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← Step Together Volunteering

2025-05-31-accounts

ANNUAL REPORT © FOR THE YEAR ENDED 315" MAY 2025

COMPANY NUMBER 02932195 CHARITY NUMBER 1038253 (ENGLAND & WALES) CHARITY NUMBER SCO4U0616 (SCOTLAND)

'

We are a charity that helps people who face multiple disadvantage ~~—~~ people whose multiplicity and complexity of needs make it hard for them to find help elsewhere.

We believe in the transformative power of volunteering to give everyone the chance to grow, belong, and succeed.

We meet people where they are. We persevere in our support for them until they have the confidence and skills to take the next step to a brighter future. And that starts with volunteering.

We work to inspire, motivate, and enable people who are most excluded from society to participate in volunteering and community action as a way of helping them develop the skills, confidence and ability to turn their lives around. We team this with intensive one ~~-to-~~ one coaching, taking an asse ~~t-~~ based approach, to support individuals to recognise their strengths, identify their goals, overcome any obstacles and achieve their potential.

We have a core belief that volunteering makes a difference to everyone’s lives.

Crucially, we do not place a time limit on our support; we understand that working with people who have complex needs demands time, commitment, and patience ~~.~~ On average we support people for around six months.

The charity’s objects, established in 1994, state that the charity exists “to promote, for the public benefit, volunteering and community involvement by people of all ages and backgrounds, particularly young people aged 25 years or less”. All our current programmes aim to support people who face multiple disadvantage and who are excluded from society to engage in community action or volunteering. We work at the margins of society, supporting people with complex and often chaotic lives. For many, we area last resort; their circumstances mean that most time-limited and prescriptive services do not meet their needs. We take them on a journey to rebuild their lives, with volunteering as a key step to developing confidence, skills and community connections that, together, help build resilience. We “step together” with them on this journey ~~.~~

The Trustees present their report and the financial statement for the year ended 31° May 2025 ~~.~~ Reference and administrative information included forms part of this report ~~.~~ The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with current statutory requirements, the Memorandum and Articles of Association and the Statement of Recommended Practice ~~—~~ Accounting and Reporting by Charities.

Page 2

FROM THE CHAIR

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----- Start of picture text -----
~~ Over the past nine years as Chair, | have seen Step Together
Volunteering grow into a highly focused and effective charity,
. helping people at some of the most difficult points in their
mes lives . As our Chief Executive Anna -C lare says, we are often
L aioe ds the last resort — the organisation that people turn to when all
i ee other options have failed . What makes our work so powerful
SALfe ie and unique is our “never give up” approach and our
. bai: commitment to being alongside people until they are ready to
‘enn take those first steps forward. This is an approach few other
A " organisations offer.
----- End of picture text -----*

The last nine years have been turbulent for charities ~~.~~ Austerity, the Covid ~~-~~ 19 pandemic, and now the cost ~~-o~~ f-living crisis have all made life more challenging for the people we support, while also stretching the resources of the voluntary sector to its limits ~~.~~ Through all this Step Together Volunteering has not only endured, but it has continued to provide fundamental, li ~~fe~~ -changing support when it has been most urgently needed ~~.~~

While the statistics behind our work are impressive, it is the individual stories that matter most. The people who feel seen and supported, who find courage to rejoin their community, the ones who dare to believe in a future again ~~.~~ What | think we give people, most of all, is hope: the chance to step out of the darkness of isolation or despair and into the possibility of a brighter future. | want to pay heartfelt tribute to our frontline staff who, through resilience and extraordinary patience, give people hope and opportunity ~~.~~ Their unique ability to inspire and motivate the people we support is the lifeblood of this charity. | am equally grateful to our central team, led by Anna ~~-C~~ lare Temple, with whom | have enjoyed working closely. Finally, | must thank my fellow Trustees, whose wisdom, support and sound governance have been invaluable.

As | step down as Chair, | do so with deep pride in all we have achieved together, and with confidence that Step Together Volunteering will continue to transform lives in the years ahead ~~.~~

Dr Roger Donbavand

Roger Doubavaud

Page 3

REFERENCE & ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

For the year ended 31° May 2025

Company number 02932195

. 1038253 (England & Wales) Charity number $C040616 (Scotland)

Registered office The Engine Shed, Approach Road, Bristol, BS1 6QH

Lifetime President

Roger Potter MBE

. Deborah Poole (appointed 24.09.2024) Sir David Manning GCMG, KCVO

Presidents

Dr Roger Donbavand (Chair) Jamie Shearer (Deputy Chair) Scharmarie van der Vyver (Treasurer) Ralph Arundell (resigned 23 ~~.~~ 09 ~~.~~ 2025) Lee Botterill (appointed 10.07.2025) Trustees . Maurice Clarke (Directors) Tracy Fraisse (appointed 10 ~~.~~ 07 ~~.~~ 2025) Mary Mawhinney Caroline Marsh (resigned 24 ~~.~~ 09 ~~.~~ 2024) Holly Meacham Deborah Poole (resigned 24 ~~.~~ 09.2024) Elizabeth Shanahan (resigned 01 ~~.~~ 09 ~~.~~ 2025)

Chief Executive Officer

Anna-Clare Temple

Bankers

CAF Bank Limited, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, ME19 4TA Co ~~-o~~ perative Bank PLC, 1 Balloon Street, Manchester, M4 4BE

Independent Josh Kingston BSc, ACA weeniner Burton Sweet Limited, The Clock Tower, 5 Farleigh Court, Old Weston Road, Flax Bourton, Bristol, BS48 1UR

Page 4

Over the 2024 ~~-~~ 2025 financial year, the charity ran three main programmes working with:

The charity's programmes are delivered by a team of skilled outreach workers, our Project Managers, who provide support to the people we work with on a one ~~-to-~~ one and small group basis ~~.~~ Our frontline team is supported by our Central Team, comprising the Chief Executive, the Head of Operations and Administration & Communications Officer ~~.~~ Our work also benefits from a small number of volunteers who support different areas of our operations. Almost half of our staff team and all our volunteers have directly relevant lived experience.

During the year, the charity focused on the following priorities:

Celebrating our 30" anniversary

The charity celebrated its 30" anniversary with an event in Bristol in September 2024. In addition to staff and Trustees, we were joined by representatives from our funders, delivery partners, referring organisations, local clients, volunteers, and local councillors. The event celebrated the charity’s history and spirit, with stands for each project showcasing their work and impact. The event included a viewing area with “silent disco” headphones where attendees could watch a video of our founder, Roger Potter MBE, talking about what motivated and inspired him to establish Step Together Volunteering three decades ago. We also played a video where a client from our Young People’s Programme in Bristol spoke about the impact the charity had had for her ~~.~~

Expanding our justice system work in Bristol

Our work with Rise Mutual CIC and The Nelson Trust, delivering the “Chance to Change” deferred prosecution service on behalf of Avon & Somerset Police started in June 2024 ~~.~~ Step Together Volunteering is providing enhanced support to young men aged 18 ~~-~~ 24 who have committed an offence and have been identified by the police as being suitable for deferred prosecution. They are referred for enhanced support due to their level of need, and we support these young men on a 1 ~~-~~ 1 basis. This 4 ~~-~~ year contract has allowed us to bring in additional grant funding so that we can provide ongoing support to these young men if they wish beyond the 16 ~~-~~ week engagement period mandated by the Chance to Change programme. Participation after the 16 weeks is entirely voluntary on the part of the client and so it has been great to see some young men taking up this opportunity. The grant funding also means that we can provide support to people in contact with the justice system, or at risk of offending, who are not referred through the Chance to Change programme ~~.~~

Page 5

We also secured funding from The National Lottery Community Fund to establish a pilot for young women with experience of the justice system or at risk of entering the system. This pilot will see small groups of young women being supported through our bespoke For My Future course, which has been adapted specifically to meet the needs of this cohort. In addition to gaining the personal and practical skills needed to build a life away from the justice system, the project will also provide young women with opportunities for peer support and peer learning ~~.~~

At the end of 2024, we made the difficult decision to bring our Greater Manchester criminal justice project to an end ~~.~~ While the project had been running for over 10 years, funding had regularly been a challenge and, with our justice sector project established in Bristol, the learning from our work in Greater Manchester will inform the design and development of our work in Bristol.

Supporting the charity’s financial sustainability

The charity built on the success of the 2023 ~~-~~ 24 financial year, with strong fundraising performance helping to provide security and stability to our projects ~~.~~ The fundraising climate remains challenging for small charities, and some cost ~~-c~~ utting measures were taken during the financial year to help reduce the charity’s core costs ~~.~~ New mult ~~i-~~ year grants have been secured which support the charity’s financial sustainability and the senior leadership team continues to prioritise income generation as a key activity.

Developing our strategy for the next 5 years

Our 30" anniversary provided an opportunity not just for reflection but also to consider the charity’s future plans and strategy ~~.~~ At a Staff & Trustee Away Day we started the process of developing our new 5 ~~-~~ year strategy. Work on this continued through the end of 2024 and into 2025, with the Board considering the charity’s direction and priorities. Two board sub ~~-~~ groups were established to focus on this work, one looking at the charity’s clients and locations, and the other considering its mission and vision.

Trustee board development and succession planning

With our Chair, Roger Donbavand, reaching the end of his 9 ~~-~~ year tenure in early 2026, work began to identify a suitable Chair of Trustees to take over from Roger. Our current Deputy Chair, Jamie Shearer, has been confirmed as Roger’s successor. With the support of the rest of the Board of Trustees, Jamie will assume the role of Chair in early 2026 ~~.~~

During the period, several Trustees resigned from their positions, either due to having reached their maximum tenure or due to professional or personal commitments ~~.~~ We are incredibly grateful for the support they have given Step Together Volunteering ~~.~~

Annual Trustee appraisals were introduced, which provide the Chair with an opportunity to review with each Trustee where they are able to add value and support the charity’s work ~~.~~

We have increased the number of Trustees based in Bristol, where the charity’s head office is located, with two new Trustees joining the Board in July 2025. Page 6

Key Risks

During the year, the Trustees, along with the Senior Management Team, closely monitored the key risks to the charity and took steps to mitigate the likelihood and impact of risks wherever possible. The key risks identified during the year were:

Future Plans

Looking forward, the charity is focusing on:

Page 7

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----- Start of picture text -----
e Oo ad A of clients were suffering with poor mental health
¥
ornea (&)
857 had a disability or health condition
a © that affected their daily lives \N 7)
29% OO
were neurodiverse
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The data on the level of need experienced by our clients show that levels are increasing year on year ~~.~~ The table below shows comparison data for 2024 &2025 ~~.~~

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----- Start of picture text -----
ACE = Adverse
Childhood
Experience
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----- Start of picture text -----
@ 2024 ©@ 2025 Childhood
54 Experience
Low confidence —S—
47
al e
No community connections ——eeaererr The most prevalent needs
our clients have are:
41 .
E d
Lack of employment skills — Poor mental health
e Low confidence
37 ;
o v « Poor community links
Lonely/isolated ——__—_. + Lack of skills or
experience
|
History [of][ ACEs] ———- 26/
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
10+ needs
17%
It is not only the complexity of our
clients’ needs that places them at re needs
disadvantage, but also the
multiplicity of needs they
experience. Intersectionality is often
present and creates significant 7 - 9 needs
challenges to clients being able to 22%
move forward. The table below
shows the number of individual
needs our clients presented with.
4 - 6 needs
25%
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Page 9

We use different methods to track the progress made by the people we support, and to evaluate the effectiveness of our work ~~.~~

Pathway Star

The Pathway Star is one of the Outcomes Stars developed by Triangle Consulting. It is a “distance ~~-~~ travelled” tool, completed by our clients (sometimes with support from their Project Manager) with readings being undertaken shortly after support starts, and at 8 ~~—-~~ 1 ~~2-~~ week intervals. The Pathway Star is designed for use by organisations working with people who are experiencing barriers to employment, and it covers the following 8 key areas:

Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale

This is also a distance ~~-t~~ ravelled tool. It takes a closer look at a person’s mental wellbeing, allowing us and them to see their progress over the support period. It is completed by the client (sometimes with support), with a baseline reading being undertaken shortly after support starts and subsequent readings being undertaken at roughly 1 ~~2-~~ week intervals. The tool comprises 14 positively worded statements which clients score themselves for, producing a total score each time, allowing results to be compared.

Staf ~~f-~~ observed progress

We also record staf ~~f~~ -observed achievements and outcomes, including participation in volunteering activities and completion of training courses.

Feedback

Feedback from our clients, referrers and other organisations we work with is crucial to helping us deliver high quality and relevant support ~~.~~ All clients are invited to provide feedback on the support they have received, and we regularly ask other organisations to tell us about their experience of working with us.

Page 10

The results from our Pathway Star data show that: ~ of clients saw an O + oo” &6 lo improvement in Oe °9 lo +? their wellbeing of clients reported {eo} improved levels of 0 oy confidence - ea . e - &5%o - YN’ = gained new employmentW related skills ~\ saw a positive impact a 52 Va on their friendships 4 and connections © ee @

The Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale data showed that...

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----- Start of picture text -----
of clients had an initial score
615%o which placed them in the
bottom 15% nationally .
By the end of their support,
this number had reduced to 39%, ~
23%, had an initial score that indicated =
O) mild depression IX
AN am o had an initial score that
= al OS 4 & lo indicated probable clinical
> 4 J depression
+ + of clients saw increased scores in Ss O —
a 4 UT Op their most recent assessment, og gS
indicating improved mental wellbeing
----- End of picture text -----

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Staf ~~f-~~ observed progress: we also record additional achievements made by our clients which may not be captured by the other impact measurement methods we use, or when the support period is not long enough to use our distance ~~-t~~ ravelled tools ~~.~~ \ poo | oO 7 68 Vo were more independent Ww) i} ne [© 80% 71% (@) had ; or yy4 improved motivation were more connected to their local community, which helps to build support networks and We facilitated over resilience f —\ 2350 hours of volunteering 4 ANY — 7 \ Of those clients who engaged with 3 oy, V4 \ our support, and whose cases were a ima) closed during the year secured W/ NOx employment or returned to work => Ze ee’progressed to training or education | 0=z | i@y 36% \ were focusing on finding employment

Page 12

FINANCIAL REVIEW 2024-2025

Income for the financial year was £276,973 (2024 £458,900), of which £263,381 was restricted and £13,592 was unrestricted ~~.~~ Funds brought forward to the 2024 ~~-~~ 2025 financial year amounted to £402,771, of which £240,276 were restricted and £162,495 were unrestricted ~~.~~

The charity continued to control its costs carefully and expenditure for the financial year was £406,123 (2024 £341,061) against budgeted expenditure of £434,945 ~~.~~

Notable changes

Income recorded for the 2024 ~~-~~ 2025 financial year was lower than in 2023 ~~-~~ 2024 due to the charity recognising a number of mult ~~i-~~ year grants in full in the 2023 ~~-~~ 2024 period ~~.~~ Some income from these grants was received during the 2024 ~~-~~ 2025 financial year and is recorded as funds brought forward. Expenditure for the 2024 ~~-~~ 2025 financial year was higher than in 2023 ~~-~~ 2024 due to the charity securing funding for new projects in Bristol (youth justice work) and the Northwest (Armed Forces Community) and taking on additional staff to deliver this work ~~.~~

Reserves Policy

The Board of Trustees has agreed that the minimum level of free reserves that the charity should keep will be equivalent to three months’ operating costs, currently estimated at £103,526 (2024: £108,750). The upper limit of free reserves that the charity should keep will be equivalent to six months’ operating costs, currently estimated to be £207,052 (2024: £217,500). The Trustees have determined that holding between 3 and 6 months’ operating costs provides an appropriate level of stability, enabling the charity to meet its obligations and provide security for projects in the event of any funding shortfalls ~~.~~

Total funds held at 31 May 2025 were £273,621 (2024: £402,771) of which £137,344 were restricted. The current level of free reserves stands at £136,277 (2024: £162,495), which is above the minimum level of free reserves that the Trustees have determined should be kept ~~.~~

The financial reserves will enable the charity to meet future commitments and unforeseen expenses without a negative impact on its ability to deliver core services or develop business in the manner planned ~~.~~ The Trustees have agreed that any reserves accrued above the target amount will be used for the following purposes:

2025 ~~-~~ 2026 Financial Year

The budgeted expenditure for the 2025 ~~-~~ 2026 financial year is £422,408. The charity has, at the time of writing, secured approximately £387,000 towards these costs, representing 93% of budgeted expenditure ~~.~~ This includes several mult ~~i-~~ year grant agreements which provide stability to our projects and support the charity’s sustainability.

Page 13

OUR FUNDERS & SUPPORTERS

Step Together Volunteering wishes to recognise and thank all its generous funders and supporters for the year 2024 ~~-2~~ 025, who are listed below ~~.~~ The charity also recognises support received from Burges Salmon LLP, Osborne Clark LLP and Unite Students ~~.~~ We continue to be incredibly appreciative of all the individual donors who have supported us during the financial year.

In 2024 the charity began modest fundraising activities through sporting events, namely the Great Bristol Run (10k and Half Marathon) and the London Marathon. Several companies donated food and drink items to give to runners supporting the charity and we are grateful for their generosity and support ~~.~~

Our 2024 ~~-~~ 25 supporters:

Army Benevolent Fund

Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust Avon & Somerset Police Bristol City Council Dumfries Roundtable Ernest Cook Trust The Gannochy Trust Hayes Parsons Hugh Fraser Foundation The Holywood Trust The Henry Smith Charity Lighthouse Vineyard Church Medlock Charitable Trust Million Dollar Roundtable Foundation Quartet Community Foundation National Lottery Community Fund Noel Buxton Trust The Nisbet Trust Veterans’ Foundation Swire Charitable Trust Renishaw Robertson Trust Scottish Children’s Lottery Fund Van Neste Foundation

And our many individual donors, whose support is gratefully acknowledged ~~.~~

Page 14

The organisation was registered under the Companies Act 1985 on 24"" May 1994 as a company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital. The association is registered with the Charity Commission in England & Wales and from 26" June 2009 it has also been registered with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) ~~.~~ The charity is governed by the Memorandum and Articles of Association ~~.~~

Step Together Volunteering is registered with the Fundraising Regulator and supports and adheres to the Regulator’s Code of Practice. The charity is also registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office and complies with Data Protection legislation ~~.~~

The charitable company passed a special resolution on 19" April 2016 changing its name to Step Together Volunteering.

The Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is committed to meeting the new Charity Code of Governance ~~.~~ The Board of Trustees is currently comprised of 8 people, with a broad range of skills and professions, including finance, governance, marketing, operations, project management, teaching, human resources and voluntary sectors.

Trustee recruitment and appointment

The charity regularly assesses the skills and sectors represented at Board level to ensure there is a suitable and relevant mix of skills and experience on the Board. New trustees are appointed by existing trustees and serve for a term of 3 years, after which they may put themselves forward for r ~~e-~~ appointment. The Articles of Association provide for a minimum of 3 Trustees; there is no maximum number of Trustees. All newly appointed Trustees have an induction into the organisation, and all Trustees receive Safeguarding training. Individual Trustee reviews are carried out annually ~~.~~ With a maximum tenure of 9 years for Trustees now in place, succession planning is undertaken to ensure the charity can continue to benefit from a wide range of skills and experiences at Board level. Where possible and appropriate, people with relevant lived experience are encouraged to join the Board of Trustees ~~.~~

Delegation

The charity has a Scheme of Delegation in place which defines which decisions are taken by the Board of Trustees and which are delegated to staff ~~.~~ The Schedule looks specifically at areas of strategy, risk management, legal obligations, organisational policies and procedures, variations to agreed budget and strategic use of reserves. Day to day management of the charity is delegated to the Chief Executive ~~.~~

The staff team is managed by a small senior management team based in Bristol comprising the Chief Executive and the Head of Operations ~~.~~ The central team also includes an Administration & Communications Officer. Staff pay and benefits are reviewed annually by the Trustees, and due consideration is given to ensure all staff are paid at least the Real Living Wage ~~.~~

Risk Management

The Trustees regularly review the risks to which the charity is exposed to ensure appropriate systems and controls are in place in order to mitigate those risks and to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error.

Statement of Responsibilities of the Trustees

The Trustees (who are also Directors of the Charity for the purpose of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the Financial Statements in accordance with 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) ~~.~~ Page

Page 15

Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which gives a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the charitable company as at the balance sheet date and of its income and expenditure for the financial year. In preparing these financial statements the Trustees are required to:

The Trustees are responsible for maintaining proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and ensuring that the financial statements comply with the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) and the Companies Act 2006 ~~.~~

They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company 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 statement of recommended practice accounting and reporting (March 2019) and in accordance with the small company regime (section 419(2) of the Companies Act 2006) ~~.~~

Members of the charity guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 to the assets of the charity in the event of winding up. The Trustees are members of the charity, but this entitles them only to voting rights ~~.~~ The Trustees have no beneficial interest in the charity.

Independent Examiner

Burton Sweet Ltd were appointed as independent examiner to the charitable company on 24" September 2024 at the company’s AGM.

Approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf on 7" October 2025 by

Roger Doubavaud

Dr Roger Donbavand

Chair

Page 16

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT

| report to the charity Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the company for the year ended 31“ May 2025 ~~.~~

Responsibility and Basis of Report

As the 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 Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 (“the 2005 Act”), the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) and the Companies Act 2006 (“the 2006 Act”) ~~.~~ You are satisfied that the accounts of the company are not required by charity or company law to be audited and have chosen instead to have an independent examination ~~.~~

Having satisfied 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. | report in respect of my examination of the company’s accounts carried out under section 44(1)(c) of the 2005 Act and section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (“the 2011 Act”). In carrying out my examination | have followed the requirements of Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) and the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent Examiner’s Statement

Since the company is required by company law to prepare its accounts on an accruals basis and is registered as a Charity in Scotland your examiner must be a member of a body listed in Regulation 11(2) of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended). | can confirm that | am qualified to undertake the examination because | am a registered member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales which is one of the listed bodies.

| have completed my examination. | confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the

examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

| 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.

qestua. Kington

Josh Kingston BSc ACA

Burton Sweet Limited, The Clock Tower, 5 Farleigh Court, Flax Bourton, Bristol BS48 1UR Date: 7" October 2025

Page 17

Step Together Volunteering Ltd.

Statement of Financial Activities (incorporating an income and expenditure account)

For the year ended 31 May 2025

Note
Income and endowments
from:
Donations and
Legacies
3
Charitable activities
4
Investments
Total Income and
endowments
14
Expenditure on:
Raising funds
Charitable activities
Total Expenditure
6
Net income/(expenditure)
7
Transfers between funds
14
Net movement in funds
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds at the start of the
year (as previously stated)
14
Prior year adjustment
16
Total funds at the start of the
year (restated)
Total Funds carried
forward
14		 2025
2024
Restricted
£
Unrestricted
£
Total
£
Total
£
900
12,168
13,068
8,249
262,481
-
262,481
448,157
-
1,424
1,424
2,494
263,381
13,592
276,973
458,900
20,406
-
20,406
10,906
385,717
-
385,717
330,155
406,123
-
406,123
341,061
(142,742)
13,592
(129,150)
117,839
39,810
(39,810)
-
-
(102,932)
(26,218)
(129,150)
117,839
240,276
162,495
402,771
138,382
-
-
-
146,550
240,276
162,495
402,771
284,932
137,344
136,277
273,621
402,771

All the above results are derived from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above. Movements/transfers in funds are disclosed in Note 14 to the accounts.

See note 2 for fund-accounting comparative figures.

The notes on pages 20 to 30 form part of these financial statements.

Page 18

Step Together Volunteering Ltd.

Balance Sheet

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||||| |---|---|---|---| |For the year ended 31 May 2025year ended 31 May 2025ear ended 31 May 2025y 2025 2025|Company Number 02932195| |2025|2024| |Note|Total|Total| |£|£| |Current Assets| |Debtors|11|195,681|296,580| |Cash at bank and in hand|113,895|111,862| |Total Assets|309,576|408,442| |Liabilities| |Creditors: amounts falling due within 1 year|12|(35,955)|(5,671)| |Net current assets/(liabilities)|273,621|402,771| |Net assets/(liabilities)|273,621|402,771| |Funds| |Restricted funds|13|137,344|240,276| |Unrestricted funds| |General funds|13|136,277|162,495| |Total charity funds|273,621|402,771|

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For the year ended 31 May 2025year ended 31 May 2025ear ended 31 May 2025y 2025 2025

For the year ended 31 May 2025 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

The members have not required the company to obtain:

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

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act applicable to small companies subject to the small companies regime and in accordance with FRS102 SORP.

Approved by the Trustees 7 October 2025 and signed on their behalf by

Scharmarie Van Der Vyver (Treasurer)

The notes on pages 20 to 30 form part of these financial statements.

Page 19

Step Together Volunteering Ltd.

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 May 2025

1. Accounting policies

a. Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the historical cost convention (except where otherwise stated in the accounting policy note) and 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 in October 2019, and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), and the Companies Act 2006.

Step Together Volunteering ltd. meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes.

b. Going concern basis of accounting

The accounts have been prepared on the assumption that the charity is able to continue as a going concern, which the trustees consider appropriate having regard to the current level of unrestricted reserves. There are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.

c. Income

Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the items of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received, and the amount can be measured reliably.

Income from the government and other grants, whether 'capital' grants or 'revenue' grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received, and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred.

For legacies, entitlement is taken as the earlier of the date on which either: the charity is aware that probate has been granted, the estate has been finalised and notification has been made by the executors to the Trust that a distribution will be made, or when a distribution is received from the estate. Receipt of a legacy, in whole or in part, is only considered probably when the amount can be measured reliably, and the charity has been notified of the executor's intention to make a distribution. Where legacies have been notified to the charity, or the charity is aware of the granting of probate, and the criteria for income recognition have been met, then the legacy is treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material.

Income received in advance of provision of service is deferred until criteria for income recognition are met.

d. Donated services and facilities

Donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item, any conditions associated with the donated item have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the item is probable and the economic benefit can be measured reliably. In accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), general volunteer time is not recognised.

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Step Together Volunteering Ltd.

Notes to the financial statements (continued)

For the year ended 31 May 2025

On receipt, donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.

e. Interest receivable

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity: this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank.

f. Funds accounting

Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of the charity. Designated funds are unrestricted funds of the charity which the trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose. Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particular areas of the charity's work or for specific projects being undertaken by the charity.

g. Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT

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.

Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.

h. Allocation of support and governance costs

Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. Governance costs are the costs associated with the governance arrangements of the charity, including the costs of complying with constitutional and statutory requirements and any costs associated with the strategic management of the charity's activities. These costs have been allocated between cost of raising funds and expenditure on charitable activities on the following basis:

2025 2024
Raising funds 13.7% 14.2%
Charitable activities 86.3% 85.8%

i. Tangible fixed assets

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:

Office equipment 4 years straight line

Items of equipment are capitalised where the purchase price exceeds £1,500.

j. Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.

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Step Together Volunteering Ltd.

Notes to the financial statements (continued)

For the year ended 31 May 2025

k. Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

l. Creditors

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity 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 after allowing for any trade discounts due.

m. Financial instruments

The trust only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value, with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently recognised at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

n. Pension costs

The employees of the charity are entitled to join a defined contribution pension scheme operated by Scottish Widows, unless they have exercised their right to opt out of scheme membership.

o. Accounting estimates and key judgements

In the application of the charity's accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and underlying assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods if the revision affects both current and future periods.

The key sources of estimation uncertainty that have a significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements are described below.

Depreciation

As described in note 1(i) to the financial statements, depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write down the cost of each asset to its estimated residual value over its expected useful life. Depreciation rates in operation during the current and prior period were as follows:

Office equipment

4 years straight line

Page 22

Step Together Volunteering Ltd.

Notes to the financial statements (continued)

For the year ended 31 May 2025

2. Prior period comparatives

2. Prior period comparatives
Income from
Donations and legacies
Charitable activities
Investments
Total income
Expenditure on
Raising funds
Charitable activities
Total expenditure
Net income / (expenditure)
Transfers between funds
Net movement in funds
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward
3. Income from donations and legacies
Gifts in kind
Small donations < £1,000
Hayes Parsons
Total
Gifts in kind
Small donations < £1,000
Worshipful Company of Builders Merchants
Total		 2024
Restricted
£
Unrestricted
£
Total
£
-
8,249
8,249
373,157
75,000
448,157
-
2,494
2,494
373,157
85,743
458,900
10,906
-
10,906
330,155
-
330,155
341,061
-
341,061
32,096
85,743
117,839
31,189
(31,189)
-
63,285
54,554
117,839
176,991
107,941
284,932
240,276
162,495
402,771
2025
Restricted
£
Unrestricted
£
Total
£
-
410
410
900
10,758
11,658
-
1,000
1,000
900
12,168
13,068
2024
Restricted
£
Unrestricted
£
Total
£
-
2,206
2,206
-
5,043
5,043
-
1,000
1,000
-
8,249
8,249

Total donations from Trustees in the year amounts to £3,853.

Page 23

Step Together Volunteering Ltd.

Notes to the financial statements (continued)

For the year ended 31 May 2025

4. Income from charitable activities

29th May 1961 Charitable Trust
ABF The Soldiers Charity
Albert Hunt Trust
AFCFT – Reaching & Supporting
AFCFT – VPPP
Bristol City Council
Bolton CVS
Ernest Cook Trust
Feeding Bristol
Gannochy Trust
Hedley Foundation
Holywood Trust
Hugh Fraser Foundation
Medlock Trust
MDRT Foundation
National Lottery Community Fund
Noel Buxton Trust
Persula Foundation
Quartet Community Fund
Rise Mutual CIC
Robertson Trust
Society of Merchant Venturers
Scottish Children’s Lottery Fund
St James's Place Foundation
The Swire Charitable Trust
Van Neste
Veterans Foundation
Wessex Water Environmental Fund
Total		 2025
2024
Restricted
£
Unrestricted
£
Total
£
Total
£
-
-
-
10,000
30,000
-
30,000
30,000
-
-
-
2,000
20,999
-
20,999
97,029
1,132
-
1,132
21,336
23,132
-
23,132
27,758
-
-
-
14,881
500
-
500
-
-
-
-
655
-
-
-
22,500
-
-
-
2,500
-
-
-
17,500
-
-
-
15,000
10,000
-
10,000
15,000
2,763
-
2,763
-
19,605
-
19,605
-
-
-
-
6,000
-
-
-
7,000
5,000
-
5,000
5,000
62,297
-
62,297
10,383
-
-
-
30,000
-
-
-
1,615
3,973
-
3,973
-
-
-
-
10,000
-
-
-
75,000
8,000
-
8,000
-
75,080
-
75,080
25,000
-
-
-
2,000
262,481
-
262,481
448,157

In the prior period, £75,000 from The Swire Charitable Trust (charitable activities) was unrestricted.

5. Government grants

The charitable company receives government grants defined as funding from local authorities and government departments to fund charitable activities. The total value of such grants in the year ending 31 May 2025 was £23,132 (2024: £27,758). There are no unfulfilled conditions or contingencies attached to these grants.

Page 2

Step Together Volunteering Ltd.

Notes to the financial statements (continued)

For the year ended 31 May 2025

6. Total expenditure

Note
Staff costs
8
Travel and subsistence
Communication and IT
Printing, postage, and
stationery
Recruitment
Staff training
Monitoring and evaluation
Rent and rates
Insurance
Audit and accountancy
Professional fees
Subscriptions
PR and Marketing
Programme expenditure
Bank charges
Miscellaneous costs
Sub-total
Allocation of support &
governance costs
Total expenditure		 Raising
funds
£
Charitable
activities
£
Support &
governance
costs
£
2025
Total
£
-
244,814
105,664
350,478
34
5,129
2,298
7,461
-
1,240
10,332
11,572
-
1,187
274
1,461
-
270
-
270
66
1,680
679
2,425
-
439
800
1,239
-
106
10,280
10,386
-
-
3,665
3,665
-
-
2,892
2,892
-
-
2,822
2,822
16
146
259
421
282
899
1,858
3,039
20
3,031
283
3,334
-
-
66
66
-
549
4,043
4,592
418
259,490
146,215
406,123
19,988
126,227
(146,215)
-
20,406
385,717
-
406,123

Total governance costs included within Independent Examination and Accountancy fees and Professional fees were £5,607 (2024: £5,694).

Page 2

Step Together Volunteering Ltd.

Notes to the financial statements (continued)

For the year ended 31 May 2025

6. Total expenditure (continued)

Note
Staff costs
8
Travel and subsistence
Communication and IT
Printing, postage, and
stationery
Recruitment
Staff training
Monitoring and evaluation
Rent and rates
Insurance
Independent Examination and
accountancy
Professional fees
Subscriptions
PR & Marketing
Programme expenditure
Bank charges
Miscellaneous costs
Sub-total
Allocation of support &
governance costs
Total expenditure
7. Net income / (expenditure)		 Raising
funds
£
Charitable
activities
£
Support &
governance
costs
£
2024
Total
£
(8,021)
189,783
97,969
279,731
-
6,834
1,036
7,870
-
4,903
4,632
9,535
11
1,171
386
1,568
-
1,573
-
1,573
77
2,845
1,601
4,523
-
2,709
318
3,027
-
254
14,772
15,026
-
826
2,254
3,080
-
586
1,034
1,620
-
1,874
3,582
5,456
-
482
618
1,100
-
52
3,564
3,616
-
1,703
287
1,990
-
-
60
60
-
451
835
1,286
(7,933)
216,046
132,948
341,061
18,839
114,109
(132,948)
-
10,906
330,155
-
341,061
2025 2024
Note Total Total
£ £
This is stated after charging:
Trustees’ remuneration - -
Trustees’ safeguarding training 225 255
Trustees’ reimbursed expenses 234 109
Independent Examiner’s remuneration
Independent examination (VAT Incl.) 1,584 1,506
Other services 704 574

2 (2024: 1) Trustees were reimbursed expenses amounting to £234 (2024: £109) relating to meetings, travel and subsistence.

Page 26

Step Together Volunteering Ltd.

Notes to the financial statements (continued)

For the year ended 31 May 2025

8. Staff costs

Salaries and wages (excl. redundancy costs)
Redundancy costs
Social security costs
Pension costs
Employee benefits
Total staff costs		 2025
2024
Total
£
Total
£
313,075
252,911
1,782
-
21,300
18,702
14,321
11,568
-
(3,450)
350,478
279,731

No employee earned more than £60,000 during the year (2024: nil).

The key management personnel of the charitable company comprise the Chief Executive Officer. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel were £59,428 (2024: £55,878).

Number of employees 2025
2024
14
11

9. Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax as all its income is charitable and is applied for charitable purposes.

10. Tangible fixed assets

No items of equipment were capitalised during the year and small assets <£1,500 were expensed in full as per the accounting policy.

11. Debtors

Accounts receivable
Prepayments
Accrued income
Total debtors		 2025
2024
Total
£
Total
£
-
8,750
2,764
1,327
192,917
286,503
195,681
296,580

Page 27

Step Together Volunteering Ltd.

Notes to the financial statements (continued)

For the year ended 31 May 2025

12. Creditors: amounts due within 1 year

Trade creditors
Accruals
PAYE and National Insurance
Pension liability
Deferred income
Total creditors		 2025
2024
Total
£
Total
£
991
209
1,584
1,046
4,224
4,416
2,156
-
27,000
-
35,955
5,671

13. Analysis of net assets between funds

Current assets
Current liabilities
Net assets as at 31 May 2025
Prior period comparatives
Current assets
Current liabilities
Net assets as at 31 May 2024		 2025
Restricted
£
Unrestricted
£
Total funds
£
137,344
172,232
309,576
-
(35,955)
(35,955)
137,344
136,277
273,621
2024
Restricted
£
Unrestricted
£
Total funds
£
240,276
168,166
408,442
-
(5,671)
(5,671)
240,276
162,495
402,771

Page 28

Step Together Volunteering Ltd.

Notes to the financial statements (continued)

For the year ended 31 May 2025

14. Movement in funds

Current period
Restricted funds
Supporting young people
Rehabilitation of ex-offenders
Wounded, injured and sick
service personnel and
veterans
Total restricted funds
Unrestricted funds
General funds
Total unrestricted funds
Total funds		 At 1 June
2024
£
Income
£
Expenditure
£
Transfers
£
At 31
May 2025
£
136,158
41,506
(153,021)
22,457
47,100
37,494
72,297
(107,229)
17,353
19,915
66,624
149,578
(145,873)
-
70,329
240,276
263,381
(406,123)
39,810
137,344
162,495
13,592
-
(39,810)
136,277
162,495
13,592
-
(39,810)
136,277
402,771
276,973
(406,123)
-
273,621

Purposes of restricted funds

Supporting young people

To provide support to young people facing multiple disadvantage in Bristol and Dumfries & Galloway, to move their lives forward through engagement in community volunteering placements which meet their personal needs and challenges.

Supporting people with experience of the criminal justice system

To provide support to people who have had contact with the criminal justice system that presents a barrier to moving forward positively and building a crime-free life.

Members of the Armed Forces Community

To provide support to members of the Armed Forces Community across England, especially service personnel on recovery duty and veterans to engage in volunteering activities which support their recovery process and transition to civilian life.

Page 29

Step Together Volunteering Ltd.

Notes to the financial statements (continued)

For the year ended 31 May 2025

Prior period comparatives
Restricted funds
Supporting young people
Rehabilitation of ex-offenders
Wounded, injured and sick
service personnel and
veterans
Total restricted funds
Unrestricted funds
General funds
Total unrestricted funds
Total funds		 At 1 June
2023
£
Income
£
Expenditure
£
Transfers
£
At 31
May 2024
£
140,368
132,028
(138,599)
2,361
136,158
6,182
67,764
(47,144)
10,692
37,494
30,441
173,365
(155,318)
18,136
66,624
176,991
373,157
(341,061)
31,189
240,276
107,941
85,743
-
(31,189)
162,495
107,941
85,743
-
(31,189)
162,495
284,932
458,900
(341,061)
-
402,771

15. Related party transactions

There were no related party transactions in the current or prior reporting period.

Page 30