## **The Formby Befriending Scheme** _Charity No. 1171771_ ## **Annual Report** ## **for year ended 31[st] March 2021** ## **Introduction** The Trustees present their Report along with Financial Statements. The Scheme was awarded independent charitable status on the 24[th] February 2017 having operated originally since November 2013. ## **Governance** Trustees during the year ended 31[st] March 2021: Mr A Gillies Chair Mrs A Long Inactive due to ill health Mrs I Watts Dr G Corcoran Mr M Pickering Dr D Edwards Trustees are appointed, as and when necessary, from members of the local community who have an interest in furthering the aims of the Charity. The Charity operates as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) registered with the Charity Commission in February 2017. The policies of the Charity are decided by the Trustees within the guidelines of this organisation. They meet on a monthly basis, with selected others, operating as a managing Steering Group. The Trustees confirm that, in exercising their powers and duties, they have complied with their responsibility to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission. ## **Registered Office** Methodist Church, Elbow Lane, Formby, Merseyside. L37 4AF ## **Objectives & Activities** Formby Befriending Scheme aims to reduce loneliness and social isolation among older adults who are resident in the Formby, Hightown and Ince Blundell areas of Sefton, Merseyside. At the heart of the Charity is a group of Volunteers or ‘Befrienders’ who visit people on a oneto-one basis each week to chat and provide companionship. Referrals are received from a variety of sources, often health-related e.g. Stroke Association, GP Surgeries, as well as from individuals and their families. Due to the Covid19 lockdown in March 2020, face-to-face visits had to be stopped and replaced with regular telephone calls. Some garden visits were possible for a few weeks in 2020 and these were very much welcomed. In normal times, two free Coffee Clubs are held each month which are open to those wanting to meet new people or socialise with others in a safe and welcoming environment. Transport is provided for anyone who is unable to make their own way and it is supported by a team of Volunteers who do their best to ensure everyone feels welcome and included. Occasional small group outings and activity groups have also been arranged. These further develop friendships and relationships and also encourage signposting to other social groups. All Coffee Clubs were suspended in March 2020 and have not yet recommenced. However, weekly Zoom meetings commenced late 2020 and the social engagement and conversation was appreciated by all participants. Both the planned Holiday at Home event in August and further Information & Awareness Sessions had to be postponed. Also postponed were plans to expand support for people living with dementia particularly those who have been referred to the Scheme for befriending support. In early 2020, plans were being made to recruit volunteers to specifically provide transport to local activities and events on a weekly basis, help people be socially more active and be more involved in their local community. Overall, the Covid19 lockdown and social restrictions has had a major impact on the Scheme’s activities, causing significant disruption to befriending activities. Other additional ways of social engagement were introduced to help maintain befriending support including regular telephone contact, virtual Zoom Coffee clubs, a monthly newsletter, periodic gifts and greetings cards, virtual volunteer forums and virtual trustee meetings. These all helped to boost morale and wellbeing, reduce social isolation and enable the Scheme to operate and function as normally as possible. Regular support with grocery shopping and prescription collections was also provided, including new people referred to the Scheme. In the year ended 31[st] March 2021 Formby Befriending Scheme was supported by an average of 44 volunteers and 3 part-time paid staff. The Government flexible furlough scheme was used for 1 person. Volunteers included Befrienders, Drivers, Coffee Club helpers, IT support and Trustees. ## **Future Plans** Normal activities are planned to restart in July 2021 subject to confirmation of Government easing of social restrictions. Coffee clubs will, for 3 months, be invitation only with numbers attending limited to 15 which will help maintain as safe an environment as possible. Also Health & Safety guidelines and Risk Assessments will be completed. Individual Risk Assessments will also be completed for all Befrienders as they begin again to commence weekly visits taking into account both their own individual circumstances and those of the Friend they visit. The next 2 week Holiday at Home event is planned for August 2022 and funding from the Green Hall Foundation has been carried over from 2020. They support the improvement of lives among the sick, elderly, disabled and disadvantaged. The Information & Awareness sessions will be completed when feasible. Plans to improve support for people living with dementia will also recommence when