## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** **From 22 September 2023 To 5 April 2024 Charity name: BLUNHAM GOOD NEIGHBOUR SCHEME Charity registration number: 1204874** ## **Objectives and Activities** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|To relieve, either generally or individually,
persons resident in the Area of Benefit
within the county of Bedfordshire, who are
in conditions of need, hardship or distress.
To provide practical services to bring help
quickly, informally and confidentially to
such persons and to offer assistance
directly from local resources an a "Good
Neighbour" basis or referring people to
specialised services.| |Summary of the main
activities in relation to those
purposes for the public
benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or
services identified in the
accounts.|Para 1.17 and
1.19|For the public benefit to relieve poor, sick,
elderly, needy or disabled persons in
Blunham, Bedford by providing or assisting
in the provision of services calculated to
reduce the need, hardship or distress of
such persons. Our core activities include
lifts for medical appointments, collection of
medication, assistance with gardening and
minor DIY jobs, befriending lonely residents
and help with form filling or other
administration activities.| |Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|We can confirm that the trustees have had
due regard to the guidance issued by the
Charity Commission on public benefit| **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Policy on grant making|Para 1.38|Not applicable| ||Para 1.38|| |Policy on social investment
including program related
investment||Not applicable| |---|---|---| |Contribution made by
volunteers|Para 1.38|Some volunteers occasionally donate
expenses received from clients to BGNS
funds.| |Other||| ## **Achievements and Performance** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to
the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|Para 1.20|We have now completed our first year
having carried out 110 jobs within the core
activities identified above and are happy to
report a positive response to the support
we are providing. The flower bouquets are
continuing to bring a lot of joy to the
recipients and must thank the company
who are supporting us with this gift. We
have recently been involved in a village
event showcasing the different groups
available to the residents of Blunham and
beyond. It was a great time to network with
the other volunteer and community groups.
We would like to thank the Parish Council
for their continued support.| ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |Achievements against
objectives set|Para 1.41|Not applicable| |---|---|---| |Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41|Not applicable| |Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41|Not applicable| ## **Financial Review** |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|**All as separate document BGNS**
**Financial Report 2023 – 2024_000050**| |---|---|---| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|See above| |Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|See above| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|N/A| |Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|None| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23|BGNS currently has no financial
uncertainties about its future as a going
concern| **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |||| |---|---|---| |The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|Para 1.47|Occasional donations from volunteers,
grateful clients, and other members of
the public.| |Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|**N/A**| |A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|The main risk facing BGNS is the
uncertainty regarding its annual income.
Hence the need for a retained financial
buffer.| |Other||**None**| ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |Description of charity’s
trusts:||**None**| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document|Para 1.25|Constitution of a Charitable Incorporated
Organisation with voting members| |How is the charity
constituted?|Para 1.25|**CIO**| |Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees|Para 1.25|The appointment of BGNS trustees is
governed by the charity’s constitution
document. Paras 5 and 7 refer.| ## **Additional information (optional)** ## You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction
and training of trustees|Para 1.51|Provide new trustee with
relevant documents:

