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2025-06-30-accounts

Annual Report of the Trustees of Chichester Area Talking News for the period from 1[st] July 2024 to 30[th] June 2025

Charity Name: Chichester Area Talking News (CIO)

Charity Address: Chichester Area Talking News, St Richard's Hospital, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 6SE

Charity Number: 1184267

Purpose and overview of the Trustees’ Annual Report: The primary purpose of the Trustees’ Annual Report is to ensure that the charity is publicly accountable to its stakeholders for the stewardship and management of the funds it holds.

This report contains information about the:

Governing document: The charity’s governing document is its Constitution, dated 22 June 2019 and approved at the AGM held on 24[th] October 2019. The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).

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Objects: The Objects of the CIO, as set out in its Constitution, are to relieve visually impaired and other disabled persons by the provision of a recorded news and magazine service.

Organisation, structure, membership and operation of the service: CaTN is part of a nation-wide network known as the Talking News Federation (TNF). Whilst taking advice from the Federation, when necessary, CaTN operates as an independent organisation both managerially and financially. Our members comprise our listeners and volunteers, including trustees.

CaTN is led and managed by the Board of Trustees (the Committee) which meets four times a year. During the year covered by this report, CaTN had 331 members which include volunteers, friends and listeners. There are 77 active volunteers and 13 Friends. Friends are often former volunteers or their families, or the families of former listeners, who wish to remain in touch with CaTN. There was a total of 241 visually impaired listeners. Twenty-five listeners receive our programmes on the Alexa smart speaker and 9 do so on line via our website. There is more work to do with the Talking News Federation nationally on this issue to ensure that all those who listen in these ways are known to us.

We have no paid staff and our volunteers and trustees do not receive any remuneration. They do not normally claim travel expenses but are reimbursed if they are asked to represent the charity at the Talking News Federation Annual Conference; and for purchases of equipment for the charity which are bought with the agreement of the Board of Trustees. The Board delegates the approval of payment for small value items to the Treasurer in combination with one of three Trustees registered at the charity’s bank – The Charities Aid Foundation Bank (CAF Bank).

There are no conflicts of interest and there is no relationship with any related parties. All policies required by the Charity Commission have been approved by the Trustees and can be found on the CaTN website: htps://www.catn.org.uk . Trustees and volunteers who visit listeners in their homes are DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checked and Standard DBS checks have been obtained for all eligible roles. These checks are reviewed in accordance with advice from the DBS.

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There have been no incidents, including serious, reportable incidents, of any kind during this period.

CaTN carries out an annual review and analysis of its work, including the assessment of risks to CaTN’s functioning.

The CaTN production team regularly reviews the quality of news and magazine programmes, taking note of the views of listeners. This enables the charity to understand better the impact and value of our programmes to our core clients. This information is evaluated and used to improve our programme offer.

Core Activities of the Charity

‘Chichester Every fortnight, local news, taken mainly from the three editions of the Observer’ local newspaper and some publicly available parish and community magazines, is recorded and sent out to our blind and visually impaired listeners on memory sticks. The programmes are also available to listeners, and others, online on our website; via Alexa; and on smartphones through the Alexa smartphone app. Listeners are also provided, at no charge, with memory stick playback devices suitable for use by severely visually impaired and blind people, so that they can listen to programmes at their leisure. Area helpers, all DBS checked, are available to support listeners who may have operating or technical problems with their devices from time to time.

CaTN also broadcasts, and distributes, a quarterly audio magazine, ‘Insight’ , which features a wide variety of articles of interest to our listeners. Both the news and magazine programmes always seek to include items which provide examples, and role models, of visually impaired, elderly, or disabled people who have undertaken activities which have greatly enriched their lives.

‘Team Talk’ In addition, we issue a Newsletter called to all volunteers four times during the year which contains important information about the charity, including organisational developments. The newsletter also includes features about the lives and work of CaTN’s volunteers and listeners.

The charity also organizes a small number of social events during the year to help reduce the feelings of social isolation that some listeners feel. This year these have

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included an audio tour of the Amberley Museum specifically designed to meet the needs of visually impaired visitors many of whom are elderly and may also have mobility problems.

The Main Activities and Achievements of the Charity for 2024/2025:

The Annual General Meeting held on 31[st] October 2024 was attended by 67 people with apologies received from a further 24.

The keynote speakers at the AGM were Lauren Pridmore, Community Support Worker with Blind Veterans UK and Peter Burbery a blind veteran. Peter described various activities and achievements he had undertaken since losing his sight, including climbing Ben Nevis with his granddaughter.

A light lunch was followed by musical entertainment provided by “Cavatina”, an acapella group who sang a range of traditional and popular songs and included the audience in a final singalong! It was a very enjoyable occasion and another good opportunity for our listeners to meet one another and our volunteers, to chat, and to enable them to feel a valued part of their community.

