Registered Charity No: 1144729
_**Reducing loneliness and isolation for vulnerable and older people in Clifton, Wilford and Silverdale**_
## **Good Companions Annual Report 2025**
Sarah Cox, Operations Co-ordinator Dee Stirland, Administrative Officer Gwen Eyre & Wendy Finnerty, Co-ordinators Clare Ashton, Chair, Management Committee
**INDEX**
1
_Registered Charity: 1144729_
|_Registered Charity: 1144729_||
|---|---|
|Background|3|
|Aims of Good Companions|3|
|Overview of 2025|3|
|Management Committee|3-4|
|Sub-groups||
|
Events & Local Fundraising|4-5|
|
Strategic Finance||
|Other group representation|5|
|Stafng|5|
|Volunteers|5-6|
|Recruitment|6|
|Training|6|
|Referrals|6-7|
|Friendship Groups||
|
Clifton Community Centre||
|
Parkgate
Rivergreen|7-10|
|
Silverdale||
|
Simone||
|Home Visiting Scheme|10|
|Service User Feedback|11|
|Marketing|11|
|Funding|11-12|
|Conclusion|12|
## **Background**
Good Companions was established in 2001 in response to a survey carried out within the Clifton, Wilford and Silverdale areas of Nottingham by the Social Action Research Project. The survey identified many older people living alone and socially
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isolated due to lack of available support from family, friends, statutory or voluntary services. A Health Action Group was set up by the local Nottingham City Council Area Committee, which undertook further consultation with older local people, statutory services and other interested parties. As a consequence, a decision was taken to set up a Home Visiting scheme for these areas to address this unmet need and Good Companions was established. It was supported by an initial 3-year grant to fund a part-time co-ordinator and set up costs. The visiting scheme arranged for volunteers to meet with service users in their own homes on a regular basis for conversation, friendship, and support.
In 2003, the Visiting Scheme was supplemented by the formation of a weekly friendship group. This was in response to requests from service users themselves, as well as the recognition that older people would benefit from making new friends outside their own homes, increasing their independence, self-confidence, and social interaction, thus reducing their social isolation. During August 2025, the Management Committee held a Strategic Planning meeting to ensure the future sustainability of the charity during which difficult decisions were made. Regrettably, these were to wind down the Home Visiting service and close one of our 5 weekly Friendship groups at the end of the year, based on a number of factors.
## **Aims of Good Companions**
To reduce loneliness and isolation for vulnerable and older people in Clifton, Wilford and Silverdale. We do this by offering the opportunity for people to attend one of our friendship groups or by providing a home visiting service for those in our community who are housebound (but with no new referrals being accepted from September 2025 due to winding this service down).
## **Over-view of 2025**
During the last year, Good Companions has focussed on its key activities of organising and running 5 weekly Friendship groups and its Home Visiting service. It has also organised a number of social and fundraising events for service users, their families and others in the local community to enjoy. At the beginning of 2025, the new structure, agreed the previous year, was implemented with a part-time Operations Co-ordinator responsible for 2 part-time Group Co-ordinators and a parttime Administrative Officer. Sadly, at the end of 2025, our Silverdale group closed, our Operations Co-ordinator resigned at the end of 2025 after 6 and a half years and one of our Group Co-ordinators went on maternity leave. Interviews were held and we were able to appoint a new part-time Operations Co-ordinator before the end of the year but not a Group Co-ordinator to cover maternity leave.
## **Management Committee 2025**
||**Ofcers and**|**Trustees**||**Members**||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||Chairman|Clare Ashton||Cllr Andrew Rule|Volunteer|
||Vice Chair|
Allan Breeton||Cllr Kevin Clarke|Volunteer|
||Treasurer|Christine Breeton||Rebecca Ironmonger|Volunteer|
||Secretary|Vacant||Adrian Conway|Volunteer|
|**In**|**Attendance**|||||
Sarah Cox, Operations coordinator
The Management Committee met 4 times during the year in addition to the AGM.
