## **ANNUAL REPORT**
## **1[st] APRIL 2022 – 31[st] MARCH 2023**
Charity Number: 1105899
## **CHAIRMAN’S REPORT**
Despite the gloomy economy post Covid, and the financial pressure affecting many charities, we were able to retain the great majority of our volunteers who we see as our charity’s backbone to help us deliver the Service to bereaved families and witnesses attending inquests. At the end of March 2023, we have 342 volunteers and 39 in training and we are providing support in 45 courts of the 83 Coronial Areas in England and Wales.
Like most small charities, we also face financial pressure in delivering our charitable objective as listed in the Chief Executive’s Report. The Board is fully supportive of the Chief Executive’s reorganisation of our structure and future operational plan. The proposed changes will support The Coroners’ Courts Support Service (CCSS) to sustain its services in the current challenging era affected by the economic and living crises, businesses, charities and the population of this country have encountered.
I am hopeful that the reorganisation will prove that we can survive and eventually continue to expand to the remaining courts where we are not yet offering our Service.
At the end of June our Director, Beverley Radcliffe, resigned from her position and Angela Geer was appointed as Chief Executive Officer. She commenced work with us on 26th September 2022.
The Board was delighted to appoint two new Trustees, who bring specific specialism. Kim Chudley has wide ranging Human Resources (HR) experience and knowledge across numerous organisations, including the Third Sector and Wesley Lau has good fundraising experience in the charity sector together with international fundraising and business development experience in Non-Governmental Organisations.
Maggie Frost ended her six-year term as Joint Chairman at the Annual General Meeting 2021-22 held on 13th January 2023. Her support and contribution to the work of the CCSS has been invaluable. My position as the Chairman of the CCSS will end at the Annual General Meeting 2022-23 to be held later this year and we are, therefore, searching for a new Chairman.
Finally, I should like to thank all our staff, volunteers, fellow trustees, funders, sponsors, and Patrons - HHJ Mark Lucraft, KC and Lady Emma Barnard - for their support.
## **Rashid Teladia Chairman**
## **CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REPORT**
## **for period 26[th] September 2022 to 31[st] March 2023**
Upon appointment I undertook an initial strategic assessment of the charity, the evidence of which revealed the disturbing fact that the CCSS was facing a significant financial challenge.
An examination of the financial data and information indicated that only 40% of the actual costs of providing CCSS services were recovered from the Local Authority funding, leaving the remaining 60% to be secured through the charity’s fundraising activity. The data indicated that the fundraising activity was unable to deliver on the funding requirement.
The CCSS fundraising activity has been solely confined to the submission of grant applications to Trusts and Foundations limiting its exposure to other funding channels. Furthermore, the charity does not operate a full cost recovery model in its negotiations with Local Authorities. The current economic climate were serious mitigating factors for both.
Ultimately the figures indicated that the CCSS had a predicted life span of circa 12 months to 31[st] December 2023.
Robust and immediate actions were necessary to address the situation. Throughout January to April the CCSS has undertaken a strategic recovery plan that specifically addresses:
1. Fundraising. The CCSS has secured the services of a fundraising consultant to articulate and embed a fundraising strategy that will open up the full range of funding channels whilst adding momentum to the existing platform. The CCSS continues to examine the merits and risks of implementing a full cost recovery model with the Local Authorities given the current economic environment.
2. Reorganisation. The CCSS operational platform is about volunteers providing practical and emotional support services to the bereaved family, friends and witnesses attending inquests at Coroner’s Courts. Whilst not wanting to jeopardise the quality and integrity of these services, we have undertaken a robust restructuring, which has seen six paid employee operational posts being made redundant and replaced with a leaner and less bureaucratic structure of national manager and two area managers. This devolves more responsibility and autonomy to the volunteers at court level and maintains both the quality and integrity of CCSS services. The expansion of CCSS services have been halted until such time as the financial situation is more stable. During this period of transition both internal and external stakeholders have been regularly consulted and whilst change is never easy the CCSS is now benefitting from a more engaged volunteer workforce and the support of our professional external colleagues.
