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1 April 2023 - 31 March 2024 Annual Report and Accounts

wearewithyou.org.uk

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Our impact in stories

Foreman, Staff, Rotherham

About us	4
A message from our CEO	6
A message from our Chair of Trustees	8
Our impact in numbers	10
We Are With You goals	12
Where we work	13
Our impact in stories	15
Ready when you are: staying committed to your recovery Shared experiences, new connections: Our Armed Forces Community Programme	16 19
Making positive change together	24
Navigating recovery together: Treatment Pathways	26
With you every step of the way: Creating lasting recovery	28
Understanding the whole picture	32
Outreach spotlight: Our Fife harm reduction van	35
Micro-elimination: Where are we now?	37
Empowering our clients to THRIVE	42
Helping our young people get back on track	44
Reclaiming wellbeing: How NHS Talking Therapies support mental health	48
Our work in Scotland	52
Being there when it matters most	54
Setting the stage for recovery: From start to finish	56
Just a click away: How we make support easily accessible	59
Investing in our people, services and future	64
Looking forward	71
Structure, governance and management	75
Financial overview	76
Governance overview	84
Reference and administrative details	111
Independent auditor’s report	117
Financial statements	125

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

About us

We Are With You is a drug, alcohol and mental health charity. With over 80 services across England and Scotland, we provide support and advice to more than 100,000 people a year.

We’re working toward ~~s a~~ future free from harm caused by alcohol, drug and mental health challenges, where anyone seeking help feels welcomed, not judged.

We provide services with a focus on the following areas:

Adult drug and alcohol services

Mental health services

We run drug and alcohol services across England and Scotland. This includes many different kinds of support from information and advice to tr ~~eatm~~ ent, recovery and community support, to supporting Armed Forces communities.

We run NHS Talking Thera ~~pies~~ in Surrey and Kent for adult anxiety disorders and depression. We also integrate a trauma-informed mental health approach to all of our services.

Young per so n’s services

Digital services

We provide confidential online support via a webchat service for anyone in the UK, alongside creating connections and referrals for clients who need support. Our website also includes ~~dig~~ ital interventions and information about drugs, alcohol and mental health.

We run young people’s services across the country. We provide holistic support, focusing on reducing risk-taking behaviour, building resilience, self-esteem and wellbeing in order to make positive change.

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Our impact in stories

Welcome from Simon, CEO

The year 2023/24 has been transformative for our organisation.

I joined as Chief Executive Officer in January 2024, and in this short time, I have been struck by the remarkable achievements and dedication of our staff in their unfaltering commitment to our clients. I want to thank our outgoing CEO, Belinda Phipps, and interim CEO, Hayley Savage, for their outstanding leadership and dedication during this transition.

From my very first days here, I have been moved by the commitment and care shown by everyone at We Are With You. Our past strategy concluded with a surge in the number of individuals we support annually, and an increase in income off the back of reviewing our tendering processes and the impact of additional Government funding. This allowed us to expand our service offering and invest back into client support. With well over 100,000 people supported this year, we continue to expand our reach. These milestones are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, who have worked tirelessly to enhance our services and outreach.

We have also transformed the way we work and support our clients, updating our operating model and clinical approaches. A key initiative this year has been the launch of our Treatment Pathways. This model brings together our existing work into a succinct framework, designed to guide clients through their recovery journeys and enhance support for our staff. Another significant development is our ongoing commitment with partners to eliminate hepatitis C, with several of our services declaring micro-elimination.

After extensive engagement and research, we have refined and developed a one-year strategy, with a longer-term strategy to follow later this year. Our vision remains clear: a future free from harm, deaths or suffering caused by poor mental health and drug and alcohol use, where anyone seeking help feels welcomed, not judged.

Throughout this report, we will look at our achievements through the lens of this strategy and these goals.

Our mission is to continue to:

be there for adults and young people experiencing challenges with drugs, alcohol and their mental health by providing free, timely and confidential support

work with people on their unique recovery path, whether it’s staying safe and healthy, making small changes or stopping a harmful habit altogether

end the stigma associated with poor mental health and drug and alcohol use so that everyone feels able to reach out for help

You will see numerous examples that demonstrate how these goals are more than just aspirations - they are the principles that shape everything we do at We Are With You.

This year, we launched and extended several vital services through forming strong relationships and partnership working. Notably, our Rotherham (ROADS) service launched in April 2023 following a successful tender.

We also bid farewell and express our gratitude to our Lincolnshire and Glasgow Community Links services. Our Lincolnshire contract, which we held for over 15 years, allowed us to make a significant impact, and we are grateful for the contributions of all involved.

Our three refined organisational goals are:

1[Radically improve (more) ] people’s chances of getting better
2 Reduce inequalities in treatment and recovery for marginalised people
3 Grow an agile, sustainable organisation that invests in its people and services

All reports only tell part of the story. Leading our charity is a deeply fulfilling role, but the true narrative lies in the shared stories of our clients, staff, and volunteers.

To our clients, staff, volunteers and all those who have bravely shared their stories in this report and elsewhere, thank you. Your courage and openness inspire us every day, and drive our mission forward.

Simon Phillips CEO

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

A message from our Chair of Trustees

Welcome from Anne, Chair

This is my last statement as Chair of We Are With You. After many inspiring years, I am stepping down from the Board.

Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery (SSMTR) funding, delivering what we need to do in order to help more people experiencing challenges. We were delighted to welcome Dame Carol Black to our Liverpool service, engaging in profound discussions on our approach to recovery, harm reduction and trauma-informed care, reinforcing our dedication to delivering the initiatives outlined in Dame Carol Black’s report.

It’s been a great honour to be part of We Are With You and to have seen its transformation over the years. I’ve personally witnessed the difference it makes to people affected by drug, alcohol and mental health challenges, and how they help to rebuild and regain a sense of purpose in their lives.

This year, we’ve navigated the ongoing impact of rising living costs, ensuring our services remain accessible and effective. Our efforts in addressing drug and alcohol issues have shown promising results.

Our investments, as a charitable

organisation, always seek to enhance value for our beneficiaries, not financial returns. Our Treatment Pathways continue to evolve, placing client outcomes at its core. Our digital services, like webchat, have

A key highlight has been working through Dame Carol Black’s ‘From Harm to Hope’ report, supported by the Supplementary

At every step, and at the heart of each and every decision we have made this year as Board of Trustees, our priority has always been the wellbeing of our clients.

been a driving force behind our growth and transformation, guiding us through significant changes and helping to shape the strategic direction of We Are With You. I also want to thank Hayley Savage, our interim CEO, for her steady leadership and guidance during this transition.

seen significant expansion, adapting to meet changing needs effectively. Physical spaces matter too - our investments in buildings, such as the new facility in Shropshire, exemplify our commitment to creating welcoming and safe environments for our clients and staff.

I finally want to thank my fellow Trustees, the long-standing ones and those who have recently joined the Board, the Executive team, and all colleagues for their support and dedication. I look forward to seeing a future where We Are With You continues to thrive, supporting our clients and advancing our sector.

In Scotland, our national mission remains a guiding force, shaping our service delivery to meet local needs effectively.

At every step, and at the heart of each and every decision we have made this year as Board of Trustees, our priority has always been the wellbeing of our clients.

Best wishes for the future,

As my tenure as Chair comes to an end, I want to extend our gratitude to Belinda Phipps, our former CEO, after three years of leadership, for her dedication Anne Chapman and vision. During her time, Belinda has Chair of Trustees

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Our impact in numbers

We received

£2.4m

in grants and donations from supporters, donors, trusts, and foundations

23,922 128 people chatted with a trained advisor on our webchat service

We worked with 81,991

volunteers gave 16,002 hours to support our work and role model recovery

adults in England and Scotland to overcome challenges with drugs and alcohol

12,013

We supported

Our social media content was viewed over

people began treatment with us in our mental health programme We completed 12,592

young people aged 11-24 with drug, alcohol and mental health challenges 6,692

1 million times

and we grew our 12,592 follower base dry blood spot tests in our by 25% mission to micro-eliminate hepatitis C in our BBV commissioned services

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

We Are WithYou goals

Where we work

This map shows all the places we work to support people with drug, alcohol, and mental health challenges. From our support groups in Oban, to our naloxone training sessions down in Penzance. Wherever you are, we are WithYou.

Enhancing support, empowering change

Our 2023/24 strategy is all about making support better for everyone. Through three core goals, we aim to transform client support, improve outcomes and fight stigma.

Radically improve (more) people’s chances of getting better

Reduce inequalities in treatment and 2 recovery for marginalised people

Grow an agile, sustainable organisation 3 that invests in its people and services

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Jeni, Client, Glasgow

Our impact in stories

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Our impact in stories

Louise, Client, Scunthorpe ,

Goals achieved:

Radically improve (more) people’s chances of getting better

Ready when you are: staying committed to your recovery

Across all of our core drug and alcohol services, we take a person-centred approach that tailors support to the unique needs of each client. We support our clients using a wide variety of drug, alcohol and mental health support, all equally important to a client’s recovery journey.

I hadn’t smiled properly for a long time and a few months ago I laughed out loud. I’m smiling all the time now, every single day. Everybody’s got it in them to change. I didn’t think my life was worth anything until I found We Are With You.

In North Lincolnshire, our team provides trauma-informed care to individuals and families affected by drug or alcohol challenges. Every day, our staff work from multiple community hubs to offer a range of essential services. From initial assessments and personalised support plans to ongoing counselling and harm reduction initiatives, we ensure that help is always on hand.

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Our impact in stories

Louise first began using alcohol and drugs from the age of 15 due to childhood trauma. She moved from home to live on the streets, finding herself in Cardiff and entering into a physically and emotionally abusive relationship. Louise began using other substances such as crack cocaine and felt her mental health seriously decline, resulting in her children being removed from her care.

It was constant drugs, drinking, and my mental health was deteriorating. I stopped seeing family members. My children got taken off me. I ended up overdosing a number of times - I just didn’t want to be here.

After ending her abusive relationship and moving to Scunthorpe, she first began receiving support from the local North Lincolnshire We Are With You service. She credits Recovery Worker Richard for his perseverance and support throughout until she was ready to truly start her recovery journey. Working together, Louise was able to turn her life around and is now a core part of group activities like the Resilience Group, building a brighter and more positive future.

Scan the QR code to listen to Louise tell her story.

Before, I couldn’t see life. It was all dark. Now I can see how bright the world is. In 2021, I first started We Are With You but wasn’t quite ready. My Key Worker Richard persevered with me, checked up on me and did things at my pace. If you feel like you’re in a dark place, know there is light out there. I’m proud of myself.

Louise, Client

Goals achieved:

Radically improve (more) people’s chances of getting better

Reduce inequalities in treatment and recovery for marginalised people

Shared experiences, new connections: Our Armed Forces Community Programme

We recognise that different life experiences may need a specific focus or approach to best support our clients in adult drug and alcohol services.

Life after the military can be a challenging time. Fitting into civilian life, and finding new purpose and meaning, can be difficult. Some veterans can start using drugs or alcohol in a way that doesn’t help. This is where we come in.

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Our impact in stories

Our Armed Forces Community (AFC) programme, embedded across our adult drug and alcohol provision, provides specialist support for military personnel, veterans and their families. We help people to lead a fulfilling life, not hindered by dependence.

coincided with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Alone and locked down at home, his drinking escalated as he made excuses to drink during the day to manage his anxiety.

Graham’s partner helped him find a rehab centre where he had a ‘lightbulb moment’. He started caring for himself again and completed all the courses, including meditation. After rehab, his partner connected him to We Are With You in Cornwall, where he received support from Mark Thomas, Armed Forces Coordinator and a Recovery Worker named Alan, both veterans.

We do this by acknowledging the specific experiences of people in the armed forces community, capitalising on the strengths of military identity and using this to enhance recovery.

Graham began his career in the Armed Forces in August 1987. After leaving, he began to experience anxiety and sought counselling. While Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helped, his drinking escalated over the years, becoming his go-to response for both good and bad situations.

Now, Graham is actively involved in various activities through We Are With You and aspires to work for the organisation to help others with similar experiences. His story highlights the importance of getting support from those who understand your experiences, and the positive impact it can have.

Four years ago, Graham’s eldest son suddenly passed away, a traumatic event he didn’t fully process, drinking to mask the grief. This period of Graham’s life

Scan the QR code to read more about Graham’s story.

Mark was so supportive and good to talk to. He encouraged me to go along to a session with ex-veterans. I really enjoyed listening to other people’s experiences, and it made me realise that we are all in the same boat.

Graham, Client

At a glance

The programme has seen an overall increase of almost 20% in the number of veterans supported. This growth is attributed to several factors:

Continued training for veteran leads and staff

Enhanced visibility of the programme within the Armed Forces Community sector

Collaborative efforts with key charities, broadening our engagement with the Armed Forces community

Participation in events such as Armed Forces Day, leading to self-referrals due to our presence

We have continued to expand our reach to women veterans. In 2022/23, we supported 22 female veterans, and in 2023/24, this number increased to 43.

Being part of PiVS demonstrates our commitment to delivering the highest standards for LGBT+ inclusion. Fostering an inclusive culture, where people can access the support they need in a way that acknowledges their distinct experiences and respects their identities, supports not only our clients, but also our staff and volunteers.

Achievement spotlight

In November 2023, We Are With You proudly became a named member of the Pride in Veterans Standard (PiVS) from Fighting With Pride: LGBT+ Military Charity.

Andrew Craze, National Armed Forces Programme Lead

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Our impact in stories

Jamie, Client, Cornwall

Jamie comes from a long line of soldiers, with family ties tracing back to Crimea.

He joined the Army Air Corps to gain practical skills, but after leaving the army, he struggled with drug dependence, worsened by personal losses, including the death of his long-term partner in 2015. Despite working various semi-skilled jobs, his challenges persisted until he found support from We Are With You in Cornwall. Support from Lucy, a Recovery Worker, and other members of our team, were crucial in his recovery journey. Now, Jamie finds solace and purpose at sea, embracing a new life.

Scan the QR code to watch Jamie share his story from his new life at sea.

I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for We Are With You. Everything they do is awesome. It was their prescribing that kept me out of the hospital and out of the morgue. It diverted me away from what I was doing and made me focus on something else to sort myself out. My Recovery Worker, Lucy, steered me in the right direction.

Jamie, Client

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Our impact in stories

Goals achieved:

Radically improve (more) people’s chances of getting better

Making positive change together

We are With You in Liverpool, commissioned by Liverpool City Council (LCC), provides comprehensive drug and alcohol services to adults, young people, and their families. Our dedicated team supports more than 2,000 clients across Liverpool, working from three hubs and several community locations.

Former client Cathy, who now volunteers for us, was supported by We Are With You in Liverpool.

One day, Cathy decided it was time to make a change, which led her to seek help from We Are With You. She began a methadone script, and started attending counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and hypnotherapy sessions. Sadly, on 30 March 2016, Cathy’s daughter passed away. This tragic event motivated Cathy to come off methadone with our team by her side, focusing on being there for her children and family.

Cathy’s challenges began when she was misled into trying heroin, believing it was cannabis. Dealing with childhood trauma, she initially found heroin to be an escape, but it quickly led her into difficult circumstances, including shoplifting, stealing from her family, and working in the Liverpool’s red light district to fund her dependency. Her heroin use soon expanded to crack cocaine, amphetamines and cannabis.

Today, Cathy is a strong advocate for We Are With You. She has participated in multiple media interviews with the likes of ITV and the BBC to raise awareness and signpost others to the support they might need.

Remember the 2021/22 Annual Report?

In that report, we highlighted our efforts to support women involved in sex work, survival sex, or who are sexually exploited.

Scan the QR code and read our impact report to discover our progress with the IRIS Project, launched in December 2023, and how we’ve continued to support vulnerable women in Liverpool.

