REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1083575
Report of the Trustees and Receipts and Payments Accounts for the Year Ended 31st October 2024 for Congleton Communicare
Congleton Communicare Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 October 2024
The trustees present their report with the receipts and payments accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 October 2024.
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES Objectives and aims
The relief of persons who are registered with a Medical Practice based in Congleton who are in need by reason of their age, infirmity, or disability, by the provision of a transport service for medical reasons and where the use of public transport would not be a realistic option.
Public benefit
The trustees have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit including the guidance ‘public benefit: running a charity (PB2)’
ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE
The purpose of the Charity is as stated above and operates in the following way. There is a specific telephone number (01260 270883) and persons requiring our assistance phone this number which will then be answered and acted upon by a Co-ordinator who will then ring around until they have found a driver who is both available at that time and is willing to undertake the journey.
There are currently 6 Co-ordinators (recently 2 more have been recruited and are in training) who take it in turns on a weekly basis to respond to such requests. Each Co-ordinator will be on duty Monday to Friday between 10am and 5pm for that week. For this reason they receive a small honorarium to reflect the commitment this involves.
The number of drivers is usually between 40 and 45 most of who are of retirement age. Experience has shown that our resources do not enable us to handle more than about 12 jobs a day although every effort is made to ensure that all reasonable requests are made and if drivers are available then the 12 job limit can be and is exceeded.
Journeys are not confined to the Congleton area but cover North Staffordshire, the Greater Manchester area and beyond. Drivers are encouraged to accompany their clients as much as possible and to wait until the client is ready to return home. However if this is likely to involve a wait of more than 2-3 hours then the drivers can to go home and return later. Drivers are recompensed for the use of their car and the rate for this is 45p per mile. This year the Committee reviewed the Charity Commission’s guidance on making a one-off additional payment to our volunteer drivers. Our Constitution was checked and it was agreed that we would pay an extra 10p per mile that drivers had completed during the second 6 months of the 2023-2024 financial year. This was paid out of the 2023-24 financial year accounts in November 2024. This was due to the increase in fuel costs amid concerns that we could lose even more drivers than we already had since the Covid19 epidemic. Drivers are also recompensed for light refreshments and any parking charges incurred. They give their time freely.
Drivers are recruited as far as possible by recommendations from an existing driver or Trustee. We do not consider it necessary to insist that potential drivers have a DBS check but before appointment each driver is taken out for a short drive accompanied by a very experienced driving instructor who also checks driver’s license, insurance etc. The same person also checks these documents annually at the AGM.
The service we offer is much appreciated by our clients some of whom have been with us for many years. We make no charge for our services but encourage donations. These are given freely and the donor receives an official receipt.
In the year ended 31[st] October 2024, the number of completed journeys was 2,468 and the total distance covered was 64,423 miles, of which some 20,916 miles (32.5%) were ones for which assistance from the NHS was received. The level of satisfaction expressed by our clients is extremely high. We make no attempt to quantify this but it will approach 100%.
Congleton Communicare Report of the Trustees
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For the Year ended 31 October 2024
We obtain some financial assistance from the NHS. This is confined to journeys in the Greater Manchester area and beyond. It is currently at a rate of 35p per mile and is carefully scrutinised by the NHS Trust before payment is authorised. Without this support it would not be possible to undertake many of the longer journeys. We also receive donations from private individual donors, churches, and other bodies. These fluctuate markedly from year to year.
Congleton Communicare is appropriately insured via Clear Insurance Management with a Charity Assured Choice provided by Aviva.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Reserves Policy
The Charity has no physical assets and is not therefore necessary to allow for any expected replacements. However, the income, which we receive from the NHS, is vital. We have a written 1 year contract with them which is reviewed annually, the current one expires on 31[st] March 2025. We have no reason to believe that this financial support might be withdrawn at short notice or an unexpected delay in our payment occur; however, we consider it essential that sufficient monies are readily accessible to enable us to continue to offer our present level of service whilst alternative financial arrangements can be made. We consider that this would take in excess of 12 months.
There is currently no reason to believe that the Charity cannot continue as a going concern at least for the foreseeable future. As indicated above this might involve some curtailment of longer journeys.
On 31 October 2024 the charity held reserves of £52,839.61 (£48,741.50 on 31 October 2023)
STRUCTURE, GOVERANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Governing document
The charity is an unincorporated association registered with the Charity Commission; Constitution adopted 12 November 1984 amended 5 September 2000.
