2025-03-31-accounts

Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA Registered number: 09734369

Charity number: 1165847

WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS

(A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS

(A Company Limited by Guarantee) CONTENTS

Page

Reference and Administrative Details of the Company, its Trustees and Advisers 1 Trustees’ Report

2 - 10

Independent Examiner’s Report

11

Statement of Financial Activities

12

Balance Sheet

13 - 14

Notes to the Financial Statements

15 - 35 Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS OF THE COMPANY, ITS TRUSTEES AND ADVISERS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Trustees

Alison A Hall Christopher Farman Diane Morton Douglas R Morton Sean Churchill Sophie Carvin Company registered number 09734369

Charity registered

number 1165847

Registered office C/o Northumbrian Water Northumbria House

French Garden Industrial Estate Hexham NE46 4DL Principal operating Northumbria House office French Garden Industrial Estate Hexham Northumberland NE46 4DL Company secretary Alison A Hall Accountants Kinnair Associates Limited Chartered Accountants Aston House Redburn Road Newcastle upon Tyne NE5 1NB Page 1 Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS

(A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

The trustees, who are also the directors for the purposes of company law, present their report and the unaudited financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Objectives and Activities

Wag and Company North East Friendship Dogs (Wag & Company) was incorporated on 15 August 2015 and became a registered charity on 3 March 2016.

The Charity’s object is to promote social inclusion for the public benefit by relieving the needs of those people who are socially excluded by reason of old age and assisting them to integrate into society by the provision of a befriending service in the North East of England. Wag & Company is the only visiting dog charity befriending older dog lovers alone in their own homes and in care homes, hospitals, and hospices across the North East. Our mission is to end loneliness for older dog lovers so that no-one misses human friendship and the company of a dog.

The North East has significant social challenges, the highest population over 55 in England after London, the highest proportion of English Indices of Multiple Deprivation households deprived in at least one dimension and 9 of the 12 North East unitary authorities are in the top 15%. Social isolation in people with physical and mental health challenges is very prevalent, many are unable to get out independently or at all, excluded from their communities, including the dog community and marginalised as a consequence.

There is a shortage of physical befriending services in the region; only three of the seven Age UK’s offer physical befriending services - paid or unpaid - and there are only two other befriending agencies for older people. There are no other charities who offer befriending with dogs.

Before 2016 visiting dogs were only available in care or medical establishments and Wag & Company was created to fill this gap.

From a small donated office in Hexham, relying on digital technology, Wag’s small paid team recruit and support hundreds of volunteers and placements across 12 unitary authorities of the North East and parts of North Yorkshire.

Visiting activities

The people we visit at home are mostly in failing health, bereaved, have lost friends, family, and their much-loved pets. Some have no-one in their lives either at all or locally, they are unable to go out independently or at all, are profoundly lonely, socially isolated, and desperately miss the friends they have lost, two and four-legged; with Wag & Company they get both.

Care and medical establishments ask us to visit their residents and patients. We also follow our older friends -

originally in their own homes - into care, hospitals and hospices. Whilst these residents and patients are less socially isolated than the people alone in their own homes, their need for contact with a dog again is no less important.

Wag volunteers are often called upon to provide support and comfort during treatment or palliative and end of life care, benefitting individuals and also their families too during very difficult times. Increasingly since the pandemic, we have also supported NHS staff in critical care and stressful situations.

We never charge for our visits or our volunteers for their assessment and deployment costs. Instead, we rely completely on our fundraising and the support of people, organisations, trusts and foundations who are able to help, to raise the more than £300,000 a year necessary to support hundreds of placements, benefitting thousands of people. Page 2

Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS

(A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Demand for our unique Wag friendships generally and particularly for people alone in their own home continues to be significant and growing.

The majority of the people we befriend at home are referred by social care and medical organisations - eg Social Services, British Red Cross, Age UK, GPs, NHS Trusts, Mind etc - with smaller numbers referred by family members or even by themselves - something we have made possible since the pandemic.

With an hour or two most weeks, professionally assessed volunteer befrienders and their special dogs (Visiting Wag Teams/VWTs) provide older people, dog lovers who can’t have their own dogs anymore, often bereaved, lonely and in failing health, with something to look forward to, some company and a cuddle with that much missed furry friend.

These people have typically lost their loved ones, partners, family members including their four-legged family members. They are often living with multiple health challenges which impact their ability to go out independently or at all and consequentially they spend much more time on their own than they’d like.

Some have family members to visit and support them, some have loved ones who live away and visit as often as they can, others have no family or friends to visit at all and are entirely supported by carers, with their Wag friends as their main source of companionship. Carefully matched to VWTs from their own communities, they have a lifetime of dog owning locally in common so there is an immediate connection and most often forming important friendships for life.

These local Wag friends visit regularly, they also take people out if it’s safe to do so, they help to reconnect people with their communities as well as with the Wag community, helping them to feel included again and giving them a sense of belonging. They can also be the people, supported by the whole team at Wag, who can raise the alarm if things aren’t going well from many perspectives, just as friends would.

It makes such a difference to people’s health:- As David Dawson, Older Person’s Fellow from Northumbria NHS

Trust tells us:- ” what you do in Wag is as important as medical treatments, because when you’re lonely and socially isolated, it’s almost impossible to stay well”.

It also makes such a difference to how they feel about the quality of their lives:- 88 year old Mr John Robson told us:- ” I had nothing and now I have a wonderful relationship with these lovely friends and my life has completely changed. I do get lonely living on my own and I couldn’t manage to have a dog of my own now. This is the best· of both worlds though. It’s fantastic, like winning the Pools! “.

Achievements and Performance

2024/25 has been another excellent year for Wag & Company.

We supported 505 Visiting Wag Teams (VWTs) during the year and we finished with 406 VWTs on the 31st of March and another 41 applicants still in the pipeline waiting to don their red bandanas; turnover is sadly inevitable.

We also supported 327 people in their own homes throughout the year, our most ever, with 220 of these people still receiving visits at year end.

The average age of the people we visit at home is 83, they received visits for on average 30 weeks of the year and new referrals are typically only waiting 5.6 weeks for their new Wag friends.

We have completed a staggering 168,676 friend visits since we started in May 2016, 40,795 in the year to the end of March 2025 - and 2,421 older people across our North East region are regularly benefiting.

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Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS

(A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

At the year end, we were also visiting 211 care and medical organisations across the region - with another 206

waiting.

Volunteer turnover has continued slowly to reduce, so far this year it is 26.2% (rolling 12months). Although not back to the pre-pandemic norm of c15%, it gives us increased confidence in our ability to reach our target of 600 VWTs by March 2028.

Progress continued to be made in all other areas:

In September 2024, we appointed Charlotte Pearson as COO, from her position as Deputy CEO at Tynedale Hospice at Home.

Northumbria NHS Foundation Trust and Stockton Borough Council have been supporters of our service with SLA based agreements for a number of years, and this year, we were delighted that the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals Foundation Trust joined them. This meant, for the first time, that as part of this partnership only, Wag volunteers and their dogs will be visiting children on wards and, as out-patients, for instance in dialysis. Our Senior Dog Training & Behaviour Advisor, Vicky Welsh, designed a new assessment for dogs visiting children to add-on to our existing dog assessment protocols and this now forms part of our assessments for visitors to Newcastle NHS. We will also be enabling visits to their patients in the community.

