The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2024.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's [governing document], the Companies Act 2006 and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019).
Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document
To pursue any charitable purpose for the benefit of the people of the City of York, in particular, but not exclusively, by the selection, training and provision of volunteers. “Charitable” means charitable according to the laws of England and Wales.
Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects
York Cares is a partnership of public, private and voluntary sector organisations committed to realising a vision of York as an ever more vibrant and socially inclusive city in which to live and work. York Cares brings employers, their employees and communities together in positive and sustainable collaborative action, principally through employee-volunteering, in support of this vision.
The activities that the charity has undertaken to further its charitable purposes for the public benefit are detailed below.
The trustees consider that they have complied with their duties under section 4 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charities Commission.
York Cares aspires:
to provide an opportunity for dialogue between employers and the community, which will:
i) contribute to the promotion of a culture of active citizenship in York through a programme of employee
volunteering;
ii) assist employers to realise their commitment to responsible business practice;
to effect the exchange of skills, knowledge and ideas between business and community, to the benefit of all who live and work in York.
Additional details of objectives and activities
We match the skills and expertise of employers and their employees to community projects where they can have most impact. Our tried and tested programmes deliver tangible benefits for local people, as well as workforce development opportunities for employers.
Our flexible programme of opportunities enables our employer members to mix and match opportunities to develop a tailored volunteering programme which reflects their business needs and maximises the impact of their engagement in the local community.
Our Programmes:
Aspirations, providing employability support to raise aspirations and enable people from all backgrounds and abilities to reach their full potential
Environment & Sustainability, volunteering together on practical activities for the benefit of the benefit of the environment and the long-term sustainability of our city
Social Connections, bringing younger and older people together through meaningful connections to bridge the intergenerational divide and reduce loneliness and social isolation
Campaigns, coming together to support those most in need in the city
Annual member events
York Cares annual Stakeholder Meeting: opportunity for members to meet with like-minded leaders from the private, public and VCSE sectors to discuss key strategic social issues
York Cares annual awards ceremony: opportunity for members to recognise and celebrate employee achievements with York Cares ‘Golden Moments’ awards.
The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.
Highlights for 2023-24
1,605 employees undertook volunteering opportunities in 2023-24.
Aspirations
195 volunteers supported 1,939 pupils from 20 primary schools and The Place; 2,430 pupils and students from four secondary schools, Inspire Academy (an alternative provision centre) and five FE colleges; ten local young people and four students from Converge
We trained 39 new volunteers for our Right to Read programme, supporting 15 primary schools. Additionally, we began to pilot the programme at Acomb Explore Library and had a volunteer delivering weekly sessions there.
We worked with four employers to deliver GEMS (Girls Enrichment and Motivation for Success) for eight Year 9 and 10 girls from Millthorpe School over a five week period, with the aim of boosting confidence and engagement. The girls had the opportunity to gain an insight into a wide range of sectors and roles. The final session involved a visit to Nestle. Feedback from the teachers indicated that involvement in the project was the most rewarding part of the school year for the girls and gave them the confidence to explore their options post-secondary school.
We supported The Place through the delivery of a wide range of employability activities. We supported three Engage Weeks for Year 6 pupils from Westfield Primary Community School, focusing on Maths, English and Science. We worked with employers to demonstrate how these subjects are applied in the workplace. We engaged a number of volunteers to support Explore sessions at The Place, introducing children in Westfield to a variety of different skills.
Through our contract with UniConnect Inspiring Choices, we delivered Project Dare three times with three different employers, supporting students from FE colleges across North Yorkshire. We also arranged two visits to the Creativity Lab at the University of York.
We supported a Careers Fair and mock interviews for pupils at Vale of York Academy. We engaged employers to deliver skills sessions at Millthorpe and York High Schools.
We delivered Day in the Life Week once per term, supporting eight primary schools, The Place and Inspire Academy.
Working with the Science departments at the University of York (UoY), we supported a variety of STEM activities, including the delivery of sessions during British Science Week.
As part of the UoY’s Festival of Ideas (FOI) on the theme of ‘The Power Of…’, we worked with the Department of Language and Linguistic Science at the University to deliver an interactive session on how languages are used. This was one in a series of three activities to demonstrate the power of York Cares, through showcasing each of our programmes.
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Campaigns:
5,879 items were donated, supporting 29 local organisations.
