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Annual Report and Accounts
2024 - 2025
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Contents
How we began
Jessica George was nine years old when she was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour. Jessie’s Fund was established to meet the cost of extra treatment, but this bright and musical child died less than six months after her diagnosis, before she had been able to begin the treatment.
Jessie’s Fund was registered as a charity in 1995, with the aim of enabling children with life-limiting illnesses or serious disabilities to be heard and supported through the language of music. Our UK-wide provision of interactive music-making and music therapy gives a voice
to children who struggle to communicate.
Mission
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t To enable children in children’s hospices and hospitals in the UK to access music therapy, by establishing posts for music therapists and providing appropriate musical instruments;
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t To help children in special schools and hospitals to participate in creative musical activities, by offering the expertise of specialist professional musicians;
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t To train staff working with children who have complex medical needs or special educational needs and disabilities to use music as a tool for learning and communication.
The Trustees have given due consideration to the Charity Commission’s published guidance on public benefit when setting the charity’s aims.
Jessie’s Fund follows the Charity Governance Code, ensuring a high quality of governance, and is registered with the Fundraising Regulator.
Trustees’ Report
| Trustees’ Report | |
|---|---|
| 24/25 in numbers | 2 |
| How you supported us | 3 |
| Chair’s Report | 4 |
| 30 years of music therapy in children’s palliative care | 5 |
| Expanding music therapy in hospitals | 6 |
| Embedding music in specialist schools | 7 |
| Enabling access to music therapy for individuals | 9 |
| 30 years of Making music with Special Children | 10 |
| 30 years of impact | 11 |
| Jessie’s Fund - the next 30 years | 12 |
| Policies | 13 |
Financial and Legal Reports
| Financial and Legal Reports | |
|---|---|
| Treasurer’s report | 16 |
| Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities | 18 |
| Independent Examiner’s report to the Trustees | 18 |
| Statement of Financial Activities | 20 |
| Balance Sheet | 21 |
| Notes to the financial statements | 22 |
| Legal and administrative information | 37 |
| Summary of Financial Activities | 38 |
2 Jessie’s Fund Annual Report and Accounts 2024 - 25 Jessie’s Fund is registered charity no. 1045731
www.jessiesfund.org.uk 3
Chair’s Report
“Music therapy is one of the best things we have shared whilst being in the Hospice.”
30 years of music therapy in children’s palliative care (All names in our stories have been changed for reasons of confidentiality)
As I start to write this, two numbers and three letters are uppermost in my mind. We will get to the letters later, but the numbers are 9 and 30. Jessie George was 9 when she fell ill and very sadly died not long afterwards, in Martin House Children’s Hospice in Yorkshire. And 30 is the number of years that Jessie’s Fund has existed as a charity, during which time its achievements have been by any standard remarkable. The stories and impact reflected in these pages are testament not only to the skill and dedication of our small team and wider network of music specialists, but also to the resilience, creativity, and joy of the children and families at the heart of our work. This success would not have been possible without the steadfast support of our funders and generous donors, as well as the tireless fundraising efforts of friends and volunteers (many of whom you will meet through the stories in this report). If you have helped in any way – a BIG thank you!
Now: those three letters. While not technically in the period covered by this Annual Report, in June, all of us associated with Jessie’s Fund were thrilled to see that Lesley Schatzberger – our founder, and Jessie’s mum – had been awarded an OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours list, “for services to children with Life-Limiting Illnesses and Communication Difficulties”. While none of us, least of all Lesley herself, has too much regard for “gongs” in general, we were very happy to make an exception in this case – rarely can one have been so richly deserved as the one bestowed on Lesley.
This is my final contribution as Chair to these Reports. Having been privileged to serve in this role for 6 years, I decided to step down with effect from March this year, and I’m delighted that my successor is my former deputy, Nancy Maguire. She will be a brilliant Chair, who, with our excellent staff team, will lead Jessie’s Fund to an even brighter future. Onwards and upwards!
Steven Burkeman, Chair (July 2019 – March 2025)
Jessie’s Fund started with the idea that music could give a voice to children with life-limiting illness, allowing them to express themselves and connect with others during the most challenging time of their lives. 30 years later, we have given £897,796 in funding to children’s hospices across the UK to establish music therapy posts, buy instruments and bring moments of joy and connection to children, young people and families. We remain as passionate about the need for music therapy as an integral part of children’s palliative care as we were in 1995.
Our first partnership, 30 years ago, was with Martin House, working with their head of care and new music therapist to buy instruments. We have been working together ever since, and recently supported them with a grant to develop their music therapy provision.
Lucy has been attending Martin House since getting a diagnosis of a rare gene defect that has led to loss of physical and cognitive skills. It means she is unable to move her limbs, her sight and hearing are affected, and she suffers from painful muscle spasms. For her family, music therapy sessions offer “a bit of peace and normality. She enjoys hearing and experiencing music and singing in her music therapy sessions.” Being able to leave her with experienced music therapists gives Lucy the chance to enjoy songs and music while her family has a little bit of time in the day to think and organise, read a book, go for a walk, take her brother to the playground – just have a bit more time for normal life.
often ‘open up’ to the music team. “ Music therapy is a ‘gentle’ way to introduce children and families to palliative care. Parents
4 Jessie’s Fund Annual Report and Accounts 2024 - 25 Jessie’s Fund is registered charity no. 1045731
“It’s one of the few social groups all the residents can do together.”
