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2022-03-31-accounts

Annual Review 2021-22 Autism Berkshire

Adapting to a new environment

Autism Berkshire is the leading autism charity in Berkshire, with more than 30 years’ experience of delivering high-quality services for autistic people of all ages and their families.

The coronavirus pandemic continued to pose challenges for our work for a second year, with restrictions on social contact remaining in place for some months.

Family fun days at Thames Valley Adventure Playground resumed in May 2021 after an 18-month gap, pictured , and the 197 Club and Bear With Me social groups for autistic adults held some limited group activities in the summer before returning to normal programmes in the autumn.

Other services, particularly help for families of autistic children and young people from the Berkshire West Autism & ADHD Support Service, remained largely online, with the ease of access to advice appointments, workshops and courses offered by using Zoom and Teams a key factor in this approach.

The Berkshire West service saw high demand for support from families in Reading, Wokingham and West Berkshire throughout the year, with the number of contacts on our mailing list increasing from 250 to more than 700 over the year. Most workshops and courses were fully booked well in advance.

Building on the successful relaunch of the Berkshire Autism Alert Card scheme in 2020, it was further expanded in the autumn of 2021, with the support of Thames Valley Police and partners in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, to become a Thames Valley regional alert card, with an average of 100 cards per month issued since October 2021.

Please read on to find out more about Autism Berkshire’s work in 2021-22 and how you can get involved and support our work.

Talking sense about autism.

Helpline: 01189 594 594 www.autismberkshire.org.uk

What people say about Autism Berkshire’s services

“Autism Berkshire have been the first people to finally give us help and support after years of trying different options. We can’t thank them enough and the workshops are just what we need.”

– Parent who attended an Understanding More About Autism workshop

“At times I have felt so alone but Amanda and the team have always provided genuine helpful free advice, sessions and support. Thank you for supporting families like mine.”

– Parent who used our family support services

“Getting the Thames Valley Autism Alert Card was a brilliant bonus. Super handy for showing it to shops, etc, and also really reassuring that the police now have on their records the best way to communicate with my child if he ever gets lost. Thank you.”

– Parent who got an autism alert card for her son

“The Autism in Girls workshop was fantastic. I was really impressed with what we learned and so quickly.”

– Parent who attended autism advice workshop

“Thanks so much for yesterday’s session. When I walked around school after there was a lot of discussion going on. Lots of teachers really thinking about the children in their class.”

– Deputy headteacher at a Berkshire school after a twilight training session for staff

“I wish I had called Autism Berkshire many moons ago. Thank you so much.”

– Parent who used our family support services

“I felt very lost before this and now feel like there a pathway ahead for us.”

–- Parent who attended Understanding More About Autism workshop

In Numbers 2021-22

Flexible approaches to the future

With restrictions imposed as part of the Government’s coronavirus control measures posing a continued challenge, most services remained online for another year.

This included family support services provided through the NHSfunded Berkshire West Autism & ADHD Support Service – see the panel on the right for more details about the service’s work - with restrictions on social contact and availability of venues key factors in this decision.

In follow-up surveys after workshops and courses we canvassed opinion among participants about online and face-to-face provision. A majority favoured online, with many noting that this approach made it easier for them to take part than needing to travel to a venue, especially among those living in rural West Berkshire.

We ran a series of extra online Teen Life courses for parents of autistic 10 to 16-year-olds, in addition to those funded by the NHS, thanks to a grant from the Postcode Lottery and funds raised through the Co-operative Local Community Fund, helping us to keep on top of a long waiting list for places.

Trampolining sessions at Bracknell Trampoline Centre for children from families using our autism support services continued under an exemption from Covid restrictions, allowing group activities for disabled children, until social distancing rules ended.

Family fun days at the Thames Valley Adventure Playground resumed in the early summer of 2021. However, a decision was taken that the Games Club and Lego Club would not be revived after their suspension at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

Instead, the focus in future will be on family fun days and one-off activities during school holidays, which are a regular request from families, or when special grants are available. A grant from British Science Week funded a face-to-face Forensic Science Experience session for children with a former police crime scene investigator, after running a modified version online the previous year.

The limitations of the online format for our social groups for autistic adults, the 197 Club in Reading and Bear With Me in Maidenhead, which affected attendances, saw them move back to face-to-face activities during the summer of 2021.

Initially this was achieved through outdoor activities, including barbecues and walks, before sessions at indoor venues resumed.

Members of both groups were encouraged to get a full set of Covid vaccinations, to minimise the risks of infection with the virus, and we supported vaccination efforts across Berkshire throughout the year, publicising information from the Government and NHS and giving details of local clinics.

We were also able to launch a new activity group for adults at the start of 2022, called Walk & Talk. Like Bear With Me, it is coordinated by Helen Harris, who is supported by Helen Brookes,

Benefits awarded to clients of our £158,000 Benefits Service

4,500[Follow our Facebook page]

Individual contacts with families by 3,973 the Berkshire West Autism & ADHD Support Service

1,800[People follow us on Twitter]

a retired speech and language therapist. Both have many years’ experience working with autistic people. Members of the group are pictured below with its leaders Helen Harris and Helen Brookes at Hambleden in the Chiltern hills.

The group offers members an opportunity to get together fortnightly on Tuesday mornings for a walk and time to chat at locations around the east of Berkshire. Routes in the first few months included country parks, parts of the River Thames path and Windsor Great Park.

