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← Volunteering Bradford

2025-03-31-accounts

Charity Registration No. 1085218 Company Registration No. 4133566 (England and Wales)

VOLUNTEERING BRADFORD

DIRECTORS’ REPORT AND UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

VOLUNTEERING BRADFORD LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Directors Amit Bhagwat
Jef Thompson
Rowena Herbert
David Forrest
Marlene Funk (appointed 26 August 2025)
Priya Madina (appointed 10 September 2025)
Company Secretary Stephen Blackman
Charity number 1085218
Company number 4133566
Registered office Belmont Business Centre
7 Burnett Street
Bradford
West Yorkshire
BD1 5BJ
Independent examiner Kevin J Meddings MAAT
Kevin Meddings Accountancy Services
55 Crowther Avenue
Calverley
Leeds
West Yorkshire
LS28 5SA
Bankers Unity Trust Bank
Nine Brindley place
Birmingham
B1 2HB

VOLUNTEERING BRADFORD CONTENTS

Page
Directors’ report 1 – 4
Independent examiners’ report 5
Statement of financial activities 6
Balance sheet 7
Statement of cashflows 8
Notes to the accounts 9 – 13

VOLUNTEERING BRADFORD DIRECTORS’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

The directors present their report and accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025.

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the accounts and comply with the charity’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Act 2011.

Structure, governance and management

The company is a company limited by guarantee and was registered as a charity on 1 April 2001.

The directors who served during the year were:-

Amit Bhagwat Jef Thompson Rowena Herbert Habad Mahmood Khan (resigned 10 October 2025) David Forrest

None of the directors has any beneficial interest in the company. All of the directors are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up.

The directors have examined the major strategic business and operational risks which the charity faces and confirm that systems have been established to enable regular reports to be produced so that the necessary steps can be taken to lessen these risks.

Recruitment and appointment of trustees

The directors of the company are also charity trustees for the purpose of charity law. They are responsible for the overall governance of the organisation, for determining policy and ensuring that policy is implemented by its staff and volunteers.

The Board is made up of between 3 and 14 members for a term of three years. They can be reappointed at the end of the term. The skills mix and needs of the Board are kept under review on an annual cycle and the cycle of board appointments is run with due regard to these needs. Board members may claim reasonable expenses incurred in attending meetings and carrying out duties but receive no remuneration. The Board usually includes three designated honorary officers – Chair, Deputy Chair and Treasurer. The charity makes every effort to identify its trustees, including these honorary officers, through a skills/merit based open process.

Objectives and activities

The charity’s objects are “to promote voluntary work and to advance the education of the volunteers by providing advice, information and assistance where appropriate”, and its activities include:-

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VOLUNTEERING BRADFORD DIRECTORS’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Our work is primarily carried out in Bradford & District. The charity name is Volunteering Bradford; our operational name is Inclusive Volunteering Service.

In setting our objectives and planning our activities the trustees have given serious consideration to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit and in particular the advancement of health, well-being, education and citizenship.

Achievements and performance

Since April 2022 due to a change in funding arrangements we have been developing a new service focussing on providing bespoke support to communities that may face barriers to accessing volunteering.

Trustees made a planned strategic decision to invest some reserves in the development of a new inclusive volunteering programme. The planned investment of reserves enables the co-production of the new programmes, testing new, and innovative delivery models. It also enables the development of existing and new stakeholder relationships and the development/trialling of robust outcome/impact measurement tools and mechanisms.

The strategic service review with external and internal stakeholders was complemented by a more targeted income generation strategy. This was successful in achieving new sources of funding. We are grateful to Bradford Council for recommissioning the thriving and successful Me&U Café Day service via its Local Community Support Grant.

The Board took a strategic decision to invest reserves, retaining a minimum of six months reserves, to support the co-produced strategic review. This strategic investment enhanced our income generation strategy and has proved extremely successful. We were successful in receiving £335,978 (over 3 years, starting 1[st] October 2024) from the National Lottery – Reaching Communities Fund for our new Inclusive Volunteering Service. We also received £4,088 (for 1 year) from Awards for All to support delivery of our Link Up Letters from 1[st] June 2024. This secures the future of the organisation for the immediate future and also provides us with leverage to access additional funding.

