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2025-06-30-accounts

Company registration number: 06743623 Charity registration number: 1127626

LANCASTER DISTRICT COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTARY SOLUTIONS TRUSTEES' REPORT AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2025

Accounts Matters Limited

3-2-1 Storey House White Cross Lancaster Lancashire LA1 4XQ

Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Contents

Page
Trustees' Report 1—21
Independent Examiner's Report 22
Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure Account) 23
Balance Sheet 24
Statement of Cash Flows 25
Notes to the Statement of Cash Flows 26
Notes to the Financial Statements 27—34

Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Company No. 06743623 Trustees' Report For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

The trustees present their report and the financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2025.

Objectives and Activities

Aims and Objectives

Our purpose, aims and activities for the year 2024-25:

Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions (LDCVS) is an infrastructure organisation that exists to support and strengthen the sustainability, independence and ability of voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations to deliver services and activities that support individuals and communities in the Lancaster District. Currently we have over 400 local organisations as members of LDCVS and several public sector and corporate bodies that are associate members. We added 68 new members over the year.

Our Objects, which are contained in our governing document (Memorandum and Articles) are:

The aims of our charity, for the public benefit, are to:

Our aims fully reflect the purposes (objects) that the charity was set up to further and we review them each year, together with our objectives and activities, to assess the success of each key activity and the benefits they have brought to our beneficiaries. This review also helps us to ensure our aims, objectives and activities are focused on our stated purposes and how planned activities contribute to the aims and objectives set by the Trustee Board. In considering these, the trustees of LDCVS believe they have complied with the duty in section 4 of the Charities Act 2006 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission.

The focus of our work:

Our overall mission has been, and remains, to promote, develop and support, through partnership, a dynamic and diverse voluntary and community sector. In setting out our aims and objectives we have also defined the outcomes that will demonstrate whether we met them and whether our activities have brought about benefits to those organisations and individuals we work with.

Public Benefit

As part of our business plan, the board in 2022 agreed four strategic aims for the period to 2025:

For each of these aims, we have identified several indicators, which will help us understand how well that aim has been achieved. The trustees confirm that they have complied with the requirements of Section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.

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Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Trustees' Report (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

Achievements and Performance

Welcome – Professor Paul Jebb, Chair of Trustees

It is my pleasure to present the Lancaster District CVS Annual Report for 2024–2025.

Across our district, more than 450 voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations are not only delivering vital services but also holding communities together through turbulent times. Their work provides support, connection, and hope in the face of ongoing challenges, from tight funding and financial pressures, to increasing demand for services.

Yet, this moment also presents real opportunities. Opportunities to innovate, to collaborate more deeply, and to transform the way our sector works together. We know that charities are continually asked to do more with less, in an environment where grants and contracts rarely cover the true costs of delivery. The question is not simply how we thrive, but how we create the conditions for long-term sustainability and meaningful impact.

Now, more than ever, we need to help our members build the resilience they need to thrive. At Lancaster District CVS we remain committed to walking alongside our members on this journey. This means creating the conditions for supporting innovation, strengthening collaboration and enabling long-term impact. We will continue to be a stable and consistent partner in that journey, offering practical tools, advocacy, and a platform for the sector’s collective voice so you as our members have the support and space to lead change.

Our Annual Report documents our work, our journey over the last year with acknowledgement to the people who have shaped and informed how we work collaboratively to support the voluntary, community, faith, social enterprise sector and our local communities.

I am grateful to our funders, supporters and partners who have shown their continued confidence in us. Furthermore, I am entirely grateful to our Board of Trustees for their energy and eye for detail and our staff and volunteers who have continued to show courage and tenacity over the last year. Above all, we celebrate our colleagues across the sector - the people who lead and work tirelessly supporting our residents living in our district today and for the future.

Together, we are creating a stronger, more connected voluntary sector - one that is ready to meet challenges head on and seize the opportunities ahead.

Foreword – Yak Patel, Chief Executive Officer

As I reflect on the past year, what stands out most vividly are the moments spent visiting our local voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) groups across Lancaster District. Walking into community centres, attending local projects, sitting in on community meetings, and speaking with our members and residents has been invaluable. These interactions bring to life the stories behind the numbers, deepening my understanding of the extraordinary impact our local organisations make every day - from supporting vulnerable families, to creating safe spaces for young people, to championing health and wellbeing initiatives that touch every part of community life.

2024 marked my 12th year at Lancaster District CVS and 30 years working in the VCFSE sector. Meeting our members across the district and listening to their work is not just a responsibility, it's a firm part of my DNA and keeps me inspired as CEO of Lancaster District CVS.

It is clear that such impact does not happen in isolation. Behind each successful project lies a web of connections, partnerships, and resources - the local infrastructure that enables organisations to thrive. As highlighted by national research from DCMS and NAVCA, local infrastructure such as ours play a critical role: strengthening governance, building capacity, unlocking funding, shaping local policy decisions, and connecting groups that might otherwise not get the chance. Put simply, strong infrastructure ensures that frontline groups can focus on delivering change, while also having a voice in shaping the systems and processes that affect them.

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Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Trustees' Report (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

Main Achievements – continued

LDCVS Chief Officer Yak Patel with Robyn Thomas, CEO and Founder of Stanleys Community Centre, at the reopening of Stanleys in May 2025

Over the last year, Lancaster District CVS has continued to invest in this foundation. From practical training and governance support, to convening partnerships and amplifying resident voices, our work has sought to strengthen the conditions that allow the sector to flourish. We know that the challenges facing our district whether that be health inequalities, housing, community cohesion, the cost of living crisis - all are complex and cannot be tackled by any one organisation alone. But by working together, supported by a resilient infrastructure, our VCFSE sector is demonstrating daily that real, lasting change is possible.

As you read this report, I hope you will see the breadth of what has been achieved, and also the depth of connection that underpins it. The future we want for our communities will only be realised if we continue to invest in both the people and the structures that enable collaboration, innovation, and leadership.

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Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Trustees' Report (continued)

For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

Charitable Activities

Report

Celebrating the District’s Voluntary Sector – FestiVOL 2024

Over 75 representatives from dozens of community organisations met up at the Lune Valley Methodist Hub in Brookhouse on 21 November for FestiVOL, the annual celebration of our district's voluntary sector.

Kyle McKenzie of Escape2Make, one of the guest speakers at FestiVOL 2024

Opening the event, we heard inspiring accounts of community support, innovation and progress from guest speakers including Abi Mills (The Right Worshipful Mayor of the City of Lancaster), Vanessa Toulmin of Morecambe Winter Gardens, Sharon Jackson of Neuro Drop-in, and Kyle McKenzie of Escape2Make.

Delegates then took part in workshops taking a closer look at three areas where the involvement of community organisations has been changing and deepening across the district:

These workshops provided an opportunity for delegates to challenge preconceptions, share experiences and ambitions, and discover new ways to work together to support our communities.

This process helps Lancaster District CVS understand how the organisations we support want to move forward in relation to achieving their aims, and in turn contributes to our plans for the future and how we talk to stakeholders about our sector’s aspirations.

