Fletton House Fletton Way, Glapthorn Road Oundle Peterborough PE8 4JA Tel: 01832 275433 E-mail: admin@volunteeractionoundle.org.uk Web Site: www.volunteeractionoundle.org.uk ## Volunteer Action Annual Statement Registered charity no. 1161080 1[st] April 2021 to 31[st] March 2022 ## **Mission** Volunteer Action’s mission is **“** Volunteering to improve the lives of local people in need”. ## **Strategy** This mission is fulfilled by running a Community Car Scheme and Befriending Services. ## **Operational Activity** ## **Demand for our services** This 12-month period saw a steady rise in bookings for the car scheme as restrictions lifted. (Comparative 2020-21 figures are low due to the Covid restriction). Miles driven increased back to 103,000 (previous year 48,000), fulfilling 10,000 (5,000) passenger trips We signed up over 200 (100) new people to the scheme, which still operates with no membership fee, although that is now under review. We were able to gradually phase out our shopping service, where we shop for our members and deliver to their house, and this is now restricted to a core of about half a dozen regulars. 50% of our drives are for medical related appointments. Our befriending schemes were both fully operational by the end of this year. Numbers using the phone option dropped off gradually as Covid restrictions were relaxed and people felt less isolated, and we now support about 50 people in this way. The number of members on the face-to-face scheme remains steady at about 40. There is a slow turnover as people leave, but this is matched by new people joining. Funding is not available so we cannot push hard to expand. ## **Running the services** It would be impossible for VA to deliver its services without its volunteers. These number about 135. ## Administration and management VA runs a small administration operation close to the centre of Oundle. It is staffed by four part-time employees (FTE 2) and a loyal group of volunteers who usually work on a one-day a week basis. These volunteers contribute approximately 750 hours per year. Apart from the normal activities of a small charity, the main workload is the weekly task of receiving bookings for drives and then matching them with drivers. In addition, the befriending service is supported by one administrative volunteer and a volunteer assessor who visits people who have been referred. During the Covid restrictions we moved to invoiced payments for passengers, which has increased workload in the office, as many people choose to pay by card over the phone. There is also a trustee body of 7 volunteers contributing approximately 250 hours per year. ## Community car scheme Recruiting drivers for the Community Car Scheme has been more difficult post-pandemic, with numbers leaving and retiring exceeding new recruits. During the year we used nearly 80 different drivers at some point. We paid our drivers 40 pence a mile for their mileage, including home to pick-up point. Our passengers pay the same rate, but only for the passenger return mileage. The rate for both drivers and passengers has risen to 45p per mile from May 2022. We provide training for our drivers on subjects such as manual handling, lone working and safeguarding. Drivers are able to claim modest out of pocket expenses if they are required to wait for an extended time or during meal times. Both passengers and drivers generally thoroughly enjoy the opportunity for conversation, which we consider to be a small way to contribute towards reducing loneliness and social isolation, over and above getting the member out of their house. We estimate volunteer driver hours at approximately 9,500 pa. ## Befriending Befriending volunteers contribute approximately 1,300 hours pa. We have a team of about 60 volunteers across the 2 schemes. ## **Risk Assessment** The charity maintains a wide range of risk assessments in relation to both the services we provide to our members and to our administrative operations. These are reviewed on an annual basis or as needed. ## **Financial matters** ## Income and expenditure VA receives its income from a range of sources - Local Authorities, NHS, donations, fundraising and contracts. Salaries is the largest expense but there are office costs including rent, and we continue to fund the cost of mileage to get drivers to members’ pick-up points. In a large rural area, this is a key consideration. During the year expenditure exceeded income by £30,700. This was in line with the budget for the year, and we received no unexpected donations or grants to alleviate this. Reserves In the Trustees’ view, the reserves should provide the charity with adequate financial stability and the means for it to meet its charitable objectives for the foreseeable future. A number of significant risk factors for the future have been identified, including: uncertainty over future statutory funding from local government and the NHS; the continuing uncertainty over the level of voluntary donor funding; and general unforeseen day-to-day operational costs. Taking these factors into account, the trustees have determined to maintain the charity’s reserves at a minimum level of £70,000. Reserves remain in excess of this minimum level, which allowed us to budget for and sustain a deficit year 2020-21, in line with plans outlined here last year. This is continued into 202223. We have designated £20,000 from reserves for an identified need to replace our drive management software. With no new developments on rural bus services in the area, it is important that services are maintained in the long term to meet demand and it is anticipated that this will be increasingly expensive. Our reserves will help to ensure that we have a long-term future. ## **Public Benefits** The trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in section 4 of the Charities Act 2006 to have due regard to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit. Rural isolation and loneliness are well known to be closely associated with poor mental wellbeing and we know that our services help tackle this. Older people value independent living, and we can help maintain that for longer by providing a reliable way to get to vital appointments or just getting the shopping. Bus services have been withdrawn entirely through most of our surrounding villages and are very limited in the 2 small market towns we support. These same issues are also alleviated to some extent by our befriending scheme. In addition to the services provided, VA offers an opportunity for volunteers to engage with their communities and make a contribution towards the success of a highly regarded service. For many it provides the opportunity to be a valued member of a team and maintain a more active retirement. Maintaining that reciprocity is a key ethos of our thinking. ## **Location** Our eligibility covers addresses in a largely rural area of approximately 340 square miles incorporating more than 50 villages and 2 small towns. We are fortunate to have drivers throughout most parts of this, but matching members to local drivers or befrienders is a constant challenge and very much contributes to running costs. ## **Governance** The charity has been a CIO since 2015. Recent recruitment of trustees has been by invitation to people bringing skills needed to run the organisation. The 2021-22 board comprised: Mr Stuart Anderson (Chair) Mr David Bland resigned Sept 2021 Mr Colin Brown Mr Peter G Burrows Mrs Diana Charles resigned June 2022 Mrs Val Chesser Ms Moira Froggatt Mr Charles Wallace Mrs Maureen Weston resigned January 2022 In 2022-23 we appointed Mr David Cashmore May 2022 Mr Lloyd Martin May 2022 AECEIPTS ANO PAYMfllTS ACCOUPIT Forthe perlDd Irom Isr Aprm 2021 to $151 M&rth 2022 RECEIPTS Owftlsitkn75 J9.Jd 4J.181 INt cc Jo 1.565 4tkni•lL 4x4) G+ACTru SLIJ jg.lss J9Wg v¥¥ ILIWJ 1.917 l.isp 4.565 )DJ ?J4 PAYMENTS 44.511 i*iyJ 4&H7 15,S shappir 44041 4JlO L69 751 751 •75 555 Cqfflpyiirivit￿WIrt 2.IID IM34 J20 1.750 VLIWNStt*ALiiLV4 ststerneffl rf•5s•ts4nd ¥•MIIE•s•tth•qfvd olth• ￿rfod A% •131¥t M•rth 2022 UMIESTrKIEDFUIiS5 167I70 >L- ## **Independent examiner's report on the accounts** **Section A Independent Examiner’s Report** **Report to the trustees/** Volunteer Action **members of On accounts for the year** 31 March 2022 **Charity no** 1161080 **ended (if any)** **Set out on pages** Accounts 1-2, Trustees Report 1-4 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended **31 / 03 / 2022** . - **Responsibilities and** As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation **basis of report** of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed 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 which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: - accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or - the accounts do not accord with the accounting records I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. **Signed:** JEWoods **Name:** Judie Woods **Relevant professional** ICAEW – FCA and DChA **qualification(s) or body (if any):** **Date:** October 2022 **Address:** 90 South Road, Oundle Peterborough PE8 4BP **October 2018** 1 **IER**