Annual report and accounts 2023/24
Caring Together Charity Charity Registration Number 1091522 Company Registration Number 4379948
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We would like to thank the following organisations for supporting Caring Together Charity
Abbots Ripton Village Stores
Active Norfolk
The Alan Boswell Group Charitable Trust
The Annie Tranmer Charitable Trust Aria Court Care Home
Ashton’s Legal Charitable Fund BBC Children in Need
Bridges Outcomes Partnerships Buckden and District Churches Together
Cambridgeshire Community Foundation
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust Integrated Care Team, Huntingdon Cambridgeshire County Council Carers Trust Circus Starr
Co-op Community Cares The David Family Foundation D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust Earith Community Cafe
The Earl of Northampton’s Charity, via their sole Trustee, The Mercers’ Company
East Cambridgeshire District Council Ellington Village Club The Evelyn Trust Garfield Weston Foundation The Gerald Micklem Charitable Trust The Grace Trust
Haddenham Steam Rally & Heavy Horse Show
Hethersett District Lions Club Hillington Parish Council Huntingdon Freemen’s Trust The Hutchinson Charitable Trust The Kathleen Hannay Memorial Charity
The Lesley Mary Carter Charitable Trust
Leziate Parish Council
The Lord Cozens Hardy Trust Maxine Lester Lettings and Property Management
NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care System NHS England and NHS Improvement
NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board
The National Lottery Community Fund Norfolk Community Foundation Norfolk County Council
PEM Charitable Trust
Peterborough City Council Peterborough United Charitable Trust Project Linus
Provincial Grand Lodge of Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire
Ridley Godfrey Foundation Rotary Club of Huntingdon Rotary in Ramsey Rotary Sothius Masonic Lodge 8774 Spotted in Ely
St Ives (Hunts) Golf Club St Ives Rotary Club
St Ivo Masonic Lodge 2684 St Mark’s Church, Newnham The Souter Charitable Trust Thriplow Daffodil Weekend Voluntary Norfolk The Yusef Foundation
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 3
Contents
| Contents | |
|---|---|
| Welcome to the 2023/24 Caring Together annual report | 4 |
| The vision that drives us | 6 |
| How we are turning our vision into reality | 7 |
| Essential support when it is needed most | 7 |
| Skills for caring | 8 |
| Bringing carers together | 9 |
| Supporting children who are carers | 9 |
| “I’d been screaming out for help” | 10 |
| Giving carers peace of mind | 10 |
| Raising awareness of carers | 12 |
| Carers voices being heard | 12 |
| Our team to support carers | 13 |
| Your support for our work | 13 |
| Risk, compliance and governance | 14 |
| Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities | 23 |
| Statement as to disclosure to our auditors | 24 |
| Independent auditor’s report to the members of Caring Together | 25 |
| Accounts | 29 |
| Our Trustees | 48 |
| Our Senior Leadership Team | 49 |
| Our year in photos | 50 |
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
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Welcome to the 2023/24 Caring Together annual report
During the year unpaid carers have told us about the impact of sharp increases in the cost of living, their struggles to access health appointments, notably with GPs, and how simply trying to carry on providing the best care they can has contributed to feelings of loneliness, isolation and in some cases them reaching crisis point.
This is exactly what we are trying to stop happening but without doubt we are seeing carers trying to manage extraordinary levels of stress on themselves and their families.
We have continued to be on the frontline and there for carers with the support they need to help them overcome their challenges as much as we can.
This year we have been proud to help around 27,000 people with a variety of support enabling unpaid carers to have a break, prepare for any potential emergency and to have someone to talk to. However, there are over 150,000 carers living in Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and Norfolk who could need our support, so we recognise that we have so much more to do.
During the year we were particularly pleased to see the introduction of legislation entitling unpaid carers to have up to one-week of unpaid leave from their employment to help them in their caring role. While very welcome, it would however be even more beneficial if this leave was paid considering the financial pressures many working carers find themselves facing.
Our partnership with Care Network Cambridgeshire and Age UK Cambridgeshire and Peterborough to support the Integrated Care Board with hospital discharge work has gone exceptionally well. We have introduced a single point of access for hospital discharge teams to use to improve workflow and the seamless transition of patients. We are already seeing an increase in the number of patients being discharged, which is positive for individuals and the hospitals. Our partnership is also ensuring that, through our community ‘at home’ individuals are less likely to be readmitted to hospital. We are also able to identify unpaid carers to ensure they can access the ongoing support they are entitled to.
In April 2024 the Office of National Statistics released some data highlighting that by the time we get to 50 years old we are likely to have at least four years of caring ahead of us and that the more hours of care that we provide, the chance of us not being in good health increases hugely. While this doesn’t come as a complete surprise, it does mean that our awareness work is vital in reaching more people to ensure they can prepare and know where to go for help. We have worked in schools, with employers and in the community so that more carers can be identified and receive support quickly. In 2023/24 we worked with over 1200 professionals.
While we remain proud of our achievements, we have also seen an increase in our running costs, with income remaining static.
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 5
It has been very challenging to respond to an increase in demand for our support when funding is simply not stretching as far as it used to. We were pleased, however, to be able to maintain our position as a real living wage employer and to be able to improve our benefits through the introduction of a death in service benefit and free online GP service.
We continue to explore new ways of reaching new people and have begun to investigate how we can make more use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), being thoughtful about how it can be part of our service delivery.
We constantly look for ways in which we can make ourselves more attractive as an employer as retaining our high quality, well trained and compassionate employees is critical to us being able to maintain our high-quality service delivery. We continue to receive the most humbling of compliments about our staff team from the carers and families we support so we know we need to work hard to retain them at Caring Together. Volunteers are making an increasing contribution to our work, and it has been wonderful to welcome a number of new volunteers during the year who work in our office as well as with our employees in the community. We extend our thanks to all our workers for their continued contribution to our work.
As we look forward to the next year, we will be embarking on a campaign to recruit some new Trustees to replace those who will be coming to the end of their term in the next couple of years.
Our Trustees bring their skills, experience, and passion to enable Caring Together to deliver its vision of ‘no unpaid carer in crisis, isolated or struggling alone.’ See caringtogether.org/we-are-caring-together
In 2024/25, Christina Wells who has been the chair of our Quality and Service Delivery Committee will be standing down and we wanted to take this opportunity to thank her for her incredible contribution and service over the last nine years.
And finally, we couldn’t do what we do without the generosity of our supporters and funders. With funding not stretching, reducing in value and harder to get we have increased our investment in this area to increase growth. Thank you so much to all our donors for everything you have contributed to our work this year. We simply couldn’t do what we need to do without it.
Miriam Martin Chief Executive
Stuart Evans Chair of Trustees
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
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The vision that drives us
At Caring Together Charity our vision is a world with no unpaid carer in crisis, isolated or struggling alone.
In 2023/24 we supported 27,000 people – unpaid carers and those they look after – the equivalent of the population of a medium-sized town such as Gorleston-on-Sea, Huntingdon or Wisbech. Each of their stories is a reminder of why our support is vital.
When we reach the age of 50 each of us is likely to still have more than four years of caring for someone ahead of us. Caring affects us all.
As well as their caring responsibilities, unpaid carers are impacted by unparalleled pressures on the health and social care system, cost of living burdens, and almost half of them have their own health issues.
Without them our country’s health and social care system would collapse.
Too many unpaid carers:
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¥ are already at crisis point when they first speak to us.
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“+ are just one step away not being able to cope.
-
ak have struggled for months or years on their own without support.
We are striving to help carers in crisis and prevent others reaching that stage.
We supported 27,000 people in 2023/24.
The NHS budget for England and Wales was £164 billion in 2020/21*.
