annual report 2010-2011 - st hilda's east...
TRANSCRIPT
St Hilda’s East Community CentreANNUAL REPORT
2010-2011
About UsMessage from the ChairMessage from the DirectorDaytime Advice ServiceLegal Advice ServiceOlder People’s Project Boitok Group Sonali Gardens Day CentreLinkAge Plus ProjectShebadan Domiciliary Care Project Short Term and Flexible Breaks ProjectCommunity Volunteer ProjectBoundary Women’s ProjectBondhon ProjectUnder 5s ProjectGirls’ ProjectBoys’ ProjectSurjamuki ProjectCommunity Memories ProjectSummarised Balance Sheet Summarised Statement of Financial ActivitiesThanks and Acknowledgements
Contents
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Who we are and what we do
St. Hilda’s East Community Centre is a vibrant multi-purpose community organisation, providing a wide range of services and opportunities for local people of all ages - from pre-school support to work with older people, women’s projects, Legal Advice, domiciliary care to volunteering placements, carers’ respite to youth projects. St. Hilda’s works across two sites, our community centre in Bethnal Green and our second site, Sonali Gardens, about two miles away in Shadwell, providing a base for day care and a LinkAge Plus ‘Hub’ for over 50s. The organisation both provides a resource for the community in the Weavers Ward in northwest Tower Hamlets, while also delivering borough wide social care services.
How we do it
At St. Hilda’s we believe that our strength lies in our diversity, meeting the needs of local people and supporting their aspirations. We also aim to promote understanding between all sections of the local community, offering a setting for multicultural, interfaith and intergenerational exchange.
Our Aims and Values
St. Hilda’s aims to combat the challenges arising from deprivation and social exclusion in the local community through a range of high quality social, healthy living, educational, and recreational programmes. In all we do, we aim to break down barriers and reduce isolation, enabling access to learning, training and opportunities, empowering people to reach their goals.
St. Hilda’s is guided by its commitment to:
Provide the highest standards of service and continually improve performance
Actively involve users in agreeing priorities and setting standards
Achieve equality of opportunity and learning from diversity
Make the best use of resources
Develop staff to achieve their full potential
Work in partnership with others to pursue common objectives
2 About Us
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Management Board during 2010/11:Mrs Suzette BarryMrs Mahmuda JaigirdarMs Naseem KhanMrs Hasina Khatun (retired November 2010)Ms Alison KlarfeldMs Jean LockerMr Ahad MiahMrs Jill PittawayMrs Lucy Tusa (Treasurer)Mr Dennis Twomey (Chair)
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.Patrons:The Lady HankeyCarolyn Kirby (President of The Law Society 2002-2003)
President:Mrs Vicky Tuck (until August 2011)Mrs Eve Jardine-Young (from September 2011)
4 Message From The ChairThis has been a good year. The range of services provided by St Hilda’s remains extremely wide, offering something for all ages, which is of course exactly what a good community centre should do and St Hilda’s is a very good community centre. We are able to respond quickly to new and emerging needs and to remain relevant to the lives of the people we serve. It is the range and quality of services on offer that makes the centre such a valuable resource for local people. All of this makes St Hilda’s an immensely rewarding place to be associated with.
These are difficult times for many in both our immediate and wider communities, as the take up of our services demonstrates. Unemployment along with issues of social division and dislocation affect many of the people we work with. There are some in our local community whose circumstances mean their financial situation is marginal even in good times. For them especially, organisations like St Hilda’s are a lifeline in bad times.
Dennis Twomey Chair of Trustees
St Hilda’s is not immune to the current difficulties. We operate in a world where there is increasing competition for reducing levels of funding. We have done well this year ending with only a small deficit but the future will be less comfortable. We are fortunate in having excellent financial monitoring and control systems and we shall need them. We will need to be increasingly innovative in how we fund and deliver our services. This will be a challenge but it is one we are ready for.
St Hilda’s is more than just a building or an organisation. It is many people, staff, volunteers and users. All of these contribute to making it what it is and all of them deserve our thanks. But it is also a reflection of those who fund it, both individuals and organisations, whose donations and grants, large and small, enable us to continue our work. We are, as ever, immensely grateful to all of them.
Finally, I offer a heartfelt thank you to Jill Pittaway, one of the trustees nominated by the Guild of Cheltenham Ladies College, who is retiring from the Management Board this year. Her contribution to St Hilda’s has been enormous and far beyond the call of duty.
2010/11 saw a very successful year for St Hilda’s East’s delivery of services in the community. The rich diversity of its work, reaching so many different areas of activity, ensured that the organisation continued to stand out among community groups. From pre-school children and parents, advice, youth work, mental health support, to care for older people, our staff and volunteers ran some eighteen different projects. As in past years, this wide ranging array of provision attracted recognition in the form of awards, this time as runner up for a City of London Lord Mayor’s Dragon Award.
However the year ended with challenges that will become more evident during 2011/12. After a decade of continuous growth, St Hilda’s East had to curtail some of its services in April 2011 - due to reductions in Local Authority funding. With great reluctance, our community centre crèche reduced its opening hours due to cuts in Children’s Centre funding, also resulting in the loss of a Parent & Community Development Worker post. We also had to close our Work Experience Scheme.
St Hilda’s East is far from unique among the voluntary sector in facing such financial strictures. As statutory and charitable funding both become increasingly limited, our need for support for the organisation’s fantastic work is all the greater!
These challenges notwithstanding, St Hilda’s East remains an incredibly vibrant organisation, providing much needed and high quality services. From our Older People’s Project and Sonali Gardens Day Centre combating isolation, to our Boundary Women’s Project creating training opportunities, it makes far reaching and positive differences to a great many individual lives. Our diverse projects remain strong and we will continue to develop these in the years ahead. Among our plans is an exciting new venture: following award of a Big Lottery Local Food grant, we will be developing our existing community centre Food Co-op with the addition of a food training programme. Meanwhile new funding from The Rank Foundation will enable an innovative paid internship scheme to build support networks for St Hilda’s East’s day-to-day work through social media platforms.