Appointment of Trustees
The Trustees are made up of Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Co-ordinators. In addition a number of the more experienced drivers serve. There is no limit as to how long a Trustee may serve but all have to stand for re-election at the AGM. We are very conscious that there are no deputies for the positions of the three key officers but in common with many other voluntary bodies we find it difficult to replace such officers.
Congleton Communicare Report of the Trustees For the Year ended 31 October 2024
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REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRAVIVE DETAILS Registered Charity Number 1083575
Principal Address
1 Holmes Chapel Road Congleton Cheshire CW12 4NE
Trustees
| Mrs Janet Eaton | Chair |
|---|---|
| Mrs Gillian Walshaw | Trustee |
| Mr Ray Booth | Trustee |
| Mrs Janet Whitewright | Trustee |
| Mr Michael Tingle | Trustee |
| Mrs Rita Pennington | Trustee |
| Mrs Mary Turner | Trustee |
| Mrs Betty Alvarez | Trustee |
| Mrs Ruth Garner | Trustee |
| Mrs Dianne Sinclair | Trustee |
| Mrs Pauline Armitt | Trustee |
Bankers
The Royal Bank of Scotland (Congleton Branch closed – physical business conducted via NatWest Bank) 46 High Street Congleton Cheshire CW12 1BE
Independent Examiner
Hammond McNulty LLP Bank House Market Square Congleton Cheshire CW12 1ET
Approved by order of the board of Trustees on 10[th] February 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
…………………………………………………………… Mrs Janet Eaton – Chair
Independent Examiners Report to the Trustees of Congleton Communicare
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Independent examiners report to the Trustees of Congleton Communicare
I report to the charity Trustees on my examination of the accounts of Congleton Communicare (the Trust) for the year ended 31 October 2024.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the Charity Trustees of the charity, you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examinations of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examinations I have followed all applicable directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiners statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
-
Accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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The accounts do not accord with those records; or
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The accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Amanda Grint FCCA, FMAAT Hammond McNulty LLP Bank House Market Square Congleton Cheshire CW12 1ET
10[th] February 2025
Congleton Communicare Charity No 1083575 Statement of Receipts and Payments for the year ended 31st October 2024
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RECEIPTS
| Clients Donations Other Donations East Cheshire NHS Trust etc. Interest AGM TOTAL Travel Expenses Parking Refreshments Telephone Postage Printing and Stationery Honoraria Insurance Idependent Examiner fees Other AGM TOTAL NET SURPLUS |
PAYMENTS | 2023/24 £ Unrestricte d Funds 34,135 .16 215 .95 7,320 .60 412 .33 57 .00 42,141. 04 28,990 .53 61 .30 1,026 .77 512 .32 12 .80 204 .79 1,275 .00 288 .85 300 .00 4,673 .99 696 .58 38,042. 93 4,098. 11 |
2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | ||||
| Unrestricted | ||||
| Funds | ||||
| 32,411. 35 |
||||
| 611. 54 |
||||
| 8,734. 25 |
||||
| 246. 33 |
||||
| 53. 00 |
||||
| 42,056.4 7 |
||||
| 27,661. 27 |
||||
| 96. 44 |
||||
| 959. 57 |
||||
| 672. 41 |
||||
| 12. 94 |
||||
| 247. 20 |
||||
| 1,275. 00 |
||||
| 252. 02 |
||||
| 240. 00 |
||||
| 3,880. 74 |
||||
| 408. 25 |
||||
| 35,705.8 4 |
||||
| 6,350.6 3 |
Congleton Communicare
Charity No 1083575 Statement of Assets and Liabilities
31st October 2024
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| Balance brought forward Surplus for the year TOTAL FUNDS Cash/Cheques in Hand RBS Leek United B.S. NHS delayed receipts CURRENT ASSETS |
ASSETS | 31/10/2024 £ Unrestricted Funds 48,741. 50 4,098. 11 52,839.6 1 1,452. 07 13,468. 73 35,039. 01 2,879. 80 52,839.6 1 |
31/10/2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | ||||
| Unrestricted | ||||
| Funds | ||||
| 42,390. 87 |
||||
| 6,350. 63 |
||||
| 48,741.5 0 |
||||
| 665. 86 |
||||
| 32,596. 19 |
||||
| 15,479. 45 |
||||
| - | ||||
| 48,741.5 0 |
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