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Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Trustees' Report (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

Charitable Activities - continued

Organisational Development and Capacity Building

This service provides support to local people looking to establish new projects and groups and also helps existing organisations to improve their effectiveness. Groups can access support with a wide range of issues including charity or social/community enterprise start-up, governance and leadership, achieving quality standards, social impact, project development, applying for funding, policy development, and training.

One organisation we supported, the Bay International Film Festival, told us more about what it meant for their work:

“We wanted to personally thank you for your and CVS Team’s support of our second film festival edition. It's no exaggeration to say that the festival's success was only possible because of wonderful people like you who collaboratively helped us to make it happen. We're truly grateful for your support”.

To support community groups in learning from each other, LDCVS introduced a new support network specifically for the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise Sector (VCSFE) in 2023 called the Swop Shop Skill Share Network. The purpose is to create a networking space where attendees can swop their own organisation’s ideas, skills and resources and take the opportunity to talk about what has worked well for them on themed topics. And of course, benefitting from hearing from other organisations and taking on board their best practice and solutions. This year we delivered 2 Swop Shops:

Funding Advice and Information

Our funding advice and information function helps sector organisations to access funding opportunities from sources including charitable trusts and commissioners that enables them to become more sustainable by improving their financial security and capacity.

Our Development Officer advises on local, regional and national opportunities and guides our members through one-to-one advice sessions. Other support also includes developing proposals to bid status, compiling evidence and data, and advice on managing and monitoring once the grants is awarded.

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Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Trustees' Report (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

Charitable Activities - continued

The annual LDCVS funding fair connected 108 attendees with representatives of local, regional and national funders including:

Member organisations met with a range of local, regional and national funders

Lancashire Youth Challenge attended the Fair and told us more about their experience:

“I found the event well managed and beneficial to our charity, as the funding parties we met with, are eager to offer support and welcome applications. Events like these are of paramount importance to charities like ours, as we rarely get chance to have in person meetings with funders, and that direct connection and communication makes a huge difference.”

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Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Trustees' Report (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

Charitable Activities - continued

Community Learning Network

Working in partnership with Lancaster City Council, our sector is benefitting from United Kingdom Shared Prosperity Fund funding which has provided resources to coordinate a training programme for voluntary organisations across the district.

Our Community Learning Network Officer works closely with our members to determine their training needs and create or source appropriate workshops held in person or online.

UKSPF support has enabled LDCVS to offer a comprehensive training programme, responsive to the needs of our membership

During our 2024/5 year, over 240 delegates from 61 organisations attended workshops covering issues such as:

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Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Trustees' Report (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

Charitable Activities - continued

The Bay Foundation

The Bay Foundation is our overall brand for the work we carry out relating to organising and promoting grant programmes for the benefit of communities across the district. We co-design and administer these programmes on behalf of philanthropic organisations, businesses and the public sector, helping funding to get to the places and projects that make a real difference to people’s lives.

Participants in the 2024 Round of Pots of Possibility ‘Your Pots’, held at The Storey Institute

During the year, we:

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Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Trustees' Report (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

Charitable Activities - continued

Financial Services

Through our experienced Finance Officer, we provide a range of services for the sector including payroll management, pensions advice, payment of grants and independent examinations of accounts. During 2024-25, we provided independent examinations to 17 organisations, and payroll services for 52 employees across 12 clients.

Lancaster District Volunteer Centre

The Lancaster District Volunteer centre supports volunteers, and the organisations that recruit volunteers, by providing a brokerage service that matches local people to organisations with volunteering opportunities.

The LDCVS stand at Lancaster University’s Sustainable Futures Volunteering Fair, March 2025

The centre also provides bespoke support to organisations deploying volunteers, including good practice guides, advice on policies and procedures and training and support with developing new initiatives involving volunteers. Our Volunteer Centre remained the key local volunteering development organisation in the district. We supported a wide range of people including those recovering from issues such as mental health problems, alcohol and drug addiction, criminal justice and being long term unemployed.

Whilst we recognise that volunteering can bring enormous benefit to individuals and organisations, it also requires a great deal of partnership working to ensure people are supported into volunteering. A large percentage of people seeking opportunities had come from difficult backgrounds and were looking to rebuild their lives through volunteering. These were the very reasons for co-designing programmes that helped build resilience amongst families, individuals and communities – thus building social action and developing local leadership.

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Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Trustees' Report (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

Charitable Activities – continued

Creating pathways into volunteering for young people through to older people and those with disabilities amongst other community groups remained a focus for our team. Promoting volunteering in communities affected by unemployment as a means of building work skills, confidence and addressing community need also remained an important component of our work. Regular ‘drop in’ sessions were held in job centres, town centres, festivals, community events, community centres and in places and times that were more accessible for local people.

The quality of the service we offer speaks for itself and it is a matter of great pride for us all to be able to respond to unmet needs. Without the contribution of our own volunteers, we wouldn’t be able to support the people and organisations we come into contact with. We would like to emphasise the significant contribution our volunteers make, and we hope that this continues to be recognised by our members and partners.

Volunteer Awards

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Celebrations at the 2025 Lancaster District Volunteer Achievement Awards
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The biennial Lancaster District Volunteer Awards took place at the Strathmore Hotel in Morecambe on Friday 6 June. 150 guests enjoyed a celebration of the tireless work of volunteers across the district. Hosted by LDCVS Chair Professor Paul Jebb and trustee Ali Richards alongside the Right Worshipful Mayor of Lancaster Margaret Pattison, the event also celebrated 20 years since the district’s first Volunteer Awards in 2005.

Congratulation to all nine category winners and thank you to event and category sponsors Lancaster University, Lancaster & Morecambe College, The Cumberland Building Society, HSE Advice UK, Specialist Care Team, Lancashire County Council (Local Member Grants from Erica Lewis and Charlie Edwards), and Lancaster City Council.

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Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Trustees' Report (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

Charitable Activities - continued

Lancaster District Young People’s Foundation

Growing from the successful Lancaster District Youth Partnership initiative, Lancaster District Young People’s Foundation (LDYPF) was accepted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation by the Charity Commission in July 2024.

A young people’s consultation event

During the year, Lancaster District CVS continued to support the new Foundation with the time and expertise of our Young People Foundation Officer.

Funds were secured from Lancaster City Council to enable consultation sessions with young people. We held two evening sessions in community venues with an aim of consulting with young people about their aspirations for their communities and recruiting young people for our Young People’s Advisory Board. The events were attended by 40 young people.

A diverse group of engaged young people were recruited to form the LDYPF Young People’s Advisory Board. We are currently meeting with young people every month and their ideas shape our decision making. Meetings are regularly attended by 10 -12 young people.

We also put young people at the heart of decision making through our Minds Within The Bay programme. This involved recruiting and training a group of dynamic young people, making them responsible for developing and overseeing a grant giving programme. The panel awarded £20,000 to projects which support young people in the West End of Morecambe with their mental health. The young leaders were meticulous in their decision making and we are excited to see the impact that the funded projects will make.

