Sustainable Wales Annual Report 08-09

Sustainable Wales Cymru Gynhaliol Annual Report & Accounts 6 April 2008 – 5 April 2009

Sustainable WalesCymru Gynhaliol

Annual Report and Accounts6th April 2008 - 5th April 2009

CONTENTS

Sustainable Wales....................................................................3

Staff, Volunteers, Trustees, Advisors, Patrons.....................4

ANNUAL REPORT 2008-09

Chairman's Comments............................................................5

Director’s Report......................................................................6

Financial Review......................................................................9


Sustainable Wales Cymru Gynhaliol

Purpose

To enable Welsh individuals, households, organisations and communities to reduce their environmental impact and live more sustainably by facilitating behavioural change through the innovative provision of information, education and practical opportunities, which in turn will indirectly influence policy change towards sustainable development.

Aims

To promote one planet living. To lobby for policy change to achieve more sustainable lifestyles. To support the local economy.

Objectives

To encourage and increase use of local, green, ethical and fairly traded goods and services by society.

To reduce waste of resources and level of waste disposal whilst providing support for durable products, reuse and recycling.

To save energy and promote renewable energy to combat global warming/climate change and further encourage development of a low carbon economy.

To promote policy change which supports sustainable development. To encourage citizen involvement in local decision-making and community action,

increasing well-being, skills, confidence and self esteem.

Actions

To promote, educate and advance awareness of sustainable development via various media activities, PR/marketing, information/resource production, public events and festivals.

To offer information, advice, support and facilitation to help Welsh citizens, organisations and networks work towards sustainable development through their activities, projects, policies and practices.

To organise training, workshops, seminars, conferences and events. To encourage and develop community-based activities that are replicable. To collaborate to influence other sectors. To involve volunteers, local people, artists, practitioners and politicians. To fundraise via grants, sponsorship, consultancy and training fees.

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STAFF

Margaret Minhinnick DirectorVerity Dighton Office Manager

PROJECT STAFF

Sian Dando Wales RNC (Part-time)Natalie Sargent Project Development/Grants (Part-time)Angharad Dalton Bridgend SD OfficerJoseph Newbury Plastic Bag Free Bridgend Campaign

VOLUNTEERS

Catrin Dalton Etienne CronjeSteve Pullen Richard Giddons (Exeter University)Catherine Felton (school placement) Rob McGheeRebecca Austin Sara JenkinsonLindsay Jason BraggPeter Morgan Lucy MinhinnickEamon Bourke Robert MinhinnickJames Nee Members of local Chamber of Trade5 RNC Volunteers

TRUSTEES

John Drysdale ChairmanFrank O’ConnorPhilip MarksSimon O’RaffertyJan WalshSteve HarrisRichard Thomas

ADVISORS

Robert Minhinnick Richard ThomasAlwyn Jones Philip McDonnellGareth Clubb Lee TurnerKen Moon

PATRONS

Jonathon Porritt Writer, broadcaster, environmentalist, former chair UK Sustainable Development Commission

Edward Goldsmith Founder, former editor ‘The Ecologist’ and writerJohn Barnie Former editor ‘Planet’ magazine and writerDafydd Iwan President Plaid Cymru, writer, musician, broadcasterJohn Humphries Former editor ‘Western Mail’Angharad Tomos WriterHilary Llewellyn-Williams Poet

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CHAIRMAN’S COMMENTS

It is a pleasure to report on another busy and successful year for the charity in its attempts to encourage our society to be less profligate and to develop a more thoughtful attitude to the world we are creating for future generations.

2008/09 has culminated in the near completion of one important pilot project – 3 years of ‘Sustainable Solutions Bridgend’ funded by the Big Lottery, and completion of 15 months of ‘Plastic Bag Free Bridgend County’ funded by the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG).

Both these campaigns required community development skills, creativity and excellent communication.

Relationship, and to some extent ‘capacity-building’ work has predominated. This has entailed forming networks of interest, providing information and resources, planning events and offering support, all geared to the promotion of sustainable living.

This has definitely left a legacy of new awareness within the borough of Bridgend in which our two Development Officers operated. Campaign experience gained working within all types of communities, developing face-to-face activities, promoting good practice, all with considerable media profiling, mean we have a great deal to offer other communities in terms of blueprints for replication.

