**Armed Forces Bikers Veterans Charity** 

**Report and Financial Statements For the year ended 31 July 2024** 

**Registered Charity No. 1147967** 



**Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2024** 

## **Armed Forces Bikers Veterans Charity** 

|**Legal and Administrative information**|**3**|
|---|---|
|**Report of the Trustees**|**4-11**|
|**Independent Examiner’s Report**|**12**|
|**Receipts and Payments Account**|<br>**13**|
|**Statement of Assets**|**14**|



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## **Armed Forces Bikers Veterans Charity** 

## **Legal and Administrative Information for the year ended 31 July 2024** 

## **Status** 

The organisation was registered as a charity on 5 July 2012. 

The charity was established under a constitution, which established the objects and powers of the charity; this constitution was adopted on 28 January 2012 and amended 9 June 2012 and the 30 Jan 2021. 

. 

## **Trustees** 

The trustees who served during the period were: 

Mr S M Regan Chairman Mr I McCormick Secretary Mrs S Edwards Treasurer 

## **Registered Office** 

26 The Green, Piercebridge, Darlington DL2 3SH 

## **Accountants** 

Peter A Hodgson & Co Ltd, Hett Mill, Hett, Durham DH6 5LN 

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## **Armed Forces Bikers Veterans Charity** 

## **Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 July 2024** 

The trustees present their annual report together with the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2024. 

## **Objectives** 

The charity exists to assist former serving members of the Armed Forces who are in charitable need as a result of injury or other harmful experience suffered during their service, to resettle and rehabilitate into civilian life and to relieve the needs of former members of the Armed Forces and their immediate dependents who are in charitable need. 

## **Public Benefit** 

The Armed Forces Bikers Veterans Charity (AFBVC) supports veterans who are finding it difficult to make their way in civilian life, due to financial circumstances, regardless of their geographical location within the UK. We are an internet-based Veterans network that seeks to establish contact with as many serving and ex-forces personnel as possible. We aim to give our members and supporters purpose through common friendship and a support mechanism to help others to help themselves. Although we are a Veterans motorcycle group, we do not exclude anyone who wants to help us in our charity work who agrees to our constitution and bye-laws. We have successfully identified and integrated many troubled ex-service personnel, who are either mentally or physically scarred due to operational service, into our growing charity. We encourage them to join us at events and give them a sense of purpose through a common bond and fund-raising activities. Our main effort is in the raising and granting of funds to support veterans and their immediate dependents in charitable need if they qualify under our grant policy and as agreed by the charity trustees. We continue to seek to work with other veteran-friendly charities or voluntary bodies, in a multi-agency approach, to offer more effective support. 

## **Activities** 

## **Projects, Partnerships and Donations** 

The Board of Trustees (BoT) has had only one change during this reporting year, with Mr I Moore resigning as Lead Grant Manager and taking on the new role, of Payment Officer a non-trustee role. This BoT has performed its duties well over this period, corresponding daily on grant and governance issues by email in addition to the monthly online meetings via video conferencing. 

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## **Armed Forces Bikers Veterans Charity** 

## **Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 July 2024** 

## **Activities (cont.) Projects, Partnerships and Donations** 

The AFBVC Trustees’ Grant Policy was monitored and updated throughout the reporting year by the BoT. This has been done to continue to meet the ongoing financial crisis which has resulted in more veterans finding it difficult to support themselves or their immediate dependants in charitable need. The financial climate continues to be difficult for veterans and their dependents in charitable need, and we continue our policy of meeting the needs of those in the ‘in-work poverty’ category. Those veterans whose income is below the living wage remain in a situation where they find it difficult to ‘make ends meet’. 

The provision of grants continues to be our main mechanism for supporting veterans and their immediate dependents in charitable need. The AFBVC Grant Policy system includes the policy document approved by the UK Charity Commission, a live, online grant application form, a system for Board of Trustees (BoT) debate, online purchases and approval and a fast bank transfer system to deliver the funds granted. The grant form is available on the AFBVC website. A copy of the current Grant Policy can be seen on pages 7, 8 and 9.  However, a new initiative was trialled in the runup to December, suggested and led by our Fundraising Manager Angela Lindley, which was the Christmas Campaign. This proved to be extremely successful, with 63 veterans/dependents receiving £250 supermarket evouchers, who were below the income threshold set and received child benefit. 

