@,WINCHESTER
WINCHESTER RADIO
A Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered in England and Wales, no. 1160752
Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts 2024
From "Listening locally across the UK", by Dr Alison Hulme, Associate Professor in Social and Cultural Change, University of Northampton, published in August 2024 :
“71% said their health had improved as a direct result of hearing about health services on their local community radio. Overall, 51% of respondents feel local community radio helped them feel calmer, and 56% of respondents felt it helped them actually seek help.
“Local community radio is also clearly an excellent and trusted platform for listeners to engage with and act upon local health information and services. Further leverage of this could have a significant impact on the health of local populations. This, combined with the strong evidence regarding local community radio’s role in mental health and well-being, marks out local community radio as a unique force for good in this area.”
Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts 2024
Winchester Radio
Trustees’ Annual Report
The Trustees present their Report and Accounts for the year ended 31[st] December 2024. The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in Note 1 to the accounts, and comply with the charity's Governing Document, the Charities Act 2011, and “Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) Second Edition (effective 1 January 2019)”.
The Trustees have considered their duties in accordance with the Charity Commission's regulations. The review of activities and achievements is contained below, and the Trustees believe that it gives a true record of the work the charity has done in fulfilling its charitable purposes for public benefit.
The Trustees believe they have complied with their duty, contained in Section 4 of the Charities Act 2011, to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission.
Organisation
Winchester Radio is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered in England and Wales on 4[th] March 2015 and governed by a constitution adopted on 26[th] November 2014 and updated on 19[th] November 2020.
Winchester Radio is managed by the Charity Trustees, the majority of whom are elected by the membership. New Trustees receive a Trustee pack, which includes Charity Commission guidance on their role and responsibilities, and induction training during their first 6 months in office.
Throughout the year, Winchester Radio continued to operate with almost no paid staff, being run by a membership of volunteers. Winchester Radio has always benefited from having a diverse and intergenerational team of volunteers – during 2024, the service was delivered by a team of around 20 volunteers, ranging in age from 24 to 80. Two of our volunteers have been with the charity and its predecessors for over 40 years!
Charitable Objects
Winchester Radio has two objects:
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“the relief of sickness, poor health and old age amongst people living in the area served by the Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust or its successors by providing a local broadcasting service for hospitals, residential homes and similar institutions, and for patients receiving community care; and
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“the advancement of health and prevention or relief of sickness for the public benefit through the promotion of the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle, and the importance of maintaining good personal mental and physical health by (mainly, but not exclusively) the means of broadcasting health education messages to people living in the area served by the Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust or its successors.”
These objects are based on the model wording agreed between the Hospital Broadcasting Association (HBA) and the Charity Commission.
Winchester Radio provides a hospital radio service to patients at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital (RHCH) via the bedside entertainment system in furtherance of the first object. This service was previously provided by the predecessor, unincorporated, charity Winchester Hospitals Radio since 24[th] September 1984, making this our 40[th] anniversary year.
In furtherance of its second object, Winchester Radio provides its community radio service for the local population outside the hospital (primarily those aged over 50), with the intent of helping and encouraging them to live a healthy and active life in the local community, and thus requiring them to make less use of the health services. This was launched on 24[th] March 2019, initially on 94.7FM and online, becoming available on DAB digital radio in October 2022.
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Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts 2024
Winchester Radio
Related Organisations
Winchester Radio is proud to be a member of a number of support organisations for the voluntary sector, and wish to extend our thanks and appreciation to them for the news and information they offer throughout the year.
Winchester Radio is a member of the Hospital Broadcasting Association (HBA), the national charity that supports and promotes hospital, health and wellbeing broadcasting in the UK; the Community Media Association (CMA), the organisation which supports and advocates for community media, and the UK Community Radio Network (UKCRN), which supports and advocates specifically for Ofcom-licensed community radio stations. Winchester Radio is also a member of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO).
Locally, Winchester Radio is a member of Community First, one of the local Councils for Voluntary Service, and HIVCA, the Hampshire & Isle of Wight VCSE Health & Care Alliance (a collaboration established to facilitate the integration of the VCSE sector with the NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care System).
Winchester Radio’s Chair continued in her role as the Chair of Dementia Friendly Winchester throughout the reporting period (Winchester Radio has been an active member organisation of Dementia Friendly Winchester since its inception in 2014). The Chair also represents Winchester Radio on a number of local community and volunteer-sector leaders' groups, health forums and business networks, including the Winchester District Older People’s Partnership (WDOPP); the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Social Prescribing Network; the Hampshire & Isle of Wight VCSE Health & Care Alliance; the Hampshire & Isle of Wight ICS’s Winchester Health and Wellbeing Community Forum; and she attends networking events/meetings organised through the year by both Winchester BID and the University of Winchester. Winchester Radio’s Treasurer continued in his role as one of HBA’s Trustees until the AGM in April, when he stood down after 20 years’ service (he continues to act as a voluntary advisor to HBA). Being part of such networks helps Winchester Radio keep up-to-date on developments across all the sectors we operate in, encourages collaboration and sharing of best practice, and most importantly of all, it highlights the issues affecting people we support. This in turn means we can ensure our programming includes coverage of these issues and signposting to appropriate support, and that our community outreach work meeting older people helps raise awareness of how our service can help them keep connected, and promote positive ageing.
Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT) manages the RHCH, where Winchester Radio’s studio and FM transmitter are based, and where it delivers the hospital radio service. The RHCH is one of three hospitals managed by the Trust. Winchester Radio’s Chair liaises throughout the year with members of HHFT's Senior Management Team, and does broadcast interviews with members of the Board and clinical staff, often to tie in with local events or current health campaigns.
Winchester Radio depends upon the services of:
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Spark TSL, the company that owns and runs the bedside entertainment system through which its programmes are delivered to patients at the RHCH.
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Winchester DAB, the company that operates the Winchester Small-Scale DAB network. Winchester Radio’s Treasurer is a non-executive director of Winchester DAB Ltd, representing Winchester Radio.
Winchester Radio is proud to have been selected by Mayor Councillor Russell GordonSmith to be one of the four beneficiary charities of the Mayor of Winchester’s Charity for the mayoral year that runs from May 2024 to May 2025. Winchester Radio, alongside the Hampshire History Trust, St. John’s Winchester Charity, and Winchester Sea Cadets, plus the Mayor and other councillors, has organised a large number of fundraising events throughout the mayoral year, including historical walking tours, a quiz with questions from local “TV Egghead” Kevin Ashman, to receptions at Abbey House, the Mayor’s official residence. The proceeds will be divided between the four charities after the end of the mayoral year.
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Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts 2024 Review of Activities and Achievements
Winchester Radio
Programming aims
Winchester Radio’s aim is that our service:
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helps and encourages listeners to live a healthy, active, independent life, engaged in the social life of the local community; and
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where this isn't possible (for example due to ill-health), to help reduce boredom and social isolation by playing a great selection of music and keeping listeners in touch with what is happening locally;
with the ultimate aim of improving the quality of people’s lives as they get older, and thus reducing the need for support from the local health and care services.
Key commitments written into the Ofcom FM community radio licence require that Winchester Radio provides a service:
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primarily for people aged 50 and over, living in Winchester and the surrounding area;
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to help improve health and wellbeing; and
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that offers music and speech to entertain and engage the local community.
Throughout the reporting period, the licence required a minimum of 56 hours per week of original output (output that is first produced for and transmitted by Winchester Radio).
We aim to provide a mix of music and information tailored to the needs and interests of the older generation in Winchester – who are under-served by other local radio stations. Our music mix is distinctive, and our hyper-local focus on Winchester and the immediately surrounding villages is unique in this area and, we believe, highly appealing. Having attracted our audience, we then use behavioural economics (“nudge theory”) to subtly encourage listeners to make the best lifestyle choices for their own health and wellbeing. We tell them about:
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all the enticing events happening on their doorstep;
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the range of local participative sports they can play;
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the great number of social groups, charities and other local organisations they can get involved with;
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the wide range of local support groups for those with long-term health conditions;
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the cultural scene in and around the city; and
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important local government plans, consultations, and decisions that might affect their lives;
and encourage listeners to get involved.
