2025-03-31-accounts

REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: 04300967 (England and Wales) REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1090253

Report of the Trustees and

Financial Statements

for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

for

Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service)

Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service)

Contents of the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

	Page
Report of the Trustees	1 to 18
Report of the Independent Auditors	19 to 22
Statement of Financial Activities	23
Balance Sheet	24
Cash Flow Statement	25
Notes to the Cash Flow Statement	26
Notes to the Financial Statements	27 to 42

Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

The trustees are pleased to present their annual directors’ report together with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31st March 2025 to meet the requirements for a directors’ report for Companies Act purposes.

The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statements of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).

OUR PURPOSE AND ACTIVITIES

The Objects of the Charity as set out in the Company Memorandum of Association are:

• To promote any charitable purposes for the benefit of the community in the local government district of Thurrock and its neighbourhood, including the Thames Gateway and South Essex and, in particular, the advancement of education, the protection of health and the relief of poverty, distress and sickness.

• To promote and organise co-operation in the achievement of the above purposes and to that end to bring together in council representatives of the voluntary organisations and statutory authorities within the area of benefit.

The role and contribution of volunteers

Volunteers are central to Thurrock CVS. We could not deliver our aims without their commitment and support across all areas of the charity – from welcoming visitors at reception, providing administrative help and maintaining the garden, to serving as Board members and supporting projects.

In the past year, volunteers gave over 3,191 hours of their time. This is equivalent to around £46,046.13 in financial value. Yet their contribution goes far beyond money: volunteers bring skills, energy, and community insight that strengthen everything we do.

We are hugely grateful to every volunteer for the difference they make.

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

A Year of Significant Progress

The year 2024/25 has been a positive year for Thurrock CVS, characterised by steady growth and meaningful community impact. We are pleased to report that the organisation has met or exceeded its major objectives while strengthening foundations for future sustainability.

Financial Stability and Growth

Our focus on financial resilience has produced strong results. This was achieved through successful grant applications including the national energy efficiency grant, Freeport Community Leadership Network, Stronger Together Network Funding, Multiply training courses, and Place Expansion Partnership funding. Our management accounts continue to provide a solid foundation for organisational decision-making.

Service Recognition and Sector Support

In January 2025, we achieved national accreditation for our volunteer centre, confirming that our service meets national best practice standards. Between April 2024 and March 2025, our volunteer centre handled 1,129 volunteering enquiries, resulting in 169 volunteer placements across 39 different organisations. Our infrastructure support has grown steadily, with membership increasing from 160 to 274 organisations. We secured a two-year grant with an increase in contract value, allowing us to expand our support offer to the sector.

Community Investment

The Thurrock Community Fund (TCF) distributed circa £150,000 in grants to our members through three programmes: Thurrock Connect, Microgrants, and the Resilience Programme. The TCF Resilience Programme has provided valuable insights for future co-design and peer support work, supporting five organisations through their development.

Our involvement in the Stronger Together Partnership has included organising conferences and workshops to help the sector progress projects focused on financial resilience, network building, and fostering business connections.

Organisational Development

We have continued to develop flexible working practices, implementing working from home options, condensed hours where appropriate, establishing a staff forum, creating dedicated staff spaces, and organising wellbeing sessions and away days. Our staff survey indicates that TCVS is regarded as a supportive workplace with clear purpose, while also highlighting areas for continued improvement, particularly around capacity and workload management.

The Beehive Resource Centre

The Beehive Resource Centre reached break-even in 2024/25 following several years of deficit. With offices fully occupied, we maintained good tenant satisfaction levels, with survey results showing positive feedback from users. Key improvements included air conditioning installation, Wi-Fi enhancement, LED lighting, and updated health and safety procedures.

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Community Engagement and Leadership

This year we have played a leadership role in a number of key partnerships and alliances, working collaboratively to address the issues that matter most to our communities. We have supported initiatives tackling digital exclusion, strengthened food security through the Purfleet Pantry, and promoted community cohesion by leading on local Big Lunches. Our partnerships have also focused on reducing the impact of fuel poverty and the cost of living crisis, while improving health and wellbeing by encouraging activity and exercise. Through these collective efforts, we continue to champion practical, community-led solutions that make a tangible difference to people’s lives.

Governance and Representation

We have strengthened our Board with three new appointments, achieving much stronger representation from our membership while increasing diversity. Our last AGM was more member-focused than in previous years, and we have streamlined Board papers and agendas to facilitate better discussion and strategic direction-setting.

Health and Social Care Services

Our health and social care projects continue to deliver valuable services. Healthwatch has produced several reports on NHS engagement, Discharge, Safeguarding, and Dementia, which have been well-received. The By Your Side service secured additional funding for 2025/26 to expand into hospital settings, reflecting its positive impact on the Thurrock community.

Looking Forward

This review demonstrates that we have met our main KPIs and operational plan objectives for the year. Our approach to developing annual operating plans and budgets continues to provide clear organisational direction. We recognise the need to address capacity challenges and staff retention to ensure sustainable delivery of our services.

As we move into 2025/26, we do so from a stable position, with improved finances, national accreditation, expanded membership, and clear strategic direction.

Our Strategic Direction 2024-28: Building on Strong Foundations

During this year, we developed our new four-year strategy through careful consultation with our members, partners, and the communities we serve. This process helped us understand both the opportunities and challenges facing Thurrock's VCFSE sector.

Our conversations revealed important considerations for the sector's future. We learned that two-thirds of local organisations operate with incomes under £30,000, highlighting the need for sustainable funding approaches for grassroots organisations. Partners identified volunteer recruitment as an area requiring attention, particularly in engaging younger generations. The current financial environment presents challenges that many organisations are navigating thoughtfully.

We also identified significant sector strengths. Thurrock's VCFSE sector generates over £23 million in combined income and contributes approximately 500,000 volunteer hours annually. There is a strong entrepreneurial spirit evident in emerging social enterprises, supported by established community relationships and shared commitment to place.

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Building on this foundation, we have developed six strategic ambitions for the coming four years:

Leadership and Advocacy focuses on strengthening the sector's voice through our Stronger Together Partnership, working to improve relationships and processes with statutory partners.

Partnership and Collaboration aims to enhance connections across the sector, developing supportive networks and exploring new technologies to facilitate better communication.

Supporting Volunteering seeks to expand volunteering opportunities throughout Thurrock, with plans to pursue national accreditation to ensure quality standards.

Capacity Building positions TCVS to provide enhanced support and guidance to organisations, including improved communications and funding initiatives such as the Thurrock Community Fund.

Health and Social Care Provision maintains our commitment to ensuring resident voices inform decisionmaking, supporting person-centered services that focus on prevention and addressing health inequalities.

Community Development applies our asset-based approach to support community priorities including safety, cohesion and connectivity, building on existing community strengths.

These ambitions reflect the insights gathered during our consultation process and provide a framework for our work over the next four years, supporting the continued development of Thurrock's voluntary and community sector.

