REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: 07345521 (England and Wales)

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1137821

Report of the Trustees and

Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

for

Age Connects Cardiff and The Vale Ltd

Page

Chairman's Report

1

Report of the Trustees

2

to

11

Independent Examiner's Report

12

Statement of Financial Activities

13

Balance Sheet

14

Cash Flow Statement

15

Notes to the Cash Flow Statement

16

Notes to the Financial Statements

17

to

27

The 2024/25 financial year was a period of significant transition and continued dedication for Age Connects Cardiff and the Vale. As ever, our focus remained on delivering meaningful support to older people across our communities but we also experienced important changes in both service delivery and staffing.

A significant development during the year was the transition of our advocacy services to a new provider following the tender process. While this marked the end of an important chapter for us, we take great pride in the high-quality advocacy support we delivered over many years and are deeply grateful to the team for their professionalism and commitment throughout the handover.

This change allows us to focus even more strongly on our core work, which continues to be made up of a wide range of commissioned services funded by the Vale of Glamorgan Council, Cardiff Council, and the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, alongside services supported through grants and directly by older people themselves. The dedication of our incredible volunteers remains central to delivering these services and ensuring older people receive the support they need.

Over the past year, over 180 volunteers gave more than 18,000 hours of their time to support vulnerable older people across Cardiff and the Vale. Their contribution is not only generous but fundamental to the reach and impact of our work. We are incredibly proud of our volunteers, whose commitment, compassion, and reliability remain a cornerstone of the charity's operations.

At Board level, we have continued to strengthen our governance structures. A Commercial Subcommittee was developed and met regularly throughout the year to review and assess our current commercial activities, exploring new opportunities for sustainable income generation to support our long-term mission.

Additionally, we are pleased to report the formal establishment of a Volunteer Panel, chaired by a Trustee. This initiative provides a direct communication pathway from volunteers to the Board, ensuring their voices are heard and their experiences help shape our decision-making processes.

Looking ahead, we aim to grow our volunteer base even further by recruiting at least 70 new volunteers in the coming year. This will help us meet rising demand for support and expand our community presence.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, sincere thanks go to all our staff and volunteers for their exceptional dedication, resilience, and compassion throughout the year. Their commitment ensures that older people in Cardiff and the Vale are seen, heard, and supported, no matter their circumstances.

Stuart Young

Chair

The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025. The trustees have adopted the provisions of 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).

Objectives and activities

Our Purpose

To promote the relief of elderly people in any manner which is charitable in and around the City and County of Cardiff and the County of the Vale of Glamorgan.

Our Vision

To live in a society where older people are respected and enabled to meet their aspirations.

The Board of Directors have reviewed the organisation's core values, operational objective, aims and strategies, these are restated as:

Core Values

Professional

Our staff and volunteers pride themselves on their professionalism.

Deliver on Promises

We commit to fulfil all that is promised.

Quality Communications

Promotional coverage and feedback folowing all joint activities.

Understanding

We take pride in our work, are skilled, knowledgeable and treat people fairly.

Trusted

We have a long-standing reputation in the community.

Person Centred

We put people first.

Operational Objective

To help, support and enable older people to maintain their independence and improve the quality of their lives.

Aims

To recruit and train staff and volunteers to meet our objectives.

To be proactive in seeking partnerships to improve the care and support for older people and deliver products and services.

The five strategies employed to achieve our objective are to:

- Raise the profile of the Charity

- Ensure sustainable volunteering

- Provide information and support services that promote health and wellbeing, independence and empowerment

- Provide a first point of contact for enquiries to the Charity

- Fundraise

Our Activities

The Charity provides a range of direct support services to older people including:

1. Wellbeing Centre

2. Nail Cutting Service

3. Volunteer Support Schemes (Good Neighbour & Community Support Project)

4. Community & Care Home Advocacy Service

5. Welfare Rights Service

6. Broker Services

7. LEAP Energy Scheme

8. Marketing and Partnerships

Achievements and performance

Charitable activities

Overview

In 2024/25, the charity recorded and noted:

- More than 5,287 referrals to our services.

- 52% of our clients live in the Vale of Glamorgan and 48% live in Cardiff.

- 79% of clients were over 70 years of age, with 40% over 80 and 7% being over 90 years of age.

