This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

Annual Report and Accounts

2024

Prepared by

Registered Charity Number 1079574 Registered Company Number 03512914

Chartered Accountants 66 Earl Street Maidstone Kent ME14 1PS

Table of Contents	Company Information Message from Our Chair Message from Our CEO Trustee’s Report Hopscotch Women’s Centre Services Impact Highlights Priorities and the Future Financial Review Auditor’s Report	3 4 5 7 10 11 19 20 23
	Annual Accounts	26

Trustees

Simran Chawla (Chair) Bharvi Hadani (Treasurer) Vidhu Sood-Nicholls (Fundraising) Olivia Spruce (Homecare) Wupya Nandap (Legal) Ria Brookes (Programmes)

Chief Executive

Benaifer Bhandari

Auditors

Hamilton Coopers Chartered Accountants 66 Earl Street Maidstone Kent ME14 1PS

Bankers

Registered Office

Solicitors

Registered charity number Registered company number

HSBC 176 Camden High Street London NW1 8QL 50-52 Hampstead Road London NW1 2PT Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP 110 Fetter Lane London EC4A 1AY 1079574 03512914

Message from Our Chair of Board of Trustees – Simran Chawla

As I write this, many of us are still reeling from the horrifying racist and Islamophobic riots across the UK in early August 2024. As an organisation we work with some of the most minoritised and vulnerable women, children and families. At times like this, being targeted for who you are means you are simultaneously invisible and hyper-visible. During 2023-24 we also had to be agile and flexible and put a range of safeguarding processes in place to protect not only our service users but also members of staff who were very vulnerable.

This year we have a new national Government, about whom we are cautiously optimistic. Equally, we at Hopscotch are acutely aware that it will take years to undo the catastrophic damage done by the last 14 years of austerity, lies, racism and blatant islamophobia. And while statutory bodies begin the work of cleaning up and redefining who we are as a nation, organisations like Hopscotch Women’s Centre have quietly continued to do what we do best: hold women and girls who are impacted by the steady rise in abuse, poverty and mental health issues. These are—as ever—the result the result of deep-seated systemic issues that have complex consequences. And because we are, as always, person-centred, supported by an incredible team that goes above and beyond, in 2023-24 we continued to do the best that we could with our shrinking resources.

Our Homecare team has stood strong in the face of fluctuations in care packages, and therefore income, ably led by Lucie Gourdin.

Isabelle Terrisson has not only held the Programmes team steady, but grown the impact of our work whilst receiving kudos and gratitude from the Mayor of London and Sir Keir Starmer for the team’s consistently brilliant, traumainformed work with Afghan refugees.

Girish Popat, Head of Finance keeps us on the straight and narrow, navigating the constantly complex world of charity finances and uncertainty.

And as always, our CEO Benaifer Bhandari simultaneously ensures we deliver against our commitments and targets, while always keeping one eye on possible future directions and collaborations.

For each of us on the Board, it is a privilege to be part of Hopscotch. We are, as always, inspired and committed to doing even better.

mental health crises turning up at our offices near Euston, in the most distraught conditions.

team. all the other demands. | don't believe there is a homecare service in the country with such an incredible

wraparound service as being an optimum, trauma-informed model for supporting those most vulnerable.

workload in the face of high demand for our services. Yet we’ve pulled together in tough times, cherished

the best outcomes … and no CEO could ask for more from those who are the backbone of our charity.

Message from Our CEO – Benaifer Bhandari

Advocates, consult with a solicitor, and access additional services online.

We also launched a preventative programme called Positive Masculinity working with schools and boys referred to the programme by safeguarding or their head of year. Our Senior Youth Worker created a safe space for boys to be able to explore the views they held about masculinity, the toxicity that is so widely available to young minds and myths that they haven’t been able to safely explore to feel good about themselves as young men. This work has had outstanding results and is gaining a lot of interest.

April and May 2023 saw our final events as Cllr Nasim Ali’s Charity as Mayor of Camden. He raised a total of £75,000 for us and simultaneously spread a message of antimisogyny. We welcomed new funding relationships with organisations like re-wrap and the Co-Op. Holborn Police Station became friends of Hopscotch when they held a BakeOff style competition to fundraise for us, making a commitment to continue supporting our work.

