ANNUAL REPORT 2016 worthing community chest Welcome Worthing Community Chest is a registered local charity whose aim is to support projects and activities in Worthing which enable social and economic well being. We do this by awarding grants of up to £1,500 to community groups, clubs and charities in the town that meet our criteria. Worthing Community Chest is staffed by a Charity Coordinator and a Grants Administrator. It is overseen by a board of trustees that meets every two months with the Charity Coordinator. All decisions on grant applications are made by the Appraisal Panel whose members are representatives from those that have previously received a grant from the charity. Worthing Community Chest works in partnership with Worthing Borough Council. They put funds into the chest and they also provide our office space. The rest of our funds comes from fundraising and the rental money from a property that we own. #03 Review of the Year Heather Foster - Chair Governance #05 The Board of Trustees Grants Commitee #08 Process & Grants Awarded Renaissance House #11 Our property in Worthing #12 Recycling #13 Office Update Financial Report Report from the accountants, #14 Martletts Review of the year Heather Foster November 2016 In my review last year, I We are actively looking to a skills audit and are actively mentioned that 2016 would encourage further diversity looking to recruit new trustees, be an important year and in the groups which we if you are interested please this has proved to be the support with grants. In 2016 contact Catherine Attwood on case. It is fifteen years since we launched our brand new 01903 221080 . the Worthing Community e-newsletter and are very Chest became a charity; it has pleased with the feedback we The Appraisal Panel, which was been one of the best years to have been getting. referred to earlier, consists date for awarding grants to of volunteers who give up local groups within Worthing. their time to review funding A 66.7% applications; we also have Funding applications received volunteers who support the this year rose from 35 in 2014- increase office. This is an important 15 to 38 in 2015-16. Most resource and the Trustees significantly, grants awarded in groups appreciate all their valuable to groups, have risen by an input. impressive 66.7 per cent from funded 18 last year to 30 this year. The Without funding, Worthing Community Chest could not total value of grants awarded Worthing Community reach so many worthwhile was £28,631, an increase of Chest relies heavily on groups in Worthing. I would £6,073 or 27 per cent up on the the commitment of our like to thank Worthing Borough previous year. Trustees; they devote their Council for their continued time and knowledge in so many valuable support through its Our media coverage has ways. This Report provides Small Grants Scheme. In line successfully raised awareness information on the new Grants with the conditions of the grant, of the charity through high Committee and the significant we match fund this income. profile press coverage, social work of the Appraisal Panel. media, cheque presentations This is at the core of the This is my first year as Chair and further development of purpose of the charity. our website. I would like to pay of Worthing Community Chest and I would like to express my tribute to Catherine Attwood, We are always sorry to say gratitude to all the Trustees our Charity Co-ordinator who goodbye to Trustees and who have ably supported me has taken every opportunity this year Val Challenger and to raise our profile not least Joan Bradley stepped down. throughout the year. through Twitter. We now However, we are very pleased have 968 followers and 127 to welcome Tom Wye to our Facebook likes. Board. We have conducted The total value of grants in 2015/16 was £28,631 Although we have had a very successful year in awarding grants, we seek to increase our income through new fundraising in 2017, to enable Worthing Community Chest not only to continue to support community groups, but also to encourage new groups to apply for funding. GOVERNANCE - THE BOARD Andy Hammond Roger Wolstencroft ann stimpson Paul howard Vice Chair Treasurer Ann is now fully Paul Howard owns a retired after many local Estate Agents. Andy has over 40 Roger joined the years working for He has been on the years experience board in 2015, and is a charities at all levels Worthing Community with public, private chartered accountant. from a volunteer to Chest Board for and voluntary sector being a Director. several years. organisations at local, He previously worked regional and national in London for 21 years She enjoys visits to All property matters levels. including time in the the theatre, travelling, at Renaissance charity sector, and is walking and meeting House are dealt with Andy joined the currently with a local up with friends. by Paul. Board in 2014. Worthing charity. HEATHER FOSTER Chair Heather has been on the WCC Board since 2013. She qualified as a Chartered Certified Accountant in 1982 and then trained in law between 1997 and 2002. Heather is a lay Council member of the Council for Licensed Conveyancers and a CEDR accredited commercial, workplace and employment mediator. She is being sponsored through West Sussex Mediation Service to become an accredited family mediator. Melinda dixon FRED WELLER TOM WYE MALCOLM BRETT Melinda has worked Fred is a retired Tom has been a Malcolm has worked with a wide range Sussex senior Councillor since 2003. for West Sussex of businesses as police officer with Joined the Army at County Council both a consultant, Divisional Command 17 and retired when in Shoreham and advisor and trainer/ experience. He reaching 55. moved to HSBC in facilitator. subsequently ran his Worthing. own business as a He has been involved Melinda works for security consultant. with Worthing He retired 10 years the FDM Group Community Chest in ago and is on the developing and Fred joined the board different capacities board of a number of delivering training for in 2013. over the years. local charities. new recruits. The worthing community Chest grants Committee The past year has seen the a comprehensive review Amongst the many factors Community Chest Grants of the processes involved being reviewed is the role Working Party review and in grant applications and of the Appraisal Panel, its define the Criteria for decision making. The members and their period Grant Applications. The existing procedures have of stay on the Panel. This recommendations were been in place since the is in conjunction with formally adopted as policy creation of the Worthing the upgraded training of by the Board of Directors in Community Partnership prospective Panel members March. Role descriptions for (now Worthing Community now undertaken by the Panel members and Panel Chest) over 11 years ago Grants Administrator. The Chair were also formalised. and have tended to evolve Committee will also be piecemeal over that time. examining the range and Board approval was given scope of grant awards for in July for the setting up of regular reporting to the the Grants Committee to Easier for Board. take over the work of the Working Party. Terms of groups to Members of the Working Reference were adopted Party and other Board and the committee held apply members attended several its first meeting in August. cheque presentations for It is staffed by the Grants This work will take a while to the grants awarded and Administrator with three complete but when done is were able to see at first Trustees as members planned to make it easier for hand how the grants benefit reporting to the Board. groups to apply for grants as the wide variety of voluntary well clarify and streamline groups throughout the During the year the the administration. Borough. Working Party initiated Worthing community chest grants process Worthing Community Our policy is to: We want the application Chest grants are here process to be as easy as to support projects and • Encourage and support possible, to do so requires activities that enable the local community detailed information. We social and economic well in developing ways to welcome the opportunity being. enhance community life. to discuss your event/ project before you submit We aim to make the grant • Ensure that money an application, especially application process simple we are responsible for if you are a first time and accessible for all local is spent wisely and applicant. voluntary and community honestly. To this end we groups, regardless of size operate a reimbursement For enquiries please call and professional fund- scheme rather than an Inga Lielgalve, Grants raising expertise. up front payment of the Administrator, on 01903 grant. We do not approve 221080. We have four rounds of applications for projects funding per year, August, that have already begun. November, February and May. Your application will • Be accountable to the need to be in the month community for the funds before to be assessed. The earlier you submit your • Treat each application application the longer we individually, equally will have to review it and get and fairly and provide as any additional information much support and help as off you. possible, within our criteria Over fifteen years of giving, more than £300,000 given to community groups in Worthing GRANTS AWARDED 2015/16 The Appraisal Panel reviewed 38 funding applications this year and awarded grants to 30 groups. The total amount awarded was £28,631.83, the successful community groups are listed below: