Annual report and accounts 2025 **Juvenile Arthritis Research** 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025 Juvenile Arthritis Research is a charity, registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Charity registration number 1091620. The charity was constituted by a Trust Deed made on 24 October 2001, originally known as Jabez Charitable Trust. Juvenile Arthritis Research was formed on 3 January 2018. When new trustees are to be appointed they must be professionally competent and identify with the Charity’s broad purpose. The trustees during the period 1 January to 31 December 2025 were: Nigel Thomas Rev Robert Mitchell Jill Mitchell Timothy Bower Richard Kemsley The charity is managed on a day-to-day basis by the Director, Richard Beesley. None of the trustees have been paid any remuneration or received any other benefits from an employment with the charity or a related entity. No trustee expenses have been incurred. There are currently no fully paid members of staff, with personnel working in a voluntary and unpaid capacity other than freelance contractors for specific activities. |Number of employees|0| |---|---| |Number of employees with benefits of more than £60,000|0| |Number of volunteers|20| ## **Juvenile Arthritis Research is registered with:** Every organisation in the UK that handles personal information (including names, addresses or email addresses) of individuals must by law be registered with the Information Commissioner's Office also known as the ICO, unless they are exempt. We are registered with the ICO, and you can check that using their register search tool. As well as complying with the law, being registered shows we care about the data we hold about people and we will work hard to keep it safe. We will never sell your personal data, and will never share it without your consent. We are also registered with the Fundraising Regulator. This shows we are committed to their Fundraising Promise and work hard to ensure all our fundraising activities are carried out fairly, ethically and sustainably. Being registered also allows us to access their support services to help us become more effective in our fundraising activities. - To provide relief for people with JIA and their families including but not limited to - (a) providing support, information and advocacy services, - (b) training and education, - (c) provision of wellbeing information and services, and - (d) improving the treatment and care of persons suffering from JIA. - To raise awareness of JIA, its impacts, effects and treatments to people with JIA, health professionals and others who care for them, and the general public. - To advance the study of, and research into, the causes, effects and impacts of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) and to work towards finding a cure. The Trustees have paid due attention to the requirements of the Charity Commission in respect of the need to make plain the public benefit of the activities of the Charity. **----- Start of picture text -----**
“
You are changing
the world for our
children, making
a real difference
and changing
lives. Thank you.
”
Parent of a child with JIA.
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# **I am 4 years old and I have arthritis** www.jarproject.org Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) is an autoimmune disorder where the body’s natural defences (designed to stop infections) start to attack the joints. This causes inflammation of the joints, leading to pain, discomfort and reduced mobility. The impacts of the condition are profound – both physically and mentally – for both children and their families. **Juvenile** – means the arthritis began before the age of 16. **Idiopathic** – means that the cause is unknown. **Arthritis** – means that one or more joints are inflamed. **----- Start of picture text -----**
“
My daughter was 2 when she
was diagnosed with juvenile
arthritis. I didn’t even know
children could get arthritis.
We felt so scared and alone and
you guys helped so much.
”
Parent of a child with JIA.
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yy JIA is an **autoimmune** condition, where the body’s natural defences attack the joints. **10** children under 16 are diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis in the UK every week. JIA is . **not contagious** A **diagnosis** of JIA remains for life. When a young person with JIA turns 16, their diagnosis is still called ‘JIA’. * Numbers of children diagnosed updated using most recent published research, and may change over time. A word from our Founder, **Richard Beesley** ## “ It was eight years ago that I founded the Juvenile Arthritis Research charity with the vision of pushing forward towards a world where no child has to suffer from arthritis. As a researcher by background, with two decades of experience spanning across both medical and social research, it was clear to me that the field of research in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) needed something more. As a parent of a child with JIA, I wanted to see more being done to bring us closer to a cure and to see my daughter, and thousands of others like her, pain-free. Back then, there was little awareness of JIA and virtually no support available for families. Together with a small team of volunteers, we set about changing that. By providing credible and accurate information to families affected by JIA, a wealth of online & physical resources, and training & support for medical professionals and schools reminding them to #ThinkJIA and to know the signs and symptoms of JIA, we have begun to see the tide turn. Families regularly tell us that we have been a 'lifeline’ to them through the process of diagnosis and on their journey as they learn to live with JIA. We are committed to providing support to families, to raising awareness that children and young people get arthritis, to support and undertake research and quality improvement projects, and to advocate for people affected by JIA. Over the past eight years we have grown from a tiny seed of an idea to become a powerful force for good, impacting the lives of hundreds of families each year. We fill the gaps that exist to make life better for those affected by JIA. Working collaboratively with like-minded and dedicated people, and our fantastic team of volunteers, we are making a huge difference. **----- Start of picture text -----**
