2025-12-31-accounts - South Brent & District Caring

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

South Brent and District Caring

Registered Charity no: 1204911

Principal address: South Brent Old School Community Centre, Totnes Road, South Brent TQ10 9BP

Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31[st] December 2025

The Trustees have pleasure in presenting their report and the financial statements of the Charity for the period ended 31[st] December 2025.

Objects and public benefit

The Charitable Objects of South Brent and District Caring are set out in the Constitution signed 30[th] August 2023 and are as follows:-

(1) The relief of those persons in need living or residing in the Parish of South Brent and the immediate neighbouring parishes.
(2) To promote social inclusion for the public benefit among persons, who are excluded from society because they are elderly or by reason of poor mental health, limited financial means, failing health, reduced mobility, or a full-time caring commitment where one is needed.

The Trustees have paid due regard to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit in reviewing the work undertaken during the year.

Conversion to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation

During 2024 the Trustees merged South Brent & District Caring (Charity number: 1150875) into this CIO of the same name (Charity number: 1204911). The last financial report for the new CIO covered the period from 30[th] August 2023 to 31[st] December 2024 but financial activity only actually moved over to the new CIO 1[st] May 2024. This report covers the financial year 1[st] January 2025 to 31[st] December 2025.

How the activities have delivered the public benefit

The Charity takes client referrals from family, friends, health-care professionals as well as clients referring themselves. Client numbers are again up on last year. Volunteer numbers are down by 13. Friends are 200 on the new CRM system at the point of transfer for the end of 2025.

People	2025	2024
Clients	308	275
Volunteers	148	161
Friends of Caring	200	207
Age Range	24-101	24-101

Reported people numbers only include those that have been active during the year.

Year to 31[st] December 2025

South Brent & District Caring

Page 1

The table below refers to one-to-one services, Befriending activity reduced during the year, reflecting the conclusion of several long-term matches and wider challenges in recruiting volunteers for this type of support. Transport activity reduced slightly following changes in the needs and circumstances of some high-frequency users. Transport to groups increases assisting people to benefit from the connection that groups offer.

Ring and remind service is included this year as showing the most growth, up from 51 last year, which indicates we started doing this for Wednesday Friends Day, supporting 44 clients over 411 occasions.

Six trips were delivered for 46 individual clients, including the popular beach trip and, new this year, a shared steam train experience with another memory café.

Services	2025	2024
Befriending	278	426
Transport	433	543
Signposting & informing	68	68
Transport to CM/LC/FDWD	100	98
Form Filling & Admin	27	30
Ring & Remind	94
Trips	6	3

Regular social and well-being sessions have continued to run weekly and remained very popular. Attendance levels remained broadly in line with expectations for weekly groups, with Coffee Morning and Lunch Club affected by Monday bank holidays. Walk & Talk delivered the highest number of sessions, including a walk on Christmas Eve.

Seated Exercise was introduced this year. The organisation supports and facilitates this group in The Hub, led by an independent instructor who charges a small fee. This has been a positive addition to the organisation’s wellbeing offer.

A Board Games Club was also trialled during the year, although this was paused before Christmas 2025.

Overall, 246 group sessions were delivered during the year, an increase of two sessions compared with the previous year, demonstrating consistent service delivery despite operational pressures. The attendance numbers for the year were as follows:

Group sessions	Number of sessions	Average	attendance
		2025	2024
Coffee morning	47	11	11
Walk & Talk	51	5	8
Lunch Club	45	24	26
Friendsday Wednesday	50	14	14
Compassionate café	24	3	5
Foot care	13	12	11
Trips	6	15	18
Board Games (new)	9	3	-
Seated exercise (new)	20	4	-

Year to 31[st] December 2025

South Brent & District Caring

Page 2

Evaluation

Expected beneficiary outcomes are associated with each service and accumulate through the year each time the service is delivered. The overall reduction is in part linked to significantly reduced befriending incidents. The totals are:

Outcome	Incidences in 2025
Reduced Isolation	4553 down 2%
Improved health and emotional well being	4678 down 4%
Increased choice and control	2613 up 14%
Improved quality of life	4732 down 3%
Freedom from discrimination and harassment	3273 down 13%
Maintaining personal dignity	3819 down 11%
Making a positive contribution	1914 down 10%
Economic well being	2617 down 7%

Office Enquiry Statistics 2025

There is an impact on overall numbers this year as we shut the office for one day a week for 5 months due to staffing, so overall numbers are down. Not shown here but average daily footfall remained the same. Reflecting a busy service.

