AVOW Annual Review 2018 - 2019 (English)

Annual Review

30 YEARS

COMMEMORATING 30 YEARS OF

1988 - 2018

30 CELEBRATING

John Gallanders | Chief Officer

John Leece Jones | Chair

AVOW | TÅ· Avow 21 Egerton Street | 21 Stryd Egerton Wrexham | Wrecsam | LL11 1ND Charity Number/Elusen Rhif: 1043989 Company Limited by Guarantee Number Cwmni Cyfyngedig gan Warant Rhif: 2993429

01978 312556

/AVOWWrexham

info@avow.org

@AVOWWrexham

avow.org

in

/AVOWWrexham

3.

By John Gallanders, Chief Officer and John Leece Jones, Chair The year has again resulted in an increased demand for many of the support services provided by AVOW. Diminished funding continues to impact on AVOW, and many of the organisations AVOW support, which inevitably results in a reduction in staffing resources whilst increasing demand for services.

The loss of the contract from Wrexham County Borough Council (WCBC) for the provision of the Wrexham Carers Service was disappointing to AVOW and, we believe, to many hundreds of carers that the service supported. Having delivered the contract for 8 years, the service had achieved an excellent reputation amongst carers.

A new contract, from the Welsh Government, enables AVOW and partners Neighbourhood Economics to support people into self-employment and putting entrepreneurial ideas into practice. Good progress is being made in achieving the desired outcomes.

During the year several organisations have either moved into Tŷ Avow or are about to do so early in 2019/20. Besides giving them a central location to operate from, their occupancy enables AVOW to maintain services which would otherwise be under pressure.

AVOW’s Finance Department continues to offer a very successful Payroll Service to help smaller organisations and individuals to deal with HMRC. AVOW’s involvement in Plas Madoc continues with The Land adventure playground and Little Sunflowers Childcare. Support is also being provided to the broader Plas Madoc community through links with ‘We are Plas Madoc’.

Shopmobility continues to operate and AVOW is extremely grateful to WCBC for funding to bring the ageing fleet of scooters up to date thus reducing maintenance costs and ensuring the future of this very valued service.

We thank stakeholders and our Trustees for the tremendous support they have all given to AVOW in, what has been at times, a very challenging year.

Foreword

As always we are very grateful to staff and of course, our volunteers. The support given has ensured that AVOW has continued to deliver a quality service to meet the needs of organisations and individuals throughout the County Borough.

Personnel Throughout 2018/2019 Business Support Kate Davies Natasha Borton John Gallanders Victoria Milner Ken Rowlands Sharon Stocker Darren Tomkins Mandy Paterson

Trustees John Leece Jones Stephen Perkins Moira Jones Joyce M’Caw Barbara Roxburgh Mervyn Dean Wanjiku Mbugua David Thompson Mary Walker Howard Davies Ian Bancroft (resigned 2018)

Wrexham Volunteer Centre Vicky Bolton Val Connelly Vicky Wright Tegan Brierley- Sollis

Health and Social Care Peter Jones Hayley Hill Chris Roberts Nigel Davies

Little Sunflowers Childcare Sophie Bunning Sharon Evans Stacy Ithell Zoe Jones Lisa Jones Lisa Nicholson Carlee Taylor Paula Wilcox Carolyn Wilks Louise Evans

A huge THANK YOU to all of our volunteers who help AVOW tremendously day in day out.

Shopmobility Kath Brown Joanne Evans

Wrexham Carers Service Annabel Boyce Natasha McQueen Roger Moore Kim Sheridan

Community Development Sandra Anderson Rafat Arshad-Roberts Jean Fortune Marie Dingly - Shortt Heather Hicks

PlayTeam David Bullough Claire Pugh Gemma Jones Natalie Sear Gareth Poole Finance Katherine Prince Lowri Jones Sian Pritchard

6..

“The AVOW Vision is the voluntary and community

sectors achieving their missions for the benefit of the community within the County Borough of Wrexham.”

Mission Statement & TSSW

Mission Statement To enable the voluntary and community sectors to achieve their missions for the benefit of the community within the County Borough of Wrexham, AVOW will: Support the development of individuals and organisations within the voluntary and community sectors.

Establish and sustain good practice.

Undertake the provision of services appropriate to the voluntary and community sectors Consult, represent and champion the voluntary and community sectors locally and nationally.

Third Sector Support Wales (TSSW) AVOW is part of Third Sector Support Wales (TSSW), the collaborative name given to the network of support organisations for the Third Sector in Wales.

