Sport England to fund involved . The activities are identified by people and Viva makes Friendship Clubs the LD Active Kernow program to them happen. In 2015/16, Viva signed up 543 volunteers of whom A range of ‘Friendship Clubs’ have been developed to support get people with a learning disability 77% were active in either viva, Friendship Clubs or Special Olympics. people with a learning disability. There are 81 people currently involved in sport and other physical We also have a number of volunteers who act as buddies, supporting signed up as members. The aim is to provide people with activity. We held regular meetings in clients into placements and helping deal with any issues that arise. positive and fun activities that encourage them to meet and Truro, , and Newquay, form friendships using a theme or an activity as the common delivering a number of sports, both Details of events activities and information can be found at w ww. factor; the bond between people. They range from cookery, at team and individual level. SOC has vivacornwall.org.uk digital music, DJ-ing, animation, mosaic and art clubs. run a festival of sport at the Heron Tennis centre with 80 plus athletes F3 operates from Café Chaos in Truro every other Thursday. It is run by volunteers taking part. We have had success and is overseen by the Chef, Sanjay Kumar. Food is at the heart of all our social in competitions, winning gold and activity; people learn how to cook and in the process make new friends. The club bronze medals in boccia and gold in visits various social locations such as the cinema, theatre, pubs and clubs. We have Ireland at a badminton event. w ww. clubs in Truro, Redruth and Liskeard. specialolympicscornwall.org The

Cornwall Mosaic Club Following on from the success in 2014/15 The mosaic club ran at the Choice Centre in Threemilestone, again led by Adrian Chanter.

12 13 Services for Vulnerable Groups Devon and Cornwall Police Project

– Children & Young People Volunteer Cornwall have been assisting the Cornwall Basic Command Unit to explore new ways to encourage volunteers into the police volunteering scheme. The project also looked Working with Cornwall Council, Education Health & Social Care, our Advocacy project at how the community and voluntary sector could support provides volunteers to advocate on behalf of children and young people in care who the police and individual officers, in reducing demand on. This need representation at their Care Plan Reviews. The volunteers will usually visit a child work also included identifying additional funding and resource they are matched with regularly and then attend the reviews on a 6 monthly basis. opportunities that the police could access, either directly, or through a third party VCS organisation. The volunteers are trained in safeguarding, advocacy and dynamic listening skills.

We have 40 volunteer advocates and support 48 children, some of these were in care out of County and their advocates travelled as far as Somerset to meet with the children and attend review meetings.

Our volunteers have used their skills to advocate for children with special needs sometimes using picture communication techniques to help give the child a voice.

We have used experienced volunteers to support new advocates during peer group meetings with help and advice, one of our volunteers was shortlisted for the Cornwall Celebrates Volunteering awards.

Your Way Project – Time Banking for Young People

Your way is a commissioned Cornwall Council service for The project aim is to encourage, enable and reward young 11-19 year olds. It is a partnership between the Learning people for their involvement in our projects. Young people Partnership, Young People Cornwall, Penwith Community are at the centre of our partnership approach & we ensure Development Trust, Kooth and Volunteer Cornwall. Volunteer they are fully involved from the design of our services Cornwall’s role is to provide the Time Banking service. through to co-delivery and management.

Your Way is passionate about providing quality youth By working together with young people, professionals and services in Cornwall which ensure that young people can communities Your Way will ensure that everyone is able to access information, advice and guidance, counselling, provide ‘Early Help’ & Support to meet the needs of young mentoring support and youth work in their communities. people.

