## **Trustees' Annual Report for the period**
Period start date Period end date Day Month Year Day Month Year **1 Apri** l **2024 31 March 2025 From To** Section A Reference and administration details **Charity name** Samaritans of Maidstone and the Weald ~~Bo~~ **Other names charity is known by** None **Registered charity number (if any)** 1171193 ~~——~~ **Charity's principal address** 48 Grecian Street Maidstone Kent **Postcode ME14 2TS**
## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity**
|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or body)**
**entitled to appoint trustee**
**(ifany)**|
|---|---|---|---|
|1 Ross Gill|Director|1.4.24 – 8.11.24||
|2 Julian Smith|Trustee|||
|3 HilaryAdams|Treasurer|||
|4 Stephen Carr|Director|8.11.24 – 24.2.25||
|5 Pamela Cuerden|Trustee|||
|6 Christine Ansell|Trustee|||
|7 Eva Jolly|Trustee|1.4.24 – 17.3.25||
|8 Darren Wallond|Trustee|17.2.25 – 31.3.25||
|9 Suman Dann|Trustee|17.2.25 – 31.3.25||
|10||||
|11||||
|12||||
|13||||
|14||||
|15||||
|16||||
|17||||
|18||||
|19||||
|20||||
**Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)**
**Name Dates acted if not for whole year** ~~————~~
**TAR** 1 March **2012**
## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**
|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|
|---|---|---|
|**Type of adviser Name**
**Address**|||
|**Bank**|Natwest|3 High Street, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1HJ|
||||
||||
||||
|**Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)**|||
||||
## **Section B Structure, governance and management**
## **Description of the charity’s trusts**
Type of governing document
CIO – Association adopted 19 January 2017
- (eg. trust deed, constitution)
Charitable Incorporated Organisation How the charity is constituted
(eg. trust, association, company)
Elected by members of charity Trustee selection methods
- (eg. appointed by, elected by)
## **Additional governance issues (Optional information)**
You **may choose** to include additional information, where relevant, about:
- policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;
- the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
- relationship with any related parties;
- trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.
Samaritans Maidstone and Weald is affiliated to the central Samaritans charity (registration number 219432) as a local branch. This means that we are committed to providing a consistent service in line with Samaritans’ Mission, Vision and Values and its policy and governance framework, via an agreed Operating Agreement, alongside 201 local branches across the UK and Ireland.
Our processes for recruitment, training, volunteer support and quality assurance are consistent with that agreed by the central charity. Our constitution, operating structure and key systems are materially the same as those which governs all affiliated branches. This provides us with the strength of both a locally-based, volunteer-run branch and the scale and capacity of a national charity. Along with all other branches, we participate in a collaborative Quality Review process, with the involvement of senior volunteers from other branches.
Training is provided for all trustees, as well as for all other roles with specific responsibilities in the Branch. We also receive advice on governance matters and safeguarding from the central charity.
The Trustees maintain a risk register which is regularly reviewed and acted upon. The risk register takes account of all forms of risk, including those relating physical and building risks, financial risks, and risks associated with the delivery our emotional support service. In addition, the Trustees provide an annual checklist to confirm compliance with financial and governance procedures, health and safety, etc. to the central charity.
**TAR** 2 March **2012**
Section D Achievements and performance
_“Our_ _**vision** is that fewer people die by suicide. We’re here every day and night of the year for anyone struggling to cope. We make sure people have somewhere to turn and support when they need it most. We work with communities to let people know we’re here for them and we campaign to make suicide prevention a priority.”_
As part of the wider Samaritans movement across the UK and Ireland, Samaritans Maidstone and Weald contributes to a unique listening service, helping people to explore their feelings, alleviate distress and reduce the risk of suicide. Each year, volunteers in Maidstone respond to around 15,000 telephone calls – a crucial contribution to around three million calls across the organisation, the equivalent of some 400 per hour. In addition, we respond annually to around 1,000 emails. Our service makes a real difference: one call in every four is about suicidal thoughts and feelings, and our most recent organisation-wide impact report demonstrates that people report a significant reduction in distress as a result of calling Samaritans.
