## THE BRIDGE COUNSELLING SERVICE, WORCESTER
## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT 2025**
## **Reference and Administrative Details**
Charity Name: The Bridge Counselling Service – Worcester Charity Number: 1079216 Address: The Angel Centre, Angel Place, Worcester, WR1 3QN
_Trustees_
Linda Watson (Chair) Sarah Stansfield (Treasurer) Stuart Currie Neil Carey Anthony Russell-Pattison Rhiannon Lewis (resigned 1/12/25) Kirstie Valentine (resigned 23/10/25)
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
The Bridge is governed by a Declaration of Trust dated 1 October 1999 as amended by deed of amendment dated 20 December 1999. Under this document the Trustees have power to appoint new Trustees as required. A deed of rectification dated 24 May 2019 has corrected the original trust and deed of amendment to correct some anomalies which had been identified.
## **Financial Review**
Total income for the year amounted to £26,338 and total expenditure was £26,525 giving rise to a small deficit of £187. There was some very generous funding from some local churches and the year was aided by receiving grants of £6,736 from Laslett’s Charities towards the cost of the Clinical Lead. The largest expenses were payments to the Clinical Lead and Administrator, which in total amounted to £14,185. The rent for the office and counselling rooms was £4,971 this year, which remains a very competitive rent for these facilities in the city centre. This is lower than previous year as no rent was charged for one quarter as part of the process of change of ownership of The Angel Centre. Supervision costs were £2,205 of which £1,065 was refunded by trainee counsellors. It remains the trustees’ view that supervision is an essential investment to enable The Bridge to provide a fully professional service and support the work of the counsellors. The income from client donations decreased by £1,643 to £5,560. Other Donations were £17,947 including grants of £6,736. The Gift Aid of £1,506 was for the 12 months to 31 December 2024. A further claim to 31 December 2025 which was submitted in March 2026 is shown in debtors.
The Trustees maintained the policy of holding approximately 3 months operating costs in reserve. Based on budgeted costs for 2026 this would require a reserve of £7,300. Reserves are currently higher than this, which is helpful as a deficit is currently budgeted for 2026 which would reduce reserves but there should still be in excess of 3 months expenditure remaining. It is also hoped some successful grant applications can be made again during 2026.
## **Objectives and Activities**
The Charitable Objects are: _a] the relief of people within the city of Worcester who are in conditions of need, hardship or distress in particular by the provision of advice and counselling, and b] the advancement of education within the said city by the provision of counselling training._
The trustees have considered the Commission’s guidance on public benefit.
During 2025 the Bridge continued to provide counselling sessions for people with a wide range of emotional, relational and personal difficulties. These included depression and anxiety, some of which is classified as social anxiety related to gender issues and/or arising as a result of the aftermath of the pandemic and lockdown that affected many young people negatively.
The service depends on the support of a committed team of professionally trained counsellors and trainee counsellors who give their time voluntarily to the Bridge and other volunteers who assist as receptionists and provide administrative support. All clients self-refer, usually following recommendation from a wide range of sources, including GPs, statutory and voluntary bodies in Worcestershire, and churches, but there are also many self-referrals as a result of advertising and word of mouth. The Bridge is particularly committed to making counselling available to people from lower socio-economic groups through its ‘pay what you can’ policy. All such payments are entirely voluntary.
The day-to-day running of the service is led by an Administrator, who is employed for 8 hours per week plus an additional 2 hours to assist with grant applications. A Clinical Lead, who is selfemployed and works for up to 3 hours per week, oversees the clinical aspects of the work. During 2025 both the Clinical Lead and Administrator left, the Clinical Lead as she wished to retire and the Administrator to move onto a fulltime position. We were able to make two replacement appointments. One of our trustees was appointed as Clinical Lead and so resigned as a trustee and we recruited an Administrator.