## **Subgroups**
To support the Management Committee, 2 subgroups have continued to meet regularly either in person or via Zoom, as follows:
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- Events & Local Fundraising (led by Sarah Cox)
- Strategic Finance (led by Clare Ashton)
## **Events & Local Fundraising Subgroup**
**Members**
Sarah Cox (Lead) Dee Stirland Clare Ashton June Walker Kevin Clarke
The group met on 8 occasions in 2025 in order to develop and plan events and fundraising ideas for the benefit of Good Companions and our service users.
The table below shows all events planned by the subgroup in 2025. A total of £5,157.00 was raised through these events.
|**Month**|**Activity**|**Event type**|
|---|---|---|
|January|Puzzle & book swap|Fundraiser|
|April|Ruddington Village Market|Fundraiser|
|April|Easter event including tombola & lunch|Social event
&fundraiser|
|June|Fire service car wash|Fundraiser|
|July|Summer grand rafe|Fundraiser|
|August|Summer garden party for volunteers|Social event|
|Septembe
r|Quiz & supper event including tombola|Fundraiser|
|November|Jigsaw & book swap plus lunch|Social event
&fundraiser|
||Pantomime|Social event|
|December|Clifton Lights switch-on (including tombola)|Fundraiser|
||Christmas party|Social event
&fundraiser|
||Christmas grand draw (licensed rafe)|Fundraiser|
||Christmas get-together for volunteers|Social event|
## **Strategic Finance subgroup**
**Members** Clare Ashton (Lead) Cllr Andrew Rule Allan Breeton Andrew Price Christine Breeton
This subgroup is to provide a strategic overview of the charities’ finances:-setting the budget; monitoring its income and expenditure; producing a financial plan to support the ongoing and future activities to ensure sustainability; identifying opportunities for fundraising through grants and other sources and ensuring implementation of any agreed action; and ensuring compliance with Charity Commission requirements and with good financial practices and regulations. During the year, the group met formally approximately every 3 months. Its activities support both our Treasurer and Fundraiser.
## **Other Group Representation**
Good Companions is represented on other Committees, as follows:
- Clifton Neighbourhood Board
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- Clifton Advice Centre Management Committee
- Age Friendly Nottingham Steering Group (AFN)
- Volunteer Co-ordinator and Managers Network (NCVS)
- Clifton Together Steering Group (Collective Impact Initiative)
- Clifton Partnership group
## **Staffing**
The official base for Good Companions is the Clifton Cornerstone in Southchurch Drive, located on the first floor. However, most of the Co-ordinators’ and Administrator’s time is spent in the local community or working from home. The desk phone is checked for messages four times each week by the Co-ordinators, and the mail is checked/collected at least once a week.
At December 2025, Good Companions employed three part time staff.
- **Sarah Cox** was Operations Co-ordinator, employed for 22 hours per week, and had been in post since May 2019. The role remit includes running the Rivergreen Friendship group, the Home Visiting Scheme, as well as being responsible for the 2 Group Co-ordinators and for the recruitment and support of volunteers, and events and activities. She resigned at the end of 2025 – we are very grateful to Sarah for all that she contributed over the time she was with us.
- **Delia Stirland** changed roles in January 2025, moving from Group Coordinator (16 hours per week) to Administrative Officer. She now works 25 hours per month on a flexible basis maintaining and updating all our administrative processes and requirements. She provides emergency cover for sickness at the friendship groups and continues to support Good Companions with fundraising as a volunteer.
- **Gwen Eyre** was employed as the new Silverdale Friendship Group Coordinator on 9 hours per week commencing in February 2024. From the beginning of 2025, her role is now to run the Silverdale and Parkgate Friendship Groups working 11 hours per week.
- **Wendy Finnerty** was employed from beginning of January 2025 on 10 hours per week to run the Clifton Community Centre and Simone Gardens Friendship Groups. She went on maternity leave in November and has since had a lovely daughter.
## **Volunteers**
We commenced 2025 with 38 volunteers and ended the year with 34. At the end of the year, 3 of our volunteers who supported the Silverdale group, indicated their intention to step down with the closure of the group. We were very grateful for all they contributed to this group and were sorry to see them step down but wish them well in the future. We were pleased to welcome two new volunteers, Amber-Leigh Cross and Sara Comar.
