Charity registration number 1129973 Company registration number 06717361 (England and Wales) AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRADING AS AGE CONNECTS MORGANNWG ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE CONTENTS Page Trustees report 1-57 Statement of Trustees responsibilities 58 Independent auditor's report 59-61 Statement of financial activities 62 Balance sheet 63 Statement of cash flows Notes to the financial statements 65-84 AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 TRUSTEES STATEMENT The trustees are pleased to present their annual directors, report together with the consolidated financial statements of the charity and its subsidiary for the year ending 31st March 2024 which are also prepared to meet the requirements for a directors, report and accounts for Companies Act purposes. The financial statements comply with Accounting and Reporting by Charities.. Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland {FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102) - second edition), the Financial Reporting Standard appliable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 1021 and the Companies Act 2006. AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 CHAIR'S STATEMENT It is my great pleasure to present this report. in my first year as Chair of the Board of Trustees. We believe all older people should have access and opportunities to engage in social activities that help reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation- that they should have sufficient income to afford food, warmth and shelter and have the opportunity to work, participate and make choices about their life. We believe they should be protected from financial, emotional, psychological, physical or sexual exploitation, neglect and abuse and that they should be listened to and have their wishes respected when decisions are made about their independence, including where they live and who cares for them. Our strategy for 2023-2026 entitled Together for Older People, clearty sets out a programme of work to deliver the strategic priorities that reflect our ambition and aspirations for older people.. We will create opportunities for older people to inform and improve our work. We will use our influence individually, collectively and in partnership to be a champion for older people. We will increase and invest in our volunteer Workfor￿ to sustain the work of the charity. We will develop and grow sustainable income streams to support our work and build our resilience. We will invest reSoUr￿S in the growth and welfare of our people. We will work towards becoming an Accredited Net Zero Organisation by 2040. We will continue the digital transformation of our charity,. exploring new technology, opening access to more people. future-proofing our work. and delivering significant efficiencies. A key delivery programme of our strategy is called 'Leaving No One Behind, and aims to equip the charity with the opportunity, knowledge, skills and technology to continue to work with older people today and in future generations to come. Comprising three strands, EngAGE will cultivate an environment where older people co-produce community projects, become local activists for change and improvement and create long term social connections. Connect will focus on ensuring that older people are taken on the digitalisation journey in a way that they can engage with, identifying barriers and developing solutions. These Iwo strands will feed into Sustsin, working towards becoming an accredited Net Zero organisation by 2040 and ensuring that older people are a significant part of this journey. This report describes the progress we are making in delivering on these priorities, through established services and new work programmes. During the reporting period, 95,819 people used our services, attended our events and engaged in our work This includes 82.162 contacts made at our Cynon Linc Community Hub. Since opening its doors in 2021, Cynon Linc has recorded 177,000 contacts, with numbers of beneficiaries growing annually. The ongoing success of the Hub is due to the fantastic work of the Cynon Linc team who, with very limited resources and an ambitious income generation target, have worked tirelessly to develop a truly inclusive programme. Many of our visitors return daily or weekly to eat in the restaurant, attend classes or visit one of our many partner providers. The whole ethos of Cynon Linc is that it is representative of the community it serves, that the activities delivered there reflect what people want and that those activities promote a sense of belonging. of community cohesion and ownership of the Hub's success. Across our charity services, we worked with 13,627 people to aC￿sS information, advice and support that improved their quality of life, helped them regain their independence or gave them a stronger voice, compared to 9,027 in the previous year. This is a 510/0 increase and reflects the extended reach of new services such as the 'lnfo Street, project which took our information and advice team into communities, and our EngAGE Project, funded by the UK Government Levelling Up programme. We helped raise £1,734,789 in welfare benefits for people who were living in povety or struggling to pay for the care and support they needed to live independently, compared to £1,253,140 in the previous year. This is a 27 % increase and reflects the impactofcost-of-living pressures and the outcome ofourcampaign to raise awareness about the help and support available through a range of schemes and entitlements. AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Across the UK, news bulletins have reported on the unprecedented pressure faced by the NHS and social care system, from ambulance waiting times to delayed transfers of care for those who need ongoing care and support in the community. For over three decades. the charity has provided effective and impactful hospital to home and preventative setvices that help older people live independently at home. Since publishing 'Passing the Baton, in 2008. Welsh Government has been building on its commitment to improve hospital discharge planning and in 2018 the Discharge to Recover and Assess Model was introduced. This model was supported by a Hospital to Home Community of Practice, ofwhich the charity is a member, who published key learning and practice examples ofwhole system approaches that worked well across Wales. One of these examples is the introduction of Trusted Assessors as part of the multi-disciplinary discharge planning team in general hospitals. Using Welsh Govemment Regional Integrated funding, the CTM Regional Partnership Board commissioned the charity to deliver the Home First Trusted Assessor Team from April 2024. 1 look forward to reporting on the impact the team will have on the experience and outcomes of patients who do not need a package of care and support following discharge from hospital but who need a little extra help to get home and remain as safe and independent at home for as long as possible. Our Community based Support Worker Team work will work seamlessly with the Trusted Assessor team in providing the essential low level, short term support that can make such a huge difference to the confidence of older people returning home after a hospital stay. As a generic charity for older people, our work often touches the lives of people living with dementia, both as the person with the diagnosis and those who provide their care and support. In 2021, the All Wales Dementia Care Pathway of Standards was published, which set out 20 standards aimed at improving dementia care for individuals and their carers and providing a clear pathway towards implementing effective standards in dementia care by 2023. Standard 12 requires that 'People living with dementia and their carers will have a named contact (connector) to offer support. advi￿ and signposting, throughout their journey from diagnosis to end of lrfe,. In 2023. the Regional Partnership Board commissioned the charity to deliver the dementia connector service through its new Dementia Matters Programme. We want to be prepared for a future with an increasing older population and a much greater demand for support to live with dementia. Our Dementia Matters Programme will ensure we are visible as a 'dementia friendly, and knowledgeable organisation working locally in our communities. More generally, we have continued to deliver seniices and support that focus on the health and wellbeing of older people who are experiencing feelings of loneliness or isolation. Our Volunteering Matters Programme now offers something for everyone, whether it be face to face befriending through our Companions service or by more traditional written means through the Pen-Pal scheme. Our Volunteers work right across the organisation, as befrienders, admin support, catering assistants, play facilitators, activities co-ordinators and entertainers. I should take this opportunity to thank our incredible volunteer workforce for their dedication, their compassion and most importantly, their time. Our understanding of new opportunities that deliver for older people has never been stronger, or clearer, thanks to the work of our engagement and public affairs team. Through its Chief Executive, Officer the charity continues to contribute to local, regional and national conversations on the issues that affect older people, providing a strong voice on issues such as aC￿sS to public transport, access to care and support and on the impact of changes to healthcare provision or amenits'es like refuse collection and public toilets. l am delighted to have welcomed three new trustees to the Board during the reporting period, with a fourth due to join us during the 2024125 year. Betrrfeen them. they bring extensive knowledge, skill and expertise from the fields of mental health, safeguarding and social care and have already demonstrated their ability to scrutinise, challenge and support the executive team and the wider board. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to my fellow Trustees for their commitment and contribution, I look forward to working with them as we deliver the next phase of plans in the coming year. AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG UMrrED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Finally. I would fike to thank our ￿kfOrCe, paid and voluntary, for tr*ir dedication and compasslon in the course of our work. Our leadership team ￿}ntinueS to demonstrate ts commitment to the vision set out in our three year Strategy, despite thallenges to recruit into key positions. Despite their small Nmber, Ih•y have strength in depth of kntythedge. mlivity and tenaoty resuttiry in their atilty to achieve great thlngs by working together. Lynda Wllllams Trustee and Chalr of tho Bo1￿ | AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES Vision & Mission Statement Our Vision is that people live in a society where older people are respected and enabled to meet their aspirations. Our Mission is to make a difference to the quality of life of older people and promote a positive view of ageing. Our Organisational Objectives are set out in our governing document (Constitution) and define the object of the Charity as.. To promote the relief of elderly people in any manner, which now hereafter, may be deemed by law to be charitable in and around the County Borough Councils of Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taff. To achieve this, the Charity is committed to developing and promoting itself via the following methods.. Service and support. Public education and advocacy. Innovation and research. Partnership and co-operation. In shaping our objectives, the trustees have considered the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit, including the guidan￿ 'public benefit.. running a charity (PB2)- Aims of the Chari We will help and support older people, especially those who are vulnerable, isolated and in povety. The Charity's aims are to: Enable older people to secure and uphold their rights at times when they may be vulnerable. Provide opportunities for older people to participate and engage as active citizens. Provide independent, accurate and up to date information. Provide a wide range of information and a variety of seNices through a committed and high- quality workforce. Provide support for older people to remain living in their home of choice for as long as they wish. Promote health and wellbeing through a range of activities. anisational Ob"ectives Listen to what older people tell us and work with them to design, develop and deliver the services and support they need and want. Work positively with local strategic partners to ensure that we are in a position to influence service design, development and delivery. Build on our strong reputation by delivering the highest quality service to our stakeholders. Generate funds to support the needs of the Charity and its beneficiaries. Sell commercial products and services that will generate unrestricted income and contribute to our sustsinability. Deploy committed, skilled and knowledgeable workers to deliver care, support and initiatives that meet the aspirations of older people. AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES - continued Objectives and activities - main activities undertaken to further the Charity's purposes We deliver our work through five departments. each with a focus on the strategic priorities agreed by the Board.. Department Purpose Lead harity Services o deliver sustainable activities and services directly to Ider people in a variety of settings in the community and t the Cynon Linc Community Hub. Activities include.. Head of Charity Development HOCD} Volunteering Programme Information, Advice and Assistance Hospital to Home services ResidentiallDay Service Activities Dementia Support Simply Nails Engage Project ynon Linc o deliver a sustainable intergenerational community hub n a social enterprise basis. for the purpose of raising unrestricted income to support the wider work of the harity eneral Manager CLGM) Policy and Public ffairs o ensure we deliver our commitment to listening and earning from older people, using their lived experience to inform our work, influence change and shape policy. hief Executive fficer (CEO) Marketing and ommunications o build our audience, raise awareness of our activities, dvance our digital agenda, and support income eneration through commercial activities at Cynon Linc, ndraising and partnership opportunities. Head of Marketing ommunications HOMC) usiness Support o manage the delivery of SeNi￿S such as finance, HR nd governance supporL Head of Finance nd Resources HOFR Public Benefit The trustees have reviewed the Charity Commission's guidan￿ on public benefit and agreed that they meet the requirements set out therein, due to its achievement under the Objectives and Activities section. AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE CHARITY SERVICES Inde endent Information and Advice The service offers general and specialist advi￿ on a wide range of issues affecting older people including.. Maximising income and claiming welfare benefits. Care homes and charging pro￿dure5. Planning for the future - Wills. Funeral Plans and Equity Release. • Aids and adaptations to help remain in your own home. Schemes to keep your home warm and energy efficient. Managing financial affairs and taxation. Housing and tenancy. Money Matters. During this period, supported people over the phone, at home, in community venues and at our Info Hub in Cynon Linc, Aberdare. During the period 1stApril 2023- 31 st March 2024 the specialist advice team supported 1144 new clients with 965 confirmed benefits awarded, up by 1.60/0 from 2023. The total entitlements claimed during the period was £1,734.789 (2023: £1,253,140) including backdated awards of £460,183.50. Our Information and Advi￿ Team also completed applications below". TYPE No Welfare Benefits 738 Consumer issueslutilities, (gas, electric etc), Housing Health 165 19 23 Legal - wills Travel- Blue badge, Rail cards Residential Care Other financial queries 122 38 29 TOTAL 1.144 In December 2022 we received 12 months funding from Independent Age, to develop outreach Information & Advi￿ sessions for those who are unable to attend appointments in our offI￿S and to extend our area of reach. We also visited people in their own homes if they were unable to visit us at one of our Pop Up advice sessions at Cost Of Living events throughout RCT, Merthyr and Bridgend. Using community venues for both 'drop in, and appointments has allowed us to reach more locations including Pontyclun Library, Pontypridd Library, Pontypridd Community Hub Office, Porth and Treorchy Libraries. Unfortunately, Independent Age funding only ran for one year but having seen the value of the outreach work provided. we continued funding the sen4ice from our reserves until alternative funding could be secured. AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Specialist Information and Advice Service - Case study Mr and Mrs P requested a benefits check after hearing about our sen41￿S through attending a community event. Mrs P was on High Rate Mobility DLA but no Care component. Mr P was not on any disability benefits but had numerous health conditions. We asked for a review of Mrs P's DLA Care and supported her to fill the form in, We also claimed Attendance Allowan￿ for Mr. P. They were both awarded the highest rate of each benefit. Carers Allowance awards could now be claimed for them to care for each other. Both Mr and Mrs P were awarded underlying entitlement of Carers Allowance. Due to the government's minimum income guarantee, Mr and Mrs P were now eligible for Guarantee Pension Credit. The Pension Credit claim was completed and awarded. Due to Guarantee Pension Credit being a passport benefit, they would now be eligible for full council tax reduction, free TV licence, help with vision glasses and dental ServI￿S as well as other support from DWP. All in all, Mr and Mrs P are £267 per week better off. They were incredibly relieved as they do not have to worry so much about heating the home and buying food. They can also pay for their shopping to be done and delivered, they can afford cleaners and they can also pay carers to help with everyday tasks and help them get out and about as they struggle with mobility- They said they felt like they had a lot more knowledge about their finances and hoped to put some money aside for a weekend break at the seaside. Client Quote: "Thank you so much for the advice and support, it has been life-changing. We are so thankful to Age Connects Morgannwg.. LEAP (Local Energy Advice Partnership) In January 2024 we went'live. with LEAP which offers free home energy advice in the community. Eligibility for the service includes being in receipt of Income Based Benefits, Disability Benefits or having a low household income of less than £31 k per annum. The scheme is open to people of all ages. The scheme is one of many free products available across the UK that supports people to increase their home energy efficiency and reduce what they spend on energy at home. This new partnership is an income generator for the charity as we receive a fee for all assessments completed and for promotional work. The charity has invested in a LEAP Assessor role, who began in January 2024 and spent much of that time completing the relevant NVQ Qualification and training. Once fully operational, our Assessor completed 19 assessments during the reporting period. AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE- continued COMMUNITY OUTREACH Activities Co-ordination Residential and Da Care Settin Currently delivered in residential homes in Merthyr Tydfil and funded by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, our Activity Co-ordinators provide meaningful, therapeutic daily activities that stimulate the mind and body. Working closely with the care team on site, our workers ensure that residents have the opportunity to maintain or leam new skills, hobbies and interests. There is potential for this service to be marketed to other care homes and extra care settings. The Servi￿ receives high praise from