Programme and Community Engagement
Winchester Radio delivered an average of 60 hours of “original” hours of programme output per week, using an average of 232 volunteer hours per week, throughout 2024, in furtherance of the charity’s aims. Our programme schedule and style of service were in line with our Key Commitments to Ofcom, as outlined above.
Our team were out and about in the community throughout 2024: visiting different community groups to hear more about their work; learning about and raising awareness of local support available for those in need; shining a spotlight on charities and individuals doing amazing things to help others; celebrating local organisations with significant anniversaries and sharing their work with listeners; capturing special moments at festivals, civic events, fundraisers and other gatherings across the Winchester area; highlighting achievements of the local business community; promoting local tourism destinations; engaging with the public to get their views on local topical issues; and meeting listeners and collecting music requests from both patients and NHS staff within the hospital each week, and from people in the community.
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During 2024, we again let our listeners know about hundreds of local grassroots charities, sports clubs and support groups, by sharing details of activities people could get involved with, free taster sessions available locally, ways to volunteer with local good causes, and opportunities to connect with others.
We also gave editorial coverage to organisations with significant anniversaries in 2024:
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the 500[th] Winchester ParkRun, encouraging more people to participate and/or sign up as a volunteer helper at these free fun community exercise activities;
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Christians Against Poverty, Winchester – marking its 10 years of providing support to people struggling with debt, often resulting from unexpected change of circumstances;
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• charity Winnall Rock School’s 20[th] birthday, celebrating young people’s creative talents;
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Emmaus Hampshire marking 15 years of its home and support service for those who have experienced homelessness;
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the 1[st] birthday of Winchester’s Repair Café initiative ensuring less waste goes to landfill, and cherished belongings can be repaired and given a second lease of life;
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50 years of The Madding Crowd who perform across the county and keep alive old traditional village songs and music from both church and secular settings;
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charity Brendoncare marking its 40 years of support to older people;
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140 years of St. Swithun’s School providing renowned world-class education for girls;
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the 40[th] anniversary of choir Southern Voices which encourages new young emerging talent and brings a wide range of music pieces to the public each year;
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50 years of Winchester’s Hat Fair Festival, celebrating outdoor arts and theatre;
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Badger Farm Community Centre’s monthly Chat-Tea Café celebrating its 5 years of bringing older people together, to help combat loneliness and isolation; and
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the 70[th] birthday of Weeke Community Centre, a valuable meeting place, providing a wide range of different activities each week, and aiding community cohesion.
The station continued to keep our audience aware of local developments including the new, bigger St. Clements GP Surgery being built in the city-centre, and the Station Approach and Central Winchester Regeneration projects. We engaged local opinion on issues such as: the building of a new hospital and the services it would provide to people here in Winchester; financial cuts to some local council services due to real-term cuts in funding from central government; proposed cuts to lollypop staff provision at a local school near a busy road; freak weather conditions; and also the fun things too, including what people love about some of the local festivals in the city.
In 2024 Winchester Radio volunteers shared the stories, challenges and achievements of some incredibly inspiring people in the community, including:
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retired nurse Sally Stoodley who, following recovery from a severe stroke, decided to fundraise for a new hoist for Twyford ward at the RHCH to say thank you, and began a trek along St James Way, and then on to Santiago de Compostella in Spain;
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Winchester GP, Dr Matt Hammerton, running an epic 100-mile ultra-challenge along the South Downs Way, to raise funds for charity, Trinity Winchester which supports people experiencing the effects of homelessness, vulnerability or abuse;
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Local retiree, Marina Cornwall, achieving national, European and World titles in Powerlifting, and who wants to inspire other older people to get and stay active;
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Frank Wainwright’s 62 ultra-marathons in 62 days raising funds for youth development charities and to help inspire the next generation to enjoy fitness and the great outdoors; and
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Elizabeth Ormiston doing a charity climb to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in memory of a young friend who died by suicide, to help raise awareness of the risk among young people and the charity support available to anyone who is struggling emotionally.
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Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts 2024
Local organisations, businesses, charities, churches, schools and civic bodies all featured on air through 2024. The charity continued to signpost people to support services, including community schemes to help families with the high cost of living; plus the many initiatives run by Winchester City Council, and also the city’s local churches to help those struggling financially or through social isolation. A number of the local church ministers produced Reflections for us to broadcast to our audience. A small dedicated team of Winchester Radio volunteers, including our News Editor Mary Blaxland and our trustees, gave many volunteer hours throughout the year for community engagement work, meeting people out and about and engaging with local groups; and Mary did many engaging interviews with inspiring people for our “Winchester Now” news programmes.
Feedback and Recognition of our Volunteer-led Efforts
The Winchester Radio team are all volunteers, giving their time and energy and sharing their skills and knowledge, for free. Many volunteers devote enormous amounts of their time helping Winchester Radio every single day of the year, and a number of the team are also actively engaged in other volunteering roles with various groups supporting the local community too.
It really means a lot when listeners get in touch to say how much they appreciate our Winchester Radio service; and when staff from other organisations getting publicity on-air for their causes and upcoming events, take a moment to say “thank you”. Here are just some of the messages of gratitude we had through the year:
“I always find your service really excellent. I often hear or discover more about community activities in and around Winchester that I didn’t know about. Thanks for all you do.”
“We are extremely grateful to you and everyone who shared this important day with us [Vigil in Abbey Gardens] and for all the incredible support we have from the Winchester community.” Winchester Ukrainian Cultural Association
“You were kind enough to play my Mum a dedication and your team kindly gave us a recording of this dedication which we were able to play at my Mum’s funeral a month later […] Thank you again for all the support we had from Winchester Radio during our family grief.”
“Loved the 90s chillout song you played me this morning. Great station. Keep up the good work.”
“Thank you for helping me spread awareness about MS. The interview was a really fun experience.”
“Hello, I’m a new listener to Winchester Radio! I came across your radio station after a look-up on the internet. I’m enjoying the music you’re playing very much, and the sunshine today.”
“It was a delight to join you and be interviewed. Thank you.” Winchester Poetry Festival
“I really enjoyed listening to my two requests played and dedications on Winchester Radio. Thank you. I’m enjoying the improved vision I’m getting and grateful to have the surgery available to me.”
“Thanks for sharing our work”. Menopause Café
“We’re looking forward to welcoming you to our rehearsal on Monday evening.” Southern Voices
“I spoke at length with the brilliant Winchester Radio as the current public consultation draws to a close [March 2024]. You can listen to that interview, which draws on more than a decade of my experience as our MP working on these issues.” Steve Brine, MP for Winchester
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Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts 2024
Winchester Radio
“Thanks for the coverage Winchester Radio of our Big Sleep Out event. ” Trinity Winchester
“I am so pleased to have the opportunity to meet members of the Winchester Radio team in person, and to be able to tell you what a difference your charity has made to our family over many years. It has brought us joy hearing our requests when relatives have been in hospital. And since we can all listen at home now, we have really appreciated all the local Winchester information as well as the excellent music you play. Your service has also brought us comfort in sad times too. Thank you so much – what you do, really makes a difference.”
“Special thanks for the amazing volunteers at Winchester Radio. It wouldn’t exist without you guys! You go out and about and visit patients on the wards, talk to them about their favourite music, take them back in time, bring in their requests, messages of thanks for the staff that have looked after them, and messages of hope to their friends and families. It’s just fantastic what you guys do. We are so appreciative of all the work, and the care and compassion you give. We are very, very lucky to have Winchester Radio and its amazing volunteers here at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital.” Alex Whitfield, CEO at Hampshire Hospitals
“I really enjoy listening to Winchester Radio every day. There’s something for everyone.”
