2025-03-31-accounts

Samaritans of Yeovil, Sherborne

& District

Charity registered in England & Wales number: 1168371

Financial Statements and Trustees Annual Report for the year ended 31st March 2025

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Samaritans of Yeovil, Sherborne & District

Registered charity number 1168371

Charity’s principal address: Morley House, 26 West Hendford, Yeovil, BA20 1XE

Annual Trustees Report 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025

The Trustees present their report and financial statements for the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Samaritans of Yeovil, Sherborne & District is a charitable incorporated organisation registered in England & Wales, registered charity number 1168371. Samaritans of Yeovil, Sherborne & District is an affiliated branch of Samaritans.

Structure, Governance and Management

The governing document is the ClO Association Constitution, and the charity was incorporated as a charitable organisation on 21 July 2016.

The Trustees who served during the year and since the year end are as follows:

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||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |Elizabeth Willoughby-Paul|Branch|Director,|start|of term|01.01.23| |lan|Dibben|Elected|03.02.24,|Re-elected|29.12.24| |Christopher|Blows|Elected|03.02.24,|Resigned|14.06.24| |Catherine|Turner|Treasurer,|elected|03.02.24,|Re-elected| |29.12.24,|resigned|04.11.25| |Neil Jones|Appointed|25.05.24,|Retired|29.12.24| |Maymie White|Appointed|20.11.25| |Carolyn Wilson|Secretary,|elected|29.12.24|

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The charity is managed by a Branch Leadership Team (BLT), headed by the Branch Director, and including trustees elected annually at the Annual General Meeting or subsequently. Other trustees may be appointed (co-opted) on occasion during the year. All trustees (other than the Branch Director) retire at the next AGM but may be reappointed subject to a limit on continuous service. All members of the charity may nominate individuals for election as trustees. All trustees undergo the standard mandatory training provided by Samaritans Central Charity.

At 31 March 2025, the Branch Director plus three elected Trustees were in post. The other members of the BLT are Deputy Directors responsible for particular areas of management and these are appointed by the Branch Director.

Trustees may be appointed from outside the volunteer body, but all Deputy Directors must be Listening or Support Volunteers who have completed the mandatory training.

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Decisions made at Trustee or BLT meetings are disseminated to the volunteer body by email or through announcement on Three Rings and at branch meetings. Minutes are available in the Filestore on Three Rings. A quarterly branch newsletter is also circulated.

All persons working at our charity are Volunteers except for the Caretaker and Cleaner who are both self-employed

Aims and Objectives

The charitable objects are:

• ® To enable persons in Yeovil, Sherborne & District and the surrounding area as well as elsewhere who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those who may be at risk of suicide, to receive confidential emotional support at any time of the day or night in order to improve their emotional health and to reduce the incidence of suicide;

• ® To promote a better understanding in society of suicide, suicidal behaviour and the value of expressing feelings which may otherwise lead to suicide or impaired emotional health; and

• ® To collaborate with and support Samaritans Central Charity and its affiliated branches in fulfilling these objectives.

It is important to note that all roles within a Samaritan branch are covered by volunteers, including the administration and management of the branch. This is different to the majority of charities who will have paid staff in these roles and volunteers to cover only support roles and in trustee roles.

In this branch, we have a management team of eight covering the roles of Branch Director and Deputy Directors responsible for recruitment, training, volunteer support, mentoring, our prison work, community outreach, and premises and administration. Samaritans as a whole would not be able to exist without this level of volunteer-led management.

Achievements & Performance

In recent years the world has become, for many, a very worrying place. Anyone, at any time, can find themselves needing emotional support. Samaritans’ strategy 2022-29, ‘Tackling Suicide Together’, sets out our key priorities and principles to ensure we can continue to be here, day and night, whenever and however people need us most -— not just today, but in the future.

In our branch, we are working towards broadening our impact in society by:

• © Holding regular recruitment days and providing highly valued training for new volunteers three times each year.

• ® Providing ongoing development for our volunteers.

• e Providing one to one peer mentoring for listening volunteers on an annual basis.

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• e Widening our community outreach activities to help increase awareness of our listening service and reduce the incidence of suicide.

• e Attending the Yeovil Armed Forces Hub.

• ° Attending RNAS Yeovilton’s annual Families Day.

• e Attending wellbeing roadshows at a major local engineering employer. ® Attending Freshers’ Fairs and offering our emotional health talks in Schools and Colleges, as well as presenting to trainees at a major local engineering employer.

• ° Maintaining our monthly emotional support work in the A&E department of Yeovil Hospital.

• @ Providing a service to Guys Marsh prison in training and weekly support for a team of selected Listeners.