Expanding music therapy in hospitals
We began a new partnership with the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability in 2024. Music therapy was well-established on their adult wards, but they were struggling to find funding for their young adult ward, Haberdashers. 11 young people with a range of complex and multiple disabilities live at Haberdashers and music therapy has since become an integral part of their week, with a weekly group session as well as 1:1 sessions. One of the reasons music therapy plays such a vital role at the RHN is how it is used as part of the wider therapy programmes for the young people, such as working alongside physiotherapy and occupational therapy.
One young man, Andy, was referred for individual music therapy sessions to improve his communication and overall quality of life. Although he attended the group sessions and showed some small signs of progress from his generally low mood, his outcome scores were consistently low. It was hoped that individual sessions would provide an opportunity for communication, emotional expression and social interaction, and encourage purposeful use of communication and communicative gestures.
After Andy started individual sessions, ward staff quickly noticed the positive changes in him. He began to use his “Yes/No” response gestures to communicate more consistently. He also started interacting more during activities, such as in his group sessions, where he began actively engaging in choice making and instrumental play. His mood improved too, and his sessions became a place where he frequently demonstrated happy behaviours and signs he was enjoying himself. The impact that music therapy has made to Andy’s life cannot be understated.
“Our students have such complex needs, all different in so many ways, yet these sessions cater for all of them.” Embedding music in specialist schools
It’s been another busy and fruitful year across our specialist schools programme and family music sessions. This year we have run 16 five-day projects, 3 staff development projects, 5 short projects and 3 family music projects with our portage partnerships in York, Bradford and Leeds. Our programme has a national reach, as we have worked in the North-East, North-West, and in multiple places across Yorkshire, the Midlands and London. We have plans to expand this further afield in the next year, including the South-West and Norfolk, whilst also expanding our pool of musicians nationally.
A key element of our work is to ensure these creative music residences begin a lasting legacy that continue long after Jessie’s Fund has moved onto new school projects. We have achieved this by building in twilight training sessions with teachers after school hours, leading workshops at inset days and commencing the staff development projects – working together with teachers who have become music champions alongside our musicians. This means our impact reaches not only the pupils and staff directly involved with Jessie’s Fund, but the culture of the school as a whole, both in the present and for future generations. This will be developed further in the following year as we move towards accreditation and building regular school networking sessions.
“
Thank you for including me playing my ukulele – you made me feel like a lead musician! It was lovely to see pupils’ confidence develop throughout the project eg. playing the piano and using their own voice. This was a fantastic opportunity to immerse ourselves in music over the past two weeks. It was a great start to the term, the project lifted us mentally and emotionally at such a dark, cloudy and bleak time of the year.
6 Jessie’s Fund Annual Report and Accounts 2024 - 25 Jessie’s Fund is registered charity no. 1045731
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“My child is happy and calm and this makes us happy as a family as a result.” Enabling access to music therapy for individual children and families.
We know that not all children and young people with complex needs are able to access settings that provide appropriate music therapy or musical activities, for a variety of reasons. We offer a small amount of funding so that these children don’t miss out on transformative opportunities to be given a voice though music. This year we have funded or part-funded music therapy for 113 children, for a total of 910 music therapy sessions, which is nearly double the number of children supported in 23/24. Demand remains high for these sessions and can often be more than we are able to fund. However, we know what an important life-line these sessions are to children and their families.
Janine Wood, the Team Manager for Bradford Families SEND Support Team, commented on how valuable our Portage sessions with the staff, children and parents have been. She emphasised how the sessions provided a focus to the groups and made connections with children and parents who did not always participate. We heard it had been quite magical and emotive at times.
This project also included two team training sessions which lifted morale and provided an important opportunity for team building among the staff. Janine mentioned one member of staff who was experiencing personal difficulties and attended even though she was unsure. She later phoned to say “It was just the tonic [she] needed.”
This quote from Janine reflecting on Jessie’s Fund musician, Jess Baker, sums up the project and reflects how this work has been embedded into the daily Portage work with children and families in Bradford:
“
Seeing Jess in action provided the team with a new repertoire of songs and musical activities. They are continuing to use these with families that access the Portage service. It also promoted confidence and lifted team spirits.
Rosie, a bubbly 13-year-old girl with a rare, life-limiting condition, received 7 sessions of music therapy at home whilst off school awaiting an operation. She loved moving her legs to play the tambourine, especially to ‘Shake It Off’ by Taylor Swift, and hearing instruments that made highpitched sounds. Her parents shared that she was engaged, attentive and delighted, regularly showing her enthusiasm by moving her body and vocalising.
“
Music therapy always left her feeling happy and engaged. Her younger brother also greatly appreciated being able to listen and join in the session.
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8 Jessie’s Fund Annual Report and Accounts 2024- 25 Jessie’s Fund is registered charity no. 1045731
“It was wonderful to discover that there is music in everybody and for everybody and amazing to see how Jessie’s legacy is living on in all of our students nationwide.”
30 years of Making Music with Special Children
Demand remains high for our hands-on music-making course, with places selling out at both our York and London venues. Its unwavering popularity shows that specialist settings are still prioritising the use of music as a tool for communication and connection, and recognising the importance of improving the skills and confidence of staff.
“
Above all, the experience and knowledge of the course leaders Mark and Vicky made this course truly relevant with so many practical learnings based on the underpinning theory the tutors brought with them. An enjoyable 2 days on its own for any fan of music but certainly an important way of passing on skills and understanding to even more front line workers to bring for the students. This course and line of work is bringing music to those most in need in the UK and beyond so thank you for everything. Also would highly recommend to any practitioner teaching music at any level. A gem of a course.
We are now in the third year of our creative music residency with the Royal Northern College of Music, where students apply to attend training and shadow our musicians on our schools programme. Each year, we see the students open up in different ways. This was Maxim’s experience:
“I really enjoyed learning how to improvise and support another player. I have no improvising experience and I felt really out of my comfort zone (in a good way!). I also enjoyed learning about all the different techniques of connecting with someone through music, whether it be supporting via accompanying, using iPads, the piano, using hand gestures … all very interesting and I want to continue to improve at all of them. I want to bring that fun feeling I’ve had over these past 2 days into my everyday practice and not spend so much of my practise worrying about things I’m not good at.”
10 Jessie’s Fund Annual Report and Accounts 2024 - 25 Jessie’s Fund is registered charity no. 1045731
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Jessie’s Fund - the next 30 years
We celebrated our official 30th Anniversary on 25th March 2025. We will continue to mark the occasion throughout 2025, including at our April conference ‘Building the way forward together’ for music therapists, teachers, care staff, parents and carers, and students. We will also be returning to York Festival of Ideas with a talk entitled ‘Making Sound Waves: Musical transformations’ and several concerts in our honour that have been organised by supporters.
Exciting developments are coming to our schools programme, as we look to create our first network of Jessie’s Fund schools. This will allow schools to easily communicate with both other schools and us, and provide staff with more support. We are also working with our musicians and many of the brilliant schools who have worked, or are currently working, with us to develop an accreditation and Quality Mark framework for schools. Alongside these new endeavours, we will still be continuing to expand our schools projects into new areas.
Policies
Governing document
Jessie’s Fund’s governing document is a Deed of Trust authorised by the Charity Commission on 25 March 1995 and amended on 15 February 2013 and on 30 June 2021.
Organisational structure
The Board of Trustees has overall responsibility for the charity. The minimum number of Trustees as set out in our governing document is four, each engaged for a five-year term of office (changed from two-year terms by a Supplementary Deed of Trust dated 30 June 2021). On 31 March 2025 there were ten Trustees. Trustees may offer themselves for re-election for a further term on completion of their first term of office. There is an additional Advisor role and an Honorary Treasurer. The daily running of the charity is coordinated by the Executive Director, Deputy Director (Education), the Administrator and the Projects Assistant.
Appointment and induction of trustees
Appointment of trustees is by advertisement or invitation: emphasis is placed on relevant expertise. Our trustees’ areas of expertise include:
- medicine
We are so grateful to everyone who has supported our mission of giving children a voice through music for the last 30 years, and to those who will enable us to carry on for the next 30 years and beyond.
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mental health
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disability
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music
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arts management
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voluntary sector
29th May 1961 Charitable Trust
Arimathea Charitable Trust Arlish and Chambers Charity Crispa Charitable Trust Corvo Foundation
David Solomons Charitable Trust Dormywood Trust Douglas Arter Foundation Emily Weircroft Charitable Trust Garfield Weston Foundation John Horniman Children’s Trust Kusuma Trust Martyn Donaldson Music Trust Plastow Family Charitable Trust
Postlethwaite Music Foundation Sylvia and Colin Shepherd Charitable Trust The Barry Anthony Newsam Charitable Trust The Belacqua Charitable Trust The Boshier-Hinton Foundation The Constance Paterson Charitable Foundation The George Oliver Foundation The HBJ Trust The Felicity Wilde Charitable Trust The Michael Bishop Foundation The Rhododendron Trust The Samuel Storey Family Charitable Trust The Thistle Trust The Victoria Wood Foundation
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fundraising
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business development
Newly appointed trustees are given induction packs, including a copy of our governing document and a guide to the responsibilities of trustees. They also spend time being thoroughly briefed by the Executive Director. They are shown videos of our work with children and invited to observe, and even take part in, our music-making training courses.
Risk management
The Trustees have considered the risks affecting the organisation, particularly those concerning the flow of funds to meet the programme and the importance of key persons. The Trustees have a risk management strategy which comprises:
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an annual review of the risks and uncertainties that the charity faces;
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the establishment of policies, systems and procedures to mitigate those risks identified in the annual review;
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the implementation of procedures designed to minimise or manage any potential impact on the charity should those risks materialise;
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a reserves policy.
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12 Jessie’s Fund Annual Report and Accounts 2024 - 25 Jessie’s Fund is registered charity no. 1045731
Reserves policy
It is the Trustees’ policy to designate funds to cover planned commitments for future charitable activities. The charity is dependent on grants, donations and fundraising events for its income, which is subject to fluctuating economic circumstances. To ensure that Jessie’s Fund will be able to implement its planned commitments, we maintain our reserves to remain operational in adverse financial conditions.
The Trustees have reviewed this policy and the required commitments in the light of the charity’s current and forecast programme and have decided that the appropriate amount for our six months core operating reserves is £66,800. This is included within our designated funds.
In line with Charity Commission guidance, the trustees have considered the risk to the charity, its beneficiaries and staff in the very unlikely event that we would need to close the charity. To manage this risk, we would require £66,500 to enable a closure of the charity that takes into account the existing obligations to our beneficiaries, partners, freelance team and office staff. Any remaining assets or funds would be donated to a similar charitable organisation or children’s hospice charity.
Financial and Legal Reports for the year ended 31 March 2025
At 31 March 2025, our unrestricted, undesignated reserves amounted to £63,931.