Donors, e-shoppers, Lottery players or our Friends of Wag, giving regularly through our Supporters Scheme for individual Friends, Companies who become Corporate Friends and care or nursing homes who guarantee their Wag visits by becoming Community Friends, were all very important.

Corporate Friend, the Apartment Group, helped us to create our annual fundraising afternoon tea by donating their premises at As You Like It in Newcastle upon Tyne and also 120 teas with a glass of prosecco enabling 100% of ticket sales to benefit the charity. Walk for Wag was moved from Kielder Waterside in North Northumberland to the new easier to access venue at Derwent Reservoir in September 2024. It proved to be very successful both in terms of numbers of walkers, fundraising and feedback from attendees; it was a lovely event, with the associated Waggy Tails Fun Dog Show sponsored by local artist Alex Clark adding to the fun. 130 walkers with 98 dogs raised over £13,000 and everyone enjoyed the new venue.

Our new volunteer recruitment campaign was launched on social media in January 2025. The costs were mostly donated by local marketing agency The Works with photography commissioned from Chris Owens and advertising costs on a paid basis. So far we’ve been very pleased with the results, and 41 new applications have been received at year end in the 9 weeks since launch on 21 January.

Our Christmas tea and biscuit hampers for our friends in their own homes were fully funded again this year including the time taken to arrange the logistics, through the generosity of local philanthropist Mrs Helen McArdle. 200 Ringtons tea and biscuit hampers, along with 200 handwritten Christmas cards designed and produced by local artist Alex Clark, were delivered throughout December. Some were shared and others were carefully placed under their Christmas trees to give them something to open on Christmas Day.

The Future

The demand for our unique befrienders is substantial and we must continue to grow to reconnect and enrich the lives of older dog lovers right across our region.

Our three-year plan assumes we’re returning to nearer pre-pandemic levels of volunteer turnover meaning we aim to achieve volunteer numbers of 600 in 2028.

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Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS

(A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

We are now looking to review the structure and skills in place at all levels - including the Trustee Board - to support the achievement of our three-year plan and to enable the growth and expansion in the region and the supporting plan for income generation. We will also enable expansion into North Yorkshire and North Cumbria subject to formal financial support from the local NHS Trusts and/or unitary authorities.

Wag will not expand geographically beyond N Yorks and N Cumbria, so instead, on a caseby-case basis, we will advise existing reputable befriending agencies on how to expand their service to accommodate safe visiting with dogs. This year, we have been advising Friendship at Home - a North East Lincolnshire befriending agency for the elderly, with 20 years experience, to add dogs into their offering for elderly dog lovers at home in their region. Due diligence completed and we were happy to share the details of our approach for them to use in the development of their new service. On their first day of operation, they recruited six new dogs. We will continue to support and collaborate as necessary. They also work on commissioned services with their local NHS Trusts so there is knowledge sharing potential which can benefit both organisations.

We are delighted with the numbers of people we’re supporting and the quality of our impact and the feedback we continuously receive.

Income generation to meet our costs is the main challenge and we are confident in our ability to deliver an ambitious three-year plan which will help to protect Wag & Company for older and vulnerable dog lovers in the North East in perpetuity.

Financial Review

Wag & Company never charges anyone - home visitors, establishments, volunteers - for visits or for assessment and deployment costs - instead we rely completely on our fundraising and the support of people, organisations, trusts and foundations who can help, to raise the more than £300,000 a year necessary to support hundreds of placements benefitting thousands of people.

Income

2024/25 was another fantastic year for income generation.

For the first time in our history we raised over £300,000, ending the year having raised £322,831, thanks to some extraordinary support from some key Trusts & Foundations, the Edna Sutton Trust whose Trustees chose us to benefit with a Legacy in her special memory and an important new SLA-based social prescribing income stream.

Important support also came from our donors, e:shoppers, Lottery players and our Friends of Wag, giving regularly through our Supporters Scheme for individual Friends, Companies who become Corporate Friends and care or nursing homes who guarantee their Wag visits by becoming Community Friends.

Corporate Friend, the Apartment Group, helped us to create our annual fundraising afternoon tea by donating their premises at As You Like It in Newcastle upon Tyne and 120 teas with a glass of prosecco. An amazing gift for Wag which raised almost £6,000 from ticket sales and raffle tickets.

Walk for Wag at the new easier to access venue at Derwent Reservoir was very successful this year both in terms of numbers of walkers, fundraising and feedback from attendees; it was a lovely event, with the associated Waggy Tails Fun Dog Show sponsored by local artist Alex Clark adding to the fun. 130 walkers with 98 dogs raised over £13,000 and everyone enjoyed the new, easier to access, venue at Derwent Reservoir. It meant a great deal to us that the family and friends of North East PR legend, Wayne Halton, walked and donated to Wag in his honour. Wayne was an important Wag supporter, donating his time to help Wag whenever he could. He was due to attend his first walk for Wag, but he suddenly, tragically passed away 6 weeks before. Page 5

Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS

(A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Further fundraising events were supported including runners at the iconic Great North Run in our region. These will continue to be a feature of our approach to generating income. Overall Income was 56% above the previous year and 36% above budget, an exceptional outcome.

Expenditure

Total expenditure at £248,996 was 13% higher than last year, an increase of £29,070. That is principally due to increased Staff Costs and costs of maintaining the Volunteer Recruitment and Referral Management System (VRRMS).

Staff Costs increased by £38,330 which is partly due to the investment in a COO to strengthen the operational management of the Charity and enable the Chair to focus on its strategic development. Also, staff time was invested in a number of developmental projects, the most significant of which is the Volunteer Recruitment Campaign.

The VRRMS manages all Wag’s operational activity, across the whole of the North East and some of North Yorkshire. The development of this bespoke system was funded by the National Lottery in 2019 and completed in 2023, the original developer hadn’t been able to complete the system and so part-way through the project we had had to change development support. This meant additional costs for the new company to become familiar with thousands of lines of bespoke code and increased cost for addressing issues/defects with the system. The core system is now stable and all personal data is totally secure. However, there are residual problems which we now have to fix for the system’s safe operation currently and in the future. Maintenance of the system has cost an additional £13,326 in 2025 over the previous year, which includes a provision of £10,000 to address known issues.

These two items more than account for the increase in expenditure over the previous year. Cost control remains a core competence for the Charity. Expenditure for the current year is 5% below budget.

We have also this year committed to be a Real Living Wage employer in part as a response to our difficulty to recruit in Hexham.

Donated Services

A notional cost of £6,000 has been added to Support costs for donated services. As this is not a cash cost an equal amount has been added to Income as a notional Donation.

Movement of Funds

Overall, a surplus of income over expenditure of £73,835 was generated. Total reserves were £225,459 of which £30,394 are Restricted and £90,262 are Designated Reserves. This leaves £104,803 as available Reserves.

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Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS

(A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Reserves Policy

We have reviewed our Reserves policy. Previously our Trustees had agreed the requirement to hold three months operational expenditure in reserves. At our March Trustee Board Meeting, a review was carried out and the decision taken to increase the amount of expenditure required from three months to four months. This reflected the omission from our policy of the time required by paid staff to support and try to reassign all our befrienders in the event of insufficient income generation. The new policy wording is below.

