COMMUNITY CARE NORTH BUCKS (CHARITY NUMBER 1172135) TRUSTEE ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDING 31 MARCH 2026
CONTENT:
1. LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
2. STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE, AND MANAGEMENT
3. OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
4. ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
5. FINANCIAL REVIEW
6. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
7. INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT
8. CHAIR’S REMARKS & APPROVAL
1. LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
Charity name
Community Care North Bucks
Charity Registration number
1172135
Charity Legal Structure
Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
Registered Office
55 Waine Close Buckingham Bucks MK18 1FF
Trustees
Simon Wells Colin Cross Rosamund Hutt Margaret Jackson Lee King Susan Johnston Andrew Savage Stephen Coppins Julia Hough (appointed 15[th] October 2026)
Independent accounts examiner
Alan Clarke 29 Plover Close Buckingham MK18 7ES
Principal Banker
CAF Bank Limited 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling Kent MK19 4JQ
2. STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE, AND MANAGEMENT
Structure
Community Care North Bucks (CCNB) is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (charity number 1172135) operating in North Buckinghamshire.
Governance
A Board of Trustees, appointed by the membership of CCNB, oversees the governance and management of the Charity. On 31st March 2026 there were 9 Trustees:
Simon Wells (Chair) Colin Cross (Treasurer) Rosamund Hutt (Secretary) Margaret Jackson Lee King Susan Johnston Andrew Savage Stephen Coppins Julia Hough
The Trustee Board has remained stable throughout the year, with one new Trustee being added. The restructuring of the Board will continue over the next reporting year as some existing Trustees reach the ends of their term, and as the Board looks to expand and diversify its structure.
Management
The Charity currently provides six services, and each service is headed by a service lead or Chair, who is supported by a management committee of volunteers, who are responsible for delivering the specific activities of that service. Each service is also represented by a Trustee on the Board.
3. OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Objective
The Trustees govern the Charity within the Objective set out in the CCNB Constitution, which states:
- “To promote any charitable purpose for the benefit of the inhabitants of North Bucks, and to advance education, protect and preserve health and relieve poverty, sickness and distress.”
Activities
The charity currently comprises the following services
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The Hospital Car Service – providing transport to hospital appointments for patients
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North Bucks Adult Carers - a support group for adult carers (aged 18 plus)
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Buckingham & Winslow Young Carers - a support group and club for young carers (aged under 18)
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Open House - a support group for ex-carers and people who live on their own
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Men in Sheds Buckingham – a group for men to learn new skills and have social interaction
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Buckingham AED Project - which installs and maintains defibrillators in the area.
The Charity continues to review the scope of its activities and will seek to identify opportunities to add in additional new local groups or services, where these are consistent with the Objective of the charity, and are complementary to our existing services.
The Charity is run entirely by volunteers and there are currently over 130 volunteers supporting the charity’s activities.
The Trustees review all the policies and procedures of the Charity annually, or earlier if needed. A thorough Policy Review was conducted in 2026 and updated Policy documents, and new Policy documents, were created and approved by the Board.
Public Benefit
The Trustees confirm they have referred to the public benefit guidance issued by the Charity Commission when reviewing and monitoring the activities of CCNB. All Trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no private benefit from the work of the Charity. Our services provide benefits which are either free or subsidized to ensure anyone can access them.
4. ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
The Hospital Car Service
Purpose of The Hospital Car Service
The Hospital Car Service exists to provide transport for patients of the Swan Practice (Buckingham) and the 3WHealth (Winslow) surgeries. Typical users of the service are patients who cannot drive themselves (such as older, or infirm people, people without their own car, or those with special needs); patients who are undergoing a specific treatment on the day which precludes driving (such as those receiving eye treatment); or patients who are undergoing extensive treatment, which inhibits their ability to drive (such as cancer patients).
Activities in the year
During the last year we have booked 1,689 drives of which 1,476 were completed, the rest being cancelled either by the patient or the hospital. We have taken patients to 40 different locations across the area. Most appointments are at Milton Keynes and Stoke Mandeville. We are seeing an increasing number of appointments taking place at small clinics in Milton Keynes. Exemption from parking charges in central Milton Keynes has been negotiated with the council.