Acknowledgements

We thank our dedicated staff team, Board members, funders, partners, and member organisations for their continued support and collaboration. This year's progress reflects the collective efforts of the sector working together to support communities across Thurrock.

We appreciate the ongoing commitment of all those who contribute to our work and look forward to continuing our efforts in the coming year.

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

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Networking with the Sector – Let’s Talk and Sector Brunches

An important role for Thurrock CVS is connecting the voluntary and community sector of Thurrock, this enables the sector to work collaboratively and to share resources. This is achieved through the networking opportunities we provide, including the monthly Let’s Talk online networking sessions and quarterly brunches.

The online Let’s Talk sessions are held monthly and provide an opportunity for groups and organisations to come together and feel part of something bigger.

These sessions:

• Provide an opportunity to showcase their service/ offer

• Provide an opportunity for people to give views and have their say

• Enable people to share experiences, good-practice, learning, peer support

• Hear from guest speakers on subjects that are currently affecting our sector

• Learn about current funding and training opportunities

The networking Brunches are held in person and provide an opportunity for groups and organisations to build stronger relationships, providing the opportunity for collaborative working and peer support.

We continue to support regular network and strategic meetings as part of our infrastructure role, strengthening our sectors voice and influence on key decisions.

Thurrock Community Fund

Thurrock CVS undertook a ‘Strength of the Sector’ survey which highlighted that many Thurrock based organisations were facing financial issues due to:

• Reduced number of grants, smaller grant pots, and increased competition for grants available.

• Unsustainability of Charities relying on reserves to cover increasing costs and funding shortfalls.

• Rising demand for frontline services.

• Greater complexity of needs, creating longer waiting lists.

Thurrock CVS launched the Thurrock Community Fund in June 24. The fund was established to provide much needed support to the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector, with the ambition of raising funds from local businesses, partners and individuals to support Thurrock communities and the voluntary sector.

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

The Thurrock Community fund was launched in three phases

• Phase 1 – Resilience programme – supporting 5 organisations to improve their financial resilience through 12 months of funding, developing a peer support network and mentoring.

• Phase 2 – Micro Grants – small grants programme offered twice a year to provide focussed support to enable small organisations to offer additional services or capacity to their communities.

• Phase 3 (25/26) – will be bespoke project-based grants through partners.

Thurrock CVS are the administrators of the fund however the funding panels are made up of members from the VCFSE sector to review applications and make funding decisions based on the grants criteria.

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Volunteer Centre Thurrock

Volunteer Centre Thurrock is funded via the Voluntary Sector Development fund of £39,600 per annum. The Volunteer Centre adheres to a high standard of practice to ensure that volunteering is promoted, recognised and coordinated across Thurrock. Commitment to this practice aims to ensure individuals have a positive volunteering experience and organisations benefit from consistent expert support.

As a Volunteer Centre, we need to ensure that we maintain the profile of volunteering and do our best to promote the various forms of volunteering, including micro volunteering, youth volunteering, employee volunteering and supported volunteering. In 2025 Thurrock CVS was awarded the national Volunteer Centre Quality Accreditation (VCQA). This prestigious accreditation, granted by the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA), recognises the high standards of volunteer support and the positive impact the centre has on the local community and voluntary sector.

The VCQA accreditation, valid for three years, is awarded based on a comprehensive assessment of the Volunteer Centre’s performance against five core functions:

C ommunity Health Champion project

The Community Health Champion project came to an end in March 2025, marking the conclusion of a programme that first began during the Covid-19 pandemic. Initially launched in April 2022 to boost vaccine uptake across Thurrock, the project quickly grew into a vital source of trusted health information and community support. Over time, Champions helped to share public health messages and connect residents to services ranging from smoking cessation and weight management to immunisations and sexual health advice. Funded through a £138,000 annual grant and employing five dedicated staff, the project made a lasting difference to people across Thurrock. While the grant has now ended with no opportunity for renewal at this stage, this is an important moment to celebrate the achievements of the project and the positive impact it has had on community health and wellbeing.

Stronger Together Thurrock REVIEW

Stronger Together Partnership

In 2024/25, the Stronger Together Partnership strengthened collaboration across Thurrock’s communities and organisations. Through listening exercises and a conference, we clarified our purpose and established an active, diverse Partnership Board. Our workplan focused on financial resilience, capacity building, policy influence, and partnership development. A key achievement was the drafting of the Thurrock VCFSE Resilience Charter, setting out principles for joint working, supporting sustainability, and reinforcing collective leadership across the sector. These efforts ensure local initiatives are more aligned, collaborative, and impactful for the community.

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Stronger Together Social Media report 01/04/2024 - 31/03/2025

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Healthwatch Thurrock

Healthwatch is currently funded by a 3 plus 1-year extension which comes to an end in March 2025. We received contract value of £131,987.24 per annum. Healthwatch is a National Independent Organisation with 153 local and district Healthwatch’s across England, each one independent of the NHS and local authorities. It has a National lead in Healthwatch England. Healthwatch sits as a project within Thurrock CVS, which enables it to benefit from all the resources of the whole Organisation when carrying out its function. The main business of Healthwatch is to act as a consumer champion for health and social care across the Borough, to engage with and listen to residents’ lived experience of using services and producing reports to highlight the issues and good experiences of those using the services.

Healthwatch also operates an information and signposting service for health and social care services available within Thurrock and listens to issues and complaints from residents, assisting them to take their complaint through the right procedures. Healthwatch has seats on the Health and Wellbeing Board, People Overview and Scrutiny Committee, TICA (Thurrock Integrated Care Alliance) and other committees and Boards to share and feedback the lived experiences of the residents of Thurrock using services.

Healthwatch has had another busy year. We undertook 3 pieces of commissioned work worth a total of over 20k, they were;

1. Delving into Dementia, final report available on the Healthwatch Thurrock website www.healthwatchthurrock.org

2. Smoking cessation – final report available on Healthwatch Thurrock website www.healthwatchthurrock.org

3. NHS 10 year plan engagement – final report available on the Healthwatch Thurrock website www.healthwatchthurrock.org

During a busy year engaging across the borough we highlighted many issues and used the feedback and case studies to raise the concerns of residents to commissioners, including children and Young Peoples Mental Health Provision, assessment waiting times for neuro diverse individuals, access to primary care services, transition support between children's and adult social care services. All the issues raised will form our next priorities.

Our numbers for this year were as follows;

• 2,791 contacts with adults

• 1,038 contacts with children and young people

• 210 concerns/issues

• 3,828 calls for information and advice

• 102 complaints about Health or Social care services

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Our social media reach has increased massively in the last year brought about by having a dedicated Social Media and comms team member with an overall increase as follows:

• Reach 21k with an increase of 80%

• Visits 1,670 an increase of 61%

The smoking cessation survey was our highest reaching post reaching 3k residents.

Social Prescribing

Social Prescribing funding is held by the 4 Primary Care Networks (PCN’s).