The future for St Hilda’s East therefore contains great potential and promise along with the challenges. With much appreciated support from our funders and pro bono partners, we are confident that it will continue to thrive in new and fulfilling directions!
Message From The Director 5
Rupert WilliamsDirector
6 Daytime Advice Service
St Hilda’s Daytime Advice Service has provided residents in the Weavers Ward and surrounding area with advice and assistance since 2002, focusing especially on welfare rights, housing and debt. The Advice Service is a busy and well used provision, providing a lifeline to many clients - particularly those who struggle in accessing rights and entitlements through lack of knowledge and language barriers. Sessions are available four days a week through appointments, supplemented by telephone advice and home visits. Assistance provided ranges from basic help with completing forms to more complex issues, advocating on behalf of clients by phone or in writing.
2010/11 saw a noticeable increase in the number of clients using the service. In comparison to the previous year advice episodes almost doubled from 487 to 819. This increased uptake was mainly in the area of welfare rights, which saw numbers rise from 396 advice episodes the previous year to 581 in 2010/11.
As a result of increased take up, the Advice Service helped a large number of individuals and families on low incomes in maximising their income, successfully claiming £205,184 in new benefits.
The addition of a Tower Hamlets Law Centre Link Advisor (a temporary placement started in 2009/10) not only helped the Advice Service to achieve these increased outputs, but also demonstrated its potential for development – notably among older people underclaiming benefits and low income families.
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To renew the St. Hilda’s Community Legal Service General Help Quality Mark. This was achieved in July 2011, demonstrating the ongoing high standards of our work.
To further develop the Advice Service’s capacity, enabling it to respond effectively to increased demand from local people affected by the economic climate. We hope to achieve this by securing additional charitable funding as well as partnerships with other agencies.
To run financial inclusion programmes for local residents, working with other community centre projects such as St Hilda’s Older People’s and Women’s Projects to reach individuals who would not normally ‘walk into’ an advice service.
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Key Achievements in 2010/11 Plans for 2011/12
“I was surprised to find that there was so much help available to me that I wasn’t aware of. My income has increased by more
than £80 per month!”
“The Advisor not only told me what I was entitled to but also put me at ease with my problems.”
7Legal Advice Service
“I’m very happy and can’t thank the advisers enough.” (Mr A after a successful appeal against a Criminal Injuries
Compensation decision)
“The advisers are top notch and so helpful!”
St. Hilda’s enjoys a longstanding partnership with two national law firms, DLA Piper and Berwin Leighton Paisner, enabling the provision of a legal advice service at our community centre and Sonali Gardens Centre sites. This is a well used and much needed resource for the local community, run alongside St. Hilda’s Daytime Advice Service. The Legal Advice Service is delivered on a pro bono basis by volunteer law firm staff at weekly evening drop-in sessions at both sites.
During 2010/11, 764 drop-in ‘appointments’ took place within Tuesday evening sessions run by volunteer law firm staff at St Hilda’s community centre in Bethnal Green and on Wednesdays at Sonali Gardens in Shadwell.
These appointments included advice on 218 housing matters, 176 welfare benefits, 126 debt cases, 81 consumer problems, 34 employment issues – as well as a range of other subjects.
Volunteer staff from both Berwin Leighton Paisner and DLA Piper took part in the London Legal Support Trust’s annual sponsored walk organised in 2010, raising a much appreciated £3,140 for St. Hilda’s East Community Centre.
St Hilda’s East Legal Advice Service enjoyed an additional partnership with Queen Mary University. Law students assisted in the running of sessions at Sonali Gardens while obtaining valuable practical experience.
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To establish a new pro bono Debt Clinic at St Hilda’s East Community Centre, providing advice on issues such as credit card debts, bank overdrafts and personal loans.
To identify new City of London based law firms to augment the capacity of our community centre Legal Advice sessions.
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Key Achievements in 2010/11 Plans for 2011/12
8 Older People’s ProjectThe Older People’s Project provides a full day service every weekday to local people aged 60+, with almost 200 involved during 2010/11. The project aims to reduce isolation through social, practical and emotional support. This comprises lunch clubs, day care for more frail elders, with a wide range of activities and lifelong learning – from IT classes, gentle yoga exercises, to crafts and singing! Transport is provided for less mobile members to take part. Staff also assist users with one-to-one advocacy, referring to St Hilda’s other projects or local statutory and voluntary agencies where necessary. The project also supports an independent elders’ campaigning organisation, Eastend Pensioners Action Group.
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To engage with the national ‘personalisation’ of social care, continuing to develop the Project’s person-centred approach to meet individual needs of older people with personal budgets.
To further expand our intergenerational work, including a new ‘Artbeat’ project in partnership with students at Bethnal Green Technology College, supported by law firm Allen & Overy.
To encourage awareness of health issues among older men, including the organising of a Men’s Health Day.
2010 saw the development of an Over 60s’ Healthy Living Group, incorporating keep fit, complementary therapies and health promotion talks. A partnership was formed with Tower Hamlets Primary Care Trust to deliver a 10 week ‘Safe and Steady’ falls management programme.
A highly successful ‘Your Money’ financial inclusion project included advice on money management for older people, consumer rights, with a well attended public information day.
A programme of sixteen outings were organised during the year, providing opportunities for housebound and less mobile members to enjoy seaside trips, visit the countryside, as well as local destinations such as Hackney Empire and The Tower of London!
The Project continued to encourage and foster inter-generational contact between members and young people – including a wonderful partnership with the local Virginia Primary School as part of St Hilda’s Community Memories Project, with dialogue, photos and workshops bringing different ages together to share and swap experiences.