In addition, Samaritans Maidstone and Weald is active outside the Branch. In particular, we support Listener schemes at Maidstone and East Sutton Park prisons, training and supporting prisoners to provide emotional support to fellow prisoners who are struggling to cope. We also deliver outreach activities, promoting Samaritans services in conjuction with Network Rail; and offering talks to a range of external organisations.
In this period April 2024 to March 2025, we have been through some turmoil whilst we appointed a new Branch Director. This caused some instability which we are now coming out the other side of and enables us to reset and look forward.
We currently have 94 active volunteers or which 82 are listening volunteers and 12 are support volunteers. This is slightly reduced from last year and is likely indicative of the turmoil and instability we have been experiencing. We are seeing growth of new volunteers again.
We celebrated our 50th anniversary in October 2025. The afternoon tea saw volunteers past and present come together to reminisce. It was a wonderful reminder of our rich history and all the change our volunteers have experienced through those 50 years as the nature and ways of ensuring we are there for our callers has changed and continue to do so.
Beyond Maidstone, the Branch plays an active role in the South East Region, working together with our neighbouring branches. In addition, some volunteers at Maidstone are also volunteers with the Email Hub, established to provide greater capacity to support those who choose to contact us in writing.
Beyond these roles, many volunteers take on a number of roles across the branch, including as duty leaders, members of the training and recruitment teams, mentors to new volunteers, members of the prison team, outreach, fundraising and volunteer support teams, and many more. As an organisation which is volunteer-led and, at local level, entirely staffed by volunteers, the contribution of so many people to making the branch work effectively is vital.
As we look forward into 2025 and 2026 Looking forward since, we have just welcomed 9 new volunteers who have completed Core Development and are commencing their time as mentees. There is a key objective on how we recruit, training and support, building our base of supporters, hidden callers and mentors to be able to support our new volunteers as we were supported when we joined.
In the next few years, there are many opportunities to grow and improve how we meet the support of our callers and our volunteers. This is further enhanced by the question of Future Proofing which has been asked by Samaritans as a whole, and how we evolve within the changes that will come with that as they become clearer.
**TAR** 3 March **2012**
## Section D Achievements and performance
We must acknowledge and resolve the shortfall in income vs expenditure. Fundraising will be a key factor. This is particularly important as we prepare to move premises and scale our branch to meet the opportunities that are coming as we embark on Pathfinders as part of South East region.
Meeting the opportunities of Pathfinders will require all of our volunteers supporting the recruitment, training and onboarding of new volunteers in lots of ways and adapting to new ways of interacting with our callers, who remain the central focus. Working with the regional branches to find new ways of working so that all callers are answered within 5 minutes. This will be challenging at times and will require acceptance of change and adaptability.
We owe great thanks to our volunteers and donors and to all those involved in the wider Samaritans movement. It is through the commitment of our volunteers and the generosity of all those who contribute to us that we continue to grow as a Branch and as a vital service to the public. Thank you.
_“There are in this world, in every country, people who seem to be ‘ordinary’, but who turn out to be extraordinary. They give their total attention. They listen and listen and listen, without interrupting. They do not preach. They have nothing to sell. We call them Samaritans.”_ - Chad Varah, Founder of Samaritans
## **Section E Financial review**
The Charity aims to keep enough funds in reserve to keep the branch **Brief statement of the** running for 18 months. We have maintained this reserve throughout the **charity’s policy on reserves** year. **Details of any funds materially** none **in deficit**
## **Further financial review details (Optional information)**
The great majority of our funds are from public fundraising and the You **may choose** to include generosity of those who wish to donate to our charity. This includes additional information, where income from charitable fundraising events and grants from trusts, church relevant about: and community groups and other bodies. We also receive funds through • the charity’s principal a service level agreement with HM Prison Service to deliver the Listener sources of funds (including service at HMP Maidstone and HMP East Sutton Park. any fundraising); • how expenditure has This income enables us to operate a service providing emotional support for those experiencing distress or despair, including thoughts of suicide. supported the key objectives In practical terms, our principal expenditure relates to telephone and IT of the charity; costs, the maintenance of our building (which we own freehold), • investment policy and fundraising and outreach expenses and administrative costs. objectives including any ethical investment policy We rely on the significant non-financial contribution of volunteer hours: all adopted. those involved in delivering the Samaritans service do so on a voluntary basis. We also make a contribution from our funds to the operation of the Samaritans Central Charity, which provides us with a wide range of central services as well as our overall policy framework.