All volunteers receive a Basic DBS check which is processed and paid for by Good Companions. This is re-checked every 3 years. Support to volunteers includes twice-yearly volunteer meetings, periodic minimeetings/debriefs within friendship groups, and social calls. We also organise two annual volunteer social events: a summer garden party and a pre-Christmas gettogether with buffet. We believe that we offer a positive and supportive volunteering environment; our volunteers tell us that they find the experience enjoyable.
## **Recruitment**
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We continue to advertise for new volunteers through our Facebook page, on our website, inclusion in the ‘Ask Lion’ web pages, Nottingham Community Voluntary Service (NCVS) database, Nottingham Trent University student volunteering bulletin boards. In addition, our promotional leaflet invites people to contact us if they wish to volunteer. Good Companions is very grateful for additional volunteers who join us to support at special events; these are generally found through word-of-mouth or through their historical support.
All prospective volunteers complete an application form and attend an informal interview. This gives an opportunity to get to know each other and ask questions. Before they commence volunteering with us:
- Two references are requested,
- An induction meeting is arranged (volunteers are given an induction folder)
- The volunteer signs and returns a volunteering agreement and a confidentiality agreement
- Issued with an ID photo card
We continue with the use of a volunteers’ WhatsApp chat group to which the Coordinators have admin responsibility for. This allows the volunteers to have informal contact with each other outside of the friendship groups should they wish it and enables Co-ordinators to inform volunteers of new events and check availability for specific activities. Email is used as the primary way to disseminate information to volunteers.
## **Training**
## **Volunteers**
- **Adult safe-guarding** is compulsory for all volunteers every three years
- **Dementia awareness** is optional but actively encouraged. This was provided by Bev Pearson of the Radford Care Group
## **Staff**
- **Emergency First Aid** Gwen Eyre and Dee Stirland attended this training course with St. John’s Ambulance in 2024 and hold the Emergency First Aid Certificate which needs to be redone in May 2026
- **Dementia awareness** All Co-ordinators attend this awareness session alongside volunteers
Good Companions continue to be open to be providing such training to volunteers as is beneficial to the provision of our services.
## **Referrals**
Referrals generally fall into 3 categories:
- Professional referrals (professional and health care workers etc)
- Self-referrals (when a person makes a decision to attend a group)
- Family and friend referrals
However a person attends a group, a form is required to be completed capturing information relevant to their attendance at the group. We currently have 2 forms in operation, one for a referral made by a professional and one completed by a person who comes of their own free will or when they have been encouraged to come by family or friends.
## **Referrals received (2025) Referral submitted by**
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|Professional Referrals (includes Social Services, Re-ablement, mental
health, community care, Community Connector& Social Prescribers)|20|
|---|---|
|Relatives/familyfriends|9|
|Self-referral/walk-in at a friendship group|16|
|**Total:**|**45**|
3 of these were for our home visiting service and were put on a waiting list for when volunteers were available to provide the support.
Receipt of referrals was reasonably even throughout the year with the exceptions of April and July when we received 9 and 6 respectively.
## **Breakdown of referrals by month (2025)**
|**MONTH**|**Friendship Group**|**Home Visiting**|**Non-specifc**|**Total**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**January**|3|||3|
|**February**|4|||4|
|**March**|3|||3|
|**April**|8|1||9|
|**May**|2|||2|
|**June**|2||2|4|
|**July**|5|1||6|
|**August**|4|||4|
|**September**|3|||3|
|**October**|3|||3|
|**November**|2|1||3|
|**December**|1|||1|
|**Totals:**|**40**|**3**|**2**|**45**|
Of the referrals received, 30 progressed to attending a group, although not all of them have remained with us. Some of the reasons for not continuing to attend include individuals changing their mind, no longer needing the support or lack of engagement by individuals or their families. In addition to this, 12 referrals declined the service after receiving further information and the 3 applicants for home visiting were removed from the list.
## **Friendship Groups**
Our five Friendship Groups follow a similar format:
- Welcome, drinks served, chat and completion of quizzes or word searches
- Activity session, this might include seated health qi gong, crafting or attendance by a guest speaker
- Announcements including birthdays, raffle and quiz answers
- Bingo or Hoya called by one of the service users or volunteers
Taxi use for service users is booked via an account held with one of two local taxi firms - Southside Cars or NG11. We charge service users a subsidised fee of £3.00 each-way for this service, with the remainder being paid from general funds. The cost of attending the group is £3 per person and games such as bingo and hoya that have prizes awarded are charged at 50p per game.