14 15 winners to be the overall Volunteer of the Year and the winner for Cornwall Celebrates Volunteering 2015 2015 was Mo Jones. Mo also won the Personal Development & Overcoming Barriers category for her work with the West Cornwall Thursday 19th November 2015 was a very important day in Daphne Skinnard from BBC Radio Cornwall was our delightful Women’s Aid. The Lord Lieutenant and Anne Le Corre from the the diary of Volunteer Cornwall. This was the day when the compere for the event; she was joined on stage by Colonel Edward Atlantic Hotel presented Mo with a framed award and a voucher for culmination of many months of planning came together for the Bolitho OBE, the Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall who was ably assisted one night’s bed and breakfast in one of the hotel’s luxury balcony Cornwall Celebrates Volunteering Awards. Volunteers from every by his cadet, WO Chris Yarde-Dent. suites. Following official photographs and congratulations the corner of Cornwall were personally invited with their family and celebration concluded with a delicious two course buffet lunch and friends to join in this wonderful celebration of recognition for all Every short listed volunteer was presented with a certificate and refreshments served by the hotel staff. they had achieved through volunteering. award by the Lord Lieutenant and category sponsor, of which there were twelve. All category winners received an etched Italian glass We would like to thank all the sponsors whose donated funds helped On the morning of the event the Atlantic Hotel’s reception with bowl and all highly commended winners received an engraved make this event a special and memorable occasion for all attendees. its art deco styling and marble floors was full of excited chatter. glass paperweight. Most especially we would like to say ‘thank you’ to every volunteer Guests mingled with refreshments whilst being entertained throughout Cornwall in the background by an array of familiar tunes being played Before each category the guests watched a short film of last year’s for their untiring, on the keyboard by Nick Bonell, one of our many talented winner talking about their experience and benefits of being a selfless work around colleagues. Then the doors to the Ballroom were opened and volunteer. We were very grateful to the students at Cornwall the Duchy, Cornwall guests were invited to take their seats for the presentation of the College who produced the films and were present at the event to would be a very volunteering awards. see how their work formed part of the celebration. different place without you. Each year one volunteer is chosen from the twelve category

16 17 Transport 2015/16 was a year of change for the Transport Team. The core of the work revolves around our Volunteer Car Scheme, delivered through our 250+ volunteer drivers. A casual glance at the statistics for the 12 months could give the impression of a service in decline whereas in fact the opposite is most definitely the case.

Detail 1/4/13 to 31/3/14 1/4/14 to 31/3/15 1/4/15 to 31/3/16 Number of journeys arranged 56,101 52,033 45,035 Number of passengers carried 77,326 76,388 68,198 Miles travelled 2,109,954 1,890,756 1,668,633

Whilst there was a reduction in number of journeys, number of passengers and miles travelled, simple statistics rarely In October of 2015, we were delighted to be able to hold an tell the full story. Transport, for us, is a means to an end. event to bring together all of our volunteer drivers to say We provide transport in order to ensure some of the most “Thank You” for their continuing efforts and to remind them vulnerable people in Cornwall – including children, older of the difference they make. citizens or adults with physical or learning disabilities - can continue to access vital services and not become isolated or The Volunteer Car Scheme is of course only part of the work excluded. of the Transport Team and other projects include Truro Shopmobility, Launceston Minibus Project and our Accessible It is important to set the year in context and our work took Vehicle. Each of these projects enables us to support our place against the background of diminishing public sector wider charitable objectives and we are only able to support budgets. Coupled with a new system of allocating contracts them thanks to the resource and expertise available within being introduced by Cornwall Council (our main client), the the team. potential for losing work was undeniably there but what actually happened was that we were successful in securing We were also able to continue to offer training, advice and the majority of contracts that we bid for – although these support to other community groups and worked closely with were often for shorter journeys. organisations to help them address transport access issues as well as providing a range of training courses for our own and We also saw a marked increase in the number of enquiries other organisations’ drivers. from people wanting to directly book transport for journeys for health appointments – especially since our contact details Early in 2016, the department began to prepare for transition began to appear on letters sent out by the NHS. as the existing Manager approached retirement and a new Manager took over. This has presented us with an ideal Mid-way through the year, we embarked on a database opportunity to review and re-focus and we are currently review of all of our existing volunteer drivers to ensure we engaged in re-examining all of our processes and procedures held the most up to date information and all checks were to identify areas for improvement or strengthening. There is current and fully completed. We also took the opportunity no doubt that 2016/17 will present a tough set of challenges to refresh our drivers’ knowledge on Safeguarding and offer but also new and exciting opportunities, such as the arrival them the MIDAS Car & MPV training to raise the quality of the of our own minibus which we are already planning and service we offer. preparing for.

18 19 Other Projects & Services Corporate Volunteering Officer – Supporting TeamVolunteering for Cornwall Council staff