Carers saved the economy
£162 Billion
NHS budget for England and Wales 2020/21
£164 Billion
*Figures from Valuing Carers research report Carers UK, May 2023 (Petrillo and Bennett, 2023).
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 7
How we are turning our vision into reality
Essential support when it is needed most
One diagnosis, an accident, or the health of someone close to us deteriorating and we are in a role we had no preparation for - facing the practical and emotional demands of caring and being a carer.
Navigating the health and social care system can be difficult, daunting and exhausting. Some carers tell us they’ve felt they were facing a ‘brick wall’ when in most need of support. Until speaking to us, they may not even have known they’re entitled to support.
Our Caring Together helpline, and the advice line we operate as part of the Carers Matter Norfolk partnership, can be their first source of expert, and invaluable advice.
Personalised information and advice are given by phone, email or post. Our website, regular email newsletters and free Caring magazine give more ways carers can stay updated on the services and support available to them.
Over 23,000 . calls, many giving carers the essential personalised advice they needed.
“I cannot begin to explain just how valuable I found the phone call… finally someone could “understand” my situation and actually listened to me instead of me coming up against a brick wall.
“Carers Matter [Norfolk] has helped me substantially by giving me help when I most needed it and by offering information and support that was invaluable.”
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
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Skills for caring
We help carers develop skills and knowledge to help them and the person they care for. We do this at carers’ hubs, specific sessions, and by going along to other groups or events in the community.
The deep and wide demands carers face are reflected in the topics we cover - emergency first aid, carers’ rights and entitlements, falls prevention, Technology Enabled Care, understanding dementia, the Mental Capacity Act, benefits, managing medication, legal and finance topics and more. Parent carers are given specific support around the changes they face as their child transitions to adult services. We also hold sessions to build carers’ skills at managing their mental and emotional wellbeing.
Over 250
trips, workshops, hubs and carer learning sessions. We are here to help carers as young as five through to 101.
Caring for someone can be hugely complex, but our support means it is not something people have to do alone.
“I’ve really enjoyed today. I’ve taken away tips to help me at home and… have had a much-needed break this morning.
“I have a list of things I need to do and now I feel equipped with the information I was lacking; I can finally get on and do them.”
“Wow… so useful. I am so glad I came and looking forward to coming to some other sessions. This has given me the confidence I needed to move forward.”
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 9
Bringing carers together
Being an unpaid carer can make it hard to get out to see people, and carers may feel their role is not understood by those around them. By bringing carers together we can take away that sense of isolation and put them at the heart of a supportive community.
Our carers’ hubs are held across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough for carers and the people they care for. Online sessions give an alternative way to get together.
The extent to which a carer’s attention can be focused on the person they care for, means they may even feel guilty if they’re taking time for themselves. Our trips and sessions put carers’ needs and wellbeing first.
Whether it’s a lunch together, time at the beach, a tour of Ely Cathedral, a massage, or a craft session – these times to switch-off are vital.
“I get to be around people who are in the same position as me. The trips just make me happy. They give me a break; they make me be able to breathe properly.”
“We want to say a big thank you for all the kind loving support you have given our family… you have been totally amazing… Caring Together gave the children a chance to be children, to have fun and have a break from their caring role… we are forever grateful.”
Supporting children who are carers
Children as young as five can be looking after someone in their family – a sibling, parent, or at times more than one person. Young carers are almost twice as likely to persistently miss school, and three times more likely to have a long-term mental health condition*.
To relieve the pressures, they need support, breaks and time to be a child or teenager - to simply do what other youngsters their age do.
Activities in schools and trips, such as heading for the zoo, an open farm, the seaside, or an outdoor adventure are valuable times for these youngsters. In Norfolk our young carers’ forum gives carers time together and to have their voices heard.
*Children and Young People’s Health Coalition - April 2024
10 Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
“I’d been screaming out for help”
The demands of looking after someone can be overwhelming.
We support people facing incredibly challenging caring roles while also struggling with their own problems, including with mental and emotional health. Some of their situations are truly heartbreaking, and the professional support from our counselling team can be life changing, or even lifesaving.
“I honestly do not know where I would be if not for the counselling support you have provided…. I was broken and felt ignored and not listened to. I am now in a much better place.”
“The counselling support from Caring Together has been life-saving. I was at rock bottom - feeling I was drowning and nobody cared… I’d been screaming out for help and it was the counselling that came through… This service is a lifeline.”
We supported carers with more than 1,500 counselling sessions.
Giving carers peace of mind
Many carers’ priority is to make sure the person they look after has everything they need. Our personalised homecare gives people more independence and choice.
We provide companionship, help to get out into the community, personal care, meal preparation and support with medication. But our role goes far beyond this.
Our What If? Plans take away carers’ worry about what happens if an emergency means they are unable to support the person they care for. We can quickly put in place the care that is needed.
Getting someone home from hospital, without the right support in place, can be difficult. Our ‘bridging care’ provides the support needed for this, giving time for more on-going help to be put in place.
And sometimes carers simply need help so they can have a break from the demands of their role. In Cambridgeshire and Peterborough our homecare team step in so carers can go to their own medical appointments, or if they are at crisis point. While in Norfolk we deliver breaks as part of the Carers Matter Norfolk partnership.
Providing Day Clubs in March and Brampton means there are not only fun and relaxing activities for those who go along – but our staff are also there to provide for their personal care and medication needs. Again, giving peace of mind for carers and a way to take a vital break.
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 11
“It didn’t feel the whole weight was on my shoulders. I knew there would be someone there in the morning.
“They were all terrific.”
“You were there at a real time of need; the carers were all amazing!
Almost 1,000 carers registered for our support in an emergency.
More than carers are now 5,000 signed up for this support if they need it.
“I would have been lost without you!”
“Your charity was a lifeline to both mum and dad.
“Trusting anyone else to look after mum was very tricky for dad but in his communication with you all, he found comfort, support and an understanding that you would honour your word and keep mum safe when he needed to attend appointments.”
We provided over at , 44,000 at hours of - a homecare, a eg including help in an emergency, and giving carers breaks they need.
12 Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
Raising awareness of carers
Nearly three-quarters of us who provide unpaid care, or have done so in the past, have never seen ourselves as a carer. This is a barrier to support that must be broken down.
We’re raising awareness of carers with employers and in health, education, and community settings. This means more carers are recognised and supported.
We have worked with the media - including local radio and newspapers - to raise the profile of young carers, the Carer’s Leave Act, and the need for carers to be identified and supported.
Carers’ voices being heard
In 2023/24, our Carer Council continued to help shape our work. Carers gave their views on subjects including caring and work, the demands of caring, and what changes are needed in our 2023 Carers Speak Out report. This was sent to media, MPs and councillors across our area.
“Your session today has really highlighted to me that sadly I am one of the statistics and am someone who has never really thought about myself being a ‘carer’... I feel it’s time I probably got in touch with the service.”
“…I turned my camera off... I found the videos, especially the young carers, touched a nerve and I did have a cry.”
167 awareness raising sessions reached 2,375 professionals.
Young carers spoke powerfully through our Young Carers Action Day campaign, with two young people meeting MPs and the Children’s Commissioner for England in Westminster.
30 organisations achieved the Carer Friendly Tick award, 115 bringing the total to
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 13
Our team to support carers
We are proud of our team of employees and volunteers who are dedicated to the support we deliver. They work side-by-side to deliver support for unpaid carers and many have their own experience of looking after someone.
In 2023/24 our volunteers provided almost 3,000 hours of support for unpaid carers. They have valued roles as part of our Customer Services team, in giving companionship and sit-in services for carers through our Norfolk Befriending service, in supporting our hubs, clubs, and carer trips and in ensuring we can deliver other areas of support for carers.