We formed a new and vibrant friendship with Shiela McKechnie Foundation, where we are now a part of their Charity Reform Group, representing the women’s sector in seeing how to make the beyond-profit sector be better recognised as a fourth emergency service.

I am lucky enough to have six incredible line managers – the Trustees of Hopscotch Women’s Centre. They have continued to be inspiring, challenging us to be even better and demonstrating what empathetic leadership looks like. We had four impactful Board meetings with Trustees approving the move for our Homecare Care Workers to go from zero-hour contracts, to permanent ones. Trustees also established us as one of the most caring organisations in the country when they approved staff to have unlimited time off to handle any domestic violence situation they themselves may be involved in. The policy gives the survivor a choice of managers to have as their champion, to be as trauma-informed as possible in a very difficult situation.

This year we launched three new training sessions in addition to our VAWG training:

Trauma-Informed Practice in the Workplace Communication Skills
How to be an Activist

We continued to represent on Camden’s VAWG Board and Safeguarding Adult’s Partnership Board – and I’ve continued to love my role as Chair of Camden and Islington’s Trauma-Informed network.

2023-24 gave me an opportunity to be around the table with the Metropolitan Police to explore VAWG and Race, inputting on the plight of our service users and the effects on those most marginalised by society. We were so pleased this year to be part of a cohort facilitated by Protection Approaches to explore hate crime, its definition, its effect on our service users and our services in general. We all gained a lot from the training provided and the projects we undertook, including sharing information about hate crime with our Afghan service users.

As the year progressed, we became acutely aware that we were starting to see non-binary and trans people reaching out to us. This led to an internal dialogue, resulting in incredible gender training with expert Che Barnes, to better understand the science around gender. We realised that instead of following the footsteps of many charities in the women’s sector—excluding those who don’t conform to Eurocentric views of what a woman is—we will be true feminists, wrapping our cloak of inclusion around those rejected by others. It was an easy move for us because we are person-centred as an organisation anyway; all we needed was to deepen our understanding of gender, for the team to get their own questions answered.

Financially, like so many, this past year has been painful for us. We’ve made some difficult decisions this financial year to make sure we remain steady, available and ready for whatever fundamentally affects those we serve. With a passionate commitment, 27 languages and lived-experience of the issues facing those we serve, Hopscotch Women’s Centre is planning for a long and bright future.

¥ —— = Trustees Report “a ee on ees — - The Pay Policy of Senior Staff Directors and Trustees with Responsibilities The Board of Trustees and Senior Leadership Team of Hopscotch comprise the key Introduction management personnel of the charity, Simran Chawla – Chair directing, controlling, and running the charity Bharvi Hadani – Treasurer The financial statements comply with the on day-to-day basis. Vidhu Sood-Nicholls – Fundraising Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and Initiatiaon Olivia Spruce – Homecare No Trustee/Director received remuneration Wupya Nandap – Legal and Governance Accounting and reporting for Charities: during the year. The Senior Leadership Team Ria Brookes – Programmes Statement of Recommended Practice applicable includes the CEO, Head of Programmes, Head to = charities preparing their accounts in — of Homecare and Head of Finance. accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and ROI (FRS Monitoring 102). Hopscotch was established as an independent Structure voluntary organization on 1 June 1998 from Save The Trustees, who are also the Directors for the purpose of company law, do not have any beneficial interest in the Execution the Children. It is a company limited by company. All Trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up. guarantee and became a registered charity on 28 February 2000. Trustees are interviewed and selected by other Trustees and the Senior Management Team. They are representative .NS of the community in which Hopscotch delivers its services and/or are professionals and advisors with specialist skills that are essential in the sustainability and development of the organisation.

The Pay Policy of Senior Staff

There is an induction process that all Trustees go through which is carried out by the CEO and Chair and includes the organisation's policies and procedures and forms that need to be filled in from Companies House and the Charity Commission.

The Senior Leadership Team agrees upon all decisions which must come to the main Board of Trustees, this is then — .. delegated in the form of action points via the minutes to the CEO. i, = . >= ——

Vision

Our Guiding potential. Priniciples Mission i oe

Our vision is a society where all women are empowered, connected, well and safe, so they can achieve their full

Mission

Aims

Hopscotch seeks to address racial and gender inequality and empowers women facing this injustice and disadvantage in a culturally sensitive way, so they can be included and equal in society.

We are responsive to changing needs. We aspire to maximize opportunities for women so they feel confident in achieving their aspirations.