Because of my addiction, I didn’t know who I was. I was just this being who’d been abused - so much had happened to me. When you’re lost in addiction, it’s like a circle: you do the same thing day in, day out. But when you come out of addiction, you have to get up and get out of that. And with the support I had from We Are With You, I realised I could do it.

Scan the QR code to read more about Cathy’s story and how she champions We Are With You.

We Are With You have been amazing. They’ve put me on courses, they’ve taught me so much. They’ve never judged me, I’ve never felt any sort of stigma. Life now is amazing - I look forward to waking up and starting every day fresh. I fill my day with helping others and I have a purpose.

Cathy, former Client and Volunteer, now Hep C Peer to Peer Worker, Liverpool

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Our impact in stories

Goals achieved:

Radically improve (more) people’s chances of getting better

Navigating recovery together: Treatment Pathways

In October 2023, we launched our Treatment Pathways to help guide clients through their recovery journeys and enhance the support for our staff.

This is not a new style of treatment - we simply brought together the work we already do across We Are With You into a succinct model. Our goal is to improve our clients’ chances of recovery now and in the future by providing clear, clinically approved guidelines.

Treatment Pathways aim to standardise the journey our clients experience across our services, ensuring that every We Are With You location in England and

Scotland delivers high-quality support. This standardisation helps clients know what to expect and allows staff to deliver effective, evidence-based interventions with greater confidence. By unifying language and interventions, the initiative facilitates better resource sharing across the organisation.

Whilst more consistency is a key goal, we know that every client’s journey is different. Person-centred care is embedded within We Are With You culture, and that’s why the pathways allow for individualised support tailored to the client’s needs, strengths, and personal experiences.

Ultimately, Treatment Pathways will help us radically improve people’s chances of getting better. Clients will have a clearer understanding of what they can expect when they walk into any We Are With You service and the journey they may go on throughout their time with us.

The ‘client journey’ helps clients understand where they are in their recovery journey, where they would like to be and how they are going to get there. Every step of the way, we’re with them.

Using clinically approved programmes, interventions, and tools, we guide clients through seven distinct phases during their time at We Are With You:

Understanding

Engagement

Awareness

Letting the client know we are here

Helping the client get to know us and what we do

Getting to know the client, their needs, priorities and risks

Sustain

Change

Onwards

Preparation

Helping the client Using programmes, prepare to make interventions and tools their desired change to help the client move towards their goals

Maintaining the Helping clients to positive change the leave structured client has made treatment

Clients may sometimes need to enter a period of ‘reflection’, spending extended time in one phase, preparing to go to the next. Their journey through these phases will vary according to individual needs and strengths, the phase they have been assessed to be in, lived experiences, and other factors. Tailoring interventions based on these considerations remains a critical aspect of the process.

Our impact in stories

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Goals achieved:

Radically improve (more) people’s chances of getting better

ROADS (Rotherham Alcohol and Drug Service) is at the forefront of this effort, providing a range of services designed to address both the immediate and long-term needs of people experiencing drug or alcohol challenges. From in-hospital liaison services to community outreach and harm reduction advice, ROADS aims to make the journey to recovery as accessible and effective as possible.

The service combines harm reduction with direct support, creating a unified approach that empowers individuals and improves chances of long-lasting recovery. By offering practical support and guidance, we help clients and others make informed decisions about their health and treatment options. This includes our naloxone provisions and community outreach efforts, such as the Needle and Syringe Programme and Buvidal clinic.

With you every step of the way: Creating lasting recovery a

For many individuals experiencing drug or alcohol challenges, fear of the unknown, stigma, and uncertainty about the treatment process can be significant barriers to seeking support.

At We Are With You, we understand these challenges, and continue to work to dismantle these barriers so that people feel safe taking that first step towards recovery.

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Dr Alex, Staff, Rotherham
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We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Our impact in stories

ROADS to Rehab

Did you know?

In 2023/24 ROADS issued 149 naloxone kits to professionals and 520 naloxone kits to clients.

A prime example of this unified approach is ‘ROADS to Rehab’, a six-week rolling programme, led by lived experience Recovery Worker, Paul. Designed to help clients learn more about and prepare for alcohol or drug rehabilitation, it offers free group support to those considering rehab, information about the process, and strategies most effective in achieving positive change.

Zoe, Client, Rotherham

Since We Are With You gained the contract in April 2023, 21 clients have successfully transitioned into their chosen rehabilitation facility.

Zoe was discharged from rehab in January 2024 following years of alcohol and drug use. She is now fully engaged in her recovery, swimming every day and enrolled in college courses.

Paul could see what I couldn’t see - he believed in me. The groups prepared me so I went to rehab with knowledge. They gave me hope around relationship building - knowing it’s not just me in that situation. If I hadn’t gone to those groups, I probably would still be drinking and wouldn’t be sitting here now.

Zoe, ROADS to Rehab Client

Our impact in stories

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Goals achieved:

Radically improve (more) people’s chances of getting better

Reduce inequalities in treatment and recovery for marginalised people

Understanding the whole picture

At We Are With You, we recognise that drug and alcohol challenges can affect every aspect of a person’s life, including housing, finances, relationships, and employment.

Within all our services, we take a holistic approach to care. We work together with clients to address any factors impacting their drug or alcohol use and connect them with a range of appropriate support. This support, whether delivered directly by our team or through local partner agencies, helps clients gain a better understanding of their drug or alcohol use and take greater control of their lives.

An important component of this approach is our Housing Support programme, which is a key part of many of our services.

and completing housing applications, the team help to reduce the likelihood of evictions and empower clients to engage more effectively with services, attend appointments and participate in groups.

In BCP, Bel leads a newly formed team, established following the national housing support grant, which focuses on reaching some of BCP’s most vulnerable communities. Bel’s team works with local housing providers to identify people experiencing challenges with drugs or alcohol and who are at risk of losing their home. Together with other partners, they work to prevent rough sleeping and homelessness.

Since the service launched in April 2023, it has supported 336 clients , most of whom are actively engaged in our adult drug and alcohol services.

Offering support with day-to-day tasks like paying bills, communicating with landlords

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Help with bills i.e. reducing
bills, universal credit support,
Personal Independence
Payment (PIP) support
Support clients with
Care Act assessments
Liaise with landlords, councils,
and other authorities on
clients’ behalf
Offer assertive outreach
until the client is ready
to work with our
mainstream providers
33
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The Housing Support team can complete the following: Drug and alcohol support Harm reduction advice Housing applications Apply for rent deposit schemes Find furniture for their homes Apply for grants

Our impact in stories

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We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24
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Outreach spotlight: Our Fife harm reduction van

The focus of our service in Fife is harm reduction: it exists to help people use substances as safely as possible.

The outreach van plays a central role in this, providing clean injecting equipment, spoons, foils, naloxone, and food parcels, while also offering wound care, blood-borne virus testing, and advice on safer injecting practices. The team also keeps clients informed about local drug alerts. Service Manager, Gareth, describes the van as “the fuzzy edge” where people can engage before they’re ready to access a recovery service.

The van is out in the community four days a week. It parks in different areas each day, and some home deliveries are also available, allowing the team to be where they are needed the most.

Preventing eviction plays a really important part in drug and alcohol recovery. One of the main issues facing those sleeping rough is drug or alcohol misuse, and the work we do enables us to better support people before it gets to that point.

We build trust with vulnerable people, bring them into our service, and support them to feel empowered enough to begin their recovery journeys.

A Recovery Worker saved my life, and now I have the opportunity to support people who are going through similar things. I’m proud of the team we’ve built here and the difference that we’re making to people’s lives.

Bel Smith, Team Leader

Want to hear Bel’s journey to recovery? Scan the QR code to find out more.

Our impact in stories

Goals achieved:

I’d been trying to get help with my mental health for a while. I came down to the van one day and said ‘I’ve had enough’. From there, I got fresh injecting equipment and help getting an appointment with the mental health nurse. I feel I have people I can turn to now. I didn’t before.

I looked forward to seeing them and they always got in touch if they hadn’t heard from me. I really think I’d be a lot worse if it wasn’t for We Are With You. They’re there when you need them. That means a lot - more than you might realise.

Radically improve (more) people’s chances of getting better

Reduce inequalities in treatment and recovery for marginalised people

Micro-elimination: Where are we now?

**Jane*, Client, Fife**

*Identity has been changed

As part of our harm reduction approach to all clients in drug and alcohol support across our services in England, We Are With You tests and supports treatment for clients with blood borne viruses (BBVs). Ultimately, this is another way our services assist clients in accessing the support they need on their journey.

Our national Hepatitis C Elimination Project has achieved some fantastic results over the last few years. We’ve undertaken a concerted effort to expand testing, raise awareness, and provide life-saving treatment to those affected by the virus.

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Our impact in stories

The partnership created and sponsored by Gilead Sciences, bringing together drug and alcohol providers, The Hepatitis C Trust, NHS England and Gilead, has been integral to fostering an effective, collaborative approach.

What does micro-elimination mean?

100% of clients in structured treatment are offered a hepatitis C test

90% of current and previous injectors (at risk) have a hepatitis C test date within the last 12 months

100% of people with a history of injecting have been tested for hepatitis C
90% of clients who’ve tested positive for hepatitis have commenced or completed treatment

In 2023/24, five of our BBV commissioned services reached the milestone of micro-elimination of hepatitis C, and many more of our services are now on track to declare soon.

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In 2023/24, five of our BBV
commissioned services reached
the milestone of micro-elimination
of hepatitis C, and many more of
our services are now on track to
declare soon.
1 Darlington
2 North Lincolnshire
3 Shropshire
4 Liverpool 1
5 Boston
2
4
5
3
Scan to watch
We Are With You in
Liverpool celebrate
micro-elimination
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Our teams have travelled to virtually every town across Shropshire to make it as easy as possible for our clients to get tested for hepatitis C and other BBVs. This, along with running drive days and education sessions from our main hubs, has enabled us to achieve hepatitis C micro-elimination across our Shropshire service.

Making BBV testing part of the routine

Our ethos from the beginning has been to normalise testing and embed it as part of core services. Staff have integrated BBV testing into daily operations, and continue to work towards breaking down the barriers people face in service.

Jan Burrows, We Are With You’s Head of Service Delivery, Shropshire Recovery Partnership

1 in 31

In 2023 - 2024, we completed

tests came back positive, compared to 1 in 17 tests in 2022-2023

12,592 dry blood spot tests

2023-2024 2022-2023

370

This year we increased the number of dry blood spot tests by 87%

people started hepatitis C treatment

87% increase

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Our impact in stories

Roxana, Staff, Liverpool

We need to work as a team; not in isolation. In-house collaboration with trusts, peer leads and volunteers, community vans, and hepatology colleagues is essential. We meet clients where they are, be it an office, GP surgery, town hall, or on the street, to ensure they receive timely assessments and treatment. We’ll often travel to clients’ homes or crisis accommodations with portable fibroscans and medication.

Helen Hampton, Queen’s Nurse, National BBV Lead, and Clinical Lead in Cornwall

Bringing treatment straight to you

Across all We Are With You services, we have continued to build on our strong partnerships with local hospitals and Operational Delivery Networks, making it easier than ever for clients to access treatment.

I got hepatitis C in the early 90s and there was no cure. I first heard there was a cure about 15 years later, but the rumour was the treatment was nasty, painful and complicated. But roll on 10 years, my We Are With You Recovery Worker told me the new treatment was a lot better. One tablet a day for about three months. I decided to get treated, and just three months later I got tested and was all clear.

Jimmy, a client from We Are With You in North Lincolnshire treated for hepatitis C

For a deeper dive into our achievements and future goals, scan the QR code to read our latest hepatitis C impact report.

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

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Our impact in stories
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Goals achieved:

Radically improve (more) people’s chances of getting better Reduce inequalities in treatment and recovery for marginalised people

Empowering our clients to THRIVE

We provide drug and alcohol services for adults, young people and families across Redcar and Cleveland as a member of the THRIVE partnership.

The THRIVE partnership is a pioneering collaboration which includes educational programme provider, Intuitive Thinking Skills, and charity, Harbour, which supports families and individuals affected by domestic abuse. Together, we deliver crucial drug and alcohol services, educational programmes, and domestic abuse support.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported 4,907 deaths related to drug poisoning registered in England and Wales in 2022 - the highest since records began in 1993. The North East has double the death rate of some areas.

To support harm prevention, we’ve delivered age-appropriate, tailored training to young people and professionals within the local area. Sessions include the risks of different drugs like cannabis, cocaine and ketamine, as well as the effects of alcohol or specific presentations on the risks of child exploitation and county lines.

We delivered training to:

Over 1,500 local primary school children

Nearly 2,000 secondary school students, residents in children’s homes and college students

350 professionals including teachers, hospital staff, social care staff and foster carers

We are absolutely committed as an organisation to doing everything we can to help people create a positive future and reduce preventable deaths.

As a society, we have to become more empathetic and remove the stigma attached to drug use so that vulnerable people feel able to ask for help. And when people do ask for help, we need to ensure it is immediately and easily available. We know that with the right support, many of the people who died from drug use could still be alive today. These deaths are not inevitable - and we must not stand back and accept them.

Stacey Skilton, Head of Service Delivery for We Are With You in Redcar and Cleveland (THRIVE)

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Our impact in stories

Goals achieved:

Radically improve (more) people’s chances of getting better

Reduce inequalities in treatment and recovery for marginalised people

Helping our young people get back on track

Trying new things and taking risks is part of being young, but with drugs and alcohol, those risks can sometimes be dangerous. At We Are With You, we believe that having the right information and understanding the risks can help you make better choices, especially amongst our young people.

Our range of young people and family services offers a safe and non-judgemental space for young people to talk and get the help they need. Whether they want to learn more about substances, are concerned about a negative path they’re on, or need support with their own drug or alcohol use, we’re here to help.

We offer services to those aged 11-18, and sometimes up to 24, as well as their families, across England and Scotland. Our goal is to help young people make positive changes, feel stronger, and move forward in their lives with confidence. This year, we supported 6,692 young people aged 11-24 with drug, alcohol and mental health challenges.

The Missing From Home Service

The team does this by:

[Listening: ][our experienced case workers work ] with the young person to understand their story, the reasons they went missing, and what needs to change to reduce the chances of it happening again

We also provide the Pan Cheshire Missing From Home Service. This service supports young people under the age of 18 who go missing from home across Cheshire West, Chester East, Chester, Warrington, and Halton. By offering targeted support to those in challenging situations, we work to ensure their safety and wellbeing, helping them find stability and a positive path forward.

[Tailoring: ][we know that every young person is ] different, so we’ll meet wherever they feel safest

[Guiding: ][we provide information and tools which ] help young people to see the risks involved with going missing and make safer choices

[Advocating: ][we’re an independent charity, ] separate from the police or social care. We hear what the young person tells us and we ensure that this is heard by our partners, too

In 2023/24 the service:

Saw 1,664 individual young people and children

77%

Received 4,487 missing notifications from police and social care

of RHIs completed within 72 hours

Completed 2,902 Return Home Interviews (RHIs)

100%

CYP & Parent satisfaction in our satisfaction survey

138 Brief Completed Interventions/Direct Work Sessions

Our impact in stories

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

The service is delivered by a team of caseworkers who are specialists in building tremendous amounts of trust with young people so that they can get to the root causes of missing-from-home episodes.

Jade’s story is the perfect embodiment of this. Identity has been changed

Jade* first went missing in December 2023. Meg, one of our case workers, conducted a Return Home Interview where Jade shared that arguments with her mother drove her to run away. They discussed safe places she could go - such as a family member or friend’s house - next time an argument happened.

Due to Jade’s challenging situation, which included regular self-harm, Meg offered her ‘direct work’ sessions. These weekly one-to-one sessions, lasting four to six weeks, aim to provide information and tools to help young people see the risks involved with running away, and make safer choices.

