torbay community development trust annual report 2014/15

A N N U A L R E P O R T

Torbay Community Development Trust

2 0 1 4 / 1 5

2 | C O R P O R A T E A N N U A L R E P O R T

“The Torbay Community Development Trust was set up to make Torbay a place where all people can feel included”

C O R P O R A T E A N N U A L R E P O R T | 3

ContentsPg 5 Introduction from Chair of Trustees, Helen Harman

Pg 7 Our Actions 2014/15

Pg 8-9 Simon Sherbersky, Lead Officer

Pg 10-13 Community Development

Pg 14-17 Funding & Fundraising

Pg 18-19 Volunteering

Pg 20-21 Timeline of development...

Pg 22-27 Ageing Well

Pg 28-29 Torbay Timebank

Pg 30-33 Finance & Accounts

Pg 34 Trustee Board 2014/15

732Groups & organisations mapped

48Successful funding bids on behalf of

Torbay Groups

168meetings with new volunteers

2014/15A year of empowerment, growth, development & success

Empower& SupportCommunities

Develop opportunites

Stronger Voice

Challenge

Co-ordinate

Advice

Information

Crea

te

conn

ectio

ns

Support

Ourethos&aims


Helen HarmanAn introduction and welcome from our Chair of Trustees

As the first Chair for Torbay Community Development Trust, it has been both an honour and pleasure to be part of the exciting future, which faces the Trust.

Our first and immediate challenge as an organisation was the amazing news from Big Lottery that we had secured a grant of £6 million for Ageing Well Torbay.

As part of a large trustee board representing the wide scope of both voluntary, community and private sectors across Torbay, we have been part of developing and moving the organisation from small (but significant) projects and turnover, to a healthy point.

We have employed 12 people to deliver Ageing Well but also to grow our core services including, volunteering, supporting the local voluntary and community sector, seeking funding and encouraging collaboration between agencies.

This will include supporting Community Partnerships and additionally, TRIP (Torbay Recovery Information Project) and EVE (Ethical Volunteering and Employment)both projects focusing on supporting and encouraging people in recovery from substance misuse.

Our staff total now stands at 24 and our finances are looking healthy.

We are looking forward to seeing the year on year positive impact that the Torbay Community Development Trust and the 6 year Ageing Well project will have on

the area and to see the ways in which we can develop our financial income further.

However, it is always at the forefront of our minds that funding for the future will be a challenge.

Reviewing the work of TCDT covered in this report, I am impressed, inspiredand proud of the value and effectiveness of the support provided to organisations and communities across Torbay.

I would, of course, like to thank all the groups that helped to create the organisation and who continue to support us, as well as our funders for their continued help to deliver our much needed services, especially Big Lottery for seeing our vision and need for addressing isolation and

loneliness through Ageing Well.

My own thanks must go to the dedicated staff and volunteers, and to my fellow Committee Board members for all of their hard work during the year.

Helen Harman

Our first and immediate challenge as an organisation was the amazing news from Big Lottery that we had

secured a grant of £6 million for Ageing Well in Torbay.


“Don’t think of us an organisation, think of us as a movement”

Simon Sherbersky, Lead Officer


Our actions...

year one

Increased capacity at a neighbourhood level:

- Run an asset based community development project in town centre neighbourhoods in Torquay, Paignton and Brixham- Create a community of practice to support an effective network of strengths based community development- Engage community organisers in other neighbourhoods in 2014

Increased capacity of Voluntary, Community & Social Enterprise (VCSE) groups

to deliver their services:

- Reach out to all groups and individuals- Identify what is happening, what support is required, what groups/individuals have to offer the sector- Provide a new package of support to include eg, information and signposting, training and governance- Develop volunteering opportunities and support in the Bay

VCSE groups in the Bay working more effectively together to maximise impact:

- Create connections and associations through better networking and co-ordinated links around areas of interest- Create a vibrant and active forum- Develop a more co-ordinated approach to Information, Advice and Advocacy

More VCSE partnership work with and influence on, statutory organisations and businesses

in Torbay:

- Work with groups and agencies to mitigate the impacts of spending cuts- Challenge statutory agencies’ current practice to ensure our voices have more influence- Develop a more co-ordinated approach to ensure all voices are heard.

