SAMARITANS OF TAUNTON AND SOMERSET FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YF.AR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 coNrENTS Reference and Adminislrdtive Detai15 RqK)n of the Tte¢S io Report of the Independent Examiner li Statement of Financial Activities 12 Balance Sheet 13- 18 Notes to the Accounts Charity No. 1170637
SAMARrrANS OF TAurON AND SOMERSET REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Trust¢es of the Brdnch during the year were.. N Jackaman (Secretary) J Crawford S Burge (freasu) A Hallows R Jacobs S Bannister Registered Address: 16 Wo(xJ Street TauntoTh Somerset TAI IUN Registrttd Charity No.. 1170637 BaDkers'. Barclays Bank plc North Street Taunton Somerset TAI ILZ Independent Examiner: Mrs T Bell Westcotts 7 Castle Street Bridgwater Somerset TA6 3DT
SAMARrrANS OF TAuNfoN AND SOMERSE'r REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 The trustees present thcir annual report and financial statements of the Charity for the year cllded 3 1st March 2024. The financial stalements haye been prepared in accordance with the accounting polici'es set out in Note I to the accounts and comply with the Charity's trust deed, ChitIeS Act 2011 and Accounung arid Reporting by Charitics.. Siatemenl of Recommcnded Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with Ihe Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of treland (FRS 102) {chlueS SORP (FRS102) (effeetive I. January 2019)). About the Samaritans The Charity maintains a centre for recciving telephone calls and e-mails from members of the public and also welcomcs any face to face visicors to the Branch. The centre 15 Stafled entirely by unpaid voluJ)teers and the branch is open 365 days a year. The maill objective of the Charity is.. To listen to and talk wirh persons who are sllicid, despairing or in a statc of emotional distress. Callers are from around the United Kingdom and in non-pandcmic times face to face callers are secn from the Taunton and Somerset area. The volunteers are selected and trained to undertake the sensitive task of li8iening to callers, encouraging them to discuss their ihoughts and feelings; this is done in accordancc with the policies and procedures of Samaritans as an organisation. Thc Trustees confimi that they have referred to the guidance contained in the chltY Commission's general guidance on pubiic benefit when reviewing the Charity's aims and objectives and in planning further activities. We do rhis by- Reaching out ro high-risk groups and communili¢s to redu¢e the risk of suicide. Working in p8f(nership with other organisations and agcncies. Raising awaEeness of the challenges lo redutt the incidcnce of suicide. .There are scven qualitics that define Samaritans, Nature of Service: 24 hour availability Confidentiality Honesry Emouonally supportive COrul1Y structurcd Self-detennination Safeguarding Each quality Is accompanied by policies which must be implemcnted in all brancbes All branches must then use dcfin¢d procedures to pur rhese policies into effect All Samaritan volunteers must be aware of, and adhcie io, Samaritans. Naiure of Service Through our Naturc of Service we gre committed to the following values.. l. Bcing available 24 hours a day to receive calls from peoplc requiring emotional support. 2. To cnsure and stTess confidentiality of the call (within Samaritans)- There are exceptions to this, for exatnple, if therc is a Safeguding concern.
SAMARITANS OF TAurON AND SOMF.RSET REI)ORT OF THF. TRUSTF.ES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCII 2024 About the Samaritans - continued 3. Honesty - We publicly scaic how infortnation relating our callers is uscd. 4. Emotionally Supportive: Callers in need of Samaritans, service are accepted without prejudice and encouraged to talk or write about their feelings, acknowledge thcir emotions and explore options. Volunteers use their listening skills, re£ognise ihe needs of callers and respond appropriately. Voluntccrs will rLOt imwse their own convictions or influence callers in regards to politics, philosophy or religion. 5. Samaritans aim to offer a carefully constructed and consistent response offcr is regularly reviewcd and evaluated. co our callers. Thc support we 6. Self Deterniination. calle remain responsible for thcir own decisions and do not lose the right to make decisions even if that decision is to t8kc their own life. This belief underpins all our contact with callers. In siLu&tion8 where we suspect the caller is a child or a vulnerdble adult who cannot Jnake their own decision, and in a position of hann, this principle is subject to thc limits imposed by our Safeguarding Policy. Achievements and Perfonnancc Samaritans, policy r¢quires a change of Director evcry three years, whcrc possible. with a similar changc of leadership team at thc same iimc. Encouraging fresh ideas. new creative encigy, and encouragement of branch members to seek and achieve personal development, this is an apprnach with many benefits. A significant risk is the loss of institutional memory. cxperience and knowledge of the workings and dcmands of the central chIlY. Samaritans coniinucs to porLder thc shape, scale and scope of leadership roles in its branchcs, recognizing the nccd for balance as it aims to deliver the safest, tnost positive and effcctive serviec possible, bui relying on volunteers whose priority, of course. is to man the phones and fit Samaritans life into their own p$08] schedule. Our brdnch owes a significant debt of gratitude to its previous Director, Rosic. and her exeellcnt outgoing leadership team. They stecred us through the difficult COVID-19 times, managing to sure up finances. recruit new volunteers and maintain effective links in the commuTJity despi(e the challenges we fac¢d. Moreovcr, the branch rcceived a tnuch-nccdcd face lift and in Seplcmbcr 2023, our rcceivcd a wonderful facelill thanks to plants which had been part of the sa[nltan5 listcning garden a¢ Ihe Chelsea Flower Show, and the work of DaThcn Hawkes landscape ggJdener8. from Cornwall. Whilst the quality and safety of our scrvice to our callers is paramoun¢ eonsideraiion and support of the voluntcer experien¢¢ is also iJnportant and Rosie kept a keen eye on these matters. mcasured by the success of Mr. Mi1&4 breakfast meetings, barbecues, infornjal dinners and teas in branch. Fler en¢ourngemcn¢ of support volunteers. such an important part of our work force. was a personal prioriiy. She has been a hard act to lollow but such is the life of the Samariians Director th one 15 soon swept along by the pace of change aiid challeiiges set by thc ¢eniral charity. The first job. the Iiiosi difficulL was e5¢ablishing one's leIdershIP team. Undcrstandably. wc join Samaritans to provide rnuch-ncLxlcd cmotional support for pcoplc in despair. In surveys. tnost people wish this to bc the extcnt of thcir committnen(- quil¢ understandably as Ihcy have busy livcs and limited 5COPC to expand their involvement. Howevcr, widcr iiivolven]Lnt in Samarit<1ns busines5 also brings a myriad of opportunitics for pcrsonol development and use ol pcrsonal and profcssional skills now underutilized or even undervalued.
