Trustees’ Annual Report for the period 2025-2026
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.
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.
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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
We received another year’s funding from Cambridgeshire County Council to support the 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. Attendees range from 3-12 families each week and often are there with their newborns and continue to attend for ongoing support until, and after, returning to work.
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 well-evidenced 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.
Contribution made by volunteers
We began the year with nine volunteer Trustees who are all parents and have experienced the early stress and vulnerability of feeding their babies, including some who were previous service users of 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, domestic abuse, legal, financial expertise).
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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 seven times in 2025-26.
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.
During 2025-26, 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 just under 500 families in-person, 400 families with one-to-one Zoom conversations and 500 mothers via email or message consultations: totalling around 1000 breastfeeding support interactions/helping situations.
We are active on Facebook, with a page and a Facebook group. However, because of decreasing use of that platform by the families we are supporting, we set up and have advertised a new email specifically for support: (support@cambridgebreastfeedingalliance.org.uk). There has been a significant shift this year from support via Facebook messenger to email. We also increased our Instagram presence during the year.
We have retained a skilled team to provide our services, all of whom have continued to keep their skills up to date and to undertake additional training. The team of Breastfeeding Counsellors and IBCLCs undertook training on Expressing and Flange Fitting in May 2025 and continued skill sharing and ongoing training to ensure our services are current and up to date.
Feedback from those accessing our services encourages us that we are making a positive difference in the lives of breastfeeding families.
“Cambridge Breastfeeding Alliance was a real lifeline for me when I faced breastfeeding challenges with both of my babies. In those early days, feeding felt emotionally overwhelming at times, and the reassurance and kindness from the team made such a difference to my mental wellbeing.”
“Really amazing support from CBA, I could not have continued my breastfeeding journey without them. So supportive, encouraging, and compassionate. CBA offers something actually helpful, flexible, and tailored to the needs of families. I cannot impress how much Cambridge Breastfeeding Alliance helped me and my baby, I'm so grateful!”
“CBA supported me to continue to seek help for me and my child, they listened compassionately and were very reassuring when I was so anxious. The positivity and encouragement of the CBA practitioners meant I did not give up and have been breastfeeding my baby for the past 11 months. I could not have done it without them, their flexible support is amazing and exactly what new mums need when they are in a fragile place. I cannot recommend them enough.”
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,
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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 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 established close relationships with the local NHS infant feeding teams and are represented on the Cambridge and Peterborough Infant Feeding Network, and had online meetings with the NHS Infant Feeding Team.
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.
Financial Review
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of theperiod |
£33,093 |
|---|---|
| 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 |
£23,707 unrestricted reserves |
During the year the charity had a total income of £31,570 (2024-25: £28,020), the charity spent £32,430 (2024-25: £31,637).
This results in a cash fund at the end of the financial period of £33,093. (2024-25: £33,953).
Income continued to meet the needs of the charity, through fundraising, successful grant applications, and donations from the public.
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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:
-
Marsh Charitable Trust (£600)
-
National Lottery Community Fund (£20,000)
In addition, we received £4680 from Cambridge County Council to provide support at Cambourne Family and Children Hub.
Structure, Governance and Management
The charity’s Trustees who are responsible for the overall management and strategy of the charity. They met seven times in 2025-26. All trustees give of their time freely.
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 |
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Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
RACHEL O’LEARY (Chair)
JUSTINE FIETH (Secretary)
ANNA SIMPSON (Treasurer )
MADELAINE McMAHON
REBECCA TALBOT
JUDITH ANN SOTUDEH-TEHRANI
JOANNE ROGERS
JOANNA THOMPSON
KATE BEATS
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: 3 June 2026
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Independent Examiner’s 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 2026, which comprise the Receipts and Payments Account and the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, 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:
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the accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
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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
Independence House
Holly Bank Road, Edgerton
Huddersfield
HD3 3HN
03 September 2026
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Charity Name No (if any) Cambridge Breastfeeding Alliance� 1161678 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period Period start date Period end date To from 01-Apr-25 31-Mar-26
| Section A Receipts and payments | Section A Receipts and payments | Section A Receipts and payments | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ |
Total funds to the nearest £ |
Last year to the nearest £ |
|
| Voluntaryreceipts | 6,950 | 24,620 - - - |
- | 31,570 | 28,020 - - - |
|
| Activities forgeneratingfunds(trading) | - | - | - | |||
| Charitable activities | - | - | - | |||
| Other receipts | - | - | - | |||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) | 6,950 | 24,620 | - | 31,570 | 28,020 | |
| - - |
||||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
||||||
| - | - - |
- - |
||||
| Sub total Total receipts A3 Payments |
- | - | ||||
| 24,620 | - | 31,570 | 28,020 | |||
| Costs ofgeneratingvoluntaryreceipts | - | - - 18,356 450 |
- | - | - - 31,217 420 |
|
| Fundraisingcosts(tradingactivities) | - | - | - | |||
| Costs of charitable activities | 13,624 | - | 31,980 | |||
| Governance costs | - | - | 450 | |||
| **Sub total ** | 13,624 | 18,806 | - | 32,430 | 31,637 | |
| 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 |
||||||
| 18,806 | - | 32,430 | 31,637 | |||
| - 6,674 | 5,814 | - | - 860 | - 3,617 | ||
| - | - 3,572 |
- | - | - 37,570 |
||
| 30,381 | - | 33,953 | ||||
| 23,707 | 9,386 | - | 33,093 | 33,953 |
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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 |
PayPal Details Natwest Bank Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) |
PayPal Details Natwest Bank Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) |
Unrestricted funds to nearest £ |
Unrestricted funds to nearest £ |
Restricted funds to nearest £ |
Restricted funds to nearest £ |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22,846 | 9,386 | - | |||||
| 861 | - | - | |||||
| 23,707 | 9,386 OK Restricted funds to nearest £ |
- | |||||
| OK | |||||||
| 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 | 03/06/2026 | ||||||
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