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2023-03-31-accounts

April 2022 - March 2023

People First (Self Advocacy) A charity and company limited by guarrantee Charity number: 1057354 Company number: 03134827 Registered office: 336 Brixton Road, London SW9 7AA

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Contents

Message from the Chair 4
Message from the Director 5
Our People 6
Vision, Missions and Values 7
Our Campaign Priorities 9
Our Activities and Achievements: 11
Our Policy work 15
Campaigns and Consultations 16
Organisational Development 17
Finance Section:
Part 1: Legal and Administrative Information
Part 2: Report of the Management Committee
Part 3: Summary Accessible Accounts for the
year 2022/23
Part 4: Independent Examiner's Report
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Part 5: Statement of Financial Activities

The Management Committee presents its report and independently examined financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2023

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49

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Policy meetings attended

Online meetings & focus groups with self advocates

240

individuals Increased received advocacy Twitter support followers to over 7

1308 3 Newsletters

Presentations at events

3 Government consultations responded to

5

Campaigns supported

3

People First (Self Advocacy) is a national user-led self-advocacy organisation. We have both individual members and member self-advocacy organisations. Our Management Committee members and staff all have learning difficulties and our staff are supported through Access to Work to break down the barriers they face as professionals.

Speaking up… Speaking out!

Message from the Chair Christine Spooner

During 2022-2023 we did a lot of work around updating our digital systems. Covid19 made us realise that we needed to update the ways we communicate and support people with learning difficulties to get online.

Our team had to make lots of changes to how they work and learn new skills so they can use online platforms as a lot of meetings are now online.

In September 2022, we started working on our Management Committee Induction and Development Programme pack. We are now working through it with our own trustees and plan to pilot this accessible userled programme with other self-advocacy organisations.

We are looking forward to doing more networking, campaigning and membership work this year.

Thank you to the People First team and members for continuing to campaign for our our rights.

4

Message from the Director

Andrew Lee

Over the last year we continued to lobby policy makers to communicate directly with user-led organisations rather than going straight to the large non-user led organisations.

Because there have been less opportunities to have direct contact with politicians, we joined other Deaf and Disabled People Organisations (DDPOs) to campaign and influence policy.

Digital exclusion remains an area of focus as many bodies and services are moving to online systems.

For example:

We are working on these issues.

Thank you to all our team, our members, and supporters for helping us to continue our work.

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Our people

Management Committee Members

Christine Spooner: Chair Marie Emma Claire: Vice Chair Michael Brookstein: Treasurer Derek Stevens: Campaigns Officer Kate Brackley: Membership Secretary Ruth Caroline Carter: Company Secretary John Elliffe: Management Committee Member Bella Edwards: Management Committee Member

Staff Team

Andrew Lee: Director

Samantha Johnson: Advocacy Manager

Ray Johnson: Development Manager

Lorena Hall Empower Manager

We have a team of fantastic supporters who help us do our work. We fund this support through Access to Work.

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Vision

A UK which is free of barriers faced by people with learning difficulties.

Where people with learning difficulties have:

Mission

To promote the user-led voice of people with learning difficulties as equal and valued citizens. We do this by supporting people with learning difficulties and their user-led organisations to grow and have a voice both at a local and a national level.

We also support decision makers and services to understand the barriers we face at all levels of society and the support we need to break down these barriers.

7

Values

In 2020 we produced a three year plan. We reviewed it during the pandemic as a lot of things had to change.

During this year we started to review it so we can have a new plan for 2024 - 2027.

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Our Campaign Priorities

Accessible Information and Easy Read

Supporting access to information through more accessible information, processes, communication, and wider use of Easy Read, so that people have the information they need to make decisions and have control of their lives.

Information is power!

Self-advocacy and speaking up

Supporting the growth of userled speaking up and selfadvocacy groups so that people with learning difficulties have the support to speak up, build confidence and break down barriers together.

Nothing about us without us!