Banks Lyon Step Up Fund

14 young people have benefited from the fund from June 2024 to June 2025. The fund supports young people living in the Lancaster District, aged between 16 and 24 facing social and/or financial barriers to accessing education, training or employment. It can be spent on anything which will help the young person progress on the route to employment.

AB was referred by Morecambe Foyer. AB is 18 years old and has lived experience with street-based homelessness. When AB came to stay at Morecambe Foyer, he came with ‘just the clothes on his back’. AB was provided with an opportunity to interview for a role as a carer which led to him securing employment.

The StepUp Fund enabled AB to purchase much needed clothing and toiletries to support him with being presentable and confident in his new role. Morecambe Foyer provided us with the following feedback:

“Watching those young people be supported by the Step Up fund brought joy to my heart, knowing that you gave the young person a leg up for their employment prospects.”

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Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Trustees' Report (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

Charitable Activities - continued

Children & Young People Multi-Agency Forum (CYPMAF)

We continued to host five CYPMAF meetings per year. The meetings provide a space for partners working in the young people’s sector to come together to undertake training, to share good practice and to network. Meetings were regularly attended by around thirty colleagues.

Training has included:

We continued to support colleagues working in the young people’s sector by collating and distributing fortnightly newsletters to share updates about local young people’s provision and funding and training opportunities. The information shares have also included regional and national updates. The network consists of over 280 members.

The Lancaster District Directory & Social Prescribing

The Lancaster District Directory, online at directory.lancastercvs.org.uk, helps our local population find and get in touch with essential services provided by community groups, the NHS and our local authorities.

Launched in January 2023, the directory grew over our 2024/5 year, adding 149 new services and activities.

Through 2024 and the early months of 2025 we collaborated with the Lancaster Integrated Care Community Development Lead and a core group of other health professionals and voluntary sector organisations to support Help is Close, a campaign focused on suicide prevention in our district. The campaign’s assets across the project encouraged residents to visit the Directory to find out about local services that can help them to overcome the issues they face. LDCVS contributed to the campaign by commissioning a range of targeted adverts on social media with a total reach of over 450,000 accounts.

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Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Trustees' Report (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

Charitable Activities - continued

Paid social media advertising drove visits to the Lancaster District Directory as part of the Help is Close Campaign

The effectiveness of the campaign can be seen in visitor numbers to a special landing page created on the directory, which was visited by nearly 7,000 users between 1 January 2025 and 30 April 2025. In addition, average monthly visitors to the Directory home page over the period were up by 286% compared to the same time in 2024.

During 2024/5 we received 142 social prescribing referrals from the district’s PCNs, LSCFT and other sources, with the majority focusing on the need for community support around mental health, loneliness and isolation, physical health conditions, financial difficulties, and bereavement. Using the knowledge built up through building the Lancaster District Directory, Jenny Reddell, our Community Health Officer, can signpost suitable services and activities to these patients, helping them access local support.

We extended our social prescribing reach by partnering with Lancaster City Council and two key voluntary sector organisations to plan and deliver integration activities with adult social services as part of Lancashire County Council’s Adult Social Services Transformation. A referral route from the County Council’s Customer Access Service and selected Adult Social Care teams was opened in April 2025, backed up by additional support provided by Citizens Advice North Lancashire and Positive Futures Wellbeing CIO through direct grants from LDCVS.

This project will continue into our 2025/6 year with a focus on reducing calls to the County’s teams through a small grants programme and a communications campaign focused on the wards generating the highest volume of calls. These correlate with wards which are less well provided with voluntary sector support and we believe that light-touch social prescribing can have a significant impact on resident wellbeing in those areas.

Health Coaching

In early 2025 we began to collaborate with Lancaster City Council to deliver health and wellbeing coaching through the WorkWell programme, funded by the UK Government through Lancashire & South Cumbria Integrated Care Board.

The programme is being piloted across several vanguard districts across England, and is a free and voluntary service available to anyone who is struggling to find or stay in work because of mental or physical health conditions. It provides access to a health coach who can help the participant plan realistic and reasonable steps to improve their situation, alongside referral to additional community-based support.

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Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Trustees' Report (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

Charitable Activities - continued

To deliver the programme, LDCVS has recruited a further three part-time Health & Wellbeing Coaches, strengthening our existing provision by 1.5 full time equivalent, who began to meet participants in the spring of 2025.

Community Action Networks

Ryelands Estate

The Community Action Network on the Ryelands Estate have continued to work side by side with local residents, local authorities, schools, the NHS, police, and local charities to create lasting change.

Since its inception in 2018, the Ryelands Residents Group has become far more than a residents’ group - it has grown into a movement for community-led change. What makes Ryelands so special is the commitment of its residents: their determination to navigate challenges, look out for one another and find solutions together. It has been a real pleasure and privilege to grow alongside them, to support their ambitions, and at times, to simply be a shoulder to lean on.

While we could go on to write so much about their achievements, we created the following video to bring together voices from across the community - residents, partners, and those who have worked tirelessly to make Ryeland’s a better place for everyone. It powerfully portrays the spirit of community unity in action. From improving play areas for children to realising the long-held dream of a new community centre, this story is about empowerment, shared purpose and the belief that every resident deserves the opportunity to thrive.

We invite you to watch the video and hear directly from the people of Ryelands about how they are shaping a brighter, fairer future for their community: https://youtu.be/vDUqhgk5Tsg

As part of our involvement in the Ryelands Estate Community Action Network, we supported local engagement through the creation and promotion of dedicated publicity materials. The Ryelands video proved to be a powerful tool for raising awareness and showcasing community action, achieving 10,556 views and generating 258 reactions through comments, shares and saves.

This level of reach and interaction highlights both the strong interest in local initiatives and the value of using digital storytelling to amplify the voices and efforts of communities.

West End Morecambe

During 2025 we began the work of developing a Community Action Network in the West End of Morecambe, with the support of a grant from West End Morecambe Big Local. Residents, community organisations, local authorities and public sector organisations were invited to a two-day event at The Alhambra in June, where everybody had space to share their thoughts and feelings about the neighbourhood.

The beginnings of the West End Morecambe Community Action Network project

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Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Trustees' Report (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

Charitable Activities - continued

Our first day focused on the moments, memories and experiences that made people care deeply about the West End, sharing opinions about what gives the areas its heart and soul, and thinking about what the community dreams about for the future. During the second day, we talked about designing initiatives that could help the neighbourhood move towards those dreams by designing activities that could be feasible, impactful and sustainable.

Partnership Working

Creating strategic relationships and partnerships

Lancaster District CVS remained committed to ensuring that the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector is visible, valued, and influential in shaping the future of our district. In a period marked by financial pressures, rising demand, and increasing complexity of community needs, our role as a strategic partner had never been more vital.

Over 2024–2025, we continued to strengthen collaboration across the system by working closely with local government, health partners, and community networks to ensure the VCFSE sector is recognised as an equal partner in local decision-making. This year has been about connection, resilience, and innovation: ensuring that partnership working translates into tangible outcomes for the sector and our communities.