managers of both seth'ngs as well as residents and other staff. We support individuals with and without dementia. Our workers ensure the residents have opportunities to maintain or learn new skills, hobbies and interests. We work in a person-centred way, with residents helping to shape group plans. We also work with individual residents who are unable to take part in group activities. We supported over 45 people per week in both homes during the reporting period. Case Stud from Zoe Activities Co-ordinator at T Ba oed Care Home Merth rT dfil "We have a group of gardeners that visit us On￿ a week and together we have been planting a range of vegetables and flowers. As part of our activities, residents have planted potatoes, beans, tomatoes, peppers, peas and strawberries amongst other plants. Residents help water the garden and the best bit is picking the produ￿ which we give to our kitchen who will then serve it for the residents, dinners. It has been great it gets the residents outside and gives them something to take care of. It also gives them a sense of achievement when picking and eating what they have grown.. AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Joint Workin with Social Care Teams Based within Rhondda Cynon Taf Council Social serVi￿S. our small team of outreach workers provided practical and emotional support to people aged 50+ who have a diagnosis of dementia or other functional mental health condition. Our support enables them to remain living independently in their own home for as long as possible. Our support staff encourage and support people to build confidence and motivation to maintain their independence and sense of achievement. Hours of support provided varied with some clients supported on a long term or medium basis, whilst others receiving fewer visits based on their individual needs. We had 106 new referrals in the 2023 financial year. Following the local authority's review of day care ServI￿S across RCT, funding for this project finished in March 2024. Joint Workin in Teams Case stud Bev Bev was supported by our JWIT Support Worker, Shelley. Bev was physically disabled following an accident in her teens and was referred by Social Services for support as her mental health was deteriorating and she had become reclusive and began hoarding. Shelley supported Bev over a four-year period and with this continuity of care and personalised support, Bev was able to move towards the life she wanted. When Shelley first arrived, Bev was unable to navigate the flat due to the clutter and spent almost all her time in bed. The aim was to support her to let go of some of her belongings but as their relationship developed, Shelley supported Bev to achieve so much more than was originally envisaged. Bev had great difficulty trusting others, but Shelley was able to build a rapport and understanding to a point where she was able to let go of items so she could navigate the kitchen and front room in her wheelchair. As a result, carers were able to come back in and supportwith food prep. Bev started getting up and using her electric wheelchair independently, and her mental health improved. Due to Bev's trust issues, she struggled to develop relationships with care companies, so Shelley continued to support with this, got her settled with Haft)d Housing and built relationships with carers. She was even well enough to attend a snooker championship in Sheffield something she hadn't done for many years. Shelley helped get her wheelchair adjusted when it became unsuitable. She supported her to make her own way out into the community, and Bev was going out independently to community venues, including organising her own transport. The accusations against staff that had been a recurrent aspect of Bev's life stopped, and workers reported her general demeaner was better. Neighbours commented that it was good to see her back in the community and began to visit her at home. Shelley supported her with debt management and by the time the project finished the debt had been paid off. She supported her to sell items on Marketplace to help curb her hording and generate some income. She also learned how to do food shopping online to decrease her relian￿ on care staff. By developing trust with Shelley. Bev was able to trust others. including her neighbours. By the time the project finished, Bev was out in the community. reaching out to old friends, debt free, using digital tools to support her finances and having enough trust in services to let them support her. Shelley said, "It was hard work, but it was all worth it in the end to get Bev where she wanted to be.. 10- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Hos ital Dischar esu ort Service The service provides short term support for older people following a stay in hospital. The support can include emotional support. benefit checks to maximise income. signposting to other organisations, accompanying clients to access community venues and overall aims to support older people to develop their confidence and independence. The project helps to reduce loneliness and isolation and aims to reduce the risk of re-admission to hospital. The Service works across the Cwm Taf Region. We receive referrals from social servI￿s, health, other third sector organisations, families and individuals. Whilst funding has shifted for the service in re￿nt years, major changes in the management of the project and an overall drop in referrals, the staff still provide a significant level of support to older adults within communities and their families and should be recognised forthe high standard ofsupportthey've provided to older people over the past year. As the new Trusted Assessor project come on board in March 2024, with hospital delivery beginning in June, we expect referrals to rise as communication within hospitals improves and a direct referral route is established. Referrals in 2022123 - 247 Hours of support in 2022123- 1,504 Visits made in 2022123- 1,002 Referrals in 2023124 - 246 Hours of support in 2023124 - 1991 Visits made in 2023124- 1327 One of the ongoing challenges we face is how to ensure our colleagues in health and social care and in the community, know about the Servi￿ and can access it. To ensure we were visible throughout the year, we carried out the following promotional activities.. . Tabletop events at POW, RGH & PCH. Ne￿OrkIng events - Carers Rights day, In this together workshops, Good Things foundation. Meetings and visits with Aging Well, Engagement Groups, Taff Ely Neighbourhood Ne￿ork, MDT POW, CTM RPB meetings and various forums. • Visits to OT & SWAH teams at each hospital. • Visits with the COPD team at POW. Emails to all connections- informing of our seNices. staff Support in visiting hospitals & wards as well as GP'S information boards., giving out leaflet packs. Working with NHS referral pathways and social services. Case Stud Ethel Ethel was referred to the charity for support following a discharge from hospital. Our Support Worker Michelle spent time with Ethel to complete a perSon￿ntred support plan where Ethel was given the opportunity to talk about what mattered to her most and what support would help her the most. It became clear that her husband also had support needs due to illness and that they were caring for each other. As part of her initial visit Michelle asked about the couple's financial situation, to ascertain if they were in receipt of appropriate entitlements. Neither Ethel nor her husband were claiming any benefits as they didn't think they were entitled to any addits-onal financial support. Michelle carried out a benefit check with the couple. then supported them to apply for Attendance Allowance, which they both received with back payments of over £1000. They were then supported to apply for carers allowance, pension credit, TV licence discount and council tax reduction. She was also able to support them as a couple as they navigated their changing support needs. AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 As a result of Michelle's support, the couple were £286.46 better off per week, also saving £66 a year on their TV Licence and 25 /0 on their annual council tax. They also received £1521.00 in back payments. Had Michelle not built trust with the couple and given them the confidence to talk about their care needs, they could not have gone on to talk about the financial support they were entitled to. Prima CarelDementia Su ort Service Our Primary Dementia Care service in the community is aimed at supporting people aged 50+ to re-gain or maintain their independence, irrespective of their illness or disability and to help reduce Unne￿SSary hospital admissions andlor premature entry to residential care. The service provides help, encouragement and support to people who may be struggling to live independently. The ultimate aim is to help older people remain living in their own home for as long as they wish and is possible, by providing one to one support to continue doing the things they enjoy and that keep them healthy and independent. Referrals to the Servi￿ come from RCTCBC social servI￿s, GP'S and the charity's Central Support Team through its triage system. This service delivered 512 hours of support and included referrals to other agencies, promoting healthy eating, assisting with shopping, and providing practical support. Reachin Out Volunteerin During the reporting period, we recruited 17 volunteers, bringing our total Volunteer workforce to 95. Volunteers have continued to support those in need across our area of benefit and the organisation in several different ways. In total. these unpaid heroes gave up 5,199 hours of their own time to help their own community. ACM has worked with the volunteers to ensure their skills, interests and knowledge are made best use of to support clients. This has led to excellent service provision with clients praising the efforts of all volunteers. It is fair to say that this year is no different from last year and has been difficult to recruit and retain volunteers. Although we have seen a rise in the number of people requesting more information especially for the low-level, low involvement support such as Companions Pen Pal volunteering. Our befriending scheme has provided 2.301 hours of friendship made up of 1,927 contacts to 190 people. In addition to these befriending numbers, our volunteers also continued their support on the Pen Pal Companion Project and the carer coffee morning. All the services provided by volunteers are aimed at people who are socially isolated, or emotionally lonely, and to support them to maintain a healthy and independent lifestyle. The Projects have gone from strength to strength developing new strands of services and enhancing existing services. From speaking with our clients who are supported by volunteers, their main objectives were to get back into their community- The coffee morning has been successful in reengaging older people with their community. Providing transport proved crucial for many people who would not have been able to attend the coffee morning, had we not made transport available. We have over 90 members joined to the Carer Coffee Morning with 7 volunteers attending each week to support the running of it. We continue to work with other organisations to support the coffee morning and encourage other seNices including, Care & Repair, British Red Cross, Welcome Friends, Care Collective and the Memory assessment team to join us and bring their clients along. 12- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Our volunteer workforce also provided the following support in hours.. 1.539 face to face volunteer hours supporting clients to achieve small goals to aid their connection with their community. 167 volunteer hours supporting people with Dementia in the community. 457 volunteer hours supporting clients via telephone befriending. 471 volunteer hours providing administrative support to the organisation. 58 volunteer hours transporting the most vulnerable client to GP and hospital appointments. 1331 volunteer hours for coffee morning sessions. 80 volunteer hours on the Pen Pal project. 138 volunteer support hours to Cynon Linc events team. Little Lincs and Hwb kitchen. 184 volunteer hours for ACM events. 19 volunteer hours for transport or shopping. 745 volunteer hours as trustees. Case Stud - Mr PM Mr PM is a 76 year's old and lives with a chronic condition. He was referred to the charity by his Community Psychiatric Nurse. Mr PM was struggling to live at home alone after his wife, who had dementia, moved into a residential home. Mr PM was feeling isolated and lonely and had lost a lot of weight. He was struggling to communicate and was becoming more reclusive. We took time to understand the help and support Mr PM wanted to improve his quality of life and together, we wrote a support plan. We introduced Mr PM to a volunteerwho called each week and slowly built Mr Pm's confidence to venture out. One ofthe concerns raised was about Mr Pm's significant weight loss so we signposted to Wilshire farm foods and referred for a support worker to talk to Mr PM about nutrition. Initially, we provided a shopping service for 6 weeks to ensure Mr PM had enough food in the house and encouraged him to eat regular meals that were easy to prepare. We suggested he might enjoy attending the coffee morning in Cynon Linc and arranged a volunteer to take him there each week until Mr Pm's health deteriorated. and he didn't feel well enough to attend. Over the 12-week period we supported Mr PM he gained weight, became more optimistic about living on his own and felt more able to reach out and ask for help on the bad days. We introduced Mr PM to other services, which he continues to benefit from. Mr PM said at the review period that he felt so much better in himself and has started to play his guitar. He said "You cannot underestimate the power of talking to someone that wants to listen when you very rarely see people. l am gratefijl for J, she is a tonic". 13- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 14- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE - continued Case Stud 2- Mrs NK Mrs NK is 83 years young and lives alone since the death of her husband. She was referred to the charity because she felt isolated and lonely and on visiting Mrs NK. we learned that she wanted to reach out to her son, whom she had lost contact with. Mrs NK lives with a chronic condition and had become withdrawn from the community, having lost touch with friends and stopped making regular trips to the shops. Our volunteer started by taking Mrs NK out for trips to the shops and to places she had enjoyed visiting with her husband and son. This led to an arrangement to visit her son, and their relationship began to grow. With her confidence renewed, Mrs NK started feeling much better in herself and made a few friends within her local area and visited her son weekly, with support from our volunteer. Mrs NK suffered a sustained period of feeling unwell, so our volunteer took her to hospital appointments where exploratory tests were carried out. Sadly, Mrs NK was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Her health has deteriorated quite considerably, and so our volunteer now shops for Mrs NK and continues to visit her at home for a chat and a cuppa. Mrs NK said about her volunteer" "I don't know how I would have managed without him. From telephone support to transport when I had difficulty getting to the hospital, to shopping and being my friend, he is a￿ayS ready to help. He used to take me to see my son when I was able. I think of him as family sometimes as he is always there for me" The volunteer is still supporting Mrs NK and links in with other services to ensure that she is well supported. Charitable Activities- Beneficia Numbers Breakdown We supported a total of 13,627 people to access information, advice and support that improved their quality of life, helped them regain their Independen￿ or gave them a stronger voice {2023.' 9,027). We helped raise £1,734,789 in welfare benefits for people who were living in povety or struggling to pay for the care and support they needed to live independently (2023= £1,253,140}. We provided 8.737 hours of care and support to some of the most vulnerable older people in our communities (2023.. 8,640) 52 % of our HDS referrals came from health sources such as GPS, hospitals, community nurses., 290/0 came from family friends and self-referrals (2023. 27%) with the remaining 191 coming from other sources {2023.' 20 % ). 26 % of the people we supported were under 70, 74Vo of the people we supported were aged 70+ {2023'. 390/0), of which 45 % were aged 80+ (2023.. 39 % ). • 59 % of clients helped were female (2023.. 58 % ) and 41 % male (2023.. 42 % ). Collaboration . A e Connects Wales We continued to work with our Age Connects colleagues across Wales, to ensure we are to come together to represent people across all of Wales. and to ensure that no matter where an older person lives in Wales, there is a one-stop website offering all our services across the Country, making it easier for older people to know where to go to access support. 15- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE - continued • Communi Carer Coffee Mornin Throughout the last reporting year, we have worked alongside many otherorganisations on a collaborative approach to funding and Servi￿ provision. The Coffee Morning has been supported by Age Cymru, Memory assessment team, British Red Cross, Cwm Taf Morgannwg MIND, Care Collective and This is Me Dementia Project to provide a one stop shop for support. • Welsh Government Consultation Res onses We have responded to Welsh Govemment public consultations including 'Future spending purposes for dormant assets funding in Wales,, 'Charging for Non-residential Care and Support.. raising the weekly maximum charge, and 'Proposed changes to the Putting Things Right process,. In line with of our strategic priorities (We will use our Influen￿ individually, collectively and in partnership to be a champion for older people, and 'We will create opportunities for older people to infom and improve our work.), we undertook the drafting of our response with an initial consultation exercise with those we represent as a charity, to ensure their experience and voice was at the heart of our organisational response. • Interlink We work closely with Interlink Health and Wellbeing Team to develop new and promote existing services that support mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing. We applied for a grant to support unpaid carers which was a wonderful success Volunta Action Merth r T dfil VAMT The charity receives funding from VAMT via Regional Integration Fund (RIF) to deliver befriending services via volunteers in RCT & Merthyr Tydfil Wales Council for Volunta Action WCVA We work with the WCVA in several different ways. As contributors to dialogue on national policy matters via Ministerial Advisory Groups. •Abe th Universi via the Trans ort and Health Inte rated Research Network We have continued to work with the team at Aberystwyth University to continue to better understand the barriers older people face with their transport needs, particularly around transport provision to healthcare appointments. Maend Place Sur NHS Wales A GP'S surgery based within the Cynon Linc Community Hub building, offering advice on health problems, physical examinations, referrals to consultants and prescribing medication to its patients from the surrounding areas. . Cwm Taf Mor annw Re ional Partnershi Board We are involved with the RPB'S dementia pathway standards workstream which sits under the All-wales Dementia Care Pathway of Standards that outlines improvements that health and social care organisations need to make before 2025. Our Chief Executive Officer is the National Third Sector Representative on the Board. and a former Chair. • Barcla s & Halifax banks During this year the closure of 2 major banks within the Aberdare town centre has meant banks was looking for community hubs within the local communities that their customers can easily access financial advice. Both banks have secured space within our community hub on a weekly basis • LEAP During this yearwe have started working in partnership with LEAP to offer free home energy assessments to members of the public in their homes in order to save money, replace broken white goods and boilers as well as making homes more energy efficient. Customers do not have to be 50 plus for this service, it is available to all ages for free as long as they are on a low income or certain benefits. 16- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE- continued non Linc- A Place for Eve one In 2021, the charity opened its doors to Cynon Linc, a former council run older people's day ￿ntre that had been transferred to the charity in 2018 under the RCT Together Community Asset Transfer Programme. The former asset, commonly known as St Mairfs Day Centre, had existed since 1966 and had once been a thriving community resour￿ but had eXperIen￿d a spiralling drop in attendance and community engagement for many years. After five-year programme of collaboration with the council, the community and funders, the charity completed a transformational capital improvement project which attracted £2.8m of investment from a range of funders such as the Big Lottery's Community AssetTransfer Programme (CAT2), Welsh Government's Integrated Care Fund {Capital) Programme and many more. Under the stewardship and direction of the charity, Cynon Linc is a vibrant, intergenerational, and integrated community hub which offers a GP Practi￿, stay and play for babies and toddlers, a restaurant and coffee shop, an Information Hub. holistic health and wellbeing ServI￿S and a large function hall. Operating as a social enterprise, the hub generates income from room hire, rent from its anchor tenants, session play charges, restaurant income, events and activities. Cynon Linc was generously supported by Pen y Cymoedd Community Fund during its first phase, and we are delighted and grateful to have re￿iVed a further package of support from Pen y Cymoedd for the charity's phase 2 growth project, which started in 2023. 17- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE - continued Cynon Linc is currently open Monday to Thursday from 9am to 8pm and Fridays 9am- 5pm with Saturday opening from 9am to 1.30pm and afternoon teas being seNed until 2pm. Activities are held in a variety of rooms with customers visiting the restaurant and coffee shop. The restaurant and coffee shop can seat up to 76 people and offers an extensive menu of meals for breakfast and lunch including children's meals and a 12 % discount for those over 60 years of age. Footfall and participation During the year, we recorded a total of 82,162 contacts using Cynon Linc. This is a 32 % in the previous year. QUARTER 23- 24 APR- JUNE CONTACTS" JUL- SEPT OCT- DEC JAN- MAR TOTAL The Hub is run by a mixture of core staff and volunteers.. Hub General Manager (FT) Hospitality Manager (FT} Hub Support Officer (FT) Receptionist l Administrative worker (PT) Lead Chef (FT) Chef {FT) 3 Catering Assistants (PT) Little Lincs Play Worker (PT) Caretaker (PT) 7 volunteers During the year we have welcomed new tenants to the hub, including Barclays Bank Community Team and Twisted Willows Holistic Therapies as long-term tenants along with the Halifax bank also being based at the hub from August 2024. We also have a standalone counsellor based within the hub on a monthly basis and regular weekly bookings from organisations such as NHS Wales, Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council and MS Society to name a few. Throughout the year, a range of groups, organisations, individuals and businesses have hired Spa￿ at Cynon Linc: Room Hire and Activities NHS: WSE Programme, Osteoarthritis of the knee clinics, Falls Prevention, Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council: Disability Forum, Neighborhood Ne￿ork, ETOS, Education Department, Communities for Work, Foster Carers training Cwm Taff Moryannwg- Falls awareness sessions The Samaritans- Advice sessions Care & Repair- Meetings and workshops 18- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE - continued SJ Dance: Ballet classes and summer holiday dance workshops. Maesyfynon Allotment Committee: Committee meeting l AGM Cambrian Trust: Childrens activities Parkinson's Society: Neuro Café MS Society: Art & Natter Age Cymru: Events CBS: Parenting classes Daily exercise classes: Tai chi. chair exercises. Pilates. Yoga (various providers) Urdd - childrens sports activities Sonderwell- Training courses Older peoples forums - Older 50's forum, Gadlys OAP forum RCTCBC - Carers awards ceremony The Samaritians- advice and guidan￿ sessions U3A - monthly meetings Aberdare Past students- monthly meetings Coalfields Regeneration Trust - meetings Pel Droed Aberdar- Trustee meetings New Horizons - celebration events and meetings Cynon Linc also offers evening provision weekly from Monday to Thursday. The activities held are well attended and increased footfall. These include.. Suzie Hopkins - Dance fit & Drum stix exercise classes Fit with Ffi - women's only exercise class Liz Soulby- Pilates Showcase- Childrens drama classes Superchoir- Choir practi Annas Rollers- Roller skating SJ Dance- Contemporary Dance lessons 19- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 i¥ Gwybodaeth CAATREF £￿￿4 A pi3¢t ol your Indepeode-,,ce -20- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Hyb restaurant and coffee lounge The Hyb restaurant and Coffee Lounge has also expanded its offer this year. Alongside the daily offer of homecooked food, desserts and delicious coffees the following events have taken place throughout the year.. Aftemoon Teas - Twice weekly afternoon tea Breakfast I brunch and Lunch Menus- seasonal menus available for customers Supper clubs- An 8 or 9 course taster menu with an onsite bar POP up restaurant- working with local catering businesses to provide pop-up restaurants increasing the audience of Cynon Linc as a whole Special offers - Two for Tuesday offers, and free dessert Thursday offers Children's offers - Kids eat for £1 during school holidays and breakfast deals Improved takeaway options- A takeaway menus have been devised with a dedicated telephone line for customers to get through to easily Working with Little Lincs - Special offers at the Hyb resaurant for Little Lincs participants Onsite bar- a bottle or soft drinks bar has been put in place for events and activities 21 AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Little Lincs Stay & Play •• The refurbishment of the Litt]e Lincs area was completed in August 2023 with a Jungle Gym and new sensory equipment installed. New events and activities were organised by our play worker which included.. Bluey and Bingo mascot visits Character breakfasts Ronald Dahl sessions Seed planting sessions ALN quiet sessions Childminder special offers The table below shows increasing participation numbers throughout the year at Little Lincs. QUARTER 23- 24 CONTACTS APR-JUNE JUL- SEPT 1026 OCT- DEC JAN- MAR 1847 2602 -22- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Events Over the last 12 months our events and activities have increased by 32 /0 and with new events being added every month it is only expected to increase further over the next 12 months. The new events have introduced a more diverse audien￿ to the hub. bringing in a younger audience. Baby ballet {various classes) Children's holiday activities Life drawing classes A night of mediumship Curry & Quiz night Comedy night Phil Collins tribute night Murder Mystery night Valentines and Halloween discos Feedback The Hub has received a great deal of positive feedback for the activities and events that are held. From afternoon tea in the restaurant to children's stay and play sessions in Little Lincs. Below is a flavour of some of the reviews that have been received this year: Cwm Taff Social Care Event 'We had a wonderful day, made better by the staff at Cynon Linc. You set the room out for us and it looked so professional, we had such wonderful comments. The tea coffee and cake everyone really enjoyed and couldn't believe how fabulous it all tasted. At the end of the day, you were all there again to clear the room, you really did make the ceremony flow so smoothly, Jillian- Feb 2024 Changing Places Space 'Cynon Linc has a full accessible wet room which helped me whilst having some adaptations to my home over a peroid of several months. The facility is totally inclusive, and my visits enabled me to be independent. The wet room was fully adapted to include a shower bed, full track hoist and large enough for me, my wheelchair and helpers. I thoroughly enjoyed my visits to Cynon Linc and using the wet room, l just hope that others will benefit fromt he facilities it offers., Mrs J December 2023 Little Lincs 'A perfect way to spend time with my grandson who loved playing with all the toys. Little Lincs is spotlessly cleanand doesnt get overcrowded plus Gran gets to enjoy a latte from the cafe,. Mrs George April 23 Little Lincs Stay & Play- 5 ' 'Just to stop & take the time to really play with my granddaughter is an absolute pleasure. In the role play room, we can sit at the little kitchen table, on the little chairs & have imaginary cups of tea with our plastic eggs on toast, or whip up a meal with all the pots, pans & utilities in the little kitchen after visiting the little role play shop to purchase a variety of plastic ingredients that the participants on 'Next Level Chef would be envious of. We can enjoy delightfully flavoured, wooden ice cream , take our puppies to the vets for a health check or an injection, nurse, dress & feed the baby doll, fix things with the carpentry set, ride little balance bikes through red traffic lights & so much more . In the soft play room, she uses the slide, & throws & catches the balls, climbs, jumps upon & tumbles on the padded mats & climbs through the tunnel or rides on the rocker. The sensory room brings a quietness to our visit, & with the addition of a viewing window, I can observe as she goes in, explores the lights, dances to the gentle music, runs after the butterfly floor show or sits with the baby doll, completing puzzles. We also like to sit in there & read her favourite storybooks. AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED -23- TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Our visit to Little Lincs wouldn't be complete without scrambled eggs & toast at the Cynon Link cafe & spending time to chat to the really friendly & helpful staff before venturing outside to the outdoor play aparatus. Little Lincs is so very different to those big soft play venues & a great place for the little people & their big people alike., J Quar April 2023 Small, affordable family friendty cafe 'What a lovely place to find on a slightly drizzly school holiday outing, service was so friendly, helpful and any problem was sorted very quickly. Served by Carly and Wendy, really helpful, and very smiley O Thank you, Gillian R July 2023 Lovely place! 'VVhat a lovely place this isl I Called here for coffee and cake with a friend and I was pleasantly surprised. Staff are marvellous, friendly and the quality of food I coffee was superbl Plus they do a discount for over 60'sl!!' Wendy J May 2023 IM)en asked about the impact of the hub, and what people value most about the hub, responses were provided as follows= Would it impact you if the hub wasn't here at all and if so, how? I would be lost because I bring my granddaughter here for special occasions. she loves it here. There would be nowhere ￿ntral to take my child or access sewices. I would miss the play area and very friendly staff in restaurant. Its a great pla￿ to SOGialise. It's a vital part of the community in my opinion. Visiting to meet friends and other people. Lovely food and wonderful, helpful staff. I should imagine it would impact lonely olderpeople. I meet friends here, bring my grandson to little Lincs and come for food occasionally though will be doing more regularty now hubby has retired so if it went. I would miss it greatly. What do you value most about the community hub? It great for children's activities and play school and activities and it's local. Staff friendliness and activities. The activities they do for the elderfy and children. It's a pla￿ for old or young. It's a lovely clean environment with plenty to do. . Friendly staff clean place good food good atmosphere. I take my baby to play here - I find the kids play settings elsewhere very overwhelming. Here at the hub, it's calmer. I think the children's resource is bnlliant. Very clean. excellent modem facilities. I was also really impressed by the building in general. It's tastefully decorated and the staff I met were very friendly. It felt like a safe place. The playrooms and cafeteria are amazing. . servI￿s are accessible and staff are friendly and supportive. . Lovely friendly atmosphere and I've met people I haven't seen foryears by attending Cynon Linc. -24- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE- continued Sim This service has been operating since 2014 and is one of the charity's flagship services. Good foot care is essential forthe dignity, quality of life and wellbeing of older. Many older people struggle to care for their feet due to health problems, such as sight impairment, arthritis, and dementia, or they simply find it impossible to reach their feet to cut their toenails. In 2009 the Cynon Valley 50+ Forum published a report on the importance ofaccess to nail cutting and other foot care ServI￿S locally, following the withdrawal of 'basic' toenail cutting from NHS podiatry services across Wales. Although nail cutting may sound trivial, lack of even the most basic foot care frequently leads to complications than can result in dangerous falls, severe restrictions on mobility and social isolation. We believe that for people living with dementia, the challenges to maintaining good footcare are increased. During the reporting period we made some changes to the way we operate the Simply Nails service and as a result, the Servi￿ is growing with increased attendan￿ levels and lower attrition rates. We have improved our telephone communication, so clients find it easier to reach us. We added three new venues to the clinic list to reduce the need for clients to travel. We were also able to stop using waiting lists for appointments and offer people appointments when they needed them. We had 628 new clients this year, making a total of 3,147 people that have used our nail cutting service over the year. The Cynon Linc clinic had the greatest number of customers with a total of 1202 attending our clinics on a Wednesday or Thursday. The Merthyr Tydfil clinic at Keir Hardie Health Park saw 650 people with a further 276 home-based appointments in Merthyr. 3,147 nail cutting appointments were undertaken be￿een 1stApril 2023 and 31st March 2024 which resulted in an income of £66k. This is an 18 % increase on the 2023 income figure of £56K . We opened new Nail Clinic's in Pontypridd, Pontyclun and Maesteg at the beginning of the 2024125 year and have plans to introduce a basic Ear Health Servi￿ such as syringing, to work alongside our nail- cutting service. Feet First- Action Learning Project In August 2023, we applied for a small grant of £28,000 for a pilot project called Feet First. The project was established to explore whether the provision of 'social' nail cutting for people with dementia was perSon-￿ntred, preventative, affordable and accessible. A 'standard' toenail-cutting appointment can take 30 minutes. Feedback from our Nail Technician's tell us that when they are working with someone with dementia. it can take ￿lce as long and, in some cases, the person with dementia can become so agitated about sitting still. about someone touching their feet, about the environment they are in. that the appointment doesn't result in any treatment at all. As our service is a social enterprise, this results in customers having to pay for abortive calls or double appointment slots. Our experience also tells us that those caring for people with dementia often feel nervous and embarrassed about taking the person with dementia to high street providers and even to our clinics because the dementia can cause aggressive and erratic behaviour in unfamiliar surroundings and when faced with strange people and situations. We wanted to reduce the risk of falls and reduced physical activity for people with dementia as a result of poor foot and toenail care. We want to better understand why people with dementia and their families may not access foot and toenail care and gain a better understanding of current provision of toenail- cutting services in hospital, residential and day opportunity settings. -25- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 We will use this pilot project to inform our Dementia Matters Programme for the future. We know that prevention is better than cure and that if services and support are available early in the dementia journey, it can make a huge difference to the confidence of the people with dementia and the people who support their care. We believe that all people living with dementia should have access to person-centred, affordable footcare seNices at the earliest possible stage of their diagnosis or onset symptoms, thus allowing them to stay physically active and 'on their feet, for as long as possible. We want to make basic toenail cutting available to people with dementia, wherever they reside and at a time and place that feels safe for them, by nail technicians who are experienced and skilled in working with people with them. We want to understand how this Servi￿ can be delivered, funded and evaluated so it becomes a sustainable and strategically important aspect of care for everyone living with dementia. If it exists, we will use the evidence we gather to support the argument for long-term strategic investment from the RIF Programme so that basic toenail cutting is seen as part of the preventative 'Pathway O, for podiatry and orthotics service for people with dementia. We created a Feet First Review and Evaluation Group that included staff, trustees, podiatrists and service users. The evaluation made a number of findings, but the key messages were.. The Pilot Project results indicate that the Cwm Taf Morgannwg Regional Partnership Bozard will save at least £2 for every £1 it invests in the service and will achieve positive outcomes for its citizens. Providing good quality foot and toenail care to individuals wtth dementia, requires specialist skills and takes at least Iw1￿ as long to deliver. Clients involved in the Feet First Pilot were asked, as part of the initial assessment process, to describe the impact of their foot health orr their daily lives, and specifically on their mobility. Unsurprisingly, their responses reflect nationally available evidence, and are illustrated in charts below.. Initial Assessment: impact on mobility -26- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Client reported improvements post nail cutting General comfort ll Balance Mobility Confidence Sleep Going out Mixin8 vmh others • General wellb*n8 ll Independence Case Stud Mr P Mr P contacted the office via another agency, asking to provide support to have his nails cut. Mr P was self-neglecting and could not walk or care for himself due to his toenails being so overgrown. He was not able to wear shoes so unable to get out of the house to shop and buy the essential goods he needed to look after himself. When the nail technician went there it was clear that Mr P had a severe infection in the skin, the GP was contacted by the Nail Technician and informed. The nail technician described the condition in the skin and how bad his feet were including a very heavy smell. The GP visited and prescribed antibiotics. The Nail Technician reassured the client at every point throughout the appointment. Constant repeated explanations were given to the reason for cutting the toenails. The Nail Technician had to soak the client's feet for some time before she could begin to cut the toenails. The nail technician was not able to rub the client's feet as his skin was peeling off so had to gentty press and dab the feet dry before she could start to cut. The nail technician started cutting the toenails in sections as they were very sore