This year has been one of the most traumatic this charity has experienced. The consequences of the pandemic and the stuttering recovery have made very substantial demands on our services and has stretched our capacity to assist clients to the limits. None the less no one has been turned away or refused assistance and, in keeping with our original objectives, this has included support to carers, even after the passing of the client.
The Trustees have had to take an in depth look at how we cope with this increased demand and consequently the decision was taken, reluctantly, to cease the operation and funding of all social activities going forward. It is imperative that we husband our resources to concentrate on the primary activity of assisting those in need.
Not only has the level of demand increased over the last 12 months but also the spread of services provided. We now provide 11 different therapies through the services of 8 therapists all of whom give their time free of charge or at substantially discounted rates. The number of clients assisted rose to 293 during the period from June 2020 in the preceding 12 months and it is especially important to remember that the vast majority of these will need access to more than one service. The increase in demand for counselling is especially concerning. This has all arisen from the virtual closure of the NHS to those we support and a similar situation to charities such as MacMillans. Referrals to us have come from those sources but also from GP’s (most of whom stopped seeing people), other charities and Local Authority Social Services departments. Moreover, we have not had access to our office in the main Council building and thus were denied access to our computer system, our records and initial store of PPE.
For the foreseeable future we do not expect the pressure of this upward level of demand to ease. Hospitals and the broader NHS have huge backlogs and the threat of Covid remains despite the vaccination programme. We seek to continue to recruit therapists where necessary and to rebuild the band of admin volunteers.
Most of our administrative volunteers have been unable to work for various reasons while the office remains shut. We are of course a wholly voluntary organisation so consequently and incredibly, the main workload has fallen on three people, working seven days a week sometimes, and delivering something which is little short of a miracle. It is chilling to imagine what position some of our clients would be in now were it not for the efforts of those three and the band of therapists whose dedication is beyond words.
Administratively we have found that we are far too reliant on the one office, and the problems that lack of access has caused. We are taking advice from an IT consultant (free of charge) to look at developing a small IT network of our own, to ensure that these problems can never reoccur. This will be separately funded, and we will seek grants to that end. Apart from that our costs arise almost totally from the provision of therapeutic services. Whilst some contribution is sought from clients nobody is turned away for lack of funds.
Our finances remain on a sound footing and are under constant monitoring by the Trustees. We are continuously seeking grant funding and any opportunity to develop a longer-term association with a source of finance that would improve our medium-term ability to plan and develop our services as demand arises.
Jim Robinson
Chair of Trustees
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLANO AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trustoesl members of CREST Cancer Support CIO On a¢¢ounts for tho period Year ended 31° March 2021 Charity no (If any) 1181505 Sèt out on page l port to the Iruslees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity Iyhe Tru$l"I for the year ended 31 March 2021. Responsibilities and As the charty trustees. you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report accounts in accordancé with the Charities Act 2011 1"Ih8 Act'l. I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts C8rried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examin8tion, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under $ection 14515}Ib} of Ihe Act. Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters hava examinerfs statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. the accounting records were not kept in accordancè with 8ection 130 of the Act,. or Ihe accounts did not acwrd with the accounting Cords., or Ihe accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements Conrning the fomi and content of accounts sel out in the Charities {Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'lrue and fair, view which is not a matter considered as part of an independant examination. I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination lo which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper underst8nding of the account$ to be re8ched. Slgned: Dote: 13th June 2021 Namo: Nicholas Dent Relevant professional quallficatlon{sl or body Ilf any): Addres8: Institute of Chartered Ac¢ountant$ in England & Wales 4 Acacia Road Staines Upon Thames Surrey TW18 18Y IER October 2018
CREST Cancer Support CIO- Charity number: 1181505 Statement of In¢ome and Expenditure Period from 10 January 2019 to 31 Mar¢h 2020 Year Ended 31 March 2021 Income Donations Fundraising Relaxation Day Outings Irefundl Interest £2,581.59 £4,900.00 £12,230.54 £13.56 £1,182.35 £1,600.00 £95.90 £23,000.38 £irx).00 £87.17 rransfer from Crest (Ashfordl Total Income £7,668.76 £38,122.73 Expendlture Office and Volunteers Insurance Therapy Room PPE WorkinB from home costs Working from home telecom costs Telecoms Wigs Footcare MLD / Support Hosiery Complementary Therapy CounsellSng Fundraising cost Relaxation Dav Outin8S Fees Cancer Tralnin8 £587.77 £487.20 £1,227.49 £2,894.84 £998.63 £396.7S £416.92 £120.00 £810.¢yJ £1,075.00 £681.00 £1,005.00 £150.00 £872.46 £332.24 £1,860.80 £71.90 £369.00 £330.00 £2,175.31 £2,372.42 £507.20 £240.00 Total Expendlture £10.850.60 £9,131.33 (Deficltl I Surplus for the Year Surplus Brought Forward £13.181.841 £28,991.40 £28,991.40 Surplus Carrled Forward £25.809.56 £28.991.40 CREST Cancer Support CIO- Charlty number: 1181505 Balance Sheet 31 Marth 2021 31 March 2020 Virgin Money Natwest Bank £17,814.64 £7,994.92 £17,727.47 £11,263.93 Net A55ets £25,809.56 £28.991.40 13fv2021