Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 15 September 2022 Period start date To 14 September 2023 Period end date
Charity name: SeaFriends
Charity registration number:1191294
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | Enhancing the wellbeing of Seaford residents experiencing social exclusion through loneliness and isolation by providing person centred support and social opportunities, in the home, community and safe space environments. Creating a culture that supports, empowers, and involves the service user to increase confidence and social interaction. An individually led journey back to participating in social activities enabling people to feel valued within the community. |
| 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 |
1. A telephone befriending service matching volunteer befrienders to residents experiencing the effects of loneliness and social isolation. 2. Remote training and a support programme has been established for our volunteers, and a website and Facebook page is in place. 3. Weekly coffee mornings have been set up with transport supplied by a mixture of volunteers and taxi services. 4. In collaboration with St Peters Church, a memory café has been established offering a safe place for those living with memory issues and their carers. 5. Subsidised day trips enabling beneficiaries to interact with the wider environment. 6. Seafriends joined Befriending Networks, a national befriending support charity and has benefited from membership of NCVO (National Council for Voluntary |
| Organisations), 3VA and SCC (Small Charities Coalition) enabling us to attend many of the online training and awareness sessions. |
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|---|---|---|
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | Throughout this period, trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit. |
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 | 1-2-1 Befriending – Our core activity continues to run well with both telephone and face to face befriending. We haven’t expanded to matches significantly during the period as after lockdown beneficiaries voiced their desire to get out and meet people. Some of the matches have left the service citing that they feel they are now friends and no longer need the support offered by SeaFriends – achieving a key objective , helping people reengage with the community and feel less socially isolated and lonely. Weekly coffee mornings – held in a local community centre SeaFriends provides a regular welcoming space to meet with other people either living alone, carers or feeling isolated or lonely. This service is free with transport provided for those who otherwise would not leave their home. Service users enjoy refreshments, board games and chat. There are on average 16 – 20 regular users with over half using the provided lifts. These are supplied by a mixture of volunteer drivers and taxis. There are 5 regular volunteers who assist staff on a rota basis with others dropping in to help when they can. The main outcome of this group are the friendships that have grown with service users meeting outside of the group and supporting each other. |
Subsidised Day Trips – These were requested by our service users when asked what they wanted SeaFriends to provide. SeaFriends ethos is that services are user led as much as possible. A Staff member underwent Minibus driver training and alongside another staff member and volunteer escorts provided monthly day trips to local attractions. The main outcome of this was that many beneficiaries were able to leave Seaford for the first time in years and interact with the wider environment. Memory Café – A collaboration between St Peters Church and SeaFriends with SeaFriends providing volunteer training, Safeguarding, admin support and weekly facilitation of the group. This is a purposely volunteer lead group to foster long term sustainability. The Memory Café offers a safe place for those living with memory issues and their carers. It focuses on peer support and building friendships. Run as a drop in with an average of 20 attendees at each session with the support of a bank of 9 volunteers with both personal and professional experience of dementia. Volunteers – During the reporting period SeaFriends reduced from two full time employees to one, and there was an average of 31 volunteers covering a variety of roles including, driving, memory café support, coffee morning support and 1-2-1 befriending. All volunteers receive mandatory training in Safeguarding, Boundaries, Confidentiality, EDI and are DBS checked. Additional role specific training is also provided along with regular social events to foster friendships and peer support between volunteers. It is recognised that during Covid many volunteers came to SeaFriends as they were experiencing social isolation and loneliness. Volunteering proved to be an excellent way to meet people and become
engaged with the local community.
Financial Review
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | Cash funds of £43,949.90 at the beginning of the period on 15 September 2022 reflected the National Lottery Grant payment of 26 August 2022 of £37,348.75. Income for the year was £81,522 comprising of: National Lottery grant : : £78,698 Donations from the public, Easy Fundraising, an insurance refund, Amazon Smile and others : £ 2,824 Expenditure for the period was £54,644 leaving a surplus of £26,878 for the year. Cash funds at the year end on 14 September 2023 were £71,002, reflecting a National Lottery grant funding payment on 4 August 2023 of £41,348.75 for the next period. |
|---|---|---|
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | The reserves policy of SeaFriends is that it should retain 3 months expenditure to cover the event of closure of the charity. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | £15,000. |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | N/A |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | N/A |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 | The departure of one of the two paid members of staff during the year impacted the draw on funds pending their replacement. The charity therefore remains in close contact with the National Lottery Grant body regarding |
funding management.
| Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
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 | SeaFriends principal source of funding is from the Lottery Fund. |
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | N/A |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | The principal risk facing the charity will be disruption in funding, and the departure of staff. |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
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|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | SeaFriends has the Constitution of a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. This is the third year of operation with charity trustees appointed |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | SeaFriends is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation |
| 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 | This is the third year of operation. Replacements will be sought in line with existing guidance for the election of Trustees, but identifying replacements who are prepared to volunteer to fill posts has been challenging. |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | SeaFriends | |
|---|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | N/A | |
| Registered charity number | 1191294 | |
| Charity’s principal address | 34 Sutton Park Road, Seaford, BN25 1RP, United Kingdom hello@seafriends.org.uk |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephanie Baker | Chairperson | |||
| Janet Kent | ||||
| Mark Forrester | Treasurer |
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) Stephanie Baker Full name(s) Stephanie Baker Position (eg Secretary, Chair Chair, etc) Date 29/05/2024
SeaFriends 1191294
Receipts and payments accountspts and payments accountsts and payments accountspayments accountsayments accountsyments accountsments accounts
Receipts and payments accountspts and payments accountsts and payments accountspayments accountsayments accountsyments accountsments accounts CC16a For the period Period start date Period end date To from 15-Sep-22 14-Sep-23
Section A Receipts and payments
| Section A Receipts and payments | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Receipts LotteryFund 78,698 Donations 2,706 Amazon 45 EasyFundraising 18 Insurance refund 55 - - - 81,522 - - Sub total - Total receipts 81,522 A3 Payments Salaries and NI 46,087 Insurance 636 DBS Clearance 38 Venue costs 1,917 Training 32 IT Equipment 1,146 Communications 494 Stationery 302 Volunteer costs 2,303 Office costs 1,338 Accountancycosts 125 Other 226 Sub total 54,644 - - Sub total - Total payments 54,644 Net of receipts/(payments) 26,878 A5 Transfers between funds - A6 Cash funds last year end 44,124 Cash funds this year end 71,002 Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ Sub total(Gross income for AR) A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Restricted funds |
to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Endowment funds |
Total funds to the nearest £ 78,698 2,706 45 18 55 - - - 81,522 - - - 81,522 46,087 636 38 1,917 32 1,146 494 302 2,303 1,338 125 226 54,644 - - - 54,644 26,878 - 44,124 71,002 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
| 70,697 | ||||
| 3,533 | ||||
| 22 | ||||
| 15 | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| 74,267 | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| 74,267 | ||||
| 57,893 | ||||
| 681 | ||||
| 138 | ||||
| 1,593 | ||||
| 235 | ||||
| 1,100 | ||||
| 405 | ||||
| 53 | ||||
| 796 | ||||
| 12 | ||||
| 100 | ||||
| 406 | ||||
| 63,412 | ||||
| - | ||||
| 63,412 | ||||
| - | - | 26,878 | 10,855 | |
| - | - | - | - | |
| - | - | 44,124 | 33,269 | |
| - | - | 71,002 | 44,124 |
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Categories B1 Cash funds
B2 Other monetary assets
B3 Investment assets
B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use
B5 Liabilities
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees
| Details Prepaid Card Details Funds held in SeaFriends Lloyds Bank Business account Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) |
to nearest £ 70,502 500 - 71,002 OK to nearest £ - - - - - - Unrestricted funds Unrestricted funds |
to nearest £ - - - - OK to nearest £ - - - - - - Restricted funds Restricted funds |
to nearest £ Endowment funds |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| OK | |||
| to nearest £ Endowment funds |
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| Details Details Details Signature Stephanie Baker |
Cost (optional) - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Print Name Stephanie Baker Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) |
Current value (optional) |
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| Current value (optional) |
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| When due (optional) |
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| Date of approval |
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| Stephanie Baker | Stephanie Baker | 29.05 2024 |
Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Seafriends {ClO) I report to the trustees on my examinatK*n of the accounts of Seafriends Ithe Trust) for the year ended 14 September 2023. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity trustees of the TrusL you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 20111.the Act'l. I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accourrts 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 14515llbl of the Act Independent examinerfs statsment I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me Cause to believe that in any material respecL' • accounting records were not kept in respect of the TnJst as required by section 130 of the ACL- or the accounts do not accord with those records or the accounts do not compty with the applicable requirements conceming the form and content of accounts out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independentexamination. 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 to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. MT A M Richardson. FCCA 12 Went Hill Park Seaford East Sussex BN25 4QD 29 May 2024