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← Noah's Ark - The Children's Hospice

2025-03-31-accounts

noahsarkhospice.org.uk

ee THE CHILDREN’S .

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ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

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NOAH’S ARK CHILDREN’S HOSPICE

ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Contents

Contents
Legal and Administrative Information 3
Message from the Chair 4
Statement from the Chief Executive 5
About Us 6
Making the Most of Every Day 8
Awards and Accreditation 14
The Next Chapter 15
Our Care in 2024/25 18
Our Fundraising 26
Our Marketing and Communications 28
Our People 31
Our Volunteers 33
Financial Review 35
Cash Flow Statement 44
Notes to the Financial Statements 45-59

It’s like heaven for me when I come here, I feel comfortable and happy, it’s like a second home.

Zainab, Mum to Talin, who is being supported by Noah’s Ark

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

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Legal and administrative information

DIRECTORS

Mr James Tugendhat (Chairperson) Mr Richard Amat (Treasurer) Ms Ginika Achokwu (Appointed 28th July 2025) Mr Simon Beresford Baroness Hilary Cass OBE Professor Lorna Fraser (Appointed 28th July 2025) Dr Jane Hawdon Mr James Liddy Ms Michelle Mendelsson Dr Sanjiv Patel Ms Jenny Phillips Mr Paul Pomroy Ms Sarah Timms (Resigned 28th July 2025)

COMPANY SECRETARY

Mrs Sophie Andrews OBE

CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Mrs Sophie Andrews OBE

COMPANY NUMBER

03901606

CHARITY NUMBER

1081156

REGISTERED OFFICE

The Ark, 101A Byng Road, Barnet, Hertfordshire EN5 4NP

WEB ADDRESS

www.noahsarkhospice.org.uk

AUDITORS

HaysMac 10 Queen St Place, London EC4R 1AG

BANKERS

HSBC 31 Chequer Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 3YN

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

A message from our Chair

This year marks the final chapter of our three-year strategy, Making the Most of Every Day – and what a year it has been.

In 2024/25, we supported more babies, children and young people than ever before. We deepened our work with families, delivering record levels of clinical and holistic care, and expanding services that respond to families’ needs – from bereavement support and creative therapies to transition care for young adults. The success of initiatives like Noah’s Ark on Holiday and the opening of The Cabin, a dedicated space for bereavement support, reflect our commitment not only to meeting need, but creating spaces where families feel held, understood and supported.

Our Outstanding CQC rating, the sector awards received by our teams, and the overwhelmingly positive feedback from families are just some of the ways our work has been recognised. But the true measure of our impact is the trust families place in us, at some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

As I reflect on this final year of the strategy period, I am immensely proud of how far Noah’s Ark has come – and just as proud that we have never lost sight of what matters most: making the most of every day for the children and families we support.

My thanks go to our remarkable staff, our generous supporters, and our incredible volunteers – each of you plays a vital role in this shared mission. To my fellow Trustees, thank you for your unwavering commitment and passion.

As we look to the future, we do so with clarity of purpose – to continue placing families at the heart of everything we do.

James Tugendhat

Chair of Trustees Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

A statement from the Chief Executive

This year marks the end of our ambitious, three-year, strategy, ‘Making the Most of Every Day’. Born in the wake of Covid-19, our mission, at that time, was to reach more babies, children and young people, and their families, to offer them expert and compassionate palliative care. Since the start of the strategy period, we have increased our clinical care hours by 303% which is an incredible achievement of which we are proud. But we know there is much more to do.

This year, we have made real advances in our offering, directly supporting just under 1,500 people and welcoming 86 new families to our services. Due to high demand for our holiday offering, we purchased a second lodge in the wonderful coastal setting of Mersea Island. We also built ‘The Cabin’, a brand-new counselling space in the ground of The Ark. Our excellence was also recognised externally, with our Family Link Team winning ‘Team of the Year’ at the prestigious Hospice UK Awards and our Housekeeping Manager was named ‘Unsung Hero’ at the Third Sector Awards. We also earned the Investing in Volunteers accreditation, the national quality standard for volunteer engagement, in recognition of our commitment to creating a positive, rewarding experience for volunteers.

Our fundraising team haven’t been resting on their laurels, bringing in £4.8m from various sources, including individual fundraising, trusts and our special events programme. Once again, I must thank Leslie Rose and the Winter Ball Committee for organising our annual flagship Fundraising Ball.

services in England. The children’s hospice grant is once again not guaranteed for the future and the distribution of the grant through the Integrated Care Boards (ICB’s) is slow and difficult to access. We will continue to call on the government to commit to a reliable and sustainable funding model that takes rising costs into account.

We need to face the future armed with a robust, fit for purpose strategy that will help us grow with our families, meeting their needs and reaching over 3000 children in our catchment area who could benefit from our services. Our new 3-year strategy will set out a detailed roadmap to ensure we reach the children and families who could benefit from our care and support.

As ever, I’d like to extend my thanks to the Trustees and our Chair, James Tugendhat for all their hard work and support. I’d like to say a special thanks to Sarah Timms for her many years of commitment and dedication as she steps down as a Trustee. I’d like to welcome our newest Trustees, Lorna Fraser, a Professor of Palliative Care and Child Health at King’s College London and an eminent and world-leading researcher and Ginika Achokwu who is Deputy Director of Quality and Clinical Standards at North Central London ICB.

Finally, my thanks to all Noah’s Ark staff and volunteers who truly do an incredible job every day of the year. Our team really do live the values of kindness, excellence and courage and in doing so they are really the best people to work with. I look forward to the next twelve months with a renewed sense of purpose and pride and in the knowledge that we will continue to make a difference.

Our costs are growing exponentially but unfortunately our statutory funding isn’t moving in the same direction or at the same pace. The government announcement in December 2024 of a £100m injection of capital funding for the palliative care sector was welcome news but as a one-time offer does little to meet our rising costs or the £310 million gap in NHS funding for children’s palliative care

Sophie Andrews OBE Chief Executive

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

ABOUT US

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice is one of the UK’s leading children’s hospices, caring for hundreds of babies, children and young people who are seriously unwell, and their families. We work in partnership with Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital and London’s NHS Trusts, medical professionals and health and social care organisations to provide every child and family with the care, support and expertise they need to enjoy the time they have together.

We provide outstanding care and compassion to the babies, children and young people we support. We also offer families the help they need to make their lives easier. Our support is carefully adapted for every child and is offered wherever it is required – whether that is in their home, their community or at The Ark, our state-of-the-art hospice building in Barnet, North London.

Noah’s Ark is a fun and relaxed space where children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions are accepted as they are, safe to play, explore, express themselves and build confidence. We focus on what children can do, rather than their perceived limitations. We celebrate every milestone.

This year we directly supported over 1,300 people and welcomed over 86 families new to Noah’s Ark.

From creating and sharing sounds in Music Therapy, to holding the hands of parents during their child’s final moments, we believe in making the most of every day for the children and families we care for. We are there for families every step of the way, however and whenever they need us. We cannot change the diagnosis, but we can do everything possible to help families enjoy their time together.

This year we directly supported over 1,300 people and welcomed over 86 new families to Noah’s Ark.

2024/25 marks the end of our three-year strategic period, titled ‘Making the Most of Every Day’. As we reflect on the progress and impact we have made, we thank those who have helped make it all possible.

In the pages that follow you can read more about our progress against our objectives and what the future holds for Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice.

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

OUR VISION

For every baby, child and young person who is seriously unwell, and their loved ones, to have access to expert and compassionate palliative care from the point of diagnosis.

OUR MISSION

We help babies, children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions, and their families, make the most of every day. And we support those who die young to do so in as much comfort as possible, surrounded by family.

We are here to enable those we support to enjoy life as children, rather than as patients; as families, not just as carers.

They support me. They support my little boy. They support my two girls. Noah’s Ark really do a lot for us.

Nasro, Zadiin’s Mother, who is currently supported by Noah’s Ark

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Hertsmere
Enfield
Barnet
We are the
Children’s
Hospice for Haringey
North Central
London and
Camden
Hertsmere Islington
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THE ARK

The Ark is a home-away-from-home for the children and families we support. Our purpose-built hospice sits in the heart of a nature reserve, with large windows that bring the

outside in, filling the space with light. Children can come to Woodlands, our dedicated bedroom wing, for step-down care (when they’re well enough to leave hospital but not yet ready to return home), respite, urgent care, and end-of-life care.

The Ark is designed with families in mind. Comfortable accommodation means loved ones can stay close to their child, while children can explore a world built just for them – from our sensory room and soft play to the accessible playground just outside. In whatever way a family arrives at The Ark, they’re met with warmth, compassion, and a safe space to be together.

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

MAKING THE MOST OF EVERY DAY

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

Three years ago, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we launched our ambitious strategy: Making the Most of Every Day .

Our aims were bold but simple – to reach more babies, children and young people who are seriously unwell, and to improve their quality of life and experience of death. As we draw this strategic period to a close, we are proud to reflect on just how far we have come.

When the strategy launched, The Ark was still finding its identity as a ‘home away from home’ – a safe and welcoming space where families could be themselves. In the years since, it has grown into this and so much more. Thanks to the unwavering support of our community, our team and our partners, we’ve expanded our services significantly.

In 2024/25, we supported 433 families – a 24% increase from the start of our strategy period.

We set out much of what we planned to achieve and more. Whilst there is still so much to do, we are proud of how far we have come.

Our hours of Clinical care have increased by 303% in the last three years.

We were rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission in April 2023.

There was a culture where children and their families were truly respected and treated as individuals with staff going the extra mile to ensure their emotional and practical needs were always met… We would urge other services to read this report and see what they can learn from this outstanding example.

Jane Ray, CQC Deputy Director of Operations in London, who oversaw the CQC’s inspection

In the last three years we were able to launch and develop new services for children and families:

EXPANDING OUR BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT

We now have two dedicated and passionate individuals in our Bereavement Support Team. Working in collaboration with the rest of the Care Team, they can offer personalised support for families for three years and three months after their child has died. This includes families whose child was not known to us when they were alive.

With a dedicated team in place, we have been able to expand our offering for bereaved families to include:

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

MAKING THE MOST OF EVERY DAY continued

PROVIDING DEDICATED SUPPORT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

We have appointed a Transition Services Coordinator to ensure we are making the experience for young people at Noah’s Ark as fulfilling as it can be. This includes helping them to navigate the transition to adult services , empowering them to develop life skills and providing ageappropriate groups and activities that help them connect with other young people.