3. Cost savings. The reorganisation together with renegotiated service contracts and termination of some accreditation processes have resulted in cost savings of circa £100,000 pa. This provides the financial buffer that is needed to build on existing and transition into new fundraising channels.
The CCSS can look forward with cautious optimism to a more financially stable future as we combine a new operational structure and fundraising model with a new CCSS business strategy for 2023-2024.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Trustees, staff and volunteers for a warm and supportive welcome to the CCSS. A special note of thanks is extended to Robina Bush, who in a voluntary capacity undertakes the invaluable work of collating CCSS statistical data.
**Angela Geer Chief Executive**
## **HON. TREASURER’S REPORT For the Period 1[st] April 2022 - 31[st] March 2023**
Our annual accounts are beginning to show the impact of efficiency initiatives that are helping mitigate declining reserves and a challenging fundraising environment.
## **Income**
During the year, we received £253,614 from private donations, local authorities and government grants. A list of donors is included in our Annual Report and this includes:
- £10,000 from The Batchworth Trust;
- £5,850 from the Heart of Bucks Community Foundation; and
- £5,000 from the Eleanor Rathbone Charitable Trust.
## **Expenditure**
Total costs for the year were £405,885 which included expenditure of £300,252 on staffing. These staff costs reflect our ongoing transition from Volunteer Coordinators to Area Managers. Expenditure on volunteer recruitment, training and expenses totalled £41,786. This is higher than last year due to greater costs incurred for travelling to courts. Other costs included £25,338 for fundraising and £9,068 for our helpline.
## **Summary**
We begin the new financial year with restricted reserves of £17,587 and total reserves of £183,072. We are prioritising fundraising activities given the fall in the level of our reserves and the lack of any financial support from central government.
I thank Margaret Bayman for her advice and assistance with the accounts and our team of staff and volunteers for patiently helping us to operate more efficiently.
## **Chris Peaker, Hon. Treasurer**
Charity Number: 1105899
THE CORONERS’ COURTS SUPPORT SERVICE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] MARCH 2023
## **Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of The Coroners’ Court Support Service**
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2023, which are set out on the pages following this report.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed. The charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 and I am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
It is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act
- to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b)) of the Charities Act
- to state whether particular matters have come to my attention
## **Basis of independent examiner’s report**
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records.
It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters.
The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
- (1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
- to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act
have not been met; or
- (2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Karen Bunyan FCCA Red Sky House Fairclough Hall Halls Green Weston Herts, SG4 7DP
The date upon which my opinion is expressed is: 17[th] July 2023
THE CORONERS. COURTS SUPPORT SERVICE
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACT[VlEs
YEAR ENDED 315t MARCH 2023
Charity ". 1105899
318t March 2023
Llfir•$tricW Restrlrt
Funds
Funds
316t March 2022
Unr•*trl¢tod Restrlctgd
Funds
Funds
Tot•1
Funds
Total
Funds
Incomlng resources
Notes
Donat*)n8
Govetnmenl grant (Job Relen0 Sthernel
Irme lax Vered
Interest rewved
Fundtaising
21Q,752
37,35J
248,1
221.985
4.659
38,091
260.076
4.659
98
1.360
8.956
652
8.956
Total IncomSng resources
216,264
37,3S)
253,614
237.058
38,091
275,149
R080UfC88 exponded
Staff cosls
Vdunt8er rÈuuitm8nl
Vdunteer trzdning
Vdunteer expenses
Fundraising o)sls
Property and related ¢x)sts
A¢ctyJntancy
Administration
Insurance
Marketiw costs
Helpline tosts
lTrJepend&nl examineV8 f88
Bank tharges
225.22
1,117
8.214
31,913
25.338
75.026
300.252
247.962
22.085
27D.047
1.S)O
9.699
18.169
10.350
1391
9.559
12.440
1.496
2.248
10.204
330
251
15
8.229
32.440
25.338
9.130
14.637
10.350
1391
569
3.532
1Q,546
13,288
1,823
10.548
15.491
1.823
951
2.203
5.456
1.4
655
9.649
1.593
2S1
Total resou08 expended
328,114
77,771
405.8&5
312.464
33.Th)
Net Incomlng resourc
I111,} 140,4211 1152,2711
I75,4()
4,YJ1
171.1051
Brougm fopAfard
277,&35
58,W8 335.343
352.741
53.707
406.448
Total lund8
£165,485
£17,587 £183.072
£277.335
£58.(MJ8
£335.343
The attached notÈs form part of these accounts
|Christopher Peaker|Rashid Teladia|
|---|---|
|Trustee|Trustee|
The attached notes form part of these accounts
THE COR(XIERS COURTS SUPPORT SERVICE
IIDTES FCIIMING P*AT OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMEP4T8
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st IIARCH 2023
Jl•tMvch2J#
lo.)
