## **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**
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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||||
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## – 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 **-------------**