In a new community arts initiative, the Older People’s Project worked in collaboration with the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery, with guided visits and follow up community centre workshops taking place.
The group’s work with the Eastend Pensioners Action Group (EPAG) included well attended General Election hustings held at St Hilda’s and elsewhere in Tower Hamlets, as well as a subsequent meeting with new Bethnal Green MP, Rushanara Ali, enabling older people to get their views across to the politicians!
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“When St Hilda’s take me out I feel my life is worth living!”
“It’s friendly here, there is nothing you would ask them that they wouldn’t do for you.”
“Coming here made me feel that I had not been forgotten because of my age. “
Key Achievements in 2010/11 Plans for 2011/12
“Coming to St Hilda’s makes me feel part of the community.”
“I come here for keep fit and to meet with people of my own age. My health has improved as a result of coming here.”
“It’s a nice atmosphere and gives me a reason to get up and get dressed. I go back home feeling I have achieved something!”
9Boitok Group
Boitok (meaning regular meeting of people in Bengali) was set up in June 2009 as part of St Hilda’s Older People’s Project. It is aimed at Bangladeshi elders living in the area surrounding St. Hilda’s community centre site in Bethnal Green. Boitok meets weekly on Tuesdays and is a ‘lunch club plus’ project, providing not only lunches but also stimulating and culturally appropriate activities for those taking part.
This year the number of users participating in the weekly lunch club sessions at the community centre almost doubled to over 80. The project continued to promote the service and raise awareness through outreach – from publicity in local mosques and shops to home visits.
Boitok continued to focus on promoting the well-being of users through socialising and activities including health sessions, information talks, reminiscence, prayers at the local mosque and outings. Workshops took place on a range of topics including dementia, bowel cancer and financial rights. Following on from its popularity at the beginning of the project, a keep fit instructor from the Osmani Trust has continued to run regular exercise sessions.
During this year, the group joined other members of the Older People’s Project in cross community and multi-cultural events including a joint Eid Party.
To encourage more local older Bangladeshi women to get involved in the ‘lunch club plus’, fundraising for a female project worker to facilitate this.
To further develop links between elders using Boitok and Older People’s Project members from other communities – including joint outings and a Men’s Health Day.
To extend the programme of health promotion workshops to include much needed sessions on smoking cessation.
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Key Achievements in 2010/11 Plans for 2011/12.
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“My time here passes so quickly… At home hours pass like days but here the day passes in minutes!”
“I feel I am not too old to learn new things. I feel alive!”
“I am happy here, talking to people I can socialise and be in touch.”
The Sonali [Bengali for ‘Golden’] Gardens Day Centre is based at St Hilda’s second site in Shadwell. It offers person centred care and support throughout the week for Bangladeshi and other communities from the Tower Hamlets area. The Day Centre is run with a team of bilingual Bengali-speaking staff, purpose built prayer rooms and other bespoke facilities, and has been identified as a model for national good practice in culturally sensitive service delivery for older people. Door-to-door accessible minibus transport enables less mobile users to access a range of on site provision, from exercises to chiropody, as well as off site opportunities such as weekly shopping trips. Sonali Gardens Day Centre and LinkAge Plus (see page 11) provide discrete services but gain greatly from being based on the same site, enabling cross-project work in bringing together older people from different sections of the community.
Day Centre care packages were provided for 129 people over the course of the year – providing essential support in promoting independence, social stimulation and access to services.
St Hilda’s worked with nearby Mulberry School during the year, sixth formers undertaking NVQs in Health and Social Care gaining experience within the Day Centre while our users enjoyed contact with the young people taking part.
Sonali Gardens Day Centre also worked with the Alzheimer’s Society through a programme of sessions with users, raising awareness about dementia and services available for sufferers and carers.
Partnerships continued with external agencies to enable Day Centre users to receive services that they would otherwise not access, from primary care dentistry and chiropody practitioners to ophthalmology eye screening.
In addition to our main 40 place Day Centre run on weekdays, a 12 place day care facility was also open on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the year – providing both extra opportunities for users and respite for carers.
To introduce a new ‘Healthy at Sonali Gardens’ project integrated into daily life of the Day Centre, focusing on the benefits of increased physical activity, healthy lifestyles and eating among users.
To further develop Sonali Gardens Day Centre’s person centred approach to care to meet the individual needs and wishes of users with personal budgets.
A new programme of cultural music sessions within the Day Centre, not only featuring performers from the community but also actively involving users.
To develop IT use among Day Centre users, supporting individuals to use an on site computer facility – from discovering news to using Google Earth search to see ‘back home’ in Bangladesh on the internet!
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Key Achievements in 2010/11 Plans for 2011/12.
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Sonali Gardens Day Centre
“The pension advice service is very good!”
“I would recommend Link Age Plus to other people, the staff are very helpful indeed.”
11LinkAge Plus ProjectLinkAge Plus offers a service to all adults aged 50+ in the Borough of Tower Hamlets. It aims to identify and engage isolated older people, providing opportunities for them and tackling issues associated with ageing by making services and activities more accessible. Sonali Gardens LinkAge Centre is one of five ‘hubs’ delivering services across Tower Hamlets Borough, serving its Local Area Partnership (LAP) 3 and 4 districts. The team comprises a Co-ordinator and three Outreach Workers and has been operating since July 2006. In the last year alone it has worked with over 600 older people in the community. The centre provides a one-stop shop with social, recreational and physical activity sessions, advice, information and signposting.
A local ‘You Decide’ initiative allocated £10,000 funding to Local Area Partnerships 3 and 4 to provide trips for older people. LinkAge Plus organised 20 trips to a variety of venues including several seaside trips, plus others to Madam Tussauds, Eltham Palace, the Victoria & Albert Museum and London Zoo.
The ‘You Decide’ initiative also provided a Community Shopping Bus for trips, coordinated by the LinkAge Plus team from Sonali Gardens, to different shopping venues chosen by older people themselves.