The Thames Valley Autism Alert Card was launched at an event at Aylesbury College in September 2021, with the support of Thames Valley Police, Buckinghamshire Council and the charity Talkback. BBC1’s South Today regional news programme featured the event, helping to drive applications from autistic people across Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes and Oxfordshire, as well as Berkshire.

The success of this initiative, and moves by the NHS to create a new regional management organisation, led to a motion at the charity’s annual general meeting, asking members to endorse a move to amend the area of benefit from Berkshire to the wider Thames Valley. If the Charity Commission approves the change, members will be asked to confirm it at a subsequent general meeting.

After an online AGM in 2020, the 2021 meeting was the first hybrid one in the charity’s history, with some members attending in person at the Thames Valley Adventure Playground, while others joined online.

Sandra Stubbs and Margaret Collum both stood down as trustees at the meeting and were thanked by CEO Jane Stanford-Beale for their work on behalf of the charity. During the year, Conor O’Connor succeeded Richard Flemming as the chair of trustees, while Darren Browne joined the board.

We have also given our support to initiatives by other organisations to offer autism-friendly events.

The Museum of English Rural Life, part of the University of Reading, and Reading Museum were keen to revive activities for autistic people after the Covid pandemic and sought our advice. We arranged for them to talk to parents and carers during a Friday Lunch Break session about activities their children enjoyed. This led to the launch of the new Museums, My Way programme, with events alternating between the museums.

The first was held at The MERL and provided an opportunity for us to promote the Thames Valley Autism Alert Card in Berkshire. Members of Thames Valley Police’s autism network joined us and brought along a patrol car for children to inspect, pictured above . Several families attending took the opportunity to apply for cards.

Autism in Racing is a project launched by racecourse commentator and broadcaster Bobby Beevers, who is autistic and has an autistic daughter, to encourage autistic people to attend race meetings and educate people involved in horseracing about autism.

After a series of successful trial events in the North and Scotland in 2021, offering free tickets to families with autistic children and providing a mobile sensory room at race meetings, Autism in Racing came south for the first time in February 2022, with a visit to Ascot racecourse. Most of the families attending had heard about the event through Autism Berkshire. Further visits to Ascot, and to Newbury racecourse, were planned for later in the year.

Reaching more families

The Berkshire West Autism & ADHD Support Service was launched at the start of 2021, days before the third national Covid lockdown, to help autistic children & young people and their families in Reading, Wokingham and West Berkshire.

We work with another Berkshire charity, Parenting Special Children, to provide the service on behalf of the Berkshire West NHS Clinical Commissioning Group.

The initial surge in demand from families for support in the last quarter of the 2020-21 year was maintained throughout the next 12 months running far ahead of levels seen under previous NHS contracts we held from 2016 to 2020. The number of contacts on the mailing list grew from 250 parents and carers at the end of March 2021 to 710 a year later.

Each entry on the list represents a family that has benefited from support from the service, including advice and signposting from the Helpline, virtual home visits, autism advice workshops and follow-on workshops focusing on topics including autism & girls and emotional regulation, or Teen Life courses, plus follow-up contacts in many cases to offer ongoing advice or address specific issues.

Originally introduced as a short-term measure to help parents and carers across Berkshire get together to chat and get information during the third national lockdown at the start of the 2021, the Friday Lunch Break proved popular, so extra funding was secured to run sessions through until the summer of 2022.

Extra funding from the NHS allowed us to add a tailored two-part workshop to the programme in March 2022 for parents and carers of autistic pre-school children. It took an in-depth look at autism in the early years, including behaviour communication, sensory needs and play, and strategies to support young autistic children.

The number of virtual home visits delivered was well above the service specification of 15 per quarter throughout the year, with 276 taking place during the 12 months.

Data about the service’s work and how many people are being supported is reportedly regularly to the NHS Mental Health Services Data Set, which gathers information about the work of NHS-funded services in England for autism and learning disabilities, as well as mental health, to inform planning and development of services.

More information about the Berkshire West Autism & ADHD Support Service and all out other services is available on the Autism Berkshire website at www.autismberkshire.org.uk

Fundraising

For the second financial year running, the Covid pandemic affected our ability to raise funds, with many summer community events cancelled for a second year.

Grants from local and national Covid emergency funding schemes again provided a vital source of income to pay for our services, especially with continued high demand for support from individuals and families.

Corporate donations and grants were another valuable source of support, such as a £500 donation from Amazon UK’s community fund, after we were nominated by Natalia Oliva Gamo, a shift manager at the company’s depot in Theale.

The Shanly Foundation, the charitable arm of housing developer the Shanly Group, made a grant to help us launch the Walk & Talk activity group for autistic adults, fund our Bear With Me social group in Maidenhead and pay for a summer coach trip to the seaside for members of Bear With Me and the 197 Club in Reading for the first time since 2019.

Support from staff at the two Co-operative Group convenience shops in Caversham and Co-operative Funeralcare in Church Street, Caversham, and donations generated by people shopping at Co-op businesses helped us to raise a total of £3,411 to fund Teen Life courses for the parents and carers of autistic teenagers. The Southern Cooperative gave us a £500 grant towards the costs of running our Helpline service.

Individual supporters also persevered with their efforts to support us, including Matt Giles, who was set to run in the 2020 Reading Half-Marathon to support us. He had to wait until November 2021 before he could tackle the 13-mile route when the 2020 event was cancelled and the 2021 event was postponed until November, due to remaining Covid restrictions in the spring. Over the two years he collected more than £1,300 in sponsorship for us.

