2025-09-30-accounts - Burntwood Be A Friend

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

Burntwood Be A Friend St Anne's Church, Chasetown, BntwOOd WS7 3QL urhÈtsJood Trustees Annual Report foryearendlng 30th September 2025 BurntwoodBeA Frlendls a CIO est8blishedin September2022, charityregistrBtlon number 1200409. Its 8ddress is StAnnes Church, Church Street. Burntwood. WS73QL It has a Board of Trustees who 8re itsonly members: and forthe duration of this reporting period they were... Richard Westwood (Chair from 13 June 20241 Lynda Gethin (Vice-chair) Susan Woodward ISeGretary} Irene Ann Burford Michelle Such David Whitehouse lan Hopkin8 Cheryl Turner (start date 0210612025) Peter Harris (resigned 0510212025) Bummood BeAFriend comprisesfive members ofstaff allemployed on a part-time basis.BBAF also has a fantastic team of volunteer helpers who provide support with helping to run the community store, surplus food collections administrative tasks along with whatever else needs doing. There are approximately 29 volunteer helpers as of 30 September 2025. We also employ a BACP registered counsellorwho runs our private counselling sessions which is something newthat we have started. During the timeframe. we introduced cooking classes ran in the evenings. which proved to be extremely popular. Its charitable purposes are: Alleviate economic deprivation and food povety In the area (Community store - provlding free or heavilysubsldizedweeklyshops 8nd signposting supportfrom ouradvisors) Reduce isolation & loneliness by promoting positive mental health and wellbeing le.g. our communtygardeninggroup, women's walk, men's walk) - Create a thriving local cohort of volunteers that are empowered to run the charrty's activities

Create links with other local organizations for the better of Burthood and the surrounding areas The Trustees still intend to seek pemiission from the Charity Commission to change its charitsble purposes. We intend to provide a place wfthin Burntwood where people can go if they have lost their way. whether that be financially or emotionally. It has achieved this through: -The continuation of its Community Store-a place where people can do aweeklyshop at agreatly reduced costcompared tothe price ofthe supermarkets. -By signpostingfor relief and to other organizations from the Communty Store. -continuation of thetwo weekly Wellbein¢ walks bringingtogether a group of peopleto talk casually about life's everyday issues in a no-pressure environment. -The continuation ofthe provision of a community garden, which again. provides a group where people c8ntalkcasuallywhile le8rning an important skillthatthey can take homewiththem. TheTrusteeswish to recordtheirthankstothe hard work and industrytothe parttime staff who have worked wtth incredible industry and heart throughout the course of this reporting period. Particular thanks are offered to our Charity Manager who has helped to implement so many of the Trustee's wishes with enthuslasm and commitment. Financial review During the year we received funding from various sources. The largest amounts were a grant from Lichfield District Council (3-yearl and The Community Lottery - Awards For All. We also received generous grants from The Community Foundation. Burntwood Town Council, The Coalfields Regeneration Trust and The Garfield Weston Foundation. The main areas of expenditure were staff salaries for the 5 part-time staff and the rent and overheads for our communitystore &office. The accounts forthis reporting period have been independently examined and are appended to this Trustees Annual Report. Potential risks and uncertainties Financial: It is likely that grant-making bodies may re-assess their priorities. and local-authority bodies may face cutbacks in the availability of funds. However. because Burntwood Be A Friend draws on a mix of funding sources. statutory. charity, local and national, it is not anticipated that there willbe a large cut in income. The Trustee board regularlychecks exposure to dffterentfunding streams

to ensure that there is not over-reliance on any individual source. We have a ReseNes Policywhich addresses various potential scenarios and provides for a 3-6 month cushion in case of short-term decreases in funding. Operational: BBAF works together with its store landlord. Midland Heart. to ensure that there are no issues over use of the premises. There are staff employed by BBAF on part-time contracts and there is a policy of recruiting intemally when possible, perhaps turningvolunteers into paid staff. so there is continuityand it is not anticipated thatfuture staffing changes will c8use operational issues. Because BBAFworks closelywith otherlocaigroups and charities. it has good standing inthe localcommunity and there Is little liketihood of its activities being curtailed, because it is clearly meeting local needs. Future plans -To continue and growthe reach of the Community Store, making sure it gets to the people who need it the most. -To be ableto utilize the communitygarden sothat itis notonlya communtysociaigroup. butsothat it produces crops that can line the shelves of the Community Store. therefore making us more self- sufficient. -To continue to develop our wellbeing Seices. to be able to offer something to for everyone. -Developing links with more communitygroups and using local amenities. -Increasingthe number of volunteers. offering training and development to build self-confidence and encouragevolunteers to lookat paid employment as a futuregoal. -To amend the Charitable Objects of the charity. so that it can operate more effectivelyto meet the needs of the people it seNes. This Trustees. Annual Report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to CIOs.This reportwas approved bytheTrusteesofthe charityon7thJuly2025and signedon itsbehalf by Signed.. Lynd8 Gethin (Chairl Date- 02July2026

Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Report to the trusteesl members of Burn0d Be A Friend On accounts for the period ended 30th September 2025 Charity no 1200409 I report to the trustees on my examinabon of the accounts of Bumtsvcxjd Be A Friend for the period ended 3010912025 Responslbllities and basis of report As the charity trust&s of the Trust. you are responsible for the pparatiOn of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 20111.the Acr). Independent èxaminerfs statement I report in respect of my examinab'on of the Trusys accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and In carrying out my examinabon, I have followed the applicabte Direetions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5Mb) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have cLJme to my attention in connecb.on with the examinatson which gives me cause to believe that in. any material respect.. accounting record5 yre not kept in accordan wth section 130 of the Acl or the accounts do not accord with the accounts'ng records I have no COnmS and have come across no other matters in connecb.on with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts lo be reached. Slgned: Dats: 13th July 2026 Name: Neil Phillips Address: Phillips Ltd 4 Pearson Road, Central Park Telford Shropshire TF2 9TX

Ie Don4tr¢n% CDrnmunilySto ]9.4Yi &362 29A91 P4ypal her 26 U426 BurnlvJoodToc 5pankreth8rEe5 MIND5tsff cu5ts Toi Rttdpts 29J22 293ll U623 Fare5h4r ront 1955B 54746 P4yrDW ro Uiht&heat TdEphts4ndffiternet TraIn 3t¢kenttem5 Insuranc RopalJ5andm6lhten 179 J46 MusTcliroT Urdlortns MINDcos Equalscard 23084 I&J07 CuntI5%$1dryWb GarthnTrfSupples pti5 4135 35 3579 4114 T4#al Pavmits rietlrxoroel1PanEntsj lancebrwghf fllnvaFd BalxKEarrlEdf(Wa J46t4 i¥n5 24246 6 35Jn 24246 17W6 3Q892 Madtup DI.. CurrentAEcllLt-Natssl CurrontArcLwI-CtrOp Pettyra5h d•nbdNTfdth• t 2. gEfHI