Services for older people in the Wapping and Stepney areas within LAPs 3 and 4 are often limited or not easy to access. As a consequence LinkAge Plus offers a lifeline to many more isolated and excluded older people in the area. LinkAge Plus’s funding contract (with Tower Hamlets Council and PCT) had been due to end in March 2011: however continued funds have been confirmed until 2012 from the PCT and to 2013 by Tower Hamlets Council – a real reflection of the importance of our work!
Partnership with other agencies enabled older people to gain much needed advice and help – from a very well used weekly DWP Pensions Service surgery to Legal Advice.
An exceptionally popular Christmas Party at Sonali Gardens attracted well over a hundred people, with a British and Bengali inspired Christmas menu, entertainment provided by a classical Indian dancer, a disco and a visit from Santa Claus!
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Key Achievements in 2010/11 Plans for 2011/12To further promote good health among older people through physical activity by providing weekly seated exercise classes for men and women and a weekly walking club, as well as cookery classes for male service users.
Developing sessions and information on support and advice on issues surrounding bereavement.
In response to requests from older people, develop a new creative arts programme, including poetry, dance and visual arts open to all abilities.
“The staff are really helpful and caring……”
“A care worker visits me regularly….the service is good and she is so nice that we consider her part of the family! “
12 Shebadan Domiciliary Care Project
Shebadan’s care team provided an average of 550 hours of domiciliary care in the community on a weekly basis, providing vital support to individuals and families.
More care support plans were developed this year as personal budgets were rolled out to home care users within the Borough. Shebadan’s pool of Community Care Assistants was expanded to meet this increased demand.
Shebadan continues to be rated as a Good service by the national Care Quality Commission.
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To engage successfully with an expected Tower Hamlets local authority domiciliary care tendering process in 2011/12.
To respond to the growing demand for more ‘personalised’ care services by extending Shebadan’s person centred approach to domiciliary care.
St Hilda’s has a strong record of running NVQ Health & Social Care training projects during recent years, resulting in its Shebadan Community Care Assistants being appropriately qualified. We now plan to develop a new NVQ training programme over the forthcoming year for newly recruited care staff, to ensure a continued high quality of service for users.
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Key Achievements in 2010/11 Plans for 2011/12
Shebadan (meaning ‘care-giving’ in Bengali) has been providing home care services, including personal care, to Bangladeshi and other communities in Tower Hamlets for almost twenty years. Shebadan works closely with St Hilda’s other services such as Sonali Gardens Day Centre and our Short Term and Flexible Breaks Project, resulting in more ‘joined up’ and holistic services for users. A team of care staff, currently thirty six, provide support to over a hundred individual users in the community who are experiencing physical disability or mental ill health, many of whom are older and housebound.
“I was about to have to leave my part time job to look after my mother full time, but St Hilda’s arranged day centre respite for my mother and contacted social services for permanent help.
Because of this I was able to keep working and caring.”
“Your service helped me a lot during a very stressful time. I couldn’t have coped without this.”
13Short Term and Flexible Breaks Project
Based in St Hilda’s East Community Centre, this project provides short term and flexible break services to carers within the Bangladeshi and other Asian communities in Tower Hamlets. Carers are able to access respite that meet their personal or family needs by the provision of Day Centre ‘placements’ or domiciliary care for the cared for person. The project also provides information, advice and signposting for carers, running a monthly Carers Support Group called Fursoth (which means ‘Take Rest’ in Bengali). St Hilda’s has been working with, and supporting, carers for more than a decade and this innovative project complements its other social care provision.
During the year the Short Term and Flexible Breaks Project provided break services for 65 carers, arranging 1,800 hours of home help and 480 units of Day Centre placement. Under the Project’s funding arrangement with Tower Hamlets Council, it was able to provide up to 36 hours of short breaks and another 36 of ‘flexible breaks’ for carers. This enabled individual carers to receive both invaluable short term respite, often in crisis situations, as well as taking flexible breaks at times when they wanted or needed to do so.
153 carers took part in Fursoth group meetings and activities during the year, providing them with an opportunity to socialise and enjoy peer support as well as gain information on services and help available.
National Carers Week was celebrated with a well attended BBQ in St Hilda’s community centre, with carers’ rights to benefits promoted through advice from St Hilda’s in-house Advice Service, enabling individual carers to access increased help and support.
Carers were able to voice their views and needs through the Short Term and Flexible Breaks Project participating in “Improving our Information”, a Carers Workshop initiated by Tower Hamlets Social Services, which discussed the implementation of the national social care “Personalisation” agenda.
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To carry out a comprehensive survey of carers using the Project, with the aim of ascertaining needs, aspirations and views. This will help the Project to evolve its services to meet the needs of personal budget holders.
A new series of training sessions for carers of older and disabled family members. This will equip individual carers with increased skills, knowledge and confidence while enhancing their ability to care for loved ones.
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Key Achievements in 2010/11 Plans for 2011/12
14 Community Volunteer ProjectSt Hilda’s has a long established and rich history of volunteering, with volunteers involved in services across the organisation. September 2010 saw an exciting development in this area of work, with the award of a three year grant from The Rank Foundation towards a Community Volunteer Project. The aim of this new project is to make a positive difference to the lives of older people through the contribution of volunteers - in particular unemployed young people who would otherwise not access formal training or work. The project has also been supporting St Hilda’s weekly Food Coop, making fresh vegetables and fruit available at affordable prices to the local community – and providing a lifeline for housebound older people using the centre.
“The NVQ training at St Hilda’s has been really good …I wouldn’t have felt as comfortable going to a college”. (Volunteer
in Older People’s Project)
“St Hilda’s is an incredible place with infinite opportunities to learn and grow.”