X*.841
14Jr2
3.716
17.378
13.176
743
£270.017
*v8 12 rx)Z2 4 111.
y, rwbw9w 10 r8wioftr8¥*1 am b) ts1.786 É18,1691
Iled ÉDhith• tru*eo12022 B £0
IT25
750
12
t4)
È5.715
at ktsrch2025
1.719
## **VOLUNTEER REPRESENTATIVES’ ANNUAL REPORT 2022 - 2023**
## **Ruth Pressley – London, South and East**
**Volunteer Teams covered** : Brighton, Chelmsford, City of London, Fulham, Hatfield, Huntingdon, Ipswich, Maidstone, Norwich, St. Pancras, Southwark, Truro, Walthamstow, Westminster.
It has been yet another year of gradual return to court for some of the volunteers. I have continued to keep in contact with Lead Volunteers via email. Regrettably attending team meetings face to face has not featured because the geographical area I cover is big and the travel expenses cannot be justified.
The relocation of some courts and the lack of opportunity for volunteers to return to others has resulted in a number of exit interviews. When speaking to people it is always good to hear how positive they are about the experience they have had with the CCSS and many regret having to leave due to a change in their circumstances.
I have enjoyed joining Julie Wood delivering training to new volunteers. It gives me the opportunity to enthuse others not only with the court experience but also the Helpline, Telephone Support Service (TSS) and my role as a Volunteer Representative.
## **Julie Wood– Central, South and West**
**Volunteer Teams covered** : Ampthill, Beaconsfield, Bournemouth, Chichester, Croydon, Exeter, Flax Bourton, Leicester, Milton Keynes, Newport, Northampton, Oxford, Plymouth, Reading, Shrewsbury, Woking.
Meeting new volunteers at the online training events delivered by the Volunteer Coordinators to which I have contributed alongside Ruth Pressley over the last year has been a definite highlight. It is a privilege to be able to share our experiences as court, Helpline and TSS volunteers and to explain our role as Volunteer Representatives at the start of their relationship with the CCSS. I hope that volunteer training is something we can continue to contribute to in the future.
The other key activity over the last year has been carrying out numerous exit interviews. It is encouraging that so many volunteers who decide to stop volunteering with the CCSS are willing to spend some time discussing their volunteer experience. Most of those I have spoken to describe very enjoyable and satisfying experiences as a CCSS volunteer and are regretful that changes in personal circumstances mean that they are not able to continue.
It is noticeable that, for some volunteers, the changes that have taken place in many Coroners’ courts since the pandemic, have had an impact on their role and the changes have not been welcomed. Some volunteers have commented that the number of inquests being held remotely has reduced the requirement for court volunteer support and that sometimes
rotas are amended at very short notice. For volunteers who relish a regular volunteering commitment this has contributed to them deciding to cease their volunteering.
Whilst these are not matters over which the CCSS has control and will vary from court to court it is a sign of the context in which court volunteers operate being more dynamic and may lead to a higher turnover, particularly of long-standing volunteers whose current experience compares unfavorably with their pre-pandemic experience.
