Finance Score: 2

Governance Score: 6

Support Score: 6

Strong growth: +2

Good trustee age range: +3
Dynamic board: +3

Grant maker support: +6

Overall GiG Score: 14

CHESHIRE WEST VOLUNTARY ACTION

Chester Voluntary Action is a support & development organisation, operating in Cheshire West and Chester. We promote and support voluntary and community action and provide services and advice such as funding, governance, set-up, good practice, volunteer management and training. We deliver a range of projects within the local community and also provide links to local business support.

Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

There has been strong growth in spending over the last 5 years
There have been no material income shortfalls in recent years
A significant proportion of recent income was derived from major grant makers including the Government
The Board appears to be well diversified in terms of age and dynamic in terms of composition

Established: 14 years

www.chesterva.org.uk

enquiries@chesterva.org.uk

01244401272

Charity Commission for England and Wales

Tweets

Financial Data ?

Income & Spending ?

Sources of Income ?

Y/E	Income £k	Spending £k	Surplus/ Deficit	Fundraising Cost £k	Total Funds £k	Unrestricted Funds £k	Mths Rsrvs	Staff	Volun- teers
30/03/23	£699	£748	£-49	£0	£230	£187	3	9	1
30/03/22	£538	£500	£38	£0	£279	£201	4.8	7	1
30/03/21	£603	£544	£59	£0	£241	£241	5.3	8	1
31/03/20	£322	£287	£35	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	10
31/03/19	£240	£224	£16	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	0
31/03/18	£221	£215	£6	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/17	£166	£203	£-37	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/16	£208	£209	£0	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/15	£162	£211	£-49	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/14	£299	£335	£-36	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/13	£476	£389	£87	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/12	£188	£207	£-19	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/11	£167	£174	£-7	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0

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Financial Ratios

Fundraising Costs/Relevant Income: 0%
Fundraising Costs/Total Spending: 0%
Highest pay band: Less than £60,000
Liabilities/Assets: 29%
Liabilities/Income: 13%
Unrestricted Funds/Total Funds: 81%
Reserves/Spending: 3 months
Net Current Assets/Spending: 3 months
Quick Ratio: 2.5

Asset Split ?

Listed activities

Education/Training
General Charitable Purposes
Human Rights/Religious Or Racial Harmony/Equality Or Diversity
Other Charitable Purposes
The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty

How it operates

Acts as an umbrella or resource body
Makes Grants to Individuals
Makes Grants to Organisations
Other charitable activities
Provides advocacy/advice/information
Provides services

Where it operates

Cheshire West & Chester,

Who it helps

Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies
The General Public/Mankind

Who works here?

9 employees
1 volunteer

Who's supporting them? ?

Donations from Grant Makers ?

We have details on the following significant donations. Multi-year donations are allocated to the years for which they are earmarked.

Major supporters in last 5 years

National Lottery Community Fund	£32,054
Cheshire Community Foundation	£21,492
Westminster Foundation	£14,308

Specific Donations

Amount	When Months	To be used for
Cheshire Community Foundation - Grant to Chester Voluntary Action
£21,492	06/10/2022	Grant to Chester Voluntary Action
National Lottery Community Fund - Response to COVID-19 - Looking to the future
£32,054	18/06/2020 6	Cheshire West Voluntary supports community and faith-based groups through information advice and training. Funding will support the organisation through COVID lock-down and cover core costs and ....more Cheshire West Voluntary supports community and faith-based groups through information advice and training. Funding will support the organisation through COVID lock-down and cover core costs and continue their services.
Westminster Foundation - Covid 19 response Fund
£14,308	24/03/2020 3	Connectivity Covid 19 emergency response
DCMS - Tampon Tax Community Fund
£5,000	02/01/2019	Develop a bespoke training package aimed at underrepresented women becoming trustees, this will dispel the myths about what being a trustee entails, it will increase the confidence of women and ....more Develop a bespoke training package aimed at underrepresented women becoming trustees, this will dispel the myths about what being a trustee entails, it will increase the confidence of women and empower them to recognise the skills and experience that they can bring to a board and the difference that they can make. Skills based training sessions will include; governance, negotiating skills, managing meetings, how to network Outcomes: Attending the training beneficiaries will; Increase their confidence Increase their working heir knowledge about the third sector Develop transferable skills Development of a Women in Leadership Network aimed at senior staff, trustees and prospective trustees in the third sector. This network will provide a non-judgemental peer support function in which women will be able to develop their own sustainable support systems. It will also provide an accessible, safe and supportive space fin which all women including the beneficiaries can try out newly developed skills, share concerns and Outcomes By attending network meetings the beneficiaries will; increase their confidence increase their awareness of issues effecting women leaders increase their knowledge of the current issues that impact the third sector identify and develop a sustainable support structure Identification and recruitment of existing female leaders in the not for profit and third sector to act as volunteer mentors to the beneficiaries. 10 volunteer mentors will be recruited Outomes; Each beneficiary will be offered a mentor from which they will be able to; reach their full potential increase their motivation articulate their ambitions increase their confidence develop a support network Deliver training sessions to CVA members highlighting the importance and benefits of diverse boards. Outcomes; more trustee roles developed more trustee vacancies an increase in women as trustees
Cheshire Community Foundation - Trusted Women
£5,000	09/12/2018	Develop a bespoke training package aimed at underrepresented women becoming trustees, this will dispel the myths about what being a trustee entails, it will increase the confidence of women and ....more Develop a bespoke training package aimed at underrepresented women becoming trustees, this will dispel the myths about what being a trustee entails, it will increase the confidence of women and empower them to recognise the skills and experience that they can bring to a board and the difference that they can make. Skills based training sessions will include; governance, negotiating skills, managing meetings, how to network.
Sport England - Opportunity Fund
£149,905	31/10/2017 36	Funding under Sport England's Opportunity Fund funding programme for a Revenue project titled 'Opportunity Fund'. This project is a Sport and Physical Activity project, with a focus on younger ....more Funding under Sport England's Opportunity Fund funding programme for a Revenue project titled 'Opportunity Fund'. This project is a Sport and Physical Activity project, with a focus on younger beneficiaries.

