NEWPORT & GWENT SAMARITANS
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2025
The Trustees present their report together with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31st March 2025. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in Note 1 and comply with the Charity's trust deed and applicable law.
Legal and administrative information
| Charity registration number | 1174186 |
|---|---|
| Address | |
| 1 -3 Waters Lane | |
| Newport, South Wales | |
| NP20 1LA |
Trustees
| Sharon Beckett | resigned September 2024 |
|---|---|
| Anita Clements | appointed September 2024, resigned January 2025 |
| Janine Cox | appointed September 2024, resigned December 2024 |
| Peter Edmunds | |
| Susan Hard | resigned September 2024 |
| Linette Haines MBE | Director - appointed September 2024 |
| Jane Lewis | appointed September 2024, resigned January 2025 |
| Angela Marshall | appointed September 2024 |
| Jeff Mitchell | |
| Cynthia Plant | resigned September 2024 |
| David Rodrick | resigned June 2024 |
| Chris Stewart | resigned June 2025 |
| Sarah Symondson | Treasurer |
| Annette Ware MBE | |
| Richard Williams | resigned January 2025 |
Independent Examiner
Caroline Davies FCA 24 Blenheim Avenue Magor Monmouthshire NP26 3NB
Bankers
HSBC I Bridge Street Newport South Wales NP20 4UT
1
NEWPORT & GWENT SAMARITANS
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2025 - continued
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Governing Document
The charity was registered on 26th February 1968 under charity registration number 255044. On 9th August 2017 the Charity was re-registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) with the new number of 1174186. A new constitution was created and lodged with the Charity Commission. At the time of this change, the Charity became an affiliated branch of the main Samaritans Charity (reg. 219432) which is the co-ordinating body for the separate Samaritan charities in the UK and Ireland.
Recruitment and appointment of new trustees
All persons wishing to become Trustees are given a trustee role description, a trustee person description and a trustee code of conduct. They are required to undergo the Trustees Training module provided by Samaritans head office. Every trustee must be appointed by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the existing charity trustees. New trustees are also required to undertake induction training during which (s)he will be given (and receive help in understanding) copies of:
-
the governing document
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the annual report and accounts
-
the current budget
-
internal policy statements
Organisational Structure
The Director (D1) is responsible for the day to day service provision by the branch, all contact with our service users and the deployment and welfare of all volunteers. The director is also a Trustee. Various roles within the branch are delegated to deputy directors, who need not necessarily also be trustees. These roles include the training of new volunteers, the ongoing training of existing volunteers, leaders, volunteer care and recruitment.
Responsibility for all practical aspects of managing premises, finance and fundraising is also undertaken by the Director (under what is known as 'branch single leadership') and is delegated to other trustees or deputy directors as appropriate. The Trustees met at regular intervals during the year.
Risk Management
The trustees operate a rolling programme of identifying and addressing major risks to the charity at their regular meetings.
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Purpose and aims
Samaritans aims to provide confidential, non-judgemental, emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress and despair, including those which may lead to suicide.
It is our vision that fewer people die by suicide.
Samaritans, as a nationwide organisation, aims to provide this support every hour of every day of the year to those who need it. Newport branch operates seven days a week and covers as many hours as possible depending on volunteer numbers.
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NEWPORT & GWENT SAMARITANS
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2025 - continued
Activities undertaken for the public benefit
In all their decisions the trustees have complied with their duty to have due regard to the Charity Commission's public benefit guidance when exercising any powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
In February 2022 we sold our premises located at Stow Hill in Newport. In order to be able to continue to provide our core listening service without interruption, we moved to temporary rented premises in Bailey Street in Newport. New premises in Waters Lane in Newport were identified and then purchased in August 2022. The renovations had progressed to the extent that we were able to transfer the whole operation to the new premises in August 2023 and give up the rented premises. Renovations at Waters Lane continued in 2024/25 to a lesser degree. These have now been put on hold while the Samaritans Central Charity considers the future proofing of the organisation as a whole.
The Trustees are extremely grateful to those who have driven this project forward and given a huge amount of time and expertise to it.
