Registered Charity No: 1074368
GREATER LONDON FORUM FOR OLDER PEOPLE
TRUSTEES REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
Greater London Forum for Older People Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 March 2025
Finance and administrative details
Status
The Greater London Forum for The Elderly was formed in January 1988 and registered with the Charity Commission on the 24[th] February 1999. The charity formally adopted the new name of The Greater London Forum for Older People in 2004.
Governing document
The constitution adopted on the 15[th] September 1998, amended on 23[rd] March 2001 and further amended 25[th] April 2003 and 30[th] September 2008 establishes the objects and governance of the organisation.
Trustees
| Chair: | Cliff Reynolds |
|---|---|
| Vice Chair: | Peter Denton |
| Vice Chair: |
John Ball |
| Treasurer: | Alok Agrawal |
| Secretary: | Beulah M East |
| Executive Committee | |
| Chelliah Lohendran | |
| Colin Lomas | |
| Fay Sandler | |
| Glenn Davies | |
| Gorman Collins | |
| Suresh Gupta | |
| Margaret Oymade | |
| James Cowling | |
| Asoke Dutta | |
| Registered Office | 277 Lansbury Drive, Hayes, Middlesex UB4 8RX |
| Charity Number | 1074368 |
| Bankers | Co-operative Bank plc, |
| Olympic House, | |
| 6 Olympic Court, | |
| Montford Street, | |
| Salford M5 2QP |
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Greater London Forum for Older People
Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31[st] March 2025
The Trustees present their report and the financial statement for the year ended 31 March 2025
The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the constitution and the Statement of Recommended Practice “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” issued in March 2005.
Objectives and aims
The Greater London Forum for Older People – also known as the GLF – is the umbrella group for older people’s forums across the 32 London Boroughs and the City of London, which was set up in 1988 as the voice of older people through civic engagement.
The objective as specified in the constitution is ‘The promotion of any charitable purpose for the benefit of elderly people in greater London’.
The GLF seeks to ensure that all older Londoners are heard in representations to decision makers, across all sexes, classes, religious groups, older people with disabilities, and the Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups.
The GLF seeks to provide support services to the Borough Forums through the organization of capacity building, training, conferences and seminars, campaigning and fundraising and the dissemination of best practices.
Mission Statement
To strengthen the voice of older Londoners to enable participation in the local decision making process through the support and facilitation of strong active local borough Forums.
Through partnerships, develop resources that will support the work of the forums and enable them to move towards a position of self-sufficiency
To co-ordinate the work of the Borough Forums and to develop London wide perspectives on policy and practice
To further reflect the diversity of London’s people and their differing needs and concerns
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Greater London Forum for Older People
Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31[st] March 2025______
Structure, Governance and Management
The charity is managed by a Board of Trustee and Executive Committee which is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the organization
The Executive Committee and the Trustees are all members of their local forums, or London wide organisations who are elected at the Annual General Meeting following their nomination. The experience and expertise of the candidates is set out in papers supplied with voting forms and made available before voting takes place. Most Trustees and members of the Executive Committee are already familiar with the practical work of the charity and the forums. New Members are provided with an individual induction depending on their needs
The committee met monthly where information on the financial status of the organization and details of all activities undertaken on behalf of the organization were provided. This included organizational policy and procedures and reviews of the organizational and financial risk. All financial procedures require authorization of all transactions.
Organizational Structure and Networks
The local borough Forums are run by older volunteers for older people and are composed of individuals and representatives of older people’s organizations and other bodies working with or for older people in each borough. All forums are independent grass root groups. The forums have their own Executive or Management Committee to plan activities and campaigns with the main focus on working with and representing the views of local older people to the various local authority departments, various parts of the NHS, MP’s, Councilors, statutory and voluntary providers. The borough Forum provides older people with an active voice in stating their needs and wishes for local services and decision-making processes and pan London strategic policy.
The Greater London Forum for Older People is a major player in the pan London network of organizations between the forums i.e. a range of strategic organizations. For example: Greater London Assembly, Age UK London, Kings College, Transport for London
The BAME is a pan London group providing a specific voice on strategic policy and issues of concern to black, ethnic and minority communities. The membership is drawn from the pan-London organizations and forums.
The Greater London Forum for Older People is working in partnership with Age UK London on campaigns and governance support.
Risk Management
The Executive Committee reviews the risks faced by the organization particularly relating to the sustainability of the organization at each meeting. There is also constant monitoring of the finances and operation by the Chair, Hon Secretary and Treasurer.