We saw new roles created in our Fundraising team and People team to ensure we are able to provide sustainable and relevant support for carers. Growing our Norfolk advice line team has been part of developing this valued service for carers.
We were proud the year saw us achieve the Disability Confident tick, recognising the support we give to our team members who require adjustments or additional measures to be able to carry out their roles successfully. We have continued to be a living wage employer. And new benefits introduced included a group life insurance plan and a 24/7 GP service available to contracted staff and their families living with them.
94% of staff feel proud to work for our charity
Your support for our work
We are very grateful to the many people, community groups, grant-makers and companies that supported our work to help carers in 2023/24. Our ‘Time for Tea in ‘23’ campaign invited supporters to get together with friends for tea and cake and give much-needed donations to supporting carers. Thousands of pounds were raised as people enjoyed meeting up over a cuppa!
We were astonished at the enormous support for our ‘Back to School’ campaign which launched in September 2023 to help children who are carers. Our support for young carers in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough faced closure but donations from groups like Rotary Clubs, Masonic Lodges and Trusts, and many individuals meant our help for hundreds of children and young people has continued to run.
Other highlights included the fantastic Ullswater Way Challenge where a team of intrepid walkers raised £4,000 and Caring Together being chosen as one of the charities to benefit from the famous Thriplow Daffodil Weekend.
We are grateful for every donation, especially at a time many of us face stretched finances. It was also humbling to receive many donations in memory of loved ones who have passed away. All these special gifts will bring help and support to many families across our region.
Those who make regular gifts and who have pledged legacies, help us to secure our services for future generations of carers.
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
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Risk, compliance and governance
Risk
The Board of Trustees has overall responsibility for risk management. Oversight is maintained throughout the year with the support of the Finance and Audit Committee, Quality and Service Delivery Committee, and Fundraising Committee.
Caring Together’s performance framework is updated annually to ensure internal reporting is against relevant key performance indicators, which are designed with the key risks, strategic direction of the charity and opportunities in mind. At the end of each quarter, as part of our reporting, each risk is reassessed and the residual risk rated according to the impact of mitigating actions and any new intelligence, knowledge and experience. We also assess whether the risk is decreasing, stable or increasing, which enables Trustees to understand movements of risks when it isn’t appropriate to change red-amber-green (RAG) ratings.
Risks, their assessment and mitigating actions, are scrutinised each quarter by the relevant sub-committee or the Board.
The Board receives an annual risk report. This provides the opportunity to review the impact of our risk management processes, how risks have changed throughout the year, to review the risk management policy and to ensure any learning is identified and influences future approaches to the management of risk.
Risk management is factored into business planning, performance management, the audit cycle, business continuity planning, project management, contract and grant applications and funding awards.
We started last year with key risks in the areas of:
Funding
We recognised that the external environment remained challenging and especially so for charities seeking to grow fundraised income and manage the continued pressure on contracts when inflation continued to be so high.
Local authorities remained unable to pay for the full cost of homecare, adding further strain on our overall financial position. However, to mitigate the risks of a potential reduction in funding we had high quality people leading our income generating activities and maintained positive relationships with funders and commissioners of services.
People
The employment market hadn’t and may not recover from the post COVID world. It remained difficult to recruit for social care roles at both frontline and leadership levels. Failure to recruit and retain the right people could have had a direct impact on the ability we have to deliver services to unpaid carers. To mitigate these risks we appointed a new Head of People and Human Resources Business Partner to help ensure that the experience of both paid employees and volunteers was a positive one.
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 15
We refreshed our benefits offer which was rolled out during 2023. We maintained our position as a real living wage employer and factored in modest pay awards to our budgets.
Systems and processes
We had completed work to improve the security of our customers’ data with the protection of our systems remaining front of mind. In order to further mitigate cyber security risks, this year saw the completion of penetration testing of our systems and we continued to roll out training and share learning if something went wrong.
As a result of the actions we took to mitigate risks during the year, we have:
Successfully filled vacancies for critical roles and maintained staff retention rates to industry standards.
Maintained our position as the leading provider of carer services across our geography and started to develop an improved online offer for those carers who prefer this type of engagement and way to access services.
Key risks for the organisation going forward:
Maintaining income
The landscape we work in remains challenging, seeing limited growth of income streams in the charity sector, and health and local authority budgets are under pressure which undoubtedly filters down to contract providers like Caring Together.
The fundraising strategy enters year two of the plan to grow income. We have a dynamic team, but recognise this work takes time in a competitive environment. The work of fundraising will offer a return on investment for the charity longer term.
We have seen a gradual reduction in private care hours delivered since pre-COVID times and the focus is to develop this business area as a response to secure and grow unrestricted income streams. During 2024/25 the charity is investing in a business development manager whose primary role is to focus on selling private care, which we consider a valued service provision.
People
Recruitment remains extremely challenging for frontline social care roles, and competition on websites mean this is a struggling recruitment source. The appointment of a Recruitment and Training Advisor should allow us to promote our roles more pro-actively, although this will take time to build. The charity’s commitment to paying real living wage and continuing to develop our benefits
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
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offering appears to be supporting better retention. However, we are still mid-range payers so this might change if we are not able to continue this. Failure to recruit the right people has a direct impact on the ability we have to deliver services to unpaid carers.
Systems and processes
We have thoroughly investigated potential uses of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and have identified a number of key situations with the potential to greatly help the charity. We intend to start rolling them out over the summer of 2024. We have also completed the governance work around this, including building the information governance for the use of AI and consulting carers about potential uses and what they find acceptable.
Compliance
Our homecare service is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). We have maintained our ‘good’ rating demonstrating our ongoing commitment and investment in maintaining high standards of care, ensuring our care professionals are highly trained and expert in the services they provide. Our fundraising activities are compliant with UK legislation and meet the required standards in overall fundraising ethics in the sector.
Governance
Our governing document
Fenland Crossroads was established in 1982, followed by Crossroads Cambridge City in 1984 and Crossroads South and East Cambridgeshire and Crossroads Huntingdonshire in 1985. Crossroads Huntingdonshire was registered as a charity in September 1992 and incorporated in February 2002. The charity was established under a memorandum of association which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its articles of association. By 2011 all charities had merged into this organisation.
In the event of the company being wound up members (our Trustees) are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 while they are members, or within one year after they cease to be members, for payment of debts and liabilities contracted before they ceased to be members. Caring Together Charity (‘Caring Together’) is governed by our latest Articles of Association and Memorandum dated 22 January 2022.
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 17
The Board
Appointment of Trustees
Trustees serve an initial term of three years that can be extended up to a maximum of three terms. No Trustee will serve more than three, three-year terms, except in exceptional circumstances.
New Trustees are appointed through an open recruitment process targeting individuals with the diversity of skills, experience and knowledge that the Board has identified as needed to deliver the organisation’s strategy and provide effective governance of the charity.
Interested parties apply and are invited to meet the chair and other Trustees for informal discussions. Should both parties want to proceed, prospective Trustees are invited to take part in a formal interview process with representatives from the Trustee Board and Senior Leadership Team, including the Chief Executive. All Trustees are subject to appropriate vetting checks and asked to sign policies which include a fit and proper persons (Disqualification Disclaimer) form, a register of interests and the Charity Commission’s eligibility form.
Trustee induction and training
Newly appointed Trustees are given an induction pack based on good practice guidance issued by the Charity Commission.
The pack includes relevant policies and procedures, our Memorandum and Articles of Association, the latest financial statements, strategic plan and annual report.
New Trustees are invited to meet with the Chief Executive and Senior Leadership Team, and encouraged to visit our services to meet carers and shadow members of staff.
Trustees are supported to attend workshops and training sessions to improve their knowledge of charity governance and to network with Trustees of other organisations.
