GMLCS: Annual Report Financial Year 2023-2025 [Legal January 2025]
Greater Manchester Long Covid Support (“GM Long Covid”): Annual Report 2023-2025
| 1. Section One: Reference and Administrative Details: |
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|---|---|---|
| 1.1. Registered name | Greater Manchester LongCovid Support | |
| 1.2. Other names | GM LongCovid | |
| 1.3. Registration number | 1205165 | |
| 1.4. Address of principal office | 15 Fox Street, Oldham OL8 3ST (to 28th April 2025 – now 25 Thorneycroft Avenue,Manchester M21 7HT) |
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| 1.5. Names of Trustees on report date | Alanna Dawn Germon Louise Frances Walls Valerie Jane Bayliss-Brideaux (to 28th April 2025) Victoria Louise Stammers (to 30th January2026) |
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| 1.6. Names of other Trustees in the financialperiod |
Lisa Jones (deceased) | |
| 2. Structure, governance and management: |
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| 2.1. Particulars of governing documents | Charity Commission Foundation Model Charitable Incorporated Organisation Constitution dated 11thOctober 2023 |
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| 2.2. Name and explanation where any person or external body is entitled to appoint 1 or more charity trustees |
There are no provisions within the Constitution which permit any external body to appoint any Trustee to the Board of Trustees of GM LongCovid. |
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| 3. Objectives and activities: |
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| 3.1. Description of the purposes of the charity |
GM Long Covid’s Objects or charitable purpose under the Constitution is: “For the public benefit in Greater Manchester and surrounding areas, to relieve the charitable needs of people experiencing or affected by the symptoms of Long Covid by; |
GMLCS: Annual Report Financial Year 2023-2025 [Legal January 2025]
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(i) Providing peer support, information,
advice and resources including through a
website and on-line tools;
(ii) Raising awareness of the general
public in all areas relating to Long Covid.
3.2. Main activities undertaken to further GM Long Covid conducts the following
its charitable purposes for the public activities to fulfil its charitable purpose
benefit and provide public benefit:
1. Welcome email/call to members on
induction to assess specific needs;
2. Two online weekly peer support
meetings allowing socialising,
signposting and safeguarding;
3. Monthly online and face-to-face social
events including games nights, coffee
mornings and crafts;
4. Specific or educational events to
provide additional services or
activities for members;
5. WhatsApp Community with general
chat and specific Community groups;
6. Website providing information and
resources with access to the general
public for the purpose of education;
7. Resources for education and to assist
with recovery;
8. Personal services such as signposting,
advocacy and safeguarding, where
necessary.
3.3. Statement by the Trustees See Section 7.
confirming compliance with the duty
in s.4 Charities Act 2006 to have
due regard to guidance on public
benefit published by the
Commission.
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GMLCS: Annual Report Financial Year 2023-2025 [Legal January 2025]
| 4. Achievements and performance: |
2023/24 was GM Long Covid’s first year operating as a registered Charitable Incorporated Association and it therefore celebrated considerable achievements in the financial period, which were built upon in 2024/-2025: 1. Set up, incorporation and registration of the Charitable Incorporated Association; 2. Ancillary administrative tasks such as completion of Microsoft IT system and multiple online platforms like Canva and Zoom; 3. Registration with regulators such as the Charity Commission, HMRC and Manchester Safeguarding Partnership; 4. Creating of unique branding for multiple purposes; 5. Obtained funding from multiple sources including private and National Lottery with a positive year end balance; 6. Creation of a website available to members and the general public, including a link to register as a member, accessed worldwide; 7. Promotion of GM Long Covid through social media, community and NHS engagement and other activities; 8. Registration of nearly 200 Members across Greater Manchester and surrounding areas 9. Provision of member services including WhatsApp community, online peer support and social events, face-to-face events, newsletters, education and resources; 10. Engagement with research opportunities locally and nationally. |
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GMLCS: Annual Report Financial Year 2023-2025 [Legal January 2025]
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The CIO grew by 51 new members in
Financial Year 2024-2025, to a total of
240 members. 10 face-to-face events
and over 120 online sessions were run
last year, with educational sessions on
yoga, EFT and mental health following
requests on Member feedback
questionnaires, so we continue tpp
increase activities in accordance with
needs, subject to Trustee availability, as
discussed below. WhatsApp Community
Groups were increased to 9, again on
request from Members in relation to
specific issues such as work or
parenting. Over 13 Members were
supported personally with advocacy and
safeguarding referrals. The financial
year ended with approximately £3,000
funding carried over following successful
grants and fundraising activity.
Unfortunately, there have also been
some difficulties, primarily with reducing
Trustee numbers following the death of
Lisa Jones and retirement of Val Bayliss-
Brideaux. As the retiring Trustee was
the founder of the peer support group
the CIO stems from, there appears to
have been a level of influence over the
Board not appropriate for proper charity
management. The retirement process
itself has highlighted some matters that
the other Trustees were unaware of but
have taken steps to ensure best practice
is followed.
