Basingstoke NeighbourCare
Trustees’ Report and Accounts For the Year Ended 31 March 2024
Registered Address:
The Orchard White Hart Lane London Road Basingstoke RG21 4AF
Patron: The Countess of Portsmouth
Registered Charity No. 1154382
Basingstoke NeighbourCare Trustees’ Report and Accounts For the Year Ended 31 March 2024
CONTENTS
| Trustees’ Report | 3-7 |
|---|---|
| Independent Examiner’s Report | 8 |
| Financial Statements | 9-10 |
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Basingstoke NeighbourCare Registered Charity Number 1154382 Trustees’ Report for the Year Ending 31 March 2024
Governance
The charity is administered by its trustees, who are also the only voting members of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). Every trustee is appointed by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the Charity Trustees. No person or external body is entitled to appoint any trustee.
During the year, one of our trustees who has served the charity for over ten years was not able to attend meetings due to a long-term illness. She has, however, been informed of and commented on all developments and decisions and therefore it was agreed at a meeting in February 2023 that she should continue as a trustee. The trustees who served during the year and up to the date this report was approved were:
Geoffrey Belsham – Chair Peter Robson - Secretary Carol Laight – Treasurer Hazel Tilbury Clive Mountford Stuart Frost – Appointed 31 January 2024 Ian Josey – Appointed 31 January 2024 Steve Vaux – Appointed 31 January 2024 Chris Mann – Resigned 3 February 2024 Mick Ridge – Resigned 26 February 2024
Structure and History
Basingstoke NeighbourCare (original Charity Registration number 1067729) was formed in 1997 as an Association which was governed by a constitution adopted on 30 September 1997. On 29 October 2013 Basingstoke NeighbourCare (new Charity Registration number 1154382) was formed as a Foundation CIO, which is a charity registered as a “body corporate” under Part 11 of the Charities Act 2011. On 31 March 2014 all assets and liabilities were transferred from the Association to the CIO for nil consideration. On the same date the Association ceased operations with the CIO commencing operations on 1 April 2014.
Objects of the Charity
The objects of the charity are to relieve persons resident in Basingstoke and the surrounding area who are in need by reason of their age, disability, sickness or convalescence by the provision of such voluntary care work as may be charitable.
Activities of the Charity
In the furtherance of its charitable objectives, Basingstoke NeighbourCare (BNC) provides services under the headings of transport, befriending, two community cafés, a social group, handyperson and gardening services.
Transport: Clients are taken to appointments which they would not normally be able to attend unaided. The majority of these are medical-related but also include social events & shopping. Volunteer drivers, using their own transport, will normally escort the client to the requested location and stay with them throughout the appointment, returning them home safely.
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Basingstoke NeighbourCare Registered Charity Number 1154382 Trustees’ Report for the Year Ending 31 March 2024
Befriending: Befrienders are volunteers who will regularly visit or phone clients who need company in their own homes due to not having close family in the area and not being to go out unaided. Befrienders are matched carefully with a client who has common interests.
Community Cafés and Social Group: These were set up with funding from Hampshire County Council (HCC) under the “Get Going Again” initiative to support residents to overcome the barriers to full recovery from Covid-19 created issues such as reducing social isolation and helping people who had lost their confidence in going out. The two morning cafés and one afternoon social group each open once a week in three different locations around the borough and are now well-established. Clients can drop in for light refreshments and a chat, and a programme of other activities such as quizzes, bingo, and ‘new age kurling’, all run by volunteers under the management of a member of staff. The funding period ended in December 2023, and the cafés/social groups are now self-sustaining.
Handyperson and Gardening Services: These services were established during 2023 with the aim of helping older people with those small jobs around the home and garden that they can no longer do for themselves due to age or disability, and thus enabling them to stay in and enjoy their homes for longer. Our reliable and versatile part-time handyperson and up to three seasonal part-time gardeners provide a “social” element to their visits as well as completing the tasks required, as the clients are often lonely. The initial funding for this came from HCC’s “Local Solutions” initiative, covering the period up to June 2024.