SAMARITANS OF TAUNTON AND SOMERSET RF.PORT OF THF. TRUSTF.ES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Aehievcments and Perfomiancc- continued Wc have jusi received formal feedback from our Branch Quality Review, something which takeq place routinely in the first year of a new directorate. It providcs a glowing appraisal of our branch, confwming the impact of Rosic's supcrb leadership until July 2023, and the positivc ifflpression created by the new leadership team. Trusiees in SamaTilans summarizcd an incredibly positive report: 'This is an excellent review. The branch is to be congratulated for creating a successful. collaborativc working environtnent. whcrc everyone is aligned in making thc branch work well. Your focus on inclusivity, and in particular your plans for a property thac fully 5UPPOrts that is good to see" Ai the end of year one, I am cxtremely grateful for the support of a superb group of people who have stepped into the Branch tEader5hip Team and who have worked suprcmely well to maintain thc ethos and exccllence of our Wood Street brCh. Our meeting5 every six weeks have provided opportunilics ro share new8 and to plor ihe next steps as we iry to move the branch even further forward. Their inlclligent, experienced, and cooperative personas have bcen central to the fruitful di.gcussions and sense of pury)05c. All the Deputy Directois, each responsible for an aspect of samari]s business, have supported the branch members effectivcly, communicating clearly and striving 10 incoq)ordte them into their teams. In two years, time, we will need a new Director and leadcrship team and knowledgc of thc workings of the branch will be a real help when you step into a new role on the BLT. Tammy. DD for Recruitment. has made effective use of the much-lamented Branch Management Tool lo Sir¢amline and improve the inilidl volunlLcr journey, arranging inlcrviews, adniini%i¢ring applications. and passing successful applicants into the training proc¢ss. In ihcory, the 501iware will coordinalc all communications and protect data in appropriate manner, kc¢ping it in the Samaritans systems. Shc has been ably supportcd by a tcam of experienced Samaritans in the inforn)ation, interview, and selection processcs. In year two we hopc io embed these processes and exploit their potential to the fullcst. A feature ol Tammy's work has bcen her cooperation with Frcddie, DD for Training. Together ihey have scrutinÉzed the Samaritans journcy with thc aim to make it smoothcr. morc cohesive. and tiansparent. They rccognizc the iJnportance of the Mentor role in this journey and in the coming year we hope lo train more and enhaJJcc their undcrstanding of how ihey can besi help thc new Samaritkms towards full mcmbership of thc branch. Freddie has nelworked well in thc Southwest rcgion and his con5idcrable experiencc and characteristic perspectives challenge fellow traincrs. We continue to train three cohorts each year. Freddie ha5 investigated increasing group Si7ES from eight to tcn, though such cxpansion brings practical downsiream cha]lenges around skills prdcticc and mentoriiig. We recognize the challenge of answering calls as quickly as possiblc, for demand is always high and suicidal thoughis can strike at any time. Many seryices are only available during office hours and our pride continucs that Samaritans are there around the clock. Suceessful recruitsnent and.training, growing our branch numbers, is important but equally important is the minimizalion of attrition, something which is a concern around branchc5 naiionally. At the time of Wriling we hav¥ eighty-seven dctivc listening volunteers. up from .scvttn(y-nine in July 2023. We have successfully trained and embeddcd fifteen ncw Samariians in the lasl twelve months, so it secms clear that our low atirition rdte iq an important fealute which allows us io maintain and CVLn grow our number.4. Research sugge4ls tliau on dvcrage, a voluntccr siays lor about ihrce ye2rs. WL hopc 10 buck this trend by tnainiaining th¢ I'aunlon branch &s an excellent, w¢l¢oniiiig, and supportive place 10 mect like- minded folk and find personal fuifilm¢nt.