We are seeing more and more new patients using the service. We have offered 40 free trips to current and former drivers, former Trustees, and former coordinators. Patients who book daily drives for cancer treatment are offered 50% reduction in their fares, and we have given 85 reduced fare trips.
At the end of the year the Hospital Car Service had 34 drivers, 7 of whom were temporarily inactive. Without the dedication and commitment of the drivers the service could not operate. We often receive excellent feedback from the patients, and clearly the patients are delighted with the service we provide, and they feel that it is good value for money. They appreciate the assurance that the driver will wait for them and take care of them.
Plans for the year ahead
The specific objectives of the service for 2026 include:
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To promote the service through local advertising, and to recruit new drivers.
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To recruit and train a new coordinator.
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To provide drivers for over 95% of drives booked.
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To revise mileage reimbursement rates for drivers in line with new HMRC guidelines.
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To review and update the standard charges made for the service.
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To provide drives for patients booking multiple drives for radiotherapy at 50% of normal cost.
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To provide free drives for former drivers, former coordinators, and former Trustees.
Buckingham & Winslow Young Carers
Purpose of Buckingham & Winslow Young Carers
Young Carers exists to support children and young people in the local area, who have caring responsibilities at home, by providing respite, emotional support, friendship, and fun activities that improve wellbeing, reduce isolation, and help them enjoy a positive childhood.
Activities in the year
It has been another incredibly positive and successful year for Young Carers, with continued growth, increased opportunities for young carers, and a wonderful commitment from our volunteers, supporters and the wider community.
We are delighted to welcome eight new members this year. It is fantastic to see our community continue to grow and to know that more young carers are being identified and supported. We have also welcomed three new volunteers, strengthening the team that makes our activities possible
Our regular club nights have continued to be a huge success, providing young carers with a consistent, welcoming environment where they can relax, socialise and spend time with peers who understand their experiences.
This year we have enjoyed a wide variety of activities including:
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Karaoke evenings.
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Swimming sessions, with thanks to Swan Pool for hosting and supporting these opportunities.
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Medical Detection dogs.
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Social evenings and group activities.
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Visits from our local police officer, who continues to build positive relationships with our young people through regular visits.
Creating positive memories and providing opportunities that young carers may not otherwise access remains central to our work. This year we have enjoyed a fantastic range of trips and experiences, including:
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Farm visits.
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Theme parks.
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Cinema trips.
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Restaurant meals.
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London experiences.
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Wembley Stadium trip to watch England play.
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Horse riding sessions.
These experiences provide respite, encourage independence, develop confidence and allow young carers to experience new environments alongside friends and supportive adults.
We are incredibly proud of the development of our volunteer team. One member has successfully completed first aid training and has already delivered the first Young Carers first aid course, helping to increase confidence and safety across our community. This investment in volunteer skills forms part of our wider commitment to developing training opportunities, including safeguarding, SEND awareness, trauma-informed practice and leadership skills.
YC2 continues to build strong relationships across our local community. We have developed connections with local venues and continue to work alongside and support other charities through CCNB. We are extremely grateful for the ongoing support from local organisations, community groups and businesses who recognise the importance of supporting young carers.
Plans for the year ahead
Volunteer development continues to be a priority. Safeguarding training and updates are ongoing, ensuring our volunteers remain confident and well equipped to support young people safely and effectively.
Our future programme is already looking incredibly exciting, with planned trips including:
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Thorpe Park.
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Go Ape.
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Whipsnade Zoo.
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Chessington World of Adventures.
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Twickenham Stadium to watch the Red Roses.
We are grateful that continued fundraising support allows us to provide these opportunities and create experiences that young carers will remember for years to come.
North Bucks Adult Carers
Purpose of North Bucks Adult Carers (NBAC)
The purpose of North Bucks Adult Carers service is to provide respite for unpaid adult carers from their caring role and to offer fun, companionship and shared experiences and support in a safe environment. In addition, the service offers those in our community who are caring for themselves, and who are suffering social isolation and loneliness, an opportunity to make new friends to alleviate their isolation.
Activities in the year
Membership continues to grow with 44 adult carers - we especially remember those members we lost during the year. The service is supported by 16 volunteers and with the demise of Carers Bucks, it is anticipated that demand will continue to grow. Recruitment is underway for an activities coordinator, and we have attended information sessions in Buckingham library to promote the group.