5. Financial review:
5.1. Policy on reserves: GM Long Covid relies primarily on
National Lottery Funding which is
granted over a two-year period, and
shorter-term grants from Forever
Manchester. A reserve has been
accumulated from private fundraising
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GMLCS: Annual Report Financial Year 2023-2025 [Legal January 2025]
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activities, with some application against
set-up costs and IT services. Our
Finance Reserve Policy sets out the aim
for unrestricted reserves over the next
four Financial Years, although the
position is somewhat alleviated by the
longevity of the funding received to date.
The intention is to build reserves within a
deposit account to ensure best practice
in management and continuity of
services for our vulnerable Members.
5.2. Deficits: GM Long Covid does not currently hold
any funds materially in deficit, nor
anticipates the same occurring in the
future.
6. Funds held as custodian trustee GM Long Covid and its Trustees do not
on behalf of others: currently and have no future plans to act
as custodian Trustee of charitable
assets.
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GMLCS: Annual Report Financial Year 2023-2025 [Legal January 2025]
| 7. Public benefit statement:(SEE ALSO 3.3) |
GM Long Covid Support is a small Greater Manchester based Charitable Incorporated Association, run initially by five, reducing to three Trustees at commencement of Financial Year 2025- 2026. It was established in 2023 to provide education and information to the general public, alongside charitable and peer support to those experiencing the symptoms of Long Covid in the local area. The activities undertaken by GM Long Covid throughout the current year, and future plans, are explained throughout this Report. These varied offerings help to achieve GM Long Covid’s charitable purpose by providing or passing on information generally to help increase public knowledge, further education and ideally affect relevant local and health policy. Assistance is also provided to registered Members with their Long Covid journey, both through enabling peer support and building a vibrant community to help each other with their recovery, and by providing services; education and resources, signposting within the wider community, advocacy where Members need extra assistance and safeguarding referrals where required, and to ensure our Members thrive. GM Long Covid collaborates with other relevant services and local charities, and also involves itself in research and research opportunities open to our Members as much as possible. GM Long Covid is constantly seeking to expand the services that it provides both directly to Members and in the pursuit of public awareness and continued state resourcing. |
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GMLCS: Annual Report Financial Year 2023-2025 [Legal January 2025]
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GM Long Covid is aware of and has fully
considered the Charity Commission’s
Guidance (PB1-3) in all actions and
during preparation of this Report. The
necessity for public benefit described in
PB1 was considered on establishment,
and in preparation of GM Long Covid’s
Constitution, Policies, Values and Code of
Conduct, described in our Charitable
Summary and Statement. The continued
duty of public benefit and the
requirements of PB2 are taken into
account in all the joint actions of the
Board of Trustees and in future planning.
There has been no departure from the
Commission’s guidance as set out in PB3
that would require disclosure in this
Annual Report.
8. Plans for future periods: GM Long Covid has the following plans
for future periods:
1. Appoint additional Trustees to
increase availability and services;
2. Expand website content and
resources;
3. Provide further and a wider range
of Member activities and
educational sessions;
4. Explore new avenues of funding,
expand and increase existing
funding arrangements, widen
funding area to include other local
Long Covid services which are
closing;
5. Attempt to obtain representation
at local and NHS forums;
6. Utilise volunteers to assist in
provision of services;
7. Obtain further free and funded
resources for Members.
9. Signatures: [ELECTRONIC]
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GMLCS: Annual Report Financial Year 2023-2025 [Legal January 20251 GREATER MANCHESTER , LONG COVID SUPPORT Name: Louise Frances Walls Date: Signature:
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Greater Manchester Long Covid Support 1205165
Receipts and payments accounts CC16a
For the period 11th October 2023 5th April 2025
To
from
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
Total funds Last year
funds funds funds
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
Forever Manchester - 100 - 100 -
National Lottery - 4,000 - 4,000 -
Relief in Need - 600 - 600 -
Fundraising 1,215 - - 1,215 -
Donation 5 - - 5 -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
Sub total (Gross income for
AR) [ 1,220 ] 4,700 - 5,920 -
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - -
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total receipts 1,220 4,700 - 5,920 -
A3 Payments
Set up costs 701 - - 701 -
IT and running costs 154 484 - 638 -
Events 100 1,041 - 1,141 -
Trustee expenses 156 - 156 -
Resources 15 196 - 211 -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
Sub total [ 970 ] 1,877 - 2,847 -
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - - -
Total payments 970 1,877 - 2,847 -
Net of receipts/(payments) 250 2,823 - 3,073 -
A5 Transfers between funds - - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end - - - - -
Cash funds this year end 250 2,823 - 3,073 -
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CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
05/02/2026
1
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets |
Signature Details Details National Westminster Bank plc Details Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 250 2,843 - - - - 250 2,843 OK Agreement Error Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - - - - Print Name Louise Frances Walls |
Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | |||
| OK | |||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - - - - - When due (optional) Date of approval 5th February 2026 |
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
05/02/2026
2