Trustees' Annual Report for the period
1[st] January 2025 - 31[st] December 2025
| SECTION A – Reference and administration details | |
|---|---|
| Charity name | Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team (Tavistock) |
| Registered charity number | 1201527 |
| Charity's principal address | The Rescue Centre Abbey Rise Tavistock PL19 9FD |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity | Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity | Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity | Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year | |
| 1 | Alistair Reid | Chair | |
| 2 | Steve Mortimer | Secretary | |
| 3 | Rhodri Davey | Team Leader | |
| 4 | Tom Layland | Treasurer | |
| 5 | Emily Woodhouse | Equipment Officer | |
| 6 | Alex Batson | Fundraising Officer | To September 25 |
| 7 | Mike Sherry | Fundraising Officer | From September 25 |
| 8 | Guy Balmer | Training Officer |
SECTION B – Structure. Governance and Management
Description of the charity’s trusts
Type of governing document Constitution adopted Nov 2022 How the charity is constituted Association consisting of team members and registered as a CIO Trustee selection methods Trustees are appointed annually by the members at the Annual General Meeting in March. All trustees wishing to continue must retire and be reappointed on an annual basis. Any changes in year are dealt with by election at an EGM.
Additional governance issues
Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team (Tavistock) is formed in association with three other teams on Dartmoor - Ashburton, Plymouth and Okehampton. Each is a registered CIO in its own right.
It is a member of the Dartmoor Rescue Group, a member of the regional Peninsula Mountain and Cave Rescue Association and one of 48 teams nationally in Mountain Rescue England and Wales.
All trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no remuneration or other benefits.
SECTION C – Objectives and activities
| Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document |
The objective of the Team is to relieve suffering and distress amongst persons endangered by accidents or natural hazards primarily within moorland areas and to provide arrangements for the secure and efficient search and rescue of any person or persons so endangered and to encourage moorland safety instruction and awareness through all sections of the community. |
| Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit) |
Our services are entirely voluntary and, in particular, demand in situations where weather conditions are poor, the location of a missing person is unknown, or where injury or other cause makes someone vulnerable to the deterioration of their health. Team members are highly trained in a variety of skills including search techniques, navigation, first aid, swift water rescue, rope rescue, radio operation and working with helicopters. Individual search teams are coordinated through a Team Leader who is in constant radio contact with the controller coordinating the search effort. We work closely with the Police and Ambulance Service who initiate calls to us in situations where our services may be required as well as with the Ambulance service and other emergency response forces. The trustees have complied with their duty to have due regard to the commission's public benefit guidance. |
SECTION D – Achievements and Performance
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year |
Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year |
|
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year |
2025 saw a return to normal levels of operational activity compared to 2024. In total the team responded to 29 call outs either on its own or in support of other teams. As ever the majority of callouts were for casualties with lower limb injuries. The team continued to support significant events in the local community eg, The 10 Tors, Abbots Way walk. Turnover of personnel within the team was normal. We lost some experience but badged 6 of the previous year’s trainee intake. 5 trainees were taken on at the end of 2024 and all are progressing well. The team completed the purchase and conversion of a new response vehicle. Our new vehicle is a Toyota Hilux which has replaced on of our aging Land Rover Defenders. The team continues to be well supported locally and the trustees are alert to any issues that enhance or potentially detract from our excellent reputation. Fundraising remains buoyant but there is no cause for complacency. |
SECTION E- Flnanclal r•vi ¢h8rity has a rese O&t i8 to buikl LP Iwel offvrMliThJ ne(xsary to •nsure the charity's charitys Folicy on Dtrlail$ of any funds matsll.alty in deficit SECTION F- D¢el•ratlon Slgnod on b•half ol th• charity* Iru•l• Slgn•bJio• Full Nam• Da Tltyasurw I S fvu1 2ts26 13f4"
----- Start of picture text -----
Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team (Tavistock) 1201527
Receipts and payments accounts CC16a
For the period from 01/01/2025 To 31/12/2025
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted
Restricted funds Endowment funds Total funds Last year
funds
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
Donations 37,295 - 37,295 7,725
Fundraising 11,215 - 11,215 1,891
Charitiable activites 2,783 - 2,783 1,062
Investments 223 - 223 1
Grants - 10,900 - 10,900 1,000
Trading Activities 2,987 - 2,987 475
Transfer from unincorporated charity - - 80,812
Sale of vehicle 3,500 - - 3,500 -
Sub total (Gross income for AR) 58,003 10,900 - 68,903 92,966
A2 Asset and investment sales, (see
table).
- - - -
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total receipts 58,003 10,900 - 68,903 92,966
A3 Payments
Support costs 7,169 - - 7,169 4,561
Charitable activities 19,468 500 - 19,968 20,887
Trading activities 1,490 - - 1,490 -
Raising funds 2,181 - - 2,181 28
- - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
Sub total [ 30,308 ] 500 - 30,808 25,476
A4 Asset and investment purchases,
(see table)
63 Response Vehicle 34,740 10,400 - 45,140
- - - -
Sub total [ 34,740 ] 10,400 - 45,140 -
Total payments [ 65,048 ] 10,900 - 75,948 25,476
Net of receipts/(payments) - 7,045 - - - 7,045 67,490
A5 Transfers between funds - - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end 59,890 7,600 - 67,490 -
Cash funds this year end 52,845 7,600 - 60,445 67,490
----- End of picture text -----
1
| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets |
Signature Details Details 63 Response Vehicle Freehold Land Natwest current account Natwest business reserve account Petty cash Details Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 32,591 7,600 20,226 - 28 - 52,845 7,600 OK OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) 45,140 - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - - - - Print Name Rhodri Davey Michael Pesterfield |
Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - |
|
| - | ||||
| OK | ||||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - Current value (optional) - 40,000 - - - - - - - When due (optional) Date of approval 13/07/2026 13/07/2026 |
2
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF DARTMOOR SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM (TAVISTOCK)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team (Tavistock) (the Charity) for the year ended 31 December 2025.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the trustees of the Charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the Charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner’s statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
-
the accounts do not accord with those records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Mr J P Foxwell FCCA FCIE independent-examiner.net
12 Hillbourne Road, Poole, BH17 7JB
Date: 17 July 2026