- 59% were female and 41% were male.

To deal with these 5,287 plus requests Age Connects has:

- 23 staff; and

- An active team of 180 volunteers who provide more than 18,000 hours of support.

1. Wellbeing Centre

Our Wellbeing Centre in Barry is partially funded partly by Cardiff & Vale University, Health Board, the Vale Council and café sales/activities. It provides:

- A café for older people to meet & make new friends helping to reduce their isolation.

- Healthy ageing opportunities including exercise, craft and social classes.

- A one stop centre for information provided by staff, volunteers and partners. There were 603 recorded enquires in the year.

- Volunteer opportunities to get older people involved in the community.

- Health screening sessions

- Outreach work across the Vale - information provision & low-level advocacy.

These services were provided by 1 part time member of staff and an active team of 15 volunteers. Over the year attendance at the café's activities was once again over 4,000 with approximately 100 customers attending most weeks. A growth plan is now in place to further increase activity and engagement at the Centre. This includes expanding the range of social and wellbeing sessions, strengthening partnerships with local health and community organisations, and increasing promotion of the café and activities to attract new visitors. The plan also focuses on developing more volunteer-led initiatives to ensure sustainability and to maximise opportunities for older people to connect, stay active, and feel supported.

2. Nail Cutting Service

Our Nail Cutting social enterprise is funded by the fees charged namely £32 for a home visit and £22 for a clinic visit. The following services were provided:

- 3,215 basic toenail cutting appointments to 892 different clients.

- 355 new clients and 537 existing clients.

- 1,087 cancelled appointments and 191 clients did not attend their appointments.

Due to staff leaving and not being able to be replaced, we had to close our clinics in St Athan & Cowbridge during the year. The service made a small profit which will be used to help support the charities activities. Staff members are being recruited - etc

3. Volunteer Support Schemes (Vale Good Neighbour Scheme and Cardiff Community Support Project)

Our Volunteer Support Schemes provide support to isolated older people without friends or family to help them. Services include:

- Information on what support is available or answers to queries.

- A volunteer visitor for company.

- Shopping support.

- Help with transport or an escort to attend appointments.

- Regular phone calls for a chat and to check that everything is okay.

In the year, the Vale Good Neighbours service (funded by the Vale Council) is run by 2 part time staff and a team of over 50 volunteers and experienced:

- 606 new requests for information and support.

- Over 100 clients receiving volunteer support for befriending or shopping support.

In the year, the Cardiff Community Support Project (funded by the Henry Smith Charity) run by 3 part time staff and a team of 100 volunteers experienced:

- 910 clients accessed the project.

- Over 300 clients receiving volunteer support for befriending, shopping, and practical support.

Client outcome surveys of both projects show that:

- 86% strongly agree or agree that the shopping service helped them stay independent & living in their own home.

- 95% agree that befriending services provided helped reduce feeling of isolation.

- 89% agree that the service received from Age Connects has improved their quality of life.

- 94% volunteers report that they have had a positive volunteering experience.

4. Community & Care Home Advocacy Service

In 2024/25, Age Connects Cardiff, and the Vale continued to provide Independent Professional Advocacy (IPA) services in both care home and community settings across Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. Our work ensures that the voices of older people are heard, particularly those who may struggle to express their wishes or concerns independently.

As part of our care home advocacy, we conducted routine visits to care homes on a quarterly basis. These visits were supplemented by individual referrals received via the Advocacy Gateway, local authority social services teams, family members and friends. We also responded to specific requests for visits following discussions at the Joint Quality Monitoring Meetings for Cardiff and the Vale.

Alongside our care home programme, we delivered community-based advocacy for individuals in their own homes across the Vale and Cardiff. This flexible approach allowed us to reach those in need of advocacy support who were not in residential care settings.

Over the year:

- We completed an average of 44 care home visits including a small number conducted virtually or by telephone.

- In Cardiff, we supported 626 individuals through IPA services resulting in 1,008 interactions.

- In the Vale, our community advocacy service supported 216 clients resulting in 408 individual interactions.

The organisation has achieved the Advocacy Quality Performance Mark which will be held for 3 years.

