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2021-03-31-accounts

beingthere life limiting illness support Annual Report 2020- 2021 Her (th www.beingthere.org.uk

Jim Yates Chair CALLplus Board of Trustees

Chair of Board of Trustees Report 2020 - 2021

As I am sure you will all appreciate, the year to the end of March 2021 has been the most unusual, challenging and dif � cult period for Being There, its staff, volunteers and service users. The Board of Trustees has worked to provide an appropriate framework in which the CEO, Karen Mercer, the management team and volunteers could deliver the best possible service whilst adhering to the guidance on dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Their performance has been admirable, demonstrating creative, innovative thinking, a shared willingness to � nd effective ways of working and importantly doing so with a positive, helpful and compassionate spirit. Being There has certainly lived up to its name over the last year or so and we look forward to reinstating our traditional services whilst building on what we have learned over the crisis period.

We took the decision to cease face to face service provision at the end of the previous business year, in the light of advice from Government and the NHS. We await advice on when we can return to what will no doubt be a new “normal”.

We have all found ways of working together but apart – using technology to maintain contact and allow remote working. This has been extended to service provision with telephone / internet befriending, online social groups, care packages and the roll out of technology based solutions to appropriate service users. We will be looking to see how we can integrate these ideas into our service provision as normality returns.

It has been particularly rewarding to see how the recently introduced Counselling Service, Being Heard, has � ourished and how this has aided our approach to diversifying funding. The board looks forward to seeing this progress continue.

It is with great sadness that it falls to me to report the deaths of two great stalwarts of the charity. We lost our Founder and Life President Tom Brown and fellow Trustee, Eddie Hurst, within a few months of each other. It is dif � cult to overstate the impact of losing these dear friends, guiders and radical thinkers but the board will do our best to honour their contribution. I am sure that future discussions are likely to include questions as to “what would Tom have done?”. Similarly, I am convinced that we will miss Eddie’s good humour, cheery greetings and his well-timed, probing and challenging questions and that will provoke us to deeper thought. Both may be gone but their in � uence will continue to guide our thinking. We are examining options on how best to honour their contributions to Being There. We are actively seeking additional trustees to diversify our thinking and � ll gaps in our skill sets.

On a happier note, we have welcomed Victor Hassan as a trustee. Victor’s extensive experience in both the legal and charitable sectors and his diligent approach has been a great bene � t to us all.

On behalf of the trustees, I extend thanks to Karen, the management team and volunteers – without them we simply can’t be there for our service users. We give especial thanks to those volunteers who have decided that the time is right for them to retire and welcome the new volunteers who have joined us during the pandemic. We thank you all and appreciate your sacri � ce, dedication and willingness to help. I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible in the near future.

The � nancing of the charity, is covered in the accounts section where an overview of the key issues can also be found. We continue to face uncertainties in the future funding regime but our efforts to diversify the sources of funds have paid dividends.

We have also taken active steps to continue to diversify our client and volunteer base and engage with a broader range of communities in Greater Manchester. We regard this as a key priority, particularly as it is clear that disadvantaged and minority groups have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. We will continue to make focused efforts to deal with the disparities in need and the reach of our services.

It is heartening to hear that clients have appreciated the efforts we have taken to provide support under the most trying of conditions. This re � ects the hard work, dedication and effective action of the management team and volunteers alike. Thank you for being there to ensure that we can be there for our clients.

The board looks forward to an even more successful year and the opportunity to meet you all in person. Thank you.

Jim Yates

Jim Yates

Chair CALLplus Board of Trustees

1st July 2021

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Callplus (trading as Being There) Board of Trustees

1st April 2020 to 31st March 2021

Chair: Jim Yates

Honorary President: Tom Brown (Deceased December 2020)

Treasurer: Philip Eagle

Trustee: Trustee: Trustee: Trustee: Trustee: Trustee: Dr Minaxi Desai Atta Han � Victor Hassan Heather Henry Nigel Day Edward Hurst (Deceased January 2021)

CALLplus Staff - 1st April 2020 to 31st March 2021

Chief Executive: Karen Mercer
Finance Manager: Rosalyn Cooper
Being Heard Counselling Manager: Rebecca Turner
Branch Manager North Branch Manager: Rebecca Turner
Branch Manager: South: Paula Hewitt
Branch Manager: Salford: Deborah Wynn
Branch Manager Tameside: Suzanne Roberts
Branch Manager Trafford: Flora Washburn
Volunteer Recruitment Co-ordinator: Jeff Boardman
Support Services Assistants: Iain Phillips, Anam Siddiqi, Alison Thomas, Les Whalley

Annual Report 2020 - 2021

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Karen Mercer Chief Executive

Chief Executive’s Report 2020 - 2021

Taking stock of the year as I do now, it almost goes without saying how dif � cult it has been for so many, in so many ways. Many of us have experienced, loss, isolation and sadness in abundance; our world has been more than metaphorically turned upside down. Yet, despite all the dif � culties, Being There has remained resolutely ‘here’ for those already challenged by the diagnosis of a life-limiting illness.

As many of you know, we have had losses ourselves. Our founder, Tom Brown, and trustee, Eddie Hurst, died within months of one other. One way of dealing with their loss has been to give thanks for the huge contributions they made to Being There’s listening ethos. More formal acknowledgements will be special activities for volunteers and staff training bursaries created in their names.