National conference
Winchester was host to the Hospital Broadcasting Association’s national conference and National Hospital Radio Awards in April this year, creating much national and local publicity for Winchester, Winchester Radio, and hospital, health and wellbeing radio generally. Stations from across the UK attended, with Winchester Radio providing key support to the national association during the planning of the conference, and on the day. Three presentations were made by Winchester Radio volunteers, covering our approach to health & wellbeing community radio, community journalism, and knowing & targeting your audience. In addition, Winchester Radio successfully approached the then local MP and Chair of the Health & Social care Select Committee, Steve Brine, and Chief Nurse of Hampshire Hospitals, Julie Dawes, to present keynote speeches.
Awards
Winchester Radio was honoured to be the recipient of a Mayor of Winchester’s Community Award in March 2024, having been nominated by appreciative listeners who love our service to the community; and our volunteers Tony Knight, Ron Venturi and Jeff Wearing went along to hear the citation read out for the charity’s award and to receive the station’s certificate from the Mayor. Our Chair, Anna O’Brien had also been nominated for an individual Community Award but sadly she was unavailable on the night of the ceremony to receive it so a certificate with the citation on, got posted to her instead.
This year, Winchester Radio was shortlisted for Best Special Event category in the National Hospital Radio Awards, for the report by Mary Blaxland about the day Olympian Adam Peaty came to Winchester and the sporting event he ran at the leisure centre. Unfortunately, it did not make the top three.
At the Hospital Broadcasting Association’s conference, Winchester Radio was presented with a certificate recognising the 40[th] anniversary of its first broadcast. A number of our volunteers were given Long Service Awards from the Hospital Broadcasting Association (in some cases the volunteers have done slightly more years that the certificates show, as these are given out at significant 5-year milestones):
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5 years: Jane Gill, Ray Jepson, George Kousseff, Dan O’Leary, Amber Westley;
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10 years: Ron Venturi;
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15 years: Helen Down, Jeremy Goldthorpe, Ian Kemp, Val Moore;
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25 years: David Addis, Anna O’Brien; and
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Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts 2024
- 45 years: Tony Knight (including time volunteering at the Southampton & Winchester Hospital Broadcasting Association, prior to the launch of Winchester Radio in 1984).
We were delighted that, at our fundraising coffee morning later in the year, the Mayor, Cllr Russell Gordon-Smith, was able to present these long-service awards to those of our volunteers who were unable to attend the national conference.
DAB broadcasting
Winchester Radio uses the Winchester Small-Scale DAB network to broadcast using DAB digital radio. UK DAB Networks operated that network from its launch in October 2022 until it was liquidated on 24[th] November 2023, taking the network off-air, and thus removing Winchester Radio's DAB coverage. A collaborative effort from a number of the community radio stations affected, including Winchester Radio, together with some enthusiastic individuals who were able to invest some capital, resulted in a new company, Winchester DAB Ltd, being created to apply to Ofcom to take over the licence. This application was successful and, following a public consultation necessitated by the change in coverage due to new transmission arrangements, the DAB network resumed broadcasting on 8[th] February 2024.
Studio relocation
We are thankful to Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for their ongoing support for what we do, and for continuing to provide us with free accommodation. We were informed by the Senior Management in May 2022 that the planned relocation of our studio to Level A of Burrell Wing was not going to be possible, due to redevelopment plans including a new elective orthopaedic hub. Whilst the hospital management were adamant that they would continue to accommodate Winchester Radio, the proposed location of our studio remained uncertain until September 2023, with the viability of the final proposed location in Ashley Wing remaining uncertain well into 2024.
The studio relocation project has put enormous demands on the Trustees, with literally hundreds of person hours being spent in meetings with NHS Trust project management and estates staff, and/or their consultants, developing studio layouts, designing studio circuit diagrams, and subsequently implementing those plans – fitting-out studios, and building, installing and commissioning the broadcast systems. This has had a very significant impact on the running of the charity during the reporting year, as no effort or facilities have been available to recruit and train new volunteers, or to raise the profile of the charity alongside keeping the service running.
Operations were moved from our previous studio to the new studio in August, with the computer servers that keep Winchester Radio on-air switched-off in the old studio, relocated across the hospital site, and re-commissioned in the new accommodation on the same day. Broadcasts were sustained with a pre-recorded set of “emergency” programming, broadcast from an MP3 player at the FM transmitter, received off-air at the Chief Engineer’s home, and relayed from there to our streaming-host and onwards to the DAB network.
At this point, however, there were no operational studios in the new accommodation, with presenters having to broadcast from home. A temporary studio was quickly set-up in the smaller studio, whilst work progressed on the fitting-out of the larger studio. Unfortunately, at this point, our Chief Engineer fell and broke his arm, requiring shoulder replacement surgery and many months of physiotherapy. This delayed work completing Studio 1 into 2025 although, at the time of writing, Studio 1 is complete and fully operational, and work is progressing well on Studio 2.
Generating earned income
In 2022, Winchester Radio received funding from the DCMS-funded, Ofcom-administered Community Radio Fund to employ a part-time Community Business Development Manager to help grow earned-income and reduce the dependence of the charity on grant funding. The new employee started work in May 2023.
By the end of the funded year (April 2024), a significant amount of research and background work had been undertaken, but it was clear that growing Winchester Radio's
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Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts 2024
earned income was not going to be easy, even with the resources of a paid employee. Selling commercial advertising is proving very difficult, and whilst revenue has increased, not by anything like the amount necessary to sustain the Community Business Development Manager as a paid position. Whilst positive conversations have been held with both Winchester City Council and Hampshire County Council about funding programmes and/or editorial features, it is evident that the cogs in the machinery of local government turn very slowly.
The difficult decision was, therefore, taken to retain the services of the Community Business Development Manager for only three further months, whilst delivery of the sponsored Community Messages programme was completed, and to assist with the development of a strategic business plan for the charity. The responsibility for income generation has subsequently returned to the Trustees, primarily the Treasurer, who was already acting as the Community Business Development Manager’s line manager.
All is not doom and gloom, however. Whilst it has not proved sustainable to employ someone to generate earned income, advertising revenue is increasing year-on-year, with a mix of both commercial, public sector and charity sector clients. And, for the first time, we were contracted to deliver a paid-for series of editorial features, in furtherance of our charitable objects and the social gain objectives of our Ofcom licences. We were contracted by local dance charity, Move Momentum, to record a series of narrated dance features which we subsequently edited and broadcast, to encourage our older listeners to keep active. This initiative was grant funded, with Move Momentum acting as lead applicant, with Winchester Radio as a named subcontractor. It is hoped that this funding model can be replicated with other funders and other lead partners in future.
Business planning
Towards the end of 2023, we were successful in our application to the Cranfield Trust for pro bono support from one of their volunteer consultants to develop a business plan, to assist in getting Winchester Radio into a position where it is a more sustainable social enterprise. This work started in earnest in 2024, and resulted in the creation of a formal Risk Register and good progress towards an overall business plan, including a financial model.
Unfortunately, progress was significantly impacted by the studio relocation and subsequent time and effort focused on getting the studios into a usable condition, and work to finalise the business plan is still on-going at the time of writing. However, good progress has been made, and the plan is well on the way to completion, with agreement as to the most-appropriate direction for the charity from all of the Trustees. The remaining work is mainly on the detailed financial modelling of the optimistic, pessimistic and median scenarios, and the role descriptions for the various roles (both voluntary and paid) envisaged.
One early positive outcome was a suggestion to broadcast sponsored community messages. This was rapidly taken forward by our Community Business Development Manager, with support from the Treasurer, and developed into an offer to local businesses to sponsor 3 ad breaks per day each featuring two professionally-produced ads for local grassroots charities. Avery Healthcare came on-board as the sponsor, and a call was put out for local charities to apply to be one of 4 selected charities. The offer was oversubscribed by several times. As a result, in parallel to the sponsored Community Messages being launched in July, all the unsuccessful charities were offered the opportunity to produce their own ad for broadcast free-of-charge in Winchester Radio’s commercial ad breaks whenever there was a free slot. A number of the charities took up our offer.