We are agile in the face of societal pressures and advocate for individuals and communities, through influencing mainstream policy, to adopt good practice.

Improve the physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing of women and their families.

Increase the economic participation of women through improvements in employability skills to strengthen their life chances and independence with greater resilience.

Reduce the risk of gender-based violence amongst women facing a higher risk of abuse.

Increase the voice and representation of women through advocacy and policy work.

Maintain an effective, fit for purpose and robust organisation that meets the needs of all stakeholders, including voluntary and statutory sectors, to contribute to our aims.

Client Testimonials

VAWG

“You have been an actual lifeline for me. I had times when I thought I didn’t want to live. You have been kind and helped me understand all my options so that I can make my own choices and finally be happy in my life.

I don’t know what I would do without you, no one else has been able to understand my complicated situation like you have. Thank you so much. I hope I can help someone one day, like you have helped me.”

Refugee Advocacy

“In fact, parents take their children’s hands and teach them how to walk to safety, but in our case, Hopscotch became our parents by supporting us when we were in a situation like those children who needed guidance to stand and walk safely. When we arrived here, we didn’t know anything. Hopscotch programmes and advocates brought us from darkness to brightness. All sessions were arranged perfectly according to our needs filled with information, support, education and helpful for our mental health. Not only did women receive support from Hopscotch but our children and men did too. Every session was a full course of a new subject of study for me. I enjoyed sewing sessions where I learned skills such as operating sewing machines and I felt proud of myself when I saw my work at the British Library, where people took pictures and asked for information about them. Overall, ever since getting involved with Hopscotch, I feel like myself. For the first time I learned as a woman that I am valued which boosted my confidence and helped me converse in basic English.”

Hopscotch Women’s Centre Service

We run an amazing, multi-faceted and diverse service which wraps around each service user according to their needs.

----- Start of picture text -----
Supporting clients with 01
| complex needs |
Human Rights and Racial 02
Equity
Embedded Trauma-Informed
and Mental Health Support 03
Longstanding Commitment 04
and Legacy
|
Diverse and Multi-Lingual 05
Team
----- End of picture text -----

From VAWG, to Welfare and Employment Advocacy, we are truly present and focussed on individualised needs.

From older women’s service to our specialised youth provision in schools - we understand religious and cultural barriers and how to work with people at these stages to ensure they feel seen, heard and supported in their lives.

889

Welfare appointments

£45,960

Total benefit support received because of the support of our Welfare Advocates

1,400

Refugee women, men and children assisted since 2022

104

Older women from isolated backgrounds attended workshops and events

410 Impact Highlights: Key Achievements Across Our Initiatives

365

Women accessed mental health and wellbeing services

65

Young people attended our workshops in schools after referrals from safeguarding

288

Service users supported to move towards employment

Women facing domestic abuse helped to remain safely in their relationships, leave to protect themselves and their children, or just seek support before making a decision

REMY DHAMI

Welfare Advisor

My role at Hopscotch Women's Centre focuses on assisting service users from all backgrounds with welfare and housing advice and in a advocacy person-centred, trauma-informed way. Our work differs in that we offer a wraparound service and each one of us is trained to spot when there may be issues other than the ones initially presented to us, then be there to support service users through their use of each project.

Insights From Our VAWG Specialist

As a Complex Needs Specialist Advocate with the WiSER and Ruby projects at Hopscotch Women’s Centre, I am honoured to walk alongside women who are navigating some of life’s toughest challenges. At Hopscotch, we do more than offer support — we listen, we understand, and we stand by each woman, respecting her journey and her strength. Our approach is deeply personal and culturally sensitive, recognising that each woman’s story is unique.

What makes Hopscotch different is our unwavering commitment to empowering women from all walks of life to not just survive, but to thrive, with dignity and hope. This work is more than a job to me; it’s a shared mission to build brighter futures together.

