North Regional Association for Sensory Support
Trustees Report and Financial Statements For The Year Ended 31 March 2023
Charity Registration no 1103917
Legal and Administrative Information
Name:
North Regional Association for Sensory Support
Reg'd Charity No: 1103917 Trustees: Councillor Michael McNestry (Chair) Rosalind Copeland Lynne Caffrey Address: The Pinetree Centre Durham Road Birtley Co Durham DH3 2TD Independent Examiner: Mark Thompson MAAT VODA Spirit of North Tyneside Wing 2nd Floor, Wallsend Customer First Centre 16 The Forum Wallsend NE28 8JR
Trustees' Annual Report 2022-23
Achievements
NRASS has supported sensory loss people in Gateshead and Hartlepool by confidently advocating and advising on their well-being, welfare queries and issues. The charity has personally delivered its services via drop-in sessions and online video appointments. These activities support our charitable objectives and have positively impacted the lives of the service users who are D/deaf, Deafened, Deafblind or have hearing loss.
With the help and support of our Trustees, Committee Members and the dedication of its small team of staff, NRASS has continued to develop its strategic plans to ensure that the charity provides public benefit and achieves its aims as set out in its governing document. All of the NRASS staff are proud of the quality of the service we have provided and ensuring the needs of the service users are met. Outcomes are right for each service user to ensure standards are high.
At the time of writing, our activities have been successful. However, we are under no illusions that this current cost of living crisis is far from over, as we see service users put under pressure from food, consumer goods and utility price increases. We will remain focused on the increased demand and complexity of incoming referrals as they grow significantly in volume and complexity for this new financial year and beyond. The Service Manager and staff will continue to balance our priorities between what service users need now and the longer-term security of the services on offer for some time to come. NRASS does not know the long-term economic outlook. Still, we will carry on what is a much-needed support service to the sensory loss community.
We will focus on the well-being of our community, considering how we can continue to support them and improve ways of networking with our fellow professionals to improve Deaf Awareness, accessibility, and communication is optimal. We will continue our work on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion to ensure that the voices of the people are represented and heard.
The charity is constantly reviewing its income streams, and we often have to operate under what is a realistic worst-case scenario budget and cashflow model. Having carefully analysed our finances, we are confident that with appropriate efforts and targeted applications for contract funding, grants and donations, we will be able to continue our services throughout the next financial period. With reasonable expectation, we will endeavour to source new and adequate resources to continue operational existence.
Performance
NRASS has managed 369 referrals from April 2022 to March 2023, with 804 activities for all service users.
The number of new service users who have approached NRASS for support totals 16. We continue to handle 92 ongoing active cases. The age range of our service users ranges from 18-100+. The most significant number of service users were in the 51-60 age band (228 service users in this group). The vast majority of the service users are ‘Profoundly Deaf’. The gender figures attending the service are evenly split between males and females.
Moving forward, it would be helpful for local services to continue coordinating and working together to support the sensory loss community. Helping and encouraging service users to become digitally aware will enable them to engage with support groups, their peers and advice agencies so that they are not disadvantaged by social isolation.
Financial Review and Reserves as of the 31st March 2023
In the financial year ended 31st March 2023, NRASS generated £72,756.00 and spent £80,547.00. At the start of that financial year, the bank balance was £17,765.00 and, by the end, had reduced to £9,974.00. It follows; therefore, a deficit of £7,791.00 was incurred. The balance sheet reserves, therefore, total £9,974.00, represented by the above end-of-year cash balance.
During the covid period, NRASS built up its cash reserves from one-off grants and donations. The finances still depend on income sources apart from contracted income. Last year, without sufficient noncontracted income, NRASS used part of its cash reserves to maintain service levels. This cyclical trend typifies how NRASS finances swing between surplus and deficit over time. Clearly, the focus, as always, is on exploring new sources of finance and maintaining existing contracted income.