## **John Pattison - North West**
**Volunteer Teams covered:** Blackpool, Coventry, Liverpool, Morpeth, Newcastle upon Tyne, Stafford, Stockport, Sunderland, Warrington.
I am pleased to report that there has been a significant increase in teams with Lead Volunteers in the region. Last year only four courts had Lead Volunteers, and this made contact with teams difficult. In light of recent developments, I have been in contact with all Team Leaders and have offered to participate in virtual team meetings if required. One team has already taken up the offer.
During the period covered by this report I have undertaken 14 exit interviews. Five of these related to issues at one court which I am pleased to report have been resolved and volunteers are continuing. Otherwise, volunteers have left the service for personal reasons and were highly positive of their CCSS experience. Training was seen as very useful. It was deemed ‘excellent’ by one volunteer, herself a former trainer at Marks and Spencer. However, in several cases volunteers felt that sessions were overlong. As was the case last year, a small number of volunteers gave their reason for leaving, the lowering of their involvement at courts due to virtual hearings.
Due to the lack of a Regional Coordinator, volunteer training sessions have not been undertaken during this period.
## **John Pattison North East (Acting)**
**Volunteer Teams covered:** Bradford, Crook, Lincoln, Middlesbrough, Northallerton, Stoke on Trent.
As the post of Northeast Regional Representative has remained vacant, I have served in a ‘caretaker’ capacity for this region.
This has involved undertaking several exit interviews. I have also recently been contacted by a North East team and will be meeting with them shortly to discuss issues.
## **COURTS WHERE THE CCSS IS HELPING March 2023**
**Coronial Area (45)** Avon Bedfordshire & Luton Berkshire Blackpool & Fylde Buckinghamshire Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Cheshire City of Brighton & Hove City of Liverpool & Wirral City of London Area City of Sunderland Cornwall and Isles of Scilly County Durham & Darlington Coventry Dorset East London Essex Exeter & Greater Devon Gwent Hertfordshire Inner London North Inner London South Inner London West Kent – Mid Kent & Medway Leicester City & South Leicestershire Lincolnshire Manchester South Milton Keynes Newcastle upon Tyne Norfolk Northamptonshire Northumberland North Yorkshire Oxfordshire Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin South Devon South London South Staffordshire Stoke on Trent & North Staffordshire Suffolk Surrey Teeside West London West Sussex West Yorkshire (West)
**Courts (50)** Flax Bourton Ampthill Reading Blackpool Beaconsfield Huntingdon & Peterborough Warrington Brighton Liverpool City of London Sunderland Truro Crook Coventry Bournemouth Walthamstow Chelmsford Exeter Newport Hatfield St. Pancras, Poplar Southwark Westminster Maidstone Leicester Lincoln, Boston Stockport Milton Keynes Newcastle upon Tyne Norwich Northampton Morpeth Northallerton, Harrogate Oxford Shrewsbury Plymouth Croydon Stafford Stoke on Trent Ipswich Woking Middlesbrough Fulham Chichester, Horsham Bradford
## **Annual Activity Data by Coronial Area 2022/23**
The past year has seen a gradual increase in the number of individuals supported within the service. That said, many courts are still using the technology developed during the height of the Coronavirus epidemic, and are carrying out inquests via digital media so fewer individuals are attending in person. Volunteers support a very small number of individuals before or after a digital inquest either by telephone or via Teams. Two courts in London have yet to call volunteers back in these being Walthamstow and Westminster.
The activity for the whole of the service by month (including the 2021/22 comparative data in red) and the full year activity by coronial area, can be found in the attached charts. You will note there are a large number of individuals being signposted to the CCSS Helpline. However, this is mostly just handing a leaflet to individuals in case they want to make contact to see what follow-up services may be available from other agencies.
With courts coming back online, many of the volunteers are taking on the return of the statistics for the first time and I am very grateful to both these individuals and those whom have returned the statistics over many years, for their help and support in returning the data to me.