Increased the flow of funding to the sector:

- Develop a co-ordinated fundraising strategy for the VCSE sector- Support groups to access more external funding through a network of community fundraising experts - Explore new ways of financing, including social investment models- Support the development of more social enterprises- Establish innnovate approaches


Lead Officer

Simon Sherbersky

Having developed a set of principles and values with volunteers from community and voluntary groups, our focus in 2014/5 was making ourselves fit for purpose and leading Torbay’s pitch to Big Lottery Fund, now formally known as Ageing Well Torbay, which is covered later in the report. It does emphasise the approach and principles, which are to:

• enable people to take action on issues important to them and make our neighbourhoods places that feel good to live in, where people are connected and sharing skills and time to mutual benefit

• use strengths or asset based approaches – ie value the skills and passion within communities and build on them

• innovate – come up with new ways of working, which can only come from creative thinking and listening and understanding how people live their lives and what is important to them

2014/5 actions

We increased capacity at neighbourhood level, by running an asset based community development pilot project with Brixham Youth Enquiry Service in the three towns. We worked in partnership with Community Partnerships and Sanctuary Housing to facilitate the Community Organiser project, which has led to progression for one organiser, who has joined our Community Builder team, covering Blatchcombe in Paignton.

We increased capacity of community, voluntary and social enterprises to deliver their services, by fact finding information about groups and organisations across the bay and building a database with over 700 groups and organisations, also feeding mapping information to Torbay Council’s Public Health team.

We reviewed our approach to volunteering in partnership with organisations involved in volunteering and agreed to develop a nationally accredited volunteer centre in 2015/6.

We worked with Big Lottery Fund and national partners to secure additional support for smaller groups, which has resulted in a new support package launching in 2015/6, called Communities Can.

We also piloted a community transport initiative (CHAT) with Play Torbay, Sanctuary and Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust to enable low income families to access play and other activities over the summer holidays, using minbuses provided by South Devon College.

Facilitating groups to work more effectively together to maximise impact was also a priority. We supported Hele’s Angels, Hele, Barton and Watcombe Community Partnership, Medway Community Centre, Windmill Community Centre and the Acorn Youth, Community and Sports Centre to access funds and develop partnerships with Torbay Council and NHS bodies to explore new ways of working.

2014/15 was the first year of formal activity for Torbay Community Development Trust.


We facilitated a multi sector co-production group to improve access to information and advice in Torbay, which will lead to a new web portal with a searchable directory going live in 2015/16, incorporating all these groups and organisations and also activities and services available across the Bay.

Facilitating more partnership work with, and influence on, statutory organisations and businesses in Torbay:

Our Ageing Well initiative is designed to develop community capacity and to test out new ways of working that will reduce demand on statutory services.

Our Lead Officer joined the Pioneer / Joined Up Board in 2014 and has been working with leaders in Health and Care to help transform our local approaches, to put people at the heart of care, offering new ways of integrating services and initiating new community led approaches (more in Ageing Well section). We have been working with Healthwatch Torbay and other groups & organisations to form an engagement forum, which when enacted will provide a co-ordinated way for dialogue between organisations and people, to facilitate more co-design and co-production.

We created a forum space on our website and our trustees have taken on the task of convening networks across the sector grouped around the following themes:

Our first year has been really busy in increasing the flow of funding into the community and voluntary sector, putting aside securing £6 miilion for Ageing Well, our local Big Lottery Funding Officer has reported that we are now up to a comparable level with other areas in terms of calibre and quantity of bids and levels of funding coming into the area.

So, this has been a good first year. However there is much more to do and we will continue to work with you all to create a thriving Bay where everyone feels included.

Simon Sherbersky

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Torbay has a very active community, residents are passionate about the area they live in and for a long time have come together to improve the local quality of life. Since its inception the TCDT has been building on this passion and helping local people fulfil their aspirations. The Trust has a role to play with established voluntary sector groups, but unlike traditional infrastructure organisations it also prioritises work with small informal groups of residents and individuals to want to do something positive for their community.

During the last year the Trust was commissioned to provide support to the local Community Partnership network. Community Partnerships are networks of local residents at the neighbour-hood level who seek to provide an opportunity for people who live or work in the different parts of Torbay to discuss issues of common concern, influence the way in which services are provided and improve their local area. There are 16 Partnerships in the Bay covering every area and they work on issues that are at the heart of their neighbourhoods. The TCDT provides strategic and administrative support to the network and its umbrella charity.