Our gratitude goes to the funders who made this expansion possible, including Taylor Wimpey, Together for Short Lives in partnership with Morrisons, Geoff and Fiona Squires Foundation, The Kayira Charity, The Sylvia Waddilove Foundation UK, and Rotary.

Thanks to their generosity, even more families now have the chance to experience the magic of a family holiday — making the most of every day, together.

In 2022 a young person would have no longer been able to access our services when they turned 19. Now, we can continue to support them with holistic services until they reach 25, ensuring more consistency of care.

Allowing children to be children, rather than patients, also means allowing teenagers to be teenagers.

Rebecca Taylor, Transition Services Coordinator

Thank you so much for giving our family our first ever holiday. We have so many special memories and seeing Zofia so happy it melted our hearts.

Monika, Mum to Zofia, who is supported by Noah’s Ark

We also invested in our existing services:

ESTABLISHING A PERINATAL AND NEONATAL SERVICE

Having appointed a Hospice Midwife, one of only four in the country, we are now able to offer personalised and compassionate care for families whose baby is facing an uncertain future. Support from across the charity can include:

CLINICAL SUPPORT

Thanks to the dedication of our specialist team, the amount of clinical care we are delivering has increased by 303% in the last three years. Our joint nursing post with Great Ormond Street Hospital has improved access to our services and created a more seamless experience for families . We have built strong relationships with key NHS Trusts, Community Teams and the ICBs to ensure children can access 24/7 for end-of-life care in their preferred place of care.

Our Music Therapists also support families and babies on the neonatal wards at Great Ormond Street, Barnet and University College London Hospital, helping them to create memories and bonds together.

FAMILY ACTIVITIES

At the beginning of our strategy period, we celebrated welcoming 600 individuals to online events, as the team worked hard to maintain our community building activities throughout the pandemic. Now a team of four, we are delivering over 65 events a year , with dedicated events for parents, carers and siblings and a range of activities available free of charge for the whole family, regardless of age.

LAUNCHING NOAH’S ARK ON HOLIDAY

In 2023, thanks to the generous support of our community, we were able to launch Noah’s Ark on Holiday – a fully accessible holiday lodge available to families for a week’s free stay. The launch proved such a success that in 2024 we purchased a second lodge ready for the 2025 season.

CREATIVE THERAPIES

We have expanded our Creative Therapies offering to include groups, allowing our community to connect with each other. In the last three years we have launched our Art Therapy program which has now supported hundreds of individuals – this program is led by an Art Therapist who started her journey at Noah’s Ark as a student!

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

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Transitioning to Adult Services
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Creative Therapies
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Family Activities |
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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

MAKING THE MOST OF EVERY DAY continued

FAMILY LINK

Thanks to the generous support of our community this social work led team has doubled in size over the last three years, allowing us to ensure every family has a dedicated link worker and single point of contact. Rated the most valuable service by families, the team won Hospice UK’s Team of the Year 2024 .

of families say they had a positive experience with Noah’s Ark

of families say they would recommend our services

SPECIALIST PLAY

One of the earliest services Noah’s Ark offered as a charity, the Specialist Play Team has grown four times over in the past three years, expanding their reach to support more children than ever before. Working in close collaboration with other charities such as Lifelights and Starlight, our Play Team empower children to communicate, explore the world and have fun. In 2023, they were named Starlight’s ‘Play Team of the Year’.

INVESTING IN VOLUNTEERS

We were very proud to receive the Investing in Volunteers Accreditation in 2024. We are one of only two children’s hospices to hold this distinction, recognising our effective involvement of volunteers and commitment to their positive experience.

Families’ voices have guided and shaped our growth over the last three years:

In 2023/24 we commissioned an external, impartial provider to conduct a thorough research project into our family experience. 78 families took part in this research which identified key drivers of a good experience at Noah’s Ark, as well as areas that we can improve, which will influence our work going forward.

DRIVERS OF GOOD EXPERIENCES AT NOAH’S ARK

AREAS FAMILIES IDENTIFIED WHERE WE CAN IMPROVE OUR SUPPORT

CHILD AND FAMILY EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE

Recognising the importance of a multi-disciplinary approach to care, we established a cross-charity ‘Child and Family Experience Committee’ that is chaired by our CEO. Its responsibility is to identify opportunities for improving the experience of those we support at every touchpoint. Outcomes from this include a more seamless arrival experience for families staying at The Ark and improved communications for families.

WE INVESTED IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE

The charity has moved to Microsoft 365, improving collaboration and streamling processes. We updated all IT equipment, including laptops and mobile phones, as well as investing in ‘Teams Rooms’ to support hybrid working. Finally, we implemented a hot desking system to accommodate the increase in number of staff.

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

Spotlight on:

Events for bereaved families

In 2021/22 our Specialist Play, Family Link and Therapies Team came together to hold our first memorial event for bereaved families, entitled ‘Hang a Star’. We’ve continued to hold this special event every year, welcoming families who were supported by Noah’s Ark many years ago. We also have a range of events dedicated for bereaved families, including dedicated Dad and Mum groups, coffee mornings for grandparents and an annual summer dinner.

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Memory Making
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Spotlight on: Parent and Carer Groups

By the end of 2021/22 we were able to offer one parent group per month. Now we offer multiple groups per month, ranging from pamper days, meals out and yoga classes. We also offer dedicated groups for bereaved parents and carers. These events build community and connection, helping parents to feel less alone.

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Parent Group
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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

AWARDS AND ACCREDITATIONS

Awards and Accreditations from this strategic period

Over the past three years we are delighted to have been shortlisted for lots of different awards:

2023/2024

2024/2025

And we were thrilled to have been awarded:

2022/2023

2024/2025

2023/2024

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

THE NEXT CHAPTER

Our dedication to being there for babies, children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, and their families, has not wavered since we began offering our services in 2006.

Now, almost 20 years later, we must respond and adapt to the external landscape to ensure we are delivering care that makes a difference.

The external factors influencing our next strategic period:

1. Increasing Complexity of Children’s Needs

The needs of children requiring palliative care are becoming increasingly complex. Many now live with multiple, interdependent conditions and rely on a combination of medications and advanced medical technologies. These children are among the most intensive users of NHS services – sometimes living in hospital for extended periods. While advances in medicine have increased survival, social care has not kept pace. For example, children with special educational needs (SEND) often lack suitable educational provision, and many families face significant gaps in mental health support.

2. Impact on Family Life

Families’ lives can quickly become dominated by the demands of care. Homes frequently become an extension of hospitals, with parents taking on complex clinical responsibilities. The emotional and logistical pressures are significant, especially when support systems are fragmented and difficult to navigate. Family dynamics often shift under the weight of care routines and the impact is felt on each family member, including siblings who can often be overlooked.

3. Home as the Preferred Place of Care

Many families express a strong preference for receiving care at home – a setting that offers familiarity and comfort. However inconsistent access to community-based services can prevent families from receiving the support they need where they want it. There should be no default setting for care: children and families should be empowered to make meaningful choices about where and how they are supported, with equitable access to high-quality care in any setting.

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There should be no default setting for care. Children and families should be empowered to make meaningful choices about where and how they are supported, with equitable access to high-quality care in any setting.

and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities are overrepresented in prevalence data. Within Noah’s Ark’s catchment area, high levels of deprivation intersect with complex health and care needs, compounding the challenges families face.

5. Shifting Health Policy and Access Gaps

The NHS 10-Year Plan promotes a shift from hospital-based to community-based care: a vision that aligns closely with hospice values. However, the care families receive still varies widely depending on where they live, with many experiencing a postcode lottery, with referral pathways fragmented and hard to navigate. Access is too often dictated by geography and professional networks rather than by need. This inconsistency leaves some families undersupported at critical moments.

6. Economic Pressures on Supporters and Providers

The current economic climate presents a significant challenge. Noah’s Ark, like many children’s hospices, relies heavily on voluntary income to fund its services. Yet supporters are facing increased financial pressures of their own, with the rising cost of living impacting their ability to give. At the same time, the cost of delivering care is escalating due to inflation; and increases to National Insurance contributions have raised staffing costs.

7. Shortage of Workforce

Workforce challenges are significant and persistent across the sector. There is a national shortage of nurses, and the sector faces difficulties in both recruitment and retention. This creates a strain on existing teams and limits the ability to scale or adapt services to meet growing and changing needs.

4. Rising Prevalence and Health Inequalities

The number of children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions has increased dramatically over the past two decades. And children from ethnically diverse backgrounds

8. Technological Transformation

Recent government investment in digital infrastructure has created a valuable foundation for children’s hospices to

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

THE NEXT CHAPTER continued

modernise their services. There is now a significant opportunity to use technology to improve care coordination, make better use of data, and enhance operational efficiency. While the sector is still developing its digital maturity, the potential to transform how care is delivered making it more integrated, personalised and responsive, is clear. With the right strategic guidance and continued collaboration, technology can play a powerful role in improving outcomes for children and families.

9. Environmental Sustainability

Environmental sustainability is becoming an increasingly important consideration for hospices. There is growing aspiration across the sector to adopt greener practices that reduce operational costs, support the environment, and enhance the therapeutic experience for children and families. Sustainability is also starting to factor into commissioning decisions, as funders and partners look for innovation and long-term sustainability.

10. Statutory Funding

Statutory funding plays an important role, and Noah’s Ark works closely with Integrated Care Boards to support families. However, funding remains inconsistent – even for services that the ICBs are legally required to fund — and doesn’t cover the full scope of support families need. Holistic, non-clinical services such as emotional, social, and practical support, which are deeply valued by families, typically fall outside what is commissioned. In 2024/25, 76% of our income came from voluntary sources.

The NHS England Funding for Children’s Hospices (previously known as the Children’s Hospice Grant) offers vital help as an unrestricted grant, but it is not guaranteed annually and hasn’t kept pace with inflation. As a result, Noah’s Ark continues to rely heavily on voluntary income to deliver its full range of care.

Our Response

In the face of growing complexity, rising need, and persistent inequality, Noah’s Ark is committed to reaching more families, delivering the very best care, and working in partnership to ensure every child and family receives the support they deserve.

