2024-03-31-accounts

For the year ended 31 March 2024

The heartbeat of

St Vincent de Paul Society Company Number: 3174679. Charity Number: 1053992.

Mission, vision & values

Since the charity’s foundation in 1833 in Paris, the St Vincent de Paul Society has lived by the Christian principles of its founder Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, who said we should “embrace the whole world in a network of charity.”

In 1833 the work of the charity was prompted by the abject poverty in the slums of Paris and the first members of the Society reached out in person to help those in need. The world has changed since then, but poverty remains in many forms and our members today continue to reach out to those in need with kindness, compassion and a welcome that is non-judgmental.

As a 19-year-old university student, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam had the vision to create that network of charity, and today if he attended an SVP Conference meeting, visited a St Vincent’s shop, support centre or any other of our many projects, he would recognise the same ethos of Vincentian service and welcoming acceptance of others.

Today, the SVP numbers around 800,000 voluntary members in some 153 countries, with over 8,600 members in England and Wales. The work of the Society continues to evolve but remains person-centred, where everyone has the right to be a valued member of the community in which they live.

OUR MISSION AND VALUES

OUR VISION

Our vision, inspired by Christ’s message to love our neighbour as ourselves, is to give hope and restore the dignity of individuals and families, empowering them to live more fulfilling lives in a fairer world.

CONTENTS

• 04 OUR WORK

• 27 STRUCTURE GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

OUR MISSION

• 36 AUDITOR’S REPORT

Our mission is to seek and find those in need, to help them in a spirit of justice, and to tackle the causes of poverty where we can.

• 39 FINANCIAL SUMMARY

• 40 CONSOLIDATED ACCOUNTS

OUR VALUES

Christ-centred - We acknowledge the presence of Christ everywhere.

Compassionate - We aim to show compassion that is non-judgmental towards those with whom we work.

• 69 LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

70 THANK YOU

Respectful - We respect the dignity of all in the knowledge that we are all equal before God.

Generous - We aim to be generous with our time, our possessions and ourselves in the service of others. Responsive - We aim to be alert to the ever-changing needs of the communities in which we work, and to respond accordingly, in order to alleviate poverty in all its forms.

Accountable - We recognise our accountability to God and to those we seek to help, while acting within the limits of our own knowledge and skills.

Confidential - We respect the confidentiality of those we help, while recognising that the physical and mental well-being of any vulnerable party must always be paramount.

Images in this report are illustrative and may not depict real individuals. Any resemblance is coincidental. The names of people in our stories have been changed to protect their privacy.

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The SVP, the beating heart of local communities

The St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP or Society) England and Wales was founded 180 years ago in 1844. Our founder, Frédéric Ozanam, sought to provide a practical response to the poverty of the time. His inspiration was St Vincent de Paul who had been a passionate advocate for service to those less fortunate.

This was not merely about acts of charity but about extending the hand of friendship and service with love and an open heart. Frédéric founded a lay organisation, through which he and his peers could reach out to others providing practical help and comfort and living their faith through their actions.

180 years on, that organisation now exists in over 153 countries and continues to thrive. True to our Christian foundations we are focused on service and friendship to those in need.

In England and Wales there are now over 8,600 voluntary members of the SVP. Members join a local branch known as a Conference and visit those who need our support, meet together and express their work as an integral part of their faith. Over time, the work of the SVP has grown, and we now welcome staff and other volunteers of all faiths and none who are inspired to share in the Vincentian charism of service. These members, staff and volunteers are the beating heart of the SVP, providing relational, person to person support to those who are experiencing difficulties.

As well as the Conference, reaching out to the local community, the SVP also operates projects and bespoke services which places our services in the heart of communities where they are needed most.

2023-24 has seen the number of requests for help we receive increase by 143%. Our members and projects are busier than ever and this is set against a back drop of rising costs and increased competition within the sector for funds.

We have continued our investment into the SVP’s Cost of Living (COL) fund to provide immediate financial assistance to those in crisis. During the financial year 2023-24, the COL fund provided small grants to a value of £254,000. Typically the fund was

“We should strive to keep our hearts open to the sufferings of other people, and pray continually that God may grant us that spirit of compassion which is truly the spirit of God.”

St Vincent de Paul

accessed for help with furniture and appliances, bill payments, clothing and food. Other applications included travel costs and funeral expenses.

The Trustees also took the decision to develop a housing strategy in response to the level of need being presented. 2023-24 saw the appointment of the Society’s first Head of Housing and investment is now actively being sought to provide more forms of affordable accommodation for those who need it.

As well as addressing the immediate needs of those in poverty we continued to focus on the causes of poverty and to add our voice and the testimony of those we serve to the issues of the day. Last year saw the publication of our regional inequalities report, based on the first hand experience of our users, as well as a report on Afghan resettlement.

We continue to be true to our founding mission, serving those in poverty through the relational, hand to hand and heart to heart support. Faced with ever increasing need and the impact on the charity itself of increasing costs, we are truly grateful to those individuals and organisations who support our work, as well as the tireless efforts of our members, volunteers and staff who together are the beating heart of our Society.

Elaine, Chair of Trustees Elizabeth, CEO

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Heart to heart

The work of the Conference

In 2023-24 there were 803 active Conferences in England and Wales with 8,682 active volunteer members. These Conferences continue to reach out to those locally who seek their help. The people helped and the nature of the assistance given varies by area and resources available.

The core work of our volunteer members is the visit. Sometimes a single visit is required, often a succession of visits and sometimes the support provided through the visit extends over many months or even years, depending on the need. In short, our work is to befriend and support in whatever way we can.

Over 309,000 visits were made to 48,000 beneficiaries in the year across England and Wales. Practical assistance was given on over 86,000 occasions. Most typically food and transport.

Many Conferences were involved in soup runs and food banks, serving approximately 14,000 people in the year.

June's story

A Conference in North London received a referral from Age UK regarding June, an older lady living locally. June is isolated as her family do not live near her. She has lost a lot of her vision as a result of a cataract operation that went wrong.

Because of this she has lost confidence in going out on her own, using buses and doing what she used to do independently. SVP members have visited June and listened to her talk of her difficulties. They have also gone with her for walks and helped her onto buses, so she can get out and about more and not be stuck in her flat. This has helped to lift her spirits although life is still very difficult for her. She now has an arm to lean on and a shoulder to cry on.

John's story

At the age of 16 John moved out of care into semi-independent living. Two years later he moved into a permanent home with his partner. Following a relationship breakdown, he left this home and went to be with friends in Manchester.

After being diagnosed with depression and anxiety in 2020, he moved back to his home town. The SVP was contacted by his housing officer asking us if we could help. John had a bed, but little else. The local Conference successfully applied to the SVP Cost-of-Living fund and were able to provide him with a cooker, washing machine and a sofa. They were also able to phone and visit him and offer him their ongoing support.

“Treat every individual with gentleness and respect, always using kind words.” St Vincent de Paul

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Type of practical assistance given:

Type of beneficiaries:

Total Total practical help: beneficiaries: 86,384 48,380 Furniture: 4.2% Clothes: 7.4% Refugees and Asylum Hospital: 4.2% Food: 25.3% Fuel: 3.1% Seekers: 12.4% Offenders: 1.9% Electrical Transport: 28.4% Families: 20.0% Homeless: 9.0% Appliance: 2.9% Other: 19.7% Older People Travellers: 0.4% Money: 9.0% (Own Home): 27.6% People with Mental Older People Health Issues: 3.5% (Residential): 13.5% Other: 7.6%

Maggie's story

Maggie had worked as a live in housekeeper for many years. When her employer died it quickly became clear that Maggie was unused to budgeting and coping with day-to-day transactions.

Local SVP members reached out and supported her with regular visits, friendship and community, giving her a new lease of life. Unfortunately, with the onset of dementia Maggie began to lose her memory, but the SVP continued to provide regular visits and facilitated contact with friends and loved ones. Eventually Maggie was unable to live alone, so the SVP found her a place in a good nursing home and negotiated with local authorities to arrange financial support.

This SVP Conference is at the heart of the local community and by caring for Maggie, she was also brought into that same loving community.

Support for families

An SVP Conference had been helping a family since they came to live in Holyhead and started attending the local church, St Mary's.

The family are on a very low income with no disposable cash after essentials. Their house had no washing machine and no space inside to fit one. Conference members had been taking the family’s laundry to a local launderette but the cost became prohibitive, increasing to between £20 and £31 per 7-10 days.

The SVP looked for a more permanent solution. They emptied out the rubbish from the outhouse and discovered that it had plumbing. The SVP had a washing machine fitted and now the family can do their own laundry. The SVP Cost of Living Fund provided the £250 to buy and fit the washing machine.

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A compassionate heart SVP member work with prisoners

St Vincent de Paul himself worked with prisoners. In the 16th century, French criminals were put to work on galleys, long and narrow ships, propelled by oars. The men were used principally to power the ships until they could no longer do so due to illness or death. The convicts were held in terrible conditions in dungeons before their transfer to the galleys. St Vincent de Paul located a building for rent in Paris and asked that the prisoners be transferred there, where he visited them often.

Today the SVP in England and Wales continues this work. In 2023-24 the SVP Conference members have worked with prisoners either in the prison or on discharge in around half of the 122 prisons in England and Wales.

Over the last year the SVP has had regular contact with 23 prisons, an increase of 30% over the previous year. Some SVP members are committed volunteers supporting the Prison Chaplaincy Teams visiting regularly, building up relationships with prisoners, other members attend Mass or

other religious liturgies regularly and, in some places, can stay afterwards to chat over coffee and biscuits. Other members send in items such as clothes, DVDs, bibles, and rosaries or knit woollies for prisoners as required. At HMP USK, SVP members, with others run CAMEO which stands for Come and Meet Each Other, while in HMP Berwyn, the largest prison in the UK, SVP members engage in “bad news” support for individual men, sometimes after a bereavement.

The SVP “zoo and aviary” in HMP Hindley is a proven great comfort to those men with acute personal anxieties. The SVP has provided funding for hens and beehives, rabbits, guinea pigs and birds (finches and budgies). There is also a polytunnel that grows turnips, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbages. These are fed to animals so the project is virtually self sufficient. Last year there were even enough tomatoes to give to the prison kitchen. The prisoners look after the animals and tend the vegetable patches and garden.

Jim & Alan's story

Jim and Alan were both serving a prison sentence. Both men had children at home. In order to help them maintain the relationship with their children the SVP provided the men with books

The SVP spent £7 on two books of short stories that Alan could read to his daughter over the phone at bedtime. Jim received a 99p copy of Macbeth so that he could discuss the play with his daughter who was studying it for her GCSE.

HMP Hindley is home to the Vinnie Bunnies

In prison a little can go a long way and touch lives.

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Turning Concern into Action

St Werburgh’s SVP member John O’Sullivan did a presentation to 120 Parish Priests and Chaplains, at their 2024 National Conference at St Mary’s University in Twickenham.

The presentation updated the assembled audience on the activities of the Working with Prisons group and highlighted its wideranging activities. John said that, as an SVP member and a volunteer at a number of men’s and women’s prisons in the North West of England, he was pleased to be able to maintain the Society’s ‘Turning Concern into Action’ motto, through the support of people both inside prisons and after release.

Resident feathered friends at HMP Hindley

The project teaches new skills and provides an experience of work, a sense of purpose and enhances self worth and mental health.

As a founder member of the Working with Prisons initiative John added that it is gratifying to see the group’s growth and development throughout the whole of England and Wales, with volunteers now in many of the Ministry of Justice’s 122 prisons and other institutions.

The SVP also has “one off” contact with many other prisons, for example, supplying Christmas cards, Christmas chocolates, confectionery at Easter. In December 2023, 6,500 SVP Christmas posters and 3,500 traditional Christmas posters were delivered to chaplains so those in prison can decorate their prison cells. To those in prison, regardless of their deeds, a small gesture of kindness means a lot.

“I was in Prison and you came to me.” Matthew 25

Individual members of the SVP use their skills to engage in a wide variety of work - exemplified by one member who teaches high-quality embroidery within a prison for sex offenders as part of an initiative run by another charity.

Many prisoners are terrified of leaving prison - one in 15 have no family or accommodation this leads to reoffending and many end up back inside because they make a mistake or they are terrified outside. More than 30% of offenders on licence end up back inside, i.e. recalled, because of homelessness, a return to drug or alcohol misuse or a lack of continuity between pre- and post-release care. Available accommodation can house people using drugs or with a history of violent behaviour, so some prisoners choose to go on the streets rather than into that type of accommodation.

Chaplains try to identify some of these prisoners and ask the SVP for help at the time of release.

Because of the crisis of exceptionally serious overcrowding in prisons this year, many prisoners were released before they expected and some SVP members have helped those in need with footwear, clothing and toiletry packs.

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A warm & welcoming heart

SVP member work with asylum seekers

Many SVP members befriend and support asylum seekers and refugees. The support required may vary: befriending, emotional support, material support or indeed, all three. In 2023-24 the SVP supported 6,002 refugees/asylum seekers, an increase of more than 20% from the previous year.

An example is the SVP’s work with resettled Afghans, which has been substantial. It has played an important role in supporting and helping with the integration and well-being of Afghan families resettled in the UK.

Volunteer members from the Telford area, for example, supported over 200 Afghans, including grandparents, parents and children, trapped in hotel rooms and hoping to be moved into permanent homes. As members from the Conference said: “When a relative of one of our Conference members mentioned that families evacuated from Afghanistan had arrived at a local hotel within our parish, we arrived to find exhausted and traumatised people who were thankful for arriving in a safe country. They had left everything behind, families, homes and most of their belongings… they could only bring a 10kg bag irrespective of the size of the family. For those with babies this meant they arrived only with a small supply of baby formula and nappies… in essence they had nothing but the clothes they travelled in.”

Jamal's story

Jamal referred himself via SVP National Office. He is a refugee from Sudan, where he was in good employment before the latest coup, and he is now living in temporary accommodation.

Local SVP members visited him and helped with some provisions, however his main issue was that he was depressed in his accommodation and was suffering from loneliness and boredom. The members decided to take him out for coffee. He was far more relaxed in the cafe and enjoyed the company and chat. They discovered his love for art and music and so, as well as meeting for coffee, they now accompany him on trips to the free museums, concerts and galleries that London has to offer. His mental health has improved no end and he says he feels "human" again. Also, the Conference members are really enjoying his company and the culture!

The members visited and befriended them, and provided them with a range of practical items, such as mobile phones so that they could keep in touch with family still in Afghanistan, clothing, toiletries, pushchairs, suitcases, beard trimmers and shopping vouchers. Other initiatives included organising English language lessons, social events and trips, craft meetings, and the use of cricket, football and sport facilities, and providing them with sewing machines and bicycles.

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English language lessons
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They also helped with trying to find suitable housing for the Afghan families, and they worked to raise awareness about family members still in Afghanistan who remain in grave danger.

For more than 18 months SVP members from another Conference have been supporting the residents at a local hotel in Rotherham. Members from the Conference explained: “The biggest need we found was anything to relieve the boredom. So, we purchased many indoor games such as cards, dominoes, chess sets, Jenga and crafting items. Many of the residents had to be taught how to play. The hotel housed many Afghans who have a real passion for cricket. We purchased a supply of cricket equipment and topped up a supply of extra balls on our regular visits. It is worth mentioning that it was not only a pleasure but humbling to spend time with such grateful, gracious and cheerful people who were living in such a confined environment.

Last year we hired a full coach and arranged for some residents to have a day trip to the coast (Bridlington). We supplied drinks and ice creams. In the Winter we had a day out at York with the Dean of York Minster allowing free access and making everyone most welcome."

Sport can help in a time of need

"Don’t mistreat any foreigners who live in your land. Instead, treat them as well as you treat citizens and love them as much as you love yourself."

Leviticus 19:33

Support for Ukrainians

A Ukrainian lady contacted the SVP via Homes for Ukraine, asking about the possibility of alternate housing as she had experienced an unsuitable initial placement where her and her son’s privacy had not been respected.

Through advocacy the SVP were able to pressure the local authority to provide emergency and then permanent accommodation. The latter was unfurnished and so the SVP collected sufficient funds to furnish this home for her and her son. Not long after she was joined by her daughter who had originally stayed in Ukraine to care for the grandmother, who had since died.

The local SVP continue to be involved, offering regular befriending and assistance. In turn, this lady has been able to support other Ukrainians to access SVP support.

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A heart for volunteering

Young Vincentians

An organisation’s future lies with its young members. Frédéric Ozanam was just 19 years of age and studying at the Sorbonne University when he founded the SVP. 180 years later, the SVP still seeks to capture the zeal of youth through its Young Vincentian volunteering programme, which encompasses our Mini Vinnies, Youth SVP and SVP1833 for young adults.

Across our three Young Vincentian Programmes we have in excess of 12,000 young people aged seven to 30 involved in putting their faith into action. They do this in age-appropriate activities, but always focused on service to those in need. This might involve raising awareness, campaigning, fundraising or direct social action.