In Torquay this year the Partnerships have been particularly focused on the local Neighbourhood Planning process. A process which provides an opportunity for the local community to determine the physical plans for their area – where to build new homes or

employment space, which green spaces to improve and preserve, what new facilities are needed and where should they be. Discus-sions have taken place in every community in an unprecedented process of engagement – the Torquay Neighbourhood Plan will be published towards the end of 2015.

Community Development

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has” Margaret Mead

Tracey Cabache, Community Development Manager shares some of the neighbourhood based

activities supported by the Torbay Community Development Trust over the last year.

Paignton Geopark Play

Community Partnerships are the guardians of our community and

membership is open to all

C O R P O R A T E A N N U A L R E P O R T | 1 1

In Paignton the Community Partnerships have continued to represent their communities, a new group has emerged in Clifton and Maidenway and the very active Paignton Town Community Partnership continues to run the Geoplay Park they created in 2012. The Park is rated on Trip Advisor as the second most popular destination in Paignton – second only to Paignton Zoo. The Partnership is now turning its sights to the sustainability of the Park, and also plans to improve Victoria Park with a creation of wetland areas and stunning low maintenance planting drawing upon its heritage.

In Brixham the Partnership has worked together with local groups and the Brixham Town Council to host a Celebrate Brixham event – a gathering of 60 organisations and over 100 members of the public. It has also been engaging with young people in the town asking them what they love about the Brixham and their aspirations for the town. The Churston, Galmpton and Broadsands Partnership has become a strong lobby group for its area.

In the words of Dave Hodgetts, Chair of the Torbay Community Partnership Trustees, “In these difficult financial times for our local councils it is even more important that we have a strong and active commu-nity sector. The Community Partnerships across the Bay are rising to this challenge, working with other organisations to hold public meetings on the ‘hot topics’ or in running or assisting in local events or by running a community shop providing advice to their communities and to do this in an organised and efficient manner the Partnerships rely on the TCDT to provide the administration support and advice.”

The 160 plus volunteers who run the Community Partnership network remain committed to keep abreast of the changes planned for their neighbourhood – they are the guardians of our community and membership is open to all.

The Trust also supports the Community Centres in the Bay, particularly those owned by the Local Authority and run by local Community Associations. Community Centres can be the heart of the community,

but there are challenges to running facilities of this size and making them fully acces-sible. The Trust has worked with Centres in Hele, Barton and Watcombe over the past 12 months to help restructure their governance and facilitate more joined up work – a process that is now attracting attention from a national support organi-sation. The Trust has also supported local groups to take over other Council assets. During 2014 the TCDT helped 4 groups to progress a community asset transfer from the Council. This included 2 small plots of land in Brixham and Paignton - one to be converted into a wildlife area and one a community orchard, a large wooded area in Babbacombe and a very

visible derelict site in Brixham.

‘We believe community ownership of local land or buildings helps neighbourhoods to thrive and creates long-term resilience.’ Locality UK

The Trust is keen to support these existing community based activities in the future, but we also know that this kind of organised group activity and on-going commitment does not appeal to everyone. Sometimes people are put off by structures and commit-tees and processes. We also know that in our culture people are often reluctant to offer unsolicited help – they like to be the asked first and people are often ‘overcome with shyness’ when it comes to asking for help from others.

Some people believe that they have nothing of value to offer others in the community or they feel they ought to give unselfishly and yet are secretly disappointed when they do not receive help in return. To really unleash the potential of a community sometimes a catalyst is needed. During 2014 the Youth Enquiry Service (YES) in Brixham and the TCDT piloted an

Asset Based Community Development initiative where Community Builders were employed as catalysts in 3 communities in Torbay. ABCD works on the basis of identifying and building on the assets in a community – be that physical assets, people, their skills or experience etc. to bring about improvements. Community Builders connect those assets and break down barriers. They look for what it is that people are prepared to do for themselves and others. Together they develop these ideas, make connections and gather resources. Then the Community Builder steps back to allow the local people to do it for themselves. To be the change they want to see.