Our work supporting Cornwall Council’s employee day laying out bark chippings to create paths around the site volunteering scheme continued and this year was one of the in advance of their annual Apple Day festival. busiest so far. Almost 200 volunteers took part in 35 different a lady undergoing treatment for breast cancer was referred projects across Cornwall, taking a day out of work to make a All these teams have contributed hours and hours to local shortly after being widowed. Her late husband been a real difference. groups and charities, giving something back and team DIY and gardening fan, and it was making her sad seeing building at the same time. They have provided the extra hands things fall slightly behind. She explained that she felt she was In September, a group of eight Volunteers spent the day at needed to get projects done and make a real difference. letting him down by not keeping on top of everything. On a Newquay Community Orchard helping to maintain the Cornish sunny October day, a team of seven volunteers visited to help; hedges and creating new permaculture hedge rows on the Our partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support has also they finished painting the spare room to make it nicer for her site. In July, a group of 15 volunteers helped out in the gardens continued, and in the last year 19 people have been supported granddaughter, cut back the hedge that was beginning to of Kernow Positive Support’s Trebullom house in Altarnun, by Cornwall Council volunteers. The home and garden sprawl and weeded and tidied up all the flower beds. taking on board the visitors’ feedback to get the benches makeover project sees people affected by cancer referred to painted, veg patch planted and flower beds weeded. Volunteer Cornwall, and small groups of volunteers get stuck The home and garden support project was recognised in in to the practical tasks that people affected by cancer have no May 2015 when Cornwall Council was given the Macmillan Several teams of volunteers have visited Kehelland longer been able to do. Corporate Volunteer of the Year Award, the first time it had Horticultural Trust, working alongside their trainees to protect gone to a non-corporate partner. trees in the orchard, re-potting plants for the shop and one Volunteers have painted a spare room in Mullion, put up a team from CORMAC spent rainy a day in January planting new fence in , removed an old shed in and A specific objective was set to ‘Support Council Staff Volunteering’ Christmas trees! In October, a huge 20 volunteers spent the de-brambled a garden in . At one house in Newquay, and we enabled 196 staff to take part against a target of 100

20 21 Bude Cleaner Seas Project The Bude Cleaner Seas Project, which began in 2013, is a national The original aim of the project – to engage the community in that a community led approach can prove more successful in pilot project, being delivered by Volunteer Cornwall on behalf of addressing those issues which can lead to poor quality bathing improving bathing water quality than statutory enforcement. the Environment Agency. The project was originally intended to water – is really starting to bear fruit. Social media, community It is hoped that the community engagement model trialled last just 18 months, but has proved so successful that it has been beach cleans, direct intervention on farms, regular press releases through the Bude Cleaner Seas Project could be used to help extended until at least the end of 2016. and the involvement of local schools with the project have all other communities in Cornwall facing bathing water quality greatly increased public awareness of the causes of bathing issues. It’s now time to share the success! The project is raising awareness of the issues which contribute water pollution. In turn, this has helped bathing water at towards poor quality bathing water by engaging with the all Summerleaze to achieve a ‘Good’ rating in 2015. The project now Throughout the past year the Cleaner Seas Project has sections of Bude’s community. Historically, bathing water at aims for a rating of maintained a close working relationship with its partners Bude has been affected by pollution entering the river Neet ‘Excellent’ in 2016. Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Cornwall Sustainable Tourism (CoaST), which empties onto Summerleaze - the town’s main beach. As Cornwall Council, Natural England, South West Water and of a result, bathing water quality at Summerleaze has failed the The success of the project appears to influencing Government course the Environment Agency. Environment Agency’s minimum standards in recent years. thinking nationally. Bude Cleaner Seas has demonstrated Achievements in the past year:

The project secured further funding and has been extended beyond its initial 18 months. It will now continue until at least August 2016.

Working with Cornwall Wildlife Trust, we have delivered further advice and practical interventions on farms in the catchment of the river Neet. This work will directly reduce the potential for pollution at Bude’s beaches.

The project has been regularly promoted in local print and broadcast media, and has worked with the internationally successful 2 Minute Beach Clean project to produce a short film shared via social media.

We have continued to work closely with South West Water to ensure the delivery of sewer and drain improvements in Bude, and we have promoted this work to the local community.

We have successfully retained the Keep Britain Tidy Seaside Award for Summerleaze for a second consecutive year.

The project has become a focal point for the community to report its concerns regarding pollution.