This consists of the 19 County Voluntary Councils (CVC’s) in Wales as well as Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA).

The shared goal is to enable the Third Sector and volunteers across Wales to contribute fully to individual and community well-being, now and for the future.

The focus of our collective work will concentrate on four pillars of activity: Volunteering Good governance Sustainable funding Engagement and influencing

7.

GOAL: Wales benefits and thrives because of volunteering

Wrexham Volunteer Centre, based at Tŷ Avow, 21 Egerton Street, Wrexham, provides a valuable service to those wishing to volunteer and for organisations who engage with volunteers.

#GrowuptoInspire

One such student was Karen Creswell who was studying Criminology and Criminal Justice; “A short time after starting my university course I decided to do some volunteering, but I had no idea what I wished to do. After contacting AVOW, I went in to discuss what would be involved. Staff in the Volunteer Centre at AVOW had a wealth of knowledge and I felt completely at ease as we went through any requirements that both I and the organisations were looking for. It was then I decided that I would like to be a mentor for PACT Through the Gate, which is a charity that works with vulnerable offenders on their day of release from prison.

I have been volunteering with PACT for the past 8 months, in which time I have met many different people from all walks of life and have been to various different places. The hands on knowledge I have gained from volunteering, realising the difficult lives some people lead has been immense. And the chance to make a positive difference to someone’s life is very rewarding; I have received wonderful feedback from numerous clients.

The best news of all is that I have been offered a part time job working as a mentor for PACT. I have found volunteering to be a worthwhile and positive experience both for myself and the people I work with.”

Volunteer Taster Sessions

11 Volunteer Drop-in Events

Volunteer Manager Network

Volunteering

Tegan Brierley- Sollis, AVOW’s Youth Volunteering Officer, implemented weekly information sessions via a pop up stand facilitated by Glyndŵr Careers, at Glyndŵr University to encourage more students to volunteer. This was incredibly successful with many students taking up opportunities.

8.

GOAL: Public policies and services are improved through Third Sector Organisations influencing.

Enagement & Influence

Stay Healthy and Connected This network event looked at the way that services and communities can support Carers to stay healthy and connected. The focus was on enabling Carers to look after their loved ones whilst recognising their own individual health and wellbeing needs.

Wrexham One World Community Choir, introduced by AVOW Chair John Leece Jones and Deputy Mayor for Wrexham Councillor Robert Walsh.

Staff from AVOW and Wrexham Carers Service with Wrexham Deputy Mayor Councillor Robert Walsh.

Promoting Entrepreneurship in Less Advantaged Communities (PELAC) AVOW is working with Welsh Government to support people into self-employment or entrepreneurial activity over the next two years in partnership with Neighbourhood Economics. The project will work with key local stakeholders.

BME Skills Project (Black, Minority and Ethnic)

9.

BME Skills Officer Sandra Anderson with Bellevue FC.

Green Transport Event and Plas Madoc Community Transport Event These two complimentary events were organised by AVOW and Renew Wales to explore the future of environmentally-friendly transport systems.

Participants heard from local representatives about the development of transport across Wrexham County Borough and Wales.

Renew Wales with an electric car.

Social Services and Third Sector Event The workshop provided a platform for Social Services and Third Sector organisations to discuss what they can offer in terms of current and potential future services and identify opportunities to sustain and develop preventative interventions. The workshop was facilitated by AVOW and Wrexham County Borough Council (WCBC) Social Services.

Enagement & Influence

AVOW is a partner with Cardiff and Swansea CVC’s on a project led by Ethnic Minorities and Youth Support Team Wales (EYST) to run an engagement project with the BME community. The project focus is on the recruitment of trustees and mentors from within the BME community and assisting organisations that offer support to the BME community.

10.

GOAL: Those involved in running Third Sector organisations effectively lead their organisations and maintain high standards of governance

Good Governance

GDPR Training On 25th May 2018 the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) came into force. AVOW provided substantial support to the Third Sector in Wrexham with a summary workshop and a separate half day training session to account for the varying degrees of existing knowledge. AVOW took a number of calls from organisations seeking support and provided online resources through the AVOW weekly e-bulletin, quarterly newsletters, website and social media.

One year on and queries are still happening as the sector gets to grips with the new legislation, but it has certainly made AVOW more robust and hopefully many organisations have benefitted from the support provided

Training AVOW offers a comprehensive training programme to assist staff and volunteers at all levels of voluntary and community organisations.

Social Return on Investment (SROI) The SROI project is a three year National Lottery Funded Project awarded to Mantell Gwynedd working with all CVC’s across North Wales.