Wholehearted thanks are due to all our hard-working staff and volunteers whom, despite the rapid changes and dif � culties brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, have continued to deliver the care and support we at Being There pride ourselves in. It has been a tremendous team effort with each member ‘doing their bit’ and some; a testament to resilience if ever there was. I must also thank the Board of Trustees for their efforts in steering the charity successfully through this tumultuous year.

We, too, are listening; to the expertise of our colleagues at LMCP and Diversity Matters North West to ensure we are reaching all the diverse communities of Greater Manchester, especially those disproportionately affected by the pandemic. We have welcomed and increased the number of bilingual volunteers to the team this year but there is more recruitment to be done.

Several funders have contributed to our efforts to ‘be there’ during this Covid-19 period. Huge thanks are due to The Gar � eld Weston Trust for their core grant of £20, 000. The Big Lottery Community Fund also awarded £25, 000 towards the running costs of our Tameside & Glossop branch. Smaller, but no less welcome, grants came from CAF Bank, Forever Manchester, Action Together and Salford CVS towards Covid related costs and digital equipment. These grants have contributed to our sustainability and responsiveness during this � nancially challenging year.

Alongside our NHS contracted delivery, Being There worked in partnership with the NHS and local councils on emergency Covid support, the vaccine rollout, communicating pandemic related health messages and, in Salford, working directly on the Spirit of Salford helpline.

Finally, my thoughts return to our clients who regularly tell us how much they have bene � tted from the one-to-one telephone and internet-based befriending, twice monthly online social groups and personcentred counselling we have offered.

I hope as we move forwards out of the pandemic restrictions that we at Being There face whatever comes our way with fortitude and resilience to adapt and deliver as we have for the past 39 years!

Thanks to all who have contributed to Being There. WE couldn’t do it without YOU.

Karen Mercer

Karen Mercer Chief Executive

1st July 2021

Annual Report 2020 - 2021

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Being There Branch Reports 1st April 2020 to 31st March 2021

Being There North to Central Manchester

Branch Manager Rebecca Turner

Being There North Manchester Volunteers

• Joy Barker • Tony Kennedy Frank Pearson • Sheila Roban • John Bosley • Khadija Khaleel • Clare Ratchford • Cheryl Robinson • Tommy Day • Maretta Patten • Jim Roban • Susan Siswick

With thanks to the volunteers who have retired/left in this period

Clare Ratchford joined us early on in the pandemic as a telephone support volunteer and gave lots of her time to our clients and we are extremely grateful. Clare is now enjoying her time taking care if her young granddaughter while her parents go out to work.

Branch Activities

April 2020 Manager attended online webinar training for “Safeguarding in the community”. August 2020 Manager attended online training with the NHS for “Cancer Screening Programmes”. August 2020 Manager and some of the volunteer drivers delivered care packages to our client group. November 2020 Manager launched the new “Online Social Group” for all clients & volunteers of Being There. February 2021 Manager attended an online meeting with The Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councillor Tommy Judge, to discuss our experience and challenges over the past 12 months working through the Covid-19 pandemic. February 2021 Manager attended an online training webinar with Manchester Community Central – Local surge testing and what we need to know.

Donations

September 2020 £250 received from the estate of the late Jessie O’Reilly who volunteered with Being There for over 25 years

Annual Report 2020 - 2021

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Being There South Manchester

Branch Manager Paula Hewitt

Bein There South Volunteers g

  - Derek Pretswell

With thanks to the volunteers who have retired/left in this period

We said goodbye to our volunteer, Katherine Hosking, who returned home to America.

Branch Activities

Donations

Donation of £100 received from Siemens – Being There nominated by daughter of a client we have supported.

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Being There Salford

Branch Manager Deborah Wynn

Being There Salford Volunteers

With thanks to the volunteers who have retired/left in this period

We would like to say thank you and farewell to the following volunteers; Gordon Bury, James Coffeey, Stefan Conciu, Susan Ferguson, David Greenhalgh, Angela Harris, Tanya Louis, Owen Nunney, Janet Strike, Susan Stott and a special thank you to our longstanding volunteer (and former Salford Branch Manager) Margaret Carlton who had supported Being There for over two decades.

Branch Activities

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Being There Tameside

Branch Manager Suzanne Roberts

Being There Tameside Volunteers

• Panna Shah

• Rosemary Maddy

• Mahesh Shah

With thanks to the volunteers who have retired/left in this period

Siobhan Devlin, Mariana Macedo and Hannah McConville left the service after providing invaluable telephone befriending.

Branch Activities

Tameside branch has had a productive 12 months despite the pandemic and adaptations to the services we provide. Most noticeably our volunteer base grew thanks to our awareness raising across social media and online Zoom information sessions. We also attracted further funding for the branch via The Big Lottery, Gar � eld Weston and Forever Manchester. We also continued to develop our partnership working with Cancer Warriors, Diversity Matters North West (DMNW), Indian Community, Henshaws and Silverchord. We have risen to the challenge and thrived!

June 2020 Being There Tameside was delighted to receive “The High Sheriff of Greater Manchester 'Special Recognition Award' for outstanding activity and contribution of our volunteers to the community during the C-19 pandemic

August 2020, December 2020 & April 2021 Being There staff and volunteers delivered care packs to clients. This enabled us to safely see many of our clients, check in on their wellbeing and bring some hope and positivity! Sept 2020 Tameside branch moved to a new home The Old Courthouse, Dukin � eld

Nov 2020 Being There online social group was born! Fun sessions included: nostalgia � lm clips, local history talks, quizzes, arts & crafts, bingo, exercise and mindfulness to name a few!

