OUR SPECIAL FRIENDS — Charity Commission profile

01 Identity

Registration and reporting

Registration status: Registered
Reporting status: Submission Received
Charity type: Charitable company
Registered: 23 April 2014
Removed: Not supplied
Company number supplied: 08769892
Financial period: 1 May 2025 – 30 April 2026
Latest income: £230,827
Latest expenditure: £262,282
Gift Aid: Yes
Owns or uses land: No
In administration: No
Insolvent: No
CIO: No

Public contact address: Unit 4, The Vision Centre, 5 Eastern Way, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP32 7AB

Website recorded by the regulator: www.ourspecialfriends.org (displayed as text)

02 Activities

What the charity does

1.Help people at a vulnerable time in their lives to benefit from the companionship of animals through the provision of practical and emotional support.2.Increase the awareness and understanding of the benefits of the human-companion animal relationship and the impact of bereavement. 3.Facilitate the effective collaboration between human and companion animal organisations and support networks.

03 Official extract

Charity Annual Return History

Fin Period Start Date: 1 May 2025
Fin Period End Date: 30 April 2026
Ar Cycle Reference: AR26
Reporting Due Date: 28 February 2027
Date Annual Return Received: 2 October 2026
Date Accounts Received: 2 October 2026
Total Gross Income: £230,827
Total Gross Expenditure: £262,282

Fin Period Start Date: 1 May 2024
Fin Period End Date: 30 April 2025
Ar Cycle Reference: AR25
Reporting Due Date: 28 February 2026
Date Annual Return Received: 22 January 2026
Date Accounts Received: 22 January 2026
Total Gross Income: £264,364
Total Gross Expenditure: £264,259

Fin Period Start Date: 1 May 2023
Fin Period End Date: 30 April 2024
Ar Cycle Reference: AR24
Reporting Due Date: 28 February 2025
Date Annual Return Received: 25 October 2024
Date Accounts Received: 25 October 2024
Total Gross Income: £227,277
Total Gross Expenditure: £276,261

Fin Period Start Date: 1 May 2022
Fin Period End Date: 30 April 2023
Ar Cycle Reference: AR23
Reporting Due Date: 29 February 2024
Date Annual Return Received: 5 February 2024
Date Accounts Received: 5 February 2024
Total Gross Income: £222,569
Total Gross Expenditure: £239,446

Fin Period Start Date: 1 May 2021
Fin Period End Date: 30 April 2022
Ar Cycle Reference: AR22
Reporting Due Date: 28 February 2023
Date Annual Return Received: 20 February 2023
Date Accounts Received: 20 February 2023
Total Gross Income: £237,478
Total Gross Expenditure: £204,922

04 Official extract

Charity Annual Return Parta

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: Yes
Fin Period Order Number: 1
Ar Cycle Reference: AR26
Fin Period Start Date: 1 May 2025
Fin Period End Date: 30 April 2026
Ar Due Date: 28 February 2027
Ar Received Date: 2 October 2026
Total Gross Income: £230,827
Total Gross Expenditure: £262,282
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Grants: £2
Income From Government Grants: £17,500
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Payments Acting As Trustee: No
Trustee Receives Payments Services: No
Trustee Receives Other Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: No
Count Volunteers: 140

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 2
Ar Cycle Reference: AR25
Fin Period Start Date: 1 May 2024
Fin Period End Date: 30 April 2025
Ar Due Date: 28 February 2026
Ar Received Date: 22 January 2026
Total Gross Income: £264,364
Total Gross Expenditure: £264,259
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Contracts: 0
Count Govt Grants: £5
Income From Government Grants: £76,500
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Payments Acting As Trustee: No
Trustee Receives Payments Services: No
Trustee Receives Other Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: No
Count Volunteers: 150

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 3
Ar Cycle Reference: AR24
Fin Period Start Date: 1 May 2023
Fin Period End Date: 30 April 2024
Ar Due Date: 28 February 2025
Ar Received Date: 25 October 2024
Total Gross Income: £227,277
Total Gross Expenditure: £276,261
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Contracts: 0
Count Govt Grants: £5
Income From Government Grants: £35,100
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Payments Acting As Trustee: No
Trustee Receives Payments Services: No
Trustee Receives Other Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: No
Count Volunteers: 130

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 4
Ar Cycle Reference: AR23
Fin Period Start Date: 1 May 2022
Fin Period End Date: 30 April 2023
Ar Due Date: 29 February 2024
Ar Received Date: 5 February 2024
Total Gross Income: £222,569
Total Gross Expenditure: £239,446
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Contracts: 0
Count Govt Grants: £3
Income From Government Grants: £27,250
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Payments Acting As Trustee: No
Trustee Receives Payments Services: No
Trustee Receives Other Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: No
Count Volunteers: 110