One of the significant decisions remaining to be taken, pending costing and financial modelling, is the replacement of our broadcast computer system. This was purchased in 2018 and commissioned in time for the launch of our community radio service in 2019, and consists of a number of computers running a combination of Windows Server and Windows 10 operating systems, on top of which the specialist broadcast playout and scheduling systems run. With Microsoft stopping support for Windows 10 in late 2025, and the computer hardware not supporting Windows 11, a decision needs to be taken as to how to move forward, the options being to purchase new hardware and continue to run
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Winchester Radio
the servers ourselves (the “on-premises” option), or to migrate to the cloud-based solution offered by the broadcast system software vendor. The on-premises solution involves a significant capital outlay, and the ongoing need for Winchester Radio to maintain the hardware and software, but ongoing revenue costs will remain small. The cloud solution involves a significant monthly revenue expenditure, but much reduced capital expenditure, and also less need for specialist IT support knowledge within the team, as the cloud-based servers are maintained by the software vendor.
Acknowledgements
All Winchester Radio's activities have only been possible through the altruistic efforts of a small, hardworking team of around 20 regular volunteers, supplemented by a number of additional volunteers providing ad-hoc support. The charity could not achieve all it did over the last year without the enthusiasm, skills, time, kindness and dedication of our team, putting in literally thousands of hours of effort. We'd like to take this opportunity to thank them for their continued care and commitment throughout another intensely busy year.
Overall, we conservatively estimate that the volunteer team has given over 12,000 hours of their time to the charity during the year. Using the standard Ofcom volunteer rates , this is worth approximately £175,500.
Small charities such as Winchester Radio do not have the financial means to spend funds on professional services, cloud-based IT systems and advertising, so we are incredibly grateful that many businesses, large and small, have supported us during 2024.
We'd also like to say a huge thank you to the many individuals who have donated to Winchester Radio during 2024, and the local companies and organisations who have supported us through taking radio-advertising with us, sponsored features, or provided grants. We are very grateful to all those who champion and support charity Winchester Radio – and, of course, to our many listeners!
Financial Performance
Overall, Winchester Radio is financially sound and has significant cash reserves.
At the end of 2024, Winchester Radio had total cash reserves, in-hand and at the bank, of just over £74,000 (2022: just under £79,000), of which £2,167 (2022: £12,522) is restricted funds (most of this being for the studio relocation/re-equipping). Overall assets totalled just under £89,000 (2023: just under £94,000).
As in previous years, there are approximately £1,200 of prepayments recorded. These relate to:
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end-of-year adjustments, where the charity has paid in 2024 for a service to be only partly delivered in 2024 (for instance, it includes the part of the £950 annual Ofcom licence fees that relates to the period after 31[st] December 2024); and
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pre-payment of credit with suppliers (for instance, we bulk-purchase credits from a supplier of professional-quality music downloads to obtain the best price).
This year the debt owed to Winchester Radio, at £2,520 (2023: £2,698), consists of:
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the Priority Outcomes Fund grant from Winchester City Council (all grant obligations met, and request of payment submitted in January 2025, with payment being made in February);
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a VAT reclaim from HMRC; and
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two small donations made via payment platforms.
The £728 (2023: £728) of trade creditors relates to the cost of independent examination by an accountant of this Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts, plus two bills, payment for which was taken by Direct Debit in January 2025. The £2,898 (2023: £1,266) of payments received on account relates to advertising campaigns, community messages sponsorship, and funded editorial coverage that ran partially in 2024 and partially in 2025. The £60 (2023: £60) of stock is fundraising CDs produced by the predecessor charity, Winchester Hospital Radio, and which are sold on enquiry from members of the public.
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Winchester Radio
Income
Total recorded income was £30,288 (2023: £26,973), consisting of £9,232 in grants, donations and other monetary gifts (2023: £7,027), £11,472 worth of donations-in-kind (2023: £12,947), £7,826 income from trading activities (2023: £5,566) and £1,758 of bank interest (2023: £1,433).
Four significant grants were received during the year:
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£2,240 from Winchester City Council, as part of its “Priority Outcomes Framework” grant-funding programme (this is the final year of a renewed 3-year grant programme);
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£2,000 from the Rotary Clubs of Salisbury and Winchester, from the proceeds of the Clarendon Marathon;
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£1,900 from the Winchester & District Round Table, the first of 3 years’ funding as part of the club’s Community Service grants scheme; and
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£1,750 (£942 of which is shown as deferred income in the accounts) from the Avery Winchester Heights Care Home for sponsorship of Community Messages from 4 local grassroots charities, to be broadcast each day for a year.
Significant donations-in-kind included:
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free-of-charge accommodation, provided by Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, worth £8,450;
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free access from Google to its Workspace email and collaboration software, worth £1,200;
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free advertising of Winchester Radio on both sides of a heritage bus, from the Friends of King Alfred Buses;
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free cloud-hosted Voice-over-IP telephony services, providing the charity with a memorable telephone number and remote access to make and receive calls and messages, courtesy of Nimvelo, worth over £500; and
-
free internet stream hosting, allowing Winchester Radio to broadcast online and deliver our service to the Winchester DAB network, worth almost £200, courtesy of Streamerr.
Trading income is split between income generated in the furtherance of Winchester Radio’s charitable purposes (a combination of advertising sales and paid-for editorial), and income generated from fundraising activities (non-charitable advertising sales and fundraising events) and consisted of:
-
sales of on-air advertising to local businesses (£5,150, 2023: £3,212) and charities (£1,055, 2023: £1,275); in addition, a further £1,457 (2023: £1,266) of advertising sales were completed for campaigns to run on-air in 2025;
-
a paid-for series of narrated dance features to encourage movement and exercise for elderly listeners (£1,240, of which £500 has been deferred to 2025 in the accounts, due to the series airing in both late 2024 and early 2025);
-
a fundraising car boot sale collecting £578 (2023: £799 from 2 events) in sellers' pitch fees; and
-
a fundraising coffee morning raising over £300 (2023: £280).
Expenditure
Just over £4,300 of capital expenditure was made during the year, most of which was to purchase fixtures, fittings and equipment for our new studios (2023: £1,703). As part of the studio relocation, whilst the majority of fixed assets taken out of use were put into temporary storage pending potential re-use in the new studios, a small number of assets were disposed of. With one exception, these were fully depreciated in the accounts, and had no second-hand value, resulting in no change to the charity’s financial situation. The cabling, installed 7 years ago, between the previous studio and the FM transmitter was, however, made redundant and had to be abandoned before it had been fully depreciated, resulting in a charge of £263 in this year’s accounts.
Page 10
Winchester Radio
Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts 2024
By far the most-significant ongoing revenue expense is music copyright licensing fees, totalling £2,812 this year (2023: £2,659). This is followed by the Ofcom licences required to broadcast as a community radio station (£850 per annum for the FM licence, plus £100 per annum for the DAB licence) and insurance (£853 this year, £764 in 2023). The next two most-significant ongoing costs are the IRN news subscription, which provides us with hourly national/international news bulletins, plus access to news stories via their "Net Newsroom" facility, and the broadband internet connection (the cost of which was £206 higher than expected because of a delay in us being able to move into the new studio after the new internet line had been installed).
The costs of employing our Community Business Development Manager for 7 months came to £10,761 (2023: £12,003 for 8 months). Four months’ worth of these costs were met from the Community Radio Fund grant received in 2022. At the end of the funded period of employment, having paid the employee’s salary, pension and out-of-pocket expenses, there was £156 of unspent grant funding, which was returned to the Community Radio Fund. The earned income that the Community Business Development Manager role was intended to generate was a mix of primary-purpose income and non-primary-purpose income, to ensure that Winchester Radio remains within the limits on charity trading. The costs of employment have, therefore been split 75/25 between expenditure on charitable activities and fundraising activities, to match the intended mix of generated income.
