Chief Executive's Report

 

In 2009, we celebrated our 30th year in Slough and the launch of our new town centre home, during the worst financial crisis in our history. We face increasing difficulties in delivering crucial services when the anticipated funding cuts begin to bite. More older people than ever, the forgotten victims of this Recession, have been pouring through our doors in need of help. Last year, we made over 75,000 contacts, supported over 13,000 people directly and we established our branch, ‘Age Concern in Maidenhead’.

 

The year was full of contradictions, with both fantastic opportunities and unprecedented difficulties. Our future in Slough was secured as a result of successful campaigning by Fiona Mactaggart, our MP, and Rob Anderson, Leader of Slough Borough Council, who actually took the time to understand what local older people really need. We owe them our sincere thanks.

 

In June, we moved from our much loved Old Library to a specially designed, ‘state of the art’ new building, at The Village in Slough High Street. A smooth transition was achieved as a result of the excellent partnership with Slough Borough Council and Crowborough Properties. The real success lies in the recognition by decision makers in Slough that older people, who helped to build this prosperous town, deserve a fantastic town centre facility as part of the Heart of Slough redevelopment. Our relocation has given us the space to grow and to become more self sufficient through the development of new commercial enterprises. We opened The Village Café to provide freshly prepared hot and cold food at competitive prices. The Café is an exciting new social enterprise which is open to everyone. We have invested heavily in this new venture and its profits will enable us remain sustainable as a charity and to fund free local services in the future. Ensuring our future sustainability, by increasing unrestricted income through fundraising and developing commercial and retail enterprises, has been a priority focus.

 

During the year we opened two new shops and held a range of events to raise valuable funds and promote a positive image of ageing. Our work in bringing Human Rights to local older people has won international recognition. A coalition of Russian workers, keen to learn from our good practice, visited us in February this year. In February we were runner-up to SEGRO for the accolade of ‘Business of the Year’ at the Slough Chamber of Commerce Awards 2010. These awards recognise and celebrate the outstanding businesses that have contributed to Slough’s thriving economic success. This is a fantastic endorsement for a medium-sized business running a successful independent charity and trading company. In spite of the challenges, Age Concern Slough and Berkshire East has:

 

  • Delivered 52 different services to a client base of over 13,000 older people
  • Delivered over 75,000 service contacts to local older people
  • Achieved ISO9001 and ISO14001 accreditations in 2009
  • Increased its paid staff by 5% resulting in £1,400,753 salaries paid
  • Seen an increase of 26% in volunteers resulting in the equivalent of £578,485 in volunteering hours
  • Achieved significant funding and national, and international, recognition for trail blazing work on Human Rights, Advocacy, Deprivation of Liberties and Equalities
  • Set up an innovative Brokerage Service to support people through Self Directed Support
  • Extended the remit for its Health Activist at Home service
  • Achieved registration from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to develop ‘My Care at Home’, domiciliary care service
  • Developed its work with Health Activist at Home, Victim Support, Residential Home Advocacy and Human Rights to help those who are most vulnerable
  • Increased its partnership working with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) by setting up a branch, Age Concern in Maidenhead, and opening its first charity shop in Maidenhead
  • Sustained its productive corporate partnerships with SEGRO, Kinnarps, Timberland and O2
  • Generated £769,041 unrestricted income to continue to support non-funded activities
  • Developed new commercial enterprises within Handy Help Ltd, its subsidiary Trading Company
  • During the year we have created 31 Future Jobs posts and given training opportunities to 31 young people.

 

Each year seems more challenging than the last and yet we have continued to diversify, adapt as a business and grow stronger as a charity.

 

Tracey Morgan

Chief Executive