2TrJs <oTr making cards - brightening lives - raising f unds Annual Report 2024 Charity numbor: 1203710
Table of Contents
Important 01 Information
A Message from our Trustees
02
03
About Us
04
Year In Numbers
Achievements and Performance
Financial Summary
Financial Activities Statement
Financial Review
05
06
07
08
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07438 786951
contact@cardsforbravery.com
74 Heath Row, Bishops Stortford, CM23 5DF
Important Information
The charity is registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. The charity's governing document is a foundation model constitution. The charity registration number is 1203710. The organisation was founded on May 6th 2015 and gained charitable registration on the 23rd June 2023. The objective of the charity is to ‘relieve the needs of people and their families, primarily in the UK but also in other countries, suffering from mental or physical illness or injury of any description (or in need of emotional support as a result of such illness or hospitalisation) in particular but not exclusively through the provision and delivery of small gifts, messages, greetings cards, activity packs, and other similar items and activities as the trustees may see fit.
Method of appointment/election of trustees
The charity trustees shall manage the affairs of the CIO and may for that purpose exercise all the powers of the CIO. Other than the first appointed trustees, every trustee must be appointed for a term of three years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees.
Organisation structure and decision making
The trustees meet once every two months, and at additional times where necessary, to direct the activities of the charity. The charity trustees shall manage the affairs of the CIO and may for that purpose exercise all the powers of the CIO.
Risk management
The trustees have assessed and annually reviewed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, and are satisfied that systems and procedures are in place to mitigate the charity's exposure to those risks.
Other
This annual account and reports were created with guidance issued by the Charity Commission and SORP.
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Message from our Trustees
As we look back on 2024, we feel incredibly grateful for all that has been achieved at Cards for Bravery. It has been a year of growth, new partnerships, and opportunities to support more children and families than ever before.
Every card, activity pack, and bravery package we send is more than just a kind gesture. For a child or young person in hospital, it is a reminder that they are not forgotten and that someone is thinking of them. We have seen first-hand how even small acts of kindness can bring comfort and encouragement during the most difficult times.
This year we expanded our hospital partnerships, delivered our largest Christmas appeal to date, and were able to respond quickly when unexpected needs arose by providing care packages to those affected by the Southport attack. These milestones remind us why our work is so important and why we remain committed to reaching even more young people in the future.
2024 was also a year of recognition for both the charity and its leadership. Our founder and Chair of Trustees, Katie, was awarded a British Citizen Award for her voluntary services, and later invited to Buckingham Palace for a Royal Garden Party in recognition of the charity’s work. Katie was additionally presented with a Points of Light Award by the Prime Minister, highlighting the positive impact Cards for Bravery has on children and families across the UK. These recognitions have helped raise awareness of our work and reinforce the importance of the support we provide to children and families.
None of this would have been possible without our volunteers, supporters, and partners. From those who make cards, to those who fundraise, to those who help us pack and deliver parcels, every contribution plays a part in the difference we make together.
We look forward to building on the progress of this past year and continuing to stand alongside children and families who need us most.
Signed on behalf of the Board of Trustees
Katie Callaghan BCAv Chair
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About us
Cards for Bravery is a charity dedicated to brightening the days and improving the emotional wellbeing of hospitalised and seriously ill children and their families . These children and young people tend to be admitted to hospitals, hospices, CAMHS units or being cared for at home. We provide a range of services such as the distribution of positive handmade cards , bravery packages and activity packs .
Katie Callaghan founded Cards for Bravery at 13 years old in 2015 during a 4 month long hospital admission after her best friend gave her a card that brightened her day. This sparked the idea to create handmade cards for the other patients in her ward. Beginning with distribution in one hospital, Cards for Bravery has since grown to working with over 40 hospitals, CAMHS Units and hospices to deliver a range of services to children across the UK. The charity has expanded over the years and is maintained by a group of dedicated volunteers , many who are chronically ill themselves—relating to the charity's aims and ethos.
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Katie, our founder, at 13
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2024 Year in Numbers
215 1,200 Christmas packages delivered activity packs distributed
bravery packages distributed 8
distributed 7,500 cards received events hosted 13 6,000+ cards distributed
40 10 new card making volunteers new partnerships with hospitals and hospices.
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Activity Packs
Our activity packs are a way for hospitalised children to have a form of entertainment while they are enduring hospital stays. This year, we distributed 1,200 activity packs to over 30 hospitals and 4 hospices across the UK, representing a 140% increase compared to 2023.
