2022-03-31-accounts - The Listening Centre

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Annual Reports 2021- 2022 The Listening Centre

CEO’s report

New Chair / New CEO

This year I handed the role of Chair of the Trustees to Claire Jacques. Claire joined TLC as a student counsellor and, once qualified, became one of our assessors. I am truly delighted that she has taken on the role of Chair, and it means that, as CEO, I am free to focus on the operational side of the charity.

Clarifying and articulating our policies and procedures

This year Lynn Errey, a former trustee and now our Clinical Director, undertook a thorough re-drafting of all our policies and procedures on a freelance basis. We had budgeted £13k to do this, but she was able to do it for £5k.

The outcome is that all aspects of our operation are now systemised and have clear processes, policies and procedures. This makes us a far more robust organisation.

Making TLC a digital organisation

Naomi Garrido, our systems and IT guru, has been steadily turning TLC into an entirely digital organisation. This means that over 80% of our clients now come to us via an online form rather than on the phone. Picking up the phone can be very daunting for many; the form also allows for speech-to-text for those who can’t or prefer not to write.

Back to face to face?

In the year to 31 March 2021 all our counselling was done via Zoom. In this financial year the big question was: What will it be like going back to face to face? The answer is that we haven’t – we are using hybrid working. Some counsellors and clients genuinely prefer to work online. Other prefer counselling in person. The spilt is currently about 50:50 and the dual option is working well for everyone.

The Old Schoolhouse

This year The Old Schoolhouse in Hertford Street, East Oxford, finally got the go-ahead for its planning application, so we are now officially based there. Our new address is:

The Listening Centre The Old Schoolhouse Hertford Street Oxford OX4 3AJ

I’d like to thank James Hume and his team for making us feel so welcome.

Finally, I want to say that we rely on grants and donations for our continued success. If you would like to set up a direct debit yourself, here are our bank details:Safeguarding our clients

The Listening Centre Bank: CAF Bank Sort code: 40-52-40 Account number: 000121222

Your donation is in safe hands – we will use it wisely.

With best wishes,

Julian Sharples CEO

Treasurer’s Report

For those of you who are new to our finances, it’s quite simple. The money that comes in each year (our income), minus the money we spend each year (our expenditure), creates either a surplus (if it’s positive) or a deficit (if it’s negative). This surplus or deficit then directly affects our bank balance.

Income and expenditure: This year vs last year

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2021 - 2022 2020 - 2021 Difference
Income £40,859 £37,256 Up 10%
Expenditure £41,466 £22,495 Up 84%
Surplus/Deficit (£607) £14,761
Opening bank balance £25,338 £10,577
Closing bank balance £24,623 £25,338 Down 3%
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Red figures donate a negative amount

Our expenditure increased significantly because of various fees linked to the transformation of TLC’s work, and a strengthening and professionalisation of the support structures for our counsellors. These include:

Fees related to the transformation project (a one-off expense in 2021–22)
Additional supervision
Fundraising fees, which helped to deliver higher grant income
Clinical Director fees
Assessment fees
Allocation Coordinator fees

Part of the reason for the increased fees is because historically a lot of these services were provided voluntarily by trustees or other volunteers, but in 2021–22 several trustees stepped down, exposing a vulnerability in our structure. In 2021–22, we are now paying core team members to deliver these services and thus creating a more robust structure, which more accurately reflects the costs involved in delivering our services.

In terms of revenue, we slightly increased our client income through negotiating more realistic fees at the assessment stage, rather than leaving this to the counsellors themselves, and going cashless, which meant clients did not miss payments.

Furthermore our grant income was higher than last year by £3.5k, which more than paid for the fundraising fees incurred during the year.

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Income breakdown: This year vs last year

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2021–2022 2020 - 2021 Comments
Grants £14,000 £10,500 Up 33%
Client fees £24,593 £23,578 Up 4%
Individual donations £2,263 £3,173 Down 29%
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Once again we have to thank Juliet Henderson and her team for continuing to bring in grant money and our individual donors who, through their monthly donations of £5, £10 or £20, make a vital contribution to our finances.

Budget for 2022–23

For the coming year we are budgeting to make a loss on our operations, as we restart face-to-face counselling after the pandemic. It is a transitional year, as we build a longerterm sustainable vision for the future. We expect that this will still leave our bank balance just under £19k, as we use up some of the reserves built up during the pandemic.