Dec 2020 Christmas packs and gift cards delivered to clients and volunteers

Jan 2021 Tameside volunteer vaccinations started at Tameside General to prepare for face to face services

Jan 2021 The branch hosted its � rst Volunteer Information session on Zoom together with Being There’s Jeff Boardman and Action Together resulting in many new enquiries and applications!

Feb 2021 Tameside branch appeared in Tameside Council’s Community News brochure distributed to all Tameside residents, businesses, community groups and charities.

Notable fundraising activities

May 2020 Forever Manchester awarded £5000 to Being There (£1000 to Tameside) to help towards the costs of running our listening line.

June 2020 Gar � eld Weston foundation awarded Being There Tameside £20,000.

June 2020 The National Lottery Community Fund awarded Being There Tameside a cash grant of £25,000.

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Being There Trafford

Branch Manager Flora Washburn

Being There Trafford Volunteers

With thanks to the volunteers who have retired/left in this period

Duncan Salton Special thanks to Duncan for his dedication to our clients as a volunteer driver, always on hand to get clients to and from their vital appointments with a smile. We wish you the very best Duncan.

Eileen Grif � n A very big thank you to Eileen who supported Being There for a number of years, helping transport clients to and from appointments, supporting the social group and acting as a telephone befriender during the pandemic. You will be very much missed by our clients. All the best Eileen!

Linda Whitelegg A tremendous thank you to Linda, who volunteered with Being There for an enormous 15 years. Linda’s dedication to our charity has been invaluable in improving the lives of many of our clients. Linda visited people in their homes, supported our social group and helped transport clients to and from the group. We will truly miss her. All the best Linda!

McCloud Ngonga Thank you to McCloud for his commitment to Being There. Despite being unable to volunteer during the pandemic, McCloud was always enthusiastic and keen to step in to help. Best wishes for the future McCloud!

Branch Activities

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Volunteer Promotion and Recruitment

Jeff Boardman

It has been an extremely dif � cult year for everyone. Being There has had to adjust how we work and how we communicate with our clients, managers and potential volunteers.

New technology has been very useful, but it is no replacement for personal face to face contact!

I have attended Virtual Recruitment Fairs online with other charities and organisations across Greater Manchester. The recruitment fairs are well attended and give Being There a captive audience to try to recruit new volunteers. Being There have a 10-minute slot for me to explain what great support work we provide in the community and what we are looking for in new volunteers.

I have worked with Action Together in Tameside to produce a Being There Volunteer questions and answer video that has been posted on YouTube. This has ensured that our services are publicised and to identify what really good volunteering opportunities are available.

I have kept in touch with our partner organisations such as Macmillan, The Wythenshawe Forum and the Tameside Indoor Market to let them know that we are still providing support for clients, to offer our services and to maintain some continuity with them.

Minutes Matter Support

I have also been able to provide support to some of our clients across our branches. It has been a pleasure keeping in touch with some great people using different methods of communication. We have learned together with our clients how to use new technology such as WhatsApp and Zoom.

I have developed good relationships with these clients during the last 14 months and look forward to our conversations every week. However, I am so looking forward to meeting our clients and potential volunteers in person. Being There is looking forward to a brighter future!

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Being There Counselling Service

Rebecca Turner

The Being There Counselling Service “Being Heard” managed by Rebecca Turner continued to offer counselling 1 day a week via telephone and online to our clients and carers ensuring they were still offered a much-needed con � dential therapeutic service.

All referrals into the service have been managed effectively allowing our clients to receive counselling sessions within a 2-3 week turn around from the referral being received. This was our vision when setting up the service, it is so important to offer a client who is ready to engage in therapy access to sessions as soon as possible.

This � nancial year we have been able to offer counselling to 42 clients completing 261 therapeutic hours. We have supported 36 clients and 6 carers of which 27 have been females and 15 males.

42 clients completing 261 therapeutic hours 36 clients | 6 carers | 27 females | 15 males

We have continued to offer placements to student counsellors from Salford University and The Manchester College.

Jessica Humphries Juliet Christmas Flora Washburn Salford University The Manchester College The Manchester College

As we continue to expand the counselling service we are able to continue to work closely with the local universities and offer more student placements.

Towards the end of the � nancial year we were able to open up our service to outside referrals ensuring the client is an adult living with a life limiting illness or a carer. We have noticed an increase in referrals and are very proud that we are offering this extra service.

We decided that the counselling service should come under a different name to differentiate the services already offered and “Being Heard” seemed very � tting with what we do. As the service has expanded it has become necessary to extend the running days from 1 day a week to 5 days a week. In the coming � nancial year Rebecca Turner will run the service as Counselling Manager full time, allowing more clients and carers access to the service which is proving to be a much needed part of the Being There service.

The Being Heard team lead by Ann Grant were able to run 3 Wellbeing Groups online which ran for 6 weeks for clients and volunteers who needed some support but may not have been ready for one to one counselling. The wellbeing groups worked on thoughts, feelings, behaviours, relaxation and mindfulness which the clients really enjoyed.

Following on from the online wellbeing group we noticed that the clients really bene � ted from meeting up each week and seeing others in a social setting. Becky then created with the support of Karen and the other branch manger’s an online social group to run fortnightly for clients and volunteers from across all the Being There branches, this enabled clients and volunteers some social interaction they had been missing in the pandemic and we continue to run the groups fortnightly. The groups have been a huge success and we have had some great feedback allowing us to consider the online groups continuing in the future when we are back to a face to face service.

We are hoping that in the coming � nancial year we are able to get back to a face to face service but we will ensure we do this when it is safe to do so for our clients, in the mean time we will continue to offer telephone and online therapy.