In Jade’s case, ‘direct work’ focused on emotions, conflict resolution, friendships, boundaries, keeping safe, and self-esteem, as all of these factors were contributing to Jade running away from home. Jade saw significant improvement in her relationship with her mother, school life, and sleep routine.

After a number of sessions, Jade confided in Meg about sexual abuse she had experienced some years earlier. With Jade’s permission, Meg facilitated access

Meg, Case Worker, Pan Cheshire

to necessary safeguarding support, including specialist help at school and trauma support from CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) and the Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Centre.

Most importantly, Meg was able to speak to Jade’s mother so they could understand the trauma underlying her behaviour and the reasons behind their constant arguments.

Meg’s persistent efforts in following up on referrals and coordinating with other professionals ensured Jade, and her mother, received timely and comprehensive support. This support ensured that there was a really strong support network in place for when ‘direct work’ ended.

Since completing her ‘direct work’ with Meg, Jade has not had any more missing-from-home episodes, is happier in school, and has a much more positive relationship with her mother.

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Our impact in stories

Goals achieved:

Radically improve (more) people’s chances of getting better

Reduce inequalities in treatment and recovery for marginalised people Reduce inequalities in treatment and recovery for marginalised people

Reclaiming wellbeing: How NHS Talking Therapies support mental health

We can all experience difficulties with our mental health at times. What this feels like, and how we cope, varies from person to person and often from moment to moment.

We may feel tired or down, struggle to enjoy things we used to love, or end up isolating ourselves from friends and family. Maybe we’re stressed, finding it hard to sleep, or just can’t seem to relax.

For some people, the reason for struggles goes back to childhood, upbringing, or a traumatic event. For others, it may be that life’s got really difficult - because of work life, strained relationships, or changing identity.

We Are With You offers free NHS-funded talking therapies like counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in Kent and Medway (delivered in partnership with Vita Health Group) and Surrey, to help people experiencing difficulties with their mental health. We’ve been specialising in mental health since 2008 and our Talking Therapies services help over 200 people every day.

Every time clients come back to sessions, I see them smiling a little bit more and taking pride in their progress. I love that point when a client recognises how well they’re doing, or when they have those ’lightbulb moments’ where everything just clicks. They develop a whole new perspective, | it’s really powerful. It’s common | for clients to be sceptical of what > they will get out of therapy, but it’s so fulfilling when they get ti to the end of their sessions J J and see so much change in how they are feeling.

Rose, CBT Therapist

Our impact in stories i Bee

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

At a glance

8% 12,013 people accessed treatment

An increase of 8% compared to last year

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95%
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of people entered treatment within six weeks of referral (20% higher than the National Target)

99.8%

of people entered treatment within 18 weeks of referral (4.8% higher than the National Target)

Our overall ‘move to recovery rate’ is

51% (1% higher than the National Target)

We all go through something difficult at some point in our life. I had a client that I worked with right at the beginning of my training. I questioned my skills as they were still struggling with their symptoms when we finished therapy. But about three months down the line, the client emailed me and said that they carried on with the skills and tools we had discussed and that it had made a big difference.

Being able to help people reclaim their life again is what I love about my job. To help them try and start to make changes so they can be the person they want to be.

JM, CBT Therapist

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Our impact in stories

In the year 2023/24, we supported 15,335 people through our services across Scotland. This means that, with our help, they were able to take steps towards a healthier life.

Recovery Services, STARS was created for people who are receiving medication assisted drug or alcohol treatment but do not require a high level of social care management from statutory services.

people through our services across Scotland. This means that, with our help, Our work in they were able to take steps towards a healthier life. Throughout this period, we continued to deliver high-quality services across Scotland 10 Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP) regions. We work in partnership with our commissioners to ensure that our services always meet the changing needs of our 1 \ 4 clients. We look to amplify core funding +- through our relationships with trusts ca ;- and foundations, and additional Scottish “ Government funding. In partnership with - the ADPs, we have secured funding from the Corra Foundation which has allowed us to enhance existing services with additional resources, such as our Assertive Outreach workers, and to develop innovative new | : Se ee = services, including our Intensive Pre and . (so \ a Post Residential Rehabilitation Support service (see page 56). — , HOr tee” . ote Our 20 community-based services had an incredible 2,713 interactions via Know The Score and 1,610 conversations on our j -!. . < A 4 DrinkLine phone line. We are grateful to the Scottish Government for continuing to fund these services, which are available to people right across the country 364 days a year - and are often an important first step > ff Fak Z - | in asking for help. In July 2023 we launched our newest service, the Support, Treatment and Recovery service (STARS). Delivered in partnership with Glasgow Alcohol and Drug Scott, Staff, Scottish Borders : | 52*

This intensely collaborative model reduces pressure on statutory alcohol and drug treatment providers, allowing them to focus on delivering higher level intensive support to those with more complex needs. It has been developed in line with the Scottish Government’s Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) standards, which state that people should be encouraged to engage and remain in treatment, have choice over their treatment options, and have their wider health and social needs met whilst engaged in treatment.

While Scotland’s relationship with harmful substances is incredibly deep-rooted complex, we must always remember that, with the right support, every person can recover. Our first priority will always be to deliver high quality services that radically improve more people’s chances of getting better. With more than 2,449 lives lost to alcohol and drugs in Scotland in 2023, we know we have much more still to do.

During 2023/24, Louise Stewart was appointed as Director of Service Delivery and Fraser Hastie as Director of Contract Delivery. In these new roles, focused on developing our work in Scotland, they are committed to cementing our relationships with partners and funders in order to grow our charity and reach more people.

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Our impact in stories

Goals achieved:

Radically improve (more) people’s chances of getting better

Reduce inequalities in treatment and recovery for marginalised people

Being there when it matters most

In Argyll and Bute, where almost half of the population lives in ‘remote rural’ areas, providing effective support comes with unique challenges. The vast distances and isolated communities can sometimes make accessing help more difficult.

To address this, we’ve focused on creating services that not only meet people where they are, but are also adaptable to their specific circumstances.

I remember the feeling it gave me, and I chased it all my life after that.

David’s challenges with alcohol started in his teenage years and continued into adulthood, despite several attempts at rehabilitation and support from his family.

In March 2023, an incident occurred that changed it all for David. He was involved in an altercation and was arrested, charged and brought to court. It was at this point that David decided to reach out to We Are With You for support. This marked the beginning of a genuine commitment to change. Now in recovery, David is hoping to build a new relationship with his daughter.

It’s absolutely amazing that I can talk to my daughter. I’m on standby 24/7, 365 days a year. I want to be there whenever and for whatever. I’ve not been for 20 years. I will be now.

David’s experiences underscore the difference that timely, localised support can make.

We’re committed to reaching everyone, no matter how far out they are, and offering help exactly when and where it’s needed. By being there when it matters most, we’re helping more people build brighter futures.

For example, we use digital tools like WhatsApp groups to stay connected with those in very rural communities, like Islay and Jura. But we also understand the importance of face-to-face support, so our recovery workers travel to meet their clients in person. Our focus is on being there in ways that make sense for each community.

We don’t apply one-size-fits-all solutions, we work alongside communities to develop support that’s right for them. What might be a large group recovery session in Glasgow could, in a rural setting like Jura, mean something more personal, like two people meeting for a walk.

This approach has already had a positive impact across Argyll and Bute, making a real difference for people like David.

I was in a lot of trouble and I thought, ‘What can I do? What can I do to change?’ I had a change of heart and a change of thinking. I had a desire to change my ways for the first time.

Credit: Colin Mearns / Herald and Times 4

Our impact in stories

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Goals achieved:

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Robyn, Staff, Scottish Borders
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Radically improve (more) people’s chances of getting better

Reduce inequalities in treatment and recovery for marginalised people

Setting the stage for recovery: From start to finish

At We Are With You, we fully support the ethos of providing better access to residential rehabilitation - however, we also recognise that people need help to prepare for entering and leaving these services.

Our Intensive Pre and Post Residential Rehabilitation Support services are designed to assist individuals before, during and after residential rehabilitation.

We provide comprehensive emotional and practical support to help clients successfully prepare for and complete a stay within residential rehabilitation services - and to sustain their recovery once back in the community. Our teams, with lived or working experience in residential rehabilitation and strong ties to local communities, offer valuable insights into recovery communities, support groups and wider services.

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Our impact in stories

Partnership working is intrinsic to the success of our service. From NHS Scotland, to the residential rehabilitation providers, to the local recovery groups that help our clients to maintain positive changes: we all work together to ensure the best possible outcomes for the people we support.

In February 2024, Research Scotland carried out an independent evaluation of the programme.

It found that completion rates for residential rehabilitation services in Scotland can range from just 40% to around 70%. The completion rate for clients supported by our service, taken over a period of more than two years, was 83%.

83% completion rate

40%-70% completion rate

Residential Residential rehabilitation rehabilitation (without our (with our support service) support service)

Goals achieved:

Radically improve (more) people’s chances of getting better

Reduce inequalities in treatment and recovery for marginalised people

Just a click away: How we make support easily accessible

Scan the QR code to read the full report.

I remember how I felt travelling to attend a rehabilitation service. I came down by bus, on my own. I didn’t have a clue about what to expect - it was really daunting and I would have benefitted so much from a friendly face.

Our webchat service is dedicated to bridging the gap in support, ensuring that help is always within reach, regardless of your location or situation. We are committed to empowering individuals with the knowledge and support needed to make positive changes and navigate challenges with drugs, alcohol and mental wellbeing.

Leigh Watt, Team Leader, Intensive Pre and Post Residential Support service

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Our impact in stories

We currently sit on three different platforms:

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1 2 3
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Know the Score:

Barod:

UK In-Person Services:

A national website A commissioned service supporting anyone in in Wales providing alcohol Scotland who wants to and drug support across discuss their alcohol or several areas. drug use.

We have supported five in-person services across the UK with assessments, psychosocial interventions (PSI), and clinical case management.

Our webchat offers an accessible and engaging service that provides a single front door to a range of drug, alcohol and mental health information and advice. The team offers brief interventions and treatment options, as well as facilitating connections with wider provisions to offer support options for in-person treatment.

It’s really cool how you can come online and speak to someone straight away. I phoned for local support with my cannabis use and it was a three-week wait.

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Our impact in stories

We have dedicated 1,204 1,204 hours to delivering hours assessments for our in-person services

Total chats:

23,922

Know the Score Helpline managed 2,584 telephone calls, plus 534 callbacks (voicemails, online call requests etc)

Continued identification of people from LGBTQ+ community on webchat, with 15% identifying under that banner

15%

We currently have 7 staff delivering digital PSIs and supporting a clinical caseload

We Are With You helped me to not get scared about receiving medical attention. Not judgemental or critical of me.

Achievements spotlight

• Launched The Chemsex Needle Syringe Provision (NSP) Direct to Home service, providing harm reduction and postal NSP without requiring a visit to a service. This

Maintained

100% staff retention

pilot is currently running in Bournemouth and Liverpool

Shortlisted as Health and Social Care Digital Team finalists 2023

• Trained 35 staff in chemsex harm reduction, all qualified in NSP level 1 and level 2

After 21 years of consecutive daily cannabis use, I have finally been able to quit entirely with the help of webchat. I’d tried quitting previously with no success. By reducing my dose weekly rather than quitting cold turkey, I’ve been cannabis-free for just over a week now. I have no intentions to start again - ever!

Investing in our people, services and future

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We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24
Liv, Staff, London
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This means enhancing client outcomes, building financial stability, supporting continuous learning, and fostering a positive culture. These efforts tie us all together and drive us towards a future where both our team and our clients can thrive.

What makes We Are With You special is the sense of opportunity it radiates – a feeling that has shaped my journey here. It’s not just about the work; it’s about the people and the shared commitment to making a difference. We Are With You is more than an organisation; it’s an opportunity-rich community where individual and collective achievements are celebrated.

Rei Spottiswoode, Learning Content Lead, L&D Central Services

Goals achieved:

Grow an agile, sustainable organisation that invests in its people and services

Investing in our people, services and future

At We Are With You, it’s not just about the job - it’s about the people. We’ve built a supportive environment where everyone is valued, and together, we make a real difference.

Over the year, more than 1,000 staff members participated in various training sessions and 98% would recommend our in person training sessions to colleagues.

Empowering our team

Our Learning and Development initiatives have been pivotal in supporting our staff’s growth and adapting to their evolving needs.

We continue to deliver in person (and virtual) training to staff teams with regular sessions across each region. This includes a range of workshops, webinars and training events to support improved ways of working around equality, diversity and inclusion. Topics covered include challenging bias, creating neuro-inclusive workplaces and inclusive recruitment, as well as how we can offer inclusive services for clients.

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Investing in our people, services and future

Ella, Staff, London

Connecting, listening and involving

Effective internal communications have

been crucial in fostering a connected and informed workforce. Through workshops and surveys, we actively engaged staff to gather insights on pay, benefits, recognition, career progression, and manager development. This engagement resulted in high participation rates and valuable feedback.

Additionally, our WithYou Recognition Awards celebrated over 270 nominations and attracted more than 200 attendees to the virtual ceremony, reflecting our commitment to recognising and celebrating staff achievements.

Our annual staff engagement event, A Week With You, saw an increase in attendance, with an average of 70 participants per session compared to just 15 the previous year.

It was great to hear and celebrate the work of services and teams across We Are With You, feeling connected to others and pulling the organisation together as one.

We Are With You Staff Member

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Investing in our people, services and future

I’m delighted we had the opportunity to celebrate the amazing achievements of some truly inspiring people. As award winners, they help to raise the profile of volunteers as a real force for good within our services, and it is undeniable that by sharing their time, skills or lived experience they have a profound and lasting impact on our clients and staff.

Ben Reynolds, Head of Volunteering and Client Engagement

Award winning volunteers

Tracy Spencer, a volunteer from our North Lincolnshire service, won the Gold Award in the Healthcare Volunteer category for ‘Our Health Heroes Awards’, sponsored by NHS England and other partners. We proudly nominated Tracy for this award in recognition of her exceptional dedication and impact.

Celebrating our volunteers

Our volunteers play a vital role in developing a sense of community in our drug, alcohol and mental health support services across England and Scotland.

This year we have made significant investments in our volunteer programme, including recruiting two Volunteer Development Managers and establishing a central volunteer development team to provide dedicated support, training and resources as well as deliver volunteer recruitment objectives.

Remember Cathy from page 24? She won one of the Peer Mentor awards.

We strive to ensure our volunteers feel valued. In June, we celebrated Volunteers Week (1-7 June) with a series of events and activities. In November we held our Volunteer and Peer Mentor Awards in partnership with the Marsh Trust at our London office. This event celebrated the outstanding achievements of five volunteers and five Peer Mentors who demonstrated exceptional performance in line with our organisational guiding principles.

I fill my day with helping others, and I have a purpose.

I love doing what I do. Helping others in a similar situation to myself, giving my advice and helping in any way I can.

Tracy, Volunteer

We Are With You Annual Report 2024

Chloe, Client, Scottish Borders

Looking forward

We Are With You Annual Report 2024

Looking forward

Strategy

We Are With You launched a new organisational strategy in 2023/24, with a renewed focus on our mission, vision and purpose - to provide our staff, clients and stakeholders with a clear North Star for what we aim to achieve. The strategy has been built for one year to allow the embedding of a new CEO before looking to the longer-term future.

This new strategy was launched based on the achievements and learnings of our last strategy, alongside significant engagement with our clients, staff and stakeholders.

In 2024/25, we will develop and launch a new five-year strategy to continue this work.

The focus of this work will be to continue engagement and build a stronger understanding of what society, and our place within it, looks like in the longer-term future.

With our existing and future strategy, we will continue to apply what is happening in the world and the opportunities brought by new drug, alcohol and mental health strategies, to deliver services that revolutionise client support and improve outcomes. We will fight stigma and deliver services to be proud of. We will work as a collaborative partner who is committed to making a difference locally, while working to make an impact nationally.