On Friday December 6[th] , 2024, we held a Celebration Lunch for listeners and volunteers to celebrate the start of CaTN’s Golden Jubilee Year. The lunch was held in a local village hall with food provided by external caterers with wonderful Christmas music and poetry provided by professional performers. This provided further opportunities for some 74 of our listeners and volunteers to meet, chat, and get to know each other better.

Volunteers provide transport to and from these events for those listeners who might not otherwise be able to attend. Such occasions help to reduce the social isolation which some of our listeners experience because of their limited vision. Many listeners who attend these, and similar, events comment on what enjoyable social occasions they are for them.

On Sunday May 18[th] CaTN organized a Team Lunch for volunteers so that they can meet each other and chat together and also be thanked properly for the work that they do. Volunteers pay for their lunch and 31 enjoyed the occasion with food, again, provided by an external caterer.

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The transfer of our bank accounts from Barclays to the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) bank which provides a range of financial services more suited to small charities has now been in place for over a year and we are extremely satisfied with the range of support they provide and the good quality of their customer care.

The Trustees have an agreed timetable to review and, where necessary, amend our suite of policies, which are drawn up in accordance with advice from the Charity Commission, Talking News Federation, and other government websites.

The Vice Chairman, Bob Money, who is the Trustee responsible for the website, publicity and links with the media, has developed our website further, updated our information leaflets, given talks to local organisations, and arranged “pop-up” stalls in local libraries, a community centre, and as part of the Chichester Festival. These activities are vitally important for making CaTN better known in the communities it serves. This increased local awareness of CaTN’s contribution to its communities is evidenced in a number of ways, including featured articles in the local newspaper. These activities aid significantly the recruitment of new listeners and volunteers.

Building on our positive at ude to continuous improvement we have developed our service further in a number of ways. An analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats enables Trustees to look ahead and plan to ensure that CaTN continues to flourish in the future. This process identified a number of desirable areas of development which have all been acted on. For example, we secured greater confidence in business continuity by improving succession planning. We have reviewed policies and administrative procedures to ensure compliance with all that charities are required to do.

Many listeners, and volunteers, have led inspiring lives and developed creative ways to manage the practical problems they face. Enabling them to have “air time” to relate their achievements in our news and magazine programmes gives enormous encouragement to other listeners to live life to the full. Consultation with listeners and volunteers through our broadcasts, Team Talk, our quarterly newsletter for volunteers, and a Listener Survey held in the spring of 2024, led to greater inclusion of items suggested by them in our programmes. The Survey, in particular, revealed huge support for our programmes and encouraged even more

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frequent inclusion of news and magazine items that provide examples of elderly and disabled people undertaking enjoyable and challenging activities. These have included one of our volunteers describing how she became an audio-describer at the Chichester Festival Theatre, a visually impaired listener taking advantage of that service, and another visually impaired listener describing vividly a charity fund raising swim which earned £2,500 for 4Sight Vision Support.

Feedback tells us that the service continues to work well, and volunteers and listeners enjoy contributing to that sense of doing important work.

We express our sincere thanks to everyone in CaTN - volunteers, listeners and friends - for all the help and support we receive throughout the year.

Public Benefit

CaTN’s entire operation has the sole purpose of benefiting blind, visually impaired and other disabled people and enabling them to lead safer, more independent and more enriched lives. The Trustees confirm that, when reviewing the charity’s activities and in devising future plans, they have had regard to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit and have complied with their duties under Section 17 of the Charities Act 2011.

Listeners continue to tell us how much they value our service and welcome the receipt of broadcasts to hear familiar voices delivering their local news. This provides them with material they can discuss with relatives, friends and carers in the society around them, and which is not always available elsewhere. They say it helps to keep them in touch with local news and events, provides comfort and reassurance to them, reduces feelings of loneliness and isolation, and enables them to feel part of their local community. We regularly receive cards and letters of thanks from listeners and their families which are much appreciated and also serve to confirm that we are contributing to public benefit as a charity. These letters and cards sometimes include donations to the charity and every donation is acknowledged by a letter of thanks from the Chairman.

Broadcast information also includes how to access services from national and local organisations which could enrich listeners’ lives, for example, West Sussex County

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Council’s Rehabilitation Officers for the Visually Impaired (ROVIs), The Macular Society, RNIB, 4Sight, and free downloads of Talking Books .

Listeners say how much they appreciate the social events specifically organised for them by volunteers such as the Listeners’ Lunch, and the lunch and entertainment following the Annual General Meetings. These opportunities to meet and mix with each other, and volunteers, together with our “days out” on visits help to dispel feelings of loneliness or social isolation. Listeners who attend these events comment on the friendliness and support they encounter.

CaTN has also received a Community Award from Chichester City Council recognising the social benefit it provides locally.