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Budget 2023 vs
Budget 2023 Actual 2022
Actual 2022
Income £35,000 £40,859 Down 14%
Cost of operations £40,786 £41,466 Down 2%
Surplus/Deficit on operations £(5,786) £(607)
Opening bank balance £24,623 £25,338
Closing bank balance £18,837 £24,623
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Red figures donate a negative amount

The fall in income relates to lower expected grant income in 2022–23, because not all grants secured in 2021–22 are expected to be recurring. The increase in costs is a result of additional volunteer expenses and room hire, related to offering face-to-face counselling again.

We believe this additional cost and in-year deficit is a justifiable short-term investment as we respond to the needs of both our counsellors and clients, as we come out of the pandemic. This investment is made possible by the increase in our cash reserves in recent years.

Chris Graham

Treasurer

Vision, mission and values

Our vision

A vivid and compelling picture of a better future. An inspirational statement of an ideal future

A society where mental wellbeing is the foundation of a healthy community and psychotherapy and counselling are accessible by all those who need them.

Our Mission

What we are doing to get there

We offer face-to-face and online psychotherapy and counselling that are affordable, professional and safe. We work to raise awareness of and promote the benefits of psychotherapy and counselling. We work with training institutions to provide placements for students.

Our values

Principles and standards that guide us

Affordable

We believe that psychotherapy and counselling should be available to all those who need them and can benefit, regardless of their income.

Inclusive

We want everyone to feel welcome, enabled and supported to achieve their potential without discrimination. We are committed to having a diverse range of clients, therapists, trustees and associates.

Safe

We provide clients with a safe space in which to develop and grow at their own pace, by providing suitable counsellors or psychotherapists who adhere to strict codes of ethics and safeguarding that are aligned with recognised accrediting bodies.

Supportive

We nurture and encourage mutual support and self-care among all members of the organisation.

Innovative

We embrace change and aim to continually improve our service through listening, learning and innovating.

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Financial support and people

Financial Support

The Listening Centre gratefully acknowledges financial support during the year from:

Sir Victor Blank Charitable Settlement
J A Pye Settlement
Yapp Charitable Trust
St Michael & All Saints

Clinical Director

Lynn Errey

Practice Management Team

Naomi Garrido Kay Tillyer

Bookkeeper Naomi Garrido

The Albert Hunt Trust
Individual donors

Trustees

Claire Jacques (Chair) Chris Graham David Gould Dawn Robinson

Accountants

Mercer Lewin, Chartered Accountants 41 Cornmarket Street, Oxford OX1 3HA

Bankers

CAF Bank Ltd, 25 Kings Hill Avenue West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ

CEO

Julian Sharples

Clients’ words

“I can’t thank my counsellor enough. She was fantastic, made me feel at ease, was very friendly and always on the end of the phone for me.”

“This therapy happened just at the right time. I would not have been able to carry on without these weekly counselling sessions.”

“I found the fact I could pay an affordable amount extremely helpful. It really helped me speaking to ‘the counsellor’,
who is very good at what he does. Thank you very much!”

“After one or two sessions it was life saving. The more I talked to the counsellor, the better I felt. She made me feel so much better about myself.”

“I have seen these things on American programmes where people go to talk to someone. I knew it was what I needed but did not know it was here. Thank you very much.”
“I have been in counselling for almost ten years. Now I’m hoping for the first time in my life that I may no longer need professional help.”

“It was very helpful and made me start valuing myself, thanks to your counselling and great help.”

TLC Client

“Supportive, understanding, helpful, sympathetic – very, very useful at a difficult time in my life.”

TLC Client

“I feel I’ve got what I needed and more importantly improved massively.”