Grant-making policy
Jessie’s Fund has an ongoing commitment to award grants to projects which meet our criteria as set out in our statement of objectives. We have adopted the following process for awarding grants:
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an annual budget is allocated for grants;
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all requests for grants of over £1,000 are considered by trustees at the Spring meeting;
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trustees have delegated responsibility for approval of grants below £1,000 to the administrative team
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(Executive Director and Administrator) where appropriate;
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where a grant applicant is unsuccessful we endeavour to provide constructive and helpful feedback.
| Treasurer’s report | 16 |
|---|---|
| Statement of Trustees’ responsibilites | 18 |
| Independent Examiner’s report to the Trustees | 18 |
| Statement of Financial Actvites | 20 |
| Balance Sheet | 21 |
| Notes to the fnancial statements | 22 |
| Legal and administratve informaton | 37 |
| Summary of Financial Actvites | 38 |
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14 Jessie’s Fund Annual Report and Accounts 2024 - 25 Jessie’s Fund is registered charity no. 1045731
Treasurer’s Report
At the end of the financial year 2025, Jessie’s Fund’s financial position remains stable. Our income and expenditure are broadly in line with those of recent previous years. The majority (85%) of Jessie’s Fund’s income comes from the generosity of donors and trust grants, which, although increasingly challenging to secure, continue to be a steady source of income.
Pulling in the lion’s share of our income through voluntary donations and trust grants takes time and resource. There is constant work in the administrative team and amongst our dedicated trustees to build a support base which recognises the importance of Jessie’s Fund’s work providing music therapy in children’s hospices, hospitals and music projects in specialist school settings. Our small team’s work in building and maintaining financial support is crucial to the long-term health of our charity, and it is work that must go on alongside the delivery of our core charitable activities.
Our income at year end was £336,549, a modest increase of c. 14% on the previous year’s income. In addition to the c. £283,000 income from donations, we raised c. £21,000 from fundraising events and trading and c. £22,000 in fees for our specialist schools programme and other training courses. Investment income raised a further £10,000.
Our expenditure at year end was £367,387, 92% (c. £336,000) of which was spent on our charitable activities (which includes the administrative resource costs proportionately allocated to each charitable activity). Expenditure on fundraising events and trading represented 8% of our expenditure (c. £31,000). That we are able to deliver our high-quality programmes so leanly is a great credit to our small administrative team. There is an increase in our expenditure at year end of 18% compared to the previous year (2023-24). The main factors for this increase were:
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The schools programme which is going from strength to strength and saw a £18,000 (15%) increase in expenditure on the programme compared to the previous year. The schools programme now makes up 38% of our expenditure;
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an increase of £16,000 (38%) compared to the previous year in music therapy grants to individuals, following a decision to increase our grant-giving budget to meet need;
16 Jessie’s Fund Annual Report and Accounts 2024 - 25 Jessie’s Fund is registered charity no. 1045731
-our Hospitals creative project, which continues to flourish, reflected in expenditure of c. £33,000, an increase of 38% on the previous year;
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one-off expenditure of £10,000 associated with recruiting our new Deputy Director (Education) and schools programme lead;
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an increase of £8,000 on fundraising events compared to the previous year, associated with events celebrating Jessie’s Fund’s 30th Anniversary. This helped generate a correlating £8,000 increase in income for fundraising events compared to last year. It is hoped our 30th Anniversary programme of events will help to build Jessie’s Fund’s support base of donors.
These relatively modest expenditure increases have been made with careful consideration to balance both sustainability of Jessie’s Find’s finances and increase reach to our beneficiaries.
We closed the year with a deficit of c. £31,000 and reserves of c. £237,000 which the trustees consider healthy, including restricted funds of c. £55,000 and designated funds of c. £118,000. These designated and restricted funds ensure the security of Jessie’s Fund’s charitable programmes in specialist school settings, children’s hospices and hospitals, and individual grants for music therapy sessions going forward.
In addition, we maintain an operational reserve fund to safeguard our charitable programmes and operations in the event of adverse financial conditions (see our Reserves Policy). Taking our operational reserve fund into account, as at 31 March 2025, our unrestricted, undesignated funds stand at just under £64,000.
Lindsey Woods Honorary Treasurer November 2025
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Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities
The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards. The law applicable to charities in England and Wales 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 Charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the Charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles of the Charities SORP;
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
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prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The Trustees are responsible for maintaining proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the Charity and financial information included on the charity’s website.
Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Jessie’s Fund
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Jessie’s Fund for the year ended 31 March 2025, which are set out on pages 20 to 36.
This report is made solely to the Charity’s Trustees, as a body, in accordance with Section 154 of the Charities Act 2011. My independent examination work has been undertaken so that I might state to the Charity’s Trustees those matters I am required to state to them in an Independent Examiner’s Report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Charity and the Charity’s Trustees as a body, for my independent examination work, for this report, or for the opinions I have formed.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent Examiner’s Statement
Since the Trust’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
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the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
A. C. Rodaway, FCA, BFP, DChA HPH, Chartered Accountants 54 Bootham, York, YO30 7XZ
20th November 2025
18 Jessie’s Fund Annual Report and Accounts 2024 - 25 Jessie’s Fund is registered charity no. 1045731
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Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 March 2025
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2025 2024
Note £ £ £ £
Income from: Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
Donations and legacies 2a) 182,389 100,617 283,006 252,139
-
Other trading activities 2b) 21,008 21,008 14,124
Investment 2c) 10,106 - 10,106 8,999
-
Charitable activities 2d) 22,429 22,429 20,978
Total income 235,932 100,617 336,549 296,240
Expenditure on:
Raising funds 3 30,776 428 31,204 22,989
Charitable activities 3 250,125 86,058 336,183 287,319
Total expenditure 280,901 86,486 367,387 310,308
Net income for the year (44,969) 14,131 (30,838) (14,068)
Transfers between funds 1,714 (1,714) - -
Net movement in funds (43,255) 12,417 (30,838) (14,068)
Funds brought forward at 1 April 2024 225,206 42,631 267,837 281,905
Funds carried forward at 31 March 2025 181,951 55,048 236,999 267,837
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Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2025
| Note Fixed Assets 8 Current Assets Stock 9 Debtors 10 Cash at bank and in hand Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Accruals and deferred income 11 Net Current Assets Total assets less current liabilites Total Net Assets The Funds of the Charity Unrestricted - designated 14 Unrestricted - undesignated Restricted 13 12 |
£ 2025 2,786 2,562 26,096 231,340 259,998 25,785 234,213 236,999 236,999 118,020 63,931 55,048 236,999 |
£ 2024 2,003 2,824 14,884 262,813 |
|---|---|---|
| 280,521 | ||
| 14,687 265,834 267,837 |
||
| 267,837 | ||
| 149,686 75,520 |
||
| 42,631 | ||
| 267,837 |
Approved by the Board of Trustees on 20th November 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
Nancy Maguire (Chair)
Liz Varlow (Vice Chair)
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20 Jessie’s Fund Annual Report and Accounts 2024 - 25 Jessie’s Fund is registered charity no. 1045731
Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
1 Accounting policies
a) Basis of Accounting
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019), and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.
