The Wellbank Foundation
Report and Financial Statements Year to 31 March 2026 Charity Number 1192329
Reference and administrative information
Trustees
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A Robson (Chair)
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R Robson (Treasurer)
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L Robson
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E Robson
Principal Office: 7 Carlton Terrace, Jesmond Road West, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4PD
Charity number: 1192329
Auditors:
Bankers: Virgin Money, 154-158 Kensington High Street, London. W8 7RL
Report of the trustees for the year ended 31 March 2026
The Trustees present their annual report and financial statements of the charity for the period ended 31 March 2026. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the accounts and comply with the charity’s trust deed, the Charities Act 1993 and the SoRP: Accounting and Reporting by Charities published in 2005.
Structure, governance and management
The Trust is a registered charity, number 1192329 and is constituted under a trust deed dated 3 November 2021. The Trust was established by an initial gift by Mr and Mrs Robson and per the deed an annual gift will follow in order to fund those successful applications made by North Eastern charities complying with strict criterion. The Trust does not fundraise and seeks to continue the charitable work of allocating the available monies to deserving charities.
New trustees are appointed by the existing trustees and serve for five years after which they can put themselves forward for reappointment. The deed provides for a minimum of 3 and there is no maximum number of trustees. Of the initial trustees, R Robson was appointed for 5 years, A Robson for 4 years, L Robson for 3 years and E Robson for 2 years.
R Robson was reappointed in December 2025 for five years.
Every quarter the trustees hold a meeting at which the various applications are discussed in order that they should be evaluated and a decision made as to whether a grant should be awarded. Prior to these meetings the applications are reviewed to ensure that those discussed comply with the specific criterion dictated by the trust deed.
All trustees are volunteers and no trustee remuneration was paid during the period. Trustees are required to disclose all relevant interest and register them at the meeting in order that all decisions are made fairly.
Risk Management
The donation is kept in a bank account, with 2 signatories, from which the grants are paid. All the funds are kept in cash – no investments are undertaken.
Objectives and activities for the public benefit
The objectives state that the trust is set up to provide financial assistance to support activities and projects of registered charitable groups that enhance the lives of those disadvantaged in North East England.
The Trust achieves these objectives by allocating grants to the successful applicants, who deliver their projects. We do not deliver any projects ourselves or incur any costs.
Grant making policy
The applications are considered on an individual basis and their proposals are discussed in detail to decide on whether the charity’s request is successful.
Review of the public benefit from the grant funding
During the year to 31 March 2026 we have made grants to many charities, the effect of the funding is evaluated after the period stated within the applications by the charities and reported back to us.
Financial review
No donation was made in the year. A Gift Aid claim was made to HMRC for £25,168. Additionally, £19,814 was repaid by a charity who had not undertaken the project which was funded by Wellbank in 2023/24.
At the end of the year there was a balance of £32,169.98, which will be carried forward to be distributed in the next year.
Grants awarded in this financial period
Grants have been awarded to the following charities for the various projects, the descriptions are the wording provided by the charities, detailing their objectives:
Triangular
We want to offer 1-to-1 support for 50 of the most vulnerable refugees across Tyne and Wear. This approach will focus on housing, education, employment, health, immigration, and social services:
Housing: many of our clients cannot access decent, safe accommodation. Triangular has strong links with local authorities and landlords. We will act as an intermediary, help to broker relationships, and assist with the completion of paperwork.
Employment: we will help beneficiaries to connect with mainstream services. We will also provide support surrounding qualification recognition, CVs, job applications, and interviews.
Language: improved English language is the foundation of successful integration and is often the gateway to sustainable employment. We will offer lessons catering to varying language levels.
Immigration: Triangular will offer an accessible service to improve understanding, formulate appeals, plan for family reunion applications, and help connect asylum seekers with lawyers who can support them.
Education: we will offer trainings on the welfare system, entitlements, and digital literacy. The volunteer programme will also allow refugees to gain work experience and practice the English language skills.
Foundations Furniture Project
We aim to alleviate furniture poverty by providing low-cost furniture to those facing financial hardship. We offer essential items such as beds, sofas, wardrobes and tables free of charge to individuals and families in crisis. In the past 12 months, we supported 758 households (1834 people including 773 children). Of these, 95 households received urgent help through our crisis support service, receiving furniture free of charge.
We collect pre-loved furniture free of charge from households across Tyne and Wear, giving furniture a second life by redistributing it to those in need. Ove the past year, we collected from 766 households and diverted approximately 75,000kg of furniture from landfill, making a meaningful impact both socially and environmentally.