All these activities have, as well as being of huge benefit to the communities and organisations we have supported, extended knowledge of Samaritans in the area covered by the branch.

Public benefit

The Trustees report that the charitable activities, described in the Achievements and Performance paragraphs, are for the public benefit. The Trustees also confirm that they have complied with section 17(5) of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission.

Fundraising

Our fundraising activity is usually based around local events as each Samaritans branch covers a specific area. Examples of these are Christmas craft fairs, jumble sales and collections during outreach activities. We have, in the past, accepted donations from volunteers and friends who have carried out sponsored marathons, walking and cycling, treks and such. However, there have been no major fundraising events during the year ended 31 March 2025. We do not work with professional fundraisers and thus far we have not applied for grants.

Following best practice

Samaritans as an organisation is registered with the Fundraising Regulator and we are members of the Institute of Fundraising, the Direct Marketing Association, the Gambling Commission and the Lotteries Council.

Our donor promise sets out our aim to be open, fair and honest in the way we engage with supporters. As a branch, we have had no complaints regarding any of our fundraising activities.

Financial Report - to be seen in conjunction with Annual Accounts

The Branch reserves policy is for reserves to cover 18 months of running costs.

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Each year, the branch makes a contribution to the national organisation based ona system set by Samaritans Central Office as follows:

Contribution is based on a sliding scale of reserves held in excess of 18 months of total annual unrestricted revenue expenditure.

“Reserves” are defined as:

• ® Total of Unrestricted Funds (including Designated Funds, if any) less e The net book value of tangible fixed assets (e.g. Property, Fixtures & Fittings, Furnishings, Computer equipment etc).

Reserves include investments at market value (not cost).

• Reserves exclude Restricted Funds and Endowment funds.

Reserves	in range	Percentage applied toeachsegment
18months — 2 years		5%
2-3years		10%
3-4years		20%
4-5years		30%
Inexcessof5 years		40%

Reserves-— The charity policy is to hold reserves to cover 18-24 months of running costs; for the current financial year this continues to be difficult to assess, as the property (Morley House) continues to incur costs for necessary improvements and maintenance. Total reserves held at 31 March 2025 were £674,915.

In the 2025/26 financial year, the goal will be to continue to evaluate and set budgeted running costs and continue to explore potential income generating activities such as licensing the ground floor for Pilates classes, Andy’s Man Club men’s support group, the Yeovil Armed Forces Hub and others.

Approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by.

Elizabeth Willoughby-Paul Branch Director

Date: 21 November 2025

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Samaritans of Yeovil, Sherborne & District Independent Examiner's Report

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Samaritans of Yeovil, Sherborne & District.

| report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31st March 2025, which are set out on the following pages.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

• examine the accounts under section 145 of the Act;

• follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act; and

• state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of independent examiner’s statement

My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent examiner’s statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:

2. to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Act; and

3. to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Act have not been met; or

4. 1. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Mrs Lindsey Wright MAAT ACA

Blue Lias Accounting Limited

Chartered Accountants

Walker House Market Place

Somerton Somerset TA11 7LX 19th November 2025

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Samaritans of Yeovil, Sherborne & District Receipts and Payments accounts for the year ended 31st March 2025