Our Supporters and Funders ageuK CHILDREN IN NEED Camden Land NHS co op Camden and Islington CITY BRIDGE FOUNDATION GsP . COMMUNITY FUND NHS Foundation Tiust Hestia HS2 Protection Approaches re-wrap,, LIFE BEYOND CRISIS solace tme gaL4 f9undatign treebeard trust Trust for London 14

Our Main Focus This Year Violence Against Our Domestic Abuse Service has supported 410 individual Welfare Our experienced Welfare Advocates provided pan-London women, offering the care and assistance they needed to advice and advocacy through our multi-lingual, and culturally Women and navigate challenging situations - many of them life Advice sensitive service. Support was delivered through one-to-one threatening. Additionally, 80 women made use of our one-off drop-ins, referrals, and group sessions, both in person and Girls listening space, which provides immediate emotional support. online, with a focus on financial management. This year, we We are committed to creating a safe and supportive assisted 405 unique service users through 889 appointments, environment where every woman feels heard and empowered resulting in a total financial impact of £45,960. to take the necessary steps towards safety, recovery and joy. Funders - City Bridge, GMSP, MOPAC, Oak Foundation, Treebeard Funders - L B Camden, The National Lottery Trust, Donations 5[“a] Our service was culturally aligned to ensure accessibility for Wellbeing diverse communities in Camden. This included making dementia Employment We worked with individuals furthest from the job market, with awareness culturally accessible. This year, we supported 365 an emphasis on confidence and communication skills Advocacy individuals, including 115 through our Camden Memory Service Support development. Other workshops included CV writing and programme, while 250 service users visited us a one-off listening interview skills, tailored to specific groups and localities. We space.

We worked with individuals furthest from the job market, with an emphasis on confidence and communication skills development. Other workshops included CV writing and interview skills, tailored to specific groups and localities. We collaborated closely with corporate partners, providing service users with access to spaces and professionals they would not have encountered otherwise. This year, we supported 288 unique service users through these initiatives.

Crucially, this service is for our whole team of 120 so that our care workers and front-line staff have a safe space to share without any judgement. Funders - Co-op, HS2, L B Camden, Nafsiyat, Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, Donations

Funders - British Land, re-wrap, Trust for London

Our Main Focus This Year Older Through regular sessions this highly regarded project has This crucial work has focused on integrating women and their supported over 100 service users, with a variety of events families into the community while strengthening partnerships Refugee Women’s aimed at enhancing well-being and social connection. We with amazing organisations around the borough and beyond. address isolation through engaging in exercise and health Advocacy The Afghan Refugee Advocacy team successfully established Support activities, gardening, cooking, and outings to places of interest the first community hub connecting families in hotels with which would otherwise be inaccessible to the group. The those in housing under the resettlement programme, and we project achieved notable results, including: cohesion with have continued to support those in long-term housing. Safe women from other communities, improved understanding of spaces for women and children means they socialise, share health conditions, mental wellbeing and finance. There has experiences, and stay connected. Despite many challenges been a huge increase in self-confidence reported by those 1,400 evacuees have been supported and helped to feel safe participating in this programme. in their new country. ~~5~~ Funder - LB Camden Funder - LB Camden and The National Lottery a, Youth We established a successful partnership with Camden schools, assisting with safeguarding challenges for refugee girls and boys. Homecare Over the past year, our Homecare team has focused maintaining our high quality service supporting minoritised Advocacy We provided individual and group support sessions to 40 girls communities, including ethnically diverse clients, individuals and 25 boys on various life topics including DV, race and with dementia, LGBTQ+ people, and others who who need misogyny. By the end of the year, staff observed a marked tailored care. We successfully maintained a steady level of reduction in aggressive behaviour among the boys, more service with over 80 highly trained care workers supporting positive engagement with teachers and peers, a deepened nearly 120 clients in their own homes. All of this is done with understanding of who they were as individuals, and how to step our clients having dignity and control over their own care. into the power that they previously believed they didn’t have. Funder - BBC Children in Need Funder - LB Camden 5 16