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## ## **Support** At Juvenile Arthritis Research, we support children and young people with JIA and their families on their journey. We provide support packs and other resources, and are continuing to develop new ideas and projects to help those with JIA. ## **Awareness** Raising awareness that children and young people get arthritis helps reduce delays to diagnosis, and that can lead to better outcomes for children and young people with JIA. As we increase awareness of the condition, we can help make life better for those with JIA by removing the stigma attached to having a long-term, but often invisible, health condition. ## **Research** We support research by universities, hospitals and industry as recognised patient partners. Through this, we represent the needs and views of the JIA community to researchers. We support research and quality improvement projects to try to understand the causes, the effects and the impacts of the condition. Ultimately, we want a cure for JIA. Members of our volunteer team are also involved in research projects, and we share information from our support and awareness activities at international conferences to promote best practice with partners around the world. ## **Advocacy** Through the work we do in research, awareness and support, we advocate for the needs of children with JIA and their families to policymakers and healthcare professionals. ## **Boundless** We demand better. More than treatment, more than respite, more than relief, and we are fearless in our pursuit of a cure. ## **Expert** We develop a deep and broad understanding of juvenile arthritis and how it affects children and young people. We look at research not just in the field of juvenile arthritis, but also other autoimmune and related conditions that may hold vital clues to help us find a cure for JIA. ## **Collaborative** We collaborate with others who share our passion and determination for making a real difference (both in the UK and globally). ## **Ethical** We work in an open, transparent and accountable way that builds the trust and respect of all our stakeholders. We also ensure high environmental and ethical standards throughout our organisation and with all our suppliers, never compromising on our standards and values. Juvenile Arthritis Research is unique. Here are just some of the reasons why: ## **1. Patient- and parent-led with direct experience** Unlike many other charities, Juvenile Arthritis Research is driven by parents who have first-hand experience of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in their children, and volunteers who have arthritis themselves. This lived experience fuels our dedication and ensures a deep understanding of the needs and challenges faced by families affected by JIA, leading to more impactful programmes and support initiatives. ## **2. Holistic approach** At Juvenile Arthritis Research, we are passionate about finding a cure for JIA, but also recognise the complex needs of children with JIA and their families, offering a three-pronged approach: ⚫ **Research -** Supporting high-quality research to find a cure and improve treatments for JIA, including representing families as patient partners. ⚫ **Awareness -** Raising awareness about JIA in the medical community and general public to ensure timely diagnosis, reduce stigma and isolation, and improve access to effective treatment and support. ⚫ **Support -** Providing practical and emotional support to families through resources, events, and a community network. This holistic approach addresses the immediate needs of families while simultaneously focusing on long-term solutions. ## **3. Collaborative and inclusive** Juvenile Arthritis Research fosters collaboration with leading researchers, clinicians, academics, and other organisations around the world. We also actively involve patients and families in research through the JIA VIP Research Panel, ensuring their voices are heard and research priorities are aligned with their needs. This collaborative and inclusive approach increases the potential for effective solutions and empowers the JIA community. These three unique aspects – patient- and parent-led expertise, holistic approach, and collaborative spirit – make Juvenile Arthritis Research a powerful force in the fight against JIA. Juvenile Arthritis Research … - is the only UK-wide charity focusing solely on JIA. - is the only UK charity that provides the physical support packs for JIA that families need and want. - provides support to families without charge to users. - has no subscription charges. - manages an online mental health hub and support services. - supports families with accessing mental health support. - provides A Little Box Of Hope support packs and Teen support packs. These were developed by children, young people and families. - was the first to develop School Toolkits for JIA. - delivers training and assemblies in schools. - provides one-to-one support for schools and local education authorities. - has a private peer-to-peer network for parents of children with JIA. - provides online and