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← Cymru Older People's Alliance

2025-04-01-accounts

CYMRU OLDER PEOPLE’S ALLIANCE

ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2025

AGREED AT AGM ON 27 JANUARY 2026

January 2026

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Contents
Foreword by Chair 3
Context 4
Reporting on Key Objectives 5
Looking Forward 8
Finances 9
Conclusions 9
Appendix 1 – The Board 11
Appendix 2 – The Accounts 12

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Foreword

I am very pleased to present this eight Annual Report for Cymru Older People’s Alliance since we have become a registered charity to give a national voice for 50 plus Forums and Groups across Wales.

The Board and Sub Committees have met quarterly over the last year, and we have also organised regular meetings with Forum Representatives. We continue to make sure that the independent and self-determined voice of older people is heard. We also try to make a substantial contribution to the shaping of national policy through the Ministerial Advisory Forum on Ageing and a range of other representative and consultative groups. We have been particularly active in campaigning on age discrimination, poverty in later life, reform of social care and digital exclusion. We have continued to ensure that our Charity is well managed and continues to meet the Charity Commission requirements for registered charities.

Looking ahead over the next 12 months, it will be an important period to strengthen and consolidate our charity through recruitment of new trustees. It will also be a period of uncertainty we will need to navigate well due to political changes that will be brought about by a new Electoral System in Wales. Challenges to the lives of older people including ageism and the cost of living will continue to be central to our work.

In closing, I want to acknowledge the contribution of our former Vice Chair, Chris Thomas, and trustee Paul Guisbourne-Hilton. I would also like to thank Age Cymru who have given us excellent support over the last year, and we are very grateful to Vicki, Kathy, and the team. We are also most grateful for the support and engagement that we received from Rhian Bowen Davies, the new Commissioner for Older People, and her team. Finally, thanks are due to all our Trustees and Forum Representatives for their hard work.

Yvonne Apsitis

Chair, Cymru Older People’s Alliance

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Introduction

  1. The challenges for Cymru Older People’s Alliance (COPA) have continued during 2025, with some older people’s forums finding new momentum, whilst others continue to struggle. This report is the eighth Annual Report since we became a Registered Charity and covers the period from 1 December 2024 to 30 November 2025, although our accounts cover the 2024-25 financial year.

Context

  1. COPA has been recognised by Welsh Government as the national charity to lead and support 50+ forums in Wales and they have provided small-scale development funding since 2014.

  2. COPA brings together the views, opinions, and concerns of local older people’s forums to the all-Wales level. This provides a strong, credible, and coherent voice to government at all levels and represents what older people want and need. COPA is a group that has existed in different forms and titles since 2001, initially working under the umbrella of the Welsh Government’s Strategy for Older People. As such, it has a strong tradition of influencing policy and practice for older people in Wales. It is a genuinely independent organisation – a voice for older people led by older people. COPA challenges ageism and lobbies government nationally, and locally through forums, so older people are properly consulted and involved in decisions that affect them and their communities.

  3. The future direction of COPA continues to be discussed with members across all parts of Wales through regular engagement with forum representatives.

The Board

  1. The Board of Trustees (see Appendix 1) has met quarterly over the last 12 months with structured agendas and an agreed Business Plan. COPA has worked hard to devise, debate and review position papers and policies and to ensure that we fulfil Charity Commission requirements. We have made progress on some priority issues impacting on older people that we have raised in our discussions with Welsh Government Ministers and officials, and with the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales as well as other Public Bodies.

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Reporting on Key Objectives

  1. In the last 12 months, COPA has been fully operational as a Registered Charity. A Board of 10 Trustees, including 4 co-opted Trustees, meet quarterly. The COPA Board has addressed a range of issues over the last year, and a short summary of the action taken is provided for the main objectives in our Business Plan for 2025.

Governance of the Charity

  1. Our Annual Report and Financial Statement agreed at our 2024 AGM were published to the Charity Commission website with our Annual Accounts. COPA has continued to work hard to fulfil Charity Commission governance requirements.

  2. We secured continuing Welsh Government funding for 2025 through Age Cymru, and expenditure has been monitored and reviewed on a regular basis. The funding has and will continue to be claimed on a need’s basis.

  3. Board meetings have been held on a quarterly basis (hybrid) to ensure COPA’s continued contribution on behalf of older people’s forums. Quarterly meetings have also been held of the Communications and Policy Committees. Bi-Monthly meetings were also held with Forum Representatives.

  4. We have formulated a position paper to set out COPAs strategic direction and the changes we think will need to be considered in the next few years.

  5. Recruitment for new Trustees was undertaken, and one new Elected Trustee was appointed. A programme to recruit a new Chair was undertaken and the post was filled by a current co-opted Trustee. During the year two trustees had to retire due to ill health.