In 2025 the friendship groups were open for 49 weeks; one closure week was due to the January planning week, one week for the Christmas party week, and the third for the Christmas week when staff take annual leave. The friendship groups do not meet on bank holidays.
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All of our friendship groups are led by one paid Co-ordinator plus a number of volunteers. Good Companions would not be able to provide our weekly groups in the same format/cost without the support of these exceptional volunteers and their attendance, enthusiasm and support is very much appreciated.
## **Clifton Community Centre Friendship Group**
The group meets weekly on Monday from 11am to 1pm and occupies the main room in the Community Centre. The location of the venue is excellent with both a regular bus service and tram stops directly outside.
In 2025, the group met 45 times, closure occurrences were all due to bank holidays and Good Companions closures. The average weekly attendance was 19 which is a good level of attendance. We have 6 regular volunteers who work hard to make the group an enjoyable occasion for everyone attending. The group continues to generate a reasonable income from service users paying for refreshments, bingo etc.
For the main part of 2025, the group was run by coordinator Wendy Finnerty who was both popular with service users and volunteers as well as an efficient and effective coordinator. At the end of the year, Wendy went on maternity leave and it is hoped she will return to her post at some point in 2026.
Service users are actively encouraged to get involved with activities and they do so, particularly enjoying sessions involving music of any kind (groups or singers, music quizzes, and impromptu singing sessions). This is a lovely group with some real characters and a pleasure to organise and run.
## **Parkgate Friendship Group**
This group meets weekly on a Friday at the Parkgate Community Centre from 11am to 2pm only closing for Good Friday and the Christmas break. At the start of the 2025 Gwen took over the role of co-ordinator on a weekly basis from the previous arrangement of alternating with Dee Stirland. The first hour is refreshments and quizzes, followed by a community lunch and a final hour consisting of Hoya or Bingo. There are also regular activities such as crafts, Qigong (Tai Chi) and occasionally live music.
At the start of 2025, the register for the Friendship Group contained 22 names which slightly increased to 24 over the year. An average of 12 attended each week. However, weekly attendance ranged from 6 during a period of very icy weather, up to 17 people in late August.
We have a close working relationship with staff and volunteers at the centre and as part of our collaborative activities, our service users join other members of the public for lunch, prepared and served by staff and volunteers from the Parkgate Community Kitchen. Good Companions volunteers assist with the serving of hot meals in between the group’s activities on a Friday.
## **Rivergreen Friendship Group**
This friendship group meets each Tuesday morning at the Clifton Methodist Hub, 10.00am to 12 noon in the main hall. The facilities are well maintained and in an excellent location with regular buses and the tram stopping directly outside. Along with Clifton Community Centre, this is an excellent location for larger group meeting and fundraising events and is regularly used for these. Good Companions has a very positive working relationship with the church staff.
8
In 2025, the group met 49 times, closure occurrences were all due to Good Companions closures. The average weekly attendance was 23 throughout the year which is a good level of attendance and the group continues to flourish.
Due to staff changes at the location, we now have to set up and clear the room of tables and chairs for the group which is an additional task for the coordinator and volunteers. However, the friendship group continues to be very well supported by volunteers, with between four and eight assisting each week, the average number of volunteers is six.
## **Silverdale Friendship Group**
The Silverdale group started in February 2022, with Gwen becoming the coordinator in March 2024. The group met every Monday afternoon at the Silverdale Community Centre, 1.15pm to 3.15pm only closing on Bank Holidays and during the Christmas break. The first hour was refreshments and quizzes with the second hour consisting of Hoya and Bingo compered by one of the service users. There were also regular activities such as crafts, singing, Qigong (Tai Chi) and occasionally live music.
At the start of 2025, the register for the Silverdale Friendship Group contained 19 names which remained the same all year. An average of 14 attended each week. However, weekly attendance ranged from 9 during a period of icy weather, up to 19 people in May 2025. The group ran with the help of 5 regular volunteers, plus an additional 2 who covered in the event of illness and holidays. The weekly average was 3 with an additional helper for setting up tables and tidying away at the end
The highlight of 2025 was, without doubt, the 100[th] birthday party for Ken G. We had live music from a 4-piece vocal group called “Songs4U” and a fish and chip lunch from the Cod’s Scallops. Clare gave a short speech and when asked to give a few words Ken instead sang “My Way”.