Organisation
The Board of Trustees meet routinely six times per year. The three formal sub-committees, Finance and Audit, Quality and Service Delivery and Fundraising, meet four times a year each. Strategic away days are held from time to time.
The Board sets up steering groups and task and finish groups to focus on the completion of specific activities.
A scheme of delegation is in place with day-to-day responsibility for the smooth and effective running of the charity assigned to the Chief Executive, along with the Senior Leadership Team. The Chief Executive is responsible for ensuring the delivery of the business plan and that key performance indicators are met.
Relationships and co-operation with other organisations
We are a network partner of Carers Trust, an independent registered charity in England and Wales (No. 1145181). In 2018 there were 150 members of the network working across the UK. We pay Carers Trust an annual partner fee.
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
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We are also a member of Carers UK, an independent registered charity in England and Wales (No. 246329). Carers UK give expert advice, information and support to carers.
We seek to work in partnership with others so that we can reach and support more carers, and have worked together with over 60 voluntary and public sector organisations, as well as around 50 Carer Friendly Tick Award holders throughout the year.
A full list of our Carer Friendly Tick Award holders can be found on our website via
caringtogether.org/carer-friendly-tick
Management
Pay policy for senior staff
The key management personnel of the charity are the Board of Trustees (directors) and the Senior Leadership Team, as listed on pages 48-49. All Trustees give of their time freely and none received remuneration in the year. Details of Trustees’ expenses and related party transactions are disclosed in note 11 to the accounts.
The charity has an agreed remuneration policy. Salaries for the Senior Leadership Team are set and reviewed annually by the Board of Trustees in consultation with the Chief Executive as appropriate. The People team carry out a benchmarking exercise prior to pay review to ensure our employees are as fairly paid as possible within budget constraints and any additional increases are agreed with the relevant member of the Senior Leadership Team.
Increases in pay are kept within the budget agreed by the Board. Pay increases are split partly to take into account inflation and also to reward performance. Salaries are openly stated in job adverts.
Environmental
Information on our green credentials
What we have done to reduce our carbon footprint:
Increased recycling within our offices.
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Explored ways we can offset our carbon footprint as we deliver homecare. Although it needs to be appreciated that as we provide essential support within people’s homes, we are unable to remove the environmental impact completely.
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Introduced a hybrid working policy which is working to offset some of our carbon footprint.
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Established our baseline metrics which we will be able to report on in the coming years.
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Considered environmental impact as part of our supplier evaluations.
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Our group of Green Champions continue to meet virtually to come up with ideas and practical ways to improve our green credentials.
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 19
Financial review and results for the year
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: 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). Our charity has an effective system of internal control and major risks have been reviewed and systems and/or procedures have been established to manage those risks.
Overall, Caring Together made a deficit of £11.2k in the financial year to 31 March 2024 compared to a deficit of £159k in the previous year. Within this, however, we made a deficit on unrestricted-funded activities of £16.4k (2023: surplus £36.6k). We ended the year with unspent restricted grants of £95.6k (2023: £90.4k) which will be spent in 2024/25.
Income
Our income decreased from the previous year by £26.5k (0.7%) to £3,944.2k (2023: decreased by £475k (10.7%) to £3,970.7k). Care fees and contracts continue to be our main sources of income.
We raised £4m income through:
83% care fees and contracts
14% grants receivable
2% donations and legacies
1% other income
We spent £4m on:
68% care and carer breaks
9% carer support
6% emergency care and hospital discharge
12% raising awareness
5% cost of raising funds
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
20 Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
Care fees and contracts relate to CQC regulated services and provision of carers’ support, which include our contract as a strategic partner with Cambridgeshire County Council. Care fees and contract income decreased by £6.2k to £3,282.7k.
Grants, donations and fundraising are our other sources of charitable income. Grant income in the year decreased by £30.2k to £542.6k. Our principal donors are listed in note 5 to the financial statements. Most grants have been provided for a specific purpose; any amounts unspent at the year-end are carried forward in restricted reserves. Donations and legacies of £84.9k are 12% lower than last year, the landscape for giving has been affected by cost of living making it very competitive on donor funds available in the charity sector. Donations and grants were spent on the charitable purposes for which they were given.
Expenditure
Our expenditure decreased by £174.3k (4%) to £3,955.4k in 2023/24, which partly reflects our decrease in service provision and variable direct costs during 2023/24. In addition there were reduced project costs from grant funded programmes not incurred. Savings within support costs came from staff vacancies not recruited throughout the year and promotional costs were considerably lower in the year. The organisation has continued to benefit from efficiency savings with hybrid working seeing a reduction in management travel costs from remote working. We also remain a real living wage employer.
Reserves and reserves policy
The reserves held are funds that are available for use in the furtherance of the charitable objectives. They are funds which have not yet been committed, designated or spent. At 31 March 2024 our reserves are as follows:
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Current Previous
year year
Unrestricted funds £675.7k £692.1k
Restricted funds £95.6k £90k
Total charity funds £771.3k £782.5k
Average monthly operating costs £ 290k £334k
Number of months operating 2.7 2.3
costs held as reserves
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The assets backing these reserves are shown in note 20 to the financial statements. Note 18 details the use of restricted funds received during the year.
We retain the reserves level at 2-3 months of operating costs and the Trustees review the reserves policy annually using the guidance given by the Charity Commission.
After consideration of ongoing operating costs and potential calls on funds it is considered our liquidity and the reserves position is at a reasonable level to provide financial stability and means for future development.
Restricted funds were spent in line with donor funding and grant conditions. We picked up additional unrestricted funds for sustainability in future years. We kept our reserves at a level which is within our policy range.
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 21
Investment policy
The Trustees, having regard to the liquidity requirements of operating the charity, have set a policy to keep funds available in a current account, and one or more interestbearing deposit account(s) where appropriate. Trustees have considered diversifying their investment policy and concluded that no action should be taken to progress this currently.
Fundraising
It is through fundraising that we can reach more carers and provide the services and support they need. We continued to prioritise fundraising in 2023/24 to generate income from a range of sources. We are very grateful to all supporters – both individuals and organisations.
Our approach to fundraising
During the year we have received support from grant making trusts, community groups, companies and individual supporters. We ran three major appeals in the year - for Carers Week 2023, our ‘Back to School’ campaign to support young carers, and at Christmas.
Our Back to School campaign in autumn 2023 galvanised individuals, companies, community groups and charitable trusts to stand together to make sure that children and young people who are carers across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough continued to receive our support. This has meant our support for young carers has continued and local children are getting the specialist help they need.
We were fortunate to receive grant funding support from foundations and trusts that had not supported us previously, including The Mercers’ Company, who have enabled us to run a Befriending project in Norfolk reducing loneliness and isolation of carers at home.
We are very grateful to our Carer Friends, people who make monthly donations through Direct Debit. These regular donations help us to plan ahead, and ensure key services are funded and sustained into the future.
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
22 Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
It has been an honour this year to receive many donations in memory of loved ones who have passed away. We also received a special legacy gift from a gentleman who had been helped by our charity and wanted to give back and help others. Many of the people we support make donations to say ‘thank you’ for the help they have received. Every donation made means we can help more carers locally so we are very grateful for these gifts.
Fundraising conforming to recognised standards
We are registered with the Fundraising Regulator and our Fundraising team comply with the Code of Fundraising Practice. All donations received are used for charitable purposes. There have been no reported failings in the compliance with the code during 2023/24.
We have an ethical fundraising policy and all fundraising team members are aware and supportive of our ethical approach to fundraising.
No fundraising activity is currently incentivised through pay or other means. Our approach to fundraising is through relationship building.
