The trustees, who are also directors of the organisation for the purposes of the Companies Act, present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.
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 Memorandum of Association, 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).
The Jewish Volunteering Network (JVN) is the leading hub for volunteering in the UK Jewish community. Since its establishment in 2007, JVN has connected thousands of volunteers with hundreds of charities, helping strengthen Jewish life and the wider voluntary sector. The trustees confirm that they have complied with their duty under the Charities Act to have due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit when carrying out the charity’s aims and activities.
Structure, Governance & Management
The charity is a company limited by guarantee without share capital. JVN is a registered charity governed by its Articles of Association. The charity is overseen by a Board of Trustees, who are responsible for strategic direction, governance, and compliance. Day-to-day management is delegated to the Chief Executive, supported by staff and volunteers. The board has also delegated authority to the following subcommittees:
Finance
Fundraising
Trustees are recruited for their skills, knowledge, and experience, and induction and training are provided to ensure they understand their responsibilities under charity law. The Board met regularly throughout the year, supported by sub-groups for finance, fundraising, and strategy.
JVN Exists to:
1. Connect volunteers to volunteering opportunities
2. Support volunteer managers in charities
3. Promote and celebrate volunteering in the Jewish community and wider charity sector
These objectives guided all our work in 2024-25.
Headline Impact 2024-25:
800+ volunteers placed in ongoing, one-off and micro roles
50+ charity partners supported with recruitment, training, and consultancy
350 people attended the biggest ever JVN Awards
244 young professionals engaged through our volunteering WhatsApp group
1. Connect Volunteers to Volunteering Opportunities
Maintained high volunteer activity across the year, building on the uplift seen in 2023–24.
2,200+ interactions between staff and volunteers supported journeys from registration to placement.
Over 800 placements achieved in ongoing, one-off and micro-volunteering roles.
Supported major community events, recruiting and managing 40 volunteers for the Maccabi GB Community Fun Run and 60 stewards for the October 6th gathering.
Expanded pop-up roadshows to Bushey and Borehamwood.
Ran a Retirement Planning pilot with Resource, Second Spring and Jewish Care – 25 attended, with two moving directly into volunteering.
The Young Professionals Volunteering WhatsApp group grew to over 240 members.
Progressed the Jewish Community Volunteering Passport with major partners.
Case Study: Volunteer Impact Story – Ivan’s Journey
Ivan, a young professional fundraiser, wanted to find a way to give back outside of his work. Through JVN’s brokerage service, he was matched with a befriending role at Jewish Care. He now spends an hour each week visiting an 86-year-old woman, sharing conversation and reading aloud from her memoirs.
For Ivan, volunteering has been a way to connect more deeply with the community and enrich his own week. For his befriendee, it has meant friendship, stimulation, and the joy of knowing her life story is being celebrated. This simple, regular commitment demonstrates the ripple effect of JVN’s work: one volunteer, one placement, but two lives transformed.
Case Study: Community Impact Story – Maccabi GB Community Fun Run
In June 2024, JVN recruited and managed over 40 volunteers for the Maccabi GB Community Fun Run. Volunteers supported runners and families, kept the event safe and welcoming, and were celebrated on social media with their own stories. This high-profile event showcased the power of volunteering in action — community spirit, teamwork, and fun.
2. Support Volunteer Managers in Charities
Supported 50+ partner charities with recruitment, training and consultancy.
Delivered Volunteer Managers’ Forums in London and Manchester.
Ran training for Yesod Europe and Mitzvah Day Coordinators.
Completed a volunteering audit for All Aboard.
Began Phase 2 of website development, due winter 2025.
Initiated a survey with CEOs and Volunteer Managers to evidence JVN’s impact.
Case Study: Volunteer Manager Story – Learning Together
At a Volunteer Managers’ Forum, JVN brought together 16 managers to learn from Dominic Pinkney, who is leading London’s Vision for Volunteering project. One manager said afterwards:
“It’s rare to have a space just for us to share challenges and ideas. JVN gives us the tools and the confidence to manage volunteers well.”
