Caerphilly People First Trustees' Annual Report 2024-2025
Caerphilly People First Trustees' Annual Report 2024-2025 CONTENTS Trustees' Annual Report Independent examiner's report to trustees Statement of financial activities Statement of financial position Accounting policies Notes to the financial accounts PAGE 2 12 13 14 15 2
Caerphilly People First Trustees' Annual Report 2024-2025 The trustees present their report of the charity for the year ending 31 March 2025. Registered charity name Charity registration number Principle office The trustees Caerphilly People First 1067252 Bargoed YMCA, Aeron Place, Bargoed, CF81 8JA Ffion Bethell Cheyl Smith Sophie Morgan Natalie Stapley AIMS AND OBJECTIVES Caerphilly People First aims to support all people with learning disabilities in Caerphilly County Borough through training, information, and the promotion of self-advocacy. It is a user-led organisation aiming to support its members - and others - by raising awareness of the rights of people to make their own decisions, and to determine that services for people with learning disabilities are appropriately provided. GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT The charity is governed by its constitution and is a charity registered with the Charity Commission. Election of trustees: According to the constitution of Caerphilly People First, the charity in a general meeting shall elect the officers and the other trustees in line with the terms of the constitution. 3
The trustees may appoint a person who is willing to act as a trustee. They may also appoint trustees to act as officers. Each of the trustees shall retire with the effect from the conclusion of the annual general meeting next after his or her term of office but shall be eligible for re-election at that annual general meeting. CHARITY STRUCTURE / OUR TEAM Caerphilly People First employs a manager who works 31 hours per week, and an admin worker who works 25 hours per week. We also employ two people with a learning disability for 2 hours per week each, and these people are also on our payroll. Caerphilly People First staff undergo regular supervision sessions. The management committee, which is equally made up of people with and without a learning disability, has held one management meeting during this year. 2024-2025 has been another busy year for Caerphilly People First. As a result of new activities, we have offered (as well as continuing popular existing activities), we have been able to reach out to many more people with learning disabilities and have recruited many new members. HAVING A VOICE Staff and members have attended the following meetings (some online): • Nye's Community Champions meeting. 2 meetings. • Day service update discussion with Caerphilly CBC Managers. 3 meetings. • TRAC (Teaching Research Advisory Committee) at the University of South Wales. 7 meetings, including members doing role-plays to teach student nurses. • SWAN (South Wales Advisors Network). 1 meeting. • Gwent Citizens Panel meeting. 1 meeting. • Voluntary Sector Representatives meeting. 4
• Care Inspectorate Wales meeting. • Gwent Strategy meeting. • Voluntary Sector Liaison Committee (4 meetings). • Caerphilly Third Sector meeting. • 'A Greener Gwent' meeting. • Welsh Advocacy Sector Managers' meeting. • TARAGGAN Committee (3 meetings). • All Wales People First National Council. 2 meetings. We have attended the following events over the past year: • Launch of the Police Crime and Justice Plan in Blackwood. Members have been involved in putting together the easy-read version of the plan. • All Wales People First Adfest conference, where member Fion Poole won the MIRROR award for 'Outstanding Contribution to Members' Rights'. • 'A Healthy Future for Gwent' co-production event. • RecRock concert in Blackwood Miners' Institute. • Caerphilly Parent Network Volunteer Awards, where our member Gethin Chamberlain won the Sunshine Award. • GAVO V-Fest networking event. • Caerphilly Parent Network Trunk or Treat event. • Warm Space Bargoed, at Bargoed Community Centre. • Snow Queen Pantomime (a joint project put together by Caerphilly People First and Caerphilly Parent Network). • National Grid fuel poverty workshop. • Alliance Commissioning workshop at the Grange Hospital. • 3 Welsh Ambulance Conferences. • Learning Disability Engagement event. • VIVA Fest, a festival for people with learning disabilities. • 'Blue Light' event. • 2 'My Beautiful Life' hackathon events, run by Cwm Taff People First. Exploring what matters to us in health & social care, community and housing. Members were also involved in planning the event. 5
