## **TRUSTEE REPORT** 

## **- 2020 2021** 

## **Trustees and Members** 

The Members of the charity are its Trustees for the purpose of the Foundation Model Charitable Incorporated Organisation or CIO and who, throughout this report, are collectively referred to as the Trustees. 

Trustees who have held office since the initial charity registration on 3rd December 2015: 

- Mr Andrew Lewis 

- Mrs Rachel Irwin 

- Mrs Laura Finnigan 

- Mrs Denise Griffiths 

In accordance with the charity’s constitution, all Trustees shall retire from office after a period of 2 years but shall be eligible for re-election. All Trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no benefits from the charity. Any expenses reclaimed from the charity are set out in the notes to the accounts. Although there have not been any changes, new Trustees are given a formal induction covering the charity’s aims, objectives and challenges, funding strategy and an overview of how the charity’s services and activities are carried out. 

## **Legal Structure and Governance** 

The registered head office is St Maries, Lugsdale Road, Widnes, WA8 6DB. 

The charity is governed by its constitution which will be reviewed annually and revised if necessary in line with Charity Commission guidance and approval. 

The charity is incorporated through the legal status of a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). This means if the CIO is wound up, the Trustees of the CIO have no liability to contribute to its assets and no personal responsibility for settling its debts and liabilities. 

## **Third Party Indemnity Insurance** 

At present, third party indemnity insurance is not provided for the individuals in their capacity as charity Trustees, but the situation will be kept under review. 



## **Organisation** 

The Board of Trustees is responsible for the administration of the charity. The day-to-day running of the organisation is led predominantly by the CEO, who is the founder of the charity.  Supporting the Trustees is an ever-growing number of volunteers who undertake various roles in the charity’s regular activities. Current Board members are located throughout Cheshire and Merseyside and meet on a quarterly basis where decisions are made. This year these meetings have taken place remotely due to the pandemic situation. Occasionally, decisions have been made via group emails, where a discussion has taken place and a decision has been agreed by all Trustees. 

## **Risk Management** 

The charity currently leases a premises, as of 1st January 2019, at Halton and St Helens Voluntary Action, Lugsdale Road, Widnes, WA8 6DB. The financial risk is very low however, as funding and fundraising continues to be a number one priority. This ensures the charity continues to deliver activities as set out in the constitution. The charity has: 

- Public Liability Insurance 

- Employers Liability Insurance 

- Professional Indemnity Insurance. 

These are all at appropriate levels of cover for this stage of the charity’s development. 

## **Objectives and Activities** 

The principal activity of the charity is the relief of sickness and the preservation and protection of the health of women and their families who are affected by a cancer diagnosis by the provision of support, information and advice to help improve their health and recovery. 

## **Achievements, Performance and Demonstration of Public Benefit** 

This year has been very challenging for all involved with the charity. However, due to the hard work and dedication given by our new staff, we have successfully navigated the charity through the Covid-19 pandemic. We have raised our game to ensure our services continued to operate.  Thanks to the Reaching Communities Grant from The National Lottery Community Fund allowing us to employ 5 members of staff, our team has grown in strength and skillset to further support the growth of the charity and build on the work already achieved. We are delighted to be sitting in this current situation and to be able to present this report alongside the healthy financial statement for this stage of the charity’s development. 

The main focus of the charity during these past 12 months has been: 

- Supporting our beneficiaries through Covid-19 

- Promoting and increasing the public profile of the charity 

- Raising much needed funds to sustain the charity’s ability to operate 

- Continuing to support our ladies to gain self-confidence to continue positively with their lives 

The charity was born out of unfortunate circumstances. The founder, Sam Lewis, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012. She searched for support in the local area and struggled to find any groups with members that were around her age and with a similar outlook on life. Being only 38 with three young 



children, it was hard to find ladies in any support groups that she could relate to. Cancer support centres had limited support for her needs, and still do, as the age range was predominantly a lot older than she was. Her local support centre confirmed that this was a problem and that they had younger women who would come to the centre for support, but who then did not return. They supported Sam with her ideas to create a younger ladies’ cancer support group. Sam logged all the activities she felt well enough to deliver and participate in. She also listed ideas for workshops, which were unavailable, but which she felt would be of great benefit to a young woman on a similar cancer journey. 