The ABCD pilot took place in Brixham, Paignton Town Centre and Chelston in Torquay and builders worked with 746 residents during the year, who contributed over 4,000 hours of support to their communities.

There are many case studies and stories to share from the community building pilot – groups set up by young mums for young mums, vocational taster sessions for young people in Paignton who might not normally engage with a traditional college open day, circus skills training for older people in a care home to improve mobility and cognitive activity, baby clothes banks, intergenerational yoga – this list goes on.

One particularly visible project was an initiative to improve the former Threshers site at Bolton Cross - the gateway to Brixham.

An eyesore awaiting demolition the site attracted the attention of 2 local artists when they attended an event organised Continued on next page...

Community building brings people together and creates opportunities for individuals to give something

back


by the Brixham Community Builders, and they were asked what they could do to improve their community. The result was an art workshop for local students to create a large-scale mural telling the story of Brixham’s involvement during WW1.

Working closely with Brixham Heritage museum the artists and young people were able to build a strong picture of events that happened in the area at the time – the Brixham sea scouts on costal patrol - the observation balloon at Berry Head - the orphans at Grenville House – the Red Cross staffed cottage hospital.

The resulting boards were stunning and once the building work at Bolton Cross is complete they will have a permanent home in Brixham Town Hall. In the words of Sam Broughton from Create Workshops – one of the artists involved, ‘This was a great project for the younger generation to connect them with their town’s history and heritage. This mural has created an outdoor space of education and commemoration, not to mention brightening up the entrance to Brixham for residents and visitors alike.

Community Building brings people together and creates opportunities for individuals to give something back to their community. Mike O’Shea is a talented local break dancer and has travelled as far as Japan to compete in competitions. After meeting a Community Builder he expressed the desire to share his skills with young people in Brixham. All Mike needed was a space – but he didn’t have any money. The Builder linked Mike with the Youth Enquiry Service who offered Mike space for free in exchange for some free breakdancing classes for those who could not afford to pay. Mike’s classes are up and running and over-subscribed!

During this pilot the potential of the Asset Based Community Development approach for Torbay became clear. The support provided by the Builders unleashed the untapped resources of the communities they were working in, often in areas in the Bay where the need is greatest.

The TCDT has taken on the challenge to develop an ABCD movement across the Bay as a whole. This movement has started with the Ageing Well project where the community is being empowered to support their older community members – particularly those who are currently living in social isolation.

Tracey Cabache

“Torbay has a very active community, residents are passionate about the area they live in and for a long time have come together to improve the local quality of life”

Community Builder Jade Campbell with Mike O’Shea


“The TCDT has taken on the challenge to develop an ABCD movement across the Bay as a whole. ”

2 local artists attended an event organised by the Brixham Community Builders, and they were asked what they could do to improve their community. The result was an art workshop for local students to create a large-scale mural telling the story of Brixham’s involvement during WW1.


Funding & Fundraising

The main priority of this service is to increase the flow of funding to the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector through an increase in grant applications and the establishment of social enterprises and other innovative approaches.

What we achieved:

In 2014/15 we undertook 90 funding searches for groups and wrote 48 funding applications which successfully raised £459,000 of grants for groups.

45% of this support was provided to groups with an annual income of less than £30,000 per annum: 19% to groups with income between £30,000 and £100,000; 8% to groups with income over £100,000 and 18% to pre-start up or new groups, with little or no income.

40% of these organisations were registered charities, 21% unregistered voluntary/community groups; 30% social enterprises (mostly CIC’s) and 8% hadn’t yet decided what type of organisation they wanted to be. In addition we co-ordinated the Community First programme panels in three wards, which awarded £39,581 worth of grants to 32 projects and administrative support to the Substance Misuse Recovery Grant panel, which awarded £20,000 to 8 projects in Torbay.

Bid Writing:

This year we have been developing the support we provide to groups to

submit their own bids

We’ve done this by either reviewing draft applications before they are submitted; looking at previous applications that have been unsuccessful and identifying probable reasons why they’ve failed; or submitting bids on behalf of groups who don’t have much experience of this; working closely at all times with the fundraiser involved so they can learn from the process and develop their skills and knowledge in order to successfully write bids themselves in the future.

