## **FRIENDS OF FERALS (SHEFFIELD)** **Caring for the feral cats in Sheffield Charity Registration Number: 1170938** ## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS** **YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2020** ## **FRIENDS OF FERALS (SHEFFIELD)** ## REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATION DETAILS REG CHARITY NO: 1170938 PRINCIPAL ADDRESS: 3 Main Street Back of Railway Arches Catcliffe Rotherham S60 5SR WEB SITE http://www.friendsofferals.co.uk/ TRUSTEE: Margaret Skinner (Chairperson) Joanne Gardner Nicola Speke Michael Dooley GOVERNING DOCUMENT: Trust deed dated 21 November 2016 BANK: Nat West Bank 42 High Street Sheffield S1 2GE INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS: Mrs Sarah Smith BSc FCCA FCIE TSA (Oakham) Ltd Temple House 8 Main Street Cold Overton LEICS LE15 7QA Page 1 ## **FRIENDS OF FERALS (SHEFFIELD)** ## **Independent Examiners Report to the Trustee of Friends of Ferals (Sheffield)** I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Friends of Ferals (Sheffield) for the year ended 31 July 2020. ## **Responsibilities and basis of report** As the charity trustees of Friends of Ferals (Shefield) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act'). I report in respect of my examination of the accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination of the accounts I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145 (5) (b) of the Act. ## **Independent examiner's statement** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: 1) accounting records were not kept in respect of the Friends of Ferals (Sheffield) as required by s130 of the Act; or - 2) the accounts do not accord with those records. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ## Sarah Smith **Sarah A Smith (Mrs) BSc FCCA FCIE** 10th May 2021 TSA (Oakham) Ltd Temple House 8, Main Street Cold Overton LEICS LE15 7QA Page 2 ## **FRIENDS OF FERALS (SHEFFIELD)** ## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 JULY 2020.** The report of the trustee for the year ended 31 July 2020 includes the information given on the Reference and Administration page, (page 1). The charity is run by trustees within the principles of a charitable Trust Deed dated November 2016. ## **Objects:** - to help control the huge number of feral and abandoned unneutered cats in and around the city of Sheffield and Rotherham, and monitor their health and wellbeing. -to remove cats from crisis situations in areas of danger to safety by way of placements at stables, homes or back to site where safe. -to help small rescues, within and outside our area, with trapping advice, the use of specialist equipment and the funding of equipment, food and veterinary treatment. We are maintaining critical partnerships with small rescues in the Mansfield, Retford, Worksop, Ripon, Barnsley, Thorpe Hesley and inner-city Sheffield, which uphold our Mission Statement. - to help cat owners, particularly the elderly and unemployed, in areas of social and economic deprivation, with neutering, microchipping and veterinary funding. When owners feel they have nowhere else to turn, a small gesture as regards basic treatment neutering or microchipping might be all that is required to support human and animal welfare. - to promote humane behaviour and educate the public regarding neutering and basic cat care. ## **Activities and Achievements in support of the objects:** Our seventh year has again been a very good year from an information-sharing and financial point of view. We are the only charity in Sheffield which has the experience and specialist equipment to help feral cats and are regularly asked by other larger charities to trap on their behalf. We are only too pleased to do this but it does mean weeks, sometimes months, spent on helping other charities is not reflected in the number of cats our charity actually helps. However, despite everything that 2020 threw at us, we have still been able to maintain our average figure of cats helped, 207, (2019 202). This figure includes 52 placed on stables/small holdings, all neutered, blood tested, microchipped and brought back to health. To ensure continuation of our charity's current activities within the local community, especially at this precarious time, the Trustees have established a policy whereby the unrestricted funds not committed or invested in tangible fixed assets should be 12 months of the resources expended. _-trapping, neutering, veterinary treatment and daily feeding of feral colonies, from online auction funding and voluntary donations_ This year, again, has