Robina Bush June 2023
## **CORONERS' COURT SUPPORT SERVICE STATISTICS 2022/2023 BY CORONIAL AREA**
||**Sittings**|**Volunteer**|**Openings**|**PIRs**|**Inquests**|**Family**|**Friends**|**Witnesses**|**Others**|**Total Individuals**|**Signposted**|**Signposted**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**Attendances**||||||||**Supported**|**CCSS Helpline**|**Other**|
||||||||||||||
||||||||||||||
|Ampthill|121|145|2|30|157|433|55|209|525|1222|5|2|
|Beaconsfield|73|73|4|51|218|433|46|79|311|869|9|9|
|Blackpool|179|347|19|58|185|537|64|174|324|1099|0|0|
|Bournemouth|125|199|0|4|159|482|47|264|19|812|138|52|
|Bradford|118|161|2|18|156|559|39|204|453|1255|0|0|
|Brighton|106|111|0|6|154|379|105|91|170|745|4|1|
|Cannock|84|133|0|3|207|469|40|107|96|712|0|0|
|Chelmsford|89|107|0|1|63|323|44|115|1|483|10|0|
|Chichester|111|116|2|1|163|459|65|117|119|760|29|9|
|Cityof London|3|3|0|0|2|14|0|0|0|14|0|0|
|Coventry|38|63|0|0|44|126|18|31|39|214|1|0|
|Crook|150|269|10|24|266|857|98|162|307|1424|40|114|
|Croydon|91|128|0|12|89|268|32|51|61|412|12|18|
|Exeter|105|179|0|5|166|438|76|69|71|654|56|2|
|Flax Bourton|123|208|8|18|170|583|78|184|260|1105|8|51|
|Fulham|120|123|3|4|96|347|24|121|283|775|0|5|
|Hatfield|142|146|0|1|252|654|54|180|122|1010|0|1|
|Huntingdon|47|53|0|10|36|132|9|34|9|184|0|0|
|Ipswich|170|192|0|8|182|627|57|190|463|1337|14|17|
|Leicester|105|118|0|3|102|273|26|251|504|1054|0|0|
|Lincoln|72|86|0|0|117|199|20|36|20|275|5|1|
|Liverpool|129|164|1|19|180|589|47|172|432|1240|0|2|
|Maidstone|50|58|2|11|115|326|65|7|28|426|101|11|
|Middlesborough|35|41|0|0|63|189|20|82|145|436|0|1|
|Milton Keynes|78|113|8|9|76|260|37|71|160|528|0|0|
|Morpeth|75|118|0|0|61|211|22|233|294|760|0|0|
|Newcastle|163|235|0|17|189|591|54|469|500|1614|0|0|
|Newport|14|26|0|0|23|52|2|11|6|71|3|1|
|Northallerton|160|181|0|7|222|635|71|184|408|1298|2|12|
|Northampton|77|142|0|7|275|554|88|154|227|1023|137|22|
|Norwich|218|252|5|21|308|771|108|59|224|1162|9|48|
|Oxford|91|99|2|5|173|419|52|69|121|661|3|11|
|Plymouth|33|53|0|0|41|102|14|4|5|125|12|6|
|Reading|242|286|45|23|290|772|108|423|570|1873|113|11|
|Shrewsbury|61|100|0|16|116|363|51|97|368|879|2|2|
|St. Pancras|100|100|0|6|98|329|70|85|135|619|0|0|
|Southwark|87|86|0|5|76|241|33|19|30|323|10|11|
|Stockport|110|110|12|23|202|607|58|88|149|902|0|2|
|Stoke on Trent|94|117|5|8|158|433|27|140|213|813|0|0|
|Sunderland|32|50|0|3|24|147|13|39|148|347|0|1|
|Truro|156|291|0|8|211|686|90|159|228|1163|0|2|
|Walthamstow|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|
|Warrington|94|169|0|1|91|328|38|242|267|875|0|0|
|Westminster|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|
|Woking|192|168|3|50|202|670|63|47|7|787|29|20|