Bravery Packages We delivered 8 tailored bravery packages to children and young people living with chronic health conditions, double the amount from 2023. Each package was individually personalised to reflect the recipient’s interests, offering encouragement during particularly challenging times. These packages go beyond providing gifts, they are a reminder to young people that their bravery is recognised and that they are not facing their journey alone.
Card Distribution
This year we expanded our reach by forming 10 new partnerships with hospitals and hospices across the UK, bringing our total partners to over 40. Through these partnerships, we distributed around 6,000 cards, including both general and birthday cards, to hospitalised children and young people. Each card was designed to brighten a difficult day and remind recipients that someone is thinking of them.
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Events
We hosted 13 events that brought our community together in different ways. These included seven fundraising events, two card-making workshops, a Christmas gift-bag packing day, and collaborative events with other charities such as CamRARE . Each event not only raised vital funds or created resources but also helped strengthen connections between volunteers, supporters, and partners.
Volunteers
As a volunteer run charity, volunteers are integral to our charitable activities. We welcomed 5 new volunteers to our central team including admin volunteer, social media volunteers and activity pack volunteers and engaged over 40 new card-making volunteers. We continue to value volunteers with lived experience, with over 73% of our main team having either direct or indirect lived experience of hospitalisation or chronic illness as a young person.
Other Projects
We delivered 10 care packages to children and families affected by the tragic Southport attack , admitted to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. Our annual Christmas appeal resulted in the distribution of over 3,250 Christmas cards , including 1,500 cards distributed in partnership with Christmas for CAMHS .
In addition, 200 Christmas packages were delivered to children and parents spending the holidays in hospital as well as families supported by hospice. A further 30 packages were distributed to young people living with chronic conditions in the community in collaboration with Chronic Youth CIC.
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Financial Activities Statement
to the nearest £
Financial Period: 1st January 2024 - 31st December 2024
| Income from | Unrestricted | Restricted Funds | Total Funds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Funds 2024 | 2024 | 2024 | |
| Donations | £4,965 | - | £4,965 |
| Fundraising | £2,500 | - | £2,500 |
| Grants | - | £11,000 | £11,000 |
| Total Income | £7,465 | £11,000 | £18,465 |
| Expenditure on | Unrestricted Funds 2024 |
Restricted Funds 2024 |
Total Funds 2024 |
| Projects | £1,026 | £3,500 | £4,526 |
| Maintenance | - | £3,044 | £3,044 |
| Events | - | £1,512 | £1,512 |
| Total Expenditure | £1,026 | £8,056 | £9,082 |
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Financial Review
Income
2024 Year
In the year of 2024 we had a total income of £18,465.
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Grants
59.6%
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Donations
26.9%
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Fundraising
13.5%
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This income came from donations, fundraising events and grants.
Donations include personal donations made through bank transfers, Paypal Giving Fund, and more.
Fundraising includes income from any fundraising activities we held or individuals held for us within the year.
Grants include any income we were granted from organisations, such as our grant from the National Lottery Fund.
£7465 of this income was unrestricted funds and £11,000 was restricted funds.
In the year of 2024 we had a total . rounded expenditure of £9082
Expenditure
2024 Year
This expenditure was spent on maintenance, projects, and events.
Projects include expenditure spent on our charitable activities such as card distribution, bravery packages, activity packs, our Christmas packages and more.
Maintenance includes any expenditure spent on the daily running costs of the charity such as volunteer expenses, admin costs, charitable materials and more. No trustees claimed expenses in the year of 2024.
Events include any expenditure spent on running either fundraising, cardmaking or other events, including hall hire costs.
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Events
16.6%
Projects
49.8%
Maintenance
33.5%
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£1026 of this expenditure was spent from unrestricted funds with £8056 from restricted funds.
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Financial Review
Review of charities financial position year ending 2024
2024 marked a year of financial growth with a notable increase in income compared to the previous year. This growth reflects the continued generosity of our supporters, successful fundraising efforts, and increased access to grant funding. We maintained a careful balance between income and expenditure throughout the year, ensuring that we remained financially responsible while continuing to invest directly in our charitable activities. As a result, we ended the year in a stable and comfortable financial position.
Looking ahead, our focus will be on diversifying our income streams to further strengthen the sustainability of the charity. We remain committed to careful financial planning, ensuring we can continue to meet demand, respond to emerging needs, and grow our impact in a sustainable and responsible way.
Reserves policy statement
The trustees aim for the charity to hold free reserves equivalent to twelve months’ operational costs. In a situation where there is a deficit, the trustees will ensure that fundraising activities are prioritised and, if appropriate, the charity’s activities will be scaled back. Due to being a newly registered charity, at present our reserves meet the required threshold however our unrestricted funds are low. Plans to increase unrestricted funds in the coming year and two years will address this. In the meantime, trustees regard this as a low risk to the charity.
