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2025-03-31-accounts

ACFA Trustee Annual Report

April 2024 – March 2025

Trustees at period ending 31/03/2025

Katherine Tanko – Trustee and Chair

Karen Bowers – Trustee and Vice Chair

Alice Tibbert – Trustee and Secretary

Dr Robert France – Trustee and Treasurer

Frances Begley - Trustee

Michael Harris – Trustee

William Cotterill – Trustee

Jon Shoesmith – Trustee

Alison Rush – Trustee (resigned 06/11/2024)

Fiona Cope – Trustee (resigned 02/05/2024)

Governing Document

ACFA: The Advice Network is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. It was established on 19.12.2019 under a constitution which established the objects, powers and governance of the charity.

Trustee Induction

Trustees who are currently in post are already familiar with the practical work of the charity having been working for a member organisation. They therefore possess familiarity with the advice sector locally and/or nationally. Additionally, all new trustees will be provided with a copy of the constitution of the CIO, a strategic plan and previous minutes of trustee meetings. All trustees are encouraged to attend training related to the obligations and responsibilities of charity trustees.

Organisational Structure

ACFA: The Advice Network has a trustee board (as of 31.03.2025) of 8 members who meet quarterly and are responsible for the strategic direction and policy of the charity. Membership of the CIO is open to anyone who is interested in furthering its purposes. Usually, membership is sought by advice giving agencies working in Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucester (BNSSG) or other surround local authority areas. There are two categories of membership: Full membership is for non-statutory, not for profit organisations who provide free social welfare advice and information – for example, advice centres, law centres and Citizens Advice services. Full members receive all member benefits and have

the right to vote on ACFA business or policy, such as at ACFA meetings and at our AGM. Affiliate membership is for statutory services, private companies, educational establishments, housing associations who provide free social welfare advice and information. For example, local authority services, private practice and university student advice etc. Affiliate members receive all member benefits but do not have the right to vote on ACFA business or policy, such as at ACFA meetings and at our AGM.

Risk Management

The Trustee Board has conducted a review of the major risks to which the charity is exposed. Where appropriate, systems or procedures have been established to mitigate the risks the charity faces. Significant external risks to sustainability have led to the development of a strategic plan that considers options for development and diversification. Internal control risks are minimised by the implementation of procedures for authorisation of transactions and projects.

The charity's purpose is set out in the objects of the organisation's constitution:

The promotion of the voluntary advice service sector in Bristol and the surrounding areas for the public benefit by:

The focus of our work

ACFA is not just for specialist organisations that provide advice to the public on social welfare law issues; it is for all voluntary sector and community organisations that provide advice, information and/or support. We are keen to ensure that organisations work together effectively to ensure people get the help they need, when they need it. Our mission is to work in partnership to combat poverty and promote social justice by improving the quality & provision of free, independent advice. ACFA supports advice agencies based in the West of England who provide free, independent and confidential advice services. Individually and collectively, ACFA members will be more effective and efficient enabling them to provide great advice services that meet the needs of our communities.

Activities and Main Achievements of 2024/25

In spring and summer 2024, ACFA completed delivery of its Quartet-funded work, developing its strategic work and membership and training activities. Housing Matters hosted the Administration function and through the year-long project delivered:

The Strategic Lead, Jane Emmanuel, was able to represent ACFA and the advice sector on a range of high-level strategic boards and groups. This included the Integrated Care Partnership Board; the interim VCSE Alliance Steering Group and Building Healthier Communities Delivery Group among others. The also worked with trustees and members to develop a new Strategy for ACFA.

At the AGM in May 2024, the strategic plan was presented to members, who agreed to take its recommendations forward.

There was recognition that while the groundwork had been laid, there was still much work to be done to build on what had been started to deliver the strategy and realise ACFA’s ambitions.

Thrive training: In summer 2024, ACFA secured £20,000 in Thrive funding towards the delivery of coproduced free mental health training for advice sector workers. The aim of the project was to build the knowledge, confidence and skills of client-facing workers in the advice sector to better support

clients around their mental wellbeing and improve referrals to mental health and wellbeing support. Staff wellbeing was also improved because training sessions include self-care and sharing experiences and learning new tools to help them in their roles, especially when dealing with clients with mental health issues. Over the year we delivered:

The project will run until September 2025.