Organisations from each county across North Wales applied to benefit from a SROI assessment and impact report. The successful organisations in Wrexham County Borough were: Erlas Walled Garden Dynamic Advance Brighter Futures Empower - Be the Change AVOW and Mantell Gwynedd have been working with the organisations with an aim to upskill their Trustees in SROI and embedding social value measurement practices into the organisations. The project is due to finish in 2020.

GOAL: Third Sector services contribute to

11.

community wellbeing

Sport Wales

The Big Lottery Fund

Grow Wild

Children in Need

Heritage Lottery Fund

Tending to your Roots

Local Giving

Institute of Fundraising

The service has had many successes, enabling various local organisations to achieve, in total £274,000 of funding.

£274,000

funding to local organisations.

Youth Led Grant Scheme AVOW administered a Youth Led Grant Scheme funded by Welsh Government and Wales County for Voluntary Action (WCVA). Through the grant scheme AVOW distributed £9,700 for young people to develop and deliver projects in their communities, with independent young people (14 – 25 year old) as the lead decision markers.

£9,700

Youth Led Grants Awarded

Sustainable Funding

The Funding Advice Service continues to support Third Sector organisations in seeking and applying for funding, including numerous information sessions with external funders or support agencies including:

12.

AVOW Playteam The AVOW Playteam is funded through Invest Local, Children in Need and Families First.Working in Plas Madoc and other urban villages, the Playteam provide services for children, parents and adults within the community.

Other Services

The Land (a junk playground in Plas Madoc) continues to attract global attention for its innovative approach to play, alongside receiving international recognition and several awards.

Claire Pugh, Manager at The Land, Plas Madoc

Little Sunflowers Childcare AVOW childcare services are based in Plas Madoc. They provide a variety of services for children including Early Education, morning and afternoon playgroups and an after school club.

Supporting people who are homeless Local business, staff and members of the public continue to support AVOW to raise money, and donate food and clothes to support people who are sleeping rough through winter, and over the Christmas period.

Wrexham Homeless Sponsored Sleep-out

13.

Rural Carers, GP’s & Hospitals AVOW has raised awareness, identified and supported Carers in Rural Wrexham, and through GP surgeries and hospital discharge, ensuring that Carers can access appropriate information.

North East Wales Wellbeing Team In partnership with Flintshire Local Voluntary Council (FLVC) supporting Third Sector groups and organisations across Wrexham and Flintshire to influence the development of services that contribute to the improvement of health, social care and wellbeing of the local population.

AVOW continued to run Ollie’s Café in the Law Courts, Bodhyfryd, Wrexham up until October 2018. Volunteers were recruited for training to increase their confidence and skillset to allow them to move into work.

Shopmobility A lifeline for individuals with mobility issues who could not otherwise access the town centre. Shopmobility, located at King Street Bus Station, provides mobility scooters and wheelchairs, with help from AVOW staff and several volunteers.

£3,000

received from Tesco Bags of Help

Other Services

Ollie’s Café

14.

Marjorie Dykins OBE Volunteer Memorial Awards 2018 The awards are designed to recognise and encourage the valuable work that volunteers undertake in their service to local communities and voluntary organisations operating in or based in Wrexham County Borough which make a positive and significant difference to their local communities.

Two awards are available – one for an individual volunteer and one for a group of volunteers. The winners of both categories received a cheque for £500.

Individual Award: Georgie Adams for her work with the homeless community.

Group Award: Gwenfro Valley Parents Steering Group.

Awards

High Sheriff of Clwyd Community Awards The High Sheriff of Clwyd Community Awards 2019 were presented by Lady Hanmer at the Catrin Finch Centre, Wrexham Glyndwr University.

On the night Lady Hanmer said: “I am extremely grateful to AVOW and in particular Mr Ken Rowlands for organising for me to see and hear about so many different organisations across the four counties that were nominated ... how many fantastic people there are in North Wales ready to give huge amounts of their time in order to help others less fortunate than themselves.”

Wrexham County awards:

Eva Jones received her award as recognition of her tireless contribution to the people and Community of Broughton.

Andrew Edwards received his award for his dedicated volunteering work with Your Space and being a positive role model.

Friends of Chirk Station were recognised for their outstanding work to create and maintain the grounds of Chirk Railway Station.

15.

Thank you for believing in me until I could learn to . believe in myself. .

Thanks for all your support over the years and giving me the opportunity to be part of the team Darren Tomkins

It’s wonderful to be part of such a fabulous organisation

It has been a joy and an honour to serve as a Trustee for the past 18 years.

