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2023-03-31-accounts

HUDDERSFIELD SAMARITANS ANNUAL REPORT2022/23 . SAMARITANS

HUDDERSFIELD SAMARITANS 2022/23

HUDDERSFIELD SAMARITANS, 14, NEW NORTH PARADE, HUDDERSFIELD HD1 5JP REGISTERED CHARITY 1171206

HUDDERSFIELD SAMARITANS SHOP 144, WESTBOURNE ROAD, MARSH, HUDDERSFIELD HD1 4LF

Director’s Report p3
Treasurer’s Report p4
Trustees Who Have Served p5
Shop Report p6
Recruitment and Selection Report p7
Building Report p9
Training Report p10
On Going Mentoring Report p12
Outreach Report p12

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HUDDERSFIELD SAMARITANS 2022/23

Shop Volunteers Completing Their First Aid At Work Course

Huddersfield Branch Vision

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HUDDERSFIELD SAMARITANS 2022123 DIRECTOR'S REPORT This year saw our quality monitoring visit take place when the wider organisation comes in order to see what is happening in the branch. It was a very supportive visit and it helped us to shape our plans for the coming years. While it was a virtual visit, the quality mentors were able to hear from our volunteers and look through all that we have been doing over the last two years. We want to thank everyone who helped with the process and particularly our mentors Andy Donnell and Samantha Walters. Carmen Penfold. who has been our regional support for the last few years was an amazing support with the process and I would particularly like to thank her for her constant help with the process and with supporting the branch in general. This year Michael George finished his time as regional director and the branch would like to express how proud we are of all his hard work for the regional as well as his amazing contribution to our branch. Sadly we are saying goodbye to some of our volunteers this year who are stepping down after a long period of service at the branch. Our Thursday team of Ruth and Graham have been amazing volunteers and added so much to the branch: Ruth as one of the best email writers I have ever seen and Graham as a fantastic trainer and mentor. Thank you to them both for everything. We are also very proud of some of our longest serving volunteers. We will recognise many of these at the AGM but it is important to recognise the tremendous service of Brenda and Sally at the shop who have worked there for 25 years and Margaret who has also been with us for 20 years. Without the team at the shop. we could never carry out our listening service. At the branch. we are also marking the 20 years service of lan, who has been an amazing listening volunteer as well as a great supporter of other volunteers. Once again. I would like to thank everyone for the hard work they do in so many ways that allows us to support people at their lowest points. Richard Woffenden. Director

HUDDERSFIELD SAMARITANS 2022/23

TREASURER’S REPORT

The accounts for the year ending 31st March 2023 have been seen and approved by our nominated independent examiner. Income for the year was £71k, down approx. £10k against 2022. Donations fell by £17k, mainly due to a large one-off contribution in 2022. This was partly offset by increased shop takings compared to the previous year.

Shop costs increased by £9k, up to £32k. Rent, wages and significantly higher utility costs were all factors in the increase.

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HUDDERSFIELD SAMARITANS 2022/23

Other costs of £74k in the year were up by £20k compared to the previous year. The main factors of the increase were:

Overall, this left a net deficit for the year of £35k. This deficit was noted and will continue to be monitored by the trustees, although conscious efforts were made this year to invest in building and maintenance, such as spending on the new shop fire alarm system. Unrestricted funds at the year-end were £342k, including cash balances of £155k and fixed assets of £196k. Reserves held are healthy, and still well above the minimum set out in our reserves policy.

Matthew Saward, Treasurer

TRUSTEES WHO HAVE SERVED

Director Richard Wofenden
Vice Director Fameeda Ahmed
Secretary Cath Horn
Treasurer Matthew Saward
Trustee Alison Chown
Trustee Cecile Gennevieve
Trustee Richard Holliday
Trustee Clare Townend
Trustee Tim Varga
Trustee Christine Pickavance
Trustee Glennys Scrivener
Trustee Amy Freear

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HUDDERSFIELD SAMARITANS 2022123 SHOPREPORT The shop has been very busy as usual and we are slowly trying to get our shop takings back up. The till takings have gone from -15% in June to -8% in August to -5% in September. we are aiming by the end of the year to get us back to a plus. even though last year's takings were epic.. we still want to smash our record! Even better news is that our book sales which John kindly does for us is up by 8% compared to last year. And brace yourselves ... our eBay sales which Richard does is up by 129%111 All this combined means our 6 months sales total for 2022 was £30.170 and for 2023 is £29,732 which now means we are only -1.4% down. /. Our Shop Display For Halloween

HUDDERSFIELD SAMARITANS 2022/23

We have had a few new volunteers start this year and would like to welcome them to our lovely team.

Our Duke of Edinburgh Award students have done well too and have completed their bronze certificate by helping in the shop, so well done to them.

We have also had a deep clean and move around in the shop ready for winter, giving it a fresh new look.

I would like to thank our volunteers again for all their hard work and commitment and for making it such a great place for everyone to work in.

Thank you.