The decision to close the Silverdale group, after 3 years, was understandably met with sadness by our service users and their families as well as volunteers. However, several of the Silverdale regular service users already attended other groups across the week and some expressed an interest in attending the group at Clifton Community Centre on a Monday morning. Two of the volunteers were also already helping at other groups.
## **Simone Gardens Friendship Group**
This group meets each Thursday morning, 10.00am to 12 noon, in the community room at the Simone Gardens complex. This is one of two assisted living complexes very close to each other, the other being Lakehead House.
Good Companions has a positive working relationship with the Independent Living Co-ordinator for both sites and we actively encourage attendance by people from both locations. We also promote services to each other for the benefit of residents at both complexes and Good Companions’ service users.
In 2025, the group met 49 times with an average weekly attendance was 12. Closure occurrences were all due to Good Companions closures.
This remains the smallest of all of the friendship groups (attendance being limited by the size of the room) but this has the positive effect of creating a supportive and nurturing environment where all the service users are able to engage with each other. Nottingham City Council do not charge us for the use of the community room, which allows us to maintain the group with a lower income.
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We also have a close working relationship with Clifton Manor Care Home who regularly bring residents from the home to the group. They are accompanied by an activity co-ordinator &/or care workers from the home, who remain with them throughout the morning.
Volunteer attendance at this group is between one and four per week. The weekly average number of volunteers present is two.
## **Home Visiting Scheme**
The number of people requiring our home visiting service has fallen over the last few years. At the beginning of this year, we had 7 people receiving home visiting which fell to 5 during the first quarter.
With only 3 referrals during this year, one of which was outside of our area, the continuation of providing this service was raised at our Strategic Planning meeting held on 11[th] August 2025.
Discussion at this meeting considered a number of issues:
- falling demand for the service
- recruitment of volunteers to support the service being more difficult than for group activities
- income generated from this is zero
- during the year, all service users of the HVS were asked if they would like to make a donation to Good Companions, only 1 positive response was received
As a result of the discussion at the Strategic Planning meeting, the Management Committee agreed that this service would be wound down gradually. As each service user ceases to require the service for any reason, their place would not be filled and the volunteer would be asked if they wished to support other activities within the organisation.
It was also agreed that all current users of the service, anyone on a waiting list and those professionals who referred people to the service would be notified in writing.
## **Service User Feedback**
Following discussions at the Management Committee meeting held 3[rd] April 2025, it was agreed that service user feedback would take place every 2 years from now on. The next review of this will take place at the end of 2026.
## **Marketing**
Good Companions has continued to retain a presence on the ‘Do It’ website via the Nottingham Council for Voluntary Services (NCVS) as well as on the Nottingham City Council’s (NCC) ‘Ask Lion’ website. Our own Good Companions Facebook posts are regularly shared on local Facebook pages–‘This is Wilford’; ‘The Clifton Community Group’; NG11 Community Page’; ‘Silverdale Wilford & Clifton’; and ‘Clifton/Barton Green Community’, updated by Kim Ward and Alma Davies. The website has been improved and is regularly updated by Adrian Conway. Regular articles have been produced and printed in our Clifton Local News, promoting our services and seeking new volunteers.
In addition, verbal reports on Good Companions have been given at meetings of the Clifton Neighbourhood Board and the AFN Steering Group, when the opportunities arise, which are held online via Zoom/Microsoft Teams or in person. It has also been promoted at various events including the annual conference organised by the UK
10
Network for Ageing Better, the AFN Event in Nottingham Market Square, the Nottingham Trent University Volunteer Fair, and at the AFN International Older Person’s Day event, the Clifton ‘Fun days’ in the Clifton Flower Park, and at various fundraising events. Marketing materials used have included leaflets, a ‘flag’ for external use, and banners for internal use. In addition, the ‘Keep the Change’ donation collection boxes, located in a wide range of venues throughout the local community, have continually promoted Good Companions and raised awareness of our charity, organised by Alma Davies and Jacky Holmes.