Whilst we no longer have these services, we ensure that any clients that require support are referred to the appropriate organisations, we must celebrate the success of the service in former years, and we continue to seek funding to sustain and develop it further, with the aim of providing dedicated advocacy in the future. In the meantime, we ensure that advocacy is embedded within our other services, so that older people continue to have a voice, are supported to make informed choices, and are able to access the help they need.

5. Welfare Rights Service

The service provides support to older people aged 60 + to maximise their income through benefit entitlement by assisting them to claim benefits, seek a review of existing awards and challenge benefit decisions as well as dealing with general benefit enquiries. The Welfare Rights Adviser provides face-to-face and telephone support to complete benefit applications.

Our Welfare Rights Service has been awarded Alternative Office Status with the Department of Works and Pensions this is reviewed annually by DWP.

Applications were submitted for the following benefits:

- Attendance Allowance and upgrades.

- Disability Living Allowance and Upgrades.

- Carers Allowance.

- Pension Credit.

- Council Tax & Housing benefit.

Personal independent payment (PIP) applications will be signposted to an alternative provider or referred onto the Pension Service.

The Vale service is funded by the Vale Council and donations. The Cardiff service is funded by a one-year grant from the Jane Hodge Foundation and donations. However, the Jane Hodge Foundation have recently agreed to extend this funding by another year which is great news for the charity and its clients.

As you can see from the table below, these services are extremely beneficial and successful:

2024/25

Vale

Cardiff

First Referrals

498

452

Benefit Amounts Secured over an 18 month period

£1,028,109

£849,026

Each enquiry often involves multiple benefit entitlements beyond the initial referral requiring comprehensive screening by benefit advisers. The complexity of cases has led to a rise in home visits, indicating the need for more tailored support for individuals.

By addressing these multifaceted needs, the service significantly enhances the quality of life for those it assists, ensuring they receive the full range of benefits to which they are entitled.

6. Broker Service

The Broker Service is integrated within Health & Social Care Teams and collaborates with multiple partners including Cardiff Community Resource Teams, Vale Wellbeing Matters Hub, the Vale Community Resource Service at Barry Hospital, Vale Community Care GP Clusters, and the newly established Safe @ Home Teams. Together. They provide a one-stop, person-centred service designed to help older people remain independent for as long as possible.

Community Liaison Officers (CLO) co-ordinate a range of services from the third sector, private providers, and statutory organisations to meet identified needs. Their support extends to patients, families, and carers by supporting individuals on discharge from hospital and working as part of NHS teams to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions.

Referrals may be made for assistance with:

- Choosing alternative housing.

- Financial concerns and benefit inquiries.

- Housing issues and form-filling support.

- Loneliness and social isolation.

- Shopping and transport.

- Condition-specific needs.

Achievements this year are detailed in the table below:

2024/25

Vale

Cardiff

Enquiries

497

397

Referrals

459

281

CLO Home Visits

149

312

CLO Telephone Calls

1468

971

Case Study

- Patient - Female, age 50 with brain disease, knee and hip replacement. Wheelchair-dependent, reliant on spouse for movement who has a back condition that is worsening due to assisting patient.

- Issues - Without wheelchair access, patient was at risk of social isolation, depression and dependency on services. Spouse faced long-term health risks from continued physical strain.

- Need - The patient wanted to purchase a mobility scooter for independence but lacked financial resources

- Patient Provided with - Benefit check completed, and applications submitted. Scooter grant application submitted. Collaborated with Occupational Therapist to identify an appropriate mobility scooter and arranged demonstrations of the scooter. Provided information on Step Change to assisting with debt issues. Referred for Carers Assessment and Veteran Society resources.

- Outcomes Achieved - Benefit entitlements improved, secured funding for mobility scooter, mobility scooter attained, and carers assessment completed and support secured.

- Patient Feedback - The patient and spouse expressed gratitude, feeling overwhelmed by the support received. They reported increased independence and control.

This year, we have seen a steady increase in self-referrals and complex cases requiring extended support. We addressed these by increasing home visits and adhering to strict protocols. This indicates a growing trust in our services and the effectiveness of our outreach efforts.