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What people say about Being There

“Volunteering makes me feel like I am making a difference! If you are thinking about volunteering, I would advise you to go for it! Do not hold back”“!

“The volunteers spend time building rapport with you. I can talk to my befriender in con � dence. I truly can laugh and cry with her”.

“I chose to volunteer for Being There because it � lls a gap in the care of people with life limiting illness. I do recommend volunteering for Being There for everyone. It is really rewarding”.

“I don’t know how I would have coped without the telephone support from Being There. Being There is the only service that has regularly kept in touch with me, listens to me and understands my needs.”

“My volunteer has been a lifeline when no one has been able to visit and when I have been really down”.

“The drivers reduce my stress and anxiety when going on my hospital appointments. They are all wonderful”.

“Over the past few months I’ve been matched with 2 different ladies, both of whom have been so lovely to talk to, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it. Of course initially there is apprehension on both sides, we don’t know each other but after a few calls you realise how important this service is to the person receiving the call; in addition you look forward to ringing them and you’re happy to hear that they’re ok, and its nice to listen and discuss a number of subjects”.

“The service is brilliant…absolutely wonderful! Receiving a phone call from my volunteer is like a lifeline and a friendly voice on the other side of the phone. It makes you feel appreciated”.

“I don’t know how you managed to get me to talk about the things I didn’t think I would, but you did it in such an easy way I felt so comfortable to share”.

“Volunteering has helped to keep me busy too and to appreciate all I have in my life. There’s nothing better than knowing you are really helping someone else and yourself too”!

“At this time of Covid the older members perhaps aren’t doing much, but it’s not long before you � nd common interests and you can chat away as long as necessary. You generally ring once a week at an agreed time and for what one puts in, i.e. time or effort, you get so much more back.”

“I chose to volunteer because I love to help people. [My befriendee] is great, we get on really well! Thank you for pairing me with her.”

“Being There have been fantastic, I don’t know what I would have done without them”.

“Several months ago during lockdown I was approached by BeingThere to ask if I had time to become a Befriender, which meant calling someone in the community who may have different levels of vulnerability, it didn’t take too long to agree. I had previous training & checks the year before to visit someone at their homes but this was obviously put on hold due to Covid”.

“Their support is priceless”.

“It means so much to me that someone is willing to call me and chat for an hour every week. My volunteer is such a lovely, young woman – always cheery and leaves me feeling positive at the end of the call”.

“My counsellor helped me to come to terms with two terminal diagnoses. I am so grateful for her support”.

“Being There has been a lifeline for me. I am severely disabled and completely housebound and don’t have much social interaction other than limited close family. Having access to support from Being There online group has literally been a lifesaver and has helped build my con � dence. I de � nitely feel I have found a place I belong, surrounded by support and care. This has helped drastically with my mental health and has offered a safety net during some challenging and dif � - cult times. I cannot thank Suzanne and the rest of the brilliant Being There Team and service users enough. Thank you for always Being There. Amazing charity, Amazing people”!

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Being There Impact Report 2020-2021

Measuring Impact

2020-21 has been a particularly dif � cult year for Being There clients who are trying to manage a life limiting illness or that of a family member. The Covid-19 pandemic has added additional layers of isolation, loneliness and anxiety to those already at greater risk of negative impacts following diagnosis. Demand for our empathic listening and psychological support services has increased, in some cases ten-fold, with many clients requesting weekly telephone support, where previously the would have managed on twice monthly or less. Our online support & social group, replacing our � ve, twice monthly face-to-face groups, has also seen regular attendances, although many in our client group are digitally excluded which we are actively trying to address.

Number of clients supported 412

Number of people receiving person-centred counselling 42

Client Outcomes (excluding counselling)

Helping to meet user wishes on preferred place of care 883 Improving Self-Management of long-term conditions 1080 Improving Patient/Carer experience/Wellbeing 6896 Reducing Isolation/Anxiety 6907

Reducing Inappropriate Admissions 893

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Case Studies

Gender – Male

Gender – Female

Age – 72

Age – 83

Condition – COPD, emphysema, acute insomnia and anxiety.

Condition – Breast cancer

Brief Overview

The client was referred to the service by her daughter who lives in South West England. Our client was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Due to her age and other health conditions, she was advised to have a Lumpectomy. She was worried about the operation in addition to the aftercare support, as she lives on her own and has no family nearby. It was evident when speaking to the branch manager that she had a lack of awareness and understanding about the procedure. The client was matched to a volunteer who successfully had a Lumpectomy 5 years ago. The befriender and the client shared their experiences of initial diagnosis. In the befriending sessions the volunteer elaborated on what happens before, during and after the operation. The branch manager also liaised with social services so they could contact the client and talk about their aftercare support. The client reported feeling informed and reassured about the future operation.

Brief Overview

Client was referred by the Macmillan Information Centre in July 2020 for hospital transport support and some telephone support. He lives alone but does have some family support. He was in and out of hospital at various stages during Covid as a result of his COPD, regularly having � are ups, and he had a fractured spine.

Although his family visit him, he can feel quite isolated and � nds it dif � cult to get outside much due to his COPD.

What Being There does

Being There provides telephone support once a week. His illness affects him quite considerably and on a bad day he is unable to walk into his garden as his breathing is so bad. This makes things like cooking and having a shower extremely dif � cult as any form of movement causes a shortness in his breath and this makes him feel like he has no choice other than to just stay in. He � nds the telephone support calls extremely valuable as he can spend the whole day not speaking to anyone and being stuck inside his home so having contact with someone from the “outside world” is worth its weight in gold. During the phone calls, the client talks about anything and everything and enjoys having a wide-ranging conversation with no speci � c topics.