A regular Good Companions newsletter is produced and circulated to all service users, volunteers, key stakeholders and individuals in the local community. This promotes our activities and keeps everyone informed of future events.
## **Funding**
This has remained a constant area of concern, particularly with the increasingly difficult financial climate, with cuts to voluntary and social services and increases in rent and taxi fares. The charity is constantly looking at different ways of reducing our overheads as well as increasing income. Consequently, we have continued with monthly bulk purchasing for refreshments and other items for our Friendship groups, which was introduced 3 years ago. In addition, at its Strategic Planning meeting, the Management Committee considered its future financial situation, and amongst other important factors, took difficult decisions about its future service delivery.
We continue to be very grateful to those businesses in Clifton, who have regularly provided items for refreshments, raffles, tombolas and bingo prizes for our Friendship Groups and for use at fundraising events. Many of them have also taken a ‘Keep the Change’ donation collection box, which has raised a significant amount of money for Good Companions each year.
We have been fortunate to obtain a number of grants with the help of our Honorary Fundraiser, Andrew Price. However, these were fewer than the previous years but all have contributed to the general running costs of Good Companions, which have been much appreciated. These include grants from the Forever Notts (Nottingham Community Foundation) CRS Fund, A W Lymns, Skerritt Trust, NG11 cars charity golf day, and Snakes United FC. In addition, we have received generous donations from service users, volunteers, local individuals and businesses.
A number of planned fundraising events took place during the year, which have significantly contributed to our income with grateful thanks to the Events and Local Fundraising sub-group, our Co-ordinators and volunteers.
The experience of working with the Independent Examiners, CA Plus, to produce our accounts for the last 4 years made the process for the 2025 accounts so much easier – with thanks to our Treasurer supported by Cllr Andrew Rule.
## **Conclusion**
The past year has been very busy as we have continued to focus on delivering what is clearly a much-needed service to people in our local community. It has also been a challenging year as the Management Committee decisions regarding the future direction of the charity were implemented in difficult circumstances during the latter part of the year.
The hard work and support of our Co-ordinators and volunteers, and many in our local community, has continued to be very much appreciated by our service users. It has enabled Good Companions to continue to support so many people, to enrich
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lives and we hope, to make a positive difference to someone’s day. Many of our service users have experienced serious health issues requiring hospitalisation yet it has been so worthwhile to welcome them back to Good Companions and to see how much it means to them.
Whilst our funding position has reduced again by the end of the year, we hope that decisions taken will enable us to be more confident about the future viability of Good Companions. However, we will need to explore other ways of raising funds to ensure our income is continued for the future.
We look forward to another year when we will be celebrating the 25[th] anniversary of Good Companions.
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## **Good Companions** (Registered charity, number 1144729) **Financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2025**
|**Page**|**Contents**|
|---|---|
|2 - 4|Trustees’ annual report|
|5|Independent examiner’s report|
|6|Receipts & payments account|
|7|Statement of assets & liabilities|
|8 - 9|Notes to the accounts|
## **Good Companions Trustees’ annual report for the year ended 31 December 2025**
**Full name** Good Companions
## **Registered charity number** 1144729
## **Principal address**
Clifton Cornerstone Southchurch Drive Nottingham NG11 8EW
## **Trustees**
Clare Ashton, Chair Christine Breeton, Treasurer Allan Breeton, Vice Chair
## **Independent examiner**
Eva Stevens, employee of Community Accounting Plus, Units 1 & 2 North West, 41 Talbot Street, Nottingham, NG1 5GL
## **Governance and management**
The charity is operated under the rules of its constitution adopted 01/01/2000 and most recently amended 05/10/2011.
As set out in our governing document, membership is open to individuals over eighteen or organisations approved by the Trustees.
## **Objectives and activities**
The relief of elderly persons, being over 60 years of age, and those below that age who have need for such services, living in the Clifton, Wilford and Silverdale areas of Nottingham and the surrounding area by such means as are recognised as charitable within the law of England and Wales as the Trustees shall determine and particularly but not exclusively by:
- The provision of a Befriending and Visiting Service;
- The provision of advice, information and support for such persons and their carers;
- The training of volunteers.