The project has changed dramatically, resulting in it being more of a medical model in some areas. The grant agreements TCVS now hold with 2 of the 4 PCN’s (Grays PCN and Aveley, South Ockendon and Purfleet PCN. Both have renewed the Grant agreements for 3 years with a 4% uplift each year for the term of the contracts.

Tilbury and Chadwell and Corringham and Stanford PCN’s decided not to renew their contract with us and have taken the service in house.

It has been difficult to collate information as the systems we used previously are not being used due to concerns around patient confidentiality being raised by the PCN’s, and under their GDPR and clinical governance they did not want patient details held anywhere other than on their systems. Both staff members have been trained to use System1 and have access to all patients within the PCN areas they work in.

TCVS has 2 full time staff members employed by us, working within the 2 PCN’s.

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

By Your Side

By Your Side (BYS) home from hospital project sits within Thurrock CVS and was set up and designed to support people who are being discharged from hospital to help facilitate their discharge home, and to support them once home with shopping and prescriptions.

The actual work undertaken can involve joint visits with Social Workers to the property before discharge, overseeing cleaning and adaptations, taking delivery of hospital equipment and overseeing set up, fitting key safes to allow safe access for carers and community nurses. It can involve helping to move someone’s belongings from their home to sheltered accommodation, to step down placements or to Residential Placements. The work changes from day to day and from client to client, but is always busy, with very much a ‘can do’ attitude in the team.

The team also ensure they refer any person they are supporting into Voluntary and Community services within Thurrock as appropriate for continued support once they have completed their input, which is usually after 6 weeks. They also share the Micro Enterprise list so that patients can identify services to support them going forward if they wish to.

• Referrals and people supported for discharge – 4,360

On all referral forms completed by the Hospital or Adult Social Care, we ask how many bed days and how many Social Care hours were saved by the BYS project’s intervention. The following are the numbers given:

• Hospital Bed days saved total for year – 5,450.

• Social Worker/Planners hours saved total for year – 6,250.

Having looked at the massive increase in numbers being referred for help to not only support their discharge but to also offer support to prevent readmission, we submitted a business plan to offer an increase to 7- day working, this was accepted, and the funding for the next 2 years has doubled to £140,000 from £70,000. We have recruited another full-time worker, and the 7-day cover will be on a weekend call out system between 3 workers. The service also relies on a very dedicated team of volunteers.

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Public benefit statement

The Trustees have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing our aims and objectives and in planning our future activities. Thurrock CVS provides public benefit through improving the lives of residents and communities of Thurrock through our support for voluntary and community organisations, training and supporting their staff and trustees, and providing representation of the voluntary and community organisations with strategic partners along with the projects that we deliver to support individual residents across Thurrock.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

The year under review for the charity closed with a deficit of £5,612 (2024 – £102,558) on gross income of £1,167,776 (2024 - £845,099). The financial position at the year-end as revealed by the balance sheet on page 20 shows net current assets of £578,920 (2024 - £707,688). The net book value of fixed assets held, all of which are used directly for charitable purposes, amounted to £429,207 (2024 – £444,483).

In 2025 total reserves closed at £1,008,127 (2024 - £1,152,171). This figure includes the Beehive Resource Centre with a net book value of £428,640 (2024: £442,920). The Resource Centre is not a cashable asset. The Beehive Resource Centre is the charity’s office. The unrestricted funds not designated or invested in tangible fixed assets held by the charity are £153,441 (2024 - £152,444). This level of reserve is in line with our reserves policy (see below).

The Board monitors reserve levels quarterly, balancing responsible financial management with the delivery of the charity's core objectives.

Principal funding sources

• Thurrock Council Voluntary Sector Development Fund.

• Thurrock Council Healthwatch Thurrock contract.

• Primary Care Networks Social Prescribing.

• Income generated through rental and room hire of the Beehive.

Investment powers and policy

The Investment Policy of the charity is for uncommitted funds to be retained in a portfolio of banks and building societies earning interest where possible. The charity will not invest funds in accounts or instruments involving risk and the portfolio will be diversified so as to minimise the risk of loss in the event of the failure of the bank or building society. The Charity will endeavour to ensure that amounts held in any one institution do not exceed the Financial Services. Compensation Scheme thresholds (currently £85,000).

Reserves policy

As at the year-end accounts showed reserves of £1,008,127 (2024 - £1,152,171), of which £615,087 (2024 - £577,507) were restricted. In addition, the Trustees have set aside designated funds £239,032 (2024 - £420,656) for the specific purposes of building maintenance and redundancy. The unrestricted funds not designated or invested in tangible fixed assets held by the charity are £153,441 (2024 - £152,444).

The reserves policy of the charity is to maintain a level of unrestricted reserves to cover:

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

1. Between 3 and 6 months of necessary core expenditure to allow for an ordered shut down of the charity including redundancy costs and for suitable management arrangements to be made for ongoing activities, and

2. Any amounts needed to cover either capital or unrestricted revenue commitments in existence at the year end.

Total unrestricted funds as at 31 March 2025 were £393,040 which after allowing for unrestricted revenue commitments and closure costs amounted to 4.5 months total unrestricted, budgeted 2024-25 commitments.

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Fundraising standards

The trust is not registered with the Fundraising Regulator and the charity has not carried out any significant fundraising activities.

Charitable and political donations

During the year, the company made no political or charitable donations.

It was agreed by trustees for the financial year April 2021 to March 2024 our main focus will remain the priorities set in March 2018 for the next five years.

In particular the trustees focused the Charity’s attention in April 2021 to March 2024 to:

1. To ensure our work with groups and organisations provided sustainability for the sector during the pandemic.

2. To ensure the Voluntary Sector and Communities were represented at a strategic level, highlighting the importance of the sector during the pandemic.

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

Thurrock CVS is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. The company was established under a Memorandum of Association that established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its Articles of Association last amended November 2009. There are currently 211 members (2022/23 - 159) each of whom agrees to contribute £1 in the event of the charity being wound up.

Appointment of trustees

Trustees are selected from those who volunteer their services. Anyone may volunteer. In determining who to appoint Trustees have regard to the qualifications and experience of potential Trustees. Applications are invited in particular from persons with experience of voluntary and community services and from persons with senior management experience in the charitable sector.

Under the requirements of the company’s Articles one third of the Trustees resign annually and are eligible for re-election.

The charity has a wide range of support, engagement and representative functions and, as a result, seeks to ensure that the knowledge and experience of the Trustees covers a wide range of voluntary and community activities, sector representation, leadership development and strategic level decision-making in addition to business and management skills.

All Trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no benefit from the charity. Any expenses reclaimed from the charity are set out in note 10 to the Accounts.

Trustee induction and training

New trustees undergo an induction programme. All trustees are notified of relevant workshops, training days and seminars concerning issues relevant to good governance and to best practice in the voluntary & community sector. During the year, the Board attended a number of away days to continue the process begun in the previous financial year of formulating a strategy for the organisation for the next five years.