7. LEAP Energy Scheme

We have joined LEAP (Local Energy Advice Partnership) which is a national initiative that facilities the free provision of energy efficiency advice, measures and equipment to households. As the delivery partner for Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, we can provide access to a wide spectrum of energy efficiency resources to directly help older and more vulnerable people.

Eligible service users receive a home visit from our trained energy efficiency surveyor who completes a home energy efficiency check and can install energy efficiency measures such as LED light bulbs, draft excluders, radiator covers etc. If necessary, clients can also be referred to the boiler and white goods replacement scheme.

In the year, 218 surveys were carried out. Feedback from service users has been overwhelmingly positive. Many have told us that the practical changes made during visits have helped them feel warmer, safer and less worried about their energy bills. Others have said that the service gave them reassurance and confidence at a time when household costs are a real concern. The personal approach of our energy surveyor has also been praised, with clients appreciating both the professional advice and the friendly, supportive manner in which it is delivered.

''So amazingly helpful and pointed us in directions that we would not have known, very helpful. A big thank you to from the residents and they are very pleased with the service.''

''Darren was polite friendly and extremely helpful. he fitted simple energy -saving measures, advised me to get a smoke alarm fitted through the fire service, and explained how to save money on my bills by checking energy rates and avoiding standby costs. I'd give the service 11 out of 10 -I couldn't fault it.''

8. Marketing and Partnerships

Our Marketing and Partnerships Manager continues to focus on raising the charity's profile and developing new income streams. Clear targets have been set for income from fundraising, donations, commercial partnerships and product sales. Despite the ongoing challenges in securing funding, we are committed to finding innovative approaches to reach our goals.

Our income generation strategy aims to support the Volunteering and Community Support Programmes as well as our Wellbeing Centre. We are investing significant effort into maximising the value of our partnerships and strengthening relationships through various channels including social media and press coverage.

Our recent fundraising events have been very successful. We have fundraised over £45,000 this year. Highlights this year included our 50th Anniversary celebrations including a business fundraising lunch, various running events, the Big Give and a Skydive. These efforts are managed by a single part-time staff member so we focus strategically on activities with a high return on investment.

Looking ahead, we have an active calendar of fundraising events including the 'Golden Age' Gala Dinner, Quiz Nights, Cardiff Half Marathon and we will be participating in the Big Give Match Funding Christmas Challenge for the sixth consecutive year. By nurturing partnerships and building networks, we aim to recruit new fundraiser participants, promote volunteer opportunities and further raise awareness of our work with older people in the local community.

Living and Coping with Dementia Project - We are participating in a funded "Living and Coping with Dementia" project, where we will interview Cardiff residents and their carers about their experiences with dementia. The feedback gathered will inform recommendations for improvements and help us build a deeper understanding of how best to support individuals living with dementia. This initiative will also strengthen our position to apply for future dementia-related funding.

Hope Project - A partnership project funded by the Welsh Government between Age Cymru, Age Cymru local partners and Age Connects organisations across Wales to deliver independent advocacy for older people and carers.

Diverse Cymru Accreditation & Training - We have begun our journey toward achieving the Diverse Cymru Cultural Competence Awareness Accreditation. All staff are currently participating in both online and in-person training sessions, whilst also working through a structured workbook. This twelve-month programme is designed to deepen our understanding of, and approach to, equality, diversity and inclusion.

Communication - Due to rising costs, we have had to pause publication of our charity magazine 'Lifetimes' which has impacted our communication reach and income generation efforts. We are currently developing a more cost-effective leaflet to serve as an alternative means of communication.

However, we maintain an active presence on social media and continue to see encouraging results. Our website is regularly updated to ensure accurate, relevant content. We currently have a growing following of 7,639 across all platforms as follows:

- Facebook: 3,100 followers.

- Instagram: 1,259 followers.

- X (formerly Twitter): 1,900 followers

- LinkedIn: 1,380 followers.

This helps to recruit volunteers, share our stories, and raise awareness.

With demand for services increasing, revenue costs rising and income generation becoming ever more competitive, we thank our funders and benefactors for their continued support.