and painful, until they were back to the natural nail edge. The client was able to get on his shoes which he had not been able to without pain for several months. The infection was so severe that Mr P would have ended up in hospital without timely Feet First intervention. The usual time for appointments is 30 minutes. Mr P's appointment took 3 hours. -27- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 BEFORE AFTER -28- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Case Stud - Client A Client A was living with Dementia, not realising that she had problems with her feet. Her family contacted ACM to provide nail cutting services- an assessment was made but the nail technician was unable to cut the toenails as there was gangrene present with a severe infection. Our nail technician referred the client to their emergency GP service podiatry department where treatment was provided. The professional opinion was that we had saved this lady's life and prevented a lengthy stay in hospital, and possibly sepsis. -29- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 AMSER Short Breaks for unpaid carers We applied for a grant to support unpaid carers and were awarded £9,591 to provide a variety of support services that carers had told us that they needed. We provided afternoon tea for ￿0, reflexology, and 2 course meal for sessions. We were able to support 96 unpaid carers over the 3 months, 60 of which were new to Age Connects Morgannwg. Unpaid Carers provided us with feedback from the very successful project: "I feel much more relaxed, I think being relaxed like this will help me as a carer as I think I'd have more patience with my mother. I think it's a good thing for the NHS as it could prevent illnesses and need to see the GP. Hopefully I would get better quicker and naturally by helping myself through reflexology. Reflexology could have a massive impact but ifs too expensive on carers allowance so itwould be brilliant if you could regularly fund it- Reflexology definitely helps, l used to have it but can't afford now I'm a carer. It gives an hour for the whole body and mind to relax. I have a feeling of calm and lightness now (after treatment} that l often don't get as a carer. I get very stressed and this (reflexology) stops the pressure build up, it takes you back to baseline so you are ready to start again (as a carer). Please get funding for more sessions, they have helped me massively in the past but I can't afford on carers allowance. It's so ni￿ to be cared for a short while and not be the carerf "Absolutely would like more reflexology, I'd previously received through a charity and it made a positive difference to my moods. I possibly wouldn't go to a GP as much but I don't tend to use since covid as can never get an appointment. "I feel so much more relaxed - there are days I feel I have a short fuse with my mother (who I care for) as l am stressed. I think reflexology could help me calm down so I can better cope with her. I think reflexology would be a good option for me as it could give me a long-term coping mechanism for caring. Case Stud Mr W Mrs W cares for her father who has chronic health conditions. Mrs W supports her dad with everything he needs on a day-to-day basis - she is with him daily and takes him out to ensure he is seeing others to support his mental health. Mrs W has given up work to support her father. Mrs W became aware of the support on offer from social media and booked in for afternoon tea with her daughter - the afternoon tea was held at Cynon Linc in Aberdare. Mrs W said, 'Well this has been such a wonderful opportunity to get out and look after myself for a change with my daughter for company, we met other people there (Cynon Linc) that were also carers. I can't thank you enough for this, it has meant the world to me, I didn't even know that I needed that little break until I came. I felt a little overcome with emotion, but I think that is good emotion and if I was to have another opportunity, I think I'd like to bring my dad as he would love this too" -30- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE- continued En AGE Pro'ect Leavin No-one Behind The project, which aims to increase and diversify participation of the 50+ community in RCT, started in August 2023. The Autumn period focussed on initial engagement with individuals and groups in RCT, explaining what EngAGE aimed to achieve, and building the trust needed to encourage them to take part in our research and consultations. During Q3 we undertook research on digital exclusion and sought to find out if people wanted support to feel more confident using digital technology, and if so, what the support provided should look like. We had 152 paper-based responses with 76 % of respondents aged 70+ 78 people (51°/0) said that they wanted support to increase their confidence to use their own digital devi￿. Based on the responses, we were able to design a new style digital cafe, providing practical help for people to get better use of their devices. We also sought to raise awareness of online scams to help people feel more confident to use the internet for purchases, enabling them to save money. The new cafe was trialled in March with excellent feedback from participants. Working in partnership with the charitable arm of BT, Ability Net, we will be able to offer free Online Scams Awareness sessions to groups throughout 2024-2025, There has already been high demand for sessions, indicating that there is a need for this information to be shared. Based on this evidence we were able to apply for SPF funds for a new part time post to set up a regular cafe at Cynon Linc with the model to be rolled to other communities during 2024- 2025. Following early feedback from groups, we designed a new climate change awareness workshop, helping people understand how climate change connects to peoples. everyday actions. Following a successful trial, we delivered and evaluated 8 sessions in Feb 2024. Everyone taking part reported that their awareness had been raised. We also asked participants to make a pledge to "change one thing." All 130 participants made a pledge to make a positive change in their daily habits thus reducing their carbon footprint. We are working with the RCT Climate Action Netsvork to build on this work in 2024-'25. Following a new idea from a small group of men, funding has been secured to provide a "Twilight Cafe" at Cynon Linc during 2024 2025. They said that they lacked an early evening meeting place, just somewhere they could watch TV together and have a coffee. They explained that they enjoyed daytime activities, but feelings of loneliness increased when they went home late afternoon. The cafe will provide a safe and comfortable environment for people, helping to redu￿ loneliness and isolation. We supported the Winter Warmer initiative by arranging 4 sessions including raising awareness of Bowel Cancer, Scams Awareness, and Dementia Friends. We helped recruit 14 new people to become members of 50+ Forums across RCT. Whilst meeting with new groups, we took the opportunity to promote the ServI￿S provided across the organisation. This has resulted in new volunteers being recruited and making referrals for support to our Information & Advice and LEAP services. Many people were previously unaware of our services, so this aspect of our work is especially important. The total number of people engaged with the project via community groups, Forums, events and individuals for this period is 1003. Partners RCT Together, Ability Net, Cwmpas. Gilfach Goch community Association, RCT Climate Section Ne￿ork. AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED 31 TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Feedback on En AGE Thank you so much for coming in to us. Our members appreciated it. I look fO￿ard to seeing you again on May. Rachel Canolfan Pentre CIO Suzanne Porth Wl Anyway, thank you again for your informative talk af our meeting. I've had the opportunity to speak to a couple of the ladies, and they found the infom?ation very usefvl. Thanks too for the heads up regarding the RCT 50+Forum on 17th July. I mentioned it in our last committee meeting, and two others. along with myself are hoping to attend. I'll also mention it to the Seniors group committee. on￿ again thanks for coming to talk to us. Hi Deanne , 3015124 I meet with a lady from Rhondda area last week and had really good feedback from your talk that you done in Porth a few weeks ago. She said there was so much information that her and friends didn't know about. Thanks Michelle. ACM (Support Worker) Feedback following a REFERRAL made from Porth i+VI May 2024 evening meeting Hi Deanne l just wanted to update you that I have spoken with G and chatted about our servI￿s. We will keep in touch with her via our Contact line, and she is interested in attending our Pontypridd older persons 'VIP' group. l am emailing details of our groups across now. I will ask my volunteer to call in the next couple of weeks to chat specifically about Macular degeneration as she runs a Macular group locally. We also chatted about her iPad and the things she is struggling with digitslly so we will book an appt ft)r her in Cardiff to meet with Craig, our digital officer and expert, in late June after her cataract operation. She says she can catch the bus to Cardiff. So lots of actions from our conversation. Many thanks again for the referral and catch up soon. Very best wishes Carys (Sightlife) -32- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Men's Shed Pontypridd 29.05.24 Thank you for attending the Mens Shed , you captured the audience, gave food for thought and your advice and knowledge was well received. Please carry on doing your good work .... Wishing you all the best Martin Workin for Chan e- Public Affairs and Partnershi Age Connects Morgannwg has long worked with partner organisations to bring about change to better the lives of older people across our footprint. Close relationships have continued, and new relationships developed, with supportive elected officials who have helped keep the welfare of older people at the forefront of decision making. We have continued to offer for politicians across all levels of Government to meet with our CEO as well as to shadow frontline staff and volunteers, to better understsnd the support we can provide to their constituents. This has included a meeting with the Shadow Minister for Equalities within the Senedd, as well as the then Deputy Minister with responsibility for transport, in mid-2023. As a result of the meeting. we were tasked with understanding better the transport issues linked directly to health - and, importantly, whether transport accessibility was a barrier to people attending their medical appointments. This piece of work has now evolved, and alongside our partners in The Transport and Health Integrated research Nelwork (THINK) at AberySt￿th University, we completed a piece of work to understand better the scale of Do Not Attend appointments (DNA) in 2 health boards across Wales. Moving forward we hope to secure funding, in partnership with Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board and other key partners, to investigate the issue more deeply and help paint an evidence informed picture of why people do not attend their medical appointmenL Websites During the reporting period launched a dedicated webpage for the July 2024 General Election to help older people understand the areas that are devolved in Wales and reserved to UK Government, as well as our key asks of the next UK Government, and information pertinent to the community we represent on how they can vote in a way that is best for them. Planning is now underway, in the next financial year, to launch a dedicated Public Affairs webpage on our website to make it easier for decision makers to get in contact with our Public Affairs team. Consultation Responses We have responded to Welsh Govemment public consultations including 'Future spending purposes for dormant assets funding in Wales,, 'Charging for Non-residential Care and Support.. raising the weekly maximum charge, and 'Proposed changes to the Putting Things Right process,. In line with of our strategic priorities (We will use our influence individually, collectively and in partnership to be a champion for older people, and 'We will create opportunities for older people to inform and improve our work,), we undertook the drafting of our response with an initial consultation exercise with those we represent as a charity, to ensure their experience and voice was at the heart of our organisational response. Policy In 2024, in line with good governance, the Trustees of ACM approved a new policy which outlined our commitment to remaining independent and not giving our support to a political paty= "As a Charity, ACM is independent of paty politics. We use our influence to advocate for policy change on all issues affecting older people. When engaging with political figures, we will ensure.. 1. We ask political figures we engage with not to promote party political messages at our events or premises. 2. We always seek to engage equally with all major political parties.. -33- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE- continued Business Su ort Services Workforce Develo ment Work continued to attract. recruit. and develop a workforce fit to deliver on the charity's strategy. This has been achieved through strategy reviews and by promoting and adopting a culture of personal and professional development which reflects our values of We Listen. We Learn, We Care. Recruitment Like many employers, ACM struggled to attract and recruit into new roles throughout the reporting period. This is due to a highly competitive, employee led jobs market and over 1 million people taking themselves out of the jobs market during the pandemic. Salaries for management and specialist roles are on average 15 % higher than ACM can pay Towards the end of the reporting period we were very suc￿Ssful in recruiting many new staff for new projects that will Commen￿ in the year 2024-25. The fact that our income from grant sources has been stagnant (reducing in real terms annually) is the most significant risk we face as a going concern. With budget outturns recording deficits in the tens of thousands and budget projections for the year ahead also projecting budget deficits, serious and urgent questions need to be asked about how much longer the charity can continue delivering services that are subsidised by the charity's ever decreasing reserves. Remuneration and Job Evaluation INhilst the charity maintained its Real Living Wage accreditation during 2023124, it was unable to award the proposed 10 % increase for all staff in 2024125. The Board felt it was important to recognise the pressure felt by all employees, not least its lowest paid staff and agreed to a tiered pay award which reflected salary points. Non-management roles were awarded a 7 % increase, middle management were awarded a 5 % increase and senior management were awarded a 2.5°/0 increase. The charity continues to pay its staff above the National Minimum Wage and continues to work towards regaining its Living Wage Accreditation. As it aims to attract and retain talent, the charity will continue to develop a job and role structure to benchmark against the Third Sector and Public Sector. It is important to have a fair pay structure which aligns with the roles and responsibilities which it delivers, but also recognises the risk of public sector funding not increasing sufficiently to guarantee annual salary uplifts. AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE- continued Staff En ement We have continued to improve staff engagement through social and work activities - implementing co- production ethics and tools into our work for the development of policies and procedures, as well as organisational strategies. ACM aims to promote champions within the organisation on several topics which matter to the staff, such as environmentsl and ecological issues, social events, mental health, and well-being. uali and Diversi We have continued to recruit staff, trustees and volunteers who reflect the diversity of the society we live in and deliver services to. We have developed policies and work practices that address the menopause, gender identity, domestic violen￿, and other initiatives such as dog friendly office policies, which have proven to enhan￿ staff well-being in the workplace, whilst also being inclusive of childless staff. We aim to promote the Welsh Language and improve the number staff who have no knowledge of the Welsh Language by at least 5 %, as part of the Well-being of Future Generations Act goal.. A Wales of vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language. ital Transfomiation The aim of digitalisation is to align with and deliver on the strategic objectives of the organisation and achieve efficiency and boost resources. The charity has achieved its ambitions for digital transformation in the following areas.. Sharepoint - moving on a Cloud platform to promote agile working and saving on cost of a physical server. HR So￿are - that streamlines HR functions whilst promoting staff engagement and independence on matters of training, performance, annual leave and access to their data and information. Digital Collaboration - the ability for different teams to collaborate and share information, reducing the use of emails. Digital Equipment- the use of tablets for outreach workers. Digital Shopping - for fundraising and trading solutions at a click. Digital inclusion- continued work with organisation such as Digital Communities Wales which supports the work of ACM in bringing our users on the journey with us and not to be left behind in a fast technologically changing environment. Digital solutions finance, procurement, and other business support pro￿sseS which provide a swift and efficient service and experience, whilst maximising public funds. The use of QR codes to allow people to donate money to the charity using their smartphone. Governance The Board is active in keeping in touch with govemance issues, good practi￿ and news via channels and literature such as the Charity Commission newsletter, Charity Times, Governance and Leadership It has reviewed its skills and training needs and will be planning and attending training and recruiting accordingly. -35- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE- continued Having achieved Trusted Charity Level 1. it aims to benchmark its performance against the Charity Governance Code which recommends good practice principles of.. Organisational purpose - The board is clear about the charity's aims and ensures that these are being delivered effectively and sustainably. Leadership - Every charity is led by an effective board that provides strategic leadership in line with the charity's aims and values. Integrity - The board acts with integrity. adopting values and creating a culture which help achieve the organisation's charitable purposes. The board is aware of the importance of the public's confidence and trust in charities, and trustees undertake their duties accordingly. Decision-making, risk, and control The board makes sure that its decision-making pro￿sseS are informed, rigorous and timely and that effective delegation, control and risk assessment and management systems are set up and monitored. Board effectiveness The board works as an effective team, using the appropriate balance of skills, experience, backgrounds, and knowledge to make informed decisions. Equality, diversity, and inclusion The board's approach to diversity supports its effectiveness, leadership, and decision-making. Openness and accountability- The board leads the organisation in being transparent and accountable. The charity is open in its work, unless there is good reason for it not to be. The Workforce We are incredibly proud of the people who work for Age Connects. whether in paid employment or as volunteers. All our workers are committed to developing themselves personally and professionally by undertaking vocational qualifications that will give them confidence and improve the quality of the service they provide. During the year the Charity employed an average