# **Positive Network Community Project** # **Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25** ## Contents Reference and Administrative Details ..................................................................................................................... 3 Trustees Report 2024/25 ........................................................................................................................................ 4 Objectives and Activities ........................................................................................................................................ 4 Beneficiaries .......................................................................................................................................................... 4 Our Impact: Mission, Vision, and Achievements ..................................................................................................... 6 Challenges & Lessons Learned ........................................................................................................................... 10 Looking Ahead: Priorities for 2025/26 .................................................................................................................. 11 Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Positive Network .................................................................... 12 Positive Network in 2024/25 at a Glance .............................................................................................................. 13 Statement of Financial Activities ........................................................................................................................... 14 Balance Sheet ..................................................................................................................................................... 15 2 ## Reference and Administrative Details **Trustees:** Sarah Abrahams (Chair) Paul Hayward (resigned January 2024) Stewart Salmon (Secretary) Thelma Simpson (Member) Eileen Goedluck (Member) Richard Okerchiri **Registered Office:** 2-4 Ravenstone Street Balham London SW12 9SS **Company Registration Number:** 08149526 (England and Wales) **Charity Number:** 1101803 **Independent Examiner:** Esther Bello-Adekola Duke of Wellington Avenue London SE18 6NP **Bankers:** Unity Trust Bank Plc Four Brindley Place Birmingham B1 2JB 3 ## Trustees Report 2024/25 The trustees, who are also directors for the purposes of company law, have pleasure in presenting their report with financial statements of the charity for the year ended 30 April 2025. The Trustees have adopted the provisions of the Statements of Recommended Practice (SORP) Accounting and Reporting by Charities issued in March 2005. ## **Reference and Administrative Details** Reference and administrative details are shown in the schedule of members of the board and professional advisers on page 3 of the financial statements. ## **Structure, Governance and Management** Positive Network Community Project is a company limited by guarantee number 08149526 and a registered charity number 1101803. The company was incorporated on 19 July 2012. ## **Recruitment and appointment of new trustees** The Board of trustee’s members (aka Management Committee members) are elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held by the organisation once every year. The Executives are able to co-opt new members during the year. ## **Risk Management** The Board of Trustees undertake a review of all the major risks, both internal and external, to which the organisation is faced with rigorous monitoring. Feedback systems have been put in place that make it possible to analyse every aspect of the organisation’s operations and activities, including the sound management of its finances. While these systems might eventually indicate internal risks to the Management Committee, they have to follow events independent of the Charity to identify possible risks, most of which usually relate to the loss of funds. ## Objectives and Activities The objectives of the charity, as stated in its Memorandum and Articles: - The provision of advisory services on Education and Social services to people of all ages, disabilities, social and economic backgrounds. - + To provide and improve the conditions of the life of vulnerable individuals through the provision of social welfare, recreational and leisure facilities. ## Beneficiaries - People who use our services – around 37,800 yearly. - Their families, carers and advocates. - a The wider communities we work in, especially vulnerable people within them. ## **Reserves Policy** The trustees are aware that a prudent financial management of the charity requires that some funds are put aside for a “rainy day”. After considering the contractual obligations of the charity, such as premises and other leasing obligations, the trustees have decided that they would hold funds in reserve, equivalent to a minimum of six months total operating expenditure. This means a total of approximately £15,000 for the current financial year. 4 ## Message from the Chairperson Dear Valued Donors and Partners, Thank you for your generosity and partnership during the 2024/25 reporting period. Your support enabled Positive Network Community Project to expand vital services, strengthen community resilience, and reach vulnerable populations, including youth, women, and older adults. This year marked a significant milestone with the expansion of our work with older people and the establishment of a strategic partnership with St George’s Hospital Dementia Hub. Together, we enhanced dementia awareness, caregiver support, and early intervention within the community. We also collaborated with Ravenstone Primary School on a successful Windrush programme. Because of you, lives were improved, families were supported, and communities became stronger. We remain deeply grateful for your trust and continued commitment to our mission. **Visit to the centre by Simon Hogg Leader of Wandsworth Council** A heartfelt thank you to all our staff and volunteers for their tireless work this year. We look forward to your continued support in the year ahead. With appreciation, Sarah Abrahams Chairperson 5 ## Our Impact: Mission, Vision, and Achievements ## **About Us** ## **Community Events & Celebrations** ## **Mitcham Festival** ## **Positive Network Community Project** **(PNCP)** is a community-based organisation dedicated to improving quality of life through inclusive programmes focused on health awareness, education, social inclusion, economic