Docusign Envelope ID: E1D1DFEB-A177-4456-9F69-C8B177A9CCF5
Charity Registration No. 1178486
DOCBIKE
TRUSTEES' REPORT AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
Docusign Envelope ID: E1D1DFEB-A177-4456-9F69-C8B177A9CCF5
DOCBIKE
CONTENTS
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Trustees' report | 1 - 4 |
| Independent examiner's report | 5 |
| Statement of financial activities | 6 |
| Balance sheet | 7 |
| Notes to the financial statements | 8 - 12 |
Docusign Envelope ID: E1D1DFEB-A177-4456-9F69-C8B177A9CCF5
DOCBIKE
TRUSTEES' REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
The Trustees present their report and financial statements for DocBike ("the charity") for the year ended 31 March 2024.
The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) (effective 1 January 2019).
The charity was registered on the 22nd May 2018. The trustees represent a broad range of experience in the road safety and charity governance arenas.
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Objectives and aims
To preserve and protect the health of motorcyclists for the public benefit, through education, training and research in the hazards of motorcycling, injury prevention strategies and critical care techniques.
Assets - Motorcycle
In May 2018 the charity acquired a new BMW 1200RTP. This motorcycle was immediately deployed in Dorset to replace an older vehicle. The road use of the motorcycles is conducted in conjunction with the police and ambulance services. The charity has appropriate policy agreements and insurance provisions in place for this, in partnership with emergency services.
In January 2020 Staffordshire Police provided a motorcycle for a DocBike service in their police area. Family led fundraising has enabled the provision of the rider protective equipment.
In January 2020 the DocBike service also expanded into Northamptonshire, with a bike being provided for local staff to ride.
In 2021 DocBike operations commenced in Sussex, with two non-response DocBikes. The local volunteers provide an engagement presence at biking events and use the DocBikes for non-emergency tasks supporting the charitable objectives.
In 2022/23 DocBike has established projects in Devon , and Avon & Somerset with plans to introduce further DocBike services. In December 2023 a local business donated a BMW motorcycle for use by the DocBike Devon team. There are currently DocBike teams working in Dorset, Staffordshire, Northamptonshire, Sussex, Devon, Somerset & Avon, Cheshire and Yorkshire.
The charity provides and maintains a significant range of medical equipment for operational DocBikes.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
The charity has submitted a separate financial report. At the end of this reporting period the charity had unrestricted funds of £134,922.
The charity also holds £51,131 of Restricted Funds, as detailed in Note 9 of the Financial Statements.
The charity trustees continue to ensure that the charity's funds are directed solely towards achieving our objectives.
Reserves Policy
The future funding, workstreams and strategy for the charity continue to evolve. The policy of the charity is to hold six months of general operating costs in reserve.
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DOCBIKE
TRUSTEES' REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
Research Strand
In 2018, the DocBike charity opened a dialogue with Bournemouth University to advance research in motorcycle injury prevention and measure the effectiveness of engagement strategies. In September 2019 a researcher started a 3-year collaboration between the DocBike charity and Bournemouth University paid for with a generous donation by Lester Aldridge. We are currently working with universities of Bournemouth, Exeter and University Hospital Southampton to formalise a research strategy for the next 5-10 years. This important work has been able to continue during this period, with research building on the previous “eye-tracking” assessments across a range of road users. The DocBike researcher continues to build vital relationships with road safety organisations.
DocBike continues to partner with road safety sector organisations to advance research and evidence-based intervention. An example of this includes the deployment of research & evidence-based road signs (https://docbike.org/evidence-based-road-signs/). The signs iniative has continued through 2023 with the Dorset Strategic Road Safety Partnership.
Donations & governance
The DocBike charity is dependent on donations to achieve its goals and ultimately save life through the reduction of road collisions, predominantly those involving motorcyclists. The majority of individual donations to date have been received as a result of face-to-face engagement at large biker events. As these have returned to social calendars the level of giving has increased.
The DocBike charity has a very strong governance structure supporting it, which includes information governance, equality, safeguarding and risk. Through this structure and recognising the early stages of the charity a very lean operating costs framework exists, which has mitigated the effect of previously reduced donations upon the charity’s ability to function. That said, as the charity grows, with schemes operating in several different counties of the UK at present and others planned soon; the charity will further develop ways of engaging with the public to raise funds in a manner that does not rely on face-to-face interaction. The charity has now added national level coordination roles, filled by volunteers, to help the trustees maintain good governance.