“I’ve learnt more about gardening as well as working with different people…” (Volunteer looking after community centre
roof garden)
Through involvement in project delivery, Community Volunteers enhanced the activities and services available to older people within St Hilda’s East Community Centre, notably our Older People’s Project as well as Sonali Gardens Day Centre, from running gentle yoga sessions to breaking down social isolation through contact with older users.
Based at St Hilda’s and in partnership with Tower Hamlets College, eleven volunteers passed pre-NVQ Literacy and Numeracy courses allowing them to go on to complete NVQ Level 2 Health and Social Care courses in February 2011.
A programme of training was provided for volunteers during the year, both furnishing participants with skills in working with older people and improving the service received by St Hilda’s service users. Monthly training courses included Elder Abuse Awareness, Taster Counselling Skills, Visual Impairment, Falls Awareness, Confidentiality, Coronary Heart Disease, Bereavement, Hearing Impairment, and Reminiscence.
Volunteers from the law firms DLA Piper, Allen and Overy, and Berwin Leighton Paisner, as well as Lloyds Register, ran IT sessions for older people, enabling them to develop computer skills, increase confidence and break down isolation.
Volunteers Week was celebrated with a traditional Pampering Day for our volunteers, with the help of staff from the City of London - massage therapy, reflexology, manicures and lunch were on offer as a thank you to volunteers for all their hard work!
To provide support for St Hilda’s range of work with older people in Tower Hamlets, especially its Older People’s Project, to increase both the quality and quantity of opportunities on offer to service users.
To develop our training programme for Community Volunteers, including a new programme of monthly skills workshops.
In an exciting development approval has been secured from Big Lottery Local Food to establish a new Food Co-op Project, developing our existing Co-op into a financially and environmentally sustainable enterprise while providing accredited training to volunteers.
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Key Achievements in 2010/11 Plans for 2011/12
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Boundary Women’s ProjectThe Boundary Women’s Project aims to encourage local women to realise their own potential, especially individuals experiencing social exclusion or minority ethnic women facing language barriers. A varied programme of regular activities ranges from ESOL (English language) classes, Keep Fit, IT sessions, to a Women’s Forum discussion group – with an exciting textile training initiative also having taken place during the last year. Those taking part gain new skills, become more confident in their everyday lives, while becoming involved in the wider community. The project also has an outreach service, helping individual women overcome isolation and providing one-to-one support.
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“I really enjoyed the health programme, never having done yoga before!”
“Cooking in front of people was scary, but when I started giving out samples of my food, I was amazed that they wanted more
and liked the taste so much…it did wonders for my confidence!“
An ‘Apnar Shasto’ (‘Your Health’ in Bengali) Health Programme during the course of the year provided a holistic approach to healthier living - with information and advice on health issues together with healthy living cookery classes and weekly women’s yoga sessions.
The Women’s Project also delivered life skills and training support, including ESOL classes at Entry Level 2 and 3 in partnership with Tower Hamlets Lifelong Learning; a beginners IT course with support from volunteer staff at Lloyds Register; and a ‘Your Money’ financial inclusion scheme equipped women with money management skills.
City based Lloyds Register company commissioned the Women’s Project to produce a piece of hand sewn art commemorating its 250th anniversary. Project members learnt new textile skills while utilising traditional Bengali embroidery techniques.
The Women’s Project also worked with other groups in increasing social cohesion in a diverse local community. A very well attended International Women’s Day event was organised together with Women’s Environmental Network, while the Project took a key role in supporting an Arnold Circus Centenary event bringing together communities to share experiences and traditions of food - members displaying their very popular Bangladeshi cooking talents!
To run a new programme of healthy living activities for women living in the area surrounding St Hilda’s community centre, continuing regular keep fit sessions along with workshops on women’s health issues.
To provide accessible community based training opportunities, including continued ESOL (English) and IT courses. We hope to extend this provision by providing a “UK Online” basic internet course, as well as a new course for more advanced users to train to become ‘digital assistants’.
To build on the successful experience of Lloyds Register embroidery commissioning through further textile training opportunities, along with other art works created by local women - with the longer term development aim of a women’s social enterprise.
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Key Achievements in 2010/11 Plans for 2011/12.
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“I enjoy the exercise, I talk with others, and this helps my stress to be released.”
“By coming here I feel that I am getting fit, meeting new people and making friends.”
Bondhon, (meaning ‘togetherness’ in Bengali), promotes the well-being of Bangladeshi women aged between 18 to 65 years living in the Tower Hamlets area. The project targets women who are socially isolated and experiencing mental health issues. It aims to empower individuals and encourage integration back into the community by building self-confidence through group activities as well as one-to-one support. Weekly group activities include a Tuesday session at St Hilda’s East Community Centre, offering optional transport assistance and exercise classes, lunches and quarterly workshops. Meanwhile a Monday session at Sure Start Children’s Centre in Poplar is targeted at mothers with young children who may be experiencing post-natal depression.
Key Achievements in 2010/11 Plans for 2011/12
Bondhon Project
Bondhon supported 129 women during the course of the year, from participation in group sessions to one-to-one support.
In addition to regular weekly well-being sessions offering aerobics and healthy eating advice, Bondhon also began to run weekly swimming sessions in Mile End – in response to user interest and requests.
Bondhon has successfully promoted its work to other mental health services in the Borough of Tower Hamlets, also signposting services and resources to users. Users enjoyed day trips to the seaside and fruit picking farms, with visits to local shopping centres organised to increase confidence and development of essential life skills.
Bondhon users participated in an exciting art project in collaboration with INIVA (the Institute of International Visual Arts) in Shoreditch, with a ‘Whose Map Is It’ production publicly exhibited during the summer of 2010.
Bondhon users benefited from a range of practical financial advice through delivery of money management workshops by international charity BRAC UK.
A range of workshops were delivered to raise awareness on health and other issues from weight management to welfare rights.