22 23 What else have we been up to? Sustainability Operating in a sustainable manner is very important to us at Volunteer Cornwall. We try to set an example and ensure that we minimise any negative impact we might have on people and planet as a result of our work whilst adopting policies that we hope Environmental Community Random Acts of make us a great place to work or volunteer: Volunteering Champion Resilience Kindness We practice Reduce, Re-use, Recycle – we have on-site We have successfully retained our Investors in People Award We are delighted to have hosted Volunteer Cornwall continues to work Each year, we organise a Random recycling and composting and use recycled products such as a volunteer post this year to help closely with emergency services and Acts of Kindness Week for Cornwall paper and towels wherever we can. raise the profile of environmental statutory partners to plan, prepare and partners such as Nat West, We have developed a set of values to underpin all of our volunteering opportunities within and respond in times of problems Cormac and Cornwall Fire & Rescue work and we are now working with staff to embed them in and beyond Volunteer Cornwall. such as severe weather. Service help us spread kindness. In We use smart technology such as photocopiers which our recruitment and appraisal systems to ensure we ‘live’ our 2015/16, we gave out packets of use less energy and resources and we switch offe lectrical values. At the strategic level, we have We sit on the Cornwall Strategic seeds to strangers and encouraged appliances when not in use. engaged with voluntary groups Resilience Group to provide a them to share the kindness with For the coming year, we are focused on making Volunteer and statutory agencies, including voluntary sector perspective and others. w ww.facebook.com/raok.cwl We have photo-voltaic panels on the roof of Acorn House Cornwall an exemplar organisation for Safeguarding practice Cornwall Council, through our assist in co-ordinating voluntary to generate electricity whilst double glazing and insulation within the sector Environmental Volunteering forum. action. We also chair the Cornwall make this an energy efficient office. Voluntary Sector Resilience Event Volunteers We are also working through the NHS Information Governance On a practical level, our volunteer Group where we bring together We maintain a database of We have offset 100% of the emissions from our Acorn House Toolkit with a long-term view of achieving Level 3 accreditation. has been getting out and about, organisations from across our sector individuals who have expressed an site by purchasing ‘green energy’ finding out more about the who have a role to play in times of interest in volunteering for events opportunities available and gaining crisis. within Cornwall and every month We use Fair Trade products (tea, coffee, sugar) and purchase a better understanding of the work from Spring to Autumn we send from local suppliers wherever we can of Cornwall’s many environmental We continue to operate our Winter out details of up and coming events charities, groups and projects Friends scheme to provide a bank of that they may like to volunteer We use voluntary sector venues such as village halls and including Cornwall Butterfly volunteers ready to step up in the for. This includes everything from community centres for our meetings and events whenever Conservation, Upstream Thinking’s event of crisis. Although not activated marshalling & stewarding to fund we can as a way of supporting the sector Wild Cober project and Your Shore during 2015/16, they remain ready to raising & PR. (Cornwall Wildlife Trust). answer the call if the need arises. Our staff are encouraged to participate in staff volunteering Secondments days as part of their personal and team development Volunteer Cornwall is the employer We achieved a Healthy Workplace ‘Silver’ Award thanks to for several staff who are seconded the efforts of our staff team out to partner organisations. These include two staff seconded as We encourage car sharing and have an electric bike available ‘Together for Families’ Advocates, for staff to use for journeys in and around Truro one staff member seconded to Devon & Cornwall Police as a All of our staff are paid at least the living wage, going above Development Worker for Black Asian and beyond the legal minimum wage and Minority Ethnic Communities and several staff employed on behalf The highest paid person is paid around three times the of the Launceston Minibus Scheme. lowest paid person – in the private & public sector, the difference can be between 10 and 100 times!

24 25 Statement of Financial Activities – for the year ended 31st March 2016 Balance Sheet – as at 31st March 2016

TOTAL Prior Period Prior Period Prior Period Unrestricted Restricted FUNDS Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Funds Funds 2016 Funds Funds 2015 £ £ £ £ £ £ Income and endowments from: 2016 Total Funds 2015 Prior Year Funds Donations and legacies 2,193 0 2,193 15,060 0 15,060 £ £ £ £ Charitable activities 1,357,496 414,672 1,772,168 1,533,236 482,059 2,015,295 Fixed assets Other trading activities 309 0 309 7,002 0 7,002 Tangible fixed assets 525,457 546,109 Investments 0 0 0 3 0 3 Investments 500 500 Other 4,548 0 4,548 18,036 0 18,036 525,957 546,609 Total 1,364,546 414,672 1,779,218 1,573,337 482,059 2,055,396 Expenditure on: Current assets Raising funds 944 0 944 8,754 0 8,754 Debtors 123,856 149,849 Charitable activities 1,185,886 465,770 1,651,656 1,422,217 429,312 1,851,529 Cash at bank, deposit and in hand 752,246 608,857 Other 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 1,186,830 465,770 1,652,600 1,430,971 429,312 1,860,283 Total Current Assets 876,102 758,706