Jordanne Hayward, from Slough, made a donation to our funds after she collected more than £3,000, which she shared among four local good causes, via a fundraising page and running several fundraising evenings. She also paid for packages to help the homeless and families in need.

Students who are members of Sulham House at Denefield School in Tilehurst continued to raise funds for us as one of their chosen charities, donating another £169 to our funds during the year.

Although it was not possible to run a joint charity Winter Ball with other Berkshire charities at the end of 2021, the Winter Draw raffle went ahead, raising £300 for our funds and a total of £7,283 for the 11 charities taking part.

We took advantage of the first National Thank You Day, held in July 2021, to thank all our funders and donors, with help from some of the children who attend our trampolining classes at Bracknell Trampoline Centre, pictured below .

Thank you

To our funders and supporters

Financial Summary for 2021-22

----- Start of picture text -----
Total Income £208,000
Grants and Subscriptions £189,000
Donations and Fundraising £19,000
Expenditure on Charitable Activities £199,500
Fundraising costs £0
Governance costs £2,000
Surplus taken to reserves £6,500
Reserves carried forward to 2022-23 £84,300
----- End of picture text -----

2022-2023 will require increased focus towards our fundraising activities as restoring this income stream will be essential to reducing the currently projected deficit between our income and expenditure, as high demand for our services shows no signs of easing.

• Information about how to get involved with fundraising for Autism Berkshire is available on our website or you can get in touch with us at contact@autismberkshire.org.uk

Talking sense about autism.

Autism Berkshire – the working name for Berkshire Autistic Society Registered office: 40 Caversham Road, Reading, RG1 7EB Charity no: 1076217, Company number: 3750656 AutismBerkshire @autismberkshire www.autismberkshire.org.uk Call: 01189 594 594

AGM/21/21/ MBSA34T

BERKSHIRE AUTISTIC SOCIETY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 2022

BERKSHIRE AUTISTIC SOCIETY

ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

CHARITY REGISTRATION No: 1076217 COMPANY REGISTRATION No: 3750656

Tim D Miller MA ACMA CGMA 105 Redhatch Drive, Earley, Reading, RG6 5QN

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BERKSHIRE AUTISTIC SOCIETY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 2022

CONTENTS

Pages 2 - 8 Report of the Directors

Page 9 Independent Examiner’s report Page 10 Statement of Financial Activities Page 11 Balance Sheet

Pages 12 -13 Notes to the Financial Statements

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BERKSHIRE AUTISTIC SOCIETY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 2022

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

CHARITY NUMBER 1076217 COMPANY REGISTRATION 3750656 NUMBER START OF FINANCIAL YEAR 1 APRIL 2021 END OF FINANCIAL YEAR 31 MARCH 2022 DIRECTORS AT 31 MARCH Conor O’Connor, Chair from 16 February 2022 2022 Adam Bermange, Treasurer Richard Flemming, Chair until 16 February 2022 Darren Browne, appointed 16 February 2022 REGISTERED ADDRESS 40 Caversham Road Reading, RG1 7EB DATE OF 12 April 1999 INCORPORATION GOVERNING Memorandum and Articles of Association DOCUMENT BANKERS CAF Bank 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling Kent, ME19 4JQ INDEPENDENT Tim D Miller MA ACMA CGMA EXAMINER 105 Redhatch Drive, Earley, Reading, RG6 5QN OBJECTS The relief of school age and pre-school age children and adults suffering from autism, autisticrelated problems and challenging behaviour, resident in Berkshire.

3

BERKSHIRE AUTISTIC SOCIETY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 2022

Structure, Governance and Management:

The Berkshire Autistic Society (working name Autism Berkshire) is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee, both under the name of Berkshire Autistic Society. Our office is located at 40 Caversham Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 7EB. The governing documents are Memorandum and Articles of Association incorporated on 12/04/1999 and amended by special resolution dated 13/10/2015, to update our articles to the 2012 model articles published by the Charity Commission.

During the year we had 1 full-time member of staff and 10 part-time members of staff and 15 regular volunteers. All staff, both paid and volunteers, are DBS-checked and receive appropriate induction training and ongoing refresher training as required.

We are well supported in our work by our Trustees, staff and volunteers, some of whom are autistic or have autistic relatives and friends. Volunteers undertake a wide variety of activities, including office work, fundraising, helping at events and attending meetings of area forums and partnership boards in local authority areas across Berkshire on behalf of the society.

Objectives and Activities:

Our mission is to help and support autistic people and their families in Berkshire. We aim to enhance the current provision of services and support, with the purpose of improving the quality of life of autistic people of all ages and giving them maximum independence.

We do this by:

We are frequently consulted by Local Authorities and the NHS on autism services within the county.

We support children, young people and adults and their parents and carers, from when concerns are initially raised, to when they are placed on the waiting list for an autism assessment, after diagnosis, and life beyond. You do not need a formal diagnosis of autism to be supported by Autism Berkshire.

Achievements and Performance:

Following on from the height of the coronavirus pandemic, 2021-22 has continued to prove a challenging context for the society in terms of service provision and revenue generation. We significantly changed how we approached service provision during the pandemic and for most of 2021-22 we continued to deliver services online. We tested new delivery approaches with service users and members, with a majority stating they favoured online workshops,

4

BERKSHIRE AUTISTIC SOCIETY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 2022

courses, and services where practical, as this made it easier for them to take part; especially for those living in more rural parts of Berkshire.

This has been reflected in the fact that the society held its first ever hybrid Annual General Meeting with some members able to join in person at Thames Valley Adventure Playground, while others joined online – maximising attendance and input into the society’s operation.