_Trustee Welcome Pack_

BGNS Constitution

Latest BGNS accounts

BGNS_Notes for Volunteers._
Meet current trustees at bi-monthly
steering group meetings| |---|---|---| |The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|BGNS has a total of 24 volunteers of whom
8 are on a steering committee.
BGNS work closely with Bedfordshire Rural
Communities Charity and Blunham Parish
Council| |Relationship with any
related parties|Para 1.51|BRCC provide an umbrella organisation for
all Bedfordshire good neighbour schemes
and our group contribute to quarterly
statistics and best practice| |Other||| ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charity name|Blunham Good Neighbour Scheme| |---|---| |Other name the charity uses|None| |Registered charity number|1204874| |Charity’s principal address|7, The Hill
Blunham
Bedfordshire
MK443NG| ||| ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
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14
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20|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year **|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (ifany)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Geoffrey Paul
McCulloch|Chair||| ||Philip Anthony
Rose|Trustee / Hon
Treasurer||| ||Mark Andrew
Brazier|Trustee / Hon
Secretary||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| ## – Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name N/A** Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity |**Trustee name**|**Dates acted if not for whole year**|| |---|---|---| |||| |**None**||| |||| |||| |||| |||| ## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others** |Description of the assets
held in this capacity|None| |---|---| |Name and objects of the
charity on whose behalf the
assets are held and how this
falls within the custodian
charity’s objects|None| |Details of arrangements for
safe custody and
segregation of such assets
from the charity’s own
assets|N/A| ## **Additional information (optional)** ## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** |**Type of**
**adviser**
**Name**
**Address**|**Type of**
**adviser**
**Name**
**Address**|**Type of**
**adviser**
**Name**
**Address**| |---|---|---| |**None**||| |||| |||| |||| ## **Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)** None ## **Exemptions from disclosure** Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details **N/A** ## **Other optional information** **None** Declarations The Irustees declare that they have apwoved the In￿tea$, rewt above. Signed on behaifof the chaiity's trusiees Signthrels) Full name(s) Posluon leg Secretary. Chalr. etc) Mark Andrvw Brazier DeLwnber 2024 Blunham Good Neighbour Scheme Registered Charity No. 1204874 Accounts for the year ending 5th April 2024 INTRODUCTION The Blunham Good Neighbour Stheme IBGNS) was set up in January 2023 under the umbrella of Bedfordshire Rural Community Charity IBRCC). There are 40 such schemes in Bedfordshire where volunteers offer help and assistance to people in a defined location. Initially the organisation was set up using the 8RCC Constltution. However, the Trustees decided to become a Charitsble Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and obtained charitsble 5tstus in September 2023, at which time the Trustees decided to change the period to the financial year to 6 April to 5 April. Hence this report covers an initial period of 15 months. In order to set up the organisation, BGNS approached Blunham Parish Council for financial assistance and were awarded a Stsrt Up Grant of £3749.15 to cover operations over first two years. INCOME and EXPENDITURE The buslness plan for BGNS seeks to obtain funds from donatlons for work carried. For drNlng operations. a donatlon 15 suggested based on HMRC pence per mlle. whlch is offered to volunteer5 to c¢)ver their costs. Any other donations are banked to 5UPPOrt the charity. ExpendItU￿ is agreed by the Trustees at their regular meetin85. All Income and e¥pendlture is managed through a Uoyd5 Bank Account. with expenditure requirlng a two layer authorisatlon process. Records of all income and expenditure are recorded against jobs through a duplicate book and schedule, where detsils of the Job, Job type. Volunteer. Client, Client details, and income are recorded. This is reconciled with the Bank Statement on a monthly basis. FINANCIAL STATEMENT January 2023 to 5th April 2024 Please see Appendix I In total we have recorded 110 jobs from April 2023. Income from these job5 by way of donotions has totalled £599. Expenditure slnce January 2023 was £1710.03, however£llO.80 refers to expenditure for 2024/25 IGifGaf £10 for April and £100.80 An5Var Insurance for 241251 and a further £424.30 for the period 2022123. Itwo payments to Smarty of £8. £319 for the moblle phone and £89.96 for Insurance) Hence comparing April to April income £599. expenditure £1147.93, an annual loss of £575.93. However, as this was our first year there are items in the accounts relating to the initial set up of the or8anisation, such as the purchase of the mobile phone. display stands. lanyards and printing. This comes to approximately £650. Income from jobs made a good stsrt with reoipts reathin8 £120 for May. £125 for June, £68 for July and £131 for August. However, this has tailed off significantly and slnce Ottober we have only re￿IVed £90 wlth zero in February and £18 in March. CHARITY WORK The Trustees recognise the financial dlfficulty dlents are under and are looking at further opportunlties to seek fundlng In order to support the most needy in our community. There is clearly a need within our area for the type of support we offer and the Tfustees are open to suggestions on how we can assist those in need better. FUTURE FUNDING In order to support better our most needy clients, the Trustees are looking at changing the financial model to one where financial support is obtsined by a Mixtu￿ of donations and grants. with the latter tsking a greater role in the long term. This model is similar to many of such schernes running in Bedfordshire, some of which rely entirely on grants for their financial support. SAFEGUARDING We have a dedicated Safeguarding Trustee and all Trustees undergo safeguardin8 training. In additlon, all Trustees and Volunteers a￿ checked by the D8S scheme. This was initfally completed via BRCC but Is now being moved to a PriTrrdte Company as BRCC no longer support this. INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT Attached to this report is the independent examiners report of the accounts from Or. Roy ripping to which I extend my thanks. Phil Rose Treasurer Trustee May 2024. QPPkt4ts1 x I Blunham Good NeSghbourS¢herne-ae¢ountsforyearendingSAprll2024 RrflsteiedChavtyNo. 1204874 Balance sheel Descrlptlon Thls year Lastyear Current assets Bank current account Cash in hand Total assets 2.688.12 0.00 2.688.12 0.00 0.00 0.00 Liabilities Accounts payable Uncleared cheques Total iiabllltles 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 NetAssets Reserves Excesslldeficitl to date Starting balances Total Reserves 2.688.12 0.00 0.00 2.688.12 FlnanclalActl¥ltles Prlor year Income Donations Grants Job donations 50.00 3,749.15 599.00 0.00 Total Income 4.398.15 Expendlture Monthly phone charges Mobile phone purchase Insurance Slationery haidware Printing 136.00 319.00 I￿.40 0.00 385.80 Fll Boxes & lanyar¢Js Website Advertising Refund ljob 251 Training day 136.67 42.00 90.00 20.00 318.10 0.00 0.00 Totsl expendlture 1,710.03 Net Incomellexpendlturel 2.688.12 Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examinerfs Report Report to the trusteesl members of li iai i I vvvu iyriyi 1sJvui Iri li On accounts for the year ended 51412024 Charity no (if any) 1204874 Set out on pages 1and2 Respective The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The responsibilities of charty's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section trustees and examiner 144 of the Charrties Act 2011 (the charib.es A¢ll and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility lo". examine the accounts under sect￿￿ 145 of the Charities Act, to follow the pr(￿edureS laid down in the general Directions given by the Charrty Commission (under section 145151{bl of the Charit￿S Act, and to state whether partrular matters have come to my attention. Basis of independent My examination was carried out in accordance wtth general Directions given by the examIne￿S ststement Charity Commiss￿n. examination includes a review of the accounting words kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes considerab.on of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanation5 from the trustees conc£rning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit. and Consequent￿ no opinion is given as lo whether the accounts present a 'true and fairf view and the reKk)rt is limiled to those matters set out in the statement below. Independent In connects.on wrth my examinabon. no matter has come to ry attention examinerfs statement 1. which gives me reasonab￿ cause to beI￿ve Ihal in. any material respect, the requirements.. to keep accounb.ng records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act.. and lo prepare ac&)unts which ac￿rd with the aco)unting records and comply th the accountsng requirements of the Charities Act have not been met", or 2. to wttth, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed: Date: 241412024 Name: Dr. Roy Tipping Relevant professional qualificationls) or b04Jy (if any): Address: 60 Barford Road Blunham Bedford MK44 3ND IER March 2012 Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material problems. Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER March 2012