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To run a new programme of information and advice around psychological services for Bondhon members delivered by trainers from organisations such as Barts and The Royal London Hospital.
To develop the Bondhon Project’s person-centred approach and services to meet the individual needs and wishes of users with personal budgets, in line with the national ‘personalisation agenda’.
To work in collaboration with local mental health charity Working Well Trust to develop a new silk painting project.
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“This offers new parents a life line, giving me and my child the chance to meet others.”
“My child can take part in activities here that I could never provide in my small flat.”
“I could not have learnt English without St Hilda’s crèche.“
Reductions in funding notwithstanding, St Hilda’s Crèche & Under 5s Project will continue to work closely with Tower Hamlets Children’s Centres, to ensure that parents have the widest possible choice of activities and children the best possible start in life.
We plan to diversify the Under 5s Project’s provision, including exploration of a new Playgroup for local parents. We will also be developing and expanding Family Learning sessions – building on a very popular new Tuesday session started in April 2011.
To run a summer Play Scheme for young children, with fun arts and crafts activities, for both existing crèche users and new families.
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Plans for 2011/12
Under 5s ProjectSt Hilda’s Under 5s Project offers a combination of high quality childcare and learning opportunities for young children. Registered with Ofsted, our crèche provision enables parents to take part in other activities within the community centre (e.g. ESOL classes) while Family Learning sessions are also run on a regular basis. The Under 5s Project follows Early Years Foundation Stage principles, providing a fun and valuable pre-school experience for children. Along with many other voluntary sector groups, this highly popular facility was affected by the loss of Sure Start Children’s Centre funding – its opening hours being reduced, with great regret, from five days to two days weekly at the end of March 2011. However, it remains a pivotal and very well used part of St Hilda’s community provision, with some 50 children benefiting, and we plan to develop its activities in new and exciting directions over the forthcoming year.
St Hilda’s crèche provided parents with the support they needed in order to attend courses and gain qualifications – from ESOL (English language) to First Aid.
Throughout 2010/11 St Hilda’s Under 5s Project played a central role in the delivery of the local Little Oaks Children’s Centre activities, from Messy Play to pre-school literacy sessions.
While providing an invaluable service for children and parents, the crèche also provided placements and training opportunities for individuals from the local community to gain childcare qualifications.
Last but not least, St Hilda’s crèche organised a tremendously successful Xmas party in December, with over 100 parents and children enjoying the event – a real live Santa Claus making the day, with presents from girls at Cheltenham Ladies College.
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Key Achievements in 2010/11
Girls’ Project18
“Its fun, exciting, keeps you busy, creative, makes you think. There’s no other place like it!!!”
“It’s been brilliant, coming to St. Hilda’s is like being at home but away from home.”
“I have really enjoyed myself at St. Hilda’s, everyone is really friendly here.“
To run a new programme of accredited courses at St Hilda’s in areas such as health and fitness and Young Sports Leadership Awards.
Girls’ Project members hope to organise fundraising events to raise money for a trip abroad to work with disadvantaged young people.
To promote healthy living, including a ‘Gym membership’ at St.Hildas for girls, physical activity and new healthy cooking sessions.
To build existing links and referrals with local schools, as well as further develop the longstanding connection with Cheltenham Ladies’ College.
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Plans for 2011/12
St. Hilda’s Girls’ Project offers a wide-ranging programme of social, creative and educational activities and opportunities for girls aged 13-19 living in and around the local Weavers Ward. Called HAYA (Helping Achieve Youth Ambitions) it works alongside Tower Hamlets Youth Service, aiming to empower young people, actively involving them in planning and decision-making about the group. Weekly sessions typically vary from physical activities, arts, crafts, to cooking, IT and much more!
More than 50 young people were registered with the project, with 15 - 20 participating in regular sessions. Ten girls went on to complete accredited courses in Arts & Crafts and Cookery.
A well attended Summer Programme included global culinary dishes from around the world and a much enjoyed competition for the best cook at St Hilda’s! The girls also worked on an intergenerational project in collaboration with older users of the community centre.
The Girls’ Project has been successful in engaging more girls and young women not involved in education, employment or training (NEET) in activities. In particular, members of the project have had the opportunity to discuss their future careers and ambitions with a specialist youth worker with the option of 3 monthly reviews over the course of their time at St Hilda’s.
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Key Achievements in 2010/11
19
“I love coming to the project! ”
“My brothers and I are new to the project. We have been made really welcome and have made lots of friends. We’d like to come
every day!”
Boys’ Project
St Hilda’s Boys’ Project was last year renamed the ‘PEACE Project’ by its members, standing for Participate, Empower, Activate, Communicate, Equality! It aims to engage local young people aged 13-19 in activities and opportunities that will develop life skills and raise aspirations. ‘PEACE’ delivers varied and creative programmes of educational, social and recreational activities, enabling young people to explore and discover their talents and ambitions.
Boys’ Project members took a lead role in the making of St Hilda’s Community Memories Project film about the organisation’s history, St Hilda’s East: The Story of a Community. Young people used filming equipment, provided voice overs and helped to make a remarkable documentary – learning about their heritage and the local community in the process.
The Project established a community gym at St. Hilda’s, providing increased physical and health opportunities to young people in the local area.
144 young people participated in programmes of accredited learning. They gained certificated qualifications on courses such as First Aid, health and hygiene, life and interpersonal skills, Duke of Edinburgh Award, and sports leader awards. St. Hilda’s continued to be recognised by national awarding body NCFE, enhancing its capacity to provide accredited opportunities.
Young people increased their participation in the wider community by becoming members of the Tower Hamlets Youth Parliament and part of its Advisory Board.
35 young people visited a residential centre in Cornwall where they enjoyed outdoor activities such as fishing, kayaking, abseiling and high ropes.
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To build on the Project’s successful experience of providing NCFE accredited courses by extending provision for young people to AQA (another accreditation body) registered learning.
