2022-12-31-accounts

SERV Herts and Beds Annual Report 1ST JANUARY 2022 – 31ST DECEMBER 2022

SERV HERTS AND BEDS CHARITY NUMBER 1180326

SERV Herts & Beds – The Bloodrunners

CHARITY NO: 1180326

Contents
Brief History of SERV Herts & Beds	2
Charity Status, Structure, Membership and Trustees	2
Financials and Legal	3
Recruitment, Assessments & Training of Volunteers	4
Processes and Procedures	5
Record of Tasks Performed January 2022 – December 2022	5
Signifcant Events for 2022	9
Financial Statement 2022	11

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SERV Herts & Beds – The Bloodrunners

CHARITY NO: 1180326

Brief History of SERV Herts & Beds

The charity was set up in 2009 as part of the SERV Central Group, which was registered under the number 284455. The first hospital to use the services offered was Bedford. In 2015, the independent charity was set up in its own right as SERV Herts and Beds, finally gaining registration with the Charities Commission on 26[th] October 2015. In October 2018, a further change was made as SERV Herts and Beds became a Charity Incorporated Organisation (CIO), and registered under the new number 1180326

The Objective of SERV Herts & Beds remains as:

The relief of sickness and protection of health through the provision of a courier service to transport blood, human donor milk, samples and other items used for the medical and surgical treatment of patients for doctors, hospitals, and laboratories and to co-operate with the emergency services.

All activities undertaken by the Charity are aligned with and directed towards achieving this objective.

• Ensuring that a current Service Level Agreement (SLA) is in place with each establishment served.

• Recruiting and training enough numbers of suitably skilled volunteers to support the required level of service.

• Raising sufficient funds to provide necessary training and equipment.

• Continuously monitoring performance against agreements.

Charity Status, Structure, Membership and Trustees

Name of Charity: SERV Herts & Beds, Charity Registration Number: 1180326. The registered Address being 53 Wroxham Way, Harpenden, Herts AL5 4PR

SERV Herts & Beds is an independent registered charity and uses the SERV logotype with the agreement and permission of SERV, registered charity number 284455. SERV Herts & Beds maintains a good working relationship with, and is currently part of, the Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes (NABB).

New Trustees, when required, can be recruited from the body of the membership, but are usually already members of the Committee. As of the date of this report, the Committee and the Trustees are formed of the same names. They are:

Chair	Ian Hunt	Controller	Barbara Dalby
Secretary	Andy Cowley	IT	James Light
Deputy Chair	Vacant	Events	Dan Collins
Treasurer	Nick Bailey	Fleet	Ian Hunt
Membership	Paula Brown	GMP/SOP	Peter Nunn
Rota	Roger Elvin	Hospital Liaison	Ron McMurdie

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CHARITY NO: 1180326

Training

Duncan Woods

Trustees Chair

Mark Lawrence

There are no special procedures for induction and training of Trustees, the Charity is uncomplicated in concept and operation, and all Trustees are recruited from amongst the Membership, a simple approval by the Committee and ratification at the AGM is considered sufficient.

The Trustees confirm that they have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charities Commission in exercising their powers or duties.

The Charity consists of around 90 Rider/Drivers who collect and deliver products. There are 22 trained Controllers who despatch and direct the Rider/Drivers. The structure is completely flat.

A Committee was elected at the 2019, re-elected at the 2022 Annual General Meeting to run the dayto-day business of the Charity, with the officers as listed above.

The Committee meets monthly on the fourth Thursday to report on, and discuss, the running of the Charity. The fourth Thursday in October is set aside for the Annual General Meeting. At these meetings, expenditure proposals are debated, and if approved, actioned to individuals. Minutes of each meeting are recorded and approved each month.

Day-to-day decisions regarding the running of the Charity are taken by the Executive Committee. Any decisions with substantial financial or legal implications require approval by a majority of the Trustees.

Financials and Legal

Funding of 1.5 times annual expenditure is held in the deposit account of the Charity as a prudent reserve to cover the irregular nature of donations. The Finance Statement is attached to this report as Appendix A. The Trustees consider the reserves held at the time of this report to be satisfactory.

SERV Herts & Beds has appointed as its bank CAF Bank Limited, Charity Number 26836925, Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ. The charity also holds accounts at Metro Bank, 77 St Peter’s Street, St Albans AL1 3ED

SERV Herts & Beds has appointed as its Independent Examiner since 25[th] February 2016 David Wildey, 9 Waverley Road, St Albans, AL3 5PB. David was also an active member of SERV Herts & Beds but has since retired.

SERV Herts & Beds raises funds to support training and equipping its volunteers. However, the Charity is totally dependent on its volunteers for delivery of its objective. Specifically, volunteers:

• Provide their own vehicle(s) in addition to the 4 Charity-owned motorcycles and 1 Car

• Pay all their own running costs, except when using a Fleet Motorcycle

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CHARITY NO: 1180326

• Donate their time for rota duties, Committee tasks and for fund-raising events

SERV Herts & Beds has no paid staff, and there is no intent currently for that to change.