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Community Advocacy and Support

Supporting access to good, flexible independent local advocacy and support that treats each person as a whole. Having the support to do what they want in life and full access to independent living, choice, and control.

Don’t break my life up into pieces!

Everything we do is to promote what is important to people with learning difficulties across the UK.

All our activity takes forward our campaign priorities set by our members. These will be reviewed in 2023.

10

Our Activities and Achievements

The Empower Enterprise service received funding from Equally Ours to continue to develop our business model.

Our Empower service includes Easy Read Translation, Easy Read Training and the Easy Read Picture Bank.

We have produced easy documents for a wide range of organisations over the last year.

We also work with individuals and organisations to tailor a complete support package, to develop inclusive and accessible ways of working.

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In May 2022 we recruited an Empower Enterprise Manager. Unfortunately, they had to step down from the role in July 2022.

The team was able to respond and come up with an alternative plan and approach.

We have improved our business operations, updated our training service and we are now reviewing the Picture Bank.

The Advocacy Plus service grew out of the Supporting Each Other Equals Power (SEOEP) peer advocacy pilot project in Lambeth.

It is a peer advocacy service where people with learning difficulties support each other to:

We have supported over 200 people through 1-1 advocacy, group advocacy and online advocacy support during the last year.

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The Self-Advocate’s Support and Action Group continued to meet but decided to meet every 2 weeks from September 2023 as members had started to do more faceto-face events and activities.

After a review in January 2023 we started meeting monthly. Members still wanted the group to continue as they found it an important source of support and information.

Chris Burns is our resident artist who produces artwork based on our discussions.

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Nepal – Include Us! project

We continued our work with self-advocates in Nepal on the Include Us! Project.

We ran online workshops on developing an easy read service led by people with learning difficulties.

In December 2022, we ran an international webinar to tell other countries about the work.

We are now looking forward to running a series of employment workshops with self-advocates next year.

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Our Policy work

Strategic Advocacy

All influencing activity takes forward our campaign priorities set by our members and is directly informed by the views and experiences of both our individual and group members from around the country; and from the projects we deliver.

We continue to raise awareness about health inequalities and work to break down the barriers that cause them.

People First has continued to attend:

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Campaigns and consultations

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• We linked members with different involvement and influencing opportunities, for example with the Patient’s Association, Traverse, NHS England, and Bild.

Our Organisational Development

We reviewed our 2020-2023 Organisational Strategy. We will publish a new plan for 2024-2027.

The pandemic brought into focus the need to transform and modernise our digital operations and systems.

We started work on moving to Office 365, Quick Books, a new database, and website.

We completed a draft Management Committee Induction and Development programme and have started to test out the content.

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Finances

Part 1: Legal and Administrative Information

Charity Name: People First (Self Advocacy) Charity registration number: 1057354 Company registration number: 03134827

Registered Office and operational address: 336 Brixton Road, London, SW9 7AA

Independent Examiner

Dick Maule FCA

The Cross House South Woodchester GL5 5EL

Bankers

Barclays Bank PLC UK Banking, 1 Churchill Place London E14 5HP

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Part 2: Report of the Management Committee

2.1 Risk Management

Risk management: this means when an organisation looks at things that might go wrong and thinks of ways to stop them from becoming a reality.

The Management Committee has spent time looking at what things can go wrong. We often look at ways to make sure the charity faces less risks.

For example:

Safeguarding: this means putting rules into place to make sure that people who could be at risk, can live safely.

We keep facing risks to funding. This year, we had some funding come to an end. We need to make sure that we are not continuing work that we are not receiving funding for.

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We didn’t realise how much the success of a project could affect the main work of an organisation.

We are now working to make sure that the project work of the organisation has lots of funding.

2.2 Structure of the Organisation

People First has a Management Committee of up to 12 members who meet at least six times.

They are responsible for agreeing on the aims and policies of the charity.