We offer our thanks to the following supporting organisations:

- Asda

- Blue Bird Care

- BNI Reliance Cardiff

- Bolt Removal

- Burns Pet Nutrition

- Care & Repair

- Care UK

- Glamorgan Voluntary Service (GVS)

- Henry Smith Charity

- Home Instead

- Hugh James Solicitors

- Jane Hodge Foundation

- Lloyds Bank

- Marketing Purks

- National Lottery

- Passmores

- Penguin Wealth

- Photodrome

- Telecare and Meals on Wheels Cardiff

- Tesco

- Uniek Residential

- Vale of Glamorgan Council

- Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA)

- WHQS Ltd

- Women in Business Network (WIBN)

- ZOKIT

Plans for the Year Ahead

We have made significant steps this year to support and address the needs of frail older adults in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. We aim to build upon this over the coming year, our plans include:

- Increase and expand our services to older people across Cardiff and the Vale - to reach more people in need, reduce isolation, and respond to growing demand.

- Increase and improve our volunteer workforce - to strengthen service delivery, reduce pressure on staff, and give more older people opportunities to contribute.

- Increase the number of fundraising events and initiatives we hold, starting with the Golden Age Gala Dinner in May 2025 - to diversify our income and build stronger connections with supporters.

- Increase the number of grants we apply for - to secure sustainable funding and reduce reliance on short-term income sources.

- Increase LEAP income - to reinvest into wider services while helping more households with energy efficiency and cost-of-living support.

- Review our service models and see how we can make them self-funding - to build long-term financial stability and reduce vulnerability to funding cuts.

- Recruit into the vacant posts we currently have in the Nail Cutting Service and Cardiff Welfare Rights Service - to meet demand, reduce waiting times, and ensure continuity of care.

- Obtain Diverse Cymru Accreditation - to demonstrate our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, and strengthen our reputation as an inclusive organisation.

Financial review

Financial overview

Total incoming resources were £689,311. Total resources expended were £705,780, leaving net expenditure of £16,469. The financial position of the charity significantly improved in 2024/25 as the original budget forecast was a deficit of £53,710.

The improved financial position was due to:

- Increased income due to nail cutting service and Wellbeing Centre grants, increased donations to Community Support project, Wellbeing Centre and Welfare Rights Services and bank interest rates being higher than expected.

- Staff expenditure being lower than expected due to staff vacancies and delayed start dates for new staff.

- Non-staff expenditure being lower than expected due to cost cutting exercises such as a review and renegotiation of a number of contracts held by the organisation and suspended production of the 'Lifetimes' magazine..

As of 31st March 2025, the total unrestricted funds of the charity were £446,672 (2024: £472,923) .

Pricing policy for charged services

Our pricing policy for activities includes charges or suggested donations for services and this reflects our aspiration to enable older people, regardless of their means, to take part in our activities.

Nail Cutting Service - The charge for the service has increased to £20 for clinic visits and £30 for home visits due to inflationary pressures. If clients are struggling financially there is the option to receive a £6 discount. The price is set below the current private sector rate of £40 to £50 and was introduced by the Charity as a service to address the real problems older people have in getting access to a quality service at a reasonable price. Additional resources have been accessed and invested and further applications for development support, to allow us to expand the service are being developed.

Shopping Support - Requests for shopping support have decreased since the end of the pandemic and the increased availability of supermarket home delivery options. Age Connects provide shopping support to between 30 and 50 clients on a weekly basis, a small charge of £5 is made to help cover costs of the service.

Wellbeing Centre - Originally set up in 1990 to address the ageing well agenda, the centre charges a reasonable rate for beverages and healthy eating snacks for customers using the facilities. A considerable programme of health and social activities are provided and organised in the community for which an attendance charge is made to cover the costs of tutors and venue/refreshment costs.

Reserves policy

It is the policy of the Trustees that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to six months expenditure. The Trustees consider that reserves at this level (approximately £300,000) will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the organisation's current activities whilst consideration is given to ways in which additional funding can be raised. This level of reserves has been maintained throughout the year.

Looking ahead to 2025/26, the budget presented to the Board forecasts a deficit of £85,678. The Board is satisfied that the level of unrestricted funds currently held by the organisation will be adequate to cover this forecast deficit and keep reserves at a level of £300,000. Consequently, the Charity can be considered a going concern.

The Board recognises that generating income is essential to the Charity's long-term stability. Its focus is therefore on diversifying income streams and actively seeking grant funding from appropriate sources.