Emma Bowker, Shop Manager

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Loretta Gibbons

Deputy Director- Recruitment & Selection

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HUDDERSFIELD SAMARITANS 2022/23

BUILDING MAINTENANCE 2023

Both the shop and branch buildings have benefited from roof work. The shop roof had deteriorated with blocked gutters and loose slates, also the skylights had started leaking. We have had the skylights removed, and all the other issues resolved. The fire risk assessment highlighted the need to improve the fire alarm. Our contractors have extended the existing wiring, to install an addressable system which if needed can be changed to suit our requirements as time goes by. We had wanted to make some changes to the front entrance, in order to make the shop more accessible, unfortunately after discussions with the council this has not been possible.

Repairs To The Shop Roof

Meanwhile at the branch, we carried out

Tim Varga, Trustee - Premises and Building

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HUDDERSFIELD SAMARITANS 2022/23

ROOF MAINTAINANCE AT THE BRANCH

TRAINING REPORT

The team has been really busy this year we completed a group after the AGM last year and we have had 2 more sessions in 2023 and now on the final one for the year.

The New Year brought some tweaks from Central Office to the training so it's always a challenge to absorb them and update our sessions ready to do the first cohort of the year.

We continued to provide training in the excellent training facilities in the Railway station thanks very much to Rich Holliday for his support and organising this it really is much appreciated by the team

I feel I have lots of thanks to give :

Firstly to Mark Jackson and Sam Eccles who have both worked with the training team since I became Deputy Director. Both have had to step down this year: Mark, unfortunately due to work commitments and the difficulty of travelling from Bolton

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HUDDERSFIELD SAMARITANS 2022123 and secondly Sam again due to his crazy work schedule. We are eternally grateful for the support they have given the training team and we really do miss them. I can only hope when time allows they can return as Samaritans . Next my thanks go out to Natalie and Alastair who have stepped down from their roles working with the embedded training. Thank you for all your hard work and time; it really is much appreciated. Our wonderful branch Director and the equally wonderful Shagufta are now the Embedding team and support all our new Samaritans on their journey to becoming a full number. The skills practice team - or should I say Oscar nomineesll has also grown this year big thanks to Rich. Shagufta. Richard W.. Jan. Kay. Tim. Diane. and Michelle as well as Neil and Annette who have joined most recently recently. They are a great source of support to the new trainees and we are exceptionally grateful to them giving up their time to support. Thanks also to our mentors who have supported all the new volunteers through those early learning shifts l am sure they like me feel a sense of pride when a mentee flies the nest and moves on to doing shifts as a probationary volunteer (P) and then as a full number. Finally to Julie and Carol who have given up many Tuesday evenings and latterly Thursday evenings plus all the extra time we put in to deliver the best training we can, I really could not do this role without their continued support. We look forward to 3 more groups completing their training in 2024. If anyone would like to join the skills practice team or indeed our training team please get in touch. Clare 1409. Deputy Director for Training 11

Shagufta 985

Deputy Director Volunteer Development

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HUDDERSFIELD SAMARITANS 2022/23

Just some of this year’s activity:

o Smash Food Store Almondbury – we regularly attended this food bank and are on hand to offer emotional support to anybody that needs it

o Post-vention work at Slaithwaite and Mirfield train station – when very sadly there were fatalities at these stations we were able to follow up soon afterwards to provide support at the location

o Little Deer Wood Christmas Fayre – we had a stand at this event in Mirfield

o Brew Monday at Huddersfield Railway station and Dewsbury - our annual event with Network Rail where we share a cuppa and a chat with commuters whilst sharing the word about what we do

o Huddersfield Pride

o Great Health and Wellbeing Festival in Batley

o The Great Yorkshire Show

o Emley Show

o Yorkshire Agricultural Machinery Show – a huge event with 11,000 farmers attending – we were able to tell as many as we could about Samaritans and as an added bonus more than one of us got to fulfil our dreams of riding on a tractor!

o Probation service and Foundation UK outreach presentations – following direct requests we met with two local organisations who work with ex-offenders and presented about the work we do and how we may be able to help both then team themselves and their service users

o Honley show – this gave some of our volunteers the opportunity to hear first-hand from some members of the public how Samaritans had helped them in the past

o Young Farmers’ Rally in Thirsk – another great day with Sams from other branches cementing relationships and raising awareness as part of the Rural Outreach initiative

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HUDDERSFIELD SAMARITANS 2022/23

o Kirklees Suicide Memorial & Bereavement Quilt Roadshow– we had a stand at a number of locations this quilt toured Kirklees

And that’s to name but a few! We have more support volunteers than any other branch helping out with Outreach, which means we get to meet more people, spread the word and provide support. Thank you so much to everyone, we make a great team!

Michelle 1438 – Outreach Deputy Director

A BIT OF MUD AT EMLEY SHOW

SUPPORTING THE KIRKLEES SUICIDE MEMORIAL QUILT ROADSHOW

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HUDDERSFIELD SAMARITANS 2022/23

Special Thanks to TransPennine Express

Huddersfield War Memorial Trust

Huddersfield Train Station

Eye Clinic Staff at Calderdale Royal Hospital and Acre Mills Outpatients

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