Net gains/(losses) on investments 0 0 0 0 0 0 Liabilities Net income/(expenditure) 177,716 (51,098) 126,618 142,366 52,747 195,113 Creditors: Transfers between funds 0 0 0 0 0 0 Amounts falling due within one year (149,839) (179,713) Other recognised gains/(losses): (149,839) (179,713) Gains/(losses) on revaluation of fixed assets 0 0 0 0 0 0 Net current assets 726,263 578,993 Actuarial gains/(losses) on defined 0 0 0 0 0 0 benefit pension schemes Total assets less current liabilities 1,252,220 1,125,602 Other gains/(losses) 0 0 0 0 0 0 Net movement in funds 177,716 (51,098) 126,618 142,366 52,747 195,113 Funds Restricted income funds 111,739 162,837 Reconciliation of funds: Designated income funds 755,293 616,476 Total funds brought forward 962,765 162,837 1,125,602 820,399 110,090 930,489 Unrestricted income funds 385,188 346,289 Total funds carried forward 1,140,481 111,739 1,252,220 962,765 162,837 1,125,602 Total charity funds 1,252,220 1,125,602

The charity has no recognised gains or losses in the years to 31 March 2016 and 2015 other than those passing through the statement of Company Number 03562830 financial activities. There were no acquisitions or discontinued operations during the years to 31 March 2016 and 2015.

26 27 Directors’ Statement Auditors’ Statement Contact us . . .

The Directors certify that: The auditors certify that, in their opinion, the summarised We’d love to hear from you about any aspect of our work. financial statements are consistent with the full statutory You can get in touch in any of the following ways: These are not the statutory accounts but a summary of Directors’ Report and Financial Statements as submitted to information relating to both the Statement of Financial Companies House and the Charity Commission. Activities and the Balance Sheet; The full accounts from which the summarised financial Our Head Office address is Visit Our Website statements are derived have been externally scrutinised www.volunteercornwall.org.uk by audit; Volunteer Cornwall Thomas Roach FCA Acorn House The audit report contained no concerns; Senior Statutory Auditor Heron Way The full Directors’ Report and Financial Statements can be Truro Find us on Facebook obtained from Volunteer Cornwall, Acorn House, Heron PKF Francis Clark TR1 2XN www.facebook.com/volunteercornwall Way, Newham, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 2XN or from our Statutory Auditors Tel: 01872 265305 website www.volunteercornwall.org.uk; Lowin House Email: [email protected] The Directors’ Report and Financial Statements were Tregolls Road Watch us on YouTube approved on 6 July 2016; Truro The Directors’ Report and Financial Statements have Cornwall www.youtube.com/volunteercornwall been submitted to the Charity TR1 2NA Commission and For Transport Enquiries Companies House. Tel: 01872 265300 By order of the Directors Find us on Twitter Email: [email protected] @volcornwall

For Volunteering Enquiries Scott Bennett Chair Tel: 01872 266988 Email: [email protected] Volunteer Cornwall Acorn House Heron Way Newham For Training Enquiries Truro Be sure to sign Cornwall Tel: 01872 266987 up for our free TR1 2XN BI-MONTHLY Email: [email protected] NEWSLETTER

28 29 Volunteer Cornwall wishes to both acknowledge and thank the following organisations and groups for their continuing support for our work to engage local people in voluntary action in the Duchy:

Age UK (Cornwall & Isles of Scilly) Cornwall Sports Partnership University of Exeter

Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall Pentreath Ltd Fifteen Cornwall

BBC Radio Cornwall Cornwall Voluntary Sector Forum Young People Cornwall

Lynher Dairies PCDT Health Promotion Service

Cornwall College Devon and Cornwall Constabulary Xenzone

Macmillan Cancer Support Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust Inclusion Cornwall

Cornwall Council Diocese of Truro JobCentre Plus

NAVCA Truro Business Improvement District Learning Partnership (Cornwall & Isles of Scilly) Cornwall Partnership Duchy Health Charity

NHS Foundation Trust Truro City Council Finally, thanks to all our volunteers for their dedication and commitment to serving NHS Kernow Environment Agency the community of Cornwall. Cornwall Rural Community Charity Truro and Penwith College Without our volunteers Volunteer Cornwall could not exist. Peninsula Community Health European Social Fund

30 31 REGISTERED OFFICE: Registered Charity No. 1069957 This document has been Volunteer Cornwall, Acorn House, Company No. 3562830 produced and compiled Heron Way, Truro, TR1 2XN Limited by Guarantee, Registered in by Volunteer Cornwall and Tel: 01872 265305 England & Wales printed using inks and paper Fax: 01872 888567 VAT No. 643 5247 41 from sustainable sources.