Annual Report and Financial Statements
For the year ended 31st March 2025
Samaritans of Bracknell, Wokingham, Ascot & Districts
Annual Report & Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31[st] March 2025
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Trustees and Advisors | 2 |
| Report of the Trustees | 3 - 5 |
| Independent Examiner’s Report | 6 - 7 |
| Receipts and Payments Account | 8 - 9 |
| Statement of Assets and Liabilities | 10-11 |
| Notes to the Financial Statements | 12 |
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Samaritans of Bracknell, Wokingham, Ascot & Districts
Annual Report & Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31[st] March 2025
Trustees Director Michael Songer Trustee & Secretary Lesley Monk Trustee James David Reid Trustee John David Williams (appointed 28 November 2024) Trustee & Treasurer Cathrine Deborah Wratten Principal Office Hope Cottage 2 Mount Pleasant Bracknell Berkshire RG12 9AD Bankers CAF Bank Ltd 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling Kent ME19 4JQ Independent Examiners Holy Brook Associates Ltd Curious Lounge, 1st Floor, Pinnacle Building, 20 Tudor Rd Reading RG1 1NH
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Samaritans of Bracknell, Wokingham, Ascot & Districts
Annual Report & Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31[st] March 2025
1 Status and Administration
- Samaritans of Bracknell, Wokingham, Ascot & Districts is a registered charity. The registered number is 1170901.
Trustees
The following persons acted as trustees during the accounting period.
Name Director Michael Songer Ex officio from 18 December 2023 Trustee & Secretary Lesley Monk Appointed 8 February 2024 Trustee James David Reid Appointed 30 November 2021 Trustee John David Williams Co-opted 28 November 2024 Trustee & Treasurer Cathrine Deborah Wratten Appointed 21 December 2022
2 Structure, governance and management
The charity, Samaritans of Bracknell, Wokingham, Ascot and Districts, is an affiliated branch of a national organisation called Samaritans, a company limited by guarantee and incorporated under the Companies Act 1948 on 11th April 1963, whose registered office is at The Upper Mill, Kingston Road, Ewell, Surrey, KT17 2AF.
The governing document of the charity is the Samaritan branch model constitution amended in December 2016 and adopted by the members on 14th June 2018. Trustees are elected by members of the charity.
3 Objects and Activities
The objects of the Charity are:
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To enable persons in Bracknell, Wokingham, Ascot and Districts 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;
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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
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To collaborate with and support Samaritans Central Charity and its affiliated branches in fulfilling these Objects.
Samaritans' vision is that fewer people die by suicide. We work to achieve this by making it our mission to alleviate emotional distress and reduce the incidence of suicidal feelings and suicidal behaviour.
In planning our activities for the year, we kept in mind the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit at our trustee meetings.
4. Achievements and performance
The branch received 20248 contacts during the year (2024 18,902). As usual three recruitment and training courses for new Samaritans were run. At the end of the year there were 110 listening volunteers (2024 109) and 12 support volunteers (2024 12).
The trustees met regularly through the year to oversee overall management and development of the charity. Regular financial reports are used to inform financial decisions including necessary building maintenance, the purchase of new equipment and to respond to other requests for funds, for example, for publicity materials and for training courses. It retains oversight of the charity’s risks including financial, those related to ongoing delivery of the branch’s Samaritans service, health and safety and data protection. Trustees also sit on the Branch Leadership Team together with the Deputy Branch Director and Deputy Directors with
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Samaritans of Bracknell, Wokingham, Ascot & Districts
Annual Report & Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31[st] March 2025
individual responsibility for: Volunteer Support; Recruitment and Selection; New Volunteer CORE Training, Ongoing training; Education and Events; Hub Liaison and Caller Support; Lead of Governance. Whilst financial resources are essential to run the charity, and in particular pay for the ongoing costs of running the branch premises, the branch has no paid staff. It is entirely reliant on the amazing team of volunteers who deliver the listening service and do all the other tasks involved in running the branch including fundraising, looking after the branch premises and all of the branch infrastructure. Without the contribution of these dedicated volunteers the service would not exist, and the trustees are indebted to each and every one of them.
The Samaritans run and the theatre event that were restarted in 2023 went from strength to strength in 2024. The trustees are, once more exceptionally grateful to personal, business and charity donors to our branch. Particular thanks are due to sponsors of the run including Nirvana Spa, Afton Chemicals, Easthampstead Rotary, Good Course Limited, Papercut, and to Wokingham Theatre for the theatre event and Huntswood who generously donated £12,500 restricted funds for the Hope Cottage refurbishment project. Easthampstead Rotary Fireworks also donated £5,500 which will also be used on the Hope Cottage refurbishment project.