TLC Client

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The Listening Centre The Old Schoolhouse Hertford Street Oxford OX4 3AJ Tel: 01865 794794 www.thelisteningcentre.org.uk Registered Charity No: 1098571

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1098571 THE LISTENING CENTrE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022 Mercer Lewin Ltd Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors 6-7 Crtibase, New Barclay House 234 Botley Road Oxford OX2 OHP

Page 1. THE LISTENING CENTRE ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022 The Listening Centre is registered wrth the Chanty Commission INO 10985711. The charty is consltuted by deed, dated 21 June 2003. Charity Address.. The Leys Children's Centre 61-63 Cuddesdon Way Blackbird Leys Oxford OX4 6SB The charty is administered by a committee of managernenl compri5ing'. Chair= Olher trustees.. Julian Sharples lan EasoOd Juliet Henderson Lynn Errey Dawn Robins The objeclNe of The Listening Centre ITLCI is the preservation and protection of good health for people need in Blackbird LeyE and the surrounding area by providing a counselling seNice. The charty offers, and has offered slnce 1993, 8 regular, low-cosl counsdllng servth, provlded by trainee counsellors under SurViSIOn. This supervised counselling also helps the trainee counsellors lo attain the necessary experience required Iheir professK)nal (walrficalions. TLC provides regular group supervis*Jn sessions for its volunteers. and has an ongoing programme of professional development for its counselkjrs through the delivwy of workshops and training sessions. Julian Shales

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE LISTENING CENTRE I report on the accounts of Ihe charty for the year ended 31 March 2022 which are set oul cn the Income and Expendlture Account and Balance Sheet appended to thls report. Respectlve responslblllties of Commlttee of Management and ExamSn•r The committee of management are responsible for the preparation ol the accounts,. they consider that the audit requirement of Ihe Charities Act 2011 Ilhe Actl does not app. 11 is my responsibility, without performlrKJ an aL¥Jlt. to carry out an examlnation ofthe accounts and to report to you. Basls of Examlnerfs statement My rewrt Is in resFect of an examlnatlon carried out under s145 01 the Act and In accordance with direct'ons given by the Charity Commissioners under Subsection 5lbl of that seth'on. An examination indud88 a r8view of Ihe accounting r8cords k8pt by the committee of m8nag8rnent and 8 compari50n of thè accounts presented with those records which is primarily limrted to analytical procedures and to the making of such enquiries of th8 committe8 of manag8m8nt a$ wa8 n8C8s$ary for the purpose$ of thi8 r8POrt. The prccedures undertaken do not constitute an audit. Examiner's statement Based on my exarnination, no matter has come to my attention which gives me reasonable cause to bgligve that in any material resped, accounting record$ have not bgen kept in accordance with $130 of the Act, or that the accounts presented do not accord wilh tlse records or comply vAth Ihe accounting requirement5 of the Act. No matter ha5 corne to my attention to which. in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper under5t8nding of the accounts to reached. CThJ"J- A Churchill Stone FCA DChA M8rcer Lewin Ltd Chartered Accountants 41 Cornm8rket Street Oxford OX13HA 14 March 2023

Page 3. THE LISTENING CENTRE INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022 General Restricted Total funds funds 2022 Tol 2021 Income Bank interest Client contributions Donations and other income Grants WorkshoF6 24,593 2.263 14.000 24.593 2.263 14.LK)O 23.578 3.173 10.500 40.859 40.859 37.256 Direct charitable expenditure Adminislralion expenses AdvertisirrtJ expenses Bank charges Bookkeeping fees Co-ordinats'on fees DBS checks Donations and grants costs Independent examiners fees InsurancelBACP membership Recriulmenl expenses Room and office hire Sundry ewenses Supervision. dinical and consultancy TephOne Transformation cijsts Vdunleer expenses and travel Website and internet 3.777 3.777 4.348 420 401 288 5.760 263 96 1,355 10,890 96 1.355 10,890 2,412 600 2,412 600 600 1,151 2,743 102 364 4.953 775 445 128 14.227 951 6.228 445 126 14.227 951 6.228 100 228 357 357 41.466 16071 25,338 41,466 16071 25,338 22,494 14,761 10.577 SurplU(dOfiClt) for th9 ygar Balance broughtfmrd Balance carrf•d forward £24.732 £24.732 £25.338 STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABIUTIES AS AT 31 MARCH 2022 2022 2021 Accounts receNable Bank Current account Bank deposrt account PrepayTnents 6.126 18.496 108 1.988 23.505 707 24.732 26.200 862 Accounts payable £24,732 £25,338 Nonwmon•tary assgts In addilKJn to the atry)ve 8ssets, the charity also owns items of office equipment which are kept al th8 family centre and elsewhere. The costs ol these items are included in the receipts and payments account at the time of acquisition. The total cost of these assets is £3,182. Julian Sharples