Monitoring of fundraising carried out on our behalf
Fundraising complaints
We have a complaints policy and procedure. We have not received any fundraising complaints during the fundraising period.
Protection of the public, including vulnerable people, from unreasonably intrusive or persistent fundraising approaches, and undue pressure to donate
We follow regulations relating to privacy and data protection in all matters, including fundraising. Within our systems we maintain a system of permissions to ensure that people we are in contact with are able to inform us of their contact preferences. All fundraising appeals include information about how to ‘opt out’ of fundraising letters.
We have an ethical fundraising policy. Our fundraising team members are aware of our ethical approach to fundraising and the requirements to adhere to the framework provided by the Code of Fundraising Practice.
Our staff are required to complete mandatory training which includes data protection, safeguarding of adults, and safeguarding of children. This training is undertaken on an annual basis thereafter and reminders are sent automatically from our e-learning system.
During 2023/24 fundraising activities carried out on our behalf have been largely individual challenges or community fundraising activities. Where fundraising activities have been known to us, we have provided support and guidance as appropriate.
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 23
Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities
The Trustees (who are also directors of Caring Together for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual 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 Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under company law the Trustees 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 charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in operation.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable 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 charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The Trustees are responsible for the 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.
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP 2019 (FRS 102);
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
24 Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
Statement as to disclosure to our auditors
In so far as the Trustees are aware:
Approved by order of the Board of Trustees on 7 August 2024 and signed on its behalf by:
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% there is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company’s auditor is unaware; and
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% the Trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditor is aware of that information.
Stuart Evans Chair of Trustees
Auditors
The Auditors, Price Bailey LLP, have indicated their willingness to continue in office. The designated Trustees will propose a motion re-appointing the auditors at a meeting of the Trustees.
This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies entitled to the small companies’ exemption.
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 25
Independent auditor’s report to the members of Caring Together Charity
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Caring Together (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 31 March 2024 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities incorporating Income and Expenditure Account, the Balance Sheet, the Statement of Cash Flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (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 2024, and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended;
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have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
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have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.
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 Auditor’s 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 12 months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the Trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
26 Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
Independent auditor’s report to the members of Caring Together Charity (continued)
Other information
The other information comprises the information included in the Trustees’ annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The Trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. 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.
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 there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have 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.
Opinion on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:
-
the information given in the Trustees’ report (incorporating the directors’ report) for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
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the directors’ report included within the Trustees’ report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
Matters on which we are required to report by exception
In the light of our 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 directors’ report included within the Trustees’ report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
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adequate and proper accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
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the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 27
Independent auditor’s report to the members of Caring Together Charity (continued)
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certain disclosures of Trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or
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we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
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the Trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies’ regime and take advantage of the small companies’ exemptions in preparing the directors report or from the requirement to prepare a strategic report.
Responsibilities of Trustees
As explained more fully in the Trustees’ responsibilities statement set out on page 23, 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.
Auditors’ 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 noncompliance 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 fraud is detailed below:
We gained an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework applicable to the charitable company and how it operates and considered the risk of the charitable company not complying with the applicable laws and regulations including fraud, in particular those that could have a material impact on the financial statements. This included those regulations directly related to the financial statements.
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
28 Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
Independent auditor’s report to the members of Caring Together Charity (continued)
In relation to the charitable company this included financial reporting.
The risks were discussed with the audit team and we remained alert to any indications of non-compliance throughout the audit. We carried out specific procedures to address the risks identified. These included the following:
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¥ Management override: We reviewed systems and procedures to identify potential areas of management override risk. In particular, we carried out testing of journal entries and other adjustments for appropriateness.
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Reviewing minutes of Trustee Board meetings and correspondence with the Charity Commission, agreeing the financial statement disclosures to underlying supporting documentation, enquiries of management including those responsible for the key regulations and a review of the risk management processes and procedures put in place by the charitable company. We have also 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.
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 frc.org.uk/ auditorsresponsibilities . This description forms part of our auditor’s report.
Use of our report
This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members 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 the charitable company’s members for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
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 non-compliance.
9 August 2024
Shaun Jordan ACA (Senior Statutory Auditor) For and on behalf of Price Bailey LLP Chartered Accountants Statutory Auditors Tennyson House, Cambridge Business Park, Cambridge CB4 0WZ
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 29
Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024 Statement of financial activities (including income and expenditure account)
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2024 2023
Notes Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
funds funds funds funds
Income £000 £000 £000 £000
Donations and legacies
Donations and legacies 3 70.4 14.5 84.9 96.3
Grants receivable 5 - 542.6 542.6 572.8
Income from charitable activities
Care fees and contracts 4 3,282.7 - 3,282.7 3,288.9
Other charitable income 4 + 6 2.0 - 2.0 1.5
Investment income 16.0 - 16.0 0.4
Other income 7 16.0 - 16.0 10.8
Total income 3,387.1 557.1 3,944.2 3,970.7
Expenditure
Costs of raising funds 186.2 - 186.2 119.7
Expenditure on charitable activities 3,217.3 551.9 3,769.2 4,010.0
Total expenditure 8 3,403.5 551.9 3,955.4 4,129.7
Net movement in funds for the year (16.4) 5.2 (11.2) (159.0)
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward 692.1 90.4 782.5 941.5
Total funds carried forward 17, 18 + 20 675.7 95.6 771.3 782.5
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There were no recognised gains or losses for 2024 or 2023 other than those included in the statement of financial activities. All activities are continuing.
Note 24 refers to the prior year statement of financial activities.
The notes on pages 32 to 46 form part of these financial statements.
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
30 Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
Balance sheet
| 2024 | 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Notes | £000 | £000 | |
| Fixed assets | |||
| Tangible assets | 13 | 63.6 | 82.9 |
| Current assets | |||
| Debtors | 14 | 336.4 | 1,035.8 |
| Investments | 15 | 300.0 | - |
| Cash at bank and in hand | 597.3 | 513.9 | |
| Total current assets | 1,233.7 | 1,549.7 | |
| Liabilities | |||
| Creditors fallingdue within oneyear | 16 | 521.1 | 847.7 |
| Provision for dilapidations | 4.9 | 2.4 | |
| Net current assets | 707.7 | 699.6 | |
| Net assets ~~a~~ |
~~a~~ | 771.3 ~~a~~ |
782.5 ~~a~~ |
| The funds of the charity ~~a~~ |
~~a~~ | ~~a~~ | ~~a~~ |
| Unrestricted funds | 17 | 675.7 | 692.1 |
| Restricted funds | 18 | 95.6 | 90.4 |
| Total charityfunds | 771.3 | 782.5 |
The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions for small companies under Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.
The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees and signed on their behalf, by Stuart Evans and Alison Griffiths.
Stuart Evans Chair 7 August 2024
Alison Griffiths Honorary Treasurer 7 August 2024
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 31
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2024 2023
Notes £000 £000
Cash generated from/(used in) operating activities 21 382.5 (134.4)
Cash flows from investing activities
Purchase of equipment (15.1) (8.1)
Purchase of investments (300.0) -
Interest income 16.0 0.4
Cash flows used in investing activities (299.1) (7.7)
Increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents in the year 83.4 (142.1)
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year 513.9 656.0
Total cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year 597.3 513.9
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Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net debt
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2024 2023
Notes £000 £000
Increase/(decrease) in cash in the year being movement in net 22 83.4 (142.1)
funds in the year
Net funds at 1 April 513.9 656.0
Net funds at 31 March 597.3 513.9
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Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
32 Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
Notes to the accounts
1 Accounting policies
The principal accounting policies adopted, judgements and key sources of estimation and uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows:
12 months and believe there are no material uncertainties about the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, and have therefore adopted the ‘going concern’ basis in preparing the accounts.