The part-time work undertaken for Waste Awareness Wales/WAG for the Wales Real Nappy Campaign (RNC) has helped maintain our support for families, local authorities and the NHS, as well as developing a more professional relationship with credit unions across Wales. The specific knowledge and creativity displayed by our officer is vital to the campaign’s success.

SW has contributed to many important committees. Our director remains a board member for Cynnal Cymru, member of the WCVA’s Environment Wales Grant Committee, and also the WCVA’s Climate Change Advisory Group. She is also a member of Glas Cymru – the ‘not-for-profit’ company running Welsh Water. It is good to see new partnerships developing which extend SW into other areas, such as the arts. Contact with the ‘social-care’ movement comes via opportunities provided by contracts and fees. Crucial 'behavioural change' activity will need this type of support alongside grants for many years to come.

SW's achievements during this eleventh year would not have been possible without our grant and consultancy contracts, the commitment of my fellow trustees and the support of our advisors and industrious volunteers. The impressive outcomes of our work are a direct result of the dedication of all our staff, and I wish to thank everyone for all their efforts.

John Drysdale

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DIRECTOR’S REPORT

Local Work:

1. Sustainable Solutions – Bridgend. Big Lottery Fund Funded

Year 3 of 3. The aim was to increase sustainable living via increased awareness, development of partnerships, practical action and community engagement across Bridgend county borough, whilst maintaining links with councils and networks.

'Community Connections,' our attractive, still readable, magazine was beautifully produced, demonstrated quality content, and covered social, cultural and environmental issues. Distribution was time-consuming but the magazine possibly reached more than the projected 45,000 readers if we consider that each issue had a 12 -15,000 print run, and was / is available on our website - www.sustainablewales.org/blog/?page_id=101.

Public engagement was achieved by offering a series of public events and green festivals (over 1000 people attended our Christmas market), maintaining the information centre based at our premises, offering advice, talks and training, and attending many community events held by other organisations.

The project exceeded its target of working with 77 local organisations and 40 social enterprises, collaborating with many community groups, and helping the development of ‘Tools For Self Reliance,’ the monthly ‘Bridgend Farmer’s Market,’ ‘Porthcawl Chamber of Trade,’ ‘Sussed’ and its volunteers. It also initiated the ‘County Fair Trade Group.’

We believe we have set a ‘green’ agenda for this borough and left a legacy to enable further action.

We hope to expand and deepen this approach via a new Big Lottery Fund bid application, and are working on a final seminar entitled ‘A Resilient Local Economy?’

2. Plastic Bag-Free – Bridgend. Welsh Assembly Funded

The disposable plastic bag is an icon of our convenience culture. These bags are the most ubiquitous consumer item on the planet, numbering in the trillions. They are, of course, made from petroleum or natural gas and contribute to climate change. The high profile for this campaign across the UK is especially important to us in Wales where we will see the introduction of a charge, or levy, within a couple of years on single–use bags. Working within several chambers of trade allowed us a valuable insight into how small businesses consider this issue.

Media opportunities have been significant and have included BBC TV and radio as well as the Western Mail and South Wales Echo. The Welsh Assembly has also requested our advice.

Our campaign had c.95% involvement of local traders and close to a 30% reduction in distribution of plastic bags during the employment period of our Development Officer. Environmental behavioural change needs monitoring and a community-based approach, such as SW's, is we feel, essential.

A final bilingual ‘how to do it’ guide is now available on our website www.sustainablewales.org/blog/?page_id=11

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http://www.sustainablewales.org/blog/?page_id=11

http://www.sustainablewales.org/blog/?page_id=101


Consultancy and ContractsWales.

a. Real Nappy Campaign. Welsh Assembly Government Funded

It is estimated that 200 million disposable nappies go to landfill every year in Wales. The post promotes the use of reusable nappies (RN) throughout Wales, offering impartial information and advice to parents, nurseries, local authorities, community groups and the health sector.

Talks, website scripts and leaflets have been provided for all local authorities and three were helped to develop a RN incentive scheme; 3000 leaflets were designed, printed and distributed highlighting the role of Credit Unions; all hospitals and birthing centres have received a display board and receive talks at their classes from RN Agents.

