CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLANO ANO WALES Trustees, Annual Report for the period From 1st June 2023 To 31" May 2024 Charity name: St Bernard Support CIO Charity registration number: 1167104 Objectives and Activities SORP refence Para 1.17 Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its goveming document To promote and protect Good Health and Well-Being among people suffering from life limiting illnesses, their families and carers in particular but not exclusively by providing infomiation, advice and practical support. Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or seNices identified in the accounts. Para 1.17 and 1.19 St Bemard Support CIO continued to undertake a number of activities to help people affected by lrfe limiting illnesses and tenninal illnesses during the accounting year. St Bemard Support continued to work wilh a number of partners and organisalions including GPS, hospices. hospital trusts, charities. support groups etc in delivering our services. St Bernard Support continues to operate on a nationwide basis. We provide our ServIS either directly ourselves or by working with partners. One way we help people affected by life limiting illnesses is via our charity's financial well- being help sessions that promote financial well-being amongst people affected by life limitin9 illnesses. St Bemard Support continued lo provide fa to face help sessions (taking appropriate precautions where necessary regarding coronavirus). We also continued to provide our seNices online and by telephone. The help sessions and talks we have hosted have been informative and helpful to those who have attended them. Furihemiore. we have worked with people affected by life limiting illnesses on an individual one-2-one basis by telephone, over the intemet and in person when necessary. By helping people affected by life limiting illnesses and temiinal illnesses, St Bernard
Support has benefited the wider community. Our actions in promoting the well-being of individuals and those that care for them as well as work with other partners has helped people affected by life limtting illnesses such as cancer, heart disease etc. The truslees of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation have paid due regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit. The trustees have ensured that this is embedded in the charity's activities and in its seNices to people affected by life limiting illnesses. Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit Para 1.18 The Charily continues to meet the Charity Commission's public benefit criteria under both the advancement of citizenship or community development headings. The charity advances citizenship and community development by the assistance it provides to people affected by illnesses, their families and carers. Additional Infornlatlon (optional) You ma choose to include further statements where relevant about: SORP ference Sl Bemard Support does not have a fomial policy regarding granlmaking. Given our size it is not possible for St Bernard Support to make grants to individuals or other organisations. Para 1.38 Policy on grant making St Bemard Support's policy on social investment is to ensure that all the charity's activities are aimed at benefiting the charity's users and wider society. Para 1.38 Policy on social investment including program related investment St Bemard Support has been greatly assisted by volunteers in helping the charity deliver assistance to people affected by life limiting illnesses and those that care for them. Contribution made by volunteers Para 1.38 Additional assistance has been offered by other organisations Ihal have referred clients on to the charity in order to benefit from our services. The charity's activities have also benefited from free publicity offered by other organisations who have been happy to publicise the charity's activities. Again, this has enomiously benefiled Ihe charily in enhancing the setvices it has been able to provide to people affected by life limiting illnesses.
Other Achievements and Performance SORP reference The main achievement of the charity in 202312024 continues to be helping people affected by life limiting illnesses and those that care for them. 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 The charity continues to receive positive feedback from individuals that the charity has assisted. We have received both oral feedback and written statements of appreciation. The charity IS 21ways keen to receive feedback from stakeholders as this allows us to enhance and improve the services we offer. The charity has also received positlV8 feedback from organisations we have helped or worked in partnership with. Again, we are always keen to seek feedback in order to ensure we meet the expectations of our partners and if possible, exceed them. The charity provides its services on a nationwide basis. We continue to provide face to face help sessions. Our seNices have also been provided over the internet and by telephone. Recipients of our charity's services have found our assistance to be useful, infomiative and supportive in meeting their needs and requirements. The charity's online Well-Being webinars continue to be infonnative and useful for the people who have participated in them. The charity's partly owned not for profit joint venture SBS Financial Services CIC (Community Interest Company) also delivered services to clients. SBS Financial Services CIC is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority {FCA) to provide independent financial advice lo clients. The charity has also continued to provide our free will-writing service which will provide a future income to the charity via legacies from the individuals receiving free wills.