SSMTRG funding

In 2023/24 we are two years into the 10 year ‘From Harm To Hope’ government drug strategy introduced by Dame Carol Black. The strategy includes three years of initial funding to support increasing referral rates into services and to provide more specialist support and treatment for people experiencing issues with drugs.

This year, we will continue to invest in key programmes across our services, including Individual Placement Support (IPS) which helps people who have experienced issues with drugs and alcohol return to work, alongside focus on people in the criminal justice system. We will also continue to explore sustainable ways to embed best practice and support into all that we do, using the ‘From Harm To Hope’ strategy as our template.

Treatment Pathways

During 2023/24, we launched our new Treatment Pathways programme of work (see page 26).

Treatment Pathways aims to standardise the journey our clients experience across our services, ensuring all our services in England and Scotland deliver high-quality support. This standardisation helps clients know what to expect and enables staff to provide effective, evidence-based interventions with greater confidence. By unifying language and interventions, the initiative promotes better resource sharing across the organisation.

Ultimately, Treatment Pathways will significantly improve people’s chances of recovery. Clients will have a clearer understanding of what to expect when they enter any We Are With You service and the journey they may undertake during their time with us.

In 2024/25, we will continue to evolve and develop our approach to Treatment Pathways, introducing new tools and interventions to support our clients in their recovery journey.

Transform our website

Following thorough client, stakeholder and staff engagement during 2022/23, we have been working to develop a new website to continue our dedication to supporting clients, friends and family members in all possible ways. We will launch our new website during the next financial year, with dedicated support and resources both at a national level and also with improved visibility and client storytelling in each of our local services.

We Are With You Annual Report 2024

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Jim, Staff, Glasgow
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Structure, governance and management

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Structure, governance and management

Financial overview

The year 2023/24 has again been relatively straightforward in terms of finances.

We have been able to continue the work on our core offering, expanding our service provision with the additional funding and building on our financial stability throughout the year. This ensures we invest effectively in our development projects whilst still maintaining our reserves and cash positions above our minimum requirements.

Our income position has continued to achieve significant success following the review work on our tendering processes and the impact of our additional funding as a result of the Dame Carol Black report with the ten year drug strategy in England with smaller gains in Scotland. Our income position has improved by 12.9% year on year and supports our service delivery which is hugely beneficial to our service development and ultimately, to our clients.

As a result of this position, our unrestricted reserves increased from £11.8 million to £12.3 million. Free reserves at £9.2 million were within our free reserves range of £7.5m to £9.5m (see page 79). In 2023/24 we continued to use designated reserve funds to support internal development projects, reinvest in our staff training and development programmes and build on our performance to directly improve people’s chances of getting better. We will be continuing this approach into 2024/25.

Our income for the £80.6 million year was and our expenditure was £79.7 million .

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£12.3m
£11.8m
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£5.5m
£5.1m
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Unrestricted Restricted reserves reserves

We continued to spend down our existing restricted grants brought forward, also receiving additional restricted funding via new Government funding sources - SSMTRG and ADDER. Our restricted funds increased from £5.1 million to £5.5 million.

A high proportion of our reserves are represented by cash and other assets that can be quickly realised. Our cash balances at the end of the year were £13.5 million, significantly more than we need for working capital. Looking ahead to 2024/25, our financial outlook continues to reflect the environment within which we operate and the strategic decisions we make about our work. Over the last 12 months, we were successful in our efforts to raise funds through trusts and grant-making bodies, some of which will impact our income for 2024/25.

We continue to consolidate towards our core business and charitable purpose and expect to see our overall income increase in the year ahead. We will continue to develop our service model in line with our strategic goals. In turn, this will support the continuation of a targeted approach to business development in the year ahead, focusing on areas that are aligned with our wider strategic plan and goals.

Structure, governance and management

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

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Ben,. Staff, Kent
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Funding

sources

We Are With You seeks and obtains funding from a number of sources to support our activities and key objectives. The principal sources are set out in the following table:

Funding Source	How it supports our work
Contracts from local authorities, NHS Trusts or similar institutions	These fund: •Work with adults in relation to drug or alcohol misuse •Specialist drug and alcohol support to young people •Mental health services •Work with families •Primary care services •Work in the criminal justice system
Grants from funding institutions	‘Grant income’ on page 132
Individual giving	Allocated to where it is needed most to help people to get treatment support and enter recovery.

Reserves

To meet its objectives, We Are With You has agreed to a budgeting and reserves policy that enables the organisation to make appropriate strategic allocations of funds, while at the same time securing a sound financial base for our future needs. Decisions on the resources necessary, both to deliver new activities and to sustain continuing commitments, are based on our overall strategic requirements.

Some reserves are in the form of designated funds that are earmarked by the Trustees to represent fixed and other assets that cannot be readily converted into cash. We use designated reserves to support investment in organisational projects and our 1% unconsolidated pay award. For projects, typically we have set a budget between £1-2 million per annum.

In 2023/24, we set a £2 million budget to cover our website redesign and build project, as well as to support the continued development of our case management system, with the majority of spend relating to software development. The actual spend against the designated reserves budget was £1.2 million, with £0.5 million capitalised and included as intangible assets.

We hold several types of financial reserves. Some of these are restricted, meaning that they have been given or provided for specific purposes or with specific conditions and cannot be expended in any other way.

Finally, we hold general charitable funds or free reserves for four principal reasons:

To supply working capital, enabling us to manage fluctuations in our cash flow

To provide protection against the contractual and operating risks that we face in our work, including potential costs arising on the termination of services

To enable us to invest in implementation and other start-up costs for new services

To invest in initiatives designed to improve efficiency and the quality of services

We Are With You Annual Report 2024

Structure, governance and management

The reserves policy adopted by the Trustees has established that, at the current activity level, the appropriate target range for free reserves is between £7.5 million and £9.5 million.

general purposes of the charity, while £3.1 million was designated, representing the carrying amount of functional assets that the Trustees consider to represent a commitment of reserves and our designated investment fund. The level of general charitable funds was £9.2 million, which is within the target range established by the reserves policy.

Total funds at the end of the financial year were £17.8 million. Of these, £5.5 million was restricted and not available for the

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£17.8m
Total funds
£5.5m £3.1m £9.2m
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Restricted and not Designated, representing available for the the carrying amount of general purposes functional assets that of the charity the Trustees consider to represent a commitment of reserves and our designated investment fund

General charitable funds, which is within the target range established by the reserves policy

Going concern

We Are With You’s activities, together with the factors likely to affect our future development, performance and financial position, are set out on pages 17 to 106. The evaluation of going concern covers the period up to the end of March 2026. The financial position of the Charity, its cash flows, liquidity position and reserves are described in the financial statements on pages 125 to 141. In addition, Note 1 to the financial statements includes our policies for managing funds. The management of financial and other risks is described on page 94.

We Are With You has significant liquid financial resources, comprising short-term cash deposits and balances totalling £13.5 million, which is more than our free reserves.

2023/24 has seen a return to a more stable working environment following the Covid pandemic, although the cost of living crisis has increased the pressure on our clients, staff and services, potentially impacting future funding. It is anticipated that these factors may have a longer-term negative

effect on the sector in which we operate. We will continue to review our expectations and scenario testing to ensure we are able to reflect risks arising appropriately. Over the last year, our income has grown both organically from our existing contracts, new contract wins and also from additional and much-needed investment by the Government into the sector.

The Board of Trustees believes that there are no material uncertainties relating to going concern and that We Are With You is well-placed to manage business risks successfully. The Board of Trustees also consider that We Are With You has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus they continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the annual financial statements.

We Are With You Annual Report 2024

Structure, governance and management

Guarantees

Sian, Staff, Kent

Members of the charity (which are the charity’s Trustees) guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 to the assets of the charity in the event of winding up. The total number of such guarantees on 31 March 2024 was 9 (2023: 9). The Trustees are members of the charity but this entitles them only to voting rights. The Trustees have no beneficial interest in the charity.

Auditors

Moore Kingston Smith LLP have indicated their willingness to be re-appointed as statutory auditors. A resolution proposing the re-appointment of Moore Kingston Smith LLP will be put forward at the next Annual General Meeting for the Board of Trustees approval.

We Are With You Annual Report 2024

Structure, governance and management

Governance overview

How we are organised and governed

We Are With You is a company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales on 6 February 1991. Our Memorandum and Articles of Association determine the governance framework within which we operate and set out our charitable objects. We Are With You is a registered charity in England and Wales (charity number 1001957) and in Scotland (charity number SC040009).

bridging strategy to enable the new CEO to settle and support the development of the charity’s longer-term strategy in 2025. The Board monitors progress against, and the impact of, the charity’s strategic objectives on a quarterly basis.

Good governance is fundamental to our sustained success, it ensures we are best placed to deliver on our strategy, achieve our goals and promote the sustainable and long-term success of our charity for the benefit of the communities we serve. Our governance helps ensure we are compliant with all relevant legislation, constantly reviewing the risks we are facing, ensuring we provide safeguarding standards of the highest quality, and it supports a positive culture for all of our people, including our volunteers.

Our Board of Trustees (the ‘Board’) is clear about the charity’s aims and ensures that these are being delivered effectively and sustainably. The Board regularly reviews the organisation’s charitable purposes and the external environment in which it works to make sure that the charity, and its purposes, stay relevant and valid. In July 2023 the Board extended the charity’s 2019–2022 strategy by an additional year to deliver transformational change and enable better outcomes for the charity’s beneficiaries. In 2023/24 the Board supported a one-year

Our Board of Trustees embraces and promotes the principles of the Charity Governance Code setting out principles

and recommended practices for good governance in the not-for-profit sector. The Board of Trustees is satisfied that We Are With You applies the principles of the Code within its governance arrangements, which are regularly reviewed.

How it supports our work

Stakeholder How it supports our Group work Clients Everyone should feel comfortable getting the support they need for issues with drugs, alcohol or mental health. Our current strategy is about making support better for everyone and two key goals of our strategy are based directly on our clients, to radically improve (more) people’s chances of getting better and reduce inequalities in treatment and recovery for marginalised people Building existing and new partnerships around shared challenges to help us reach more people.

During the year, Trustees have visited services around England and Scotland, acquainting themselves with colleagues locally and meeting clients.

How we engage

We work with people on their own goals, whether that’s staying safe and healthy, making small changes or stopping unwanted behaviours altogether.

We give people support in a way that’s right for them either face to face, in their local service, community or online.

We are working to end the stigma associated with poor mental health and drug and alcohol use so that everyone feels able to reach out for help.

At We Are With You, recovery means finding a new path towards a healthier life - one that is not ruled by dependence, with hope for the future and the self-belief to thrive.

Recovery looks different for everyone, and it’s a journey rather than a set destination. We will help you to consider available options and plan a bespoke recovery path that suits your strengths, circumstances and goals.

We will help you define what successful recovery looks like to you. No matter what the road ahead looks like, we will support you in setting milestones so we can measure progress together. We will recognise and mark the improvements you make on your recovery journey.

We Are With You Annual Report 2024

Structure, governance and management

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Stakeholder How it supports our How we engage Stakeholder How it supports our How we engage
Group work Group work
Communities we We provide a free and We reach our communities in a number of Regulators We Are With You maintain We engage with our regulators by:
serve (potential confidential service without ways including: governance procedures to • Submitting timely filings and returns
clients) judgement to more than • Through direct engagement on our website ensure compliance with all • Self-reporting and engagement
100,000 people a year. We and other channels application regulatory regimes. where appropriate
use our expertise to improve
• By challenging the societal narrative linked • Prompt and comprehensive response
the help available and raise
to stigma in drug, alcohol and mental to requests for information
awareness around drugs,
health services with We Are With You
alcohol and mental health so Employees We engage with and support We have introduced improved online training
expert voices in the media and with key
that more people can stakeholders our colleagues in a number of materials and in-person programmes in areas
get support. key ways: such as trauma-informed care, running and
• By making our services accessible to
• We have a transformation facilitating groups, prescribing best practices
We want as many people referrers including GPs, the NHS, legal
programme in place to get and supervision.
who need support with drugs, services, housing services and other
the best from each other
alcohol or their mental health support networks Relying on innovative Google technology, we
to feel able to reach out to us • Through representing our charity at • We are growing our training created a more dynamic environment for staff
for support. regional events and development to stay connected and work collaboratively
• We have an enhanced without the need to travel, which also reduces
We do this by ensuring • Through influencing and stakeholder
focus on Equality, our carbon footprint.
our services are open and engagement with key decision makers
Diversity and Inclusion
accessible and by challenging We carried out an employee engagement
• Our internal communications
the stigma associated with poor survey to understand how teams would like
team are improving the
mental health and drug and to be engaged with, what information is most
alcohol use. quality of our internal useful and where improvements could be made.
information to support our
Our funders We Are With You seeks and Our funders are varied. We reach out to them staff to do their jobs From this, we have enhanced our internal
obtains funding from a number via various routes: communications offering, including an updated
of sources to support our • Our strong relationships mean we can have approach to all staff calls, Trustee and executive
activities and key objectives, 1-2-1 engagement on relevant issues service visits and engagement on core events.
including:
• We lead and attend events to engage
Each year we run a well-attended annual
• Local authorities across our services
employee awards programme, with feedback
• NHS Trusts • We carry out regular stakeholders’ surveys shared with colleagues and teams.
• Funding institutions and engagement - in 2023/24 this has
• Individual giving included feedback on our engagement
approach and brand
• Corporate partnerships
• We are open to feedback and insights
on performance and issues relevant to
our funders
• We also engage via the projects our
funders support
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We Are With You Annual Report 2024

Structure, governance and management

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Stakeholder How it supports our How we engage
Group work
Volunteers Our volunteers have a range In 2023/24 we recruited a new Head of
of roles supporting services Volunteering to support the strategic delivery
across We Are With You. of our volunteers.
Volunteers are engaged locally by their
Community Engagement Coordinator and
a broader programme of engagement is
in delivery.
Each year we run volunteer awards in
partnership with The Marsh Trust to celebrate
the achievements of our volunteers.
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Leadership

The Board is responsible for the governance of We Are With You, setting the charity’s objectives and strategy, monitoring the delivery of that strategy by the Executive management, and identifying and managing risk.

and performance with an appropriate level of scrutiny. At each of its quarterly meetings, it receives reports from management on income, performance, quality of service delivery and other matters, reviews the performance of the charity and considers papers presented for decision or information. In addition, the Board discusses and approves the charity’s strategy and annual budgets at appropriate points during the year.

The Board is led by the Chair of Trustees. The role of the Chair is a crucial one, they lead the Board in setting the charity’s strategy and in achieving its objectives and work closely with the Chief Executive to meet these aims. They also set the tone and culture for the Board which permeates throughout the charity.

In addition, at least twice a year the Remuneration Committee of the Board meets to discuss and agree remuneration matters such as the annual compensation and pay strategy of the Chief Executive and members of the Executive team.

The Board of Trustees receives regular reports from the Executive team to enable its oversight of the charity’s activity

Remuneration is set within the overall context of the purposes, aims and values of the charity and with recognition of the impact pay levels have on the wider pay policy of We Are With You. The charity is committed to narrow and ultimately eradicate any gender pay gaps within the organisation. We Are With You does not pay contractual bonuses to any member of staff.

The Board is responsible for the appointment and removal of the Chief Executive and the approval of all funding arrangements, property acquisitions and capital spending of the charity.

The Board delegates the day-to-day management of the charity to the Chief Executive who is responsible for the execution of the charity’s strategy within the framework laid down by the Board. The Board recognises and appreciates the key role played by the Chief Executive and is clear that their relationship with the Board is fundamental to the success of the charity. The Board also recognises the role played by the Company Secretary, who helps the Board meet its governance objectives and acts as a fulcrum between management and the Board. The Company Secretary is appointed by the Board and all Trustees have access to their advice, as well as access to independent advice for legal, commercial, staff relations and other matters.