In line with the Fundraising Regulator’s guidance, contactless, online and text-to-donate methods of collecting funds have been instigated, but a number of these methods still require an element of face-to-face engagement in order to be effective and more work needs to be done to achieve a regular and sustainable income. It should also be borne in mind that the charity has received substantial donations through fundraising from other organisations, and is not reliant solely on individual personal donations, usually made face-to-face.
Clinical Availability of Docbike Riders
The charity uses high profile, generally air ambulance, Doctors and Critical Care Paramedics to engage with those motorcyclists with whom research tells us are most likely to become involved in a collision in the future. It continues to be the case that the primary activity of medical professionals deployed on DocBikes is to signpost riders to Biker Down and BikeSafe training courses.
The challenge came when lifting of the isolation restrictions meant members of the were allowed back out on the roads on their motorcycles, whilst the DocBike clinicians were still more than fully committed to their hospitals. This discrepancy has eased with time but highlights the need for the charity to be able to find ways of promoting riding behaviours which decreased the risk of a motorcyclist being involved in a collision; without face-to-face engagement of the Doctor/Paramedic being necessary.
Attendance at large motorcycle gatherings
The local regular ‘bike meet’ has become immensely popular, with for example Poole bike night (regularly attended by the DocBike) seeing up to 3,000 motorcyclists in one area.
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DOCBIKE
TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
These bike meets have returned to being the mainstay of the DocBike’s work, having volunteers in a highly visible location, able to engage with motorcyclists, but be on hand should anyone (motorcyclist, car driver, pedestrian or a person with a life-threatening medical illness) require critical care nearby.
The charity has risen to the challenge of engagement with motorcyclists who have started to congregate at less formal bike gatherings. Working with local councils, who are keen to help push the message of social distancing whilst also working in partnership with Safer Roads Teams, the charity has started to attend less formal motorcycle gatherings; with the appropriate risk assessments and social- distancing measures in place. The attendance of motorcyclists is still lower whilst social distancing continues. This engagement strategy also relies on motorcyclists attending events in order to benefit from the personal input, discussions about rider attitudes and becoming a better rider so as to reduce the chances of them being involved in a collision.
The DocBike Teams have attended 230 public engagement events, collectively amiounting to approximately 2000 hours of volunteering. It is estimated that some 22,000 members of the public have been engaged with.
Riding Road Safety Courses
BikerDown is a course designed by the fire & rescue service and taught only by emergency service professionals. It is free and designed to teach other motorcyclists how to keep an injured person alive until the ambulance arrives. In practice however, the DocBike charity, working with the National Fire Chief’s Council use this course to engage with motorcyclists who would not otherwise participate in a ‘safer riding’ course.
When an air ambulance doctor, on a DocBike blue-light emergency motorcycle approaches a motorcyclist whom research suggests falls in to the ‘at-risk’ category and says, “Hi, my name is xxx. I’m a doctor on the air ambulance and I could really use your help to keep an injured motorcyclist alive until we can get there on the helicopter. Would you come along to a free evening to learn how to do that?” few people refuse.
By achieving the engagement of an individual who would not normally sign up to a bike safety course straight off, we can start to raise their awareness of factors that are until that point unknown to them about how they can avoid being in a motorcycle collision. The take-up of BikeSafe courses following a BikerDown course is not only frequent, but it involves those ‘at-risk’ motorcyclists who would not normally participate in a road safety course.
COVID-19 had significantly limited the gathering of motorcyclists on BikerDown or BikeSafe courses, though this has now eased. As a charity, we continue to reach more people through social media and seek to raise awareness of those factors that a large proportion of experienced motorcyclists are still unaware of that will likely lead to them being involved in a collision in the future. The course content is not that suited to online presentation, as it is usually “handson”.
Volunteers
The volunteer cadre has remained steady both within the trustees and coordination group and on the ground to deliver motorcycle injury prevention engagement to at risk motorcyclists.
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DOCBIKE
TRUSTEES' REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
Safeguarding
The charity follows its Safeguarding Policy, reviewed within the last 12 months. The charity does not work directly with children or vulnerable adults, but volunteers may have interactions at public events.
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT Governing document
The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust and constitutes an unincorporated charity.