Structure, governance and management

Governing document

The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.

Age Connects Cardiff and the Vale Limited is a registered charity no 1137821 and a Company limited by guarantee Company number 7345521. The subscribers to the memorandum of the company are first members of the charity and the trustees of Age Connects Cardiff and the Vale are also trustees of the George Hill Snook Charity for the Aged. Registered Charity number 213285.

Membership

Membership is open to other individuals or organisations who apply to the charity to be members and where the application has been approved by trustees.

Recruitment and appointment of new trustees

No one may be appointed or continue as a Trustee if they would be disqualified from acting under the provisions of clause 36 of the Articles of Association. The number of Trustees shall not be less than three but (unless otherwise determined by ordinary resolution) shall not be subject to any maximum. Trustees will be appointed at the Annual General Meetings of the Charity on the recommendation of the Trustees. At each Annual General Meeting one-third of the Trustees or, if their number is not three or a multiple of three, the number nearest to one-third must retire from office. It is possible to recruit trustees outside of the AGM, provided this is done at a duly convened special meeting in line with the charity's governing document.

Organisational structure

The Board has the overall responsibility for the governance of the Charity. It meets at least four times a year and is supported by work groups or committees when necessary. The Chief Executive leads the Management Team in the day-to-day management of the Charity, working within the financial framework, procedures, and policies set down by the board. The Chief Executive has delegated authority for human resource planning, employment, service development, and finance.

Induction and training of new trustees

Trustees take an active role in succession planning. Potential Trustees are initially provided with reports that will enable them to judge whether to pursue an appointment. Application forms are completed before an interview with the Chair of the charity and the Chief Executive. If candidates are regarded as suitable and wish to pursue an appointment, an orientation session is arranged. This forms part of the ongoing induction process and involves meetings with key staff, attendance at seminars and Committees, and at least one Board meeting. Following the satisfactory completion of the recruitment process, the Board will recommend an appointment as a Trustee.

Pay policy

The directors and also Trustees of the charity give their time freely and no director received remuneration in the year. Details of directors' expenses are disclosed in the notes to the accounts.

The pay of all staff is reviewed annually in June. In setting the annual pay rate, the directors consider the average increase in earnings across the whole economy, the private sector and the public sector, the Retail Price Index (RPI) and the Consumer Price Index (CPI), and the charity's ability to meet such costs.

Related parties and co-operations with other organisations

The Charity is an active member of Age Connects Wales. None of the trustees receive remuneration or benefit from their work with the charity. Any connection between a trustee or senior manager of the charity associated with the work of the charity must be disclosed to the full board in the same way as other contractual relationships with related third parties. A register of interests is maintained and at every board meeting Board members are offered the opportunity to declare any conflicts of interest or related party transactions.

The Charity has a close working relationship with Age Connects Wales relating specifically to the work of Chief Executive Officers at a strategic and policy level to support campaigning and influencing work across Wales. Age Connects Wales is owned by the six members Age Connects organisations in Wales, being:

- Age Connects Cardiff and the Vale

- Age Connects Morgannwg

- Age Connects Torfaen

- Age Connects North Wales Central

- Age Connects North East Wales

- Age Connects Neath Port Talbot

The organisation was set up in 2013 and a membership fee was introduced to pump prime the start-up costs.

Risk management

We are undoubtedly operating in a challenging environment and risk management is key. Trustees and staff work together on the organisation's strategic development and on any associated business plans which will include potential risks and actions needed to minimise and mitigate those risks.

In addition, further consideration has been given to the risks associated with non-public sector activity, including marketing and promotion, income generation, workforce planning and volunteer sustainability.

Specific plans have been approved to address risk and development opportunities, these include investment in income generation, marketing and promotion.