Case Study Positive Masculinity How Group Sessions and Dialogue Helped a Young Boy Challenge Traditional Gender Norms and Foster Healthy Relationships with Girls B A C K G R O U N D Sadiqi, a year ten student, grappled with strong feelings of inequality and frustration regarding the treatment of girls at school. He perceived girls to receive preferential treatment and greater support compared to boys. These concerns stemmed from his belief that boys were unfairly treated and overlooked in comparison to their female counterparts, leading to a sense of AT A GLANCE disempowerment and invisibility within the school environment. Embracing Equality: Sadiqi's Journey Towards Positive Masculinity S U P P O R T P R O V I D E D Through 1-2-1 and group sessions, During 1-2-1 sessions and later in group discussions, Sadiqi courageously voiced his concerns, Sadiqi expressed his concerns about expressing his emotions and defending traditional/conservative gender norms. Through facilitated binary views on gender through open group sessions that fostered safe and open dialogue and active listening, Sadiqi had the dialogue, challenging traditional gender opportunity to engage with his peers, including girls, and gain insight into their perspectives. By norms and roles. actively participating in these discussions and hearing first-hand accounts of the challenges faced by his female peers, Sadiqi began to question and re-evaluate his own beliefs about gender roles Participating in discussions with just boys and societal expectations. to begin with, and then girls too, allowed Sadiqi to understand his biases I M P A C T and where they may have come from, and be able to listen to different As a result of the supportive environment provided by the group sessions, Sadiqi experienced a perspectives, for the first time in his life, transformative shift in his perspective, moving from a position of skepticism and rigidity to one of and re-evaluate his own views on gender openness and acceptance. By confronting and unpacking his preconceived notions about gender roles. roles, Sadiqi gained a deeper understanding of the complexities of gender dynamics and the importance of empathy and mutual respect. This new-found awareness not only enhanced his relationships with his female peers but also contributed to his personal growth and emotional wellbeing, allowing him to embrace a more inclusive and harmonious worldview.[-] 17

Testimonials

Wellbeing and Health

“It’s such a relief to be listened to without being told I'm not well and need medication. My husband has early onset dementia. Hopscotch helped me to learn all about dementia and how it affects the body and what I can do to help my husband. It means that I can support my husband with so much more confidence and feel better about this illness when talking to others about it. My mum has been ill for so long with depression and it took Hopscotch to help my mum and I to sit together and talk, for the first time ever, about our relationship. Since then we’ve talked so much, and worked out a daily routine so we can live in harmony with one another. We’ve made up for all the years of not expressing ourselves. I’m really grateful for this service giving me this gift.

I’ve felt invisible until I’ve come to Hopscotch and for the first time in my life I’ve been listened to without interruption and intervention. Just listening made me feel seen.”

Welfare

“Hopscotch’s welfare service is SO compassionate! I have been struggling with my disability diagnosis a lot recently, but the advocate from Hopscotch gave me so much time and attention to help me out today. I felt very heard and very seen.”

“Today is a wonderful day, my Universal Credit got sorted out and it was all thanks to Hopscotch. I was very unsure of how to make the claim that I needed. You helped me with everything and your explanation was very clear and easy to understand.”

Priorities and the Future

2023-24 saw us reach out to many other councils in London and begin to share the “how” of Hopscotch Women’s Centre, because our culturally appropriate, traumainformed and person-centred way of wrapping services around vulnerable people is what makes us unique.

We are constantly evaluating areas in London where there is a lack of culturally sensitive support for women and we are working with more boroughs to see where our VAWG One Stop Shop, Positive Masculinity Work and complete wraparound service help citizens who are struggling.

Engaging with like-minded organisations nationally is also a goal, with the aim of leading on a strategic network of organisations in the women’s sector, to share learning and be a collective force for change for the benefit of those made invisible.

Financially, we are broadening our fundraising strategy to gain traction for increasing unrestricted income. 2020-23 has shown us how important it is for us to remain agile in the face of lockdowns and financial crisis - and this agility primarily is funded by donations.

Our amazing Homecare service is on the cusp of an inspection which we are prepared for, to get an improved rating with CQC - which gives us many more opportunities for Homecare in neighbouring boroughs to spread our service which is centred on service-users who may be marginalised due to race, sexuality and gender.

Financial Review

our Women’s Centre services. Homecare saw a slight slowdown in activity.

much better service.

that we end 24/25 with a small surplus.

PRINCIPAL RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES q <4, i

Risks are analysed by the Board as a whole quarterly and key working groups meet 7 regularly for:

Homecare
Programmes
Fundraising Finance
HR/Legal

Some of the main risks identified for Hopscotch:

Homecare Trustee, CEO and Head of Homecare discuss all safeguarding incidents and progress of business development, especially recruitment
Management have invested in the relationship with the borough’s adult social on care over the last year, reflected in the positive trajectory of the business
Further growth is planned over the next 12 months in line with our next CQC 7 inspection where an improvement is predicted, allowing for our planned expansion via bids for other borough adult social care contracts - -

ACCREDITATIONS

Hopscotch holds AQS at the Advice with Casework Level and the Matrix Quality 7 im, Standard for Information Advice and Guidance services accreditations.