Charity Constitution
The charity is incorporated as a charitable incorporated organisation.
Recruitment and appointment of new trustees
The first charity trustees are appointed for varying terms of between 2 and 4 years. Thereafter trustees are appointed for a term of 3 years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees.
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
Registered charity number
1178486
Principal address
Honeysuckle Cottage, Silver Street Emery Down, Lyndhurst Hampshire, SO43 7DX
Trustees
T M Blackwell A Whiting C Smith I Mew N J Marsden L R Battersby (appointed 30 June 2022)
Independent Examiner
E Moody FCA 82 High Street, Winterbourne, Bristol, BS36 1RB.
Approved by order of the board of trustees on 17th January 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
A Whiting - Trustee
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DOCBIKE
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF DOCBIKE
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the financial statements of DocBike ("the Charity") for the year ended 31 March 2024.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the trustees of the Charity you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("The Act").
I report in respect of my examination of the Charity's financial statements carried out under Section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
-
the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
-
the financial statements do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of financial statements set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.
Edward Moody FCA 82 High Street, Winterbourne, Bristol, BS36 1RB.
Dated 17th January 2025
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DOCBIKE
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
| Notes INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM Donations and legacies 3 Grants received Other Charitable Activites EXPENDITURE ON Charitable activities Charitable activities NET INCOME 9 RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS Total funds brought forward 9 TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD 9 |
2024 Unrestricted Restricted Total fund fund funds £ £ £ 78,330 7,000 85,330 17,224 32,566 49,790 23,968 - 23,968 61,742 37,645 99,387 57,780 1,921 59,701 77,142 49,210 126,352 134,922 51,131 186,053 |
2023 Total funds £ 67,060 8,207 - 37,625 37,642 88,710 126,352 |
|---|---|---|
The notes form part of these financial statements
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DOCBIKE
BALANCE SHEET
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
| Notes Fixed assets Intangible assets 5 Tangible assets 6 Current assets Stocks Debtors 7 Cash at bank and in hand Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 8 NET CURRENT ASSETS TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES NET ASSETS FUNDS Unrestricted funds Restricted funds TOTAL FUNDS 9 |
Unrestricted Restricted fund fund £ £ 1,320 - 39,179 19,131 40,499 19,131 4,732 - 4,586 - 86,683 32,000 96,001 32,000 1,578 - 94,423 32,000 134,922 51,131 134,922 51,131 |
2024 2023 Total Total funds funds £ £ 1,320 1,540 58,310 36,849 59,630 38,389 4,732 3,344 4,586 7,220 118,683 78,041 128,001 88,605 1,578 642 126,423 87,963 186,053 126,352 186,053 126,352 134,922 77,142 51,131 49,210 186,053 126,352 |
|---|---|---|
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 17th January 2025 and were signed on its behalf by:
............................... A Whiting - Trustee
The notes form part of these financial statements
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DOCBIKE
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
1 LEGAL FORM
Docbike is a charity registered in the UK (registered charity number 1178486). Further details on page 1. The charity is a public benefit entity.
2 ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of preparing the financial statements
The financial statements of the charity, which is a public benefit entity under FRS102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)", Financial Reporting Standard 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" and the Charities Act 2011. The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention.
Income
All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.
Expenditure
Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activites on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
Intangible fixed assets
Intangible assets in the financial statements are trademarks. These are shown at cost and are amortised on a straight line basis over their useful life as follows:
Trademarks 10% straight line
Tangible fixed assets
Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life:
Motor vehicles 25% on reducing balance Plant & machinery 20% on reducing balance
Taxation
The charity is exempt from tax on its charitable activities.
Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.
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DOCBIKE
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in note 9 of the financial statements.
Cash at bank and in hand
Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
Stock
Stock is valued at cost and net realisable value.
Debtors and prepayments
Debtors and prepayments are recognised at the transaction price where an entity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds from a third party to the charity and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably.
Creditors and provisions
Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their transaction price after allowing for any trade discounts due.
3. DONATIONS AND LEGACIES
| Donations Donated goods, services and assets Corporate Donations/Sponsorship Other income |
Unrestricted Restricted Year ended Year ended fund fund 2024 2023 £ £ £ £ 40,372 2,000 42,372 57,056 17,500 - 17,500 3,355 11,593 5,000 16,593 - 32,833 - 32,833 6,649 102,298 7,000 109,298 67,060 |
|---|---|
4. TRUSTEES REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS
There were no trustee's remuneration or benefits for the year ended 31 March 2024 nor for the period ended 31 March 2023.