in-person events and activities for families. - provides support for families when they need it. - has the most engaged network of all JIA-related charities on social media. - leads on research projects and contributes to studies internationally. - are patient partners in national and international research projects. - are involved in developing guidelines and best practice for clinicians. - has been invited to present at leading international rheumatology conferences. - work with NICE, NIHR, BSR, PReS and EULAR on essential projects. - developed the #ThinkJIA awareness campaign and resources with rheumatologists, families, clinicians, and schools which is now recognised internationally. - launched Juvenile Arthritis Month (JAMJAR) to raise awareness of JIA in the UK. - is involved in global health. - advocates for patients and families. - runs the JIA VIP Research Panel, involving many families in research and patient engagement projects, and ensuring appropriate and meaningful representation in research. Find out more about our services on our website or in our Little Book of Hope (available upon request). ## **www.jarproject.org** Our **Trustees** have overall legal responsibility for the charity. They oversee all aspects of our work, as well as being keen advocates for us. They bring a wealth of experience from the private and charity sectors. They include experienced charity leaders, who have worked as Trustees in other capacities for many years, who bring with them the knowledge and experience required to oversee the work of the charity. The Trustees also include business leaders and partners who have developed their own companies and are able to now utilise their management and leadership skills to support Juvenile Arthritis Research. Our **Parent & Patient Panel** helps ensure the voices of those we support and represent are heard and are integral to our work. The panel comprises parents of children with JIA from a wide range of backgrounds. They share their personal and family experience, as well as their professional knowledge and expertise, as we develop new projects and review existing work programmes. We **work closely** with a broad, diverse group of individuals from the world of JIA. This includes children and young people with arthritis, parents, adults with arthritis, teachers, paediatric rheumatologists, physiotherapists, and other healthcare professionals. They bring a multitude of appropriate skills and knowledge, as well as personal lived experience of either being a child or young person with arthritis, being a parent of a child with arthritis, or being a healthcare or other professional caring for children with arthritis. Our **volunteers** are the key people that make Juvenile Arthritis Research happen. They are the people who send out support packs, School Toolkits, fundraising packs, GP awareness packs, hospital resources and more. They are the people who engage with families in our private secure networks and ParentZoom events. They are the ones who manage our social media accounts, reaching thousands of families affected by JIA and raising awareness of the condition. They are often the first person who understands JIA that a family will speak to, and the most important contact in that family’s life. They are the true force behind Juvenile Arthritis Research. We are proud to have developed our volunteer team this year, and grateful to them for giving so much when their own lives are already full. We are delighted to be part of the **Connect Immune Research Partnership** . The partnership comprises charities from different autoimmune conditions, working together across specialisms to tackle multiple conditions at once. Understanding similarities and using existing knowledge of different conditions could help transform lives much faster than small groups of specialists working on separate conditions. We have worked with **NCEPOD** on their study into patient care for those with JIA as members of the project Steering Group, as well as contributing to the data collection methodology, design and connections. We have continued to work closely with the NHS England GIRFT project, which aim to equip hospital teams to make incremental changes using Quality Improvement methodology to their service to benefit families. As members of **National Voices** we contribute to and influence national government policy and how it affects healthcare, with our particular focus being on families affected by JIA. In 2024 we contributed to the _People’s Experience of Diagnosis_ report (bit.ly/NVreport). We work closely with **EULAR** , the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology. They are a leading international network for rheumatology professionals and patients. We are involved in a number of projects with them, and are regularly invited to speak at their events. We work closely with **PReS** , the Paediatric Rheumatology Europe Society, and have developed projects jointly with them. The **British Society for Rheumatology** (BSR) is the UK's leading specialist medical society for rheumatology and musculoskeletal professionals. Our founder is a member of the BSR, allowing us to be part of the diverse community of rheumatology professionals from across the UK. We have sat on BSR Guideline Working Groups for pain, treatment of JIA, and swollen joints. We are members of the **NCVO** , the community for charities in England, building our capacity within a supportive network of voluntary organisations. We are members of the **Children and Young People's Mental Health Coalition** , which brings together organisations to campaign jointly and provides a strong unified voice speaking out about children and young people’s mental health. We work closely with like-minded charities, patient organisations, research teams, universities and hospitals all over the world. By working together we can learn from each other, and collectively achieve much more. We are careful which networks we join and who we work with, and only link with those that add real value to the people we exist for - those with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and their families. Any affiliation has to help us be more effective in our research, awareness and support work as well as policy-making and lobbying activities that take place. **----- Start of picture text -----**
