ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2024

CHAIRPERSON'S REPORT

DATE: 21st August 2024

VENUE: The Pavillion, Flamstead

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to our 17th Annual General Meeting and say a huge thank you to the current Trustees, for your ongoing commitment, hard work and support for the Charity.

Since our last AGM in July 23, it has been a quiet fundraising year, however, a continued steady use of Charity monies has taken place to support residents. Funds have been raised by providing the usual Tea Room at The Village Show in September 2023 and via another successful Quiz Night including a raffle in March 2024 at The Three Blackbirds pub and a donation from volunteers via the Scarecrow Festival committee. We have the village show in Septemer 2024 that will raise some revenue but it is also very exciting that we have been awarded a place at the London Marathon 2025. We have secured a runner, Henry Biggs, who will represent us and help us raise funds for the Charity in 2025 as well as fulfil a lifetime ambition.

We also continue to receive small donations via our collecting tin in the Village Store as well as donations from people we have helped and/or have sadly passed away. This has enabled us to remain in a positive financial position without the need to put on a large fundraising event. Ali Moss, our treasurer, will be providing a detailed financial report as part of this meeting.

I am very grateful for our existing Trustees - Ali Moss, Rosie Hickey-Colman, Alex Morris and Gill Biggs, who have continued to support me as Chairperson over the last year. I continue to find it hard to sustain the role of Chairperson to the level required or previously given, due to demands of full time work. I am aware that I have been increasingly reliant on their support to assist with enquiries, visitations and sourcing help for residents, especially Ali. I also feel having served the Charity for over 14 years and being involved in its infancy since 2008, it is time for me to step down completely and allow someone new to Chair the Charity, bringing fresh ideas, time and energy to ensure the onward work of the Charity. I am aware that it may be difficult to fill this position but it is essential for this role to be filled, to allow the Charity to function/exist alongside a Treasurer and Secretary. It would be an absolute travesty if the Charity had to fold as a result of not being able to fill this position and feel the village needs to understand our position to encourage people to step forward and get involved.

We are also sorry to hear that Rosie, one of our Trustees and IT guru, is moving away and will be unable to continue as a Trustee once she moves. She has advised she is willing to remain involved with the charity whilst awaiting a move date. This will leave an opening for another Trustee to join the team and with a pending vacancy for Chair as well, we will need to make advertising for new Trustees/chair a priority over coming months. We extend a massive thank you to Rosie for all her hard work over the last few years who has been a great asset to the Wish Tree team.

We have offered support to 35 residents since July 2023 and have practically helped 22 residents. The figures for offer and acceptance of help remains very similar to 2023. We continue to offer a variety of support including domestic help, dog walking, pet care, gardening, childcare and transport. We have also offered support such as professional counselling services as well as provide lump sums towards specialist medical treatment, aid in paying fees from our hardship fund and made a donation to asylum seekers regarding their clothing. Transport continues to be the main support to access medical treatment or hospital appointments but we do endeavour to seek help from village volunteer drivers where possible who serve the local area as appropriate. The average length of help continues to be three months but we have had some recent cases where longer term help has been required, especially where families have been affected by ill health followed by bereavement. We continue to operate and provide support without a financial assessment and all help given is confidential.

We continue to meet face to face approximately 6 times a year to discuss/agree how the Charity’s monies are being spent, to agree the type of practical support that can be provided or arranged have an update on residents as well as plan for any event. We try to update services/contacts used for practical support and endeavour to use local services from the village where possible or use residents existing contacts. We are sorry to hear that one of our regular local gardening firms are no longer able to continue to support our residents/the Wish Tree and we will need to seek alternatives in due course, as gardening help is also regularly required.

Residents continue to feed back when they have been offered or received help and state they are very grateful to know that we are here to help if needed. Our testimonials received (which are on our website) are ongoing proof of how grateful residents and families have been to receive our support at such difficult times and highlight what a shame it would be if the charity had to fold.

We aim to make villagers aware of who we are, what we do and how we can help and continue to do this in a variety of ways. This is always a challenge, but the support given over the last year is hopefully a reflection of how we are sustaining contact with residents. However, we need to continue to work on how we can reach residents and make them aware of what the Charity does, to ensure equity of support across the whole village versus personal contacts.