SERV Herts & Beds running expenditure averages £17,000 - £20,000 per annum, with income around £20,000 - £35,000. Income is made up of individual donations and donations from organisations, supermarket & event collections and donation income from talks and presentations to interest groups around the charity’s region.

Recruitment, Assessments & Training of Volunteers

Anyone can apply for membership of the Charity. If they wish to take part in collection and delivery of NHS and Hospice materials, then they must have held a full driving licence for the class of vehicle they propose to use, for at least 2 years. They must also pass such practical and theoretical examinations and assessments as the Trustees deem necessary.

SERV Herts and Beds continually strive to recruit new members, as drivers, riders, and as Controllers or in administrative roles.

Specifically, for riders and drivers, a new member will undertake GMP training, Route Training and then be accompanied on a first ride by an experienced ‘Buddy’.

Details of training are contained within the Members Handbook.

On joining SERV Herts and Beds, and once a year, in signing the ‘Rules of Engagement’ a Rider/Driver is accepting the level of training/support provided and agreeing to the following statement:

I declare the information given is correct to the best of my knowledge. I accept that it is my responsibility to ensure that my vehicles are road legal at all times, and have current and appropriate insurance, road tax and MOT, and that I am the holder of a current driving licence.

I understand that the final decision to undertake a task is with me as the rider/driver.

The purpose of the Route Training and also ‘Buddy’ rider session is to ensure that the volunteer can demonstrate confidence in handling their vehicle:

• According to speed limits and other legal requirements laid out in the Highway Code, in a range of road and traffic situations

• In a manner that is courteous to other road users

• In a manner that presents a positive view of SERV to the general public, and the hospitals we are serving

• Is able to secure boxes safely and securely

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CHARITY NO: 1180326

• See evidence of a roadworthy and a well-maintained vehicle

• See the use of adequate protective clothing.

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CHARITY NO: 1180326

Processes and Procedures

All regular journeys for SERV Herts & Beds collections and deliveries have a specified route and a rider/driver who is called out will join the prescribed route at the nearest point to his/her house and leave in the same manner when returning home.

Prescribed routes have been carefully selected with the safety of the rider – and the blood being carried – as the key priority. Wherever possible, routes are over main roads, which are:

• Well lit

• Expected to be a priority for maintenance in circumstances such as snow and other adverse weather

• Expected to keep the rider/driver away from potential ‘trouble spots’ such as football grounds or night clubs

• Ensure ease of locating a rider/driver, in the event of breakdown or accident, by another SERV rider, or the emergency services.

All processes and procedures are written and shared in the Member’s Handbook

Record of Tasks Performed January 2022 – December 2022

SERV have continued to provide H24/7 support to NHS Hospitals, local Hospices, and the Hearts Milk Bank.

There has again been record growth year on year in the number of tasks undertaken in 2022, against the very challenging pandemic the country has faced, increasing fuel and cost of living prices and other external factors.

The tasks performed were distributed as follows:

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CHARITY NO: 1180326

Hospital Deliveries for Blood and Sample Services

Milk Deliveries for Hospitals

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CHARITY NO: 1180326

As an overall average the group equalled 2021 levels, and exceeded job counts by far. This is in itself testimony to the commitment, dedication, and generosity of all members of the group.

There has been steady growth in all of the products carried, and also unsurprisingly during a pandemic, the carriage of samples and specimens.

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CHARITY NO: 1180326

A shift in the time of the day when requests are made is also apparent, the calls used to be predominantly at night, but that has steadily changed. In 2022, around two thirds of requests have been in the daytime.

The increase in work load has put pressure on our resources. Recruitment during 2022 has been challenging but steady. As a consequence, the average work rates began to decrease to those seen in prior years, Towards the end of the year, we have been successful recruiting new members and that increase in work load has started to level off.

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CHARITY NO: 1180326

Membership Levels

Membership levels have grown, during 2022 the group received a lot of new applications, though a number of current members also had to retire from SERV as normal working patterns began to resume post pandemic.

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Signifcant Events for 2022

2022 was again a year during which we saw a recovery to normal operations as the pandemic affect reduced. The following demonstrates a number of changes and landmarks achieved or undertaken during the year

• Quarter 1

• Fuel crisis began to take effect

• Rise in positive Covid cases reduced overall availability

• Quarter 2

• Fuel price continued to rise

• Summer heatwave made use of motorcycles much more challenging, and at times impossible.