300+ packs
sent in 2025
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In 2025 we sent out **Little Box Of Hope** packs to hundreds of families across the UK, helping them have the information they need and the support that is so important for them. Our **School Toolkits** have been delivered to schools across the country, helping schools confidently support children with JIA. In 2025 we redesigned and updated the Toolkit, expanding the information and resources both in the physical Toolkit and digital tools on our website. We have provided one-to-one support for schools and local education authorities, giving them clear and impartial advice, information and support as they work with children with JIA. Our volunteers have delivered **presentations** in schools and assemblies. With input from health professionals, at the request of families we developed a letter template to enable hospitals write to schools to provide support to children with JIA. Our schools hub has had over 3.7k unique visits during 2025. We continue to provide **one-to-one** support to families when they request it, delivered by our volunteers. Our **mental health hub** has continued to grow, with links to some of the best resources available to help children with JIA and their families, receiving 883 unique visits during 2025. We have provided emergency support for children reaching a mental health crisis due to their JIA for whom other mental health services were not available. We have grown our **peer-to-peer network** to support families affected by JIA. Our resources have now been translated and adapted for use in more countries – now including Ukraine, Netherlands, Russia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Australia, India and Brazil. In the UK, our resources have been widely used and shared. Our peer network for families affected by JIA continued to grow. This network, moderated by our volunteers, provides peer support when parents and carers need it. Available 24/7, there is always someone available to answer questions, chat or simply provide a listening ear. Life with JIA can be difficult, and having a child with JIA is hard. Our network and support services ensure no family needs to feel alone. Our quarterly **ParentZoom** sessions have become established as a regular feature in the calendar. Much-valued by families, these video calls for parents and carers of children with JIA enable them to connect with each other and our volunteers to share their experiences and ask questions in a non-judgemental and safe environment. Numbers of attendees have grown, and we now see a wonderful mix of newly diagnosed families supported by those more experienced with JIA – many of whom first joined the calls when they first needed support themselves. ## _**Feedback following ParentZoom calls in 2025. Mean score out of 5 for each of the three core questions.**_ **----- Start of picture text -----**
I felt supported 4.8
ParentZoom met expectations 4.9
I would recommend ParentZoom to others 5.0
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We know that young people with JIA are often overlooked and excluded from many support initiatives. Their needs, experiences and interests differ from older people with arthritis, and from parents/carers of children and young people with JIA. As with all our services, we wanted to fill that gap and ensure the needs of young people with JIA were met. During 2025, we launched **Joint Voices** , led by one of our young adult volunteers. It’s a safe online space for them to meet and share their experiences and to support others and find support themselves as well as hearing from clinicians, researchers and health professionals. Joint Voices meets regularly, with the programme planned and created by the members themselves. _**Feedback following Joint Voices calls in 2025. Proportion giving 5 out of 5.**_ > I felt supported **100%** Joint Voices met my **100%** expectations I would recommend **100%** Joint Voices to others One of our sessions focused on transition from paediatric to adult services, supported by a guest speaker, and was very well received by attendees. In 2025, we continued our programme of local events, thanks to generous grants and the incredible skills of our dedicated local events volunteers. These events have been popular with families, and provided a safe environment for children with JIA to meet with others with the same condition – often the first time they have ever been able to. Our events have included **T-shirt printing** , indoor family fun at **Inflatacity** , and our incredible **Racing for a cure** event. These events have helped facilitate friendships amongst our children with JIA and their parents. In October, we held our inaugural **Racing for a cure** event in central London. Our biggest event yet, attended by dozens of families, was a huge success. It included racing on F1 simulators, a talk by a leading researcher about new research and hope for the future, and enabled children and young people with JIA to meet others with the same condition for the first time. Events like this are not a ‘nice to have’ – they are part of our essential support services. They bring