Low risk in financial control and reporting

Maintaining a surplus and healthy reserves
Mitigation includes:
Finance working group reviewing all reporting and the background figures which make up the accounts
° Trustees have set agenda items for financial reporting in each of their meetings, including a cashflow forecast
° We have a mixture of charity and corporate experience on the Board to make sure we take full advantage of all sources of income
Hopscotch has a tight budget structure which is re-forecasted at six months and monitored by the Treasurer, and thereafter all trustees
Dependency on grants and competitive funding environment
Mitigation includes:
A steady 15% of grants to cover overheads, increasing the stability of the organisation’s ability to conduct charitable work
The Fundraising Working Group is led by a Trustee who is experienced in fundraising and we ensure we adequately diversify our programmes to ensure our stability in the long-term
Investment in Homecare staff and systems has resulted in increased hours and income
The next 12 months see a growth and diversification of our programmes to include wellbeing support which runs across all programmes

INVESTMENT POLICY

Aside from retaining a prudent amount in reserves each year, a high proportion of the charity's funds are to be spent in the short-term so there are no funds for long-term investment. The Trustees currently retain unrestricted funds in a deposit account, which ensures that the funds can be accessed immediately and are not susceptible to financial market risk.

RESERVES POLICY

The Trustees have considered the charity's requirements for reserves, taking account of the main risks to the organisation, and they feel that significant reserves should be heldbecause: ny) ; - a

The charity has no endowment funding and is substantially dependent for income upon contracts with a single provider
The charity requires funds, which can be allocated to specific projects to enable these projects to be undertaken at short notice
The charity needs to be able to pay staff redundancy should projects unexpectedly, in exceptional circumstances, have funding withdrawn
The charity requires protection against and the ability to continue operating despite catastrophic or damaging events
Delivery of Homecare services
Mitigation includes:
oo. Recruitment and training of qualified staff reporting to management who have — specialist knowledge and experience – adhering to a schedule of recruitment ensuring capacity of the service is maintained, with enough expansion for growth

A policy has been established by the Trustees whereby the unrestricted reserves not q~q _ : "a committed or invested in tangible fixed assets (free reserves) and is targeted at a 7 oo : - — oe minimum of 3 months of the anticipated expenditure. At 31 March 2024 the free - unrestricted funds including the redundancy funds is £373,785. In the uncertain economic times, Trustees feel it is essential to achieve and retain the targeted level of - in unrestricted reserves. Trustees plan to increase the level of reserves to the minimum requirement by organising fundraising activities for the charity and seeking opportunities for individual and corporate donors.

Prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and to enable them re to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for a = ia taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The Trustees will maintain as a prudent approach with the intention to retain reserves sufficient to cover salaries of key personnel and running costs for a minimum of three months. Other non-essential personnel will be covered by the redundancy provision.

STATEMENT AS TO DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION TO THE AUDITORS

So far as the Trustees are aware, there is no relevant information of which the charitable company’s independent examiners are unaware, and each trustee has taken all the steps that he or she ought to have taken as a trustee in order to make himself or herself aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the charity’s auditors are of that information.

PUBLIC BENEFIT

Trustees of a charity have a duty to report in their Annual Report on their charity's public benefit. The Trustees of Hopscotch have considered the requirements which are explained on the Charity Commission website.

A resolution proposing the reappointment of Hamilton Coopers as auditors will be put to the AGM.

The sections of this report entitled "Hopscotch Mission" onward set out Hopscotch's objectives and reports on the activity and successes in the year to 31 March 2024 as well as explaining the plans for the current financial year.

METHOD OF PREPARATION OF ACCOUNTS a

The Trustees have considered this matter and concluded that: -

The aims of the organisation continue to be charitable
The aims and the work done give identifiable benefits to the charitable sector and both indirectly and directly to individuals in need
The benefits are for the public, are not unreasonably restricted in any way and certainly not by ability to pay
There is no detriment or harm arising from the aims or activities

Statement of Trustees Responsibilities

The Trustees are aware that Company law requires Trustees to prepare financial statements to:-

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the charity’s Memorandum and Articles of Association and comply with the Companies Act 2006 and the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP), “Accounting and Reporting by Charities Act 2011.

