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← Axminster Care Service

2025-03-31-accounts

Charity Number 900144

AXMINSTER CARE SERVICE

Trustees Annual Report

For the year ended 31[st] March 2025

Author: Mrs J Symes, Honorary Secretary

AXMINSTER CARE SERVICE

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Registered Charity Number

900144

Principal Address

Axminster Care Service South Street Axminster Devon EX13 5AD

Trustees

Dr James Vann, Chairman Mr Mervyn D Symes, Vice Chair Mrs Jacqueline Symes, Secretary Mrs Alison Hayward, Treasurer Mr Malcolm Laws Mrs Dianne Bruce Mrs Thelma Collier

Banks

Lloyds Bank Plc, Axminster Nat West Bank Plc, Axminster (now closed)

Solicitors

Scott Rowe Solicitors, Axminster

Independent Examiner

Four Ashes Accountants Owl Cottage Beaminster Dorset DT8 3JU

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AXMINSTER CARE SERVICE

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

The Trustees present their annual report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31ts March 2025.

Structure, Government and Management

The Axminster Care Service Constitution is documented by a Deed of Trust and is consistent by Trustees incorporated as a body, registered on 18[th] August 1989. It is governed by a board of Trustees, in accordance with its constitution, who regularly review the objectives and activities undertaken by the organisation. Trustees are appointed from time to time depending on availability of current post holders and will be nominated by a Trustee and elected with agreeance of all existing Trustees.

The day-to-day management of the Charity is the responsibility of the Chairman, Dr James Vann, Mrs Jacqueline Symes Secretary, and Mrs Alison Hayward Treasurer. No renumeration was received in carrying out these roles during the financial period.

The day to day running of the Charity Shop is primarily the responsibility of the Shop Manager. Decisions relating to costs of maintenance and security of the Charity Shop will be discussed within Trustee meetings, or via email to all Trustees in the event of urgency.

Trustees are made aware of their responsibilities via information provided by the Government website. On election as Trustee, the appointee will have a settling in period where no defined responsibility will be placed upon them, and this will depend on the individual’s character and business background. New Trustees will be provided with copies of policies held by the Charity as follows: Equality Policy, Safeguarding Policy, Social Media Policy, Financial Reserves Policy, Investing Charity Funds Policy & Procedures, Serious Incident Reporting, Privacy Notice for Employees and Volunteers incorporating GDPR, Conflict of Interest.

Trustees will agree in committee any salary or salary review for the Shop Manager and Assistant Shop Manager, and this will be done on an annual basis. Trustees will look at the current financial climate, and comparison salaries for those in similar positions within the county.

Objectives and Activities

The objects of the Charity are to relieve poverty and sickness and distress and to do all such other things beneficial to the Community by such legally charitable means as the Trustees shall think fit in the town of Axminster and in the surrounding Parishes.

The Activities of the Charity will include raising funds to support the Objectives of the Charity as stated above. This may include receiving donations and legacies, income received through the Charity Shop, Grants, Gift Aid, and Bank Interest Received. Other activities of the Charity will include the giving of Grants to individuals/families in need of financial or material support in times of crisis; the giving of Grants to local community groups, schools, churches, and other charities who are struggling to raise funds for projects that will be of benefit and have impact within our local community.

Requests for Grants for individuals are received by the Secretary via a third party such as a doctor, social worker, head of school, clergy etc. This is to ensure that the need is genuine and meets

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AXMINSTER CARE SERVICE

critera. Material goods are provided by the Charity on behalf of the Client to ensure that their needs are met and funds are not misused. The Grant is issued upon agreement of a majority of Trustees.

Requests for Grants received by groups, schools, churches, and other charities are received by the Secretary and are presented to all Trustees for consideration. The Trustees will consider how the Grant will enhance the community and people within, and whether this meets with the Charity’s ethos.

Axminster Care Service has approximately 50 volunteers across different areas of the service and include Committee members, Volunteer Shop Assistants/sorters who each work a few hours each day to ensure that the Charity Shop maintains opening hours across six days per week. Volunteer Drivers who facilitate the transport service will work at least one day per fortnight, ensuring that we are able to cover the demand for medical transportation. Volunteer Telephonists operate the telephone system and coordinate client transport requests and drivers, with each working one morning per week for two hours.

Achievement and Performance

Grant Giving: Over the past year the charity has supported funding applications from community groups and individuals in the sum of £25,210; school applications from the General Fund including support for individuals in the sum of £8,345; school applications from the Dyslexia Fund in the sum of £20,537. Communications with local schools has improved over the period, with visits and discussions becoming more frequent.