Where applicable we’ve been encouraging organisations to target funders where take-up in Torbay is low, i.e. Awards For All and Reaching Communities (Big Lottery Fund), Children In Need and Devon Commu-nity Foundation. Feedback from these funders has also indicated that when bids have been submitted, they aren’t always of sufficient quality to warrant an award. We’ve addressed this by getting funders to run workshops, or do presentations at Torbay Fundraisers Forum, so they can provide practical advice, tips and information on how

Robin Causley, Community Funding Adviser explains the success of the

Community Funding Advice Service and the services and support provided to

local groups and initiatives.

Funding from Devon Community foundation grant schemes by Local Authority area.


to maximise their chances of success when applying to their various funding programmes.

Engagement with these funders and the raising of their profile in Torbay has resulted in 25 Awards For All bids being submitted of which 22 were successful with awards totalling £199,775, an average of £8,579 and success rate of 86%.

7 applications to Reaching Communities were submitted (we had some involvement in 4 of these) of which 3 were successful with awards totalling £724,104, an average of £316,145 and success rate at stage one was 40.3%,stage two was 74.4%.

Devon Community Foundation awarded £70,955 worth of grants to Torbay groups,14% of the total awarded in Devon; the third highest amount in the County.

Continued on next page...

Our Community Funding Advice Service

provides a range of support, including:

• Bid Writing

• Creating or improving

sustainable fundraising

strategies for organisations

• Funding Bulletins

• Fundraisers’ Forum

• Fundraising Training Courses

• Organisation Health-Checks

• Prospective Research

(identifying a target list of funders

for groups/projects)


Continued...

Fundraisers Forum & Funding Presentations:

Torbay Fundraisers’ Forum met bi-monthly throughout the year and as well as speakers from the funders mentioned above presentations were given by Crowdfunder, Lloyds Foundation, Zequs Fundraising and Paignton Zoo. Average attendance at meetings was 14.

Developing the fundraising skills and knowledge of fundraisers working for Torbay VCSE groups is a key aim and we organised, or co-organised, three training sessions during the year on Major Donor Fundraising, Applying for Small Grants (with South-West Foundation)and Big Lottery funding (with Big Lottery Fund).

We also undertook presentations on funding to the Friends of Parks group, Jasmyn House, the GEORGE South-West Funding Advisers conference, Dartington School for Social Entrepreneurs, Superact Consortium and the Torbay Community Partnership Trustees.

Community First

A considerable amount of time was spent on overseeing the Government’s small grants, Community First programme as Panel Partner, (funded by the Community Partnerships). As well as providing the secretariat for the three panels in Blatchcombe, Tormohun and Ellacombe, we ensured that each area achieved full spend by awarding all their funding allocation to projects that met the criteria for their area; promoted and publicised the programme, liaised with The Community Development Foundation, who managed the programme: assisted groups with putting together applications to the panels, organised and attended panel meetings to ensure decisions were taken in accordance with the Community First guidance and protocols and supported the panel Chairpersons in submitting successful bids to the Community Develop-ment Foundation in order to process the grant awards.

The programme ended in February after four years during which £119,000 worth of grants were awarded to 80 projects in the three wards.

Cabinet Minister Francis Maude visited Torbay twice during the programme to see projects in action and speak to panel members about their experiences of Community First.

Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude talking to Robin Causley, Community Organisers, Councillor and TCDT trustee Robert Excell and volunteers at the Community First funded Torre and Upton Pop-Up Shop.

“In 2014/15 we undertook 90

funding searches for groups and

wrote 48 funding applications

which successfully raised

£459,000 of grants for groups.”


Torbay Community Development Trust successfully applied for funding from each panel to run an event to celebrate all the Community First funded projects and to present proposals made by panel members to set-up a new micro-funding project called “Torbay Soup” based on the Detroit Soup model, whereby groups needing funding “pitch” at a Soup event and the group receiving the most votes from those attending, receive the proceeds from the sale of soup served at the event

Developing the service & priority actions for 2015/16

Customer satisfaction questionnaires sent out to groups using the Community Funding Advice service are indicating high levels of satisfaction but there is still much to be done in terms of developing the service and helping groups to fund their projects and services.

Priorities for the coming year include:

-Working with the Heart of the South-West Local Enter-prise Partnership (LEP) to access European funding for social projects in Torbay.