SAMARrrANS OF TAUNTON AND SOMERSET REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCII 2024 Achievements and Pcrforniance- continued Our brdnch survey. sent out at the time of our Branch Quality Revi¢w, provided irnportant feedback. and wnfirn)cd the loyalty and commitment ofour Samaritans. Chief concerns revolved around reliability of the wi-fi and telephony in the branch, volunteers frustrated by dropped calls and sound qua]ity. Deeper investigation revealed Ihat our statistics were in line with national levels for these issues at each of our three duly statiolls. Issues .%eemcd to stem from deeper seated problerns being addressed by the central charity. Wilson, as Vice Diiector for Compliance, has been an invaluable asset in the brdnch and a supportive friend to many of us. His persona] drive is exceptional. and he has strered us through stiff regulatory ch&llenges. From March 2024, Sam8Jilans faced thc ehallengc of maintaining its service whilst increasing the levcl scruriny in Éhc Criminal Records Checks of all volunieers. Samaritans needed to Upda the scope of checks actoss the organisation to achieve the best level of prote¢tion for those that encounter us. We wcre included in the first group of branches to upgrade DBS checks. of all volunteers, in a short three-month period. Some unavoidable technical issues aros< of course. but. Wilson and Tomtny worked tirelessly to provide personal support for all branch members and. ch8racieristically. the challenging goal was hieVed in good time. In the next six months or so, we will eTnbrace significatLt changes in telephony within ihc branch. Samaritans, national platform, Link, reaches the end of irs life this YC and moves are afoot to move all branches to VOIP calling which moves us away from analogue telephony, into the digital age, arid bypasses the cabling and hardware of our current setup. Pilot studies are encouraging, and we will welcome this move which will allow us to incrcase the number of workstations and upgrade the wi-fi froKn copper cable to fibr¢. I write in the hope that thesc changes will bring improvements to the reliability of our in-housc technology with associated benefits for our callers. Wilson will again steer the branch through this phase which should be complete by carly 2025. Over the course of 2024. Samltas will be migrating online chat and UK relcphonc helpline service lo its new Listening Ccnlre and the Welsh Language line. In 2025 they will also be migrating the UK email seThicc, Republic of Ireland helpline and email scrvice io the samc pl<iilorin. In 'faunton, our hopc is to offer ihe cmail gervice a81). from 2025. Ih cmail hub in Samaritan% has encounicrcd capacity challenges and Lhe Ch'itY 15 looking to rLiUrn part of ihc einiul suppofl io IhL branches. I welcome ihis opportunity which will complcmcni our exccllcnt support of caller.s on ihe phonc. In May 20?3, we responded to 1674 calls on dic phonc. in May 2024 we ficldcd 1931. an increase made POS5ible by improved rota coverag¢ and ¢onsistent voluntccr numbers. During the pa%i iwelvc m()nih8 wc fielded 23938 calls in our branch, up fvom 21379 in the previous y. We are one of few branchcs that continues to four-hour shifts. As a result, we compare extrernely favourably in the region in tenns of calls supported. We havc dis¢ussed how we can make the ro(a more flexible. but we also recognise the value of spcnding more cime in branch. allowing important inicractions with other friends in the branch and sharing of good practice. We share pridc in our. branch, its successes and growth. Tracey, our energctic and visionary DD for Outreach, ha5 worked synergistically with Ella. Fundraising Lead, a significat strength in our branch. Tracey's tireless work has nourished the roots of exisung contacts ai Bridgwater Wcllbeing Café, Food Bank, Library and Sedgemoor Markct but shc has also spread tendrils everywhere in the local area. We supported Walk for a Life in September, and were present to mc¢i people at Taunton Pride, the Flower Show. and a rangc ol fresher5' cvents at lo¢al collcges. Again. these are only possible if we enjoy the support of our own SaMltans, many who are outrcach trained and therefore tnighi provide lace to face support to people they m¢et. For a braach which. likc so many, has become unable to offer a face-to-face service since COVID times, we proud to have supportcd ihirty-one callcrs ouiside ihe branch in thc past yLar. This emphasiT.¢s the importanc¢ of our being oui in Ihe community. Wc recognisc Ihe widcspr¢ad ch<illLng7L5 )Und iiicntdl hEalth but also ihc incrcasing opcnncss with which people tulk about Èt. This is so importanl, and wc make access to our service d Priority.
