Bosom Friends (Bradford)
Notice of Meeting
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the 15th Annual General Meeting of Bosom Friends (Bradford) will be held on Wednesday 19th March 2025 at 7.30pm at The Tyke, Thornton Rd, BD13 3DG. This will be preceded by a buffet at 7pm
AGENDA
1. Annual Report by Chair
2. Secretary
3. Treasurer
4 Social Media
5. Appointment of Charity Trustees – all terms of Office are from this AGM to the next (scheduled March 2026)
1. To reappoint Barbara Bartle as Chair
2. To reappoint Sue Depledge as Treasurer
3. To reappoint Liz Carrington as Secretary
4. To reappoint Julia Sunderland as Vice Chair
5. To reappoint Pat Asquith as Trustee
6. To reappoint Maria Ostick as Trustee
7. To reappoint Robina Amin as Trustee
8. To reappoint Ania Kaminska as Trustee
9. To appoint Liz Brooke as Trustee
6. Amendment to the Constitution
To replace the wording in section 3, the Charity’s objectives, paragraph 1 from
‘to provide relief and support to past, present and future breast cancer patients who are, or have been, under treatment within the Bradford Health Authority and who are sick, convalescent, disabled, handicapped, infirmed or in need of financial assistance’ to
‘To provide friendship, emotional and financial support, information and advice to those living with or beyond breast cancer who have been treated by the Bradford/Airedale/Calderdale Breast Services and to supplement the services provided by the Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for the health, welfare and comfort of those being treated for breast cancer by the provision of facilities and equipment which may be required in their treatment and aftercare’
6. Any other Business
By order of the Board of Charity Trustees
Liz Carrington Secretary 7th February 2025
Bosom Friends (Bradford) Charity no. 1134938
Trustees Annual Report 2024
The Charity Commission require that small charities (income between £10,000 – 25,000 per year) submit a financial return within 10 months of the end of the financial year. Although there is no requirement for small charities to have a Trustees Annual Report, we consider it good practise to produce one which:
• Outlines the purposes/objectives of the Charity
• How our activities have achieved these objectives
• Identifies funding sources and how expenditure has supported our key objectives
• States our policy on holding financial reserves
Bosom Friends (Bradford) became a Charity separate from Bradford Cancer Support with the Constitution registered with the Charity Commission in March 2010.
In January 2024 the Trustees sought to amend the first of the 5 Objectives listed in the Constitution to replace outdated and disrespectful terminology. It later transpired that the Objectives listed in the version of the Constitution held by the Charity Commission differed from that we held on file and discussions with the CC are still ongoing to clarify the correct version. This does not impact on our activities
Objectives
• To provide help, support and friendship to women living with and beyond breast cancer
• Provide information and advice about breast cancer treatment and aftercare
• Provide financial assistance to breast cancer patients in need
• Supplement services provided by the hospital by providing facilities and equipment
• Take account of Charity Commission guidance on public benefit
The Committee who manage Bosom Friends meet on the first Wednesday of each month. Since the lockdown in March 2020, this has been conducted virtually via facetime and this has continued to reduce unnecessary face to face meetings and costly travel. All members of the committee (Trustees) are users of the service so the need to utilise resources effectively whilst being mindful of potential conflicts of interest is paramount. The Trustees receive no remuneration.
In accordance with the Constitution, new Trustees are appointed by the current ones following the criteria laid down by the Charity Commission. All stand for one year but are eligible for re-election annually.
Annual General Meeting 2024
This took place on 20th March 2024, to report on the previous financial year to December 2023. This took place at The Tyke in Thornton and was attended by 28 people.
Income
The audited accounts for the year ending December 31st 2024 are:
2024 2023
Income 13,010.02 13,455.55
Expenditure 12,696.82 12,328.12
Income over Expenditure 313.20 1,127.43
Our largest source of income during the year was as usual, the fashion show, accounting for just under half our income. This was another outstanding success and a testament to the hard work of the Trustees, helpers and models who took part. The amount received from online raffles/sales, donations in memory of and collection boxes showed how relatively modest amounts all add up. The £1 subscription collected at the social meetings funds the tea/coffee/biscuits at social meetings.
The charity has financial reserves which mean that we are in a sound position to continue to fulfil our aims despite variations in income, although year on year this remains fairly consistent. We take a cautious view with regard to our reserves and have in the last year received interest for the current and deposit accounts.
Expenditure
We are always aware of the need to ensure that any expenditure benefits the greatest number of women with breast cancer, whilst fulfilling our stated objectives. To this end we have:
• Held monthly social events during the year, including our popular mystery trip in July, which this year was a boat trip in York
• Continued to provide sets of post surgery cushions in pink bags to the Dales Suite for distribution by the Breast Care nurses
• Advertised who we are through the distribution of our postcards and leaflets in the pink packs given in clinic by the Breast Care Nurses
• Made a donation to Cancer Support (Yorkshire) to support the Wellbeing Service and as a contribution to running costs for our use of their premises
• Sent flowers to members needing support after receiving bad news
• Provided grants to individuals referred by the Welfare Service (Cancer Support Yorkshire) and Breast Care Nurses as in financial need
• Responded to requests for help/support/information from both personal callers and also agencies such as the mainstream media
• Maintained high visibility on social media through educational posts and the sharing of posts from other agencies
• Subsidised the cost of the Xmas party at The Moorlands
• Funded the cost of the meal at The Tyke for the AGM in March
Applications for grants was less than anticipated given the economic situation caused by the cost of living crisis but we continue to remind the Breast Care Nurses and Welfare advisors at Cancer Support Yorkshire of this opportunity. We believe we should utilise our resources to provide a direct, positive impact on the lives of our users and are open to new ideas and methods to achieve this
Liz Carrington
Secretary Bosom Friends (Bradford) Registered address: c/o Cancer Support (Yorkshire)
Daisy House Farm
44 Smith Lane
Bradford BD9 6DA 6th February 2025
Report approved by the Trustees
Barbara Bartle (Chair)
Julia Sunderland (Vice Chair)
Sue Depledge (Treasurer)
Robina Amin
Pat Asquith
Maria Ostick
Ania Kaminska
Accounts audited by Craig AN Smith Fellow Chartered Certified Accountants