feasible. Overall, the Trustees are pleased how the Charity has evolved and developed in its first 4 years of registration. They are particularly grateful to all the Volunteers for their ongoing commitment and dedication and look forward to continuing to support older people in the local community. ## **Financial Summary** Accounts have been prepared on a Receipts & Payments basis. The Charity is dependent on grants, donations and fundraising to support operations and activities. The Trustees are very grateful to all who have supported the Charity in this way; this includes the Allen Lane Foundation, Formby Rotary Club, Tesco, Waitrose, Co-op Bank and Sefton CVS. Their thanks also go to all those who gave personal donations and organised, and participated in, fundraising events including the Catherine Victoria Academy. Income and expenditure were both about 30% below normal levels in 2020/21 due to Covid19 related social restrictions. Very limited fundraising has been possible in the last year. Income levels were helped by receipts from the Government Furlough Scheme. As at 31[st] March 2021 the Charity finances report a net asset worth of £33,069 of which £6,692 is restricted and specifically applies to the Holiday at Home, Information Sessions, Dementia Support projects and also Covid19 related support. The unrestricted funding will pay for activities for the year ahead and beyond, including staff costs to support the professional assessment of referrals, management of the Coffee Clubs, and day to day liaison and coordination of the Scheme. Overall, the current ongoing annual budget of the Charity is £15,000 per annum, although this is expected to rise when planned projects recommence. Trustees of The Formby Befriending Scheme 2021 2020 Unrestrfcted Rtstrictod Total Total INCOME & EXPENDITURE INCOME Grants Donation8 inc Gift Aid Govt Job Retention Stheme Fundraising Total Income 8,330 3,779 2,780 11,800 8,063 220 2.7 968 20,831 10,169 4.720 14,889 ExpeNDITURE Staff Costs Training Publicity Computing Insurances Activities & Events OffTh Costs Consumables Pandemic Support Gifts Telephones Refreshments Travel & Subsi8tence Volunteer Expenses Bank Charges Total Expendltur• 7.978 851 8.827 11,798 122 1.011 240 401 260 400 852 240 115 2,013 2,013 1,211 505 312 19 9,712 19 13,174 3,462 17,396 Not Incom• 457 3,435 Note.. A lot81 of £6,692 is held ¥wthin the Sch•m•s Bank K in respect ofrnstrict8dpmJects and is to be usod strfcty on these prDJects in the luturn. £4,074 forHollday at Home. £360 lor tha Infom7abon sass￿s, £2,000 ft)rlhe Demenba Support Pmiert and £258 for Cobid19 Supwt 31st March 2021 31st March 202 BALANCE SHEET Bank AJC Petty Cash Debtors & Prepayn Accounts Payable Accrual8 Net A$$&t• 31.856 77 1,361 30,350 105 928 -29 -25 33.069 Income Surplus bm Income Sufplus current )ear Not Funds 31.354 27.919 33.069 31.354 A￿OUnts aqrned and appn)wd on b•haff of Ihe Tmstees Trustees Examln•r Mr A Gilllies Chainnan Mr M Pickering T￿Ssur 0 0 9-? ,.),)., Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Formby Befriending Scheme for the year ended 31st March 2021 I report on the Accounts of the Chartty for the above period which have been prepared on a Recelpts and Payments basls and whlch are set out on the Inco￿￿ & Expenditure and Balance Sheet page. Res nslblllties of the Trustees and Examlner The Charity's trustees arn responslble forthe preparation of the Acc(yJnts. The tharity's trustees considerthat an audlt Is not requlred under sectlon 144(21 of the Charltles Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an Independent examlnatlon Is needed. It Is my responslblllty to.. l examlne the Accounts under sectlon 145 of the 2011 P£t. 2 follow the procedures laid down In the general directlons 8lven by the Chadty Commlsslon urKler sertlon 1451511bl 3 state whether p•rtl¢uSar matters have come to my attent￿. Ba I flnde nden examlner, My examlnatlon was ¢•rrled out In accorr1•r￿e wlth the General Directions glven by the Charity Commlsslon. An examlnatlon Includes a revlew of the accountln8 records kept by the charlty and a comparlson of the accounts prepared wlth those records. It also Includes consideratlon of any unusual Items or dlxlosures In the accounts, and seeklng explanatlons from you •$ trustees ¢oncemln8 any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provlde all the evldence thèt would be requlred In an audbt and Consequentty no oplnlon Is Is ifven as to whether they present a 'true and falrvlew, and the report Is Ilmtted to those m•tter5 set out In the ststement below. Inde endent examlner's statement In wnnertlon wtth my examlnatlon. no matter has eome to my attentlon: I whlch glves me reasonable cause to beneve that In any materfal respect the requlrements: to keep ac¢ountlng records In accordance wlth section 130 of the 2011 Act: and to prepare accounts which accord with the accountlng records and comply wlth the •cwuntlni requI￿rnents of the 2011 Art have not been met; or 2 to which, in my opinlon. attentlon Sh￿k1 be drnwn In orderto enable a proper urKlerstandini of the •ccounts to be reached. Rob Dodd Retlred Accountant 63 Kirklake Road Fomiby L37 2DA