Our reserves policy requires the Charity to hold four months operational expenditure as a reserve in case of volatility in revenue, the time required by paid staff to support and try to reassign all our befrienders in the event of insufficient income generation, loss of key personnel or catastrophic failure of IT/systems.

At the end of 2024/25, the four months reserves amount was £118,098. As available Reserves are £104,803, the Charity was slightly non-compliant (£13,295) with the Reserves Policy at year end. The Trustees considered this and are satisfied that it is a technical calculation breach based on the full year costs as opposed to a phased approach and in fact the Charity will become compliant again by the end of Quarter 1 2025/26.

The Budget for 2025/26 forecasts that the Charity will remain compliant with the policy in the year.

Designated Reserves

Designated Reserves of £90,262 comprise the following items: Volunteer Recruitment Campaign - due to the significant turnover in volunteers during the pandemic and in the three years afterwards, and at the same time the very high demand for our volunteers, the Trustees agreed to allocate some funding for a marketing and communications company to devise a new recruitment campaign to create the necessary step change in volunteer numbers.

The campaign, badged Your friendship changes lives and led by our Chair, required the creation and then marketing of photo and video assets for a representative group of Wag volunteers and their special dogs. The project began in October 2024 and the campaign started in mid January 2025 - North East based marketing company The Works, fell in love with our work and decided to support us free of charge until the end of February 2024/25. The asset creation costs of the social media advertising, plus the photography, copywriting and studio costs have been paid this year and are £7,923.

By the year end the campaign had generated more than 41 new applicants and at the same time generated a greater degree of awareness of Wag’s activities across the region. In 2025/26 and 2026/27 we will continue to market these assets and create more across the North East using social media advertising and PR to recruit the additional c400 new volunteers (including turnover) we need to meet the continuous and growing demand for our special befrienders. The remaining campaign costs are from a designated reserve of £12,000.

The project is subject to continuous review. Page 7

Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS

(A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

New Reporting Software - Power BI. In order to develop a sustainable income stream from more and more benefitting organisations such as NHS Trusts, local authorities etc and to allow us to continue to expand our service and benefit more and more people across our existing region and beyond, we have to be able to easily report on our activity and our impact.

A review has concluded that rather than developing a reporting system within the VRRMS - it will be more cost effective and easier to maintain if proprietary software is used - Power BI was selected as the most appropriate solution.

Power BI is a powerful reporting tool which will be connected to both the VRRMS and Xero. It will reduce manpower time to produce significant reports for beneficiary organisations and the monthly trustee pack -

ensuring accuracy, simple administration, best in class customer service. Costs include web form changes in the VRRMS, data cleansing and additional data input, report development and training of two key individuals in our team.

Newcastle based developer Synergy have provided a significant charity discount. The entire project cost including the enabling work in the VRRMS will be £20,000 from a Wag & Company designated reserve, and work will begin in early May and will be completed in phases by the end of October.

IT Hardware Replacement - our policy is that all computers will be replaced at 5 years old or if a PC or laptop is problematic it will be replaced at 4 years old. A Designated Reserve of £4,250 has been created to replace all workstations, laptops, printers and tablets in the next two years.

Succession, Growth and Sustainability. Founder/CEO/Chair Diane Morton has carried out both Chair and CEO roles in Wag as a volunteer since 2015. As Wag’s operation has

grown it is no longer sustainable and in 2024/25 we created a Designated Reserve to support firstly interim support costs and then in September 2024

the recruitment and employment costs of a new Senior Manager and structure. Wag’s service delivery environment continues to develop with the agreement of a new SLA based service with Local Authorities and NHS Trusts and the need for it to develop further to ensure the sustainability of Wag’s free service for elderly isolated people and to enable the operation in Hexham to expand to the limit of it’s capacity to potentially also benefit the people of North Yorkshire and North Cumbria Following our progress to date with our succession project, we have identified the need for some professional advice to ensure we have the right organisational structure - Trustees, Trustee Board including some volunteer representation - resourcing etc - required to support the operation.

Taking into account the staff costs during 2024/25 the designated reserve for Succession, Growth and Sustainability has £40,000 remaining and we are increasing that balance by £10,000 to finance the professional advice necessary for the review; the designated reserve is £50,000.

The remit is to review our three-year plan and to provide advice and support to the Trustee Board on the whole structure of an expanded Wag and Company North East Friendship Dogs and highlight any omissions from the current plans.

A Designated Reserve has been established to fund the procurement of an Acoustic Pod which costs £11,000.

The current accommodation is shared and there is no capacity to support video conversations without impacting all staff. These video conversations are necessary to support the routine DBS checks and ID

verification sessions as well as the lengthy induction training sessions for new volunteers as well as other interactions with volunteers and partners. We were very fortunate in March 2025 to be awarded a grant from Northumberland Council in the sum of £6,988 towards the total cost of £11,000 of installing the Pod, the balance of the cost at £4,012 is included in Designated Reserves.

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Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS

(A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Structure, Governance and Management

Wag & Company North East Friendship Dogs was incorporated on 15 August 2015 and became a registered charity on 3 March 2016.

The Directors are the Trustees of the charity and along with one appointed Member form the governing body which has ultimate responsibility for the proper administration of the charity and acts in its interests.

Nominations for Trustee appointments are presented to the Trustee Board and appointed by invitation of existing Trustees who assess candidates on the basis of the skills they contribute to the future direction of the organisation. New appointees are apprised of their obligations as Trustees of the charity and as Directors of a company limited by guarantee

and they receive an induction into the organisation, its current position and significant issues.

The Board is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the organisation giving consideration to resources and the risks and opportunities in the operational environment. The Board ensures compliance and has overall financial control, approving budgets and monitoring expenditure and revenues. The Board has overall approval of the programme of activity, ensuring it is consistent with objects and maximises public benefit. The Board meets at least quarterly and on other occasions as required to consider issues of particular significance.

While the Board retains the ultimate responsibility for running the charity, the management and day-to-day functions of implementing the Board’s decisions are, at this time, devolved to the Chair who is also a Trustee Director. The Chair presents a full operational report to the Board at all quarterly Board meetings highlighting any areas of risk that require consideration.

Other operational delivery functions are carried out by paid charity staff, a specialist contracted accountant, a volunteer Walk Project Team, volunteer expert advisors and a number of professionally qualified dog trainers and behaviouralists who operate as dog assessors also on a volunteer basis.

Risk Management Statement

Wag and Company aims to take all reasonable steps to avoid any harm to our staff or volunteers, their dogs, those we visit and the general public as a result of our activities. We also want to ensure that Wag and Company continues to develop to its full potential guided by its Vision.

For these reasons, we operate a Risk Management System. It comprises a Risk Management Policy and a number of Risk Registers, which are designed to assess risks, manage an appropriate response and allocate responsibility for action.

The Charity’s Trustees are collectively responsible for ensuring that an adequate system of risk management is implemented and maintained and have appointed a Trustee Director responsible for Risk to lead and oversee this process.