SAMARrrANS OF TAuwfoN AND SOMERSET REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEIiR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Achievements ]d Perfortnance- continued Brew Money and SJnall Talk campaigns provide great opportunities for us all lo populate sthtion platforms and other settings. to meet people and tell them about our work. Itnportant convcr51itions stcm from ih&sc contacts. We have set up a Talks Team now, hoping io draw from the ama£ing work ol samlts likc Wcndy, Simon and Ted who are experts in this field. Our Calend is filling up encourngingly, as we visit groups and businesses around the county to tell thcm about our work and aims. In April 2024. Samari(ans was the main charity supported by the Londoll Marathon. Simon was selccied to be a SUPPOrt volunteer at the cveni, but 'mattcrs-morathon' took ovcr around that weekend in Taunton too. We werc prc8ent (and out of puffj ai PaJ* Run. enjoyed a ¢arb-loading meal at Ask Italian, and WCTe thrilled to lighi up parts of the county includRng Chard town hall, Wellington Monumen¢ and Taunion School. Ella's experience in the wider comrncrcial world is invaluable. While managing a young fatnily and changes in personal circumstances, she has shakcn the Iree to develop wide ranging opportunities for meeting the.local busincss community. cnhancing understanding of our work and our reputation, atLd gcnerating ncw incomc stream.s. Membership of Somersel Chamber of Commerce ha5 introduced new friends and benefactots. To matk s¢venty years of Samaritans listening. we hcld a memorable c8J<e and pr05ecco gathering at the cver-welcoming Worlds End pub, which was well attended by local businesses, some who have already asked for talks and cven offercd generous donations. Taunton Round Table WC welcomed to the branch in the spring when we talked to about twenty-five guests about our work and plans for the branch. We gre proud to be their chosen choJiiy in the coming year and to be part of their Gala Dinner in the aulumn which wc hope will raise a significant sum to support our plans to devclop the branch to make it more accessible on thc ground flwr. Ella is a driven, goal-focused character and l am glad to have her on our Icadership te¢lm, Fundraising and awareness remain chief goals and significant challengcs as wc strivc to meet the runniJJg costs frorn donations and collections alone. Wc are grateful io the many volunteers who give their time 10 SUPPOrting callers but who al.$0 make a financial contribution to the branch. There are many ways to hclp with this including the restored 'trading POSL, lottery draw, and regul quizzes 5UPPOrted by our wondcrful friends at the Order of ihe Moose. at Moose Hall. Every little bit rea51y does hclp. Trdcey ran the Brighton Mgnthon. Nicola the Taunton IOK and Frances stretched hcr dog Molly to her limit for the Samaritans dog walking challenge in November. We have bccn generously endowed by friends around thc county, throu7 their own fundraising eflorts in their community, art shows or thmugh collections at Idlks, aftci funeral scr¥ices or in bcquests. In the past year, we have mourned the Ioss of dear friends and recent Samaritans, Kim. and Nell.
SAMARITANS OF TAuNfoN AND SOMERSET REPORT OF THE 'I'RUSTF.ES FOR THE YEAR F.NDF.D 31 MARCH 2024 Achievements and Perforniance- conlinucd Ro£ steppcd into Sid's considerable Treasurcr's brogucs last July ¢d I MUSE record my thank% to her foi taking on this complex and dcmanding rolc. Banking should have goticn casier owcr the years. bul it is no longcr easy to pass on cash doiidtiuiis which %0 ofEcn arrive in buckcts in ihc back office! We arc grdteful for QR codes. Sum-up machines and thc Enthuse fundraising platforms which keep moncy coming iii digitally, buL we will continuc 10 sl&nd a posi on collec(ion days, in higli strecls and supenndrkcts. to raise awarcncss around ihc local cominuiiity. ij Several volunieer5 hdvL siruggled io rcium to the branch sii)cc COVID timcs and li is wilh sadncss that they fcel ihty nccd 10 step away from ihe phoncs. 1 can only imaginL the holl thai luves in one's life, aftd l am keen to offer any departing fi-iend thc chancc to .%(ay in touch with our branch through our centlY embryonic Pi'i¢J)ds of Taunton Samaritans gi"oup. My hope is ihal tliey will slay conncc(ed with our busincss and feel their connection io something ol such p¢rsonal significancc. Ai ihe very Icast we will aim to lun a couple of friends events cach ycar, on witty dates such as 1116 and 1213. or cven Samaritans Awareness Day, 2417. Our branch in Wood Strccl 18 loved by our volunteers who leel it is a homc from homL. olfLI'ing a comforiablc aiid wclcoming environment. This is only possible bccausc our DD for PrLfflis¢b. thc am<izing Douglas, atlends it.% busines.s with such care and attention. To rcmLiin coinpliani ihese dayb is no Me fcai. so his &tteniion to Ihe inonthly checks and Y)Ual sei'viccs 'e esscnlial and appruciated. This does Douglas no ju.8¢ic¢l Hc is a dyJ)airJo who works tirelessly behind the scencs to look after u5. A5 Ihey say. "Nobody knows what I do uncil I don't do it." So truc for Douglas. CoiiiplLiing ihe Icadciship team are Lliza, DD for L£adci.%, Diiri£. DD for Voluniecr Carc and Glenda. Vic¢ Directoi- wilh uvcrviLw of voluntcers. We could not wish for Ihree morc dedicatcd. skilled and caring leaders in our branch. The wclfate ol our volun(Lei'% is uppcrmosi in thLir considerations, and (hcy work quictly and asscTtively. oltcn bchind ihc scenLs, In conncci wilh folk who might be qtruggling. 10 ofter flexible support and cncouragcment and ¢0 cngcndcr feeliiigs of being valucd which are so important to us Exciling times lie ahLad. We will establish A L£ad for EDI in the autumn and we will all undcrtakc mandaloiy training in thi8 arca nexl year. This coinplcmenis our wider aims around inclusivity. io encourage a divcrse range of people to work in Wood Strcet. I could namc so many people who make such a contribution iii our branch, in all rcalms of our shared lives. Youl- efforts, expertise and investmeiit are deeply apprcciatcd. To close it is imporiant to list the agrecd aciions from our successful Branch Rcview. By doing l ani Lhallenging oui" BLI. and all voluntcers (0 .8lep up and mLLi ihese goals. I hope to rcport our con%id¢rable prog55 this (ime next ycar and to rccord twelve more enjoyablL Inonihs of sharcd growth_ Build on ihe Samdtitan's life journey - 'Onc paihway ¢ihos" Dcvelop tcams within cach Directovale. Dcvelop FDI within the Brarjch.
