Charity Number 1172100
Annual Report and Accounts 2020
Chairman’s Report 2020
As everybody knows, this year of Covid-19 has been very difficult. While we have all gotten used to the delights of working from home, and the worry of what might show in the background of a zoom call, the section of society which is made up of cancer patients has had no option but to carry on.
Many treatment appointments still needed to be made in person; chemotherapy and radiotherapy cannot be done via a screen, and many patients have still found themselves travelling in and out of hospitals and clinics. Government advice for so many has been, “Stay at Home”, and cancer patients travelling necessarily for treatment have found themselves in a very empty world.
In some ways, for many long-term and chronic patients, little has changed. For those on treatments which affect the immune system, masks, gloves and sterilising spray are facts of life.
For the charity sector, fundraising has taken a huge blow. Without sponsored walks, or bucket collections, cash flow has been a problem for many. Even charity shops have spent most of the year locked up.
Luckily, Cancer On Board has little in the way of necessary spending. We pay no rent or workforce, and all money raised goes directly to getting our badges out to those who need them. In a difficult year, we have kept our heads above water and kept sending badges to patients.
Who we are
The objectives of the charity, as defined by our charter, are:
To supplement the treatment and care of persons undergoing treatment for cancer or in need of rehabilitation as a result of cancer, by the provision of goods and materials:
-
A. To promote and protect the physical and mental health of cancer patients in the United Kingdom when using all modes of public transportation by seeking to enhance their comfort and overall experience whilst travelling on public transport;
-
B. To support cancer patients when engaging and interacting with the general public transport community; and
-
C. To advance the education and awareness of the general public transport community in all areas related to cancer and cancer patients.
What we do
We provide visible evidence, in the form of badges, to alert other passengers on public transport that the wearer is a cancer patient. This has two connected aims:
Firstly, it encourages able-bodied passengers to stand rather than sit, as the badge wearer may find it difficult to stand for the duration of their journey. This means cancer patients can feel much more independent, and have the confidence to travel rather than being limited to staying at home.
Secondly, having a visible badge generally raises awareness of cancer patients using public transport, and encourages wearers and other passengers to engage with one another. By making cancer patients more visible in their interaction with the general public, and encouraging dialogue, they improve the level of understanding of issues that cancer patients encounter every day.
Who benefits?
The benefit to cancer patients is that they find it easier to cope with journeys on public transport. Cancer patients often find that they lose their sense of independence, and the idea of going out in public, even for just a short while, can be daunting. The visual signal that you might be in need of a little extra consideration from fellow passengers can make all the difference.
“As a young seemingly 'healthy' cancer patient, the 'cancer on board' badge has given me the confidence in these times to ride on public transport to my hospital appointments and elsewhere. I'm so glad to have the badge for times in the future when I don't feel well enough to stand for prolonged periods, especially as I'm not the typical person you might think to give up a seat for! The badge has also taken on a new purpose to me over this pandemic.”
What we have achieved
We have continued to concentrate on building our social media platforms, as well as relationships with charities and support groups who have offered to help distribute our badges in their promotional material or in care packs.
We have distributed nearly 400 Cancer On Board badges to individual patients. Badges are also provided to patients via some support groups, charities and clinics. Getting our badges out to patients is our core purpose, and we continue to go from strength to strength.
Feedback from patients keeps us going. We have noticed a shift in the benefit of our badge during the Covid-19 pandemic: people started to use it more for anxiety whilst travelling and social distancing.
Social media
We continue to develop our social media profiles: Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
World Cancer Day
For World Cancer Day, we were invited by Cancer Central to collaborate with them and other cancer charities. The Standing Together film reached over 105 000 views across all social media channels – which was a great achievement and highlights how working together can help us reach even more people.
Taking part in the 100 Stories Podcast
In March, we were delighted to be involved in the 100 Stories Podcast, a podcast bringing together stories of people affected by cancer.
Welcoming Helena
November saw us welcome new trustee – Helena Traill. Helena got to know James and the Cancer On Board team in 2019 when she started 100 Stories, a book containing a hundred stories of people affected by cancer; a project trying to normalise the cancer conversation through online communities. Helena’s father has been living with two brain tumours for over 20 years and her grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer in the summer of 2019.
As a graphic designer, Helena is using her skill to tell stories and try to make a real difference. She is starting a Masters of Research in Healthcare and Design in October 2021 at the Royal College of Art (joint with Imperial University) where she will be exploring how digital design can bridge the gap between physical and mental wellbeing.
Future Plans
Our aim as a charity remains the same and we continue to explore links with other cancer charities.
Because of our specific aim at transport related issues, we are able to work alongside charities which focus on different aspects of the cancer experience. We look forward to forming new relationships with like-minded organisations to promote the cause of cancer patients everywhere.
Money Spent
Our expenditure of £703.51 for 2020 breaks down as below.
3 years of website hosting (2017-2020) had previously been paid for by a generous donation. This has now been moved to charity hosting with Kualo, and so is no longer an expense.
Ongoing costs are for the printing of badges and for postage to distribute them to cancer patients. We continue to explore options to keep these costs to a minimum with competitive suppliers and by encouraging clinics and support groups to order in bulk.
Expenditure 2020 Badges Postage Stationery & Packaging
Badges £552 Postage £123.84 Stationery & Packaging £27.67
Donations
We received donations this year via Virgin Money Giving, Donr and Paypal.
In total we received £382.12
Our fundraising practices
Fundraising is carried out in accordance with the Code of Fundraising Practice, as specified by the Fundraising Regulator. Trustees of the charity perform their duties in line with the code, and also have particular regard to the Guide to Trustee Duties CC20 published by the Charity Commission.
All money into the charity is raised from the public, and we employ no professional fundraisers. Cancer On Board has not made any grants, and earns no income from contracts. We have received no grant funding from central government or any local authority.
The charity has no trading subsidiaries, trustees receive no enumeration of any kind, and we employ no staff.
What we plan to do with your donations
The charity has very few running costs, and is run by just four trustees, who do not receive payment of any kind for this work. This means that we can run a very lean organisation and spend the vast majority of our money on printing badges and distributing them to the point of need.
Assets and Liabilities
The trustees confirm, in accordance with the Charitable Incorporated Organisations (General) Regulations 2012, that at year end the CIO did not have any outstanding guarantees to third parties nor any debts secured on assets of the CIO.
Trustees
James McNaught Katherine Ruane Debbie Silverman Helena Traill
Charity Registered Address
29 Prowse Place London NW1 9PN
Lawyer
Mike Jarrett Detchert LLP 160 Queen Victoria Street London EC4V 4QQ
Bank
Metro Bank – Holborn Branch 1 Southampton Row London WC1B 5HA Sort Code 23/05/1980 Account Number 23607454