The campaign’s DVD was re-edited by SW with 200 copies produced. One hundred calendars were printed featuring twelve RN wearing babies! The updated website received 6860 visits, 24 enquiries and 46 calls to the hotline. Meetings have been held and events attended throughout Wales. Increasingly families are responding to this waste issue and we look forward to working with more midwives in the coming year.

b. Climate Change Training. Welsh Assembly Government Funded

The Cardiff ‘Climate ExChange’ community information day involved over 30 organisations - the aim being to engage the ‘unengaged.’ The Voluntary Sector Minister Kevin Brennan MP and Graham Benfield, Chief Executive of the WCVA, amongst others (with Minister Jane Davidson AM appearing on film) attracted a large audience throughout the day.

The range of activities was very varied (e.g., film room, live debate, information stalls, presentations, surgeries, workshops, round-table group discussions) and those attending seemed to enjoy the informal marketplace-like atmosphere.

Compliments included “ … well done on a good day, all your hard work paid off,” " the event was extremely well organised, and we really enjoyed it!” “ … glad to see/hear about so many organisations beginning to do real stuff on the ground.”

Assistance

SW has continued to support the work of SUSSED, the Porthcawl-based green and ethical shop, over the year, providing free office space, administration costs, staff and accounts management.

SW has continued its cultural work, with the 'Sea Holly' film/photographic/music/spoken word project that was staged at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London in November '08, and at our 'Commune' event with four live bands in March '09. SW feels such cultural work based around 'sense of place' and community memory is a vital area for our efforts, and central to ideas of sustainability.

Alongside our project activity, SW is proud of its job creation, plus the training and work experience it provides for volunteers - locally and across Wales. Many are undergraduates or graduates looking to gain experience and evidence of work for their CVs.

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Financial review

The charity has maintained sufficient reserves to enable it to complete the work for our final conference, ‘A Resilient Local Economy?’ We will also maintain the Real Nappy Campaign for 2009/10, organise a pilot CO2 ‘Living Lighter Campaign.'

Grant Applications and Project Development

Over the forthcoming year we will try to secure further funding from the Big Lottery Fund and other agencies for work covering climate change, waste reduction, sustainable development policy training, and environmental and ethical purchasing.

ThanksMy thanks must go also to our partners this year who have included Science Shops Wales (Glamorgan University), Bangor University, UWIC Cardiff (Business School) Seren Books, Llais Cymru; to our staff and consultants who have achieved so much this year, giving 100% effort in all they do and of course to all our dedicated trustees, advisors and volunteers.

Margaret MinhinnickDirector

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STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIESFor the year ended 5 April 2009

Unrest- Rest- Total Totalricted ricted Funds Funds

Note Funds Funds 2009 2008 £ £ £ £

Incoming resourcesIncoming resources from generated funds:Voluntary income:Donations and grants 51,657 119,795 171,452 194,225Activities for generating funds:

Fundraising 2,363 - 2,363 669Affinity scheme 46 - 46 66Bank interest received 386 - 386 1,383

Total incoming resources 54,452 119,795 174,247 196,343

Resources expendedCharitable activities 56,481 106,078 162,559 191,856Governance costs

Management and administration 871 16,486 17,357 13,561

Total resources expended (2) 57,352 122,564 179,916 205,417

Net incoming resources (2,900) (2,769) (5,669) (9,074)Transfers between funds 40,978 (40,978) - -

Reconciliation of FundsTotal funds brought forward 6,109 57,472 63,581 72,655

Total funds carried forward (10) 44,187 13,725 57,912 63,581

Movements in funds are disclosed in Note 10 to the financial statements.

All incoming resources and resources expended derive from continuing activities.

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BALANCE SHEET


as at 5 April 2009

2009 2008

Note £ £ £ £

TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS (7) 2,527 3,685

CURRENT ASSETSCash at bank & in hand 58,691 58,986Debtors and prepayments (6) 2,002 23,820

60,693 82,806

CREDITORS: amounts falling due (8) 5,208 22,810within one year

NET CURRENT ASSETS 55,485 59,996

TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENTLIABILITIES 58,012 63,681

NET ASSETS (9) 58,012 63,681

FUNDS:Unrestricted funds - General 44,187 6,109Restricted funds 13,725 57,472Trust capital 100 100

TOTAL FUNDS (10) 58,012 63,681

An Independent Examiners Report was carried out by Alwyn Thomas Chartered Accountants, Glenaub House, Old School Road, Porthcawl, CF36 3AW

Dated: 15 October 2009

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Documents

Sustainable Wales Annual Report 08-09