This report was approved by the Board of Trustees on 09 October 2024 and signed on its behalf by: Bharvi Hadani Aye Treasurer and Trustee Hopscotch Women’s Centre

Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently
Observe the methods and principles of the charities SORP
Oo = ‘
Make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent a State whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE HOPSCOTCH WOMEN’S CENTRE

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the entity's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

We have audited the financial statements of Hopscotch Women’s Centre for the year ended 31 March 2024 which comprise of the statement of financial activities, the balance sheets and the notes to the financial statements, including a summary of if a significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied a) in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' (United Kingdom Generally Accepted -_ Accounting Practice).

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' (United Kingdom Generally Accepted -_ the information included in the trustees’ annual report other than the financial Accounting Practice). statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements ~aa does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly In our opinion the financial statements: stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

Give a true and fair view of the state of the group’s and of the parent charitable company’s affairs as at 31 March 2023 and of the group’s incoming resources and - application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or - otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

“7 -
e have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally = Accepted Accounting Practice;
have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Act 2011.

Basis of opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 require us to report to you if, in our opinion

ebe the information given in the financial statements is inconsistent in any material respect with the trustees' report; or
the charitable company has not kept adequate accounting records; or

Conclusions relating to going concern

the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

el 2 c In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees' (who are also the directors of the company for company law purposes) use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate. —™

oo we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the trustees' responsibilities statement [set out on page 8], the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that if a are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so. “ae

Based on our understanding of the company and industry, and through discussion with the management (as required by auditing standards), we identified that the principal risks of non-compliance with laws and regulations related to their FCA permissions and requirements. We considered the extent to which non-compliance might have a material effect on the financial statements. We also considered those laws and regulations that have a direct impact on the preparation of the financial statements such as the Companies Act 2006 and taxation. We communicated identified laws and - a regulations throughout our team and remained alert to any indications of noncompliance throughout the audit. We evaluated management's incentives and opportunities for fraudulent manipulation of the financial statements (including the risk of override of controls) and determined that the principal risks were related to posting inappropriate journal entries to increase revenue or reduce expenditure and management bias in accounting estimates and judgmental areas of the financial statements such as accrued income.

Our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

We have been appointed as auditor under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and : report in accordance with regulations made under section 154 of that Act.

Audit procedures performed by the engagement team included:

Discussions with management and assessment of known or suspected instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations and fraud; and - =

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial ah statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance accounting estimates; and e is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually e or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Assessment of identified fraud risk factors; and
Challenging assumptions and judgements made by management in its significant . im accounting estimates; and
Performing analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected - = relationships, including related party transactions, that may indicate risks of material misstatement due to fraud; and
Confirmation of related parties with management, and review of transactions throughout the period to identify any previously undisclosed transactions with related parties outside the normal course of business; and

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed ee below:

e Reading minutes of meetings of those charged with governance; and
7e
e Review of significant and unusual transactions and evaluation of the underlying financial rationale supporting the transactions; and
Identifying and testing journal entries, in particular any manual entries made at the year-end for financial statement preparation.

Capability of the audit in detecting irregularities, including fraud

The objectives of our audit are to identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements due to fraud or error; to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the assessed risks of material misstatement due to fraud or error; a ™ - and to respond appropriately to those risks.

There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above and the further removed noncompliance with laws and regulations is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely we would become aware of it. Also, the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of ae not detecting one resulting from error, as ' -.. —

fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery or intentional misrepresentations, or through collusion.

As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs (UK), we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:

Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. The risk increases more when compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council's website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.

Obtain an understanding of

internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion of the effectiveness of the company's internal control.
Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the members.
Conclude on the appropriateness of the members' use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the company's ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our Auditors' report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our Auditors' report. However, future events or conditions may cause the company to cease to continue as a going concern.
Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in manner that achieves fair presentation.

We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the Charity's trustees, as a body, in accordance with section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and the regulations made under section 154 of that Act. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the Charity's trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Charity's trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Asim Malik, FCA (Senior Statutory Auditor) 66 Earl Street for and on behalf of Maidstone Hamilton Coopers Kent ME14 1PS Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditors

Date: 11 October 2024

Companies Act 2006.