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DOCBIKE
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
Trustees' expenses
There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 March 2024 nor for the period ended 31 March 2023.
5. INTANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS
| COST At 1 April 2023 & 31 March 2024 AMORTISATION At 1 April 2023 Charge for the year At 31 March 2024 NET BOOK VALUE As at 31 March 2024 As at 31 March 2023 |
Patents & licences £ 2,200 660 220 880 1,320 1,540 |
|---|---|
6. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS
| COST At 1 April 2023 Additions Disposals At 31 March 2024 DEPRECIATION At 1 April 2023 Charge for the year Disposals At 31 March 2024 NET BOOK VALUE At 31 March 2024 At 31 March 2023 |
Plant & Motor Machinery Vehicles Totals £ £ £ 24,066 39,573 63,639 10,123 22,996 33,119 - (354) (354) 34,189 62,215 96,404 8,227 18,563 26,790 4,058 7,260 11,318 - (14) (14) 12,285 25,809 38,094 21,904 36,406 58,310 15,839 21,010 36,849 |
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
7. DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
| Prepayments and accrued income Other Debtors 8. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR Other creditors Accruals |
2024 2023 £ £ 4,413 7,220 173 - 4,586 7,220 2024 2023 £ £ 581 642 997 - 1,578 642 |
|---|---|
9. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS
| Unrestricted funds General fund Restricted funds Crash Cards Biker Down First Aid Kits Dorset PCC Locks Initiative Somerset Response Bike Somerset start up grant Response Vehicle Casualty Monitor Fund Mark Masons' Docbike Fund TOTAL 2024 FUND MOVEMENTS |
At 1 April Incoming Resources At 31 March 2023 resources expended 2024 £ £ £ £ 77,142 95,554 (61,742) 110,954 - 4,894 (4,894) - - 3,474 (3,474) - - 24,198 (24,198) - - 2,000 - 2,000 - 5,000 (828) 4,172 30,000 - - 30,000 19,210 - (4,251) 14,959 126,352 135,120 (99,387) 162,085 |
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Crash Cards Fund
National Highways awarded a grant totalling £4,894 to pay for 30,000 crash cards. These are contact information cards and helmet stickers that ensure that loved ones can be contacted as quickly as possible in case of an accident.
Biker Down First Aid Kit Fund
The Dorset Police awarded a grant of £3,474 towards providing First Aid Kits at Biker Down courses.
Dorset PCC Locks Initiative
The Dorset Police awarded a grant of £24,198 to subsidise heavy duty motorbike locks for Dorset bikers, in order to reduce theft related road safety risk in their area.
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DOCBIKE
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
9. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS (Continued)
Somerset Response Bike Fund
The Hospital Saturday Fund donated £2,000 toward a DocBike (response bike) and associated medical equipment for use in the Somerset Region. This money has been ring fenced in the Somerset and Avon bank account for future use.
Somerset start up grant
Avon & Somerset Police Road donated £5,000 towards setting up DocBike engagement equipment in the Somerset Region, including £2,700 towards funding an engagement motorbike. This money has been fully spent with the value on this fund relating to the book value of the assets purchased by this fund, which continue to be depreciated in line with the Charity's accounting policies.
Response Vehicle Monitor Fund
The Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance donated £30,000 towards purchasing two casualty monitors for the DocBike Response Vehicles. These funds are ring fenced in the Charity's bank account as at 31 March 2024.
Mark Masons' Docbike Fund
The Mark Mason's Docbike Fund fully funded the purchase and fit out of a response vehicle now operating in the Dorset area. The value on this fund, relates to the book value of the assets purchased by this fund, which continue to be depreciated in line with the Charity's accounting policies.
Comparatives for movement in funds
| Unrestricted funds General fund Restricted funds Response Vehicle Casualty Monitor Fund Mark Masons' Docbike Fund TOTAL 2023 FUND MOVEMENTS |
At 1 April Incoming Resources At 31 March 2022 resources expended 2023 £ £ £ £ 63,683 45,267 (31,808) 77,142 - 30,000 30,000 25,027 (5,817) 19,210 88,710 75,267 (37,625) 126,352 |
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