	No	Total by different type of contact
Source of contact
Phone	1023	3261
Visit	1836
Home visit & other	137
Of these…		Total Contacts
New Faces	306	2998
Repeat	1565
Volunteer	778
Professional	204
Trustees	145

Warm Space/The Hub Jan -Dec 2025

Total days recorded	Total users (visits)	Total volunteer sessions	Average daily users	Average volunteer per day
232 down	2528 down	318 down	11 up	1.4 down

In 2025, The Hub was open from 9.30am–12.30pm on weekdays, except Fridays from May to the end of September, providing an open space for connection and conversation. Groups using The Hub included Walk & Talk, Coffee Morning, and Compassionate Café, with Board Games and Seated Exercise added during the year. Changes in volunteer and partner capacity during the year impacted some Hub activity and footfall.

Year to 31[st] December 2025

South Brent & District Caring

Page 3

Hub visits outside of organised groups totalled 1,519. In addition, 94 volunteer sessions related specifically to supporting The Hub as an open community space. Meetings and one-to-one client meetings held in the space are also included within Hub footfall figures.

Services remained consistently busy and well used throughout the year. Many services continued to support individuals through sustained, longer-term engagement across multiple activities. Despite staffing pressures, reduced office opening hours for part of the year, changes in partner capacity, and the introduction of new activities, the organisation maintained steady levels of service delivery and community engagement.

Governance

The Care Services Co-ordinator reports four times a year to the Management Committee and four times a year to the Trustee board. Two Trustees sit on the Management Committee, one of which is the Chairman of the committee.

Susanne Archard as Care Services Coordinator and Lucy Jonas as Operations Manager have remained in their roles throughout the year.

It is with great sadness that we need to recognise the life of two trustees who died this year. James Hill had been a trustee since the Charity was formed in 2012 and chairman since 18th August 2015, he was the village GP for many years and had a unique and extensive perspective on the needs of our clients. Lindsey Stewart joined as a trustee in February 2018 and served the Charity with wisdom and compassion until her untimely and sudden death in November 2025. We would also like to thank John Rawlinson for his service as a trustee since September 2013, his medical background and understanding of many of the issues affecting our clients has been a touchstone for the Charity’s work. During the financial period and subsequently to date the following Trustees held office:

Jennie Hazell
James Hill (Died 20[th] July 2025)
- Elaine Musgrave
- John Rawlinson (Retired 1[st] April 2026) - Graham Royle (Chairman)
- David Schura - Lindsey Stewart (Died 20[th] November 2025)
- Jane Sullivan (Elected 17[th] November 2025)

No Trustee expenses were claimed or remuneration given during the year.

The Charity has no employees. In 2025 contracted hours amounted to 1.5 equivalent full time (EFT).

Year to 31[st] December 2025

South Brent & District Caring

Page 4

Principal Funding Sources

During the financial period grant funding has been gratefully received from

South Brent Feoffees (specifically for the residents of South Brent Parish), South Brent Parish Council, Devon Community Car Forum, North Huish Feoffees, Devonshire Freemasons, Diptford Parish Lands Eleemosynary Charity, The Co-operative Food Group, Devon County Council, The Charles Hayward Foundation, The David Gibbons Foundation, The Allen Lane Foundation and Devon Community Car Forum. The Trustees wish to express their sincere gratitude for this funding and the support and recognition given to the work the Charity undertakes.

The chart shows the four main sources of revenue.

The Trustees acknowledge and thank the many private individuals who donate so generously through regular giving. Not only is this an enormous help to the sustainability of the Charity but a tangible appreciation of the benefit South Brent & District Caring delivers to the local community.

Reserves policy

It is the policy of the Charity to maintain unrestricted funds, which are the free reserves of the Charity, at a minimum level of four months and a maximum of twelve months of unrestricted expenditure. At the end of the financial period the Trustees estimate the Charity holds 9 months operating costs in unrestricted reserves.