The Chief Executive leads a team of Executive Directors with functional areas of responsibility. The Company Secretary is also a member of the Executive team.

The Board delegates non-reserved matters to its Committees: Audit, Risk, Finance and Income; Quality, Safety and Service Performance; Governance, People and Remuneration; and the newly formed Growth, Influencing and Public Policy.

Our Trustees (who are also the directors of the charity for the purposes of company law) comply with their duties under section 172 of the Companies Act 2006, and, in doing so, Trustees have regard to some factors to ensure they act in a way that, in their good faith, promotes the success of the company, including:

the likely consequences of long-term decisions
the interests of employees
the need to foster the

company’s relationships with its stakeholders, to include

our clients, our funders, our supporters and community, key opinion leaders and other influencers
the impact of the company’s operations in the communities we serve
the desirability of the company maintaining a reputation for high standards of business conduct

Structure, governance and management

We Are With You Annual Report 2024

Elizabeth, Staff, Liverpool

Key decisions in 2023/24

The table overleaf sets out the key decisions taken by the Trustee Board during the year and how the interests of our stakeholders and the wider factors set out in section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 were taken into account.

The likely consequences of any long-term decision

A one year strategy was introduced for 2023/24 ahead of a longer-term strategy being developed later this year following the appointment of a new CEO.

The impact and achievements to date against this strategy are included on pages 15 to 63. The Board discussion of all aspects of the future direction of the charity’s work was informed by the feedback received through client and staff engagement.

The one year strategy refines and extends elements of our previous three-year strategy which reflects and supports the charity’s charitable objects, and ensures the charity has in place sound financial management, adequate internal control and robust risk management.

The Board and its Committees keep under review the charity’s principal risks and its risk appetite, considering emerging risks and reviewing changes in the charity’s risk profile and responses quarterly.

During the year, the Board reviewed progress and performance of the charity’s business plan against the broader backdrop of service needs and outcomes.

The charity has in place a range of policies and processes that promote corporate responsibility and ethical behaviour. All the charity’s policies are reviewed periodically.

Our strategy management

2023/24 saw the introduction of a one year strategy, with a view to developing a longer term strategy in 2024/25. Our one year strategy focuses on the following key goals:

Radically improve (more) people’s chances of getting better
Reduce inequalities in treatment and recovery for marginalised people
Grow an agile, sustainable organisation that invests in its people and services
This year we have specifically focussed on the following areas:
Building on our work to transform the way we support our clients. This includes the launch of our Treatment Pathways model that aims to guide clients through their recovery journeys and enhance support for staff
Focus on improving our governance and stakeholders’ relations, on our sustainability compliance and reducing our carbon emissions across all services

Key considerations:

Our strategy has evolved through extensive and ongoing engagement and research with all our stakeholders.

The Board received updates covering all clinical and non-clinical areas’ through monthly updates, quarterly Committee and Board meetings as well as additional strategy and development days throughout the year.

Day-to-day contractual and organisational decisions are taken in line with the Delegated Authorities set out by our Trustees to include how we use our charitable funds and our wider impact through grants and fundraising activities.

We continually assess, audit and monitor our activities against our strategic objectives to ensure alignment and compliance with the statutory and regulatory obligations we are subject to as a charitable company supervised by the Charity Commission, OSCR, the Care Quality Commission, the Care Inspectorate in Scotland, the Fundraising Regulator and the Information Commissioner’s Office.

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Structure, governance and management

Key Decisions for 2023/24

Key considerations:

The Board appoints four new Trustees and one Co-optee.

As part of its effectiveness, the Board of We Are With You is keen to ensure that the charity continues to have consistent leadership, skills and expertise to drive the charity’s strategy.

In the structured context of a robust succession plan, the Board’s turnover can be one of its greatest assets, enabling it to continually adjust its composition in ways that optimise its oversight, crisis management and strategic planning mandates.

Following a successful recruitment campaign, the Board secured 4 new Trustee appointments bringing a wealth of new skills and expertise in finance, transformation, marketing, law and governance, as well as one Co-optee appointment for one of its Committees.

The Board appoints a new, The Board had recruited an interim Chief Executive permanent Chief Executive. in 2020 to lead an in-depth restructure of the charity’s operations and governance framework, and improve the charity’s financial stability and long-term sustainability.

A new permanent CEO was appointed in January 2024 to build on that pathway and lead the development of the charity’s longer term strategy and goals.

The Board agrees to continue using the charity’s designated reserves to support the acceleration of investment and development projects.

Continued investment into our IT architecture, systems infrastructure and website provision. Consideration was given to relevant factors and the charity’s stakeholders, including:

The impact on our staff and clients through change management

These projects were established as part of the organisational strategy to support the organisation’s wider developments and ensure we are able to support continuous improvement in our service delivery.

Commissioners, volunteers, members of the public, contractor and suppliers
The continuation of the current strategy into a fourth year

The projects for 2023/24 included IT and systems development, the achievement of Cyber Essential Plus accreditation, the refresh and development of a new website and of our new end-to-end Employee Experience Programme.

Trustee recruitment, induction and training

The Board recruits and appoints new Trustees and Co-optees by advertising vacancies and looking for particular skill sets that enhance the work of the Board and encourage diversity. The Board relies on specialised non-executive recruitment partners where specific skills and expertise are sought.

their role and responsibilities. Trustees do not receive any remuneration but may be reimbursed for general expenses.

Trustees serve a three-year term with the possibility of re-election for a further term of three years, dependent on business needs and performance. At each Annual General Meeting, one-third of the longest serving Trustees retire by rotation and are eligible for re-appointment.

Newly appointed Trustees and Co-optees receive induction to help them get acquainted with their role. As part of their induction, they meet with the Chief Executive and other members of the Executive and Senior Leadership teams, and they visit a number of services during the first few months of their tenure. They also receive briefings from key members of staff on We Are With You’s work and mandatory training on safeguarding, information governance and health & safety, as well as support and training to help them perform their legal responsibilities as Trustees.

The Board is mindful of the recommendations contained in Principle 5 of the Charity Governance Code regarding the reappointment of Trustees who have served over nine years on the Board. Anne Chapman, Chair of Trustees, was re-elected by the Board at the 2023 Annual General Meeting for a further 12-month term , bringing her total tenure to 10.5 years. The Board deemed it appropriate to re-appoint the Trustee to ensure continuity for the charity whilst its Executive team was in transition (new Chief Executive appointed in January 2024) , new Executive Directors of Operations who joined in March 2024 and the launch of a recruitment campaign for the successor of the departing Executive Director of Finance and Technology.

All appointed members of the Board or its Committees are subject to successful completion of the ‘fit and proper persons: directors’ test which is a regulatory requirement under Regulation 5 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. Newly appointed Trustees and Co-optees receive a letter of appointment that sets out We Are With You’s expectations of

During the year, the Board was refreshed with four new Trustee and one Co-optee appointments.

We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Structure, governance and management

Risk management

We Are With You operates in an uncertain and challenging service delivery environment. We are focussed on ensuring we respond to the changing demands of our work and continue to fulfil the stringent requirements of our commissioners and regulatory bodies, against ongoing reductions in funding. Delivering our services both clinical and non-clinical requires vigilance to support continuous review of our systems and processes against the highest standards to ensure they are safe and effective.

to mitigate and manage these risks appropriately. The Board puts in place and regularly reviews the charity’s process for identifying, prioritising, escalating and managing risks and, where applicable, the charity’s system of internal controls to manage these risks. The Board regularly reviews the effectiveness of the charity’s approach to risk.

Every service has a risk register which is reviewed at team meetings and also within the governance structure and formal business review meetings. Risks that can be managed and mitigated at service level remain with the regional team. Where we are unable to mitigate risks we raise them to the next level within the organisation. This means some service-level risks may be escalated to the corporate risk register, which is reviewed and action taken as necessary by the Executive team on a monthly basis. The Executive presents the corporate risk register to the Board every quarter, providing assurance on the management of operational risks and highlighting emerging or unforeseen risks that require Trustees’ scrutiny and strategic direction.

We Are With You works with some of the most vulnerable people in society and safeguarding is at the core of our work. We have a well-developed and coherent approach to risk management in accordance with best practices and the Charity Commission guidelines. We use a bespoke risk management tool to record and manage all risks across the organisation. We record, review and mitigate risks across clinical, operational, contractual, financial, information governance, health and safety, and reputational areas.

The Board retains overall responsibility for risk management and discusses and decides the level of risk it is prepared to accept for specific and combined risks.

Key to the effectiveness of the charity’s risk management system is the annual review of the corporate risk register by the Board and the reviews of risk by the Audit, Risk, Finance and Income Committee. Risks are also reviewed regularly by the Executive team. There is an established

The Board regularly reviews the charity’s specific significant risks and the cumulative effect of these risks. It makes plans

process for the identification of risks, involving the senior management leadership team and risk owners in the regular review of the charity’s strategic and operational risks.

and the Care Inspectorate in Scotland. The CQC carries out independent inspections of regulated activity within our services, publishing the outcome on the CQC website. We have clear policies on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults with access to training for all staff across We Are With You.

We Are With You is fully compliant with the regulations of, and registered with, the Care Quality Commission in England

We Are With You strategic objective

Risk area

Mitigation and management

Radically improve (more) people’s chances of getting better And

Poor or variable outcomes for adult drug and alcohol clients, caused by the absence of consistent written processes to progress clients from referral to recovery and universally agreed definition of clients recovery journey and interventions.

Focus on continuous improvement, through reviewing and refreshing approaches to governance, professional development and broader training and development programmes.

Reduce inequalities in treatment and recovery for marginalised people

Safeguarding and quality assurance processes developed with a clear training strategy.

Clinical governance and supervisory plans in place with practice supervision in development.

Effective complaint and incident management reporting and review.

Failure to create a positive public presence for We Are With You as an attractive background for enduring and productive relationships with Commissioners and other key stakeholders, both in England and in Scotland, caused by our lack of management accountability and ownership of key relationships.

Engaging with key decision-makers and influencers in government, local authorities and the NHS.

Radically improve people’s chances of getting better

And

Senior-level representation on many influential forums and key decision-making bodies, e.g. Collective Voice and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID).

Grow an agile, sustainable organisation that invests in its people and services

We Are With You Annual Report 2024

Structure, governance and management

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We Are With Risk area Mitigation and management
You strategic
objective
Radically improve Failure to retain or secure New business strategy and work plans:
people’s chances of new income streams - as a
• Review of market trends and continued
getting better result of general economic
improvement of the charity’s system
conditions, changes in
And capability and quality of data.
public procurement
• Prudent reserves management and
Reduce inequalities in rules, governmental new
treatment and recovery economic and social contingency planning.
for marginalised people directives.
And
Grow an agile,
sustainable organisation
that invests in its people
and services
Grow an agile, Poor financial performance Robust financial planning covering income,
sustainable organisation without the correct expenditure and reserves projections,
that invests in its people controls in place. budgeting and the monitoring of actual
and services expenditure.
Continuous performance review for
financial controls, internal and external audit
processes.
Regular budget reviews and oversight via
Trustee subcommittee.
Contract reviews with commissioners to
monitor and manage external pressures
including inflation.
Grow an agile, Internal controls to monitor Establish a minimum data set based on
sustainable organisation staff compliance with regulatory and stakeholder reporting.
that invests in its people best practices (NICE and Streamline systems, processes and reporting
and services Orange guidelines) in tools to ensure information is available and
drug and alcohol services, updated regularly. Ensure clear metrics and
caused by the inability KPIs are in place to govern and manage
to capture management reporting requirements in commissioned
and assurance data contracts. Ensure onboarding and induction
to analyse and gather material is suitably clear on best practices in
intelligence, resulting in drug and alcohol services. Develop an effective
poor or variable outcomes internal audit framework and implement it.
for service users. Develop case management systems to record
the interventions used and their effectiveness.
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We Are With Risk area Mitigation and management
You strategic
objective
Radically improve Attract, retain and Recruitment and retention plans.
(more) people’s chances recruit staff
Improved staff communications systems.
of getting better
Learning and talent development plans.
And
People and culture directorate plans.
Reduce inequalities in
treatment and recovery Oversight from the Executive team and
for marginalised people scrutiny by Trustees at relevant Board
Committee meetings.
And
Grow an agile,
sustainable organisation
that invests in its people
and services
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We Are With You and the environment

We Are With You, its staff and its volunteers care deeply about the environment. Protecting the environment is not just a duty we have to ensure we manage our impact on the environment in a responsible way. Safeguarding the environment is aligned with our ethical values as an organisation and we believe that, by working together, we can minimise our carbon footprint in the communities we serve.

We are already helping our volunteers and employees work more sustainably through initiatives like office recycling schemes, reducing the energy use in our buildings, working with suppliers and partners to source sustainable products and services, and considering environmental criteria through our procurement processes.

Over the coming year, we aim to improve and enhance our supplier management framework and invest in

We Are With You Annual Report 2024

Structure, governance and management

long-term partnerships with suppliers who are committed to environmental sustainability, ensuring we only engage with suppliers who meet or exceed our commitment to net zero emissions, reduce the carbon footprint of our IT equipment by making better use of mobile and fixed hardware costs, develop new environment and sustainability principles, report on our progress each year through our Annual Report.

Our Carbon Reduction Plan

From economic prosperity to preserving natural habitats, We Are With You know how important it is to make a positive difference to the communities and environment where we work. The charity is mindful of its duties and responsibilities to embed social value in all its activities and measure its positive impact on the communities it serves. Our social value pillars are reflected below:

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Economic
(employment, apprenticeships,
training opportunities)
Social
Social
(activities that promote
cohesive communities)
Environmental Bearable Equitable
(efforts to reduce
carbon emissions)
Sustainable
Environmental Economic
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With this in mind, in 2022 the charity engaged a sustainability partner to help the charity simplify the process of turning its environmental compliance goals into meaningful action, delivering positive impact for people and communities and creating a credible de-carbonisation plan that delivers net-zero targets aligned with the government’s ambitious target to become net zero by 2050.

We Are With You’s first Carbon Reduction Plan was published in March 2023, using the baseline year 2022 to measure its emissions footprint where greenhouse gases produced prior to the introduction of any strategies to reduce emissions are taken into account. The charity’s projection identified that carbon emissions would decrease over the next five years from the current normalised measurement of 2,361.557 tCO2e to 1,323.435tCO2e, a reduction of 56.04% by 2030.

In the year, We Are With You evolved its commitment and put in place a new Net Zero Plan, working collaboratively with its sustainability partner. The Plan sets out the charity’s shorter term target (by 2030) to reduce its scope 1 and scope 3 emissions by 42% and its scope 2 emissions to zero, as well as the charity’s longer term target (by 2050), aligned with that of the government, to decarbonise all its services. The Plan details the charity’s commitment to reduce its scope 1 by 7.85 tCO2e each year on average (or reduce the amount of services with gas boilers), procure renewable energy across all services and reduce scope 3 emissions by an average of 199.55 tCO2e annually.

We Are With You is supplied by 100% renewable electricity in all its services, and contracts 25% certified renewable gas and 75% carbon-neutral gas backed by carbon offset projects to develop wind and hydropower generation abroad, cutting global CO2 emissions.

Proactive reduction of our carbon footprint is also facilitated by hybrid working for staff, contributing to a reduction of travel to work and promoting cycling to work, and incrementally reducing the need for physical storage and archiving, using less paper with more intuitive digital forms and self-service tools.

Our Green team, supervised by the Health & Safety Steering Group, supports and promotes the principles outlined in our Sustainability Policy. The Green team helps the charity to challenge staff in services to find innovative ways of reducing our overall environmental impact. The Green team has set Terms of Reference agreed by the Executive team and reviewed yearly by the Health & Safety Steering Group.

