Finance Score: 2

Governance Score: 1

Support Score: 13

Strong growth: +2
No PartB

Narrow trustee age band: -2
Dynamic board: +3

Large volunteers +5
Grant maker support: +8

Overall GiG Score: 16

FRIENDS FOR LIFE BEDFORDSHIRE

To relieve the needs of people in care homes within the unitary boroughs of Bedford, Central Beds. and Luton or any area previously defined as being within Bedfordshire by any or all of the following:(i) developing schemes for befriending residents(ii) assisting care homes in meeting the spiritual needs of residents, in particular to help them in meeting their statutory requirements.

Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

This charity has been very successful in attracting volunteers relative to its size
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 dynamic in terms of composition

Regulatory & Governance issues to consider:

The Board has little diversity in terms of age
Over half the Board have joined recently

Financial issues to consider:

A PartB annual return has not been required and so detailed financial information is not available from the online data

Established: 8 years
(12 years as a company)

www.friendsforlife.org.uk

hello@friendsforlife.org.uk

07460575410

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
31/03/23		£56	£50	£6	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	60
31/03/22		£57	£52	£5	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	55
31/03/21		£43	£28	£15	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	75
31/03/20		£29	£23	£6	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	75
31/03/19		£12	£17	£-6	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	70
31/03/18		£22	£15	£7	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/03/17	*	£15	£11	£5	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0

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Highest pay bracket: less than £60,000

Listed activities

General Charitable Purposes

How it operates

Provides services

Where it operates

Bedford, Central Bedfordshire,

Who it helps

Elderly/Old People

Who works here?

Unknown number of employees
60 volunteers

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

Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation	£45,763
Harpur Trust	£20,200
Masonic Trust	£11,800
National Lottery Community Fund	£8,000
Allen Lane Foundation	£6,000

Specific Donations

Amount	When Months	To be used for
Masonic Trust - MCF Small Grant
£9,000	09/05/2023	Unrestricted core funding for small charities
Allen Lane Foundation - Grant to Friends for Life Bedfordshire
£6,000	04/11/2022	£6,000 single grant towards the general running costs of this organisation supporting older people.
Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation - A befriending service for people living in residential care homes across Bedford Borough
£30,000	05/10/2022	Expansion and development of care home resident befriending and wellbeing services in Bedford Borough
National Lottery Community Fund - Arts Week in Bedford care homes followed by a public exhibition of the art
£2,500	07/10/2021	This funding will be used to run a number of community art and music events in ten care homes. The project will support resident to take part in new activities during Befriending Week engage with ....more This funding will be used to run a number of community art and music events in ten care homes. The project will support resident to take part in new activities during Befriending Week engage with people in their wider community and help them build connections.
National Lottery Community Fund - Care home residents befriending in Bedford
£5,500	13/08/2021	The funding will be used to continue to deliver a befriending service for residents of care homes in the Bedfordshire area. The project aims to reconnect care home residents with the outside world ....more The funding will be used to continue to deliver a befriending service for residents of care homes in the Bedfordshire area. The project aims to reconnect care home residents with the outside world following the isolation they experienced during the national lockdowns.
Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation - Care home resident befriending in Bedfordshire
£5,000	15/06/2021	This grant would provide us with the financial resources needed to achieve our aim of increasing the number of befrienders we have from 77 to 125 by the end of March 2022.
Harpur Trust - Friends For Life Bedfordshire
£16,000	09/03/2021	Socially Distanced Befriending of care home residents in Bedford Borough - covid
Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation - Befriending Service Core Costs
£5,395	16/09/2020 5	Grant to Friends for Life Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation - Stream 2 - Core Costs
£5,368	01/06/2020 3	Grant to Friends for Life Bedfordshire
Harpur Trust - Friends for Life
£4,200	10/03/2020 12	Acquiring long term office premises for charity sustainability and growth.
Masonic Trust - MCF Small Grant
£2,800	07/10/2019	Unrestricted core funding for small charities
National Lottery Community Fund - Care home resident befriending scheme
£10,000	04/04/2019 12	The organisation will use the funding to continue its volunteer befriending service to residents of care homes who receive few or no visitors. This will increase the wellbeing of residents and reduce ....more The organisation will use the funding to continue its volunteer befriending service to residents of care homes who receive few or no visitors. This will increase the wellbeing of residents and reduce their isolation.
Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation - Core funding towards the Media, Marketing and Fundraising Manager
£3,000	21/03/2018 11	Grant to Friends for Life Bedfordshire
National Lottery Community Fund - Care Home Resident Befriending Scheme within Bedford Borough
£9,365	01/11/2017 12	This group will grow the befriending service it provides to residents of care homes, bringing together more individuals who are socially isolated with those who are looking to make a difference by ....more This group will grow the befriending service it provides to residents of care homes, bringing together more individuals who are socially isolated with those who are looking to make a difference by volunteering in their local community.

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Data sourced from Donors via 360 Giving

How is it governed?

Trustees (8)

Current Trustees appointed

Age Range of Trustees: 46-62

DOMINIC JAMES CHRISTOPHER CARTER Appointed: 2017, Occupation: Nurse Manager

HELEN WHEATLEY Appointed: 2022, Occupation: Human Resources Consultant

KEYUR BHATT Appointed: 2020, Occupation: Care Home Manager

MICHAEL AMES RIDLEY Appointed: 2023, Occupation: Retired Civil Servant

NAFIZ HASNAT Appointed: 2023, Occupation: Customer Service Analyst

SARAH JUDITH WALKER Appointed: 2022, Occupation: Communication Specialist

SUNEIL SHASHIKANT KHANDKE Appointed: 2023, Occupation: Retired Vp Technical Management

THERESA HARRINGTON Appointed: 2022, Occupation: Sponsorship Director National Highways

Legal constitution

Charitable company registered in England & Wales on 24/02/2016, number: 1165730
Registered at Companies House on 15/02/2012, number: 07951058

Gift Aid

Registered with HMRC for Gift Aid

Policies in force

Complaints handling
Complaints policy and procedures
Conflicting interests
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Paying staff
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures
Volunteer management

Filing Record

7 returns made; AR17: 26 days late,

Main office

Room1
2nd floor
43 Bromham Road
BEDFORD
Bedfordshire

Objectives

TO RELIEVE THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE IN CARE HOMES AND OTHER SIMILAR ESTABLISHMENTS WITHIN THE UNITARY BOROUGHS OF BEDFORD, CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE AND LUTON OR ANY AREA PREVIOUSLY DEFINED AS BEING WITHIN THE COUNTY OF BEDFORDSHIRE BY ANY OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:(I) DEVELOPING SCHEMES FOR BEFRIENDING RESIDENTS(II) ASSISTING SUCH HOMES IN MEETING THE SPIRITUAL NEEDS OF RESIDENTS, IN PARTICULAR TO HELP THEM IN MEETING THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS IN THIS FIELD.

Data Sources