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 5
Ar Cycle Reference: AR22
Fin Period Start Date: 1 May 2021
Fin Period End Date: 30 April 2022
Ar Due Date: 28 February 2023
Ar Received Date: 20 February 2023
Total Gross Income: £237,478
Total Gross Expenditure: £204,922
Charity Raises Funds From Public: Yes
Charity Professional Fundraiser: Yes
Charity Agreement Professional Fundraiser: Yes
Charity Commercial Participator: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Contracts: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Grants: Yes
Count Govt Grants: £2
Income From Government Grants: £35,000
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: No
Count Volunteers: 152

05 Official extract

Charity Area Of Operation

Geographic Area Type: Local Authority
Geographic Area Description: Suffolk
Welsh Ind: No

06 Official extract

Charity Classification

Classification Code: 306
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Provides Services

Classification Code: 303
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Provides Other Finance

Classification Code: 206
Classification Type: Who
Classification Description: Other Defined Groups

Classification Code: 203
Classification Type: Who
Classification Description: People With Disabilities

Classification Code: 202
Classification Type: Who
Classification Description: Elderly/old People

Classification Code: 205
Classification Type: Who
Classification Description: Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies

Classification Code: 103
Classification Type: What
Classification Description: The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives

Classification Code: 310
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Other Charitable Activities

Classification Code: 201
Classification Type: Who
Classification Description: Children/young People

Classification Code: 207
Classification Type: Who
Classification Description: The General Public/mankind

Classification Code: 111
Classification Type: What
Classification Description: Animals

Classification Code: 307
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Provides Advocacy/advice/information

Classification Code: 117
Classification Type: What
Classification Description: Other Charitable Purposes

Classification Code: 304
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Provides Human Resources

Classification Code: 102
Classification Type: What
Classification Description: Education/training

07 Official extract

Charity Event History

Charity Name: OUR SPECIAL FRIENDS
Charity Event Order: 1
Event Type: Standard registration
Date Of Event: 2014-04-23T00:00:00

08 Official extract

Charity Governing Document

Governing Document Description: MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES INCORPORATED 28 JAN 2014INCORPORATED 28/01/2014 as amended on 12 Feb 2025
Charitable Objects: TO RELIEVE THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL SICKNESS OF THE ELDERLY AND OTHER VULNERABLE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES BY HELPING THEM TO MAINTAIN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH AND HAVE ACCESS TO COMPANION ANIMALS BY PROVIDING THEM WITH SERVICES OR FACILITIES CALCULATED TO RELIEVE THE NEEDS OF SUCH PEOPLE.TO RELIEVE ELDERLY AND OTHER VULNERABLE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES WHO ARE IN NEED OF HELP AND SUPPORT WITH THEIR ANIMALS BY PROVIDING THEM WITH SERVICES OR FACILITIES CALCULATED TO RELIEVE THE NEEDS OF SUCH PEOPLE AND TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF THE ELDERLY AND OTHER VULNERABLE PEOPLE BY PROVIDING THEM WITH ACCESS TO ANIMAL COMPANIONSHIP.TO PROMOTE HUMANE BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS ANIMALS BY PROVIDING HELP TREATMENT AND GUIDANCE IN THE CARE AND WELFARE OF ANIMALS BELONGING TO THE ELDERLY AND OTHER VULNERABLE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND TO ASSIST WITH THE RESETTLEMENT OF ANIMALS THAT CAN NO LONGER BE ADEQUATELY CARED FOR BY AN ELDERLY OR VULNERABLE PERSON. TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC IN THE BENEFIT TO THE ELDERLY AND OTHER VULNERABLE PEOPLE OF ANIMAL COMPANIONSHIP AND IN MATTERS PERTAINING TO THE PROPER CARE AND WELFARE OF ANIMALS BY THE ELDERLY AND OTHER VULNERABLE PEOPLE AND THE EFFECT THAT THE DEATH OF AN ANIMAL CAN HAVE ON AN ELDERLY OR OTHER VULNERABLE PERSON.

09 Official extract

Charity Other Names

Charity Name Id: 543297
Charity Name Type: Working name
Charity Name: OSF

10 Official extract

Charity Policy

Policy Name: Social media policy and procedures

Policy Name: Safeguarding policy and procedures

Policy Name: Internal risk management policy and procedures

Policy Name: Volunteer management

Policy Name: Bullying and harassment policy and procedures

Policy Name: Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries

Policy Name: Conflicting interests

Policy Name: Risk management

Policy Name: Trustee expenses policy and procedures

Policy Name: Complaints policy and procedures

Policy Name: Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures

Policy Name: Serious incident reporting policy and procedures

Policy Name: Financial reserves policy and procedures

Policy Name: Paying staff

Policy Name: Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures

Policy Name: Complaints handling

Policy Name: Investing charity funds policy and procedures