Trustee Declaration:
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s)
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Full Name(s) Katie Callaghan Chelsea Wong
Position Chair Treasurer
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19/09/2025
19/09/2025
Date Signed
| Charity Name CARDS FOR BRAVERY | Charity Name CARDS FOR BRAVERY | Charity Name CARDS FOR BRAVERY | Charity Name CARDS FOR BRAVERY | Charity Name CARDS FOR BRAVERY | No(if any) | No(if any) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1203710 | ||||||||
| Receipts andpayments accounts | ||||||||
| For the period from |
Period start date | To | Period end date | |||||
| 1/1/24 | 31/12/2024 | |||||||
| Section A Receipts and payments | ||||||||
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds | Endowment funds |
Total funds | |||||
| to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | |||||
| A1 Receipts | ||||||||
| Donations | 4,965 | - | - | 4,965 | ||||
| Fundraising | 2,500 | - | - | 2,500 | ||||
| Grants | - 0 | 11,000 | - | 11,000 | ||||
| - 0 | - | - | - | |||||
| - 0 | - | - | - | |||||
| - 0 | - | - | - | |||||
| - 0 | - | - | - | |||||
| - 0 | - | - | - | |||||
| Sub total_(Gross income for AR) _ | 7,465 |
11,000 | - | 18,465 | ||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
||||||||
| - 0 | - 0 | - 0 | - | |||||
| - 0 | - 0 | - 0 | - | |||||
| Sub total | - 0 |
- 0 | - 0 | - | ||||
| **Total receipts ** | 7,465 |
11,000 | - 0 | 18,465 | ||||
| A3 Payments | ||||||||
| Projects | 1,026 | 3,500 | - | 4,526 | ||||
| Maintenance/Running Costs | 3,044 | - | 3,044 | |||||
| Events | - 0 | 1,512 | - | 1,512 | ||||
| - 0 | - | - | - | |||||
| - 0 | - | - | - | |||||
| - 0 | - | - | - | |||||
| - 0 | - | - | - | |||||
| - 0 | - | - | - | |||||
| - 0 | - | - | - | |||||
| **Sub total ** | 1,026 |
8,056 | - | 9,082 | ||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases,(see table) |
||||||||
| - 0 | - 0 | - 0 | - | |||||
| - 0 | - 0 | - 0 | - | |||||
| **Sub total ** | - 0 |
- 0 | - 0 | - | ||||
| **Totalpayments ** | 1,026 |
8,056 | - 0 | 9,082 | ||||
| **Net of receipts/(payments) ** | 6,439 |
2,944 | - | 9,383 | ||||
| A5 Transfers between funds | - 0 | - | - | - | ||||
| A6 Cash funds lastyear end | 2,625 | - | - | 2,625 | ||||
| **Cash funds thisyear end ** | 9,064 |
2,944 | - | 12,008 | ||||
| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | ||||||||
| Categories | Details | Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds | |||||
| to nearest £ | to nearest £ | |||||||
| B1 Cash funds | - | - | ||||||
| - | - |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
20/06/2025
1
| - | - | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total cash funds | - | - | ||||||
| (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) |
Agreement Error | |||||||
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds | |||||||
| Details | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | ||||||
| B2 Other monetary assets | - | - | ||||||
| - | - | |||||||
| - | - | |||||||
| - | - | |||||||
| - | - | |||||||
| - | - | |||||||
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) | ||||||
| B3 Investment assets | - | |||||||
| - | ||||||||
| - | ||||||||
| - | ||||||||
| - | ||||||||
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) | ||||||
| B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use |
- | |||||||
| - | ||||||||
| - | ||||||||
| - | ||||||||
| - | ||||||||
| - | ||||||||
| - | ||||||||
| - | ||||||||
| - | ||||||||
| Details | Fund to which liability relates |
Amount due (optional) |
||||||
| B5 Liabilities | - | |||||||
| - | ||||||||
| - | ||||||||
| - | ||||||||
| - | ||||||||
| Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees |
Signature | Print Name | ||||||
| KATIE CALLAGHAN | ||||||||
| CHELSEA WONG | ||||||||
| Caption |
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
20/06/2025
2
CC16a Last year to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - 0 - 0 - 0 - - - - - - - - - - - 0 - 0 - - - - Endowment funds to nearest £ - -
CCXX R3 accounts (SS)
20/06/2025
3
- OK Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - - - - - When due (optional) Date of approval 19/09/2025 19/09/2025
CCXX R4 accounts (SS)
20/06/2025
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