  6. A Business Plan was agreed for 2025 – 26 and has been submitted to Welsh Government.

  7. We held a joint Conference in Cardiff in November with the other two National Organisations for older people face to face but also on a hybrid basis with hubs in Anglesey and Swansea. Overall, there were more than 50 attendees. The Chair of Age Cymru, John Williams, led the conference. Our main speakers were the Minister for Social Care,

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Dawn Bowden MS and the Commissioner for Older People, Rhian Bowen-Davies.

Policy Work on Behalf of Older People

  1. The last 12 months have again been challenging for older people as economic factors have made substantial impacts on their lives. We are pleased that our charity has been able to continue to make an influential contribution to the response by ensuring the voice of the 50+ Forums has been heard at the national level in discussions on a wide range of issues. Information and advice have been disseminated on a very regular basis.

  2. We have discussed and agreed a two monthly Engagement Survey to monitor older people's voices across Wales; This will be a pilot survey commencing in January 2026. We have also agreed a new plan for 2026 to strive to increase our membership and to work more closely in partnership with Age Friendly Leads and Champions in Councils in Wales.

  3. Communication has continued with the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Care and her officials through meetings and letters. We have responded to Welsh Government and other consultations on issues relevant to older people.

  4. COPA has worked with and supported the Commissioner and Councils in progressing Age Friendly Communities (AFCs) in Wales. From COPAs position of strong support for the concept and practice of AFCs, we have discussed with Forum Representatives and subsequently the Welsh Government and the Commissioner the issues we think need to be addressed to make Wales an age friendly nation on a more comprehensive and consistent basis.

  5. We have lobbied on key issues affecting the lives of older people including cost of living, poverty amongst older people, health and social care, transport, public toilets, digital inclusion and have published articles on age discrimination and on reform of paying for social care. COPA contributed to the Senedd’s Equality and Social Justice Committee post-legislative scrutiny into the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. We have developed an effective dialogue with the new Llais – Health and Social Care and with the Future Generations Commission.

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  1. We have met with Care Forum Wales – the body representing care providers in Wales - and with the Chief Social Care Officer for Wales to discuss members current experiences of social care and how it might be improved in the future.

  2. COPA has continued to contribute to the shaping of national policy through the Ministerial Advisory Forum on Ageing and related groups. Although as a registered charity COPA is entirely politically impartial, we wrote in the same terms to all the main political parties with the aim of influencing the debate in the Senedd Elections 2026 in respect of older people. Our “Manifesto” for Older People” set out a prospectus that identifies the key strategic and policy changes that COPA wants to see considered by political parties in Wales to benefit older people.

  3. We have met with both the Minister and Commissioner for Older People to discuss issues relevant to older people and seek their support for revitalization of Forums to help further progress implementation of Age Friendly Communities in Wales.

  4. COPA has Membership of the following national level groups with feedback to Trustees and Voting Members.

  5. a. Ministerial Advisory Forum on Ageing in Wales

  6. b. Cross Party Group on Older People and Ageing

  7. c. Age Cymru’s Consultative Forum

  8. d. Welsh Government Working Group on Age Discrimination

  9. e. Commissioner for Older People National Organisations Chair’s Group

  10. f. Commissioner’s Group for Age Friendly Communities

  11. g. Commissioner for Older People – Abuse Action Group

  12. h. Commissioner for Older People – Community of Practice

Engagement of forums

  1. Over the last 12 months we have held regular meetings with Forum Representatives to ensure dialogue between national and local levels is improved. A variety of issues have been discussed, and we have ensured high quality speakers attend.

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Looking forward

  1. The Board of Trustees has reiterated its priorities for 2026-27. The main priorities that will be targeted cover:

  2. i. Make a difference to the lives of older people in particular through activity that i. creates age friendly communities ii. addresses cost of living, isolation, loneliness, and digital inclusion iii. increases intergenerational solidarity iv. promotes well-being.

  3. ii. Contributing to the implementation of the Strategy for an Ageing Society including through membership of the Ministerial Advisory Forum on Ageing and working groups.

  4. iii. Working directly with Forums and Groups across all parts of Wales and work with Councils to support creation of Age Friendly Communities.

  5. iv. Implement our new Communications and Marketing Plan on a phased basis to improve understanding and awareness of COPA, for our charity to become more influential and project our values of the place of older people in society.

  6. v. Ensure that the Board has sufficient capacity and range of skills and knowledge required by completing a recruitment exercise to identify and appoint new and replacement elected trustees.

  7. vi. Identify new opportunities to increase capacity and raise funding for COPA to enhance its role as the national voice for 50+ forums in Wales.

  8. We will continue to implement the programme of development of COPA as our capacity allows. We will aim to change and grow our charity and increase its impact, capacity, and resources to enable us to maximise the potential of COPA to support the revitalisation of forums and ensure older people in communities across Wales are effectively engaged. Our Engagement Framework will be utilised to ensure that this is done on the basis of key principles of equity and fairness.

