Chair's Report

On behalf of Stirling Carers Centre, it is my great pleasure to present the Annual Report for 2022/23.

Even more pleasing is to report that the Centre continues to go from strength to strength.

Despite the turbulence of the last few years, with Covid, cost of living, and other pressures, Stirling Carers Centre has continued to provide and grow essential services alongside raising the funding required to do that, and winning awards and gaining accreditation that recognises its value and excellence.

As always, the Board wishes to thank all the parties that have made this a reality. Our staff who continue to be the heart of the Centre and show the most inspiring dedication to bringing valuable services, advice, assistance, and companionship to the Carer community that it is our privilege to support. I’d also like to thank all our statutory and independent funders once more; your support is, of course, essential, greatly appreciated, and never taken for granted.

Alongside the provision of service, the less visible work of supporting each other, ensuring the finances of the Centre remain strong and robust, our branding and ability to reach those who may need us, and many other important elements have also been operating at the highest standard. I’m really pleased that the awards and accreditations, like the Charity of the Year, recognise that alongside provision of excellent service to our community, the Centre is also extremely well run.

I look forward to seeing what next year shall bring.

David Khan
Chair of the Board

2022-23 Overview

535

new Carers registered

115

Carers re-registered

1,656

Carers directly supported

£118k

granted in short breaks grants

465

Adult Carer Support Plans completed or reviewed

2,807

Adult, Young Adult & Young Carer short breaks activities attendances

200

Young Carer Statements completed or reviewed

Key Developments

It’s been an eventful year for the Centre, with the highlights being the awards received for the high quality service that we provide to Carers.

Charity of the year

In February we were delighted to be the winners of ‘Charity of the Year’ at the inaugural Stirling Business Awards.

The awards were organised by Go Forth Stirling Business Improvement District to recognise and reward the city’s independent business owners and charities with the winners chosen following a public vote.

We were proud to receive this recognition for the impact that the organisation is having on the people we support and the wider community.

Excellence for Carers

In March we achieved the Carers Trust Excellence for Carers Award. This award is the result of a thorough assessment of the organisation, the support we provide, Carer involvement, our partnership working, and how Unpaid Carers are promoted in the wider community.

The assessment report highlighted the Centre’s commitment to supporting Carers, and the team’s ability to recognise each Carer’s individual circumstances and support needs, and to provide tailored services.

Short Breaks

This year has seen a huge increase in the number and variety of short breaks opportunities offered.
In addition to existing groups, We are now running Carer lunches in 12 locations across the area, plus a series of dedicated events for Parent Carers and their families.
Thanks to funding from The Scottish Government and Stirling & Clackmannanshire Health & Social Care Partnership, we’ve also made grants totalling over £118,000 to enable Carers to take a break in a way that suits them.

Financial Report

For the year ended 31 March 2023, the Statement of Financial Activities shows an overall deficit of £8,417 (2022 – deficit £66,200).

Included in the deficit for the prior year is an adjustment of £85,543 for income received in 2021/22 relating to 2022/23.

The reserves policy adopted by the Board is based on the major risks facing the organisation. An estimate has been made of the policy monetary impact and risk weighting based on the likelihood of an unforeseen event occurring. This allows a monetary value to be assigned to the reserves required. The level of reserves is monitored by the Directors on a quarterly basis.

As at 31 March 2023 the total unrestricted reserves stood at £399,865 (2022 – £374,719) out of which £29,998 (2022 – £29,998) has been designated to be used in the coming year to cover the costs of the Carers Health Improvement Initiatives; this leaves free reserves of £369,867 (2022 – £344,721). The Directors aim to maintain free reserves at a level of three to six months annual expenditure, which is considered sufficient to cover staff and operating costs on a short-term basis to allow for restructuring in the event of a significant decrease in funding. The level of free reserves at 31 March 2023 was within the Board of Director’s target.

Funders & Supporters

The substantial funding we receive from our statutory partners, Stirling Council and NHS Forth Valley, allows us to provide many of our core services to Unpaid Carers, and for this we are most fortunate. However, our additional services are funded by a range of trusts and individual donors, without whose support our service would be greatly restricted. We would like to extend our thanks for their on-going support.