To offer healthy living workshops in collaboration with Tower Hamlets Council Trainers, including physical health and sexual health, as well as activities such as team sports and swimming.
To work with St Hilda’s Surjamuki project (see page 20) to encourage increased integration of young people, including an innovative ‘buddying up’ scheme supporting independence and living skills.
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Plans for 2011/12Key Achievements in 2010/11
Surjamuki Project
The Surjamuki Project (meaning ‘Sunflower’ in Bengali) runs twice weekly sessions at St Hilda’s East Community Centre for young people with disabilities living in the Tower Hamlets area, with minibus transport enabling regular involvement. The core values and principles of Every Child Matters and Hear by Right are central to its activities. The project aims to promote confidence, positive learning and independence of members through educational and recreational activities, including holiday programmes and residential trips. A state of the art Sensory Room provides a stimulating environment for exploration to Surjamuki members and other young people in Tower Hamlets.
Surjamuki members joined a Tower Hamlets Youth Opportunities Fund grants panel – helping to make decisions on awards to projects across the borough. This was an incredibly empowering experience, and ensured that the voice of young disabled people was heard.
The project developed a new ‘boccia’ programme for Surjamuki members. Boccia is a paralympic sport similar to bowls, designed to be played by people with physical disabilities.
A Surjamuki Awards Day Summer 2010 was a great success with over 50 people attending, including families and friends of members and partner organisations. Members celebrated by singing, performing drama and reciting poetry.
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To hold Surjamuki money management sessions at St Hilda’s in order to encourage young people to learn and practice essential life skills, thereby increasing their confidence.
To hold a St Hilda’s pre-paralympics inter-generational boccia competition between Surjamuki and St Hilda’s Older People’s Project members. This took place in July 2011 and was highly successful! Members of the Older People’s project and Surjamuki members also enjoyed chess competitions together at this event.
We hope to organise a residential trip abroad – the first time that some of our members will have ever been to another country.
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20
Key Achievements in 2010/11 Plans for 2011/12
“Surjamuki has helped me with my skills. I can now talk in front of a group!”
“I love Surjamuki because it’s my project and it’s about us.”
“I enjoy it because I have the freedom to travel and learn new things.”
Community Memories Project
Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Community Memories Project was set up following St Hilda’s East’s 120th Anniversary celebrations. Aiming to capture and share a fantastic story of community work through the last century, this one year project has been highly successful in achieving this – a Project Coordinator working closely with a dedicated group of volunteers to deliver its activities. Although funding has now ceased, it remains a permanent resource for those interested in local history – from local residents to schools and colleges.
“The best bit about filming was setting up the shots…. We matched up old photos of the area from the archive with buildings
now, and saw how it’s changed over the years.” (Member of Youth Project involved in filming)
“St Hilda’s when I was growing up, it was a central part of everything.” (Oral history recollection)
“I think St Hilda’s is part of my family, isn’t it? “ (Current user and local resident)
21
Beginning in the summer of 2010, our team of Community Memories volunteers interviewed and recorded over 50 oral history interviews with a range of people involved in St Hilda’s over the years – from past volunteers and staff to current users. The result is a treasure trove of recollections of the community centre and local area dating back to the 1930s!
A film St Hilda’s East: The Story of a Community was produced, documenting the organisation’s remarkable history, from its origins in the nineteenth century to today. In line with the organisation’s ethos, members of our Youth Project were involved in the making of the film – along with girls from Cheltenham Ladies College, the institution through which St Hilda’s was originally established in 1889. The film was launched at a public showing in a local cinema – an inspiring occasion bringing together current and past users, staff and volunteers.
A permanent on-site Community Archive was created in St Hilda’s, containing countless old photographs, historical documents and recorded oral histories.
Older and young generations were brought together with Virginia Primary School pupils and the Older People’s Project through a programme of intergenerational arts and storytelling workshops.
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Although funding has come to an end, the Project has left a lasting legacy that will preserve the heritage of St Hilda’s East and the community it serves for many years to come. Our volunteer run Community Archive is open to all and we plan to encourage secondary and primary schools to make increasing use of it during the forthcoming year, providing a social history resource for curricular activities while also encouraging an awareness of the incredibly rich heritage of the local area.
Likewise, the DVD film St Hilda’s East: The Story of a Community will continue to provide a resource for schools, groups and the wider community to use as an educational and information tool – along with an accompanying booklet.
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Key Achievements in 2010/11 Plans for 2011/12
Summarised Balance Sheet22
2010 2009 £ £ £ £Fixed assets
Tangible fixed assets 1,891,199 1,943,723Investments 51,363 50,947 1,942,562 1,994,670Current assetsStock 6,742 3,980Debtors 201,332 149,005Cash at bank and in hand 454,457 461,180 662,531 614,165Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 64,133 54,452
Net current assets 598,398 559,713
Net assets 2,540,960 2,554,383
The funds of the charity Unrestricted funds - General 512,555 451,185 - Designated 261,476 277,280 Restricted funds 1,766,929 1,825,918
Total charity funds 2,540,960 2,554,383
ST. HILDA’S EAST SUMMARISED BALANCE SHEET - AS AT 31 MARCH 2011
The restricted funds totalling £1,766,929 includes capital funding of £1,756,929 and revenue funds of £10,000.
The Designated Funds represents monies set aside by Trustees for specific purposes and include £111,476 for building maintenance and capital equipment, £100,000 for staff contingencies, a £40,000 development fund and £10,000 for I.T. Training.
These summarised accounts have been extracted from the full audited accounts of St. Hilda’s East for the year ended 31st March 2011 and they may not contain sufficient information to allow for a full understanding of the financial affairs of the charity. For further information, copies of the full audited accounts can be obtained from St. Hilda’s East, 18 Club Row, London E2 7EY; Tel. 020 7739 8066.
