2024-06-30-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 01.07.2023 Period start date To 30.06.2024 Period end date Charity name: Merseyside Lowland Search & Rescue

Charity registration number: 1166213

Objectives and Activities

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SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of Para 1.17 To relieve suffering and distress amongst
the charity as set out in its persons endangered by accidents or
governing document natural hazards and the preservation of life
by providing search & rescue services in
Merseyside in co-operation partners,
government bodies and other relevant
organisations.
Summary of the main Para 1.17 and Throughout the 2023-2024 financial year,
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Objectives and Activities	Objectives and Activities	Objectives and Activities
SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document Para 1.17 To relieve suffering and distress amongst persons endangered by accidents or natural hazards and the preservation of life by providing search & rescue services in Merseyside in co-operation partners, government bodies and other relevant organisations.
Summary of the main	Para 1.17 and	Throughout the 2023-2024 financial year,
activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	1.19	MerSAR has made significant progress, strengthening our relationships with both our Police Force and our governing body, Lowland Rescue. We have established ourselves as a dependable team within Lowland Rescue, with members contributing at a national level by participating in national courses. Additionally, we continue to support other Lowland Rescue teams with Bankside training and Team Leader development. Following last year’s major milestone of acquiring an Incident Control Unit through local grant funding, we have now secured funding for a large thermal drone and a smaller drone. These assets enhance our ability to search for high-risk missing people from the air, allowing us to cover vast areas more quickly and effectively. We have also successfully procured new road search kits, essential for searches along roadways and highways. Our team members remain committed to ongoing skill development, continually enhancing our overall capabilities. We take pride in providing a highly professional and well-equipped volunteer team, available 24/7 to support Merseyside Police with high-risk missing person searches, as well as assisting other agencies during major incidents.

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MerSAR has experienced substantial
growth, becoming more robust, efficient,
and professional. Our team consistently
acquires new skills and seizes every
opportunity for development. In terms of
search operations alone, our volunteers
have dedicated approximately 300 hours—
excluding additional time spent on events,
training, administration, and other essential
duties.
Our commitment to continuous
improvement remains strong, with plans to
explore new resources and training
opportunities as they become available and
as funding allows. A key objective for
2024/25 is the adoption of new digital
radios to enhance communication,
integrate GPS technology, and keep pace
with advancing technology.
Since the pandemic, we have seen a slight
increase in cash donations from charity
collection pots; however, the ongoing cost
of living crisis continues to impact overall
contributions. We recognise that donations
often come from individuals who may be
facing financial hardship, and we are
deeply grateful for every contribution, no
matter how big or small.
MerSAR remains actively engaged with the
Merseyside community by attending
events, schools, and clubs to raise
awareness of our work. We are committed
to promoting the Lowland Rescue name
and increasing public understanding of the
vital role Lowland Rescue teams play
nationwide. Additionally, we are part of the
Merseyside Search and Rescue Forum
and the Merseyside Resilience Forum,
working alongside HMCG, local councils,
police, fire, ambulance services, and other
resilience agencies.
Through continued dedication and
outreach, our team continues to raise its
profile and advance the objectives set out
in our constitution.
Statement confirming Para 1.18 The trustees have complied with guidance
whether the trustees have issued by the charity commission on public
had regard to the guidance benefit.
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit
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Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

	SORP reference
Policy on grant making	Para 1.38
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38
Other

Achievements and Performance

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SORP reference
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Achievements and Performance	Achievements and Performance	Achievements and Performance
SORP reference
Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	Merseyside Lowland Search and Rescue (MerSAR) possesses substantial resources to provide assistance to UK Emergency Services during times of crisis. MerSAR operates an Incident Control Unit, in addition to a 4x4 vehicle manned by its members, alongside a dedicated drone team. Furthermore, MerSAR is actively engaged in supporting neighbouring Lowland Rescue search teams, exemplified by its collaboration with Cheshire Search and Rescue, which is ongoing and fostering positive relationships. The team is proactively cultivating connections with other vital organisations, including Mountain Rescue, given Cheshire's proximity to North Wales and Greater Manchester alongside our neighbours in Lancashire who also have Mountain Rescue Teams. These collaborative efforts are instrumental in enhancing emergency response capabilities and fostering a network of support among regional search and rescue entities. MerSAR continues to save lives where possible but also to provide closure to families in some sad circumstances.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Achievements against Para 1.41 objectives set Performance of fundraising Para 1.41 activities against objectives set Investment performance Para 1.41 against objectives Other