Organisation

The Board of Trustees administers the charity by means of the Board which meets bi-monthly. All Trustees are also Directors of the Company for Companies Acts purposes. Board members are appointed by the Annual General Meeting with one third of the Board standing down each year. The Board is responsible for the strategic direction of the charity and for policy decisions. In addition to maintaining an overview of the organisation’s activities, the Board also controls HR policies and appointments and makes all decisions involving major investment or expenditure.

A Chief Executive is appointed by the Board to manage the day to day running of the charity. The Chief Executive has delegated authority for operational matters including finance, human resources and the delivery of services to people supported by the organisation, within certain limits. Decisions which will commit the charity beyond these limits require the approval of the Board.

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Related Parties

Thurrock CVS was formed by the voluntary sector within Thurrock as a membership organisation to provide support and guidance to charitable and other voluntary groups working for the benefit of the people of Thurrock. The charity, therefore, has close working relationships with many groups and organisations.

The Board of TCVS comprises 9 individuals none of whom individually are in a position to control or exert significant influence over the decisions of the charity.

Apart from the Board there are a number of other significant stakeholders including members and Thurrock Council, NHS Thurrock Alliance and Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust none of whom exercise a degree of influence or involvement with the charity sufficient to be deemed a related party.

Pay policy for senior staff

Increases to pay scales are generally based on levels of inflation, affordability and benchmarks from the nationally negotiated percentages (NJC pay scale). Pay scale reviews and the pay scale that is set for each role, including for all senior staff, is considered by the personnel sub-committee of the Executive Committee (EC), which makes recommendations to the full EC to make the final decisions.

Internal Control

The Trustees have overall responsibility for ensuring that the charity has appropriate systems of internal control across the entire organisation. Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements follow best practice. They are also responsible for safeguarding assets of the charity and for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The systems of internal control are designed to provide reasonable, but not absolute, assurance against material misstatement or loss. Internal control processes implemented by the Trustees include:

• Regular consideration by Trustees of financial results, variances from budgets and forecasts.

• Delegation of authority and segregation of duties.

• A strategic plan and an annual budget approved by the Trustees.

• Identification and management of risk.

Risk management

The Directors and Trustees have identified the major risks to which the charity is exposed and believe that the systems in place are adequate to mitigate those risks.

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Company No: 04300967

Charity No: 1090253

Directors/Trustees

Michael Kelly – Interim Chair from 10/11/2020 Michael Hursthouse – Treasurer / Vice Chair 10/11/2020 Anthony Fish Scott Sullivan Tunde Ojetola Kevin Brice Roger Harris Tania Sitch Naveed Bakhshi (Resigned on 22/05/2025) Sharleen Dacosta (Appointed on 06/03/2025) Yewande Olusola Kannike (Appointed on 06/03/2025) Jon Tilley (Appointed on 28/04/2025)

Senior Management Personnel:

Mark Tebbs- Chief Executive Officer Kim James – Chief Operating Officer of Healthwatch Thurrock Project Jacqui Payne – Head of Infrastructure & Community Development Viv Nunn – Business Manager/Office Manager Debbie Buck – Facilities Manager Carole Moon – Management Accountant

Registered and Principal Office:

The Beehive Voluntary & Community Resource Centre West Street, Grays, Essex RM17 6XP

Auditors: SCB (Accountants) Ltd,31 Sackville Street, Manchester, M1 3LZ

Bankers: Unity Trust Bank Plc. Nine Brindley Place, Birmingham B1 2HB

Solicitors: Bates Wells & Braithwaite, 2-6 Canon Street, London EC4M 6YH

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

STATEMENT OF DIRECTORS’ / TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES

The trustees (who are also directors of Thurrock CVS for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the Directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the Directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law the Directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of its income and expenditure for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Directors are required to:

• Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently.

• Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP.

• Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent.

• State whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements.

• Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business.

The Directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The trustees are responsible for maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

STATEMENT OF DISCLOSURE TO AUDITOR

So far as the Trustees are aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the company’s auditors are unaware. Additionally, the Trustees have taken all the necessary steps that we ought to have taken as trustees in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the Charity’s auditors are aware of that information.

Auditors

A resolution will be proposed at the Annual General Meeting that SCB (Accountants) Limited be re-appointed as auditors of the charity for the ensuing year.

This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions relating to small companies within Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.

APPROVAL

Signed on behalf of the Executive Committee.

Mike Kelly Date: - 14.11.2025 Chairperson

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Report of the Independent Auditors to the Members of Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 31 March 2025 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, the Cash Flow Statement and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, comprising Charities SORP – FRS 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland and applicable law (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

• give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company’s affairs as at 31 March 2025 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended;

• have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice including Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland; and

• have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 and Charities Act 2011.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditors’ responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the Annual Report, other than the financial statements and our Report of the Independent Auditors thereon.

Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements, or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have

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Report of the Independent Auditors to the Members of Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matter prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of audit:

• The information given in the directors’ report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

• The directors’ report has been prepared in accordance with the applicable legal requirements.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Report of the Trustees.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

• adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

• the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

• certain disclosures of trustee’s remuneration specified by law are not made; or

• we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

• Trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statement in accordance with the small companies regime and taken advantage of the small companies exemption in preparing the Trustees’ Report.

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including & audit, is detailed below:

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Report of the Independent Auditors to the Members of Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

We gained an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework applicable to the company and the industry in which it operates and considered the risk of acts by the company that were contrary to applicable laws and regulations, including &aud. We discussed with the Directors the policies and procedures in place regarding compliance with laws and regulations. We discussed amongst the audit team the identified laws and regulations and remained alert to any indications of non-compliance.

During the audit we focussed on laws and regulations which could reasonably be expected to give rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements, including, but not limited to, the Charity Act 2011, Companies Act 2006, SORP 2019 and UK tax legislation. Our tests included agreeing the financial statement disclosures to underlying supporting documentation and enquiries with management.

• testing of journal entries and other adjustments for appropriateness,

• We reviewed accounting policies for evidence of management bias and ensured that the accounting policies were correctly applied to the financial statements.

• We reviewed minutes of Trustee Board meetings, any correspondence with the Charity Commission and reviewed the procedures in place for the reporting of any incidents to the Trustee Board including serious incident reporting of these matters as necessary with the Charity Commission.

• We agreed the financial statement disclosures to underlying supporting documentation, made enquiries of management and officers of the charitable company regarding laws and regulations applicable to the organisation and discussed whether there had been any known breaches of laws and regulations in order to consider any possible further considerations or impact upon the Charity.

• We reviewed the risk management processes and procedures.

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of noncompliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission, or misrepresentation.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.