We have reviewed our meeting structures to increase the use of online collaboration tools and video conferencing to further reduce the travel footprint for our workforce. We continue to retain ISO 14001 certification since 2012, which sets out stringent requirements within our environmental management systems.

We Are With You Annual Report 2024

Structure, governance and management

We calculate our associated greenhouse gas emissions using the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Protocol (GHG) and following the UK government’s Environmental Reporting Guidelines. We take an operational control approach meaning that 100% of emissions from operations over which we have control have been reported. Additionally, we have excluded all managed services or offices where we do not receive a separate charge for energy.

ENERGY SAVINGS OPPORTUNITY SCHEME (ESOS)

We notified the Environment Agency in July 2024 of our compliance with ESOS Phase 3. The Lead Assessor, using monitoring data from the period April 2022 to April 2023, determined that our assessment met the requirements of ESOS.

STREAMLINED ENERGY AND CARBON REPORTING (SECR)

Our mileage is based on data submission via our expenses system which includes staff and volunteers driving their own vehicles for We Are With You business. The primary sources used for energy and fuel are billing data and meter reads are only used where there is no billing data.

We Are With You is reporting energy and carbon emissions in compliance with The Companies (Directors’ Report) and Limited Liability Partnerships (Energy and Carbon Report) Regulations 2018.

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Energy Type 2022/23 2023/24 YoY %
Change
Indirect emissions - purchased electricity 392.4tCo2e 315.78tCo2e -20%
and gas - heating and cooling
Fuel Combustion Transport 237.4tCo2e 402.18tCo2e 69%
Total Emissions 629.8tCo2e 717.96tCo2e 14%
Annual T/O(Em) 71.51 80.6 13%
Intensity (tCo2e per Em T/O) 8.81 8.93
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Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At the start of 2023/24, We Are With You set out four key areas for an equality, diversity and inclusion plan in line with our strategic goals.

These areas were:

2 enhancing our inclusive recruitment practices

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1
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increasing the collection of people-related EDI data

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3
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3 4 raising awareness expanding the of the diverse needs range of EDI learning of clients and staff resources available through internal for staff communications

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1. Staff EDI data

The options available within our employee self-service system were updated to ensure that they reflected best practices in terms of inclusive language. Additional guidance and FAQs were produced to support staff and managers to better understand why this data is collected, what is done with it and how to record it within the self-service system. An overview of collection rates by service and department was shared with members of the Senior Leadership Team to drive local conversations about the importance of collecting this data.

Since that time, we have seen a 12% increase in the number of staff completing all EDI fields on their HR record (from 47% in August 2023 to 59% in April 2024). The Head of EDI reviews anonymous data on the demographic of We Are With You staff every month. This increased collection rate allows us to carry out more nuanced analysis that more accurately represents our staff population. For example, ethnicity and disability pay gap analysis alongside our statutory gender pay gap analysis.

2. Inclusive recruitment

We introduced a diversity statement to all We Are With You adverts to illustrate our commitment to representing the communities we serve. This includes information on our guaranteed interview schemes for disabled people and veterans. We also improved the guidance for applicants on requesting reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process.

In October 2023, we launched Inclusive Recruitment training for managers. This session aims to empower them to understand how to make their recruitment practices more inclusive, reduce bias, and attract a more diverse range of applicants. By April 2024, 130 staff members had attended the training.

3. Internal communications

The Head of EDI and We Are With You’s EDI Advisory Group has worked closely with the internal communications team to develop an EDI communications plan. The plan aims to raise awareness of our staff and clients’ diverse needs, providing learning opportunities and ensuring staff and volunteers feel seen throughout the year.

Highlights from the past year include:

• Women’s History Month – Highlighted stories from women accessing our services, promoted external learning events, and shared our gender pay gap report along with our reduction commitments

Pride month – Shared an LGBTQ+ reading list, hosted webinars on conversion therapy and chemsex, and highlighted Pride event participation
Black History Month – Distributed a curated reading, watching and listening list with the EDI Advisory Group and hosted a session on racial trauma and wellness
Disability History Month – Launched new policies and resources to support staff needing adjustments and achieved Disability Confident Employer Level 2 status
National Inclusion Week - Featured a newsletter takeover showcasing efforts to reduce inequalities in treatment for clients from marginalised groups

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Structure, governance and management

£1

4. EDI learning resources

We reviewed our mandatory EDI e-learning module to ensure it reflected best practice in terms of language and core concepts outside of equality legislation, including microaggressions and bystander intervention.

Two new additional EDI related e-learning modules for managers were developed: Making Reasonable Adjustments (as of March 2024 23% of managers have completed this) and Supporting People through Menopause (as of March 2024 24% of managers have completed this).

EDI-related webinars delivered during 2023/24 included:

Creating neuroinclusive • Understanding the • Understanding identity workplaces impact of conversion and cultural awareness
• Chemsex therapy • The Power of Inclusive
- The Power of Inclusive Language
Challenging Bias

In addition to the above learning opportunities, self-service guidance documents have also been created on a range of EDI related topics, including:

collecting client EDI data
•
supporting your supporting colleagues colleagues during returning from • working with an
Ramadan parental leave interpreter

Looking ahead

In 2024/25, we will continue to focus on how our teams engage and work effectively with underrepresented and marginalised groups. This will involve continuing to build their knowledge and skills through a range of learning and awareness raising opportunities.

To support our strategic goal of reducing inequalities in treatment and recovery for marginalised people, we will enhance our collection and analysis of client EDI data to identify underrepresented communities and where barriers to access exist. We will also be embedding equality, diversity and inclusion throughout our Employee Experience Project to ensure that all staff feel able to bring their whole selves to work at We Are With You, and have equitable opportunities for growth and development.

Gender Pay Gap

98p 1.8% lower

At We Are With You, women earn 98p for every £1 that men earn when comparing median hourly pay. Their median hourly pay is 1.8% lower than that of men.

When comparing mean (average) hourly pay, women’s mean hourly pay is 5% lower than that of men.

We Are With You’s gender pay gap remains significantly lower than the national average (14.3%) and below the average estimated for the charity sector (4.1%), but we continue to be committed to narrowing this gap.

We are committed to narrowing the gender pay gap and during the financial year 2023/24, in line with our wider equality, diversity and inclusion action plan, we carried out the following actions:

Introduced a diversity statement into all job adverts outlining our commitment to being an inclusive employer that represents the diversity of the communities we serve
Delivered inclusive recruitment training sessions to staff who have responsibility for recruitment

Women

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Men
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Trialled the use of diversity specific recruitment platforms to promote our leadership roles
Supported staff through the menopause e-learning module for managers
Relaunched our virtual monthly menopause cafe which creates a support space for staff going through menopause and to raise awareness of the impact of menopause in the workplace
Developed guidance for managers in supporting staff before, during and returning from periods of family-related leave, including a re-induction checklist for parents returning from family-related leave
In 2024/25, we will update our equality, diversity and inclusion action plans so that we continue to narrow the gender pay gap. Actions that we intend to take include but are not limited to:

reviewing our family leave policy

reviewing the support we provide to staff receiving fertility treatment
reviewing how we support our managers to develop inclusive and effective teams where all staff are able to develop and thrive

Fundraising in 2023/24

Our fundraisers have continued to raise income from non-commissioned sources. This additional funding allows us to innovate drug, alcohol and mental health-related services and direct funds to where they are most needed.

In 2023-24, we raised £2,411,000 from trusts and foundations, Government, individuals and corporates. We are very grateful to all the supporters as we work towards enabling people to overcome drug, alcohol and mental health challenges and reclaim wellbeing.

Grants received from trusts and foundations include our Armed Forces Programme funders: the Army Benevolent Fund, the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity and the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. Together these funders have helped us support over 1000 members of the Armed Forces Community who are experiencing challenges with drugs, alcohol and mental health.

We’re a national charity with a local approach

Thanks to a grant from the Cornwall Voluntary Sector Forum and Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board we delivered our Mind and Body Programme to parents and carers in Cornwall so that they can better support their children who are experiencing challenges with self-harm and mental health.

The Alan Boswell Charitable Trust also supported our Mind and Body Programme by awarding us a generous grant so that we could equip young people in Lincolnshire with tools and techniques to better manage their mental health and challenges with self-harm.

£2.4m

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Darcey, Staff, Rotherham
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from trusts and foundations, Government, individuals and corporates

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From bake sales to marathons

We are so grateful to the individuals who donate to our appeals and fundraise in memory of a loved one. We are also seeing more of our clients and staff take on fundraising challenges. Highlights include our Grimsby team walking 514 miles to raise funds for their local service and a person with lived experience taking part in a sponsored Ultra White Collar boxing match.

We’re taking a strategic and transparent approach to our fundraising and currently developing a new public fundraising strategy which aims to grow our income from individuals and corporates. We’ve also launched a new grants strategy that aims to build relationships with our funders and identify and deliver on shared goals.

We operate in line with the standards set out in the Code of Fundraising Practice by the Fundraising Regulator and maintain a formal complaints procedure. Our approach to fundraising is underpinned by our ethos and values and driven by the needs of the people we support. We ensure the trust of our supporters and our responsibility to clients is not compromised. Prospective corporate partnerships are assessed through our Corporate Engagement Procedure which ensures the partnership fits our values and ethos, organisational strategy, the dignity or rights of our beneficiaries and the pursuit of our purposes. We do not conduct general solicitations through street or

Thank you also to our corporate partner Gozney - the pizza oven brand that has continued to support our work by donating sales of their Signature Edition Roccbox.

door-to-door fundraising, or cold calling. Supporters are contacted on a legitimate interest basis and have the opportunity to opt out of our communications at any time. We do not sell or exchange donor details to third parties. We may use third parties to process donations but ensure all partners comply with Data Protection regulations. Our Vulnerable Supporters Policy provides all staff, volunteers, Trustees and anyone engaging with supporters on behalf of We Are With You, with clear guidance on how we can recognise vulnerable supporters and ensure appropriate actions are taken to treat them fairly and put their needs first. We are members of the Institute of Fundraising and Fundraising Regulator. We also expect the same standards from any third-party suppliers we employ to carry out fundraising on our behalf. This is subject to regular review. No fundraising complaints were received in 2023/24.

Spotlight: London Marathon 2024

Once again, we received amazing support from 15 supporters who ran in the London Marathon, raising over £35,000 between them. Runners included Harry, who ran multiple marathons last year in memory of his mum, and Kelly, a We Are With You Recovery Worker in Cornwall who ran the marathon in honour of her clients, and to celebrate four years in recovery. Supporters have also taken on international running challenges, including the Antwerp, Warsaw and Valencia marathons.

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Karen, Staff, Glasgow

Reference and administrative details

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Reference and administrative details

Company number Registered office and operational address 02580377 Lower Ground Floor Gate House Charity number 1-3 St John’s Square 1001957 (England) and London, EC1M 4DH SC040009 (Scotland)

Trustees

The Trustees who served during the year and up to the date of this report were as follows:

Ian Alan Bull (appointed 26/10/2023; resigned 01/08/2024) Anne Lesley Chapman (Chair) Lynne Clow (resigned 26/10/2023) Jeremy Leonard Cohen (appointed 25/04/2024) Roderick Day (appointed 25/04/2024) Dr Neera Dholakia Ronald Adrian Finlay Jeremy Peter Fish Richard Alan Gould Melinda Lu San Knatchbull (appointed 26/10/2023) Nicola Margaret Roseman Karen Lesley Shawhan Dr Harpreet Singh Sarna

Chief Executive Belinda Phipps (resigned November 2023) Hayley Savage (interim November 2023 to January 2024) Simon Philips (appointed January 2024)

Company Secretary Alexandra Borghesi

Bankers

Lloyds Bank 4th Floor Gresham St, London EC2 7HN

Solicitors Womble Bond Dickinson LLP

The Spark, Draymans Way, Newcastle Helix Newcastle Upon Tyne NE4 5DE

Auditors

Moore Kingston Smith 6th Floor, 9 Appold Street, London, EC2A 2AP

Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities

The Trustees (who are also the directors of the charity for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Strategic Report, the Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law, the Trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charity for that period.

In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;

make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.

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Reference and administrative details

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charity’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

About this report

This report provides information about our aims, objectives and activities, and about this year’s performance and financial results. In publishing this report, we want to give a clear picture of what we do, what we have achieved and how we use the money we receive to meet our charitable aims. The report also fulfils legal requirements placed on us by laws and regulations to provide information publicly about the work we do.

We Are With You is registered both as a charity and a company (see page 112), and this charitable company is what we mean when we refer to “the charity”.

The report includes the activities of the charity, all of which are charitable, for the benefit of the public and carried out on a not-for-profit basis. The objects of the charity relate to the promotion of health and social inclusion and the prevention and reduction of ill health and poverty,

particularly by seeking to relieve and prevent the harmful use of substances including alcohol; relieving and preventing mental health problems; and providing employability and training opportunities.

The report is presented by the members of the Board, who are the Trustees of the charity under UK charity law and its directors under UK company law. In this report we refer to the members of the Board as “the Trustees”.

The report as a whole includes the reference and administrative details on page 112, the Statement of Trustees responsibilities on page 113 and the financial statements on pages 126 to 141.

In preparing the report, we seek to meet our overall obligations under the rules and regulations in these ways:

The document provides the trustees’ annual report as required under charity law and a strategic report and directors’ report as required by company law.

It also fulfils the requirements of the reporting and accounting regulations, set out in ‘Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)’ issued by the Charity Commission in October 2019 (“SORP 2019”).

The financial statements have been prepared following the accounting policies set out on pages 129 to 131 and comply with the charity’s Memorandum and Articles of Association and the relevant laws that apply.

As far as the Trustees are aware there is no relevant audit information of which the auditors are unaware and the Trustees have taken all reasonable steps to ensure themselves that all relevant information has been disclosed appropriately to the auditors.

Public benefit statement

We Are With You exists entirely for the public’s benefit. The services we offer are available free of charge where we are contracted to provide services. This work benefits not only individuals and their families but also the wider community, by reducing the harm and related costs caused to society by drug and alcohol misuse, and improving the public’s physical and mental health and other related issues.

In setting plans and priorities for areas of work, the Trustees of We Are With You have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit. In particular, the Board of Trustees considers how planned activities will contribute to the aims and objectives it has set. More information about the responsibilities of the Trustees can be found on page 113.

Acknowledgements

The Trustees wish to record their gratitude to all those who contribute to We Are With You’s work: the people who use our services, our volunteers, staff, donors, commissioners, partners, funders and managers. We are hugely grateful for your dedication and support for our work. The Trustees’ Annual Report, incorporating the Strategic Report, was approved by the Trustees on 24 October 2024 and signed on their behalf by:

Alexandra Borghesi

Company Secretary Executive Director, Governance and Corporate Services

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Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of We Are With You (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 31 March 2024 which comprise Statement of Financial Activities, the Charitable Company Balance Sheets, the Cash Flow Statement and notes to the

financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company’s affairs as at 31 March 2024 and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended;
have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
have been prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 2006, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 (as amended) and regulations 6 and 8 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained in the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

the information given in the strategic report and the trustees’ annual report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
the strategic report and the trustees’ annual report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and their environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the strategic report or the trustees’ annual report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 or the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) require us to report to you if, in our opinion:

adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

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the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made;
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement set out on page 113, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s Responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

We have been appointed as auditor under Section 44(1)(c) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and under the Companies Act 2006 and report to you in accordance with regulations made under those Acts.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs (UK) we exercise professional judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:

Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit

procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.

Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purposes of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the charitable company’s internal control.
Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the trustees.
Conclude on the appropriateness of the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are

based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report. However, future events or conditions may cause the charitable company to cease to continue as a going concern.

Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.

We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.

Explanation as to what extent the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below.

