**Trustee Annual Report** 10[th] July 2023 to 31[st] Dec 2024 

**Charity Name** Dudley Community First Responders 

**Charity Number** 1203910 

**Address** c/o Management Suite Merry Hill Centre DY5 1QX 

**Trustees** Sarah Trevalen, Chair 

Amy Webb, Treasurer Tina Clarke, Social Media & Comms Paul Grove, Events & Design Carl Dixon, Equipment Stuart Selwood, Fundraising Jamie Mitchell, Training (resigned Nov 2024) 




The trustees present the annual report along with the financial statement for the period 10[th] July 2023 to 31[st] December 2024. 

## **Structure, Governance & Management** 

The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) operated under the rules of the constitution adopted 10[th] July 2023. Trustees are elected annually by members of the charity. 

The charity is managed by 7 trustees who are elected from the group.  The trustees have taken on the role of, Chair, Treasurer, Social Media & Comms, Events & Design, Equipment, Fundraising and Training. Charity volunteers can either be Community First Responders (CFRs) or non-operational associate volunteers who participate in admin or fundraising activities. 

The structure of the charity includes the Coordinator (which at present is also a trustee - Events & Design Coordinator) with the volunteers who form the operational members of the group. The scheme is overseen by West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) who provide policy and procedures for our CFRs. 

The charity continues to benefit from strong partnerships across its network, most notably with WMAS which remains our primary operational partner. 

## **Objectives & Activities** 

The object of the CIO is the relief of sickness and the preservation and protection of good health within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley and the surrounding area, by the provision of trained Community First Responder volunteers to attend medical emergencies as directed by the West Midlands Ambulance Service. 

The main activity of the charity is to attend 999 calls in our local community where we can arrive before an ambulance and begin treatment. For life threatening situations such as when someone's heart stops every minute counts to increase their chance of survival. Secondary to this is increasing awareness of basic life support through community training sessions on how to perform CPR, use a defibrillator and stop severe bleeding. 




The Trustees of the Charity are aware of the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and have regard to it in their administration of the Charity. 

## **Achievements & Performance** 

During this period the charity met its objectives by responding for 5,620 hours and attending 

- 1,401 calls. This was achieved by: 

   - Growing from 7 to 26 volunteers 

   - Accepting donations of two ambulances 

   - Fundraising to cover new kitbags & equipment and provide cash reserves to cover running costs for the coming years 

## **Financial Review** 

The charity’s policy on reserves is to ensure all running costs (currently £1,000 per ambulance per year) are covered for at least the next year but ideally 5 years and this has been achieved. There are no funds materially in deficit at this time. 

## **Declaration** 

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustee’s report above 

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees 




**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
_________________________ _________________________<br>Sarah Trevalen, Chair  Amy Webb, Treasurer<br>6 [th]  January 2025  6 [th]  January 2025<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>





## **Charity Accounts** 

||**Unrestricted**|
|---|---|
|**Balance as at 10th July 2023**|**£0**|
|**Receipts**||
|Donations|£57,066|
|Mileage Claims|£4,267|
||**£61,333**|
|**Payments**||
|Car Purchase|£16,761|
|Car Running Costs|£2,676|
|Equipment|£7,655|
|Fuel|£3,244|
|Fundraising|£1,720|
|Uniforms|£2,033|
||**£34,089**|
|**Balance as at 31st December**|**£27,244**|






## **Statement of Assets & Liabilities** 

||**Unrestricted**|
|---|---|
|**Cash funds**||
|Bank account|£27,244|
|**Other monetary assets**||
|Gift Aid due|£2,663|
|VAT refunds due|£686|
|**Investment assets**||
|None||
|**Assets retained for the charity’s own use**||
|Ambulances||
|Fundraising materials||
|Medical equipment||
|Training equipment||
|Uniform||
|**Total assets**|£30,593|
|**Liabilities**||
|None||
|**Total funds**|£30,593|






## **Independent Examiner’s Report on the Accounts** 

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“ **the Trust** ”) for the period 10th July 2023 to 31[st] December 2024. 

As the charity's trustees, 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 Trust’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. 

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: 

- The accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or 

- The accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or 

- the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. 

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. 


_________________________ 

Sam Edwards 

24[th] July 2025