Finance Score: 2

Governance Score: -3

Support Score: 9

Strong growth: +2
No PartB

Only 4 Trustees: -1
Narrow trustee age band: -2

Large volunteers +3
Grant maker support: +6

Overall GiG Score: 8

ACUMEN COMMUNITY BUILDINGS

Acumen Community Buildings provides office accommodation, co-working space and support for social enterprises, community businesses, community groups and individuals who are creating social impact in the local community. It is runs a grade 2* listed building, The Old Rectory, as a hub for place based social action in Houghton-le-Spring and the surrounding coalfields area of Sunderland.

Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

This charity has been successful in attracting volunteers relative to its size
There has been strong growth in spending since inception
There have been no income shortfalls in recent years
A significant proportion of recent income was derived from major grant makers including the Government

Regulatory & Governance issues to consider:

There are only 4 trustees
The Board has little diversity in terms of age

Financial issues to consider:

A PartB annual return has not been required and so detailed financial information is not available from the online data

Established: 6 years

www.theoldrectory.co.uk

info@acumencommunitybuildings.co.uk

0191 5634401

Charity Commission for England and Wales

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Financial Data ?

Income & Spending ?

Sources of Income ?

Y/E		Income £k	Spending £k	Surplus/ Deficit	Fundraising Cost £k	Total Funds £k	Unrestricted Funds £k	Mths Rsrvs	Staff	Volun- teers
30/06/22		£198	£164	£33	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	35
30/06/21		£187	£175	£12	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	35
30/06/20		£82	£67	£15	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	10
30/06/19	*	£61	£58	£2	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	10
30/06/18		£32	£23	£9	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	10

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Highest pay bracket: less than £60,000

Listed activities

Arts/Culture/Heritage/Science
Disability
Economic/Community Development/Employment
Education/Training
Environment/Conservation/Heritage
General Charitable Purposes
The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives
The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty

How it operates

Provides advocacy/advice/information
Provides buildings/facilities/open space
Provides services

Where it operates

Sunderland,

Who it helps

Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies
The General Public/Mankind

Who works here?

Unknown number of employees
35 volunteers

Who's supporting them? ?

Donations from Grant Makers ?

We have details on the following significant donations. Multi-year donations are allocated to the years for which they are earmarked.

Major supporters in last 5 years

Architectural Heritage Fund	£31,560
National Lottery Community Fund	£20,000
Co-Op Foundation	£19,781
Power to Change	£12,000
National Lottery Heritage Fund	£9,950
Cheshire Community Foundation	£4,600

Specific Donations

Amount	When Months	To be used for
National Lottery Community Fund - Houghton's Coronation Celebrations
£10,000	28/03/2023	The funding will be used to hold a ‘Coronation Big Lunch’. This will include picnic lunches Coronation themed children’s sports and craft activities workshops and a range of fun activities ....more The funding will be used to hold a ‘Coronation Big Lunch’. This will include picnic lunches Coronation themed children’s sports and craft activities workshops and a range of fun activities delivered by charities community groups and social enterprises singing dancing music and historical enactments. The project aims to promote inclusion and bring residents of all ages together including those with access needs to celebrate the King’s Coronation.
National Lottery Heritage Fund - Grant to Acumen Community Buildings Ltd
£9,950	30/03/2022	Tales from The Old Rectory
Cheshire Community Foundation - Be Best at Building Back
£4,600	18/10/2021	Acumen Community Buildings is an aspirational, visionary charitable company with 3 main strategic aims of (i) acting as a catalyst for space based social action, (ii) Creating co-working environments ....more Acumen Community Buildings is an aspirational, visionary charitable company with 3 main strategic aims of (i) acting as a catalyst for space based social action, (ii) Creating co-working environments for social and community entrepreneurs (iii) the restoration of The Old Rectory as a Heritage building with an Enterprise focus. It will deliver a programme of training, small group work, coaching and volunteering activity to help people who are struggling with their mental health and wellbeing. The funding will be used to paying for salaries, volunteer expenses, training costs, marketing costs, printing and any website or other administrative costs. The project will help people who are in the Coalfields area of Sunderland (Houghton, Hetton, Copt Hill, Shiney Row) and provide a weekly programme for 10 weeks for 10 people. This provides personal coaching, developing a personalised wellbeing plan and to take action in overcoming any obstacles or mental blocks on their way to success. They will be fully supported to put their learning into practice throughout this process, and will also be offered suitable volunteering opportunities which will continue after the training programme.
National Lottery Community Fund - Light up the Nights
£10,000	05/03/2021 5	The funding will be used to deliver workshops for children/young people so they can create a light trail throughout Rectory Park in Houghton-le-Spring. This will help improve the facilities and ....more The funding will be used to deliver workshops for children/young people so they can create a light trail throughout Rectory Park in Houghton-le-Spring. This will help improve the facilities and safety of the park which will help to encourage more use of the space by the community. This aims to provide diversionary activities for children and young people and improve well being.
Co-Op Foundation - Acumen Community Buildings Ltd STC Expand application
£10,000	18/12/2020	To help you build on the work and impact from Space to Connect Explore funding, aimed at providing communities with a space to connect
Architectural Heritage Fund - Grant to Acumen Community Buildings
£31,560	08/12/2020	The Old Rectory
Power to Change - C-19 TISS - Acumen Community Buildings
£12,000	09/07/2020	Grant to C-19 TISS - Acumen Community Buildings
Co-Op Foundation - STC Explore
£9,781	03/10/2019	Plan to consult more than 100 people through workshops and engagement days to discuss how best to use the Old Rectory and Rectory Park, in Houghton-le-Spring, as community spaces.
National Lottery Community Fund - The Old Rectory as a Community Hub
£9,908	10/01/2018 12	The organisation will hire a part-time worker to develop the community and learning activities, room hire and events of their community hub. This will transform ‘The Old Rectory’ building into a ....more The organisation will hire a part-time worker to develop the community and learning activities, room hire and events of their community hub. This will transform ‘The Old Rectory’ building into a resource for local people and groups where they can take part in training, events and activities.