• Caerphilly Parent Network Pirate Party. • Brodawel Gardens open day. • Min-y-Mynydd Gardens open day. • Caerphilly Parent Network Planet event. • Platform volunteer event, where members received volunteering certificates. • 3 visits to Ynys Hywel Farm. MEMBERS AND ACTIVITIES Staff have kept in constant contact with members via phone calls and zoom. At our office base we are once again at full capacity in terms of volunteers - we host 12 volunteers per week at our office, some for more than one day per week. During the year we have run many projects. Every Tuesday during the summer and spring months, our members visited the TARAGGAN educational gardens project in Gilfach where we plant and grow vegetables. We hosted 24 sessions in this period. Also on Tuesdays, the group took part in crafts sessions. We hosted 20 crafts sessions during this period, 10 of which were facilitated by Multiply. On Wednesdays the group took part in sessions run by RecRock. These are music and wellbeing sessions. We hosted 32 music sessions in this period, and the activity became so popular (average attendance of 35+ people), we had to move it to a bigger venue. Also, beginning in March 2025, staff and volunteers from Carphilly People First began to run the sessions ourselves. On Fridays we welcomed 50+ people per session to our cookery course, where members old and new came together to learn new skills, and socialise. We hosted 27 cookery sessions during this period. Members attended 7 Chair Yoga Sessions and 5 reflexology sessions at our office base. 6
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE Caerphilly People First won the Food Sustainability Award at the GAVO Volunteer Awards 2024, in recognition of our Friday cookery group. TRAINING Caerphilly People First has facilitated our own training courses and events. These include: • Sex and Relationships course, delivered to Caerphilly People First members, and other organisations and People First groups. This was delivered on 5 occasions by Caerphilly People First member Ffion Poole, including for Our Voice Our Choice Ceredigion who paid Caerphilly People First £2,280 for training and accommodation fees. • In partnership with the University of South Wales, members trained midwifery students and learning disability students via simulation sessions. Members are also paid for these sessions. • Members Fion and Amy delivered Safeguarding and abuse training to fellow members. • Member Fion delivered Hate Crime / Mate Crime training to members. Staff and members have attended the following training courses/sessions: • 2 members attended the 'Introduction to Strimmers' course. • 2 members of staff attended a Level 2 Safeguarding course at Oxford House. • We were visited by Sad Dog, a mental health organisation who talked to our members about mental health. PARTNERSHIP WORK We have met and worked with various individuals and organisations, including: 7
• TARAGGAN Project (community allotments) • Caerphilly Parent Network • Welsh Government • Bargoed YMCA • Mandy Jenkins, Welsh Ambulance Service. • All Wales People First • Libanus Lifestyle - Wales CIC • Aneurin Bevan University Health Board • Oxford House Community Adult Learning centre • Caerphilly Person to Person • Insight app • RecRock • Innovate Trust • Rosie Cribb, from Social Firms Wales. • Caroline Roberts, Contract Monitoring Officer, Caerphilly CBC. • Aaron Oliver, Community Development Officer, Caerphilly CBC. • Ceri Fox from GAVO • Liz Sharma, Consultation and Public Engagement officer for Caerphilly CBC. • Clare from Transport for Wales, who talked to members about the Orange Wallet scheme. We have worked with other People First groups, including Blaenau Gwent, Newport, Cardiff, Monmouthshire, Cwm Taff, Rhondda Cynon Taff, and Merthyr People First. We worked particularly closely with Cm Taff People First, in planning events, and were paid by them for running training sessions for their members. We continue to have a very good relationship with Caerphilly County Borough Council and are in close contact with Directors, Managers and other people who work for the council. We meet with Social Services Management on a quarterly basis. We were awarded a new service level agreement in April 2023, which will last for 5 years, and we receive £9,101 core funding per quarter from them. 8