Trustees’ Responsibilities in relation to Financial Statements
Charity Law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which comply with the regulations set out in the Charities Act 1993.
Signed: ………….………...……Chair, on behalf of Trustees
Date
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT
Report to the trustees of North Regional Association for Sensory Support On accounts for 31 March 2023 Charity no 1103917 the year ended Respective The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year responsibilities of (under section 43(2) of the Charities Act 1993 (the Act)) and that an trustees and independent examination is needed. examiner It is my responsibility to • examine the accounts (under section 43 of the Act), • follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 43(7)(b) of the Act), and • state whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basis of My examination was carried out in accordance with General Directions independent given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review examiner’s of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the statement accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts. Independent In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention: examiner's 1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material statement respect, the trustees have not met the requirements to ensure that: • proper accounting records are kept (in accordance with section 41 of the Act); and • accounts are prepared which agree with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Act; or 2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed: Date: 21st June 2023 Name: Mark Thompson MAAT Address: VODA Spirit of North Tyneside Wing 2nd Floor, Wallsend Customer First Centre 16 The Forum Wallsend NE28 8JR
North Regional Association for Sensory Support
Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 March 2023
| Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 March 2023 |
|
|---|---|
| Receipts Grants 2 Contracts Donations Other (Access To Work) Total Receipts Payments Staff Costs & Related Expenses 3 Training Subscriptions, Affiliations and Licences Printing, Postage and Stationery Small Equipment Telephone & Broadband Consultant Fees Computer & IT Costs Office Rent & Rates Insurance Maintenance & Refurbishment Coronavirus & PPE Costs Archive Storage Costs Accountancy & Payroll fees Fundraising Total Payments Surplus / deficit for the year Funds as at 1 April 2022 Funds at 31 March 2023 |
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total Funds Funds Funds Funds 2023 2023 2023 2022 £ 5500 5500 5500 52796 52796 65760 1200 1200 50 13260 13260 1000 |
| 67256 5500 72756 72310 |
|
| 60360 5200 65560 51378 175 175 0 64 64 792 873 873 608 46 46 97 2161 2161 2992 4965 4965 156 541 541 0 4912 300 5212 264 949 949 889 0 203 0 37 0 1389 0 250 0 216 |
|
| 75047 5500 80547 59271 |
|
| -7791 0 -7791 13039 17765 0 17765 4726 |
|
| 9974 0 9974 17765 |
North Regional Association for Sensory Support
Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2023
| Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2022 | ||
| £ | £ | ||
| Notes | |||
| Current Assets | |||
| Cash at Bank & in Hand | 9974 | 18015 | |
| Total Cash Balances | 9974 | 18015 | |
| Current Liabilities | 0 | -250 | |
| For the year ended 31 March 2022 | 9974 | 17765 | |
| Represented By: | |||
| Restricted Funds | 5 | 0 | |
| Unrestricted Funds | 9974 | 17765 | |
| 9974 | 17765 |
Signed …………….……………………… Position ……………………. Signed …………….……………………… Position …………………….
Date ……………………………………….
North Regional Association for Sensory Support
Notes to the accounts, 2023
1. Basis of accounts
The financial have been prepared in accordance with 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 2015) – Charities SORP (FRS 102), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006
NRASS meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s).
| 2. Grants Received: Hartlepool Borough Council Local Giving 3. Trustees and Staff Salaries & Related Costs Total Staff Costs for the year: |
Restricted Unrestrict Total 5000 5000 500 500 |
|---|---|
| 5500 0 5500 |
|
| 65560 |
4. Costs of financial services
The cost for the Independent Examination for the financial period will be £350.
5 Restricted Funds balance at 31 March 2023
| Hartlepool Borough Council Local Giving Restricted Funds c/fwd to 2022-23 |
Balance at Balance at April 2022 Income Expend March 2023 5000 5000 0 500 500 0 |
|---|---|
| 0 5500 5500 0 |