The charity has continued to look to expand the services it offers to people affected by life limiting illnesses. We intend to do this by working in partnership with other individuals and organisatlons such as GPS. hospices and charities. We already provide our well-being services in partnership with other organisations and individuals and any expansion will only be limited by the size of our chartty. Additional infomiation {optional) You ma choose to include further statements where relevant about.. The main achievement of the charity in 202312024 continues to be helping people affected by life limiling illnesses and those that care for them. AGhievements against objectives set PaTr 1.41 Recovering from coronavirus pandemic and other commitments by the trustees and volunteers continued to have a significant impact on the charity's fundraising efforts. The charity prioritised the delivering of its services rather than fundraising in the 2023-2024 Accounting Year. Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set Para 1_41 The charity continued to develop SBS Financial SeNices CIC and its free will- writing service with the intent of generating future incotne from these sources. The charity continues to hold its monies in a high street bank. The charity didn't set particular investment perfomiance objectives as it5 priority for its monies is to use them to deliver tts services. Investment perfomiance against objectives Para 1.41 Other
Financial Review Review of the charity's financial position at the end of the period Para 1_21 The charity s financial position at the end of period was satisfactory given the support offered by trustees and volunteers. The charity made an operating loss in the 2023124 Accounting Year. The operating loss saw the charity's reserves reduce in the 2022123 Accounting Year, and the charity continued to benefit from the generosity of its trustees and volunteers in deferring claiming expenses. The charity is looking to grow its operations in Ihe 2024125 Accounting Year. Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held Para 1.22 At the moment the charity's priority is using its income to seNe the needs of people affected by life limiting illnesses such as cancer and heart disease. Although building up reserves is important, the trustees feel that their priorily is maximising the charity's service offered to ils clients and stakeholders. Amount of reserves held Para 1.22 The charity had reserves of £291.31 in its bank account at the end of Ihe Accounting Year. Reasons for holding zero reserves Details of fund materially in deficit Para 1.22 Para 1.24 The charity ran an operating loss in 202312024. Nevertheless, trustees and volunteers continued to support the charity through deferring claiming past expenses and costs back from the charity. Explanation of any unceriainlies about the charity Gontinuing as a going concem Para 1.23 There are no uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concem because it continues to be supported by its trustees and volunteers. Additional infomiation (optional) You ma choose to include further statements where relevant about.. The charity received a small amount of donations in the 202312024 Accounting Year because it focussed on bUIldIng its charitable activities rather than on fundraising activities. The charity's principal sources of funds {including any fundraising) Para 1.47 Para 1.46
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted The charity's investment policy is to hold its monies in a high street bank to prioritise security of its monies. The trustees take a proactive attitude in considering major risks and always seek effective ways to manage and minimise risks. The trustees have identified the major risks to which they believe the charity is exposed, these have been reviewed 8nd systems have been established to mitigate against them. A description of the principal risks facing the charity Para 1.46 Injury to trustees, volunteers, members and activity participants. The charity ensures that all venues used by the charity for its activities have adequate insurance arrangements in place. Where necessary risk assessments are undertaken before all activities. Reduced income from fundraising. The charity is reliant upon income from donations and the generosity of the trustees and volunteers in deferring payment of expenses. The charity's strategy for dealing with reduced income from fundraising is to ensure that it manages ils activities in proportion to the level of ongoing income, or the willingness of its trustees and volunleers to subsidise ils aciivilies. The charity has also benefited from goodwill from other organisations who have provided venues for meetings free of charge. This has helped reduced the charity's possible expenditure. Succession planning. The charity is heavily reliant upon volunteers to run and administer its activities. If there was a reduction in the number of volunteers the charity would have to reduce the scope and scale of ils activities. In the worst case scenario, the charity would have to be wound up. Damage to the building, property and equipment. The charity's office address is rented. The owners of the building being responsible for insurance arrangements. The charity makes use of venues for holding meetings and seminars. Again, the charity ensures that these venues have appropriate insurance arrangements in place. Financial Aangernents. The charity has in place systems of internal controls that are desi ned to rovide reasonable assurance