  9. Over the next year, we will continue to promote an effective voice for our charity through the marketing strategy and new brand identity. We

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will strive to make improvements to communication in order to raise awareness of who we are and what we do. It is vital that we continue to ensure that older people’s voices are heard through co-production at the planning stages of national policies, legislation, and local policies. Our focus will be on engaging and improving communication with all the local 50+ forums across Wales and strengthening our structures.

  1. We believe that working in partnership is the only way forward and will always aim to co-operate and engage with other older people’s organisations to ensure a coherent voice is heard from older people in Wales. We will of course build on our strong partnership working with Welsh Government, the Older People’s Commissioner, Age Cymru, and County Councils as well as with the other national older people’s organisations.

  2. The next year will see Senedd Elections in May 2026, and we will strive to ensure that the new Government and Senedd Members are aware of COPA and understand the needs of older people.

Finances

  1. Total funding for 2024 – 25 agreed by the Welsh Government was £2,075.37 This funding is drawn down when there are a clear need and demand demonstrated.

  2. On 4 April 2025, COPA held a bank balance of £ 16,792.57 including reserves of £8000. There are robust and effective arrangements for the monitoring and accountability for this expenditure through policies and processes agreed by the Board. The Treasurer, one of the Trustees, oversees these arrangements and reports to the Board on a regular basis. Any risks to the achievement of objectives and related expenditure are identified and addressed on an ongoing basis through our Risk Management policy.

Conclusions

  1. COPA's strongest public benefit is enabling older people to have the confidence and access to change the conversation about ageing in Wales to one that is lead from the experience of older people about their needs and what works best for them in an age-friendly country. The next 12 months will be critical as we continue to work with others to respond to the range of issues impacting on older people and

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ensure that 50+ forums in Wales have a viable and sustainable future and that their contribution to shaping and creating Age Friendly Communities is recognised and supported at all levels of government.

COPA Board January 2026

Cymru Older People’s Alliance c/o Age Cymru Mariners House Trident Court East Moors Road Cardiff CF24 5TD

www.copacharity.com 029 2043 1555

Cymru.older.peoples.alliance@gmail.com

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Appendix 1

The Board of Trustees

+Yvonne Apsitis, -Chair - Llandaff 50+

Gilly Davies – Communications, Vale of Glamorgan 50 plus Rachel Luxton – Communications, Swansea Ageing Well

Chris Thomas, Anglesey Older Peoples Council – resigned January 2025 due to ill health

Paul Guisbourne-Hilton, Pembrokeshire 50+ – resigned in November 2025 due to ill health.

+Co-opted Trustee

Honorary Secretary - Steve Milsom Secretariat – Kathy Lye – Age Cymru

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Appendix 2

CYMRU OLDER PEOPLE’S ALLIANCE (COPA) ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2024-25

INCOME

BANK BALANCE B/FWD £16,003.75

Welsh Government/Age Cymru Grant £2,075.37

TOTAL INCOME £2,075.37

Expenditure

Tantrwm Limited (Domain Web Hosting)19/04/24 £72.00 Gillian Davies T&S Board Meeting 04/10/24 £12.00 Gillian Davies T&S Board Meeting 04/10/24 £12.20 Gillian Davies T&S Board Meeting 04/10/24 £13.00 Gillian Davies T&S Board Meeting 04/10/24 £14.20 Gillian Davies T&S Board Meeting 04/10/24 £14.20 Print Partnership (Printing) 22/10/24 £130.32 Mrs M Roach AGM T&S 22/11/24 £27.00 Gillian Davies AGM T&S 22/11/24 £29.90 Steve Milsom AGM T&S 25/11/24 £27.50 Angela Tritschler AGM T&S 25/11/24 £50.75 Gold Diamond D Swansea (Acc.) 04/12/24 £596.28 Gaynor E Davies AGM T&S 04/12/24 £75.20 Artis Community (YMa) 23/12/24 £124.75 Siva Sivapalan AGM T&S 31/12/24 £55.10 Gillian Davies T&S Board Meeting 07/02/25 £13.40 Gillian Davies T&S Board Meeting 07/02/25 £18.75 Gillian Davies T&S Board Meeting 03/03/25 £14.00 Yvonne Apsitis T&S Stationary Paper 25/01/25 £09.80 Yvonne Apsitis T&S Board Meeting 12/02/25 £30.00 Yvonne Apsitis T&S Board Meeting 17/03//25 £36.00

OPENING BANK BALANCE £16,003.75

ADD: INCOME RECEIVED £ 2,075.37 LESS: EXPENDITURES £ 1,376.35 *CLOSING BANK BALANCE £16,702.77

*Note – This includes a Reserve of £8,000 held in accordance with the agreed COPA reserves policy.

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