seen a further increase in cats giving birth on the streets and at sites such as Sheffield former steel works. We are constantly inundated with calls for help and although trapping continues on a daily basis from dawn until dusk it is taking all the charity's resources to keep on top of the previous week's calls. Placing ferals in stables is a lengthy process and is something other rescues are unable to do.We have it down to a fine art after years of practice.Following the initial visit to assess suitability, chicken coops are placed to give the cats somewhere safe, secure and comfortable in which to live out their first few weeks of restriction while getting used to their new homes. Visits are carried out on a regular basis at the same time as delivering supplies to ensure the cats are settled and in good health. Page 3 ## **FRIENDS OF FERALS (SHEFFIELD)** ## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 JULY 2020. (CON)** ## _- information and advice given on our website and face book page_ Our Facebook presence continues to grow and has become an excellent forum for detailing our activities, very popular with our supporters. We have made great strides to increase our members on our facebook auction page which is also very popular and covers the cost of most of our veterinary and food bills, being responsible for the provision of food for over 100 cats every day. The "Feeding Station" facebook page exists solely to raise funds to feed some of the ferals at their sites but at the same time shows the faces and living conditions of the cats on the streets. We continue to run our video showing how we trap and place ferals and are only too pleased to loan out traps with lessons on how to make the best possible use of our specialist equipment at companies' fundraising events and on information stalls, although these activities have been severely curtailed by covid-19. ## _- educational and fund raising stalls_ We were still able to have our regular neutering information stalls at community events, stores and vets, although these were curtailed early in the year, again because of the pandemic. They have always been well received and as well as generating income, have allowed us to speak to members of the public to raise awareness of cats in crisis. We have food donation bins in the main vets in Sheffield and Pets@Home stores where the displays draw attention to free neutering and microchipping. Our involvement in Pets@Home VIP voucher scheme has been very helpful, resulting in over £3k funding for in-store grooming and supplies. We were asked to be the Pets@Home Charity of the Year 2019 and although this meant a tremendous amount of commitment with in-store events, it resulted in a grant of £15k for the purchase of a nearly new van. This came just in time as our old van had begun to let us down in dangerous areas. We were proud to to be a Partner of the CatSmart programme which funded neutering/microchipping in Sheffield, sponsored by the RSPCA. Unfortunately, funding ran out at the end of the year which will inevitably have an adverse effect on the number of unneutered cats left on the streets. A monthly Craft Club was initiated by one of our talented volunteers to act to strengthen volunteer relationships, as well as enabling a new fundraising arm from the sale of handmade items. Again, covid-19 interfered with her plans but the volunteers have still been able to make superb items for online fundraisers. ## _- our supporters_ The trustees extend their heartfelt thanks to their loyal Friends of Ferals who have helped by donating, adopting or fostering cats and in the vital frontline work of trapping and feeding the colonies. We hope that by getting our prevention messages out into the community, we can stop things from hitting crisis point in families and communities, reducing the the number of emergencies we have to respond to at short notice and also reducing the number of cats that have to be destroyed in South Yorkshire every week. We know that by working with people at the earliest opportunity we can support them to access the services they need to reduce unwanted stress.For example if we can support people to neuter and spay their pets it reduces unwanted litters which can be the tipping point for families in financial difficulties. Page 4 ## **FRIENDS OF FERALS (SHEFFIELD) TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 JULY 2020. (CON)** Volunteers, as ever, are a huge part of our organisation, we have some dedicated supporters who have been with the charity since the very beginning of FOF. We owe them all a great