Reference and administrative details

Registered Company number

07345521 (England and Wales)

Registered Charity number

1137821

Registered office

Unit 10 Sbectrwm Bwlch Road

Fairwater

Cardiff

CF5 3EF

Trustees

S Young

G Watts

J Manley

A Carter

R Bright

F Evans (resigned 15.4.25)

C Harvey (resigned 20.5.24)

N L Jarvis (resigned 2.10.24)

Company Secretary

M Johnson

Independent Examiner

Menzies LLP, Statutory Auditors

5th Floor Hodge House

114-116 St Mary Street

Cardiff

CF10 1DY

Solicitors

Dan Dowen

Legal and Commercial Law

Berry Smith Lawyers

Haywood House

Dumfries Place

Cardiff

CF10 3GA

Bankers

Barclays Bank

Leicester

LE87 2BB

COIF Bank

London

EC4V 4ET

Chief Executive

M Johnson

Operational Managers

J Corley (Broker Services & Welfare Rights)

M Coffin (Volunteering Programme, Nail Cutting Services & WBC)

K Fletcher (Marketing & Partnerships)

Finance & Governance Officer

J Bowling

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 10 December 2025 and signed on its behalf by:

S Young - Trustee

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Age Connects Cardiff and The Vale Ltd ('the Company')

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

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company 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 your charity's accounts as carried out under Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

Since your charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a listed body. I can 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:

1.	accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by Section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

2.	the accounts do not accord with those records; or

3.	the accounts 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

4.

the accounts 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 accounts to be reached.

Clive Edwards

Menzies LLP, Statutory Auditors

5th Floor Hodge House

114-116 St Mary Street

Cardiff

CF10 1DY

15 December 2025

2025

2024

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

Total

fund

funds

funds

funds

Notes

£

£

£

£

Income and endowments from

Donations and legacies

3

58,169

-

58,169

90,864

Charitable activities

6

Community Support

90,218

175,927

266,145

241,135

Information and Advice

126,772

103,753

230,525

229,276

Ageing Well

96,714

19,429

116,143

112,841

Other trading activities

4

1,190

-

1,190

4,314

Investment income

5

17,139

-

17,139

17,523

Total

390,202

299,109

689,311

695,953

Expenditure on

Raising funds

7

-

-

-

2

Charitable activities

8

Community Support

48,384

175,407

223,791

244,101

Information and Advice

82,603

98,924

181,527

167,657

Ageing Well

101,577

13,576

115,153

123,112

Partnership Development

184,889

420

185,309

179,956

Total

417,453

288,327

705,780

714,828

NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

(27,251

)

10,782

(16,469

)

(18,875

)

Reconciliation of funds

Total funds brought forward

473,923

13,625

487,548

506,423

Total funds carried forward

446,672

24,407

471,079

487,548

2025

2024

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

Total

fund

funds

funds

funds

Notes

£

£

£

£

Fixed assets

Tangible assets

14

-

1,750

1,750

-

Current assets

Debtors

15

13,321

4,019

17,340

31,862

Cash at bank and in hand

460,457

21,737

482,194

569,507

473,778

25,756

499,534

601,369

Creditors

Amounts falling due within one year

16

(27,105

)

(3,100

)

(30,205

)

(113,821

)

Net current assets

446,673

22,656

469,329

487,548

Total assets less current liabilities

446,673

24,406

471,079

487,548

NET ASSETS

446,673

24,406

471,079

487,548

Funds

19

Unrestricted funds

446,673

473,923

Restricted funds

24,406

13,625

Total funds

471,079

487,548

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 March 2025.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for

(a)	ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and

(b)

preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies regime.

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 10 December 2025 and were signed on its behalf by:

A Carter - Trustee

Cash flows from operating activities

Cash generated from operations

1

(53,925

)

(41,864

)

Finance costs paid

(2,723

)

-

Net cash used in operating activities

(56,648

)

(41,864

)

Cash flows from investing activities

Purchase of tangible fixed assets

(2,000

)

-

Interest received

17,139

17,523

Net cash provided by investing activities

15,139

17,523

Change in cash and cash equivalents in the reporting period

(41,509

)

(24,341

)

Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the reporting period

2

523,703

548,044

Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the reporting period

2

482,194

523,703

1.	Reconciliation of net expenditure to net cash flow from operating activities

2025

2024

£

£

Net expenditure for the reporting period (as per the Statement of Financial Activities)

(16,469

)

(18,875

)

Adjustments for:

Depreciation charges

250

-

Losses on investments

-

2

Interest received

(17,139

)

(17,523

)

Finance costs

2,723

-

Decrease/(increase) in debtors

14,522

(17,378

)

(Decrease)/increase in creditors

(37,812

)

