## **HEADWAY ROTHERHAM** ## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES** For The Year Ended 31 August 2025 The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year 31 August 2025. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019). ## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES** ## _**Objectives and aims**_ The company's objectives and principal activities are to: Promote the understanding of all aspects of brain injury and to provide information, support and services to people with a brain injury, their families and carers throughout Rotherham and adjoining areas of South Yorkshire. The main objectives and activities for the year continued to focus on these areas: - Providing advocacy to any member in need of it. - Providing information on brain injury and its consequences by means of face-to-face contact, telephone support and by the provision of a wide range of booklets, leaflets and other written information. - Offering advice on health issues; benefits applications; appointment support; housing issues; tenancy support; bill management; debt management; employment issues; educational issues; referral into, and liaison with other relevant agencies. - Improving the quality of life, and health and well-being of people in Rotherham who have sustained a brain injury, their families and carers by engaging them in a wide variety of social, educational, sports and leisure activities. - To continue to be involved in a wide range of health & social care issues in order to obtain relevant information and influence developments. ## **ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE** ## _**Charitable activities**_ The primary charity activities are: - The provision of an advocacy, information and support services. - Life skills and education courses including cookery and healthy eating, art and craft, meditation and mindfulness, "being safe", and brain injury training. - A wide range of sports activities to keep members fit and healthy, including archery, golf, monthly 10 pin bowling, crown green bowling, keep-fit, walking. - Social events including annual Christmas dinner dance, monthly games/social evenings, from the Autumn of 2021 we introduced social meetings every Wednesday afternoon at the Rawmarsh Social Prescribing Hub, meals out, monthly carers' meals, day trips to the seaside and historic attractions. Our Advocacy and Support services have continued to provide a vital lifeline to members. Headway Rotherham fund-raises to help provide these activities. They have been well attended and have provided an excellent opportunity for "peer to peer" support. Approximately 150 people attend one or more activity in the year and approximately 60 attend at least one event monthly. Our new weekly Hub sessions have seen up to 40 members attending weekly. They help to improve social and communication skills, increase self-confidence and self-esteem, and develop fulfilling leisure and recreational activities. ## **HEADWAY ROTHERHAM** ## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES** For The Year Ended 31 August 2025 ## **FINANCIAL REVIEW** ## _**Principal funding sources**_ From March 2013, the advocacy and information service was provided by a part-time worker, 16 hours a week for a 3 year contract. In March 2016 the post was vacated and due to funding pressures was not replaced. Following the receipt of a legacy from Mr Kenneth Sides of £38,000 in April 2018, the trustees appointed of a part-time worker to re-introduce this vital service which has now been in place since in September 2018. Fund raising events and donations are one of the principal sources of funding for activities and day to day operations. Since 2016, the Co-op Local Community Fund has been one of our principal sources of funding. The funding has allowed us to provide activities and services that increase the health and well-being and reduce the social isolation of our members. The Trustees plan to reapply to the Co-op Local Community Fund. In the summer 2016, the trustees applied to the Big Lottery Fund to cover the costs of all our activities. We received £9,418 in September 2016. A second application resulted in Headway Rotherham being awarded £9,750 in September 2017. A third successful application resulted in Headway Rotherham being awarded £10,000 in January 2019. In May 2018, Headway Rotherham received a grant of £9,660 from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to fund the post of our Community Development and Engagement Worker (20 hours per week). This has allowed HWR to provide an ever-increasing range of activities to improve the health and well-being of our members, reduce social isolation and provide Headway Rotherham's social prescription for people affected by brain injury. A second grant for £10,000 to fund and further develop the Community Development and Engagement post was received in January 2020. In September 2021, Headway Rotherham received our fourth £10,000 grant from the National Lottery Community Fund to part fund the salary of our Community Development and Engagement Worker, to further develop our Social Prescription programme and to improve the health and wellbeing of our members. The Charity was made aware in 2022/23 that it was a beneficiary of an Estate of a former member. Headway Rotherham was one of ten charities to inherit from the Estate. To the date of this report, the Charity has received a total amount of £115,679 in respect of this legacy. This legacy has enabled Headway Rotherham to increase the hours of their two staff, in particular, promote a member of staff to Service Manager and increase the post to full time (35 hours a week) with a broader remit of responsibilities, including grant applications, this has allowed the charity to flourish and access further funding. The legacy has also enabled us to increase the hours of the Advocacy and Support worker. Headway Rotherham relocated to Victoria Park Hall with assistance from RMBC. The new smaller premises are on a peppercorn rent but subject to payment for services and rates with an estimated cost of £2,800 pa. The Trustees acknowledge and appreciate that RMBC are very supportive of the charity. This financial year has seen another large decrease in fund-raising revenue. Many other charities are feeling the "squeeze" with finances; therefore, grant applications are highly competitive at present. ## _**Investment policy**_ There are few funds available for long term investment. Any funds in excess of day-to-day requirements are placed in a separate account, earning a nominal amount of interest. ## _**Reserves policy**_ The Management Committee still strives to develop a secure operation by adopting a policy of creating reserves to the extent of 6 months of operating costs. ## **HEADWAY ROTHERHAM** ## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES** For The Year Ended 31 August 2025 ## **FINANCIAL REVIEW** The results for the year are shown in the Statement of Financial Activities. The charity ended the year in a deficit of £18,963 which was disappointing but not unexpected by the Management Committee given the current economic climate, increasing costs and decline in donations. ## **FUTURE PLANS** The charity plans to continue and expand the activities in the forthcoming year to include more peer support groups, subject to satisfactory funding arrangements. ## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT** ## _**Governing document**_ The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006. The organisation is a charitable company limited by guarantee. It was first established in 1992 and became a registered Charity in May 2003. The company was established under a Memorandum of Association, which established the object and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its Articles of Association. In the event of the company being wound up members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £1. ## _**Recruitment and appointment of Management Committee**_ The directors of the company are also charity Trustees for the purposes of charity law and under the company's Articles are known as members of the Management Committee. Under the requirements of the Memorandum and Articles of Association, each year one third of the trustees must stand down but may make themselves available for re-election. Jenny Woodward has served as a Trustee from 1 September 2005. Linda Munford has served as a Trustee from November 2012. Ewan Bain has served as a Trustee since 21 September 2021 Karen Cawood has served as a Trustee since 21 September 2021. Susan Hodgson has served as a Trustee since 21 September 2021. Ellie Whotton has served as a Trustee since 7 June 2023 and resigned on 12 May 2025. Emma Cartwright has served as a Trustee since 28 April 2025. Samantha Hind has served as a Trustee since 28 April 2025. In order to ensure the voice of the members is reflected in the services carried out, the Trustees actively seek the involvement of all members of Headway Rotherham with ideas and input. The Trustees have a broad range of business and voluntary, public and private sector experience and in the event of the loss of any of these skills due to retirements, individuals would be approached and invited to offer themselves for election. ## **HEADWAY ROTHERHAM** ## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES** For The Year Ended 31 August 2025 ## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT** ## _**Organisational structure**_ The day-to-day responsibility for the smooth running of the organisation rests with the Chair, who is responsible for ensuring that the charity delivers the services specified in accordance with charity regulations and any funding restrictions. The Treasurer looks after the day-today finance. The Vice Chair is responsible for the line management of the paid members of staff. The Office Management Trustees, J Woodward, L Munford, and E Bain are involved in regular supervision meetings with the paid members of staff and the day to day running of the office. Sue Hodgson also provides individual supervision to our Advocacy and Support worker. ## _**Members of the Management Committee**_ Members of the Management Committee, who are directors for the purpose of company law and trustees for the purpose of charity law, who served during the year and up to the date of this report are as follows: Ewan Bain (Chair) Jenny Woodward (Vice Chair) Ellie Whotton (Treasurer) (resigned 12 May 2025) Karen Cawood (Secretary) Linda Munford Susan Hodgson Samantha Hind (Acting Chair) Emma Cartwright (Treasurer) ## _**Trustees Induction and training**_ All Trustees are already familiar with the practical work of the charity, being either a member or a carer of a brain-injured person, or a professional working in the field of brain injury. Prior to election to the Management Committee, the Chair provides a resume of the activities of the charity and the context in which it operates and details of the responsibilities and implication of appointment to the Committee. In addition, all the new Trustees elected receive induction training from Headway (UK) the brain injury association. ## _**Risk management**_ The Management Committee constantly review the major risks to which the charity is exposed. Appropriate systems and procedures have been established to mitigate the risks the charity faces. The policy of the Management Committee is to have a diversification of activities, enabling many members to become involved. Consideration is constantly given to new income streams and new methods of fund-raising. Internal controls are minimised by the implementation of procedure for authorisation of all transactions and projects. Appropriate procedures are in place for the accounting and payment processes. Procedures are in place to ensure compliance with health and safety of staff, volunteers and users of Headway Rotherham. ## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS** ## _**Registered Company number**_ 04498953 (England and Wales) ## _**Registered Charity number**_ 1097470 ## _**Registered office**_ Victoria Park Hall Rosehill Rotherham South Yorkshire S62 7HJ ## **HEADWAY ROTHERHAM** ## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES** For The Year Ended 31 August 2025 ## _**Trustees**_ Ms J Woodward (Vice Chair) Mrs L Munford Mr E Bain (Chair) Mrs S Hodgson Mrs K Cawood (Secretary) Miss E Whotton (Treasurer) (resigned 12/5/25) Mrs E Cartwright (appointed 28/4/25) Mrs S Hind (appointed 28/4/25) ## _**Independent Examiner**_ The Rees Partnership Bentley Bridge House Chesterfield Road Matlock Derbyshire DE4 5LE This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. Approved by order of the board of trustees on 28/05/26 and signed on its behalf by: ________________________________ Signature of Trustee Date: 28 May 2026