Barbara Roxburgh

Great to be based in such a great organisations, keep up the great work.

Empower – Be the Change

Jayne Cloud 9 for Life

Long may the wonderful work you do continue!’

Robert Salisbury, Salisbury Media Group

‘Thanks for all the help and support to groups I have worked with in the past Nigel Davies

Quotes

Tony Ormond

Events

16.

Volunteers’ Day 2018

Volunteer Drop-in

Sponsored Walk

17.

£135

raised for AVOW MAD Grants

Christmas

Events

at St. Giles and The Land

1988

50 TRUSTEES

ORGANISATIONS ON

3000+ DATABASE

OVER THE YEARS

76

FUNDS AWARDED

STAFF

3262 £20,533,806 ATTENDEES ON

TRAINING COURSES

THROUGH HELP FROM AVOW

AT OUR PINNACLE

190

416

PAYROLL

TRAINING

ORGANISATIONS

COURSES

FUNDING ADVICE

VOLUNTEER

3214

19,158

ENQUIRIES

ENQUIRIES

2018

..... 19.

Tŷ Avow remains AVOW’s main operational base delivering training, meeting rooms, equipment loans and our advisory and support services based in the Centre of Wrexham.

Currently home to a number of Third Sector organisations:

Empower – Be the Change Bespoke programmes that combine accredited training, volunteering and mentoring to create better skilled, better qualified, confident empowered individuals.

SNAP Cymru offers free and independent information, advice and support to help get the right education for children and young people with all kinds of special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities.

Barnardo’s work with children, young people and families living on the margins of society who are struggling to overcome the disadvantages caused by poverty, abuse and discrimination.

Agoriad develop the employment possibilities for disabled and disadvantaged people

Cloud 9 for Life Talking therapies helping with many difficult life problems.

AVOW actively sought out licencees to occupy vacant offices and predict full occupancy for 2019/2020.

Who is at Tŷ Avow

Vision Support supports vision impaired people and raises awareness of their needs.

20.

ASSOCIATION OF VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS IN WREXHAM STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2019 (INCORPORATING THE INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT) Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Total Funds Restated Funds Funds 2019 2018 £ £ £ £ INCOME Incoming resources from generated funds Donations and Legacies 7,861 11,842 2,729 10,590 Investment income-interest receivable 216 216 129 831,079 Income from charitable activities 327,912 503,167 1,030836 Total income 841,885 1,042,807 330,857 511,028 EXPENDITURE 1,107,975 869,017 Charitable activities 416,144 452,873 TOTAL EXPENDITURE Net (expenditure)/income for the year before transfers Gross transfers between funds

452,873

416,144

869,017

1,107,975

(122,016)

94,884

(27,132)

(65,168)

109,323

(109,323)

-

-

(12,693)

(14,439)

(27,132)

(65,168)

Total funds brought forward

143,639

272,931

416,570

481,738

Total funds carried forward

130,946

258,492

389,438

416,570

Net movement in funds Reconciliation of funds:

ASSOCIATION OF VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS IN WREXHAM BALANCE SHEET AS OF 31ST MARCH 2019 COMPANY NUMBER 2993429 2019

FIXED ASSETS Tangible Assets CURRENT ASSETS Debtors

Finance

Cash at Bank and In Hand CREDITORS: Amounts falling due within one year NET CURRENT ASSETS TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES CREDITORS: Amounts falling due after more than one year NET ASSETS

£

2018

£

£

£ 187,281

190,147 69,708

41,340

193,744 263,452

264,753 309,093

(64,162)

(76,804) 199,290 389,437

229,289 416,570

-

-

389,437

416,570

258,497

272,931

34,731 96,209

44,610 99,029 416,570

THE FUNDS OF THE CHARITY: Restricted funds Unrestricted funds General reserves Designated funds TOTAL CHARITY FUNDS

389,437

The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.The charity’s financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small Companies regime. The Trustees consider that the company is entitled to exemption from the requirement to have an audit under the provision of section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 (“the Act”) and members have not required the company to obtain an audit for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of the Act. However, an audit is required in accordance with section 145 of the Charities Act 2011.

The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and their preparation of financial statements. The financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors on 2nd July 2019 and signed on its behalf by John Leece Jones (Chairman).A copy of the full annual report and accounts can be obtained from: John Leece Jones, Secretary, Tŷ Avow, 21 Egerton Street, Wrexham, LL11 1ND. Telephone: 01978 312556. E-mail; info@avow.org