Demand for support and access to our services has remained high, with high volumes of referrals from local authorities and key partners, which has proved a challenge to services during the 2021-22 period. Staff and volunteers have worked extremely hard to accommodate as many people seeking support, securing additional financing and resources where possible. Two key examples of this have included:

We have prioritised keeping our services running, where possible, to continue key support for autistic people and their families in our area of benefit. This has been complemented by the society also resuming services as soon as possible in either different/virtual forms or back to normal pre-pandemic arrangements, including:

5

BERKSHIRE AUTISTIC SOCIETY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 2022

publicising information from the Government and NHS and giving details of local clinics, with a particular focus on Reading and Slough, where vaccination take-up rates were lower than average.

Other key successes in the 2021-22 period include:

We have also given our support to initiatives by other organisations to offer autism-friendly events:

6

BERKSHIRE AUTISTIC SOCIETY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 2022

autism. After a series of successful trial events in the North and Scotland in 2021, offering free tickets to families with autistic children and providing a mobile sensory room at race meetings, Autism in Racing came south for the first time in February 2022, with a visit to Ascot racecourse. Most of the families attending had heard about the event through Autism Berkshire.

We have still faced issues in rebuilding our ability to generate income, following the challenges of the pandemic, with many summer community events cancelled for a second year. The society has taken difficult decisions and steps to maintain fiscal sustainability, including moving to a predominantly work from home model for our staff to limit office rental costs and channel resources where they are most needed – services for autistic people and their families in our area of benefit.

Grants from local and national Covid emergency funding schemes again provided a vital source of income to pay for our services, especially with continued high demand for support from individuals and families. Corporate donations and grants have been another valuable source of support while some individual supporters have persevered with their efforts to support us through activities such as the Reading Half-Marathon and fundraising evenings. Although it was not possible to run a joint charity Winter Ball with other Berkshire charities at the end of 2021, the Winter Draw raffle went ahead, raising £300 for our funds and a total of £7,283 for the 11 charities taking part.

There have been some changes to the Board of Trustees, with Sandra Stubbs and Margaret Collum both standing down at the AGM, followed by Conor O’Connor succeeding Richard Flemming as Chair of Trustees after he stood down in February 2022. Darren Browne joined the board during the year and additional people have expressed interest in joining the board.

In summary, 2021-22 has continued to be a challenging time for the society, but the Trustees, staff and volunteers have worked hard to maintain and improve the service offer available. With key services seeing significant demand, and autistic people and their families asking for additional support, we are still supporting people where needed and will work to maintain and develop our service so that we can continue to do so in future years.

Statement of Directors' Responsibilities:

The directors are satisfied that for the year ended on 31 March 2022 the charitable company was entitled to exemption from the requirement to obtain an audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 and that no member or members have required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of the Act. However, in accordance with section 145 of the Charities Act 2011, the accounts have been examined by an Independent Examiner whose report appears on page 9.

The directors are responsible for preparing the report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (Financial Reporting Standard 102 and applicable law). Under company law the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs

7

BERKSHIRE AUTISTIC SOCIETY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 2022

of the company and of the profit or loss of the company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;

• make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements and

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

The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the 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 company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Berkshire Autistic Society is a public benefit entity.

Approved by the Directors on 21[st] October 2022

Signed on their behalf by Director and Chair of Trustees: Conor O’Connor

8

Independent examlnerfs report to the trustees of *erkshire Autistk Socle I report on the accounts ofthe company forthe year ended 31 March 2022, whkh are set out on pa8es 10 to 13. Respertlve resporn$5bllltles of trnstees and Èxamlntr The trustees (who are also the dlrectors of the company for the purpx)ses of cornpany lawl are responslble for Ihe preparation of the account5. The trustees consTrder that an audit is not requlred for this year under section 144121 of the Charities Act 2011 {the 2011 Act} and that an Independent examination is nee(led. Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and Is eligible for independent eXamInat￿n. it is my responslbillty to: • examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act • to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions 8lven by the Charity Commlsslon under section 14515llb} of the 2011 Act to state whether particular matters have come to my attention 8asls of Ind¢p¢ndent examln¢rfs r•port My examination was carried OLrt in accordance with the general Di￿tionS 8iven by the Charity Commission. An examlnation includes a review of the accountln8 records kept by the charlty and a comparlson of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes conslderatlon of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and 5eekln8 explanatlons from you as tru5tee5 concernln8 any such matters. The pmcedures undertaken do not provlde all the evldence that would be requlred in an audit and consequently no oplnlon Ss glven as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair vlew, and the report15 Ilmlted to those matter5 set out In the next statement. Indep•ndent exarnln•es statement In connectlon wlth my examlnatlon, no matter has corne to my attenlion: 111 which 8lves me reasonable cause to belleve that In any material ￿SpeCt the requirements.. • to keep accountlng records In accordance wlth section 386 of the Companies ki 2iJ)6 and: to prepare accounts whlch accord with the accountin8 records. comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2(N)6 and with the methods and principle5 of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accountin8 and Reportin8 by Charit￿5 have not been met or 12) to which. in my opinion. attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached Name: rim D Miller MA ACMA CGMA Relevant professlonal quallflcation or body-- Chartered Institute of Management Accountsnts Address: 105 Redhatch Drive. Earley. Readin& RG6 5QN 25 October 2022

