COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 03157152 CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1053008 Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limited by Guarantee Unaudited Financial Statements 31 March 2025 EXCEL ACCOUNTANTS Chartered accountants Excel House 3 Duke Street Bedford MK40 3HR BEDS LTD
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limited by Guarantee Financial Ststsments Year ended 31 March 2025 Page Trustees, annual report (incorporating the director's report) Independent examiner's report to the trustees 13 Statement of financial activities (including income and expenditure account) 14 Statement of financial position 15 Staternent of cash flows 17 Notes to the financial statements 18
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limited by Guarantse Trustees, Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) Year ended 31 March 2025 The trustees, who are also the directors for the purposes of company18w, present their report and the unaudtted financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025. Roforonco and administrative details Registered charity name Bedfordshire Open Door Charfty registration number 1053008 Company reglstratlon number 03157152 Prlnclpal offlc• and registered 120 Tavistock Street offlce Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2SA The trustees O Atunrase S J Gardner S Pearce A Parsons (appointed 3 October 2024) Y Mackenzie (appointed 26 November 2024) K Fletcher (appointed 9 March 2025) H A E Hendrickx (appointed 9 March 2025) S A Reed (active in year, resigned post year end) M Fletcher (active in year, resigned post year end) W HaNey (resigned 6 July 2024) M A Richardson (resigned 26 November 2024) Please note the following members are active trustees at the time of signing of these accounts however were appointed post the year end period: M Saha (appointed 14 April 2025) V Sisodla (appointed 14 April 2025) F M Allen {appolnted 9 August 2025) M Harris (appointed 9 August 2025) Management slaff Michele Flynn (Operations Manager) Donna Galea-Bateman (Clinical Manager) Independent examiner Ex1 Accountants (Beds) Ltd Excel House 3 Duke Street Bedford MK40 3HR
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limited by Guarantee Trustses, Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) fcontlnued) Year ended 31 March 2025 Structure, Governance and Management Goveming document The company was established under a Memrandum of Association, which determine the objects and powers of the company and is governed under its Artides of Association. The charity is managed and controlled by its Trustee Board which is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the charity, and the policies it adopts. The company is limited by guarantee and does not have share capital. Trustees each guarantee an amount not exceeding £10 to the assets of the company in the event of a winding up. The total number of such guarantees at 31 March 2025 was 7 (2024: 7). Recruitrnent and appointment of new trustees The charity seeks to have board members with the right skills to enable it to be managed in an effective manner. The trustees may appoint a person who is willing to act as a trustee, either to fill a vacancy or as an additional trustee. Inductlon and tralnlng of new trustees All trustees are given a copy of the Charity Commission Pamphlet CC3 prior to their appointment and, at their induction, a copy of the latest accounts, together with the governing document and operating procedures. The latter include such topics as "Trustees Code of Conduct Conflicts of Interesf, and "Trustee Eligibility" Where considered necessary, trustees are invited to undertake training in the workings of the Charity 8nd the responsibilities of a trustee. Objective8 and activities The objects of the charity are to provide free counselling seniices to young people in Bedford and surrounding areas. We have continued to offer the counselling service free to clients. Strateglc report The following sections covering the focus of our work, achievements and perforrnan and financial review form the strategic report of the charity. Purposes and Alms Bedfordshire Open Door offers an acSible, confidential and free professional counselling Servi to young people living in Bedft)rdshire. Our aim is to enable local young people to strengthen their resilien, emotional and psycholo9ical wellbeing. We offer a space where young people can be accepted. be safe and be heard. A free, confidential counselling Servi for people aged 13-25 in Bedford Borough & North Central Beds Drop in and one-off counselling sessions Group work Schools based counselling Community based counselling in youth clubs and supported accommodation Counselling and retats for young unaccompanied asylum seekers Specialist counselling for young victims of crime, exploitation and violence Specialist counselling for neurodivergent young people A weekly social support group Co-production I participation and engagement activities wlth young people Mini onsite "Foodbank" for young people uslng our service who are living in povety
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limited by Guarantse Trustees, Annual Report (Incorporating the Directoes Report) (eontinued) Year ended 31 March 2025 Multi agency working with GPS" CAMHS., adult mental heakh services; the police. social services" other local voluntarylstatutory agencies to ensure clients are given the most appropriate professional sUPPOrt. We have been established for over 29 years. We have extensive knowledge of the lo(21 area, established partnerships, a strong board of trustees, loyal volunteers and staff and an experienced management teatn. We have a strong reputation in the local community and ¢dibIlIty amongst local young people, who often recommend the Servi to their friends. Our organisation is accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and adheres to the BACP Ethical Framework for Standards and Practice. The Clinical Manager is the Designated Safeguarding Lead and responsible for clinical practice. The Operations Manager is responsible for finance and funding. data. reporting, administration, health and safety and premises management. service development and is Deputy DSL. All members of the team are DBS checked. The work is delivered at our counselling centre. in schools and communty venues. Our team of qualified, experienced counsellors and student counsellors work within a framework of clinical supervision and management supported by a small team of administrators. Vile offer a blended service of face-to-face, telephone and video counselling. Our counsellors offer a range of modalities including person centred, psychodynamic, humanistic, CBT, EMDR, systemic approaches. We also integrate creative approaches including sand tray, art and music. We have a multi-agency, person- centred approach, enabling young people to access relevant support to meet their individual needs. Our serdice users are young people aged 13 - 25 experiencing issues including suicidal Ideation, self- hanning, eating disorders. domestic violen, abuse. crime. exploitation, drugs, alcohol. anxiety, depression, bereavement, bullying, relationships, identty issues and homelessness. These issues impact on their mental health and wellbeing. INe offer specialist seNices for unaccompanied asylum seekers, victims of crime and exploltation and young people with autistic spectrum Ineurodivergent conditions. The aim is to increase resilience, improve emotional wellbeing. promote integration and improve access to education, training and employment. Young people access our servio via self- referral or signpost from other agencies. INe have a strong partnership approach working as an integral part of the multi-agency mental health and wellbeing °system of support.. We work with other agencies, communty and faith organisations to improve access for those who might not tradttionally engage with mental health sepdice8. In June 2022 it was annoUnd that we were awarded The Queens Award for Voluntary Service. This is the most prestigious avRrd a voluntary organisation can achieve and is equivalent to an MBE. COUNSELLING PROVISION AND PERFORMANCE: Our charitsble activities focus on providing free counselling services and support to young people and are undertaken to further our charitable purposes for the public benefit. The year 2024 to 2025 we continued to experience high levels of demand from local young people. Bedfordshire Open Door provides up to 12 sessions of free, confidential counselling for 13-25 year olds. Vlthere it is clinicalty indicated we will extend the nurnber of sessions to ensu the safety and wellbeing of the individual young person. We are the only fr ser11 for young people in the Focal area offering this model of serrfice. other providers either charge a fee for their sep4ice or offer a model with 4 - 8 sessions. We offer young people the options of a blended Servi wlth face to face, online or tel8phone counselling. Our experien is that most young people wish to have their counselling face to fa (890/0) but appreciate the flexibilty of remote sessions should circumstances arise that prevent them frorn accessing the face-to-face provision.
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees, Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (contlnu•d) Year ended 31 March 2025 In the year we had a team of 35 counsellors, a mix of volunteers, students and paid counselling positions. In February 2026 a new cohort of 6 students will join us to commence their placement. Bedfordshire Open Door's counselling provision is largely provided by circa 26 professionally accredited volunteer counsellors offering at Feast two sessions of counselling per week wrthout payment. Some of these qualified counsellors also pr¢)vide additi'onal sessional counselling hours to enable us to meet demand and reduce our waiting lists. During the year we employed 5 part-time paid counsellors, 2 of whom worked in secondary schools. 3 working at our counselling centre bringing a wealth of experien including working with young people affected by alcohol and substance abuse, victims of crime and exploitation and neurodivergent young people. All counsellors, induding our volunteers, require professional operational and clinical management support, clinical superdision and must complete a minimum of 30 hours CPD per annum. We also need to staff our Bedford counselling ntre in order that there is always someone to welcome young clients. making them feel safe and to ensure appointments, the necessary paperwork and record keeping. are diligently administered. As a result of reduced funding our counsellor capacity was lower and, as a result, less young people were able to access one to one counselling. To extend engagement we offered facilitated groupwork and outreach workshops. The total number of young people seen was 853. 772 were engaged in 6,582 one-to-one counselling sessions and 81 young people attended 120 separate small groups and workshops. 680/0 were aged between 13 and 18 (202&24'. 660A) and 320A were aged 19-25 (2023-24.. 34Oh). 850A of young people were from Bedford Borough. 13% from Central Bedfordshire, 2% Other. Our seNice extends to meet the needs of our culturally diverse communty. We have seen more young people from a viider range of ethnic backgrounds acSsIng our Servi in the past 3 years than previously. We have also recruited more counsellors from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Vts have also succeeded in our goal to diversify our Board of Trustees and now have a good mix of ethnicities, genders and skills. 68% of our clients were vthite, 20 % black and Asian, 9¥0 mFxedlmultiple ethnic. 2010 Other ethnic groups and 1% did not disclose. Most young people using our Servi state that they do not follow a religton, however we do have a mix of faiths that some of our clients follow and this is respected in our servi. To deepen understanding within our team, we delivered leaming opportunities focused on faith and cultural competence. 60°A of our dients do not follow a religion, 22¥0 Christian, 8 % Muslim, 2% Sikh,1¥o Hindu, 30A other religions and 4Yo prefer not to say. Our referrals come from a range of sources. The majority are self-refeTrals, and this is in keeping with our ethos of enabling young people to direct access our service without requiring a professional referral. Respecting and championing the autonomy of the young person is central to our way of working with young people. Overall health sources contribute to 20% of our
