A YEAR OF RESILIENCE Annual Report and Accounts 2019–20 WELCOME TO WHY WE NEED TO BREAST CANCER ACT NOW: NOW’S ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2019–20 ONE IN SEVEN WOMEN THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED This report covers the period WILL FACE IT IN THEIR 35,000 PEOPLE LIVING from 1 August 2019 to 31 July LIFETIME WITH INCURABLE 2020. SECONDARY BREAST CANCER IN THE UK THIS YEAR, AROUND AROUND 11,500 WOMEN Inside 55,000 WOMEN AND BREAST CANCER AND 85 MEN IN THE UK 370 MEN WILL BE DIE FROM BREAST CANCER Trustees’ Annual Report TOLD THEY HAVE IS THE MOST COMMON EVERY YEAR 4 Message from the Chief Executive and Chair BREAST CANCER CANCER IN WOMEN IN THE UK 8 About Breast Cancer Now 9 Strategic report 2019/20 THAT’S THAT’S SOMEONE A DEATH 48 Financial review EVERY 10 EVERY 45 51 Governance, structure and management MINUTES MINUTES 59 Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities Financial statements 60 Independent Auditors’ Report 63 Financial statements and notes Other information 86 Legal and administrative AN ESTIMATED 600,000 PEOPLE IN THE UK ARE LIVING WITH OR BEYOND BREAST CANCER details 87 Thank you 2 Annual Report and Accounts 2019–20 3 Message from the Chief Executive and Chair Message from the Chief Executive and Chair A YEAR OF RESILIENCE Delyth Morgan, Jill Thompson, Chief Executive Chair of Trustees Our lives and the lives of those at the very furloughed around 70% of our workforce. No heart of our charity – people affected by decision was more difficult than changing breast cancer – became filled with doubt, the size and structure of the charity, which uncertainty and worry. As we worked resulted in 45 much-valued colleagues quickly to provide clarity, reassurance and subsequently leaving the organisation. We support in a rapidly evolving situation, by would like to thank all of them, and all the speaking with patients we heard hundreds colleagues still with us, for their dedicated of stories of the severe impact that the service and professionalism in such a tough Our Chief Executive, Delyth Through our life-changing care and support coronavirus was having on the emotional period. services and expert patient and health wellbeing of so many people and families Morgan, and Chair, Jill information we continued to be that trusted affected by breast cancer. In these testing times, our colleagues, Thompson, present our Annual friend that people can turn to when they partners, supporters, volunteers and Report and Accounts 2019–20. need us most. At the height of the pandemic, we saw a big researchers have all rallied so that we can drop in the number of people being referred continue to provide the support for today We are delighted to share with you Breast We continued to be a vehicle for change, to see a specialist with suspected breast and hope for the future that so many people Cancer Now’s first annual report and championing the needs of those living cancer. Screening services were paused. rely on us for. accounts as a merged charity. It has not with this devastating disease to make sure Recruitment to many clinical trials was been an ordinary year. Against a backdrop they get the best possible treatment and paused. And, while many patient’s treatment Rising to the challenge of a global pandemic, over the past care. This included the launch of our new continued unchanged, other patients saw We are immensely proud that while we have financial year we’ve faced highs and lows campaign on secondary breast cancer. delays and cancellations to their treatment been unable to run our community support but, amongst it all, we have been resolute alongside changes to the support they services, our offices have been closed and and resilient in our commitment to people We continued making breakthroughs received. This caused huge levels of anxiety colleagues have adapted to working from affected by breast cancer. in the labs, committing around £11.5 – particularly for patients with incurable home, we have continued to be there for million to world-class research that secondary breast cancer and their loved people when they need us. As the coronavirus (COVID-19) arrived in will bring us closer to the day when ones. the UK we were just over halfway through everyone who develops breast cancer Our breast care nurses have been running our year. And, despite what was already a will live. We also proudly hosted the UK Amid a national lockdown, social-distancing, our Helpline and Ask Our Nurses services difficult external environment, we continued Interdisciplinary Breast Cancer Symposium shielding and widespread economic remotely for the first time – receiving more to lay the foundations of our new charity – again, emphasising the