Sandbach Animal Rescue Society
Avalon, Zan Drive, Sandbach, Cheshire, CW11 4QQ
www.sandbachanimalrescue.co.uk
Trustee’s Annual Report 2023
Introduction
Sandbach Animal Rescue Society, hereafter referred to as SARS, was founded in 1981, and registered with the Charities Commission (No. 512966) the following year. From a small beginning, in temporary accommodation, SARS now operates from its own property in Sandbach and has a small retail shop in Sandbach town centre.
The society is run entirely by volunteers and relies purely on fundraising and donations to cover its costs which include day to day running expenses of the rescue centre, fostering, veterinary fees, advertising and printing.
Our rescue centre has six modern, secure and easy to maintain pens, as well as an isolation room, an outside “catio” area, and a fantastic indoor enrichment area. This allows us to accommodate around twenty cats at any one time, although this does depend on the family mix of the cats and kittens.
During the year ending 31 December 2023, SARS rescued one hundred and eight and rehomed ninety-two cats and kittens.
We also had sixteen cats and kittens in foster care during the year.
SARS is unable to provide facilities for dogs at our rescue centre at its current location due to environmental legislation, but we do work in collaboration with neighbouring dog rescue centres.
Objectives
SARS aims to reduce the number of stray and unwanted animals within Sandbach and its surrounding area through rescue and rehoming initiatives. At the same time, SARS strives to support members of the local community in need of assistance with animals, for example support for those struggling with the costs of feeding their cats short term and educating the public regarding neutering and microchipping.
Governance
SARS holds several formal meetings: an AGM open to the public, monthly committee meetings, and Extraordinary General Meetings are called as required.
Officer positions on the Committee are guided by job descriptions and there is a suite of policy documents that are complemented by standard operating procedures.
Trustees and Officers
SARS ended 2023 with the following officers in post:-
Trustees
| Trustees | |
|---|---|
| Trustee | Mel Wilson |
| Trustee | EddieDautry-Turner |
| Trustee | StuartMitton |
Committee members
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Chairman Mel Wilson
Secretary Alison Bayley
Aftercare Coordinator Kim McQuade
Assistant Cat Co-ordinator Audrey Boston
Cat Co-ordinator Linda Gibbs
E-commerce / Website Manager Richard Jarmin
Fundraising Coordinator Sarah Lamb
Rescue Shift Coordinator Laurence Dautry-Turner
Rescue Treasurer Julie Slater
Shop Manager Karen Guy
Shop Treasurer Georgina Greenhalgh
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Other role holders
| Other roleholders | |
|---|---|
| VolunteerCoordinator | Donna Cleveley |
| Cat Café Coordinator | NatalieRichards |
| Crafters Coordinator | Julie Slater |
| Bakers Coordinator | SamanthaMoss |
| ShopRota Coordinators | Yasmin Woods &DarianeMoore |
Financial Summary
More detailed financial information can be found at the end of this report; the summary below shows that from a financial perspective, SARS continues to be a viable on-going concern.
Income: Jan – Dec
| Income: Jan – Dec | |
|---|---|
| Adoptions | £9,680 |
| Donations & collections | £11,805 |
| Shopincome | £31,682 |
| VAT & Gift aid | £18,268 |
| Fundraisingevents | £18,849 |
| Other | £8,345 |
| Total income | £98,629 |
Expenditure: Jan – Dec
| Expenditure: Jan – Dec | |
|---|---|
| Vets fees | £31,780 |
| Rescue centre expenses |
£10,665 |
| Utilities & insurance | £5,981 |
| Fundraisingexpenses | £1,985 |
| Equipmentpurchases | £986 |
| Shopcosts | £23,417 |
| Other | £3,089 |
| Total expenditure | £77,903 |
Plans for 2024
To run alongside our normal business as usual operations (BAU), our plans for 2024 will address two specific items: -
-
1) Special case vet bills - we regularly have large veterinary bills to pay, for both routine visits and medical procedures, as well as for the special cases where the SARS committee literally must make very difficult life and death decisions about funding treatment for complex and expensive cases
-
2) Storage – we need to solve our storage problem. Storage is needed for all the donations we receive for the shop, as well as all our event equipment. We have been loaned storage space over the past year, but this will become unavailable shortly. Therefore, we need to find a longterm sustainable storage solution to facilitate all our events, fundraising and shop activities. The proposed storage project will utilise unused ground at the back of the Rescue centre, level it and install dry storage units
In order to fund these special items and BAU we have set ourselves the following budget:-
We have set ourselves a fund-raising target of £90k to cover our FY2024 plans. We recognise that in the current economic climate our ability to fundraise will come under additional pressure next year. However, we feel this target is achievable and we will continue to ensure alignment of expenditure to fundraising as the year progresses.