Interim Strategic Lead: With the Quartet funding coming to an end, and not wanting to lose momentum, in summer 2024 trustees agreed to invest ACFA reserves in recruiting an Interim Strategic Lead.

Their role was to secure funding and take the work of the strategic plan forward. We were fortunate to recruit former CANS CEO Fiona Mackintosh to the post. Fiona brought years of senior management experience, strategic connections and huge commitment to advancing the cause of advice services to the role. From September, Fiona began to build on Jane Emmanuel’s work by connecting with key strategic networks, applying for funding and raising ACFA’s profile as an infrastructure organisation for independent advice across the West of England.

Thanks to Fiona’s hard work (which continued on a volunteer basis after the funding ended) ACFA is now represented on key strategic boards including the Integrated Care Board (ICB), VCSE Alliance & Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) and the West of England Civil Society Partnership (WOECSP).

In early 2025, we secured additional funding of £20,000 through the Quartet Community Foundation to take ACFA’s strategic plan forward. Trustees took part in a development day with a facilitator to decide next steps. The aim was to be ambitious, but realistic with resources at hand, with firm eye on building long term sustainability in ACFA’s development plan. The following priorities were agreed:

  1. One voice

  2. Strategic Leadership and Advocacy

  3. Impactful Training and Peer Learning

  4. Beneficial change in the sector

  5. Effective common infrastructure

In order to deliver, ACFA recruited the following part time posts, recognising the need for specialism in these areas (as opposed to one “ACFA Coordinator”), from April 2025.

  1. Communcations Officer – Hosted by CANS

  2. Membership and Training Coordinator – Hosted by NBAC

  3. IT and Operations Lead – Ben Wraith, freelance

  4. Strategic Lead – Fiona Mackintosh, freelance

Regular Members meetings: We continued to run regular members meeting with good attendance from across the membership until the end of 2024. Due to a gap in funding and administration, this was paused in early 2025.

Household Support Fund (HSF): We continued delivery of this work with 14 ACFA member agencies providing advice, support and information services to support people across Bristol who were most at risk of poverty and deprivation due to the cost-of-living crisis. This work included advice and information drop-ins in key community hubs in East, North, South and Central Bristol, as well as organisations being able to take on more complex casework, and emergency funds.

Plans for 2025/26

Our plans for the coming year are to focus on the needs of our membership, and provide the services and support needed for our local advice sector to thrive. This includes:

Sources of funds

ACFA’s main funding has come from Quartet Community Foundation towards our core work, and Bristol City Council’s Thrive for our wellbeing training work. ACFA also self-generates income via membership and training fees.

Investment Policy

The charity has maintained a prudent amount in its reserves each year and have previously not invested surplus cash. Trustees are currently reviewing whether there are any suitable opportunities for investment of cash balances held.

Public Benefit

The Trustees have had due regard to the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit in deciding what activities the organisation should undertake and confirm that all the organisation’s activities are undertaken to further our charitable purposes for the public benefit.

ACFA: The Advice Network
Charity Name		 ACFA: The Advice Network
Charity Name		 ACFA: The Advice Network
Charity Name		 ACFA: The Advice Network
Charity Name		 ACFA: The Advice Network
Charity Name		 1187070
No (if any)		 1187070
No (if any)		 1187070
No (if any)		 CC16a
Receipts and payments accounts
For the period
from		 4/1/2024
Period start date		 To 3/31/2025
Period end date
Section A Receipts and payments
A1 Receipts Unrestricted
funds
to the nearest
£
141
18
1190
1324
40300
0
42973
0
0
0
42973		 Restricted funds
to the nearest £
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0		 Endowment
funds
to the nearest £
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0		 Total funds
to the nearest £
141
18
1190
1324
40300
0
42973
0
0
0
42973		 Last year
to the nearest £
Savings interest 141 99
EasyFundraising 18 18
TrainingIncome 1190 1205
MembershipFees 1324 1621
Grants 40300 20675
0 0
Sub total(Gross income for AR) 42973 23618
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
0 0
0 0
Sub total 0 0
Total receipts
A3 Payments
23618

PolicyLibrary updates		 500 0 0 500 1200
Payment Processing charges 0 0 0 0 0
WebsiteDesign&Maintenance 24 0 0 24 1378
Software 0 0 0 0 125
TrainingExpenses 21600 0 0 21600 0
Publicity 0 0 0 0 0
Meeting Costs 230 0 0 230 981
Honorariums 4029 0 0 4029 7227
Overheads (Bristol LawCentre) 3768 0 0 3768 3128
Overheads (HousingMatters) 4566 0 0 4566 1987
Insurance 380 0 0 380 0
Adjustment(prioryear) 22 0 0 22 0
Sub total 35118 0 0 35118 16026
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
0 0
0 0
Sub total 0 0
Total payments
Net of receipts/(payments)
A5 Transfers between funds
A6 Cash funds last year end
Cash funds this year end
16026
7855 7592
0
16273 8680
24128 16272

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

1

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

Categories
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
B1 Cash funds
B2 Other monetary assets
B5 Liabilities
B3 Investment assets
B4 Assets retained for the charity’s
own use
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)		 Signature
Current Account Balance
Savings Account Balance
Bristol Law Centre
Details
Total cash funds
(agree balances with receipts and
payments account(s))
Details
Details
Details
Details
2		 Unrestricted
funds
Restricted funds
to nearest £
to nearest £
1399
0
20729
0
0
0
22127
0
Agreement Error
OK
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted funds
to nearest £
to nearest £
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (optional)
0
0
0
0
0
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (optional)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Fund to which
liability relates
Amount due
(optional)
0
0
0
0
0
Print Name
Robert France
Katherine Tanko		 Endowment
funds
to nearest £
0
0
0
0
OK
Endowment
funds
to nearest £
0
0
0
0
0
0
Current value
(optional)
0
0
0
0
0
Current value
(optional)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
When due
(optional)
Date of approval
10/24/2025
10/28/2025

CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

ACFA: The Advice Network Registered Community Interest Organisation 1187070 Statement of Financial Activities to 31st March 2025

The following accounts have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) issued by the Charity Commission to comply with the Executive Committee's obligations as the trustees of the Charity for keeping accounting records

2025 2025 2024 2024
£ £ £ £
Income
Subscriptions & Donations
Savings Interest 141 99
Easy Fundraising 18 18
Training Income 1,190 1,205
Membership Fees 1,324 1,621
Grants Bristol City Council 20,000 20,675
Quartet 20,000 0
VOSCUR 300 0
Total Income **42,973 ** 23,618
Expenditure
Direct Charity
Policy Library Updates 500 1,200
Website Design & Maintenance 24 1,378
Software 0 125
Training Expenses 21,600 0
Meeting Costs 230 981
Honorariums 4,029 7,227
Overheads Bristol Law Centre 3,768 3,128
Housing Matters 4,565 1,987
Insurance 380 0
Adjustment (Prior Year) 22 0
Total Expenditure 35,118 16,026
Surplus/(Deficit) 7,855 7,592
Retained Funds B/fwd 16,273 8,681
Total Funds 24,128 16,273
Funded By:
Current Accounts Current Account 1,399 1,773
Savings Account 20,729 6,166
Bristol Law Centre 0 8,333
Transfer Between Funds 2,000 0
(Rounding) 1 1
24,128 16,273

Notes to the Accounts

  1. The accounts are prepared on a receipts and payments basis and no account has been taken of accrued/ prepaid income or expenditure

Independent Examiners Report to the Trustees of ACFA: The Advice Network Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner

The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the charities act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

. examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act
. to follow the procedures laid down in the general Direction
. given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the
. Charities Act) and
. to state whether particular matters have come to my attention

Basis of Independent Examiners Statement

My examination was carried out in accordance with general directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with these records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The

procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in in audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair' view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below,

Independent Examiners Statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

  1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act

to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met; or

  1. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

M J Bowles MJIB Accounting Ltd October 2025