Charity Commission
Trustees’ Annual Report for the period Period start date Period end date Day Month Year Day Month Year From 01 April 2024 To 31 March 2025
Reference and administration details
Charity name Civil Air Support Other names charity is known by
Registered charity number 1113079 in England and Wales, SC042026 in Scotland
Charity’s principal address Dalridian House East Mains Angus Scotland Postcode DD3 0QN
Names of the charity trustees on date of approval of Trustees’ Annual Report
| Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
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| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 |
Archie Liggat | Chairman | ||
| Norman Sutherland | Secretary | |||
| Will Roomes | Treasurer | |||
| Guy Gratton | Trustee | |||
| Will Ingleby | Trustee | |||
Reference and administration details
Names of all other charity trustees during the period, if any, (for example, those who resigned part way through the financial period)
Name
Dates acted if not for whole year
Structure, governance and management
| Type of governing document Trustee recruitment and appointment |
Civil Air Support has a Constitution and a set of Rules and Bye Laws – both are published on the website member’s area at https://www.civilairsupport.com Both are also submitted to the Charity Commission for E&W and OSCR. |
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| All trustees stand for election/re-election at the formal Annual General Meeting as required by the Civil Air Support Constitution. All of the current trustees were re-elected at the organisation’s last AGM held on 14 September 2024. |
Objectives and activities
Charitable purposes The Objects of Civil Air Support (CAS) are: To promote for the benefit of the public, the preservation and protection of people, property and the environment by the use of aerial observation over land and water, in order to identify situations where people and/or property and/or the environment is at risk and by working with such other bodies as deemed appropriate. CAS is the largest charitable air support organisation in Europe. It’s membership of privately-owned aircraft operators includes fixed-wing aeroplanes; (single and twin engine); helicopters; and gyrocopters. Our purpose is to provide voluntary humanitarian air support to organisations or individuals who would not otherwise have access to it.
All of our flights are undertaken within the “private” category with all of our pilots and crews donating their time, skills and aircraft free of charge for the greater good of our communities.
Achievements and performance
Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the financial period
Civil Air Support has continued to engage in a range of airborne activities in support of our communities over the last year. The number of sorties and hours flown has increased. Key achievements during this reporting period that are worthy of note include:
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Continuing to undertake, in conjunction with UK Blood Bikes (a separate registered charity) the transfer of multiple transplant materials, samples and products across the UK on multiple occasions as required. This activity has increased substantially over the last year and now includes a number of regular flights between healthcare facilities in Scotland and London.
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• Engaging in a number of missing person searches across the UK based on direct requests from agencies, friends or family members.
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• Supporting multiple wildlife observation, monitoring, survey, rescue, transfer & re-patriation flights, including: the re-location of birds of prey and transport of specialist teams.
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• Undertaking photographic surveys and exercises across large areas of the UK using full size aircraft and UAV’s.
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• Increasing the number of digital camera kits available to members across the UK for survey/search activity.
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• Participating in a number of emergency planning exercises with other agencies and responders.
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• Expanding our Regular Airborne Photographic Activity (RAPA) MOU and rolling this out to a number of local authorities, primarily in response to a need for regular flood monitoring as a result of numerous major flooding incidents.
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• Attending a number of events across the UK to promote the charity, including some focused on emergency service providers.
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• Continuing to recruit new volunteers with extensive experience in areas relevant to the work of CAS.
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• Expanding our Search Advisory Group (SAG), a specialist sub-group within CAS who help with the planning and review of potential missing person and other search related operations.
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• Developing an extensive on-line Winter training events programme for all members covering a wide range of relevant topics including Crew Resource Management, Aerial Photography, etc.
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• Continuing to develop and enhance our Operations Manual along with other supporting documentation and on-line materials.
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• Registering CAS an incorporated charity that will eventually supersede the existing organization later this year.
Financial review
| Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves Details of any deficit Donated facilities and services (if any) |
The organisation’s policy remains to hold sufficient reserves to conduct operations for up to one year including training and equipment requirements. We estimate this to be £5,000 pa and with existing reserves of circa £37,000 as at 1st April 2025, the organisation is operating well within its reserve policy. |
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| N/A | |
| All CAP pilots freely donate aircraft variable costs (insurance, hangarage, maintenance, licensing and depreciation) when providing their aircraft for use by the organisation. On many occasions, direct costs (fuel, oil, landing fees) are also freely donated. This in addition to the time and effort generously made available by all members, whatever role. Apart from administration consumables, expenses drawn by members of the CAP in the execution of their duties remains extremely low. |
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Other optional information
Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) Full name(s) Archie Liggat Norman Sutherland Position (e.g. Chair) Chair Secretary Date 26[th] May 2025 26[th] May 2025
CIVIL AIR SUPPORT ACCOUNTS SUMMARY 2024-2025 CAF Bank Main Acc TSB- Merchandise Acc ALLACCOUNTS Description Credit Debit Credit Debit Total Cr•dit Total Debit Totsl Balan Opening Balance- l April 2024 £ 14,327.68 £2,092.87 36,420.55 INCOME Membership Subscriptions & Gift Aid Donations CAS Merchandise Sales 8ank Interest £ 6,421.36 122.94 6,421.36 £ 182.94 £ 60.00 £ 150.00 150.00 £ 61.69 £ 61.69 TOTAL INCOME £ 6,605.99 £ £ 210.00 £ 6,815.99 43,236.54 EXPENDITURE Website l H05ting Insurance Membership Secret3ry Costs Bank Fees Merchandise Purchase & Postage Mlsslon Costs Ops Manager Phone £ 200.80 200.80 £ 342.40 342.40 192.32 £ 192.32 60.00 60.00 £ 195.10 195.10 £ 1,553.95 £ 1,553.95 30.00 30.00 Equipment Purchases £ 3,342.94 £ 3,342.94 TOTAL EXPENDITURE £ 5,722.41 £ 195.10 £ 5,917.51 £ 37,319.03 CAF BAnk Main Atc TSB- M4rthandii* Atc ALLACCOUNTS CL051NG BALANCE- 31 March 2025 £ 35,211.26 £2,107.77 £ 37,319.03 37,319.03