## The Bush & Bennett Charity Babraham
## **Annual Report (Year End 2024/25) The Bush & Bennett Charity**
## **Trustees**
The last year has been a year of significant change. The biggest, sadly, being the loss of a much loved Trustee. Brian Page was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease at the beginning of last year but managed to continue as both Trustee and Treasurer until last summer when his symptoms meant that it was impossible for him to continue. He died at the beginning of April 2025. He is a massive loss to the Charity – not least because of his unstinting support to all the trustees and residents, but also because of his extraordinary knowledge and understanding of heritage buildings and how to look after them as well as his meticulous work as Treasurer.
We were very pleased, however, that Mandy Ogilvy-Stuart was able to join the board as our new Treasurer and Trustee. Mandy is a retired neonatologist and has lived in Babraham for 27 years. We are also very grateful to Hilary Seaward for helping us bridge the gap.
In addition to this, Clare Glendinning had to resign earlier this year due to other pressures. Clare’s legal expertise was brilliant in helping us update a number of key policies. We have not, as yet, been able to replace Clare on the board of Trustees.
Other board members remain the same: (Hannah Axon; Sally Punshon (Chair), Marian Watson (Secretary) and Kathryn Waite).
The Trustee Board would also like to thank Ed & Mary Hunt for their unwavering support of the Almshouse residents; Hilary Seaward for her continuing financial & strategic advice and Teresa Buckpitt for her invaluable work and advice in relation to the application to the Charities Commission for changes to our Governing Document.
## **Residents & tenants**
Very sadly we also lost one of our lovely long-standing residents this year. Irene moved in to her Almshouse in 1972 and we are very glad that she was able to live there independently until the last few weeks of her life.
Her house has now been refurbished with a new resident moving in over Easter.
## **The Old School Room**
The lease for the front part of the Old School Room has been renewed for another three years with Cambridge CYP Counselling.
Charity registered in England 1113297
## **Building Works and Maintenance**
The Quinquennial review of all the buildings – undertaken last year – detailed significant works to be done both immediately and within the next five years. This year we have re-tiled much of the rear roof slopes of the almshouses with associated guttering realignment. The next steps are to address the repointing requirements to the east, south & west elevations and chimneys. The boundary wall has had much of the vegetation removed and will also require remedial work.
In addition, we have replaced all the consumer units in all of the properties (and undertaken early EICRs for each building) and also installed new smoke detectors (and heat detectors where needed) throughout.
## **Finance**
The largest outlay from our funds was 17.4K from the extraordinary funds to cover refurbishment of the vacant Almshouse after the death of one of our residents and work on the roofs (clearance of moss, replacement of tiles, rerunning of new battens under the felt) and guttering to make good the repairs outlined in the quinquennial review.
Keeping Listed Buildings in a good state of repair and maintaining conformity to the latest statutory requirements will continue to be a payload on the Charity’s finances.
2K from our cynical funds was spent to replace the consumer units and EICR on all our buildings. The majority of our routine funds were used for electrical and plumbing repair costs across the estate.
1.2K was required for the legal costs for changing our Governing Document.
The maintenance contribution from the residents of the Almshouses was increased in line with the relevant CPI month with a small addition cost to reach 80% of the Fair Rent Estimation. The Fair Rent Assessment of the Almshouses will be undertaken again at the end of this calendar year.
The rent of both of the commercial buildings was reassessed and increased during the year.
Further works as outlined in the quinquennial review are planned in order of urgency over the coming years.
## **Changing our Governing Document and Incorporation**
The Trustees continued to work with the Village Hall Committee and Babraham School to progress the shared school/village facility. The formal application to change the Charity’s objects was submitted to the Charity Commission in October (2024) with a further detailed response to their questions being submitted February 2025. The object changes requested would not only allow the Charity to support the school/village facility but also allow us to widen the area of
Charity registered in England 1113297
benefit for potential residents beyond the immediate village and remove the restriction of women only.
We are very hopeful of Charity Commission approval and will then move to incorporate.
Sally Punshon On behalf of the Bush & Bennett Trustees Report to accompany Annual Accounts y/e 31[st] March 2024
Charity registered in England 1113297
|Curren
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repairfund |repairfund |Ttal Funds
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Account
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20,345
-
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|
20,345,
|
18,196
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7,397
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|
6,993
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6,150
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3,148
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9,939
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75,398
204,480
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67,970
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8,195)
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20,406
68,575)
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1
## BUSH AND BENNETT CHARITY
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF BUSH AND
## BENNETT CHARITY
| report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Bush and Bennett Charity (the Charity) for the year ended 31 March 2025.
## Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the Charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act’).
| report in respect of my examination of the Charity's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination | have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145 (5) (b) of the Act.
## Independent examiner's statement
- | have completed my examination. | confirm that no material matters have
- 1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
2 the accounts do not accord with those records
| have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
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Hilary Seaward
9 Sherlock Road
Cambridge CB3 OHR
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