Future plans for the charity are to continue to develop our service, raising its profile through enhanced publicity, our website, information leaflets, and “popup” stalls, and encouraging more disabled people to benefit from the free service our volunteers provide.

In addition, this year CaTN will be celebrating 50 years of providing our service to visually impaired listeners. A programme of celebrations is being planned over the year from December 2024 and will end in December 2025 with a celebration lunch.

June 2025 Review of the charity’s financial position at 30[th]

Detailed financial statements are reported to the Trustees at each of their meetings. Full financial statements of annual accounts are provided to the Independent Examiner for the preparation of her report. The Trustees have reviewed the financial position and consider it to be satisfactory. The reserves held are sufficient to manage any change in CaTN’s financial situation which might include very substantial expenditure on finding, funding, and equipping a new recording studio and office if there was a need to move from St Richard’s Hospital at some stage in the future. None of the charity’s work or finance takes place outside the United Kingdom. The charity has no trading subsidiaries. Trustees have not identified any significant risks facing the charity; and they consider there are no uncertainties about it continuing as a ‘going concern’.

Principal sources of funds

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The charity is funded by legacies and donations from individual members, from grant-making trusts, and also from fund raising. These income sources vary in size from as much as £1,000 to as little as £5. All donations are acknowledged by a letter of thanks from the Chairman, pointing out how valuable they are in continuing to support our work. No income is received from outside the United Kingdom nor does the charity deliver any charitable activities outside of the UK.

Appointment of trustees and volunteers

Trustees, who form the Committee, are appointed by the Board of Trustees having regard to the range of skills and experience that will meet the needs of the charity, and the personal attributes of the individuals. The Board includes two visually impaired trustees and one carer of a visually impaired listener. Appropriate training and induction arrangements are in place and all trustees, and those volunteers who visit the homes of visually impaired listeners, are subject to DBS checks.

At the AGM of 31[st] October 2024, Ken Pritchard continued as Chairman of CaTN, Bob Money continued as Vice Chairman, and John Goodman continued as Treasurer.

In accordance with the requirements of the Constitution, Christine Mustchin, Anne Brearley-Smith, and Colin Jenner were eligible to retire by rotation and were reelected for a further term at the Trustees’ meeting of September 15[th] , 2025. This decision was endorsed by the AGM on Thursday, October 23[rd] , 2025. At their meeting of 10[th] February 2025, the Trustees appointed Philip Adams to become a Trustee representing visually impaired and blind listeners.

October 2024 and was Goeff Porter resigned as a Trustee with effect from 31[st] thanked for his hard work on behalf of CaTN over seven years and especially for his work as Treasurer.

Sadly, a much-loved Trustee of CaTN died suddenly on Monday 30[th] September 2024. Mrs Jan Penn will be very much missed. Her support for CaTN was unswerving and her lively, adventurous spirit brought much of great value to the charity.

Trust Details:

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Principal Office:

Chichester Area Talking News, The Studio, St Richard’s Hospital, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 6SE

Tel: 01243 775050 Email: studio@catn.org.uk Website: www.catn.org.uk

Registered Charity No. 1184267

Trustees:

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12		 Trustee name Office (if any) Dates acted if not for whole year
Mr K J Pritchard Chairman
Mr R I Money Vice Chairman
Mr J V P Goodman Treasurer
Mrs E Bush Secretary
Mrs H Pinn
Mrs A Brearley-Smith
Mr D Bathurst
Mr C Jenner
Mr M Bevis
Mr C Mustchin
Mrs C Mustchin
Mr PhilipAdams From 10thFebruary2025

Bankers:

Charities Aid Foundation,

Registered office - 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ.

Independent Examiner of Accounts:

Evans Weir, The Victoria, 25 St Pancras, Chichester West Sussex PO19 7LT

The Trustees’ Report was approved by the Board of Trustees

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Signed on behalf of the Trustees

Ken Pritchard OBE (Chairman) Date…27[th] October 2025…………

Registered Office: The Studio, St Richard’s Hospital, Chichester PO19 6SE

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Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A
Section A
Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/
members of
On accounts for the year
ended
Set out on pages
Charity Name
Chichester Area TalkingNews
30th June 2025 Charity no
(if any)		 1184267
(remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
1-2
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above
charity (“the Trust”) for the year endedDD / MM / YYYY.
30/06/2025

Responsibilities and As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent ~~[The charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 and I am qualified to~~ examiner's statement ~~undertake the examination by being a qualified member of [insert name of applicable listed body]].~~ ~~Delete [ ]~~ ~~if not applicable~~ .

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination ~~(other than that disclosed below *)~~ which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

 the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or

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 accounts to be reached.

Signed:
Name:
Relevant professional
qualification(s) or body		 08/07/2025
Jennifer Hoult
FMAAT

Oct 2018

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IER

(if any):

Address: Evans Weir, 25 St Pancras, The Victoria, Chichester, PO19 7LT

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .

Oct 2018

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IER