## **Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit**
Our main activities undertaken for the public benefit include:
1. Provision of a home visiting service and friendship groups;
2. Provision of activities, events and trips;
3. Recruitment, training and supervision of volunteers.
2
## **Good Companions**
## **Public benefit statement**
By reducing the social isolation and loneliness of vulnerable and older people in Clifton, Wilford and Silverdale areas of Nottingham and the surrounding area which improves their health and wellbeing.
The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit, 'Charities and Public Benefit'.
## **Summary of the main achievements during the period**
Following decisions taken towards the end of 2024, Good Companions introduced a new part-time Administrative Officer role (25 hours per month) and welcomed a new group Co-ordinator (at reduced hours) at the beginning of the year. By the end of the year, one of our 2 group co-ordinators had started maternity leave, our Operations Co-ordinator had resigned after 6.5 years, and a new Operations Co-ordinator was in place still leaving a vacancy for a group co-ordinator for maternity cover.
However, the charity has continued with it's key activities - organising a Home Visiting Scheme and 5 weekly Friendship Groups in Clifton, Parkgate and Silverdale Community Centres, Simone Gardens Independent Living Scheme and Rivergreen Methodist Hub. Service Users have enjoyed a wide range of activities including Health Qigong; 'pamper', craft and music sessions; talks from a variety of speakers - police, fire service etc; games, quizzes, adult colouring and word searches as well as the annual visit to the pantomime.
Referrals for our services have continued to be received from a wide range of sources particularly from social prescribers and community connectors. These have been followed up and potential service users assessed for either home visiting or attendance at a Friendship Group. However, referrals for home visiting were discontinued during the year due to a shortage of volunteer home visitors and then the service wound down from September 2025.
Volunteers have continued to be recruited throughout the year for the Friendship groups, and trained and supported by Co-ordinators. They were also invited to a Volunteers' garden party and Christmas gathering.
Fundraising activities have focussed on grant applications, raffles, donation appeals, tombolas, market stalls, table tops, a car wash in conjunction with the local Fire Station, and 'Keep the Change' donation collection boxes, as well as very successful and enjoyable social and fundraising events - A Quiz and Fish & Chip supper evening, a Christmas party, Easter and Harvest themed events, and jigsaw and book swaps with lunch.
Communication and promotion has been achieved through a regular newsletter (to service users and their family members, referrers, local community key individuals etc), leaflets, local Facebook pages as well as our own Facebook page and website, articles in the local Clifton News, Zoom meetings and WhatsApps groups. Promotion has also been facilitated through representation on a variety of local groups including the Clifton Neighbourhood Board and Age Friendly Nottingham.
3
Good Companions
The Management Committee has met regularly supported by a number of subgroups
and has included a Workshop to review the Good Companions Strategic Plan and
its, future.
A more detailed report with statistics will be produced for the AGM incorporating this
information.
We are very grateful to all our grant funders. to those who support us in the local
community financially with donations or grfts in kind or have one of our collection
boxes, attend our fundraising events or give their time through a variety of
volunteering activities as V11 as the invaluable hard work of our part-time staff and
volunteers, all of which enable us to make a real differen to the vulnerable and
older people in Clifton, Wilford and Silverdale.
Financial review
Unfortunately, for a second successive year. our financial outturn was reduced. This
was mainly due to reduced income from grants and increased expenditure due to
increases in rent, refreshments, taxis and Nl contributions.
During the lasl year, the Management c0mrnitt has undertaken a review of its
Strategic Plan and considered the long-temi viability of Good Companions taking
account of falling Servi user numbers, reduced income, increased expendrture and
suitability of venues. As a result, the drfficult decision was taken, reluctantly, to wind
down the Home Visiting Seprfi (as from Septernber 2025), to close the Silverdale
Friendship Group (at the end of 2025) and to change the role and subsequently
redu the hours of the new incoming Operations Coordinator. In addition. taxi
contributions from service users were increased during the year.
The charity's policy on r•serves
We do have a reserves policy to provide cover should we be unable to attract grants
or raise sufficient funds through fundraising activrties.