Forums like these strengthen the whole sector, ensuring charities can recruit and retain volunteers more effectively.
3. Promote and Celebrate Volunteering
Coordinated a Volunteers’ Week campaign with strong social media and community partnerships.
Delivered the largest ever JVN Awards (Jan 2025): 105 submissions, 53 charities, 350 attendees, £68,000 raised.
Represented Jewish volunteering at national forums.
Built global links through Global Jewry.
Promoted corporate volunteering partnerships.
Shared case studies and volunteer stories.
Case Study: Celebration Story – The JVN Awards
The JVN Awards 2024 brought together 350 people at The Grove to celebrate 103 volunteers and teams from 53 charities. One charity leader reflected:
“Being recognised at the JVN Awards gave our volunteers the biggest boost — they felt proud, valued, and part of something much bigger.”
The Awards do not just celebrate individual achievements; they inspire others to step forward and volunteer.
During the year to 31 March 2025 the charity received donations, grants and other income amounting to £425,814 (2024: £340,727). Expenditure during the year amounts to £328,610 (2024: £362,596). Unrestricted reserves at 31 March 2025 amounted to £172,967 (2024: £165,093), restricted reserves amounted to £116,382 (2024: £27,052).
JVN continues to strengthen its financial position through diversified income streams:
Core grants and donations, including multi-year and one-year grants.
Event income – Awards sponsorship raised £69,274.
Consultancy and training fees – generated from All Aboard and Yesod Europe.
Community fundraising – a sponsored walk raised £7,500 including Gift Aid.
Reserves are managed in line with policy to ensure sustainability. Detailed financial statements are provided in the statutory accounts.
Risk Management
Key risks identified in 2024–25:
Financial sustainability – mitigated through diversification of income.
Capacity constraints – addressed via effective staff allocation and interim support.
Reputational risk – managed through partnerships and clear governance.
Digital infrastructure – strengthened by Phase 2 website development.
Funding risk – there are risks inherent in the type of funding the charity has, the risk associated with this mitigated by continually reviewing funds available to the charity and following up to obtain donations.
Also the following keys controls are in place:
1. Regular monthly management accounts which are reviewed by senior management and trustees
2. Regular review of the monthly management accounts against budget
In 2025–26 JVN will:
Launch Phase 2 of the website. This will make it easier for the charities to interact with the website to make it smoother to engage volunteers.
Develop the Jewish Community Volunteering Passport.
Expand Trustee Development Programme with Lead/JLC.
Deliver JVN Awards 2025 in January 2026.
Increase engagement with young professionals and retirees.
Continue representing Jewish volunteering nationally and internationally
JVN Reserves Policy
Purpose
This policy sets out the approach of Jewish Volunteering Network (JVN) to maintaining reserves, ensuring the charity can manage risks and continue to operate.
Definition of Reserves
Reserves are the unrestricted funds available to the charity, excluding tangible fixed assets, designated funds, and any funds already committed to specific purposes or projects
Why JVN Hold Reserves
As JVN receives a very small amount of its funding from statutory agencies and relies heavily on donations, JVN must ensure that in the event of a significant drop in funding that it will be able to continue its activities until additional funds are raised.
Reserves are also maintained to:
Manage unexpected financial shocks or emergencies
Cover short-term cashflow gaps
Support essential services if income is disrupted
Meet future commitments and liabilities
Target Level of Reserves
The trustees have established a reserves policy to ensure that the charity has sufficient funds to meet its ongoing commitments and manage financial risk. The charity aims to maintain unrestricted reserves equivalent to 6 months with a target of 9 months of core operating expenditure.
This level allows the charity to manage short-term income fluctuations and unexpected expenditure.
This target is based on an assessment of the charity’s financial risks, commitments, and the need to maintain continuity and will be reviewed by the trustees annually.