We will reach more families , with a particular focus on addressing unmet need , especially among ethnic minority and lower socioeconomic groups, where there is higher prevalence and access to care is often more limited. To do this, we will invest in understanding the barriers that prevent families from accessing our services and be willing to adapt to make ourselves more accessible and inclusive. Gaining a clearer picture of unmet need across our catchment will guide how and where we grow.

We will provide the highest quality support , expanding our services sustainably to meet the needs of families where they want care. This means offering genuine choice – at home, in hospital, or at The Ark – and delivering holistic, family-centred support that recognises the emotional, social, and practical needs of families.

We will work in partnership with others, recognising that it takes a community to care for children with lifelimiting and life-threatening conditions. We will strengthen collaboration across the NHS, the voluntary sector, and the wider community, building on previous success like our joint

nursing role with Great Ormond Street Hospital, to make care more seamless and easier for families to navigate.

To make all this possible, we will continue to invest in building sustainable foundation . This includes a focus on workforce , prioritising recruitment, retention, and team wellbeing. We will strengthen our technology and infrastructure to enable more efficient and integrated services. And we will secure diverse, sustainable funding through innovations in our income generation. This will allow us to grow whilst prioritising what families need – as opposed to being led by what is commissioned.

Throughout, we listen deeply to the voices of children and families, and shape services around what matters most to them – ensuring care is not only excellent, but truly compassionate, responsive, and led by the people it is there to support.

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We will be publishing our full strategy for the next three years in early 2026.

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

OUR CARE IN 2024/25

At Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice, listening to families is at the heart of everything we do.

Every service we deliver, and every moment of support we offer, is shaped by the voices of those we are here to serve — ensuring we always respond to what matters most to them.

Thanks to the extraordinary commitment of our team and the generosity of our community, this year we have grown our care in meaningful ways: expanding our Transition and Perinatal support, enhancing activities for siblings, extending bereavement services, and providing more clinical care in the family home – recognising that for many children, home is where they most want to be.

In 2024/25, we delivered more hours of outstanding clinical care than ever before.

CLINICAL CARE

Our Nurses and Specialist Carers provided regular weekend and school holiday support, community respite care, stepdown care, crisis care, and end-of-life care — wherever and whenever it was needed.

1,198 visits to Families Homes in 2024/25 by our Nurses and Specialist Carers, an increase of 46%.

In 2024/25, we directly supported 1,310 people , comprising:

179 overnight stays took place at The Ark, an increase of 44%.

We welcomed 86 new families to Noah’s Ark.

FAMILY LINK

We are the only children’s hospice that allocates a dedicated Family Link Worker to each family. Providing vital emotional and practical support, our Family Link Team is the main point of contact for families throughout their Noah’s Ark journey.

This year, our Family Link Team was named Team of the Year at the 2024 Hospice UK Awards. The award recognised the team’s outstanding commitment to collaborative working, and their tireless efforts to build partnerships with local charities and social services to benefit the families we support.

My daughter, Ruby, has stayed at The Ark a few times now. I stayed as well the first night, because it’s a bit scary, your first night your kids are away from you. It was really comfortable, really peaceful, really nice. I quickly realised that I didn’t need to stay here with her, because the Noah’s Ark staff had everything covered with my daughter – down to a T. But I did have a really lovely night at The Ark myself!

Simon, whose daughter Ruby, is supported by Noah’s Ark

We were particularly impressed by The Family Link Team’s commitment to building strong external partnerships. Their tenacity, and cooperation with local charities and social services demonstrates a truly joined-up, collaborative approach, avoiding working in a silo at all costs.

The Family Link Team at Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice are a shining example of a team who have gone above and beyond, creating truly lifechanging partnerships to support the children and families they serve.

Catherine Bosworth, Awards Judge, Hospice UK

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

OUR CARE IN 2024/25 continued

ADAPTING OUR CARE TO WHERE IT IS NEEDED

Providing choice is central to our support. This year saw a notable increase in families preferring care at home, and we expanded our services accordingly – strengthening referrals from Barnet and Royal Free Hospitals and working closely with NHS Community Teams.

31 Noah’s Ark babies, children and young people died in 2024/25. Ten of them stayed in our Butterfly Suite after they died, allowing their families to spend time with them in a safe, calming and non-clinical space.

Spotlight on: Parent Pamper Day

The Family Activities Team organised a Pamper Day for our Parents and Carers. The day was all about relaxation – an opportunity for parents and carers to recharge and feel pampered, helping to support their well-being. Whilst they were relaxing and taking some much needed ‘me time’, their children were cared for by our specialist Care Team at The Ark.

A huge thank you to Toni and Guy Barnet salon, Estée Lauder, RTG Wellness and The Luxury Aesthetics Group for making the day extra special.

CREATIVE THERAPIES

Our Music, Drama and Movement, and Art Therapy sessions are designed to support children and their families to navigate emotions and express themselves, as well as creating precious memories together. This year we have expanded our team, meaning we can reach more families than ever through this service.

240 people benefited from our creative therapies, up 76% from last year.

Reaching the Whole Family

We created more group therapy activities this year following feedback from families wanting to meet and connect with others in a similar situation. We now offer five regular monthly creative therapy sessions with different themes targeted at different ages and interests.

Spotlight on: Ramadan and Eid

180 children received Eid gifts, and bespoke Ramadan cards were sent to families observing the holiday.

Our Music and Art group proved to be so popular on Saturdays that we created a second group. In December we launched a Sensory Storytelling Group, meaning we now offer two monthly group sessions on Saturdays. Led by our Drama Therapist and Play Specialist, Sensory Storytelling offers families the opportunity to enjoy an interactive fun adventure that brings a story to life.

FAMILY ACTIVITIES

We organise a wide range of activities for all the family throughout the year. These activities are a great way for all the family to develop confidence, make new friends and build a community of support.

We organised 66 events this year, including a trip to Legoland, a 5-course meal for parents and carers and an ice-skating rink at The Ark.

We received a Ramadan gift parcel and beautiful card. It was most thoughtful. Thank you for being so considerate and so inclusive.

A family supported by Noah’s Ark

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

OUR CARE IN 2024/25 continued

SPECIALIST PLAY

Our Play Team delivered 3,367 hours of Specialist Play this year, supporting 164 children and their siblings to reach developmental milestones, express themselves and explore the world around them through play.

HOME SUPPORT VOLUNTEERS

Our Home Support Volunteers donated over 1,300 hours this year – a 30% increase – providing practical help to families at home and in the community.

SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE WITH LIFELIMITING AND LIFE-THREATENING CONDITIONS

We know how important the transition stage from adolescence to adulthood is for young people, and their families. This year we extended our services to support children and young people from birth to 25, meaning that young people can now receive our holistic and advocacy support beyond the age of 19. We begin transition planning early, ideally from the age of 14.

We still only accept new referrals from children under the age of 18.

SUPPORTING BEREAVED FAMILIES

This year, we supported 120 bereaved families, delivering:

We also:

LAUNCHING OF LIFE-LINKS

In August we launched our new young people’s group, Life Links, for young people aged 14-18 who can consent to participating in the group themselves. The group aims to build peer relationships and develop life skills whilst having fun. The first session focused on managing money with games to help young people to understand budgeting, plus bubble tea and pizza.

IMPROVING SUPPORT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE NATIONALLY

THE CABIN – A SPACE SHAPED BY FAMILIES

In May 2024, we officially opened The Cabin, our new external bereavement counselling suite, created in direct response to family feedback.

Following the death of a child, for some bereaved families returning to The Ark where their child received care can be distressing. Families, including Andrea and Costel, shared the need for a dedicated, separate space — leading to the creation of The Cabin, nestled near our adjoining nature reserve.

We are proud to be part of HOPSCOTCH (Helping Optimise Primary Care Support During Transition from Children’s Hospice Care), a study where young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions and healthcare professionals look at how the transition to adult services could

be made easier for them. Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice’s Medical Director, Dr. Tagore Charles is one of the study’s co-investigators.

PERINATAL SUPPORT

In 2024 we expanded our services to

include Perinatal Support meaning we can now offer pre and postnatal support for families from the time their baby is diagnosed with a life-threatening or life-limiting condition.

Key developments included:

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

23 Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

OUR CARE IN 2024/25 continued

Funded through a grant from Morrisons’ Building a Legacy Together partnership with Together for Short Lives, The Cabin provides a calm, private and reflective environment for families to receive bereavement support.

A separate, external counselling space is a wonderful addition to our bereavement service. Re-entering The Ark after the death of a child can be distressing for grieving parents, so having this external, dedicated space is hugely valuable.

Carys Williams, Bereavement Support Manager, Noah’s Ark

The Cabin is a tangible example of how, by listening to families, we are able to adapt and grow our services in ways that truly make a difference.

PARTNERSHIPS: RAISING AWARENESS, IMPROVING PRACTICE

At Noah’s Ark, we understand that we are part of a broader ecosystem of charities, organisations, and professionals who come together to support families facing life-limiting or life-threatening conditions. Partnerships are at the core of our work, and we believe that by collaborating, sharing knowledge, and working together, we can improve the experience for families at every step of their journey.

Highlights from our partnerships include:

Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH): Our joint nursing post with GOSH continues to enhance our collaboration, ensuring smoother care transitions and more coordinated services for families. The partnership has been instrumental in providing a more seamless experience for children who require both GOSH and Noah’s Ark services. Working together enables both Noah’s Ark and GOSH to share best practice, take an active approach to supporting families and enable children and families to make informed decisions about their care.

Child Bereavement UK: Working together, we offer supportive counselling sessions for bereaved children at The Ark. By working in partnership, we’ve increased access to expert care and support.

Each partnership brings unique expertise and resources that help us offer a more holistic and comprehensive service to children and families. Whether working with healthcare providers, local charities, community groups, or academic institutions, our goal is to build strong relationships that amplify our collective impact.

Together, we can ensure that families receive the care, support, and resources they need, when they need them — allowing them to make the most of every day.

WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP

In 2024/25 we partnered with many organisations and charities including:

Local NHS Trusts and Community Teams: It takes a team to support a child with a serious condition. Our partnership with local hospitals, including Barnet Hospital, and community NHS teams, helps ensure that families receive prompt and effective referrals and the multidisciplinary teams allow for the highest standard of care. This collaboration also allows us to extend our clinical support at home, helping more families access the care they need without disruption.

