Annual Financial Report for 2023
Annual Report for March 2023 – Feb 2024
Trustees:
Lois Baldwin, Dagmer Dias, John Kirkman, Crystal Kofie (chair), Alison Lawn, Ann O’Sullivan, Peter Sidebotham (till 09/23), Andrew Gilham (from August 2024).
OVERVIEW
During 2023 Breathing Space Coventry was again able to offer a continuous sacred space open to the public. Word of mouth and the website presence continue to do their task of bringing to this space those in need of refreshment and quiet. Over the summer having Ellie Rose as artist-in-residence meant that a completely new group of users visited on several creative days and then later in the year for creative retreats. From September residential retreats were no longer offered, given other uses of the upstairs single room.
Breathing Space Coventry welcomed new host – wardens, Chris and Grahame Edmonds in September 2023 and farewelled Peter and Lois at the beginning of October. The transition went smoothly with kind support of trustees, especially Alison and Ann. Trustees and Peter and Lois are very grateful for the Edmonds interest and engagement with Breathing Space and wish them well in their retirement from April 2024.
Donations come regularly from users, many giving generously through the website so as to attract Gift Aid additions, and from standing order commitments of Friends of Breathing Space. From September, a QR code has been available at Grahame’s initiative.
We again welcomed around 200 local people for the Allesley Festival Garden Walks in early July. Rob has been a regular garden helper through the year and later in the year. Chris Hitchcock and Julie & Dennis (all near neighbours) started helping – and since October these four have been responsible for all of the garden tasks, with Chris H giving valuable expert oversight. Attention has been required to boundary hedges and trees, and a new fence constructed on the western boundary.
We greatly appreciate the two years that Crystal has served as chair and wish her well in the coming year. Thank you to John Kirkman, now chair of trustees. We were glad to welcome a new trustee during the year: Andrew Gilham, who had been using BSC personally for some months and his experience nicely complements the current trustee group. Ann O’Sullivan is on leave from December through to late 2024.
ACTIVITY DURING 2023
Total number of visits to Breathing Space in 2023: 777 (2022: 830)
Quiet days / Workshops (just 2 in November in 2022)
21 April 2023 Making Bread Lois
27 May Creative workshop Ellie and Lois
28 June Trees – quiet day Chris Edmonds
15 July Creative Play quiet day Marie Calvert
10 August Creative workshop[ Ellie
16 August Creativity and SA Ellie
22 August Creative Families Lois / Ellie
21 Oct 23 Harvest Art Retreat Ellie
18 November Creative day – Ellie and Ann
8 Dec Advent Creative day Emma Alpha, Ellie and Ann
11 Dec Creative Christmas Alison Lawn
Groups attending regularly: none in 2023
Total group visitors: av. 38 per mth (2022 – 51 / mth)
Total personal retreats – indivs: av 27 / mth (2022 – 10 / mth)
Residential retreats: av 6/ mth (2022 – 3 / month)
Retreat in Daily Life 8 Jan 2023 – 19 Feb 2023 15 pilgrims
Website: This is refreshed regularly with a short front page ‘post’, by either Ellie or Lois.
GOVERNANCE MATTERS
Review of trust policies:
| Policy document | Date Reviewed | Next Review |
| Memorandum of Understanding[1] | May 2023 | May 2024 |
| Safeguarding Policy | July 2022 | 2025 |
| Privacy and Data Protection | October 2022 | 2025 |
| Risk Assessment | January 2023 | March 2024 |
Note: The Charity does not have any paid staff and relies on volunteers. A cleaner and a gardener receive hourly wages for 2 hours each per week.
Trustees for March 2024 to Feb 2025
John Kirkman (Chair)
Alison Lawn
Dagmer Dias
Andrew Gilham
Lois Baldwin
Peter Sidebotham (on leave from Sept 2023)
Crystal Kofie (stand down year March 2023 – Feb 2024)
Ann O’Sullivan (on leave for most of 2024)
| Trustee name | Start of current term : ( usually 2 x 3 yrs) | Proposed stand down year |
| Lois Baldwin | 2021 | Taken 2020/ now on leave |
| Peter Sidebotham | 2022 | Taken 2021 /now on leave |
| Crystal Kofie | End 2017 | 2024 |
| Alison Lawn | Mid 2019 | 2025 (earlier requested) |
| Ann O’Sullivan | End 2021 | Taken 2024 / due 2026 |
| John Kirkman | mid- 2022 | 2027 |
| Dagmer Dias | Mid 2022 | 2028 |
| Andrew Gilham | Mid 2023 | 2029 |
Treasurer: Peter Sidebotham / Grahame Edmonds
Independent financial examiner: Andrea Driver
Financial Support and banking: Richard Lawn
Bank Signatories (2): 2022: Richard Lawn; Peter Sidebotham; Lois Baldwin
2023: Grahame Edmonds after September.
Safeguarding Lead: Peter Sidebotham / Dagmer Dias after September
Data Controller: Lois Baldwin / Chris Edmonds after September
[1] MOU: A memorandum of understanding between the Trustees and the owners of the property at 123B Birmingham Road, Allesley CV5 9GR (Peter Sidebotham and Lois Baldwin) was drawn up and agreed in September 2019. To be reviewed annually. The use of the property has been provided rent-free. The Charity pays 50% of Council tax, insurance and utility bills.