ACS Charity Shop: Despite the cost-of-living crisis the charity shop has continued to maintain sales levels throughout the financial period. However, clothing donations inward were down during the last quarter of the period. The addition of an experienced jewellery sales volunteer has aided further increase in shop sales for the year. The supply of clothing for Axe Valley Prom Night has discontinued this period due to stock being held at the school from previous years. Themed window displays continue to attract customers. All electrical donations continue to be PAT tested by a competent volunteer. The number of Volunteer shop assistants toward the end of the period was 19, all working part 2-3 hour shifts over the course of the week. The Defibrillator has been accessed several times over the period but not used.

ACS Transport Service: The Volunteer Drivers have continued with transporting people to and from medical appointments. The number of Volunteer Drivers has increased to 18 over the period. Where there is a shortage of Drivers for transport requests priority will be given to those clients with hospital appointments over local journeys. New Drivers continue to be offered the opportunity to take part in a driving assessment to refresh their knowledge of the Highway Code and boost their confidence.

The volunteer Telephone Team have continued to support the Drivers in coordinating transport requests. The number of Volunteer Telephonists toward the end of the period was 5. The introduction of a Hospital Visit Day in 2023/24, with a Driver taking clients specifically to RD&E Hospital to visit family for a fee of £10 per passenger, continues to be offered. Difficulties in maintaining volunteer levels due to sickness has resulted in pressure on the service. This will be addressed moving forward by way of advertising locally for new volunteers.

Donations and Gift Aid received from transport clients have increased over the period, offsetting the Drivers mileage claims.

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AXMINSTER CARE SERVICE

Financial Review

Increases have been achieved for the period with a slight increase in Charity Shop Sales due to the addition of an experienced jewellery sales volunteer, and Client Transport Donations and Gift Aid also increasing. Interest Received this year has seen a large increase due to the setup of the Flagstone investment platform, consolidating several bank accounts and maximising interest.

Expenditure has increased this year due to an increase in transport costs, shop supplies, and shop staff costs.

A summary of income and expenditure for the year to 31[st] March 2025 is as follows:

Full details of the financial activities are set out in a separate document, submitted with this report.

Reserves Policy

ACS will ensure that it maintains enough reserves to continue operating for a minimum of one year to ensure continuity of service provision. This has been achieved for the period despite a small deficit in the years’ accounts.

Plans for Future Periods

ACS aim to continue its current services of grant giving and medical transport support to the community. The Charity will continue to look to increase awareness of its activities through further advertising and publication initiatives over the next financial year. The Trustees aim to increase the number of proactive committee members to support its activities.

Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities

The Trustees are responsible for preparing a Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements in accordance with government legislation. This report and the Financial Statement have been prepared to give a true and fair view of the charity, its resources and the application of those resources for the period. The financial statements have been prepared with due consideration in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011.

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Axminster Care Service (Registered Charity No 900144)

1

Propfftyal cox 65JxM)AKI 65.tXIJ.fy) 98,534.07 80.201.67 197.946.27 4,834.71 218.652.72 49.988. 122.618.46 80.050. COIF Chgd¢les Deposlt Buil* FWKI Shop Bank ac￿￿nI Trea5urets Accourt 1345.22 45143&ra 34.766.65 Nat West x¢4wnt Nat Wesl liquldity Vlrgii) actount Flagstone 50. 767%30.12 30.n 917A25.911 Unreslrlcled Funds brouBht forward Sur￿￿$￿￿lIdI lor the Y 917%25.90 2395. 861.(￿.99 s6￿17.91 917￿ls￿) A Hayward fwAT MIC Treasurer

Four Ashes Accountants

Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees of Axminster Care Service, charity no 900144

On accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025, as set out on pages 1 to 2

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all 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:

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed:

Simon Hyett Four Ashes Accountants Owl Cottage, Stoke Abbott, Beaminster, Dorset, DT8 3JU

Association of Accounting Technicians Licenced Accountant

Four Ashes Accountants Inde endent Examlnerfs R ort rustees of Axmlns no 0144 On accounts for the ear ended 31 March 2025 as set out on eslto2 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity for the year ended 31 March 2025. Res onsibilities and basis of re ort As the charity'5 trustee5, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 {"the Att'l. I report In respect of my examlnatlon of the charlty's accounts carrled out under sectlon 145 of the 2011 Act and In carrying out my examlnation, I have followed all the appllcable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515}Ibl of the Act. Inde ndent examlner's statement I have completed my examinatlon. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attentlon in connection with the examinatlon which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: the accountlng records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charltles Act; or the accounts dld not accord wlth the accounting record5. or the accounts dld not comply wlth the appllcable requlrements concernlng the form and content of accounts set out In the Charltles {Accounts and Reports} Regulatlons 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fairf view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have corne across no other matters In connectlon wlth the examinatlon to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached, ned: Slmon H et Four Ashes Accountants Owl Cotta e Stoke AbbDtt Beamlnster Dorset DT8 3JU

Associatlon of Accountln Technlclans Ucenced Accountant