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Report of the Independent Auditors to the Members of Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charity’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 and regulations made under section 154 of that Act (Regulation 30 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008) and for no other purpose. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity’s trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and its trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

JEFFREY BOR FCA (Senior Statutory Auditor) for and on behalf of SCB (Accountants) Ltd CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS STATUTORY AUDITOR

31 Sackville Street Manchester, M1 3LZ

14.11.2025 Date: …..........................................

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) Statement of Financial Activities (Summary Income and Expenditure Account) for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Notes Income Income from charitable activities Grants and contract income 2 Resource Centre Income 3 Income from other trading activities 4 Investment income 5 Total Income Expenditure Cost of raising funds 6 Charitable activities 6 Resource centre Infrastructure Support Projects Total Expenditure Net income/(expenditure) & net movements in funds Reconciliation of funds: Transfer to conduit funds Transfers between funds Total funds, brought forward Total funds, carried forward	Unrestricted Funds £ 155,172 141,629 12,451 2,021	Restricted Funds £ 856,503 - - -	2025 2024 £ £ 1,011,675 700,561 141,629 131,365 12,451 11,013 2,021 2,160
	311,273	856,503	1,167,776 845,099
	89,523 287,299 88,081 (108,074)	- 43,903 - 772,656	89,523 76,452 331,202 220,042 88,081 71,782 664,582 579,381
	356,829	816,559	1,173,388 947,657
	(45,556) (138,431) 2,364 574,663	39,944 - (2,364) 577,507	(5,612) (102,558) - (138,431) - 0 - - 1,152,170 1,254,729
	393,040	615,087	1,008,127 1,152,171

(The Beehive Resource Centre from where the charity operates) and current assets of £186,447. As such the significant majority of restricted funds remain tied up within the value of the property from which Thurrock CVS operates.

The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.

All incoming resources and resources expended derive from continuing activities.

The notes on pages 27 to 42 form part of these financial statements

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) Balance Sheet 31 March 2025

	Notes		2025		2024
		£		£	£	£
Fixed Assets
Tangible Fixed Assets	11			429,207		444,483
Current Assets
Debtors	12	103,970			26,927
Cash at bank and in hand		770,531			868,728
		874,501			895,655
Liabilities
Creditors: due within one year	13	(295,581)			(187,967)
Net Current Assets				578,920		707,688
Net Assets				1,008,127		1,152,171
The funds of the charity
Unrestricted funds:
General	15			154,008		154,008
Designated	15			239,032		420,656
Restricted funds	15			615,087		577,507
Total charity funds				1,008,127		1,152,171

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies’ regime.

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on ……………………..and were signed on its behalf by:14.11.2025 Mies Mike Kelly Chairperson

The notes on pages 27 to 42 form part of these financial statements

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) Cash Flow Statement for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Notes Cash flows from operating activities Cash generated from operations 1 Net cash provided by operating activities Cash flows from investing activities Interest income Purchase of tangible fixed assets Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities Change in cash and cash equivalents in the reporting period Cash & cash equivalents at the beginning of the reporting period Total cash & cash equivalents at the end of the reporting period

2025 2024 £ £ (100,217) (148,977) (100,217) (148,977) 2,021 2,160 - (1,032) 2,021 1,128 (98,196) (147,849) 868,728 1,016,577 770,532 868,728

The notes form part of these financial statements

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) Notes to the Cash Flow Statement for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) TO NET CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

Net cash generated/ (used) in operating activities:

Net cash generated/ (used) in operating activities:
		2025	2024
		£	£
Net income/(expenditure) for the reporting period (as per the Statement of
Financial Activities)		(5,612)	(102,558)
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charges		15,276	16,482
Deduct interest income shown in investment activities		(2,021)	(2,160)
Decrease / (increase) in debtors		(77,043)	(12,898)
Increase / (decrease) in creditors		107,614	(47,843)
Transfer of designated funds to conduit funds		(138,431)
			-
Net cash provided by operations		(100,217)	(148,977)
ANALYSIS OF CHANGE IN FUNDS
ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN NET FUNDS
At	01.04.24	Cash flow At	31.03.25
Net Cash
Cash at bank and in hand	868,728	(98,196)	770,532
Total	868,728	(98,196)	770,532

The notes form part of these financial statements

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

ACCOUNTING POLICIES

1.1 Basis of preparation of accounts

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019) – (Charity SORP (FRS 102) Revised), The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Thurrock CVS (Council for Voluntary Services) meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

The accounts (financial statements) have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts.

1.2 Preparation of accounts on a going concern

The charity’s Financial Statements shows deficit of £5,613 for the year and total unrestricted reserves of £393,040 the charity has adequate general funds to be able to maintain the level of services currently provided and to provide a secure base for the immediate future of the Charity for the next 12 to 18 months and on this basis the charity is a going concern.

Trustees will continue to monitor and ensure that spending is in line with income in order to maintain reserves at or above the minimum level of between 3 and 6 months’ average unrestricted expenditure. The review of forecast cashflow for the12 months from the date of approval of the financial statements, considered the relevant assumptions that underpin the forecast, the pipeline of new income and the steps that could be taken to reduce expenditure should this be necessary.

Based on the information above, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operation for the foreseeable future and will remain in surplus in future periods. Therefore, the trustees have adopted the going concern basis in preparing these accounts.

1.3 Income recognition

All income is included in the SOFA when the charity is legally entitled to it, receipt is probable, and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability.

Grant income

Grants are credited to the SOFA when the charity is entitled to the funds. Income is only deferred where there are time constraints imposed by the donor or if the funding is performance related.

Where entitlement to grants receivable is dependent upon fulfilment of conditions within the charity’s control, the income is recognised when there is sufficient evidence that conditions will be met.

Grants supporting the core activities of the charity and with no specific restrictions placed upon their use are included within donations and legacies. Grants that have specific restrictions placed upon their use are included within income from charitable activities. Capital grants for the purchase of fixed assets are credited to restricted incoming resources on the earlier date of when they are received or receivable. Deprecation on the related fixed assets are charged against the restricted fund.

Donations and legacies

Donations are recognised in the period in which they are received. Legacy income is recognised when the charity’s entitlement is judged to be probable and where the amount can be reliably measured.

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) - Notes to the Financial Statements continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

ACCOUNTING POLICIES-continued

Contract income

Income from charitable activities includes income recognised as earned (as the related goods and services are provided) under contract.

Room hire and service change income

Room hire and service charge income are credited to income in the year in which they are receivable.

Investment income

Investment income is included when receivable.

1.4 Expenditure recognition and irrecoverable VAT

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified under the following activity headings:

(a) Cost of raising funds comprises costs of seeking grants and donations and their associated support costs. (b) Expenditure on charitable activities includes the costs directly associated with running a resource centre, providing infrastructure services for local voluntary community and faith section organizations to further the purposes of the charity and their associated support costs.

Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.

1.5 Allocation of support costs

Support costs relate to those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly relate to charitable activities. Support costs include back-office costs, finance, personnel, payroll, and governance costs which support the charity’s programmes and activities. These costs have been allocated between cost of raising funds and expenditure on charitable activities. The basis on which support costs have been allocated are set out in note 6.