(a) Basis of preparation
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 (Charities SORP (FRS 102))), and the Companies Act 2006.
The company is a company incorporated in England and Wales, within the United Kingdom, limited by guarantee not having share capital. There are currently nine (2023: eight) Trustees who are also the members of the company, names on page 48. In the event of the company being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the company. The charity is a registered charity. The registered office of the charity is L D H House, Parsons Green, St Ives, Cambridgeshire, PE27 4AA.
The charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s). The financial statements are presented in sterling which is the functional currency of the company and the stated £’000 rounded to the nearest £100.
(b) Preparation of the accounts on a going concern basis
The Board of Trustees consider that there are sufficient reserves held at the year end to manage any foreseeable changes in contracts and other income sources for the charity.
(c) Income
Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the item(s) of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.
Income from government and other grants, whether ‘capital’ grants or ‘revenue’ grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred.
For legacies, entitlement is taken as the earlier of the date on which either: the charity is aware that probate has been granted, the estate has been finalised and notification has been made by the executor(s) to the Trust that a distribution will be made, or when a distribution is received from the estate.
Receipt of a legacy, in whole or in part, is only considered probable when the amount can be measured reliably and the charity has been notified of the executor’s intention to make a distribution. Where legacies have been notified to the charity, or the charity is aware of the granting of probate, and the criteria for income recognition have not been met, then the legacy is a treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material.
Income received in advance of the provision of a specified service is deferred until the criteria for income recognition are met.
The Board of Trustees have reviewed and approved a forecast which shows the charity trading sustainably beyond the next 12 months. Consequently at the time of approving the financial statements, the Trustees have an expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue operations for more than
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 33
(d) Donated services and facilities
The charity benefits greatly from the involvement and enthusiastic support of its many volunteers, as outlined in our annual report. In accordance with FRS 102 and the Charities SORP (FRS 102), the economic contribution of volunteers is not recognised in the accounts.
Donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item and any conditions associated with the donated item have been met. The receipt of economic benefit from use by the charity of the item is in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102). Our general volunteer time is not recognised financially. Please refer 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.
(e) Interest receivable
Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank.
(f) Fund accounting
Restricted funds are to be used for the specified purposes laid down by the donor. Expenditure for those purposes is charged to the fund, together with a fair allocation of overhead and support costs.
Unrestricted funds are donations and other incoming resources received or generated for expenditure on the general objects of the 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.
(g) Expenditure 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:
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Costs of raising funds comprise the costs of fundraising organised by the charity such as charity ball and grant applications and their associated support costs.
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Expenditure on charitable activities includes the costs of providing care and support for carers and their associated support costs.
The cost of redundancy is included in the period when the staff member ceases to work actively for the charity.
Voluntary termination payments are included at the point that the employee accepts the offer.
Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.
(h) Allocation of support costs
Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. They include back-office costs, finance, personnel, payroll and governance costs. These costs have been allocated between costs of raising funds and expenditure on charitable activities.
The bases on which support costs have been allocated are set out in note 9.
(i) Operating leases
Rentals applicable to operating leases, where substantially all of the benefits and risks of ownership remain with the lessor, are charged against income as incurred.
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
34 Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
(j) Depreciation
Individual tangible fixed assets, or projects, costing £1,000 or more are capitalised at cost, apart from all laptops and no mobile phones are capitalised. Depreciation is provided on all tangible fixed assets at rates calculated to write off the costs less estimated residual value of each asset over its expected useful life.
Asset category Annual rate Equipment 25% straight line Motor vehicles 25% straight line Furniture and fittings 20% straight line
(k) 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.
(l) Cash at bank and in hand
Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
(m) Current asset investments
Current asset investments include investments with a maturity of between three and twelve months from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
(n) Creditors and provisions
Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably 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.
(o) Pensions
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme with The People’s Pension. The pension charge represents the amounts payable by the charity to the fund in respect of the year. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund.
The charity also makes defined contributions for a member of staff who was transferred to us under TUPE from Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC). They remain members of the multiemployer defined benefit scheme that CCC used but CCC have agreed to bear the cost of employer contributions which exceed those payable under our scheme plus any pension shortfall.
The pension liability and expense is allocated between restricted and unrestricted funds according to the staff time taken on each activity.
(p) 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. Fixed assets are recorded at depreciated historical cost. All other assets and liabilities are recorded at costs which is their fair value
(q) Corporation tax exemption
The company is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the company is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 35
2 Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty
In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, which are described in note 1, the Trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
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 if the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods if the revision affects both current and future periods.
The Trustees do not consider there are any critical accounting judgements or key sources of estimation uncertainty requiring disclosure.
3 Income from donations and legacies
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2024 2023
Unrestricted Restricted Total Unrestricted Restricted Total
funds funds funds funds funds funds
£000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000
Gifts 70.4 14.5 84.9 80.7 10.6 91.3
Legacies - - - 5.0 - 5.0
Grants receivable (see note 5) - 542.6 542.6 - 572.8 572.8
70.4 557.1 627.5 85.7 583.4 669.1
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Income from donations and legacies comprises income generated from the following sources:
-
gifts and donations received/receivable including legacies
-
any tax reclaimed on amounts received under gift aid.
The charity benefits greatly from the involvement and enthusiastic support of its many volunteers, as outlined in our annual report. In accordance with FRS 102 and the Charities SORP (FRS 102), the economic contribution of general volunteers is not recognised in the accounts.
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
36 Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
4 Income from charitable activities
----- Start of picture text -----
Carer support Emergency
(information care and
Care and advice and hospital Raising 2024
carers breaks guidance) discharge awareness Total
Direct support for: £000 £000 £000 £000 £000
By source:
Care fees and contracts 2,191.3 342.7 474.6 274.1 3,282.7
Other income - 2.0 - - 2.0
Total income from charitable activities 2,191.3 344.7 474.6 274.1 3,284.7
Carer support Emergency
(information care and
Care and advice and hospital Raising 2023
carers breaks guidance) discharge awareness Total
Direct support for: £000 £000 £000 £000 £000
By source:
Care fees and contracts 2,317.9 302.5 403.6 264.9 3,288.9
Other income 1.1 - - 0.4 1.5
Total income from charitable activities 2,319.0 302.5 403.6 265.3 3,290.4
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All charitable activity income relates to unrestricted income.
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 37
5 Grants receivable
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2024 2023
Unrestricted Restricted Total Unrestricted Restricted Total
funds funds funds funds funds funds
£000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000
BBC Children in Need - 10.0 10.0 - 51.5 51.5
Cambridgeshire Community Foundation - 23.0 23.0 - 10.0 10.0
Cambridgeshire County Council (Mind the Gap) - - - - 1.3 1.3
East of England Co-op Community Carers Fund - 10.0 10.0 - - -
Ely North Primary Care Network - - - - 6.1 6.1
Evelyn Trust - 35.8 35.8 - 14.2 14.2
Hunstanton Round Table - - - - 8.1 8.1
Hutchinson’s Charitable Fund - 9.0 9.0 - - -
Huntingdon Freemen’s Trust - 7.0 7.0 - - -
The Mercers’ Company - 43.2 43.2 - - -
The National Lottery Community Fund (Reaching Communities/ - 87.3 87.3 - 85.1 85.1
Connecting Carers)
NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board - 259.6 259.6 - 255.0 255.0
NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (Counselling) - - - - 25.0 25.0
NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (Kings Lynn and - - - - 40.0 40.0
West Norfolk Health and Wellbeing Partnership - Counselling)
NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (Training) - 7.9 7.9 - - -
Norfolk Carers Partnership - - - - 42.8 42.8
Norfolk Community Foundation (Your Big Idea) - - - - 10.0 10.0
Norfolk Community Fund (Love Norfolk) - 5.0 5.0 - - -
Others £5,000 and below - 44.8 44.8 - 23.7 23.7
- 542.6 542.6 572.8 572.8
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The grants we receive are for the support of carers.
