Bridge Builders Mentoring - Charities report - 21.2

REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: 08734127 (England and Wales)

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1158629

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD 1 NOVEMBER 2020 TO 31 AUGUST 2021

FOR

BRIDGE BUILDERS MENTORING

Page

Reference and Administrative Details

1

Report of the Trustees

2

to

4

Independent Examiner's Report

5

Statement of Financial Activities

6

Statement of Financial Position

7

Notes to the Financial Statements

8

to

12

TRUSTEES

C O Lewis

P Kirby (appointed 14.10.21)

K Reynolds (appointed 14.10.21)

REGISTERED OFFICE

Frogmore House

6 Ormond Place

Cheltenham

Gloucestershire

GL50 1JD

REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER

08734127 (England and Wales)

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER

1158629

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER

Andorran Limited

6 Manor Park Business Centre

Mackenzie Way

Cheltenham

Gloucestershire

GL51 9TX

The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the period 1 November 2020 to 31 August 2021. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and aims

To advance in life and relieve needs of young people who are economically and socially disadvantaged through providing mentoring support and activities which develop their skills, capacities and capabilities to enable them to participate in society as mature and responsible individuals.

Public benefit

In planning the charity's activities for the period the trustees kept in mind the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit. The focus of the charity's activities during the period, which explains the delivery by the charity of public benefit, is set out above under 'objectives and aims' and below under 'achievement and performance'.

ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE

Charitable activities

We continue to equip mentors with additional skills and knowledge. Due to Covid-19, we held our annual mentor development day virtually. During this session we ran a workshop for mentors on some of the latest thinking in relation to class and social mobility. We introduced our mentors to the concept of Field Theory by the French Sociologist Pierre Bourdieu and power dynamics in society, especially the diverse and subtle ways in which power is transferred and social order is maintained within and across generations. The concepts of economic, social and cultural capital were explained in the context of mentoring to understand some of the limitations and unconscious barriers mentees face.

We have a robust process for mentor onboarding which includes conducting DBS checks and a mandatory requirement that every mentor attends an induction session. During these sessions, the concept of mentoring pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds is explained as well as describing how the annual mentoring cycle works. Mentors leave the induction session with a full understanding of their role and how they can make a positive impact on the lives of the pupils they work with. We continue to partner with TES to deliver Safeguarding training for mentors.

We continue to receive feedback from schools indicating that our work has a positive impact on attendance, punctuality, social skills and academic attainment. Some schools conduct surveys at the end of the mentoring year which indicates the level of mentee satisfaction from the involvement of Bridge Builders. We conduct a mid-year review with school leaders halfway through the academic year to receive feedback on the performance of our mentors and to seek advice on whether any adjustments to the programme are needed.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Financial position and reserves policy

Due to the relatively low level of funds available for investment, the Trustees consider that bank deposits provide a satisfactory return to the charity. The Trustees will act appropriately to generate funding and prioritise the increase of reserves for the charity.

FUTURE PLANS

Our two primary objectives continue to be to reduce the attainment gap and help form a bridge to smooth the transition between school and work. We now work with pupils in year 6 and believe that the earlier intervention will help prevent issues of unsettlement later on. Children from disadvantaged backgrounds still perform 24% worse on average at GCSE level and continue to make up 20% of the pupil population.

New partnerships, income streams and collaborations are being considered for the coming year. There are plans to develop a new website and to extend our reach to other parts of the country.

We continue to receive support with the provision of mentors from large multi-site corporate organisations including Enterprise Rent-A-Car. It is our plan to seek further support from additional organisations to build our capacity for mentoring in other parts of the country.

New organisations that provide similar services to Bridge Builders are surfacing frequently. This will have an impact on our ability to extend our reach. We will keep this under review.

It is our intention to attract and appoint additional Trustees to support our work and maintain our position as an operationally strong and trusted organisation.

Training

We have been able to continue the roll out of our resilience training programme for mentees utilising the pupil workbook that was developed in-house. This has proved to be a valuable tool for Bridge Builders mentees and other pupils. Our current four areas of focus continue to be mentoring, training, public speaking and workplace experiences. We intend to increase the focus on training and public speaking to balance out the services that we currently deliver.

We plan to work on developing new partnerships over the next year and have identified several organisations who may be able to help us. Bridge Builders is unique in that through its partnership with Globis it is able to access the talent of middle and senior managers from large corporate organisations to support its work.

We have plans to recruit a full time National Coordinator to support the management of day-to-day activities.

Covid-19

We have been able to deliver our services through the pandemic period. However, Covid-19 has brought lots of uncertainty. Organisations who are potential partners are still recovering from the pandemic. We are finding as a result that non-core support is being restricted. Our mentors continue to be impacted by the inability to conduct face to face mentoring sessions. In some cases, it has been possible to carry out mentoring virtually, but this is far from ideal.

We have been able to facilitate the annual work experience day virtually by inviting executives to deliver talks to schools via zoom. This has included a Chief Executive and Neurosurgeon as speakers. There has also been a shift in the priorities for corporate organisations and it has been difficult to maintain the level of support held in previous years. Forward planning for future academic years is becoming increasingly difficult. Covid-19 has also increased mentor 'on the day' cancellation rates and schools are understandably cautious about the health and safety of their pupils. We have identified an organisation that we would like to commission to produce a piece of research on the impact of Covid-19 on mentoring programmes.