1.6 Donated services and facilities

Donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item, any conditions associated with the donated item have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the item is probable and that economic benefit can be measured reliably. In accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), the general volunteer time is not recognised and refers to the trustees’ annual report for more information about their contribution.

On receipt, donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.

1.7 Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of charity. Designated funds are unrestricted funds of the charity which the trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose.

Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particular areas of the charity’s work or for specific projects being undertaken by the charity.

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) - Notes to the Financial Statements continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

ACCOUNTING POLICIES-continued

1.8 Tangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less depreciation. Individual fixed assets costing £1,000 or more are capitalised at cost.

Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost or valuation of fixed assets, less their estimated residual value, over their expected useful lives on the following bases. Freehold land is not depreciated.

Leasehold Land & Buildings - On a straight-line basis over its estimated useful life Computer Equipment - 33% per annum on cost

Fixtures & Office Equipment - 25% per annum on cost

1.9 Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.

1.10 Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short term cash deposits.

1.11 Creditors and provisions

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

1.12 Conduit Funding

Thurrock CVS administers funds on behalf of Statutory Partners as an agent. As agent, the charity acts in line with the instructions of the entity that acts as the principal. The charity is bound by an agreement and distributes the funds it holds as agent to specified third parties in line with the instructions given by the principal.

The funds transferred to the agent remain under the control of the principal and the principal remains responsible for the charitable application of those funds.

Funds received by a charity as agent are not recognised as an asset in its accounts because the funds are not within its control. Consequently, the receipt of funds as agent is not recognised as income nor is its distribution recognised as the agent’s expenditure. The conduit fund balances as at the year-end are recognised as creditors.

1.13 Financial instruments

The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) - Notes to the Financial Statements continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

ACCOUNTING POLICIES-continued

1.14 Judgement and key sources of estimation uncertainty

Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. The company makes estimates and assumptions concerning the future. The resulting accounting estimates will, be definition, seldom equal the related actual results. The estimates and assumptions that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year are addressed below.

(i) Useful economic lives of tangible assets

The annual depreciation charge for tangible assets are sensitive to changes in the estimated useful economic lives and residual values of the assets. The useful economic lives and residual values are re-assessed annually. They are amended when necessary. The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

(ii) Provision for bad debts

Provision are consistent with previous year and review of post year end receipts or credit notes issued.

(iii) Allocation of shared cost between multiple activities

Support costs relate to those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly relate to charitable activities. Support costs include back-office costs, finance, personnel, payroll and governance costs which support the charity’s programmes and activities. These costs have been allocated between cost of raising funds and expenditure on charitable activities. All the general support and governance costs are allocated to activities at different percentages, on the basis of staff time relating to each activity.

(iv) Gift in kind and donated services

On receipt, donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.

1.15 Pension Costs

The charity operates a contributory defined contribution pension scheme, the assets of which are held separately from those of the charity. Pension costs are charged to the SOFA in the period to which they relate.

1.16 Operating Leases

Rentals payable under operating leases are charged to the SOFA as incurred over the life of the lease.

1.17 Taxation

The charity is a registered charity and, therefore, is not liable for Income Tax or Corporation Tax on income derived from its charitable activities, as it falls within the various exemptions available to registered charities.

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service)

- Notes to the Financial Statements continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

2. INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

GRANT AND CONTRACT INCOME

Projects Thurrock Council Aveley, South Ockendon & Purfleet PCN Stanford-le-Hope & Corringham PCN Tilbury & Chadwell PCN Grays PCN Community 360 NHS Mid & South Essex ICB Donations Giving for Thurrock (GIFT) Essex County Council Essex County Council - Active Essex Essex Community Foundation Thurrock Lifestyle Solutions LG Park Leasehold Ltd Groundworks UK Infrastructure Support Thurrock Council Contract income Thurrock Council NHS Mid & South Essex ICB NHS Mid & South Essex ICB Hamelin Trust Total

Unrestricted Restricted Total Total Funds Funds 2025 2024 £ £ £ £ 131,987 423,237 555,224 407,769 - 37,000 37,000 37,000 - 53,357 53,357 49,864 - 5,686 5,686 - - 36,689 36,689 36,040 - - - 2,485 - - - 30,000 2,453 2,453 6,298 - - - 31,805 - 54,535 54,535 500 - - - 16,000 - - - 5,000 - - - 1,300 - 24,000 24,000 - - 150,000 150,000 - - 72,000 72,000 72,000 20,731 - 20,731 - - - - 200 - - - 3,675 - - - 625

155,172 856,503 1,011,675 700,561

Income from charitable activities from grants and contracts in 2024 totalling £700,561 was attributed to unrestricted funds of £453,737 and restricted funds £246,824.

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) - Notes to the Financial Statements continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

3. RESOURCES CENTRE INCOME

Resource Centre Income Internal Income	Unrestricted Restricted Total Total Funds Funds 2025 2024 £ £ £ £ 138,122 - 138,122 127,120 3,507 - 3,507 4,245
	141,629 - 141,629 131,365

Income from Charitable activities from the Resource Centre in 2024 totalling to £131,365 was attributed to unrestricted funds.

Resource Centre Income comprises contributions towards running costs of the Beehive from the other occupants and income from day/ evening hire of rooms and the Community Hall. Internal income comprises income for the provision of stationery, franking machinery and photocopy services to the members.

4. OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES

Management and administration income Other income Membership fees Thurrock Community Fund	Unrestricted Funds £ 7,074 4,610 - 767	Restricted Funds £ - - - -	Total Total 2025 2024 £ £ 7,074 7,529 4,610 2,313 - 550 767 621 12,451 11,013
	12,451	-

funds.

5. INVESTMENT INCOME

Interest Received	Unrestricted funds 2,021	Restricted funds -	2025 2024 £ £ 2,021 2,160

Interest income of £2,160 earned in 2024 was attributable to unrestricted funds.

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6. ANALYSIS OF EXPENDITURE

Staff Costs Other direct costs Support costs (Note 7) Governance costs (Note 7) Total	Raising Resource Infrastructure Total Total Funds Centre Support Projects 2025 2024 £ £ £ £ £ £ 87,173 93,405 66,424 486,159 733,161 620,148 - 227,433 9,414 122,057 358,904 233,506 2,158 9,515 11,240 51,750 74,663 86,377 192 849 1,003 4,616 6,660 7,626
	89,523 331,202 88,081 664,582 1,173,388 947,657

Of the £1,173,388 expenditure in 2025 (2024 - £947,657), £356,829 was charged to unrestricted funds (2024– £635,280) and £816,559 to restricted funds (2024 - £312,377).

7. SUPPORT COST

The Charity initially identifies the costs of its support functions. It then identifies those costs which relate to the governance function. Governance costs and other support costs are apportioned separately between the charity’s key activities (see note 6) in the year. All the general support and governance costs are allocated to activities at different percentages, on the basis of staff time relating to each activity.