SAMARrrANS OF TAUNTON AND SOMERSET FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 REPORT OF THE TRUSTEE8 Achievejnenls and Performance- continued Investiga the opportunity to create a more inclusive and accessible environmcni. Maintain and sustain the quality of scrvice delivered by the Braneh. Siruciure Governancc and Mana emeni The SaMlIans of Taunton and Somersei is a Chatitable InCoorated Organisatiort (CIO) governed by its constitution and is a registercd Charity numbcr 1170637. This ChltY was registcr on 8th Decembcr 2016 as an affiliate branch of the Central Charity. The Charity is run by a Branch Committee the majority of whose members are elected by the Annual Genera] Meeting of thc members of the Chatity. The Branch Committee is made up of a maximum of 10 elected memEErs plus the Dircctor, the Sccrerary. the Publicity Officer and the Treasurer. li has thc power to co-opt additional m¢mbers as appropriate up to onc third of its membership (excluding co-optcd members). There are sub-committees for Publicity and Fundraising The Committee mcets regularly and is responsible for the general manasement of the administration of the Charity and its property and affalrs. The elected mGmbers of the Branch Committee automatically become Trustees of the Chlty. The Commiitee endeavours lo maintain a broad mix of Skills and to ensure that this balance is maintained with individuals who arc inviicd to offer themsclveg for election when the need arises. The Tnjstees famili with the practical work of the Branch the majority arc listening volunteers themselv. All new Trustces who gre not volunieers aitend training courses off¢Ted by the Samaritans. The Tru51ees keep wider review all risks kd usc risk assessment to ascertain any risks that Ihe Branch may bc exposed to cspcctally in respect to the operations and its flnancial integnty. At the prcsent time there are prwedures in placc to mitigate any exposure to any major risk. Treasurer's Rc on The underlying incojne at £33,980 is in line with previous years. we have had a really good Y due to the m8J)y efforts of our volunteeTS. Fundraising has been exceptional this year due to sponsorships and outside colle¢tions. We have also reccivcd several unexpected donations which have helped greatly towards our running costs. As a result, we made an unrestricted surplus of £7.620. Expenditure was Jnore or less in line with expecth(ions, however it costs the Charity about £45,000 per year ¢0 run and maintain ihe brancb theiefore ail incom¢ is important and wo are cxiremely grateful for all the Jnonies wc receive.
SAMARITANS OF TAuwfoN AND SOMERSET REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 onsibilities of Lhc Trus1$ The Consiiiution of Samaritans of Taunton and Somerset requircs the Trustees to prcpare financial statemcnl.% for each financial year. which gTV¢ a trne and fair view of the slate of affairs of the Ch1[Y and of the surplus or deficit of the Ch1¢Y for that period. In preparing those financial statements, they requircd to'.- seleci suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently? makc judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent. PTepare the financial staicments on a going concern basis unl&8S It is inappropriate lo presume that the Chlty will eon(inue in business. They are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and enable them to ensure that the financial .gtatements comply with the aOunting tequir¢ments of thc Charities Act 2011. Thcy are also responsibl¢ for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hcnce for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregulariLiGs. Referciice and Adininists'ativc Dci*ils The reference and administrative details discloscd on page I forni part of ihc Trnstees, Report. Re8eTVC5 Polic To safeguard financial risks and to cnsurc the financial viability ol the Ch1¢y, it Is our w)licy to mliniain general fund reserves at a Iigure of at least 18 months gcneral expcnditure. We currently have £142,077 at the year end. Please refer io note 6 of the accounts for detail in relation io designatcd and restricicd Serves. On behalf of the BraJ)ch Committc A. Hallows Trustee 20 August 2024
