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Being@ Alongside@
Association for Pastoral Care in Mental Health
17 Conifer Close
FLEET, Hants
GUs2 6LR
www.beingalongside.org.uk
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Trustees’ Annual Report for the period 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025
Charity registration number: 1081642
Contents
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|1.|Background,|Objectives|and|Activities|........00.0cccceccccccceecceesssesseeeeeesecessssssseeessensssssssseeeee|T|
|2.|Achievements:and:|PenOnmanesiasscvscnwscsueeescissnomenmenmasmneeesemnenseas|2|
|3.|Financial|RVIOW.............cccceecceeeeeeseceeeseaeeeceseseececeesseeesssceeesessaeececesseseesessssseseesseceessseeseee|O|
|4.|Structure,|Governance|and|Management|...............cccccccsssssceeesssceeceessseesecssseseessstesecstesseee|4|
|&.|Referenceand|Administrative|details|vicsiccicssissiiacsecisccnsnennnnnnmncnnmmmaracceances|4|
|6.|Declarations... ccecccececsececeeseseaeeecesaeaeecceseseeseessaeecessseeseessseeesecessseeseestsseeertsetesesaseeee|D|
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1. Background, Objectives and Activities
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|a|
|Summary|of the|purposes|of the|charity|as|set|out|in|its|governing|
|document|
|Summary|of the|main|activities|in|relation|to those|purposes for the|public|“|1.17 and|
|benefit,|in|particular,|the|activities,|projects|or|services|identified|in|the|;|
|accounts.|
|Statement|confirming|whether|the|trustees|have|had|regard|to|the|
|guidance|issued|by|the|Charity|Commission|on|public|benefit|
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The Association for Pastoral Care in Mental Health (APCMH) was formed in 1986 by the parents of a son who was living with serious and long-term mental ill-health, in order to educate and campaign for effective spiritual care at a time when little was available or even understood within the mental health context.
Initially APCMH was formed as an unincorporated association, called The Association for the Pastoral Care of the Mentally Ill. Its name was changed in 1997 to The Association for Pastoral Care in Mental Health. In 2000 APCMH was incorporated in England and Wales with registered number 3957730. Its charitable registration was transferred to the Company.
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In 2009 APCMH adopted the operational name of "Being Alongside" and continues to use that name for its promotional activities.
On 18 May 2022 APCMH converted to a Foundation Charitable Incorporated Organisation ("ClO") and it ceased to be registered as a Company Limited by Guarantee. A new Constitution was adopted. In this report, APCMH will be referred to as “the Charity”. The Charity’s objects are: “To promote social inclusion for the public benefit of those who have experience of mental ill-health and their families in the United Kingdom, and to relieve the needs of such people in particular by encouraging the provision of local pastoral care.”
The aims of the Charity are mainly achieved through: (a) activities of local branches and affiliated groups such as drop-in facilities and befriending schemes; (b) by encouraging others to provide similar activities and appropriate pastoral care; and (c) its website and by publication of a national newsletter and resource information.
In all activities during the reporting year, the trustees confirm that they have referred to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit.
The Charity, both locally and nationally, depends on its many volunteers to carry out its work. The trustees would like to extend their thanks to the volunteers serving our affiliated projects, without whom we would not be able to deliver our objects effectively.
The trustees would also like to record our thanks to 34SP.com, a web hosting company which kindly provides their services for free to us (alongside many other registered charities), therefore saving us expenditure in operating this key external platform to promote our services to beneficiaries. The company’s generosity is much appreciated and hugely valuable to a small charity like Being Alongside.
2. Achievements and Performance
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity's work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. —
The Charity continues to support its network of affiliated projects which in turn help deliver support services to those experiencing mental ill-health and their carers/families. In particular, Croydon APCMH (1097979), the Battersea Befriending Network (1194593) and the Cellar Camino Café in Godalming (operated by the Warehouse Christian Trust) continue to operate as affiliated groups, providing drop-in facilities, support and befriending between them. The trustees remain in regular contact with these projects.