For a year the group grew, and women of all ages wanted to be part of it. Sam’s group did not meet in a support centre; it met in coffee shops and similar venues out in the community. The support group’s aim was to integrate its support with typically ‘normal’ activities in ‘real-life’ environments. The ladies in the group had a zest for life and wanted to experience new things, have fun and live life to the full whilst they still had the opportunity. They did not want to feel as if they needed to go to a cancer support centre, as this meant psychologically that cancer was still controlling their lives. Instead, the group aimed to empower the ladies and give them a feeling of control, as though they were making the most out of every day. 

The ladies in the group strive to inspire and motivate each other to maintain a positive approach toward life throughout their cancer journey. They embrace positive experiences together, strengthening the support further and presenting a united front to cancer. The age range for the group has expanded as more and more ladies show that they are not ready to sit around and wait to see if treatment works. The activities and workshops provided help ladies to take back control and continue their life with a healthier lifestyle, thereby reducing the risk of reoccurrence. 

- Many of the ladies are now giving back to the charity by being team leaders or volunteering in a variety of roles. 

- Through our progress and achievements over the past 12 months, the charity has grown to support 224 ladies across the North West. 

During the Pandemic we have had to take a lot of our activities and adapt them to be online or socially distanced with safety precautions adopted. 

Over past 12 months, throughout Covid-19, we have been able to deliver and facilitate: 

- 16 coffee, support and chat meet ups online 

- 3 face-to-face group meet ups for a coffee and chat 

- 11 online fitness rehab activities 

- 3 walking clubs 

- 17 online Workshops (moving forward/health) 

- 3 book clubs 

- 13 Art clubs online 

- Provided a wig Library with a link to a professional hairdresser 

- 5 family activities online 



- 1 Sam’s Diamonds online seminar 

- YouTube channel posts 

- Sign posting and information sharing 

- 100 chemo pamper bags delivered to 4 hospitals 

- 10 food parcel packs delivered to Diamonds 

- 8hrs of volunteering for foodbank 

- 200 motivational gifts sent out to our ladies 

- Collected 125 bras for ‘Smalls for all’ 

## **Our Aims** 

Sam's Diamonds supports ladies as they go through treatment and the rehabilitation of the body and mind after treatment. We aim to keep our ladies in a positive and motivated mindset, helping to avoid the slip and slide into depression. Sam's Diamonds does not discriminate between different women's cancers, because cancer is cancer. Cancer leaves us all in need of support, both physically and mentally. Unfortunately, the journey doesn’t end when treatment does. To add to this, we recognise the psychological effect that Covid-19 has had on our ladies, as many are still unable to mix with others due to the high level of vulnerability and risk of becoming seriously unwell. Therefore, it is so important that we continue our work in the community as well as online!!! 

## **Fundraising and Raising the Charity’s Public Profile** 

The charity had a sufficient amount of money in the bank at the start of this year, but thanks to our Funding Coordinator, Funding Officer and a dedicated team of volunteers, we have survived Covid-19 and have been able to keep our service running throughout. 

Membership and awareness through our social media pages has again dramatically increased, thanks to a brand new website and a consistent presence on various social media platforms. 

## **Volunteers** 

Our volunteers have not really been able to engage with the charity this year due to repeated lockdowns and the need to isolate themselves. As the requirement for isolation lifts, we hope that they will return to support Sam’s Diamonds, helping to reach as many service users as possible and continuing to provide the valuable service they offered pre-pandemic. 

As the charity continues to grow, the role of volunteers will be regularly reviewed to ensure the charity continues to carry out activities which meet the overall purpose. We also want our volunteers to get a meaningful experience from their volunteer role. 

## **Financial Review** 

The statement of financial activities provides a summary of our income and expenditure from 31st March 2020 to 4th April 2021. 



Please see separate sheets for signed-off accounts as requested by The Charity Commission. 

## **Financial Outlook** 

The Board continues to aim to increase current levels of unrestricted income and have provided a more cost-effective way for the charity to provide online donation facilities. We are now able to collect Gift Aid and encourage our supporters to fundraise for us by providing an online facility to set up their own fundraising pages. This has proven to be very successful over the last 12 months, with the introduction of online fundraising events such as a virtual marathon, raffles, quizzes and tickets for online events and individual sponsorship events. This new online facility allows money raised to go directly into our bank account, allowing full transparency for each donation. 