693 items of clothing were donated through the Work Wardrobe, supporting over 260 students from the UoY and York St John University through their Careers Fairs. Portakabin made a sign for our Work Wardrobe cupboard in Careers & Placements and we opened the Wardrobe for drop-in sessions, allowing students to access this throughout the year to support their employability journeys. We trialled engaging employee-volunteers to support the delivery of the Work Wardrobe at the Careers Fairs and had a volunteer from the Cabinet Office support this.
We collected 3,581 donations for 12 VCSE (voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations) in York at Christmas. We also had a number of volunteers support Door 84 and The Island with wrapping presents and preparing hampers for families around York.
905 Easter Eggs and other chocolate items were donated by employers and distributed to four organisations supporting children and young people, eleven Independent Living Communities (ILCs) and the Wilberforce Trust.
700 items were collected for the Hygiene Bank, supporting individuals and families to tackle hygiene poverty.
Environment & Sustainability
1,246 volunteers supported 41 sites/organisations.
There were 119 individual Community Challenges throughout the year.
We delivered two Environment & Sustainability Weeks, one in October 2023 and the other in June 2024, the latter coincided with National Volunteers’ Week. The first engaged 55 volunteers over seven sessions at five sites, the second engaged 104 volunteers over 11 sessions at ten sites.
Due to staffing capacity with our partners at City of York Council (CYC), a decision was made to change the timing of the Big Community Challenge (BCC). This therefore took place in October 2024. However, planning for the challenge began in early 2024 and involved the Executive Members for Environment and Climate Emergency at CYC, the CYC Environment & Communities (ECO) Team, St Nicks and the UoY. Recruitment for the BCC opened at the start of July and many of the sessions were filled within the first week.
We were invited to speak at the Climate Commission reinvigoration event in January to share our experience of the BCC 2023 and our plans for 2024. Following the event, the York Cares Manager was appointed as the Chair of the Connecting with Green Spaces Working Group and as a representative on the Climate Commission Steering Group. The group met four times between January and July and within that time planned the York Opens Green Spaces event, which took place in October 2024 as part of the BCC and York Environment Weeks.
Following a number of approaches from primary schools, we developed opportunities to support outdoor play by enhancing outdoor areas and provision at five schools in and around York.
We were successful in our application to the Nature Hubs Fund, securing £6,000 to support a project in North Street Gardens to transform the area into a vibrant, wildlife-friendly hub where visitors can benefit from a slice of nature in the centre of the city. We hosted four volunteering sessions at the gardens to make a start on improvements. Further work was undertaken as part of the BCC and will be on-going.
We supported the City Nature Challenge (CNC) which took place in York for the first time in 2024. CNC is an annual international event to collaboratively record as many wildlife observations as possible over four days in April, using an app called iNaturalist. We encouraged employees to make observations from their homes/workplaces and co-hosted two sessions with The Friends of Rowntree Park and St Nicks, when volunteers were supported to record observations in Rowntree Park and along a route between Fulford and New Walk.
We supported Aviva’s volunteering month in May, which saw 113 employee-volunteers take part in ten sessions at seven sites across the city.
In partnership with St Nicks, we hosted two sessions for the UoY’s FOI as part of our series of activities to demonstrate the power of York Cares, through showcasing each of our programmes. The sessions involved guided walks along the River Ouse to raise awareness about green corridors and tansy beetle conservation.
We supported Nestle’s volunteering day in July, engaging 83 employee-volunteers from Nestle sites across the country in five sessions at five sites in the city.
Social Connections
164 volunteers supported over 300 older people from the community and at three ILCs.
We hosted nine Social Clubs offering a variety of activities including a Games Night, Paint & Prosecco as part of the York Food Festival, chocolate tasting as part of the York Chocolate Festival and a pub tour.
70 older and younger neighbours joined us for our first festive Shimmer and Shine Social Club at The De Grey Rooms. The event included dancing led by Strictly Fun Dancing, crafts led by Dandelion Arts and a performance by the Aviva choir. The event was made possible by the generosity of The Belfrey, who allowed us to use the ballroom at The De Grey Rooms; monetary donations from The Shepherd Group and Monitor Software as well as a generous donation of the buffet from the UoY’s Campus Kitchen.
Employee-volunteers hosted Christmas parties at three ILCs, engaging 30 older residents.
We hosted five coffee mornings at the York Community Furniture Store and four Chop and Chat sessions at the Spurriergate Centre as part of our regular Social Clubs to encourage connections. These were attended by 64 older neighbours.
We were invited to present at the Curiosity Partnership Loneliness and Social Isolation Evidence Showcase at The Guildhall to showcase the Social Connections programme and the impact of Social Clubs.
Volunteers from Aviva hosted a coffee morning at their offices in York which was attended by 16 older neighbours.