BERKSHIRE AUTISTIC SOCIETY

Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure Account)

for the year ended 31 March 2022

Unrestricted
Notes
Funds
£
Incoming Resources
Incoming Resources from Generated Funds
Grants
26,250
Govt - Small Business Grant
-
Govt - Cronavirus Job Retention Scheme
-
Membership Subscriptions
6,349
Donations
13,221
Fundraising and Collections
2,366
Training Courses
1,000
Bank Interest
23
Incoming Resources from Charitable
1
-
Activities
Total Incoming Resources
49,209
Resources Expended
Fundraising Trading Costs
-
Charitable Activities
3a
40,795
Governance
3b
1,851
Total Resources Expended
42,646
Net incoming/(outgoing) resources
6,563
Total Funds Brought Forward
77,733
Total funds Carried Forward
84,296		 Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
-
-
3,345
-
-
-
155,712
159,057
-
159,057
-
159,057
-
-
-		 Total
2021/2022
£
26,250
-
-
6,349
16,566
2,366
1,000
23
155,712
208,266
-
199,852
1,851
201,703
6,563
77,733
84,296		 Total
2020/2021
£
18,500
10,000
33,210
7,576
22,286
3,702
-
65
143,936
239,275
2,162
234,766
2,045
238,973
302
77,431
77,733

10

BERKSHIRE AUTISTIC SOCIETY

Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2022

Current Assets
Debtors
Prepayments
Cash at Bank and in Hand
Total Current Assets
Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year
Creditors
Accruals
HMRC PAYE/NI
Deferred Income
1
Total Current Liabilities
Total Assets less Current Liabilities
NET ASSETS
General Funds
Restricted Funds
Total Funds		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
0
0
91,185
91,185
0
4,008
2,881
-
6,889
84,296
84,296
84,296		 Restricted
Funds
£
25,000
0
86,978
111,978
11,514
2,784
-
97,680
111,978
0
0		 31/03/2022
£
25,000
0
178,163
203,163
11,514
6,792
2,881
97,680
118,867
84,296
84,296
84,296		 31/03/2021
£
1,000
0
165,698
166,698
427
11,661
2,655
74,222
88,965
77,733
77,733
77,733

11

Notes forming part of the financial statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2022

Unrestricted
Funds
£
3
Resources Expended
a)
Charitable Activities
Payroll Costs
2
53,530
Sub-Contracted Providers
120
Venue Hire
390
Refreshment Costs
20
Travel
82
Leaflets & Promotional Materials
500
Other Activity Costs
0
Storage/Virtual Office
2,049
Insurance
1,773
Telephone
1,494
Printing,Postage,Stationery
122
IT & Web Services
3,179
Small Fixtures Replacement
1,276
DBS Fees
63
Staff Recruitment & Training
-
Subscriptions & Licenses
228
Bank & Fundraising Collection Fees
308
Overhead allocation
(24,339)
40,795
b)
Governance Costs
Legal fees
-
Governance Costs
851
Independent Examiners Fee
1,000
1,851		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
3
Resources Expended
a)
Charitable Activities
Payroll Costs
2
53,530
Sub-Contracted Providers
120
Venue Hire
390
Refreshment Costs
20
Travel
82
Leaflets & Promotional Materials
500
Other Activity Costs
0
Storage/Virtual Office
2,049
Insurance
1,773
Telephone
1,494
Printing,Postage,Stationery
122
IT & Web Services
3,179
Small Fixtures Replacement
1,276
DBS Fees
63
Staff Recruitment & Training
-
Subscriptions & Licenses
228
Bank & Fundraising Collection Fees
308
Overhead allocation
(24,339)
40,795
b)
Governance Costs
Legal fees
-
Governance Costs
851
Independent Examiners Fee
1,000
1,851		 Restricted
Funds
£		 Total
2021/2022
£		 Total
2020/2021
£
173,785
13,804
2,003
-
274
4,422
1,514
20,055
1,638
565
1,809
5,476
5,539
50
2,996
195
641
-
53,530
120
390
20
82
500
0
2,049
1,773
1,494
122
3,179		 91,319
35,381
1,722
148
1,136
2,122
1,434
-
-
70
345
971		 144,849
35,501
2,112
168
1,218
2,622
1,434
2,049
1,773
1,564
466
4,150
1,276 71 1,347
63
-
228
308
(24,339)		 0
-
-
-
24,339		 63
-
228
308
-
40,795
-
851
1,000
1,851		 159,057
-
-
-
-		 199,852
-
851
1,000
1,851
234,766
300
745
1,000
2,045

12

1 Incoming Resources from Charitable Activities (Restricted)

2021/2022
£
Deferred Income brought forward @ 1st April, 2021
74,222
Income Received
179,170
Deferred Income carried forward @ 31st March, 202
97,680
Income Released to Income & Expenditure
155,712		 2020/2021
£
35,522
182,636
74,222
143,936

We also gratefully acknowledge grants or donations over £250 from the following sponsors:-

Agri-Food Ltd OneSlough Fund
Amazon Community Fund PayPal Giving Fund
Amazon Smile R S Brownless Trust
Baylis Media - Christmas Cracker Appeal Reading Dispensary Trust
BBC - Children In Need Rory Smyth
Bracknell Forest Council Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead
Bracknell Town Council Schroder Charity Trust
British Science Week Shanly Foundation
Co-op Local Community Fund Sir Jules Thorn Trust/Ann Rylands Small Grants
Crowthorne Parish Council Slough Community Wellbeing Fund
Ecclesiastical Insurance Movement for Good Slough SPACE Project
Garfield Weston Foundation Southern Co-Operative Healthier Neighbourhoods Fund
Involve - Bracknell COVID 19 Recovery Fund Thames Valley Police & Crime Commissioner Community Fund
Jordanne Hayward The Henry Smith Charity
London Marathon (Fundraising Sponsorships) TK Maxx
O2 Together Fund Wokingham Without Parish Council