## **Future Plans** 

The charity aims to take some time to consolidate and review more of its policies and practices in the next financial year of 2021/22. Searching for opportunities for us to expand the work we do and continuing to offer a quality service to our beneficiaries. We will be supporting our ladies to gain the confidence to re-join activities and slowly integrate back into the community. We will also be continuing to develop our online services to accommodate all of our service users. 

We are constantly aiming to increase the number of volunteers who would like to be more involved in the charity, either through support in the office, as group leaders or by taking part in fundraising activities. We are looking to strengthen our links with hospitals as we tread carefully and sensitively through Covid-19 recovery. As a result, the charity will provide even greater levels of support to more women. 

As an employer, Sam’s Diamonds has developed policies and procedures which are robust and fit for purpose; ensuring government compliance and assuring that the charity’s governance is strengthened and continues to be successful. 



CHARITY COMMISSION
FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
Independent examiner's report on the
accounts
Section A
Indopendent Examiner's Report
Report to the trusteesl
members of
Sam's Diamonds
On accounts for tho year
ended
31 March 2021
Charity no
(if any}
1164671
Set out on pages
Attached to this report
I report lo the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above
charity {"the Trust°} for the year ended 3110312021.
Responsibilities and
basis of report
As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of Ihe
accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011
I'lhe Act").
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out
under section 145 of Ihe 2011 Act and in carrying OLtt my examination, I
have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission
under section 145{5)(b} of Ihe Act.
Independent I have completed my examination. I confim that no material matters have
examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me
cause to believe that in, any material respect..
the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130
of the Charities Act., or
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records., or
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements
concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities
(Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement
Ihat the accounts give a 'true and fairf 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 accounts to be reached.
Signed:
Date:
2710112022
Name:
Mr Mike Delf FCA
Relevant professional
qualification{sl or body
{if any):
Chartered Accountant (ACAI
Addr8SS:
6 Sunflower Close
St Helens
WA9 4ZT
IER
Oct 2018

Section B
Disclosure
Only Complete if the examiner needs lo hi9hlight Imaterial matters of concern
(see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. direclions and
guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of
any items that the
examiner wishes to
dlsclose.
NIA
IER
Oct 2018

CorMier¢lAI knwnfidenc
CHARITY COMMISSIO
FOR ENGLANO AND WALES
Recei
ts and
ments accounts
CC16a
Forth• ￿rIOd
from
To
Section A Receipts and payments
Unfestdcted
fund6
Rostflct•d
funds
Endowmènt
funds
tothe 4*aMtE
Total lunds
L•$tyear
toth•
toth• thMre4t£
toth• npgroBt£
A1 Re¢•1
DonatrL¥¥8
15.gB2
37,898
03.860
82,O•J
n)ss inttome
AR)
16,962
37*
53.860
61083
See tabl• .
53M60
02,08
A3Pa
m•nts
C051olfundrni8lng evenis
116
68S
4,815
3.5JO
337
hBuran¢
Tr*ning
Prinibng, Postso& Sloknw gnd CwIp￿
343
943
14
271
271
Wages and s81&￿68
54A2
51
Sub total
3.18è
61,6SO
04,727
35.530
A4 As50t and Inv￿lmont
Sub tot81
3.169
61.558
S4.727
35,530
Netof re¢•iptslpayments)
A5 Trnnsf•r4 b*tw8an funds
A6 Cash fund¥ la¥t yoar ènd
Cash funds thls year end
12.793
13,660
887
26,553
18,129
30,900
47,029
47,896
CCXX R1 a¢￿u￿13 ISSI
17101r2022

Section B Staternent of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Unrestrlcted
Restrl¢t?d
lunds
to nfrornBIÉ
30.900
Endowm?nt
funds
to n￿19•1£
ton•&re•l£
B1 Cash funds
¢8gh al bwk
16.477
Pelty Cash
19
Payp
633
Total cash funds
18.129
30.900
{qgre4 wlhy•celpl8 and payW￿￿t
Unr•strleted
fund$
ton•aro•t£
Restrtcted
fund
to n•Rrut£
Endowment
fund8
to n￿rest£
Detalls
Fund towhleh
Essef bplon
Curr•ntvalu
onal
Detalls
Coit (Lvlonal)
Fund towhlch
488•tb•lon
Oetalls
CopJtl4Wonall
rrentv•lu8
B4 A680ts retalned for Iho
charlty's own u8•
Fund towhkh
Amountdu•
When
Detalls
86 Uablll¢le8
S+Jn8d èy on8 or Nvo tru5t885 on
t¢ha￿ ol all the Iru8tees
Siqnature
Prlnt Name
Date of
rov
CCXX R2 4￿OUr¢ts ISSI
1710112022

