REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: 04176994 (England and Wales) REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1090620 REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 FOR CANTERBURY DISTRICT VOLUNTEER CENTRE LIMITED Mccabe Ford Williams Chartefed Accountants 2 The Links HERNE BAY Kent CT6 7GQ CANTERBURY DISTRICT VOLUNTEER CENTRE UMITED CONTENTS OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Page Report of the Trustees 1105 Independent Examinerfs Report Statement of Finanaal ActNiti8s stalement of Financial Posilion 8t09 Notes lo the Financial Statements 10t016 Detailed Statement of Financial Aclivitses 17 CANTERBURY DISTRICT VOLUNTEER CENTRE UMITED REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Company nUM￿r 04176994 (England and Wales) Reglstered Charfty number 1090620 Registered office 16 RecJJlver Road Heme Bay Kent CT6 6LE Trustees H R Clevertey H J Adams B A Roberton E C Grimwade G Ball A Williams Chairpers Treasurer Resigned 30.7.24 Company Sècrètary A Krulnik Independent examiner David Horn ACA. FCCA Mccabe Ford Williams Chartered Accountants 2 The Links HERNE BAY Kent CT6 7GQ 8anker4 CAF Bank LTD 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling Kent ME19 4JQ Page 1 CANTERBURY DISTRICT VOLUNTEER CENTRE LIMITED REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 The trustees (who are also the directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act) present their annual report together with the financial statements of Canterbury District Volunteer Centre (the Company) for the year ended 31 March 2025. The trustees confimi that the Annual report and financial statements of the company comply with the current statutory requirements. the requirements of the o)mpany's governing document and the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP). OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES ObJectlV08 and aim• The principal objects ofthe charity are to promote any charitable purposes forthe benefit of the community in the local government district of Canterbury by associating together volunteers and organisations in a common effort to advance education, protect heal•h. and relieve poverty. sickness and distre8S. Slgnlficant actlvltlos The core fundin9 received from the Kenl Communty Foundation via their 'annual applicAts'on route. enabled us to continue to provide a number of Sery1￿ across the district via grants from Ihe Pargiter Trust, the Law80n Endowment Fund and the Kenl Reliance Provident Society. We were also continued to utilize the funding from the National Lottery Community fund to enable our social transport scheme to continue for another year. We were also continued to be the recipients offunding from SGN in regard lo their Saf8 & Wam Communities Fund. We were fortunate to also receive funding for our core activitiés from the Garfield Weston Foundation and the Henry Smith Charitable Trust. statement of Public Benefit Given the policies and objectives of the charity, as stated above, the trustees report on the aspects of its activities which encapsulate 'public benefit.. This is achieved through our work relating to the support of volunteering.. Brokerage - matching up indiwduals and group$ interested in volunteering with appropriate opportunities in the local community. Good practice development promoting good practice in working with volunteers to all volunteer involving organisations particularly via the running of workshops and training activities. Development of volunleering opportunities - by working in close partnership with statutory, voluntary. and private sector agenGies as well as community groups and faith groups to develop local volunteering opportunities. Strategic development of volunteering - as Ihe local experts on volunteering. we inform strategic thinking and planning at a regional and national level. Alongside the above, we also have set up projects which have responded to local need. Page 2 CANTERBURY DISTRICT VOLUNTEER CENTRE LIMITED REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 202S OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (cont) Social Transport Schemè: This scheme ulilizes volunteer drivers to transport clients from within tt)e Cantert>ury Distrid to social and health related appoinlments. All who use this service have to be members of the transwrt scheme before accessing our services. Membership cost is currently set at £20 a yeai. The cost of the pumeys is now set at 60p per mile. There is also an administration charge levied per joumey. Bofrlendlng Projèct: We continue to run a befriending project for older people %4rythin the districl. Energy Support Project We were graleful to continue with our personal support to older people as part rfthe SGN Safe & Wami Communities projects to enable them to keep their energy consumption as low as possible and to signpost them on to other relevant services. Forum ActivitiesfvK>rkshopslEvenls & Presentalions.. We aim to increase good practi￿ and cnmmunication between organisations involved in volunteering and embedding volunteers al the heart of the volunteenng pr¢xess by