We continue to hold funds previously raised by Merton and Sutton APCMH, a branch of the Charity, which wound up operations in February 2023. We continue to seek local partners with similar charitable aims operating in those boroughs and have taken steps to engage with local church leaders who might be able to facilitate the establishment of a project with similar aims to the befriending service previously run by the branch.
The trustees continue to see an important role of the Charity as encouraging the development and continuation of local initiatives for the support of those with mental health difficulties and their carers. With this aim in mind, in July 2023 the trustees launched a grant scheme, offering funding of up to £2,000 to organisations seeking to start a new support service to those experiencing mental health difficulties, particularly through the model of drop-in café or befriending relationships. The trustees set aside £10,000 during each of the
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financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25 for these purposes and a grant sub-committee assessed applications received on a quarterly basis.
The number of applications received during the reporting period was far fewer than in the first year. However, during the year the trustees made two payments from the grant scheme:
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e £750 to the Warehouse Christian Trust as a ‘top up’ to a previous grant award of £1,250, with the additional amount used to help subsidise use of the cellar café space and the refreshments given to guests during a dedicated ‘Being Alongside’ session, which averages 12-15 attendees weekly
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e £250 to support a book project led by a retired psychologist Glenn Roberts, who is curating a collection of personal stories from psychiatrists on their professional and personal lives, and how each has influenced their work of seeking to understand, ease and relieve the distress of others. Glenn’s hope is that “sharing these stories will be a meaningful contribution toward cultivating a more person-centred and relational culture of practice, for the benefit of both practitioners and those we seek to help.” The book is due to be published in the summer of 2026.
Additionally, due to exceptional financial difficulties facing Croydon APCMH, the trustees agreed to pay a one-off grant of £5,000 to this affiliated branch to help ensure it could continue operating while awaiting the outcome of several grant bids.
The Charity regularly produces a full colour magazine sent in hard and digital copy to supporters and made available at events. This includes updates on the Charity’s work, features related to organisations working in similar areas of support, and articles and other contributions from supporters and beneficiaries. A simpler newsletter is sent to supporters around Christmas time to provide an additional update on our work.
The Charity again organised a half-day conference, this time hosted at All Saint’s church in Battersea in April 2025, where around 50 supporters gathered to hear opening words from one of our patrons, the Rt Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, before a keynote address from the Revd Prof Chris Cook, reflecting on the themes of his book Struggling with God: Mental Health and Christian Spirituality. Chris examined the central tension at the heart of Christian faith amidst suffering and pain, pointing to the centrality of prayer as a foundation stone for finding God amongst the stigma and challenges of mental health difficulties.
A second address was given by Andrea Smyth, Railway Mission’s chaplain for London North and the Eurostar. Andrea offered a beautifully personal and honest reflection on her ministry among staff and passengers, showcasing what it means to “be alongside” those facing mental health struggles.
Audio recordings of all the presentations are available on the Being Alongside website.
3. Financial Review
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The Charity’s funds as at 30 September 2025 totalled £39,092 (2024: £49,075). There were no outstanding creditors to the Charity at the end of the financial year, and one debtor in the form of an unpaid Gift Aid claim for £399.
A sum of £8,283.19 remains designated for the Merton and Sutton Branch if it is
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re-established within the agreed 3 year period since it became dormant in February 2023.
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The strategy of the trustees during the reporting year was to seek to use the Charity’s capital funds in helping others to launch new projects reflecting the Charity’s objects, as well as to promote the Charity’s aims through the annual conference. The current deficit of around £10,000 pa will be covered out of the reserves and specific fundraising will be planned for the time when reserves are less than 6 month’s anticipated expenditure.
In view of the current reserves of the Charity, the trustees consider that there is no financial reason that might prevent the Charity from continuing its charitable work for the foreseeable future.