10 8AMARrrANS OF TAuKfoN AND SOMERSET INDF.PF.NDENf EXAMINER'S RF.PORT TO TFtF. TRUSTF,F.s or SAMTANs OFTAUNTON AND SOMERsEr I repon on the accounts of samltan8 of TauntotL and Somerset for the year ended 31 March 2024 which are set out on pages 9 to 16. ective rcs onsibiliti&s of truslces and examiiier The Charity's TNstees are responsible for the prcparafion of the accounts. The Charity's Trustee5 consider that an audit is not requircd for this year under section 144(2) of th'e Charities Aci 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needcd. It is my SpOnsibl1]lY to.. examine the accounts. (under section 145 of the 2011 Act); to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by ihc chltY Comtnissioners (under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act); and to state whether particular matters have come to Jny attenlion. Basis of inde ei)dcni examiner's i'eport My exatllination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Ch8sily Commissioners. An cxatnination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the Charity and a cotnp2rison ol che accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and the seeking of Cxplanalions from you as Trustees concerning any such matters. The procedurcs undertaken do not providc all the'evidence that would be required in an audit and, consequently. no opinion is given as to wheiher the accounts present a 'true and fair vicw, and ihe rcport is limited to Ihose matterb Set out in the statement below. Inde cndcnt exdmincr s sialcinent In conllection with my exnination, no matter has come to my attention.. (l) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any Mala1 respect, the requircments.. to keep accounting records in accordan¢¢ with section 130 of the 2011 Ac(; and to prepare accounts which dccord with the accouT]ting records. Accounting and Rcpor(ing by chl1]eS preparing their accounts in accordance with the Findncial Rcp(Trrting st¢Inda applicablc in the UK ]d Republic of Ircland (FRS 102) (Charities SORP IFRS 102) (effective I" January 2019)) aJJd in other respecL8 comply with the accounting tequirements of the Chariiies Act) have not been or (2) to whi¢h, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in Order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Mrs T Bell CTA Arr (fellow) Wcstcoits Chartered Accountants 7 Castle Strect Bridgwater 20 August 2024
SANL4RITAN.8 OF TAUNTON AND SOMERSET STATLMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES OR THE YEAR ENDED 3 1ST MARCH 2024 Year ended 31 March 2024 Yellr endc l March 20 Unresrricted Restricted Funds Total Unrcsiricled liestried Funds Funds Tothl Fund8 No¢e$ Income Incornc from donations and legacies.. Gianis Donations and gift5 Covenanls and gift aid 7,907 7.907 22,320 6,024 36.251 21,781 2,152 23.933 21,781 2,152 23,933 22,320 6,024 28,344 7,907 IncoTne from otlIable aciivities- Fundraising 8,215 8.215 4.362 4,362 Othei income.. Bank interest receivable Oiher activiiies 1.395 437 .395 437 1,093 1.586 1,093 1,586 Total Ineome 33.980 33.980 35,385 7,907 43,292 Expenditure Expenditure on raising funds 4,612 1.453 6,065 3,626 1,453 5,079 Exkxnditure on ChIlable activities: Outreach Advertising and publicity Operdtional costs Training costs Volunteer expenses Branch contribulio 522 1.881 6,508 871 7,100 3.857 20,739 363 1.089 3,633 363 363 885 2,970 10.141 1,234 7.463 3,857 26,550 700 207 8.582 1.641 7.218 21.065 39.413 363 4,066 3.633 363 7.592 1.063 4.273 12.215 2,004 14,810 21.065 55.430 5,811 16,017 Govcrnance costs Dondliori to North Devon branch Total Expenditure 1,009 987 3,0(K) 44,026 987 3,000 64,496 26,360 7,264 33.624 17,47a Net IncomellExpenditure) 7,620 (7,264) 356 (11.641) {9,5631 121,2041 Other R¢cogDised GainsllLosses) Gain on revaluation of fixed assets Ntt Movement in Funds 7.620 (7.2641 356 111,641) 19.563) {21.2041 Rteonclliation of Fllnds: 'rot81 Funds brought forw&rd 134,457 197,610 332,067 146.098 207,173 353,271 Transfer hetween funds Total Funds carried forward 142.077 190.346 332.423 134,457 197.610 332,067 The notes on pages 13 to 18 form part of the5c accounts.
12 SAhiARITANS OF TAUNTON AND SOMF.RSET BAIANCE SHEET ASAT 1ST MARCH 2024 2024 2023 Notes xed Assets Tangible fixed ass¢ts 188,948 197,757 Current Assets Debtors PTcpayments Short terrn bank deposits Cash xt bank and in hand ,058 I(.274 57,746 165,078 1.014 134.707 16,684 152,405 Liabilitles - Amounts falling due within one year 121.603) (18,095) Net current a55¥ts 143,475 332,423 134,310 Net assets 332,067 Funds Unrestri¢t¢d funds Resiricied fund5 Revaluation reserve 142.077 61,429 128,917 134.457 64,241 133,369 332,423 332.067 Approved by the Trustees on 20 August 2024 and signed on their behalf by: A. Hallows Direcior S. Btlrge Treasurer The notes on pages 13 to 18 form part of these accounts.