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Directorfs Report) (contlnu6d) Year anded 31 March 2025 referrals for the year and our other key referral source is education which ties in with our VK>rk in schools, although we also receive referrals from school for our Tavistock Street counselling ntre work. 380/0 of our clients self-referred,. 200k were referred by health., 21 Ok by education" 9% by familyfftiend. the remaining 12¥0 came from a mix of poli. social services, housing. job centre and other voluntary agencies. We continued to work in partnership with local supported living organisations, enabling us to ach some of the most vulnerable young people in our community who have eXperIend relationship breakdowns and been part of a hidden community of sofa surfing or street living. Many have a history of abuse, offending, drug or alcohol abuse and mental health issues and counselling at this time can support them in managing the impact of the past and building resilience and confidence for the future. We are one of the only SeNiS offering specialist counselling to neurodivergent young people in Bedfordshire. We deliver this Servi both at our counselling centre and onsite sessions in schools. 12.5% of our clients seen in the year were autistic and 9 % have ADHD. Adapting working practices to meet the needs of individual neurodivergent clEnts is key to successful working with this cohort of young people. To support this, we have delivered a range of CPD for the team in the year including: Rethinking Autism by Dr James nkwOrth, lead dinKal psychokgist CAMHS. This one-day training provided an overview on all core conpts provided in the National Autism Training Programme (NATP). Dr James Winkworth delivers this training to full CAMHS teams, to develop knowledge, skills and neuro affirming practices and extended this to our servi. Other courses included Managing Risk when wort(ing with neurodivergent clients Ethical Dilemmas.. working with n8ur0div8ent clients Understanding Autism Worknng ¢atIvely with young people Using the sand tray in therapeutic pTrctice We worked in partnership with local authorities in Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Luton to provide mental health support for young unaccompanied asylum seekers, many of whom have eXperIend extreme trauma. The work involves specialist one to one counselling using interpreters and creative groupwork. We also ran a two4ay summer retreat for this cohort of young people. In June 2023 we established the BOD POD our own weekly group I safe space. The group met on a weekly basis. Over the year the programme of acts"vib"es has been co-produced with the young people. A key SucsS VRS the first young person-led campaign relating to eco-friendly period products. For our 2024 AGM the group put together a display of their art and one of the group members gave a short presentation on the benefits of the group. We continue to work with a wide range of presenting issues and whilst we capture the predominant issue for each client as part of our reporting it is important to note that all of the young people we see have a complex range of issues that they are facing in their life and these can result in a range of additional behaviours such as suicidal ideation, self- hamiing. use of drugs and alcohol, engagement in criminal actNities and gangs, emtionally based school avoidan, disordered eating, aggression and anger, withdrawal. selective mutism and others. To ensure our counsellors are skilled to work with such a wide range of issues we are
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limited by Guarantse Tru8tse8' Annual Report {Incorporatlng the Directorfs Report) (contlnue Year ended 31 March 2025 committed to providing them with a wide range of CPD and training opportunities above and beyond the mandatory training programme. Counsellors have had sessions on issues such as Working with Muslim clients Working with unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people and interpreters Shame and Honour in the South Asian Community Gambling and Gambling Harm Girls and Gangs Suicide Risk and Safety Planning Working Online (80 hour course) All BOD team members are required to complete annual mandatory safeguarding training. Managers are required to complete Designated Safeguarding Lead Training. Counsellors complete Level 3 safeguarding children. Admin are required to complete Level 2 safeguarding children. Everyone is required to complete Level 1 Safeguarding Everybody as it indudes adults. Trustees are required to complete NSPCC Trustee Safeguarding training for chanty Tmstees. 2012 13 13 14 2t114.15 JLI,LIL 15 10 2D16 $7 17 1 201& 19 2019 202D 21 X)21- 2022 7102 2D22. 2023 I ? 1324 1381 1826 2442 31n 3123 45 213 251 330 41) Elg 842 THE NEED FOR BEDFORDSHIRE OPEN DOOR SERVICES: The need for our senfice has grown year on year and we retain an excellent reputation amongst local young people and their families ft)r delivering a high-quality SeICe. National research evidence supports the need for improved, responsive mental health services for young people as they continue to adjust to life following the impact of the pandemic in a context of global unrest, environmentsl COnrnS and national economic problems. These factors all impact on individual young people and their sense of security, stability and safety and, for some, has a significantly detrimental impact on their mentsl health and wellbeing. Our role is to support the individual resilience and Confiden of local young people in a turbulent and unstsble national and global environment. It is recognised that half of all mental health problems manifest by the age of 14, and 75°h by the age of 24. An estimated one in three adult mental health conditions is associated with adverse childhood experiences, including children who have experienced adversity and trauma. A post Covid report into