against material mismanagement or loss. These include 2 signatories for all payments and a majority agreement amongst trustees for all spending commitments. Safeguarding of vulnerable clients. The charity helps people affected by serious, terminal and life limiting illnesses. Sometimes these clients are vulnerable. The charity operates a Safeguarding policy regarding its relationship with vulnerable clients and also acts to ensure that partners that the Gharity works with comply with the charity's safeguarding policy. The charity's Safeguarding policy is updated to comply with best practice. Protection of client data. Where the charity holds client data it ensures that it is held in compliance with data protection legislation. No client data is passed onto partners or other organisations without the consent of the client concemed. All clients are asked to sign a Client Agreement confimiing their agreement to the holding of Iheir personal data. The charity also ensures that partners that the charity works with have compliant data protection policies in place. other
Structure, Governance and Management Description of charity's trusts: Type of goveming document Para 1.25 Constitution How is the charity constituted? Para 1.25 Association tii'.ialinii. CIO) Trustee selection methods including details of any constitulional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees Par8 1.25 Elected by Membership Additional infonnation (optional) You ma choose to include further statements where relevant about: Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees Para 1.51 The charity's organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works Para 1.51 Relationship with any related parties Para 1.51 Other Reference and Administrative details Charit name Other name the chari uses istered charit number Charity s principal address St Bemard Su St Bemard Su 1167104 Broadstone House Broadstone Mill Broadstone Road Reddish Stockport SK5 7DL ort CIO rtISBS
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity Trustee name Officè (rf anyl Dates acted if not for whole èar Name of person lor body) èntitled toa oint trustee if an Membership of Charity Christopher Alan Bates Trustee Nicola Roberts Trustee Membership of Charity Membership of Charity Christian John Cox Trustee 10 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Co orate trustees- names of the directors at the date the re ortwasa roved DirÈ¢tor nam• Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity Trustee name Dates acted If not for whole ear
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others Description of the assets held in this capacrty Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf Ihe assets are held and how this falls within the cuslodian charity s objects Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity's own assets Additional information {optional) Names and addresses of advisers (Optional inforniation) 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 ke ersonnel details Other o tional 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} OF / Date 3I/oS/Z02f
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALf S St Bernard Support CIO 1167104 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a Foi the pgriod from 1st Jure 2023 To 31st May 2024 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted funds Reslrictod funds Endowment fund$ Total funds Last year t¢ the neare$i tts Ihe nearest E to Ihi n•arest £ to the nearèst e to th• n•¥resl Z A1 Recèi DOn3tn5 Partnership Income Le acies 250 250 Sub total (Gross income f(Y AR) 250 250 A2 Assot and investment sales. Isee tablel- Sub total Total receipts 250 250 A3Pa ments Des 8 Printin9 Licencing Tephon Sli0nery Travel Expense5 VenuolA¢¢omtnodaiKin Costs Website Hosting Insurances Will Wriiing SeTVe 35 499 35 499 35 312 2.643 564 48 249 915 2,643 S84 4B 249 915 4,262 949 48 210 540 Sub total A4 Asset and inve$tm•nt pur¢hases, see table Sub total Total payments Net of receipts/{payments) A5 Transfèrs between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds thls year end 1,895 291 1.895 291 4,427 1.895 CGXX R1 accounts ISSI 3110312025
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Categories Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ Details Endowment funds to nvare$t £ to n8ar05t £ 81 Cash funds Bank A¢¢ounl 291 Total eash funds 291 ¢Xwtl511 UnrestriGted funds Restricted funds Endowment funds Detsils to nearest £ to nearèst È to ngaresl £ 82 Other monetary assets Fund to whlch a55el belon Details Cost loptlonall Current valu o tional B3 Investment assets Fun¢ to vihiGh asset belon Details Current value Co$1 loptionall B4 Assets retained for the charity's own use Fund to which relate$ Travel Expenses Detall$ Travtri Expenses 2017-2023 Amoun¢ due tional 6,582 When due o tion31 B5 Llabilities Other Exponses 2017-2023 TephonY1 Websrte T13 WebSitee*phOnY 2023-24 Websitel TephOnY 127 VenuÈlAccommod¥tK)n 2023124 VenuelAccornmodat 350 Travel Expenses 2023-24 Travel Exppnses 2.643 Signed by one or tm) trustees on behalf of all th8 trustees Sigrialure Print Name Dale of roval £r CCXX R2 accounts ISSI 3110312025