-Maximising income coming into Torbay by successfully applying in partnership for large scale national grant and social investment opportunities and setting-up a Multi-agency Strategic Funding Group to capitalise on major funding opportunities as they arise.

-Ensuring the sustainability of groups by encour-aging diversification of funding streams and providing information,training and advice on “new” types of funding opportunities, i.e. crowd funding,digital/online fundraising, social enterprise/trading, corporate funding etc.

-Building skills and capacity of groups to successfully fundraise by setting up a Funding Panel consisting of experienced and successful fundraisers, which will provide support and mentoring to groups needing to improve or develop their bid-writing skills and knowledge.

-Improve the ability of VCSE groups to successfully apply for funding by providing “Fit For funding Health checks” A free annual check could be provided where groups can reciprocate with appropriate support services or products.

-Providing funding advice services to groups referred to us via the new “Communities Can” programme funded by the Big Lottery and delivered through a partnership between the Young Foundation and Torbay Community Development Trust.

Torbay Soup in action


The Volunteer Bureau service was run by dedicated volunteers through the year, ensuring people living in, working in or visiting Torbay were able to access volunteering opportunities in the area suitable for them, and enabling local charities, community organisations and social enterprises to recruit the volunteers needed to run their services.

Through the year the Volunteer Bureau had one-to-one appointments with 168 people, with around 200 ‘live’ volunteering opportunities available at any time.

Volunteering

653 applications through do-it

website April 2014 - March 2015

Through 2014/15 the CDT consulted with members and other stakeholders around how to take volunteering forward in Torbay.

With the assistance of a consultant engaged through the National Council for Voluntary Organisations’ ‘Big Assist’ scheme, 4 options were considered:

1) A Torbay Volunteering Service delivered by an existing Volunteer Centre (i.e. from outside of Torbay)

2) A Volunteer Centre within TCDT which would work towards accreditation

3) A non-branded Volunteer Bureau within the TCDT (what we already had)

4) Work towards an independent, accredited Volunteer Centre

The decision taken was to establish a Volunteer Centre within the TCDT, and a Volunteer Centre Manager was appointed in February 2015.

The future of

Volunteering in

Torbay

200 live volunteering

opportunities at any timethroughout 2014

168 one-to-one

appointments with people


Volunteeringa year in review...


the journey...

Force for Change

The Force for Change event took place in mid-Novem-ber 2012 at Parkfield in Paignton, jointly organised by CVA Torbay, Torbay's Community Partnerships and Torbay Council,atten-ded by over 100 voluntary groups to look at ways to respond to and manage funding cuts. The idea of a community development trust for Torbay was born.

Nov 2012 April 2013

The existing VCS infrastructure organisation, known as CVA (Community & Voluntary Action)Torbay ceases trading

May 2013

New beginnings

Torbay Council ring fences £170,000 funding per year for three years to support the development of the TCDT business plan via a service level agreement.

Interim Trustee Board appointed to oversee the setting up of the TCDT.

Co-production &

Co-delivery

2016

The Development Trust intends to increase available support to Torbay, working in co-production with other organisations, developing a strong membership offer to the voluntary, commmunity and social enterprise sector.

Ageing Well launches with

festival of celebration

Oct 2015 July 2014

TCDT launches

July 2015

TCDT named as

Big Assist Beacon

TCDT recognised for being on a journey of change, adapting and developing new approaches and work, new income and business models as well as new relationships and partnerships

Sept 2014

IndicationTorbay

would receive funding

forAgeing Well

However officialconfirmation and funding would not be fully received by the Trust until April 2015

Agreed community development activities would transfer out of the Council.


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Spring/Summer 2014A series of ‘Community Vision’ events were held across Brixham, Paignton and Torquay as part of the Big Lottery funded initiative Fulfilling Lives: Ageing Better, a programme which aims to reduce social isolation amongst the 50+ generation. It was hoped that the campaign would lead to Torbay being one of the areas officially chosen to benefit from up to £6 million of funding to run projects for up to 6 years.

To engage the local community, an Ageing Well Toolkit was created by Encounters Arts on behalf of the Torbay Community Development Trust to collect ideas and people’s experiences of ageing across the Bay. The kit contained a series of postcards with questions for people to answer, which when finished was transformed into a 3D paper house. 87 volunteers helped us engage with older people using the Toolkit. Encounters Arts also took to the streets with a pop up living room, giving people time to sit and chat in an informal environment.

The street engagement work revealed concerns of identity, social value and loss of purpose, with many individuals speaking of feeling excluded and isolated through issues such as lack of a job, or losing touch with friends and relatives having relocated to the area.

Right hand page, engagement work by Encounters Arts across Brixham, Paignton & Torquay

Delivery Partners of Ageing Well Torbay


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Photo: Encouters Arts engagement work


The voice of Older PeopleAgeing Well began the process of supporting the development of the Torbay Older Citizens’ Forum into a more inclusive and influential Older People’s Assembly, giving older people a more powerful voice. A regular festival celebrating ageing and showcasing projects was proposed to challenge negative perceptions across Torbay.

June Pierce tells us “As Chair of the Torbay Older Citizens’ Forum I was delighted to be actively involved in the formation of the Big Lottery Fund bid to reduce social isolation for older people in Torbay. That we have been successful is amazing and I am sure that we will achieve a lasting benefit to improve the lives of older people in Torbay today and in the future.”

Autumn/Winter 2014Torbay learnt that it had been granted £6 million from the Big Lottery Fund to implement a programme of Ageing Better across the Bay. Organisations from the voluntary, public and private sector, working in partnership with people over the age of 50 began to co-ordinate a wide range of projects aimed at reducing social isolation and reconnecting communities. The key delivery aim was to implement real change “with people, rather than for people.”

The engagement work that had been undertaken throughout the Spring, had given a clear indication that in order to make positive change, it would be necessary to create strong neighbourhood networks and to reach every front door, engaging particularly with those most marginalised and vulnerable.

Big Lottery – Fulfulling Lives, Ageing Better was launched in 2012 to support older people who are marginalised or at risk of social isolation and loneliness, giving them the opportunity to lead more enriched, fulfilling lives.

Case StudyJohn (66 year old retiree)

Since joining the programme John has passed his minibus driving licence and volunteered to drive families to activities in areas that they would not normally be able to afford to travel to. John who does not have a family locally says “being part of this project makes me feel part of the community again.”

Photo: Encouters Arts engagement work

100Areas across the UK were invited to submit for funding

14Areas including Torbay were successful

£6million pounds, to deliver the project over 6 years


Daring to be freeMartin Simon, adviser to the Ageing Well Programme

Martin Simon is a social activist and author. He founded Timebanking in the UK, is co-director of ABCD Europe (‘Asset Based Community Driven Empowerment’), and an Associate of Nuture Development. Martin has worked nationally and internationally to promote asset based approaches to social change and is an advisor to the Ageing Well Programme.

Every day in Torbay we are finding creative ways for older people and their families, friends and neighbours to feel good, to live well and to commit to the places where they live.

We believe that isolation is a social price that we all pay for a consumer society that assumes we can buy all that we need to live happy, fulfilled lives.

However, we are not intending to be the inventors of social change. Only the people who live, work and sleep in a neighbourhood can restore a culture of community and community building is seldom straight forward, it takes time. It is unpredictable and relies on collective action. People have to dare to be free.

We help by re-connecting the greatest possible number of local people, finding out what they care enough about to want to change, encouraging them, deciding with them what to do, appreciating all the skills and abilities they already have, telling stories about how others have come together to make life better, equipping them with tools and resources, but, then we have


In late 2014 the TCDT began working on setting up a Timebank for Torbay. A coordinator was employed and four community builders underwent training with Timebank UK to become Timebank brokers.

On 23rd January 2015, we launched the Torbay Timebank. Neighbourhood Timebanks were set up in Brixham, Paignton, Chelston and Watcombe, Hele & Barton. Most recently, the CDT Organisational Timebank has been specifically set up for exchanges between groups, organisations and local businesses.

In August 2015, a further 5 neighbourhood Timebanks will be launched. These are Blatchcombe, Ellacombe, Preston, Torquay Town Centre, Torre & Upton and Wellswood.

118Members

158Hours

ExchangedTimebanks in

B r i x h a m , Paignton &

Torquay

Case StudyA young gentleman in the Timebank who has a disability, he is off to uni next year to study Computer Science.