empowerment, and community wellbeing. ## **Our Mission** To provide sustainable, community ‑ driven solutions that promote social development, health awareness, economic empowerment, and human dignity. ## **Our Vision** To build empowered, resilient, and inclusive communities where every individual has equal opportunity to thrive. ## **Key Achievements in 2024/25** - Reached over **200** community members through outreach programmes. - Supported **100** youth and women with skills training and empowerment initiatives. - Conducted **12** health awareness and prevention campaigns. - Partnered with **10** local and international organisations. - Trained **30** volunteers and community leaders. Mitcham Festival continued to grow and remains a highlight for the local community. We thank Merton Council for their support, especially the market manager, Mark Warren. ## **Community Health & Awareness Programmes** We delivered education campaigns focusing on disease prevention, mental health awareness, sexual and reproductive health, and hygiene practices. Community forums, workshops, and outreach improved access to information and essential services. ## **Impact** - **Increased** health awareness among vulnerable groups. - **Improved** referral pathways to healthcare facilities. - • **Enhanced** community participation in preventive care. ## **Youth Empowerment & Education** Our youth programmes focused on leadership development, digital literacy, entrepreneurship and employability skills, and mentorship. Through workshops and peer engagement, young people gained confidence and practical tools for future livelihoods. 6 ## **Impact** - **Increased** employment readiness. - **Improved** confidence and leadership skills. - **Higher** school retention and participation rates. ## **Strategic Partnerships** - St George’s Hospital Dementia Hub - Local community organisations - Health service providers - Faith-based and grassroots networks - Ravenstone Primary School ## **Women’s Empowerment & Livelihood Support** We supported women through entrepreneurship training, financial literacy workshops, and smallbusiness mentoring. ## **Impact** - **50 women** launched or strengthened incomegenerating activities. - **Improved** household financial stability. - **Enhanced** women’s leadership and independence. ## **Older People Support Programme** We expanded services for older adults to address social isolation, mental well-being, and access to essential support services. Activities included wellbeing workshops, social engagement sessions, caregiver education, and referral support. ## **Financial Stewardship & Accountability** Positive Network Community Project is committed to responsible financial management and donor transparency. Donor contributions were invested in the following areas: - Programme delivery and direct services - Training and community education - Staff and volunteer support - Monitoring, evaluation, and reporting - Operational sustainability ## **Windrush Celebration** ## **Impact** - **Reduced** social isolation among elderly participants. - **Improved** mental and emotional well-being. - **Increased** access to community and healthcare services. - **Strengthened** family caregiver capacity. ## **Dementia Support Partnership – St George’s Hospital Dementia Hub** In collaboration with St George’s Hospital Dementia Hub, we strengthened dementia awareness, supported early diagnosis, and promoted community education. Together, we delivered awareness workshops, caregiver training, and emotional support sessions, and provided community screening referrals, helping reduce stigma around dementia. ## **Impact** - **Increased** early detection awareness. - **Improved** caregiver confidence and knowledge. - **Reduced** stigma around dementia in the community. On Wednesday, 26 June 2024, we joined Ravenstone Primary School for Windrush Day celebrations. Val Crolle (Family Liaison Lead), Grace Salmon (Community Coordinator) and Maxine Binger (Education Volunteer) helped gather the voices of the Windrush Generation to share their inspirational stories with pupils and the community. Hearing lived experiences of migration after World War II brought history to life for students and the wider community. Val shared: "Learning history from a textbook can sometimes feel mundane for children. But hearing powerful, inspiring real-life stories - directly from those with lived experience of migrating to Britain after World War II to help with the post-war labour shortage - was the most impactful and memorable learning they could have imagined." 7 This collaboration not only supports awareness and understanding of dementia but also strengthens bridges between clinical services and the local community, helping to address health inequalities and foster trust. **----- Start of picture text -----**
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Thank you to Ravenstone Primary School, Val, Grace, Maxine and the wonderful Windrush speakers for this incredible opportunity to learn from those who lived through this historic chapter and be inspired by their stories. **Enhance** caregiver support and respite services for families supporting older adults. - **Develop** sustainable funding strategies and long-term donor partnerships. - **Improve** impact measurement and reporting systems for transparency and accountability. **Dementia Café with St George’s Hospital** The **Dementia Café** at St Positive Network, in **partnership** with **St George's Hospital** , is a community-focused initiative developed to support people living with dementia, their families, and carers through accessible, culturally sensitive engagement and information-sharing. The café has been recognised for its pioneering work in inclusive engagement, with the initiative being shortlisted for a **2025 Nursing Times Award** in the Clinical Research Nursing category, highlighting both the quality of care and the meaningful partnership with Positive Network in reaching under-represented groups. This innovative café environment brings together clinical expertise from St George’s dementia and research teams with grassroots support from Positive Network Community Project, a South London-based organisation dedicated to enhancing mental health, reducing isolation, and improving wellbeing, especially within Black and minority ethnic communities. By working in partnership, St George’s and Positive Network aim to create a welcoming, non-clinical space where attendees can feel comfortable discussing memory concerns, access reliable health information, and connect with others who share similar experiences. 