community, connection, friendship and hope. They bring people affected by a rare disease together and help them know they are not alone. And they help families understand that we are there to support them on every step of their JIA journey. Read Ciara’s review here _“Thank you, thank you, thank you for today. It feels odd saying my cup is full from being in a room with families of children with disease and disability but walking into the room today and seeing so many welcoming and friendly faces, many in purple T-shirts, has brought comfort and hope. The opportunity not just to remind [my daughter] that she is not on her own but to prove it as she can see others like her is invaluable. For me, sharing experiences and gaining insight is priceless. From Richard's intro speech, to the informative presentation and the reel of fundraisers, I was on the verge of tears at the impact of being able to be with people who 'get it'. The activity was brilliant, it brought all of the children together in a way that we could mingle and they could all participate in. I'm so grateful to have met you all in person and for all the work that you do for JAR to support families like mine. Hope to see you again soon.”_ Parent of a child with JIA who attended our event _“You are achieving huge things and share such an important message for other JIA Warriors - a true inspiration!”_ Parent of a child with JIA Today’s event has given me the opportunity to meet others who understand life with JIA. **4.8** out of 5 I would recommend attending an event hosted **4.9** out of 5 by JAR to other families affected by JIA. Daniella Sutton is a successful 17 year-old female racing driver, competing at the highest levels at circuits across the UK. Her love for motorsport started when she was just six years old when she went indoor karting for her birthday. She is joining Formula 4 for the 2026 season and will be driving at over 150mph in an open-wheel car. Her ambition is to make her way to Formula 1. Daniella was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) when she was 12 years old. But she won’t let that stop her ambitions. Alongside her racing, she channels her energy into raising awareness that children and young people get arthritis. She is passionate about showing other young people with JIA that the diagnosis doesn’t need to stop you. In 2025, Daniella became an official Ambassador for Juvenile Arthritis Research, and we are delighted to work with her as she raises awareness of JIA and supports other young people. “Your diagnosis does not define you.” **Daniella Sutton** Racing driver In 2025, we launched the UK's first ever 'Juvenile Arthritis Month' or JAM JAR for short (Juvenile Arthritis Month by Juvenile Arthritis Research) where hundreds of people got involved in sharing our social media campaign, fundraising to support our work, and raising awareness of JIA and Juvenile Arthritis Month in their communities. WORD Day (18 March) is at the centre of JAM JAR, and we remain committed Ambassadors for this important global awareness-raising day. Social media posts in **March 360+** Unique views on Facebook alone **103,389** Unique views on Instagram alone **87,124** Impressions on LinkedIn **7,860** Some of our social posts from JAM JAR, featuring a selection of children, young people and adults with JIA helping raise awareness of their condition. Each post was shared on four different social channels, reaching thousands of people. Raising awareness is the biggest single thing anyone can do to make a difference to the lives of children and young people with JIA. Increased awareness leads to earlier diagnosis, prompt treatment, and better outcomes. It reduces stigma and isolation. Increased awareness changes lives. Our theme for JAM JAR 2025 was **I am more than my arthritis** and we received dozens of photos of children and young people with JIA proudly showing how they are unique and more than their arthritis. In addition families ran awareness-raising activities in their local communities. This was accompanied by a social media campaign that ran throughout March, which included social media takeovers through the life stages of JIA. We had a parent’s perspective of having a young child with JIA, a young person with JIA, a teenager with JIA, and an adult with JIA. Low awareness of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis amongst primary care professionals is a barrier to getting an early diagnosis for many children and young people. As a result, raising awareness of JIA to GPs and other frontline health services is one of our key priorities. In 2025 we again attended the Royal College of GPs conference, with three of our volunteers speaking with a huge number of attendees. We have also continued to promote our pivotal #ThinkJIA website, which raises awareness of JIA amongst frontline health professionals and the general public. Over recent years, the campaign has been highlighted in numerous international conferences as best practice, enabling other patient networks to use our resources and develop them for their own communities. Our volunteers Tim and Becca with TV’s doctor Hussain Al-Zubaidi Our dedicated awareness-raising website, www.thinkjia.org Throughout 2025 we have been supported by individuals, families, groups and businesses taking part in events to raise both funds and, just as crucially, awareness of JIA. We were delighted to see the publication of two books with proceeds coming to Juvenile Arthritis Research. _Sky Surfing_ published by the Dirigible Balloon, an anthology of children’s poetry. Kyle with his poetry book _Chronically Coping._ In addition to our support services, we have continued to build our advocacy work. This has included: - Supporting individual families in education and healthcare - Enabling