4. Structure, Governance and Management
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Description of charity’s trusts: |
Type of governing document
How is the charity constituted?
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional Para 1.25
provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to
appoint one or more trustees
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As set out in section 1 above, the Charity is established as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, governed by a Constitution (available on the Being Alongside website).
Under the Constitution trustees are appointed by a properly convened meeting of the trustees, for specified terms not exceeding 3 years. On the expiry of their specified terms trustees may be reappointed subject to an agreed policy that no trustee should serve in that capacity for a total of more than 9 years.
The trustees keep the skill requirements of the organisation under review and whena trustee retires or additional new trustees are required, the existing trustees collectively discuss the change. Vacancies are advertised to supporters and through other channels, as deemed appropriate by the trustees. Appointments are then made by nomination based on their skill and knowledge.
During the reporting period, three new trustees were appointed (Rev Jack Belloli, Ken Checinski and Michael Rothwell, all appointed in August 2025). The role of chair passed from Ben Wilson to Dr Clive Timehin in May 2025, and Mr Wilson now serves as Treasurer.
There is no formal induction or training of new trustees, beyond briefing on the Charity's Safeguarding Policy and the provision of documents (as set out in section 11 of the Charity’s Constitution).
Trustees are kept up to date on new issues through their own professional expertise and under advice from relevant professional organisations. The Charity's Safeguarding Policy is reviewed and signed by all trustees annually.
At trustee meetings the trustees agree the broad strategy and areas of activity for the Charity. The day-to-day administration of the Charity is delegated to the Administrator and CIO Secretary, Revd Lucy Roose.
5. Reference and Administrative details
The Association for Pastoral Care in Mental Health Other name the charity uses _| Being Alongside
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Registered charity number 1081642 Charity’s principal address 17 Conifer Close Church Crookham Fleet Hampshire GU62 6LR
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
Dr Clive Timehin (Chair from May 2025)
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|Ben|Wilson|(Chair|until|May|2025;|
|Treasurer|from|May|
|2025)|
|Revd Jack|Belloli||=||from August 2025)|
|Dr Ken Checinski||===||(from August 2025)|
|Michael|Rothwell|i|(from August 2025)|
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Patrons
The Rt Revd Guli Francis-Dehqani Dr Larry Culliford
Administrator and CIO Secretary
Revd Lucy Roose
Treasurer Ben Wilson
6. Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
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gnature(s) Asan
Full name(s) Dr CliveEA. Timehin Helen Trout
Position (eg Secretary, etn oe Vice Chair
Chair, etc) .
Date :
Al. &- 2ZO2AGS
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| INCOME Donations Fundraising Gift Aid Interest Misc TOTAL EXPENDITURE Admin/Governance Insurance Magazine/Publications Training/Recruitment Committee/vol exp Events/Conferences Website Grant Scheme Projects/Resources Bank charges Misc TOTAL Deficit Note: |
BEING ALONGSIDE MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTS 12 month(s) from 1st October 2024 Budget 2024/25 to date to date Budget 3,296 2,000 2,000 0 0 0 399 200 200 1,512 1,250 1,250 211 0 0 5,418 3,450 3,450 6,088 6,000 6,000 146 180 180 1,725 2,000 2,000 0 0 0 214 300 300 1,296 1,000 1,000 0 100 100 6,000 10,000 10,000 Account 0 0 0 60 60 60 COIF Deposit 0 0 0 CAF Current 15,529 19,640 19,640 CAF Deposit Total Bank Funds 10,111 - -16,190 -16,190 Gift Aid Total Budget Budget O/S Admin to date to Date 2024/25 Total Funds |
Funds 32,088.02 404.86 6,598.76 39,091.64 398.67 - |
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| 39,091.64 | |||
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1 The COIF Deposit Account includes £8,283.19 held for Merton & Sutton Branch
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2 Gift Aid is the estimated amount to be recovered for donations received in the financial year