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The objectives of our audit in respect of fraud, are; to identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements due to fraud; to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the assessed risks of material misstatement due to fraud, through designing and implementing appropriate responses to those assessed risks; and to respond appropriately to instances of fraud or suspected fraud identified during the audit. However, the primary responsibility for the prevention and detection of fraud rests with both management and those charged with governance of the charitable company.

statements, including the risk of material misstatement due to fraud and how it might occur, by holding discussions with management and those charged with governance.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and to the charitable company’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with Section 44(1)(c) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members and trustees those matters which we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report addressed to them and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to any party other than the charitable company and charitable company’s members as a body, and the charity’s trustees, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

We inquired of management and those charged with governance as to any known instances of non-compliance or suspected non-compliance with laws and regulations.
Based on this understanding, we designed specific appropriate audit procedures to identify instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. This included making enquiries of management and those charged with governance and obtaining additional corroborative evidence as required.

Our approach was as follows:

We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory requirements applicable to the charitable company and considered that the most significant are the Companies Act 2006, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 (as amended), regulations 6 and 8 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended), the Charity SORP, and UK financial reporting standards as issued by the Financial Reporting Council.

and considered that the most There are inherent limitations in the audit significant are the Companies Act procedures described above. We are less 2006, the Charities and Trustee likely to become aware of instances of Andrew Stickland Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 (as non-compliance with laws and regulations Senior Statutory Auditor for and on amended), regulations 6 and 8 of that are not closely related to events and behalf of Moore Kingston Smith LLP, the Charities Accounts (Scotland) transactions reflected in the financial Statutory Auditor Regulations 2006 (as amended), the statements. Also, the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is Charity SORP, and UK financial reporting 9 Appold Street standards as issued by the Financial higher than the risk of not detecting one London Reporting Council. resulting from error, as fraud may involve EC2A 2AP deliberate concealment by, for example, • We obtained an understanding of how forgery or intentional misrepresentations, Date: 27 November 2024 the charitable company complies with or through collusion. these requirements by discussions Moore Kingston Smith LLP is eligible to with management and those charged act as auditor in terms of Section 1212 with governance. of the Companies Act 2006. • We assessed the risk of material misstatement of the financial 122 123

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Megan, Staff, Rotherham

Financial statements

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We Are With You

Statement of Financial Activities

(incorporating an income and expenditure account) for the year ended 31 March 2024 Company number 2580377

We Are With You Balance Sheet

As at 31 March 2023

Notes INCOME FROM: Grants & Fundraising Investment income Other income 3 Charitable activities Adult services 2 Mental health services Young people and family services TOTAL INCOME EXPENDITURE ON: Raising funds Fundraising Charitable activities Adult services Mental health services Young people and family services Profile and influence TOTAL EXPENDITURE 4 NET INCOME FOR THE YEAR NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS Funds brought forward at 1 April FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD AT 31 MARCH	Unrestricted funds £000 157 10 110 277 51,329 5,825 3,604 60,758 61,035 193 193 50,275 6,037 3,096 962 60,370 60,563 472 472 11,843 12,315	Restricted funds £000 80 - - 80 17,411 127 1,956 19,494 19,574 - - 17,107 127 1,916 - 19,150 19,150 424 424 5,053 5,477	Total funds 2024 £000 237 10 110 357 68,740 5,952 5,560 80,252 80,609 193 193 67,382 6,164 5,012 962 79,520 79,713 896 896 16,896 17,792	Total funds 2023 £000 216 - 89 305 60,116 6,077 5,032 71,225 71,530 197 197 56,807 5,886 4,558 538 67,789 67,986 3,544 3,544 13,351 16,896	Fixed assets Tangible assets Intangible assets Current assets Debtors Cash at bank and in hand Creditors Amounts falling due within one year Net current assets Creditors Amount falling due after more than one year Net assets Represented by Unrestricted: Designated fund General charitable funds Restricted Total funds FUNDS The notes on pages 126 to 141 form part of these financial statements.	Notes 9 10 11 12 12 15 14 The notes on pages 126 to 141 form part of these financial statements.	2024 2023 £000 £000 1,567 543 502 - 2,069 543 10,236 8,504 13,491 16,848 23,727 25,352 (7,884) (8,883) 15,843 16,469 (120) (116) 17,792 16,896 3,069 3,043 9,246 8,800 12,315 11,843 5,477 5,053 17,792 16,896 The notes on pages 126 to 141 form part of these financial statements. ~~J~~

The Financial Statements were approved by the Trustees on 24 October 2024 and signed on their behalf by:

All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above. Movements in funds and transfers between funds are disclosed above and in Note 13 to the financial statements.

Nicola Roseman

The notes on pages 126 to 141 form part of these financial statements. The detail of comparative figures for the previous year is shown in Note 18.

Chair, Audit, Risk, Finance and Income Committee

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We Are With You Statement of Cash Flows

for the year ended 31 March 2024

Cash flows from operating activities: Net cash provided by operating activities Cash flows from investing activities: Payments to acquire tangible fixed assets Payments to acquire intangible fixed assets Net cash provided by/ (used in) investing activities Change in cash and cash equivalents in the reporting period Cash and cash and equivalents at the beginning of the reporting period Cash and cash and equivalents at the end of the reporting period	£000 £000 (1,158) (1,614) (585) (2,199) (3,357) 16,848 13,491 2024	£000 £000 (1,158) (1,614) (585) (2,199) (3,357) 16,848 13,491 2024	£000 £000 4,082 (61) - (61) 4,021 12,827 16,848 2023	£000 £000 4,082 (61) - (61) 4,021 12,827 16,848 2023

		13,491		16,848

Reconciliation of net income to net cash flow from operating activities

Net income for the reporting period (as per the statement of financial activities) Adjustments for: Depreciation charges Amortisation Loss on disposal of fixed assets (Increase)/ Decrease in debtors Increase / (Decrease) in creditors Net cash provided by operating activities Analysis of changes in cash and short-term deposits Cash at bank and in hand	896 410 83 181 (1,732) (996) (2,054) (1,158)	896 410 83 181 (1,732) (996) (2,054) (1,158)	3,544 75 - - 990 (526) 538 4,082	3,544 75 - - 990 (526) 538 4,082

		(1,158)		4,082
		As at Cash As at 31 Mar 2023 flows 31 Mar 2024 £000 £000 £000 16,848 (3,357) 13,491

We Are With You Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024

1 Accounting policies

a) The financial statements of We Are With You are prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 2006, the Charities Act 2011, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the statement of Recommended Practice 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP 2019) and applicable accounting standards, and in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard 102 applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102). The financial statements are drawn up on the historic cost accounting basis. The charity is a public benefit entity as defined by (FRS102). The financial statements are prepared in sterling which is the financial currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest pound.
b) Going concern

We Are With You's activities, together with the factors likely to affect our future development, performance and financial position, are set out on pages 15 to 63. The financial position of the charity, its cash flows, liquidity position and reserves are described in the financial statements on pages 126 to 141. The management of financial and other risks is described on page 94.

2023/24 We have emerged from the pandemic with a stronger financial position, whilst we have also changed aspects of how we physically operate our services, at our core our operating processes remain the same.

We Are With You has significant liquid financial resources, comprising short-term cash deposits and balances totalling £13.5 million, which is more than our free reserves. In addition, we obtain funding from a wide range of sources. As a consequence, the Trustees believe that We Are With You is well placed to manage business risks successfully.

The Trustees consider that We Are With You has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus they continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the annual financial statements.

c) Income

All income is accounted for when We Are With You has entitlement to the funds, the amount can be measured reliably and receipt is probable.

Income received by way of donations and gifts to the charity is included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) when receivable.

Where unconditional entitlement to grants receivable is dependent upon fulfilment of conditions within the charity's control, the income is recognised when there is sufficient evidence that conditions will be met. Where grants are received but there is uncertainty as to whether the charity can meet such conditions the income is deferred.

The notes on pages 126 to 141 form part of these financial statements.

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Where entitlement to grants receivable is dependent on conditions not within the charity's control, income is recognised when those conditions have been met.

Contract income is recognised when there is sufficient evidence that it has been earned. Income from some contracts is subject to a ‘payment by results’ element, which is calculated in relation to set criteria, the results of which may not be determined until some time after the accounting period. In these cases, income is recognised or deferred on the basis of the evidence available up to the date of this report.

Investment and other income is recognised when earned.

d) Expenditure

All expenditure is accounted for under the accruals concept and stated gross of irrecoverable VAT. Expenditure is allocated to the particular activity where the cost relates directly to that activity.

i)

j)

Creditors

Creditors and provisions are recognised where We Are With You has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount.

Taxation

We Are With You is eligible for the tax exemptions available for charitable activities.

We Are With You is a charity within the meaning of Para 1 Schedule 6 Finance Act 2010. Accordingly the charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains within categories covered by Chapter 3 of Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.

No tax charge arose in the current or prior period

The support costs of We Are With You are allocated to each of the activities in proportion to the total of direct expenditure as it reflects the best estimate of the allocation of those support costs.

Governance costs comprise the costs incurred which are directly attributable to the constitutional activities of We Are With You, and the necessary procedures for compliance with statutory requirements.

e) Tangible fixed assets Freehold property is held at cost or fair value at acquisition. Improvements to leasehold premises and fixtures, fittings and equipment, motor vehicles are capitalised where the total cost of the asset or combined cost of the project exceeds £10,000.

Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write down the cost of each asset to its estimated residual value over its expected useful life. The depreciation rates in use are as follows:

Freehold property	2% on cost or valuation at acquisition
Improvements to short leasehold premises 5% - 50% on cost
Fixtures, fittings and equipment	10% - 33% on cost
Computers and IT equipment	20% - 33% on cost
Motor vehicles	20% - 25% on cost

f) Intangible Fixed Assets Costs directly attributable to the development of digital tools, websites and IT software are capitalised as intangible assets only when the technical feasibility of the project is demonstrated, the Charity has the intention and ability to complete and use the tools and the costs can be measured reliably. Such costs include the purchases of material and services. Intangible assets are amortised at 33% of cost from the date the asset is bought into use.

g) Financial instruments The charity only has financial assets and liabilities of a kind that qualify as 'basic financial instruments' under FRS102. These are initially recognised at cash or transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value if different.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash at bank and in hand and short term deposits with an original maturity date of three months or less.

h) Debtors Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due less a provision for any impairment losses. A provision is established for impairment when there is objective evidence that amounts due under the original payment terms will not be collected or the debt is over 365 days old

k) Unrestricted funds

These funds are received and applied to achieve the general objectives of We Are With You. Designated Funds

Designated funds are amounts that have been set aside at the discretion of the Trustees.

l) Restricted funds

These are to be used for specified purposes as laid down by the donor. Expenditure which meets these criteria is identified to the fund, together with a fair allocation of management and support costs.

m) Operating leases

Rentals payable under operating leases, where substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership remain with the lessor, are charged to the SOFA on a straight line basis over the minimum lease term.

We Are With You strives to ensure that its property leases are co-terminus with its contracts. Where a property lease is longer than the initial contract we strive to ensure that break clauses are in place.

n) Termination payments

All costs involved in terminating employee contracts are accounted for on an accruals basis and disclosed in aggregate in Note 8. Termination benefits are measured at the best estimate of the expenditure required to settle the obligation at the reporting date.

o) Pension schemes

The Charity operates or contributes to both defined contributions and defined benefit schemes for its employees. All defined benefit schemes are closed to new entrants and the numbers of active members can only grow as a result of the transfer of staff from other organisations.

Employees who are members of defined benefit schemes are those who were part of a TUPE transfer for contracts awarded to the Charity. As per the contracts, the Charity is not liable for any defined benefit pension scheme liability and are only liable for a fixed pension contribution to the relevant schemes. As such no liability is recognised in the financial statements in relation to these schemes and the contributions are treated as if they were those payable to a defined contribution pension scheme.

The assets of any pension schemes are held separately from those of the Charity.

Pension costs charged in the SOFA represent the contributions payable by the Charity for the year together with any material provision to record the Charity's liability in relation to a defined benefit pension scheme, where this can be identified, in accordance with the accounting standard incorporated in FRS102.

p) Critical accounting estimates and judgements

Dilapidations Support cost allocation Bad Debt Income recognition / Payment by Results

Based on industrial average cost per sq ft

Allocated to each of the activities in proportion to the total of direct expenditure

Actual debt over 365 days overdue unless specifics have been identified

Contract income is recognised when there is sufficient evidence that it has been earned. Income from some contracts is subject to a 'payment by results' element,

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We Are With You Annual Report 2024

Financial statements

We Are With You Notes to the financial statements continued income

2 Grant income - included within restricted income National Lottery Community Fund -Life Chances Fund Grant (BLF Ref:10298686) - Young Start (Project ID: 20153013) National Lottery Community Fund and ESF Building Better Opportunities Grant via: -Active Pluss Community Interest Company -Ixion Holdings (Contracts) Ltd -The Pluss Organisation CIC ABF the Soliders' Charity Corra Foundation - Argyll & Bute pre/post rehab project Corra Foundation - Dumfries & Galloway lived experience project Corra Foundation - East Ayrshire pre-rehab project Corra Foundation - East Dunbartonshire project Corra Foundation - Fife Enhanced harm reduction project Corra Foundation - North East Glasgow pre-rehab project Gilead Sciences Limited - Hepatitis C elimination programme Royal Airforce Benevolent Fund The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust - Reference no.: 6428 The Mickel Fund The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity The Scottish Government -South Lanarkshire Suvivor Support The Scottish Government - Webchat Veterans' Foundation The Youth Endowment Fund Charitable Trust Other grants Donations and gifts	2024 2023 All restricted All restricted £000 £000 151 129 - 25 - 147 2 62 59 274 - 40 100 100 100 100 100 - 74 - 100 - 255 255 107 119 10 10 97 - 10 20 15 15 85 90 256 288 - 30 197 233 457 339 80 17
	2,254 2,293

2
Grant income - included within restricted income
National Lottery Community Fund
-Life Chances Fund Grant (BLF Ref:10298686)
- Young Start (Project ID: 20153013)
National Lottery Community Fund and ESF Building Better Opportunities Grant via:
-Active Pluss Community Interest Company
-Ixion Holdings (Contracts) Ltd
-The Pluss Organisation CIC
ABF the Soliders' Charity
Corra Foundation - Argyll & Bute pre/post rehab project
Corra Foundation - Dumfries & Galloway lived experience project
Corra Foundation - East Ayrshire pre-rehab project
Corra Foundation - East Dunbartonshire project
Corra Foundation - Fife Enhanced harm reduction project
Corra Foundation - North East Glasgow pre-rehab project
Gilead Sciences Limited - Hepatitis C elimination programme
Royal Airforce Benevolent Fund
The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust - Reference no.: 6428
The Mickel Fund
The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity
The Scottish Government -South Lanarkshire Suvivor Support
The Scottish Government - Webchat
Veterans' Foundation
The Youth Endowment Fund Charitable Trust
Other grants
Donations and gifts

2024
2023
All restricted
All restricted
£000
£000
151
129
-
25
-
147
2
62
59
274
-
40
100
100
100
100
100
-
74
-
100
-
255
255
107
119
10
10
97
-
10
20
15
15
85
90
256
288
-
30
197
233
457
339
80
17

2,254
2,293

The majority of grants and fundraising income relates to specific service delivery projects and is included under charitable activities in the Statement of Financial Activities

3 Other income Court reports Training Rental Social placements Other	2024 2023 All Unrestricted All Unrestricted £000 £000 - 1 6 5 38 30 56 35 10 18
	110 89

We Are With You Notes to the financial statements continued

4 Expenditure - 2024 Costs of raising funds Fundraising Charitable expenditure Adult services Mental health services Young people's and family se Profile and influence Total Included in support costs are Expenditure - 2023 Costs of raising funds Fundraising Charitable expenditure Adult services Mental health services Young people's and transitio Profile and influence Total Included in support costs are 5 Allocation of support costs 2024 Fundraising Adult services Mental health services Young people's and transition Profile and Influence Total Allocation of support costs 2023 Fundraising Adult services Mental health services Young people's and transition Profile and Influence Total	Direct Staff Other Support 2024 2023 costs direct costs costs Total Total £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 144 25 24 193 197 43,038 15,776 8,568 67,382 56,807 5,041 339 784 6,164 5,887 rvices 3,924 451 637 5,012 4,558 652 188 122 962 539 52,799 16,779 10,135 79,713 67,988 staff costs totalling £6,117k (2023; £5,125k) Direct Staff Other Support 2023 2022 costs direct costs costs Total Total £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 143 29 25 197 170 36,139 13,529 7,139 56,807 49,782 4,826 321 740 5,887 5,704 nal services 3,544 442 573 4,558 4,039 231 240 68 539 367 44,883 14,560 8,545 67,988 60,062 staff costs totalling £5,125k (2022; £4,595k) Executive & Central Admin Finance, IT & HR Governance Quality Bidding for New Services 2024 Total 2023 Total £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 3 16 0 4 1 24 24 1,152 5,421 142 1,332 521 8,568 7,140 105 496 13 122 48 784 740 a 86 403 11 99 39 638 573 16 77 2 19 7 121 68
	1,362 6,413 168 1,576 616 10,135 8,545
	Executive & Central Admin Finance, IT & HR Governance Quality Bidding for New Services 2023 Total 2022 Total £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 4 14 - 4 2 24 20 1,152 4,137 138 1,250 463 7,140 6,129 119 429 14 130 48 740 703 a 92 332 11 100 37 573 499 11 39 1 12 4 68 46
	1,378 4,950 164 1,496 555 8,545 7,397

Support costs have been allocated in relation to direct costs.