Staff Cost Communication & IT Costs Other expenses Auditor's remuneration	General Support Governance Total Total Costs Function 2025 2024 £ £ £ £ 38,017 - 38,017 32,157 268 - 268 1,530 36,379 - 36,379 52,690 - 6,660 6,660 7,627
	74,664 6,660 81,324 94,004

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) - Notes to the Financial Statements continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

8. NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

Net Income/ Expenditure is stated after charging or crediting

	2025	2024
	£	£
Auditors' Remuneration - Audit Services	5,460	6,427
Auditors' Remuneration - Non Audit Services	1,200	1,200
Depreciation Owned Assets	15,276	16,482

9. TRUSTEES REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 March 2025 nor for the year ended 31 March 2024.

TRUSTEES’ EXPENSES

There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 March 2025 nor for the year ended 31 March 2024.

10. STAFF COST

Gross Wages and Salaries Employer's National Insurance Pension Contributions	2025 2024 £ £ 698,047 592,783 55,739 44,226 17,393 15,297
	771,178 652,306

Employee whose total annual employee benefits (excluding employer pension cost) exceed £60,000.

		2025	2024
£60,000	to £69,999	-	-
£70,000	to £79,999	1	-

The key management personnel of the charity comprise the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer of Healthwatch Thurrock Project and Community Development and Engagement Manager. The total employee benefits (including employer pension cost)of the key management personnel of the charity were £219,342 (2024 - £197,721).

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) - Notes to the Financial Statements continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

STAFF COST-continued

The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:

The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:

The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:
Resource Centre Infrastructure Project Projects Governance and Support Fund Raising	2025 2024 5 4 4 3 18 21 1 1 1 1
	29 30

11. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

Cost At 1 April 2024 Additions At 31 March 2025 Depreciation At 1 April 2024 Charge for the year At 31 March 2025 Net book value At 31 March 2025 At 31 March 2024	Long Leasehold £ 1,284,464 -	Fixture and Fittings £ 15,293 -	Computer Equipment Total £ 19,783 1,319,540 -
	1,284,464	15,293	19,783 1,319,540
	841,544 14,280	15,293 -	18,220 875,057 996 15,276
	855,824	15,293	19,216 890,333
	428,640	-	567 429,207
	442,920	-	1,563 444,483

At 31 March 2013 the charity’s interest in the Beehive was subject to an impairment review in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard 11, Impairment of Fixed Assets. This review resulted in a write down in the carrying value of the building to £600,000 based upon its future net earning potential over the remaining useful life and further written down by £171,360 as an additional depreciation charged up to 31 March 2025.

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) - Notes to the Financial Statements continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

12. DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

Trade debtors Prepayments Accrued income CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR Trade creditors Taxation and social security Pension fund Other creditors Accruals Conduit funds (note 22) Deferred income (note 18)		2025 2024 £ £ 29,973 16,565 24,651 10,362 49,346 -
		103,970 26,927
		2025 2024 £ £ 54,349 13,825 20,753 19,792 314 155 37 942 10,003 11,578 147,533 535 62,592 141,140 295,581 187,967

13. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

The creditors figure includes undistributed funds held on behalf of Thurrock Council, as conduit funds of £147,533 (2024 - £535) (Note 22)

14. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSET BETWEEN FUNDS

Tangible fixed assets Net current assets	General £ 567 153,441 154,008	Designated £ - 239,032 239,032	Restricted Total 2025 £ £ 428,640 429,207 186,447 578,920 615,087 1,008,127

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) - Notes to the Financial Statements continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Analysis of net assets between funds - previous year

Tangible fixed assets Net current assets	General £ 1,563 152,444 154,007	Designated £ - 420,656 420,656	Restricted Total 2024 £ £ 442,920 444,483 134,588 707,688 577,508 1,152,171

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) - Notes to the Financial Statements continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

15. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

Restricted funds Resource Centre (Building) Chadwell St Mary Community Centre Community Roll Out Program Purfleet Hub By Your Side - Home from Hospital Better Care Community health Champions Infrastructure Multiply Digital Projects Big Lunches Place Expansion Strategy & Leadership Project Stronger Together Network Social Prescribing - SLHC Social Prescribing - ASOP Social Prescribing - Grays Social Prescribing - Tilbury & Chadwell Volunteer Centre Groundworks UK Designated funds Building Maintenance fund Thurrock Community Fund Redundancy fund Food Network Coordinator Healthwatch General funds Total unrestricted funds Total funds	Balance at Balance at 01.04.2024 Income Expenses Transfers 31.03.2025 £ £ £ £ £ 442,920 - (14,280) - 428,640 29,623 - (29,623) - - 7,013 - (4,785) (1,646) 581 4,462 1,960 (3,139) - 3,282 19,658 160,945 (132,066) - 48,538 4,501 - - - 4,501 64,049 138,772 (158,118) - 44,703 - 73,074 (54,961) - 18,112 5,283 13,000 (13,000) (5,283) - - 19,000 (16,708) - 2,292 - 1,815 (3,461) 1,646 - - 51,600 (33,000) - 18,600 - 24,000 (24,000) - - - 52,500 (6,665) - 45,835 - 53,357 (53,357) - 0 - 37,000 (37,000) - - - 36,689 (36,689) - - - 5,686 (5,686) - - - 37,106 (40,025) 2,919 - - 150,000 (150,000) - 0
	577,507 856,503 (816,562) (2,364) 615,087
	35,415 - (326) 15,283 50,372 195,059 5,121 (61,748) (138,431) - 100,000 - - - 100,000 26,630 - (5,473) - 21,157 63,552 152,718 (148,768) - 67,503
	420,656 157,839 (216,315) (123,148) 239,032 154,007 153,434 (140,512) (12,921) 154,008
	574,662 311,273 (356,827) (136,069) 393,041
	1,152,169 1,167,776 (1,173,388) (138,431) 1,008,127

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) - Notes to the Financial Statements continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Analysis of movements in funds - previous year

Restricted funds Resource Centre (Building) South Ockendon Centre Chadwell St Mary Community Centre Community Roll Out Program Tilbury Hub Purfleet Hub By Your Side - Home from Hospital Better Care Community health Champions Multiply Designated funds Building maintenance fund Redundancy fund Giving for Thurrock (GIFT) Food Network Coordinator Healthwatch General funds Total unrestricted funds Total funds	Balance at Balance at 01.04.2023 Income Expenses Transfers 31.03.2024 £ £ £ £ £ 457,200 - (14,280) - 442,920 26,532 (26,532) - 0 29,623 - - - 29,623 7,384 - (372) - 7,012 32,524 - (32,524) - 0 4,452 241 (231) - 4,462 24,529 100,810 (105,681) - 19,658 4,501 - - - 4,501 56,317 138,772 (131,041) - 64,048 - 7,001 (1,716) 5,285
	643,061 246,824 (312,377) - 577,508
	47,921 8,000 (30,505) 10,000 35,416 60,039 - - 39,961 100,000 71,387 46,562 (7,891) 85,000 195,058 - 1,300 (5,304) 30,634 26,630 - 140,119 (128,156) 51,588 63,552
	179,347 195,981 (171,856) 217,183 420,656 432,321 402,294 (463,424) (217,183) 154,008
	611,668 598,275 (635,280) - 574,663
	1,254,730 845,099 (947,656) - 1,152,171

Description, nature and purpose of restricted funds:

Restricted reserves increased slightly during the year, from £577,508 to £615,087, representing a net increase of £37,579.