2 Staff Costs and Numbers

Gross Salaries and Wages
Employers' National Insurance Costs
Redundancy Costs
Pension Contributions
Allocated to Fund Raising
Average full time equivalent of employees engaged:
Activities in furtherance of organisation's objects		 2021/2022
£
136,236
6,097
0
2,516
144,849
0
144,849
2021/2022
4.09		 2020/2021
£
161,961
7,953
1,054
2,817
173,785
0
173,785
2020/2021
4.72

No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000. Staff are paid through the PAYE system.

13

BERKSHIRE AUTISTIC SOCIETY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 2022

BERKSHIRE AUTISTIC SOCIETY

ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

CHARITY REGISTRATION No: 1076217 COMPANY REGISTRATION No: 3750656

Tim D Miller MA ACMA CGMA 105 Redhatch Drive, Earley, Reading, RG6 5QN

1

BERKSHIRE AUTISTIC SOCIETY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 2022

CONTENTS

Pages 2 - 8 Report of the Directors

Page 9 Independent Examiner’s report Page 10 Statement of Financial Activities Page 11 Balance Sheet

Pages 12 -13 Notes to the Financial Statements

2

BERKSHIRE AUTISTIC SOCIETY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 2022

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

CHARITY NUMBER 1076217 COMPANY REGISTRATION 3750656 NUMBER START OF FINANCIAL YEAR 1 APRIL 2021 END OF FINANCIAL YEAR 31 MARCH 2022 DIRECTORS AT 31 MARCH Conor O’Connor, Chair from 16 February 2022 2022 Adam Bermange, Treasurer Richard Flemming, Chair until 16 February 2022 Darren Browne, appointed 16 February 2022 REGISTERED ADDRESS 40 Caversham Road Reading, RG1 7EB DATE OF 12 April 1999 INCORPORATION GOVERNING Memorandum and Articles of Association DOCUMENT BANKERS CAF Bank 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling Kent, ME19 4JQ INDEPENDENT Tim D Miller MA ACMA CGMA EXAMINER 105 Redhatch Drive, Earley, Reading, RG6 5QN OBJECTS The relief of school age and pre-school age children and adults suffering from autism, autisticrelated problems and challenging behaviour, resident in Berkshire.

3

BERKSHIRE AUTISTIC SOCIETY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 2022

Structure, Governance and Management:

The Berkshire Autistic Society (working name Autism Berkshire) is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee, both under the name of Berkshire Autistic Society. Our office is located at 40 Caversham Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 7EB. The governing documents are Memorandum and Articles of Association incorporated on 12/04/1999 and amended by special resolution dated 13/10/2015, to update our articles to the 2012 model articles published by the Charity Commission.

During the year we had 1 full-time member of staff and 10 part-time members of staff and 15 regular volunteers. All staff, both paid and volunteers, are DBS-checked and receive appropriate induction training and ongoing refresher training as required.

We are well supported in our work by our Trustees, staff and volunteers, some of whom are autistic or have autistic relatives and friends. Volunteers undertake a wide variety of activities, including office work, fundraising, helping at events and attending meetings of area forums and partnership boards in local authority areas across Berkshire on behalf of the society.

Objectives and Activities:

Our mission is to help and support autistic people and their families in Berkshire. We aim to enhance the current provision of services and support, with the purpose of improving the quality of life of autistic people of all ages and giving them maximum independence.

We do this by:

We are frequently consulted by Local Authorities and the NHS on autism services within the county.

We support children, young people and adults and their parents and carers, from when concerns are initially raised, to when they are placed on the waiting list for an autism assessment, after diagnosis, and life beyond. You do not need a formal diagnosis of autism to be supported by Autism Berkshire.

Achievements and Performance:

Following on from the height of the coronavirus pandemic, 2021-22 has continued to prove a challenging context for the society in terms of service provision and revenue generation. We significantly changed how we approached service provision during the pandemic and for most of 2021-22 we continued to deliver services online. We tested new delivery approaches with service users and members, with a majority stating they favoured online workshops,

4

BERKSHIRE AUTISTIC SOCIETY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 2022

courses, and services where practical, as this made it easier for them to take part; especially for those living in more rural parts of Berkshire.

This has been reflected in the fact that the society held its first ever hybrid Annual General Meeting with some members able to join in person at Thames Valley Adventure Playground, while others joined online – maximising attendance and input into the society’s operation.

Demand for support and access to our services has remained high, with high volumes of referrals from local authorities and key partners, which has proved a challenge to services during the 2021-22 period. Staff and volunteers have worked extremely hard to accommodate as many people seeking support, securing additional financing and resources where possible. Two key examples of this have included:

We have prioritised keeping our services running, where possible, to continue key support for autistic people and their families in our area of benefit. This has been complemented by the society also resuming services as soon as possible in either different/virtual forms or back to normal pre-pandemic arrangements, including:

5

BERKSHIRE AUTISTIC SOCIETY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 2022

publicising information from the Government and NHS and giving details of local clinics, with a particular focus on Reading and Slough, where vaccination take-up rates were lower than average.

