Finance Score: 5
Governance Score: 6
Support Score: 6
  • Strong growth: +2
  • Fundraising costs low: +3
  • Dynamic board: +3
  • Gender balanced board: +3
  • Overall weighted support: +6
Overall GiG Score: 17 ?

SPARK SOMERSET

Our aim is to inspire strong and sustainable communities through voluntary and communityaction. We provide information, advice, training and support to charities and community groups andrepresent the sector on strategic bodies. We also run the Volunteer Service, inspiring people to make adifference in their communities.
Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

  • There has been strong growth in spending since inception
  • There have been no income shortfalls in recent years
  • Fundraising costs are unusually low relative to funds raised
  • A significant proportion of recent income was derived from major grant makers including the Government
  • The Board appears to be well diversified in terms of gender and dynamic in terms of composition

Regulatory & Governance issues to consider:

  • This charity is not recognised by HMRC for Gift Aid according to its latest published return
  • Over half the Board have joined recently

Financial Data ?

Income & Spending ?
Sources of Income ?
Y/E Income
£k
Spending
£k
Surplus/
Deficit £k
Fundraising
Cost £k
Total
Funds £k
Unrestricted
Funds £k
Mths
Rsrvs
Staff Volun-
teers
31/03/23£1,027£925£102£16£493£4936.42715
31/03/22£872£723£150£13£391£3916.52715
31/03/21£588£503£86£18£241£2415.82110
31/03/20£393£345£49n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/19£184£77£107n/an/an/an/an/an/a
Financial Ratios
Fundraising Costs/Relevant Income: 1.5%
Fundraising Costs/Total Spending: 1.7%
Highest pay band: Less than £60,000
Liabilities/Assets: 63%
Liabilities/Income: 81%
Unrestricted Funds/Total Funds: 100%
Reserves/Spending: 6.4 months
Net Current Assets/Spending: 6 months
Quick Ratio: 1.2
Asset Split ?
Balance Sheet History
Established: 6 years

www.sparksomerset.org.uk

support@sparksomerset.org.uk

01458 550973

Charity Commission for England and WalesFacebookX
UN SDGs
?
Listed activities
  • Disability
  • Economic/Community Development/Employment
  • General Charitable Purposes
  • The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
GiG Classification
  • Other welfare services
How it operates
  • Acts as an umbrella or resource body
  • Provides advocacy/advice/information
  • Provides buildings/facilities/open space
  • Provides services
  • Sponsors or undertakes research
Where it operates
  • Somerset,
Who it helps
  • Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies
  • The General Public/Mankind

Who supports them? ?

Donations from Grant Makers ?

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

Specific Donations
Amount When
Months
To be used for
National Lottery Community Fund - Development of Somerset Youth Work Alliance (SYWA)
£496,385 23/03/2023
The funding will be used to support the employment of two full time experienced youth workers - one at Director level to take on a planning and co-ordination role as well as strategic discussions with Commissioners and key stakeholders on behalf of ....more
Somerset Community Foundation - Research to understand the implications of Covid-19 on Somerset’s communities
£10,000 06/06/2022
Research to understand the implications of Covid-19 on Somerset’s communities
Somerset Community Foundation - Developing a new service to provide infrastructure support to youth work organisations
£15,000 24/05/2022
Developing a new service to provide infrastructure support to youth work organisations
Somerset Community Foundation - Somerset Youth Work Alliance youth worker training
£2,500 04/04/2022
Somerset Youth Work Alliance youth worker training
Somerset Community Foundation - Grant to Spark Somerset
£5,000 23/08/2021
Contribution to the costs of a research project to give a voice to a broad range of groups and organisations
Somerset Community Foundation - Building a stronger partnership of youth activity providers in Somerset
£10,000 12/02/2021
8
Grant to Spark Somerset
Somerset Community Foundation - COVID19 Advice and guidance to help local community groups re-start their activities
£10,000 11/01/2021
2
Advice and guidance to help local community groups re-start their activities
Somerset Community Foundation - Monthly forums to support groups and newsletters for group members
£3,750 03/12/2020
6
Monthly forums to support groups and newsletters for group members
National Lottery Community Fund - C-19 response - Community Recovery in Somerset - Volunteer Legacy Project
£36,835 19/10/2020
7
The funding will provide continued support for VCS organisations in the local area as well as the distribution of volunteers to maximise support given to families and individuals who need it throughout the pandemic.
Somerset Community Foundation - COVID19 GP Helpers to support vulnerable patients across South Somerset
£2,750 28/09/2020
5
Grant to Spark Somerset
Somerset Community Foundation - COVID19 Online training for Somerset's VCSE Sector
£4,800 22/05/2020
2
Online training for Somerset's VCSE Sector during coronavirus
Somerset Community Foundation - COVID19 Strategic infrastructure support for community groups and charities
£10,000 02/04/2020
4
COVID19 Support, advice and guidance to groups responding to the coronavirus outbreak
Somerset Community Foundation - Mental health first aid
£4,000 16/08/2019
5
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training for grassroots groups
Somerset Community Foundation - Good Fellowship Club Transport Replacement
£5,000 28/06/2018
59
Community transport for isolated older people in Yeovil
Show more rows

Data sourced from Donors via 360 Giving

How is it governed?

Trustees (7)
Current Trustees appointed
Gender Split
Based on 6/7 persons

  • DEBRA MARIE DREW Appointed: 2023
  • EMILY KATHERINE TAYLOR Appointed: 2021, Occupation: Manager
  • GRAHAME PAINE (Chair) Appointed: 2022
  • IAN JOHN BRAMLEY Appointed: 2023
  • JOSEPH JAMES MCGREGOR-HARPER Appointed: 2024
  • MELANIE JANE MERRILL Appointed: 2019
  • VICTORIA OFFORD Appointed: 2023
Legal constitution
  • Charity registered in England & Wales on 03/08/2018, number: 1179438
Gift Aid
  • NOT registered with HMRC for Gift Aid
Policies in force
  • Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
  • Complaints handling
  • Complaints policy and procedures
  • Conflicting interests
  • Financial reserves policy and procedures
  • Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
  • Internal risk management policy and procedures
  • Investing charity funds policy and procedures
  • Paying staff
  • Risk management
  • Safeguarding policy and procedures
  • Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
  • Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
  • Social media policy and procedures
  • Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
  • Trustee expenses policy and procedures
  • Volunteer management
Filing Record
5 returns made; all on time
Main office

Units 3 and 4
The Courtyard
Bowdens Farm
Hambridge
LANGPORT
Somerset

Objectives

TO PROMOTE THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC IN SOMERSET BY:I) THE PROVISION OF INFORMATION, ADVICE, TRAINING AND SUPPORT; ANDII) PROMOTING AND ORGANISING PARTNERSHIP AND CO-OPERATION IN THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR.VOLUNTARY SECTOR IS DEFINED AS CHARITIES AND VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS.CHARITIES ARE ORGANISATIONS, WHICH ARE ESTABLISHED FOR EXCLUSIVELY CHARITABLE PURPOSES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW OF ENGLAND AND WALES.VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS ARE INDEPENDENT ORGANISATIONS WHICH ARE ESTABLISHED FOR PURPOSES THAT ADD VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, OR A SIGNIFICANT SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY, AND WHICH ARE NOT PERMITTED BY THEIR CONSTITUTION TO MAKE A PROFIT FOR PRIVATE DISTRIBUTION.

Data Sources

Charity Commission for England and Wales
360 Giving

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