In the last twelve months, the Newport branch of the Samaritans was able to support those in emotional distress in the following ways: telephone conversations, email contacts, on-line chat and outreach.
Volunteer numbers in the branch at any one time varied from between 70 and 85. Everybody who provides our service is a volunteer and there are no paid employees. All volunteers, including trustees, are reimbursed for any expenses they incur on behalf of the branch. The trustees extend our thanks to everyone in the branch who has so generously given their time.
Our partnership with the National Offender Management Service where volunteers give training and support to prisoners who act as 'Listeners' to other prisoners in two of our local prisons continues very successfully.
In order to provide our service, we rely on the generosity of individuals and organisations, and on our volunteers, to raise the funds which the branch needs to operate. The fund raising deputy director and team are very hardworking. There will be need for renewed fund raising in the coming year. The trustees would like to thank the team and everybody who helped in both large and small ways to raise the funds which are necessary to fund our ongoing service.
A list of those individuals and organisations who have donated money to us in the past year can be found in Note 1 to the financial statements; donations in memoriam in note 2 and the fund raising events and grants received in note 3. The Trustees wish to thank all who have given both time and money so generously to enable us to renovate our premises and maintain our service. We are also more than grateful to the Monmouthshire Masonic Trust who extended a loan of £20,000 to the Branch in order to renovate our premises, which is being repaid over 5 years, and additionally promised to donate £10,000 to Newport Samaritans over a period. They will complete this pledge in November 2025.
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NEWPORT & GWENT SAMARITANS
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2025 - continued
Future developments
2025/26 will see a period of steady service to those in distress or despair but will also see a period of reflection and consultation in the wider UK Samaritans movement to future proof our service.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
The surplus for the twelve months to 31st March 2025 was £12,617, (31st March 2024: deficit £795)
The charity's principal sources of funding during the last financial period were as follows:
26% given by individuals, organisations and in memory (2024: 8%) 64% from grants and fundraising activities (2024: 79%) 10% from the National Offender Management Service partnership (2024: 13%)
General Unrestricted funds amounted to £17,315, (2024: £2,476), and Restricted funds for building renovations amounted to £2,231, (2024: £4,453).
Reserves Policy
The trustees believe that sufficient reserves should be maintained in order that if any of our major sources of income are lost, we will have enough resources to maintain our core service until replacement sources of funding can be established. The Trustees have agreed to adopt a reserves policy, in this respect, of eighteen months of normal expenditure.
Approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by :
………………………………
Linette Haines MBE
Director
7th November 2025
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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF NEWPORT & GWENT SAMARITANS
I report on the accounts for the year to 31st March 2025 set out on pages 6 to 9.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for the period (under Section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is required.
It is my responsibility to:
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examine the accounts under Section 145 of the 2011 Act
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to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under Section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act) and
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to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner's report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and in seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present 'a true and fair view' and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statements below.
Independent examiner's statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
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1 which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements:
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to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and
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to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act;
have not been met; or
- 2 to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
……………………………………………………..