CHARITY COMMISSION
FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
Independent examiner's report on the
accounts
Section A
Indopendent Examiner's Report
Report to the trusteesl
members of
Sam's Diamonds
On accounts for tho year
ended
31 March 2021
Charity no
(if any}
1164671
Set out on pages
Attached to this report
I report lo the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above
charity {"the Trust°} for the year ended 3110312021.
Responsibilities and
basis of report
As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of Ihe
accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011
I'lhe Act").
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out
under section 145 of Ihe 2011 Act and in carrying OLtt my examination, I
have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission
under section 145{5)(b} of Ihe Act.
Independent I have completed my examination. I confim that no material matters have
examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me
cause to believe that in, any material respect..
the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130
of the Charities Act., or
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records., or
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements
concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities
(Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement
Ihat the accounts give a 'true and fairf 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 accounts to be reached.
Signed:
Date:
2710112022
Name:
Mr Mike Delf FCA
Relevant professional
qualification{sl or body
{if any):
Chartered Accountant (ACAI
Addr8SS:
6 Sunflower Close
St Helens
WA9 4ZT
IER
Oct 2018

Section B
Disclosure
Only Complete if the examiner needs lo hi9hlight Imaterial matters of concern
(see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. direclions and
guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of
any items that the
examiner wishes to
dlsclose.
NIA
IER
Oct 2018

CorMier¢lAI knwnfidenc
CHARITY COMMISSIO
FOR ENGLANO AND WALES
Recei
ts and
ments accounts
CC16a
Forth• ￿rIOd
from
To
Section A Receipts and payments
Unfestdcted
fund6
Rostflct•d
funds
Endowmènt
funds
tothe 4*aMtE
Total lunds
L•$tyear
toth•
toth• thMre4t£
toth• npgroBt£
A1 Re¢•1
DonatrL¥¥8
15.gB2
37,898
03.860
82,O•J
n)ss inttome
AR)
16,962
37*
53.860
61083
See tabl• .
53M60
02,08
A3Pa
m•nts
C051olfundrni8lng evenis
116
68S
4,815
3.5JO
337
hBuran¢
Tr*ning
Prinibng, Postso& Sloknw gnd CwIp￿
343
943
14
271
271
Wages and s81&￿68
54A2
51
Sub total
3.18è
61,6SO
04,727
35.530
A4 As50t and Inv￿lmont
Sub tot81
3.169
61.558
S4.727
35,530
Netof re¢•iptslpayments)
A5 Trnnsf•r4 b*tw8an funds
A6 Cash fund¥ la¥t yoar ènd
Cash funds thls year end
12.793
13,660
887
26,553
18,129
30,900
47,029
47,896
CCXX R1 a¢￿u￿13 ISSI
17101r2022

Section B Staternent of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Unrestrlcted
Restrl¢t?d
lunds
to nfrornBIÉ
30.900
Endowm?nt
funds
to n￿19•1£
ton•&re•l£
B1 Cash funds
¢8gh al bwk
16.477
Pelty Cash
19
Payp
633
Total cash funds
18.129
30.900
{qgre4 wlhy•celpl8 and payW￿￿t
Unr•strleted
fund$
ton•aro•t£
Restrtcted
fund
to n•Rrut£
Endowment
fund8
to n￿rest£
Detalls
Fund towhleh
Essef bplon
Curr•ntvalu
onal
Detalls
Coit (Lvlonal)
Fund towhlch
488•tb•lon
Oetalls
CopJtl4Wonall
rrentv•lu8
B4 A680ts retalned for Iho
charlty's own u8•
Fund towhkh
Amountdu•
When
Detalls
86 Uablll¢le8
S+Jn8d èy on8 or Nvo tru5t885 on
t¢ha￿ ol all the Iru8tees
Siqnature
Prlnt Name
Date of
rov
CCXX R2 4￿OUr¢ts ISSI
1710112022