importance of uncertainty, Breast Cancer Now was deeply than 1,400 enquiries in the first month of building on the bold and ambitious step we collaboration between professionals from affected too. Many of the world-class the pandemic. Despite the ever-changing made in creating one organisation that is many disciplines in understanding the scientists and experts we fund spent 100 support needs of people affected by here for anyone affected by breast cancer. disease and finding the very best ways to days or more unable to work in their labs. breast cancer during this time, our expert prevent it, treat it and improve the lives of Our life-changing community support health and patient information has been The successful launch of our new brand those living with breast cancer. services run at NHS hospitals have been continually reviewed and has been a trusted and visual identity in October 2019 marked suspended. And much of the fundraising source for thousands of people affected by one of the first major milestones in our new Adapting to a changing world that powers our vital work was hit hard. the disease. charity’s history. We continued to make However, as we entered the Spring of 2020, strides forward in providing people affected nobody could have foreseen the challenges Never has our resilience been more With our community support services by breast cancer the support they need that lay ahead. As the coronavirus took its tested as it has been in 2020. Like many suspended, we created new, virtual services today and giving the hope for the future that grip on the UK, it quickly became the biggest organisations, we have had to make some so that we could continue providing a lifeline so many people rely on us for. crisis facing breast cancer in decades. difficult and decisive decisions. In April, we to as many people as possible. Our Moving 4 Annual Report and Accounts 2019–20 Annual Report and Accounts 2019–20 5 Message from the Chief Executive and Chair Message from the Chief Executive and Chair Forward Online programme is supporting However, over the next year, we will need It’s a vision we will continue putting all our people who have had a primary breast to be more resilient than ever. We are energy into making a reality – underpinned ‘IN THE COMING cancer diagnosis and finished their hospital- predicting that our income could drop by as by our new strategy for our merged charity, based treatment in the past two years. Our much as 20% and we have been left with which we will launch in 2020-21. Living with Secondary Breast Cancer Online little choice but to cancel two research YEAR, WE WILL programme and Virtual Meetings are giving grant funding rounds in 2020 which will People affected by breast cancer remain people a safe and confidential space to potentially see us spend at least £2 million at the heart of our charity. They always CONTINUE TO still meet with others who understand and less on world-class research in 2020-21. will. We continue to be inspired and driven are also dealing with the uncertainty and forward each day by their experiences FUND THE VERY challenges that secondary breast cancer As we write this, thousands of people and we will be keeping a close eye on the brings. For many, we know these services with breast cancer are still living each day economic, political and social environment BEST RESEARCH, are not a perfect replacement for being incredibly worried not only about their so we can make the biggest impact we can able to meet and talk in person, but we will increased risk of becoming seriously ill for them. PROVIDE THE VERY continue striving to make them as valuable if they do contract COVID-19 but about as possible. the impact of the current crisis on their In the coming year, we will continue to fund BEST SUPPORT AND breast cancer treatment in the future and, the very best research, provide the very best The coronavirus may have slowed down ultimately, their survival. support and campaign for the change that CAMPAIGN FOR much of our fundraising but it did not people affected by breast cancer really need. stop us completely. In April, despite the However, there is cause for optimism. But we can’t do it without your continued London Marathon not going ahead, many The resource and effort the NHS has put support. Whether you donate, fundraise, THE CHANGE THAT of our Team Now runners, their friends, into finding ways to safely diagnose and volunteer, campaign or support us in other their families and many others took on treat cancer during the pandemic, and ways, we need you now more than ever. PEOPLE AFFECTED The 2.6 Challenge for Breast Cancer Now. the knowledge we have gained, will prove We adapted events to make them more invaluable moving forwards.