## **CARLISLE SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND** ## CIO Charity Number:1203340 Trustees Report 2024/25 The registered address is 9 Brunswick Street, Carlisle CA1 1PB. During the year, the Society continued to make progress in achieving its objects. These are, to advance the education of the public in the needs and potential of visually impaired people and to relieve the needs of such persons in such ways as the Trustees shall from time to time in their discretion decide. The Society has no Liabilities and no debts. The reserves policy for the charity has set the figure of £25,000 (6 months running costs) ## **Carlisle Sight Support Trustees 01/04/2024 - 31/03/2025** Louise Towson (Chair) Colin Glover Dawn Rafferty Tim Linford Sheree Clark appointed November 20[th] 2024) ## **Carlisle Sight Support Staff 01/04/2024 - 31/03/2025** Brenda Bell Angie Robson Mark Costello **Bank:** VirginmoneyCarlisle Sight Support Annual General meeting For the period April 2024 to March 2025 ## **Annual Report** Overall the year has been a successful one. Services continued to be delivered with additional social activity and support opportunities provided. Financially, budget forecasts were met and at the end of the year, a modest surplus was achieved. A new 3 year vision support project began in October 2024. This is a partnership with the other 4 sight loss charities in Cumbria and is funded through the National Lottery - Reaching Communities. The project will run until September 2027, with 50 individuals per year supported in Carlisle. Angie and Brenda remained employed for 12 hours per week carrying out secretarial services, home visiting and office accounts. Mark remained employed as vision support officer - 16 hours and charity manager - 15 hours. Services provided: - Resource centre drop in. (Wednesday and Thursday between 10am & 3pm) - Home visiting - Vision support - Low Vision Clinic. In partnership with North Cumbria Integrated Care. Additional activity: - Monthly tea and chat group in Brampton - Monthly tea and chat group in Dalston - Monthly coffee morning in Carlisle - Monthly Gourmet Gossip Lunch Club in Carlisle - Monthly goalball session at Denton Holme - Bi-monthly Glaucoma support group - Twice weekly Tech for Life advice surgery run in partnership with Lakes Vision Services (refunded in February 2025 for 2 further years) From November 2024 to March 2025, the Brunswick Street resource centre was designated as a warm spot, with coffee mornings and socials funded by Cumbria Community Foundation. Over the year, 6 sessions of Living Well with Sight Loss training was provided, in partnership with the RNIB. In the summer of 2024 a number of members attended 3 weekly creative writing sessions with writer in residence at Gosling Sike - Cumbria Wildlife Trust, producing a poetry booklet. From November 2024 to March 2025, Travel Actively (Cumberland Council) funded members to take part in a walk with a purpose group. 12 walks took place in and around Carlisle. There were 8 regular attendees. One off and irregular events included: - An afternoon with Chris and his bag pipes at the Old Town Hall - Music session with Ukes Akimbo, ukulele band at Botcherby Community Centre - Christmas highlights session at Botcherby Community centre - Burns party with music from Chris - Optelec electronic devise surgery ## **Finance and Funding/ Budget and Forecasting** Last year a budget forecast for 2024/5 was presented. The projected aim for the year was to achieve a small profit. The charity started 2024 with a balance of £61,230 and ended the year with a balance of £69,423. Income generated for the period totalled £64,000. Trustees are pleased to confirm that over the course of the year a profit of £8,193 was achieved. This was largely made up from grants from the Postcode Lottery and the National Lottery as well as room hire payments. The expenditure bill for last year was more than had been anticipated, and stood at almost £55,000. This was due in part for the need to replace all fire extinguishers, plus annual price rises for insurance and energy. ## **Funding partners this year included:** - Arnold Clark - Cumberland Council - Cumbria Community Foundation - Dalston Parish Council - Glaucoma UK - National Lottery - Community Fund - National Lottery - Reaching Communities - People’s Postcode Lottery - Will Charitable Trust ## **Carlisle Sight Support Trustees 01/04/2024 - 31/03/2025** Lou Towson (Chair) Colin Glover Dawn Rafferty Tim Linford Sheree Clark (appointed November 20[th] 2024) ## **Carlisle Sight Support Staff 01/04/2024 - 31/03/2025** Brenda Bell Angela Robson Mark Costello ## **Volunteers 01/04/2024 - 31/03/2025** Gemma Steven Simon Jonathan ## **Accounts 01/04/2024 - 31/03/2025** Barbara Mawson ## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2025** |**Income**
|2024| |---|---| |Donatons 159.89|214| |Fund Raising Boxes 18.19|17| |Legacies & Grants 52563.10|15078| |Interest 71.32|37| |Equipment Sales 761.16|54| |Low Vision Clinic 5358.00|7332| |Miscellaneous 891.33|1539| |Room Hire 4200.00|3960| |----------------|| |64,022.99|| |**Expenditure**|| |Wages 44898.98|43091| |Telephone and Water 1006.05|881| |Gas & Electricity 2169.04|948| |Equipment 411.78|92| |Miscellaneous & Repair 5164.40|3943| |Cleaner 715.00|624| |Armstrong Watson 693.78|716| |Expenses 770.81|951| |----------------|| |55,829.84|| |Balances as at 31stMarch 2024|61,230.76| |**Proft for year**|**8,193.15**| ||**--------------**| ||**69,423.91**| |Balances as at 31stMarch 2025|| |Royal Bank of Scotland|263.96| |Cumberland Building Society|1,779.43| |Virgin Money|67,160.12| |Cash In Hand|220.40| ||---------------| ||**69,423.91**| Indopondont Ex•minorf8 Roport Chariy. Carllsle Socletyfortho Bllnd Yogrond6d.' 3110312025 l. the undersigned. independently examinedthe accounts ofthe Above charfty forthe year ended. My examlnation was conducted in 8ccordance with th8 Charities Act 2011. Summary of Flndlng•: Thecharity's gross incomedoe8 notexceed £250.000 Theaccounts have been prep8red using R8ceipts and Payment8. Scopè ot Examlnatlon: Myexamination included a rowewofthe following: Financia13tatement8 Accounting records Trustees 8nnu81 report. Conclusion: Based on myexamination, l am satisfied thatthe Èccounts present Are 8 tFue and f8irview of the chorivs finonael position and activities during the year.