and equipping families to selfadvocate for their children, by providing information, resources and support, including through our ParentZoom sessions - Working with national (BSR, NHS England, NIHR, NICE and MHRA) and international (PReS and EULAR) bodies to develop high quality, evidence-based standards of care - Engaging with industry to identify hurdles to implementation of new services, products and medications with a view to remove obstacles and improve access to care - Working with policy makers to advocate for changes in standardised care pathways, improving access to care - Working collaboratively with like-minded individuals and organisations to amplify our collective voice to make life better for people with long-term health conditions During 2025 we undertook a number of significant development projects. Much of this work happened behind the scenes, but has given an increase in capacity and improved tools to deliver ongoing high quality services to the families and healthcare professionals we support. This has included moving to a new CRM. The project culminated in a data transfer over the course of a week from our old databases to a new system, developing standardised working practices, training our team, and deploying our new CRM. By introducing automation, we’ve also increased capacity, allowing our volunteers to focus on the interactions that really matter. The system has also enabled us to run events and collect important feedback in a more streamlined way, enabling more robust impact reporting data to be collected. At the same time, we’ve moved to a new newsletter system allowing us to communicate with our growing network more efficiently and in a more targeted way. Vitally we also continued to grow our volunteer team, with a number of excellent people stepping in to help with events, communications, family support, fundraising, and more. Our research work has continued to develop over the past year, through three main themes. Read on to hear more about each of these… Our own research into the impact JIA has on families Research can mean different things to different people… we are proud to support Supporting so many research Patient other projects in so many involvement ways. projects Our own research We conduct our **own research** studies to better understand the causes, the effects and the impacts of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and to work towards finding a cure. The **research publications** area on our website highlights our main publications and presentations. _www.jarproject.org/research/publications_ A team of our volunteers attended the British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) conference in Manchester, taking the opportunity to not only raise awareness of our vital work and share our own research results, but to also attend numerous scientific sessions about JIA. During 2025 we were invited to present at the international EULAR Congress in Barcelona about _Family perspectives on adherence in paediatric rheumatology care_ , as well as findings about the research priorities of families, development of resources about Still’s disease, and outcomes for children after medication. Attending conferences also enables us to hear the latest research, connect with like-minded researchers and patient organisations, and improve the ways in which we can support our families. A number of the vital research projects that we are involved in have emerged as a result of collaborations formed at conferences. In 2023 we launched the successful and greatly valued JIA VIP Research Panel. The JIA VIP Research Panel is a longitudinal patient and parent panel for Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, developed and managed exclusively by Juvenile Arthritis Research. The Panel contributes to current JIA research in two ways: 1. By enabling people to take part in high quality research; and 2. By supporting PPIE (Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement), helping codevelop research and enabling the voice of patients and parents to be heard. Within 3 days of launch, over 100 families joined the JIA VIP Research Panel, with a representative spread of participants; recruitment is an ongoing and continuous process. As of December 2025 we have almost 300 participants taking part in research through the JIA VIP Research Panel, and this number continues to grow. During this year, members of the JIA VIP Research Panel have helped with research surveys, joined steering groups, attended focus group discussions, helped with new product development and more. Members of the Panel are hugely valued and their contribution is recognised in line with NIHR best practice guidance. Results from the Panel have been presented all over the world, making a difference to those with JIA and influencing policy makers. Findings have also been published in journals, contributing to the body of knowledge in the field of JIA. It is thanks to our Panel that this can happen. You can find out more about the JIA VIP Research Panel at **www.jarproject.org/vip** _“The VIP panel was able to provide hard won expertise on the patient experience and perceptions – their input has changed the design of our research study. They were also active participants and gifted communicators, which made their contribution incredibly impactful.”