We remained an active partner within the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board and the Integrated Care system, helping ensure that local voices, community intelligence, and the lived experience of residents inform both local and regional priorities. Our Chief Executive continued to represent the Lancaster District VCFSE Leadership Forum, ensuring the sector’s collective “ask and offer” is heard and embedded in policy and planning discussions.

Lancashire and South Cumbria Place Partnership Board.

We continue to play a key role within the ICP, collaborating across health, local authorities, and the voluntary sector to improve population health and wellbeing. Our Chief Executive represented the county’s VCFSE Alliance, ensuring the community sector’s insights shape place-based health priorities and decision-making.

Voluntary Sector Northwest

Our ongoing commitment to ensuring Lancaster District’s voice is represented at a regional level was achieved by attending Voluntary Sector Northwest meetings. These provided opportunities to meet with leaders from across the region to discuss shared challenges, influence policy, and strengthen the collective impact of the VCFSE sector.

Lancaster District Strategic Partnership

The creation of the Lancaster District Strategic Partnership was marked by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the 19th of August 2024.

Through the partnership, the nine founding member organisations will work together to improve the Lancaster District aligned to agreed strategic priorities – sustainability and the climate emergency, the economy, health and wellbeing and communities.

Signing the Lancaster District Strategic Partnership

The partnership aims to deliver mutually beneficial local and regional projects by identifying and developing new opportunities for collaborative working between sectors. It also aims to maximise how organisations use their combined resources effectively to improve the Lancaster District.

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Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Trustees' Report (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

Charitable Activities - continued

Lancaster District CVS is one of the founding members and we attend regular LDSP meetings to contribute to the steering of the partnership and ensure that the interests of the local sector are represented within projects across the district.

Lancaster District Health and Wellbeing Partnership Board

This year marked the conclusion of our Chief Officers tenure as Chair of the Lancaster District Health and Wellbeing Partnership Board. Serving in this role has been one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences of his career - an opportunity that truly deepened our appreciation for partnership working at its best.

Over the past three years, the Board has been united by a shared mission: to improve the health and wellbeing of people living and working across Lancaster District. Together, we have developed and delivered a wide range of initiatives addressing key local priorities - from mental health and children’s wellbeing to poverty reduction and community resilience.

We are particularly proud of the collaborative projects that have made a lasting impact:

With the introduction of the NHS 10-Year Plan and wider system reforms, it felt timely to hand over the role to new leadership and fresh perspectives. We remain committed to supporting the Board’s continued success and the collective effort to build a healthier, fairer district.

Lancashire and South Cumbria VCFSE Alliance

Over the past year, we continued to play an active role in the Lancashire and South Cumbria Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise Alliance, a key regional partnership that strengthens the voice and influence of the sector within the Integrated Care System.

Our involvement ensured that the experiences, challenges, and contributions of local organisations are represented in regional planning and decision-making. Through regular meetings, working groups, and shared learning sessions, we have contributed to shaping collective priorities around health inequalities, prevention, and community wellbeing.

A key focus this year has been the VCFSE UEC (Urgent and Emergency Care) Fund, which supported voluntary and community sector organisations to deliver services that reduce pressure on urgent and emergency care systems. We worked closely with partners to identify opportunities for local organisations to access funding, strengthen capacity, and deliver community-led solutions that improve access to care, promote prevention, and support people before they reach crisis points.

Through our participation, we have strengthened links between local and regional structures, ensured district-level insights inform wider system design, and supported the development of the Alliance’s VCFSE Strategy and Action Plan, embedding the sector as an equal partner in health and care delivery.

Lancaster District Food Justice Partnership

In 2024–2025, we continued our strong commitment to tackling poverty and inequality through active participation in the Lancaster District Food Justice Partnership. This collaboration remained central to supporting residents most affected by the ongoing cost-ofliving crisis.

Over the year, our collective efforts have strengthened the district’s response to food insecurity, from coordinating emergency food provision to influencing anti-poverty policies. We also continued to prioritise community empowerment through education, participation, and advocacy on issues of food justice. By working together with Lancaster City council and local food projects in the community, we have helped to deliver vital support to those in need but also continued to support community groups to strengthen their charitable foundations.

Morecambe Eden Project – Communities and Place Team

During the year, we continued our active engagement with the Morecambe Eden Project, particularly through the Communities and Place Team, supporting efforts to enhance local engagement across the district.

Key areas of development include supporting programmes that address social inclusion, reduce isolation, and provide opportunities for skill-building and community participation. This included coordinating with local groups to deliver inclusive events, workshops, and activities that promote a sense of ownership and pride.

Through collaboration with the Communities and Place Team, we helped to ensure that the Eden Project’s vision of a thriving, sustainable Morecambe is underpinned by meaningful community engagement, equitable access to opportunities, and projects that deliver lasting impact for residents.

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Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Trustees' Report (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

Charitable Activities - continued

Big Local – West End Morecambe

Heading into the last 18 months of a 10-year Big Local programme, the West End Morecambe Partnership has continued to make significant strides in securing a lasting legacy for the community. Big Local, established by Local Trust in 2012, is a National Lottery Community Fund initiative providing over £1 million to each of 150 communities across England. Lancaster District CVS has acted as the Locally Trusted Organisation for WEM for much of this period, supporting the partnership and administering funds on their behalf.

A major milestone this year was the successful purchase of Stanleys Community Centre, a hub that has served the West End for over 15 years. Previously operating under costly rental arrangements and requiring significant upkeep, the Centre is now secured as a permanent community asset. Lancaster District CVS worked alongside WEM during the purchase, acting as the guardian of the property while planning its transition to full community ownership, ensuring that it remains owned by the community, for the community.

Information & Communication

Throughout the year we continued to focus on growing our audience across our communication channels and diversify our methods of communication. Social media audiences grew by 7%

Between July 2024 and June 2025, our social media presence continued to grow, strengthening both reach and engagement across platforms. On Facebook, our audience grew by nearly 22% to 1,741 followers, while interactions more than doubled to 9,367 — reflecting greater connection and participation from our community.

Video content was a key driver of this success, with views increasing dramatically, including a 455% rise in three-second plays and a 306% rise in one-minute views. Alongside this, our YouTube channel generated 17,000+ impressions, 1,600+ views, and over 83 hours of watch time, further extending the reach of our messages and resources.

These results demonstrate the growing impact of our communications activity, with more people engaging with our content and the stories we share.

We published 48 editions of our weekly Bulletin to more than 900 subscribers, a very popular service among our members and stakeholders. The Bulletin connects groups to essential funding information and services. Information covered in these bulletins included local events and sector news, training and networking, health and wellbeing, job vacancies, funding information, policy updates, consultations and campaigning and news from local voluntary and community groups.

Looking Ahead

As we look towards 2025 - 26, Lancaster District CVS remains committed to championing and strengthening the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector. The year ahead will mark a pivotal point for us - a time to build on the progress we’ve made, renew our strategy with our members and partners, and continue shaping a future where communities are connected, resilient and able to thrive.

