2024-03-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 01/04/2023 Period start date To 31/03/2024 Period end date

Charity name: Dylan’s Quest

Charity registration number: 1180823

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	To relieve the needs of children and young adults suffering from life limiting conditions or terminal illnesses and their families. These children are referred to us by Southampton Children’s hospital and Naomi House Children’s hospice. The young adults are referred to us by the Teenage and Young Adults Cancer Ward at Southampton General Hospital. We can provide: Magical memories for them and their families following diagnosis, or financial relief as a direct result of diagnosis of their child. We also provide treats for siblings of poorly patients.
Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	Para 1.17 and 1.19	Dylan’s Quest raises funds from the public via donations or fundraising. We do not work with a professional fundraiser. Main activities held during this financial year: Romsey Relay Marathon Endure 24 Pig Racing evening Firewalk
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	All trustees when performing charity duties are aware of the guidance and have taken it into account when making decisions in order to make the charity of public benefit.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

SORP reference

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Para 1.38 Policy on grant making Para 1.38 Policy on social investment including program related investment Para 1.38 Contribution made by volunteers Other

Achievements and Performance

	SORP reference
Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	Dylan’s Quest is a pro-active, up and coming small charity. We are there to provide magnificent memories or financial help for families of children and young adults with life limiting conditions. In this financial year, we have directly provided assistance to 30 families. - We provided financial grants to 26 families, including the purchase of a washing machine in one instance; providing winter coats for a family along with financial grant; for matters such as covering the cost of travel away from home and helping several young adults with the day to day expense of living independently but being unable to work. - We provided 4 families with opportunities for making memories, including: an overnight trip to London, for a bus trip with afternoon tea with Paddington and a trip to Kidzania the following day; a trip to Harry Potter Studios with the cost of an overnight stay included; tickets for a pantomime; funds to go to a Nigerian Restaurant for a young person and their extended family

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We continued our working relationship with Young Lives vs Cancer charity who are based at our local hospital – as social workers for families undergoing treatments, they are well placed to refer families to us for assistance.. This has enabled us to help significantly more families than in previous years. We have also been able to help siblings, who often spend months away from their parents whilst their sick brother or sister is in hospital. We provide YLvsC with small denominations of Amazon vouchers to distribute to siblings so that they know they have not been forgotten at a time when their parents’ attention is naturally focussed on the poorly child or young adult. We have also provided YLvsC with small denominations of vouchers for them to provide to families in hospital, for use in the food outlets – the cost of eating from such outlets soon builds up and this action eases the pressure on a family’s finances. We also provided YLvsC with books aimed at younger children, for them to distribute to families on wards, to enable them to understand what is happening to them and their families in an age appropriate way. We also partnered with 7 other charities, the founders of which have all lost a child and who support our local hospital. This event, held at a popular local country park raised our profile, and that of the other participating charities and demonstrated that whilst we all support the local hospital, we have different objectives and work together to help families negotiate the difficult journey of a life limiting illness.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41

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Investment performance Para 1.41 against objectives Other

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Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	In our fourth year as a registered charity, Dylan’s Quest raised £17,653.93 Our primary fundraising was through supporters participating in physical challenge events – Romsey Relay and Endure 24. All of our trustees went out of their comfort zone and completed a fundraising ‘Firewalk’. We also secured grants totalling £7,500 from 4 sources. We continued our efforts to raise our profile in the local community by attending coffee mornings, a BBQ at a local pub and who also then held an Ibiza Evening with popular DJ’s. This helped attract new followers in our local community and in a wider way through social media. Our expenditure, outside of our charitable activities has been minimal, with our overheads for operation limited to costs such as web domain costs and insurance. Whilst we have continued to set a £250 limit for financial grants per family, we have also taken a broader view in some cases where a different approach is necessary – e.g when asked to contribute towards the cost of a washing machine, the Trustees voted to bear the cost of the machine in full. When asked for funds to help bear the cost of a family having to undertake expensive journeys to and from London where their child was being treated, mention was made of the siblings not having warm coats. The trustees voted to award the financial grant to help with the cost of the travel, but also provided a supermarket voucher for the purpose of purchasing coats for the children. We intend to continue to review each referral on an individual basis to ensure that we are providing targeted and meaningful assistance.
1	Para 1.22
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	None
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22	The trustees continue to consider it prudent that reserves remain unrestricted and should be sufficient to enable the operation to continue for minimum of 12 months, whilst we source other means of income.

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		Should such time arise where the charity has difficulty fundraising, or needs to help out more families, we will review our decision.
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	In the current financial climate, fundraising continues to be difficult, as the cost-of-living crisis leaves supporters with less disposable cash to give to charities; nonetheless, we continue our fundraising efforts through events and grant applications. However, having had a successful year with income significantly exceeding expenditure, our position is secure at present.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46
Other

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Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	Constitution
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	CIO
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees	Para 1.25	Any new trustees must be appointed by a resolution passed at a meeting of the current charity trustees where at least 3 agree to the appointment.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51	During 2022, we established a working arrangement with Young Lives versus Cancer (YLvsC). Social workers from this charity are based at Southampton General Hospital and are uniquely placed to know the specific needs of families under their care. Where they consider we might be able to help, they complete a referral form and send to us. We also continue to receive referrals from playworkers on the Piam Brown ward in Southampton Children’s Hospital. On receipt of the referral request, the trustees decide whether the request is within the capacity of the charity and whether it is practical and financially viable. Where approval is agreed, the charity then deals directly with the families involved, keeping the referral originator in the loop.
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51
Other

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Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	Dylan’s Quest
Other name the charity uses	None
Registered charity number	1180823
Charity’s principal address	25 Goldcrest Gardens Southampton Hampshire SO16 8FG

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any)
Michelle Vanhear	Chair/Founder
Stephanie McGowan		23/11/2018 - 21/07/2023
Isla Lipscomb
Katrina Lush	Treasurer
Sarah-Jane Challis		01/08/23 – to date	Trustee Body

– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year

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Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets The charity does not hold any assets on behalf of others held in this capacity Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of Name Address adviser

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

Other optional information

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Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date
	Michelle Vanhear	Katrina Lush
	Chair	Treasurer
	18 October 2024
	18 October 2024

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Dylans Quest Financial Summary

1 April 2023 – 31 March 2024

	income	expenditure		£29,322.62
APRIL	£703.41	£1,161.85		£28,864.18
MAY	£3,290.82	£677.66		£31,477.34
JUNE	£2,739.80	£353.85		£33,863.29
JULY	£287.06	£275.61		£33,874.74
AUGUST	£298.90	£1,661.00		£32,512.64
SEPTEMBER	£255.62	£125.00		£32,643.26
OCTOBER	£1,103.96	£1,611.33		£32,135.89
NOVEMBER	£4,470.91	£1,925.81		£34,680.99
DECEMBER	£58.08	£978.00		£33,761.07
JANUARY	£186.38	£587.48		£33,359.97
FEBRUARY	£2,147.22	£125.40		£35,381.79
MARCH	£2,111.77	£152.99		£37,340.57
OPENING YEAR BALANCE £29,322.62 INCOME £17,653.93 EXPENDITURE £9,635.98 CLOSING BALANCE £37,340.57

brought forward	29,322.62
income:
donations	0.00
charitable activities	10,153.93
other trading activities	0.00
grants	7,500.00
	17,653.93
expenditure
raising funds	334.53
charitable activities	8,760.75
merchandise	18.49
expense - asset	0.00
insurance	166.45
web domain	190.65
Other ancilliary costs	165.11
	9,635.98
total	37,340.57

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Dylan's Quest Statement of Financial Activities

1 April 2023 - 31 March 2024

	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total Funds	Prior
	Funds £	Funds £	£	period
				Total funds
				£
Income:
Brought Forward				£29,322.62
Donations	0.00	£0.00	0.00	£79.75
Charitable Activities	10,153.93	£0.00	10,153.93	£6,001.31
Other Trading Activities	0.00	£0.00	0.00	£0.00
Grants	7,500.00	£0.00	7,500.00	£2,500.00
Other	£0.00	£0.00	£0.00	£174.00
TOTAL	£17,653.93	£0.00	£17,653.93	£8,755.06
Expenditure:
Raising Funds (including
entry fees)	334.53	£0.00	334.53	£200.00
Charitable Activities	8,760.75	£0.00	8,760.75	£12,490.11
Merchandise	18.49	£0.00	18.49	£275.82
Expense - Asset	0.00	£0.00	0.00	£1,720.44
Insurance	166.45	£0.00	166.45	£275.91
Website Domain	190.65	£0.00	190.65	£397.51
Other Ancillary costs	165.11	£0.00	165.11	£78.85
TOTAL	£9,635.98	£0.00	£9,635.98	£15,438.64
NET INCOME	£8,017.95	£0.00	£8,017.95	-£6,683.58
Reconciliation of Funds
Total funds brought
forward	£29,322.62	£0.00
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED
FORWARD	£37,340.57

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Dylan's Quest Balance Sheet at 31 March 2024

	TOTAL FUNDS	PRIOR YEAR
FIXED ASSETS	£0.00	£0.00
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors	£0.00	£0.00
Cash in bank and in hand	£37,340.57	£29,322.62
LIABILITIES
Creditors	£0.00	£0.00
TOTAL NET ASSETS	£37,340.57	£29,322.62
TOTAL CHARITY FUNDS	£37,340.57	£29,322.62
Approved by the Trustees on 01/07/2024
Signed
	Michelle Vanhear	Katrina Lush
	Chair	Treasurer
Date

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