Wedmore & Axbridge Community Health Fund CIO
Registered Charity No. 1201248
Chairmans Report for the Year ended 31[st] March 2025
We are pleased to report that throughout the past, interesting, twelve months, the Wedmore & Axbridge Community Health Fund (W&ACHF) has continued to actively provide support for both the medical practice and the wellbeing of patients who live within the hundred square mile catchment area of the Axbridge & Wedmore Medical Practice (A&WMP) whose patient numbers exceed 9000.
Over this period, we have held four trustee meetings and one special meeting with the partners and our charity lawyer.
MEETING OUR OBJECTIVES
As a Charity, the W&ACHF provides medical equipment and services that may not otherwise have been available from the NHS for the benefit of the registered patients of the A&WMP. We support deserving patients and residents that have been identified within the practice area; also, approved community projects such as Weston Hospicecare, proportionate to the number of their patients who are from our practice area (approx. 13%).
Examples of W&ACHF spending over the past year are:
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Continued funding for Music Matters
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Continued funding for Music in Mind
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Continued Funding for the Art Group
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Continued Funding for Stairlift Rental
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Sing to Breathe
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Wedmore Directory
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Men in Sheds – Wedmore and Axbridge
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Community Farm – Wedmore
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Heads Up
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Somewhere House
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Women of Axbridge
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Desk Stand and Screen
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Support for ‘The Space’
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Exercise Sessions
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Ear Irrigator
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2 Opticlar
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Feno Machine
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Axe Valley Men’s Shed
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Wheelchair for use by patients
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Axbridge Carers’ Group
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Warm in Wedmore
It is always important to remember that, historically, the W&ACHF income has normally derived from donations from grateful patients and bereaved relatives, bequests and from our invested funds. Since local people have become aware of the large sum of money currently held by W&ACHF, and the disappointing failure of the surgery project, very little income has come from these sources.
OUR ACTIVITIES & OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST
Over the past twelve months, in addition to the four trustee meetings, we have held a number of special meetings with the partners of A&WMP and our charity lawyer. We have also been represented by various trustees at Wedmore Health & Wellbeing Day and at the Warm in Wedmore project.
We have been joined by a new trustee, Pauline Hislop, who we welcome to our ranks. Over the past twelve months, we have only invited one guest, Jacky Farley (Chair of Wedmore Parish Council) with whom we had an interesting discussion about potential projects in Wedmore.
Unfortunately, due to ill health, our Charity Lawyer, will be unable to continue to assist us from the end of this financial year. We will be appointing a new lawyer for the coming year.
NEWS FROM THE SURGERY
Celia, A&WMP Practice Manager, has kept us updated about staff changes over the past year and has confirmed that we currently have a full complement of doctors.
Finally, I would like to thank the W&ACHF trustees for their continued enthusiasm and dedication to the aims of the Health Fund. I am particularly grateful to David Luke, our Treasurer, who has had a difficult year keeping on top of the new banking system and Shirley Wederell, our tireless Secretary, who is the driving force behind our organisation. Shirley also makes all the purchases for the Health Fund and arranges excellent discounts.
I hope that the work undertaken by the Trustees over the past year will be seen as successful, despite the many problems encountered.
Alan Benson (Chair)
BALANCE SHEET FOR THE YEAR 1ST APRIL 2024 TO 31ST MARCH BALANCE SHEET FOR THE YEAR 1ST APRIL 2024 2025. TO 31ST MARCH 2025.
| INCOME | |
|---|---|
| Donations Received | 6796.92 |
| Interest on Investments | 14225.29 |
| S/T | 21022.21 |
| EXPENDITUR | |
| E | |
| Donations made | 23863.82 |
| Admin costs | 2945.28 |
| Management Fees for Investments | 496.59 |
| S/T | 27305.69 |
| Loss for Year | 6283.48 |
| OPENING BALANCES AS AT 1ST APRIL 2024 | |
| Natwest | 0 |
| Flagstone Holding A/c | 82279.64 |
| Flagstone Investments | 252835.6 |
| S/T | 335115.3 |
| Defcit for | |
| year | 6283.48 |
| S/T | 328831.8 |
| CLOSING BALANCES ASAT 31ST MARCH 2025 |
| Natwest | 14987.82 |
|---|---|
| Flagstone Holding A/c | 14749.47 |
| Flagstone Investments | 299094.5 |
| Total as at 31st March 2025 | 328831.8 |