## **The Formby Befriending Scheme** _Charity No. 1171771_ ## **Annual Report** ## **for year ended 31[st] March 2022** ## **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 2022: 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. During the last year visits gradually returned to normal with a reduced reliance on telephone calls needed during the height of the Pandemic. The two Coffee Clubs, held each month, also fully returned to normal by the end of the year after continued disruption in 2021. These are free and 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, encourage signposting to other social groups and encourage people to be more involved in their community. Both the annual Holiday at Home event, normally held in August, and further Information & Awareness Sessions again had to be postponed, after also being cancelled in 2020. 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 again had a major impact on the Scheme’s activities, causing further disruption to befriending activities. Other additional ways of social engagement were continued, particularly in the 2021 calendar year , 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 In the year ended 31[st] March 2022 Formby Befriending Scheme was supported by an average of 48 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 were fully restarted by March 2022 and this included the two Coffee Clubs. As part of our support for those living with dementia, a third Coffee Club is planned to start in May 2022 which will be activity based and dementia friendly and, additionally, we also plan recommence transport to other local groups when they restart. Staffing resources are being reviewed to establish how best to manage, provide and co-ordinate our various activities The next 2 week Holiday at Home event will be in 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, but probably not until 2023. Health & Safety guidelines will continue to be reviewed in accordance with Government guidelines relating to the Covid19 Pandemic. We aim to maintain as safe an environment as possible. Overall, the Trustees are pleased how the Charity has evolved and developed over the last 5 years since 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 an Accruals 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 Co-op, Sefton CVS, the Community Link Foundation and the Marsh Christian Trust. Their thanks also go to all those who gave personal donations and organised, and participated in, fundraising events particularly our cyclists in the Land’s End to John O’Groats cycling tour, and our two runners in the London Marathon. Income and expenditure had both recovered to almost normal levels following the worst of the Pandemic. Income levels were again helped by receipts from the Government Furlough Scheme. As at 31[st] March 2021 the Charity finances report a net asset worth of £34,045 of which £6,434 is restricted and specifically applies to the Holiday at Home, Information Sessions, Dementia Support projects. 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 co-ordination 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 FORMBY BEFRIENDING SCHEME Chai7ty Registration 1171771 Year ended 31st March 2022 2022 2021 Total Total INCOME & EXPENDITURE INCOME Grants Donations inc Grft Aid Govt Job Retention Stheme Fundraising Total Incom• 8,330 3,779 2,780 6.738 6,738 589 210 16.519 210 16,519 14,889 EXPENDITURE Staff Costs Training Publicity Computing Insurances Activitles & Evonts Office Costs Consumables Telephones Pandemi¢ Support Grfts Refreshments Travel & Subsistence Volunteer Expenses Bank Charges Miscèllaneous Total Expendltur• 10.784 201 10,965 8.827 57 825 424 355 424 560 47 429 47 429 583 2,013 220 409 19 304 16,543 15,286 13,174 N•t Income 976 1,716 Note.. A total of£6,434 is held ￿thin the Scheme* 8ank rnsp8Ct ofrnstnct6d pffjjects and to be u$8d strictly on (hese projects in the firture. £4,074 lorHdthy at Ho￿. £3f￿ forth& Inf0m7at￿n Sessths, and £2,000 lor Defflent￿ Support. 31st March 2022 31•t March 2021 BALANCE SHEET Bank Alc Pelly Cash Prepayments Accounts P8yable Acuuals Net Assets 33,149 153 747 31.656 77 1,361 -25 33,069 34IM5 Income Surplus bir Income Surplus ￿rrent year Net Funds 33.C69 976 ¥045 31,354 33,069 Accounts agffjed and 8ppffjv6d on beh81f of th8 Twslees Trnstees Examlner Mr A Gilllies ChaiM￿n MCR Mr M Pickering Treasurer iJ4h-I Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Formby Befriending Scheme for the year ended 31st March 2022 I report on the Accounts of the Charity for the above perrod which have been prepared on a Receipts and Payments basis and which are set out on the Income & Expenditure and Balance Sheet page. Res ctlve res onslbllltles of the Trustees and Examiner The Charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the Accounts. The Charity's trustees conslder that an audlt Is not required under sectlon 144121 of the Charttles Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responslblllty to: l examlne the Accounts under sectlon 145 of the 2011 Act. 2 follow the procedures laid down in the 8eneral directions given by the tharlty Commlsslon under sectlon 14515llbl 3 stste whether partlcular matters have come to my attention. Basis of Inde ndent examiner's re My eKamlnatlon was carrled out In accordance wlth the General Dlrectlons glven by the Charlty Commlsslon. An examlnatlon Includes a revlew of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts prepared wlth those records. It also Includes conslderatlon of any unusual items or disclosures In the accounts, and seeking explanatlons from you as trustees concemlng any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provlde all the evldence that would be required In èn audlt and consequently no oplnlon Is 1$ glven as to whether they present a 'true and falr vlew, and the report is limlted to those matters set out In the statement below. Inde endent examiner's ststement In ¢onnectlon wlth my examlnatlon. no matter has come to rny attentlon: I whlch 8lves me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requlrements: to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and to prepare a¢count$ which accord with the accountin8 records and comply with the accountlng reqU1￿MentS of the 2011 Act have not been met; or 2 to which, in my opinlon, attentlon should be drawn In orderto enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Rob Dodd Date Retired Accountant Formby L37 2DA