Ripples of Compassion: Since 2021, our partnership with Ripples of Compassion has helped us provide deeper, more meaningful support to bereaved families. Their generous funding enables us to create and gift beautifully crafted butterflies, each one inscribed with a personal message in memory of a child who has died. They also support our memory-making service and provide thoughtful care boxes to families on the first anniversary of their child’s death. This compassionate and impactful partnership was recognised as a finalist for Charity Partnership of the Year at the Charity Times Awards 2024.

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

International Collaborations: We are proud to have

collaborated with international charities like Global Treehouse, sharing insights to measure the impact of our services. This year, we also welcomed professionals from Italy’s first children’s hospice, fostering mutual learning and the exchange of best practice to improve care for children worldwide.

ADVANCING SECTOR-WIDE KNOWLEDGE

We recognise the importance of education and training within the sector. We have worked closely with academic institutions, social care and healthcare providers to share expertise and improve standards of care:

The Ripples of Compassion box was so lovely and well thought out. Each item meant so much and I genuinely used everything, especially the tissues when reading the beautiful poem inside. You genuinely couldn’t ask for more to get you through the anniversary of the loss of your child; face masks, candles a wordsearch, thoughtful cards with helpful quotes or questions, to help you through. Even a year after this was given to me, it made such an impact, I still remember each thing.

A bereaved parent

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT: SOUND ORIGINS – CONNECTING THROUGH VOICE

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice is proud to be a key partner in the Sound Origins project, led by Dr. Kirsty Jane, a former music therapist at Noah’s Ark and on the Great Ormand Street Hospital neonatal ward for the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). This research explores how music therapy can support parent-infant bonding on neonatal units, particularly during uncertain times.

The project is co-designed with parents, neonatal professionals, and charity representatives, including Noah’s Ark. By gathering insights from interviews and focus groups, the study aims to develop a standardised, accessible approach to music therapy that can be implemented across neonatal units. Initial findings from the research will be shared in late 2025.

I truly appreciate the effort, time, and dedication you gave me throughout my placement. Your guidance not only taught me clinical skills but also showed me the attributes that will shape me to be a better nurse.

Kelly, Student Nurse from University of Hertfordshire

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

OUR FUNDRAISING

In 2024/25, our fundraising efforts once again reflected the extraordinary generosity, creativity, and passion of our supporters. Thanks to them, we raised £4.8 million, helping us continue to deliver expert and compassionate care to babies, children and young people who are seriously unwell, and their families.

~~We raised £4.8 million~~

Fundraising Highlights

This year we continued to diversify and expand our fundraising programme, adding new events, building lasting partnerships and inspiring community-wide support.

Highlights included:

An Exceptional Year for Legacy Giving

This year, we were deeply moved to receive an exceptional £683,993 in legacy gifts, up from £66,738 in 2023/24. Each gift is a powerful and personal act of kindness, and we are incredibly grateful to those who chose to support Noah’s Ark in this lasting way.

To grow awareness of this special way to give, we launched our first Make a Will Month, partnering with three local solicitors. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Anvoner Law, YVA Solicitors and Derrick Bridges & Co for their generosity and expertise.

We also took part in Hospice UK’s national legacy campaign and hosted an Estate Planning Fair, providing guidance and inspiration to those considering their legacy.

In Memory of Baby Ethan

This year, Adam and Narelle organised a cycle ride from London to Paris in memory of their son Ethan, who died at just seven weeks old. Supported by family, friends and the Noah’s Ark community, they raised over £65,000 so other families like theirs can get the support they need.

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

Building for the Future

In 2024/25, we took significant steps to strengthen the long-term sustainability of our fundraising. As part of our strategic focus, we are actively working to diversify our income streams and reduce reliance on major donors and trusts by increasing support from both the corporate sector and our wider community.

We’ve made encouraging progress towards this goal. Regular giving has grown substantially, we’ve strengthened our partnerships with corporates, and more individuals than ever before are engaging in events, in-memory and challenge fundraising.

To build on this momentum, we established a Philanthropy and Corporate Board , bringing together senior leaders from business and philanthropy. Their insight and expertise are already helping to unlock new opportunities, strengthen high value giving, and ensure we can continue meeting the growing demand for our care well into the future.

Face-to-Face Fundraising Programme Launch

A Adam and Narelle organised a cycle ride from London to Paris in memory of their son Ethan, inset

This year after careful planning, due-diligence and thorough training, we partnered with an external agency to launch our face-to-face fundraising programme, approaching prospective supporters in our community. The pilot was a success, seeing a 100% increase in regular givers (peaking at 721). We will be taking our learnings from this activity into next year to support the growth of this sustainable income source.

Fundraising Governance

We’re incredibly grateful to them for honouring Ethan in this way. Their generosity and strength will have a lasting impact for the charity.

Partnership with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation has supported Noah’s Ark since 2022, helping to fund vital services for children who are seriously unwell. This year, they generously donated £40,000 towards Specialist Play, bringing their total support to £100,000. We are incredibly grateful for their continued partnership and commitment to helping families make the most of every day.

The charity has been a registered member of the Fundraising Regulator since 2016 and is guided by the Fundraising Code of Practice. Fundraising activities are closely scrutinised by the Fundraising & Marcomms Subcommittee. All fundraising activity must adhere to our Ethical Fundraising Policy. We have strict internal controls to monitor volunteer fundraisers.

The charity partners with experienced provider Your Hospice Lottery to run our lottery programme.

We have a robust system is in place to monitor and respond to any complaints from the public. In 2024/25 a total of 5 complaints were received. All these were in connection to our newly implemented face-to-face donor recruitment programme. All complaints were resolved quickly and to the satisfaction of the complainants and learnings were applied to improve programme delivery.

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

OUR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

2024/25 has been an important year for hospice care. With a general election, the national debate around assisted dying, and a rise in National Insurance impacting the sector, children’s hospices like Noah’s Ark have played a vital role in shaping public understanding of palliative care.

Our CEO, Sophie Andrews, spoke about these challenges live on LBC Radio , joined by a Noah’s Ark parent, while MP Bambos Charalambous , following a visit to The Ark, raised awareness of our work directly in a parliamentary debate on palliative care.

Against this backdrop, our Marketing and Communications Team expanded its reach, deepened public engagement, and elevated Noah’s Ark’s profile. With a bigger team we reached more people than ever before with our mission of helping families make the most of every day.

Reaching More People Than Ever

This year, we achieved our largest annual increase in social media followers for the third year in a row, growing our total audience by over 1,900. This was driven by strong growth on Instagram and LinkedIn and supported by creative content that resonates.

We did this whilst maintaining an average engagement rate of 8% , significantly above the sector benchmark. With content ranging from family stories and short films to awareness day campaigns and custom illustrations, we consistently engaged and grew our audience.

Standout Moments

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

Glitz and Giving

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Golf Day Skydive
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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

OUR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS continued

Collaboration with other hospices for national legacy campaign

Average number of pieces of earned media coverage per month

Celebrity Support

We secured TV Presenter Tim Vincent to host our first Glitz and Giving Event and Radio and TV Broadcaster Melvin Odoom to DJ on the night. The 2024 ‘From That Moment Campaign’ was shared by Stephen Merchant, Rankin, Alan Sugar and Sophie Rundle.

Tottenham Hotspur Legends Ossie Ardiles, David Howells and Pat Jennings plus Wimbledon Legend Dave Beasant all attended our annual golf day at The Grove Hotel in Watford. Sarah Parish supported our Nurse and Specialist Carer recruitment campaign and Rob Delaney’s book ‘A Heart That Works’ continued to reach hearts around the world, raising vital funds and awareness of Noah’s Ark.

More followers on social media

Average social media engagement rate

We’d like to thank every celebrity who used their platform to help raise awareness of our charity.

Media Impact

With a dedicated PR Manager in post, we averaged 52 pieces of earned media each month – a record high. This included local, national and trade coverage – helping us maintain steady visibility for the charity year-round.

Laying the Groundwork for the Future

We have commissioned our first-ever Brand Awareness Survey, gathering essential insight into how Noah’s Ark is known and understood across our catchment area. This work will shape future communications strategy and help us reach even more families.

Celebrity Support from Sarah Parish and James Murray

The launch of our fully redesigned and rebuilt website in May 2025 was a major milestone. This improved accessibility and introduced tailored content for families and healthcare professionals.

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

OUR PEOPLE

Living Our Values: Kindness, Courage and Excellence

At Noah’s Ark, our people bring our values to life every day – kindness in every interaction, courage in facing complex challenges, and a commitment to excellence in all we do.

Supporting, developing, and caring for our team is vital to delivering the outstanding care we’re known for.

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Clinical Team Training

All of the clinical team, including Specialist Carers and Nurses are provided with individualised care pathways depending on their experience and clinical competence.

The following study days are provided twice a year to ensure Specialist Carers and Nurses are confidence and competent in delivering a high standard of care:

Supporting the Whole Person

This year, we introduced several meaningful enhancements to our staff benefits, designed to reflect the realities of modern life and ensure our team feels supported, seen and valued. Some of the enhancements were:

We also introduced a dedicated Menopause Policy to support an inclusive and responsive working environment.

Investing in Training

We continued to invest in our people through high-quality training designed to empower and grow leadership at every level.

The clinical team are also trained via the following initiatives:

Prioritising Staff Wellbeing

This year, our staff-led Wellbeing Team helped foster a positive, connected working environment through thoughtful initiatives that supported both wellbeing and team building. Highlights included free massage sessions , a visit from Paws at Work , regular team breakfasts , and a whole-charity lunch in December that brought colleagues

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

OUR PEOPLE continued

A Debs, Housekeeping Manager, winning Unsung Hero A The Family Activities Team at our Family Day at the Third Sector Awards

together from across the charity to share food and connect.

enjoy their work

Celebrating Excellence

We were proud to see our Housekeeping Manager, Debs Smith , named Unsung Hero of the Year at the 2024 Third Sector Awards . Debs plays a vital role in making The Ark a safe, welcoming place – leading on cleanliness and infection control while offering quiet, compassionate support to families. Her award is a well-deserved recognition of her dedication and kindness.

believe in our aims

What our Team Say

This year 99% of staff responded to the Staff Survey, an independent survey delivered by Birdsong Charity Consulting – a testament to our team’s engagement and voice in shaping our future.

are proud to work here

feel comfortable being themselves at work

Noah’s Ark is a very special place to work. You can feel that everyone across the charity really cares – not just about the children and families, but each other. Kindness is at every corner.

Noah’s Ark Team Member

Thank you

We’d like to thank the whole team at Noah’s Ark for their hard work and dedication this year.

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

OUR VOLUNTEERS

From gardening and photography to hairdressing, home support, fundraising and more, our volunteers help make Noah’s Ark the incredible place that it is.

Volunteers have been central to our charity since we began offering services in 2006. This year our volunteers have once again gone above and beyond to help us be there for those who need us. We are fortunate to have so many incredible volunteers on board and we thank them sincerely for their generosity.

Our volunteers donated an incredible 7,167 hours of their time this year, representing an additional value to the charity worth just under £100,000.

Over 50 new volunteers joined the team.

Improving our Infrastructure

This year we have invested in our infrastructure and implemented a new volunteer management system, Volunteero, to aid our efficiency and provide an app-based solution for volunteers. This will streamline our process, provide a better experience for volunteers and improve our communication.

My brother, Pramod, volunteered for Noah’s Ark a few years ago. He sadly died during Covid, and I felt I wanted to continue the connection that he had started. I have a background in nursing and midwifery, and I wanted to do something related to healthcare, but that was more community focused. I love the interaction I have with the child I volunteer with, and I know that we both look forward to seeing each other. Meena, a Home Support Volunteer from Enfield

Appeal for more Home Support Volunteers

We ran an appeal for more Home Support Volunteers in Enfield, an area where we traditionally struggle to recruit. With the help of our Home Support Volunteer Meena, we were able to secure 128 pieces of media coverage in local newspapers. Not only did this result in an increase in applications, but we raised awareness of this vital service.

Increasing Access to Hydrotherapy

This year we have seen a significant increase in the number of hours of hydrotherapy. This has been driven by our three amazing hydrotherapy volunteers. Thanks to them we are now able to offer more regular sessions across weekdays and over the weekend.

Bereavement Volunteers

Over the last year we have trained 23 specialist volunteers to support families who are bereaved, recognising the specific skillset and support these volunteers will need in order to be there for these families. This initiative has enabled us to double the number of events we organise for our bereaved families.

Family Portraits by Volunteer Photographer

36 families enjoyed a free family portrait sitting at The Ark thanks to our new volunteer professional photographer. We now have two further dates planned for summer 2025 so that we can offer this opportunity to more families.

Volunteering at Noah’s Ark has made me a better person. And a better father and a more knowledgeable person, plus I’ve had so much fun doing it!

Darren, who has volunteered at Noah’s Ark for over 10 years

Thank you

We would like to thank all of our volunteers for helping the families we support to make the most of every day.

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

OUR VOLUNTEERS continued

Family portrait captured by our volunteer photographer

Our volunteers at a Family Day

Our volunteers go above and beyond

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

FINANCIAL REVIEW

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INCOME EXPENDITURE DEFICIT 2024 /2025
£6,676,448 £7,714,550 £1,130, 804
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The results for the year ended 31 March 2025 are set out on page 42.

INCOME

In the financial year ended 31 March 2025 we reported a total income of £6.676m compared with £6.131m in the prior year.

Our NHS England Funding for Children’s Hospices Grant (previously called The Children’s Hospice Grant) increased this year to £858k compared to £840k. This equates to 12.85% of our overall income. The future of the grant is undecided.

We also received a capital grant from the Department of Health and Social Care that equated to £114,605. A further capital grant will be paid to us in 2025/26.

support to the babies, children, young people and their families, we care for and running The Ark and the new Holiday Lodge, rose to £6.233m compared to £4.991m in the previous year.

We planned for higher total expenditure than in the prior year as we have grown our clinical care team to allow us to increase the number of babies, children, young people and their families we can support in line with our strategy. The result of this planned growth in the clinical care team was higher salary costs and higher recruitment costs, as well as increased associated costs.

Total charitable activities account for 81% of total costs, with staff salaries accounting for 65% of the total cost of charitable activities.

In line with our three-year strategy, “Making the Most of Every Day”, we were pleased to be able to continue to designate significant amount of funds for new, exciting specific projects, as well as continuing to support projects started in recent years. This year the amount designated for these projects was £925k (2024: £2.24m). These include new IT systems, new strategy development, an income diversification strategy to complement and diversity our reliance on voluntary income and a development of a commercial strategy.

Overall Care Income equates to £262k (2024: £193k).

Our investment portfolio has improved the income by £355k compared with £329k in the prior year.

Other trading activities, such as Noah’s Ark’s fundraising events, have increased by £100k compared to the prior year as we have increased the number of events. Our main trading income comes from our annual Winter Ball, which yielded a higher net profit in comparison to the previous financial year.

In the financial year ending 31 March 2025 we sold 25 Manor Road and realised this as additional legacy income.

We maintained a policy of strict cost control across all areas of the charity.

SUMMARY OF RESERVES

The total reserves as at 31 March 2025 were £18,136,230 (2024: £19,267,028).

Of these reserves £10,007,480 (2024: £10,097,166) was the cost of fixed assets and so designated, £239,062 (2024: £162,469) was restricted by the donors; £924,647 designated for special projects by the Trustees (£2,243,371 in prior year), leaving unrestricted reserves of £6,965,041(2024: £6,764,022).

EXPENDITURE

In the financial year ended 31 March 2025 we reported total expenditure of £7.715m compared with £6.102m in the prior year. The total cost of charitable activities, i.e. delivering

RESERVES POLICY

It is the policy of the Trustees to maintain at least 9-12 months of unrestricted free reserves to allow the operating activities of the charity to continue. Unrestricted free

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FINANCIAL REVIEW continued

reserves totalled £6,965,041 as at 31 March 2025 (2024: £6,764,022).

Based on planned expenditure in 2025/26 the free reserves equate to 11.88 months of cover.

At the time of signing the statutory accounts, the Trustees consider the level of reserves to be adequate for the charity’s needs. Due to our further expansion plans and the expectation of wider economic challenges in the UK over the coming year such as the cost-of-living crisis, the Trustees consider it is reasonable to hold the current level of unrestricted free reserves at this time.

The Trustees will review the Reserves Policy annually, taking into account the status of our expansion plans and the state of the wider economy at the time. The Trustees remain committed to ensuring the charity can continue to deliver its services and will flex the policy and level of reserves accordingly.

FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY AND GOING CONCERN

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we ended the financial year with net cash funds of £4.740m (£5.016m at 31 March 2024) and investments of £3.313m (£3.284m at 31 March 2024).

With a challenging economic outlook categorised by high inflation and rising costs, we are grateful to NHS England for our Hospice grant for 2024/25. The grant is confirmed for 2025/26 but there is further uncertainty about its continuation. We are also grateful to North Central London Clinical Commissioning Group for renewing our contract for another 12 months and are currently negotiating an uplift in rates for 2025/26. We have now also signed a contract with North West London Clinical Commissioning Group.

We monitor our cash flows regularly and run sensitivity analyses to ensure we have sufficient working capital for our short-term needs.

RISK MANAGEMENT

Noah’s Ark has developed its formal risk management process through the identification and management of risk by the Senior Leadership Team and the respective subcommittees. The risk process covers strategic and operational risk. The Trustees review all significant risk and mitigation throughout the year and are satisfied that the process and systems developed are in place to manage identified risks to an acceptable level.

The risk register shows two significant risks as at 31 March 2025. The significant risks were as follows:

1. Nurse Recruitment – Whilst we have increased the size of our nursing team we are still operating with vacancies which impacts our ability to deliver more care and optimise commissioned income. The shortage of paediatric palliative care nurses across the UK has had an impact on our ability to recruit qualified nurses. We have developed a comprehensive nurse recruitment campaign which includes adverts in strategic locations on the underground, buses and locally in Barnet where The Ark is located, as well as on various social media.

We are increasing the number of bank nurse staff who in turn may then apply for substantive roles. We are training our existing nurses in a wide range of competencies to meet the needs of the babies, children and young people we care for.

We have introduced a nurse joining bonus and refer a friend scheme.

2. ICT Systems – Crosscare (our care database) will be replaced within the next financial year. Other IT systems are also being reviewed, and an IT strategy and roll-out plan has been developed. These systems need to be replaced with minimal disruption to our 24/7 service. Mindful of these challenges we have recruited an IT project manager to support the various systems implementations.

Based on the above and our fundraising plans for the year ahead, the Trustees believe that we have sufficient financial resources to meet the future operating requirements of the charity and therefore remain a going concern.

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

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Noah’s Ark – The Children’s Hospice is registered as a charity with the Charity Commission for England and Wales.

It is a charitable company limited by guarantee with no share capital and it is governed by its Memorandum and Articles which were revised on 31 July 2018. The liability of each member in the event of winding up is limited to a maximum of £1.

the governance of the Charity seriously. This also includes adherence to relevant legislation and regulations as well as implementing policies to ensure the Charity’s objectives are met and the highest standards of governance are maintained.

This also included regular attendance at Trustee meetings and subcommittees which meet quarterly, led by Trustees and supported by appropriate members of the Senior Leadership Team, and are:

In accordance with its Articles of Association, there shall be no fewer than three directors at any one time.

The Directors, who are also the charity Trustees and the Members, are normally appointed by a Board resolution, but may also be appointed by an ordinary resolution passed by the members.

No director received remunerations from the charity.

DELEGATION AND DECISION MAKING

New Trustees are appointed in accordance with the Trustee Recruitment Policy and after an interview with at least the Chairman, Chief Executive and other Trustees. They are inducted into the charity through a series of briefings by senior management and visits to the organisation, with the opportunity to meet all employees. New Trustees are provided with copies of recent statutory accounts, key internal documents such as board reports, internal structure and governance documents, in addition to marketing and communications brochures and copies of relevant Charity Commission literature, such as “The Essential Trustee”. The Board aims to ensure that there is a good balance of Trustees who are diverse in nature. This facilitates proper discussion and enhances decision-making. Trustees come from different backgrounds and have a wide variety of careers and experience. Trustees may serve for a maximum of 6 years (2 x 3 year appointments).

At the time of signing the accounts, Sarah Timms is stepping down as a Trustee. The Board would like to thank her for commitment and for Chairing the Care and Clinical Governance Committee. Two new Trustees are also being appointed (Professor Lorna Fraser and Ginika Achokwu).