During the year we ran a number of events and activities for members, including:
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Carers week lunch, attended by 40 adult carers.
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Easter lunch and Christmas meal attended by 40 carers.
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January 2026 trip to the MK Panto for 40 carers.
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Nottingham River Cruise.
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Cherry Lane garden centre visit for Christmas shopping.
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Bingo and quizzes and raffle at bimonthly meetings.
The membership also enjoyed a broad and diverse range of speakers, including:
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Bucks Vision.
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Rosita chair yoga.
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Fran Davies, Mayor, to help complete online blue badge applications.
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Julie Arnold from Carers Bucks.
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Trading Standards.
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Lionel Weston of Buckingham Rotary 500.
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CAST team from The Swan Practice.
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Paul French, entertainer and singer.
The service continues to be generously supported by the local community, and we are grateful to the financial supported provided by Age Concern, Buckingham Table, Stowe Golf Club, Masonic lodges, and the Lions Club of Winslow.
In addition, welfare support was provided to the members in the following areas:
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Bereavement support provided.
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Applications made for benefits and council tax reduction.
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Gardening arranged.
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Transport provided.
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Members missing two consecutive meetings are contacted as a check in.
Plans for the year ahead
The following activities are planned for the year ahead:
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Carers week lunch in June.
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Theatre trip in September.
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Visit to Stowe Gardens in September.
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Visit to Garden Centres in October and December.
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Christmas meal.
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Visit to MK Theatre for panto in December.
Open House
Purpose of Open House
Open House provides social support for former carers and people living alone. The service aims to reduce loneliness and isolation, promote wellbeing and encourage social connection through regular meetings, activities, outings and companionship. By creating opportunities
for friendship and community participation Open House helps to improve confidence, mental wellbeing and quality of life for vulnerable and isolated adults.
Activities in the year
It is good to see the group go on from strength to strength and this is due to the wonderful support and work of all our volunteers. Without them the group would not thrive. The group continues to move forward and strengthen its role in the community of Buckingham and surrounding villages.
Activities in the year have included:
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An ‘In House’ movie.
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Live music from a quartet.
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Spring lunch.
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Cotswold Wildlife Park.
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Summer picnic at Willen Lake.
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Looking back at Buckingham.
We have been pleased to welcome a new volunteer to the group, and this will help bolster what we are able to do. The volunteers now number 17, an impressive position to be in. We now have a small group of men attending regularly and it is great to see them gelling and forming a strong friendship group. This helps us to offer support and social contact, which is much needed.
Our contact with Furze Down Sixth Form in Well Street has been a success. The first cohort of students has helped us, and we were delighted to see their confidence grow as they developed skills through helping serve refreshments for us. We have agreed with the school that we will continue in September with a new group of students. We enjoy reaching out in the community and this project has been popular with our members and volunteers alike.
Plans for the year ahead
Open House will attempt to introduce an element of help for members feeling the need to address some of the issues created when a person finds themselves living alone. This may be achieved through talks and visits from specialists in certain fields such as:
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Rights and legal aspects of living alone.
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Dealing with the immediate issues of bereavement, many are legal.
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Coping with IT in our lives, phones and computers.
The following activities are planned for the year ahead:
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April Live quartet entertaining, and visit to Black Pit Cafe.
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May Spring lunch, and visit to Cotswold Wildlife Park.
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June Fun and games morning, and summer picnic at Willen Lake.
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July Talk - Looking Back at Buckingham, and visit to Stoke Bruerne.
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August Craft morning, and visit to Chiltern Open Air Museum.
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September Fun with flowers, and visit to Manor Farm.
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October Bring and Buy, and visit to Thrift Farm and nursery.
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November Food tasting, and visit to Cherry Lane and shopping.
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December Christmas lunch.
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January Social morning, and coffee and cake in town.
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February David Sykes photography talk, and Buckingham Garden Centre.
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March In-house film show, and visit to Bicester Avenue.
During the year Open House will offer training in safeguarding and basic introduction to listening skills for our volunteers. The intention is to offer the chance to refresh and develop skills. This in turn will give our members access to another form of competent support.
Regular meetings will help share volunteer skills and a process of distributing tasks will ensure opportunity to experience certain aspects of planning and organising with support as appropriate.