## **Achievements and Performance**
The number of counsellors working at the Bridge decreased during the year as some left but the increased number of student counsellors in their second year of training, introduced in 2023 served to assist our counselling capacity. During 2025, 945 counselling sessions were attended and 98 counselling assessments were provided. This was a decrease from 2024, but it was anticipated that the numbers would pick up again as some trainees would shortly be ready to take clients. There was also some uncertainty during 2025 about the future of the Bridge, at least in the current premises as the building was put up for sale. A purchaser was found but the sale process, which was still to be completed at the end of the year, was prolonged and the uncertainty caused some stress for everyone involved with the Bridge.
## **This report was approved by the Trustees on 08/06/2026 and signed on its behalf by**
Linda M Watson
Chair of Trustees
## **The Bridge Counselling Service - Worcester**
## **Charity Number 1079216**
## **Receipts and Payments Accounts For the year ending 31 December 2025**
|**Income:**
Voluntary Sources - Gifts and Donations
Client Donations
Other Donations incl Grants
Voluntary Sources - Gift Aid Tax Refund
Fundraising
Bank Interest
**Total Income**
**Expenditure:**
Charitable Activity direct expenditure
Clinical Lead
Administrator
Supervision
Training
Rent
Telephone, Postage, Stationery
Computer Equiment
Publicity
Electricity
Insurance
Books & Subscriptions
Legal Fees
Premises expenses
Miscellaneous
**Total Expenditure**
**Net (Deficit)/Surplus for year**
**Cash Funds last year end**
**Cash Funds this year end**
Other Income|**2025**
**General Restricted**
**Total**
5,560
5,560
11,211
6,736
17,947
1,506
1,506
95
95
1,065
1,065
165
165
19,602
6,736
26,338
0
6,210
6,210
7,975
7,975
2,205
2,205
24
24
4,971
4,971
1,057
1,057
0
0
399
399
1,186
1,186
1,522
1,522
278
278
0
0
0
0
699
699
20,316
6,210
26,526
(714)
526
(188)
17,685
0
17,685
16,971
526
17,497|**2024**
7,103
20,942
1,427
716
1,090
204
31,482
6,628
9,126
2,945
2,090
6,553
996
0
116
1,538
1,434
260
0
90
214
31,990
(508)
18,193
17,685|
|---|---|---|
Page 3
## **The Bridge Counselling Service - Worcester**
## **Charity Number 1079216**
## **Statement of Assets and Liabilities**
## **For the year ended 31 December 2025**
|**Cash funds**
Petty Cash
Cash Account
Gold Reserve Account
Gold Account
**Other monetary assets**
Gift Aid refund - 1 Jan 2025 to 31 Dec 2025
Gift Aid refund - 1 Jan 2024 to 31 Dec 2024
**Assets retained for the charity's own use**
**Liabilities**
Creditors - Supervision Fees
Creditors - Clinical Lead Dec
Rent for 3m as this is the notice period|**2025**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
20
49
9,655
9,962
5,035
4,940
2,787
2,734
17,497
17,685
1,140
1,505
1,140
1,505
0
0
135
0
540
0
1,657
1,657
2,332
1,657
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**|
|---|---|
## **Restricted Fund**
£526 of the restricted income in 2026 of £6,736 is carried forward to 2026 (In 2024 the income of £12,605 was fully expended in that year)
## **Notes**
**Accounting Policy.** These accounts have been prepared on the receipts and payments basis and therefore the assets and liabilities above are not reflected in the accounts on page 3
## **Payments to Trustees** .
During the year Rhiannon Lewis received £1,620 as Clinical Lead but ceased as trustee on 1/12/25 No trustees received any payments or expenses
Signed on behalf of the trustees
Date 08 June 2026
Linda Watson, Chair
Page 4
## **Independent Examiner's Report on the Accounts to the Trustees of The Bridge Counselling Service - Worcester for the year ended 31 December 2025**
**set out on pages 1 to 4**
## **Respective responsibilites of trustees and examiners**
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
it is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
- to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act), and
- to state whether particular matters have come to my attention
## **Basis of independent examiner's statement**
My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair' view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
- (1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements:
- to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act;
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charites Act have not been met, or
- (2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Douglas Dale FCA Date 9th June 2026
D Dale Thorneloe 14 Stephenson Road Worcester WR1 3JE
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