During this reporting period, 190 grants were paid out, 87 more than the previous financial year, totalling £118,830. This is an increase in the funds granted in the previous year by £58,793; this total can be broken down with £2000 designated funds granted to the National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD), £15,750 for the Christmas Campaign and traditional grants £101,080. 

The BoT is still seeking new initiatives to be implemented in the next financial year, and we remain resolute in our efforts to meet the needs of veterans and their direct dependents in the future and are aware that we must remain relevant if we want to continue as a charity by meeting our objectives as detailed in our constitution. To this end, a Summer Campaign and another Christmas Campaign are planned. 

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## **Armed Forces Bikers Veterans Charity** 

## **Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 July 2024** 

## **Activities (cont.) Projects, Partnerships and Donations** 

Our fundraising initiatives by our regional members continue to raise the income in the form of donations to our charity year on year. As such, again, the fundraising efforts have been outstanding within the reported financial year, with increases in public donations from regional events and social media fundraising. I am so impressed with our members and supporters and their efforts to continue to increase the funds coming into our charity through their voluntary efforts and hard work, which is conducted in their spare time. The total fundraising income this year was £158,814, which is an increase of £9,042 from the previous year. 

Unfortunately, the AFBVC forum again was hardly used during this period, and social media sites such as the Facebook Supporters page etc, are still increasingly used in a vital role towards effective fundraising and communications between AFBVC members, veterans and supporters. Most regions now have their own Facebook or WhatsApp groups where they organise their local activities. 

We have continued to raise public awareness of the AFBVC and the work it does to help fundraising efforts, and to ensure veterans can access the support that we can provide. We continue to use Givey, Charitable Giving accounts, including the PayPal Giving funds which is used by Facebook and other social media, to channel funds to us from the increasing number of online fundraising initiatives. Many members continue to use retail fundraising schemes which have also been a good revenue stream for raising charitable funds and initiatives are being put in place to sell stock on eBay. 

The AFBVC has had a much better year supporting veterans and their immediate dependants in charitable need. However, we are still raising significantly more funds than we have granted, which is not a position we are comfortable with. The BoT is aware of this, and we continue to seek new means to meet our objectives, see Future Strategies page 10 for details. 

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## **Armed Forces Bikers Veterans Charity** 

## **Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 July 2024** 

AFB Veterans Charity Trustees Grant Policy 2024 

## State Green 

1.  AFB Veterans Charity Core Objectives are: 

a) The charity exists to assist veterans, former serving members of the UK Armed Forces, who are in charitable need as a result of injury or other harmful experience suffered during their service, to resettle and rehabilitate into civilian life 

b) To relieve the needs of veterans, former members of the Armed Forces, and their immediate dependents who are in charitable 

need. 

2.   A grant applicant must have Verification of Service (VOS) and some form of Identification (ID) and Verification of Address (VOA), on application. An email copy of your discharge documents together with some form of identification would be good (image of passport or driving licence) and recent official documents with your name and address on. If no VOS, ID or VOA is received within 14 days of application the grant will be closed.  So please don’t apply unless you have, or can quickly obtain of VOS, ID and VOA. If you have no fixed abode then please still apply. 

3.   Requests for grant funding are invited from ex-armed forces personnel and their immediate dependents who can provide definitive proof of service: 

a. Grant applications must be submitted online via our grant form below. 

b. Grant must be filled in with the name and contact details of the veteran in charitable need (if this is not possible, please use the contact afbchairman@gmail.com for advice). 

c.  We make grants to help veterans and their immediate dependents settle into rented housing through paying for: 

- (i) bonds, advance of up to 2 months rent and any admin fees (The grant capped for this will be based on average rents in different regions of the UK). 

- (ii) necessary domestic equipment required for basic living needs. 

Note: we cannot act as a guarantor 

d. To provide short term hardship funds e.g. fuel bills, basic food, bedding or other essential basic living needs in difficult situations only. Sadly, being a small charity, we cannot support any veteran in the medium to long term. 

e. To provide funds for training courses which have a reasonable likelihood of leading to employment for the unemployed or move from minimum wage to a living wage, or better for the low paid employed subject to Trustees review. 

f. Travel expenses for unemployed veterans to and from courses/interviews/meetings that have a reasonable likelihood of leading to employment or help them to integrate into society. 