2.3 Day to day Management

The Director of People First, Andrew Lee, does the day-to-day work.

Andrew makes sure the charity meets its targets. He makes sure that staff can do their jobs and carry on building their skills and working well together.

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2.4 Reserves Policy

We must aim to have reserves to cover the organisations running costs for 6 months, the trustees recognise that our reserves have fallen below that aim.

Our unrestricted funds as at 31st March 2023 are £2,309 (2022: £16,262)

The balance on our restricted income reserves as at 31[st] March 2023 is now £0 (2022: £45,123).

We are aiming to increase our reserves through our Empower! Enterprise - Accessible Information and Communication Service.

We are also increasing other contracts and consultancy work.

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2.5 Public benefit Statement

The company’s objectives and principal activities are to:

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Part 3: Summary Accessible Accounts for the year 2022/23

Accessible Accounts report by: The Treasurer

The full independently examined accounts for 2022/23 are shown at the end of this report.

The next few pages explain the money information in a different way to make it clearer.

What the Independent Examiner thought of the full Accounts!

Because we are a charity as well as a company, we have had our finances independently examined.

They said we kept good records and that we spent money correctly.

Where we got our money from!

Grant Money that we got from funders: Grant from Charitable Trusts

Total Grants – £94,172 (2022: £181,780)

Access to Work: Money for workers’ support

Total£50,830 (2022: £64,766 )

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By selling things , giving training, making documents accessible

Total£28,163 (2022: £12,880)

Bank Interest Total - £8 (2022: £82)

Total money coming in: £173,173 (2022: £259,508).

What did we spend the money on?

Money was spent mainly on wages for staff, rent and running costs for the office and general membership and project activity.

Total money going out: £232,249 (2022: £249,499)

Did we have any money left over at 31[st] March 2023?

Yes, we had: £2,309

(2022: £61,385)

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Responsibilities of the Management Committee

The Management Committee, who are also known as the Trustees, are responsible for keeping proper accounting records. These records must show clearly how we are doing with our money at any point in time.

The Management Committee have to make sure that the financial statements follow the rules of the Companies Act 2006 .

The Management Committee is also responsible for looking after the assets of the charitable

company, such as computers and furniture, and for taking reasonable steps to stop or prevent anyone from stealing or cheating.

The names of the Members of the Management Committee who served during the year and up to the date of this report are set out on page 6.

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The next part is a statement of the Trustees responsibilities for the purposes of Company Law and is declaring that that we have met these responsibilities.

Trustees' responsibilities statement - Charitable Company

The trustees (who are also directors of People First Self Advocacy 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, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for the year

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In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate 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 hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

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In so far as the trustees are aware:

Dick Maule FCA will continue as independent examiner

This report has been prepared in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) 2[nd] edition, the Charities Act 2011, and the Companies Act 2006.

Approved by the Management Committee Date: 16.10.2023

and signed on its behalf by:

Christine Spooner

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The People First Management Committee submits its statutory Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 .

The Trustee’s Report and Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 2006, the Charities Act 2016 and comply with UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (GAAP). They also comply with the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard, also known as the Charities (FRS 102) SORP.

Public benefit statement In reviewing our aims, objectives and activities, the Trustees have taken into account the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit. The Trustees ensure that the activities undertaken are always in line with the charitable aims and objectives as set out in People First’s governing document. This annual report does not include exemptions from disclosure.