We will embark on the development of a new five-year strategic plan, co-designed with the people and organisations we work with. Through our conversations, harnessing on what we have heard and shared reflection, we will ensure the plan reflects the priorities and ambitions of our members, and communities. Our goal is to create a strategy that strengthens local collaboration, builds sustainable infrastructure for the sector, and ensures the voice of community organisations continues to shape decisions that affect people’s lives.

The next year will also see us continue to invest in leadership development and capacity building within the sector. We know that strong, confident leaders and well-supported organisations are essential to driving change. Through our networks, training, and support, we will help our members navigate challenges, share learning, and develop new approaches to complex social issues such as poverty, health inequalities and social isolation.

Through our Community Action Network model, we will expand our place-based work, supporting residents and partners to codesign practical, locally led solutions that create lasting impact. We are particularly focused on deepening this work in areas where inequalities are greatest, ensuring that community voices lead the way in shaping neighbourhood renewal and wellbeing.

Volunteering will remain a cornerstone of our work. We will continue to connect people with meaningful opportunities that not only support local organisations but also enhance wellbeing and social inclusion. We will explore the Volunteer Centre Quality Accreditation (VCQA), a UK-wide quality mark awarded to organisations that consistently deliver the core functions of a Volunteer Centre.

We anticipate our health and wellbeing programs to grow. Working closely with partners across the health and social care system, we will support our members and residents to address physical and mental health by helping them to manage health inequalities. This includes social prescribing, health coaching and creating spaces for community-led health activities.

We are committed to growing our Bay Foundation as a trusted conduit for investing funding into the sector. By building strong partnerships with local businesses, philanthropic donors and anchor institutions, we aim to increase the resources available to the sector, ensuring that small grassroots groups have the support they need to deliver their work. upport

...CONTINUED

Page 17

Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Trustees' Report (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

We will also build on our role as a strategic connector within the Lancashire and South Cumbria system, amplifying the role of the sector in health and wellbeing, poverty reduction, climate action, and community resilience. Our ongoing collaboration with the Integrated Care Partnership, local authorities, universities, and regional partners will help ensure that local expertise and lived experience remain central to system-level decisions.

Finally, we recognise that the coming years will bring both opportunities and challenges. Funding remains uncertain, demand continues to rise and the landscape of public services is changing with the introduction of the NHS 10 year plan, combined authorities and local government reform. Yet, we remain optimistic and determined. Our strength lies in the collective power of our members, partners, and communities - people who show every day that communities have the ideas, compassion and commitment to create a better district.

Financial Review

Financial Position

The total expenditure for the year was £882,201 (2024: £742,374) and income was £766,038 (2024: £765,875) giving a net operating deficit of £116,163 (2024: surplus of £23,501) leaving funds carried forward to 2025-26 of £462,857 (2024-25: £579,020). Free reserves are £156,179 (2024: £217,292). Restricted reserves are £306,678 (2024: £361,728).

Our main source of funding for our core costs was the National Lottery (Community Fund). We also received funding from Lancaster City Council along with project funding from various sources to reach a total income from grants and contracts of £687,127 (2024: £710,659). Our income from services provided to other organisations was £67,856 (2024: £44,065).

The Trustees are aware that all funding streams remain under threat of reduction or withdrawal and they continue to diligently monitor the budget and work to establish new sources of funding.

Principal financial management policies adopted in the year:

A budget for the year was established and agreed prior to the beginning of the financial year and it was monitored monthly and amended as necessary over the period.

Management accounts were prepared and presented regularly to the board of Trustees for their monitoring and analysis of income and expenditures against the budget.

Policies regarding spending authorities, operation of petty cash systems and payment of expenses are held by the Charity and are reviewed at intervals.

Reserves policy:

The Trustees believe that the Charity should hold financial reserves in order that it might meet anticipated future costs contingent liabilities and that it can continue to operate and meet the needs of users in the present uncertain funding environment. Trustees have determined that unrestricted funds equivalent to at least three months operating expenditure plus redundancy costs should be maintained at all times, equivalent to £118,000 in 2024/25 (2025/26 £118,000). Trustees routinely review the amount that should be held in reserve to meet contractual commitments and running costs in the event of significant reductions or withdrawals of funding which may have a damaging effect on continued operations.

Principal Funding Sources

The main sources of grant funding were the National Lottery (Community Fund) and Lancaster City Council, both core cost grants. We also generated income via the Bay Foundation (see above) in respect of grant administration on behalf of funders.

Investment Policy and Objectives

Funds which are not required immediately are held in easily accessed interest bearing accounts. This was deemed most appropriate since grant and income streams are occasionally subject to delays.

Risk Management

The trustees review the risks at regular intervals and set up procedures to mitigate those risks.

The three main risks previously identified are the loss of major funding, insufficient trustees; and the loss of one or more key staff.

Additional Note

Subsidiaries: none

Future Developments

Plans for the future:

The Trustees are committed to growth of the organisation both in terms of scale and reach. We will continue to invest in effective infrastructure and our staff to maintain and improve the quality and range of services which we offer in our district.

To ensure that Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions is robust and sustainable we will constantly review the strategic direction of our organisation. Funding is crucial to this and we continue to identify possible opportunities to ensure a diverse funding profile.

However, we note that without the financial support of our current funders we would not be able to deliver this vital service and would like to take this opportunity to thank The National Lottery Community Fund and Lancaster City Council. We would also like to thank every other funder, trust and organisation that has supported us, either financially or in other ways, throughout the year.

Page 18

Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Trustees' Report (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

Structure, Governance and Management

Governing Document

Nature of the governing document: Memorandum and Articles How the Charity is constituted: Incorporated Date of governing document: 7th November 2018 (revised)

Governance:

LDCVS was founded in 1972 as the National Council of Voluntary Services, an unincorporated charity. It became a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated 7th November 2008 and was established under a memorandum and articles of association which describes the objects and powers of the charitable company, and is governed under its Articles of Association. The Trustees are appointed in accordance with the Articles of Association.

Full membership of LDCVS is open to voluntary organisations that comply with the criteria for membership. In addition, there are affiliate categories of membership for public sector and corporate bodies. LDCVS trustee board is responsible for managing the business of LDCVS as outlined in the Articles of Association.

Trustee Selection Methods

Method of recruitment and appointment of trustees:

LDCVS is a membership organisation, the membership being predominantly drawn from other local voluntary organisations, from whom the Directors (Board of Trustees) are elected either at the AGM or through an open and transparent selection and interview process. The paid staff of LDCVS are accountable to this Board. No funders are currently represented on the Board.

Induction and Training of Trustees

Policy and procedures adopted for the induction and training of Trustees:

New trustees are inducted into the workings of the Charity, including policies and procedures, in a timely fashion and understand their responsibilities.

Page 19

Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Trustees' Report (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

Reference and Administrative Details

Trustees

Ms Hazel Taylor (appointed 05/12/2024) Ms Emma Seddon Mr Anthony Murray Ms Alison Richards Professor Paul Jebb Ms Jess Shaw (appointed 11/02/2025) Ms Roda Ogunpehin (appointed 04/07/2025)

Company Secretary

Mr Nicholas Smith

Other Personnel

Yakub Patel - Chief Officer

Charity Number 1127626

Company Number 06743623

Registered Office

The Cornerstone Sulyard Street Lancaster LA1 1PX

Independent Examiner

Christine Harwood ACMA Accounts Matters Limited 3-2-1 Storey House White Cross Lancaster Lancashire LA1 4XQ

Page 20

Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Trustees' Report (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

Other Information

Finally:

The Trustee Board would like to thank our Chief Officer, all our staff and volunteers for their dedication, hard work and for ensuring a highly valued service is delivered to the communities across North Lancashire.

Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities

The trustees (who are also the directors of Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under company law the trustees must not approve the financial statement 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 the financial statements the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at anytime the financial position of the charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the accounts comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The trustees are responsible for 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.

The report has been prepared having taken advantage of the small companies exemption in the Companies Act 2006. The trustees' report was approved by the board of trustees and signed on its behalf by:

Professor Paul Jebb Trustee Date

21 Jan 2026

Page 21

Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 30 June 2025.

Responsibilities and Basis of Report

As the charity trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law), you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (“the 2006 Act”).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent Examiner's Statement

Since the Company’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  2. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair view' which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

  3. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

I 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.

23 Jan 2026

Christine Harwood ACMA Date 3-2-1 Storey House White Cross Lancaster Lancashire LA1 4XQ

Page 22

Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure Account) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

Notes
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM:
Donations and legacies
4
Charitable activities
5
Other trading activities
6
Investments
7
Other
8
EXPENDITURE ON:
Charitable activities
9
NET (EXPENDITURE)/INCOME
Transfers between funds
21
NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS:
Total funds brought forward
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD
21		 Unrestricted
funds
£
109
367,401
67,856
10,209
708
Restricted
funds
£

-

319,726

-

29

-		 2025
Total funds
£

109

687,127

67,856

10,238

708		 2024
Total funds
£

-

710,659

44,065

11,151

-
446,283
319,755
766,038
765,875
(501,236)
(380,965)
(882,201)
(742,374)
(54,953)
(6,160)
(61,210)

6,160
(116,163)

-
23,501

-
(61,113)
217,292
(55,050)

361,728
(116,163)

579,020
23,501

555,519
156,179
306,678
462,857
579,020

The notes on pages 27 to 34 form part of these financial statements.

Page 23

Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Balance Sheet As At 30 June 2025

2025 2024
Unrestricted
funds		 Restricted
funds		 Total funds Total funds
Notes Notes
£		 £ £ £
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible Assets 16 - 157,351 157,351 -
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors 17 115 - 115 399
Cash at bank and in hand 158,402 149,328 307,730 580,960
158,517 149,328 307,845 581,359
Creditors: Amounts Falling Due Within One Year 18 (2,338) (1) (2,339 ) (2,339 )
NET CURRENT ASSETS (LIABILITIES) 156,179 149,327 305,506 579,020
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 156,179 306,678 462,857 579,020
NET ASSETS 156,179 306,678 462,857 579,020
FUNDS OF THE CHARITY
Restricted Funds 306,678 361,728
Unrestricted Funds 156,179 217,292
TOTAL FUNDS **21 ** 462,857 579,020
On behalf of the board
Be FA
21 Jan 2026
Ms Emma Seddon
Trustee
Date

The notes on pages 27 to 34 form part of these financial statements.

Page 24

Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Statement of Cash Flows For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

Notes
Cash flows from operating activities
Net cash (used in)/generated from operations
1
Net cash (used in)/generated from operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities
Purchase of tangible assets
Interest received
Net cash (used in)/generated from investing activities
Cash flows from financing activities
Repayment of bank borrowings
(Decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year
2
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year
2		 2025
£
(126,117)
(126,117)
(157,351)
10,238
(147,113)
-
(273,230)
580,960
307,730		 2024
£
14,859
14,859
-
11,151
11,151
(1,802)
24,208
556,752
580,960

Page 25

Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Notes to the Statement of Cash Flows For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

1. Reconciliation of (expenditure)/income to cash (used in)/generated from operations

Net (expenditure)/income
Adjustments for:
Interest income
Movements in working capital:
Decrease in trade and other debtors
Increase in trade and other creditors
Net cash (used in)/generated from operations		 2025
£
(116,163)
(10,238)
284
-
(126,117)		 2024
£
23,501
(11,151)
171
2,338
14,859

2. Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents, as stated in the Statement of Cash Flows, relates to the following items in the Balance Sheet:

2025
£
Cash at bank and in hand
307,730
3. Analysis of changes in net funds
As at 1 July
2024
Cash flows
£
£
Cash at bank and in hand
580,960
(273,230)		 2024
£
580,960
As at 30
June 2025
£

307,730

Page 26

Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Notes to the Financial Statements For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

1. General Information

Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions is a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England & Wales, registered number 06743623 and registered charity number 1127626. The registered office is The Cornerstone, Sulyard Street, Lancaster, LA1 1PX.

2. Statement of Compliance

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) "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)", Financial Reporting Standard 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" and the Companies Act 2006.

3. Accounting Policies

3.1. Basis of Preparation of Financial Statements

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

The charitable company is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.

3.2. Going Concern Disclosure

The trustees have not identified any material uncertainties related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt about the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern.

3.3. Incoming Resources

Grants, including grants for the purchase of fixed assets and government grants, are recognised at fair value when the charity has entitlement after any performance conditions have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably. If entitlement is not met these amounts are deferred.

Other income is recognised in full in the Statement of Financial Activities in the year in which it is receivable. Investment income is bank interest only.

3.4. Resources Expended

Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability when it is incurred. Expenditure includes any relevant VAT.

Grants payable are payments made to community groups from specific funding and are accounted for when the grant is awarded.

Charitable expenditure

Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the Charity in the delivery of its activities and services. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.

Governance costs

Governance costs include those costs associated with meeting constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity.

Allocation of costs

All costs are allocated between the expenditure categories of the SOFA on a basis designed to reflect the use of the resource. Some costs relating to a particular activity are allocated directly, others are apportioned on an appropriate basis, e.g. estimated usage, as set out in Note 6.

Employee benefits

The costs of employee benefits are recognised as a liability and an expense. The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received. Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.

Pension scheme

The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Pension costs charged in the Statement of Activities represent the contribution payable by the charity in the year.

Operating leases

Rentals applicable to operating leases where substantially all the benefits and risks of ownership remain with the lessor are charged to the SOFA in the year in which they accrue.

Debtors and creditors receivable/payable within one year

Debtors and creditors with no stated interest rate and receivable or payable within one year are recorded at transaction price. Any losses arising from impairment are recognised in expenditure.

...CONTINUED

Page 27

Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

3.4. Resources Expended - continued

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds comprise those funds which the Trustees are free to use in accordance with charitable objects.

Designated funds are those funds set aside by the Trustees out of the unrestricted general funds for specific future purposes or projects. Restricted funds are funds which have been given for particular purposes and projects. Transfers to unrestricted funds from restricted funds represent the amounts earned by the Charity by way of management and consultancy fees. Or other transfers as permitted by the relevant funding agreements.

Depreciation of tangible fixed assets

Depreciation is provided on all tangible fixed assets at rates calculated to write off the full cost or valuation less estimated residual value of each asset over its estimated useful life. The principal rates in use are: Equipment, fixtures and fittings 20% reducing balance Computer equipment 100% on cost

3.5. Tangible Fixed Assets and Depreciation

Tangible fixed assets are measured at cost less accumulated depreciation and any accumulated impairment losses. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of the fixed assets, less their estimated residual value, over their expected useful lives on the following bases:

Plant & Machinery 20% reducing balance Computer Equipment 100% on cost

3.6. Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents are basic financial assets and include cash in hand and deposits held at call with banks, other short-term highly liquid investments that mature in no more than three months from the date of acquisition and are readily convertible to a known amount of cash with insignificant risk of change in value, and bank overdrafts.

3.7. Taxation

LDCVS is a registered charity. All the company’s income is applied to its charitable activities and the company is therefore exempt under current legislation from most forms of taxation (CTA 210s 475/476, 486 & 488 and ITA 2007 S532 & 534).

4. Income from Donations and Legacies

Donations and gifts
5. Income from Charitable Activities
Unrestricted
funds £
Restricted
funds £
Charitable activities
367,401
319,726		 2025
Unrestricted
funds
£
109		 2024

Total
funds
£

-
2024
Total funds £
710,659
2025
Total funds £
687,127

Page 28

Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

6. Income from Other Trading Activities

. Income from Other Trading Activities
Grant administration
Accounting support & Independent Examinations
Payroll activities
Rent West Street
Rent Stanleys Community Centre
DB checks
Project income
Trybooking income
. Investment Income
Bank interest receivable
. Other Income
Other income
. Analysis of Expenditure
Charitable activities 2025
Charitable activities 2024		 2025
2024
Unrestricted funds Total funds
£
£
41,160
27,342
2,675
2,645
5,104
4,978
8,122
1,840
8,000
-
2,795
2,135
-
3,625
-
1,500
67,856
44,065
2025
2024
Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Total
funds
funds
funds
funds
£
£
£
£
10,209
29
10,238
11,151
2025
2024
Unrestricted funds Total funds
£
£
708
-
2025
Activities
undertaken
directly
(see note10)
Grant
funding of
activities
(see note11)
Support
costs
(see note12)
Total
£
£
£
£
508,956
336,970
36,275
882,201
2024
Activities
undertaken
directly
(see note10)
Grant
funding of
activities
(see note11)
Support
costs
(see note12)
Total
£
£
£
£
349,683
344,488
48,203
742,374
2024
Total funds
£

-
2025

Total
£

882,201
2024

Total
£

742,374

Support
costs
(see note12)
£

36,275
Activities
undertaken
directly
(see note10)
£
349,683
Grant
funding of
activities
(see note11)
£

344,488
Support
costs
(see note12)
£

48,203

7. Investment Income

8. Other Income

9. Analysis of Expenditure

Page 29

Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

10. Direct Costs

Fundraising activities:
Events and training
DB check expenses
Stanleys Building repairs
Employee costs:
Wages and salaries
Employers NI
Employers pensions - defined contribution schemes
Premises expenses:
Premises costs
General administration:
Management fees
Marketing and advertising costs
Data and telecommunications costs
Fundraising activities:
Events and training
DB check expenses
Employee costs:
Wages and salaries
Employers NI
Employers pensions - defined contribution schemes
General administration:
Management fees
Computer software, IT consumables and maintenance
Marketing and advertising costs		 2025
Charitable
activities
£
37,766
2,207
76,225
311,751
21,780
14,072
483
41,160
1,888
1,624
508,956
2024
Charitable
activities
£
5,840
1,724
280,211
20,234
12,518
27,342
1,224
590
349,683

Page 30

Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

11. Grants Payable

Charitable activities
Grants paid to institutions, included above, are as follows:
West End Morecambe Organisation
Grants supporting local charities under £25,000
Adult Social Care Grants 2025
Pots of Possibility CF
Pots of Possibility RF
Unrestricted grants
12. Support Costs
Employee costs:
Staff training
Staff expenses
Premises expenses:
Rent
General administration:
Insurance
Membership and licences
Professional fees
Subscriptions
Payroll software
Bank charges
Other office costs
Refreshments
Christmas party
Governance costs:
Independent examiner's fees
Other governance costs		 2025
Grants to
Institutions
£
336,970		 2024
Grants to
Institutions
£

344,488
2025
£
138,745
59,795
50,000
25,664
60,451
2,135		 2024
£

89,975

254,513

-

-

-

-
336,790
344,488
2025
Charitable
activities
£
1,972
3,750
13,881
3,304
2,000
2,000
3,965
206
70
1,695
503
558
1,980
391
36,275

Page 31

Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

Employee costs:
Staff training
Staff expenses
Premises expenses:
Rent
General administration:
Insurance
Kit and equipment
Membership and licences
Telecommunications and data costs
Professional fees
Investment and setup
Subscriptions
Payroll software
Bank charges
Other office costs
Other costs
Governance costs:
Independent examiner's fees
Other governance costs
13. Independent Examiner's Remuneration
Independent examination of the financial statements
14. Staff Costs
Staff costs were as follows:
Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Other pension costs		 2025
£
1,980
2025
£
311,751
21,780
14,072
347,603		 2024
Charitable
activities
£
1,449
5,044
16,041
1,607
527
1,330
1,094
12,310
300
4,262
232
60
2,338
350
1,056
203
48,203
2024
£
1,056
2024
£
280,211
20,234
12,518
312,963

No employees received employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs) for the reporting period of more than £60,000.

15. Average Number of Employees

Average number of employees during the year was: 11 (2024: 11)

Page 32

Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

16. Tangible Assets

Cost
As at 1 July 2024
Additions
As at 30 June 2025
Depreciation
As at 1 July 2024
As at 30 June 2025
Net Book Value
As at 30 June 2025
As at 1 July 2024		 Land &
Property
Restricted
Plant &
Machinery
Computer
Equipment
Total
£
£
£
£
-
26,360
41,485
67,845
157,351
-
-
157,351
157,351
26,360
41,485
225,196
-
26,360
41,485
67,845
-
26,360
41,485
67,845
157,351
-
-
157,351
-
-
-
-

The building purchase relates to Stanleys Community Centre as part of the West End Morecambe Partnership and has been valued at cost.

