The Trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026.
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 Charitable Company's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" 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)".
a. Policies and objectives
The objectives of the Trust are to relieve persons resident in Ellesmere, Shropshire and the surrounding areas who are sick, convalescent, disabled, handicapped, infirm or in need of financial assistance by facilitating the provision of healthcare or well-being services, in particular but not exclusively, day care for the elderly and those with learning difficulties.
In setting objectives and planning for activities, the Trustees have given due consideration to general guidance published by the Charity Commission relating to public benefit, including the guidance ‘Public benefit running a charity (PB2)’
b. Strategies for achieving objectives
The principal activity of the Trust is to ensure that the well loved former Ellesmere Cottage Hospital building is maintained in a proper and satisfactory state of repair and to make the building available for community use with particular emphasis on encouraging the development of health care services in the building
The Trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the Charitable Company should undertake.
Review of activities
The main highlight over the last year has been that Bethphage has taken on a ten year lease for the whole of the former Cottage Hospital Building. The Trustees believe that this will result in a significant increase in the envisaged community use of the building. Through its very successful Our Space Community Hub Bethphage is already commissioned to provide library services and day opportunities. Bethphage are eager to extend their activities utilising the whole building to develop new and exciting community and care services. The Trustees recognise that by moving into the whole building Bethphage has taken on the significant challenge of endeavouring to make the community hub elements self-sustaining, thus protecting the viability of the overall site.
The Trust believes that some of the ongoing property maintenance and safety issues in and around the building have been addressed, albeit at a cost of approximately £25,000 during the year. One major problem that is looming relates to possible legionella water safety tests. Given the nature of the activities that are being developed and the associated community use of the site, the Trustees are committed to ensuring that all aspects of the premises have the highest health and environmental safety standard. An audit of the complete water supply system is currently in-hand.
Trustees have had concerns during the year about the cash flow situation. This is underlined by the fact that at the end of the financial year the available cash resources held by the Trust had diminished to less than £5,000. Fortuitously the Trust had been advised that a bequest of £56,000 from the Estate of former Ellesmere resident John Tims of Willow Street, was due to be distributed during the subsequent financial year. Historically the Trust benefitted from a number of bequests, but probably as a consequence of the closure of the nursing home, these have largely ceased over the last few years. The Trust is hopeful that its increased community profile, as a result of its involvement with Our Space Community Hub, might go some way to encourage a resurgence of donations/bequests. There will always be a need for funds to maintain the structure and fabric of the 120 year old iconic Ellesmere Cottage Hospital building.
As ever the trust continues to be thankful to Ellesmere Community Care Centre League of Friends for their ongoing support and funding.
After making appropriate enquiries the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the Charitable Company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements.
The Trustees continue to review the reserves if the Trust at their regular meetings.
The unrestricted general reserve at 31 March 2026 was a surplus of £20,988 (2025 £30,867 surplus) which also represents the charity’s free reserves.
The policy is to maintain unrestricted general reserves at a sufficient level to be able to cover foreseeable ongoing activities of the charity and the aim is sustain the financial reserves at at least such a level for the future.
Alongside keeping the former Cottage Hospital building in good structural order, the Trust’s main challenge is ensuring that the public is aware of its role to further develop the community use of the building and that the Trust will have an ongoing need to raise funds to maintain the fabric of the building. The Trust is particularly exercised in looking at methods that would make the building more energy sustainable, such as changes to the heating and plumbing systems. Any such works are likely to require significant fund raising.
Ellesmere Community Care Centre Trust is registered as a charitable company in England & Wales, limited by guarantee and was set up by a Memorandum of Association on 31 October 1991. It is registered as a charity with the Charity Commission.
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 Charitable Company is the responsibility of the Trustees who are elected and co-opted under the terms of the Memorandum of Association.
The Trustees report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
The Trustees, who are also the directors of Ellesmere Community Care Centre Trust 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 Charitable Company 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 Charitable Company 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 Charitable Company 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 Charitable Company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
I report to the Trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Ellesmere Community Care Centre Trust (the Charitable Company) for the year ended 31 March 2026.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the Charitable Company 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 Charitable Company’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.
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 Charitable Company 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 notes on pages 8 to 13 form part of these financial statements.
The notes on pages 8 to 13 form part of these financial statements.
Ellesmere Community Care Centre Trust is registered as a charitable company in England and Wales, limited by guarantee and was set up by a Memorandum of Association on 3 October 1991. It is registered as a charity with the Charity Commission. The Memorandum was updated on 9 December 2019. The registered office is Trimpley Street, Ellesmere, Shropshire, SY12 0AE.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charitable Company's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" 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)". The Charitable Company is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The Charitable Company 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 Charitable Company. 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 Charitable Company 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 objectivesof the Charitable Company and which have not been designated for other purposes.
Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the Trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the Charitable Company has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
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.
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.
No depreciation was charged in the year on the property as the high residual value would make any charge immaterial.
At each reporting end date, the Charitable Company reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).
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 Charitable Company 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 Charitable Company's balance sheet when the Charitable Company 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.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
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. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the Charitable Company’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
In the application of the Charitable Company’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.
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.
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.
The designated fund represents the fixed assets of the Trust. In designating the funds, the Trustees are recognising that the value of these fixed assets cannot be utilised by the Trust towards the day to day running of the Trust.
There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2025 - none).