The financial statements have been prepared to give a true and fair’ view and have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide atrue and fair view’. This departure has involved following the relevant version of the 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) rather than the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1 April 2005 which has since been withdrawn.
The Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the Charity has adequate resources to continue in existence for the foreseeable future. They continue to believe the going concern basis of accounting is appropriate in preparing the financial statements.
Jessie’s Fund meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s).
b) Depreciation policy
Depreciation is provided on all tangible fixed assets in use at rates calculated to write off the cost or valuation, less estimated residual value, of each asset over its expected useful life, as follows:
Office equipment – at 25% reducing balance
Computers – at 25% reducing balance Music equipment – at 25% reducing balance
We do not capitalise any item under £150 value on purchase.
c) Stocks and work in progress
d) Debtors
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid after taking account of any trade discounts due.
e) Cash at bank
Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and any short term deposit accounts with a maturity of three months or less from the opening date.
f) 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.
g) Income
Interest receivable is accounted for on an accruals basis.
Gift Aid is included based on amounts recoverable at the accounting date.
Donated services are only included in incoming resources where another party is bearing the financial cost of the resources supplied and the benefit is quantifiable, receivable and material. Donated services are valued at the lower of the cost borne by the party bearing the cost and a reasonable estimate of the value of the donation to the Charity.
A legacy is regarded as received when it has become reasonably certain that the legacy will be received and the value of the incoming resource can be measured with sufficient reliability.
Voluntary income arising from events, principally sponsorship, is recognised in the period which the event takes place.
Grant income is recognised when the Charity is entitled to receipt.
Other income is accounted for in the year in which it was received.
Stocks are valued at the lower of cost or net realisable value.
www.jessiesfund.org.uk 23
22 Jessie’s Fund Annual Report and Accounts 2024 - 25 Jessie’s Fund is registered charity no. 1045731
2 Income from:
h) Funds
The charity’s funds consist of restricted and unrestricted amounts as shown in the Statements of Financial Activities.
Unrestricted funds may be used at the trustees’ discretion in furtherance of the charity’s objects. Restricted funds may only be used in accordance with the donors’ wishes as shown in note 14.
i) Expenditure
Grants payable are accounted for in the year in which the grant was paid. All expenses are accounted for on
an accruals basis. Direct costs are allocated to the key strategic areas of activity.
-
Costs of generating funds are those costs incurred in attracting voluntary income, and those incurred in trading activities which raise funds.
-
Charitable activities are those activities which are undertaken to meet our charitable objectives.
-
Support costs include management functions and have been allocated to key strategic areas of activity on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
-
Governance costs include those incurred in the governance of the charity which relate to the strategic running of the charity and its assets, and are primarily concerned with constitutional and statutory requirements. These are distinct from costs associated with fundraising or charitable activity.
j) Taxation
Jessie’s Fund is a registered charity and is generally exempt from tax on income and gains. The charity is not registered for Value Added Tax.
k) Pension scheme
The charity contributes to a defined contribution pension scheme for its employees. Pension costs are
charged to the SOFA and represent the contributions payable by the charity in the year.
a) Donations and legacies
| a) Donatons and legacies | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| Unrestricted Restricted Total |
Total | |
| Friends’ subscriptons Miscellaneous donatons In Celebraton & In Memoriam donatons Legacies Grants from Trusts and Statutory Grants Gif Aid tax refunds Total income from donatons and legacies |
£ £ £ |
£ |
| 19,287 - 19,287 69,644 33,970 103,614 13,738 - 13,738 40,466 2,865 43,331 22,147 63,782 85,929 17,107 - 17,107 182,389 100,617 283,006 |
19,073 56,080 7,288 78,153 83,062 8,483 |
|
| 252,139 |
The Charity also benefits from the involvement and enthusiastic support of a small number of volunteers who help with administration, on an ad hoc basis. In accordance with Charities SORP, the economic contribution of general volunteers is not recognised in the accounts.
b) Other trading activities
| Fundraising events Merchandise income c) Investment income Interest received on cash deposits d) Charitable actvites Jessie’s Fund programme in Special Schools Training courses Total income |
18,063 - 18,063 2,945 - 2,945 21,008 - 21,008 10,106 - 10,106 12,703 - 12,703 9,726 - 9,726 22,429 - 22,429 235,932 100,617 336,549 |
8,867 5,257 |
|---|---|---|
| 14,124 | ||
| 8,999 12,580 8,398 |
||
| 20,978 | ||
| 296,240 |
In 2024 the only restricted income was £79,572 in donations and legacies.