Trustees undertake regular training, including attendance at internal meetings, briefings and Trustee away days. Trustees are supplied with the “Charity Governance Code” and the Board ensures that they take their responsibilities towards

In terms of decision making, operational decisions are taken by the Senior Leadership Team.

The Senior Leadership Team comprises the Chief Executive and the Charity’s five senior directors (Care, Fundraising & Communications, Finance, People and Deputy CEO).

Key decisions may also be taken in conjunction with specific employees where they have specialist knowledge or experience. Strategic initiatives, approval of the annual budget, management accounts and statutory accounts, as well as senior appointments are some of the key matters discussed at the relevant subcommittees and take to the Board of Trustees for approval and sign off as appropriate.

Pay is reviewed annually by the Remuneration Subcommittee and benchmarked against the mid-range point for similar charities. The Remuneration Committee ensures pay parity for the workforce.

A new pay and reward strategy has been developed and was implemented on 1st August 2025.

Whilst Senior team pay is included in the grading structure within the new pay and reward framework, remuneration of the senior team is separately reviewed by the Chair and Remuneration committee.

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT continued

STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES

The Trustees, who are also directors of the charitable company, are responsible for preparing their report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company Law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the Trustees have elected to prepare financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice. The financial statements are required by law to give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the charitable company and of the surplus or deficit for that period.

In preparing these financial statements the Trustees are required to:

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

So far as the Board of Trustees are aware:

The Trustees’ Report has been approved and authorised for issue by order of the Board.

Mr James Tugendhat Chairman

Date: 19th August 2025

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF NOAH’S ARK CHILDREN’S HOSPICE

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OPINION

We have audited the financial statements of Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice for the year ended 31 March 202 5 which comprise Statement of Financial Activities, Balance Sheet, Statement of Cash Flows and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied 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). In our opinion, the financial statements:

BASIS FOR 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 charity 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.

CONCLUSIONS RELATING TO GOING CONCERN

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the Trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

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 charitable company’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. 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 the information included in the Trustees’ Annual Report and Honorary Life Chair’s statement/Chief Executive’s statement. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. 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. We have nothing to report in this regard.

OPINIONS ON OTHER MATTERS PRESCRIBED BY THE COMPANIES ACT 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

MATTERS ON WHICH WE ARE REQUIRED TO REPORT BY EXCEPTION

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Trustees’ Annual Report (which incorporates the strategic report and the directors’ report). We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

39

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF NOAH’S ARK CHILDREN’S HOSPICE continued

RESPONSIBILITIES OF TRUSTEES FOR THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

As explained more fully in the Trustees’ responsibilities statement set out on page 3 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 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.

AUDITOR’S RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE AUDIT OF

THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial 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 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 or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements. Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of noncompliance 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 below: Based on our understanding of the charitable company and the environment in which it operates, we identified that the principal risks of noncompliance with laws and regulations related to Charities Act 2011, Companies Act 2006, Fundraising regulations and Care Quality Commission, and 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 Companies Act 2006, Charities Act 2011 and payroll tax. 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 revenue and management bias in accounting estimates. Audit procedures performed by the engagement team included:

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. This risk increases the more that 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.

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

USE OF OUR REPORT

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members 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 charitable company and the charitable company’s members, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Kathryn Burton (Senior Statutory Auditor)

For and on behalf of HaysMac LLP, Statutory Auditor

10 Queen Street Place London EC4R 1AG

Date: 27 August 2025

41

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

(including income and expenditure report) for the year ended 31 March 2025

Note
Income from
Donations & legacies
Donations
Legacies
Gift aid
Gifts in kind
Investments
Other trading activities
Statutory grants
Income from charitable activities
Total
Expenditure on
Raising funds
Costs of generating voluntary
income
Costs of activities generating
income
Charitable activities
Care services
Sustaining The Ark
Holiday Lodge
Total
Unrealised gain / (losses) on
investments
Net income / (expenditure)
Transfers between funds
Net movement in funds
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward
5
3
4
4
4
5
14/15		 Year ended
31 March 2025
UNRESTRICTED
FUNDS
£
2,520,358
683,993
173,883
229,108
355,043
467,530
–
285,621
4,715,536
1,160,312
289,226
3,860,503
684,404
61,817
6,056,262
(92,697)
(1,433,423)
226,026
(1,207,397)
19,104,559
17,897,162		 Year ended
31 March 2025
RESTRICTED
FUNDS
£
986,220
–
2,087
–
–
–
972,605
–
1,960,912
31,843
–
1,602,330
21,211
2,909
1,658,293
–
302,619
(226,026)
76,593
162,469
239,062		 Year ended
31 March 2025
TOTAL
£
3,506,578
683,993
175,970
229,108
355,043
467,530
972,605
285,621
6,676,448
1,192,155
289,226
5,462,833
705,615
64,726
7,714,555
(92,697)
(1,130,804)
–
(1,130,804)
19,267,028
18,136,224		 Year ended
31 March 2024
TOTAL
£
4,100,611
77,338
72,319
135,404
329,032
364,634
840,015
212,029
6,131,382
853,478
258,059
4,350,694
598,283
41,600
6,102,114
188,807
218,075
–
218,075
19,048,953
19,267,028

The results for the period are derived from continuing operations. There were no recognised gains or losses, other than those passing through the statement of financial activities. The Unrestricted Funds include the Designated Funds (see note 15).

42

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

BALANCE SHEET

as at 31 March 2025

As at 31 March 2025 As at 31 March 2025 As at 31 March 2025 As at 31 March 2024 As at 31 March 2024
FIXED ASSETS Note £ £ £ £
Tangible fixed assets 8 10,007,480 10,097,166
Investments 9 3,313,393 3,283,816
CURRENT ASSETS 13,320,873 13,380,982
Debtors 10 317,119 256,188
Assets held for resale 10 – 875,000
Cash 11 4,740,402 5,015,581
CREDITORS: amounts falling due 5,057,521 6,146,769
within one year
Creditors 12 (242,170) (260,723)
NET CURRENT ASSETS 4,815,351 5,886,046
NET ASSETS 18,136,224 19,267,028
FUNDS
Restricted funds 14 239,062 162,469
Unrestricted funds
General 15 6,965,035 6,764,022
Designated 15 10,932,127 12,340,537
18,136,224 19,267,028

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Board of Trustees and were signed below on its behalf by:

Mr James Tugendhat Chairman Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice

Company Number: 03901606

Accompanying notes form an integral part of these accounts.

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

CASH FLOW STATEMENT

for the year ended 31 March 2025

Cash fows from operating activities
Cash fows from investing activities:
Dividends, interest and rents from
investments
Purchase of property, plant and equipment
Purchase of investments
Net cash used in operating activities
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the
reporting period
Cash and cash equivalents brought forward
Cash and cash equivalents carried forward
Reconciliation of net movement in funds to
cash fow from operating activities
Net movement in funds
Depreciation charges
Losses/(gains) on investments
Dividends, interest and rents from investments
Fees on shares investments
Loss on disposal of shares investment
(Increase)/decrease in debtors
Decrease /(increase) in assets for resale
(Decrease)/increase in creditors
Loss on disposal of fxed assets
Net cash provided by investing activities
NET DEBT RECONCILIATION
CURRENT PERIOD
Cash
PRIOR PERIOD
Cash		 Year ended 31
£
224,978
(262,559)
–		 March 2025
£
(237,598)
(37,581)
(275,179)
5,015,581
4,740,402
2025
£
(1,130,804)
334,783
92,697
(355,043)
–
7,791
(60,931)
875,000
(18,553)
17,462
(237,598)
Cashfows
£		 Year ended 31 March 2024
£
£
228,418
(207,032)
(1,734,770)
Other non-
cash changes
£
76,534
(1,713,384)
(1,636,850)
6,652,431
5,015,581
2024
£
218,075
306,138
(188,806)
(329,032)
1,821
-
110,959
(25,000)
(17,621)
–
76,534
At 31 March 2025
£		 Year ended 31 March 2024
£
£
228,418
(207,032)
(1,734,770)
Other non-
cash changes
£
76,534
(1,713,384)
(1,636,850)
6,652,431
5,015,581
2024
£
218,075
306,138
(188,806)
(329,032)
1,821
-
110,959
(25,000)
(17,621)
–
76,534
At 31 March 2025
£
At 1 April 2024
£
5,015,581 (275,179) – 4,740,402
At 1 April 2023 Cashfows Other non-
cash changes		 At 31 March 2024
6,652,431 (1,636,850) – 5,015,581

44

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

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1. Accounting policies

BASIS OF PREPARATION

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) (Charities SORP Second Edition, effective 1 January 2019), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Depreciation: the useful economic lives of tangible fixed assets are based on management’s judgement and experience. When management identifies that actual useful economic lives differ materially from the estimates used to calculate depreciation, that charge is adjusted retrospectively. Although tangible fixed assets are significant, variances between actual and estimated useful economic lives will not have a material impact on the operating results. Historically, no changes have been required.

Noah’s Ark – The Children’s Hospice meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes.

GOING CONCERN

The Trustees have considered the impact of the current cost of living crisis on the Charity. Further information can be found in the Trustee Report section titled Financial Sustainability and Going Concern. The review of our financial position, reserves levels and future plans gives Trustees confidence that the Charity remains a going concern for the foreseeable future. As part of this review, budgets up to one year post signing the accounts have been assessed by the Trustees. The Trustees consider there are no material uncertainties about the Charity’s ability to continue as a going concern.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING JUDGEMENTS AND ESTIMATES AND KEY SOURCES OF ESTIMATION UNCERTAINTY

In the application of these accounting policies, the Trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources.

Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Although these estimates are based on management’s best knowledge of the amount, events or actions, actual results may ultimately differ from those estimates. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects only that period or in the period of the revision and future periods if the revision affects current and future periods. The Trustees consider the following items to be areas subject to estimation and judgement:

Income from legacies: when recognising legacy income, entitlement is taken to be the earlier date of when the Charity becomes aware that probate has been granted, when the estate has been finalised and notification made by the executors that a distribution will be made, or when the distribution is received. Certainty of receipt and reliable measurement depend on the individual case, and particularly whether the value of a significant unsold asset (e.g. a house) can be reliably measured.