**TAR** 4 March **2012**
Section F
Other optional information
Section G
Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees, report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity's trustees
Signature(s)
Full name(s)
Angela Barlow
Trustee, Branch Director
Position (eg Secretsry,
Chair, etc)
Date
14111125
TAR
March 2012
|1171193
**Samaritans of Maidstone and Weald**
**No (if any)**|
|---|
|**CC16a**
**Receipts and payments accounts**|
|01-Apr-24
31-Mar-25
Period start date
Period end date
**To**
**For the period**
**from**|
|**Section A Receipts and payments**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Endowment**
**funds**
**Total funds**
**Last year**
**to the nearest**
**£**
**to the nearest £**
**to the nearest £**
**to the nearest £**
**to the nearest £**
**A1 Receipts**|
|Fundraising
**1,314**
**-**
**1,314**
**723**
Donations
**9,713**
**-**
**9,713**
**4,528**
Grants
**4,079**
**2,300**
**-**
**6,379**
**8,408**
Other income
**1,000**
**-**
**1,000**
**1,527**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for_
_AR)_**16,106**
**2,300**
**-**
**18,406**
**15,186**
=—=====|
|**A2 Asset and investment sales,**
**(see table).**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**_Sub total_ -**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**_Total receipts_**
**16,106**
**2,300**
**-**
**18,406**
**15,186**
**A3 Payments**
S6~~55~~|
|Charitable activities
**7,227**
**-**
**7,227**
**9,607**
Light, heat and utilities
**4,908**
**-**
**-**
**4,908**
**3,364**
Property repairs and maintenance
**10,463**
**2,631**
**-**
**13,094**
**2,060**
Publicity/ Outreach costs
**-**
**267**
**-**
**267**
**-**
Telephone and internet
**2,193**
**-**
**-**
**2,193**
**2,437**
Insurance
**1,163**
**-**
**-**
**1,163**
**1,000**
National contribution
**3,255**
**-**
**-**
**3,255**
**3,255**
**_Sub total_ 29,209**
**2,898**
**-**
**32,107**
**21,723**
=== ===|
|**A4 Asset and investment**
**purchases, (see table)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**_Sub total_ -**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**_Total payments_**
**29,209**
**2,898**
**-**
**32,107**
**21,723**
**_Net of receipts/(payments)_**
**- 13,103**
**- 598**
**- - 13,701**
**- 6,537**
**A5 Transfers between funds**
**-**
**- -**
**-**
**-**
**A6 Cash funds last year end**
**49,241**
**7,003**
**-**
**56,244**
**62,781**
**_Cash funds this year end_**
**36,138**
**6,405**
**- 42,543**
**56,244**
————
=====|
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
25/11/2025
1
|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**||
|---|---|---|---|
|**Categories**
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
**B5 Liabilities**
**B3 Investment assets**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**
**B1 Cash funds**|**Details**
**Details**
Freehold Property
Computer Equipment
**Details**
**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
**Details**
Nat West Bank
**Details**
Equipment
Signature
Patricia Cadman|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**36,138**
**6,405**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**36,138**
**6,405**
OK
OK
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**9,250**
**4,403**
**1,120**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**liability relates**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
Print Name
Patricia Cadman|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**|
||||**-**|
||||OK|
||||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Current value**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Current value**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**When due**
**(optional)**
Date of
approval|
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
25/11/2025
2