www.jessiesfund.org.uk 25
24 Jessie’s Fund Annual Report and Accounts 2024 - 25 Jessie’s Fund is registered charity no. 1045731
3 Expenditure on:
Expenditure on:
| Expenditure on: | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct actvity Grant funding Support Total |
Total | ||||
| Charitable actvites | undertaken of actvites costs 2025 |
2024 | |||
| £ £ £ £ |
£ | ||||
| Music therapy / creatve music projects/research | - 30,355 8,889 39,244 - 17,270 6,518 23,788 - 45,047 11,851 56,898 125,839 - 11,724 137,563 4,935 - 11,851 16,786 16,046 16,046 - - - - - - 26,429 26,429 10,540 - 8,889 19,429 |
41,739 | |||
| Music therapists in children’s hospices | 28,027 | ||||
| Music therapy - individuals | 41,242 | ||||
| Jessie’s Fund programme in Special Schools | 120,178 | ||||
| Hospitals creatve project | 2,012 | ||||
| MT in hospitals training and general expenses | 22,305 | ||||
| Instruments | 379 | ||||
| Governance | 13,980 | ||||
| Training courses and workshops | 17,457 | ||||
| 157,360 92,672 86,151 336,183 |
287,319 | ||||
| 8,840 - 18,470 27,310 1,842 - 2,052 3,894 |
|||||
| Raising funds | |||||
| Fundraising events | 18,818 | ||||
| Fundraising trading | 4,171 | ||||
| 10,682 - 20,522 31,204 |
22,989 | ||||
| Total expenditure | 168,042 92,672 106,673 367,387 |
310,308 | |||
| Charitable actvites totalling £86,486 (2024: £61,783) were allocated to restricted funds. |
Analysis of support costs
----- Start of picture text -----
Charitable Costs of Total Total
activities raising funds 2025 2024
£ £ £ £
Staffing 64,186 16,047 80,233 69,900
- 229 229 878
Information resources & staff training
-
Trustee expenses 1,710 1,710 1,949
-
Accountancy and legal fees 10,966 10,966 3,198
Other support costs 8,907 3,698 12,605 10,428
930 - 930 669
Depreciation and loss on disposal
86,699 19,974 106,673 87,022
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26 Jessie’s Fund Annual Report and Accounts 2024 - 25 Jessie’s Fund is registered charity no. 1045731
www.jessiesfund.org.uk 27
4 Direct charitable grants
Direct grants, for music therapy unless otherwise stated, were made from unrestricted funds as follows:
----- Start of picture text -----
£
810
Braidburn School (creative music)
Cambride Institute of Music Therapy Research 3,000
Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust 2,962
Children’s Heartbeat Trust 3,000
Cornwall Music Service Trust 3,460
In Deep 2,025
Kaleidoscope Palliative Care 5,000
Millwater School (creative music) 3,600
Newbattle High School 3,133
Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice 5,000
Oasis Academy Longcross 3,000
South Acton Children’s Centre (Refunded) -1,860
Springwater School 2,000
St Andrew’s Hospice 7,270
The Parkside School 2,300
Walton Leigh School 2,925
Total direct grants 47,625
----- End of picture text -----
5 Staff Costs
----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
£ £
Gross salaries and wages 70,643 62,913
Employer’s pension contributions 2,683 2,517
Other staff/human resources costs 6,907 3,269
80,233 68,699
----- End of picture text -----
The average number of employees in the year was 4 (2024 - 4). There were no employees with emoluments above £60,000 in the year (2024 - none)
The key management personnel of the charity comprise the Trustees, the Executive Director and Deputy Director (Education). The total employee benefits of the key management personnel were £45,633 (2024 - £39,355).
6 Trustees
No Trustee has received any remuneration during the year. Trustees’ travel and other expenses were paid or reimbursed to the trustees, amounting in the year to £1,710 (Expenses reimbursed to the trustees in 2024: £1,949.61)
During the year a total of £3,142 (2024 - £1,532) was donated to the charity by related parties, including Trustees.
7 Audit and accountancy fees
| 7 Audit and accountancy | fees | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Independent Examinaton | 3,486 | 3,198 |
www.jessiesfund.org.uk 29
28 Jessie’s Fund Annual Report and Accounts 2024 - 25 Jessie’s Fund is registered charity no. 1045731
8 Tangible fixed assets
| Ofce equipment Computers Music equipment Total £ £ £ £ 1,073 6,293 2,680 10,046 - - 1,714 1,714 - - - - |
|
|---|---|
| Cost | |
| To 1 April 2024 | |
| Additons | |
| Disposals | |
| At 31 March 2025 | 1,073 6,293 4,394 11,760 |
| 976 4,439 2,628 8,043 25 464 442 931 - - - - |
|
| Depreciaton | |
| To 1 April 2024 | |
| Charge for the year | |
| Eliminated on disposal | |
| At 31 March 2025 | 1,001 4,903 3,070 8,974 |
| Net Book Value | |
| At 31 March 2025 | 72 1,390 1,324 2,786 |
| At 31 March 2024 | 97 1,854 52 2,003 |
| 9 Stock | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Goods for resale | 2,562 | 2,824 |
10 Debtors
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Prepayments and accrued income | 26,096 | 14,884 |
11 Creditors
Amounts falling due within one year
| Accruals and deferred income Taxaton and social security |
2025 £ 23,242 2,543 25,785 - 2,291 - 2,291 |
2024 £ |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12,646 | ||||
| 2,041 | ||||
| 14,687 | ||||
| 600 - (600) - |
||||
| Deferred income: | ||||
| Deferred income at 1 April | ||||
| Resources deferred in the year | ||||
| Released from the previous year | ||||
| Deferred income at 31 March |
In the year the Charity deferred funds received in advance of providing services to users.