The strong financial position evidenced in these accounts is expected to be enhanced and maintained in the year ahead albeit reserves will be reduced by the remaining expenditure on the premises refurbishment project.
Working with businesses in the communities we serve continues to support the sustainability of the branch's financial health with continued resource sharing arrangements with local organisations saving the expense of room hire.
The branch will also take opportunities to work with local businesses who can provide opportunities to their employees to support a local charity, whilst for the branch minimising the need to pay for basic maintenance work. These activities also help to raise awareness of Samaritans in the community.
Within this accounting year the Hope Cottage Refurbishment Project was instigated and commenced. The Trustees and Directorate approved a detailed plan for improvements to each area of the branch internally, the purpose of which was to update the property generally, but specifically to create a larger and more functional Operations room, more space in the Training room, a specific store room, and two Interview/ breakout rooms.
The new Operations room was opened shorty after the end of the financial year in May 2025, with a new third line/ workstation, that will create many opportunities for the branch.
The Trustees approved a detailed financial budget for this project, and as a result of strong financial and project management, the project is projected with confidence to be delivered to time and budget in Summer 2025.
We complete the financial period in a positive position and with a strong focus on financial sustainability going forward.
5. Financial Review
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a) Unrestricted Funds: Details of the breakdown of expenditure are given in the accounts. All of the funds have been applied for the purpose of the day to day running of a Samaritans branch. The main sources of income are the fundraising events, grants, donations, collections and various initiatives by the volunteers. The fund stands at £99,178 including £50,000 which is designated to be used on the property maintenance and improvement plan.
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b) Restricted fund: £12,500 restricted to Hope Cottage refurbishment project. This has been fully utilised in the new financial year 2025-6.
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Samaritans of Bracknell, Wokingham, Ascot & Districts
Annual Report & Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31[st] March 2025
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c) Designated funds: At the beginning of the financial year the branch held £5,017 funds designated for the premises refurbishment project. £4,750 was spent during the year and the £267 balance has been utilised in the new financial year 2025-6.
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d) Availability of funds: Apart from the Premises Capital Reserve, which is held in the form of freehold property revalued at £225,000 at the end of 2000, all other funds are held in cash or cash equivalents. The trustees consider that the charity has sufficient funds to carry out its objectives.
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e) Policy on reserves: In setting the reserves policy, the Trustees consider the need to provide against any future income shortfall, fulfil working capital requirements and allow funds to be available to support the branch property maintenance and improvement plan. This is balanced against the need to spend reserves now to deliver services to meet beneficiary needs.
As at 31 March 2025, the total funds held by the branch amounted to £111.7 thousand including £12.5 thousand restricted. Within this £30 thousand is earmarked for completion of the premises refurbishment project.
The trustees reserves policy is to maintain 18 to 24 months expenditure in reserves plus an additional designated fund for property maintenance and improvement. The central Samaritans charity is currently undertaking a strategic review of the way services are delivered across the UK. This may entail consolidation of the number of branches. In order to maximise flexibility to respond to recommendations from the strategy review the trustees have decided to increase the property maintenance and improvement plan fund to £60 thousand (2024 £50 thousand) including £30 thousand spent in 2025 on delivering the balance of the 2024-25 refurbishment plan. This leaves free reserves of £51.7 thousand (2023-24 £48.2 thousand).
The free reserves, as at 31[st] March 2025, of £51.7 thousand equate to 21 months expenditure.
The reserves policy will continue to be reviewed on at least an annual basis.