Data sourced from Donors via 360 Giving

How is it governed?

Trustees (8)

Current Trustees appointed

Age Range of Trustees: 28-72

ALISTAIR KEVIN JEFFS Appointed: 2021, Occupation: Local Government Officer

BENJAMIN DAVID RIGBY Appointed: 2023, Occupation: Managing Director, Other trusteeship: SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES,

DIANE BROWN Appointed: 2023, Occupation: Hr Director, Other trusteeship: CHESHIRE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION LIMITED,

DR HOLLY WHITE Appointed: 2020, Occupation: Director

JACK DAVIES Appointed: 2023, Occupation: Strategic Lead For Physical Activity And Health

LYNDA HESKETH Appointed: 2023, Occupation: Member Pioneer, Other trusteeships: CHESTER ADULT PHAB CLUB, THE DIVERSITY BALL,

SHANTELE SUTHERLAND Appointed: 2020, Occupation: Director

VICTORIA BUZZA (Chair) Appointed: 2021, Occupation: Director

Legal constitution

Charitable company registered in England & Wales on 18/06/2010, number: 1136465
Registered at Companies House on 23/04/2010, number: 07233113

Gift Aid

Registered with HMRC for Gift Aid

Policies in force

Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
Complaints handling
Complaints policy and procedures
Conflicting interests
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Investing charity funds policy and procedures
Investment
Paying staff
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Social media policy and procedures
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures
Volunteer management

Filing Record

13 returns made; all on time

Main office

The Bluecoat
Upper Northgate Street
Chester
CH1 4EE

Objectives

THE CHARITY'S OBJECTS (THE OBJECTS) ARE: 4(1) TO PROMOTE ANY CHARITABLE PURPOSES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, PRINCIPALLY BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF CHESHIRE WEST AND CHESTER AND ITS ENVIRONS (HEREINAFTER CALLED THE AREA OF BENEFIT) AND, IN PARTICULAR, BUILD THE CAPACITY OF THIRD SECTOR ORGANISATIONS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH THE NECESSARY SUPPORT, INFORMATION AND SERVICES TO ENABLE THEM TO PURSUE OR CONTRIBUTE TO ANY CHARITABLE PURPOSE. 4(2) TO PROMOTE, ORGANISE AND FACILITATE CO-OPERATION AND PARTNERSHIP WORKING BETWEEN THIRD SECTOR, STATUTORY AND OTHER RELEVANT BODIES IN THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE ABOVE PURPOSES WITHIN THE AREA OF BENEFIT.4(3) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS ARTICLE 4:(A) THIRD SECTOR MEANS CHARITIES, VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS AND SOCIAL ENTERPRISES.(B) CHARITIES ARE ORGANISATIONS WHICH ARE ESTABLISHED FOR EXCLUSIVELY CHARITABLE PURPOSES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW OF ENGLAND AND WALES. (C) VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS AND SOCIAL ENTERPRISES ARE INDEPENDENT ORGANISATIONS, WHICH ARE ESTABLISHED FOR PURPOSES THAT ADD VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, OR A SIGNIFICANT SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY, AND WHICH ARE NOT PERMITTED BY THEIR CONSTITUTION TO MAKE A PROFIT FOR PRIVATE DISTRIBUTION. VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS AND SOCIAL ENTERPRISES DO NOT INCLUDE LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR OTHER STATUTORY AUTHORITIES.

Defined Area of Benefit:

CHESHIRE WEST AND CHESTER

Data Sources