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Part 4: Independent Examiner's Report

To the Trustees of People First (Self Advocacy)

I report on the accounts of People First (Self Advocacy) for the year ended 31[st] March 2023, which are set out on pages 32 to 38.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your company’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

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  1. the accounts do not accord with those records. or
  2. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair view, which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination", or
  3. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102). I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Dick Maule FCA The Cross House South Woodchester GL5 SEL 31

Part 5: Statement of Financial Activities

People First (Self Advocacy)

Statement of Financial Activities [including Income and Expenditure Account] for the year ended 31st. March 2023

Unrestricted Restricted
Fund
Funds
Notes
2023
2023
£
£

Income from
[1]
Consultancy, sales and services
13,758
7,405
Donations and legacies
-
-
Interest receivable
8
-
Charitable activities
Grants and contracts
74,675
26,497
Access to Work
50,830
-
Total
139,271
33,902
Expenditure on:
Fund raising
6,750
-
Charitable activities
146,474
79,025
Total
[9]
153,224
79,025
Net income / [expenditure]
(13,953)
(45,123)
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward
16,262
45,123
Total funds at 31st. March 2023
2,309
-
2023
£

21,163
-
8
101,172
50,830
173,173
6,750
225,499
232,249
(59,076)
61,385
2,309
2022
£
12,880
-
82
86,498
64,766
259,508
-
249,499
249,499
10,008
51,377
61,385

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Company number O3134827

People First (Self Advocacy)

Balance Sheet as at 31st. March 2023

Notes

Tangible assets
(2)
Current assets
Stock
(4)
Debtors and prepayments
(5)
Cash at bank and in hand
Current liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling due
(6)
Net current assets
Net assets
Unrestricted funds
General reserves
Restricted funds
Total funds
(8)
2023
£

75
26,524
3,563
30,162
(27,853)
£

-
2,309
2,309
2,309
-
2,309
2022
£
-
75
21,888
69,329
91,292
(29,907)
61,385
61,385
16,262
45,123
61,385

For the year ended 31st March 2023

The company was entitled to the exemption from audit under section 477[2] of the Companies Act 2006

The members have not requested the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The directors acknowledge their responsibility for complying with the requirements

of the act with respect to accounting records and for the preparation of the accounts.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies` regime.

On behalf of the Trustees

CHRISTINE SPOONER Dated:- 08/01/2024

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People First (Self Advocacy)

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31st. March 2023

(1) Principal Accounting Policies

The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are set out below and have remained unchanged from the previous year except for SORP compliance changes.

(a) Basis of preparation

The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. The financial

statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) 2nd edition the Charities Act 2011 and the Companies Act 2006.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

(b) Fund accounting

[i] Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.

[ii]Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the Management Committee for particular purposes.

[iii] Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms of an appeal.

(c) Income

Income is included in the statement of financial activities when the charity

is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income.

[i] Income received by way of grants, donations and gifts and is included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities when receivable. Grants, where entitlement is not conditional on the delivery of a specific performance by the charity, are recognised when the charity becomes unconditionally entitled to the grant.

[ii] Donated services and facilities are included at the value to the charity where this can be quantified.

[iii]The value of services provided by volunteers has not been included in these accounts.

[iv] Investment income is included when receivable.

[v]Income from charitable trading activity are accounted for when earned.

[vi]Income from grants, where related to performance and specific deliverables,

are accounted for as the charity earns the right to consideration by its performance.

(d) Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised on an accrual basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered

[i]Costs of generating funds comprise the costs associated with attracting voluntary income and the costs of trading for fundraising purposes.

[ii] Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated

directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them

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People First (Self Advocacy)

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31st. March 2023

(1) Principal Accounting Policies

[iii]All costs are allocated between the expenditure categories of the SoFA on a basis designed to reflect the use of the resource. Costs relating to a particular activity are allocated directly, others are apportioned on an appropriate basis.

(e) Fixed assets

Fixed assets are depreciated over their expected useful lives on the following bases: Equipment: 25% per annum on the reducing balance basis. Items of equipment are capitalised when the purchase price exceeds £500.