“I was in shock when I was diagnosed with cancer and I didn’t understand what the doctor was telling me. My befriender really made a difference to how I viewed the operation and she reduced my worries about the aftercare too.”

Being There’s intervention has resulted in the following outcomes:

  1. Reducing the number of DNAs (Did not Attend)

Being There’s intervention has resulted in the following outcomes:

  1. Reducing anxiety

  2. Improving patient experience/wellbeing

  3. Reducing isolation/anxiety

  4. Improving patient/carer experience wellbeing

  5. Improving self-management of long-term conditions

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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2021

CALL PLUS CHARITY REGISTERED NO. 1016053. COMPANY NO. 2709543. DIRECTORS' AND TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2021

CHAIR’S FOREWORD

An overview of the key issues faced by Being There, its performance and achievements during the business year to the end of March 2021 is presented in the introduction the Annual Report. The comments below are focused on the � nancial performance of the charity.

The funding we have received from the local NHS commissioners has remained broadly the same as for last year £227,428 (2020-21) compared with £225,158 (2019-20). We are grateful for their continued support. The funding regime for NHS in Greater Manchester has remained unchanged during the pandemic but we are aware that changes are envisaged as the commissioning structure is updated. We await advice on the likelihood and timing of any changes.

We also received continuing funding administered by Action Together for Tameside which has enabled the provision of services there for another year. As of the year end we have applied for funding from other sources which will hopefully provide some certainty us being able to offer these services on a longer, more sustainable basis.

The Counselling Service will be fully set up by the end of the � rst quarter of the 2021-22 business year. Similar comments on funding apply here. This has created the opportunity to recruit from within and has encouraged a further member of staff to bene � t from the Staff Development Bursary championed by Eddie Hurst.

As a result of the revisions to the level and types of services provided, the expenditure has reduced compared to previous years, resulting in a surplus of £59,767 compared with a de � cit of £8,774 reported last year. We anticipate that the charity will continue to operate at approximately break even as more normal conditions return. Some of this surplus has been allocated to additional staf � ng to support the counselling service and to facilitate our attempts to broaden the reach of the organisation. The involvement of an outside agency, IMPACT, reported last year has enabled us to apply for a broader range of funding and early indications are that this is likely to bear fruit early in the 2021 – 22 business year. The impact of changes to NHS payment practices has now worked its way through our accounts and the � gures quoted here are broadly comparable with those presented last year. As mentioned elsewhere we are aware of likely changes to the funding regime but have had no advice on the nature or likely impact of any such changes.

We have reviewed our governance procedures for funding operations. We have de � ned a basis for maintaining an appropriate reserve fund on an operational basis which takes account of both planned and imposed changes to the nature, location and extent of the services we provide. In parallel, we have allocated funding to enable extensions of our services on both a geographical and provision basis. This will involve the recruitment of additional staff to accomplish these aims.

The local Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), through our contracts with them, continue provide our core funding. This demonstrates that we continue to meet their understandably high requirements and to bridge the gap between NHS services in Greater Manchester and the support patients, carers and their families need. This re � ects the purpose for which we were originally set up. Currently we are working on the basis of agreed extension to existing contracts. We anticipate that the scope and basis of future contracts is likely to change in line with broader NHS restructuring.

The board of trustees together with the management team is taking appropriate steps to ameliorate these concerns, most notably by the engagement of a fundraising consultant, Impact, to help with the diversi � cation and increased professionalism of our funding processes.

The board remains aware of the need for greater diversity at all levels and continues to work with appropriate external agencies to reach and serve communities which need our help and have authorised expenditure to facilitate the desired improvements

On the staf � ng front, there have been no unplanned changes and we have been able to increase the involvement of several part-time workers to accommodate short-term workloads, holiday cover, etc. It is anticipated that at least two additional staff members will be recruited in 2021-22 to meet the planned growth of services

We have continued the practice of providing statistical details under the heading of “Client Outcomes”. This shows various ways in which we have helped service users by “Being There”. This information also demonstrates the bene � ts and savings we provide for the National Health Service and helps us to make a case for continued and enhanced funding. We are exploring methods to illustrate and identify the value of the indirect bene � ts our efforts deliver to carers, family and society at large.

Overall, this has been a very successful year for Being There despite the challenges of the pandemic and provides a basis for us to continue improvement as the various restrictions are lifted.

Jim Yates

Chair CALLplus Board of Trustees

Date: 1st July 2021

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CALL PLUS CHARITY REGISTERED NO. 1016053. COMPANY NO. 2709543. DIRECTORS' AND TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2021

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Company registration number is 2709543.

The Charity is registered with the Charity Commissioners. Its registration number is 1016053. The working name of the Charity is BEING THERE formerly CALL PLUS.

The registered of � ce of the Charity is 2-4 Primrose Avenue, Urmston, Manchester, M41 0TY. The Company Secretary is Ms K Mercer.

GOVERNING DOCUMENT

The Charity is constituted as a company limited by guarantee and is therefore governed by a memorandum and articles of association.

RECRUITMENT AND APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTORS AND TRUSTEES

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The Directors of the Company who are also Trustees of the Charity and who held of � ce during the year ended 31st March 2021 are as follows:

Mr N G S Day

Dr Minaxi Desai

Mr P Eagle

Mr A Han �

The directors of the Charity are also trustees of the Charity. They are appointed in accordance with company law and the Charity’s articles of association.