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## **Armed Forces Bikers Veterans Charity** 

## **Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 July 2024** 

g.  Applicants who apply for a grant for a course that has already been booked, bond or rent for accommodation where tenancy has already been agreed or any services agreed in advance of payment, do so at their own risk. The AFB Veterans Charity cannot short cut its decision making processes or checks to meet the deadlines of the applicant or any third parties. 

h. Disability Support (only if these are not provided by NHS/local Council): 

i) to help gain access to services 

ii) assistance for mobility equipment 

iii) home adaptations 

iv) motorcycle adaptations through our funding of National Association of Bikers with Disabilities (NABD) 

i.  When the AFB Veterans Charity Accounts are status Green (over £40,000) and only if the charity has collected more funds than we have paid out, we would consider granting funds to small service related charity projects. These funds, if granted, would have to support veterans and their immediate dependents in charitable need. Applications would be considered by the trustees for small grants of £1000, although larger grants of £2000 may be considered (Registered Charities and CICs only). 

4.  The general grant limit is set at £3000 and will only be exceeded: 

a)  in exceptional circumstances agreed by the AFB Veterans Charity Trustees any previous grant will also be included 

b)  in crisis situation, on a majority agreement by trustees: 

i) uncapped provision for funds can be granted for use in extreme cases to help veterans that have already reached the grant limit 

ii) or who are deemed to be in a desperate situation. 

c) Please also note, we do not pay public funds into your own personal bank account as we pay third party service providers directly, after we have conducted checks. 

5.   Applications can be considered from those who are unemployed, on low income, self-employed or working part-time, you will need to provide evidence that you are in receipt of benefits or suffering hardship. 

6. Feedback on grant outcomes is appreciated in any case and is required in support of repeat applications. 

7. All applicants will receive a response from a trustee whether or not their application has been successful. 

8. If we pay out grants in advance of services e.g. training courses, rent etc and subsequently your situation changes, you must immediately inform us so that we can recover funds from the provider or organisation. 

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## **Armed Forces Bikers Veterans Charity** 

## **Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 July 2024** 

## 9. Note: 

a)  You should not submit any further requests if you have a current grant in progress. If you find you have additional needs, speak to the grant manager or grant investigator processing your grant. 

b)  A grant request will not be considered or will be cancelled if any AFB Trustees or Grant Officers are subjected to abuse or threats whilst considering or processing a grant request, as we operate a zero-tolerance policy. 

Exclusions 

The AFB does not fund: 

● Individuals who have not served in the UK armed forces or are not the immediate dependants of exarmed forces personnel. 

● Individuals (expeditions, academic educational purposes, medical treatment, therapy, holidays or funerals and non-NHS approved treatments or training). 

● Startup capital for new businesses or any capital deemed to be supporting an existing business (essential training, tools and equipment for sole traders or potential sole traders don’t fall under this exclusion, for which a business case/justification can be made). 

● Projects concerned with travel, adventure, sports or recreation. 

● Driver training for new drivers (only fund one licence category per grant, only if it leads to employment and a full UK licence is held). 

● Vehicle repairs, funds toward vehicle purchases, servicing, fuel or any other related expense. 

- Gifts or presents including Birthdays, Christmas or Anniversaries. 

● The AFBVC have been advised that the Royal British Legion (RBL) and the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) have established specific funding for the provision of Laptops for Veterans under the category of being in IT Poverty and for which a laptop is needed to secure Training leading to 

Employment.  To this end, AFBVC has currently ceased to provide funding for Laptops, therefore, where needed, Veterans are advised to contact the DWP or RBL in the first instance. 

● Support for veterans who are currently serving a custodial sentence, although we still offer support to the veteran's dependents in line with our grant policy.  Grants by veterans released on licence or those facing a possible custodial sentence will be considered on a case-by-case basis to protect publicly donated funds 

- Individuals who are receiving considerable grants from other agencies, unless it is part of multi-agency and charity emergency funding. 

● Any requests from veterans who reside outside the UK (temporary residences will not be accepted). 

The AFB receives many more applications than can be supported and even if your grant meets our requirements, we may not be able to help. In all cases, trustees will ensure that applications are considered on a case-by-case basis. 