Public Benefit Requirement (Charities Act 2011)
The trustees consider that the charity satisfies the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 in providing a public benefit through the services described in the previous section. They are made available within the Basingstoke area by means of a telephone helpline, which is attended to by the charity’s own staff during normal business hours. The charity will respond where need is clearly established. The availability of the charity’s services is publicised via leaflets distributed to key locations around the borough, via the charity’s own website and social media, via regular articles in the local press and by talks given to local groups.
Main Achievements During the Year
Transport: The number of trips completed during the year was 11% more than the previous year at 3,007 (2023: 2,701) and is effectively back at pre-pandemic levels. In total, transport was arranged for 416 clients, 92 of whom were newly registered this year. During the year we had 58 active volunteer drivers. Demand for the service continues to increase, but our capacity to meet that demand is limited by the availability of volunteer drivers. We are continuing our efforts to recruit more drivers.
Befriending: Over the year we helped 63 (2023: 56) befriending clients with an age range of between 54 and 99. Befriending volunteers made contact with our clients on 1,532 occasions (2023: 1,309).
During the year the number of volunteer befrienders remained static, and we ended the year with 46 (2023: 47) volunteers registered for this activity. However, despite new volunteers being recruited since the year end, the number of client referrals has increased, and we have a short waiting list of 9 clients awaiting a volunteer and 13 awaiting a home assessment. To help manage this we updated our referral criteria in early 2024 to ensure that we will continue to be able to support the most vulnerable and isolated older people in our community. We now only accept
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Basingstoke NeighbourCare Registered Charity Number 1154382 Trustees’ Report for the Year Ending 31 March 2024
referrals for people who live alone and are housebound, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Community Cafés and Social Group: On average each week about 40 people attend the Church Cottage café, 20 at Brighton Hill and 12 at Tadley. About 80% are “regulars”.
During the year we put on several special events at the cafés: a coronation party at Church Cottage (funded by a Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council grant) and three “older persons’ awareness“ mornings (funded by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council) where organisations offering different kinds of support to older people in the borough had stalls to signpost their offerings to the café customers.
Handyperson and Gardening Services: The handyperson service started in January 2023 and quickly became established. During this year it has undertaken 223 jobs taking 360 hours for 159 different clients. The gardening service started providing regular garden maintenance visits in July 2023, and the 3 gardeners made a total of 153 visits totalling 393 hours to 35 clients. Demand for both services remains high in 2024.
Financial Review
The financial statements are prepared on the receipts and payments basis, as is permitted for a CIO with a gross income for the year of £250,000 or less. The statements consist of a receipts and payments account, and a statement of assets and liabilities including movements in overall funds, cash balances, reserves, and a list of assets retained for the charity’s own use.
Income and expenditure related to restricted funds have been shown in a separate column this year as the amounts are significant in relation to the totals for the charity as a whole. Although there were 7 separate restricted funds operating at different points during the year, most of them were for short-term discrete projects and individually not material. Most of the expenditure relates to the 2 HCC grants, for which the funding period ends in June 2024, so there is a relatively small balance on the restricted funds carried forward at the end of the year.
The trustees have not assigned any value to the assets retained for the charity’s own use as most would have a negligible resale value.
No guarantees have been given by the CIO.
The CIO has no debts that have been secured by an express charge on the assets of the CIO.
No payment was made to any Trustee during the year, other than reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses properly incurred on behalf of the charity.
The charity benefits from time freely given by volunteers in fulfilling its charitable objectives in transport, befriending and the community cafés. The value to the charity of volunteer time during the year is estimated to be approximately 10,500 hours, which if valued at the current National Living Wage would cost more than £120,000. Driving volunteers have also donated to the charity a total of £2,900 by waiving their mileage reimbursement. We are very grateful to our volunteers for all the work they do for the charity.
The Independent Examiner receives no remuneration.
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Basingstoke NeighbourCare Registered Charity Number 1154382 Trustees’ Report for the Year Ending 31 March 2024
Banking Arrangements
The charity maintains a current account with Barclays Bank plc for its everyday transactions and a prepaid debit card account with Soldo Financial Services Ltd (authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011), to enable authorised employees of the charity to purchase goods up to a maximum amount, in accordance with its Financial Control Policy. The charity also holds a savings account with Virgin Money, which generates a small amount of interest income.
