The Fun Walk Trust Charity Number 1151626 Trustees' Annual Report Year Ended 31st December 2025
The Fun Walk Trust
1151626 C/O Hunt Smee & Co. Suite 30, Cornwallis House, Howard Chase, Basildon. SS14 3BB
Trustees
-
Mr John Baron CBE
-
Mrs Sylvia Kent
-
Mrs Christine Brewster
-
Ms Sandra Bastow
-
Professor Michael Almond MBE
All new Trustees will be provided with a copy of the Governing Document (Constitution) and the most recent Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements.
Structure & Governance
Governing Document: Constitution Charity Constituted: Charitable Incorporated Organisation Trustee Selection: Appointment by election by the current trustees.
Summary of Objects Set Out in Constitution
The objects of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) are to advance such exclusively charitable purposes as the Charity trustees from time to time determine for the public benefit.
Main Activities
The Fun Walk Trust publicises an annual Fun Walk event and creates the material to enable participating charities and local community groups to organise their own sponsored walk(s) during the selected month. This leaves the participating organisations free to focus on encouraging their supporters to participate and raise sponsorship money for the organisation’s projects and good causes. A bonus pot donated by local businesses and individuals incentivises supporters to take part, and is distributed on a pro-rata basis, over and above the money the organisations raise themselves through their supporters’ walks.
1
The Fun Walk Trust Charity Number 1151626 Trustees' Annual Report Year Ended 31st December 2025
Achievements During the Last Period
The trustees were delighted to welcome Professor Michael Almond MBE, as a new Trustee in 2025. Professor Almond is a distinguished academic and practitioner, spending almost 25 years as a consultant physician at Southend University Hospital before joining Anglia Ruskin University as the Professor of Veterans and Families Studies in 2018. He is County Chairman of the Essex Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association and sits on the Essex Civilian Military Partnership Board. Mike was awarded an MBE in 2026 for his contributions to Service personnel and veterans.
The 2025 Fun Walk was held through September, and allowed charities and community groups to register and complete their sponsored walk anywhere and anytime during the month in support of their good causes.
We lost a key sponsor this year but added two new sponsors and slightly increased donations from those that remained, meaning that the total donations increased by £3,750 from 2024 to 2025. We remain extremely grateful for the support of our sponsors, and their contributions to the Fun Walk Bonus Pot provide a strong incentive for organisations to register and for supporters to get out and do a walk for their chosen charity or good cause.
These donations allowed us to pay a bonus amount of 35% over and above the money raised by participating organisations themselves, to all of the organisations that attended the Celebration evening in November which was made a mandatory requirement in 2025. This compares to a Bonus of 30% that was paid in 2024.
£118,545,30 in total was raised. £89,340.30 was raised by Fun Walkers which is the highest amount in the Trust’s history and a Bonus Pot of £29,205.00 was distributed to 57 organisations, plus an additional £550 in donations was made to other good causes. An additional £2,094 in bonuses was not collected at the Celebration evening and will be distributed in 2026.
Our thanks go to all those that assisted in making the event and the Celebration evening such a success.
Since its establishment in in 2002, the Fun Walk has raised over £1,750,000 for the local community and beyond, benefiting registered charities, local schools, community interest companies, churches and supporting groups, sports clubs, resident associations and other community groups.
The Trustees serve the organisation in a voluntary capacity and receive no salary, stipend, or other form of remuneration for their duties.
Financial Information
The charity holds surpluses of income from time to time in reserve until such time as the trustees give approval to expenditure plans in furtherance of the objectives. There are no material deficits in any of the charity's funds or accounts.
2
The Fun Walk Trust Charity Number 1151626 Trustees' Annual Report Year Ended 31st December 2025
Declaration
Signed on behalf of the Charity's Trustees
........... .................................................................................. 04-03-2026
Sandra Bastow – Trustee
3
The Fun Walk Trust
Charity Number 1151626 Management Income And Expenditure Account For The Year Ended 31st December 2025
| Note Income Donations And Sponsorship Donations Received Other Income Other Income Total Monies Raised (Before Costs) Expenditure Costs Management Fees Dinner Costs Presentation Event Costs Postage, Stationery And Advertising Travel Expenses Insurance Website Costs Depreciation And Loss On Disposal Accountancy Total Monies Raised (After Costs) Donations Bonus Monies 1 Other Donations Surplus Of Income Over Expenditure |
36,350 36,350 625 625 36,975 0 2,292 462 69 141 200 46 0 528 3,738 33,237 29,205 29,205 550 29,755 3,482 2025 |
32,600 32,600 401 401 33,001 1,800 0 403 4 107 0 44 122 586 3,066 29,936 23,334 23,334 500 23,834 6,102 2024 |
|---|---|---|
1
The Fun Walk Trust Charity Number 1151626 Management Balance Sheet As At 31st December 2025
| Note | 2025 | 2025 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Assets | |||||
| Cash At Bank | 20,686 | 15,638 | |||
| Current Liabilities | |||||
| Sundry Creditors | 16 | 0 | |||
| Accruals | 528 | 528 | |||
| 544 | 528 | ||||
| 20,142 | 15,110 | ||||
| 20,142 | 15,110 | ||||
| General Reserve | |||||
| As At 1st January 2025 | 14,760 | 8,659 | |||
| Surplus Of Income Over Expenditure | 3,482 | 6,102 | |||
| As At 31st December 2025 | 18,242 | 14,760 | |||
| Special Reserve | 2 | ||||
| As At 1st January 2025 | 350 | 350 | |||
| Transferred To Income And Expenditure Account | -350 | -350 | |||
| Donations Received | 1,900 | 350 | |||
| As At 31st December 2025 | 1,900 | 350 | |||
| 20,142 | 15,110 | ||||
| 0.00 | |||||
| I approve these financial statements on behalf of the Charity's Trustees | I approve these financial statements on behalf of the Charity's Trustees | ||||
| .............................................................................. | 22nd January 2026 | ||||
| Mr John Baron | |||||
| Trustee |
2
The Fun Walk Trust Charity Number 1151626 Management Notes To Financial Statements For The Year Ended 31st December 2025
1 Bonus Monies
The fun walking organisations received a bonus, funded from donations received, of approximately 35 pence for every pound raised and collected as a result of the Fun Walk 2025.
2 Special Reserve
This reserve is made up of donations received in advance of the Fun Walk to take place in the following year.
3 Restricted and Unrestricted Funds
All the funds of the charity are designated as unrestricted.
3
The Fun Walk Trust Charity Number 1151626 Independent Examiner's Report For The Year Ended 31st December 2025
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 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
i) examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
ii) to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act), and
iii) to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner's statement
My examination was carried out in accordance with 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 dislosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the 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:
-
i) to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act;
ii) to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities 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.
22nd January 2026
……………………………………………………………………….
John Wood FCCA ICPA
Hunt, Smee & Co. Chartered Certified Accountants Suite 30 Cornwallis House Howard Chase Basildon Essex