• Quarter 3

• Pressure was simply on workload, a extremely busy period with many requests

• Quarter 4

• Cost of living, driven in part by fuel costs but also other international affairs, put huge pressure on the membership and the number of tasks they were able to accept

• With a focus on cost, and a good year of very positive donations, the group has now ordered a second car and very shorty a fifth bike, to provide our membership with an opportunity to assist by reducing cost to the member themselves

• BP also started a period of 4 months free fuel to SERV groups nationwide, for use by fleet bikes and cars only. Further reason why the group is putting effort in to fleet expansion

Financial Statement 2022

The SERV Herts & Beds Receipts and Payments statement laid out below reflect the financial period starting on 01/01/2022 and ending 31/12/2022

Fundraising in 2022 has been very successful despite the challenges around the pandemic. Fundraising activity comprises a combination of cash collection outside selected supermarkets, individual donations and money raised from giving a number of talks about the charity’s activities.

Regular expenditure comprises purchasing bespoke clothing (motorcycle jackets etc.), promotional material and vehicle running costs.

CHARITY COMM15510N FOR ENGLANO AND WALES SEKrfHERTS & BEDS 1110326 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For thè PErfod fro To 01￿1 31112f22 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestrfcted lunds Endowment Jnd5 Reslrtthd fvnds Totol fvnds Last yuv A1Rrt EQNAT10NS klEMBERS CLOTHING tXMTiCIS FUNMslD￿ EVENTS VAT REFiNDS& INTERE 44 11ME4J 3JSI Sub tOlallGmss income tsAR A2 Asset and In¥Èstrnenl sales. Totalrecp 46J31 A3Pa OST VEHICLE RifftJmTr￿ COSTS NIRE CATERIF LOTh1 12397 AM) INEURATrKE INnNG. 102 . STATI￿Ry A t22 Sub lota 3lJ74 A4 Asset and Investment rchases see talye PURCHASE OF MOTOR CAR Isn 2021 Sub $iJ24 Net Ofreceipt￿￿jrnnts A5 Transfers bew funds A6 Cash frjnds last year end Cash funds thls ywen 21AI 21A1 33.980 38.683 CCXX Rl accoM•*s ISSI

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unresuicted bJrNIs Re51Tlcttd ftinds Endowment ftjnds Categorles Del4115 e•t£ B1 Cash funds CLIOIENT ACQ)IMITS 1.857 Unreslricied Resirl¢tsd E1)do￿￿￿t fttrHIs Delai15 Detai15 Detai15 FCL B4A55ets rttahd for the charity'$ USÈ .160 19. CTORS&OTFER 1.672 3.13$ GAZE8OS.LhSERIDCAFIOP De￿1$ 85 Llabilities PMi14¥n• Date of wo¥ CCXX R24t￿￿￿￿{sSj

Receipts and payments accounts

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examlnerfs report on the accounts Sèction A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trust••sl m•mb•rn of SERV HERTS & BEDS On a¢¢ountsforthe year •nd•d 31" December 2022 Charity no 111 any) 1180326 Set out oft pages 11.12 and 13 of the Annual Report I r•port lo the tmstoes on my examination ol Ihe •c¢xunl$ of th• above charity (Ih• Trusn for the y••r •nd•d Respon3iblltde$ and As th• chanty trustees of the TnJs( ytyJ are r¢sponsibl& for th8 preparntlon ba•1• of rnport of th• a¢counts Sn xcord•nc• vlilh th• rnquir•ments of th• Ch•rfti•s Act 2011 Ilh• A￿. I report in resp•ct ol my examinalion of th• Trust's accounts c•rrl•d ¢Mrt under se¢lion 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed Ihe applicable Dirtions given by th• Chanty Commission undor seclion 14515)Ibl of th• Aet I hav• ¢ompl•ted my •xamin•ion. l ¢onfimi that no m&l•rio1 mAtters hav• come to my att•ntion I ') in conneclion wth the eXaMinat￿n vthith giv•$ mt ¢•use to believe that in, any mat&rial rnsp•ct: actounling rn￿rds were rK>t kapl in accordanc• vAth section 130 of theActor th• •¢xounis do not o￿Ord wAth th• •ccrJurfing f•cord$ Indopondont •xamlnee8 statement I have no ￿ncernS and h¥v• ￿me acfOSS no other matt•rs in connecbon th thè •xaminaon io vthich attention should be dra¥￿ in ord•r lo enable proper undetstsnt1ing of the ac£ounls lo ￿ rea¢hed. . Please delete th• w0*￿S in the b￿Cknts rfthey do not•pply. Slon•d: Nam•: Mr. David Wld•y Relwant professlonal quallficatlon{$) or body Irf any): A￿)l￿ntanvAUdi1or (Retired) Address: 9 Waverfoy Road Sl. Albans Hertfordshire AL3 5PB IER October 2018

Section B Disc105ure Only cornplete rf the examinei needs to highli9hl mattèrs ol cr)n￿rn (see CC32, Independènl exarnination of charity acu)unls' diredions and guidan￿ for examiners). Give hern brief delalls of any itèms that tho examiner wishe$ to disclose. IER October 2018