Financial Review

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Review of the charity’s Para 1.21 The team's primary source of income
financial position at the end comes mainly from public donations and
of the period contributions from individual trusts.
Additional financial support is generated
through sponsored events and the
generosity of team members. Occasionally,
we also receive donations specifically
intended for acquiring specialised
equipment.
Our expenses cover a range of essential
costs, including member training,
insurance, vehicle maintenance, personal
protective equipment, and other necessary
consumables.
Recently, we have successfully secured
several grants to help cover costs related to
software, drones, road kit, and various
essential items. These grants have been
generously provided by trusts and
companies that support our work, either
through direct funding or by offering grants
for specific equipment.
Statement explaining the Para 1.22 Last financial year, the charity aimed to
policy for holding reserves maintain reserves of £4,500 by the end of
stating why they are held this financial year which we can safely say
was achieved. We again would like to
maintain this amount of reserve for the
upcoming financial year
Amount of reserves held Para 1.22 £4,500 at present
Reasons for holding zero Para 1.22 N/A
reserves
Details of fund materially in Para 1.24 N/A
deficit
Explanation of any Para 1.23 N/A
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern
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Additional information (optional)

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The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47	The charity receives its income from the general public and from individual trusts, as well as from sponsored events and financial support from individual team members. The team’s expenditure covers training, insurance and vehicle running costs and purchase of consumables.
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	Constitution
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	CIO
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees	Para 1.25	Trustees are voted in to post by full members of the team at the Annual General Meeting.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Policies and procedures adopted for the induction Para 1.51 and training of trustees The charity’s organisational structure and any wider Para 1.51 network with which the charity works

Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51
Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	Merseyside Lowland Search & Rescue
Other name the charity uses	MerSAR / Merseyside Search & Rescue
Registered charity number	1166213
Charity’s principal address	2 East Street Birkenhead CH41 1BY

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

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Dates acted if not for whole Name of person (or body) entitled
Trustee name Office (if any)
year to appoint trustee (if any)
1 Lesley Ashcroft Treasurer 3 [rd] February 2020 to date
2 David Alcock Trustee 3 [rd] February 2020 to date
Eugene Chapman Trustee 23 [rd] September 2020 to
3
date
4 Sherry Green Trustee 15 [th] May 2023 to date
5 Alison Braithwaite Trustee 15 [th] May 2023 to date
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
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– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets held in this capacity	NA
Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects	NA
Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets	NA

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of	Name	Address
adviser

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

Other optional information

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date
	Lesley Ashcroft
	Trustee / Secretary
	17.03.25
	David Alcock
	Trustee / Chair
	17.03.25
	17.03.25

OFFICE COPY PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN Merseyside Lowland Search and Rescue YE 30 June 2024

Independent examinerfs report to the Trustees of Merseyside Lowland Search and Rescue I report to the Trustees on my examination of the accounts of Merseyside Lowland Search and Rescue for the year ended 30 June 2024. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charrty trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 20111'the act'l. I report in respect of my examination of the Trustee's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515llbl of the 2011 Act. Independent examiner's statement I have completed my examination. I confimi that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: 111 accounting records were not kept in respect of the Tnjst as required by section 130 of the Act: or 121 the accounts do not accord with those records,. or 131 the accounts do not comply with the application requirement5 concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities IAccounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than anv requirements that the accounts give a 'trve and fair view, which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts being reached. Andrew Chappell FCA, Mlmgt, F￿A 18, September 2024 Chappell Assoclates Llmlted Chartered Accountants Westfield House Bratton Road We5tbury Wiltshire BA13 3EP ELL oq. L

Merseyslde Lowland 5eai¢h and Rescue Charity Number 1166213 Income and Expenditure Account for ther year ended 30June 2024 Unrestricted fund Restricted fund Income Donatlons and grants 20552 Contributions to PPE 20552 EKpendicure Tralning and search deploytnent5 12038 Depre¢latlon 3551 ISS89 Extrss of incorne over expenditure 4963 Funds brouehtforward 17472 Fund5 carried lO￿ard 22435 Represented by.. and equipment Motor vehicles Cost Dep￿CIatIOn 6286 4555 IIDOO 4813 Addltlon Oepreciation on addition 7878 -118Z 8427 6187 Bank balance 7822 Total assets 16249 6187 For the year In question. the charltable compay was entitled to exetnption from an audit under section 477 01 the Companies Act 2006. The member5 have not required the charitsble companyto obtaln an audlt of Its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of the Act. The trustees/directors acknowledge their re5pon5ibilities lor complying with the requlroments of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparatlon of accounts.