In 2023-24 there were 500 Mini Vinnie groups, 77 school Youth SVP groups, 49 affiliated school groups and 15 parish groups, and 13 SVP1833 groups. As well as engaging with their local communities in Vincentian acts of service, school groups raised over £10,000 nationally in 2023-24 for the SVP. In addition, they have fundraised for local SVP groups and contributed food to local foodbanks.

SVP1833 World Youth Day

In 2023-24 we have focused particularly on the development of SVP1833 and established different streams of entry. Young adults may now join either through a group in a university or parish or as an individual SVP1833 member, joining other individuals whose lives are transient because of study or new work situations and who can’t necessarily commit to regular in-person meetings, but can join monthly prayer sessions and service days or events across the country.

St Joseph's Mini Vinnies

The Mini Vinnies from St Joseph’s, Poole, have big hearts. They visited Bourne View, a local care home and took part in an Easter Egg Trail for the residents.

The children did all the running and then they SR played some floor games with the residents inside. 4 . _ \ —— The group has also been supporting the local Food Store at the Bourne Community Hub. The school D a 4 ONMIESN community regularly donates items, and the children a et gather and deliver them to the store each Wednesday. For local residents, annual membership is £10 and each week on Wednesday afternoons, they are able to choose 10 items for £2.50. Items include staples like rice, pasta and tinned food. The Mini Vinnies have even created recipe cards and have designed a sandwich board to promote the Food store around school.

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SVP1833

In August 2023 a group of 25 young adults attended an International Vincentian Conference followed by World Youth Day in Portugal.

This group of young adults signed up in August 2023 to be ambassadors in whichever way they could in their own life - the fruit that this has borne has been two young adults signing up to their local Conference as members, three young adults working on one of the SVP’s Summer camps for children and three who work as teachers supporting their students to engage with SVP locally. Another has been working in a youth retreat centre where this year she has spoken to over 1,000 young people about the SVP.

For many, they have continued to journey with SVP1833 as part of service days and retreats and their outreach to others has meant that we have a steadily growing group of young adults who are part of the SVP1833 group.

A Vincentian Family

We have worked on creating opportunities for various parts of the SVP family to meet one another, whether that is local Conferences meeting their local school SVP groups or on a larger scale at one of our events.

At a Mass and activity morning in Middlesbrough in November 2023, our adult SVP members shared with children and young people from across the diocese some of the work they do. It was great to see Mini Vinnies, Youth SVP and adult Conference members joining together in activities that were both fun and meaningful.

In Northampton, we had adult SVP members and young people from the secondary schools looking at ways they can serve the community together, and at our annual National Meeting of 2023 we brought two primary schools and two secondary schools to be part of the celebrations.

“Children and young people are the future; they are our strength, they are what keep us moving forward. They are the ones in whom we put our hope.”

Pope Francis

St Cuthbert's Youth SVP

St Cuthbert’s Youth SVP - a very busy 2023-24

During Advent, the school a . & oe made Christmas cards o=\ea>} x ia 4 —)\ysoie and held a toiletry and small gift collection, ie a z <— |e creating 22 hampers which Oe 2S were gratefully received at St Helens’ refugee and asylum seeker charity, ‘Our Warm Welcome’. Students spent the morning there, socialising with the service users, and helping and learning about the charity.*

At Christmas they organised St Cuthbert's Community Christmas party, with 35 people from parishes, the local nursing home and a dementia support group attending and enjoying bingo and dancing. The Youth SVP group were instrumental in delivering the event.

During Lent, the group raised money for various causes. They held a Year 7 sponsored walk. They also sold handmade jewellery and crafts in school, raising over £250. St Cuthbert’s school’s values are courage, commitment, compassion and community (St Cuthbert's 4 C’s). Members live those values through the Youth SVP Group. The motto of Youth SVP, 'See - Think - Do' is at the group’s heart. The Group reviews weekly what they witness and how they can help. Unfortunately, St. Helens has a lot of deprivation; the students see the suffering in the community and feel moved to help.

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The heart of the community

SVP Community Projects

The SVP operates a number of Community Projects which are the beating heart of the communities they serve.

There are 11 St Vincent’s Support Centres: community hubs, with an open-door policy, open to all who need company, support or practical assistance. St Vincent’s Bradford Social Enterprise operates along similar lines, with an emphasis on recycling and enterprise and a plethora of non-staffed projects including food banks and pantries, soup runs, furniture projects, school uniform exchanges and bereavement and dementia support groups. These centres and activities provide an extended family, a safe place where basic needs can be addressed and individuals can flourish.

Centres and services are always based in the areas of need identified by our SVP members, offering a wide range of support and services, working with some of the most vulnerable members of the community and people who have been marginalised from society. Local knowledge shapes what services are on offer and how they are delivered. The one thing that underpins the work at every centre or local activity is kindness.

Steve's story

Steve was referred to St Vincent’s Sheffield as he had recently moved home due to being a victim of domestic abuse from an ex-partner. He had moved with his son and had been living in temporary accommodation prior to the move and had nothing with which to set up a new home.

The SVP were able to deliver a variety of items for him to furnish his home including a double bed, mattress and bedding, a single bed, mattress and bedding, cooking and eating utensils, curtains and towels.

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St Vincent's Ely Bridge
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In SVP projects, people can expect to feel welcome when they walk through the doors, regardless of life experience or circumstance.

St Vincent’s Social Enterprise in Bradford and the 11 Support Centres are the largest of these projects and have paid staff working alongside volunteers. These projects have always been busy, noisy hubs but the cost of living crisis and the aftermath of Covid-19 pandemic has seen an overwhelming increase in need. In St Vincent’s Newcastle alone, the number of people being supported across April to June has jumped from 4,968 in 2023 to 8,808 in 2024 - an increase of 3,840 people.

St Vincent’s Brighton supports the isolated elderly, those with dementia and additional needs and their carers and partners. Services offered include exercise groups, massage therapy, hot meals, a men's wellbeing group, cognitive quizzes, creative activities, cooker and transportation is provided if needed.

St Vincent’s Brixton supports young people, families and isolated adults in the local community. Brixton also supports refugees and those seeking asylum. Services offered include young people's drama, cooking, singing and creative writing classes for adults and children’s holiday clubs. Once a month Brixton hosts a clothing bank and drop in service for the local refugee community.

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St Vincent’s Deaf Centre, Newcastle supports the

local community and encourages shared activities for the deaf and hearing communities together. Services offered include a lunch club for the elderly deaf community, a weekly Saturday evening community bar and bingo night, sign-language teaching, university research into the latest video technology to inspire and support young deaf people, creative writing groups and children’s holiday clubs.

In 2023-24, across all of the Community Project centres:

136,000 People used food services

43,120 People attended activity sessions

is a furniture project that St Vincent’s Sheffield delivers much needed household items to the local community who are in need of material help. It offers support services by building relationships with local people, as well as additional sign-posting. Services offered include delivery of furniture and household items, a support service out in the community and some group community-led activities in the centre. It also delivers an upcycling workshop for 16 to 25-year-olds.

3,658+ Students attended ESOL classes

7,154 People given general advice (including debt, fuel debt, housing and welfare benefits)

St Vincent’s Leeds offers a range of support services, counselling, debt advice, and communityled activities in the poorest part of Leeds in LS9. It also has a furniture referral project, a cafe and a shop that provides low-cost items for those who need them. Services offered include English speaking classes, counselling, debt, welfare benefit and immigration support and advice. It houses a food pantry and provides emergency food and household items. Leeds also runs children and family clubs in the holidays.

535+

Volunteers gave up their time to help at the centres

2,911 Furniture items provided

St Vincent’s Ely Bridge, Cardiff offers support to the local community in particular to men who have struggled with addiction or their mental health and women who are lonely and isolated. Services offered include a men-changing-lives programme, a community food bank, many activities and social groups, hot meals from the kitchen, well-being mornings and men's walking group and gym programme. They also have a community garden.

15,839 People were served by SVP shops

£590,000 Generated through our Support Centre shops in the year

St Vincent’s Wirral supports men with drug and alcohol addiction problems, the local refugee community and local families with Christmas hampers and gifts. Services offered include befriending and warm space in their community café, a food and clothing bank, an offsite community garden and allotment for green space activities, community-led activities and advice from the Citizen’s Advice Bureau who visit the centre several times a week.

"Love is inventive to infinity.” St Vincent de Paul

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St Vincent’s Newcastle supports the local

community, families, asylum seekers and those who are isolated or lonely with fun activities, support and advice. They also offer clubs and programmes for children and families in the school holidays. Services offered include a weekly free drop-in three course lunch, a food and clothes bank, haircuts and a market place for anyone to access low cost food and a food pantry open daily. There are daily craft and other activities and community led events.

St Vincent’s Chorley Buddies support the local community with food provision five days a week and offer a range of activities and a warm space to meet. Services offered include a network of Food Clubs across Chorley, help to support refugees and asylum seekers, families fleeing domestic violence and others who need a hand. They have a weekly community cafe and social activities for families.

St Vincent’s Southend supports the streethomeless, those who suffer with drug and alcohol addiction and refugees and those seeking asylum. This community group is often in crisis. Services offered include a kindness kitchen offering hot meals twice a day, a food bank, furniture provision, advice support, haircuts, medical, veterinary and

St Vincent's Southend

dental checks. Staff and volunteers also help with finding supported accommodation. There are daily activities and drop-in services to support this wide-ranging community and there are mentoring and pathway programmes to help stabilise this vulnerable group. There is also an allotment and gardening project nearby.

St Vincent’s Druids Heath, Birmingham supports the local community with food, activities and some community-led support groups. Services Include food provision, a men’s talking group and other community-led activities. Food vouchers are provided to families in crisis.

Jemma's story

• When Jemma moved to Bradford over two years ago, she discovered St Vincent's Bradford Social Enterprise Centre and not just essentials for her home, like a fridge and freezer. She found a community, sense of purpose, and a path to personal growth. Jemma first saw a Facebook post and volunteered her sewing skills at the centre. They needed volunteers to create pieces for Sustainable Fashion Week. Jemma eagerly responded. So began a fulfilling journey, as she transformed old, unused materials into new, upcycled items for the centre's shop. “I’ve been volunteering at the centre for over a year, giving old clothes a new lease of life,” Jemma shares. “My creations contribute to the Hand Made in Bradford project, focusing on reusing and renewing clothing and furniture donated to the SVP. I’ve learned to upcycle and restore furniture. Completed pieces are labelled, ‘Hand Made in Bradford,’ raising money for the charity through the shop.”

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The experience has
been personally og
transformative.
“Volunteering
here is a big part '
of my life. It’s rebuilt
my confidence
and well-being. I now
teach sewing at Bradford
Probation Service. SVP is my happy place.”
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Jemma's enthusiasm led her to volunteer additional time to upcycle furniture, increasing her value to the centre. She is a huge asset, running the sewing group and contributing hugely to the project. She’s helped build a team of volunteers, teaching others sewing skills.

Jemma’s story is testament to the power of community, creativity, and giving back. Her work at St Vincent’s Social Enterprise Centre, not only keeps her busy but enables her to heal, grow, and transform the lives of others.

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Jalal's story
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Jalal came to St Vincent’s Centre in Newcastle a year ago to learn English. He asked if he could volunteer at the centre as he was not allowed to seek paid employment and he has been working in our kitchen ever since. Jalal is an Iraqi - Kurd. He and his wife and children were forced to leave as Jalal was an active MP in the government opposition party, and this involvement, as well as being Jewish, meant they were deemed apostates by Islamic State (IS) and their home was set alight.

They are now settled in Newcastle. His family have come to our centre summer activities and especially loved the days out. Jalal has had his substantive interview with the Home Office and is waiting to hear the outcome. In the meantime Jalal was delighted to share with us that his wife is expecting a baby.

“I am happy to be volunteering at St Vincent’s as everyone there is as equally kind and helping towards people. I hope I can continue working with such amazing and hard working people.”

St Vincent’s Social Enterprise Bradford’s aims are to provide pathways out of poverty with dignity, kindness and creativity. Whilst at the same time placing an emphasis on self-sustaining income generating projects. The centre works closely with the long term economically insecure and those facing in work poverty.

Central to the project is the specialist team providing advice on welfare, housing, debt, or immigration. The centre also works closely with Bradford Metropolitan District Council and their assisted purchase scheme. This scheme allows families and individuals to purchase essential household items from Social Enterprise Bradford via an interest free loan. Last financial year 280 families and individuals where able to access this scheme allowing them to purchase £57,720 worth of essential household items.

Schemes like the one previously mentioned (Assisted Purchase Scheme) can only be accessed via an online application. With that in mind the centre offers free digital stations within the community café. Conference members are often on hand to assist people to complete online forms or simply keep in touch with loved ones.

As well as a community garden, a flourishing community café and food bank and mini market, St Vincent’s Social Enterprise Bradford runs “Handmade in Bradford", an upcycling and wellbeing group. The group meets at least four times per week and have diverted 4.6 tonnes of furniture from landfill with their amazing upcycling skills, which has generated £8,208 of income.

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The heart of the home SVP Housing Support

In the 17th Century, St Vincent de Paul, realising that his work feeding children living on the street was not a long-term solution to homelessness, decided to build 13 houses to care for them. The 13 houses ensured that the children would never experience homelessness again.

The houses were not just four walls: they were a place where the children received medical care, education and training, a place where they could play and simply just be children. This work continues today as the SVP responds to ongoing need.

In 2023-24 our housing provision took a step forwards, with the appointment of a Head of Housing, to develop a Society wide housing strategy. This will encompass existing provision and promote further growth in this area.

In 2023-24 SVP housing projects provided accommodation for 91 people facing homeless. Our Newcastle project is SVP’s largest and longest standing housing service. The project provides twenty-three units of supported accommodation for single people. The project units are comprised of:

• A twelve-bed hostel, with 24/7 staffing, for single men aged over 30 who are moved on from crisis accommodation. Residents can stay for up to two years.

• Nine units of self-contained support accommodation for those who are ready to move on but require continued low-level support.

Family temporary accommodation, Norfolk

Len Woodley Apartments, New Bridges

In addition, in 2023-24 the Society further extended its provision in this location by opening a new flat offering two move-on placements for individuals transitioning from approved premises, further expanding our support for those in need.

In North Norfolk the Society operates a Temporary Emergency Accommodation project, which in 202324 housed 11 families with a total of 34 children.

78% of the households accommodated had support-needs in addition to housing needs. 46% had more than one additional support need.

The most common additional support-need was mental health. Other prevalent needs include physical health need and disability or being subject to abuse and exploitation. Substance misuse issues were also common as was contact with the criminal justice system.

In 2023-24 the Society invested a further £110,000 to provide three additional temporary homes for families. Additionally, properties in the project have undergone extensive redecoration.

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Bill's story

Bill moved into the project in April 2018 at the request of his social worker. He was 71 years old when he moved in. He had been living on the streets, on and off, since 1988.

Over time we began to get to know him. He did not want his family to know where he was. He had no friends in the hostel, and we believed that he did not interact with people elsewhere. We found out that he was diagnosed with schizophrenia, but that he was not on medication for it. However, as we got to know him better, we started to think he was autistic rather than schizophrenic. His social worker shared this view. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia in roughly 1964, when mental health services did not even know about autism.

His social worker stated that the SVP hostel was the best thing that had happened to him for a long time and informed us that this had been his most stable accommodation for over 30 years. He was by then 73 and together with his social worker we agreed that the best option was for him to stay with us, until we could not see to any medical needs or until he passed away.

quite a few times with breathing difficulties. It was no longer possible for us to support his needs in the hostel. We worked closely with his social worker to find the right place for him. It took over 12 months but eventually we found a lovely, supported accommodation project that also had care assistants who could support Bill with his health needs.

In July 2024, after staying with us for 6 years, we moved Bill into his new flat. He still returns to the local SVP centre twice a week for his favourite poetry and pie session! He may have stayed for longer than he should, but people don’t fit in boxes, everyone has different needs and we ensured that Bill’s needs were met when he stayed with us and continue to be met even though he has left.

“My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.”

Isaiah 32:18

He continued to live with us, attending activities run by the local SVP centre, such as poetry and pie, and going on the trips arranged by the hostel.

Unfortunately, we heard that Bill’s brother had died so we arranged to take him to the funeral. His sister, his only surviving sibling, came up from the Midlands and we facilitated their reconciliation, which resulted in visits during Christmas and Easter Holidays in subsequent years.

Bill became seriously asthmatic, needing injections every two months to help combat his condition. He was not good at managing his medication and despite our efforts to support him, he was admitted to hospital

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One heart across the world

SVP Overseas Aid

The SVP embodies the vision shared by founder, Frédéric Ozanam, of “embracing the world in a network of charity” through its work overseas. Conferences in England & Wales (E&W) work to support our fellow members in their SVP work across the world in a number of ways.