Chairmans Report
Once again, the SARS fundraising activity during the last 12 months has been incredible, the efforts from our volunteer fundraisers and our shop staff have been outstanding, their sterling work is what keeps SARS going. The trustees would like to pay tribute to these incredible efforts and thanks every one for their amazing support and dedication.
For SARS, 2023 saw the opening of our first Charity Shop in Georges Walk, Sandbach. Not only was this an exciting new challenge for us it also has had a huge impact on our fundraising ability. A big thank you to everyone involved in getting the shop ready for trading, ensuring the stock was sorted, labelled, and priced, and to the Volunteer coordinator Donna Cleveley for helping to appoint the volunteers to run the shop. A special thank you to Karen Guy and her family who work tirelessly every day (and night) to ensure the shop is open, well stocked, and ready to make us some money!!
Because of the shop opening, in 2023 we attended fewer fundraising events through choice, sticking to the events we knew would raise us money, as well has the local PR events needed to support the town. Our coffee morning was held at the Town Hall throughout 2023, and this has made a big difference to the money we raise and the clientele we attract.
Fundraising highlight of the year was Sarah Lamb surrounded by 100 enthusiastic children at the Spooky Saturday event which had to be seen to be believed!!
Fundraising from events and goods sold this year raised £27077.
SARS is also well supported by the local veterinary practice, local supermarkets and pet stores that allow donation bins. Local pet stores donate unwanted food which is used within the rescue or distributed to other local charities.
SARS continued to provide a safe home to stray and unwanted cats at our rescue centre. The charity also supports members who foster cats and /or kittens in their own homes. The services provided by SARS continue to be crucial especially as we continue through the current cost of living crisis, when more cats are either being (reluctantly) surrendered or abandoned.
I would like to close my statement by saying a big thank you to our volunteers, partners and supporters without whom SARS could not continue to operate.
Mel Wilson SARS Chair
| Sandbach Animal Rescue Society | Sandbach Animal Rescue Society | Sandbach Animal Rescue Society | Sandbach Animal Rescue Society | No (if any) | No (if any) | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 512966 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Receipts and payments accounts | CC16a | ||||||||||||||||||
| For the period from |
For the period | 01/01/2023 | To | 31/12/2023 | |||||||||||||||
| Section A Receipts and payments | |||||||||||||||||||
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Restricted | Endowment funds |
Endowment | Total funds | Last year | |||||||||||||
| to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | ||||||||||||||
| A1 Receipts | |||||||||||||||||||
| Donations | 10,961 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10,961 | 10,961 | 14,651 | |||||||||
| Adoptions | 9,680 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9,680 | 9,680 | 12,091 | |||||||||
| Collection Boxes | 844 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 844 | 844 | 1,572 | |||||||||
| Bequests | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||
| Fund Raising - Events/Sales | 18,849 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 18,849 | 18,849 | 26,052 | |||||||||
| Fund Raising - Other | 8,228 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8,228 | 8,228 | 871 | |||||||||
| Shop Income | 31,682 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 31,682 | 31,682 | - | |||||||||
| Grants | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||
| Loan receipt | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||
| Interest Received | 117 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 117 | 117 | 11 | |||||||||
| VAT on receipts | 15,685 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 15,685 | 15,685 | - | |||||||||
| Gift Aid | 2,583 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2,583 | 2,583 | - | |||||||||
| Compensation | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||
| Sub total(Gross income for | |||||||||||||||||||
| AR) | 98,629 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 98,629 | 98,629 | 55,247 | |||||||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). Motor Vehicles - - - - - Scottish Widows - - - - - VAT refunds re: PY - - - - Sub total - - - - - Total receipts 98,629 - - 98,629 55,247 ———~~——~~= |
|||||||||||||||||||
| A3 Payments | |||||||||||||||||||
| Accountant Fees | 156 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 156 | 156 | 1,350 | |||||||||
| Advertising | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||