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Greater London Forum for Older People
Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 March 2025_______
. Key Risks and Future Focus
The main risks to the organisation remain securing and maintaining sustainable funding and increasing staffing capacity to meet the growing demands of forum development and BAME support.
The Trustees recognise that achieving long-term financial sustainability for the Greater London Forum (GLF) and its network of forums is essential. Efforts will focus on diversifying income, strengthening partnerships, and improving organisational resilience.
Delivery of Public Benefit
All GLF activities are guided by its Mission Statement and designed to deliver measurable public benefit. Older people shape the organisation’s priorities and work, ensuring their voices influence policies and services that affect them.
This inclusive approach promotes the mental and physical wellbeing of older people, fosters personal development, and builds confidence through active participation and collaboration with partner organisations. As an independent grassroots body, GLF keeps older people at the centre of all decision-making.
Principal Activities and Achievements
Trust for London – Stronger Communities Programme
The Trust for London grant runs from April 2022 to June 2025, and the Awards for All fund from 2024 to March 2026. The Outreach and Engagement Manager deliver this work on a 21-hour weekly basis.
During the year, 23 groups and forums , many from diverse ethnic communities, received tailored one-to-one support covering governance, risk management, sustainability planning, fundraising, and partnership development. Support also included engagement with local authorities, NHS structures, and Health & Wellbeing Boards.
Greater London Forum for Older People
Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 March 2025_______
GLF has been invited by the Mayor of London to join the Equalities, Diversity and Inclusive committee – Advisory Group to advice Mayor’s London Recovery Board on older peoples’ issues. At the advisory group GLF emphasises problems affecting among other older Londoners, Black, Asian and Minority groups.
GLF is a member of London Age Friendly Forum to work with other organisations to make London a fit place to live in an age friendly London.
The Chairs and Treasurers Network
The Chairs’ and Treasurers Network was established to support all forums across London by promoting peer learning, sharing good practice, and highlighting sources of advice and support. Each meeting is attended by an average of 20 forum representatives. Feedback has been consistently positive, with members valuing the opportunity to exchange experiences, discuss common challenges, and learn from each other’s approaches. The Network continues to strengthen collaboration and enhance the overall effectiveness of local forums.
Senior London Magazine
The Senior London Magazine continues to develop successfully and is distributed to the Forums, London MPs, Greater London Assembly members, Leaders of 32 London Boroughs, pan-London organisations.
The magazine acts as a focus for recruitment to the Forums and The Greater London Forum for Older People providing information on issues relevant to older people, people’s rights and campaigns.
The Senior London magazine has a readership of over 40,000 per year
Age Friendly Community
This project is led by the Executive Committee and Outreach Engagement Manager. The objective is to embark upon creating an environment that is inclusive and works for older people. The GLF works with the Greater London Assembly, the Centre for Better Aging, the London Age Friendly Forum and Age UK London.
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Greater London Forum for Older People
Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 March 2025________
The GLF Black, Asian and minority ethnic Sub Committee (BAME)
The BAME Sub Committee continue to develop under the direction of the Outreach and Engagement Manager. Supported by Trust for London and extended for a further three years, this work focuses on highlighting the needs of older BAME communities, promoting cultural understanding, and strengthening their collective voice across London.
The BAME Sub Committee , comprising 18 pan-London organisations , aims to advance strategic actions that amplify the voices of older people from BAME backgrounds. It encourages open discussion on barriers affecting these communities and promotes greater inclusion in decisionmaking.
Recent work has focused on campaigns addressing mental health and housing inequalities , contributing to the Mayor of London’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (2022) and NHS England initiatives to improve primary care and housing conditions. The Committee also supports awareness of financial assistance, such as Pension Credit , to help mitigate the impact of the cost-ofliving crisis.
Looking ahead, GLF plans to further strengthen the BAME Sub Committee . We will focus on developing a Transport group to identify key issues affecting older people’s mobility, promote safe and accessible travel, and engage in consultations to influence transport policy improvements across London.
General Activities of the GLF
As an umbrella organisation, the GLF ensures that local forums are included in consultations on policies that directly affect older people’s lives. The GLF continues to work closely with the Greater London Assembly and other key pan-London bodies to raise awareness of the issues impacting older Londoners.
To promote inclusive participation, all GLF events have been delivered via virtual platforms, with information shared both electronically and in printed form to ensure accessibility for all members.