ADDITIONAL WORK AND ACTIVITIES • Members filled in questionnaires giving their views on transport in Caerphilly. • We met with Neil James from Swansea University 3 times, and continued writing an article about the experiences of people with learning disabilities during and after COVID. • Members took part in a survey for Disability Can Do (and received vouchers). • Rhian, Communication Officer for Gwent Police, enlisted the help of our members in producing an easy-read version of the Gwent Police Crime and Justice Plan (2 sessions). • Members took part in planning and filming sessions (7 sessions in total) with the Primary Care Learning Disability team. Members talked about their experiences of health checks, which will be included in a film promoting the value and importance of health checks. • Caerphilly People First attended the 'Homes Not Hospitals' protest organised by All Wales People First in Cardiff Bay. This is to campaign for the release of people with learning disabilities and autism from mental health hospitals in Wales. INFORMATION SHARING Caerphilly People First produces a quarterly newsletter which we send to 93 people online. We have a Facebook page which is followed by 1,400 people, an Instagram page which has 113 followers, and a TikTok account which is followed by 156 people. FINANCIAL REVIEW / PROJECTS & INCOME • Our core funding comes from Caerphilly County Borough Council. This has been guaranteed until April 2028. During the year we were provided £36,539 by CCBC. 9
Core Funding also came from: • Postcode Lottery who provided £20,000. • Local Giving who provided £309. We were also funded by: • The National Lottery, who provided £32,603, which went towards salaries and various project costs. • Regional Integration Fund (administered by GAVO) who provided £8,340 for our weekly wellbeing sessions. • Barchester Healthcare who provided £1,500 for weekly craft sessions. • Moondance Foundation who provided £3,600 for weekly music sessions. Throughout the financial year we kept and updated an income and expenditure forecast. The accounts reflect that funds are available to continue providing the charity's ongoing projects, however the dependence on continuing grant aid poses a potential risk. We are managing this risk through strengthening our financial management and developing our fundraising activities. RESERVES POLICY The board of management strives to maintain reserves to ensure that the charity can continue its work. To this end it aims to hold sufficient reserves to maintain its work for six months. RESPONSIBILITIES OF TRUSTEES The charity's trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the trustees 10
to prepare financial statements for each financial year. The trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and the income and expenditure of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to: • Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently. • Make judgements and accounting 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. • Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation. The trustees are responsible for: • Keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charity's transactions, and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011 and the Charity Statement of Recommended Practice (FRSSE) 2015. • Safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention of fraud and other irregularities. • The maintenance and integrity of the charity's information included on the charity's website. The trustees' annual report was approved on ..llo: 0b.Zand signed on behalf of the board of trustees by: Ffion Bethell Trustee Pbetten
Caerphilly People First Financial Statements Year Ended 31 March 2025 CONTENTS Trustees' Annual Report Independent examiner's report to trustees Statement of financial activities Statement of financial position Accounting policies Notes to the financial accounts PAGE 2 13 14 15 16 19 12
Caerphilly People First Independent Examiner's report to the Trustees of Carphilly People First Year ended 31 March 2025 I report to the trustess on my examination of the financial statements of Carphilly People First (the charity) for the year ended 31 March 2025. Responsibilities and basis of report As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (the Act'). I report in respect of my examination of the charity's financial statements carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. independent examiner's statement I have completed my examination. I conform that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause for concern to belive that in any material respect: 1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2. the financial statements so not accord with those records; or 3. the financial statements do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the acounts give a 'true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of the independent examination. 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. Michael Bisha Mr Michael Fisher Independent Examiner 14 Glas Fryn Penpediarheol HENGOED CF82 7TN 22nd May 2025 13
Caerphilly People First Statement of Financial Activities Year Ended 31 March 2025 Note Income and endowments Charitable activities Other trading activities Total income Expenditure Expenditure on charitable activities Total expenditure 4, 5 2025 Unrestricted Restricted funds funds € € 58,884 25,139 84,023 43,493 43,493 40,530 49,936 49,936 49,936 49,936 - Total funds 108,820 25,139 133,959 93,429 93,429 40,530 2024 Total funds € 89.253 89,253 89,490 89,490 237 Net income and net movement in funds Total tida tought tonard Total funds carried forward The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income andd expenditure derive from continuing activities. 3,082 43,612 20,018 20,018 23,100 63,630 23,337 23,100 14