13 SAMARITANS OF TAuKfoN AND SOMF.RSET NOTES TO THF. ACCOUNrs FOR TItF. YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 ACCOUNTING POLlCtES (a) B&%is of Accounlin These accounts havc bcen prepared under the historical cost CODYention as modified by the revaluation of ihe Charily's frcehold propcrty, and in compliance wilh FRS102 The financial Rcporting Stsndard applicable in the UK and Rcpublic of Ircland and wilh Accounting and Reponing by Chariries.. .%wicmcnt of Recotnmended Practice applicable to chariiics pr¢PTing their accounts in accordance with the financilll Reponing Siandajd applicabk in the UK and Republic of Ircland IFRS 1021 (Charilies SORP {FRS 102) Icffcciivc I" January 20191), and ihc Chariiie.4 Act 21)] i. The Charity is a public bcnefil enuty. The acLounts arc prcpared in 4ierling, which is thc funcisonal cunrncy of the Chatily. The ii'USLecs liavc takcn <idvaniag¢ of ihc exemplion available (o small charities not to prepare a cash flow statcrnent. The tnJste&% consider that there arc no nrIal UertainlI¢S about the ch'Sty,& #bltY io CODtinue as a going concern. {b) Jud emcnts ke source5 of c%timation unecrtaini The preparation of the accounts requires managcment to make judgements, estimaies aijd assumption5 that can affcct ihe amounts Teported Thcsc cstimatcs and judgcmcnts are continllally VlcWed and are based on expcrience and oiher fac(or.s. including expectaiion8 of I'ulure cvents that are bcliev¢d to be reasonable under the ircuinslances. (c) Fui?d Accounlsn General funds are unrestricted funds that are available for use, at th¢ discretion of the Trustees, in furthcrancc of the objectkves of Lhe Cl)arity and have not been designaied for other purposcs. tkNignatcd fvnds comprisc unrcstricted lunds (liai have bn sct aside by the Trusirts for parttculaJ purpo.. Rcslrict£d funds arc funds (hat are to be used in accordancc with ScIfiC restrictioiis impo&cd by donors or thic I havc becn raised by thc Charity foi particular punx)SC5. Costs relating to sueh fundg charged againsi spccific fllnd%. The aims and use of each fund is set out in Notc 6. Id) Incom¢ R0 ition All IomIng resources ale included in the stament of Finan¢ial Activities (the "SOFA") when the Charity is legally entitled to the incorne, there is rea50Tble certainty of receipt and ihc arnoun( can be quantifi¢d with reasonablc accuracy. The following specific po]icies apply to catC8orie5 of incorne.. Donations and Gifts- Tl)esc are ineluthd in the SOFA when r¢ceivcd. Gifts in kind are valucd and brought in as income and the appropriatc cxpenditure. Fundraising Incomc - Gros% fundraising incotne from evetts 018anised by thc CFthrity itsclf is included in the SOFA whcn receivcd. Where dcetned marIal. fundraising proceeds not yel reccived by the Chariiy at the year end have also taken io incolne at ihe Trustees, estimate of likely receivable amount. cnditurc Reco tjition All cxpendiiurc is accounted for on an accruals basis and has beeD classified undcr heading5 that aggrega all cosis ]Ylated to thai category. Where Costs cannot be dirccily attribuicd to particular headings they have becn allocat•l to activili on a b1$ eon4iQent with the use of lh¢ rcsource. .Support COSL% have bc¢n all(raitd orh the basis of time speni on the activiiy by voluntecrs. Th¢ following selfIe p)li¢ies apply Lo ca(egorie5 of expenditure= Fundraising Costs- Fundraising cost5 are those costs incunrd Én secking voluntary"contributions. Governance Cosis - Governance costs ale the costs aSslat£d wilh the governance arrangetnents of the Charity, which late io the general running of the Cliarity as QPEM)%cd 10 those cosls asbociated with fundrai8ing or chariiable ac(iviues. Included within tlu"s catcgory arc cost% a%bociated wilh the sirdicgic as opwsed to ihe day io day managemenl of the Charity's activities.
14 SAMARrrANS OF TAuwfoN AND SOMERSET NOTES TO THE AccouKrs CONfiNUED FOR THF. YF.AR ENDF.D 31 MARCH 2(124 I ACCOUNTING POLICIES- continued F.x nditure Rcco nition- continued Supp)rt Costs- Support costs cotnprise the costs of activities such as the managcment. fiDancial, administrative and IT, togcther with common services, office a¢corn]nodauon and communication costs. These alloced across the catcgories of charitable expenditure, goveTnance costs and the costs of generaiing funds. The basis of thc cost allocation has been explained in the nOS to the accounts. ifj Revaluation of fixed asscts The chariiy ha5 ¢hoben to adopt an accounting policy of earying all buildings at its revalucd amount, bcing ils fair valuc at ihe date of revaluaiion le55 any subsequent accumulated dcijrcciaiion and sub.sequent accumulated impairnient Ioss¢5. T1 charity will undertake valuatsons wilh suffieicnt regul]tY to ensure that the carrying amount does not differ marially frotn the fair value of the asset at the end of thc reporting rij. A separate revaluation reS¢e is shown within the funds analysi5 on the balancc sheet and revaluation gains are recognised as Gains on the revaluaiion of fixed assets within the st2iemcnt of financial activities. An atnount equivalent to Ihe elemeni of