The Risk Management System was developed during a detailed review of the Charity’s Plan and programme of activities which were designed to efficiently deliver its services. Since the Charity was in its early stages of development great care was taken to assess each programme of activity in order to anticipate the major risks associated with our Charity’s activities. It was also desirable to test the effectiveness of the system as the operations were being bedded in. The Charity Chair has deliberately engaged in detail operationally from the outset to ensure that the risk management approach was continuously reviewed and developed, properly briefed to all new volunteers during induction and that its scope was comprehensive.

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Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS

(A Company Limited by Guarantee) TRUSTEES’ REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Everyone is encouraged to review the Risk Management System before commencing visits and to pay particular attention where specific further action is required by them, for example prior to visiting. One of the major benefits of operating such a system is the opportunity it presents for continuous improvement based upon the actual experience of our volunteers. So everyone is encouraged to feedback any issues from actual visits and discuss any new responses which may be necessary. In this way, risk registers can be updated and shared with others.

Major risks include:

• Safeguarding of lone-visiting of vulnerable adults

• Failure to secure adequate funding

• Failure to attract and maintain adequate, suitable visiting resources

• Injury to elderly Friend/ Volunteer/ member of public as a result of dog scratch/bite Wag

& Company has developed a Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Policy and ensures that volunteers are adequately trained in Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults best practice and lone-working where relevant.

Monitoring of placements is conducted at prescribed intervals with recording and reporting protocols.

Volunteers submit a visit report after each visit enabling routine understanding of all activity and these reports, together with our incident reporting protocols, enable proactive management of issues or potential issues.

Wag & Company’s fundraising strategy has secured a range of funding sources and types such that the risk of failure due to single funder loss is eliminated. It has also minimised operating costs as a result of the ongoing support of its corporate partners. It operates a reserve policy which retains a surplus equivalent to three month’s operating costs. In order to address suitable person and injury from dog risks, Wag & Company appointed an expert adviser in dog behaviour to design a customised dog assessment. This assessment is carried out on potential Visiting Wag Teams (volunteer and dog) by one of a number of professionally qualified volunteer assessors and simulates real hazards so that

the dog and handler response can be judged. If in the assessor’s opinion the risks are under control, the Charity is notified that they are qualified to visit subject to the successful completion of an Enhanced DBS check for the volunteer, an appropriate reference and the Wag induction.

For some of the major risks identified it is possible to transfer the consequences to insurers as part of a basket of responses. The Charity maintains an appropriate level of Public Liability Insurance. The Risk Management System was reviewed by the Charity Trustees before its first implementation and has been accepted for ongoing use each year after an annual review.

Public Benefit

All our activities are undertaken to further our charitable purposes for the public benefit. The Trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit through the year when deciding on the activities of the charity and its future plans. Small Company Provisions

This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies entitled to the small companies exemption.

Approved by order of the members of the board of Trustees on 9 June 2025 and signed on their behalf by: Diane Morton Trustee, Chair and CEO Page 10

Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS

(A Company Limited by Guarantee) INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Wag and Company North East Friendship Dogs (‘the company’)

I report to the charity Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the company for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Responsibilities and Basis of Report

As the Trustees of the company (and its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the company’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act. Independent Examiner’s Statement

Since the company’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

1.

accounting records were not kept in respect of the company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

2.

the accounts do not accord with those records; or

3.

the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

4.

the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities [applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)].

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.

This report is made solely to the company’s Trustees, as a body, in accordance with Part 4 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. My work has been undertaken so that I might state to the company’s Trustees those matters I am required to state to them in an Independent Examiner’s Report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company’s Trustees as a body, for my work or for this report. Signed:

Dated: 17 June 2025 Detlev Anderson FCA Kinnair Associates Limited Aston House Redburn Road Newcastle upon Tyne NE5 1NB Page 11 Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS (A Company Limited by Guarantee) STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCORPORATING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

Total funds funds funds

funds

2025 2025 2025 2024 Note £ £

£

£

Income from: Donations and legacies 3 186,797 64,358 251,155 158,237 Charitable activities 4

36,492

-

36,492

19,926 Other trading activities 5

31,386

-

31,386

26,786 Investments 6

3,798

-

3,798

1,624 Total income 258,473 64,358 322,831 206,573 Expenditure on: Raising funds 7

53,397

-

53,397 46,238 Charitable activities 8

135,935 59,664 195,599 173,688

Total expenditure 189,332 59,664 248,996 219,926 Net income/(expenditure) 69,141 4,694 73,835 (13,353) Transfers between funds 15 - - Net movement in funds 69,141 4,694 73,835 (13,353) Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward 125,924 25,700 151,624 164,977 Net movement in funds 69,141 4,694 73,835 (13,353) Total funds carried forward 195,065 30,394 225,459 151,624 The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. The notes on pages 15 to 35 form part of these financial statements. Page 12 Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS (A Company Limited by Guarantee) REGISTERED NUMBER: 09734369 BALANCE SHEET

AS AT 31 MARCH 2025 2025 2024 Note £ £ Current assets Debtors 13 2,287 3,783 Cash at bank and in hand 244,784 159,041 247,071 162,824 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 14 (21,612) (11,200) Net current assets 225,459 151,624 Total assets less current liabilities 225,459 151,624 Net assets excluding pension asset 225,459 151,624 Total net assets 225,459 151,624 Charity funds Restricted funds 15 30,394 25,700 Unrestricted funds Designated funds 15 90,262 49,500 General funds 15

104,803 76,424 Total unrestricted funds 15 195,065 125,924 Total funds 225,459 151,624 Page 13

Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS

(A Company Limited by Guarantee) REGISTERED NUMBER: 09734369 BALANCE SHEET (CONTINUED) AS AT 31 MARCH 2025

The company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of Companies Act 2006.

The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and preparation of financial statements. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to entities subject to the small companies regime.

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by: Christopher Farman Trustee and Finance Director Date: 9 June 2025 The notes on pages 15 to 35 form part of these financial statements. Page 14 Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

1.

General information

The charity is a public benefit entity and a private company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales and a charity registered in England and Wales. The address of the registered office is C/O Northumbrian Water, Northumbria House, French Garden Estate, Hexham, NE46 4DL.

Accounting policies

2.1 Basis of preparation of financial statements

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) -

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 (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Wag and Company North East Friendship Dogs meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.

The Financial Statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis, as modified by the revaluation of certain financial assets and liabilities and investments measured at fair value through income or expenditure.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the entity, and amounts rounded to the nearest £.

2.2 Judgements and Key Sources of Estimation Uncertainty The preparation of the Financial Statements requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. These estimates and judgements are continually reviewed and are based on experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. The Trustees do not consider that there are any significant estimates or judgements affecting these Financial Statements.

2.3 Going concern

There are no material uncertainties about the charity’s ability to continue.

2.4 Income

All income is included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the Charity is entitled to the income, any performance related conditions attached have been met or are fully within the control of the charity, the income is considered probable and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income: Donations and legacy income received by way of donations, legacies, grants and gifts is included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities when receivable. Where legacies have been notified to the Charity but the criteria for income recognition have not been met, the legacy is treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material. Grants, where entitlement is not conditional on the delivery of a specific performance by the charity, are recognised when the charity becomes unconditionally entitled to the grant.