Caerphilly People First Statement of Financial Position Year Ended 31 March 2025 2025 2024 Note € Current assets Debtors Cash at bank and in hand Total income Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Net Current assets Total assets less current liabilities Net Assets 11 12 63,630 63,630 - 23,100 23,100 63,630 63,630 63,630 23,100 23,100 23,100 Funds of the charity Restricted funds Unrestricted funds 20,018 43,612 Total charity funds 63,630 These financial statements were approved by the board of trustees and authorised for issue on 6. 0l - -2and are signed on behalf of the board by: ABethen Miss Ffion Bethall Trustee 20,018 3,082 23,100 15
Caerphilly People First Accounting Policies Year Ended 31 March 2025 Basis of preparation The particular accounting policies adopted are set out below. Accounting convention The financial statements are prepared on a gong concern basis, under the historical cost convention. The financial statements are prepared in stirling, which is the functional currency of the entity. Going Concern The charity is entirely dependent on continuing grant aid and as a consequence the going concern basis in also dependent on the continuing grant aid Disclosure exemptions The entity satisfies the criteria of being a qualifying entity as defined in FRS 102. As such, advantage has been taken of the following disclosure exemptions available under paragragh 1.12 of FRS 102; (a) No cash flow statement has been presented. (b) Disclosures in respect of financial instruments have not been presented. Judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty The preparation of the financial statements requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. These estimates and judgements are continually reviewed and are based on experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Fund accounting Unrestricted funds are available for the use at the discretion of the trustees to further any of the charity's purposes. Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure declared by the donor or through the terms of an appeal, and fall into one of two sub-classes: restricted income funds or endowment funds. 16
Caerphilly People First Accounting Policies (continued) Year Ended 31 March 2025 Incoming resources All income is included in the statement of financial activities when entitlement has passed to the charity, it is probable that the economic benefits associated with the transaction will flow to the charity and the amount can be reliably measured. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of • Income from donations or grants is recognised when there is evidence of entitlement to the gift receipt is probable and the amount can be measured reliably. • Income from donated goods is measured at the fair value of the goods unless this is impractical to measure relaibly. In which case the value is derived from the cost to the donor. Donated facilities and services are recognised in the accounts when received if the value can be reliably measured. No amounts are included for the contribution of general volunteers. • Income from contracts for the supply of services is recognised with the delivery of the contracted service. This is classified as unrestricted funds unless there is a contractual requirement for it to be spent on a particular purpose and returned if unspent, in which case it may be regarded as restricted. Resources expended Expenditue is recognised on an actual basis. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recoved, and is classified under headings of the statement of financial activities to which it relates: • Expenditure on charitable activities includes all costs incurred by a charity in undertaking activities that further its charitable aims for the benefit of all its beneficiaries, including those support costs and costs relating to the governance of the charity apportioned to charitable activities. All costs are allocated to expenditure categories reflecting the use of the resource. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity, Shared costs are apportioned between the activities they contribute to on a reasonable, justifiable and consistant basis. Tangible assets All fixed assets are initially recorded at cost. No item costing less than £1,000 is capitalised. Depreciation Depreciation is calculated so as to write off the cost or valuation of an asset, les its residual value, over the useful economic life of that asset as follow: Equipment - 33% per annum straight line basis.