Gifts in kind: estimates for the value of goods and services donated are included in the financial statements in note 5.

In the view of the Trustees, no assumptions concerning the future or estimated uncertainty affecting assets or liabilities at the balance sheet date are likely to result in a material adjustment to their carrying amounts in the next financial year.

INCOME

All income is recognised once the Charity has entitlement to income, it is probable that income will be received, and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably. The charity received its first bitcoin donation in the last financial year. A date for processing was agreed in advance and the bitcoin was cashed immediately.

DONATIONS AND LEGACIES

Donation income is accounted for where there is entitlement, probability and income is measurable.

GENERATING FUNDS

Income is accounted for on a cash received and accruals of known income basis unless related to an event scheduled to take place in a later accounting period in which case it is deferred until after the event has taken place. The main sources of income are analysed in the Notes.

45

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued

INVESTMENT INCOME

Investment income reflects the amount receivable for the year.

EXPENDITURE

Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Charitable activities relate to the direct provision of care in The Ark and community. Raising funds relate to fundraising costs. Governance costs are those associated with constitutional and statutory requirements and is now apportioned on the same basis as support costs. Salary costs have been allocated based on time spent in each area by each member of staff. All other support costs including support staff salaries not directly attributable to an expenditure category are shown as support costs and have been apportioned based on floor space across each activity. The estimated value of gifts in kind are included in the expenditure category they relate to.

VALUE ADDED TAX

Value added tax not recoverable is included in the relevant costs in the Statement of Financial Activities.

FUND ACCOUNTING

General funds are unrestricted funds which can be used at the discretion of the Trustees in accordance with the objectives of the Charity and which have not been designated for other purposes. Designated funds comprise of unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the Trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the accounts.

Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in note 14.

PENSIONS

The Charity makes contributions to the National Health Service Pension Scheme for nurses, which is a defined benefit scheme. As the scheme is a multi-employer scheme and the charity is unable to identify its share of the underlying assets and liabilities, this scheme is accounted for by the Charity as a defined contribution scheme. The Charity also makes contributions to the Aviva Stakeholder Pension Scheme for other eligible employees. This is a defined contribution scheme.

LEASES

Payments under operating leases are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities on a straight-line basis over the life of the lease.

TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

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

DEBTORS

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.

CASH AT BANK AND IN HAND

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments.

Leasehold property
Fixtures, fttings and
computer equipment
Buildings
Motor vehicles		 Over the length of the lease
10% and 25% straight line
depending on equipment
Environment Centre (‘E-Centre’)
30 years, Hospice 50 years,
Holiday Lodge 20 years
25% straight line

INVESTMENTS

Investments are included in the financial statements at market value at the balance sheet date. Realised and unrealised gains and losses on revaluation and disposals occurring in the year are reported in the Statement of Financial Activities.

CREDITORS AND PROVISIONS

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the Charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

Short term benefits including holiday pay are recognised as an expense in the period in which the service is received. Termination benefits are accounted for on an accrual basis and in line with FRS 102.

46

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

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2. Surplus for the year

Surplus is stated after charging:

Surplus is stated after charging:
2025 2024
£ £
Auditors remuneration 19,675 18,400
Depreciation 334,783 306,138
Operating lease rentals 16,657 13,859

3. Investment income

Unrestricted funds

Bank interest received
Other interest received
Investment income		 2025
£		 2024
£
12,135 32,776
1,188 120
341,720 296,136
355,043 329,032

4. Other income

Other trading activities

Unrestricted funds

Merchandise sales
Sale of donated goods
Event income
E-Centre income		 2025
£		 2024
£
1,781 –
3,460 1,255
461,884 362,813
405
467,530		 566
364,634

Event income excludes donation income from these events.

All ‘other trading activity’ income was unrestricted.

47

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued

4. Other income continued

Income from grants

Income from grants
Statutory grants
Children’s Hospice Grant
DHSC Capital Grant		 2025
£		 2024
£
858,000 840,015
114,605
972,605		 –
840,015

The Children’s Hospice Grant received from NHS England is restricted against the care work of the Hospice. The DHSC Capital Grant is restricted to capital expenditure within the hospice and includes digital transformation.

Income from charitable activities

Care income
Income from the Hospice’s Rainbow Café		 2025
£		 2024
£
261,677 192,670
23,944
285,621		 19,359
212,029

None of the Care income from the year ended 31 March 2025 was restricted (2024: nil).

The Care income is largely income from contracted overnight stays for children receiving care from Noah’s Ark.

48

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

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5. Expenditure

CURRENT PERIOD
Raising funds
Costs of generating voluntary Income
Costs of activities for generating income
Charitable activities
Care services
Sustaining The Ark
Holiday Lodge
PRIOR PERIOD
Raising funds
Costs of generating voluntary Income
Costs of activities for generating income
Charitable activities
Care services
Sustaining The Ark
Holiday Lodge		 Direct and
directly
allocated costs
£		 Support costs
£		 Total for
year ended
31 March 2025
992,813 199,342 1,192,155
289,226 – 289,226
4,067,447 1,395,386 5,462,833
655,780 49,835 705,615
48,115 16,611 64,726
6,053,381
Direct and
directly
allocated costs
£		 1,661,174
Support costs
£		 7,714,555
Total for
year ended
31 March 2024
700,316 153,162 853,478
258,059 – 258,059
3,278,558 1,072,136 4,350,694
559,992
28,837
4,825,762		 38,291
12,763
1,276,352		 598,283
41,600
6,102,114

49

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued

5. Expenditure continued

SUPPORT COSTS –
CURRENT PERIOD
Raising funds
Costs of generating voluntary income
Charitable activities
Care Services
Sustaining The Ark
Holiday Lodge
SUPPORT COSTS –
PRIOR PERIOD
Raising funds
Costs of generating voluntary income
Charitable activities
Care Services
Sustaining The Ark
Holiday Lodge		 Premises
£		 Finance and
Administration
£		 IT and
Communications
£		 Total 2025
£
37,362 125,328 36,652 199,342
261,529 877,292 256,565 1,395,386
9,340 31,332 9,163 49,835
3,113
311,344
Premises
£		 10,444
1,044,396
Finance and
Administration

£		 3,054
305,434
IT and
Communications
£		 16,611
1,661,174
Total for year
ended 2024
£
153,162
1,072,136
38,291
12,763
1,276,352
36,058 99,847 17,257
252,409 698,929 120,798
9,015 24,962 4,314
3,005
300,487		 8,320
832,058		 1,438
143,807

GIFTS IN KIND EXPENDITURE

Expenditure on gifts in kind was allocated to the following:

Fundraising costs
Comms costs
Other care costs
Other Ark and staf costs		 2025
£		 2024
£
114,187 86,171
15,000 5,300
96,386 43,075
3,535
229,108		 858
135,404

50

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

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6. Governance costs

6. Governance costs
Staf costs
Audit fees
Trustee expenses		 2025
£		 2024
£
80,610 70,394
19,675 18,400
1,736 16,465
102,021 105,259

Governance costs are included within Finance and administration costs and have been allocated in line with support costs as per Note 5 above.

The majority of the 2024/25 Trustee costs related to a Trustee away day and other Trustee meetings. In the previous year there was expenditure relating to Trustee recruitment through an external agency.

7. Staff costs

Wages and salaries
Employer’s NI
Employer’s pension costs		 2025
£		 2024
£
4,167,785 3,277,232
440,070 340,046
248,356 194,439
4,856,211 3,811,717

The average number of employees during the year was 123 (2024: 108). On average, 21 (2024: 14) employees were directly employed in fundraising and communications activities and 80 (2024: 75) employees were directly employed in Care. These figures include several bank employees on zero hours contracts. The full time equivalent average number of employees during the year was 92 (2024: 74) which included 57 (2024: 47) employed directly in Care. The remaining employees were involved in all aspects of running the Charity. The actual number of employees as at 31 March 2025 was 123 (31 March 2024: 122). The full-time equivalent employees as at 31 March 2025 was 92 (31 March 2024: 86).

51

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued

7. Staff costs continued

Number of staff with remuneration in excess of £60,000 for the year are as follows:

Employee remuneration Year ended Year ended
£ 31 March 2025 31 March 2024
£60,000 – £70,000 4 2
£70,000 – £80,000 1 2
£80,000 – £90,000 1 –
£90,000 – £100,000 1 1
£120,000 – £130,000 – 1
£140,000 – £150,000 1 –

All salary information relates to total gross taxable pay in the year. This includes any one-off charity wide awards, plus also the sale of holidays back to the charity. This may mean that some staff members move brackets within the year for these one-off reasons as opposed to salary increases.

Key management personnel comprise the Senior Leadership Team. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel of Charity for the year ending 31 March 2025 were £657,253 (year ending 31 March 2024: £588,670).

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

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8. Fixed Assets

Cost
At 1 April 2024
Additions
Disposals
At 31 March 2025
Depreciation
At 1 April 2024
Charge for the year
Disposals
At 31 March 2025
Net book value
At 31 March 2025
At 31 March 2024		 Hospice, Lodges
and E-Centre
£		 Fixtures, fttings
and equipment
£		 Motor vehicles
£		 Total for year
ending
31 March 2025
£
10,769,472 740,089 42,043 11,551,604
219,843 42,716 – 262,559
(5,000) (66,042) – (71,042)
10,984,315 716,763 42,043 11,743,121
1,128,488 309,308 16,642 1,454,438
226,035 98,237 10,511 334,783
– (53,580) – (53,580)
1,354,523 353,965 27,153 1,735,641
9,629,792 362,798 14,890 10,007,480
9,640,984 430,781 25,401 10,097,166

All assets are for operational and charitable purposes.