www.jessiesfund.org.uk 31
30 Jessie’s Fund Annual Report and Accounts 2024 - 25 Jessie’s Fund is registered charity no. 1045731
12 Analysis of the charity’s assets by fund
----- Start of picture text -----
Restricted Unrestricted Total
Designated Undesignated
Current year £ £ £ £
Fixed Assets 1,342 - 1,444 2,786
Current Assets 53,706 118,020 88,272 259,998
55,048 118,020 89,716 262,784
- -
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year (25,785) (25,785)
Total Net Assets 55,048 118,020 63,931 236,999
Restricted Unrestricted Total
Designated Undesignated
£ £ £ £
Comparative year
Fixed Assets 75 - 1,928 2,003
Current Assets 42,556 149,686 88,279 280,521
42,631 149,686 90,207 282,524
- -
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year (14,687) (14,687)
Total Net Assets 42,631 149,686 75,520 267,837
----- End of picture text -----
13 Restricted funds 2024-2025
----- Start of picture text -----
Balance Income Expenditure Transfers Balance
at 1.4.2024 at 31.3.2025
Source of funds Purpose £ £ £ £ £
Anonymous donation Music-making training course - 2,200 475 (1,714) 11
Anonymous donation Newsletter mailing - 415 415 - -
- -
Anonymous donation Hospital Music Therapy 21,000 10,250 10,750
Good Gifts Catalogue Individual music therapy sessions 588 784 588 - 784
Leeds Building Society Charitable Trust Equipment 19 - 8 - 11
Lynn Foundation Equipment 50 - 17 - 33
The HBJ Trust Music Therapy and course 5,304 4,500 9,804 - -
- - -
ARN Foundation Schools’ programme 1,363 1,363
- - -
Joyce Fletcher Charitable Trust Schools’ programme 2,000 2,000
-
Big Give Christmas Challenge Individual music therapy sessions 1,595 20,127 18,029 3,693
D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust Schools’ programme 710 - 710 - -
The Feoffees of St Michael’s Spurriergate Schools’ programme 1,364 - 580 - 784
- - -
2,000 2,000
The Postlethwaite Music Foundation Individual music therapy sessions
- - -
Wise Music Foundation Schools’ programme 2,517 2,517
The Holbeck Charitable Trust Schools’ programme 3,000 - 2,962 - 38
-
Garfield Weston Foundation Schools’ programme 2,183 10,000 2,794 9,389
The Samuel Gardner Memorial Trust Schools’ programme 1,500 - 1,500 - -
The Arts Society Schools’ programme 450 - 450 - -
Jack Brunton Charitable Trust Schools’ programme 3,000 - 1,306 - 1,694
- -
Barbara Ward Children’s Foundation Schools’ programme 5,000 3,687 1,313
- -
National Lottery Community Fund Family learning 7,353 4,370 2,983
Warbuton’s Community Grants Family learning 343 - 343 - -
Wade’s Charity Leeds Hospitals creative music 32 - 32 - -
- - -
The Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation Schools’ programme 2,260 2,260
- -
Edward Cadbury Charitable Trust Schools’ programme 2,000 2,000
John Horniman’s Children’s Trust Schools’ programme - 3,000 3,000 - -
----- End of picture text -----
www.jessiesfund.org.uk 33
32 Jessie’s Fund Annual Report and Accounts 2024 - 25 Jessie’s Fund is registered charity no. 1045731
Restricted Funds, 2024 - 2025 continued
Restricted Funds, 2023 - 2024
----- Start of picture text -----
Balance Income Expenditure Transfers Balance
at 1.4.2024 at 31.3.2025
Source of funds Purpose £ £ £ £
Rhododendron Trust Individual music therapy sessions - 2,000 1,000 - -
- -
29th May 1961 Trust Schools’ Programme 6,000 3,000 3,000
- - -
George Oliver Foundation Schools’ Programme 3,310 3,310
Douglas Arter Foundation Schools’ Programme - 500 500 - -
David Solomons Charitable Trust Schools’ Programme - 1,000 1,000 - -
- -
Crispa Charitable Trust Hospital creative music 5,000 2,429 2,571
- - -
Corvo Foundation Fundraising 1,944 1,944
- - -
Michael Bishop Foundation Schools’ programme 2,925 2,925
Victoria Wood Foundation 30th Anniversary Conference - 5,972 9 - 5,963
- - -
Belacqua Charitable Trust Individual music therapy sessions 2,000 2,000
York Children’s Trust Schools’ programme - 2,940 853 - 2,087
- - -
Boshier-Hinton Foundation Schools’ programme 2,000 2,000
- - -
Felicity Wilde Charitable Trust Schools’ programme 1,000 1,000
42,631 100,617 86,486 1,714 55,048
----- End of picture text -----
----- Start of picture text -----
Balance Income Expenditure Balance
at 1.4.2023 at 31.3.2024
Source of funds Purpose £ £ £ £
-
Anonymous donation Music-making training course 1,132 4,000 5,132
Anonymous donation Newsletter mailing - 178 178 -
Good Gifts Catalogue Individual music therapy sessions 941 588 941 588
Leeds Building Society Charitable Trust Equipment 26 - 7 19
Lynn Foundation Equipment 67 - 17 50
The HBJ Trust Music Therapy (York Hospital) 5,796 11,000 11,492 5,304
ARN Foundation Schools’ programme 1,228 6,000 5,865 1,363
- -