Reserves
The charity’s policy is to maintain free reserves at between six and nine months’ budgeted expenditure. The trustees consider that this provides sufficient funds to keep the charity operating amid the normal daily fluctuations in cash flow, and to respond to emergency needs which may arise. The free reserves at the end of the year were £82,499 (2023: £93,228) which represents 6.5 months’ operating expenditure based on the budget for the forthcoming financial year.
The Trustees considered the need for the designated reserves as they have now been held for several years without any spend being recorded against them. The decision was that it would be prudent to continue to hold the potential charity closure cost as a designated reserve. Costs have been incurred from time to time in providing our volunteers with assistance with transport, but these have been included in the normal operating expenditure rather than being deducted from the reserve, and as the yearly level is not material this practice will continue without holding a specific reserve. The Trustees are currently considering the policy on and funding of driver assessments, so this reserve remains for the time being at the same level as last year.
The charity held total reserves at the end of the year of £102,048, (2023: £122,564). £8,209 of these reserves are restricted for use and relate to grants received for specific projects whose timeframe crosses the year end (2023: £18,836). One of the donors of these restricted grants requested no publicity and so is not named in the report and accounts, but is known to the Trustees.
Funding and Income
Total client donations for the year of £35,928 (2023: £29,008) were primarily from transport clients. The increase since 2022-23 reflects the increase in the number of driving jobs undertaken. We do not ask for donations from befriending clients although some clients or their relatives do show their appreciation of the benefits of our services in this way, for which we are extremely grateful.
The income from the cafés, handyperson and gardening services reflects the first full year of operation of these services, so last year’s figures are not comparable.
We do receive a small number of other personal donations from supporters of the charity. Most of these people are known to us or have given small amounts through giving platforms. In this category we would like to offer a special “thank you” to the staff of De La Rue, who made us their “charity of the year” in July 2023 and had raised a total of £768 by the end of the financial year.
We have been very fortunate to receive funding from Hampshire County Council, Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council, and several charitable trusts. We gratefully acknowledge the support from the following organisations (and others who requested no publicity):
Childwick Trust De La Rue Foundation
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Basingstoke NeighbourCare Registered Charity Number 1154382 Trustees’ Report for the Year Ending 31 March 2024
Greenham Trust (Peter Baker Grants) Henry Smith Charity Schroder Charity Trust Basingstoke Over 55’s Forum
Acknowledgements
The charity wishes to recognise and thank the Countess of Portsmouth for her invaluable support. We also wholeheartedly thank our team of volunteers who donate their time willingly and without whom the charity would not be able to provide such a beneficial service to the community. The trustees gratefully acknowledge the time and effort given by Les Bone, the Independent Examiner of the Accounts.
Signed on behalf of the Board of Trustees:
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Basingstoke NeighbourCare Registered Charity Number 1154382 Independent Examiner’s Report
Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Basingstoke NeighbourCare
I report on the accounts of the Trust for the period ended 31 March 2024 which are set out on pages 9 and 10.
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:
-
examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
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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
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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 disclosures 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:
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which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements:
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to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and
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to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act
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have not been met; or