Page 15 Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

2.

Accounting policies (continued) 2.4 Income (continued)

Donated services and facilities are included at the value to the Charity, being the amount the Charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation. Investment income is included when receivable. Income from charitable trading activity is accounted for when earned.

2.5 Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered, and is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates: Costs of raising funds comprise the costs associated with attracting donations, grants and legacies and the costs of trading for fundraising purposes. Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the Charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them. Other expenditure includes all expenditure that is neither related to raising funds for the Charity nor part of its expenditure on charitable activities.

All costs are allocated between the expenditure categories of the SOFA on a basis designed to reflect the use of the resource. Costs relating to a particular activity are allocated directly, others are apportioned on an appropriate basis, as set out in the notes to the accounts.

2.6 Interest receivable

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the company; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the institution with whom the funds are deposited.

2.7 Taxation

The company is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes.

Accordingly, the company is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes. Page 16 Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Accounting policies (continued)

2.8 Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount after any trade discount offered.

Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due. Accrued income and tax recoverable is included at the best estimate of the amounts receivable at the balance sheet date.

2.9 Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

2.10 Creditors

Creditors are recognised where the Charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due. Liabilities are recognised at the amount that the Charity anticipates it will pay to settle the debt or the amount it has received as advanced payments for the goods or services it must provide.

Provisions are measured at the best estimate of the amounts required to settle the obligation.

Where the effect of the time value of money is material, the provision is based on the present value of those amounts, discounted at the pre-tax discount rate that reflects the risks specific to the liability. The unwinding of the discount is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities as a finance cost.

2.11 Financial instruments

A financial asset or a financial liability is recognised only when the entity becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at the amount receivable or payable including any related transaction costs, unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where it is recognised at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest for a similar debt instrument.

Current assets and current liabilities are subsequently measured at the cash or other consideration expected to be paid or received and not discounted. Page 17 Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Accounting policies (continued)

2.12 Pensions

Contributions to defined contribution plans are recognised as an expense in the period in which the related service is provided. Prepaid contributions are recognised as an asset to the extent that the prepayment will lead to a reduction in future payments or a cash refund. When contributions are not expected to be settled wholly within 12 months of the end of the reporting date in which the employees render the related service, the liability is measured on a discounted present value basis. The unwinding of the discount is recognised as an expense in the period in which it arises.

2.13 Fund accounting

General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the company and which have not been designated for other purposes.

Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the Trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the company for particular purposes. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements. Page 18 Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS

(A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

3. Income from donations and legacies Unrestricted Restricted Total funds funds funds 2025 2025 2025 £ £ £ Donations Corporate partners, supporters and donors 65,075 5,000 70,075 Donated services 6,000 - 6,000 Grants Ballinger Charitable Trust 12,500 - 12,500 County Durham Community Foundation - John T Shuttleworth Ropner Memorial Trust - 4,700 4,700 David & Ruth Lewis Family Charitable Trust 35,000 - 35,000 Frazer Trust 2,500 - 2,500 Garfield Weston Foundation 25,000 -

25,000 Joseph Levy Foundation 5,250 - 5,250 LGA Foundation 5,000 - 5,000 LNER - 16,000 16,000 Masonic Charitable Foundation - Province of Northumberland 4,812 - 4,812 Northumberland County Council - 6,988 6,988 Pease Charitable Trust 5,000 - 5,000 Prime via The Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland - 4,700 4,700 The 1989 Willan Charitable Trust at The Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland - 10,000 10,000 The Barbour Foundation 5,000 - 5,000 The Pargiter Trust via The Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland - 9,870 9,870 The Pets at Home Foundation

4,800 -

4,800 The Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust - Ann Rylands Small Donation 3,500 - 3,500 The Souter Charitable Trust 3,760 - 3,760 The Woodsmith Foundation - 5,000 5,000 Other smaller grants 2,000 2,100 4,100 Parish and town council grants 1,600 - 1,600 Subtotal detailed disclosure 186,797 64,358 251,155 186,797 64,358 251,155 Page 19 Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

3.

Income from donations and legacies (continued) Unrestricted Restricted Total funds funds funds 2024 2024 2024 £ £ £ Donations Corporate partners, supporters and donors 40,347 - 40,347 Donated Services 6,000 - 6,000 Grants Co-op Local Community Fund 2,778 - 2,778 County Durham Community Foundation - Darlington Building Society - 2,400 2,400 Frazer Trust 2,500 - 2,500 Masonic Charitable Foundation - Province of Northumberland 4,812 - 4,812 McCarthy Stone Foundation

• 7,200 7,200 PPL - Postcode Neighbourhood Trust 25,000 - 25,000 Schroder Charity Trust 5,000 - 5,000 Sir James Knott Trust 5,000 - 5,000 Tees Valley Foundation - 2,400 2,400 The Barbour Foundation 5,000 - 5,000 The Charles Hayward Foundation 5,000 - 5,000 The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust 4,800 - 4,800 The National Lottery Awards for All Fund - 20,000 20,000 The Pets at Home Foundation 4,800 - 4,800 The Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust 3,000 - 3,000 The Souter Charitable Trust 3,200

• 3,200 The St James Place Charitable Foundation 2,500 - 2,500 Other smaller grants 5,350 1,150 6,500 Total 2024 125,087 33,150 158,237 Page 20 Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

4. Income from charitable activities Unrestricted Total funds funds 2025 2025 £ £ Beneficiaries 34,436 34,436 Sale of goods 2,056 2,056 36,492 36,492 Unrestricted Total funds funds 2024 2024 £ £ Beneficiaries 18,807 18,807 Sale of goods 1,119 1,119 19,926 19,926

5.

Income from other trading activities Income from fundraising events Unrestricted Total funds funds 2025 2025 £ £ Fund raising events 26,794 26,794 Gift aid 4,592 4,592 31,386 31,386 Page 21 Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

5.

Income from other trading activities (continued) Income from fundraising events (continued) Unrestricted Total funds funds 2024 2024 £ £ Fund raising events 22,604 22,604 Gift aid 4,182 4,182 26,786 26,786

6. Investment income

Unrestricted Total funds funds 2025 2025 £ £ Bank interest receivable 3,798 3,798 Unrestricted Total funds funds 2024 2024 £ £ Bank interest receivable 1,624 1,624 Page 22 Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

7. Expenditure on raising funds Fundraising expenses Unrestricted Total funds funds 2025 2025 £ £ Staff costs 38,565 38,565 Fundraising and marketing materials 5,812 5,812 Processing fees, postage and packaging 1,420 1,420 Subcontractor costs 7,600 7,600 53,397 53,397 Unrestricted Total funds funds 2024 2024 £ £ Staff costs 21,851 21,851 Fundraising and marketing materials 5,986 5,986 Processing fees, postage and packaging 929 929 Other costs 104

104 Subcontractor costs 17,368 17,368 46,238 46,238

8.

Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities Summary by fund type Unrestricted Restricted funds funds Total 2025 2025 2025 £ £ £ Ongoing costs 135,935 59,664 195,599 Page 23 Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

8.

Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities (continued) Summary by fund type (continued)

Unrestricted Restricted funds funds Total 2024 2024 2024 £ £ £ Ongoing costs 128,087 17,603 145,690 One off project costs

27,998 27,998 128,087 45,601 173,688

9.

Analysis of expenditure by activities Activities undertaken Support Total directly costs funds 2025 2025 2025 £ £ £ Ongoing costs 161,200 34,399 195,599 As restated Activities As restated undertaken Support Total directly costs funds 2024 2024 2024 £ £ £ Ongoing costs 118,994 26,696 145,690 One off project costs 27,998 - 27,998 146,992 26,696

173,688

The comparative split of costs has been restated to reflect the reallocation of the Wag Management System from support costs to direct costs, being core to the Charity’s direct operations. Page 24 Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

9. Analysis of expenditure by activities (continued) Analysis of direct costs One off Ongoing project Total costs costs funds 2025 2025 2025 £ £ £ Staff costs 104,839 - 104,839 Computer software, licences and consumables 2,516 - 2,516 Gifts for our elderly at home friends 3,967 - 3,967 Volunteer recruitment, insurance and starter kits 15,133 -

15,133 Other direct costs 6,305 - 6,305 Subcontractor costs 1,143 - 1,143 WAG management system 27,297 -

27,297

161,200 - 161,200 As restated As restated Ongoing One off Total costs project costs funds 2024 2024 2024 £ £ £ Staff costs 93,397 - 93,397 Computer software, licences and consumables 1,314 - 1,314 Gifts for our elderly at home friends 3,075 - 3,075 Volunteer recruitment, insurance and starter kits 4,888 - 4,888 Other direct costs 1,961 - 1,961 Subcontractor costs 988 - 988 WAG management system 13,371 - 13,371 Volunteer recruitment and management system

27,998 27,998 118,994 27,998 146,992 The prior year comparative for direct costs now includes WAG management system costs, reallocated from support costs. Page 25 Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

9. Analysis of expenditure by activities (continued) Analysis of support costs Ongoing Total costs funds 2025 2025 £ £ Staff costs 14,254 14,254 Computer software, licences and consumables 4,135 4,135 Subcontractor costs 6,766 6,766 Professional fees, accounts and general office costs 9,244 9,244 34,399 34,399 As restated As restated Ongoing Total costs funds 2024 2024 £ £ Staff costs 4,080 4,080 Computer software, licences and consumables 5,756 5,756 Subcontractor costs 6,034 6,034

Professional fees, accounts and general office costs 10,826 10,826 26,696 26,696 The prior year comparative for support costs has been restated to reflect the WAG management system costs being reallocated to direct costs.

10. Independent examiner’s remuneration 2025 2024 £ £ Fees payable to the company’s independent examiner for the independent examination of the company’s annual accounts 735 700 Fees payable to the company’s independent examiner in respect of: All other services not included above 840 800 Page 26 Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS

(A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

11. Staff costs 2025 2024 £ £ Wages and salaries 146,610 113,331 Social security costs 8,193 3,800 Contribution to defined contribution pension schemes 2,855 2,197 157,658 119,328 The average number of persons employed by the company during the year was as follows: 2025 2024 No. No. Operational staff 4 4 Fundraising and support staff 2 2 6 6 The average headcount expressed as full-time equivalents was: 5 (2024: 5). No employee received remuneration amounting to more than £60,000 in either year.

12.

Trustees’ remuneration and expenses

During the year, no Trustees received any remuneration or other benefits (2024 - £NIL). During the year ended 31 March 2025, expenses totalling £ 481 were reimbursed or paid directly to 1

Trustee (2024 - £667 to 2 Trustees). The expenses were incidental costs incurred for fundraising.

13. Debtors

2025 2024 £ £ Due within one year Trade debtors 30

• Prepayments and accrued income 2,257 3,783 2,287 3,783 Page 27 Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS

(A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

14. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year 2025 2024 £ £ Trade creditors 4,230 6,925 Other taxation and social security 4,315 2,075 Other creditors 787 400 Accruals and deferred income 12,280 1,800 21,612 11,200

15.

Statement of funds

Statement of funds - current year Balance at Balance at 1 Transfers 31 March April 2024 Income Expenditure in/out 2025 £ £ £ £ £ Unrestricted funds Designated funds Succession project 49,500

-

(9,500) 10,000 50,000 Volunteer Recruitment Campaign

-

-

(7,923) 19,923 12,000 Reporting Project (Power BI)

-

-

-

20,000 20,000 IT hardware upgrade / replacement

-

-

-

4,250

4,250

Acoustic Pod capital purchase

4,012 4,012 49,500 - (17,423) 58,185 90,262 General funds General Funds 76,424 258,473 (171,909) (58,185) 104,803 Total Unrestricted funds 125,924 258,473 (189,332) - 195,065 Page 28 Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

15.

Statement of funds (continued) Restricted funds The Smith (Haltwhistle & District) Charitable Trust

-

300 (300)

- The Joicy Trust

-

1,000 (1,000) - - The Rothley Trust 800 (800) - - County Durham Community Foundation - Darlington Building Society 1,400 - (1,400)

- McCarthy Stone Foundation 4,200

(4,200)

- Tees Valley Foundation 1,800 -

(1,800)

-

The National Lottery Awards for All Fund

18,300

-

(10,000)

-

8,300

The Community Foundation - 1989 Willan charitable Trust

-

10,000 (9,091) - 909 The Woodsmith Foundation

-

5,000 (4,170) - 830 LNER 16,000 (16,000)

-

- The Community Foundation - Pargiter Trust -

9,870 (4,230) -

5,640 Point North Community Foundation 4,700 (1,281) -

3,419 Community Foundation - Prime Fund -

4,700 (392) -

4,308

Northumberland County Council - Community Chest Scheme

-

6,988

-

6,988 Eldery Gift Appeal -

5,000 (5,000) - - 25,700 64,358 (59,664) - 30,394 Total of funds 151,624 322,831 (248,996)

225,459 Page 29 Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

15. Statement of funds (continued) Statement of funds - prior year Balance at Balance at Transfers 31 March 1 April 2023 Income Expenditure in/out 2024 £ £ £ £ £ Unrestricted funds Designated funds Succession project - - (10,500) 60,000 49,500 General funds General Funds 126,826 173,423 (163,825) (60,000) 76,424 Total Unrestricted funds 126,826 173,423 (174,325) - 125,924 Restricted funds The National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund 6,439 -

(6,439)

• • Digital Transformation Project 27,998 - (27,998) - - National Lottery Digital Fund 2 Remote Working 2,614 - (2,614) - - The Smith (Haltwhistle & District) Charitable Trust 300 300 (600) - - The Joicy Trust 800 - (800) - - The Rothley Trust - 850 (850) - - County Durham Community Foundation - Darlington Building Society - 2,400 (1,000) - 1,400 McCarthy Stone Foundation -

7,200

(3,000) - 4,200 Tees Valley Foundation - 2,400 (600) - 1,800 The National Lottery Awards for All Fund - 20,000 (1,700) - 18,300 38,151 33,150 (45,601) - 25,700 Total of funds 164,977 206,573 (219,926) - 151,624 Page 30 Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

16.