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limitsd by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report {Incorporating the Directorfs Report) (¢ontlnued) Year ended 31 March 2025 Children and Young People's Mental Health (2021) , highlighted that services were experiencing not only an increase in demand, but an increase in the severity and acuty of cases that were being referred. High levels of need continue to be expertenced locally across Bedfordshire. The report noted, even prior to the pandemic, li was well*stablished that rtain groups of young people face a higher risk of mental ill health. Young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to fa mentsl distress; LGBTQ+ and trans. gender diverse young people are twice as likely as their peers to report serious mental distress: young people from Black, Asian and minorty ethnic backgrounds often struggle to access the services. particularly young black males. The following statistics and research outline a stark and concerning picture of the need and challenges faced by young people today. It gives a solid evidence base for the need for the work we do with young people. Mental Health in Bedford: A Research Study 2024 (Bedford Giving) °Initial reSeah by The Haur Trust revealed that more than 60Yo of young people in Bedford consider mental health to be a 'massive challenge." Other analyses support this.. the Thriving Places Indexl identrfies mental health as a disbnct area of weakness for Bedford due to the prevalence of depresOn and lOng-te mental health conditions. Govemm8nt data shows that since 2019, Bedford's suicide rate has risen consistently and is now well above the national 8verage. National research also reflects a similar pattem of issues and concems. Little direct data is available on the number of people requiring mental health support in Bedford. However, we know that there are approximately 43.000 people aged L%1 7 in 88dford, and around 19,000 aged 10-17 (IO% of Bedford's population). If we 8ssum8 that mental health i&sues ar8 no more or less common in Bedford than elsewhere in England. we can estimate that around 3,800 people aged 10-17 in Bedford require support.. In the direct consultations with local young people undertaken by Bedford Glvlng as part of the above research several young people specifically mentioned Bedfordshire Open Dwr as a positive service in the k)cal landscape of mental health provision. The Big Mental Health Report 20241MIND UK) In England, it's estimated about 1 in 4 people will experien a mental health problem at some point each year. Research shows that adults and young people alike feel their vrfellbeing is getting worse, with adults also reportedly feeling lonelier. 7.8% of adults in the UK felt lonely '8lways or often, in 2024. Young people and children are experiencing a number of difficulties with their mentsl health. but the sep41S in the NHS and schools simply can't cope with the level of need. 1 in 5 school-age child or young person has a mental health difficulty. Only a third Vre able to aCsS treatment last year in England. In England, 110h of 8-16 year olds with a mental health difficulty had missed more than 15 days of school in 1 term. Children and young people in England with a mental health difficulty were significantly more likely to have been bullied online compared to those without. Mind research suggests that things have started to backslide after years of improvements in attitudes to mentsl health. Mental health stigma and discrimination are found in the healthcare system too. And racisrn, racial violence and hate crimes threaten the safety and mental wellbeing of many communities. Annual SuNey (Young Mlnds 2023124)
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Directorfs Report) (contlnuodj Year ended 31 March 2025 In 2023, one in five children and young people aged elght to 25 had a probable mental health condition. This number has been rising since 2017, most notably in the 17-19 age group. The number of children and young Feople referred to emergency mentsl healthcare rose by 100A between 2023 and 2024, with many of these young people being stuck on waiting lists for NHS support for months and years. Suicide was the leading cause of death for people aged 5-35 In England in 2022. Around three quarters were boys or young men. Almost one third (32.80/0) of 17-24 year olds have self-harmed or attempted to self-hami at some point. This rises significantFy to 89.50h of young people with a probable mental health condition. The cost of living in the UK places a huge strain on the mental health of young people, with a huge 90 % of young people worrying about eaming enough money to support themselves. One in five young people aged 8-25 had a probable mental health condition in 2023. It has big impact on several areas of their lives. and can continue into adulthood. Almost a third (300/0) of 11-16 year olds with a probable mental health condition missed week or more of school in 2023 (compared to 10¥0 of their peers without a mental health condition)1, and 740h of teachers believe that poor mental health is negatively impacting their pupils, ability to learn. 850k of young people aged 8-16 with a probable mental health condition experienced regular disruption to their sleep- and this rose to 96¥A of young people aged 17-23. 35% of 18-24 year olds in employment reported needing to take time off work due to poor mentsl health or stress. One third of mental health problems in adulthood are directly connected to an adverse childhood experien (ACE). 300 of 11-16 year olds with a probable mental health condition missed a week or more of school in 2023. Ifs gettlng harder for young people to access the support they neod.. In 2023124, there were 78,577 young people waiting over a year for mental health treatEnt from the NH.S, with 440 of these were waiting over two years. This has risen significantly since 2022123.8 Long waiting times for support have negative ConseqUens. 59% of young people report their mental health getting worse during the wait for support Parent confldence In supportlng young people re: mental health (M&S l Young Minds 2025) New research commissioned by M&S and Young Minds, UK national mental health charity for young people, reveals a concerning gap betrween young people's needs and parents, confidence in supporting them. 38 % of young people say they feel most comfortable turning to a parent or carer when struggling with their mental health. Yet, 35% of parents say that the worry they'll make things worse by talking about it makes it difficult to have the conversation, and 300/0 have avoided conversations altogether because they're unsure what to say. th 1 in 4 young people aged 16-24 now experiencing a common mental health condition[1]. the need for open, supportive conversations at home has never been greater. However, over half of parents (51 OA) admit to feeling judged when their chikl struggles, and 450A say they would benefit from a guide to help them approach difficult topics. The Blg Ask 2023 (The Chlldren Commlsslon•r UK) More than half of young people with mentsl health disorders had no contact with mental heatth services,. only 340/0 had at least tsvo contacts.