_ Principal Investigator Patient involvement There is a growing recognition within research that patients and family members play a key role in developing, managing and delivering research projects. At Juvenile Arthritis Research, we are experienced patient partners and have been involved in a range of different projects. As with direct involvement in research, it is not always possible to talk about projects until they are complete. However, we are delighted to have been involved in a number of different projects including those with the University of Manchester, University College London and Great Ormond Street Hospital, University of Liverpool, Sheffield Hallam University, University of Oxford, University of Glasgow, Canterbury Christ Church University, and colleagues across Europe and Canada. In addition, our work with CLUSTER (now the JIA Champions Forum) has continued as part of the patient Champion network. This has included supporting researchers and developing lay summaries. _“The VIP panel was able to provide hard won expertise on the patient experience and perceptions – their input has changed the design of our research study. They were also active participants and gifted communicators, which made their contribution incredibly impactful.”_ Clinician, Great Ormond Street Hospital _“I was able to use the JAR VIP panel for adults with JIA to sign-up for interviews. We have been overwhelmed with the number of interested participants and are looking forward to the project continuing with their valuable input.”_ Researcher, University of Manchester **Martha’s story :** Christmas 2025 campaign “ Martha was a very active happy-go-lucky girl who loved running around with her friends, playing football, going swimming and riding her bike. Earlier this year we noticed that she was becoming tired for no apparent reason, complaining that her legs hurt and was unable to do simple things like get herself dressed and walk down the stairs. Things were getting worse quite rapidly. We noticed her struggle a great deal with normal day-to-day activities and keeping up with her friends. After several visits to the GP, Martha was referred for a scan as she had a swollen wrist. By the time the appointment came through, her other wrist was swollen too. Following the scan, she was referred to rheumatology urgently and, two weeks later, Martha was diagnosed with polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). JIA is something that we had never heard of and our summer was taken up with hospital appointments and the start of Martha’s treatment. This wasn’t an easy time for Martha as her condition continued to fluctuate. She’s now on methotrexate and we are hoping to see an improvement. “My Christmas wish is that my JIA would go away” Martha, aged 7 **“We were sent a Little Box of Hope pack from Juvenile Arthritis Research to help Martha understand what was happening and it was absolutely perfect.”** Initially Martha was very reluctant to tell people about her JIA. She was worried she would get bullied for it and wanted to keep it to herself. However, she wanted to turn her diagnosis into something positive, so as a family we have signed up to complete a local Santa 5K race just before Christmas to raise much-needed funds for Juvenile Arthritis Research. As the donations have been coming in and Martha has read the kind messages from family and friends, she was boosted with every single one and is now happy to tell others about her JIA. This has not been an easy thing for Martha to understand or cope with. She has struggled immensely with the pain and limitations caused by her JIA and finds the treatment and regular blood tests very hard. As a parent it is heartbreaking to see. She even tells us that her Christmas wish is for her JIA to go away. We have been lucky to get a diagnosis as quickly as we did but there is a lot we are still trying to get used to. If it wasn’t for Juvenile Arthritis Research, and the information and resources they have provided us with, we would have been facing this diagnosis alone. ” Beth Martha’s mum _For more stories, visit_ _**www.jarproject.org/stories**_ Our social media presence has continued to grow, and we continue to have the most engaged network of families across our social media channels. We use our social media to support all aspects of our work. During 2025 we appointed a media specialist to help amplify our voice and reach new audiences – critical to helping raise awareness that children and young people get arthritis. This has included getting coverage of Daniella, as well as families, fundraisers, and our support events. Coverage has included local, regional and national TV, radio, print and online media. **15 941k 782M** pieces of coverage estimated views total audience Our work would not be possible without the generous support of fundraisers, donors and grant-making bodies. We are deeply grateful to the following for providing grants to support our vital work during 2025: - PReS - Kent Community Foundation - Nationwide Building Society - KCF Learning Journeys Fund - Postcode Society Trust, thanks to players of the People’s Postcode Lottery. - Cambridgeshire Community Foundation - Tesco Stronger Starts - Medac - National Lottery Community Fund Plus support for specific events with items donated for children attending, from LEGO, F1, Bear Snacks and Sunshine Delights. Annual accounts INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'5 REPORT I report to the truste&s on my examination of the financial statements of Juvenile Arthritis Research {the ¢harity) for the year endcd 31 December 2025. as set out on Ihe Siatement of Financial Activities and Balance Sheets. RF.SPONSIBILITIES AND BASIS OF REPORT As (he truslees of the charity you are responsible for ihe preparntion of the financial statements in accordance wilh ihe requiremen(s ofthe Charities Act 2011 {Ihe 201 l A¢i). report in respect of my ¢xamination of the chariry's financial statemenls carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Art. In ¢arrying out my examinaiion T have followed all the applicable Directions given by (he Charity Coi)Imission iindcr seciion 145(5)(bl of thc ?0 I I ALI. INDF.PF.NDF.NT F.XAMIWER'S STATEMENT