Caroline Davies FCA
24 Blenheim Avenue, Magor, Monmouthsire. NP26 3NB
Dated: 7th November 2025
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Newport & Gwent Samaritans
Year to 31st March 2025
| Statement of Financial Activities Note Income Donations 1 Donations in Memory 2 Fundraising & grants 3 Samaritans prison support Expenditure Fund raising costs 4 Outreach Telephone costs Rent & rent deposit Insurance Rates & water Heat & Light Repairs & housekeeping Travelling expenses 5 Conference & training expenses Internet services, IT & office costs Data protection registration Bank charges Central office levy Miscellaneous expenses Refurbishment 1-3 Waters Lane 6 Surplus/ (deficit) for year Balance as at 1st April 2024 b/f Balance as at 31st March 2025 Represented by: HSBC current account CIO HSBC current account oldCo Loan from Monmouthshire Masonic Trust Fund Other assets - Unrestricted Funds 1-3 Waters Lane, Newport. See note 6 |
31/03/2025 Restricted Unrestricted Total - 10,244 10,244 - - - 12,000 13,200 25,200 - 4,079 4,079 12,000 27,523 39,523 - 965 965 - 235 235 - - - - - - - 1,217 1,217 - 1,992 1,992 - 1,832 1,832 - 722 722 - 4,295 4,295 - 409 409 - 377 377 - 70 70 - 112 112 - 458 458 - - - 14,222 - 14,222 14,222 12,684 26,906 (2,222) 14,839 12,617 4,453 2,476 6,929 2,231 17,315 19,546 31,446 100 (12,000) 19,546 294,254 |
31/03/2024 Total 5,521 40 52,810 8,858 |
|---|---|---|
| 67,229 | ||
| 419 1,377 1,783 1,467 1,840 1,320 4,841 910 2,956 177 291 70 164 1,337 662 48,410 |
||
| 68,024 | ||
| (795) 7,724 |
||
| 6,929 | ||
| 22,829 100 (16,000) |
||
| 6,929 | ||
| 280,032 | ||
6
Newport & Gwent Samaritans
Year to 31st March 2025
| Notes 1. Donations Lisa Matthews Anon/CAF Margaret Ford Croesyceiliog & Llanyravon CC Julie Morgan Cath 138 & family Glascoed Village Freemasons Probus Anon Denise 331 Anon BNI Langstone Crematorium Angela 61 C James Susan 179 Freemasons Artwork Fund Anita 54 Zion Baptist Chapel Della 130 TR&JM Lewis N Byrne Community Council Bex 151 2. Donations In Memory |
31/03/2025 500 115 40 150 50 75 130 4,000 - 2,252 - 300 145 1,500 120 50 7 500 10 100 - - 200 - 10,244 31/03/2025 - - |
31/03/2024 532 - - - 50 40 35 4,000 80 205 210 - - - - - - - - - 100 50 200 19 |
|---|---|---|
| 5,521 | ||
| 31/03/2024 40 |
||
| 40 |
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Newport & Gwent Samaritans
Year to 31st March 2025
Notes
| 3. Fundraising and grants Books Cards/Christmas cards/merchandise Plants Christmas party, quiz & raffles Moondance Foundation grant Postcode Community grant Everest Expedition Carol singing Community Foundation Wales 100 Club Easy Fundraising Amazon/PayPal Walk Cwmbran Trust POBL grant Enthuse R Jones Calendars Sarah Millican collection Wreath making Matthew Harvey event Fashion Show Ponthir Music Night/BBQ Talks Small collections GWR Welsh Government Boules event 4. Fund raising costs Cards & merchandise 100 Club Prizes Calendars Fashion Show |
Restricted Unrestricted Total - 17 17 - 134 134 - 17 17 - 96 96 12,000 - 12,000 - - - - 3,680 3,680 - 234 234 - 2,000 2,000 - 192 192 - 36 36 - 97 97 - - - - 1,000 1,000 - - - - 370 370 - 350 350 - 969 969 - 963 963 - 480 480 - - - - 769 769 - - - - 35 35 - 261 261 - - - - 1,500 1,500 - - - 12,000 13,200 25,200 31/03/2025 348 56 428 133 965 |
31/03/2024 54 288 19 305 20,000 23,000 - - - 270 58 73 898 - 1,000 1,264 - - - - 841 994 500 - 161 1,500 1,500 85 |
|---|---|---|
| 52,810 | ||
| 31/03/2024 - 119 - 300 |
||
| 419 |
8
Newport & Gwent Samaritans
Year to 31st March 2025
Notes
| 5. Travel expenses prison claimed and donated shifts general 6. Freehold property 1-3 Waters Lane, Newport Purchase Renovations 2022/23 Renovations 2023/24 Renovations 2024/25 Total cost as at 31st March 2025 |
31/03/2025 995 2,217 993 90 4,295 187,947 43,675 48,410 14,222 294,254 |
31/03/2024 1,563 - 1,393 - |
|---|---|---|
| 2,956 | ||
| 187,947 43,675 48,410 - |
||
| 280,032 |
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