• The largest restricted reserve continues to relate to the Beehive Resource Centre, which stands at £428,640 after depreciation.

There were two significant movements in restricted funds during the year:

• By Your Side Project: Reserves increased from £19,658 to £48,538, primarily due to delays in staff recruitment which deferred expenditure into 2025/26.

• Stronger Together Project: A new restricted fund was established, increasing from £0 to £45,835. This reflects the full grant payment received at the start of the project, which will be utilised during 2025/26.

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) - Notes to the Financial Statements continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Overall, restricted funds remain stable and aligned with project delivery schedules.

Resource Centre: The Beehive provides office, meeting and training accommodation for voluntary and community groups in Thurrock. The building opened in 2005 and is now an asset of Thurrock CVS as part of an asset transfer of the freehold from Thurrock Council.

Community Hub Roll Out Programme: This programme brings together statutory bodies, local communities and the voluntary sector to deliver services, information and advice in a more holistic way. We are currently working with 5 community forums to establish a hub in their area. These funds are seed funding and capacity building for the programme in each area.

Chadwell St Mary Community Centre: As part of the Community Hubs rollout programme, Chadwell St Mary Centre received funding to support the employment of a centre co-ordinator; payroll and HR are administered by Thurrock CVS on behalf of Chadwell St Mary Centre.

Purfleet Hub: As part of the Community Hubs rollout programme, Purfleet Hub received funding to support the employment of a volunteer co-ordinator; payroll and HR are administered by Thurrock CVS on behalf of Purfleet Hub steering group.

By Your Side - Home from Hospital: The aim of the project is to work with volunteers through a dedicated co-ordinator to support early discharge for patients that are vulnerable or unbefriend. The project works in partnership with VCFSE organisations to support individuals back into their community. The project started in January 2019.

Better Care: Funding held on behalf of the partnership to deliver communication and engagement for the integrated health and social care.

Contract income: Income received as part of contract delivery of projects.

Description, nature and purpose of unrestricted funds:

The General Fund remained unchanged at £154,008.

General funds: General fund represents funds available to spend at the discretion of the Trustees after allowing for all the designated funds.

Description, nature and purpose of designated funds:

Designated reserves decreased during the year from £420,656 to £239,032, representing a net reduction of £181,624.

The Building Maintenance Fund, Redundancy Fund, and Healthwatch Reserves all remained stable during the period. The overall decrease reflects one significant accounting change, with the Thurrock Community Fund reclassified as conduit funds rather than designated reserves. This adjustment provides greater transparency by recognising that these monies are held and administered on behalf of the local community rather than for the charity’s own use

Building Maintenance: The Designated Fund is a sinking fund for future major repairs and renewals to the Beehive which was established in 2011-12.

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) - Notes to the Financial Statements continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Redundancy fund: The redundancy fund has been created to ensure reserves are set aside for redundancy payments if the organisation operation or projects finishing.

Thurrock Community Fund: Giving for Thurrock (GiFT), relaunched as Thurrock Community Fund in Summer 2024, has been established to generate funds to help meet local priorities, especially health and wellbeing.

The aim of the project is to create new unrestricted funding opportunities across external funders and through the development of a suite of fundraising events. Also, to develop a portfolio of partners across communities and businesses to encourage further support and increase voluntary giving activity.

During the year, it has been decided by the trustees to transfer Giving for Thurrock (GiFT) funds to Conduit funds as this was relaunched in summer of 2024.

Healthwatch: Funding to ensure the voice of patients and service users shapes local Thurrock health service provision.

Food Network Coordinator: Funding to support the local food distribution system in reducing food poverty.

Overall, total reserves across all funds decreased from £1,152,171 to £1,008,127. This change is an accounting adjustment and does not reflect any significant movement in the charity’s underlying financial position. Total reserves remain healthy and aligned with the Trustees’ reserves policy, ensuring a stable financial base to support ongoing activities and future commitments. The Trustees continue to review reserves quarterly to ensure they remain appropriate and aligned with future commitments.

16. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURE

No related party transactions took place in the year except the transactions disclosed in note 9.

17. DEFERRED INCOME

Balance as at 1st April Amount released to income in the year Amount deferred in the year Balance as at 31st March	2025 2024 £ £ 141,140 153,681 (141,140) (153,681) 62,592 141,140
	62,592 141,140

The deferred income represents future revenue received for following projects:

• Healthwatch – Careers Work of £4,231

• Strategy & Leadership Project £16,000.

• Stronger Together Network £37,500

• Big Lunches 500

• Room Hire of £3,782

• Caretaker fees £525

• Teas and Coffee £54

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Thurrock CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) - Notes to the Financial Statements continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

18. PENSION COST

The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme and also contributes to suitable personal pension schemes of employees. Contributions are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate. The charge for the year was £17,393 (2023 - £15,297). The charity had liability of pension contributions of £314 (2024 - £155 (advance contribution).

19. SHARE CAPITAL

The charity does not have a share capital and is limited by guarantee. In the event of the charity being wound up, the maximum amount, which each member is liable to contribute is £1.

20. CAPITAL COMMITMENTS

As at both yearend 31 March 2025 and 31 March 2024, the charity had no capital commitments.

21. CONDUIT FUNDS

The Charity administers grants on behalf of Thurrock Council and this activity is recognised in the accounts as conduit funds. The Charity administers the VSDF, Small Sparks grant on behalf of Thurrock Council. The beneficiaries of the grants were determined by a special committee set up by Thurrock Council. The Charity administers the ECC HAF Fund on behalf of Essex County Council. The movement in conduit funds during the year are as follows:

Voluntary Sector Development Fund ECC - HAF Funds Thurrock Connect on behalf of Thurrock Council Thurrock Community Fund Total	Balance at Balance at 01.04.2024 Funds received Funds disbursed Transfers 31.03.2025 £ £ £ £ £ 535 - (535) - - - 9,102 - - 9,102 138,431 138,431
	535 9,102 (535) 138,431 147,533

We have transferred funds from a designated reserve to a conduit fund to support our role in administering small grants to other charities. This change provides greater transparency and enables the funds to be managed and reported in line with their intended purpose of onward distribution.

22. ULTIMATE CONTROLLING PARTY

The charity was under the control of Board of Trustees throughout the year.

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