Registered number 03150505 Meridian Wellbeing Report and Accounts 31 March 2025 eridian Wellbeing Report and accounts Contents Page Directors, report Statement of directors, responsibilities Independent examinerfs report Statement of financial activilies Income and expenditure account Balance sheet 10 Notes to the accounls 11-16 Merldian Wgllboing Re¥lstsr8d nutnbpi. 03150505 Dlrector$' Report The directors present their r6POrt and acthunts for Ihe yearended 31 Marth 2025. Relerence and admlnistrative detsils Charity number.. 1058934 Company number.. Pri￿1paI offic8'. 3150505 rilage C8ntr8 Lnurch E Hendon NW4 4Jt R Thakkar of Such & Co A$S￿at￿$ Limited OutdoDr Ground Floor, Paxton Terr￿ no. 8 Grosvenor Road London SW1V 3DA Nationa Westminster Bank PLC 403 Bethnal Gr*8n Road, London E2 OAF CAF Bank Limited 25 Klngs Hill Avenue, Kings Hill. W8sI M8111ng Kènt ME19 4JQ Independent 8x8min8r'. Banket5. Directors and Iruslees The fdlowing served as dlrectors ard m&rnbers of the Manag8m8nl Cotnmittee.. Shun Au OBE Chair Dr. Sleph&n Hiew . Traa8ur8r Lulu Langlrea - Honorary Seu818ry Jason Chan Chi Wai Lu Pek Lian Watt Chief Executive Offlcer & CompanySecretary- L Lee Structure, Go¥ern8n¢8 and Monagement Docum&nl MerKlian WellbeiNJ is a tsmpanylimited bygu8rantee govema by its M8morandum arTrd Artides of Association dated 4 October 2002. It 15 registered as a charity wkth the Charity Commission Anyone rwerthty agg of 18 can become a mmb8r of the company and there are currently6 each ofwhom 8qree to contribute £10 In the tvèntof the Gharitvwindino UD. intsnent f The b03r(l of Tru51ee8 lalso known as Ihe Managemènt Cofftmilleel is electsd annually at the AGM. The board may appoinl now Irusl8es byt(Foplion during Ihtr year. In accordance vilh thè Artide5 of Ass(LYalion. 811 members ofth8 Management Committee forthe lime belng Shall reli￿ from Offi￿ al the AGM, but a￿elig￿Ne lo stand for r8-d8ction. Trustse inducti New Iruslees undergo an orienlalion lo brief them on their Ègal obligations undercharlty 8nd ctympany law, the contents of the Mtmorandum and Artides of Associati(￿. the commltt8e and decision making processes. Ihe busineBs plan and reTrnl financlal p&rforrnance of the chanty. During th& Indudion Iheymeel k8y&mploys and olh&r Imslees Trustees ara en¢(MJraged to attend 8ppropri8le exttrmal training events wh&r8 these wll facilitate undertaking of their I￿￿. anisati The board of trusle8s. which shall have the minlmum number of four. adtnini5ters the charity. The board meets at le8St four tlms in a year A Ch￿f Executive is appointed tylrusle&s lo manage the day lo day optrr81ions of the charity. To faoliiaie effective op8r8llons. th9 Chief Executiv8 has délègated authority, wilhin term5 of delegation approved bytha trusl8e8, for oper8lK>nal matt&rs including finance. ernploymenl and furtherance of the Charivs prinCi￿e oblecllve. As far as the trustses ara awBre no paty has infiuence over tha financial and aperallonal pclioes of the charity. Risk m emenl The Iruslees have a risk Mana38m&nt strategy which comprises.. 