2023-02-28-accounts

Independent Examiner's Report on the Accounts of

RIVERSIDE COUNSELLING SERVICE

(charity no. 1018853)

for the year 1st March 2022 to 28th February 2023

I report on the accounts of the Charity for the year ended 28th February 2023, which are set out on the following page and prepared on an accruals basis.

Respective Responsibilities of Trustees & Examiner:

The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an Independent Examination is needed. It is my responsibility to:

-examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;

• -to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and

• to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of Independent Examiner's Report:

I am qualified to perform this examination as I am a retired member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales. My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view' and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent Examiner's Statement:

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:

1. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act;

2. the accounts do not accord with those records;

3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a “true and fair” view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent investigation.

Peter Goddard Staplers Cottage Shepherds Green Henley on Thames Oxon

Accounts for the year to 28[th] February 2023

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Year to 28 [th] Year to 28 [th] Year to 28 [th] Year to 28 [th]
February February February February
2023 2023 2023 2022
Restricted Unrestricted Total Total
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
Income:
Fees Received from Clients 141,094 141,094 132,709
Receipts from fundraising and donations 10,280 10,280 5,069
Grants 109,977 60,284 170,261 93,381
Total Income 109,977 211,658 321,635 231,159
Expenditure:
Clinical Management & Counselling 28,137 59,611 87,748 87,967
Supervision 5,457 24,898 30,355 32,438
Administrative Support 5,424 25,341 30,765 26,356
Room Hire 7,567 20,551 28,118 18,903
Assessment Support 2,747 20,891 23,638 21,954
Fundraising Staff Costs 22,798 22,798 17,489
Insurance 133 646 779 760
Stationery & Postage 21 152 173 354
Travel 218 1,679 1,897 2,034
Subscriptions 48 421 469 598
Equipment, IT & consulting 10,348 944 11,292 22,203
Telephone [phone]
Marketing 0
Other Costs 233 1,912 2,145 2,684
Training 11,515 30,607 42,122 54,047
Total Expenditure 71,851 210,491 282342 287,931
Net income / (expenditure) for the year 38,126 1,167 39,293 (56,772)
Funds brought forward 17,823 28,253 46,076 102,848
Funds carried forward 55,949 29,420 85,369 46,076
BALANCE SHEET
Cash in bank 60,906 34,502 95,408 70,147
Accounts Receivable 9,440 9,440 5,792
Accounts Payable (4,957) (14,522) (19,479) (26,607)
Accrued Expenses (3,256)
Current and Total Assets 55,949 29,420 85,369 46,076
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Approved on 12[th] June 2023

Adrian Marsh John Morrow

Chair

Treasurer

Analysis of Restricted Funds

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Donor b/fwd Income Expenditure c/fwd
Thamesfield YA 3,000 15,000 6,751 11,249
Doris Field 750 750 0
Coopers Charitable Trust 1,000 615 385
Tony Lane Foundation 5,000 5,000 0
SODC - Berinsfield 8592 4,265 4,327
Albert Hunt 4,000 3,810 190
OCC Councillor Bennett 2,500 0 2,500
Oxfordshire Community Foundation 1,903 7,500 6,208 3,195
Invesco Perpetual 5,000 5,000 0
Postcode Lottery 2,750 0 2,750 0
SODC Councillors 3,369 3,369 0
Tambour 44,768 11,267 33,501
Big Lottery Fund 420 0 420 0
Berks Community Foundation 350 0 350 0
John Hodges Trust 1,800 0 1,198 602
Lottery Community Fund 9,998 9,998 0
Didcot Town Council 2,500 2,500 0
Openwork 7,000 0 7,000 0
Baylis 600 0 600 0
TOTAL 17,823 109,977 71,851 55,949
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Trustees

Trustees who served during the year were:

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Year appointed
Adrian Marsh Chair 2018
John Morrow Treasurer 2014
Nicki Williams-Grey 2017
Andrew Broome 2018
Phil Bridge 2019
Jayson Jaurique 2022
Umbreen Lenoire 2022
Suzy Hobbs 2022
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Notes to the accounts

Note 1: Basis of preparation

1.1 Basis of accounting

These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts.

The accounts 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 and with the Charities Act 2011.

1.2 Going concern

The accounts have been prepared on a going concern basis and the trustees are not aware of any events or conditions that cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern

1.3 Change of accounting policies or estimates

The accounts present a true and fair view and the accounting policies adopted are those outlined in note 2. There have been no changes in accounting policies during the year. There have been no changes in accounting estimates and there are no prior year adjustments.

