Cholsey Volunteers Trust
Registered Charity No. 1197845
Trustees’ Annual Report 2025
Names of Trustees
Mr. Christopher Fry Chair Mr. John Wheeler Treasurer Mrs. Louise McAlister Secretary Mrs. Eve Evans Mrs. Helen Powis Ms. Lizzy Hay
Bank
Lloyds Bank Newmarket Branch 48 High St, Newmarket CB8 8LF
Governance
Cholsey Volunteers Trust was established as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation on 8 February 2022 and registered as charity no 1197845. This is our fourth Annual Report. The Trust was formed using the Foundation Model structure provided by the Charity Commission.
Appointment of Trustees
The founding trustees were appointed with staggered terms to ensure continuity: two for one year, three for two years, and two for three years. In 2026, Eve Evans and John Wheeler, having been founding trustees for one year and having completed their re-elected terms in February 2026 will have to stand for re-election of the two year balance of their two term entitlement
Policies and Procedures
To guide the Trustees in exercising their duty of care, the following policy statements have been adopted:
- Safeguarding Policy
Cholsey Volunteers Trust Annual Report 2025
Page 1
-
Data Protection Policy
-
Environmental Policy
-
Equal Opportunities Policy
-
Reserves Policy
-
Health and Safety Policy
-
Volunteer Drivers Policy
-
Volunteers Policy
Additionally, a comprehensive range of employment policies has been established. Copies of these policies are available to Trustees and other interested parties.
Risk Management
The Trustees recognize their legal obligation to protect service users and employees through adequate and appropriate insurance. Suitable cover has been arranged by Macbeth Chartered Insurance Brokers of Theale for public liability, employers’ liability, business interruption, and legal assistance. The Trust also own two vehicles, which are covered by a different broker, Wrightsure of Fareham.
Objectives of the Charity
The charity's constitution states that it has been established for the public benefit, aiming to relieve individuals in need due to youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship, or other disadvantages in Cholsey and the surrounding area. This is achieved through the provision of free and subsidized food and volunteer support services, including but not limited to transport to appointments, assistance with the collection of shopping and medication, befriending, and advocacy.
Principal Activities in Pursuit of Objectives
Cholsey Volunteers has maintained and expanded the services developed over the past two years:
-
Local transport, especially to and from hospitals and medical centres
-
Prescription deliveries
-
Delivery of Meals on Foot in association with the Cholsey Day Centre
Cholsey Volunteers Trust Annual Report 2025
Page 2
-
Operation of the Food Bank
-
Operation of the Community Larder in association with SOFEA
-
Establishment of an Advocacy and Support Hub
Our Development Officer, Jane Tyndall, continues to do a tremendous job maintaining the volunteer database and matching volunteers' aspirations with available opportunities. This has led to the creation of dedicated teams for the Community Larder and Food Bank, which now operate as almost autonomous units. We have also established Cholsey Welcome Space, a dedicated facility housed in Cholsey Pavilion, providing regular puzzle and meeting days throughout the year, as well as a Slow Cooker project funded through grants from South Oxfordshire Housing Association.
We have also, by way of a grant from Oxfordshire County Council, been able to employ a driver for maintaining our service level, and since our last annual report have received a grant from Oxfordshire Community Foundation to purchase a second vehicle.
The figures speak volumes about our achievements:
-
350 lifts to hospitals and doctors in the last 12 months, a 9% decrease on last year
-
An average of 56 lifts per week to and from the Day Centre each week, which is a 34% increase on last year
-
Approximately 2,800 meals delivered which is an 8% increase on last year, 1,700 treat bags delivered which is a 9% increase on last year, and 1,800 food boxes delivered which is a 14% decrease on last year,
-
Our shopping and prescription deliveries remain in line with 2024.
-
Our Community Larder membership has dropped by 17% due to an increased cost, however, we are starting to see a steady increase in new members.
Our growth and resilience have made us a permanent fixture in the village, encouraging a significant number of 'can-do' individuals to get involved, enriching the community.
Funding Strategy
The Trustees aim to manage the revenue budget on a self-financing basis. In 2025, this was largely achieved through public donations, fundraising, and several small grants, in addition to a surplus carried over from the previous year.
Cholsey Volunteers Trust Annual Report 2025 Page 3
Recognizing that the era of generous grants during lockdowns has passed, the Trustees will seek to expand the funding base by approaching local businesses and seeking broader community support through regular donations.
Reserves Policy
The charity benefited from the winding up of another village charity, Cholsey Relief In Need, which transferred nearly £21,000 to the Trust during the application for charitable status. This enabled the Trust to set aside £20,000 as a long-term reserve. The aim remains to maintain this reserve over the next five years. Given this commitment, the Trust has been able to invest a large proportion of the reserve in fixed term bonds to maximise income,
Future Plans
In 2025, the Trust focused on consolidating existing provisions while securing its financial position and raising its local profile. This has been done to great effect. Cholsey Volunteers has become a widely recognised and accepted local ‘brand’, and has started to attract donations from further afield.
In the coming year, the Trust will continue efforts to secure a broader funding base and further integrate its work with Cholsey Pavilion, Cholsey Day Centre, and other village organizations, providing a sustaining network of support for the village.
Closing Statement
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed by email after the AGM on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Mr Christopher Fry
Position Chair
Date 26 May 2026
Cholsey Volunteers Trust Annual Report 2025 Page 4
Independent Examiner's Report to the Trust88S of Cho15ey Volunteers TTUSt for the year ended 31st December 2025 The chanty's trust888 consider that an auflit is not requi for thi$ year (under sèction 43121 of the Chant8 Act 1993 (the Actll and thatan independent exarnination is neede An examination includes a revNw4 of th8 accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the a¢¢oun¢s presented wth those records. It al¥0 indudes consideration of any unusual items or disrjosures in the accounts. and 8eekiThJ explanations from the tru8t888 conceming any suth matters. Tha procedures undertaken do not provKle all the ewdence that would be required in an audit. and ¢4)nsequentty I dts ftot express an audrt opinion on Ihe4Gcounts. In the course of my examiTration, no mait0T ha5 come to my attention ich ma raa8onabfo cau80 to boligve that in. any rnatorial rnspad. thè trustees hav& notm8ttha r8quirernents toensure that proper a(thunbng records are kept.. and accounts are prepared which agreewith the aGeounting re¢ord$." or to whKh, in my opinrt)n, att8nth)n shoutd be drawn in orde¥ to enable a propar understanding of the acUnts to b8 reached. Signed D8t8'. 1*14) Name.. John Moore Address.. 5 Tudor Crescent. Swindon. SN3 4JS Cholsey Volunt8er5 Trust Annual Report 2025 Page 5
Cholsey Volunteers Trust Registered Charity No. 1197845
Receipts and Payments Account 1 Jan 2025 - 31 Dec 2025
| RECEIPTS | 2025 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants | 11100.00 | 14300 | ||
| Fundraising | 6279.45 | 4285.96 | ||
| Donations | 19278.50 | 14436.97 | ||
| Food Bank | 4932.00 | 4320 | ||
| Sales | 917.75 | 0 | ||
| Other | 220.84 | 714.65 | ||
| Warm Hub | 0.00 | 5940 | ||
| 42728.54 | 43997.58 | |||
| PAYMENTS | ||||
| Staff | 27634.35 | 19544.40 | ||
| Pensions | 1528.13 | 1582.36 | ||
| Payroll Costs | 672.00 | 840.00 | ||
| Vehicle | 1392.17 | 1599.16 | ||
| Web Hosting | 336.48 | 367.95 | ||
| Telephone | 118.20 | 128.05 | ||
| Supplies | 1752.62 | 1122.09 | ||
| Insurance | 483.96 | 484.33 | ||
| Premises | 5100.00 | 0.00 | ||
| Food Bank | 6115.65 | 4584.44 | ||
| Other | 17287.11 | 2998.91 | ||
| Community Lar- | ||||
| der | 0.00 | 0.00 | ||
| Warm Space | 11.50 | 5908.75 | ||
| 62432.17 | 39160.44 | |||
| BALANCE | 23045.12 | 42748.75 | ||
| Closing bank | £23,045.12 | |||
| Bond | £15,000.00 | |||
| --------------- | ||||
| Total assets £38,045.12 | ||||
| Represented by: | ||||
| Committed reserves: | Uncommitted reserves: | |||
| Warm Hub £1,204.14 | Reserve | £20,000.00 | ||
| Food bank | £3,078.39 | Other | £3762.59 | |
| OCC 2025 £5,000.00 | --------------- | |||
| OCF 2026 £5,000.00 | Total reserves £38,045.12 |
Cholsey Volunteers Trust Annual Report 2025
Page 6
Explanatory Note
The grants shown in the reserve are the residual balances of grants received in 2025, as below
| Grants | All Grants |
OCC 2025 |
Notes | OCF 2026 |
Notes | Other | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening bal |
£12,300 | £12,300 | £0 | £0 | |||
| Add New |
£11,100 | £0 | £10,100 | £1,000 | Co-op & Truckfest |
||
| Less Spent |
£13,400 | £7,300 | Driver payments General Admin |
£5,100 | Premises: Cholsey Pav + Day Centre |
£1,000 | Comm Larder General Op |
| Closing bal |
£10,000 | £5,000 | £5,000 | £0 |
Cholsey Volunteers Trust Annual Report 2025 Page 7