Building friendships Twin-to-Twin

At the heart of Twinning is the connection and friendship formed between SVP members in England & Wales (E&W) and members in our twinned countries. Our Conferences are twinned with nearly 1,500 other Conferences; 12 in Guyana, 29 in Grenada, 30 in Romania, 34 in South Sudan and 1,250 in India. We are also twinned with 120 Conferences in Sudan; members still continue their prayerful twinning but the war has sadly put a pause to financial twinning. Through Twinning, our Conferences and donors within E&W offer regular prayers for twins and an annual financial commitment which allows the twin to carry out their local work. Each Conference’s work is tailored to the need in their local community.

Due to the lack of social security or food banks within Guyana, the work of the SVP focuses on food, and providing a lifeline to those in need. SVP E&W funding, alongside internal fundraising in the Parish, fund the provision of food hampers to care homes, homeless individuals, and families with young children.

In Grenada, the issue of sanitation is critical in the fight against poverty.

Francis's story

Francis had been living without indoor water for many years, nor did he own a toilet or bathroom.

This hindered his personal health and affected his neighbours. Thanks to the local SVP and funding from SVP E&W, Francis now has indoor pipe-borne water. This has enabled him to prepare meals, maintain a cleaner lifestyle and consequently obtain a job.

Extending community reach through projects

In India, Conferences are proactive in setting up small projects which support their beneficiaries. A total of 45 small projects, ranging from £600 - £1,000, were submitted to E&W last year for funding and these are being supported by our Conferences and individual donors. These projects include setting up of small shops, purchasing milking buffaloes which families can use to generate income, provision of nets for fishing, house maintenance, and the purchasing of sewing machines for garment production. All projects support very poor families and are monitored by the local SVP members.

In South Sudan a vocational training programme is funded by SVP E&W. In 2023-24 this allowed over 350 students to complete vocational training in tailoring, computer skills, mechanical engineering, and more.

“So, our vocation is to go, not just to one parish, not just to one diocese, but all over the world…”

Garment making microenterprise

St Vincent de Paul

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Twinning projects

Quillon livelihood project and empowering women

Coir making from coconut fibre

Responding to global crisis

As well as providing long term support through twinning and development projects, SVP E&W also provides crisis relief. Last year SVP Romania continued to provide critical support to Ukrainian refugees as well as those still in Ukraine thanks to our funding. A parish building was set up to house 11 refugees, including children, throughout the winter. They were provided with food, hygiene products, and language lessons.

In England and Wales, SVP Conferences are also continuing to provide support to Ukrainian refugees who have come to the UK, through specific SVP grants. £9,925 was issued to 24 individuals and families who have been displaced by the Ukraine war.

In South Sudan, 80% of the population live below the absolute poverty line and 8.9 million people require humanitarian aid (source: IFRC). The SVP baby feeding programme provides over 800 children with nutritious meals 3 times a week. Again, funding for this is provided by SVP E&W.

Looking to the future

Our overseas programme has seen great successes over the year 2023-24 and it could not be achieved without thanks to our members and donors. However, the need within each country continues to grow and evolve, as do the financial costs. The focus of Twinning for the future is to develop our relationship with our twinned countries as partners and ensure our twins feel empowered to form strategic plans in line with their own everchanging and developing needs.

The coastal areas of Kerala in India have traditionally relied on fishing, are now facing a livelihoods crisis. Several factors are impacting the situation including fluctuating costs of fuel, advancement of machinery, overfishing and growing regulation in the sector.

Access to livelihoods for women in the area is generally limited to fish trading. This is linked to a range of factors including relatively low educational attainment and skills amongst the women. The SVP in India has identified a need to target and diversify women's opportunities to strengthen sustainable income-generation opportunities.

This project was implemented in 20 villages in Allapuzha and Kollam districts. Over the year, 15 local SVP Conferences formed groups of women to set up a microenterprise. Each Conference identified women in the community who would benefit from being involved. Within each group, two women are given the responsibility of opening a bank account to support the group. Awareness classes were initially conducted in the groups, teaching the women how self-help, how to identify a skill in which they can engage, and determining the feasibility of its success.

Each member of the group of women contributed to 1000 INR (£9) to the project as seed capita, and SSVP India transferred 60,000 INR (£540) to the joint account. The 60,000 INR was paid back as the businesses grew and the funds are then used to finance a new group of women. Examples of microenterprises set up include: garment making, farming and fish vending.

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A just heart

SVP Social Policy

Frédéric Ozanam, founder of the St Vincent de Paul Society in 1833 was a passionate advocate for social justice and our advocacy work continues today, seeking to address the root causes of poverty, not just the symptoms. The Society is concerned not only in relieving need but also in redressing the situations that cause it.

Over the past three years our social justice work in England and Wales has grown from strength to strength and over the past year we have had more success in challenging unjust policy and legislation.

Our four policy areas of focus remain the same as in previous years:

• Cost of living crisis and social security reform

• Refugees and asylum seekers

• In-work poverty

• Regional inequalities

Reflections and recommendations on resettlement: The SVP’s work welcoming Afghans

The Society also published a report which documents the experience and expertise of the SVP’s frontline volunteers and members who stepped up to welcome, help

In 2023-24 we published a major advocacy report on tackling regional inequalities. The report showcased the work of some of

our SVP projects and made policy recommendations for tackling regional inequalities across England and Wales. Scan to read the report >

Meeting MPs

Members and staff continue to meet with MPs from both sides of the house. Providing first hand evidence on issues of justice and also inviting MPs to visit our projects and see first hand the needs in local communities as well as how they might be addressed.

and support Afghan citizens resettled in the UK. Working with Afghan families and various partners, they gained an informed understanding of the key difficulties, challenges and barriers to integration the Afghans encountered. The report provides insights and recommendations that are a direct result of their commitment and determination.

Scan to read the report >

Chi 0nwurah at St Vincent’s Deaf Centre, Newcastle

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Imran Hussain, MP for Bradford East
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Imran Hussain, MP for Bradford East visited the Bradford Social Enterprise and was impressed by the work of the centre supporting the local community.

Influencing Policy

The SVP joined the Poverty Strategy Commission and contributed evidence from our services to their work. The Poverty Strategy Commission is an independent Commission formed to develop consensus around a strategy for tackling poverty in the UK. The Commission’s work builds on the poverty measure developed by the Social Metrics Commission. Doing so means that it will consider how to reduce the incidence of poverty, tackle poverty depth and the length of time families spend in poverty and improve a wide range of outcomes for those experiencing or at risk of experiencing poverty.

“I ask you: let us occupy ourselves with people who have too many needs and not enough rights, who call out rightly for a greater involvement in public affairs, for guarantees of work - and who cry out against misery.” Frédéric Ozanam DS

We worked in collaboration with other faith groups and charity leaders calling political leaders to urgently act on poverty. Scan to read more >

We submitted written evidence to the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Poverty and the APPG on Migration joint inquiry on ‘The Effects of UK Immigration, Asylum and Refugee Policy on Poverty’. Submitting evidence to these Parliamentary inquiries is a key part of our influencing work, allowing us to use our experience on the ground to shape Government policy and legislation.

The SVP at Party Conferences

In October 2023 the SVP attended for the first time the Autumn Party Conferences. We joined both the Conservative and the Labour Conference.

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The heart of the high street

SVP Retail

The SVP continues to seek to develop its unrestricted income streams in order to sustain operations in the long term. Our network of shops has expanded into new communities, allowing us to further our mission of raising vital funds for the Society to help those in need.

St Vincent's shops are more than retail outlets; they are vibrant community hubs where staff, volunteers, customers, and donors come together. These interactions cultivate strong social bonds and a sense of belonging, creating supportive networks that enrich lives and strengthen community resilience. Our inclusive and welcoming environments ensure that everyone feels valued and connected and helps to create lasting relationships that transcend our shop walls.

Retail Growth

The commitment of our staff, volunteers, and the continued support of our loyal customers have been instrumental to our continued development over the last 12 months. In addition, we’ve been committed to enhancing the shopping experience to ensure it is enjoyable and convenient, offering a positive atmosphere that leaves our customers feeling valued and satisfied with every visit.

Gill’s story...

“I had been made redundant by a company I worked over 30 years for. This and the passing of a close relative gave me more time on my hands. I visited the shop and immediately clicked with the manager, Jane, who suggested volunteering. I've been at the shop 18 months now, and thoroughly enjoy every shift knowing our efforts make a difference. The staff and atmosphere are second to none. It is nice that we are all pulling in the same direction to improve the lives of people who need a little extra help in our community.”

In 2023-24 five new shops opened:

• St Helens: Opened in May 2023

• Crwys Road: Launched in June 2023

• Willesden: Opened in September 2023

• Sidcup: Opened in November 2023

• Our most recent addition in February 2024

• • Enfield:

These new openings are a testament to our ongoing commitment to expanding our reach and enhancing our ability to support those in need. Each new shop not only contributes to our financial sustainability but also serves as a vital link between our mission and the communities we serve.

As we look ahead, we remain focused on building on this momentum, exploring new opportunities for growth, and continuing to make a positive impact on the lives of those we serve. We are grateful for the ongoing support of our customers, volunteers, and donors, whose contributions make our work possible. Together, we are making a difference - one shop, one sale, one person at a time.

St Vincent's Shop, Willesden

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During 2023-24:

Retail

£4,079,979 Retail income

813,144 Transactions ⁄ purchases

St Vincent's Shop, Crwys Road

Maxine’s story...

“It was the help the charity gives to the homeless that prompted me to join. Since working there, I have come to realise the shop is a well needed and well used community asset. I also feel that I have done something useful at the end of each shift. The camaraderie amongst the staff and volunteers is great.”

£5.02 Average transaction value

88,892 Volunteer hours in shops

18.7% Gift Aid

450

Tonnes saved from landfill through recycling in our shops

- E-commerce eBay

2,591 Preloved items sold

£27.39 Average basket size Fashion Top selling department

31.7% Increase in repeat customers

St Vincent’s Shop Brighouse

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Thanks to the generosity, benevolence and deep rooted Christian love to our dear sisters and brothers in England & Wales, we have been able to unite women, empowering them to earn a livelihood for their families. "

SVP India

Please can I thank you sincerely on behalf of my brother who attended the centre for the first time today. A relative found out about your charity and let him know. He had a wonderful time

and was truly overawed by the kindness, generosity and genuine compassion he encountered today. He said the meal was the best meal he has ever eaten and the people were so kind, he was crying on the phone when telling me about it. He said the children singing was just beautiful. We live hundreds of miles from him and he has fallen on very hard times in recent years but he won't apply for any benefits and exists on a very small railway pension. He lives alone and is very isolated.

St Vincent’s Newcastle

My son has been getting on a little better at school recently. The camp was amazing for him. It gave him some independence as well. He now walks home from school a couple of days a week alone. He’s popped to the shop alone with his own money and done his own shopping. He’s like a different boy. He wants to come again next year if that’s possible?

Mother of child who attended Camp Vincent

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the heart...

I wanted to say thank you so much for your care and help with our flooring issue. The new carpet has made a huge difference - it's very comfortable and really brightens up the children's rooms.

Matilda, supported Ukrainian refugee

ll It was the first time I had seen another man cry and it let me know that I was allowed to as well. y) The SVP Grief Café in Droitwich

I am not perfect, you know that... But I am not worthless! We are not worthless, thank you for reminding us of that.

St Vincent’s Centre Birmingham

Your kindness, patience and unwavering support have been a source of strength for me in times of difficulty and joy. Your wisdom and advice has guided

me through challenging situations, and your presence in my life has brought me comfort and joy.

St Vincent’s Deaf Centre, Newcastle

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St Vincent de Paul Soc Prisons & Probation svp Tom Horton 'IM Prison & Probation Raihan Miah ommunity Peer Mentor, cent's Ely nity Peer Mentor, t's Ely Nicholas B

STRUCTURE,GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

As part of an international lay Christian organisation, Catholic in origin, character, and traditions, which respects religious liberty and the value of all God’s people, the objects of the Charity are:

• The relief of poverty and sickness without differentiation on the ground of race, colour, creed, ideology or sex and in particular, but not so as to limit the generality of the foregoing, to bring spiritual and/or material solace to the sick or individuals who are in conditions of need, hardship or distress due to their social, economic or other circumstances.

• The undertaking, in any part of the world, of such other object or objects which are exclusively charitable according to the law of England and Wales as the Charity in its discretion shall see fit.

The overall objective of the Charity is the relief of poverty, both material and emotional in England & Wales and abroad through: the person to person involvement of its voluntary members engaged in befriending and through 'Special Works', which are projects established to address specific needs in the local community, such as food banks or advice and support centres.

The Society is constituted under the laws of England & Wales as a company limited by guarantee (Company Number: 3174679). The Society is also a Charity registered with the Charity Commission (Charity Number: 1053992).

The overarching governing document of the Society is the Articles of Association and is to be read in conjunction with the International Rule and the National Statutes. Where there is a conflict between the Articles of Association and the National Statutes of the Society, the Articles will take precedence. However, there are periodic reviews that take place to ensure alignment where practicable to do so.

Pictured: CSP Showcase event at Westminster

The Articles of Association describe the Society’s objects, guarantees, powers and their limitation. They define ‘Membership’ of the Company (i.e., the National Council) and describe the governance processes, including how changes and decisions are made. The National Statutes provide the framework for the governance and operation of the Society. Detailed management of the Society’s affairs are covered in relevant Policies and Procedures, which should be treated as a part of the Rule.

The first International Rule was introduced in 1835 and is periodically reviewed and updated by International Council General of the International Confederation of the Society of St Vincent de Paul.

The Society adopts this corporate governance framework to deliver its strategic priorities and objectives and to ensure it complies with the Charity Commission’s legal and regulatory requirements (The Charities Act 2022) and adheres to the legislative requirements outlined in the Companies Act 2006. The Society believes that effective governance is based on ensuring there is a culture of compliance across its works and practices. This is implemented by policies and procedures, clear accountabilities, external and internal audit plans, robust and resilient risk assessments, and a culture of continuous learning.

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The Board of Trustees consists of a minimum of nine and a maximum of thirteen people, including the Chair (also known as the National President). The Board is responsible for the overall governance of the St Vincent de Paul Society (E&W). On the election of a new National President by the National Council, the President shall nominate up to five Trustees, at least three of whom will be Central Council Presidents, and shall also nominate a Vice President and a National Treasurer. Each Trustee must be formally confirmed by the National Council to serve for a period of five years. Up to five new Trustees are selected halfway through the

President’s five-year term to act as continuation Trustees and serve for a term of five years. Up to four non-members of the Society may be appointed as Trustees provided that they commit to the values of the Society and have skills which are required by the Society. All Trustees are subject to a formal recruitment process based on their skills and experience to ultimately support the deliverables against the charity’s objects.

The table below shows the current Board members who were all appointed in previous years.

----- Start of picture text -----
|||| |---|---|---| |Name|Status|Responsibility| |Elaine Heyworth|Incoming Trustee|National President| |Steve Gill|Incoming Trustee|Senior Vice President| |Mark Branch|Incoming Trustee|National Treasurer| |Winston Waller|Incoming Trustee|Membership Strategic| |Liz Creevy|Incoming Trustee|Membership Spirituality| |Clare O’Brien|Incoming Trustee|Property Portfolio| |Gustavo Vas Falcao|Incoming Trustee|Social Justice| |Monica Chidgey|Incoming Trustee|Safeguarding| |Nasha Pierre|Incoming Trustee|General Portfolio| |Anita Motha|Incoming Trustee|General Portfolio (Non-Member)| |Mark Thompson|Continuation Trustee|Community Support Projects| |Susan Roberts|Continuation Trustee|Safeguarding| |Dermot McGilloway|Continuation Trustee|Overseas Aid|

----- End of picture text -----

In addition, Fr Paul Roche attends Board meetings as a National Spiritual Advisor. The selection of Trustees seeks to maintain a balance of skills and experience appropriate to the charity’s activities, as well as bringing increased diversity and inclusion.

An induction programme is offered to all new Trustees to ensure they are briefed on the charity’s objectives, strategy and activities, as well as understanding Charity Commission guidance on the role of a Trustee and good vent, governance. The Board meets at least four times a year to review the performance of the charity, both financially and in meeting its charitable objectives. On occasion the Board may meet remotely to keep expense costs down or for logistical reasons, but the majority of meetings are in person.

All meeting discussions are recorded in the minutes taken and stored electronically as part of the normal governance process.

St Vincent's Leeds

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The Society has established clear levels of delegated authority within which:

• some decisions are reserved to the Board alone.

• some decisions are made by the Executive Trustees, who are the National President, the Senior Vice President and the Treasurer.

• responsibility for the day-to-day running of the charity is delegated to the Chief Executive who may in turn delegate authority to the Deputy CEO and Senior Management. The Chief Executive attends all Board meetings; other senior managers attend as required.

• the Chief Executive is required to escalate high risk and/or high impact issues for the timely attention and consideration of the Board and produces a CEO report for each meeting.

• the Board sets the strategic direction for the efficient and effective management of the Society’s funds and strategic roadmap. In early 2023 the new Board set the new strategy for the Society over the next 5 years.

• the Board will establish committees, sub committees or working groups to fulfil ongoing or time-limited governance functions (usually at the start of office of the new National President elect), formed of Trustees, other members, external experts, and operational staff.

• the Board regularly evaluates its own performance through the ‘annual Board review’, examining its impact and effectiveness and any improvements required in its organisation or operation. This is done in line with the Charity Commission Governance Code guidance.

The Society’s members are organised in local Conferences to carry out the work of the charity. Conferences are grouped together in geographical areas and are overseen by District Councils which in turn report to Central Councils which are structured, as far as possible, to reflect the 23 Roman Catholic Dioceses across England & Wales. The President of each Central Council sits on the National Council. No Central Council, District Council or Conference may be established as a separate charity and all constitute parts of the Charity operating under the delegated authority of the Trustees.

SUB-COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD

These committees are given delegated powers by the main Board of Trustees where each is chaired by a Board member. They are responsible for supporting a specific area of operational oversight and their activities are reported to the Board. As the number and structure of the committees reflect prevailing priorities, they are reviewed and updated periodically. Each committee has its own Terms of Reference, which are reviewed annually.

The role of each of the committees during 2023-24 was as follows:

• Finance: reviews and recommends for approval to the board, budgets and other financial governance matters in addition to fundraising.

• Community Support Projects: supports and develops sustainable community projects in appropriate areas.

• Membership: reviews membership issues, internal relationships, the structure of the Society, recruitment, training at all levels. In early 2023 this was split into 2 main areas covering the Strategic and Spiritual aspects of Membership.

• Audit & Compliance: oversees Society wide risks and reviews control systems (Safeguarding, Human Resources, Health & Safety, Risk Assessment, Data Protection, and Insurance arrangements) as well as overseeing all internal audit activity.

• Safeguarding: oversees systems to ensure that controls in place are effective and review ongoing case management and deliver training for Conference members, staff and volunteers to ensure general awareness and that procedures are followed.

• Twinning: views overseas aid activities from local funding to international grant applications and where appropriate emergency aid funding on an ad hoc basis.

• Social Justice: explores opportunities for SVP contributions to the poverty agenda, both within and outside the Society and supports campaigning activity.

• Prisons: ensures that the Society is fully compliant in all matters relating to working in and outside of prisons with offenders, ex-offenders and families, providing both spiritual and practical support.

• Property: reviews and oversees issues and risks relating to SVP property portfolio and maintains statutory requirements where the Society has residential or social housing obligations.

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• Retail & Social Enterprise: reviews and oversees all activity associated with the national SVP portfolio of Community shops and other income generating projects that sit in either the Charity or the Trading company.

• Vinnie Camps: ensures that SVP (Vinnie Camps) camps provide a safe and enjoyable experience for young people in accordance with defined Safeguarding and Health & Safety procedures. In early 2023 Camps was brought under the Young Vincentians directorship but remains as a separate committee.

• Youth: reviews and oversee all youth related programmes across schools, colleges, youth hubs, universities, and parishes, as well as oversight of the Vinnie camps through its management team.

The Trustees regularly review the risks faced by the charity to develop appropriate controls and deliver the charity’s strategic aims. The main risks monitored include:

• Delivery of safe , effective, and personalised poverty relief, especially in the context of charitable activities involving children and vulnerable adults.

• Financial sustainability , especially in the context of the current economic situation.

KEY RISKS IDENTIFIED DURING 2023-24

Key themes that develop through the Society’s focus on risk management are fed into the annual strategic review (taking place each September). Primarily taking into account that the demand on services will continue to grow in the sector with an increase of over 140% on 2022-23 requests for help into National Office during the year. The cost of living issues continue to be a major concern for our beneficiaries and continues to add extra burden to the stretched resources across the Charity sector in general. Key risk areas:

Financial risks

Like many charities, the Society has been impacted by rising costs in maintenance, infrastructure, and fuel charges by suppliers as a result of the cost of living crisis. We continue to see unprecedented demand for funds and services from beneficiaries, at a time when some public services have declined. Additionally, we carried out an insurance review with an external insurance consultant to ensure the scale and complexity of services provided was fully indemnified; because

of this we anticipate seeing increased costs in the premium at renewal. We remain committed to being a real living wage employer and have seen significant staff cost increases in the last year due to this. To mitigate the increasing cost base we have a number of new trading and social enterprise ventures in plan as well as continued expansion of our retail division.

Fundraising

The fundraising landscape has also changed post pandemic due to the lack of availability of appropriate trusts and grants in the sector, opportunities are reducing as more charities apply for the same funds. To mitigate this, we have invested in further trust fund resources, taken a more targeted approach to certain applications and invested in a case management database to provide more meaningful and qualitative data on beneficiary outcomes that can be shared with potential funders.

Membership and Volunteers

The risk around a decline in active Membership post pandemic has slowed down somewhat, but we are conscious that this is still an area of risk that should continue to be monitored. As many local parishes continue to amalgamate across the country, we aim to mitigate this by welcoming new types of auxiliary members and volunteers to work with us. We aim to do this proactively by:

• Supporting “at risk” Conferences while also working with existing members to identify what form of support they may need

• Developing more hybrid Conference models than the traditional approach, welcoming others with like-minded ethos and values

• Increase flexibility for bringing in seasonal temporary auxiliary members who can only commit to volunteering on a less regular basis

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KEY STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR 2023-24

As we moved into a new five-year strategy early in 2023 the focus was very much about the planning and mobilisation of the strategic priorities. We also carried out a risk analysis of the objectives and saw no significant high risks associated with the plan, although the annual review process will focus on this in more detail each year. The six strategic priorities are summarised below:

1. To put our faith and values at the heart of what we do - the Society is Catholic and Vincentian, and the Board is keen to ensure that the organisation keeps true to these aspects of our identity which underpin our culture and ethos. Our work is informed both by Catholic Social Teaching and by our Vincentian heritage, and while we may grow and diversify our works in response to need, these are the foundations upon which we build. This foundation informs our ethos but our work is inclusive and supports all those in need, regardless of faith or belief. Our staff and many of our volunteers are of all faiths and none but they share the commitment to Vincentian service and compassion for those in need of help.

4. To campaign for social justice in order to effect change for those we serve - in our Vincentian prayer on the theme of social justice we are called “to be a voice for the voiceless.” While we have long been a Society of practical action, we have not always been as strong on social justice and addressing the systemic causes of poverty, be that government policy or regional and national structures which contribute to disadvantage.

• sustained

• 5. To achieve financial sustainability growth and expansion is only possible if it is underpinned by sustainable income. The Society continues to develop a portfolio of funding streams to provide resilient funding. Fundraising, retail, and our trading operations are all key to those plans.

6. To build a brand within and beyond the

Catholic Church - in order to reach more people, to grow our services and develop our income streams, it is important that people know who we are and what we do. We want to develop a strong and well-known identity in all areas of our work that is consistent, easily recognisable and speaks of who we are, what we do and what we stand for.

2. To reach out and welcome those on the

• peripheries who need our help - latterly the Catholic Church has undertaken a synodal process of listening and discernment. The initial published documents emphasise the need to reach out and journey with those on the peripheries. This objective is also a restatement of the words of the Vincentian prayer on the theme of our vocation, “to seek and find those who are forgotten and to bring your love to the suffering or deprived.”

3. Expand our capacity for service - the demand for help is increasing exponentially and we know that the current economic crisis is increasing poverty in real terms across England and Wales. It is vital that our capacity increases to meet this need. The focus areas are:

• growing the membership,

• expanding our network of projects and services,

• developing an infrastructure to sustain growth and,

• forging new collaborative partnerships which enhance our service.

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OTHER UNDERTAKINGS

The SVP is the custodian trustee for the following three undertakings:

• The Pen-y-Pound House Fund was formed in 1973 to alleviate poverty in the Catholic Archdiocese of Cardiff. It comprises a permanent endowment fund which is invested on a recognised stock exchange to provide income for furthering the Trust’s objectives.

• The TB Hunt Fund is a permanent endowment fund established with monies left to the SVP by Thomas Bernard Hunt, who died in 1928. His desire was to alleviate poverty among the Catholic poor in the areas of Leicester and Market Harborough. The SVP distributes grants on a quarterly basis to people in need in these areas.

• The Francis Thompson Fund is a permanent endowment fund arising from a legacy whose terms are to invest the fund in quoted investments on a recognised stock exchange to provide an income for Christ the King Conference in Wavertree, Liverpool.

In addition, the Society has oversight of:

• The David Young Charity (charity number: 238877) was originally set up in 1860 to aid poor relatives of the Young family. Under a scheme established in 1978 the charity aims to assist, in addition to Young family relatives, those who are in financial difficulties and who, because they are members of the Society, are not eligible to seek support from the Society itself.

INVESTMENTS

The Board of Trustees sets the overall performance and ethical parameters within which our investment managers operate. The investment managers report quarterly and meet annually with the Finance Committee to review performance and outlook. Performance is measured against the Association of Private Client Investment Managers and Stockbrokers balance index. The primary objectives of our investment policy are to:

• Generate income to fund operational costs;

• Provide capital growth to fund new activities; and

• Offer diversity across asset classes, including fixed interest investments and medium risk equities.

The Trustees have adopted an ethical investment policy in line with the teachings of the Catholic Church. During the year the investments achieved a return of +9.34% against an index of +10.95%.

RESERVES

The Trustees annual review the level of reserves to be held by the charity to ensure they are adequate. Free reserves of the charity are considered to be its unrestricted funds not designated for specific spending. Our reserves target is to hold a minimum of three months’ spending in free reserves. Free reserves of the charity were £4.8m at 31 March 2024 (2023: £3.5 million) which represents 4.5 months (2023: 3.6 months) of unrestricted general fund expenditure. This balance does not include £4.0 million of fixed assets (2023: 3.7 million). The level of reserves is above the target of three months. The Trustees are reviewing this closely with a view to increasing reserves slightly in the next 12 months.

MANAGEMENT AND POLICIES

Grant making

The St Vincent de Paul Society makes grants to individuals in need and to organisations delivering similar objectives to the Society and where members are directly involved in volunteering. This includes grants to overseas SVP Conferences (Twinning). All major grants are approved in advance by the Trustees, who ensure that appropriate controls and reporting frameworks are in place.

Statement of fundraising practice 2023-24

It was another busy year for fundraising and our donors and supporters continued to humble us with their kindness and generosity. We deeply appreciate their ongoing financial support without which we would not be able to deliver and grow our services and support our beneficiaries and service users across our membership, support services and dedicated team of staff and volunteers.

The new financial year began with the launch of our first ever legacy giving campaign which included a direct mail and email campaign as well as new legacy promotional materials. The year saw a continuation of our weekly lottery, running with 163 players, and another successful summer raffle with 64,702 tickets sold. Our annual Christmas appeal raised £117,806. Our generous major donors supported us with gifts enabling a match-funding pot of £42,500 to incentivise pound for pound match giving during the appeal. Throughout the year, we continued to benefit from grants, in-memoriam donations, gifts in wills, and donations made through the purchase of alternative gifts in our Christmas catalogue.

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Donors to The St Vincent de Paul Society (England and Wales) can be confident that we comply with the regulatory standards for fundraising. We are registered with the Fundraising Regulator and adhere to the Code of Fundraising Practice which covers the requirements charities must follow as set out in the Charities Act 2016. All our staff in the national fundraising team are members of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising, and we join online fundraising networks, attend webinars and online fundraising Conferences to keep up to date with regulations, the latest research and reports, trends and developments in fundraising and the future funding landscape.

The Board of Trustees is kept informed of fundraising practice through regular reports from the Director of Fundraising. Several board members are personally involved in supporting and promoting fundraising initiatives such as the Christmas and Rise to the Challenge appeals.

No commercial participators were engaged to carry out fundraising on behalf of the charity. However, due to fundraising staff shortages and a challenging recruitment market, professional fundraisers were engaged on a freelance basis to submit applications on behalf of the charity during quarter four. During the year, no failure to comply with the Code of Fundraising Practice was reported and no fundraising complaints were received.

Our fundraising year in numbers 2023-24:

‘Let your kindness live on’ legacy campaign

46 Gifts in wills received 130 Free will writing requests

238 Donations made in memory of loved ones

163 SVP lottery players 318 Friends of the SVP 791 New online donors

5,096 Donations for where they are needed most

£12,841 Raised from the SVP weekly lottery £42,500 In match funding for our appeals £60,200 Raised in requests to Acts 435 for grants

64,702 SVP Summer Raffle tickets sold £136,822 Raised by our Christmas Kindness appeal £813,757 Raised in legacy gifts

St Vincent's Leeds

*Received up to 31 March 2024

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Auditors

A resolution proposing that Saffery LLP be re-appointed as auditors of the charitable company was passed at the Annual General Meeting.

Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities - charitable company

The Trustees (who are also directors of St Vincent de Paul Society (England and Wales) for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

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

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

• observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP (FRS 102);

• make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;

and

In so far as the Trustees are aware:

• there is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company’s auditor is unaware; and

• the Trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditor is aware of that information.

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

Public benefit

The Board of Trustees has given regard to the legislative and regulatory requirements for disclosing how its charitable objectives have provided benefit to the public. The Board of Trustees has complied with the duties set out in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011. This report outlines how our achievements during 2023-24 have benefitted the public, either directly or indirectly.

The Trustees’ Report (including the Strategic Report) was approved on behalf of the Board of Trustees (in their capacity as company directors) on 22 November 2024 at the annual AGM and signed on their behalf by

Elaine Heyworth National President and Chair of Trustees

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper

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accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the

charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and the group and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

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St Vincent's Brighton 35

AUDITOR’S REPORT

OPINION

We have audited the financial statements of St Vincent de Paul Society (England and Wales) (the ‘parent charitable company’) and its subsidiaries (the ‘group’) for the year ended 31 March 2024 which comprise the consolidated statement of financial activities, the group and charity sheets and the consolidated cash flow statement and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

• give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the group and the parent charitable company as at 31 March 2024 and of the group’s incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended;

• have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and

• have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

BASIS FOR OPINION

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

CONCLUSIONS RELATING TO GOING CONCERN

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

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

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

OTHER INFORMATION

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

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

We have nothing to report in this regard.

36

OTHER MATTERS PRESCRIBED BY THE COMPANIES ACT 2006

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

• the information given in the Trustees’ Annual Report which includes the Directors’ Report and the Strategic Report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

• the Trustees’ Annual Report which includes the Directors’ Report and the Strategic Report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

MATTERS ON WHICH WE ARE REQUIRED TO REPORT BY EXCEPTION

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the group and the parent charitable company and their environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Trustees’ Annual Report and Strategic Report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

• adequate accounting records have not been kept by the parent charitable company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

• the parent charitable company financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

• certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or

• we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF TRUSTEES

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

AUDITOR’S RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE AUDIT OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

We have been appointed as auditors under the Companies Act 2006 and report in accordance with regulations made under that Act.

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

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of noncompliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud.

The specific procedures for this engagement and the extent to which these are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, are detailed in the following.

As explained more fully in the Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities set out on page 34, the trustees (who are also the directors of the parent charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of the financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

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IDENTIFYING AND ASSESSING RISKS RELATED TO IRREGULARITIES

We assessed the susceptibility of the group and parent charitable company’s financial statements to material misstatement and how fraud might occur, including through discussions with the trustees, discussions within our audit team planning meeting, updating our record of internal controls and ensuring these controls operated as intended. We evaluated possible incentives and opportunities for fraudulent manipulation of the financial statements. We identified laws and regulations that are of significance in the context of the group and parent charitable company by discussions with trustees and updating our understanding of the sectors in which the group and parent charitable company operate.

Laws and regulations of direct significance in the context of the group and parent charitable company include the Companies Act 2006 and guidance issued by the Charity Commission for England and Wales.

AUDIT RESPONSE TO RISKS IDENTIFIED

We considered the extent of compliance with these laws and regulations as part of our audit procedures on the related financial statement items, including a review of financial statement disclosures. We reviewed the parent charitable company’s records of breaches of laws and regulations, minutes of meetings and correspondence with relevant authorities to identify potential material misstatements arising. We discussed the parent charitable company’s policies and procedures for compliance with laws and regulations with members of management responsible for compliance.

During the planning meeting with the audit team, the engagement partner drew attention to the key areas which might involve non-compliance with laws and regulations or fraud. We enquired of management whether they were aware of any instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations or knowledge of any actual, suspected or alleged fraud. We addressed the risk of fraud through management override of controls by testing the appropriateness of journal entries and identifying any significant transactions that were unusual or outside the normal course of business.

We assessed whether judgements made in making accounting estimates gave rise to a possible indication of management bias. At the completion stage of the audit, the engagement partner’s review included ensuring that the team had approached their work with appropriate professional scepticism and thus the capacity to identify non-compliance with laws and regulations and fraud.

There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above, and the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely we would become aware of it. Also, the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery or intentional misrepresentations, or through collusion.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities . This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

USE OF OUR REPORT

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

18 December 2024

Sally Appleton

(Senior Statutory Auditor)

For and on behalf of Saffery LLP Chartered Accountants, Statutory Auditors 10 Wellington Place, Leeds, LS1 4AP

Saffery LLP is eligible to act as an auditor in terms of section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.

