Trustees’ Annual Report for the period:
01/08/2019 to 31/07/2020
Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR)

Reference and administration details

Charity name

 Dumfries & Galloway ME and Fibromyalgia Network
Other names charity is known by DGMEFM Network
Registered charity number SC030641
Charity’s principal address Thistledew
Albert Street
Dalbeattie
DG5 4JP

Names of the charity trustees on date of approval of Trustees’ Annual Report

Trustee name Office (if any) Dates acted if not for whole year Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any)
1 Craig Woods Chairman
2 Paul Thompson Treasurer
3 Lesley Grieve Secretary
4 Nancy Wilson
5 John Bell   From 03/10/2019

Names of all other charity trustees during the period, if any, (for example, those who resigned part way through the financial period)

Name Dates acted if not for whole year
Lizz Torbett From 03/10/2019 until 05/02/2020
Kim Jakobsen Until 03/10/2019

Structure, governance and management

Type of governing document

 The Network is a charitable unincorporated association and the purpose and administration arrangements are set out in our constitution.

Trustee recruitment and appointment

 The Network trustees are appointed by the members at our Annual General Meeting.

Objectives and activities

Charitable purposes

 To support the needs of people in Dumfries & Galloway who suffer with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), Fibromyalgia (FM) & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).

Summary of the main activities in relation to these objects
  • Raise awareness of the issues surrounding these illnesses.
  • Offer support to any person suffering with any of these illnesses or any matter concerning them.
  • Facilitate a mutual support network.
  • Enable access to transport, shops, public buildings, education and any other public facility for any person suffering with any of these illnesses.
  • Act as a central point for representative consultation between people with these illnesses and other agencies, including Dumfries & Galloway Council and NHS Dumfries & Galloway.
  • Gather and provide information about all aspects of these illnesses.

Achievements and performance
Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the financial period:

Membership:

  • 55 (nett) new members of Facebook page. Total 306 at 31st Nett increase of 22%
  • Total 344 full members at 31st July (excluding Facebook only) – nett decrease of 26 or 7%. (decrease has come partly from losing contact details as people move home, deceased members and a few unsubscribing when email distribution resumed)

Support to members:

  • Facebook – mutual support between members and from the committee for page members. New social facebook page for non-illness related chat. New craft facebook page for members to share and encourage each other in their creativity.
  • Website info continues to expand with the informative monthly blog and a meetings calendar
  • Postal/email Newsletters x4
  • Monthly meetings in Dumfries until lockdown prevented them with themed discussions, some including speakers and guests, including Colin Smyth MSP, pain, craft meeting, DAGCAS
  • pop-up social meetings – Mabie x1 and Dumfries x2, plus a tie-up with a fibromyalgia comedy show in Dumfries
  • Support to individuals in phone calls and messages
  • A lending library service of ME/FM books for loan to members
  • Weekly Zoom meetings in lieu of physical meetings from lockdown onwards. These are proving to be popular with people who were unable to attend before and attract guest speakers from further afield including Dr Shepherd, Dr Purdie, Pain Association, Emma Harper MSP.

NHS liaison:

  • Through the Scottish Health Council liasing for the Scottish Government on ‘Lived experience with ME’

Promoting the Network more widely in the region: 

  • Using the covid publicity to spread word of our Network
  • Article in the local papers around Awareness Day.
  • Sending all members a “Not All Disabilities Are Visible” window sticker.

Financial Review
Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves The Network had unrestricted reserves of £5177 as at 31st July 2020.

This level of reserves should allow the Network to continue its charitable activities for a further 12 months and allow for any fall in income.

Details of any deficit

  N/A
Donated facilities and services (if any) N/A

Other Information
 None

Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s)
Full name(s) Craig Alun Woods
Position (e.g. Chair) Chairman
Date 31/08/2020

Dumfries & Galloway ME and Fibromyalgia Network
Scottish Charity Number SC030641

Receipts and Payments Account for the year ended 31st July 2020

Unrestricted Funds
(£)		 Restricted Funds
(£)		 Total 2020
(£)		 Total
2019
(£)
Receipts
Donations
Fundraising
Grants
Gift Aid
Bank Interest
Other		 1,182
84
1,000
191
0
0		 0
0
0
0
0
0		 1,182
84
1,000
191
0
0		 1,790
47
0
311
0
0
Total Receipts 2,457 0 2,457 2,148

Payments
Cost of fundraising: 4 0 4 6
Total Cost of fundraising 4 0 4 6
Payment for charitable activities:
Postage
Stationary and printing (newsletter etc)
Travel Expenses
Room hire
IT
Publicity
Sundry		 742
275

177
133
60
262
15

 0
0

0
0
0
0
0		 742
275

177
133
60
262
15

 532
184

0
15
162
0
30
Total Payments for charitable activities 1,664 0 1,664 923
Governance costs:
Preparation of annual accounts and IE
Advertising of AGM		 30

0

 0

0

 30

0

 30

0
Total Governance costs 30 0 30 30
Total Payments 1,698 0 1,698 959
Surplus / (deficit) for year before transfers
Transfers between funds		 759

0

 0

0

 759

0

 1,189

0
Surplus / (deficit) for year 759 0 759 1,189

Dumfries and Galloway ME Network
Scottish Charity Number SC030641

Statement of Balances as at 31st July 2019

2020 (£) 2019 (£)
Bank and cash in hand
Opening balance
Surplus / (deficit) for year		 4,418
759		 3,229
1,189
Closing balance 5,177 4,418
Reserves
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds		 5,177
0		 4,418
0
Closing balances 5,177 4,418
Other Assets (Unrestricted Fund)
Computer equipment 62 64

All funds are unrestricted
Approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf

Paul Thompson (Treasurer)
Date: 31st August 2020