## **CORONERS COURT SUPPORT SERVICE STATISTICS 2022/23**
||**Sittings**|**Volunteer**|**Openings**|**PIRs**|**Inquests**|**Family**|**Friends**|**Witnesses**|**Others**|**Total**|**Signposted**|**Signposted **|**Total since**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**Attendances**||||||||**Supported**|**Helpline**|**Other**|**2003**|
|**April**|275|362|5|24|363|987|138|258|567|1950|40|20||
|||||||||||||||
|**May**|358|469|18|42|448
1404
161|||426|910|2901|38|31||
|||||||||||||||
|**June**|342|422|9|43|451|1263|149|379|746|2537|49|44||
|||||||||||||||
|**July**|341|439|14|37|473|1280|149|478|589|2496|22|19||
|||||||||||||||
|**August**|327|430|13|40|530|1416|155|348|439|2358|77|35||
|||||||||||||||
|**September**|330|441|8|55|441|1251|159|431|672|2513|53|37||
|||||||||||||||
|**October**|406|533|13|40|563|1734|186|586|830|3336|46|32||
|||||||||||||||
|**November**|458|618|9|43|617|1839|218|616|1053|3726|69|36||
|||||||||||||||
|**December**|297|391|3|39|402|1202|153|369|447|2171|74|48||
|||||||||||||||
|**January**|445|595|13|57|655|1845|215|547|776|3383|101|51||
|||||||||||||||
|**February**|405|532|15|36|556|1702|219|472|843|3236|89|27||
|||||||||||||||
|**March**|493|652|13|49|692|2045|229|609|1066|3949|96|57||
|||||||||||||||
|**Total**
4477
5884
133
505
6191
17968
2131
5519
8938
34556
754
437
479330||||||||||||||
|||||||||||||||
|21/22|2798|3756|69|254|3213|9068|885|3122|5705|18264|226|103|444774|
## **BOARD OF TRUSTEES 1.4.22 – 31.3.23**
Rashid Teladia Chairman & Trustee Dr. Chris Peaker Hon. Treasurer & Trustee Roey Burden Hon. Secretary & Founder Trustee Kim Chudley Trustee Maggie Frost Trustee Nicolas Gibbon Trustee Wesley Lau Trustee Derek Winter Advisor – Deputy Chief Coroner & Senior Coroner for the City of Sunderland
## **STAFF**
Angela Geer Chief Executive Officer Sandra Weldon Operations & Training Manager Liz Armer Executive Assistant Jane Irvine Administrator Margaret Bayman Financial Administrator
## **DONATIONS AND GRANTS TO THE CORONERS’ COURTS SUPPORT SERVICE 2022-2023**
**Our very grateful thanks to all those mentioned below.**
## **TRUSTS & FOUNDATIONS**
Anson Charitable Trust Barness Charity Batchworth Trust Charles Littlewood Hill Trust CHK Cheshire Community Foundation Eleanor Rathbone Charitable Trust
Essex Community Fund Geoffrey Watling Charity Trust Heart of Bucks Community Foundation Lottery Community Fund Maud Elkington Trust Norman Family Charitable Trust Peter Stebbing Memorial Charity Rosca Trust The Wixamtree Trust
## **INDIVIDUALS**
C.B. & H.H. Taylor Bramhill Women’s Club Donated expenses from our volunteers Knowlton Circle Benefice Mrs. Elizabeth Whyte Ms. Jill Robinson Ms. Juni Farmanfarmanian Ms. Linda Barker Mr. F. Napier Mrs. Leary Knowles Ms. Ann Darbyshire Ms. Sarah Boulter from the Estate of Kenneth J. Evans Mr. N. Steiger Norton & District Women’s Institute Pound Hill (North) Residents Association The Community Church Burton & District Toddington U3A History Group Westoning Women’s Institute