Risk review

The Trustees continue to review risk scoring and mapping the Charity’s exposure based on the following risk appetite profile:

➢ Operational Risk - Minimal
➢ Conduct Risk - Cautious ➢ Regulatory Risk - Minimal ➢ Solvency Risk - Minimal

The Trustees continue to manage risk and review exposure to changes in the operating environment.

Year to 31[st] December 2025

South Brent & District Caring

Page 5

Responsibilities of the Trustees

All new Trustees are vetted and receive the latest version of “The Essential Trustee” CC3, the Deed of Trust and an outline of their responsibilities.

Signed on behalf of the Board

----- Start of picture text -----
……………………………………. Dated…………………………
Graham Royle (Chairman)
----- End of picture text -----

Year to 31[st] December 2025

South Brent & District Caring

Page 6

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of South Brent & District Caring

I report on the accounts of the Charity for the year ended 31[st] December 2025 set out on pages 9 to 10.

Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner

The Charity's Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act
to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act
to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of independent examiner’s statement

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity 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 you as 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 next statement.

Independent examiner’s statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

(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 2011 Act; and
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act

have not been met; or

Year to 31[st] December 2025

South Brent & District Caring

Page 7

(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Name: Steve Willis

Signed: Date:

Relevant professional qualification or body: ACA

Address: Noland House Noland Park South Brent TQ10 9DE

Year to 31[st] December 2025

South Brent & District Caring

Page 8

South Brent & District Caring #1204911

Receipts and payments accounts

Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period 01 Jan 2025 31 Dec 2025 To from

Section A Receipts and payments

A1 Receipts	Unrestricted funds to the nearest £	Restricted funds to the nearest £	Endowment funds to the nearest £	Total funds to the nearest £	Last year to the nearest £
Incoming resources from generated funds	-	-	- - - - - - - -	-	-
Voluntaryincome	48,664	-		48,664	24,887
Activities forgeneratingfunds	6,695	-		6,695	600
Investment income	1,169	-		1,169	-
Incoming resources from charitable activities	-	-		-	-
Transport	5,403	-		5,403	298
Client activities & services Miscellaneous *Sub total*(Gross income for AR)	9,620	-		9,620	165
	5	-		5	-
	71,556	-	-	71,556	25,950

A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table).
Merger asset transfer	9,568		- - -	9,568	77,763
	-			-	-
*Sub total*	9,568			9,568	77,763
*Total receipts* A3 Payments Costs of Generating Funds Fundraising costs Charitable activities Client activities & service expenses Transport Care coordination & admin services Office Volunteer support Other resources expended Office equipment Miscellaneous **Sub total **
			-	81,124	103,713

			- - - - - - -
	569	-		569	210

	13,269	-		13,269	5,108
	2,485			2,485	292
	52,182	-		52,182	32,828
	5,317	-		5,317	3,242
	1,894	-		1,894	1,187

	4,136	-		4,136	36
	307	-		307	3
	80,159	-	-	80,159	42,906

A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table)
	-		- - -	-	-
	-			-	-
**Sub total **	-			-	-
*Total payments* *Net of receipts/(payments)* A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end **Cash funds this year end **
			-	80,159	42,906

	965	-	-	965	60,807
	-	-	- -	-	-
	60,807	-		60,807	-
	61,772	-	-	61,772	60,807

Year to 31[st] December 2025

South Brent & District Caring

Page 9

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

*Total cash funds* (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details Current Account Savings account Petty Cash Details	Unrestricted funds to nearest £	Restricted funds to nearest £	Endowment funds to nearest £ - - -
	20,115	-	-
	41,169	-	-
	488	-	-
	61,772	-	-
			OK Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - - - - - When due (optional) Date of approval
	-	-	-
	-	-	-
	-	-	-
	-	-	-
	-	-	-
	-	-	-
Details	Fund to which asset belongs	Cost (optional)
		-	-
		-	-
		-	-
		-	-
		-	-
Details	Fund to which asset belongs	Cost (optional)
		-	-
		-	-
		-	-
		-	-
		-	-
		-	-
		-	-
		-	-
		-	-
Details	Fund to which liability relates	Amount due (optional)
		-
		-
		-
		-
		-
Signature	Print Name

Year to 31[st] December 2025

South Brent & District Caring

Page 10