11,910

Net cash used in operations

(53,925

)

(41,864

)

2.	Analysis of cash and cash equivalents

2025

2024

£

£

Cash in hand

155

155

Notice deposits (less than 3 months)

482,039

569,352

Overdrafts included in bank loans and overdrafts falling due within one year

-

(45,804

)

Total cash and cash equivalents

482,194

523,703

3.	Analysis of changes in net funds

At 1.4.24

Cash flow

At 31.3.25

£

£

£

Net cash

Cash at bank and in hand

569,507

(87,313

)

482,194

Bank overdraft

(45,804

)

45,804

-

523,703

(41,509

)

482,194

Total

523,703

(41,509

)

482,194

1.	Statutory information

Age Connects Cardiff and The Vale is a company limited by guarantee incorporated in Wales within the United Kingdom. The registered office is Unit 4 Cleeve House, Lambourne Crescent, Llanishen, Cardiff CF14 5GP.

The financial statements are presented in Sterling (£), the company's functional currency, and rounded to the nearest pound.

The principal activities and nature of the charity's operations is to support and champion older people who are isolated, vulnerable or in poverty.

The significant accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all years presented unless otherwise stated.

2.	Accounting policies

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) '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)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

Preparation of the accounts on a going concern basis

The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, with the company having confirmation in place from many of its funders up to 31 March 2026 and adequate free reserves to support the organisation. In addition, the charity continues to raise funds from Trusts and individuals, enabling a range of support programmes.

Preparation of consolidated financial statements

The financial statements contain information about Age Connects Cardiff and the Vale Limited as an individual company and do not contain consolidated financial information as the parent of a group. The charity is exempt under Section 399(2A) of the Companies Act 2006 from the requirements to prepare consolidated financial statements.

Age Concern Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan Enterprises Limited was dissolved on 11 June 2024. With effect from this date, Age Connects Cardiff and the Vale Limited is no longer a parent entity under the Companies Act 2006.

Income

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

This includes capital grants.

Donations and legacies income

Donations and legacies income includes donations, gifts and grants that provide core funding or are of a general nature and is recognised where there is entitlement, probability of receipt and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability. Such income is only deferred when the donor specifies it must be used in future accounting periods or the donor has imposed conditions which must be met before the charity has unconditional entitlement.

Income from charitable activities

Incoming resources from charitable activities includes income received under contract or where entitlement to grant funding is subject to specific performance conditions. This income is recognised as the related services are provided and there is entitlement, probability of receipt and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability. Income is deferred when the amounts received are in advance of the performance of the service or event to which they relate.

Incoming resources from other trading activities includes income received under contract. This income is recognised as the related services are provided and there is entitlement, probability of receipt and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability. Income is deferred when the amounts received are in advance of the performance of the service or event to which they relate.

Investment income

Investment income is recognised on a receivable basis.

Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, 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 accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered and is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates.

Expenditure on charitable activities comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.

Support costs are those costs that, whilst necessary to deliver an activity, do not themselves produce or constitute the output of the charitable activity. This includes governance costs which are those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity and include the audit and accountancy fees and costs linked to the strategic management of the charity as well as a proportion of salaries based on an approximation of time spent in this area.

Allocation and apportionment of costs

Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. Support costs include staff costs, finance costs, general office and premises costs, depreciation and governance costs which support the activities of the charity. These costs have been allocated between charitable activities on a basis designed to reflect the use of the resource. Costs relating to a particular activity are allocated directly; others are apportioned on an appropriate basis.

Direct expenditure is apportioned to each project on an actual basis.

Tangible fixed assets

Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.

Fixed assets are initially recorded at cost. Fixed assets costing more than £1,000 are capitalised by the charity.

Depreciation is calculated so as to write off the cost of an asset, less its estimate residual value over the useful economic life of the asset as follows:

Fixtures, fittings and equipment - 25% per annum of cost

Small items of project equipment - 100% per annum of cost

Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the trustees' discretion for any purpose within the objects of the charity.

Restricted funds have been received with stipulation from the donor as to the purpose for which they may be used.

Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the board for particular purposes in the future.

Transfers from unrestricted to restricted funds are made when required to support underfunded activities.

Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits

The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the charitable company's pension scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate.