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Trustees' Annual Report

01 July 2024 to 31 June 2025

Charity name: Cockermouth Emergency Response Group

Registered charity number: 1205090

Charity’s principal address

The Hub 2 Market Street Cockermouth Cumbria CA13 9NJ

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

Name	Tenure
Brian Mitchelhill	21/09/27
Paul Mogford	21/09/26
Hayley Bishop	21/09/25
Robert Ellison Coles	21/09/25
James Andrew Turner	21/09/25

Objectives and activities

The purpose of Cockermouth Emergency Response Group (CERG) is to:

Provide a volunteer led emergency response to the community as and when instructed to do so by the emergency services.
Work together with other organisations, to help individuals and the community to plan and prepare for emergencies.
Provide a volunteer led recovery programme for the community following an emergency.

CERG also provides annual training for volunteers and run bi-annually emergency exercises to ensure that the Operations Team and volunteers are prepared to respond to an emergency where assistance may be required from the organisation.

Achievements and performance

Throughout 2024-25 CERG has undertaken the following to enable the organisation to meet its objective and activities:

Continuing the expansion of the Operations Team to increase resilience within the organisation and independence from the Trustees.
Continuation and review of working groups to improve the efficiency of the Operations Team meetings.
Recruitment and training of a new, contracted, self-employed, Administrator.
Annual review of the organisations policies to ensure the organisation works within a safe and legal environment.
Participation in a multi-agency exercise to strengthen working with statutory and 3[rd] sector authorities.
Continuation of marketing to promote what the organisation does and to encourage householder and volunteer sign up.
The organisation continues to carry out weather assessments by monitoring the local rivers, becks and lakes during periods of wet weather along with using their Social Media platform to update residents. The organisation also engages with the Environment Agency and the Council when required.

Financial review

CERG’s financial year runs from 1 July to 30 June.

The financial statements in figures 1 below sets out the income and expenditure for the financial year 2024/25. CERG’s ended the financial year in a healthy position with a total carry forward balance of £27,011.97.

Income included a grant from Cumbria Community Foundation and donations.

In February 25 the organisation changed bank accounts to business accounts on the recommendation of the bank due to the level of income

CERG is predominantly reliant on grant funding. Due to not being in receipt of a regular income stream, the Trustees committed to holding a minimum of £12,000 reserves.

An annual budget of £10,500 was set at the trustee meeting on 30 June 25 for the financial year 2025/26 to accommodate the expenditure of the organisation. The reserves figure is based upon one year’s expenditure and would protect the organisation from a drop in income and would provide time to explore further funding streams.

Treasurer's Report for CERG AGM	Treasurer's Report for CERG AGM
Accounts for 1 July 24 to 30 June 2025

Opening balance as of 1 July 24		26,243.27 £

Income:
	James Walker Charity Quiz	300.00
	Cumbria Community Foundaton Grant	11188.00
	Slater Trust Donaton	500.00
	Bank interest	582.07
	Donaton	6.62
	Refunds	8.48
	Total	£12,585.17

Expenditure:
	Salary	7097.83
	Equipment	3672.48
	Bank charges	39.32
	Mobile phones	235.39
	Insurance	329.35
	Web hostng and comms	237.10
	Training	40.00
	Other	165.00

	Total	£11,816.47


Closing balance as of 30 June 25		27,011.97 £

Figure 1 - 2024/25 Financial Statement

Plans for future periods

The aims and objectives for 2025/26 is to continue with the purpose of the organisation as set out in the objectives and activities section of this report.

Specific activities planned include:

Recruitment of a new Administrator as the current post holder has expressed a desire to leave in September.
Recruit new members to the Operations Team following 2 resignations.
Carry out a volunteer survey to understand how volunteers would like to support the group in the future.
Close working with other emergency response groups, sharing best practice and joint working where areas of work overlap.
Explore funding opportunities through grants and fund-raising activity to ensure the sustainability of the organisation beyond 2027.

Structure, governance and management

The organisation is a Community Interest Company, governed by a constitution.

There must be at least five trustees and no more than ten. Every trustee must be appointed for a term of three years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees. The charity trustees must have regards to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.

The organisation also has an Operations Team and three working groups to manage day to day tasks. An Operations Team update is provided at each trustee meeting.

The organisation is also supported by a contracted, part time, self-employed, Administrator.

Exemptions from disclosure

Not applicable

Funds held as custodian trustee on behalf of others.