We have no unfulfilled conditions and other contingencies attached to grants that have been recognised in income.
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
38 Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
6 Other charitable income
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2024 2023
Unrestricted Restricted Total Unrestricted Restricted Total
funds funds funds funds funds funds
£000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000
Other income 2.0 - 2.0 1.5 - 1.5
2.0 - 2.0 1.5 - 1.5
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7 Other income
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2024 2023
£000 £000
Other income 16.0 10.8
16.0 10.8
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8 Analysis of expenditure
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Activity by type: 2024 2023
Direct Support 2024 Direct Support 2023
costs costs Total costs Costs Total
£000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000
Care and carers breaks 1,837.7 872.0 2,709.7 1,953.2 953.1 2,906.3
Carer support (information, advice and guidance) 230.7 110.0 340.7 240.8 106.2 347.0
Emergency care and hospital discharge 176.7 80.0 256.7 206.2 102.0 308.2
Raising awareness 310.1 152.0 462.1 306.5 142.0 448.5
Fundraising costs - 186.2 186.2 - 119.7 119.7
Total expenditure on activities 2,555.2 1,400.2 3,955.4 2,706.7 1,423.0 4,129.7
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Expenditure on the charitable activities by the company was £3,769.2k (2023: £4,010.0k) of which £3,217.3k was unrestricted (2023: £3,231.0k) and £551.9k was restricted (2023: £779.0k). Cost of generating income in both the current and prior year were unrestricted.
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 39
9 Analysis of governance and support costs
The charity initially identifies the costs of its support functions. It then identifies those costs which relate to the governance function. Having identified its governance costs, the remaining support costs together with the governance costs are apportioned between the five key charitable activities undertaken (see note 8) in the year. Refer to the table below for the basis for apportionment and the analysis of support and governance costs.
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General Governance 2024 General Governance 2023
support function Total support function Total Basis of
General support £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 apportionment
Annual report, audit and AGM - 14.4 14.4 - 13.4 13.4 Direct staff cost
Trustees’ expenses and training - 0.3 0.3 - 0.3 0.3 Direct staff cost
General office, HR and finance staff 468.9 160.1 629.0 576.6 142.7 719.3 Direct staff cost
Premises 144.3 - 144.3 116.5 - 116.5 Desks used
IT and communications 262.9 - 262.9 304.7 - 304.7 Direct staff cost
Fundraising 186.1 - 186.1 119.7 - 119.7 Direct staff cost
Subscriptions, insurance and professional fees 94.5 - 94.5 77.6 - 77.6 Direct staff cost
Staff welfare and recruitment 34.2 - 34.2 40.1 - 40.1 Direct staff cost
Depreciation 34.4 - 34.4 31.4 - 31.4 Direct staff cost
Total 1,225.3 174.8 1,400.1 1,266.6 156.4 1,423.0
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10 Net income/(expenditure) for the year
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2024 2023
This is stated after charging: £000 £000
Depreciation 34.4 31.4
Audit fee 14.4 8.4
Operating lease rentals – land and buildings and equipment 133.6 140.0
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Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
40 Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
11 Staff costs, Trustee remuneration and expenses, and the cost of key management personnel
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2024 2023
The staff costs were: £000 £000
Wages and salaries 2,716.9 2,784.7
Social security costs 231.4 240.4
Payments for termination of employment 3.9 19.0
Pension costs 57.3 59.0
3,009.5 3,103.1
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Two members of staff received employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs) of more than £60,000 (2023: 2)
£60,000-£69,999 £70,000-£79,999
Number of people 2024 1 1
Number of people 2023 1 1
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The charity Trustees were not paid and did not receive any other benefits from employment with the charity or a related entity in the year (2023: £nil). Neither were they paid for professional or other services supplied to the charity (2023: £nil). No Trustee expenses were paid during the accounting period. (2023: £nil).
The key management personnel of the charity comprise:
The Trustees, Chief Executive, Director of Finance and Resources, Director of Operations, Head of Care/Registered Manager for Care, Head of People, Head of Fundraising and Communications, and Head of Digital and Business Intelligence. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel of the charity were £362k (2023: £401.8k). The key management personnel of the company are listed on pages 48 and 49 of the Trustees’ annual report.
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions totalling £25,067 (2023: £13,033) were payable to the fund at the balance sheet date.
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2024 2023
Termination of employment payments relating to the reporting period are: £000 £000
Payments in lieu of notice 3.9 17.3
Redundancy - 1.7
Total 3.9 19.0
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Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 41
12 Staff numbers
The average monthly head count was 123 staff (2023: 130 staff). The average number of employees during the year, calculated on the basis of full-time equivalents, was as follows:
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2024 2023
Number Number
Senior management 5.8 7.3
Service delivery 73.7 89.9
Administration and finance 9.8 13.8
Total full-time equivalent 89.3 111.0
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13 Fixed assets
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Furniture
Equipment and fittings Total
All funded by unrestricted reserves £000 £000 £000
Cost
At 1 April 2023 73.4 65.1 138.5
Additions 15.1 - 15.1
At 31 March 2024 88.5 65.1 153.6
Depreciation
At 1 April 2023 38.3 17.3 55.6
Depreciation charge 21.3 13.1 34.4
At 31 March 2024 59.6 30.4 90.0
Net book value
At 1 April 2023 35.1 47.8 82.9
At 31 March 2024 28.9 34.7 63.6
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Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
42 Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
14 Debtors: due within one year
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2024 2023
£000 £000
Trade debtors 128.8 831.8
Prepayments and accrued income 195.1 189.5
Other debtors 12.5 14.5
336.4 1,035.8
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15 Current asset investments
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2024 2023
£000 £000
Cash deposits 300.0 -
300.0 -
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16 Creditors: due within one year
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2024 2023
£000 £000
Trade creditors 100.2 182.2
Accruals and deferred income 271.6 495.8
Taxation and social security 123.5 153.0
Other creditors 25.8 16.7
521.1 847.7
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Deferred income: 2024 2023
£000 £000
Balance b/fwd 431.7 75.3
Released in year (431.7) (75.3)
Deferred in year (213.0) 431.7
Balance c/fwd (213.0) 431.7
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Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 43
17 General reserves
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2024 2023
Brought Carried Brought Carried
forward Income Expenditure forward forward Income Expenditure forward
£000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000
General reserve 692.1 3,385.2 3,401.6 675.7 655.5 3,387.3 3,350.7 692.1
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18 Analysis of movements in restricted funds
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2024 2023
Brought Carried Brought Carried
forward Income Expenditure forward forward Income Expenditure forward
£000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000
Cambs and Peterborough young and young adult - 42.3 38.8 3.5 13.3 159.0 172.3 -
carers - for carers aged up to 26 years
Norfolk young and young adult carers - for carers 13.0 22.5 17.5 18.0 - 26.5 13.5 13.0
aged up to 18 years
Cambridgeshire Community Foundation - to 5.0 12.5 10.0 7.5 4.1 10.0 9.1 5.0
provide innovative community-based projects for
adult carers
Big Lottery Reaching Communities - community 59.0 87.7 102.5 44.2 34.0 86.4 61.4 59.0
based projects supporting carers
Cambridgeshire and Norfolk support for adult 13.4 392.1 383.1 22.4 234.6 301.5 522.7 13.4
carers including hubs and clubs - for carers and
dependants including those with dementia giving
breaks, support, information advice and guidance
90.4 557.1 551.9 95.6 286.0 583.4 779.0 90.4
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- also funded by unrestricted funds
The purpose of the funds is explained beneath the heading of the item.
