## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** **From 6 April 2024 To 5 April 2025 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|Not applicable| |Policy on social investment
including program related
investment||| |---|---|---| |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 68 jobs this year
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 had a tea and cakes event
with all the volunteers and had a lot of
positive feed back about the service we are
providing. It has been identified that further
publicity is required to make our presence
more visible to more of our Blunham
residents. We will also reach out for some
additional volunteers in the coming year.
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
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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** ## ## ## Blunham Good Neighbour Scheme Registered Charity No. 1204874 Accounts for the year ending 5th April 2025 INTRODUCTION The Blunham Good Neighbour Scheme (BGNS) was set up in January 2023 under the umbrella of Bedfordshire Rural Community Charity (BRCC). 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 BRCC Constitution. However, the Trustees decided to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and obtalned charitable status in September 2023, at which time the Trustees decided to change the period to th the financial year to 6th April to 5 April. This report is for the financial year 2024 to 2025. In order to set up the organisation, BGNS approached Blunham Parish Council for financial assistance and were awarded a Start Up Grant of £3749.15 to cover operations over the first two years. INCOME and EXPENDITURE The business plan for BGNS seeks to obtain funds from donations for work carried. For driving operations, a donation is suggested based on HMRC pence per mile, which is offered to volunteers to cover their costs. Any other donations are banked to support the charity. Expenditure is agreed by the Trustees at their regular meetings. All Income and expenditure is managed through a Lloyds Bank Account, with expenditure requiring a two layer authorlsation process. Records of all income and expendlture are recorded against jobs through a schedule, where details of the Job, Job type, Volunteer, Client, Client details, and income are recorded. This is reconciled with the Bank Statement on a monthly basis. th th FINANCIAL STATEMENT 6 April 2024 to 5 April 2025 Please see Appendix I Income & Expenditure & Balance sheet In total we have recorded 68 jobs from April 2024. Income from these jobs by way of donations has totalled £297.15. In addition, we received a donation of £10. Expenditure since Aprill 2024 was £644.24, however£117.24 refers to expenditure for 2025/26 (Insurance for 25/26) Hence comparing Aprll to April income £307.15, expenditure £644.24, an annual loss of £337.09. However, some of this expendlture was for advertising and Safeguarding which we may not need this coming year. Income from jobs has been steady throughout the year, albeit lower than last year. September was the only month of zero income. CHARITY WORK The Trustees recognise the financial difficulty clients are under and are looking at further opportunlties to seek funding 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 Trustees 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 obtained by a mixture of donations and grants, with the latter taking a greater role in the long term. This model is similar to many of such schemes running in Bedfordshire, some of which rely entirely on grants for their financial support. In addition we have widened our Area of Benefit to include Charlton, a small village adjacent to Blunham which had no Good Neighbour scheme. SAFEGUARDING We have a dedicated Safeguardlng Trustee and all Trustees undergo safeguarding training. In addition, all Trustees and Volunteers are checked by the DBS scheme. This was initially completed via BRCC but is now being moved to a Private Company as BRCC no longer support this. INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT Attached to this report is the independent examiners report of the accounts from Dr. Roy Tipping to which I extend my thanks. Phil Rose Treasurer Trustee June 2025. 888.88 8 8**888888888888888= C)c>￿￿rIc000aQO0o r4 r4 r4 Blunham Good Neighbour Scheme Registered charity No. 1204874 th Accounts for the year endingApril 5 2025 Balance Sheet. Descrlptlon 202412025 202312024 Current assets Bank current account Cash in hand Aarond Dept DBS Insurance 2025/2026 Total Assets £2351.03 £0 £ 105.00 £ 117.24 £2573.27 £2688.12 £0 £0 202412025 £100.80 £2788.92 Llabllltles Accounts payable Uncleared cheques Total Llabilltles £0 £0 £0 £0 £0 £0 Net Assets Mobile telephone MF Doc Case A4 Diary £0 £0 £0 £319.00 £ 16.97 £ 5.70 Reserves Excess/(deficlt) £2351.03 £2688.12 Change year on Year Current account Assets Total change (£ 337.09) £ 121.44 (£ 215.65) (£ 512.03) £ 100.80 (£ 411.23) Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of E31LJr;Iiain (iood Neic3tiboiJr ScheinL On accounts for the year ended 5 April 2025 Charity no (if any) Set out on pages Respective The society's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. responsibilities of The society's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year trustees and examiner under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to: examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act, to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basis of independent My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given examiner's statement by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the society and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair, view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. Independent In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention examiner's statement (other than that disclosed below ") 1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements: to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act. and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met; or 2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ase delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply. Date: 1 July 2025 Slgned: Name: Dr. Roy Tipping Addres 60 Barford Road, Blunham, Bedford MK44 3ND IER March 2012 Section B Disclosure The printer used for the bank statements does not always print the whole page. There are two clear conjectural entries used in this examination. The omissions do not give cause for concern. IER March 2012