9. Investments

CURRENT PERIOD
Cost
At 1 April 2024
Disposals
Income
Unrealised investment gains/(losses)
At 31 March 2025		 Casenove
investments
£
3,283,816		 Total for year
ended
31 March 2025
£
3,283,816
(7,791) (7,791)
130,065 130,065
(92,697) (92,697)
3,313,393 3,313,393

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued

9. Investments continued

PRIOR PERIOD
Cost
At 1 April 2023
Additions
Income
Fees
Unrealised investment gains/(losses)
At 31 March 2024		 Casenove
investments
£		 Total for year
ended
31 March 2024
£
1,261,447 1,261,447
1,734,770 1,734,770
100,614 100,614
(1,821) (1,821)
188,806 188,806
3,283,816 3,283,816
10. Debtors
11. Cash
Trade debtors
Other debtors
Prepayments and accrued income
Accrued legacy income
Other taxation and social security
Cash at bank and in hand
Cash in investments		 As at
31 March 2025
£		 As at
31 March 2024
£
43,367 83,207
- 8,058
115,971 107,890
75,200 –
82,581 57,033
317,119
As at
31 March 2025
£		 256,188
As at
31 March 2024
£
1,147,669 326,555
3,592,733
4,740,402		 4,689,026
5,015,581

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12. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

Trade creditors
Accruals
Other creditors
Taxation and social security		 As at
31 March 2025
£		 As at
31 March 2024
£
116,163 96,951
98,105 49,437
27,902 15,180
–
242,170		 99,155
260,723

13. Company status

The company is a company limited by guarantee. The members of the company are the Trustees named on page 3. The liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 for each member while he or she is a member or within 12 months after he or she ceases to be a member in the event of the dissolution of the company.

14. Restricted funds

CURRENT PERIOD
Building projects
Community service
Nursing and Specialist Carers
Fund
Creative Therapies Fund
Other Care departments
Children’s Hospice grant
DHSC Capital Grant
Clinical Equipment Fund
Employee Training Fund
General Care Fund		 Balance at
1 April 2024
£		 Income
£		 Expenditure
Transfers
between funds
£
£		 Expenditure
Transfers
between funds
£
£		 Balance at
31 March 2025
£
– 208,302 (1,523) (139,666) 67,113
22,087 68,952 (41,653) – 49,386
34,645 30,988 (62,577) – 3,056
35,016 447,948 (396,997) – 85,967
– 858,000 (858,000) – –
114,605 (101,087) (13,518) –
46,895 55,369 (1,233) (67,491) 33,540
18,475 – (18,475) – –
5,351
162,469		 176,748
1,960,912		 (176,748)
(1,658,293)		 (5,351)
(226,026)		 –
239,062

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued

14. Restricted funds continued

PRIOR PERIOD
Community Service
Nursing and Specialist Carers
Fund
Creative Therapies Fund
Other Care departments
Children’s Hospice grant
Clinical Equipment Fund
Employee Training Fund
General Care Fund		 Balance as at
1 April 2023
£		 Income
£		 Expenditure
Transfers
between funds
£
£		 Expenditure
Transfers
between funds
£
£		 Balance as at
31 March 2024
£
53,935 154,444 (186,292) – 22,087
20,970 67,130 (53,455) – 34,645
29,726 108,779 (103,489) – 35,016
– 840,015 (840,015) – –
35,365 51,224 (6,194) (33,500) 46,895
18,379 52,024 (40,036) (11,892) 18,475
613 238,762 (200,938) (33,086) 5,351
158,988 1,512,378 (1,430,419) (78,478) 162,469

The Nursing and Specialist Carers’ Fund was established in 2010. The programme provides respite for parents and family members, allowing full responsibility for the care of the life-limited or life-threatened child to be delegated to a trained nurse and / or specialist carer, both in The Ark and in the community. It also provides more general funding for nurses and specialist carers.

The Creative Therapies Fund is used specifically to provide music, art and drama and movement therapy, for life limited and life threatened children and their siblings.

The Other Care Departments Fund is used to provide funding for Family Link, Family Activities and other Care teams to help fund holistic services.

The Children’s Hospice grant is awarded by NHS England to support palliative care.

The DHSC Capital Grant is a new fund and is awarded for capital projects to all hospices.

The Employee Training Fund provides development and training for staff.

The Clinical Equipment Fund provides specific funds for various pieces of equipment for use by the Care Team.

The General Care Fund provides support to the general Care Team to assist them with providing care to children with life threatening or life limiting conditions. It also includes other ad hoc donations such as small capital projects and donations to core funds.

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15. Unrestricted funds

CURRENT PERIOD
Balance as
at 1 April
2024
£
Designated Funds
Fixed Assets Fund
10,097,166
Digital Transformation
Fund
483,500
Clinical Support Fund
726,971
Ark Repairs and Renewals
150,000
Income Diversity
882,900
12,340,537
Unrestricted General Fund
6,764,022
19,104,559		 CURRENT PERIOD
Balance as
at 1 April
2024
£
Designated Funds
Fixed Assets Fund
10,097,166
Digital Transformation
Fund
483,500
Clinical Support Fund
726,971
Ark Repairs and Renewals
150,000
Income Diversity
882,900
12,340,537
Unrestricted General Fund
6,764,022
19,104,559		 Income
Expenditure
Unrealised
gain/(loss) on
investments
£
£
£		 Income
Expenditure
Unrealised
gain/(loss) on
investments
£
£
£		 Income
Expenditure
Unrealised
gain/(loss) on
investments
£
£
£		 Transfers
between
funds
Balance as
at 31 March
2025
£		 Transfers
between
funds
Balance as
at 31 March
2025
£
10,097,166 257,559 (334,783) – (12,462) 10,007,480
483,500 – (171,561) – (83,939) 228,000
726,971 – (191,125) – (201,199) 334,647
150,000 – – – (50,000) 100,000
882,900 – (394,062) (226,838) 262,000
12,340,537 257,559 (1,091,531) – (574,438) 10,932,127
6,764,022 4,457,977 (4,964,731) (92,697) 800,464 6,965,035
19,104,559 4,715,536 (6,056,262) (92,697) 226,026 17,897,162

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS continued

15. Unrestricted funds continued

PRIOR PERIOD
Balance as
at 1 April
2023
£
Designated Funds
Fixed Assets Fund
10,196,272
Digital Transformation
Fund
453,265
Clinical Support Fund
868,822
Ark Repairs and Renewals
281,396
Income Diversity
947,297
12,747,052
Unrestricted General Fund
6,142,913
18,889,965		 PRIOR PERIOD
Balance as
at 1 April
2023
£
Designated Funds
Fixed Assets Fund
10,196,272
Digital Transformation
Fund
453,265
Clinical Support Fund
868,822
Ark Repairs and Renewals
281,396
Income Diversity
947,297
12,747,052
Unrestricted General Fund
6,142,913
18,889,965		 Income
Expenditure
Unrealised
gain/(loss) on
investments
£
£
£		 Income
Expenditure
Unrealised
gain/(loss) on
investments
£
£
£		 Income
Expenditure
Unrealised
gain/(loss) on
investments
£
£
£		 Transfers
between
funds
Balance as
at 31 March
2024
£		 Transfers
between
funds
Balance as
at 31 March
2024
£
10,196,272 207,032 (306,138) - - 10,097,166
453,265 - (118,518) - 148,753 483,500
868,822 - (121,151) - (20,700) 726,971
281,396 - (18,279) - (113,117) 150,000
947,297 - (139,669) - 75,272 882,900
12,747,052 207,032 (703,755) - 90,208 12,340,537
6,142,913 4,411,972 (3,967,940) 188,807 (11,730) 6,764,022
18,889,965 4,619,004 (4,671,695) 188,807 78,478 19,104,559

Designated funds

The fixed asset fund represents funds that the Trustees have agreed to set aside as designated funds as these assets are not easily realised into cash and do not form part of the unrestricted general fund. These include all fixed assets relating to the Ark.

The Digital Transformation Fund is to fund several specific projects in relation to supporter development and engagement and new IT systems, in line with the 2022 – 2025 strategy. It included funding to enhance communications, individual giving and the new CRM database, a fund for several new IT systems and two new funds at 31 March 2024 to support the communications team expansion and a specific Care communications project over the next year.

The Clinical Support Fund represents funds that the Trustees have set aside for future costs. These funds include specific support from Barnet Hospital including 24/7 paediatric consultant support and pharmacy cover, and the secondment costs of the Medical Directors, over three years. These funds also include a fund to cover the element of the cost of a new Holiday Lodge that isn’t covered by restricted funds and a fund to support advertising to support the expansion of the Care Team.

The Ark repairs and renewals fund is a fund to cover the cost of various specific repairs and maintenance projects for the Ark building and equipment expected to be undertaken over the next year.

The income diversity fund is to invest in diversifying Noah’s Ark’s fundraising income in areas such as commercial income and legacy income, in line with the 2022 – 2025 strategy. This includes funds to cover specific projects planned to be undertaken in the next financial year such as face to face fundraising and legacy development. It also includes a fund to cover the costs of the Fundraising Team expansion for a year, a fund for some specific fundraising-related comms projects planned for the next financial year and a fund for commercial strategy which is being considered in the next financial year.

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16. Analysis of net assets between funds

CURRENT PERIOD
Fixed assets
Investments
Debtors
Assets for resale
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors due in less than one year
PRIOR PERIOD
Fixed assets
Investments
Debtors
Assets for resale
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors due in less than one year		 Unrestricted funds
£		 Restricted funds
£		 Total as at 31 March 2025
£
10,007,480 – 10,007,480
3,313,393 – 3,313,393
301,584 15,535 317,119
– – –
4,497,923 242,479 4,740,402
(223,218)
17,897,162
Unrestricted funds
£		 (18,952)
239,062
Restricted funds
£		 (242,170)
18,136,224
Total as at 31 March 2024
£
10,097,166 – 10,097,166
3,283,816 – 3,283,816
248,212 7,976 256,188
875,000 – 875,000
4,894,835 120,746 5,015,581
(294,470)
19,104,559		 33,747
162,469		 (260,723)
19,267,028

17. Financial commitments

At 31 March 2024 the Charity had annual commitments under non-cancellable operating leases as follows:

As
Operating leases which expire:
Within one year
Between two and fve years
More than fve years		 Equipment
at 31 March 2025
As at 31 March 2024
£
£		 Equipment
at 31 March 2025
As at 31 March 2024
£
£
13,470 16,143
19,652 22,984
– 4,484
33,122 43,611

18. Related party transactions

The charity received donations from the Trustees totalling £9,100 (2024: £7,180) and received donations from connected parties to Trustees of £1,250 (2024: £1,500). There were no other related party transactions in the current or the prior period.

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Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice | Trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

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NOAH'S ARK CHILDREN'S HOSPICE The Ark 101A Byng Road Barnet Hertfordshire EN5 4NP

020 8449 8877

info@noahsarkhospice.org.uk noahsarkhospice.org.uk

Registered Charity No. 1081156