Trustees’ Annual Report
Community Champions Alliance (CCA)
Reference and Administrative Details
Community Champions Alliance is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) established to support, develop and amplify the voice of community leaders and grassroots organisations across Peterborough and the surrounding area. The charity exists to strengthen leadership capacity, improve governance and sustainability of small charities and community groups, and enable more effective advocacy on issues affecting local communities.
The Trustees who served during the reporting period were: - Gillian Beasley (Chair) - Faustina Yang (Founder and Secretary) - Ian Jackson (Treasurer)
The Trustees are the only members of the CIO and are responsible for strategic direction, governance, and oversight of all activities.
Structure, Governance and Management
The charity is governed by its Constitution and managed by the Trustees, who meet regularly to review progress, risks, and strategic priorities. Community Champions are beneficiaries of the charity and act as a consultative and advisory group (“sounding board”) rather than decision-makers, ensuring clarity of roles and responsibilities. This governance distinction was reinforced during the year to support effective and accountable decision-making.
Key policies were developed, reviewed, and adopted during the period, including safeguarding (adults and children), health and safety, equality, diversity and inclusion, data protection, complaints, conflicts of interest, and financial controls. These policies are reviewed annually to ensure compliance with Charity Commission guidance and good practice.
Public Liability Insurance was secured.
Objectives and Activities
The charity’s objectives during the reporting period were to: - Support community leaders and small charities with governance, strategy, and financial capability. - Provide training, mentoring, and peer support to strengthen leadership and sustainability. - Act as a collective voice to advocate on issues affecting local communities. - Build partnerships across the voluntary, public, and private sectors.
Activities were delivered through meetings, one-to-one support, training programmes, events, and partnership working.
Achievements and Performance
Supporting Community Leaders and Organisations
During the year, the Alliance provided direct one-to-one peer support to at least eight community organisations and leaders. Support included guidance on charity registration, business rates relief, financial planning, advocacy with statutory bodies, document preparation, and signposting to specialist support. This practical assistance helped organisations overcome barriers and build resilience.
Training and Development
Training and development remained central to the charity’s work. Based on an identified needs assessment, the top priorities for Community Champions were governance, developing a quality strategy, and budgeting and finance. In response, the Alliance: - Facilitated access to free and subsidised programmes through Allia Future Business Centre. - Delivered a one-day Community Leadership training course in partnership with Peterborough Citizens. - Commissioned media and communications training delivered by an award-winning journalist. - Offered flexible online learning with one-to-one mentoring to ensure accessibility for leaders with caring responsibilities or language barriers.
Events and Engagement
Trustees actively supported and participated in a wide range of community, cultural, and civic events across Peterborough, helping to amplify community voices and strengthen partnerships. These included health research events, cultural festivals, faith celebrations, homelessness summits, and city-wide community days. Through this presence, CCA strengthened its role as a connector between grassroots leaders and decision-makers.
Advocacy and Collective Voice
Community Champions expressed a strong desire for CCA to act as a collective voice on issues affecting their communities. During the year, the Alliance supported advocacy work in areas including: - Housing and homelessness, in partnership with Peterborough Citizens and the local authority. - Education and school place allocations. - City centre safety, crime, and economic vitality.
These activities helped position community leaders as valued contributors to policy discussions and local decision-making processes.
Membership Growth
The Alliance continued to grow, welcoming new community groups and organisations, including cultural, faith-based, environmental, and family-focused groups. By the end of
the period, the Alliance represented a diverse network of nearly 50 community leaders and organisations, reflecting the rich diversity of the city.
Financial Review
The charity received £10,000 from the National Lottery Awards for All programme, which provided essential start-up and development funding. This funding supported governance set-up, insurance, training delivery, events, and leader development. Additional funding applications were submitted during the year, some unsuccessful, but Trustees continued to refine bids and pursue sustainable funding streams to support future growth.
Trustees are satisfied that the charity has adequate financial controls in place and continues to operate prudently.
Risk Management
The Trustees regularly review risks facing the charity, including funding sustainability, volunteer and leader capacity, and safeguarding. Mitigating actions include diversifying funding sources, strengthening partnerships, maintaining robust policies, and ensuring clear governance arrangements.
Plans for Future Periods
Looking ahead, the Trustees plan to: - Secure further funding to expand training, mentoring, and wellbeing support. - Develop a wider pro bono professional network (legal, finance, media). - Continue strengthening advocacy work on key community priorities. - Support leadership wellbeing and prevent burnout among community leaders.
Public Benefit Statement
The Trustees confirm that they have had due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. The charity’s activities demonstrably benefit the public by strengthening community leadership, improving organisational sustainability, and enabling communities to have a stronger, more effective voice in matters that affect them.
Trustees’ Declaration
The Trustees declare that this report has been prepared in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 and Charity Commission guidance.
Approved the Trustees on 6 February 2025
Gillian Beasley, Trustee
Faustina Yang, Trustee 18n Jackson, Trustee
| Charity Name | No (if any) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Champions Alliance | 1206137 | |||
| Receipts and payments accounts | CC16a | |||
| Period start date 11/12/2023 For the period from |
To | Period end date 06/04/2025 |
| Section A Receipts and payments | Section A Receipts and payments | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - 1,900 - 982 195 5,190 144 8,411 - - - 8,411 - 8,411 - - - 8,411 |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Total funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1,900 - 982 195 5,190 144 - - 8,411 - - - 8,411 - 8,411 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
|
| FundraisingIncome | - | |||||
| Grants | - | 10,000 | ||||
| ActivityIncome | - | |||||
| Balance from 2023grants | - | |||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
- | 10,000 | ||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
||||||
| - | ||||||
| - | - | |||||
| Sub total | - | - | ||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
||||||
| 10,000 | ||||||
Training and Development/Travel expenses |
1,900 | |||||
| IT software and Office supplies | - | |||||
| Event and Meetingcost | 982 | |||||
| Insurance and License | 195 | |||||
| Professional fees/Project/Staff | 5,190 | |||||
| Office Venue | 144 | |||||
| Volunteer expenses | ||||||
| - | ||||||
| **Sub total ** | 8,411 | - | ||||
| 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 |
||||||
| - | ||||||
| - 8,411 | - | - | - 8,411 | 10,000 | ||
| - | - | - | - | - | ||
| - | - | - | - | - | ||
| - 8,411 | - | - | - 8,411 | 10,000 |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
06/02/2026
1
| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at | 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 B3 Investment assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B5 Liabilities |
Details Bank balance at 11 December 2023 net income during 11 December 2023 and ~~6 April 2025~~ Bank balance at 6 April 2025 Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details Details Details Details Signature |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 10,000 - - - 1,588 - 1,588 - 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 Gillian Beasley Ian Jackson |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| When due (optional) |
|||
| Date of approval |
|||
| Gillian Beasley | 06/02/2025 | ||
| Ian Jackson | 06/02/2025 |
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
06/02/2026
2