Nature of funds

The restricted funds are for the following purposes:

The Smith (Haltwhistle & District) Charitable Trust provided a grant of £300 in September 2024

towards supporting our activities in the Haltwhistle area; the grant was fully utilised in the year.

The Joicey Trust awarded us a grant of £1,000 in August 2024 to fund the costs associated with recruiting, deploying and supporting volunteers and their special dogs (Visiting Wag Teams); the grant was fully utilised during the year.

The Rothley Trust

The Rothley Trust awarded us £800, restricted to the purchase of a laptop which was obtained and allocated to a member of staff during the year.

County Durham Community Foundation - Darlington Building Society The County Durham Community Foundation awarded us £2,400 in late October 2023 restricted to recruiting, deploying and supporting 6 Visiting Wag Teams in Darlington, Teesside, County Durham and Sunderland for a year. All 6 teams were in place by 31 March 2024 and continuously supported throughout the full period of the grant to October 2024.

McCarthy Stone Foundation

The McCarthy Stone Foundation awarded us £7,200 in late October 2023 restricted to recruiting, deploying and supporting 18 Visiting Wag Teams for a year right across our North East region creating important, life changing friendships which improve the health and wellbeing of our older dog lovers. All 18 teams were in place by 31 March 2024 and continuously supported throughout the grant period to October 2024.

Tees Valley Foundation

The Tees Valley Foundation awarded us £2,400 in late December 2023 restricted to recruiting, deploying and supporting 6 befriending Wag teams in Darlington, Stockton on Tees, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool or Redcar and Cleveland for a year. All 6 teams were in place by 31 March 2024 and continuously supported throughout the grant period to December 2024.

The National Lottery Awards for All Fund

The National Lottery Awards for All, awarded us £20,000 in February 2024, a two year grant to end March 2026, to help us replace the volunteer befrienders we’ve lost during the pandemic years and to sustain our current volunteer headcount and their important impact on loneliness for elderly dog lovers in our region.

So far this has enabled us to support 505 volunteer befrienders during 2024-25 and at the end of the year (31 March 2025) 406 were in place.

The final funds remaining within this project (£8,300) will support the ongoing work to help us reach our target of 500 volunteer befrienders by March 2026.

The Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland - 1989 Willan

Charitable Trust In May 2024, we were awarded a grant of £10,000 to recruit and deploy 25 Visiting Wag Teams by December 2024 and to have made 450 visits to people in their own homes and 3,000 friend visits to people in care and medical establishments by the end

of April 2025. All Visiting Wag Teams were in place by June 2024 and the remaining balance of £909 supports the completion of the project to the end of April 2025. Page 31

Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS

(A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

The Woodsmith Foundation

The Woodsmith Foundation awarded us £5,000 in June 2024 restricted to benefiting isolated older people who live in the Borough of Redcar and Cleveland. We are continuing to support the volunteer befrienders who visit home placements in these areas and the full year impact of this grant ends in May 2025.

LNER

Restricted to fund the costs associated with recruiting, deploying and supporting 40 volunteers and their special dogs (Visiting Wag Teams) for the 24/25 Financial year, befriending older dog lovers in the North East around the east coast mainline.

The Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland - The Pargiter Trust The Community Foundation awarded us £9,870 in December 2024 to recruit, assess, equip, insure, deploy and support 21 Visiting Wag Teams in Tyne & Wear and Northumberland, creating important, life changing friendships which improve the health and wellbeing of our older dog lovers. The funding covered salaries, volunteer recruitment, marketing and overheads. All 21 teams are in place and being continuously supported to make a difference to their elderly friends in their placements. £4,230 had been used to date and £5,640 covers the final months of the funding period ending in July 2025.

Point North Community Foundation - John T Shuttleworth Ropner Memorial Trust Point North Community Foundation (previously County Durham Community Foundation) awarded us

£4,700 in December 2024 to support 10 Visiting Wag Teams in the Teesside area. All 10 teams are in place and the full year period of their impact ends in November 2025. Community Foundation, Tyne and Wear and Northumberland - Prime Fund The Community Foundation awarded us £4,700 in February 2025 to provide 10 Visiting Wag Teams across Northumberland and Tyne & Wear. At the end of March 2025, 9 teams are in place, and we are currently taking the remaining team through the volunteer application process. The full year period of their impact ends in February 2026

Northumberland County Council - Community Chest Scheme

We were awarded £6,988 from the NCC Community Chest Scheme in February 2025 towards the purchase and installation of an acoustic pod. This capital grant must be utilised by 18 February 2026.

The pod has been selected, the Trustees have agreed to the use of general funds for the remaining balance and in April 2025, the order is about to be placed.

Designated Funds

Succession Project

The trustees agreed to set aside a designated reserve to be used in the two financial years 23/24 and 24/25 of £60,000 to allow for succession planning. The senior leadership role in

Wag has been done on a voluntary basis for seven years but isn’t sustainable, so there is a need to recruit a senior manager with the ability to lead Wag & Company into the future. Without this recruitment, the future development of Wag and income growth could be compromised. The balance remaining at the year end is £40,000 plus an additional £10,000 added to cover a business review.

Page 32

Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS

(A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Volunteer Recruitment Campaign

The trustees originally designated £25,000 to help with the recruitment of new volunteers but release

£13,000 when some external costs were covered by a gifts in kind. The remaining balance will be utilised equally in 25/26 and 26/27.

Reporting Project (Power BI)

The trustees have designated £20,000 towards fund raising marketing and advertising costs, to be spent in 25/26.

IT hardware upgrade / replacement

To cover costs of upgrading or replacing outdated IT equipment the trustees have designated £4,250 to spend in 25/26 (£2,250) and 26/27 (£2,000).

Acoustic Pod procurement

The trustees have designated £4,012 towards the cost of purchasing an acoustic office pod in 25/26.

17.

Summary of funds

Summary of funds - current year Balance at Balance at 1 Transfers 31 March April 2024 Income Expenditure in/out 2025 £ £ £ £ £ Designated funds 49,500

-

(17,423) 58,185 90,262 General funds 76,424 258,473 (171,909) (58,185) 104,803 Restricted funds 25,700 64,358 (59,664) -

30,394 151,624 322,831 (248,996) - 225,459 Summary of funds - prior year Balance at Balance at Transfers 31 March

1 April 2023 Income Expenditure in/out 2024 £ £ £ £ £ Designated funds - - (10,500) 60,000 49,500 General funds 126,826 173,423 (163,825) (60,000) 76,424 Restricted funds 38,151 33,150 (45,601) - 25,700 164,977 206,573 (219,926) - 151,624 Page 33 Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

18.

Analysis of net assets between funds Analysis of net assets between funds - current year Unrestricted Restricted Total funds funds funds 2025 2025 2025 £ £ £ Current assets 216,677 30,394 247,071 Creditors due within one year (21,612) - (21,612) Total 195,065 30,394 225,459 Analysis of net assets between funds - prior year Unrestricted Restricted Total funds funds funds 2024 2024 2024 £ £ £ Current assets 137,124 25,700 162,824

Creditors due within one year (11,200) -

(11,200) 125,924 25,700 151,624 Total

19.

Pension commitments

The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charitable company in an independently administered fund. The pension cost charge represents contributions payable by the charitable company to the fund and amounted to £2,855 (2024 - £2,197). There were £787 (2024 - £400) contributions payable to the fund at the balance sheet date and are included in creditors.