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Governance costs Staff costs Audit fees and other fees payable to auditor Trustees' expenses Trustees' indemnity insurance Company secretariat	2024 2023 £000 £000 39 45 77 74 1 - 2 2 49 44
	168 164

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Financial statements

7 Net income for the year is stated after charging: Depreciation Amortisation Loss on disposal of fixed assets Trustees' indemnity insurance Trustees' expenses Auditors' remuneration: Audit of the charity accounts - current year Operating lease rentals: Property	2024 2023 £000 £000 410 75 83 - 179 - 2 2 1 - 77 74 1,513 1,542

No trustee received any remuneration from We Are With You in the current or preceding years.

Five trustees were reimbursed £1k of expenses for travel, subsistence and subscriptions (2023: none)

We Are With You

We Are With You
Notes to the financial statements continued Employees 8 Employees The total costs of salaries and wages were as follows: Salaries and wages Social security costs Pension contributions Agency/support staff Other staff costs	2024 2023 £000 £000 48,494 41,177 4,537 3,953 2,871 2,429 2,783 2,256 231 193
	58,916 50,008

Redundancy and other termination costs included in expenditure during the year were £313k (2023: £639k)

The average number of employees was as follows: Fundraising Young people and family services Adult services Mental health services Profile and influence Governance The number of employees whose emoluments exceeded £60,000 were: £60,001 - £70,000 £70,001 - £80,000 £80,001 - £90,000 £90,001 - £100,000 £100,001 - £110,000 £110,001 - £120,000 £120,001 - £130,000 £130,001 - £140,000 £140,001 - £150,000 £150,001 - £160,000 £160,001 - £170,000 £201,000-£211,000	2024 2023 No. No. 3 3 139 125 1,364 1,132 157 159 14 5 3 2
	1,680 1,426
	2024 2023 No. No. 24 17 5 7 5 4 1 1 2 1 1 - 1 - - 1 - 1 - 1 1 - - 1

The average number of employees was as follows:
Fundraising
Young people and family services
Adult services
Mental health services
Profile and influence
Governance
The number of employees whose emoluments exceeded £60,000 were:
£60,001 - £70,000
£70,001 - £80,000
£80,001 - £90,000
£90,001 - £100,000
£100,001 - £110,000
£110,001 - £120,000
£120,001 - £130,000
£130,001 - £140,000
£140,001 - £150,000
£150,001 - £160,000
£160,001 - £170,000
£201,000-£211,000

2024
2023
No.
No.
3
3
139
125
1,364
1,132
157
159
14
5
3
2

1,680
1,426

2024
2023
No.
No.
24
17
5
7
5
4
1
1
2
1
1
-
1
-
-
1
-
1
-
1
1
-
-
1

All of these employees accrue benefits under the defined contribution pension scheme. Total pension contributions paid for these employees were £190k (2023; £135k)

The total amount of remuneration and employee benefits received by key management personnel for their services during the year was £1,102k (2023: £1,275k). Key management personnel relates to the Executive Board members.

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Financial statements

We Are With You

Notes to the financial statements continued

9 Fixed assets Tangible fixed assets The charity Cost at the start of the year Additions Disposals Cost at the end of the year Accumulated depreciation at the start of the year Depreciation for the year Depreciation for the year on disposals Accumulated depreciation at the end of the year Net book value at the end of the year Net book value at the start of the year 10 Intangible Fixed Assets Cost at the start of the year Additions Disposals Cost at the end of the year Accumulated amortisation at the start of the year Amortisation for the year Amortisation for the year on disposals Accumulated Amortisation at the end of the year Net book value at the end of the year Net book value at the start of the year	Freehold Land & Buildings Improve- ments to short leasehold premises Fixtures, fittings, equipment and vehicles Computers and IT equipment Total 2024 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 410 1,655 127 315 2,507 - 759 146 709 1,614 - (1,181) - (259) (1,440)
	410 1,233 273 765 2,681
	81 1,487 89 308 1,965 7 211 22 170 410 - (1,002) - (259) (1,261)
	88 696 111 219 1,114
	322 537 162 546 1,567
	329 168 38 7 543
	IT Software Development £000 - 585 - 585 - 83 - 83 502 -

Debtors

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Creditors and accrued expenses Amounts falling due within one year Trade creditors Social security and other taxes Other creditors Deferred income Accruals	2024 2023 £000 £000 1,104 837 1,134 977 518 473 780 1,280 4,348 5,315
	7,884 8,883

Included in accruals is a provision for dilapidations following an internal review of our property estate £782k 2024 (£1,442k 2023). There is also a provision for other potential legal matters.

The estimated future costs of dilapidations and other legal matters are reviewed annually and adjusted as appropriate.

Other creditors includes outstanding pensions contributions at year end of £372k (2023: £327k)

			2024	2023
			£000	£000
Amount falling due after more than one year			120	116
The long term creditor relates to a loan from Big Issue Invest of £100,000 taken out on		4th March 2019,	repayable by one	final payment
with an interest rate of 4%, due to be repaid by 31st	October 2025
Movements in deferred income	Balance b/f	Released	Received	Balance c/f
		to SOFA	in year
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Deferred due to timing of receipt	1,280	(1,280)	780	780

Deferred income relates to income received for services which will be delivered in the next financial year

Net Debt Reconciliation Cash Loans falling due after more than a year Total Cash	At Start of Year Cash Flows Other At End of Year £000 £000 £000 £000 16,848 (3,357) 13,491 (116) (4) (120)
	16732 (3357) (4) 13371

Amounts falling due within one year Trade debtors Accrued income Other debtors Prepayments	2024 2023 £000 £000 7,027 5,479 2,546 2,518 173 166 490 341
	10,236 8,504

Other debtors includes a pension bond agreement £164k for a local government pension scheme as a guarantor of obligations as an admitting body

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We Are With You Annual Report 2024

Financial statements

We Are With You Notes to the financial statements continued

Movements in funds Net Income for the year before transfers Transfers Net Movement in Funds Balance at the start of the year Balance at the end of the year Restricted funds Revenue grants Drink Wise, Age Well The Pluss Organisation CIC Ixion Holdings (Contracts) Ltd The Youth Endowment Fund Charitable Trust Other funds	General Charitable Designated Restricted Total funds fund funds 2024 £000 £000 £000 £000 472 - 424 895 (26) 26 - -
	446 26 424 895 8,800 3,043 5,053 16,896
	9,246 3,069 5,477 17,791
	Balance at Balance at 1 April 31 March 2023 Income Expenditure 2024 £000 £000 £000 £000 - - - - - 59 (59) - - 2 (2) - 49 197 (214) 32 5,004 19,316 (18,875) 5,445
Total restricted funds	5,053 19,574 (19,150) 5,477

Analysis of charity net assets between funds Fixed assets Current assets Current liabilities Long term liabilities Prior year analysis of charity net assets between funds Fixed assets Current assets Current liabilities Long term debtors Long term liabilities	General Charitable Designated Restricted Total funds fund funds 2024 £000 £000 £000 £000 - 2,069 - 2,069 17,250 1,000 5,477 23,727 (7,884) - - (7,884) (120) - - (120)
	9,246 3,069 5,477 17,792
	General Charitable Designated Restricted Total funds fund funds 2023 £000 £000 £000 £000 - 543 - 543 17,636 2,500 5,052 25,188 (8,883) - - (8,883) 164 - - 164 (116) - - (116)
	8,801 3,043 5,052 16,896

Restricted funds include new government funding to support substance misuse services made available during 22/23 and 23/24, as well as including various grants and donations received from funders to support future services.

Restricted funds	Balance at			Balance at
	1 April			31 March
	2022	Income	Expenditure	2023
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Revenue grants
Fulfilling Lives Multiple Needs - Blackpool	26	-	(26)	-
Drink Wise, Age Well	129	1	(130)	-
The Pluss Organisation CIC	10	274	(284)	-
Ixion Holdings (Contracts) Ltd	-	62	(62)	-
Active Pluss Community Interest Company	5	147	(152)	-
The Youth Endowment Fund Charitable Trust	42	233	(226)	49
Other funds	3,307	13,736	(12,040)	5,004
Total restricted funds	3,519	14,453	(12,920)	5,053
Designated funds	Balance at			Balance at
	1 April			31 March
	2023	Expenditure	Transfers	2024
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Service delivery and technical infrastructure	2,000	(828)	(535)	637
Workforce development and employee engagement	500	(359)	222	363
Fixed and intangible assets	543	(493)	2,019	2,069
Total designated funds	3,043	(1,680)	1,706	3,069

In accordance with We Are With You's reserves policy, the designated fund represents fixed and other assets that cannot be readily converted into cash. At 31 March 2024 this was made up £2,069k representing the net book value of unrestricted assets. As part of the 2023/24 annual accounts the Trustees have approved the establishment of a designated reserve fund of £1m to support organisation wide projects.

The projects continue to focus on: Service delivery and techinical infrastructure Investment in workforce development and employee engagement The investments will be utilised through 2024/25

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Financial statements

We Are With You Notes to the financial statements continued SOFA Comparatives

18 Statement of Financial Activities - detail of comparative figures

Unrestricted funds £000 199 - 89	Restricted funds £000 17 - -	Total funds 2023 £000 216 - 89
288	17	305
47,232 5,847 3,710	12,884 230 1,322	60,116 6,077 5,032
56,789	14,436	71,225
57,077	14,453	71,530
197	-	197
197	-	197
45,485 5,656 3,190 538	11,322 230 1,368 -	56,807 5,886 4,558 538
54,869	12,920	67,789

55,066	12,920	67,986

2,011	1,533	3,544

2,011 9,832	1,533 3,519	3,544 13,351
11,843	5,052	16,895

We Are With You

Notes to the financial statements continued

19 Lease obligations

2024	2023
£000	£000

The following payments are committed to be paid in the future in respect of leases:

Operating leases on land, buildings, vehicles and equipment, by expiry date: Under one year Two to five years Over five years Total commitments	901 655 1,345 1,882 47 349
	2,294 2,885

We Are With You Notes to the financial statements continued

Pension schemes

20

The pension cost charge for the charity’s defined contributions schemes represents contributions payable under the schemes by the charity and amounted to £2,605k (2023: £2,196k).

We Are With You had Direction Employer status with the NHS Pension Scheme in relation to employees at a number of its projects during the year. The Scheme is an unfunded, defined benefit scheme, preparing its own statements, that covers NHS employers, general practices and other bodies, allowed under the direction of the Secretary of State, in England and Wales. The Scheme is not designed to be run in a way that would enable We Are With You to identify its share of the underlying Scheme assets and liabilities. Therefore, the Scheme is accounted for as if it were a defined contribution scheme and the cost of the Scheme is taken as being equal to the contributions payable to the Scheme for the accounting period. The total employer contributions payable in the year were £240k (2023: £207k). For both years employer contributions were paid at 14% of pensionable salary. Member contributions are between 5% - 14.5% of pensionable salary. At 31 March 2024 there were 45 (2024: 40) active members in the scheme employed by We Are With You.

We Are With You has Admitted Body status with the Local Government Pension Scheme in Shropshire, Hereford and Greater Manchester and Merseyside. The Scheme is a multi-employer defined benefit scheme. The total employer contributions payable in the year were £10k (2023: £26k).

Ultimate Controlling Party

21

There is no ultimate controlling party

Related Party Transactions

There are no related party transactions

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We Are With You Annual Report 2023/24

Our mission has always been to help one another.

From the beginning, we’ve provided vital services for those experiencing challenges with alcohol, drugs, or mental health. But there’s still much to be done.

Our name reflects who we are – it’s a statement of intent, of support, and of our commitment to work side by side with our clients as equals, to help them believe that the change they want to make is possible.

We won’t stop until we achieve our vision of a future free from harm caused by alcohol, drug and mental health challenges, where anyone seeking help feels welcomed, not judged. We Are WithYou.

Dianne, Volunteer, Redcar and Cleveland

142

witlyou

2024-03-31-accounts

1 April 2023 - 31 March 2024 Annual Report and Accounts

Contents

About us

Young per ~~so~~ n’s services

Digital services

Welcome from Simon, CEO

Our mission is to continue to:

Our three refined organisational goals are:

Welcome from Anne, Chair

Our investments, as a charitable

Our impact in numbers

We received

We Are WithYou goals

Where we work

Enhancing support, empowering change

Our impact in stories

Goals achieved:

Ready when you are: staying committed to your recovery

Goals achieved:

Graham, Client

At a glance

Achievement spotlight

Goals achieved:

Making positive change together

Remember the 2021/22 Annual Report?

Goals achieved:

Navigating recovery together: Treatment Pathways

Understanding

Engagement

Awareness

Sustain

Change

Onwards

Preparation

Goals achieved:

With you every step of the way: Creating lasting recovery a

ROADS to Rehab

Did you know?

In 2023/24 ROADS issued 149 naloxone kits to professionals and 520 naloxone kits to clients.

Zoe, Client, Rotherham

Goals achieved:

Understanding the whole picture

Outreach spotlight: Our Fife harm reduction van

Goals achieved:

Micro-elimination: Where are we now?

Jane*, Client, Fife

What does micro-elimination mean?

Making BBV testing part of the routine

Bringing treatment straight to you

Goals achieved:

Empowering our clients to THRIVE

Goals achieved:

Helping our young people get back on track

The Missing From Home Service

The team does this by:

Goals achieved:

Reclaiming wellbeing: How NHS Talking Therapies support mental health

At a glance

Goals achieved:

Being there when it matters most

Goals achieved:

Setting the stage for recovery: From start to finish

Goals achieved:

We currently sit on three different platforms:

Know the Score:

Barod:

UK In-Person Services:

Achievements spotlight

Goals achieved:

Investing in our people, services and future

Empowering our team

Connecting, listening and involving

Ben Reynolds, Head of Volunteering and Client Engagement

Award winning volunteers

Celebrating our volunteers

Looking forward

Strategy

SSMTRG funding

Treatment Pathways

Young per so n’s services

**Jane*, Client, Fife**