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Directorfs Report) (conllnued) Year ended 31 March 2025 320A of those referred for treatment did not receive it. The averdge waiting time was 40 days, up from 32 the previous year. Around 1 % of total NHS budget allocations were spent on mentsl health serviS for children and young people- a total of £927 million. FUNDING OVERVIEW: We remain reliant on funding from grant making bodies and intemally generated fund-raising initiatives to continue f provision of one-tOne counselling to young people in the 13-25 age group and on a 12-session therapeutic model. The biggest risk for the future is that our core funders the National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF) have indicated that after our current 5 year grant, which tapers off in years 4 and 5, it is unlikely we will re1ve a further substantial grant as we will have benefited from 11 years of funding and are advised of the need to diversify our funding base and seek funding from statutory sources to support the continuation of our work. However, the reality of securing funding from health sources is significantly challenged due to extreme budget cuts for the bcal NHS services and CAMHS mental health services. Commissioning opportunities are greatly reduced and during the period the East London Foundation Trust took the Ioc21 tier 2 CAMHS wellbeing service in-house rather than procuring communty-based delivery providers. We deliver an essential early intervention and prevention service, one of a kind for young people locally. and it is known that statutory services rely on our interventions as a key element of the servi provision localty. If our capacity is reduced then this plaS young people at higher risk and moves them into the need for ststutory health and scKial care servtces which will result in higher spend on acute and inpatient Setvices. Investment in early support is critical to reducing the number of young people at significant risk of suicide and self-ham in our community. We are now in our second year of a 5-year NLCF grant. We were successful in being awarded 8 3-year BBC Children in Need grant for Vrk with clients aged 1 &18. The Harpur Trust has been a key supporter of our charity over the years. Their strategic objective of funding successful, evidence based local voluntary services in the local community has meant we have been able to secure funds to support our core serrfice and in 2024 we were awarded a further 2-year grant. The Bedfordshire violen & Exploitation Prevention Partnership (VEPP>. fomierly known as the Bedfordshire violen & Exploitation Reduction Unit (VERU), continued to support our work with victims of crime and exploitation and those at risk with a further 1-year grant. We have also received funding support from a range of other organisations and trusts and extend our thanks and apprecFation to." Waitrose; The Rotary Club of Bedford Park., The xamtree Trust,. the Gale Family Trust" the Panacea Charitable Trust; Bedford Academy; Biddenham School, Bedford Counselling & Training, Bedford Charitable Trust and the Clothworkers Foundation for their grants and donations towards our counselling work in the year. V*le also thank and everyone who attended and supported our fundraising events and those who kindly donated raffie prizes. We are most grateful for a £5,000 legacy gift from the estate of Mr Donald Stevenson, prevtous Trustee and a staunch supporter of our cause for many years. We appreciate and
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limitsd by Guarantee Trustees, Annual Report (Incorporating the Directoes Report) fcontlnued) Year ended 31 March 2025 thank all of the Friends of Bedfordshire Open Door for their ongoing support and regular donations. We are thankful to all the above funders and donors, and other individuals not mentioned and those who have chosen to remain anonymous. Investment policies and objectives The Trustee Board has the power to invest or deposit monies not immediately required for its purposes in any lawful manner whilst having regard to the suitability of investments and the need ft)r diversification. The charity will aim to invest any funds not expected to be needed in the short-term in deposit accounts in order to achieve a return on those reserves. It is the policy of the charrty to spread the reserves of the charity across several banks and building societies to provide maximum protection from the Financial SeNices Compensation Scheme (FSCS). The charity will only deposit funds with institutions covered by the FSCS. No funds will be invested in sGhemes that cannot guarantee the return of the original investsnent or where the original funds are in any way at risk. No funds will be invested in schemes which require a noti period of more than six months to withdraw the funds. Reserves policy The Trustee Board have established a policy whereby the total unrestricted funds not invested in tangible fixed assets, and not required to meet future budgeted expenditure, being the "free reserves., should be sufficient to support the future growth of the charity, support coping with the loss of significant funding stream I donor, gaps in restricted funding, short-term cessation of project actNity and redundancy. To mitigate the impact of a potential loss of funds on costs, Bedfordshire Open Door employs part-time paid counsellors on short term contracts. The Twstees have targeted a free reserve level of six months of operational cost {£170.000) and £60,000 to cover the Ios5 of a significant donorlfunding stream. The trustees have taken account of the fact that Bedfordshire Open Door owns a property with a purchase price of £224,000 in 2009 and believe the propety to have increased in market value. At 31 st March 2025 the mortgage against this propety was £20,365. The trustees have the option in an emergency to increase the mortgage against the propety to increase free reserves. Free reserves at March 31 st 2025 Vre £174,621 Incoming resources and expenditure Total income for the year increased 18°/0 from £287,516 in 2024, to £338,262 in 2025. The proportion of income CeIvable for restricted and unrestricted purposes represents was 89% {2024: 89¥0) and 11 Oh (2024.. 110/0) respectively of the total incoming resources. Overall, the results show a deficit for the year of £ {2.052) {2024): deficit of £ {53,916). At 31 March 2025, restricted fund balances totalled £355.933 (2024.. £371,623), of which £287,925 (2024: £293,040) relates to the historic purchase of the Bedford Tavistock Street propety and subsequent improvements, which was largely grant funded. Unrestricted fund balances totalled £174,621 {2024: £160,983) 10
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limited by Guarantse Tru8tse8' Annual Report (Incorporatlng the Dlrectorf8 Report) (conthiued) Year ended 31 March 2025 Plans for the Future Period.. The fandscape for funding is becoming increasingly challenging and this is coupled with the challenge of retaining eXperIend staff who are employed on short tsrm contracts due to funding generally being allocated for one year. Vve are mindful of the continuing cost of living crisis and the effect this is having on the voluntary sector, forcing some volunteers to prioritise paid work over volunteering. We continue to strive to maximise income to enable us to meet the needs of young people in our communty. INe are aware of increasing constraints within statutory and other voluntary sector serrfices and the impending financial challenges faced nationally. bve are focused on ensuring the sustainabilty of our service arKI the need to ensure core provision is adequately funded to ensure stability in the future. Next year is our 30th anniversary year and we plan to use this opportunty to tske positive steps to ensure our organisational resilience for the next 30 yearsl We have a key objective of recruiting new Trustees to develop a new strategic plan driven by the Board and management. The plan will focus on fvture proofing the organisation WFth a structure fft for the future and a fvnding strategy to resource and develop ongoing acts"vittes. To aid this plan, we have applied to the Cranfield Trust to undertake their Journey to Excellencep prcwJramme which, by working with their pro bono management consultancy. will help us to measure our organisation's progress. growth and success. also have plans to diversity our funding streams to mitigate for grant funding we anticipate coming to an end over the next 2-3 years. We are updating our systems and improving efficiency through investment in a new databaselcase management system tailored to the needs for our service. The continued high demand and signposting through other agencies underpins our faith in our 12- session counselling model. l*Ve continue to belleve in provlding a free service to all young people between 13 and 25 years of age. In a rent letter The Harpur Trust stated.. 'Thank you for your end of grant monitoring report and for updating us on your achievements and challenges. The numbers of people and the hours of therapy provided is impressive. The high percentage of self-referrals stood out demonstrating the centr81 role you play in the community and the respect the community has for the charity. A short Senten summed up why having such serwces readily available to young people is so important. °These sessions have helped me so much and Changed my lrfe.. The bedrock of our organisation is a strong voluntary ethos from the majority of our counsellors. These can be people relatively new to counselling. looking to gain experience, or can be very eXperiend professionals, wanting to give something back. We have a solid reputation for providiro high quality. well supported student plaments that include clinical superrfision, clinical management and enhand CPD to support the development of new counsellors. We have extended our reach to more counselling training providers and the demand for placements is high. In a dimate where the recruitment of qualified volunteers has become more challenging, we have found this initiative to be an essential part of maintaining capacity and ensuring our counselling team is suitably experienced in wotking with young people. Extending our participation and engagement opportunities is a central theme for the coming year, including providing volunteering and development opportunities to support young people in building employabilty skills and experience. Our main forum for this will be via our BOD POD group. 11
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Directorfs Report) (¢ontInu) Year ended 31 March 2025 As always, young people are at the heart of everything we do. We need to ensure their voices and experiences are central to our all aspects of our delivery and development. The trustees, annual report and the strategic report were approved on 16th October 2025 and signed on behalf of the board of trustees by Sam Pear (Chair): Sam Pearce Chair 12
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limited by Guarantee Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Bedfordshire Open Door Year ended 31 March 2025 I report to the trustees on my examlnation of the financial ststements of Bedfordshire Open Door ('the charty,) for the year ended 31 March 2025. Responslbllltles and basls of report As the trustees of the company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the financial ststements in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (Yhe 2006 ACY). Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2CN)6 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charity's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act,). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5){b) of the 2011 Act. Independent examinerfs statement Since the charty'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 l am qualified to undertake the examination because l am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), which is one of the listed bodies. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examlnation glvlng me cause to believe: accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act. or the financial ststements do not accord with those records" or the financial statements do not compty with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fairf view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination., or the financial statements have not been prepared in accordan 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 concems 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. Independent Examiner Excel House 3 Duke Street Bedford MK403HR £ffefJccountants Excel House 3 Duke street Bedford. Mk40 3HR 01234 860590 13
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limited by Guarantee Statement of Financial Activities (including income and expenditure account) Year ended 31 March 2025 2025 Restricted funds Totsl funds Total funds 2024 Unrestricted funds Income and endowments Donations and grants Investment inc>)me 33,992 1.922 302.348 336,340 1,922 285,698 1,818 Total income 35,914 302,348 338.262 287,516 Expenditure Expenditure on raising funds: Costs of raising donations and grants Expenditure on charitable activities Total expendlture 9.485 12.791 1.416 316,622 10,901 329,413 340,314 10,294 331,157 22,276 318,038 341,452 Net (expenditureyincome and net movement in funds 13.637 {15,690) (2.052) (53.936) Reconciliation of funds Total funds brought forward Total funds carrled fOard 160,983 174.620 371.623 355.933 532.606 586,542 530,554 532.606 The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised In the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities. The notes on pages 18 to 26 fomi part of these financlal ststements. 14
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limited by Guarantee Statsment of Financial Position 31 March 2025 2025 2024 Note Fixed assets Tangible fixed assets 14 358,564 367.279 Debtors: amounts falling due after more than one year 15 252,137 282.829 Current assets Debtors: amounts falling due within one year Cash at bank and in hand 16 243.506 142.014 259,207 81,403 340,609 385,520 Credltors: amounts falllng due wlthln one year Net current assets 17 198,612 186,907 797,608 168,408 172,201 Totsl assets les$ current liabilities 822,308 Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year Net assets 18 267,054 530,554 289.702 532,606 Funds of the charity Restricted funds Unrestricted funds 355.934 174,620 371,623 160.983 Total charity funds 19 530,554 532,606 Of the restricted funds of £355,934 propety reseNes comprised 81 OA (2024: 790h) For the year ending 31 March 2025, the charity was entitled to exemption from audit under secb'on 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. Directors, responsibilities: The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476. The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements. These financlal statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies, regime. The statement of financial position continues on the following page. The notes on pages 18 to 26 fonn part of these financial statsments. 16
