Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 01/02/2024 Period start date To 31/01/2025 Period end date
Charity name: Sussex Coast Talking News
Charity registration number: 1194816
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | Provide support for the blind, and the visually impaired (VIP), and those who have some temporary or permanent incapacity or disability which makes reading a strain, bytheprovision of audio local news. |
| 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 |
The editng, and audio recording of local news, plus the provision and distributon of recorded CDs and USB memory stcks and the equipment for playing or reproducing the same as well as placing the recordings on the website. |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | The trustees have been sent copies of and have regard to the latest guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public beneft. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
SORP reference |
||
|---|---|---|
| Policy on grant making | Para 1.38 | |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | All of the charity’s operatons (management, editng, recording, reading copying and distributon etc) are conducted entrely by volunteers. |
Other
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 | Volunteers phoned listeners (the benefciaries) to explain any changes and to help them access the recordings when required, and this enabled the charity to maintain its listener base. Many listeners expressed their thanks for the service the charity provided in keeping them in touch with local news. In additon, a survey of all listeners was carried out early in the year. Again, listeners were very positve about the service they received. For example, around 80% said that the sound quality and reading of broadcasts was good or very good. They rated the local news as the most popular part, but also indicated that they enjoyed the magazines. Amongst comments were two that summed up listeners experience: “I enjoy the connection with the wider community” “I appreciate the time given by volunteers providing the service” |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 |
The charity has promoted our services to the blind and visually impaired in our catchment area. |
|---|---|---|
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 | |
| Other |
Financial Review
| Financial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | The charity’s fnancial positon at the end of the period is a healthy one, with strong reserves and expenditure in line with previousyears. |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | The charity holds reserves in order to safeguard its future as it has in this last year, as in the previous year, had to vacate its current premises and to fnd and pay for alternatve costlystudiopremises. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | £50,000 |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 |
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 | The charity’s principal sources of funds are from donatons and its investment reserves. |
|---|---|---|
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | Where it is seen to be fnancially possible and appropriate once the charity’s own fnancial needs are considered, the trustees of the charity have given fnancial support other like-minded charites and organisatons (with objectves to provide support for the blind, and the visually impaired). |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | The principal risks facing the charity are: Maintaining its listener base; a number of similar Talking News charites have had to fold because listener numbers are too low (listener numbers fall due to age atriton). Recruitng and maintaining trustees and volunteers with suitable skills to enable good quality in all of its varied operatons. Listeners have reportedlate postal delivery |
| Other |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
||
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | Memorandum and artcles of associaton |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | CIO |
| 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 | New trustees are nominated by existng trustees, volunteers and the management group and elected to post. |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees |
Para 1.51 |
New trustees are inducted and trained by existng trustees. Training for existng trustees is encouraged and implemented where necessary (eg for data protecton). |
|---|---|---|
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | The charity is managed by a management group which comprises the trustees and volunteers who lead on specifc operatons (eg outreach and editng) and which is chaired by the director. All the members are nominated by volunteers and are subject to re-electon. |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | |
| Other |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Sussex Coast Talking News |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | |
| Registered charity number | 1194816 |
| Charity’s principal address | 88A The Street Rustington BN16 3NJ |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Batho | Director | |||
| Julie Pearce | ||||
| Ann Ridley | ||||
| Mike Wood | ||||
– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved
Director name
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets held in this capacity
Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects
Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of Name Address adviser
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Other optional information
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s)
Full name(s) Thomas Robin Batho
Position (eg Secretary, Director Chair, etc)
Date
07/01/2025
SUSSEX COAST TALKING NEWS
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
for the year ended 31 January 2025
SUSSEX COAST TALKING NEWS
REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS and TRUSTEES for the year ended 31 January 2025
The directors and trustees present their report and the unaudited financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 January 2025. The directors and trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015).
Objectives and activities
The objective of the charity is to provide a newspaper and magazine service for the blind and the visually impaired Sussex Coast Talking News is a talking newspaper, The charity creates, records and distributes local news as we its own magazine, every fortnight. The recordings are distributed free of charge in the form of a CD or USB stick. The charity covers an area from Shoreham to Bognor Regis and to Storrington in the north.
Public benefit
The trustees confirm that they have referred to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity's aims and objectives and in planning future activities.
Achievements and performance
The charity has been running for over 50 years and has an audience of between 100 and 150 listeners. The charity provides a free service to anyone who is blind or VIP.
Financial review
The charity relies mainly on donations and legacies. In most years the charity breaks even. It is fortunate to have received a number of large legacies, which are reflected in the accounts in investments. The income from those investments makes up any shortfall.
Investment policy
The charity's investments are managed by financial advisors, and are held in listed investments. Their market value was £426,835 at the year end.
Reserves policy
The charity's policy on reserves is reviewed annually by the trustees. The charity aims to maintain cash reserves equivalent to 12 months operating costs.
Plans for future periods
The trustees plan to continue to create and develop services for the blind and VIP.
Structure, governance and management
Sussex Coast Talking News is a non-profit making charity and is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 29 March 1982. It is also registered as a charity with the Charity Commission. It consists of director trustees, and more than 40 volunteers.
The day to day management of the charity is carried out by a mixture of the directors and experienced volunteers.
Risk management
Systems and regular reviews have been established to manage and mitigate the major risks to which the charity is exposed, as identified by the trustees.