Signed on behalf of the charity's trustees:
Signed
Clare Ashton, Trustee
Date
## **Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Good Companions for the year ended 31 December 2025**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Good Companions (the charity) for the year ended 31 December 2025.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’). I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed _________________________ Date ______________________ 11/02/2026 Eva Stevens BSc, CPFA Employee of Community Accounting Plus
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## **Good Companions Receipts & payments account for the year ended 31 December 2025**
|_2024_
Total
Funds
£
**Note**
**Receipts**
12793
Grants & donations
**2**
5501
Fundraising
20784
Friendship Group income
-
Refreshments & Prizes
2967
Taxis
836
Bank interest
112
Sundry receipts
-
Parties / events
42993
**Total receipts**
**Payments**
32929
Wages, NI & pension
916
Training
1260
Professional services
536
Insurance
987
Printing & stationery
907
Equipment, IT & comms
291
DBS & ID
4605
Friendship Group expenditure
5255
Room hire
276
Sundry payments
4104
Taxis
628
Rent
52694
**Total payments**
(9701)
**Net receipts/(payments)**
79362
Cash funds at start of this period
69661
**Cash funds at end of this period**|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**£**
4862
6018
25703
74
391
1480
-
102
**38630**
35057
294
1431
500
1298
1943
754
5271
6575
104
4026
751
**58004**
(19374)
69661
**50287**|**_2025_**
**Restricted**
**Total**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
4045
8907
-
6018
-
25703
-
74
-
391
-
1480
-
-
-
102
**4045**
**42675**
-
35057
-
294
-
1431
-
500
-
1298
-
1943
-
754
1220
6491
-
6575
-
104
-
4026
-
751
**1220**
**59224**
2825
(16549)
-
69661
**2825**
**53112**|
|---|---|---|
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## **Good Companions Statement of assets and liabilities at 31 December 2025**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2024 2025
£ Cash assets Note £
69561 Bank accounts 53012
100 Cash in hand 100
69661 53112
Other monetary assets
1350 Prepayment- Insurance 417
1350 417
Liabilities
(612) Creditors 4 (703)
(612) (703)
**----- End of picture text -----**
These financial statements are accepted on behalf of the charity by:
Signed ___________________________________ Date ___________ 09/02/2026 Christine Breeton, Trustee
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## **Good Companions Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **1. Receipts & payments accounts**
Receipts and payments accounts contain a summary of money received and money spent during the period and a list of assets and liabilities at the end of the period. Usually, cash received and cash spent will include transactions through bank accounts and cash in hand.
## **2. Grants & donations**
|**Grants & donations**|||
|---|---|---|
|Skerritt Trust
AW Lymn
Nottm CMFS CRS FUND
Sundry grants & donations|**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**£**
**£**
-
3000
-
585
-
460
4862
-
**4862**
**4045**|**Total**
**£**
3000
585
460
4862|
|||**8907**|
## **3. Funds analysis**
|**Funds analysis**||||
|---|---|---|---|
|**Restricted funds**
Tai Chi activities
Christmas parties
**Unrestricted funds**
General
Reserves
Restructuring
Equipment replacement
Snakes united FC
NG11 cars charity golf day|**Opening**
**balance**
**£**
-
-
**-**
50661
12000
5000
2000
-
-
**69661**|**Receipts (Payments)**
**£**
**£**
3000
(175)
1045
(1045)
**4045**
**(1220)**
37130
(57116)
-
-
-
-
-
(888)
500
-
1000
-
**38630**
**(58004)**|**Closing**
**balance**
**£**
2825
-|
||||**2825**|
||||30675
12000
5000
1112
500
1000|
||||**50287**|
Tai Chi activities – Given for use of Tai Chi activities. Christmas parties – These funds were to cover the cost of Christmas parties.
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## **Good Companions**
## **4. Creditors**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
£
Independent examiners fee 636
HMRC 67
703
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **5. Related party transactions**
There were no related party transactions in this period.
## **6. Trustees’ remuneration**
- Trustees received no expenses, remuneration or benefits in this period.
## **7. Glossary of terms**
**Creditors:** These are amounts owed by the charity, but not paid during the accounting period.
**Debtors:** These are amounts owed to the charity, but not received in the accounting period.
**Prepayments:** These are services that the charity has paid for in advance, but not used during the accounting period.
**Restricted funds:** These are funds given to the charity, subject to specific restrictions set by the donor, but still within the general objects of the charity.
9