We are committed to future investment in co-producing the Inclusive Volunteering Service, enhanced staff and volunteering training and improving our digital services and marketing. Our new ‘Inclusive Volunteering Service’ support adults with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) to access volunteer opportunities via a tailored support package. This support includes but is not limited to provision of trained volunteer support assistant; pre-volunteer training; completion of application forms; arranging taster sessions; support with interviews; assistance with travel arrangements; on-going support as required; developing bespoke volunteer roles.

We have sought to adapt our service to offer targeted support at host organisations to individuals who experience barriers to volunteering. This includes but is not limited to: adults in recovery from mental ill health; adults with learning/physical disabilities; neurodiverse adults; refugees/asylum seekers.

To recruit volunteers the Inclusive Volunteering Service uses several methods including our digital platform https://volunteerbradforddistrict.org.uk, face to face appointments at our main office and at outreach /appointments at both local psychiatric units; presentations and workshops for students with SEND. We now offer home visits at client request. We transform lives by supporting people into volunteering roles.

2

VOLUNTEERING BRADFORD DIRECTORS’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Our new service provides bespoke support according to need. This could include but is not limited to:

In order to facilitate the development of this new service we have recruited 2 new staff members; launched a new website; launched new brand/logo; developed an impact/evaluation process which enables us to track the journey of the volunteers we support. We have recruited and trained a team of volunteer support assistants who are able to provide one-to-one support to the volunteers we work with.

We have moved into direct delivery of services: we provide weekly ESOL classes (delivered by volunteers) for groups of asylum seekers who are looking to volunteer; we have recruited and trained a team of volunteer interpreters who support our engagement with clients whose first language is not English. We have recruited and trained a team of volunteer support assistants who provide one-to-one support to the clients we support. We provide a day service for adults with SEND and/or who are neuro diverse. This takes the form of a creative café space where clients can socialise safely and develop communication skills. This is funded for 2 years via Bradford Metropolitan District Council, Adult, Health & Social Care.

We continue to deliver our letter-based befriending service for residents of local care homes. This has been funded via Awards for All for the past financial year. This project began during the first ‘lock-down’ and provides an invaluable connection to the wider world for socially isolated people. Currently supported by 42 volunteer letter writers who produce over 200 letters every year.

We continue to champion inclusion and promoters of diversity. We have included protected characteristics, including SEND and/or neurodiversity and physical disabilities among our staff and board members. In May 2017 we also became a “Disability Confident Employer”. We renew this commitment annually.

Financial Review

In this financial year the organisation recoded a deficit due to a reduction in funding and planned spending of reserves to support the development of our new service. Total reserves of the organisation on 31 March 2025 amounted to £44,010. Of this £1,195 relates to restricted projects and is committed to be spent in the 2025/26 financial year, the remaining £42,815 is unrestricted and can be spent on any charitable aspect of the service.

Reserves Policy

Our reserves policy remains at maintaining at least a minimum of three months running costs. Which given the expected and continued cuts in public funding is considered by the directors to be prudent.

Public Benefit

We are developing our services to offer appointments for the marginalised communities that are our target audience. During 2024/25 we supported 171 adults with SEND to access volunteer opportunities.

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VOLUNTEERING BRADFORD DIRECTORS’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Plans for the future

The Board of Volunteering Bradford are committed to providing an innovative responsive service that is impactful and utilises its reserves effectively. The Board have developed a business plan and strategy which will support the development of the service going forward.

This will include:

Statement of Trustees Responsibilities

The directors of Volunteering Bradford are responsible for preparing the Directors’ Annual report and accounts in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the directors to prepare accounts for each financial year. Under company law the directors must not approve the accounts unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these accounts the directors are required to:-

The directors are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information included on the charity’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and disseminator of accounts may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

The directors are responsible for maintaining proper accounting records which disclose at any time the financial position of the charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the accounts comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

On behalf of the board of directors

Jef Thompson Director Dated: 3 December 2025

4

VOLUNTEERING BRADFORD INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE DIRECTORS OF VOLUNTEERING BRADFORD

I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025, which are set out on pages 6 to 13.