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limited by Guarantse Statsment of Financial Position fcontlnuod) 31 March 2025 These financial ststements were approved by the board of trustees and authorised for issue on 161h October 2025, and are signed on behalf of the board by.. S Pearce Chair /. L"AJVI IArt FL A 20*5 ceCAcco¥fftdnts Excel House 3 Duke Street Bedford. Mk40 3HR 01234 160590 The notes on pag88 18 to 26 forni part of th888 financial Statèments. 16
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Llmitsd by Guarantse Statement of Cash Flows Year ended 31 March 2025 2025 2024 Cash flows from operating activitie8 Net (expenditure)lincome (2,052) (53,748) Adjustments for Depreciation of tangible fixed assets Dividends, interest and rents from investments Other interest re1vable and similar income Interest payable and similar charges 10,274 (1,922) 11,186 {1,818) 1,515 1,855 Changes in." Accrued {income)lexpenses Trade and other debtors, prepayments and accrued incxjme Trade and other creditors 15,187 46,3g3 (2.333) 67,062 {162,814) 141,988 882 Cash generated from operations (62,656) Interest paid Interest received {1,515) {1,855) Net cash (used Inyfrom operating activities 65,547 {64,511) Cash flows from Investlng actlvltles Dividends, interest and rents from investments Purcha of tangible assets PrOedS from sale of tangible assets Net cash used in investing activities 1,922 (1,560) 1,818 (1,436) 362 382 Cash flows from financing activities Proceeds from borrowings Net cash used in financing activities {5,298) (5,298) (4.958) (4,958) Net (decrease)fincrease in cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equSvalents at beglnning of year Cash and cash equSvalents at end of year 60,611 81,403 142,014 (69,088) 150,491 81,403 The notss on pages 18 to 26 fomi part of these financial statements 17
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limited by Guarantee Notes to the Financial Statsments Year ended 31 March 2025 General information The charity is a public benefit enb'ty and a private company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Iplales and a registered charity in England and Wales. The address of the registered office is 120 Tavistock Street, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 2SA. Statement of compliance These financial statements hwde been prepared in Complian with FRS 102, 'The Financial Reporting Stsndard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland,. the Statement of Recommended Practs'ce applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicabk in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (Charities SORP (FRS 102}) and the Companies Act 2006. Accountlng pollclos Basis of preparation The financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis, as modified by the revaluation of certain financial assets and liabilities and investment properties measured at fair value through income or expenditure. The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functs'onal currency of the entity. Golng concern There are no material uncertainties about the chaiity's ability to continue. Judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty The preparation of the financial statements requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. These eStIteS and judgements are continually reviewed and are based on experience and other factors. including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circUmstans. Fund accounting Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees to further any of the charity's purposes. Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular future project or commitinent. Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure declared by the donor or through the tems of an appeal. and fall into one of two sub-classes.. restricted income fvnds or endowment funds. 18
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limited by Guarantee Notes to the Financial Statements (contlnued) Year ended 31 March 2025 Accounting policies (contlnued) Incomlng resources All incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when entitlement has passed to the charity,. it is probable that the economic benefits associated with the transaction will flow to the charty and the amount can be reliably measured. The following specffic policies are applied to particular categories of income.. income from donatv)ns or grants is recognised when there is evidence of entitlement to the gift, receipt is probable and its amount can be measured reliably. legacy income is recognised when receipt is probable and entiUement is established. income from donated goods is measured at the fair value of the goods unless this is impractical to measure reliably, in which case the value is derived from the cost to the donor or the estimated resale value. Donated facilities and sendices are recognised in the accounts when received if the value can be reliably measured. No amounts are included for the contribution of general volunteers. income from contracts for the supply of seNices is recognised with the delivery of the contracted servi. This is classified as unrestricted funds unless there is a contractual requirement for it to be spent on a particular purpose and returned rf unspen[ in which case it may be regarded as restricted. Resources expended Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liabilty is incurred. Expendlture includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered, and is classified under headings of the statement of financial actNities to which it relates.. expenditure on raising funds includes the costs of all fundraising activities, events, non- charitable trading activities, and the sale of donated goods. expenditure on charitable activities includes all costs incurred by a charity in undertaking activities that further its charitable aims for the benefit of its beneficiaries. including those support costs and costs relating to the govemance of the charty apportioned to charitable activities. other expenditure includes all expenditure that is neither related to raising funds for the charity nor part of its expenditure on charitable activities. All costs are allocated to expenditure categories reflecting the use of the resource. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs are apportioned between the activities they contribute to on a reasonable, justifiable and consistent basis. Tanglble assets Tanglble assets are initlally recorded at cost. and subsequently stated at cost less any accumulated depreciation and impairment losses. Any tsngible assets carried at revalued amounts are recorded at the fair value at the date of revaluatlon less any subsequent accumulated depreciation and subsequent accumulated impairment losses. 19