of 13 Full time (over 30 hours per week) and 34 Part time staff. We believe that our people are our most important resource, and we demonstrate our commitment to them by ensuring they are given every opportunity to reach their full potential. We ensure all workers undergo a thorough and meaningful induction that sets them up with the information and tools necessary to become a valued member of the workforce. Our mandatory training programme for all new starters who will be working directly with older people ensures we comply with legislative requirements. The value and role of volunteers in supporting our work should not be underestimated. During the year we deployed over 100 volunteers to work across the organisation in a variety of roles from befriending, administration support staff and fundraisers. uali and Diversi We do not discriminate against people on the grounds of • Age. Gender reassignment. Being married or in a civil partnership. Being pregnant or on maternity leave. Disability- Race including colour, nationality. ethnic or national origin. Religion or belief. . Sex. Sexual orientation. We endeavour to provide an accessible Servi￿ to our workers, our service users, and our partners. We strive to meet the need of people with sensory impairment and people for whom English is a second language. We can also provide communication using British Sign Language and in Welsh. -36- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE- continued ile Workin and Di ital Su ort Since the pandemic staff who can work from home, are empowered to do so through the provision of equipment, server access, IT solutions. as well as induction to using online collaborative platforms, such as Teams and Zoom. New and innovative solutions have been adopted to respond to our telephony requirement and allow our staff to work from home whilst delivering information and advice services by phone. Those working from home were provided with a Self-Display Screen Assessment as well as HSE guidance on home working. Quali Assurance Mana ement Age Connects Morgannwg is constantly looking to improve and enhance our Servi￿ quality. Through effective use of servic&user feedback, all services are regularly evaluated, and information collated is utilised to improve and inform service delivery models. Quality is about trying to do better. better in both the sep11￿S the organisation offers and in the way the organisation runs. Age Connects Morgannwg invests in quality to= Improve effectiveness and efficiency. I mprove satisfaction of seNice-users, stsff, and volunteers. Develop consistency across sites and services. Checking and prevention of potential risks and issues. Set improvement targets and priorities and monitor progress against them. Comparison with other organisations, leading to improvements. Demonstrate quality of service to funders. Advice Quali Standard Age Connects Morgannwg successfully re-attained the AQS standard for a further 2 years in December 2022. Atthe time of writing, the Charity is preparing for its renewal audit in November2024. Our retention of this standard will continue to illustrate that the organisation facilitates a positive culture of involvement and consultation, strong team working and loyalty to the organisation. We have a comprehensive referral and signposting procedure. There is a very strong commitment to meeting seNice users, needs through effective quality procedures and a committed and professional workforce. -37- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS During the fiscal year 2023-24. the marketing team focused on the following key themes" Brand Awareness.. Enhancing the visibility and compliance of our parent and sub-brands. Audience Development and Engagement.. Increasing engagement through digital channels. Digital Tools Implementation: Introducing new tools to improve user experien￿. Project Support: Providing support for departmental initiatives, both existing and new. Digital Development for Age Connect Wales: Developing a new website for Age Connect Wales and managing social media. Brand Awareness Brand Guidelines and Compliance To ensure consistent and correct usage of logos, brand guidelines forACM and Cynon Linc were included in induction meetings for new staff and trustees. This not only heightened intemal awareness but also served as a useful guide for external partners and suppliers. Brand Development In 2023-24, we introduced a new sub-brand for the SPF-fiJnded EngAGE project. The logo, featuring a simple speech bubble design, symbolises ￿lFWaY engagement and was created in complementary colours for our parent brand. It is always used alongside the ACM and funder logos. This new brand has been widely utilised across various materials such as leaflets, banners, social media posts, and promotional goods. Additionally, it was used for branding Scam Awareness workshops. EngAGE Mae eich bam yn bwy519. ur opin attefs! Your opinion A brand refresh has also been carried for Simply Nails. The purpose was to add more curves and colour contrast so that the brand would appeal more to our target demographic and encourage instant recognition. The refreshed look has been used on posters, leaflet and social media adverts. AIL5 fliniefjj ill illaesteg CWMCokffl Oty C•ntr•.CothStr••t 01443 490650 07443 490650 -38- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 To strengthen the perceived link between Cynon Linc activities and the role of Age Connects Morgannwg, a new badge was created to use on all Cynon Linc materials. Thiswill seNe to create a subtle link belMeen the two brands, whilst also gaining exposure for ACM to the substantial digital audience for Cynon Linc. Cynon Linc is open7ted by Cynon Linc is operated by Cynon Linc is operoted by age connecls oge connects Repetition and Consistency We emphasised repetition and consistency across all brands to boost awareness and recognition. This approach was applied to literature, websites, and social media posts, ensuring each project strand is clearly identified with relevant colours and messaging. Audience Development & Engagement Increasing our digital audien￿ was a key priority throughout the year. A larger, relevant audience on our social channels allows us to effectively promote our servI￿s, thereby increasing footfall and income for Cynon Linc and participation in ACM servI￿s. This focus on digital activities delivers cost benefits to the organisation and aligns with our broader goal of carbon reduction. Nonetheless, we remain mindful of inclusivity in our marketing activities, continuing to produce print materials when ne￿Ssary. Growth in Followers The first task was to grow our followers. Starting in April 2023 with 9,786 social media fans, we achieved a 32 % increase by year-end. reaching 12.943 followers. This grovrth was predominantly on the Cynon Linc Facebook and Age Connects Morgannwg Fa￿book pages, where we concentrate much of our social efforts. Increased Engagement and Reach With a growing audience, we aimed to increase the reach of our posts by boosting engagement (likes and shares). This metric is tracked through impressions (posts appearing on feeds}- Over the past 12 months, Cynon Linc's Facebook page had an average monthly reach of 41,000, while Age Connects Morgannwg's page averaged 32,000. These impressions provide ACM and Cynon Linc with an excellent platform to promote their services and activities whilst also creating a favourable impression on funders and partners. Website Traffic and Social Media Influence The success of our social media strategy directly contributed to increased traffic on our websites. Average monthly traffic now stands at 6,023. up from 5,239 in 2022-23. As our audience and reach grew substantially, we tracked outcomes to understand the benefits of our social presen￿. A key metric is the number of website visits originating from social media activity. For the ACM website, this increased from 41 % to 44 % over the past year, showing that our posts are driving action. For the Cynon Linc site, traffic from social activity is even higher at 490/0. Campaigns promoting ticket sales and job vacancies are particularly effective in stimulating audience traction. -39- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Audience Demographics We track audien￿ demographics to tailor our messaging and ensure relevance. On the Cynon Linc Facebook page, 2,764 followers are from Aberdare itself, with 89 % of our total audien￿ coming from Aberdare and surrounding areas. Additionally, 88 % of our followers are female, and 66 % are between 25 and 54 years old. This gives us a specific audien￿ to target through communication campaigns. For ACM, our Facebook audience is more evenly distributed across our areas of benefit, with significant follower groups in Pontypridd, Aberdare, Rhondda, and Bridgend. The audien￿ is 80.5 % female ad has an older age profile. c*) J_lJJ_ JJJ. ¥7¢4 Customer Interaction Our social pages have also become popular plaffomis for customer interaction. Through Cynon Linc and ACM, we had 771 conversations in the past year. Our Google Business Pages also perform well, generating hundreds of calls and visits each month. 5.3 Digital Transfomiation Due to lack of funding, we were unable to advance our two main projects: the CRM replacement and the Al-driven virtual Information and Advice hub. Instead, we devised a revised strategy to apply for a smaller funding pot to carry out a scoping project with a CRM consultant. As part of this strategy, we prepared specification documents and held Iwo initial meetings with an industry expert. We are hopeful for positive progress on this funding bid during 2024-25. Progress on other Digital Initiatives Durin the fiscal project we made progress on smaller digital initiatives.. Live Chat Implementation.. We added live chat functionality to both the ACM and Cynon Linc websites, with training provided for the Cynon Linc receptionist. This feature allows web visitors to have real-time conversations with staff or leave messages when staff are not logged in. I&A Chat Module" We conducted scoping work on an Information and Advice (I&A} chat module designed to answer simple benefit eligibility questions before referring users to a team member. This initiative will progress to a proposal in Q3 of this year. -40- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Cynon Linc Website We carried out a significant overhaul of the Cynon Linc website to enhance user experience. This included updating all site images, revamping news items, restructuring the play and eat tabs, and adding live chat. Additionally, we reviewed our SEO strategy to improve online discoverability, leading to a notable improvement in search rankings.. 2nd on Google for'soft Play Aberdare" 1st for Community Centre Aberdare" 1 St for "Room Hire Aberdare. 3rd for'café in Aberdare" 9th for"Events in Aberdare" These improved rankings contributed to an increase in organic search traffic over the year. Maximising Customer Reviews We focused on maximising customer reviews, especially for Cynon Linc. Recognising the importance of "social proof, in modern marketing, we utilised digital review platforms and QR codes to drive traffic to our Google review and TripAdvisor pages. By the end of the year, we had amassed 91 Google Reviews with an average score of 4.715, reflecting an exceptionally strong rating. Cynon Lin¢ 4.7 ***** 5.4 Project Level Support As a support department, much of our time is spent providing project-level assistan￿ to drive awareness and engagement with our initiatives. We have also aimed to reduce marketing costs by bringing more design work in-house, achieving approximately 72 /0 of jobs internally. Additionally, the success of our online activities has enabled us to reduce print costs by 45 %. Here are a few highlights from the year.. 41 AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Volunteering Service We executed a high-profile marketing campaign for our annual Christmas Card Appeal, resulting in a record 3,454 cards received and substantial online engagement and PR for the charity. We also led a social media campaign for Volunteer's Week. creating 32 original posts including a dozen videos, that achieved a reach of over 82.000, making it our third most successful online campaign to date. Volunteer Hours 2023-24 5199 40 years of Volunteers. Week Engage Project 10 Total hours TNstee$ 745 Transp)rt 58 Fx¢¢oF•ce l-l Telephone Belrlendin8457 167 19 471 Face to Face l-l Be¢r￿￿Ing ¥bduntper5Y4•ek Cynon Llnc 1539 OLUNTEEI WEEK Kitchen Staff 16 Events42 EPorllr LEAP To support client acquisition for LEAP, marketing provided paid social media campaigns, webpage, leaflets and adverts. The campaigns have been widely shared reaching over100,000 people in the first quarter. Charity Services We produced a set of six leaflets, two banners, and folders to promote our core work. The marketing team ensures these materials are updated and printed regularly to maintain sufficient stocks for the I&A hub and events program. Website updates are made to reflect the latest literature. Cynon Linc Throughout the year, the marketing team managed event ticket sales, print and design, and social media for Cynon Linc. Specific projects included creating a room booking brochure, designing and printing menus, designing banners, and rolling out new social media graphics. We also conducted a handover so that all social media posting, and design tasks are now managed by the Cynon Linc team. Miscellaneous We supported various initiatives by writing, promoting, and analysing surveys for colleagues, designing PowerPoint templates, conducting recruitment campaigns. and supporting fundraising activities, such as a cricket tournament and Co-op loyalty scheme. 5.5 Age Connects Wales Following a meeting of the Age Connect regions in May 2023, the Head of Marketing & Communications has been allocating approximately 4 hours a week to work on the Age Connects Wales brand. We initially took on responsibility for attending the monthly meeting, design work, and social media posting. We then added website development to our responsibilities in January 2024. -42- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Website development The key achievement during the year was the writing and developing a new website for Age Connects Wales. The site is now live and includes new sections for news, projects and campaigns and has links back to the websites of the six Age Connects regions. The site is also used to promote shared services such as LEAP. In the future the website will allow Acwto support high profile national campaigns should the board wish to pursue that route. wales. '[* Social media We also provide daily social media posting which is delivering a monthly reach of 6,500 people. Part of this social strategy is to repost from the Age Connects regions giving a boost to those who have smaller audiences. To support our posting we have designed a set of nine social media graphics to support ACW. FINANCIAL REVIEW A detailed analysis of income and expenditure for 2023-24 has been completed and compared with analysis from previous years. The business plan addresses perceived weaknesses and identifies potential opportunities. Regular monthly reporting procedures ensure that senior managers and Trustees are aware of the actual position in respect of income and expenditure against forecasts. Contingency plans have been established to take corrective action, where ne￿Ssary. The Charity will, to a ￿rtain extent, always be at risk of cuts to funding and contracts. It is, however, able to react to cuts and that is an important quality for any third sector organisation. The Charity's ability to 'cut its cloth, in the last year speaks for itself. In August 2019, the charity started to utilise a 'Full Cost Recovery, model for the allocating of its expenditure. This meant that the true cost of each seprfice level agreement was recognised, and the central office expenditure was decreased. Comparison of 2022-23 with 2023-24 The Statement of Group Financial Activib'es for the year is set out on page 62. Total incoming resources for the Group increased from £1,064,211 to £1,095,377 an increase of 2.9 %. This increase largely relates to an increase in restaurant and rental income offset by a smaller reducts'on in service level agreement income. Total resources expended decreased from £1,249,276 to £1,211,679, a decrease of 3/.. Employee costs represent 65°/0 (2023.. 69%) of total expenditure, and these have decreased from £858,191 to £785,210. -43- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 FINANCIAL REVIEW- continued The subsidiary company made a loss forthe year of £76 for the year (2023" £582) and has shareholders, funds of £2,554 (2023.. £2.630). Investment Policy Age Concern Morgannwg are currently in the process of reviewing and implementing their investment policy. Reserves Policies The Trustees have reviewed the reserves policy and: Analysed income and expenditure. Assessed past perfomiance. Considered forecast based on changes in the social and health care environment. Assessed the economics of the Charity's programmes. Identified areas of risk. Identified exit costs should all the Charity's income streams cease at once. The Board has designated funds for the following purposes= Age Connects Wales Membership. Developing of Trading Opportunities. Disaster Recovery. Digital Improvements. Workforce Wellbeing VAT Assessment Celebration Event Cynon Linc Stage General Reserve Fund The reserve policy operates against a challenging operating climate and in the opinion of the trustees will continue to be under pressure to meetcharitable obligations in the future in the development of Charitable Aims. The review concluded that a General Reserve Fund equivalent to approximately six months of operating costs is desirable. This fund includes funds designated for specific purposes. AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 FINANCIAL REVIEW- continued The reserves policy recognises the need to hold reserves to ensure funds are available to pursue the primary objects should the income levels fall, and to be able to operate an exit strategy should the Charity have to cease operations. Total reserves are £2.348.073 (2023.. £2,464,375) at the balance sheet date. Of this £1,895,140 {2023. £1,945.009) is represented by tangible fixed assets, with £286,542 in other restricted funds {2023.' £272,388) and £70,570 as designated funds (2023.. £71,650) leaving £92,851 (2023: £175,328) as the free reserves. This amounts to 8.5 % (2023: 16.5 % l of total income. The free reserves of £95,821 represents 19 % (2023.. £175,328 and 37 % ) of the unrestricted operating cost, or the equivalent of 2.5 months {approximately) of unrestricted operating cost. The charity aims to maintain a minimum 6 months of operating costs in free reserves and will endeavour to return to this position in the coming 12 months. Following a board review, closure costs of the charity have been assessed at £241,443 (2023: £136,755). It should be noted that in addition to the free reserves, there is a total of£70,570 (2023.. £71,650} allocated to designated reserves (detailed in Note 19), as well the closure costs noted above. This leaves an available reserves figure of £166,391 (2023: £246,978). The decrease during 2024 is largely due to the deficit reported in the period. As can be seen above, the Charity remains in a challenging position financially, and continues to actively pursue additional funding options, both project related, and contributions towards core running costs, focusing on commercial income streams. To re-iterate this, it should be highlighted that the deficit reported in the current period of £116.302. is in addition to an underlying deficit of £185,065 in the previous period. The reserve policy operates against a challenging operating climate and in the opinion of the trustees will continue to be under pressure in meeting charitable obligations in the future in the development of Charitable Aims. Restricted Funds These funds, amounting to £2,129,388 (2023: £2,134,989) in total, are restricted to the purposes identified in note 16. Of this restricted reserve figure above. £1.990,550 (2023.. £2,011,288) is in