	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total 2025	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total 2024
income
GiftAid donations (incl. gift aid)	1,540.00	-	1,540.00	635.00	-	635.00
Other donations and gifts	20,114.69	~	20,114.69	7,860.98	-	7,860.98
Fundraising	5,951.02	-	5,951.02	2,081.76	-	2,081.76
Prison reimbursement	2,039.29	-	2,039.29	2,703.66	-	2,703.66
Rental income	2,772.00	-	2,772.00	1,204.04	-	1,204.04
Investment income	3,061.19	-	3,061.19	2,371.64	-	2,371.64
Bank interest	2,036.55	-	2,036.55	2,796.44	-	2,796.44
Tax Reclaim GiftAid	1,082.25	-	1,082.25	832.94	-	832.94
	38,596.99	-	38,596.99	20,486.46	-	20,486.46
Expenditure
Direct costs:
Light, heat, powerand water	6,054.56	-	6,054.56	13,273.15	-	13,273.15
Rates	512.95	-	$12.95	480.62	-	480.62
Legal Expense	2,152.80	-	2,152.80	-	-	-
Insurance	1,114.13	-	1,114.13	1,085.20	-	1,085.20
Volunteers Travel and expenses	26,525.62	137.40	26,663.02	19,422.88	754.54	20,177.42
Fund Raising Expenses	170.44	-	170.44	-	-	-
Outreach Work	859.66	-	859.66	685.88	-	685.88
Refreshments	232.08	-	232.08	1,081.95	-	1,081.95
Repairsand maintenance	16,143.64	-	16,143.64	11,572.04	-	11,572.04
Training	-	-	-	-	-	-
Trustees Travel and expenses	-	-	-	1,142.82	-	1,142.82
Telephone and broadband	2,113.01	-	2,113.01	1,841.72	-	1,841.72
Software subscriptions	1,378.80	-	1,378.80	607.47	-	607.47
Cleaning	2,939.75	-	2,939.75	2,558.95	-	2,558.95
Sundry	299.00	-	299.00	103.93	-	103.93
	60,496.44	137.40	60,633.84	53,856.61	754.54	54,611.15
Support costs:
Advertising and publicity	100.00	-	100.00	76.19	-	76.19
Printing, postage and stationery	576.19	-	576.19	1,162.55	-	1,162.55
Contribution to Samaritans South
Westcosts	-	-	-	900.00	-	900.00
New Branch Contribution	86,585.00	-	86,585.00	-	-	-
	87,261.19	-	87,261.19	2,138.74	-	2,138.74
Governance costs:
Independentexamination	-	-	-	468.00	-	468.00
Accountancy	2,580.00	-	2,580.00		-	-
Professional fees		-	-	-	-	-
	2,580.00	-	2,580.00	468.00	-	468.00
Asset purchases:
Office equipment	4,114.08	-	4,114.08	1,029.56	~	1,029.56
Property improvements	-	-	-	-	-	-
	4,114.08	-	4,114.08	1,029.56		1,029.56
Totalexpenditure	154,451.71	137.40	154,589.11	57,492.91	754.54	58,247.45
Surplusofexpenditure overincome	—			TS
intheyear(loss)	(115,854.72)	(137.40)	(115,992.12)	(37,006.45)	(754.54)	(37,760.99)
Movement in bank balances
Closing balances:
Investment Revaluations		-
Lloyds current account	5,187.39	-	5,187.39	13,716.36	-	13,716.36
Lloyds savingsaccount	126,551.16	4,225.49	130,776.65	233,877.21	4,362.89	238,240.10
Total in bankat31 March2025	131,738.55	4,225.49	135,964.04	247,593.57	4,362.89	251,956.46
Opening bank balances	(247,593.57)	(4,362.89)	(251,956.46)	(285,253.49)	(5,117.43)	(290,370.92)
Net increase (reduction) inbank	TT			TT
balances	(115,855.02)	(137.40)	(115,992.42)	(37,006.35)	(754.54)	(37,760.89)

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Samaritans of Yeovil, Sherborne & District

Supplementary information relating to the accounts for the year ended 31st March 2025

Restricted funds

The restricted funds in the accounts relate to grants received to support specific activities. All the restricted funds mentioned in the accounts relate to our work in Prisons.

We continued to receive the grant for some of the period that we were in lockdown and not able to continue with our work at Guys Marsh.

Statement of assets and liabilities as at 31st March 2025

Fixed Assets	note	2025	2024
Freehold Property	1	471,613	469,453
Office Equipment, furniture & fittings		2,861	1,258
Investments	2	85,110	84,251
		559,584	554,962
Current Assets
Cash at bank	3	135,964	254,232
		135,964	254,232
Creditors
Trade creditors		-	10,899
Accruals		800	1,400
Newbranch contribution	4	19,833	86,585
		20,633	100,856
TotalReserves		674,915	708,338

Notes:

• 1 Freehold property used by the Charity - acquisition cost £425,000 plus improvements at a cost of £46,613.

• 2 Unquoted securities - value £85,110. Invested with M & G Charibond and CCLA Charities Official Investment Fund and available for withdrawal at short notice

• 3 The significant legacy that the Charity received has now ‘flushed through’ the accounts and, in order to reduce fees, the Trustees made the decision to revert to simple income and expenditure accounts, rather than financial statements prepared on an accrual and prepayments basis.

• 4 The New Branch Contribution, payable to Central Charity, has been calculated at £19,833 for the year to 31st March 2025. The 2024 figure consists of £66,848 for 2024 and £19,737 for 2023.

• 5 No trade creditors for this year, the expenses are now being paid when they fall due.

• 6 Restricted funds within the cash in bank held as at 31st March 2025 was £4,225 (£4,363 in 2024). There are no endownment funds held.

Certificate of approval

We approve the Receipts and Payments accounts set out on pages 6 and 7 and confirm that to the best of our knowledge all relevant records and information for the preparation have been made available to you.

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Elizabeth Willoughby-Paul - Branch Director
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These accounts set out above were approved by the Trustees on Nobewky > and signed on their behalf by:

| Lita lan Dibben - Trustee

Carolyn Wilson - Trustee

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