Melton Learning Hub

The Melton Learning Hub

The Melton Learning Hub (The Hub) is an alternative learning centre, offering young people a variety of vocational qualifications in practical subjects. The joint objectives reflect our combined aims now we have merged with Voluntary Action Melton.Our main objectivesare :

(a)To act as a resource for young people up to the age of 25 living in Melton Borough and surrounding areas by providing advice and assistance and organising programmes of physical, educational and other activities as a means of

  • Advancing in life and helping young people by developing their skills, capacities and capabilities to enable them to participate in society as independent, mature and responsible individuals.
  • Advancing the education of young people
  • Relieving unemployment

(b)To help young people, especially but not exclusively, through leisure time activities, so as to develop their capabilities so that they may grow to full maturity as individuals and members of society.

(c)To promote social inclusion for the public benefit in Melton Borough and surrounding areas by preventing people from becoming socially excluded and assisting them to integrate into society.

(d)To develop the capacity and skills of people who are socially excluded in Melton Borough and surrounding areas in such a way that they are better able to identify, and help meet, their needs and to participate more fully in society.

Registered Office:

The Melton Learning Hub

Burton Road

Melton Mowbray

LE131DJ

Chairperson’s Introduction

The Melton Learning Hub has had a positive year with expanding services offered across all of its sites. This led to a year where the charity made a small profit. As a charity all of this money is re-invested into equipment and further services.

The Hub expanded the qualifications it offered with a variety of Progress 8 qualifications being introduced. Progress 8 is the new measure placed on schools by the Department of Education and it is important that as an alternative education provider we support our schools in any way we can. For the first time it meant some of our students had to enter exams and we are pleased to say all those entered into Animal Care BTEC ½ passed.

Voluntary Action Melton have maintained the services they deliver despite a cut in the grant given by the Leicestershire County Council. Through co-location of The Venue and Voluntary Action Melton Services we are able to create the efficiencies required to maintain the services we offer. The gardening scheme continued with over 80 people being supported in the last year. This work was only possible due to the support of our volunteers.

The Country Park café has seen the addition of a Dogwash sponsored by Mars in the community. The students from the Hub were involved in the construction and we like to think this contributed a little to Melton Mowbray being awarded most dog friendly town in the UK. The Summer fete held in July saw over 500 people attend with events from falconry to fun races and a football tournament. 90 free pack lunches were given out at the event. Many thanks to the Leicestershire Community Foundation who sponsored the event.

The Venue grew its services in the last year and also began running outreach trips to venues such as Planet Bounce. As we enter the final year of funding we will be calling upon all agencies to support a further lottery bid as we go forward.

My sincere thanks go to our dedicated Manager and staff team for their continued support of all the people who benefit from our services. I also wish to thank the Directors for their valued input to the Hub and support in an ever-changing third sector environment.

It would be wrong of me not to finish my introduction without thanking all of the organisations and charities who supported The Melton Learning Hub over the past year. The support we are given through funding is invaluable to improving all of our facilities.

Pam Posnett

Chair of board of Directors

Alternative Education

This year saw the commencement of a number of Progress 8 qualifications at the Hub. For the first time a range of BTEC qualifications was offered .We are pleased to work in partnership with East Leake Academy to support a group of learners to achieve a variety of vocational qualifications at this higher level. We hope that this development will lead to other schools supporting young people to follow their vocational aims.

We also entered our second year in supporting The Grange School Knossington on Thursdays and Fridays, The Hub offers a variety of vocational qualifications to their students preparing them well for college and future careers.

One of the biggest developments for the charity has been the link to Fareshare East Midlands. Fareshare is also a charity which take surplus food from supermarkets and distributes it to other charities to feed those in need.

Through the development of this link we can now offer free breakfast and hot lunches from The Hub.

Future Year

As the demand grows for Progress 8 qualifications it is anticipated that we will begin to offer a variety of qualifications from NCFE that meet the Department of Educationstandards for Progress 8. It is important in this climate of increased academic demands on children that we maintain the options suited to learners who find exams and the pressure of the National Curriculum challenging. To this end we intend to run a full variety of occupational studies qualifications as although they are not Progress 8 they engage and develop learner’s skills for future work. All of the courses we deliver arefrom our sites at The Hub on Burton Road Melton Mowbray; The Venue at Phoenix House and the Country Park Café. The Hub can be seen in more detail at:-

This year the Hub has been pleased to link with Fareshare and we now offer free breakfast and hot meals to all of our students.

The Venue also benefits from the link with Fareshare and as such we have been able to start Free Fridays where all those attending Friday sessions get a free hot meal.

Transport Scheme

The transport scheme has remained buoyant despite the reduction in funding this year. Over the past year the scheme has run 8482 Journeys. Due to the cuts in funding the scheme has had to implement its first price rise of 10%. This equated to a rise of between 40p (melton) to £3 (Leicester) on average for a customer’s journey. Despite the rise in prices overall journeys have remained constant. The scheme also finally had to replace the trusty Volvo this year. Having delivered over 200 thousand miles of journeys for the scheme it was finally replaced with a new wheelchair accessible people carrier.