We continue to try and provide regular Charity updates via the Parish magazine, Facebook, Grapevine and on our website. The website is updated by Rosie, which includes a direct messaging/email to Trustees as well as having updates and a donation function. We have a Whatsapp group for volunteers when needed to access support at fundraising events or aid in networking with different groups within the village. We have links with St Leonard’s Church to help us find out about residents who may be in need of our support or to collaborate on support. We have access to new flyers which we use to introduce the Charity to prospective residents and have available at events, as well as access to an advertising Charity banner.

We are still to access Trustee training but this may be something we need to explore if new trustees get involved.

It is necessary at this meeting to confirm and vote in Trustee membership and agree committee members for 2024/2025. As we are aware, it is vital for the Charity to have 3 positions filled to function - Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary.

The current Trustees are as follows:

Tracy Wells - Chair

Ali Moss - Treasurer

Rosie Hickey-Colman - Trustee

Alex Morris - Trustee

Gill Biggs - Secretary

All in agreement to remain as Trustees? See Secretary minutes

Chair - outgoing Tracy Wells so temporary

Secretary - Gill Biggs (silent Trustee)

Treasurer - Ali Moss

Trustees - Alex Morris, Rosie Hickey-Colman (notice received)

Any changes to constitution required at this stage?

Plans/actions for 2024/25:

Advertise for New Chair and Trustees to replace Tracy and Rosie
Village Show Tea Room 14th Sept 2024
London Marathon April 2025 - attend/fundraiser (meeting planned for 10th September 24 with Henry - runner re fundraising)
Quiz fundraiser 2025 or alternative smaller event ie. race night
Handover IT/website management
Obtain more testimonials for website
Print more leaflets/flyers - leaflet drop in village
Link in with St Leonard’s re befrienders (not to be run by Charity)
Trustee training
Gift aid process - activate
Continue adding updates/monitor/upgrade website
Continue regular links with village organisations
Continue to pay for advertising in Parish Magazine
Monthly financial updates via Treasurer
Regular face to face or on-line meetings/contact to discuss future plans, residents, fundraising ideas
Use of Whatsapp to update Trustees/committee members and volunteers - check with WT helpers if still want to be on group.
Update list of services/contacts to ensure relevant and up to date/accurate
Source new gardening contractors
Continue to be good stewards of Charity's money
Ensure we continue to adhere to The Charity Commission regulations

TREASURER'S REPORT FOR THE PERIOD 1 MAY 2023 to 30 April 2024

OVERVIEW

2023/24 has been a busy year for the Wish Tree, helping Flamstead residents with lots of requests for assistance with transport, cleaning, dog walking and childcare. The charity is very lucky to have the support of the village. We feel fortunate to be well funded and can afford to react positively and confidentially to most requests for help.

In addition to the funds, we have available, we are often the recipients of donations from villagers and their families, for which we are very grateful. We were delighted to be voted for to receive a share of the proceeds of the Scarecrow Festival and that money has helped to support the residents of Flamstead.

In this financial year, the charity’s running costs were £10,785.33. The biggest part of our expenses was resident support £9,607.50 a big increase on the £6,048.52 that we spent during the previous accounting period, with other expenses, such as Trustee insurance making up the balance. The large increase was due to a sharp rise in the requests for cleaning, gardening and dog walking and extended help for families in need. In addition, high inflation has meant that some of our suppliers have understandably had to increase their hourly rates.

Aims for 2024-2025

To continue to monitor the charity’s finances and ensure compliance with the Charity Commission rules and our own Mission Statement.
To provide timely help to Flamstead residents when it is needed in confidence and without means testing.
To ensure the Charity continues to be viable for many years to come.
Fundraising plans - possibly a Quiz in early 2025.

I personally want to thank Tracy Wells for her hard work and commitment to the Charity, as she has made the decision to step down from her role as Chair of the Wish Tree. She will be greatly missed.

A copy of the charity’s accounts for the year ended 30 April 2024, can be seen on request. Email alisonjmoss@aol.com if you would like to receive a copy.

Alison Moss

Treasurer