Other key successes in the 2021-22 period include:

We have also given our support to initiatives by other organisations to offer autism-friendly events:

6

BERKSHIRE AUTISTIC SOCIETY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 2022

autism. After a series of successful trial events in the North and Scotland in 2021, offering free tickets to families with autistic children and providing a mobile sensory room at race meetings, Autism in Racing came south for the first time in February 2022, with a visit to Ascot racecourse. Most of the families attending had heard about the event through Autism Berkshire.

We have still faced issues in rebuilding our ability to generate income, following the challenges of the pandemic, with many summer community events cancelled for a second year. The society has taken difficult decisions and steps to maintain fiscal sustainability, including moving to a predominantly work from home model for our staff to limit office rental costs and channel resources where they are most needed – services for autistic people and their families in our area of benefit.

Grants from local and national Covid emergency funding schemes again provided a vital source of income to pay for our services, especially with continued high demand for support from individuals and families. Corporate donations and grants have been another valuable source of support while some individual supporters have persevered with their efforts to support us through activities such as the Reading Half-Marathon and fundraising evenings. Although it was not possible to run a joint charity Winter Ball with other Berkshire charities at the end of 2021, the Winter Draw raffle went ahead, raising £300 for our funds and a total of £7,283 for the 11 charities taking part.

There have been some changes to the Board of Trustees, with Sandra Stubbs and Margaret Collum both standing down at the AGM, followed by Conor O’Connor succeeding Richard Flemming as Chair of Trustees after he stood down in February 2022. Darren Browne joined the board during the year and additional people have expressed interest in joining the board.

In summary, 2021-22 has continued to be a challenging time for the society, but the Trustees, staff and volunteers have worked hard to maintain and improve the service offer available. With key services seeing significant demand, and autistic people and their families asking for additional support, we are still supporting people where needed and will work to maintain and develop our service so that we can continue to do so in future years.

Statement of Directors' Responsibilities:

The directors are satisfied that for the year ended on 31 March 2022 the charitable company was entitled to exemption from the requirement to obtain an audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 and that no member or members have required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of the Act. However, in accordance with section 145 of the Charities Act 2011, the accounts have been examined by an Independent Examiner whose report appears on page 9.

The directors are responsible for preparing the report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (Financial Reporting Standard 102 and applicable law). Under company law the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs

7

BERKSHIRE AUTISTIC SOCIETY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 2022

of the company and of the profit or loss of the company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;

• make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements and

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

The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the 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 company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Berkshire Autistic Society is a public benefit entity.

Approved by the Directors on 21[st] October 2022

Signed on their behalf by Director and Chair of Trustees: Conor O’Connor

8

Independent examlnerfs report to the trustees of *erkshire Autistk Socle I report on the accounts ofthe company forthe year ended 31 March 2022, whkh are set out on pa8es 10 to 13. Respertlve resporn$5bllltles of trnstees and Èxamlntr The trustees (who are also the dlrectors of the company for the purpx)ses of cornpany lawl are responslble for Ihe preparation of the account5. The trustees consTrder that an audit is not requlred for this year under section 144121 of the Charities Act 2011 {the 2011 Act} and that an Independent examination is nee(led. Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and Is eligible for independent eXamInat￿n. it is my responslbillty to: • examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act • to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions 8lven by the Charity Commlsslon under section 14515llb} of the 2011 Act to state whether particular matters have come to my attention 8asls of Ind¢p¢ndent examln¢rfs r•port My examination was carried OLrt in accordance with the general Di￿tionS 8iven by the Charity Commission. An examlnation includes a review of the accountln8 records kept by the charlty and a comparlson of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes conslderatlon of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and 5eekln8 explanatlons from you as tru5tee5 concernln8 any such matters. The pmcedures undertaken do not provlde all the evldence that would be requlred in an audit and consequently no oplnlon Ss glven as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair vlew, and the report15 Ilmlted to those matter5 set out In the next statement. Indep•ndent exarnln•es statement In connectlon wlth my examlnatlon, no matter has corne to my attenlion: 111 which 8lves me reasonable cause to belleve that In any material ￿SpeCt the requirements.. • to keep accountlng records In accordance wlth section 386 of the Companies ki 2iJ)6 and: to prepare accounts whlch accord with the accountin8 records. comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2(N)6 and with the methods and principle5 of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accountin8 and Reportin8 by Charit￿5 have not been met or 12) to which. in my opinion. attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached Name: rim D Miller MA ACMA CGMA Relevant professlonal quallflcation or body-- Chartered Institute of Management Accountsnts Address: 105 Redhatch Drive. Earley. Readin& RG6 5QN 25 October 2022

BERKSHIRE AUTISTIC SOCIETY

Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure Account)

for the year ended 31 March 2022

Unrestricted
Notes
Funds
£
Incoming Resources
Incoming Resources from Generated Funds
Grants
26,250
Govt - Small Business Grant
-
Govt - Cronavirus Job Retention Scheme
-
Membership Subscriptions
6,349
Donations
13,221
Fundraising and Collections
2,366
Training Courses
1,000
Bank Interest
23
Incoming Resources from Charitable
1
-
Activities
Total Incoming Resources
49,209
Resources Expended
Fundraising Trading Costs
-
Charitable Activities
3a
40,795
Governance
3b
1,851
Total Resources Expended
42,646
Net incoming/(outgoing) resources
6,563
Total Funds Brought Forward
77,733
Total funds Carried Forward
84,296		 Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
-
-
3,345
-
-
-
155,712
159,057
-
159,057
-
159,057
-
-
-		 Total
2021/2022
£
26,250
-
-
6,349
16,566
2,366
1,000
23
155,712
208,266
-
199,852
1,851
201,703
6,563
77,733
84,296		 Total
2020/2021
£
18,500
10,000
33,210
7,576
22,286
3,702
-
65
143,936
239,275
2,162
234,766
2,045
238,973
302
77,431
77,733