Joyce Fletcher Charitable Trust Schools’ programme 2,000 2,000
- -
Big Give Christmas Challenge Schools’ programme 5,076 5,076
-
Big Give Christmas Challenge Individual music therapy sessions 11,700 10,105 1,595
D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust Schools’ programme 3,000 - 2,290 710
-
The Feoffees of St Michael’s Spurriergate Schools’ programme 5,576 4,212 1,364
- -
2,000 2,000
The Postlethwaite Music Foundation Individual music therapy sessions
- -
Wise Music Foundation Schools’ programme 2,517 2,517
The Holbeck Charitable Trust Schools’ programme - 3,000 - 3,000
-
Garfield Weston Foundation Schools’ programme 10,000 7,817 2,183
The Samuel Gardner Memorial Trust Schools’ programme - 1,500 - 1,500
The Arts Society Schools’ programme - 2,600 2,150 450
Jack Brunton Charitable Trust Schools’ programme - 3,000 - 3,000
- -
Barbara Ward Children’s Foundation Schools’ programme 5,000 5,000
-
National Lottery Community Fund Family learning 9,400 2,047 7,353
Chartered Institue of Fundraising Conference bursary - 429 429 -
Warbuton’s Community Grants Family learning - 400 57 343
Wade’s Charity Leeds Hospitals creative music - 2,000 1,968 32
- -
The Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation Schools’ programme 2,260 2,260
- -
Edward Cadbury Charitable Trust Schools’ programme 2,000 2,000
24,842 79,572 61,783 42,631
----- End of picture text -----
35 Jessie’s Fund Annual Report and Accounts 2024 - 25 Jessie’s Fund is registered charity no. 1045731
34 Jessie’s Fund Annual Report and Accounts 2024 - 25 Jessie’s Fund is registered charity no. 1045731
14 Designated funds
To 31 March 2026 unless otherwise stated
| Special Schools creatve music programme (to 31 July 2026) Music-Making for Special Children Courses Music therapy with individuals Music therapy in children’s hospices Music therapy in children’s hospitals |
Balance Expenditure Transfers Balance at 1.4.2024 at 31.3.2025 £ £ £ £ 101,885 124,709 102,892 80,068 2,050 9,208 13,625 6,467 15,000 12,522 11,561 14,039 12,080 20,000 15,945 8,025 18,671 9,250 - 9,421 149,686 175,689 144,023 118,020 |
|---|---|
Designated Funds, 2023 - 2024
| Special Schools creatve music programme (to 31 July 2025) Music-Making for Special Children Courses Music therapy with individuals Music therapy in children’s hospices Music therapy in children’s hospitals |
Balance Expenditure Transfers Balance at 1.4.2023 at 31.3.2024 £ £ £ £ 107,063 82,567 77,389 101,885 2,000 4,216 4,226 2,050 19,219 28,245 24,026 15,000 10,645 22,080 23,515 12,080 18,671 - - 18,671 157,598 137,108 129,196 149,686 |
|---|---|
Legal and administrative information
Constitution Rules adopted 25 March 1995, amended 15 February 2013 and 30 June 2021 Charity Number Registered Charity No. 1045731 Patrons Maxine Peake; Trevor Pinnock CBE Trustees Steven Burkeman (Chair, term finished 13th March 2025); Alan George; Hannah George (Co Vice Chair, term finished 13th March 2025); Andrew Grace; Nancy Maguire (Co Vice Chair term finished 13th March 2025, Chair from this date); Liz Varlow (Vice Chair from 13th March 2025); Jessica Villiers; Jack Zaborski; Julia Rochester; Charlotte Lincoln, His Honour John Phillips CBE (resigned 5th June 2024)
Adviser Joe Harrison-Greaves Honorary Treasurer Lindsey Woods Founder Lesley Schatzberger Rebecca Ellis Executive Director Deputy Director Hayley Mason Adminstrator Karen Kadow Projects Assistant Lisa Williams Address 15 Priory Street, York, YO1 6ET Telephone 01904 658189 Email info@jessiesfund.org.uk Website www.jessiesfund.org.uk Bankers CAF Bank Ltd, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4TA HSBC Bank plc, 13 Parliament Street, York, YO1 8XS
Adrian Rodaway, FCA, BFP, DChA HPH, Chartered Accountants 54 Bootham, York, YO30 7XZ
Independent Examiner
Transfers from unrestricted, designated funds unless stated otherwise.
36 Jessie’s Fund Annual Report and Accounts 2021 - 22 Jessie’s Fund is registered charity no. 1045731
www.jessiesfund.org.uk 37
Summary of Financial Activities, 2024 - 2025
Income
Donations and legacies £283,006 Grants 30% Donations 48% Legacies 16% Gift Aid tax refunds 6%
3% 6% m |
Other fundraising activities £21,008 Income from charitable activities £22,429 Investment income £10,106
TOTAL £336,549
Expenditure
Charitable activities £336,183 Raising funds £31,204 TOTAL £367,387
38 Jessie’s Fund Annual Report and Accounts 2024 - 25 Jessie’s Fund is registered charity no. 1045731
www.jessiesfund.org.uk 39
Jessie’s Fund, 15 Priory Street, York YO1 6ET Tel: 01904 658189 info@jessiesfund.org.uk www.jessiesfund.org.uk Registered charity no. 1045731 www.jessiesfund.org.uk 40 ee