111 an annual review of tha risks the charity may face." 121 an annual r8view of the systems and proTrdures lo mitigate those risks Idèntified in the plan., 131 the iM￿emen￿lian of proGedures d8sign8d to minimis8 any potential impact on th8 charlly should those risks matsrialise. This work has Idaniified minimal rlsks and it has resulted In btrtt&remergency prweduf8$ arKI contingency plafis. Parbcular att8ntion has on non finan￿al risks 8ri8ing from fire. heatth and saftrtyof ils work forc8 including volunteers and the seNl¢e users. A key element In thé management of finenGid risk is setting of a rtrserves pdicy ils regular review by Irust88S. Merldian Wellbeing Registered numbtrr- 03150505 Dlre¢Èors' R8WIrt Ob'ecti￿¥ athlevom8nt8 and and finan ial reviow This year mark8 a signifirAnt Stepforward in realising Kkridiall W811b81n9's long-hdd vision of developing the Merilage Centre into a thriving. intègrated Wdlbwng Centre for Bamet. Mura than 6,000 people accessed our seNices, and the centre recorded over 15.000 visits, detnonslratirvj the trust rlac8d In u8 88 the galway to mentsl health and wellbeing support In Barnel. Across all our actlvi118s. our core principle has remain￿ tha 8am8.' 10 the individual at the centre of Iheirwellbeing journey. Thr(MJgh our partnerships with the NHS, local authority, and vrdunlary sector. we Gonlinue to offer a s&amless ￿end of clinical. social. and community-based support that enables p80plè lo ramaln well. c￿neCtE*l, 8nd u)nfidènl In th8if lives. Birn¢t WellbeiTr¥ Hub The Bamel Wellbeing Hub IBWHI r8malns th8 backbone of our integrated offer and the starting p￿￿t for most ￿SidentS se8king méntal haallh and wellbeing 5UPPDrt. This yèar, the Hub ddivered its Unlgue Emotion￿ Health Check IEHCI and SOGial pres¢ribln9 palhwgyto over 1,500 P￿￿¢. conneGting them to m&ntal and physical he8tth serviGes. talking therapl8s, community graups, advotra¢y. and spe¢ialigt support. With 829 referrals154%1 ¢￿?￿ng directlyfrom health and soclal rAr8 professionals, the Hub18flThly embedded wit)in Barneys mental heatth pathway and ¢onlinue5 lo be rdied upon as a tWSted nawgabon point acros$ tho System Our IDng-8tandiDg cross-sedorJoint Ca8e Management IMDD rrbÈ&tiw reviewed 472 corylex cases. a 10% risa on1881 year. Thr¢wgh the combined expertistr of NCL Clinicians, AduSt SoGial Care. 8p8¢iallsl VCS organisations and Meridian Wdlbeing navigator5'. 96yo of indwiduals w8r8 safely supported in the cominunity, and 100% of th08e r￿uInn9 specialist care ￿Ere triag8d appropriately into st31ultrry s8rvic8S. This c(Alalx)rative model remaln8 one of our strongest dèmon8tralions of integrated working, relieving pressur8 on NHS and swal Gare and Ènsuring individuals T8¢&lve timely, coordinated support Th8 importance of bglonging and gocigl conn8clion is In ourbmo Wellbping Cafa offers. Our Pt8r-Led We15being Gafès off&ra piaclical brldge for these individuals. providing opwthnilies to meet [￿e[S with lived &xperi8nca and develw the confidèncè and routine needed lo Ihriva outside Slalulory 8eNces. Our Wellbeing Café attht M8rltagfr Centre. run bytrainèd paers and vL4unteers, wel￿me$ around 40 regular p8￿CIp¥nI$ each week. Actiwli&s incjude latrle tennis. arts and crdfts. ￿ard gatllès, lewellery making. p081ry, and gentle exercise., all centr8d around a warm, welcoming space Kthere friandships form and wnfidence grows. The EN4 Wellbeing Café In Now Barnet, de5wered in partnership with thè N&w Barnet Coinmunty Centra and supported by the Pr8vtrnllon & Wellbeing Team, conllnuas lo exp3nd. Wilh fundlng llow secured lor a fvrtherlwo yèats I￿r￿g￿ Neighbourhood CIL, il provide5 a ctuci81 Iwal access point for resid&n18 unable lo travel to Hendon. A atrong complement to our diniGal and soclal prescribing wrk is our physicJ activity programm8. which wntinues lo grow to help individuals improvÈ health, routine and wdlbtring. Our Stsy Active and Connect $8$slons ddiver a wide ran98 of activities induding tai chi. Pilates. 8erolMcs. dance. and chair yoga. offering acc&ssibla for residents to bulld roullne, improve hgallh. 8nd enhgnce resilience. The8e aclivili&s playa key role in supportlng people tran$ilionlng out of statutory $8Mce8 and Tnaintainiw their wdlbeirvJ in the Community Barnet Talklng Therapie5 IfomJÈrly IAPTI Ddivered Ihrovgh thè Mullilingual Wdlbeing Servlce IMWSI consDrtlum, ourdinical $t9ppgd4arè modal tr)nlinues lo ex￿ed nation81 ￿rgetS.. H￿dline recovèryrale.. 57.30A Ivs naliunal targ81 of 50%) ReliaNe rÉcovery'. 54.50A Ivs national target of 48%) Slep 3 CBT cotnp181ions'. 130A at￿ve target Our integrated model. whlch comtynes dinital traalmenl ￿￿th seamless referral into BWH-led wellbelng plans and activities, has reduced waiting times, improved outcoxnès, and enable(I residents lo access comrwnity 5UPPOrt long afterwmplating therapy. Meridian Wellbelng Reglstèred nLkmbÈr-03150505 Dlre¢tors' Report Ob"ectlves achl vem Erforrnan¢p and finan Integrated Volyntsryund Cornmunrty Sfrrvlce IIVC81 Through the v1d1￿l￿g Tagfylher CIC partnership Imèridian Wellb&ing, MIEB. CB Plus. Inclusion BarMII, th8 IVCS supported More than 350 peoplè this yéar. The Servi￿ connects patients preparing for discharge from secondary tnenlal health Care with local activldes and c¢)mmunity-based servitè8 that promote independence and sustainad recovery. The WCS model has workad èxtremely well, Inlegrabng seamlesslywith thè Barnel Wdlbging Hub. Talking The￿a￿eS and the full range ofcommunlty and ¥￿er4ed 5UPPOrt we kyovide al th8 Merilagè Cenlre. Togelher. Ihfrst Services offera coherent and conlinuouÈ pathway that supports indrrfiduals from ¢linitsJ treatment into community life, redudng ptsl4ischarge llsks acros5 emotional, soclal, physiGal and praclical domains. This fluid movement across the system IB only possible bacaugè of thé strong community infrasltucturewe have built. Our trained 8taff and ¥￿UnteerS offer L￿goIng support, slmctur8d wellbeing activities aTrd social connsclion that hdp people maintaln stabililyfoll0￿￿g discharge. Over lime. the Marit*ge ￿￿tre has become an indispensable thmrnunityassetfor mental heallh',1118 awessible. trusled and ¥¥ell understwd byserviTr users, Partners and professionals alike. with d88r xlhwxvk that nnp.rAlp. p.ffp.ptivftlv in hnth dirArt4ftn* is therefore y￿1￿ sadn&ss that we have had lo wlnd down the IVCS service this year, followlng th8 recent NCL re-lendering outcome that awarded the conlr8Ctto a nallonal organisation. While the service was sb"Il in ils dévdoptnental phase and had alr&8dybeguTr to gain reJ Iraclion, Iha rapid P8c8 of system transformation presents challenges for Se￿CeS of this natur&. With a little moretime. the mdel had th0 8trong potential lo m8tur8 Into an Impattful integrated offer for Barn&t r88id8nts, delivered through well.re￿rJ￿d. ostablished and deeply¢onns¢ted organisations within the Wellbeinq T¢oolh&r CIC partTr8ishiD. During the course of Ihls y68r, our partnership will) th& NHS remain5 ￿￿traI to our mission. Across lh8 mulli-disGiplinaryteaffl8 underTalklng Therapies. WCS and the BWH navigators, we ntinue lo demonstrat$ the value of community-based iDtegialed working. offering 8 hollsli¢ care and support package that consistently improves outcomes lor Barnel residents. W8 remain hopeful that opportunilieswill arlst in the nearfLrture to retum 8$ a sys18tn partner, working alongsida the NHS lo contlnu& strèngthening ctymmunity pathways and supporting resid6nls aciDSS the full Chlne$e Wellbelng Sorvices Demand for th8 Chinese Wdlbeing SeNice conllnuès to grow, reflectiry both longstanding community nea 8nd tha increasing numberof HK BNIOI ￿SIdents settling in Bamel and 3urroundlng boroughs. This