Banking fees include:
-
a monthly fee charged by CAF Bank; and
-
payment processing fees from PayPal (donations/membership subsciptions), donr (text donations), SumUp (card payments at fundraising events) and GoCardless (membership fee direct debits).
Wherever possible, use was made of products and services made available free-of-charge or at reduced price to charities. This includes:
-
Google Workspace;
-
the VoIP telephone system from Nimvelo;
-
audio stream hosting from Streamerr; and
-
website hosting from Umbrella Host.
Financial Management and Reserves Policies
Winchester Radio has a Financial Management Policy which defines the controls to be implemented to ensure that the charity's assets are secure. This policy meets all the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 and the Charity Commission guidelines "Internal Financial Controls for Charities (CC8)". The policy states that unrestricted reserves should be held equivalent to a typical year's cash expenditure.
Based on the financial performance in this and the three previous years, the Trustees have confirmed their estimate that the base running costs for providing both the community and hospital radio services for a full year remains at around £8,000, although this might increase considerably if the currently draft business plan is formally agreed and some paidfor administrative help is employed. The charity and its predecessor have been slowly building up a reserve for an inevitable move and re-equipping of studios. As reported above, this relocation took place during the reporting period, although much work still needed to be undertaken during 2025 to complete the studios. Whilst the NHS Trust has paid for the building works necessary to make the allocated space suitable for Winchester Radio's use, the cost of the internal fitting-out and any necessary new technical equipment falls to Winchester Radio, with most expenditure still pending at year end. As the costs of this were still very-much uncertain at the end of the reporting year, the accounts show significant unrestricted reserves designated as being towards this project.
Once the final costs of the studio move are apparent, as part of a business-planning exercise that is in progress at the time of writing, it is intended to develop a financial plan that shows the return of the charity's reserves to the level set out in the policy, with the remainder designated for other specific projects.
Page 11
Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts 2024 Management of Major Risks
Winchester Radio
The launch of our community radio service in 2019, with the attendant significant increase in running costs, was (and remains) a significant risk to Winchester Radio. The project was approved on the basis of three major income streams, all of which have risks – grant funding, commercial advertising and sponsorship, and personal donations. However, with the financial buffer afforded by the current reserves, and the accommodation issue having been resolved, the Trustees are confident that the charity has a long-term future. Grant funding-wise, the 3-year agreement with Winchester & District Round Table , a long-term relationship with Winchester Rotary, and slowly growing advertising sales, provides further confidence.
As described above, we have received pro bono support from the Cranfield Trust to assist with the development of a longer-term business plan. Whilst, unfortunately, this work is incomplete at the time of writing, good progress has been made, and the plan is well on the way to completion, with agreement as to the most-appropriate direction for the charity from all of the Trustees. This provides additional confidence that the charity has a longterm future.
Page 12
Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts 2024
Winchester Radio
Charity Trustees
Anna O'Brien (Chair) Paul Blitz Nigel Dallard Jeff Wearing (appointed 11 January 2024, resigned 31 March 2025) Ian Kemp (appointed 26 June 2025)
Charity Number
1160752 (England and Wales)
Principal Address
Mailpoint MP66 Royal Hampshire County Hospital Romsey Road Winchester Hampshire SO22 5DG
Bankers
CAF Bank Ltd 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling ME19 4JQ
Independent Examiner
Jason Foxwell FCCA FCIE independent-examiner.net PO Box 9846, Poole. BH15 9JZ
Signed on behalf of the Trustees,
Ava (Bie Anna O'Brien Chair 6[th] August 2025
Nigel Dallard Treasurer 6[th] August 2025
Page 13
Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts 2024
Winchester Radio
Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Winchester Radio ("the Charity") for the year ended 31 December 2024, which are set out on pages 15 to 24.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity 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 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 material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
-
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.
Jason Foxwell FCCA FCIE independent-examiner.net PO Box 9846, Poole. BH15 9JZ
Page 14
Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts 2024
Winchester Radio
Statement of Financial Activities (incorporating an Income and Expenditure Account) for the Year Ended 31[st] December 2024
| Notes 2a 2b 2c 2d 3a 3b 3c 10 Cash at bank and in hand Fixed Assets Debtors Creditors Stock Total funds carried forward Net movement in funds Total funds brought forward Other Total Expenditure Net gains/(losses) on investments Gains and losses on revaluation of fixed assets for the charity's own use Other gains/(losses) Other recognised gains/(losses): Reconciliation of funds: Transfers between funds Income and Endowments from: Expenditure on: Net income/(expenditure) before investment gains/(losses): Net income/(expenditure) Extraordinary items Donations and legacies Charitable activities Other trading activities Investments Total Income Raising funds Charitable activities |
2024 2023 Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Total funds Total funds |
|---|---|
| £ £ £ £ 20,704 - 20,704 19,974 1,795 - 1,795 1,275 6,031 - 6,031 4,291 1,758 - 1,758 1,433 |
|
| 30,288 - 30,288 26,973 |
|
| 1,551 1,522 3,073 3,501 27,051 5,085 32,136 32,927 - - - - |
|
| 28,602 6,607 35,209 36,428 |
|
| 1,686 (6,607) (4,921) (9,455) - - - - 1,686 (6,607) (4,921) (9,455) - - - - 3,748 (3,748) - - - - - - - - - - |
|
| 5,434 (10,355) (4,921) (9,455) |
|
| 66,338 12,522 78,860 86,947 12,799 - 12,799 15,346 3,891 - 3,891 2,368 (1,994) - (1,994) (1,650) 60 - 60 60 |
|
| 86,528 2,167 88,695 93,616 |
Page 15
Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts 2024
Winchester Radio
Balance Sheet as at 31[st] December 2024
| 2024 | 2023 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | |||||
| Notes | funds | Restricted funds | Total funds | Total funds | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Fixed assets: | |||||
| Tangible assets | 5a | 10,727 | - | 10,727 | 10,027 |
| Intangible assets | 5b | 3,305 | - | 3,305 | 2,772 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | |
| Total fixed assets | 14,032 | - | 14,032 | 12,799 | |
| Current assets: | |||||
| Stock | 6 | 60 | - | 60 | 60 |
| Debtors | 7 | 3,960 | - | 3,960 | 3,891 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | |
| Cash at bank and in hand | 9 | 72,048 | 2,167 | 74,215 | 78,860 |
| Total current assets | 76,068 | 2,167 | 78,235 | 82,811 | |
| Creditors: | |||||
| Amounts falling due within one year | 8 | 3,572 | - | 3,572 | 1,994 |
| Net current assets/(liabilities) | 72,496 | 2,167 | 74,663 | 80,817 | |
| Total assets less current liabilities | 86,528 | 2,167 | 88,695 | 93,616 | |
| Creditors: | |||||
| Amounts falling due after one year | - | - | - | - | |
| Provision for liabilities | - | - | - | - | |
| Total net assets or liabilities | 86,528 | 2,167 | 88,695 | 93,616 | |
| Funds of the Charity: | |||||
| Restricted funds | 10 | - | 2,167 | 2,167 | 12,522 |
| Unrestricted funds | 10 | 86,528 | - | 86,528 | 81,094 |
| Total funds | 86,528 | 2,167 | 88,695 | 93,616 |
Signed on behalf of the Trustees,
Anna O'Brien Chair 6[th] August 2025
Nigel Dallard Treasurer 6[th] August 2025
Page 16
Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts 2024 Notes to the Financial Statements
Winchester Radio
for the Year Ended 31[st] December 2024
1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES
(a) Basis of accounting
These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention, with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts.
The accounts have been prepared in accordance with:
-
Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) Second Edition (effective 1 January 2019);
-
the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102); and
-
• the Charities Act 2011.
The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.
(b) Income
i) Recognition of income
Income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities when:
-
the charity becomes entitled to the resources;
-
it is more likely than not that the Trustees will receive the resources; and
-
the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability.
ii) Offsetting
There has been no offsetting of assets and liabilities, or income and expenses, unless required by the FRS 102 SORP or FRS 102.
iii) Grants and donations
Grants and donations are only included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the general income recognition criteria, specified in the FRS 102 SORP, are met.
In the case of performance-related grants, income is only recognised to the extent that the charity has provided the specified goods or services, as entitlement to the grant only occurs when performance-related conditions are met.
iv) Gift Aid
Gift Aid receivable is included in income when there is a valid declaration from the donor. Any Gift Aid amount recovered on a donation is considered to be part of the gift, and is treated as an addition to the same fund as the initial donation unless the donor of the terms of the appeal have specified otherwise.
v) Contractual income and performance-related grants
This is only included in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has provided the related goods or services, or met the performance-related conditions.
vi) Donated goods
Donated goods are measured at fair value (the amount for which the asset could be exchanged) unless impractical to do so.
The cost of any stock of goods donated for distribution to beneficiaries is recognised on receipt at the fair value of those gifts at the time of their receipt. In the reporting period in which the stocks are distributed, they are recognised as an expense at the carrying amount of the stocks at distribution.
Donated goods for resale are measured at fair value on initial recognition, which is the expected proceeds from the sale less any expected costs of sale, and recognised in "income from other trading activities", with the corresponding stock recognised in the balance sheet. On its sale, the value of stock is charged against "Income from other trading activities" and the proceeds from the sale also recognised as "Income from other trading activities".
Goods donated for ongoing use by the charity are recognised as fixed assets and included in the Statement of Financial Activities as incoming resources when receivable.
Gifts-in-kind for use by the charity are included in the Statement of Financial Activities as income from donations when receivable.
vii) Donated services and facilities
Donated services and facilities are included in the Statement of Financial Activities when received, at the value of the gift to the charity, provided the value of the gift can be measured reliably.
Donated services and facilities that are consumed immediately are recognised as income, with an equivalent amount recognised as an expense under the appropriate heading in the Statement of Financial Activities.
viii) Volunteer help
The value of any voluntary help received is not included in the accounts, but it is described in the Trustees' Annual Report.
ix) Income from interest, royalties and dividends
This is included in the accounts when receipt is probable and the amount receivable can be measured reliably.
x) Income from membership subscriptions
Membership subscriptions, which are received in the nature of a gift, are recognised in Donations and Legacies.
Page 17
Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts 2024
Winchester Radio
Notes to the Financial Statements
for the Year Ended 31[st] December 2024 (continued)
(c) Expenditure and liabilities
i) Liability recognition
Liabilities are recognised where it is more likely than not that there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources, and the amount of the obligation can be measured with reasonable certainty.
ii) Provisions for liabilities
A liability is measured on recognition at its historical cost, and then subsequently measured at the best estimate of the amount required to settle the obligation at the reporting date.
iii) Creditors
The charity has creditors which are measured at settlement amounts less any trade discounts.
(d) Assets i) Tangible fixed assets for use by the charity
These are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year. They are valued at cost or, if gifted, at the value to the charity on receipt.
Depreciation is calculated on a "straight line" basis at a rate to write-off the cost of tangible fixed assets over their expected useful lives. The rates applied per annum are as follows:
-
fixtures and fittings 10%
-
• computers & computer systems 20% • portable recording equipment 20% • branded gazebo & accessories 20% • other electronic equipment 10% • physical music library 10%
ii) Intangible fixed assets
The charity has intangible fixed assets, that is, non-monetary assets that do not have physical substance but which are identifiable and are controlled by the charity through custody or legal rights. They are valued at cost or, if gifted, as the value to the charity on receipt,
Amortisation is calculated on a "straight line" basis at a rate to write-off the cost of the intangible fixed assets over their expected useful lives. The rates applied per annum are as follows:
-
software 20%
-
• visual branding 10% • audio branding 20% • digital music library 10%
iii) Stocks
Stocks held for sale as part of non-charitable trade are measured at the lower of cost or net realisable value.
Goods or services provided as part of a charitable activity are measured at net realisable value based on the service potential provided by items of stock.
iv) Debtors
Debtors are measured on initial recognition at settlement amount after any trade discounts. Subsequently they are measured at the cash or other consideration expected to be received.
Page 18
Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts 2024
Winchester Radio
Notes to the Financial Statements
for the Year Ended 31[st] December 2024 (continued)
2. INCOME
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | |||||
| funds | funds | Total funds | Total funds | |||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| (a) | Donations and legacies | |||||
| Donations and gifts | ||||||
| Donation from Rick Stein Winchester | 479 | - | 479 | - | ||
| Donations via "Give As You Live" | 16 | - | 16 | 18 | ||
| Donations via Text Message | 10 | - | 10 | - | ||
| Donations via "Amazon Smile" | - | - | - | 23 | ||
| Other donations | 1,053 | - | 1,053 | 849 | ||
| Gift Aid | 206 | - | 206 | 187 | ||
| Grants (note 2e) | ||||||
| Winchester City Council Priority Outcomes Framework | 2,240 | - | 2,240 | 2,520 | ||
| Clarendon Marathon | 2,000 | - | 2,000 | 2,000 | ||
| Winchester & District Round Table | 1,900 | - | 1,900 | 1,000 | ||
| Winchester Heights Care Home | 808 | - | 808 | - | ||
| Membership subscriptions | 520 | - | 520 | 430 | ||
| Donated goods, facilities & services (note 2f) | ||||||
| Accommodation | 8,450 | - | 8,450 | 8,450 | ||
| Google Workspace | 1,200 | - | 1,200 | 1,200 | ||
| Advertisement on heritage bus | 1,000 | - | 1,000 | - | ||
| VoIP phone system | 576 | - | 576 | 576 | ||
| Stream Hosting | 180 | - | 180 | 180 | ||
| Website Hosting | 66 | - | 66 | 66 | ||
| Independent Examination of accounts | - | - | - | 2,475 | ||
| Total | 20,704 | - | 20,704 | 19,974 | ||
| (b) | Charitable activities | |||||
| Programme/Feature Sales | 740 | - | 740 | - | ||
| Advertising Sales | 1,055 | - | 1,055 | 1,275 | ||
| Total | 1,795 | - | 1,795 | 1,275 | ||
| (c) | Other trading activities | |||||
| Advertising Sales | 5,150 | - | 5,150 | 3,212 | ||
| Car Boot Sales | 578 | - | 578 | 799 | ||
| Coffee Morning | 303 | - | 303 | 280 | ||
| Total | 6,031 | - | 6,031 | 4,291 | ||
| (d) | Income from investments | |||||
| Interest | 1,758 | - | 1,758 | 1,433 | ||
| Total | 1,758 | - | 1,758 | 1,433 |
(e) Grants i) Winchester City Council Priority Outcomes Framework
This is the third year of a 3-year grant award, renewed for a second term, based on Winchester Radio's activities furthering the City Council's priorities for community development.
ii) Clarendon Marathon
This unrestricted grant was made by the organisers of the marathon (the Rotary Clubs of Salisbury and Winchester) from funds raised as a result of the 2024 event.
iii) Winchester & District Round Table
This unrestricted grant was made by the Round Table as part of their Community Service grants programme. It is the first y
iv) Winchester Heights Care Home
This is a grant from Avery Healthcare's Winchester Heights Care Home sponsoring daily community messages broadcast on Winchester Radio in support of 4 local charities. That part of the income from the grant covering the broadcasting of community messages in 2025 has been deferred on the basis that the terms of the donation had not been met at the end of the accounting period in relation to those community messages.
Page 19
Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts 2024
Winchester Radio
Notes to the Financial Statements
for the Year Ended 31[st] December 2024 (continued)
(f) Donated goods, facilities & services
i) Accommodation
Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides the charity with 26m[2] of accommodation free-of-charge. The Trust calculates that the cost of this accommodation is £325 /m[2] .
ii) Google Workspace email/collaboration service
Google makes its Workspace Business Starter email and collaboration service available free-of-charge to UK registered charities. The normal cost is £5 per user, per month. This represents the cost of Winchester Radio purchasing an appropriate number of accounts at standard prices.
iii) Advertisement on heritage bus
The local heritage charity, Friends of King Alfred Buses kindly invited Winchester Radio to have an advert on the sides of one of its heritage buses, at no cost to Winchester Radio. This is the estimated cost of having the advert applied to the bus.
iv) VoIP Phone System
Nimvelo offers its cloud-hosted VoIP phone system free-of-charge to UK registered charities. The value of the donation is calculated based on the usual cost of the service features being used by Winchester Radio.
v) Stream Hosting
streamerr offers its internet streaming service free-of-charge to UK registered charities. The value of the donation is calculated based on the usual cost of the service features being used by Winchester Radio.
vi) Website Hosting
Umbrella Host offers its website hosting service free-of-charge to UK registered charities. The value of the donation is calculated based on the usual cost of the service features being used by Winchester Radio.
vii) Independent Examination of accounts
Jonathan Poulter, and previously his father John Poulter, both of Rothmans had previously independently examined the charity's accounts free-of-charge for a number of years. This grant represents Rothmans usual charges for this service.
3. EXPENDITURE
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | |||||
| funds | funds | Total funds | Total funds | |||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| (a) | Expenditure on raising funds | |||||
| Cost of advertising sales | 240 | - | 240 | 300 | ||
| Community Business Development Manager | ||||||
| Salary | 1,167 | 1,472 | 2,639 | 2,944 | ||
| Pension contributions (defined contribution scheme) | 23 | 29 | 52 | 57 | ||
| Out-of-pocket expenses | - | 21 | 21 | - | ||
| Mobile Phone | 31 | - | 31 | 28 | ||
| Recruitment costs | - | - | - | 79 | ||
| Staging fundraising events | 90 | - | 90 | 93 | ||
| Total | 1,551 | 1,522 | 3,073 | 3,501 |
Page 20
Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts 2024
Winchester Radio
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] December 2024 (continued)
(b) Expenditure on charitable activities
| (b) | Expenditure on charitable activities | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Station running expenses | |||||||
| Music copyright licences | 2,812 | - | 2,812 | 2,659 | |||
| Google Workspace Email & Collaboration Service | 1,200 | - | 1,200 | 1,200 | |||
| Ofcom Broadcasting licences | 950 | - | 950 | 950 | |||
| Winchester Small-Scale DAB carriage fee | 893 | - | 893 | 13 | |||
| Insurance | 853 | - | 853 | 764 | |||
| Broadband internet connection | 373 | 206 | 579 | 343 | |||
| VoIP telephone system | 576 | - | 576 | 576 | |||
| IRN news licence | 413 | - | 413 | 383 | |||
| Stream hosting | 180 | - | 180 | 180 | |||
| Broadcast playout system remote access licence | 168 | - | 168 | 165 | |||
| TV licence | 165 | - | 165 | 159 | |||
| Equipment for New Studio | - | 115 | 115 | - | |||
| CMA membership fee | 79 | - | 79 | 60 | |||
| Banking fees | 76 | - | 76 | 74 | |||
| Equipment replacements / engineering | 74 | - | 74 | 385 | |||
| UK Radioplayer subscription | 68 | - | 68 | 109 | |||
| Ofcom PMSE Radiomic licence | 68 | - | 68 | 68 | |||
| Office Consumables | 16 | 43 | 59 | 28 | |||
| HBA membership fee | 50 | - | 50 | 50 | |||
| Volunteer refreshments | 36 | - | 36 | 5 | |||
| Community First membership fee | 8 | - | 8 | 8 | |||
| Local Radio Support membership | - | - | - | 97 | |||
| Miscellaneous | 46 | - | 46 | - | |||
| Cost of advertising sales | |||||||
| Advertising/community messages production costs | 442 | - | 442 | - | |||
| Community Business Development Manager | |||||||
| Salary | 3,500 | 4,415 | 7,915 | 8,831 | |||
| Pension contributions (defined contribution scheme) | 70 | 85 | 155 | 171 | |||
| Out-of-pocket expenses | - | 64 | 64 | - | |||
| Mobile Phone | 92 | - | 92 | 83 | |||
| Recruitment costs | - | - | - | 236 | |||
| Return of unspent Community Radio Fund grant | - | 157 | 157 | - | |||
| Communications and publicity | |||||||
| Website/internet domain hosting | 131 | - | 131 | 130 | |||
| Promotional Flyers | - | - | - | 24 | |||
| Accommodation | 8,450 | - | 8,450 | 8,450 | |||
| Independent Examination of accounts | 625 | - | 625 | 2,475 | |||
| Loss on disposal of fixed assets | 263 | - | 263 | - | |||
| Depreciation of tangible fixed assets | 3,358 | - | 3,358 | 2,839 | |||
| Amortisation of intangible fixed assets | 1,016 | - | 1,016 | 1,412 | |||
| Total | 27,051 | 5,085 | 32,136 | 32,927 | |||
| 4. | PAID EMPLOYEES | ||||||
| (a) | Staff Costs | ||||||
| Salaries & wages | 4,667 | 5,887 | 10,554 | 11,775 | |||
| Pension contributions (defined contribution scheme) | 93 | 114 | 207 | 228 | |||
| Total | 4,760 | 6,001 | 10,761 | 12,003 |
No employees received employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs) for the reporting period of more than £60,000
(b) Average head count
Average number of employees
2024 2023 0.58 0.67
A single employee was employed for a total of 7 months during this year (2023:8 months), in a community business development role. As the purpose of the role is to generate a mix of primary purpose and non-primary purpose income, the employment costs have been allocated 75% to expenditure on charitable activities and 25% to costs of raising funds.
(c) Redundancy payments
Total redundancy and termination payments
2024
2023
Page 21
Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts 2024
Winchester Radio
Notes to the Financial Statements
for the Year Ended 31[st] December 2024 (continued)
5. FIXED ASSETS (a) Tangible fixed assets
| D ASSETS Tangible fixed assets |
|
|---|---|
| Cost as at 1 January 2024 Additions Disposals Cost as at 31 December 2024 Depreciation as at 1 January 2024 Charge for year Elimination on disposal Depreciation as at 31 December 2024 Net book value as at 1 January 2024 Net book value as at 31 December 2024 |
Music library Fixtures & fittings Computers, Portable Recording Eqpt, Gazebo Electronic equipment Total £ £ £ £ £ 5,000 4,227 24,137 28,682 62,046 - 2,135 1,387 799 4,321 - (1,275) (518) (90) (1,883) |
| 5,000 5,087 25,006 29,391 64,484 |
|
| 5,000 3,536 22,153 21,330 52,019 - 386 1,219 1,753 3,358 - (1,012) (518) (90) (1,620) |
|
| 5,000 2,910 22,854 22,993 53,757 |
|
| - 691 1,984 7,352 10,027 |
|
| - 2,177 2,152 6,398 10,727 |
All tangible fixed assets relate to unrestricted funds.
There are no contractual commitments for the acquisition of tangible fixed assets.
(b) Intangible assets
| Cost as at 1 January 2024 Additions Disposals Cost as at 31 December 2024 Amortisation as at 1 January 2024 Charge for year Elimination on disposal Amortisation as at 31 December 2024 Net book value as at 1 January 2024 Net book value as at 31 December 2024 |
Digital Music Library Audio Branding Visual branding Software Total £ £ £ £ £ 315 3,000 6,000 2,985 12,300 49 500 1,000 - 1,549 - - - - - |
|---|---|
| 364 3,500 7,000 2,985 13,849 |
|
| 123 3,000 3,600 2,805 9,528 36 100 700 180 1,016 - - - - - |
|
| 159 3,100 4,300 2,985 10,544 |
|
| 192 - 2,400 180 2,772 |
|
| 205 400 2,700 - 3,305 |
All intangible assets relate to unrestricted funds.
6. STOCKS
| STOCKS | |
|---|---|
| Fundraising CDs Total this year Impaired Added in period Closing Expensed in period Opening |
For distribution For resale For distribution For resale £ £ £ £ - 60 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Donated goods Stock |
| - 60 - - |
|
| - 60 - - |
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Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts 2024
Winchester Radio
Notes to the Financial Statements
for the Year Ended 31[st] December 2024 (continued)
7. DEBTORS AND PREPAYMENTS
| DEBTORS AND PREPAYMENTS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||
| Unrestricted | Restricted | |||||
| funds | funds | Total funds | Total funds | |||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| Trade debtors | 2,782 | - | 2,782 | 2,698 | ||
| Prepayments and accrued income | 1,178 | - | 1,178 | 1,193 | ||
| Total | 3,960 | - | 3,960 | 3,891 |
8. CREDITORS AND ACCRUALS
| CREDITORS AND ACCRUALS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||
| Unrestricted | Restricted | |||||
| funds | funds | Total funds | Total funds | |||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| Amounts falling due within one year | ||||||
| Trade creditors | 674 | - | 674 | 728 | ||
| Payments received on account for contracts or performance- | ||||||
| related grants | 2,898 | - | 2,898 | 1,266 | ||
| Total | 3,572 | - | 3,572 | 1,994 |
9. CASH AT BANK AND IN HAND
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | |||||
| funds | funds | Total funds | Total funds | |||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| CAFCash current account | 3,220 | 0 | 3,220 | 2,838 | ||
| CAF | Gold deposit account | 68,520 | 2,167 | 70,687 | 74,936 | |
| PayPal account | 308 | 0 | 308 | 1,086 | ||
| Cash | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 72,048 | 2,167 | 74,215 | 78,860 | ||
| MOVEMENT IN FUNDS | ||||||
| (a) | Current year | |||||
| Balance | Balance | |||||
| 01/01/2024 | Income | Expenditure | Transfers | 31/12/2024 | ||
| Unrestricted Funds | ||||||
| General (inc. fixed assets) | 26,819 | 30,288 | (28,602) | 3,748 | 32,253 | |
| Studio relocation/re-equipping | 54,275 | - | - | - | 54,275 | |
| Total | 81,094 | 30,288 | (28,602) | 3,748 | 86,528 | |
| Restricted Funds | ||||||
| DCMS/Ofcom Community Radio Fund | 6,243 | - | (6,243) | - | - | |
| Studio relocation/re-equipping | 5,992 | - | (364) | (3,613) | 2,015 | |
| Remote Broadcasting | 152 | - | - | - | 152 | |
| Computer systems | 135 | - | - | (135) | - | |
| Total | 12,522 | - | (6,607) | (3,748) | 2,167 | |
| Total Funds | 93,616 | 30,288 | (35,209) | - | 88,695 | |
| (b) | Prior year | |||||
| Balance | Balance | |||||
| 01/01/2023 | Income | Expenditure | Transfers | 31/12/2023 | ||
| Unrestricted Funds | ||||||
| General (inc. fixed assets) | 22,601 | 26,973 | (24,315) | 1,560 | 26,819 | |
| Studio relocation/re-equipping | 54,275 | - | - | - | 54,275 | |
| Total | 76,876 | 26,973 | (24,315) | 1,560 | 81,094 | |
| Restricted Funds | ||||||
| DCMS/Ofcom Community Radio Fund | 18,246 | - | (12,003) | - | 6,243 | |
| Studio relocation/re-equipping | 6,027 | - | (35) | - | 5,992 | |
| Remote Broadcasting | 152 | - | - | - | 152 | |
| Computer systems | 210 | - | (75) | - | 135 | |
| Outside Broadcast equipment | 1,560 | - | - | (1,560) | - | |
| Total | 26,195 | - | (12,113) | (1,560) | 12,522 |
10. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS
Page 23
Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts 2024
Winchester Radio
Notes to the Financial Statements
for the Year Ended 31[st] December 2024 (continued)
Purpose and restrictions of funds
(a) General (inc. fixed assets)
This fund represents the general unrestricted assets of the charity, including the current value of fixed assets, stock and debts owed to the charity.
(b) Studio relocation/re-equipping
g g q pp g
stretched back to 2009. During the current year, Winchester Radio relocated within the Royal Hampshire County Hospital to make way for a new elective surgery hub within the hospital. Fitting-out of the new accommodation was underway at the end of the year.
The restricted funds are the result of a successful crowdfunding campaign that completed in 2020.
In addition, since 2019, the Trustees have formally designated reserves in excess of the charity's stated reserves policy (see Note 12) for this purpose. It is anticipated that the designated reserve fund will be in surplus once the fitting-out of the new studios is complete, although the extent of that surplus is unclear. Once the project is complete, the remaining designated funds will be returned to the charity's general reserves. Discussions have already started within the Trustee Board as to possible future strategic development projects for which the surplus could be designated.
- (c) DCMS/Ofcom Community Radio Fund
Seed funding from the Dept for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, via the Ofcom-administered Community Radio Fund, to employ a part-time Community Business Development Manager for 12 months, to grow Winchester Radio's earned income. Following the resignation of the employee in 2023, the terms of the grant were renegotiated allow the recruitment of another employee, again for 12 months, but on less hours/week. This employee's term of office completed during the reporting period, it being clear that the income generated had no prospect of covering the cost of employment. A residual £157 of the funding was returned to the Community Radio Fund.
(d) Remote broadcasting
This fund consists of the residue from a grant from the Grand Provincial Lodge of Master Mark Masons of Hampshire & Isle of Wight to purchase equipment to allow our volunteers to broadcast from home.
(e) Computer systems
This fund consisted of the residue of grants and donations in prior years towards replacing/upgrading the charity's computer systems, on which it is reliant to provide its 24 hour radio service. On purchase or upgrade of the computer systems, the funds were transferred to unrestricted funds as the purchases were made to generally further the charity's objects.
- (f) Outside Broadcast equipment
This fund derived from a grant from the IBM UK Trust towards to cost of a branded gazebo and other equipment to facilitate Winchester Radio undertaking outside broadcasts at community events.
11. TRANSACTIONS WITH TRUSTEES AND RELATED PARTIES
(a) Trustee remuneration and benefits
None of the Trustees have been paid any remuneration or received any other benefits from an employment with the charity or a related entity.
(b) Trustees' expenses
| Trustees' expenses | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | ||
| Number of Trustees who were paid expenses | 3 | 2 | |
| Reimbursement for products/services purchased on behalf of the charity | £3,095 | £2,948 | |
| Travel and subsistence | - | - | |
| Accommodation | - | - | |
| Other (specify) | - | - | |
| Total | £3,095 | £2,948 |
(c) Transactions with other related parties
One of the Trustees of Winchester Radio is a Non-Executive Director, representing the charity, of Winchester DAB Ltd, the holder of the Winchester Small-Scale DAB licence from Ofcom. Winchester Radio pays Winchester DAB Ltd a fee for carriage of its service on the Winchester Small Scale DAB network.
12. RESERVES POLICY
The Trustees have determined that the charity should aim to hold unrestricted reserves at the bank equivalent to approximately 12 months operating costs. Discounting regular donations-in-kind, and based on the expenditure during the current and recent prior years, this equates to approximately £8,000. It has been the charity's long-term ambition to relocate to larger studio premises, and to this end, addtional reserves have been built-up over a number of years. To improve the clarity of the charity's financial position, in 2019 the trustees, therefore, created a designated fund into which these additional reserves have been placed. Once the full cost of relocating the charity becomes clear, in 2025, the remaining funds will be returned to the charity's general unrestricted funds.
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