17. Debtors

7. Debtors
Due within one year
Trade debtors
8. Creditors: Amounts Falling Due Within One Year
Accruals and deferred income		 2025
£
115
2025
£
2,339		 2024
£
399
2024
£
2,339

18. Creditors: Amounts Falling Due Within One Year

19. Other Commitments

The company entered into a rental agreement that results in commitments under non- cancellable operating leases as set out below:

Not later than one year
Later than one year and not later than five years		 2025
£
-
10,476
10,476		 2024
£
10,104
-
10,104

20. Pension Commitments

The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charitable company in an independently administered fund.

During the year the charge to the statement of financial activities in respect of defined contribution schemes was £14,072 (2024: £12,518).

At the balance sheet date contributions of £NIL were due to the fund and are included in creditors.

Page 33

Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) For The Year Ended 30 June 2025

21. Movement in Funds

Unrestricted funds
General:
General unrestricted fund
Designated:
Designated Funds
Stanleys
Total unrestricted funds
Restricted funds
Restricted Funds
Total funds
Part of the restricted fund (£157,351) is held in
freehold property on the balance sheet.
Unrestricted funds
General:
General unrestricted fund
Designated:
Designated Funds
Total unrestricted funds
Restricted funds
Restricted Funds
Total funds		 As at 1 July
2024
£
99,292
118,000
-		 Income
£

370,058

-

76,225		 Expenditure
£

(425,011)

-

(76,225)		 Transfers
£

(6,160)

-

-		 As at 30
June 2025
£

38,179

118,000

-
217,292
446,283
(501,236)
(6,160)
156,179
361,728
319,755
(380,965)
6,160
306,678
579,020
766,038
(882,201)
-
462,857
As at 1 July
2023
£
223,217
55,000		 Income
£

281,940

-		 Expenditure
£

(365,532)

-		 Transfers
£

(40,333)

63,000		 As at 30
June 2024
£

99,292

118,000
278,217
281,940
(365,532)
22,667
217,292
277,302
483,935
(376,842)
(22,667)
361,728
555,519
765,875
(742,374)
-
579,020

22. Transactions with Trustees

None of the trustees received any remuneration or any other benefits from an employment with the charity or a related entity during the current or previous year.

No trustee expenses have been incurred.

23. Related Party Disclosures

There have been no related party transactions in the reporting period that require disclosure.

24. Company limited by guarantee

The company is limited by guarantee and has no share capital.

Every member of the company undertakes to contribute to the assets of the company, in the event of a winding up, such an amount as may be required not exceeding £1.

Page 34

Issuer

Accounts Matters Limited

Document generated Mon, 19th Jan 2026 14:54:32 GMT Document fingerprint f8925d70ab0b05bd93995d2555220685

Parties involved with this document

Document processed

Party + Fingerprint

Wed, 21st Jan 2026 11:59:22 GMT Wed, 21st Jan 2026 16:10:42 GMT

Audit history log

Date

Mon, 19th Jan 2026 14:54:32 GMT Mon, 19th Jan 2026 14:54:32 GMT Mon, 19th Jan 2026 14:54:32 GMT Mon, 19th Jan 2026 14:54:32 GMT

Mon, 19th Jan 2026 14:54:46 GMT Mon, 19th Jan 2026 14:54:46 GMT Mon, 19th Jan 2026 14:54:46 GMT Wed, 21st Jan 2026 11:57:46 GMT

Wed, 21st Jan 2026 11:58:17 GMT Wed, 21st Jan 2026 11:59:22 GMT Wed, 21st Jan 2026 11:59:22 GMT Wed, 21st Jan 2026 11:59:23 GMT Wed, 21st Jan 2026 16:00:40 GMT Wed, 21st Jan 2026 16:10:42 GMT Wed, 21st Jan 2026 16:10:42 GMT Wed, 21st Jan 2026 16:10:42 GMT Wed, 21st Jan 2026 16:10:42 GMT Wed, 21st Jan 2026 16:10:42 GMT

Professor Paul Jebb - Signer (a17c9fcb9446ca0ace9189543e17cf7d) Ms Emma Jane Seddon - Signer (551bd99921f36e20cdab09c300e8bf7a) Action Envelope generated with fingerprint 8802d9489058efeed187e304e7ce8cc5 (35.176.231.177) Document generated with fingerprint f8925d70ab0b05bd93995d2555220685. (35.176.231.177) Professor Paul Jebb has been assigned to this envelope. (35.176.231.177) Ms Emma Jane Seddon has been assigned to this envelope. (35.176.231.177) Envelope generated Sent the envelope to Professor Paul Jebb for signing Document emailed to party email Sent Professor Paul Jebb a reminder to sign the document. (18.133.63.166) Professor Paul Jebb viewed the envelope (208.127.42.201) Professor Paul Jebb signed the envelope (208.127.42.201) Sent the envelope to Ms Emma Jane Seddon for signing (208.127.42.201) Document emailed to party email Ms Emma Jane Seddon viewed the envelope (217.114.49.194) Ms Emma Jane Seddon signed the envelope (217.114.49.194) This envelope has been signed by all parties (217.114.49.194) Signed document confirmation emailed to party email (217.114.49.194) Signed document confirmation emailed to party email (217.114.49.194) Signed document confirmation emails have been sent to all parties. Document URL:

https://api.signable.app/shareable/envelope?t=89014877-2eb5-436d-854a23f1d54b9e2b (217.114.49.194)

Issuer

Issuer Accounts Matters Limited Document generated Fri, 23rd Jan 2026 10:58:58 GMT Document fingerprint 95117c7b9570fc118cf1caa979d26d11

Parties involved with this document

Document processed

Party + Fingerprint

Fri, 23rd Jan 2026 11:16:09 GMT Christine Harwood - Signer (1f2335f1698d688b91e75665ff0a3f2f)

Audit history log

Date

Action

Fri, 23rd Jan 2026 10:58:58 GMT Fri, 23rd Jan 2026 10:58:58 GMT Fri, 23rd Jan 2026 10:58:58 GMT Fri, 23rd Jan 2026 10:59:24 GMT Fri, 23rd Jan 2026 10:59:24 GMT Fri, 23rd Jan 2026 10:59:24 GMT Fri, 23rd Jan 2026 11:15:22 GMT Fri, 23rd Jan 2026 11:16:09 GMT Fri, 23rd Jan 2026 11:16:09 GMT Fri, 23rd Jan 2026 11:16:09 GMT Fri, 23rd Jan 2026 11:16:09 GMT

Envelope generated with fingerprint 30484116a4db1483899be9b06961a7fa (35.176.231.177) Document generated with fingerprint 95117c7b9570fc118cf1caa979d26d11. (35.176.231.177) Christine Harwood has been assigned to this envelope. (35.176.231.177) Envelope generated Sent the envelope to Christine Harwood for signing Document emailed to party email Christine Harwood viewed the envelope (185.86.23.90) Christine Harwood signed the envelope (185.86.23.90) This envelope has been signed by all parties (185.86.23.90) Signed document confirmation emailed to party email (185.86.23.90) Signed document confirmation emails have been sent to all parties. Document URL: https://api.signable.app/shareable/envelope?t=faeb516c-6b14-4f6d-894e-5 620fdbe8b1a (185.86.23.90)