Review and Monitoring
The reserves policy and the actual level of reserves held will be reviewed by the trustees at least annually, or more frequently if circumstances change. The trustees will take steps to build up or adjust reserves as necessary to meet the agreed target.
Disclosure
Details of the charity’s reserves policy and the current level of reserves will be included in the annual report and accounts.
JVN is a charity registered with the Charities commission, registered no. 1130719, and an incorporated Company registered with Companies House, registered no 06826136. Trustees are appointed by the existing members of the trustee board and are listed with both Companies House and with the Charities Commission. The charity is a company limited by guarantee and was set up by a Memorandum of Association on 20 February 2009.
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:
The management of the charity is the responsibility of the trustees who are appointed and co-opted under the terms of the Articles of Association. New trustees are proposed following a transparent, skills-based recruitment process and approved by trustees at board meetings.
None of the trustees has any beneficial interest in the company. All of the trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up.
Trustee's Responsibilities
The trustees, who are also the directors of The Jewish Volunteering Network 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;
state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; 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.
In preparing this report, the trustees have taken advantage of the special provisions relating to small companies within Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.
The Trustees' Report report was approved by the Board of Trustees and signed on their behalf by:
I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of The Jewish Volunteering Network (the charity) for the year ended 31 March 2025.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 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. In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act 2011.
Since the charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000, the independent examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and 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 Companies Act 2006.
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 Companies Act 2006 other than any requirement that the financial statements 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 financial statements 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.
The Jewish Volunteering Network is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Schaller House, Wohl Campus, 44A Albert Road, London, NW4 2SJ.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's Memorandum and Articles of Association, 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 accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The accounts present a true and fair view and no changes have been made to the principal accounting policies adopted below.
The reported financial position and financial performance for the previous period are not affected by the transition to FRS 102.
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.
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charitable company and which have not been designated for other purposes.
Restricted funds are donations and grants which the donor has specified are to be solely used for a particular area of the charity's work or for specific projects undertaken by the charity. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Income is recognised when the charity is legally entitled to it after any performance conditions have been met, the amounts can be measured reliably, and it is probable that income will be received.
The charity received money mainly through donations and events occurring within the year.
Donations
Donations are recognised on receipt or when JVN becomes entitled to the income and receipt is probable. No income is recognised for donations that are promised but not yet received (e.g., pledges), unless there is sufficient evidence of entitlement and receipt is probable.
Grants
Grant income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when JVN has:
1. Entitlement - control over the rights or other access to the resource has passed to the charity,
2. Probable receipt - it is more likely than not that the economic benefits will flow to the charity, and
3. Reliable measurement - the amount of income can be measured with reasonable accuracy.
Where a grant is performance-related or has specific conditions attached that must be met before the charity becomes entitled to the funds, income is deferred until those conditions are fulfilled or it is matched with expenditure.
Where a grant is for a particular time period the income will be spread over the relevant time period.
Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under gift aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of receipt of the gift aid.
All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been included under expense categories that can be directly related to each activity. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular activities they have been allocated on a consistent basis.
Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.
Costs of charitable activities relate to the furtherance of the charities objectives.
Costs of raising funds relate to events and other activities through which the charity raises its profile.
Allocation of support costs
Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. Support costs include back office costs, finance, personnel, payroll and governance costs which support the charity’s activities.
These costs have been allocated between cost of raising funds and expenditure on charitable activities. The bases on which support costs have been allocated are set out in note 8.
Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.
Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:
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.
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. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or were reimbursed for any expenses during the year.
During the year total donations of £20,800 (2024: £16,760) were received without conditions from trustees or other related parties.
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
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:
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.
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
During the year, JVN received a donation of £70,000 from The Nimrod Trust where the Chief Executive of JVN, is a trustee.
This transaction has been disclosed in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), as it represents a material related party transaction with conditions attached.
No other related party transactions occurred during the year, other than trustee transactions detailed in note 9 of the financial statements.