We offer a supportive traineeship for local individuals through our “Ready to Work” scheme. Foundations have grown a welcoming, inclusive environment for trainees to build skills and confidence being in a workplace. In the past year, 11 individuals completed the programme,
achieving a positive outcome rate of 100%. Notably, over half of trainees were neurodivergent, highlighting our accessibility. Of those who completed the course, five progressed into employment or education, the remaining six continues to volunteer with us or in the community.
West End Women
West End Women and Girls Centre is a neighbourhood youth and community project set up in 1981. Our work focuses tightly on the complex and multiple needs of women and girls in the West End of Newcastle and aims to provide a holistic model to support these needs. We do this through group work where women and girls have the opportunity to meet, have fun, learn skills, look at issues relevant their lives and generally build confidence in a safe and supportive environment. We provide women’s groups every morning and girls clubs every night; spaces to grow strong, become resilient and empowered. Annually, 10,000 Women and Girls access the centre and five generations of families hold membership. We are powered by the local community and all services are developed based on their expressed needs, reflected in the Board, staff team and membership.
The pandemic exposed deep and entrenched inequalities around food, health and wellbeing and access to nature and we are seeing unprecedented levels of poverty amongst our membership. In response, in 2021, we grew our work into the wilds, taking on a farm in rural Northumberland for our members, to further support women and families through access to nature, growing and animal care.
SPARCS
are socially excluded from society, or parts of society, as a result of their au�sm and/or neurodiversity from becoming socially excluded, relieving the needs of those people and assis�ng them to integrate into society, in par�cular but not exclusively by:
• Providing a recrea�onal facility for au�s�c and neurodiverse children and young people and their families/ carers which creates a safe, friendly and accep�ng atmosphere in which all par�cipants can feel comfortable, relaxed and included;
• Providing an opportunity for families/ carers to share and learn new strategies for suppor�ng the needs of their children and to reduce feelings of social isola�on;
• Providing opportuni�es for the neuro typical family members and friends of au�s�c and neuro diverse children and young people to share experiences with them and to promote inclusion;
• Facilita�ng access, through signpos�ng, to relevant informa�on, advice and training for families/ carers as appropriate.
Gosforth Minibus
We are a small, local charity operating a 12-seater minibus for the benefit of residents primarily, but not exclusively, in the Gosforth and Jesmond areas of Newcastle upon Tyne. Our aims are to provide a wheelchair-accessible minibus service for elderly, disabled or disadvantaged individuals in need, and for non-profit making community groups or charities whose aims are to advance education, provide recreational activities in the interests of social welfare or to relieve distress. We are run entirely by volunteers.
Love Amelia
Love, Amelia is a children’s charity based in Hendon, Sunderland, dedicated to supporting families with children aged 0–16 who are experiencing poverty and hardship across North East England, including Sunderland, South Tyneside, North Tyneside, Gateshead, Newcastle, Northumberland, and County Durham. Our core service provides essential items and equipment to families in need. Working through a trusted network of professional referrals such as health visitors, social workers, and family support teams, we respond to more than 300 referrals every month. We collect and distribute high-quality pre-loved and new items, including clothing, toiletries and nappies, toys, bedding, and larger equipment such as cots, prams, and safety gates. Every item is carefully cleaned, checked, and packed with dignity, ensuring families receive safe, age-appropriate support at the time they need it most. We believe every child deserves the best start in life and equal opportunities to thrive. By giving new life to items children have outgrown, we not only support families but also contribute to a circular economy, offering a sustainable, impactful way to care for our communities. Additionally, we deliver Blossom, an initiative providing same-day access to specialist Citizens Advice support, helping families quickly access trusted guidance and prevent crises from escalating.
Company of Others
Company of Others (CoO) is a dance company based in the North East. Founded: 2016 by Artistic Director/CEO Nadia Iftkhar (NI). Charitable status: July 2020. CoO moved to new space ‘The Bricks’ in Walker, July 2021, which we are developing into a community arts hub for people experiencing poverty, racism, ableism and other marginalisations. CoO was created to be a safe and courageous artistic space for communities who are Othered by the society we live in. Our values are artistry, equity and integrity. All of our work is FREE. We place equal value on ‘professional’ and ‘community’ work, blurring the lines between them, celebrating difference through long-term community engagement with those who haven’t previously or don’t regularly engage with arts/culture, increasing lifelong wellbeing through dance and movement. One of our current programmes is Walker Youth Dance Project (WYDP) which offers free, weekly, after-school choreographic/performance training for leadership, empowerment and wellbeing in Walker for secondary school aged children living in Byker and Walker, founded 2017. Walker is Newcastle’s most deprived Ward (IMD ranking 32/32,844 in England). WYDP’s performances include Pulse 2018-2020, Benfield Dance Festival and a dance film for UDance in January 2021. Following that, in Spring 2021, we led a self care project over WhatsApp for WYDP Members using self-care packages delivered to their homes. We are currently leading Walker Youth Dance Festival, a 9 month project funded by Newcastle City Council with 200 young people.