Men in Sheds Buckingham
Purpose of Men In Sheds Buckingham
Men In Sheds Buckingham exists to promote collaborative learning, knowledge transfer and social interaction for men aged over 18 in the Buckingham area. Through its activities, the group aims to improve health and well-being, reduce feelings of loneliness, anxiety and social isolation, and provide increased access to local health services and support networks,
Activities in the year
Our membership has remained steady at 22 members over the last year. We continue to meet four times a week on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings.
Work on the upstairs space in the workshop is complete, and the certification of the electrics has been done. We have also upgraded all the lighting to LEDs and installed an air purifier, which has made a noticeable difference in lowering the levels of airborne dust.
We try to run roughly one selling event per month, mainly at craft and country fairs. These are the events in the last financial year:
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26/04/25 Buckingham Community Centre
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31/05/25 North Bucks Country Show
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21/06/25 Tingewick Show
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28/06/25 Buckingham Community Centre
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26/07/25 Wheatsheaf, Maids Moreton
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27/07/25 Stowe
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25/08/25 Winslow Show
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20/09/25 Buckingham Community Centre
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26/10/25 Stowe
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22/11/25 Buckingham Town Market
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13/12/25 Buckingham Christmas Parade
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17/01/26 Buckingham Town Market
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15/02/26 Stowe
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21/03/26 Buckingham Community Centre
We have also undertaken a number of commission sales during the year. These have included the making of picnic benches, planters, softwood bench, wooden tombola and an accessibility ramp.
Plans for the year ahead
Men In Sheds Buckingham are in the process of raising funding to install a stairlift to enable our less-mobile members to access the upstairs level of the workshop. Written permission has been sought from our landlord to allow this to be installed, and to ensure that it is recognized that the equipment is ours should we need to move premises at some point in the future.
The group also plans to install air conditioning to make the working environment more comfortable in the summer. Again, this will need permission from our landlord and will need to conform to building regulations as there will be an impact on the external appearance of the building.
Our 11-year-old table saw is coming towards the end of its life, and we will be looking for a replacement during the 2026/27 financial year.
We will continue to sell items our members have made at events and fairs in the surrounding area, and we have a strong commission order book for the year ahead.
Buckingham AED Project
Purpose of the Buckingham AED Project
The Buckingham AED Project improves public access to life-saving defibrillators (AEDs) across Buckingham and the surrounding villages by working with local communities, councils and businesses to identify suitable locations for installation, and to ensure they are maintained and serviced after installation. The charity supports organisations undertaking their own installations and also funds installations directly through community fundraising. In addition, it helps to maintain AED provision through ongoing checks, signage, and public CPR awareness sessions.
Activities in the year
Over the past 12 months we have installed two additional AEDs, and the service maintains a total of 28 AEDs. We are supported by a team of volunteers (Guardians) who check each AED and cabinet monthly and electronically update the Circuit (the central database linked to the Ambulance services) that the AED is operationally available.
We have now taken over the aging AED at Bourton Meadow school to maintain public access. The school is assisting with monitoring the cabinet.
We have agreements and licenses in place with host businesses for the AEDs (e.g. Overn shop, Linden Village Shop). We make an annual donation towards their electrical costs.
Plans for the Year Ahead
For the year ahead, we have agreed to approach developers of new housing sites to continue to encourage them to install AEDs before completion and, where possible, contribute towards installation costs.
Buckingham AED Project is planning to expand the number of publicly accessible AED units which are available 24 hours per day across Buckingham and the surrounding villages. Additionally, our AED units which are 10 years old will continue to be replaced. Routine maintenance will continue to be undertaken and consumables replaced as necessary.
Two further events are planned for later this year:
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Restart a Heart Day at Tesco on 16 October.
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Rotary Santa Float, also at Tesco, on 20 December.
Core Activities
The Core activities of the charity include the provision of insurance cover for the services we deliver, maintenance and updating of the CCNB website, printing and advertising, the provision of accounting software and services, and general training & development for the Trustees. Core activities are funded through direct fundraising (e.g. Santa float), investment income, and a small levy on each of the services. Any surplus of income received over expenditure is treated as Unrestricted Reserves.
Activities in the year
At the start of the year CCNB set the following Core objectives:
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Establish new trustee signatories for CAF BANK.