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limited by Guarantee Notes to the Financial Statements (continu) Year ended 31 March 2025 An increase in the carrying amount of an asset as a result of a revaluation. is recognised in other recognised gains and losses, unless it reverses a charge for impainnent that has previousty been recognised as expenditure within the statement of financial activities. A decrease in the carrying amount of an asset as a result of revaluation, is recognised in other recognised gains and losses, except to which it offsets any previous revaluation gain, in which case the loss is shown within other recognised gains and losses on the statement of financial activities. Depreclation Depreciation is calculated so as to write off the cost or valuation of an asset, less its residual value, over the useful economic life of that asset as follows.. Freehold propety lrnprovernents to property Fixtures and fittings Computer equipment 0% and 20/0 Straight line 2% and 100h straight line 15Yo and 20% straight line 33Yo Straight line 20
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limitsd by Guarantse Notes to the Flnanclal Statements (continued) Year ended 31 March 2025 Limited by guarantee The company is limited by guarantee and does not have share capital. Details of the guarantees provided by each Trustee is provided in the Report of the Trustees. Donation8 and legacies Unrestn'cted FurKIs Restricted Total Funds Funds 2025 Donations Donations 33,992 302,348 336,340 Unrestricted Funds Restricted Total Funds Funds 2024 Donations Donations 30,867 254,831 285,698 21
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limitsd by Guarantee Notes to the Financial Statements (eontlnued) Year ended 31 March 2025 Investment Income Unrestricted Total Funds Unrestricted Total Funds Funds 2025 Funds 2024 Income from investment properties Bank interest receivable 1,922 1,922 1,922 1,922 1,818 1,818 1,818 1,818 Costs of rdlslng donatlons and grants Unrestricted Funds Restricted Total Funds Funds 2025 Costs of raising donations and grants 9,485 1,416 10,901 Unrestricted Funds Restricted Total Funds Funds 2024 Costs of raising donations and grants 6,186 4,108 10.294 Expendlture on charftsble actlvftles by fund type Unrestricted Funds Restricted Total Funds Funds 2025 Charitable activities Governance costs 21,256 1,020 22,276 318,038 339,294 1,020 340,314 318,038 Unrestricted Funds Restricted Total Funds Funds 2024 Charitable activities Governance costs 10,643 1,020 11,663 329,789 340,432 1.020 329,789 341,452 Expendlturo on charitsblo activities by activlty type Activities undertaken directly Support Totsl funds costs 2025 Total fund 2024 Charitable activities Goveman costs 339.294 339,294 1,020 340,432 1,020 341,452 1,020 339.294 1,020 340,314 22
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limited by Guarantee Notes to the Financial Statements {conelnu•d) Year ended 31 March 2025 10. Net (expenditureyincome Net (expenditure)lincome is stated after chargingl(crediting): 2025 2024 Depreciation of tangible fixed assets 10,275 11,336 11. Independent examlnatlon fees 2025 2024 Fees payable to the independent examiner for. Independent examination of the financial ststements Other assurance ServIS 1,020 805 1,020 600 1.825 1.620 12. Staff costs The total stsff costs and employee benefits for the reporting period are analysed as follows.. 2025 2024 Vlkages and salaries 260,213 261,349 The average full time equivalent head count of employees during the year was 7sl (2024: 8). The average number of full-time equivalent employees during the year is analysed as follows: 2025 No. 2024 No. Number of staff - office Number of staff - counselling All stsff are employed on a part time basis by Bedfordshire Open Door and the majority of counsellors undertake their roles voluntarily. The average number of part-time employees during the year was 13 (2024: 14) 13. Trustee remun•ratlon and expenses No remuneration or other benefits from employment with the charity or a related entity were received by the trustees. Trustees were paid in total of £135 relating to a safeguarding course & a training coun8e. 23
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limited by Guarantee Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) Year ended 31 March 2025 14. Tangible fixed assets New Constwction Freehold Plant and Fixtures propety machinery and fittings Equipment Total Cost At 1 April 2024 Disposals Additions 324,097 162.116 20,448 8.750 515,411 1,560 1,560 8.750 516.971 At 31 March 2025 324,097 162,116 20,448 Depreciation At 1 April 2024 Disposals Charge for the year At 31 March 2025 67.230 56.253 19,361 5.289 148,133 4.482 3.603 1.686 10,274 6,975 158.407 71,712 59,856 19,865 Carrylng amount At 31 March 2025 1,560 252,385 102,260 105,863 583 1,775 358,564 3,461 367,279 At 31 March 2024 256,867 1.087 1 S. Debtors: falling due after more than one year 2026 2024 Prepayments and accrued income 252,137 282,289 16. Debtors: falling due within one year 2025 2024 Trade debtors Prepayments and accrued income Other debtors 6.750 251,291 1,166 259.207 240,823 2,683 243,506 17. Creditors: amounts falling due wlthln one year 2025 2024 Bank loans and overdrafts Accruals and deferred income Social security and other taxes 5.448 189.783 3.381 198,612 4,349 158,533 5,526 168,408 24
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limitsd by Guarantee Notes to the Financial Statements (conthiued) Year ended 31 March 2025 18. Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year 2025 2024 Bank loans and overdrafts Accruals and deferred income 14,917 252,137 21,314 268,388 267,054 289,702 Bank loans and overdrafts relate to a mortgage ban secured against the propety at 120 Tavistock Streed, Bedford. 25
Bedfordshire Open Door Company Limited by Guarantee Notes to the Financial Ststements (contiiiued) Year ended 31 March 2025 19. Analysls ol charftablo funds Unrestricted funds (All amounts stated in GBP) At 1 April 2024 Income Expenditure At 31 March 2025 Unrestrlctsd funds General - Other 160,983 35,914 (22.276) 174,621 Restricted funds Property Funds 293.040 (5,115) 287.925 Non4>roperty Funds The National Lottery Community Fund BBC Children in Need V*hamtree Trust Gale Family Charity Trust Harpur Trust Biddenham International School Bedford Academy Panacea Charitable Trust Rotary Club of Bedford Park VERU CAMHS Direct Referrals Other- Waitrose Other Anonymous Frank Branston Fund Clothworkers Foundatlon House of Industry Bedford Coun5elling & Training Bedford Charitable Trust 5.001 114,281 (117,280) 2,002 10,000 (10,000) (6,628) (38,673) (13,807) 113,521) (4,167) {11,217) 124,000) (29,633) (785) (4,279) {10,000) {1,560} (27,372) 6,628 1,078 9,900 9,900 4,187 11,217 37,595 14,800 14,500 10,893 10,879 45,500 21,500 29,633 1,200 6,000 10,000 10,900 27,372 5,200 5,000 415 2.780 1,059 9,340 5.200 5.000 Total Non-Propety Funds 78,583 302,348 (312,921) 68,009 Total Restricted 371,623 302,348 (318,036) 355,934 Total Funds 532,606 338,262 (340,314) 530,554 Propety funds represent funds already spent on purchasing 120 Tavistock Street, Bedford. Expenditure against Property funds relates solety to annu81 depreciation. 26