_Note, that we also implemented a reduced policy when funds or grant-handling resources were low._ 

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## **Armed Forces Bikers Veterans Charity** 

## **Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 July 2024** 

## **Future Strategy** 

1. During the next reporting period, the BoT will continue to manage the charitable arrangements of the AFBVC and conduct their duties in accordance with the AFBVC Constitution, Byelaws, Grant Policy, Charity Commission, and the Fundraising Regulators guidelines.  The BoT will continue to strengthen their links with the Regional Reps with the aim of working more effectively with the AFBVC membership so that, as a national charity, we can work positively toward the charity’s aims and objectives. The BoT, in the next financial period, will continue exploring initiatives to meet the increasing demands of running our growing charity more effectively. 

2. We will endeavour to recruit more grant investigators as the number of grants is outstripping our capacity to meet the demand. This has led us to close the grant system down so that we can investigate and administrate ongoing grant requests. 

3. We also need to recruit another grant payment officer as we only have one at this time and that means that the chairman and grant manager have to periodically step in to meet the demand. 

4. We remain committed to working with other charities and veteran-friendly organisations that assist veterans in need. 

5. We are planning a Summer Campaign to build on the success of our Winter Campaign and hope to run many more campaigns in the future. 

6. Work is still ongoing to update or change the online software which provides our website, shop and forum. 

7. We hope to continue to increase card payments (not for donations) for the benefit of trading and regions are encouraged to request card readers from the AFBVC Treasurer to this end. 

8. We will continue to use our online donation services and seek other such donation sites to help raise needed charity funds. 

9. We continue to support groups on social media sites as they are proving to have beneficial effects on membership recruitment and charity awareness. Even more regions now have their own groups on Facebook, which is proving useful for encouraging participation and fundraising (these groups must continue to have oversight by an AFBVC Trustee). 

10. We will continue to try and raise public awareness of the AFBVC and the work it does, to help fundraising efforts and to ensure veterans can access the support we can provide. 

11. We are increasing our emphasis on our primary objective towards supporting veterans and their immediate dependants in charitable need via campaigns, supporting veterans’ projects and more collaborative work with other charities in addition to our grant work. 

12. We will continue to encourage the organising of meets and social events. Every effort will be made to foster comradeship and support for veterans and their families in the future, which includes AFBVC members and supporters. 

13. To continue to improve the public image of the AFBVC and its core mission. 

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Armed Force5 Bikers Veler*￿8 ChArlty
Report of ¢ht Tr•stea
For ¢be year ended JI July 2024
Tr￿ste*S
Trustees serving during the peri￿ and up to the d*e of this report ¥re Set out on pa8e 3. We have
committed trustees with a FQSSiOn for chanty work.
Review of the buJineJJ
Th¢ stat¢ment of Receipts and Payments on page 13 of ihwe financial statements detwls all incomin
and outgoing resources during the yeor The trU￿ee9 consider the charity's affwrs to be satisfactory.
Reservej policy
The tn15tees have examined ihe ¢hority'$ rquirements for reserves in light of the mwn risks to the
Organi￿10￿. It has established a policy whereby the unres¢rid¢d funds not committed held by ihe
charity should noi be below £3CIIO.
Pry>fit$ from AFB Tr*din8 l.td
The net profits from AFIJ Tradin8 Ltd will be transfe￿ed 8nnuolly to the AFB Veterans Charity. Chority
account. as soon as possible. after ihe wlan¢¢ of our ￿lUnt& at the AGM. Part of this fundin8 will
be used io pay for the ￿MINIStra110n of the charjty, such as evenl 0]ui￿enE publi¢ liability inSUra￿e
and to pay the Fundraisin8 Regulator annual rews¢r*ion ftts.
Rlik review
The trustees have concluded thetr OWTS review of the mojor risks io ￿1¢h ihe chan'ty is exposed, and
sy*ems have been established to mitigale those risks Int¢rn81 risks are minim1s￿ by the
implementation of procedures foT aiithorimtion of transactions and projecis ond io ensure consistent
quality of delivery for all operatiort￿ Lspects of the charitable comparty The AFB VC. are re8i5tered wilh
the Fundraising Rryulotor UK and we hab'e made a commitment fo &lher¢ to ihe hi¥hest standards of
fundraising pra¢ti¢e and to bein8 Iransparent and accountable in our fundrwsing The Trustees have pul
in place Iiabillty In￿raTh¢e to ¢ov¢r all fundrnsin8 *ivilies such as strttt wll¢dions and events. no
Individual trusiee can authon5e any trdnsaclions witlKYJt a8reemfflt from the ￿her trustees, usually
Ihrouyh electronic communication5" th¢ Brant policy h&s been put in place to guide the $￿Irl¢
all(￿atIonS of funds towards our charlty obJ'e¢tives
Approved by the trustees ort 25 January 2025 and si8ned on its behalf by
Mr S Regan - Chairperson
Mrs S Edwards- Treasurer
lanm
mii¢k. Seuetary