Respective responsibilities of Directors and Examiner

The directors, who also act as trustees for the charitable activities of Volunteering Bradford are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The directors consider that an audit is not required for this year under Section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011, (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination it is my responsibility to:

Basis of Independent Examiner’s report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a “true and fair view” and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent Examiner’s statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

Kevin J Meddings MAAT

Kevin Meddings Accountancy Services 55 Crowther Avenue Calverley Leeds West Yorkshire LS28 5SA

Dated: 3 December 2025

5

VOLUNTEERING BRADFORD STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
Notes
£
£
Income
Incoming resources from
charitable activities
2
867
62,546
Total income
867
62,546
Expenditure
Charitable activities
3
33,590
61,351
Total expenditure
33,590
61,351
Net (expenditure)/income
for the year/Net movement
in funds
(32,723)
1,195

Total funds brought forward
75,538
-
Total funds carried forward
42,815
1,195		 Total
2025
£
63,413

63,413

94,941

94,941

(31,528)
75,538

44,010		 Total
2024
£
10,989
10,989
89,576
89,576
(78,587)
154,125
75,538

The statement of financial activities also complies with the requirements for an income and expenditure account under the Companies Act 2006.

6

VOLUNTEERING BRADFORD BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2025

Unrestricted Restricted 2025 2024
Funds Funds Total funds Total funds
Notes £ £ £ £
Fixed Assets
Tangible assets 6 241 - 241
 321
Current Assets
Debtors 7 1,536 - 1,536 1,525
Cash at bank and in hand 42,025 1,195 43,220
 74,500
Total Current Assets 43,561 1,195 44,756
 76,025
Total Assets 43,802 1,195 44,997 76,346
Creditors: Amounts Falling
Due Within One Year 8 (987) - (987)
 (808)
Total Assets less Current
Liabilities 42,815 1,195 44,010
 75,538
The funds of the Charity
Unrestricted funds 42,815 - 42,815 75,538
Restricted funds 10 - 1,196 1,195
 -
Total Charity Funds 42,815 1,195 44,010 75,538

The company is entitled to the exemption from the audit requirement contained in section 477 of the Companies Act 2006, for the year ended 31 March 2025. No member of the company has deposited a notice, pursuant to section 476, requiring an audit of those accounts.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for ensuring that the company keeps accounting records which comply with section 386 of the Act and for preparing accounts which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company as at the end of the financial year and of its incoming resources and application of resources , including its income and expenditure, for the financial year in accordance with the requirements of section 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to accounts, so far as applicable to the company.

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to small companies regime.

The accounts were approved by the Board on 3 December 2025

Jef Thompson Director

Company Registration No. 4133566

7

VOLUNTEERING BRADFORD STATEMENT OF CASHFLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Notes
Net cash (used) in operating activities
11
Cash equivalents at the beginning of the year
Total cash equivalents at the end of the year		 2025
£
(31,280)
74,500
43,220		 2024
£
(79,961)
154,461
74,500

8

VOLUNTEERING BRADFORD NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

1. Accounting policies

1.1 Basis of preparation

The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

The accounts are prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities; Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) published on 16 July 2014, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006 and UK Generally Accepted Practice as it applies from 1 January 2015.

The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS102.

Having considered future planned activities and the reserves available to the charity, the trustees are satisfied that the financial statements should continue to be prepared on the going concern basis.

1.2 Incoming resources

Core funding grants are credited to the income and expenditure account as and when receivable.

Revenue grants for specific projects are credited to the income and expenditure account as and when receivable and unspent amounts are carried forward as part of the restricted funds in the balance sheet. Income may be deferred if it is received in advance of the period to which it relates.

Donations and other income are credited to the income and expenditure account as and when receivable.

1.3 Resources expended

Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be recovered and is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates.

Charitable expenditure comprises, those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for beneficiaries. These include those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity.

All costs are allocated between the expenditure categories on the Statement of Financial Activities on a basis designed to reflect the use of the resource.