The Greater London Forum for Older People has also supported and enabled local forums to organise their own consultation events, ensuring that older people’s voices are heard within their communities.
Active representation across a wide range of London networks has strengthened GLF’s visibility and influence, reinforcing its role as a central hub connecting forums, partner organisations, and both statutory and voluntary sectors to the grassroots voice of older people.
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Greater London Forum for Older People
Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 March 2025
Review of work undertaken
The Greater London Forum for Older People’s greatest asset is the fact that it is very much a grass root organisation, a bottom up organisation where to date the forums have determined the work of the organisation. As the number of pure grass root organisations is shrinking it is felt that it is very important to continue this specific ethos especially as it is felt that larger organisations do not always reflect the grass root view. Analysis has also shown that the Greater London Forum for Older People is a trusted organisations and its wide range of diverse activities was noted. The main weaknesses remains the lack of core funding, lack of staff resources such as Forum Officers, Administrator and Outreach Workers.
The Way Forward
The Greater London Forum for Older People will continue to link together the voices of older Londoners from all the London boroughs providing a co-ordinated London voice and ensure forums are at the centre of our work through providing support and expertise. There is a need to build on our strengths and to continue to apply for core funding.
Financial Assessment and Review
The financial statements are presented in the standard format required by The Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2005 and the Charity Statements of Recommended Practice 2005
Regular assessments and reviews were undertaken throughout the year to monitor the accounts
Income Resources
The total income for the year was £32,390.00
Source of income include designated funding,
Resources Expended
The total expenditure for the year was £ £36,712.00
Statement of Trustees responsibilities
The Trustees are responsible for preparing the annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.
The law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the surplus or deficit of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
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Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently
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Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent Page 8
Greater London Forum for Older People
Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 March 2025__ _______
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State whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice
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° have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the State whether applicable accounting standardsand statements of recommended practice financial statements have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the
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• Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to financial statements s presume that the charity will continue in business. Prepare the financial statements on the going concem basis unless if is inappropriate to
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable
accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial The trustees cre responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable
statements comply with the Charities Act 1993. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial
of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and statements comply with the Charities Act 1993. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets other irregularities. of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and
STATEMENT OF DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION TO AUDITORS
The Trustees of the Charity confirm that:
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The Trustees As far as they are aware, there is no relevant information (information needed by the charity’s of the Charity confirm that:
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auditors in connection with preparing their report) of which the charity’s auditors are unaware, As far as they are aware, there is no relevant information (information needed by the charity's and they have taken all the steps that they ought to have taken as trustees in order to make auditors in connection with preparing their repert) of which the charity's auditors are unaware, themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the charity’s auditors and they have taken all the steps that they oughi to have taken as trustees in order to make are aware of that information. themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the charity's auditers
This report was approved by the Trustees on 12[th] December 2025 and was signed on its behalf by:
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Beulah M. East
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Hon Secretary Beulah M. East Hon Secretary
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Greater London Forum for Older People
Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 March 2024____
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
Accounts completed by Alok Agrawal, GLF Treasurer
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GREATER LONDON FORUM FOR OLDER PEOPLE
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the year ended 31 March 2025
1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES
A summary of the principal accounting policies, all of which have been applied consistently throughout the year and with the preceding year, is set out below.
1.1 Basis of preparation of financial statements
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with Statement of Recommended Practice “Accounting and Reporting by Charities”, published in 2005 and with applicable accounting standards.
1.2 Restricted funds
Restricted funds are to be used for specified purposes as laid down by the donor. Expenditure which meets these criteria is identified to the fund, together with a fair allocation of overheads and support costs.
1.3 Unrestricted funds
Unrestricted funds are donations and other incoming resources received or generated for the charity’s purposes.
1.4 Incoming Resources
Total incoming resources as shown in the Statement of Financial Activities represents the value of fees, grants and donations receivable in the ordinary course of activities. It includes the total amount of any capital grants receivable in the year.
Voluntary income received by way of donations and gifts to the charity is included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities when received. Intangible income, such as donations in kind, is not included unless it represents goods or services which would otherwise have been purchased.
1.5 Staff costs and overheads
Staff costs and overhead expenses are allocated to activities on the basis of time spent on those activities.
1.6 Deferred grants
Grants of a revenue nature are credited to incoming resources in the period in which they are receivable. Grants received in advance for specific future periods are carried forward as deferred income.
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GLF is funded by: Trust for London Tackling poverty and inequality . COMMUNITY FUND