Greater confidence in our financial reporting
We needed financial information that our leadership team and trustees could rely on, alongside experienced financial support that could help us plan effectively and make informed decisions.
Since appointing Beyond Profit in January 2024, we have strengthened our finance function, improved the accuracy of our management accounts and gained more dependable support with budgeting, forecasting and financial decision-making.
About Care Network
Care Network supports people across Blackburn with Darwen to access information, advice and local services.
Our work helps people make informed choices and live independent, healthy and safe lives. This includes wellbeing support, community connections and practical help for people who want to remain safe and independent at home.
Building confidence in our financial information
Before working with Beyond Profit, we did not have the level of accuracy and consistency in our financial information that we needed.
There were issues within our bookkeeping and financial processes which meant our management accounts did not give our Chief Executive and trustees sufficient confidence in the information they were receiving.
This also made budgeting and forecasting more difficult and limited how effectively we could use our financial information to support decisions.
We needed more than day-to-day financial administration. We wanted a dependable finance function that could improve the quality of our financial information while also giving us access to experienced, senior-level financial input.
A stronger finance function
Beyond Profit initially reviewed our financial records and processes, identifying where improvements were needed and putting more robust systems in place.
This work gave us a much stronger foundation for our financial reporting.
Beyond Profit now provides our fully outsourced finance function, supporting everything from bookkeeping, payroll and supplier payments through to management accounts, budgeting, cash-flow reporting, forecasting and statutory accounts.
Having this support in one place means we have a team looking after the day-to-day detail while also providing the higher-level financial expertise we need.
More accurate information for our leaders and trustees
One of the most important improvements for us has been the accuracy and reliability of our management accounts.
Our Chief Executive and trustees now have greater confidence in the financial information they receive, giving us a clearer understanding of our current financial position and a stronger basis for overseeing the charity’s finances.
Better information has also strengthened our approach to budgeting and forecasting. We can use reliable financial information to review our assumptions, think about future needs and plan with greater confidence.
Financial expertise when we need it
The support we receive goes beyond producing accounts and processing transactions.
Beyond Profit attends our Finance and Resources Committee meetings and trustee meetings, helping us understand our financial information and consider what it means for the organisation.
The team also supports us with the financial information needed for tenders, as well as budgets and forecasts.
This means we have access to experienced financial input when we are planning future activity, preparing submissions or considering decisions that could affect our finances.
Responsive, first-class support
For us, the value of the relationship is not simply having more accurate accounts. It is having a responsive finance team that understands our organisation and is there when we need support.
As James Hadleigh, Chief Executive of Care Network, says:
“You provide an excellent service. Issues are dealt with quickly and the support is first class.”
We now have greater confidence in our financial information and the processes behind it, alongside experienced support that helps our Chief Executive and trustees understand our position, plan ahead and make informed decisions.