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Introduce QuickBooks for monthly financial reporting.
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Continue consolidation of groups into CAF bank.
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Review and update all CCNB Policies.
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Continue to recruit new trustees and develop a robust long-term succession plan.
The outcomes against these objectives were as follows:
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The existing list of approved signatories was updated during the year and now comprises the Chair, the Treasurer, and one other Trustee.
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A trial of QuickBooks was undertaken, but it was decided that the existing accounting package used by Men In Sheds Buckingham (Xero) was superior, and the charity would aim to implement this across all services. The current constraint is that the charity’s current bankers (CAF Bank) do not provide an automatic electronic interface to Xero).
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The completion of the consolidation of the remining two services into CAF Bank has been postponed until 2026/27, pending the introduction of an automatic electronic interface into Xero by CAF Bank.
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All existing CCNB Policies were reviewed and updated during 2026, and 3 new Policies were introduced in accordance with Charity Commission guidelines on best practice.
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One new Trustee (Julia Hough) was added to the Board during the year.
Plans for the year ahead
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Strengthen Board support by filling newly defined safeguarding and social media positions.
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Recruit bookkeeping support for Treasurer as per role description to tackle single point of failure.
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Recruit new Secretary to the Board.
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Continue Trustee training and development.
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Improve recruitment practices to attract high quality volunteers.
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Create a focal point role for fundraising activity across the charity as a whole.
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Complete the consolidation of all services onto a single banker.
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Implement Xero accounting software across the charity as a whole.
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Develop a succession plan for the Chair of the charity.
5. FINANCIAL REVIEW
Overview
Financially the charity has continued to enjoy a stable financial position and in the last year has achieved considerable success in raising new funds to support the existing and future objectives of the charity, despite the challenges charities are facing during a time of significant inflation and a cost-of-living crisis.
Trustees keep the finances under constant review, and it is encouraging to report that the finances are currently in good shape. Total Income for the financial year 2025/26 was £99,403.36 (2024/25 £69,331.04) with total Expenditure at £79,516.43 (2024/25 £77,600.01), giving a Net Surplus for 2025/26 of £19,886.93 (2024/25 Deficit of £8,268.97).
CCNB is funded through grants, donations and legacies, subsidized charges from patients using the Hospital Car Service, subsidized events and activities, membership fees, charitable trading activities, and investment income.
The charity is grateful for the tremendous financial support we receive from organisations and individuals in the local community, and during the year CCNB received a total of £53,560.40 (£32,946.52 in 2024/25) in respect of grants, donations and legacies.
Reserves stood at £108,097.64 (2024/25 £66,438.80) and total bank and cash balances were £120,682.01 (2024/25 £100,795.08) at the end of the financial year.
The aim of Trustees is to ensure CCNB remains sustainable, and Trustees have an agreed reserves policy which is reviewed each year. The funding received by CCNB is not consistent throughout the year, and grants applied for are not always successful . Trustees have determined to target a total reserve for the charity equivalent to a minimum of one year’s expenditure, with a specific action plan required if the reserves fall to less than 6 months of expenditure. At present the total bank and cash balances exceed that upper limit, and the charity has in place expenditure plans for the next two Financial Years, which will bring total reserves in line with the target.
- FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 888 88¥; 88S8 888 888 8888 88 888 8888 88 888 15 18*288 888 8£ & 888 888 898 888 888
% 8 8 8 8
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- CHAIR'S REMARKS & APPROVAL l •m grat•ful •nd th•nkfvl for the tr•rn•ndou5 5UPPOrt •nd h•rd work of •ll voluntg•r$ 4rd Trusteès who make suth a v41uabl ¢ontrlb¢Jtlon to our ¢ommunity. l am partlcularly grat•ful for the hard work and dedlcatlon of the Trust Board and all tho%• who h•lp in th• op•ration of th s•parat• Src•s. W• hav• tr•m•ndous support from local donors •nd supporters without whoso tir•l•ss support w• ctyjld not malntaSn ourwonderful SeceS. Thè Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustee's Annual Rèport above. s18n on b•halfof th• Truste of cornmun Caro North &Jcks: SIMONWELLS th•lr. Communlty C•re N¢)rth Bucks July 2026