Statement of Financial

Activities

Including consolidated income and expenditure account for the year ended 31 March 2024

The net movement in funds referred to above is the net incoming resources as defined in the Statement of Recommended Practice for Accounting and Reporting issued by the Charity Commission for England & Wales and is reconciled to the total funds as shown in the Balance Sheet on page 13 as required by the said statement.

The notes on pages 29 to 32 form an integral part of these accounts.

Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2024

Company Number - 03512914

The directors are satisfied that the company is entitled to exemption from the requirement to obtain an audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 and that no members have required the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Act.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.

Approved by the trustees and authorised for issue on 09 October 2024. Bharvi Hadani Ape Chair of Finance Committee and Trustee

The notes on pages 29 to 33 form an integral part of these accounts.

Cash Flow Statement For the year ended 31 March 2024

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are setout below and have remained unchanged from the previous year and have also been consistently applied within the same accounts. if

Accounting convention

from the supply of goods or services under contractual arrangements or grant agreements, which have conditions that specify the provision of particular goods or services to be provided and undertaken for the charitable purposes of the charity.

Interest receivable

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or - payable by the bank. a

Basis of preparation and assessment of going concern:

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015) - “ae Charities SORP (FRS 102), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006. The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the Association's ability to continue as a going : concern.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of charity. Designated funds are unrestricted funds of the charity which the trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose. Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particular areas of the Association's work or for specific projects being undertaken by the Association.

Expenditure recognition - =

The company meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes.

Reconciliation with previous Generally Accepted Accounting Practice

In preparing the accounts, the trustees have considered whether in applying the accounting policies required by FRS 102 and the Charities SORP FRS 102 the restatement of comparative items was required. No restatements were required.

Incoming Resources

Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the item(s) of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Income from government and other grants, whether ‘capital’ grants or ‘revenue’ grants

It is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred.

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis. All expenses including support costs and governance costs are allocatedor apportioned to the applicable expenditure headings.

Allocation of support costs

Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. Support costs include back-office costs, finance, personnel, payroll and governance costs which support QCCA's programmes and activities. The basis, on which support costs have been allocated are set out in note 11.

Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified under the following activity headings:

Costs of raising funds comprise the costs of other trading activities, in which the ae Association does not yet engage. -..

Income from charitable activities includes primary purpose trading

Income from charitable activities includes primary purpose trading, income earned both : ™

Expenditure on charitable activities includes the costs of providing services and activities for our beneficiaries and the local community to further the purposes of the charity and their associated support costs.

Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.

Fixed assets and depreciation

Tangible fixed assets are stated as costs less depreciation.Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost less estimated residual value of each asset over its expected useful life, as follows:

3. STATEMENT THAT NO EXPENSES WERE PAID TO TRUSTEES OR CONNECTED PERSONS

No expenses were paid to trustees or persons connected with them.

4. RAISING FUNDS

Equipment Office Equipment & furniture 3 years, IT equipment 2 years Building refurbishment Over 3 years

Debtors

Debtors are recognised at the settlement recoverable amount due. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid.

Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and in hand includes is held to meet short-term cash commitments as they fall due rather than for investment purposes and may include short-term deposits.

Creditors, deferrals and provisions

Creditors and provisions are liabilities where we have a present obligation to a third party that we shall normally pay by cash. Provisions are measured or estimated as reliably as possible.

Where performance-related conditions are specified in a grant, the income will only be recognised to the extent that the charity has provided the facility or service. Any income received in advance of the conditions being met are deferred and shown under creditors.

2 . LEGAL STATUS OF THE SOCIETY

The Association is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital. The liability of each member in the event of winding up is limited to £1. Names of its directors and registered office is mentioned on page 3.

5. ANALYSIS OF CHARITABLE EXPENDITURE

6. STAFF COSTS AND EMOLUMENTS

7. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION

Neither the trustees nor any persons connected with them have received any remuneration, either in the current year or the prior year.

8. TANGIBLE FUNCTIONAL FIXED ASSETS

10. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

11. ANALYSIS OF THE NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

9. DEBTORS

14. SHARE CAPITAL

The charity is incorporated under the Companies Acts and is limited by guarantee, each member having undertaken to contribute such amounts not exceeding one pound as may be required in the event of the company being wound up whilst he or she is still a member or within one year thereafter

12. FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

13 OTHER INFORMATION

Hopscotch Women’s Centre is a registered charity and incorporated in England. Its registered office is:

50-52 Hampstead Road London NW1 2PY

2024-03-31-accounts