Through the Timebank he will be helping Corner Care Patient Support Group to develop a web page so that they can become more accessible to their members and heighten their profile.

Organisational Timebank

for groups & businesses

2014


Photos clockwise from top left:Simon Sherbersky - Timebanking, Community Builder, Victoria Campbell, Watcombe, Hele & Barton Timebank opens, Katherine Falllon, Julie Reshad & Sally Cranch, Katherine Fallon at Paignton Timebank launch

Case studyA 53 year old gentleman who came into the Timebank via the Ageing Well Project, he lost his wife a few years ago and has poor mobility. He lives alone with his dog and was at one point in contact with the Street Wardens but since his move and their reduction in numbers hasn’t even had that support. He is isolated.

One thing that was important to him was being able to go to the Torbay Older Citizens’ Forum but he had no way to get there.

Through the Timebank a lady was able to take him to and pick him up from the meeting.

At the meeting the previously isolated gentleman volunteered to be on the Older Citizens’ Forum Committee and will now be attending their regular meetings.

This person is getting ongoing support from the Ageing Well Project and has made contact with Centrepeace in Paignton. He now visits there whenever he feels he can, this is a longer walking distance then he would normally go.


Finance & Accounts

£


After a series of financial years with substantial deficits, the Trustees are pleased to report that for the financial year 2014/15 there is a surplus of £17,540 on unrestricted funds.

The unrestricted General Fund has increased to £70,323, bringing us closer to our required level of reserves.

The contract and funding from Torbay Council commenced on 1 April 2014 and is for £170,000 per annum for 3 years.

The “Ageing Better’’ award, which begins on 1st April 2015 is for £1 million per annum for 6 years has required the Trust to employ a qualified part-time Finance Manager, with this appointment made in November 2014.

Because the “Ageing Better” award will take the Trust above the relevant threshold for financial reporting in 2015/2016 it has been necessary to appoint new Auditors and this appointment has beeen made since the end of the financial year being reported upon.

Finance Report

“TCDT has moved

from a large

defecit to a healthy

surplus.”

“£170,000 of

funding per

annum from

Torbay Council

from April 2014

for 3 years.”

1 Finance Manager

appointed

£17,540 surplus

on unrestricted funds


Torbay Community Development Trust LTDSummary of Financial Activities

Year Ended 31st March 2015

TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES

TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED

Unrestricted Funds

Restricted Funds

Total 31.03.15

Total 31.03.14

NET Incoming (Outgoing) Resources/Net Income (Expenditure) for the Year.

NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDSFund balances as at 1st April 2014

Fund Balances as at 31st March 2015

£200,939 £279,368 £480,307 £112,791

£183,396 £201,807 £385,205 £152,177

£17,543 £77,561 £95,104 (£39,386)

£17,543 £77,561 £95,104 £39,386£197,541 £43,730 £241,271 £280,657

£215,084 £121,291 £336,375 £241,271


Torbay Community Development Trust LTDBalance Sheet as at 31st March 2015

FIXED ASSETS Tangible Fixed Assets

2015 2014

£ £ £ £

144,761 148,167

CURRENT ASSETSDebtorsCash at BankCash in Hand

89,818164,613

75254,506

13,278122,955

275136,508

CREDITORS: Amounts falling due within one year

39,892 43,404

NET CURRENT ASSETS

Total Assets less Current LiabilitiesProvision for Liabilities &

214,614

359,37523,000

93,104

241,271

NET ASSETS 336,375 241,271

Financed by:

FUNDSRestricted Funds Unrestricted FundsCapital FundGeneral Fund

121,291 43,730

144,76170,323 215,084

148,16749,374 197,541

336,375 241,271

Trustees2014/15

Helen Harman - Chair Martin Oxley - Deputy ChairRoger Ede - Treasurer Cllr Alan TyermanAndrew WadeChris ForsterDamian OfferGordon JenningsJenny PatonJim ParkerKevin DixonMarilyn Martin Pat HarrisCllr Robert ExcellTanny Stobart


Torbay Community Development Trust is a Registered Charity 1140896.

Design by Sophia Sheridan

Torbay Community Development Trust4-8 Temperance StreetTorquayTQ2 5PU

01803 212638

[email protected]

www.torbaycdt.org.uk

torbay community development trust annual report 2014/15

Documents