38

FINANCIAL SUMMARY

GOING CONCERN

The Trustees have prepared the financial statements on a going concern basis after taking into account future budgets and cash forecasts covering the period of at least 12 months from the date of this report. The Trustees have identified no material uncertainties that cast significant doubt about the ability of the Society to continue as a going concern.

GAINS AND LOSSES

The gain on investments for 2024 amounted to £214,332 compared to a loss of (£188,340) in 2023.

PENSION FUND

The actuarial loss recognised on the pension fund in 2024 amounted to (£42,000) compared to a gain of £215,000 in 2023.

CASH AT BANK AND IN HAND

NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

The overall net movement in funds for the year ended 31 March 2024 was a deficit of (£1,514,198) compared to a deficit of £1,044,650 in the year ended 31 March 2023.

INCOME

Total income for the year increased by £1,574,772 to £15,797,501 compared to £14,222,729 in 2023.

EXPENDITURE

The group cash at bank and in hand amounted to £5,066,102 in 2024 compared to £6,814,086 in 2023, representing a decrease of £1,747,984.

TOTAL FUNDS

The total group funds at 31 March 2024 amounted to £11,246,400 compared to £12,760,598 at 31 March 2023 representing a decrease of (£1,514,198). A comparative summary of each category of fund is included in the balance sheet, and there is a detailed breakdown in note 24 of the accounts.

The total expenditure in 2024 amounted to £17,588,493 compared to £15,281,199 in 2023 representing an increase of £2,307,294. This was largely due to increased expenditure across all services and especially on visits and assistance to individuals and families compared to the previous year (£3,879,361 in 2024 compared to £3,585,304 in 2023), retail shops expansion (£4,458,313 in 2024 y compared to £3,819,343 in 2023) and spend at our Support Centres ‘te, (£3,381,886 in 2024 compared to £2,285,906 in 2023).

SVP Brentwood Vinnie Camp

39

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

for the year ended 31 March 2024 (Incorporating an income and expenditure account)

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Unrestricted Restricted Endowment 2024 2023
Funds Funds Funds Total Total
Note £ £ £ £ £
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Income Donations and legacies 2 Other trading activities 3 Income from investments Income from charitable activities: Retail Income Holidays and camps Residential provision Community Support Projects Social Enterprise Activities Youth Development Other income Total income 4 Expenditure Expenditure on raising funds 5 Expenditure on charitable activities: Visits & assistance to individuals and families Retail Holidays and camps Residential provision Community Support Projects Social Enterprise Activities Youth Development Programme Twinning Total expenditure 6 Net gains / (losses) on investments 14 Share of proft / (loss) in jointly controlled entities 18 Net (expenditure) / income 7 Transfers between funds 24 Actuarial (losses) / gains on defned beneft pension scheme 22 Net movement in funds Funds at the start of the year 23 Funds at the end of the year 23	6,133,351 473,724 208,206 4,079,979 177,452 2,550,492 185,396 638,951 22,281 230,110 14,699,942 1,074,221 3,475,934 4,458,313 521,118 2,154,015 3,145,166 1,039,620 423,319 298,612 16,590,318 110,801 104,462 (1,675,113) 1,802,542 - 127,429 8,358,703 8,486,132	826,659 - 34,180 - - - 236,720 - - - 1,097,559 - 403,427 - - - 236,720 - - 358,028 998,175 - - 99,384 (1,802,542) (42,000) (1,745,158) 3,354,886 1,609,728	- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 103,531 - 103,531 - - 103,531 1,047,009 1,150,540	6,960,010 473,724 242,386 4,079,979 177,452 2,550,492 422,116 638,951 22,281 230,110 15,797,501 1,074,221 3,879,361 4,458,313 521,118 2,154,015 3,381,886 1,039,620 423,319 656,640 17,588,493 214,332 104,462 (1,472,198) - (42,000) (1,514,198) 12,760,598 11,246,400	6,138,642 172,349 255,070 3,921,447 155,865 2,341,979 349,434 638,573 22,412 226,958
					14,222,729
					766,054 3,585,304 3,819,343 446,156 2,362,569 2,285,906 898,486 347,100 770,281
					15,281,199
					(188,340) (12,840)
					(1,259,650) - 215,000
					(1,044,650) 13,805,248
					12,760,598

All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above. Movements in funds are disclosed in note 24 to the financial statements. The comparative consolidated statement of financial activities is disclosed in note 30 to the financial statements.

40

GROUP AND CHARITY BALANCE SHEETS

as at 31 March 2024

		Group	Group	Charity	Charity	Group	Group	Charity	Charity
		2024		2024		2023		2023
	Note	£		£		£		£
Fixed assets
Tangible fixed assets	12	2,795,598		2,695,612		2,406,020		2,369,225
Mixed motive Investment freehold property	12 & 13	1,171,007		1,171,007		1,081,626		1,081,626
Investments	14	2,671,018		1,592,981		2,456,686		1,460,270
Investments in subsidiaries	16	-		1	1	-	-	1	1
Investments in joint ventures	18	119,470		-	-	123,429		-	-
		6,757,093		5,459,601		6,067,761		4,911,122
Current assets
Stock		29,397		11,597		15,580		5,541	5,541
Debtors	19	842,463		1,152,623		842,735		1,146,185
Cash at bank and in hand		5,066,102		4,799,086		6,814,086		6,609,284
		5,937,962		5,963,306		7,672,401		7,761,010
Creditors: amounts falling due within 1 year	20	1,010,875		1,038,715		695,205		744,603
Net current assets		4,927,087		4,924,591		6,977,196		7,016,407
Creditors: amounts falling due after more than 1 year	21	437,780		437,780		284,359		284,359
Total assets less current liabilities		11,246,400		9,946,412		12,760,598		11,643,170
Defined benefit scheme pension asset	22	-		-		-		-
Net assets		11,246,400		9,946,412		12,760,598		11,643,170
Funds
Endowment funds		1,150,540		201,279		1,047,009		181,158
Restricted funds		1,609,728		1,339,126		3,354,886		3,150,498
Unrestricted funds:
Revaluation reserve		625,477		625,477		625,477		625,477
Designated funds		5,780,958		5,663,996		6,381,433		6,368,933
General funds		2,079,697		2,116,534		1,351,793		1,317,104
Total funds	24	11,246,400		9,946,412		12,760,598		11,643,170

These financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees on 22nd November 2024 and signed on their behalf by:

Elaine Heyworth, National President

St Vincent de Paul Society (England & Wales). Company Number: 3174679.

41

CONSOLIDATED CASHFLOW STATEMENT

for the year ended 31 March 2024

----- Start of picture text -----
2024 2023
Note £ £
Net cash (used in) / provided by operating activities a (1,546,585) (564,365)
Net cash used in by investing activities b (354,821) (350,530)
Net cash provided by financing activities 153,421 293,280
(Decrease) in cash in the year (1,747,985) (621,615)
Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net funds
(Decrease) in cash for the year (1,747,985) (621,615)
Net funds at beginning of year 6,814,086 7,435,701
Net funds at end of year c 5,066,101 6,814,086
a. Reconciliation of net cash used in operating activities
Net (expenditure) before revaluations (1,790,992) (1,058,470)
Investment income (242,386) (255,070)
Depreciation 226,668 200,072
Loss on disposal of fixed assets - 8,322
Defined benefit scheme net interest expense (5,000) (1,000)
Current service cost (lower than) / in excess of employer contributions (37,000) 216,000
Increase in creditors 315,670 142,547
Decrease in debtors 272 186,914
Increase in stocks (13,817) (3,680)
Net cash (used in) / provided by operating activities (1,546,585) (564,365)
b. Net cash (used in) investing activities
Investment income 242,386 255,070
Proceeds from sale of listed investments 140,289 170,820
Purchase of investments (143,673) (167,580)
Unrealised Gains eliminated on disposal (1,945) -
Decrease in Revive investment 108,421 -
Decrease / (Increase) in cash held within investment portfolio 5,328 (8,817)
Purchase of tangible fixed assets (705,627) (600,023)
(354,821) (350,530)
c. Analysis of Net Funds
As at As at
01 Apr 2023 Cash flows 31 Mar 2024
£ £ £
Cash at bank and in hand 6,814,086 (1,747,985) 5,066,101
6,814,086 (1,747,985) 5,066,101
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

for the year ended 31 March 2024

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

a) Charitable company information

St Vincent de Paul Society (England & Wales) ("the Society" or "the Charity") is a limited company domiciled and incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Romero House, 55 Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7JB.

b) Accounting convention

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the requirements of the Companies Act 2006. The charity is a public benefit entity for the purposes of FRS 102 and therefore the charity also prepared its financial statements in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their financial statements with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (The FRS 102 Charities SORP) and the Charities Act 2011.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charitable company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest pound.

The financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost convention, modified by the recognition of investment properties, and financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out in the following pages.

c) Consolidation

These financial statements consolidate the results of the Society and its wholly-owned subsidiary, The Society of St Vincent de Paul (England and Wales) Trading Limited, on a line by line basis. The Society also holds a controlling interest in the Pen Y Pound House Fund, the David Young's Charity and the TB Hunt Trust. These are included within the group accounts. The results of the charity comprise the results of the National Office, Conferences and Special Works of the Society. A separate statement of financial activities, or income and expenditure account, for the Society itself is not presented because it has taken advantage of the exemptions afforded by section 408 of the Companies Act 2006.

The Society is a member of Revive Leeds CIC, a company limited by guarantee and exercises joint control over the entity via a membership agreement. Revive Leeds CIC is accounted for in the Society's consolidated accounts using the equity method. The Society's share of the profit or loss as well as the Society's share of any reserve movements of Revive Leeds CIC are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period in which they occur.

43

d) Going concern

The Trustees have prepared the financial statements on a going concern basis after taking into account future budgets and cash forecasts covering the period of at least 12 months from the date of this report. Individual projects within the Society are largely expected to be self-funding and shop income has continued to perform well during the year ended 31st March 2024. This, combined with the reserves the charity holds, has enabled the Trustees to conclude that the charity will be able to meet its liabilities as they fall due for at least 12 months following approval of these financial statements. As a result, the Trustees have identified no material uncertainties that cast significant doubt about the ability of the Society to continue as a going concern and so the financial statements continue to be prepared on this basis.

e) Foreign exchange

Transactions in currencies other than pound sterling are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing at the dates of the transactions. At each reporting date, monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the rates prevailing at the period end date. Gains and losses are included in the Statement of Financial Activities for the period.

f) Income

Voluntary income received by way of donations to the Society is included in full in the statement of financial activities when receivable. Proceeds from the sale of donated goods are recognised in the accounts in the period in which they are realised. Volunteer time is not included in the financial statements.

Grants are recognised in full in the statement of financial activities in the year in which they are receivable.

Income from legacies is accounted for on a receivable basis, and is recognised in full in the financial statements in the period in which entitlement is notified, where there is probability of receipt and where the amount can be measured reliably.

g) Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised in the period in which it is incurred. Expenditure includes attributable VAT which cannot be recovered.

Grants payable are recognised when authorised for payment.

Governance costs relate to compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements.

Expenditure on raising funds relates to the costs incurred by the group and Society in raising funds for the charitable work.

Allocation of support costs incurred at the Society's administrative centres

Expenditure is allocated to the particular activity where the cost relates directly to that activity. However, where relevant, the salary, office and premises costs of the administrative centres which represent the charity's support costs are apportioned on the following basis which are an estimate, based on staff time, of the amount attributable to each activity.

attributable to each activity.
Visits & assistance to individuals
and families	27%
Shops and furniture stores	24%
Holidays and camps	4%
Residential provision	7%
Twinning	5%
Youth development programme	5%
Support centres	19%
Expenditure on raising funds	4%
	100%

h) Fixed assets

Assets are capitalised at cost, as detailed in note 12.

Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write down the cost of each asset to its estimated residual value over its expected useful life. The depreciation rates in use are as follows:

Freehold property	2% straight line
Leasehold property	over the period of
	the lease
Computer equipment	33% straight line
Furniture and equipment	20% straight line
Motor vehicles and caravans	20% straight line

Land is not depreciated.

Items of equipment are capitalised where the purchase price exceeds £1,000. Depreciation costs are allocated to activities on the basis of the use of the related assets in those activities. Assets are reviewed for impairment if circumstances indicate their carrying value may exceed their net realisable value and value in use.

44

Mixed motive investments are held at cost as this is deemed to be not materially different to fair value. The value is reviewed annually by management for impairment and provision made if appropriate.

i) Investments

Investments held as fixed assets are revalued at mid-market value at the balance sheet date. The gains or losses for the period on revaluation or disposal are taken to the statement of financial activities. The Trustees consider short term deposits to be liquid resources.

j) Assets held for sale

The charity's mixed movement investments are measured at cost and represent properties held for both financial return and to further the charity's objects.

k) Stocks

Stocks are stated at the lower of cost and net realisable value. Cost is measured on a first in first out basis and includes transport and handling costs. Net realisable value is the price at which stocks can be sold in the normal course of business after allowing for the costs of realisation. Provision is made where necessary for obsolete, slow moving and defective stocks.

l) Cash

Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks and other shortterm liquid investments with original maturities of twelve months or less.

m) Funds

Restricted funds are to be used for specified purposes as laid down by the donor. Expenditure which meets these criteria is identified to the fund.

Designated funds are to be used for specified purposes as laid down by the Trustees of the Society.

Unrestricted funds are donations and other incoming resources received or generated for the charitable purposes.

Endowment funds are funds for which the assets must be held permanently by the Society. Further details of these funds are shown in note 24.

n) Operating leases

o) Pensions

The Society Defined contribution scheme: operates a stakeholder group personal pension plan. In addition, the Society contributes to the personal pension schemes of a number of employees. The assets of the schemes are held separately from those of the Society in independently administered funds. The pension cost charge represents contributions payable under the schemes by the Society to the funds. The Society has no liability under the schemes other than for the payment of those contributions.

Some of the Society's Defined benefit scheme: employees are members of the Tyne and Wear Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). The LGPS is a funded scheme and the assets are held separately from those of the Society in separate trustee administered funds. Pension scheme assets are measured at fair value and liabilities are measured on an actuarial basis using the projected unit credit method and discounted at a rate equivalent to the current rate of return on a high quality corporate bond of equivalent term and currency to the liabilities. The actuarial valuations are obtained at least triennially and are updated at each balance sheet date. The resulting asset or liability is recognised in the balance sheet. In the case of an asset this is recognised to the extent it is considered recoverable through reduced contributions in the future, or through refunds from the Scheme. The amounts charged to operating surplus are the current service costs and the costs of scheme introductions, benefit changes, settlements and curtailments. They are included as part of staff costs as incurred. Net interest on the net defined benefit liability/asset is also recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities and comprises the interest cost on the defined benefit obligation and interest income on the scheme assets, calculated by multiplying the fair value of the scheme assets at the beginning of the period by the rate used to discount the benefit obligations. The difference between the interest income on the scheme assets and the actual return on the scheme assets is recognised in other recognised gains and losses.

Rentals payable under operating leases, where substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership remain with the lessor, are charged to the statement of financial activities in the year in which they fall due.

45

p) Financial instruments

The charitable company has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.

Financial instruments are recognised in the charitable company's balance sheet when the company becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Basic financial assets: Basic financial assets, which include trade and other receivables and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest.

Other financial assets: Other financial assets, including investments in equity instruments which are not subsidiaries, associates or joint ventures, are initially measured at fair value, which is normally the transaction price. Such assets are subsequently carried at fair value and the changes in fair value are recognised in profit or loss, except that investments in equity instruments that are not publicly traded and whose fair values cannot be measured reliably are measured at cost less impairment.

Trade debtors, loans and other receivables that have fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted in an active market are classified as 'loans and receivables'. Loans and receivables are measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less any impairment.

Interest is recognised by applying the effective interest rate, except for short-term receivables when the recognition of interest would be immaterial. The effective interest method is a method of calculating the amortised cost of a debt instrument and of allocating the interest income over the relevant period. The effective interest rate is the rate that exactly discounts estimated future cash receipts through the expected life of the debt instrument to the net carrying amount on initial recognition.

Financial Impairment of financial assets: assets, other than those held at fair value through profit and loss, are assessed for indicators of impairment at each reporting end date. Financial

assets are impaired where there is objective evidence that, as a result of one or more events that occurred after the initial recognition of the financial asset, the estimated future cash flows have been affected. The impairment loss is recognised in profit or loss.

Financial Derecognition of financial assets:

assets are derecognised only when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the asset expire, or when it transfers the financial asset and substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to another entity.

Financial Classification of financial liabilities: liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the company after deducting all of its liabilities.

Basic financial liabilities: Basic financial

liabilities, including trade and other payables, bank loans, loans from fellow group companies and preference shares that are classified as debt, are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest.

Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.

Trade payables are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Accounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade payables are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Financial Derecognition of financial liabilities: liabilities are derecognised when, and only when, the company’s obligations are discharged, cancelled, or they expire.

q) Judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty

In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the Trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources.