6. Trustees Responsibilities
The charity’s trustees are responsible for preparing a receipts and payments account and a statement of assets and liabilities for each financial year that properly present the charity’s receipts and payments during the year and its assets and liabilities at the end of the year. In preparing those statements, the trustees are required to:
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Select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently
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Make judgements that are reasonable and prudent
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Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which enable them to ensure that the receipts and payments account and statement of assets and liabilities comply with the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Approved on behalf of the Trustees on 14 August 2025
Michael Songer
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Samaritans of Bracknell, Wokingham, Ascot & Districts
Annual Report & Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31[st] March 2025
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Samaritans of Bracknell, Wokingham, Ascot & Districts
Annual Report & Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31[st] March 2025
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Samaritans of Bracknell, Wokingham, Ascot & Districts
Annual Report & Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31[st] March 2025
Receipts & Payments account to 31 March 2025
| Receipts Donations Collections Donation building refurbishment Fundraising activities Samaritans Run Samaritans Run Sponsorship Wokingham Theatre Other Other Interest Total Receipts |
31/3/2025 Unrestricted Designated Restricted Total £ £ £ £ 10,479 10,479 225 225 12,500 12,500 9,376 9,376 8,721 8,721 3,208 3,208 43 43 2,912 2,912 34,964 - 12,500 47,464 |
Year to 31/3/2024 £ 22,798 985 10,782 2,319 196 1,232 |
|---|---|---|
| 38,313 |
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Samaritans of Bracknell, Wokingham, Ascot & Districts
Annual Report & Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31[st] March 2025
| Payments Raising Funds Samaritans Run Expenses Theatre Costs General fundraising Raising Funds Charitable Activities Telephone & Internet Meetings, training conventions External Events Publicity Centre expenses Charitable Activities Management & Administration costs Water, Gas & Electricity Building maintenance Building refurbishment Furniture & Equipment Travel Expenses Insurance Cleaning Contribution to Central Charity Bank charges & transaction fees Independent Examiner fees Other Management & Administration costs Total Payments Surplus/(Deficit) for the year |
31/3/2025 Unrestricted Designated Restricted Total £ £ £ £ 3,313 3,313 250 250 369 369 3,932 - 3,932 1,333 1,333 19 19 1,342 1,342 - - 1,161 1,161 3,854 - 3,854 4,219 4,219 1,469 1,469 4,750 4,750 - - 783 783 1,110 1,110 2,329 2,329 10,438 10,438 352 352 360 360 398 398 21,457 4,750 - 26,207 29,243 4,750 - 33,993 5,721 (4,750) 12,500 13,471 |
Year to 31/3/2024 £ 3,112 250 111 |
|---|---|---|
| 3,473 | ||
| 1,224 1,177 90 982 |
||
| 3,472 | ||
| 3,988 6,468 712 540 1,120 1,514 6,319 534 121 |
||
| 21,315 | ||
| 28,260 | ||
| 10,053 |
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Samaritans of Bracknell, Wokingham, Ascot & Districts
Annual Report & Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31[st] March 2025
| Bank Balances Current Deposit Notice deposit accounts Cash in Hand Reserves Movement Opening reserves Surplus/(Deficit) for the year Movements between funds Reserves at end of period |
31/3/2025 Unrestricted Designated Restricted Total £ £ £ £ 1,294 1,294 12,223 0 12,500 24,723 37,860 47,500 85,360 300 300 51,678 47,500 12,500 111,678 Unrestricted Designated Restricted Total £ £ £ £ 58,207 40,000 98,207 5,721 (4,750) 12,500 13,471 (12,250) 12,250 - 51,678 47,500 12,500 111,678 |
Year to 31/3/2024 £ 995 30,271 66,703 238 |
|---|---|---|
| 98,207 | ||
| 31/3/2024 £ 88,155 10,053 |
||
| 98,207 |
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Samaritans of Bracknell, Wokingham, Ascot & Districts
Annual Report & Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31[st] March 2025
Statement of Assets & Liabilities as at 31 March 2025
| Fixed Asset Freehold Property Current Assets Cash & bank Total Assets Represented by: Unrestricted funds Designated funds Restricted fund Property revaluation Approved by the Trustees on 14 August 2025 and signed on their behalf by: Cathrine Wratten Michael Songer Trustee & Treasurer Trustee & Director |
31/3/2025 £ 225,000 111,678 336,678 51,678 47,500 12,500 225,000 336,678 - |
31/3/2024 £ 225,000 98,207 |
|---|---|---|
| 323,207 | ||
| 98,207 - 225,000 |
||
| 323,207 | ||
| - |
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Samaritans of Bracknell, Wokingham, Ascot & Districts
Annual Report & Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31[st] March 2025
Notes to the Financial Statements
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The financial statements are prepared on a Receipts and Payments basis. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with those aspects of the SORP: Accounting and Reporting by Charities 2005, and other accounting standards, which apply to accounts following a Receipts and Payments format.
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Voluntary income relating to donations, grants and legacies is included when received.
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Gift Aid and covenanted income received excludes the associated tax repayment due to the charity. The tax repayment is shown in the year in which it is received.
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Equipment expenditure is written off as incurred during the year.
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Freehold premises were re-valued at £225 thousand on 20th December 2000. Subsequent expenditure has been written off as incurred. In accordance with the constitution, title to the branch premises is registered in the name of The Samaritans (Company Registration Number 757372).
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Reserves as at 31 March 2025 include £47,500 designated to the Hope Cottage property maintenance and improvement fund. During the year Huntswood generously undertook fundraising towards the costs of the Hope Cottage refurbishment project and a generous donation of £12,500 was received the use of which is restricted to this project.
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