8 ## **Food Bank** Our Food Bank services have **grown significantly** this year, with **demand increasing** by **over 60%** . Despite this rise, we have continued to provide consistent and reliable support from our base at the Unity Centre in Mitcham Town Centre. In addition to serving local families and individuals, we **expanded** our community impact by **donating food supplies** to the Millwall Football Trust and the ACE Homeless Shelter, helping ensure that vulnerable groups across the wider community also receive essential support. 9 ## Challenges & Lessons Learned These experiences strengthen our commitment to innovation, partnership development, and sustainable funding strategies. Despite strong progress, **PNCP** encountered several challenges, including: - **Limited funding** for expanding key programs. - **Rising service demand** for mental health services, surpassing available resources. - **Increased** operational costs. Lessons Learned: - **Adaptability is key** – We implemented creative solutions to maximise our impact within existing funding. - **Collaboration strengthens our efforts** – Working with new partners and stakeholders allowed us to enhance program delivery. - **The need for long-term sustainability** – We recognise the urgency of securing consistent funding sources to meet growing community needs. 10 ## Looking Ahead: Priorities for 2025/26 - **Expand** older ‑ adult wellbeing and dementia support with healthcare and community partners. - **Deepen collaboration** with St George’s Hospital Dementia Hub to increase early intervention, caregiver education, and community awareness. - **Launc** h an intergenerational ‘Windrush Stories’ programme linking elders with local schools to preserve cultural heritage. - **Increase** community health outreach, particularly in underserved neighbourhoods. - **Scale** youth employment, leadership, and skills development programmes. - **Enhance** caregiver support and respite services for families supporting older adults. - **Develop** sustainable funding strategies and long-term donor partnerships. - **Improve** impact measurement and reporting systems for transparency and accountability. 11 ## Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Positive Network I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of Positive Network (the charitable company) for the year ended 30 April 2025. ## **Responsibilities and basis of report** As the charity’s trustees of the Company (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law), you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (“the 2006 Act”). Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited for this year under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (“the 2011 Act”). In carrying out my examination, I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act. ## **Independent examiner’s statement** The company’s gross income exceeded £25,000 and I am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that: - accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006; or - the accounts do not comply with relevant accounting requirements under section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or - the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS102). I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Esther Bello-Adekola Duke of Wellington Avenue London SE18 6NP 30 January 2026 12 ## Positive Network in 2024/25 at a Glance **----- Start of picture text -----**
TOTAL INCOME: £38K
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
£94,561
£72,277
£45,228
£37,899
£31,258
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## **TOTAL EXPENDITURE: £30K** **----- Start of picture text -----**
2025 £29,733
2024 £92,116
2023 £34,389
2022 £85,215
2021 £56,931
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13 ## Positive Network Statement of Financial Activities **For the Year Ended 30 April 2025** **(incorporating an income and expenditure account)** |||**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**||**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |||**funds**|**funds**|**Total**|**funds**|**funds**|**Total**| |||**2025**|**2025**|**2025**|**2024**|**2024**|**2024**| ||Note|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**| |**Income from:**|||||||| |Donations and legacies||-|-|**-**|-|-|-| |Charitable activities|4|-|37,899|**37,899**|-|94,561|94,561| |Investments||-|-|**-**|-|-|-| |Other||-|-|**-**|-|-|-| |**Total income**||**-**|**37,899**|**37,899**|**-**|**94,561**|**94,561**| |**Expenditure on:**|||||||| |Raising funds||-|-|**-**|-|-|**-**| |Charitable expenditure||6,357|23,376|**29,733**|17,716|74,400|92,116| |||**6,357**|**23,376**|**29,733**|**17,716**|**74,400**|**92,116**| |**Net surplus/(deficit) on operations**||**(6,357)**|**14,523**|**8,166**|**(17,716)**|**20,161**|**2,445**| |Transfers between funds||-|-|**-**|-|-|-| |**Net movement in funds**||**(6,357)**|**14,523**|**8,166**|**(17,716)**|**20,161**|**2,445**| |**Reconciliation of funds:**|||||||| |Total funds at 1 April 2023||20,285|52,436|**72,720**|38,002|32,275|70,276| |**Total funds at 30 April 2025**||**13,928**|**66,959**|**80,887**|**20,285**|**52,436**|**72,720**| All amounts relate to continuing operations. All gains and losses recognized in the year are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA). 14 ## Positive Network Balance Sheet ## **As at 30 April 2025** |||**2025**|**2024**| |---|---|---|---| ||Note|**£**|**£**| |**Fixed Assets**|||| |Intangible assets||**-**|-| |Tangible fixed assets|5|**2,413**|3,217| |**Total fixed assets**||**2,413**|**3,217**| |**Current Assets**|||| |Debtors and prepayments||**-**|-| |Cash and short-term deposits||**78,475**|69,518| |**Total current assets**||**78,475**|**69,518**| |Creditors: amounts falling due within one year|6|**-**|(14)| |**Net current assets**||**78,475**|**69,504**| |**Total assets less current liabilities**||**80,887**|**72,721**| |Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year||**-**|-| |Provisions for liabilities||**-**|-| |**TOTAL NET ASSETS**||**80,887**|**72,721**| |**FUNDS FOR THE CHARITY:**|||| |Restricted funds||**66,959**|52,436| |Unrestricted funds||**13,928**|20,285| |**Total funds**||**80,887**|**72,721**| The Charity’s net movement on funds for the year was an increase of £8,166 (2024: increase of £2,445). The financial statements were approved by the Trustees on 20 February 2026 and signed on their behalf by Sarah Abrahams, Chair 15