year. cumul8llv8 attendan￿ Bcr05S the Wellb8ing Club ar￿ Socid Club axc8eded 4,500, while the Befriending Service oparatad 8t more than 60% abov8 targè( d&monslrating the vital rd6 Ihls offer p4gys. Our integrated approach, $panDing intervention. re¢tsvery afNJ pre¥8ntioTr, en3￿e$ individuals to progress at 8 pace Ihal suits them More than 40 Imnèd voluntsers. including form8rÈèrvice u%rs. pla>Ed a cruGial r(Ae in deliverlng s888lons, providing knlingual suprort. and hdping others re-engag8 with the communty. Hong Kong BNIOI Programme though the Bamel HK BNIOI programme funded by th8 Local Welcome Fund end8d last year. it provided 8 strong ￿atrO￿￿ for inlegralion. supporhng hundreds of new arrivals through welltElng activities. culluial events, and comrwnity connection. These earlyfoundalions shaped the br09der modd we now deliver across North London. Our dèlivèry of the HK BNIOI in Harrow d8monslr2W that Ihg Meridian Wellbèing mdel is adaptabl&, SGgl*le, and equally effeclwe outside Bamet. Residents p8rti¢lpaltrd in a wid8 lange of actiwties, Includlng a welcomo pro9fdmme, $8ltlsffleTrtworkshops, tsl chl. wokiDg Gla858s, filn&ss sèssions. and swal groups, all design￿ to support $8tUement, build soclal capital, and increage confidencfy in navigating lrfe in the UK. Both prol*ts highlighted the importanc& of cultural famillarlty, pè&r Support and communlty-based wdlb8ing in helping new arrivals adjust. setue. Inlagr*te and Ihriwe. The momentum built in Bamet and Plarrow evdved n4￿rallY into our longer-tem language >Jpwrt prwramme. Ouf ESOL Classes and ConversatioTh Café hava grown rapidly. with a Incrtra88 in uptake this year. Merldian Wellbping Reglstered number.03150505 DiTeGtor¥' Reptsrt Ob'ectives Bchievements and erformano amd financial rÈv6èw Conv Through a combination of stwclured lessons, infarrn￿ discussion group8 and onllne a¢￿sS oplioro. HK BNIOI residents continue to réc8iv&". tailored English language learnillg wrap-around wellbeing ￿lI¥￿tIeS opportunities to join sports sessions setllement support and guidance 8aninoful social conn8cllons and community Integration The ESOL and Conversation Café prtrJramma18 now one of wr m05t successful ongoing sèrvi¢8S, 8natAlng rasldenls lo develop confidence, m8ke friends. engage in British1rf8, and accass wKler A ThTIVlll9 W&llb&lng Ctrntre-AVlslon Becomlng Reallty What b6gaft over a decade ago as an aspiration lo create a loca. indusivtr, communlty-driven Wellbelng Centre is now firmly 18king shape. The Meritag8 C8ntr8 has b8come 8 vibrant hub of activity. a Itusted space of sUPPOrt, and a c8nlral point of acces5 for mental h￿alth and wellbelng 8etvic8s acro88 Bamet. Through sustained collaboration with Barn81 Councll. NCL, the Integrated Care Board, and our oluntarygector partners. MeD¢ian Wellbeing has becom8 the d8 facto 98teway lo mentsl heahh yervices in the borough. We are proud that the majority of re5id&nts now Win their w8llbelngloumeywith us, often going on to achievé positive clinic81, amlional. soci81 and practical outcomes th￿9h our inlegrale(l Model. In a y&ar deff n8d by 8conomic pressures. workforce challengÈs, and increasing demand aGr055 health and c8re systems. Meridian Wellbeing has reman8d 8leadf8sI in its wtnmitmènt to supportlng those most VUlnera￿e in wr community. Our biend of dinic81 expertise. social pmscribing, cotnrnunlty conne¢Uon. physical activityarKJ cullurally-specialist support continue8 lo rali8ve pressure on str￿t0ry serwces while providirrfJ rasldents with ac*gsible, compassionate. and effècliva p¥thw8yS to wdlbeing. with ¢onlSnued backing from Bamat Council, NCL, th6 ICB and wr partners, wé aw confldent that the Merilage Centre W￿11 contlnue to grow as B8rnefs primary hub for mental he￿th and wellb8ing- rAace where peO￿e feel welGoTlle, etnwwèr8d, and able lo thrivel Looking ahead, the brt>ader hèalth and care landsL¥pe is enteriTVJ a of 81gnificantfinancial uncertainty. The NHS, liké local 8Jlhorilies, faces increasing pressure to wiew prioritie5 and OP8Tale ithin Ilyhter budgets. These shifts will natur￿lY infiutrnce the levd end shape of support available lo community partners and Ihe voluntary sector In the years ahead. Desplle this. there remains a d8ar8nd growln9 recognition of th8 &￿entIal rolo that speGialist oryanisalions ￿8Y in suppotbng diversé communities. weventing escalation of need. and reliewng pressure on slaluiory s&Nl¢es. Community-based ptovision offar8 reach, cuttural understanding and trust that cannot e35ily be iep1icated elstrwhero. As commissioning ￿￿e1$ Èvolvè. il will be important that investm8nt in lttal mental health charFti88 is sustsined. A reduction in such services risks widening inequalities. increasing unmet need and placing vulnèrable r8sidenls at grealer risk of social isrAation, povety-rdated str8ss and detefioraling ments5 health Meridian W8llb8iny stands readyto work Colla￿ratiVe1ywllh pathers to ensurtr that comtnunity st￿ng1hS are protected and that residents conllnue to ben8fft from acc88siNe. eompassionale and cutturally-￿SPDnS1V6 SUPPOrt. As part of this busin8s8 planning pr￿55 Meridian W811being has Identifi￿ Ihtr ftllowlng strategiG objè¢tlves forthe subsequent peri(Kl". 111 To continue to provid& 8 hSgh qualllyof mental heallh wdlb8in9 Se￿CeS lo the generic populati in B8mel. the Chinese Community all over London and UK. setting tha hlghe81 qu81itystandard. 12ITo identify n6vI swrces of funding forth8 organisalion so that it mÈtrtth& increasing demand lor Ils Servi￿5. 131 To ￿ntinUe lodevebp a qualrfiad wwkfor¢e via wmprehensNa training programmè. We welcotne th8 vlew5 and contributions of all our 8ervlce users 8nd Iheirfamilles. If any one wishes lo comment on I￿r strategic obj*ctiV8s or any other aspect of our annual report pleas8 write to.. Shun Au 08E Chair Meritag8 Ctrntre Chureh End Hendon NW4 Ore-mail,. Info@meridianwdlb8ing.com Meridian Wellbeing Registered number-0315Q505 Di*è¢tors' Report nvestment ower and lic Underthe Memorandum and Attioles of Association, Ihe charity has the towerto invest in 8nyW8y the lty$le8$ wish. Howèvèr. bearing in miThd the liquidity requirements of providing high quality direct setvices such as counselling. advi￿ and information to the Ch8riWs beneficiaries of all ages. the trus18es hav8 deuded lo k88p available fund8 In an ini&r&sl bèarlng de[￿Sit account. Rè8etve Poll The management committee ha8 established a pollttyof ￿￿rkIng Iuw8rds malntainlng unra8lrlct8d funds of between 3 6 months. which is a genefal fund lo b8 availab18 for us8 at the discretion of th& director&lnJstees in furtheranceof the general charitable objectives. The directors have idenlth8d th￿e purposes to whlch the Un￿gIrl¢l•d fund is èarmarked and note no.14a is showing the analysis of thè fund A significant part of ourwork will be directed lowafds increasing capaotylo provlda a wlder r8nga of welliEing servltts lo the Ch8ritys btrn8ficiarte5 and devdoping a fully fledged Wellbeing Centre. Indemnl Insurance The charity has insure(l against Ios5 arising from the neglact or d￿aUltaf any of thè Managem8Trt Committee Members. Insuran￿. against the possibililyof clalms. arising during the