debt of gratitude. ## **Financial Review:** In the seventh year of existence the charity has experienced a 7% drop in donations to £34,826 due to covid-19 but was fortunate to receive grants of £15,550 and a legacy of £500 which were new income streams this year. This income met 76% of the new vehicle and Ebike costs of £20,960. Fund raising continued online but also saw a decrease of 18% to £7,775 A deficit of £2,185 (2019: surplus £16,915) was recorded and consequently reserves have reduced from £46,836, to £44,651. However, this was after funding the additional one off costs of the vehicles and leaves the charity in a secure financial position ready to re-start income generating activities that could not continue during the pandemic. Annual running costs (excluding new equipment) are £33k and so the reserves policy, to maintain 1 years running costs on deposit at the bank has been met. The trustees are confident that the reserves held at the year end are sufficient to meet liabilities for at least 12 months from the signature date on these accounts. ## **Public Benefit:** The trustees bear in mind the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit when making decisions regarding the use of funds. The charity helps all local communities experiencing the management problems of unwanted, abandoned and feral cats. It also helps individual cat owners of limited financial means with veterinary care particularly neutering. The management, treatment and re-homing of feral cats manifestly benefits both the human and animal populations of Sheffield and environs. ## Maggie Skinner Mrs M Skinner 10th May 2021 Page 5 ## **FRIENDS OF FERALS (SHEFFIELD)** Receipts and Payments Accounts For the Period 1 August 2019 to 31 July 2020 |**NOTE**
**Unrestricted**
**Fund**
**£**
**Receipts**
Voluntary donations and auction
34,826
Grants
Pets@Home
15,000
Volvux
550
Fundraising events and commissions paid
7,775
Legacy
500
**Total Receipts**
58,651
**Payments**
_Fund raising expenses incl platform fees_
1188
_Direct charitable costs_
Veterinary fees
10,975
Crematorium
504
Cat food and litter
5,464
Equipment (Cats)
3
6,623
Equipment (Office/Unit)
857
Donations
550
Printing postage and stationery
2,174
Mobile Telephone
789
Fuel, vehicle repairs and hire
5,484
Garage rent and storage
4,008
Repairs and maintenance
0
Insurance (vehicle, volunteers and public liability)
780
Professional fees
480
Purchase of Vehicles
3
20,960
**Total Payments**
60,836
**Net Receipts**
Cash Funds brought forward
Cash Funds carried forward|**TOTAL**
**2020**
**£**
34,826
15,000
550
7,775
500
**58,651**
1188
10,975
504
5,464
6,623
857
550
2,174
789
5,484
4,008
0
780
480
20,960
**60,836**
**-2,185**
**46,836**
**44,651**|**TOTAL**
**2019**
**£**
37,421
0
0
9,534
0
**46,955**| |---|---|---| |||1512| |||6,679
597
6,291
2,992
450
131
1,435
688
3,640
3,522
1,021
722
360
0
**30,040**
**16,915**
**29,921**
**46,836**| Page 6 ## **FRIENDS OF FERALS (SHEFFIELD)** Statement of Assets and Liabilities at 31 July 2020 |NOTE
**Cash Funds**
Nat West Account
Paypal Account
**Tangible Assets**
VW Van and Ebike
3
Equipment (Cats)
Equipment (Office/Unit)
**Total Assets**
**Liabilities**
Independent Examiners Fee
Annual Return|**2020**
**£**
38,228
6,423
**44,651**
20,960
17,081
3,355
**41,396**
**86,047**
405
95
**500**|**2019**
**£**
43,289
3,547
**46,836**
500
10,458
2,498
**13,456**
**60,292**
390
90
**480**| |---|---|---| Approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf. ## Maggie Skinner Name Mrs M Skinner Position Chairperson Date 10th May 2021 Page 7 ## **FRIENDS OF FERALS (SHEFFIELD)** Notes to the Accounts for the Year Ended 31 July 2020 ## 1 **Accounting Policies** These accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis in accordance with the Charities Act 2011. ## 2 **Payments to trustees** The trustees receive no remuneration, direct or indirect benefits from the charity. Out of pocket expenses in respect of veterinary care, food and equipment are refunded to trustees and volunteers. In addition, 4 trustees received reimbursed fuel costs totalling £2,704, ( 2019: £2,700) ## 3 **Tangible Assets** |Equipment is stated at cost.
In 2020 the charity purchased:
VW C20 Kombi Maxi Grey YS68NGG
Decathlon E-bike
Coops/Pens/Shelters/ Traps
Brought forward 1 August 2019
Carried forward 31 July 2020
Brought forward 1 August 2019
Cameras and accessories
Carried forward 31 July 2020|**£**
18,260
2,700
6,623
**27,583**
10,458
**38,041**
2,498
857
**3,355**| |---|---| The VW van is registered in a trustee's name. M Skinner ## 4 **Funds** The charity has no Restricted Funds. Page 8