20.

Members’ liability

The charity is limited by guarantee. At 31 March 2025 there were six members each of whom had undertaken to contribute an amount not exceeding £10 in the event of a winding up.

21.

Donated services

Total expenditure includes £6,000 for donated services relating to the provision of office space (2024 - donated services £6,000). As this is a notional cost an equal amount has been added to income in Donations so that there is no impact on Funds. Page 34 Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA WAG AND COMPANY NORTH EAST FRIENDSHIP DOGS (A Company Limited by Guarantee) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

22.

Related party transactions

During the year £2,636 (2024 - £3,504) in total was received from five Trustees (2024 - 5 Trustees) as donations and fundraising income under normal operating activities. During the year £481 (2024 - £667) was paid to one Trustee (2024 - 2 Trustees) for reimbursement of fundraising expenses incurred. Page 35

Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA 17 June 2025 Detlev Anderson Kinnair Associates Limited Aston House Redburn Road Newcastle upon Tyne NE5 1NB Dear Sir

The following representations are made on the basis of enquiries of management and staff with relevant knowledge and experience such as we consider necessary in connection with your independent examination of the financial statements of Wag and Company North East Friendship Dogs for the year ended 31 March 2025. These enquiries have included inspection of supporting documentation where appropriate and are sufficient to satisfy ourselves that we can make each of the following representations. All representations are made to the best of our knowledge and belief. General 1

We acknowledge that the work performed by you is substantially less in scope than an audit performed in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) and that you do not express an audit opinion. 2

We confirm that the charitable company was entitled to exemption under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 the requirement to have its financial statements for the financial year ended 31 March 2025 audited. We also confirm that the members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the financial year in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006. 3

We have fulfilled our responsibilities as directors / trustees as set out in the Charities Act 2011 for preparing financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice), for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view and for making accurate representations to you.

4

All the transactions undertaken by the charitable company have been properly reflected and recorded in the accounting records.

Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA 5

All the accounting records have been made available to you for the purpose of your independent examination. We have provided you with unrestricted access to all appropriate persons within the charitable company, and with all other records and related information requested, including minutes of all management and trustee meetings and correspondence with The Charity Commission. 6

The financial statements are free of material misstatements, including omissions. Assets and liabilities 7

The charitable company has satisfactory title to all assets and there are no liens or encumbrances on the charitable company assets, except for those that are disclosed in the notes to the financial statements.

8

All actual liabilities, contingent liabilities and guarantees given to third parties have been recorded or disclosed as appropriate.

9

We have no plans or intentions that may materially alter the carrying value and where relevant the fair value measurements or classification of assets and liabilities reflected in the financial statements.

Accounting estimates 10

The methods, data and significant assumptions used by us in making accounting estimates, and their related disclosures, are appropriate to achieve recognition, measurement and disclosure that is reasonable in the context of the applicable financial reporting framework. Loans and arrangements 11

The charitable company has not granted any advances or credits to, or made guarantees on behalf of, directors other than those disclosed in the financial statements. Legal claims 12

We have disclosed to you all claims in connection with litigation that have been, or are expected to be, received and such matters, as appropriate, have been properly accounted for, and disclosed in, the financial statements.

Laws and regulations 13

We have disclosed to you all known instances of non-compliance or suspected noncompliance with laws and regulations whose effects should be considered when preparing the financial statements.

Related parties 14

Related party relationships and transactions have been appropriately accounted for and disclosed in the financial statements. We have disclosed to you all relevant information concerning such relationships and transactions and are not aware of any other matters which require disclosure in order to comply with legislative and accounting standards requirements.

Subsequent events 15

All events subsequent to the date of the financial statements which require adjustment or disclosure have been properly accounted for and disclosed. Going concern

Docusign Envelope ID: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA 16

We believe that the charitable company’s financial statements should be prepared on a going concern basis on the grounds that current and future sources of funding or supportwill be more than adequate for the charitable company’s needs. We have considered a period of twelve months from the date of approval of the financial statements. We believe that no further disclosures relating to the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern need to be made in the financial statements. Grants and donations 17

All grants, donations and other income, the receipt of which is subject to specific terms or conditions, have been notified to you. There have been no breaches of terms or conditions in the application of such income. Yours faithfully,

………………….

Diane Morton

Signed on behalf of the board.

Certificate Of Completion Envelope Id: 5FBFE2EA-7007-4485-BA80-8710916E2DCA Status: Completed Subject: Complete with Docusign: Wag and Co. 31-3-2025.pdf, Signed LOR.pdf Source Envelope: Document Pages: 40 Signatures: 4 Envelope Originator: Certificate Pages: 5 Initials: 0 Detlev Anderson AutoNav: Enabled [e-mail] EnvelopeId Stamping: Enabled IP Address: 185.16.152.169 Time Zone: (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada) Record Tracking Status: Original Holder: Detlev Anderson Location: DocuSign 6/17/2025 5:55:35 AM [e-mail] Signer Events Signature Timestamp Diane Morton Sent: 6/17/2025 6:03:07 AM [e-mail] Viewed: 6/17/2025 6:18:26 AM CEO Signed: 6/17/2025 6:18:44 AM Security Level: Email, Account Authentication (None) Signature Adoption: Pre-selected Style Using IP Address: 2a09:bac3:3779:26a0::3d9:33 Signed using mobile Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure: Accepted: 1/29/2024 6:16:13 AM ID: d876b427-fe12-4276-b848-1e34a084a741 Chris Farman Sent: 6/17/2025 6:18:46 AM [e-mail] Viewed: 6/17/2025 6:27:45 AM Security Level: Email, Account Authentication Signed: 6/17/2025 6:28:01 AM

(None) Signature Adoption: Drawn on Device Using IP Address: 2a09:8044:7f14:0:e439:51f6:45dd:118 Signed using mobile Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure: Accepted: 6/17/2025 6:27:45 AM ID: d5ed70c0-63bf-4d88-bb85-e104ffa73472 Detlev Anderson Sent: 6/17/2025 6:28:03 AM [e-mail] Viewed: 6/17/2025 7:12:33 AM Director Signed: 6/17/2025 7:13:32 AM Kinnair Associates Limited Signature Adoption: Pre-selected Style Security Level: Email, Account Authentication (None) Using IP Address: 185.16.152.169 Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure: Not Offered via Docusign In Person Signer Events Signature Timestamp Editor Delivery Events Status Timestamp Agent Delivery Events Status Timestamp Intermediary Delivery Events Status Timestamp Certified Delivery Events Status Timestamp Carbon Copy Events Status Timestamp Witness Events Signature Timestamp Notary Events Signature Timestamp

Envelope Summary Events Status Timestamps

Envelope Sent Hashed/Encrypted 6/17/2025 6:03:07 AM Certified Delivered Security Checked 6/17/2025 7:12:33 AM Signing Complete Security Checked 6/17/2025 7:13:32 AM Completed Security Checked 6/17/2025 7:13:32 AM Payment Events Status Timestamps Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure

Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure created on: 2/28/2022 10:29:55 AM Parties agreed to: Diane Morton, Chris Farman

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