I have completed my examination. I confinii Ihat no malters have come to my attention in conneciion with the examination giving m¢ cause to believe Ihai in any material respccl.. accounting rccords wcrc nol kcpi in respect of ihc charity as requirLd by section 130 of thc 201 Act; or 2. th¢ financial slaiemenls do noi aeeord with ihose records. or 3. thc financial slaicincnls do noi ¢omply wilh th¢ applicablc rLquir¢m¢nls concerning ihc form and conlenl of accounts sel out in the Charities (A¢counts and Rcports) R¢gulations 2008 other than any requir¢meni ihdi the aLcounls give a (rue and fair view which is not a maller considered as part of an indLp¢nd¥nl ¢xamination. I have no concern.8 and have come acro88 no other matters in conneciion with the exarninaiion to which attcntion should bc drawn in this rcport in order to cnabl¢ a propcr undcrslanding of the financial stalernents lo be reached. Signed: Name.. S4ea F-k,'d Addre.%%'. TL5K t)vC Dale: Is/6lz6 ## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES** |||**Note**|**Unrestricted**
**funds £**||**Restricted**
**funds £**||**2025 Total**
**funds £**||**2024 Total**
**Funds £**|| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||Income from:|||||||||| ||Donations and legacies|**_1_**|65,369||0||65,369||52,878|| ||Charitable activities|**_2_**|6,387||0||6,387||4,017|| ||JAR Shop|**_3_**|774||60||834||311|| ||Reclaimed tax|**_4_**|419||0||419||175|| ||Grants|**_5_**|1,000||29,244||30,244||31,050|| ||Total income||73,948||29,304||103,252||88,431|| |||||||||||| ||Expenditure on:|||||||||| ||
Raisingfunds||9,484||0||9,484||1,039|| ||Charitable activities– Research|**_6_**|11,323||0||11,323||n/a|| ||Charitable activities– Allothers|**_7_**|63,924||21,263||85,187||45,074|| ||Totalexpenditure||84,732||21,263||105,995||46,113|| |||||||||||| ||Net (expenditure)/income for the year /
Netmovementin funds||-10,784||8,041||-2,743||42,320|| |||||||||||| ||Fund balances as at1January||61,283||1,587||62,870||20,550|| |||||||||||| ||Fund balances as at 31 December||50,499||9,628||60,127||62,870|| - **Note 1** ‘Donations’ includes one-off donations and gifts from regular donors, as well as legacy and gifts _in memoriam._ - **Note 2** No charges are made to beneficiaries for charitable activities. Includes income from partners to undertake specific projects for the benefit of children and young people with arthritis and their families. - **Note 3** The JAR online shop was relaunched in early 2021 using a new ethical supplier and faster production process, improving the quality of products, sustainability and customer experience. - **Note 4** Reclaimed tax shown is Gift Aid reclaimed direct. Where a registered third party has reclaimed Gift Aid on a donation through their systems (such as JustGiving), the total donation received includes the Gift Aid they have reclaimed. Gift Aid is not always redeemed in the financial year of the donation. - **Note 5** Grants include Tesco Stronger Starts, Arnold Clark, Kent Community Foundation, Kent Community Foundation, Nationwide Building Society, Cambridgeshire Community Foundation, Medac and the National Lottery Community Fund. - **Note 6** Research includes funding for activities and reimbursement of the JIA VIP Research Panel, funding for which is provided through specific charitable activities. Excludes time spent on research and PPIE activities and work directly funded by other organisations but coordinated or facilitated by Juvenile Arthritis Research. - **Note 7** Charitable activities include Awareness, Support, Advocacy and other aspects of our work. - **Note 8** These accounts are prepared on a receipts and payments basis. - **Reserves policy** The charity will aim to maintain reserves equivalent to 6 months of anticipated spending, which provides sufficient buffer against unexpected changes to allow appropriate planning and change management to take place. ## **BALANCE SHEETS** |**As at 31 December**|**2025**
**£**|||**2024**
**£**||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |**Fixed assets**||||||| |Tangible assets||0|||0|| |||||||| |**Current assets**||||||| |Debtors|0|||0||| |Cash at bank and in hand|60,127|||62,870||| |||||||| |Creditors: amounts fallingdue within oneyear|0|||0||| |||||||| |Net current assets||60,127|||62,870|| |||||||| |**Total assets less current liabilities**||60,127|||62,870|| |||||||| |**Income funds**||||||| |Unrestrictedfunds|50,499|||61,283||| |Restrictedfunds|9,628|||1,587||| |||60,127|||62,870|| |**Allocated reserves**||||||| |_Transformation fund_|34,580|||||| |_Operational development_|5,960|||||| |||40,540||||| |||||||| |Available unallocatedreserves||9,959||||| |||||||| Nigel Thomas, Chair of Trustees Dated: 11 February 2026 **Contacting Juvenile Arthritis Research** **Juvenile Arthritis Research** is a charity making a difference to the lives of those affected by Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). We are a parent- and patient-led charity with direct experience of JIA and rely on the support of our volunteers. We are the only UK-wide charity focusing solely on JIA. Our vision is a world where no child has to suffer from arthritis. We provide support to children, young people and adults affected by JIA, and their families; we raise awareness that children and young people get arthritis; we support research and quality improvement projects to make life better for people with JIA; and we advocate for all those affected by JIA. We rely entirely on fundraising and donations to support our vital work. You can support our work by making a donation, undertaking fundraising, or raising awareness that children and young people get arthritis and of the support we provide. You can also find out about leaving a gift in your will at www.jarproject.org/wills