As part of our series of activities to demonstrate the power of York Cares, through showcasing each of our programmes through the UoY FOI, we hosted our first Summer Sparkle with Hiscox supported by 12 volunteers and attended by 36 older neighbours. Attendees had the opportunity to engage in a craft activity hosted by Dandelion Arts; undertake a tour of the Hiscox building, including the art collection and take part in dancing led by Strictly Fun Dancing.
As part of the Great Get Together organised by the Jo Cox Foundation and to tie in with our project in North Street Gardens, we hosted a picnic in the gardens which was attended by six neighbours.
Annual Stakeholder Meeting
Our annual Stakeholder meeting was attended by 48 people, representing both employers and community partners. The meeting provided an opportunity for us to reflect on the impact of our new programme offer for employers and employees one year on and to share reflections on the benefits of membership.
Jamie Kew-Robson, Chair of York Cares, highlighted the challenges faced by the charity and the need for us to review our membership packages.
Naomi Thompson, Head of OD, Benenden Health and Laurence Beckett, Experienced HR Director, both Directors on the York Cares Board outlined the benefits of York Cares membership from both an employer and employee perspective.
Holly Hennell, York Cares Manager, provided an overview of the impact of each of the programmes.
Rod Sims, Headteacher, York High School outlined some of the challenges faced by his pupils and highlighted the importance of employer engagement to support young people to develop their employability skills. He referenced how the school had benefited from the Aspirations programme.
Cllr Jenny Kent, Executive Member for Environment and Climate Emergency, City of York Council provided an overview of the Climate Change Strategy and the work of the Climate Commission. She outlined the importance of environmental activity and how employers had a role to play in this, highlighting activity undertaken through the Environment & Sustainability programme
Alison Dawson, Social Action Programme Manager, The Belfrey, provided an overview of national and local statistics on loneliness and the impact of loneliness and social isolation on health and wellbeing. She highlighted the importance of boosting connections through relationships to reduce loneliness and social isolation and how this had been evidenced through the Social Connections programme, which employees are able to benefit from.
Attendees were informed about upcoming opportunities across all of the programmes and asked to pledge their support.
York Cares Golden Moments
The fifteenth annual York Cares Golden Moments Awards was hosted in the Aviva Boardroom attended by 97 guests from employers and community partners.
The event was compered by Naomi Thompson, Head of OD, Benenden Health and York Cares Director.
There were 14 Golden Moments Awards and nine Golden Moments of the Year Awards. Elly Fiorentini, BBC Radio York conducted interviews with award winners. Six special awards were also presented, two to outgoing Directors, Naomi Thompson, Benenden Health and Sue Draper, Nestle; one to outgoing Company Secretary, Sarah Whiteley, Aviva, two to long-standing volunteers, Mick Fox, Virgin Money, and Sue Leacy, Nestle who were retiring and one to Ebba Wadlan who completed her Placement Year with York Cares.
The Lord Mayor of York, Cllr Margaret Wells, thanked volunteers on behalf of the city.
The event closed with the drawing of a raffle for which tickets had been sold at the start of the event. There were a variety of prizes which had been donated by local businesses. The raffle raised £885.37, including match funding from Aviva
Total income during the year was £295,851 (2023: £248,166) compared to total expenditure of £340,344 (2023: £278,573) providing a deficit of £44,493 (2023: deficit £30,407). The unrestricted deficit was £48,675 compared with a surplus of £556 last year.
Donations in the year include office and accommodation costs in kind from the University of York of £161,394 (2023: £132,494). Membership fees form the basis of the charity’s main source of income and totalled £75,876 (2023: £73,083). The majority of the costs of the charity relate to staffing requirements totalling £153,766 (2023: £118,194).
The trustees are very much aware of the need to develop a strong financial position for the charity. An objective had been set of building adequate reserves over time to cover six months forward operating costs plus redundancy costs for the current staff team, this has now been achieved. In January 2024, trustees placed some of the remainder of the reserves in a fixed-term high interest account.
Free reserves at 31 July 2024 were £170,762 (2023: £219,437).
Risk management
The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.
The charity is a company limited by guarantee and is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association.
The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
Trustee selection methods
Under the Articles of Association, the members of the Council of Management are empowered at any time to appoint any person to be a member of the council.
Additional governance issues
The trustees detailed below constitute directors of the company for the purpose of the Companies Act 2006. None of the trustees held an interest in the charity during the year. The trustees who served during the year were employees or representatives of members of local employers who supported York Cares during the period. The manager of York Cares is Holly Hennell.