| Cat Boarding | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||
| Cat Food | 4,427 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4,427 | 4,427 | 4,216 | |||||||||
| Cat Litter & Essentials | 692 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 692 | 692 | 831 | |||||||||
| Cattery Expenses | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 369 | ||||||||||
| Cleaning | 1,262 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1,262 | 1,262 | - | |||||||||
| Deed Events Cost | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||
| Equipment Purchases | 986 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 986 | 986 | - | |||||||||
| Fostering Expenses | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||
| Fundraising Expenses | 737 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 737 | 737 | - | |||||||||
| Hall Hire etc. | 1,248 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1,248 | 1,248 | 796 | |||||||||
| Insurance/Membership | 2,195 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2,195 | 2,195 | 1,139 | |||||||||
| IT Software and Consumables | 60 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 60 | 60 | 53 | |||||||||
| Legal Fees | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||
| Merchandise | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1,868 | ||||||||||
| Mobile Phone & Broadband | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 724 | ||||||||||
| Motor Expenses | 2,873 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2,873 | 2,873 | - | |||||||||
| Postage | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 3 | 7 | |||||||||
| Printing & Stationery | 398 | 398 | 398 | ||||||||||||||||
| Property Costs - Repairs & Maintenance | 3,053 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3,053 | 3,053 | 841 | |||||||||
| Shop costs | 23,417 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 23,417 | 23,417 | - | |||||||||
| Stationery | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 24 | ||||||||||
| Subscriptions | 710 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 710 | 710 | 561 | |||||||||
| Sundries | 120 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 120 | 120 | 52 | |||||||||
| Supplier Invoices not paid yet | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
03/10/2024
1
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Telephone & Internet 770 770
Utility Costs 3,016 - - 3,016 2,183
VAT on payments - - -
Vet Fees 31,780 - - 31,780 19,265
Waste Costs - - - -
Sub total [ 77,903 ] - - 77,903 34,277
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
Fixed Asset Purchases - - -
- - -
Sub total [ - ] - - - -
Total payments [ 77,903 ] - - 77,903 34,277
Net of receipts/(payments) 20,726 - - 20,726 20,970
A5 Transfers between funds - 6,957 - - - 6,957 -
A6 Cash funds last year end 35,745 - - 35,745 14,775
Cash funds this year end 49,514 - - 49,514 35,745
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Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets |
Details 202409 10787728 202409 73934829 202409 13536130 202409 90664391 VAT refund - Outstanding Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details |
Unrestricted funds to nearest £ 22,350 12,936 14,228 - 49,514 OK Unrestricted funds to nearest £ 3,934 - - - - - |
Restricted funds to nearest £ - - - - - OK Restricted funds to nearest £ - - - - - - |
Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - - |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | ||||
| OK | ||||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - - - - |
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
03/10/2024
2
| Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B3 Investment assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B5 Liabilities |
Details Details Details Loan Signature |
Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) 3,500 - - - - Print Name |
Current value (optional) - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - - - - - When due (optional) 31/12/2025 Date of approval |
|---|---|---|---|
CCXX R3 accounts (SS)
03/10/2024
3
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ Charity Name members of Sandbach Animal Rescue Society On accounts for the year 2023 Charity no 512966 ended (if any) Set out on pages 1 - 3
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/12/2023.
Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
-
the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Date: 03/10/2024 ~~|~~
Signed: Name: Anita Marie Maddock ~~Cs~~ Relevant professional Accountant (MIAB) qualification(s) or body Institute of Accountants and Bookkeepers (if any): Top Cat Accountancy Ltd Address: Winnington House, Winnington Lane, Winnington, Northwich, Cheshire, England, CW8 4DE.
October 2018
1
IER
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
October 2018
2
IER