Note 2: Accounting Policies

This standard list of accounting policies has been applied by the charity:

Recognition of income

These are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when:

• the charity becomes entitled to the resources;

• it is more likely than not that the trustees will receive the resources; and

• the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability.

Grants and donations

Grants and donations are only included in the SoFA when the general income recognition criteria are met (5.10 to 5.12 FRS 102 SORP). Where a donor puts stipulations on the use to which a grant or donation can be put the amount received is designated as a restricted fund and expenditure relevant to it is accounted for accordingly.

Tax reclaims on donations and gifts

Gift Aid receivable 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 or the terms of the appeal have specified otherwise.

Support, trustee and employee costs

The charity has incurred expenditure on support costs during the year but had no employees and made no payments to trustees or related parties.

Balance Sheet

All amounts are due within one year.

Creditors

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

Debtors

Debtors are measured on initial recognition at settlement amount, subsequently they are measured at the cash amount expected to be received.

Treasurer’s report on the accounts to 28[th] February 2023

Income

Fee income from client sessions rose due to an increase in the number of sessions (5%) and higher average fee cost per session of 7%. Training revenue declined compared to last year as a result of less take-up of training sessions. Charitable income increased dramatically on the previous year thanks mainly to the very generous donation from the Tambour foundation of £44,768 and Thamesfield Youth Association of £15,000. The Trustees are very grateful not only to these two organisations for their generosity but also to all the other donors without whose help the charity would not exist.

Expenditure

Overall expenditure reduced by over £5,000. Most of this was due to non-repeating exceptional IT costs in the prior year which meant that overall operational costs remained fairly static year on year.

Net Income

The increase in both grant funding and increased client fees together with static operating costs increased net income by £96,000 to a surplus of £39,293 for the year. Of this, £1,167 went towards increasing our unrestricted funds reserve.

Balance Sheet

The surplus increased the total reserves from £46,076 to £85,369 of which the majority (£55,949) was unrestricted. Unfortunately, the unrestricted balance of £29,420 is below the amount required in our reserves policy but has increased from the prior year.

Outlook

A change of approach to fundraising by concentrating less on grant-making bodies and more on local partnerships will be made and the Trustees are confident that this strategy will bear fruit. In addition, efforts will be made to gain funds from holding local events and utilising social media. Cost control will continue and fees to clients will be increased wherever possible. In addition, a review of the organisation’s structure will take place to ensure the charity is operating as efficiently as possible. The Trustees are confident that these measures will result in a surplus for the year which will make inroads into restoring our reserves.

Thanks

Riverside Counselling Service continues to be indebted to the many individuals, organisations and trusts who support it and without whom it would not exist. We are reliant on them to be able to provide the services it does to those who otherwise could not afford the sort of help the charity offers. In addition, thanks go to Amanda Collins who very successfully fundraised for us for 5 years and who has now moved on to pastures new.

Director’s report on the accounts to 28[th] February 2023

Following two years of service delivery and operations impacted by the Covid-19 restrictions, this year has seen the resumption to a “business as usual” state, albeit we have retained some pandemic working practices to help streamline our services, increase flexibility for clients and counsellors alike, and make counselling more accessible to a greater number of clients.

To address the needs of our clients, we have moved most of our initial consultations online, while retaining some face-to-face sessions for those that cannot connect online. We have continued to offer online and face-to-face counselling for ongoing sessions. Our drop-in services are delivered in person and over the phone and, in addition to our existing Berinsfield service, have expanded into Didcot this year to address growing demand. We have found the increased anonymity and accessibility of a phone-based service have been well received. Towards the end of the financial year, we secured new rented premises in a central Henley location, close to the station, which we hope will increase the accessibility of our service to young people and adults alike.

Flexibility in the duration of counselling is a strength of the Riverside Counselling Service, and there continues to be significant variation in how clients engage with the service. Clients and counsellors work collaboratively to decide whether short (12 weeks), medium (20 weeks) or long-term (44 weeks) therapy is most appropriate based on the complexity of their presentation and their current circumstances.

The five most commonly referenced issues, representing over 50% of all issues are: Low self-esteem, confidence and self-worth (15.89%), Anxiety (12.35%), Depression (8.92%), Family difficulties (incl. divorce & child-related issues) (7.43%) and Stress (5.73%).