46

The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

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

Critical judgements : The following judgements (apart from those involving estimates) have had the most significant effect on amounts recognised in the financial statements.

The annual depreciation charge for property, plant and equipment is sensitive to changes in the estimated useful economic lives and residual values of the assets. The useful economic lives and residual values are re-assessed annually. They are amended when necessary to reflect current estimates, based on technological advancement, future investments, economic utilisation and the

St Vincent's Bradford Community Garden

physical condition of the assets. See note 12 for the carrying amount of the property, plant and equipment and note 1. h) for the useful economic lives for each class of asset.

2. DONATIONS AND LEGACIES

2. DONATIONS AND LEGACIES
	Unrestricted	Restricted	Endowment		2024		2023
	Funds	Funds	Funds		Total		Total
Members’ contributions	£ 369,409	£ -	£ -	-	£ 369,409	369,409	£ 307,247
Church collections	459,219	38,994	-	-	498,213		651,238
Legacies	811,445	2,312	-	-	813,757		947,669
Other fundraising activities	254,765	196,597	-	-	451,362		488,920
Other donations and voluntary grants	4,238,513	588,756	-	-	4,827,269		3,743,568
	6,133,351	826,659	-	-	6,960,010		6,138,642

	Unrestricted Funds £	Restricted Funds £	Endowment Funds 2023 Total £ £	Endowment Funds 2023 Total £ £
Members’ contributions	307,247	-	-	- 307,247
Church collections	605,020	46,218	-	- 651,238
Legacies	937,519	10,150	-	- 947,669
Other fundraising activities	195,798	293,122	-	- 488,920
Other donations and voluntary grants	3,185,101	558,467	-	- 3,743,568
	5,230,685	907,957	-	- 6,138,642

Donations and legacies received cover a number of different charitable activities.

47

3. OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES

3. OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES
	Unrestricted Funds	Restricted Funds	Endowment Funds	2024 Total	2023 Total
	£	£	£	£	£
Trading activities Income from national raffe	409,524 64,200 473,724	- - -	- - -	409,524 64,200 473,724	115,040 57,309
					172,349

All the above trading activities comprise unrestricted funds in both periods.

4. TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES FOR THE YEAR

This is stated after including the following main grants:

----- Start of picture text -----
2024 2023
£ £
----- End of picture text -----

Visits & assistance to individuals & families
Porta Pia	35,000	35,000
Porticus	-	12,165
Household Support Fund Grant	125,000	-
Shops & furniture stores
Sheffeld City Council - Voluntary Sector Grants Fund	53,283	53,283
Leeds City Council	-	35,780
Support centres
Other grants received (Under £10,000)	386,184	272,969
Wirral Borough Council	194,147	81,147
National Lottery (various programmes)	135,640	-
National Citizens Advice	111,720	110,191
Ministry of Justice - Grand Avenues	102,057	-
Garfeld Weston	75,000	-
Charities Trust Grant	73,500	25,000
Hollyhock Charity	65,000	-
Digital Stations Grant	40,000	-
London North Eastern Railway	33,334	75,000
Charities Aid Foundation	33,200	-
Leeds Community Foundation	25,000	27,000
Advice UK	23,175	-
Community Investment Board - Southend	22,422	22,422
Veolia Enviromental Trust	20,400	-
Seeking Asylum Fund	12,331
Newcastle Community Foundation	11,200	15,450
Alive in Faith (East Anglia Diocese)	10,000	20,000
Morrisons Foundation	10,000	-
Mercy Project (Sothccio)	10,000	-
Innovation Fund	10,000	-
Primary Health	10,000	-
EU Settlement Scheme	-	43,650
Material Focus for Social Enterprise	-	39,824
St Mary's University Sunderland	-	30,350
Barbour Foundation	-	15,000
Newcastle City Council	-	10,000
Land Securities	-	10,000
NHS Mid & South	-	10,000

48

5. EXPENDITURE ON RAISING FUNDS

----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment 2024 2023
Funds Funds Funds Total Total
£ £ £ £ £
----- End of picture text -----

	Unrestricted Funds £	Restricted Funds £	Endowment Funds £	2024 Total £	2023 Total £
Staff costs Other staff and volunteer expenses Fundraising expenses Trading activities Investment managers' fees Property expenses Offce expenses Other costs Support costs (note 6)	598,419 40,516 38,594 30,361 13,374 109,346 38,736 72,247 132,628 1,074,221	- - - - - - - - - -	- - - - - - - - - -	598,419 40,516 38,594 30,361 13,374 109,346 38,736 72,247 132,628 1,074,221	352,896 14,163 30,761 22,836 9,658 73,309 57,343 106,563 98,525
					766,054

All the above expenditure was from unrestricted funds in both periods.

6. EXPENDITURE		Year ended 31 March 2024	Year ended 31 March 2024	Year ended 31 March 2024
	Staff costs (note 8)	Grants (note 9)	Other direct costs	Support costs (note 10)	Total
	£	£	£	£	£
Expenditure on raising funds (note 5) Charitable activities: Visits & assistance to individuals and families Retail Holidays and camps Residential provision Community Support Projects Social Enterprise Activities Twinning Youth Development Programme Total charitable activities Support costs	598,420 325,920 2,165,158 - 1,537,583 1,624,784 585,004 44,823 202,962 6,486,234 1,998,700 9,083,354	- - - - - - - 422,243 - 422,243 29,415 451,658	343,173 2,670,510 1,499,193 380,797 374,987 1,150,378 311,405 34,446 64,588 6,486,304 1,224,004 8,053,481	132,628 882,931 793,962 140,321 241,445 606,724 143,211 155,128 155,769	1,074,221 3,879,361 4,458,313 521,118 2,154,015 3,381,886 1,039,620 656,640 423,319
				3,119,491 (3,252,119)	16,514,272 -
				-	17,588,493
		Year ended 31 March 2023
	£	£	£	£	£
Expenditure on raising funds (note 5) Charitable activities: Visits & assistance to individuals and families Retail Holidays and camps Residential provision Community Support Projects Social Enterprise Activities Twinning Youth Development Programme Total charitable activities Support costs	352,895 243,511 1,947,861 - 1,778,337 1,296,630 525,425 53,499 174,468 6,019,731 1,684,023 8,056,649	- - - - - - - 644,586 - 644,586 58,806 703,392	314,634 2,365,532 1,197,470 278,567 372,502 702,886 213,913 2,820 61,626 5,195,316 1,011,207 6,521,157	98,525 976,261 674,012 167,589 211,730 286,390 159,148 69,376 111,006	766,054 3,585,304 3,819,343 446,156 2,362,569 2,285,906 898,486 770,281 347,100
				2,655,512 (2,754,036)	14,515,145 -
				1	15,281,199

49

7. NET EXPENDITURE FOR THE YEAR

This is stated after charging:

----- Start of picture text -----
2024 2023
Total Total
£ £
----- End of picture text -----

Depreciation	226,668	200,072
Trustees’ indemnity insurance	3,470	3,900
Trustees’ remuneration	-	-
Trustees’ reimbursed expenses	3,920	2,976
Auditor’s remuneration (excluding VAT):
Statutory audit	35,000	35,000
Prior year audit fees	-	2,000
Operating lease rentals:
Property	933,510	808,448

During the year 8 (2023: 8) trustees were reimbursed expenses. This totalled £3,920 (2023: £2,976). In addition £Nil (2023: £Nil) was paid on behalf of Trustees directly to third parties. Expenses related to reimbursement for travel and accommodation, subsistence, telephone, postage and stationery and are in relation to their roles as trustees.

In accordance with the articles of association, the Society paid a premium of £3,470 (2023: £3,900) for trustee indemnity insurance to the value of £6 million (2023: £6 million).

8. STAFF COSTS AND NUMBERS

Staff costs were as follows:

	2024 Total	2023 Total
	£	£
Salaries and wages Social security costs Pension contributions	7,902,633 655,035 525,686 9,083,354	6,726,971 569,262 760,416
		8,056,649

Included in staff costs and paid in the year were redundancy and termination payments totalling £24,030 - 4 employees (2023 : £17,504 - 8 employees),

The earnings, including pension contribution and employer's National Insurance contributions, of key management personnel (including the CEO) in 2023-24 were £213,149 (2023: £204,376). This related to two roles (2023: two).

During the year there were six employees who received employment benefits (excluding employer's pension contributions) of more than £60,000.

£60,000 - £70,000 - 5 (2023: 4).

£70,000 - £80,000 - 3 (2023: 0).

£90,000 - £100,000 - 0 (2023: 1).

£100,000 - £110,000 - 2 (2023: 1).

50

The average number of employees (on a full time equivalent basis) during the year was as follows:

----- Start of picture text -----
Actual FTE
2024 2023 2024 2023
No. No. No. No.
----- End of picture text -----

	2024 No.	2023 No.	2024 No.	2023 No.
Visits & assistance to individuals and families Retail Residential provision Youth Development Community Support Projects Social Enterprise Activities Twinning Fundraising Support staff Governance	35 166 77 6 111 33 3 25 26 13 495	38 183 64 6 77 35 3 26 24 14 470	17 73 35 6 62 21 1 18 21 9 263	17 79 35 5 46 21 2 16 17 11
				249

The Society relies substantially on voluntary services provided by its members across the country. It is not possible to quantify the value of these services to the Society.

9. GRANTS PROGRAMME

During the year, the Society paid out grants to a number of organisations through the Twinning Programme and directly from the National Society. The majority of the grants were paid to SVP societies in other countries.

----- Start of picture text -----
2024 2023
Total Total
£ £
----- End of picture text -----

SVP India Indian student scholarships programme SVP Sudan SVP South Sudan SVP Romania SVP Grenada SVP Guyana Payments from disaster fund: India Lebanon Ukraine - refugee assistance Twinning projects Ukraine South Africa Vincentian Volunteers Council General International	204,742 39,670 20,109 84,122 14,350 25,691 6,634 3,000 2,000 21,925 - - - - 29,415 451,658	222,016 49,814 68,622 136,173 7,750 15,620 11,036 - 2,000 - 20,281 134,049 6,843 6,000 23,188
		703,392

51

10. SUPPORT COSTS

----- Start of picture text -----
2024 2023
Total Total
£ £
----- End of picture text -----

Staff costs Other staff and volunteer expenses Offce costs Premises costs Bank charges Depreciation Legal and professional fees Other costs Governance costs Support costs included the following expenditure on governance: Staff costs Other staff and volunteer expenses Auditors fees and expenses: Net audit fee (note 7) Disbursements & Other Services Irrecoverable VAT Other professional fees Board expenses Other costs	1,594,274 146,711 288,199 212,808 48,382 17,261 110,220 260,203 574,061 3,252,119 404,426 14,027 35,000 6,884 7,267 44,007 43,650 18,800 574,061	1,268,158 105,786 245,517 167,882 57,524 28,964 104,237 209,736 566,232
		2,754,036
		415,865 16,822 35,000 3,000 7,267 54,153 25,718 8,407
		566,232

11. TAXATION

The Society is exempt from Corporation Tax as all its income is charitable and is applied for charitable purposes. Available taxable profits are Gift Aided to the Society by The St Vincent de Paul Society (England and Wales) Trading Limited.

52

12. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS - THE GROUP AND THE CHARITY

----- Start of picture text -----
Leasehold Motor
Freehold property and Furniture and vehicles and
property improvements equipment caravans Totals
£ £ £ £ £
----- End of picture text -----

	Freehold property £	Leasehold property and improvements £	Furniture and equipment £	Motor vehicles and caravans £	Totals £
COST At the start of the year Additions in year Disposals in year At the end of the year DEPRECIATION At the start of the year Charge for the year Disposals in year At the end of the year NET BOOK VALUE AT 31 MARCH 2024 NET BOOK VALUE AT 31 MARCH 2023	2,807,586 337,153 - 3,144,739 313,483 38,628 - 352,111 2,792,628 2,494,103	1,408,374 80,526 - 1,488,900 639,899 74,805 - 714,704 774,196 768,475	1,100,050 245,041 - 1,345,091 901,132 99,165 - 1,000,297 344,794 198,918	230,279 42,907 - 273,186 204,129 14,070 - 218,199 54,987 26,150	5,546,289 705,627 -
					6,251,916
					2,058,643 226,668 -
					2,285,311
					3,966,605
					3,487,646

The above Fixed Assets include a net value of £99,988 relating to the subsidiary, SVP Trading Limited (2023: £36,795).

13. MIXED MOTIVE INVESTMENTS

The charity holds £1,171,007 (2023: £1,081,626) as mixed motive investments, which represent three freehold properties (2023: three) held for both financial return and to further the charity's objects. These are included in the Freehold Property shown in note 12.

53

14. INVESTMENTS

----- Start of picture text -----
Group Charity Group Charity
2024 2024 2023 2023
£ £ £ £
Market value at the start of the year 2,456,686 1,460,270 2,639,449 1,520,936
Opening Cash Account adjustment (31,893) (31,893) (23,076) (23,076)
Other Movements - - (1) 42,727
Additions at cost 143,673 143,673 167,580 167,580
Disposal at market value (140,289) (140,980) (170,820) (170,820)
Realised gains / (losses) 27,906 27,951 (6,521) (6,521)
Unrealised gains / (losses) 188,370 107,395 (181,818) (102,449)
2,644,453 1,566,416 2,424,793 1,428,377
Cash held with investment managers 26,565 26,565 31,893 31,893
Total investment portfolio market value 2,671,018 1,592,981 2,456,686 1,460,270
Historic cost at the year end 231,115 232,879 199,825 202,235
----- End of picture text -----

All the investments are listed on a recognised stock exchange and are intended to provide an investment return. Investments representing over 5% by value of the portfolio, as above, comprise:

	Group 2024 £	Charity 2024 £	Group 2023 £	Charity 2023 £
Catholic Fund at CCLA	1,324,775	491,606	1,207,864	450,084

15. RESULTS OF PARENT CHARITY

These accounts do not include a Statement of Financial Activities for the parent charity, as permitted under section 408 of the Companies Act 2006. The relevant figures for the year ended 31 March for the parent charity were:

charity were:
	2024	2023
	£	£
Gross income Defcit for the year	15,228,406 (1,696,758)	13,902,623 (891,257)

16. INVESTMENTS IN SUBSIDIARIES - CHARITY

The charity has an unlisted investment with a historical cost of £1 representing its 100% shareholding in The St Vincent de Paul Society (England and Wales ) Trading Limited, which is a company registered in England that operates accommodation and sells Christmas cards and other goods. A summary of that company’s financial position is set out in note 17.

54

17. SUBSIDIARY UNDERTAKINGS

The charitable company held a controlling interest in following entities during the year:

• The Pen-Y-Pound House Fund (a subsidiary charity, number 1053992-1)

• David Young's Charity (a registered charity, number 238877)

• The T B Hunt Trust Fund (a registered charity, number 216406)

• The St Vincent de Paul Society (England and Wales) Trading Limited (company registration number 04373817)

All activities have been consolidated on a line by line basis in the Statement of Financial Activities.

A summary of the results of the subsidiaries is shown below:

The Pen-Y-Pound House Fund (Capital and Income)

----- Start of picture text -----
2024 2023
£ £
----- End of picture text -----

Incoming resources Charitable expenditure Net outgoing resources for the year Unrealised gains / (losses) Net movement in funds Funds brought forward Funds carried forward The aggregate of the assets, liabilities and funds was: Investments Net current liabilities Funds: Endowment fund Income fund	14,159 - 14,159 46,575 60,734 398,184 458,918 514,728 (55,810) 458,918 434,722 24,196 458,918	14,143 (42,803)
		(28,660) (35,875)
		(64,535) 462,719
		398,184
		468,153 (69,969)
		398,184
		388,147 10,037
		398,184

This is a separate charitable trust controlled by the Society as the Trustees of the Society are the Trustees of the Pen-Y-Pound Fund. The trust's main objective is to further the work of the Roman Catholic Church in relieving the poor of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cardiff.

55

17. SUBSIDIARY UNDERTAKINGS (CONTINUED)

David Young’s Charity

----- Start of picture text -----
2024 2023
£ £
----- End of picture text -----

Incoming resources Charitable expenditure Net outgoing resources for the year Unrealised gains / (losses) Realised losses Net movement in funds Funds brought forward Funds carried forward The aggregate of the assets, liabilities and funds was: Investments Net current assets Funds: Endowment fund Restricted fund	11,262 (15,091) (3,829) 8,065 (44) 4,192 242,404 246,596 244,868 1,728 246,596 196,109 50,487 246,596	9,937 (11,315)
		(1,378) (21,299) -
		(22,677) 265,081
		242,404
		238,636 3,768
		242,404 188,088 54,316
		242,404

David Young's Charity is controlled by the Society as the Society appoints the Trustees of the charity. The figures included in these consolidated accounts are for the year ended 31 March 2023 as this is the date to which the subsidiary prepares their accounts; there have been no material changes in the three months to 31 March 2024. The Trust's main objective is the relief of hardship or distress by making grants of money.