depreciation charge on the difference tween the cost and valuation of the revalued property is transferred between the unrestricted funds and the raluatIOn rcrve cach year. Ig) rcCill0n Depreciation is provi(kd on all tangible fixed assets of material value held by the chltY for its own use on a straight line basis so a5 to wriie off their cost ovcr their estirnated useful lives as follows:_ Freehold property Motor vehicles. computer5 and othcr office equipmentlfurniture 50 year5 4 years (h) Taxaiion SamaritAns of TauntOD and Somerset is a regisred Charity and is therefore tMTrtentially exetnpt from taxation of its income and gains to the extent that I1Y fall within Part 10 of the Indome Tax Act 2(X)7 and 8e¢tion 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992. No tax charge has arisen in the year. GOVERJANCE COSTS 2024 2023 AGM ExFtnses IndeF¢ndent Examiner's Fee Legal F¢es 332 642 458 600 71 987
.SAMARITANS OF TAUNTON AND SOMERSET NOI'fs TO THE ACCOUNrs coNrtNUED FOR THE YEAR F.NI)ED 31 MARCH 2024 BREAKDOWN OF COSTS B Y ACTIvrrY Basis of All(Kation of Support Costs % of Volunt¢cr Time Dircci Costs 2024 Support Costs 2024 Toial Costs 2024 Totsl Costs 2023 Cost of Generating Fund& Fundraising Costs 20.0% 2,521 3,544 6,065 5.079 Charitable Expenditure= Outreach 5.0% Advertising and Publicity 15.09 OFtrational Costs (including phone line) 50.0% TraiDing Costs 5.0% Volunteer Expenses Branch Contribution 885 2,656 8,854 885 885 885 2,971 10,141 1,234 7,463 3.857 1,063 4,273 12,215 315 1,287 349 6,578 3,857 14,810 21,065 Donation to North Devon branch Governance Costs I,o(y) I,9 987 100.0% 15,916 17,709 33.625 64.496 Support Cosis Analysis.. 2024 2023 Postag< Printing and Stationery Repairs and Renewals Cleaning and Housekeeping Water. Light and Heal Business Rates Insuranccs Office Telephoncs Depreciation Miscellancous Office Costs 1.367 861 1,015 5,869 472 1,029 678 9,976 1.629 710 4.048 805 552 8,809 230 17,709 21,265
16 SAMARITANS OF TAUNTON AND SOMERSEr NOTF.S TO TI4F. ACCOUhTS coKrINUED FOR TIqF. YEAR F.NDED 31 MARCH 2024 TANGtBLE FIXED ASSETS Office EquipmeDL Furnirure & Cotl Freehold ert Total Cost or Valuation At l April 2023 Additions in Yeat Revaluaiion 200.000 50.272 250,272 At 31 Match 2024 200.IX 50,272 250.272 reciatiun At l April 2023 Charge for Year Revaluaiion 6.452 6.452 46,063 1357 52,515 8.809 At 31 March 2024 12.904 48.420 61,324 Net Book Valuc At 31 March 2024 187,096 1,852 188.948 At 31 March 2023 193,548 4.209 197.757 The Charity's fre£hold premises ai 16 Wood Street, Taunton wa5 revalued by a firm of inaependent Chartered surveyors on an On t[ke1 basis on 315t March 2022 at £2(K>.OIX) and this value has been iTJcorporated in these accounts. Market value is the estimated amount for which the property should exchange on thc valuauon da between a willing buyer and L willing seller in atj ann'b length transaction, after proper marketing and where ihe P<iriies had each acted kwwledgeably. prudently and without compulsion. Thc carrying amount is not considered io Ee materially diffenI 10 ils fair value at 31" March 2024. The prortY was acquired in l987 and the total historic CQ5t was £63,511.
17 SAMARITANS OF TAUNTON AND SOMF,R.8ET NOTES TO THF. ACCOUNTS coKriNUF.D FOR THE Yr:AR EN'DF.D 31 MARCH 2024 RF.CONCtLIATION or FUN5 Balance l April 2023 TraD5fer Bctwccn Funds Bklance 31 March 2024 Incorne F.x endiiurc Unrestricted.. Gencral Fund Designated Funds 104,547 29,910 33,980 126,360) 112,167 29,910 134,457 33,980 (26.360) 142,077 Restricted.. Building Appeal Hinkley Poini C Communiiy FUTWJ Pcats Foundation Grnttt GWR Grant 59,500 169 1,581 2,991 (2.0(K)) 57,500 169 769 2,991 (812) 64,241 (2.812) 61,429 Revaluation Rcserve (ReStriCd).' Revaluaiion (rf 16 Wood StreeL TAunion 133,369 (4,452) 128,917 133,369 (4,452) 128,917 RepreSend by.. General Designated Restricted FuDd Funds Funds Totsl TaThble Fixed Assets Current Assets Current Liabiliiies 1.764 132,0( (21.603) 187,184 3,162 188.948 165.078 (21,603) 29,910 112,167 29,910 190.346 332,423
SAMARITANS OF TAUNTON AND SOMERSET NQ'fES TO THF. ACCOUNTS coKrINUED roR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 PURPOSE OF FUNDS General Fund Funds are held available for the ordinary purposes of the Charity. Debi nucd Funds tksignated fund.s are funds set aside by ihe'fru%iees for particular purposcs. At 31 March 2Q24 these compri5cd the Reachijig Oui proinolion (£6,500). a fund for the repl8Lcment of office cquiprnenl {£8,4101 oRd a building rescrve to be used for any costs arising in relation lo the building1£15,0001. Restricled Funds The building aprKal fund repres¢nts t] result of a Specific fundraising apEKal in carlicr pcriods to acquire Ihe ChatiLy'S frccliold propcrty. The Hinklcy Point 'C" Coiiiinunily FunLI 10 provid¢ cmotsonal and other wclfaro 511PPOrt to all pcrsons working on thc site 1% bcing carried forward until (he covid siiuation allow5 voluntecr5 to travel to the site. The Pears Foundation Grant was rcwaided to hclp pay for a branch refurbishmenL Thc GWR Grant is to be ustd towards volunteer recruitmeni and ¢ommunity engagement activitie