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Data sourced from Donors via 360 Giving

How is it governed?

Trustees (4)

Current Trustees appointed

Gender Split

Age Range of Trustees: 55-65

ANNE TOMS Appointed: 2018, Occupation: Head Of Public Affairs

DR JOANNA SAMANTHA BERRY Appointed: 2018, Occupation: Academic, Other trusteeship: THE NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE ROYAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL,

DR RONALD LAWSON Appointed: 2021, Occupation: Senior Lecturer

KATHERINE MARGARET WELCH OBE DL (Chair) Appointed: 2017, Occupation: Chief Executive, Other trusteeships: COMMUNITIES TOGETHER DURHAM, JUBILEE+,

Legal constitution

Charitable company registered in England & Wales on 06/04/2018, number: 1177852
Registered at Companies House on 20/05/2017, number: 10780847

Gift Aid

NOT registered with HMRC for Gift Aid

Policies in force

Complaints handling
Conflicting interests
Paying staff
Risk management
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Volunteer management

Filing Record

5 returns made; AR19: 57 days late,

Main office

Acumen Community Buildings Ltd
The Old Rectory
The Broadway
HOUGHTON LE SPRING
Tyne And Wear
DH4 4BB

Objectives

THE CHARITY’S OBJECT (OBJECT) IS THE PROMOTION FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC OF URBAN OR RURAL REGENERATION IN AREAS OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEPRIVATION (AND IN PARTICULAR IN SUNDERLAND COALFIELDS AND SURROUNDING AREA) BY ALL OR ANY OF THE FOLLOWING MEANS:(A) THE RELIEF OF FINANCIAL HARDSHIP:(B) THE RELIEF OF UNEMPLOYMENT:(C) THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION, TRAINING OR RETRAINING, PARTICULARLY AMONG UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE, AND PROVIDING UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE WITH WORK EXPERIENCE:(D) THE PROVISION OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OR BUSINESS ADVICE OR CONSULTANCY IN ORDER TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE IN CASES OF FINANCIAL OR OTHER CHARITABLE NEED THROUGH HELP: (I) IN SETTING UP THEIR OWN BUSINESS, OR (II) TO EXISTING BUSINESSES:(E) THE CREATION OF TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES BY THE PROVISION OF WORKSPACE, BUILDINGS, AND/OR LAND FOR USE ON FAVOURABLE TERMS:(F) THE PROVISION OF HOUSING FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CONDITIONS OF NEED AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF HOUSING IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR OR IN CHARITABLE OWNERSHIP PROVIDED THAT SUCH POWER SHALL NOT EXTEND TO RELIEVING ANY LOCAL AUTHORITIES OR OTHER BODIES OF A STATUTORY DUTY TO PROVIDE OR IMPROVE HOUSING:(G) THE MAINTENANCE, IMPROVEMENT OR PROVISION OF PUBLIC AMENITIES:(H) THE PRESERVATION OF BUILDINGS OR SITES OF HISTORIC OR ARCHITECTURAL IMPORTANCE:(I) THE PROVISION OF RECREATIONAL FACILITIES FOR THE PUBLIC AT LARGE OR THOSE WHO BY REASON OF THEIR YOUTH, AGE, INFIRMITY OR DISABLEMENT, FINANCIAL HARDSHIP OR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES, HAVE NEED OF SUCH FACILITIES:(J) THE PROTECTION OR CONSERVATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT:(K) THE PROVISION OF PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITIES AND CHILDCARE:(L) THE PROMOTION OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND PREVENTION OF CRIME:(M) SUCH OTHER MEANS AS MAY FROM TIME TO TIME BE DETERMINED SUBJECT TO THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE CHARITY COMMISSIONERS FOR ENGLAND AND WALES.

Data Sources