hosting regular events to these ends. The trustees of Canterbury District Volunteer Centre are aware of their obligation to follow the Charity Commission Guidance on Public Benefit. They believe that the objectives of the charity are in line with the Guidance, and they are not aware of any instance where they have departed from the Guidance. The trustees are obligated to report regularly to their funders on the performance of the charity by way of the monitoring and evaluation of its seNices (outcomes and outputs)., they are therefore sats'sfied that they meet public benefit requirements. Volunteern As you will see, one of our Core aims is the assessment and referral of volunteers to a variety of mainly charitable organisations within the Canlerbury district. In pre pandemic years we assessed and referred 1000 volunteers in this way although, due to the pandemic, numbers decreased. Due to the demographics of the Canterbury distriGt, the majority of volunteers we assess and refer are. perhaps. younger than in other areas of Kent and. as such, are perhaps more spe¢ific in regard to what they perceive to be the benefits of volunteering. Along with the above. we utilize volunteers throughout our organisalion. be they office volunteers who have administrative duties on our projects. volunteer drivers, befrienders, as well as members of our trustee board. Without the willingness of volunteers to engage in our activities. we would not be able to functbon as well as we currently do. ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE Charltable actfvitle8 As a Voluntary and Community Organisation, we are tasked wtth undertaking charitable activities within the Canterbury district. All our projects have at heart the alleviation of poverty and distress and, as a Volunteer Centre, our prime activities are focused on helping volunteers to access voluntary opportunities and facilitating good practice wilhin organisations that Lrtilize volunteers. All the projects we run utilize volunteers in terms of the delivery of these services. Any surpluses made by our projects are ploughed back into the organisation either to sustain current activities or to alleviate the cost of our future activities. Fundra181ng actlvltles We continue to levy charges for some of our services (albeit at less than market rate) along with the continual proc&s$ of bidding for funding from institutions such as the Nab'onal Lottery Community Fund or other grant-making trusts. We have had some success over recentyears in obtaining such funding, but this task is getting increasingly hard for every voluntary organisation including ourselves. Internal and external factors Externally. the effect of the economic situation continues to have a great effeGt on the organisation, whiGh ha8 increased pressure to continue to monitor the rationalization of our services. Whilst we have avoided large-sGale changes to a large extent to date, this pressure will only increase over time. As costs rise in general. so our income streams become more Strained, making ti even harder to run as bye have in the past. Internally, the Board of trustees has to balance the needs of our various beneficiaries with the funds at our disposal. taking great note of the impact that the economy is having on society at large. Page 3 CANTERBURY DISTRICT VOLUNTEER CENTRE LIMITED REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 FINANCIAL REVIEW Reserves policy It is the policy of the charitys trustees to maintain unrestricted funds. vthith are the free reserves of the tharity, at a level that equates to a minimum of three rnonths and a maximum of twelve months of operating expendilure. This provides sufficient funds to cover management. administration. and support costs and to respond to emergency situations. The rationale for holding this reserve is as follows: To ensure the financial security and the proper staff of the charty To provide adequate resources to meet the Ghallenges imposed by new and uncertain fvnding streams The trustees will continue to keep under review the level of the charws general reserve, but consider the current level is necessary to fulfil justifiable calls on the charity's resources. During the period under review, the total income received by the charity was £76,230 (2024 - £93.312). The principal funders during the year were the Nats'onal Lottery Community Fund, Canterbury & Coastal Clinical Commissioning Group plus the Colyer Ferguson Foundation, the Henry Smith Charitable Trust. Canterbury City Council. and the Kent Community Foundation. The trustees, staff and members are grateful for this ongoing support. The trustees are aware that there will be even more significant challenges in the years ahead and are continually monitoring the income and expenditure of the organisation in light of this continued pressure on finances within the Voluntary and Community Sector. It is acknowledged that, for the next two or three years al least. there will be increased pressure on public spendin9, and this will almost certainly impact on the grants available to the chanty from all sources. In response to this, the