The articles require one third of the directors to retire each year. A retiring director is eligible for re-election. Additional directors may be co-opted during the year but must stand for election at the Annual General Meeting. Dr Minaxi Desai and Heather Henry are offering themselves for re-election.

Mr V Hassan

TRUSTEE INDUCTION AND TRAINING

Mrs H Henry

Mr E Hurst (deceased January 2021)

Mr J A Yates

SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM

Ms K Mercer – General Manager

Mrs Rosalyn Cooper - Finance Manager

Trustees normally attend a Board of Directors meeting prior to joining the Charity to meet their fellow trustees and are inducted by a longstanding trustee. They are briefed on their legal obligations under charity and company law and the content of the Memorandum and Articles of Association. Visits to the Charity’s branches to meet staff and volunteers are encouraged. Any new Trustee will undergo a formal training programme.

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER

The Charity’s independent examiner is: Mr James Wheelan FCCA of James Wheelan Accountancy, Minshull House, 67 Wellington Road North, Stockport, SK4 2LP.

RISK MANAGEMENT

The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the Charity is exposed, in particular those related to the operations and � nances of the Charity, and are satis � ed that systems are in place to mitigate our exposure to the major risks. The major income source is from a number of different Greater Manchester Clinical Commissioning Groups.

BANKERS

The Charity's bankers are currently: CAF Bank Ltd at 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ.

SOLICITORS

The Charity’s solicitors are: Chafes Hague Lambert at 2-4 Primrose Avenue, Urmston, Manchester M41 0TY.

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

The Charity is governed by its Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is responsible for formulating the strategy and policies for the Charity including the approval of budgets and the exercising of � nancial controls through regular � nancial reporting.

The Charity is run on a day-to-day basis by the Senior Management Team.

16

CALL PLUS CHARITY REGISTERED NO. 1016053. COMPANY NO. 2709543. DIRECTORS' AND TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2021

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

To promote the relief and support of any person affected, directly or indirectly,by cancer in any form or any other life-limiting illness by:-

In deciding what activities the charity should undertake the trustees have paid due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public bene � t.

The Charity operates from branches in Beswick (North/Central Manchester), Trafford, Salford Wythenshawe (South/Central Manchester) and Ashton-under-Lyne (Tameside) and through the telephone Listening Line on 0845 123 23 29.

The aim of the Charity is to achieve a high level of professionalism. Funding continues to be sought to support the central infrastructure to accelerate that process.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE 2020/21

FINANCIAL REVIEW

The attached � nancial statements show the current state of the � nances, which the Board of Trustees considers to be acceptable. Total incoming resources were £317,853 (2020 - £291,822) and the net income for the year was £59,767 (2020excess £8,774). Unrestricted funds amounted to £207,305 (2020 - £147,538) of which � xed assets represented £2,036.

PRINCIPAL FUNDING SOURCES

The Charity continued to work closely with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Central, North & South Manchester, Salford and Trafford CCGs and acquired the bulk of its funding through a one year contract made with these bodies. Remaining funds stemmed from donations and fund raising.

INVESTMENT POLICY

The Charity has a policy of re–investing surplus funds in the Charity in order to support service developments and improvement in line with user feedback and identi � ed gaps in the overall provision of support services for cancer and life limiting conditions. Available funds are held at CAF Bank or in term Bonds and short term deposits.

17

CALL PLUS CHARITY REGISTERED NO. 1016053. COMPANY NO. 2709543. DIRECTORS' AND TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2021

RESERVES POLICY

In the light of the funding pro � le of the charity, the board considers it appropriate to maintain a working reserve equivalent to either three months operating costs for the entire charity or six months operating costs for any individual branch, together with the associated costs of closing or relocating that branch, whichever is the higher.

This will provide the ability for an orderly close down of the organisation if necessary and or opportunities to explore alternative funding routes. For the current year, this value is assessed at £60,000, this � gure and the appropriateness of the policy is to be reviewed on an annual basis.

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

OUR AIMS FOR 2021/2022

The Charity continues to deliver the objectives listed in its memorandum of association.

STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES

The Trustees (who are also directors of Call Plus for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the � nancial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the trustees to prepare � nancial statements for each � nancial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these � nancial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the � nancial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure the � nancial 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.

This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions in Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime.

By order of the Board of Trustees

Jim Yates

Chair CALLplus Board of Trustees

Date: �������������2021

18

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF CALL PLUS CHARITY REGISTERED NO. 1016053. COMPANY NO. 2709543.

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the company for the year ended 31 March 2021 which are set out on pages 9 to 16.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND BASIS OF REPORT

As the charity’s trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (the 2006 Act).

Having satis � ed myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). In carrying out my examination, I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS' STATEMENT

Since the Company’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I con � rm that I am quali � ed to undertake the examination because I am member of the Association of Chartered Certi � ed Accountants (ACCA), which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I con � rm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

James Wheelan FCCA

Date: ������������ 2021

James Wheelan Accountancy Limited, Chartered Certi � ed Accountants

Minshull House, 67 Wellington Road North, Stockport, SK4 2LP.

