Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 1[st] November 2024 To 31[st] October 2025
Charity name: Update Stoke-on-Trent
Charity registration number: 1197899
Objectives and Activities
The relief of persons in need by reason of visual impairments or reading difficulties, in particular but not exclusively in Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire, by the provision of a Talking Newspaper and Entertainment content.
This is achieved by the recording of programmes by volunteers, which is then distributed via memory sticks for subscribers to listen to on sound boxes provided by the charity. The recordings are also uploaded for access through the charity’s website and through smart speakers (eg Amazon Alexa).
The programme content is wide ranging, from news items (both national and local), sport, reviews of TV shows plays and films, readings of poems and short stories, and quizzes. It means that those with sight loss or reading difficulties receive this in an audio form, from one source which the majority receive visually form a variety of sources,
This is managed by the Production Co-ordinator, Tim Calvert, for which he is paid an annual fee, plus travel expenses.
Achievements and Performance
It has been a steady year, including comprehensive conversations with our customers, to gather listener views and ideas for improvements to our service.
Trustees have explored greater collaboration with two local organisations supporting the blind community to improve recruitment and share their ideas for closer working on behalf of the visually impaired.
We are working on a plan to refresh our programme content due partly to the significant technical advantages for voice activated phones to access news and sport instantly.
Listeners have offered positive and constructive views on content so we are exploring a new approach to provide a more magazine style programme to include interviews with local providers of statutory and voluntary services together with folk from the local events, charities and sports teams. We believe this will improve the quality of our service whilst continuing to design our programme to better serve our listeners.
Like most groups, in today's world, we struggle for sufficient volunteers however we have designed new posters and leaflets for widespread distribution to seek both new listeners and volunteers and are seeking support from a major local community charity to assist with volunteer recruitment. The new promotional material will be included on our website and socials.
We remain confident that we will continue to provide a more focused and engaging product for all our customers.
Financial Review
Income for the year increased by 24% with the amount received from donations almost doubling (£415 2024 / £825 2025). This was due to a donation from the funeral of a late subscriber to our services.
Expenditure also rose by 24%, due to a 14.5% increase in rent and an increase in fees to Tim Calvert. However, part of the increase was performance related (£1500) and was deferred until January 2026, so will appear in the 2025/2026 accounts.
Costs were also incurred for attending the national TNF Conference for the first time in a number of years.
The closing balance reflects the deferred payment and also budgeted costs for promotional material of £500.
The bid for funding from the National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund is still ongoing, but is anticipated to be submitted in the next few months. On the back of this being granted, it will provide reserves for which there are none at present.
Structure Governance and Management
The Charity is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), whose only voting members are the charity’s trustees, and the governing document for which is a Foundation Model Constitution.
The trustees are appointed for a 3 year term at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees. Any new/additional trustees would be appointed in the same manner on the basis of having the skills, knowledge and experience required for the effective administration of the CIO. They would also be provided with a copy of the constitution and copies of the latest Trustees Report and Statement of Accounts.
Reference and Administrative details
Charity Name: Update Stoke-on-Trent
Other Name Charity uses: Update Talking Newspaper
Registered Charity Number: 1197899
Charity’s Principal Address: Suite 5
The Forecourt 12 Albion Street Stoke-on-Trent ST1 1QH
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
Name Office Held Dates Acted (If not for whole year) 1 Clifford Hathaway Chairman 2 Stephen Legge Treasurer 3 Teresa Boothby Trustee 4 Katherine Brookes Trustee
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature
Full Name Cliff Hathaway Position Chairman Date 30th June 2026
STOKE-ON-TRENT UPDATE TALKING NEWSPAPER Statement of Account Year Ending 31110125 RECEIPTS Donations Granls £825.00 £15,478.00 TOTAL £16,303.00 PAYmErS Business Rates Rent Equipment Web Site Expenses Slationery Project Fees Tim Calvert Travel Expenses Tim £108.53 £5.772.00 £1.375.31 £324.88 £394.92 £6,000.00 £109.67 Miscellaneous Radio fimes Refreshments TNF Subscription Poslage Volunteer Gifts Insurance TNF Conference £1,035.76 £81.9) £116.35 £42.1) £o.(x) £4.19 £91.32 £700.(NJ TOTAL £15,121.07 SUMMARY Opening Balance as at 1111124 Income Expenditure Pety Cash (Tim) Closing Balance as at 31110125 £2.658.(X) £16,303. £15,121.07 £8.02 £3,858.88