T B Hunt Trust Fund

----- Start of picture text -----
2024 2023
£ £
----- End of picture text -----

Incoming resources Charitable expenditure Net incoming resources for the year Unrealised gains / (losses) Net movement in funds Funds brought forward Funds carried forward The aggregate of the assets, liabilities and funds was: Investments Current assets Funds: Endowment fund Income fund	8,759 (7,220) 1,539 28,814 30,353 319,659 350,012 318,441 31,571 350,012 318,430 31,582 350,012	8,749 (4,741)
		4,008 (22,195)
		(18,187) 337,846
		319,659
		289,627 30,032
		319,659 289,616 30,043
		319,659

This is a separate charitable trust controlled by the Society as the Trustees of the Society are the Trustees of the T B Hunt Trust Fund. The trust's main objective is the relief of poverty amongst Roman Catholics in the Leicester and Market Harborough areas.

56

The St Vincent de Paul Society (England and Wales) Trading Limited

----- Start of picture text -----
2024 2023
£ £
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Turnover Cost of sales Gross proft Administrative expenses Operating proft for the fnancial year Interest payable Gift aid to parent undertaking Net proft The aggregate of the assets, liabilities and funds was: Fixed Assets Current assets Creditors: amounts falling due within one year	543,476 (45,731) 497,745 (370,253) 127,492 (1,753) 125,739 (34,500) 91,239 99,988 157,204 (132,201) 124,991	287,277 (23,551)
		263,726 (230,625)
		33,101 (740)
		32,361 (15,395)
		16,966
		36,796 150,696 (153,740)
		33,752

The trading company began in July 2003 and is based at the Society's National Office. The principal activity during the year was the management of accommodation for temporarily homeless families, sales of Christmas cards, Fairtrade items, retail sale of electrical household appliances and similar items.

18. INVESTMENTS IN JOINTLY CONTROLLED ENTITIES

The charity is a member of Revive Leeds CIC, a company limited by guarantee, and jointly controls the entity via a members' agreement with the other members of the company. This agreement stipulates that profits made are distributed to split evenly. The SVP's share of the assets and liabilities of the jointly controlled entity is 50% during the year.

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2024 2023
£ £
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Value of share in Jointly Controlled Entity - brought forward Share of proft for the year Share of proft distributed Valuation carried forward	123,429 104,462 (108,421) 119,470	136,269 108,421 (121,261)
		123,429

Related party transactions are shown in note 26.

19. DEBTORS

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Group Charity Group Charity
2024 2024 2023 2023
£ £ £ £
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Trade debtors Other debtors Prepayments Accrued income Other taxation and social security Amounts due from subsidiaries	141,589 35,445 552,633 50,710 62,086 - 842,463	133,083 143,172 544,459 67,744 50,929 213,236 1,152,623	177,475 2,082 451,245 137,245 74,688 - 842,735	169,086 123,780 455,113 137,245 82,763 178,198
				1,146,185

All debtors this year and in the prior year are due within one year from the Balance Sheet date. Amounts due from subsidiaries include a loan of £20,912 (2023: £22,500) to The St Vincent de Paul Society (England and Wales) Trading Limited. Loan repayments are made yearly and the subsidiary accrues interest at a rate of 1% over bank base rate. The subsidiary has given the Society a floating charge over its assets as security.

57

20. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

	Group	Group	Charity	Charity	Group	Group	Charity	Charity
	2024		2024		2023		2023
	£		£		£		£
Trade creditors	376,593		414,098		272,420		328,251
Other creditors	76,187		91,459		38,265		61,565
Other taxation and social security	158,591		158,591		136,355		136,355
Accruals	275,675		250,738		157,684		127,951
Deferred income	107,482		107,482		81,560		81,560
Mortgage on freehold property	16,347		16,347		8,921		8,921
	1,010,875		1,038,715		695,205		744,603

Included within other creditors are outstanding pension contributions of £75,676 (2023: £65,171).

21. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE AFTER MORE THAN ONE YEAR

	Group	Group	Charity	Charity	Group	Group	Charity	Charity
	2024		2024		2023		2023
	£		£		£		£
Mortgage on freehold property	437,780		437,780		293,280		293,280
	437,780		437,780		293,280		293,280

The mortgage on the freehold property, Amelie House, in Cromer is held with the NatWest Bank. The loan amount is £300,000 paid over a 20 year term. The first 10 years are on a Fixed rate at 5.24% and the remaining 10 years at 2.4% over the bank's base rate unless otherwise agreed. The mortgage on the Freehold Property at Newcastle Deaf Centre is held with the NatWest Bank. The loan amount is £270,000 (reduced by a early repayment of £95,000) paid over a 20 year term. The first 10 years are on a Fixed rate at 6.61% and the remaining 10 years at 2.5% over the bank's base rate unless otherwise agreed. The bank has a registered Charge at Companies House dated 5th July 2022 on the property by way of legal mortgage.

St Vincent's Bradford

58

22. DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION SCHEME LIABILITY

Some of the Society's employees belong to a Local Government Pension Schemes (LGPS): the Tyne and Wear Pension Fund (TWPF).

The LGPS is a funded defined benefit plan with benefits earned up to 31 March 2014 being linked to final salary. Benefits after 31 March 2014 are based on a Career Average Revalued Earnings Scheme. Details of the benefits earned over the period covered by this disclosure are set out in 'The Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 2013' and 'The Local Government Pension Scheme (Transitional Provisions, Savings and Amendment) Regulations 2014'.

Funding / Governance Arrangements of the LGPS

The funded nature of the LGPS requires participating employers and its employees to pay contributions into the Fund, calculated at a level intended to balance the pension liabilities with investment assets. Information on the framework for calculating contributions to be paid is set out in LGPS Regulations 2013 and the Fund's Funding Strategy Statement. The last actuarial valuation was at 31 March 2022 and the contributions to be paid until 31 March 2024 resulting from that valuation are set out in the Fund's Rates and Adjustment Certificate.

The Fund Administering Authority responsible for the governance of the Fund is South Tyneside.

Assets

The assets allocated to the Employer in the Fund are notional and are assumed to be invested in line with the investments of the Fund for the purposes of calculating the return to be applied to those notional assets over the accounting period. The Fund is large and holds a significant proportion of its assets in liquid investments. As a consequence there will be no significant restriction on realising assets if a large payment is required to be paid from the fund in relation to an employer's liabilities. The assets are invested in a diversified spread of investments and the approximate split of assets for the fund as a whole (based on data supplied by the Administering Authority) is shown in the disclosures.

Risks associated with the Fund in relation to accounting

Asset volatility: The liabilities used for accounting purposes are calculated using a discount rate set with reference to corporate bond yields. If assets underperform this yield this will create a deficit in the accounts. The Fund holds a significant proportion of growth assets which, while expected to outperform corporate bonds in the long term, creates volatility and risk in the short term in relation to the accounting figures.

Changes in Bond Yield: A decrease in corporate bond yields will increase the value placed on the liabilities for accounting purposes although this will be marginally offset by the increase in the assets as a result.

The majority of the pension liabilities Inflation Risk: are linked to either pay or price inflation. Higher inflation expectations will lead to a higher liability value. The assets are either unaffected or loosely correlated with inflation meaning that an increase in inflation will increase the deficit.

Life expectancy: The majority of the Fund's obligations are to provide benefits for the life of the member following retirement, so increases in life expectancy will result in an increase in the liabilities.

Exiting employers: Employers who leave the Fund (or their guarantor) may have to make an exit payment to meet any shortfall in assets against their pension liabilities. If the employer (or guarantor) is not able to meet this exit payment the liability may in certain circumstances fall on other employers in the Fund. Further the assets at exit in respect of 'orphan liabilities' may, in retrospect, not be sufficient to meet the liabilities. This risk may fall on other employers. 'Orphan liabilities' are currently a small proportion of the overall liabilities in the Fund.

The Administering Authority may invest a small proportion of the Fund's investments in the assets of some of the employers participating in the Fund if it forms part of their balanced investment strategy.

59

22. DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION SCHEME LIABILITY (CONTINUED)

Principal actuarial assumptions	TWPF 2024 2023
Discount rate for scheme liabilities	4.8% 4.7%
Infation assumption (CPI)	2.6% 2.7%
Rate of increase for pensions in payment/infation	2.6% 2.7%
Rate of increase in salaries	4.1% 4.2%

The current mortality assumptions include sufficient allowance for future improvements in mortality rates. The assumed remaining life expectations on retirement age 65 are:

Retiring today: Males Females Retiring in 20 years: Males Females The Society's share of the assets in the scheme were:	TWPF	TWPF
	2024 2023 21.0 21.6 24.2 24.6 22.3 22.9 25.6 26.1
	TWPF
	2024	2023
	%	%
Equities Properties Government bonds Corporate bonds Multi Asset Credit Cash Other Total	50.6% 10.4% 1.3% 19.5% 4.6% 0.7% 12.9% 100.0%	51.2% 10.5% 1.3% 19.5% 4.5% 1.8% 11.2%
		100.0%

The actual return on scheme assets is (£348,000) (2023: (£450,000)).

60

Amounts recognised in the statement of fnancial activities:	2024	2023
	£	£
Current service cost Interest income Interest expense Total amount recognised in the SoFA Changes in the present value of defned beneft obligations were as follows:	(222,000) - 5,000 (217,000) 2024	(518,000) - 1,000
		(517,000)
		2023
	£	£
Brought forward Funds brought in on transfer of employment Current service cost Interest expense Employee contributions Actuarial gain Benefts paid Carried forward Changes in the fair value of Society’s share of scheme assets:	4,749,000 - 222,000 219,000 53,000 (192,000) (246,000) 4,805,000 2024	6,013,000 - 518,000 162,000 56,000 (1,893,000) (107,000)
		4,749,000
		2023
	£	£
Brought forward Interest income Remeasurement gains/(losses) on assets Employer contributions Employee contributions Benefts paid Carried forward Fair value of Scheme Assets Present value of defned beneft obligations Restriction on recognition of scheme assets Defned beneft pension scheme (liability) / asset	7,209,000 340,000 87,000 259,000 53,000 (246,000) 7,702,000 7,702,000 (4,805,000) (2,897,000) -	6,610,000 182,000 166,000 302,000 56,000 (107,000)
		7,209,000
		7,209,000 (4,749,000) (2,460,000)
		-

61

23. ANALYSIS OF GROUP NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS

	Unrestricted	Year Ended 31 March 2024 Restricted	Year Ended 31 March 2024 Restricted	Year Ended 31 March 2024 Endowment	Year Ended 31 March 2024 Endowment	Total	Total
Tangible fixed assets Investments Net current assets Creditors: amounts falling due after more than 1 year Pension liability	Funds £ 3,966,605 1,474,624 3,482,683 (437,780) -	Funds £ - 254,071 1,355,657 - -		Funds £ - 1,061,793 88,747 - -		Funds £ 3,966,605 2,790,488 4,927,087 (437,780) -
Net assets at end of the year	8,486,132	1,609,728		1,150,540		11,246,400	11,246,400
	Unrestricted Funds £	Year Ended 31 March 2023 Restricted Funds £		Year Ended 31 March 2023 Endowment Funds £		Total Funds £
Tangible fixed assets	3,487,646	-	-	-	-	3,487,646
Investments	1,367,782	254,071		958,262		2,580,115
Net current assets	3,796,555	3,100,815		88,747	88,747	6,986,117
Creditors: amounts falling due after more than 1 year	(293,280)	-	-	-	-	(293,280)
Pension liability	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Net assets at end of the year	8,358,703	3,354,886		1,047,009		12,760,598

SVP Revive, Sunderland

62

24. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

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At the start Gains and At the end
of the year Income Expenditure Transfers (losses) of the year
£ £ £ £ £ £
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24. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS	At the start of the year £	Income £	Expenditure £	Transfers £	Gains and (losses) £	At the end of the year £
Endowment funds: Subsidiaries (note 17): David Young’s Charity Pen-Y-Pound House capital fund T B Hunt Trust capital fund Charity: The Estate of Francis Thompson Total endowment funds Restricted funds: Subsidiaries (note 17): David Young’s Charity Pen-Y-Pound House income fund T B Hunt Trust income fund Charity: Approved premises, Newcastle Community Grant Restricted legacies Revive Leeds Twinning Youth Hollyhock fund Special restricted funds Other restricted funds Total restricted funds Unrestricted funds: Designated funds: AP Building fund Conference funds CSP Project fund Fixed asset fund National Shops Start up funds Revive Distribution Shops Development fund (Covid Grants) Social Enterprise Retained Income fund St Jude's Sales Proceeds Twinning Special designated funds: Central Council Projects Fund Cost of Living Fund Innovation Fund Total Special designated funds Other designated funds Total designated funds Revaluation reserve General funds Total unrestricted funds	188,088 388,147 289,616 181,158 1,047,009 53,379 10,037 30,043 358,000 25,000 1,679,266 110,929 263,583 - 648,519 176,130 3,354,886 174,356 2,914,184 193,741 597,439 51,866 12,500 97,938 149,757 327,908 275,561 706,579 282,117 117,215 1,105,911 480,272 6,381,433 625,477 1,351,793 8,358,703 12,760,598	- - - - - 11,262 14,159 8,759 - - - 390,200 - - 673,179 1,097,559 - 2,409,972 - - - - - - 231,297 - 23,598 - 23,598 1,300 2,666,167 - 12,033,775 14,699,942 15,797,501	- - - - - (15,091) - (7,220) - - - - (358,028) - - (617,836) (998,175) - (2,162,451) - (168,154) - - - - - (143,484) - (675) (394) (1,069) - (2,475,158) - (14,115,160) (16,590,318) (17,588,493)	- - - - - - - - - (25,000) (1,679,266) - - 54,345 (152,621) - (1,802,542) (59,137) - (105,049) - 22,354 - (29,044) (104,231) (174,244) - (190,846) (253,444) (12,203) (456,493) (79,572) (985,416) - 2,787,958 1,802,542 -	8,021 46,575 28,814 20,121 103,531 - - (42,000) - - - - - - - (42,000) - (1,719) - 91,189 - 104,462 - - - - - - - - - 193,932 - 21,331 215,263 276,794	196,109 434,722 318,430 201,279
						1,150,540
						49,550 24,196 31,582 316,000 - - 110,929 295,755 54,345 495,898 231,473
						1,609,728
						115,219 3,159,986
						88,692 520,474
						74,220 116,962
						68,894 45,526
						153,664 363,374
						515,733 51,596
						104,618 671,947 402,000
						5,780,958 625,477 2,079,697
						8,486,132
						11,246,400

Details concerning the purposes of endowment, restricted and designated funds can be found on the following pages.

63

24. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS (CONTINUED)

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At 1 April Gains and At 31 March
Prior year movement in funds 2022 Income Expenditure Transfers (losses) 2023
£ £ £ £ £ £
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Endowment funds: Subsidiaries (note 17): David Young’s Charity Pen-Y-Pound House capital fund T B Hunt Trust capital fund Charity: The Estate of Francis Thompson Total endowment funds Restricted funds: Subsidiaries (note 17): David Young’s Charity Pen-Y-Pound House income fund T B Hunt Trust income fund Charity: Approved Premises Pension Provision Approved premises, Newcastle B-Attitude Community Grant Furniture stores Restricted legacies Revive Leeds Twinning Special restricted funds Other restricted funds Total restricted funds Unrestricted funds: Designated funds: AP Building fund Conference funds CSP Project fund Fixed asset fund National Shops Start up funds Revive Distribution Shops Development fund (Covid Grants) Social Enterprise Retained Income fund St Jude's Sales Proceeds Twinning Special designated funds: Central Council Projects Fund Cost of Living Fund Innovation Fund Total Special designated funds Other designated funds Total designated funds Revaluation reserve General funds Total unrestricted funds	209,387 424,022 311,811 196,658 1,141,878 54,757 38,697 26,035 320,000 143,000 172 - 142,875 1,679,266 - 458,878 724,062 598 3,588,340 - 2,484,259 - 811,534 - 136,269 118,677 - 461,996 116,368 - 107,025 180,341 287,366 121,254 4,537,723 625,477 3,911,830 9,075,030 13,805,248	- - - - - 9,937 14,143 8,749 - - - 25,000 - - - 256,911 - 626,046 940,786 - 2,337,956 - 17,734 - - - - - 334,132 - 184,066 - 184,066 3,600 2,877,488 - 10,404,455 13,281,943 14,222,729	- - - - - (11,315) (42,803) (4,741) - - 57 - - - - (354,937) - (450,514) (864,253) - (1,902,155) - (156,229) - - - - - (405,202) - (5,015) - (5,015) - (2,468,601) - (11,948,345) (14,416,946) (15,281,199)	- - - - - - - - (320,000) - (229) - (142,875) - 110,929 (97,269) (75,543) - (524,987) 174,356 - 193,741 - 51,866 (110,929) (20,739) 149,757 (134,088) 230,263 706,579 (3,959) (63,126) 639,494 355,418 1,529,139 - (1,004,152) 524,987 -	(21,299) (35,875) (22,195) (15,500) (94,869) - - - - 215,000 - - - - - - - - 215,000 - (5,876) - (75,600) - (12,840) - - - - - - - - - (94,316) - (11,995) (106,311) 13,820	188,088 388,147 289,616 181,158
						1,047,009
						53,379 10,037 30,043 - 358,000 - 25,000 - 1,679,266 110,929 263,583 648,519 176,130
						3,354,886
						174,356 2,914,184
						193,741 597,439
						51,866 12,500
						97,938 149,757
						327,908 275,561
						706,579 282,117
						117,215 1,105,911 480,272
						6,381,433 625,477 1,351,793
						8,358,703
						12,760,598

Details concerning the purposes of endowment, restricted and designated funds can be found on the following pages.