19

CALL PLUS CHARITY REGISTERED NO. 1016053. COMPANY NO. 2709543. STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2021

Restricted Unrestricted Total Total
Funds Funds 2021 2020
Notes £ £ £ £
Income and endowments from
Donations and legacies 2 25,000 64,831 89,831 65,941
Charitable activities 3 - 227,428 227,428 225,158
Investments 4 - 594 594 723
---------- ------------ ------------ ------------
25,000 292,853 317,853 291,822
----------
------------
 ------------ ------------
Expenditure on
Fund raising 5 - 8,880 8,880 -
Charitable activities 6 24,716 224,490 249,206 300,596
----------
------------		 ------------ ------------
Total 24,716 233,370 258,086 300,596
----------
------------
 ------------ ------------
Net income/(expenditure) for the year 284 59,483 59,767 (8,774)
Funds brought forward at 1 April 2020 - 147,538 147,538 156,312
----------
------------
 ----------- -----------
Funds carried forward at 31 March 2021 284
207,021
 207,305 147,538
======
======
 ====== ======

All amounts relate to continuing operations

The Company has no recognised gains or losses other than as disclosed in the Statement of Financial Activities. The notes on pages 11 to 16 form part of these accounts.

20

CALL PLUS CHARITY REGISTERED NO. 1016053. COMPANY NO. 2709543. BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31ST MARCH 2021

2021 2020
Notes £ £
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible assets 9 2,036 557
CURRENT ASSET
Debtors 10 2,138 9,223
Investments 11 125,380 94,800
Cash at bank and in hand 12 85,387 55,050
------------ ------------
212,905 159,073
------------ ------------
LIABILITIES
Creditors: Amounts falling
due within one year 13 7,636 12,092
--------- ----------
NET CURRENT ASSETS 205,269 146,981
------------ ------------
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 207,305 147,538
====== ======
THE FUNDS OF THE CHARITY
Restricted funds 14 284 -
Unrestricted funds 14 207,021 147,538
------------ -----------
207,305 147,538
====== ======

The directors are satis � ed that the company is entitled to exemption from the requirement to obtain an audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to small companies subject to the small companies regime and in accordance with FRS102 SORP.

Approved by the Board of Trustees and signed on its behalf on 26 October 2021

J Yates Director and Trustee P Eagle Director and Trustee

The notes on pages 11 to 16 form part of these accounts

21

CALL PLUS CHARITY REGISTERED NO. 1016053. COMPANY NO. 2709543. NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2021

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

BASIS OF ACCOUNTING

These � nancial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant notes to these � nancial statements. These � nancial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014; with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102); with the Charities Act 2011 and with the Companies Act 2006.

The charity meets the de � nition of a public bene � t entity as de � ned by FRS 102.

FUND ACCOUNTING

Unrestricted funds are funds which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the Charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.

Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with speci � c restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the Charity for particular purposes. The cost of raising and administering such funds are charged against the speci � c fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the � nancial statements.

INCOME

Income is included in the Statement of Financial Affairs (SOFA) when the charity is legally entitled to the income, it is more than likely that the trustees will receive the funds and the amount can be measured with reasonable reliability.

Gift aid is included in income when there is a valid declaration from the donor. Any Gift Aid amount recovered on a donation is considered to be part of that gift and is treated as an addition to the same fund as the initial donation unless the donor has speci � ed otherwise.

Grants and donations are only included in the SoFA when the general income recognition criteria are met.

Legacies are included in the SOFA when receipt is probable, that is, when there has been grant of probate, the executors have established that there are suf � cient assets in the estate and any conditions attached to the legacy are either within the control of the charity or have been met.

Income from interest, royalties and dividends is included in the accounts when receipt is probable and the amount receivable can be measured reliably.

There has been no offsetting of assets and liabilities, or income and expenses, unless required or permitted by the FRS 102 SORP or FRS 102.

EXPENDITURE

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classi � ed under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. The irrecoverable element of VAT is included with the item of expense to which it relates. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with use of the resources.

Fundraising costs are those incurred raising income for the charity through events.

Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its bene � ciaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.

22

CALL PLUS CHARITY REGISTERED NO. 1016053. COMPANY NO. 2709543. NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2021

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

The charity made no redundancy payments during the reporting period.

No material item of deferred income has been included in the accounts.

The charity has creditors which are measured at settlement amounts less any trade discounts

A liability is measured on recognition at its historical cost and then subsequently measured at the best estimate of the amount required to settle the obligation at the reporting date

The charity accounts for basic � nancial instruments on initial recognition as per paragraph 10.7 FRS102 SORP. Subsequent measurement is as per paragraphs 11.17 to 11.19, FRS102 SORP.

VALUATION, CAPITALISATION AND DEPRECIATION OF TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

The charity capitalises relevant items that exceed £500 in cost. Tangible Fixed Assets are capitalised at cost and are depreciated over their estimated useful economic lives as follows:

Of � ce Furniture & Equipment 25% reducing balance

DEBTORS

Debtors are measured initially at the settlement amount due. Subsequently, they are measured at the cash or other consideration expected to be received.

INVESTMENTS

Investments are short term deposits held in UK banks, they are valued at initially at cost and subsequently at fair value (their market value) at the year end.

CASH AT BANK AND IN HAND

This relates to current accounts held with UK banks and petty cash.

TAXATION

The organisation is exempt from income tax by reason of its charitable status.

PENSION

The Charity contributes to a de � ned contribution scheme.