The top five issues have been consistent over the past three years. However, family difficulties has overtaken stress as the fourth most commonly referenced challenge facing our clients. The prevalence of low self-esteem, anxiety and depression have also increased year-on-year. However, since there is no limit to the number of presenting issues a client can select when they self-refer, nor a ranking category for each issue, every client is likely to reference several overlapping concerns. As a service more broadly, we continue to see increased complexity in the type of challenges our clients bring.

Throughout the year we have recruited nine counsellors, all of whom directly approached the service due to our strong reputation as a highly regarded placement provider. The nature of Riverside Counselling Service’s model as a placement organisation for trainee counsellors inevitably means that we lose counsellors each year as they finish placements and move to the next phase of their career transition. As an organisation, Riverside typically faces a high level of attrition during the

summer months, with recruiting necessary throughout this period to maintain volunteer numbers from September. Over the course of the year, Riverside modified its recruitment strategy and qualifying criteria, and consequently sourced, advertised and recruited for volunteer counsellors throughout the year. This has allowed us to increase the diversity of our counsellor base, better manage attrition spikes, provide a more consistent experience for our clients, manage waiting times and client allocation throughout the year and reduce the impact to operational capacity in the summer months.

In the first six months of FY22/23, we delivered two clinical workshops (CWs) for our counsellors: Time Limited Contract Extensions - Dilemma or Temptation and Working with Autism. Unfortunately, following the departure of our Clinical Lead for Training and Development towards the end of the summer, we were left with a gap in our CPD (continuing professional development) offering. However, I am pleased to say that this has been reinvigorated towards the back end of the year. Our training programme was further strengthened by the considerable support and generosity of the Tambour Foundation, whose grant provided a dedicated training fund to develop and grow our counsellor population. As a result of the grant, Riverside Counselling Service has offered CWs including: Safeguarding and Time-Limited Counselling at Community-based Counselling Services. Additionally, counsellors have had the opportunity to engage in monthly clinical discussion groups (CDGs) focusing on trauma, the role of money in the counselling room and psychodynamic approaches to short-term psychotherapy. Feedback following Riverside’s revamped CPD programme has been consistently excellent and we look forward to maintaining momentum and introducing further planned training to support the learning and development of our counsellors and, thus, the experience and quality of service and support that our clients receive.

In response to counsellor feedback over the summer, Riverside has streamlined its working practices, delivering monthly team meetings and CPD sessions online, while establishing a quarterly face-to-face community meeting to allow a chance for connectedness, networking, exploration of ideas and collaboration. Additionally, our team have worked hard to streamline processes, procedures and technology to support our service delivery and build greater efficiency in our operations.

It would be remiss of me not to mention the retirement of Hilary Arthur mid-way through the year. Hilary held the mantle of Clinical Director at Riverside for over 15 years and ably steered the charity to its current position, expanding both its services and footprint to ensure we maximised mental health provision within and across the communities we serve. It is fair to say that Hilary’s departure and those of several other team members, including a Clinical Manager, Clinical Lead for training and development and our Fundraising Manager, all of whom were stalwarts within the Riverside community, felt like a significant loss. This has meant bringing on board several new faces to join the

existing team, some of whom were already working for Riverside in another capacity and others who joined from the external market. Understandably, these changes have felt unsettling. As a team and a wider organisation, we have navigated these changes together, and ensured that our clients continue to receive the same levels and quality of counselling they have come to expect.

Last but not least, I'd like to extend a huge thank you to our counsellors and all of our many and varied supporters. Your grants, donations, time and support enable us to provide a much-valued service to our local community and we simply would not exist without you. With your contributions, we have been able to directly help 417 individuals within South Oxfordshire in the past year. Many more, including family, friends, work colleagues and employers will have been indirectly impacted by the support our clients receive. Thank you!

Looking towards 23/24

Looking forward to FY23/24, we aim to balance our existing service delivery with a growth mindset, focused on creativity and innovation to address the continued demand for mental health support. We will review our fee structure and service model, informed by data and community and client feedback, to ensure we are providing services that are fit for purpose and that reach those clients most in need in the areas of the community that Riverside currently underserves. Indeed, following community and client feedback, we hope to launch our first Young Person’s drop-in mid-way through the year, in Berinsfield, and have already received partial funding for this.

We will broaden and deepen our fundraising strategy and community outreach, to address the growing need for our services and will continue to streamline our internal processes and procedures to ensure a smoother and more efficient client journey and experience, while also aiding the administrative burden on our staff and volunteers. To that end, we are hoping to work with a web design company to develop a more user-friendly site, that has a better user experience and becomes a one-stop shop for funders, clients, communities and volunteers alike, for which we have received partial funding.