relation to funds connected to the Cynon Linc Construction Project Acknowledgements The Board is keen to acknowledge the support provided by those organisations listed on Page 41. -45- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS Our key long-term strategic objectives are-. Listen to what older people tell us and work with them to design, develop and deliver the ServI￿S and support they need and want. Work positively with local strategic partners to ensure that we are able to influence service design, development and delivery. Build on our strong reputation by delivering the highest quality service to our stakeholders. Generate funds to support the needs of the Charity and its beneficiaries. Provide a quality assured, age related suite of products for commercial sale to older people. Deploy committed, skilled and knowledgeable workers to deliver care, support and initiatives that meet the aspirations of older people. To achieve these objectives.. • We will listen to older people and use what they tell us to inforni ourwork. We will secure sufficient funding to develop our Leaving N(Fone Behind Programme to include a robust engagement and participation plan that will influence not just the way we work but will strengthen their voice with policy makers. We will seek to work with younger older people and new generations of older people by embracing the digital age, new technology and new solutions to support the development of age-friendly communities. We will use Cynon Linc as a hub for learning more about the aspirations and challenges of today's older people and how the generations can work together to achieve lasting improvement. • We will use our influence to be a champion for older people. We will continue our engagement with Local Health Boards, Local Government and Regional Partnership Boards, so that we are fully engaged in the integration agenda, Social servI￿s and Well-being Act, prudent health care, Future Generations Act, and A HealthierWales- making a compelling case forfunding to deliver ancillary services that support public bodies in their statutory duties. Through Age Connects Wales, we will continue to make representations to Welsh Government, improving how we use our expertise, research, data, and evaluation to advocate for older people across Wales, strengthen the case for supporting local delivery by local charities and influence better national policy for older people. • We will increase and improve our volunteer workforce to create a more sustainable future. From our engagement with older people. we will identify opportunities for volunteering within the charity that ensure we can meet the needs of older people, offer learning and routes to employment for those wishing to return to work or those seeking first time experience. We will strengthen our volunteer retention and improve recruitment by working with time credit organisations and by being clear about the range of volunteering opportunities within the charity. We will recruit volunteers on a communitylneighbourhood level and in response to specific requests for support. •We will develop diverse. sustainable income streams to support our work and build our resilience. We will increase unrestricted income from existing social enterprise at Cynon Linc and via a new Enterprise and Fundraising Plan. From our research, we will explore opportunities to meet the needs of older people via trading in products and services such as Wills, Funeral Plans, Financial Planning, Insurance Products, Equity Release. We will develop these in partnership with trusted preferred providers. We will strengthen our community fundraising and attract long tem) corporate support to become a publicly recognised charity supported by individual donations, legacy giving, increased Trust funding, and corporate support. We will invest resources in the growth and welfare of our people. Sustainable help and support for older people relies on a strong, skilled workforce that understands the environment in which it works and puts older people at the heart of everything it does. Our commitment to supporting, developing, and nurturing our people is backed up by our investment in improving their wellbeing at work through a range of programmes that focus on mindfulness, talking therapies and coaching. Our paid staff and volunteers work with some of the most vulnerable older people in our communities. It is essential, therefore, that we create a ne￿Ork of support that -46- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS- continued builds and encourage resilience. We will create a culture of sustainable leadership through learning and improvement. • We will work towards becoming an Accredited Net Zero Oryanisation by 2040. In March 2021, Senedd Cymru approved a net zero target for 2050. Wales also has interim targets for 2030 and 2040, and a series of 5-year carbon budgets. The initial 2030 target is for a 63 % carbon reduction. As a charity we wish to align ourselves with the initial Welsh Government target and reduce our emissions by 63 % by 2030, moving to Net Zero by 2040. We will secure support from local and national experts in the development of our Path to Net Zero Plan and where necessary. funding to support its implementation. We will embed a culture of sustsinability that is reflected in our behaviour. our activities and our decision making. Collaboration and Co-production at Cynon Linc. The Cynon Linc Project allows the charity to realise a number of its strategic priorities, particularly in relation to sustainable SoUr￿S of funding, strengthening the charity's position and profile and creating the Spa￿ for more social enterprise activity. This opportunity also comes with potential risks, not least the ability to raise sufficient income to meet operating costs but also achieve the levels of profit required for r&investment in future growth. The charity intends to focus on the following operational plans for the year 2024-25: ective We will create opportunities for older people to inform and improve our work. uccess Criteria New developmentslinitiatives based research. Evidence of change, as a result, of engagement. Better quality services and support. We know the impact we have on the lives of older eo on ou We will use our InflUen￿1ndiVidua1Iy, collectively and in partnershipto be a champion for older people. The organisation is acknowledged and sought out as a sector leaderlexpert advisorlconsultative forum on matters concerning older people. We see changes in policy and practice involving older people. We will make representations to Welsh Government and other decision-makin bodies. We have a clear plan of the opportunities to volunteer within the charity. Our core activities are delivered using volunteer support. Our volunteers are our greatest ambassadors. We know the impact of volunteering on the charity's future, on the volunteers themselves, and on the people they support. We retain and row our volunteer base. We know our market and develop products and services that meet its needs. Unrestricted and independent income to the charity increases by 100°k. We are funding core activity through unrestricted income. Weo erate on a full cost recove We will increase and invest our volunteer Workfor￿ to sustain the work of the charity. We will develop and grow sustainable income streams to support ourwork and build our resilience. basis. -47- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS- continued ective We will invest resources in the growth and welfare of our people. uccess Criteria Our staff, volunteers and Trustees feel that their contribution to the charity is valued. Provide suitable and relevant training. Staff retention is high. Stsff sickness is low. Our staff, volunteers and Trustees are our reatest ambassadors. We will know our carbon footprint and have a plan to maintain it within a¢￿ptable levels. Staff and volunteers will be involved in all stages of Net Zero process and create a culture of sustainability. We will publish a carbon reduction strategy which sets departmental reduction targets. We will see a reduction in our carbon footprint by 2030 and to Net Zero b 2040. We will work towards becoming an Accredited Net Zero Organisation by 2040. Our Chari Develo ment Pro ramme will: Develop a plan and identify funding to diversify our infomation, advice and assistance offer so that it has wider reach, broader scope, and greater impact. Extend and expand our engagement work with older people and other stakeholders. Develop a Dementia Matters Plan and identify sustainable funding to support its delivery. Develop a Caring Matters Plan and identify sustainable funding to support its delivery. Finalise our Volunteering Matters Plan and seek funding to support its implementation from a range of grant-making trusts, statutory grant SoUr￿S and individual donations. Introduce a Money Matters service with volunteers trained to enhance our existing servi￿. Implement and embed our nail cutting review to provide efficiencies for older people and the organisation. Explore the potential to generate sustainable income from the sales of products and services, from fundraising and from other commercial activity- If viable, we will identify and seek funding to support its set up. Review the role of support workers in all our sep4ices to ensure that the service we provide is relevant and enhanced through integration with all other activities we deliver, putting us in a stronger position to secure funding and meet the needs of older people as they experience them. Continue to explore further the transport needs of older people in our area of benefit. Our Leavin No-one Behind Pro ramme will: The 'Leaving No One Behind, programme aims to equip Age Connects Morgannwg {ACM} with the opportunity, knowledge, skills, and technology to continue to work with older people today and in future generations to come. Comprising of three strands, EngAGE will cultivate an environment where older people Co-produ￿ community projects, become local activists for change and improvement and create long term social connections. Connect will focus on ensuring that older people are taken on the digitalisation journey in a way that they can engage with, identifying barriers and developing solutions. These Iwo strands will feed into Sustain. working towards becoming an accredited Net Zero organisation by 2040 and ensuring that older people are a significant part of this journey. Bringing people together, whether it be to share knowledge and ideas, to learn or to have a cuppa and a chat, not only improves an individual sense of belonging to a space (Cynon Linc) and place (wider community), but improved self-confidence and self-esteem, all contributing to wellbeing and creating a culture where people can live healthy and independent lives. -48- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS- continued Our programme is well placed to contribute to the local 'Wellbeing Economy, and specifically contributing to the themes of Personal Wellbeing and Community and Democracy. This sense of wellbeing in a place will ensure that people are proud to live. work and play in their community. The programme will deliver the following outcomes: Increased community participation in activities at Cynon Linc, including individuals initiating their own innovative ideas. New opportunities and a sense of relevance for older people on how they can contribute to the journey to Net Zero. Connectivity with a more diverse range of individuals and particularly thosewith protected characteristics in our work and specifically this programme. Reduction in loneliness. Change at a community level where people look out for each other and work collectively to tackle tough local issues. New Projects Approved in 2023124 for delivery in 24125 Dementia Matters Pro ramme - Memo and Wellbein Guides The All Wales Dementia Care Pathway of Standards was published in 2021 following extensive engagement with 1800 individuals living with dementia, carers, voluntary organisations and health and care professionals. The work has been led by Improvement Cymru as part of the Dementia Care Programme, and directed by the requirements of the Dementia Action Plan for Wales, overseen by the Welsh Government Dementia Oversight Implementation and Impact group IDOIIG}. The pathway includes ￿enty standards that represent what people believe will make a positive difference to dementia care in Wales. The ￿enty standards sit within four themes.. Accessible, Responsive, Journey, Partnerships & Relationships, underpinned by kindness and understanding. Standard 12 specifically relates to the role of the Dementia Connector and states= 'People living with dementia and theircarers will have a named contact (connector) to offer support, advi and signposting, throughout their journey from diagnosis to end of life., Funded by the Regional Partnership Board's Regional Integrated Fund (RIF) until March 2026, the charity began implementing the project in January 2024. We look forward to demonstrating the impact of this project in next year's report. Home Life Matters - Home First Trusted Assessors The aim of the trusted assessor role in CTM is to support and facilitate discharges from hospital to local services through Discharge to Recover then Assess (D2RA) pathways, especially pathways O and 1. The role will need to develop relationships within, and work alongside, partners and people involved in discharge planning,. remaining focused on the outcome for the person. This is an exciting opportunity to ensure the needs of patients are met, their rights observed and to work alongside discharge teams and statutory agencies to deliver positive change. Makin it Sustainable- Income Generation In 2015, ACM launched a strategy called 'Making it Personal, which set out an ambitious goal to reduce its reliance on public sector funds and increase unrestricted income. Cynon Linc emerged as the front- runner in the charity's plans to diversify and is achieving steady growth annually. -49- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 In 2023, Age Connects Morgannwg (ACM) launched its three yar strategy 'Together for Older People, and its delivery programme, Leaving No One Behind. a comprehensive initiative designed to ensure that ACM remains a vital resource for older people now and in the future. The programme is built around three core strands.. 1. EngAge" Focuses on diversifying and enhancing ACM'S efforts to amplify the voices of older people, ensuring their perspectives shape the ServI￿S and support they receive. 2. Connect.. Aims to expand ACM'S digital service delivery by leveraging both internal expertise and external specialists. This strand is crucial for transforming ACM'S digital presence, ensuring it is accessible, user-friendly, and fully integrated with the needs of our service users. 3. Sustain.. Originally focused on supporting older people in contributing to net-zero goals, Sustain has been expanded to include a critical new objective.. improving ACM'S financial resilience. This revision follows insights from our re￿nt Enterprise and Fundraising report and aligns with ACM'S long-term goal of becoming a Net Zero organisation by 2040. strategic Implementation: To achieve these objectives, ACM proposes the recruitment of a Commercial Manager and a Fundraising Officer. These roles are central to implementing our Enterprise and Fundraising Strategy, which aims to generate 40 % of ACM'S core costs through enterprise and fundraising activities within five years. This strategy is designed to reduce our relian￿ on extemal funding, ensuring that ACM can sustainably support its mission. A key part of this strategy is the expansion of our Simply Lrfe brand and the development of a robust retail offering, both in physical shops and online. To ensure the success of these initiatives, we are seeking support for the set-up and initial running costs, giving these enterprises the time and resources needed to grow. Digital Transfonnation and CRM Development" Aligned with the Connect strand, ACM plans to develop a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform. As highlighted in our Enterprise and Fundraising Report, our current CRM system is outdated and inadequate for our evolving needs. It hampers our ability to profile Servi￿ users, integrate systems, leverage new technology, and maximise fundraising potential. The new CRM will be a game-changer for ACM. It will improve productivity through workfor automation, enhance communication with our audience, and enable us to harness the latest adVan￿MentS in Al. Additionally, it will revolutionise our customer service and streamline client bookings with integrated calendar functions. We are working with an independent CRM consultant to ensure that the custom-built system meets all our objectives and delivers maximum value. Vision and Outcomes". Our vision is to transform ACM into an agile, financially independent organisation that can swiftly respond to the needs of older people without being constrained by external funding cycles. We aspire to create an environment where older people are not left behind but are actively engaged in the digital and societal advancements that many take for granted. -50- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Specific Outcomes.. Increased Digital Access.. Enhan￿ aC￿sS to our core ServI￿S in a way that is both accessible and sustainable. Al-Driven Improvements.. Introduce new A14riven tools to significantly improve user experience. CRM Implementation: Develop and deploy a new CRM platform within 12 months, ensuring it meets all operational needs. Financial Resilience: Achieve 40 % of core costs through enterprise and fundraising by the end of year five. Maximised Income Generation". Capitalize on income-generating opportunities through strategic product development and partnership working. In August 2024, the Board approved a proposal to seek seed funding to support the delivery of an Enterprise and Fundraising Plan. The plan highlights that to generate profit and notjust income, an element of resource investment is required {which has previously not been in place} and identifies possible SoUr￿S of funding to support that investment. At the time of writing, an application for investment in our Enterprise and Fundraising Plan has been made with an outcome expected before Christmas 2024. 51 AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT The Charity has a general vision of a society where older people are respected and enabled to meet their aspirations. The mission of the Charity is to improve the quality of life of older people. Governin Document & Le al Status Age Concern Morgannwg (the Charity) is an incorporated association. Company number.. 06717361 with charitable status, governed by a Constitution Registered Charity Number.. 