Caerphilly People First Accounting Policies (continued) Year Ended 31 March 2025 Taxation As a registered charity, the charity is exmpt from income tax to the extent that ist income and gains are applicable to charitable purposes only. Valu added Tax is not recoverable by the charity and is therefore included in the relevant costs in the statement of financial activities. Winding Up or Dissolution of the Charity If upon winding up or dissolution of the charity there remains any assets, after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities, the assets represented by the accumulated fund shall be transferred to some other charitable body or bodies having similar objectives to the charity. 18
Caerphilly People First Notes to the Financial Statements Year Ended 31 March 2025 1 Statement of Compliance These financial statements have been prepared in compliance with FRS 102, The Financial Report Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland", the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (Charities SORP (FRS 102)) and the Charities Act 2011. 2 Charitable activities Caerphilly County Bourough Council Service Contracts National Lottery Other Income from charitable activities National Grid Innovative Trust Caerphilly Parent Network Garfield Weston GAVO Local Giving University of South Wales Caerphilly County Borough Council Service Contracts RCT People First Other Income from charitable activities National Lottery GAVO Our Voice Our Choice Barchester Healthcare Moondance Foundation Local Giving University of South Wales Innovate Trust Postcode Lottery 3 Other trading activities Fundraising events (adjustment for reserve account into accounts) 2024 Unrestricted Restricted funds funds Total funds € E 29,003 1,350 30,353 31,071 10,000 41,071 815 : 1,830 815 1,830 3,000 3,000 500 5,000 500 5,000 - 5,440 879 365 : 879 365 67,633 21,620 89,253 2025 Unrestricted Restricted funds € funds Total funds € 36,539 1,613 36,539 1,613 603 - 603 32,603 32,603 8,340 8,340 2,280 1,500 3,600 309 309 1,283 1,283 150 150 20,000 20,000 58,884 49,936 108,820 Unrestricted Total funds Unrestricted funds 2025 funds 26,958 26,958 0 2024 0 19
Caerphilly People First Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) Year Ended 31 March 2025 4 Expenditure on charitable activities by fund type Charitable activities Support costs Unrestricted funds 41,12 26,742 67,870 Charitable activities Support costs Unrestricted funds 16,535 26,958 43,493 2024 Restricted funds 21,820 21,620 2025 Restricted funds € 49,936 49,936 Total funds € 62,748 26,742 89,490 Total funds € 66,471 26,958 93,429 5 Expenditure on charitable activities by activity type Charitable activities Governance costs Activities undertaken directly 66,471 66,471 Support Total Funds Total Funds Costs 2025 2024 € € 23,596 3,362 26,958 90,067 3,362 93,429 87,201 2,289 89,490 6 Independent examination fees Fees payable to the independent examiner for: Independent examination of the financial statements 20
Caerphilly People First Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) Year Ended 31 March 2025 7 Staff costs The total staff costs and employee benefits for the reporting period are analysed as follows: Wages and Salaries Social Security Costs Employer contributions to pension plans 2025 52,870 - 3,714 56,584 2025 4 2024 49,652 3,201 52,853 2024 3 The average head count of employees during the year was 4(2021: 3). The average number of full-time equivalent employees during the year is anaysed as follow: Number of staff No employee received employee benefits of more than £60,000 during the year (2024: Nil). 8 Trustee remuneration and expenses No remuneration or other benefits from employment with the charity or a related entity were received by any trustee (2024: Nil). No payments were made to any trutee for expenses in year (2024: Nil). 9 Tangible fixed assets Equipment Cost At 1st Apr 2024 and 31 March 2025 11,936 Total € 11,936 Depreciation At 1st Apr 2024 and 31 March 2025 11,936 11,936 Carrying amount At 31 Mar 2025 At 31 Mar 2024 10 Debtors 2025 € Prepayments and accrued income Other Debtors 11 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Accruals and deferred income Social security and other taxes 2025 € : 2024 € : 2024 € : 21