The Venue

The Venue entered its second year of funding recovering from the flood. The site now looks fantastic and we have seen a steady rise in the membership for the youth sessions. The Thursday craft sessions remain exceptionally popular and we are now welcoming the established younger members progressing to older sessions.

The Venue team recognised the desire for young people to travel out of Melton and over the last year arranged a number of activities including go-carting, planet bounce and laser quest.

The kitchen ran a series of healthy eating workshops which proved to be oversubscribed each time they ran. It is plannedthat for the next academic year the sessions will continue in school holidays to support local families.

The centre now also supports a number of activities including:

  • LGBT Melton
  • Baby massage
  • Support group for parents who have children with learning difficulties
  • Above and Beyond
  • Melton Behaviour Partnership
  • Support group for Cancer survivors
  • Trips and Falls class
  • MENCAP

The increased use of the Venue will support our sustainability and also form the basis of our bid for future funding from The Big Lottery.

Student Data

We are aware that many providers will look to our Annual Report for information on students and how they have performed at the Hub. Below is some of this year’s key data.

Qualifications

LEARNERS ATTENDING THE HUB 2016-17

Total learners 86 Students

Male 72Female 14

QUALIFICATIONS ACHIEVED
NCFE Entry Level 1 in Creative Craft / 4
NCFE Entry Level 3 Rural Crafts in Creative Craft / 6
NCFE Level 1 Rural Crafts in Creative Craft / 4
NCFE Level 1 Award in Creative Craft using Beauty / 12
NCFE Level 2 Award in Creative Craft using Beauty / 5
NCFE Level 1 Award in Exercise Studies / 3
NCFE Entry Level 3 Award in Occupational Studies / 35
NCFE Level 1 Award in Occupational Studies (beauty, construction, cookery, horticulture) / 58
NCFE Level 2 Award in Occupational Studies / 5
NCFE Entry Level 2 Functional Skills in Maths / 3
NCFE Entry Level 3 Functional Skills in maths / 8
NCFE Level 1 functional Skills in Maths / 11
NCFE Level 2 functional Skills in Maths / 2
NCFE Entry Level 1 Functional Skills in English / 9
NCFE Entry Level 3 Functional Skills in English / 8
NCFE Award in Sexual Health Awareness / 1
NCFE Award in Substance Misuse Awareness / 1
NCFE Award in Alcohol awareness / 3
NCFE Level 1 Award in Employability Skills / 12
NCFE v-cert Level 1 Creative Craft
NCFE Level 1 Learning To Learn / 4
NCFE Level 1 Working with Children / 8
Total / 202
Please note that the number of qualifications has reduced as we have 22 students currently on a two year programme.

Trustee statement

The Melton Learning Hub is a company limited by guarantee governed by its memorandum and Articles of Association. It is a registered charity with the charity Commission.

Its main purpose is to promote charitable purposes for the benefit of the community and is contracted to act as a community hub providing a range of services directly to the community.

There were 10 trustees at the start of the financial year ( April 2016) each of whom agrees to contribute £10 in the event of the charity winding up.

The Melton Learning Hub Trust Board and Company Directors

Pam Posnett - Individual Member-Chairperson

Jane Horn- Individual Member

Keith Aubrey- Individual Member

Kate Theobald- Individual Member

David Cowell- Individual Member

Simon Proctor – Individual Member

Janet Mendham- Individual Member

Linda Moore – Individual Member

Steve Taylor – Individual Member

Diane Featherstone – Individual Member

Thank You to our Funders

The Melton Learning Hub is extremely grateful to the following funding bodies who have helped and supported its work through the year:

  • The Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation.
  • Transport Project- Leicestershire County Council
  • The Cloth workers Association
  • Sport England
  • All three Melton Rotary Clubs: The Melton Club, Aurora & Belvoir Clubs
  • Big Lottery
  • Ragdale
  • Your Shire Community Grant
  • Melton Borough Council
  • Leicester Fire and Rescue Service
  • Aston Vauxhall

Operational and Financial Statement

The Melton Learning Hub continues to operate a sound financial accounting system in accordance with its status as a charity (1139747)

Despite the ever challenging financial climate that charities are facing the charity remains in a sustainable position. The focus of the charities financial position is to reduce the requirement for external funding and to ensure that all areas of operation are self-sustaining.

A copy of our year end accounts will be published on our website.

Helen Simpson

Finance Manager

BankersHSBC Melton Mowbray

AuditorsOSBORNES TAX AND ADVISORY LIMITED

Harwood House

Park Road

Melton Mowbray

Leicestershire

Company Number = 07404469 Registered Charity Number = 1139747 Page | 1