The full audited accounts were approved by the Trustees on 17th June 2011 and have been submitted to the Charity Commission and the Registrar of Companies. The audit report thereon was unqualified.
AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF ST. HILDA’S EAST
We have examined the summarised accounts, which have been extracted from the full audited accounts for the year ended 31st March 2011. In our opinion the summarised accounts are consistent with the full audited accounts.
RAMON LEE & PARTNERS REGISTERED AUDITORS, CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS KEMP HOUSE, 152 - 160 CITY ROAD, LONDON EC1V 2DW
17th June 2011
Statement of Financial Activities 23
Unrestricted Funds General Designated Restricted Funds Funds Funds 2011 2010Incoming Resources £ £ £ £ £
Incoming resources from generating funds:Voluntary income:Grants & Donations 281,611 - - 281,611 197,975Activities for generating funds:Interest receivable 5,531 - - 5,531 3,031Rental income 103,969 - - 103,969 85,717 Other income 17,735 - - 17,735 8,063Incoming resources from charitable activities:Grants and service agreements 1,193,791 - 278,801 1,472,592 1,414,813Other income 33,341 - - 33,341 30,148
Total incoming resources 1,635,978 - 278,801 1,914,779 1,739,747Resources expendedCost of generating funds 8,125 - - 8,125 8,471 Charitable activities 1,569,839 - 337,790 1,907,629 1,805,539 Governance costs 12,864 - - 12,864 16,527Total resources expended 1,590,828 - 337,790 1,928,618 1,830,537Net outgoing resources 45,150 - (58,989) (13,839) (90,790)Other recognised gains and lossesUnrealised gains on investments 416 - - 416 947Net movement in funds before transfers (42,618) (5,000) (42,225) (13,423) (89,843)Transfer between funds 15,804 (15,804) - - -Net movement in funds after transfers 61,370 (15,804) (58,989) (13,423) (89,843)Reconciliation of funds:Total funds, brought forward 451,185 277,280 1,825,918 2,554,383 2,644,226Total funds, carried forward 512,555 261,476 1,766,929 2,540,960 2,554,383
CONTINUING OPERATIONS
None of the organisation’s activities were acquired or discontinued during the above two financial periods.
TOTAL RECOGNISED GAINS AND LOSSES
The organisation has no recognised gains or losses other than the above movement in funds for the above two financial periods.
ST. HILDA’S EAST SUMMARISED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2011
AuditorsRamon Lee & Partners
Kemp House, 152-160 City Road, London EC1V 2DW
BankersNational Westminster Bank Plc.
180 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6HN
CAF Bank LimitedPO Box 289, West Malling, Kent ME19 4TA.
Thanks and Acknowledgements24
29th May 1961 Charitable TrustBBC Children in Need ‘Can Do’ Grant Scheme The Cheltenham Ladies’ CollegeThe City Bridge Trust Davis Rubens Charitable Trust DLA Piper Charitable TrustThe Dragon Christmas Charity SaleThe Drapers CompanyHelp a London ChildHeritage Lottery FundThe Incorporated Guild of Cheltenham Ladies’ College
The Jackson Foundation Little Oaks Children’s CentreLondon Borough of Tower HamletsLondon Legal Support Trust The Mercers’ Charitable FoundationMerchant Taylors’ Company The Leathersellers CompanyLloyds RegisterMetropolitan Gardens AssociationThe Rank FoundationSwanlea iLEAP
Special thanks go to:
All our ‘Friends of St. Hilda’s East’ members who continue to support our much needed work from year to year.
All the people who make regular and much appreciated contributions to the organisation by standing order.
We are also very grateful to all the individuals who made donations during the course of the year.
SUPPORTERSSt. Hilda’s East Community Centre’s sincere gratitude goes to all the funders and donors who have supported the organisation in 2010/11 including:
Volunteers make a very significant and much valued contribution to St. Hilda’s projects and services throughout the year. The volunteering community at St. Hilda’s is a rich and diverse one, and we would like to thank all the many individuals who have generously committed time, energy and skills to help the organisation achieve even more in 2010/11.
We would particularly like to thank:
Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP and DLA Piper UK LLP for the tremendous commitment of the many staff from these firms who run pro bono Legal Advice sessions at St. Hilda’s East Community Centre and Sonali Gardens Centre - as well as for the support that both firms give to St. Hilda’s with special events and outings.
DLA Piper UK LLP, Berwin Leighton Paisner, Lloyd’s Register and Alan & Overy for their help with volunteer I.T. tutoring at St. Hilda’s community centre and Sonali Gardens Centre.
Phil Harvey, photographer at Cheltenham Ladies’ College, for taking many of the photos in this Annual Report. Also Sarah Ainslie, Olivia Hemingway and Quentin Wadman for their photos.
Last but not least, staff from Credit Suisse who, for the fifth year running, have given their time to assist with the design and production of this Annual Report!
St. Hilda’s acknowledgement and appreciation also go to all the partners with whom we have worked during 2010/11, enabling us together to deliver services and activities for more local people, more effectively. We would especially like to thank Tower Hamlets Council from whom St. Hilda’s receives a range of grant funding and service agreements - as well as our many other partners across the voluntary and community, statutory and corporate sectors.
VOLUNTEERS
PARTNERS
Project Title1
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Key Acheivements in 2006/07
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Plans for 2007/08
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Working for the community since 1889
St Hilda’s East Community Centre18 Club Row
LondonE2 7EY
Telephone: 020 7739 8066Fax: 020 7729 5172
Email: [email protected]
Sonali Gardens Centre79 Tarling Street
LondonE1 0AT
Telephone: 020 7265 9211
Founded by The Incorporated Guild of Cheltenham Ladies’ College in 1889St Hilda’s East is a Company Limited by Guarantee No: 52880 and Registered Charity No: 212208
with registered offices at 18 Club Row, London E2 7EY.Grant funded by London Borough of Tower Hamlets Council.