## **Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Armed Forces Bikers Veterans Charity** 

I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 July 2024 which are set out on pages 13 to 14. 

## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner** 

The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts.  The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. 

It is my responsibility to: 

- examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act. 

- follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act: and 

- state whether particular matters have come to my attention. 

## **Basis of independent examiner's statement** 

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission.  An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records.  It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters.  The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a “true and fair” view, and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. 

## **Independent examiner's statement** 

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention: 

1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements 

   - to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act: and 

   - to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act. 

   - have not been met; or 

2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. 

Peter A Hodgson FCCA Peter A Hodgson & Co Ltd Chartered Certified Accountants                                          Peter A Hodgson FCCA 

Hett Mill 

Hett Durham 

DH6 5LN                                                                                              25 January 2025 

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## **Armed Forces Bikers Veterans Charity** 

## **Receipts and Payments Account For the year ended 31 July 2024** 

|**Receipts**<br>Unrestricted Designated<br>Funds<br>Funds<br>£<br>£<br>Donations and fundraising activities<br>145827<br>-<br>Moondance Foundation<br>-<br>-<br>Amazon donations<br>-<br>-<br>AFB Trading Ltd donation<br>11000<br>-<br>Paypal Giving Fund<br>1987<br>__-<br><br>**Total receipts**<br>158814<br>**-**<br>**Payments**<br>Grants<br>116830<br>**2000**<br>Depreciation on Computer Equipment<br>24<br>-<br>Insurance<br>146<br>-<br>Grant database<br>259<br>-<br>Sundry<br>50<br>-<br>Pay Pal charges<br> -<br> _-<br>**Total payments**<br>**117309**<br>**2000**<br>**Excess of receipts over payments**<br>**41505**<br>**(2000)**<br> <br>**Retained funds brought forward**<br>**115228**<br>**152**<br> <br>Transfer between funds<br> (2000)<br>2000<br> <br>**Retained funds for the year**<br>**£154733**<br>**£152**<br>|**2024**<br>**2023**<br>**Total**<br>**Total**<br>**Funds**<br>**Funds**<br>**£**<br>145827<br>100363<br>-<br>30000<br>-<br>440<br>11000<br>16871<br>_1987<br>2098<br>158814<br>149772<br>118830<br>60037<br>24<br>-<br>146<br>146<br>259<br>259<br>50<br>-<br> -<br>2<br>**119309**<br>60444<br>**39505**<br>89328<br>**115380**<br>**26052**<br>  -   -<br>**£154885** **£115380 **|
|---|---|



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Armed For¢e% BÈktrs Vtternns Charity
Statement ofAuets
For the yeAr ended 31 July 2024
2024
Total
Futsd$
2023
Unrestr￿ed Design*wJ
Funds
Funds
FwndJ
InveJtmen¢
Fixed Assets
Computer Equipment
334
334
Current AJset$
Cash at bank
Other Debtors
Pay Pal
Cush in hand
152912
137
1349
152
153064 114559
137
1349
8?0
154398
152
154550 115379
TotAI Ajjets
ReJerYeJ
Balance brought forwwd
I'ransfer between funds
Excess of receipts over payments
152?8
12C(KJ)
152
115380
26052
Approved by the trustees 25 January 2025 and Sb8ned on their behalf by..
Mrs
egan - Chwrper$on
Mrs S Edwards- Tr￿￿[er
lan McCormiek- Seeretgry
14