10

BERKSHIRE AUTISTIC SOCIETY

Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2022

Current Assets
Debtors
Prepayments
Cash at Bank and in Hand
Total Current Assets
Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year
Creditors
Accruals
HMRC PAYE/NI
Deferred Income
1
Total Current Liabilities
Total Assets less Current Liabilities
NET ASSETS
General Funds
Restricted Funds
Total Funds		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
0
0
91,185
91,185
0
4,008
2,881
-
6,889
84,296
84,296
84,296		 Restricted
Funds
£
25,000
0
86,978
111,978
11,514
2,784
-
97,680
111,978
0
0		 31/03/2022
£
25,000
0
178,163
203,163
11,514
6,792
2,881
97,680
118,867
84,296
84,296
84,296		 31/03/2021
£
1,000
0
165,698
166,698
427
11,661
2,655
74,222
88,965
77,733
77,733
77,733

11

Notes forming part of the financial statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2022

Unrestricted
Funds
£
3
Resources Expended
a)
Charitable Activities
Payroll Costs
2
53,530
Sub-Contracted Providers
120
Venue Hire
390
Refreshment Costs
20
Travel
82
Leaflets & Promotional Materials
500
Other Activity Costs
0
Storage/Virtual Office
2,049
Insurance
1,773
Telephone
1,494
Printing,Postage,Stationery
122
IT & Web Services
3,179
Small Fixtures Replacement
1,276
DBS Fees
63
Staff Recruitment & Training
-
Subscriptions & Licenses
228
Bank & Fundraising Collection Fees
308
Overhead allocation
(24,339)
40,795
b)
Governance Costs
Legal fees
-
Governance Costs
851
Independent Examiners Fee
1,000
1,851		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
3
Resources Expended
a)
Charitable Activities
Payroll Costs
2
53,530
Sub-Contracted Providers
120
Venue Hire
390
Refreshment Costs
20
Travel
82
Leaflets & Promotional Materials
500
Other Activity Costs
0
Storage/Virtual Office
2,049
Insurance
1,773
Telephone
1,494
Printing,Postage,Stationery
122
IT & Web Services
3,179
Small Fixtures Replacement
1,276
DBS Fees
63
Staff Recruitment & Training
-
Subscriptions & Licenses
228
Bank & Fundraising Collection Fees
308
Overhead allocation
(24,339)
40,795
b)
Governance Costs
Legal fees
-
Governance Costs
851
Independent Examiners Fee
1,000
1,851		 Restricted
Funds
£		 Total
2021/2022
£		 Total
2020/2021
£
173,785
13,804
2,003
-
274
4,422
1,514
20,055
1,638
565
1,809
5,476
5,539
50
2,996
195
641
-
53,530
120
390
20
82
500
0
2,049
1,773
1,494
122
3,179		 91,319
35,381
1,722
148
1,136
2,122
1,434
-
-
70
345
971		 144,849
35,501
2,112
168
1,218
2,622
1,434
2,049
1,773
1,564
466
4,150
1,276 71 1,347
63
-
228
308
(24,339)		 0
-
-
-
24,339		 63
-
228
308
-
40,795
-
851
1,000
1,851		 159,057
-
-
-
-		 199,852
-
851
1,000
1,851
234,766
300
745
1,000
2,045

12

1 Incoming Resources from Charitable Activities (Restricted)

2021/2022
£
Deferred Income brought forward @ 1st April, 2021
74,222
Income Received
179,170
Deferred Income carried forward @ 31st March, 202
97,680
Income Released to Income & Expenditure
155,712		 2020/2021
£
35,522
182,636
74,222
143,936

We also gratefully acknowledge grants or donations over £250 from the following sponsors:-

Agri-Food Ltd OneSlough Fund
Amazon Community Fund PayPal Giving Fund
Amazon Smile R S Brownless Trust
Baylis Media - Christmas Cracker Appeal Reading Dispensary Trust
BBC - Children In Need Rory Smyth
Bracknell Forest Council Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead
Bracknell Town Council Schroder Charity Trust
British Science Week Shanly Foundation
Co-op Local Community Fund Sir Jules Thorn Trust/Ann Rylands Small Grants
Crowthorne Parish Council Slough Community Wellbeing Fund
Ecclesiastical Insurance Movement for Good Slough SPACE Project
Garfield Weston Foundation Southern Co-Operative Healthier Neighbourhoods Fund
Involve - Bracknell COVID 19 Recovery Fund Thames Valley Police & Crime Commissioner Community Fund
Jordanne Hayward The Henry Smith Charity
London Marathon (Fundraising Sponsorships) TK Maxx
O2 Together Fund Wokingham Without Parish Council

2 Staff Costs and Numbers

Gross Salaries and Wages
Employers' National Insurance Costs
Redundancy Costs
Pension Contributions
Allocated to Fund Raising
Average full time equivalent of employees engaged:
Activities in furtherance of organisation's objects		 2021/2022
£
136,236
6,097
0
2,516
144,849
0
144,849
2021/2022
4.09		 2020/2021
£
161,961
7,953
1,054
2,817
173,785
0
173,785
2020/2021
4.72

No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000. Staff are paid through the PAYE system.

13