We have been able to continue our end of year mentor/mentee celebrations via face to face or on-line sessions. These are important as mentees get the opportunity to formally recognise their success jointly with their mentor and school.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.

Risk management

The trustees have a duty to identify and review the risks to which the charity is exposed and to ensure appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error.

STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES

The trustees (who are also the directors of Bridge Builders Mentoring for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Report of the Trustees and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to

-	select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

-	observe the methods and principles in the Charity SORP;

-	make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

-	prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business.

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 21 October 2021 and signed on its behalf by:

C O Lewis - Trustee

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Bridge Builders Mentoring ('the Company')

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the period 1 November 2020 to 31 August 2021.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

1.	accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

2.	the accounts do not accord with those records; or

3.	the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

4.

the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)).

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Roger Downes FCA

Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales

Andorran Limited

6 Manor Park Business Centre

Mackenzie Way

Cheltenham

Gloucestershire

GL51 9TX

21 October 2021

Period

1.11.20

to

Year ended

31.8.21

31.10.20

Unrestricted

Total

fund

funds

Notes

£

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Donations and legacies

17,000

6,894

Other trading activities

2

41,200

21,900

Total

58,200

28,794

EXPENDITURE ON

Charitable activities

3

Charitable

15,769

16,919

NET INCOME

42,431

11,875

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

45,436

33,561

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

87,867

45,436

31.8.21

31.10.20

Unrestricted

Total

fund

funds

Notes

£

£

CURRENT ASSETS

Debtors

9

32,800

18,693

Cash at bank

90,091

27,943

122,891

46,636

CREDITORS

Amounts falling due within one year

10

(35,024

)

(1,200

)

NET CURRENT ASSETS

87,867

45,436

TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES

87,867

45,436

NET ASSETS

87,867

45,436

FUNDS

11

Unrestricted funds

87,867

45,436

TOTAL FUNDS

87,867

45,436

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the period ended 31 August 2021.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the period ended 31 August 2021 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for

(a)	ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and

(b)

preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies regime.

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 21 October 2021 and were signed on its behalf by:

C O Lewis - Trustee

1.	ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

Income

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

2.	OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES

Period

1.11.20

to

Year ended

31.8.21

31.10.20

£

£

Fees for services

41,200

21,900

3.	CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES COSTS

Direct

Support

Costs (see

costs (see

note 4)

note 5)

Totals

£

£

£

Charitable

14,569

1,200

15,769

4.	DIRECT COSTS OF CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

Period

1.11.20

to

Year ended

31.8.21

31.10.20

£

£

Premises costs

4,423

7,065

Telephone

122

234

Advertising

-

40

Administrative expenses

9,708

7,576

Training costs

316

804

14,569

15,719

5.	SUPPORT COSTS

Governance

costs

£

Charitable

1,200

Support costs, included in the above, are as follows:

Governance costs

Period

1.11.20

to

Year ended

31.8.21

31.10.20

Total

Charitable

activities

£

£

Accountancy fees

1,200

1,200

6.	TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the period ended 31 August 2021 nor for the year ended 31 October 2020.

Trustees' expenses

There were no trustees' expenses paid for the period ended 31 August 2021 nor for the year ended 31 October 2020.

7.	STAFF COSTS

The average monthly number of employees during the period was as follows:

Period

1.11.20

to

Year ended

31.8.21

31.10.20

Charitable Activities

3

3

No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000.

8.	COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

Unrestricted

fund

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Donations and legacies

6,894

Other trading activities

21,900

Total

28,794

EXPENDITURE ON

Charitable activities

Charitable

16,919

NET INCOME

11,875

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

33,561

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

45,436

9.	DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

31.8.21

31.10.20

£

£

Trade debtors

32,800

2,100

Other debtors

-

16,593

32,800

18,693

10.	CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

31.8.21

31.10.20

£

£

Other creditors

32,624

-

Accrued expenses

2,400

1,200

35,024

1,200

11.	MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

Net

At

movement

At

1.11.20

in funds

31.8.21

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

45,436

42,431

87,867

TOTAL FUNDS

45,436

42,431

87,867

Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

58,200

(15,769

)

42,431

TOTAL FUNDS

58,200

(15,769

)

42,431

Comparatives for movement in funds

Net

At

movement

At

1.11.19

in funds

31.10.20

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

33,561

11,875

45,436

TOTAL FUNDS

33,561

11,875

45,436

Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

28,794

(16,919

)

11,875

TOTAL FUNDS

28,794

(16,919

)

11,875

12.	RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES

During the period Globis Limited a company in which Clive Lewis (Trustee) is a director and shareholder, invoiced the charity £13,008 (2020: £10,103) on an arms length basis for premises, administration and training costs. Included in other creditors is £27,424 which is the balance owed from the charity to Globis Limited. This is a credit given by Globis Limited for charges made in earlier periods.