1.4 Tangible fixed assets and depreciation

Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less depreciation. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost less estimated residual value of each asset over its expected useful life, as follows:

Office equipment 25% reducing balance Fixtures and fittings 25% reducing balance

It is the policy of the charity to only capitalise individual items costing £1,000 or more.

1.5 Accumulated funds

Restricted funds subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. The purposes and use of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the accounts. Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objects at the discretion of the trustees.

1.6 Pensions

The pension costs charged in the accounts represents contributions payable by the company.

9

VOLUNTEERING BRADFORD NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

2. Incoming resources from charitable activities

Bradford MDC – Local Community Support Grant
National Lottery Community Fund Grant
Awards For All – Link Up Letters Grant
Locals Community Partnerships C.I.C. - Link up Letters Grant
Bradford Hate Crime Partnership - Refugee Week Grant
Training
Other income		 2025
£
9,492
48,966
4,088
-
190
457
220
63,413		 2024
£
8,883
-
-
1,499
200
280
127
10,989

3. Charitable activities

Salaries
Recruitment costs
Payroll charges
Pension costs
Insurances
Repairs and equipment
Rent and services
Removal costs
Training costs
Travelling costs
Telephones, mobiles and related systems
Promotional/advertising costs
Postage and stationery
Miscellaneous
Independent examination fees
Management committee expenses
Legal and professional fees
Depreciation – office equipment
Activities
Events/recognition
Volunteer expenses
Staff DBS costs
Subscriptions and memberships
Bank charges
 2025
£
73,909
113
518
3,049
750
3
5,114
-
210
322
2,103
45
1,367
114
735
384
47
80
2,131
496
2,905
138
337
71
94,941		 2024
£
69,194
-
472
3,213
677
1,417
5,952
330
230
339
1,186
-
1,035
289
650
292
84
107
1,941
145
1,591
-
360
72
89,576

10

VOLUNTEERING BRADFORD NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

4. Directors

None of the directors (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration during the year (2024 £nil). Payments made in respect of expenses incurred by or on behalf of the directors amounted to £ 332 (2024 - £276).

We can confirm that there are no related party transactions that require disclosure in the accounts (2024: none).

5. Employees

Number of employees

The average number of employees during the year was:

Number of employees
The average number of employees during the year was:
Staff
Employment costs
Wages and salaries
Other pension costs

 2025
6
2025
£
73,909
3,049
76,958		 2024
5
2024
£
69,194
3,213
72,407

There were no employees whose annual emoluments were £60,000 or more.

11

VOLUNTEERING BRADFORD NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

6.
Tangible fixed assets
Office
equipment
£
Cost
At 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025
40,395
Depreciation
At 1 April 2024
40,074
Charge for the year
80
At 31 March 2025
40,154
Net Book Value
At 31 March 2025
241
At 31 March 2024
321
7.
Debtors
2025
£
Prepayments
1,536

8.
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
2025
£
Trade creditors
735
Deferred income
252
987
9.
Pension and other post-retirement benefit commitments
2025
£
Defined contribution
Contributions payable by the company for the year
3,049		 Total
£
40,395
40,074
80
40,154
241
321
2024
£
1,525
2024
£
808
-
808
2024
£
3,213

At the end of the financial year 4 employees were in the scheme (2024: 4).

12

VOLUNTEERING BRADFORD NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

10. Restricted Funds

Restricted Funds
Movement in Funds
Balance at Income Resources Balance at
1 April 2024 Resources Expended 31 March 2025
£ £ £ £
Bradford MDC – Local
Community Support Grant - 9,492 (9,492) -
National Lottery Community
Fund - 48,966 (48,815) 151
Awards For All – Link Up
Letters Grant - 4,088 (3,044)
 1,044
- 62,546 (61,351) 1,195

11. Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cashflow from operating activities

2025 2024
£ £
Net movement in funds (31,528) (78,587)
Add back depreciation charge 80 107
(Increase) in debtors (11) -
Increase/(decrease) in creditors 179
 (1,481)
Net cash (used) in operating activities (31,280)
 (79,961)

13