OpenCharities

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

2025-12-31-accounts

Trustees Annual Report

For the year ended [31/ 12/ 2025]

Prepared under the reporting requirements for small non-company charities (income under £500,000)

1. Reference and administrative details

2. Structure, governance and management

2.1 Governing document

Constitution - last amended 23/04/2025

2.2 Organisational structure

Board of trustees including Chair, Treasurer and Secretary. CEO and deputy CEO oversee workstream leads who oversee volunteers in Safeguarding, Recruitment, Mentoring, Events, Content & Website, Academic, Social Media and Community. CEO/deputy CEO meet with the Board quarterly.

2.3 Trustee recruitment and appointment

Trustees and volunteers are recruited through internal and external recruitment. Interviews are led by the Chair and CEO and candidates selected based on prior experience and passion for widening participation. Trustees undergo onboarding with the community team and start their 2 year term.

2.4 Decision-making

The Board, including the CEO and deputy CEO, meet on a quarterly basis to make decisions on strategy, structure and goals. The Chair meets with the CEO/deputy CEO in between the meetings to make decisions on day to day running of the charity. The CEO/deputy CEO delegate to the workstream leads.

2.5 Trustee oversight and conflicts of interest

Trustees are required to declare any conflicts of interest at the point they arise and to withdraw from decisions where a conflict exists. The Board maintains overall oversight of the charity's strategy and direction, meeting quarterly with the CEO and deputy CEO to review progress and set priorities, alongside informal check-ins between the Chair and CEO/deputy CEO as needed.

3. Objectives and activities

3.1 Charitable objects

The objects of the CIO, for the public benefit, are:

  1. To advance in life and advance the education of young people between the ages of 16-30 who are socially and economically disadvantaged, primarily through:

(1) providing support to assist young people to apply to study medicine and related subjects at university, offering support to successful medical school applicants as they navigate their medical school journey and in their early medical career

(2) providing events, resources, and advice to support people applying for higher education, and to offer insight into medicine as a degree and as a career.

(3) providing mentorship programmes,

(4) providing financial support to pursue higher education and enrichment activities relating to medicine as a career.

(5) promoting research into barriers facing these young people in applying and studying at medical school and in pursuing a medical career, ensuring the useful results of such research are disseminated.

3.2 Summary of the year's activities

The charity delivered its objects during the year through the following workstreams: Safeguarding, Recruitment, Mentoring, Events, Content & Website, Academic, Social Media, Community.

Safeguarding

Activities and objectives this year: Maintaining safeguarding policies and procedures, reviewing DBS/PVG checks, and supporting the resolution of any safeguarding concerns. Achievements and performance:

Recruitment

Activities and objectives this year: Running recruitment cycles for lead, deputy lead and volunteer positions ahead of the 2025/26 cycle.

Achievements and performance:

Mentoring

Activities and objectives this year: Continuing the collaboration with RadReach to widen access to mentoring.

Achievements and performance:

Events

Activities and objectives this year: Delivering online and in-person events, including the flagship conference.

Achievements and performance:

Content & Website

Activities and objectives this year: Redeveloping the website and strengthening WPMN's brand identity and communications. Achievements and performance:

Academic

Activities and objectives this year: Curating academic resources for widening participation students and doctors, and developing a volunteer impact research project. Achievements and performance:

Social Media

Activities and objectives this year: Producing engaging content and improving posting consistency.

Achievements and performance:

Community

Activities and objectives this year: Strengthening volunteer engagement and support structures.

Achievements and performance:

4. Achievements and performance

4.1 Overall achievements

The most significant milestone of the year was WPMN formally securing registered charity status in April 2025, a step that strengthens the organisation's long-term sustainability and credibility. The charity also delivered a well-received in-person and virtual national conference, attended by 35 people, bringing together speakers from widening participation backgrounds and generating strongly positive feedback from attendees.

Over the year, WPMN delivered 4 online events, ran 2 recruitment cycles, published 43 social media posts and 8 blog posts, and continued to build its digital presence with a full website redesign to expand its offering of free resources for underrepresented students and medics. The charity secured sponsorship from Pastest and MDU, providing income to support events and wider activities, and maintained its ongoing mentoring partnership with RadReach.

The year also brought challenges, particularly around volunteer engagement and retention, with several workstream leads stepping down during the year. In response, the trustees and senior leadership team have been reviewing the charity's structure and support systems, with a restructuring and renewed strategic focus planned for 2025/26.

4.2 Future plans

Looking ahead, WPMN plans to continue growing its volunteer base and community, and to improve the benefits of membership through collaboration with other organisations, increased resources and opportunities, and the introduction of an internal mentoring scheme.

4.3 Public benefit statement

The trustees confirm that they have had due regard to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit in exercising their powers and duties, and that the charity's activities during the year furthered its charitable purposes for the public benefit.

WPMN's activities primarily benefited young people aged 16–30 from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds who are applying to, studying, or working towards a career in medicine. Beneficiaries accessed free educational and careers resources via the WPMN website, attended the 2025 conference to hear from speakers with widening participation backgrounds, and took part in mentoring opportunities delivered through the partnership with RadReach. Current medical students, as well as early-career doctors, also benefited from academic and social media content designed to demystify the path through a career in medicine, while the charity's advocacy and community-building work helped raise awareness of the barriers facing widening participation medics more broadly.

5. Financial review

5.1 Income and expenditure summary (31/03/2025 - 31/12/2025)

The deficit this year reflects planned investment in the conference and website development ahead of confirmed future income. Additional sponsorship is already in the pipeline for 2025/26, and the trustees are confident this will bring income back in line with expenditure.

5.2 Principal funding sources

Pastest and MDU have been our primary sponsorship sources. There has been no other generated income.

5.3 Reserves policy

The trustees aim to maintain unrestricted reserves of approximately £2,500, representing around one year's essential operating costs, reviewed and set annually by the Board of Trustees. The reserve total can be used for necessary costs (conference, website domain, bank account fees).

5.4 Debts

No outstanding debts.

5.5 Funds held as custodian trustee

Not applicable.

6. Declaration

This report was approved by the trustees on 07/08/2026 and signed on their behalf by:

Signed: Name: Dr Isobel Seddon Role: Chair of Trustees Date: 07/08/2026