The board of trustees shall not be less than three, but is not subject to any maximum number, and meets at least quarterly to administer the charity. The trustees may appoint a person who is willing to act as a trustee to fill a vacancy or as an additional trustee.
Trustees are given an appropriate period of induction and training, depending on the individual’s requirements and knowledge of the Charity’s activities. All trustees are reminded of their statutory obligations and given appropriate guidance and training on their responsibilities as trustees.
The trustees, who are also the directors of York Cares for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company Law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of York Cares (the charity) for the year ended 31 July 2024.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
Since the charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
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 financial statements to be reached.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
York Cares is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales.
The Charity's registered office and the nature of the charity's principle activities are as stated in Legal and Administrative Information.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's [governing document], the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the Charities SORP "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019). The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
This is included in the statement of financial activities when:
- the charity becomes entitled to the income
- the trustees are virtually certain they will receive the income; and
- the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability.
Donations in kind
These are only included in income (with an equivalent amount in expenditure) where the benefit to the charity is reasonably quantifiable, measurable and material. The value placed on these resources is the estimated value to the charity of the service or facility received.
Donations include donated services of £161,394 (2023: £132,494) from the University of York for office accommodation and related costs. The value of this donation in kind has been calculated using 50% of the TRAC Full Economic Costing rate used by the University of York, on the basis that York Cares does not use some elements of the University’s infrastructure. Other donations in kind total £4,093 (2023: £6,483).
Gifts in kind are accounted for at a reasonable estimate of their value to the charity or the amount actually realised. Gifts in kind for sale or distribution are included in the accounts as gifts only when sold or distributed by the charity. Gifts in kind used by the charity are included in the accounts as income when receivable.
Grants and donations
Grants and donations are only included in the accounts when the charity has unconditional entitlement to the income.
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
Expenditure is included in the statement of financial activities on an accruals basis. Wages and salaries of £153,766 are in respect of a recharge of employment costs seconded from the University of York. £161,394 has been included as office accommodation and related costs provided in kind by the University of York.
Governance costs include costs of the preparation and examination of statutory accounts, the costs of trustee meetings and cost of any legal advice to trustees on governance or constitutional matters. These are included within charitable activities.
Volunteer help
The value of any voluntary help received is not included in the accounts but is described in the trustees’ annual report.
These are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year and cost at least £250.
They are valued at cost or, if gifted, at the value to the charity on receipt, less depreciation. Depreciation is provided at rates to write off the costs less estimated residual value of each asset over its expected useful life as follows:-
The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities.
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Within the seconded staff costs are the key management personnel who received £49,921 (2023 £49,585).
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
Deferred income is included in the financial statements as follows:
Deferred income comprises membership fees received in advance for future periods.
The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.
UniConnect (formerly NCOP) Future HY York and North Yorkshire – funding through UniConnect (formerly National Collaborative Outreach Programme) to work with secondary schools, inspiring disadvantaged young people about possible futures through personal encounters with people at work and university and thereby motivate them to aim higher and work harder at school.
Office for Students (OfS) - funding to promote widening participation for disadvantaged groups of students.
Aviva Foundation - funding to support the development of the Social Connections programme, contributing to the wellbeing of older people in York.
CoYC (Starting Blocks) – Starting Blocks supports care experienced young people and young adults to secure employment and improve their life chances. This grant is for funding the salary of an apprentice to support the Starting Blocks programme.
Two Ridings Community Foundation - A bursary for participation in the York Multiple Complex Needs Children and Young People inquiry to consider how we change the systems that perpetuate disadvantage for children and young people.
Benenden Health (Community Fund) - The Community Fund offers one-off awards to support health and wellbeing related activities which aim to improve either physical, mental, and emotional health.
Nature Hubs Fund - to build, stronger, greener communities. Funding to transform North Street Gardens into a vibrant, wildlife-friendly hub.
Bettys & Taylors Group Community Fund - to enable skills development, social mobility and employability. Funding to deliver Aspirations activities.
York College Employer Support Fund - funding to support a work placement for a T-Level student.
CoYC (Ward Funding) (2023 only) - Ward funding offers grants to community groups to help fund start up costs relating to community focused projects. The transfer was to clear the overspend.
Remuneration and benefits
All of the trustees of the charity who served during the year were employees or representatives or members of local businesses who support York Cares.
No remuneration directly or indirectly has been paid or is payable for the year to any trustees or to any person or persons known to relate to any of them.
Trustees expenses
No trustees were reimbursed for expenses in either year.