Sunderland Women’s Centre
SWC was set up in 1984 to provide learning, support and encouragement to women of all ages and backgrounds from all over the City of Sunderland and surrounding areas. Through providing services/ activities our aim is to; instil a sense of purpose/ achievement and improve prospects of employment and quality of life, freely and without discrimination, by removing barriers to learning and supporting women from under -represented groups. This includes; older women, women with disabilities, those experiencing mental health problems, women and children from BAME communities, refugees and asylum seekers (including women from Ukraine who have come to live in Sunderland and are now attending our Centre.) We value equality and cultural diversity, as well as promoting social inclusion to reduce disadvantage, we also encourage and empower women who may feel excluded to realise their potential through offering a first step back into education. Activities we deliver include; basic skills and ESOL, IT, health, arts/crafts, science & history subjects, selfdevelopment and employability skills. We have the trust and confidence of a great number of women and our experience has led toa good reputation for helping women achieve more than they imagined through building positive relationships, self confidence and support networks.
Reserves policy
The policy of the trust is to distribute all donations made, consequently the presence of reserves represents a timing difference only. All reserves are unrestricted.
Plan for the next year
The trustees would like to continue funding those deserving charities in order that they may deliver projects that meet our criterion for support.
Trustees’ responsibilities in relation to the financial statements
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and the UK Accounting Standards. The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the trustees to prepare proper statements which provide a true and fair view of the underlying financial transactions. In order to do so the trustees are required to
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select suitable accounting standards and apply them consistently
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observe methods and principles of the Charities SoRP
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent
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state whether the applicable standards have been followed, and disclose any departure from those standards and principles
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prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy the financial position of the charity and enable them to ascertain to ensure that the financial statements comply with the charities Act 1993, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information included on the charity’s website.
Approved by the trustees on 1 May 2026 and signed on their behalf by
A Robson Chair of Trustees
Wellbank Foundation
Statement of Financial Activities for the year ending 31 March 2026
| Incoming resources | |
|---|---|
| Returned Grant | 19,814 |
| HMRC | 25,168 |
| Total | 44,982 |
| Outgoing resources | |
| Grants | 62,043 |
| Net movement of resources | (17,061) |
| Reconciliation of funds | |
| Brought Forward | 49,231 |
| Movement | (17,061) |
| Carried Forward | 32,170 |
| Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2026 | |
| Current Assets | |
| Cash at bank | 32,170 |
| Net Assets | 32,170 |
| Funds of the charity | |
| Unrestricted funds | 32,170 |
Wellbank Foundation
The notes on page 8 form part of these accounts
Approved by the trustees on and signed on their behalf by
A Robson
Chair of Trustees
Wellbank Foundation
Notes to the accounts
1. Accounting policies
a) Basis of preparation
The financial statements have been prepared under the historic cost convention. They have been prepared in accordance with SoRP: : Accounting and Reporting by Charities published in 2005 and applicable UK Accounting Standards and the Charities Act 1993.
b) Funds structure
The charity receives an annual donation in order to fund any grant requests made during the year. The trustees use their discretion to determine which applications are funded from the available monies.
- c) Recognition of income
All incoming resources are received as soon as the charity has entitlement to the resources, it is certain that the resources will be received and that the monetary value of the resources can be determined with certainty.
d) Resources expended
Grants are only made to charities when there are sufficient funds in the bank account. All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis.
2. Related party transactions and trustees’ remuneration
Trustees are not permitted to receive and have not received any remuneration for their services as per the trust deed.
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trustees On accounts for the year ended Charity no (rf any) Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (Ihe Trusf) for the year ended As the chariivs trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the aGcounts in aCrdan with the requirements of the Chartties Act 2011 (Ihe Acf). I report in resped of my examination of the Trusys accounts carriéd out under sedion 145 of the 2011 Act and in rArying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5}(b) of the Act. Responsibilities and basis of report Independent rrhe thanty's gross inGome exceeded £250,000 and l am qualrfied to examiner's statement undertake the examination by being a qualified member of [insert nam8 of appliGable listed bodyll. Delete [ l rf not applicable. I have completed my examination. I confimi that no material matters have come to my attention in ¢onnedion with the examination (other than that disdosed 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 the accourrts did not accord with the accounting records., or the accounts did not compty with the applicable requirements conceming the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement th* the accounts give a Irue and fairf view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no cOnm$ 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 understsnding of the accounts to be reached. . Please delete the words in the brackets rfthey do not apply. Date: Signed: Name: C44¥1 Relevant professional qualification(s) or body ACNA IER Oct 2018
(rfany): Address: osshDoo 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. IER Oct 2018