1129973. The Charity's operating title is Age Connects Morgannwg. The Charity was constituted in 1977 following registration in 1978 as the Council for the Elderly in Mid Glamorgan. In 1999, a further resolution was passed and approved by the Charity Commission for the name of the Charity to become Age Concern Morgannwg and that its area of benefit changed to reflect the local government reorganisation. Membershi Membership of the organisation is open to individuals and organisations who apply to the Charity and are approved by the Trustees. Membership is not transferrable and, currently, the only members of the organisations are the Directors of the organisation who also comprise of the Board of Trustees. The Directors have the right to establish classes of membership with different rights and obligations which are recorded in the register of members. ointment of Trustees A regular review of the Boards succession and skills needs are performed to ensure that the Board recruit trustees to meet its skills gaps and support its strategic leadership through a fair, equal and consistent recruitment process. Applications for potential trustees are sought by press advertisement. through registration with appropriate local ne￿orkS and associations, and through invitations sent out in member mailings. An individual aged 16 years and older may apply. Membership of the Board of Trustees consists of the Chair and eight other Trustees elected by members of the Charity as determined by the Charity's Regulations. The Board also has the power to c(Fopt persons to serve as members of the Board until the next election of Trustees. Board members become members of the Charity from the time of their election. One-third of the trustees are required to stand down by rotation ateach annual general meeting and may seek further reappointment. Trustee Induction & Trainin The Charity has completed its review of the process for recruiting Trustees. Potential Trustees are initially provided with reports and the organisation's strategy, that will enable them to judge whether to pursue an appointment. Application forms are completed prior to an interview with the Chair of the Charity and the Chief Executive Officer. If candidates are regarded as suitable, and wish to pursue an appointment, they are invited to observe a Board or Committee meeting and theirapplication reviewed by the Board. Following satisfactory completion of the recruitment pro￿sS, the Board will recommend appointment, as a trustee, to the Annual General Meeting. The ongoing induction process involves meetings with key staff and attendance at training sessions, conferences, trustees and staff away days. Or anisation Governance and Structure The Board has the overall responsibility for the governan￿ of the Charity. It meets at least four times a year. The Board delegates, authority to the CEO who leads the Management Team in the day to day management of the Charity, working within the financial framework, procedures and policies set down by the Board. The Chief Executive has delegated authority for human resource planning, employment, service development and finan￿. -52- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 STRUCTURE. GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT- continued The Board also delegates authority to the non*xecutive directors of its one subsidiary, Age Concern Morgannwg Trading Limited. In March 2023 one of its Directors resigned due to work commitments, leaving just one Director in place. In August 2023. that Director resigned due to ill health. The Chief Executive Officer was appointed as the sole Director in August 2023, whilst discussions about the company's future were held by the Charity Board. At the time of writing, the CEO remains the only Director of the Trading Subsidiary but efforts are being made to identify and appoint new directors, not associated with the Board of Trustees. The Senior Leadership Team changed during the reporting period. In May 2023, the Head of Charity Services left the organisation and was not replaced until January 2024. (Special Note.. In July 2024, the newly appointed Head of Charity Development also left the organisation following a period of ill health). At the time of writing, the Senior Leadership Team comprises: Chief Executive Officer (FT) Head of Finance and Resources (PT) Head of Charity Development (Vacant) Head of Communications and Marketing (FT) Cynon Linc General Manager (FT) Public Affairs and Partnerships Manager (PT) The Senior Leadership Team is supported by a team of five operational servi￿ Managers. age Related Parties The Charity is an active member of Age Connects Wales (ACW) (Company Number: 8104542). The allian￿ is made up of independent and autonomous Age Connect organisations, which share common aims and values working together to add value to the work and role of Age Connect in Wales. Our membership of Age Connects Wales does not impose any influence or requirements on the Charity's internal policy or strategic planning framework, nor did it have any financial implications in the reporting period as the Directors of Age Connects Wales took a decision not to charge membership fees. -53- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT- continued The systems and internal controls established by the Board are designed to provide reasonable, but not absolute, assurance against material misstatement or loss. Trustees and senior stsff carry out the risk assessment in order to confimi that the major risks to which the Charity is exposed have been reviewed and systems established to mitigate those risks. The Board has identified the following significant risk areas (above score 12) and the Board monitors these risks together with the mitigating controls and actions on a regular basis= The scoring puts greater emphasis on impact and uses the scoring system from the Charity Commission, Charities and Risk Management (CC26). Risk Rating In7pact." 1- Insignrficant," 5- Catastrophic. Risk rating Likelihood." l- Remote," 5 - Highly probable. Risk and Mitigation ikelihood (x) mpact (y} core {xy+y) Targets not achieved for Core Funding: 24 Develop an income generation strategy that reflects the strategic objectives of the charity- Discontinuation of funding, contracts and Service Level Agreements: 15 Evidence the need and value of our services. Diversify our offer and apply for funding for our core activities. Continue to strive for excellen￿ and keep up good relationships with our SLA providers. Negotiate longer term contracts which reflect annual cost increases in an attempt to promote sustainability and longer-term planning. Inability to recruit andlor retain skilled and talented staff: 15 Development and implementation of Work Force Development Plan with annual appraisal and training audivprogramme. Data Security: 24 To mitigate the risk of cyber-attacks and data breaches we will update our security strategy, examine password protocols, and review our data hosting arrangements. AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 The systems and internal controls established by the Board are designed to provide reasonable, but not absolute, assurance against material misstatement or loss. Trustees and senior staff carry out the risk assessment in order to confirm that the major risks to which the Charity is exposed have been reviewed and systems established to mitigate those risks. The Board has identified the following significant risk areas (above score 12) and the Board monitors these risks together with the mitigating controls and actions on a regular basis- Changes in the Political Landscape: Political instability and changes can mean we need to develop new relationships with key decision makers, as well as different partiesAeaders and individuals having varying priorities. -55- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Company Number 06717361 Registered Charity Number 1129973 Principal & Registered Office Cynon Linc Seymour Street Aberdare CF44 7BD The Directors and Trustees The trustees who served on the board of the Charity during the period were as follows.. Lynda Williams (Chair) (appointed Chair 05112123) Lynda Chandler (Vice Chair) (appointed VI￿ Chair 05112123) Chistopher Ward {resigned 23108123) Chris Williams (resigned 27104123) Nicola Jones (resigned 22108123) Kristian Howell Geoffrey Watts Nicola Morris (appointed 05112123) Rachael Nicholson (appointed 05112123) Alison Johnson {appointed 05112123) Andrew Cobb {appointed 20108124) Rachel Rowlands {Company Secretary) Age Concern Morgannwg Trading Limited The directors of the charity's trading subsidiary who seNed during the period were as follows.. Christopher Ward (resigned 23108123) Rachel Rowlands {appointed 23108123) Chief Executive Officer Rachel Rowlands Senior Leadership Team Head of Finance and Resources Head of Charity Development Head of Communications and Marketing Cynon Linc General Manager Public Affairs and Partnership Manager Steve Pear Lisa Gilchrist (2 January 2024- 15 July 2024) Jonathan Curtis Karen Davies Bethan Shoemark-spear -56- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS- continued Auditors Azets Audit Seprfices Ty Derw Lime Tree Court Cardiff Gate Business Park Cardiff, CF23 8AB Bankers Barclays 91 Taff Street Pontypridd CF37 4SN Handelsbanken Cardiff Branch 2 Callaghan Square Cardiff CF10 5AZ Nationwide Building Society Kings Park Road Moulton Park Northampton NN36NW Monmouthshire Building Society John Frost Square Newport NP20 1 PX Solicitors Hek Jones 14 Cathedral Road Cardiff CF119LJ Pension Scheme Advisors Not Appointed -57- Draft Financial Ststements at 19 December 2024 at 23:47:47 AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 The Trustees. who are also the diredors of Age Concem Morgannwg Limited for the purpose of company law. are responsible for preparing the Trustees Report and the financial statements in accordance wth applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting practi￿). Company Law requires the Trustees to prepare financial ststements for each finanual year whith gwe a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Chartty and of the incoming resources and application of resources, induding the income and expenditure. of the charitsble company for that year. In preparing these financial ststements, the Trustees are required to: - select suitable accounting policies and then apply thern consistenty., - obserle the methods and principles in the Charities SORP; - make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent: and - prepare the financial statements on the going concem basis unless li 15 inappropriate to presunE thal the Charity will continue in operation. The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting ￿C(￿d$ that disdose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial posttion of the Charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statemerts comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularitses. The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial infonnation induded on the Charity's website. Legislation in the United Kingdom goveming the preparation and dissemination of financial stslements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions. Disclosure of infomiation to auditor Each of the Trustees has confimed that there is no information of which they are aware which is relevant to the audit, bul of which the auditor is unaware. They have further conffimed thal they have taken appropriate steps to identify such relevant information and to eststlish that the auditor is aware of such infonnation. The Trustees report was approved by the Board of Trustees. - Trustee Date-. -58- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED Opinion We have audited the accounts of Age cOn￿M Morgannwg Limited {the 'parent charitable company,) and its subsidiaries {the 'group') for the year ended 31 March 2024 which comprise the group statement of financial activities, the group balance sheet, the charitable company balan￿ sheet, the statement of cash flows the group statement of cashflows and the notes to the accounts. including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland, (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice) and the Charities SORP 2019. In our opinion, the financial statements= give a true and fair view of the stste of the group's and the parent Charitable company's affairs as at 31 March 2024 and of the group's incoming reSoUr￿S and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended- have been propedy prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice: and have been prepared in accordance wth the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities SORP 2019. Basis for opinion We conducted our audit in accordance wth Intemational Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAS (UK)} and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditors ￿sponsIbl1111eS for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the Charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC'S Ethical standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is suffiaent and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. Conclusions relating to going concern In auditing the financial statements. we have conduded that the Trustees use of the going concem basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate. Based on the work we have perfomied. we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the group's or the parent charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least ￿e1ve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue. Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the Trustees with respect to going concem are described in the relevant sections of this report. other information The other infomiation comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The Trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other infomiation and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any fomi of assurance Conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our kno￿edge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material In￿nsIStenc1es or apparent material misstatements, we are required to detemiine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have perfomied. we condude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard. 59- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT (CONTINUED) TO THE MEMBERS OF AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006 In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit.. the information given in the Trustees report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared, which includes the directors, report prepared for the purposes of company law, is consistent with the financial statements., and the directors. report included within the Trustees report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements. Matters on which we are required to report by exception In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the group and the parent charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors, report included within the Trustees report. We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion= adequate accounting records have not been kept, or retums adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us- or the parent charitable company's accounts are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns" or certain disclosures of trustees, remuneration specified by law are not made" or we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit., or the Trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordan￿ wth the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies, exemptions in preparing the Trustees report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report. Responsibilities of Trustees As explained more fully in the statement of TTUStees responsibilities, the Trustees, who are also the directors of the Charity for the purpose of company law, are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such intemal control as the Trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the Trustees are responsible for assessing the parent charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the Trustees either intend to liquidate the group or the parent charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic altemalive but to do so. Auditors responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or e￿Or, and to issue an auditorfs report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAS {UK} will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users tsken on the basis of these financial ststements. A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council's website at.. https=Il www.frc.org.uklauditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report. -60- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT (CONTINUED) TO THE MEMBERS OF AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED Extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities. including fraud Irregularities, including fraud. are instsnces of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibililies, outlined above and on the Financial Reporting Council's website, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. We obtain and update our understanding of the entity, ils activities, its control environment, and likely future developments, including in relation to the legal and regulatory framework applicable and how the entity is complying th that framework. Based on this understanding, we identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial stalements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perfomi audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit eviden￿ that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. This includes consideration of the risk of acts by the entity that were contrary to applicable laws and regulations. including fraud. In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, including fraud, we designed procedures which included.. Enquiry of management and those charged with govemance around actual and potential litigation and claims as well as actual. suspected and alleged fraud- Reviewing minutes of meetings of those charged wth governance., Assessing the extent of Complian￿ wth the laws and regulations considered to have a direct material effect on the financial statements or the operations of the entity through enquiry and inspection., Reviewing financial statement disclosures and tesling to supporting documentation to assess Compliance with applicable laws and regulations., Performing audit work over the risk of management bias and override of controls, including testing of journal entries and other adjustrnents for appropriateness, evaluating the business rationale of significant transactions outside the normal course of business and reviewing accounting estimates for indicators of potential bias. Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, induding those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of intemal control. Use of our report This report is made solely to the charitable company's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the CompaniesAct 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company's members as a body, for our audit work, for this report. or for the opinions we have fom)ed. Katherine Parkin (Senior Statutory Auditor) for and on behalf of Azets Audit Services 16 January 2025 Chartered Accountants ststutory Auditor Ty Derw, Lime Tree Court Cardiff Gate Business Park Cardiff United Kingdom CF23 8AB 61 AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Unrestricted Restricted funds funds 2024 2024 Total Unrestricted Restricted funds funds 2023 2023 Total 2024 2023 Notes Income from: Donations and legacies Charitable activities Other trading activities Investments 6,364 140,646 7,997 84,408 7,997 891,443 713,967 854,613 807,035 232.047 2.353 232.047 2.353 164.011 760 164,011 760 Total income 381.410 713.967 1.095.377 257,176 807,035 1,064,211 enditure on: Charitsble activities 492,111 719,568 1,211,679 478,114 771,162 1,249,276 Gross transfers bel￿een funds Net expenditure for the yearl Net movement in funds 172,030 (172,030) {110,701) (5,601) (116,302) (48,908) (136,157) (185,065) Fund balances at 1 April 2023 329.386 2.134.989 2,464.375 378,294 2,271,146 2,649,440 Fund balances at 31 March 2024 218,685 2,129,388 2,348,073 329,386 2,134,989 2,464,375 The statement of financial activits'es indudes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities. The statement of financial activities also complies with the requirements for an income and expenditure account under the Companies Act 2006. -62- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE BALANCE SHEETS AS AT31 MARCH 2024 Group 2024 Charity 2024 Group 2023 Charlty 2023 Notes Fixed assets Tangible assets Fixed asset investments 12 13 1.895.140 1.895,140 1.945,009 1,945,009 1.895,140 1,895.142 1,945,009 1,945,011 Current assets Debtors Cash at bank and in hand 15 105.322 438,832 114,489 427.110 78.950 564,945 88,118 553,147 544,154 541.599 643,895 641,265 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 16 (91,221) {91.221) (124,529) (124,529) Net current assets 452.933 450.378 519,366 516,736 Total assets less current liabilitles 2.348,073 2,345.520 2,464,375 2,461,747 Income funds Restricted funds Unrestricted fvnds Designated funds General unrestricted funds 18 2.129.388 2,129,388 2,134,989 2,134,989 19 70,570 148.115 70.570 145.562 71,650 257,736 71.650 255.108 2,348,073 2.345,520 2,464,375 2.461,747 The financial statements were approved by the board of direclors and authorised for issue on ......................... and are signed on its behalf by: Lynda Williams- Chair Company Registration No. 06717361 AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 2024 2023 Notes Cash flov￿ from operating activities Cash (absorbed by)Igenerated from operations 23 (127,626) 68,893 Investing activities Purchase of tangible fixed assets Investment income received (840) 2,353 (60,183) 760 Net cash generated froml(used in) investing activities 1,513 {59,423) Net cash used in financing activities Net {decrease)lincrease in cash and cash equivalents (126,113) 9,470 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 564.945 555.475 Cash and cash equivalents at end of year 438,832 564,945 AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Accounting policies Charity information Age Concem Morgannwg Limited is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Cynon Linc, Seymour Street, Aberdare, Glamorgan, CF44 7BD. 1.1 Accounting convention The financial statements have been prepared in accordan￿ with the Charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006. FRS 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" ('FRS 102") and the Charities SORP "Accounting and Reporting by Charities.. Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to chanties preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 20191. The Charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.. The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the Charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below. The financial statements consolidate the accounts of Age Concem Morgannwg Limited and its material subsidiaries. The results of subsidiaries are consolidated on a line-by-line basis.. The charitable company has taken advantage of the exemption contained within 408 of the Companies Act 2006 not to present its own Statement of Financial Activities. The income and expenditure account for the year dealt wth in the accounts of the charitable company was £116,227 deficit (2023.. £184,483 deficit). 1.2 Going concern The Trustees recognise the challenges of generating sufficient unrestricted income to build a sustainable reserve position however plans are in place to address this. Therefore at the time of approving the financial statements, the Trustees have a reasonable expedation that the Charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the Trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements. 1.3 Charitable funds Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives. Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements. 1.4 Income Grants.. Grants are included in the statement of financial activities on a receivable basis. The balance of income received for specific purposes but not expended during the period is shown in the relevant funds on the balance sheet. Where income is re￿iVed in advance of meeting any performance-related conditions there is not unconditional entitlement to the income and its recognition is deferred and included in creditors as deferred income until the performanc&related conditions are met. Where entitlement occurs before income is received, the income is accrued. -65- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Accounting policies {Continued) Donations.. Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donats'ons are recognised once the Charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require defe￿al of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation lo donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation. For legacies, entitlement is taken as the earlier of the date on vthich either= a) The Charitable Company is aware that probate has been granted., b) The estate has been finalised and notification has been made by the executor(s) that distribution will be made, or when a distribution is received from Ihe estate. Receipt of a legacy, whole or in part is only considered probable when the amount can be measured reliably and the Charitable Company has been notified of the executors, intention to make a distribution. Where legacies have been notified to the Charitable Company, or the Chantable Company is aware of the granting of probate and the criteria for income recognition have not been met. then the legacy is treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material. Rental Income.. Rental income from operating leases (net of any incentives given to the lessee) is recognised on a straight- line basis over the lease term. Rental received for space rented out to third parties as needed is recognised once payment has been received and event has taken pla Investment Income.. Investment income is recognised when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the Charitable Company.. this is nomially upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank. Service Level A reements: The charitable company delivers its setvices through a range of Service Level Agreements where perfomiance monitoring information is provided to the funders on a quarterly basis. The services provided are often subject to change during the year that reflects the fluctuations in demand or the introduction of new strategies. As a result, the charitable company are expected to adapt by varying overhead allocations to reflect the cost of delivering. administering. monitoring and managing the service. There is an expectation that funders Service Level Agreements will roll on year on year provided that the objectives of the contract are being satisfied. non Linc Reslauraunt.. Income derived from the Cynon Linc restaurant is recognised at the point of sale via the till system. Nail Cuttin Incomelsu ort Plus Sho Service.. The Se￿iCe is paid for upfront and recognised once the obligation of the service has been satisfied Other Income.. All other income is recognised apon the completion of the set perf0mlan￿ obligation Income from subsidia Income received in the trading subsidiary represents the total value of commission receivable for the year. This income is recognised when the Servi￿ to which the commission relates has been performed and entitlement to funds is probable. AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Accounting policies {Continued) 1.5 Expenditure Expenditure is recognised On￿ there is a legal or constwctive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, induding support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocaled directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activty are apportioned be￿een those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset's use. 1.6 Tangible fixed assets Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequendy measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses. Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases= Leasehold land and buildings Fixtures and fittings Computers Motor vehides Straight Line over lease term 200h Reducing Balan 33.33 % Straight Line 250h Straight Line The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is detemiined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities. 1.7 Impairment of fixed assets At each reporting end date, the Charity reviews the carying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impaimient loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to detemiine the extent of the impaimient loss {if any). 1.8 Cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call wth banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities. 1.9 Financial instruments The Charity has elected to apply the provisions of Seclion 11 'Basic Financial Instruments, and Section 12 'Other Financial Instruments Issues, of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments. Financial instwments are recognised in the Charty's balance sheet when the Charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument. Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and setue the liability simultaneously. -67- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Accounting policies {Continued) Basic financial assets Basic financial assets, which indude debtors and cash and bank balan￿$, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction. where the transaction is measured al the present value of the fvture receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised. Basic financial liabilities Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised. Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method. Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are dassified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction pri￿ and subsequently measured at amortised Cost using the effective interest method. Derecognition of financial liabilities Financial liabilities are derecognised when the Charity's contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled. 1.10 Employee benefits The costs of short-term employee benefits are recognised as a liability and an expense, unless those costs are required to be recognised as part of the cost of stock or fixed assets. 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 temiination benefits. 1.11 Retirement benefits Payments to defined contribution rets"rement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due. Critical accounting estimates and judgements In the application of the Charity's accounting policies, the Trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates. The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods. -68- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Donations and legacies Unrestricted Unrestricted funds funds 2024 2023 Donations and gifts 6,364 7,997 The charity currently leases the building known as Cynon Linc from Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council for a peppercom rent. As the building is specialist in nature a market value rent cannot be readily obtained and therefore donated facilities income together with a notional rental expense have been not been recognised in the financial statements. Charitable activities Grants 2024 Grants 2023 Grants Service level agreements Nail cutting Other 335,460 443,417 66,206 9,530 236,169 573,843 56,513 24,918 854,613 891,443 Analysis by fund Unrestricted funds Restricted funds 140,646 713,967 84,408 807,035 854,613 891,443 Grants Age Connecls Wales Cwm Taf Morgannwg Independent Age Charity National Lottery Pen-y-cymoedd Police & Crime Commissioner for South Wales Rhondda Cynon Taf CBC Wales Community Voluntary Association Welsh Government Other 4,000 1,981 18,000 40,265 97,536 5,500 29,278 16,276 89,823 32,801 2,675 36,060 13,333 36,000 43,979 18,568 31,417 43,688 10,449 335,460 236.169 -69- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Other trading activities Unrestricted Unrestricted funds funds 2024 2023 Fundraising Income Other Income Restaurant Income Rental Income 10,333 18,222 124,903 78,589 11,028 4,929 92,188 55,866 Other trading activities 232,047 164,011 Investments un￿strICted Unrestricted funds funds 2024 2023 Interest receivable 2,353 760 -70- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Charitable activities 2024 2023 staff costs Depreciation and impaimient Office expenses Motor and travel expenses Printing, postage and stationery Expenditure on raising funds Irrecoverable VAT Bad debts written off Advertising and promotions Bank charges Personal protective equipment Establishment costs Voluntary Mileage Repairs, maintenance & IT Project costs Legal, professional and training costs 455,094 19,754 21,947 11,882 5,385 578,479 19,340 15,933 13,423 7,119 4,109 23,973 31,572 1,825 13,977 2,847 2,355 35,088 13,319 1,415 295 37,364 3.234 9.194 20.670 27.404 12,416 33,696 39,506 687,344 775,271 Share of support costs (see note 8) Share of governance costs (see note 8) 509,335 15,000 464,137 9,868 1,211,679 1,249,276 Analysis by fund Unrestricted funds Restricted funds 492,111 719,568 478,114 771.162 1,211,679 1,249,276 71 AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Support costs Support Governance costs costs 2024 Support Governance costs costs 2023 staff costs Depreciation Establishment costs Repairs, maintenance & IT Restaurant costs Office expenses Printing, postage and stationery Motor and travel expenses 330,116 30,955 35,089 330,116 30,955 35,089 279,712 47,537 37,364 279,712 47,537 37,364 12.417 61.542 21.948 12.417 61.542 21.948 9.193 53,857 15.933 9,193 53.857 15.933 5,386 5,386 7,118 7,118 11,882 11,882 13,423 13,423 Audit fees 15.000 15.000 9,868 9.868 509.335 15.000 524.335 464.137 9,868 474.005 Analysed between Charitable activities 509,335 15,000 524,335 464,137 9,868 474,005 Governan￿ costs includes payments to the auditors of £15,000 (2023- £9,868} for audit fees. Trustees None of the Trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or benefits from the Charity during the year or the prior year. 10 Employees The average monthly number of employees during the year was.. 2024 Number 2023 Number Charitable Support Governance 42 48 Total 47 53 -72- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 10 Employees {Continued) Employment Costs 2024 2023 Wages and salaries Social security costs Other pension costs 721,153 40,114 23,943 787,672 43,086 27,433 785,210 858,191 Induded in the above amounts are redundancy costs of £14,920 (2023: £35.595). Key management personnel The total remuneration paid to key management personnel during the year (including gross salary, employers national Insuran￿ contributions and employers pension contributions) was £208,549 {2023.' £197,131). There were no employees whose annual remuneration was more than £60,000. 11 Taxation The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects. 12 Tangible fixed assets Leasehold Fixtures and Motor vehicles land and fittings buildings Total Cost At 1 April 2023 Additions 1,898,873 197,783 840 36,567 2,133,223 At 31 March 2024 1.898,873 198,623 36.567 2,134.063 Depreciation and impaimient At 1 April 2023 Depreciation charged in the year 36,272 19,754 115.375 30,955 36.567 188.214 50,709 At 31 March 2024 56,026 146,330 36,567 238,923 Carrying amount At 31 March 2024 1,842,847 52,293 1,895,140 At 31 March 2023 1,862,601 82,408 1,945,009 -73- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 13 Fixed asset investments Fixed asset investments comprise investments in subsidiaries. Group 2024 Charity 2023 Group 2024 Charity 2023 Cost and carrying amount At l April 2023 & 31 March 2024 14 Subsidiaries Details of the Charity's subsidiaries at 31 March 2024 are as follows.. Name of undertaking Registered office Nature of business Class of shares held 'k Held Direct Indirect Age Concern Morgannwg Cynon Linc. Trading Limited Seymour Street. Aberdare, Vlkales, CF44 7BD Inactive Ordinary 100.00 The aggregate capital and reserves and the result for the year of subsidiaries included in the consolidation was as follows.. Name of undertaking ProfiU(Loss) Capital and Reserves Age Concern Morgannwg Trading Limited (75) 2,555 15 Debtors 2024 Group 2024 Charity 2023 Group 2023 Charity Amounts falling due within one year: Trade debtors Amounts due from subsidiary undertakings Other debtors Prepayments and accrued income 73,043 73,043 9,167 37,226 37,226 9,168 21,085 20,639 21,085 20,639 32,279 32,279 105,322 114,489 78,950 88,118 -74- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 16 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 2024 Group 2024 Charity 2023 Group 2023 Charity Notes Other taxation and social security Deferred income Trade creditors Other creditors Accwals 6.542 22.604 18,378 13,122 30,575 6,542 22,604 18,378 13,122 30,575 2,502 34,308 62,462 12,624 12,633 2.502 34.308 62,462 12,624 12,633 91,221 91,221 124,529 124,529 17 Government grants Deferred income is included in the financial ststements as follows= 2024 2023 Deferred income is included within.. Current liabilities 22,604 34,308 Movements in the year.. Deferred income at 1 April 2023 Released from previous periods Resources deferred in the year 34,308 (34,308) 22.604 10,054 {10,054) 34,308 Deferred income at 31 March 2024 22.604 34.308 Deferred income relates to grant income received in advan￿ which has been appropriately deferred under the terms and conditions of the funding (2023.. Servi￿ level agreerment income received prior to 31 March 2023 relating to the 2023124 financial year). -75- Uuuuuc c ¢u c co) c v c OJT) w U o) o ¢D O (ts TJ C T> J TItT)t7) TJ Q) T> E q) Tl O T) 0 7) u TJ C T) C CLC1ic￿ C c Cin c ￿￿￿￿5￿0¢￿￿￿￿3￿£￿0£c£o0> rrCc£cc(L)Utt￿CÉv)r£u(ÉsC£￿CLuCLC)@)u￿￿ ¢D￿E￿ Olro Iwu)o ) I Tto mmLn o) < uOU>c(￿>v>C)￿>￿>QL>cLuc￿uZL)S0cLzQzLllL)￿￿ C jo00￿￿00(￿00n¢￿so Lri <0 iri o t4 ¢ci ¢c* ¢3) * ¢Ji (ci )000￿-￿00NO0f￿O)0Tr- oo*infoo*roONfQ¢S)￿- 0inmvNOLr)rooo(o￿ inLN (W Ix) co In o c ¢X) ￿ CO (3) * (Si r£* (o a) *ou) mou) *0¢7) moa) Q)u C CLU u ai w E5 0 Q) oCJ> ofJ(J￿ oDL)U c II Cci CL)S¢tCLC((L CCLCL CVQ) o)t CL CL E 0 f( Q) rJJ 05 ¢D c￿l0 oo) El DoJ(n co £0 c> J o) (v L)C L)th C(u >ffj >>U> > o)J I AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 19 Designated funds The income funds of the charity include the following designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.. Balance at 1 April 2022 Transfers Balance at 1 April 2023 Resources Balance at expended 31 March 2024 Age Connects Wales Development of Trading Opportunities Business Continiuity- Disaster Recovery Digital Transformation 2,000 25,000 20,000 29,559 2,000 20,091 20,000 29,559 2,000 20,091 20.000 28.479 (4.909) (1,080) 76,559 {4.909) 71.650 (1,080) 70.570 ACW- For Age Concem Morgannwg share of fijnding costs ofACW Developing of Trading Opportunities- To Facilitate new trading opportunities for the charity Disaster Recovery To fund any unforeseen. emergency costs relating to the information technology infrastructure, premises costs or loss of business as a result of fire. flood or malicious content Digital Transforniation - To support the charity's plans to improve access to and use of digital solutions for staff, volunteers and customers. The aim of digitalization is to align with and deliver on the strategic objectives of the organization and achieve efficiency and boost resources. 20 Analysis of net assets between funds Unrestricted Restricted funds funds 2024 2024 Total Unrestricted Restricted funds funds 2023 2023 Total 2024 2023 Fund balances at 31 March 2024 are represented by.. Tangible assets Current assetsl{liabilities) 52,294 166.391 1.842,846 286,542 1.895,140 452.933 82,408 246.978 1,862,601 272,388 1,945.009 519.366 218,685 2,129,388 2,348,073 329,386 2,134,989 2,464,375 21 Operating lease commitments At the reporting end date the Charity had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows= 2024 2023 Within one year Be￿een two and five years 6,572 10,762 19,500 27,829 17,334 47.329 -83- AGE CONCERN MORGANNWG LIMITED A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 22 Related party transactions There were no further disclosable related paty transactions during the year (2023 - none). The Charitable Company is an active member of the Age Connects Partnership in Wales. The Partnership is made up of indepedent and autonomous Age Concem organisations, which share common aims and values working together to add value to the work and role ofAge Concern in Wdles. The Charitable Company has claimed exemption under FRS 102 from disclosing intra-group transactions with its wholly owned subsidiary entities. 23 Cash generated from operations 2024 2023 Deficit for the year (116,302) (185,065) Adjustments for: Investment income recognised in statement of financial activities Depreciation and impairment of tangible fixed assets (2,353) 50.709 (760) 66.877 Movements in working capital.. (Increase}Idecrease in debtors (Decrease) in creditors (Decreasellincrease in deferred income {26,372) (21,604) (11,704) 185,366 (21,779) 24,254 Cash labsorbed by)Igenerated from operations 1127.626) 68.893 24 Anatysis of changes in net funds The Charity had no debt during the year. 25 Members liability The charity is a private company limited by guarantee, and consequently does not have share capital. Each of the members ia liable to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 towards the assets of the charitable company in the event of liquidation.