64

Purposes of endowment funds

David Young's Charity: This is a separate charitable trust controlled by the Society. The Trustees' main objective through this endowment fund is to alleviate poverty amongst Catholics. SVP members are eligible to apply to this fund.

Pen-Y-Pound House capital fund: This is a separate charitable trust controlled by the Society. The Trustees' main objective is to further the work of the Roman Catholic Church in relieving the poor of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cardiff. The fund comprises a permanent endowment fund which is invested on a recognised stock exchange to provide income for furthering the Trust's objectives.

T B Hunt Capital Fund: This is a permanent endowment fund arising from a legacy. The terms of the legacy are to invest the fund in quoted investments on a recognised stock exchange to provide an income for the T B Hunt Trust Fund.

The Estate of Francis Thompson: This is a permanent endowment fund arising from a legacy. The terms of the legacy are to invest the fund in quoted investments on a recognised stock exchange to provide an income for the Christ the King Conference in Wavertree, Liverpool. The Francis Thompson Income Fund is included in Other Restricted Funds.

Purposes of restricted funds

David Young's Charity: This is a separate charitable trust controlled by the Society. The Trustees' main objective is to alleviate poverty amongst Catholics. SVP members and staff are eligible to benefit from this fund.

Pen-Y-Pound House Income fund: This fund is to be spent in relieving the poor of Cardiff.

T B Hunt Trust: This is a separate charitable trust controlled by the Society. The Trustees' main objective is to provide help to those in need in the Leicester and Market Harborough areas. The TB Hunt Fund was established with funds left to the SVP by Thomas Bernard Hunt, who died in 1928. His desire was to alleviate poverty among the Catholic poor in the areas of Leicester and Market Harborough. The SVP distributes grants on a quarterly basis to people in need.

of Justice grants. The fund is neutral as a result of the pension surplus of £Nil (2023:surplus of £Nil) on the Tyne and Wear pension fund as described in note 22. Any future deficit will be repaid over the period agreed with the pension scheme; this is approximately 20 years.

Furniture stores: This fund is represented by properties acquired with the assistance of Community Fund grants and donations to provide low cost furniture to those in need.

Restricted legacies: The fund transfers above reflect a reallocation of £1,679,266 which, upon review during the year, relate to unrestricted funds.

Revive Leeds: Revive Leeds is set up as a Community Interest Company in which we hold a 50% interest. The project generates income by selling items donated from household waste sites. These items have been saved from going into landfill. This restricted fund represents the Society's share of net assets.

Twinning: This represents funds contributed mainly by Conferences specifically to support the activities of the Society's sister organisations overseas.

B-Attitude: This fund has been spent on the content and technical development of the online spiritual resources which form part of the package for the Young Vincentians’ B-Attitude apostolate, helping our 14-18 year olds better connect their charitable works with transferrable life skills and an active faith.

Special restricted funds: The balance at 31 March 2024 comprises:

• Appleton Fund: This is mainly used for the development of South Lancashire Projects.

Other restricted funds: Other restricted funds

cover various projects for people in need including local restricted funds held by Conferences and Councils.

Purposes of designated funds

Generally, designated funds are spent and replenished in a year. Members are encouraged to apply for use of these funds.

AP Building Fund: Fund for building improvement works at the Approved Premises projects in Newcastle.

Approved premises, Newcastle: This represents

Ozanam House, St Christopher's Hostel with the approved premises pension fund, which are approved premises funded with the help of Ministry

65

Conference Funds: This fund represents the reserves of the Society that are delegated to the control of Conferences. Each Conference has a bank account and most will also have small petty cash balances. These funds belong to the Society as a whole, and can be called upon by the Trustees if required, but the Society prefers to manage this on a voluntary and consultative basis. Conferences manage their own fundraising and the distribution of the funds under their control within the rules and guidance set out by the Society. Conferences report back their financial activity on a quarterly basis. We encourage Conferences to put their funds to good use and discourage the holding of funds which are surplus to local requirements. We expect funds to be turned over and replenished within one year. Conferences with funds in excess of their requirements are urged to transfer any excess to another part of the Society where the need is greater.

In addition to the funds held directly by Conferences, there are also funds held nationally on behalf of Conferences. This is typically legacies left to the SVP that reference a particular Conference. We ask all Conferences that are mentioned in a legacy to suggest a plan for how they intend to spend the money. We expect that plan to involve spending the legacy in full within 5 years. The plans are subject to review and approval by the Executive Committee or the Board, depending on the size of the legacy. If a Conference does not come up with an acceptable plan then the legacy will be spent by the Society in accordance with the wishes of the benefactor.

CSP Project Fund: This fund is primarily to seedfund projects in existing Community Support Projects.

Fixed Asset Fund: This fund shows the amount of the Society's funds invested in its unrestricted fixed assets net of any property revaluations. Depreciation relating to fixed assets is charged to the fund on an annual basis.

Weidner Holiday fund: This Fund was to be spent on the poor and needy both in Newcastle and the other areas covered by Tyne Central Council.

by selling items donated from household waste sites. These items have been saved from going into landfill. This designated fund represents the balance (after restricted) of the Society's share of net assets.

Shops Development Fund (Covid Grants): Funded from grants, this funds is for building improvement works in SVP shops

Social Enterprise Retained Income Fund: This fund is for seed-funding for new Social Enterprise projects.

St Jude's Sales Proceeds: This fund is primarily being used for Membership Support Officers where the local central council does not have sufficient funds themselves.

Twinning: This represents funds contributed mainly by Conferences specifically to support the activities of the twinning programme.

Special designated funds: These comprise a number of funds to which Conferences can contribute. Applications for grants can be made by Conferences to any of the funds with the exception of the Spiritual Formation fund. The Society expects to spend the current balances within five years. The funds are:

• Central Council Projects Fund: Some central councils have access to this fund, to be spent on projects in their local area.

• Cost of Living Fund: Members can apply to this fund for help with beneficiary support.

• Innovation Fund: This fund is available for members who would like to start a new, innovative project in their local area.

• Debt Counselling: Used to help support and develop debt counselling provision at the Society's Support Centres.

Other designated funds: Other designated funds cover various projects for people in need. Members can apply to a special fund and guardians award grants according to the aims of the fund.

National Shops Start up Funds: Funded from a legacy, this fund is used to pay for set up costs for new National SVP shops.

Revive Distribution: Revive Leeds is set up as a Community Interest Company in which we hold a 50% interest. The project generates income

66

25. OPERATING LEASE COMMITMENTS

The group had total commitments at the year end under operating leases expiring as follows:

	2024 Land and buildings	2023 Land and buildings
	£	£
Within 1 year 2-5 years Over 5 years	687,925 2,046,456 1,701,170 4,435,551	586,236 1,909,215 1,214,210
		3,709,661

26. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Helen O'Shea is a trustee of Porta Pia and David Young's Charity. The Charity received restricted grant income from Porta Pia of £35,000 (2023 - £35,000).

The total amount of donations from Trustees without any conditions attached amounted to £3,640 during the year (2023 - £47,175).

SVP Trading (note 17) - Income received by the Charity amounted to £116,952 (2023 - £36,701). Expenditure by the Charity amounted to £162,111 (2023 - £37,005). Internal recharges by the Charity amounted to £18,056 (2023 - £10,473). Amount due to group undertakings amounted to: £64,790 (2023 - £82,453).

Revive CIC is a related party as it is a Jointly Controlled Entity as detailed in note 18. During the year, the Society was entitled to a distribution from Revive CIC of £62,575 (2023: £108,421) as the agreement states all profits must be distributed evenly between the member charities. This amount was outstanding at the year end.

T B Hunt Trust Fund: The trust fund received dividends of £8,759 (2023 - £8,749) during the year. There were no outstanding creditor or debtor balances at the year end.

27. CAPITAL COMMITMENTS

There were no capital commitments at the year end.

28. POST BALANCE SHEET EVENTS

In June 2024 the Trustees took the decision not to retender for the Ministry of Justice contracts for the two Approved Premises in Newcastle. Work is ongoing to transfer the projects to a new provider as a going concern.

29. FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

29. FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
	Group 2024	Charity 2024	Group 2023	Charity 2023
	£	£	£	£
Financial assets that are debt instruments measured at amortised cost Financial liabilities at amortised cost	289,830 728,455	276,255 756,295	391,490 549,929
				292,866
				599,327

67

30. COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment 2023 2022
Funds Funds Funds Total Total
Note £ £ £ £ £
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Income Donations and legacies 2 Other trading activities 3 Income from investments Income from charitable activities: Retail Holidays and camps Residential provision Community Support Projects Social Enterprise Activities Youth development Other income Total income 4 Expenditure Expenditure on raising funds 5 Expenditure on charitable activities: Visits & assistance to individuals and families Retail Holidays and camps Residential provision Community Support Projects Social Enterprise Activities Youth Development Programme Twinning Total expenditure 6 Net (losses) / gains on investments 14 Share of proft / (loss) in jointly controlled entities 18 Net (expenditure) / income 7 INTERCOMPANY INCOME AND EXPENDITURE Transfers between funds 23 Actuarial gains / (losses) on defned beneft pension scheme 22 Net movement in funds Funds at the start of the year 23 Funds at the end of the year 23	5,230,685 172,349 222,241 3,921,447 155,865 2,341,979 349,434 638,573 22,412 226,958 13,281,943 766,054 3,075,931 3,819,343 446,156 2,362,569 2,285,906 898,486 347,157 415,344 14,416,946 (93,471) (12,840) (1,241,314) 524,987 - (716,327) 9,075,030 8,358,703	907,957 - 32,829 - - - - - - - 940,786 - 509,373 - - - - - (57) 354,937 864,253 - - 76,533 (524,987) 215,000 (233,454) 3,588,340 3,354,886	- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (94,869) - (94,869) - - (94,869) 1,141,878 1,047,009	6,138,642 172,349 255,070 3,921,447 155,865 2,341,979 349,434 638,573 22,412 226,958 14,222,729 766,054 3,585,304 3,819,343 446,156 2,362,569 2,285,906 898,486 347,100 770,281 15,281,199 (188,340) (12,840) (1,259,650) - 215,000 (1,044,650) 13,805,248 12,760,598	5,942,974 38,722 204,113 3,482,433 79,016 2,099,679 240,515 565,880 8,373 562,078
					13,223,783
					485,726 3,157,622 3,546,899 250,843 2,009,878 1,667,415 570,373 211,393 698,409
					12,598,558
					171,942 125,261
					922,428 - 143,000
					1,065,428
					12,739,820
					13,805,248

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LEGAL & ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Status

The St Vincent de Paul Society (England & Wales) is a charitable company limited by guarantee incorporated on 13 March 1996 and registered as a charity on 25 March 1996.

Auditors

Saffery LLP 10 Wellington Place Leeds LS1 4AP

Governing document

The St Vincent de Paul Society was established under a memorandum of association which established the objects and powers of the organisation and is governed under its articles of association revised and adopted by Special Resolution on 2 August 2019.

Company Number: 3174679

Charity Number: 1053992

Registered and Principal Office: Romero House, 55 Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7JB

Senior Management Team

Chief Executive Officer: Elizabeth Palmer Deputy CEO: Kate Nightingale Director of Finance: Christine Knight Director of Governance: Beverley Whittaker Director of Fundraising: Ken Madine Director of Communications and Marketing:

John Egan Director of Membership: Jon Cornwall Young Vincentians Programme Director:

Sarah Barber

Bankers

National Westminster Bank plc 250 Bishopsgate London EC2M 4AA

Solicitors

McCarthy Denning 25 Southampton Buildings London WC2A 1AL

Investment Advisers

Rathbones (Incorporating Investec Wealth & Investment (UK)) 2 Castlefield Court Church Street Reigate Surrey RH2 0AH

CCLA

Senator House 85 Queen Victoria St London EC4V 4ET

Director of Retail, Trading and Social Enterprise:

Helen Voyce

Patrons

Cardinal Vincent Nichols Sir John Battle

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THANK YOU

A thank you to everyone who supported us in 2023-24, including those who gave us National grants:

• Albert Trust

• B&Q

• Barnabas Charitable Trust

• Better Place Outdoor Project Fund

• Cash for Kids Cost of Living Grant Fund

• ChangeX

• Charities Trust - Natwest

• Charles & Elsie Sykes Trust

• Chorley Council

• Cllr Community Grant

• Community First Yorkshire

• Community Foundation P&G

• CP5 Small Grants Fund

• Culture Investment Fund - Community Foundation

• DiMascio Innovation Fund

• DP World

• Fowler, Smith & Jones

• Garfield Weston

• Grace Trust

• HAF

• Harry Bottom Charitable Trust

• His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service

• HSBC

• J G Graves Charitable Trust

• James Neill Trust

• Nationwide

• Northfield Micro Grant

• One Wirral - Community Health Checks

• Police Crime Commissioner Community Cashback

• Portia Pia

• Rosca Trust

• Sainsbury’s Helping Everyone Eat Better Fund

• Screwfix

• Sheffield City Council

• Silver Lady Fund

• South Yorkshire's Community Foundation (SYCF) Cost of Living Fund

• Southend Emergency fund

• SYCF - Community Grants Programme

• The National Lottery Awards for All

• The National Lottery Community Fund Cost-of-Living Fund

• The National Lottery Community Fund Reaching Communities

• Tyneside Mind

• UCB Community Health Fund

• Wickes

• Wirral Borough Council Household Support Fund

• Wirral Council Household Support Small Grants

• Joseph & Mary Hiley Trust

• LCF Digital

• LCF Men's Suicide Prevention

• Leigh Rotary

• Lottery Awards for All

• Mollie Croysdale Charitable Trust

• Morrisons Foundation

70

The work the SVP does for the vulnerable in our society is inspirational, its great to be a small part of it. The community of volunteers is diverse, which is a strength but also a challenge. It's good to have social events for the volunteers. Thank you!

Volunteer

I just want to say a big thank you to you and your team in supporting SL. Having worked with SL for 2 years I know at times she can be challenging and unfortunately this resulted in her being evicted from our supported living accommodation. However you and your team have gone above and beyond to support her and keep her safe which is reassuring as I'm not sure where she would be if it wasn't for you guys. Thank you so much for all your help and support. HN

Partner

The welcoming community spirit at SVP is great. Together we have achieved so much - there is always more we could do but we shouldn’t forget how far we’ve come as we work to further extend our practical support for our desperate and vulnerable neighbours. Its great to see how many volunteers are involved on the rotas and I love the idea of pioneers. NN

Volunteer

We would like to say a special ‘thank you’ to the SVP on behalf of our son and our family. Honestly, we don’t know how to thank

you all. It was devastating for our son to lose his leg aged just 15 and we have been struggling for the whole of the summer while he has been in hospital and we have not been able to work. When the SVP group in Abingdon approached us to say they might be able to help in some small way, it was a great relief. Our son has just come out of hospital and we are now able to begin to rebuild our lives. Thank you so much. NN Beneficiary

54

Dear St Vincent’s,

I would like to express my thanks and appreciation for the help, advice, and support which my cousin and I received from your benefit advisors. At the time I was supporting my cousin who was ill and attempting to apply for the relevant benefits. Samantha Cheshire assisted and provided advice and assistance enabling my cousin to receive PIP and a Blue Badge. These made a significant difference to his life. Although it has taken me some to write I have not forgotten the help we received. Not only did we receive professional

advice, but we received kindness and helpfulness. I would also like to thank Sophie who does an amazing job juggling all the phone calls for her patience and considerate manner when dealing with people who are often stressed by their circumstances. Please accept my donation of £100 to St Vincent’s for

the wonderful and much appreciated work you do to support people at times when they are at their most vulnerable. I hope your work continues for many years into the future. N

Mrs Lawrenson

This is to thank everyone who has contributed to making our house as comfortable as can be. We are overwhelmed by this kind gesture of love and family oneness. Words cannot express the feeling warmness, care and faithfulness to a course as exhibited by you all. We thank you for all the gift in all it ramifications. The children are happy,the home is beautiful. We are eternally grateful. God bless and replenish all who have contributed one way or the other to make all this happen. Thanks too for accepting us into this God-loving family. Thank you all.

Mr & Mrs C & Family

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St Vincent de Paul Society Romero House 55 Westminster Bridge Road London SE1 7JB

Call 020 7703 3030 Visit svp.org.uk

Keep in touch with us SVPEnglandWales SVPenglandandwales