(2) Tangible Assets

Equipment
£
Cost:
Balance brought forward
77,987
Depreciation:
Balance brought forward
77,987
Net book value 31st. March 2023
-
Net book value 31st. March 2022
-
2023
£

(3) Stock
Publications, cassettes and T-shirts
75
(4) Debtors
Prepayment of rent
-
Accrued income
7,000
Sundry debtors
19,524
26,524
(5) Creditors: amounts falling due within 12 months
Deferred grants
-
HMRC
9,319
Sundry creditors and accruals
18,534
27,853
2022
£
75
1,465
20,423
21,888
8,333
6,640
14,934
29,907

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People First (Self Advocacy)

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31st. March 2023

(6) Capital commitments and contingent liabilities

There are no capital commitments at 31st March 2023.

(7) Movements in funds

(7) Movements in funds
Balance Balance
1st. April 31st. March
2022 Income Expenditure 2023
£ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
General Fund 16,262 139,271 (153,224) 2,309
Restricted funds
Leaders with Lived Experience 17,625 - (17,625) -
VCSE 15,000 - (15,000) -
Funding Plus - 7,000 (7,000) -
EDP 12,498 12,497 (24,995) -
Nepal : Consultancy - 7,000 (7,000) -
Nepal : CBM Global - 7,000 (7,000) -
Nepal : Unicef - 405 (405) -
45,123 33,902 (79,025) -
(7) Movements in funds : prior year
Balance Balance
1st. April 31st. March
2021 Income Expenditure 2022
£ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
General Fund 20,853 173,010 (177,600) 16,262
Restricted funds
Leaders with Lived Experience 17,625 - - 17,625
VCSE - 60,000 (45,000) 15,000
Grocers Charity 3,000 - (3,000) -
EDP - 12,498 - 12,498
Learning Disability England 1,500 - (1,500) -
Nepal 8,399 14,000 (22,399) -
30,524 86,498 (71,899) 45,123

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People First (Self Advocacy)

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31st. March 2023

(8) Expenditure Charitable
Activities Total
2023 2022
£ £
Staff costs 132,418 142,620
Travel, subsistence and hospitality 368 243
Rent,rates and premises 7,746 4,923
Independent examiner's fees 775 775
Bank charges 216 213
Legal and professional 139 772
Consultancy 69,210 91,338
Office. print, post and stationery 827 1,459
Project expenditure - 768
Telephone 627 676
Insurance 323 369
Books and subscriptions - 358
Website and IT support 7,010 4,775
Easy Read 4,539 -
Room hire 696 211
Committee expenses 604 -
225,499 249,499
Fundraising 6,750 -
232,249 249,499
(9) Employee information
2023 2022
Number of employees 6 6
The average weekly number of employees during the year were calculated on
the basis of average monthly head count.
No employee received emoluments of more than £60,000.
£ £
Salaries and wages 123,477 132,427
Social security costs 4,032 5,148
Pension costs 4,909 5,045
132,418 142,620
(10) Trustees information
£ £
Trustees remuneration and expenses 604 -

The trustees received no remuneration in the year.

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People First (Self Advocacy)

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31st. March 2023

(11) Analysis of prior year funds

People First (Self Advocacy)

Statement of Financial Activities [including Income and Expenditure Account] for the year ended 31st. March 2022

Unrestricted Restricted
Fund
Funds
2022
2022
£
£

Income from
Consultancy, sales and services
12,880
-
Donations and legacies
-
-
Interest receivable
82
-
Charitable activities
Grants and contracts
95,282
86,498
Access to Work
64,766
-
Total
173,010
86,498
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
177,600
71,899
Total
177,600
71,899
Net income / [expenditure]
(4,591)
14,599
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward
20,853
30,524
Total funds at 31st. March 2022
16,262
45,123
2022
£

12,880
-
82
86,498
64,766
259,508
249,499
249,499
10,008
51,377
61,385
2021
£
29,299
3,055
-
159,436
61,132
279,607
242,631
242,631
36,977
14,400
51,377

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People First (Self Advocacy) 336 Brixton Road, London SW9 7AA, England Email: info@ peoplefirstltd.com Website: www.peoplefirstltd.com Tel: 020 7274 5484 Twitter: @PFselfadvocacy

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