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
44 Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
19 Other commitments
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Land and buildings Equipment
2024 2023 2024 2023
£000 £000 £000 £000
Expiry date:
In less than one year 64.1 96.1 26.3 31.3
Between one and five years - 64.0 33.6 30.2
In over five years - - - -
64.1 160.1 59.9 61.5
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This will be funded by existing contracts and income streams.
The lease on the St Ives premises expires in November 2026, with a break clause in November 2024.
20 Analysis of net assets between funds
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2024 2023
General Restricted Total General Restricted Total
£000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000
Tangible fixed assets 63.6 - 63.6 82.9 - 82.9
Cash at bank and in hand 501.7 95.6 597.3 423.5 90.4 513.9
Investments 300.0 - 300.0 - - -
Other net current liabilities (189.6) - (189.6) 185.7 - 185.7
675.7 95.6 771.3 692.1 90.4 782.5
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Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 45
21 Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash flow from operating activities
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2024 2023
£000 £000
Net movement in funds (11.2) (159.0)
Adjustment for:
Depreciation charge 34.4 31.4
Interest from dividends, interest and rents from investments (16.0) (0.4)
Increase/(decrease) in debtors 699.4 (348.5)
(Decrease)/increase in creditors (326.6) 339.7
Increase in dilapidations provision 2.5 2.4
Net cash used in operating activities 382.5 (134.4)
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22 Analysis of changes in net debt - current year
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31 March Cash flow Other 31 March
2023 non cash 2024
changes
£000 £000 £000 £000
Cash at bank and in hand 513.9 83.4 - 597.3
31 March Cash flow Other 31 March
2022 non cash 2023
changes
£000 £000 £000 £000
Cash at bank and in hand 656.0 (142.1) - 513.9
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23 Related party transactions
There are no related party transactions in this or the prior financial year (2023: none).
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
46 Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
24 Prior year statement of financial activities
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2023
Unrestricted Restricted Total
funds funds funds
£000 £000 £000
Donations and legacies
Donations and legacies 85.7 10.6 96.3
Grants receivable - 572.8 572.8
Income from charitable activities:
Care fees and contracts 3,288.9 - 3,288.9
Other charitable income 1.5 - 1.5
Investment income 0.4 - 0.4
Other income 10.8 - 10.8
Total income 3,387.3 583.4 3,970.7
Expenditure
Costs of raising funds 119.7 - 119.7
Expenditure on charitable activities 3,231.0 779.0 4,010.0
Total expenditure 3,350.7 779.0 4,129.7
Net movement in funds for the year 36.6 (195.6) (159.0)
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward 655.5 286.0 941.5
Total funds carried forward 692.1 90.4 782.5
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Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 47
Legal and administrative details
Legal name Caring Together Charity Trading name Caring Together Charity Charity number 1091522 Company number 4379948 Registered office L D H House, Parsons Green, St Ives, Cambridgeshire PE27 4AA
Our advisors
Auditors Price Bailey, Tennyson House, Cambridge Business Park, Cambridge CB4 0WZ Bankers Lloyds Bank plc, PO Box 1000, BX1 1LT Solicitors Buckles Solicitors LLP, Grant House, 101 Bourges Boulevard, Peterborough, PE1 1NG
Directors and Trustees
The directors of the charitable company (the charity) are its Trustees for the purpose of charity law. The Trustees and Senior Leadership Team serving during the year and since the year end were as follows:
Appointed Senior Leadership Team
Trustees
Chief Executive Director of Finance and Resources Director of Operations Head of Care/Registered Manager Head of People Head of Fundraising and Communications Head of Digital and Business Intelligence
Stuart Evans (Chair) August 2017 Alison Griffiths (Honorary Treasurer)[1] June 2016 Vicki Hayes November 2023 Mandy Hill September 2021 David Hipple February 2017 Leanne Leverton (resigned Feb 2024) September 2023 Christy O’Connell September 2021 Bertone Santos Socorro August 2023 Donna Talbot[2] June 2021 Howard Tidman (resigned Aug 2023) September 2021 Christina Wells[3] February 2016
Miriam Martin Neil Portor Sarah Harvey Lisa Downs Natalie Chandler Zoe Bunter John Platten
1 Chair of Finance and Audit Committee
2 Chair of Fundraising Committee
- 3 Chair of Quality and Service Delivery Committee
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
48 Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
Our Trustees
Alison Griffiths – Honorary Treasurer
Alison, a chartered accountant, brings vast professional expertise to the Board and was a director of taxation in international FTSE 100 groups. She is a Trustee of Cambridgeshire Community Foundation.
Vicki Hayes
Vicki is an experienced Regulatory Professional and Team Leader with 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech Industry. She has previously been a Board Director at a professional services company and a Governor at a local primary school.
Mandy Hill
As managing director of Academic Publishing at Cambridge University Press, Mandy is skilled in delivering improved performance, strategic innovation and collaborative engagement.
David Hipple
David brings considerable financial and general management skills to the charity having spent over 35 years as a chartered accountant and director of finance for a number of large and medium sized groups in both the public and private sector.
Stuart Evans - Chair of Trustees
Entrepreneur Stuart previously chaired Arthur Rank Hospice Charity and was a board member of the East of England Development Agency. He and his wife adopted three children and have first-hand experience of caring.
Christy O’Connell
Christy has worked in the legal sector for over ten years and is currently a Counsel in the corporate team at Cleary Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton LLP.
Bertone Santos Socorro
Bertone has worked as a Senior Leader for the NHS over nine years across different specialties. His passion for community services has led him to pursue his career as a Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism Senior Programme Manager with the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board.
Donna Talbot
Donna has extensive experience in generating voluntary income from a variety of sources. She is currently Chief Executive Officer at Emmaus Cambridge.
Christina Wells
Christina spent over 25 years working at a senior level in the public sector and has a wide range of experience, particularly within the NHS. Her interests include promoting the health and wellbeing of carers, developing carer friendly communities and safeguarding.
Please see our website for full biographies
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 49
Our Senior Leadership Team
Miriam Martin – Chief Executive
Miriam has worked in the charity sector for over 20 years, including as Chief Executive at Action for Blind People, a UK-wide charity with a budget of £23mn, 900 staff and 400 volunteers, supporting 90,000 people each year.
Sarah Harvey – Director of Operations
Sarah is an experienced senior manager in adult and child social care, having worked for the local authority, private and charitable organisations.
Natalie Chandler - Head of People
Natalie has over 20 years experience as a human resources professional. Before joining Caring Together Natalie was operations manager for a successful local homecare organisation.
Neil Portor - Director of Finance and Resources
Neil is a qualified accountant with experience working in an executive role and reporting at board level within the charity sector, having worked at YMCA for over 25 years.
Lisa Downs – Head of Care/ Registered Manager for Care
Lisa began her journey in social care as a coordinator and became a registered manager in 2016. After a short tenure working in bids and contracts, she realised her passion lies closer to the frontline of the industry.
Zoe Bunter - Head of Fundraising and Communications
Zoe has worked as a charity fundraiser for over 20 years. She has worked in both large national charities and smaller local organisations, raising essential funding for their work.
John Platten - Head of Digital and Business Intelligence
John has a broad experience of delivering customer-centred digital services with a focus on user experience and change management in a range of sectors.
Please see our website for full biographies
50 Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
Caring Together Charity annual report and accounts 2023/24 51
Caring Together Charity
Company Registration Number 4379948
Provider ID 1-19234275
L D H House Parsons Green St Ives PE27 4AA
T 01480 499090 or 0345 241 0954 E hello@caringtogether.org caringtogether.org
Caring Together Charity Charity Registration Number 1091522 Company Registration Number 4379948
© 2024 Caring Together Charity
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