Reporting Period Financial Year Ending 31 December 2024 Cultivating Community CIC is a social enterprise dedicated to addressing loneliness isolation and inequality through nature based activities inclusive employment and community led programmes During the financial year the company focused its operations around Victoria Park Community Cafe in Frome Somerset which serves as its primary delivery hub for social impact Overview of Activities The cafe operated seasonally from early spring through late autumn and functioned as both a trading business and a platform for community wellbeing The core activities delivered during the year included Operating a not for profit community cafe 7 days a week Delivering inclusive volunteer supported work skills training Hosting intergenerational arts and wellbeing activities Partnering with local schools health services and voluntary sector organisations Providing informal community support and reducing social isolation Supporting environmental sustainability through food waste reduction and use of local produce The cafes mission is not just to serve food and drink but to foster social connection routine and a sense of belonging especially among those who are most vulnerable or excluded Employment Volunteering and Work Skills Development One of the most significant and unanticipated outcomes of the cafes establishment has been its role in work skills development This year Cultivating Community worked in partnership with three local special schools Critchill Newbury Manor and Wessex Lodge to host structured placements for young people with additional needs In addition the organisation provided informal training supervision and support to a number of volunteers with disabilities long term health conditions or who were otherwise not in employment education or training NEET Several individuals transitioned from customer to volunteer to paid employee This was made possible through a highly person centred and flexible approach to recruitment and training Rather than rely on CVs or formal interviews the cafe team built relationships over time introduced small manageable tasks and gradually increased responsibilities based on each persons confidence and ability This informal pathway into employment allowed individuals to rebuild trust develop confidence and gain transferable skills In 2025 Cultivating Community undertook a qualitative research project with staff volunteers and customers to understand the barriers they faced in employment and how the cafe supported their development Findings highlighted the importance of patience flexibility informal entry points and a supportive environment in enabling access to work for people who are typically excluded from the labour market Community Engagement and Inclusion Over the financial year the cafe supported an estimated 43000 meaningful social interactions many of them repeat visits by local residents who viewed the cafe as a safe and welcoming space The demographic of those using the space was diverse including families with young children older adults people with learning disabilities and those experiencing bereavement or poor mental health A range of free or low cost community programmes were delivered from the cafe including Chatty Cafe a weekly informal conversation session to tackle loneliness Chair Yoga low impact exercise for older adults Loose Play Trolley Sessions daily access to open ended play materials for children encouraging creativity and social play Therapy Dog visits Health Connector training sessions Seasonal community events such as quizzes craft workshops and active games for children In partnership with SASP and the Community Fridge the cafe also piloted holiday sports and food education sessions for children These activities helped reduce isolation during school holidays and promoted healthy routines The cafe space was also used by local groups for meetings and events including the towns medical practice local band homeschool networks and community partnerships like Green and Healthy Futures Economic and Social Impact Cultivating Community CIC continued to grow its trading income with cafe revenue forming the majority of the companys income in 2024 This year saw a drop in overall income compared to 2023 due to the closure of a former growing site Mells Walled Garden and the final year of National Lottery funding However year on year sales in the cafe continued to rise with income peaking in the summer months and providing essential cashflow to fund ongoing activity The cafes employment model combining a small core of paid staff with a team of supported volunteers enabled it to remain open 7 days a week from 8am to 5pm This model provided both stability for customers and structure for those participating in the work programme Volunteer contribution was valued at over 48000 for the year based on minimum wage equivalents This included routine shifts one to one peer support setup and clean down and event facilitation Ninety percent of volunteers and staff have a learning physical or mental health condition making the project highly inclusive by design The social return on investment SROI of Cultivating Community since it was established in 2019 was estimated at over 650000 based on a widely used model that links nature based and community activities to health and wellbeing improvements Environmental and Partnership Work Cultivating Community worked closely with local partners to support environmental aims including reducing food waste by using surplus ingredients from the Community Fridge The cafe also used compostable packaging prioritised local suppliers and supported sustainable travel A partnership with the charity We Hear You enabled the delivery of Why Grow a bereavement gardening group which ran monthly from a nearby garden site called Withywood This activity provided therapeutic benefit to those dealing with loss using gardening as a tool for healing and reflection The organisation also explored new opportunities for future partnership and site development including engagement with Frome Town Council and local landowners to identify potential growing spaces that could help replace the closed Mells nursery Challenges and Adaptations Seasonality continued to be a challenge for financial stability with winter months seeing lower trading income The company closed the cafe in late autumn to avoid losses and worked to build sufficient reserves for reopening in spring Staffing also remained a pressure with a high support need among volunteers requiring close supervision and difficulty recruiting to key roles Despite these challenges the organisation demonstrated strong adaptability and community resilience It continues to seek funding to support inclusive employment and is actively exploring new revenue streams such as outdoor events and venue hire Conclusion Cultivating Community CIC has delivered measurable and meaningful impact in the financial year through its inclusive and responsive model of social enterprise The cafe has become a trusted community asset and a vehicle for addressing social isolation supporting wellbeing and enabling access to work for those most often excluded The company remains committed to expanding its programmes and partnerships while building financial sustainability in the years ahead

Our stakeholders consist of: Frome Town Council: We hold 6monthly feedback meetings with FTC and provide our ac-counts and outcome report on an annual basis. This may include our local PCO’s on crime prevention Community groups: we have regular meetings with local community groups that we partner with particularly the three schools that we work with General public: we do an annual survey at the end of the season to get feedback Volunteers and Staff; We have both formal and informal mechanisms for staff and volunteers to provide feedback

Caroline Blake received £24314 in wages (net) as Director of Operations for the Cafe Samantha Evans received £7419.14 in wages (net) as Managing Director Merryn Preece received £775 as a freelance instructor for programmes run through the year

No transfer of assets other than for full consideration