trustees will continue to explore all options for organisational growth and in¢ome. STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT Governlng document The charity is conlrolled by its governing document and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006. The company is a charitsble company limrted by guarantee and is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 2 April 2007. It is registered wilh the Charity Commission under number 1090620. The organisation was formed, via the merger of the fomier Canterbury Volunteer Centre and the Herne Bay Volunteer Centre on 2 April 2007 and registered as a charity on 15 February 2002. The company Changed its name from the Canterbury and Herne Volunteer Centre to the Canterbury District Volunteer Centre in 2021 In the event of the company being wound up. members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £10. The management of the company is the responsibility of the trustees, who are elected and co-opted under the Articles of Association. Recrultment, Inductlon, and tralning of new twstees Trustees are recruite¢ either by advertising in local newspapers or personal recommendation., all trustees are volunteers. All applicants undergo an initial skills appraisal, and all new trustees are encouraged to attend a series of short training sessions to familiarize ihemselves with the charity and the context within which it operates. The new trustees are inducted ir)to the organisats'on via a combination of trustee and staff involvement. Organisational stru¢tur8 The Board of trustees consists of at least three and not more than tsventy-fve individuals. The Board of trustees currently consists of five members of the charity. The trustees meet quarterly and review, Inter alia. the previous quarter's income and expenditure account and reports from core workers. Page 4 CANTERBURY DISTRICT VOLUNTEER CENTRE LIMITED REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 14lARCH 2025 Risk management As part of their responsibility. the trustees carry out an annual appraisal of the risks to which the Charity is exposed. Vvhere appropriate, systems or procedures have been established to mttsgate the risks that the charity faces. The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed. those related to the operats'ons and finances of the charty and are satisfied that systems and procedu￿$ are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks. Risk factors The charity's trustees have considered the major strategic, business and operational risks that 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. The COVID-19 viral pandemic was one of the most swnfficant economic evenls for the UK wth UnPr￿ented 18V815 of uncertainty of outcomes compounded rnore recently by the cost of living crisis and intlationary pressure il is therefore difficult to evaluate all the potential implications on the chanws operations, funding, suppliers. and wider economy. The Trustees. view on the impact of all the above, is that, given the measures that could be undertaken to mitigate the Current adverse conditions and the current resources available, they can ￿nts'nue to adc¢)t the going concem basis in preparing the financial statements. The trustees acknowledge their responsibtlity for.. Having an overview of the risk identification process Having reviewed and assessed major risks and will review and update the position as required Confimiing that control systems have been established lo mitigate those risks This report has been prepared in acLordance wilh the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. nd signed on its behalf by.. A Krutnik - Secretary Page 5 INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF CANTERBURY DISTRICT VOLUNTEER CENTRE LIMITED Indepondent examinor's report to the trustees of Canterbury District Volunteer C•ntre Limited (Yh Company.) I report to the charity -.rustees on my examination ofthe accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 March 2025. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity's trustees ofthe Company (and also its directors forthe purposes ofcompany law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 ACV). Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination. I report in respect of my examination ofyour charity's accounts as carried out under section 145 ofthe Charities Act 2011 Cthe 2011 Acf). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directs'ons given by the Charity Commission under section 145{5) (b) of the 2011 Art. Indepondent examlnorfs statement I have completed my examination. I confimi that no matters have come to my attention in connects'on with the examination giving me cause to believe.. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act,. or the accounts do not accord with those records., or the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of sedion 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.. or the arxounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities lapplicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporbng Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland