## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period 2023-2024** ## **Cambridge Breastfeeding Alliance** ## **Charity registration number: 1161678** ## **Objectives and Activities** ## **Summary of the purposes of the charity** The object of the Cambridge Breastfeeding Alliance is the advancement of health, for the public benefit, through the provision free at point of use of information, skilled help and support concerning breastfeeding to families in and around Cambridge who breastfeed their babies or wish to breastfeed their babies. ## **Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.** Cambridge Breastfeeding Alliance provides free access to skilled breastfeeding support and care, in a community based, non-healthcare, accessible setting. Our trained Breastfeeding Counsellors provide free online support three mornings a week to mothers and parents in need of breastfeeding help including bank holidays. In addition, we run a weekly face-to-face group where we provide free breastfeeding help and emotional support to mothers, with their babies and family members, in a local community centre. We have a team of seven Breastfeeding Counsellors who are on contract to CBA to provide our charity’s services. ## **Our weekly group** We run a weekly face-to-face group in a community centre where we provide free skilled support to mothers and parents, with their babies and family members. At the group, mothers (and partners or supporters) are welcomed by volunteers, given refreshments and then have one-to-one time with one of our trained Breastfeeding Counsellors. Page **1** of **9** At the group each week we provide support to around 12 mothers and parents, with their babies and family members. At each session there are three trained Breastfeeding Counsellors (sessional workers, self-employed, on contracts to CBA), and one or two volunteers who are often peer supporters or Breastfeeding Counsellors in training. Families attending are from diverse cultures and backgrounds and we have an area where we can offer a more private consultation for anyone who needs privacy. ## **Our online support** Our Breastfeeding Counsellors also provide online support three days a week so we can provide support to families between our weekly groups, and reach those who can only, or would rather access support virtually. We offer online support by email, messenger chats and video calls. This means anyone can get breastfeeding support very soon after their baby’s birth and often from the comfort of their bed and sofa. We have found offering support in this way has enabled us to reach families who aren’t able to make a face-to-face appointment for reasons including health issues, culture, and accessibility. We are reaching a more diverse range of families by continuing to provide online support, including those that we had not previously seen so much at our face-to-face weekly group. We also update our website resources page regularly, providing reliable breastfeeding information to the general public, free of charge. (www.cambridgebreastfeedingalliance.org.uk) ## **Cambourne Breastfeeding Friends Group** From April 2023, Cambridgeshire County Council began a breastfeeding support group at Cambourne Family and Children Hub. They commissioned Cambridge Breastfeeding Alliance to provide one breastfeeding counsellor to provide support to the group for one session a week. ## **Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit** In deciding to provide these services, the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit: the service advances health, for the public benefit, by enabling mothers to continue to breastfeed their babies. Breastfeeding is a key public health objective. In planning activities for the year, trustees took into account Charity Commission guidance on public benefit. We identified wellevidenced health benefits for babies and for mothers; for mothers for example in a lower risk of postnatal depression if mothers are enabled to meet their own breastfeeding goals; and for the public in reducing costs to acute and primary care NHS services when breastfeeding is effective, in avoiding babies suffering from infections needing hospital or GP treatments. Page **2** of **9** ## **Contribution made by volunteers** We began the year with 11 volunteer Trustees who are all parents and have experienced the early stress and vulnerability of feeding their babies. Over half were supported by our charity. Many work with new families daily, or due to their interest or paid employment, have professional skills that are of great value to running the charity (e.g. safeguarding, legal, financial expertise). Two of our volunteer Trustees stepped down during 2023. The Trustees provided their governance service as volunteers, meeting every 4-6 weeks online to review ways of working and fine-tune changes to the service in response to feedback. We met nine times in 2023-24. Several Trustees undertook administrative tasks for the charity on a voluntary basis. This included Safeguarding support, DBS checks, liaising with our venue and administration of our services and service provision. Our Trustees undertook the NSPCC Safeguarding for Trustees training. During 2023-24, we had three volunteers who welcomed families at the in-person sessions, offering refreshments and facilitating the flow of appointments. Our volunteers are a key part of making our group a welcoming place and many are peer supporters or breastfeeding counsellors in training. ## **Achievements and Performance** During the year, Cambridge Breastfeeding Alliance supported 535 families in-person, 442 families with one-to-one Zoom conversations, 500 mothers via messenger consultations, more via email (275) and phone: totalling around 1000 breastfeeding support interactions/helping situations. Our CBA Facebook page followers grew to 2200 at 1 April 2024 (https://www.facebook.com/CambridgeBreastfeedingAlliance). Our Facebook Group, CBA Online Drop-In has 1212 members at 1 April 2024 (https://www.facebook.com/groups/725008948037306). All of these members are breastfeeding their babies, live in our catchment area, and actively need support. The numbers of mothers and parents we support have increased. We have retained a skilled team to cope with this additional demand. Feedback from those accessing our services encourages us that we are making a positive difference in the lives of breastfeeding families. Many of these families have told us that our support has made the difference between them feeling equipped and empowered to reach their breastfeeding goals or not, and so, their babies being breastfed. Their comments tell us that CBA support enabled them to continue breastfeeding when they were close to giving up because of difficulties, and they Page **3** of **9** are so glad they could continue to meet their goals. Being enabled to breastfeed mitigates poverty and deprivation, helps mental health and benefits the environment. We were pleased we could continue to provide free, skilled breastfeeding support when families need it. We were delighted to provide both in-person service and online working, and that our fundraising and budgeting covered both ways to support the public. As a small charity, we are now seen as a key provider of breastfeeding support in Cambridge by families and health professionals. Many of the families we support return for ongoing support because they trust us. We have a good local presence and reputation in the community. We have been pleased to welcome a number of student midwives and health visitors to observe our group. We have actively approached two local charities: one who provides support to families in a low income area of Cambridge, and another that supports young parents, about how we can support their services (subject to funding). We have established close relationships with the local NHS infant feeding teams and are represented on the Cambridge and Peterborough Infant Feeding Network. We keep anonymized data on the services we provide. All those attending our in-person group are asked to complete a registration form, which means we can evaluate the number of families we are supporting, including the age of babies. We keep monthly and annual statistics on how many families we have supported in person, online and via video call. We also have a feedback form that we send to all families we have supported, and we use that feedback and the comments to improve and adjust our services and how we provide support. This feedback is collated and shared with the team and the Trustees on a regular basis. In October, we provided a training session for our breastfeeding counsellors and volunteer team which included bespoke Safeguarding training. ## **Financial Review** |**Review of the**
**charity’s financial**
**position at the end of**
**theperiod**|£37,569| |---|---| |**Statement explaining**
**the policy for holding**
**reserves stating why**
**they are held**|The CIO’s target level of reserves is: £5,000. This covers 2 months of
forecasted expenditure and assumes that new income sources are
developed on an annual basis.| |**Amount of reserves**
**held**|£5000| Page **4** of **9** During the year the charity had a total income of £49,094 (2022-23: £5,034), the charity spent £31,826 (2022-23: £26,060). This results in a cash fund at the end of the financial period of 37,569. (2022-23: £20,302). Income continued to meet the needs of the charity, through fundraising, successful grant applications, and donations from the public. We are grateful for the financial support from the public, donations, and the support of a number of grant giving bodies during the financial year, including: - Donation of a holiday which we raffled in August (£1K) - The Frank Litchfield General Charitable Trust (£1K) - Benefact Group Movement for Good Award (£1k) - Cole Charitable Trust (£500) - Pye Foundation (£2K) - Cambridgeshire Community Foundation (Marshall £2K) - Marsh Community Trust (£500) - Alan Boswell Charitable Trust (£3000) - National Lottery Awards for all (£19,997) - ## **Structure, Governance and Management** The charity’s Trustees who are responsible for the overall management and strategy of the charity. They met 9 times in 2023-4. All trustees give of their time freely. There have been no new Trustees elected or recruited during 2023-24. Two trustees resigned. ## **Reference and Administrative details** |**Charity name**|Cambridge Breastfeeding Alliance| |---|---| |**Other name the charity**
**uses**|CBA| |**Registered charity**
**number**|1161678| |**Charity’s principal address**|℅ 100 Windsor Road, Cambridge CB4 3JN| Page **5** of **9** **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** RACHEL O’LEARY (Chair) JUSTINE FIETH (Secretary) ELEANOR CROWE (Treasurer) MADELAINE McMAHON REBECCA TALBOT JUDITH ANN SOTUDEH-TEHRANI JOANNE ROGERS _ANNA RICHARDSON (resigned 1.12.23)_ ANNA SIMPSON CATHERINE MUGE _LORNA THOMPSON (resigned 17.4.23)_ ## **Declarations** The Trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees: **Full name: Rachel Marion O’Leary** **Position: Chair** **Date: 12 August 2024** Page **6** of **9** ## **Independent Examiners Report** ## **Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of Cambridge Breastfeeding Alliance** I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Cambridge Breastfeeding Alliance for the year ended 31 March 2024, which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, and the related notes, set out on pages 8 to 9. ## **Responsibilities and basis of report** As the charity's trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011('the Act'). The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under the Charities Act 2011, s.144(2) (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. I report in respect of my examination of the charity's financial statements carried out under section 145 of the 2011 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 can 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: - the accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or - the financial statements do not accord with those records; or - the financial statements do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of the financial statements set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the financial statements give a 'true and fair' view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. 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 financial statements to be reached. CPAA Solutions Accountancy & Bookkeeping Ltd 1 The Mews Little Brunswick Street Huddersfield HD1 5JL 13 September 2024 Page **7** of **9** **Charity Name No (if any) Cambridge Breastfeeding Alliance� 1161678 Receipts and payments accounts For the period** Period start date Period end date **To from** 01-Apr-23 31-Mar-24 ## **CC16a** ## **Section A Receipts and payments** |**A1 Receipts**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest**
**£**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest**
**£**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**|**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**|**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**|**Last year**
**to the nearest £**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |Voluntaryreceipts|**17,445**||**31,630**||**-**||**49,075**||**5,034**| |Activities forgeneratingfunds(trading)|**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**| |Charitable activities|**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**| |Other receipts|**19**||**-**||**-**||**19**||**-**| |**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for_
_AR)_|**17,464**||**31,630**||**-**||**49,094**||**5,034**| ||||||||||| |**A2 Asset and investment sales,**
**(see table).**|||||||||| ||**-**||||||||**-**| |**_Sub total _**|**-**||||||||**-**| |**_Total receipts_**
**A3 Payments**|||||||||| ||||||||||**5,034**| ||||||||||| |Costs ofgeneratingvoluntaryreceipts|**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**| |Fundraisingcosts(tradingactivities)|**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**| |Costs of charitable activities|**21,566**||**10,175**||**-**||**31,741**||**25,975**| |Governance costs|**85**||**-**||**-**||**85**||**85**| |**_Sub total_ **|**21,651**||**10,175**||**-**||**31,826**||**26,060**| ||||||||||| |**A4 Asset and investment**
**purchases, (see table)**|||||||||| ||**-**||||||||| ||**-**||||||||| |**_Sub total_ **|**-**||||||||**-**| |**_Total payments_**
**_Net of receipts/(payments)_**
**A5 Transfers between funds**
**A6 Cash funds last year end**
**_Cash funds this year end_**|||||||||| ||||||||||**26,060**| ||||||||||| ||**- 4,187**||**21,455**||**-**||**17,268**||**- 21,026**| ||**-**|
|**-**|
|**-**||**-**||**-**| ||**16,904**||**3,397**||**-**||**20,302**||**41,328**| ||**12,717**||**24,852**||**-**||**37,569**||**20,302**| Page **8** of **9** ## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period** |**Categories**
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
**B1 Cash funds**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B3 Investment assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**
**B5 Liabilities**|**Details**
Natwest Bank
**Details**
**_Total cash funds_**|**Details**
Natwest Bank
**Details**
**_Total cash funds_**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||||**12,725**||**24,845**||**-**| ||||**12,725**||**24,845**||**-**| ||||||||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**| ||||**-**||**-**||**-**| ||**Details**||**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**||**Cost (optional)**||**Current value**
**(optional)**| ||||||**-**||**-**| ||||||**-**||**-**| ||**Details**||**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**||**Cost (optional)**||**Current value**
**(optional)**| ||||||**-**||**-**| ||||||**-**||**-**| ||**Details**||**Fund to which**
**liability relates**||**Amount due**
**(optional)**||**When due**
**(optional)**| ||||||**-**||| ||Signature||Print Name
RachelO'Leary||||| ||||||||Date of
approval| ||||RachelO'Leary||||12-Aug-24| ||||||||| Page **9** of **9**