SUSSEX COAST TALKING NEWS
REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS and TRUSTEES for the year ended 31 January 2025
Reference and administrative details
Registered charity number
1,194,816
Registered office
Sussex Coast Talking News 88AThe Street Rustington West Sussex BN16 3NJ
Directors and trustees
The directors and trustees throughout the year were:
Mrs J A Pearce T R Batho Mrs A Ridley Mr M J Wood
Treasurer
Mr R Jerome
T R Batho
Director and trustee
SUSSEX COAST TALKING NEWS
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (including Income and Expenditure account) for the year ended 31 January 2025
| 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Notes | £ | |
| Unrestricted funds | ||
| Income | ||
| Donations and legacies | 188 | |
| Investment income | 754 | |
| ------------- | ||
| 942 | ||
| Expenditure | ||
| Charitable activities | 3 | (14,539) |
| Net surplus/(deficit) on revaluation of investments | 35,459 | |
| ------------- | ||
| Net income and net movement in funds | 21,862 | |
| for the year | ||
| Reconciliation of funds | ||
| Total funds brought forward | 410,443 | |
| ------------- | ||
| Total funds carried forward | £432,305 | |
| ------------- |
SUSSEX COAST TALKING NEWS
BALANCE SHEET as at 31 January 2025
| 2025 | 20 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notes | £ | £ | £ | |
| Fixed assets | ||||
| Tangible assets | 4 | 2,229 | ||
| Investments | 5 | 426,835 | ||
| ------------- | ||||
| 429,064 | ||||
| Current assets | ||||
| Debtors | 0 | 0 | ||
| Cash at bank and in hand | 3,241 | 8,389 | ||
| ------------- | ------------- | |||
| 3,241 | 8,389 | |||
| Creditors (amounts falling due | 0 | 0 | ||
| within one year) | ||||
| ------------- | ------------- | |||
| Net current assets | 3,241 | |||
| ------------- | ||||
| Net assets | £432,305 | |||
| ------------- | ||||
| Funds of the charity | ||||
| Unrestricted funds: | ||||
| General fund | 432,305 | |||
| ------------- | ||||
| Total funds | £432,305 | |||
| ------------- |
The financial statements were approved by the directors and trustees on 20 January 2026 and signed on their behalf by
T R Batho
Director and trustee
SUSSEX COAST TALKING NEWS
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the year ended 31 January 2025
1. Statutory information
Sussex Coast Talking News is a registered charity, No.1194816. Its registered office is 88A The Street Rustingtonn, West Sussex, BN16 3NJ.
On the 1 October 2022 the charity changed its name from Voice of Progress to Sussex Coast Talking News.
2. Accounting policies
(a) Basis of preparing the financial statements
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, as modified by the revaluation of investments.
(b) Fund accounting
The general fund is unrestricted and can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretio of the trustees.
(c) Income
Income represents donations and legacies received, and interest and dividends receivable. Income is accounted for on a receivable basis when the charity is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be measured reliably.
(d) Expenditure
All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and is recognised when a liability is incurred. Costs are allocated to appropriate headings in the financial statements. Costs relating to more than one cost category are apportioned according to the purpose for which the expenditure was incurred.
(e) Taxation
The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.
SUSSEX COAST TALKING NEWS
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the year ended 31 January 2025
continued
2. Accounting policies -continued
(f) Fixed assets and depreciation
Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less depreciation. Depreciation is provided so as to write off the cost of fixed assets over their expected useful economic lives at the following annual rates:
Studio building 4% reducing balance Equipment 15% reducing balance
(g) Investments
Listed investments are stated at market value at the year end. Changes in value are accounted for in the Statement of Financial Activities for the year.
3. Charitable activities expenditure
| 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|
| £ | ||
| Audio consumables | 838 | |
| Premises expenses | 10,911 | |
| Donations | 200 | |
| Telephone and internet | 393 | |
| Printing, stationery and promotion | 353 | |
| Other | 1,740 | |
| Depreciation | 104 | |
| ------------- | ||
| £14,539 | ||
| ------------- | ||
| Tangible fixed assets | ||
| Studio | ||
| building | Equipment | |
| Cost | £ | £ |
| At beginning of year | 21,888 | 49,126 |
| Additions in year | 0 | 900 |
| ------------ | ------------ | |
| At end of year | 21,888 | 50,026 |
| ------------ | ------------ | |
| Depreciation | ||
| At beginning of year | 21,436 | 48,145 |
| Provision for the year | 21 | 83 |
| ------------ | ------------ | |
| At end of year | 21,457 | 48,228 |
| ------------ | ------------ | |
| Net book amount | ||
| At 31 January 2025 | £431 | £1,798 |
| ------------ | ------------ | |
| At 31 January 2024 | £452 | £981 |
| ------------ | ------------ |
4. Tangible fixed assets
SUSSEX COAST TALKING NEWS
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the year ended 31 January 2025
continued
5. Investments
| Investments | |
|---|---|
| 2025 | |
| Listed investments | £ |
| At beginning of year | 400,621 |
| Additional investment in the year | 0 |
| Withdrawals | (10,000) |
| Investment income | 755 |
| Net surplus/(deficit) on revaluation of investments | 35,459 |
| ------------- | |
| At end of year | £426,835 |
| ------------- |
i (vip).
3
2024 £
1,944 1,052 ------------2,996 (11,900) 11,809 ------------2,905
407,538 ------------£410,443 -------------
4
024
£
1,433 400,621 ------------402,054
8,389 ------------£410,443 -------------
410,443 ------------£410,443 -------------
6
2024 £ 723 9,392 0 76 53 1,552 104 ------------£11,900 -------------
Total
£ 71,014 900 -----------71,914 ------------
69,581 104 -----------69,685 -----------£2,229 -----------£1,433 ------------
7
2024
£ 392,760 0 (5,000) 1,052 11,809 ------------£400,621 -------------