## **North Regional Association for Sensory Support**
Trustees Report and Financial Statements For The Year Ended 31 March 2024
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 2023-24**
To be updated
## **Achievements**
the service users who are D/deaf, Deafened, Deafblind or have hearing loss.
high.
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 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.
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 o 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 a ‘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
## **Financial Review and Reserves as of the 31st March 2023**
I will start by summarising NRASS finances for the year ended 31st March 2024.
It is pleasing to report a surplus on finances in that year of £33k. This follows receipt of a grant of £68k from the National Lottery Community Award Scheme. In addition NRASS continued to receive contract income of £52k from Gateshead Council. Total receipted amounted to £123.5K.
Expenses in that year totalled £90k which included a £10k spend on various projects and investment in NRASS systems.
The balance sheet for NRASS at 31st March 2024 had £43k in unrestricted funds represented entirely in cash.
a deficit of £10k was incurred and the closing bank balance at 30th November was £34k.
In conclusion the finances remain in sound condition and will be reviewed fully at the end of this financial year in March 2025.
## **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: 6th December 2024
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT**
## **Report to the trustees of North Regional Association for Sensory Support**
**On accounts for the year ended**
**31 March 2024 Charity no 1103917**
**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 of **examiner’s** 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: 18th September 2024 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 2024**
|**Receipts**
Grants
**2**
Contracts
Donations
Training
Other
**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
Accountancy & Payroll fees
Fundraising
Miscellaneous
Project Expenses
**Total Payments**
Surplus / deficit for the year
Funds as at 1 April 2023
**Funds at 31 March 2024**|**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Total**
**Total**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**2023**
**£**
68220
68220
5500
52795
52795
52796
350
350
1200
2150
2150
0
13260|
|---|---|
||**55295**
**68220**
**123515**
**72756**|
||12218
49233
61451
65560
483
1386
1869
175
78
78
64
349
1120
1469
873
556
556
46
1370
2249
3619
2161
0
0
4965
501
2716
3217
541
1944
1500
3444
5212
857
175
1032
949
1399
1399
0
731
1389
2120
0
872
872
0
1107
8452
9559
0|
||**22465**
**68220**
**90685**
**80547**|
||32830
0
32830
-7791
9974
0
9974
17765|
||**42804**
**0**
**42804**
**9974**|
## **North Regional Association for Sensory Support**
## **Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2024**
|**Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2024**||
|---|---|
|**2024**
**£**
**Notes**
**Current Assets**
Cash at Bank & in Hand
42804
**Total Cash Balances**
**42804**
**Current Liabilities**
**0**
**For the year ended 31 March 2024**
**42804**
**Represented By:**
Restricted Funds
**5**
0
Unrestricted Funds
42804
**42804**|**2023**
**£**
9974|
||**9974**|
||**0**|
||**9974**|
||0
9974|
||**9974**|
Signed …………….……………………… Position ……………………. Signed …………….……………………… Position …………………….
Date ……………………………………….
## **North Regional Association for Sensory Support**
## **Notes to the accounts, 2024**
## **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:**
Community Foundation - The National Lottery
**3. Trustees and Staff**
Total Staff Costs for the year:
Salaries & Related Costs|**Restricted Unrestricted**
**Total**
68220
68220|
|---|---|
||**68220**
**0**
**68220**|
||**61451**|
## **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 2024**
|**Restricted Funds balance at 31 March 2024**||
|---|---|
|Community Foundation - The National Lottery
**Restricted Funds c/fwd to 2023-24**|**Balance at**
**Balance at**
**April 2023**
**Income**
**Expend**
**March 2024**
68220
68220
0|
||0
68220
68220
0|