23

CALL PLUS CHARITY REGISTERED NO. 1016053. COMPANY NO. 2709543. NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2021


2. DONATIONS AND LEGACIES		 Restricted Unrestricted 2021 2020
£ £ £ £
Donations and gifts - 6,101 6,101 20,601
Gift Aid - 3,643 3,643 3,733
General grants provided by government/other charities 25,000 55,087 80,087 41,467
Other - - - 140
---------- ---------- ---------- -----------
25,000 64,831 89,831 65,941
====== ====== ====== ======
2021 2020

3. CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES		 £ £
Contracts for services:
NHS Salford CCG 55,678 56,383
NHS Trafford CCG 55,774 54,721
NHS North Manchester 57,988 57,027
NHS South Manchester 57,988 57,027
------------ ------------
227,428 225,158
====== ======
2021 2020

4. INCOME FROM INVESTMENTS		 £ £
Interest income 594 723
------- -------
594 723
==== ====
2021 2020

5. FUND RAISING		 £ £
Costs of goods sold and other costs 8,880 -
-------- --------
8,880 -
==== ====

24

CALL PLUS CHARITY REGISTERED NO. 1016053. COMPANY NO. 2709543. NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2021


6. CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES		 Restricted Unrestricted 2021 2020
£ £ £ £
Counselling, support and information:
Staff Costs: Counselling, support and information 19,683 174,964 194,647 200,419
Admin support - 17,542 17,542 16,074
Travelling & Volunteer Expenses 1,386 1,944 3,330 32,278
Telephone 275 3,397 3,672 4,153
Drop in Costs, Care Packs, Refreshments and Trips - 3,391 3,391 10,334
Depreciation - 508 508 187
Publicity and website 157 140 297 2,236
Professional Fees and independent examination 500 10,214 16,214 8,911
Others 2,715 12,890 15,605 26,004
---------- --------- ---------- ----------
24,716 224,490 249,206 300,596
====== ====== ====== ======
2021 2020
£
7. FEES FOR EXAMINATION OF THE ACCOUNTS		 £
Independent examiner’s fees 500 1,000
-------- ---------
500 1,000
==== ====
2021 2020

8. STAFF COSTS		 £ £
Wages & Salaries 191,109 195,018
Social Security Costs 12,394 13,050
Pension Costs 8,686 8,425
------------ ------------
212,189 216,493
====== ======
No employees earned £60,000 per annum or more.


The total employment bene�ts including employer pension
of the key management personnel were £35,085.		 2021
10
contributions		 2020
10
== ==
The average number of employees analysed by function was Services

De � ned contribution pension scheme

The amount recognised in the SOFA as an expense was £8,686 (2020: £8.425), the costs are allocated to restricted funds only when those costs are permitted to be under the terms of the restriction. Costs are allocated on the basis of time spent working on restricted projects.

TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND EXPENSES

The Trustees received no remuneration or expenses during the year (2020 – nil).

25

CALL PLUS CHARITY REGISTERED NO. 1016053. COMPANY NO. 2709543. NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2021

31ST MARCH 2021
Of�ce Furniture

9. TANGIBLE ASSETS		 & Equipment
£
COST
At 1st April 2020 7,254
Additions in Year 1,987
--------
At 31st March 2021 9,241
====
DEPRECIATION
At 1st April 2020 6,697
Charge for the year 508
--------
At 31st March 2021 7,205
====
NET BOOK VALUE
At 31st March 2021 2,036
====
At 31st March 2020 557
====
2021 2020

10. DEBTORS		 £ £
Other Debtors 1,124 6,716
Prepayments and accrued income 1,014 309
------- ------
2,138 7,025
==== ====
Cash & Cash

11. FIXED ASSET INVESTMENTS		 Equivalents
£
Carrying (fair) value at 1 April 2020 94,800
Additions to investments during period 30,580
Disposals at carrying value -
------------
Carrying (fair) value at 31 March 2021 125,380
======
All�xed asset investments are held at fair value.
2021 2020

12. CASH AT BANK AND IN HAND		 £ £
Short term deposits 51,535 37,722
Cash at bank and in hand 33,852 17,328
---------- ----------
85,387 55,050
===== =====

26

CALL PLUS CHARITY REGISTERED NO. 1016053. COMPANY NO. 2709543. NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2021

31ST MARCH 2021

13. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE		 2021 2020

WITHIN ONE YEAR		 £ £
Social Security & Other Taxes 4,319 4,315
Accruals and deferred income 2,045 6,560
Other Creditors 1,272 1,217
-------- --------
7,636 12,092
==== =====

14. ANALYSIS OF FUNDS		 Balance at Income Expenditure Transfer Balance at
01/04/20 £ £ £ 31/03/21
£ £
Restricted Funds – Big Lottery - 25,000 ( 24,716) - 284
Unrestricted funds 147,538 292,853 (233,370) - 207,021
------------ ------------ -------------- -------- ------------
147,538 317,853 (258,086) - 207,305
===== ===== ====== ===== ======

ANALYSIS OF FUNDS		 Balance at Income Expenditure Transfer Balance at

– PRIOR YEAR		 01/04/19 £ £ £ 31/03/20
£ £
Unrestricted funds 156,312 291,822 (300,596) - 147,538
------------ ------------ -------------- -------- ------------
156,312 291,822 (300,596) - 147,538
===== ====== ====== ===== =====

15. SHARE CAPITAL

The Company is limited by guarantee and does not have a share capital. The liability of each person is limited to £1.

27

For more further information: 0845 123 23 29

Visit our website at: www.beingthere.org.uk General Enquiries: info@beingthere.org.uk

www.facebook.com/BeingThereForYou

twitter.com/BeingThereGM

Being There is the brand name used by CALL PLUS - Registered Charity No 1016053 Company No.2709543. Registered in England - 2-4 Primrose Avenue, Urmston, Manchester, M41 0TY.