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to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
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Basingstoke NeighbourCare Registered Charity Number 1154382 Receipts and Payments Account for the Year Ending 31 March 2024
| Receipts Donations and Grants Trusts and Commerce Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council - Grants Basingstoke & Deane Borough Councillors Hampshire County Council - Local Solutions Grant Personal Donations Gift Aid Charitable Activities Donations Received from Clients Café Income Gardening Income Handyperson Income Investment income and interest Bank Interest Total Receipts Payments Wages & Salaries Furlough Recovery Staff and Volunteers' Expenses Staff and Volunteer Recruitment Staff Training Volunteer Welfare Café Supplies Handyperson and Gardening Supplies Rent & Service Charge Telephone, Internet & IT Equipment & Maintenance Publicity and Marketing Materials Stationery and Printing Payroll Processing Insurance Fundraising Expense Sundry Asset Purchases IT Equipment Card Payment Machines Total Payments Net receipts less payments |
Year Ending 31 March 2024 Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total Funds £ £ £ 25,888 5,000 30,888 7,500 13,182 20,682 - 500 500 - 10,131 10,131 4,962 - 4,962 888 - 888 35,928 - 35,928 4,718 - 4,718 4,503 - 4,503 8,377 - 8,377 633 - 633 93,397 28,813 122,210 60,307 27,770 88,077 - - - 18,248 1,718 19,966 103 154 257 54 - 54 316 - 316 2,664 647 3,311 1,581 - 1,581 7,506 4,917 12,423 5,270 4,623 9,893 793 136 929 640 1,246 1,886 1,214 1,214 449 - 449 112 - 112 180 - 180 734 - 734 100,171 41,211 141,382 816 - 816 - 527 527 816 527 1,343 100,987 41,738 142,725 (7,590) (12,925) (20,515) |
2023 |
|---|---|---|
| £ 25,525 - - 10,131 6,160 - 29,008 1,467 - 1,040 167 |
||
| 73,498 | ||
| 58,919 (3,959) 14,859 - 183 297 1,320 199 8,544 2,620 1,977 2,234 336 394 242 180 947 |
||
| 89,292 | ||
| - | ||
| 89,292 | ||
| (15,794) |
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Basingstoke NeighbourCare Registered Charity Number 1154382 Assets and Liabilities for the Year Endin 31 March 2024 g
| Year Ending 31 March 2024 | Year Ending 31 March 2024 | Year Ending 31 March 2024 | Year Ending 31 March 2024 | 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | |||||
| Funds | Funds | Total Funds | ||||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| Movements in Funds | ||||||
| Opening Funds at 1st April 2023 | 103,727 | 18,837 | 122,564 | 138,358 | ||
| Net receipts less payments | (7,590) | (12,925) | (20,515) | (15,794) | ||
| Transfers Between Funds | (2,297) | 2,297 | - | |||
| Closing Funds at 31st March 2024 | 93,840 | 8,209 | 102,049 | 122,564 | ||
| Cash Funds | ||||||
| Barclays Bank plc Community Account | 29,438 | 8,209 | 37,647 | 58,731 | ||
| Virgin Charity Deposit Account Issue 2 | 64,236 | - | 64,236 | 63,602 | ||
| Soldo Stored Value Payment Cards | 131 | - | 131 | 201 | ||
| Cash Float | 35 | - | 35 | 30 | ||
| Total Cash Funds | 93,840 | 8,209 | 102,049 | 122,564 | ||
| Reserves | ||||||
| Restricted Reserves | ||||||
| BDBC Database Replacement Grant | 1,407 | |||||
| Trusts and Commerce Grant (no publicity requested) | 2,770 | |||||
| BDBC Older Person Awareness Mornings Grant | 1,302 | |||||
| HCC Local Solutions Grant | 2,730 | 5,718 | ||||
| HCC Community Grant | - | 13,010 | ||||
| BDBC Volunteer Recruitment Grant | - | 108 | ||||
| 8,209 | 18,836 | |||||
| Designated Reserves | ||||||
| Potential closure costs | 9,340 | 7,500 | ||||
| HCC Over 60's Driver Assessment | 2,000 | 2,000 | ||||
| Volunteer Assistance with Transport | - | 1,000 | ||||
| 11,340 | 10,500 | |||||
| Free Reserves | 82,500 | 93,228 |
Liabilities in the Ordinary Course of Business
HMRC - Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions (due and paid by 19 April 2024)
£1,550
Assets Retained for the Charity's Own Use
| Assets Retained for the Charity's Own Use | |
|---|---|
| Office furniture | IT equipment |
| 4 desks | 5 HP2400 Tower computers |
| 5 swivel chairs | 8 stand-alone computer screens |
| 1 4-drawers filing cabinet | 4 keyboards and pointing devices |
| 3 pedestal units | 2 laptop computers |
| 2 roll-front cupboards | 1 printer |
| 1 file trolley | Publicity materials |
| Café equipment | 4 free-standing display boards |
| 1 Bingo machine | 3 pop-up banners |
| 1 Kurling machine | 1 flip chart frame |
| 1 toaster | Other equipment |
| 1 coffee pod machine | 1 fridge/freezer |
| Sundry storage boxes | 1 free-standing fan |
| Miscellaneous kitchen equipment | 1 safe |
| 5 "Square" card readers |
These accounts have been approved by the Board of Trustees, and were signed on behalf of all trustees by: