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2023-03-31-accounts

Company number: 2958336 Charity Number: 1040407

Yorkshire MESMAC

Group report and financial statements For the year ended 31 March 2023

Yorkshire MESMAC

Reference and administrative information

for the year ended 31 March 2023

Company number 2958336 Charity number 1040407 Registered office and operational address 22/23 Blayds Yard Leeds LS1 4AD

Board of Trustees Trustees, who are also directors under company law, who served during the year and up to the date of this report were as follows:

Stephen Bridge Chair Kenneth Leigh Chair HR Committee Susan Pascoe Treasurer & Chair Finance & Business Development Committee Colin Lea Eric Smith Penny Brown Kirsten Foster Adam Best Chris Kelly Adam Paver-Merrison Richard Holder Mike Eakins Craig Hassall resigned February 2022 Stephen Hopker Chair Governance Committee resigned June 2022 Andrew Goodchild resigned February 2023

Company secretary Samantha Worrell Key management Tom Doyle Chief Executive personnel Ellen Hill Operations Manager - HR Paul Storey Operations Manager - Technical Liz Carey Finance & Administration Manager resigned September 2022

Auditors Slade & Cooper Limited Beehive Mill, Jersey St., Ancoats, Manchester, M4 6JG Bankers Virgin Money 94 – 96 Briggate, Leeds, LS1 6NP

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Yorkshire MESMAC

Board of Trustees’ annual report

for the year ended 31 March 2023

The trustees present their report and the audited financial statements for the year ended 31[st] March 2023. Included within the trustees’ report is the directors’ report as required by company law.

Reference and administrative information set out on page 1 forms part of this report. The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the memorandum and articles of association and the Statement of Recommended Practice - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: SORP applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS 102.

Charitable Objectives

Yorkshire MESMAC’s charitable objectives are.

To preserve and protect health, physical and mental and in particular, good sexual health for the benefit of the community in general with an emphasis on those communities that shoulder the highest burden of poor health, including but not limited to; men who have sex with men, LGBT+ young people and adults, women, people of colour and other people marginalised because of their race, ethnicity or nationality, people using drugs and sex workers. To support and develop strong communities which create the environment for better health outcomes and the reduction of health inequalities.

These charitable objectives describe the work we are undertaking and encompass our vision for the charity in the near future.

Activities

Our work is split into three broad workstreams;

These workstreams are not silos they often overlap inform and complement one another.

SEXUAL HEALTH

Key developments

We were successful in our bid to provide the integrated sexual health improvement programme in Leeds, this service, works with those most at risk from HIV and poor sexual health was launched in April 2022. We are particularly pleased by the increase of people from racialised minority communities who have accessed our community-based HIV testing and STI screening services.

We have been successful in our partnership bid with The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust to continue and widen the services we provide in the borough; this service was mobilised during March with a launch date of 1[st] April 2022.

We have been successful in our joint bid with Locala to deliver sexual health services in Bradford from April 2023, albeit with a reduced budget.

During this time the UK saw an outbreak of Mpox (previously known as Monkey Pox), centred on Gay Bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). We are able to work with our clinical and Public Health colleagues to quickly stand up a vaccination programme for most at risk people that ensured that, once the vaccines were received, we were able to get it into people's arms quickly.

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Building on this success we received monies from the UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) Mpox and Sexual Health Fund to deliver 12 additional clinics split across Leeds, Bradford and Rotherham. These clinics offered Mpox vaccinations, full HIV/STI screening and PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) referrals. Clinics were promoted through paid advertisements on Facebook & Grindr, physical posters in target venues and additional assertive outreach.

65 vaccinations were delivered, 51 full screens plus 7 PrEP referrals.

37% of attendees had not accessed clinic in the past 12 months, 14% of all attendees had never attended clinic at all.

Attendees rated the service they received and accessibility at the clinics as 4.43 out of 5.

HIV and STI testing

Our testing service offers HIV testing and Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea screening in all areas where we work. Service users could also access Syphilis testing in Hull, Rotherham, Bradford,

Our bespoke online booking system www.bookatest.com has been a useful means of enabling people to access testing more effectively. A welcome, though unexpected result, of Book-A-Test has been a significant reduction in did-not-attends.

In 2022 -2023

2,477 HIV Tests

233 Pregnancy Tests

2,373 Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea screens

1,414 Syphilis tests

We have increased the number of testing and screening this year, in spite of reducing the number of geographical areas we operate in. HIV testing increased by over 40%. We saw an in excess of a 100% increase in pregnancy tests, a 35% increase in the number of Syphilis tests and a 30% increase in Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea screens.

Some highlights from our Sexual Health services in our different locations for the year are described below.

Leeds

This has been a very exciting year of change and development for Yorkshire MESMAC Leeds.

April 2022 saw the launch of Yorkshire MESMAC Leeds new community sexual health improvement service contract working with MARPs across the city. The new contract focuses on Gay Bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), Black African communities, trans people and other communities most at risk of HIV transmission & poor sexual health.

Throughout the year the Community Development workers (CDWS) have been expanding on the support that YM offers to improve the sexual health needs of Most at Risk Populations (MARPs) across Leeds. These efforts saw over 1000 HIV tests being delivered.

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BAME Sexual Health

YM has been working with local hotels to offer new sexual health outreach pop-up clinics in refugeeplacement hotels & sexual health improvement workshops throughout the year. YM Leeds also offers a Community Clinic at Woodhouse Community Centre in partnership with Micro Rainbow LGBT asylum seeker support service & has established a fortnightly drop-in at Positive Action for Refugees and Asylum Seeker (PAFRAS).

YM Leeds have developed a strong working relationship with Leeds refugee forum @ One Community Centre, which has helped us support multiple asylum seekers women’s groups with contraception sessions in partnership with Leeds Sexual Health.

YM Leeds has been working with Refugee Education Training Advice Service (RETAS) who offer ESOL classes and a community space for asylum seekers – through this partnership work YM have been able to offer HIV workshops to local African groups and sexual health drop-ins during National HIV Testing week and PrEP Awareness Week.

We conducted two workshops with faith leaders; the first was face to face at Brethren in Christ Church, and the other on Zoom with a combined total of 14 participants. These sessions opened doors for us to deliver some work with individual congregations with the support of their pastor. We also got an invitation to talk about our activities in planned future events which include Zimbabwean Communities Independence Day celebrations on the 22nd April. 2023 will see us co-develop an action plan for delivering interventions with churches that have large followings of the members of the African communities in Leeds.

We successfully launched Community Contraception Clinic for BAME people in Leeds who need help with contraception. This clinic offers implant fitting/removal, PrEP, full sexual health screening & the pill.

YM have launched a monthly HIV & STI testing drop-in at Leeds Kirkgate market on the last Friday of the month, which continues to meet many first-time testers & people from a wide range of communities and backgrounds.

Case Study

The Community Development Worker met a BAME woman who was interested in testing at the newly established Kirkgate Market testing & outreach session.

The SU spoke to the LSH outreach nurse and CDW about her sexless marriage and having sex with other men outside of the relationship. She also disclosed that she was mostly having sex with Black African men but also with women too.

The CDW took this opportunity to speak to the SU about PrEP, which she had not heard of before & was very keen on, the SU was surprised she has not heard of this before.

The CDW booked her directly in for PrEP at Testing Times+ & she attended her appointment early the next quarter

YM Leeds took part in a Leeds City Council health event aimed at Roma traveller communities. This event was the first of its kind bringing multiple organisations together to benefit Roma communities – from this, we are building network opportunities with professional and community organisations to offer appropriate and culturally competent STI testing and pregnancy testing services to Roma travellers in this client group in Leeds.

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MSM/LGBT+:

In 2022/23 YM Leeds has continued to host its popular monthly Queer Outreach Clinic at Wharf Chambers - The clinic has now expanded to include guests who work in healthcare such as LSH, Forward Leeds and Touchstone staff. The clinic is aimed at gender non-conforming, queer and trans people who may test less often or face institutional/personal barriers to testing and sees a number of sex workers from these groups.

YM has continued to offer outreach clinics monthly at STEAM MSM sauna, in partnership with Leeds Sexual Health. YM have also worked with LSH and STEAM in response to the monkeypox outbreak to ensure sauna staff have up to date and accurate public health information about cleaning and vaccinations available for their staff. The CDWs and LSH outreach team have adjusted their outreach schedule to include the 'Naked Tuesday' event which we are all hoping will reflect increased engagement in sauna settings going forward.

YM Leeds has strengthened our working relationship with the LGBT scene venues and offer a monthly MSM testing outreach drop-in at Queens Court.

YM Leeds has re-established (post Covid-19) our successful Testing Times service and launched an ever-popular PrEP clinic offering PrEP prescription in collaboration with Leeds Sexual Health in a community venue.

In Q2 the Yorkshire MESMAC Leeds CDWs have responded quickly to support the MPX vaccination drive in Leeds. The CDWs have worked closely with Leeds Sexual Health to deliver MPX vaccine to the MSM in Leeds who need it most. Leeds Sexual Health began to offer MPX vaccines to MSM on their PrEP lists, which is a good place to start as an indicator for “high risk” sex but the method of selecting eligible MSM does exclude any MSM who were self-sourcing PrEP, people who do not have anal sex (and therefore may not need PrEP but have a high number of sexual partners or people who had not registered with Leeds Sexual Health. The CDWs referred 59 of the most at risk MSM in Leeds in Q2 to Leeds Sexual Health for the vaccine & a further 17 in the early days of Q3.

WAD: YM Leeds arranged a comprehensive multi-site health promotion event on World AIDs Day (1st Dec) in collaboration with LSH and local scene venues Viaduct Showbar and Queens Court. Testing took place at both venues - YM's testing staff coordinated testing & triage with support from YM's new outreach team. Sexual health topics such as MPOX vaccinations, PrEP for Women and general sexual health testing were printed onto large signs and used by the outreach staff for health promotion, but also to offer direct support, referrals and helped guide interested service users to the testing area. Outreach staff promoted our services at other venues such as The New Penny, Bridge and Blayds Bar which increased our visibility and success substantially.

MPX outbreak work in Leeds:

MESMAC applied for additional funding and launched the See to It campaign – the CDWs and outreach workers created STI testing, PrEP & MPOX vaccination clinics targeting MSM in Q4.

The funding allowed for extra nurse staffed sessions to be delivered out of office hours and enabled MESMAC to market these sessions effectively through paid advertising campaigns. The campaign was a success and a great example of partnership working across infection control, Leeds sexual health and MESMAC.

MESMAC CDW’s supported the LSH Outreach nurses and service users at the clinic who needed further information, testing and referrals.

YM will use the learning from these extra MPOX sessions to advertise future testing sessions effectively both online & in person. The posters in gay bars & online via Grindr advertised the option to

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text/WhatsApp the CDWs which was highly effective in engaging MSM & the direct contact line reduces barriers to accessing health services.

Rotherham

Our Rotherham service has completed its first 12 months under the new contract. Our team has continued to develop the services for Sex Workers in Rotherham and have grown our CSW service user base 3-fold in a year.

In total, we have completed 1807 structured interventions with service users in those 12 months. 572 people came to us for HIV POCT, an increase of 127 on the previous year. 627 CT/GC screening kits were done in 22-23, 131 more than 21-22. We gave out 7,434 more condoms than previous year with a total of 31,402.

Young People

As services have now returned to pre-Covid delivery. We are back in all higher education settings in the district, providing sexual health support to young people. We saw slow recruitment to our YSHAG volunteering programme at the beginning of the year but picked up with regular volunteering slots being filled.

Case Study

“Rotherham workers supported two young people regarding gender identity, discussing the process of getting referred to the gender identity clinic. Workers found them support groups for young trans people where they can socialise and meet others safely Both have more confidence getting STI tested, they said the service was very inclusive and the procedure wasn’t uncomfortable which they expected it to be due to past experiences.”

“Staff supported the early help team with several service users. One service user in particular attended the service very anxiously. She had found out her partner had had sex with someone else and knew she needed testing. staff became aware that she had little to no knowledge around sexual health She was given a Rotherham specific sexual health information pack, and the session was spent with the service user going through the information and answering questions. The member of staff who was her support worker emailed me to say how comforted and supported the service user felt, and shared the information of our services with her team.

MSM

MSM in Rotherham have been supported through PSE outreach, online outreach and outreach to community groups. Rotherham does not have any commercial LGBTQ+ venues and Rotherham Pride has now disbanded. This has made the online outreach offer so much more important. The team has continued to build good relationships with the local population where we see a high number of MSM who are pleased there is a service for them. We were successful in securing funding for a Mpox vaccination project through the UKHSA SH Fund to provide targeted outreach and vaccination clinics. Rotherham was one of the areas we ran this project and did this in conjunction with Rotherham Sexual Health. The project was well received and engaged MSM into services they would not have normally accessed.

BAME

The Rotherham team have maintained their relationship with Black African community spaces and are now also engaged with Black African owned businesses. Within these settings we are able to provide information about our services and link into our testing programme. We access the WhatsApp African Network group to send out sexual health related messages and promote our services.

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Sex Workers

The Rotherham team have put a lot of effort into building trusted relationships with sex workers during 22/23. This has resulted in a good cohort or both men and women who are sex workers accessing our services on a regular basis. Drop-ins are being provided in housing projects and the Lighthouse Project in order to access more sex workers in the area.

The Rotherham team are planning on expanding their support for street-based sex workers by working in conjunction with the new drug and alcohol service to provide street-based outreach.

Hull

For the past year Yorkshire MESMAC’s Hull services have met or exceeded all its KPIs. We have achieved a total of 41,115 interventions, both first time and repeat, (an increase of 7,893 on the previous year). During this year our team have delivered 606 HIV/Syphilis point of care tests, 747 chlamydia/gonorrhoea screening kits and 150 pregnancy tests. In total we have distributed 118,652 condoms between April 2022 and March 2023. Hull's promotion and prevention contract has been retended. We're pleased to confirm we will continue our service provision from 1 April 2024 for 5 years at an annual yearly rate of £480,000.

BAME

Throughout 22/23 Yorkshire MESMAC has continued to support BAME community’s in Hull. This is done in a partnership method attending sessions at Open Doors and Welcome House which are hubs for Refugees and people seeking asylum. We offer free condoms and advice and links in to other services.

Working with the BAME community and local partners, Yorkshire MESMAC has now started offering drop-ins sessions at the Royal Hotel. This is the Hotel being used in Hull to house asylum seekers.

The Hull project secured funding for a BAME Health Network in partnership with North Bank Forum. The network is building activity and has had good engagement from organisations and stakeholders.

Yorkshire MESMAC continues to have representatives on The Refugee integration forum, The Hull independent advisory group, Multiagency refugee and asylum seeker network and Humber All Nations Alliance.

Case Studies

“Through our outreach I met a BAME woman who was concerned she might have genital herpes and was terrified about the possibility and thought that would mean she could no longer have sex. We discussed the symptoms and that due to the symptoms, we could book her in for a test with Conifer and if it was positive, that they would be able to give her treatment to reduce the length of outbreaks and reduce the chance of onward transmission.

We also discussed barrier methods, especially how internal condoms are better for reducing the chance of genital herpes transmission as they cover more surface area. While still very nervous, she said she felt a lot better knowing how common herpes actually is and how it doesn’t mean she has to stop having sex (and some tips on how to have conversations about disclosure if the test is positive).”

“During our at The University of Hull a Nigerian student accessed the service and took a full sexual health screen. It was the first time she had had sex and was really concerned about HIV. Since there had been risk of HIV and she wasn’t on contraception we did a full sexual health test including pregnancy. The HIV test was negative but the pregnancy test was positive. She didn’t want to continue with the pregnancy but was fearful of cost and what her father would think back home. I explained that services are free and the information is confidential. Yorkshire MESMAC did the referral to Choices with her and then stayed in touch throughout the week until she had the appointment. On the night of the

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appointment the service user rang us as she was feeling anxious and in a bit of pain. The worker explained this is normal but if the pain became too bad to ring 111. The next day the worker rang her and everything was fine. She thanked the service and now has ongoing access to the free services MESMAC provide.”

Young People (Hull)

The Hull project continues to provide drop-in services in all sixth form and further education setting in Hull. Our RSE support and delivery is now in every school in the area for the first time. In addition, we now have regular drop-ins at 14-16 College, Kenworthy House, Strawberry Fields, Terry Street and numerous Youth Projects.

The joint contraception Clinic we host with support from local sexual health is going from strength to strength and is consistently fully booked. This service is used to specifically engage more vulnerable young people who would not attend clinical services without support. The outreach nurses provide the clinical interventions while our worker is on hand to do the screening and have more wholistic conversations with the young people.

Case Study

“In July a young person came into the contraception clinic run at the office on a Monday evening. The nurse had seen this young person previously and asked her to come to the clinic to talk to us as she had worries about her. Afterwards I visited this young person at their home for a quick chat about what was going on and they disclosed that they had been sexually assaulted last year but hadn’t told anyone. They also disclosed they were struggling significantly with their mental health because of this incident and was suicidal. After reporting the safeguarding concern, I referred the young person into CAHMS where the crisis team supported them through this difficult time. I continued to support them and worked with them to improve their knowledge on consent, healthy relationships and boundaries. Each week the young person was doing much better with their mental health and was able to improve their relationship with their partner by communicating their boundaries and recognising signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships. At this time their family and friends came to support them as well which strengthened the support they had. After our 1-2-1 sessions, the young person was receiving therapy, had a positive and supportive relationship with family and friends and was in a healthy romantic relationship. The young person had a few words to say about the service; ‘I’m just grateful for you because if it wasn’t for you coming to see me first, I wouldn’t have had the help from other people and all of this has made my mental health much better’.”

MSM (Hull)

MSM in Hull continue to be supported through scene outreach, online outreach, joint delivery of LGBTQ+ Clinic at Conifer, PSE outreach and attendance at local events.

Case Study

“While doing a drop in at local ‘gay’ Sauna, we had an MSM come for a test who was deaf. He was able to lip read. While discussing sexual risk, PrEP was discussed. He explained that he had been on the PrEP trial but didn’t carry on as he was unable to book an appointment by phone and didn’t know how else he could access The GUM service due to suspended walk ins during the pandemic. We put in a referral to the Health Advising team, requesting that they communicate with him via text message rather than a phone call for any information they needed outside of a face to face appointment, which the team were able to do.”

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Sex Workers (Hull)

The Hull project maintaining regular, weekly contact and good relationships with the massage parlours in Hull.

In February we were contacted by HITCH who were conducting research on behalf of English HIV and sexual Health commissioners’ group regarding the take up of PrEP amongst Sex Workers and Black African Women. It entailed recruiting Sex Workers to take part in a brief, audio recorded interview discussing their knowledge (or otherwise) of PrEP and what would encourage or discourage them from accessing it. Initially we were asked to interview 8 women but due to delays in receiving the reward vouchers and short time scales we only managed to recruit 4. Of these 4 women, 2 are now looking into the possibility of accessing PrEP for themselves.

The Hull team worked alongside Humberside police to help deliver courses they are running for men who are using the services of street sex workers. We delivered some sexual health awareness to the men as well as offering them sexual health screening at the end of the session. This comes off the back of the work we do alongside The Lighthouse project doing outreach to the street workers in Hull. While working with the police we ensured that our contribution contained no judgement and encouraged engagement with local services.

In Q2 we did a lot more targeted work with the street sex workers in Hull. We have worked alongside Lighthouse to put on extra testing sessions at their premises specifically for these women. Lighthouse have been providing transport for the women to enable them to attend our testing sessions. As well as this, we have given information about these sessions, and the importance of testing on leaflets to the police and other organisations that come into contact with the women regularly to get the message spread more widely.

Case Study

“A woman at one of the parlours had pharyngeal Gonorrhoea. There was a language barrier as she’s from Brazil and the worker didn’t speak Portuguese but it gave them an opportunity to discuss using condoms for oral sex with all the women in the parlour. Most were completely unaware that it’s possible to contract STI’s in the throat.”

Bradford

In 22/23 the Bradford team worked hard to re-establish the many interventions which had been changed by Covid, including learning where it continues to be preferred to deliver services online over Zoom/Teams etc. Peers support groups were delivered 60 times in the year and workshops for services users 28 times: some of these workshops were delivered as part of these established support groups e.g. safer sex session at the LGBTQ+ youth group Blagy. One off workshops, to groups identified as in need for sexual health information, included sessions to young asylum seekers in various temporary accommodation venues.

The Bradford team made contact with over 3000 people in outreach locations such as churches, bars, clubs, cruising areas, online hook up apps and peer support groups. Each of these interactions included a brief health behaviours conversation and in many cases referrals were made to services including the clinical sexual health services. Working closely with the clinical sexual health team at Locala was a theme of the year, with many more ‘clinic in a box’ sessions delivered by Locala at MESMAC’s premises or in venues MESMAC had identified, so enabling better reach to people most at risk of HIV transmission such as sex workers, asylum seekers and men who have sex with men.

Point of care (POC) HIV tests delivered by MESMAC staff totalled 193, Syphilis POC tests totalled 190. Over 30,000 condom and lube safer sex packs were distributed. 128 professionals received basic awareness training to support their work with people at risk of HIV transmission and poorer sexual

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health outcomes. The training covers basic awareness of HIV, working with LGBT+ people and knowing how to refer to sexual health services.

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis’s (PrEP)

One of the key values is improving outcomes by the effective use of technology. PrEP is a relatively new technology to add to our combination prevention approach. We have developed information resources for service users. We have worked closely with our clinical partners to develop PrEP clinics, community triage and effective referral pathways. This year we have made over 250 referrals for PrEP to our clinical partners.

What we do know is that knowledge, and so access to PrEP, is not evenly spread amongst those who would benefit from it. Therefore, a key target for us is to increase the number of PrEP referrals from Women and racialised minorities. We organised and facilitated focus groups and interviews with groups of African women and female sex workers with Hitch Marketing on behalf of the English HIV and Sexual Health Commissioners Group. Findings from this research will inform recommendations for future work with marginalised communities.

Improved Acceptability and Access to Clinical Sexual Services

Not all sexual health interventions lend themselves to a community-based approach. Therefore, we offered training, advice and support to commissioners and clinical colleagues, and have developed partnerships and consortia with clinical providers to improve services’ referral mechanisms and pathways. This year we are particularly proud to have worked with our clinical partners, Leeds Sexual Health, Rotherham Integrated Sexual Health Services and Locala in Bradford to develop tailored community based clinical sexual health services for Trans folk, sex workers and young people, delivered from our premises, where possible.

We offer training and consultancy to services and organisations who wish to make their offer more accessible, acceptable and appropriate to LBGTQ+ people. During this year we trained 549 professionals, on topics ranging from Chemsex to Supporting people living with HIV.

We delivered a co-produced video to the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership to meet the training needs of primary care staff re Trans healthcare.

Outreach

We use Targeted Outreach to take services to people who are distanced or disenfranchised from the usual channels of information and sources of support. Real world opportunities to engage in this outreach have included; streets, bars, clubs, education settings and places of worship etc. Although interventions are in person by default, we continued to use online and telephone outreach as an alternative for people who found it more suitable or to reach particular demographics, such as MSM on Grindr and Zoom for folk who are particularly frail etc.

53,556 adults were reached during in person outreach, across 2801 sessions. 510 virtual sessions saw us interacting with 4198 service users. (Young people’s figures are reported separately)

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HIV Support Services for people living with and affected by HIV

These are delivered as part of our integrated HIV prevention service in Bradford.

Social Support services aim to move PLWH from a cycle of dependency to independence and selfsustainability by improving their emotional wellbeing, and life chances, increasing their ability to make informed choices about their physical health and to combat HIV-related stigma. The project also supports partners and children of PLWH.

In 22/23 the service re-established it’s face to face groups and one to ones following the remote interactions imposed by Covid. The Thursday Group: a group for people living with HIV, has provided fortnightly space for peers to provide support to each other and receive updates around medications etc.

This year saw 13 new service users, and the delivery of 178 positive self-management sessions. All service new service users engaged in an initial assessment of needs within a week of their referral to MESMAC. The positive self-management sessions, which are developed from the BHIVA standards of care for adults living with HIV, cover topics including talking to your family about your diagnosis, aging with HIV, sex and intimacy when living with HIV and are delivered in peer group sessions or one to one dependent on the needs of the service user.

2 members of staff participated (on behalf of Yorkshire MESMAC) in the first Fighting HIV Stigma March in London on the 18[th] March, in partnership with other national HIV support agencies

Tailored Services for Young People LGBTQ+

Our Bradford based youth project has seen a busy 12-month period. LGBTQ+ youth face disproportionate health inequalities and Trans youth are especially at current risk of hostility and discrimination. We have seen a huge increase in young Trans folk accessing the service in the last 12 months. We continue to offer face to face provision combined with online options for young people who feel too unsafe to attend in person or are physically too far away.

Our LGBTQ+ youth group in Bradford, BLAGY, delivered 52 sessions, with a total of 331 attendances. Attendances were made up of 35 individuals, with 13 being new to the service this year.

Tailored Services for Young People – Universal Offer - Hull

Our Hull service has bespoke services aimed at improving the sexual and reproductive health of the City’s young people. Services include STI and pregnancy screening and testing, contraception advice and referral, sexual health advice and guidance, condom provision, RSE education in schools and a comprehensive outreach offer to sixth forms, further education settings and youth services. 61% of our 41,115 service users were young people aged 24 and under.

Our newest drop-in at Kenworthy House, a venue which provides services to those young people who are the most vulnerable and potentially do not access education settings, has developed over the past 12 months and we see regular referrals from partner agencies. We continue to work closely with our local clinical sexual health outreach team to deliver contraception drop-in clinics. This has seen 451 young people receiving contraception through our service (an increase of 115 on the previous year).

Tailored Services for Young People – Universal Offer – Rotherham

Our Rotherham service now has drop-in and outreach in all higher education settings in the district, as well as youth centres and services. We are now working with the Early Help team to provide a bespoke service within Rotherham’s Family Hubs to support young people and their families in a wider number of locations and promote partnership working. This piece of work will see staff from the Early Help team

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trained as sexual health champions within their own services so they can deliver basic sexual health support to include condom provision and demonstration and support accessing postal testing option.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Our community development projects aimed to increase our communities’ collective capacity to deliver services which improve health and wellbeing.

Older LGBTQ+ people

Sage supports older LGBTQ+ people in Leeds and Older and Bolder supports LGBTQ+ older folk in Bradford who are experiencing social isolation and loneliness through the provision of a drop-in service and other events, provision of volunteer support and developing opportunities to volunteer, while building the skills of the professionals who work with them.

Although funding for The Sage project came to an end in 2021, The Board of Trustees, decided that at the height of a pandemic it was not acceptable to leave some of our most vulnerable service users isolated therefore they agreed to invest charitable funds to keep the group and service running. Sage is now a self-sustaining group that continues to meet in our Leeds office.

Older and Bolder are now run by Bradford Equity Partnership. Sage has become a self-defining selforganising group that continues to meet in our Leeds building.

GOW - Gender Outreach Workers

Between April 2022 and March 23, the Gender Outreach Team expanded to 4x Band 4 workers (two Leeds based and two Preston based) and a Band 5 Gender Outreach Lead (Yorkshire based). This has increased the potential number of interventions possible with one to ones at 1128, 109 people at groups and 509 conversations at drop ins. Pre-pandemic Groups have been in-person, with hybrid online and in-person options post pandemic where possible. Making Waves Trans & Non-binary swim session has restarted with steady increase in numbers attending. The session provides free access to the pool and gym funded by Leeds Gender Identity Service twice per month at Bramley Baths, Leeds. In person outreach takes place with a number of local partners at Leeds First Friday, Angels of Freedom amongst others. Periodic outreach also takes place alongside Yorkshire MESMAC workers at testing and awareness sessions in local settings such as universities and other pop-up options linked to annual calendar events. The Gender Outreach Team are also making links with other LGBT and Trans groups in the region, alongside other bodies such as social prescribing teams, primary care and some adult education establishments.

In September 2022 Leeds Gender Identity Service set up the freephone Gender Outreach Worker Information and Advice Line (0800 1831486). The line is open Monday-Friday, 10am-2pm excluding bank holidays. People can seek information and advice, book one to ones at more convenient times and book onto groups. Local professionals sometimes contact this phone line for advice and Yorkshire MESMAC workers can signpost people this phone number for direct access to a Gender Outreach Worker.

The Gender Outreach Worker Facebook page was established pre-pandemic and a social media plan has also been developed to develop posting, activity and visuals to increase engagement, communication and share information. Posts featuring workers engaging in community activity and outreach yield larger reach and engagement. We hope to expand this further with Instagram to capture a wider and more varied audience. In person outreach will continue with the aim of reaching those who are underrepresented or have limited online access. Contact with social prescribers and other local organisations also seeks to reach those people from underrepresented communities and intersections.

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Board of Trustees’ annual report

for the year ended 31 March 2023

Workers in Yorkshire and Lancashire now have access to Gender Outreach Worker branded banners, business cards and leaflets available to distribute as appropriate.

Feedback

“We discussed a range of topics that were worrying me, mostly to do with my social transition, gender identity, and anxieties about testosterone. He eased my mind about a lot of the topics and was very easy to talk to, having had a lot of the issues I'm going through, too, so we could see eye-to-eye”

“He was very friendly and answered all my questions which helped me understand a process I was confused about. He also told me about support groups I could access which was very helpful.”

“Answered all my questions which allows me to continue with my transition. Useful signposting and information given to help me with applying for a Deed Poll.”

“Not at all. In fact, I was given support much sooner and to a greater degree than I even expected. I’m very happy with the conversation I had.”

“I would have sat alone for 2 hours waiting to go to my exam feeling terrified. By coming to the dropin, this has relaxed me, took my mind off my looming Chemistry exam, and provided me with all the group information I needed to meet others.”

“I met with an experienced and very helpful GOW from Leeds to try and better understand where I might find support. Sophie was incredibly understanding and friendly and this gave me the confidence to explore ideas about the direction of my transition. Sophie shared some of her own experiences about treatment options that I am sure will prove useful in years to come. I currently have physical health issues to navigate as well as seeking continuing support along the gender pathway.”

Healthy Communities Together:

Healthy Communities Together, (HCT) aims to encourage a cultural shift in how we tackle health inequality in Leeds. At its core, HCT is a collaboration between organisations dedicated to serving marginalised communities. Specifically, it brings together the Leeds Asylum Seeker Support Network, Leeds GATE representing Gypsies and Travellers, BASIS Yorkshire supporting Sex Workers, and Yorkshire MESMAC advocating for Trans+ people.

This ground-breaking partnership also involves Leeds City Council Public Health and Leeds Health and Care Partnership representation, who share a collective responsibility towards these groups. The project is funded by The National Lottery and is supported by The Kings Fund, who provide hands on consultation and policy advice. HCT was chosen out of 260 applications nationwide for its innovative approach and is the sole project of its kind among the five final funding recipients running across the country. Now well into phase 2 of the work.

One of the defining aspects of HCT is its collaborative and positive exploration of partnership working. It bridges the gap between the voluntary sector and statutory organisations, seeking new and effective ways to benefit marginalised communities. By pooling their collective wealth of experience and knowledge, senior leaders from Leeds City Council Public Health, Leeds Health and Care Partnership, and the third sector demonstrate their commitment to moving beyond traditional divisions and silos and embracing a more inclusive narrative.

Through its commitment to co-production methods and trauma-informed practices, HCT confronts the prevailing "us and them" narrative and paves the way for collaboration that transcends established boundaries. By disrupting patterns that perpetuate inequalities, HCT explores new possibilities for collaboration, sets an example for future projects and seeks to support other groups who may wish to work in this complex and collaborative way. Using our innovative approach and experimental

13

Yorkshire MESMAC

Board of Trustees’ annual report

for the year ended 31 March 2023

methodologies, we have gained an enormous amount of learning around the needs of our community, the ways in which we can create equitable spaces that allow for all voices and opinions to be heard.

What makes HCT truly remarkable is its recognition of the invaluable contributions and experiences of marginalised communities. Rather than viewing them as passive recipients of support, HCT emphasises their agency and actively seeks their input. By championing the voices of these communities, HCT offers a powerful opportunity to reshape policies and systems based on their lived realities. It challenges us to revaluate the traditional power dynamics and place those who have been marginalised at the centre of decision-making processes.

HCT's value extends far beyond monetary considerations. It fosters social value by embedding an ethos of social change in a system that often falls short. By identifying alternative access routes and improving early presentation in services, HCT enhances the overall well-being of marginalised individuals. The collaboration among the four VCS organisations, three of whom are previous GSK award winners, provides an exceptional reach into communities facing the most challenging health outcomes. Through HCT, these organisations have a direct line of communication with leaders, ensuring that the ideas and needs of these communities reach the right people. This is aided by the strength of the partnership, who have active knowledge of current structures and connections to senior leaders, who can be held accountable for the changes that need to be made. HCT seeks to close the feedback loop, to make sure that the communities that we work with feel heard but also are reported back to on the progress that the system itself has made, just like any other professional working in this way.

In conclusion, Healthy Communities Together is an exceptional initiative that challenges conventional approaches and drives meaningful change. Its collaborative and inclusive nature, innovative methodologies, and emphasis on the voices of marginalised communities make it a true beacon of progress.

MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Increasing our mental health and wellbeing offer has been identified as a key strategic objective for the charity going forward. We have designated funds to employ a Coordinator to drive forward this agenda. We employed a coordinator in 22/23 who has started aligning our various strands of mental health work and looking for opportunities to provide services to the communities we reach which meet their mental health needs.

Counselling:

Counselling was delivered remotely via Zoom or telephone; The majority of service users and counsellors alike continue to prefer remote counselling options.

In 22/23 130 people accessed our counselling service with each service user offered 6 sessions.

Our counselling in 22/23 was delivered alongside HIV prevention work in Bradford and Leeds, to support people living with HIV in Bradford and as part of suicide prevention programmes focussing on reducing suicide risk and poor mental health in LGBT+ populations in Leeds and Bradford.

Wellbeing Support Sessions (Bradford)

Co-counselling Wellbeing Support Sessions are offered on-line through Zoom. Sessions are offered weekly, for 1.5 hours. There is a strong demonstration of individual commitment to the group and peers through regular group attendance. Referrals to the group continued throughout the period.

Total Sessions delivered: 52

14

Yorkshire MESMAC

Board of Trustees’ annual report

for the year ended 31 March 2023

Total Attendances: 278

Average attendance per session: 5

Newcomers: 5

Online Therapeutic workshops (Bradford):

Therapeutic workshops this period included new and returning attendees. These sessions are open to the LGBTQ+ community and tailored around the emerging needs and requests from regular group members as to what they would find helpful to address. Workshop themes include: peer mentoring skills, ‘common’ issues experienced by LGBTQ+ people, destructive behaviours, eating disorders, gender identify, racism and LGBTQ+ issues, drugs and alcohol, asylum status impact on mental health. There have also been use of the Danish concept of the ‘human library’ where by information is shared and exchanged through conversation. The group feedback that ‘human library’ workshops are helpful and inspiring,

Total workshops delivered 12

Total Attendances: 59

Average attendance per session: 5

Total Men’s Health

This Comic Relief Funded project aimed to improve the health of Gay, Bisexual and Trans (GBT) Men reducing barriers to sport and increasing the capacity of sports organisations to support GBT men. Whilst much of this work was disrupted in 21/22 due to Covid-19 restrictions and pressures on schools and colleges etc.. The flexibility of the Comic Relief grant programme meant we redesigned the outputs of this project to include the production of a video that will act as a training resource and legacy for the project. This video was completed in 22/23 and can be used to promote fitness/’physical health activities in West Yorkshire which are welcoming for GBT young men. The video created is moving and features the stories of these young people about managing their mental health outcomes through sports including climbing and wrestling. Local LGBT+ grass roots community groups which promote sports and physical activities were involved in the development of the video.

Peer support work

Yorkshire MESMAC are part of a carefully selected consortium of providers delivering towards the community mental health transformation programme in Leeds. These 4 voluntary sector organisations bring reach and specialisms to support the statutory sector work with those experiencing serious mental health. MESMAC employ a Peer support worker who provides one to one support to people referred into the program from primary care. Later in this projects progress self-referral will be possible as well as greater joined up work with wider community mental health teams.

Suicide prevention peer support in Leeds

In 22/23 we started a project to address suicide in LGBT+ communities. The project has already provided counselling to many LGBT folk in Leeds delivered by counsellors who are often from LGBT+ communities too. Alongside the counselling a peers support group is meeting weekly which is led by LGBT+ community members and staff peers, with the aims of this becoming self-sustaining later in 23/24. Training for people who work in LGBT+ community and commercial venues is also being developed to help people identify distress, have helping conversations and refer people to appropriate services.

15

Yorkshire MESMAC

Board of Trustees’ annual report

for the year ended 31 March 2023

Bradford mental health services for LGBT+ people

Alongside our funding, which supports LGBT+ folk to access therapy (provided by our counselling services or through IAPT), we continue to deliver direct community development work for LGBT+ folk in Bradford and Craven NHS districts. In 22/23 a new staff member was recruited into the post and work was done with established LGBT+ groups and organisations around the mental health needs of LGBT+ people of Bradford. The resulting developed work includes group work with LGBT+ young people alongside our sexual health workers, creative mindfulness groups for wider age ranges, development of resilience skills workshops with support from NHS psychologists.

16

Yorkshire MESMAC

Board of Trustees’ annual report

for the year ended 31 March 2023

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Income in 2022-23 was £1,462,109 which was below previous year’s income caused by the reduction in service delivery in Wakefield, York and North Yorkshire. Our unrestricted net income was also reduced to a small deficit of £9,920 but we maintained a surplus on restricted funds of £35,403. Unrealised gains on investment were only £797. Cash provided by operating activities was £9,512.

Our income from other trading activities has increased to £62,164 as a result of rental income.

We have continued to manage some small grants for emerging community groups. The income from our Trading Company allows trading income generated to be entirely ring fenced from grant funding.

Reserves

The Board of Trustees (BOT) regularly reviews the charity’s reserves requirement. Based on this our policy is to aim to maintain at minimum three months of budgeted expenditure as net current assets in reserves with the aim of reaching 6 months and to include monies to cover 100% outstanding commitments on our leasehold properties, calculating a minimum commitment on all leases of 5 years and including the cost of any required dilapidations and reparation works to the buildings.

The overall target this year, using our budgeted expenditure, is £1,045,884. The present level of net current assets and fixed asset investments available to the charity is £2,121,318 which means we have exceeded our overall target this year.

The Trustees aim to use these funds to support the organisation’s general development plus designated funds allocated to our Mental Health and Wellbeing offer and supporting our properties.

In the current economic climate we feel it is essential that we maintain a strong reserve position and ensure the most appropriate use of funds. Our focus is on ensuring that investment in long term operational and financial sustainability has the highest impact on the needs of our service users.

Review of Reserves

The charity had total reserves at the end of the reporting period of £ 2,300,489 Amount restricted to specific use by funders was £ 163,074 Amounts designated for supporting our properties and our mental health & wellbeing offer of £267,681 The general fund remaining after designations is £ 1,869,734

Going Concern

As Trustees we consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern over the next reporting cycle. We have formed this view based on the following factors: -

17

Yorkshire MESMAC

Board of Trustees’ annual report

for the year ended 31 March 2023

Remuneration policy for key management personnel

The overall goal of Yorkshire MESMAC’s pay policy is always to offer fair pay to attract and keep appropriately qualified staff to lead, manage, support and/or deliver the charity’s aims.

Trustees are ultimately responsible for setting remuneration levels for the charity’s senior staff.

In deciding levels of pay and rewards Trustees consider:

Yorkshire MESMAC senior management team (currently Operations Managers, and CEO) are linked to the appropriate point on the NJC pay scale, decided by the criteria above. Trustees review of senior pay at regular intervals to ensure we offer fair pay to attract and retain skilled staff.

Principal sources of funding

Though principal sources of funding continue to relate to HIV prevention and sexual health in the Hull, Leeds and Bradford local authority areas. There is a growing move towards being sub-contract via a ‘head’ contract held by a clinical partner, This is the model in Rotherham where we are sub-contracted by Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust and is the new model for Bradford going forward were we will be subcontracted by Locala.

18

Yorkshire MESMAC

Board of Trustees’ annual report

for the year ended 31 March 2023

The psychological therapies part of our mental health work in Bradford is commissioned by Bradford District Care Trust. Bradford Districts Clinical Commissioning Group supported online outreach and resources developed by LGBTQ+ young people to improve mental health and wellbeing.

We saw an increase in our community development income this year, especially from NLCF and the King Fund.

Investment policy

Investment Objective

To hold sufficient unrestricted reserves to meet the reserves policy designed to maintain the charity through difficult financial periods and to maintain the real value of those reserves and to generate income from those reserves to supplement the costs of providing the range of services provided by Yorkshire MESMAC.

To maintain sufficient liquidity in the form of bank deposits to cover any short-term liquidity requirements.

To invest any additional reserves above a liquidity requirement with a total return investment objective seeking income generation with an additional aim of at least maintaining the value of those reserves over time after adjusting for RPI inflation.

Risk Profile

The Investments are to be managed at a medium level of risk. This means that there will be moderate risk to the invested capital but increased opportunities for longer-term growth in both capital and income. The prospects of short-term volatility are consequentially greater.

The investment portfolio will be broadly balanced between equities and non-equities by the use of cash deposits and collective investments exposed to a diversified spread of equities and fixed interest investments. There may be some exposure to other asset classes within such funds.

Investment Restrictions

There are to be no specific investment restrictions.

Investment Management

The trustees have decided not to appoint a discretionary investment manager at this stage but to utilise collective investment funds to achieve diversification. It is felt that at this stage the likely overall value invested does not justify the costs of an external discretionary investment manager.

The investments are monitored and reviewed by the Finance Administration Manager, the CEO and the Finance Business Development Committee on a regular basis four times per year.

Investment Valuations

Investments are a form of basic financial instrument and are initially recognised at their transaction value and subsequently measured at their fair value as at the balance sheet date using the closing quoted market price. The statement of financial activities includes the net gains and losses arising on

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Yorkshire MESMAC

Board of Trustees’ annual report

for the year ended 31 March 2023

revaluation and disposals throughout the year. Our investment holdings were valued at £1,414,717 the balance sheet date.

Asset Collective Allocation (excluding cash deposits)

Charitable Investment Funds – 100%

Current Cash Assets

Current cash assets continued to be distributed across a number of unconnected banks to ensure the funds are secure and by managing these deposits carefully we have increased income modestly while managing risk. Our cash holdings at the balance sheet date were £698,693.

PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS (2023-24)

In order to meet our aims it is essential that Yorkshire MESMAC Group of Services protects current sources of funding and attracts additional and sustainable funding revenues. We know that local authorities’ Public Health Budgets are under continuing strain and will continue to be so. Taken together with competitive tendering we will need to continue to identify and develop new ways of working and new strategic partnerships/joint ventures local, regionally and nationally.

Marginalised communities that we work with shoulder a greater burden of poor mental health, than the general population, we see increasing our mental health offer as a key priority for the near future.

In order to improve the sexual health offer across our area we are committed to working in partnership with clinical colleagues, to improve their offer and widen our own to Most at Risk Populations (MARPS). We know that HIV and STIs are not a static or stable epidemic; as it changes we must react in order to ensure that those at most risk and those in most need are properly served. As new technologies emerge and become financially viable we need to harness them and ensure that those who can benefit from these developments, for example, PrEP is now routinely available on the NHS. However, not everyone who would benefit from it are accessing PrEP. Therefore, we are committed to taking action that lowers institutional and knowledge barriers to access PrEP and we will redouble our efforts to ensure that women and Black African people in particular have equitable access to PrEP.

This year saw us adapt our model to react to support our service users with the MPox outbreak. Being able to respond quickly and efficiently will continue to be a hallmark of our service offerings.

We are delighted to host workers from the Leeds Gender Identity clinic; and are excited by the service’s growth in the past year however, we know we can and must do more. Including better training for our people on Trans+ issues. We will continue to work with Trans+ groups across our footprint to increase access and capacity and appropriateness of local services.

We will increase the scope and depth of the offer across our present patch. Including improving our mental health offer for Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Trans+ communities. Underpinning our growth is a commitment to using technology to communicate with and educate our target communities as well as making our services as barrier free as possible for users and potential service users. We will continue to invest in technology and share our learning with other organisations across the sector; including what we have learned from Covid-19 in terms of blended delivery and staff work life balance.

As Trustees we are confident that the Charity is a going concern and we look forward to another year, marked by dedication, creativity and high-quality delivery.

20

Yorkshire MESMAC

Board of Trustees’ annual report

for the year ended 31 March 2023

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing Document

Yorkshire MESMAC is a company limited by guarantee, first registered on 12[th] August 1994, number 2958336 and was registered as a charity on 24[th] August 1994, number 1040407. The company was established under a Memorandum of Association. In the event of the company being wound up members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £10.

Recruitment, Appointment and Induction of Trustees

The Directors of the Company are also Charity Trustees for the purposes of charity law and under the company’s Articles are known as members of the Board of Trustees (BOT). Potential Trustees are recruited via our website, through word of mouth and recommendations, the local voluntary sector volunteer units and recruitment via interested individuals and users of our service plus local relevant press. Health, finance, legal, administrative, personnel, training, strategic planning, safeguarding, local health commissioning and social care skills are represented on the Board of Trustees. The Trustees wish to ensure that the makeup of the BOT fully represents the breadth of the communities we serve and is actively recruiting to address this issue. The BOT have also reviewed the skills mix on the board and continue to develop a supportive and effective induction process for new trustees.

Under the requirements of the Memorandum and Articles of Association Trustees are formally appointed at the Annual General Meeting, also at every Annual General Meeting one-third of the Trustees retire by rotation. The Trustees who retire by rotation are those who have been longest in office since their last appointment or reappointment. Other Trustees can be appointed throughout the year and have their appointment formalised at the Annual General Meeting.

Our process of Trustee appointment and induction is.

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Yorkshire MESMAC

Board of Trustees’ annual report

for the year ended 31 March 2023

The Trustees are kept up to date with the practical work of the charity through their individual involvement in the work of the charity and their committee work. Yorkshire MESMAC has four regional offices in Bradford, Hull, Rotherham, Leeds.

Organisational Structure

Yorkshire MESMAC currently has a Board of Trustees (BOT) of 12 members from a variety of professional and personal backgrounds relevant to the work of the charity. They meet four times a year as a full Board and attend a further 4 Sub Committee meetings. They are responsible for the strategic direction, policy monitoring and development, employment procedures and proper fiscal oversight of the charity. They review strategic plans for the organisation in line with negotiated contracts in order to ensure that the highest quality services are provided for our target groups. Further aims of the BOT are to maintain an overview of the organisation, to safeguard the values and principles of the organisation.

The Board appoints a Chair, Vice Chair and Treasurer and there is a Lead Safeguarding trustee. The Finance/Administration Manager sits on the BOT as Company Secretary but has no voting rights.

The Trustees can appoint one or more committees of three or more Trustees to perform any function or duty, which the Trustees agree would be better carried out by a committee. At present the three core committees are Finance and Business Development (FBD) Governance (G) and Human Resources (HR). All Committees have a minimum membership of three Trustees and one senior staff member. This year, the Board has set up a separate sub group to develop and oversee the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED and I) strategy. This group will report directly to the Board and report progress at each Board meeting.

Each Trustee is member of one committee and the committees report back, via their chair, to the main BOT meetings which are 4 times a year, including the AGM. This allows Trustees to have a greater chance to contribute to the governance of the charity.

The Governance Committee leads on the policy review of the organisation, with input from the HR and FBD committees (where appropriate); reviews the organisational Risk Register and is responsible for maintaining the skills audit of the Trustees. The HR Committee has continued to streamline the procedures for recruitment of staff, volunteers and trustees and the Finance and Business Development Committee has continued its work overseeing the financial procedures and funding developments within the organisation.

Annually the BOT has an Away Day to discuss the progress of the Business Development and Strategic Plan for the organisation. The Senior Management Team are invited join them for the latter part of the meeting.

A Scheme of Delegation is in place within the organisation and day to day responsibility for the provision of the service rests essentially with the Chief Executive, who has regular 121s with the Chair of the BOT.

Yorkshire MESMAC

Board of Trustees’ annual report

for the year ended 31 March 2023

The Chief Executive takes responsibility for negotiating contracts, ensuring that contract obligations are met and works closely with the Operations Manager-Human Resources (OM –HR) and the Operations Manager - Technical (OM-T) with relation to staff workload and implementation of agreed work plans and with the Finance/Administration Manager (FAM) on financial management. This group of staff constitutes the Senior Management Team and meets regularly to plan and implement the work of the organisation as a whole.

The two Operations Managers have responsibility for the day to day operational management of Yorkshire MESMAC and the overall management of staff supervision. The OM-HR ensures that the team continues to develop their skills and working practices in line with good practice and the OM-T takes the lead on systems including property and IT infrastructure. The FAM has responsibility for the day to day financial management of organisation and manages the Admin/Finance Team.

Given the ongoing development of Yorkshire MESMAC group of services, the Trustees in partnership with staff continue to review our aims ensuring that they reflect the needs of our expanding service user groups.

Risk Management

The major risks, to which the charity is exposed, as identified by the Trustees and staff, are managed through the remit of the Committee system which regularly updates the Organisational Risk Register in partnership with the Senior Management Team.

Areas of risk assessed and mitigations put in place include:

Procedures are in place to ensure compliance with Health and Safety of staff, volunteers, service users and visitors to the Yorkshire MESMAC buildings.

The Serious Incident Policy ensures that any risks are managed effectively, in a timely manner and with the involvement of all senior management, trustees and governing bodies.

The Governance Committee is the main driver of the review of all policies and procedures and ensure that they continue to meet the needs of the charity.

All BOT members and senior staff annually update their Declaration of Interest forms and all BOT meetings have this as a standing item on the agenda to ensure all potential clashes of interest are highlighted and acted upon.

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Yorkshire MESMAC

Board of Trustees’ annual report

for the year ended 31 March 2023

Statement of responsibilities of the trustees

The trustees (who are also directors of Yorkshire MESMAC for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees’ annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

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

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable group and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In so far as the trustees are aware:

The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company's website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

24

Yorkshire MESMAC

Board of Trustees’ annual report

for the year ended 31 March 2023

Auditors

Slade & Cooper Ltd were re-appointed as the charitable company's auditors during the year and have expressed their willingness to continue in that capacity.

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

The trustees’ annual report has been approved by the trustees on 20 November 2023 and signed on their behalf by

Steve Bridge

Chair

25

Independent auditors’ report

to the Members and Trustees of

Yorkshire MESMAC

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Yorkshire MESMAC (the ‘parent charitable company’) and its subsidiary for the year ended 31 March 2023, which comprise the Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities (including the income and expenditure account), the Balance Sheets of the group and the parent charitable company, the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows and the related notes. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

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

Conclusions relating to going concern

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

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

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

Other information

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

26

Independent Auditor’s Report (continued)

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

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

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

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of our knowledge and understanding of the group and parent charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors’ report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Act 2011 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement set out on page 24, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

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

27

Independent Auditor’s Report (continued)

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

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

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

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/Our-Work/Audit/Audit-and-assurance/Standards-and-guidance/Standards-andguidance-for-auditors/Auditors-responsibilities-for-audit/Description-of-auditors-responsibilities-foraudit.aspx. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and to the charitable company’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with Part 4 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members and its trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

28

Independent Auditor’s Report (continued)

Christy Yun Hing Lau FCCA CTA DChA

Senior Statutory Auditor

for and on behalf of

Slade & Cooper Limited Statutory Auditors Beehive Mill Jersey Street Manchester M4 6JG 21[st] December 2023

Slade & Cooper Limited is eligible to act as an auditor in terms of section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006

29

Yorkshire MESMAC

Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities

(including Income and Expenditure account) for the year ended 31 March 2023

Unrestricted
funds
Note
£
Income from:
Donations and legacies
3
3,329
Charitable activities:
4
1,145,112
5
62,164
Investments
6
3,426
Total income
1,214,031
Expenditure on:
Raising funds
7
9,981
Charitable activities:
8
1,214,767
Total expenditure
1,224,748
(10,717)
797
10
(9,920)
Transfer between funds
200
Net movement in funds for the year
(9,720)
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward
2,156,173
Total funds carried forward
2,146,453
Other trading activities
Net income/
(expenditure) before net
gains/(losses) on investments
Unrealised gains/(losses) on investments
Net income/(expenditure) for the
year		 Restricted
funds
£
-
248,078
-
-
248,078
-
212,675
212,675
35,403
-
35,403
(200)
35,203
127,871
163,074		 Total funds
2023
£
3,329
1,393,190
62,164
3,426
1,462,109
9,981
1,427,442
1,437,423
24,686
797
25,483
-
25,483
2,284,044
2,309,527		 Total funds
2022
£
27,708
1,442,202
35,000
501
1,505,411
10,950
1,477,133
1,488,083
17,328
128,996
146,324
-
146,324
2,137,720
2,284,044

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

A full comparative SOFA is available on the last page of the financial statements.

30

Yorkshire MESMAC Company number 02958336

Balance Sheets

as at 31 March 2023

Note
2023
2022
£
£
Fixed assets
Tangible assets
15
179,171
190,211
Investments
16
1,414,717
1,413,919
Total fixed assets
1,593,888
1,604,130
Current assets
Debtors
19
79,668
101,412
Cash at bank and in hand
698,693
685,755
Total current assets
778,361
787,167
Liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling
due in less than one year
20
(62,722)
(107,253)
Net current assets
715,639
679,914
Total assets less current liabilities
2,309,527
2,284,044
Net assets
2,309,527
2,284,044
The funds of the charity:
Restricted income funds
21
163,074
127,871
Unrestricted income funds
23
2,146,453
2,156,173
Total charity funds
2,309,527
2,284,044
The Group		 2023
2022
£
£
179,171
190,211
1,414,717
1,413,919
1,593,888
1,604,130
84,196
105,539
683,938
670,721
768,134
776,260
(61,533)
(106,114)
706,601
670,146
2,300,489
2,274,276
2,300,489
2,274,276
163,074
127,871
2,137,415
2,146,405
2,300,489
2,274,276
The Charity		 2023
2022
£
£
179,171
190,211
1,414,717
1,413,919
1,593,888
1,604,130
84,196
105,539
683,938
670,721
768,134
776,260
(61,533)
(106,114)
706,601
670,146
2,300,489
2,274,276
2,300,489
2,274,276
163,074
127,871
2,137,415
2,146,405
2,300,489
2,274,276
The Charity
1,604,130
105,539
670,721
776,260
(106,114)
670,146
2,274,276
2,274,276
127,871
2,146,405
2,274,276

These accounts are prepared in accordance with the special provisions of part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies and constitute the annual accounts required by the Companies Act 2006 and are for circulation to members of the company.

The notes on pages 33 to 53 form part of these accounts.

Approved by the trustees on 20 November 2023 and signed on their behalf by:

Sue Pascoe (Treasurer)

31

Yorkshire MESMAC

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the year ending 31 March 2023

Note
2023
£
Cash provided by/(used in) operating activities
26
9,512
Cash flows from investing activities:
Dividends, interest, and rents from investments
3,426
Purchase of investments
-
Cash provided by/(used in) investing activities
3,426
12,938
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year
685,755
Total cash equivalents at the end of the year
698,693
Increase/(decrease) in cash and cash
equivalents in the year		 2022
£
82,790
501
(250,000)
(249,499)
(166,709)
852,464
685,755

32

Yorkshire MESMAC

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023

1 Accounting policies

The principal accounting policies adopted, judgments and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows:

a Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), second edition - October 2019 (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006 and UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.

Yorkshire MESMAC meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note.

b Group financial statements

These financial statements consolidate the results of the charitable company and its wholly-owned subsidiary Yorkshire MESMAC Trading Ltd. on a line by line basis. A separate Statement of Financial Activities and Income and Expenditure account are not presented for the charity itself following exemptions afforded by section 408 of the Companies Act 2006.

c Preparation of the accounts on a going concern basis

The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern.

There are no key judgments which the trustees have made which have a significant effect on the accounts.

The trustees do not consider that there are any sources of estimation uncertainty at the reporting date that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amount of assets and liabilities within the next reporting period.

33

Yorkshire MESMAC

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 (continued)

d Income

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

Income from 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 executor(s) to the charity 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 probable 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 not been met, then the legacy is a treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material.

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

e 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 that economic benefit can be measured reliably. In accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), the general time of volunteers is not recognised and refer to the trustees’ annual report for more information about their contribution.

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.

f 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.

g Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of 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.

34

Yorkshire MESMAC

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 (continued)

h 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. Expenditure is classified under the following activity headings:

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

i Allocation of support costs

Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. Support costs include back office costs, finance, personnel, payroll and governance costs which support the charity's programmes and activities. These costs have been allocated between cost of raising funds and expenditure on charitable activities. The bases on which support costs have been allocated are set out in note 9.

j Operating leases

Operating leases are leases in which the title to the assets, and the risks and rewards of ownership, remain with the lessor . Rental charges are charged on a straight line basis over the term of the lease.

k Tangible fixed assets

Individual fixed assets costing £1,000 or more are capitalised at cost and are depreciated over their estimated useful economic lives on a straight line basis as follows:

Freehold building 2%
Fixtures and Fittings 25%
Computer Equipment 33%
Leasehold improvements over the lease period

At the date of first time transition to FRS102 (1st April 2014) the trustees have chosen to use an estimate of fair value as the deemed cost of the freehold building. There is no obligation to periodically revalue.

l Fixed asset investments

Investments are a form of basic financial instrument and are initially recognised at their transaction value and subsequently measured at their fair value as at the balance sheet date using the closing quoted market price. The statement of financial activities includes the net gains and losses arising on revaluation and disposals throughout the year.

The Charity does not acquire put options, derivatives or other complex financial instruments.

The main form of financial risk faced by the charity is that of volatility in equity markets and investment markets due to wider economic conditions, the attitude of investors to investment risk, and changes in sentiment concerning equities and within particular sectors or sub sectors.

m 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.

35

Yorkshire MESMAC

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 (continued)

n 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.

o Creditors and provisions

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.

p Financial instruments

The charity 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 measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

q Pensions

Employees of the charity are entitled to join a defined contribution ‘money purchase’ scheme. The charity’s contribution is restricted to the contributions disclosed in note 11. There were no outstanding contributions at the year end. The costs of the defined contribution scheme are included within support and governance costs and allocated to the funds of the charity using the methodology set out in note 9.

The money purchase plan is managed by Legal and General and the plan invests the contributions made by the employee and employer in an investment fund to build up over the term of the plan a pension fund which is then converted into a pension upon the employee’s normal retirement year age when eligible for a state pension. The total expense ratio of the plan is 0.50% and this is deducted from the investment fund annually. The charity has no liability beyond making its contributions and paying across the deductions for the employee’s contributions. There were no contributions outstanding at the year-end.

2 Legal status of the charity

The charity is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales and has no share capital. In the event of the charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £10 per member of the charity. The registered office address is disclosed on page 1.

3 Income from donations and legacies

Donations
Legacies
Total
Previous reporting period
Donations
Legacies
Total		 Unrestricted
£
3,329
-
3,329
Unrestricted
£
3,903
23,565
27,468		 Restricted
£
-
-
-
Restricted
£
240
-
240		 Total 2023
£
3,329
-
3,329
Total 2022
£
4,143
23,565
27,708

36

Yorkshire MESMAC

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 (continued)

4 Income from charitable activities

Grants and Service Level Agreements
HIV & Sexual Health
Bradford MDC
Hull City Council
Leeds City Council
Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust
UK Health Security Agency
Other Sundry Grants (below £10k)
Mental Health & Wellbeing
NHS West Yorkshire ICB
Bradford District NHS Foundation Tst
Leeds Community Fndn
Touchstone
Other Sundry Grants (below £10k)
Community Development
Bradford MDC
British Council
NLCF & The Kings Fund
Other Sundry Grants (below £10k)
Subtotal for Grants and SLAs
Fees and Other Income
Training, consultancy & other
Total		 Unrestricted
£
220,100
450,000
265,177
168,000
-
-
-
24,284
-
-
-
3,000
-
-
8,342
1,138,903
6,209
1,145,112		 Restricted
£
-
-
-
-
21,104
-
25,643
-
23,072
24,246
5,073
20,783
(26,294)
147,486
6,965
248,078
-
248,078		 Total 2023
£
220,100
450,000
265,177
168,000
21,104
-
25,643
24,284
23,072
24,246
5,073
23,783
(26,294)
147,486
15,307
1,386,981
6,209
1,393,190

37

Yorkshire MESMAC

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 (continued)

4 Income from charitable activities cont.

Previous reporting period

Grants and Service Level Agreements
HIV & Sexual Health
Bradford MDC
Hull City Council
Leeds City Council
York Teaching Hospital NHS
Foundation Trust
Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust
Wakefield MDC
Public Health England
Other Sundry Grants (below £10k)
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Bradford District CCG
Bradford District NHS Foundation Tst
Comic Relief
Other Sundry Grants (below £10k)
Community Development
Bradford MDC
Wakefield MDC
Open University
Other Sundry Grants (below £10k)
Subtotal for Grants and SLAs
Fees and Other Income
Training, consultancy & other
Total		 Unrestricted
£
219,996
450,000
161,600
188,216
150,000
78,405
-
921
-
24,284
-
-
6,000
-
-
8,720
1,288,142
17,488
1,305,630		 Restricted
£
-
25,000
-
-
-
-
(7,208)
-
25,644
-
4,732
4,900
19,896
35,000
20,758
7,850
136,572
-
136,572		 Total 2022
£
219,996
475,000
161,600
-
188,216
150,000
78,405
(7,208)
921
25,644
24,284
4,732
4,900
25,896
35,000
20,758
16,570
1,424,714
17,488
1,442,202

38

Yorkshire MESMAC

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 (continued)

5 Income from other trading activities

Income from other trading activities
Rental Income
Commercial Trading Operations
Yorkshire MESMAC Trading Ltd.		 2023
£
27,164
35,000
62,164		 2022
£
-
35,000
35,000

All income from other trading activities is unrestricted.

6 Investment income

All of the charity's investment income arises from money held in interest bearing deposit accounts. All investment income is unrestricted.

7 Cost of raising funds

Cost of raising funds
Commercial Trading Operations
Trading Subsidiary Direct Costs		 2023
£
9,981
9,981		 2022
£
10,950
10,950

All expenditure on cost of raising funds is unrestricted.

39

Yorkshire MESMAC

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 (continued)

8 Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities

Community
Development
£
Staff costs
40,082
Overheads
32,220
Bad Debts
-
Project costs
37,254
Depreciation
11,040
Volunteers
791
Governance
costs (see note
9)
13,624
Support costs
(see note 9)
48,274
Total
183,285
Restricted expenditure
Unrestricted expenditure
Previous reporting period
Community
Developmen
t
£
Staff costs
78,944
Overheads
9,471
Bad Debts
435
Project costs
53,613
Depreciation
11,313
Volunteers
-
Governance
costs (see note
9)
4,535
Support costs
(see note 9)
17,710
Total
176,021		 HIV & Sexual
Health
£
656,479
150,282
-
125,266
-
552
38,704
137,138
1,108,421
2023
£
212,675
1,214,767
1,427,442
HIV & Sexual
Health
£
675,476
138,977
-
161,473
-
215
54,024
177,248
1,207,413		 Mental
Health
£
64,225
16,661
-
24,947
-
30
3,001
10,635
119,499
2022
£
228,341
1,248,792
1,477,133
Mental
Health
£
37,213
7,588
-
17,668
-
-
3,472
13,562
79,503		 PASH
£
10,034
4,644
-
273
-
7
282
997
16,237
PASH
£
9,938
3,150
-
95
-
-
207
806
14,196		 Total 2023
£
770,820
203,807
-
187,740
11,040
1,380
55,611
197,044
1,427,442
Total 2022
£
801,571
159,186
435
232,849
11,313
215
62,238
209,326
1,477,133

40

Yorkshire MESMAC

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 (continued)

9 Analysis of governance and support costs

Basis of
apportionment
Staff costs
Time spent
or by floor
area
Office costs
Floor area
Audit fees
Governance
Accountancy services
Governance
Previous reporting period
Basis of
apportionment
Staff costs
Time spent
or by floor
area
Office costs
Floor area
Audit fees
Governance
Accountancy services
Governance
10
Net income/(expenditure) for the year
This is stated after charging/(crediting):
Depreciation
Operating lease rentals:
Property
Other
Auditor's remuneration - audit fees
Auditor's remuneration - accountancy fees		 Support
£
175,977
21,067
-
-
197,044
Support
£
179,697
29,629
-
-
209,326
2023
£
11,040
44,651
4,960
5,050
3,515		 Governance
£
45,108
-
6,285
4,218
55,611
Governance
£
53,598
-
4,920
3,720
62,238
2022
£
11,313
36,651
5,760
4,100
3,100		 Total 2023
£
221,085
21,067
6,285
4,218
252,655
Total 2022
£
233,295
29,629
4,920
3,720
271,564

41

Yorkshire MESMAC

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 (continued)

11 Staff costs

Staff costs during the year were as follows:

Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Pension costs
Staff related costs
Redundancy
Allocated as follows:
Charitable activities
Support costs
Governance costs
Holiday Pay		 2023
£
819,534
71,288
54,204
39,362
10,278
(2,761)
991,905
770,820
175,977
45,108
991,905		 2022
£
893,804
71,387
43,323
32,585
-
(6,233)
1,034,866
801,571
179,697
53,598
1,034,866

No employees have employee benefits in excess of £60,000 (2022: Nil).

The average number of staff employed by the group during the period was 33 (2022: 40). The average full time equivalent number of staff employed by the group during the period was 27 (2022: 29).

The average number of staff employed by the charity during the period was 33 (2022: 40). The average full time equivalent number of staff employed by the charity during the period was 27 (2022: 29).

The key management personnel of the charity comprise the trustees, the Chief Executive Officer, both Technical & HR Operations Managers and the Finance Manager. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel of the charity were £232,301 (2022: £200,100).

12 Trustee remuneration and expenses, and related party transactions

Neither the management committee nor any persons connected with them received any remuneration or during the year (2022: Nil).

5 (2022: 5) Members of the management committee received travel and subsistence expenses during the year of £639 (2022: £481).

There are no donations from related parties which are outside the normal course of business and no restricted donations from related parties.

No trustee or other person related to the charity had any personal interest in any contract or transaction entered into by the charity, including guarantees, during the year (2022: nil).

42

Yorkshire MESMAC

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 (continued)

13 Government grants

The government grants recognised in the accounts were as follows:

NHS West Yorkshire ICB
Bradford District NHS Foundation Tst
Bradford Metropolitan District Council
York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation
Hull City Council
Leeds City Council
Wakefield Metropolitan District Council
Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust
UK Health Security Agency		 2023
£
25,643
24,284
243,883
-
450,000
265,177
-
168,000
21,104
1,198,091		 2022
£
25,644
24,284
245,892
188,216
475,000
161,600
113,405
150,000
(7,208)
1,376,833

There were no unfulfilled conditions and contingencies attaching to the grants.

14 Corporation tax

The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within Chapter 3 of Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects. No tax charges have arisen in the charity. The charity's trading subsidiary Yorkshire MESMAC Trading Ltd. gift aids available profits to the parent charity. Its charge to corporation tax in the year was:

2023 2022
£ £
UK corporation tax at 19% (2022: 19%) - -

43

Yorkshire MESMAC

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 (continued)

15 Fixed assets: tangible assets

The charity

The charity
Cost
Additions
Disposals
Depreciation
Charge for the year
Disposals
Net book value
At 1 April 2022
At 1 April 2022
At 31 March 2022
At 31 March 2023
At 31 March 2023
At 31 March 2023		 Freehold
Property
230,341
-
-
230,341
57,020
5,088
-
62,108
168,233
173,321		 Leasehold
improvements
£
128,847
-
-
128,847
112,214
5,695
-
117,909
10,938
16,633		 Fixtures &
Fittings
£
39,703
-
-
39,703
39,446
257
-
39,703
-
257		 Computer
equipment
£
5,468
-
-
5,468
5,468
-
-
5,468
-
-		 £
404,359
-
-
Total
404,359
214,148
11,040
-
225,188
179,171
190,211

There are no fixed assets held by the subsidiary company

16 Investments

Additions to investments at cost
Disposals at carrying value
Add net gain/(loss) on revaluation
Investments comprised:
Listed investments
Cash held in the investment portfolio
Market value at the start of the year
Market value at the end of the year
Cash held by investment broker pending
reinvestment		 2023
2022
£
£
1,413,919
1,034,923
-
250,000
-
-
798
128,996
1,414,717
1,413,919
-
-
1,414,717
1,413,919
1,414,717
1,413,919
-
-
1,414,717
1,413,919
The group		 2023
2022
£
£
1,413,919
1,034,923
-
250,000
-
-
798
128,996
1,414,717
1,413,919
-
-
1,414,717
1,413,919
1,414,717
1,413,919
-
-
1,414,717
1,413,919
The charity		 2023
2022
£
£
1,413,919
1,034,923
-
250,000
-
-
798
128,996
1,414,717
1,413,919
-
-
1,414,717
1,413,919
1,414,717
1,413,919
-
-
1,414,717
1,413,919
The charity
1,413,919
-
1,413,919
1,413,919
-
1,413,919

Investments are all carried at fair value and are all traded in quoted public markets. They are accumulation units in funds where investment income within the fund is reinvested in the fund. The increase in value is not shown separately as investment income but becomes part of the net unrealised gains or losses in overall market values of the funds at year end.

44

Yorkshire MESMAC

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 (continued)

17 Subsidiary undertaking

The Charitable company owns UK subsidiary company Yorkshire MESMAC Trading Ltd., a company registered in England, Co. No. 08432642. The company has no share capital and is limited by guarantee. It has one single member which is the charity Yorkshire MESMAC. The subsidiary is used for non-primary purpose trading activities.

Accumulated profits from the previous financial year are gift aided to the charitable company. A summary of the results of the subsidiary is shown below:

Profit and loss account
Turnover
Cost of sales
Administration costs
Taxation
Donation to parent charity
Net profit
Balance sheet
Fixed assets
Current assets
Creditors due in less than one year
Called up share capital
Profit and loss account		 2023
£
35,000
(25,065)
(897)
-
(9,768)
£ (730)
2023
£
-
14,755
(5,717)
£9,038
-
9,038
£9,038		 2022
£
35,000
(23,425)
(1,806)
-
(4,226)
£ 5,543
2022
£
-
15,035
(5,267)
£9,768
-
9,768
£9,768

18 Parent charity

The parent charity's gross income and the results for the year are disclosed as follows:

2023 2022
£ £
Gross income 1,452,857 1,488,919
Result for the year 26,212 140,782

45

Yorkshire MESMAC

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 (continued)

19 Debtors

19
Debtors
2023
2022
£
£
Trade debtors
35,163
54,153
Other debtors
2,000
-
Prepayments and accrued income
42,505
47,259
Amts due from group undertakings
-
-
79,668
101,412
20
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
2023
2022
£
£
20,725
23,486
Other creditors and accruals
41,997
83,573
Deferred income
-
-
Taxation and social security costs
-
194
62,722
107,253
Short term compensated absences
(holiday pay)
The group
The group		 2023
2022
£
£
35,163
54,153
2,000
-
42,505
47,259
4,528
4,127
84,196
105,539
2023
2022
£
£
20,725
23,486
40,808
82,628
-
-
-
-
61,533
106,114
The charity
The charity
106,114

46

Yorkshire MESMAC

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 (continued)

21 Analysis of movements in restricted funds

Charitable Activities
HIV & Sexual Health
BAME Health Network
See to it Yorkshire
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Living Well
Bradford OPDG
Counselling Donations
CR - Men's Total Health
CNET
Creative Voices
Leeds Community Fndn
Men in Health
Community Development
Erasmus 19-20
Healthy Communities
Leeds Older People's
Forum - Now Sage
Sage donations
CVEW
Queer Stories Donations
Sundry small grants
Total
DVA Voices		 Balance at 1
April 2022
£
21,077
-
9,395
12,106
10,628
8,988
4,779
-
-
-
36,744
9,724
4,602
1,200
7,078
200
-
1,350
127,871		 Income
£
-
21,104
25,643
20,783
-
-
(4,779)
9,852
23,072
24,246
(26,294)
147,486
-
-
-
-
6,965
-
248,078		 Expenditure
£
(10,257)
(9,763)
(20,336)
(17,104)
(3,750)
(3,486)
-
(2,832)
(10,895)
(22,092)
(10,450)
(90,924)
(5,229)
(1,200)
(325)
-
(4,032)
-
(212,675)		 Transfers
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
(200)
-
-
(200)		 Balance at 31
March 2023
£
10,820
11,341
14,702
15,785
6,878
5,502
-
7,020
12,177
2,154
-
66,286
(627)
-
6,753
-
2,933
1,350
163,074

47

Yorkshire MESMAC

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 (continued)

22 Analysis of movements in restricted funds cont.

Previous reporting period

Balance at 1
April 2021
£
Charitable Activities
HIV & Sexual Health
P Easy
6,000
Gypsy Traveller Work
30,268
BAME Health Network
-
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Living Well
16,481
Counselling Donations
11,188
CR - Men's Total Health
30,758
CNET
-
Community Development
Bradford Covid Prevention
7,311
Bradford OPDG
8,276
Erasmus 19-20
36,744
Comic Relief Recovery Fund
5,820
Healthy Communities
49,780
Leeds Older People's
Forum - Time to Shine
11,375
Sage donations
2,505
CVEW
-
Open University
144
-
Queer Stories Donations
200
Sundry small grants
2,550
Total
219,400
The Final Outing - Dying
Matters		 Income
£
-
(7,208)
25,000
25,644
240
4,732
4,900
-
19,896
-
-
-
-
5,650
35,000
20,758
2,200
-
-
136,812		 Expenditure
£
(6,000)
(23,060)
(3,923)
(32,730)
(800)
(26,502)
(121)
(7,311)
(16,066)
-
(5,820)
(40,056)
(6,773)
(8,155)
(27,922)
(20,902)
(2,200)
-
-
(228,341)		 Transfers
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,200
-
-
-
-
(1,200)
-		 Balance at 31
March 2022
£
-
-
21,077
9,395
10,628
8,988
4,779
-
12,106
36,744
-
9,724
4,602
1,200
7,078
-
-
200
1,350
127,871

48

Yorkshire MESMAC

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 (continued)

22 Analysis of movements in restricted funds cont.

Name of Description, nature and purposes of the fund restricted fund

HIV & Sexual Health

BAME Health Network To develop a BAME Health Network in Hull See to it Yorkshire To deliver a series of tailored community based Mpox & STI screening clinics in partnership with clinical sexual health services in Bradford, Leeds & Rotherham, focusing on BAME LGBT+ folk, refugee & asylum seeking LGBT+ folk and GBT men.

Mental Health & Wellbeing

Living Well Project Bradford CCG grant funding for promoting social wellbeing for LGBT+ people living in the Bradford District Bradford OPDG Day opportunities for older people in Bradford Counselling donations Individual donations made to the counselling service CR - Men's Total Health 3 year project for GBT+ young men to boost self esteem and confidence through workshops encouraging physical activity CNET To improve the mental well-being of the LGBT+ Adult population fo Bradford through therapeutic self-awareness groups and peer mentoring Creative Voices creative project for members of SAGE group (older LGBTQ+ adults in Leeds aged 50 -85 yrs) to creates much deeper and sustainable impact and engage new members, exploring the challenges of living and integrating. Leeds Community To improve the mental health of, and reduce suicidal ideation by LGBT+ folk in Foundation Leeds Men in Health in partnership with Touchstone, working with organisations in health & social care, to be the first point of contact for the Men’s Action & Awareness Networks (MAAN) where they identify men who would benefit from further support and signpost/refer to VCSE organisations

Community Development

Erasmus Grant provided through the Erasmus higher education exchange programme for staff and organisation development Healthy Communities To reduces early deaths among marginalised communities by addressing causal structural inequalities Leeds Older People’s Grant from the age in Well programme and administered by Leeds Older People’s Forum - now Sage Forum to develop opportunities for older LGB&T* people in Leeds who are experiencing social isolation Sage donations To support engagement activities for older LGBT+ people in Leeds CVEW Live Well Wakefield - Coronavirus Resilience Grant DVA Voices In Partnerships with Leeds Women’s Aid this aims to facilitate the Voices of victims and survivors to take part and co-produce activities within the Domestic Abuse Local Partnerships Board

49

Yorkshire MESMAC

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 (continued)

23 Analysis of movement in unrestricted funds

Balance at 1
April 2022
£
1,877,709
189,954
88,510
2,156,173
Previous reporting period
Balance at 1
April 2021
£
1,613,536
200,737
14,047
90,000
1,918,320
General fund
Mental Health &
Wellbeing
Designated property
General fund
Designated property
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Training & comms
coordinator		 Income
£
1,214,828
-
-
1,214,828
Income
£
1,497,595
-
-
-
1,497,595		 Expenditure
£
(1,224,748)
-
(1,224,748)
Expenditure
£
(1,253,643)
-
(4,609)
(1,490)
(1,259,742)		 Transfers
£
10,983
(10,783)
-
200
Transfers
£
20,221
(10,783)
(9,438)
-
-		 As at 31 March
2023
£
1,878,772
179,171
88,510
2,146,453
As at 31 March
2022
£
1,877,709
189,954
-
88,510
2,156,173

Name of Description, nature and purposes of the fund

General fund The free reserves after allowing for all designated funds Designated property The current book value of property and leasehold improvements. Training & comms To ensure that all Yorkshire MESMAC's contracted training obligations are met, coordinator widen the training offer, increase the reputation of Yorkshire MESMAC in the sector and in the longer term generate income.

Mental Health & Wellbeing To increase the capacity of the Senior Management team and appoint a Coordinator, to drive forward our Mental Health services by early 2022.

50

Yorkshire MESMAC

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 (continued)

24 Analysis of group net assets between funds

Tangible fixed assets
Fixed asset investments
Net current assets/(liabilities)
Total
Previous reporting period
Tangible fixed assets
Fixed asset investments
Net current assets/(liabilities)
Total		 General
fund
£
-
1,414,717
464,055
1,878,772
257
1,413,919
463,533
1,877,709		 Designated
funds
£
179,171
-
88,510
267,681
189,954
-
88,510
278,464		 Restricted
funds
£
-
-
163,074
163,074
-
-
127,871
127,871		 Total
£
179,171
1,414,717
715,639
2,309,527
190,211
1,413,919
679,914
2,284,044

25 Operating lease commitments

The group's total future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases is as follows for each

Property Equipment
2023 2022 2023 2022
£ £ £ £
Less than one year - - - -
One to five years - - - -
Over five years - - - -
- - - -
The charity's total future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases is as follows for
Property Equipment
2023 2022 2023 2022
£ £ £ £
Less than one year 8,324 44,651 1,360 4,960
One to five years 23,999 42,901 4,080 5,440
32,323 87,552 5,440 10,400

There are no leases held by the subsidiary company.

51

Yorkshire MESMAC

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 (continued)

26 Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash flow from operating activities

Net income/(expenditure) for the year
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charge
Loss/(profit) on sale of fixed assets
(Gains)/losses on investments
Dividends, interest and rents from investments
Decrease/(increase) in stock
Decrease/(increase) in debtors
Increase/(decrease) in creditors
Net cash provided by/(used in) operating		 2023
£
24,686
11,040
-
(1)
(3,426)
-
21,744
(44,531)
9,512		 2022
£
17,328
11,313
375
-
(501)
-
12,910
41,365
82,790

52

Yorkshire MESMAC

Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities

(including Income and Expenditure account) for the year ended 31 March 2022

Unrestricted
funds
Note
£
Income from:
Donations and legacies
3
27,468
Charitable activities:
4
1,305,630
5
35,000
Investments
6
501
Total income
1,368,599
Expenditure on:
Raising funds
7
10,950
Charitable activities:
8
1,248,792
Total expenditure
1,259,742
108,857
128,996
10
237,853
Transfer between funds
-
Net movement in funds for the year
237,853
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward
1,918,320
Total funds carried forward
2,156,173
Realised gains/(losses) on investments
Unrealised gains/(losses) on investments
Net income/(expenditure) for the
year
Other trading activities
Net income/
(expenditure) before net
gains/(losses) on investments		 Restricted
funds
£
240
136,572
-
-
136,812
-
228,341
228,341
(91,529)
-
-
(91,529)
-
(91,529)
219,400
127,871		 Total funds
2022
£
27,708
1,442,202
35,000
501
1,505,411
10,950
1,477,133
1,488,083
17,328
-
128,996
146,324
-
146,324
2,137,720
2,284,044		 Total funds
2021
£
14,274
1,806,237
20,740
958
1,842,209
9,913
1,535,044
1,544,957
297,252
-
188,234
485,486
-
485,486
1,652,234
2,137,720

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

53